An exhibition entitled “Brazil – In the Footsteps of Innovation and Creativity”, co-organized by WIPO and Brazil, was held on the sidelines of the WIPO Assemblies, which met in Geneva from October 3 to 11, 2016.

 

The exhibition showcased some of Brazil’s well-known geographical indications, including alcoholic drinks, coffee and lace. It also featured notable Brazilian innovations and designs in the field of aviation (Embraer jets), as well as precision engineering, handicraft and clothing.

 

Delegates to the WIPO Assemblies were also treated to a musical performance of “Capoeira” – an Afro-Brazilian mix of martial art and dance that was recognized as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2014.

 

Copyright: WIPO. Photo: Violaine Martin. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 IGO License.

From my set entitled “The Flight Crew”

www.flickr.com/photos/21861018@N00/sets/72157607477197733/

In my collection entitled “Uncle Bill Watson”

www.flickr.com/photos/21861018@N00/collections/7215760783...

In my photostream

www.flickr.com/photos/21861018@N00/

 

Lyall was born to Martha Beatty in North Bay, Ontario on July 19, 1924. Before enlisting, he worked as a store clerk. He attended #1 Air Gunner’s Ground Training School at Quebec City and #3 Air Gunner Training School at Three Rivers (Trois Rivieres), Quebec

 

He embarked from Halifax on March 10, 1944, and disembarked in the U.K. on March 18, 1944. After arriving in Britain he was stationed at #3 Personnel Receiving Centre, Bournemout, Dorset, where he awaited further postings. He arrived at #83 Operations Training Unit on May 23, 1944. He was killed while taking part in a training mission on the night of July 22/23, 1944, and was buried at Blacon Cemetery, Chester.

 

Chief Ground Officer, J.G. Goldie, found Lyall to be conscientious and good leadership material… “a very fine type-otherwise a marvelous actor” Lyall had no preference in terms of the position he wished to hold on the aircrew. He seems to have made many friends in his various training environments.

  

Sculpture entitled 'Chat' by Sebastian Di Mauro on Eagle St, Brisbane. Modeled by Roman.

This is entitled "TIME" not simply because it depicts 2 clocks among clockwork gears, but because it actually, literally **IS** time. It is a physical manifestation of all the countless hours I poured into its creation. When you hold this book, you hold time itself in your hands. Imagine how powerful that would feel. You can have that power. You can purchase this sculpture. You can visit www.unicoherent.com/Originals and scroll down down down the page until in the murky laboratory basement of the page you find objects whose powers are not those of items who normally see the light of day. You can contact me. You can receive an unmarked package in the mail. You can hold time in your very hands.

Newly lying in bed sock-footed and tied down after attacking Miss Kitty and trying to escape. Newly was suffering from a head injury.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramesses_IV

 

Heqamaatre Setepenamun Ramesses IV (also written Ramses or Rameses) was the third pharaoh of the Twentieth Dynasty of the New Kingdom of Ancient Egypt. He was the second son of Ramesses III and crown prince when his elder brother Amenherkhepshef died aged 15[4] in 1164 BC, when Ramesses was only 12 years old. His promotion to crown prince:

 

is suggested by his appearance (suitably entitled) in a scene of the festival of Min at the Ramesses III temple at Karnak, which may have been completed by Year 22 [of his father's reign]. (the date is mentioned in the poem inscribed there)

 

As his father's chosen successor, the Prince employed three distinctive titles: "Hereditary Prince", "Royal scribe" and "Generalissimo"; the latter two of his titles are mentioned in a text at Amenhotep III's temple at Soleb and all three royal titles appear on a lintel now in Florence, Italy. As heir-apparent he took on increasing responsibilities; for instance, in Year 27 of his father's reign, he is depicted appointing a certain Amenemope to the important position of Third Prophet of Amun in the latter's TT 148 tomb. Amenemope's Theban tomb also accords prince Ramesses all three of his aforementioned sets of royal titles. Despite the 31-year reign of his father Ramesses III, Ramesses IV was only 21 when he became pharaoh. His rule has been dated to 1155 to 1149 BC.

 

It is now believed that Ramesses IV's mother was most likely Queen Tyti from recently discovered notes published in the 2010 issue of the Journal of Egyptian Archaeology. They reveal that Tyti—who was a king's daughter, a king's wife and a king's mother in her own right—was identified in Papyrus BM EA 10052 (i.e., the tomb-robbery papyri) to be a queen of Ramesses III, Ramesses IV's father. The 2010 JEA article authors—including Aidan Dodson—write that since Ramesses VI's mother is known to be a certain lady named Iset Ta-Hemdjert or Isis:only Ramesses IV and Ramesses VIII remain as candidates [for the son of Tyti]. Given that Ramesses VIII only reigned briefly some 25 years after his father’s death, it is hardly likely that the decoration of QV52, with the mwt-nsw (i.e., king's mother) title intimately mixed with Tyti’s other titles, could have been delayed this late to refer to him. This leaves Ramesses IV as the only credible primary 'subject' of the mwt-nsw title in the tomb. As for which--if any--of the other sons of Ramesses III were borne to Tyti, no unequivocal data is available, other than the fact that Amenhirkhopeshef B, buried in QV55, was ms n Hmt-nTr mwt-nTr Hmt-nsw-wrt, paralleling Tyti's titles so closely that he may with some confidence be proposed as her son.

 

Thus, the identity of Ramesses IV's mother has been resolved in favour of Queen Tyti who was once erroneously thought to be the mother of another king in the mid-1980s: Ramesses XI. Ramesses IV was succeeded to the throne by his 13-year-old son Ramesses V.

 

Ramesses IV came to the throne in difficult circumstances. Ramesses III, his father, was assassinated by conspirators led by Tiye, one of his secondary wives, to establish Pentawer, her own son and Ramesses IV's half-brother, on the throne. Ramesses IV, however, was able to secure himself on the throne, and had the conspirators arrested and executed.

 

At the start of his reign, the pharaoh initiated a substantial building program on the scale of Ramesses II by doubling the size of the work gangs at Deir el-Medina to a total of 120 men and dispatching numerous expeditions to the stone quarries of Wadi Hammamat and the turquoise mines of the Sinai. The Great Rock stela of Ramesses IV at Wadi Hammamat records that the largest expedition—dated to his Year 3, third month of Shemu day 27—consisted of 8,368 men alone including 5,000 soldiers, 2,000 personnel of the Amun temples, 800 Apiru and 130 stonemasons and quarrymen under the personal command of the High Priest of Amun, Ramessesnakht. The scribes who composed the text also noted that this figure included 900 men "who are dead and omitted from this list."[4] Consequently, once this omitted figure is included to the tally of 8,368 men who served in the Year 3 quarry expedition, a total of 900 men out of an original expedition of 8,368 men perished during this endeavour for a mortality rate of 10.7%. Some of the stones which were dragged 60 miles to the Nile from Wadi Hammamat weighed 40 tons or more. Other Egyptian quarries including Aswan were located much closer to the Nile which enabled them to use barges to transport stones long distances.

 

Part of the king's program included the extensive enlargement of his father's Temple of Khonsu at Karnak and the construction of a large mortuary temple near the Temple of Hatshepsut. Ramesses IV also sent several expeditions to the turquoise mines in the Sinai; a total of four expeditions are known prior to his fourth year. The Serabit el-Khadim stela of the Royal Butler Sobekhotep states: "Year 3, third month of Shemu. His Majesty sent his favoured and beloved one, the confident of his lord, the Overseer of the Treasury of Silver and Gold, Chief of the Secrets of the august Palace, Sobekhotep, justified, to bring for him all that his heart desired of turquoise (on) his fourth expedition." This expedition dates to either Ramesses III or IV's reign since Sobekhotep is attested in office until at least the reign of Ramesses V. Ramesses IV's final venture to the turquoise mines of the Sinai is documented by the stela of a senior army scribe named Panufer. Panufer states that this expedition's mission was both to procure turquoise and to establish a cult chapel of king Ramesses IV at the Hathor temple of Serabit el-Khadim. The stela reads:

 

Year 5, second month of Shomu [i.e., summer]. The sending by His Majesty build the Mansion of Millions of Years of Ramesses IV in the temple of Hathor, Lady of Turquoise, by Panefer, the Scribe of the Commands of the Army, son of Pairy, justified.

 

While little is known regarding the route that the mining missions took from Egypt to Serabit el-Khadim, AJ Peden, who wrote a biography of Ramesses IV in 1994, states that there were "two obvious routes" to reach this site:

 

The first was a straightforward march from a Delta base, such as Memphis, east south-east and then south into Sinai. Surviving a march in this inhospitable land would have presented formidable logistical obstacles, perhaps forcing an alternative route to be adopted. This would involve a departure from the Delta to a site near the modern port of Suez. From here they could have proceeded by boat to the ports of Abu Zenima or El-Markha on the west coast of the Sinai peninsula and from there it is a short journey inland of only a day or two to the actual site of Serabit el-Khadim.

 

Ramesses IV is attested by his aforementioned building activity at Wadi Hammamat and Serabit el-Khadim in the Sinai as well as several papyri and even one obelisk. The creation of a royal cult in the Temple of Hathor is known under his reign at Serabit el-Khadim while Papyrus Mallet (or P. Louvre 1050) dates to Years 3 and 4 of his reign. Papyrus Mallet is a six column text dealing partly with agricultural affairs; its first column lists the prices for various commodities between Year 31 of Ramesses III until Year 3 of Ramesses IV. The final four columns contain a memorandum of 2 letters composed by the Superintendent of Cattle of the Estate of Amen-Re, Bakenkhons, to several mid-level administrators and their subordinates. Meanwhile, surviving monuments of Ramesses IV in the Delta consists of an obelisk recovered in Cairo and a pair of his cartouches found on a pylon gateway both originally from Heliopolis.

 

The most important document to survive from this pharaoh's rule is Papyrus Harris I, which honours the life of his father, Ramesses III, by listing the latter's many accomplishments and gifts to the temples of Egypt, and the Turin papyrus, the earliest known geologic map. Ramesses IV was perhaps the last New Kingdom king to engage in large-scale monumental building after his father as "there was a marked decline in temple building even during the longer reigns of Ramesses IX and VI. The only apparent exception was the attempt of Ramesses V and VI to continue the vast and uncompleted mortuary temple of Ramesses IV at the Assasif."

 

Despite Ramesses IV's many endeavours for the gods and his prayer to Osiris—preserved on a Year 4 stela at Abydos—that "thou shalt give me the great age with a long reign [as my predecessor]", the king did not live long enough to accomplish his ambitious goals.

 

After a short reign of about six and a half years, Ramesses IV died and was buried in tomb KV2 in the Valley of the Kings. His mummy was found in the royal cache of Amenhotep II's tomb KV35 in 1898. His chief wife is Queen Duatentopet or Tentopet or Male who was buried in QV74. His son, Ramesses V, would succeed him to the throne.

 

Originally, Ramesses IV had a tomb built for him in the Valley of the Queens, QV55.

 

In April 2021 his mummy was moved from the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization along with those of 17 other kings and 4 queens in an event termed the Pharaohs' Golden Parade.

Entitled "The Morning rush from King's Cross to the North" ,I don't know if this is an early colour shot or a colourized photo...whatever its well executed and shows L to R pacifics 4473 Solario on 10.15 Leeds then 2551 Prince Palatine on 10.05 Scottish express . Next is 2580 Shotover on the 10.00 Flying Scotsman and 2546 Donovan with the 10.20 Peterborough...an everyday scene then no doubt what would we give to see that now.

Mural entitled "Double Bengal" by Hoxxoh aka @hoxxoh, Franky Cruz aka @toolooselautrec, and Carlos Americo aka @carlosamericano_ for BLINK Cincinnati, seen at 1926 Race Street in the Over-the-Rhine area of Cincinnati, Ohio.

 

Drone photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.

 

Edit by Teee

I entitled this shot due to the girls' stance. I couldn't hear what she was saying, so wouldn't judge.

 

Captured outside Caerphilly Railway Station, Wales.

For many years the District Railway, officially entitled the Metropolitan District Railway and that was promoted to complete what is now the Circle line of the Lonodn Underground thus 'matching' the northern section constructed and operated by the Metropolitan Railway, oversaw the issue of various maps of the Metropolis that were offered for public sale. These, needless to say, heavily promoted the company's lines and services as well as other railways and omnibus lines operated 'in connection' with their services - often in quite wilful ignorance of alternatives!

 

This, from 1903, shows some still familiar District line services along with sections of lines that have seen services withdrawn, transferred or indeed closed such as the services beyond Addison Road (Olympia) towards Latimer Road via Uxbridge Rd station. This issue also shows the original layout of lines around Hounslow, subsequently altered as well as now being part of the Piccadilly line as well as the Uxbridge section, beyond South Harrow, that was under construction and that the MDR would eventually run under powers obtained to have right of use of the Metropolitan's Uxbridge extension that would open in 1904.In fact the section of line running off from Mill Hill Park (now Acton Town) through the largely open fields of Middlesex was to be the testbed in these years for the four-rail electrification system adopted for the wider London Underground system following the purchase of the MDR by American interests to assist in the development of deep tube lines and the infusion of US finance and know-how. The reverse of the map shows various announcements and tables of services and fares. This includes the famous and long-standing through trains from stations on the District direct to Southend on Sea via the London, Tilbury & Southern Railway.

 

This map would have been priced a half-penny had it been sold but it appears, as was quite common, slightly cropped and folded tipped into a 1903 Black's Guide Book to "Around London".

Any employee of the Bristol Omnibus Co. was entitled to a try-out at the Company's driving school, irrespective of previous experience. My previous experience amounted to precisely none. I had last ventured onto the roads at the age of 12 in control of a bicycle. Even then, I'm not sure that the word "control" precisely describes my method. I just rode where I liked when I felt like it and expected everyone else to defer to me. The same method may still be seen in use today among cyclists who don't have the excuse of being children. But cycling wasn't really for me; it was far too energetic, and I disliked riding into a strong wind ...one so felt like turning around and going back the other way.

Actually the Company had approached me, not the other way around. I had been a conductor for six years, but now one-man operation was coming in and the Company was eager to train conductors as drivers. I thought it would be an amusing lark, an agreeable break from routine and a good skive. It was quite a shock to find myself, two weeks later, in the cab of a bus ...nothing like the ones I'd trained on... going out to pick up my first cargo of humanity. This was in the mid 1970s, when everything was inefficient and most people had to work their way up a six month waiting list to take their driving tests.

In after years I did sometimes wonder about the wisdom of giving people PSV licences after two weeks' experience of driving and roadcraft. After a couple of narrow squeaks, which still have the power to make me break out in a muck sweat when I think of them, I learned that cockiness was not an option. I'd say it took me a year to feel thoroughly confident.

This was the vehicle on which I passed my test. It was a Gardner-engined Bristol LD-type Lodekka new in 1959. It had originally belonged to the "country" fleet, which meant that it had Bristol's labyrinthine 5-speed "crash" gearbox with its three neutral positions and no way out of 5th except back through 4th ...a ticklish business for a novice driver. Some of the training buses then in use were painted in a livery of cream with orange lettering and "lining out", but a new General Manager had recently been appointed. He had come from the Eastern National company and introduced a number of Eastern National practices, including this colour-scheme for training vehicles. Friday 27th August 1976.

 

Entitled "Salon", the work invites the public "to meet others and engage in dialogue in a spirit of shared humanity, illustrating the Olympic ideal of a peaceful and inclusive society," the Olympic Museum explains.

 

The Olympic sculpture is part of the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Olympic Art Visions program. The goal is to create an original work of art inspired by sport and Olympic values, to be installed in the public space of the Olympic host city. It also helps to forge direct links between host cities, from Tokyo to Paris or, as shown here, from Paris to Los Angeles. (...)

 

American visual artist Alison Saar was unanimously chosen to create the Parisian sculpture. Alison Saar, 68, is based in Los Angeles. For 40 years, she has been working on black female identity and exploring themes such as African heritage, slavery, the African diaspora in her works... (...) By integrating traditional African, African-American and Caribbean elements into her works, she wishes to "break with the image of the standard white man that we find in most monuments and sculptures."

 

In this first project in a public space outside the United States, Alison Saar has brought together a large bronze female figure and six chairs. The female figure holds olive branches, symbolizing peace, and a golden flame, a reference to the Olympic Games. The seats each represent a region of the world. There is a palaver chair from West Africa, a hand-carved child's chair from Central America, a rustic milking stool from France, a ceramic drum stool from China, a classic Thonet chair from Europe, and a curule chair, a nod to the origins of the Olympic Games in ancient Greece.

 

The title of the work also refers to the private salon and that of Gertrude Stein, where artists, writers, intellectuals, and musicians gathered to exchange ideas. Similarly, the public is invited to sit and "reflect, share, sing, read, build friendships, and collaborate," explains the Olympic Museum. Once the summer is over, the sculpture will remain in the Charles-Aznavour garden between the Champs Elysées and Place de la Concorde to bear witness to "the legacy of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games," the institution concludes.

 

-------------------

 

Intitulée "Salon", l’œuvre invite le public « à aller à la rencontre de l’autre et à dialoguer dans un esprit d’humanité partagée, illustrant l’idéal olympique d’une société pacifique et inclusive », précise le Musée Olympique.

 

La sculpture olympique fait partie du programme Olympic Art Visions du Comité international olympique (CIO). Celui-ci a pour but de créer une œuvre d’art originale qui s’inspire du sport et des valeurs olympiques pour l’installer dans l’espace public de la ville hôte des JO. Il contribue également à tisser des liens directs entre les villes hôtes, de Tokyo à Paris ou, comme ici, de Paris à Los Angeles. (...)

 

La plasticienne américaine Alison Saar a été choisie à l’unanimité pour réaliser la sculpture parisienne. Âgée de 68 ans, Alison Saar est basée à Los Angeles. Depuis 40 ans, elle travaille sur l’identité féminine noire et explore dans ses œuvres des thématiques comme l’héritage africain, l’esclavage, la diaspora africaine… (...) En intégrant des éléments traditionnels africains, afro-américains et caribéens à ses œuvres, elle souhaite « rompre avec l’image de l’homme blanc standard que l’on retrouve dans la plupart des monuments et des sculptures ».

 

Dans ce premier projet dans l’espace public en dehors des États-Unis, Alison Saar a réuni une grande figure féminine en bronze et six sièges. Le personnage féminin tient dans ses mains des rameaux d’olivier, qui symbolisent la paix, et une flamme dorée, en référence aux Jeux olympiques. Les assises représentent quant à elle chacune une région du monde. On retrouve un siège à palabre d’Afrique de l’Ouest, une chaise d’enfant taillée à la main d’Amérique centrale, un tabouret de traite rustique de France, un tabouret tambour en céramique de Chine, une chaise classique Thonet d’Europe et un siège curule, clin d’œil à l’origine des Jeux olympiques dans la Grèce antique.

 

Le titre de l’œuvre fait aussi référence au salon privé et à celui de Gertrude Stein, où les artistes, écrivains, intellectuels et musiciens se retrouvaient pour échanger. De la même manière, le public est invité à s’asseoir pour « réfléchir, partager, chanter, lire, nouer des amitiés et collaborer », explique le Musée Olympique. Une fois l’été passé, la sculpture restera dans le jardin Charles-Aznavour pour témoigner de « l’héritage des Jeux Olympiques et Paralympiques de Paris 2024 », conclut l’institution.

 

Source: www.connaissancedesarts.com/arts-expositions/paris/paris-...

Mural entitled "Prima" by @cooldiscorich seen at 2392 North Milwaukee Avenue in the Logan Square area of Chicago, Illinois.

 

Photo by James aka Urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.

 

Edit by Teee

The Cockatoo Run is entitled to be cross after waiting in the loop at Mt Murray for 30 minutes to cross TM72 coal!

A flyer entitled “Smash the no-wing System” and distributed in 1970 by the National Socialist White People’s Party based in Arlington, VA puts forth the Nazi organization’s views on the Vietnam War.

 

The back side of the flyer lays out its racist, anti-Semitic agenda.

 

The white supremacist organization was founded by George Lincoln Rockwell in March 1959 and the same year was renamed the American Nazi Party.

 

Rockwell led the group through his flamboyant actions through the 1960s. In late 1966 or early 1967 Rockwell re-named the group the National Socialist White People’s Party to reflect his belief that the Nazi name and use of the swastika was hurting recruitment. Rockwell was assassinated by a disaffected member in August 1967 and Matt Koehl became the leader.

 

Koehl led the group through a number of splits and into a semi-religious version of white supremacy and an affiliate participated in the 1979 Greensboro Massacre with local Klan that killed five “Death to the Klan” marchers in Greensboro, NC.

 

In the 1980s the group was pressured by lawsuits, including the IRS, and Koehl sold off all of its assets in Arlington, VA. Early in the decade he moved the group’s national operation to Wisconsin and Michigan and renamed the group New Order that continues to exist today advocating for white supremacy.

 

For a PDF of this two-sided 8 ½ x 11 flyer, see washingtonareaspark.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/1970-s...

 

For more information and related images, see flic.kr/s/aHskcoQznH

 

The flyer is from a collection by Maurice Rovner, a Jewish schoolteacher who attempted to get on far right mailing lists to keep tabs on extreme right organizations. He often penciled in dates or other markings helping to identify the materials he received. This flyer is part of a 9-piece collection published by the Arlington, Va.-based National Socialist White People’s Party headed by Matt Koehl 1970-71.

 

For six word story. : )

Mural entitled "The Edge" by Patrick Quesadilla aka @pattysauces for Paint Memphis, seen at 500 Monroe Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee.

 

Drone photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.

 

Edit by Teee

I attended a fascinating Workshop today entitled 'Mindfulness and Photography'.. As you would expect it was about really thinking about the photos you take, before you take them. Framing them in your mind then with your hands. Excellent for many genres but not ideal for the street photography I do.

 

One section of the workshop was on Mindfulness in portraiture so I explained the strangers project to the group and asked if anyone would be my next stranger. Rachel immediately offered. Before we started the portraits we spent either 5 minutes with our eyes shut whilst the other person just looked at your face. And then we swapped places. That way we could envisage our subject in our mind, plan our photo and know what we wanted to achieve. Rachel has beautiful hair, eyes and teeth which I wanted to be prominent in the portrait. I took quite a few shots and eventually chose this one because I could really feel her eyes and mouth smiling up at me and, as she was laying on the ground, her hair was above her head allowing all the facial features to be seen without the distraction of hair.

 

Rachel graduated Youth Work (voluntary sector and in the community) in 1997 and went to work with street kids in Brazil. She now works for Safety Net, a charity that works with vulnerable children. She manages the volunteers and the online safety project.

  

Check out the rest of the stranger portraits in my project at Chris's 100 Strangers Project: www.flickr.com/photos/chris_marina/sets/72157644764299551/

And find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page: www.flickr.com/groups/100strangers/

This fictional depiction which I entitle: “Gothic Knight” was done with sincere gratitude to Megashorts for allowing me unrestricted use of his excellent pictures. ">Please see Megashort’s Bovington Tankfest 2010 set to fully appreciate Paul’s excellent gallery of pictures.

  

The final sacrifice

 

Mid April, 1945. The people of German and the once confident, once arrogant Nazi leaders awaited their inevitable fate. A sinister black cloak of impending doom hung over the German nation. The “thousand year Reich" was crumbling. The constant thunder and bright flashes filling the night skies from the big guns of the invading armies were a constant reminder of what lay ahead.

 

As the city's inhabitants struggled merely to survive another day, it was already clear to virtually everyone but a vain, delusional Hitler that the war was irrevocably lost. Hitler's reckless gamble that he could split the Western Allies with a massive counteroffensive in the Ardennes in December was already a failure, and with the Red Army poised to open a series of fresh offensives in the East, Germany's fate was all but sealed.

 

American and British forces were closing in on Berlin from the west. The Russian armies were advancing rapidly from the east. German Wehrmacht and Waffen SS units were being decimated against the overwhelming onslaught of these mighty armies.

 

Horst Peiffer, Sturmbannführer 10th SS Panzer Division ”Frundsberg” was fully aware of the hopelessness of their situation. Regardless, indoctrinated in the tradition of Germanic military service and “service to the Fatherland”, he was resolved to make the final sacrifice.

 

On 19 April, 1945 the 10th SS Panzer Division along with the 344.Volksgrenadier Division and the Führer-Begleit Division were encircled by the Soviet Thirds Guards Tank Army at Spremberg. Although a breakout was attempted, the bulk of the Division soon found themselves entrapped again in the area around Kausche. Realizing their fate was sealed, rather than surrender, Sturmbannführer Peiffer, recipient of the Knight Cross with Oak Leaves and swords, commandeered one of the last remaining undamaged Jagdpanthers. It was also one of the rare Jagdpanther that was equipped with “infrarot-Scheinwerfer” (infra-red technology), a revolutionary piece of equipment. He ordered the Jagdpanther fueled with the last of the available petrol. Peiffer asked for four volunteers to accompany him and assist in manning the “destroyer”. Solemnly he explained to his crew that in all likelihood this would be their final and finest hours of battle. Twelve brave panzer troops stepped forward. He then made a strange and unprecedented request. Peiffer asked that his Jagdpanther be painted in black. Rather than bearing the traditional German cross and vehicle numeral, he asked that a shield and cross reminiscent to the Coat of arms of the Teutonic Knights be painted on the side of the hull. Unterscharführer Höffner, his gunnery expert and artist, decided to add the black panther head on the glacis plate.

 

Together, these souls who lives were now measured in hours, agreed to call their “armored steed”, the Black Panther....... and their mission; for God, for family and for the Fatherland. It was not for Adolph Hitler nor any pretense of Aryan supremacy.

 

The Maybach HL230 P30 sputtered to life with a growling roar of it’s 690 horsepower. There was no turning back. The die had been cased. In this depiction the Jagdpanther known as; “the Black Panther” is churning it’s way through the village of Spremberg past a crumbling Gothic castle. Crumbling, thought Peiffer, as my country, the Fatherland is crumbling.

  

* I hope one can find a bit of entertainment in this fictionalized depiction and narrative. In any event – enjoy the day.

Mural entitled "Sound and Soul" by Nargiza Dadabaeva aka @artbynargiza, seen at 754 NW 5th Avenue in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

 

Photo by James aka Urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.

 

Edit by Teee.

Mural entitled "Keep on Cruising (Xtreme Ethel)" by Derek Donnelly aka @saintpaintarts seen at 719 Central Avenue in St Petersburg, Florida. The mural celebrates Ethel Percy Andrus who founded AARP.

 

Photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.

 

Edit by Teee.

To The Glory of God

Following the end of World War One, communities erected war memorials all over Britain – in virtually every city, town and village – to commemorate those who had served and fallen in the conflict.

 

And since, on every Armistice Day - 11th November - these statues and sculptures are the scene of poignant memorials.

 

Newcastle United’s own War Memorial was first discussed at a meeting in 1917 when it was noted that "a list of those killed in the war should be placed in the offices of the club".

 

Following the Armistice, a memorial was on the agenda at Board meetings and by 1920, it was confirmed that a design for a 'Roll of Honour' was to proceed, erected at the club’s Strawberry Place office soon afterwards.

 

It took the form of a large decorated plaque, entitled 'To The Glory of God'.

 

When the stadium was later redeveloped, it was put into storage for many years until it was restored when the club opened a museum in 1991.

 

It now has a place in a covered walkway beneath the Milburn Stand at St. James’ Park for thousands to see as supporters enter the ground every matchday.

 

The plaque notes the names of 52 players and officials on the club’s staff during the period 1914 to 1919 and who served in the armed forces. Included are five footballers to lose their lives.

 

Due to difficulties in precise army service of some of the club’s players at the time, the memorial shows reserve winger Owen McManus having survived. He had sadly died in November 1918, just before war ended.

 

Colleague Thomas Suart, on the club’s books as a young reserve, was overlooked. He lost his life in June 1917.

 

More than 100 ex-players or future players and officials of Newcastle United also served in World War One.

 

Roll of Honour - Newcastle United players who died in the Great War

 

Pvt SJ Allan (NU 1908-11): RAMC, 4 May 1919, Home

 

Sec-Lt DS Bell VC (NU 1911-12): Yorkshire Reg, 10 July 1916, France

 

Corp T Cairns (NU 1914-17): RFA, 13 Oct 1917, France

 

Corp D Dunglinson (NU 1912-16): Northumberland Fusiliers, 1 July 1916, France

 

Pvt J Findlay (NU 1905-06): Scots Guards, 18 Sept 1916, France

 

L-Corp JBM Fleming (NU 1911-13): Cameron Highlanders, 21 March 1916, Home

 

Pvt J Forster (NU 1897-98): Yorkshire Reg, 7 Oct 1916, France

 

Pvt J Froud (NU 1901): Royal West Kent Reg, 28 July 1917, Belgium

 

Pvt T Goodwill (NU 1913-16): Northumberland Fusiliers, 1 July 1916, France

 

L-Corp R Harker (NU 1904-05): Northumberland Fusiliers, 9 April 1917, France

 

Pvt T Hughes (NU 1912-14): Northumberland Fusiliers, 1 July 1916, France

 

L-Corp JM Maxwell (NU 1904): Seaforth Highlanders, 21 April 1917, Mesopotamia

 

Bomb R McGough (NU 1914-17): RGA, 18 April 1917, France

 

Corp O McManus (NU 1914-18): RFA, 6 Nov 1918, France

 

Pvt CE Randall (NU 1908-11): Coldstream Guards, 27 Sept 1916, France

 

Pvt GS Rivers (NU 1914-16): Durham Light Infantry, 13 Aug 1916, France

 

Capt TS Rowlandson MC (NU 1905-06): Yorkshire Reg, 15 Sept 1916, France

 

Pvt J Stevenson (NU 1898-1900): Highland Light Infantry, 3 July 1916, France

 

Pvt T Suart (NU 1914-17): Border Reg, 16 June 1917, Belgium

 

Corp C Winter (NU 1904-05): Cam Scot Rifles, 27 Oct 1918, France

 

Sgt WA Witherington DCM (NU 1901-02): British Colombia Reg, 15 Aug 1917, France

 

RW Benson (NU 1902-04): Munitions, 19 Feb 1916, Home

 

A Douglas (NU 1913-18): Munitions, 14 Dec 1918, Home

 

Newcastle United Football Club is a professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England. The team compete in the Premier League, the first level of the English football league system, as of the 2023–24 season. Since the formation of the club in 1892, when Newcastle East End absorbed the assets of Newcastle West End to become Newcastle United, the club has played its home matches at St James' Park. Located in the centre of Newcastle, it currently has a capacity of 52,305.

 

The club has been a member of the Premier League for all but three years of the competition's history, spending 91 seasons in the top flight as of May 2023, and has never dropped below English football's second tier since joining the Football League in 1893. Newcastle have won four League titles, six FA Cups and an FA Charity Shield, as well as the 1968–69 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, the ninth-highest total of trophies won by an English club. The club's most successful period was between 1904 and 1910, when they won an FA Cup and three of their League titles. Their last major domestic trophy was in 1955. More recently the club have been League or FA Cup runners-up on four occasions in the 1990s. Newcastle were relegated in 2009, and again in 2016. The club won promotion at the first time of asking each time, returning to the Premier League, as Championship winners, in 2010 and 2017. In October 2021, a consortium led by the Public Investment Fund, the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia, became majority owners of Newcastle United.

 

The team's traditional kit colours are black-and-white striped shirts, black shorts and black or white socks. Their crest has elements of the city coat of arms, which features two grey hippocamps. Before each home game, the team enters the field to "Going Home", with "Blaydon Races" also being sung during games. The 2005 film Goal! featured Newcastle United, and many signings mentioned the influence the film had on them.

 

The history of Newcastle United Football Club, an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, North East England, covers the club's entire history from its formation to the present day. Formed by a merger between Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End to become 'United' in 1892, the club was elected to the Football League, which they entered in 1893.

 

Newcastle are England's 9th most successful club of all time. They have been English champions four times (in 1905, 1907, 1909, 1927) and FA Cup winners six times (in 1910, 1924, 1932, 1951, 1952, 1955). The club have also won the 1909 Charity Shield, the 1968–69 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, and the 2006 Intertoto Cup. Newcastle have reached the League Cup final twice, finishing runners-up in both years ( 1976 and 2023). They have played in England's top league from 1898–1934, 1948–61, 1965–78, 1984–89, 1993–2009, 2010–2016, and 2017–present, playing in the second tier at all other times.

 

The first record of football being played on Tyneside dates from 3 March 1877 at Elswick Rugby Club. Later that year, Newcastle's first association football club, Tyne Association, was formed. The origins of Newcastle United Football Club itself can be traced back to the formation of a football club by the Stanley Cricket Club of Byker in November 1881. They won their first match 5–0 against Elswick Leather Works 2nd XI. The team was renamed Newcastle East End F.C. in October 1882, to avoid confusion with the cricket club in Stanley, County Durham.

 

Shortly after this, another Byker side, Rosewood FC, merged with East End to form an even stronger side. Meanwhile, across the city, West End Cricket Club began to take an interest in football and in August 1882, they formed Newcastle West End F.C. West End played their early football on their cricket pitch, but in May 1886, the club moved into St James' Park. The two clubs became rivals in the Northern League. In 1889, Newcastle East End became a professional team, before becoming a limited company the following March.

 

West End soon became the city's premier club. East End were anxious not to be left behind and lured Tom Watson into becoming the club secretary/manager in the close season of 1888 and from that point, never looked back; Watson made several good signings, especially from Scotland, and the Heaton club went from strength to strength, while West End's fortunes slipped dramatically.

 

The region's first league competition was formed in 1889 and the FA Cup began to cause interest. Ambitious East End turned professional in 1889, a huge step for a local club, and in March 1890, they made an even more adventurous move by becoming a limited company with capital of 1,000 pounds in ten shilling notes. During the spring of 1892, in a season during which their results were at an all-time low, and in which they had lost to their bitter rivals, East End, five times, West End found themselves in serious trouble. They approached East End with a view to a take over, the directors having decided that the club could no longer continue.

 

What actually happened was that West End wound up, while some of its players and most of its backroom staff joined East End. East End also took over the lease on St. James' Park in May 1892.

 

With only one senior club in the city for fans to support, development of the club was much more rapid. Despite being refused entry to the Football League's First Division at the start of the 1892–93 season, they were invited to play in their new Second Division. However, with no big names playing in the Second Division, they turned down the offer and remained in the Northern League, stating "gates would not meet the heavy expenses incurred for travelling". In a bid to start drawing larger crowds, Newcastle East End decided to adopt a new name in recognition of the merger. Suggested names included Newcastle F.C., Newcastle Rangers, Newcastle City and City of Newcastle, but Newcastle United was decided upon on 9 December 1892, to signify the unification of the two teams. The name change was accepted by the Football Association on 22 December, but the club was not legally constituted as Newcastle United Football Club Co. Ltd. until 6 September 1895. At the start of the 1893–94 season, Newcastle United were once again refused entry to the First Division and so joined the Second Division, along with Liverpool and Woolwich Arsenal. They played their first competitive match in the division that September against Woolwich Arsenal, with a score of 2–2.

 

Turnstile numbers were still low, and the incensed club published a statement claiming "The Newcastle public do not deserve to be catered for as far as professional football is concerned". However, eventually figures picked up by 1895–96, when 14,000 fans watched the team play Bury. That season Frank Watt became secretary of the club, and he was instrumental in promotion to the First Division for the 1898–99 season. However, they lost their first game 4–2 at home to Wolves and finished their first season in thirteenth place.

 

In 1903–04, the club built up a promising squad of players, and went on to dominate English football for almost a decade, the team known for their "artistic play, combining team-work and quick, short passing". Newcastle started to purchase talented players, especially from Scotland, and soon had a squad to rival all of England. With players like Colin Veitch, Jackie Rutherford, Jimmy Lawrence and Albert Shepherd, Newcastle had a team of international talent. Bill McCracken, Jimmy Howie, Peter McWilliam and Andy Aitken were also household names in their day. Long after his retirement, defender Peter McWilliam said "The Newcastle team of the 1900s would give any modern side a two goal start and beat them, and further more, beat them at a trot".

 

Newcastle United went on to win the League on three occasions during the 1900s: in 1904–05, 1906–07 and 1908–09. Newcastle reached five FA Cup finals in the years leading up to World War I. In 1904–05, they nearly did the double, losing to Aston Villa in the 1905 FA Cup Final. They were beaten again the following year by Everton in the 1906 FA Cup Final. They reached the final again in 1908 where they lost to Wolves. In 1908 the team suffered a record 9–1 home defeat to local rivals Sunderland in the league but still won that season's league title. They finally won the FA Cup in 1910 when they beat Barnsley in the final. They lost again the following year in the final against Bradford City.

 

The team returned to the FA Cup final in 1924, in the second final held at the then new Wembley Stadium. They defeated Aston Villa, winning the club's second FA Cup.Three years later they won the First Division championship a fourth time in 1926–27. Record signing & Scottish international centre-forward Hughie Gallacher, one of the most prolific goal scorers in the club's history, captained the championship-winning team. Other key players in this period were Neil Harris, Stan Seymour and Frank Hudspeth. Seymour was to become an influential figure for the next 40 years as player, manager and director.

 

In 1930, Newcastle United came close to relegation, and at the end of the season Gallacher left the club for Chelsea, and at the same time Andy Cunningham became the club's first team manager. In 1931–32, the club won the FA Cup a third time in the infamous 'Over the Line' final. United won the game 2–1 after scoring a goal following a cross from Jimmy Richardson which appeared to be hit from out of play - over the line. There were no action replays then and the referee allowed the goal, a controversial talking point in FA Cup history.

 

Newcastle boasted master players like Sam Weaver and Jack Allen, as well as the first player-manager in the top division in Scottish international Andy Cunningham. But at the end of the 1933–34 season, the team were relegated to the Second Division after 32 seasons in the First. Cunningham left as manager and Tom Mather took over. Amazingly in the same season as they fell into the Second Division, United defeated Liverpool 9–2 and Everton 7–3 within the space of a week.

 

The club found it difficult to adjust to the Second Division and were nearly further relegated in the 1937–38 season, when they were spared on goal averages.

 

When World War II broke in 1939, Newcastle had a chance to regroup, and in the War period, they brought in Jackie Milburn, Tommy Walker and Bobby Cowell.

 

Newcastle United won no Wartime League trophies, but Jackie Milburn made his debut in 1943 in a "Stripes vs Blues" match. Milburn's side was losing at half-time 3–0, but following a switch from midfielder to centre forward, he scored 6 goals to help them win the match 9–3. Jackie went on to score 38 goals in the next 3 years of the league's life.

 

By the time peace was restored in 1945, Seymour was at the forefront of Newcastle's affairs, manager in all but name. He ensured that the Magpies possessed an entertaining eleven full of stars, a mix of home-grown talent like Jackie Milburn, Bobby Cowell and Ernie Taylor, as well as big signings in the shape of George Robledo, Bobby Mitchell, Joe Harvey, Len Shackleton and Frank Brennan.

 

Newcastle spent the first couple of years post-war in the Second Division. Crowds were extremely high after the return to football, and in 1946 Newcastle recorded the joint-highest victory in English League Football history, defeating Newport County 13–0. Len Shackleton, playing his debut in that match, scored 6 goals in the match, another record for Newcastle United.

 

Newcastle returned to the First Division in double of the time. Promotion was achieved in 1948 in front of vast crowds. An average of almost 57,000 at every home game saw United's fixtures that year, a national record for years to come. That was just the start of another period of success.

 

During the Fifties decade United lifted the FA Cup trophy on three occasions within a five-year period. In 1951 they defeated Blackpool 2–0, a year later Arsenal were beaten 1–0 and in 1955 United crushed Manchester City 3–1. The Magpies were known in every corner of the country, and so were their players; 'Wor Jackie' Milburn and Bobby 'Dazzler' Mitchell the pick of a side that was renowned the nation over. Other players of this time were Frank Brennan (like Mitchell a Scot), Ivor Broadis, Len White and Welshman Ivor Allchurch.

 

Despite having quality players throughout the era, stars like Allchurch, White and George Eastham during the latter years of the decade, United slipped from the First Division in 1961 under the controversial management of ex-Manchester United star, Charlie Mitten. It was a huge blow to the club.

 

An old war-horse returned to revitalise the Magpies in the shape of Joe Harvey, who had skippered the club to much of their post-war success. He teamed up with Stan Seymour to rebuild United and the Black'n'Whites returned to the elite as Second Division Champions in 1965. United then became very much an unpredictable side, always capable of defeating the best, but never quite realising their huge potential until very recently.

 

Joe Harvey's side qualified for Europe for the first time in 1968 and stunned everyone the following year by lifting the Inter Cities Fairs Cup; the forerunner of the UEFA Cup. United possessed a solid eleven and Newcastle's tradition of fielding a famous Number 9 at centre-forward since earliest years continued as big Welshman Wyn Davies was prominent along with the likes of Pop Robson, Bobby Moncur and Frank Clark.

 

In the years that followed European success, manager Harvey brought in a string of talented entertainers who thrilled the Gallowgate crowd. Pleasers like Jimmy Smith, Tony Green and Terry Hibbitt. And especially a new centre-forward by the name of Malcolm Macdonald.

 

Nicknamed 'Supermac', Macdonald was one of United's greatest hero figures. Brash, arrogant and devastating in front of goal, he led United's attack to Wembley in 1974, against Liverpool in the FA Cup. But the Magpies failed to bring the trophy back to Tyneside, and a complete lack of success in any of the competitions the next season resulted in Joe Harvey being sacked in mid-1975.

 

Blackburn manager Gordon Lee was appointed to replace Harvey, and despite a mediocre league campaign in 1975–76, led the club to its first League Cup final, which ended in defeat by Manchester City. Despite Macdonald controversially being sold to Arsenal for a cut price deal, the following season saw United's best League campaign for years, and by Christmas the club looked to have an outside chance of winning the title. However, Lee walked out on the club to take over at Everton at the start of 1977, and inexperienced coach Richard Dinnis was put in charge of the team after the players demanded that he be given the job. United's form initially remained quite consistent under Dinnis, and they secured 5th place and a UEFA Cup spot at the end of the season. However, the team totally fell apart the following season, and Dinnis was sacked after a run of ten straight League defeats and a thumping UEFA Cup exit at the hands of French team SC Bastia. Bill McGarry took over as manager, but was powerless to prevent United from being relegated in statistically their worst season ever. The only mercy they had was Leicester City's terrible goal difference preventing United from finishing bottom of the table.

 

McGarry remained in charge of the club, but only managed two midtable finishes before being sacked in the wake of an uninspiring start to the 1980–81 season, and it was his successor Arthur Cox who steered United back again to the First Division with ex England captain Kevin Keegan leading the attack, having joined the Magpies in a sensational deal in 1982.

 

The football inspired by Keegan captivated Tyneside and United stormed into the top division in a style only bettered by Kevin's own brand of football when he returned to the club as manager a decade later. Cox had also signed young winger Chris Waddle out of non-league football, as well as young striker Peter Beardsley, Liverpool midfielder Terry McDermott and former Manchester United midfielder David McCreery. The club was rocked however when Cox resigned after the board refused to offer him an improved contract in the aftermath of promotion, and, surprisingly, accepted an offer to take charge of Derby County - who had been relegated from the Second Division.

 

One of English footballs greatest talents, Paul Gascoigne or 'Gazza', emerged as an exciting 18-year-old midfielder in 1985-86, under Newcastle's next manager Jack Charlton, who left after only one season despite Newcastle achieving a secure mid-table finish on their return to the First Division. His successor was former player Willie McFaul. Newcastle consolidated their place in Division One but then a period of selling their best players (Beardsley to Liverpool, and Waddle and eventually Gascoigne both to Tottenham), rocked the club and led to supporter unrest, as did a share-war for control of the boardroom. The effect of this on the pitch soon proved evident, as McFaul was sacked after a dismal start to the 1988–89 season, and new boss Jim Smith was unable to turn Newcastle around, resulting in them finishing at the foot of the First Division in 1989 and dropping back into the Second Division.

 

Smith then signed Portsmouth striker Mick Quinn and Newcastle began the 1989–90 season on a high note, beating promotion favourites Leeds United 5–2 on the opening day with Quinn scoring four goals, and Newcastle appeared to be on the path to a revival. However, they missed out on automatic promotion by one place, before enduring a humiliating play-off exit at the hands of local rivals Sunderland. The intensifying boardroom battle soon took its toll on the club, and Smith resigned early in the following season with the side stuck in mid-table. Ossie Ardiles became the club's new manager, and despite being initially being the club's most popular manager since Joe Harvey, Newcastle dropped to the bottom of the Second Division in October 1991. Results failed to improve, despite the acquisition of a new striker in David Kelly and the efforts of promising young players including Steve Howey, Steve Watson and Gavin Peacock, and in February 1992 Ardiles was sacked. Despite being the best-supported side in the division and frequently still managing to pull in crowds of more than 20,000, Newcastle were also millions of pounds in debt and faced with the real prospect of third-tier football for the first time ever. A saviour was needed, and in came new chairman John Hall, who offered the manager's job to Kevin Keegan. Despite having vowed never to enter management following his retirement as a player, Keegan accepted the offer to manage Newcastle. His first task was to deliver Second Division survival.

 

Kevin Keegan returned as manager in the 1991–92 season, and survived relegation from the Second Division. The club's finances were transformed, with Hall aiming to put Newcastle among Europe's biggest clubs, and signings like Rob Lee and Andy Cole helped Newcastle to promotion the following season, 1992–93, as champions of the new First Division. The finish also secured qualification for the 1993–94 UEFA Cup upon return to the top flight in the 1993–94 Premier League season.

 

St James' Park was redeveloped during this time into an all-seated stadium with a capacity of 36,000. This increased to 52,000 in the late 1990s, after the rejection of Hall's proposal to build a larger stadium at Castle Leazes.

 

Keegan stunned fans and critics alike in 1995 when prolific striker Andy Cole was sold to Manchester United in exchange for £6 million and midfielder Keith Gillespie, leaving many to blame the sale to have affected Newcastle's title chances for the 1994–95 season, in which they finished sixth. The club, however, continued to build up a reputation for playing attacking football under Keegan. In the 1995–96 season, high-profile foreign stars David Ginola and Faustino Asprilla, in addition to British players Peter Beardsley and striker Les Ferdinand, guided the team to a second-place finish. During the 1996–97 season, Keegan made one signing, securing the services of England striker Alan Shearer for a then-world record transfer fee of £15 million to produce a shrewd partnership with Les Ferdinand, and claim a 5–0 victory over title rivals Manchester United. whilst remaining in contention to win the league.

 

With the team having failed to win any trophies under his reign, Keegan resigned as manager on 8 January 1997, saying, "I feel that I have taken the club as far as I can."

 

Kenny Dalglish replaced Keegan as manager, and maintained the club's good form through to the end of the season, finishing second. In the 1997–98 season, Les Ferdinand and David Ginola both left the club, whilst Alan Shearer broke his ankle in a pre-season friendly, keeping him out for the first half of the season. Dalglish signed Ian Rush, John Barnes, Duncan Ferguson and Stuart Pearce to bolster the squad, and achieved a 3–2 victory over Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League through a Faustino Asprilla hat-trick, but Dalglish's cautious brand of football, as opposed to the attacking style played under Keegan, did not prove successful—the club failed to progress beyond the Champions League group stage, finished 13th in the Premier League, and lost the FA Cup final to Arsenal. Dalglish began the 1998–99 season signing Nolberto Solano and Dietmar Hamann, but was soon dismissed following the club's declining form.

 

Ruud Gullit replaced him, however the club again finished the league in 13th place and again lost in the FA Cup final, this time to Manchester United F.C. Gullit resigned early in the 1999–2000 season, having fallen out with several senior players, including Alan Shearer and captain Rob Lee. Keith Gillespie later blamed Gullit's arrogance for his failure as manager of the club.

 

Ex-England manager Bobby Robson was brought in to replace Gullit in September 1999. He ensured Newcastle's survival in the Premiership, but the club remained in the bottom half of the table, finishing 11th in 1999–2000 and 2000–01. Robson, however, built up an exciting young squad, and an unlikely top four challenge emerged in 2001–02 season—Newcastle finished in fourth place.

 

Playing in the Champions League in 2002–03, Newcastle progressed to the second group stage in unlikely circumstances, beating Italian squad Juventus 1–0 along the way. United finished the 2002–03 season third in the Premier League, but lost their Champions League qualifier and played in the 2003–04 UEFA Cup instead, reaching the semi-final. In 2003–04, Newcastle finished fifth in the Premiership, lower than in previous seasons, and outside of Champions League contention.

 

Robson was then sacked following a poor start to the 2004–05 season and alleged discontent in the dressing room. In his autobiography, Robson was critical of Shepherd, claiming that while manager he was denied information regarding the players' contracts and transfer negotiations. He had previously publicly criticised the club's highly financed offer for Wayne Rooney, which the club later claimed they could not afford, stating young players were making excessive demands without first proving themselves on the pitch. He also criticised Shepherd and the club's deputy chairman Douglas Hall for their focus on the first team and St James' Park, causing them to neglect less glamorous issues, such as the training ground, youth development and talent scouts.

 

Graeme Souness replaced Robson and finished the season 14th in the league. Souness' arrival, however, was met with mixed reactions, with many expecting Robson being a hard task to improve upon, despite insisting he was aware of Sir Bobby's admiration and was ready for the role. In the January transfer window, Souness caused controversy in securing an £8 million bid for France international Jean-Alain Boumsong, who had joined Rangers for free just months before, prior to which Sir Bobby had travelled to France to review Boumsong but declined to sign him. The Stevens inquiry in 2007 documented that in this purchase Souness was accused of lack of consistency and was reviewed over the large media speculation the transfer received, but was eventually exonerated from any illegal participations. Going into 2005–06 season, despite signing several new players, including the return of Nolberto Solano from Aston Villa as well as Albert Luque from Deportivo de La Coruña for £10 million, Souness struggled with the opening games. He later blamed the state of the club's training ground for injuries suffered to players. The signing of Michael Owen (for a club record £17 million from Real Madrid) and his strike partnership with Alan Shearer produced goals at the end of 2005, but an injury caused Owen to miss the rest of the season and following a poor start to the new year, Souness was sacked in February 2006. Robbie Elliiot and Shay Given announced regret over his exit in the club's Season Review DVD but acknowledged his seeming favouritism of players and the amounting pressure on him damaged morale, whilst Alan Shearer blamed the injury crisis to first-team players.

 

Caretaker manager Glenn Roeder was issued the role of temporary first-team manager, seeing his first game against Portsmouth secure Alan Shearer's 201st goal for Newcastle United, becoming the club's all-time highest-scoring player. Roeder guided Newcastle from 15th to seventh place securing 32 league points from a possible 45 by the end of 2005–06, as well as securing a place in the UEFA Intertoto Cup and was given a two-year contract by chairman Freddy Shepherd. His appointment caused controversy, as at the time he did not hold the necessary UEFA Pro Licence to manage in the UEFA leagues and cup tournaments His role, however, was approved by UEFA who acknowledged that Roeder's diagnosis with a brain tumour in 2003 prevented him from developing his career, whilst Chairman Freddy Shepherd also fulfilled UEFA's request that he gain backing from all 19 other Premier League clubs to appoint him as manager. Alan Shearer retired at the end of the 2005–06 season scoring a record 206 goals.

 

Roeder encountered a difficult 2006–07 season, losing many players to injury, in particular Michael Owen, who had severely damaged his ligaments during the 2006 FIFA World Cup seeing him only play the final two games of the season. Newcastle won the 2006 Intertoto Cup, but a 5–1 exit to Birmingham City in the FA Cup, a round of 16 exit in the UEFA Cup and poor league results seeing a 13th-place finish led Roeder to resign in May 2007.

 

As the 2007 season drew to a close, St James Holdings Limited, the bid vehicle of billionaire businessman Mike Ashley, was reported to be in the process of buying the club. Ashley successfully acquired Sir John Hall's majority stake in the club in May 2007, leaving many to believe chairman Freddie Shepherd was set to depart after stepping down as chairman, should Ashley acquire more than 50 percent, which would see Shepherd no longer in control of the club and Ashley able to replace the board. Shepherd dismissed all speculation and proceeded to appoint ex-Bolton Wanderers boss Sam Allardyce as Newcastle manager, but eventually met with Mike Ashley and the board on 29 May. On 7 June 2007, Shepherd ended his 11 years with the club after Mike Ashley accepted his bid to buy his shares and in his role as chairman of the board, also having Shepherd advise the remaining shareholders to sell to Ashley. Ashley then announced he would be delisting the club from the London Stock Exchange upon completion of the takeover. The club officially ceased trading on the Stock Exchange as of 8 am on 18 July 2007 at 5p a share. Ashley brought in lawyer Chris Mort as the new club "deputy chairman".

 

Despite signing and building a seemingly strong squad, Sam Allardyce soon became widely unpopular with fans and players alike, and was surprisingly sacked by Ashley halfway through his first season after underwhelming results and pressure from the fans. Ashley, however, defended his decision to sack Allardyce, stating he made a mistake in not appointing his own choice of manager before the season started.

 

Kevin Keegan then made a sensational surprise return as manager. His return had an instant impact on club ticket sales as he sat with the fans, Mike Ashley and Chris Mort for the FA Cup replay 4–1 win against Stoke City. Following his return, Keegan had a disappointing first ten games back, with the club not winning a single game until his decision to include strikers Obafemi Martins, Michael Owen and Mark Viduka into a 4–3–3 formation, which saw the club back on goal-scoring and winning form and eventually finishing 12th in 2007–08. In May Keegan met with Mike Ashley and Director of Football Dennis Wise after he had suggested Champions League qualification was out of Newcastle United's reach and expressed dissatisfaction with the board's financial backing. Ashley was battling reports that he had lost hundreds of millions of pounds in a disastrous attempt to rescue bank HBOS. The morning following, after the club's 3–0 defeat to Arsenal, rumours were circulating that Keegan had either been sacked or resigned as Newcastle boss, citing board interference and his lack of control over transfers. Keegan confirmed the reports the same week, and reportedly held unsuccessful resolution talks with Mike Ashley the following week, leading to fan fury and protests around St James' Park, and marring the club's home defeat to Hull City, with fans accusing Ashley and club executives Dennis Wise, Tony Jimenez and Derek Llambias of forcing Keegan out.

 

Following mass media coverage of Keegan's departure, the club struggled to find a replacement, with the majority of managers showing no interest in the role. Ashley released a statement to the club's fans that in fear of his and his families reputation and safety, he was placing the club for sale. It was then announced that former Nottingham Forest manager Joe Kinnear was appointed temporary manager His appointment, however, saw a backlash from fans, prompting a verbal tirade from Kinnear at the media, who questioned his decision to take the job at such a time. By the end of the year, Ashley took the club off the market claiming he was unable to find a suitable buyer.

 

In the remainder of 2008–09, Kinnear won four out of 18 matches before stepping down due to reported heart problems. Chris Hughton then took temporary charge before Alan Shearer returned to Newcastle United as manager in April with Iain Dowie as his assistant. After winning only one out of eight games, the club was relegated to the Championship for the first time since 1992. Mike Ashley then re-issued his desire to sell the club once again and issued a £100 million sale price tag.

 

Prior to the start of the 2009–10 season, Keegan's dispute with the club was resolved after a Premier League Arbitration Panel ruled that he had been misled to believe he had the final word on the club's transfer policy when in fact Director of Football Dennis Wise had been handed such control. The signings of Xisco and Nacho González were ruled to have been made without the manager's approval; with González, Dennis Wise signed him only after viewing him off of YouTube. Wise and Derek Llambias were ruled to have deliberately misled the media to believe Keegan had the final say, which amounted to constructive dismissal. Keegan was awarded £2 million in compensation and re-offered his job as Newcastle United manager under fresh new terms, though in response to the offer, he stated the fans had "had enough" for the time being and declined. He stated in 2013 he would consider a return should Mike Ashley leave the club.

 

Chris Hughton was appointed full-time manager early in the 2009–10 season. The club dominated the Championship, winning 30 games, drawing 12 and losing only four, scoring a total of 90 goals and finishing top of the league with 102 points, thus re-gaining Premier League status at the first attempt.

 

Beginning 2010–11, Hughton remained on course to secure survival from relegation with the club's first win at the Emirates over Arsenal, and a memorable 5–1 defeat over Sunderland. However, fury once again was caused by the board, as the club controversially sacked Chris Hughton after a 3–1 defeat to West Bromwich Albion on 6 December 2010. Critics players and fans alike were shocked by Hughton's dismissal, leading to protests prior to the club's game against Liverpool in a bid to thank him for his work and support. Alan Pardew was then announced as being appointed manager on a five-and-a-half-year contract, with the club announcing they wanted a manager with more experience. Pardew stated he had nothing but respect for Chris Hughton and acknowledged the fact that other managers questioned his appointment. He secured his first win on his debut as manager with a 3–1 win over Liverpool On 31 January 2011, Newcastle sold striker Andy Carroll to Liverpool for a club record of £35 million. The sale of a young player at a high value proved controversial for Liverpool, with Alan Shearer ridiculing the price Liverpool paid as well as expressing sorrow at Newcastle for losing Carroll. Carroll himself stated that he did not want to leave the club but was forced out by the club's directors after Liverpool's final offer of £35 million; the board responded that Carroll had previously handed in a transfer request. Pardew said he was disappointed to lose Carroll, but pledged to invest in the club's summer transfer window. The remainder of the season saw Leon Best score a hat-trick on his debut in a 5–0 defeat of West Ham United, a memorable 4–4 comeback against Arsenal, and a 4–1 defeat of Wolverhampton Wanderers, eventually finishing 12th in the league.

 

Entering 2011–12, Pardew was reportedly denied the £35 million from the sale of Andy Carroll for transfers and told to sell players to raise funds, having claimed he had been assured the finances upon Carroll's departure. Kevin Keegan had previously stated Alan Pardew should not have expected the money following his issues with the board in 2008. The club signed many French-speaking players in the transfer window, including Yohan Cabaye, Mathieu Debuchy, Sylvain Marveaux and Demba Ba. and with impressive results throughout the season, Newcastle finished fifth.

 

In the 2012–13 UEFA Europa League, Newcastle reached the quarter-finals, and in the January transfer window, the French revolution continued into the new year, with Moussa Sissoko and Yoan Gouffran joining the squad. The team, however, had a poor 2012–13 Premier League and finished 16th in the Premier League.

 

Beginning the 2013–14 season, in a surprise move Joe Kinnear returned to the club as Director of Football, instantly causing fan fury following his outburst that he was "more intelligent" than the fans and critics, as well as mispronouncing various players names during a radio interview. However, he resigned after just eight months on the job following further critique for managing to sign only two players on loan—Loïc Rémy and Luuk de Jong—throughout the season's summer and January transfer windows, as well selling Yohan Cabaye to Paris Saint-Germain for £20 million, considered to be one of the most influential players at the time. Following the lack of transfer activity, Mike Ashley once again faced a fan revolt, with protests being launched at him to sell the club, and entered a dispute with several media titles whom the club banned from Newcastle United media facilities, press conferences and player interviews, declaring stories reported were intensely exaggerated and aimed only to damage Ashley's image further. Throughout the season, the club remained on course to ensure a top half finish, notably defeating Manchester United at Old Trafford for the first time since 1972. Nonetheless, the team struggled for goals following the sale of Cabaye. Further dismay upon the season was caused when Pardew was banned for seven matches and fined £100,000 for an assault on Hull City midfielder David Meyler. The club then encountered a poor run of form, losing eight out of ten games and finishing the season tenth in the league, though the club confirmed Alan Pardew would stay on.

 

The opening eight games of the 2014–15 season proved disappointing, with the club failing to secure a win. After the dip in form, however, the club had an emphatic resurgence, seeing a five-game unbeaten run whilst also surprising League Cup holders Manchester City with a 2–0 win and progressing to the quarter-finals of the tournament. Pardew, however, resigned from the club on 30 December 2014 following immense pressure from fans calling for his departure, with many posters at games designed with the Sports Direct logo advertising a website demanding his resignation. Pardew admitted in the months leading up to his departure that protests from the fans were affecting his family and was subsequently feeling unhappy at the club. He was replaced by his assistant manager John Carver, though the team subsequently earned just 13 points out of a possible 50, surviving relegation on the final day of the season with a victory over West Ham, Carver was dismissed before the club's pre-season for 2016 began. The club paid tribute to player Jonás Gutiérrez following his successful recovery from testicular cancer to resume his playing career.

 

Beginning the 2015–16 season, former England F.C. Manager Steve McClaren was appointed manager, signing Georginio Wijnaldum, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Chancel Mbemba, Florian Thauvin, Henri Saivet, Jonjo Shelvey, Andros Townsend and Ivan Toney. McClaren however struggled to produce results winning 6 and drawing 6 out of 28 games, whilst exiting both the FA Cup and League Cup in the Third Round. McClaren was subsequently sacked on 11 March 2016 with critics and former players voicing their favour of the decision. Rafael Benítez was announced as McClaren's successor the same day, signing a three-year deal. Benítez recorded his first victory in 3–0 defeat of Swansea City in the Premier League on 17 April 2016 after 5 games in charge, and maintained an emphatic 5-game unbeaten streak to the end of the season. Newcastle were however relegated from the Premier League along with Aston Villa and Norwich finishing 18th place, 2 points below safety. Betting websites confirmed after the final game that the club's 5–1 defeat of Tottenham Hotspur matched the initial odds of Leicester City's 5000/1 win of the 2015–16 Premier League season.

 

Starting the 2016-17 season, Rafa Benítez signed 12 new players full-time and also acquired 5 players on loan, whilst 8 players left the club and another 12 on loan. New signings Dwight Gayle and Matt Ritchie proved popular scoring a combined total of 39 goals, finishing among the top goalscorers that season. Despite failing to improve on their dominant success in the 2009/10 championship season, the club remained in contention for the trophy throughout; threatened only by Brighton & Hove Albion Newcastle enjoyed a 3-game winning streak to the final day of the season and lifted the Football League Championship trophy on 8 May 2017 following a 3–0 win over Barnsley. Rafa Benítez denied speculation that he would leave the club following promotion to the Premier League and confirmed his commitment to the club for the foreseeable future. Shortly prior to the season's finish, the club was subject to raids by HMRC following suspicions of tax evasion. Managing Director Lee Charnley was arrested during the raid, but was later released without charge.

 

Ending the 2017-18 season, the club finished 10th in the Premier League defeating the current champions Chelsea on the final day of the season, the highest finish achieved within 4 years. Beginning the 2018–19 season, Mike Ashley again came under scrutiny following lack of major signings in the summer transfer window, with many fans accusing him of lacking interest in the club following his purchase of troubled retail chain House of Fraser for £90m. Despite the January signing of Miguel Almirón from Atlanta United FC for £21 million surpassing the club's transfer record fee of £16.8 million for Michael Owen in 2005, the club struggled throughout the season with 12 wins, 9 draws and 17 losses seeing a 13th place league table finish, whilst exiting the League Cup at the 2nd round in a 3–1 defeat of Nottingham Forest F.C and a 4th round exit of the FA Cup in a 2–0 defeat to Watford F.C. The season also saw heavy speculation regarding Rafa Benítez remaining at the club following reports he was still in negotiations following the end of the season.

 

Following fresh reports of Ashley's intention to sell the club, Sheikh Khaled Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Founder and Chairman of The Bin Zayed Group of Companies, a member of the Al Nahyan royal family of Abu Dhabi, confirmed he had agreed terms to purchase the club for £350 million. On 5 June 2019 a company named Monochrome Acquisitions Limited was registered in Nahyan's name, whilst managing director Lee Charnley applied to have four companies linked to Ashley's company St James Holdings Ltd struck off, leaving many to believe the club was on course to be sold. Talks of a takeover however stalled throughout the summer transfer window, whilst Ashley confirmed he had not received an official bid from any prospective buyer.

 

Benítez rejected a new contract offer and departed the club on 30 June 2019, accepting a move to Chinese Super League side Dalian Yifang in a £12 million deal. Ashley criticised Benítez stating unfair demands were made making it impossible for him to remain as manager. Notable player departures saw Salomón Rondón join Benitez at Dalian Yifang after returning to West Bromwich Albion F.C. from loan, whilst Ayoze Perez joined Leicester City for £30 million and Mohamed Diamé was released by Newcastle upon the expiry of his contract at the end of the 2018–19 season.

 

BBC Sport reported in July 2019 that Steve Bruce had resigned from his managerial position at Sheffield Wednesday after he earlier admitted that he had held talks with Newcastle United over their managerial vacancy. His appointment was confirmed on 17 July. Sheffield Wednesday however stated there were still outstanding legal issues with Bruce having resigned just 48 hours before, leading a report being filed to the Premier League alleging misconduct in his appointment. Newcastle United denied any wrongdoing and stated they were confident no case could be escalated. Reaction from the fans was mixed, with some feeling Bruce would not achieve the standard set by Benítez, whilst his recent lack of Premier League football and management of rival club Sunderland proved controversial. Bruce later acknowledged Benítez's popularity and stated he hoped the fans would not rush to judgement and give him time to prove himself and manager of Newcastle. Due to visa problems in China, Bruce watched his first match as manager from the stands which saw Newcastle achieve a third-place finish in the pre-season 2019 Premier League Asia Trophy following a 1–0 victory over West Ham United F.C. Bruce quickly made his first transfer, signing Joelinton from TSG 1899 Hoffenheim for £40 million, breaking the club's transfer fee record previously held by Miguel Almirón at £21 million just 6 months before, before signing French international winger Allan Saint-Maximin from OGC Nice on a permanent deal for £16.5 million, Sweden international defender Emil Krafth for £5 million, central midfielder Kyle Scott on a free signing following his departure from Chelsea, and Netherlands international defender Jetro Willems on loan from Frankfurt F.C until the end of the 2019–20 season. Bruce made his final transfer of the pre-season on deadline day by re-signing striker Andy Carroll, who had left the club over 7 years earlier. On 4 February 2020, Steve Bruce's side ended a 14-year drought by reaching the 5th round of the FA Cup they beat League One side Oxford United 2–3 in a replay thanks to a late winner from Allan Saint-Maximin in extra time.

 

From March 2020, the season was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. On 13 March, following an emergency meeting between the Premier League, The Football Association (FA), the English Football League and the FA Women's Super League, it was unanimously decided to suspend professional football in England. On 19 March, the suspension was extended indefinitely, with a restart date of 17 June announced in late May with all remaining games to be played without crowd attendance.

 

Newcastle finished the season in 13th place. Defender Danny Rose was an outspoken critic of the decision to continue the season, citing the virus was still in major circulation and accused the FA of having no concern for footballers' health. Karl Darlow has since urged players at the club to get vaccinated following his hospitalisation from complications of Covid, whilst manager Steve Bruce admitted some players had voluntarily declined the vaccination.

 

The 2020-21 season saw all matches played without crowd attendance until May 2021, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Newcastle failed to improve on the previous season, finishing 12th in the premier league and were knocked out of the FA Cup in the third round added time to Arsenal and exited the EFL Cup in the quarter-finals losing 1–0 to Brentford.

 

In April 2020, it was widely reported that a consortium consisting of Public Investment Fund, PCP Capital Partners and the Reuben Brothers, was finalising an offer to acquire Newcastle United. The proposed sale prompted concerns and criticism, such as arguments considering it sportwashing of the country's human rights record, as well as ongoing large-scale piracy of sports broadcasts in the region. However the consortium announced its withdrawal from the Newcastle deal on July 30, 2020, after multiple media reports highlighted realm as the staunch violator of human rights, and the WTO ruled that it was behind the piracy campaign using pirate-pay-service beoutQ. "With a deep appreciation for the Newcastle community and the significance of its football club, we have come to the decision to withdraw our interest in acquiring Newcastle United Football Club," the group said in its statement upon withdrawal. The group also stated that the "prolonged process" was a major factor in them pulling out. The collapse of the takeover was met with widespread criticism from Newcastle fans, with Newcastle MP Chi Onwurah accusing the Premier League of treating fans of the club with "contempt" and subsequently wrote to Masters for an explanation. Despite the consortium's withdrawal, disputes over the takeover continued. On 9 September 2020, Newcastle United released a statement claiming that the Premier League had officially rejected the takeover by the consortium and accused Masters and the Premier League board of " acting appropriately in relation to [the takeover]", while stating that the club would be considering any relevant legal action. The Premier League strongly denied this in a statement released the next day, expressing "surprise" and "disappointment" at Newcastle's statement.

 

On October 7, 2021, the Public Investment Fund, PCP Capital Partners and RB Sports & Media confirmed that they had officially completed the acquisition of Newcastle United. Governor of the investment fund Yasir bin Othman Al-Rumayyan was appointed non-executive chairman, whilst Amanda Staveley and Jamie Reuben were both appointed as directors and each held a 10% shareholding in the club.

 

The takeover led to widespread speculation that manager Steve Bruce was expected to leave the club. Although not denying the speculation that the club was keen to appoint a new manager, Staveley stated Bruce was to remain for the new owners first game against Tottenham Hotspur; his 1000th match as a football manager. However following Newcastle losing the game 3-2 and alleged discontent among the players, Bruce left the club by mutual consent. Bruce stated his sadness at leaving the club and felt Newcastle fans launched unnecessary verbal abuse at him during his time there. Interim manager Graeme Jones as well as Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta supported Bruce's claims stating the abuse he received was off putting for other managers to take the role.

 

Eddie Howe was appointed as manager on 8 November 2021. The announcement was made following reports that the club had discussed the role with him the previous week and confirmed following his attendance at the away draw to Brighton & Hove Albion. On 19 November 2021, Newcastle announced that Howe had tested positive for COVID-19 and would miss his first game in charge, which instead forced him to watch his first game as manager from a hotel room as Newcastle drew 3–3 with Brentford on 20 November.

 

Lee Charnley, who acted as Managing Director under Ashley's ownership, left the club on 19 November 2021 following a six-week handover period. His departure was the final of Mike Ashley's hierarchy, with Staveley stating the club was undergoing a "formal process" to appoint a new figure to replace the role.

 

Eddie Howe had to wait until 4 December 2021 for his first win as Newcastle manager in a 1–0 win against Burnley, which was also the first win since the takeover happened. Howe then made five signings in the first January transfer window under the new ownership which included a marquee singing in Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimarães from Olympique Lyonnais. The transfer window and the players that were already there that Howe improved helped Newcastle to go on a 9-game unbeaten run in the Premier League to get them 10 points clear from the relegation zone and increasing the chance of guaranteeing survival. After Newcastle's 1–0 win against Crystal Palace, this was the first time the club had managed to win 6 home games in a row since 2004 when Sir Bobby Robson was in charge. Newcastle finished in 11th place after a run of 12 wins in their final 18 games, and became the first team in Premier League history to avoid relegation after not winning any of the first 14 games they played.

 

On 30 May 2022, the club announced they had reached an agreement of a compensation fee with Brighton & Hove Albion to appoint Dan Ashworth as the new Sporting Director, the appointment was confirmed on 6 June 2022. On 15 July 2022, the club brought in Darren Eales, from MLS side Atlanta United, as the club's new Chief Executive Officer - acting as a "key member of the club's leadership structure".

 

Newcastle United was set up as a private company limited by shares on 6 September 1895. However, by the 1930s, ownership of the company was dominated by a small number of individuals: Alderman William McKeag, George and Robert Rutherford, and William Westwood, 1st Baron Westwood. George Stanley Seymour was allocated some shares when he joined the board in 1938.

 

By the second half of the 20th century, these shareholdings had passed to the next generation: Gordon McKeag, Robert James Rutherford, Stan Seymour Jr. and William Westwood, 2nd Baron Westwood. The Magpie Group led by Sir John Hall built up a large shareholding in the club and then took control in 1992. In 2007, St James Holdings Limited, the bid vehicle of billionaire businessman Mike Ashley, secured control of the club and in 2021, the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, PCP Capital Partners and RB Sports & Media confirmed that they had acquired ownership of the club.

Entitled: Leuchtturm im Cantonfluss (Lighthouse In The Canton River) [c1891] CR Hager [RESTORED] I removed very minor spot and scratches, evened the tone of the sky, and enlarged the image. I selectively added shadow depth by darkening the interior and undersides of the larger boats, along with the shadow side of the lighthouses. This effectively boosted the contrast range on what was arguably a very flat original. I also lightened the tone of the water to provide better separation for the boats. A final sepia tone for warmth and appearance of age.

 

The original was found in the University of Southern California Library's Internet Mission Photography Archive:

 

digitallibrary.usc.edu/impa/controller/index.htm

 

It is listed and can be found in their search engine under image number: impa-abmpix-645

 

The title refers to a lighthouse (but there are actually two, one obvious in the left center, and a distant one along the right edge of the photograph) that was found in the Pearl River around the turn of the 20th century. One has to remember that during those days, there really weren't any lights at night unless one provided it, and lights on the river itself delineating hazardous landmarks probably saved many vessels from smashing themselves against the various rocks or land features that were apparent in a winding river system. This image of a permanent man made navigation aid in the Pearl River is the first one that I've ever seen for that era. If anyone has more images like this, or know of any, please provide a link.

Houston, Texas

The guy in the robes is an entitled jerk.

Mural entitled "Mr Quetzalcoatl" by @youngbeam (Bimmer Torres), @Tinsman_190 (Austin Tinsman), and @leafbug_zero seen at Chuey Fu's at 1131 Santa Fe Drive in Denver, Colorado.

 

Photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.

 

Edit by Teee

Photograph entitled 'Mrs A. Moore' of Mrs Moore in a horse drawn carriage.

 

Photograph from an album containing black and white photographs taken by the Hon. Hugh Annesley. The front end board of this album is endorsed with a printed card, which overlays an earlier manuscript endorsement. From these two endorsements it is clear that the album belonged to Captain the Hon. Hugh Annesley, Scots Fusilier Guards. The album is also endorsed 1855.

 

Date: 1855

 

Ref: D1854/5/1/3 No. 38

The above depiction appeared on the cover of True Detective June 1953 Vol. 59 No. 2

The portrayal below did not.

*****

The Silken whisper of Flickering Desires

A Chronicle

Adapted from the Final Entry Entitled:

Their Regal Gambit

Subtitled:

While Sherlock Holmes vacationed

 

The first score had been made, now for the Coup de Grace! So far their little operation had gone as smooth as silk, or in this case, satin. Now just to make sure the husband of the silken gowned brunette displaying the jewels in question was still safely out of the picture! Then Mollie would let her husband know that with the coast clear, freeing him to stage his approach of the lady in the long swishing satin gown he had been keeping an eye on all evening. The one who was wearing the exquisite necklace of fiery flickering diamonds, just daring someone to expertly slip it away the throat of its unsuspecting owner.

 

And therein lay the rub, She happily thought….

 

As Mollie made her way down the quiet corridor to the gentlemen’s smoking lounge, she lovingly played through her mind the series of unfortunate ( or fortunate?) events that had led her and her husband to this place. It had all began with an innocent one named Tabitha…….

 

Mollies’ Flash back

 

They had first come across Tabitha at a resort casino deep in the Catskills. Mollie and her husband had been there about three days, scoping out the grounds, and its wealthy clientele. At the casino they both spotted Tabitha at the same time. She was seated at a baccarat table, really standing out in an elegant dress of gold and black striped silk and velvet Her well-toned body displayed numerous pieces of expensive jewelry. A fat little purse dangled, unheeded by her side. Tabitha had held Mollie’s attention mainly due to the strong resemblance she had to herself. Tabitha’s jewelry, a flashy diamond journey style necklace, matching earrings, wide diamond tennis bracelet, and multiple gem encrusted rings, had held Mollies pickpocket husbands’.

 

Mollie went on to the bar and watched as her husband waited for the seat next to Tabitha to become vacant. Then he sat, asking for chips, while unobtrusively eyeing Tabitha’s bracelet. He began striking up a conversation with Tabitha, finding her to be an easy mark. He soon learned from the chatty girl that she was a divorced, upper executive for a well-known digital arts company servicing the movie industry. It was during this conversation that Tabitha babbled about the upscale, invitation only(you know), black tie formal ball she would be attending in England the next month. Now, as her husband was keeping Tabitha occupied Mollie had walked by the pair, ‘tripping’ into her husband, who palmed off to her , the diamond bracelet which had been ever so subtly slipped from around the unwary Tabatha’s’ wrist. Walking away with the bracelet secured in her purse, Mollie made her way to their small bungalow. Her husband did not break in his conversation with Tabitha; a mark would seldom suspect a friendly person of stealing from her.

 

Later that evening, Mollie wore the pricy bracelet while mutually admiring it over a bottle of merlot with her husband. They discussed the high-class affair Tabitha had been bragging about. Wistfully, Mollie admitted it was a shame they had not received an invite. Her husband smiled, and pulled a thickly embossed and crested envelope from his pocket. Easily adopting a British accent, he said “The silly little twit was carrying this in her purse!” The envelope revealed a pair of invitations to the Princess’s Jubilee Royal Ball. As the pair continued to empty the bottle of fine merlot, what had started as speculation, turned towards reality, and soon plans had been laid.

 

As they lay in bed later that night, Mollie turned to her husband, just think about the jewels that will be worn at the English Ball, she shivered with the delightful thoughts. Do you remember the last time we were in England? Mollie looked at her husband slyly, you remember, the Wriggling Whelp Whispering Wisk! She stated teasingly. Mollie knew the quickest way to get her husband’s goat was coming up with silly phrases to describe his more outlandish endeavors. Such phrases like The Tingling Touch Ice Melt, The Slippery Slick Taffeta Pull, The Glossy Gowned Dangling Peel, or her personal favorite, The Ticklish Wedge Clam Dip, never failed to get a response. In this case the response was a brief pillow fight leading into a romantic interlude, ending up with them in bed as they reminisced about the last time they had “visited” England a few years back…..

It had proven a fairly profitable venture with the jewelry alone netting almost 100,000 pounds. It all had culminated quite nicely at one of the posh events they had crashed that final weekend. Their final score had come about from a rambunctious doe eyed Fourteen year old in a shiny dress who had been oblivious to the valuably delicious gold pendent studded with small rubies and emeralds that sparkled ever so invitingly as it swung from her throat. A pair of matching dangling earrings dripped from her ears as she has run around unminded by her elders. Mollie had indignantly stated to her husband that the antique trinkets were simply just too expensive for a child so squirminly young to be trusted with. Her husband then went about the task to prove his wife correct in her statement.

 

After talking a bit about the English Girls parents reaction to the unsolved disappearance of their daughters ultra-pricey pendent , Mollie came back to the present and asked if the lady in the maroon silk that her husband pointed out the previous evening would be wearing the same jewels to the dance tomorrow night? Or better her husband replied sleepily, good Mollie pronounced, I did like her emeralds.

 

In Merry Ole England

 

They had arrived in England several weeks before the Royal Ball and began the preparations.

 

In an irony of fate, the profit they had realized from poor Tabitha’s bracelet had paid for a large chunk of their little excursion. Keeping his accent, and adding a trim beard, Mollies husband looked radically different from the man Tabitha had encountered. During the weeks following their arrival, the pair had practiced like they always did before undertaking a new venture. But this time it was with a more daring edge, they quite simply could not afford being caught red handed in a foreign country. Mollie assumed her practice the role. That of the richly dressed, well jeweled quarry. Her husband would stalk and attempt to relieve her of a piece of her jewelry as she went about her business, shopping! The idea being that, If he was able to do so without being caught by an obviously aware Mollie, than he should have no problem at the Royal Ball. As it usually happened when they practiced in this manner, her husband did incredibly well. Mollie had had several pieces of jewelry vanish from her person during the week, without her noticing how or when.

 

The final night of practice Mollie decided to dress to kill. Looking quite devastating in a glossy gold halter and a long brown velvet skirt with gold stiletto heels clicking as she moved. A diamond heart pendant hung down from her neck, swaying provocatively out from between her breasts. A bracelet, similar to Tabitha’s purloined diamonds, was wrapped around her wrist.

 

She left their penthouse and made her way to the street outside. Some type of festival was going on as she waded through the crowded streets to the nightclub. Her rings sparkled as they kept rhythm with her swaying diamond waterfall earrings. Just daring her husband to make a move for any of them.

 

Mollie drank and danced the night away with no hide or hair of her husband until she returned late that evening to their apartment. She found him in the hot tub, smirking. She undressed and joined him. Okay, how did u do it she demanded? I felt nothing, no one bumped or brushed against me all evening that I was not aware of. He opened his fist, allowing her heart diamond pendant to dangle freely in front of her. A magician never reveals his tricks my little cat, he purred, as the pendant swayed in a sparkling arch.

 

Cat was short for “Cat Lady”, a moniker he had placed upon her when she had broken into a sleeping woman’s room and removed the jewels from her gold case, and even managed to slip off a ring she was wearing. The fact that she was passed out in a drunken stupor, still dressed in her long party gown, didn’t count , or so her husband teased.

 

You should have been a surgeon! , my dear, Mollie exclaimed with pride. Then she leaned towards him, her green eyes gleaming in earnest, time for a real practice run Mon Cherie, she said in dead seriousness. Then Her eyes opened wide, I got it she exclaimed, I’ll call it The Slinking Sneaky Shearing Snag she pronounced joyfully, getting a face full of water in reply to her effort. Okay Cat, let’s get down to business he retorted, I know just the affair. Mollie listened intensively as her Husband described their next plans, derived while eavesdropping on a couple of ladies shopping in a jewelers.

 

The next weekend (two weeks to the evening before the Royal Ball) Mollie found herself at a quaint upscale wedding reception held in the large gardens of a country church. She was attired in the same bewitching ensemble that she had been wearing on the final night of practice. Her only jewels were a recently acquired pair of sparkly cascading earrings set with emeralds and diamonds. The affair of the plump piqued peacock plucking she had mused while getting dressed. The only other exception was that the long fiery red hair she had inherited from her Irish namesake grandmother had been cut and dyed blond. Blue contacts had also been added to the disguise to hide her vivid green eyes.

 

They soon targeted an older jewel laden snob at the reception. An older lady , well jeweled, of the arrogant know it all, obey me totally type whom everyone tries to avoid. While Mollie engaged the mark in a mostly one sided conversation(the older ladies) the lady had become so deeply engrossed about talking about herself and her ties with royalty, that she never detected being relieved of a heirloom antique gold chain and jeweled pendent by Mollies husband who had approached her unnoticed from behind.

It was all Mollie could do no to bring attention to it by looking at the wickedly expensive piece as it was slipped up and away from the Dowager’s ruffled heavy satin blouse.

 

This time it was mollies turn to keep chatting as her husband headed to the door. He had almost made it when two youths ran into him as they scurried away from a rather sullen looking tween girl they had been teasing, and now were in possession of her purse. Mollie stole a look as she saw her husband topple onto the chasing girl. He managed to extracted himself from the girls long slinky gown that she had probably been forced into by an overly conceited mother. He apologized, and left the girl to go after her antagonizes. Later, when Mollie had caught up to him she teased him about his clumsiness. He just smiled, and pulled out from his vest pocket the most exquisitely matched pearls that the youth had been openly displaying from around her throat and wrist at the reception!

 

They were, most definitely, ready. The fated evening could not come soon enough. But it finally did.

 

They had had no problem with using the fancy invitations to gain entrance. Security was heavy, as expected, but with a very lax atmosphere. Mollie was wearing the salmon coloured gown she had had especially made for such occasions, her new blond hair style and the blue contacts. In a coup foray of sorts, Mollie wore the pearls that had been taken by her husband during his run in with the sullen girl at the wedding reception. Her husband was wearing his usual tux with a hand tied bowtie. His ruffled sleeves easily moved up and down along his wrists.

 

Mollie and her husband split up, each spending the first few hours mingling solo, and taking it all in as they thoroughly enjoyed the Ball and all its many stimulating attractions. It had gone smooth as silk. Spending the first few hours prowling while the guests liquored up Mollie scoping out exactly the right candidates. Dangling jewels with easy clasps were everywhere!, it was surprising how the best of jewel makers skimped on the clasps required to keep the expensive pieces in place. Clothing also made a difference. Silks and satins were quiet and slipped easily. Taffeta could be whispery, more of a challenge. Velvet could easily snag as a piece was being lifted. But these were the costliest of materials, and the wearers would logically be wearing the costlier of jewelry.

 

Mollie and her husband regrouped several hours later, unobtrusively under the pretense of dancing. Gently discussing their plans. They settled on three likely prospects amongst the almost three hundred present. The first was an older spinster type wearing a luxurious dress of embroidered navy silk and displaying jewelry studded with diamonds and sapphires. The second was a middle aged snotty blonde wearing a shamelessly low cut green silk taffeta gown (which Mollie secretly liked)wearing a thick gold bracelet studded with vulgarly large rubies surrounded by a sea of small sparkly diamonds. She was alone, and a heavy drinker. The third was a longshot. A lanky , flighty brunette wearing immensely valuable jewels of blindingly sparkling Diamonds. Her necklace alone was in the upper hundred thousand range, with a clasp that was one of the easiest to coax open. The only problem was that she came with an obviously newlywed husband who doted on her every move. Both were heavy drinkers, and if he would only leave his wife’s side for, say about fifteen minutes, the necklace would be theirs!

 

They had decided that any one of the three would produce results worth a king’s ransom, appropriately enough, all things considered. The plan was for her husband to take his time selecting the easiest jewel to acquire from amongst the ones the three marks were displaying , make his move, and pass it off to Mollie who would leave forthwith, while her husband stayed a little while longer to make sure everything remained calm before making his exit stage right via the hallway.

 

As Mollie went to her station, she saw the Blue silken lady, along with her sapphires and diamonds, leaving with a rather unsavory looking male, eyeing her with a look Mollie knew all too well. Mollie decided to follow them, thinking to herself that some women are just prone to being victimized. Good luck with that one Mollie thought unkindly, as she stole one last look at the ladies glistening sapphires, hope he leaves her with something she sarcastically wished wickedly to the couple’s backside as they went out the exit at the end of the hall. One down and out she thought. Then she spied the husband of the newlywed pair heading down the hall towards her with an older, grey bearded man. Getting close she heard them talking about the Gentlemen’s smoking lounge. Mollie decided to give her husband a signal, but when she found him he was already in the arms of the blond. Molly immediately noticed the absence of the jeweled bracelet from his partners’ wrist. She went back to her table. Immediately she was set upon by some drunken snob asking her to dance. She allowed herself to be taken up into his arms. Spending a few unenchanting minutes with Mr. two left feet, before her husband tapped him on the shoulder cutting in. They danced, Mollie placing a hand into his pocket and feeling something cold and metal wrapped her hand around it. Looking him in the eyes she told him about the now unguarded bride, as she palmed the willowy blonde’s bracelet. They decided to go for it, and as the music ended, Mollie made her way to the hall, where she secreted the blondes bracelet safely away

 

One down, one more to go! An exquisite necklace of flickering diamonds waiting to be nimbly slipped away from the throat of its unsuspecting wearer. Now just to make sure the husband of the silken gowned brunette displaying the jewels in question was still safely out of the picture! Then to let her husband know that with the coast clear, he was free to stage his approach of the lady in the long swishing satin gown he had been keeping a drooling eye on all evening. The one wearing the exquisite necklace of flickering diamonds waiting to be so expertly slipped away from the throat of its unsuspecting wearer.

 

She was able to see the groom in windowed room, the husband and his friend were smoking a pair of long cigars and drinking brandy in large glass snifters. Mollie passed unnoticed as she mad e her way to the ladies powder room. He was still there, only halfway through a long stogie as she passed again on her way back. Neither time was she observed. Mollie mad her way back to the Ballroom. She sat down at one side of the room, once again allowing the sights of so many bejeweled women to soak in. Her husband was dancing with a lady in a flowing red ball gown, jewels sparkling in abundance, not aware of the danger so close at hand, nor that even with her husband and his particular skill set so close to them, that at that moment nothing could be safer from his fingertips. Finally she caught her husband’s eye. Mollie innocently rubbed a finger along the side of her nose, a subtle signal that it was safe for him to precede.

 

Mollie was now uncharacteristically having butterflies in her stomach; it was a huge gamble, trying to get away with a pair of thefts in this inhospitable atmosphere. She kept second guessing herself, Bird in hand she kept thinking. But the lure was too great, and it was with a heavy sigh of relief when Mollie saw her husband finally kiss the hand of the young bride after their dance. Mollie could see that she was no longer sporting the thin silver necklace and its row of at least two caret diamonds that had been encircling her throat with their rippling flashy brilliance all evening. Molly stayed put, not daring to leave until her husband had brushed by her in passing and made his way out the hallway to the exit. She waited for a long fifteen minutes, then curling her hand around the necklace that had been dropped into her lap as he had passed; she gained the safety of the hallway. Just in time. For coming down the hallway was none other than the lady in the long luxurious gown and now bare throats groom and his distinguished looking friend. She passed by them, feeling the men eyeing her with roving wolfish gazes. Then she passed them, and proceeded unhindered to once again enter the ladies’ powder room where the necklace soon joined with the Blondes bracelet in its hiding spot.. Than calmly Mollie left, walking past two security Bobbies, virtually unnoticed. The Groom had been absolutely ignorant to the fact that his young Bride’s ridiculously valuable necklace had walked right past him out the door.

 

Mollie did not let herself really breathe until she had gained the safety of the street. She allowed herself to imagine the commotion as the news of the missing jewels were circulated around the cavernous Ballroom. There would be a flurry of activity, flashes and sparkles as the women checked themselves reassuringly that they were still in possession of their trinkets. Mollie would have loved to have stayed and watched, but obviously could not do so. She rejoined her husband at their meeting place and they drove off. They made their way to Ireland where they spent a cautious week touring before leaving for the states.

 

Once the profit was realized from their haul that eventful evening, including obnoxious Dowagers the jeweled antique pendent, and was added in to the modest amount they had already accumulated from previous adventures, Mollie and her husband were able to retire to Ireland and live quite an unpretentious life together in a small stone manor in the woods.

  

Courtesy of Chatwick University Archives

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

DISCLAIMER

All rights and copyrights observed by Chatwick University, Its contributors, associates and Agents

 

The purpose of these chronological photos and accompanying stories, articles is to educate, teach, instruct, and generally increase the awareness level of the general public as to the nature and intent of the underlying criminal elements that have historically plagued humankind.

 

No Part of this can reprinted, duplicated, or copied be without the express written permission and approval of Chatwick University.

 

These photos and stories are works of fiction. Any resemblance to people, living or deceased, is purely coincidental.

As with any work of fiction or fantasy the purpose is for entertainment and/or educational purposes only, and should never be attempted in real life.

We accept no responsibility for any events occurring outside this website.

 

********************************************************************************

  

***************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

 

Plain White T's - Rhythm Of Love

 

The Lighthouse watches from above...glancing with a spotlight to the beauty around it...

From the ‘I love you bridge’ to the Hallam University hubs, Sheffield artist and graphic designer Alan Pennington’s elephant, entitled Our City, Our Home, showcases some of the city’s most distinctive landmarks. Alan’s bold and colourful artwork is always inspired by the people and places in our vibrant city and his amazing contribution to the Herd of Sheffield is no exception.

 

Designed by: Alan Pennington

Alan Pennington is a Sheffield based artist and graphic designer who is passionate about the people, places and products of his home city of Sheffield. Alan is famous for his brightly coloured paintings of the city and his iconic series of “I Love Sheffield” mugs. Alan’s work captures the feel of Sheffield and his use of bright, vibrant colours make the subjects in his artwork instantly recognisable and his style unforgettable.

 

Sponsored by: Northfield Construction Ltd

Auction Price: £4200

 

Summer 2016, a herd of elephant sculptures descended on Sheffield for the biggest public art event the city has ever seen!

58 elephant sculptures, each uniquely decorated by artists, descended on Sheffield’s parks and open spaces, creating one of the biggest mass participation arts events the city has ever seen. Did you find them all?

The trail of elephants celebrates Sheffield’s creativity with over 75% of artists from the city. Some well-known names include Pete McKee, James Green, Jonathan Wilkinson and Lydia Monks – each of which has put their own creative mark on a 1.6m tall fibreglass elephant sculpture. They are all very difference, take a selfie with your favourite as they will be on display until the end of September.

International artist Mark Alexander, who is currently working with Rembrandt for an exhibition in Berlin, flew to Sheffield especially to paint his elephant and international players from the World Snooker Championship signed SnookHerd, an elephant celebrating the heritage of snooker in Sheffield.

The Arctic Monkeys, famous for their love of their home city, added their signatures to their own personalised sculpture which pays homage to the striking sound wave cover of the band’s 2013 album “AM”.

By supporting the Herd of Sheffield you are investing in the future of Sheffield Children’s Hospital. Every penny raised will go towards our Artfelt programme, which transforms the hospital’s walls and spaces with bright art, helping children recover in an environment tailored to them. The programme also puts on workshops for youngsters to provide distraction during anxious moments – such as before an operation, and to breakup long stays on the wards.

This exciting Wild in Art event brought to you by The Children’s Hospital Charity will:

Unite our city – bringing businesses, communities, artists, individuals and schools together to create a FREE sculpture trail which is accessible to all.

Attract more visitors – both nationally and regionally as well as encouraging thousands of people to become a tourist in their own city.

Invest in the future – with a city wide education programme that can be used for years to come and by funding a life-saving piece of medical equipment at Sheffield Children’s Hospital from the Herd auction at the end of the trail.

Showcase our city – celebrating Sheffield’s heritage and cementing our status as a vibrant and culturally exciting city through this world-class initiative.

 

The Herd of Sheffield Farewell Weekend was held on 14-16 October and was your chance to say a last goodbye to all 58 large elephant sculptures as they gather in one place for a final send-off at Meadowhall.

This special event gave visitors a chance to see the entire herd in all its glory – from the signed Arctic Monkeys’ ‘AM’ elephant, right through to ‘SnookHerd’, autographed by a host of international snooker players including current world champion Mark Selby.

Please note that the Little Herd elephants will not be on display as they will be returned to their school for pupils to enjoy.

Meadowhall, along with its joint owners, British Land are very proud to be supporting The Children’s Hospital Charity as host sponsors for the Herd of Sheffield Farewell Weekend.

 

Auction: Hundreds of elephant enthusiasts gathered at the Crucible on 20 October for the Herd of Sheffield Auction, which raised a total of £410,600 for The Children’s Hospital Charity.

An exhibition entitled “Brazil – In the Footsteps of Innovation and Creativity”, co-organized by WIPO and Brazil, was held on the sidelines of the WIPO Assemblies, which met in Geneva from October 3 to 11, 2016.

 

The exhibition showcased some of Brazil’s well-known geographical indications, including alcoholic drinks, coffee and lace. It also featured notable Brazilian innovations and designs in the field of aviation (Embraer jets), as well as precision engineering, handicraft and clothing.

 

Delegates to the WIPO Assemblies were also treated to a musical performance of “Capoeira” – an Afro-Brazilian mix of martial art and dance that was recognized as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2014.

 

Copyright: WIPO. Photo: Violaine Martin. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 IGO License.

Photograph entitled 'The Housekeeper'.

 

Photograph from an album containing black and white photographs probably taken by the Honorary Hugh Annesley. The album features the Annesley family motto Virtutis Amore.

 

Date: c.1855

 

Ref: D1854/5/1/2 No. 149

I found this image in an online article entitled 'Funambulism in Postwar Germany', written by Yuliya Komska, and published on 4 March 2021.

 

The caption in the article reads: “Margret Zimmermann on the wire over the Haymarket, Cologne, 1946.”

 

The article makes for a very compelling read:

 

www.cabinetmagazine.org/kiosk/komska_yuliya_4_march_2021.php

 

Photograph entitled 'Photographing'

 

Photograph from an album containing black and white photographs probably taken by the Honorary Hugh Annesley. The album features the Annesley family motto Virtutis Amore.

 

Date: c.1855

 

Ref: D1854/5/1/2 No. 163

The heart of the Piazza del Duomo is, obviously, the Duomo, the medieval cathedral, entitled to Santa Maria Assunta (St. Mary of the Assumption). This is a five-naved cathedral with a three-naved transept. The church is known also as the Primatial, the archbishop of Pisa being a Primate since 1092.Construction was begun in 1064 by the architect Busketo, and set the model for the distinctive Pisan Romanesque style of architecture. The mosaics of the interior, as well as the pointed arches, show a strong Byzantine influence.The façade, of grey marble and white stone set with discs of coloured marble, was built by a master named Rainaldo, as indicated by an inscription above the middle door: Rainaldus prudens operator.The massive bronze main doors were made in the workshops of Giambologna, replacing the original doors destroyed in a fire in 1595. The central door was in bronze and made around 1180 by Bonanno Pisano, while the other two were probably in wood. However worshippers never used the façade doors to enter, instead entering by way of the Porta di San Ranieri (St. Ranieri's Door), in front of the Leaning Tower, made in around 1180 by Bonanno Pisano.Above the doors there are four rows of open galleries with, on top, statues of Madonna with Child and, on the corners, the Four evangelists.Also in the façade we can find the tomb of Busketo (on the left side) and an inscription about the foundation of the Cathedral and the victorious battle against Saracens.The interior is faced with black and white marble and has a gilded ceiling and a frescoed dome. It was largely redecorated after a fire in 1595, which destroyed most of the medieval art works.Fortunately, the impressive mosaic, in the apse, of Christ in Majesty, flanked by the Blessed Virgin and St. John the Evangelist, survived the fire. It evokes the mosaics in the church of Monreale, Sicily. Although it is said that the mosaic was done by Cimabue, only the head of St. John was done by the artist in 1302 and was his last work, since he died in Pisa in the same year. The cupola, at the intersection of the nave and the transept, was decorated by Riminaldi showing the ascension of the Blessed Virgin.Galileo is believed to have formulated his theory about the movement of a pendulum by watching the swinging of the incense lamp (not the present one) hanging from the ceiling of the nave. That lamp, smaller and simpler than the present one, it is now kept in the Camposanto, in the Aulla chapel.The impressive granite Corinthian columns between the nave and the aisle came originally from the mosque of Palermo, captured by the Pisans in 1063.

The coffer ceiling of the nave was replaced after the fire of 1595. The present gold-decorated ceiling carries the coat of arms of the Medici.The elaborately carved pulpit (1302-1310), which also survived the fire, was made by Giovanni Pisano and is one the masterworks of medieval sculpture. It was packed away during the redecoration and was not rediscovered and re-erected until 1926. The pulpit is supported by plain columns (two of which mounted on lions sculptures) on one side and by caryatids and a telamon on the other: the latter represent St. Michael, the Evangelists, the four cardinal virtues flanking the Church, and a bold, naturalistic depiction of a naked Hercules. A central plinth with the liberal arts supports the four theological virtues. The present day reconstruction of the pulpit is not the correct one. Now it lies not in the same original position, that was nearer the main altar, and the disposition of the columns and the panels are not the original ones. Also the original stairs (maybe in marble) were lost.The upper part has nine panels dramatic showing scenes from the New Testament, carved in white marble with a chiaroscuro effect and separated by figures of prophets: Annunciation, Massacre of the Innocents, Nativity, Adoration of the Magi, Flight into Egypt, Crucifixion, and two panels of the Last Judgement.The church also contains the bones of St Ranieri, Pisa's patron saint, and the tomb of the Holy Roman Emperor Henry VII, carved by Tino da Camaino in 1315. That tomb, originally in the apse just behind the main altar, was disassembled and changed position many times during the years for political reasons. At last the sarcophagus is still in the Cathedral, but some of the statues were put in the Camposanto or in the top of the façade of the church. The original statues now are in the Museum of the Opera del Duomo.

Pope Gregory VIII was also buried in the cathedral. The fire in 1595 destroyed his tomb.The Cathedral has a prominent role in determining the beginning of the Pisan New Year. Between the tenth century and 1749, when the Tuscan calendar was reformed, Pisa used its own calendar, in which the first day of the year on March 25, which is the day of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary. The Pisan New Year begins 9 months before the ordinary one. The exact moment is determined by a ray of sun that, through a window on the left side, hit a shelf egg-shaped on the right side, just above the pulpit by Giovanni Pisano. This occurs at noon.In the Cathedral also can be found some relics brought during the Crusades: the remains of three Saints (Abibo, Gamaliel and Nicodemus) and a vase that it is said to be one of the jars of Cana.The building, as have several in Pisa, has tilted slightly since its construction.

 

Il Duomo di Santa Maria Assunta, al centro della omonima piazza, è la cattedrale medievale di Pisa. Capolavoro assoluto del romanico, in particolare del romanico pisano, rappresenta la testimonianza tangibile del prestigio e della ricchezza raggiunti dalla Repubblica marinara di Pisa nel momento del suo apogeo.La Cattedrale fu consacrata nel 1118 dal Papa Gelasio II, appartenente al ramo pisano dei Gaetani (o Caetani), conti di Terriccio e d'Oriseo, ma già nella prima metà del XII secolo fu ampliato sotto la direzione dell'architetto Rainaldo cui spetta il progetto dell'attuale facciata, conclusa dalle maestranze guidate dagli scultori Guglielmo e Biduino.L'aspetto attuale del complesso edificio è il risultato di ripetute campagne di restauro succedutesi in diverse epoche. I primi radicali interventi seguirono il disastroso incendio del 1595, a seguito del quale fu rifatto il tetto e furono eseguite le tre porte bronzee della facciata, opera di scultori della bottega del Giambologna, tra cui Gasparo Mola; a partire dal Settecento iniziò il progressivo rivestimento delle pareti interne con grandi dipinti su tela, i "quadroni" con Storie di beati e santi pisani, eseguiti dai principali artisti dell'epoca grazie all'iniziativa di alcuni cittadini che si autofinanziarono creando un'apposita attività commerciale.Gli interventi successivi si ebbero nel corso dell'Ottocento ed interessarono sia le decorazioni interne sia quelle esterne, che in molti casi, specie per le sculture della facciata furono sostituite da copie (gli originali sono al Museo dell'Opera del Duomo).L'edificio che in origine era a croce greca con all'incrocio dei bracci una grossa cupola, oggi è a croce latina a cinque navate con abside e transetto a tre navate, all'interno suggerisce un effetto spaziale simile a quello delle grandi moschee islamiche, grazie all'uso di archi a sesto rialzato o a sesto acuto, all'alternanza di fasce in marmo bianco e nero e all'insolita cupola ellittica. La presenza dei due matronei rialzati nelle navate, con le solide colonne monolitiche di granito, è un chiaro segno di influenza bizantina.La ricchissima decorazione comprende marmi multicolori, mosaici e numerosi oggetti di bronzo . La facciata di marmo grigio e bianco, decorata con inserti di marmo colorato, fu edificata da mastro Rainaldo. I tre portali sottostanno a quattro ordini di loggette divise da cornici con tarsie marmoree, dietro i quali si aprono monofore, bifore e trifore. Le porte della facciata in bronzo massiccio furono realizzate da diversi artisti fiorentini nel XVII secolo. Contrariamente a quanto si potrebbe pensare, fin dai tempi antichi i fedeli entravano nel Duomo attraverso la Porta di San Ranieri, posta sul retro nell'omonimo transetto, di fronte al campanile. Questo perché i nobili della città si recavano alla cattedrale venendo da via Santa Maria che conduce proprio a quel transetto. Tale porta fu fusa intorno al 1180 da Bonanno Pisano, e unica porta scampata all'incendio del 1595 che semidistrusse la chiesa. La porta di San Ranieri è decorata con 24 formelle raffiguranti storie del Nuovo Testamento. Questa porta è una delle prime prodotte in Italia nel Medioevo, dopo l'importazione di numerosi esempi da Costantinopoli, (ad Amalfi, a Salerno, a Roma, a Montecassino, a Venezia...) e vi si ammira una sensibilità tutta occidentale, che si stacca dalla tradizione bizantina. Sopra le porte ci sono quattro file di gallerie aperte, con, in cima, la Madonna con Bambino e, negli angoli, i quattro evangelisti. La tomba di Buscheto si trova a sinistra della porta nord della facciata.

L'adozione di mensole a volute in luogo degli archetti per sostenere il piano rialzato

Lo straordinario senso di movimento, dato dalle numerosissime figure che riempiono ogni spazio vuoto.Per queste qualità unite alla sapiente arte narrativa delle nove scene è generalmente considerato il capolavoro di Giovanni e più in generale della scultura gotica italiana.La chiesa conserva inoltre le reliquie di San Ranieri, patrono di Pisa, e la frammentaria tomba di Arrigo VII di Lussemburgo, imperatore del Sacro Romano Impero, morto a Buonconvento mentre assediava invano Firenze. La tomba, anche questa smontata e ricomposta, fu scolpita da Tino da Camaino nel 1313-1315) ed è ora collocata nel transetto destro, mentre in origine era posta al centro dell'abside, come segno della fede ghibellina della città. Successivamente spostata più volte per questioni politiche, venne anche separata in più parti (alcune dentro la chiesa, alcune sulla facciata, alcune nel Camposanto monumentale, adesso nel Museo dell'Opera).I 27 dipinti che rivestono la tribuna dietro l'altare maggiore, raffiguranti Episodi del Vecchio Testamento e Storie cristologiche, furono eseguiti tra il XVI ed il XVII secolo dai maggiori pittori toscani, tra cui Andrea del Sarto (tre tele, Santa Agnese, le Sante Caterina e Margherita e i Santi Pietro e Giovanni Battista) il Sodoma e Domenico Beccafumi.

Numerosi e pregiati sono gli arredi seicenteschi, tra cui il Crocifisso bronzeo, sull'altare maggiore, e gli Angeli portancandelabro all'estremità della ricca transenna marmorea, del Giambologna, oltre al grande ciborio in argento ideato da Giovan Battista Foggini (1678-86) sull'altare della Cappella del Santissimo Sacramento. Sui numerosi altari laterali sono collocati dipinti cinque-seicenteschi di prestigiosi pittori. Particolarmente venerata è l'immagine della duecentesca Madonna con bambino, detta Madonna di sotto gli organi, attribuita al volterrano Berlinghiero Berlinghieri.L'edificio, come la torre campanaria, è sprofondato percettibilmente nel suolo, e alcuni dissesti nella costruzione sono ben visibili, come le differenze di livello tra la navata di Buscheto e il prolungamento ad opera di Rainaldo (le campate verso ovest e la facciata).

 

Font : Wikipedia

The photographic portfolio entitled “GLOBALIZING CONTAMINATIONS” was among the finalists at the PORTFOLIO SIFEST 2018 international award (Italy). This photography project is the result of a one-month period lived in Africa from Kenya to Tanzania. In the 1950s and 1960s, the European colonial powers gradually ceased to administer their African territories. The process of “apparent decolonization” led to the gradual departure of all the expatriate personnel of the colonizing nations: administrators, soldiers and all those who had settled in the “colony”. This process favored the creation of independent states and paved the way for new foreign influences over those of the colonial powers. Therefore, after some years living in Africa, I came to ask myself: “How has the influence, after decolonization, of European countries evolved in the face of the emancipation of African countries and the competition of new powers?”

The Year Gone By……………

 

This is an update to the previous article entitled "My First Three Months in Neurosurgery" published in the May 2007 issue of www.lifeinneurosurgery.com

 

Both these articles are online now !!

 

Over the past one year, there have been a lot of significant changes, and I was eager to shed some light on the essential ones; and hence this article!

 

The most enthralling experience was attending the Gulf Neurosurgery Conference in Bahrain where I got a chance to interact with renowned personalities like Dr.Ossama Al-Mefty. Listening to the advances made in Neurosciences and related fields made me want to be a part of the process.. to be a building block of history in the making. It amazed me as to how some of the well-established physicians are in the habit of giving due value to the experience of their peers and are open to suggestions and constructive criticism! All in all I had a great time and left the conference determined to carve a niche in the wonderful world of Medicine!

 

Initially I was a happy-go-lucky resident, living for the moment, rushing from one ward to another to complete the never-ending list of tasks in my logbook. I have matured now to one who has an evolving long-term plan for the patient (and for myself) in mind. This is one of the biggest merits of being a resident.

 

In due course of time you realize that prioritization is an art and it’s not something that comes on its own. It requires effort, and then before you know it.. it becomes effortless.

 

It was an accepted fact that the noblest profession in the world of yesteryears was the Medical profession and that specifically referred to us Doctors (with an M.B, B.S/ M.D degree) as the gifted ones right on top of the graph second only to supreme celestial beings.

 

What’s the scenario now?

 

Things haven’t changed since then… the medical profession is still regarded as the most noble profession to be in for the simple reason that it deals directly with the health of human beings physical, mental and spiritual and thus enables them to live to a ripe age, earn a decent living, bring up a family and die with the satisfaction of having done all that’s supposed to done in life!

 

The Doctor once regarded as the sole entity to the means of health has been given his fair share of fame and glory; Now is the time for the world to sing the songs of praise for the other significant Vital members of the healthcare system who have had a major role to play in assisting the doctor at different levels to implement the treatment,, to prevent complications and better their lifestyle...

 

The halo around the head of the Doctors should expand to include all the nurses, allied health care providers such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, auxiliary midwives, technicians, the biotech people who provide us with sophisticated precise instruments, the research labs and pharmacy personnel; All of them in no particular order have an equally important role to play in assisting the primary physician to provide the best care possible -- at a cost the community can afford.

 

Patient care SHOULD NOT be compromised at any level.

 

At this juncture its vital to know that the best way to treat a patient is to establish good teamwork comprising of various specialists available to provide quick assessment and give valuable feedback so that the necessary personnel are intimated followed by early diagnosis and prompt treatment.

 

Regardless of how much one is being paid the real initiative to perform to one’s best has to come from within… As a Chinese proverb goes, ”Choose a job you love, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life”. An indirect approach however is by applying monthly audits to identify defaulters and keep them in check! Such initiative enhancing measures may prove to be expensive to some.. but its well worth it !

 

On a more serious note I have come to believe that Complications Are Inevitable.

 

They form an essential basis.. the part and parcel of all informed consents.. and are aptly highlighted regardless of the magnitude of the treatment modality in question.

 

Every patient is different.

 

How a patient is going to respond to Drug A or B (pre, intra and post operatively), their body’s response to changing doses and their level of immunity at that time cannot be accurately assessed, and hence, leverage should be given. Needless to say these patients should be kept under close observation – preferably in rooms close to the nurses' station in the ward, or in ICU if the situation demands.

 

After a year, I have realized that 1+1 is not necessarily equal to 2.

 

This equation rarely holds time regarding anything in medicine, be it drug dosage, similar outcome after the same surgery in different patients and so on. It’s the same regarding policy and procedures. It does not produce the same result everywhere and hence, we notice the discrepancies between wards at the same hospital. The key to implementation is sizing up the number of co-workers, their strength and weaknesses on an individual level as well as in effective groups, and delegating job responsibilities accordingly.

 

Quality comes before quantity. At times, unrealistic expectations, drives people to unforeseen limits. I have come across intelligent patients who do, in due course of time, come to term with their disabilities and move on and are thankful to the caregiver for being honest. I feel it is our duty to portray an accurate picture about the patient’s condition to the relatives from the onset, regardless of how harsh the facts may be..

 

Practical problems I have faced so far vary between Nobel-prize winning examples of illegible handwriting and incomplete information over the phone from referring colleagues,, to patients deriving their own conclusions from previous episodes of doctor-shopping or worse -- from the experience of other patients!

 

I believe the key to successful documentation requires highlighting the relevant details but then again what may be irrelevant to the primary treating physician/department at that point of time may be of strong relevance to the one you are referring the case to.. and hence we should take note of this fact and make this our priority because in the end it is the patient that suffers and gets sleepless nights, not the physician.

 

I pray that one day (Insha Allah – God-willing) all institutions have a handwriting test incorporated as an integral part of the selection criteria!! I can’t emphasize this fact enough -- Clear legible handwriting/coherent communication is the key to smooth effective functioning at any institution.

 

At numerous occasions I have come across examples and I can speak with firm conviction and experience that such episodes peak during the end of working hours. They cause unnecessary inconvenience to the physician being consulted and may subsequently harm the patient.

 

Omitting facts is as big a crime as miscommunication, cell phones going off during conferences is plain annoying and residents not paying attention to the case being presented in the Morning report and worse – being self engrossed in their text books whilst the meetings are on is utterly disrespectful.. and the list is endless..

 

The aim of Medicine has not changed.. but the general outlook of healthcare providers has.. and therein lies the difference. At this day and age the goal of most graduates in all fields is quick success and easy money. I firmly believe that nowadays a contributing factor to rising medical negligence is physicians being paid for working overtime. As lady luck would have it physicians are not paid overtime in most institutions – for better or for worse.. but nursing staff get compensatory time off.. which is not really a ‘safe’ long term solution to counteract understaffing !!

 

I am convinced that ‘burn out’ is not a myth and it is not shameful to take a well-deserved break when one needs it..

 

Trust me - As a hospital employee a.k.a resident one should not expect a guardian angel to walk up to them and ask them to take a break.. Its their sole responsibility to decide when they need to stop and smell the roses.. Before they are a danger to themselves and to society!

 

Insha Allah (God-willing) May you achieve your short-term goals without compromising/sacrificing time, energy and consequently your health.

 

Essentially We are healthcare providers and love our profession, but a day should not come when we have to ‘taste our own medicine’ literally so to speak!!

 

No one is indispensable, and the show will go on..

 

I sincerely hope I perform to the best of my ability and ensure.. in my very own small way.. that Medicine prospers in the years to come!

 

And YES ! The invisible, yet existent umbilical cord always pulls me (and the rest of us) back to work; Here’s where we belong and here’s where we shall evolve into bright young able physicians of tomorrow – Insha Allah (God-willing) !

 

I can't express how proud and honoured I am to have my self-portrait entitled "The Trembling Living World Will Congeal Into A Perfect Shape Nearly Geometrical" curated into the "Artist as Maker, Thinker, and Feeler National Juried Show". With a record number of submissions this year - 798 pieces from 166 artists, the juror selected 61 pieces to be a part of this year's exhibit, and my work is one of them.

 

I consider this themed exhibition one of my biggest achievements so far. It definitely makes my work "The Trembling Living World Will Congeal Into A Perfect Shape Nearly Geometrical" my signature work of the year of 2016.

 

The exhibition is on view from November 18th thru December 19th, 2016 at the Cade Art Gallery in Arnold, Maryland, U.S.A. The public reception will be held tonight from 6 PM to 8 PM, with the Juror's Talk at 7 PM.

 

THEME: "The Artist as Maker, Thinker, Feeler"

This is an exhibition that is driven by ideas and emotions, but that also has a strong emphasis on aesthetics, materials, and craft. In other words, the work in this show will be conceptually and emotionally dynamic but will also have a strong embodiment of form through process. The show is open to individual interpretations of the meaning and relative importance of concept, form, and process in one’s own art-making practice.

 

JUROR:

Jack Rasmussen earned his bachelor’s degree in art from Whitman College. He holds master’s degrees in painting, arts management, and anthropology; and a PhD in anthropological linguistics from American University. Rasmussen began his career in 1975 as assistant director of the Washington Project for the Arts under founder Alice Denney. He then owned and operated the John Rasmussen Gallery, a vital part of DC’s art scene until it closed in 1983. He served as American University’s associate director of development from 1983 to 1987. From 1989 to 1992, Rasmussen helped conceive, launch, and operate the Rockville Arts Place in suburban Maryland. He then became executive director of the Maryland Art Place (MAP) in Baltimore, a nonprofit contemporary arts center serving the Mid-Atlantic. In his 10 years at MAP, he curated a series of cutting-edge shows and off-site projects, introduced a new cabaret space and heightened community involvement. Rasmussen’s next post was executive director of the di Rosa Preserve: Art & Nature, a contemporary art museum and natural habitat in Napa, California. There, he oversaw the care and exhibition of 2,100 artworks indoors and out, and organized traveling exhibitions to establish the di Rosa’s reputation and identity as the premiere venue for Northern California contemporary art. Rasmussen is currently on the Board of the Maryland State Arts Council and serves as the Director and Curator of the American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center in Washington, D.C.

  

Visit the Gallery website for further information:

www.aacc.edu/cadegallery/

 

Entitled: Der Industriebezirk Der Salzbrunnen (The Industrial District Of The Salt-Wells) Tzeliutsing, Szechúan Province [c1906] E Boerschmann [RESTORED]

 

Ernst Boerschmann was a German architect detailed by the Kaiser's government to closely study Chinese architecture. In this endeavor he spent three years in China from 1906 - 1909, and returned with drawings and photographs, many of which were displayed in Berlin in the summer of 1912. In 1923, a compilation of this work was published in the form of a photographic book, entitled "Picturesque China - Architecture and Landscape - A Journey through Twelve Provinces." A copy of this rare book is held by the Toyo Bunko Archive in Japan, and digital copies of its pages can be accessed at the link here:

 

dsr.nii.ac.jp/toyobunko/creator/ernst_boerschmann.html.en

 

This photograph was found in Toyo Bunko's scan of the book, page 159.

 

*** Sidebar *** Historically, old photographs that appeared in print were sometimes retouched before publication. This was necessary as less than visually optimal image areas (under or over exposed, or blurred) often needed pencil or brushed dyes and toner to "fill in" for missing details. This usually encompassed the adding of darker lines or lighter highlights in order to emphasis an outline; or to create faux details. Hence, depending on the skill of the retouch artist, some resulting images were either very good or shockingly poor. Unfortunately, several images from the book held by Toyo Bunko are afflicted with this sort of enhancement work, some more obvious than others.

Mural entitled "Comin' in Powerful" by John “MDMN” Moody aka @madmanart, seen at 4320 NW 2nd Avenue in Miami, Florida.

 

Drone photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.

 

Edit by Teee.

*****

The Silken whisper of Flickering Desires

A Chronicle

Adapted from the Final Entry Entitled:

Their Regal Gambit

Subtitled:

While Sherlock Holmes vacationed

 

The first score had been made, now for the Coup de Grace! So far their little operation had gone as smooth as silk, or in this case, satin. Now just to make sure the husband of the silken gowned brunette displaying the jewels in question was still safely out of the picture! Then Mollie would let her husband know that with the coast clear, freeing him to stage his approach of the lady in the long swishing satin gown he had been keeping an eye on all evening. The one who was wearing the exquisite necklace of fiery flickering diamonds, just daring someone to expertly slip it away the throat of its unsuspecting owner.

 

And therein lay the rub, She happily thought….

 

As Mollie made her way down the quiet corridor to the gentlemen’s smoking lounge, she lovingly played through her mind the series of unfortunate ( or fortunate?) events that had led her and her husband to this place. It had all began with an innocent one named Tabitha…….

 

Mollies’ Flash back

 

They had first come across Tabitha at a resort casino deep in the Catskills. Mollie and her husband had been there about three days, scoping out the grounds, and its wealthy clientele. At the casino they both spotted Tabitha at the same time. She was seated at a baccarat table, really standing out in an elegant dress of gold and black striped silk and velvet Her well-toned body displayed numerous pieces of expensive jewelry. A fat little purse dangled, unheeded by her side. Tabitha had held Mollie’s attention mainly due to the strong resemblance she had to herself. Tabitha’s jewelry, a flashy diamond journey style necklace, matching earrings, wide diamond tennis bracelet, and multiple gem encrusted rings, had held Mollies pickpocket husbands’.

 

Mollie went on to the bar and watched as her husband waited for the seat next to Tabitha to become vacant. Then he sat, asking for chips, while unobtrusively eyeing Tabitha’s bracelet. He began striking up a conversation with Tabitha, finding her to be an easy mark. He soon learned from the chatty girl that she was a divorced, upper executive for a well-known digital arts company servicing the movie industry. It was during this conversation that Tabitha babbled about the upscale, invitation only(you know), black tie formal ball she would be attending in England the next month. Now, as her husband was keeping Tabitha occupied Mollie had walked by the pair, ‘tripping’ into her husband, who palmed off to her , the diamond bracelet which had been ever so subtly slipped from around the unwary Tabatha’s’ wrist. Walking away with the bracelet secured in her purse, Mollie made her way to their small bungalow. Her husband did not break in his conversation with Tabitha; a mark would seldom suspect a friendly person of stealing from her.

 

Later that evening, Mollie wore the pricy bracelet while mutually admiring it over a bottle of merlot with her husband. They discussed the high-class affair Tabitha had been bragging about. Wistfully, Mollie admitted it was a shame they had not received an invite. Her husband smiled, and pulled a thickly embossed and crested envelope from his pocket. Easily adopting a British accent, he said “The silly little twit was carrying this in her purse!” The envelope revealed a pair of invitations to the Princess’s Jubilee Royal Ball. As the pair continued to empty the bottle of fine merlot, what had started as speculation, turned towards reality, and soon plans had been laid.

 

As they lay in bed later that night, Mollie turned to her husband, just think about the jewels that will be worn at the English Ball, she shivered with the delightful thoughts. Do you remember the last time we were in England? Mollie looked at her husband slyly, you remember, the Wriggling Whelp Whispering Wisk! She stated teasingly. Mollie knew the quickest way to get her husband’s goat was coming up with silly phrases to describe his more outlandish endeavors. Such phrases like The Tingling Touch Ice Melt, The Slippery Slick Taffeta Pull, The Glossy Gowned Dangling Peel, or her personal favorite, The Ticklish Wedge Clam Dip, never failed to get a response. In this case the response was a brief pillow fight ending up with them reminiscing about the last time they had “visited” England a few years back.

 

There had been a rambunctious doe eyed Fourteen year old in a shiny dress who had been oblivious to the valuably delicious gold pendent studded with small rubies and emeralds that sparkled ever so invitingly as it swung from her throat. A pair of matching dangling earrings dripped from her ears as she has run around un minded by her elders. Mollie had indignantly stated that the antique trinkets were simply just too expensive for a child so squirm inly young to be trusted with. Mollie had been right.

 

After talking a bit about the English Girls pendent, which had been an unexpected windfall, Mollie came back to the present and asked if the lady in the maroon silk that her husband pointed out the previous evening would be wearing the same jewels to the dance tomorrow night? Or better her husband replied sleepily, good Mollie pronounced, I did like her emeralds.

 

In Merry Ole England

 

They had arrived in England several weeks before the Royal Ball and began the preparations.

 

In an irony of fate, the profit they had realized from poor Tabitha’s bracelet had paid for a large chunk of their little excursion. Keeping his accent, and adding a trim beard, Mollies husband looked radically different from the man Tabitha had encountered. During the weeks following their arrival, the pair had practiced like they always did before undertaking a new venture. But this time it was with a more daring edge, they quite simply could not afford being caught red handed in a foreign country. Mollie assumed her practice the role. That of the richly dressed, Well jeweled quarry. Her husband would stalk and attempt to relieve her of a piece of her jewelry as she went about her business, shopping! The idea being that, If he was able to do so without being caught by an obviously aware Mollie, than he should have no problem at the Royal Ball. As it usually happened when they practiced in this manner, her husband did incredibly well. Mollie had had several pieces of jewelry vanish from her person during the week, without her noticing how or when.

 

The final night of practice Mollie decided to dress to kill. Looking quite devastating in a glossy gold halter and a long brown velvet skirt with gold stiletto heels clicking as she moved. A diamond heart pendant hung down from her neck, swaying provocatively out from between her breasts. A bracelet, similar to Tabitha’s purloined diamonds, was wrapped around her wrist.

 

She left their penthouse and made her way to the street outside. Some type of festival was going on as she waded through the crowded streets to the nightclub. Her rings sparkled as they kept rhythm with her swaying diamond waterfall earrings. Just daring her husband to make a move for any of them.

 

Mollie drank and danced the night away with no hide or hair of her husband until she returned late that evening to their apartment. She found him in the hot tub, smirking. She undressed and joined him. Okay, how did u do it she demanded? I felt nothing, no one bumped or brushed against me all evening that I was not aware of. He opened his fist, allowing her heart diamond pendant to dangle freely in front of her. A magician never reveals his tricks my little cat, he purred, as the pendant swayed in a sparkling arch.

 

Cat was short for “Cat Lady”, a moniker he had placed upon her when she had broken into a sleeping woman’s room and removed the jewels from her gold case, and even managed to slip off a ring she was wearing. The fact that she was passed out in a drunken stupor, still dressed in her long party gown, didn’t count , or so her husband teased.

 

You should have been a surgeon! , my dear, Mollie exclaimed with pride. Then she leaned towards him, her green eyes gleaming in earnest, time for a real practice run Mon Cherie, she said in dead seriousness. Then Her eyes opened wide, I got it she exclaimed, I’ll call it The Slinking Sneaky Shearing Snag she pronounced joyfully, getting a face ful of water in reply to her effort. Okay Cat, let’s get down to business he retorted, I know just the affair. Mollie listened intensively as her Husband described their next plans, derived while eavesdropping on a couple of ladies shopping in a jewelers.

 

The next weekend (two weeks to the evening before the Royal Ball) Mollie found herself at a quaint upscale wedding reception held in the large gardens of a country church. She was attired in the same bewitching ensemble that she had been wearing on the final night of practice. Her only jewels were a recently acquired pair of sparkly cascading earrings set with emeralds and diamonds. The affair of the plump piqued peacock plucking she had mused while getting dressed. The only other exception was that the long fiery red hair she had inherited from her Irish namesake grandmother had been cut and dyed blond. Blue contacts had also been added to the disguise to hide her vivid green eyes.

 

They soon targeted an older jewel laden snob at the reception. An older lady , well jeweled, of the arrogant know it all, obey me totally type whom everyone tries to avoid. While Mollie engaged the mark in a mostly one sided conversation(the older ladies) the lady had become so deeply engrossed about talking about herself and her ties with royalty, that she never detected being relieved of a heirloom antique gold chain and jeweled pendent by Mollies husband who had approached her unnoticed from behind.

It was all Mollie could do no to bring attention to it by looking at the wickedly expensive piece as it was slipped up and away from the Dowager’s ruffled heavy satin blouse.

 

This time it was mollies turn to keep chatting as her husband headed to the door. He had almost made it when two youths ran into him as they scurried away from a rather sullen looking tween girl they had been teasing, and now were in possession of her purse. Mollie stole a look as she saw her husband topple onto the chasing girl. He managed to extracted himself from the girls long slinky gown that she had probably been forced into by an overly conceited mother. He apologized, and left the girl to go after her antagonizes. Later, when Mollie had caught up to him she teased him about his clumsiness. He just smiled, and pulled out from his vest pocket the most exquisitely matched pearls that the youth had been openly displaying from around her throat and wrist at the reception!

 

They were, most definitely, ready. The fated evening could not come soon enough. But it finally did.

 

They had had no problem with using the fancy invitations to gain entrance. Security was heavy, as expected, but with a very lax atmosphere. Mollie was wearing the salmon coloured gown she had had especially made for such occasions, her new blond hair style and the blue contacts. In a coup foray of sorts, Mollie wore the pearls that had been taken by her husband during his run in with the sullen girl at the wedding reception. Her husband was wearing his usual tux with a hand tied bowtie. His ruffled sleeves easily moved up and down along his wrists.

 

Mollie and her husband split up, each spending the first few hours mingling solo, and taking it all in as they thoroughly enjoyed the Ball and all its many stimulating attractions. It had gone smooth as silk. Spending the first few hours prowling while the guests liquored up Mollie scoping out exactly the right candidates. Dangling jewels with easy clasps were everywhere!, it was surprising how the best of jewel makers skimped on the clasps required to keep the expensive pieces in place. Clothing also made a difference. Silks and satins were quiet and slipped easily. Taffeta could be whispery, more of a challenge. Velvet could easily snag as a piece was being lifted. But these were the costliest of materials, and the wearers would logically be wearing the costlier of jewelry.

 

Mollie and her husband regrouped several hours later, unobtrusively under the pretense of dancing. Gently discussing their plans. They settled on three likely prospects amongst the almost three hundred present. The first was an older spinster type wearing a luxurious dress of embroidered navy silk and displaying jewelry studded with diamonds and sapphires. The second was a middle aged snotty blonde wearing a shamelessly low cut green silk taffeta gown (which Mollie secretly liked)wearing a thick gold bracelet studded with vulgarly large rubies surrounded by a sea of small sparkly diamonds. She was alone, and a heavy drinker. The third was a longshot. A lanky , flighty brunette wearing immensely valuable jewels of blindingly sparkling Diamonds. Her necklace alone was in the upper hundred thousand range, with a clasp that was one of the easiest to coax open. The only problem was that she came with an obviously newlywed husband who doted on her every move. Both were heavy drinkers, and if he would only leave his wife’s side for, say about fifteen minutes, the necklace would be theirs!

 

They had decided that any one of the three would produce results worth a king’s ransom, appropriately enough, all things considered. The plan was for her husband to take his time selecting the easiest jewel to acquire from amongst the ones the three marks were displaying , make his move, and pass it off to Mollie who would leave forthwith, while her husband stayed a little while longer to make sure everything remained calm before making his exit stage right via the hallway.

 

As Mollie went to her station, she saw the Blue silken lady, along with her sapphires and diamonds, leaving with a rather unsavory looking male, eyeing her with a look Mollie knew all too well. Mollie decided to follow them, thinking to herself that some women are just prone to being victimized. Good luck with that one Mollie thought unkindly, as she stole one last look at the ladies glistening sapphires, hope he leaves her with something she sarcastically wished wickedly to the couple’s backside as they went out the exit at the end of the hall. One down and out she thought. Then she spied the husband of the newlywed pair heading down the hall towards her with an older, grey bearded man. Getting close she heard them talking about the Gentlemen’s smoking lounge. Mollie decided to give her husband a signal, but when she found him he was already in the arms of the blond. Molly immediately noticed the absence of the jeweled bracelet from his partners’ wrist. She went back to her table. Immediately she was set upon by some drunken snob asking her to dance. She allowed herself to be taken up into his arms. Spending a few unenchanting minutes with Mr. two left feet, before her husband tapped him on the shoulder cutting in. They danced, Mollie placing a hand into his pocket and feeling something cold and metal wrapped her hand around it. Looking him in the eyes she told him about the now unguarded bride, as she palmed the willowy blonde’s bracelet. They decided to go for it, and as the music ended, Mollie made her way to the hall, where she secreted the blondes bracelet safely away

 

One down, one more to go! An exquisite necklace of flickering diamonds waiting to be nimbly slipped away from the throat of its unsuspecting wearer. Now just to make sure the husband of the silken gowned brunette displaying the jewels in question was still safely out of the picture! Then to let her husband know that with the coast clear, he was free to stage his approach of the lady in the long swishing satin gown he had been keeping a drooling eye on all evening. The one wearing the exquisite necklace of flickering diamonds waiting to be so expertly slipped away from the throat of its unsuspecting wearer.

 

She was able to see the groom in windowed room, the husband and his friend were smoking a pair of long cigars and drinking brandy in large glass snifters. Mollie passed unnoticed as she mad e her way to the ladies powder room. He was still there, only halfway through a long stogie as she passed again on her way back. Neither time was she observed. Mollie mad her way back to the Ballroom. She sat down at one side of the room, once again allowing the sights of so many bejeweled women to soak in. Her husband was dancing with a lady in a flowing red ball gown, jewels sparkling in abundance, not aware of the danger so close at hand, nor that even with her husband and his particular skill set so close to them, that at that moment nothing could be safer from his fingertips. Finally she caught her husband’s eye. Mollie innocently rubbed a finger along the side of her nose, a subtle signal that it was safe for him to precede.

 

Mollie was now uncharacteristically having butterflies in her stomach; it was a huge gamble, trying to get away with a pair of thefts in this inhospitable atmosphere. She kept second guessing herself, Bird in hand she kept thinking. But the lure was too great, and it was with a heavy sigh of relief when Mollie saw her husband finally kiss the hand of the young bride after their dance. Mollie could see that she was no longer sporting the thin silver necklace and its row of at least two caret diamonds that had been encircling her throat with their rippling flashy brilliance all evening. Molly stayed put, not daring to leave until her husband had brushed by her in passing and made his way out the hallway to the exit. She waited for a long fifteen minutes, then curling her hand around the necklace that had been dropped into her lap as he had passed; she gained the safety of the hallway. Just in time. For coming down the hallway was none other than the lady in the long luxurious gown and now bare throats groom and his distinguished looking friend. She passed by them, feeling the men eyeing her with roving wolfish gazes. Then she passed them, and proceeded unhindered to once again enter the ladies’ powder room where the necklace soon joined with the Blondes bracelet in its hiding spot.. Than calmly Mollie left, walking past two security Bobbies, virtually unnoticed. The Groom had been absolutely ignorant to the fact that his young Bride’s ridiculously valuable necklace had walked right past him out the door.

 

Mollie did not let herself really breathe until she had gained the safety of the street. She allowed herself to imagine the commotion as the news of the missing jewels were circulated around the cavernous Ballroom. There would be a flurry of activity, flashes and sparkles as the women checked themselves reassuringly that they were still in possession of their trinkets. Mollie would have loved to have stayed and watched, but obviously could not do so. She rejoined her husband at their meeting place and they drove off. They made their way to Ireland where they spent a cautious week touring before leaving for the states.

 

Once the profit was realized from their haul that eventful evening, including obnoxious Dowagers the jeweled antique pendent, and was added in to the modest amount they had already accumulated from previous adventures, Mollie and her husband were able to retire to Ireland and live quite an unpretentious life together in a small stone manor in the woods.

  

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

DISCLAIMER

All rights and copyrights observed by Chatwick University, Its contributors, associates and Agents

 

The purpose of these chronological photos and accompanying stories, articles is to educate, teach, instruct, and generally increase the awareness level of the general public as to the nature and intent of the underlying criminal elements that have historically plagued humankind.

 

No Part of this can reprinted, duplicated, or copied be without the express written permission and approval of Chatwick University.

 

These photos and stories are works of fiction. Any resemblance to people, living or deceased, is purely coincidental.

As with any work of fiction or fantasy the purpose is for entertainment and/or educational purposes only, and should never be attempted in real life.

We accept no responsibility for any events occurring outside this website.

 

********************************************************************************

 

All rights and copyrights observed by Chatwick University, Its contributors, associates and Agents

 

The purpose of these chronological photos and accompanying stories, articles is to educate, teach, instruct, and generally increase the awareness level of the general public as to the nature and intent of the underlying criminal elements that have historically plagued humankind.

 

No Part of this can reprinted, duplicated, or copied be without the express written permission and approval of Chatwick University.

These photos and stories are works of fiction. Any resemblance to people, living or deceased, is purely coincidental.

As with any work of fiction or fantasy the purpose is for entertainment only, and should never be attempted in real life.

We accept no responsibility for any events occurring outside this website.

  

***************************

 

Entitled I Don’t Know. The Weave of Textile Language, this newly commissioned sculpture combines vast sways of fabrics designed by the artist from both man-made and natural fibres in three bold and brilliant colours.

 

A good title this, as most people seem to look at it and think, "I don't know about this either." I'm a big fan of The Tate and spent the entire afternoon there but this really doesn't do much for me, I think it looks like Boeing's research department crashed into a Whitechapel Road fabric warehouse.

 

This photograph was published in an online article in GARDENINGETC - THE HOME OF OUTDOOR LIVING IN AN ARTICLE ENTITLED:

  

'' Mark Lane's simple tip will prevent slugs from nibbling your plants – and now is the time to try

  

Advice from the trusted presenter will ensure your garden is slug free throughout the cooler seasons and beyond '' By MEGAN SLACK on October 2nd 2021.

  

.

.

  

This photograph had previously been Selected for sale in the GETTY IMAGES COLLECTION on November 4th 2020

  

CREATIVE RF gty.im/1283663826 MOMENT ROYALTY FREE COLLECTION**

  

This photograph became my 4,668th frame to be selected for sale in the Getty Images collection and I am very grateful to them for this wonderful opportunity.

  

.

.

  

©All photographs on this site are copyright: ©DESPITE STRAIGHT LINES (Paul Williams) 2011 – 2021 & GETTY IMAGES ®

  

No license is given nor granted in respect of the use of any copyrighted material on this site other than with the express written agreement of ©DESPITE STRAIGHT LINES (Paul Williams). No image may be used as source material for paintings, drawings, sculptures, or any other art form without permission and/or compensation to ©DESPITE STRAIGHT LINES (Paul Williams)

  

.

.

  

Photograph taken at an altitude of One metres at 07:22am on Wednesday 9th September 2020, of a Large red slug (Arion rufus) off Chessington Avenue in Bexleyheath, Kent.

  

Also known as the Red slug, Chocolate arion and European red slug, these are land slugs or round back slugs in the family Arionidae. The opening on the right side is a pneumostome or respiratory pore which feeds air to the lung. They have a striped foot fringe and pale sole, and can reach 150mm fully extended. Here we see the slug rolling up into a defensive position, with the mucus ball on the tail section clearly visible.

Here we see the slug rolling itself up into a ball which makes it harder for a predator to gather up and swallow.

 

.

.

 

Nikon D850 Hand held with Sigma OS Optical Stabilization enabled on normal setting. Focal length 450mm Shutter speed: 1/40s Aperture f/6.0 iso250 Image area FX (36 x 24) NEF RAW L (8256 x 5504). NEF RAW L (14 bit uncompressed) Image size L (8256 x 5504 FX). Focus mode AF-C focus. AF-C Priority Selection: Release. Nikon Back button focusing enabled. AF-S Priority selection: Focus. 3D Tracking watch area: Normal 55 Tracking points.AF-Area mode single point & 73 point switchable. Exposure mode: Shutter Priority mode. Matrix metering. Auto ISO sensitivity control on (Max iso 800/ Minimum shutter speed 125). White balance on: Auto1. Colour space: RGB. Active D-lighting: Normal. Vignette control: Normal. Nikon Distortion control: Enabled. Picture control: Auto (Sharpening A +1/Clarity A+1)

  

Sigma 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3DG OS HSM SPORTS. Lee SW150 MKI filter holder with MK2 light shield and custom made velcro fitting for the Sigma lens. Lee SW150 circular polariser glass filter.Lee SW150 Filters field pouch.Nikon GP-1 GPS module. Hoodman HEYENRG round eyepiece oversized eyecup.Mcoplus professional MB-D850 multi function battery grip 6960.Two Nikon EN-EL15a batteries (Priority to battery in Battery grip). Matin quick release neckstrap. My Memory 128GB Class 10 SDXC 80MB/s card. Lowepro Flipside 400 AW camera bag.

     

.

.

  

LATITUDE: N 51d 28m 28.20s

LONGITUDE: E 0d 8m 10.27s

ALTITUDE: 1.0m

  

RAW (TIFF) FILE: 130.00MB NEF: 93.0MB

PROCESSED (JPeg) FILE: 27.10MB

    

.

.

  

PROCESSING POWER:

  

Nikon D850 Firmware versions C 1.10 (9/05/2019) LD Distortion Data 2.018 (18/02/20) LF 1.00

  

HP 110-352na Desktop PC with AMD Quad-Core A6-5200 APU 64Bit processor. Radeon HD8400 graphics. 8 GB DDR3 Memory with 1TB Data storage. 64-bit Windows 10. Verbatim USB 2.0 1TB desktop hard drive. WD My Passport Ultra 1tb USB3 Portable hard drive. Nikon ViewNX-1 64bit Version 1.4.1 (18/02/2020). Nikon Capture NX-D 64bit Version 1.6.2 (18/02/2020). Nikon Picture Control Utility 2 (Version 2.4.5 (18/02/2020). Nikon Transfer 2 Version 2.13.5. Adobe photoshop Elements 8 Version 8.0 64bit.

 

www[dot]blouseroumaine[dot]com/orderthebook_p1[dot]html

 

The fairytale castle of Queen Marie of Romania comes to life in the pages of an Anthology entitled:

"Blouse Roumaine - the Unsung Voices of Romanian Women"

 

Presented and Selected by Constantin ROMAN

 

Anthology E-BOOK (11BM)

 

DISTRIBUTION: Online with credit card

 

COST: $ 54.99, £34.99 (ca Euros 35.50)

 

LINK: www.blouseroumaine.com/orderthebook_p1.html

 

CONTENTS:

 

2,250,000 words,

 

over 1,000 pages,

 

ca 160 illustrations in text

 

160 critical biographies,

 

58 social categories/professions,

 

600 quotations (mostly translated into English for the first time),

 

circa 3,000 bibliographical references (including URLs and credits)

 

6 Indexes (alphabetical, by profession, timeline, quotation Index, place

 

index and name index)

 

AUTHOR: Constantin Roman is a Scholar with a Doctorate from Cambridge and a Member of the Society of Authors (London). He is an International Adviser, Guest Speaker, Professor Honoris Causa and Commander of the Order of Merit.

  

INDEX BY PROSFESSION: 58 CATEGORIES by Call, Profession or Social Status

 

Academics (22), Actresses (9), Anti-Communist Fighters (14), Architects/Interior Designers (2), Art Critics (9), Artist Book Binders (1), Ballerinas (6), Charity Workers/Benefactors (20), Communist Public Figures (2), Courtesans (3), Designers (2), Diplomats (4), Essayists (11), Ethnographers (6), Exiles & First-generation Romanians born abroad (87), Explorers (1), Feminists (12), Folk Singers (1), Gymnasts, Dressage Riders (2), Historians (5), Honorary Romanian Women (15), Illustrators (3), Journalists (13), Lawyers (4), Librarians (3), Linguists (2), Literary Critics (1), Media (15), Medical Doctors/Nurses (5), Memoir Writers (16), Missionaries and Nuns (4), Mountainéers (2), Museographers (1), Musical Instruments Makers (1), Novelists (24), Opera Singers (16), Painters (14), Peasant Farmers (6), Philosophers and Philosophy Graduates (4), Pianists (6), Pilots (4), Playwrights (5), Poets (29), Political Prisoners (30), Politicians (5), Revolutionaries (2), Royals and Aristocrats (34), Scientists (8), Sculptors (4), Slave (1), Socialites/Hostesses (20), Spouses/Relations of Public Figures (51), Spies (2), Tapestry Weavers (4), Translators (25), Unknown Illustrious (6), Violinists (4), Workers (3)

 

NOTE:

Most of the above 160 Romanian women, in the best tradition of versatility, are true polymaths and therefore nearly each one of them falls in more than just one category, often three or more. This explains why adding the numbers of the 57 individual categories bears no relation to the actual total of the above 160 women included in Blouse Roumaine.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LIST OF 160 CRITICAL BIOGRAPHIES (each supported by Quotations and Bibliography)

 

AA *Gabriela Adamesteanu *Florenta Albu *Nina Arbore *Elena Arnàutoiu *Ioana Raluca Voicu-Arnàutoiu, *Laurentia Arnàutoiu *Mariea Plop - Arnàutoiu *Ana Aslan *Lady Elizabeth Asquith Bibescu

 

BB *Lauren Bacall *Lady Florence Baker *Zoe Bàlàceanu *Ecaterina Bàlàcioiu-Lovinescu *Victorine de Bellio *Pss. Marta Bibescu *Adriana Bittel *Maria Prodan Bjørnson *Ana Blandiana *Yvonne Blondel *Lola Bobescu *Smaranda Bràescu *Elena Bràtianu *Élise Bràtianu *Ioana Bràtianu *Elena Bràtianu- Racottà *Letitzia Bucur

 

CC *Anne-Marie Callimachi *Georgeta Cancicov *Madeleine Cancicov *Pss. Alexandra Cantacuzino *Pss.Maria Cantacuzino (Madame Puvis de Chavannes) *Pss. Maruca Cantacuzino-Enesco* Pss. Catherine Caradja *Elena Caragiani-Stoenescu *Marta Caraion-Blanc, *Nina Cassian, *Otilia Cazimir *Elena Ceausescu *Maria Cebotari *Ioana Celibidache *Hélène Chrissoveloni (Mme Paul Morand)*Alice Cocea *Irina Codreanu *Lizica Codreanu *Alina Cojocaru *Nadia Comàneci *Denisa Comànescu *Lena Constante *Silvia Constantinescu *Doina Cornea *Hortense Cornu *Viorica Cortez*Otilia Cosmutzà *Sandra Cotovu *Ileana Cotrubas *Carmen-Daniela Cràsnaru *Mioara Cremene *Florica Cristoforeanu *Pss. Elena Cuza

 

DD *Hariclea Darclée *Cella Delavrancea *Alina Diaconú *Varinca Diaconú *Anca Diamandy *Marie Ana Dràgescu *Rodica Dràghincescu *Bucura Dumbravà *Natalia Dumitrescu

 

EE *Micaela Eleutheriade *Queen Elisabeth of Romania (‘Carmen Sylva’) *Alexandra Enescu *Mica Ertegün

 

FF *Lizi Florescu, *Maria Forescu *Nicoleta Franck *Aurora Fúlgida

 

GG *Angela Gheorghiu *Pss Grigore Ghica *Pss. Georges Ghika (Liane de Pougy) *Veturia Goga *Maria Golescu *Nadia Gray *Olga Greceanu *Pss. Helen of Greece *Nicole Valéry-Grossu *Carmen Groza

 

HH *Virginia Andreescu Haret *Clara Haskil *Lucia Hossu-Longin

 

II *Pss. Ileana of Romania *Ana Ipàtescu *Marie-France Ionesco *Dora d’Istria *Rodica Iulian

 

JJ *Doina Jela *Lucretia Jurj

 

KK *Mite Kremnitz

 

LL *Marie-Jeanne Lecca *Madeleine Lipatti *Monica Lovinescu *Elena Lupescu

 

MM *Maria Mailat *Ileana Màlàncioiu *Ionela Manolesco *Lilly Marcou *Silvia Marcovici *Queen Marie of Romania *Ioana A. Marin *Ioana Meitani *Gabriela Melinescu *Veronica Micle *Nelly Miricioiu *Herta Müller *Alina Mungiu-Pippidi *Agnes Kelly Murgoci

 

NN *Mabel Nandris *Anita Nandris-Cudla *Lucia Negoità *Mariana Nicolesco *Countess Anna de Noailles *Ana Novac

 

OO *Helen O’Brien *Oana Orlea

 

PP *Hortensia Papadat-Bengescu *Milita Pàtrascu *Ana Pauker *Marta Petreu *Cornelia Pillat *Magdalena Popa *Elvira Popescu

 

RR *Ruxandra Racovitzà *Elisabeta Rizea *Eugenia Roman *Stella Roman *Queen Ana de România, *Pss. Margarita de România *Maria Rosetti *Elisabeth Roudinesco

 

SS *Annie Samuelli *Sylvia Sidney *Henriette-Yvonne Stahl *Countess Leopold Starszensky *Elena Stefoi *Pss. Marina Stirbey *Sanda Stolojan *Cecilia Cutzescu-Storck

 

TT *Maria Tànase *Aretia Tàtàrescu *Monica Theodorescu *Elena Theodorini

 

UU *Viorica Ursuleac

 

VV *Elena Vàcàrescu *Leontina Vàduva *Ana Velescu *Marioara Ventura *Anca Visdei *Wanda Sachelarie Vladimirescu *Alice Steriade Voinescu

 

WW *Sabina Wurmbrand

 

ZZ *Virginia Zeani

  

Mural entitled "Honey I Shrunk Esic" by ESIC aka @esic for Denver Walls, seen at 3270 Blake Street in Denver, Colorado.

 

Photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.

 

Edit by Teee

From my set entitled “Escarpment” (under development)

www.flickr.com/photos/21861018@N00/sets/72157608204080206/

In my collection entitled “Halton”

www.flickr.com/photos/21861018@N00/collections/7215760820...

In my photostream

www.flickr.com/photos/21861018@N00/

 

Reproduced from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niagara_Escarpment

The Niagara Escarpment is a long escarpment, or cuesta, in the United States and Canada that runs westward from New York State, through Ontario, Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois. It is composed of the Lockport geological formation of Silurian age, and is similar to the Onondaga geological formation, which runs parallel to it and just to the south, through the western portion of New York and southern Ontario. The escarpment is most famous as the cliff over which the Niagara River plunges to form Niagara Falls, for which it is named.

 

The Niagara Escarpment is the most prominent of several escarpments formed in the bedrock of the Great Lakes. It is traceable from its easternmost point in New York State, starting well east of the Genesee River Valley near Rochester, creating one large and two small waterfalls on the Genesee River in that city, thence running westwards to the Niagara River forming a deep gorge north of Niagara Falls, which itself cascades over the escarpment. In Southern Ontario it stretches along the Niagara Peninsula hugging close to the Lake Ontario shore near the cities of St. Catharines and Hamilton and Milton where it takes a sharp turn north toward Georgian Bay. It then follows the Georgian Bay shore northwestwards to form the spine of the Bruce Peninsula, Manitoulin, St. Joseph Island and other islands located in northern Lake Huron where it turns westerwards into the Upper Peninsula of northern Michigan, south of Sault Ste. Marie. It then extends southwards into Wisconsin following the Door Peninsula and then more inland from the western coast of Lake Michigan and Milwaukee ending northwest of Chicago near the Wisconsin-Illinois border.

 

In February 1990, the Niagara Escarpment was designated a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, making it one of 12 in Canada. Development and land use adjacent to the escarpment is regulated and the biosphere protected by the Niagara Escarpment Commission, an agency of the Ontario government.

  

Mural entitled "Window to Your Soul" by WERC aka @w3rc, seen at 301 Main Street in Dubuque, Iowa.

 

Drone photo by James aka Urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.

 

Edit by Teee.

Entitled "Battling Kingfishers" I was lucky enough to receive a Highly Commended for these images.

This photographic portfolio entitled “ANCESTRAL LANDSCAPES” is the result of an incredible journey in Scotland through breathtaking natural landscapes. Scotland landscape is a permanent theater, a mysterious drama in which the initial plot seems to come from ancient feuds or the echo of legends. Contrasting like its climate, Scotland offers a range of light and shadow carried by the impetuousness of the elements. Weather reports are more like predicting the future than science. As frustrating as it may sound, it forces you to make your day unexpected. The turbulence of time exacerbates the green of the hills, the darkness of the mountains and the density of the ocean. The caledonian bad weather offers atmospheres that seem to come out of the most fantastic tales and legends. In this interplay of shades and contrasts, Scotland is a perpetual painting that offers aesthetes the violence of its brushstrokes. Consistently tackling the elements in Scotland grabs you literally and figuratively. The wind blows across the plains, the rain draws a curtain over the landscape and the proud mountains impress. Scotland is home to some of the most stunning landscapes I have ever seen. Shaped by landslides and tectonic movements that have completely sculpted their surroundings, these landscapes instantly immerse you in an almost supernatural fantasy world. One does not expect to discover such an exciting landscape. Vastness constantly echoes within us through our eyes.

 

Gray's Papaya shop has long been a fixture here on the corner of Broadway and 72nd Street. But I think the "recession" emphasis is fairly new...

 

Note: this photo was published in a Mar 18, 2009 blog entitled "Recession Radio Special." It was also published in an Apr 20, 2009 blog titled "Old Problems on Young Shoulders." And it was published in a May 12, 2009 US-India Tax blog titled "US Tax Tips in a Recession." More recently, it was published in a Jun 19, 2009 blog titled "Is This the Great Depression Again?" And it was published as an illustration in a Sep 2009 Mahalo blog titled "2008 recession," at www-dot-mahalo-dot-com-slash-2008-dash-recession. It was also published in a Sep 15, 2009 blog titled "Bernanke says 'the recession is likely over'." And it was published in a Sep 29, 2009 blog titled "2008-2009 Recession Being Good for You!" It was also published as an illustration in an Oct 2009 Mahalo blog titled "Gray's Papaya," at www-dot-mahalo-dot-com-slash-grays-dash-papaya.

 

More recently, it was published in a Nov 17, 2009 blog titled "Online Survival During a Falling Economy." It was also published in a Nov 21, 2009 blog titled "Pictures of the Great Recession." And it was also published in a Dec 20, 2009 blog titled "Recession special at Gray’s Papaya shop," i.e., the same title as the caption that I used for this Flickr page.

 

In 2010, it has been published in an undated (Jan 2010) blog titled "Bonus: Get Your Self a Recession-Proof Life! " It was also published in a Jan 12, 2010 blog titled "Check out: Has the Recession Made Your Life Simpler? – The Conversation – Harvard Business Review." And it was published in a Jan 14, 2010 blog titled "How Recessions Can Shape Future Behavior." It was also published in a Jan 18, 2010 blog titled "I'll Know the Recession Is Over When..." And it was published in a Feb 24, 2010 DigiRecent blog titled "Recession special at Gray’s Papaya shop."

 

More recently, it was published in a May 11, 2010 blog titled " in New York." It was also published in an undated (Jun 2010) Squidoo blog titled "The Great Recession is upon us, and while the situation seems to be slightly improving (fingers crossed)." And it was published in a Jul 27, 2010 blog titled "Weekly Audit: Why Are Unemployment Benefits A Major Political Fight?" It was also published in a Sep 20, 2010 blog titled "Great Recession ended last summer, but growth recession continues." And, for reasons that utterly escape me, it was published in an undated (mid-Nov 2010) blog titled "Can anyone find the full version of “The Art of Science of Java” ebook online for free?" It was also published in a Nov 26, 2010 Super Affiliate Marketing Guide blog, with the same title and detailed notes as what I had written on this Flickr page.

 

Moving into 2011, the photo was published in an undated (early Jan 2011) blog titled "Bonus!" It was also published in a Jan 9, 2011 blog titled "3 Key Strategies For A Thriving Network Marketing Business During A Recession." It was also published in a Jan 17, 2011 blog titled "10 Basic Tips For Success With An Affiliate Marketing Online Program." And it was published in a Jun 20, 2011 blog titled "Five Reasons The Economy Remains Weak." It was also published in an Aug 9, 2011 Forbes blog titled "U.S. Slides Into Recession, S&P 500 Could Drop To 830."

 

Moving into 2012, the photo was published in a Feb 9, 2012 blog titled "The Science Of Leveraging Risk For Your Network Marketing Success." And it was published in a Mar 13, 2012 blog titled "So the new bailout for Unions has begun already?"

 

Moving into 2013, the photo was published in a Jan 4, 2013 blog titled "Recession special at Gray’s Papaya shop." And it was published in a Jan 22, 2013 blog titled "THE INAUGURAL ADDRESS: WHAT OBAMA SAID AND WHAT IT MEANS."

 

Moving into 2014, the photo was published in a Mar 23, 2014 blog titled "Great Recession ended last summer, but growth recession continues."

 

******************************

These are photos that I began taking in mid-December of 2008, after the government helpfully informed us that the recession (a word they had dared not use before, just as they refuse to use the word "depression" now) has actually been in effect since December 2007.

 

Having lived through roughly half a dozen previous recessions, with nothing but vague memories to mark their existence, I thought it would be useful to start gathering some photographic memories of the current one. It may or may not turn out to be as severe as the Great Depression of the 1930's, and it may or may not produce the kind of grim photographs that we have of that era ... but we won't really know until it's over, and our 20-20 hindsight might be better informed with some pictures.

 

Thus far, I have only a few pictures of signs showing steep discounts; these are interesting, but it's the "human story" that I think will tell the more important story. But I've also noticed an increase in the number of homeless people on the street, asking for money, food, and handouts; but I have no direct evidence that it's associated with the recession itself. In any case, I'm reluctant to take advantage of such people by taking casual photos of them; I'm sure more appropriate opportunities will present themselves, and I'll add them to the album as I find them...