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Te Mania house, Conway Flat, Kaikoura, New Zealand.
Built 1937.
The Wilding family farm-house Te Mania, rural Conway Flats near the river mouth, south of Kaikoura, is a notable example of early modern New Zealand architecture. Influenced by Le Corbusier, and the Bauhaus. Architect Richard D. Harman of Christchurch. Built in 1937 of reinforced concrete in-situ. Clean lines, startling for the times, but practical and lasting; depending on advance and recess in balanced proportions. The plan was considered in advance for the time too, with spatial flow. The house has come to fit well with down-to-earth farming and became centre for its famous Angus beef stud. [300 hectare farm]. See also its likeness to other early modern examples by New Zealand architects, such as Connell's 1930 High and Over at Amersham, north of London: www.flickr.com/photos/peteshep/8177531255/in/album-721576... and John Anderson's Auckland Wharatane of 1928: www.flickr.com/photos/peteshep/7776625390/in/photolist-KV...
Architecturally, despite magazine stories, no "Deco" about it -- a misunderstanding of Modern.
It relies on its size, simple lines, frank concrete, and spatial rectilinear expression. It was softened by Virginia creeper as above; then green creeper was balanced with the Virginia.
[Conway Flat is a rural locality south of the Conway River mouth, 5+km south-east of Hundalee; Parnassus, Hurunui District.]
Io, loro e Lara is a 2010 film directed by and starring Carlo Verdone.
The film was dedicated to Verdone's father, Mario, who died during
the making of the film.
Plot: Carlo Mascolo is a priest on a mission in Africa. Following a profound spiritual crisis, the priest decides to return to Rome, where the rest of his family lives, with the idea of taking a break to reflect and gain clarity.
However, when Carlo arrives home, he is overwhelmed by his family's problems: his elderly father Alberto has married the young Moldovan caregiver Olga, much to the disappointment of his siblings Luigi and Beatrice, who fear for their inheritance. Carlo also has doubts about his father's choice, but everything changes with the sudden death of his stepmother.
The situation takes an unexpected turn with the arrival of Lara, the deceased's daughter: Alberto—now a widower and desperate—orders the girl to live in the family home for a while, where she shares her life with the priest. Initially, a good relationship develops between the two, but this strains when Carlo discovers that the young woman is leading a double life. But it's just the beginning of a long series of misunderstandings...
The caregiver Olga dies, and it's discovered that her daughter exists.
Lara,
Life scenes
DSC - 4015
This RPPC was mailed from the USA to Miss Karolina Pack, Orillia, Ontario, Canada c/o The Northway Company. The partial postmark is smudged with no place or date readable. The message (in minuscule pen and ink) reads; "Hello Karolina, Your welcome letter rec'd. Many thanks for inquiring about linen. Would like it ordered again certainly. Must have been some misunderstanding - first was told part came in - just the napkins. Well, as you know I did not want napkins without cloth. I think Mr. B just _ ___ __ __ his word but never mind. I will be very glad to get them now. I am coming up home for a week from Xmas until New Year and if you have other goods coming import they will do then. Mrs. Mina Young & I are going over to Toronto Sept. 6th and I will buy one set of linen there. I want the two sets. I have no price and size of __ but Mr. B was to order another different pattern, the same quality and price. I am ___ Mrs. Garrett from Toronto Saturday for few days. Raining again today - you just missed all the bad weather. Rec'd cards from Jennie. Do write. Give me all the news.".
because I don't know how to add in an 'un-Flickr'd' photo into the comments on yesterday's posting, here's a seperate post. This one I have had seperate confirmation on the location. Sorry about yesterday's misunderstanding ;-)
Generated by me, Tool used AI Stable Diffusion
Many people misunderstand the work of artists, seeing it as frivolous or irrelevant. However, artists have the ability to communicate complex ideas and emotions in a way that words alone cannot. They are often at the forefront of social and political movements, using their work to challenge dominant narratives and advocate for change...
Meursault, Situated in the heart of the famous burgundian wine region in the Côte d'Or, six kilometers south of Beaune, is an enthralling mediæval Village With Some 1,800 habitants and famous for white wines wonderful icts and Its splendid parish church. Due to the current shortage of Priests, the parish of Meursault now Incorporates Reviews another twelve parishes form Producing wine, Including Auxey-Duresses, Chassagne-Montrachet, Monthélie, Pommard, Puligny-Montrachet, Saint-Aubain, Saint Romain, and Volnay. Indeed the list reads like the Wine List in a better restaurant. The origins of Meursault are clouded in the mists of history and so is the etymology of the name of the village. The present parish church of Meursault, dedicated to St Nicholas, is a broad church hall, with three naves of equal height in restrained cistercian gothic, dating from the lathing share of the XVth century. It has a central tower crowned by a magnificent spire, reaching 57 m above-the-ground.
One of the treasures of the parish church of St Nicholas in Meursault is icts organ has Mutin & Cavallé-Coll, acquired by public subscription from Column in Concert Paris in the late 1920s at the initiative of the priest Then, Abbot Narbonne. Today, this organ is Almost single. Originally built as "portable" temporary instrument for wide use in churches whilst the Existing organ Was rebuilded or replaced, this organ, In Spite of ict modest size, HAS an unexpected capacity. The dates of Construction Has not yet-been ascertained Firmly goal the original facade shows a striking similarity With That Conceived by Aristide Cavallé-Coll in 1872 for organ in the main hall of the old Paris Conservatory. (The massive country-baroque-style branches Above and is Either side of the organ case, the work of a local wood carver, Were added in the 1930s.) The organ HAS one manual of 56 ratings and has straight pedal board with 30 ratings . There are nine registers draw with eleven stops, three year term combination pedals and pedal. The Entire organ is enclosed in a swell box. This is the disposition of the organ: MANUAL Diapason 8 'Low & Diapason 8' Tops Principal 4 ' Harmonic Flute 8 ' Bourdon 16 ' Salicional 8 ' Full-Game 3 Ranks Tuba 16 ' Bass Tuba & 16 'Top 8 'Trompette Soprano 4 '
Combination pedals: Bourdon 16 'to pedals (18 ratings only, borrowed from the manual stop) Couple, manual pedals to Engage / cancel reeds & Full-Game In the 1960s, the 16 'Tuba Was removed and Replaced by a divided Sesqualtra. Fortunately, HOWEVER, somebody HAD-have the sense to the redundant Tuba classified and protected under heritage legislation and it Remained Stored on church property. At the Beginning of 2005, the Sequaltra Was discarded and the Tuba reinstated. Following the restoration of the church in the 1990s, the organ, although Originally Bought by public subscription in the parish, Was sold for a nominal sum to the municipality of Meursault qui , since the separation of Church and State, owns the church building. In Any case, up to the organ at Nicholas Recently in Meursault Was little appreciated. There Were two Reasons for this hand. First, due to ict immediate provenance Having purchased this beens from the Column Concert in Paris, There Was a Widespread misunderstanding That it was "just a theater or cinema organ." Second, in the wake of Vatican II and the introduction of the vernacular, traditional church music Generally Was Replaced by contemporary compositions of a more popular character and Meursault is no exception in this respect. HOWEVER, the hearing organ of the Most Played again on Sundays at Mass HAS Awakened a fresh interest for the instrument Among Many of the parishioners. The inspiration to an Association of Friends of the organ of St Nicolas at Meursault cam from Philippe Ballot, Vice-Mayor of Meursault, in a talk with the organist in early 2008. The lathing soon Established That There Was Sufficient interest to proceed. With the dedicated and generous support of Mr. Henri de Suremain, a son of and nearby Monthélie year lawyer at the court in Paris, statutes for an organization in according with the Law of 1901 Were drawn up and, with the backing of Some twenty local winemakers , the Association of Friends of the Organ of the Church of St. Nicholas in Meursault Was Established on 25th July 2009. The Association Was registered at the Sub-Prefecture in Beaune on 10th November and gazetted in the Official Journal of the French Republic on 21st November 2009. The registered address of the Association is The Mayor, 21190 MEURSAULT . There are two ex officio members of the Board, the Rector of the church and the Mayor; Elected members oven, a president, a vice-president, a secretary, and a treasurer; and two alternates. Selon icts Statutes, the Association to Promote AIMS interest in and appreciation of the Mutin Cavaillé-Coll organ & in Meursault by way of concerts, conferences, musical and cultural initiatives --other and performance, and to Ensure icts restoration and maintenance . Just before last Christmas, Mr. Bartholomew FORMONTELLI, renowned traditional organ builder based near Verona (Italy) visited Meursault at the request of the Association and Spent long afternoon inspecting the organ, taking notes and pictures in order to present a detailed estimate for Complete restoration and conservation of the instrument. At The Beginning of January, Mr. Formontelli Submitted Most Interesting report was Accompanied by a surprisingly Favourable estimate. It is very much Hoped That Sufficient funds can be raised to allow for this restoration to begin before the end of the year. Mr. Formontelli is Well Known locally for the precious Having fully restored XVIIth century organ at the basilica of Notre-Dame in Beaune. He est aussi the author of the magnificent new organ at Santa Maria degli Angeli in Rome and, Most Recently, the papal Dom Bedos organ at Rieti (Italy). The Association of Friends of the Organ of the Church of St Nicholas at Meursault icts records Profound gratitude to Mr Paul ISOM, Organ Consultant to the Anglican diocese of Rochester and great organist year. Mr. Isom HAS shown great interest in our organ and Was instrumental in launching the embryo of our Association by giving the first ever organ recital, the 26th July 2008, on the Mutin Cavaillé-Coll & after-ict installed in our parish church. In appreciation de son contributions with time and considerable talent, Mr. Isom Was Voted unanimously Honorary Life Member of the Association at ict constituent assembly on 20th December 2009.
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L’orgue de l’église Saint Nicolas à Meursault est de la fameuse maison Mutin & Cavaillé-Coll, facteurs d’orgue à Paris, et acheté par souscription populaire pour l’église en 1927 ‘deuxième main’ aux Concerts Colonne à Paris sur l’initiative de l’Abbé Narbonne (cure de Meursault 1925 – 1952).Malgré taille assez ,modeste, cet orgue a une capacité formidable et aurait, selon théorie, initialement servi dans églises Parisiennes en remplacement d’instruments plus importants en cours de restauration ou d’installation.La façade originale, au ‘chapeau de gendarme’, est dessin simple, peu différent de celle conçue par Cavaillé-Coll en 1872 pour l’orgue de la grande sale de l’ancien Conservatoire de Paris. Les décorations extérieures, sculptées en bois ont été ajoutées après l’installation de l’orgue à Meursault. L’instrument est totalement enfermé, avec deux rangs de volets superposes á la façade et deux derrière (l’inférieur actuellement étant supprimé). Ces volet forment une boite expressive très efficace.L’orgue a seulement neuf jeux à 11 registres, entre eux trois à anches battantes (Tuba, Trompette, et Soprano), et compte un clavier de 56 notes, un pédalier à 30 notes, et trois combinaisons de pédales.
P.R.I.D.E.
People Redefining Identities and Developing Energies
What defines your pride?
I live with pain daily. I refuse to let it define me.
I live with disability. I work hard to not let it define me.
I grew up with an absentee father. My mother refused to let it define me.
I live with a dual gendered spirit not understood by many, I refuse to let misunderstandings define me.
I love to cook for my loved ones. I want this to define me.
I want my kids to breathe in fresh mountain air … and know it.
I want my kids to laugh on family game night and remember it in school the next day.
I want my kids to sing a hymn at church of Christmas eve and remember it when they find their first true love.
I want my wife to always have a reason to laugh with me.
I want my wife to always have a reason to want to hug me.
I want all these identities to define me.
I write about my physical pain through my music. This music defines me.
I write about past emotional pain through my music. This music defines me.
I write about suddenly setting my spirit free. This music soars through the air and it defines me.
I feel other’s sorrow too deeply, but also feel their happiness just as deep, and I am glad each defines me.
I love the people I surround myself with. I want their smiles to define who I am.
I CAN choose what defines me.
I WILL choose what will define me.
Because when I choose, I have pride.
How do you define your P.R.I.D.E.?
Make it a great week!
Look After You
After recent events, after all misunderstandings Dannee and her two closest persons mended what was cracked between them. With Chil’a, the holiday of the New Year time approaching, it is time for forgiveness, presents and bright hopes for the future… - www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/images/370813/?
Mind Station by Tomasz Piotrowski and Lukasz Chaberka, Lomianki/Warsaw, Poland.
Mind Station is a pavilion that allows users to lose their physical dimension.
“We wanted to focus on the migration of thoughts, the connection between people and how our ideas are spreading,” Piotrowski said.
“With our design we were able to separate the head from the body, which is not so important in the process,” Chaberka said. “Today we have a lot of misunderstanding and fake news, and so when we focus on our faces we can just say what is the truth.”
EDIT : JUST SO THERE IS NO MISUNDERSTANDING, THIS IS UNLIKELY TO GIVE A PERFECT WHITE BALANCE, BUT IF YOU GET CAUGHT OUT IN TRICKY LIGHT SITUATIONS, IT WILL GET YOU CLOSE.
There are many add on gadgets for getting an average white balance, from using a paper coffee filter to the very pricey Expodisc.
Here is another to add to the list, just the top from a cup of Starbucks coffee.
As I usually have a cup or two rolling around in my car, there is usually one I can use in an emergency if I'm out and about :)
I usually keep a few along with straws in the glove compartment too, never know when they will come in handy for a cup of coffee while travelling.
To use, I set the focus to infinity, place the cap over, then set the custom WB. I dont even need to hold it as it fits nicely inside my lens hood, but that is just a lucky coincidence.
Due to a misunderstanding between offices, ship & no communication with me, I am stuck in Perth for the next 5 days! most people would pay good money for 5 days in Perth, but personally I'd rather have gone home!!
Camera: Nikon D7000
Lens: Sigma 10.0-20.0 mm f/4.0-5.6
Focal Length: 10mm
Aperture: f/16
Exposure: 66 Sec
ISO: 100
Filters: Hitech 4 stop ND & 3 stop ND Grad HE
Tripod : Gorillapod SLR
"The human understanding is like a false mirror which, receiving rays irregularly, distorts and discolors the nature of things by mingling its own nature with it."
- Francis Bacon
34/365. Self-portrait. View on Black, please!
"It is by universal misunderstanding that all agree. For if, by ill luck, people understood each other, they would never agree."
-Charles Baudelaire
Okay, so this is a little different than my normal stuff. I am actually naked, but please no weird comments, they'll be deleted.
My goal was to do a photograph where I was naked, without anything showing, but for it to be fun, but not trashy. I think I was successful.
My sister actually clicked the picture for me. Sorry for the grain, it has been cloudy for the last few days. It's supposed to rain this weekend, which I am excited about. I can't remember the last time it rained. It will be humid though. Ehhh.
Anyways, I was tagged (a few times). Here goes...
1) I am a freelance writer. Overall I enjoy it, but the pay is not always that wonderful.
2) I love classical music. People always look at me strange when I blare it up in my car.
3) I never wash my car. Georgia is in need of a bath bad, though.
4) And, I hardly ever text or use my cell phone. I'm not a phone person period. I just have it for emergencies.
5) I thoroughly enjoy horror films. I've been watching them since I was 6 or 7. My parents didn't mind because they never terrified me.
6) If I want to see a movie and no one else wants to see it, I'll go by myself.
7) I am very independent, which can put-off a lot of people.
8) My father raised me and my sister like we were boys. It is safe to say that I can fix any problem I come across such as changing a tire or the car oil or re-landscaping my entire lawn.
9) I'm not fond of profanity, I hardly ever use it.
10) I'm considering photographing weddings for extra money.
Tags are random. I thought I would tag a few more than 10 to make up more the last few I didn't do.
Print Giveaway ! Only four days left. :B
This Hubble Picture of the Week features NGC 2814, an irregular galaxy that lies about 85 million light years from Earth. In this image, which was captured using Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS), the galaxy appears to be quite isolated: visually, it looks a little like a loose stroke of bright paint across a dark background. However, looks can be deceiving. NGC 2814 actually has three close (in astronomical terms) galactic neighbours: a side-on spiral galaxy known as NGC 2820; an irregular galaxy named IC 2458; and a face-on non-barred spiral galaxy called NGC 2805. Collectively, the four galaxies make up a galaxy group known as Holmberg 124. In some literature these galaxies are referred to as a group of ‘late-type galaxies’.
The terminology ‘late-type’ refers to spiral and irregular galaxies, whilst ‘early-type’ refers to elliptical galaxies. This rather confusing terminology has led to a common misconception within the astronomy community. It is still quite widely believed that Edwin Hubble inaccurately thought that elliptical galaxies were the evolutionary precursors to spiral and irregular galaxies, and that that is the reason why ellipticals are classed as ‘early-type’ and spirals and irregulars are classed as ‘late-type’. This misconception is due to the Hubble ‘tuning fork’ of galactic classification, which visually shows galaxy types proceeding from elliptical to spiral, in a sequence that could easily be interpreted as a temporal evolution. However, Hubble actually adopted the terms ‘early-type’ and ‘late-type’ from much older astronomical terminology for stellar classifications, and did not mean to state that ellipticals were literally evolutionary precursors to spiral and irregular galaxies. In fact, he explicitly said in his 1927 paper that ‘the nomenclature … [early and late] … refers to position in the sequence, and temporal connotations are made at one’s peril’.
Despite Hubble himself being quite emphatic on this topic, the misunderstanding persists almost a hundred years later, and perhaps provides an instructive example of why it is helpful to classify things with easy-to-interpret terminology from the get-go!
[Image Description: An irregular galaxy, a narrow streak of stars crossed by faint dust lanes. It is surrounded by a bright glow, appearing like a beam of light in the centre of a dark background. A scatter of small, distant galaxies and a single, bright star surround the galaxy.]
Credits: ESA/Hubble & NASA, C. Kilpatrick; CC BY 4.0
This has just returned from a client who had decided to buy the other piece with a big tree. The client do not want the religious building in the work to avoid any misunderstanding in their corporate image.
Young MC from Stone Cold Rhymin' on the Oldies station: Bust A Move
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0m3X9MLDRKw
This here's a tale for all the fellas - Tryin' to do what those ladies tell us
Tyler: (worried, gets out of his car) Are you all right?
Manny: Hey! What's going on over there?
Paradise: I slipped, Mr. Lemans! I'm fine.
Young MC from Stone Cold Rhymin' on the Oldies station: Girls are scantily clad and showin' body
Tyler: Let me help you up.
Paradise: No, really. I'm okay. (but one of her wheels catches a pebble, throwing her off balance, and she tumbles to the ground with Tyler, landing on him)
Tyler: Oof!
Paradise: Oh, no! I'm so sorry!
Manny: Hey! No manhandling the wenches! (starting across the lot)
Young MC from Stone Cold Rhymin' on the Oldies station: A girl starts walking guys start gawking
Paradise: (waving him off) He isn't! I slipped! It was an accident! (getting off of Tyler) Are you all right?
Tyler: I'm sure it's just a slipped disk or two.
Paradise: (aghast) What?
Tyler: (chuckles, sitting up) I'm kidding.
Young MC from Stone Cold Rhymin' on the Oldies station: You're on a mission and you're wishin' - Someone could cure your lonely condition
Manny: (reaching them) New Girl, what are you --? (realizes who she sat on) Mr. Griffin! Mr. Griffin, I had no idea it was you! Would you like me to call an ambulance?
Tyler: I don't think that's necessary. (smiling and rising)
Manny: (sternly) New Girl Two, I can't have you attacking customers. You're fired.
Paradise: What? But I barely started!
Young MC from Stone Cold Rhymin' on the Oldies station: You run over there without a second to lose - And what comes next hey bust a move
Tyler: There's really no need to fire her.
Paradise: No need!
Manny: I won't tolerate this sort of aggressive behavior toward the customers.
Paradise: Me?
Tyler: There's been a misunderstanding. She lost her balance, I tried to help her up, and we both took a little tumble. It was a complete accident.
Paradise: (nods) It was!
Tyler: In fact, if I had stayed in my car, I wouldn't have taken a spill at all. So, that part is entirely on me.
Manny/Paradise: It is?
Tyler: (smiling) Absolutely. Now, why don't I get back into my car and your carhop can take my order?
Manny: Well -- (looks at Paradise, who nods) All right, then. You're not fired. (motions) Go on and take Mr. Griffin's order. (he goes back to the building)
Tyler: I'm glad that's settled. (gets into his car)
Young MC from Stone Cold Rhymin' on the Oldies station: A girl runs up with somethin' to prove - So don't just stand there bust a move
Paradise: Thank you for saying that. You didn't have to.
Tyler: I meant it. You shouldn't get fired for a little accident.
Paradise: Still, it was really nice of you. What can I get you?
Tyler: I'll take a number three to go, please. With a chocolate shake.
Paradise: Right away. (she quickly turns to go and there's a ripping sound)
Tyler: (looks down and realizes he'd closed part of her skirt in his door)
Young MC from Stone Cold Rhymin' on the Oldies station: You say neat-o, check your libido - And roll to the church in your new tuxedo
Paradise: (looks down and realizes she's only clad in her ruffled-bottomed spanks)
Manny: (sees this and shouts) Neeww Girrl!
Tyler: (opens his door a crack as a cheer goes up from around the lot) I'm SO sorry!
Young MC from Stone Cold Rhymin' on the Oldies station: So you start thinkin' then you start blinking
Paradise: (yanks her skirt free and spins, about to skate into hiding as fast as possible, then she spots Fawn and her friends smirking, so instead of fleeing, she does a couple quick spins, rips the skirt in half and uses it like a couple of fluffy pom poms, skate dancing to the beat of the music being piped to every drive up space, and everyone cheers, horns being honked by especially appreciative onlookers, and after a victory lap, she skates inside the building)
Young MC from Stone Cold Rhymin' on the Oldies station: And now you're feelin' really fine 'cause the girl is stacked - Reception's jumpin' bass is pumpin' - You look at the girl and your heart starts thumpin'
Tyler: (is smiling, shaking his head and covering his eyes)
Voice: (as a male inside takes over the mic, puts on a corny pirate accent) Aaarrrgh! It's our duty to serve you Booty -- Burgers! (and the lot erupts in cheers, applause, and horn honking)
Manny: (grinning, leans toward the cook in the order window) We're gonna make New Girl a Booty Burger star! She's great! Listen to those customers!
Young MC from Stone Cold Rhymin' on the Oldies station: Says she wants to dance to a different groove - Now you know what to do G bust a move
(Thank you to Seth for playing Tyler and to Morgan for the stylish car he got knocked down beside. -giggles- )
You were not my love at first sight ... but the strongest #Brooklyn ... I’m going over the things (before moving) I’ve collected over the years from 2000’s. Who was that person? I don’t know her !! Never was happy or excited over things, or appreciative. Never appreciated the good life gave me. And would never see good or kindness even if it hit me between the eyes. Life was monotonous or maybe it was the pain I carried inside me since 1998 when my mom’s condition got worse. School, late hours of work, family struggles. I never loved even when I thought I did. Always waited for some magic to come along & turn my life upside down. The past 7 years turned me upside down. I became someone else. One morning realized that I love Brooklyn & it’s every piece of memory. Few years after my grandma got diagnosed with Alzheimer’s I realized I’ve never really told her how important she was to me. Never told her how much I loved her or how much she meant to me. It’s scary now that we can spent our entire lives not saying how we really feel because of misunderstanding or pride. Maybe it’s just me or we all go through different experiences of growing up. Maybe it was outside forces, years or just the change inside me but I know it’s never to late to give up or give in and change 💖
--
© This photograph is copyrighted. Under no circumstances can it be reproduced, distributed, modified, copied, posted to websites or printed or published in media or other medium or used for commercial or other uses without the prior written consent and permission of the photographer.
New! Challenge 145.0 ~ Back From the Future ~ The Award Tree ~
www.flickr.com/groups/awardtree/discuss/72157671365249511...
Le Morte d’Arthur, by Sir Thomas Malory, tells the story of King Arthur and his Knights at the Round Table. Arthur, who is son of King Uther Pendragon but was raised by another family, takes his rightful place as king when, as a boy, he is able to pull the sword called Excalibur from the stone. Although he rules wisely and is counseled by Merlin the magician, Arthur makes enemies of other kings and is often at war.
When Arthur marries Genevere, her father gives Arthur the Round Table, at which 150 men can sit. Genevere, who is often present at the convening of the Round Table, acts as a moral compass for the knights, rewarding knights who behave well and chastising those who choose poorly. Malory specifically relates the stories of Sir Gawain, Sir Tor, and Sir Pellanor as a means of introducing the concept of chivalry.
Arthur is nearly betrayed by his sister Morgan le Fay, but he is helped by Nineve, a sorceress who learned her magic powers from Merlin before killing him. Arthur then fights the Romans when Emperor Lucius of Rome demands that Arthur bow to him. Although the war requires several battles, Arthur and his knights win and return to Guinevere and the other wives. Soon after, Launcelot establishes himself as the greatest knight in all the world by his virtue, loyalty, and bravery. At the same time, Sir Gareth, Gawain's brother, proves valiant in his adventures.
Tristam (also known as Tristan), who is son of King Melyodas de Lyones and the sister of King Mark of Cornwall, is then introduced, and his adventures unfold. He kills Sir Marhault to free his uncle from a debt owed to King Angwyssh of Ireland, and then falls in love with Isode (also known as Isolde), Angwyssh's daughter. Isode marries Tristam's uncle Mark, but Tristam and Isode remain lovers. Tristam is exiled by Mark, which means he can no longer use his true identity; thus, he fights as The Knight with the Black Shield. Tristam duels and beats many of Arthur's knights, but is eventually thrown in prison and becomes ill. He escapes and eventually meets and fights Launcelot in a duel predicted by Merlin. They become the best of friends.
Launcelot, who is in love with and completely loyal to Guinevere, rides one day in search of adventure. He kills a dragon, sees the Grail, and is tricked into lying with Pellas' daughter Elayne, with whom he has a son, Galahad. Guinevere, upon hearing of the affair, has Launcelot banished from court; Launcelot then wanders from place to place in his grief. Elayne, through her father, heals Launcelot through the Grail, and he eventually returns joyously to Camelot and the Round Table.
Launcelot introduces his son, Galahad, to the court, and Galahad takes the Sege Perilous, the seat at the Round Table that no knight has been worthy enough to fill. Galahad also draws the sword from the floating stone, establishing him as the best knight in the world, but also accepting the sword's curse — that it will later cause a grievous wound.
Most of the knights then set out separately on Grail Quest. During the Quest, Launcelot, Percival, and Bors experience deep religious conversion, while Ector and Gawain are told by a hermit that they are not pure enough to achieve the Grail Quest. Galahad, Percival, and Bors meet up and continue the Grail Quest, but they are briefly parted. Launcelot and Galahad continue to the Grail at Castle Corbenic, where Launcelot is shown to be unworthy of the Quest. When Sir Evelake dies after his embrace with Galahad, Galahad is identified as the knight who will achieve the Grail Quest. Galahad is made a king who dies shortly thereafter, while Percival becomes a hermit. Bors returns to King Arthur's court.
Launcelot also returns to the court and continues his love for Guinevere. After a series of trials, Guinevere is convinced of Launcelot's love for her. Although Arthur knows of the affair and overlooks it, he is prompted by Aggravain and Mordred (Arthur's son by Lot's wife) to take action; Guinevere is sentenced to be burned at the stake. Launcelot rescues her and takes her to his castle, Joyous Gard, but in the battle, Launcelot kills Gareth and Gaheris, who are at the execution but are unarmed. Launcelot returns Guinevere to Arthur, but Launcelot is banished, along with his followers. Gawain swears vengeance for the death of his brothers and insists that Arthur attack Launcelot. Arthur agrees, but while Arthur and Gawain are away, Mordred makes himself King of England, claims Guinevere as his wife, and attacks Arthur's army. Gawain is mortally wounded and warns Arthur in a dream not to continue the battle. Through a misunderstanding, however, the battle continues; Arthur kills Mordred but is mortally wounded by him, as Merlin has prophesied.
Launcelot and Guinevere both die of illness soon after, and Constantine becomes king. The Round Table is disbursed.
Las canciones sirven para muchas cosas.
Los lenguajes sirven para muchas cosas.
Las redes sociales sirven para muchas cosas.
Flickr sirve para muchas cosas.
La hipocresía sirve para muchas cosas.
Las mesas sirven para muchas cosas.
¿Quién sirve la mesa?
Dentro y fuera de cualquier red social, dentro y fuera de Flickr, dentro y fuera.
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Songs serve for many things.
Languages serve for many things.
Social networks serve for many things.
Flickr serves for many things.
Hypocrisy serves for many things.
Tables serve for many things.
Who serves the table?
Inside and outside any social network, inside and outside Flickr, inside and outside.
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Hypocrisy & Communication series
An inserted sky from earlier in the trip before the moon made its appearance and began casting its own magic light throughout the canyon.
Because I said so - and I carry a Big Stick, A colorful meeting of complex river rat minds, Colorado River dory trip, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona.
Ed thought he had heard he could have a small contained fire as we were nearing the end of the trip... that turned out not to be the case. It was a simple misunderstanding quickly rectified with the aid of Lew's big beer-can smashing stick (a broken oar with added metal plate).
Veteran River Guide Lew Steiger can usually be found somewhere on the Colorado River between Lee's Ferry and Grand Wash - just find a shady spot and wait - He'll be by soon.
U.S. F-22 Raptor fighter jets have deployed to the Middle East in a show of strength amid escalating tensions between U.S. and Russian forces that share the skies over Syria, U.S. Central Command said Wednesday.
Airmen from the 94th Fighter Squadron at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, are the latest to arrive in a string of recent deployments to U.S. Central Command — and the first unit to specialize in air-to-air combat — after the Air Force’s top officer in the region said in April that Russian pilots had begun buzzing other American fighter jets over Syria in apparent invitations to dogfight.
“Russian forces’ unsafe and unprofessional behavior is not what we expect from a professional air force,” CENTCOM boss Army Gen. Erik Kurilla said in a release Wednesday. “Their regular violation of agreed-upon airspace deconfliction measures increases the risk of escalation or miscalculation.”
Speeding one of America’s most advanced fighter jets to the field aims to deter further bad behavior — and bolster U.S. firepower if needed. The military did not disclose from which base the F-22s will operate.
As the Pentagon’s premier fighter designed to down other aircraft, the Raptor relies on stealth technology, sophisticated maneuvers and up to eight short- and medium-range air-to-air missiles.
Their arrival signals that American military officials are increasingly alarmed by what they see as Russia’s attempts to intimidate American airmen and endanger U.S.-led coalition troops on the ground in Syria, flouting flight safety rules the two countries had agreed upon to avoid accidents and misunderstandings.
Russian aircraft violated longstanding deconfliction protocols 85 times from March 1-April 28, Air Forces Central told Air Force Times.
“They’re regularly flying directly overhead of our units … within about a mile, no more than a mile offset one side or the other, while we’ve got forces right there on the ground” at the U.S. coalition’s al-Tanf garrison in Syria, Grynkewich told NBC News. “It’s an uncomfortable situation.”
The Air Force did not immediately answer how often those incidents occurred in May and June.
In April, the Air Force released two videos that appear to show Russian Su-35 fighter jets veering close to American F-16 fighters in coalition airspace over Syria, filmed from the viewpoint of the F-16.
Grynkewich said close encounters have come within 500 feet of U.S. aircraft, despite miles-wide deconfliction zones and rules designed to keep jets thousands of feet away from each other. U.S. and Russian forces also share a hotline where they can discuss potential close calls.
Those measures are in place to prevent U.S. and Russian forces from seeing an incoming aircraft as an attack on their respective positions and retaliating in kind.
Grynkewich has suggested Russians may be growing more brash as a favor to their ally Iran, which opposes the U.S. military presence in the region.
In response, the Air Force this spring dispatched A-10C “Warthog” attack planes that are specially modified to carry around three times their typical bomb load.
“They’re really here as a message to both assure our partners … but also as … a true capability that can work against some of the threats that we face with respect to Iran,” Grynkewich told Defense One in April.
B-1B Lancer bombers, which carry conventional but not nuclear weapons, also arrived in CENTCOM for training earlier this month in a brief diversion from their current deployment to Europe.
The jets practiced shooting live precision-guided munitions and a Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile, designed to hit mobile targets up to 230 miles away without triggering air defenses, the command said.
The Air Force said the mission was the first time its aircraft had fired multiple weapons at multiple simulated targets alongside coalition forces during a bomber rotation to the region.
“These bomber missions represent the U.S.’s commitment to our partners and showcase our ability to deliver overwhelming power at a moment’s notice,” Grynkewich said June 8.
While they support forces on opposite sides of Syria’s 12-year civil war, and are both fighting Islamic State militants, U.S. and Russian troops have not clashed directly.
Moscow backs the Assad regime in the conflict that has killed hundreds of thousands of civilians and displaced more than half of the country’s pre-war population.
About 900 U.S. personnel remain in Syria to advise and assist the patchwork of rebel forces that are fighting government troops. The Pentagon also continues to launch airstrikes and raids from elsewhere in the region in its decade-long mission to contain the Islamic State group inside Syria.
About Rachel S. Cohen
Rachel Cohen joined Air Force Times as senior reporter in March 2021. Her work has appeared in Air Force Magazine, Inside Defense, Inside Health Policy, the Frederick News-Post (Md.), the Washington Post, and others.
Seeing the world differently brings a sweet sadness to it all. Understanding mysteries that people don’t dare to dream of – the secrets of wanderers: like the brokenness that vexes men, the misunderstandings that writhe in their minds, and the emotions that flip hearts upside-down.
But then again, there’s a profound beauty. Like wrought gold engraved by fire and encircling a simple stone. Oh, but not simple at all. Lines hidden in each facet sing a song when turned in the light. Even the wanderers cannot translate, but they comprehend.
"Restauracja w Szpicu". Niby zwykła knajpa jakich pełno w Pradze, ta jednak ma coś szczególnego, co przyciąga jak magnes naszych rodaków :-).
Another CZ-PL language misunderstandings :-).
"In the Akbarnama, there is a mention of Akbar marrying a Rajput princess of Amer but her name is not Jodhaa," says historian and director of the Khuda Baksh Oriental Public Library, Imtiaz Ahmad in Patna.
She is referred to as Mariam Zamani (Mary of the Age) which is is a title and not a name.
It further says that Mariam Zamani is a title referred to the lady who gave birth to Prince Salim, who became Emperor Jehangir.
But the name Jodha is not mentioned anywhere.
"The name Jodha first came up in the 19th century when Colonel Tod, a Britisher, inspired by ardic literature (folk literature) of Rajputs, mentioned Jodhabai in his book Annals and Antiquity of Rajasthan".
Recently, the royal family of Jodhpur openly stated that Jodhaabai did exist, and that she married Emperor Akbar.
Padmini Devi of the Japiur royal family acknowledged the fact that Jodhaa existed and it was this matrimonial union that brought an alliance between Mughals and Rajputs.
According some Rajput historians, Akbar married the former maharaja of Amer, Bharmal's elder daughter Karkbai alias Heer Kumar in Fatehpur Sikri on Feburary 6, 1562 and Prince Salim was born in 1569.
Jodhabai was the daughter of Moteraja Udai Singh and she would have been three years younger than Salim and hence, in no way could she have been his mother.
Quoting Emperor Akbar's biography, and a National Council of Educational Research and Training's Class XI history book on medieval India by Professor Satish Chandra, Kalvi claims Jodhaa was not Akbar's wife, as depicted in the film "Jodhaa Akbar", Jodha was married to Salim, Akbar's son.
Jodhaa-Akbar (Hindi: जोधा-अकबर, Urdu: جودھا اکبر) was released on February 15, 2008, it stars Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in lead roles.
The film in the spirit of Cecil B DeMille, is a romance between a Muslim Mughal Emperor and his Hindu wife, it received an outstanding response at US and UK box-office, however there were some amazing community's protests against it in some Indian states in order to ban it for the sake of Historical accuracy...
At a time of religious obscurancy and misunderstandings, a message of love and hope that gather communities could become a role model for the people today.
Working on this topic with movies, songs, photographies, is also a way to keep unity in front of those who committed Delhi (last week) and Islamabad (last night) blasts.
This was shot during monsoon from a window of Amber's fort in Amer, the place where Emperor Akbar's wife use to live before the myth of jodhabai...
Join the photographer at www.facebook.com/laurent.goldstein.photography
© All photographs are copyrighted and all rights reserved.
Please do not use any photographs without permission (even for private use).
The use of any work without consent of the artist is PROHIBITED and will lead automatically to consequences.
(Aka the modern legacy)
models: Karl & Juan
Here is an extract of my work: vanishing gods.
It's a representation of the conflict between the old generation destroying the legacy of their children.
I also try to explain our lack of spirituality, through the decadence of our own representation of divinities or gods. These one we have created.
These pictures are about the great misunderstanding between religion and spirituality.
Less Gods and more Spirit.
Ryoan-ji Hojo Garden ( Historical Site/ Special Place of Scenic Beauty) . Ryoan ji temple , Kyoto city , Kyoto Prefecture ,Japan
Ryōan-ji (Shinjitai: 竜安寺, Kyūjitai: 龍安寺, The Temple of the Dragon at Peace) is a Zen temple located in northwest Kyoto, Japan. It belongs to the Myōshin-ji school of the Rinzai branch of Zen Buddhism. The Ryōan-ji garden is considered one of the finest surviving examples of kare-sansui ("dry landscape"),a refined type of Japanese Zen temple garden design generally featuring distinctive larger rock formations arranged amidst a sweep of smooth pebbles (small, carefully selected polished river rocks) raked into linear patterns that facilitate meditation. The temple and its gardens are listed as one of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto, and as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The site of the temple was an estate of the Fujiwara family in the 11th century. The first temple, the Daiju-in, and the still existing large pond were built in that century by Fujiwara Saneyoshi. In 1450, Hosokawa Katsumoto, another powerful warlord, acquired the land where the temple stood. He built his residence there, and founded a Zen temple, Ryōan-ji. During the Ōnin War between the clans, the temple was destroyed. Hosokawa Katsumoto died in 1473. In 1488, his son, Hosokawa Matsumoto, rebuilt the temple.
The temple served as a mausoleum for several emperors. Their tombs are grouped together in what are today known as the "Seven Imperial Tombs" at Ryōan-ji. The burial places of these emperors -- Uda, Kazan, Ichijō, Go-Suzaku, Go-Reizei, Go-Sanjō, and Horikawa—would have been comparatively humble in the period after their deaths. These tombs reached their present state as a result of the 19th century restoration of imperial sepulchers (misasagi) which were ordered by Emperor Meiji.
There is controversy over who built the garden and when. Most sources date the garden to the second half of the 15th century.[3] According to some sources, the garden was built by Hosokawa Katsumoto, the creator of the first temple of Ryōan-ji, between 1450 and 1473. Other sources say it was built by his son, Hosokawa Masamoto, in or around 1488. Some say that the garden was built by the famous landscape painter and monk, Sōami (died 1525),.but this is disputed by other authors.Some sources say the garden was built in the first half of the 16th century.[7] Other authors say the garden was probably built much later, during the Edo Period, between 1618 and 1680.[6] There is also controversy over whether the garden was built by monks, or by professional gardeners, called kawaramono, or a combination of the two. One stone in the garden has the name of two kawaramono carved into it.
The conclusive history, though, based on documentary sources, is as follows: Hosokawa Katsumoto (1430-1473), deputy to the shogun, founded in 1450 the Ryoan-ji temple, but the complex was burnt down during the Onin War. His son Masamoto rebuilt the temple at the very end of the same century. It is not clear whether any garden was constructed at that time facing the main hall. First descriptions of a garden, clearly describing one in front of the main hall, date from 1680-1682. It is described as a composition of nine big stones laid out to represent Tiger Cubs Crossing the Water. As the garden has fifteen stones at present, it was clearly different from the garden that we see today. A great fire destroyed the buildings in 1779, and rubble of the burnt buildings was dumped in the garden. Garden writer and specialist Akisato Rito (died c. 1830) redid the garden completely on top of the rubble at the end of the eighteenth century and published a picture of his garden in his Celebrated Gardens and Sights of Kyoto (Miyako rinsen meisho zue) of 1799, showing the garden as it looks today. One big stone at the back was buried partly; it has two first names carved in it, probably names of untouchable stone workers, so called kawaramono. There is no evidence of Zen monks having worked on the garden, apart from the raking of the sand,
The temple's name is synonymous with the temple's famous 'Zen garden', the karesansui (dry landscape) rock garden, thought[by whom] to have been built in the late 15th century.
The garden is a rectangle of 248 square meters. Young and Young put the size at twenty-five meters by ten meters. Placed within it are fifteen stones of different sizes, carefully composed in five groups; one group of five stones, two groups of three, and two groups of two stones. The stones are surrounded by white gravel, which is carefully raked each day by the monks. The only vegetation in the garden is some moss around the stones.
The garden is meant to be viewed from a seated position on the veranda of the hōjō, the residence of the abbot of the monastery.
The stones are placed so that the entire composition cannot be seen at once from the veranda. They are also arranged so that when looking at the garden from any angle (other than from above) only fourteen of the boulders are visible at one time. It is traditionally said that only through attaining enlightenment would one be able to view the fifteenth boulder.
The wall behind the garden is an important element of the garden. It is made of clay, which has been stained by age with subtle brown and orange tones. In 1977, the tile roof of the wall was restored with tree bark to its original appearance.
When the garden was rebuilt in 1799, it came up higher than before and a view over the wall to the mountain scenery behind came about. At present this view is blocked by trees.
The garden had particular significance for the composer John Cage, who composed a series of works and made visual art art works based on it.
Meaning of the garden
Like any work of art, the artistic garden of Ryōan-ji is also open to interpretation, or scientific research into possible meanings. Many different theories have been put forward inside and outside Japan about what the garden is supposed to represent, from islands in a stream, to swimming baby tigers to the peaks of mountains rising above to theories about secrets of geometry or of the rules of equilibrium of odd numbers. Garden historian Gunter Nitschke wrote: "The garden at Ryōan-ji does not symbolize anything, or more precisely, to avoid any misunderstanding, the garden of Ryōan-ji does not symbolize, nor does it have the value of reproducing a natural beauty that one can find in the real or mythical world. I consider it to be an abstract composition of "natural" objects in space, a composition whose function is to incite meditation.".
Scientific analysis of the garden
In an article published by the science journal Nature, Gert van Tonder and Michael Lyons analyze the rock garden by generating a model of shape analysis (medial axis) in early visual processing.
Using this model, they show that the empty space of the garden is implicitly structured, and is aligned with the temple's architecture. According to the researchers, one critical axis of symmetry passes close to the centre of the main hall, which is the traditionally preferred viewing point. In essence, viewing the placement of the stones from a sightline along this point brings a shape from nature (a dichotomously branched tree with a mean branch length decreasing monotonically from the trunk to the tertiary level) in relief.
The researchers propose that the implicit structure of the garden is designed to appeal to the viewer's unconscious visual sensitivity to axial-symmetry skeletons of stimulus shapes. In support of their findings, they found that imposing a random perturbation of the locations of individual rock features destroyed the special characteristics.
Centuries after its creation, the influences of the dry elements at Ryōan-ji continue to be reflected and re-examined in garden design — for example, in the Japangarten at the Art Museum at Wolfsburg in Germany.-wikipedia
SCOUT: “Eeeeeekkkk! Paddy! Paddy!” *Comes running and buries himself in Paddy’s arms.
PADDY: “Goodness Scout!”
ROSIE: “Scout? Whatever is the matter?”
BOGART: “Oh poor Scout, are you alright?”
FREDDY: “Scout! Scout, tell us what happened!”
PADDY: “What is it Scout?” *Rubs the back of Scout’s head soothingly.* “Tell me what happened.”
SCOUT: “Oh Paddy! I just had the most awful fright!”
FREDDY: “What frightened you?”
BOGART: “Was it a snake?”
SCOUT: *Shakes head vigorously.*
ROSIE: “Was it a yucky pidie (spider), Scout?”
SCOUT: *Shakes head vehemently.*
PADDY: “What did you run into that frightened you so, Scout?”
SCOUT: “It wasn’t so much a what as a whom!” *Looks up from Paddy’s chest. “I ran into a… a… dragon!”
PADDY, ROSIE, BOGART and FREDDIE: “A dragon, Scout?” *Alarmed.*
SCOUT: “Yes! A big, monstrous, fire breathing dragon everybear and fox!” *Buries head in Paddy’s chest again.*
BOOMING FEMALE VOICE: “You-hoo! You-hoo little bear! Where are you?”
SCOUT: “Oh no! That’s her now!” *Trembles and tries to bury himself further into Paddy’s arms.*
BOOMING FEMALE VOICE: “You-hoo sweet little bear! I can’t find you! Are you hungry? I know I am!”
PADDY, ROSIE, BOGART and FREDDIE: *Gulp.*
SCOUT: “Don’t let the big, monstrous, fire breathing dragon eat me, Paddy! Please!”
PADDY: “Of course I won’t, Scout! I’ll protect you! We all will, won’t we Rosie, Bogart and Freddy?”
ROSIE, BOGART and FREDDIE: *Gulp again and nod nervously.*
BOOMING FEMALE VOICE: “You-hoo sweet little bear! Come out now! There is no point hiding from Tallulah!”
PADDY, ROSIE, BOGART and FREDDIE: “Tallulah?” *Surprised.*
SCOUT: “That is the big, monstrous, fire breathing dragon’s name, Paddy! She told me before she nearly fried me with her great fire breathing mouth!”
PADDY: “Tallulah doesn’t sound like the name of a big, monstrous, fire breathing dragon, Scout.”
SCOUT: “Of course it does, Paddy! How many big, monstrous, fire breathing dragons do you know?”
PADDY: “Well none that I know of, Scout.”
SCOUT: “Right!” *Stomps paw self-righteously. * “So how can you possibly know whether the name Tallullah is that of a big, monstrous, fire breathing dragon or a big, non-monstrous, non-fire breathing dragon, Paddy?”
BOOMING FEMALE VOICE: “You-hoo sweet little bear! Come to Tallullah!”
PADDY, SCOUT, ROSIE, BOGART and FREDDIE: *All stand still and tremble, unable to move in fear as the bushes nearby begin to rustle and shake.*
BOOMING FEMALE VOICE: “Oh there you are, sweet little bear! Oh!” *Gasps.* “And you’ve brought your friends! Splendid!” *Friendly dragon head appears through the bushes.* “There will be plenty to eat!”
SCOUT: *From the safety of Paddy’s arms.* “Don’t eat me, Miss Tallulah!”
TALLULAH: “Who is going to eat you, sweet little bear?” *Steps out from bushes.* “Just let them try! They’ll have to get past Tallulah first!”
SCOUT: “Well you are, Miss Tallulah.” *Questioningly.* “Aren’t you?”
TALLULAH: *Starts laughing heartily, but doesn’t spit out any fire.* “Good heavens no, you sweet little bear you! I was just going to ask you into my nice cosy cave for some tea and faerie cakes.”
PADDY: “Tea and faerie cakes?” *Confused.*
TALLULAH: “Oh don’t worry, slightly bigger bear! I always bake lots of cakes and delicious treats for when unexpected guests drop by, so I have plenty for you, and your other bear and fox friends.”
ROSIE: “But Scout said that you were a big, monstrous, fire breathing dragon!”
BOGART: “And that you were going to eat him!”
FREDDY: “So he ran away!”
TALLULLAH: *Laughs jovially again.* “Oh dear, sweet bears and fox, there must have been some misunderstanding from your young bear friend. Whilst it is true, I am not as slender as I used to be in my youth.” *Runs claws down her scaly sides.* “I am certainly not monstrous, nor fire breathing. If I was fire breathing, I wouldn’t need a match and some kindling to light my oven.”
SCOUT: “Do you mean you aren’t going to eat me, Miss Tallullah?” *Cautious.*
TALLULAH: “Goodness no, sweet little bear. I am just here as guardian of this garden to be a hospitable hostess and invite you, and all your little friends here, in for some afternoon tea. It’s getting quite warm out here, and you could probably do with some light refreshments before I send you on your way home.”
PADDY: “Oh that would be most kind, Miss Tallulah.”
TALLULAH: “I have seen you around here before, usually walking with a man.”
BOGART: “That’s our Daddy!”
FREDDY: “He takes good care of us.”
TALLULAH: “I’m sure he does, little fox. As I’ve seen you before, you must come from around here.”
SCOUT: “Yes,” *Sniffles.* “We live at Daddy’s house, over that way.” *Points in the direction of Daddy’s house.*
TALLULAH: “Then of course you must come in and have some nice tea and some faerie cupcakes. Daddy’s house sounds a long way away.”
DADDY: “Oh, it isn’t that far for me, but it certainly is for little bears and foxes!”
PADDY, SCOUT, ROSIE, BOGART and FREDDIE: “Daddy!” *Surprised.*
DADDY: “Hullo everybear and fox. I was getting worried that you might have gotten lost on your walk, so I came to fetch you home.”
TALLULLAH: “Oh.” *Disappointed.* “And I was just about to invite everybear and fox in for something to eat in my cosy cave, Mr. Daddy! I’m a bit lonely today.”
PADDY: “Daddy, this is Tallulah, the,” *Looks at Scout who looks away sheepishly.* “The kind and generous and non-scary, non-fire breathing dragon.”
DADDY: “How do you, Miss Tallulah.”
TALLULLA: “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr. Daddy.”
DADDY: “Well, I don’t see why you can’t stop and have some tea with Miss Tallullah, and I’ll just come back and collect you in an hour everybear and fox.”
TALLULLAH: “Oh you must stay too, Mr. Daddy! I have plenty of delicious cupcakes, certainly enough for you too, and the kettle is on the hob even as we speak.”
PADDY, SCOUT, ROSIE, BOGART and FREDDIE: “Oh yes Daddy! Do stay!”
DADDY: “Well only if you are sure, Miss Tallulah.”
TALLULLAH: “Oh I am, Mr. Daddy. Now come along!”
DADDY: “Wait! Please let me take a photo of you all first, to mark the occasion.” *Takes out camera.* “Now, everybear, fox and dragon, say ‘grumbly tummies’!”
PADDY, SCOUT, ROSIE, BOGART, FREDDIE and TALLULAH: “Grumbly tummies!”
*Camera goes click and whirr.*
SCOUT: “Grumbly tummy, Daddy! Grumbly tummy!” *Rubs tummy vigorously and giggles.*
My Paddington Bear came to live with me in London when I was two years old (many, many years ago). He was hand made by my Great Aunt and he has a chocolate coloured felt hat, the brim of which had to be pinned up by a safety pin to stop it getting in his eyes. The collar of his mackintosh is made of the same felt. He wears wellington boots made from the same red leather used to make the toggles on his mackintosh.
He has travelled with me across the world and he and I have had many adventures together over the years. He is a very precious member of my small family.
Scout was a gift to Paddy from my friend. He is a Fair Trade Bear hand knitted in Africa. His name comes from the shop my friend found him in: Scout House. He tells me that life was very different where he came from, and Paddy is helping introduce him to many new experiences. Scout catches on quickly, and has proven to be a cheeky, but very lovable member of our closely knit family.
Rosie is Scout's cousin, because like Scout, she is a free trade knitted bear from Africa. She was made in Kenya by one of the Kenana Knitters, Martha Wanjira. She is made from home spun and dyed wool. She was a gift to me from two very dear friends, includng the one who gave Scout to Paddy.
Bogart has travelled all the way from Georgia, via Alabama as a gift to me from a friend. He has lovely Southern manners and seems to be a fun and gentle soul with an inquisitive nature.
Freddy Fox is made by Merrythought in England. I bought him, of all places, from a men’s accessory shop in Melbourne’s Block Arcade, called Mr. Wares. Freddy Fox is made of English Mohair with felt paws and glass bead eyes. He has so much charm and charisma that already he is winning hearts with anyone whom he meets, and he is kind and sweet, which makes him an ideal member of our family.
Tallulah the Dragon is the kindly caretaker of a wonderful garden full of magic in one of the inner suburbs of Melbourne. She is hand made of terracotta and hand painted. She always has a smile (and a faerie cupcake or two) for any passersby, if only you stop to pause and say hullo.
Barbara was rather excited this morning, Stormy had been telling her how lonely he was all alone at his place and last night he'd called her and asked her to come over in the morning, he had a surprise for her and a solution to his loneliness. She'd woken early and packed her bags in advance, of course she'd love to move in with him, she'd just been waiting for him to ask. An oblivious Stormy couldn't understand her lack of enthusiasm when he introduced Bert, his new housemate and solution to his solitude. He had picked him up from the pound first thing. Barbara finished her coffee, made her excuses and went back to the barracks to unpack her things.
Don Henley on the Oldies station: Dirty Laundry
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHimia_Fxzs
I make my living off the evening news - Just give me something-something I can use
Champagne: (at Greenport High School, first lunch period, sweeps over to "her" table where Paradise Dylan and Amber Russo already await her) I don't want either of you to say anything to me. (she sets a business card in front of each of them) That's the number of the family nurse. She's expecting a call, I didn't say who it would be, and I don't want to know.
Amber/Paradise: (pick up the cards, read them quizzically, then look at each other, then look at Champagne)
Don Henley on the Oldies station: Well, I coulda been an actor, but I wound up here
Champagne: The first pill has to be administered by a medical professional, but you can take the second at home.
Don Henley on the Oldies station: I just have to look good, I don't have to be clear
Paradise: What pill?
Amber: We're SO not going to help you test another designer drug.
Champagne: Don't be stupid. It's to get rid of the (air quotes) carry-on baggage.
Paradise: (mystified) What are you talking about?
Don Henley on the Oldies station: Give us dirty laundry
Champagne: Look, it's difficult finding people attractive enough to compliment my aesthetic without detracting from my personal beauty. So, I won't have either of you throwing away the opportunity that being seen with me, affords you.
Paradise: Cham, seriously, in all caps; W.T.F.?
Amber: (raising her hand from the table) Echo says, echo.
Champagne: I'm talking about the baby growing inside of one of you, right now.
Amber/Paradise: (in unison): I'm not pregnant!
Champagne: I told you, I don't care which of you it is. I'm not asking. Just go to my nurse and she'll take care of things. Two pills, a little cramping, and this all becomes an asterisk in your book of life.
Amber/Paradise: (in unison): I'm not pregnant!
Champagne: Are you sure?
Don Henley on the Oldies station: We got the bubble-headed-bleach-blond
Amber/Paradise: (in unison): Yes!
Alex: (she and Holly approach the table): I hate to intrude, because I hate to be seen with you (to Champagne), but why the fuck is everybody shouting like a chorus line, over here?
Champagne: It's a private matter—
Paradise: No, it isn't. Champagne thought we were pregnant!
Amber: Which we are NOT.
Paradise: Definitely, NOT.
Don Henley on the Oldies station: Give us dirty laundry - Can we film the operation?
Champagne: Well, someone in this school is. I know it's only a rumor, but these things have a seed of truth in them.
Paradise: Gross.
Alex: (glaring at Amber) I can't believe you told!
Amber: I only told Carol!
Champagne: (takes a card back from Paradise and hands it to Alex) I know that we have had our differences, in the past, but I cannot, in fashionable conscience, stand idly by and allow you to destroy a potential career as a fashion model. Not runway, of course, you're not tall enough, but definitely high end, online marketing.
Don Henley on the Oldies station: You don't really need to find out what's going on
Alex: (rolls her eyes) I'm not pregnant
Champagne: But I thought you told Amber—
Holly: I totally told you that in confidence, Alex!
Alex: I didn't tell her!
Champagne: My goodness, Holly Samuels. Surprising and intriguing. You go up on my list of interesting people in Village Green. Well, you are now ON my list of interesting people in Village Green. Here, take this card.
Don Henley on the Oldies station: Eat your dirty laundry
Alex: (scoffs) SHE'S not pregnant, either!
Holly: Somebody told her!
Alex: Our mom told us both.
Champagne: None of you are pregnant, but their mom told them, and you're upset--? (covers her mouth) Isn't Stacy only ten?
Holly: (annoyed) She's thirteen.
Don Henley on the Oldies station: Kick 'em when they're stiff - Kick 'em all around
Champagne: I don't see how that makes this any better.
Holly: (more annoyed) She's not pregnant, either!
Champagne: Then, who is?
Holly: (snaps) My MOM, okay? She fainted at rehearsal last night and they took her to the hospital, and we all found out she's going to have a baby!
Don Henley on the Oldies station: We love to cut you down to size - We love dirty laundry
Champagne: Oh, dear. Should someone so old have a baby?
Alex: (annoyed) Our moms are the same age.
Champagne: Fifty- ...?
Holly: She's not even forty yet!
Don Henley on the Oldies station: When it's said and done we haven't told you a thing
Champagne: Still, not the freshest eggs in the refrigerator. Why not give her this card--
Don Henley on the Oldies station: We all know that Kraft is king - Give us dirty laundry!
Alex: (takes the card and drops it in Amber's soda, glaring at Champagne the whole time) Come on, Holls. (loops an arm with Holly and walks her away from the table)
Champagne: Sometimes I wonder why I make the effort to be charitable.
Don Henley on the Oldies station: Kick 'em when they're up - Kick 'em when they're down - Kick 'em when they're up - Kick 'em when they're down
(Thank you to Eclaire for playing Alex, Kes M for playing Holly, Kes R for playing Amber, and special thanks to Morgan for playing Champagne to her fashionably elevated best!)
Photo taken for the 52 Weeks of Pix 2011. Theme: Pet Peeve
Few days ago I went quickly to the page of the 52 Weeks of Pix 2011 group to find out which is the theme of this 4th week. I read "Pet peeve". I have to preface that I am Italian and that I am used to speak in English everyday because of my work, I am a scientist. But sometimes the spoken English or the more commune words create some troubles.
Anyways..."Pet peeve" , I thought "Ok I know what a pet is, but peeve?" I go to the online translator, I type in "peeve" and I get "irritare". I obviously didn't think enough (I was like always in hurry) and I just deduced that "Pet peeve" means "Mischievous Pet" :D
Looking for ideas I immediately thought about the episode that happened few weeks ago when Zurigo, my hamster, destroyed the most beloved shoes of Florian and ...voilà the photo!!!
In the evening I showed the photo to Florian telling that this is my photo for the "Pet Peeve" theme, and he could not stop to laugh at me!!! mmmmhmhmh
Now I know what "Pet Peeve" means, and I also discovered that this photo is actually a great example of a pet peeve of mine: LINGUISTIC MISUNDERSTANDINGS!!!!
I think if somebody in the past asked me to represent "linguistic misunderstanding" with a photo, I would have been in trouble. Funny how I found the way to do that ;).
P.S. Zurigo eats only the shoes of Florian! Do you think he has cheesy feet?!!! :D ;)
Kidding Florian!!!!
Dangerous Seas - Diplomatic Crisis by Daniel Arrhakis (2018)
Withe music : Hollywood Principle // Breathing Underwater (Ether Remix)
In the "Seas of General Confusion" a great shark arrives next to two marine beings with unfriendly faces and says:
- My boss told me to say that there have been some misunderstandings ... We never did harm to the little fishes !
________________________________________________
* The Shark is Russia, The Octopus is Theresa May (England) , the Big Fish is Trump ( United States) and the little fish is Europe between these three ! It's a humor picture about the last crisis of the diplomats and the murder of the Russian spy.
But we have more cases now with the Facebook . It seems that it is only now that they have discovered that these social platforms and even Google have made millions at the expense of Users' data and have been used by politicians to influence elections and even referenda !!
The World is a true Ocean of Dangerous Creatures and the fishes are all of us ! LOL! : (
________________________________________________
Work made with Art collage, digital painting and layering using stock images ! : )
Throughout history and across many cultures, people have regarded owls with fascination and awe. Few other creatures have so many different and contradictory beliefs about them. Owls have been both feared and venerated, despised and admired, considered wise and foolish, and associated with witchcraft and medicine, the weather, birth and death. Speculation about owls began in earliest folklore, too long ago to date, but passed down by word of mouth over generations. So, how do they bring good luck, exactly? Well, in many myths and legends, they played helpful roles (giving wisdom, protecting, etc.) thus marking them as creatures of good fortune. Let's look at the mythological history surrounding the owl...
In early Indian folklore, owls represent wisdom and helpfulness, and have powers of prophecy. This theme recurs in Aesop's fables and in Greek myths and beliefs. By the middle ages in Europe, the owl had become the associate of witches and the inhabitant of dark, lonely and profane places, a foolish but feared specter. An owl's appearance at night, when people are helpless and blind, linked them with the unknown, its eerie call filled people with foreboding and apprehension: a death was imminent or some evil was at hand. During the eighteenth century the zoological aspects of owls were detailed through close observation, reducing the mystery surrounding these birds. With superstitions dying out in the twentieth century - in the west at least - the owl has returned to its position as a symbol of wisdom.
In the mythology of ancient Greece, Athene, the Goddess of Wisdom, was so impressed by the great eyes and solemn appearance of the owl that, having banished the mischievous crow, she honored the night bird by making him her favorite among feathered creatures. Athene's bird was a Little Owl, (Athene noctua). This owl was protected and inhabited the Acropolis in great numbers. It was believed that a magical "inner light" gave owls night vision. As the symbol of Athene, the owl was a protector, accompanying Greek armies to war, and providing ornamental inspiration for their daily lives. If an owl flew over Greek Soldiers before a battle, they took it as a sign of victory. The Little Owl also kept a watchful eye on Athenian trade and commerce from the reverse side of their coins.
In ancient Egyptian, Celtic, and Hindu cultures the symbolic meaning of owl revolved around guardianship of the underworlds, and a protection of the dead. In this light the owl was ruler of the night and seer of souls. A misunderstanding of this necessary relationship gave the owl some negative associations with death. It should be clear that the owl was honored as the keeper of spirits who had passed from one plane to another. Often myth indicates the owl accompanying a spirit to the underworld - winging it's newly freed soul from the physical world into the realm of spirit.
Native Americans associated the meaning of owl with wisdom, foresight, and keeper of sacred knowledge. This may largely be due to the fact that the owl is a great fore-teller of weather conditions. Also its ability to see at night is legend among the Native Americans, and this attribute would be invoked during ceremonies when an oracle of secret knowledge was required.
In conclusion, the owl has a dual symbolism of wisdom and darkness. In many cultures, it most commonly symbolizes wisdom, mysticism, good luck, good omens, foresight/insight, prophecy, and protection. They are thought to bring luck due to the mystical help the provide within mythology and folklore-- protection, being one of them.
[Time: 4:40 P.M.]
[Location: Dr. Nimble's Evil Lair]
So, yeah. Nancy caught me off guard while I was… distracted. She's got this thing floating above me and now I'm stuck in this immobilizing ray while she monologues.
Dr. Nimble:"Fluxx, it seems you're little invasion failed. It was so predictable… And by that I mean completely unpredictable! What are you doing here?"
-Phillip stares at her flatly, unable to reply.-
Dr. Nimble:"Hm. Immobilization kind of ruins the whole nemesis banter thing. Noted. Let's see… I captured you, I monologued, what next?"
Jumping Jack:"He kicks your butt?"
That would be Nancy's son, Jack. He's a little… I don't want to say bratty, but…
-Nancy turns to her son, who's playing Zombie Mayhem 3 or some other gory game.-
Dr. Nimble:"Jack B. Nimble, don't talk to your mother that way."
Jack:"Whatever…"
-Jack goes back to violently slicing virtual zombies-
Dr. Nimble:"I don't know what I'm going to do with that boy... Anyway, what to do with this boy?"
-Nancy turns back to Philip and puts her hand on her chin.-
Dr. Nimble:"It's normally around this time that you escape. I guess I never did think this far ahead."
-Now it was Philip's turn to roll his eyes-
I can't believe I'm stuck like this. I need to find a way out before she gets any ideas. I need to do something! I need...
-Phillip sees a familiar, armored friend drop behind Nancy.-
I need a hero! (Ooh, I should listen to that song next time.)
Rongzero (Attempting a Ewan McGregor voice): "'Hello there.'"
-Nancy does a 180, surprised by Rongzero's sudden appearance-
Dr. Nimble:"Who are you?"
-Rongzero's shoulders droop and, even with the opaque visor, is clearly disappointed-
Rongzero:"No, you're supposed to say: 'General Kenobi'."
Jack:"*coughnerdcough*"
-Nancy looks Rongzero over with a raised eyebrow, wondering just what he was supposed to be.-
Dr. Nimble:"Are you... Fluxx's sidekick or something?"
Rongzero:"Seriously? I'm Rongzero. I'm a freakin' Flickr Fighter, c'mon!"
Dr. Nimble:"As if I have time to keep track of all of you... children. Aren't you a little short to be a superhero?"
Rongzero:"First: I'll have you know I'm seventeen. Second: No, no I am not."
-Rongzero fires a laser from his mask, destroying the immobilizer and freeing his friend-
Dr. Nimble:"Nooo!"
-Rongzero flies over to Philip and helps him off the floor-
Rongzero:"Watcha' doin?"
Fluxx:"Oh, you know, just regretfully facing the consequences of my own reckless decisions."
Rongzero:"Fun. Recur told me you came here, I figured you could use some backup."
Fluxx:“Just a little.”
Dr. Nimble:"You'll pay for that! Jack, take care of these pests!"
Jack:"Do I have to? I'm kinda' in the middle of something here."
Dr. Nimble:"What did we talk about?"
Fluxx:"Didn't you tell him that if he wanted to have a rival he had to take care of him?"
Dr. Nimble:"Exactly! See, Jack, why can't you be more like your nemesis?"
-Jack just rolls his eyes, ignoring his mother.-
I'm telling you, that kid's got an attitude overload.
Dr. Nimble:"I'll straighten him out later. But, first! You will pay for your intrusion!"
-With exaggerated movements Nancy pulls a remote from her labcoat and dramatically presses a big red button on it. Philip and Rongzero put on their game-faces and prepare to fight. But all that happens is the monitor behind Nancy activates, displaying static. Surprising everyone, including Nancy.-
Rongzero:"Uh… Was that supposed to happen?"
Dr. Nimble:"I could've sworn that was the right button..."
-Nancy presses several other buttons only to end up toggling lights on and off, opening and closing doors and resetting the VCR. At one point, she momentarily activated the lair's self-destruct sequence-
Dr. Nimble:"Sorry about this, I keep forgetting to label the buttons on this thing. If you could just stand there while I figure this out, that'd be great."
-Philip and Rongzero exchange a look, followed by Philip nodding towards the exit. Nancy is too busy messing with the remote to notice the two of them silently float away. Jack does notice, but is too apathetic to speak up.-
Perfect, we'll just slip away like nothing happened.
-Right as they approach the door, two drones whiz in front of it, blocking their path.-
Dr. Nimble:"Found it."
-Before you could even say "Holy automatons, Batman!" the room was full of Nancy's robots. Attack robots, like the ones Phil already faced, clanked into the room by the dozens. Drones buzzed in from openings in the ceiling. Pretty soon Philip and Rongzero had enough laser sights targeting them to light them up like a couple of poorly-decorated Christmas Trees.-
Fluxx:"That's a lot of guns."
Rongzero:"Yup."
Fluxx:"Think we can take 'em."
Rongzero:"You go low, I'll go high."
Fluxx:"Cool. Want to listen to some music while we beat 'em up."
Rongzero:"You just read my mind."
-Philip slowly reached into his pocket to restart his MP3 player while Rongzero synced his helmet to it. (A lot more convenient than sharing earbuds)-
Dr. Nimble:"You think you can defeat the full force of my robots? Ha! Don't make me laugh maniacally. They were built for combat! Built by the greatest scientific genius in the world! Me. And if you--Oh, look at that, they already started."
-While Nancy fell into her monologuing habits, the two boys had already gotten to work gleefully dismantling robots. All to the tune of some high-energy video game soundtracks.-
🎶To-GETHER we can show the world what we can do! You are next to me and I'm next to you! Pushing on through until the battle's woooon!🎶
If this isn't an awesome team-up song, I don't know what is.
-Sparks, laser bolts and metal scraps fly all over the place as the two duke it out with the robot army. A shrunken Rongzero ricochets like a bullet from drone the drone, destroying them one by one. Meanwhile, Phil pulls more of the same stunts as before, ramming and kicking the bots into submission.-
Rongzero:"Are these the toughest bots you have? I could take on all these clankers at once!"
He's not wrong, we're kicking some robot chassis right now. This should be a breeze!
Dr. Nimble:"You deadbolts! I know I programmed you better than that! Fine. Whichever of you wastes of wiring defeats these heroes gets to be Robot Drone of the Month!"
-Being Robot Drone of the Month is quite prestigious. Not only do you get your picture on the wall and a reserved parking space, you also get a free coupon for Ed's car wash with all the works. This seems to fill the robots with some newfound determination.-
Rongzero:"Now what? I'm not sure if we can keep this up."
Fluxx:"You may be right, but how can we stop them without fighting them?"
-There’s a moment of silence. Well, there would have been if there wasn't robots to fend against.-
Fluxx + Rongzero:"Nancy's remote!"
Fluxx:"Well, you said you could take them all on at once. You got this while I snag the remote?"
Rongzero:"Uh… Sure. Just be quick about it."
Fluxx:"Quick. You got it."
-Fluxx forcefully pushes his way out of the mob and quickly locates Nancy, specifically spotting her remote.-
Bingo! I'll be taking that.
-His powers easily pull the remote towards him, right out of Nancy's clutches.-
Dr. Nimble:"Hey! Give that back this instant!"
-She grabs for it, but by that point it was just out of reach. Unfortunately, moments before, Rongzero had struck a drone right as it was about to fire, causing it to misfire and nearly hit Jack. Up until then, Jack had his headphones on and brain turned off as he played his video game. But a laser bolt touching down at his feet was enough to convince him to get in on the action. He looked up and saw his mother's remote floating through the air and it didn't take long for him to figure out what was going on.-
Come to papa! Once I have the remote I can turn the bots against Nancy and get my answers.
-Right before Philip's eager fingers close on the device it’s snatched by Jack.-
Jack:"Yoink!"
-He had leapt with the grace of a trained dancer and effortlessly plucked the remote from the air.-
Fluxx:"Hey!"
-Jack shows off with a flip before landing with practiced poise. He stands up and puts a hand to his hip. He examines the remote with mock interest before smirking at his rival.-
Jack:"You want it? Come and get it."
-He clips the remote to his belt and snaps into a battle pose and his armor lights up with a white glow.-
As much as I hate fighting this guy, I need that remote!
Fluxx:"Fine. Have it your way."
-Philip tackles Jack, reaching for the remote that's just out of reach. They float and flip across the room, Jack's hands and feet rapidly delivering blows as Phil dodges and shields, all the while making attempts to steal back his objective.-
Jack:"You still not gonna' fight me?"
Fluxx:"Like I even know how."
Jack:"You say you can't fight, but I bet you're probably just too lazy to learn any moves."
Fluxx:"Well, you're not wrong…"
Rongzero:"Fluxx! Just get that remote already! I'm dying over here! Literally, if you don't hurry."
Fluxx:"Sorry! I'm working on it. Boy, this is some mess I dragged you into."
Rongzero:"Don't beat yourself up, Nancy's the one who hired Stan to attack you."
Dr. Nimble:"Wait, I did what now? Everyone STOP!"
-At once all the robots freeze and Fluxx and Jack stop their brawling. The only thing that continues moving is Rongzero who is abruptly stopped when he accidentally hits a drone that froze right in his flight path.-
Dr. Nimble:"You mean to tell me you're here because you think I paid that oafish fellow to beat you up for no reason?"
It sounds kind of dumb when you put it that way...
Fluxx:"Uh… Yeahiguessso"
Dr. Nimble:"Quit mumbling!"
Fluxx:"Yes ma'am!"
Dr. Nimble:"Well, seeing as I am not guilty of what you're accusing me of, why don't you just leave and we can forget this ever happened."
Rongzero:"Huh? You're just gonna' let us go? Just like that?"
Dr. Nimble:"It was all just a misunderstanding, besides, I'm not actually up to anything evil. At least, not at the moment. My latest dastardly plot isn't even past the brainstorming stage. Besides, I don't need you wrecking any more of my robots. Those things don't come cheap, you know!"
-Rongzero looks around at all the broken robot parts he was responsible for, suddenly feeling rather guilty.-
Fluxx:"Well, I'm glad we could come to a peaceful solution."
Dr. Nimble:"Yes, yes, I'm so merciful. Now leave."
Fluxx:"Well, see ya' Jack."
Jack:"Whatever, I'll beat you one of these days."
Dr. Nimble:"Bye, boys. And be sure to shut the blast door on your way out, I'm not paying to heat the outdoors!"
Well that ties things up with a nice little bow, doesn’t it? No loose ends, no unanswered questions. No-
Rongzero:“So, if Nancy didn’t hire Stan, why’d he attack you?”
I knew I was forgetting something. Well, there’s only one more issue, so it shouldn’t be long before we find out. Right?
Pour dissiper tout malentendu, je n'ai aucune action dans l'affaire mais j'ai trouvé le concept intéressant : allier l'escalade et la restauration (voir leur site : Arkose).
To dissipate any misunderstanding, I have no action in the business but I found the interesting concept : to ally the climbing and the restoration (to see their website: Arkose).
The most indelible disappointment and takeaway from this COVID pandemic will be the failure of my fellow Americans to get vaccinated. Why are we so divided about something that seems so apparent? This division is why we’re now experiencing yet another rise in infections, this time from the delta variant.
Americans’ belief in the immutability of our individual rights has often collided with our concern for the public good. Our Declaration of Independence states that the authority to govern is given only by the consent of its people. Some treat this as an absolute. But we have many laws which limit the rights of individuals. As the dire nature of the pandemic became evident, efforts to contain it with mask mandates and lockdowns only intensified the altercations between personal freedom advocates and those who believed in doing what’s appropriate for the greater good. We have been on this trajectory for decades. I’m disappointed because this is who we are.
There is that giant elephant in the room. The virus’ origin story, former President Trump’s inability to formulate a national response, with his complete abdication of any responsibility, and the Republican Party’s and right-leaning media’s politicization of this crisis are all responsible. Science deniers have always been a part of our culture. The politics of the right — to win elections at any cost and use the COVID crisis as a wedge issue — has exacerbated that divide and stoked an already incendiary distrust in our institutions. Promoting disinformation and conspiracy theories for political gain while people are dying is galling.
Most recent outbreaks are in red states, where political leaders not only discourage mask mandates they have prohibited them. Despite this bit of GOP Russian roulette, leaders in some of these conservative and rural states are noticing the negative optics of their decisions. Florida governor Ron DeSantis, whose campaign was selling “Don’t Fauci My Florida” t-shirts a few weeks ago, has reconsidered his message after discovering his state accounts for twenty percent of new COVID cases. “These vaccines are saving lives. They are reducing mortality,” he pivoted. Republican Alabama Governor Kay Ivey is finally urging her constituents to get vaccinated as the state has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the nation. She told reporters, “I want folks to get vaccinated. That’s the cure. That prevents everything. It’s time to start blaming the unvaccinated folks, not the regular folks. It’s the unvaccinated folks that are letting us down.” When did Republicans begin referring to vaccinated Americans as “regular folks”? And why did it take them so long to advocate for vaccinations? Blame has become part of the bedrock of this crisis. Their decisions have little to do with the human cost. There are now political and economic incentives to do so.
As Washington Post opinion writer E.J. Dionne stated, “It’s the new political geography of sickness and death.” He quotes Democratic pollster Guy Molyneux who said, “I wouldn’t be surprised if GOP pols are hearing from business leaders: Knock it off with the anti-vax nonsense.” Red state businesses have no desire for more lockdowns.
But isn’t this what many of us have been saying all along? We don’t want lockdowns either. But it may be necessary for the short term if we want this pandemic to end. Follow the science. Wear masks and get vaccinated. We’ve all suffered from the loss of our friends and relatives. Many of us have lost our jobs and our homes. And most of us have been sequestered in our houses for over a year.
From the very beginning, our leaders failed to present a unified voice of reason, one that focused on our distrust and hesitancy while promoting short-term sacrifices. The mis- and disinformation that scientists and doctors like Anthony Fauci are lying to us or don’t know what they’re talking about is a common criticism. “They keep changing their minds” shows a misunderstanding of scientific inquiry. Science is based on facts. Scientists test hypotheses about the way COVID infects people. When research shows these hypotheses are accurate, they become theories that become part of our knowledge base. Sometimes new information supersedes previous conclusions.
The coronavirus is constantly evolving. Variants have developed more efficient ways of infecting a host. The delta variant’s infection rate is higher because its virus load is greater than in previous variants. So, even if we know a lot about how the original coronavirus works, new variants present differently. Scientists aren’t lying to us or simply changing their minds. They’re adapting to new information that has resulted from their studies. This process is the message our leaders should have and still need to convey to the public.
To date, fifty percent of Americans have been fully vaccinated. While vaccines aren’t one hundred percent effective, they go a long way to protect people from the disease, even the more communicable delta variant. Most break-through infections of vaccinated people do not lead to death or even hospitalization. But what about the other fifty percent? Ninety-nine percent of COVID deaths right now are those who were unvaccinated.
Hospital COVID patients are now expressing their regret at not getting the vaccine. And many are begging for it now. Dr. Brytney Cobia at the Grandview Medical Center in Birmingham, Alabama wrote in a Facebook post: “I’m admitting young, healthy people to the hospital with very serious COVID infections. One of the last things they do before they’re intubated is beg me for the vaccine. I hold their hand and tell them that I’m sorry, but it’s too late.”
Are Americans finally going to do what it takes to end this pandemic? The Department of Veterans Affairs has just become the first federal agency to require vaccinations of all its front-line workers. Hundreds of colleges and universities have mandated vaccinations for all returning students.
But by the end of May 2021, twenty-five percent of health care workers and over thirty-eight percent of nursing home workers were still not vaccinated. The American Public Health Association, the American Pharmacists Association, the National Medical Association (which represents over 50,000 Black doctors), and 54 other groups are now calling for vaccine mandates for all health workers.
President Biden has just issued a mandatory vaccination mandate (or regular COVID tests) for all federal employees. The Pentagon is following suit for all military personnel. Will this encourage the private sector to do the same?
This wave of sanity is still in its early stages. So it’s unclear if these efforts will be enough. Former Trump press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who’s running for Arkansas governor, blamed the Biden Administration for vaccine hesitancies: “No one did more to undercut public confidence in the vaccine than Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Biden doubted that the vaccine would be ‘real,’ while Harris said in her debate [with Vice President Pence] that she would not take any vaccine the Trump administration had a hand in creating.” Sadly, Sanders’ remarks reflect the partisanship that has fueled this pandemic. Biden and Harris made those comments while Trump was president. Their concerns reflected their distrust of any self-centered motives he might have had for rushing a vaccine’s development. In her debate with Pence, Harris stated she would be one of the first to take a vaccine endorsed by Dr. Fauci. But she voiced her concerns about taking one promoted solely by Trump.
Many still view mandates as intimidating. Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, issued a statement in which he said, “In order for everyone to feel safe and welcome in their workplaces, vaccinations must be negotiated between employers and workers, not coerced.” While Henry A. Garrido, the executive director of District Council 37, New York City’s largest municipal employees union, tweeted, “If the Mayor wants to mandate Vax or weekly testing for City employees, he must first [bargain] over its impact.” I think we’re beyond pleading, offering incentives, or negotiating.
If we’d worn masks and gotten the vaccine, there probably wouldn’t have been a delta variant. And the worst would be over. Our ignorance and obstinance have resulted in the deaths of over 600,000 Americans and millions across the world. I’d like to think we’ve learned something. But many are still suspicious, and their fear and disregard for “real” facts have made them easy targets for 21st-century shysters and political opportunists.
COVID really kills. Our morgues are full of proof. Let there be no more tearful goodbyes. No regrets. Get the shot.
Feel free to pass this poster on. It's free to download here (click on the down arrow just to the lower right of the image).
See the rest of the posters from the Chamomile Tea Party! Digital high res downloads are free here (click the down arrow on the lower right side of the image). Other options are available. And join our Facebook group.
Follow the history of our country's political intransigence from 2010-2020 through a seven-part exhibit of these posters on Google Arts & Culture.
Christian manifestation in Prague, on Wenceslas Square, commemorating the anniversary of the massacre of thousands of children.
Photography taken in the streets of Prague, Czech Republic, 2009
La casa de Castril es un palacio renacentista ubicado en la ciudad española de Granada, comunidad autónoma de Andalucía; en ella se encuentra actualmente el Museo Arqueológico de Granada.
La casa se halla enclavada en la carrera del Darro, en el antiguo barrio árabe de Ajsaris, sede a partir del siglo XVI de parte de la nobleza granadina, como muestran sus construcciones blasonadas. La Casa de Castril es uno de los mejores ejemplos de palacios renacentistas de Granada y perteneció a la familia de Hernando de Zafra, secretario de los Reyes Católicos que participó activamente en la reconquista de la ciudad a los musulmanes y en sus Capitulaciones. En lo alto de la fachada está grabada la fecha de su construcción: 1539. Esta obra ha sido atribuida a Sebastián de Alcántara, uno de los más destacados discípulos de Diego de Siloé. En 1917 se adquirió la Casa del Castril a los herederos del insigne arabista Leopoldo Eguílaz y Yanguas para ubicar definitivamente el citado Museo.
Además, sobre el edificio recae una vieja leyenda, de cuando era habitado en época árabe, la cual se refiere a una misteriosa dama de blanco que se aparece de vez en cuando, fruto de un desencuentro entre el padre de una bella muchacha que habitaba el edificio y su supuesto amante, que desencadenaron la furia del padre y posteriormente su ahorcamiento y emparedamiento en el balcón lateral del edificio. Sobre este balcón ciego se puede leer una consigna que dice: "Esperando la del cielo", lo que podría referirse a "esperando la justicia del cielo", que probablemente tuviese relación con las palabras que el supuesto amante pronunció antes de ser ahorcado.
es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casa_de_Castril
rinconesdegranada.com/casa-de-castril
The Castril palace (also House of Castril) is a Renaissance style palace located in Sacromonte, a district of the Spanish city of Granada. Nowadays it hosts the Archaeological Museum of Granada.
The house is nailed in the Race of the Darro, in the old Arab district of Ajsaris, seat of 16th century's granadine nobility. The palace is one of the best Renaissance palaces of Granada and belonged to the family of Hernando de Zafra, secretary of Catholic monarchs who participated actively in reconquering it from the Muslim hands during the Reconquista.
At the top of the facade the date of its foundation is recorded: 1539. This work has been attributed to Sebastián de Alcántara, one of the most outstanding disciples of Diego de Siloé. In 1917, the Castril palace was acquired by arabist and orientalist Leopoldo Eguílaz y Yanguas to make it a definitive location of the Archaeological Museum of Granada.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castril_Palace
There is also an old legend about the building, dating back to the time when it was inhabited in Arab times, which refers to a mysterious lady in white who appears from time to time, the result of a misunderstanding between the father of a beautiful girl who lived in the building and her supposed lover, which triggered the father's fury and subsequently led to her hanging and walling herself up on the side balcony of the building. On this blind balcony one can read a slogan that reads: "Waiting for heaven's justice", which could refer to "waiting for heaven's justice", probably related to the words that the supposed lover uttered before being hanged.
A friendly misunderstanding.
I did a version of this joke a couple of years back with Man-At-Arms paying the Ghostbusters to catch Orko. I still like it and I got new figures since then. Don't judge me.
My entry for round 5 of the Middle Earth LEGO Olympics. My category was Valinor from The Silmarilion, and I chose to recreate the Kinslaying at Alqualondë. The build was loosely inspired by this image, particularly the landscaping. It took 7 days to complete, and weighs a whopping 26.2 pounds, making it my largest solo build to date! The build process proved to be very challenging at times, especially the water and mossy hillside. Initially I just was using trans clear 1x2 bricks for the water, but it was warping so much I had to add plates to connect it to the bottom layer of water, so that it would attach correctly.
Below is a summary of the Kinslaying at Alqualondë for those of you who are interested.
"The Kinslaying at Alqualondë was the first slaying of Elf by Elf, and was the act that banned the Ñoldor from returning to Aman, the lands of the West, for centuries. When Fëanor intended to leave Valinor, he needed ships to get to Middle-earth without great loss, but the Ñoldor possessed no ships, and Fëanor feared that any delay in their departure would cause the Ñoldor to reconsider. The Ñoldor, led by Fëanor and his sons, tried to persuade their friends, the Teleri of Alqualondë, to give him their ships. However, the Teleri would not help in any way against the will of the Valar, and in fact attempted to persuade their friends to reconsider and stay in Aman. Unwilling to take "no" for an answer, the Ñoldor started taking the ships and sailing them away. This angered the Teleri, and they threatened the Ñoldor with rocks and arrows, and they threw many of Fëanor's followers out of the ships and into the harbor. They also began to attempt to block the harbour; however, it is only slightly possible that the Teleri drew first blood. Then the Ñoldor drew swords, and the Teleri their bows, and there was a bitter fight that seemed evenly matched, if not even in favor of the Teleri, until the second Host of the Ñoldor, led by Fingon, arrived together with some of Fingolfin's people. Misunderstanding the situation, they assumed the Teleri had attacked the Ñoldor under orders of the Valar, and they joined the fight."
Plenty more pictures on brickbuilt.
Traffic Block - African bush elephant
Verkehrshindernis - Afrikanischer Elefant
Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers an area of 19,485 km2 (7,523 sq mi) in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa, and extends 360 km (220 mi) from north to south and 65 km (40 mi) from east to west. The administrative headquarters are in Skukuza. Areas of the park were first protected by the government of the South African Republic in 1898, and it became South Africa's first national park in 1926.
To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is Mozambique. It is now part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a peace park that links Kruger National Park with the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and with the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.
The park is part of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere an area designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as an International Man and Biosphere Reserve (the "Biosphere").
The park has nine main gates allowing entrance to the different camps.
(Wikipedia)
Name
African Elephant or African Bush Elephant [Loxodonta africana]
Introduction
The Elephant is the world's largest land mammal, and weighs up to 7 tonnes and reaches heights of 3.3 m at the shoulder. Elephants can live to a potential age of 70 years. The massive tusks of older bulls can weigh up to 50 or 60 kilograms, but tusks weighing up to 90 kilograms have been recorded.
Appearance
What is the trunk and what is it used for?
The Elephant's trunk is a modified nose which is very sensitive and can even detect water under ground. There are as many as 50 000 muscles in an Elephant trunk. The sensitive finger-like appendages at the tip of the trunk enables them to pick the smallest twig or flower, pull the toughest reed of grass or even pick out a thorn from their feet.
Do elephants have knees or elbows?
The joints that are perceived as 'knees', are in fact wrists. This is a common misunderstanding due to the belief that a leg joint that bends between the foot and the body must be a knee. The main difference between us and the elephants is that our foot bones and hand bones are separate, whereas those of the elephant are one in the same, and have evolved to suit this four-legged mammal.
Why do elephants have tusks?
The tusks are used for obtaining food, fighting (amongst males) and for self defence. They are actually their upper incisors, and grow continuously until they die at around 60 years old. Although their skin is up to 3cm (1 inch) thick, it is quite sensitive.
Diet
Elephants are voracious feeders which in a day consume up to 272 kg (600 pounds) of grass, tender shoots and bark from trees. An adult Elephant can drink up to 200 litres of water in a single session. A single Elephant deposits up to 150kg (330 pounds) of dung every day - about one dollop every 15 minutes!
Breeding
African Elephant are not seasonal breeders. Generally they produce one calf every 3 to 4 years. The gestation period is about 22 months. At birth calves weigh about 100 kg (220 pounds) and are fully weaned between 18-24 months. An orphaned calf will usually be adopted by one of the family's lactating females or suckled by various females. Elephants are very attentive mothers, and because most Elephant behavior has to be learned, they keep their offspring with them for many years. Tusks erupt at 16 months but do not show externally until 30 months. Once weaned, usually at age 4 or 5, the calf still remains in the maternal group. Females mature at about 11 years and stay in the group, while the males, which mature between 12 and 15, are usually expelled from the maternal herd. Even though these young males are sexually mature, they do not breed until they are in their mid, or late 20s or even older and have moved up in the social hierarchy.
Behaviour
Mature males form bachelor groups and become solitary bulls. Elephant form strong family units of cows, calves and young offspring. Such herds are always led by an old female. Apart from drinking large quantities of water they also love wading or swimming in it. Elephants clearly relish mud baths.
It was once thought that family groups were led by old bull elephants, but these males are most often solitary. The female family groups are often visited by mature males checking for females in oestrus. Several interrelated family groups may inhabit an area and know each other well.
How do you tell an elephant's mock charge from a serious one?
It is imperative to keep in mind that Elephant are extremely intelligent, and each individual has a distinct character. Although there will be exceptions to the rules, the common signs of a mock charge are bush-bashing, dust-throwing, trumpeting and other vocalizations, open ears and an intimidating presence, can be considered a mock-display. Aggressive or startled elephants usually make sudden headshakes and flap their large ears against their head. Serious charges usually occur after all attempts to intimidate have failed, and the Elephant feels threatened. The ears are pinned back and head and trunk are lowered. Ultimately, the key lies in the intelligence of the animal and how they will react to the 'target' and unfamiliar actions, and a conscious decision is made.
Why do elephants rhythmically flap their ears?
Contrary to common belief, it is not an expression of anger. Being an animal of such a large size, with no sweat glands and a dark body colour, elephants flap their ears to cool the body and rid themselves of irritating insects.
Where are they found?
Once ranging across most of Africa the Elephant population has declined dramatically across the continent. In South Africa the Addo Elephant and Kruger National Park protect large herds. Due to rigorous conservation measures the Elephant population in South Africa has grown from a estimated 120 in 1920 in 4 locations, to 10 000 at 40 locations to date.
Notes
The African Elephant has recently been classified into two separate species, the more common African Bush Elephant [Loxodonta Africana] and the smaller African Forest Elephant [Loxodonta cyclotis] of the rainforest of Central Africa.
(krugerpark.co.za)
Der Kruger-Nationalpark (deutsch häufig falsch Krüger-Nationalpark) ist das größte Wildschutzgebiet Südafrikas. Er liegt im Nordosten des Landes in der Landschaft des Lowveld auf dem Gebiet der Provinz Limpopo sowie des östlichen Abschnitts von Mpumalanga. Seine Fläche erstreckt sich vom Crocodile-River im Süden bis zum Limpopo, dem Grenzfluss zu Simbabwe, im Norden. Die Nord-Süd-Ausdehnung beträgt etwa 350 km, in Ost-West-Richtung ist der Park durchschnittlich 54 km breit und umfasst eine Fläche von rund 20.000 Quadratkilometern. Damit gehört er zu den größten Nationalparks in Afrika.
Das Schutzgebiet wurde am 26. März 1898 unter dem Präsidenten Paul Kruger als Sabie Game Reserve zum Schutz der Wildnis gegründet. 1926 erhielt das Gebiet den Status Nationalpark und wurde in seinen heutigen Namen umbenannt. Im Park leben 147 Säugetierarten inklusive der „Big Five“, außerdem etwa 507 Vogelarten und 114 Reptilienarten, 49 Fischarten und 34 Amphibienarten.
(Wikipedia)
Der Afrikanische Elefant (Loxodonta africana), auch Afrikanischer Steppenelefant oder Afrikanischer Buschelefant, ist eine Art aus der Familie der Elefanten. Er ist das größte gegenwärtig lebende Landsäugetier und gleichzeitig das größte rezente landbewohnende Tier der Erde. Herausragende Kennzeichen sind neben den Stoßzähnen und dem markanten Rüssel die großen Ohren und die säulenförmigen Beine. In zahlreichen morphologischen und anatomischen Merkmalen unterscheidet sich der Afrikanische Elefant von seinen etwas kleineren Verwandten, dem Waldelefanten und dem Asiatischen Elefanten. Das Verbreitungsgebiet umfasst heute große Teile von Afrika südlich der Sahara. Die Tiere haben sich dort an zahlreiche unterschiedliche Lebensräume angepasst, die von geschlossenen Wäldern über offene Savannenlandschaften bis hin zu Sumpfgebieten und wüstenartigen Regionen reichen. Insgesamt ist das Vorkommen aber stark fragmentiert.
Die Lebensweise des Afrikanischen Elefanten ist durch intensive Studien gut erforscht. Sie wird durch einen stark sozialen Charakter geprägt. Weibliche Tiere und ihr Nachwuchs leben in Familienverbänden (Herden). Diese formieren sich wiederum zu einem enger verwandten Clan. Die einzelnen Herden treffen sich zu bestimmten Gelegenheiten und trennen sich danach wieder. Die männlichen Tiere bilden Junggesellengruppen. Die verschiedenen Verbände nutzen Aktionsräume, in denen sie teils im Jahreszyklus herumwandern. Für die Kommunikation untereinander nutzen die Tiere verschiedene Töne im niedrigen Frequenzbereich. Anhand der Lautgebung, aber auch durch bestimmte chemische Signale können sich die einzelnen Individuen untereinander erkennen. Darüber hinaus besteht ein umfangreiches Repertoire an Gesten. Hervorzuheben sind auch die kognitiven Fähigkeiten des Afrikanischen Elefanten.
Die Nahrung besteht sowohl aus weicher wie auch harter Pflanzenkost. Die genaue Zusammensetzung variiert dabei regional und jahreszeitlich. Generell verbringt der Afrikanische Elefant einen großen Teil seiner Tagesaktivitäten mit der Nahrungsaufnahme. Die Fortpflanzung erfolgt ganzjährig, regional gibt es Tendenzen zu einer stärkeren Saisonalisierung. Bullen kommen einmal jährlich in die Musth, während deren sie auf Wanderung zur Suche nach fortpflanzungswilligen Kühen gehen. Während der Musth ist die Aggressivität gesteigert, es finden dann auch Rivalenkämpfe statt. Der Sexualzyklus der Kühe dauert vergleichsweise lange und weist einen für Säugetiere untypischen Verlauf auf. Nach erfolgter Geburt setzt er in der Regel mehrere Jahre aus. Zumeist wird nach fast zweijähriger Tragzeit ein Jungtier geboren, das in der mütterlichen Herde aufwächst. Junge weibliche Tiere verbleiben später in der Herde, die jungen männlichen verlassen diese.
Die wissenschaftliche Erstbeschreibung des Afrikanischen Elefanten erfolgte im Jahr 1797 mit einer formalen artlichen Trennung des Afrikanischen vom Asiatischen Elefanten. Der heute gebräuchliche Gattungsname Loxodonta wurde offiziell erst dreißig Jahre später eingeführt. Die Bezeichnung bezieht sich auf markante Zahnunterschiede zwischen den asiatischen und den afrikanischen Elefanten. Im Verlauf des 20. Jahrhunderts wurden mehrere Unterarten unterschieden, darunter auch der Waldelefant des zentralen Afrikas. Letzterer gilt heute genetischen Untersuchungen zufolge als eigenständige Art, die weiteren Unterarten sind nicht anerkannt. Stammesgeschichtlich lässt sich der Afrikanische Elefant erstmals im beginnenden Mittleren Pleistozän belegen. Der Gesamtbestand gilt als gefährdet. Ursachen hierfür sind hauptsächlich die Jagd nach Elfenbein und Lebensraumverlust durch die zunehmend wachsende menschliche Bevölkerung. Der Afrikanische Elefant zählt zu den sogenannten „Big Five“ von Großwildjagd und Safari.
(Wikipedia)
Generated by me, Tool used AI Stable Diffusion
Many people misunderstand the work of artists, seeing it as frivolous or irrelevant. However, artists have the ability to communicate complex ideas and emotions in a way that words alone cannot. They are often at the forefront of social and political movements, using their work to challenge dominant narratives and advocate for change...
Vercors Plateau - France
Site of uprising against the Nazi occupation 1942 - 1944
Article taken and translated from "Jungle World" 2020:
If you wander into the remote and little-developed Vercors region on the southeastern edge of the French Alps, you'll come across memorial sites and sites of the Resistance in almost every village, no matter how small. Known only to a few in Germany, the region is considered particularly rebellious throughout France, both then and now. Local historians trace this history back to the religious wars of the 16th century. Currently, various left-wing and environmental groups in the region are claiming this tradition of resistance for themselves, from refugee support groups to Kurdistan Solidarity and environmental protection. The specifics behind this are open to debate, but the importance of the Resistance during the German occupation is undisputed. One of the most important groups of the French Maquis, the resistance against the Nazis during World War II, was active in the Vercors and organized an armed uprising in 1944. "The history of the Resistance and the battles against the Wehrmacht are deeply rooted in the local historical consciousness." (Julien Guillon, historian). The village of Vassieux-en-Vercors and its Mémorial de la Résistance, opened on July 21, 1994, the 50th anniversary of the German attack on Vassieux, bear witness to this to this day. The memorial was built on the former command post of the maquisards, the Resistance fighters, and is impressively modeled on its architecture. At an altitude of approximately 1,300 meters above sea level, surrounded and covered by vegetation on all sides, it hangs directly on the mountain edge, seemingly reminiscent of the fighters' tactical behavior: observation, hiding, and camouflage. Visitors to the memorial are guided to the exhibition rooms along the former paths of the maquisards. The tour ends with a sweeping, yet oppressive view of the Vercors plateau, the village rebuilt after its complete destruction by the Germans, and the cemetery with hundreds of graves. It is the only one in France where combatants and civilians are buried together. According to Julien Guillon, the Memorial's historian, this reflects the close connection between armed forces and civilians: "The history of the Resistance and the battles against the Wehrmacht is deeply rooted in the local historical consciousness and still plays a special role in people's self-image today." Every year in July, the events of 1944 are commemorated here. To support the Allied landing in Normandy on June 6, the French government in exile issued a call from London for acts of sabotage and attacks against the Wehrmacht. The Resistance leadership then initiated the "Plan Montagnard" (Mountain Plan), which had been prepared over many months. Within a few days, more than 3,000 previously underground partisans from all over France reached the plateau, where they formed combat units. Previously, smaller groups had been hiding in remote farmsteads in the mountain range, gradually preparing for open revolt in larger, more concentrated formations. A free republic was even proclaimed. As the US Army increased its airdrops of war material in the following days and vaguely hinted at a large-scale airborne assault behind the German rear, final liberation seemed imminent. Parades were already being held in the surrounding villages and small towns in anticipation of victory. But instead of the expected Allies, German Air Force planes landed on the plateau on the morning of July 21. German soldiers murdered more than 200 civilians and approximately 600 partisans. The two days of fighting were followed by numerous acts of revenge by the Germans. Among other things, they completely destroyed the town of Chapelle-en-Vercors, and the wounded and the staff of the hospital hidden in the Grotte de la Luire were killed or deported to concentration camps.
Guillon has been working at the Memorial for six months. His current research focus is on the role and significance of women in the Resistance. In a planned book publication, he hopes to emphasize that they were not only important as armed fighters, but that the Resistance would not have been possible without the infrastructure that women largely maintained, including through courier services and the hiding and care of the wounded, and that women's contributions should be more fully recognized. Documents are still being discovered in basements and attics, which are being historically classified and archived. Guillon, whose great-grandfather was murdered in the Mauthausen concentration camp, also sees his work as his personal commitment to society. In France, too, the conditions of remembrance and commemoration are changing, partly because there are fewer contemporary witnesses. Therefore, Guillon is entrusted with the development of new museum education concepts and projects. Exchange and collaboration with colleagues in institutions in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes department and at memorial sites outside France, especially in Germany, will be given greater attention in the future. At the local level, he also believes that addressing collaboration and the crimes committed by local militias will gain in importance. Until now, such a discussion had not been possible, especially in a rural, rural region like the Vercors, where the families of the victims and the perpetrators often lived next door. In 1944 and afterward, grief and bitterness over the defeat were great. In a telegram, one of the leaders of the uprising, Eugène Chavant, founder of the resistance organization France Combat, accused the Allied forces of "cowardice and betrayal." The insurgents, he argued, were first encouraged and then abandoned and sacrificed to the Germans. Therefore, the Allies and the French government in exile share the blame. This theory continued to shape postwar commemoration. Indeed, Charles de Gaulle's government-in-exile had demanded that all resistance forces in France be mobilized to support the Allied landings in Normandy. Recent research, however, shows that there were never any binding plans or concrete promises for large-scale airborne support, but only hints in this direction. A clear historical assessment of these tragic misunderstandings remains unanswered. Nevertheless, the uprising undeniably contributed to shaking German rule. In several neighboring departments, the Resistance succeeded in almost completely liberating towns and villages from German occupation troops in the following weeks, such as the city of Annecy. The uprising also helped make the Allied landings in Provence on August 15, 1944, possible. On August 21, the Wehrmacht was finally forced to withdraw. The murder of the people and the destruction of the towns in the Vercors were war crimes. But as in many other well-known cases, the Wehrmacht officers responsible were either not convicted at all or were quickly released after short prison sentences. First Lieutenant Friedrich Schäfer, who was directly responsible for the massacres of the civilian population and the destruction of Vassieux, was awarded the Knight's Cross for his actions in October 1944. The commander-in-chief of the operation, General Karl Pflaum, was released from pre-trial detention after just a few years for health reasons. In 1973, a street in the Upper Bavarian town of Neuötting was named in his honor. It still bears his name today. These memorial sites will continue to prevent travelers from perceiving the Vercors merely as a beautiful landscape.
The rhinoceros hornbill (Buceros rhinoceros) is one of the largest hornbills, adults being approximately the size of a swan, 91–122 cm (36–48 in) long and weighing 2–3 kg (4.4–6.6 lb). In captivity it can live for up to 90 years. It is found in lowland and montane, tropical and subtropical climates and in mountain rain forests up to 1,400 metres altitude in Borneo, Sumatra, Java, the Malay Peninsula, Singapore, and southern Thailand.
The rhinoceros hornbill is the state bird of the Malaysian state of Sarawak and the country's National Bird. Some Dayak people, especially the Ibanic groups, believe it to be the chief of worldly birds or the supreme worldly bird, and its statue is used to welcome the god of the augural birds, Sengalang Burong, to the feasts and celebrations of humankind. Contrary to some misunderstandings, the rhinoceros hornbill does not represent their war god, Sengalang Burong, who is represented in this world by the brahminy kite