www.memphisflyer.com/backissues/issue566/cvr566.htm

 

The Late Great Johnny Ace

Forty-five years ago this Christmas, the first great rock-and-roll heartthrob passed away.

by Mark Jordan

 

Houston, Texas. Christmas night, 1954.

 

A crowd of 3,500, less than capacity but acceptable for a holiday, had come out for the concert at the Civic Auditorium in downtown Houston. Performing on the bill was Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton, still riding high on what would ultimately prove to be her only hit record, “Hound Dog,” released more than a year earlier.

 

But the real attraction was R&B balladeer Johnny Ace. That night, Ace was perhaps the fastest-rising star in African-American music. In less than two years he had amassed a half dozen hits and a new song, “Pledging My Love” — released three days earlier and trumpeted that very morning in the new issue of Billboard — was waiting in the wings and promised to be his biggest yet.

 

Despite his rising stock, Ace was showing signs of being perilously close to the edge of collapse. Always something of a bon vivant, booze and overeating, along with a vigorous touring schedule, had taken their toll on him. Once a country-handsome heartthrob to his legions of fans, Ace’s features were now distorted by the 40 extra pounds he had recently put on. What’s worse, his destructive side, always a force to be contended with, was beginning to affirm itself more strongly. He had always drunk too much, something which, combined with his natural recklessness, made for some harrowing misadventures. But recently his behavior had taken a darker turn.

 

While touring Florida, Ace purchased a .22 pistol — a Harrington & Richardson double-action revolver — which the singer wielded more like a toy than a weapon. Friends reported how one of Ace’s favorite new activities was to drive his “Oldsmobile 90 miles per hour, his pistol in his hand, shooting out the zeros on the roadside speed-limit signs.” Much more perilously, however, Ace had begun to find it amusing to point his gun — sometimes loaded, sometimes not — at his friends.

 

During the 15-minute intermission at the Civic Auditorium, Ace was backstage — a bottle of vodka in one hand, his beloved pistol in the other. He made his way into Thornton’s dressing room, where the big, bawdy singer was busy signing autographs. Ace was joined by his girlfriend, Olivia Gibbs; her friend, Mary Carter; and another acquaintance, John Hammond. Soon only the five remained in the room. As they talked, Ace was waving the gun around. When Thornton asked to see the pistol, she discovered only one bullet in the seven-round chamber. Ace asked her to give him the gun back. She did, telling him not to point it at anyone.

 

Almost as if in defiance, Ace leveled the pistol at Carter and pulled the trigger. The metal hammer clicked when it hit the empty chamber.

 

Gibbs was sitting in Ace’s lap, and next he put the pistol to her head. Again, he pulled the trigger but nothing happened.

 

Ace almost seemed to be laughing at his frightened companions now. “I’ll show you it won’t shoot,” he said. And then he put the gun to his own head and pulled the trigger.

 

“Johnny had looks, guts, determination, and talent,” wrote blues musician B.B. King about his onetime bandmate John Alexander in his autobiography Blues All Around Me. “But don’t ever dare Johnny to do something dangerous ’cause the boy would up and do it. Finally that did him in. … I don’t know the true story; I wasn’t there. But I loved his talent and mourned his passing.”

 

Thousands mourned the passing of 25-year-old John Alexander Jr., better known to the world as Johnny Ace, when he died on that Christmas night in 1954. Though it hardly made a ripple in the white establishment press, news of his death from a self-inflicted gunshot wound — the legend that Ace was playing a game of Russian roulette is, of course, fiction — was front-page fodder for black newspapers across the country.

 

“Johnny’s death was major news in black America,” says James Salem, a professor of American Studies at the University of Alabama and the author of The Late Great Johnny Ace and the Transition from R&B to Rock ’n’ Roll, the only in-depth study of Ace’s life and music, released earlier this year by the University of Illinois Press. “And the sensational manner in which he died even ensured some coverage in a few white papers such as The New York Times.”

 

When Ace’s body was finally brought back to his hometown of Memphis and laid to rest in Spring Hill Cemetery, eight days after his death, a reported 5,000 people crammed into the 2,000-seat Clayborn Temple AME Church for the service. (The delay, Beale Street photographer and Alexander family friend Ernest Withers told Salem, was not that uncommon in those days.) Among the mourners were such local music stars as King, Little Junior Parker, Phineas Newborn Sr., bandleader Roscoe Gordon, and saxophonist Fred Ford. Also there were his parents. John Sr. and Leslie, his eight brothers and sisters, his estranged wife, Lois Jean, and their two infant children, Glenn, 4, and Janet, 2.

 

But though Johnny Ace was dead, his music had not died with him. Posthumously, “Pledging My Love” became his seventh and biggest-selling R&B hit. It stayed 10 weeks at the top of the R&B charts and went as high as number 17 on the white-dominated pop charts. The first album collection of Ace hits, Memorial Album: Johnny Ace, performed similarly as well. And his younger brother, St. Clair Alexander, even enjoyed a brief career founded on his brother’s fame as did a faux relative, Buddy Ace, offered up as an heir by Ace’s label.

 

Alexander had become the superstar Ace partly through his persona. Charismatic, blessed with a strong appetite for fun, and perhaps more than a little dangerous, Ace wooed thousands of women with his looks as well as his sexy tenor. And then there was that music. As typified by his posthumous single “Pledging My Love,” Ace sang a sophisticated kind of R&B that was an extension of Charles Brown and Nat King Cole and presaged Sam Cooke and Jackie Wilson. It was a mix of blues and crooner pop that gave “race” music its first real shot at crossover because it appealed to white people who may have secretly loved the blues but were in search of a more socially acceptable form in which to digest it.

 

“Johnny Ace was the first solo black male R&B star in the postwar era to attract a white audience with material outside the novelty song tradition,” says Salem. “Ace may even have started the trend that celebrated youthful rebelliousness and romantic self-destruction.

 

John Marshall Alexander Jr. was born in the family home at 899 Fisher Street in South Memphis on June 9, 1929, just yards away from LeMoyne-Owen College and Elmwood Cemetery. His father John Marshall Alexander Sr. worked for the Plough Chemical Company and was a Baptist preacher on the side. The entire family, in fact, was religious, but Johnny, the Alexanders’ second boy, exhibited a slightly wicked side early on.

 

Alexander was funny and gregarious, and he liked to wrestle and otherwise play rough. He discovered a gift for the piano at a young age. The family, not rich but doing better than many of Memphis’ black poor, had a piano in the house. Whenever his parents would leave the house, Alexander would take control of the keyboard, toss out the hymns that were the only music allowed in the house, and start pumping out the forbidden blues music he had heard on the streets.

 

Despite his mischievousness, as a youngster Alexander was a diligent student. At Booker T. Washington High School, however, he began to lose interest in his studies and more and more felt the pull of music, something that was recognized and encouraged by the school’s science teacher, Nat D. Williams.

 

Williams was not just Booker T’s science teacher, he was one of the most prominent members of the city’s African-American community. He hosted a popular program on WDIA and also hosted talent contests at Beale Street’s Palace Theatre, through which he encouraged young talents such as Rufus Thomas.

 

Spurred on by Williams, the Alexanders tried to encourage their son’s artistic tendencies, but young John couldn’t find a focus for his energies. Without much of an interest in regular school activities, in 1947 he dropped out of high school in the 11th grade and joined the Navy. Full of wanderlust, Alexander’s only reason for enlisting was to satisfy his yen for travel, and he wasn’t going to let the Navy’s rules and regulations get in his way.

 

Alexander was reportedly AWOL for much of his short tour of duty. MPs were frequent visitors to the Alexander home in Memphis. When the authorities did track him down he was usually playing piano in some small bar somewhere. After only a few months, perhaps weeks, Alexander was discharged.

 

“The Navy thought so little of Alexander’s stint of service that they apparently never bothered to keep the official record of his time in uniform,” says Salem, whose own accounts of Alexander in the Navy are based solely on family recollections.

 

Out of uniform and back in Memphis, Alexander bummed around for more than a year before settling into the life of a Beale Street musician. The epicenter for music life on Beale in the late ’40s and early ’50s was the Mitchell Hotel. Andrew “Sunbeam” Mitchell and his wife, Earnestine, had a reputation for nurturing young musicians. In an upstairs performance room they would host jam sessions that would last well into the night, and then they would put up those players who had no place to stay.

 

Haunting the clubs on Beale by night, Alexander spent part of his days back at Booker T. Washington. He visited, ostensibly, to see his mentor Nat D. Williams, but Alexander was also gaining a reputation as a talented and charismatic musician, a status that put him in good standing with impressionable high school girls.

 

One such girl was 9th-grader Lois Jean Palmer.

 

“All the girls liked him,” she says. “He was funny. He was really outgoing. And he was handsome, too.”

 

Of all the girls at Booker T. Washington, the petite Lois Jean Palmer was the one that caught Alexander’s eye. The two dated behind their parents’ backs for several months until Lois Jean got pregnant. Then on July 17, 1950, Alexander and Lois Jean crossed the river to Earle, Arkansas, and got married.

 

“We were almost never together after that,” says Lois Jean.

 

After they wed, Alexander moved his bride into the family home on Fisher, but Mrs. Alexander still disapproved of her son’s musician lifestyle and forbade him from living there with her.

 

Unable to afford a place of his own, Alexander took up residence in the Mitchell Hotel. Separated from his wife, he easily slid into the wild lifestyle of late nights, cheap whiskey, and, to the heartbreak of his young bride, pliant women.

 

“I always knew he was messing around with other women,” says Lois Jean, “but what could I do about it? I was young and having a baby. He was the kind of person he was, and I was the kind of person I was.”

 

Salem concurs, adding that womanizing was a consistent trait throughout Alexander’s short life.

 

“Supposedly, he could just charm any women who crossed his path,” he says. “I think he loved [Lois Jean] at one time in his own way. But he couldn’t reciprocate. He only lived in the moment, and if you couldn’t live in the moment with him, he was gone. He was incapable of returning that love. I think she realized that pretty quickly, but — and his sister Nora talked about this as well — women just couldn’t help themselves around him.”

 

Alexander, for his part, had other concerns besides his romantic life. He had begun backing up a young guitar player from Itta Bena, Mississippi, named Riley B. King, better known by his WDIA on-air name: B.B. King. King put together a small group to help him gig and record. Eventually, a group consisting chiefly of King, Alexander, Earl Forest on drums, Billy Duncan on saxophone, and Bobby Bland on vocals began to coalesce around the Mitchell Hotel. They went by different names, including Bee Bee’s Jeebies, but the one that stuck was the Beale Streeters.

 

The band stuck together until King scored a national hit on the Flair label with “Three O’Clock Blues,” a side he had cut on the cheap with the Beale Streeters at the YMCA at Lauderdale and Vance. When King started joining package tours to support his record, he was backed by an orchestra of sidemen, so the Beale Streeters were left behind in Alexander’s hands.

 

Focused on his own career now, Alexander came to the attention of David Mattis, the white program director at WDIA. Mattis had started his own record label, Duke, and was conducting a session at WDIA’s studios in the summer of 1952 which featured Alexander as a sideman on piano. Not enthused about what he had on tape so far, Mattis decided to cut a track with the piano player when he heard him diddling around with Ruth Brown’s “So Long.” Fifteen minutes later, after inventing a new melody and adding new words, the pair had written and recorded “My Song,” a fairly traditional R&B ballad but with Alexander’s trademark soulful voice already evident.

 

Mattis renamed Alexander Johnny Ace, after Johnny Ray and the group the Five Aces. Already, someone had recognized Alexander’s pop appeal. “My Song” became a regional hit, and now Mattis’ Duke label had gained the attention of David Robey, a onetime Houston taxi company owner with reputed mob connections.

 

Robey had turned his Houston-based Peacock label into a successful national independent specializing in gospel and such blues artists as Louis Jordan and Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown. As Sam Phillips would do a few years later with Elvis Presley, Mattis heard tremendous crossover appeal in Alexander. This was not a typical Delta blues moaner but a crooner in the Nat King Cole style. And his piano playing and musical taste likewise drifted toward a sophistication that would be easier to sell as pop.

 

Robey re-released “My Song” nationally, and the song shot straight to the top of the national R&B charts and stayed there for nine weeks. From now on, Ace would live out of hotel rooms and tour buses.

 

“These guys played 330 to 340 dates a year, because that’s how you made money,” says Salem. “You certainly weren’t going to make it off records, because the label executives were going to get by giving you as little as possible. … In the last two years of his life, I don’t think Ace even had a home. He lived out of a suitcase. Earnestine Mitchell [of the Mitchell Hotel] said that when Ace died she still had a lot of his possessions in the hotel.”

 

By 1953, Ace had essentially abandoned his family, though he fathered a second child, a daughter named Janet, before he left. Over the next year-and-a-half, he cut 19 more songs for Robey, four of which were hits — “Cross My Heart,” the slightly gimmicky but no-less-tender ballad “The Clock,” “Saving My Love for You,” “Please Forgive Me,” and “Never Let Me Go.”

 

“The Clock,” almost as much as his death, marked Ace’s place in the memory of his fans. A simple and earnest ballad, Salem says “The Clock” is a candidate for the first rock-and-roll song.

 

“Back then it was common for white artists to remake proven R&B songs,” he says. “The thing about that record was that it was the first black record that couldn’t be replicated by white artists. It was its own unique, indelible performance. Audiences wouldn’t have stood for it. I still hear from people who say that song was the one that most sticks with them.”

 

In the months before his death, Ace’s behavior was getting more and more out of hand. He still made his shows and recording sessions, but his leisure hours were full of cars, booze, women, and his new toy — the .22 pistol.

 

“I’ve known people who have great talent like that but it’s like they can’t control it and it has to come out somehow, so it does through extreme behavior,” Salem says. “If Ace were alive today we’d probably say he had Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder because no one could control him.”

 

When the news finally came on the morning of December 26th, while a shock, it couldn’t have come as that big a surprise to those who knew his self-destructive ways. Over the Thanksgiving weekend, a month earlier, a rumor spread among Ace’s friends that he had died. And on Christmas morning a fraudulent telegram arrived at Fisher Street informing Mrs. Alexander that her son was dead.

 

A day later, it would be a phone call that would convey the awful truth. Lois Jean Alexander, no longer living with her in-laws, found out about her husband on the morning of the 26th.

 

“Someone from the Alexanders’ house came over to tell me the news,” she recalls. “I think of him because of the kids, but after he died — I know it sounds strange — but it was like a peace had come over me.”

 

Five months before Johnny Ace’s death, back in Memphis, Elvis Presley had gone into Sun Studio to record his first sides for Sun Records. On December 25, 1954, the day Ace put the bullet in his brain, Elvis was spending the holiday at home in Memphis with his parents. He was already a regular performer on the Louisiana Hayride radio program. Just two months earlier Colonel Tom Parker had sold his young client’s contract to RCA. But though the young singer was obviously a star on the rise, no one then could have predicted the worldwide hysteria he and his new brand of music would create in just a few more months. Nor could anyone have spotted the tidal wave of rock-and-roll artists to follow that would eventually sweep Johnny Ace and those like him away to obscurity.

 

(It is one of the great ironies of rock-and-roll that the last single Ace released before his death was “Pledging My Love,” and the last Elvis single, released just weeks before his death, was “Way Down” b/w “Pledging My Love.” To be fair, though, dozens of artists have covered “Pledging My Love” over the years — Jerry Lee Lewis, Diana Ross, and Marvin Gaye among them — without dying as a result.)

 

Today, the late great Johnny Ace is a footnote in American music history whose tragically short life is often summed up in books on the subject in a single sentence — a member of the Beale Streeters with B.B. King and Bobby “Blue” Bland, who enjoyed a brief successful solo career before dying in a game of Russian roulette.

 

Sadly, such summary dismissal ignores the important role Ace played in bridging white and black music styles in those days just before rock-and-roll.

 

Nor does it elucidate his position as a model of an essential rock-and-roll archetype, the romantic martyr. Taking a cue from Byron and Keats, his brilliant, seductive, self-indulgent, self-destructive life bridged the myths of Robert Johnson with those of James Dean and Buddy Holly.

 

And, of course, nothing that has been written about him since can do justice to his greatest legacy — his music, especially the haunting, sensitive ballads he was able to conjure almost in spite of himself. Though his recordings are available (if hard to find) on CD and despite the best scholarly efforts of Salem to put him in his proper context, Ace is in danger of vanishing into history.

 

Still, for a generation of music lovers, Ace is a permanent and precious part of their lives. In the introduction to his book, Salem writes about delivering a seminar on black music and playing “Pledging My Love” before a group of female middle-aged African-American teachers.

 

“They not only knew all the words to “Pledging My Love,” but also sang them out loud, with their peers, in the middle of my formal presentation,” Salem writes. “Ace had been dead for more than 35 years by this time, and I had at least 40 cued up that day to play, but the seminar stalled on ‘Pledging My Love.’ When I made a movement toward the cassette player, one woman said, in a voice teeming with authority: ‘Don’t you dare stop that song.’ Southern black women of their generation, I learned, have the kind of affection for Johnny Ace that Southern white women have for Elvis Presley.”

 

But for younger generations, he is not even a memory

 

“No one asks me about him anymore,” says Lois Jean Alexander. “The younger people don’t know who he is, and the older people are all dying.”

 

Alexander herself doesn’t think of her late husband often. Though she went on to have two more children, Alexander never could bring herself to marry again. Photos of her four children, two grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren pepper the walls and tables of her tiny South Memphis apartment, but Johnny Ace is nowhere to be seen.

 

The gradual effacement of Ace has been hard for his two grown children, Glenn Alexander and Janet Alexander McClora, who had to grow up in the shadow of a father they never really knew.

 

“They’re real proud of their dad,” says Lois Jean. “I never talked about him very much unless they asked. They never knew the bad things about him until [Salem’s] book came out. But even still, they love him.”

 

McClora, who like her parents attended Booker T. Washington High School, grew up hearing stories about her father from her teachers. But her strongest connection to him remains through his music.

 

“I’m probably the way I am because of him. I always reach out to the underdog and try to extend love to that person,” McCora says. “I often think my dad’s not here because nobody reached out to him and gave him the love that he was always singing about.”

Quality prints, greeting cards and products can be purchased at >> kaye-menner.pixels.com/featured/aphids-on-citrus-2-by-kay...

 

Aphids, also known as plant lice and in Britain and the Commonwealth as greenflies, blackflies, or whiteflies (not to be confused with "jumping plant lice" or true whiteflies), are small sap-sucking insects, and members of the superfamily Aphidoidea. Aphids are among the most destructive insect pests on cultivated plants in temperate regions. The damage they do to plants has made them enemies of farmers and gardeners the world over. From a zoological standpoint they are a highly successful group of organisms. Their success is due in part to the asexual reproductive capabilities of some species.

 

About 4,400 species are known, all included in the family Aphididae. Around 250 species are serious pests for agriculture and forestry as well as an annoyance for gardeners. They vary in length from 1 to 10 millimetres (0.04 to 0.39 in).

 

Natural enemies include predatory ladybirds, hoverfly larvae, parasitic wasps, aphid midge larvae, crab spiders, lacewings, and entomopathogenic fungi such as Lecanicillium lecanii and the Entomophthorales.

 

The highly destructive Honey Fungus, Armillaria species.

 

Thanks buspass, it's the femme fatale of the fungi world, seductive and destructive!

Destructive basheriffic vanity!

From the Wikipedia:

 

The emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis or Agrilus marcopoli and EAB) is a green beetle native to Asia.

 

In North America the borer is an invasive species, highly destructive to ash trees in its introduced range. The damage of this insect rivals that of Chestnut blight and Dutch Elm Disease. To put its damage in perspective the number of chestnuts killed by the Chestnut Blight was around 3.5 billion chestnut trees while there are 3.5 billion ash trees in Ohio alone. Dutch Elm Disease killed only a mere 200 million elm trees while EAB threatens 7.5 billion ash trees in the United States. The insect threatens the entire North American Fraxinus genus, while past invasive tree pests have only threatened a single species within a genus. Since its accidental introduction into the United States and Canada in the 1990s, and its subsequent detection in 2002,[1] it has spread to 14 states and adjacent parts of Canada. It has killed at least 50 - 100 million ash trees so far and threatens to kill most of the ash trees throughout North America.[2] The green ash and the black ash trees are preferred. White ash is also killed rapidly, but usually only after green and black ash trees are eliminated. Blue ash displays some resistance to the emerald ash borer by forming callous tissue around EAB galleries; however, they are usually killed eventually as well.[3]

 

There it is, from the Wiki, chock-a-block with citations. Good with that? I can get you more if you need it.

 

And now from the NYT, Hugh Raffles, an anthropologist at The New School says that our antipathy towards invasive species is the equivalent of a lack of tolerance towards immigrant peoples.

 

www.nytimes.com/2011/04/03/opinion/03Raffles.html?_r=1

 

Whoa. This guy. This guy. He learned all he knows about ecology on his mommy's knee when she read him "Goldilocks and the Three Bears".

 

You can't understand the complexity of the natural world by trying to stuff it into the simple box that is your understanding of human interactions. It is not the same.

 

Invasive species are biotic pollution. You watch them come in, usually into a habitat that we've disturbed the hell out of, and you watch them steamroller over the native species. And you watch diversity go bye-bye!

 

Allow me to offer up some invasive species: Phragmites, Tamarisk, Kudzu, Dutch Elm Disease, the Asian Long-horned beetle, Caleurpa (killer algae). There are more, countless more. Talk to a gardener: the lily leaf beetle, Japanese knotweed, bittersweet. Talk to a fisherman: Asian shore crabs, Lionfish in the Florida Keys.

 

Hugh Raffles is an idiot. At a time when budgets are being slashed right and left, at a time when an understanding of science and critical thinking is at an all-time low, when there are nimwit pols who would shut down vaccine programs to save money, this we don't need. Cuz it was in the Times, right? Just gives traction for those folks who don't want to do anything, who don't care about what kind of world they leave their kids and grandkids, because they are all about what they can get NOW!

 

ARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGHHHH!

 

Yeah, the ecosystem is stressed. Hell, I'M STRESSED!

 

ODC STRESSED

 

Specimen courtesy of Dr. Claire Rutledge of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

"Night, the beloved. Night, when words fade and things come alive. When the destructive analysis of day is done, and all that is truly important becomes whole and sound again. When man reassembles his fragmentary self and grows with the calm of a tree." - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

 

As I searched for these words to connect image to message tonight, I am reminded once again, that I truly am a night owl. I know that there are countless piles of data to remind me that to be a better achiever in this global race for optimum performance, I should be working towards an earlier rise time every morning. But that would mean turning in just when my creative thoughts and ideas begin to flow. Also, kinda hard to do that when you light special events for a living! We do work some strange hours indeed.

 

I shot and created this while toying around with a camera that I rented to test out the video quality for a 30 day VLOG that I did. While the party was going on, I decided to do a little exploring of the grounds and found this cool perspective that shows the party going on in full swing off in the distance. I also created a quick little clip from some of the cuts I gathered from the party. Check it out HERE. Its a little rough, but like I said, I was playing around a bit :)

  

For more from MDSimages, please check out the links below....and thanks for stopping by!

 

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-- Page 18

 

"Yoko Ono performs her work CUT PIECE

at Carnegie Hall

Concept-art, where you can be an Artist, goes

further and involves with the audience as in Ono's CUT

PIECE, where each member of the audience is asked

to come up on the stage one at a time and remove the

performer's clothing with a large pair of tailor's

shears. The performer sits motionless through the

whole operation in a kneeling position until all the

clothing has been removed or everybody has had a

chance to cut, usually about an hour. In contrast to

the rest of the ceoncert which is usually filled with

restlessness in the audience, this piece always takes

place in complete silence, with periods of several

minutes elapsing before the next performer (member

of the audience) gets enough courage to come up on the

stage. Usually only one third of the audience performs

while the rest apparently consider the prospect."

  

-- Page 17

  

"Ono leads in a direction that might be called Concept-Art

   

INSTRUCTIVE AUTO-DESTRUCTION

    

THE FULL MOON hangs over the Lower East Side, its light

shines on paper-littered streets. In the daytime 2nd Avenue

is jammed with traffic and it's possible to look up through

the dust and heat at the sky and imagine what those few

seconds would be like before it came if eternity were to fit.

What an EVENT!

What is an Event and what does it have to do with Art?

Circa 1950: Yoko Ono is sitting around some-place

striking matches. She is observing the significance of a

natural act. Many matches later she finds that by lighting

a match and watching til it has gone out she is making

something that has a shorter existence than herself, and

by comparison is making her life longer.

When people are asked to observe the passage of time

they may feel ill at ease. Is this why we have a term like

auto-destruction? One of Yoko Ono's first events is

called LIGHTING PIECE: 'Light a match and watch

till it goes out.'

1961: her first one-man show in New York, in which

fifteen works were what she calls INSTRUCTUER;

'Something that emerged from instruction and yet not

quite emerged - not quite structured - never quite struc-

tured --- like an unfinished church with a sky ceiling.'

One of these works which was described by a critic as 'a

grimy unstrung canvas with a hole in it' is SMOKE

PAINTING: 'Light canvas or any finished painting with

a cigarettes at any time for any length of time. See the smoke

movement. The painting ends when the whole canvas is

gone.'* For Ono, paintings like Event do end: an ad-

ditional act in life; something to solve the temptation of

insanity.

Other works in her 1961 show were, PAINTING TO

BE STEPPED ON: 'Leave a piece of canvas or finished

painting on the floor or in the street.'* A + B PAINTING;

'Cut out a circle on canvas. A. Place a numeral figure, a

roman letter, or a katakanao on canvas B at an arbitrary

point. Place canvas A on canvas B and hang them together.

The figure on canvas B may show, may show partially, or

may not show. You may use old paintings, photographs, etc.

instead of blank canvases.'* PAINTING FOR THE

WIND: 'Make a hole. Leave it in the wind.'* PAINT-

ING TO SEE THE SKIES: 'Drill two holes into a can-

vas. Hang it where you can see the sky. (Change the place

of hanging. Try both the front and the rear windows, to

see if the skies are different.')* PAINTING TO LET

THE EVENING LIGHT GO THROUGH: 'Hang a

bottle behind a canvas. Place the canvas where the west

light comes in. The painting will exist when the bottle

creates a shadow on the canvas, or it does not have to

exist. The bottle may contain liquor, water, grasshoppers,

ants or singing insects, or it does not have to contain.'*

BLOOD PIECE: 'Use your blood to paint. Keep painting

until you faint (A). Keep painting until you die (B).'*

These and the others in the show were designed to be

done by anybody although at the time it was not apparent

to most observers and as well the works had been made by

Ono, they were regarded as going in one direction only:

purely auto-destructive. Actually all her paintings exist

in two phases. (1) The instruction phase; which may be

compared to a musical composition; written, copywritten,

distributed, and generally at large for anybody to make

(perform) and show (2) the existence of the particular

piece, which generally has some aspect which is in a state

of flux. Sometimes this may be only one-way, sometimes

it may be oscillating, or the piece may just need to be

refuelled, so to speak.

The one aspect which is considered so important in

most painting, the graphic element, or visual design, is

almost never stated except in the vaguest way as in A + B

PAINTING, and like a Swiss Patent, it is never clear

exactly how the formula goes. This is left up to the indi-

vidual who is to construct the work and how he feels about

such things. For the maker of the work and the audience

this opens up all sorts of possibilities. One is able to

observe certain relationships between art and life that are

usually overlooked in purely graphic art. Instead of saying

how the hell did he do that one might say why the hell do

I have to do that. The owner and/or maker of the painting

must continually come to grips with certain problems that

force him to consider what the concept of art is all about.

  

Recently, while the works of hers constructed by various

painters and sculptors were being collected in a gallery

for a show this coming fall, a piece was accidentally sold.

The piece WORD MACHINE #1 SKY MACHINE,

which produces a card with the word 'sky' on it when 25c

is deposited was acquired by Mr. & Mrs. Robert Scull. In

order to complete the sale in the case of this particular

piece it was necessary for Mr. Scull to sign a contract in

which he only received the right to possess the machine

but had to agree that serving of the machine would

remain the right of the maker and the maker would

receive 60% of the proceeds of the sake of 'sky' cards.

The pure iconism of the work is at question. It is a

machine, it has to be cleaned, repaired, cards replaced,

money extracted, in short, handled like crazy and the owner

and the maker have become involved in a continual

bureaucratic even in order to meet the terms of the con-

tract. Her original composition for this work states that

these machines should eventually replace all Coca-cola

and chewing gum machines, etc. everywhere. Immediately

there is a threat on these manmoth industies which have

always been auto-destructive in nature anyway - this

piece is a kind of a parody of them - and pocesses certain

interesting problems as the underworld usually controls

the vending machine operations here in New York. Is

there something wrong with a society that vends art in

machines instead of phosphate? Many agree that the coke

bottole has long been of better use and more valuable than

its contents anyway, and certain artists have even emulated

it in what has come to be known as Pop art.

Ono's work involves many facets and many roots that

are deeply traditional in Eastern and Western thought. In

the East there are traditions that have been obscured by

the advent of the West and one might hope that the reverse

may take place in the West: interbreeding considered

healthful. In Japan it was common and still is to a lesser

degree, to wrap one's lunch in a beautiful package -

intricately embossed gold foil was ideal (there are still

many things we don't know about food) - to contemplate

while eating in the woods; of course the wrapping would

be thrown away ... or for many people to gather with

the express purpose of observing the moon, without any

particular motive scientific or otherwise. This approach is

referred to as 'wabi and sabi' and it is considered that no

clear translation should be available.

In the West Ono relates to that arear referred to by Gene

Swenson as 'The Other Tradiotion'; Duchamp, Ernst,

Cage, Rauschenberg, Johns, etc., and it is interesting that

these men were attracted to her and attended her concerts

and events held in 1959-61 at her loft on Chambers St.

in New York before her return to Tokyo (at one point she

was close to Cage and tourned Japan with him in 1962, but

her music which has been described as 'music of the mind'

is diametrically opposed to his in philosophy and has no

audible sound in the conventional sense.)

What about painting of the mind? One of Ono's works

in her series 'imaginary paintings', is PAINTING TO BE

CONSTRUCTED IN YOUR HEAD: 'Imagine a flower

made of hard material such as gold, silver, stainless

steel, tin, marble, copper, etc. Imagine that the

pedals suddenly become soft like cotton or like living flesh.

In three hours prick all the petals. Save one and press it in a

book. In the margin of the page where the petal is pressed

note the derivation of the petal and the name of the petal.

At least eight hours should be spent in the construction

of the painting.'*

 

ANTHONY COX

New York City, July 4, 1966

   

For this special number of Art and Artists Yoko Ono

contributed the following: AUTO-DESTRUCTIVE

EVENTS; 1 - Dissapearing of snow, 2 - Thinking, 3 -

Dreaming, 4 - Waiting/not waiting, 5 - A wind, 6 -

Travel, 7 - Make wishknots in your head. Forget the

wish.

* reproduced by permission from Grapefruit, published by

Weltinnenraums Press, Box 186, NYC 14 USA."

   

Art and Artists

Volume One, Number Five

August 1966

Edited by Mario Amaya

London: Hansom Books, 1966

   

Private Collection of Mikihiko Hori

  

Voronezh Katyusha

The Great Patriotic War showed the world the destructive strike force and might of Soviet weaponry. However, about three-quarters of the samples of guns and up to half of the types of small arms with which the Armed Forces of the USSR came to win, were created and placed in mass production during the war. Among these types of weapons, occupies a special place of the Guards Mortar BM-13 - the legendary "Katyusha", a lyrical name that, according to one theory, originates from the letter "K", the hallmarks of the manufacturer - the Voronezh plant them. Comintern, which was arranged production of this formidable weapon literally in the first days of the war.

    

By the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the Soviet Union already had samples of rocket artillery, and had a successful experience of its use. Development of rockets (RS) for smokeless powder began NI Tikhomirov and VA Artemyev back in 1921. Their many years of work was completed successfully Soviet missile - in 1928 were successfully tested the world's first rocket to the smokeless powder. By 1933, there were two samples rockets - missile RS-82 and high-explosive fragmentation RS-132. At the same time unite the efforts of laboratories working on this theme - a jet in Moscow Research Institute. Soon, in its walls, were built hundreds of prototype missiles and launchers, designed to be mounted under the wing of the aircraft. In 1935 he started the first launches missiles RS-82 to I-15 fighters at the site, and in 1937 began combat tests. Their success has allowed the completion in December 1937 to adopt a fighter I-15 and I-16 missile air-to-air missiles RS-82 and in July 1938 the shells air-to-surface missile RS-132 bombers to Sat

    

After the adoption of rockets into service in Aviation Management Chief Artillery Rocket Research Institute has set the task of creating a field of reactive systems of salvo fire projectiles through the RS-132. Refined tactical and technical requirements have been issued to the Institute in June 1938 in accordance with this assignment to the autumn of 1939 the Institute has developed a new 132-mm high-explosive projectile, later received the official name of the M-13 launcher, and MU-2. In the summer of that year, missiles RS-82 was first tested in air battles against the Japanese militarists in Khalkhin-Gol. These battles have confirmed the assumption that he was born a new type of munitions - rockets with solid engine. The military successes "eresov" confirmed the need and accelerate the development of missiles for ground troops.

    

In September 1939, tests were carried out installation of MU-2 and the results it was adopted by the Chief Artillery Department for range testing. After revisions in 1940, the world's first mobile multiply volley-fire rocket launcher has successfully passed the factory and range testing. She received an Army designation BM-13-16, or just BM-13, and decided on its industrial production. RNII received an order for production of five such installations and parties of rockets for military trials. In addition, the Ordnance Department Navy also ordered a launcher BM-13 to test it in a system of coastal defense. People's Commissariat of ammunition was not slow to begin the organization of production-line missiles, taking into account the large extent of their spending. In 1940 has been launched series production of rockets M-13 and M-8, their mass production has been fully utilized before the war.

 

Proved more difficult to establish mass production of launchers. Only in February 1941, the Commissariat general machinery ordered the organization of the Voronezh plant them. Comintern production machinery BM-13.Voronezhskomu factory ordered to produce a prototype by July 1 and another 40 units by the end of 1941.

 

Director plant them. Comintern Fedor Muratov was urgently summoned to the Commissariat. Returning two days later at the plant, he immediately presented with the Order of the Commissariat Head Peter Semenovich Gavrilova and instructed him in the coming days to select a group of smart engineers to work out the drawings. In the established group included the leading designer of machines Nikolai Andreyevich Pucherov, chief technologist of the plant Seraphim Semenovich Silchenko, designers Mikhail Pavlov, Alexander Yakovlev, and Nikolai Avdeev.

Drawing Setup BM-13

Fighting vehicle rocket launchers BM-13: 1 - Switch, 2 - broneschity

cab, 3 - pack guides, 4 - gas tank, 5 - rotating base frame,

6 - Shroud propeller, 7 - lifting frame, 8 - folding prop, 9 - stopper,

10 - swing frame, 11 - projectile M-13, 12 - brake light, 13 - jacks,

14 - battery launcher, 15 - tug-spring unit, 16 - bracket

sight, 17 - lever hoist, 18 - rotary handle mechanism

19-spare tire, 20 - junction box.

 

During the week at the factory of RNII profits drawings launcher to the cipher BM-13-16. Installation consisted of eight open guide rails, interconnected into a single unit welded tubular spars. 16 rocket-propelled 132-mm shells were recorded using the T-shaped pins on the top and bottom rails in pairs. The design was provided an opportunity to change the angle of elevation and azimuth rotation. Focusing on the target through the scope was performed with conventional artillery panorama rotation arms lifting and turning mechanisms. Installation triaxial mounted on the chassis of the truck ZIS-6. Runners were established along the car, the rear part of which hung before the fire further to the jack.

 

Initially intended only see the drawings RNII to their technological adaptation to the factory conditions for a serial production. However, it soon became clear that some sites in serious need of operational development. NA Pucherov expressed doubts about the reliability of screw fastening of the planks in the field. It was necessary to improve the reliability of the most responsible node, so that he could withstand any pressure under the most adverse conditions. To expedite the work and a speedy agreement in principle constructive changes to the plant came three employees reactive Institute. It was the head of the Institute Ivan Isidorovich Gvay, a leading designer Vladimir Gvalkovsky and technologist Sergei Kalashnikov. In order to maintain the strictest secrecy in dealing with drawings of a group of designers and engineers identified a small room on the second floor of the administrative building. Work on the "Katyusha" boil virtually around the clock.

After a thorough and comprehensive discussion of complex shaped guides, paired two "cheeks" of sheet steel, have decided to replace the I-beam. Such substitution increased the strength of the site and at the same time to simplify its manufacture.

Another weak point was the remote control panel with fire, with cable length 25 meters. To make a shot, the commander of the installation was to take a cab coil - the drum, run with it for twenty-five meters in a prepared shelter and turning the knob to close the sixteen contacts. After the volley produced should quickly pull up the cable and again put it in the cockpit. All this greatly reduced the maneuverability quality installation. At the suggestion of Engineers - Electrical Plant Yakov Mikhailovich Tupitsyna and Evgeni Nizovtseva control panel decided to mount a fire in the cab of the truck, setting it next to the car panel. This modification has greatly reduced the time volley. To ensure the security commander and the driver of the cab installed armor shield 5 mm thick.

 

Been radically altered and contactors for ignition squib in rockets. Instead of plate covered by the project, set rod. They, as shown by tests, provide trouble-free ignition squib.

Were made significant design changes and other nodes. The newly developed part of the castle, have changed the design of the articulated frame and bearing the farm, brought together the mechanisms of horizontal and vertical lay that much easier management of the shooting.

 

15-17 June 1941 five cars made in the experimental workshops RNII commissioned by the Chief Ordnance Department, were exhibited at the show of new weapons the Red Army, held again at Moscow. BM-13 examined by Marshal Timoshenko, the Commissar Ustinov weapons, ammunition Vannikov commissar and chief of General Staff Zhukov. During the parades was made a salvo of four combat vehicles, which were highly appreciated by the leaders of the Party and government. And on June 21, just hours before the start of the Great Patriotic War, as a result of the show the Government decided that an urgent deployment of mass production of rockets and M-13 launcher BM-13.

On the morning of June 22 in the office of the director of the plant gathered department heads, departments and services. Factory Director Muratov was absent, he was urgently summoned to Moscow. Emergency meeting held the chief engineer of the plant Viktor Chernogubovsky. He announced that in agreement with the union plant immediately goes to work in two shifts working day at eleven o'clock. Summing up, Chernogubovsky stressed that the work is necessary with the growing tension, as many workers in the coming days will be mobilized in the Red Army. Indeed, on the second and third day of the war the factory was designed around four hundred people.

Returned from Moscow director of the task brought about forcing the production of launchers. By July 1, it was necessary to provide not one but two pilot plants and in July, it was necessary to make a thirty-fighting vehicles, and in August a hundred. The plant quickly switched to war production. In the workshops, which manufactured exclusively peaceful goods, to find suitable work for the new machines and prepare them for the production of parts for the launchers.

 

By the time work on the revision, adaptation, change of drawings in the Voronezh plant was successfully completed. It began manufacturing parts for the assembly of prototypes. The difficulties were many, as in the development of any new car. First of all, there was no machine tools required length. At the enterprise there was only one planer processing guides - the most important site of BM-13, and he is hopelessly outdated design "Butler", with a very solid production experience. Required for sending a decent length - five meters. There were serious problems and bending guides korytets, just having a five-meter length. Bending devices at the plant was not. Trough at first had to make welded into three parts, which caused considerable technological difficulties in their processing. Welds were required to strip a carefully follow the assembly with the guides.

For the release of test samples rocket was organized by a specialized assembly shop number 4, who had been appointed chief Jacob Yefimovich Leibovich. This from the first day sent the most skilled workers AT Milyaeva, EG Myakisheva, MV Gunkina, ID Pahorskgo, VN Strelkov, electricians AM Stahurlova, GA Fedorenko, Masters SS Zatsepin, MF Anisimov, IE Yurova. Operational management workshops conducted as head of production department Nicolai Rozanov and senior engineer of the first division Nikolay A. Ivanov.

The most time-consuming assembly site was sending beams with spars and general assembly of the site with all the supporting structure of the launcher. A particular difficulty was that the grooves of the eight guiding beams, should be strictly parallel, the deviation of no more than two millimeters. Also, please note that no experience building such systems has not been, and some units had to redo several times. The best collectors cars I.E, Yurov, IS Bakhtin, MF Anisimov, SS Zatsepin literally for days did not close our eyes. In many ways, only because of their vast experience and work selflessly test samples were collected in the installation period.

And so, on the fifth day of the war, June 26, finally, came this long-awaited and exciting moment. In the assembly department, finished around two pilot plants, met the staff collectors and all the plant bosses - Director F. N. Muratov, Senior Engineer VP Chernogubovsky, chief technologist S. Silchenko constructor NA Pucherov, foreman J. E. Leibovich. And the same - the leading designer VN Galkovsky and a representative of the Main Artillery Directorate of the Red Army, a military engineer of the second rank AG Mrykin.

 

But it was too early to celebrate victory. Lead Designer Galkovsky experienced eye appreciated the installation and immediately demanded calipers. Suspicions confirmed the designer - the distance between the axes of grooves coupled guides are not consistent with the drawings, it was less than estimated. The audit showed that this was done at the direction of Chief of RNII II Gvaya. Ivan Isidorovich came to the factory Comintern second time the drawings have been largely developed, and by viewing the node sending orders to reduce the size slightly between the axes of rails in order to reduce the width of the entire package.

 

The draft, on paper, it seemed quite logical, but now, in the finished installation, the designer trained eye immediately noticed a serious flaw: during the first volley of rockets Regulators could hurt each other.

 

There was an order to two brigades immediately remount collectors guide rails, installing between previously envisaged by the project size. The task was performed in shock, after several hours of hard work collectors and master breathed a sigh of relief - the first prototypes were ready. Plants were immediately adopted by the representatives of the Chief Artillery Directorate at the factory. Now a formidable fighting machine the way ahead in Moscow.

 

The next day, two cars, carefully shrouding tarpaulin, emerged from the factory gates and Zadonsk highway headed to Moscow. In addition to the two military installations, was a lorry, in which were soldiers, guards, armed with grenades and machine guns, and the supply of fuel. Cars with BM-13 were Stepan Bobreshov and Mitrofan D. Artamonov. Installation was accompanied by two workers and senior engineer of the first division Nikolay A. Ivanov. After twenty hours of travel machine came to the People's Commissariat of Defense, where Ivanov received the necessary documents and direction for military depot for live ammunition, missiles, and to immediately follow at the range testing.

After successful testing, the same day, June 28, five units manufactured prior to RNII Voronezh and two Katyusha rockets were merged into the battery to be sent to the front and quality testing of new weapons, its combat effectiveness. The commander of the first single pilot jet mortar battery was named student of the Artillery Academy, named after F. Dzerzhinsky Captain Ivan Andreevich Flerov. For July 2, 1941 the battery was sent from Moscow to the Western Front, on 14 July Flerov battery, with about three thousand shells, took a militant stance of Orsha, on the banks of the Dnieper, from which the enemy struck his first blow. Mortar fire pointed to the dust accumulated on the station, trains with manpower and equipment. Gunners not only caused serious damage to the enemy. They brought upon him the horror that the Nazis persecuted the war at the mere mention of this formidable weapon.

 

And the factory was busy searching the reserves to increase production of military weapons. In one of the last days of June Muratov gathered in his office chiefs of departments, their deputies, chiefs of shifts. He was concerned and severe. Were put only the first samples of machines. Too much time was spent on refining the drawings, met and other unforeseen difficulties in mastering this complex technologically advanced machines. Muratov said that the rocket launcher is extremely important to ruthlessly fought the Red Army. He criticized leaders for the delay in launching the production of the most challenging parts of permitted marriage, because many masters do inappropriate work - dostavaniem workpieces for machine operators, rushing from shop to shop. It was hard to install machines on the production schedule each month. In this case it was necessary to consider all the possibilities of each department, to count every minute of working time, to do everything that no machine operator is not idle due to lack of workpieces or tools.

 

However, the plant was not ready for such a radical restructuring of the entire work. In late June, the plant received four planers, but the tables were too short, and make them the direction of the beam was impossible. At an emergency meeting of the chief engineer decided to lengthen platten on their own. It was necessary to urgently implement the drawings of parts nadstavok, make models, to make iron castings, produce processing. While these works were performed, consistent changes in the shop were digging pits for the foundations of elongated tools, laid anchor bolts and filled with concrete. Work went on around the clock. The new machines have to put into operation five days earlier statutory deadlines.

 

Reconstruct the machines, to rebuild the whole rhythm of working in line with military time, of course, is not easy. And all this could be done in record time over only due to the dedication of labor and management. They worked for days, almost without interruption. All the forces of production gave the chief engineer VP Chernogubovsky and mechanic PI Larin. There was no department, shift or department, where even a single day would not have visited these leaders are ready to assist and advise you.

 

In the machine shop having troubles with the manufacturing launch of sending beams. The main difficulty was that the guide frame length of five meters held two operations on the planing machines. In the first operation was shot superfluous part of the metal edges of I-beam profile, carefully planing on both sides of the supporting plane and they dado width of twenty, a depth of eight millimeters. Then the beam was shot from the machine and prostrogannye plane naklepyvalis guides trough of sheet steel with thickness of three millimeters. Beam with attached trough back to the planer, it prostragivalis groove width of eleven millimeters. And between the guide edges of the trough and slots had to withstand strict parallelism, because it depended on the accuracy of the projectile motion and accuracy of firing.

The team spent a lot a lot of energy and nerves due to the guiding beam, but at first still a lot of detail went into the marriage. Factory Director FN Muratov had specifically on this issue to convene a meeting. In his invited heads of workshops AG Puzoschatova and SP Zakharova, chief technologist SS Silchenko, masters, most qualified planer. The meeting was also attended by the representative of the State Committee of Defense and the secretary of the Party A. Ivanov.

 

A more thorough examination of processing technology beams revealed a lack of rigid mounting it on the machine. Head of the section sending beams Boris L. Tagintsev remembered one device, previously used them for other purposes. With difficulty found it, figured that's what, and it turned out: with minor modifications it may well be used to guide treatment beams. Boris L. Muratov told in detail about his conception and asked to translate it into machine to their own hands to try innovation. The Director agreed.

 

Tagintsev immediately went to the shop, and twelve hours device was mounted on planing machine "Butler". It went smoothly. Durable and rigid attachment directing the beam on the machine eliminate vibration. Made using the new device military representatives took part in the first presentation. Now the turn was another problem: reduced processing time of the beam. To expedite this operation Tagintsevym and Fedin was offered a special reztsederzhalka in which to insert at once three of the tool. This simple device allowed us to increase the productivity of the machine.

 

To process the edges of the guide trough used a simple chisel. Installing and filling it was difficult and caused a considerable amount of time. Avdeev and Tagintsev developed a somewhat unusual design of a special tool, the shape of a tea saucer. The circumference of the disc diameter of 132 millimeter wafers soldered 6 carbide. The plates were placed symmetrically at an angle of 60 degrees. Each pair of plates can handle both at the same edge of the guide trough, this is done in extremely high accuracy.

 

Whole of July continued intense preparation for the introduction of the shops strict daily schedule. In this case vigorously engaged in the party office, the factory trade union committee, the Komsomol organization, large circulation newspaper "Comintern". At the main entrance of the plant hung large, beautifully illustrated posters. They twice daily updated results of each workshop. Significantly increased the space for assembly work, and constructing two large steel plant span. Strengthen its leadership by some units. Because of the assembly shop number 3 put Communist Dmitri Ivanovich Zhirova in the assembly shop number 4 sent the chief engineer of the plant member of the party Pavel Ivanovich Larina.

 

The results of the organizational and political and mass work not long in coming. All subsequent months, until the evacuation of the plant in the Urals, the daily schedule was the law for each production team, he was allowed to establish a clear issue of all parts and components, significantly increase the number of manufactured launchers.

 

Second July 1941 Office of the Voronezh Regional Committee of the CPSU (b) adopted a resolution (read out in full) for the early establishment and increase production of military weapons factory behalf of the Comintern. This decree of the regional party committee plugged in the manufacture of a dangerous weapon other enterprises of the city. Thus, the Kalinin Machine-Building Plant began producing the beam for directing trough. He also had to start dealing with capacity-length table planing machine. This work was executed by the group of designers in the General Mechanics under the guidance of Yuri Smirnov. But when the machines were altered, here repeated many problems observed in the initial period of production of the first beams at the plant the name of the Comintern. The beams are often deformed, with great difficulty they had to take out on special massive plates, which takes a long time.

 

Debugging process in kalinintsev much effort, energy, imagination gave technologist AP Molchanov and chief mechanical shop KA Tarasov. They would not leave for days planer AI Pankov, IA Zvereva, MV Shedagubova, A. Perelygina. It turned out that whittle a large cross section for a given length and complexity of the beam profile can not. Endangering the disruption in the schedule making this important detail. So they decided to rough handling at first produce a method of milling. For this purpose, recourse to the available plant unit disk with scissors rolganom. Conversion unit for milling produced designer FE Durov, a technologist AP Molchanov designed the original mandrel with a set of disc cutters. For the final processing of beams on planer left most basic allowance. Case went.

 

Kalinintsy fully produced and so-called node expansion. It included a fairly complex parts: screw with two-zahodnye ribbon threaded nut and two bevel gears. Cutting threaded couples instructed by highly turner S. Boev, VP Zotov, IV Komarov. Harder was threaded bevel gears. I had to quickly restore the old gear-cutting machine. This work was done in a short time under the guidance of the Chief of repair and machine shop LY Agarkova, together with the machine operators have spent a sleepless night.

BM-13

 

The various components and parts for the launcher manufactured bands Machine-Building Plant named after Lenin, Steam-Engine Factory, the Dzerzhinsky, plant Electrosignal. " Connect to them and Institute of Chemical Technology, in a mechanical laboratory which have mastered the lower leg assembly with optical sights part. Therefore, assembled at the Comintern "Katyusha" can rightfully be called Voronezh.

 

Regional Committee of the Party to keep the issue of military weapons. At eleven o'clock at night in the office of F. Muratova meetings have been held up to the day. They often attended by the First Secretary of the Regional Committee Vladimir D. Nikitin, or the Secretary of Industry Alexander Ivanov. They provided invaluable assistance to the Comintern in the organization of regular deliveries of parts of other plants of the city, as well as a steady supply of metal and other materials. AA Ivanov was almost hopeless Comintern plant. Together with the Secretary of the Party Committee Ivan Efimovich Brovina he was often in the shops and departments. At peresmenkah for five - eight minutes, he did report on the situation at the fronts, informed about the working life of the city and the entire region. Heartful chat, specific examples, a call-party word to mobilize people for rapid execution solely responsible job.

 

In August, started to increase difficulties with transportation launchers in Moscow. Shipping them to the railway platforms was impossible because of the increased number of attacks by enemy aircraft on the road. Most of the drivers of the plant was designed in the army since the first days of the war, moreover, was not enough, and automobiles. And here was assisted county and city Party Committee. Industry and various economic organizations was instructed to allocate the necessary number of cars and drivers to provide emergency transportation in Moscow launchers.

 

Convoy necessarily accompanied by a responsible employee of the company, approved by the factory director - head of department, designer, technologist, engineer. In the route is strictly forbidden to dwell in towns and at petrol stations. Short stop for refueling, which has always carried with them, for inspection of motor vehicles arranged in an open field or in sparsely forest with a good overview of the area. The gap in the column of cars while driving is not tolerated under any circumstances, drivers have the right to drive even the red light.

 

Successful operation of the factory team in no small measure contributed to the well-established traffic control service. To the Chief Manager, the company had a switch with loudspeakers installations in shops and departments. Well-organized communication enables planners and craftsmen shops all the time to maintain contact and at any moment to take the most correct decision on any issue. In the introduction of a highly developed dispatch communication (at the time it was a novelty), a lot of work and ingenuity put the head of the factory PBX Avgust Petrovich Yagund.

 

Day by day, along with an alarming front-line summaries growing labor tension. When the fascist armies were on the outskirts of Moscow, in the shops of the plant was posted on the slogan "More combat vehicles for the defenders of the capital!" People wholeheartedly embraced this call, realizing the danger threatening the country, and brought the issue of missile installations to five or six a day.

 

Issue units at the plant Comintern continued to fall. And in October, the front moved close to the Upper Don. Above the town began to appear increasingly Luftwaffe. First, the scouts, and soon the bombers. It was decided to evacuate. A leading enterprise for the production of launchers was appointed plant in Moscow "Compressor".

 

Comintern plant was evacuated to the Urals in the small town of Istok, where the plant "Uralelektromashina" promptly resumed production of parts for the rocket launchers. And although istokskom factory assembled a small number of combat vehicles, but the team gave him a significant number of parts plant "Uralelektromashina, which was arranged the main assembly of BM-13.

 

Comintern in a short time and mastered the mass production of 82 millimeter mortar rounds and uninterruptedly supplied them the Red Army throughout the war.

Liveinternet.ru

 

Путеводитель по Воронежу

   

Remains of the last building to get covered by lava from the 1973 eruption on Heimey

“If you had your life to live over again,” the study asked you in 1981, “what problem, if any, would you have sought help for and to whom would you have gone?” “I’ve come to believe that ‘help’ is for the most part useless and destructive,” you answered. “Can you imagine Arlie Bock—God bless his soul—trying to help me work out my problems? … Or Clark Heath? The poor old boys would have headed for the hills! The ‘helping professions’ are in general camp-followers of the dominant culture, just like the clergy, and the psychiatrists. (I except Freud and Vaillant.)” —Joshua Wolf Shenk

 

www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2009/06/what-makes-u...

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) nets are one of thier tools, but not needed for the spotted lanternfly, a destructive hopping insect that feeds on a wide range of fruit, ornamental, and hardwood trees, including grapes, apples, walnut, and oak; a serious threat to the United States' agriculture and natural resources, such as here in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, on August 28, 2018. The pest damages plants as it sucks sap from branches, stems, and tree trunks. The repeated feedings leave the tree bark with dark scars. Spotted lanternfly also excretes a sticky fluid, which promotes mold growth and further weakens plants and puts our agriculture and forests at risk. Native to Asia, the spotted lanternfly has no natural enemies in North America. it's free to multiply and ravage orchards, vineyards, and wooded areas. The invasive insect was first detected in the United States in Pennsylvania in 2014, and has now spread to several states, by people who accidentally move infested material or items containing egg masses.

Most states are at risk of the pest. USDA and our state and local partners are working hard to stop the spread of this invasive pest, but we need your help. Look for signs of spotted lanternfly. Inspect your trees and plants for young spotted lanternfly, adults, and egg masses. Adult spotted lanternflies are approximately 1 inch long and one-half inch wide, and they have large and visually striking wings. Their forewings are light brown with black spots at the front and a speckled band at the rear. Their hind wings are scarlet with black spots at the front and white and black bars at the rear. Their abdomen is yellow with black bars. Nymphs in their early stages of development appear black with white spots and turn to a red phase before becoming adults. Egg masses are yellowish-brown in color, covered with a gray, waxy coating prior to hatching. Look for nymphs, adults, and eggs on trees. The Tree of Heaven is the preferred tree. Spotted lanternfly lay their eggs on a variety of smooth surfaces. Look for egg masses (which are off-white to grey and textured patches) on tree bark, vehicles, buildings, and outdoor items. USDA Photo by Lance Cheung.

  

Find it, report it!

 

Contact your State Department of Agriculture or the Extension specialist near you to report signs of spotted lanternfly. If possible, take a picture or capture the insect in alcohol.

  

Stop the Spread

 

Everyone can play a role in stopping the spread of spotted lanternfly

  

Remove and Destroy

 

Crush nymph and adult spotted lanternflies. Scrape egg masses into hand sanitizer or rubbing alcohol.

  

For more information about the Spotted Lanternfly, please see www.aphis.usda.gov/hungrypests/slf

  

For more information about the Tree of Heaven, please see www.nps.gov/shen/learn/nature/tree-of-heaven.htm

   

A non-destructive installation that works with the architecture of the building and speaks of the ever changing cultural being of NYC.

 

Watch the video HERE

 

Process / photo by Nick Martin

Wang Tao (left), former director of industry and transportation in Shanghai, denounces Zhang Chunquiao (right) during the trial of the so-called Gang of Four November 27, 1980 as having led a coup in the city.

 

The trial, conducted in Beijing, charged four former leaders of the Chinese Communist Party with various offenses, the theme being that they took the country in a destructive direction during the Cultural Revolution 1966-76. Also charged were former associates of disgraced Marshall of the People’s Republic Lin Biao.

 

The Gang of Four were Jiang Qing (long-time Chinese Communist Chair Mao Zedong's last wife). The other members were Zhang Chunqiao, Yao Wenyuan, and Wang Hongwen.

 

On September 9, 1976 Mao died. For the next few weeks the Gang of Four retained control over the government media, and many articles appeared on the theme of "principles laid down" (or "established") by Mao near the end of his life.

 

The words "principles laid down" were themselves supposedly a quotation from Mao, but their canonical status was in dispute. Urban militia units commanded by supporters of the four were placed on a heightened state of readiness.

 

Premier Hua Guofeng attacked the radicals' media line at a Politburo meeting in late September, but Jiang Qing emphatically disagreed with Hua, and she insisted that she be named as the new party Chairman. The meeting ended inconclusively. On October 4 the radical group warned, via an article in the Guangming Daily, that any revisionist who interfered with the established principles would "come to no good end."

 

The radicals hoped that the key military leaders Wang Dongxing and Chen Xilian would support them, but it seems that Hua won the Army over to his side. On 6 October 1976, Hua had the four leading radicals and a number of their lesser associates arrested.

 

Toward the end of their 1980 public trial that lasted about six weeks, Jiang became increasingly defiant.

 

On December 24, after the Chief Judge summarized the charges against Jiang, Jiang suddenly stand up and loudly accused the Chief Judge as a “fascist.” She claimed that “the real purpose of the trial is to vilify Chairman Mao and the great Cultural Revolution initiated by Mao.”

 

When the Judge reminded her to “rationally” defend herself, Jiang became even angry. “This trial is only a show trial. I do not bother to defend myself.”

 

Jiang then announced that it would be “more glorious to have my head chopped off” and dared the court to execute her.

On December 29, 1980, after the testimony of forty-nine witnesses and the showing of more than 870 pieces of evidence, the trial finally came to the end.

 

Summing up the case, the Chief prosecutor acknowledged Chairman Mao’s “great contribution” to China, but also noted that Mao was responsible for the “plight” of people during the Cultural Revolution. He argued that the Four (particularly Jiang) cannot escape punishment by raising Chairman Mao as a “shield.”

 

He then cited some remarks of Mao in 1974 and 1975, trying to demonstrate that Mao disagreed with the Four on many issues. He then demanded death sentence for Jiang.

Upon hearing this, Jiang immediately began to shout “Revolution is glorious! Revolution is no crime!” Again, she was dragged out of the courthouse.

 

The trial of the Four and subsequent political purges of their supporters marked a radical change in Chinese policy. Mao was credited for his leadership during the long revolutionary period that ended with victory in 1949, but criticized for left-wing errors. The Gang of Four and Lin Biao were marked as the chief left-wing deviations and former number three leader Liu Shaoqi, who was purged during the Cultural Revolution as a right-wing opportunist, was rehabilitated.

 

The arrest and trial of the Gang of Four also represented a shift in the method of leading China. During the Cultural Revolution, Mao and his adherents attempted to remake society from the bottom up. With the shift in leadership, the party’s leading role was given greater emphasis and involvement of the great masses of people diminished.

 

Jiang Qing and Zhang Chunqiao received death sentences that were later commuted to life imprisonment, while Wang Hongwen and Yao Wenyuan were given life and twenty years in prison, respectively. All members of the Gang of Four have since died; Jiang Qing committed suicide in 1991, Wang Hongwen died in 1992, and Yao Wenyuan and Zhang Chunqiao died in 2005, having been released from prison in 1996 and 1998, respectively.

 

Since the 1976 the Chinese Communist Party has opened up the country to foreign investment and fostered a widening disparity of wealth while leading the country to become an economic power in the 21st century. Domestic entrepreneurs and foreign capitalist enterprises are permitted, but controlled. However, China remains a socialist country with much of the economy remaining state or collectively owned.

 

Many western radicals were attracted to Mao Zedong's leadership during the 1960s and early 1970s. The denunciation of Mao and arrest and jailing of his widow and others effectively diminished the widespread influence of the Chinese experiment in socialism in many movements throughout the world.

 

However the Chinese Communist Party's management of economic growth has shown another path for socialism other than the restoration of capitalism such as occurred in the Soviet Union.

 

Zhang Chunqiao

 

Zhang Chunqiao (February 1917 – 21 April 2005) was a prominent Chinese political theorist, writer, and politician. He came to the national spotlight during the late stages of the Cultural Revolution, and was a member of the so-called "Gang of Four".

 

Born in Juye County, Shandong, Zhang worked as a writer in Shanghai in the 1930s and became closely associated with the city. After the Yan'an conference in 1938, he joined the Communist Party of China. With the creation of the People's Republic of China, he became a prominent journalist in Shanghai in charge of the Liberation Daily newspaper. He met Jiang Qing in Shanghai and helped to launch the Cultural Revolution.

 

Zhang first came to prominence as the result of his October 1958 Jiefang ("Liberation") magazine entitled “Destroy the Ideas of Bourgeois Legal Ownership.” Mao Zedong ordered the reproduction of the article in People’s Daily, and personally wrote an accompanying “Editor’s Note” giving the article his own mild approval. He was seen as one of Mao Zedong's full supporters as Mao became involved in an ideological struggle with rival leader Liu Shaoqi.

 

In November 1966, at the outset of the Cultural Revolution, Zhang arrived in Shanghai representing the Central Cultural Revolution Group to stop Cao Diqiu's attempt to disperse workers in Anting.

 

He signed the Five-point Petition of workers and then organized the Shanghai Commune along with Wang Hongwen and Yao Wenyuan in February 1967, essentially overthrowing the local government and party organization and becoming chairman of the city's Revolutionary Committee, which combined both the former posts of mayor and party secretary, until the latter post was restored in 1971.

 

Zhang also initially served as one of the leaders of the Cultural Revolution Group, in charge of carrying out the Cultural Revolution around China. He spent much of the Cultural Revolution shuttling between Beijing and Shanghai.

 

In April 1969 he joined the Politburo of the Communist Party of China and in 1973 he was promoted to the Politburo Standing Committee, a council of top Communist leaders.

 

In January 1975 Zhang became the second-ranked Vice Premier and he wrote "On Exercising All-Round Dictatorship Over the Bourgeoisie" to promote the movement of studying the theory of the dictatorship of the proletariat; Deng Xiaoping was the first-ranked Vice Premier at the time, but Deng was out of office again in 1976.

 

He was arrested along with the other members of the Gang of Four in October 1976, as part of a conspiracy by Ye Jianying, Li Xiannian and newly anointed party leader Hua Guofeng. Zhang was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve, together with Jiang Qing, in 1984, but his sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment, and in December 1997 the sentence was further reduced to eighteen years.

 

In 1998, Zhang was released from prison to undergo medical treatment. He then lived in obscurity in Shanghai for the remainder of his life. Zhang died from pancreatic cancer in April 2005.

 

--This description is largely excerpted from different sections of Wikipedia

 

For other random radicals, see flic.kr/s/aHske413N1

 

The photographer is unknown. The image was distributed by Associated Press and was obtained via an Internet sale.

 

Rama (/ˈrɑːmə/; Sanskrit: राम Rāma) also known as Raghava, is the seventh avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu, and a king of Ayodhya. Rama is also the protagonist of the Hindu epic Ramayana, which narrates his idealistic ideas and his greatness. Rama is one of the many popular figures and deities in Hinduism, specifically Vaishnavism and Vaishnava religious scriptures in South and Southeast Asia. Along with Krishna, Rama is considered to be one of the most important avatars of Vishnu. In a few Rama-centric sects, he is considered the Supreme Being, rather than an avatar.

 

Born as the eldest son of Kausalya and Dasharatha, king of Ayodhya, Rama is referred to within Hinduism as Maryada Purushottama, literally the Perfect Man or Lord of Self-Control or Lord of Virtue. His wife Sita is considered by Hindus to be an avatar of Lakshmi and the embodiment of perfect womanhood.

 

Rama's life and journey is one of adherence to dharma despite harsh tests and obstacles and many pains of life and time. For the sake of his father's honour, Rama abandons his claim to Ayodhaya's throne to serve an exile of fourteen years in the forest. His wife Sita and brother Lakshmana decide to join him, and all three spend the fourteen years in exile together. While in exile, Sita is kidnapped by Ravana, the Rakshasa monarch of Lanka. After a long and arduous search, Rama fights a colossal war against Ravana's armies. In a war of powerful and magical beings, greatly destructive weaponry and battles, Rama slays Ravana in battle and liberates his wife. Having completed his exile, Rama returns to be crowned king in Ayodhya and eventually becomes emperor, rules with happiness, peace, duty, prosperity and justice - a period known as Ram Rajya.

The legend of Rama is deeply influential and popular in the societies of the Indian subcontinent and across South East Asia. Rama is revered for his unending compassion, courage and devotion to religious values and duty.

 

ETYMOLOGY

The name Rama appears repeatedly in Hindu scriptures. Besides the name of the protagonist of the Ramayana (subject of the current article), the name is also given to other heroes including Parashu-Rama (Bhargava Rama) and Balarama (Bala-Rama).

 

In the Vishnu sahasranama, Rama is the 394th name of Vishnu. In the interpretation of Adi Shankara's commentary, translated by Swami Tapasyananda of the Ramakrishna Mission, Rama has two meanings: the supreme Brahman who is the eternally blissful spiritual Self in whom yogis delight, or the One (i.e., Vishnu) who out of His own will assumed the enchanting form of Rama, the son of Dasaratha.

 

Other names of Rama include Ramavijaya (Javanese), Phreah Ream (Khmer), Phra Ram (Lao and Thai), Megat Seri Rama (Malay), Raja Bantugan (Maranao) and Ramar (Tamil).

 

The greatness of chanting of Rama's name is mentioned in the Ramacharitamanasa.

 

In Sanskrit, the word Rama (राम) means 'charming'. The name is commonly given to male in India and Nepal.

 

Some of the popular names of Rama are:

 

Rama - charming

Ramachandra - Rama with a moon Raghava - descendent of Raghu

Siyaavar - husband of Sita

Ayodhyapati - king of Ayodhya

Dashrathaputra - son of Dasharatha

Maryada-Purushottam - best ideal man

Shriram

Dashrathi - Son of King Dashrath

 

SOURCES

The primary source of the life and journey of Rama is the epic Ramayana as composed by the Rishi Valmiki. The Vishnu Purana also recounts Rama as Vishnu's seventh avatar, and in the Bhagavata Purana, ninth skandha, adhyayas 10 & 11, the story of the Ramayana is again recounted in brief up to and including the slaying of Ravana and Prince Rama's return to Ayodhya. Additionally, the tales of Rama are reverently spoken of in the Mahabharata. The earliest documentation of Ram is in the Buddhist text of Dasharatha Jataka.

 

Composition of Ramayana in its current form is usually dated to 7th - 4th Century BCE. However, other scriptures in Sanskrit also reflect the life of Ramayana. The followers of Madhvacharya believe that an older version of the Ramayana, the mula-Ramayana, previously existed. They consider it to have been more authoritative than the version by Valmiki. Another important shortened version of the epic in Sanskrit is the Adhyatma Ramayana. The seventh century CE Sanskrit "Bhatti's Poem" Bhaṭṭikāvya of Bhatti who lived in Gujarat, is a retelling of the epic that simultaneously illustrates the grammatical examples for Pāṇini's Aṣṭādhyāyī as well as the major figures of speech and the Prakrit language.

 

Versions of the Ramayana exist in most major Indian languages; examples that elaborate on the life, deeds and divine philosophies of Rama include the epic poem Ramavataram by the 12th-century poet Kambar in Tamil, and Ramcharitmanas, a Hindi version of the Ramayana by the 16th-century saint, Tulsidas. Contemporary versions of the Ramayana include Sri Ramayana Darshanam by Kuvempu in Kannada and Ramayana Kalpavruksham by Viswanatha Satyanarayana in Telugu, both of which have been awarded the Jnanpith Award. The epic has transformed across the diverse regions of India, which boast their own unique languages and cultural traditions.

 

The essential tale of Rama has also spread across Southeast Asia, and evolved into unique renditions of the epic – incorporating local history, folktales, religious values as well as unique features from the languages and literary discourse. The Kakawin Ramayana of Java, Indonesia, the Ramakavaca of Bali, Hikayat Seri Rama of Malaysia, Maradia Lawana of the Philippines, Ramakien of Thailand (which calls him Phra Ram) are great works with many unique characteristics and differences in accounts and portrayals of the legend of Rama. The legends of Rama are witnessed in elaborate illustration at the Wat Phra Kaew temple in Bangkok. The national epic of Myanmar, Yama Zatdaw is essentially the Burmese Ramayana, where Rama is named Yama. In the Reamker of Cambodia, Rama is known as Preah Ream. In the Phra Lak Phra Lam of Laos, Gautama Buddha is regarded as an incarnation of Rama.

 

The mythological sources propose that Rama was born about 1.2 million years ago, during the Treta Yuga, age that lasted 1,296,000 years and his birthday Rama Navami is celebrated in the month of April/May To the Valmiki Ramayana, Rama was born in Ayodhya, India, on 9th day (now celebrated across India as Ram Navami) of Chaitra lunar month (March–April), when Moon and Jupiter were rising in the east in Cancer sign and four other planets (Sun, Mars, Saturn, Venus) were exalted in their exaltation signs. Based on these star alignments, a few astrologers claimed to have calculated the exact date of birth of Lord Rama as 10 January 5114 BC between 12 noon and 1pm.

Childhood

 

BIRTH AS AN AVATAR

The Ramayana speaks of how the earth goddess Bhudevi, came to the creator-god Brahma begging to be rescued from evil kings who were plundering her resources and destroying life through bloody wars and evil conduct. The deva (gods) also came to Brahma fearful of the rule of Ravana, the ten-headed rakshasa emperor of Lanka. Ravana had overpowered the devas and now ruled the heavens, the earth and the netherworlds. Although a powerful and noble monarch, he was also arrogant, destructive and a patron of evil doers. He had boons that gave him immense strength and was invulnerable to all living and celestial beings, except man and animals.

 

Brahma, Bhumidevi and the other gods requested Vishnu, the Preserver, to intervene and free the Earth from Ravana's tyrannical rule. Vishnu promised to kill Ravana by incarnating as a man – the eldest son of Kosala's king Dasharatha. According to the Ramayana, king Dasharata remained childless for a long time and finally decided to perform a putrakameshti yaga under the supervision of the royal priest. During the ritual, Prajapati arose from the sacrificial fire and gave a vessel of sacred potion to Dasharata for distribution to his three wives. The three queens drank the divine potion and conceived four sons: Rama, Bharata, Lakshmana and Shatrughna.

Goddess Lakshmi took birth as Sita in order to accompany her consort Vishnu and was found by king Janaka of Mithila while he was ploughing a field. Vishnu's eternal companion, the Shesha is said to have incarnated as Lakshmana to stay at his Lord's side on earth. Throughout his life, no one, except a few select sages (among which are included Vasishta, Sharabhanga, Agastya and Vishwamitra) know of his destiny. Rama is continually revered by the many sages he encounters through his life, but only the most learned and exalted know of his true identity. At the end of the war between Rama and Ravana, just as Sita passes her Agni pariskha, Brahma, Indra and the gods, the celestial sages and Shiva appear out of the sky. They affirm Sita's purity and ask him to end this terrible test. Thanking the avatar for delivering the universe from the grips of evil, they reveal Rama's divine identity upon the culmination of his mission.

 

Other scriptures provide other reasons for the avatar. The chastity of Vrinda, wife of the demon Jalandhara, that protects the life of her husband is destroyed by Vishnu by deceit so that Shiva can slay the demon. She curses Vishnu to be born on earth and that in this birth of his, his wife's (Lakshmi as Sita) purity and chastity will be a question in his mind throughout his life and he will be separated from her and live with sadness and grief.

 

Another legend narrates that Jaya and Vijaya, the gatekeepers of Vishnu, were cursed by the Four Kumaras to be born on earth three lives; Vishnu took avatars each time to free them of their earthy existence. They as born as Ravana and his brother Kumbhakarna, who are both killed by Rama. Also, due to a boon, Kashyapa and Aditi are born as the parents of Rama, Dasharatha and Kausalya. In another version, Svayambhuva Manu and his wife Satarupa are blessed to be born as Rama's parents.

 

Another tale says that the sage Narada cursed Vishnu to be born on earth as a king, to be helped by monkeys and suffer separation from his wife. Narada also curses Jaya and Vijaya to be born as the demon brothers.

 

INITIATION OF THE AVATAR

Sage Vishwamitra takes the two princes, Rama and Lakshmana, to his ashram, as he needs Rama's help in slaying several Rakshasas that have been harassing him and several other sages living in the area. Rama's first encounter is with a Rakshasi named Taataka, who is a celestial nymph cursed to take the form of a demoness. Vishwamitra explains that she has polluted much of the habitat where the sages reside and there will not be any contentment until she is destroyed. Rama has some reservations about killing a woman, but since Taataka poses such a big threat to the Rishis and he is expected to follow their word, he fights with Taataka and kills her with an arrow. After her death, the surrounding forest becomes greener and cleaner. Vishwamitra presents Rama with several astras and sastras (divine weapons) that will be of use to him in the future, and Rama masters the knowledge of all the weapons and their uses. Vishwamitra then tells Rama and Lakshmana that soon, he along with some of his disciples, will perform a yagna for seven days and nights that will be of great benefit to the world, and the two princes must keep close watch for the two sons of Taadaka, Mareecha and Subahu, who will try to defile the yagna at all costs. The princes therefore keep a strong vigil for all of the days, and on the seventh day they spot Maricha and Subahu coming with a whole host of Raakshasas ready to pour bones and blood into the fire. Rama points his bow at the two, and with one arrow kills Subahu, and with the other arrow flings Mareecha thousands of miles away into the ocean. Rama deals with the rest of the demons. The yagna is completed successfully

 

Rama also frees Ahalya, the wife of Gautama Maharishi, from a curse. She was cursed to turn into stone by her husband after a displeasing incident. However, the dust on Rama's feet touched the stone and turned it back into a woman again. Gautama Maharishi was gratified that everything was back to normal again.

 

Sage Vishwamitra then takes the two princes to the Swayamvara a wedding ceremony for Sita. The challenge is to string the bow of Shiva (Pinaka) and shoot an arrow from it. This task is considered impossible for any ordinary king or living being, as this is the personal weapon of Shiva, more powerful, holy and of divine creation than conceivable. While attempting to string the bow, Rama breaks it in two. This feat of strength spreads his fame across the worlds and seals his marriage to Sita, celebrated as Vivaha Panchami.

After Rama weds Sita and the entire royal family and the Ayodhya army begin their journey back, the great rishi Parashurama (Bhargava Rama) appears before them, having descended from his mountainous hermitage. Parashurama is an extremely powerful rishi, responsible for killing all of the world's tyrannical and oppressive emperors and kings 21 times. He is the sixth Avatara of Vishnu, and finds it unbelievable that anybody could break the bow of Shiva. Considering himself to still be the most powerful warrior-rishi on earth, he brings with them the bow of Vishnu (Saranga), and intends to challenge Rama to prove his strength by stringing it, and then fighting a battle with him to prove superiority. Although the entire Ayodhya army is forestalled by his mystical power, Rama is himself angered. He respectfully bows to Parashurama, and within a twinkling of an eyelid snatches the bow of Vishnu, (that is his own, an example of irony here) strings it, places an arrow and points it straight at the challenger's heart. Rama asks Parashurama what he will give as a target to the arrow. At this point, Parashurama feels himself devoid of the tremendous mystical energy he possessed for so long. He realizes that Rama is Vishnu incarnate, his successor and definitely his superior. He accepts Rama's superiority, devotes his tapasya to him, pays homage to Rama and promises to return to his hermitage and leave the world of men.Rama then shoots the arrow up into the sky with Vishnu's bow, performing a feat true to his supreme, divine nature with his natural weapon. His overpowering of Parashurama and using the supreme weapon with incredible ease and perfection dazzle the spectators and his relatives, but no one save Parashurama and Vasishta associate this with his true identity. It is said that the Rama's arrow is still flying across space, across time and across all of the universe. The day it will return to earth, it is said, it will bring the end of the world. Others say that the flying arrow destroys all evil on earth to uphold dharma and righteousness.

 

DHARMA OF EXILE

King Dasaratha announces to Ayodhya that he plans to crown Rama, his eldest child the Yuvaraja (crown prince). While the news is welcomed by everyone in the kingdom, the mind of queen Kaikeyi is poisoned by her wicked maid-servant, Manthara. Kaikeyi, who is initially pleased for Rama, is made to fear for the safety and future of her son Bharata. Fearing that Rama would ignore or possibly victimize his younger brother for the sake of power, Kaikeyi demands that Dasaratha banish Rama to a forest exile for fourteen years, and that Bharata be crowned in Rama's place. She had been granted two boons by the king when she had saved his life a long time ago in battle, and the queen now used them to serve her purpose. The king's court and the people are outraged at this turn of events. Dasaratha loved and cherished Rama dearly, and is in personal turmoil. Completely estranged now from his younger wife, he abhors the prospect of separation from Rama. But Rama realizes that the king must not break a solemn promise at any time, and neither should a son disobey his father's command. Sita joins her husband in exile despite his discouraging her, as it is her duty and out of love for Rama that she must be at his side at all times. His younger brother Lakshmana also immediately decides to join Rama rather than remain in the city. As he leaves for exile, the people of Ayodhya are deeply saddened and angered at Dasaratha and Kaikeyi. Dasaratha's heart is broken and he collapses and dies during the night of the sixth day, unable to bear the agony of separation from Rama. Despite the reasoning of Vashistha and the pleas of his brothers, Rama refuses to return. Although horrified at the news of his father's death, Rama finds it impossible that he should break his dead father's word. Rama does not bear any anger towards Kaikeyi, believing firmly in the power of destiny. According to the explanation of the classic, this exile actually presents Rama the opportunity to confront Ravana and his evil empire.

 

RAMA AND SITA

Rama and Sita are the protagonists in one of the most famous[peacock term] love stories of all time. Described as being deeply in love, Sita and Rama are theologically understood as Incarnations of Lakshmi and Vishnu respectively. When Rama is banished from the kingdom, he attempts to convince Sita not to join him in a potentially dangerous and certainly arduous existence in the jungle, but Sita rejects this. When Rama orders her in his capacity as husband, Sita rejects it, asserting that it was an essential duty of a wife to be at her husband's side come good or ill. Rama in turn is assiduously protective and caring for Sita throughout the exile.

 

When Sita is kidnapped by Ravana, both Sita and Rama undergo great personal hardships during their separation. Sita protects her chastity assiduously, and survives over a year in captivity on the strength of her love and attention to religious values and duty. She is completely unfettered in her resolve despite Ravana's courting, cajoling and threats. Meanwhile, Rama, not knowing who had kidnapped Sita or where was she taken, often succumbs to despair and tears, denouncing himself for failing to defend her and agonizing over her safety and pain. Sita knows that it is in Rama's destiny to fight to rescue her (she refuses to be rescued thus by Hanuman, who discovers her), but is deeply anxious for his safety and fearful of Ravana's power.

 

The 'Wedding of Rama and Sita' concerns two entities coming together to form a whole. An Indian marriage forges an alliance not only between two people, but also two families. The marriage of Sita and Rama creates an alliance between two people, two families, and two kingdoms: Mithila, home of Sita, and Kosala, home of Rama. Furthermore, Rama's marriage to Sita on earth parallels the celestial union of Vishnu and Lakshmi; each deity took birth on earth, and so when Rama marries Sita, he is actually reuniting with his divine consort Lakshmi, Goddess of Good Fortune, who brings prosperity to Kosala. At an allegorical level, the union of Rama and Sita represents the relationship between God and the devotee, with Rama as the beloved divine king and Sita as his devotee. Finally, at a societal level, the dance drama brings together north and south Indian dance traditions.

 

AGNI PARIKSHA

Lord Rama sent a messenger to Ravana that said, "Come to me and I will forgive you," before he slays Ravana. After Rama slays Ravana and wins the war, Sita wants to come before him in the state which over a year's imprisonment had reduced her to, but Rama arranges for Sita to be bathed and given beautiful garments before they are re-united. But even as Sita comes before him in great excitement and happiness,the society starts doubting Sita's purity so Rama decided to prove that his Sita is still pure and chaste in front of the society, so he tells her that she has to give Agni pariksha. At this sudden turn of events, all the vanaras, rakshasas, Sugriva, Hanuman and Lakshmana are deeply shocked.

Sita begs Lakshmana to build her a pyre upon which she could end her life, as she could not live without Rama. At this point, Lakshmana is angered at Rama for the first time in his life, but following Rama's nod, he builds a pyre for Sita. At the great shock and sorrow of the watchers, Sita sits into the flames. But to their astonishment and wonder, she is completely unharmed. Instead, she glows radiantly from the centre of the pyre. But the gods headed by Brahma and Shiva appear, reveal Rama's and Sita's true identity and requests that Rama take Sita back as she is truly pure. Rama replies that he had never doubted her purity for a second, but, the people of the world would not have accepted or honoured her as a queen or a woman if she had not passed this Agni pariksha before the eyes of hundreds. Agni would destroy the impure and sinful, but not touch the pure and innocent, irrespective of Parvati's/Adishakti's curse on him. There is a version of Tulsidas's Ramacharitamanasa, which is popular, which states that Rama had Sita under the protection of Agni God. After Sita was released it was necessary to bring her out of security of Agni god.[50] This finds echo in the sthala purana of Tirupathi. Another version of this, used in Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan, was that Rama had known Sita was going to be abducted by Ravana ahead of time. So he entrusted her to Agni, the god of fire. Rama did this so that he, who in reality was Vishnu, could kill Ravana. Sita, in turn, left behind a "shadow", or twin-like version of herself behind. The "shadow" Sita had been abducted by Ravana. Therefore, the lila of Agni Pariksha was to retrieve the genuine Sita from the temporary care of Agni Deva. Rama explains this to Lakshmana before the "Pariksha" is done. This version has also been written in the Ram Charit Manas.

 

SITAS´S EXILE

In the Uttara Kanda, Rama banishes his wife Sita, even as she is pregnant, asking Lakshmana to deliver her safely to the forest. He does so after receiving word that some of his subjects in Ayodhya believed that Sita was unfit due to her long captivity in Ravana's city. As a king is expected to uphold moral principles, Rama reluctantly banished Sita in order to uphold his duty. Sita took refuge under the noble sage Valmiki.

 

A legend by Rishi Agastya in the epic states that Vishnu in a previous age had been cursed by Rishi Bhrigu, whose wife had been killed by Vishnu for sheltering his enemies escaping from battle. The Rishi condemns Vishnu to be denied for a long age the companionship of his soul mate, just as Vishnu, had deprived the Rishi of his loving wife. Thus Rama, Vishnu's incarnation, must live the rest of his life without Sita.

 

Many Hindus, such as the followers of Sri Vaishnavism, consider this entire section of the Ramayana to be interpolated, and thus they do not accept the authenticity of this story claiming that Sita was banished. An alternate narration of Ramayana does not state it so. It says that Sita later lived in her father's kingdom of Mithila with her sons Lava and Kusha as per the North Indian (especially in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar) custom that children be brought up in their nanihal, or maternal grandmother's place. Sita and her sons later live in Valmiki's ashram for the boys' education and military training. As per Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas, both the princes grew extremely intelligent and strong under Rishi Valmiki's tutelage.

 

CHILDREN

According to legend, Kusha and Lava are the twin sons of Lord Rama and Sita. Born in the forest after the banishment of Sita from Ayodhya, the twins were educated and trained in military skills as their mother took refuge in Sage Valmiki's ashram, located in a forest on the banks of the River Tamsa.

 

As Rama performed the Ashvamedha Yajna, a horse strayed into their forest, Rama sent Hanuman to retrieve the horses. Rama's sons Luv and Kush captured the horses. Hanuman, seeing Luv and Kush recognised that they were the son's of Rama. He let them capture him and tie him up. There Hanuman started meditating on the name Rama. Worried Rama sent his brothers to look for the horses. As they saw Hanuman tied up and two boys guarding him, they thought that the two boy had stolen the horses. So Ramas brothers started attacking Luv and Kush. Although Rama's brothers should have won, but Luv and Kush defeated them all, knocking them unconscious. Luv and Kush were protected by Hanuman. Then Rama himself went looking for the horses fearing that Hanuman and his brothers had been attacked. On his way there, Rama intuitively knew that Luv and Kush were his sons and purposely slept on his chariot to delay tension and confrontation with his sons as he knew it would be inappropriate for a father to fight his sons. Upon reaching the battlefield, the sage Valmiki interrupted the potential battle between father and sons by explaining to Rama that Luv and Kush were his sons. A familial reunion took place.

 

When Devi Sita found out that Lava and Kusha had defeated Ayodhya's forces, she proudly revealed their/her identity. Rama desired Sita and his sons to live with him in his kingdom but as this took place, the general population of the kingdom resented Sita from returning. In response, Sita forsaked her like and sought final refuge in the arms of her mother Bhumidevi, the Goddess Mother Earth and ultimately returned to Rama in the form of Vishnu in Vishnu's abode - indicating that forced separation from her beloved husband is only limited in life on earth compared to her eternal union with her beloved in life after death.

 

LATER LIFE

Rama's reign is known as the Rama Rajya which lasted for 11,000 years. During this period, people were healthy, holy, satisfied and lived with complete peace and harmony. There was no evil, no wars, no natural calamity and no diseases. Rama ruled the whole earth without using military force as all kings submitted themselves to him. His brothers Bharata and Shatrughna settled in their later lives. Bharata, with the help of his uncle Yudhajita, conquered the eastern land of the Gandharvas and ruled it. Shatrughna slew the Asura Lavana and founded the city of Mathura. Rama acquired a rare gem from Rishi Agastya which entombed the powers of the gods Indra, Varuna, Yama and Kubera, which helped the king rule efficiently. After his reign, Rama and his brothers and his allies peacefully left the earth on the river Sarayu abandoning their mortal bodies. Valmiki Ramayana mentions an abode named Santanaka invested with all spiritual qualities and located beyond Brahmaloka, which was attained by all followers of Rama, after Rama along with his brothers, entered into Vaishnava potency. Lava and Kusha ruled Kosala and continued the solar race.

 

MARYADA PURUSHOTTAMA

As a person, Rama personifies the characteristics of an ideal person (purushottama) who is to be emulated. He had within him all the desirable virtues that any individual would seek to aspire, and he fulfils all his moral obligations (maryada). Rama's purity and piety in his intentions and actions inspires affection and devotion for him from a variety of characters from different backgrounds. For example, he gave up his rightful claim to the throne, and agreed to go into exile for fourteen years, to fulfill the vow that his father had given to Kaikeyi, one of King Dashratha's wives. This is in spite of the fact that Kaikeyi's son, Bharat, begged him to return to Ayodhya and said that he did not want to rule in place of Rama. But Rama considered his dharma as a son above that of his own birthright and his life's ambition. For such supreme sacrifices, and many other qualities, Rama is considered a maryada purushottamor the best of upholders of Dharma, a basically human but exemplary figure Some of his ideals are as follows: 1. At the time when it was normal for kings to have more than one wife, Rama gave the ideal of having a single wife. In Balakanda of Valmiki Ramayana it is written that Rama and Sita resided in each other's heart.

 

2. Rama always followed his promise at any cost. In fact, he went to forest to make his father's promise to Kaikeyi true. Another instance was when, he had promised the Spirit of Time that during their conversation, if anyone was to intrude, Rama would have pronounce an instant death sentence upon the individual. They were intruded upon by his beloved younger brother Lakshmana, and to keep his part of the promise, pronounced the death sentence. There are many examples of Rama's promises which he kept. Most important are the promise to sages to save their lives from Rakshasas, getting back Sugreeva's kingdom, making Vibhishana the king of Lanka.

 

3. Excellent friend: Rama had very touching relations with his friends irrespective of their status. Some of his friends are Nishada-raja Guha, King of Nishaadas (a caste whose profession was hunting the birds), Sugreeva (the Vanara king) and Vibhishana a Rakshasa.

 

4. Even towards his enemies, Rama showed great nobility and virtue. To gather information about the enemy army's strengths and weaknesses, Ravana sent two of his spies, Suka and Sarana, to the Vanara camps. Disguised as Vanaras they blended into the enemy camp, but Vibhishana saw through their deceit. The duo sought Rama's protection when the monkey warriors thrashed them. Rama gave them refuge. He then asked them what their mission was and whether they fulfilled it. After listening to them, he sent for a Vanara to give them a proper tour of all the Vanara camps and give them all the information they desired about the major soldiers and their strengths. He then told the spies to give this message to Ravana. "Tomorrow morning, I will destroy all of Lanka. Keep all sides of your palace well defended and be ready with all of your men by sunrise." The spies were greatly astonished with Rama's charisma, courage, and adherence to the codes of war. After Rama gave them leave, they knew that their king was bound to lose against this virtuous and courageous man. When Ravana first fought with Rama, Rama defeated him to such an extent that Ravana lost his charioteer, horses, chariot, flag, weapons and armor. Though the situation was at his advantage, Rama instead praised Ravana for a great fight that day, and asked him to retire and take rest, as he must be quite tired. Ravana was greatly embarrassed at this, but he was also gratified that Rama saved his life, and this led him to consider for a moment whether to retreat and give Sita back...

 

COMPANIONS

Even as Rama is the ideal conception of manhood, he is often aided and complemented in different situations by the characteristics by those who accompany him. They serve Rama devotedly, at great personal risk and sacrifice.

 

BHARATA AND LAKSHMANA

Absent when Rama is exiled, upon his return Bharata is appalled to learn of the events. And even though Kaikeyi had done all this for his benefit, Bharata is angered at the suggestion that he should take Ayodhya's throne. Denouncing his mother, Bharata proclaims to the city that he would go to the forest to fetch Rama back, and would serve out his term of exile himself. Although initially resentful and suspicious, the people of Ayodhya hail Bharata's selfless nature and courageous act. Despite his fervent pleas to return, Rama asserts that he must stay in the forest to keep his father's word. He orders Bharata to perform his duty as king of Ayodhya, especially important after Dasaratha's death, and orders Shatrughna to support and serve him. Returning saddened to the city, Bharata refuses to wear the crown or sit on the throne. Instead, he places the slippers of Rama that he had taken back with him on the throne, and rules Ayodhya assiduously keeping Rama's beliefs and values in mind. When Rama finally returns, Bharata runs personally to welcome him back. Bharata is hailed for his devotion to his elder brother and dharma, distinguished from Lakshmana as he is left on his own for fourteen years. But he unfailingly denies self-interest throughout this time, ruling the kingdom only in Rama's name. Vasishtha proclaims that no one had better learnt dharma than Bharata, and for this piety he forms an essential part of the conception of perfect manhood, of the Seventh Avatara of Vishnu. Shatrughna's role to Bharata is akin to that of Lakshmana to Rama. Believed to be one-quarter of Vishnu incarnated, or as the incarnation of his eternal companion, Ananta Sesha, Lakshmana is always at Rama's side. Although unconstrained by Dasaratha's promise to Kaikeyi, Lakshmana resists Rama's arguments and accompanies him and Sita into the forest. During the years of exile, Lakshmana constantly serves Rama and Sita – building huts, standing guard and finding new routes. When Sita is kidnapped, Rama blazes with his divine power and in his immense rage, expresses the desire to destroy all creation. Lakshmana prays and pleads for Rama to calm himself, and despite the shock of the moment and the promise of travails to come, begin an arduous but systematic search for Sita. During times when the search is proving fruitless and Rama fears for Sita, and expresses despair in his grief and loneliness, Lakshmana encourages him, providing hope and solace.When Rama in his despair fears that Sugriva has forgotten his promise to help him trace Sita, Lakshmana goes to Kishkindha to remind the complacent monarch of his promise to help. Lakshmana twangs the bow inside the hall quaking the entire building and threatens to destroy Sugriva and the monkey kingdom with his own divine power. Lakshmana is unable to tolerate Sugriva breaking his vow to Rama while enjoying material and sensual pleasures while Rama suffers alone. It is only through the diplomatic intervention of Queen Tara, Sugriva's wife, that Lakshmana is pacified. Tara then scolds and galvanises Sugriva into honoring his promise to Rama. Sugriva and Rama are then reconciled with the help of Lakshmana and Tara. Sugriva sends the monkey hoards to find the location of Sita and lead the monkey army into battle against the demonic forces of Ravana.Lakshmana is uniquely responsible for slaying Indrajit, the invincible son of Ravana who had humiliated Indra and the devas, and outwitted the brothers and the Vanaras on several occasions. Rishi Agastya later points out that this victory was the turning point of the conflict. Rama is often overcome with emotion and deep affection for Lakshmana, acknowledging how important and crucial Lakshmana's love and support was for him. He also trusts Lakshmana to carry out difficult orders – Lakshmana was asked to take Sita to the ashrama of Valmiki, where she was to spend her exile. Lakshmana's deep love for Rama, his unconditional service and sacrifice, as well as qualities of practical judgment and clear-headedness make him Rama's superior in certain situations and perspectives. Lakshmana symbolizes a man's duty to his family, brothers and friends, and forms an essential part of the conception of ideal manhood, that Rama primarily embodies.

 

JATAYU, HANUMAN AND VIBHEESHNA

When Rama and Lakshmana begin the desperate search to discover where Sita had been taken, after traversing a distance in many directions, they come across the magical eagle Jatayu, who is dying. They discover from Jatayu that a rakshasa was flying away with a crying, struggling Sita towards the south. Jatayu had flown to the rescue of Sita, but owing to his age and the rakshasa's power, had been defeated. With this, Jatayu dies in Rama's arms. Rama is overcome with love and affection for the bird which sacrificed its own life for Sita, and the rage of his death returns to him in the climactic battle with Ravana.Rama's only allies in the struggle to find Sita are the Vanaras of Kishkindha. Finding a terrified Sugriva being hunted by his own brother, king Vali, Rama promises to kill Vali and free Sugriva of the terror and the unjust charge of plotting to murder Vali. The two swear everlasting friendship over sacred fire. Rama's natural piety and compassion, his sense of justice and duty, as well as his courage despite great personal suffering after Sita's kidnapping inspire devotion from the Vanaras and Sugriva, but especially Hanuman, Sugriva's minister. Devoted to Rama, Hanuman exerts himself greatly over the search for Sita. He is the first to discover that Sita was taken to Lanka, and volunteers to use his divine gifts in a dangerous reconnaissance of Lanka, where he is to verify Sita's presence. Hanuman hands Rama's ring to Sita, as a mark of Rama's love and his imminent intention of rescuing her. Though captured, he candidly delivers Rama's message to Ravana to immediately release Sita, and when his tail is burned, he flies and sets Lanka on fire. When Lakshmana is struck down and near death and Rama overcome with love and concern for his brother, Hanuman flies to the Himalayas on the urgent mission to fetch the sanjeevani medicinal herbs, bringing the entire mountain to Lanka so that no time is lost in saving Lakshmana. The Vanaras fight the rakshasas, completely devoted to Rama's cause. They angrily dismiss Ravana's efforts to create international divisions within their army when he suggested that Rama considered them, monkeys, as mere animals. At the end of the war, Indra restores life to the millions of fallen Vanaras.Before the onset of war, rakshasa prince Vibheeshana, Ravana's youngest brother comes to join Rama. Although he loves his brother and Lanka, he fails in repeated efforts to make Ravana follow religious values and return Sita. Vibheeshana believes that Ravana's arrogance and callousness will cause the destruction of Lanka, which is a gross violation of a king's duty, and that Ravana's actions have only propagated evil. Vibheeshana refuses to defend the evil of Ravana's ways and inspired by Rama's compassion and piety, leaves Lanka to join the Vanara Army. His knowledge of rakshasa ways and Ravana's mind help Rama and the Vanaras overcome black magic and mystical weapons. At the end of the war, Rama crowns Vibheeshana as the king of Lanka. Vibheeshana, and to a greater extent Hanuman, embody the perfect devotee in the wider conception of perfect manhood.

 

RAMA IN WAR

When Rama is thirteen years old, he and his brother Lakshmana are taken by Vishwamitra to the forests, with the purpose of killing rakshasas who are wrecking the tapasya and sacrifices of brahmins. When asked to slay the demoness, Rama demurs, considering it sinful to kill a woman. But Vishwamitra explains that evil has no gender. Rama replies that "My father asked me to follow your orders, I will obey them even if it is a sin". Rama proceeds to slay Tadaka, a cursed yaksha demoness. The killing of Tadaka liberates the yaksha soul who was cursed for a sin, and had to adopt a rakshasi's body. It restores the purity of the sacrifices of the brahmins who live nearby, and protects the animals who live in the forest, and travelers. Rama and Lakshmana are taught the advanced military arts and given the knowledge of all celestial weapons by Vishwamitra. The main purpose of Vishwamitra's exursion is to conduct his yagna without interruption from two evil demons, Maricha and Subahu sons of Tadaka. Rama and Lakshmana guard the sacrifice, and when the two demons appear, Rama shoots an arrow named Manava Astra that carries Maricha across the lands and into the ocean, but does not kill him. Rama and his brother then proceed to kill Subahu and accompanying demons. Rama explains to Lakshmana that leaving Maricha alive was an act of compassion, but the others did not heed the point and chose to attack. During the forest exile, sages plead for protection and help against evil rakshasas who spoil their sacrifices and religious activities and terrorize them. Many rakshasas had even killed and eaten sages and innocent people. At Janasthana, Rama uses his exceptional prowess to single-handedly kill over fourteen thousand demon hordes led by the powerful Khara, who is a cousin of Ravana and Dushana . . .

Detail info Destructive Habits to Eyes at ift.tt/2a11ggc by health post

Labuan Bajo is the Gateway to Komodo Island

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Flores is one of the Lesser Sunda Islands, an island arc with an estimated area of 14,300 km² extending east from the Java island of Indonesia. The population was 1,831,000 in the 2010 census and the largest town is Maumere. Flores is Portuguese (as well as Spanish) for "flowers".

 

Flores is located east of Sumbawa and Komodo and west of Lembata and the Alor Archipelago. To the southeast is Timor. To the south, across the Sumba strait, is Sumba and to the north, beyond the Flores Sea, is Sulawesi.

 

On 12 December 1992, an earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale occurred, killing 2,500 people in and around Maumere, including islands off the North coast.

 

HOMO FLORESIENSIS

In September 2004, at Liang Bua Cave in western Flores, paleoanthropologists discovered small skeletons that they described as a previously unknown hominin species, Homo floresiensis. These are informally named hobbits and appear to have stood about 1 m tall. The most complete individual (LB1) is dated as 18,000 years old.

 

HISTORY

Portuguese traders and missionaries came to Flores in the 16th century, mainly to Larantuka and Sikka. Their influence is still discernible in Sikka's language, culture and religion.

 

The Dominican order was extremely important in this island, as well as in the neighbouring islands of Timor and Solor. When in 1613 the Dutch attacked the Fortress of Solor, the population of this fort, led by the Dominicans, moved to the harbor town of Larantuka, on the eastern coast of Flores. This population was mixed, of Portuguese and local islanders descent and Larantuqueiros, Topasses (people that wear heats) or, as Dutch knew them, the 'Black Portuguese' (Swarte Portugueezen).

 

The Larantuqueiros or Topasses became the dominant sandalwood trading people of the region for the next 200 years. This group used Portuguese as the language for worship, Malay as the language of trade and a mixed dialect as mother tongue. This was observed by William Dampier, an English privateer visiting the Island in 1699:

 

These [the Topasses] have no Forts, but depend on their Alliance with the Natives: And indeed they are already so mixt, that it is hard to distinguish whether they are Portuguese or Indians. Their Language is Portuguese; and the religion they have, is Romish. They seem in Words to acknowledge the King of Portugal for their Sovereign; yet they will not accept any Officers sent by him. They speak indifferently the Malayan and their own native Languages, as well as Portuguese.

 

In 1846, Dutch and Portuguese initiated negotiations towards delimiting the territories but these negotiations led nowhere. In 1851 the new governor of Timor, Solor and Flores, Lima Lopes, faced with an impoverished administration, agreed to sell eastern Flores and the nearby islands to the Dutch in return for a payment of 200,000 Florins. Lima Lopes did so without the consent of Lisbon and was dismissed in disgrace, but his agreement was not rescinded and in 1854 Portugal ceded all its historical claims on Flores. After this, Flores became part of the territory of Dutch East Indies.

 

During World War II a Japanese invasion force landed at Reo on 14 May 1942 and occupied Flores.

 

After the war Flores became part of independent Indonesia.

 

ADMINISTRATION

Flores is part of the East Nusa Tenggara province. The island along with smaller minor islands are split into eight regencies (local government districts); from west to east these are: Manggarai Barat (West Manggarai), Manggarai Tengah (Central Manggarai), Manggarai Timur (East Manggarai), Ngada, Nagekeo, Ende, Sikka and Flores Timur (East Flores). Flores has 39.1% of the East Nusa Tenggara provincial population as of 2010, and the most Indonesians of all islands in the province.

 

It is the island with the 9th most Indonesians. Among all islands containing Indonesian territory, it is the 10th most populous after Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi, New Guinea, Bali, Madura, Lombok, and Timor.

 

FLORA AND FAUNA

The west coast of Flores is one of the few places, aside from the island of Komodo itself, where the Komodo dragon can be found in the wild, and is part of Komodo National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Kelimutu National Park is the second national park designated on Flores to protect endangered species. The Flores giant rat is also endemic to the island, and Verhoeven's giant tree rat was formerly present. These giant rodents are considered examples of island gigantism.

 

Flores was also the habitat of several extinct dwarf forms of the proboscidean Stegodon, the most recent (Stegodon florensis insularis) disappearing approximately 12,000 years ago. It is speculated by scientists that limited resources and an absence of advanced predators made the few megafaunal species that reached the island subject to insular dwarfism.

 

CULTURE

There are many languages spoken on the island of Flores, all of them belonging to the Austronesian family. In the centre of the island in the districts of Ngada, Nagekeo, and Ende there is what is variously called the Central Flores Dialect Chain or the Central Flores Linkage. Within this area there are slight linguistic differences in almost every village. At least six separate languages are identifiable. These are from west to east: Ngadha, Nage, Keo, Ende, Lio and Palu'e, which is spoken on the island with the same name of the north coast of Flores. Locals would probably also add So'a and Bajawa to this list, which anthropologists have labeled dialects of Ngadha.

 

The peoples of Flores are almost entirely Roman Catholic Christians, whereas most other Indonesians are Muslim. As a consequence, Flores may be regarded as surrounded by a religious border. The prominence of Catholicism on the island results from its colonisation by Portugal. In other parts of Indonesia with significant Christian populations, such as the Maluku Islands and Sulawesi, the geographical divide is less rigid and Muslims and Christians sometimes live side by side. Flores thereby also has less religious violence that has sporadically occurred in other parts of Indonesia. There are several churches on the island.

 

TOURISM

The most famous tourist attraction in Flores is Kelimutu, a volcano containing three colored lakes, located in the district of Ende close to the town of Moni. These crater lakes are in the caldera of a volcano, and fed by a volcanic gas source, resulting in highly acidic water. The colored lakes change colors on an irregular basis, depending on the oxidation state of the lake from bright red through green and blue.

 

There are snorkelling and diving locations along the north coast of Flores, most notably Maumere and Riung. However, due to the destructive practice of local fishermen using bombs to fish, and locals selling shells to tourists, combined with the after effects of a devastating tsunami in 1992, the reefs have slowly been destroyed.

 

Labuan Bajo (on the western tip of Flores) is a town often used by tourists as a base to visit Komodo and Rinca. Labuanbajo also attracts scuba divers, as whale sharks inhabit the waters around Labuanbajo.

 

The Luba and Bena villages include traditional houses in Flores, Bena is also noted for its Stone Age megaliths.

 

Larantuka, on the isle's eastern end, is known for its Holy Week festivals.

 

ECONOMY

In addition to tourism, the main economic activities on Flores are agriculture, fishing and seaweed production. The primary food crops being grown on Flores are rice, maize, sweet potato and cassava, while the main cash crops are coffee, coconut, candle nut and cashew. Flores is one of the newest origins for Indonesian coffee. Previously, most Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica) from Flores was blended with other origins. Now, demand is growing for this coffee because of its heavy body and sweet chocolate, floral and woody notes.

 

WIKIPEDIA

. . . the text is too long for one photo - the second part you find in: Rama - 8ddb

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Rama (/ˈrɑːmə/; Sanskrit: राम Rāma) also known as Raghava, is the seventh avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu, and a king of Ayodhya. Rama is also the protagonist of the Hindu epic Ramayana, which narrates his idealistic ideas and his greatness. Rama is one of the many popular figures and deities in Hinduism, specifically Vaishnavism and Vaishnava religious scriptures in South and Southeast Asia. Along with Krishna, Rama is considered to be one of the most important avatars of Vishnu. In a few Rama-centric sects, he is considered the Supreme Being, rather than an avatar.

 

Born as the eldest son of Kausalya and Dasharatha, king of Ayodhya, Rama is referred to within Hinduism as Maryada Purushottama, literally the Perfect Man or Lord of Self-Control or Lord of Virtue. His wife Sita is considered by Hindus to be an avatar of Lakshmi and the embodiment of perfect womanhood.

 

Rama's life and journey is one of adherence to dharma despite harsh tests and obstacles and many pains of life and time. For the sake of his father's honour, Rama abandons his claim to Ayodhaya's throne to serve an exile of fourteen years in the forest. His wife Sita and brother Lakshmana decide to join him, and all three spend the fourteen years in exile together. While in exile, Sita is kidnapped by Ravana, the Rakshasa monarch of Lanka. After a long and arduous search, Rama fights a colossal war against Ravana's armies. In a war of powerful and magical beings, greatly destructive weaponry and battles, Rama slays Ravana in battle and liberates his wife. Having completed his exile, Rama returns to be crowned king in Ayodhya and eventually becomes emperor, rules with happiness, peace, duty, prosperity and justice - a period known as Ram Rajya.

The legend of Rama is deeply influential and popular in the societies of the Indian subcontinent and across South East Asia. Rama is revered for his unending compassion, courage and devotion to religious values and duty.

 

ETYMOLOGY

The name Rama appears repeatedly in Hindu scriptures. Besides the name of the protagonist of the Ramayana (subject of the current article), the name is also given to other heroes including Parashu-Rama (Bhargava Rama) and Balarama (Bala-Rama).

 

In the Vishnu sahasranama, Rama is the 394th name of Vishnu. In the interpretation of Adi Shankara's commentary, translated by Swami Tapasyananda of the Ramakrishna Mission, Rama has two meanings: the supreme Brahman who is the eternally blissful spiritual Self in whom yogis delight, or the One (i.e., Vishnu) who out of His own will assumed the enchanting form of Rama, the son of Dasaratha.

 

Other names of Rama include Ramavijaya (Javanese), Phreah Ream (Khmer), Phra Ram (Lao and Thai), Megat Seri Rama (Malay), Raja Bantugan (Maranao) and Ramar (Tamil).

 

The greatness of chanting of Rama's name is mentioned in the Ramacharitamanasa.

 

In Sanskrit, the word Rama (राम) means 'charming'. The name is commonly given to male in India and Nepal.

 

Some of the popular names of Rama are:

 

Rama - charming

Ramachandra - Rama with a moon Raghava - descendent of Raghu

Siyaavar - husband of Sita

Ayodhyapati - king of Ayodhya

Dashrathaputra - son of Dasharatha

Maryada-Purushottam - best ideal man

Shriram

Dashrathi - Son of King Dashrath

 

SOURCES

The primary source of the life and journey of Rama is the epic Ramayana as composed by the Rishi Valmiki. The Vishnu Purana also recounts Rama as Vishnu's seventh avatar, and in the Bhagavata Purana, ninth skandha, adhyayas 10 & 11, the story of the Ramayana is again recounted in brief up to and including the slaying of Ravana and Prince Rama's return to Ayodhya. Additionally, the tales of Rama are reverently spoken of in the Mahabharata. The earliest documentation of Ram is in the Buddhist text of Dasharatha Jataka.

 

Composition of Ramayana in its current form is usually dated to 7th - 4th Century BCE. However, other scriptures in Sanskrit also reflect the life of Ramayana. The followers of Madhvacharya believe that an older version of the Ramayana, the mula-Ramayana, previously existed. They consider it to have been more authoritative than the version by Valmiki. Another important shortened version of the epic in Sanskrit is the Adhyatma Ramayana. The seventh century CE Sanskrit "Bhatti's Poem" Bhaṭṭikāvya of Bhatti who lived in Gujarat, is a retelling of the epic that simultaneously illustrates the grammatical examples for Pāṇini's Aṣṭādhyāyī as well as the major figures of speech and the Prakrit language.

 

Versions of the Ramayana exist in most major Indian languages; examples that elaborate on the life, deeds and divine philosophies of Rama include the epic poem Ramavataram by the 12th-century poet Kambar in Tamil, and Ramcharitmanas, a Hindi version of the Ramayana by the 16th-century saint, Tulsidas. Contemporary versions of the Ramayana include Sri Ramayana Darshanam by Kuvempu in Kannada and Ramayana Kalpavruksham by Viswanatha Satyanarayana in Telugu, both of which have been awarded the Jnanpith Award. The epic has transformed across the diverse regions of India, which boast their own unique languages and cultural traditions.

 

The essential tale of Rama has also spread across Southeast Asia, and evolved into unique renditions of the epic – incorporating local history, folktales, religious values as well as unique features from the languages and literary discourse. The Kakawin Ramayana of Java, Indonesia, the Ramakavaca of Bali, Hikayat Seri Rama of Malaysia, Maradia Lawana of the Philippines, Ramakien of Thailand (which calls him Phra Ram) are great works with many unique characteristics and differences in accounts and portrayals of the legend of Rama. The legends of Rama are witnessed in elaborate illustration at the Wat Phra Kaew temple in Bangkok. The national epic of Myanmar, Yama Zatdaw is essentially the Burmese Ramayana, where Rama is named Yama. In the Reamker of Cambodia, Rama is known as Preah Ream. In the Phra Lak Phra Lam of Laos, Gautama Buddha is regarded as an incarnation of Rama.

 

The mythological sources propose that Rama was born about 1.2 million years ago, during the Treta Yuga, age that lasted 1,296,000 years and his birthday Rama Navami is celebrated in the month of April/May To the Valmiki Ramayana, Rama was born in Ayodhya, India, on 9th day (now celebrated across India as Ram Navami) of Chaitra lunar month (March–April), when Moon and Jupiter were rising in the east in Cancer sign and four other planets (Sun, Mars, Saturn, Venus) were exalted in their exaltation signs. Based on these star alignments, a few astrologers claimed to have calculated the exact date of birth of Lord Rama as 10 January 5114 BC between 12 noon and 1pm.

Childhood

 

BIRTH AS AN AVATAR

The Ramayana speaks of how the earth goddess Bhudevi, came to the creator-god Brahma begging to be rescued from evil kings who were plundering her resources and destroying life through bloody wars and evil conduct. The deva (gods) also came to Brahma fearful of the rule of Ravana, the ten-headed rakshasa emperor of Lanka. Ravana had overpowered the devas and now ruled the heavens, the earth and the netherworlds. Although a powerful and noble monarch, he was also arrogant, destructive and a patron of evil doers. He had boons that gave him immense strength and was invulnerable to all living and celestial beings, except man and animals.

 

Brahma, Bhumidevi and the other gods requested Vishnu, the Preserver, to intervene and free the Earth from Ravana's tyrannical rule. Vishnu promised to kill Ravana by incarnating as a man – the eldest son of Kosala's king Dasharatha. According to the Ramayana, king Dasharata remained childless for a long time and finally decided to perform a putrakameshti yaga under the supervision of the royal priest. During the ritual, Prajapati arose from the sacrificial fire and gave a vessel of sacred potion to Dasharata for distribution to his three wives. The three queens drank the divine potion and conceived four sons: Rama, Bharata, Lakshmana and Shatrughna.

Goddess Lakshmi took birth as Sita in order to accompany her consort Vishnu and was found by king Janaka of Mithila while he was ploughing a field. Vishnu's eternal companion, the Shesha is said to have incarnated as Lakshmana to stay at his Lord's side on earth. Throughout his life, no one, except a few select sages (among which are included Vasishta, Sharabhanga, Agastya and Vishwamitra) know of his destiny. Rama is continually revered by the many sages he encounters through his life, but only the most learned and exalted know of his true identity. At the end of the war between Rama and Ravana, just as Sita passes her Agni pariskha, Brahma, Indra and the gods, the celestial sages and Shiva appear out of the sky. They affirm Sita's purity and ask him to end this terrible test. Thanking the avatar for delivering the universe from the grips of evil, they reveal Rama's divine identity upon the culmination of his mission.

 

Other scriptures provide other reasons for the avatar. The chastity of Vrinda, wife of the demon Jalandhara, that protects the life of her husband is destroyed by Vishnu by deceit so that Shiva can slay the demon. She curses Vishnu to be born on earth and that in this birth of his, his wife's (Lakshmi as Sita) purity and chastity will be a question in his mind throughout his life and he will be separated from her and live with sadness and grief.

 

Another legend narrates that Jaya and Vijaya, the gatekeepers of Vishnu, were cursed by the Four Kumaras to be born on earth three lives; Vishnu took avatars each time to free them of their earthy existence. They as born as Ravana and his brother Kumbhakarna, who are both killed by Rama. Also, due to a boon, Kashyapa and Aditi are born as the parents of Rama, Dasharatha and Kausalya. In another version, Svayambhuva Manu and his wife Satarupa are blessed to be born as Rama's parents.

 

Another tale says that the sage Narada cursed Vishnu to be born on earth as a king, to be helped by monkeys and suffer separation from his wife. Narada also curses Jaya and Vijaya to be born as the demon brothers.

 

INITIATION OF THE AVATAR

Sage Vishwamitra takes the two princes, Rama and Lakshmana, to his ashram, as he needs Rama's help in slaying several Rakshasas that have been harassing him and several other sages living in the area. Rama's first encounter is with a Rakshasi named Taataka, who is a celestial nymph cursed to take the form of a demoness. Vishwamitra explains that she has polluted much of the habitat where the sages reside and there will not be any contentment until she is destroyed. Rama has some reservations about killing a woman, but since Taataka poses such a big threat to the Rishis and he is expected to follow their word, he fights with Taataka and kills her with an arrow. After her death, the surrounding forest becomes greener and cleaner. Vishwamitra presents Rama with several astras and sastras (divine weapons) that will be of use to him in the future, and Rama masters the knowledge of all the weapons and their uses. Vishwamitra then tells Rama and Lakshmana that soon, he along with some of his disciples, will perform a yagna for seven days and nights that will be of great benefit to the world, and the two princes must keep close watch for the two sons of Taadaka, Mareecha and Subahu, who will try to defile the yagna at all costs. The princes therefore keep a strong vigil for all of the days, and on the seventh day they spot Maricha and Subahu coming with a whole host of Raakshasas ready to pour bones and blood into the fire. Rama points his bow at the two, and with one arrow kills Subahu, and with the other arrow flings Mareecha thousands of miles away into the ocean. Rama deals with the rest of the demons. The yagna is completed successfully

 

Rama also frees Ahalya, the wife of Gautama Maharishi, from a curse. She was cursed to turn into stone by her husband after a displeasing incident. However, the dust on Rama's feet touched the stone and turned it back into a woman again. Gautama Maharishi was gratified that everything was back to normal again.

 

Sage Vishwamitra then takes the two princes to the Swayamvara a wedding ceremony for Sita. The challenge is to string the bow of Shiva (Pinaka) and shoot an arrow from it. This task is considered impossible for any ordinary king or living being, as this is the personal weapon of Shiva, more powerful, holy and of divine creation than conceivable. While attempting to string the bow, Rama breaks it in two. This feat of strength spreads his fame across the worlds and seals his marriage to Sita, celebrated as Vivaha Panchami.

After Rama weds Sita and the entire royal family and the Ayodhya army begin their journey back, the great rishi Parashurama (Bhargava Rama) appears before them, having descended from his mountainous hermitage. Parashurama is an extremely powerful rishi, responsible for killing all of the world's tyrannical and oppressive emperors and kings 21 times. He is the sixth Avatara of Vishnu, and finds it unbelievable that anybody could break the bow of Shiva. Considering himself to still be the most powerful warrior-rishi on earth, he brings with them the bow of Vishnu (Saranga), and intends to challenge Rama to prove his strength by stringing it, and then fighting a battle with him to prove superiority. Although the entire Ayodhya army is forestalled by his mystical power, Rama is himself angered. He respectfully bows to Parashurama, and within a twinkling of an eyelid snatches the bow of Vishnu, (that is his own, an example of irony here) strings it, places an arrow and points it straight at the challenger's heart. Rama asks Parashurama what he will give as a target to the arrow. At this point, Parashurama feels himself devoid of the tremendous mystical energy he possessed for so long. He realizes that Rama is Vishnu incarnate, his successor and definitely his superior. He accepts Rama's superiority, devotes his tapasya to him, pays homage to Rama and promises to return to his hermitage and leave the world of men.Rama then shoots the arrow up into the sky with Vishnu's bow, performing a feat true to his supreme, divine nature with his natural weapon. His overpowering of Parashurama and using the supreme weapon with incredible ease and perfection dazzle the spectators and his relatives, but no one save Parashurama and Vasishta associate this with his true identity. It is said that the Rama's arrow is still flying across space, across time and across all of the universe. The day it will return to earth, it is said, it will bring the end of the world. Others say that the flying arrow destroys all evil on earth to uphold dharma and righteousness.

 

DHARMA OF EXILE

King Dasaratha announces to Ayodhya that he plans to crown Rama, his eldest child the Yuvaraja (crown prince). While the news is welcomed by everyone in the kingdom, the mind of queen Kaikeyi is poisoned by her wicked maid-servant, Manthara. Kaikeyi, who is initially pleased for Rama, is made to fear for the safety and future of her son Bharata. Fearing that Rama would ignore or possibly victimize his younger brother for the sake of power, Kaikeyi demands that Dasaratha banish Rama to a forest exile for fourteen years, and that Bharata be crowned in Rama's place. She had been granted two boons by the king when she had saved his life a long time ago in battle, and the queen now used them to serve her purpose. The king's court and the people are outraged at this turn of events. Dasaratha loved and cherished Rama dearly, and is in personal turmoil. Completely estranged now from his younger wife, he abhors the prospect of separation from Rama. But Rama realizes that the king must not break a solemn promise at any time, and neither should a son disobey his father's command. Sita joins her husband in exile despite his discouraging her, as it is her duty and out of love for Rama that she must be at his side at all times. His younger brother Lakshmana also immediately decides to join Rama rather than remain in the city. As he leaves for exile, the people of Ayodhya are deeply saddened and angered at Dasaratha and Kaikeyi. Dasaratha's heart is broken and he collapses and dies during the night of the sixth day, unable to bear the agony of separation from Rama. Despite the reasoning of Vashistha and the pleas of his brothers, Rama refuses to return. Although horrified at the news of his father's death, Rama finds it impossible that he should break his dead father's word. Rama does not bear any anger towards Kaikeyi, believing firmly in the power of destiny. According to the explanation of the classic, this exile actually presents Rama the opportunity to confront Ravana and his evil empire.

 

RAMA AND SITA

Rama and Sita are the protagonists in one of the most famous[peacock term] love stories of all time. Described as being deeply in love, Sita and Rama are theologically understood as Incarnations of Lakshmi and Vishnu respectively. When Rama is banished from the kingdom, he attempts to convince Sita not to join him in a potentially dangerous and certainly arduous existence in the jungle, but Sita rejects this. When Rama orders her in his capacity as husband, Sita rejects it, asserting that it was an essential duty of a wife to be at her husband's side come good or ill. Rama in turn is assiduously protective and caring for Sita throughout the exile.

 

When Sita is kidnapped by Ravana, both Sita and Rama undergo great personal hardships during their separation. Sita protects her chastity assiduously, and survives over a year in captivity on the strength of her love and attention to religious values and duty. She is completely unfettered in her resolve despite Ravana's courting, cajoling and threats. Meanwhile, Rama, not knowing who had kidnapped Sita or where was she taken, often succumbs to despair and tears, denouncing himself for failing to defend her and agonizing over her safety and pain. Sita knows that it is in Rama's destiny to fight to rescue her (she refuses to be rescued thus by Hanuman, who discovers her), but is deeply anxious for his safety and fearful of Ravana's power.

 

The 'Wedding of Rama and Sita' concerns two entities coming together to form a whole. An Indian marriage forges an alliance not only between two people, but also two families. The marriage of Sita and Rama creates an alliance between two people, two families, and two kingdoms: Mithila, home of Sita, and Kosala, home of Rama. Furthermore, Rama's marriage to Sita on earth parallels the celestial union of Vishnu and Lakshmi; each deity took birth on earth, and so when Rama marries Sita, he is actually reuniting with his divine consort Lakshmi, Goddess of Good Fortune, who brings prosperity to Kosala. At an allegorical level, the union of Rama and Sita represents the relationship between God and the devotee, with Rama as the beloved divine king and Sita as his devotee. Finally, at a societal level, the dance drama brings together north and south Indian dance traditions.

 

AGNI PARIKSHA

Lord Rama sent a messenger to Ravana that said, "Come to me and I will forgive you," before he slays Ravana. After Rama slays Ravana and wins the war, Sita wants to come before him in the state which over a year's imprisonment had reduced her to, but Rama arranges for Sita to be bathed and given beautiful garments before they are re-united. But even as Sita comes before him in great excitement and happiness,the society starts doubting Sita's purity so Rama decided to prove that his Sita is still pure and chaste in front of the society, so he tells her that she has to give Agni pariksha. At this sudden turn of events, all the vanaras, rakshasas, Sugriva, Hanuman and Lakshmana are deeply shocked.

Sita begs Lakshmana to build her a pyre upon which she could end her life, as she could not live without Rama. At this point, Lakshmana is angered at Rama for the first time in his life, but following Rama's nod, he builds a pyre for Sita. At the great shock and sorrow of the watchers, Sita sits into the flames. But to their astonishment and wonder, she is completely unharmed. Instead, she glows radiantly from the centre of the pyre. But the gods headed by Brahma and Shiva appear, reveal Rama's and Sita's true identity and requests that Rama take Sita back as she is truly pure. Rama replies that he had never doubted her purity for a second, but, the people of the world would not have accepted or honoured her as a queen or a woman if she had not passed this Agni pariksha before the eyes of hundreds. Agni would destroy the impure and sinful, but not touch the pure and innocent, irrespective of Parvati's/Adishakti's curse on him. There is a version of Tulsidas's Ramacharitamanasa, which is popular, which states that Rama had Sita under the protection of Agni God. After Sita was released it was necessary to bring her out of security of Agni god.[50] This finds echo in the sthala purana of Tirupathi. Another version of this, used in Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan, was that Rama had known Sita was going to be abducted by Ravana ahead of time. So he entrusted her to Agni, the god of fire. Rama did this so that he, who in reality was Vishnu, could kill Ravana. Sita, in turn, left behind a "shadow", or twin-like version of herself behind. The "shadow" Sita had been abducted by Ravana. Therefore, the lila of Agni Pariksha was to retrieve the genuine Sita from the temporary care of Agni Deva. Rama explains this to Lakshmana before the "Pariksha" is done. This version has also been written in the Ram Charit Manas.

 

SITAS´S EXILE

In the Uttara Kanda, Rama banishes his wife Sita, even as she is pregnant, asking Lakshmana to deliver her safely to the forest. He does so after receiving word that some of his subjects in Ayodhya believed that Sita was unfit due to her long captivity in Ravana's city. As a king is expected to uphold moral principles, Rama reluctantly banished Sita in order to uphold his duty. Sita took refuge under the noble sage Valmiki.

 

A legend by Rishi Agastya in the epic states that Vishnu in a previous age had been cursed by Rishi Bhrigu, whose wife had been killed by Vishnu for sheltering his enemies escaping from battle. The Rishi condemns Vishnu to be denied for a long age the companionship of his soul mate, just as Vishnu, had deprived the Rishi of his loving wife. Thus Rama, Vishnu's incarnation, must live the rest of his life without Sita.

 

Many Hindus, such as the followers of Sri Vaishnavism, consider this entire section of the Ramayana to be interpolated, and thus they do not accept the authenticity of this story claiming that Sita was banished. An alternate narration of Ramayana does not state it so. It says that Sita later lived in her father's kingdom of Mithila with her sons Lava and Kusha as per the North Indian (especially in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar) custom that children be brought up in their nanihal, or maternal grandmother's place. Sita and her sons later live in Valmiki's ashram for the boys' education and military training. As per Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas, both the princes grew extremely intelligent and strong under Rishi Valmiki's tutelage.

 

CHILDREN

According to legend, Kusha and Lava are the twin sons of Lord Rama and Sita. Born in the forest after the banishment of Sita from Ayodhya, the twins were educated and trained in military skills as their mother took refuge in Sage Valmiki's ashram, located in a forest on the banks of the River Tamsa.

 

As Rama performed the Ashvamedha Yajna, a horse strayed into their forest, Rama sent Hanuman to retrieve the horses. Rama's sons Luv and Kush captured the horses. Hanuman, seeing Luv and Kush recognised that they were the son's of Rama. He let them capture him and tie him up. There Hanuman started meditating on the name Rama. Worried Rama sent his brothers to look for the horses. As they saw Hanuman tied up and two boys guarding him, they thought that the two boy had stolen the horses. So Ramas brothers started attacking Luv and Kush. Although Rama's brothers should have won, but Luv and Kush defeated them all, knocking them unconscious. Luv and Kush were protected by Hanuman. Then Rama himself went looking for the horses fearing that Hanuman and his brothers had been attacked. On his way there, Rama intuitively knew that Luv and Kush were his sons and purposely slept on his chariot to delay tension and confrontation with his sons as he knew it would be inappropriate for a father to fight his sons. Upon reaching the battlefield, the sage Valmiki interrupted the potential battle between father and sons by explaining to Rama that Luv and Kush were his sons. A familial reunion took place.

 

When Devi Sita found out that Lava and Kusha had defeated Ayodhya's forces, she proudly revealed their/her identity. Rama desired Sita and his sons to live with him in his kingdom but as this took place, the general population of the kingdom resented Sita from returning. In response, Sita forsaked her like and sought final refuge in the arms of her mother Bhumidevi, the Goddess Mother Earth and ultimately returned to Rama in the form of Vishnu in Vishnu's abode - indicating that forced separation from her beloved husband is only limited in life on earth compared to her eternal union with her beloved in life after death.

 

LATER LIFE

Rama's reign is known as the Rama Rajya which lasted for 11,000 years. During this period, people were healthy, holy, satisfied and lived with complete peace and harmony. There was no evil, no wars, no natural calamity and no diseases. Rama ruled the whole earth without using military force as all kings submitted themselves to him. His brothers Bharata and Shatrughna settled in their later lives. Bharata, with the help of his uncle Yudhajita, conquered the eastern land of the Gandharvas and ruled it. Shatrughna slew the Asura Lavana and founded the city of Mathura. Rama acquired a rare gem from Rishi Agastya which entombed the powers of the gods Indra, Varuna, Yama and Kubera, which helped the king rule efficiently. After his reign, Rama and his brothers and his allies peacefully left the earth on the river Sarayu abandoning their mortal bodies. Valmiki Ramayana mentions an abode named Santanaka invested with all spiritual qualities and located beyond Brahmaloka, which was attained by all followers of Rama, after Rama along with his brothers, entered into Vaishnava potency. Lava and Kusha ruled Kosala and continued the solar race.

 

MARYADA PURUSHOTTAMA

As a person, Rama personifies the characteristics of an ideal person (purushottama) who is to be emulated. He had within him all the desirable virtues that any individual would seek to aspire, and he fulfils all his moral obligations (maryada). Rama's purity and piety in his intentions and actions inspires affection and devotion for him from a variety of characters from different backgrounds. For example, he gave up his rightful claim to the throne, and agreed to go into exile for fourteen years, to fulfill the vow that his father had given to Kaikeyi, one of King Dashratha's wives. This is in spite of the fact that Kaikeyi's son, Bharat, begged him to return to Ayodhya and said that he did not want to rule in place of Rama. But Rama considered his dharma as a son above that of his own birthright and his life's ambition. For such supreme sacrifices, and many other qualities, Rama is considered a maryada purushottamor the best of upholders of Dharma, a basically human but exemplary figure Some of his ideals are as follows: 1. At the time when it was normal for kings to have more than one wife, Rama gave the ideal of having a single wife. In Balakanda of Valmiki Ramayana it is written that Rama and Sita resided in each other's heart.

 

2. Rama always followed his promise at any cost. In fact, he went to forest to make his father's promise to Kaikeyi true. Another instance was when, he had promised the Spirit of Time that during their conversation, if anyone was to intrude, Rama would have pronounce an instant death sentence upon the individual. They were intruded upon by his beloved younger brother Lakshmana, and to keep his part of the promise, pronounced the death sentence. There are many examples of Rama's promises which he kept. Most important are the promise to sages to save their lives from Rakshasas, getting back Sugreeva's kingdom, making Vibhishana the king of Lanka.

 

3. Excellent friend: Rama had very touching relations with his friends irrespective of their status. Some of his friends are Nishada-raja Guha, King of Nishaadas (a caste whose profession was hunting the birds), Sugreeva (the Vanara king) and Vibhishana a Rakshasa.

 

4. Even towards his enemies, Rama showed great nobility and virtue. To gather information about the enemy army's strengths and weaknesses, Ravana sent two of his spies, Suka and Sarana, to the Vanara camps. Disguised as Vanaras they blended into the enemy camp, but Vibhishana saw through their deceit. The duo sought Rama's protection when the monkey warriors thrashed them. Rama gave them refuge. He then asked them what their mission was and whether they fulfilled it. After listening to them, he sent for a Vanara to give them a proper tour of all the Vanara camps and give them all the information they desired about the major soldiers and their strengths. He then told the spies to give this message to Ravana. "Tomorrow morning, I will destroy all of Lanka. Keep all sides of your palace well defended and be ready with all of your men by sunrise." The spies were greatly astonished with Rama's charisma, courage, and adherence to the codes of war. After Rama gave them leave, they knew that their king was bound to lose against this virtuous and courageous man. When Ravana first fought with Rama, Rama defeated him to such an extent that Ravana lost his charioteer, horses, chariot, flag, weapons and armor. Though the situation was at his advantage, Rama instead praised Ravana for a great fight that day, and asked him to retire and take rest, as he must be quite tired. Ravana was greatly embarrassed at this, but he was also gratified that Rama saved his life, and this led him to consider for a moment whether to retreat and give Sita back...

 

COMPANIONS

Even as Rama is the ideal conception of manhood, he is often aided and complemented in different situations by the characteristics by those who accompany him. They serve Rama devotedly, at great personal risk and sacrifice.

 

BHARATA AND LAKSHMANA

Absent when Rama is exiled, upon his return Bharata is appalled to learn of the events. And even though Kaikeyi had done all this for his benefit, Bharata is angered at the suggestion that he should take Ayodhya's throne. Denouncing his mother, Bharata proclaims to the city that he would go to the forest to fetch Rama back, and would serve out his term of exile himself. Although initially resentful and suspicious, the people of Ayodhya hail Bharata's selfless nature and courageous act. Despite his fervent pleas to return, Rama asserts that he must stay in the forest to keep his father's word. He orders Bharata to perform his duty as king of Ayodhya, especially important after Dasaratha's death, and orders Shatrughna to support and serve him. Returning saddened to the city, Bharata refuses to wear the crown or sit on the throne. Instead, he places the slippers of Rama that he had taken back with him on the throne, and rules Ayodhya assiduously keeping Rama's beliefs and values in mind. When Rama finally returns, Bharata runs personally to welcome him back. Bharata is hailed for his devotion to his elder brother and dharma, distinguished from Lakshmana as he is left on his own for fourteen years. But he unfailingly denies self-interest throughout this time, ruling the kingdom only in Rama's name. Vasishtha proclaims that no one had better learnt dharma than Bharata, and for this piety he forms an essential part of the conception of perfect manhood, of the Seventh Avatara of Vishnu. Shatrughna's role to Bharata is akin to that of Lakshmana to Rama. Believed to be one-quarter of Vishnu incarnated, or as the incarnation of his eternal companion, Ananta Sesha, Lakshmana is always at Rama's side. Although unconstrained by Dasaratha's promise to Kaikeyi, Lakshmana resists Rama's arguments and accompanies him and Sita into the forest. During the years of exile, Lakshmana constantly serves Rama and Sita – building huts, standing guard and finding new routes. When Sita is kidnapped, Rama blazes with his divine power and in his immense rage, expresses the desire to destroy all creation. Lakshmana prays and pleads for Rama to calm himself, and despite the shock of the moment and the promise of travails to come, begin an arduous but systematic search for Sita. During times when the search is proving fruitless and Rama fears for Sita, and expresses despair in his grief and loneliness, Lakshmana encourages him, providing hope and solace.When Rama in his despair fears that Sugriva has forgotten his promise to help him trace Sita, Lakshmana goes to Kishkindha to remind the complacent monarch of his promise to help. Lakshmana twangs the bow inside the hall quaking the entire building and threatens to destroy Sugriva and the monkey kingdom with his own divine power. Lakshmana is unable to tolerate Sugriva breaking his vow to Rama while enjoying material and sensual pleasures while Rama suffers alone. It is only through the diplomatic intervention of Queen Tara, Sugriva's wife, that Lakshmana is pacified. Tara then scolds and galvanises Sugriva into honoring his promise to Rama. Sugriva and Rama are then reconciled with the help of Lakshmana and Tara. Sugriva sends the monkey hoards to find the location of Sita and lead the monkey army into battle against the demonic forces of Ravana.Lakshmana is uniquely responsible for slaying Indrajit, the invincible son of Ravana who had humiliated Indra and the devas, and outwitted the brothers and the Vanaras on several occasions. Rishi Agastya later points out that this victory was the turning point of the conflict. Rama is often overcome with emotion and deep affection for Lakshmana, acknowledging how important and crucial Lakshmana's love and support was for him. He also trusts Lakshmana to carry out difficult orders – Lakshmana was asked to take Sita to the ashrama of Valmiki, where she was to spend her exile. Lakshmana's deep love for Rama, his unconditional service and sacrifice, as well as qualities of practical judgment and clear-headedness make him Rama's superior in certain situations and perspectives. Lakshmana symbolizes a man's duty to his family, brothers and friends, and forms an essential part of the conception of ideal manhood, that Rama primarily embodies.

 

JATAYU, HANUMAN AND VIBHEESHNA

When Rama and Lakshmana begin the desperate search to discover where Sita had been taken, after traversing a distance in many directions, they come across the magical eagle Jatayu, who is dying. They discover from Jatayu that a rakshasa was flying away with a crying, struggling Sita towards the south. Jatayu had flown to the rescue of Sita, but owing to his age and the rakshasa's power, had been defeated. With this, Jatayu dies in Rama's arms. Rama is overcome with love and affection for the bird which sacrificed its own life for Sita, and the rage of his death returns to him in the climactic battle with Ravana.Rama's only allies in the struggle to find Sita are the Vanaras of Kishkindha. Finding a terrified Sugriva being hunted by his own brother, king Vali, Rama promises to kill Vali and free Sugriva of the terror and the unjust charge of plotting to murder Vali. The two swear everlasting friendship over sacred fire. Rama's natural piety and compassion, his sense of justice and duty, as well as his courage despite great personal suffering after Sita's kidnapping inspire devotion from the Vanaras and Sugriva, but especially Hanuman, Sugriva's minister. Devoted to Rama, Hanuman exerts himself greatly over the search for Sita. He is the first to discover that Sita was taken to Lanka, and volunteers to use his divine gifts in a dangerous reconnaissance of Lanka, where he is to verify Sita's presence. Hanuman hands Rama's ring to Sita, as a mark of Rama's love and his imminent intention of rescuing her. Though captured, he candidly delivers Rama's message to Ravana to immediately release Sita, and when his tail is burned, he flies and sets Lanka on fire. When Lakshmana is struck down and near death and Rama overcome with love and concern for his brother, Hanuman flies to the Himalayas on the urgent mission to fetch the sanjeevani medicinal herbs, bringing the entire mountain to Lanka so that no time is lost in saving Lakshmana. The Vanaras fight the rakshasas, completely devoted to Rama's cause. They angrily dismiss Ravana's efforts to create international divisions within their army when he suggested that Rama considered them, monkeys, as mere animals. At the end of the war, Indra restores life to the millions of fallen Vanaras.Before the onset of war, rakshasa prince Vibheeshana, Ravana's youngest brother comes to join Rama. Although he loves his brother and Lanka, he fails in repeated efforts to make Ravana follow religious values and return Sita. Vibheeshana believes that Ravana's arrogance and callousness will cause the destruction of Lanka, which is a gross violation of a king's duty, and that Ravana's actions have only propagated evil. Vibheeshana refuses to defend the evil of Ravana's ways and inspired by Rama's compassion and piety, leaves Lanka to join the Vanara Army. His knowledge of rakshasa ways and Ravana's mind help Rama and the Vanaras overcome black magic and mystical weapons. At the end of the war, Rama crowns Vibheeshana as the king of Lanka. Vibheeshana, and to a greater extent Hanuman, embody the perfect devotee in the wider conception of perfect manhood.

 

RAMA IN WAR

When Rama is thirteen years old, he and his brother Lakshmana are taken by Vishwamitra to the forests, with the purpose of killing rakshasas who are wrecking the tapasya and sacrifices of brahmins. When asked to slay the demoness, Rama demurs, considering it sinful to kill a woman. But Vishwamitra explains that evil has no gender. Rama replies that "My father asked me to follow your orders, I will obey them even if it is a sin". Rama proceeds to slay Tadaka, a cursed yaksha demoness. The killing of Tadaka liberates the yaksha soul who was cursed for a sin, and had to adopt a rakshasi's body. It restores the purity of the sacrifices of the brahmins who live nearby, and protects the animals who live in the forest, and travelers. Rama and Lakshmana are taught the advanced military arts and given the knowledge of all celestial weapons by Vishwamitra. The main purpose of Vishwamitra's exursion is to conduct his yagna without interruption from two evil demons, Maricha and Subahu sons of Tadaka. Rama and Lakshmana guard the sacrifice, and when the two demons appear, Rama shoots an arrow named Manava Astra that carries Maricha across the lands and into the ocean, but does not kill him. Rama and his brother then proceed to kill Subahu and accompanying demons. Rama explains to Lakshmana that leaving Maricha alive was an act of compassion, but the others did not heed the point and chose to attack. During the forest exile, sages plead for protection and help against evil rakshasas who spoil their sacrifices and religious activities and terrorize them. Many rakshasas had even killed and eaten sages and innocent people. At Janasthana, Rama uses his exceptional prowess to single-handedly kill over fourteen thousand demon hordes led by the powerful Khara, who is a cousin of Ravana and Dushana . . .

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for further reading go to: Rama - 8ddb

Beautiful but destructive, a "crown-of-thorns" starfish adds a crimson splash to the colorful reef tapestry at Swains Island in the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa. Past outbreaks of these coral-eating starfish have caused massive damage to reefs, but sanctuary staff are working control their numbers. Photo Credit: Wendy Cover/NOAA

Bug dans la Matrice #bug #informatique #retrocomputer #butterfly #laser #glitch #destructive #matrix #broken #scientist #collage #lyonart

Before the Kronosaurus Korner, the site once belonged to Richmond's Criterion Hotel, built prior to 1897. The proprietor Mr W H Carter lent out two unused rooms of the hotel as classrooms. In 1917 a destructive cyclone unroofed the hotel and the Silent PIcture Show next door. In 1935 the licensees were Mrs M Coombes and E H Robinson. Six hotels traded in the town then, until fire destroyed the Criterion Hotel and the adjoining theatre. The land remained vacant until used for extensions to the Strand Theatre, which was utilised to become the Kronosaurus Korner fossil centre.

 

Richmond, Queensland:

 

Richmond is the administrative centre of the Richmond Shire Council (26 936 sq km), 620km west of Mackay and 110km west of Hughenden. Four hundred kilometres to Mount Isa's east, Richmond is close to the geographic centre of North Queensland. Richmond is on the Flinders River, Queensland's longest watercourse with its headwaters about 200km northeast of Richmond which flow in an arc to the Gulf of Carpentaria, near Karumba. The town is also on the Flinders Highway and the Great Northern Railway, both starting from Townsville passing through Richmond to Cloncurry.

 

William Landsborough explored the Richmond district during his 1862 search for the Burke and Wills exploration party. Pastoral settlers first took up runs in the more accessible districts of Winton and Hughenden. Eventually in the late 1870s Arthur Bundock and Walter Hays took up the Richmond Downs run, named after Bundock's birthplace on the Richmond River, in northern New South Wales.

 

At about that time there was a rush on an outlying part of the Etheridge gold field at Woolgar. Richmond, still no more than a coach stopover where the inland track met the Flinders River 120km to Woolgar's south, became an important transit point for coaches ferrying miners north. In 1882 a township was surveyed at the coach point (itself named after the Richmond Downs). Within ten years the post office directory recorded three hotels at Richmond (Royal, Star and Garter, Western Star), along with a provisional school (1889), three stores, a baker, butcher, two blacksmiths, and a saddler.

 

By the time the Great Northern Railway reached the town in 1904, Richmond had nine hotels, a hospital, the Richmond Record newspaper, the Queensland National Bank, and a wool scouring works. Pastoral stations abounded in the surrounding district.

 

The town's population increased by half to over 900 people in the period from 1910 to 1930. Although the number of hotels had diminished, there were Church of England, Presbyterian, and Catholic churches, along with a convent primary school, the Strand Cinema, the Richmond Race Club, and a growing number of motor garages (five by 1949). Outlying pastoral stations numbered 40 or more in 1949, their interests represented by the Richmond Graziers Association. Saint John the Baptist Church of England, built in 1909, is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register.

 

Richmond has not been spared from the population declines experienced by most Western Queensland settlements in the late twentieth and early twenty first century. Over 1000 in 1961, by 1991 the town's population had declined by a third.

 

Whilst the pastoral industry still dominates the economy, Richmond's position on the inland tourist route has been capitalised on in recent years. The area once formed part of Australia's ancient inland sea, and is home to a rich bed of dinosaur fossils. Remains of Kronosaurus queenslandicus, a predatory marine reptile, were found by a Harvard paleontology team in 1929, and in 1989 a further major discovery was made with the discovery of a 100-million year old pliosaur on nearby Marathon pastoral station. The disused Strand Cinema was converted into a museum 'Kronosaurus Korner' in 1995. The premises have been enlarged with display and research facilities, and there is an outdoor display of locally found limestone boulders known as 'moon rocks'. In 2010 dinosaur fossils (vertebrae from the ichthyosaur) were unearthed at the Richmond State School.

 

Richmond has impressive plantings of native and bougainvillea shrubs: it won the 2001 tidy towns award. There are golf, bowls, and swimming facilities, a race course that has seven meetings a year, livestock saleyards, two hotels, two motels, a caravan park, and a tourist information centre. Richmond also houses Queensland's only sandalwood mill, manufacturing products for export to Asia. The town's origins as a transit point on the Woolgar goldfields coach route are remembered by the name of the main street, Goldring Street, in which can be found a restored Cobb and Co coach.

 

The Richmond Shire is bisected by the Flinders Highway/railway corridor. It was originally known as Wyangarie Shire (1910), until renamed in 1954.

 

Agriculture and pastoral activity - divided in 1992 between sheep and lambs (360 000 head) and beef cattle (146 700) - were the shire's dominant industries. At the 2011 census coal mining was the dominant employment category in Richmond (7.8%).

 

Source: Richmond Cultural Association & Queensland Places (www.queenslandplaces.com.au/richmond-and-richmond-shire).

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) technicians are working with state and local partners; businesses and residents to stop the spread of the spotted lanternfly* a destructive insect that feeds on a wide range of fruit, ornamental, and hardwood trees, including grapes, apples, walnut, and oak; a serious threat to the United States' agriculture and natural resources, such as in Reading, Pennsylvania, on August 30, 2018. The pest damages plants as it sucks sap from branches, stems, and tree trunks. The repeated feedings leave the tree bark with dark scars. Spotted lanternfly also excretes a sticky fluid, which promotes mold growth and further weakens plants and puts our agriculture and forests at risk. Native to Asia, the spotted lanternfly has no natural enemies in North America. it's free to multiply and ravage orchards, vineyards, and wooded areas. The invasive insect was first detected in the United States in Pennsylvania in 2014, and has now spread to several states, by people who accidentally move infested material or items containing egg masses. Most states are at risk of the pest. USDA and our state and local partners are working hard to stop the spread of this invasive pest. Look for signs of spotted lanternfly. Inspect your trees and plants for young spotted lanternfly, adults, and egg masses. USDA Photo by Lance Cheung.

  

*Adult spotted lanternflies are approximately 1 inch long and one-half inch wide, and they have large and visually striking wings. Their forewings are light brown with black spots at the front and a speckled band at the rear. Their hind wings are scarlet with black spots at the front and white and black bars at the rear. Their abdomen is yellow with black bars. Nymphs in their early stages of development appear black with white spots and turn to a red phase before becoming adults. Egg masses are yellowish-brown in color, covered with a gray, waxy coating prior to hatching. Look for nymphs, adults, and eggs on trees. The Tree of Heaven is the preferred tree. Spotted lanternfly lay their eggs on a variety of smooth surfaces. Look for egg masses (which are off-white to grey and textured patches) on tree bark, vehicles, buildings, and outdoor items.

  

Find it, report it!

 

Contact your State Department of Agriculture or the Extension specialist near you to report signs of spotted lanternfly. If possible, take a picture or capture the insect in alcohol.

  

Stop the Spread

 

Everyone can play a role in stopping the spread of spotted lanternfly

  

Remove and Destroy

 

Crush nymph and adult spotted lanternflies. Scrape egg masses into hand sanitizer or rubbing alcohol.

  

For more information about the Spotted Lanternfly, please see www.aphis.usda.gov/hungrypests/slf

  

For more information about the Tree of Heaven, please see www.nps.gov/shen/learn/nature/tree-of-heaven.htm

View On Black || Become a Fan

 

This temple was built by cutting the mountain.

 

Nikon D90 | Nikkor 18-200mm @ 52 mm | 1/120 @ f/4.8 | ISO 200 | WB : Cloudy

 

Place: KatasRaj (کٹاس راج). (Pakistan)

Starring Dana Andrews, Janette Scott, Kieron Moore and Alexander Knox. Directed by Andrew Marton.

youtu.be/vIevnwsLDW8

 

Paramount distributed this big-budget production by Security Pictures in the spring of 1965. Crack in the World (CW) was partially a sci-fi movie and partially a disaster movie. Like many of the disaster-genre that would follow, the destructive power of nature itself -- rather than a giant reptile -- is the monster. Solid actors, a decent budget and ample action make CW one of the mid-60s' big A-level sci-fi movies.

 

Synopsis

Project Inner Earth, headed by Dr. Steven Sorensen, plans to tap into the molten core of the earth to supply unlimited power for mankind. Their problem is that they've encountered an extremely tough shell around the core which no drill can penetrate. Sorensen wants to use a nuclear missile to punch through that shell. Dr. Ted Rampion is worried that the earth's crust is too fragile, due to all the previous nuclear weapons tests. Some complex back story about Steve's wife Maggie (a much younger woman) being Ted's former girlfriend clouds the issue. Steve finding out that he has a terminal illness clouds his judgement too. Steve convinces his bosses to let him fire the nuke and does so. All seems to have gone as planned. The magma wells up and everyone is pleased. That is, until massive earthquakes start wiping out towns and a giant rip in the earth's crust appears. To make matters worse, the rip lengthens steadily. If it goes all the way around the earth, it could break in half and disintegrate. Ted and his team plant another nuclear bomb in a pacific island volcano to stop the rip. This seems to succeed, but the rip turns back towards its origin. More earthquakes and destruction. Steve is a jerk to Maggie. Ted is heroic. Steve is almost too ill to continue. The project base is wracked with tremors. Ted and Maggie escape, but Steve remains behind to record events. The crack meets its origin point. A glowing ball of magma rises into the fiery night sky. Earth now has two moons. A squirrel comes out of hiding in a hole. Ted and Maggie hug for joy. The End.

  

CW is an action-packed disaster flick. Lava, landslides, train wrecks and lots and lots of explosions. Any 12-year-old boy cannot help but love this film.

 

CW is a strong example of the Nuclear Caution branch of Cold War morals. Man, recklessly misusing nukes, sets off a chain reaction (much like modern wars have been) which threaten to destroy the world as we know it. A "counter strike" of another nuke (in the volcano) averts total annihilation, but leaves millions dead and the earth scarred forever. All this makes for quite a blatant nuclear cautionary tale.

 

Sci-fi, as a genre, is hardly famous for strict scientific accuracy. Aliens who look perfectly human and speak English? Big monsters who can eat whole cities, yet never have to poop? But never mind. CW's flawed scientific premise is that the earth's crust is an integral shell. The integrity of this shell is what keeps the earth from flying apart due to centrifugal force. Of course, if that were true, us unattached humans ought to be flying off into space. But never mind. Knowledge of Plate Techtonics was not new in 1965, but it had not filtered down to the popular level yet. Modern viewers will scoff at CW. The earth has always had cracks in it, and works rather well that way. But, to non-scientists in the mid 60s, with a hard-shell view of the earth, the premise was more credible and pretty frightening.

 

Dr. Steve Sorensen fills the customary role of misguided (mad) scientist in several ways. He wants to do some beneficial deed for mankind, but miscalculates and causes destruction. In this case, it is nature (the earth) who becomes the monster. Per the customary role, poetic justice prevails. The monster kills the offending scientist for his haste or hubris. Once he's dead, and his sin atoned for, the rightful order is restored (lovers kiss and small furry animals emerge from their burrows)

 

Many a sci-fi movie has been hobbled with tangled drama. CW is no different. In the midst of the impending destruction of the earth, Steve can still be a petty jerk to his young wife. Maggie can still be conflicted over her less-cerebral lust for Ted. Ted can still show off his big biceps, etc. This seems quite reminiscent of Catwomen of the Moon, where upon meeting another race of beings who are openly hostile, the main characters obsess over who loves whom. Perhaps astute movie producers knew that their young audiences were likely still mired in that high-school drama mindset, in which who liked whom and who was being a jerk to whom, etc. was more important than anything -- even the destruction of the earth.

 

Movie goers of the early 60s would probably have "felt" that Ted and Maggie really belonged together anyhow. Kieron Moore and Janette Scott had starred together before CW, as lighthouse-bound husband and wife biologists in Day of the Triffids ('62): another Security Pictures film. They would team up again in Security Pictures' Bikini Paradise ('67) -- a comedy outside of this study's scope.

 

Bottom line? CW is a well done disaster flick with ample entertainment value. There is plenty of action and the special effects respectable enough. After a steady diet of ultra-low budget movies, CW plays like an epic blockbuster.Doomsday movies abound, but few are as offbeat as this one. It tells of a runaway fault line that threatens to circle the earth and crack it in two like an eggshell. Far-fetched? Yes. Good fun? You bet. The trouble begins after scientists explode an atomic bomb underground to tap an unlimited supply of geothermal energy. But instead they trigger a cataclysm. While the crack girdles the earth, there's time for romance and frantic 11th-hour attempts to save humanity. Dana Andrews heads the cast as Dr. Stephen Sorenson, a scientist in a control center monitoring the progress of the crack opened by the explosion. He and co-stars Janette Scott (Dr. Maggie Sorenson), Kieron Moore (Dr. Ted Rampion), and Alexander Knox (Sir Charles Eggerston) all perform capably as they attempt to forestall doomsday with crack-stopping schemes. Although Crack in the World is a B-movie, it has an intelligent script that relies more on judicious pacing and suspense-building than on special effects. Consequently, it is superior to so-so doomsday flicks such as Asteroid (1997), Meteorites (1998), Armageddon (1998), and Independence Day (1996). Experts in plate tectonics -- a science that studies the strata making up the earth's outer shell -- may pooh-pooh the plot as implausible. Then again, they just might enjoy seeing Mother Nature throw a tantrum.

 

The two horses were bored so they decided to fight eachother to see who was stronger.

Starring Dana Andrews, Janette Scott, Kieron Moore and Alexander Knox. Directed by Andrew Marton.

youtu.be/vIevnwsLDW8

 

Paramount distributed this big-budget production by Security Pictures in the spring of 1965. Crack in the World (CW) was partially a sci-fi movie and partially a disaster movie. Like many of the disaster-genre that would follow, the destructive power of nature itself -- rather than a giant reptile -- is the monster. Solid actors, a decent budget and ample action make CW one of the mid-60s' big A-level sci-fi movies.

 

Synopsis

Project Inner Earth, headed by Dr. Steven Sorensen, plans to tap into the molten core of the earth to supply unlimited power for mankind. Their problem is that they've encountered an extremely tough shell around the core which no drill can penetrate. Sorensen wants to use a nuclear missile to punch through that shell. Dr. Ted Rampion is worried that the earth's crust is too fragile, due to all the previous nuclear weapons tests. Some complex back story about Steve's wife Maggie (a much younger woman) being Ted's former girlfriend clouds the issue. Steve finding out that he has a terminal illness clouds his judgement too. Steve convinces his bosses to let him fire the nuke and does so. All seems to have gone as planned. The magma wells up and everyone is pleased. That is, until massive earthquakes start wiping out towns and a giant rip in the earth's crust appears. To make matters worse, the rip lengthens steadily. If it goes all the way around the earth, it could break in half and disintegrate. Ted and his team plant another nuclear bomb in a pacific island volcano to stop the rip. This seems to succeed, but the rip turns back towards its origin. More earthquakes and destruction. Steve is a jerk to Maggie. Ted is heroic. Steve is almost too ill to continue. The project base is wracked with tremors. Ted and Maggie escape, but Steve remains behind to record events. The crack meets its origin point. A glowing ball of magma rises into the fiery night sky. Earth now has two moons. A squirrel comes out of hiding in a hole. Ted and Maggie hug for joy. The End.

  

CW is an action-packed disaster flick. Lava, landslides, train wrecks and lots and lots of explosions. Any 12-year-old boy cannot help but love this film.

 

CW is a strong example of the Nuclear Caution branch of Cold War morals. Man, recklessly misusing nukes, sets off a chain reaction (much like modern wars have been) which threaten to destroy the world as we know it. A "counter strike" of another nuke (in the volcano) averts total annihilation, but leaves millions dead and the earth scarred forever. All this makes for quite a blatant nuclear cautionary tale.

 

Sci-fi, as a genre, is hardly famous for strict scientific accuracy. Aliens who look perfectly human and speak English? Big monsters who can eat whole cities, yet never have to poop? But never mind. CW's flawed scientific premise is that the earth's crust is an integral shell. The integrity of this shell is what keeps the earth from flying apart due to centrifugal force. Of course, if that were true, us unattached humans ought to be flying off into space. But never mind. Knowledge of Plate Techtonics was not new in 1965, but it had not filtered down to the popular level yet. Modern viewers will scoff at CW. The earth has always had cracks in it, and works rather well that way. But, to non-scientists in the mid 60s, with a hard-shell view of the earth, the premise was more credible and pretty frightening.

 

Dr. Steve Sorensen fills the customary role of misguided (mad) scientist in several ways. He wants to do some beneficial deed for mankind, but miscalculates and causes destruction. In this case, it is nature (the earth) who becomes the monster. Per the customary role, poetic justice prevails. The monster kills the offending scientist for his haste or hubris. Once he's dead, and his sin atoned for, the rightful order is restored (lovers kiss and small furry animals emerge from their burrows)

 

Many a sci-fi movie has been hobbled with tangled drama. CW is no different. In the midst of the impending destruction of the earth, Steve can still be a petty jerk to his young wife. Maggie can still be conflicted over her less-cerebral lust for Ted. Ted can still show off his big biceps, etc. This seems quite reminiscent of Catwomen of the Moon, where upon meeting another race of beings who are openly hostile, the main characters obsess over who loves whom. Perhaps astute movie producers knew that their young audiences were likely still mired in that high-school drama mindset, in which who liked whom and who was being a jerk to whom, etc. was more important than anything -- even the destruction of the earth.

 

Movie goers of the early 60s would probably have "felt" that Ted and Maggie really belonged together anyhow. Kieron Moore and Janette Scott had starred together before CW, as lighthouse-bound husband and wife biologists in Day of the Triffids ('62): another Security Pictures film. They would team up again in Security Pictures' Bikini Paradise ('67) -- a comedy outside of this study's scope.

 

Bottom line? CW is a well done disaster flick with ample entertainment value. There is plenty of action and the special effects respectable enough. After a steady diet of ultra-low budget movies, CW plays like an epic blockbuster.Doomsday movies abound, but few are as offbeat as this one. It tells of a runaway fault line that threatens to circle the earth and crack it in two like an eggshell. Far-fetched? Yes. Good fun? You bet. The trouble begins after scientists explode an atomic bomb underground to tap an unlimited supply of geothermal energy. But instead they trigger a cataclysm. While the crack girdles the earth, there's time for romance and frantic 11th-hour attempts to save humanity. Dana Andrews heads the cast as Dr. Stephen Sorenson, a scientist in a control center monitoring the progress of the crack opened by the explosion. He and co-stars Janette Scott (Dr. Maggie Sorenson), Kieron Moore (Dr. Ted Rampion), and Alexander Knox (Sir Charles Eggerston) all perform capably as they attempt to forestall doomsday with crack-stopping schemes. Although Crack in the World is a B-movie, it has an intelligent script that relies more on judicious pacing and suspense-building than on special effects. Consequently, it is superior to so-so doomsday flicks such as Asteroid (1997), Meteorites (1998), Armageddon (1998), and Independence Day (1996). Experts in plate tectonics -- a science that studies the strata making up the earth's outer shell -- may pooh-pooh the plot as implausible. Then again, they just might enjoy seeing Mother Nature throw a tantrum.

 

It's the time of month when the moon is not destructive to the dark skies, so I organised a trip for my sky chasing group to Beachy Head.

 

Amazing views of the sea and South Downs landscape can be had here on the cliff tops. Steeped in history from the World War, we found some memorial monuments for the brave soldiers that died defending the coastal front. This particular memorial in my photo, is the remains of what used to be a watch tower.

 

The Milky was beautifully visible to the naked eye arching over our heads.

 

What surprised us was the fact we saw many Epsilon meteors that night and it wasn't even the peak. We saw so many meteors that it was a great puzzle as to why Epsilon is considered minor. My 3-hour timelapse caught 9.

 

This timelapse was photobombed constantly by one of our colleagues with a smartscope who was oblivious to the fact we were using the watch tower as our foreground subject and I was oblivious to her being there, lol. So, she and her bags have become unwitting "stars" of our timelapses!

 

Song: Nothern Lights by Stellardrone from their album, Between the Light.

stellardrone.bandcamp.com/track/northern-lights

 

Capture Details:

 

Lens: Samyang 12mm F2

Tripod: Slik 700dx

Camera: Canon M50

ISO: 1250

Shutter: 25 sec

450 frames

Interval: 1 sec between frames excluding exposure time, that's 3 hours 15mins real time.

 

Capture method: camera tethered to Iphone 12 using Shutter as an intervalometer and image monitoring.

 

Post: CR3 files converted to DNG with Adobe DNG converter. Assembled timelapse within Da Vinci global Camera Raw adjustments, curves, music track

...but he is back to his destructive self!

Hurricane Sandy (also unofficially known as "Superstorm Sandy") was the deadliest and most destructive hurricane of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season, as well as the second-costliest hurricane in United States history. Classified as the eighteenth named storm, tenth hurricane and second major hurricane of the year, Sandy was a Category 3 storm at its peak intensity when it made landfall in Cuba.[1] While it was a Category 2 storm off the coast of the Northeastern United States, the storm became the largest Atlantic hurricane on record (as measured by diameter, with winds spanning 1,100 miles (1,800 km)).[2][3] Estimates as of March 2014 assess damage to have been over $68 billion (2013 USD), a total surpassed only by Hurricane Katrina.[4] At least 286 people were killed along the path of the storm in seven countries.[5]

 

Sandy developed from a tropical wave in the western Caribbean Sea on October 22, quickly strengthened, and was upgraded to Tropical Storm Sandy six hours later. Sandy moved slowly northward toward the Greater Antilles and gradually intensified. On October 24, Sandy became a hurricane, made landfall near Kingston, Jamaica, re-emerged a few hours later into the Caribbean Sea and strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane. On October 25, Sandy hit Cuba as a Category 3 hurricane, then weakened to a Category 1 hurricane. Early on October 26, Sandy moved through the Bahamas.[6] On October 27, Sandy briefly weakened to a tropical storm and then restrengthened to a Category 1 hurricane. Early on October 29, Sandy curved north-northwest and then[7] moved ashore near Brigantine, New Jersey, just to the northeast of Atlantic City, as a post-tropical cyclone with hurricane-force winds.[1][8]

 

In Jamaica, winds left 70% of residents without electricity, blew roofs off buildings, killed one, and caused about $100 million (2012 USD) in damage. Sandy's outer bands brought flooding to Haiti, killing at least 54, causing food shortages, and leaving about 200,000 homeless; the hurricane also caused two deaths in the Dominican Republic. In Puerto Rico, one man was swept away by a swollen river. In Cuba, there was extensive coastal flooding and wind damage inland, destroying some 15,000 homes, killing 11, and causing $2 billion (2012 USD) in damage. Sandy caused two deaths and damage estimated at $700 million (2012 USD) in The Bahamas. In Canada, two were killed in Ontario and an estimated $100 million (2012 CAD) in damage was caused throughout Ontario and Quebec.[9]

 

In the United States, Hurricane Sandy affected 24 states, including the entire eastern seaboard from Florida to Maine and west across the Appalachian Mountains to Michigan and Wisconsin, with particularly severe damage in New Jersey and New York. Its storm surge hit New York City on October 29, flooding streets, tunnels and subway lines and cutting power in and around the city.[10][11] Damage in the United States amounted to $65 billion (2013 USD).[12]

 

coming/here/done

smith point day before sandy

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) technicians are working with state and local partners; businesses and residents to stop the spread of the spotted lanternfly* a destructive insect that feeds on a wide range of fruit, ornamental, and hardwood trees, including grapes, apples, walnut, and oak; a serious threat to the United States' agriculture and natural resources, such as in Reading, Pennsylvania, on August 30, 2018. The pest damages plants as it sucks sap from branches, stems, and tree trunks. The repeated feedings leave the tree bark with dark scars. Spotted lanternfly also excretes a sticky fluid, which promotes mold growth and further weakens plants and puts our agriculture and forests at risk. Native to Asia, the spotted lanternfly has no natural enemies in North America. it's free to multiply and ravage orchards, vineyards, and wooded areas. The invasive insect was first detected in the United States in Pennsylvania in 2014, and has now spread to several states, by people who accidentally move infested material or items containing egg masses. Most states are at risk of the pest. USDA and our state and local partners are working hard to stop the spread of this invasive pest. Look for signs of spotted lanternfly. Inspect your trees and plants for young spotted lanternfly, adults, and egg masses. USDA Photo by Lance Cheung.

  

*Adult spotted lanternflies are approximately 1 inch long and one-half inch wide, and they have large and visually striking wings. Their forewings are light brown with black spots at the front and a speckled band at the rear. Their hind wings are scarlet with black spots at the front and white and black bars at the rear. Their abdomen is yellow with black bars. Nymphs in their early stages of development appear black with white spots and turn to a red phase before becoming adults. Egg masses are yellowish-brown in color, covered with a gray, waxy coating prior to hatching. Look for nymphs, adults, and eggs on trees. The Tree of Heaven is the preferred tree. Spotted lanternfly lay their eggs on a variety of smooth surfaces. Look for egg masses (which are off-white to grey and textured patches) on tree bark, vehicles, buildings, and outdoor items.

  

Find it, report it!

 

Contact your State Department of Agriculture or the Extension specialist near you to report signs of spotted lanternfly. If possible, take a picture or capture the insect in alcohol.

  

Stop the Spread

 

Everyone can play a role in stopping the spread of spotted lanternfly

  

Remove and Destroy

 

Crush nymph and adult spotted lanternflies. Scrape egg masses into hand sanitizer or rubbing alcohol.

  

For more information about the Spotted Lanternfly, please see www.aphis.usda.gov/hungrypests/slf

  

For more information about the Tree of Heaven, please see www.nps.gov/shen/learn/nature/tree-of-heaven.htm

   

Non-Destructive, Reversible MD to A-Mount Conversion

 

Lens side view

 

1. Original MD stainless steal mounting ring removed.

 

2. The flange of a T2-A mount adapter was turned on a lathe to reduce the flange thickness to 50/1000 of an inch. Four clear holes were drilled to match the four screws on the MD mount. The adapter was then stacked on top of the MD mount and fasten with the four screws This completes the MD to A mount conversion, which is non-destructive and reversible to MD mount.

Snapped during the recently concluded "Alarm Clock Tour" (destructive.....details to be found here .....in Hollywood and the Greater Mojave with the magnificent Qua.

 

_________

 

I shot this mini 'documentary' with one camera in one three hour period a few years ago with the intention of playing/learning digital editing. It's bumpy in lots of places but if you like cowboys, horses, Cajun music, blues and fellowship and lots of animals you might check it out.....these are my friends where I live (most of the time) in Agua Dulce, California.

  

Part THREE of "Father's Day":

 

www.vimeo.com/clip:151477

 

www.ifilm.com/myifilm/shadowplay/video/2830956?sublisting...

 

Sunset, chemtrails, the Moon and Jupiter.

 

Since 2014 I've been documenting the daily, destructive, poisonous chemtrail activity in the Dayton, Ohio area -- home of the notorious Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (visited by every important person on Earth, and even a few (fake) aliens ;-) -- and apparently from my photo and video documentation, Chemtrail Central. This area has been getting chemtrailed on a massive, daily basis and is being conducted, as they say, “in plain sight”. I've got over 15,000 high-resolution pictures already uploaded and available for free on Flickr, with thousands more on the way:

www.flickr.com/photos/133042043@N04/albums

Additional Chemtrail videos may be found on:

www.youtube.com/user/BlueRidgeParkway

Destructive water from recent flooding in Boulder County took out this road. In it's place a free flowing creek. It's not just here. 150 miles of roads in the county were originally impassable. Still many miles to go before life returns to normal for a lot of these residents and businesses. Mother Nature takes what belongs to her.

Donald Trump is using the dying embers of his US presidency to hastily push through a procession of environmental protection rollbacks that critics claim will cement his legacy as an unusually destructive force against the natural world.

 

Trump has yet to acknowledge his election loss to president-elect Joe Biden but his administration has been busily finishing off a cavalcade of regulatory moves to lock in more oil and gas drilling, loosened protections for wildlife and lax air pollution standards before the Democrat enters the White House on 20 January.

 

Trump’s interior department is hastily auctioning off drilling rights to America’s last large untouched wilderness, the sprawling Arctic National Wildlife Refuge found in the tundra of northern Alaska. The refuge, home to polar bears, caribou and 200 species of birds, has been off limits to fossil fuel companies for decades but the Trump administration is keen to give out leases to extract the billions of barrels of oil believed to be in the area’s coastal region.

 

The administration is also opening the way for drilling around the Chaco Canyon National Historical Park, considered a sacred area by the native Navajo and Pueblo people who live near the New Mexico site and has targeted a linchpin environmental law, known as the National Environmental Policy Act, to allow more logging and road-building in national forests.

 

The Trump administration is also maintaining air quality standards widely condemned by experts as being insufficient to protect communities from sooty pollution that comes from cars, trucks and heavy industry. Many cities in the US are riven with environmental injustices, where poorer communities of color are routinely placed in proximity of industrial plants, highways and other sources of pollution.

 

The Guardian -

A destructive legacy: Trump bids for final hack at environmental protections

   

Spotted lanternflies free vines at Waltz Vineyard, thanks to winemaker Jan Waltz who worked with state and federal agencies to remove and keep the invasive spotted lanternflies (SLF) from eating the grape vines, on August 29, 2018, in Manheim, PA. The spotted lanternfly is a destructive insect that feeds on a wide range of fruit, ornamental, and hardwood trees, including grapes, apples, walnut, and oak; a serious threat to the United States' agriculture and natural resources. The pest damages plants as it sucks sap from branches, stems, and tree trunks. The repeated feedings leave the tree bark with dark scars. Spotted lanternfly also excretes a sticky fluid, which promotes mold growth and further weakens plants and puts our agriculture and forests at risk. Native to Asia, the spotted lanternfly has no natural enemies in North America. it's free to multiply and ravage orchards, vineyards, and wooded areas. The invasive insect was first detected in the United States in Pennsylvania in 2014, and has now spread to several states, by people who accidentally move infested material or items containing egg masses.

 

Most states are at risk of the pest. USDA and our state and local partners are working hard to stop the spread of this invasive pest, but we need your help. Look for signs of spotted lanternfly.

 

Inspect trucks for egg masses before leaving parking lots or work sites. Scrape off any egg masses you find into rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer. While parked, keep windows closed so hitchhiking nymphs and adults stay out. Make sure you also check other equipment being moved, like outdoor machinery, propane tanks, and shipping containers. If youâre a business owner, keep a close watch over your property. Park in areas away from the tree line. To capture nymphs and adults, you can wrap tree trunks with adhesive bands from May to August. You can also remove ailanthus trees, known as âThe Tree of Heaven.â These invasive weed trees are a favorite of spotted lanternflies. Most importantly, be vigilant to inspect both incoming and outgoing goods â and the containers and equipment that carry them â they could be carrying a hitching pest as well. In a quarantine area, you can get information on management controls at aphis.usda.gov/hungrypests/slf. If you do encounter spotted lanternfly eggs, nymphs, or adults outside of quarantined areas, report the sighting to your State Department of Agriculture. USDA Photo by Lance Cheung.

  

*Adult spotted lanternflies are approximately 1 inch long and one-half inch wide, and they have large and visually striking wings. Their forewings are light brown with black spots at the front and a speckled band at the rear. Their hind wings are scarlet with black spots at the front and white and black bars at the rear. Their abdomen is yellow with black bars. Nymphs in their early stages of development appear black with white spots and turn to a red phase before becoming adults. Egg masses are yellowish-brown in color, covered with a gray, waxy coating prior to hatching.

  

Find it, report it!

 

Contact your State Department of Agriculture or the Extension specialist near you to report signs of spotted lanternfly. If possible, take a picture or capture the insect in alcohol.

  

Stop the Spread

 

Everyone can play a role in stopping the spread of spotted lanternfly

  

Remove and Destroy

 

Crush nymph and adult spotted lanternflies. Scrape egg masses into hand sanitizer or rubbing alcohol.

  

For more information about the Spotted Lanternfly, please see www.aphis.usda.gov/hungrypests/slf

  

For more information about the Tree of Heaven, please see www.nps.gov/shen/learn/nature/tree-of-heaven.htm

www.taylorchristianjones.com/blog

 

White Lightning 1600 above in octabox x2

White Lightning 1600 behind subjects x2

White Lightning 1600 behind backdrop x1

A mangled 65 Chevy Impala sits amongst the rubble..

Scanned from a Slide Transperancy purchased from a recent estate sale.

 

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

The 1967 Oak Lawn tornado outbreak was a destructive tornado outbreak and severe weather event that occurred on April 21, 1967, across the Upper Midwestern United States, in particular the Chicago area including the towns of Belvidere and Oak Lawn, Illinois. It was the most notable tornado outbreak of 1967 and one of the most notable to occur in the Chicago area. The outbreak produced numerous significant (F2+) tornadoes, among them eight alone in the U.S. state of Illinois, including one of just six[1] documented violent (F4–F5) tornadoes in the Chicago metropolitan area since the area was first settled.[2] The F4 tornado that struck Belvidere caused one of the highest tornado-related death tolls in a single school building and was featured in an episode of The Weather Channel's Storm Stories.

 

Oak Lawn–Evergreen Park–Chicago South Side, Illinois

 

The third and final F4 tornado to affect Illinois this day was also the deadliest tornado of the entire outbreak. An intense super cell with a hook echo on weather radar first appeared about 18 miles (29 km) west-northwest of Joliet at 4:45 p.m. CDT. Later, at 5:15 p.m., an employee of the U.S. Weather Bureau observed a rotating wall cloud about 10 miles (16 km) north of Joliet. Minutes later, severe thunderstorm winds blew out windows in a building, though no tornado or funnel cloud had yet occurred.[6] Near the Little Red Schoolhouse, in what is now the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, an observer first noted a funnel cloud to the south, moving east with hail up to .75 inches (19 mm) in diameter—but he was unable to report to the Weather Bureau as his telephone failed to give a dial tone.[6] At 5:24 p.m. CDT, a tornado touched down at the present-day campus of Moraine Valley Community College[4] and moved east-northeast, mainly at 70° heading.[5]

 

As it touched down, the tornado bent power poles and blew down small trees and vegetation, tossing dirt as it went. It then grew in size to 450 feet (150 yd) wide and entered Palos Hills, destroying about five buildings—including two frame homes and a brick home—and snapping trees.[6] Subsequently, the intensifying funnel severely damaged homes and a drive-in theater[4] in a half-block-wide area of the Chicago Ridge.[6]

 

Over the next six minutes, the tornado attained its maximum intensity as it tore a 16.2-mile (26.1 km) (60-mile-per-hour (97 km/h) ground speed) swath of damage through Oak Lawn, Hometown, and Evergreen Park.[4] As it passed through the business district of Oak Lawn, the tornado leveled many homes that were built entirely of brick.[6]

 

In Oak Lawn, the tornado threw 25–40 vehicles from the intersection of Southwest Highway and W. 95th St. (US-12/20),[4] killing 16 people who were stuck in traffic during the rush hour.[3] Partly for that reason, this tornado ended up being the deadliest in the outbreak.[6] As it moved beyond Oak Lawn, the tornado weakened and widened as it caused lighter damage to vegetation, roofs, and garages. It finally moved offshore as a waterspout at Rainbow Beach, producing a wind gust up to 100 miles per hour (160 km/h) at a water filtration plant on the lakefront shore.[6] In all, the tornado killed 33 people, including several children at the Oak Lawn roller skating rink,[7] and injured 1,000. It destroyed 152 homes and damaged 900, causing $50 million in damage. The destroyed buildings included a high school, grocery store, tavern, market, motel, drive-in theater, restaurant, numerous apartments, and two gas stations. Additionally, the tornado caused numerous fires in Oak Lawn which were quickly extinguished.[7]

 

After the destructive storms this week I wondered if my favourite old harbour had suffered any more damage.

 

Still...intact...!

The building on the left is the rear of the former Pat's Hobbies.

Scanned from a Slide Transperancy purchased from a recent estate sale.

 

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

The 1967 Oak Lawn tornado outbreak was a destructive tornado outbreak and severe weather event that occurred on April 21, 1967, across the Upper Midwestern United States, in particular the Chicago area including the towns of Belvidere and Oak Lawn, Illinois. It was the most notable tornado outbreak of 1967 and one of the most notable to occur in the Chicago area. The outbreak produced numerous significant (F2+) tornadoes, among them eight alone in the U.S. state of Illinois, including one of just six[1] documented violent (F4–F5) tornadoes in the Chicago metropolitan area since the area was first settled.[2] The F4 tornado that struck Belvidere caused one of the highest tornado-related death tolls in a single school building and was featured in an episode of The Weather Channel's Storm Stories.

 

Oak Lawn–Evergreen Park–Chicago South Side, Illinois

 

The third and final F4 tornado to affect Illinois this day was also the deadliest tornado of the entire outbreak. An intense super cell with a hook echo on weather radar first appeared about 18 miles (29 km) west-northwest of Joliet at 4:45 p.m. CDT. Later, at 5:15 p.m., an employee of the U.S. Weather Bureau observed a rotating wall cloud about 10 miles (16 km) north of Joliet. Minutes later, severe thunderstorm winds blew out windows in a building, though no tornado or funnel cloud had yet occurred.[6] Near the Little Red Schoolhouse, in what is now the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, an observer first noted a funnel cloud to the south, moving east with hail up to .75 inches (19 mm) in diameter—but he was unable to report to the Weather Bureau as his telephone failed to give a dial tone.[6] At 5:24 p.m. CDT, a tornado touched down at the present-day campus of Moraine Valley Community College[4] and moved east-northeast, mainly at 70° heading.[5]

 

As it touched down, the tornado bent power poles and blew down small trees and vegetation, tossing dirt as it went. It then grew in size to 450 feet (150 yd) wide and entered Palos Hills, destroying about five buildings—including two frame homes and a brick home—and snapping trees.[6] Subsequently, the intensifying funnel severely damaged homes and a drive-in theater[4] in a half-block-wide area of the Chicago Ridge.[6]

 

Over the next six minutes, the tornado attained its maximum intensity as it tore a 16.2-mile (26.1 km) (60-mile-per-hour (97 km/h) ground speed) swath of damage through Oak Lawn, Hometown, and Evergreen Park.[4] As it passed through the business district of Oak Lawn, the tornado leveled many homes that were built entirely of brick.[6]

 

In Oak Lawn, the tornado threw 25–40 vehicles from the intersection of Southwest Highway and W. 95th St. (US-12/20),[4] killing 16 people who were stuck in traffic during the rush hour.[3] Partly for that reason, this tornado ended up being the deadliest in the outbreak.[6] As it moved beyond Oak Lawn, the tornado weakened and widened as it caused lighter damage to vegetation, roofs, and garages. It finally moved offshore as a waterspout at Rainbow Beach, producing a wind gust up to 100 miles per hour (160 km/h) at a water filtration plant on the lakefront shore.[6] In all, the tornado killed 33 people, including several children at the Oak Lawn roller skating rink,[7] and injured 1,000. It destroyed 152 homes and damaged 900, causing $50 million in damage. The destroyed buildings included a high school, grocery store, tavern, market, motel, drive-in theater, restaurant, numerous apartments, and two gas stations. Additionally, the tornado caused numerous fires in Oak Lawn which were quickly extinguished.[7]

 

  

-- Page 18

 

"PIECE FOR THE WIND

 

Cut a painting up and let them be lost

in the wind.

 

1962 summer"

  

" PAINTING FOR THE SKIES

to Toshi Ichiyanagi

Drill a hole in the sky.

Cut out a paper the same size

as the hole.

Paste hair over the entire surface

of the paper.

Burn the paper.

The sky should be pure blue.

 

1962 summer"

  

"Yoko Ono performs her work CUT PIECE

at Carnegie Hall

Concept-art, where you can be an Artist, goes

further and involves with the audience as in Ono's CUT

PIECE, where each member of the audience is asked

to come up on the stage one at a time and remove the

performer's clothing with a large pair of tailor's

shears. The performer sits motionless through the

whole operation in a kneeling position until all the

clothing has been removed or everybody has had a

chance to cut, usually about an hour. In contrast to

the rest of the ceoncert which is usually filled with

restlessness in the audience, this piece always takes

place in complete silence, with periods of several

minutes elapsing before the next performer (member

of the audience) gets enough courage to come up on the

stage. Usually only one third of the audience performs

while the rest apparently consider the prospect."

  

-- Page 19

 

"Yoko Ono A + B Painting 1961

Almus Gallery, New York"

  

"Yoko Ono Painting to be Stepped On, 1961

Almus Gallery, New York"

   

-- Page 17

 

"Ono leads in a direction that might be called Concept-Art

   

INSTRUCTIVE AUTO-DESTRUCTION

    

THE FULL MOON hangs over the Lower East Side, its light

shines on paper-littered streets. In the daytime 2nd Avenue

is jammed with traffic and it's possible to look up through

the dust and heat at the sky and imagine what those few

seconds would be like before it came if eternity were to fit.

What an EVENT!

What is an Event and what does it have to do with Art?

Circa 1950: Yoko Ono is sitting around some-place

striking matches. She is observing the significance of a

natural act. Many matches later she finds that by lighting

a match and watching til it has gone out she is making

something that has a shorter existence than herself, and

by comparison is making her life longer.

When people are asked to observe the passage of time

they may feel ill at ease. Is this why we have a term like

auto-destruction? One of Yoko Ono's first events is

called LIGHTING PIECE: 'Light a match and watch

till it goes out.'

1961: her first one-man show in New York, in which

fifteen works were what she calls INSTRUCTUER;

'Something that emerged from instruction and yet not

quite emerged - not quite structured - never quite struc-

tured --- like an unfinished church with a sky ceiling.'

One of these works which was described by a critic as 'a

grimy unstrung canvas with a hole in it' is SMOKE

PAINTING: 'Light canvas or any finished painting with

a cigarettes at any time for any length of time. See the smoke

movement. The painting ends when the whole canvas is

gone.'* For Ono, paintings like Event do end: an ad-

ditional act in life; something to solve the temptation of

insanity.

Other works in her 1961 show were, PAINTING TO

BE STEPPED ON: 'Leave a piece of canvas or finished

painting on the floor or in the street.'* A + B PAINTING;

'Cut out a circle on canvas. A. Place a numeral figure, a

roman letter, or a katakanao on canvas B at an arbitrary

point. Place canvas A on canvas B and hang them together.

The figure on canvas B may show, may show partially, or

may not show. You may use old paintings, photographs, etc.

instead of blank canvases.'* PAINTING FOR THE

WIND: 'Make a hole. Leave it in the wind.'* PAINT-

ING TO SEE THE SKIES: 'Drill two holes into a can-

vas. Hang it where you can see the sky. (Change the place

of hanging. Try both the front and the rear windows, to

see if the skies are different.')* PAINTING TO LET

THE EVENING LIGHT GO THROUGH: 'Hang a

bottle behind a canvas. Place the canvas where the west

light comes in. The painting will exist when the bottle

creates a shadow on the canvas, or it does not have to

exist. The bottle may contain liquor, water, grasshoppers,

ants or singing insects, or it does not have to contain.'*

BLOOD PIECE: 'Use your blood to paint. Keep painting

until you faint (A). Keep painting until you die (B).'*

These and the others in the show were designed to be

done by anybody although at the time it was not apparent

to most observers and as well the works had been made by

Ono, they were regarded as going in one direction only:

purely auto-destructive. Actually all her paintings exist

in two phases. (1) The instruction phase; which may be

compared to a musical composition; written, copywritten,

distributed, and generally at large for anybody to make

(perform) and show (2) the existence of the particular

piece, which generally has some aspect which is in a state

of flux. Sometimes this may be only one-way, sometimes

it may be oscillating, or the piece may just need to be

refuelled, so to speak.

The one aspect which is considered so important in

most painting, the graphic element, or visual design, is

almost never stated except in the vaguest way as in A + B

PAINTING, and like a Swiss Patent, it is never clear

exactly how the formula goes. This is left up to the indi-

vidual who is to construct the work and how he feels about

such things. For the maker of the work and the audience

this opens up all sorts of possibilities. One is able to

observe certain relationships between art and life that are

usually overlooked in purely graphic art. Instead of saying

how the hell did he do that one might say why the hell do

I have to do that. The owner and/or maker of the painting

must continually come to grips with certain problems that

force him to consider what the concept of art is all about.

  

Recently, while the works of hers constructed by various

painters and sculptors were being collected in a gallery

for a show this coming fall, a piece was accidentally sold.

The piece WORD MACHINE #1 SKY MACHINE,

which produces a card with the word 'sky' on it when 25c

is deposited was acquired by Mr. & Mrs. Robert Scull. In

order to complete the sale in the case of this particular

piece it was necessary for Mr. Scull to sign a contract in

which he only received the right to possess the machine

but had to agree that serving of the machine would

remain the right of the maker and the maker would

receive 60% of the proceeds of the sake of 'sky' cards.

The pure iconism of the work is at question. It is a

machine, it has to be cleaned, repaired, cards replaced,

money extracted, in short, handled like crazy and the owner

and the maker have become involved in a continual

bureaucratic even in order to meet the terms of the con-

tract. Her original composition for this work states that

these machines should eventually replace all Coca-cola

and chewing gum machines, etc. everywhere. Immediately

there is a threat on these manmoth industies which have

always been auto-destructive in nature anyway - this

piece is a kind of a parody of them - and pocesses certain

interesting problems as the underworld usually controls

the vending machine operations here in New York. Is

there something wrong with a society that vends art in

machines instead of phosphate? Many agree that the coke

bottole has long been of better use and more valuable than

its contents anyway, and certain artists have even emulated

it in what has come to be known as Pop art.

Ono's work involves many facets and many roots that

are deeply traditional in Eastern and Western thought. In

the East there are traditions that have been obscured by

the advent of the West and one might hope that the reverse

may take place in the West: interbreeding considered

healthful. In Japan it was common and still is to a lesser

degree, to wrap one's lunch in a beautiful package -

intricately embossed gold foil was ideal (there are still

many things we don't know about food) - to contemplate

while eating in the woods; of course the wrapping would

be thrown away ... or for many people to gather with

the express purpose of observing the moon, without any

particular motive scientific or otherwise. This approach is

referred to as 'wabi and sabi' and it is considered that no

clear translation should be available.

In the West Ono relates to that arear referred to by Gene

Swenson as 'The Other Tradiotion'; Duchamp, Ernst,

Cage, Rauschenberg, Johns, etc., and it is interesting that

these men were attracted to her and attended her concerts

and events held in 1959-61 at her loft on Chambers St.

in New York before her return to Tokyo (at one point she

was close to Cage and tourned Japan with him in 1962, but

her music which has been described as 'music of the mind'

is diametrically opposed to his in philosophy and has no

audible sound in the conventional sense.)

What about painting of the mind? One of Ono's works

in her series 'imaginary paintings', is PAINTING TO BE

CONSTRUCTED IN YOUR HEAD: 'Imagine a flower

made of hard material such as gold, silver, stainless

steel, tin, marble, copper, etc. Imagine that the

pedals suddenly become soft like cotton or like living flesh.

In three hours prick all the petals. Save one and press it in a

book. In the margin of the page where the petal is pressed

note the derivation of the petal and the name of the petal.

At least eight hours should be spent in the construction

of the painting.'*

 

ANTHONY COX

New York City, July 4, 1966

   

For this special number of Art and Artists Yoko Ono

contributed the following: AUTO-DESTRUCTIVE

EVENTS; 1 - Dissapearing of snow, 2 - Thinking, 3 -

Dreaming, 4 - Waiting/not waiting, 5 - A wind, 6 -

Travel, 7 - Make wishknots in your head. Forget the

wish.

* reproduced by permission from Grapefruit, published by

Weltinnenraums Press, Box 186, NYC 14 USA."

   

Art and Artists

Volume One, Number Five

August 1966

Edited by Mario Amaya

London: Hansom Books, 1966

   

Private Collection of Mikihiko Hori

 

West of Cologne (Germany), taken inflight; one can clearly perceive the huge terraces cascading down to the "Brown Gold" and how the coal is being transported out of this surface mine. Slowly, this giant monster engulfs small villages that need to be relocated, changing the face of the environment forever. 17% of Germany's energy is still being generated through coal!

 

Here is a Google Map of this area, from "higher up":

www.satellite-sightseer.com/id/2191/Germany//Juelich_Hamb...

 

Says Wikipedia in German: "Die Gewinnung von Braunkohle im Tagebau ist mit einem immensen Flächenverbrauch verbunden. Um Lagerstätten, entsprechend dem Deutschen Bergrecht, möglichst vollständig hereingewinnen zu können, werden bisweilen ganze Dörfer umgesiedelt, was zu Konfliktpotenzial mit der Bevölkerung führen kann (siehe auch Liste abgebaggerter Ortschaften). Unter Umständen werden auch ökologisch wertvolle Gebiete zerstört."

 

Here's a very revealing, critical article about the destructive nature of mining in Hambach, albeit in German:

www.bund-nrw.de/themen_und_projekte/braunkohle/tagebaue_i...

Last night some creature of such destructive force that it could only have been a raccoon visited the yard. This afternoon I discovered huge areas of moss ripped from the rocks around the pond, rotten logs torn open (I suppose to look for insects), hummingbird feeders vandalized in peculiar ways, and other raccoon-like mischief. But, none of the birds seem to mind. Today I saw the first pine siskin babies of the year, and I somehow forgot to mention that for a few days I've seen baby golden crowned kinglets in considerable numbers. I think this is the first year I've seen either in the yard. Wilson's warbler and columbine, backyard Olympia.

 

Note (5.19.2018): Saw the first baby towhee of the season, very awkwardly taking what I image was its first bath. I may have to post a series of baby bird photos soon.

 

Note (5.21.2018): Saw the first baby robin of the season.

To we Brits, the Avro Vulcan, much like Concorde, represents a myriad of feelings both of praise and disdain. An engineering marvel from the 1950's, and a symbol of global annihilation, the Vulcan is one of those aircraft with a love/hate relationship, but today among crowds resounds true British innovation and technological might in a time of darkness.

 

It hadn't been 10 years since the end of World War II when such an aircraft had been conceived, and the world had been plunged into yet another war, only this one much more sinister and much greater in scale. The Cold War of 1947 was not a battle of tanks and men, but of words and spies, and the new threat of global destruction through nuclear strikes and bombings. The true destructive power of the Atom Bomb had been demonstrated by the United States on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing hundreds of thousands of people and causing widespread devastation. Very soon the nuclear bomb had become the ultimate accessory of warfare, and although the B-29's that delivered the original deadly payload against Japan were capable aircraft, the advent of larger bombs and the coming of the jet age meant that a new breed of aircraft had to be constructed to deliver these instruments of Armageddon. As such, the capitalist powers of NATO and the Soviet led powers of the Warsaw Pact devised a slew of jet powered monstrosities to carry out this world-ending task. The United States developed the B-47 Stratojet and B-52 Stratofortress, the Soviet Union built the Tupolev Tu-16 Badger and Tu-95 Bear, whilst we here in Britain created a trio of V-Bombers, the Handley Page Victor, the Vickers Valiant, and the crown prince of destruction, the Avro Vulcan.

 

Planning of the aircraft itself goes back to 1946 with the proposal of the British Atomic Weapon Programme and Nuclear Deterrent policies, which not only gave the go-ahead to the development of better nuclear weapons, but also aircraft on which to carry them. As such, in January 1947, the Ministry of Supply distributed Specification B.35/46 to UK aviation companies to satisfy Air Staff Operational Requirement OR.229 for "a medium range bomber landplane capable of carrying one 10,000 lb (4,500 kg) bomb to a target 1,500 nautical miles (1,700 mi; 2,800 km) from a base which may be anywhere in the world." The aircraft would have to have a cruising speed upward of 500 knots and a cruising altitude of between 35,000 and 50,000ft. Whilst Handley Page and Vickers set off to create their own designs, Avro technical director Roy Chadwick and chief designer Stuard Davies led the project under designation Avro 698.

 

The desire was to create an aircraft that could fill the specified payload capabilities, but at the same time be faster than other contemporary bombers. Investigations into German swept-wing aircraft such as the prototype Horten Ho 229 helped design what would later be known as the Delta Wing, intended to bring the aircraft as close as possible to that mysterious entity known as the Sound Barrier. Whilst other bombers such as the B-52 and Badger were comparatively slow and lumbering, requiring fighter escorts to carry out their mission, the future Vulcan's design was to make the aircraft as fast as possible so as to outrun contemporary interceptors of the era. Prototypes began with 1949's Avro 707, a proof-of-concept aircraft to show that the Delta Wing concept worked in practice, of which 5 examples were built. These craft were essentially ⅓-scale versions of what was designated under Avro as the 698.

 

Upon successful testing of the 707, the 698 went into prototypical production, and a contract was made with Rolls Royce and Bristol to design engines, which came in the form of the Bristol BE.10 Olympus, later to be known as the Rolls Royce Olympus. Designed back in 1947, the Olympus was originally designed for Bristol's own version of the Vulcan, but after the contract was handed to Avro, the production continued. Several engines were considered, starting with the Rolls Royce Avon engine, and later the Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire ASSa.6, both being tested on prototype Vulcan VX770, which would later become a testbed aircraft for the Rolls Royce Conway engines fitted to later Vickers VC10 Jet Airliners. Olympus engines however were preferred for the much greater amounts of thrust, with early examples providing 10,000lbf, although this would later rise to 20,000lbf on the production Vulcans. Four of these engines were fitted to the aircraft, giving an overall thrust of 80,000lbf, pushing the aircraft to just short of the Sound Barrier at Mach 0.96, or 645mph.

 

In terms of armament, the Vulcan was not intended to be able to defend itself in air-to-air combat, using its aforementioned speed to evade pursuers and anti-aircraft fire. As such, the aircraft's main weaponry was its payload, which could include 21 x 1,000lb conventional air-raid bombs, or one of any of the contemporary nuclear gravity bombs, including the pioneer British nuclear weapon, the Blue Danube bomb, and the later Red Beard and Yellow Sun designs.

 

With all developments completed, the aircraft was christened the name Vulcan, the ancient Roman God of Fire, by far the most terrifying name you could put on a nuclear bomber. Don't get me wrong, B-52 and B-47 sound very military and technical, and NATO codewords for Soviet aircraft such as Badger and Bear sound quite fearsome, but Vulcan and its connotations to the God of Fire truly does make this aircraft sound like the bringer of an inferno! The first prototype made its first flight on August 30th, 1952, fitted with the original Rolls Royce Avon engines, this being followed by a selection of other test flights throughout 1953 using differing engines and additional improvements such as extra fuel tanks in the wing. Two prototypes, VX770 and VX777 were tested between 1952 and 1956, being outshopped in RAF gloss white paint. The first production Vulcan left the ground in February 1955, whilst the second production model dazzled crowds at the 1955 Farnborough Airshow with a spectacular barrel roll, for which the pilot, Roland Falk, was disciplined by the Civil Aviation Authority for performing such a move!

 

Proposals were made to sell these aircraft abroad, but no offers sadly materialised, many Commonwealth countries, such as Australia, choosing instead to buy the later F-111C Starfighters of the USA. September 1956 saw the first Avro Vulcan officially handed over to the RAF, this aircraft being Vulcan B.1 XA897. As part of a goodwill tour, the aircraft flew around the world to the colonies of the British Empire, but ended in tragedy when the aircraft crash landed in bad weather at London Heathrow at the end of the tour on October 1st, 1956. 230 Squadron, Operational Conversion Unit, were the first to receive the Vulcan, later deployed with 83 Squadron in May 1957. In all, 134 of these aircraft were built in two variants, the original B.1, and the latterly improved B.2, which debuted in 1954 with improved electronic countermeasures and the much more powerful Rolls Royce Olympus engines. Proposals were made for a myriad of other variations, including a Missile Carrier and a Delta Winged Jet Airliner. None of these ever went to the prototype stage, although much of the design behind the Vulcan was used to develop the world's first and only supersonic passenger airline, the Bae/Aerospatiale Concorde, in yet another situation where innovations in the world of Military Supremacy have resulted in Civilian Progress.

 

The Vulcan however never did truly find itself in the combat situation it was designed to confront. As the 1960's and 70's wore on the aircraft's role in the possible future nuclear war never happened, and the aircraft spent much of its time simply doing exercises and strategic reconnaissance patrols over Soviet territory. Before the 1960's had finished the original and fearsome V-Bomber force had largely been disbanded from its nuclear role, with the Valiant being retired in 1965 due to prominent fatigue and inter-crystalline corrosion, and the Victor being converted into aerial refuelling tankers in 1969.

 

The only time the Vulcan was ever used in anger against an enemy was in the 1982 Falklands War in the audacious operation known as Black Buck. After the Argentine invasion of the British owned Falklands, a task force was sent to reclaim them, and the plan of Operation Black Buck was to disable the airport at Port Stanley to stop the Argentinian forces from using it as a base for fighter jets. The operation involved a Vulcan flying to the Ascension Islands, then onwards to the Falklands in a non-stop, 6,800 nautical mile air raid. Using squadrons of strategically placed Victor Tankers, the first raid, led by Vulcan XM607, would have 11 Victor tankers refuel one another before the furthest Victor would refuel the Vulcan over the mid-Atlantic. The Vulcan then proceeded to Port Stanley on the Falkland Islands, unleashing its payload of twenty-one 1000lb bombs on the airport before escaping north to a planned rendezvous with a Victor some way off the coast of Rio de Janeiro. Although the damage to the runway was not enough to stop use of the airport, it did show the true capabilities of these mighty aircraft, and took the enemy completely by surprise.

 

This however was not enough to keep the Vulcans alive, and as the 80's dragged on it was clear this tired design mixed with new aircraft and the advent of satellite guided inter-continental ballistic missiles such as Trident had spelled the end for conventional air raids such as those the Vulcan was meant to carry out. After nearly 30 years of devoted service, the Vulcan's were retired in March 1984. Happily though, 18 aircraft have been preserved across the world, of which one example, XH558, remained airworthy for airshows until October 2015 when it was finally retired for good, bringing an end to this magnificent aircraft's time in the air.

 

With the passing of the Vulcan into history though, we can reflect however on its life and times, the fact that such aircraft, instruments of war and destruction, have become such symbols of joy and British engineering. Built during a time when we all thought we'd wake up and be atomized, today the fear of nuclear destruction has passed, the Cold War has passed, and now we can see the Vulcan for what it really is, a marvel of 1950's British engineering, conceived in a time when trains still ran on coal and hot water!

Sakura Haruno (春野サクラ, Haruno Sakura) is a main character in the anime and manga series Naruto.

 

The name Haruno means "spring" and Sakura means "cherry blossom", which is cherished in Japan due to its beauty and almost tragically short life span (cherry blossoms have historically been associated with samurai). In Japanese, Haru no Sakura means "cherry blossom of spring", which may be an origin of the name.

 

In the June 2006 issue of the American version of Shonen Jump, Masashi Kishimoto (in the voice of Kakashi) stated that Sakura would make the best ninja instructor and that "she has flaws in her personality, like stalking Sasuke, but Sakura is the closest to being normal". Background

 

Sakura Haruno is a member of Kakashi Hatake's Team 7, originally consisting of herself, Naruto Uzumaki, and Sasuke Uchiha. Contrary to her teammates, Sakura did not experience any kind of tragedy during her childhood, however she was picked on. Because of this, she takes for granted things Naruto and Sasuke wish they had, most particularly a loving parent. Sakura's favorite foods are syrup-coated anko dumplings and umeboshi, with her least favorite being anything spicy. Her favorite phrases are "courage" (勇気, Yūki) and "Hell yeah!" (しゃーんなろー, Shannaro!; English TV "Cha!"). Sakura's parents have never been revealed in the manga or anime, however her mother's voice was heard in episode 3 of the anime, and again in 53. Personality

 

At the start of the series, Sakura has a deep infatuation for Sasuke, rooted primarily in his good looks, cunning, cool attitude, and prodigious talents. Because of this, many of Sakura's early appearances are dedicated to her continuing effort to win his affection. As time progressed, and she began to know Sasuke more as a teammate instead of the cool, mysterious boy she had a crush on, she both grew to care for him as a person who needed her and began to fear that he would eventually leave her in his quest for power. When Sasuke finally defects from Konoha, Sakura offers to join him in his self destructive quest for revenge rather than leave his side, an offer Sasuke refuses. She has since joined Naruto in his quest to bring Sasuke back, even adopting Naruto's notion to use force to bring him back to Konoha.

 

Sakura's relationship with Naruto Uzumaki, like with Sasuke, also changes throughout the series. Despite Naruto's crush on her, Sakura, as with the rest of the village, saw Naruto as a burden, and was less than enthusiastic at being assigned to the same team as him. Due to his attempts to win her heart, which in turn ruins her chances to win Sasuke's, Sakura viewed Naruto as a talentless idiot out to ruin her life. However, similar to Sasuke, as they spent more time together as teammates, Sakura came to realize that her initial view of Naruto was wrong. When Sasuke defected from Konoha, she turns to Naruto believing him to be the only one able to bring Sasuke back. As such Naruto would in turn dedicate his next mission and 2½ years of training to fulfill this promise, and better himself to fight the Akatsuki. After the failed Retrieval mission, Sakura resolves that she will be there for Naruto from now on. By Part II, when she learns the extent of the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox's relationship with Naruto, and the Akatsuki's goal to capture Naruto she has grown a desire to protect Naruto herself. Yamato has seen that Sakura feels something more for Naruto, however he was interrupted by a waking Naruto and said to Sakura: "It's not what you do for Naruto that counts, but the strength of your feelings. Hmph, Sakura, I can tell just by looking at you...In reality you"[1] Yamato was not the only one to realize Sakura's feelings for Naruto, Sai has also brought up the subject before on their way to retrieve Sasuke. Subconsciously, Sakura seems to be continually drawing herself closer to Naruto.

 

Within Sakura resides "Inner Sakura," a manifestation of her inner emotions.Inner Sakura represents Sakura's actual opinion on things when she outwardly displays something opposite. Inner Sakura's appearances are typically marked by an exclamation of "Shānnarō!" (しゃーんなろー). The phrase has no literal meaning, but is usually translated as "Hell yeah!", "Hell no!", or "Damn it!", depending on the situation. The English anime, for censorship reasons replaced the aforementioned phrases with a forceful "Cha!" Inner Sakura is unique as it is in a way a second will within Sakura's mind. When the Mind Body Switch Technique was used on her, Inner Sakura was able to repel the user from her body, suggesting that inner Sakura is a split personality, as Sakura comments she is a girl with "two minds". Although she appears quite frequently at the start of the series, Inner Sakura all but disappears midway through Part I, and rarely appears in Part II. The reason behind this is that she no longer needs to hide her true feelings or reactions behind a fake smile, finally allowing herself to truly say whats on her mind. However, because Inner Sakura usually possessed somewhat violent reaction to things, Sakura is prone to violent outbursts which is not helped by a her chakra- enhanced strength.

 

As a ninja Sakura felt as though she was in the background, not being able to help anybody. Then in the chunin exams she made a resolution not to let anybody down and to be in the front line instead of falling behind. She kept this resolution when she asked Tsunade if she could become her apprentice after the mission to retrieve Sasuke failed in order to make herself better as a ninja and a person. After training hard for two and a half years she has finally been able to pull her own weight and creating a strong desire to protect her comrades. She has made herself stronger through her training with and still won't give up on saving Sasuke and Naruto. While Sakura does have a very strong personality in her, she also has a softer side.

 

Another large part of Sakura's personality has to do with her friendship and rivalry with Ino Yamanaka. During her early years in the Academy, Sakura was frequently bullied by others due to her large forehead. To try and combat this, Sakura used her bangs to hide her forehead, fueling the other kids' teasing by indicating she was sensitive about it. Ino Yamanaka, realizing this, gave Sakura a ribbon to accent her face and help Sakura overcome her phobia about her forehead. As such, the two became good friends and Sakura was in time able to develop her own unique personality thanks to Ino. Despite this, Sakura felt she was living in Ino's shadow and longed to be able to prove herself as Ino's equal. When it later became clear that both were infatuated with Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura ended their friendship so that the two could properly compete for Sasuke's affection, thus beginning a bitter rivalry between the two.

 

Later, during the Chunin exams the two rekindle their friendship after fighting on equal levels but still consistently argue over guys. They mainly fight over Sasuke. Appearence

 

Sakura is said to be very attractive, as shown by Naruto and Lee's crush on her. She has bright pink hair and green eyes. Masashi Kishimoto has stated in an interview that Sakura was supposed to be "cute", but has also said that, because of his inexperiance in drawing female characters, she was "far from cute" at the beginning of the series. He and his staff agreed that she's become cuter through the series.

 

Sakura's outfit has changed in the series. At the beginning, Sakura wore a red dress, that bears strong resemblance to a Chinese qipao dress, with white circular designs (possibly her clan symbol), the traditional dark blue forehead protector which she used to accent her face, and dark green shorts. The shorts became shorter and tighter as the series progressed in order to show Sakura was becoming more active. Sakura aquired a new outfit during the timeskip consisting of tight black shorts, the heeled sandals Tsunade and Shizune wear(knee-high), and a light-colored pinkish apron. (Notably, Rin is also depicted wearing this apron.) Her forehead protector has changed to red in color. She was also designed with the same basic red top as in Part I. She now also wears black gloves and pinkish elbow protectors with this outfit.

 

Another notable trait of Sakura's appearence is her hair. At the series start, Sakura's hair was grown very long. (When she was young, there was a rumor that Sasuke Uchiha was attracted to girls with long hair.) After Sakura was forced to protect the unconscious bodies of Sasuke and Naruto after their battle with Orochimaru, Kin Tsuchi grabbed Sakura's hair and taunted her for paying more attention to her appearance than practicing her jutsu. Kin kept Sakura captive, holding her tightly by the hair and forcing her to watch Zaku attack Sasuke. This caused Sakura to cut her hair to release Kin's hold on her, and determinedly attacking Team Dosu with a new goal of surpassing her teammates. Sakura kept her new, shoulder-length hair style for the rest of the series. Survival Test arc

 

Upon being assigned as a member of Team 7, Sakura spent much her time trying to appeal to Sasuke despite the fact that Sasuke had no interest in her and had a habit of belittling her. All the while, Naruto tried to appeal to Sakura, despite the fact that she had no interest in him and degraded him whenever given the opportunity. As such, when Kakashi administered a test on the three to see if they would be allowed to become Genin, Sakura preoccupied herself with following Sasuke instead of helping Naruto. After Kakashi lectured Sakura for this as well as Naruto and Sasuke for their respective faults, Sakura realized that if they are to become Genin, they would need to work as a team, even if that meant breaking the rules. This revelation having been the goal of the test, Kakashi passed the three, Team 7 being the first group to have ever passed his test. Wave Country arc

 

When Team 7 set out on their first mission to the Land of Waves, Sakura was left in charge of protecting Tazuna while Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi fought the enemy. When Sasuke appeared to have died in battle, Sakura violated Shinobi Rule #25 of not showing any kind of emotions by crying for Sasuke's loss even as she recited it. When Sasuke turned out to have only been in a death-trance, Sakura was relieved that he was alive. Once their mission was completed, Team 7 returned to Konoha In the preliminary matches of the exam, Sakura was pitted against Ino. After Sakura and Ino exchanged insults, Ino followed Sakura's earlier example and cut her hair, leading Sakura to believe that Ino had lost her mind. In actuality, Ino cut her hair to help her in battle; by sending chakra into her cut hair, Ino was able to tie Sakura in place, allowing her slow moving Mind Body Switch Technique to have no difficulties in finding its target. After taking control of Sakura's body, Ino tried to force Sakura to forfeit, though Inner Sakura stopped Ino before she could do so and forced Ino from her body. With both girls exhausted from the amount of effort they'd been putting into their fight, Ino and Sakura charged at each other to deal final blows. Striking each other simultaneously, both were knocked out, leading to a draw. As the two recovered, Ino and Sakura began to rekindle their friendship.

 

Survival Test arc

 

Upon being assigned as a member of Team 7, Sakura spent much her time trying to appeal to Sasuke despite the fact that Sasuke had no interest in her and had a habit of belittling her. All the while, Naruto tried to appeal to Sakura, despite the fact that she had no interest in him and degraded him whenever given the opportunity. As such, when Kakashi administered a test on the three to see if they would be allowed to become Genin, Sakura preoccupied herself with following Sasuke instead of helping Naruto. After Kakashi lectured Sakura for this as well as Naruto and Sasuke for their respective faults, Sakura realized that if they are to become Genin, they would need to work as a team, even if that meant breaking the rules. This revelation having been the goal of the test, Kakashi passed the three, Team 7 being the first group to have ever passed his test.

[edit] Wave Country arc

 

When Team 7 set out on their first mission to the Land of Waves, Sakura was left in charge of protecting Tazuna while Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi fought the enemy. When Sasuke appeared to have died in battle, Sakura violated Shinobi Rule #25 of not showing any kind of emotions by crying for Sasuke's loss even as she recited it. When Sasuke turned out to have only been in a death-trance, Sakura was relieved that he was alive. Once their mission was completed, Team 7 returned to Konoha.

[edit] Chunin Exam arc

 

During the written portion of the Chunin Exams, Sakura was one of the few Genin capable of answering the test's questions without cheating. Realizing that Naruto wasn't smart enough to answer the questions correctly or think of cheating, Sakura contemplated disqualifying Team 7 so that Naruto didn't need to. She thought about Naruto's dream of becoming Hokage, and she smiled and said that she didn't want his dream to die. When Naruto proclaimed that he won't back down from the test, Sakura decided against it, and Team 7 passed.

 

Soon after the start of the second phase of the Chunin Exams, Team 7 was attacked by Orochimaru. Although Naruto and Sasuke did their best to defeat Orochimaru, both were rendered unconscious and Sakura was left to take care of them. When they were attacked by a group of Sound Genin sent by Orochimaru to kill Sasuke, Sakura tried to defeat them with some traps she had preprepared, though the group easily avoided her efforts. Just as the Sound Genin were about to turn their attention to Sakura, Rock Lee came to her rescue, determined to protect Sakura at all costs. Despite using techniques he was forbidden to use, Lee was defeated and the Sound Genin again turned their attention to Sakura. Kin Tsuchi immobilized Sakura by grabbing her hair, scolding her for putting more effort in her looks than her abilities as a ninja. Distraught that people were always fighting for her because she couldn't fight for herself, Sakura resolved to better herself as a ninja. Cutting off her hair to release herself from Kin's grasp, Sakura did what she could to fend off the Sound Genin, even going so far as biting to make sure that she couldn't be easily repelled. This display spurred Ino and her team into coming to Sakura's aid, allowing the latter to rest. An unconscious Sasuke re-awakened after receiving Orochimaru's cursed mark, and asked Sakura who injured her. Quickly overcome by his new cursed mark, he began a violent rampage on the sound nins who were present. Frightened by his new behavior, a tearful Sakura rushed to his side and wrapped her arms around him, begging him to stop. Her tearful words and embrace got through to him, and his cursed seal quickly receded.

Sakura fighting Ino during her preliminary match

Sakura fighting Ino during her preliminary match

 

In the preliminary matches of the exam, Sakura was pitted against Ino. After Sakura and Ino exchanged insults, Ino followed Sakura's earlier example and cut her hair, leading Sakura to believe that Ino had lost her mind. In actuality, Ino cut her hair to help her in battle; by sending chakra into her cut hair, Ino was able to tie Sakura in place, allowing her slow moving Mind Body Switch Technique to have no difficulties in finding its target. After taking control of Sakura's body, Ino tried to force Sakura to forfeit, though Inner Sakura stopped Ino before she could do so and forced Ino from her body. With both girls exhausted from the amount of effort they'd been putting into their fight, Ino and Sakura charged at each other to deal final blows. Striking each other simultaneously, both were knocked out, leading to a draw. As the two recovered, Ino and Sakura began to rekindle their friendship.

 

When the invasion of Konoha began, Sakura was one of the few Genin present who was able to repel the sleep inducing Genjutsu, in large part due to her control over her own chakra. Because of this, Sakura was assigned by Kakashi to wake Naruto so that they could follow Sasuke. Upon catching up with Sasuke, Sakura protected him from Gaara's attacks, though Gaara used his sand to immobilize her. As the sand slowly suffocated Sakura, Naruto fought to defeat Gaara, determined to save her. He succeeded, and Sakura was freed. Sasuke Retrieval arc

 

When Sasuke attempted to abandon Konoha so that he could go to Orochimaru for power, Sakura met him at the village's exit. Realizing what he was trying to do, Sakura did what she could to stop him. She admitted that he always acted like he hated her and revealed that he rarely spoke to her. Hastily, she professed her love for him and offering to help him in his quest for power, so long as she could be with him. Sasuke then turned to her, smirking, and told her that she was annoying. To Sasuke, Sakura had not changed from their first day as a team and still failed to understand what loneliness is. Sakura threatened to scream and alert the village of his betrayal, and Sasuke, apparently affected in some way by her concern, gave her a simple "thank you" before knocking her unconscious and leaving the village.

 

When Naruto set out the next day to retrieve Sasuke, Sakura begged for him to bring Sasuke back, believing Naruto to be the only person who could get through to Sasuke. Naruto, looking at the crying Sakura, promised her that he would bring Sasuke back, making it his promise to her for a lifetime. Naruto assured her that he understood her pain, reminding Sakura of what she had said to Naruto (while he was impersonating Sasuke) near the beginning of the series. This brought more tears as Sakura realized that Naruto knew how she felt and how he was always there for her and would always be there.

 

After Naruto failed to bring Sasuke back and lies in a hospital bed, he apologized to Sakura for failing to bring back Sasuke and asserted that he will definitely keep his promise. Sakura regarded Naruto and saw his injuries and determination. She thought about how little she had done. Inspired by Naruto's determination, she replied that next time they would retrieve Sasuke together and would be there for him from now on, then asked Tsunade to become her apprentice, a request to which Tsunade happily accepted. Part ||

 

After Naruto's 2½ year training Sakura was one of the villagers to greet him. She flirtingly asked him if she looked any different, though in complete ignorance to her reason, remarked she looked exactly the same. Not long afterwards she displayed some of what she gained from her training with Tsunade when she punched Naruto for attempting to reveal a new perverted technique that was designed to put the Sexy Technique to shame. Kakashi would gather the two remaining members of Team Kakashi together for another bell test, in which Naruto and Sakura had to work together to retrieve the bells. Again Sakura shocked Naruto, and Kakashi as well by displaying her excellent chakra-enhanced strength. But even then it wasn't enough to slow down Kakashi. It was only Naruto's plan to spoil the latest entry of Jiraiya's book did they manage to get past Kakashi's Sharingan. Rescue Gaara arc

 

When Gaara was kidnapped by the Akatsuki, Team 7 was sent to help in rescuing him. After arriving in Sunagakure, Sakura was sent in immediately to help save Kankuro. Just in the nick of time Sakura used a highly advanced technique to save him and used the poison she extracted to make three antidotes. As Team 7 set out to pursue Gaara's captors, they were joined by Chiyo. After finding Gaara, Sakura and Chiyo battled an Akatsuki member Sasori, while Naruto and Kakashi follow his partner, Deidara. By guiding her as a puppet, Chiyo was able to help Sakura in avoiding Sasori's poisoned attacks, allowing Sakura to use her superior strength to destroy Sasori's puppets. As the battle progressed Sasori summoned a puppet of the Third Kazekage, which could create iron sand, and Sakura's strength was really put to the test. While fighting the Third Kazekage puppet, Sakura began to pick up on Sasori's movements and dodging his attacks. Even Chiyo was impressed with how quickly Sakura picked up on Sasori's attacks and stated that Sakura was doing well without her help. Sakura was able to destroy the Kazekage puppet by feigning unconsciousness and then using her insane strength to destroy the puppet when Sasori moved the puppet in to insure the kill. After this, Sakura displayed her considerable Taijutsu skills by destroying many of the puppets in Sasori's Performance of a Hundred Puppets Technique while Chiyo was busy controlling her Ten Puppet Collection of Chikamatsu Technique. When Sasori tried to kill Chiyo, Sakura used herself as a human shield and was stabbed to protect her, giving Chiyo the opportunity to stab Sasori through the heart. Even as Sasori stabbed her through the stomach Sakura began healing her wounds while the sword was still in her body. Despite her healing ability, Sakura's wound was too great and she didn't have enough chakra to heal herself fully. Chiyo used her Resurrection Technique on Sakura but because Sakura was not dead yet, Chiyo didn't have to give all of her life-energy to complete the resurrection. Before Sasori died, he rewards Sakura for her survival by telling her of a spy within Orochimaru's ranks that he was scheduled to meet in ten days from that day. As Chiyo surrendered the rest of her energy to perform the Resurrection technique to save Gaara, she said to Sakura not to give her life for an old woman and that someday she would surpass her master as a female ninja. Team 7 returned to Konoha, and now had an opportunity to find Sasuke with Sakura's newfound information. Sasuke and Sai arc

Sakura's alternate outfit in Part II

Sakura's alternate outfit in Part II

 

After returning to Konoha, Kakashi was left bedridden, leaving Yamato to lead in his stead. Sai was also added to the team as Sasuke's replacement, though Sai's insults towards his predecessor caused conflict amongst the team. The meeting with the spy turned out to be a trap and Naruto was left heavily injured in his battle with Orochimaru. Sakura was simply shocked by Naruto's transformation and remembered how all that Naruto was doing is to keep his promise to her. When Kabuto commented on how this is now a fight between monsters and not shinobi, Sakura tightly placed her hand over her heart and ran after Naruto trying to stop and save him, but Naruto in his four-tailed form attacked Sakura with a single swipe of his tail, causing the poison from the demon fox's chakra to harm her, but Kabuto healed her, saying that they both want to get rid of the Akatsuki. After Yamato supressed the demon fox's chakra from Naruto, which made him unconscious, Sakura healed his wounds, asking Yamato if there was anything else she could learn to be of more use in protecting Naruto. Yamato realized that Sakura wanted to be there for Naruto, so he reminded her that its the strength of her feelings for Naruto that counts. While Yamato was going to suggest that she felt something more for him, Naruto woke up before he could finish. After the group navigated their way to Orochimaru's hideout, they found Sasuke after much searching of the lair. Uninterested in returning to Konoha, Sasuke attacked the team, and Sakura did what she could to stop him. Despite their efforts, Sasuke managed to escape, and Team 7 returned to Konoha. Seeing Naruto devastated by his escape, she promised to get stronger along side him, in which she helped Naruto to get out of his sudden stage of depression. Fire Temple Filler arc

 

While watching Naruto continue his training and helping out by making him food pills, Sakura was ordered to go to the Fire Temple with her team. When their guide to the temple was late, Sakura joined Yamato in searching for him. After finding Chiriku, the leader of the Fire Temple, Sakura and Yamato found Naruto fighting against a young monk named Sora.

 

At the Fire Temple Sakura and her team were told about near-extinct Twelve Ninja Guardian and how one of deceased member's corpse was stolen. She found it very selfish six of the members were will to start a pointless war against Konoha simply to further their power in the Fire Country. Sakura and her team later went in pursuit of three other Ninja guardian corpses. Unfortunately, Sakura and the others found themselves trapped in a giant rock canyon. Inside, Sakura was seperated from her team and attacked by a giant spider. She fortunately was saved by Sai. She and Sai then went to find Naruto, who was at the mercy of Fuka's soul absorbing power (although Sakura furiously thought Naruto was making out with the enemy).

 

Later during the attack on Konoha, Sakura did her part as medical ninja, healing all injured people she came across until she was told to aid Asuma at the power plant. There she discovered that the four lightning chakra users of the Ninja Guardians were resurrected to use the dreaded Limelight jutsu. She was then orderd by Asuma to stop one of the four. She was intercepted by Fuen who trapped her in a unique Genjutsu. However, Sakura had already analyzed Fuen's attack patterns and deviced a counter-manuever. She then tricked Fuen into revealing herself, allowing Sakura to strike her hard. She then ridiculed Fuen for not knowing her own limitations before finishing her off with a ground crushing punch, causing Fuen's defensive barrier around Konoha to disappear.

 

After discovering that her intended Ninja Guardian target turned into dirt, she rushed back to help Asuma. There she found that Sora was infused with some of the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox's chakra and was being controlled by it. While wanting to help, Naruto told Sakura to stay back. After Naruto managed to save Sora, Sakura immediately went to work healing Naruto. Sakura came to Team 10's aid in their fight against Akatsuki members Hidan and Kakuzu. Because Shikamaru Nara was separated from the rest of the group, Sai and Sakura were sent as backup for him, though upon arrival they found that Shikamaru had already defeated his opponent. Having not taken part in the battle, Sakura returned to Konoha with the others, and later healed the damage to Naruto's arm from the use of his new jutsu. Later, Sakura joined Naruto and Sai at the Ichiraku Ramen Bar. Naruto had diffuculty eating and Sakura remembers touching words Naruto said to her. Based on this she offered to feed him. Naruto becomes greatly excited by this. Then Sai started feeding him instead to which Naruto furiously reminded Sai that if he should try that again he should be aware of the intimate moment Sakura and him were having.

Sakura heals Naruto's broken arm (because of the RasenShuriken).

Sakura heals Naruto's broken arm (because of the RasenShuriken).

 

As they left they encounter Konohamaru (in anime, alongside with Udon and Moegi), who demonstrated some of his newly created perverted jutsu for Naruto, who having not grown out of his perversion, reacted in a way similar to Jiraiya. Although she berated Naruto and Konohamaru for their practice of creating perverted jutsu, she fell prey to Konohamaru's Sexy: Double Knockout Guys Technique, which took the form of a naked Sasuke and Sai in a suggestive embrace and reacted like Naruto did. Shocked at how she reacted, she tried to dismiss her outburst, but the others were unbelieving. Three Tails Arrival Filler Arc

 

Sakura, Sai, and Yamato are ready to go and back up Kakashi and the others, but they're waiting for Naruto, which is taking too long because he's training with Gamakichi and Gantetsu. Eventually, she loses her patience and retrieves him herself.

 

Later, Sakura and the rest of her team find that the area Team 8 is located in has been surrounded by crystal. She stands back and watches in amazement that at Naruto's new synchronizing jutsu with Gamatatsu that demolishes it. Hunt for Uchiha

 

When news reached Konoha that Sasuke had killed Orochimaru and left Otogakure, Sakura and Naruto were the first to join Kakashi's 8-Man Squad and began the hunt. During her search, she barely missed a member of Sasuke's Team Hawk, Karin, and followed Deidara's suicide explosion to regroup. When Kiba caught Sasuke's scent, the group followed until they encountered Deidara's former partner, Tobi. Post Hunt for Uchiha

 

Sakura was present when Jiraiya's death was revealed to Naruto. Naruto then blamed his death on Tsunade, which Kakashi scolded him for his disrespect. Naruto stormed off and Sakura asked him where he was going but was stopped by Tsunade who told her to give Naruto time to deal with Jiraiya's death. Afterwards, she then tried to convince Shikamaru to help Tsunade figure out Jiraiya's code. Later, when Naruto was pestering Tsunade about the autopsy reports, Sakura told Naruto about the delicacy of the autopsies and mentioned that since Shizune was leading it, it would go fast. As Naruto was about to go pester her to speed it up, Sakura declared she'd never forgive him if he bugged Shizune. Sakura was then shocked to hear Naruto announce that he will avenge Jiraiya and that he refuses to wait around. Sakura, trying to help Tsunade and Naruto in any way she could, was then assigned with Shikamaru and [Shiho]] to figure out what the code meant and how it could unlock a way to defeat the mysterious Pain. Invasion of Pain arc

 

After hearing an explosion from the Code-breakers department, Shikamaru and Sakura headed towards the location. She then killed Pain's huge centipede summon with a single punch, by which other ninja were impressed. She went over to the girl who would've been crushed by the centipede and healed her knee. Iruka came over and told her what was going on, to which she was shocked that the Akatsuki would attack directly. Sakura then headed towards Konoha Hospital to treat the injured, which was starting to fill up. While at the hospital, Sakura was having trouble healing the amount of patients flowing in. After Pain unleashes Shinra Tensei, Sakura was saved by Katsuyu only to see the devastation of what Pain's jutsu had done to Konoha. Shocked and stunned, Sakura cried as she called for Naruto's return. Naruto returned moments later and Sakura was helped by a member of the Hyuga clan to see what was happening. She was relieved, happy, and greatly impressed by what the Hyuga told her about Naruto. Sakura later heals Tsunade while telling her she did great. Abilities

 

At the start of the series, Sakura's only defining characteristic is her intelligence, largely due to her interest in memorizing things and the taking of quizzes while in the Academy. Because of this, Sakura has shown to have very keen talent for observation and analyzing. Through this, she can easily see through most deceptions and misdirections an opponent may use on her.

 

However, as she has focus so much on her book studies, it had greatly affected her physical performance. While in the academy, she excelled in basic practice of Ninjutsu and kunoichi training, her prowess on the actual field of combat was much weaker. Her stamina and fighting skills were below average. However, as the series continue Sakura’s abilities grows as she becomes the apprentice to Tsunade. Chakra Control

 

Soon after the start of her first mission, however, Sakura discovers that she has an excellent control over her chakra, and as such she has an innate ability to use jutsu to their maximum efficiency without wasting any chakra. While this particular ability is never put to great use in Part I. In the fight against Ino during the Chunin preliminaries, she was able to create two clones, which confused Ino, send chakra to her feet for bursts of speed, and attack Ino at pin-point timing.

 

Her chakra control becomes a focal point of Sakura's fighting style in Part II, as it helps her control chakra to her fists to reduce things to rubble by a simple punch.

[edit] Substitution and Clone Timing

 

Sakura is a well-accomplished user of the substitution technique, and her timing for it is quite advanced. During the fight against the three Sound Genin during the Forest of Death arc, she managed to pull over two substitution techniques, and timily attacks Zaku with a kunai. Her substitution technique seems to be the only technique, along with the Clone Technique, she was able to perform during the whole Chunin Exam arc. In the Fight against Ino Sakura was able to create two clones to confuse Ino and attacking her at perfect timing. Later, in the fight against Kabuto, she uses a perfectly timed substitution technique to run at Kabuto with a bunch of kunai, which wasn't that effective.

[edit] Medical Techniques and Strategical Analysis

 

Sakura's natural control of her chakra has been taken to new heights over the time skip, an ability utilized to its fullest by the training she has done with Tsunade. With her excellent chakra control, Sakura has turned into an excellent combat Medical-nin, and has shown herself to be able to heal fatal injuries with relatively little effort even when more experienced medics would deem it a lost cause. In her training to become a Medic-nin, Sakura has also acquired the ability to pick up on an enemy's movements in a short period of time as a good field medic needs to be able to survive a battle and avoid injury if he or she is to fulfill his or her purpose and heal other members of his or her team. This ability allows her to predict what attack an opponent will use seconds before an attack and then dodge it quickly and easily.

[edit] Taijutsu and Genjutsu

 

In close combat, Sakura's Taijutsu skills has gained tremendous growth thanks to Tsunade's constant battle drillings to better protect herself should she find it impossible to avoid battle. To further aid her in that situation, she can rely on the super strength taught to her by Tsunade. By building up and releasing her chakra with precise timing, Sakura can easily decimate any obstacle and turn it to rubble. An opponent struck by her full strength can suffer from anything ranging from instant death, broken bones, ruptured organs, or any other wound associated with intense blunt force trauma, depending on how much chakra Sakura puts into the kick or punch. Over time and through repeated use, Sakura has become able to use this strength instinctively and does not need to put any effort into using it. She has also shown to become more agile which was shown when she had to fight Sasori with his 100 puppets along with Chiyo. This mixed with ability to learn enemies attack patterns make her hard to hit. Furthermore, her strength, coupled with her medical expertise, and the beauty she gains over the time skip has caused many to see Sakura as another Tsunade (Jiraiya himself notes this while Naruto thinks that Sakura has gotten even more violent than before). Many believe that she will surpass Tsunade as a female ninja because she has all of the previously mentioned abilities and, unlike Tsunade, she is a natural Genjutsu user and has the potential to master many high level techniques.

[edit] Inner Sakura and Cha-Combo

 

Throughout the video games, "Inner Sakura" becomes a technique due to Sakura's lack of jutsu. Even in the anime, it shows Sakura gaining monstrous strength while her inner-self appears, exclaiming "Cha!" or "Hell Yeah!", which also creates the "Cha-Combo", which is a combo attack of Sakura attacking the enemy or enemies multiple times. Furthermore, Sakura is given combo attacks like "Fairy Tale Destruction" with Naruto, in which Naruto does something rude, and Sakura tries to punch him and misses, attacking the enemy instead. In most video games, Sakura is given techniques that are not shown in the anime or in the manga. Ino is the only other person who has encountered Inner Sakura due to her mind transfer jutsu. Ino was amazed and says that Sakura has two spirits. This may be taken literally or it may just be a multiple personality which enables Sakura to better resist mind transfer jutsu.

 

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Edited Landsat 8 image of smoke plumes from the Mendocino Complex of fires.

 

Image source: earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/92570/smoke-plumes-tower...

 

Original caption:

In July and August 2018, towering plumes of smoke have risen from several fires in northern California. Though heavy rains ended the lengthy drought that parched California, trees and vegetation killed during that dry spell still linger in California’s forests. With all that extra fuel priming the state’s forests for large fires, a period of hot and windy weather this summer made it extremely difficult for firefighters to maintain the upper hand.

 

One of the fires—the Mendocino Complex—surpassed the 2017 Thomas fire to become California’s largest fire on record. As of August 7, 2018, the fire had charred 1,200 square kilometers (460 square miles), an area about the size of New York City. Another blaze, the Carr fire near Redding, had torched more than 1,000 homes, making it California’s sixth most destructive fire on record. Several thousand firefighters are battling each of the large fires in California.

 

The heat generated by intense wildfires can churn up towering pyrocumulus and pyrocumulonimbus clouds, which lift smoke above the boundary layer, the lowest part of the atmosphere. “The hotter a fire burns, the higher up smoke can go, and the farther it can spread,” explained Amber Soja, an atmospheric scientist at NASA’s Langley Research Center.

 

Smoke injected above the boundary layer often travels hundreds or thousands of kilometers away from the source before descending. Satellites have observed smoke from the California fires spreading into nearly two dozen states, though the highest concentrations were found in California and the Great Basin.

 

On August 6, 2018, the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on Landsat 8 captured an image (top) of a dense column of smoke topped by a pyrocumulus cloud over the Ranch fire. The photograph below, taken on August 2 by an astronaut on the International Space Station, shows another pyrocumulus cloud rising from the Ferguson fire near Yosemite National Park. The park service closed Yosemite Valley and other parts of the park due to heavy smoke.

 

“Many of the larger fires in California have produced pyrocumulus clouds on an almost daily basis,” said Scott Bachmeier, a research meteorologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “While much of the smoke is being ejected to high altitudes and transported eastward across the Lower 48 states, some of it has been confined to the boundary layer, reducing visibility and affecting air quality near the fires.”

 

In Sacramento County, authorities warned people to stay indoors through August 10. In parts of southern Oregon, ground-based sensors measured particle pollution levels above 500 micrograms per cubic meter. That is about as bad as it gets in Beijing on a very polluted day, Ryan Stauffer, a postdoctoral fellow at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center told The Washington Post.

 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and other agencies have reported airborne particulates at levels up to 990 micrograms per cubic meter—about 80 times higher than air quality guidelines consider "good," according to Pawan Gupta, an atmospheric scientist at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.

 

As fires chew through wood, grass, homes, and other materials, a noxious mix of gases and fine particles enter the atmosphere, including carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, organic carbon, and black carbon. Fine particles (PM2.5)—particularly black carbon (soot)—are especially harmful because they can easily enter the lungs and bloodstream. Health research links PM2.5 and black carbon exposure to respiratory diseases, heart problems, and other ailments. Fires that burn at relatively low temperatures and smolder in moist fuels are the most likely to produce black carbon and other toxic pollutants because they tend to burn less completely than hotter fires burning through dry fuels.

  

The map above shows the plumes of black carbon associated with the Carr, Mendocino, and Ferguson fires. The map shows black carbon data from the GEOS-5 forward processing model, which assimilates information from several sources. According to data from the California Air Resources Board, wildfires are a major source of black carbon emissions in California, far surpassing vehicle emissions, wood stoves, industrial emissions, agricultural fires, and other sources of the pollutant.

 

The U.S. Forest Service says it now spends more than 50 percent of its budget suppressing wildfires, and that fire seasons are 78 days longer than in the 1970s. Since 2000, at least 10 states have had their largest fires on record.

 

Further Reading

Cal Fire (2018) Current Fire Information. Accessed August 7, 2018.

Climate Central (2017, November 7) Here’s How Wildfire Pollution Harms Health. Accessed August 7, 2018.

Inciweb (2018) Mendicino Complex. Accessed August 7, 2018.

KCRA3 (2018, July 10) Drought is over, so why is California's fire season so bad? Accessed August 7, 2018.

NASA Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth (2018) NDP CAwildfires 02AUG2018 Collection Georeferenced Files. Accessed August 7, 2018.

San Francisco Chronicle (2018, August 8) Mendocino Complex blaze is now largest wildfire in California history. Accessed August 7, 2018.

The Mercury News (2018, July 10) Why California’s fire season is off to the worst start in 10 years. Accessed August 7, 2018.

The Weather Channel (2018, August 8) Wildfire Smoke Detected in Majority of U.S. States. Accessed August 7, 2018.

The Washington Post (2018, August 7) Wildfire smoke is wreaking havoc on air quality in the Western U.S. Accessed August 7, 2018.

University of Wisconsin-Madison (2018, August 4) Smoke from Mendocino Complex fires in California. Accessed August 7, 2018.

U.S. Forest Service Wildland fires. Accessed August 7, 2018.

Weather Underground (2018, August 7) Fire Whirl, Tornado, or Both? A Spectacular Vortex Has Scientists Buzzing. Accessed August 7, 2018.

NASA Earth Observatory images by Joshua Stevens, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey, GEOS-5 data from the Global Modeling and Assimilation Office at NASA GSFC, and fire perimeters from CAL FIRE. The astronaut photograph was acquired on August 2, 2018. The image was taken by a member of the Expedition 56 crew. The image has been cropped and enhanced to improve contrast, and lens artifacts have been removed. The International Space Station Program supports the laboratory as part of the ISS National Lab to help astronauts take pictures of Earth that will be of the greatest value to scientists and the public, and to make those images freely available on the Internet. Story by Adam Voiland.

Following a destructive fire that swept through a large part of the area, former BHP Steelworks locomotive "Marjorie" rolls gently along the newly repaired track that once ran all the way to Hexam and the mainline to Newcastle and beyond.

 

The work of Richmond Vale volunteers together with a number of generous sponsors in the local area has seen this section of track put into passenger use while the line to Pelew Main is repaired.