Black and white view from Charles Bridge (Karlův most) of the Small Town (Malá Strana), with the Church of Saint Nicholas (Kostel sv. Mikuláše) in the center, and the Castle neighborhood (Hradčany) and the cathedral of Saint Vitus (Katedrála svatého Víta) on the right, with the statue of Saint John of Nepomuk in the foreground. Saint John of Nepomuk or John of Nepomuk (before 1349-1393) was a priest in Bohemia, canon of Prague Cathedral and preacher at the court of King Wenceslaus, who had him executed by throwing him into the Vltava River after being tortured. He was canonized by Benedict XIII in 1729. He is the patron saint of Bohemia, of confessors and people in danger of drowning. Legend has it that five stars shone on the river where the martyr’s body had fallen into the water, and, the next morning, it was found on the river bank surrounded by a strange light. There is also some legend that Wenceslaus sentenced the martyr to death for refusing to reveal to him the secret confessions of Queen Joan of Bavaria, whose allegiance the monarch distrusted.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BR-csWS1bcM

 

Origins of the castle

In the earlier thirteenth century, during the reign of Alexander II (ruled 1214–1249), a large curtain-wall castle (wall of enceinte) was constructed that enclosed much of the island. At this time the area was at the boundary of the Norse-Celtic Lordship of the Isles and the Earldom of Ross: Eilean Donan provided a strong defensive position against Norse expeditions. A founding legend relates that the son of a chief of the Mathesons acquired the power of communicating with the birds. As a result, and after many adventures overseas, he gained wealth, power, and the respect of Alexander II, who asked him to build the castle to defend his realm.

 

At a later date, the island became a stronghold of the Mackenzies of Kintail, originally vassals of William I, Earl of Ross. At this early stage, the castle is said to have been garrisoned by Macraes and Maclennans, both clans that were later closely associated with the Mackenzies. Traditional Mackenzie clan histories relate that Earl William sought advantage from the Treaty of Perth of 1266, by which King Magnus VI of Norway ceded the Hebrides to Scotland, and demanded that his kinsman Kenneth Mackenzie return the castle to allow his expansion into the islands. Mackenzie refused, and Earl William led an assault against Eilean Donan that the Mackenzies and their allies repulsed.

 

The Mackenzie clan histories also claim (with little, if any, supporting contemporary evidence), that Robert the Bruce sheltered at Eilean Donan during the winter of 1306 to 1307; the castle escaped any other involvement in the Wars of Scottish Independence. In 1331 Thomas Randolph, Earl of Moray, sent an officer to Eilean Donan to warn the occupants of his forthcoming visit. In preparation 50 wrongdoers were rounded up and executed, their heads being displayed on the castle walls to Moray's approval. By the middle of the 14th century the Mackenzies are said to have been on the losing side in the ongoing feuding with the Earls of Ross. William III, Earl of Ross granted Kintail to Raghnall Mac Ruaidhrí in 1342. With the assistance of Leod Macgilleandrais, the Earl allegedly apprehended Kenneth Mackenzie, 3rd of Kintail, and had him executed in 1346 at Inverness. Through this period Eilean Donan is said to have been held by Duncan Macaulay for the Mackenzies, against the Earl and his allies. Kenneth's young son Murdo Mackenzie supposedly evaded the Earl's attempts to eliminate him, and on the return of David II from exile Murdo Mackenzie was allegedly confirmed in the lands of Kintail and Eilean Donan by a charter of 1362 (of which, however, no trace survives to the present day). At some point in the earlier 14th century it is thought that the Clan Macrae began to settle in Kintail as a body, having migrated from the Beauly Firth, and there gained the trust of the Mackenzie lairds through possible kinship and an advantageous marriage. The Macraes began to act as Mackenzie's bodyguards, acquiring the soubriquet "Mackenzie's shirt of mail".

  

www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186547-d189549-R...

 

Back to shooting models after such a long time!!!

I definitely enjoyed this shoot with the stunning AUTOart Veyron Sang Noir.

Thanks to the good graces of the Iowa Northern and its great employees, we held a night photo session at Manly on May 30. Approximately 25 photographers were able to catch views like this of Rock Island E6 630 and E8 652. Huge thanks go to Chris Guss, who planned and executed all the lighting for the evening, and Rob Schreiner who provided equipment to turn on the nose lights and number boards.

The current City Hall for the city of St. Louis, having housed city government since 1898, is a landmark by appearance, reputation and city designation (since 1971). Efforts to build what would become the current City Hall (seen above) got underway in May 1888 when the City Hall Commission was formed. On April 4, 1889, an ordinance was passed to authorize the Commission to advertise for bids for the building. The original cost was not to exceed one million dollars. The commission chose the design of George Richard Mann, of the firm Eckel & Mann of St. Joseph, from the 37 national entries. His design was titled "St. Louis 1892", obviously expecting it to be completed by 1892. A French-style plan, inspired by the Hotel de Ville or City Hall of Paris, with ornamental dormer windows and former towers, it also recalled architectural elements of the Chateau de Chambord on the Loire River in France.

 

The construction of City Hall started July 19, 1890, with Mayor Edward Noonan's daughter Zoe, breaking ground. The cornerstone was laid on June 6, 1891. No bond issue was passed to finance construction of the new City Hall, explaining the 14 years required to finish the building. Funds came from general revenue and the sale of city property. Every year or two, the Council, would authorize an average of $110, 000 to continue construction. An ordinance was passed on Sept, 10, 1893 to limit the total cost at two million dollars. Though the building was not completed, it was finally occupied on April 11, 1898 when Mayor Henry Ziegenhein headed a ceremonial parade of city officials from the old building to their offices in the new City Hall. In 1904, the final portions of the building were completed, the Rotunda, the Tucker Boulevard vestibule and the grand staircase, using the design by the St. Louis architectural firm of Weber & Groves. The building was officially completed on Nov. 5, 1904 when Mayor Rolla Wells held an open house for the residents of St. Louis. The final cost of the building was $1,787,159.16. However, the exterior of City Hall was never quite finished. All sides of the building have ornamental dormers called belvederes, each having bare spaces of limestone. These were meant to have carved decorations, yet remained untouched probably due to lack of funds. Despite its incomplete state, City Hall was praised for its "splendid architectural composition," and called "an impressive period piece of craftsmanship". Unfortunately, a poorly executed acid cleaning and years of exposure to coal smoke has left the original pink and orange exterior tarnished.

 

www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/about/history-of-city-hall.cfm

 

Three bracketed photos were taken with a handheld Nikon D7200 and combined with Photomatix Pro to create this HDR image. Additional adjustments were made in Photoshop CS6.

 

"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~Jeremiah 29:11

 

The best way to view my photostream is through Flickriver with the following link: www.flickriver.com/photos/photojourney57/

The Midland Camera club planned and executed a wonderful trip to the Jordan Valley and Leelanau peninsula in pursuit of Fall colors, landscapes, farms, sand dunes, Lake Michigan. lighthouses, and a vast assortment of interesting subjects to photograph. All the members came home with a nice collection of photographs and much joy in the adventure spent together. Visit our viewing site to see the work of the members.

www.flickr.com/groups/3021281@N20/

 

This fabulous photograph is available at my online store in a wide variety of products. This link will take you there

pixels.com/products/a-trail-through-the-woods-tom-clark-a...

  

216d 10 - _DSC0018 - lr-ps-wm

Buffalo City Hall is the seat for municipal government in the City of Buffalo, New York. Located at 65 Niagara Square, the 32-story Art Deco building was completed in 1931 by Dietel, Wade & Jones. The 378-foot-tall (115.2 m) building (398 feet [121.3 m] when measured from street level to the tip of the tower) is one of the largest and tallest municipal buildings in the United States and is also one of the tallest buildings in Western New York. It was designed by chief architect John Wade with the assistance of George Dietel. The friezes were sculpted by Albert Stewart and the sculpture executed by Rene Paul Chambellan. Buffalo City Hall was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.

[Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_City_Hall]

www.ci.buffalo.ny.us/Mayor/Home/Leadership/CityStatsandFa...

www.buffaloah.com/a/bflobest/city/city.html

Sunflowers is the title of two series of still life paintings by the Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh. The first series, executed in Paris in 1887, depicts the flowers lying on the ground, while the second set, made a year later in Arles, shows a bouquet of sunflowers in a vase. In the artist's mind, both sets were linked by the name of his friend Paul Gauguin, who acquired two of the Paris versions. About eight months later, van Gogh hoped to welcome and impress Gauguin again with Sunflowers, now part of the painted Décoration for the Yellow House that he prepared for the guestroom of his home in Arles, where Gauguin was supposed to stay.

Little is known of van Gogh's activities during the two years he lived with his brother, Theo, in Paris, 1886–1888. The fact that he had painted Sunflowers already is only revealed in the spring of 1889, when Gauguin claimed one of the Arles versions in exchange for studies he had left behind after leaving Arles for Paris. Van Gogh was upset and replied that Gauguin had absolutely no right to make this request: "I am definitely keeping my sunflowers in question. He has two of them already, let that hold him. And if he is not satisfied with the exchange he has made with me, he can take back his little Martinique canvas, and his self-portrait sent to me from Brittany, at the same time giving me back both my portrait[2] and the two sunflower canvases which he has taken to Paris. So if he ever broaches this subject again, I've told you just how matters stand."

Executing a balanced turn. Black's beach, California

EXPLORE

The sprawling two story Earl's Palace in Birsay, Orkney, Scotland was built between 1570 and 1580 by the notorious Robert Stewart, Earl of Orkney, the illegitimate son of James V. The Earl considered himself the absolute ruler of Orkney and Shetland and was the father of the even nastier tyrant Patrick Stewart, executed for treason in 1615. It was in ruins by 1700 and is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

Sorry but I can't place it, one of a number of sights which captivated us as we whistlestop toured Scotland. Next time will be better planned and executed, this time was a recce!

Michelangelo returned to Florence in 1499–1501. Things were changing in the republic after the fall of anti-Renaissance Priest and leader of Florence, Girolamo Savonarola (executed in 1498) and the rise of the gonfaloniere Pier Soderini. He was asked by the consuls of the Guild of Wool to complete an unfinished project begun 40 years earlier by Agostino di Duccio: a colossal statue portraying David as a symbol of Florentine freedom, to be placed in the Piazza della Signoria, in front of the Palazzo Vecchio. Michelangelo responded by completing his most famous work, the Statue of David in 1504. This masterwork, created out of a marble block from the quarries at Carrara that had already been worked on by an earlier hand, definitively established his prominence as a sculptor of extraordinary technical skill and strength of symbolic imagination.

 

David is a masterpiece of Renaissance sculpture sculpted by Michelangelo from 1501 to 1504. The 5.17 meter (17 ft)[1] marble statue portrays the Biblical King David in the nude. Unlike previous depictions of David which portray the hero after his victory over Goliath, Michelangelo chose to represent David before the fight contemplating the battle yet to come. [2] It came to symbolize the defense of civil liberties embodied in the Florentine Republic, an independent city state threatened on all sides by more powerful rival states and by the hegemony of the Medici themselves. This interpretation was also encouraged by the original setting of the sculpture outside the Palazzo della Signoria, the seat of civic government in Florence. The completed sculpture was unveiled on 8 September 1504.

Michelangelo's David differs from previous representations of the subject in that David is not depicted with the slain Goliath (as he is in Donatello's and Verrocchio's versions, produced earlier), a common interpretation is that David is depicted before his battle with Goliath. Instead of being shown victorious over a foe much larger than he, David looks tense and ready for combat. His veins bulge out of his lowered right hand and the twist of his body effectively conveys to the viewer the feeling that he is in motion. The statue is meant to show David after he has made the decision to fight Goliath but before the battle has actually taken place. It is a representation of the moment between conscious choice and conscious action.[citation needed] However, other experts (including Giuseppe Andreani, the current director of Accademia Gallery) consider the depiction to represent the moment immediately after battle, as David serenely contemplates his victory.

  

A copy of the statue standing in the original location of David, in front of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence.On January 25, 1504, when the sculpture was nearing completion, a committee of Florentine artists including Leonardo da Vinci and Sandro Botticelli met to decide on an appropriate site for the David. The majority, led by Giuliano da Sangallo and supported by Leonardo and Piero di Cosimo, among others, believed that due to the imperfections in the marble the sculpture should be placed under the roof of the Loggia dei Lanzi on Piazza della Signoria. Only a rather minor view, supported by Botticelli, believed that the sculpture should be situated on or near the cathedral. Eventually the David was placed in front of the entrance to the Palazzo Vecchio, also on Piazza della Signoria, replacing Donatello's bronze sculpture of Judith and Holofernes, which embodied a comparable theme of heroic resistance. It took four days to move the statue from Michelangelo's workshop onto the Piazza della Signoria.

Michelangelo's David is based on the artistic discipline of disegno, which is built on knowledge of the male human form. Under this discipline, sculpture is considered to be the finest form of art because it mimics divine creation. Because Michelangelo adhered to the concepts of disegno, he worked under the premise that the image of David was already in the block of stone he was working on — in much the same way as the human soul is found within the physical body. It is also an example of the contrapposto style of posing the human form.

 

In the High Renaissance, contrapposto poses were thought of as a distinctive feature of antique sculpture. As exemplified In Michelangelo’s David, sculptured from 1501-1504, the figure stands with one leg holding its full weight and the other leg relaxed. This classic pose causes the figure’s hips and shoulders to rest at opposite angles, giving a slight s-curve to the entire torso. In addition, the statue faces to the left while the left arm leans on his left shoulder with his sling flung down behind his back. Michelangelo’s David has become one of the most recognized pieces of Renaissance Sculpture ever, becoming a symbol of both strength and youthful human beauty.

 

The proportions are not quite true to the human form; the head and upper body are somewhat larger than the proportions of the lower body. The hands are also larger than would be in regular proportions. While some have suggested that this is of the mannerist style, another explanation is that the statue was originally intended to be placed on a church façade or high pedestal, and that the proportions would appear correct when the statue was viewed from some distance below.

 

Commentators have noted David's apparently uncircumcised form, which is at odds with Judaic practice, but is considered consistent with the conventions of Renaissance art.[4]

 

To protect it from damage, the sculpture was moved in 1873 to the Accademia Gallery in Florence, where it attracts many visitors. A replica was placed in the Piazza della Signoria in 1910.

 

The cast of David at the South Kensington Museum (now the Victoria and Albert Museum), had a detachable plaster fig leaf, added for visits by Queen Victoria and other important ladies, when it was hung on the figure using two strategically placed hooks; it is now displayed nearby. [5]

 

In 1991, a deranged man attacked the statue with a hammer he had concealed beneath his jacket[6], in the process damaging the toes of the left foot before being restrained. The samples obtained from that incident allowed scientists to determine that the marble used was obtained from the Fantiscritti quarries in Miseglia, the central of three small valleys in Carrara. The marble in question contains many microscopic holes that cause it to deteriorate faster than other marbles. Because of the marble's degradation, a controversy occurred in 2003, when the statue underwent its first major cleaning since 1843. Some experts opposed the use of water to clean the statue, fearing further deterioration. Under the direction of Dr. Franca Falleti, senior restorers Monica Eichmann and Cinzia Pamigoni began the job of restoring the statue. The restoration work was completed in 2004.[7]

 

In 2008, plans were proposed to insulate the statue from the vibration of tourists' footsteps at Florence's Galleria dell'Accademia, to prevent damage to the marble.

 

from Wikipedia

 

Aftermath

Name: Peter Renshaw

Location: Kinglake West.

Date: 2009MAR26

Description:

 

First time in the back paddock. The plants you see in the foreground are what is left of a 1acre paddock of exotic Camellias and Rhododendrons. They are bending in the direction of the fire path.

 

The text below is a talk I gave on how we (brother, sister, myself and mates) organised and executed plans to get immediate power & water at my Dads house. Authorities simply didn't react fast enough.

 

==================

 

Final draft for talk at Trampoline

 

update latest news

 

Now published at seldomlogical.com/gsd.html.

 

A quick intro to the fire is here www.flickr.com/photos/bootload/sets/72157615800278371/. Be aware this is a draft & I'll be posting later a linked & more polished version at seldomlogical and my wp site. For the purposes of the talk on the day I subtitled the talk Kick-starting Volunteers to not only make the title shorter but to put the talk in a bigger context. The ideas here can be applied to situations like Black Saturday but could just as easily be applied to Volunteers, even Startups. They all face the same types of problems.

 

Hello, my name is Peter. My talk is called "Getting stuff

done with nothing". Before I begin I'll tell you something

about myself. My first computer was a ZX-80. I don't get

out much and I haven't been to a meeting for a long time.

I'm one of those Gen-X slackers, I went to school for 20

or so years and I've worked mostly in Startups and

software. So you could say I'm a bit of an expert on the

topic. Well at least one.

 

Getting stuff done with nothing

Why is it that some individuals adapt to change faster than

others? How is it that people with no authority, few

resources can make such a difference? The ideas I want to

explore has its roots in the slow decline of volunteering,

the unfolding financial crisis and the 7th February 2009.

A day we now know as Black Saturday.

 

How do you avoid sabotaging yourself trying to help?

How do you get stuff done, with nothing?

 

Black Saturday

 

It was 46 degrees that day. I'd thought about going to Dads

about 70 kilometers from where I live. But with a total

fire ban and hot conditions I chose the pool instead

staying close to home. It wasn't till I got home about six

o'clock that evening that I got a call from a distressed

sister saying Dad was fighting off fires at his property at

Kinglake West and his phone was going flat. Later I got

another call at around 8 o'clock to say the house had

survived but he was still fighting. [0]

 

I was 70 kilometers away, it was getting dark so I drove to

the nearest place I could see the range, snapped a few

shots and uploaded them to Flickr. My brother and sister

who lived closer shot up to Whittlesea trying to get into

the fire-zone to help. Foolish maybe, but it was to have

positive implications later. [1] I knew that if Dad

survived the first two hours with house intact - as long

as he kept his wits about him, he would survive. So I

started planing, writing and collecting any information

I could to see if I could help out further down the line.

  

49 days later

 

It's now forty nine days since the fire and work is

still going on. A casual comment by a CFA volunteer on my

Flickr account [2] suggesting that for the next major fire

a similar site might do exactly what I was doing -

collecting information and acting as a clearing house.

This was going to be initial idea for my talk. "How to

apply technology and apply it to solve the communications

and logistic problems" I encountered with the fires. Maybe

it could be applied to other relief efforts. What about

the recession? Could it help people who loose their jobs

to re-train? Get new skills?

 

But thinking about it more, it turned out to be the wrong

question to ask. I don't think technology is the problem.

[3] I think the real problem is much more fundamental. I

think it's people and how they tackle obstacles. I don't

want to get bogged down in theory. What I want concentrate

on something practical. How to apply some quick hacks that

anyone can master in times of need.

  

Personal qualities not technology

 

To get things done you have to overcome hurdles. Some

are personal and internal. Others are external and totally

out of your control. When I started thinking about what

personal qualities might be important, I was struck by the

fact you might need to experiment and apply various

combinations to achieve a result. So I have tried to narrow

the list, to what I think are the 10 qualities that make a

difference.

  

1) Controlling emotion

 

Emotions effect the way we make decisions. Emotions come in

many forms as we react to stress. Each person reacts

slightly differently. Limiting your emotional reaction, lets

you move forward to make decisions. It's a trait that only

you can control. Some sort of control is an advantage over

none. No control over you emotions can let fear control

you. Fear is by far the most damaging emotion I can think

of. Fear paralyses you into in-action. In-action is not

only counter productive but it's also the fastest way to

sabotage yourself. Fear is also contagious. If you are

fearful, it has a nasty habit of rubbing-off onto others.

I don't know the solution to avoiding or controlling fear

but I do know you should be aware it exists. You should try

to negate it's side effects. The better control you have

over fear, the more effective you can be. [4]

  

2) Listening

 

How well you listen greatly effects any outcome to try to

achieve. Not listening is one of the quickest ways to fail

when you encounter external hurdles. Not listening you miss

details. Details that could mean the difference between

knowing what is required or taking a risk and guessing. A

requirement achieved is a form of measurable success.

Guessing simply wastes time. If in doubt ask someone "on

the ground". They know things you don't. Listen now and

you save time and effort later.

  

3) Mindset

 

If you have a rigid mindset. If you cannot adapt quickly

enough. You risk not only failing to achieve the things you

set out to do. You will be susceptible to blunder. A

blunder is when the action you take, results in a worse

situation than when you start. Blunders have many causes.

But the most likely culprit is a fixed or rigid mindset.

Mindset is the combined effect of "how you react

emotionally to current events" and "the decisions you make

as a result". So ask yourself. "Are you undermining

yourself because you have a rigid mindset?"

  

4) Empathy & imagination

 

Can you walk in the shoes of another person? Can you

identify their problems and solve them? Empathy and

imagination are an effective antidote to blunders, rigid

mindsets and cognitive traps in thinking. [5] Don't just

try and blunder your way through a solution. First put

yourself into situation you are trying to improve and

use your mind to to project, how you might make the

current situation into a better or best situation. [6]

  

5) Communication not Info-mania

 

An info-maniac is someone who misuses information. If you

hold onto information, shun or avoid the source or nature

of information. You are self sabotaging yourself. You need

to collect enough of the right type of relevant

information. Don't worry about the having too much

information. You will be surprised what people might be

looking for or find. [7] Working as a team has its own

challenges. When communicating to more than one person

make sure they have the right mindset and ensure they are

communicating together to get the job done.

  

6) Thrift and resources

 

Up till now, the focus has primarily been on the how.

Little thought has been given to cost. If you have few

resources and need them quickly it is up to you to work out

how important they are. Weigh the costs of buying verses

loaning. Don't buy if you can help it. The time honoured

"Beg, borrow and ask" works, well some of the time. A simple

solution is to hack what you already have and see if it can

fit the purpose. A roll of fencing wire and duct tape may

work wonders but not miracles.

 

This is where you have to get creative. A good resource can

be friends or people you know. It may even be complete

strangers. In some cases you will have to pay cash. Before

you do check with people on the ground if they really need

this item. If you pay cash it might be better to accept a

higher price for a receipt instead of trying to negotiate

a discount. This avoids disputes. Pay a bit more to avoid

potential conflict. [8]

  

7) Speed

 

We are often told to do things "fast". But saying and

doing are two different things. Where do you start? Well

start at the basics. The basics of life are 'food', 'water'

and shelter. So for a given situation concentrate first on

the basics. Be able to say with certainty you have

reliability. Day in, day out. Every day. Speed is also

about getting real results without wasting unnecessary time

and resources. Any lack of the above qualities will hinder

your efforts. So I think the measure of speed is about

delivering the basics. Then using a combination of

listening, empathy and imagination you can move your way

forward.

 

But speed alone isn't good enough.

 

It's a constant. What you really want is acceleration.

What forces can you use to increase the accelerate the rate

you do things? Well the answer to this and a potential

road-block is probably a combination of and Info-mania.

Collect enough information on problem at hand and you get a

data glut and as long as the relevance of the information

is high someone can probably find the right information.

The trick is then to get the right people to take notice.

 

We got "feet on the ground" to Dad in less than 48 hours.

Delivering a delivering a generator and essentials. Yet I

was shocked that it took another 48 hours for support teams to

touch base in Flowerdale a mere 26 kilometers further

north. [9] This changed quickly when Pete William started

writing the "helpflowerdale" blog. Things sped up when the

information flow sped up. [10]

  

8) Search for simplicity

 

KISS or Keep it Simple Stupid. Easy to say, much harder to

do in practice. The advantage of simplicity is it helps

keeps you focused on what is achievable. Focusing on simple

outcomes is also cost and time effective. Complex things

consume resources. How do you find simple solutions in

real-life complexity?

 

I have no real answers. But I did get a few valuable

insights trying to work out how to solve the problem of

water. After the fires, I knew delivering the basics was

going to be a big problem. And the most important basic is

water. But how do you source, deliver and maintain a clean

water supply 70 kilometers away?

 

How did I simplify the problem? Well first I had the right

mindset. I knew in the middle of summer in remote areas

that damaged water tanks, no pumps and when the power is

down there will be no reliable water. I also knew speed was

of the essence. The simplicity hack I applied was knowing

that water being a basic was required quickly. I confirmed

by ringing up people on the ground that water storage was a

problem. Then spread the news around this is what was

required. It just so happened that other people where

already thinking along the same lines pre-warned because of

the information I spread, "empathised" and offered help.

The actual situation itself is complicated and I couldn't

tackle this problem myself but I got a call from a good

friend who is an expert in logistics and just happened to

have a water solution in the form of a Shutz. By chance I

also got access to various forms of transport.

 

Is this a case of good luck or searching for a simpler way?

I'm not sure. I do know that by knowing this was a priority

and using resources I secured the water containers and got

them delivered. [11], [12]

  

9) Follow through, re-evaluate

 

What you start you finish. Don't leave loose threads. Then

quickly re-evaluate. Do you really need to continue?

Communicate together. Is someone else doing this? Check

with someone on the ground again. Then continue. If you

promise to do something, do it. No one else is going to do

it. It is up to you.

 

Are you going to let your mates down?

  

10) Motivation, "the mongrel factor"

 

The final personal quality is how much of the "mongrel

factor" you have. No, it has nothing to do with "Blue

Heelers" (the TV show) [13] but the mongrel breed of dog.

How hard do you "snap" and "snarl" [14] to extract that

last 5 percent effort required to complete a task? The

difference between those who give up and those who succeed

can partially be explained to how hard they are willing to

push themselves. [15]

  

The future of Volunteers

I don't think technology alone can solve the types of

problems. You need intelligent application of technology.

Instead we should look at how we as individuals respond

using technology to amplify results. I also saw a complete

change in community attitudes to 'volunteering'. Before the

fire, volunteering was a dirty word. After the fire people

felt guilty not helping.

 

The fires may be over. But your chance to make a difference

begins now. Black Saturday might be the fractal training

run for the current recession. Lots of people, young people

especially are now going find themselves without the

opportunities to work and no path to improve themselves.

 

What are YOU! going to do? Are you! (point to individual)

going to let your mates down?

  

Reference

 

[0] Bootload, flickr, "You can read a summary and view

pictures of the fires first hours here",

[Accessed Thursday, 26th March, 2009]

flickr.com/photos/bootload/3260244634

 

[1] We (my brother, sister, her bloke, myself and a good

mate) undertook two distinct operations. Operation Genny:

objective to deliver power in the form of a generator.

Operation Shutz: objective to deliver clean water supply

tanks up to 3000 litres with 1 tank capable of being put on

a ute. We completed both. We had feet on the ground within

48 hours of the fire occurring for the generator. The water

supply following some 2 weeks later.

 

None of this would have been possible if emotional sister

and determined brother used speed to the fire zone within

couple of hours. The reward, a pass to move through the

police road blocks. Had it not been for this quick

thinking. Nothing we planned would have come to fruition.

 

[2] miniopterus, Flickr, "I should have said, good job

tracking the events. I imagine that next time we have fires,

we might see something similar to your Flickr diary.",

flickr.com/photos/bootload/3298613958

[Accessed Thursday, 26th March, 2009]

  

[3] To technologists who forge and yield hammers every

problem can appear to be a nail. In this case I don't think

a technology solution is applicable as tackling how people

deal with decision making. You need intelligent application

of technology. Instead we should look at how we as

individuals respond using technology to amplify results.

 

[4] Fear is there for a reason. Men may perceive women to

be inferior when it comes to emotion. But like the second

law of thermodynamics, all that built up emotion is going

to leak out some time in the future. So in the long run,

I think women have an edge over men dealing with emotion.

But in the short term it is men who edge women out with

self control. There is a downside here. Apply too much

control and you might emotionally overheat and become

brittle when you cool down leaving yourself open to

cracking. Hard objects become brittle and crack under

stress.

 

[6] google, "enter 'from: kinglake west to: Flowerdale

VIC, Australia' and view the maps tab. This reveals the

distance from Kinglake West."

[Accessed Friday, 27th March, 2009]

  

[5] Zachary Shore, "Blunder: Why Smart People Make Bad

Decisions, Blunder Intro, P5."

www.zacharyshore.com/static/content/blunder_intro.pdf

[Accessed Friday, 27th March, 2009]

  

[6] CVS2BVS: Current View of Situation to Best View of

Situation is a quick hack to make you think of moving

forward. What is you current view? What is your best

view? How do you get there? You have to ask the question

before you can find a solution.

  

[7] ITConversations, Tech Nation, Zachary Shore, "Why

Smart People Make Bad Decisions: Professor, Naval

Postgraduate School"

itc.conversationsnetwork.org/shows/detail4007.html

[Accessed Friday, 27th March, 2009]

  

[8] Sourcing the Shutz (ruggised 1000 Lt, portable water

container) I negotiated a price by quoting a friends name

in cash. Then I get a phone call asking for more money. A

quick call back to my referring mate sorted this out. But

had I got a receipt I could have avoided this. In the end

it worked out. But the risk was there. You can read more

about sourcing the Shutz here:

www.flickr.com/photos/bootload/sets/72157614178152108/

[Accessed Friday, 27th March, 2009]

  

[9] google, "To find the distance from Kinglake West to

Flowerdale enter 'from: Kinglake West to: Flowerdale VIC,

Australia' into google and click the maps tab.

  

[10] Pete Williams, blogspot, "Flowerdale - Survivor

Spirit", "A cry for help from the forgotten people of

Flowerdale"

"... The final straw for my sister in law came at 6.00am

today (12/02/09) when those left fought to save one of the

remaining houses that caught on fire overnight. They fought

with no water, no fire trucks and no support from the Army

that was in the area. They lost the fight. ..."

helpflowerdalenow.blogspot.com/2009/02/cry-for-help-from-...

[Accessed Friday, 27th March, 2009]

  

[11] bootload, flickr, "flickr set: 'Shutz IBC 1000L' where

I order and collect the Shutz water tank"

www.flickr.com/photos/bootload/sets/72157614178152108/

[Accessed Friday, 27th March, 2009]

  

[12] bootload, "flickr set: 'Eltham to Kinglake West'

where we deliver the tanks"

www.flickr.com/photos/bootload/sets/72157614178001242/

[Accessed Friday, 27th March, 2009]

  

[13] IMDb, "Blue Heelers, The Mongrel Factor"

www.imdb.com/title/tt0527723/

[Accessed Friday, 27th March, 2009]

  

[14] Australian Sports Commission, "Participating in Sport:

Predicting sports suitability", "... Coaches who observe

such testing sessions are assessing the ‘mongrel factor’

which athletes show a doggedness to continue when the test

becomes hard?"

www.ausport.gov.au/participating/got_talent/overview/pred...

[Accessed Friday, 27th March, 2009]

  

[15] Simon Britton, "Mongrel Nation",

culturenow.com/site/item.cfm?item=24814

[Accessed Friday, 27th March, 2009]

 

To Andy, James, Kev, Mum and Trace. They know how to get

things done with nothing. Thanks Trace, Colin for reading

the article.

A Reenactment to be repeated. "The Gaspee Days" events are very important to many of us, whose ancestors were the perpetrators of those historic events !

The next month "IS" "History 101" The events which occurred so many years ago will be recalled, and shown proper homage in the next month. History is a preservation of the happenings that were executed to form the country we have today. Never forget what our forefathers did, and never forget that what they did, gives us the right to speak freely, worship as we wish, and assemble with whom ever we please. GOD Bless America !

www.warwickri.gov/gaspee.htm

 

The Giustiniani Hestia is a finely-executed marble sculpture, a perhaps Hadrianic Roman copy of a Greek bronze of about 470 BC, now in the Torlonia Collection, Rome, but named for its early owner, marchese Vincenzo Giustiniani. It is the only known Early Classical bronze that was reproduced at full size in marble for a Roman collection: Roman taste ran more towards the Hellenistic baroque.

Winckelmann cited the Hestia Giustiniani as an example of the austere early stage of Classical Greek sculpture. For female figures, early fifth-century sculptors mostly gave up the crinkly sleeved chiton, which had been popular in the later sixth century BCE, and returned to the sleeveless peplos with heavy, dominantly vertical folds not unlike the fluting of a column. With the body so shrouded the relaxation of pose has been limited to turning the head. Several Attic or Argive sculptors have been speculatively suggested as the author of the lost original.

The sculpture was known in the Giustiniani collection in Palazzo Giustiniani, Rome, from the early 1630s, the date of a drawing made for the antiquarian Cassiano dal Pozzo and was illustrated in the engraved catalogue of the Galleria Giustiniani, produced under the direction of Joachim von Sandrart in two deluxe volumes, 1635–36 and 1638 In its first appearance in a Giustiniani inventory, 1638, it was a "vergine vestale vestita, di marmo greco tutta antica alta palmi 9", "a clothed Vestal Virgin, of Greek marble wholly antique, height 9 palmi." The sculpture appeared in François Perrier, Segmenta nobilium signorum (Paris and Rome, 1638), plate lxxii. The Hestia was purchased from the Giustiniani heirs in the nineteenth century and re-erected in Palazzo Lungara, where it was described by Ennio Quirino Visconti. It was removed to the Torlonia Villa Albani after World War II and was reinstalled in the 1990s in the courtyard of the Palazzo Torlonia in via della Conciliazione.

Contemporary scholars are less certain about the sculpture's identification as Hestia, in part because of literary references to her imageless sanctuaries, though a similar figure is painted on a cup at Berlin attributed to the Sosias Painter (Lachenal): Demeter and Hera are alternative candidates. Often such attribution issues are skirted in modern scholarship by designating such sculptures simply as peplophoroi.

Castillo de Turégano, Segovia, España.

 

El primitivo Castrum celtibérico fue aprovechado por los estrategas romanos para completar el sistema de fortificaciones con COLENDA “SEPTEMPUBLICA”,”PETRARIA” y “CAUCA” envolvían el territorio segoviano y dominaban las cuencas de los ríos de Eresma, Cega y Duratón. Del Castrum sólo quedan las torres en parte desmochadas, construidas posiblemente hacia finales del siglo X y de clara tradición árabe.

 

De planta cuadrada, fueron ejecutadas de fábrica de gruesos de cal y canto, aparecieron traspasadas en su parte inferior por un estrecho pasadizo conocido como “el paso de ronda” y unidas entre sí por tramos realizados en tapial.

 

El recinto de planta cuadrangular flanqueado por torreones circulares en los ángulos y rematados por hornacinas con la imagen de San Miguel. Como característica en común a lienzos y almenas, se encuentran saeteras del tipo cruz y orbe y palo y orbe. En todo sistema de protección encontramos también, matacanes, buhoneras, acodos, recovecos, balcones amatacanados y estrechas escaleras.

 

El edificio central se encuentra constituido por la torre del homenaje, cuyo interior se distribuye en estancias, estrechas escaleras, que comunican las distintas salas y una escalera helicoidal que conduce a la base de la torre, donde puede contemplarse el bellísimo paisaje y se palpa el carácter defensivo del castillo. Declarado monumento nacional en 1931, su emplazamiento recuerda la función defensiva por el que fue erigido. En su construcción se han de distinguir distintos conjuntos que lo compone: El Castrum y las torres, la primitiva iglesia de San Miguel, y el traslado de la espadaña a su lugar actual. Muchos autores defendieron la teoría de haberse construido a la par que al castillo, hoy se puede afirmar que la iglesia de San Miguel, de estilo románico, fue ejecutada a finales del siglo XII y a principios del siglo XIII.

 

En el ala oeste encontramos tres torreones construidos con similares características, sillares de piedra rosa, rematados entre sus lienzos por parapetos, matacanes y gárgolas de una pieza.

 

La entrada de la iglesia, marcada encima por el escudo episcopal, está defendida por dos torres especiales, polígonas en el primer cuerpo y circulares y circulares en el segundo, corre por ellas una línea de matacanes debajo de un arco abierto que hace las veces de galería, donde puede observarse un arco de crucería.

 

En ella destacan dos fases constructivas, la primera comprendería las naves laterales y la torre elevada, actualmente embutida dentro del torreón central. De la segunda fase destaca la nave central construida por buena sillería y cubierta con bóveda de cañón apuntada. Las obras que dan lugar al recinto amurallado se encuentran en el siglo XV, siendo emprendidas por Arias Dávila en 1471, continuadas por Arias del Villar y concluidas por Diego Rivera siguiendo el plan por el, trazado por el Prelado Arias Dávila. La última fase de la construcción es la colocación, en 1703, de la espadaña, de estilo barroco y rematada con frontón curvo.

 

The primitive Celtiberian Castrum was used by the Roman strategists to complete the system of fortifications with COLENDA "SEPTEMPUBLICA", "PETRARIA" and "CAUCA" wrapped around the territory of Segovia and dominated the basins of the rivers of Eresma, Cega and Duratón. Of the Castrum there are only partially towered towers, possibly built towards the end of the 10th century and with a clear Arab tradition.

 

Of square plant, they were executed of factory of thicknesses of lime and song, they appeared transferred in its inferior part by a narrow passageway known like "the passage of ronda" and united to each other by stretches realized in tapial.

 

The enclosure of quadrangular plant flanked by circular towers in the angles and topped by niches with the image of San Miguel. As a common characteristic of canvases and battlements, there are cross and orb and arrow and orb bows. In every system of protection we also find, machicolations, buhoneras, layering, recesses, balconies amatacanados and narrow stairs.

 

The central building is constituted by the keep, whose interior is distributed in rooms, narrow stairs, which connect the different rooms and a helical staircase that leads to the base of the tower, where you can contemplate the beautiful landscape and feel the defensive character of the castle. Declared a national monument in 1931, its location recalls the defensive function by which it was erected. In its construction we have to distinguish different groups that make it up: The Castrum and the towers, the primitive church of San Miguel, and the transfer of the bulrush to its current place. Many authors defended the theory of having built at the same time as the castle, today it can be said that the church of San Miguel, in Romanesque style, was executed at the end of the 12th century and at the beginning of the 13th century.

 

In the west wing we find three towers built with similar characteristics, rose stone ashlars, topped between their canvases by parapets, machicolations and one piece gargoyles.

 

The entrance of the church, marked above by the episcopal shield, is defended by two special towers, polygons in the first body and circular and circular in the second, runs through them a line of machicolations under an open arch that serves as gallery, where you can see an archway.

 

In her they emphasize two constructive phases, first would include the lateral ships and the elevated tower, at the moment embedded within the central tower. Of the second phase highlights the central nave built by good ashlar masonry and covered with pointed barrel vault. The works that give rise to the walled enclosure are in the XV century, being undertaken by Arias Dávila in 1471, continued by Arias del Villar and concluded by Diego Rivera following the plan by him, drawn by the Prelate Arias Dávila. The last phase of construction is the placement, in 1703, of the steeple, baroque style and topped with curved pediment.

Perfectly executed rock carvings, dating back to 800 AD, and you can also see a serpent head, representing the underworld in Mayan religion. 800 AD, and you can also see a serpent head, representing the underworld in Mayan religion.

This hologram table though!

Old Wardour Castle

 

Old Wardour Castle is located at Wardour, on the boundaries of Tisbury and Donhead St Andrew in the English county of Wiltshire, about 15 miles (24 km) west of Salisbury. The castle was built in the 1390s and partially destroyed in 1643 and 1644 during the English Civil War. It is managed by English Heritage who have designated it as a grade I listed building.

  

After the fall of the Lovell family following their support of the Lancastrian cause during the Wars of the Roses, the castle was confiscated in 1461 and passed through several owners until bought by Sir Thomas Arundell of Lanherne in 1544. The Arundells were an ancient and prominent Cornish family, the principal branches of which were seated at the manors of Lanherne, Trerice, Tolverne and Menadarva in Cornwall. The family held several estates in Wiltshire. The castle was confiscated when Sir Thomas — a staunch Roman Catholic — was executed for treason in 1552, but in 1570 was bought back by his son, Sir Matthew Arundell, later a Sheriff and Custos Rotulorum of Dorset. The Arundells, led by Thomas Arundell, 1st Baron Arundell of Wardour, subsequently became known as some of the most active of the Catholic landowners in England at the time of the Reformation; thus they were naturally Royalists in the English Civil War. During that conflict, Thomas Arundell, 2nd Baron Arundell of Wardour, was away from home on the King’s business and had asked his wife, Lady Blanche Arundell, aged 61, to defend the castle with a garrison of 25 trained fighting men. On 2 May 1643 Sir Edward Hungerford, with 1,300 men of the Parliamentarian Army, demanded admittance to search for Royalists. He was refused and laid siege, setting about the walls with guns and mines. After five days the castle was threatened with complete destruction. Lady Arundell agreed to surrender, and the castle was placed under the command of Colonel Edmund Ludlow. Lord Arundell had died of his wounds after the Battle of Stratton, and his son, Henry 3rd Lord Arundell, next laid siege to his own castle, blew up much of it and obliged the Parliamentary garrison to surrender in March 1644.

Cold, desolate and cold. These are the words that went through my head as the orders came, and me and my men executed them. This war, fighting alongside these warriors, I knew the possibility that something like this would occur, taking out the very knights that entrusted us with their safety and in return, gave us our safety and at times, our lives. I’m not one to cower from orders, I rather see it as evaluating quite important strategic decisions. Death to these warriors must be the answer or? They are traitors are they not? But who knows, perhaps, this was all by design. Perhaps, I’m just thinking foolishly. It’s now been several rotations since our dissent onto this pitiful planet. Our orders were to locate any more of the missing treacherous knights. Suspects have been spotted roaming the alleyways. One in particular, has been cited multiple times. I think the best thing to do is to clear my head, get the job done. Wouldn’t want to lose it now would I.

- Commander Deviss

 

I bring you my Jedi Hunt on Eriadu MOC, a scene straight out of the awesome Star Wars Purge comic series. This takes place some time after Order 66 and follows Commander Deviss and his group of clone troopers hunting down a Jedi Master in an alleyway of this industrial city on the planet.

 

When I set out to create this build, I wanted the focus to be set on the figures and have the detail around really make them stand out. For me, having a balance in colors really is the start of that. As I talk about in the video available on the Beyond The Brick YouTube channel, the details and colors are meant to complement the other surrounding parts. I really think the red beams on top stand out and work nicely with the red from Deviss, really making him pop with his troopers. The classic black border that you’ve seen from some of my other builds really help tie things together as well. Overall, I think the build was a successful recreation of an iconic scene.

 

If you like this build, consider tapping the fave button ever so slightly and if you’re feeling like doing a bit extra, follow me here. Thanks!

~Noah

 

See more of this build by watching this YouTube video.

 

YouTube | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

#QUEEN MARIE ANTOINETTE

was executed by guillotine on 16 October 1793.

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Macro Mondays / July 31 / #Queen / HMM to everyone!

 

7DWF / Mondays #FreeTheme

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Marie Antoinette, born Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna (2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was the last Queen of France before the French Revolution. She was born an Archduchess of Austria, and was the fifteenth and second youngest child of Empress Maria Theresa and Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor. In April 1770, upon her marriage to Louis-Auguste, heir apparent to the French throne, she became Dauphine of France. On 10 May 1774, when her husband ascended the throne as Louis XVI, she assumed the title Queen of France and Navarre. During the Revolution, she became known as Madame Déficit because the country's financial crisis was blamed on her lavish spending and her opposition to the social and financial reforms. Marie Antoinette was convicted by the Revolutionary Tribunal of high treason and executed by guillotine on the Place de la Révolution on 16 October 1793.

Excerpt from:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Antoinette

///

Marie Antoinette (2. November 1755 - 16. Oktober 1793) war die letzte Königin von Frankreich vor der Französischen Revolution. Sie war als Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna geborene Erzherzogin von Österreich sowie Prinzessin von Ungarn, Böhmen und der Toskana und entstammte dem Haus Habsburg-Lothringen. 1769 wurde sie durch ihre Heirat mit dem französischen Thronfolger zunächst Dauphins. Fünf Jahre später wurde sie - durch dessen Thronbesteigung als König Ludwig XVI. - Königin von Frankreich und Navarra. Während der Französischen Revolution galt sie der aufständischen und notleidenden Bevölkerung aufgrund ihres verschwenderischen Lebensstils als eine der am meisten verachteten Personen der höfischen Gesellschaft. Marie Antoinette wurde vom Revolutionären Tribunal des Hochverrats verurteilt und am 16. Oktober 1793 durch die Guillotine am Place de la Révolution hingerichtet.

Auszug aus:

de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Antoinette

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Nikon Micro-Nikkor-P / 1:3.5 / 55 mm

Great Blue heron executing a very dramatic stab, but coming up empty.

Wildwood Park, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Photographer: Jason Paparoulas.

Model: Anna Pembroke

Make Up Artist: Anna Pembroke, Erica Stagg

Designer: Erica Stagg

Stylist: Tahnee Medina

Assistant: Erica Stagg, Tahnee Medina

Location: Milton Bowl, Milton, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

 

Strobist Info (this ordering may or may not have changed throughout the shoot):

 

- 1 x Bowens Gemini Esprit 500WS – shot through softbox camera left

- 1 x Bowens Gemini Esprit 500WS – shot through softbox camera left

- 2 x Bowens Travelpacks – powering 2 x 500WS strobes each

 

- Canon 5D Mark II w/ BG-E6

- 50mm f/1.4, 35mm f/2.0

- Elinchrom Skyport Universal Triggers

 

Ok here are the shots from a very recent very out of the blue last minute shoot with designer and all round sweet heart Erica Stagg. Prior to the shoot I think we’d talked once I’d never seen the collection and had no idea what I was shooting and went out on a whim hoping the location was well, more than suitable and turns out it was more than adequate, so here are the shots from Erica Stagg’s 2009/2010 summer capsule range…

 

I know I say this all the time for a lot of the shoots I work on but Erica’s range is nothing far from amazing, the concept behind each piece is clear in plain sight and well executed, with each piece really speaking for itself, and Anna our model despite coming straight from a viewing and been dead tired pulled of every shot and let both herself and the garments equally as powerful frame after frame, and let’s just say wasn’t afraid to get her hands dirty…

 

Big thanks to Erica for letting my concept to come through in the shots and having it been a little bit more collaborative than usual and letting me try some new techniques, regardless of how the shots looked these were shot in full daylight in the middle of the day and mid afternoon using a kind of light masking technique I’m trying much like they use in the twilight movies only a little different and my own creation…

 

Big thanks to all the girls for putting up with me as usual I know it’s a hard task and they did without complaint, so here are the shots enjoy…

 

and alternatively feel free to stalk my life THE BAKE HOUSE @ WORDPRESS

 

VVAB611 flight executes a flyby that was specifically made for this photo opportunity. The lead helicopter is an SH-60F and the wingman is an HH-60H.

 

Website: One Mile High Photography

 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/OneMileHighPhotography

This is a shot I had dreamed, scouted, and wanted to execute for almost a year and a half now. Redfish Lake is a pretty incredible place to shoot the Milky Way, it's supremely dark and for whatever reason the core just looks massive in the sky. Along the south/southwest portion of the lake are the beautiful Sawtooth Mountains, this is an area I've been exploring my entire life and it never ceases to amaze me. This exact shot has eluded me for about 18 months now, thanks to a combination of poor weather, poor timing, and bad wildfires/smoke in the area. While up at my family cabin this last week to shoot the eclipse I FINALLY got a clearish night to make this shot happen. Multiple bear sightings in the area made me a bit skittish to attempt it, but I strapped on the bear spray and headed out on the trail anyways. The Milky Way aligns perfectly over the Grand Mogul peaks with the Rho Ophiuchi Complex dropping in between the Grand Mogul and Heyburn Mountain. Quite frankly this is one of the most perfect late-season alignments you can have, the difficulty of getting any detail out of the Rho Ophiuchi area is tremendous late in the year due to it dropping low in the horizon.

 

Altogether 12 shots went into this one, 4 for the foreground and 8 for the sky, all taken with my Nikon D800E and Sigma Art 50mm lens on a Sky Watcher Star Adventurer Tracking mount. Foreground exposures are 3 minutes at f1.4 and ISO 800, sky exposures at 5 minutes at f2.8 and ISO 800.

“‘Spirit of Transportation.’ This panel, the conception and work of Karl Bitter, sculptor, was executed in 1895 and placed in waiting room of Broad Street Station, Philadelphia, from which place it was removed to this site [30th Street Station, Philadelphia] in January, 1933. The spirit of transportation is represented in triumphal procession of progress led by a little child carrying a model of an airship, a prophetic vision of a mode of transportation to come.”

© All rights reserved. Use without permission is illegal!

 

Parque Escultórico Torre de Hércules - MONUMENTO A LOS FUSILADOS EN LA GUERRA CIVIL (Isaac Díaz Pardo). Singular Stonehenge en tributo a las víctimas de la Guerra Civil. En este mismo lugar fueron fusilados políticos, artistas e intelectuales.

 

Tower of Hercules Sculpture Park - MONUMENT TO THOSE EXECUTED IN THE CIVIL WAR (Isaac Díaz Pardo) A kind of Stonehenge in homage to the victims of the Spanish Civil War. Politicians, artists and scholars were shot here.

Praxiteles, probable author, executed a number of fine works in bronze: he made an Apollo, at the age of puberty, who with an arrow in his hand is poised to strike a lizard climbing towards him: it is known as "the Lizard-Slayer."... but there's no arrow.

 

Department of Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities.

Gazing upon the legendary Le Tombeau du Géant (The Giant's Tomb) near Bouillon, where the Semois River executes one of the most stunning meanders in the Belgian Ardennes. This highly photographed site, classified as Exceptional Walloon Heritage, earns its dramatic name from a local legend: a colossal Treviran warrior supposedly chose to leap to his death rather than face Roman captivity after Caesar's victory, and was subsequently buried on this forested hill encircled by the river. It's an unforgettable blend of wild nature and ancient folklore

The Campanile was designed and built in 1928 and, unusually for the Portmeirion buildings, the executed tower exactly conformed to its detailed plans; these were shown in the 1931 Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. Some sort of bell tower had formed a focus for the projected village already in the earliest plans and models. As CWE noted: `The need for the Campanile was obvious enough - it was imperative that I should open my performance with a dramatic gesture of some sort.' The tower was provided with a chiming clock from a demolished London brewery. A plaque within the tower carries the following dedication: `This tower, built in 1928 by Clough Williams-Ellis, architect and publican, embodies stones from the 12th century castle of Gruffudd ap Cynan, King of North Wales, that stood on an eminence 150 yards to the west. It was finally razed c1869 by Sir William Fothergill Cook, inventor of the Electric Telegraph ``lest the ruins should become known and attract visitors to the place.'' This C19 affront to the C12 is thus piously redressed in the C20.'

 

The registered area represents the well-preserved garden designed in and around the village of Portmeirion by Clough Williams-Ellis (1883-1978) where conditions permit the growing of many half-hardy and tender plants, which enhance the exotic character of the site. Attached is the older Gwyllt garden containing an outstanding rhododendron collection of the early twentieth century. The registered area has important group value with the numerous listed buildings and structures at Portmeirion. Portmeirion is situated on the north side of the Traeth Bach estuary, near Porthmadog; the Gwyllt gardens to the west of it occupy the southern part of the peninsula between this and the Traeth Mawr. The site is almost hidden from the landward side and is sheltered from this direction by the shape of the land, as is the village area from the west and south-west by the Gwyllt. The only exposed direction is the south-east and in this direction lie spectacular views, over the sands of the estuary towards Harlech. Portmeirion is a deliberately created village set in a garden. The village, built in and around a small valley opening on to the shore, consists of a hotel and cottages, with shops and public buildings, arranged around a central open square which is laid out as a public garden. The buildings are a collection of architectural fantasies created by Clough Williams-Ellis. It is stylistically diverse, incorporating architectural elements from a wide range of periods and from several countries. The garden area occupies most of the flat ground available and due to the steeply-sloping nature of the rest of the site most of the buildings are displayed to advantage on the hillside. For this reason the village is best viewed from the sea, from which the site was first seen by Williams-Ellis. When Clough Williams-Ellis bought the site in 1925, he also acquired the mansion of Aber-Ia (LB: 4853) and its informal pleasure grounds on the Gwyllt peninsula to the west. The Gwyllt garden was probably laid out when the house was first built in the middle of the nineteenth century. The first additions were trees, especially pines and other conifers, some of which survive, and rhododendrons such as R. nobleanum and 'Cornish Red'. The second phase of planting was in the early twentieth century. This was the heyday of the collection, when the owner, Caton Haigh, deliberately collected half-hardy and exotic varieties, some recently introduced from China. Planting survives from both periods and the age range of the trees suggests that some were also planted by Clough Williams-Ellis. After Clough acquired the site there were two main periods of building; from 1925 until the Second World War, and from 1954 until about 1970. The first period saw conversion of the mid-nineteenth century house, Aber-Ia, to a hotel and the 'Cloughing-up' of the former gardener's cottage, now the Mermaid (LB: 4860); the former stable building (LB: 4886) was also converted. The first new cottages were the Angel (LB: 4856) and Neptune (LB: 4858), on the west side of the valley, opposite the Mermaid. Most of the buildings in the Citadel, the higher part of the village on the north-eastern edge of the valley, were also completed, including the Campanile (LB: 4868). During the later period more buildings were added to the Citadel and around the central public garden, part of which was now known as the Piazza (LB: 4885). These include the Pantheon (LB: 4879), with its dome complementing the Campanile, the Unicorn (LB: 4882) and Bridge House (LB: 4875), on an arch over one of the streets.

Victory Over the North, executed by Astyanax-Scaevola Bosio, adorns the interior northwest pillar of Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile. Seated at the centre, ictory holds a tablet on which she has inscribed: "Austerlitz/Iéna/Friedland and Ulm/Wagram and Eylau." Positioned at her right and left, four genies shoulder long garlands whose ends pill over with fruit.

 

The Arc de Triomphe stands in the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle, also known as the Place de l'Étoile (Star Square). Designed by Jean Chalgrin between 1806 and 1836, the 51 meter high, 45-meter wide monument is the second largest triumphal arch in existence. It honors those who fought for France, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars.

Hastily executed hand-held shot for Macro Mondays.

 

Happy Macro Monday to everyone!

 

Uncropped image of a pencil sharpener disguised as a small sewing machine.

 

Sewing machine size:

Base: 64 mm long

Total height: 56 mm

I need a break

a break from everything.

 

I might take a week break just to collect my thoughts.

i have good ideas i just dont know to execute them:/

  

"Commander Cody, the time has come. Execute Order 66."

"Yes, my lord."

―Supreme Chancellor Palpatine to Cody

 

I transferred Cody's designs onto my new EP2/EP3 template, incorporating as much detail as possible with his armor. He features Arealight's trooper helmet and great new DC-15 rifle, along with a CAC visor and jetpack, painted with bronze and grey detailing. I've added my resin casted visor light and a thin wire for his antenna. Since his most iconic scene is the execution of Order 66, I decided to slap together a hologram on Photoshop since I didn't have the piece myself.

 

Like the previous photo, I've featured another custom sculpted base here for the figure, which are really fun to make. More designs and customs are on the way, so as always, expect more, and I'd love to hear your thoughts!

 

EDIT: Just noticed I forgot to put the orange stripe on his leg...

 

-Andrew

Think, plan, execute, sleep.

 

Two lenses, two camera positions and two WBs for these 158 stacked exposures.

 

Solitaire on my mobile kept me going for the later 157 whilst holed up in my duck down gore-tex bivvy bag !

 

Follow my work on Facebook www.facebook.com/pages/LED-Eddie-Light-Artist/30563460289...

A Laysan albatross executes a sunrise inspection of the breeding colony on the shoreline sand dunes of Ka’ena Point. I have observed this bird for multiple seasons and happy to see her return. Auxiliary banding data (O220) indicates she was ringed as an adult in March 2007 by PRC.

Though awkward on land, albatrosses are magnificent in the air. Airborne albatrosses are masters of dynamic soaring requiring little metabolic energy or wing flapping. Bones lock into position requiring no muscle to keep the six-foot wing span extended. This mōlī has returned from months and tens of thousands of miles of nomadic solitary foraging at sea to reestablish its pair bond with a monogamous mate. Males with established pair bonds generally arrive first in mid-November and stake out a nesting site, females arrive a few days or so later. After a brief, but elaborate, reaffirming courtship dance followed by mating, the couple return to nomadically soaring over the north Pacific for about two weeks to forage and fatten up for the rigors of nesting and incubation.

 

Another view of 'Tulips' by Jeff Koons; he executed five different versions of Tulips between 1995-2004.

 

'Tulips' is one of the first pieces you see when you enter the viewing galleries of The Broad and it always draws my attention.

 

Jeff Koon's work is both modern and popular. He says that his art contains no hidden meanings.

 

The Broad; October 2022

Portrait of Pope Innocent X is an oil on canvas portrait by the Spanish painter Diego Velázquez, executed during a trip to Italy around 1650. Many artists and art critics consider it the finest portrait ever created. It is housed in the Galleria Doria Pamphilj in Rome. A smaller version is held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and a study is on display at Apsley House in London. The painting is noted for its realism as an unflinching portrait of a highly intelligent, shrewd, and aging man. He is dressed in linen vestments, and the quality of the work is evident in the rich reds of his upper clothing, head-dress, and the hanging curtains.

The pope, born Giovanni Battista Pamphilj, was initially wary of sitting for Velázquez, but relented after he was shown reproductions of portraits by the artist. A contributing factor for this large advancement in the painter's career was that he had already depicted a number of members of Pamphilj's inner court. The pope, however, remained cautious, and the painting was initially displayed only to his immediate family, and was largely lost from public view through the 17th and 18th centuries.

The portrait was painted during Velázquez's second voyage to Italy, between 1649 and 1651. The subject's vestments are of light linen, suggesting that the picture was probably painted during summer, most likely in 1650. Velázquez included his signature on the paper in the pope's hands, but the date is not readable. There are two versions of the story of how Velázquez came to paint the portrait. According to one of these, while visiting Rome, Velázquez, already a renowned painter, was granted an audience with Pope Innocent X. He offered to paint a portrait of the pope, but Innocent X mistrusted Velázquez's fame, and asked for proof of Veláquez's skills. It would have been then that Velázquez painted the portrait of his servant Juan de Pareja (today at display in the Metropolitan Museum of New York). Once Innocent saw that portrait, he agreed to sit for the artist.

Apparently, when the pope saw the finished portrait, he exclaimed: "È troppo vero! È troppo vero!" ("It's too true! It's too true!"), though he did not deny the extraordinary quality of the portrait.[4] Experts doubt the veracity of this story, and argue that the pope allowed Velázquez to paint him because he had already painted with great success other people from the inner papal court, including the pope's barber.

The portrait was kept at private display by Innocent's family, the Pamphilj, who would display it in the Doria Pamphilj Gallery where it remains to this day. For much of the 17th and 18th centuries, it was a relatively unknown work, familiar only to a few connoisseurs who regarded it to be one of the finest portraits ever. French historian Hippolyte Taine considered the portrait as "the masterpiece amongst all portraits" and said "once it has been seen, it is impossible to forget".

The art dealer René Gimpel noted in his diary in 1923 "Morgan would have offered a million dollars for it. Velázquez was faced with a ruddy Italian, and the artist, accustomed to the pale complexions of his country, unhesitatingly steeped his brush in red the color of wine and brought the bon vivant devastatingly to life.... That face is a whirlpool of flesh, and blood, and life; the eyes are searching.

The 20th century artist Francis Bacon painted a series of distorted variants, often known as the "Screaming Popes", which total more than forty-five known variants executed during the 1950s and early 1960s. The picture was described by Gilles Deleuze as an example of creative re-interpretation of the classical. Bacon avoided seeing the original, but the painting remained the single greatest influence on him; its presence can be seen in many of his best works from the late 1940s to the early 1960s. In Bacon's 1953 version Study after Velázquez's Portrait of Pope Innocent X, the pope is shown screaming yet his voice is "silenced" by the enclosing drapes and dark rich colors which have been said to create a grotesque and nightmarish tone. The pleated curtains of the backdrop are rendered transparent and appear to fall through the representation of the pope's face.

A reversed form of the portrait features on the cover of occult rock band Ghost's 2018 album Prequelle.

 

Test 101 - Execute HurtFeelings.exe

 

Test subjects will be subject to immense sadness.

 

WHY MUST YOU PROGRAM ME TO FEEL PAIN?!?!

 

--

 

Build for Rogue Bricks 101 bricks or less challenge.

This week: feelings (misty water feelings, of the way we wereeeee).

  

more classic Execute action..

Portrait 2

52 weeks of 2018

Week #25 ~ Environmental Portrait

“An environmental portrait is a portrait executed in the subject's usual environment, such as in their home or workplace, and typically illuminates the subject's life and surroundings.”

 

Mr Gunn is a charming gentleman. He owns John Gunn Camera Shop in Wexford Street, Dublin. If you need anything for your camera or films developed, go to John Gunn's! www.johngunn.ie/

 

Thanks to John who kindly agreed to pose for me for this shot.

 

A veteran of the new York School celebrated for his bold elemental paintings, Newman was commissioned to execute this canvas for the U.S. Pavilion at the Montreal International and Universal Exhibition – Expo’67. Limiting the colours to red and blue, Newman created this powerful vertical canvas to be suspended from the ceiling of the massive geodesic dome designed by Buckminster Fuller. While simple in form, this work conveys a range of meanings. The artist intended it to be studied from a short distance; here, its enormous scale transforms the space and tests our sensory experience.

The Supper at Emmaus is a painting by the Italian Baroque master Caravaggio, executed in 1601, and now in London. It depicts the Gospel story of the resurrected Jesus's appearance in Emmaus.

Originally this painting was commissioned and paid for by Ciriaco Mattei, brother of cardinal Girolamo Mattei.

The painting depicts the moment when the resurrected but incognito Jesus reveals himself to two of his disciples (presumed to be Luke and Cleopas) in the town of Emmaus, only to soon vanish from their sight (Gospel of Luke 24: 30–31). Cleopas wears the scallop shell of a pilgrim. The other apostle wears torn clothes. Cleopas gesticulates in a perspectively-challenging extension of arms in and out of the frame of reference. The standing groom, forehead smooth and face in darkness, appears oblivious to the event. The painting is unusual for the life-sized figures, the dark and blank background. The table lays out a still-life meal with the basket of food teetering over the edge.

In the Gospel of Mark (16:12) Jesus is said to have appeared to them "in another form", which may be why he is depicted beardless here, as opposed to the bearded Christ in Calling of St Matthew, where a group of seated money counters is interrupted by the recruiting Christ. It is also a recurring theme in Caravaggio's paintings to find the sublime interrupting the daily routine. The unexalted humanity is apt for this scene, since the human Jesus has made himself unrecognizable to his disciples, and at once confirms and surmounts his humanity. Caravaggio seems to suggest that perhaps a Jesus could enter our daily encounters. The dark background envelops the tableau.

The basket of fruit in the foreground has two stray strands of wicker that form an ichthys, the early Christian fish-symbol for Christ. The shadow of the fruit on the tablecloth forms the body of a fish and fishtail.

Operation Knightfall a.k.a. Order 66 was the Jedi massacre executed by the Clone troopers and Sith and resulted in the near extinction of the Jedi. It played a pivotal role in the ability to form the Galactic Empire.

 

Clones POV:

 

When me and my brothers got the orders there were a lot of mixed feelings, some didn't seem to care at all and others where very hesitant and suspicious about what was about to go down. General Skywalker, our general over the course of the entire war was to lead us into the Jedi Temple to execute all of the Jedi to pay for there betrayal and assassination attempt on the Chancellor.

 

At the time we arrived they didn't expect a thing. The Jedi is a powerful opponent so we had to act very swift and silent so they couldn't fight back. If they would than there will be a lot of casulties. First we had to eliminate the gatekeeper so he couldn't alert the other Jedi. We arrived and General Skywalker swiftly struck him down without any mercy. When we entered the temple we directly secured all the exit points and hangars so nobody could go out or get in. Clone troopers went into every room to eliminate them before they sensed something was off. Ofcourse some of the Jedi saw us or sensed our presence and tried to fight there way out. A lot of casualties fell on both sides, but for them it was already to late... The fall of the Jedi order was a fact and opperation Knightfall was yet another victory for the Galactic Republic.

 

Jedi POV:

 

I sense... Something strange... Suddenly I hear shots comming from inside the temple! Who could be infiltrating our most sacred temple? Should I go take a look or just wait untill one of the Masters comes to explain what's happening? Maybe meditation can learn me something more. I can feel the infiltrators... They feel familiar. They feel... The Clone troopers! They are acompanied by a very dark presence! Is it the Sith? Are they taking revenge? How could our own troopers turn against us?

 

They are getting closer... I have to leave this place. When I entered the hallway I runned away from the darkness that roamed inside the temple and stumbled upon some aweful sights... Dead clone bodies, cut into pieces by lightsabers alongside some fellow Jedi who were shot at point blank range derived from the size of the gunshot wounds.

How could anyone do this... I just hope I get out alive.

 

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

 

So this is my entry for the Dark Times RPG.

 

Enjoy!

Shok1 executes his unique cellular style. Scaling down I chose to use simpler forms to create this single letter J.

A shot of the seemingly Moorish inspired main entrance to the central Rossio Station in Lisbon.

 

I walked past this several times and the sunshine created uneven lighting due to shadows, my solution was to photograph it in dull overcast lighting and then try and create a bit of drama in the post-production using my tried and tested sepia / Topaz Adjust treatment.

 

Click here to see photos from my trip to Lisbon as well as a previous trip to Portugal : www.flickr.com/photos/darrellg/albums/72157605502948784

 

From Wikipedia : "The Rossio Railway Station (Portuguese: Estação de Caminhos de Ferro do Rossio) is a railway station in Lisbon, Portugal, located in the Rossio square. The station was formerly known as Estação Central (Central Station) and that designation still appears in its façade.......

 

The Neo-Manueline façade dominates the northwest side of the square and is a Romantic recreation of the exuberant Manueline style, typical of early 16th century Portugal. Its most interesting features are the two intertwined horseshoe portals at the entrance, the clock in a small turret and the abundant sculptural decoration. Inside, the platforms are connected by ramps to the façade level and are covered by a cast-iron structure executed by a Belgian firm. The station is an important example of Romantic (façade) and cast-iron (platform cover) architecture in Portugal."

 

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© D.Godliman

The Conciergerie is a former prison in Paris, France, located on the west of the Île de la Cité (literally "Island of the City") presently mostly used for law courts. It was part of the former royal palace, the Palais de la Cité, which consisted of the Conciergerie, Palais de Justice and the Sainte-Chapelle. Hundreds of prisoners during the French Revolution were taken from the Conciergerie to be executed on the guillotine at a number of locations around Paris. A splendid Gothic palace. The Salle des Gardes (Guards Room) and the immense Salle des Gens d'armes (Hall of the soldiers), built under King Philip the Fair, still remain from the days of the medieval palace, as do the kitchens built under King John the Good. From a Royal residence to a Palace of Justice. The Kings of France abandoned the palace at the end of the 14th century to settle in the Louvre and in Vincennes. It then took on a judicial role, and part of the palace was converted into prison cells. Revolutionary prison. The Conciergerie became one of the principal places of detention during the French Revolution, with the installation of the Revolutionary Court. Its most famous prisoner was Marie-Antoinette. During the Restoration, a commemorative chapel was erected on the site of her cell. www.paris-conciergerie.fr/en