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Washington – The U.S. Marshals Service continued the celebration of its 225th anniversary during a ceremony Dec. 12, 2014, at the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Superior Court U.S. Marshal, Michael Hughes, Chief Judge Lee F. Satterfield, Deputy Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department, Peter Newsham, and courthouse deputies celebrated the storied past and bright future of the Marshals Service in Washington D.C. The ceremony ended with the tradition of passing of a piece of cake from the most senior deputy to the newest to signify the passing of knowledge from one generation to the next. The Marshals has a long and distinguished past as the first federal law enforcement agency in the United States first signed into existence by George Washington in 1789. The USMS will celebrate its 225th anniversary throughout 2015 across their 96 districts. Photo by (Shane T. Mccoy/US Marshals)
Neuchâtel, Rue de l'écluse, 1976. Line 3 (motor car 72 from the early 1920s) climbs the steep gradient in its last weeks of existence. Trailers were put aside between morning and lunchtime peak hours
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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Nikon D800 160mm 1/125s f/2.8 iso100 RAW (14Bit) Hand held with Nikkor VR vibration reduction on. Nikon back focus button enabled. AF-C Continuous point focus with 3-D tracking. Manual exposure. Matrix metering. Auto white balance.Nikon AF Fine Tune on (+5)
Nikkor AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8G ED IF VRII. Jessops 77mm UV filter. Nikon MB-D12 battery grip. Two Nikon EN-EL15 batteries. Nikon DK-17M 1.2x Magnifying Eyepiece. Nikon DK-19 soft rubber eyecup. Digi-Chip 64GB Class 10 UHS-1 SDXC card. Lowepro Transporter camera strap. Lowepro Vertex 200 AW Photo/ 15.4" Notebook Backpack camera bag.
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RAW (TIFF) FILE SIZE: 103.00MB
PROCESSED (JPeg) SIZE: 23.45MB
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Nikon D800 Firmware versions A 1.10 B 1.10 L 2.009 (Lens distortion control version 2)
HP 110-352na Desktop PC with AMD Quad-Core A6-5200 APU processor. AMD Radeon HD8400 graphics. 8 GB DDR3 Memory with 1TB SATA storage. 64-bit Windows 10. Verbatim USB 2.0 1TB desktop hard drive. WD My Passport Ultra 1tb USB3 Portable hard drive. Nikon ViewNX2 Version 2.10.3 64bit. Adobe photoshop Elements 8 Version 8.0 64bit.
The loss of Francis Gary Powers’ U-2A on 1 May 1960 underscored the fact that the U-2 was not as invulnerable to interception as originally hoped. If altitude was no longer a defense against Soviet air defenses, speed would be. Clarence “Kelly” Johnson, who had designed the U-2, was put to work with his legendary “Skunk Works” section of Lockheed to develop a very high-speed reconnaissance aircraft to supplement the U-2, named first the A-12—like the U-2’s use of the innocuous “utility” designation, the A-12 would use the outdated “attack” designation, though it carried no weapons. This designation was later changed as the design evolved, to the RS-71; this in turn was reversed to SR-71 by General Curtis LeMay, for strategic reconnaissance.
Work on the A-12/SR-71 was done in the strictest secrecy, although its existence was revealed in 1964 by President Lyndon Johnson. Virtually everything about the aircraft had to be invented on the spot, and even the tools used in its production had to be specially built first. The SR-71 was built of mostly light titanium, and design specifications were such that normal tools would damage the airframe. Emphasis was made on stealth and especially high speed: the SR-71’s intended normal operating speed was in excess of Mach 3, which at that time had only been achieved with the rocket-powered X-15. To reach this speed, the aircraft would use J58 ramjets: once at altitude, the SR-71 would be accelerated to the point that the airflow over its shock-cone intakes would be forced into the engines at above the speed of sound. At speed above Mach 3, the SR-71 was more or less pulling itself through the air by brute force, with the engines only providing thirty percent of the thrust.
At these speeds, heat was a real problem, as the fuselage would rapidly heat up. Titanium sheds heat better than most metals, and the SR-71 was designed with corrugated “skin” that would easily expand and contract with changing airspeed, heat, and altitude. Panels in the aircraft were deliberately designed to be loose on the ground and contract at altitude; fuel leaks on SR-71s were so commonplace that they were not remarked upon. Even the fuel and black paint scheme (actually a very dark blue) were placed and applied to diffuse heat away from leading edges.
The A-12, and the short-lived YF-12 interceptor, lacked the extended chines of the SR-71; these were used to enhance the aircraft’s stealth techniques to reflect away radar. While in practice this did not work—Soviet radars could easily track the SR-71 through its heat plume—it actually made the aircraft more controllable and gave it increased lift. The SR-71 was not an easy aircraft to fly, but it was considerably easier than the U-2, and was generally reliable unless it lost an engine: the high speeds of the aircraft occasionally caused engine disintegration, which would usually destroy the SR-71. It was also very unstable in bad weather, should it run into any after takeoff or on approach. Because of its high speed, the approach “pattern” for SR-71s to land at their home base of Beale AFB, California, had to begin at St. Louis, Missouri. The navigation system was adapted from that of the Skybolt air-launched nuclear missile, while cameras and side-looking radar was carried in the nose or the chines; these could be swapped out as the mission required. Extensive electronic countermeasures were also carried.
The SR-71 first flew in December 1964 and entered service in 1966—only six years after being ordered, an impressive achievement given its highly advanced nature. It was immediately committed to service over Vietnam under Operation Giant Scale, where its operations were meant to be “secret,” though everyone, including the North Vietnamese, were aware of its presence. Soviet attempts to intercept the SR-71 were not successful: MiG-25 Foxbat interceptors could reach Mach 3, but Foxbat pilot Viktor Belenko later related the “ridiculous ease” that SR-71s could leave behind even the speedy MiG-25. Even later variants of SAMs and increasingly more sophisticated Soviet aircraft still could not intercept the SR-71, which quickly acquired the nickname Blackbird for its paint scheme; its snakelike chines earned it the nickname (and later callsign) Habu from Okinawans around Kadena airbase, where SR-71s often operated from, after the habu pit viper.
One thing that the Blackbird could not outrace was the cost of operation: it required special JP-7 fuel, which in turn required specialized KC-135Q tankers to refuel them. The tooling for the aircraft had been destroyed on the order of Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara in 1967, which meant the 32 operational SR-71s had to be maintained by cannibalizing either the retired A-12 fleet or other Blackbirds to stay operational. It survived several attempts at forced retirement in the 1980s until the breakup of the Communist Bloc finally brought an end to SR-71 operations in 1989, though developments were underway to equip the Blackbird with synthetic-aperture radar and even more advanced engine designs that could propel it up to Mach 6.
This retirement proved to be short-lived: during the First Gulf War, the USAF keenly felt the loss of the SR-71, which could provide better coverage of Iraq than satellites and was not as vulnerable as other reconnaissance platforms. Over heavy opposition from the USAF (which wanted to channel increasingly lower budget money towards the B-2 Spirit and development of the RQ-4 Global Hawk), three SR-71s were returned to service in 1993. After annual fights between the USAF, Congress, and President Bill Clinton over keeping the Blackbird in service, it was finally retired for good in 1998, except for two aircraft to be handed over to NASA for flight testing. NASA’s two aircraft only lasted a few years longer, with the end finally coming in 1999.
Of the 32 SR-71s produced (including SR-71A operational aircraft, SR-71B conversion trainers, and the single SR-71C “hybrid” trainer, converted from an A-12), 12 were lost in accidents. The remaining 20 aircraft have all been preserved in museums around the world.
This is SR-71A 61-7973, which entered service in 1964, initially flying from Edwards AFB, California to test SR-71 systems; one of the pilots on its first flight was Darryl Greenamyer, who was to later become a famous air racer. It joined the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Beale AFB, California in 1968, and took part in both Operation Glowing Heat sorties over North Vietnam (forward deployed to Kadena, Okinawa) and Senior Crown missions on the periphery of the USSR (forward deployed to RAF Mildenhall, UK). In July 1987, 61-7973 was flying in an airshow at Mildenhall when the crew accidentally overstressed the airframe. The decision was made to withdraw 61-7973 from service and it was flown back to Edwards. It was repaired and placed in storage, but when the SR-71 went through its first retirement in 1990, 61-7973 made one last flight: it captured the transcontinental flight record from New York to Edwards in 68 minutes. It was then retired to the Blackbird Airpark at the entrance to the Skunk Works' Plant 42 in Palmdale, California.
Because the Blackbird Airpark was closed by the time we got to Palmdale in May 2021, I had to shoot over the fence, which means this isn't the best picture of 61-7973. It is probably the first time I was able to get a full side-on shot of a SR-71, however, along with one of the J58 turbojets alongside. 61-7973 is painted as it would have been during Glowing Heat missions, with only the tail number in red and no USAF markings.
EDIT (June 2023): A slightly better shot of this aircraft, taken in 2023, without the fence in the way.
Wonder is what sets us apart from other life forms. No other species wonders about the meaning of existence or the complexity of the universe or themselves.
~ Herbert W. Boyer
Bonaparte Crossing the Alps (also called Napoleon Crossing the Alps, despite the existence of another painting with that name) is an 1848–1850 oil-on-canvas portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte, by French artist Hippolyte Delaroche. The painting depicts Bonaparte leading his army through the Alps on a mule, a journey Napoleon and his army of soldiers made in the spring of 1800, in an attempt to surprise the Austrian army in Italy. The two main versions of this painting that exist are in the Louvre in Paris and the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool, England. Queen Victoria also obtained a reduced version of it.
The work was inspired by Jacques-Louis David's series of five Napoleon Crossing the Alps paintings (1801–1805). David's works also show Napoleon's journey through the Great St. Bernard Pass, but there are significant stylistic differences between the two conceptions. Delaroche's Napoleon is cold and downcast, whereas David's wears a pristine uniform, and is idealized as a hero. Delaroche was commissioned to paint a realistic portrait; the style of which was emerging at the time.
While the painting largely represented—and was one of the pioneers of—an emerging style, the work was criticised by several authorities on the subject. The reasons for this varied from Delaroche's depiction of the scene to a general disapproval of Delaroche himself. Many of those who were in the latter state of mind felt that Delaroche was trying to match the genius of Napoleon in some way, and had failed miserably in doing so.
Hamburg, Germany Mayday 2014 .. still fighting for the existence and future of the libyan refugees of war, stranded in Hamburg nearly 2 yars ago. Demanding save housing, permission to work and the right to stay under §23. 2.000 people took their demands to the streets today along with other demonstrations on mayday 2014.
State of the Vatican City, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, the capital city of Italy. It has an area of approximately 44 hectares (110 acres) (0.44 km2), and a population of just over 800.[5][12]
Vatican City is a city-state that came into existence in 1929. It is distinct from the Holy See, which dates back to early Christianity and is the main episcopal see of 1.147 billion Latin and Eastern Catholic adherents around the globe. Ordinances of Vatican City are published in Italian; official documents of the Holy See are issued mainly in Latin. The two entities even have distinct passports: the Holy See, not being a country, only issues diplomatic and service passports; the state of Vatican City issues normal passports. In both cases the passports issued are very few.
The Lateran Treaty in 1929, which brought the city-state into existence, spoke of it as a new creation (Preamble and Article III), not as a vestige of the much larger Papal States (756-1870) that had previously encompassed central Italy. Most of this territory was absorbed into the Kingdom of Italy in 1860, and the final portion, namely the city of Rome with a small area close to it, ten years later, in 1870.
Vatican City is an ecclesiastical or sacerdotal-monarchical state, ruled by the bishop of Rome—the Pope. The highest state functionaries are all Catholic clergymen of various nationalities. It is the sovereign territory of the Holy See (Sancta Sedes) and the location of the Pope's residence, referred to as the Apostolic Palace.
The Popes have resided in the area that in 1929 became Vatican City since the return from Avignon in 1377. Previously, they resided in the Lateran Palace on the Caelian Hill on the opposite side of Rome, which site Constantine gave to Pope Miltiades in 313. The signing of the agreements that established the new state took place in the latter building, giving rise to the name of Lateran Pacts, by which they are known.
The name "Vatican" is ancient and predates Christianity, coming from the Latin Mons Vaticanus, meaning Vatican Mount. The territory of Vatican City is part of the Mons Vaticanus, and of the adjacent former Vatican Fields where St. Peter's Basilica, the Apostolic Palace, the Sistine Chapel, and museums were built, along with various other buildings. The area was part of the Roman rione of Borgo until 1929. Being separated from the city, on the west bank of the Tiber river, the area was an outcrop of the city that was protected by being included within the walls of Leo IV (847–55), and later expanded by the current fortification walls, built under Paul III (1534–49), Pius IV (1559–65) and Urban VIII (1623–44). When the Lateran Treaty of 1929 that gave the state its present form was being prepared, the boundaries of the proposed territory were influenced by the fact that much of it was all but enclosed by this loop. For some tracts of the frontier, there was no wall, but the line of certain buildings supplied part of the boundary, and for a small part of the frontier a modern wall was constructed. The territory includes St. Peter's Square, distinguished from the territory of Italy only by a white line along the limit of the square, where it touches Piazza Pio XII. St. Peter's Square is reached through the Via della Conciliazione which runs from the Tiber River to St. Peter's. This grand approach was constructed by Benito Mussolini after the conclusion of the Lateran Treaty.
According to the Lateran Treaty, certain properties of the Holy See that are located in Italian territory, most notably Castel Gandolfo and the major basilicas, enjoy extraterritorial status similar to that of foreign embassies. These properties, scattered all over Rome and Italy, house essential offices and institutions necessary to the character and mission of the Holy See.
Castel Gandolfo and the named basilicas are patrolled internally by police agents of Vatican City State and not by Italian police. St. Peter's Square is ordinarily policed jointly by both.
In this originally uninhabited area (the ager vaticanus) on the opposite side of the Tiber from the city of Rome, Agrippina the Elder (14 BC – 18 October AD 33) drained the hill and environs and built her gardens in the early 1st century AD. Emperor Caligula (37-41) started construction of a circus (AD 40) that was later completed by Nero, the Circus Gaii et Neronis, usually called, simply, the Circus of Nero. The Vatican obelisk was originally taken by Caligula from Heliopolis, Egypt to decorate the spina of his circus and is thus its last visible remnant. This area became the site of martyrdom of many Christians after the Great Fire of Rome in AD 64. Ancient tradition holds that it was in this circus that Saint Peter was crucified upside down. Opposite the circus was a cemetery separated by the Via Cornelia. Funeral monuments and mausoleums and small tombs as well as altars to pagan gods of all kinds of polytheistic religions were constructed lasting until before the construction of the Constantinian Basilica of St. Peter's in the first half of the 4th century. Remains of this ancient necropolis were brought to light sporadically during renovations by various popes throughout the centuries increasing in frequency during the Renaissance until it was systematically excavated by orders of Pope Pius XII from 1939 to 1941.
In 326, the first church, the Constantinian basilica, was built over the site that early Roman Catholic apologists (from the first century on) as well as noted Italian archaeologists argue was the tomb of Saint Peter, buried in a common cemetery on the spot. From then on the area started to become more populated, but mostly only by dwelling houses connected with the activity of St. Peter's. A palace was constructed near the site of the basilica as early as the 5th century during the pontificate of Pope Symmachus (reigned 498–514)
Popes in their secular role gradually came to govern neighbouring regions and, through the Papal States, ruled a large portion of the Italian peninsula for more than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when all of the territory of the Papal States was seized by the newly created Kingdom of Italy. For much of this time the Vatican was not the habitual residence of the Popes, but rather the Lateran Palace, and in recent centuries, the Quirinal Palace, while the residence from 1309–77 was at Avignon in France.
In 1870, the Pope's holdings were left in an uncertain situation when Rome itself was annexed by the Piedmont-led forces which had united the rest of Italy, after a nominal resistance by the papal forces. Between 1861 and 1929 the status of the Pope was referred to as the "Roman Question". They were undisturbed in their palace, and given certain recognitions by the Law of Guarantees, including the right to send and receive ambassadors. But they did not recognize the Italian king's right to rule in Rome, and they refused to leave the Vatican compound until the dispute was resolved in 1929. Other states continued to maintain international recognition of the Holy See as a sovereign entity. In practice Italy made no attempt to interfere with the Holy See within the Vatican walls. However, they confiscated church property in many other places, including, perhaps most notably, the Quirinal Palace, formerly the pope's official residence. Pope Pius IX (1846–78), the last ruler of the Papal States, claimed that after Rome was annexed he was a "Prisoner in the Vatican". This situation was resolved on 11 February 1929 between the Holy See and the Kingdom of Italy.
The treaty was signed by Benito Mussolini on behalf of King Victor Emmanuel III and by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Gasparri for Pope Pius XI. The Lateran Treaty and the Concordat established the independent State of the Vatican City and granted Roman Catholicism special status in Italy. In 1984, a new concordat between the Holy See and Italy modified certain provisions of the earlier treaty, including the position of Roman Catholicism as the Italian state religion.
(History.com) May 2, 1972 - After nearly five decades as director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), J. Edgar Hoover dies, leaving the powerful government agency without the administrator who had been largely responsible for its existence and shape.
Educated as a lawyer and a librarian, Hoover joined the Department of Justice in 1917 and within two years had become special assistant to Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer. Deeply anti-radical in his ideology, Hoover came to the forefront of federal law enforcement during the so-called "Red Scare" of 1919 to 1920. The former librarian set up a card index system listing every radical leader, organization, and publication in the United States and by 1921 had amassed some 450,000 files. More than 10,000 suspected communists were also arrested during this period, but the vast majority of these people were briefly questioned and then released. Although the attorney general was criticized for abusing his authority during the so-called "Palmer Raids," Hoover emerged unscathed, and on May 10, 1924, he was appointed acting director of the Bureau of Investigation, a branch of the Justice Department established in 1909.
During the 1920s, with Congress' approval, Director Hoover drastically restructured and expanded the Bureau of Investigation. He built the corruption-ridden agency into an efficient crime-fighting machine, establishing a centralized fingerprint file, a crime laboratory, and a training school for agents. In the 1930s, the Bureau of Investigation launched a dramatic battle against the epidemic of organized crime brought on by Prohibition. Notorious gangsters such as George "Machine Gun" Kelly and John Dillinger met their ends looking down the barrels of Bureau-issued guns, while others, like Louis "Lepke" Buchalter, the elusive head of Murder, Incorporated, were successfully investigated and prosecuted by Hoover's "G-men." Hoover, who had a keen eye for public relations, participated in a number of these widely publicized arrests, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations, as it was known after 1935, became highly regarded by Congress and the American public.
With the outbreak of World War II, Hoover revived the anti-espionage techniques he had developed during the first Red Scare, and domestic wiretaps and other electronic surveillance expanded dramatically. After World War II, Hoover focused on the threat of radical, especially communist, subversion. The FBI compiled files on millions of Americans suspected of dissident activity, and Hoover worked closely with the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) and Senator Joseph McCarthy, the architect of America's second Red Scare.
In 1956, Hoover initiated Cointelpro, a secret counterintelligence program that initially targeted the U.S. Communist Party but later was expanded to infiltrate and disrupt any radical organization in America. During the 1960s, the immense resources of Cointelpro were used against dangerous groups such as the Ku Klux Klan, but also against African American civil rights organizations and liberal anti-war organizations. One figure especially targeted was civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., who endured systematic harassment from the FBI.
By the time Hoover entered service under his eighth president in 1969, the media, the public, and Congress had grown suspicious that the FBI might be abusing its authority. For the first time in his bureaucratic career, Hoover endured widespread criticism, and Congress responded by passing laws requiring Senate confirmation of future FBI directors and limiting their tenure to 10 years. On May 2, 1972, with the Watergate affair about to explode onto the national stage, J. Edgar Hoover died of heart disease at the age of 77. The Watergate affair subsequently revealed that the FBI had illegally protected President Richard Nixon from investigation, and the agency was thoroughly investigated by Congress. Revelations of the FBI's abuses of power and unconstitutional surveillance motivated Congress and the media to become more vigilant in future monitoring of the FBI.
Palermo is a city in Insular Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old. Palermo is located in the northwest of the island of Sicily, right by the Gulf of Palermo in the Tyrrhenian Sea.The city was founded in 734 BC by the Phoenicians as Ziz. The present name is derived from the Greek Panoremus meaning 'always fit for landing in'. Palermo became part of the Roman Republic, the Roman Empire and eventually part of the Byzantine Empire, for over a thousand years. From 827 to 1071 it was under Arab rule during the Emirate of Sicily when it first became a capital. Following the Norman reconquest, Palermo became capital of a new kingdom (from 1130 to 1816), the Kingdom of Sicily. Eventually it would be united with the Kingdom of Naples to form the Two Sicilies until the Italian unification of 1860.The population of Palermo urban area is estimated by Eurostat to be 855,285, while its metropolitan area is the fifth most populated in Italy with around 1.2 million people. In the central area, the city has a population of around 650,000 people. The inhabitants are known as Palermitans or, poetically, panormiti. The languages spoken by its inhabitants are the Italian language and the Sicilian language, in its Palermitan variation.Palermo is Sicily's cultural, economic and touristic capital. It is a city rich in history, culture, art, music and food. Numerous tourists are attracted to the city for its good Mediterranean weather, its renowned gastronomy and restaurants, its Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque churches, palaces and buildings, and its nightlife and music. Palermo is the main Sicilian industrial and commercial center: the main industrial sectors include tourism, services, commerce and agriculture. Palermo currently has an international airport, and a significant underground economy. In fact, for cultural, artistic and economic reasons, Palermo was one of the largest cities in the Mediterranean and is now among the top tourist destinations in both Italy and Europe. The city is also going through careful redevelopment, preparing to become one of the major cities of the Euro-Mediterranean area.Roman Catholicism is highly important in Palermitan culture. The patron saint of the city is Saint Rosalia. Her feast day on July 15 is perhaps the biggest social event in the city. The area attracts significant numbers of tourists each year and is widely known for its colourful fruit, vegetable and fish market at the heart of Palermo, known as the Vucciria.
Palermo è un comune italiano di 654 987 abitanti, capoluogo della provincia di Palermo e della Regione Siciliana.È il quinto comune italiano per popolazione dopo Roma, Milano, Napoli e Torino e trentunesimo a livello europeo, nonché il principale centro urbano della Sicilia e dell'Italia insulare. L'area metropolitana di Palermo, che comprende il capoluogo ed altri 26 comuni, conta una popolazione di 1.041.314 abitanti.Estesa lungo l'omonimo golfo nel Mar Tirreno e adagiata sulla pianura della Conca d'Oro, così chiamata per via delle colorazioni tipiche degli agrumi che un tempo dominavano il paesaggio, è circondata completamente da una cinta muraria naturale: i monti di Palermo. Il tessuto urbano è diviso dal fiume Oreto che scorre nella sua omonima vallata.Fondata come città-porto dai Fenici intorno al 734 a.C., è stata sempre un nodo culturale e commerciale fra occidente e Asia, dunque uno strategico luogo di transito al centro del Mediterraneo. Possiede una storia millenaria che le ha regalato un notevole patrimonio artistico ed architettonico che spazia dai resti delle mura puniche per giungere a ville in stile liberty, passando dalle residenze in stile arabo-normanno, alle chiese barocche ed ai teatri neoclassici. Per ragioni culturali, artistiche ed economiche è stata tra le maggiori città del Mediterraneo ed oggi è fra le principali mete turistiche del mezzogiorno italiano e tra le maggiori mete crocieristiche.Fu capitale, dal 1160 al 1816, del Regno di Sicilia, e seconda città per importanza del Regno delle Due Sicilie fino al 1861. È sede dell'Assemblea regionale siciliana, dell'Università degli Studi e della principale arcidiocesi regionale.
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The Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge has been a symbol of the area since it was opened in 1911. There are only two other Transporter Bridges still in existence in Britain. These bridges are at Newport (Gwent), opened 1906 and Warrington, opened 1916.
The Middlesbrough Transporter is a total of 851 feet (259.3 metres) in length which makes it the longest of those remaining Transporter Bridges in the world. Its cantilever construction has three main bridge spans that give it its unique appearance. The bridge is, effectively, two almost independent structures joined at the centre of the River Tees. Each half of the bridge has an 'anchor' span of 140 feet (42.6 metres) and then cantilevers across the river some 285 feet (86.8 metres) from the tower leg to meet its twin from the opposite bank. The passenger gondola is suspended by steel cables and runs on a wheel and rail system approximately 160 feet (48.7 metres) above the River Tees. While Middlesbrough's Transporter is the largest operational Transporter Bridge the largest bridge ever of this type is recorded as 1000 feet (304.7 metres) in length, built over the River Mersey near Widnes. That bridge closed in 1961 and has, sadly, now been demolished.
As far as we have been able to research, there have been some twenty Transporter Bridges constructed around the world of which only eleven still exist and a lesser number again are still in regular use. The first bridge, near Bilbao, Spain, opened in 1893. All the bridges were constructed in the 23 years between 1893 and 1916 and of the nine demolished structures an average life of 36 years was achieved.
The Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge is fully operational and provides a regular quarter-hourly service between Middlesbrough and Port Clarence for 18 hours a day. This service is interrupted from time to time for routine maintenance works, with some lengthier closures for major refurbishment. It remains the largest of the Transporter Bridges operating worldwide, and provides a valuable public transport service, crossing the river in two minutes.
In December 1993, the bridge was awarded the Institution of Mechanical Engineers' highest honour, The Heritage Plaque for engineering excellence, in recognition of the Council's efforts in keeping the bridge in good working order. Its historical importance was also recognised in 1985 by its listing as a Grade II* Listed Building and its prominence as a local landmark was further enhanced in 1993 by the installation of flood lights that operate during the winter months.
In April 1996 local government reorganisation transferred the ownership of the bridge to Middlesbrough Council and Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council with Middlesbrough Council responsible for the day-to-day running and maintenance of the bridge.
In recent years despite all the efforts of the cast of Auf Wiedersehen Pet, the bridge still remains the focal point of the River Tees. The TV show, which became an instant hit, showed the Transporter being disassembled and sent to Arizona in America. The people behind the programme obviously did a very good job on the computers as many Teessiders thought their beloved bridge was on its way across the Atlantic. However we won't be saying 'Auf Wiedersehen' to our bridge for a few more years yet.
earth/architecture/sky, grounded/interaction/ephemeral, horizontal/vertical/open. modalities of energy and consciousness. notes for a poem on the planes of existence.
via Instagram www.instagram.com/p/BQqs0PAh-kI/
I found out the existence of this series of dolls a couple of months ago. I came to know there was also an anime in America. Maxie was the starring and she had a group of college female friends (such as Jem and the Holograms or other American anime of that period). I love these dolls' outfits, but I don't like their faces very much. I fell in love with this AA cutie, though...isn't she sweet? and her outfit, just superb! They are also great quality! Thick bodies and hair, great outfit materials! I'd also like to purchase her friend Ashley, maybe one day...
I choose to believe that we are eternal, we are light, we are created from star ignitions so that or light will never dim. That’s what I hope, anyways infinity and eternity – the 2 concepts that never cease to boggle the human mind. In the grand scheme of things it’s really not that hard to do. I cannot wrap my consciousness around the question of existence. From a brain cell to a galaxy to a casual thought, to a dark passion – all stemming from one tiny point somewhere in the cosmos. Space itself is but a luxury we can’t afford to take for granted. Somewhere out there, maybe God dwells – the masters of energies. The one that transcends space and time, the one that lit the fuse and it all began. But through our human limitations we can’t see beyond what is placed before us. When the answers we seek are beyond our comprehension. God lies somewhere in that beyond. I struggle to know what that means and I can’t come up with a satisfactory answer. I lose perspective every time I try. And for us, perspective defines our reality. We struggle to understand the forces that guide the universe, yet we can’t understand the forces that guide our own selves. So does true understanding happen on the inside or on the outside? I guess no one really knows, though many claim to via religion or science. But what we see and hear and calculate and formulate is only the tip of the iceberg. I think there is a place, a long ways off from our understanding, where science and religion meet and merge as allies, as on entity, as the ultimate God. A place where the order of all things coincide and reconcile. But maybe these things are kept hidden from us because we are not ready for the truth. History has shown that truth can stare us in the face but we won’t see it until we’re ready. The truth may even be here now, just waiting to be discovered. Events realized before they happen. I sit and think and worry that the existence of God is an illusion, when I could be breathing God every time I fill my lungs. God could be the love I feel when I stroke a cat or the fear I feel when I take to the air. The desire to avoid the unnatural and search for the truth. The pleasure. The guilt. The joy. The sadness. Defies logic and yet embraces it. Relativity at its best.
Note h chimneys in the foreground, they indicate the existence of wine cellars (cuevas or bodegas).
Medieval Bridge
The bridge of San Vicente de la Sonsierra is located west of the town, under the castle. Because of its excellent position, it defended the passage of the Ebro from the border of Navarre with Castile. It is possible that its existence goes back to 1172, when the town received the jurisdiction of Sancho el Sabio de Navarra, however, the oldest conserved can be traced back to the XIII century with Romanesque structure.
Built in ashlar masonry and masonry, it currently has nine arches, of different lights and shapes: the first three, which are the oldest, are pointed, the next three half-point, the seventh elliptic, the eighth carpanel and the ninth half-point .
Due to its structural problems, heavy traffic was suspended years ago and in 1997 a new bridge for the communication of San Vicente and Briones, downstream of the old one, was inaugurated. This new bridge, 320 m. long and 13 m. wide, it is composed of two bays of 90, two of 45 and another two of 25.
es-m-wikipedia-org.translate.goog/wiki/San_Vicente_de_la_...
It is only when we silent the blaring sounds of our daily existence that we can finally hear the whispers of truth that life reveals to us, as it stands knocking on the doorsteps of our hearts.
~ K.T. Jong
Textures with many thanks to Christopher Lee Hewitt, Paree Erica and GordanaAM... Received a wonderful invite to the group Nature's Carousel which I have accepted yet still the invite remains mysteriously...
Thanks very kindly for any gracious comment, views and invites. Much appreciated!.... Peace and love be with you.
Namaste.
Congratulations! This image is a winner in our September game of BINGO! :)
I have graciously accepted the invite to Nature's Carousel, the admin invite mysteriously stays,....thank you kindly
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The existence of a domain on this spot is attested as early as the VIth century. Much later, between 1806 and 1807, Marie-Etienne Lebouteux-Dumousseau built "la Cité du Retiro" between rue du Faubourg Saint-Honré and rue Boissy d'Anglas. This is where George Haentschel - ceramist, collector, art merchant and interior decorator before the expression was coined - worked.
Ricardo Bofill was put in charge of the restauration, which mostly consisted of tearing down two thirds of the old buildings and replacing them whith a steel and glass structure. Only a couple of facades remain, but the buildings behind them were gutted and completely rebuilt. In 2005, the lot was sold by the French Unibail to the Irish Bank of Ireland Private Banking for the obscene amount of 285 million Euros. In the summer of 2007, there were rumors of an offer from the German fund KanAm Grund for 370 million Euros. It is not publicly known if the deal went through or was an early casuaty of the credit crisis. The 21 000 m² buildings are occupied by the seat of Cartier International.
The superpower called China isn't only about booming economy and budding metropolis.
In its core, its still the ancient country which has gone through a lot of struggle in the previous decades.
Very early morning, two chinese residents choosing to take a small traditional bamboo raft across a small lake to go to the other part of the city
Guilin,Guangxi,China.
Hallelujah Mountains
•Location Information
oLocation: Pandora
oResidents: Mountain Banshee; Na’vi; Great Leonopteryx (possibly)
•Behind the Scenes:
oFirst Appearance: Avatar
The Hallelujah Mountains (Na’vi name: Ayram alusìng meaning “Floating Mountains”) are floating islands that circulate slowly in the magnetic currents like icebergs at sea, scraping against each other and the towering mesa-like mountains of the region. On Pandora, huge outcroppings of unobtanium rip loose from the surface and float in the magnetic vortices due to the Meissner Effect.
Physical Description
They are overgrown with foliage at the top and straggly beards of vines hang down beneath the mountains like the roots of air-ferns. Their sides are sheer cliffs. Waterfalls, originating on the mesa-like tops, stream down the sides and disperse into spray at the bottoms, like upside-down geysers. The mist then condenses on other floating mountains and flows over the side and disperses, renewing the process. The local peaks and mesas actually project above the level of the craggy undersides of the few floating mountains Jake Sully can see, so it seems obvious that collisions are inevitable.
It is also the place that Norm Spellman wants to visit the most on Pandora—his wish is fulfilled when Grace Augustine decides to move her avatar program operation to the region when she realizes Jake is being manipulated by Quaritch. Most human detection instruments are useless amidst the large magnetic fields. The mountains float like clouds among the fixed mountains and swirling cloud structures. When they are in clear sunlight they cast distinct shadows on the land below.
In Na’vi Culture
The mountains are home to several clans, including Ni’awve and the Tipani. The latter reside in the settlement of Vayaha Village. In 2154 the Omaticaya fled to the mountains, seeking sanctuary at the Tree of Souls. The tree is one of the most sacred sites on Pandora.
The Hallelujah Mountains are also where mountain banshees choose to roost. This location atop the 2,600m high Mons Veritatis makes the final challenge on the path to becoming a Na’vi hunter (known as Iknimaya) even more difficult and dangerous, as the route taken to the top of the mountains is treacherous. One wrong move will send a candidate plummeting to his or her death. The danger of wild mountain banshees is also present. The local Tipani also refer to the entire region around their village as Iknimaya.
Behind the Scenes
The mountains also bear a similar appearance to the Chinese Huang Shan Mountains. James Cameron said that it was the Huang Shan mountains that inspired him to create the Hallelujah Mountains, which would explain the similar appearance. On January 25, 2010 in China, hundreds of locals in ethnic Tujia costumes “officially” renamed the Qiankunzhu mountains after the Hallelujah Mountains as a tribute to Avatar.
Sacred Sites
The Hallelujah Mountains: Fragile Giants
For humans, the Hallelujah Mountains are a stunning vista, a true wonder of the natural world. For the Na’vi, they are so much more.
It’s hard to imagine. And trust us: pictures don’t do it justice.
Whole mountains lifted from the earth like children’s balloons. Billions of tons of rock floating in the air as though hung there deliberately—some the size of boulders, and some miles across. The Hallelujah Mountains are one of the definitive natural wonders of Pandora, objects of surreal delight for every human lucky enough to see them.
As enduring as they are in both fact and imagination, the truth is that the mountains perform a delicate balancing act within the region’s geology and ecology. Most significantly, they represent a cherished, essential part of Na’vi spiritual life. From their role in the iknimaya to the mysteries of Eywa herself, the mountains are a prime sacred site, offering a fascinating glimpse into indigenous belief.
But first, an answer to the question you’re all thinking.
Yes, They Really Float. But How?
Admittedly, it took some digging for RDA geologists to figure it out—literally. The intense magnetic fields covering Pandora—and clustering in this region in particular—were common knowledge during early exploration of the moon, and it was assumed they had something to do with how the mountains stayed in place. But it wasn’t until unobtanium was excavated that a full picture started to come together.
What we know is that, thanks to the superconductive properties of the unobtanium deposits within, each mountain is surrounded by its own magnetic field that effectively keeps the mass in place, as though fenced in. And conforming to the rules of a fence, the mountains can actually shift position within their boundaries—their occasional collisions inspired the Na’vi to nickname them “Thundering Mountains.”
The Eywa Theory
The alternate point of view belongs to the Na’vi. There is nothing unsolved in the Na’vi ontology: everything that exists does so within the system of interconnectedness controlled by Eywa. And by Na’vi accounts, the mountains were lifted as a part of Eywa’s plan. This puts things lightly; really, the Na’vi regard the mountains as one of the greatest symbols of Eywa’s organizing abilities. As we know, it’s extremely unlikely for a mountain to float. Isn’t the fact that these do prove that a higher power made it so?
One natural condition that gives the “sacred plan” idea credence is the interplay between life on the ground and life on the mountains, and how, depending how you look at it, the mountains almost need to be floating in order to sustain this interplay. Which brings us to one interplay in particular, which has risen to mythic levels on Pandora: that of the mainland Na’vi with the mountain banshee.
A Deadly Rite of Passage
A defining characteristic of the Na’vi is the ability to form neural links with some of the animal life of Pandora. And there is no bond more central to clan life—or that more captures the Na’vi imagination—than the one forged with the mountain banshee.
But this bond has to be earned. And that means a dangerous rite of passage called the iknimaya. When a young Omatikaya Na’vi comes of age, he or she may choose to make a long and treacherous solo climb up the vines connecting the floating mountains to the banshee rookeries found in the high peaks. There, the heart of the challenge begins. A banshee never relents to Na’vi bonding advances without resistance, and so the Na’vi only gets one chance; it will end either in free-fall or the banshee leaving its mountain habitat to nest near its rider, who now wears the title Ikran Makto—“Banshee Rider.”
Seeing the Mountains All Over Again
Obviously, the best way to feel the monumental power of the Hallelujah Mountains (and the other ranges of floating mountains on Pandora, such as the one hovering over the Mo’ara Valley) is to see them in person, in the way that the power of the Grand Canyon or the gorges of the Yangtze River can only be experienced when you’re really there. Like the Grand Canyon, the mountains are picturesque, often the first thing people think of when they think of Pandoran landscape. We love to look at the mountains—but to really see them, and all that they signify, you have to put them in perspective. Imagine if the Grand Canyon, in addition to being beautiful, defined how you entered into adulthood, in effect giving you your identity among friends and family. Imagine if the Grand Canyon represented an emblem of a spiritual force guiding every gesture of every day of your life—that its very existence was a spectacular visual proof of that force and its will. Do this, and you will have the briefest glimpse of what the mountains mean to the Na’vi, deeply and personally, and why we must do what we can to understand, respect, and celebrate them. When you consider the wonders of our two explored galaxies, they are literally irreplaceable.
Strandfontein Sewage Works
Although the uninitiated will often turn up their noses at the idea of voluntarily visiting a sewage farm, such places are often exceptionally rich in birdlife. This is especially true of the extensive Strandfontein sewage works, arguably the best waterbird locality close to Cape Town, whose existence is under threat from a new motorway. The abundant and diverse birdlife makes it an ideal destination for the beginner and serious twitcher alike, and it is possible to see more than 80 species on a summer morning. A major advantage is the opportunity to bird from the comfort and security of your car, which can be used as a moving hide. The vast network of reed-fringed pans which radiate out from the sewage plant buildings is connected by good gravel roads, but beware of occasionally treacherous sandy patches, especially along the southern coastal road.
To enter the Strandfontein sewage works from the Cape Town side, take the M5 free-way southwards from Cape Town and turn left into Ottery Road at the Ottery turn-off; continue for 4.5 km until the junction with Strandfontein Road (M17); turn right here, and continue (southwards) along Strandfontein Road for 4 km; turn right again at the ‘Zeekoeivlei’ sign (1 on site map, opposite) within a stand of gum trees just after a petrol station and opposite Fifteenth Avenue. To enter the works from the False Bay side, turn north onto Strandfontein Road from Baden Powell Drive, 6.8 km east of the Muizenberg traffic circle, and you’ll reach the Zeekoeivlei turn-off after 4.1 km.
Baden Powell Drive (R310) follows the False Bay coast westwards to Muizenberg and Simon’s Town, and eastwards to the N2 highway near Somerset West. Strandfontein can thus conveniently be visited after Sir Lowry’s Pass (p.60).
The poorly marked entrance to the works is adjacent to a derelict building at the south end of Zeekoeivlei (2), where African Fish Eagles are often seen roosting in the trees to the west. Bird numbers and water levels at Strandfontein vary widely depending on the year and season, and the route suggested below is intended as a general guide to the most productive areas.
Continue along the tar road towards the plant buildings, and check the deep pans on both sides of the road (3 and 4) for Black-necked Grebe, Maccoa Duck, Southern Pochard, and Cape Teal. Here too you will see the first of various other waterfowl species that are common throughout the sewage works, such as Cape Shoveller, Yellow-billed Duck and Red-billed Teal, while Purple Gallinule stalk along the reed-lined edges. Levaillant’s Cisticola is very common in long grass fringing the pans, and agitated birds draw attention to themselves with their characteristically frenetic calls. White-throated and European Swallows (summer) and Brown-throated Martin dart low overhead.
Where the road meets the sewage plant itself, continue to the left of the buildings, and scan pan 5 for a good variety of waterfowl. The adjacent small, muddy pan at 6 often host somewhat scarcer species such as Southern Pochard and Wood Sandpiper. The road between the two pans is regularly used in summer as a roost by large numbers of White-winged Terns, which can be seen flying over pans throughout the area.
At this point, retrace your route and continue to the pan at 7. This pan, and the small, reed-enclosed pond at its northern end, are usually also productive. At the ‘hub’ of the wheel of large pans, turn left. Pan 8, on your right, invariably holds good numbers of birds, notably Black-necked Grebe, White Pelican, Greater Flamingo and Maccoa Duck.
The western and northern corners of pan 9 are always worth investigating. The former often has an exposed beach frequented by waders (including Avocet); the latter is good for scarcer ducks such as Cape Teal and South African Shelduck, and occasionally Hottentot Teal. Continue around the northern apex of pan 9 and head south past pan 0. The reeds in this vicinity are particularly good for African Sedge Warbler, Cape Reed Warbler and, in summer, African Marsh Warbler. Very much more evident in the alien thicket are Cape Francolin and Cape Bulbul. Pan 0 itself usually offers great birding, providing a good selection of waterfowl and wading birds in its northern reaches.
Options are now limited by sandy roads, so we suggest that you retrace your route and turn left along the southern border of pan 9. This is an especially good area for African Marsh Harrier, which is virtually guaranteed to be seen flying low over the alien thicket and adjacent reedbeds. Head south again, and cast a glance over pan A for African Black Oystercatcher. Turn right where the road meets the coastal dunes, where Swift and Sandwich Terns and Little Stint (summer) often roost. Spare a moment to look up from your telescope and enjoy the splendid view over False Bay and its embracing mountains!
Good numbers of waterbirds can reliably be found on pan B. Cape and White-breasted Cormorants, White Pelicans and miscellaneous waterfowl roost on the large, sandy island and on the pan edge (C on map), while rafts of assorted ducks bob on the usually choppy water. A pair of South African Shelduck often frequents this pan, as do flocks of Greater Flamingo.
Having absorbed all pan B has to offer, continue past a series of relatively unexceptional pans before re-entering the central wheel at E. The small pan at D is often productive, as is E. Before leaving, you might find it worthwhile to check pan F for Great Crested Grebe.
Week 4::
I'm late on this week due to the cold front that hit my state. The cold really made me loose motivation to go out this week. I went out a few times this week to get a levitation shot, but I was really disappointed with my results. Then today I landed with this shot and it turned out!!!
On a side note, I still have 1.5 weeks till i start school again!!!! I want to go back. Ever since I got back from my travels, I haven't really done anything. I finally ordered all my books for class so i'll probably get a head start with that. Otherwise, my life consists of sleep, eat, & working out. Might as well enjoy it since this semester's going to hectic!
Something of a mistake that ended up being a modest hit. The Jaguar XKSS basically came into existence following Jaguar's withdrawal from Motorsport in 1955, and thus several uncompleted D-Type shells were converted into a road going version of the famous racing car.
The result was the XKSS, which took the original bodyshape of the D-Type and made it roadworthy by removing the large fin from the tail, removal of the divider between passenger and driver seats, a full-width, chrome-surrounded windscreen was added; sidescreens were added to both driver and passenger doors; a rudimentary, folding, fabric roof was added for weather protection; chromed bumpers were added front and rear (a styling cue later used on the E-type); XK140 rear light clusters mounted higher on the wings; and thin chrome strips added to the edge of the front light fairings.
Production began in 1957, but a fire at the Browns Lane plant destroyed 9 of the intended 25 cars, with the result of there being only 16 cars in the world. A majority of these cars ended up in the United States, one being owned by Steve McQueen, whilst another was owned by British Entrepreneur James Hull, who recently sold his car collection of 450 vehicles for £100 million at a 2014 auction, the XKSS reportedly going for £4 million.
This particular car I have been told has a story that brings it back from the edge of death. It was bought originally by a Cuban Playboy and exported to the Caribbean Island, but after the Cuban Revolution of 1959 the car disappeared without a trace.
A couple of years ago an enthusiast, convinced it still existed, went to Cuba to find it, and he did, battered and ruined in a scrapheap beneath a pile of other wrecked cars. After buying its remains he shipped it back here to the UK and went through the painstaking process of rebuilding the car, eventually outshopping the fully restored masterpiece in Jaguar Racing Green. It was sold to JD Classics only a year ago and has since been repainted in its original factory grey.
As I was discussing with the sales representative, if cars could talk, imagine the stories they'd tell!
Life is not so easy. These people travel hundreds of Miles on the back of trucks and come to the city to sell their Cows. These cows are not like animals to them, rather these are like their own sons because they take so much care of them for months that their is a special bonding between them. When they arrive in the "Cow Huts" to sell their cows, they have to sleep, cook and eat in the same same place with their cows.
Eid Mubarak Everyone!
One might think that I travel to Moab, Utah solely to explore the fantastic rock formations there and photograph the landscape. While that is something I enjoy doing, my primary reason for visiting Sandstone Heaven is to seek Enlightenment.
According to my spiritual guru, the Bhagwan Hotair Windbag of Antelope, Enlightenment is an enhanced state of knowledge or understanding that takes a person to a Higher Plane of Existence. Perhaps you have heard of the Bhagwan through his appearances at "pay-as-you-exit" retreats or his confusing but enthralling sermons broadcast on The Bhagwan Channel.
The Bhagwan (always capitalized!) preaches that Enlightenment is most efficiently achieved through full-body contact with Moabian sandstone for long periods of time. This is because that type of rock has the highest psychoramic quotient of any substance known to Man. In his famous book "The Sacred Paths to Oneness" he explains that lying on Moabian sandstone for at least 7.1 hours, without moving in the slightest, can bring a person to a state of enhanced awareness of the universe. It is this awareness that I seek, though I often encounter frustration in my attempts.
In keeping with the Bhagwan's philosophy, I press my body against the sandstone and rid my mind of Earthly thoughts, that I might experience the "awe and mystery" of Ultimate Knowledge (apologies to Joseph Stefano). That is what I was doing in the photo.
This attempt at seeking Enlightenment was unexpectedly fruitful. After ridding my mind of all Earthly thoughts and lying perfectly still for 7.2 hours (longer than usual), ideas of a more profound nature began to reveal themselves. They came in such abundance and at such speed that I passed out from the mental stress. When I regained consciousness, I was thrilled to understand why the phrase "Sanitized for your protection" is so widely seen in bathrooms of motels and hotels throughout the United States. That revelation helped me overcome the fatigue of the experience so that I could stumble back to the trailhead. Unfortunately, by the time I reached the trailhead, I had forgotten what had been revealed to me.
The Bhagwan says that Enlightenment is a goal rarely achieved even by those devotees who practice his methods often and with conviction. That consoles me.
This example of dutiful following of the Bhagwan's teachings took place among the fins and domes just east of the trailhead of Negro Bill Canyon, near Moab, Utah. It was documented with the steady camera support provided by Joe Tripod, my photographic assistant. He strives to be motionless, not Enlightened.
Did Obama apologize for the existence of America?
Did Obama's back-breaking bow and genuflexion to a foreign potentate reveal his subservience to Allah and Saudi Arabian King Abdulláh bin Abdulazīz Āl Sa‘ūd, the custodian of two Holy Mosques?
Although White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs denied Barack bowed, it is clear that Obama bowed his head on bended knee before his king during the formal G20 reception at Buckingham Palace on April 1, 2009. Youtube Video
Ironically, Barack Obama bowed to King Abdulláh after a U.S. Embassy cable noted Obama looked forward to seeing the King and Abdulláh replied, "Thank God for bringing Obama to the presidency" which has created "great hope" in the Muslim world. "May God grant him strength and patience… May God protect him. I'm concerned about his personal safety. America and the world need such a president."
Was Barack protecting our vital oil interests or will Obama impose Sharia Law on America?
Youtube Video of Obama Moving To Criminalize Criticism of Islam.
Although American etiquette expert Gloria Starr may insist Obama was displaying a sign of respect, one does not bow to a foreign monarch because the gesture symbolizes recognition of monarch's power over his/her subjects according to Miss Manners.
No American is required to bow to royalty and no president should act like a subject and bow in submission to any foreign prince or potentate since his act appears to acquiesce to the authority of the king. The president of the United States is only subservient to free Americans and the Constitution of the American Republic. From Eisenhower bowing to Charles De Gaulle in 1959 and Richard Nixon bowing to Emperor Hirohito, who attacked the U.S. at Pearl Harbor, in 1971 to Barack Hussein Obama in 2009, it is extremely inappropriate for any American head of state to bow in submission to any foreign ruler.
Likewise, Bush's bizarre behavior is extremely inappropriate for a president of the Republic… Youtube Video of President Bush Kissing and Holding Hands with King Abdulláh at Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas on April 25th, 2005.
To be fair, both Dubya Bush and Obama received gifts from King Abdulláh in violation of the Constitution…
"No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince or foreign State." - Article I Section 9 of the Constitution
Youtube Video of President Obama receiving the King's Bling, the King Abdul Aziz Order of Merit, from Saudi Arabian King Abdulláh on June 3rd, 2009, two months after bowing to his king. The Saudi Arabian King bestowed the same gift upon Dubya Bush on January 14th, 2008.
Considering the absence of religious freedom and violations of human rights, would American Leaders behave so strangely if the U.S. reliance on Saudi oil wasn't significant?