Modern cars can do over 100,000 miles without pausing for breath. If you really pile on the miles, you might have 200,000 or even 300,000 miles on the clock. If the car Gods are really shining on you, you might have managed more than half a million.

Prepare to feel insignificant. Irv Gordon from East Patchogue, New York, together with his Volvo P1800, a 1966 1800S, has completed over three million miles--a new world record for the highest number of miles driven by a single person in the same car. If you're after an arbitrary comparison to offer some perspective, that's around six round-trips to the moon, or 120 circumnavigations of Earth.

Gordon hit the three million miles mark on September 18 while driving near the village of Girdwood, on the Seward Highway, south of Anchorage, Alaska; one of the two remaining states where Irv and his famous car had not been together until now.

”It was all rather undramatic,” said Irv. ”We just cruised along and I kept an eye on the odometer in order not to miss the great moment”.

Gordon first bought his 1800S on a Friday back in 1966 and immediately fell in love. He simply couldn't stop driving the car and over the course of the weekend he had already covered 1,500 miles, causing him to return to the dealership he bought it the following Monday in order for its first service.

With a 125-mile round-trip daily commute, a fanatical dedication to vehicle maintenance and a passion for driving, Gordon logged 500,000 miles in 10 years. In 1987, he celebrated his one-millionth mile by driving a loop around the Tavern on the Green in Central Park, and in 2002 he drove the car's two-millionth mile down Times Square. Since then, Gordon has broken his record every time he gets behind the wheel of his beloved Volvo.

[Text from MotorAuthority]

History

The project was started in 1957 because Volvo wanted a sports car, despite the fact that their previous attempt, the P1900, had been a disaster, with only 68 cars sold. The man behind the project was an engineering consultant to Volvo, Helmer Petterson, who in the 1940s was responsible for the Volvo PV444. The design work was done by Helmer's son Pelle Petterson, who worked at Pietro Frua at that time. Volvo insisted it was an Italian design by Frua and only officially recognized that Pelle Petterson designed it in 2009. The Italian Carrozzeria Pietro Frua design firm (then a recently acquired subsidiary of Ghia) built the first three prototypes between September 1957 and early 1958, later designated by Volvo in September 1958: P958-X1, P958-X2 and P958-X3 (P:Project 9:September 58:Year 1958 = P958).

In December 1957 Helmer Petterson drove X1, (the first hand-built P1800 prototype) to Osnabrück, West Germany, headquarters of Karmann. Petterson hoped that Karmann would be able to take on the tooling and building of the P1800. Karmann's engineers had already been preparing working drawings from the wooden styling buck at Frua. Petterson and Volvo chief engineer Thor Berthelius met there, tested the car and discussed the construction with Karmann. They were ready to build it and this meant that the first cars could hit the market as early as December 1958. But in February, Karmann's most important customer, Volkswagen VAG, forbade Karmann to take on the job.[citation needed] They feared that the P1800 would compete with the sales of their own cars, and threatened to cancel all their contracts with Karmann if they took on this car. This setback almost caused the project to be abandoned.

Other German firms, NSU, Drautz and Hanomag, were contacted but none was chosen because Volvo did not believe they met Volvo's manufacturing quality-control standards.

It began to appear that Volvo might never produce the P1800. This motivated Helmer Petterson to obtain financial backing from two financial firms with the intention of buying the components directly from Volvo and marketing the car himself. At this point Volvo had made no mention of the P1800 and the factory would not comment. Then a press release surfaced with a photo of the car, putting Volvo in a position where they had to acknowledge its existence. These events influenced the company to renew its efforts: the car was presented to the public for the first time at the Brussels Motor Show in January 1960 and Volvo turned to Jensen Motors, whose production lines were under-utilised, and they agreed a contract for 10,000 cars. The Linwood, Scotland, body plant of manufacturer Pressed Steel was in turn sub-contracted by Jensen to create the unibody shells, which were then taken by rail to be assembled at Jensen in West Bromwich, England. In September 1960, the first production P1800 (for the 1961 model year) left Jensen for an eager public.

P1800

The engine was the B18 (B for the Swedish word for gasoline: Bensin; 18 for 1800 cc displacement) with dual SU carburettors, producing 100 hp (75 kW). This variant (named B18B) had a higher compression ratio than the slightly less powerful twin-carb B18D used in the contemporary Amazon 122S, as well as a different camshaft. The 'new' B18 was actually developed from the existing B36 V8 engine used in Volvo trucks at the time. This cut production costs, as well as furnishing the P1800 with a strong engine boasting five main crankshaft bearings. The B18 was matched with the new and more robust M40 manual gearbox through 1963. From 1963 to 1972 the M41 gearbox with electrically actuated overdrive was a popular option. Two overdrive types were used, the D-Type through 1969, and the J-type through 1973. The J-type had a slightly shorter ratio of 0.797:1 as opposed to 0.756:1 for the D-type. The overdrive effectively gave the 1800 series a fifth gear, for improved fuel efficiency and decreased drivetrain wear. Cars without overdrive had a numerically lower-ratio differential, which had the interesting effect of giving them a somewhat higher top speed (just under 120 mph (193 km/h)) than the more popular overdrive models. This was because the non-overdrive cars could reach the engine's redline in top gear, while the overdrive-equipped cars could not, giving them a top speed of roughly 110 mph (177 km/h).

1800S

As time progressed, Jensen had problems with quality control, so the contract was ended early at 6,000 cars. In 1963 production was moved to Volvo's Lundby Plant in Gothenburg and the car's name was changed to 1800S (S standing for Sverige, or in English : Sweden). The engine was improved with an additional 8 hp (6 kW). In 1966 the four-cylinder engine was updated to 115 hp (86 kW). Top speed was 175 km/h (109 mph).[3] In 1969 the B18 engine was replaced with the 2-litre B20B variant of the B20 giving 118 bhp (89 kW), though it kept the designation 1800S.

[Text from Wikipedia]

www.motorauthority.com/news/1087353_irv-gordon-reaches-3-...

This Lego miniland-scale Volvo P1800 Coupe has been created for Flickr LUGNut's 88th Build Challenge, - "Let's Break Some Records", - a challenge focused on creating vehicles that set some benchmark for biggness, fastness or other extreme of some specification. The Volvo model shown here claim, by far, the farthermost distance ever traveled by an automobile, at over 3,000,000 miles (4,800,00 kilometres).

.Harlon L. Dalton, Professor of Law at Yale University, not only objects to the Horatio Alger myth, but also maintains that it is socially destructive. Dalton explains that the Horatio Alger myth conveys three basic messages, "each of us is judged solely on her or his own merits; we each have a fair opportunity to develop those merits; and ultimately, merit will out. Each of them is, to be charitable, problematic." The first message is a variant on the rugged individualism ethos…In this form, the Horatio Alger myth suggests that success in life has nothing to do with pedigree, race, class background, gender, national origin, sexual orientation—in short, with anything beyond our individual control. Those variables may exist, but they play no appreciable role in how our actions are appraised".Dalton also believes that the deep appeal of the Horatio Alger myth is that it allows and even pulls people in the direction they want to go. Psychologically, the Horatio Alger myth opens many doors. When the odds are stacked unfavorably, one often has to convince oneself that "there is a reason to get up in the morning".Dalton also asserts that the myth serves to maintain the racial pecking order. It does so by mentally bypassing the role of race in American society, by fostering beliefs that themselves serve to trivialize, if not erase, the social meaning of race. The Alger myth encourages people to blink at the many barriers to racial equality (historical, structural, and institutional) that litter the social landscape and believe that all it takes to be successful in America is initiative, persistence, hard work, and pluck.According to Dalton, there is a fundamental tension between the realization of the American Dream based on the Alger myth and the harsh realities of a racial caste system. Obviously, the main point of such a system is to promote and maintain inequality. Conversely, the main point of the Alger myth "is to proclaim that everyone can rise above her station in life. Despite this tension, it is possible for the myth to coexist with social reality. Not surprisingly, then, there are lots of Black folk who subscribe to the Alger myth and at the same time understand it to be deeply false. They live with the dissonance between myth and reality because both are helpful and healthful in dealing with ‘the adverse events of life. Many Whites, however, have a strong interest in resolving the dissonance in favor of the myth. Far from needing to be on guard against racial "threat[s] or challenge[s]", they would just as soon put the ugliness of racism out of mind. For them, the Horatio Alger myth provides them the opportunity to do just that".The myth suggests we are judged solely on our individual merits, in turn implying that caste has little practical meaning, apart from race-based advantages or disadvantages. Generally Whites are more successful than African Americans, as they are facilitated by their preferred social position, while African Americans believe that they can "simply lift themselves up by their own bootstraps". It is in America's national interest, Dalton believes, to give the Horatio Alger myth a rest, because it is a myth that assures us we can have it all, when in reality, "we live today in an era of diminished possibilities"Associating Alger's stories with the "rags to riches" trope is somewhat misleading, as his heroes often only rise from poverty to the middle class. Though some of his novels, for example Jed, the Poorhouse Boy, do detail the story of a protagonist ascending from poverty to nobility.Some of Alger's novels assert how material wealth is insignificant unless it is paired with middle-class respectability. For Alger's characters, wealth was the product of a meritocracy, and the direct consequence of "honesty, thrift, self-reliance, industry, a cheerful whistle and an open manly face". However, in some of Alger's works there is also an implied belief in hereditary determinism, explicitly contrasting achievement based on merit. This contrasting achievement would often be another character such as a stepparent or the child of a rich family.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horatio_Alger_myth

Algiers (Arabic: الجزائر‎‎, al-Jazā’er; Algerian Arabic pronunciation: دزاير Dzayer, Berber: Dzayer tamaneɣt, French: Alger) is the capital and largest city of Algeria. In 2011, the city's population was estimated to be around 3,500,000. An estimate puts the population of the larger metropolitan city to be around 5,000,000. Algiers is located on the Mediterranean Sea and in the north-central portion of Algeria.Sometimes nicknamed El-Behdja (البهجة) or alternatively Alger la Blanche ("Algiers the White") for the glistening white of its buildings as seen rising up from the sea, Algiers is situated on the west side of a bay of the Mediterranean Sea. The modern part of the city is built on the level ground by the seashore; the old part, the ancient city of the deys, climbs the steep hill behind the modern town and is crowned by the casbah or citadel, 122 metres (400 ft) above the sea. The casbah and the two quays form a triangle.The city name is derived (via French Alger and Catalan Alger from the Arabic name الجزائر al-Jazā’ir, which translates as "The Islands", referring to the four islands which lay off the city's coast until becoming part of the mainland in 1525. Al-Jazā’ir is itself a truncated form of the city's older name جزائر بني مزغانة Jaza'ir Bani Mazghana, "The Islands of the Sons of Mazghana", used by early medieval geographers such as al-Idrisi and Yaqut al-Hamawi.

fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alger

Hotel five stars El Aurassi was inaugurated and opened to customers May 2, 1975, part of the national heritage companies.

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Taken By : Thamer Alhendi

من عدسة : ثامر الهندي

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Rolleiflex 3.5F

Carl Zeiss Planar 75mm f/3.5

Fuji Pro 400H

A raindrop so small and insignificant not being noticed, like a single teardrop shed in sorrow.

7DOS - "7 Days of Shooting" "Week #22 - Slices (preferably not food)" "Minimal Sunday" - a slice of life (thnx to Julie for her suggestion)

Have you ever wanted to stop time or hold a moment in your hands?

You can with the slice of life way of thinking; you can dig beneath the surface of everyday life and unearth the beauty that has been there all along.

The slice of life approach to photography is a way of seeing, noticing and appreciating the nuances and details that make life special. It’s a way of embracing and honouring life’s imperfections; it’s about saying that life is just right the way it is.

ODC - SMALL is the topic for Saturday, 8th December 2012

This fellow’s name was Jeroen Offermann (if I remember his name rightly) he was one of the bizarre In-significat’s troupe of artist from different countries like Iceland, Germany and the Netherlands…

…they were a weird lot with strange art videos and happenings, they were all rather strange and evasive, so except for Stefan Saffer this fellow was the only one I ever really became friendly with, he had imaginary pet flies that no-one could see :)

Peace and Noise!

MushroomBrain once in an artistic mental institution

I'm not sure how I feel about this picture, but I thought I'll upload it anyway!

Press L to view large if you wanna see the particles up closer

The physical, psychological and emotional barriers are not insignificant... yet they still come.

Saint Philip PHAN VĂN MINH

Priest

(1815-1853)

* Prayer is Spiritual Food.

On the other side of Long Hồ River in Vĩnh Long province, and just outside Cái Sơn Bé, the authorities traditionally offered the last meal to “death-row” inmates before their executions. But prisoner Fr. Philip had refused, not for fear of indigestion, because did he not walk proudly and cheerfully to the execution site? And there was only a few minutes left to finish his worldly mission, a few short minutes but not an insignificant time, because it was the high point of a human life. To completely live out those short minutes, Fr. Minh had chosen a different meal, a more noble and necessary food: he knelt down, faced the heaven, and silently prayed. Then after his final spiritual meal, he gave the executioner a short warning: “I am done!”

Drum rolls and gong sounds were started; time seemed to stop at the divine solemnity of the priest’s last hour. The meaningful and perfect minutes passed, the priest stepped into the everlasting happiness after the executioner swung the saber completing the journey of giving witness to Christ.

* Dictionary Author.

Born into a Piusus and honorable family in the village of Cái Mơn, Mỏ Cày district in Vĩnh Long province, in the year of the Pig 1815. Philip Phan Văn Minh, whose parents were Mr. Dominic Phan Văn Đức and Mrs. Anna Tiêu, was the last son among 14 siblings. His parents passed away early, leaving the eldest sister as head of the household. This “second mother” diligently looked after her siblings spiritually and materially. Minh attended catechism classes, received first communion, then confirmation at 13. Afterward, he was sent by Bishop Tabert to Lái Thiêu seminary which was closed a short time later by King Minh Mạng’s edict of persecution of 1833.

Minh followed Bishop Tabert Từ to Thailand, then to Penang Seminary in Malaysia. He then had the honor of being selected by the bishop to go to Calcutta (India) to corroborate on a Latin-Vietnamese dictionary in 1838. After the bishop died, he returned to Penang to continue his theology formation. Professors and fellow students loved him, an excellent, studious and religious student.

* An Enthusiastic Disciple.

Finishing his studies at Penang, Deacon Minh returned to Vietnam and was ordained a priest by Bishop Cuénot Thể in 1840 in Gia Hựu[1]. Following King Minh Mạng’s death, the Church had a brief period of peace and tranquility. King Thiệu Trị ascended the throne, even though he did not abolish edicts of Christians persecutions, he did not press its implementation as violently as before. As a result Fr. Minh could visit, taught catechism to the faithful in the areas of Tiền Giang and Hậu Giang. Villages like: Đầu Nước, Xoài Mút, Chợ Bưng, Ba Giồng, Cái Nhum, Cái Mơn, Bãi San, Chà Và, and Mặc Bắc. are still imprinted with his footprints of evangelization. When King Tự Đức was crowned king in 1847, the persecution was still a low priority momentarily. But it then exploded more severe than ever.

After the edict of August 1848, especially the edict of March 1851 which ordered the beheading and throwing into rivers of all foreign missionaries, of torturing and executing of all stubborn native priests, and banishing all persons who believed in the “bad religion” of Christianity. The king even clearly instructed mandarins to strictly carry out his order.

Against this difficult backdrop, Fr. Minh serenely fulfilled his pastoral duties: he traveled around, giving encourages to Christians, opened religious classes, and celebrated sacraments.

In the village of Mặc Bắc at the time, a villager named Nhẫn, avenging the priest for not giving him some money, betrayed him to the authorities. On 2/26/1853, the mandarin sent soldiers to search Mr. Lựu’s house, the parish council president, looking for Fr. Lựu who had left. Meanwhile Fr. Minh and several seminarians were taking refuge at the house. To save Fr. Minh, Mr. Lựu told the commanding officer: “His Honor, there is no priest here named Lựu. Lựu is my name.” Dismissing the old man’s appearance as just a hapless farmer, they continue to search the whole house. Fr. Minh, fearing that the authorities might harm Mr. Lựu’s family because of him, presented himself and admitted that he was a priest. As a result, along with 7 other officials in the area, the priest was shackled, bound in cangue sand thrown aboard a boat to be taken to jail in Vĩnh Long.

In Vĩnh Long, the governor interrogated him about the whereabouts of other priests, his previous hiding places to no avail. The following days, the governor tried different means either by enticement or threats, and even had soldiers dragging the priest over the cross to make him renounce his faith. However, Fr. Minh maintained his views: loyalty to Christ and the Church. Admiring his youth, 38 years old, his gentle demeanor and his great learning, the mandarins tried to save him, they no longer demanded him to walk over the cross, but just to say, “rejecting my faith.” But Fr. Minh completely refused their proposal.

* The Road to Heavenly Home.

Judging that further efforts would also be futile, the mandarins ordered him jailed in Tuyên Phong, waiting for his sentencing day. Informed of the sentence from the royal capital, Fr. Minh got on his knees to give thanks to God, then said farewell to his fellow inmates, he said: “Brothers, maintain your faith and wholeheartedly entrust in God. He will not abandon anyone, and will reward abundantly those who worship Him with all their heart.” He also confided in a Christian on the outside to distribute all his money, if any, to the poor, not wasting it on his funeral.

His expectant day finally came; he cheerfully recited the Holy Rosary on the way to the execution site. Crossing Long Hồ River to reach Cái Sun Bé, soldiers prepared his final meal, but Fr. Minh no longer cared for food. He prayed attentively. After drum rolls and gong beats, the executioner’s saber sent his soul straight to Heaven. His last sacred prayer still resonated in the hearts of spectators:

“My God, please have mercy on me. Dear Christ, give me strength and courage to endure sufferings for your glory. Blessed Mary, please help me.”

The day was 7/3/1853. The martyr’s body was brought back to be buried under the foundation of a church Cái Mơn which was just burned down. In 1960, his relics were taken to the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Saigon in a consecration Mass.

26 by 26 Challenge 14:

Photograph something you consider insignificant.

– Riitta Ikonen & Karoline Hjorth

I was holding back, even now. I was letting these insignificant hostages get in the way. What are two lives compared to the many the Joker has already taken? I gave in to The System.

My motions were a blur, things happened and I just sat back and watched. My fist smashed into the throat of the face painted goon, then claws raked across the bullet proof vest. A quick duck to avoid a hammer from the side, and I rose with an uppercut, sending Harley flying against the back wall. The goon stepped forward and I spun, placing my boot in his chest, sending him into the charred wall as well. With them separated, I raised my gauntlets to them both, prepared to fire bat-shurikens.

"Well now Bats, I think we get the idea, you're a tough guy now. But really, this new costume of yours, it seems so.... 90's." The voice lilted with pleasure. Glass crackled underfoot as the real Joker strode in the room. He was not what I expected. I thought he'd be taller.

"Tonight I avenge the blood you've spilled Joker!" I had so many options, end this quickly with a shot to his throat, set him on fire with the flame thrower I installed in the gauntlets and watch him writhe in agony, or break every bone one at a time and leave him here for the cops. Bruce would have left him for the police, and that's why he keeps getting free. No, best to end this quickly, there's more trash out there that needs my attention.

"You and I both know you don't play that game Batty Boy. You couldn't do it when I broke your poor Robin, and you can't do it nghh" I grabbed on to him and raised him in the air, prepared to throw him out the gaping hole in the wall to the streets below.

"Let these people go, or I let you go!" He choked and motioned for his goon to take them away. I gritted my teeth, prepared to throw him anyways. There was something still wrong, he wasn't afraid.

"If you'll draw your attention over here, in my little hand I happen to have a detonator. It could be real, it could be fake, but there also seems to be a lot of explosives lying around. I'm betting this new Halloween costume of yours won't save you." That was his game. In my focus to defeat them, I didn't even see the explosives wired all around the room, possibly all over the building. Or were they just road flares? St. Dumas help me I can't tell what's real right now.

It's always when you look at the scene like this, when you realize how insignificant human is.

Simple, seemingly insignificant, there is still an allure enough.

Dewberrytextures; www.flickr.com/photos/mytextures/3867898667/?addedcomment...

Explore 357

12/8/07 : i can't seem to shift the feeling that i'm insignificant. yesterday i was told i was being a silly bunny when i raised it. today i was just ignored. it's a horrible feeling. it reminds me of how i felt this time last year. superfluous to requirements.

The universe was created in chaos and will end in chaos. This process takes so much time that we cant even grasp the immensity. We are here for such a tiny moment that even that fragment of time cannot be measured against the universe.

Take a minute of your own time and appreciate what is there to see, for that minute will never occur again in a billion billion years.

This image is discussed in the Image Creation Group www.flickr.com/groups/icwg/

Throughout the Bible, God reveals that He is always in control over His vast universe and even our seemingly insignificant lives. Here is a true-life story from a member of the persecuted church:

“I was the only convert of a man who died thinking he was useless to God. Both our crimes were for violent robbery and we actually shared a prison cell together.

“He told me about how—by mistake—he had been placed into a cell with a group of Christians. They were singing hymns at night and praising God together. He saw them as a soft touch and robbed them of their food parcels. He even beat them to show who was boss. For the first time in years he felt powerful again. But somehow they were not afraid of him and repeatedly shared their faith in Christ.

“One day in a fit of anger he took his knife to kill one of them. But something—or Someone—blocked him from bringing down the knife. For the first time, he was up against a force more powerful than himself, and one he could not understand.

“At that moment he put his trust in Christ. The prison authorities realized he had been allocated to the wrong cell and they moved him to solitary confinement. There he pleaded with God, ‘Lord, let me witness to Your power and love before I die.’

“One night the prison was overcrowded and I was put into his cell. I could see he was far-gone, barely conscious. He beckoned me close to his lips told me all about Jesus and how He loved me and wanted to save me.

“When I woke up in the morning, he was cold and dead. I was to be moved to a hard labor camp that day but the truck that was to take me there broke down. So I ended up in another cell—the one full of Christians.

“My truck was delayed a week. In that time the Christians told me the whole story about this man. They were delighted to learn he had witnessed to me before he died. The night before I was moved, I too trusted Christ.

“That’s the strength of suffering for Christ. It kept a dying man going because he wanted to witness. It kept those Christian prisoners buoyant all through their captivity. It gave me hope when I looked ahead at eight years of hard labor camp. I would have died if not for Christ.”

Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS)

A daily devotional message by SSTS author Paul Estabrooks© 2011 Open Doors International.

Empty sign next to green house that's now a martial arts studio

© Marcus Jehrlander

This is a startrail created in starstax. It consists of 131 exposures. Shot with a D7100 and a Sigma 30mm art.

I chose this photo because we can see how insignificant humans are compared with the immensity and strength of an ocean. A little fragile shell of a boat, two people and the swells crashing on the rocks.

Where is Cape Ortegal?

Cape Ortegal is located within the municipality of Cariño, in the province of A Coruña. It is the second northernmost cape of the Peninsula, only surpassed by Estaca de Bares, located less than 50 km away.

This area delimits with the Ortigueira estuary on the western side, one of the most important estuaries in northern Spain for its biodiversity and ecological value and is the limit of the Bay of Biscay.

According to the International Hydrographic Organization and the National Geographic Institute, Cape Ortegal is the symbolic mark dividing the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the Cantabrian Sea.

There is a lone bird. Sky over Caversfield, Bicester, Oxfordshire

An insignificant looking shrub in the Sydney bush until it flowers!

When you look at a beautiful view does it make you feel insignificant ? Many claim it does.

Next time you stare in wonder at natures miraculous qualities take a moment to consider that you are not separate from what you see, that you are looking at a reflection of an aspect of your own being. Let your spirit soar and expand to include what you marvel at and let it be a reminder to take a moment to wonder at the mysteries inside you. We are more than we have ever dared dream and the very essence of who we are is calling us to remember that we are a part of this song of life. We are worthy of that awakening, we are worthy of being a part of that wondrous view.

One of those shots where you're really glad you have Pan-F loaded....

Merry Christmas all, and here's hoping for some good weather soon.

Week 32|52

"It's the small details that makes (you) shine in the grandest of ways - there (are) so many things that most people find insignificant because of their simplicity, but how (beautiful) is it to know that all these 'insignificant' things shape who we are as a whole. For example: a comma in a literary text, a pause in a conversation, or perhaps, the parentheses behind my words."

{from my journal}

Subject 1/3: Sebastián Zurinaga

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Picture and processing by me.

DO NOT USE WITHOUT MY AUTHORIZATION.

....so fragile, so small, so insignificant in contrast to Mother Nature, yet despite all of these short comings humanity managed to thrive, to evolve, to grow against all odds.......

Please press L to VieW on BLacK

Tiny spider almost insignificant.

When I start to get overwhelmed in the run up to Christmas (which this year is worse, even though for the first time ever we're not going away or having family to stay), it's the little, repetitive actions that help to ground me, like moving Santa into the next pocket . Mum made this for me in the early 1990s and it comes out every year. It holds many memories and this year in particular it's providing a vital connection between us.

We’re Here: Banalities

MSH: Memories of Christmas Past

To be honest, posed next to Ratcliffe Power Station in Leicestershire, anything is insignificant! Almost silently and unseen, Rail Operations Group (ROG)/Europhoenix 37800 works light engine as the 0M59/1100 Preston to Leicester L.I.P. light engine move past the imposing power station, the loco having stabled at Preston for most of the month. Notice the railway vans, confined to storage sheds and in need of a good coat of paint! this location is just north of East Midlands Parkway station.

A pile of strategically placed stones - an insignificant symbol of an argument settled between old friends.

Wind turbines in the distance, calculated via OS Maps that these were very close to 20 miles away, taken with a 300 mm lens and cropped a bit. I like the way the big golden hour sky dominates this scene with tonal layering of the tree lined fields and buildings in the foreground, makes the turbines look fairly insignificant despite their actual size.

even stuff that are insignificant have details!

Any guesses what this is??

"Focus on the critical few... not the insignificant many."

~ author unknown

Damn you, Q! This has gone on long enough!

Architecture has this in it's power if it is done correctly. Reducing humans to mere pawns.

Looking a bit insignificant, 153324 arrives at Birmingham New Street on the 1403 Worcester Shrub Hill - Nottingham.

Image Ref: B21926 State Library of South Australia.

Site of St George’s School established 1848, demolished 1891: aka L S Burton’s School.

St George’s School was established 1850 as an adjunct of the Church of England.

The establishment was to be open to those of other denominations who wished to avail themselves of it. As a consequence, its scholars included Jews, Roman Catholics and others. Gawler was at that time an insignificant place, but its school did it credit.

The late Mr Leonard Samuel Burton was the eldest son of the late Mr William Burton, of Dent, Yorkshire, and Chester, England, and was born at Chester, on January 8, 1824. Mr Burton was educated at the King's school in his native town, and was afterwards engaged in business as a chemist and druggist. In 1849 Mr Burton gave up his business and sailed in the "Rajah" for South Australia, arriving here in April, 1850. In September of the same year the late gentleman entered Pulteney Street school as under-master, the Rev E K Miller being the head-master.

Mr Burton afterwards had a school at Saddleworth under the old Education Board, but in June, 1853, he received the appointment of head-master of St George's School, Gawler.

From that time Mr Burton resided in Gawler continuously until his death. He was therefore a resident of nearly 42 years.

On Mr Burton's appointment, sectarian teaching had to be relinquished during the ordinary school hours in compliance with the regulations of the Education Board. In 1857 the school building, which stood on the north side of Orleana Square and was only demolished two or three years ago, had a separate room for girls added to it, and about 30 years ago the present St George's Schoolroom was built. Mr Burton's appointment was fully justified and popular, and successful as the school was prior to that, it became much more so after. Indeed it was regarded as one of the best educational institutions in the colony, and students were sent here from various parts of South Australia. It is impossible within the limits of this sketch to give anything like an adequate notice of St George's School. It was one of the chief features of the town for many years, and the influence it exerted was important and far reaching. One cannot go into any important centre of Australia without encountering someone who is indebted to the instruction he received at St George's.

The late Mr Burton was of marked individuality, and the lines upon which he administered his school were well-defined. With a strictness of discipline he combined a zeal in the cause of education, a painstaking carefulness in the training of each scholar, and a sympathetic interest in the desires and difficulties of his pupils, which inspired confidence on the part of parent and scholar alike. As years rolled by this developed into affection, and there are few men living for whom a warmer regard by an enormous circle of colonists is entertained than for our late townsman. His thorough conscientiousness, his unflagging energy, and his transparent unselfishness were characteristics which marked him strongly both as a teacher and a citizen. St George's School continued to flourish and add to its laurels until the adoption of the Education Act of 1875, when educational matters in the colony were revolutionised. The introduction of the public school system spelt death to many private establishments, and St George's likewise suffered.

How Mr Burton received the appointment of headmaster when the Gawler Model School was opened; how he retained it for two years and six months; how he subsequently re-opened St George's School; how about eighteen months ago he removed the school to his own house; how he was the recipient of a handsomely illuminated address and purse of sovereigns in December, 1893, from his old scholars, are all matters of recent history.

He was one of the most prominent of the history makers of Gawler, and the record of long and useful service which he leaves should act as an inspiration to others to follow the excellent example which he has set them. [Ref: Bunyip (Gawler) 15 March 1895]

Mr Burton’s Funeral Gawler, February 25

The funeral of the late Mr L S Burton took place this afternoon, the cortege leaving the deceased gentleman's house in King Street for the Church of England Cemetery at halfpast 3 o'clock. For some time before a crowd had been gathering and vehicles were arriving in quick succession, making it evident that the procession would be one of the largest that had ever taken place in Gawler, and thus giving evidence of the high esteem in which the deceased was held by all classes of the community.

A number of beautiful wreaths were sent and placed on the coffin, the principal donors being the Gawler Corporation, the institute committee, the Lodge of Fidelity Freemasons, the Gawler Agricultural Society, the present scholars of St George's school, the immediate past scholars, the teachers of the Gawler public school, and many others from private individuals.

A trap containing the members of the corporation led the way and was followed by another with members of the institute committee. Just behind the Freemasons belonging to the Lodge of Fidelity mustered to the number of nearly 40, and, attired in regalia, marched the whole way to the cemetery.

The present and past scholars of the deceased were present in strong force, numbering about 80, and they also walked in the procession.

Next came the hearse, the coffin being almost hidden by wreaths, and after this the principal mourning coaches, followed by nearly 80 vehicles. Passing round by the Albion Mill into Murray Street, large numbers of spectators had collected, and many evidences of mourning were apparent, the shops having their shutters up, and the flag on the Town Hall flying at half-mast. On mounting the hill near the cemetery the sight was a most imposing one, the line of vehicles stretching back as far as the eye could reach. Conspicuous among the procession were the brass helmets of the Fire Brigade, the members of which were mounted on the reel. On reaching the grave, where the Rev Canon Coombs officiated, the burial service was conducted very impressively. The Masonic service was also read by Bro R K Thomson, WM. The chief mourner was Mr William Burton (son), who was accompanied by the Rev E K Miller and Messrs W Cherry and F King, who are intimate friends of the family. [Ref: South Australian Chronicle (Adelaide) Saturday 2 March 1895]

St George’s Anglican Church

The present St George’s Church, in Orleana Square, Gawler, was started in 1858.

Orleana Square was named after the sailing ship ‘Orleana’ which dropped anchor in Holdfast Bay January 1839 bringing Gawler pioneering families from Ireland, Scotland and England.

Those landowning pioneers selected the site of St George’s Church: of local bluestone, and slate tiled roof in 1864 to replace an earlier Anglican church built in 1848.

The buttressed tower, belfry and parapet was built 1910, with bells finally installed in 1921.

The church has stained glass windows lit up at night which display the Gawler Coat of Arms and a memorial to the Reid family amongst others.

A large brass plaque in the church, to the memory of the family of John Reid, a first settler, reads as follows –

“In Memory of

John Reid, of Newry, Ireland, 4th Son of Sam’l Reid Esq, Seneschal of that Borough

Born November 11 1795, Died October 12th 1874, who arrived in South Australia Jan 1839, by the Ship “Orleana” and who with H D Murray of Ochtertyre, Scotland, son of the Sixth Bart, took out the Special Survey and with others laid out the Town of “Gawler” and in whose house the first Church of England service held North of Adelaide was conducted by the Rev’d C B Howard MA.

And of his wife Jane Livingston Born March 11th 1795, died March 26th 1885.

And of their children,

Eliza Sarah born August 16th 1824, died 23rd December 1914.

Samuel born Aug 17th 1825, died March 8th 1859.

William Livingston born October 11th 1827, died July 16th 1900.

John Born October 25th 1929, died 24th October 1916.

Ross Thompson born Feb 2nd 1832, died 10th January 1915.

Richard Jebb Browne born November 7th 1833, died 27 July 1872.”

Sihanoukville (Khmer: ក្រុងព្រះសីហនុ, Krong Preah Sihanouk), also known as 'Kompong Som' (Khmer: កំពង់សោម), is a coastal city in Cambodia and the capital city of Sihanoukville Province, located at the tip of an elevated peninsula in the country's south-west at the Gulf of Thailand. The city is flanked by an almost uninterrupted string of beaches along its entire coastline and coastal marshlands bordering the Ream National Park in the East. A number of thinly inhabited islands - under Sihanoukville's administration - are in the city's proximity, where in recent years moderate development has helped to attract a sizable portion of Asia's individual travelers, young students and back-packers.

The city, which was named in honour of former king Norodom Sihanouk, had a population of around 89.800 people and approximately 66.700 in its urban center in 2008. Sihanoukville city encompasses the greater part of four of the five communes (Sangkats) of Sihanoukville provinces' Mittakpheap District. A relatively young city, it has evolved parallel to the construction of the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port, which commenced in June 1955, as the country's gateway to direct and unrestricted international sea trade. The only deep water port in Cambodia includes a mineral oil terminal and a transport logistics facility. As a consequence, the city grew to become a leading national center of trade, commerce, transport and process manufacturing.

Sihanoukville's many beaches and nearby islands make it Cambodia's premier seaside resort with steadily rising numbers of national visitors and international tourists since the late 20th century. As a result of its economic diversity, the region's natural beauty and the considerable recreational potential, a constantly increasing number of seasonal and permanent foreign residents make Sihanoukville one of the culturally most varied and dynamic population centers in Cambodia. As of 2014 the tourism sector remains insignificant in comparison with neighboring Thailand. Sihanoukville's future will largely be defined by the authorities' capability of a successfully balanced management in order to protect and conserve natural resources on the one hand and the necessities of island - and urban development, increasing visitor numbers, expanding infrastructure, the industrial sector and population growth on the other.

Despite being the country’s premier sea side destination, after decades of war and upheaval the town and its infrastructure remain very much disjointed and architecturally unimpressive. Infrastructure problems persist, in particular related to water and power supply, while international standard health facilities remain limited.

ETYMOLOGY

The official name of the city in Khmer is: Krong (city) Preah (holy) Sihanouk (name of the former king), which adds up to: "City of the holy Sihanouk" or "Honorable Sihanouk City". King Norodom Sihanouk (reigned 1941-1955, 1993-2004) was and still is revered as father of the (modern) nation. The name "Sihanouk" is derived from Sanskrit through two Pali words: Siha (lion), and Hanu (jaws).

The alternative name, Kompong Saom (also romanized as Kompong Som and Kampong Som), (Khmer: កំពង់សោម) means "Port of the Moon" or "Shiva's Port". Saom is derived from the Sanskrit word "saumya", the original (Rig Vedic) meaning of which was "Soma, the juice or sacrifice of the moon-god", but evolved into Pali "moon", "moonlike" "name of Shiva". The word Kampong or Kompong is of Malayan origin and means village or hamlet. Its meaning underwent extension towards pier or river landing bridge.

HISTORY

CLASSICAL PERIOD (BEFORE 1700)

Prior to the ports' and city's foundation works of 1955, the port of Kompong Som must have been only of regional significance - due to the absence of navigable waterways that connect the port with the kingdom's settlement centers. During the many centuries of pre-Angkorian and Angkorian history – from Funan to Chenla and during the Khmer Empire, regional trade was centered at O Keo (Vietnamese: Óc Eo) in the Mekong Delta, now the province of Rạch Giá in Vietnam. The township of Prei Nokor (Saigon) was a commercial center of the Khmer Empire. The Chronicle of Samtec Cauva Vamn Juon - one of the 18th and 19th century Cambodian Royal Chronicles - briefly mentions the region as the country was split into 3 parts during a 9-year civil war from 1476 to 1485: "In 1479, Dhammaraja took on the throne at Catumukh (Phnom Penh) and controlled the provinces of Samraong Tong, Thbong, Kompong Saom, Kampot up to the Bassak, Preah Trapeang, Kramuon Sah, Koh Slaket and Peam"[mouth of the Mekong].

EARLY MODERN PERIOD (AROUND 1700-1863)

From the end of the seventeenth century, Cambodia lost control of the Mekong River route as Vietnamese power expanded into the lower Mekong. During the Nguyen-Siamese War (1717–18) a Siamese fleet burned the port of Kompong Som in 1717 but was defeated by the Vietnamese at Banteay Meas/Ha Tien.[20] A Cambodian king of the late eighteenth century, Outey-Reachea III allied with a Chinese pirate, Mac-Thien-Tu, who had established an autonomous polity based in Ha Tien and controlled the maritime network on the eastern part of the Gulf of Thailand. Ha Tien was located at a point where a river linking to the Bassac River flows into the Gulf of Thailand. Landlocked Cambodia tried to keep its access to maritime trade through Ha Tien. In 1757 Ha Tien acquired the ports of Kampot and Kompong Som as a reward for Mac's military support to the King of Cambodia. Until its destruction in 1771 the port developed into an independent duty-free entrepot - linked with several Chinese trading networks.

Alexander Hamilton, who traveled on the Gulf of Thailand in 1720, wrote that "Kompong Som and Banteay Meas (later Ha Tien) belonged to Cambodia, as Cochin-China was divided from Cambodia by a river (Bassac river) of three leagues broad." and "King Ang Duong constructed a road from his capital of Oudong to Kampot". Kampot remained the only international seaport of Cambodia. "The traveling time between Udong and Kampot was eight days by oxcart and four days by elephants." French Résident Adhemard Leclère wrote: "...Until 1840s, the Vietnamese governed Kampot and Péam [Mekong Delta], but Kompong Som belonged to Cambodia. The Vietnamese constructed a road from Ha Tien to Svai village - on the border with Kompong-Som - via Kampot."

The British Empire followed a distinct policy by the 1850s, seeking to consolidate its influence. Eye witness reports give rare insights, as Foreign Secretary Lord Palmerston's agent John Crawfurd reports: "Cambodia was...the Keystone of our policy in these countries, - the King of that ancient Kingdom is ready to throw himself under the protection of any European nation...The Vietnamese were interfering with the trade at Kampot, and this would be the basis of an approach..." Palmerston concluded: "The trade at Kampot - one of the few remaining ports, could never be considerable, in consequence of the main entrance to the country, the Mekong, with all its feeders flowing into the Sea through the territory of Cochin China The country, too, had been devastated by recent Siam - Vietnam wars. Thus, without the aid of Great Britain, Kampot or any other port in Cambodia, can never become a commercial Emporium." Crawfurd later wrote: "The Cambodians... sought to use intervals of peace in the Siam - Vietnam wars to develop intercourse with outside nations. The trade at Kampot which they sought to foster was imperiled by pirates. Here is a point where the wedge might be inserted, that would open the interior of the Indo-Chinese Peninsula to British Commerce, as the great River of the Cambodians traverses its entire length and even affords communication into the heart of Siam".

FRENCH RULE (1863-1954)

Under French rule Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia became a single administrative and economic unit. The coastal region Circonscription Résidentielle with Kampot as its capital contained the Arrondissements of Kampot, Kompong Som, Trang and Kong-Pisey. The establishment of another international trading center near the existing city of Saigon was not considered necessary. Focus remained the Mekong and the idea to establish an alternative route to Chinese and Thai internal markets along an uninterrupted navigable waterway from the Red River to the Mekong Delta.

INSURRECTION

An insurrection that took place from 1885 to 1887 further discouraged French ambition. It started in Kampot and quickly spread to Veal Rinh, Kampong Seila, and Kompong Som, where the insurgents were led by a Chinese pirate named Quan-Khiem. He managed to control the northern part of Preah Sihanouk for some time until he - an old man - was arrested by Preah Sihanouk's governor.

The most notable infrastructural improvements of this period were the construction of Route Coloniale No.17, later renamed National Road No.3 and the national railway system, although work on the "Southern Line" - from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville - only began in 1960.

AFTER INDIPENDENCE (SINCE 1954)

The city's and province's alternative name Kampong som (Kampong Som) was adopted from the local indigenous community. After the dissolution of French Indochina in 1954, it became apparent that the steadily tightening control of the Mekong Delta by Vietnam required a solution to gain unrestricted access to the seas. Plans were made to construct an entirely new deep-water port. Kompong Saom (Kampong Som) was selected for water depth and ease of access. In August 1955, a French/Cambodian construction team cut a base camp into the unoccupied jungle in the area that is now known as Hawaii Beach. Funds for construction of the port came from France and the road was financed by the USA.

During the Vietnam War the port became an intensive military facility on both sides, in the service of National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam and after 1970, under the government of Lon Nol, in the service of the United States.

The port was the last place to be evacuated by the US Army, only days before Khmer Rouge guerrillas took control of the government in April 1975. The events surrounding the taking of the US container ship SS Mayaguez and its crew on 12 May by the Khmer Rouge and the subsequent rescue operation by US Marines played out on the waters of Koh Tang off the coast of Sihanoukville. During the two days of action, the US commenced air strikes on targets on the mainland of Sihanoukville including the port, the Ream Naval Base, an airfield, the railroad yard and the petroleum refinery in addition to strikes and naval gun fire on several islands.

After the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime in 1979 and the subsequent opening of the economy, the port of Sihanoukville resumed its importance in the development and recovery of the country. With the further opening of new markets in 1999, the city regained its role in the economic growth of Cambodia.

In 1993, the Ream National Park was established per royal decree of former King Sihanouk.

The Sihanoukville Municipality was elevated to a regular province on 22 December 2008 after King Norodom Sihamoni signed a Royal Decree converting the municipalities of Kep, Pailin and Sihanoukville into provinces.

In 2006 the Koh Puos (Cambodia) Investment Group submitted an application, planning to invest $276 million in converting the 116-hectare Koh Puos - Snake island into a luxury residential - and resort complex. After the completion of certain elements of the infrastructure, the investor announced alterations of the original blueprints, as "Reapplying for permission will happen in 2014..." according to the Council of the Development of Cambodia.

On 26 May 2011 Preah Sihanouk area joined the Paris-based club Les Plus Belles Baies Du Monde (The most Beautiful Bays in the World). The organisation officially accepts the Bay of Cambodia as one of its members at the 7th General Assembly.

BEACHES

Sihanoukville's beaches are one of the city's most valuable ecological and economic resource with varying degrees of commercial exploitation. The beaches listed in this section do not include any of the island's beaches.

- Ochheuteal Beach, ឆ្នេរអូរឈើទាល: is a 3.3 km long strip of white sand beach and although the name translates to "Creek/Estuary of the Tiel tree" it is lined with Casuarina and Tamarisk trees. Grass umbrellas, rental chairs in front of around 30 standardized beach huts serve meals, drinks and entertainment. Well established middle class hotels and high-profile residences flank the beach along its Northern part. The sustainability of Ochheuteal beach was a primary consideration of various stakeholders, which brought about the development of a tourism development and management plan in 2005. The Southern half remains - apart from some hotels at its far end - essentially undeveloped.

- Serendipity Beach: Technically the western end (roughly one fifth or 600 m) of Ochheuteal beach, is very popular with Western tourists and has a few small guesthouses right on the beach. It has been named by an American fellow, who came here in the Nineties. Struck by its (then) unspoiled beauty and pristine condition, he came up with the term, which quickly entered common vocabulary.

- Otres Beach, ្នេរអូរត្រេស: is around 4.6 km long and beyond the small "Queen hill" headland at the southern end of Ochheuteal Beach. Its long white sand strip, also completely lined with Casuarina and Tamarisk trees, is far less developed and commercialized than Ochheuteal Beach and has developed into a preferred lodging place for Western visitors. From 2004 to 2011 this beach was occupied by numerous bungalows and dormitories, run by Western people. Due to the element of illegality of on-beach accommodation, among other reasons, police cleaned up the area in May 2011, removing the greater part of the beach-side bungalows. Permanent structures beyond the beach road supplement the remaining places since 2012. It is a very popular, well established holiday retreat – where prices have risen considerably over the course of the last years.

- Sokha Beach: Sokha Beach is around 1.2 km long and located west of Serendipity Beach. The beach is privately owned by - and its southern half occupied by the Sokha Beach Hotel, the first five-star luxury beach hotel in Cambodia. While the beach is well kept and many facilities are provided, visitors have to pay for their use and beach vendors are not allowed.

- Independence Beach: Independence Beach is around 1.3 km long and located north-west of Sokha Beach. The beach is named after the Independence Hotel, another example of New Khmer Architecture, towering on top of a rock at the beaches northern end.

- Victory Beach: Victory beach is around 300 m long and situated at the furthest north of the peninsula of Sihanoukville. It was heavily used by backpackers and is still popular with budget travelers. The deep water port is located at the northern end of the beach. A consortium of Russian business people undertook large scale development here. The beach is regularly maintained.

- Lamherkay/Hawaii Beach: is the southern succession of Victory Beach, situated north of Independence Beach. It is a strip of similar length as Victory Beach - around 300 m. Here is the very place where the French/Cambodian construction team's groundwork began for the construction of the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port in 1955.

- Treasure Island Beach south of Lamherkay/Hawaii Beach is less than 50 m long and its entire length is fringed with concrete steps and wooden pavilions of a big Cambodian seafood restaurant.

- Hun Sen (Prek Treng) Beach, ឆ្នេរព្រែកត្រែង: is the northernmost beach of the city with a length of around 1.5 km, situated behind the local port and essentially empty without beach huts and bars, it sees only weekend - and holiday visitors. The water is very shallow, but the area is lacking favorable infrastructure and is not regularly cleaned.

WIKIPEDIA

Nowlin Peak

I think of life as a humble raindrop. It has a beginning and inevitably an end. However it is unique and small changes along the way makes each journey unpredictable and special. For something so insignificant it can be quite resilient, but our lives just like a raindrop are always at the mercy of time.

Challenge #14:

Photograph something you consider insignificant.

– Riitta Ikonen & Karoline Hjorth

After serious consideration I decided that the Feral Pigeon (or Columba Livia) was the most insignificant "something" I could think of to photograph for Challenge #14.

However, by giving so much thought to where and how to photograph the pigeons, and the time and effort taken to do it, I suppose they have in some way become significant after all.