I'd had some bad luck with my planned exploration of Japan's abandoned theme parks, with Gullivers being demolished and not being able to locate one of the other famed abandoned theme parks, so I was pretty happy to at least see this one.

This ferris wheel was big, seriously big.

Central Park, Koyto, Japan.

First photo with the new Tokina 12-24mm f4 an last photo from Japan, time to move on.

Image replaced 8 March 08 to correct for some very poor colour saturation modifications on original image.

Hanoi; Vietnamese: Hà Nội is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts and 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam. It was eclipsed by Huế, the imperial capital of Vietnam during the Nguyễn Dynasty (1802–1945), but Hanoi served as the capital of French Indochina from 1902 to 1954. From 1954 to 1976, it was the capital of North Vietnam, and it became the capital of a reunified Vietnam in 1976, after the North's victory in the Vietnam War.

The city lies on the right bank of the Red River. Hanoi is 1,760 km north of Ho Chi Minh City and 120 km west of Hai Phong city.

October 2010 officially marked 1000 years since the establishment of the city. The Hanoi Ceramic Mosaic Mural is a 4 km ceramic mosaic mural created to mark the occasion.

NAMES

Hanoi (河內) has had many names throughout history. During the Chinese occupation of Vietnam, it was known first as Long Biên, then Tống Bình (宋平, "Song Peace") and Long Đỗ (龍肚, "Dragonbelly"). In 866, it was turned into a citadel and named Đại La (大羅, "Big Net"). During the Lê dynasty, Hanoi was known as Đông Kinh (東京, "Eastern Capital"); this gave the name to Tonkin.

HISTORY

Pre-Thăng Long period

Hanoi has been inhabited since at least 3000 BC. The Cổ Loa Citadel in Dong Anh district served as the capital of the Âu Lạc kingdom founded by the Shu emigrant Thục Phán after his 258 BC conquest of the native Văn Lang.

In 197 BC, Âu Lạc Kingdom was annexed by Nanyue, which ushered in more than a millennium of Chinese domination. By the middle of the 5th century, in the center of ancient Hanoi, the Liu Song Dynasty set up a new district (縣) called Songping (Tong Binh), which later became a commandery (郡), including two districts Yihuai (義懷) and Suining (綏寧) in the south of the Red River (now Từ Liêm and Hoài Đức districts) with a metropolis (the domination centre) in the present inner Hanoi. By the year 679, the Tang dynasty changed the region's name into Annan (Pacified South), with Songping as its capital.

In order to defeat the people’s uprisings, in the later half of the 8th century, Zhang Boyi (張伯儀), a Tang dynasty viceroy, built Luocheng (羅城, La Thanh or La citadel, from Thu Le to Quan Ngua in present-day Ba Dinh precinct). In the earlier half of the 9th century, it was further built up and called Jincheng (金城, Kim Thanh or Kim Citadel). In 866, Gao Pian, the Chinese Jiedushi, consolidated and named it Daluocheng (大羅城, Dai La citadel, running from Quan Ngua to Bach Thao), the then-largest citadel of ancient Hanoi.

Thăng Long, Đông Đô, Đông Quan, Đông Kinh

In 1010, Lý Thái Tổ, the first ruler of the Lý Dynasty, moved the capital of Đại Việt to the site of the Đại La Citadel. Claiming to have seen a dragon ascending the Red River, he renamed the site Thăng Long (昇龍, "Soaring Dragon") - a name still used poetically to this day. Thăng Long remained the capital of Đại Việt until 1397, when it was moved to Thanh Hóa, then known as Tây Đô (西都), the "Western Capital". Thăng Long then became Đông Đô (東都), the "Eastern Capital."

In 1408, the Chinese Ming Dynasty attacked and occupied Vietnam, changing Đông Đô's name to Dongguan (Chinese: 東關, Eastern Gateway), or Đông Quan in Sino-Vietnamese. In 1428, the Vietnamese overthrew the Chinese under the leadership of Lê Lợi, who later founded the Lê Dynasty and renamed Đông Quan Đông Kinh (東京, "Eastern Capital") or Tonkin. Right after the end of the Tây Sơn Dynasty, it was named Bắc Thành (北城, "Northern Citadel").

During Nguyễn Dynasty and the French colonial period

In 1802, when the Nguyễn Dynasty was established and moved the capital to Huế, the old name Thăng Long was modified to become Thăng Long (昇龍, "Soaring Dragon"). In 1831, the Nguyễn emperor Minh Mạng renamed it Hà Nội (河内, "Between Rivers" or "River Interior"). Hanoi was occupied by the French in 1873 and passed to them ten years later. As Hanoï, it became the capital of French Indochina after 1887.

DURING TWO WARS

The city was occupied by the Japanese in 1940 and liberated in 1945, when it briefly became the seat of the Viet Minh government after Ho Chi Minh proclaimed the independence of Vietnam. However, the French returned and reoccupied the city in 1946. After nine years of fighting between the French and Viet Minh forces, Hanoi became the capital of an independent North Vietnam in 1954.

During the Vietnam War, Hanoi's transportation facilities were disrupted by the bombing of bridges and railways. These were all, however, promptly repaired. Following the end of the war, Hanoi became the capital of a reunified Vietnam when North and South Vietnam were reunited on July 2, 1976.

MODERN HANOI

On May 29, 2008, it was decided that Hà Tây Province, Vĩnh Phúc Province's Mê Linh District and 4 communes of Lương Sơn District, Hòa Bình Province be merged into the metropolitan area of Hanoi from August 1, 2008. Hanoi's total area then increased to 334,470 hectares in 29 subdivisions with the new population being 6,232,940., effectively tripling its size. The Hanoi Capital Region (Vùng Thủ đô Hà Nội), a metropolitan area covering Hanoi and 6 surrounding provinces under its administration, will have an area of 13,436 square kilometres with 15 million people by 2020

Hanoi has experienced a rapid construction boom recently. Skyscrapers, popping up in new urban areas, have dramatically changed the cityscape and have formed a modern skyline outside the old city. In 2015, Hanoi is ranked # 39 by Emporis in the list of world cities with most skyscrapers over 100 m; its two tallest buildings are Hanoi Landmark 72 Tower (336m, tallest in Vietnam and second tallest in Southeast Asia after Malaysia's Petronas Twin Towers) and Hanoi Lotte Center (272m, also second tallest in Vietnam)

GEOGRAPHY

LOCATION - TOPOGRAPHY

Hanoi is located in northern region of Vietnam, situated in the Vietnam’s Red River delta, nearly 90 km away from the coastal area. Hanoi contains three basic kind of terrain, which are the delta area, the midland area and mountainous zone. In general, the terrain is gradually lower from the north to the south and from the west to the east, with the average height ranging from 5 to 20 meters above the sea level. The hills and mountainous zones are located in the northern and western part of the city. The highest peak is at Ba Vi with 1281 m, located in the western part of the region.

CLIMATE

Hanoi features a warm humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cwa) with plentiful precipitation. The city experiences the typical climate of northern Vietnam, with 4 distinct seasons. Summer, from May until August, is characterized by hot and humid weather with abundant rainfall. September to October is fall, characterized by a decrease in temperature and precipitation. Winter, from November to January, is dry and cool by national standards. The city is usually cloudy and foggy in winter, averaging only 1.5 hours of sunshine per day in February.

Hanoi averages 1,680 millimetres of rainfall per year, the majority falling from May to September. There are an average of 114 days with rain.

The average annual temperature is 23.6 °C with a mean relative humidity of 79%. The highest recorded temperature was 42.8 °C on May 1926 while the lowest recorded temperature was 2.7 °C on January 1955.

ADMINISTRATIVES DIVISIONS

Hà Nội is divided into 12 urban districts, 1 district-leveled town and 17 rural districts. When Ha Tay was merged into Hanoi in 2008, Hà Đông was transformed into an urban district while Sơn Tây degraded to a district-leveled town. They are further subdivided into 22 commune-level towns (or townlets), 399 communes, and 145 wards.

DEMOGRAPHICS

Hanoi's population is constantly growing (about 3.5% per year), a reflection of the fact that the city is both a major metropolitan area of Northern Vietnam, and also the country's political centre. This population growth also puts a lot of pressure on the infrastructure, some of which is antiquated and dates back to the early 20th century.

The number of Hanoians who have settled down for more than three generations is likely to be very small when compared to the overall population of the city. Even in the Old Quarter, where commerce started hundreds of years ago and consisted mostly of family businesses, many of the street-front stores nowadays are owned by merchants and retailers from other provinces. The original owner family may have either rented out the store and moved into the adjoining house or moved out of the neighbourhood altogether. The pace of change has especially escalated after the abandonment of central-planning economic policies and relaxing of the district-based household registrar system.

Hanoi's telephone numbers have been increased to 8 digits to cope with demand (October 2008). Subscribers' telephone numbers have been changed in a haphazard way; however, mobile phones and SIM cards are readily available in Vietnam, with pre-paid mobile phone credit available in all areas of Hanoi.

ECONOMY

Hanoi has the highest Human Development Index among the cities in Vietnam. According to a recent ranking by PricewaterhouseCoopers, Hanoi will be the fastest growing city in the world in terms of GDP growth from 2008 to 2025. In the year 2013, Hanoi contributed 12.6% to GDP, exported 7.5% of total exports, contributed 17% to the national budget and attracted 22% investment capital of Vietnam. The city's nominal GDP at current prices reached 451,213 billion VND (21.48 billion USD) in 2013, which made per capita GDP stand at 63.3 million VND (3,000 USD). Industrial production in the city has experienced a rapid boom since the 1990s, with average annual growth of 19.1 percent from 1991–95, 15.9 percent from 1996–2000, and 20.9 percent during 2001–2003. In addition to eight existing industrial parks, Hanoi is building five new large-scale industrial parks and 16 small- and medium-sized industrial clusters. The non-state economic sector is expanding fast, with more than 48,000 businesses currently operating under the Enterprise Law (as of 3/2007).

Trade is another strong sector of the city. In 2003, Hanoi had 2,000 businesses engaged in foreign trade, having established ties with 161 countries and territories. The city's export value grew by an average 11.6 percent each year from 1996–2000 and 9.1 percent during 2001–2003. The economic structure also underwent important shifts, with tourism, finance, and banking now playing an increasingly important role. Hanoi's business districts are traditionally Hoàn Kiếm and the neighborhood; and a newly developing Cầu Giấy and Từ Liêm in the western part.

Similar to Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi enjoys a rapidly developing real estate market. The current most notable new urban areas are central Trung Hoa Nhan Chinh, Mỹ Đình, the luxurious zones of The Manor, Ciputra and Times City.

Agriculture, previously a pillar in Hanoi's economy, has striven to reform itself, introducing new high-yield plant varieties and livestock, and applying modern farming techniques.

Together with economic growth, Hanoi's appearance has also changed significantly, especially in recent years. Infrastructure is constantly being upgraded, with new roads and an improved public transportation system.

LANDMARKS

As the capital of Vietnam for almost a thousand years, Hanoi is considered one of the main cultural centres of Vietnam, where most Vietnamese dynasties have left their imprint. Even though some relics have not survived through wars and time, the city still has many interesting cultural and historic monuments for visitors and residents alike. Even when the nation's capital moved to Huế under the Nguyễn Dynasty in 1802, the city of Hanoi continued to flourish, especially after the French took control in 1888 and modeled the city's architecture to their tastes, lending an important aesthetic to the city's rich stylistic heritage. The city hosts more cultural sites than any other city in Vietnam, and boasts more than 1,000 years of history; that of the past few hundred years has been well preserved.

OLD QUARTER

The Old Quarter, near Hoàn Kiếm Lake, has the original street layout and architecture of old Hanoi. At the beginning of the 20th century the city consisted of only about 36 streets, most of which are now part of the old quarter. Each street then had merchants and households specializing in a particular trade, such as silk or jewelry. The street names nowadays still reflect these specializations, although few of them remain exclusively in their original commerce. The area is famous for its small artisans and merchants, including many silk shops. Local cuisine specialties as well as several clubs and bars can be found here also. A night market (near Đồng Xuân Market) in the heart of the district opens for business every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evening with a variety of clothing, souvenirs and food.

Some other prominent places are: The Temple of Literature (Văn Miếu), site of the oldest university in Vietnam 1010; One Pillar Pagoda (Chùa Một Cột); Flag Tower of Hanoi (Cột cờ Hà Nội). In 2004, a massive part of the 900-year-old Hanoi Citadel was discovered in central Hanoi, near the site of Ba Đình Square.

LAKES

A city between rivers built from low land, Hanoi has many scenic lakes and is sometimes called "city of lakes." Among its lakes, the most famous are Hoàn Kiếm Lake, West Lake, and Bay Mau Lake (inside Thongnhat Park). Hoan Kiem Lake, also known as Sword Lake, is the historical and cultural center of Hanoi, and is linked to the legend of the magic sword. West Lake (Hồ Tây) is a popular place for people to spend time. It is the largest lake in Hanoi and there are many temples in the area. The lakeside road in the Nghi Tam - Quang Ba area is perfect for bicycling, jogging and viewing the cityscape or enjoying lotus ponds in the summer. The best way to see the majestic beauty of a Westlake sunset is to view it from one of the many bars around the lake, especially the Sofitel Plaza rooftop bar.

COLONIAL HANOI

Under French rule, as an administrative centre for the French colony of Indochina, the French colonial architecture style became dominant, and many examples remain today: the tree-lined boulevards (e.g. Phan Dinh Phung street) and its many villas and mansions, Grand Opera House, State Bank of Vietnam (formerly The Bank of Indochina), Presidential Palace (formerly the Palace of the Governor-General of French Indochina), St. Joseph's Cathedral, and the historic Hotel Metropole. Many of the colonial structures are an eclectic mixture of French and traditional Vietnamese architectural styles, such as the National Museum of Vietnamese History, the Vietnam National Museum of Fine Arts and the old Indochina Medical College. Gouveneur-Général Paul Doumer (1898-1902) played a crucial role in colonial Hanoi's urban planning. Under his tenure there was a major construction boom.

Critical historians of empire have noted that French colonial rule imposed a system of white supremacy on the city. Vietnamese subjects supplied labor and tax revenue, but the privileges and comforts of the city went to the white population. French efforts at rat eradication revealed some of the colonial city's racial double-standards.

MUSEUMS

Hanoi is home to a number of museums:

- National Museum of Vietnamese History

- Vietnam National Museum of Fine Arts

- Vietnam Museum of Ethnology

- Vietnam Museum of Revolution

- Hỏa Lò Prison (Hanoi Hilton)

- Ho Chi Minh Museum

- Hanoi Contemporary Arts Centre

- Vietnam Military History Museum

- Hanoi Museum

TOURISM

Hanoi is a very picturesque city, the leafy metropolis sometimes dubbed the "Paris of Asia." With its tree-fringed boulevards, more than two dozen lakes and thousands of French colonial-era buildings, Hanoi is a popular tourist attraction and one of only a few Asian capitals to retain its historic charm amid rapid modernization and population growth.

In 2015, Hanoi ranks #4 in TripAdvisor's list of the World's Best Destinations (Travellers' Choice).

And Hanoi is the most affordable international destination in TripAdvisor's annual TripIndex report. Created to help travelers plan and budget their summer holiday, the TripIndex looks at the average cost of a three-night trip in 60 key tourist cities around the world.

ENTERTAINMENT

A variety of options for entertainment in Hanoi can be found throughout the city. Modern and traditional theaters, cinemas, karaoke bars, dance clubs, bowling alleys, and an abundance of opportunities for shopping provide leisure activity for both locals and tourists. Hanoi has been named one of the top 10 cities for shopping in Asia by Water Puppet Tours. The number of art galleries exhibiting Vietnamese art has dramatically increased in recent years, now including galleries such as "Nhat Huy" of Huynh Thong Nhat.

A popular traditional form of entertainment is Water puppetry, which is shown, for example, at the Thăng Long Water Puppet Theatre."

CUISINE

Hanoi has rich culinary traditions. Many of Vietnam's most famous dishes, such as phở, chả cá, bánh cuốn and cốm are believed to have originated in Hanoi. Perhaps most widely known is Phở - a simple rice noodle soup often eaten as breakfast at home or at street-side cafes, but also served in restaurants as a meal. Two varieties dominate the Hanoi scene: Phở Bò, containing beef, and Phở Gà, containing chicken.

Vietnam's national dish phở has been named as one of the Top 5 streetfoods in the world by globalpost.

Hanoi has a number of restaurants whose menus specifically offer dishes containing dog, snake and various species of insects. Insect-inspired menus can be found at a number of restaurants in Khuong Thuong village, Hanoi. The signature dishes at these restaurant are those containing processed ant-eggs, often in the culinary styles of Thai people or Vietnam's Muong and Tay ethnic people.

EDUCATION

Hanoi, as the capital of French Indochina, was home to the first Western-style universities in Indochina, including: Indochina Medical College (1902) - now Hanoi Medical University, Indochina University (1904) - now Hanoi National University (the largest), and École Supérieure des Beaux-Arts de l'Indochine (1925) - now Hanoi University of Fine Art.

After the Communist Party took control over Hanoi in 1954 with support from the Soviet Union, many new universities were built, among them, Hanoi University of Technology, still the largest technical university in Vietnam. Recently ULIS (University of Languages and International Studies) was rated as one of the top universities in Southeast Asia for languages and language studies at the undergraduate level. Other universities that are not part of Vietnam National University or Hanoi University include Hanoi School for Public Health and Hanoi School of Agriculture.

Hanoi is the largest centre of education in Vietnam. It is estimated that 62% of the scientists in the whole country are living and working in Hanoi. Admissions to undergraduate study are through entrance examinations, which are conducted annually and open for everyone (who has successfully completed his/her secondary education) in the country. The majority of universities in Hanoi are public, although in recent years a number of private universities have begun operation. Thăng Long University, founded in 1988, by some Vietnamese mathematics professors in Hanoi and France is the first private university in Vietnam. Because many of Vietnam's major universities are located in Hanoi, students from other provinces (especially in the northern part of the country) wishing to enter university often travel to Hanoi for the annual entrance examination. Such events usually take place in June and July, during which a large number of students and their families converge on the city for several weeks around this intense examination period. In recent years, these entrance exams have been centrally coordinated by the Ministry of Education, but passing marks are decided independently by each university.

Although there are state owned kindergartens, there are also many private ventures that serve both local and international needs. Pre-tertiary (elementary and secondary) schools in Hanoi are generally state run, but there are also some independent schools. Education is equivalent to the K–12 system in the US, with elementary school between grades 1 and 5, middle school (or junior high) between grades 6 and 9, and high school from grades 10 to 12.

TRANSPORT

Hanoi is served by Noi Bai International Airport, located in the Soc Son District, approximately 15 km north of Hanoi. The new international terminal (T2), designed and built by Japanese contractors, opened in January 2015 and is a big facelift for Noibai International Airport. In addition, a new highway and the new Nhat Tan cable-stay bridge connecting the airport and the city center opened at the same time, offering much more convenience than the old road (via Thanglong bridge). Taxis are plentiful and usually have trip meters, although it is also common to agree on the trip price before taking a taxi from the airport to the city centre.

Hanoi is also the origin or departure point for many Vietnam Railways train routes in the country. The Reunification Express (tàu Thống Nhất) runs from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City from Hanoi station (formerly Hang Co station), with stops at cities and provinces along the line. Trains also depart Hanoi frequently for Hai Phong and other northern cities. The Reunification Express line was established during French colonial rule and was completed over a period of nearly forty years, from 1899 to 1936. The Reunification Express between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City covers a distance of 1,726 km and takes approximately 33 hours. As of 2005, there were 278 stations on the Vietnamese railway network, of which 191 were located along the North-South line.

The main means of transport within Hanoi city are motorbikes, buses, taxis, and a rising number of cars. In recent decades, motorbikes have overtaken bicycles as the main form of transportation. The increased number of motorcycles can cause gridlock. To minimize this and the negative consequences for the environment and health, the local government is trying to increase public transportation. Public buses run on many routes and fares can be purchased on the bus, with very cheap prices (30 cents for a journey where a taxi might cost $10).

There are 2 metro lines under construction in Hanoi now. The first one is expected to be operational in 2016, the second in 2018

Persons on their own or traveling in a pair who wish to make a fast trip around Hanoi to avoid traffic jams or to travel at an irregular time or by way of an irregular route often use "xe ôm" (literally, "hug bike"). Motorbikes can also be rented from agents within the Old Quarter of Hanoi.

WIKIPEDIA

Custom order for pullip

www.ronmielshop.com

Alesha from Jamaica out on the Town Early Morning in Yellow Mini Dress Clerkenwell London Museum of the order of St John. St John's Gate, Clerkenwell, a 16th-century gatehouse

In order to get all of the brass to look the same the bathtubs are filled with a TOP SECRET acid solution that will clean and finish the top layer of metal. After the prescribed bathing time has elapsed the models will be removed from the acid bath, rinsed, and dried. Each will be beautiful.

I say "top secret" because each builder and each importer really had their own way of finishing off the brass models before clear coating was applied. Some builders actually electroplated their models to changed the brass color to be more bronze than brass. Others made their products a very bright brass color. Some looked more like gold than brass. The whole idea of this final bath is to remove all of the fingerprints, oil, grime, and excess solder that makes each model look, well, hand made. After the acid-bath and electroplating each model looks as if it was created with a magic wand; not at the hands of factory workers.

All of that magic happens right here and this fellow is very busy on most days inside of the factory. He wears a mask and heavy rubber gloves and boots for good reason. This magic solution is caustic and must be handled with care. This is one of the messiest jobs in the factory and it has to be done with proper care and plenty of ventilation to make certain that the models come out looking fantastic and so that the on-duty staff gets to go home safely each night.

Those two things are VERY important.

You can follow my story about Building Brass Model Trains in the order it was meant to be told in my album: www.flickr.com/photos/jeff_lemke/albums/72157664865492920

Wood/Carolina Duck on Quarry Lake, Phoenix Park, Dublin

[order] Anseriformes | [family] Anatidae | [latin] Aix sponsa | [UK] Wood Duck | [FR] Canard branchu | [DE] Brautente | [ES] Pato de la Florida | [IT] Anatra sposa | [NL] Carolinaeend

Measurements

spanwidth min.: 70 cm

spanwidth max.: 73 cm

size min.: 47 cm

size max.: 54 cm

Breeding

incubation min.: 31 days

incubation max.: 35 days

fledging min.: 56 days

fledging max.: 70 days

broods 1

eggs min.: 9

eggs max.: 14

Physical characteristics

Wood Ducks are intermediate in size, between the Mallard and Blue-winged Teal; on average, males weigh 680 g and females weigh 460 g. From a distance, the male Wood Duck on the water appears as a dark-bodied, dark-breasted, light-flanked duck with a striped crested head and a light-coloured throat. At close range, its iridescent plumage, red eyes, and black, red, and white bill are conspicuous. A white eye-ring, light-coloured throat, and fine crest distinguish the female from both the male Wood Duck and females of other species. Both sexes usually show a downward pointing crest at the back of the head, and their long broad square tails are distinctive features in flight.

The wings of Wood Ducks are highly characteristic. The primary wing feathers, which are the 10 outermost flight feathers attached to the wing beyond the wrist, are dark in colour. The outer vanes of these feathers look as if they have been sprayed with aluminum paint. The Wood Duck is the only North American duck so marked.

In most cases it is possible to distinguish immature from mature ducks and to tell males from females by their wings alone. In the Wood Duck, as in other ducks, the feathers of that year's young are finer, more pointed and worn, and less colourful than those of adults. Females show a few small feathers on the upper surface of the wing that are purplish and have the same lustre as oil on water. These feathers are absent in males. The white tips on the feathers along the trailing edge of the wing are usually teardrop-shaped in the female, but either straight or V-shaped in the male. By studying the wings of ducks taken by hunters, biologists can determine the ratio of young to adult ducks in the population and thereby measure waterfowl production.

The Wood Duck is a distinctively North American species. Its only close relative is the Mandarin Duck of eastern Asia. Evidently the Wood Duck originated in North America, as fossil remains have been found only in widely scattered locations in the eastern part of the continent.

Habitat

Like other perching ducks, Wood Ducks nest in trees. Preferred nesting sites are holes in hollow trunks or large branches that result from broken limbs, fire scars, lightning and logging damage. They also use cavities created by large woodpeckers such as the Pileated Woodpecker. Nests are situated from 1 to 15 m above ground, in trees more than 40 cm in diameter. They are usually found close to water, although females sometimes select trees some distance from water.

Other details

In Canada, the Wood Duck nests in scattered locations in the southern parts of all provinces; however, there is only one breeding record for Newfoundland and Labrador. The most extensive breeding ranges are in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and British Columbia. This duck occurs over a much wider area in late summer and early autumn, as a result of post-breeding dispersal. Although most Wood Ducks migrate to the United States, a few may spend the winter in extreme southern Ontario and southeastern British Columbia.

The Wood Duck is much more widely distributed in the United States, where it nests in areas east of the Mississippi River, along the lower Missouri River into South Dakota, in eastern Texas, along the Pacific coast, and in a few other places. It winters mainly along the Atlantic coast from New York south, along the Gulf coast into central Texas, to the lower Mississippi River valley and western California. A few winter in Mexico south to Distrito Federal. In Europe all sightings are of escaped birds.

Feeding

The Wood Duck is mainly a herbivore, or vegetarian, with plant foods making up about 90 percent of its diet. Foods vary according to their local availability, but duckweeds, cypress seeds, sedges, grasses, pondweeds, and acorns are among the more important foods throughout North America. In recent years corn has assumed a greater importance as small groups of Wood Ducks engage in field feeding behaviour similar to that of dabbling ducks, such as Mallards.

Ducklings require a high protein diet for rapid growth. Invertebrates such as dragonflies, bugs, beetles, and spiders are important foods during the first few weeks of life, so high populations of these small creatures are essential in habitats where the young will hatch and develop.

Conservation

This species has a large range, with an estimated global Extent of Occurrence of 6,200,000 km². It has a large global population estimated to be 3,500,000 individuals (Wetlands International 2002). Global population trends have not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e. declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations). For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern. [conservation status from birdlife.org]

Breeding

The female Wood Duck breeds when one year old. She lines the nest with down, or fine feathers, taken from her breast, and lays eight to 15 dull-white to cream-coloured eggs. She incubates, or keeps the eggs warm, for 28 to 30 days until they hatch. During unusually cold weather, or if the female is away from the nest for an abnormally long time, incubation may require a few extra days.

Upon hatching, usually in June in eastern Canada, the young use their sharp claws to climb up the inside of the nesting cavity to its entrance, then jump and flutter to the ground, generally landing unharmed. The female guides them to the nearest water, where they will spend the next eight to nine weeks hunting for food together.

Shortly after the female begins incubation the male loses interest in family affairs and spends more time away from the nest. He joins other males, which eventually form large groups. As mid-summer approaches, the males begin the move to remote, undisturbed, sheltered places to moult, or shed old feathers. To reach these areas, they may travel great distances; many thousands migrate to southeastern Canada from breeding grounds in the northern states. On arrival the moult begins, and by August the brilliant spring feathers of the male have been replaced by a plumage similar to that of the female. Then, all at once, the flight feathers are moulted, leaving the male flightless for approximately four weeks while new feathers grow in.

Soon after the ducklings have fledged, or taken their first flight, usually by mid-August in eastern Canada, the females leave their broods, move a short distance, and undergo their moult. Like the males, they too seek out remote, undisturbed swamps and marshes and become flightless for a short period.

In late summer and early autumn, the young with their newly acquired powers of flight and the adults with their recently replaced flight feathers move in a leisurely way about the northern parts of their range. Their principal concern is to store up energy, in the form of fat, in preparation for the soon-to-come fall migration.

Migration

Wood Ducks migrate north to their Canadian breeding grounds, arriving there by April. Pair formation may occur on the wintering grounds before or during spring migration, or on the breeding grounds if one of the pair is lost. Mated pairs seek out secluded swamps or beaver ponds that provide water, nesting sites, brooding habitat, and feeding areas. Females often return to the same general area in which they were hatched.

By the first severe frost, usually in late September or early October in eastern Canada, Wood Ducks begin to head for the southeastern United States. Southern populations of Wood Ducks, particularly females, are less migratory. Populations in the interior of British Columbia migrate to the west coast, whereas Wood Ducks that live on the coast do not migrate at all. Has occurred Bermuda (regular), Azores and Alaska. Many sightings from Europe, presumed escapes.

Erich and Paul with the Washington Wetskins, serving Jell-O shots at the Team DC Fashion Show. Town, 2009 8th St NW, Washington, DC.

See Team DC on the Runway.

Order : Lepidoptera

Superfamily : Papilionoidea

Family : Pieridae

Subfamily : Pierinae

Tribe : Anthocharini

Genus : Euchloe

Subgenus : Euchloe

Species : belemia

For a little girl celebrating her birthday at the Bukit Timah Saddle Club.

Written on the Georgia Guidestones are these ten desires of the New World Order:

THE MESSAGE OF THE GEORGIA GUIDESTONES

1. Maintain humanity under 500,000,000 in perpetual balance with nature.

2. Guide reproduction wisely - improving fitness and diversity.

3. Unite humanity with a living new language.

4. Rule passion - faith - tradition - and all things with tempered reason.

5. Protect people and nations with fair laws and just courts.

6. Let all nations rule internally resolving external disputes in a world court.

7. Avoid petty laws and useless officials.

8. Balance personal rights with social duties.

9. Prize truth - beauty - love - seeking harmony with the infinite.

10.Be not a cancer on the earth - Leave room for nature.

On one of the highest hilltops in Elbert County, Georgia stands a huge granite monument. Engraved in eight different languages on the four giant stones that support the common capstone are 10 Guides, or commandments. That monument is alternately referred to as The Georgia Guidestones, or the American Stonehenge. Though relatively unknown to most people, it is an important link to the Occult Hierarchy that dominates the world in which we live.

The origin of that strange monument is shrouded in mystery because no one knows the true identity of the man, or men, who commissioned its construction. All that is known for certain is that in June 1979, a well-dressed, articulate stranger visited the office of the Elberton Granite Finishing Company and announced that he wanted to build an edifice to transmit a message to mankind. He identified himself as R. C. Christian, but it soon became apparent that was not his real name. He said that he represented a group of men who wanted to offer direction to humanity, but to date, almost two decades later, no one knows who R. C. Christian really was, or the names of those he represented. Several things are apparent. The messages engraved on the Georgia Guidestones deal with four major fields: (1) Governance and the establishment of a world government, (2) Population and reproduction control, (3) The environment and man's relationship to nature, and (4) Spirituality.

In the public library in Elberton, I found a book written by the man who called himself R.C. Christian. I discovered that the monument he commissioned had been erected in recognition of Thomas Paine and the occult philosophy he espoused. Indeed, the Georgia Guidestones are used for occult ceremonies and mystic celebrations to this very day. Tragically, only one religious leader in the area had the courage to speak out against the American Stonehenge, and he has recently relocated his ministry.

Limiting the population of the earth to 500 million will require the extermination of nine-tenths of the world's people. The American Stonehenge's reference to establishing a world court foreshadows the current move to create an International Criminal Court and a world government. The Guidestones' emphasis on preserving nature anticipates the environmental movement of the 1990s, and the reference to "seeking harmony with the infinite" reflects the current effort to replace Judeo-Christian beliefs with a new spirituality.

The message of the American Stonehenge also foreshadowed the current drive for Sustainable Development. Any time you hear the phrase "Sustainable Development" used, you should substitute the term "socialism" to be able to understand what is intended. Later in this syllabus you will read the full text of the Earth Charter which was compiled under the direction of Mikhail Gorbachev and Maurice Strong. In that document you will find an emphasis on the same basic issues: control of reproduction, world governance, the importance of nature and the environment, and a new spirituality. The similarity between the ideas engraved on the Georgia Guidestones and those espoused in the Earth Charter reflect the common origins of both.

Yoko Ono, the widow of John Lennon, was recently quoted as referring to the American Stonehenge, saying:

"I want people to know about the stones ... We're headed toward a world where we might blow ourselves up and maybe the globe will not exist ... it's a nice time to reaffirm ourselves, knowing all the beautiful things that are in this country and the Georgia Stones symbolize that. " (1)

What is the true significance of the American Stonehenge, and why is its covert message important? Because it confirms the fact that there was a covert group intent on

(1) Dramatically reducing the population of the world.

(2) Promoting environmentalism.

(3) Establishing a world government.

(4) Promoting a new spirituality.

Certainly the group that commissioned the Georgia Guidestones is one of many similar groups working together toward a New World Order, a new world economic system, and a new world spirituality. Behind those groups, however, are dark spiritual forces. Without understanding the nature of those dark forces it is impossible to understand the unfolding of world events.

The fact that most Americans have never heard of the Georgia Guidestones or their message to humanity reflects the degree of control that exists today over what the American people think. We ignore that message at our peril.

This text courtesy of www.radioliberty.com/stones.htm

I got some! Now it's time to kill some zombies!

If you have been following the last 3 pictures or so, and accompanying description, you will understand that this was in the same envelope and letters and papers as the outlaw Frank James' things. It did not necessarily get sent in the same envelope but got saved with family papers which I received from descendants of Col. Chinn.

Best viewed pretty large. It will show th embossed seal from the Adjutant General's Office of the State of Kentucky. The date was 1902. The Adjutant General who signed the order was David R. Murray. It was to go from Harrodsburg, KY. to Mammoth Cave, Ky. and return. The bottom line, in red colored pencil says "Fill in Road of Embarkation"

An interesting story about this piece of paper, is that I had called the Missouri Archives about 30 years ago, looking to get some photocopies made of some genealogical records of my family. I was told by the lady who answered the phone that, "Oh no, we couldn't possibly do that. All the photocopying and lights and bending back the spine of the records just ruins them." I allowed as to how I had possession of some letters, a newspaper story of Frank James' Funeral Oration, and a Transportation Order as I have described above. She said that Frank & Jesse James were folk heroes in Missouri, and that the State of Missour had been trying for years to confirm a connection between them and Quantrill's Raiders. She thought the Transportation Order to Col. Chinn might help do that. I said I would donate a copy, not the original, to the State of Missouri. Her next words were, "How many photocopies would you like of your family records?"

What I am finding out is that sometimes I see Quantrill spelled Quantrell, but the former is correct. His full name was William Clarke Quantrill, and he did not actually live very long on this earth. It was his name apparently that was applied to various bands of raiders long after the Civil War had ended. Some say his followers were guerrillas (which I have also seen spelled guerillas), and others say, "Don't call them guerrillas in Missouri! Call them Raiders!

P.S. I joined Find A Grave, both the group here on Flickr and the www.findagrave.com one, and found Mrs. Frank James' name was Ann Ralston James and I found her tombstone photograph. There is still another little interesting tidbit about Ann and her marriage to Frank which I will be trying to find, and post here.

(mrsfrankjamescolonelkitchinnordersplainsifter)

**************************************************************************

Tenuous Link: Chin >> Chinn

Rainbow Basin, California

We paid a visit to the Cullman Loyal Order of Moose (aka the Moose Lodge) at 1729 Eva Road yesterday morning.

We found some serious turkey shoot contestants, juvenile's under 10 firing off shotgun rounds (supervised of course) and a few of us texting between our patently timed gun blasts.

Winners of each round walked away with prizes such as turkeys, hams, bacon and substantial hunks of cheese.

The men and woman running the event couldn't have been nicer, fairer or more even handed. Running a turkey shoot, as we found out, is not nearly as easy as you'd first think ...

www.facebook.com/cullmantoday/timeline/story?ut=43&ws...

Order the real thing ... details ... and much more ... at www.tease-inc.com.

We ordered 25 chicks through the mail. They arrived in a shoebox. And didn't even take up all the space.

Just some stuff that I recived today.

Photo by Matt Ellis

Sent from my phone.

yay!! 20 years overdue XD ... seriously! I'm a fan for over 20 years and hardly have any Sailor Moon stuff! ... and I am nuts after those brooches and wands!

those are only the gashapon ones though ... no expensive compact or battery operated rods!!

Northalsted Market Days. N Halsted St, Chicago, IL.

Order Live Lobsters Online to Prepare a Scrumptious Lobster Dish. docs.zoho.com/writer/published.do?rid=ulvpz362ad6d606414a...

v4 2000

what you smell boy something good?

Magpie, Order - Passeriformes, Family - Corvidae, Species - Pica pica,

Almost everywhere, the Magpie is a striking, black and white, sociable bird thatbcan hardly fail to catch the eye, It also builds big nests that are very obvious in winter, once the leaves fall, these are domed fortresses, for protection against other crows, Magpies are usually seen in pairs but often form small groups and occasionally fill whole trees with flocks of 20 - 40 at a time, when gathering to roost, There is no other similar-looking bird in Europe,

Length,- 44 - 46 cm ( 17.5 - 18 ins ),

Wingspan,- 52 - 60 cm ( 20.5 - 23.5 ins ),

Weight,- 200 - 250g ( 7 - 9 oz ),

Lifespan,- 10 - 15 years,

Voice,- Hard chattering, machanical rattle, tcha-tcha-tcha-tcha or chak-ak-ak-ak.

Nesting,- Big domed nest of sticks andd mud, high in tree; 5-8 eggs, 1 brood, April - June.

Feeding,- Mostly takes insects, grain, and scraps from a wide range of places, eats eggs and chicks in summer,

Social,- Small flocks,

Status,- Secure,

Similar Species,- None,

youtu.be/w6EIFD80f90

The rhyme has its origins in superstitions connected with magpies, considered a bird of ill omen in some cultures, and in Britain, at least as far back as the early sixteenth century. The rhyme was first recorded around 1780 in a note in John Brand's Observations on Popular Antiquities on Lincolnshire with the lyric:

One for sorrow,

Two for mirth,

Three for a wedding,

And four for death.

One of the earliest versions to extend this was published, with variations, in Michael Aislabie Denham's Proverbs and Popular Saying of the Seasons (London, 1846)

One for sorrow,

Two for luck; (or mirth)

Three for a wedding,

Four for death; (or birth)

Five for silver,

Six for gold;

Seven for a secret,

Not to be told;

Eight for heaven,

Nine for [hell]

And ten for the d[evi]l's own sell!

On occasion, jackdaws, crows, and other Corvidae are associated with the rhyme, particularly in America where magpies are less common.

Check out my other miniature railway pics on Flickr:

www.flickr.com/photos/trainsandstuff/collections/72157625...

This railway was opened in May 1911 by local postman Griffith Llewelyn. It was known simply as Llewelyn's Miniature Railway but most of the finance had been provided by 4 local businessmen including Southport dentist Prosper Ladmore.

The first loco on the line was a Bassett Lowke 'Class 10' No.18 'George the Fifth' but this was sold a couple of years later to the Rhyl Miniature Railway and replaced by a larger 'Class 20' from Bassett Lowke No.22 'Prince of Wales'. In 1923 this was joined by another 'Class 20' No. 21 'Prince Edward of Wales' which came from the Fairbourne Railway.

These two locos continued to run at Southport until the late-1960s and were renamed on a regular basis, sometimes carrying two names at the same time! (one on each side). Eventually they settled down to permanent names - 'Prince of Wales' became 'Princess Elizabeth' and 'Prince Edward of Wales' became 'King George'.

At the end of 1933 the line was placed into receivership and was taken over by local engineer Harry Barlow who had already been involved with the line for several years.

It prospered under Barlow's control and in the late-1940s he extended the track and started building a fleet of new diesel-electric locos. In 1950 he built a new train for Southport Pier ('The Silver Belle') and the following year he built and operated the Festival of Britain railway at Battersea Park in London.

Barlow retired at the end of 1968 and sold the railway for £20,000 to a couple of local business owners. The two steam locos were not included and were later sold separately - 'King George' was auctioned at Christies in May 1969 for £950.

The railway at Southport was sold in 2001 and again in 2016 and continues in operation today and still uses some of the locos and carriages built by Barlow in the 1950s and 1960s. It is now the oldest continuously operated miniature railway in the world.

What happened to the steam locos? 'King George' ended up at the Whorlton Lido Railway in Co Durham where it operated for many years before being sold into private ownership where it survives today.

'Princess Elizabeth' was acquired by Bill McAlpine and went to Steamtown Railway Museum in Carnforth where it ran for 20-odd years. In 1983 it made a brief return to Southport to appear in a gala weekend. In 2000 the entire railway at Carnforth was sold to Hollywood movie director Francis Ford Coppola. 'Princess Elizabeth' now resides in working order on his California estate alongside the original Southport loco No, 18 'George the Fifth' which was acquired from Carnforth at the same time.

New Order

⚫️

Book :

Vallotton Forever

Fondation Félix Vallotton

Musée Cantonal Des Beaux-Arts De Lausanne

2025

CD + Postcard :

New Order

Ceremony

Factory

FAC33

Design . Peter Saville

Use Hearing Protection

GMA

E-Commerce Masterplan, Order Fullfillment & Using Twitter to Generate Business

Three excellent presentations today:

Gerry Kierce is the Managing Director of Euroroute Logistics Ltd. Gerry has a proven track record in delivering innovative solutions to clients that are specific to their needs and adding value to their business and contributing to improved efficiencies and bottom-line performance.

Samantha Kelly is the Owner of Tweetinggoddess. Mother of two, A Dragons Den participant, creator of #irishbizparty on twitter, twitter for business trainer, star of the recent RTE show She's the Business and former owner of Funky Goddess Samantha has a great story to tell.

Chloe Thomas is an Online Marketer and the Author of E-Commerce Masterplan. The book has been described by Elite Business Magazine as "worth its weight in internet gold" Chloe has worked with "over 50 eCommerce businesses, improving their online marketing, saving them money and time in the process. She helps businesses reach success faster, and stop wasting money and time on the wrong marketing".

in good order. this is a good color for this car i think. plz comment

Brian McCloskey: The Legenderry Boy In A Dress

Feges BBQ

Clothing suppliers for the Robbo Extra superstores have been told to make bigger pockets in jackets this spring, so that the Team Robbo limited edition 'graffiti wars' medals can fit in.

The range of medals, designed by the British artist Pranksky, were revealed on Saturday, to mark the opening of the new Robbo Extra superstore at Stratford.

Other design elements on the medals - which dwarf the medals to be handed out at London''s Olympic ceremonies this year - symbolise various orders of merit within Team Robbo.

A throng of Team Robbo fans attended the store opening on Saturday, hoping to place orders, but there were some disappointed faces, because the entire run of limited edition medals was three times over-subscribed.

Medals (from left, in order of merit):

1 - Robbo WRH Special Service Medal

2 - The King's Medal

3 - British Empire Medal

4 - Sun Bingo Award Medal

5 - International Piece Keeping Service Medal

With thanks to Ikmal for letting us publish one of his official product shots.

Dave, Prank Sky Media, Hackney, London

...at the Cock Inn

Anybody order a pizza?

Working on an avatar for myself. If anyone has any suggestions how I could make this better, please explain.

This is my first Bubbly. Credit goes to Oblivium, as I used his Gordon as a base.

Josh places orders at the Salumi bar with his iPad.

A page of mail order children's patterns from Modern Knitting and Needlework, 10th edition, dated 1950.

And my goodies inside ! <3

Analog Photography shoot in between 2011 / 2017, in different countries.

We’re continuing to ensure we’re prepared to keep you safe at the thousand-plus large-scale events that we police in Greater Manchester every year with the specialist training of hundreds of our officers.

Our rigorous week-long public order training programme has been nationally-recognised as properly equipping us for a whole variety of events – such as sporting fixtures, festivals, carnivals, and protests – to maintain order in circumstances where there is a risk to ourselves and the public.

Each year we police around 1200 such events in GM that mostly pass without any significant incident; however, we ensure that in the rare instances issues do arise, we have officers specially trained in maintaining order with the tactics and skills to keep the wider public and our officers safe.

As well as putting 500 new officers through their paces every year, we have many more experienced officers who also go through the intensive course to refresh their knowledge and skills so that we have the necessary number of qualified cops to be deployed to such big events.

Chief Inspector Kirsten Buggy, of our Specialist Operational Training, People and Development Branch said: “All our officers will police major events given the nature of serving for one of the largest communities in the country, but we also ensure that a high amount of those officers is trained in using the enhanced tactics that may be needed on some occasions.

“Part of the training our officers do here is very-much a last resort and can seem excessive to some, but we’ve seen in the past how valuably important it is that we can call on such an insurance policy for the rare situations where public order needs to be regained and maintained to keep you safe.

“This is the kind of policing that goes to show just how brave and committed our officers are at being on the front line and doing what they can to keep communities safe from those who may look to cause harm, and year-on-year we’re making sure that more of our officers gain the experience that this vital training can offer to the benefit of us all.”

We’re currently recruiting more officers than ever – fancy joining our team too? Find out how you can here: www.gmp.police.uk/recruitment

order