The parish came into existence following the decision of the Diocesan Council, in the fall of 1998, following the repeated insistence of the faithful from the Drumul Taberei neighborhood, who were disappointed by the lack of places of worship in this neighborhood.

 

Thus, at the initiative of the priest Nicolae Burlan, a disassembled wooden church was brought from the Vicovul de Jos commune in Suceava county and reassembled on a plot of land belonging to the Ministry of National Defense located in Brașov Street, no. 21C, sector 6.

 

Later, interventions were made at the City Hall of the Capital, which ceded a 3000 square meter plot of land for the purpose of building a church and which was given in exchange to the Ministry of National Defense for the equivalent area on which the wooden church is already located.

 

The wooden church was consecrated by His Holiness Teodosie Snagoveanul, Vicar Bishop of the Archdiocese of Bucharest at that time, on July 26, 1998.

The shrine of the church is Saint Pious Parascheva, (in Greek "paraschevi" means "Friday") whom Orthodox Christianity celebrates on October 14 and whose Holy Relics are in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Iași.

 

Since the wooden church proved inadequate for the more than 1,000 believers from various neighborhoods who regularly participate in the Holy services, the decision was made to build a brick church, of larger dimensions absolutely necessary for a neighborhood like Drumul Taberei.

 

The plan of the new church belonging to the architect Florin Bucur Crăciun is in the form of an inscribed Greek cross.

From an architectural point of view, it fits into the style prefigured by the churches "Sfânta Sofia" in Constantinople and "Sfântul Nicolae Domnesc" in Curtea de Argeș.

A large central hemispherical dome dominates the spatial composition of the edifice.

A wide porch with six free and two engaged columns precedes the entrance.

Access to the church is through a portal with an arched frame, made of finely carved stone.

The vault is made up of 25 semi-arches, resting at the ends on two metal caisson rings, with other intermediate rings unfolding between them.

The covering of the altar, similar to the apses of the proscomidiary and the diaconicon, is made by a cone connected to a semi-cylinder.

On the opposite side, on the first floor, there is the cage which is accessed by stairs placed inside, in the northwest and southwest corners of the building, which also lead to the two balconies.

Tiger, deer and peafowl in one water hole

Trojans FC has been providing top class Southampton Rugby for 142 years! Established in 1874 Trojans operates 3 Senior Men's, a Senior Ladies and teams at every youth age group.

#proudtobeatrojan

The Trojans Club was founded in 1874 initially as a rugby club - The Trojans Football Club.

There are now four very active sporting sections, Rugby, Cricket, Hockey and Squash with a total membership of well over one thousand.

During its long and proud history, Trojans has done much to foster amateur sport and has, over the years, produced many county and international players.

The original minute books are still in existence and are held in the Southampton City archives and there are many other documents and press reports that have been used extensively to create the following documents, broken into two sections, the History and the Playing Archives.

This is not intended to be a definitive history of the Trojans Football Club, the oldest rugby club in Hampshire, but more a selection of the highlights of the early years and a brief review of the past few years.

The Beginning

On the 3rd of September 1874 a meeting was held at the Antelope Hotel, Southampton, by members of a previous club, with a view to forming the "Trojans".

The previous Club was the "Southampton Football Club" which existed for one season under that name having previous been the "Grammar School Old Boys". The earliest recorded game so far found was the Old Boys against the Shirley Club on 5th October 1872 at Porter's Meadow. The match was won by Shirley by 2 touchdowns to one. H F Gibbs was captain of both of these forerunners.

H F Gibbs was voted the first Captain of the Trojans Football Club and the Club colours were voted as blue and red. It was agreed that the first annual subscription should be five shillings per year. The first rugby games of the Club were played at Porters Mead, which is now called Queens Park, Southampton.

The first Annual Meeting of the Club took place on the 24th September 1875 when the Treasurer reported a small credit balance of five pence halfpenny (2.29p). The results for the 1874/75 season produced five victories and three defeats.

The Club joined the Rugby Football Union in 1881.

Change the Laws

At a committee Meeting on the 5th September 1874 the Playing Rules of Rugby Football were read through and the worthy members of the Trojans decided to make an amendment to Rule number 15 which read "It is lawful to run in anywhere across the goal line". The addition made by the Trojans at that stage was "except between the goal posts". The Club soon found it necessary to alter this!

The First Results

Southsea (A) lost by two punts out and seven touch downs

Salisbury (A) Won by one goal and two touch downs to nil.

Salisbury (H) Lost by one goal, one try and two touch downs to two tries and four touch downs.

Magpies Won by three tries and seven touch downs to nil.

Southsea (H) Won by one goal to nil

Springhill Won by one goal and three touch downs to one goal.

Royal Academy Gosport Lost by four tries and six touch downs to one try.

First Floodlit game

On the evening of 28th November 1878, a match was played against the Rovers Football Club by electric light, having been cancelled the night before because of rain. This was the first exhibition of electric light in Southampton, and believed to be the first ever game of rugby under lights. The local newspaper reported that "at times the light was very brilliant and players could be seen plainly".

Ban the Game!

During the 1880 season, S E Gibbs died as a result of an injury while playing against Romsey. There was much local comment and the then Mayor of Southampton issued a handbill, published in full in "The Times", condemning the game as follows:

"The Mayor in consequence of the many serious accidents and the recent deplorable death in Southampton resulting from the dangerous practice of playing football requests the Heads of Families, the Principals of Scholastic Establishments in the Town and Members of Clubs to take such steps as may be necessary for preventing the game being played in future according to Rugby Union, Association and other rules of a dangerous character. The Mayor considers it his duty to use every means in his power for prohibiting the game as hitherto played being continued in the Porters Meadow field or upon any other of the Public lands in Southampton".

At the Committee Meeting of 16th December 1880 "It was decided to play as usual unless we found out before that the Mayor had given any instruction to the police. In that case it was thought best to summons any offending "arm of the law" for assault".

The Formation of the Hampshire Rugby Football Union

At the Trojan Club's initiative, a meeting was held on 13th April 1883 to discuss the formation of "The Hampshire County Rugby Football Union". In the first season of the County Club, at least seven Trojans represented the County.

In 1901 County activities ceased and it was again the Trojans, along with United Services, who, in 1910, convened a meeting at the Trojans Club for the purpose of forming a Rugby Football Union in Hampshire.

Over 400 Trojan members have represented the county at rugby at the various levels and 140 at senior level.

“International” Football"

Although a rugby club, Trojans were known, on occasions, to play with the round ball. The following team was selected to play Curries French team (from Havre) on the New Football Ground, Archers Road (the Dell) on Tuesday 1st November 1898. Scotney, goal, Denning & Maundrell, backs, Densham, Ellerby & Colson, halfs, Ellaby, Page, Macdonald, Gamble & Hussey (councillor and later Sir George), forwards. Trojans were allowed to take half the gate money. The Echo reported this as a game against a team of French players and thus it claimed the honour of being the first international match played at the Dell.

The First Hampshire Cup

 

In May 1888 the Trojans Committee proposed the starting of a Rugby Union Cup Competition in the interests of Rugby Football. The County Challenge Cup (Presented by Tankerville Chamberlayne M.P., President of Trojans, and pictured here) was started in the 1889/1890 season and the Club entered the same. During this year, not only was the pitch enclosed by rope, but a charge of sixpence was made to all spectators. The Cup was duly won by Trojans in March 1890. Whether it was ever played for again is not sure as, in 1891, Trojans decided not to enter because " it was felt that it was a farce putting up the cup at the fag end of the season to be competed for by three clubs"! The present whereabouts of the grand cup is not known, although it is believed it was presented back to Tankerville Chamberlayne.

Service to the County

As well as forming the County Union (twice), Trojan members have served the County well and it can be said that there has always been a Trojan involved in Hampshire Rugby since its formation.

In particular, over the 108 active years of the Union, six Trojan members have served as President of the Union serving a total of 49 years. Six Secretaries served a total of 36 years and for the first sixty-two years of County representation on the RFU Committee the Hampshire representative was a Trojan.

Mr. Hampshire

There can be no more respected and faithful servant of the County and the Game than one particular Trojan, Dudley Kemp, as the following record illustrates -

Captain of Trojans 1927-34, 1935-38

Captain of Hampshire 1935

Played for England 1935.

Barbarian

President of the Rugby Football Union 1969

Member of the International Board 1971-77

Hampshire representative on the RFU Committee 1955-69

President HRFU 1973-76

Secretary HRFU 1946-67

Assistant Secretary HRFU 1967-68

Team Secretary HRFU 1946-53

Match Secretary HRFU 1953-56

Dudley died at his home in Devon in January 2003 aged 93.

Doggy Spectators

During a match between Trojans and Portsmouth Victoria in 1886, the ball was kicked into the Trojans' in-goal area where it rebounded off a stray dog. One of the Portsmouth players gathered it and touched down to claim a try. The Trojans protested, and claimed "dead-ball" the ball having struck a "spectator". The objection was later referred to the RFU Committee who ruled that the try should stand, as dogs could not be classed as spectators!

The Barbarians

H A Haigh-Smith was elected Trojans Captain in 1912. He was instrumental in forming the Barbarians Club and was later made president of that Club. He was also assistant Manager of the Lions tour in 1935.

Trojans played the Barbarians on January 9th 1895 but the result does not appear to have been recorded for posterity!

The Wars!

Trojans Rugby had to be suspended three times because of wars - in 1897 because of the Boer War, 1914, the Great War and 1939 the World War.

Moving Home

Although always considered a Southampton Club, Trojans actually now play in the Test Valley District. Over the years there have been many homes -

1874 the first games were played at Porters Mead, which is now called Queens Park on Queens Terrace. (by the Dock Gates)

1884 the Club donated the sum of two guineas towards the purchase of the proposed Cricket Ground in Bannister Park, until recently, the County Cricket Ground, and commenced playing rugby there in the 1884/85 season.

1897 Freemantle Ground, Stafford Road

1905 County Cricket Ground, Northlands Road

1923 G H Brown's farm in Wide Lane, Swathling with Atlantic Park (now Southampton Airport) being used for the dressing accommodation.

1929 Southampton Stadium, Banister Road

1931 Bannister Court as well as G H Brown's farm

1933 11 acres of land purchased in Cemetery Road, Swaythling (sold in 1945)

1946 County Cricket Ground, Northlands Road

1947 Sports Centre, Southampton

1958 Stoneham Park (the present ground). The ground, 22.8 acres, was purchased in 1953 for £1,205 and was another example of the members' foresight, as the timber in the ground was sold for sums almost sufficient to cover the cost of purchase! In 1958, a temporary corrugated iron changing room was completed and the foundations of the pavilion commenced. The pavilion was officially opened by A.T. Voyce, President of the Rugby Football Union, on 27th December 1960.

The Prime Years

Throughout the early and mid 1900s, Trojans went from strength to strength and provided many County Players as well a number of Internationals.

The modern peak was probably reached in the early 1960s when the Club could justifiably consider itself to be the premier civilian rugby club in the South of England (outside London). In 1961, seven rugby sides were fielded with over 200 players available for selection.

Before league tables were introduced in 1987/88, local newspapers ran Merit Tables, the Wessex Merit Table and the Hampshire Merit Table both being won in the 1978/79 and the 1980/81 seasons.

The Lean Years

There were many reasons for the decline from that peak which started in the early 80s. More local clubs, easier transport and a change of working patterns (Trojans being very much a "transit camp" in those days) were some of them. The introduction of leagues in 1987 hit the Club at the worst possible time. In the first year, the Club was put into London Division 3 but could not cope at that level and dropped straight into Hampshire Division One. Luck was also in short supply when the Club, having finished fifth, seventh from bottom (!), the team was still relegated to Hampshire Division Two (a quirk of the league structure). There the Club stayed, battling for promotion with the other strong clubs to be relegated in the mass drop, until the 1992/93 season when the league was won with a record of played 10, won 10, for 353, against 37 which included a league record win of 91-0 against Waterlooville.

Three seasons were spent in Hampshire One but the 1995/96 season saw what was probably

the strongest ever Hampshire Division 1 and relegation again befell the team. 1996/97 season saw us just lose out on promotion but success was achieved in 1997/98.

The Revival Years

Success was achieved in the 2000/2001 season when promotion was achieved to London Division 4SW (The old Division 3SW having been broken into two divisions). The first season at that level was quite successful, ending mid-table, but the next was not when Hampshire 1 again beckoned. Promotion and relegation followed over a number of seasons until London Division 1 was achieved in the 2011/12 season.

Competition is maintained throughout the Senior Club with the 2nd XV being in the Hampshire Senior merit table and the 3rd XV being in the Hampshire Division 1 merit table.

One significant advance was the introduction of Women's rugby which has developed into the strongest team in Southern England. The end of the 2006/07 season saw them promoted to the Championship 1 South (National level 2) and in 2009/10 a second team was entered into the leagues.

The Strength of Youth

One thing that has remained a strength since it's formation in the mid 70s is the Youth Section. Being one of the first clubs to introduce Mini Rugby in England (imported from Wales) the Mini and Junior Sections have encouraged many thousands of youngsters into the game and the Youth section now runs teams in every year group from under 8s to under 17s, holds annual tournaments and is generally held up to be a model of organization.

Intelligible nature

Case subsumption

Situation scrutiny

 

Mesa, Arizona

Mesa Martial Arts and Karate

  

Karate for Kids Testimonial and Review

 

When my eight-year-old son first asked me if I would let him take Karate for Kids, I was a little worried. Karate seems so dangerous and I was concerned that my boy would end up injured. After talking with my husband, we agreed to give the program a chance and now we are so glad that we did.

 

First of all, I would like to state that Master Babin is wonderful with the children. While I was apprehensive that the Karate class would be all about fighting, I was relieved to learn that the focus was more on self-defense and moral values. Now my son is healthier than ever, doing an activity that he truly loves.

 

I would encourage every parent out there looking for a fun exercise-based activity for his or her child to participate in their Karate for Kids program a chance. My son is constantly talking about what he learned in his past karate lessons and practicing his blocks and punches in the living room. He is even playing his video games less.

 

After my initial reservations, I now cannot imagine my son participating in any other karate program. Consider this my highest recommendation.

David S

 

Reviews on Karate for Kids

 

When my son started karate instruction with Karate for Kids, he was timid, had few friends and had trouble paying attention in school. I didn't agree with the doctor who tried to tell me he had Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and that I should put him on medication to control it. To me, my son just needed some loving guidance, not to be medicated.

 

That is when I asked my good friend about her children's experiences with the local martial arts Instructor. Like my son, her children did not have a father figure in their lives and suffered greatly as the result. When they were approaching their teenage years, she decided to enroll them in karate at Karate For Kids Within a matter of weeks, I saw her pre-teen son and daughter become more confident, focused and goal-oriented and knew I wanted the same for my child.

 

After his very first lesson, my son, then aged nine, was already a changed child. He overflowed with enthusiasm as he explained how the karate for kids program pushed him to reach goals, but was "really nice" about it. To this mom, that means that my son finally got the caring, personal instruction that he deserves.

Thank you for such a fantastic Karate For Kids Program

Samantha W

  

Testimonial and Review on Martial Arts For Men

 

I am a forty-eight year old man and, until about four months ago, I had really let myself go. Between work-related stress and the other pressures of my day-to-day existence, I made little time for exercise and gave almost no thought to a healthy diet. In short, I was a mess.

 

One day, a colleague at my office took me aside and recommended that I sign up for the martial arts program offered locally. He had recently signed up for a class and loved it. After some convincing, I agreed to accompany him to his next class.

 

Fast-forward to today and I now love my martial arts training. Martial Arts for men workouts feels less like training and more like fun. I have been losing weight and now have a new energy when facing the daily grind. I have gone from one class a week to two, and am thinking of adding a third.

 

If you are looking for a fun way to get in shape, I would advise you to come on down our Martial Arts for Men Academy. You will not regret it.

Getting younger…

Lisa F

  

Testimonial and Review on Martial Arts For Women

 

I never would have thought that taking up martial arts, would change me so much as a person and in so many ways. I still use every occasion to thank my friends, for recommending me the Martial Art courses for women taught by a martial arts school that teaches quality skill sets for women

 

I used to be a very shy person, and had become quite fearful after having my purse stolen one evening. Now, that is no longer the case. Since participating in the martial arts courses, I have felt more empowered than ever. I enjoyed the friendly and encouraging atmosphere right from the start, and did not feel ashamed of my initial clumsiness.

 

Now, I can actually impress my friends with some of the moves I learned. Also, I am fully aware that martial arts represent a life style just as much as anything else. My Instructor simply amazed all of us throughout the entire program, with his dedication and willingness to teach us. In fact, we could hardly wait for the next session.

 

I truly recommend anyone to make the same change I made in my life. Looking back, I really cannot see my weekly schedule without my martial arts training sessions.

C McCrae

 

Martial Arts For Women in Mesa, Arizona

 

Taking a martial arts class was not something I had given much consideration prior to turning 30. Wanting to preserve my strength and flexibility for years to come finally enticed me to take the plunge. The immediate results were stunning and I found myself feeling more energetic and confident in just a few sessions.

 

Not only are his martial arts skills top-notch, but I find his enthusiasm and enjoyment of the sport to be infectious. Considering that this entire venture was foreign to me, I felt right at home during my very first class. In addition to training in martial arts my instructor has a great deal of patience and warmth, the other karate students in the session were just as receptive to me. They really know how to make new members feel welcome.

 

Learning the forms and methods involved in martial arts is a great experience, but what makes these classes truly exceptional is that we learn how to incorporate the philosophy and principals behind this art form into our everyday lives. I look forward to my sessions with my instructor, and find his classes to be a great way to invest in myself, while having some fun at the same time. It is more than just kicking and punching it’s a well rounded martial arts program.

With Great Thanks,

Jackie W

 

"Obscure existence"

 

Le Kremlin-Bicêtre (IDF - Val de Marne)

 

Website : www.fluidr.com/photos/pat21

 

"Copyright © – Patrick Bouchenard

The reproduction, publication, modification, transmission or exploitation of any work contained here in for any use, personal or commercial, without my prior written permission is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!

  

Some background:

The Gotha 146 was a fast reconnaissance aircraft that was used throughout WWII by the German Luftwaffe, and one of the results of a mutual technology exchange program with Japan. The Go 146 was actually a license-built, but modified variant of the excellent Mitsubishi Ki-46. The latter type's career started in late 1937, when the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force issued a specification to Mitsubishi for a long-range strategic reconnaissance aircraft to replace the Mitsubishi Ki-15. The specification demanded an endurance of six hours and sufficient speed to evade interception by any fighter in existence or development at that time, but otherwise did not constrain the design by a team led by Tomio Kubo.

 

The resulting design was a twin-engine, low-winged monoplane with a retractable tailwheel undercarriage. It had a small diameter oval fuselage with the pilot and observer situated in individual cockpits separated by a large fuel tank. The engines, two Mitsubishi Ha-26 radials, were housed in close-fitting cowlings to reduce drag and improve pilot view.

 

The first prototype aircraft, flew in November 1939 from the Mitsubishi factory at Kakamigahara, Gifu. Tests showed that the Ki-46 was underpowered and slower than required, only reaching 540 km/h (336 mph) rather than the specified 600 km/h (373 mph), but, otherwise, the aircraft tests were successful. As the type was still faster than the Army's latest fighter, the Nakajima Ki-43, as well as the Navy's new A6M2, an initial production batch was ordered. To solve the performance problems, Mitsubishi switched to Ha-102 engines, which were Ha-26s fitted with a two-stage supercharger, while increasing fuel capacity and reducing empty weight. This became the Ki-46-II, and this type was also demonstrated to German officials who immediately noticed its potential.

 

Knowing that the German Luftwaffe lacked this specialized, fast type of aircraft (German reconnaissance aircraft of that time were either slow artillery observation types, or variants of bombers or heavy fighters), the RLM immediately asked for a batch of airframe kits to adapt it to the European theatre and test its capabilities. Seven engine-less airframe kits were delivered to Germany in early 1940. In the meantime, with the help of blueprints and other documentations, an alternative engine installation had been devised: the “Germanized” aircraft was to be powered by liquid-cooled DB 601 engines, which delivered more power than the Ha-102 and offered improved aerodynamics, despite the necessity to add radiators under the outer wings. Many stock parts from the contemporary Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighter were incorporated, so that the development time was very short, and the commonality of mechanical parts eased logistics and maintenance.

 

In May 1940 the first batch of the Gotha 146 A-0 pre-production aircraft (which had officially been described as a further development of a four seat, twin-engine transport aircraft from the 1930s to cloud its origins and mission) was ready. They were immediately transferred to the Western Front for field tests, and the specialized Go 146 became quickly popular among its crews. It was fast, agile and easy to fly – almost on par with state-of-the-art fighters like the Bf 109. During the test phase in summer 1940 the Go 146 proved to be slightly faster than its Japanese Ki-46 ancestor, and with a top speed of more than 375 mph (600 km/h) it was hard to intercept by any British or French fighter of the time. The results were so convincing that the type was ordered into serial production, and from October 1940 on the Go 146 A-1 was produced in limited numbers at the Gothaer Waggonfabrik in Thuringia. Even though production only ran at small scale, it was continuous, and the Go 146 was steadily developed further, including the change of the nose section that came with the Ki-46-III, stronger engines and an improved defensive armament.

 

This evolution led to the Go 146 B, which had the traditional stepped windshield replaced with a smooth, curved, glazed panel extended over the pilot's seat. It not only gave a more aerodynamic nose profile, the re-shaped nose also offered room for an extra fuel tank. The space between the two crewmen, connected with a crawl tunnel, held another fuel tank, the radio equipment (a Sprechfunkgerät FuG 16 ZY and a FuG 25a „Erstling“ IFF beacon), as well as a compartment for up to three cameras with several ventral windows, which could take Rb (“Reihenbildner” = serial picture device) 20/30, 50/30 and 75/30 devices that could be mounted in different combinations and angles as needed.

Power came now from a pair of new Daimler-Benz DB 603A liquid-cooled piston engines, which offered 1,290 kW (1,750 hp) each for take-off. Since the engine mounts had to be re-designed for the DB603s (the Go 146 A had used adapters to attach its shorter DB 601s to the original Ha-102 radials’ hardpoints), German engineers used the opportunity to redesign the complete engine nacelles. As a result, their diameter and “wet” surface was reduced, so much that the landing gear had to be modified, too. It now rotated 90° upon retraction, so that the main wheels were lying in shallow wells within the wing structure. Beyond better aerodynamics, structural measures saved almost 250 kg (550 lb).

 

Instead of the Go 146 A’s single 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17 machine gun in the observer's cabin, facing rearwards, the defensive armament was improved and consisted of a pair of 13 mm (0.51 in) MG 131 machine guns, firing rearward from FDSL 131/1B remotely-operated barbettes, one per side. This rather complex installation had become possible (and in part necessary) due to a center of gravity shift from the modified engines and their empennage. The weapons were aimed by the rear crewman through a periscope that covered both the upper and lower rear hemisphere. The control unit had a rotating transverse crossbar with a sideways-pivoting handgun-style grip and trigger at its center, "forked" at its forward pivoting end to fit around the crossbar, with the upper fork extended beyond the rotating crossbar to mount the gunsight. This unique aiming and control scheme rotated the crossbar axially, when the handgrip was elevated or depressed, to aim the guns vertically by rotating both turrets together, and a sideways movement of the handgrip would pivot either one of the guns outwards from the fuselage-mounted turrets for diagonal firing. The guns were electrically fired, and an electrical contact breaker prevented the gunner from shooting off the aircraft’s tailplane. When not in use, the guns would return to a neutral position that would allow to fire directly backwards with both guns.

Furthermore, plumbed hardpoints were added to the inner wings, just inside of the engines. These could carry a 300 l drop tank each for an extended range and loiter time. Single bombs of up to 250 kg or racks with four 50 kg bombs each were theoretically possible too, but the aircraft lacked any bomb aiming support. Crew protection was slightly improved, too, but the airframe was overall kept as light as possible. Despite these efforts, however, MTOW rose to 6,500 kg (14,317 lb), but this was still relatively light in comparison with the similar contemporary Me 410 multi-purpose aircraft, which weighed more than 9 tons and was powered by similar engines. Consequently, and thanks to its clean lines, the G 146 B had a top speed of almost 700 km/h (434 mph) at ideal altitude and the aircraft retained its excellent handling, even though its structure was rather fragile and could not take much stress and punishment.

 

Two versions of the Go 146 B were produced, steadily but only at a low rate because the aircraft received, due to its highly specialized role and limited offensive capabilities, only a low priority. The B-1 was the main variant and kept the A version’s standard wing, a total of 54 were produced between 1943 and 1945. Additionally, the B-2 was produced between late 1943 and early 1944 as a dedicated high altitude photo reconnaissance aircraft. This sub-variant had an extended wingspan of 16.00 m (52 ft 5 in) instead of the standard 14.70 m (48 ft 2¾ in) and an improved oxygen system, even though the cabin was not pressurized. Its maximum service ceiling was almost 12.000 m (39.305 ft), with a maximum speed of 415 mph (668 km/h), a cruise speed of 250 mph (400 km/h) and a range of 3,200 km (1,987 nmi). Only twelve of these machines were produced and put into service, primarily for flights over Southern Great Britain. When the Arado Ar 234 became available from September 1944 on, though, this new, jet-powered type immediately replaced the Go 146 B-2 because it offered even better performance. Therefore, the B-3, a planned version with a fully pressurized cabin and an even bigger wingspan of 19.00 m, never left the drawing board.

 

Furthermore, the RLM had idea to convert the fast Go 146 into a fighter amd even a night fighter in mid-1944 as the “C” series. But these plans were not executed because the light airframe could hardly be adapted to heavy weapons or equipment like a radar set, and it was unsuited for vigorous dogfighting. The type’s poor climbing rate made it ineffective as an interceptor, too. There were, nevertheless, tests with at least one Go 146 B-1 that carried four Werfer-Granate 21 rocket launchers under the outer wings, as a fast bomber interceptor esp. against the high-flying B-29, which was expected to appear over continental Europe soon. But this kind of weaponry never reached frontline units and the Go 146 was never operated as a fighter of any kind.

There were, however, other uses: in 1944 the Go 146 was enlisted as a fast liaison aircraft for the RLM (Ministry of Aviation) in Berlin. Stripped off of any armament and cameras and outfitted with two passenger seats in the rear cabin, at least one Go 146 B (with the confirmed registration “ST+ZA”, others in similar configuration may have existed, too) was operated by the RLM’s Zentralabteilung (central command) from Tempelhof airfield for top brass officials between Luftwaffe locations on German terrain. ST+ZA’s fate after January 1945 is uncertain, though.

  

Specifications:

Crew: two (pilot and observer)

Length: 11.00 m (36 ft 1 in)

Wingspan: 14.70 m (48 ft 2¾ in)

Height: 3.88 m (12 ft 8¾ in)

Wing area: 32.0 m² (344 ft²)

Empty weight: 3,830 kg (8,436 lb)

Loaded weight: 5,661 kg (12,480 lb)

Max. takeoff weight: 6,500 kg (14,317 lb)

 

Powerplant:

2× Daimler-Benz DB 603A V-12 inverted liquid-cooled piston engines, rated at:

- 1,290 kW (1,750 hp) each for take-off

- 1,360 kW (1,850 PS) at 2,100 m (6,890 ft)

- 1,195 kW (1,625 PS) at 5,700 m (18,700 ft)

- 1,162 kW (1580 PS) combat power at 2500 rpm at sea level

 

Performance:

Maximum speed: 695 km/h (377 knots, 430 mph) at 5,800 m (19,000 ft)

Cruise speed: 450 km/h (245 knots, 280 mph)

Range: 2,800 km (1,522 nmi, 1,740 mi) with internal fuel

Service ceiling: 11,250 m (36,850 ft)

Wing loading: 157.8 kg/m² (32.3 lb/ft²)

Climb rate: 14.7 m/sec (2,900 feet per minute)

Climb to 8,000 m (26,250 ft): 15 min 20 sec

 

Armament:

2× 13 mm (0.51 in) defensive MG 131 machine guns with 500 RPG,

each firing rearward from FDSL 131/1B remote-operated turret, one per side

2× underwing hardpoints under the inner wings for 250 kg (550 lb) each,

typically occupied by 300 l drop tanks

  

The kit and its assembly:

This is a déjà vu build: I already did a “Germanized” Ki-46 in 2015, it was an Airfix Ki-46-II outfitted with DB 601s from a Bf 110 as a pre-series Gotha Go 146 A-0, an aircraft that (naturally) never existed but appeared plausible, since German military hardware including aircraft had been evaluated by Japanese forces. And why should this exchange not have worked the other way around, too? However, as I built this modified Dinah for the first time, I already thought that the basic idea had more potential than just one model, and the streamlined Ki-46-III just lent itself for an updated, later version.

 

This B-2 variant of the Go 146 was based on the LS Models/ARII Ki-46-III. Like the Airfix kit (its molds are from 1965, and that’s just what the kit feels, looks and builds like…), it’s a rather vintage offering, but it is in many aspects markedly ahead, with fine surfaces, recessed details, 3D engines and clear parts that actually fit into their intended places. The LS Models kit’s 10 years less of age are recognizable, and there are three boxings around with different versions of the aircraft (a Ki-46-II, a -III and a trainer with a raised tutor cockpit), differing in small extra sprues for the respective fuselage parts, but they all share a common sprue with the clear parts for all three versions.

 

The Ki-46-III kit was taken OOB, with just some minor mods. The most obvious change concerns the engines: they were transplanted from a Bilek Me 210, together with the underwing radiators outside of the nacelles. The Me 210, even though it’s from 1997, is a rather mediocre model with some dubious solutions, therefore earmarked for a conversion and ready to donor some body parts… The engine switch was insofar easy because the Ki-46 kit comes with completely separate parts for the engines and their fairings which also contain the main landing gear wells.

Because of this “clean” basis I decided to cut the nacelles out from the Me 210 and attach them to the Ki-46 wings, so that the DB 603 engines would have perfect attachment points. While this was a bigger overall surgery stunt than on the earlier Airfix Dinah, this was easier than expected and resulted in a cleaner solution that also underlines the Ki-46’s clean and slender shape. The modified nacelles were much smaller than the Dinah’s, though. The main wheels were replaced with slightly smaller and narrower ones from the scrap box.

 

Inside of the cockpit, I implanted a dashboard. In the rear cabin the seat was reversed and moved further forward. In the cabin’s rear a scratched targeting scope/weapon control column for the FDSL 131 installation was added. Since I left the single-part canopies (which are quite thick but very clear) closed I outfitted the model with a crew. The Ki-46 III kit comes with a pair of figures, but they are very small (H0 scale, at best!) and look goofy, so that I exchanged them with Matchbox WWII pilots, which had their legs bent and their bottoms cut away to make them fit into the tight fuselage and under the canopies.

 

Unfortunately, the Me 210 kit had already donated its machine gun barbettes (they had gone onto an upgraded Heinkel He 115 floatplane), so that I scratched them for the Go 146. WWII bombs became the fairings, some leftover landing gear struts were used as gun barrels, and round styrene bases were used as mounts that also lift the fairings slightly off the hull. The barbettes as such look a little superficial on the slender Dinah, but they are a nice, typically German detail, über-complicated for this type of fast aircraft that probably would have more benefited from leaving them away altogether to save weight and drag.

The (typically German) 300 l drop tanks come from Hobby Boss Bf 109s and each received four short attachment struts, made from styrene profile material, so that they could be stuck under the inner wings.

  

Painting and markings:

This was more complicated than expected. I wanted to apply a plausible, late German WWII livery with typical colors, but finding something that would be suited for high-altitude operations and not copy anything I had already done turned out to be challenging.

 

The paint scheme would be very light, with only low-contrast camouflage added on top. Therefore, the basis became an overall coat with RLM 76 (I used Tamiya XF-23, Light Blue, which is an excellent option). Inspired by He 177 bombers I found in literature, large blotches of a rather obscure and uncommon tone, RLM 77 “Hellgrau” were added to the flanks of fuselage, fin and engine nacelles. RLM 77 is/was a very light grey, and it was primarily used for markings like code letters on night fighters and not for camouflage. AFAIK it would later become the RAL 7035 (Lichtgrau) tone that still exists today. Humbrol 196 would have been an authentic option, but to keep the contrast to the underlying RLM 76 low I rather used XF-19 (Sky Grey) and extended the blotches under the fuselage and the nacelles, for a semi-wraparound scheme.

 

Then came the upper surfaces, everything was painted with brushes and without masks, with an intentional uneven finish. The wings and stabilizers were to receive a slightly darker camouflage in the form of RLM 02 and 75 splotches (with Tamiya XF-22 and XF-XX as proxies) over the uniform RLM 76 base, so that the aircraft’s outlines would be broken up from above. However, after first tests I found this did not look convincing, the RLM 76 was very prominent and bluish, so that I rather gave the upper wings and the spine a semi-translucent but continuous coat of paint, with the underlying RLM 76 just showing through here and there – much better. At this stage I added the decals (see below), but now found the upper surfaces to look too uniform and somewhat dark, so that, as a final measure, I added a meander pattern with RLM 77 (again XF-19) to the wings. This not only looked good and very “German”, it lightened the cammo and also helped to break the aircraft’s lines up. Some light panel shading to the uniform undersides, black ink and grinded graphite were used for weathering, but the effects are very soft.

 

Interior surfaces (cockpit and landing gear wells) became late-war style RAL 7021 Schwarzgrau (Humbrol 67), the landing gear struts were painted in RLM 02, this time Revell 45 was used. The propeller blades were painted in a very dark mix of green and black, the spinners became black with simple white spirals – the only detail with a high contrast on this aircraft.

 

The markings of this aircraft are minimal. Balkenkreuz markings only consisting of outlines were used, another typical late-war practice and for a low-visibility look/effect. They were taken from an Academy Fw 190 D. On the fuselage, the gun barbettes caused some headaches, because they take up a lot of space and made the application of a standard Luftwaffe code almost impossible. Consequently, the fuselage Balkenkreuze were placed ahead of the barbettes, partly disrupted by the observer’s lower side windows, while the tactical code became separated by the guns. At starboard the code even had to be reversed - not correct, but a pragmatic solution.

The model/aircraft belongs to a fictional unit, its code “P3” in front of the fuselage Balkenkreuz has no real-world reference and was executed in small letters, a typical late WWII measure. This part of the code was done with small, black 2 mm letters. A fictional unit badge, depicting a running greyhound, was added under the cockpit. It actually belongs to a German tank unit.

The “KN” part of the code, including the Ks on the nose, came from an Airfix Ju 87 B sheet. As an aircraft belonging to the 5th squadron within the unit’s 2nd group, the 4th letter in the code became “N”, while the 3rd letter “K” denotes the individual aircraft. The color code associated with a 5th squadron was red, incorporated on the aircraft as a thin red outline around the individual aircraft letter (another late-war low-contrast measure). To provide a little visual excitement, small red Ks were added to the nose, too, to make thew aircraft easy to identify when parked at the flight line.

Since this aircraft would operate over the Western front from German home ground, no further ID/theatre markings like fuselage or wing bands or wingtips in yellow or white, etc. were added. This, together with the lack of visible red as squadron code, results in a rather dry look, but that’s intentional.

After some exhaust and oil stains with graphite and Tamiya “Smoke”, a coat of acrylic matt varnish finally sealed the model and a wire antenna, made from heated sprue material, was added.

  

Well, an exotic what-if idea, but I really like how this conversion turned out, even though the livery evolved in a different way from what I had initially in mind. The Ki-46 was already an elegant aircraft, especially the Ki-46-III with its teardrop-shaped nose section. But, with the smaller, streamlined inline engines instead of the radials, this iteration looks even better and faster. It reminds a little of the D.H. Hornet? The gun barbettes are a nice “German” detail, and the makeshift high-altitude paint scheme adds to the obscure impression of the model. A really nice sister ship for the Go 146 A-0 build from 2015.

Australia’s first shot tower, at Taroona, was built by Joseph Moir and is one of three still existing in the country, the others being in Melbourne. Joseph Moir's factory, which operated for 35 years from 1870, manufactured lead shot for contemporary muzzle loading sports guns. Although the factory struggled for most of its existence its most recognisable feature, the tallest stone shot tower in the southern hemisphere, has been a prominent landmark in the district for well over a century. Joseph Moir His Shot Tower on the Kingston Road is noted throughout the colonies, and Mr Moir’s enterprising spirit is there illustrated in a most remarkable manner. Though a speculation of a very hazardous kind, he had faith in its success, and his estimate, as was afterwards discovered, was not found on any erroneous basis. The manufacture of shot was a profitable venture under his management. Mercury 12 March 1874 Just twenty years old, Scotsman Joseph Moir arrived in Hobart in 1829, one of thousands of hopeful free immigrants who sailed to Van Diemen’s Land in the 1820s. By 1840 he had acquired several properties, government employment and a reputation as a builder of notable colonial buildings such as St Mark’s Anglican Church, Pontville. He returned briefly to Scotland in 1844 to marry Elizabeth Paxton with whom he had at least five children. A prominent businessman, Moir was active in Hobart’s civic affairs between 1846 and 1873, a year before his death. He revisited Britain in 1849 ‘to arrange to carry on an ironmonger’s business’, returning to Hobart with a stock of hardware items and opening a store with his brother at ‘Economy House’ in Murray Street. The business operated until sold by his son, Joseph in 1884. Moir purchased 39 acres on Brown’s River Rd in 1855 and moved to a new house at ‘Queenborough Glens’ (as he called the property) with his family in 1862. He then built the shot tower and its associated buildings and poured his first shot in 1870. When he died after a long illness in 1874 Moir left his major business concerns to his sons, James and Joseph. Together with Elizabeth (who only survived him by 15 months) and a daughter, Mary (who died in 1853 at the age of seven) Moir was encrypted in the family mausoleum on the cliffs below the shot tower. Their remains were later re-interred in unmarked graves at Queenborough Cemetery after Joseph relinquished the property in 1901. This cemetery’s graves were removed by Hobart Council in 1963 and Moir’s final resting place remains unknown. The Shot Tower This shot tower was built by the proprietor, Joseph Moir, in the year 1870. In its erection he acted as Engineer, Architect, Carpenter and Overseer. With merely the assistance of two masons it was completed in 8 months, when the secrets of shot-making had to be discovered. After many persevering efforts the first shot was dropped 8th September, 1870. Joseph Moir erected his shot making enterprise on 39 acres subdivided from an 1817 grant of 100 acres to John Williamson. He chose his site carefully. A road frontage facilitated straightforward transport of raw materials and product. A windmill pumped water from a reliable creek to a cistern on the site of the current overflow carpark and substantial timber reserves provided fuel for the furnaces and cauldrons. Sited far from residential neighbourhoods Moir could also relax in the knowledge that toxic fumes would blow safely out to sea or over forestland. Moir probably began building his shot making works after erecting the family home between 1855 and 1862. A stone building above the cliffs overlooking the River Derwent stored gun powder for his ironmongery as well as stores of arsenic and antimony. Another building south-west of the magazine contained the furnace for preparing lead with the arsenic and antimony. The tower was constructed of dressed curved sandstone blocks quarried at the nearby abandoned Brown’s River Convict Probation Station. A remarkable tapered structure 48m (157 feet 6 inches) tall it features an internal spiral staircase of pitsawn timber and an external gallery at its top which was probably used to store firewood for the upper cauldron. The staircase provided scaffolding during the construction of the tower and access to the upper cauldron and shot-making colanders. The tower is 10 metres in diameter at the base and tapers to 3.9 metres at the top . The walls are a metre thick at the bottom and thin out to .45 centimetres at the top. A three level stone factory abutting the tower was erected at the same time, then was extended soon after. The stone for the factory was probably recycled from the abandoned probation station. The Manufacturing Process The manufacture of shot is an industry which in England has always been conducted with the greatest secrecy, and consequently witnessed by very few except the initiated. This industry has recently been introduced in this colony by Mr Alderman Moir, and we learn that it is his intention to throw his Shot Tower open to the inspection of visitors on Monday and Tuesday next, when the process of shot making will be in operation, on which occasion we have no doubt many of our citizens will avail themselves of this opportunity of witnessing the interesting process. Mercury,10 March 1871. Shot manufacturing is thought to have been invented by Prince Rupert in the seventeenth century. It seems likely that Moir studied William Watts’ patented method of 1796 while in Britain in 1849- 50. Moir’s exact process is unknown — considerable experimentation was required by most manufacturers to perfect what is a very complex process requiring a detailed understanding of physics and metallurgy. Most of Moir’s raw materials would have been imported increasing his costs substantially Moir’s process was probably as follows: Lead was prepared in a furnace at the south-eastern corner of the property. Moir added 900g of arsenic (to decrease surface tension) and 6.35kg of antimony (to harden the shot) to every 45.35 kg of lead. The resultant ‘poisoned lead’ was cast into 7.7 kg ingots, conveyed to the factory, then remelted in cauldrons on the upper level of the factory for small shot and the top of the tower for larger shot. Firewood had to be winched to the upper cauldron. The molten lead was then poured through colanders, forming droplets which became spherical as they dropped. They fell into a tub of water at the base of the tower. The size of the shot depended on the amount of arsenic, the size of the holes in the colander and the height of the fall. Watts’ patent stipulated that large sized shot required a fall of 45.75m (150 feet), hence the height of Moir’s shot tower at 48m with the colander 46.36m above the base. The lead cooled partly while falling, then completely in the water. The antinomy hardener ensured that it maintained shape under the impact of the water. The cooled shot, green in colour, was winched to the factory’s upper floor where it was dried and run over inclined glass planes to separate out defective shot (which did not roll true). Imperfect shot was remelted and the process repeated. The shot was polished in a revolving drum (likened to a farmer’s barrel churn) using plumbago (graphite) then lowered through a trapdoor to the ground floor where it passed through ten sieves for grading into sizes ranging from fine birdshot to large balls. The graded shot was bagged into 12.7kg (28lb) handsewn linen bags stencilled with the manufacturer’s name and sent to market. At its peak the factory produced 100 tons of shot per annum. Working Conditions Little is known of working conditions in Joseph Moir’s shot tower. The work was highly skilled, noisy and almost certainly dangerous. That workers took great pride in their trade is indicated by an engraving in a window in the factory, reading, ‘George Matson Premier Shot Maker Tasmanian and Australian’. No further information about George Matson is known. The following descriptions of a contemporary works, Melbourne’s Coop shot tower (now incorporated in the Melbourne Central complex on Little Lonsdale St) provides some indication of the nature of the work involved. Pouring the lead was ‘an operation which needs great skill and constant watching. The man is used to his work but the novice would probably make a considerable bungle of it’. As the lead droplets fell there was ‘a sharp incessant shower of silvery rain . . . mak[ing] a noise very like that of an overflow waste pipe high up in one’s wall’. When shovelling shot from the water tub it was ‘quite certain that if the man who is so energetically shovelling . . . was to cease from his labours for any appreciable length of time the tank would be soon full of lead. . . . all the while the strange shower descends the man with the shovel is busily at work’. The noise of grading the shot through the sieves was ‘well nigh deafening’ while a woman sat with needle and thread sewing the 12.7kg linen bags for the finished shot. House and Garden Joseph Moir began building his residence soon after acquiring the property in 1855. Family lore suggests that he built the battlemented tower as practise before attempting the more substantial shot tower. By 1885 the property was well known for its gardens and orchards with its hot houses, summer houses and conservatories. "Mr [James] Moir has a prolific little orchard and kitchen garden, which latter, the flower garden and conservatories are watered from a considerable storage reservoir above. An amusing freak of the owner is to invite strangers into a summer house, and to be seated a moment or two out of the sun. He predicts rain shortly, however cloudless the sky — when hey presto: a shower immediately commences, a real earnest one. It is brought about by turning the tap of a pipe connecting with the circular piping on top of the summer house, the latter being perforated round its outside. A little defectiveness in the roof allowed of my receiving a slight baptism of spray, so I must be considered initiated." Tasmanian Mail,13 June 1885 Perhaps the youthful James Moir (he was 30 in 1885) had a better sense of fun than business sense. He had mortgaged the property the previous year and defaulted on his payments two years later. Later History Moir’s sons, James and Joseph, carried on the business after his death in 1874. Although James won merit certificates at the 1879 Sydney International Exhibition and the 1880-81 Melbourne Exhibition the business struggled and it was leased by the mortgagors to his brother, Joseph in 1887. Joseph found himself unable compete with mainland competitors when generous colonial tariffs were removed after Federation. He relinquished the lease to his brother-in-law, William Baynton who continued the business until closing its doors in 1905. During these years Baynton’s wife, Florence, operated a tea house in the residence. The property subsequently passed through several hands until 1956 when 3.24 hectares was purchased by the Tasmanian government and proclaimed a Scenery Reserve. Although it included the tower and residence, the reserve excluded the powder magazine, conservatory, antimony furnace and mausoleum. The reserve was gazetted as an historic site in 1971 under the National Parks and Wildlife Act. Since 1956 it has been leased to several concessionaires and has been open as a tourist site. Various conservation works have been conducted at the shot tower over the years to maintain its heritage significance.

 

Ref www.parks.tas.gov.au/index.aspx?base=2820

And from a cliff-top is proclaimed

The gathering of the souls for birth,

The trial by existence named,

The obscuration upon earth.

And the slant spirits trooping by

In streams and cross- and counter-streams

Can but give ear to that sweet cry

For its suggestion of what dreams!

 

-- Robert Frost, The Trial By Existence

 

View Large On Black

Experimenting again on textures.

 

50mm@1.4

Our untold stories, Part 2, scene one: Darkened existence

 

___

 

in lightbox or here

 

An assignment for my photography elective at uni. We had to 'create an image or series of images that tells a narrative or story'. Here is mine.

 

Model; Renee and myself

 

tumblr | formspring | life of photographs

 

in two dimensions.

 

Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, NY

Jellies are one of the most fascinating animals and a popular attraction at Monterey Bay Aquarium. People seem to get lost staring at them drifting about.

SPEAK YOUR DREAMS INTO EXISTENCE / WEALTHY MINDS Murals by Shawn Perkins in collaboration with Billionaire P.A at Union Market District along 5th Street between Florida Avenue and Morse Street, NE, Washington DC on Monday afternoon, 31 January 2022 by Elvert Barnes Photography

 

SHAWN PERKINS website at www.sptheplug.com/

 

Elvert Barnes GRAFFITI Writings On The Wall 2022 at elvertxbarnes.com/graffiti

 

Elvert Barnes Public Art 2022 at elvertxbarnes.com/public-art-2022

 

Trip to / from Union Market District, NE, and Columbia Heights, NW, Washington DC

 

Elvert Barnes January 2022 at elvertxbarnes.com/january-2022

宇宙-生命-粒子-人类世界科学，哲学经典论坛（Smith-Fangruida 科学-哲学经典论语）

Universe-Life-Particles-Human World Science, Philosophy Classics Forum (Smith-Fangruida Science-Philosophy Classical Analects)

 

地球的一山一水，美丽和富饶广阔。自然，在月球，在火星，在木星卫星，在金星，水星，土星等等，以及其他类地星球特别是遥远广袤的星际，银河，银河之外，不能说没有这些地质元素存在。几千年以后，几万年以后，几十万年以后，只要人类尚存，他照样展现出同样的精致和美丽。

 

The mountains and waters of the earth are beautiful and rich. Naturally, on the moon, on Mars, on Jupiter satellites, on Venus, Mercury, Saturn, etc., and other terrestrial planets, especially distant and vast interstellar, galaxy, and galaxy, it cannot be said that these geological elements exist. After thousands of years, after tens of thousands of years, hundreds of thousands of years later, as long as human beings still exist, he still shows the same exquisiteness and beauty.

  

世界上没有永恒存在的生命（生物活性大分子以及其他高级），但是确有永久存在的永久存在的“物质体”。不论宇宙如何演变，也不论星球，天体，黑洞，暗物质，尘埃，粒子等等之类；也不论宇宙和粒子的产生隐没如何相互转化复变，宇宙之所以称其宇宙，就是宇宙本体就是物质形体，完全空洞虚无缥缈的的所谓宇宙实际上并不存在。宇宙是物质体的的变化和转换形态。即使伟大的科学家在研究说明它的最基本原理和事态的时候，也往往会过于抽象或者过于迂腐甚至走向实证的偏激，因而导致它的理论和研究漏洞百出，即使能够自圆其说，但也会失去中心，堕入研究和阐述的漩涡之中。当然，就更不必被指那些所谓的头面人物哲学大师之类的名人了。宇宙是抽象的，又是具体的实体物质性存在，它和人类的生命系统并不等同，甚至南辕北辙。人类的智慧和愚笨同样存在，想当然地以为制造或合成一些生物机器人之类就可以改变宇宙，也是一种伟大而荒唐的创造和魔法。

  

There is no eternal life in the world (bioactive macromolecules and other high-level ones), but there is a permanent and permanent “material body”. No matter how the universe evolves, no matter whether it is a planet, a celestial body, a black hole, a dark matter, a dust, a particle, etc., no matter how the universe and the particle are hidden, how do they transform each other? The universe is called the universe, that is, the universe is the physical form. The so-called universe, which is completely empty and imaginary, does not actually exist. The universe is the transformation and transformation of matter. Even if a great scientist studies its most basic principles and state of affairs, it tends to be too abstract or too pedantic or even to empirically biased. As a result, its theory and research are full of loopholes. Even if it can be self-explanatory, it will lose its center. Into the whirlpool of research and elaboration. Of course, it is even less necessary to be referred to celebrities such as the so-called head philosophers. The universe is abstract, and it is a concrete physical material existence. It is not equivalent to the human life system, and even the south. Human wisdom and stupidity also exist, taking it for granted that creating or synthesizing some biological robots can change the universe, and it is also a great and absurd creation and magic.

几十年几百年几千年对于政治家，军事家，思想家和哲学家来说，的确身手不凡；但对于自然科学家来说，根本不值一提。自然科学并不会是永恒不变的真理；但是，它的严酷严谨严实需要千锤百炼，才能铸就永恒。

 

For decades, centuries and centuries for politicians, strategists, thinkers and philosophers, it is indeed extraordinary; but for natural scientists, it is not worth mentioning. Natural science is not an eternal truth; but its harshness, rigor, and rigorous need to be tempered to create eternity.

 

站在月球站在火星，你看到的不仅是地球的美貌和宇宙之阔，而是一个新生的具有特质性的星球世界和人类社会。不论人类的脚步能走多么遥远，也不论自然和上帝能否给人类提供多大的机遇和成功，对于高级生命来说已经足够了；当然，对于宇宙本身来说，这都无关紧要和无伤大体。

 

Standing on the moon standing on Mars, you see not only the beauty of the earth and the universe, but a new and traitual world of planets and human society. No matter how far the human footsteps can go, no matter whether nature and God can provide humans with much opportunity and success, it is enough for advanced life; of course, for the universe itself, this is irrelevant and harmless. .

 

人类的诞生与宇宙的生辰是反比；物质的存在与宇宙的生息永远是正比。

 

The birth of man is inversely proportional to the birth of the universe; the existence of matter is always proportional to the life of the universe.

 

高级生命对于自然宇宙来说仅仅是自然中的必然，而对于物质和有机体的演变来说，则是一种正崎变。倘若是相反，逆变就会发生。生命体和有机体的演变演化存满各种变数和多杂渠道和路径。

 

Advanced life is only a natural necessity for the natural universe, and a positive change for the evolution of matter and organisms. If it is the opposite, the inverter will happen. The evolution of living organisms and organisms is full of variables and channels and paths.

 

浩瀚的宇宙中，星球爆炸，天体缩变，在极其广阔的星际每每发生，包括超巨星，超黑洞之类，甚至包括有机物和生命体的灭绝和毁灭也会出现。这些并不是天下奇观。这是否等同于宇宙毁灭呢？二者并不趋同。几万亿颗星球天体极变，对于宇宙整体物质性毫发无损，对于人类太阳系来说恐怕就是万劫不复的灾难了。

  

In the vast universe, the planet explodes, the celestial body shrinks, and it occurs in extremely vast interstellars, including supergiants, superblack holes, and even the extinction and destruction of organic matter and living bodies. These are not the wonders of the world. Is this equivalent to the destruction of the universe? The two do not converge. The trillions of celestial bodies have changed dramatically, and the overall materiality of the universe is unscathed. For the human solar system, it is probably a disaster that never ends.

 

重复历史不如创造历史；改写历史不如铸就历史。

It is better to repeat history than to create history; to rewrite history is worse than to cast history.

  

与其把整个人类历史描绘成智慧辉煌，倒真不如把它理解为双生的怪诞复杂的生灵之物------漫长艰难复杂的的自然原始生物性自然性和渐生渐长的智慧和高级理性。

 

Rather than portraying the entire human history as a wise glory, it is better to understand it as a bizarre and grotesque creature of the twins—long and difficult natural natural biological nature and gradually growing wisdom and Advanced rationality.

  

世界既是金碧辉煌，也是浑浑噩噩，历史的正反面或者多面体而已。

The world is both brilliant and embarrassing, the front and back of history or the polyhedron.

  

人的生命的尽头无异于动物生物的死亡，所不同的是，人类具有高端意识和智慧理性以及所能够创造和改造的整个自然世界。The end of human life is tantamount to the death of animal creatures. The difference is that human beings have high-end consciousness and wisdom rationality as well as the entire natural world that can be created and transformed.

 

生命动物，高级智慧动物，有机物-无机物集化而成的复合智能动物，在未来的世界和星球中会出现，并不为怪。It is not surprising that life animals, high-intelligence animals, and organic-inorganic integrated intelligent animals will appear in the future world and in the planet.

人类世界横向看，五彩缤纷，花团旌族；竖向看则是风雨潇潇，落叶菲菲，而站在它的反面看，奇花异草，乖离荒诞。

The human world looks horizontally, colorful, and flowery and sectarian; in vertical view, it is rainy and windy, and the leaves are Fifi, while standing on the opposite side of it, the flowers and plants are different from the absurd.

  

安魂归息，天国永存。人类和一切生命动物一样，来源自然界，最后又复归自然界。当然，可以是大海，高山，土地，也可以是地球之外的天国之域，月球，火星，木星卫星，银河或者其它天宇。

 

The soul retreats, and the kingdom of heaven will last forever. Human beings, like all living animals, originate in nature and eventually return to nature. Of course, it can be the sea, the mountains, the land, or the domain of heaven outside the earth, the moon, Mars, Jupiter, Galaxy or other heavens.

 

面对整个庞大无比的自然的宇宙而言，人类尽管十分超特，毕竟归属于生物动物的高级物种。究其本质特性而言，仍然是高级生物活性的显照而已。倘若自然世界异化，生物机器人或者异类“人类”，那么，原始的生物人类自然就要趋于灭亡。

 

In the face of the vast and incomparable natural universe, human beings, although very super-special, belong to the advanced species of biological animals. In terms of its essential characteristics, it is still a manifestation of advanced biological activity. If the natural world is alienated, biological robots or heterogeneous "humans", then the primitive creatures will naturally die.

 

几万年，几十万年，几百万年，几千亿年的未来世界，显然不是今日的狭小的地球之域，而是十分广阔的的星际世界。生命物种的生存灭绝并不仅仅局限于地球人类，涵盖极其广泛的各类具有生物高级活性，哪怕是十分奇特的异端极端生命有机体。从这个意义出发，生命体和物质体会是或近或离的。但是，对于地球人类来说，是否具有根本性的意义，并不重要。因为，脱离了高级智慧高级生命表现形式的其他一切生命有机体生命大分子生命基因，对于现实的存在的人类世界并没有特别的现实的至高理性的决定性意义。而对自然宇宙本体而言，只不过是物质-宇宙的极其精妙演化变化罢了。

 

Tens of thousands of years, hundreds of thousands of years, millions of years, hundreds of billions of years of the future world, is clearly not the domain of today's small earth, but a very vast interstellar world. The extinction of living species is not limited to the human beings of the earth. It covers a wide range of species with biologically advanced activities, even very strange and endemic extreme life organisms. In this sense, the life and material experience are close or apart. However, it is not important for the human beings of the earth to have a fundamental meaning. Because, apart from all other life organisms, life-giving life genes of high-level life, there is no decisive significance for the reality of the human world. For the natural universe, it is nothing more than a subtle evolution of matter-the universe.

St Peter's

 

The first part of the large and ancient parish of Guiseley to get a Chapel of Ease was Horsforth where one was in existence before 1575. Francis Layton saw that Rawdon was the next most distant part of the Parish and despite previous heavy fines, he still remained wealthy enough to commence building a Chapel of Ease in 1645. The work proceeded slowly no doubt due to the unsettled state of the county in the aftermath of the Civil War and even the wealthy could have cash-flow problems.

 

Slater quotes a tradition that it was 15 years before the roof was on and this is compatible with the inscription on the bell “Francis Layton 1660”. Slater also speaks of a fire but gives no details.

 

In his will of 1653 Francis directed that his son Henry should finish the chapel. He directed that a rent charge be raised on part of his estate, of which £20 p.a. was to be paid to the Minister of Rawdon “provided that such Minister had gained possession by induction and reading” i.e. the 39 Articles implying traditional Anglican beliefs. This would have been inspired by the intrusion of Puritan ministers into churches during the Commonwealth period.

 

There is a full note in the Guiseley Registers on the consecration as follows:

“On Friday the Second of May, 1684, John Dolben, Archbishop of York, came from his primary visitation at Otley and Guiesley and laid that night at ye Parsonage house. Dr. Will Brearey, Archdeacon of yr East Riding, being then Rector of Guiesley, where the next day His Grace confirmed at morning and evening prayer about three hundred and fifty persons of ye Parishes of Guiesley and Addle. On Sunday, ye fourth of May, Hee concerated ye Chappell of Rawden and preached there. In ye afternoon Hee concerated ye Chappell yard, and after the Evening Prayer Hee confirmed several persons in that Chappell. On Munday, ye fifth of May, Hee returned to His Grace’s Pallace at Bishopthorpe, having laid three nights at ye Parsonage of Guiesley.”

 

There was comment at the time of the number of dissenting families in the parish who failed to attend the consecration service. The Archbishop was John Dolben (1624-88) who was at York from 1683 to 1688. He had been the King’s Standard Bearer at Marston Moor in 1644 and had been wounded in the shoulder. As an old Cavalier he may have been sympathetic to Francis Layton and his family.

 

Very few churches were built during the Commonwealth period, Staunton Harold, Leicestershire being perhaps the best known. Built by Sir Robert Shirley, it was said of him, as could be said of Francis Layton that “he did the best of things in the worst of times”.

 

It seems that after Francis’ death it was his younger son Thomas who did more than Henry to complete the church. He built the tower, where a stone is still visible with the inscription “T.L. 1704”, the old parsonage, the wall to Town Street and the gates.

 

A print of the church from the 1820s does not show it as a very impressive building and a writer in ‘The Leeds Intelligencer’ (later The Yorkshire Post) wrote in 1843:

“Rawdon church is of small dimension ... for the most part neat. A tower with an elevated roof stands at the west end and at the east, a chancel of proportionate size. This latter part seems to have been separated from the nave by a screen which has been taken down and demolished except a small decorated portion which has been placed in a most unsuitable position over the altar. It is inscribed Thomas Layton de Rawdon 1713 - aged 78. Appended to the same is an unsightly nondescript object, sign board-like, and which is affixed for the purpose of recording the names of certain individuals, who were honoured officials of the church, when it was once painted and coloured.

 

At the opposite end, a gallery has been recently erected;4 it (the church) contains a good toned organ; but the church is not graced by its windows which are of the kind peculiar to the 17th century, when architecture is said to have been at its lowest ebb.

 

The Parsonage is now, what it has long been celebrated as being, a receptacle for the education of youth.”

 

Very little is known about the rebuilding of 1864. The architect was Alexander Crawford of East Parade, Leeds. He had been a pupil of the great Cuthbert Broderick (Leeds Town Hall, Leeds Corn Exchange, The Grand Hotel, Scarborough, etc.) but by 1882 he had ceased to practise and it seems Rawdon Church was his only major project. The nave and the chancel were rebuilt with a small vestry to the north of the chancel (later enlarged). The south aisle was added covering some tombs, the tower left as it was but the gallery removed. The pitch of the roof was lowered as is evidenced by the blocked window on the east wall of the tower. Some of the original stone may have been reused, especially on the north wall.

 

The total cost was £1,200 (maybe £500,000 today) part of which was raised by assigning seats in the south aisle and as late as 1923 one of these was still claimed by Miss Stables of Four Lane Ends Farm, Horsforth. A small choir vestry was erected in 1908 to the northwest at a cost of £947. The nave was re-roofed in 1969 at a cost of £2,000, it being possible to reuse many of the slates.

 

The former school, (‘The Institute’) was sold in 1979 for £15,000 for housing conversion and this helped towards the replacement of the choir vestry with the larger St. Peter’s Room at a total cost of £35,000. This was opened in 1980.

Shortly before the Tercentenary Celebrations in 1984 there was considerable internal re-ordering to bring the area in front of the chancel screen into line with modern ideas of layout and liturgical practice. The main addition was a free-standing oak altar in memory of Tony Slack (1920-82) together with a Jacobean style embroidered frontal.

The original parsonage built by Thomas Layton was restored and extended in the time of the Rev. John Deason (1745-80), partly at his own expense. By 1963 it had become virtually uninhabitable and was demolished and replaced by the modern vicarage to the design of Peter Hill.

 

The original churchyard measured 180 feet by 105 feet and has been extended twice, first to the north in 1829 when it was walled at the expense of Mrs Oswald Emmott. It was closed in 1869 by Order in Council. Secondly in 1870 by a gift from the Major General of about one and a half acres which were laid out and walled at a cost of £215. In about 1980 it was levelled, over 160 tons of kerbs removed and tidied to make it easier to mow.

 

The stocks are clearly visible on an old print. They were removed in the 1860s but after some vicissitudes found and restored to the church in 1925.5

 

The Jubilee Hall, mainly for Scout and Guide use was opened in 1978 on part of the Church Field 6 in Layton Avenue, leased from Leeds City Council for 99 years. It is vested in the Scout Trust Corporation on trust for local use.

 

Having built and endowed the church, the Laytons naturally retained the patronage of the living and this is confirmed in the consecration deed which also imposed on the estate the liability to repair and refit the church. Payments for this purpose were made as late as 1905.

 

In 1740 there was a dispute over patronage involving the then Rector of Guiseley (the Rev. Henry Wickham). Affidavits were taken from various old inhabitants but ultimately he admitted that the Lord of the Manor had the right. However in 1909 the advowson was transferred to the Bishop of the Diocese (then Ripon), the Archdeacon and trustees.

 

It was never a wealthy living. It was augmented in 1742 by Christopher Wainhouse, (later Emmott) with a gift of £200 and a further £200 from Queen Anne’s Bounty. Richard Emmott gave a further £200 in 1769 and Queen Anne’s Bounty helped again in 1822 and 1824. The transfer in 1909 enabled Queen Anne’s Bounty to help yet again and in 1930 Henry Fison Killick 7 left £250 to further augment the living. Even today the Church Commissioners' accounts only show a yield of £489 on the invested capital.

 

I do not propose to discuss the windows and internal fittings in detail, as I have done that elsewhere, but the east window, a better than normal example of Victorian stained glass by Wm. Wailes of Newcastle was given in memory of John White of Upperwood House, Apperley Lane. He was churchwarden in 1824 and 1827 and the employer of Charlotte Brontë as governess for his children from March to December 1841. There is no record of Charlotte actually attending Rawdon Church during her stay. What is curious is that though the window is at Rawdon, White was buried in a family vault at Calverley under a large and tasteless monument. There is also a memorial tablet to him in that church.

 

As for the incumbents, little is known about the first five, not even the Christian names of the first two. Of the Rev. John Deason (1718-80, at Rawdon 1745-80) we can assume that he had some private means as it is known that he was able to advance £100 out of his own pocket to purchase land to augment the living; give £10 towards the cost of underdrawing the church roof (which no doubt made the building easier to warm) and, as we have seen, paid towards the improvement of the parsonage. His grave in the chancel has recently been uncovered.

 

The Rev. Samuel Stones (1745-1823), at Rawdon 1780-1823 is a clearer figure. There is a brass tablet in the church in his memory with a fulsome inscription that reads:

“Sacred to the memory of the late Rev. Samuel Stones curate8 of this chapelry, for 42 years; who departed this life May 12th, 1823, aged 78 years. He died in the faith of Christ; in whom alone he trusted for the salvation of his soul. While God was pleased to give him health he discharged all the duties of his sacred office with Failthfullness, Zeal, Dilligence and Love. He was a kind and affectionate father, a good master and an exemplary Christian.

 

As a preacher he was plain and forthright, zealous, scriptural and spiritual, particularly anxious to impress on others those evangelical truths which were the delight and support of his own soul. When it pleased the Lord to deprive him of that privilege he was anxiously careful to provide a faithful pastor to watch over his flock.”

 

However this is not mere 18th century flattery as John Wesley’s9 Journal confirms:

“On Tuesday 6th May 1778 I accepted the invitation of Mr. Stone a truly pious and active man, and preached in his church at Rawdon to a very serious congregation on “Repent ye and believe the Gospel”.

 

There is an interesting entry in the Burial Register in Mr Stones’s time:

“1800 April 13th. Buried Sarah Bailey, executed at York.”

She was 25 years of age and had been hanged the previous day for passing forged notes. As it is highly unlikely that the body would have been brought from York, one wonders whether Mr Stones had the grisly task of attending her on the scaffold and if so, why was he chosen?

 

Mr Stones’s successor was the Rev. Antony Ibbotson who, as we shall see, ran a boys’ seminary. The Rev. John Dickinson Knowles (at Rawdon 1858-65) was the incumbent during the 1864 rebuilding and was followed by the Rev. George Mills, who in 1877 gave way to his elder brother, the Rev. Septimus Mills. However there were problems for the Rev. Septimus. In 1905, as a result of an enquiry instituted by the Bishop of Ripon, he was suspended as vicar though allowed to remain in the vicarage until his death in 1921.10 He had been accused of “neglect of duty whereby the Church, the Churchyard, Sunday School and all church work had been brought into a most woeful state”. Though the charge may have been true it is now accepted that he was a most generous man who had given away a considerable amount of money during his stay in Rawdon. If anything it shows the tragic inability of the Church of England, still not entirely solved, to provide accommodation and decent pensions for its servants when they become past coping. As I have written elsewhere on them I do not propose to discuss more recent incumbents.

 

There are some interesting items of silver, especially a goblet-chalice and two pattens marked “Rawden Chapell Plate 1723”. It is curious that there is also silver at Horsforth with the same date. A possible explanation is that about that time there was a dispute over the presentation to Guiseley Rectory and an interregnum there over a year. Thus it may have been thought that they were necessary for the celebration of Holy Communion at Rawdon and Horsforth. But who gave them?

 

www.a-history-of-rawdon.co.uk/st-peters-church-7/

-within navy star-

 

~wavy navy~

 

*-1967 times over 1985*

 

_venus_

 

:::star central:::

 

^^the goonies^^

Minoltina-S, Rollei RPX100, F8, 1/40sec, 東京都, 新宿区, 新宿駅前

Olympus E-PL1

14-42

Lightroom 3

Photoshop CS4

Our existence is only temporary, and easily blown away ...

© 2009 Gordon Kerr

www.existencemag.pl/

In a dystopian 1984, Winston Smith endures a squalid existence in the totalitarian superstate of Oceania under the constant surveillance of the Thought Police. The story takes place in London, the capital city of the territory of Airstrip One (formerly "either England or Britain").

 

Winston works in a small office cubicle at the Ministry of Truth, rewriting history in accordance with the dictates of the Party and its supreme figurehead, Big Brother. A man haunted by painful memories and restless desires, Winston is an everyman who keeps a secret diary of his private thoughts, thus creating evidence of his thoughtcrime — the crime of independent thought, contrary to the dictates and aims of the Party.

 

His life takes a fatal turn when he is accosted by a fellow Outer Party worker — a mysterious, bold-looking girl named Julia — and they begin an illicit affair. Their first meeting takes place in the remote countryside where they exchange subversive ideas before having sex. Shortly after, Winston rents a room above a pawn shop (in the supposedly safe proletarian area) where they continue their liaison. Julia — a sensual, free-spirited young woman — procures contraband food and clothing on the black market, and for a brief few months they secretly meet and enjoy an idyllic life of relative freedom and contentment together.

 

It comes to an end one evening, with the sudden raid of the Thought Police. They are both arrested and it's revealed that there is a telescreen hidden behind a picture on the wall in their room, and that the proprietor of the pawn shop, Mr. Charrington, is a covert agent of the Thought Police. Winston and Julia are taken away to be detained, questioned and brutally "rehabilitated", separately. Winston is brought to the Ministry of Love, where O'Brien, a high-ranking member of the Inner Party whom Winston had previously believed to be a fellow thoughtcriminal and agent of the resistance movement led by the archenemy of the Party, Emmanuel Goldstein, systematically tortured him.

 

O'Brien instructs Winston about the state's true purpose and schools him in a kind of catechism on the principles of doublethink — the practice of holding two contradictory thoughts in the mind simultaneously. For his final rehabilitation, Winston is brought to Room 101, where O'Brien tells him he will be subjected to the "worst thing in the world", designed specifically around Smith's personal phobias. When confronted with this unbearable horror — which turns out to be a cage filled with wild rats — Winston's psychological resistance finally and irretrievably breaks down, and he hysterically repudiates his allegiance to Julia. Now completely subjugated and purged of any rebellious thoughts, impulses, or personal attachments, Winston is restored to physical health and released.

 

In the final scene, Winston returns to the Chestnut Tree Café, where he had previously seen the rehabilitated thoughtcriminals Jones, Aaronson and Rutherford (themselves once prominent but later disgraced members of the Inner Party) who have since been "vaporized" and rendered unpersons. While sitting at the chess table, Winston is approached by Julia, who was similarly "rehabilitated". They share a bottle of Victory Gin and impassively exchange a few words about how they have betrayed each other. After she leaves, Winston watches a broadcast of himself on the large telescreen confessing his "crimes" against the state and imploring forgiveness of the populace.

 

Upon hearing a news report declaring the Oceanian army's utter rout of the enemy (Eurasian)'s forces in North Africa, Winston looks at the still image of Big Brother that appears on the telescreen, then turns away and almost silently says "I love you" - a phrase that he and Julia repeatedly used during their relationship, indicating the possibility that he still loves Julia. However, he could also be declaring his love for Big Brother instead. The novel unambiguously ends with the words: "He loved Big Brother," whereas the movie seems to deliberately allow for either interpretation. Earlier, during Winston's conversation with Julia in the rented room, he stated that "if they can make me change my feelings, they can stop me from loving you, that would be real betrayal". In the final scene, the "real betrayal" has therefore either been committed or averted, depending on whether the "you" that Winston loves is Big Brother or Julia.

English

I used the Translator

The Shrine of Our Lady of Nazareth is situated on the site of Nazareth, a neighborhood in the town of Nazareth (Portugal). Inside, keep up the sacred image of Our Lady of Nazareth, a Black Madonna, carved in wood, brought from Merida to this Site, in the year 711. The story is told in this picture Legend of Nazareth.

On site there are three shrines where revered and worshiped the image since he arrived in the year 711, led by Father Romano, a monk of the convent of Cauliniana. After the defeat of the Christian army at the Battle of Guadalete, the monk fled the Muslim invaders in the company of D. Rodrigo, the last Visigoth king, escaped after the defeat of his army. The choice of destination on the Atlantic coast, comes perhaps the existence of a nearby monastery Visigoth, which remains the church of St. Gião, classified as a National Monument in 1986.

 

The first shrine on the Site is a small man-made cave, near the cliff, one hundred and thirty feet above the ocean beach. The image was placed there by Father Romano, on an altar. This shrine (erected probably in prehistoric times) served as a hermitage where he lived until his death. As his will was buried in the soil of the cave by King Rodrigo, who lived nearby, on the hill of St. Bartholomew. The ex-king after the death of the monk went to the outskirts of Viseu where he ended his days as a hermit. The image of Our Lady of Nazareth preserved in this shrine 711-1182.

 

The second shrine, the Chapel of Remembrance, was built on the edge of the cliff above the cave, at the initiative of D. Fuas Roupinho after the miracle that saved him in 1182. It is a small building of square plan, with pyramidal dome. The image was worshiped here from 1182 to 1377.

 

The third shrine of Our Lady of Nazareth, where he currently worships the sacred image, was founded by King Ferdinand I in 1377. In the early seventeenth century began to be rebuilt, having been extended works, in stages, until the late nineteenth century, at which time it acquired its present form where no element is suspicious of their medieval origins. The rebuilding of the temple began with the work of the chancel, facing west, corridors and rooms that surround it, which stands out from the sacristy due to its size and its location behind the chancel.

 

The Shrine stands on the bottom of a spacious yard, on a higher plane. Access to the interior takes place by a semi-circular staircase, moving the porches. On each side of the front body extends a two-storey buildings. Transposed the porch one enters the church has a single nave, Latin cross-shaped, measuring 42 m long by 10 wide.

 

In the body of the church, illuminated by eight windows, covered with semi-cylindrical wood paneled, there are four altars and gilded, 1756, and two pulpits the same time. At the entrance, supported by fluted Doric columns, stands the choir with an organ in the center. Accesses to the cruise, covered by a dome of stone lantern, a large arch surmounted by the royal arms. In each arm of the transept, covered by a vault of stone, there is an altar tops of the walls being covered with Dutch tiles, which adorn the walls from top to bottom as wall hangings. In the right hand panels depict scenes from the life of David. On the left show episodes from the life of Joseph, son of Jacob. There are two other panels with scenes from the Biblical story of Jonah the prophet with the whale, crowned by angels, located on the doors leading to porches. In the doorway south find themselves two panels with pictures of mutilated invitation in the form of a Roman soldier. All these panels of the transept, a total of 6568 tiles were ordered by the administration of the Shrine in 1708, the company Willelm van der Kloet (1666-1747) in Amsterdam, Holland.

 

The chapel, covered with round vaulted in stone, is separated from the remaining space by a balustrade in rosewood with marble columns. Your floor is inlaid marble of various colors and is elevated five steps. To fund the Baroque altarpiece, with Solomonic columns and gilded and polychrome glazed contains the niche where they venerate the sacred image behind and above the high altar.

 

Both the vestry as the hallways and other rooms around the main chapel are lavishly decorated with Portuguese tiles from the beginning of seven hundred, the Lisbon workshop of Antonio Oliveira Bernardes. They are highlighting the panels of the dome of the southern corridor, with the assumption of the Virgin, and the walls of the sacristy, with prophets. This impressive room with coffered ceiling with the royal arms in the center is surmounted by screens chests, whose theme is the legend of Nazareth. Among the caissons is an altar with a Calvary, at the door. Placed near the ceiling are six large canvases depicting the Passion of Christ. It is here that the iron staircase that leads up to the pilgrims at the sacred image of Our Lady of Nazareth, in the chancel.

 

Português

pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santu%C3%A1rio_de_Nossa_Senhora_da_...

 

O Santuário de Nossa Senhora da Nazaré fica situado no Sítio da Nazaré, um bairro da Vila da Nazaré (Portugal). No seu interior, guarda-se a Sagrada imagem de Nossa Senhora da Nazaré, uma Virgem Negra, esculpida em madeira, trazida de Mérida para este Sítio, no ano de 711. A história desta imagem é contada na Lenda da Nazaré.

No Sítio existem ainda os três santuários onde se venerou, e venera, a imagem desde que ali chegou no ano de 711, levada por frei Romano, monge do convento de Cauliniana. Após a derrota do exército cristão na batalha de Guadalete, o monge fugiu dos invasores muçulmanos, na companhia de D. Rodrigo, o último rei visigodo, fugitivo após a derrota do seu exército. A escolha do destino, no litoral Atlântico, advém porventura da existência nas proximidades de um mosteiro visigótico, do qual subsiste a igreja de São Gião, classificada como Monumento Nacional em 1986.

O primeiro santuário neste Sítio é uma pequena gruta feita pelo homem, junto à arriba, a cento e dez metros acima da praia oceânica. A imagem foi ali colocada, por frei Romano, sobre um altar. Este santuário (erigido provavelmente na época pré-histórica) serviu-lhe de eremitério no qual viveu até à sua morte. Conforme a sua vontade foi sepultado no solo da gruta pelo rei Rodrigo, que vivia ali perto, no monte de São Bartolomeu. O ex-rei após a morte do monge partiu para os arredores de Viseu onde terminou os seus dias como ermitão. A imagem de Nossa Senhora da Nazaré conservou-se neste santuário de 711 a 1182.

O segundo santuário, a Capela da Memória, foi construído à beira da falésia, sobre a gruta, por iniciativa de D. Fuas Roupinho após o milagre que o salvou, em 1182. É um pequeno edifício de planta quadrada, com abóbada piramidal. A imagem foi aqui venerada de 1182 a 1377.

O terceiro santuário de Nossa Senhora da Nazaré, onde actualmente se venera a sagrada imagem, foi fundado pelo rei D. Fernando I, em 1377. Em inícios do século XVII começou a ser reconstruído, tendo-se prolongado as obras, faseadamente, até final do século XIX, época na qual, adquiriu a sua forma actual onde nenhum elemento faz suspeitar das suas origens medievais. A reconstrução do templo iniciou-se com a obra da capela-mor, virada a poente, os corredores e as salas que a rodeiam, das quais sobressai a sacristia devido às suas dimensões e à sua localização por trás da capela-mor.

O Santuário ergue-se ao fundo de um espaçoso terreiro, num plano superior. O acesso ao interior faz-se por uma escadaria semi-circular, passando-se pelos alpendres. De cada lado da fachada estende-se um corpo de edifícios de dois pisos. Transposto o pórtico entra-se na igreja de uma só nave, em forma de cruz latina, medindo 42 m de comprimento por 10 de largo.

No corpo da igreja, iluminado por oito janelas, com cobertura semi-cilíndrica de madeira apainelada, existem quatro altares de talha dourada, de 1756, e dois púlpitos da mesma época. À entrada, sustentado por colunas dóricas caneladas, ergue-se o coro alto com um orgão no centro. Acede-se ao cruzeiro, coberto por uma cúpula de pedra com lanternim, por um grande arco encimado pelas armas reais. Em cada braço do transepto, coberto por abóbada de pedra, há um altar, estando as paredes dos topos cobertas por azulejos holandeses, que adornam as paredes de alto a baixo como tapeçarias. No braço direito os painéis descrevem cenas da vida de David. À esquerda mostram episódios da vida de José, filho de Jacob. Existem ainda dois outros painéis, com cenas do episódio bíblico de Jonas o profeta, com a baleia, encimados por anjos, situados sobre as portas que conduzem aos alpendres. No vão da porta sul vêem-se dois painéis mutilados com figuras de convite em forma de soldado romano. Todos estes painéis do transepto, num total de 6568 azulejos, foram encomendados pela administração do Santuário, em 1708, à empresa de Willelm van der Kloet (1666-1747), em Amesterdão, na Holanda.

 

A capela-mor, coberta por abóboda redonda, em pedra, está separada do restante espaço por uma balaustrada em pau santo, com colunas de mármore. O seu piso é de embutidos de mármore de várias cores e está elevado cinco degraus. Ao fundo o retábulo barroco, com colunas salomónicas de talha dourada e policromada, contem o nicho com vidraça onde se venera a sagrada imagem por trás e acima do altar-mor.

Tanto a sacristia como os corredores e outras salas em torno da capela-mor estão profusamente decoradas com azulejos portugueses de inícios de setecentos, da oficina lisboeta de António Oliveira Bernardes. São destacar os painéis da abóbada do corredor sul, com a assunção da Virgem, e das paredes da sacristia, com profetas. Esta imponente sala com tecto de caixotões com as armas reais no centro tem arcazes encimados por telas, cuja temática é a lenda da Nazaré. Entre os caixotões está um altar com um Calvário, em frente à porta. Junto ao tecto estão colocadas seis grandes telas alusivas à Paixão de Cristo. É daqui que parte a escadaria de ferro que conduz os peregrinos até junto da sagrada imagem de Nossa Senhora da Nazaré, na capela-mor.

 

3/365. September 7, 2021.

This photograph was taken at 11:10am on Wednesday 4th May 2016 off Sooke River Road in the grounds of Sooke Potholes Provincial Park, a free to visit seven hectare provincial park on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.

  

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LAKE KIVU

 

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Lake Kivu

 

Coordinates 2°0′S 29°0′ECoordinates: 2°0′S 29°0′E

Type Rift Valley lakes, Meromictic

Primary outflows Ruzizi River

Catchment area 2,700 km2 (1,000 sq mi)

Basin countries Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Max. length 89 km (55 mi)[1]

Max. width 48 km (30 mi)[1]

Surface area 2,700 km2 (1,040 sq mi)[1]

Average depth 240 m (787 ft)

Max. depth 480 m (1,575 ft)

Water volume 500 km3 (120 cu mi)

Surface elevation 1,460 m (4,790 ft)

Islands Idjwi

Settlements Goma, Congo

Bukavu, Congo

Kibuye, Rwanda

Cyangugu, Rwanda

Lake Kivu with Goma in the background

 

Lake Kivu is one of the African Great Lakes. It lies on the border between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, and is in the Albertine Rift, the western branch of the East African Rift. Lake Kivu empties into the Ruzizi River, which flows southwards into Lake Tanganyika. The name comes from kivu which means "lake" in some Bantu languages, just like the words tanganyika or nyanza.[citation needed]

 

Contents

 

1 History

2 Geography

3 Chemistry

3.1 Methane extraction

4 Biology and fisheries

5 See also

6 References

 

History

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2012)

People on the shore at Gisenyi

 

The first European to visit the lake was German Count Adolf von Götzen in 1894. Since then it has been caught up in the conflict between Hutu and Tutsi people in Rwanda, and their allies in DR Congo, which led to the 1994 Rwandan Genocide and the First and Second Congo Wars. Lake Kivu gained notoriety as a place where many of the victims of the genocide were dumped.

Geography

 

The lake covers a total surface area of some 2,700 km2 (1,040 sq mi) and stands at a height of 1,460 metres (4,790 ft) above sea level. Some 1 370 km2 or 58% of the lake's waters lie within DRC borders. The lake bed sits upon a rift valley that is slowly being pulled apart, causing volcanic activity in the area, and making it particularly deep: its maximum depth of 480 m (1,575 ft) is ranked eighteenth in the world.

 

The world's tenth-largest inland island, Idjwi, lies in Lake Kivu, as does the tiny island of Tshegera, which also lies within the boundaries of Virunga National Park; while settlements on its shore include Bukavu, Kabare, Kalehe, Sake, and Goma in Congo, and Gisenyi, Kibuye, and Cyangugu in Rwanda.

Chemistry

 

Lake Kivu is a fresh water lake and, along with Cameroonian Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun, is one of three that experience limnic eruptions. Around the lake, geologists found evidence of massive biological extinctions about every thousand years, caused by outgassing events. The trigger for lake overturns in Lake Kivu's case is unknown, but volcanic activity is suspected. The gaseous chemical composition of exploding lakes is unique to each lake; in Lake Kivu's case, methane and carbon dioxide due to lake water interaction with a volcano. The amount of methane is estimated to be 65 cubic kilometers (if burnt over one year, it would give an average power of about 100 gigawatts for the whole period). There is also an estimated 256 cubic kilometers of carbon dioxide. The water temperature is 24°C, and the pH level is about 8.6.[2] The methane is reported to be produced by microbial reduction of the volcanic CO2.[3] The risk from a possible Lake Kivu overturn is catastrophic, dwarfing other documented lake overturns at Lakes Nyos and Monoun, because of the approximately two million people living in the lake basin.

 

Cores from the Bukavu Bay area of the lake reveal that the bottom has layered deposits of the rare mineral monohydrocalcite interlain with diatoms, on top of sapropelic sediments with high pyrite content. These are found at three different intervals. The sapropelic layers are believed to be related to hydrothermal discharge and the diatoms to a bloom which reduced the carbon dioxide levels low enough to precipitiate monohydrocalcite.[4]

 

Scientists hypothesize that sufficient volcanic interaction with the lake's bottom water that has high gas concentrations would heat water, force the methane out of the water, spark a methane explosion, and trigger a nearly simultaneous release of carbon dioxide.[5][6] The carbon dioxide would then suffocate large numbers of people in the lake basin as the gases roll off the lake surface. It is also possible that the lake could spawn lake tsunamis as gas explodes out of it.[7][8]

 

The risk posed by Lake Kivu began to be understood during the analysis of more recent events at Lake Nyos. Lake Kivu's methane was originally thought to be merely a cheap natural resource for export, and for the generation of cheap power. Once the mechanisms that caused lake overturns began to be understood, so did awareness of the risk the lake posed to the local population.

 

An experimental vent pipe was installed at Lake Nyos in 2001 to remove gas from the deep water, but such a solution for the much larger Lake Kivu would be considerably more expensive. No plan has been initiated to reduce the risk posed by Lake Kivu.[dubious – discuss] The approximately 500 million tonnes of carbon dioxide in the lake is a little under 2 percent of the amount released annually by human fossil fuel burning. Therefore the process of releasing it could potentially have costs beyond building and operating the system.

Methane extraction

Methane extraction platform.

 

Lake Kivu has recently been found to contain approximately 55 billion cubic metres (1.94 trillion cubic feet) of dissolved biogas at a depth of 300 metres (1,000 ft). Until 2004, extraction of the gas was done on a small scale, with the extracted gas being used to run boilers at a brewery, the Bralirwa brewery in Gisenyi.[9][10] As far as large-scale exploitation of this resource is concerned, the Rwandan government has negotiated with a number of parties to produce methane from the lake.

 

In 2011 ContourGlobal, a U.S. based energy company focused on emerging markets, secured project financing to initiate a large-scale methane extraction project. The project will be run through a local Rwandan entity called KivuWatt, using an offshore barge platform to extract, separate, and clean the gasses obtained from the lake bed before pumping purified methane via an underwater pipeline to on-shore gas engines. Stage one of the project aims to build and supply three "gensets" along the lake shore, totaling 25MW of electrical capacity. Initial project operations are scheduled to commence in 2012.[11] In addition to managing gas extraction, KivuWatt will also manage the electrical generation plants and on-sell the electrical power to the Rwandan government under the terms of a long-term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). This allows KivuWatt to control a vertically integrated energy offering from point of extraction to point of sale into the local grid. Extraction is said to be cost-effective and relatively simple because once the gas-rich water is pumped up, the dissolved gases (primarily carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulphide and methane) begin to bubble out as the water pressure gets lower. This project is expected to increase Rwanda's energy generation capability by as much as 20 times, and will enable Rwanda to sell electricity to neighboring African countries.[10] The firm was awarded the 2011 Africa Power deal of the year for innovation in the financing arrangements it obtained from various sources for the KivuWatt project. [12] .[13]

 

A problem associated with the prevalence of methane is that of mazuku.

Biology and fisheries

Fishing boats on Lake Kivu, 2009.

Reflection of the sky on Lake Kivu

 

The fish fauna in Lake Kivu is relatively poor with 28 species, including four introduced species.[14] The natives are the Lake Rukwa minnow (Raiamas moorii), four species of Barbus (B. altianalis, B. apleurogramma, B. kerstenii and B. pellegrini), an Amphilius catfish, two Clarias catfish (C. liocephalus and C. gariepinus), Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and 15 endemic Haplochromis cichlids.[14] The introduced species are three cichlids, the longfin tilapia (Oreochromis macrochir), O. leucostictus and redbreast tilapia (Coptodon rendalli), and a clupeid, the Lake Tanganyika sardine, Limnothrissa miodon.[14]

 

The exploitable stock of the Lake Tanganyika sardine was estimated at 2000–4000 tons per year.[15] It was introduced to Lake Kivu in the late 1959 by a Belgian Engineer A. Collart. At present, Lake Kivu is the sole natural lake in which L. miodon, a sardine originally restricted to Lake Tanganyika, has been introduced initially to fill an empty niche. Prior to the introduction, no planktivorous fish was present in the pelagic waters of Lake Kivu. In the early 1990s, the number of fishers on the lake was 6,563, of which 3,027 were associated with the pelagic fishery and 3,536 with the traditional fishery. Widespread armed conflict in the surrounding region from the mid-1990s resulted in a decline in the fisheries harvest.[16]

 

Following this introduction, the sardine has gained substantial economic and nutritional importance for the lakeside human population but from an ecosystem standpoint, the introduction of planktivorous fish may result in important modifications of plankton community structure. Recent observations showed the disappearance during the last decades of a large grazer, Daphnia curvirostris, and the dominance of mesozooplankton community by three species of cyclopoid copepod: Thermocyclops consimilis, Mesocyclops aequatorialis and Tropocyclops confinis.[17][18]

 

The first comprehensive phytoplankton survey was released in 2006.[19] With an annual average chlorophyll a in the mixed layer of 2.2 mg m-3 and low nutrient levels in the euphotic zone, the lake is clearly oligotrophic. Diatoms are the dominant group in the lake, particularly during the dry season episodes of deep mixing. During the rainy season, the stratified water column, with high light and lower nutrient availability, favour dominance of cyanobacteria with high numbers of phototrophic picoplankton.[19][20][21][22] The actual primary production is 0.71 g C m-2 d-1 (~ 260 g C m-2 y-1).[23]

 

A study of evolutionary genetics showed that the cichlids from lakes in northern Virunga (e.g., Edward, George, Victoria) would have evolved in a "proto-lake Kivu", much older than the intense volcanic activity (20,000-25,000 years ago) which cut the connection.[24] The elevation of the mountains west of the lake (which is currently the Kahuzi-Biega National Park, one of the largest reserves of eastern lowland (or Grauer's) gorillas in the world), combined with the elevation of the eastern rift (located in eastern Rwanda) would be responsible for drainage of water from central Rwanda in the actual Lake Kivu. This concept of "proto-lake Kivu" was challenged by lack of consistent geological evidence,[25] although the cichlid's molecular clock suggests the existence of a lake much older than the commonly cited 15,000 years.

 

Lake Kivu is the home of four species of freshwater crab, including two non-endemics (Potamonautes lirrangensis and P. mutandensis) and two endemics (P. bourgaultae and P. idjwiensis).[26] Among Rift Valley lakes, Lake Tanganyika is the only other with endemic freshwater crabs.[26]

The history of Elliston is not complete without reference to the Elliston Massacre of 1849. The first white people to traverse this region and come into contact with the local Aboriginal people were the men who comprised the exploration party of Edward John Eyre in 1839. Eyre’s account of the Peninsula with no rivers and not a lot of fresh water and Mallee scrub everywhere deterred even the pastoralists for many years. Only a few ventured beyond the Port Lincoln area in the 1840s and even into the 1850s. But some did and conflict with the local Aboriginal people resulted. Dr William Browne of the Booborowie run and others took out a pastoral lease for Talia station in the Lake Newland region in the late 1840s. He employed two brothers named Hamp to manage the station and he employed them as shepherds. According to legends and reports one Hamp brother was murdered by Aboriginal people on 23 June 1848 after several months of skirmishes and conflict. A neighbouring shepherd visited the hut and found it had been rifled and the body of John Hamp was lying a few yards from the hut. He reported the finding to his manager who just happened to be entertaining the local police trooper who had visited a ship wreck on the coast. Trooper Driver (and Resident Commissioner) inspected the hut and noticed that John Hamp had been waddied to death and his skull partly sawn in two by a hand saw. Aboriginal tracks were evident and followed by Police trooper Driver and the manager of the station for a day before they were lost. When the Resident (Commissioner) of Port Lincoln wrote his report in July he was critical of the Police for wasting time by trying to track the Aborigines when they should have returned to report the incident in Port Lincoln. Two Aboriginal men were apprehended and tried by the Resident of Port Lincoln one year later before being tried in the Supreme Court of South Australia where the sentence was upheld. They were sentenced to death but given a reprieve by Governor Young.

 

But following the trial the Resident of Port Lincoln recommended that police stations be established at Lake Hamilton and Franklin Harbour(Cowell). But the murder of Hamp was not the end of conflict. In August the Aboriginals attacked the area of Hamp’s hut again and one shepherd was speared and one Aboriginal shot. Another report followed and the police troopers and other station hands went out on a punitive trip but with no reported incidents emerging. Perhaps this is where the story of the “Elliston Massacre” emerged but not according to later government reports. Following two murders of white settlers in May of 1849 Inspector Tolmer (later the Police Commissioner) gathered a party of men and riders together to search for the culprits of these murders. They found four Aborigines who were suspected of being responsible for the two murders in May of 1849 and of John Hamp in June of 1848. They were tried in the Supreme Court of South Australia and convicted but given a reprieve from the death sentence. There was no official or police attempt to round up groups of Aboriginal people and drive them to their death but stories of a massacre emerged. The area that was named Waterloo Bay in 1865 was a popular camping spot for Aboriginal people in the 1840s. Aboriginal oral traditions tell of a massacre of a number of people in 1849 when white men tried to round up Aboriginal people accused of crimes. The Aboriginals’ story goes that the white expedition party found Aboriginal people near a lake south of what is now Elliston. As the Aboriginal people fled some were followed through the scrub towards the coast. Shots were fired and several Aboriginal people were killed. When the white horsemen reached the top of the cliffs the group they were following had disappeared. It was presumed that some Aboriginal people had jumped 150 feet to their deaths into the ocean. There were no official reports on this expedition which is unusual to say the least for 1849 when all incidents with Aboriginal people were reported to the police, the Resident of Port Lincoln and/or the Protector of Aborigines in Adelaide. In fact the Protector of Aborigines Mr Moorhouse travelled to Port Lincoln to hear abolut the search for the murderers first hand in June 1849. Perhaps some Aboriginal people had heard stories of Police Inspector Tolmer and his party looking for murderers and translated that into a major punitive expedition with drastic results for a large group of people. The government was always assiduous about protecting the legal rights of Aborigines even if they did not treat them well. But the lack of any government or official report does not mean that such a punitive expedition by white men did not occur but there is no way that it would have been Inspector Tolmer’s party. A local pastoralist of Lake Newland Mr Horne also led a punitive expedition against Aboriginal people in 1849 and this incident is more likely to have been the basis of the coastal Elliston Massacre. The first written report of an Elliston Massacre appeared in an Adelaide newspaper in 1880 with the story presented by someone who only gave their initials. Since then it has been repeated many times but with little real evidence to support the existence of a massacre. But whether or not a massacre occurred there were certainly numerous incidents of conflict between white settlers and Aboriginal people but they were usually reported to the police and investigated by the authorities. Deaths occurred among white settlers and Aboriginal people before violence subsided after the Hamp and other murder trails of 1849. The number of Aboriginal people killed is impossible to enumerate precisely. In 2018 the Elliston community erected a monument to the massacre so that it will never be forgotten by present day Australians.

 

Guild Chapel and Guild Hall

The fraternity of the Guild of the Holy Cross was already in existence in 1269 when Godfrey Giffard, Bishop of Worcester granted a licence to the brethren and sisters to build a chapel and to found a hospital for the poor priests of the diocese. The hospital is believed to have been on the site of the nave, the chapel being the size of the chancel.

Between 1424-27 the chancel was repaired and decorated with red lead, vermillion, white lead and yellow oil, paid for by Thomas Payntour.

The chancel and north wall were rebuilt & refurbished 1449-52 , larger windows were inserted and the roof made shallower. The hospital was used for Guild meetings.

It was enlarged with nave, porch & tower c1495 & decorated with wall paintings, all paid for by Hugh Clopton, a local man who became a rich mercer & Mayor of London

By the end of the 15c the powerful Guild had become the town's semi official governing body, focused on the welfare of its members. It built the Guild Hall in 1418-1420 , schoolhouse in 1427 where Shakespeare was educated, and alms houses that dominate Church Street with a schoolmaster to teach the members' children. The chapel became so important to the townspeople that the clergy of the parish church complained that people often attended the chapel rather than the church.

The school was open to any local boy who could read and write and was generously supported by the town, the headmaster having an annual salary of £20, twice as much as the headmaster of Eton at that time. Boys normally attended for 7 - 8 years beginning at the age of seven for 6 days a week. The day was long , the pupils sitting on hard wooden benches from six in the morning to five or six at night , with only 2 short breaks for meals. Discipline was strict , with the emphasis on reading, writing and reciting latin grammar

 

After the suppression of the Guild in 1547 by Edward Vl, their property confiscated to the Crown, the king issued a Royal Charter of Incorporation granting ownership of the chapel (and the civic duties of the Guild) to the Mayor & Alderman & Burgesses of the town

Queen Elizabeth l passed a Royal Injunction in 1559 demanding "removal of all signs of superstition and idolatry from places of worship". Surviving records say that John Shakespeare father of the playwright, who was chamberlain of the Corporation in 1563 authorised payment of 2s for "defasyng ymages in ye chappell" The paintings were thankfully only whitewashed thus preserving rather than defacing,

In early 17c the nave was repainted in monochrome to imitate columns etc , with possibly the addition of panelling . The chapel and nave were divided by a wall and the chancel sub divided and rented out. The vicar was trouble with the Corporation for allowing "his children to play at ball and other sports therein, his servants to hang clothes to dry, his pigs and poultry and dog to lie and feed in it, the pictures defaced and the windows broken"

In 1641 the chancel screen was removed and the interior limewashed again. A new decorative scheme of red panels divided by pilasters was painted over the earlier wall paintings. The Doom was overpainted and covered with prayer boards.

In early 18c the interior was repainted with imitation red and pink marble pilasters with Corinthian capitals The font was installed .

Chapel of the Guild of the Holy Cross next to the Guildhall.

In 1804 major refurbishment was undertaken. The fine 15c ceiling and roof was taken down having become unsafe and replaced with the current lower plastered ceiling which cut through the top of the hidden Doom painting . The wall paintings were discovered and recorded in drawings by T Fisher. Sadly the chancel paintings were destroyed by the "improvements" The nave was painted white.

In 1835 a wooden gallery was inserted against the nave west wall possibly re-using carvings from earlier timber screens or rood loft. Box pews and panelling were also installed.

In 1929 the Doom, Dance of Death & Life of Adam paintings were uncovered once more and conserved by Tristram using a wax application.

Now in severe disrepair , the Friends of the Guild Chapel was formed 1955-62 and sought to restore & embellish the fabric. The gallery, box pews, double decker pulpit and chancel floor were removed and new pews and panelling was installed by Dykes-Bower.

In 2001 all was taken over by the Stratford Town Trust and in 2014 a new organ and organ loft was installed.

In 2016 the Doom underwent further conservation, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund. Sadly the beautifully preserved head of Christ and the 4 angels are in the loft space , obscured from view but still beautifully preserved

 

The Guildhall was built in 1417-20 as the headquarters of the Guild of the Holy Cross. In 1553 following the suppression of the Guild, th building was granted to the newly formed Stratford Corporation by Edward Vl. It served a the council's meeting place for the next 300 hears, including the year 158-9 hen William Shakespeare's father John served as bailiff. The Guild's scull refounded as the Kyng's Newe Scole " in 1553 occupied part of the upper floor from the 1560s and it ws here that William Shakespeare was educated.

In the late 1500s travelling players performed regularly in the Guildhall providing Shakespeare with his first experience of professional theatre. The Guildhall continues to be used or teaching by King Edward Vl School.

Further down is Nash's House in Chapel Street next door to the ruins and gardens of William Shakespeare's final residence, New Place (Thomas Nash was the 1st husband of Shakespeare's granddaughter Elizabeth, and a wealthy local property owner - he is buried in the parish church www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/vm6M80 ) - Stratford Upon Avon, Warwickshire

 

The bhavacakra (Sanskrit; Pāli: bhavacakka; Tibetan: srid pa'i 'khor lo) is a symbolic representation of saṃsāra (or cyclic existence) found on the outside walls of Tibetan Buddhist temples and monasteries in the Indo-Tibetan region. In the Mahayana Buddhism, it is believed that the drawing was designed by the Buddha himself in order to help ordinary people understand Buddhist teachings.

 

The bhavacakra is popularly referred to as the wheel of life, and may also be glossed as wheel of cyclic existence or wheel of becoming.

 

ORIGIN

Legend has it that the historical Buddha himself created the first depiction of the bhavacakra, and the story of how he gave the illustration to King Rudrāyaṇa appears in the anthology of Buddhist narratives called the Divyāvadāna.

 

The bhavacakra is painted on the outside walls of nearly every Tibetan Buddhist temple in Tibet and India. Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche states:

 

One of the reasons why the Wheel of Life was painted outside the monasteries and on the walls (and was really encouraged even by the Buddha himself) was to teach this very profound Buddhist philosophy of life and perception to more simple-minded farmers or cowherds. So these images on the Wheel of Life are just to communicate to the general audience.

 

EXPLANATION OF THE DIAGRAM

OVERVIEW

The meanings of the main parts of the diagram are:

The images in the hub of the wheel represent the three poisons of ignorance, attachment and aversion.

The second layer represents karma.

The third layer represents the six realms of samsara.

The fourth layer represents the twelve links of dependent origination.

The fierce figure holding the wheel represents impermanence.

The moon above the wheel represents liberation from samsara or cyclic existence.

The Buddha pointing to the moon indicates that liberation is possible.

 

Symbolically, the three inner circles, moving from the center outward, show that the three poisons of ignorance, attachment, and aversion give rise to positive and negative actions; these actions and their results are called karma. Karma in turn gives rise to the six realms, which represent the different types of suffering within samsara.

 

The fourth and outer layer of the wheel symbolizes the twelve links of dependent origination; these links indicate how the sources of suffering - the three poisons and karma - produce lives within cyclic existence.

 

The fierce being holding the wheel represents impermanence; this symbolizes that the entire process of samsara or cyclic existence is impermanent, transient, constantly changing. The moon above the wheel indicates liberation. The Buddha is pointing to the moon, indicating that liberation from samsara is possible.

 

HUB: THE THREE POISONS

In the hub of the wheel are three animals: a pig, a snake, and a bird. They represent the three poisons of ignorance, aversion, and attachment, respectively. The pig stands for ignorance; this comparison is based on the Indian concept of a pig being the most foolish of animals, since it sleeps in the dirtiest places and eats whatever comes to its mouth. The snake represents aversion or anger; this is because it will be aroused and strike at the slightest touch. The bird represents attachment (also translated as desire or clinging). The particular bird used in this diagram represents an Indian bird that is very attached to its partner. These three animals represent the three poisons, which are the core of the bhavacakra. From these three poisons, the whole cycle of existence evolves.

 

In many drawings of the wheel, the snake and bird are shown as coming out of the mouth of the pig, indicating that aversion and attachment arise from ignorance. The snake and bird are also shown grasping the tail of the pig, indicating that they in turn promote greater ignorance.

 

Under the influence of the three poisons, beings create karma, as shown in the next layer of the circle.

 

SECOND LAYER: KARMA

The second layer of the wheel shows two-half circles:

One half-circle (usually light) shows contented people moving upwards to higher states, possibly to the higher realms.

The other half-circle (usually dark) shows people in a miserable state being led downwards to lower states, possibly to the lower realms.

 

These images represent karma, the law of cause and effect. The light half-circle indicates people experiencing the results of positive actions. The dark half-circle indicates people experiencing the results of negative actions.

 

Ringu Tulku states:

 

We create karma in three different ways, through actions that are positive, negative, or neutral. When we feel kindness and love and with this attitude do good things, which are beneficial to both ourselves and others, this is positive action. When we commit harmful deeds out of equally harmful intentions, this is negative action. Finally, when our motivation is indifferent and our deeds are neither harmful or beneficial, this is neutral action. The results we experience will accord with the quality of our actions.

 

Propelled by their karma, beings take rebirth in the six realms of samsara, as shown in the next layer of the circle.

 

THIRD LAYER: THE SIX REALMS OF SAMSARA

OVERVIEW

The third layer of the wheel is divided into six sections that represent the six realms of samsara. These six realms are divided into three higher realms and three lower realms.

 

The three higher realms are shown in the top half of the circle; the higher realms consist of the god realm, the demi-god realm and the human realm. The god realm is shown in the top middle and the human realm and demi-god realms are on either side of the god realm.

 

The three lower realms are shown in the bottom half of the circle; the lower realms consist of the hell realm, the animal realm and the hungry ghost realm. The hell realm is shown in the bottom middle of the circle, with the animal realm and hungry ghost realm on either side of the hell realm.

 

WHAT IS SAMSARA?

The six realms are six different types of rebirth that beings can enter into, each representing different types of suffering. Samsara, or cyclic existence, refers to the process of cycling through one rebirth after another.

 

Patrul Rinpoche states:

 

The term samsara, the wheel or round of existence, is used here to mean going round and round from one place to another in a circle, like a potter's wheel, or the wheel of a water mill. When a fly is trapped in a closed jar, no matter where it flies, it can not get out. Likewise, whether we are born in the higher or lower realms, we are never outside samsara. The upper part of the jar is like the higher realms of gods and men, and the lower part like the three unfortunate realms. It is said that samsara is a circle because we turn round and round, taking rebirth in one after another of the six realms as a result of our own actions, which, whether positive or negative, are tainted by clinging.

 

A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SIX REALMS

Six realms of existence are identified in the Buddhist teachings: gods, demi-gods, humans, animals, hungry ghosts and hells. These realms can be understood on a psychological level, or as aspects of Buddhist cosmology.

 

These six realms can be divided into three higher realms and three lower realms. The three higher realms are:

 

GOD REALM: the gods lead long and enjoyable lives full of pleasure and abundance, but they spend their lives pursuing meaningless distractions and never think to practice the dharma. When death comes to them, they are completely unprepared; without realizing it, they have completely exhausted their good karma (which was the cause for being reborn in the god realm) and they suffer through being reborn in the lower realms.

 

DEMI-GODS REALM: the demi-gods have pleasure and abundance almost as much as the gods, but they spend their time fighting among themselves or making war on the gods. When they make war on the gods, they always lose, since the gods are much more powerful. The demi-gods suffer from constant fighting and jealousy, and from being killed and wounded in their wars with each other and with the gods.

 

HUMAN REALM: humans suffer from hunger, thirst, heat, cold, separation from friends, being attacked by enemies, not getting what they want, and getting what they don't want. They also suffer from the general sufferings of birth, old age, sickness and death. Yet the human realm is considered to be the most suitable realm for practicing the dharma, because humans are not completely distracted by pleasure (like the gods or demi-gods) or by pain and suffering (like the beings in the lower realms).

 

The three lower realms are:

 

ANIMAL REALM: wild animals suffer from being attacked and eaten by other animals; they generally lead lives of constant fear. Domestic animals suffer from being exploited by humans; for example, they are slaughtered for food, overworked, and so on.

 

HUNGRY GHOST REALM: hungry ghosts suffer from extreme hunger and thirst. They wander constantly in search of food and drink, only to be miserably frustrated any time they come close to actually getting what they want. For example, they see a stream of pure, clear water in the distance, but by the time they get there the stream has dried up. Hungry ghosts have huge bellies and long, thin necks. On the rare occasions that they do manage to find something to eat or drink, the food or water burns their neck as it goes down to their belly, causing them intense agony.

 

HELL REALM: hell beings endure unimaginable suffering for eons of time. There are actually eighteen different types of hells, each inflicting a different kind of torment. In the hot hells, beings suffer from unbearable heat and continual torments of various kinds. In the cold hells, beings suffer from unbearable cold and other torments.

 

Generally speaking, each realm is said to be the result of one of the six main negative emotions: pride, jealousy, desire, ignorance, greed, and anger. Dzongsar Khyentse states:

 

So we have six realms. Loosely, you can say when the perception comes more from aggression, you experience things in a hellish way. When your perception is filtered through attachment, grasping or miserliness, you experience the hungry ghost realm. When your perception is filtered through ignorance, then you experience the animal realm. When you have a lot of pride, you are reborn in the god realm. When you have jealousy, you are reborn in the asura (demi-god) realm. When you have a lot of passion, you are reborn in the human realm.

 

Among the six realms, the human realm is considered to offer the best opportunity to practice the dharma. Dzongsar Khyentse states:

 

If we need to judge the value of these six realms, the Buddhists would say the best realm is the human realm. Why is this the best realm? Because you have a choice ... The gods don't have a choice. Why? They're too happy. When you are too happy you have no choice. You become arrogant. The hell realm: no choice, too painful. The human realm: not too happy and also not too painful. When you are not so happy and not in so much pain, what does that mean? A step closer to the normality of mind, remember? When you are really, really excited and in ecstasy, there is no normality of mind. And when you are totally in pain, you don't experience normality of mind either. So someone in the human realm has the best chance of acquiring that normality of mind. And this is why in Buddhist prayers you will always read: ideally may we get out of this place, but if we can't do it within this life, may we be reborn in the human realm, not the others.

 

Sometimes, the wheel is represented as only having five realms because the God realm and the Demi-god realm are combined into a single realm.

 

In some representations of the wheel, there is a buddha or bodhisattva depicted within each realm, trying to help sentient beings find their way to nirvana.

 

SANSKRIT TERMS FOR THE SIX REALMS

The Sanskrit terms for the six realms are:

 

Deva realm: God realm

Asura realm: Demi-god realm

Manuṣya realm: Human realm

Tiryagyoni realm: Animal realm

Preta realm: Hungry Ghost realm

Naraka realm: Hell realm

 

OUTER RIM: THE TWELVE LINKS

The outer rim of the wheel is divided into twelve sections that represent the Twelve Nidānas. As previously stated, the three inner layers of the wheel show that the three poisons lead to karma, which leads to the suffering of the six realms. The twelve links of the outer rim show how this happens - by presenting the process of cause and effect in detail.

 

These twelve links can be understood to operate on an outer or inner level.

 

On the outer level, the twelve links can be seen to operate over several lifetimes; in this case, these links show how our past lives influence our current lifetime, and how our actions in this lifetime influence our future lifetimes.

On the inner level, the twelve links can be understood to operate in every moment of existence in an interdependent manner. On this level, the twelve links can be applied to show the effects of one particular action.

 

By contemplating on the twelve links, one gains greater insight into the workings of karma; this insight enables us to begin to unravel our habitual way of thinking and reacting.

 

The twelve causal links, paired with their corresponding symbols, are:

 

Avidyā lack of knowledge – a blind person, often walking, or a person peering out

Saṃskāra constructive volitional activity – a potter shaping a vessel or vessels

Vijñāna consciousness – a man or a monkey grasping a fruit

Nāmarūpa name and form (constituent elements of mental and physical existence) – two men afloat in a boat

Ṣaḍāyatana six senses (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind) – a dwelling with six windows

Sparśa contact – lovers consorting, kissing, or entwined

Vedanā pain – an arrow to the eye

Tṛṣṇa thirst – a drinker receiving drink

Upādāna grasping – a man or a monkey picking fruit

Bhava coming to be – a couple engaged in intercourse, a standing, leaping, or reflective person

Jāti being born – woman giving birth

Jarāmaraṇa old age and death – corpse being carried

 

THE FIGURE HOLDING THE WHEEL: IMPERMANENCE

The wheel is being held by a fearsome figure who represents impermanence. The 14th Dalai Lama states:The fierce being holding the wheel symbolizes impermanence, which is why the being is a wrathful monster, though there is no need for it to be drawn with ornaments and so forth ... Once I had such a painting drawn with a skeleton rather than a monster, in order to symbolize impermanence more clearly.

 

This figure is most commonly depicted as Yama, the lord of death. Regardless of the figure depicted, the inner meaning remains the same–that the entire process of cyclic existence (samsara) is transient; everything within this wheel is constantly changing.

 

Yama has the following attributes:

 

He wears a crown of five skulls that symbolize the impermanence of the five aggregates. (The skulls are also said to symbolize the five poisons.)

He has a third eye that symbolizes the wisdom of understanding impermanence.

He is sometimes shown adorned with a tiger skin, which symbolizes fearfulness. (The tiger skin is typically seen hanging beneath the wheel.)

His four limbs (that are clutching the wheel) symbolize the sufferings of birth, old age, sickness, and death.

  

THE MOON: LIBERATION

Above the wheel is an image of the moon; the moon represents liberation from the sufferings of samsara.

 

Thubten Chodron states:

 

The moon is nirvana [i.e. liberation]. Nirvana is the cessation of all the unsatisfactory experiences and their causes in such a way that they can no longer occur again. It's the removal, the final absence, the cessation of those things, their non-arising. The Buddha is pointing us to that.

 

Chögyam Trungpa states:

 

The truth of cessation is a personal discovery. It is not mystical and does not have any connotations of religion or psychology. It is simply your experience ... Likewise, cessation is not just a theoretical discovery, but an experience that is very real to you–a sudden gain. It is like experiencing instantaneous good health: you have no cold, no flu, no aches, and no pains in your body. You feel perfectly well, absolutely refreshed and wakeful! Such an experience is possible.

 

Some drawings may show an image of a "pure land" to indicate liberation, rather than a moon.

 

THE BUDDHA POINTING TO THE MOON: THE PATH TO LIBERATION

The upper part of the drawing also shows an image of the Buddha pointing toward the moon; this represents the path to liberation.

 

Thubten Chodron states:

 

So the Buddha's gesture is like the path to enlightenment. It's not that the Buddha is the cause of nirvana. The Buddha is a cooperative condition of our nirvana. He indicates the path to us, he points out to us what to practice and what to abandon in order to be liberated. When we follow the path, we get the result, which is nirvana.

 

Chögyam Trungpa states:

 

The nature of the path is more like an exploration or an expedition than following a path that has already been built. When people hear that they should follow the path, they might think that a ready-make system exists, and that individual expressions are not required. They may think that one does not have to surrender or give or open. But when you actually begin to tread on the path, you realize that you have to clear out the jungle and all the trees, underbrush, and obstacles growing in front of you. You have to bypass tigers and elephants and poisonous snakes.

 

Mark Epstein states:

 

The entire Wheel of Life is but a representation of the possibility of transforming suffering by changing the way we relate to it. As the Buddha taught in his final exhortation to his faithful attendant Ananda, it is only through becoming a "lamp unto yourself" that enlightenment can be won. Liberation from the Wheel of Life does not mean escape, the Buddha implied. It means clear perception of oneself, of the entire range of the human experience ...

 

According to the Buddhist tradition, the Buddha told his followers:

 

I have shown you the path that leads to liberation

But you should know that liberation depends upon yourself.

 

INSCRIPTION

Drawings of the Bhavacakra usually contain an inscription consisting of a few lines of text that explain the process that keeps us in samara and how to reverse that process.

 

PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERPRETATION

From a psychological point of view, different karmic actions contribute to one's metaphorical existence in different realms, or rather, different actions reinforce personal characteristics described by the realms.

 

Mark Epstein states:

 

The core question of Buddhist practice, after all, is the psychological one of "Who am I?" Investigating this question requires exploration of the entire wheel. Each realm becomes not so much a specific place but rather a metaphor for a different psychological state, with the entire wheel becoming a representation of neurotic suffering.

 

WITHIN THE THERAVADA TRADITION

T. B. Karunaratne states:

 

Though in Theravāda literature there is no mention of an actual pictorial execution of a "Wheel of Life," yet the concept of comparing Dependent Origination to a wheel is not unknown. In the Path of Purification (Visuddhimagga), the famous commentator Buddhaghosa Acariya says:

 

"It is the beginningless round of rebirths that is called the 'Wheel of the round of rebirths' (saṃsāracakka). Ignorance (avijjā) is its hub (or nave) because it is its root. Ageing-and-death (jarā-maraṇa) is its rim (or felly) because it terminates it. The remaining ten links (of the Dependent Origination) are its spokes (i.e. karma formations [saṅkhāra] up to process of becoming [bhava])."

 

WIKIPEDIA

In a dystopian 1984, Winston Smith endures a squalid existence in the totalitarian superstate of Oceania under the constant surveillance of the Thought Police. The story takes place in London, the capital city of the territory of Airstrip One (formerly "either England or Britain").

 

Winston works in a small office cubicle at the Ministry of Truth, rewriting history in accordance with the dictates of the Party and its supreme figurehead, Big Brother. A man haunted by painful memories and restless desires, Winston is an everyman who keeps a secret diary of his private thoughts, thus creating evidence of his thoughtcrime — the crime of independent thought, contrary to the dictates and aims of the Party.

 

His life takes a fatal turn when he is accosted by a fellow Outer Party worker — a mysterious, bold-looking girl named Julia — and they begin an illicit affair. Their first meeting takes place in the remote countryside where they exchange subversive ideas before having sex. Shortly after, Winston rents a room above a pawn shop (in the supposedly safe proletarian area) where they continue their liaison. Julia — a sensual, free-spirited young woman — procures contraband food and clothing on the black market, and for a brief few months they secretly meet and enjoy an idyllic life of relative freedom and contentment together.

 

It comes to an end one evening, with the sudden raid of the Thought Police. They are both arrested and it's revealed that there is a telescreen hidden behind a picture on the wall in their room, and that the proprietor of the pawn shop, Mr. Charrington, is a covert agent of the Thought Police. Winston and Julia are taken away to be detained, questioned and brutally "rehabilitated", separately. Winston is brought to the Ministry of Love, where O'Brien, a high-ranking member of the Inner Party whom Winston had previously believed to be a fellow thoughtcriminal and agent of the resistance movement led by the archenemy of the Party, Emmanuel Goldstein, systematically tortured him.

 

O'Brien instructs Winston about the state's true purpose and schools him in a kind of catechism on the principles of doublethink — the practice of holding two contradictory thoughts in the mind simultaneously. For his final rehabilitation, Winston is brought to Room 101, where O'Brien tells him he will be subjected to the "worst thing in the world", designed specifically around Smith's personal phobias. When confronted with this unbearable horror — which turns out to be a cage filled with wild rats — Winston's psychological resistance finally and irretrievably breaks down, and he hysterically repudiates his allegiance to Julia. Now completely subjugated and purged of any rebellious thoughts, impulses, or personal attachments, Winston is restored to physical health and released.

 

In the final scene, Winston returns to the Chestnut Tree Café, where he had previously seen the rehabilitated thoughtcriminals Jones, Aaronson and Rutherford (themselves once prominent but later disgraced members of the Inner Party) who have since been "vaporized" and rendered unpersons. While sitting at the chess table, Winston is approached by Julia, who was similarly "rehabilitated". They share a bottle of Victory Gin and impassively exchange a few words about how they have betrayed each other. After she leaves, Winston watches a broadcast of himself on the large telescreen confessing his "crimes" against the state and imploring forgiveness of the populace.

 

Upon hearing a news report declaring the Oceanian army's utter rout of the enemy (Eurasian)'s forces in North Africa, Winston looks at the still image of Big Brother that appears on the telescreen, then turns away and almost silently says "I love you" - a phrase that he and Julia repeatedly used during their relationship, indicating the possibility that he still loves Julia. However, he could also be declaring his love for Big Brother instead. The novel unambiguously ends with the words: "He loved Big Brother," whereas the movie seems to deliberately allow for either interpretation. Earlier, during Winston's conversation with Julia in the rented room, he stated that "if they can make me change my feelings, they can stop me from loving you, that would be real betrayal". In the final scene, the "real betrayal" has therefore either been committed or averted, depending on whether the "you" that Winston loves is Big Brother or Julia.

Photochallenge 267 - MATH

   

Math has been existing in the lives of the people even in the early times appearing in different forms. It exists in finding the Directions ( Compass ), determining the Times ( Glass Hour ) and lastly, knowing the exact numbers ( Abacus ) needed for existence in this world.

Bury St Edmunds Cathedral for most of its existence was simply the parish church of St James until the foundation of the new diocese of St Edmundsbury in 1914 when it was raised to cathedral status, one of the many new dioceses formed in the early 20th century that elevated existing parish churches to diocesan rank rather than purpose building a new cathedral. Many of these 'parish church cathedrals' sit slightly awkwardly with their new status, lacking in the scale and grandeur that befits such a title, but of all of them Bury St Edmunds has been adapted to its new role the most successfully, with in my opinion the most beautiful results.

 

The medieval church consisted of the present nave, built in 1503-51 under master mason John Wastell, with an earlier chancel that was entirely rebuilt in 1711 and again in 1870. Originally it would have seemed a fairly minor building at the entrance to the monastic precinct, overshadowed by the enormous abbey church that once stood immediately behind it. The absence of this magnificent church since the Dissolution and the scant remains of this vast edifice always sully my visits here with a sense of grievous loss, had history been kinder it would have served as the cathedral here instead and likely be celebrated as one of the grandest in the country.

 

The church never had a tower of its own since the adjacent Norman tower of the Abbey gateway served the role of a detached campanile perfectly. It is an impressive piece of Romanesque architecture and one of the best preserved 12th century towers in the country.

 

Upon being raised to cathedral status in 1914 the building underwent no immediate structural changes but plans were made to consider how best to transform a fairly ordinary church into a worthy cathedral. This task was appointed to architect Stephen Dykes Bower and work began in 1959 to extend the building dramatically. Between 1963-1970 the entire Victorian chancel was demolished and replaced with a much grander vision of a lofty new choir and shallow transepts, remarkably all executed in traditional Gothic style in order to harmonize with the medieval nave. It is incredible to think that this was done in the 1960s, a period in which church and cathedral buildings were otherwise constructed in the most self consciously modern forms ever seen, with delicate neo-medieval masonry in place of brick and concrete.

 

The new crossing of transepts and choir however remained crowned by the stump of a tower for the remainder of the century as funds were not available to finish Dykes Bower's complete vision of a lantern tower over the crossing: this was only realised at the beginning of the 21st century, aided by a legacy left in the architect's will and some subtle design changes under his successor as architect Hugh Matthews. The transformation from church to cathedral was finally completed in 2005 with most satisfactory results. A stunning fan-vault was installed within the new tower in 2010, an exquisite finishing touch.

 

Whilst it isn't a large building by cathedral standards its newer parts do much to give it the shape and dignity of one. This is especially apparent within, where the cruciform eastern limb draws the eye. The interior is enlivened by much colour, with the ceilings of Dykes Bower's choir and transepts adorned with rich displays of stencilling, whilst the nave ceiling (a Victorian replacement for the medieval one) was redecorated in similarly lively colours in the 1980s which helps to unify the old and new parts of the church.

 

Few fittings or features remain from the medieval period, most of the furnishings being Victorian or more recent, but one window in the south aisle retains a rich display of early 16th century stained glass, very much Renaissance in style. The remaining glass is nearly all Victorian, some of the windows in the new choir having been transferred from the previous chancel.

 

St Edmundsbury Cathedral is not filled with the monuments and fittings that make other great churches so rewarding to linger in but it is a real architectural delight and cannot fail to uplift the spirit.

stedscathedral.org/visit/

 

The world class boanical collections in Waimea Valley owe there existence to Mir. Keith Woolliams, a dedicated botanical horticulturist who was trained at the Royal Botanic Garden at Kew, on the outskirts of London.

Keith led a rich life traveling around the globe studying botanical collections in England, Japan, Papua New Guinea and Bermuda. He brought to Hawaii his expertise and knowledge of uncommon horticultural treasures, and he acquired seeds, plants, and cuttings from remote places and botanical gardens all over the world. In pre-internet days dozens of letters and packages were dispatched and received daily.

His theme of "Conservation Through Cultivation" resulted in a balance of rare and useful native and Polynesian-introduced plants among exotic horticultural specimens.

What was once an ungroomed valley, filled with koa haole and ravaged by feral cattle was transformed into what you see today by Keith and the many dedicated people he inspired. They oversaw the design, landscaping and construction of the pathways, stone walls and stairs that frame the gardens. Keith's high standards for record keeping and signage persist to this day. He left us in 1998 with a library full of his propagation knowledge, cultivation practices and plant lore which survives to ensure that the precious life forms brought to this valley will thrive here long into the future.

Keith was an inspiring advocate for Hawatian plant conservation and he influenced many young people across the state. He connected Waimea with state, federal and international agencies such as the Center for Plant Conservation, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, and the Botanical Gardens Conservation International - partnerships that Waimea Valley continues to uphold today.

Keith was instrumental in bringing in critically endangered plants from Japan's Ogasawara Islands, hibiscus relatives from all over the world, and with international colleagues he tried to assemble wild-source collections of every species of Erythrina in the world. In the periodical, "Notes from Waimea Arboretum and Botanical Garden" published twice a year until 1992 he stated "Waimea is a labeled and documented collection of plants for educational and scientific purposes, a living gene pool for future generations".

It is with great honor and gratitude that we remember Mr. Keith Woolliams and his dedication to Waimea Valley.

The Loyang Tua Pek Kong Temple, off Loyang Way, was established in the 1980s. The temple owes its existence to a group of friends, who on finding figurines of different religions abandoned on a beach, brought them together and housed them under a unique mixed-religion temple. The Loyang Tua Pek Kong Temple has Buddhist, Hindu and Taoist deities and a Muslim Kramat (shrine) within its premises.

 

Description

In the 1980s a group of fishing buddies, including Paul Tan and Huang Zhong Ting, stumbled across Buddhist, Hindu and Taoist statues strewn across the beach at the end of the Loyang Industrial Area. They built a small hut made of bricks and zinc sheets to house the figurines. This humble construction served as a makeshift temple. It also included a Kramat to honour a holy Muslim man. It is believed that a sign was received by some people to build the holy kramat here. Soon, scores of people, mainly those working in the Loyang Industrial Area, were visiting the temple. Miraculous powers were attributed to the temple as devotees claimed that their prayers for prosperity and wealth were never denied. Unfortunately however, in 1996, the hut was razed to the ground by a fire. The Taoist statue of Tua Pek Kong, the God of Prosperity, was the only one that survived and escaped from the fire unscathed. New premises to house the deities and the kramat had to be built. Through public donations that poured in, a new temple complex was built over a 1,400 sq m area at the same site. The temple was named after the Prosperity God, Tua Pek Kong the statue which miraculously escaped from the fire.

 

The temple is still run by public donations. The number of visitors to the temple is around 20,000 per month despite the fact that bus services are limited to weekdays and the last bus stop is a half an hour walk away. The temple still accepts statues of deities and any devotee can adopt or take a figurine of a deity for free after offering a prayer. The temple complex is open 24 hours a day and it has become a tourist attraction in the recent years. One of the temple's claims to fame is the presence of a 2 m tall statue of the Hindu God Ganesha, which is said to be the tallest Ganesha statue in any temple in India or Singapore. Another attraction here is the lighting of strings of non-hazardous firecrackers.

 

In June 2003, the lease on the land on which the temple is situated expired. The temple authorities therefore procured a new site close to the present temple for the construction of a new temple complex. In August 2007, the temple officially relocated to its new premises at 20 Loyang Way. The new compound cost $12 million to build and its construction was completed funded by public donations.

 

Author

Naidu Ratnala Thulaja

 

Wrtitten information was retrieved from Singapore Infopedia (2013)