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"We declare, pronounce, and define that the doctrine which holds that the most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instance of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by Almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin, is a doctrine revealed by God and therefore to be believed firmly and constantly by all the faithful."
– Pope Bl. Pius IX, in his decree 'Ineffabilis Deus'.
Painting by Pedro Ramírez in the Cathedral in Guatemala City.
mamiya 6MF 50mm f/4 + kodak portra 160. lab: the icon, los angeles, ca. scan: epson V750. exif tags: filmtagger.
USA Declares Trade War on Canada: Day III - 16 images - Canon EOS 40D with Canon EF 28-135mm 1:3.5-5.6 IS USM (EOS mount) & Polarizer - Photographer Russell McNeil PhD (Physics) lives on Vancouver Island, where he works as a writer.
"We declare, pronounce and define that the doctrine which holds that the Blessed Virgin Mary, at the first instant of her conception, by a singular privilege and grace of the Omnipotent God, in virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of mankind, was preserved immaculate from all stain of original sin, has been revealed by God, and therefore should firmly and constantly be believed by all the faithful."
—Pope Pius IX, Ineffabilis Deus, December 8, 1854
St. Martin of Tours Parish
Diocesan Shrine of Mahal na Poon ng Krus sa Wawa
December 2011
Photo Credits --- Noy Viudez
. . to this, their Thai sanctuary, at Wat Pailom in Pathumthani, on the banks of the Chao Phraya river?
The dots in the sky [please look 'large'] are soaring Openbill Storks (Anastomus oscitans).
In 1955 Thailand had only one colony of Openbill Storks - at this temple, and despite the best efforts of monks to protect the birds by declaring the nesting grounds part of the temple, the colony suffered persecution. One report records: "Poachers in the colony at night with slingshots accounted for several hundred adults in 1970 and almost broke up the colony."
However, thanks to the efforts of conservationists, in 1970 Wat Phai Lom was officially declared a sanctuary and protected by law. In 1964 there had been an estimated 4000 birds here, which had increased to an estimated population of 30,000 in 1980.
In 2004 the death of 200 of the birds raised concerns that they may have contracted bird flu, and if found true a mass cull of the birds was planned. Fortunately tests confirmed the deaths were not due to the feared Avian flu and the cull did not proceed.
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I took this photograph in March 2008, just before the birds started their migration to the deltas of the Ganges and the Bhramaputra in Bangladesh. There, they would usually have joined a healthy resident population, but now they face hunters who will take their toll along the migration route.
The birds usually return to Wat Pailom around November / December.
I visited on Sunday with my family . . . there were no birds. Even the monks could not explain their absence. We all expressed our hopes that perhaps it was a change in regional weather which has delayed their return. Our fears remained unspoken.
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The We're Here! gang is visiting the "I Declare" group today, where we describe our qualifications for joining the 2020 presidential run (or any other run to office).
As you may remember, Dr. Helga is running (see comments), and here's the stump we're preparing for her speech.
Answers to the group's questions:
What's your platform?
A big ol' sequoia tree.
What office(s) are you running for?
POTUS, PM of Canada, Chancellor of Germany, Queen of England, and Czar.
Why are you qualified to run?
Because, like all evil dictators...I mean benevolent leaders...I have wacky hair.
Who's your running mate?
A hedgehog named Norman.
Do you have any skeletons in the closet?
Yes, they are underneath the skulls.
Story of this wonderful sequoia and why they had to cut it down here: www.vancouverisawesome.com/2018/09/04/sequoia-tree-kerris...
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Photographer: BeaR
MD: 黃梨子 （LiMin Huang）梨
Makeup: 徐妍蓁
Stylist: 徐妍蓁
GROUP: W.H.
Retouch: LR+PS
Special Thanks: 張弘達 Yikai Peng
#BeaRPhoto
Dear friend, here are 5 things you should know:
1. Like it or not, we are ALL sinners: As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous—not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.” (Romans 3:10-12 NLT)
2. The punishment for sin is death: When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. (Romans 5:12 NLT)
3. Jesus is our only hope: But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. (Romans 5:8 NLT) For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23 NLT)
4. SALVATION is by GRACE through FAITH in JESUS: God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (Ephesians 2:8-10 NLT)
5. Accept Jesus and receive eternal life: If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9 NLT) But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. (John 1:12 NLT) And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life. (1 John 5:11-12 NLT)
Read the Bible for yourself. Allow the Lord to speak to you through his Word. YOUR ETERNITY IS AT STAKE!
Sincerely,
Someone who cares about you
"a series of portrait prints made by Baron von Gloeden, here on the wall, above a shelf for clothing, of the photo-bazaar shop of my late friend and photographer Nino Malambrì, owner of original von Gloeden photographs"
“una serie di stampe di ritratti realizzati dal barone von Gloeden, qui sulla parete, sopra uno scaffale destinato all'abbigliamento, del negozio fotografico-bazar del compianto mio amico e fotografo Nino Malambrì, possessore di fotografie originali di von Gloeden”
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The photographer Baron Wilhelm von Gloeden: and some "secret stories” of Taormina ...
At the age of about 11-12, I made a very particular discovery, I found a fair number of ancient photographs (they had been well hidden by my grandmother) inside an ancient chest of drawers in our house in Taormina, for me it was a huge surprise, the a taste for the forbidden appeared in me for the first time, they were black and white photographs, they portrayed naked boys, or only partially dressed in drapes or sheets, they were posed to imitate certain statues (or drawings) of the Greco-Roman period; I was very intrigued by them, every now and then I went to look at them, without ever feeling discomfort, I did not consider them vulgar photographs. Some of the photos were the size of a postcard, others of various sizes increasingly larger, up to a format similar to A3; on the back there were stamps, there were also, inside small red cardboard boxes, glass plates, not large, looking at them against the light, they let us glimpse images of naked boys, or only partially dressed: they were photographic negatives made on glass plates. What was that particular photographic material hidden by my grandmother in the dresser of our house? Let's take a step back in time let's teleport to April 2, 1787 when the German poet, narrator, playwright Johan Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) lands in Palermo, following his Grand Tour in Italy (the word "tourism" derives from it) he will say of Sicily that it is a place of splendor, beauty and harmony, but at the same time a place of poverty, suffering, misery and social injustice; Goethe wrote the book "Journey to Italy", revealing himself to be one of Italy's most passionate admirers, stating that "Sicily is the key to everything" (the incredible resemblance of thought with the great Sicilian writer and journalist Leonardo Sciascia (1921-1989) who published in 1979 the book entitled “Sicily as a metaphor”). At the time of Goethe (and for a long time to come) the knowledge of Sicily was made up of stereotyped ideas, it was considered a land of mysteries, a den of brigands, which aroused fear in travelers, tourism did not exist, very few knew a foreign language, journeys with carriages were slow, nothing strange therefore that Taormina was an unknown village at the time. Garibaldi, in the year 1860, frees Sicily from the domination of the Bourbons. In February 1863, Count Ottone (Otto) Geleng (1843-1939) arrives in Taormina from Germany, he is a landscape painter, he begins an intense pictorial activity, thus succeeding in making Taormina and its landscapes known in the various cultural circles of Germany and France. Count Otto thus invites the then painter (who later became a photographer) Baron Wilhelm von Gloeden (1856-1931) to come to Taormina to treat his "subtle ache", pulmonary tuberculosis, which would have benefited from the mild climate of Sicily. Von Gloeden, twenty-two, arrived in Taormina in 1878, became passionate about photography by taking lessons from the local engineer and photographer Giuseppe Bruno (1836-1904), perhaps also a teacher of Giovanni Crupi (1859-1925), landscape photographer friend of von Gloeden, Crupi himself could also have contributed to the training as a photographer of the young von Gloeden. Like Otto Geleng's paintings, the photographs of the young Wilhelm also began to entice the then bourgeoisie across the border to come to Sicily: in the last 20 years of the 1800s the foundations were being laid for tourism in Sicily. The photographs taken by von Gloeden had as their subject young Sicilian adolescents dressed in the old-fashioned way with drapes, or completely naked, at most adorned with wreaths of flowers or laurel leaves placed on their heads, the young models assumed well-studied poses under the directed by the photographer baron, designed to create scenes that wanted to reconstruct the atmosphere of the mythical Arcadia (bucolic landscape of ancient Greece). In his poetics we can find the interest in disguise and transvestism, the young fisherman is made ambiguous by making him wear a wig, made resembling a young Sicilian girl; the images are not produced for the sole and mere trade, they are works that will be published in various famous magazines (such as "The National Geographic Magazine" or "the photographic progress", A. Stieglitz publishes his nudes on “Camera Notes"), also participating in international photographic exhibitions. The young models are filmed among ancient ruins, in rocky environments, outdoors, eliciting a spiritual feeling full of nostalgia, which follows pictorial models of German romanticism. In the photographic book "Verga photographer" (created on the discovery of 327 glass plates and 121 celluloid frames), in Giovanni Verga (1840-1922) great Sicilian narrator, it is possible to observe his photographs interwoven with "realism", while in the photographs of von Gloeden the symbolism andthe spiritualism predominate, however Wilhelm will also produce documentary-type photographs, photographing the terrible earthquake (and tsunami) of Messina (and Reggio Calabria) of 1908. Von Gloeden seems fully integrated into the Taormina society , nevertheless suffers heavy homophobic attacks from the local press and from important characters from Taormina, including Otto Geleng himself, who will be sued by the baron, which will then be withdrawn upon payment of 896 lire, and a restorative declaration published in the "Gazzetta di Messina" . Von Gloeden worked in his house-studio in front of the Hotel San Domenico Palace, with him lived his sister Sofia Raabe (1847-1930), daughter of his mother's first husband, who helped him manage the house-studio, and in the to receive the illustrious guests who visited him (such as Oscar Wilde, FA Krupp, Richard Strauss, the German emperor Wilhelm II, Eleonora Duse). Von Gloeden died on February 16, 1931 at the age of 74, he was buried in the non-Catholic cemetery of Taormina, his heir was his all-around assistant Pancrazio Buciunì known as "il moro" (1879-1963) ("u 'moru", family nickname), which continues the activity, selling the prints: he undergoes two searches in full fascist regime with partial seizure and destruction of the photographic material that belonged to von Gloeden (fascism persecuted homosexuals, the repression of homosexuality was entrusted to the fascist police, which confined many homosexuals to the islands of the Mediterranean, Lipari was one of these, see the beautiful film by Ettore Scola "a special day"), Buciunì undergoes two trials for detention of obscene material, and, despite an adverse appraisal by the appointed expert prof. Stefano Bottari, holder of the chair of history of medieval and modern art at the University of Messina, who declares much of the seized material obscene, the Court of Messina, demonstrating tolerance and open-mindedness, acquits Buciunì. At this point in the story we return to my grandmother's dresser and reveal the little mystery: the hidden photographs belonged to my great-grandfather Don Gaetano D'Agata (1883-1949), von Gloeden's assistant photographer, also on the baron's teaching, he made nude photographs, as well as landscape or portrait photographs; Don Gaetano was a globetrotter, in our family album he is portrayed in various parts of the world, always in the company of beautiful women: but I will never know if those "forbidden photos" were taken by my great-grandfather Gaetano or by Von Gloeden himself, because my grandmother, having understood that I was going to peek at them in secret, made them disappear permanently, and I never heard anymore of that photographic material. For my part, it is only right to mention other figures who contributed to making Taormina the current destination for international tourism. Lady Florence Trevelyan (1852-1907), was Queen Victoria's lady-in-waiting, she was then sent into exile in various parts of the world by Queen herself, she arrived in Taormina and stayed there forever, she was a woman of exceptional gifts, endowed with great sensitivity and humanity, animal rights activist, philanthropist, passionate about esotericism, she was married to the then mayor and doctor of Taormina dr. Salvatore Cacciola, she were one of the first women admitted to world Freemasonry (her husband Cacciola also belonged to Freemasonry): I have already talked about it previously in one of my photographic stories. On the occasion of the XXI festival of the two worlds in Spoleto, in 1978, the essayist and literary critic Roland Barthes (1915-1980) curated an exhibition entitled "Wilhelm von Gloeden", with interventions by artists such as Andy Warhol, M. Pistoletto and J. Beuys. Finally, Raffaella Perna, Researcher in History of Contemporary Art at the University of Catania, underlines in her book on "Wilhelm von Gloeden, disguises, portraits, tableaux vivants", of how LaChapelle, Witkin, Mapplethorpe are the contemporary artists who they are indicated as heirs of von Gloeden's poetics.
P.S. Von Gloeden's photographs were made by photographing both the large panels with gigantographic reproductions of von Gloeden's works, which are located at the entrance of the Mocambo bar in Taormina, and in the shop-bazaar of the photographer from Taormina, my late friend, Nino Malmbrì (owner of the baron's original photographic material). The photographs of Gaetano D’Agata, were taken from my family album: in a photo a little damaged, but exceptional for its historical and emotional value, my great-grandfather, the photographer Gaetano D'Agata, here very young, holds his daughter "Ninitta" (a of the four children, had by three wives), she is my paternal grandmother; in another photo, the photographer Gaetano D'Agata poses next to her a few years later, with my grandmother already a young girl; always made by great-grandfather D'Agata there is both a portrait photo, a close-up, of my very young grandmother "Ninitta", and there is a photo of her posing as a peasant girl, with a painted backdrop behind her, as if used in studio photos; finally I put two photos taken by my great-grandfather Gaetano "en plein air" of bathers, "the location" is the beach of Mazzarò (Taormina). The photographs of the tombstones of the characters mentioned in the story were taken in the Catholic and non-Catholic cemetery of Taormina; the monumental funerary complex of Count Otto Geleng at the top presents the bust of his son Ermanno, the presence of symbolisms such as the hourglass, the rooster, the book (the Holy Bible) and the god mercury, makes me believe that Count Otto was part of the Masonic lodge of Taormina, at the time the mayor of Taormina was also part of it, dr. Cacciola and his wife Lady Florence Trevelyan: in his palace, Dr. Cacciola, built a temple, which became the first Masonic lodge in Taormina: the "Renaissance" (1904).
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Il barone fotografo Wilhelm von Gloeden: ed alcune “storie segrete” di Taormina …
Io, all’età di circa 11-12 anni, feci una scoperta molto particolare, trovai un discreto numero di antiche fotografie (erano state ben nascoste da mia nonna) dentro un antico comò in casa nostra a Taormina, per me fu una enorme sorpresa, il gusto del proibito si affacciò in me per la prima volta, erano fotografie in bianco e nero, ritraevano ragazzi nudi, o solo in parte vestiti con drappi o lenzuoli, messi in posa imitavano certe statue (o disegni) del periodo greco-romano; io ne ero rimasto molto incuriosito, ogni tanto le andavo a riguardare, senza mai provare disagio, non le consideravo fotografie volgari. Alcune foto erano della grandezza di una cartolina, altre di varie dimensioni sempre più grandi, fino ad arrivare ad un formato assimilabile all’A3; sul retro c’erano impressi dei timbri, c’erano anche, dentro dei piccoli scatoli in cartoncino di colore rosso, delle lastrine in vetro, non grandi, guardandole in controluce, lasciavano intravedere immagini di ragazzi nudi, o poco vestiti: erano i negativi fotografici realizzati su vetro. Cosa ci faceva quel materiale fotografico, così particolare, nascosto da mia nonna nel comò di casa nostra? Facciamo un salto indietro nel tempo teletrasportiamoci al 2 aprile 1787 quando a Palermo sbarca il poeta, narratore, drammaturgo tedesco Johan Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832), in seguito al suo Grand Tour in Italia (turismo deriva da esso) dirà della Sicilia che essa è luogo di splendore, bellezza ed armonia, ma al tempo stesso luogo di povertà, sofferenza, miseria ed ingiustizia sociale; Goethe scrive il libro “Viaggio in Italia”, rivelandosi uno dei più appassionati ammiratori dell’Italia, affermando che “la Sicilia è la chiave di tutto” (incredibile la rassomiglianza di pensiero col grande scrittore e giornalista siciliano Leonardo Sciascia (1921-1989) che pubblica nel 1979 il libro dal titolo “la Sicilia come metafora”). Ai tempi di Goethe (e per molto tempo ancora) la conoscenza della Sicilia era fatta di idee stereotipate, era considerata terra di misteri, covo di briganti, il che incuteva timore nei viaggiatori, il turismo non esisteva, pochissimi conoscevano una lingua straniera, i viaggi con carrozze ertano lenti, nulla di strano quindi che Taormina fosse all’epoca un villaggio sconosciuto. Garibaldi, nell’anno 1860, libera la Sicilia dalla dominazione dei Borboni. Nel febbraio del 1863, dalla Germania giunge a Taormina il conte Ottone (Otto) Geleng (1843-1939), egli è un pittore paesaggista, inizia una intensa attività pittorica, riuscendo in tal modo a far conoscere Taormina ed i suoi paesaggi nei vari circoli culturali della Germania e della Francia. Il conte Otto invita così l’allora pittore (poi divenuto fotografo) barone Wilhelm von Gloeden (1856-1931) a venire a Taormina per curare il suo “mal sottile”, la tubercolosi polmonare, che avrebbe tratto giovamento dal clima mite della Sicilia. Von Gloeden, ventiduenne, nel 1878 giunge a Taormina, si appassiona alla fotografia prendendo lezioni dall’ingegnere e fotografo locale Giuseppe Bruno (1836-1904), forse anche insegnante di Giovanni Crupi (1859-1925), fotografo paesaggista amico di von Gloeden, il quale Crupi stesso potrebbe anche aver contribuito alla formazione come fotografo del giovane von Gloeden. Così come i dipinti di Otto Geleng, anche le fotografie del giovane Wilhelm incominciarono ad invogliare l’allora borghesia d’oltre confine, a venire in Sicilia: negli ultimi 20 anni dell’800 si stavano gettando le basi per il turismo in Sicilia. Le fotografie realizzate da von Gloeden avevano come soggetto giovani adolescenti siciliani vestiti all’antica con drappi, o completamente nudi, tutt’al più adornati da coroncine di fiorellini o foglie d’alloro messi sul capo, i giovani modelli assumevano pose ben studiate sotto la regia del barone fotografo, atte a realizzare scene che volevano ricostruire l’atmosfera della mitica Arcadia (paesaggio bucolico dell’antica Grecia). Nella sua poetica possiamo riscontrare l’interesse per il travestimento ed il travestitismo, il giovane pescatore viene reso ambiguo facendogli indossare una parrucca, reso somigliante ad una giovane ragazza siciliana; le immagini non vengono prodotte per il solo e mero commercio, sono opere che verranno pubblicate su varie riviste famose (come “The National Geographic Magazine” o “Il Progresso fotografico”, A. Stieglitz pubblica i suoi nudi su “Camera Notes”), partecipando anche ad esposizioni fotografiche internazionali. I giovani modelli sono ripresi tra antichi ruderi, in ambienti rupestri, all’aperto, elicitando un sentimento spirituale carico di nostalgia, il che ricalca modelli pittorici del romanticismo tedesco. Nel libro fotografico “Verga fotografo” (realizzato su ritrovamento di 327 lastre in vetro e 121 fotogrammi in celluloide), in Giovanni Verga (1840-1922) grande narratore siciliano, è possibile osservare le sue fotografie intessute di “verismo”, mentre nelle fotografie di von Gloeden predomina il simbolismo e lo spiritualismo, purtuttavia Wilhelm produrrà anch’egli fotografie di tipo documentaristico, andando a fotografare il terribile terremoto (e maremoto) di Messina (e di Reggio Calabria) del 1908. Von Gloeden sembra pienamente integrato nella società taorminese, ciononostante subisce pesanti attacchi omofobi dalla stampa locale e da importanti personaggi taorminesi, incluso lo stesso Otto Geleng, i quali verranno querelati dal barone, querela che verrà poi ritirata dietro pagamento di 896 lire, ed una dichiarazione riparatoria pubblicata sulla “Gazzetta di Messina”. Von Gloeden lavorava nella sua casa-studio di fronte l’Hotel San Domenico Palace, con lui viveva sua sorella Sofia Raabe (1847-1930), figlia del primo marito di sua madre, che lo aiutava a governare la casa-studio, e nel ricevere gli illustri ospiti che lo andavano a trovare ( come Oscar Wilde, F.A. Krupp, Richard Strauss, l’imperatore tedesco Guglielmo II, Eleonora Duse). Von Gloeden muore il 16 febbraio 1931 all’età di 74 anni, viene sepolto nel cimitero acattolico di Taormina, il suo erede è il suo assistente tutto fare Pancrazio Buciunì detto “il moro” (1879-1963) (“u’ moru”, soprannome di famiglia), che ne prosegue l’attività, vendendone le stampe: il quale subisce in pieno regime fascista due perquisizioni con parziale sequestro e distruzione del materiale fotografico che apparteneva a von Gloeden (il fascismo perseguitò gli omosessuali, la repressione dell’omosessualità fu affidata alla polizia fascista, che confinò molti omosessuali nelle isole del mediterraneo, Lipari fu una di queste, vedi il bellissimo film di Ettore Scola “una giornata particolare”), Buciunì subisce due processi per detenzione di materiale osceno, e, nonostante una perizia avversa da parte del nominato perito prof. Stefano Bottari, titolare della cattedra di storia dell’arte medioevale e moderna dell’Università di Messina, che dichiara osceno gran parte del materiale sequestrato, il Tribunale di Messina dimostrando tolleranza ed apertura mentale, assolve il Buciunì. A questo punto del racconto ritorniamo al comò di mia nonna e sveliamo il piccolo mistero: le fotografie nascoste appartenevano al mio bisnonno don Gaetano D’Agata (1883-1949), assistente fotografo di von Gloeden, anch’egli sull’insegnamento del barone, realizzò fotografie di nudo, oltre che di paesaggio o ritratto; don Gaetano era un giramondo, nel nostro album di famiglia lui è ritratto in varie parti del mondo, sempre in compagnia di belle donne: ma io non saprò mai se quelle “foto proibite” erano realizzate dal mio bisnonno Gaetano o da Von Gloeden stesso, perché mia nonna, avendo capito che le andavo a sbirciare di nascosto, le fece sparire definitivamente, e di quel materiale fotografico non ne seppi più nulla. Da parte mia, è doveroso citare altre figure che contribuirono a rendere Taormina l’attuale meta del turismo internazionale. Lady Florence Trevelyan (1852-1907), era dama di corte della regina Vittoria, dalla stessa regina Lady Florence fu poi mandata in esilio in varie parti del mondo, giunse a Taormina e qui vi restò per sempre, era una donna dalle doti eccezionali, dotata di grande sensibilità ed umanità, animalista, filantropa, appassionata di esoterismo, fu sposa dell’allora sindaco e medico di Taormina dott. Salvatore Cacciola, fu una delle prime donne ammesse alla massoneria mondiale (apparteneva alla massoneria anche il marito Cacciola): ne ho già parlato in precedenza in un mio racconto fotografico. Robert Hawthorn Kitson (1873-1947) era un pittore britannico omosessuale, egli lasciò l’Inghilterra a causa dell’emendamento Labouchere, che rendeva illegale qualsiasi atto omosessuale nel Regno Unito (1885), giunse a Taormina e qui si stabilì, costruendo nel 1905 Casa Cusani, una villa con vista sull’Etna, oggi casa museo; nella sua sala da pranzo si trovano gli affreschi “proibiti” realizzati da Frank Brangwyn, essi narrano dell’amore omosessuale tra Kitson ed il suo compagno Carlo Siligato: nel 1908 in seguito al terremoto che distrusse Messina (e Reggio Calabria), essi adottarono un bambino che era rimasto orfano, divenendo di fatto una famiglia omosessuale, all’epoca assolutamente proibita; gli affreschi di Casa Cuseni sono ispirati alle fotografie di von Gloeden, così come nella villa, si trova una “autocromia a colori” del 1910, realizzata da von Gloeden, documento eccezionale che testimonia la volontà del barone di sperimentare nuove tecniche. In occasione del XXI festival dei due mondi di Spoleto, nel 1978, il saggista e critico letterario Roland Barthes (1915-1980) cura una mostra intitolata “Wilhelm von Gloeden”, con interventi di artisti quali Andy Warhol, M. Pistoletto e J. Beuys. Infine, Raffaella Perna, Ricercatrice in Storia dell'arte contemporanea all'Università degli Studi di Catania, sottolinea nel suo libro su “Wilhelm von Gloeden, travestimenti, ritratti, tableaux vivants”, di come LaChapelle, Witkin, Mapplethorpe siano gli artisti contemporanei che vengono indicati come eredi della poetica di von Gloeden.
P.S. le fotografie di Von Gloeden sono state realizzate fotografando sia i grandi pannelli con gigantografiche riproduzioni delle opere di von Gloeden, che si trovano all’ingresso del bar Mocambo di Taormina, sia nel negozio-bazar del fotografo taorminese, compianto mio amico, Nino Malmbrì (possessore di materiale fotografico originale del barone). Le fotografie di Gaetano D’Agata, sono state prese dal mio album di famiglia: in una foto un pò rovinata, ma eccezionale per il suo valore storico e per me affettivo, il mio bisnonno, il fotografo Gaetano D'Agata, qui molto giovane, tiene in braccio sua figlia "Ninitta" (una dei quattro figli, avuti da tre mogli), lei è la mia nonna paterna; in un'altra foto, il fotografo Gaetano D'Agata posa accanto a lei qualche anno dopo, con mia nonna già ragazzina; sempre realizzate dal bisnonno D'Agata c'è sia un foto-ritratto, un primo piano, di mia nonna "Ninitta" molto giovane, e c'è la foto di lei mentre posa come contadinella, con dietro un fondale dipinto, come si usava nelle foto da studio; infine ho messo, due foto realizzate dal mio bisnonno Gaetano "en plein air" a delle bagnanti, "la location" è la spiaggia di Mazzarò (Taormina). Le fotografie delle tombe dei personaggi menzionati nel racconto, sono state fatte nel cimitero cattolico ed acattolico di Taormina; il complesso monumentale funerario del conte Otto Geleng in alto presenta il mezzobusto del figlio Ermanno, la presenza di simbolismi come la clessidra, il gallo, il libro (la Sacra Bibbia) ed il dio mercurio, mi fa ritenere che il conte Otto facesse parte della loggia massonica di Taormina, all’epoca ne faceva parte anche il sindaco di Taormina, dott. Cacciola e sua moglie Lady Florence Trevelyan: nel suo palazzo il dott. Cacciola, realizzò un tempio, che divenne la prima loggia massonica di Taormina : la "Rinascimento"(1904).
Valerie Solanas est l’auteure du SCUM Manifesto, un pamphlet féministe radical qui déclare la toute-puissance des femmes. La première "pute intellectuelle d’Amérique" rentre avec fracas dans l’histoire du féminisme. Elle donne une voix rare à la rage des femmes et imagine un avenir politique par la marge.
L’histoire des femmes se devine souvent dans l’ombre de celles des hommes. C’est à travers la vie d’Andy Warhol qu’apparaît le nom de Valerie Solanas. En 1968, le célèbre artiste pop, inventeur du concept de Superstar, est l’épicentre de la vie artistique newyorkaise. Andy Warhol incarne le pouvoir, la réussite et l’argent. C’est en 1967 qu’une auteure du nom de Valerie Solanas se rend dans son atelier de la Factory pour lui confier le manuscrit de sa pièce de théâtre, Up your ass.
Des chambres du Chelsea Hotel aux trottoirs newyorkais, Valerie Solanas clame son ambition : elle est une grande auteure et sera reconnue comme telle. Elle a fui le New Jersey et une vie de violence, marquée par la prostitution et la précarité. Son histoire a abîmé son corps et son esprit. Chacun voit dans Valérie une femme intranquille et inquiétante."Une femme qui semblait avoir marché à travers une larme", dira la galeriste Margo Feiden.
Le maître de la Factory trouve la pièce choquante et reste silencieux face aux demandes de Solanas. Avec sa drôle de dégaine, Valerie ne rentre pas dans le cadre huppé et glamour des Marilyn warholienne. Elle essaye en vain de récupérer le seul exemplaire de son manuscrit qu’il avouera avoir perdu. Pour la dédommager, il lui propose non sans provocation de l’engager dans son prochain film érotique, I, a man qui narre les tentatives de séduction et d’assaut sexuel d’un homme sur huit femmes. L’une d’elle est interprétée par Valerie Solanas.
A la même époque, elle finit la rédaction de son SCUM Manifesto, un texte littéraire et politique violent qui s’ouvre sur ce programme : "Rien dans cette société ne concerne les femmes. Alors, à toutes celles qui ont un brin de civisme, le sens des responsabilités et celui de la rigolade, il ne reste qu’à renverser le gouvernement et supprimer le sexe masculin". Elle propose à son éditeur Maurice Girodias de le publier, sans succès.
Par une très chaude journée de juin 1968, Valerie Solanas arrive au 33 West Union Square en manteau d’hiver et col roulé. Elle pénètre dans l’atelier et tire trois fois, au troisième coup, elle finit par atteindre Andy Warhol. Déclaré cliniquement mort, Warhol survivra miraculeusement mais restera changé à jamais, comme le suggère son torse lacéré de cicatrices dans la série de portraits réalisée par Richard Avedon en 1969. Valérie Solanas est internée pendant trois ans en hôpital psychiatrique. Si cette tentative d’assassinat la fait sortir brièvement de l’anonymat, elle enferme son œuvre dans une interprétation simpliste qui relie l’acte meurtrier au manifeste.
Valerie Solanas is the author of the SCUM Manifesto, a radical feminist pamphlet that declares the omnipotence of women. America's first "intellectual whore" makes a big splash in the history of feminism. She gives a rare voice to the rage of women and imagines a political future from the margins.
The history of women can often be seen in the shadow of those of men. It is through the life of Andy Warhol that the name Valerie Solanas appears. In 1968, the famous pop artist, inventor of the concept of Superstar, was the epicenter of New York artistic life. Andy Warhol embodies power, achievement and money. It was in 1967 that an author by the name of Valerie Solanas went to her studio in the Factory to entrust her with the manuscript of her play, Up your ass.
From the rooms of the Chelsea Hotel to the New York sidewalks, Valerie Solanas proclaims her ambition: she is a great author and will be recognized as such. She fled New Jersey and a life of violence, marked by prostitution and precariousness. Her story damaged her body and her mind. Everyone sees Valérie as a disquieting and disturbing woman. "A woman who seemed to have walked through a tear", said gallery owner Margo Feiden.
The Factory master finds the room shocking and remains silent in the face of Solanas' requests. With her funny look, Valerie does not fit into the posh and glamorous setting of the Marilyn Warholienne. She tries in vain to recover the only copy of his manuscript that he will confess to having lost. To compensate her, he provocatively offers her to hire her in his next erotic film, I, a man, which narrates the attempts to seduce and sexually assault one man out of eight women. One of it is performed by Valerie Solanas.
At the same time, she finished writing her SCUM Manifesto, a violent literary and political text that opens with this program: "Nothing in this society concerns women. So, to all those who have a bit of civility, the sense of responsibility and the sense of fun, all that remains is to overthrow the government and suppress the male sex ". She proposed to her publisher Maurice Girodias to publish it, without success.
On a very hot day in June 1968, Valerie Solanas arrived at 33 West Union Square in a winter coat and turtleneck. She enters the workshop and shoots three times, on the third shot she ends up hitting Andy Warhol. Declared clinically dead, Warhol will miraculously survive but will remain changed forever, as suggested by his scarred chest in the series of portraits produced by Richard Avedon in 1969. Valérie Solanas was interned for three years in a psychiatric hospital. If this assassination attempt briefly breaks her anonymity, it encloses her work in a simplistic interpretation that links the murderous act to the manifesto.
This is not a photo that aims for best image quality, this is a photo that goes after emotions... This a photo that not too long ago was very costly to make, but today thanks to modern technology, we have these UAV that go up in the air at a moments notice and we can capture that amazing sunset from a whole different viewpoint... and all I have to say is that:
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky proclaims the work of His hands.
Day after day they pour out speech;
night after night they communicate knowledge.
There is no speech; there are no words;
their voice is not heard.
Their message has gone out to all the earth,
and their words to the ends of the world.
Psalms 19:1-4
declaring a state of emergency or perhaps another protest at the Kentucky Fried Chicken one block away
After declaring the Blackpool Swift a finished job yesterday, today it was the turn of this ex Royal Blue Bristol RELH to be deemed ready to head home.
LDV 847F is seen here back under cover with some of its owners other toys in a nice dry shed about 15 miles from RBW.
The ECW bodied coach has a 5 speed semi-auto gearbox and in this case leaf springs, unlike the air bags of the Crosville example which came our way recently.
I declare.......... I am just a shy southern country girl..........I am sure that I would not know how to act properly..........they are so beautiful and feminine and experienced and confident...........maybe I could just drive by...........a girl can dream! ( sigh)
- William Allen Butler
(**EXPLORED**)
You now know my dirty little secret. I am hopelessly addicted to gaudy costume jewelry. This isn't even a fraction of my collection. I've got rings and bracelets and necklaces to wear with any outfit, for any occassion, and I still need more. A girl can never have too much jewelry.
totw: Accessorize
365 Days (self portraits): Day 90
Apollo Beach Declaring Love For Tampa Bay Florida Or Beer Can Island? - IMRAN™
During one of the nonstop rain days here, I took Kennedy for a walk to the Apollo Beach beach, because the dog park has been a slushy mess for too long. There weren’t too many people around. In typical Florida fashion, there was rain falling, but there were also beautiful patches of blue sky shining over the waters of Tampa Bay, and around Beer Can Island. This “I❤️U” someone had marked into the sand remained clearly visible. From the direction of writing, I’m not sure if someone at BCI wrote that for me. 😄 In that case, I Love You Two!
© 2019 IMRAN™
I declare February LOVE, romance and beauty month.
To the attentive eye, each moment of the year has its own beauty, and in the same field, it beholds, every hour, a picture which was never seen before, and which shall never be seen again.
-- quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson
Gerbera is a genus of ornamental plants from the sunflower family. It was named in honour of the German naturalist Traugott Gerber.
It has approximately 30 species in the wild, extending to South America, Africa and tropical Asia.
Colours include white, yellow, orange, red, and pink. The center of the flower is sometimes black.
It is the fifth most used cut flower in the world (after rose, carnation, chrysanthemum, and tulip).
I love 'creating' and playing with light in the studio, comp in camera, gives me a real 'PHOTOGRAPHY' buzz, lol, M, (*_*)
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Jacobello del Fiore - documented in Venice from 1400 to 1439
The triptych painted by Jacobello del Fiore in 1421 was painted for the Magistrato del Proprio, the judges concerned primarily with property disputes. Consideration of this panel leads us further into the associative mechanics of personifying Venice herself. The crowned figure of Justice is seated upon a leonine throne of Solomonic implications; she is flanked by the two archangels: to her right, on which she holds the sword of punishment, stands Michael, triumphant over the dragon of Satan and Evil; on her left, the side of the scales of judgement, Gabriel approaches, significantly gesturing to the regal woman. The inscription behind her declares that she "abides by the angels' admonitions and holy words."
Michael, traditional guardian of divine (and ultimate) justice, urges her to reward or punish according to merit, to "commend the purged souls to the benign scales." Gabriel, who exhorts her to lead humanity through the darkness, is explicitly identified as the "announcer of the virgin birth and peace among men."
The two lions bracketing the throne of Justice allude to the gilded throne of Solomon the wise judge, the sanctified seat of Justice and of Wisdom as Sedes Sapientiae, the throne of Divine Wisdom, it came to be identified with the body of the Virgin Mary, the support of the Incarnate Word of God and, as Jacobello's triptych makes clear, that throne was ultimately inherited - or, better, appropriated - with all its accumulated meanings, by Venice herself. Moreover, the convenient coincidence of the leonine decoration with the beast of St. Mark offered to Venetian iconography a special set of possibilities, of correspondences and cross-references, and a new range of resonance.
In Jacobello's panel, in the context of deliberate ambiguity, the archangel Gabriel's presence becomes resonantly significant. The heavenly messenger, companion of the Holy Spirit and announcer of the Incarnation, is traditionally associated with the Virgin Mary. And that association is pointedly acknowledged in Jacobello's painting: bearing the lily that is his attribute through his role in the Annunciation, the Archangel assumes a pose of direct address that intentionally evokes that role. His addressee, however, is ostensibly a different virgin, the virgin goddess of Justice...
The return of Justice to the world signals a new golden age, here being claimed by and for Venice herself. Gabriel's position in the painting and the allusions of his text encourage the kind of associative ambivalence that was central to the Venetian iconographic imagination. The Annunciation scene played out in Jacobello's panel automatically conflates those earlier events of March 25: the theological Incarnation that initiated the new era of Christian grace and that the political incarnation of the four-hundreth-and-twenty-first year of that era, the foundation of Venice.
The panel, in fact, is dated 1421 and thus commemorates, intentionally or not, the Republic's millennial birthdate.
["Myths of Venice, The Figuration of a State", by David Rosand]
The offspring from this illicit union between angels and human women were giants who “became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.” (Genesis 6) The fact that they were giants, is also proof in and of itself that their parentage was superhuman. But these giants were evil. Having been born of corrupted, Satanic angels they dominated the Earth and filled it with violence. It is also interesting to note that the Bible calls them “men of renown.” The Hebrew word here, shem, refers to being famous and legendary. It is as if the Bible is indicating that when the reader hears of legends of “demigods”, titans or legendary heroes who were part god, that this is who those “myths” were referring to. These were ‘men’ of superhuman ability and strength. In addition to causing violence and sin in the world, the Nephilim were also corrupting the human bloodline.
The Nephilim giants spread violence and sin that: “God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Humanity was on the verge of being wiped out with no hope of being saved from sin if every person born became part fallen angel. Thus God judged the Earth with the flood.
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise
thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel… - Gen. 3:15 (KJV)
The word seed, in this above verse, means “semen virile;” hence “offspring,” “posterity,” and “descendants.”[2] We know there were groups of human beings with truly human blood: Adam, the Adamites, and other pre-Adamites. We also know there had begun to be offspring on the earth with mixed
blood - those with blood of the Serpent (such as Cain). We’ll now discover there would be more crossbred-offspring - via these fallen angels, as well; and we’ll discover what it all would mean to the Genesis 3:15
Prophecy.
To begin, the mixing of human and fallen angelic blood was not in God’s plan for the human race, as far as “kind after kind.” There would be entirely new groups of people emerging.What was so wrong with the mixing of humans and Nephilim, other than this? First off, we’ve already mentioned that these crossbred offspring weren’t really meant for this earth. The reason? A number of genetic disturbances developed because of it. Some of these mixed offspring could have turned out normally - similar to other human beings; many others did not. There were a number of those either
much bigger or smaller than their human counterparts.Many were giants, physical giants: On the earth there once were giants.- Homer (circa 400 B. C.)[20]
The ancient genomes, one from a Neanderthal and one from a different archaic human group, the Denisovans, were presented on 18 November at a meeting at the Royal Society in London. They suggest that interbreeding went on between the members of several ancient human-like groups living in Europe and Asia more than 30,000 years ago, including an as-yet unknown human ancestor from Asia.
“What it begins to suggest is that we’re looking at a ‘Lord of the Rings’-type world — that there were many hominid populations,” says Mark Thomas, an evolutionary geneticist at University College London who was at the meeting but was not involved in the work.
The first Neanderthal and the Denisovan genome sequences revolutionized the study of ancient human history, not least because they showed that these groups interbred with anatomically modern humans, contributing to the genetic diversity of many people alive today.
All humans whose ancestry originates outside of Africa owe about 2% of their genome to Neanderthals; and certain populations living in Oceania, such as Papua New Guineans and Australian Aboriginals, got about 4% of their DNA from interbreeding between their ancestors and Denisovans, who are named after the cave in Siberia’s Altai Mountains where they were discovered. The cave contains remains deposited there between 30,000 and 50,000 years ago.
Those conclusions however were based on low-quality genome sequences, riddled with errors and full of gaps, David Reich, an evolutionary geneticist at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts said at the meeting. His team, in collaboration with Svante Pääbo at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, have now produced much more complete versions of the Denisovan and Neanderthal genomes — matching the quality of contemporary human genomes. The high-quality Denisovan genome data and new Neanderthal genome both come from bones recovered from Denisova Cave.
The new Denisovan genome indicates that this enigmatic population got around: Reich said at the meeting that they interbred with Neanderthals and with the ancestors of human populations that now live in China and other parts of East Asia, in addition to Oceanic populations, as his team previously reported. Most surprisingly, Reich said, the new genomes indicate that Denisovans interbred with another extinct population of archaic humans that lived in Asia more than 30,000 years ago, which is neither human nor Neanderthal.
The meeting was abuzz with conjecture about the identity of this potentially new population of humans. “We don’t have the faintest idea,” says Chris Stringer, a paleoanthropologist at the London Natural History Museum, who was not involved in the work. He speculates that the population could be related to Homo heidelbergensis, a species that left Africa around half a million years ago and later gave rise to Neanderthals in Europe. “Perhaps it lived on in Asia as well,” Stringer says.
The earliest known Egyptian pyramid is the Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara. It was built during the third dynasty, 2630-2611 BC and the pyramid and its surrounding complex are said to have been designed by Imhotep. Not the scary figure from the Mummy-movies but the architect and vizier of pharaoh Djoser. Imhotep was skilled in all areas of administration and royal enterprises and he was also a priest, writer, a doctor and the founder of the Egyptian studies of astronomy and architecture. Imhotep was also seen as a god, the God of Healing, and he was called the son of Ptah. Ptah was one of five major Egyptian gods with Re, Isis, Osiris and Amun. The name Imhotep means "the one that comes in peace" but where he came from is unknown. From statues of him we can see that he had Caucasian features and the long head of the pharaohs even if he was not a pharaoh.
Djoser's mummy has not been found, but what is remarkable about his pyramid is all the storage rooms plus a large maze of corridors and chambers dug beneath it. Massive amounts of seeds like wheat, barley, grape, tomato and figs - along with 40.000 storage vessels has been found so far. Egyptologists claim this to be for the king's afterlife but would he need such a large amount of seeds in a theological heaven?
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault, made by the government of Norway deep inside a mountain on the remote and cold island of Svalbard, is a "doomsday" seed bank that stores backup copies of millions of different crop varieties in case of a worldwide catastrophe. Is it possible that also all the seeds in Djoser's storage rooms were meant to be in case of catastrophe - to restart the Egyptian civilisation?
Imhotep diagnosed and treated over 200 diseases; he performed surgery and practiced some dentistry. He has a remarkable degree of medical knowledge. The prescriptions in his ancient documents not only can compare with pharmaceutical preparations of today but many of the remedies also had therapeutic merit, Yes, many of his ancient remedies survived into the 20th century and some remain in
Akenaten.Semen and ejaculation are actually a strong part of ancient Egyptian god myths: there's an extended episode in which Set and Horus, two male gods, have what's essentially a semen-battle. Set tries to seduce Horus, but Horus throws Set's semen in the river, and then tricks him into eating lettuce smeared with Horus's semen. When the other gods try to figure out who "won" this particular fight, they summon both bits of sperm, and Horus wins, because he got Set to "swallow". Horus's semen becomes a lovely gold disc of shame around Set's head.The Horus and Seth story ends with the father, Osiris, declaring his son, Horus, his legitimate heir. Seth is brought as a bound prisoner, a game that was played by post-pubescent boys, and Isis closes the ceremony with a declaration of Horus’s new identity.
Hathor’s role in the Horus and Seth story may be that of the female entertainer, because, at a time when Pre Harakhty was sulking “she uncovered her nakedness before him, thereupon the great god laughed at her.” Literally, she ‘uncovered her vagina’, and judging from the lion’s flank determinative, she exposed her vagina by bending forward, a popular pose among the relatively few pornographic pictures we have from ancient Egypt. The way the words are written, the sexual act is implied, but not expressly stated. The sun-god nevertheless emerges from his depression with satisfaction. Perhaps someone can come up with another example where laughter is a euphemism for orgasm.
The point here is that Hathor used her sexuality here not for reproduction, but for entertainment, or, perhaps healing, in the sense of curing a depression
Did Imhotep also have knowledge of genetics? Is it possible that he with his superior medical skills tried to restore the pharaoh's dwindling power and knowledge? Had interbreeding with local people changed the divine pharaohs mental capacities, did their long skulls get shorter and shorter and the brain capacities smaller and smaller? Did he try to recreate the former race that once had come from the north - the race that he himself most probably had inherited his impressive brain capacities from? Is that why the pharaoh Akenaten not only had a long skull but also female features like breasts and a wide hip? And Akenaten's daughters had even longer skulls and that his son Tutankhamun's DNA (from his mummy) has revealed that he was not an Egyptian but had come from the north?
Denisovans are the famous Nephilim?
back
The world, thanks to Cain and the Serpent, was now on the slow pathway to self-destruction. We also know Cain, through his “ways,” was doing the exact opposite that God had planned for him. Adam had fallen a long time before this. The whole working world of the Garden had forever changed. The other fallen, corporeal angels of the Garden probably felt vindicated, at least in their minds. Cain began to influence the developing societies around him with these anti-God religious beliefs. Cain, the Serpent, and now these other fallen angels were being held in high regard - for their “other worldly” knowledge. This would, eventually, give them their “bargaining chips,” to get themselves whatever they wanted.
The rest of the fallen angels, also known as the Nephilim, wanted their place in this post-Adamic world.
The power grid had changed; and these fallen angels aimed to keep it that way. We recall the prophecy, as stated by God to the Serpent: Here we finally arrive at the Nephilimas a means of addressing the genetic evidence that the effective human population never dropped below a few thousand.27 Genesis 6 is the enigmatic story leading up to Noah’s flood,
in which the “sons of God” found the “daughters of
men” to be beautiful and took them as wives. These
unions were an anathema to God, and the offspring
are identifi ed with their own name, the Nephilim,
of which some became known as “mighty men” or
“men of renown.” There are three common explanations
offered: angels marrying human women, noblemen or tyrant rulers marrying commoners, or the righteous line of Seth intermarrying with the unrighteous line of Cain.28 Substantive objections can be raised for each of these arguments. Angels intermarrying with humans fails because Christ explicitly
stated that angels neither marry nor are given in
marriage (Mark 12).29 Noblemen intermarrying with
commoners is a stretch because this would not have
been objectionable to God, and would not have produced
offspring with any unusual physical attributes.
www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/19/ancient-humans-sex-myst...
After declaring himself Rom Nel, Theo has set out to subjugate the cosmos under a rebuilt Arkhan Empire. Stampeding across the stars, he and his armies leave little but ruins behind them.
Véritable chef d'œuvre d'architecture moderne, Brasilia a été déclarée Patrimoine mondial de l'humanité en 1987 par l'UNESCO.
L'urbaniste Lúcio Costa a imaginé le Plan pilote qui donne à la ville une forme d'avion, inscrit dans un lac artificiel : le lac Paranoá. Les quartiers résidentiels sont fonctionnels et s'auto-suffisent : centres commerciaux, écoles et parcs sont à proximité.
Les bâtiments principaux ont été conçus par l'architecte Oscar Niemeyer : la cathédrale (4 000 places), le Congrès national (Chambre des députés et Sénat), le Ministère des Affaires étrangères, le Tribunal suprême et le Palais de la présidence.Les pouvoirs judiciaire, exécutif et législatif sont regroupés autour de la majestueuse Place des Trois Pouvoirs.La ville s'organise autour de deux axes perpendiculaires : l’Eixo monumental et l’Eixo Rodoviário (ou simplement Eixāo).L'Eixo monumental, orienté est-ouest, coupe la ville en deux parties symétriques. Il est considéré par les Brésiliens comme la plus large avenue du monde, avec 250 m séparant ses deux fois six voies au point le plus large. Vu du ciel, il représente la flèche, le fuselage de l'avion.
À sa pointe est se situe la place des trois pouvoirs ainsi que l'esplanade des ministères.L'Eixāo, courbe, traverse la ville du nord au sud. Vue du ciel, elle représente les ailes de l'avion. L'aile sud et l'aile nord, organisées en superquadras le long de l'axe, regroupent environ 300 000 habitants.
Il est constitué d'une piste principale de deux fois trois voies, accessibles à partir des axes secondaires (eixinhos en portugais, littéralement petits axes). Les axes secondaires se trouvent de part et d'autre de l'Eixao, chacun étant constitué de deux fois deux voies. L'Eixāo permet de traverser l'Eixo monumental sous un tunnel. L'Eixão est exclusivement réservé à la circulation des véhicules, des passages souterrains sont aménagés pour la traversée des piétons. Deux autres axes traversent de nord à sud le Plano Piloto, respectivement à l'ouest et à l'est de l'Eixão : W3 et L2. Ces axes sont bordés de commerces et de résidences.Au croisement des deux axes se trouve la rodoviária, qui accueille la station Central du métro et qui est aussi celle du réseau autobus.
These small dunes were formed by north winds pushing sands off the Cadiz Dry Lake. The pristine nature of the dunes and the beautiful spring display of unique dune plants have made the area a favorite for photographers.
On February 12, 2016, President Obama signed a proclamation declaring the Mojave Trails National Monument east of Los Angeles in Southern California.
Mojave Trails National Monument: Spanning 1.6 million acres, more than 350,000 acres of previously congressionally-designated Wilderness, the Mojave Trails National Monument is comprised of a stunning mosaic of rugged mountain ranges, ancient lava flows, and spectacular sand dunes. The monument will protect irreplaceable historic resources including ancient Native American trading routes, World War II-era training camps, and the longest remaining undeveloped stretch of Route 66. Additionally, the area has been a focus of study and research for decades, including geological research and ecological studies on the effects of climate change and land management practices on ecological communities and wildlife.
Photo by Bob Wick, BLM.
Devotionals by Baptist Bible Hour
How sweet are thy words unto my taste! Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! – Psalm 119:103
How would you describe the Word of God? Do you view it as being difficult, challenging, or maybe even bitter? The psalmist David speaks of loving the Word and finding it to be sweet to his taste.
Hopefully we can say that we love it, even though portions of it are difficult to understand and its rebukes are sometimes hard to take. Since it is food for our soul and that which God uses to nourish us spiritually, if our attitude is what it should be we can say, “How sweet are thy words!”
But there are some hindrances to loving the Word. If you have been influenced by worldly philosophy or preconceived ideas about God, you will have to overcome this thinking to truly feed on God’s truth. False doctrine, worldly interests, or a rebellious spirit can all be hindering factors to loving the Word.
There are even more reasons for loving God’s Word, however, than there are hindrances to it. The fact that it is God’s book is reason number one. Should we not be vitally interested in the one book God has given us? It tells us about God — his power, his purpose, his love. It is a book that traces the unfolding of his good pleasure in his creation.
Also, God’s Word is a book about the Savior. It contains the prophecies of his coming and the fulfillment of them in his birth, his life, his death and resurrection. It tells us of the one Way of salvation, through Jesus Christ, including the things we need to know about family, children, work, suffering, and even money.
Such thorough and helpful words are truly sweet to every saved and striving sinner.
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Image from my files. Taken @ Butterfly World
Coconut Creek, Florida, USA
I used French Kiss Textures.
Want to declare your undying love for each other? Here is a romantic, if not unusual way to do so.
As you walk along the beautiful Pont des Arts (pictured below) you’ll notice that the sides of the bridge are filled with locks of every shape and size. Many have initials, some are adorned with dates and symbols of love.
In Paris, if you want to declare your love for each other, you take a walk along the Pont des Arts, find a special place, gaze into each other’s eyes and whisper sweet nothings then attach the lock to the bridge, remove the key and throw it into the Seine. How romantic! Well, it IS the city of love – even when the temperature was in the mid-30s.
The practice is not without controversy. Some say the locks are an eyesore – spoiling the beauty of the bridge. Authorities periodically come and remove the locks – the spoil sports! Then there’s the environmental issue – all those metal keys being thrown into the Seine. Quel dommage!
The bridge is renowned for being the place for lovers – who could forget (or not) the place where Big told Carrie that he loved her.
I saw a couple of combination locks and heard the story of one enterprising French man who would recycle the lock for the next lover – where’s the romance in scrambling a combination – symbolically removing the key and throwing it into the Seine to remain for eternity sounds far more romantic. So girls beware – if it’s not a lock with a key – he’s not the man for you!
Barack Obama declares victory with a fist pound(or pump)
"I can stand before you and say I will be the Democratic nominee for President Of the United States"
17,000 supporters strong inside the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul and an additional 15,000 watching a big screen outside, Barack Obama began his campaign against John McCain.
Flickr Explore #65 on 06/03/08
Pendant tout le Moyen Âge, Conques fut un important sanctuaire où étaient vénérées les reliques du crâne de sainte Foy. Elle est célèbre grâce à son église abbatiale dont l'architecture et les sculptures du porche sont remarquables, et son trésor, notamment la statue en or de Sainte Foy. Depuis le XXe siècle, elle a été déclarée « étape majeure » sur le chemin de Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle (Via Podiensis) parce qu'elle est citée dans le dernier Livre du Codex Calixtinus, pratiquement inconnu jusqu'à son édition en latin en 1882.
The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
~ Psalm 19:1
There were so many meteors raining down as I shot this series of photos! I'm afraid the star trail obscures them, but it really was a remarkable light show!
I shot 240 images (2 hrs and 12 minutes), but this star trail is a stack of the first 135 images.
Washington DC, Wednesday evening August 10, 2014. Around fifty social justice activists associated with Code Pink and other peace groups rallied in front of the White House to protest the recent US bombing of Iraq, the upcoming US bombing of Syria and the bombing of God only knows where else. President Obama is speaking to the world tonight from the State Floor of the White House essentially declaring, as his predecessors have done, the continuation of an endless state of worldwide war without Congressional approval. In recent polling between 63 and 70 some percent of Americans approved of US bombing in Iraq and Syria. Thirteen years of bombing wasn't enough? What did that accomplish? Why do so many of us believe in such a destructive idea? The prelude to every tragic, murderous American foreign policy misadventure is always presented by the corporate media, parroting the propaganda rationalizations of the state (and the war machine contractors who profit from it...), promoting a climate of terror among the misinformed public about the latest hobgoblin (e.g. ISIS). As you can see from this photograph, there are usually some bold malcontents who protest the call for more state violence but they will have to come up with better arguments than the raised middle finger to combat the curses of war and barbaric militarism promoted by ISIS, the Western-affiliated corporatist governments and other extremist groups.
Postscript. I don't know if this dude's beef has anything to do with any of the issues raised by peace groups demonstrating in front of the White House on this night. I can't determine from a cursory reading of Mr. Chance Addison's website if he is involved in the peace movement. I do thank him for letting me photograph him. Chance, please return to the loving (?) arms of your family and friends in Spokane. It would be my pleasure to buy you a pizza and a tank of gas on your way out of this wicked town.
Al-Quran, Surah Al-Israa' (017), Ayat 44:
"The seven heavens and the earth, and all beings therein, declare His glory: there is not a thing but celebrates His praise; and yet ye understand not how they declare His glory! Verily He is Oft-Forbear, Most Forgiving!" - English
"Langit yang tujuh dan bumi serta sekalian makhluk yang ada padanya, sentiasa mengucap tasbih bagi Allah; dan tiada sesuatu pun melainkan bertasbih dengan memujiNya; akan tetapi kamu tidak faham akan tasbih mereka. Sesungguhnya ia adalah Maha Penyabar, lagi Maha Pengampun." - Malay
"Lartmadhëri të merituar i shprehin Atij shtatë qiejt e toka dhe çka ka në to, e nuk ka asnjë send që nuk e madhëron (nuk i bën tesbihë), duke i shprehur falënderim Atij, por ju nuk e kuptoni atë madhërim të tyre (pse nuk është në gjuhën tuaj). Ai është i butë dhe fal shumë." - Albania
"Die sieben Himmel und die Erde und alle darin lobpreisen Ihn; und es gibt nichts, was seine Herrlichkeit nicht preist; ihr aber versteht deren Lobpreisung nicht. Wahrlich, er ist nachsichtig, Allverzeihend." - Germany
"Его славят семь небес, земля и те, кто на них. Нет ничего, что не прославляло бы Его хвалой, но вы не понимаете их славословия. Воистину, Он ȁ Выдержанный, Прощающий." - Russian
"Di: "Si hubiera dioses además de Él, como dicen, buscarían un camino que les condujera hasta el Señor del Trono." - Spanish
"Njega velicaju sedmera nebesa, i Zemlja, i oni na njima; i ne postoji ništa što ga ne velica, hvaleci ga; ali vi ne razumijete velicanje njihovo. – On je doista blag i mnogo prašta." - Bosnia
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EOS 350D + Raynox Converter Lens + Speedlite 580EX ii + Custom Diffuser
Location:
Tepi Cafe Pak Akob, Lubuk Semak, Ulu Dong, Raub.
Scripture declares that the roots of human problems are in the heart. It is the root system of the heart (Hebrews 4:12 Genesis 6:5) that produces the fruit of a person’s words and deeds. What controls the heart shapes behavior. What rules the heart influences each part of the person’s life. ~ Paul Tripp
The Postcard
A postally unused postcard bearing no publisher's name. The publishers have printed on the divided back of the card:
"London Royal Albert Hall.
The largest concert hall on
London, seating 10,000.
Also used for political and
other meetings".
The Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the United Kingdom's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no government funding. It can seat 5,272 people.
The Royal Albert Hall has been affectionately named "The Nation's Village Hall".
Since the hall's opening by Queen Victoria in 1871, the world's leading artists from many performance genres have appeared on its stage. It is the venue for the Proms concerts, which have been held there every summer since 1941.
It is host to more than 390 shows in the main auditorium annually, including classical, rock and pop concerts, ballet, opera, film screenings with live orchestral accompaniment, sports, awards ceremonies, school and community events, and charity performances and banquets. A further 400 events are held each year in the non-auditorium areas.
The hall was originally supposed to have been called the Central Hall of Arts and Sciences, but the name was changed to the Royal Albert Hall of Arts and Sciences by Queen Victoria upon laying the Hall's foundation stone in 1867, in memory of her husband, Prince Albert, who had died six years earlier.
History of The Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall in the 1800's
In 1851 the Great Exhibition, organised by Prince Albert, was held in Hyde Park, London. The Exhibition was a success, and this led Prince Albert to propose the creation of a group of permanent facilities for the public benefit, which came to be known as Albertopolis.
The Exhibition's Royal Commission bought Gore House, but it was slow to act, and in 1861 Prince Albert died without having seen his ideas come to fruition. However, a memorial was proposed for Hyde Park, with a Great Hall opposite.
The proposal was approved, and the site was purchased with some of the profits from the Exhibition. The Hall was designed by civil engineers Captain Francis Fowke and Major-General Henry Y. D. Scott of the Royal Engineers, and built by Lucas Brothers.
The designers were heavily influenced by ancient amphitheatres, but had also been exposed to the ideas of Gottfried Semper while he was working at the South Kensington Museum.
The recently opened Cirque d'Hiver in Paris was seen in the contemporary press as the design to outdo.
The Hall was constructed mainly of Fareham Red Brick, with terra cotta block decoration made by Gibbs and Canning Ltd. of Tamworth.
The dome (designed by Rowland Mason Ordish) was made of wrought iron and glazed. There was a trial assembly of the dome's iron framework in Manchester; then it was taken apart and transported to London by horse and cart.
When the time came for the supporting structure to be removed from the dome after reassembly in situ, only volunteers remained on-site in case the structure collapsed. It did drop – but only by five-sixteenths of an inch (8 mm).
The Hall was scheduled to be completed by Christmas Day 1870, and Queen Victoria visited a few weeks beforehand to inspect.
The official opening ceremony of the Royal Albert Hall was on the 29th. March 1871. A welcoming speech was given by Edward, the Prince of Wales because Queen Victoria was too overcome to speak;
"Her only recorded comment on the
Hall was that it reminded her of the
British constitution".
In the concert that followed, the Hall's acoustic problems immediately became apparent. Engineers first tried to remove the strong echo by suspending a canvas awning below the dome. This helped, and also sheltered concert-goers from the sun, but the problem was not solved - it used to be jokingly said:
"The Hall is the only place where
a British composer could be sure
of hearing his work twice".
In July 1871, French organist Camille Saint-Saëns performed Church Scene from Faust by Charles Gounod; The Orchestra described him as:
"An exceptional and distinguished
performer ... the effect was most
marvellous."
Initially lit by gas, the Hall contained a special system by which thousands of gas jets were lit within ten seconds. Though it was demonstrated as early as 1873 in the Hall, full electric lighting was not installed until 1888. During an early trial when a partial installation was made, one disgruntled patron wrote to The Times, declaring it to be:
"A very ghastly and unpleasant
innovation".
In May 1877, Richard Wagner conducted the first half of each of the eight concerts which made up the Grand Wagner Festival. After his turn with the baton, he handed it over to conductor Hans Richter and sat in a large armchair on the corner of the stage for the rest of each concert. Wagner's wife Cosima, the daughter of Hungarian virtuoso pianist and composer Franz Liszt, was among the audience.
The Wine Society was founded at the Hall on the 4th. August 1874, after large quantities of cask wine were found in the cellars. A series of lunches were held to publicise the wines, and General Henry Scott proposed a co-operative company to buy and sell wines.
The Royal Albert Hall in the 1900's
In 1906 Elsie Fogerty founded the Central School of Speech and Drama at the Hall, using its West Theatre, now the Elgar Room. The school moved to Swiss Cottage in north London in 1957. Whilst the school was based at the Royal Albert Hall, students who graduated from its classes included Judi Dench, Vanessa Redgrave, Lynn Redgrave, Harold Pinter, Laurence Olivier and Peggy Ashcroft.
In 1911 Russian pianist and composer Sergei Rachmaninoff performed at the Hall. The recital included his 'Prelude in C-sharp minor' and 'Elegie in E-flat minor'.
In 1933 German physicist Albert Einstein led the 'Einstein Meeting' at the hall for the Council for Assisting Refugee Academics, a British charity.
In 1936, the Hall was the scene of a giant rally celebrating the British Empire on the occasion of the centenary of Joseph Chamberlain's birth.
In October 1942, the Hall suffered minor damage during World War II bombing, but in general was left mostly untouched as German pilots used the distinctive structure as a landmark.
In 1949 the canvas awning was removed and replaced with fluted aluminium panels below the glass roof, in a new attempt to cure the echo. However the acoustics were not properly tackled until 1969 when large fibreglass acoustic diffusing discs (commonly referred to as "mushrooms" or "flying saucers") were installed below the ceiling.
In 1968, the Hall hosted the Eurovision Song Contest, and from 1969–1988 the Miss World contest was staged at the venue.
In 1995, Greek keyboardist Yanni performed a concert there for his World Tour; the concert was recorded under the name of Live at Royal Albert Hall.
From 1996 until 2004, the Hall underwent a programme of renovation and development supported by a £20 million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and £20m from Arts Council England to enable it to meet the demands of the next century of events and performances.
Thirty "discreet projects" were designed and supervised by the architecture and engineering firm BDP without disrupting events. These projects included improved ventilation to the auditorium, more bars and restaurants, improved seating, better technical facilities, and improved backstage areas. Internally, the Circle seating was rebuilt during June 1996 to provide more legroom, better access, and improved sightlines.
The Royal Albert Hall in the 2000's
The largest project of the ongoing renovation and development was the building of a new south porch – door 12, accommodating a first-floor restaurant, a new ground floor box office and a below-ground loading bay.
Although the exterior of the building was largely unchanged, the south steps leading down to Prince Consort Road were demolished to allow the construction of underground vehicle access and a loading bay with accommodation for three HGVs carrying all the equipment brought by shows.
The steps were then reconstructed around a new south porch, named The Meitar Foyer after a significant donation from Mr & Mrs Meitar. The porch was built on a similar scale and style to the three pre-existing porches at Doors 3, 6 and 9: these works were undertaken by Taylor Woodrow.
The original steps featured in the early scenes of the 1965 film The Ipcress File. On the 4th. June 2004, the project received the Europa Nostra Award for remarkable achievement.
The East (Door 3) and West (Door 9) porches were glazed, and new bars opened along with ramps to improve disabled access. The Stalls were rebuilt in a four-week period in 2000 using steel supports, thereby allowing more space underneath for two new bars.
1,534 unique pivoting seats were installed, with an addition of 180 prime seats. The Choirs were rebuilt at the same time.
The whole building was redecorated in a style that reinforces its Victorian identity. 43,000 sq. ft (4,000 m2) of new carpets were laid in the rooms, stairs, and corridors – specially woven with a border that follows the oval curve of the building.
Between 2002 and 2004, there was a major rebuilding of the great organ (known as the Voice of Jupiter), built by "Father" Henry Willis in 1871 and rebuilt by Harrison & Harrison in 1924 and 1933.
The rebuilding was performed by Mander Organs, and it is now the second-largest pipe organ in the British Isles with 9,997 pipes in 147 stops. The largest is the Grand Organ in Liverpool Cathedral which has 10,268 pipes.
The Royal Albert Hall in the 2010's
During the first half of 2011, changes were made to the backstage areas in order to relocate and increase the size of crew catering areas under the South Steps away from the stage and to create additional dressing rooms nearer to the stage.
During the summer of 2012, the staff canteen and some changing areas were expanded and refurbished. From January to May the Box Office area at Door 12 underwent further modernisation to include a new Café Bar on the ground floor, a new Box Office with shop counters, and additional toilets.
Upon opening it was renamed 'The Zvi and Ofra Meitar Porch and Foyer.' owing to a large donation from the couple.
In Autumn 2013, work began on replacing the Victorian steam heating system over three years and improving and cooling across the building. This work followed the summer Proms season during which temperatures were unusually high.
From January the Cafe Consort on the Grand Tier was closed permanently in preparation for a new restaurant at a cost of £1 million. Verdi – Italian Kitchen was officially opened on the 15th. April with a lunch or dinner menu of stone baked pizzas, pasta, and classic desserts.
Design of The Royal Albert Hall
The Hall, a Grade I listed building, is an ellipse in plan, with its external major and minor axis of 272 and 236 feet (83 and 72 meters. The great glass and wrought-iron dome roofing the Hall is 135 ft (41 m) high.
Below the Arena floor there is room for two 4000 gallon water tanks, which are used for shows that flood the arena like Madame Butterfly.
The Hall was originally designed with a capacity for 8,000 people, and has accommodated as many as 12,000 (although present-day safety restrictions mean the maximum permitted capacity is now 5,272, including standing in the Gallery.
Around the outside of the building is an 800–foot–long terracotta mosaic frieze, depicting "The Triumph of Arts and Sciences", in reference to the Hall's dedication. Above the frieze is an inscription in 12-inch-high (30 cm) terracotta letters that combine historical fact and Biblical quotations:
"This hall was erected for the advancement
of the arts and sciences and works of industry
of all nations in fulfilment of the intention of
Albert Prince Consort.
The site was purchased with the proceeds of
the Great Exhibition of the year MDCCCLI.
The first stone of the Hall was laid by Her
Majesty Queen Victoria on the twentieth day
of May MDCCCLXVII and it was opened by Her
Majesty the Twenty Ninth of March in the year
MDCCCLXXI.
Thine O Lord is the greatness and the power
and the glory and the victory and the majesty.
For all that is in the heaven and in the earth is
Thine. The wise and their works are in the hand
of God. Glory be to God on high and on earth
peace".
Events at The Royal Albert Hall
The first concert at the Hall was Arthur Sullivan's cantata On Shore and Sea, performed on the 1st. May 1871.
Many events are promoted by the Hall, and since the early 1970's promoter Raymond Gubbay has brought a range of events to the Hall including opera, ballet and classical music.
Events also include rock concerts, conferences, banquets, ballroom dancing, poetry recitals, educational talks, motor shows, ballet, opera, film screenings and circus shows.
The Royal Albert Hall has hosted many sporting events, including boxing, squash, table tennis, basketball, wrestling (including the first Sumo wrestling tournament to be held in London) as well as UFC 38 (the first UFC event to be held in the UK), tennis, and even a marathon.
The Hall first hosted boxing in 1918, when it hosted a tournament between British and American servicemen. There was a colour bar in place at the Hall, preventing black boxers from fighting there, between 1923 and 1932.
Greats of British boxing such as Frank Bruno, Prince Naseem Hamed, Henry Cooper and Lennox Lewis have all appeared at the venue. The Hall's boxing history was halted in 1999 when a court ordered that boxing and wrestling matches could no longer be held at the venue. In 2011 that decision was overturned. In 2019 Nicola Adams won the WBO Flyweight title which was the first fight for a world title at the venue since Marco Antonio Barrera took on Paul Lloyd in 1999.
On the 6th. April 1968, the Hall hosted the Eurovision Song Contest which was broadcast in colour for the first time. The first Miss World contest broadcast in colour was also staged at the venue in 1969, and remained at the Hall every year until 1989.
One notable event was a Pink Floyd concert held on the 26th. June 1969. On that night they were banned from ever playing at the Hall again after shooting cannons, nailing things to the stage, and having a man in a gorilla suit roam the audience.
At one point, Rick Wright went to the pipe organ and began to play "The End of the Beginning", the final part of "Saucerful of Secrets", joined by the brass section of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (led by the conductor, Norman Smith) and the ladies of the Ealing Central Amateur Choir. A portion of the pipe organ recording is included on Pink Floyd's album The Endless River.
On the 18th. June 1985, British Gothic rock band The Sisters of Mercy recorded their live video album Wake at the Hall.
Between 1996 and 2008, the Hall hosted the annual National Television Awards, all of which were hosted by Sir Trevor McDonald.
Benefit concerts include the 1997 Music for Montserrat concert, arranged and produced by George Martin. The event featured artists such as Phil Collins, Mark Knopfler, Sting, Elton John, Eric Clapton, and Paul McCartney.
In 2006, Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour performed at the Hall for the first time since Pink Floyd's 1969 ban. He performed as part of his On an Island Tour. The shows were filmed and used for the live video release, Remember That Night (2007).
Rock band The Killers recorded their first live album, Live from the Royal Albert Hall in July 2009.
On the 5th. April 2010, Swedish progressive metal band Opeth recorded In Live Concert at the Royal Albert Hall, as they became the first Death metal band ever to perform at the Hall. The concert was part of the band's Evolution XX: An Opeth Anthology tour, made in celebration of their 20th. anniversary.
In July 2011, Janet Jackson performed three sold-out shows as part of her Number Ones, Up Close and Personal World Tour.
On the 2nd. October 2011, the Hall staged the 25th.-anniversary performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera, which was broadcast live to cinemas across the world and filmed for DVD.
Lloyd Webber, the original London cast including Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford, and four previous actors of the titular character, among others, were in attendance – Brightman and the previous Phantoms (aside from Crawford) performed an encore.
On the 22nd. September 2011, Adele performed a one-night-only concert as part of her tour. The concert was filmed for DVD, and screened at cinemas in 26 cities around the world.
Her performance debuted at number one in the United States with 96,000 copies sold, the highest one-week tally for a music DVD in four years. After one week, it became the best-selling music DVD of 2011. As of the 28th. November 2012, it had surpassed sales of one million copies in the United States and sales of three million copies worldwide.
It was the first music DVD to surpass sales of one million in the USA since the Eagles' Farewell 1 Tour-Live from Melbourne in 2005.
The 2012 Sunflower Jam charity concert featured Queen guitarist Brian May performing alongside bassist John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin, drummer Ian Paice of Deep Purple, and vocalists Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden, and Alice Cooper.
On the 24th. September 2012, Classic FM celebrated the 20th. anniversary of their launch with a concert at the Hall. The program featured live performances of works by Handel, Puccini, Rachmaninoff, Parry, Vaughan Williams, Tchaikovsky and Karl Jenkins who conducted his piece The Benedictus from The Armed Man.
On the 19th. November 2012, the Hall hosted the 100th.-anniversary performance of the Royal Variety Performance, attended by the HM Queen Elizabeth II and HRH Duke of Edinburgh, with boy-band One Direction among the performers.
During his Rattle That Lock Tour, David Gilmour performed at the Royal Albert Hall eleven times between September 2015 and September 2016, once in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust.
On the 13th. November 2015, Canadian musician Devin Townsend recorded his second live album Ziltoid Live at the Royal Albert Hall.
Kylie Minogue performed at the Royal Albert Hall on the 11th. December 2015 and the 9th. - 10th. December 2016 as part of her "A Kylie Christmas" concert series.
On the 3rd. May 2016, singer-songwriter and Soundgarden vocalist Chris Cornell played at the Hall in what would become the last UK show of his life as part of his "Higher Truth" European tour.
Cornell performed stripped-back acoustic renditions from his back-catalogue to rave reviews, including songs from the likes of Soundgarden, Temple of the Dog, Audioslave and his solo work. Cornell died on the 18th. May 2017.
On the 22nd. April 2016, British rock band Bring Me the Horizon performed and recorded their Live at the Royal Albert Hall album, with accompaniment from the Parallax Orchestra conducted by Simon Dobson.
At a press conference held at the Hall in October 2016, Phil Collins announced his return to live performing with his Not Dead Yet Tour, which began in June 2017. The tour included five nights at the Hall which sold out in fifteen seconds.
In October 2017, American rock band Alter Bridge also recorded a live album accompanied by the Parallax Orchestra with Simon Dobson.
Also in 2017, the Hall hosted the 70th. British Academy Film Awards, often referred to as the BAFTAs, for the first time in 20 years, replacing the Royal Opera House at which the event had been held since 2008.
In 2018, WWE held its second United Kingdom Championship Tournament on the 18th. and 19th. June.
Also in 2018, the world premiere of PlayStation in Concert was organised at the Hall. It featured PlayStation game music from the 1990's up until then. It was arranged by Jim Fowler and performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
In May 2019, Mariah Carey performed 3 shows as part of her Caution World Tour. Comedian Bill Burr filmed his 2019 special Paper Tiger at the Hall. In November 2020, One Direction member Niall Horan performed a one off live-streamed show in an empty Hall (during the COVID-19 pandemic) to raise money for charity.
Regular Events at the Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Choral Society
The Royal Choral Society is the longest-running regular performer at the Hall, having given its first performance as the Royal Albert Hall Choral Society on the 8th. May 1872. From 1876, it established the annual Good Friday performance of Handel's Messiah.
BBC Proms
The BBC Sir Henry Wood Promenade Concerts, known as "The Proms", is a popular annual eight-week summer season of daily classical music concerts and other events at the Hall.
In 1942, following the destruction of the Queen's Hall in an air raid, the Hall was chosen as the new venue for the proms. In 1944 with increased danger to the Hall, part of the proms were held in the Bedford Corn Exchange.
Following the end of World War II the proms continued in the Hall, and have done so annually every summer since. The event was founded in 1895, and now each season consists of over 70 concerts, in addition to a series of events at other venues across the United Kingdom on the last night.
In 2009, the total number of concerts reached 100 for the first time. Jiří Bělohlávek described The Proms as:
"The world's largest and most
democratic musical festival".
Proms is a term which arose from the original practice of the audience promenading, or strolling, in some areas during the concert. Proms concert-goers, particularly those who stand, are sometimes described as "Promenaders", but are most commonly referred to as "Prommers".
Tennis
Tennis was first played at the Hall in March 1970, and the ATP Champions Tour Masters has been played annually every December since 1997.
Classical Spectacular
Classical Spectacular, a Raymond Gubbay production, has been coming to the Hall since 1988. It combines popular classical music, lights and special effects.
Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil has performed annually, with a show being staged every January, since 2003. Cirque has had to adapt many of their touring shows to perform at the venue, modifying the set, usually built for arenas or big top tents instead.
Classic Brit Awards
Since 2000, the Classic Brit Awards has been hosted annually in May at the Hall. It is organised by the British Phonographic Industry.
Festival of Remembrance
The Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance is held annually the day before Remembrance Sunday.
Institute of Directors
For 60 years the Institute of Directors' Annual Convention has been synonymous with the Hall, although in 2011 and 2012 it was held at indigO2.
The English National Ballet
Since 1998 the English National Ballet has had several specially staged arena summer seasons in partnership with the Hall and Raymond Gubbay. These include Strictly Gershwin, June 2008 and 2011, Swan Lake, June 2002, 2004, 2007, 2010 and 2013, Romeo & Juliet, June 2001 and 2005, and The Sleeping Beauty, April - June 2000.
Teenage Cancer Trust
Starting in the year 2000 the Teenage Cancer Trust has held annual charity concerts (with the exception of 2001). They started as a one-off event, but have expanded over the years to a week or more of evening events. Roger Daltrey of the Who has been intimately involved with the planning of the events.
Graduation Ceremonies
The Hall is used annually by the neighbouring Imperial College London and the Royal College of Art for graduation ceremonies. For several years the University of London and Kingston University also held their graduation ceremonies at the Hall.
Films, Premières and Live Orchestra Screenings
The venue has screened several films since the early silent days. It was the only London venue to show William Fox's The Queen of Sheba in the 1920's.
The Hall has hosted many premières, including the UK première of Fritz Lang's Die Nibelungen, 101 Dalmatians on the 4th. December 1996, the European première of Spandau Ballet's Soul Boys of the Western World, and three James Bond royal world premières - Die Another Day on the 18th. November 2002 (attended by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip), Skyfall on the 23rd. October 2012 (attended by Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall), and Spectre on the 26th. October 2015 (attended by Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge).
The Hall held the first 3D world première of Titanic 3D, on the 27th. March 2012, with James Cameron and Kate Winslet in attendance.
Since 2009, the Hall has also curated regular seasons of English-language film-and-live-orchestra screenings, including The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Gladiator, Star Trek, Star Trek Into Darkness, Interstellar, The Matrix, West Side Story, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Back to the Future, Jaws, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and the world première of Titanic Live in Concert.
The only non-English-language movie to have been screened at the Hall is Baahubali: The Beginning (an Indian movie in Telugu and Tamil, but premiered with the Hindi dubbed version).
National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain
The National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain, one of the most prestigious prizes in the annual brass band contesting calendar, holds the Final of the Championship section at the Royal Albert Hall each October.
Beyond the Main Stage
The Hall hosts hundreds of events and activities beyond its main auditorium. There are regular free art exhibitions in the ground floor Amphi corridor, which can be viewed when attending events or on dedicated viewing dates.
Visitors can take a guided tour of the Hall on most days. The most common is the one-hour Grand Tour which includes most front-of-house areas, the auditorium, the Gallery and the Royal Retiring Room.
Other tours include Story of the Proms, Behind the Scenes, Inside Out and School tours.
Children's events include Storytelling and Music Sessions for ages four and under. These take place in the Door 9 Porch and Albert's Band sessions in the Elgar Room during school holidays.
"Live Music in Verdi" takes place in the Italian restaurant on a Friday night featuring different artists each week.
"Late Night Jazz" events in the Elgar Room, generally on a Thursday night, feature cabaret-style seating and a relaxed atmosphere with drinks available.
"Classical Coffee Mornings" are held on Sundays in the Elgar Room with musicians from the Royal College of Music accompanied with drinks and pastries.
Sunday brunch events take place in Verdi Italian restaurant and feature different genres of music.
Regular Performers at the Royal Albert Hall
Eric Clapton is a regular performer at the Hall. Since 1964, Clapton has performed at the Hall over 200 times, and has stated that performing at the venue is: "Like playing in my front room".
In December 1964, Clapton made his first appearance at the Hall with the Yardbirds. It was also the venue for his band Cream's farewell concerts in 1968 and reunion shows in 2005. He also instigated the Concert for George, which was held at the Hall on the 29th. November 2002 to pay tribute to Clapton's lifelong friend, former Beatle George Harrison. Clapton passed 200 shows at the Hall in 2015.
David Gilmour played at the Hall in support of two solo albums, while also releasing a live concert on September 2006 entitled Remember That Night which was recorded during his three nights playing at the Hall for his 2006 On an Island tour.
Notable guests were Robert Wyatt and David Bowie (who sang lead for "Arnold Layne" and "Comfortably Numb"). The live concert was televised by BBC One on the 9th. September 2007.
Gilmour returned to the Hall for four nights in September 2016 (where he was joined on stage by Benedict Cumberbatch for "Comfortably Numb"), having previously played five nights in 2015, to end his 34-day Rattle That Lock Tour. He also made an appearance on the 24th. April 2016 as part of the Teenage Cancer Trust event.
Shirley Bassey is one of the Hall's most prolific female headline performers, having appeared many times at the Hall since the 1970's. In 2001, she sang "Happy Birthday" for the Duke of Edinburgh's 80th. birthday concert. In 2007, she sang at Fashion Rocks in aid of the Prince's Trust.
On the 30th. March 2011, she sang at a gala celebrating the 80th. birthday of Mikhail Gorbachev. In May 2011, she performed at the Classic Brit Awards, singing "Goldfinger" in tribute to the recently deceased composer John Barry. On the 20th. June 2011, she returned and sang "Diamonds Are Forever" and "Goldfinger", accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, as the climax to the memorial concert for Barry.
James Last appeared 90 times at the Hall between 1973 and 2015, making him the most frequent non–British performer to have played the venue.
Education and Outreach Programme
The Hall's education and outreach programme engages with more than 200,000 people a year. It includes workshops for local teenagers led by musicians such as Foals, Jake Bugg, Emeli Sandé, Nicola Benedetti, Alison Balsom and First Aid Kit, innovative science and maths lessons, visits to local residential homes from the venue's in-house group, Albert's Band, under the 'Songbook' banner, and the Friendship Matinee: an orchestral concert for community groups, with £5 admission.
Mis-labellings
A famous and widely bootlegged concert by Bob Dylan at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester on the 17th. May 1966 was mistakenly labelled the "Royal Albert Hall Concert".
In 1998, Columbia Records released an official recording, The Bootleg Series Vol. 4: Bob Dylan Live 1966, The "Royal Albert Hall" Concert. It maintains the erroneous title but does include details of the actual location.
Recordings from the Royal Albert Hall concerts on the 26th. and 27th. May 1966 were finally released by the artist in 2016 as The Real Royal Albert Hall 1966 Concert.
Another concert mislabelled as being at the Hall was by Creedence Clearwater Revival. An album by them entitled The Royal Albert Hall Concert was released in 1980. When Fantasy Records discovered the show on the album actually took place at the Oakland Coliseum, it retitled the album The Concert.
Pop Culture References
A large mural by Peter Blake, entitled Appearing at the Royal Albert Hall, is displayed in the Hall's Café Bar. Unveiled in April 2014, it shows more than 400 famous figures who have appeared on the stage.
In 1955, English film director Alfred Hitchcock filmed the climax of The Man Who Knew Too Much at the Hall. The 15-minute sequence featured James Stewart, Doris Day and composer Bernard Herrmann, and was filmed partly in the Queen's Box.
Hitchcock was a long-time patron of the Hall and had already set the finale of his 1927 film, The Ring at the Hall, as well as his initial version of The Man Who Knew Too Much, starring Leslie Banks, Edna Best and Peter Lorre.
Other notable films shot at the Hall include Major Barbara, Love Story, The Seventh Veil, The Ipcress File, A Touch of Class, Shine, and Spice World.
In the song "A Day in the Life" by the Beatles, the Albert Hall is mentioned. The verse goes as follows:
"I read the news today, oh boy
four thousand holes in Blackburn, Lancashire
and though the holes were rather small
they had to count them all
now they know how many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall
I'd love to turn you on".
The song "Session Man" by The Kinks references the Hall:
"He never will forget at all
The day he played at Albert Hall".
In the song "Shame" by Robbie Williams and Gary Barlow, Barlow mentions the Hall in his verse:
"I read your mind and tried to call,
my tears could fill the Albert Hall".
When most of us think of Valentine’s Day, we think of declaring love for someone with a special card, that is usually fancy, beautiful, and adorned with hearts and flowers. However, it was not always like this!
The Victorians had a custom of sending ‘Vinegar Valentines’ to people they did not much care for. These cards were sold in the United States and Britain, from the middle 19th century to the early 20th century. Also called comic valentines, these cards were decorated with garish caricatures and featured a short line or poem that, rather than offer a message of love and affection, it criticized, rejected, and/or insulted the recipient. They were often sent without a signature, enabling the sender to speak without fear. Oh, and for added spice, the recipient of these insults paid the postage on delivery :-).
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth His handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them He hath set a tabernacle for the sun, Psalm 19:1-4
"Cross process" is the other art filter featured in Olympus Viewer 2 (download it and use your PEN's serial number to activate) that wasn't available in the E-P1. Thanks to a tip from Ryojin-san, I've been able to try out both the diorama and cross process art filters with my trusty little E-P1. Steveston, Richmond, BC. February 5, 2011.