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Buddhi Lal, 30 works before dawn collecting refuse to recycle and resell. Known as 'rag-picking' he can make perhaps Rs150-200 a day. New Delhi, India.
Until a few years ago, urban poverty, whilst being starkly visible to the policy makers in India, received far less attention from the Indian government than rural poverty, both in terms of range of intervention and the scale of financial outlay. Despite evidence of burgeoning urban population, fuelled by distress migration that followed the new economic policies during early Nineties, it remained an area of significant and persistent neglect from public policy.
In March of the year 2000, a group of young people and committed social workers, with support from ActionAid India, came together under the banner of ‘Aashray Adhikar Abhiyan (AAA)’ . The initiative is set to stop exploitation and marginalization of the homeless people in Delhi, with the aim to empower, mobilise and strengthen the capacity of the homeless so that they can assert their rights and live with honour and dignity.
Aashray Adhikar Abhiyan runs 12 regular shelters in buildings provided by the Delhi government. 7 of these shelters are run on ‘pay to use’ basis while 5 are being run without any user fee.
Other work done by AAA during 2010:
A free legal aid mechanism at Delhi Beggars Court was set up to provide legal aid to the inmates arrested under Bombay Prevention of Begging Act.
Education for homeless children:
Twelve homeless children completed their 6 years of formal education from MCD Schools (state supported school). This group of children is based at Fatehpuri shelter where they are supported with 24 hour shelter, food, tuition, counselling and recreation etc. The direct cost of education (e.g text books etc.) was covered by the State but the other expenses of education like school uniforms, clothing, food, and, healthcare etc. are being covered by donors recruited by AAA.
The Health Intervention Group for Homeless (HIGH)
This clinic has been providing health care to the homeless on every Monday and Thursday evening in Jama Masjid area. Through this clinic, more than 3000 homeless patients got free treatment, and 12 severely mentally ill homeless patients were referred to the exclusive Jama Masjijd clinic. Homeless people are also trained as health support workers to provide their services as care workers to patients at various hospitals.
The Chemical Dependents meeting.
This drug users meeting is organised at Urdu Park and Jama Masjid on every Wednesday evening, and at Fountain Chowk shelter on every Friday evening. From these sessions the patients get referred to the Health Intervention Group for Homeless clinic (HIGH). Continued attendance to these meetings is mandatory for those patients referred and treated at the HIGH clinic.
Photo: Stuart Freedman/ActionAid
©2011 Stuart Freedman
press 'L' to embiggen in the dark.
if you're visiting paris on a budget, you're seeing a lot of the métro. if i'm not mistaken, this is the exit from tuileries... but not that you can really tell.
On an excursion to Wave Hill,
for members of the Serovich Center for Balanced Living.
Westchester , N.Y.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isle_of_Purbeck
The Isle of Purbeck, not a true island but a peninsula, is in the county of Dorset, England. It is bordered by the English Channel to the south and east, where steep cliffs fall to the sea; and by the marshy lands of the River Frome and Poole Harbour to the north. Its western boundary is less well defined, with some medieval sources placing it at Flower's Barrow above Worbarrow Bay.[1] The most southerly point is St Alban's Head (archaically St. Aldhelm's Head). It is suffering erosion problems along the coast.
The whole of the Isle of Purbeck lies within the local government district of Purbeck, which is named after it. However the district extends significantly further north and west than the traditional boundary of the Isle of Purbeck along the River Frome.
In terms of natural landscape areas, the southern part of the Isle of Purbeck and the coastal strip as far as Ringstead Bay in the west, have been designated as National Character Area 136 - South Purbeck by Natural England. To the north are the Dorset Heaths and to the west, the Weymouth Lowlands.[
Geology
The geology of the Isle is complex. It has a discordant coastline along the east and concordant coastline along the south. The northern part is Eocene clay (Barton Beds), including significant deposits of Purbeck Ball Clay. Where the land rises to the sea there are several parallel strata of Jurassic rocks, including Portland limestone and the Purbeck beds. The latter include Purbeck Marble, a particularly hard limestone that can be polished (though mineralogically, it is not marble). A ridge of Cretaceous chalk runs along the peninsula creating the Purbeck Hills, part of the Southern England Chalk Formation that includes Salisbury Plain, the Dorset Downs and the Isle of Wight. The cliffs here are some of the most spectacular in England, and of great geological interest, both for the rock types and variety of landforms, notably Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door, and the coast is part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site because of the unique geology.
In the past quarrying of limestone was particularly concentrated around the western side of Swanage, the villages of Worth Matravers and Langton Matravers, and the cliffs along the coast between Swanage and St. Aldhelm's Head. The "caves" at Tilly Whim are former quarries, and Dancing Ledge, Seacombe and Winspit are other cliff-edge quarries. Stone was removed from the cliff quarries either by sea, or using horse carts to transport large blocks to Swanage. Many of England's most famous cathedrals are adorned with Purbeck marble, and much of London was rebuilt in Portland and Purbeck stone after the Great Fire of London.
By contrast, the principal ball clay workings were in the area between Corfe Castle and Wareham. Originally the clay was taken by pack horse to wharves on the River Frome and the south side of Poole Harbour. However in the first half of the 19th century the pack horses were replaced by horse-drawn tramways. With the coming of the railway from Wareham to Swanage, most ball clay was dispatched by rail, often to the Potteries district of Staffordshire.
Quarrying still takes place in Purbeck, with both Purbeck Ball Clay and limestones being transported from the area by road. There are now no functioning quarries of Purbeck Marble.
Wild flowers
The isle has the highest number of species of native and anciently introduced wild flowers of any area of comparable size in Britain.[3] This is largely due to the varied geology. The species most frequently sought is Early Spider Orchid (Ophrys sphegodes), which in Britain, is most common in Purbeck. Nearly 50,000 flowering spikes were counted in 2009. Late April is the best time, and the largest population is usually in the field to the west of Dancing Ledge. Smaller numbers can be seen on a shorter walk in Durlston Country Park. This orchid is the logo of the Dorset Wildlife Trust. Cowslip meadows (Primula veris and Primula deorum) are at their best shortly afterwards and Durlston Country Park has several large ones.
In early May several woods have carpets of Wild Garlic (Allium ursinum). King's Wood and Studland Wood, both owned by the National Trust, are good examples. At around the same time and later some Downs have carpets of yellow Horseshoe Vetch (Hippocrepis comosa) and blue Chalk Milkwort (Polygala calcarea). In late May the field near Old Harry Rocks has a carpet of yellow Kidney Vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria).
Blue and white flowers of Sheep's bit (Jasione montana) and pink and flowers of Sea Bindweed (Calystegia soldanella) lend colour to Studland dunes in June. Both Heath Spotted Orchid (Dactylorhiza maculata) and Southern Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza praetermissa) are frequent on Corfe Common that month, and Harebells (Campanula rotundifolia) and Purple Betony (Stachys officinalis) flowers add colour to the Common in July.
Dorset Heath (Erica ciliaris), the county flower, can be found in July and August in large numbers, especially on and around Hartland Moor, in damper parts of the heathland. Bog Asphodel (Narthecium ossifragum) gives displays of yellow flowers there in early July. Marsh Gentian (Gentiana pneumonanthe) is found less frequently in similar areas from mid August to mid September.[3]
Roman, Saxon and Norman
A number of Romano-British sites have been discovered and studied on the Isle of Purbeck, including a villa at Bucknowle Farm near Corfe Castle, excavated between 1976 and 1991.[4] The Kimmeridge shale of the isle was worked extensively during the Roman period, into jewellery, decorative panels and furniture.[5]
At the extreme southern tip of Purbeck is St Aldhelm's Chapel which is Norman work but built on a Pre-Conquest Christian site marked with a circular earthwork and some graves. In 1957 the body of a 13th century woman was found buried NNE of the chapel which suggests there may have been a hermitage in the area. In 2000 the whole chapel site was declared a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The precise function of the chapel building is disputed with suggestions that it may have been a religious retreat, a chantry for the souls of sailors who had drowned off St Aldhelm's Head or even a lighthouse or warning bell to warn sailors. Victorian restoration work of the chapel found signs that a beacon may have adorned the roof. The present cross on the roof is Victorian.
The town of Wareham retains its Saxon earth embankment wall and it churches have Saxon origins. One of these, St Martins-on-the-Walls was built in 1030 and today contains traces of medieval and later wall paintings.
At Corfe Castle village is the great castle which gives the village its modern name. The castle commands the strategic gap in the Purbeck Ridge. The present castle dates from after the Conquest of 1066 but this may replace Saxon work as the village was the place where Saxon King Edward the Martyr had been murdered in 978. The supposed place of his murder is traditionally on, or near, the castle mound. Corfe was one of the first English castles to be built in stone - at a time when earth and timber were the norm. This may have been due to the plentiful supply of good building stone in Purbeck.
Sir John Bankes bought the castle in 1635, and was the owner during the English Civil War. His wife, Lady Mary Bankes, led the defence of the castle when it was twice besieged by Parliamentarian forces. The first siege, in 1643, was unsuccessful, but by 1645 Corfe was one of the last remaining royalist strongholds in Southern England and fell to a siege ending in an assault. In March that year Corfe Castle was demolished ('slighted') on Parliament's orders. Owned by the National Trust, the castle is open to the public. It is protected as a Grade I listed building and a Scheduled Ancient Monument.
The isle
A large part of the district is now designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), but a portion of the coast around Worbarrow Bay and the ghost village of Tyneham is still, after nearly 60 years, in the possession of the Ministry of Defence who use it as a training area. Lulworth Ranges are part of the Armoured Fighting Vehicles Gunnery School at Lulworth Camp. Tanks and other armoured vehicles are used in this area and shells are fired. Due to safety reasons, right of entry is only given when the army ranges are not in operation. Large red flags are flown and flashing warning lamps on Bindon Hill and St Alban's Head are lit when the ranges are in use.[6] At such times the entrance gates are locked and wardens patrol the area.
Other places of note are:
Swanage, at the eastern end of the peninsula, is a seaside resort. At one time it was linked by a branch railway line from Wareham; this was closed in 1972, but has now reopened as the Swanage Railway, a heritage railway.
Studland: This is a seaside village in its own sandy bay. Nearby, lying off-shore from The Foreland (also Handfast Point), are the chalk stacks named Old Harry Rocks: Old Harry and his Wife.
Poole Harbour is popular with yachtsmen; it contains Brownsea Island, the site of the first-ever Scout camp.
Corfe Castle is in the centre of the isle, with its picturesque village named after it.
Langton Matravers, which was once the home of several boys preparatory schools until 2007 when the Old Malthouse closed.
Kimmeridge Bay, with its fossil-rich Jurassic shale cliffs, and site of the oldest continually working oil well in the world.
Devocional diario | ¿Qué es el significado de la oración?
Dios dice: “La oración es una de las formas en las que el hombre coopera con Dios, es un modo por medio del cual el hombre invoca a Dios y es el proceso por medio del cual el Espíritu de Dios toca al hombre. Se puede decir que los que están sin oración son muertos que no tienen espíritu, lo que prueba que les hacen falta las facultades para que Dios los toque. Sin la oración, no pueden alcanzar una vida espiritual normal, mucho menos pueden seguir la obra del Espíritu Santo; sin la oración, rompen su relación con Dios y no pueden recibir la aprobación de Dios. Siendo que eres alguien que cree en Dios, entre más ores, más te toca Dios. Esas personas tienen una mayor determinación y pueden recibir más la iluminación más reciente de Dios; como resultado, el Espíritu Santo puede perfeccionar sólo a personas como estas tan pronto como sea posible”.
De “La Palabra manifestada en carne”
Recomendación: Cómo orar
Live visuals made with processing. wormy thingy with
sound reactive colors. It was the first attempt to get
sound reacting working in linux using PD to analyse the signal and send it via osc to processing. Unfortunatelly it isn't as precise i i was expecting... one day i'll get it right... one day i'll...
more info there : www.yesyesnono.co.uk/?miam=7
www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/l/leightonmoss/index.asp
Leighton Moss is the largest reedbed in north-west England, and home to some really special birds such as breeding bitterns, bearded tits and marsh harriers. You might see deer too, not to mention butterflies aplenty!
Opening times
The reserve and visitor centre are open daily all year round (except 25 December). The reserve is open from 9 am to dusk and the visitor centre from 9.30 am-5 pm (4.30 pm November-January inclusive).
Entrance charges
Free to the visitor centre and tearoom. Admission to hides and nature trails: £4.50 adults, £3 concessions, £1 children, £9 family. Free to RSPB members and those who come by public transport or on bike.
Avocet
Avocets can be seen from the hides overlooking the Allen and Eric Morecambe Pools in spring and summer.
Bearded tit
A year-round attraction here in the extensive reedbeds. They form flocks in autumn and can often be seen picking up grit from special tables on the causeway or directly from the paths.
Bittern
Bitterns can be heard 'booming' from the causeway between march and May. Scan over the reedbeds and you may catch a glimpse of one in flight - particularly in May and June. You may also see one sitting at the edge of the pools on frosty winter days.
Marsh harrier
Spring brings displaying marsh harriers to Leighton Moss. The males and females are busy feeding their young throughout summer and can often be seen hunting over the reedbed.
Water rail
Watch from the hides for water rails emerging to feed on the edge of the channels and pool within the reedbed. They may venture out onto exposed mud when the water drops in late summer and autumn or onto ice in winter.
Each season brings a different experience at our nature reserves. In spring, the air is filled with birdsong as they compete to establish territories and attract a mate. In summer, look out for young birds making their first venture into the outside world. Autumn brings large movements of migrating birds - some heading south to a warmer climate, others seeking refuge in the UK from the cold Arctic winter. In winter, look out for large flocks of birds gathering to feed, or flying at dusk to form large roosts to keep warm.
Spring
Booming bitterns in the reedbeds, best heard from the Causeway. Marsh harriers displaying high above the reedbeds. Butterflies along the reserve trails. The arrival of summer-visiting birds fills the reedbed with the rattling calls of sedge and reed warblers. Birdsong can be enjoyed in the woodland. Buzzards can be seen daily flying over the reserve. On the Allen and Eric Morecambe pools, large flocks of migrant black-tailed godwits stop off on their way to Iceland and the first avocets return to nest.
Summer
The special sight of marsh harriers passing food to each other in flight. Red deer grazing the Jackson and Griesdale meres in the evenings. The sight and sound of a busy black-headed gull colony. A chance to see young bitterns venturing out into the edges of the pools to feed, as well as a variety of young waterbirds. A succession of marsh flowers along the reserve tracks. Avocets and their chicks on the Allen and Eric Morecambe pools.
Autumn
Parties of bearded tits flying across the reeds and picking up grit from the paths. Huge flocks of starlings wheeling above the reedbed before pouring into the reeds to roost. Migrant wading birds, especially greenshanks, ruffs and returning black-tailed godwits on the pools viewed from the Allen and Eric Morecambe hides.
Winter
Teals, shovelers and gadwalls join the resident ducks to congregate in large numbers in the pools. Bitterns and water rails can be seen out on the ice during cold spells. Flocks of siskins feed in the alders. Flocks of wigeons and greylag geese graze the saltmarsh at the Allen and Eric Morecambe pools, and are regularly disturbed by wintering peregrines and merlins.
Viewing points
Seven hides with the nearest hide to visitor centre only 160 yards (150 m) away.
Nature trails
Three nature trails: 0.5 miles, 0.8 km to 2 miles, and 3.2 km.
Tearoom
A wide selection of hot and cold food and drinks throughout the day. Parties catered for on request.
Refreshments available
•Hot drinks
•Cold drinks
•Hot meals
•Cold meals
•Sandwiches
•Snacks
Shop
The shop stocks:
•Binoculars and telescopes
•Books
•Bird food
•Gifts
Educational facilities
Education visits to Leighton Moss offer an exciting opportunity for your pupils to explore nature through the first-hand study of birds, other animals and plants. Led by professional RSPB educators, the curriculum-linked programmes are safe, hands-on, thought-provoking and fun. Approved as a safe provider of outdoor education activities by Lancashire County Council, Leighton Moss's risk-assessed programmes help children to understand the value of wildlife and natural places through experiential learning. Leighton Moss has the largest remaining reedbed in north-west England - a magical place where you and your pupils could hear the bitterns booming in the spring, watch the marsh harriers swooping in the summer or see the meres full of over-wintering ducks and geese in the winter. With a well-equipped classroom, shop, picnic area, trails and bird hides, Leighton Moss is the ideal place to bring your class for an unforgettable experience of nature. You can visit any day of the year. Our start times are flexible to suit you. It is advisable to book well in advance for the summer term, which is our busiest time. We can cater for two classes (or approximately 60 children), which will be divided into smaller groups of approximately 15.
Access to hides and viewpoints
Bird-feeding station has a screen, with varied height viewing slots and knee hole extension, which overlooks the birdtables and feeders. Lilian's hide is accessed via 1:20 ramp; a large, glazed, picture window overlooks the lagoon and reedbeds; an induction loop is available. Jackson's hide is accessed via 1:10 ramp; there are no adapted wheelchair places.
Griesdale hide is accessed via 1:10 ramp; there are no adapted wheelchair places. Public hide is accessed via a very shallow, 1:40 ramp; specially adapted places for wheelchairs are at left end of hide. Lower hide is accessed via three steep steps.
Access to visitor centre, shop and tearoom
The front entrance is accessed through double doors, which open both ways, to reception desk on ground floor. The upper floor, with tearoom, is accessed via a stair-lift from the shop and rear entrance of the visitor centre. This lift does not accommodate wheelchairs; transfer from chair to lift via shallow ramp; staff are available to help.
Shop is on the ground floor of the visitor centre; staff are available to help. Tearoom is on the first floor of visitor centre, staff are available to help with carrying trays etc.
Path surfaces and gradients
There are 8 km of trails on the nature reserve. There is a bird-feeding station 50 m from visitor centre, down 1:15 and 1:40 gradients with an adverse camber; the path is surfaced with compacted gravel/rolled stone. From the feeding station to Lilian's hide is 100 m, initially down a 1:20 slope, levelling and then another 1:20 slope to the hide entrance; the path is surfaced with compacted gravel/rolled stone.
From Lilian's hide to Jackson's hide is 535 m. From Lilian's hide to Griesdale hide is 735 m; the path is surfaced with compacted gravel/rolled stone, and narrows to one metre in places. From Lilian's hide to Public hide is 1,000 m; the path is undulating, rolled stone with two non-wheelchair accessible kissing gates; it has a steep gradient of 1:10 along some of its length. There is a 100 m stretch along the public highway.
The final approach to the hide is along a public causeway of rough, rolled stone with a 1:10 slope. Visitors with limited mobility can drive to the start of the public causeway. From Public hide to Lower hide is 820 m; the path is surfaced with compacted mud and stone; it is narrow in places and accessible to semi-ambulant visitors.
Car parking
Visitors can park in front of and behind the visitor centre; the surface is rolled stone. There is an alternative car park on the opposite side of the road from the visitor centre.
Toilets
One adapted, unisex toilet accessed via shop and rear entrance to visitor centre.
Wheelchair loan
One wheelchair available for loan, contact reserve staff for availability.
www.georgiaaquarium.org/experience/explore/connect/webcam....
Come journey with whale sharks, our gentle giants, in the Ocean Voyager Built by The Home Depot gallery, and be mesmerized by thousands of fish swimming all around you. You will see whale sharks, manta rays (the only manta rays in a U.S. aquarium, ever), and thousands of other animals, including sharks, rays, grouper, guitarfish and more.
The correct name is Grand Central Terminal (not Grand Central Station, which is the name of the U.S. Post Office station on Lexington Avenue).
Outside, above the main entrance, the clock is quite a piece of work, embedded in a sculpture where the Roman god Mercury is the main figure, but he's not alone: Minerva and Hercules are there to keep him company. French sculptor Jules-Félix Coutan was commissioned to create this statue that goes by a few names: Glory of Commerce, Progress with Mental and Physical Force, and even simply Transportation. Anyway, you can learn all about it here. It's a good read :)
O nome correcto é Grand Central Terminal (e não Grand Central Station, que é o nome da estação dos Correios dos EUA na Lexington Avenue).
No exterior, por cima da entrada principal, o relógio é uma obra de arte, incrustado numa escultura onde o deus romano Mercúrio é a figura principal, mas que não está sozinho: Minerva e Hércules também lá estão para lhe fazerem companhia. O escultor francês Jules-Félix Coutan foi contratado para criar esta estátua que tem vários nomes: Glória do Comércio, Progresso com Força Mental e Física, e até simplesmente Transporte. De qualquer forma, pode ficar a saber tudo sobre esta escultura aqui. É uma leitura interessante :)
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budapest
Budapest is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the tenth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the river Danube. The estimated population of the city in 2025 is 1,782,240. This includes the city's population and surrounding suburban areas, over a land area of about 525 square kilometres (203 square miles). Budapest, which is both a city and municipality, forms the centre of the Budapest metropolitan area, which has an area of 7,626 square kilometres (2,944 square miles) and a population of 3,019,479. It is a primate city, constituting 33% of the population of Hungary.
The history of Budapest began when an early Celtic settlement transformed into the Roman town of Aquincum, the capital of Lower Pannonia. The Hungarians arrived in the territory in the late 9th century, but the area was pillaged by the Mongols in 1241–42. Re-established Buda became one of the centres of Renaissance humanist culture by the 15th century. The Battle of Mohács, in 1526, was followed by nearly 150 years of Ottoman rule. After the reconquest of Buda in 1686, the region entered a new age of prosperity, with Pest-Buda becoming a global city after the unification of Buda, Óbuda and Pest on 17 November 1873, with the name 'Budapest' given to the new capital. Budapest also became the co-capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a great power that dissolved in 1918, following World War I. The city was the focal point of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 and the Battle of Budapest in 1945, as well as the Hungarian Revolution of 1956.
Budapest is a global city with strengths in commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and entertainment. Budapest is Hungary's financial centre. Budapest hosts the headquarters of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, the European Police College and the first foreign office of the China Investment Promotion Agency. Over 40 colleges and universities are located in Budapest, including Eötvös Loránd University, Corvinus University, Semmelweis University, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest and the Budapest University of Technology and Economics. Opened in 1896, the city's subway system, the Budapest Metro, serves 1.27 million, while the Budapest Tram Network serves 1.08 million passengers daily.
The central area of Budapest along the Danube is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has several notable monuments of classical architecture, including the Hungarian Parliament and the Buda Castle. The city also has around 80 geothermal springs, the largest thermal water cave system, second largest synagogue, and third largest Parliament building in the world. Budapest attracts around 12 million international tourists per year, making it a highly popular destination in Europe.
Additional Foreign Language Tags:
(Hungary) "المجر" "匈牙利" "Hongrie" "Ungarn" "הונגריה" "हंगरी" "ハンガリー" "헝가리" "Венгрия" "Hungría"
(Budapest) "بودابست" "布达佩斯" "בודפשט" "बुडापेस्ट" "ブダペスト" "부다페스트" "Будапешт"
(Europe) Europa "European Union" "أوروبا" "欧洲" "אירופה" "यूरोप" "ヨーロッパ" "유럽" "Европа"
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruges
Bruges (Dutch: Brugge; French: Bruges; German: Brügge) is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium, in the northwest of the country.
The area of the whole city amounts to more than 13,840 hectares (138.4 sq km; 53.44 sq miles), including 1,075 hectares off the coast, at Zeebrugge (from Brugge aan zee, meaning "Bruges by the Sea"). The historic city centre is a prominent World Heritage Site of UNESCO. It is oval in shape and about 430 hectares in size. The city's total population is 117,073 (1 January 2008), of whom around 20,000 live in the city centre. The metropolitan area, including the outer commuter zone, covers an area of 616 km2 (238 sq mi) and has a total of 255,844 inhabitants as of 1 January 2008.
Along with a few other canal-based northern cities, such as Amsterdam, it is sometimes referred to as the Venice of the North. Bruges has a significant economic importance, thanks to its port, and was once one of the world's chief commercial cities. Bruges is well known as the seat of the College of Europe, a university institute for European studies.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belfry_of_Bruges
The Belfry of Bruges (Dutch: Belfort van Brugge) is a medieval bell tower in the centre of Bruges, Belgium. One of the city's most prominent symbols, the belfry formerly housed a treasury and the municipal archives, and served as an observation post for spotting fires and other danger. A narrow, steep staircase of 366 steps, accessible by the public for an entry fee, leads to the top of the 83 m (272 feet) high building, which leans 87 centimetres to the east.
To the sides and back of the tower stands the former market hall, a rectangular building only 44 m broad but 84 m deep, with an inner courtyard. The belfry, accordingly, is also known as the Halletoren (tower of the halls).
The belfry is a key component of the UNESCO world heritage site of the historic centre of Bruges.
The building is a central feature of the 2008 film In Bruges and is also mentioned in the novel Cloud Atlas.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markt_(Bruges)
The Markt ("Market Square") of Bruges is located in the heart of the city and covers an area of about 1 hectare. Some historical highlights around the square include the 12th-century belfry and the West Flanders Provincial Court (originally the Waterhall, which in 1787 was demolished and replaced by a classicist building that from 1850 served as provincial court and after a fire in 1878 was rebuilt in a neo-Gothic style in 1887. In the center of the market stands the statue of Jan Breydel and Pieter de Coninck.
In 1995 the market was completely renovated. Parking in the square was removed and the area became mostly traffic-free, thus being more celebration friendly. The renovated market was reopened in 1996 with a concert by Helmut Lotti.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_of_Bowland
The Forest of Bowland, also known as the Bowland Fells, is an area of barren gritstone fells, deep valleys and peat moorland, mostly in north-east Lancashire, England. A small part lies in North Yorkshire, and much of the area was historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire. It has been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) since 1964, and is used for grouse shooting, walking and cycling, though it is relatively unfrequented by tourists. One of the best known features of the area is Pendle Hill, which is separated from the main part of the Forest of Bowland AONB by the Ribble Valley.
13% of the AONB is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest for its important areas of heather moorland and blanket bog. The area is nationally and internationally important for its upland bird populations – the hen harrier is the symbol of the AONB. There are over 500 listed buildings and 18 scheduled monuments within the AONB.
The name 'forest' is used in its traditional sense of 'a royal hunting ground', and much of the land still belongs to the British Crown as part of the Duchy of Lancaster. In the past wild boar, deer, wolves, wild cats and game roamed the forest.
Heather moorland on Clougha, in the north west of the Forest of Bowland, looking towards the Yorkshire three peaks
Bowland remains as the northwestern remainder of the ancient wilderness that once stretched over a huge part of England, encompassing the Forest of Bowland, Sherwood Forest (Nottinghamshire), the New Forest (Hampshire) and Savernake Forest (Wiltshire). While the Trough of Bowland (the valley and high pass connecting the Wyre (at Marshaw) and Langden Brook and dividing the upland core of Bowland into two main blocks) represents the area, to many, on account of its popularity, it is in fact only a small part of the wider Forest of Bowland area.
The hills on the western side of the Forest of Bowland attract walkers from Lancaster and the surrounding area. Overlooking Lancaster is Clougha Pike, the western-most hill. The hills form a large horseshoe shape with its open end facing west. Clockwise from Lancaster the hills are Clougha Pike (413 m), Grit Fell (468 m), Ward's Stone (561 m), Wolfhole Crag (527 m), White Hill (544 m), Whins Brow (476 m), Totridge (496 m), Parlick (432 m), Fair Snape Fell (510 m), Bleasdale Moor (429 m), and Hawthornthwaite fell (478 m).
The area is home to the geographic centre of Great Britain which is close to the Whitendale Hanging Stones, around 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Dunsop Bridge.
The Forest of Bowland is home to an annual challenge event: The Bowland Challenge where teams of walkers navigate around a series of grid references over a ten hour period. Proceeds of the event go to support Bowland Pennine Mountain Rescue Team.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Rigg
High Rigg is a small fell located in the English Lake District, approximately three miles southeast of the town of Keswick. It occupies an unusual position, surrounded on all sides by higher fells but not connected by any obvious ridge. This separation from its fellows ensures that it is a Marilyn.
Topography
High Rigg is strictly the continuation of the ridge running up the western shore of Thirlmere, whose high point is Raven Crag. This forms the watershed between the Shoulthwaite and Thirlmere/ Vale of St John systems. The depression between High Rigg and Raven Crag to the south — at only around 550 ft (170 m) — is at Smaithwaite, just south of the A591 Keswick to Ambleside road.
High Rigg resembles a model of the Lakeland Fells in miniature, complete with crags, intermediate tops, tarns and even a 'pass' crossing the ridge halfway along, complete with church. The northern and southern aspects of the fell are largely grassed and gently rolling, in contrast to the western and eastern flanks which are steep with numerous rocky outcroppings and cliffs.
Travelling south to north the main features are Wren Crag (1,020 ft), overlooking the Vale of St John, Yew Crag (1,000 ft) facing west and then two tops at 1,125 ft (343 m) and 1,171 ft (357 m) respectively. The ridge then falls to the 'pass' and St John's church, before rising again to Low Rigg (836 ft). Finally comes Tewet Tarn as the ridge falls away to the river Greta. Also known as Tewfit Tarn, this shallow pool stands on a shelf, overlooked by higher rocks.[1][2]
Geology
The geology of the ridge is complex with much small scale faulting. Gravel and scree overlay much of the fell which lies between two branches of the Coniston Fault, with the plagioclase-phyric andesite lavas of the Birker Fell Formation beneath. Low Rigg exhibits intrusions of microgranite to the surface.[3]
Summit and view
The summit has a cairn set on an outcrop and commands a fine view of the surrounding fells. The giants of Skiddaw and Blencathra dominate the view to the north, and Clough Head and the Helvellyn range the view east. Thirlmere is visible to the south and Bleaberry Fell to the west, over which the Scafell group can be seen on a clear day.[4][5]
Ascents
The hill may be climbed in a short twenty-minute walk from the Church of St John's in the Vale. It only involves about 120 m (400 ft) of climb and is one of the shortest ascents in the Lakes. Alternatively, a traverse of the fell's three mile (5 km) long ridge may be made, starting at Tewit Tarn and finishing near Shoulthwaite.[
copyright: © R-Pe 1764.org All rights reserved. Please do not use this image, or any images from my flickr photostream, fb account or g+, without my permission.
el.godfootsteps.org/Creator-s-authority-is-immeasurable-s...
I
Εκκλησία του Παντοδύναμου Θεού
Μόλις τα λόγια του Θεού μιλιούνται, αναλαμβάνει η εξουσία Του
και ό,τι υποσχέθηκε, βήμα-βήμα γίνεται.
Όλα γύρω αλλάζουν, αρχίζουν οι αλλαγές.
Αυτά είναι τα θαύματα απ' τα χέρια του Δημιουργού.
Όπως την άνοιξη: λουλούδια ανθίζουν, χορτάρι πράσινο,
μπουμπούκια βλασταίνουν, πουλιά τραγουδούν· κόσμος στους αγρούς.
Η εξουσία κι η δύναμη του Θεού διαχρονική,
από μέρη, ανθρώπους και ύλη, απ' το τίποτα.
Η εξουσία κι η δύναμη του Θεού αφάνταστη.
Δύσκολο να εμβαθύνεις, να την αντιληθφείς.
II
Την υπόσχεσή Του αν πραγματώσει, τα πάντα σε γη κι ουρανό
αναγεννώνται κι αλλάζουνε, σύμφωνα με τις σκέψεις Του.
Την υπόσχεσή Του όταν δίνει, όλα γίνονται για να εκπληρωθεί.
Όλα τα πλάσματα τοποθετούνται στου Θεού το κράτος.
Καθένας έχει το ρόλο του, τη δική του λειτουργία.
Αυτό φανερώνει την εξουσία του Θεού.
Όπως την άνοιξη: λουλούδια ανθίζουν, χορτάρι πράσινο,
μπουμπούκια βλασταίνουν, πουλιά τραγουδούν· κόσμος στους αγρούς.
Η εξουσία κι η δύναμη του Θεού διαχρονική,
από μέρη, ανθρώπους και ύλη, απ' το τίποτα.
Η εξουσία κι η δύναμη του Θεού αφάνταστη.
Δύσκολο να εμβαθύνεις, να την αντιληθφείς.
III
Κάθε εκδήλωση εξουσίας είναι τέλεια παρουσίαση
των λόγων Του που δείχνονται, σ' όλα τα πλάσματα.
Όλα επιτυγχάνονται, με την εξουσία Του,
όμορφα, ασύγκριτα και αψεγάδιαστα.
Όπως την άνοιξη: λουλούδια ανθίζουν, χορτάρι πράσινο,
μπουμπούκια βλασταίνουν, πουλιά τραγουδούν· κόσμος στους αγρούς.
Η εξουσία κι η δύναμη του Θεού διαχρονική,
από μέρη, ανθρώπους και ύλη, από τίποτα.
Η εξουσία κι η δύναμη του Θεού αφάνταστη.
Δύσκολο να εμβαθύνεις, να την αντιληθφείς.
IV
Οι σκέψεις, τα λόγια, το έργο, η εξουσία Του,
όλα μια εικόνα, όμορφη, ασύγκριτη.
Η γλώσσα δεν μπορεί καλά να εξηγήσει
της Δημιουργίας την αξία και τη σημασία της!
Η εξουσία κι η δύναμη του Θεού διαχρονική,
από μέρη, ανθρώπους και ύλη, απ' το τίποτα.
Η εξουσία κι η δύναμη του Θεού αφάνταστη.
Δύσκολο να εμβαθύνεις, να την αντιληθφείς.
από το βιβλίο «Ο Λόγος Ενσαρκώνεται»
Πηγή Ζωής
Πηγή εικόνας: Εκκλησία του Παντοδύναμου Θεού
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roe_deer
The European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), also known as the western roe deer, chevreuil or just roe deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe deer are widespread in Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from the British Isles to the Caucasus. It is distinct from the somewhat larger Siberian roe deer.
Etymology
English roe is from Old English raha, from Proto-Germanic *raikhon, cognate to Old Norse rá and German Reh. A fifth-century runic inscription on a roe deer ankle bone found in England (the "Caistor-by-Norwich astragalus") transliterates as raïhan, thought to refer to the deer itself. Ultimately, the word may be drawn from the Proto-Indo-European root *rei-, meaning "streaked" or "spotted." Another translation suggests that roe is an ancient word meaning the colour red.
Distribution and related species
The roe deer is distinct from the somewhat larger Siberian roe deer (Capreolus pygargus) that is found from the Ural Mountains to as far east as China and Siberia. The two species meet at the Caucasus Mountains, with the European species occupying the southern flank of the mountain ranges and adjacent Asia Minor and the Siberian species occupying the northern flank of the mountain ranges.
Within Europe, the European roe deer occurs in most areas, with the exception of northernmost Scandinavia (north of Narvik) and some of the islands, notably Iceland, Ireland, and the Mediterranean Sea islands; in the Mediterranean region it is largely confined to mountainous regions, and is absent or rare at low levels. Scottish roe deer were introduced to the Lissadell Estate in Co. Sligo in the Republic of Ireland around 1870 by Sir Henry Gore-Booth, Bt.[2] The Lissadell deer were noted for their occasional abnormal antlers and survived in that general area for about 50 years before they died out and there are not believed to be any roe deer currently extant in Ireland.
In England and Wales roe have experienced a substantial expansion in their range in the latter half of the 20th century and continuing into this century. This increase in population also appears to be impacting woodland ecosystems.[3] At the start of the 20th century they were almost extinct in Southern England but since then have hugely expanded their range for no apparent reason and possibly in some cases with human help. In 1884 there was an introduction of roe from Wurttemberg in Germany into the Thetford Chase area and these spread to populate most of Norfolk, Suffolk and substantial parts of Cambridgeshire. In southern England they started their expansion in Sussex (possibly from enclosed stock in Petworth Park) and from there soon spread into Surrey, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Hampshire and Dorset, and for the first half of the 20th century most roe in southern England were to be found in these counties. By the end of the 20th century they had repopulated much of Southern England and had expanded into Somerset, Devon, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire and had even spread into mid-Wales from the Ludlow area where an isolated population had appeared. At the same time the surviving population in Scotland and the Lake District had pushed further down beyond Yorkshire and Lancashire and into Derbyshire and Humberside. Now roe can be found in most of rural England except for the very far south western tip of Cornwall, south east Kent and the greater part of Staffordshire and Cheshire although the expansion is continuing to the extent that before the end of this century anywhere in the UK mainland that is suitable for roe may have a population. Not being a species that need large areas of woodland to survive urban roe are now a feature of several cities, notably Glasgow and Bristol, where in particular they favour cemeteries. In Wales they are less common but have been seen as far south west as Cardigan and as far north west as Bangor and they are reasonably well established in Powys and Monmouthshire.
German colonial administrators introduced roe deer to the island of Pohnpei in Micronesia. They are hunted by locals in very steep and heavily vegetated terrain. The meat is openly sold in markets and restaurants in Kolonia, the capital city of Pohnpei and the Federated States of Micronesia.
Physical appearance
The roe deer is a relatively small deer, with a body length of 95–135 cm (3.1–4.4 ft), a shoulder height of 65–75 cm (2.1–2.5 ft), and a weight of 15–35 kg (33–77 lb).[4] It has rather short, erect antlers and a reddish body with a grey face. Its hide is golden red in summer, darkening to brown or even black in winter, with lighter undersides and a white rump patch; the tail is very short (2–3 cm or 0.8–1.2 in), and barely visible. Only the males have antlers. The first and second set of antlers are unbranched and short (5–12 cm or 2.0–4.7 in), while older bucks in good conditions develop antlers up to 20–25 cm (8–10 in) long with two or three, rarely even four, points. When the male's antlers begin to regrow, they are covered in a thin layer of velvet-like fur which disappears later on after the hair's blood supply is lost. Males may speed up the process by rubbing their antlers on trees, so that their antlers are hard and stiff for the duels during the mating season. Unlike most cervids, roe deer begin regrowing antlers almost immediately after they are shed.
Habitat and diet
The roe deer is primarily crepuscular, or primarily active during the twilight, very quick and graceful, lives in woods although it may venture into grasslands and sparse forests. It feeds mainly on grass, leaves, berries and young shoots. It particularly likes very young, tender grass with a high moisture content, i.e., grass that has received rain the day before. Roe deer will not generally venture into a field that has had or has livestock (sheep, cattle) in it because the livestock make the grass unclean. A pioneer species commonly associated with biotic communities at an early stage of succession, during the Neolithic period in Europe the roe deer was abundant, taking advantage of areas of forest or woodland cleared by Neolithic farmers.[5]
Behaviour and life cycle
The roe deer attains a maximum life span (in the wild) of ten years. When alarmed, it will bark a sound much like a dog and flash out its white rump patch. Rump patches differ between the sexes, with the white rump patches heart-shaped on females and kidney-shaped on males. Males may also bark or make a low grunting noise. Females (does)make a high pitched "pheep" whine to attract males during the rut (breeding season)in July and August. Initially it is the female who goes looking for a mate and it is common for her to lure the buck back into her territory before mating. The roe deer is territorial, and whilst the territories of a male and a female might overlap, other roe deer of the same sex are excluded unless they are the doe's offspring of that year.
Reproduction
The polygamous roe deer males clash over territory in early summer and mate in early fall. During courtship, when the males chase the females, they often flatten the underbrush leaving behind areas of the forest in the shape of a figure eight called 'roe rings'. Males may also use their antlers to shovel around fallen foliage and dirt as a way of attracting a mate. Roebucks enter rutting inappetence during the July and August breeding season. Females are monoestrous and after delayed implantation usually give birth the following June, after a ten-month gestation period, typically to two spotted fawns of opposite sexes. The fawns remain hidden in long grass from predators until they are ready to join the rest of the herd; they are suckled by their mother several times a day for around three months. Roe deer adults will often abandon their young if they sense or smell that an animal or human has been near it. Young female roe deer can begin to reproduce when they are around 16 months old.
In popular culture
The world-famous deer Bambi (the eponymous character of the books Bambi, A Life in the Woods, and its sequel Bambi's Children, by Felix Salten) is originally a roe deer. It was only when the story was adapted into the animated feature film Bambi, by the Walt Disney Studios, was Bambi changed to a white-tailed deer. This change was made owing to the white-tail being a more familiar species to the mainstream US viewers. Consequently, the setting was also changed to a North American wilderness.[citation needed]
A roe deer is also said to have helped Genevieve of Brabant to get food for herself and her child after having had to leave their home due to malicious slander.
Hidden behind one of Britain’s most popular medieval castles, the Woodland Trust's Skipton Castle Woods is a rare ancient woodland habitat straight off the high street.
With a fascinating history that dates back a thousand years, stunning seasonal displays, amazing wildlife and a central location, Skipton Castle Woods is a must-visit if you’re in the area.
One of the Woodland Trust’s most unique sites, there’s lots for nature-lovers and families to see and do, so step off the high street, feel the earth under your boots and come explore.
About Skipton Castle Woods
Here’s just a taster of what we know about Skipton Castle Woods and its history. Don’t forget the best way to experience all of this and much more is to visit; on arrival in the woods you will find a site map full of interesting features, suggested walking routes and more activities to try. Happy exploring!
Skipton Castle Woods is owned by Skipton Castle and is managed by the Woodland Trust. The trust owns or manages more than 1,000 sites all over the UK supported by more than 250,000 members.
Amazing trees and history
Skipton Castle Woods was once part of a great hunting woodland that stretched across North Yorkshire.
Today what remains of that great wood is now one of England’s rare ancient woodland sites. Many of the trees you will see are veterans dating between 30 and 150 years old.
Most of Skipton’s ancient woodland is a mix of broadleaf trees such as oak, ash, lime, alder, hornbeam and beech. But there is also a smattering of Scot’s pine and Norway spruce.
Both holly and hazel can be found along the upper paths and woodland plants and flowers such as wild garlic, bluebells, wood anemone and dogs mercury are in abundance, depending on the season.
If your visit includes a trip to Skipton Castle, make sure to spend some time with the castle’s famed ancient yew tree planted by Lady Ann Clifford in 1649.
History of Skipton Castle Woods
Skipton Castle Woods is a private woodland leased for 75 years by the owners, Skipton Castle, to the Woodland Trust. In partnership with the castle and under our care, the public has access to enjoy this ancient site.
The castle archives, now housed at the Brotherton Library at the University of Leeds, contain multiple mentions of the wood and reveal a fascinating timeline of the woodland, people and trees.
Skipton Castle Wood's historical highlights
The woods, once known as Old Park, would have influenced the original decision to build a castle here. The woods provided many of the necessities essential for survival during the castle’s early existence, including water, fuel, building materials, fishing and hunting.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the woods provided timber, building stone and, most importantly, water to feed and power the town’s woollen, corn and sawmills.
Later, the woodland became a Victorian pleasure ground, a place to take in the air and promenade, particularly after church on Sunday.
More recently, some of the woodland was planted with quick growing softwoods to meet national demand for timber during and between the two world wars.
What you can see today
You can see evidence of Skipton's history in both the woodland and in the great buildings of the town.
A woodland walk will take you along the watercourses that became the force behind the mills; the industrial engineering that circulates the water is still visible and in use today. A visit to attractions nearby reveals how the woodland supported the development of the town.
Must-sees include the enormous timber portcullis entrance to Skipton Castle and the wide span of exposed oak beams and trusses in the castle’s Banqueting Hall.
In High Corn Mill, the timber waterwheel made from local elm is still in working order. Pull the handle above the wheel to see it in action.
Things to see and do
Get out the binoculars
There are a few spots in the woodland where you are likely to see the resident herons and kingfishers, especially around the ‘Kingfisher Highway’ between the Springs Canal and Eller Beck.
Pick a spot to stand or sit between these two watercourses and watch as the kingfishers fly in a flash of blue, from one body of water to the other.
As well as the kingfishers, herons and dippers fishing in and around the water, buzzards, sparrow hawks and red kites are also regular visitors, often soaring overhead as they hunt for prey.
Local experts, volunteers and staff host guided walks in the woodland during the summer. It's not unusual to hear one of the green or great spotted woodpeckers during your walk; the tricky bit is seeing them!
Take the Sougha Gill Challenge
Rumour has it that two famous Olympic athlete siblings train in Skipton Castle Woods. You don’t need to be of gold medal standard to enjoy in the woodland however; if you like a challenge, a brisk walk up the steps beside Sougha Gill will get your heart pumping.
The steps are located opposite the bridge near the round dam and they ascend to one our memorial benches and the upper paths. Once at the top, have a moment to rest and enjoy the peace on ‘Johns Bench’ while you take in the views of the woodland and the river bed below.
Devocional | Con tener la verdadera fe, no se tiene miedo de ninguna dificultad
Herman@s, ¿la epidemia que aún está extendiéndose ha causado muchas dificultades en su vida y en su trabajo? En un ambiente así, sabemos que es difícil y duro para usted, pero no se desanime ni llore, nunca está solo, porque Dios siempre está a su lado. Y mientras dependamos de la guía de la Palabra de Dios, podemos fortalecer nuestra fe en Él y encontrar maneras de superar estas dificultades.
Mira, Dios dice: “Cuando Moisés golpeó la roca y brotó de ella el agua conferida por Jehová, fue gracias a su fe. Cuando David tocó la lira para alabarme, a Mí, Jehová —con el corazón lleno de alegría— fue gracias a su fe. Cuando Job perdió su ganado que llenaba las montañas y enormes cantidades de riqueza y su cuerpo se cubrió de dolorosas llagas, fue debido a su fe. Cuando él pudo escuchar Mi voz, la voz de Jehová, y ver Mi gloria, la gloria de Jehová, fue gracias a su fe. Que Pedro haya podido seguir a Jesucristo, fue debido a su fe. Que pudiera ser clavado en la cruz por Mí y dar testimonio glorioso de Mí, también fue debido a su fe. Cuando Juan vio la imagen gloriosa del Hijo del hombre, fue debido a su fe. Cuando vio la visión de los últimos días, fue, aún más, a causa de su fe. La razón por la que las así llamadas ‘multitudes de las naciones gentiles’ han obtenido Mi revelación y han llegado a tener conocimiento de que Yo he regresado en la carne para llevar a cabo Mi obra entre los hombres, también es a causa de su fe. ¿Acaso todos los que son golpeados por Mis severas palabras —y que, sin embargo, encuentran en ellas consuelo y son salvados— no lo han hecho por causa de su fe?”.
“Sólo podrás ver a Dios desde el interior de tu fe. Cuando tengas fe, Dios te perfeccionará. Sin fe, Él no puede hacerlo. Dios te concederá cualquier cosa que esperes obtener. Si no tienes fe, Dios no puede perfeccionarte y serás incapaz de ver Sus acciones, y menos aún Su omnipotencia. Cuando tengas una fe con la que puedas ver Sus acciones en tu experiencia práctica, entonces Dios aparecerá ante ti, y te esclarecerá y te guiará desde dentro. Sin esa fe, Dios no podrá hacer esto. Si has perdido la esperanza en Dios, ¿cómo podrás experimentar Su obra? Por tanto, sólo cuando tengas fe y no albergues dudas hacia Dios, cuando tu fe en Él sea verdadera, haga lo que haga, Él te esclarecerá e iluminará en tus experiencias, y sólo entonces podrás ver Sus acciones. Todas estas cosas se consiguen por medio de la fe. La fe sólo llega mediante el refinamiento, y en ausencia de refinamiento, la fe no puede desarrollarse. ¿A qué se refiere la fe? La fe es la creencia genuina y el corazón sincero que los humanos deberían poseer cuando no pueden ver ni tocar algo, cuando la obra de Dios no está en línea con las nociones humanas, cuando está más allá del alcance humano. Esta es la fe de la que hablo”.
Para conocer más: Cómo tener fe en Dios
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Air_Force_Base
Scott Air Force Base (IATA: BLV, ICAO: KBLV, FAA LID: BLV) is a United States Air Force base in St. Clair County, Illinois, near Belleville and O'Fallon, 17 miles east-southeast of downtown St. Louis. Scott Field was one of thirty-two Air Service training camps established after the United States entered World War I in April 1917. It is headquarters of Air Mobility Command (AMC), and is also the headquarters of the U.S. Transportation Command, a Unified Combatant Command that coordinates transportation across all the services.
The base is operated by the 375th Air Mobility Wing (375 AMW) and is also home to the Air Force Reserve Command's 932d Airlift Wing (932 AW) and the Illinois Air National Guard's 126th Air Refueling Wing (126 ARW), the latter two units being operationally gained by AMC.
The base currently employs 13,000 people, 5,100 civilians with 5,500 active-duty Air Force, and an additional 2,400 Air National Guard and Reserve personnel. It was announced in June 2014 that two new cybersecurity squadrons will be added to the three currently on base.
Its airfield is also used by civilian aircraft, with civilian operations at the base referring to the facility as MidAmerica St. Louis Airport. MidAmerica has operated as a Joint Use Airport since beginning operations in November 1997. Allegiant Air, the only commercial airline with scheduled flights at the airport, pulled out of the airport on January 3, 2009, but now has multiple nonstop destinations.
Additional Foreign Language Tags:
(United States) "الولايات المتحدة" "Vereinigte Staaten" "アメリカ" "美国" "미국" "Estados Unidos" "États-Unis"
(Illinois) "الينوي" "伊利诺伊州" "इलिनोइस" "イリノイ" "일리노이" "Иллинойс"
(Scott Air Force Base) "قاعدة سكوت الجوية" "斯科特空军基地" "Base aérienne de Scott" "स्कॉट एयर फोर्स बेस" "スコット空軍基地" "스콧 공군 기지" "База ВВС Скотт" "Base de la Fuerza Aérea Scott"
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Rushmore
Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a national memorial centered on a colossal sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore (Lakota: Tȟuŋkášila Šákpe, or Six Grandfathers) in the Black Hills near Keystone, South Dakota, United States. Sculptor Gutzon Borglum created the sculpture's design and oversaw the project's execution from 1927 to 1941 with the help of his son, Lincoln Borglum. The sculpture features the 60-foot-tall (18 m) heads of four United States Presidents recommended by Borglum: George Washington (1732–1799), Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) and Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865). The four presidents were chosen to represent the nation's birth, growth, development and preservation, respectively. The memorial park covers 1,278 acres (2.00 sq mi; 5.17 km2) and the mountain itself has an elevation of 5,725 feet (1,745 m) above sea level.
The sculptor and tribal representatives settled on Mount Rushmore, which also has the advantage of facing southeast for maximum sun exposure. Doane Robinson wanted it to feature American West heroes, such as Lewis and Clark, their expedition guide Sacagawea, Oglala Lakota chief Red Cloud, Buffalo Bill Cody, and Oglala Lakota chief Crazy Horse. Borglum believed that the sculpture should have broader appeal and chose the four presidents.
Peter Norbeck, U.S. senator from South Dakota, sponsored the project and secured federal funding. Construction began in 1927 and the presidents' faces were completed between 1934 and 1939. After Gutzon Borglum died in March 1941, his son Lincoln took over as leader of the construction project. Each president was originally to be depicted from head to waist, but lack of funding forced construction to end on October 31, 1941.
Sometimes referred to as the "Shrine of Democracy", Mount Rushmore attracts more than two million visitors annually.
Source: www.blackhillsbadlands.com/parks-monuments/mount-rushmore...
Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a large-scale mountain sculpture by artist Gutzon Borglum. The figures of America's most prominent U.S. presidents--George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt—represent 150 years of American history.
The Memorial is located near Keystone in the Black Hills of South Dakota, roughly 30 miles from Rapid City.
Each year, approximately three million tourists from all over the world visit Mount Rushmore to experience this patriotic site. Today, the wonder of the mountain reverberates through every visitor. The four "great faces" of the presidents tower 5,725 feet above sea level and are scaled to men who would stand 465 feet tall.
There are many amenities at the site including the Mount Rushmore Audio Tour, Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center & Museum, the Presidential Trail, Youth Exploration Area, Sculptor’s Studio, a parking garage with R.V. parking, pet exercise areas, , the Carvers Café, Memorial Ice Cream Shop, Gift Shop and the Mount Rushmore Bookstores.
Additional Foreign Language Tags:
(United States) "الولايات المتحدة" "Vereinigte Staaten" "アメリカ" "美国" "미국" "Estados Unidos" "États-Unis"
(South Dakota) "داكوتا الجنوبية" "南达科他州" "Dakota du Sud" "दक्षिण डकोटा" "サウスダコタ" "사우스다코타" "Южная Дакота" "Dakota del Sur"
(Mount Rushmore) "جبل رشمور" "拉什莫尔山" "Mont Rushmore" "माउंट रशमोर" "ラシュモア山" "러시모어 산" "Гора Рашмор" "Monte Rushmore"
9323-2
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lac_des_Arcs,_Alberta
Lac des Arcs is a hamlet in Alberta, Canada within the Municipal District (MD) of Bighorn No. 8. It is located on the south side of the Bow River opposite the Hamlet of Exshaw and has an elevation of 1,320 metres (4,330 ft). Highway 1 (the Trans-Canada Highway) borders Lac des Arcs on the south.
The hamlet is located in Census Division No. 15 and in the federal riding of Wild Rose.
Lake
Main article: Lac des Arcs (Alberta)
The wide span of the Bow River adjacent to the Hamlet of Lac des Arcs is also referred to as a lake under the same name, which attracts wind surfers and fishers. The Lafarge Exshaw Plant, a limestone quarry, is developed on the lake's northern shore.
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Lac Des Arcs had a population of 146 living in 57 of its 82 total private dwellings, a change of 12.3% from its 2016 population of 130. With a land area of 0.57 km2 (0.22 sq mi), it had a population density of 256.1/km2 (663.4/sq mi) in 2021.
As a designated place in the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Lac Des Arcs had a population of 130 living in 53 of its 83 total private dwellings, a change of -9.7% from its 2011 population of 144. With a land area of 0.52 km2 (0.20 sq mi), it had a population density of 250.0/km2 (647.5/sq mi) in 2016.
© Copyright
This photo and all those in my Photostream are protected by copyright. No one may reproduce, copy, transmit or manipulate them without my written permission
www.ywt.org.uk/reserves/spurn-nature-reserve
Big skies and ever changing wildlife make the evocative landscape of Spurn one of the Trust’s most iconic nature reserves. Whether you go by foot, bike or aboard a Spurn Safari (sorry – no vehicular access down to the Point) visiting is always an adventure.
For full information about visiting Spurn, including Spurn Lighthouse opening hours, Blue Bell Cafe opening hours, Spurn Safaris, bike hire and more, click here: www.ywt.org.uk/spurn-national-nature-reserve
Spurn is truly a site for all seasons, but arguably one of its best wildlife highlights is the spring and autumn spectacle of bird migration. Due to the exposed and recognisable coastal location, visible migration can be often be seen in action as birds head south along the peninsula, on some days you may see ‘falls’ of birds measured in their thousands.
Spurn is a dynamic place in the past people have tried to fortify Spurn against these dynamic natural processes, but largely these have failed. *The most dramatic of these was during the tidal surge of December 2013 which removed a section of the road, leaving Yorkshire with a newly created island at high tide. You can find out the times when not to cross the wash-over section from our downloads section on the right hand corner of this page. The Trust tries to work with nature, rather than against it, to allow the natural processes to take place. As a result there is no vehicular access to the Point – access is solely on foot, bike, or aboard the specially equipped vehicle on which the Trust runs Spurn Safaris.
Important Visitor Information
Tides Strong currents and soft sand underfoot mean that it is very dangerous to enter the water on the wash over area as the high tide comes in and recedes – please do not make any attempt to cross the sands until all the water has gone. Make sure you get the most out of your day by checking the tide times carefully before you visit and pay close attention to the latest information on display once you get there.
Brown tail moth caterpillar In the scrub around the base of the lighthouse, and along into Chalk Bank, you may notice what look like tents stretched between branches, which are in fact the overwintering silk tents of the brown tail moth caterpillar. Whilst for many these caterpillars are harmless, they can cause itchy allergic skin reactions or respiratory issues for those with asthma or hay fever – so please don’t touch the caterpillars or the tents.
Dogs are not allowed on Spurn, in order to protect the sensitive wildlife and habitats
Help protect the habitats along the Humber by following the Humber Estuary Code of Conduct
Directions
Spurn is located c.30 miles east of Hull. From Easington follow the B1445 to Kilnsea. From the village of Kilnsea, the nature reserve begins on the road past the Blue Bell Cafe.
Parking
Free parking is available at the Blue Bell Cafe and Canal Scrape.
There is a limited pay and display car park just beyond the reserve entrance (no height restriction). The cost of a ticket is £4 per vehicle and £20 for pre-booked coaches. The machine is in operation every day and only excepts coins. No change is given but change is available at The Blue Bell Café or Office. The tickets are only valid on the day of purchase. Trust members gain free parking (please leave your membership card on the dashboard of your car).
The parking fees help us to manage the reserve. A free cup of tea will be available at the Blue Bell Café on presentation of an in-date parking ticket. Please see opening times.
No overnight parking is allowed on the nature reserve, should people wish to stop overnight please use one of the local campsites.
Reserve information
Location
Spurn Head, south of Kilnsea
Hull
East Yorkshire
HU12 0UH
Map reference
TA 419 149
Great for...
birdwatching
geological interest
getting away from it all
historical interest
overwintering birds
spring migrant birds
stunning views
Opening Times
Open at all times
Facilities
Cafe
Visitor centre
Picnic facilities
Toilets
Disabled toilet
Baby changing
Size
327.04 hectares
Status
Geological Conservation Review Site
Heritage Coast
National Nature Reserve (NNR)
Ramsar
Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
SPA
Special Areas of Conservation (SAC)
Living Landscape schemes
Outer Humber
Access
Yes
Public and permissive footpaths. Contact the Trust for disabled access information.
Walking information
Footpaths are open all the time. Road is closed to vehicles - follow on site instructions. Dogs are not permitted on the reserve, even in vehicles.
Parking
Charge for parking for non-members. Change is available at The Blue Bell Café or Office. The parking fees help us to manage the reserve. A free cup of tea will be available at the Blue Bell Café on presentation of an in-date parking ticket. Please see opening times and pricing information. Parking for coaches by prior arrangement.
Dogs
No dogs allowed
Grazing animals
Hebridean sheep & longhorn cattle
Reserve manager
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust
Tel: 01964 650313
info@ywt.org.uk
Verdin inspecting low-hanging fruit for pests. Better viewed large. Interesting notes on Merlin site, www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Verdin/overview
En Biodiversidad virtual y también en Instagram como @proyectoagua.
Anclados a la nada, con el mayor desapego, los hilos de Hyalotheca se dejan llevar para ser todo. Alegran así a trazos de verde las aguas calmadas y frías de cualquier turbera. Fustes de columnas tumbadas, collarcitos de esmeraldas que serpentean y desgranan. Sus cuentas ruedan sin prisa en las gotas, todas ellas enfundadas en su halo, abrigo de gelatina en invierno, piel invisible en verano.
Parece que Hyalotheca está hecha para todo, alga para la sequía y para el agua, para el hielo y el estío, para montañas y hondonadas, para una vida tranquila o viajera, y siempre siempre para la luz.
Quizá el principal logro para poder vivir de tantas maneras diferentes sea la caja blanda y transparente que le da el nombre y sostiene su vida, Hyalotheca , “estuche hialino”, una gruesa envuelta gelatinosa invisible a nuestros ojos cuando se observa al microscopio óptico con las técnicas de iluminación convencional, pero que se deja ver con absoluta nitidez si se observa a través de esta ventana mágica empleando técnicas como las de contraste de fase o interferencia.
La gruesa cubierta gelatinosa de Hyalotheca es como la misma capa del “hombre invisible", a ella la protege de todo, aun dándole visibilidad.
Hyalotheca dissiliens es una especie que sobrevive a las carreras y los saltos, a los torbellinos y las sequías de estas montañas azotadas por el viento y arropadas por la nieve, abrasadas por el sol y labradas por el agua y por el tiempo, así deja su huella de vida en pequeños trazos rectos bajo una fina lámina de agua. Filamentos cortos de alga colonial en el que poco a poco sus individuos se desgranan mientras van sembrando el agua de vida.
En su estrategia para sobrevivir Hyalotheca no se separa de sus hermanas gemelas y forma colonias de tallitos alineados en las que, ensambladas una tras otra todas ganan, aunque cada una de ellas viva su propia vida. Así, unidas, tienen más fácil poder flotar y acercarse a la superficie de las aguas para tomar la luz del Sol.
La gruesa envuelta gelatinosa y transparente además de protegerla de los depredadores, evita su desecación y favorece su dispersión al quedarse adherida con mucha facilidad al plumaje o el pelo de los animales que visitan las lagunas, charcas y lagos en los que habita.
Las células de Hyalotheca tienen forma de ancho anillo y en el interior de cada una de ellas los cloroplastos, desde el centro, como si fueran unas aspas de molino forman nueve láminas radiales como nueve alas radios de una rueda que como la vida rueda o va a saltos, y así, en cualquier giro del filamento de la colonia siempre tendrán extendidas las alas hacia el Sol, por eso, cuando se observa cada una de las células desde arriba se dibuja una estrella.
El género Hyalotheca está representado por once especies, la mayoría de ellas, como ésta, Hyalotheca dissiliens , de distribución cosmopolita. Hoy Hyalotheca deja sus trazos de vida junto al bosque de nieblas y los días de afilado sol
Hyalotheca vive en las turberas de Peña Yerre entre los esfagnos y la vegetación acuática que ahora duerme, como duerme el desnudo bosque de abedules que la arropa. Las fotografías tomadas en vivo con las técnicas de contraste de interferencia, contraste de fase, campo oscuro y epifluorescencia a 200 y 400 aumentos proceden de unas muestras recogidas el 24 de enero de 2025 en las faldas de la Sierra Cebollera en unas turberas junto a Lumbreras, que son un tesoro de biodiversidad
Christian Music Video | "Thanks and Praise to Almighty God" | Live in the Light of God
www.holyspiritspeaks.org/videos/praise-to-Almighty-God-mv/
I
We have been brought before God. His words we eat and drink.
Holy Spirit enlightens, we understand truth God speaks.
Rituals of religion, we’ve cast them off, all those bonds.
Unrestrained by rules, our hearts released.
And we are happy as can be, living in God’s light,
happy as can be, living in God’s light.
Thanks and praise to Almighty God,
who expresses truth to all mankind.
Thanks and praise to Almighty God,
we have a way to change,
and our vague faith subsides.
We sing praise, oh.
II
We closely follow God, kingdom training we accept.
God’s judgments are like a sword,
disclosing thoughts that we have.
Arrogance, selfishness, and falseness are not concealed.
Only then I see my truth. Ashamed I fall to God, revealed.
Thanks and praise (oh, thanks to God) to Almighty God,
who expresses truth to all mankind.
Thanks and praise to Almighty God,
we’re face to face with God,
and in His joy we rejoice.
Thanks and praise (thanks and praise) to Almighty God.
You are holy, You are righteous, oh.
My desire is to practice truth (practice truth),
forsake the flesh, to be reborn (be reborn),
comfort Your heart.
Thanks and praise to Almighty God,
Your judgment has me truly saved.
Thanks and praise to Almighty God,
my disposition has changed.
Because of You, I am blessed, oh, I’m blessed.
from Follow the Lamb and Sing New Songs
Terms of Use en.godfootsteps.org/disclaimer.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibellina
Gibellina (Sicilian: Gibbiddina) is a small city and comune in the mountains of central Sicily, Italy in the Province of Trapani. It was destroyed by the 1968 Belice earthquake.[1]
The new city, Gibellina Nuova, was rebuilt some 11 kilometres (7 mi) distant from the old one. The new city was designed by many of the most prominent artists and architects in Italy, but done in a piecemeal fashion so that the parts of the new city bear little relation to one another or to the indigenous architecture of Sicily.
Ruderi di Gibellina (as the ruins of the city are now referred to) remained just as it was after the earthquake, practically a ghost-town. Artist Alberto Burri covered the entirety of the ruins in concrete, while preserving the shape of the buildings and the streetscape. Additionally, Italian sculptor Pietro Consagra and Senator Ludovico Corrao formed an open air museum with a Consagra sculpture "Porta del Belice" or "Door to Belice" at the entrance. Consagra expressed a wish to be buried at Gibellina on his deathbed in July 2005.[2]
Taking the last two kaleidoscopic pieces a little further. I wanted to make an expandable sheet of the kaleidoscope triangles which I can resize dynamically. These grabs were made with webcam input but after seeing the work of Movak, I tried pointed the camera at the monitor and was very impressed with the result. Thanks for the inspiration!
L(RGB) = 6x480s(5x240s:5x240s:5x240s)
L = 1x1bin
RGB = 2x2bin
12" R-C in rodeo, new mexico (lightbuckets.com LB-0003)
stacked with deepskystacker
initial processing with pixinsight 1.5
- normalization of ngc1977 vs. m42 data
- all subs aligned to luminance data
- rgb merge
- combined ngc1977 and m42 data with pixel math to produce a single image
- deconvolution
- histogram stretch (x10) of merged rgb data and luminance data
enfuse:
- HDR blend of all exposures generated in pixinsight
- luminance: hard mask, mean=0.54026, sigma=0.23154
- rgb: hard mask, mean=0.64026, sigma=0.23154, l-star grey projector
- had to duplicate the unstretched exposure 8 times to recover trapezium
photoshop: remove geosynchronous satellite streaks
pixinsight:
- histogram fixes and color calibration of rgb images
- histogram fixes, dark structure enhancement and atrous wavelets on luminance image
- LRGB merge
- chop composite image back into 2 separate images
- further histogram fix of ngc1977 to better match m42
hugin:
- stitch of ngc1977 and m42 images
lightroom:
- fix red/magenta saturation (pixinsight is running without color management... long story)
- crop
comments: the deconvolution is kind of bad... its heavy duty signal processing work that requires more patience than i could muster. as a result i've got some ringing and sharpening of bogus features.
it was really hard to get the two images to have the same brightness even though the exposures were the same. different nights, different amount of moon, different sky transparency all conspire to make two identically exposed images very different.
finally this is HDR so although the relative brightness between m42 and ngc1977 should be correct, the dynamic range of both have been greatly compressed. most other treatements of these objects show ngc1977 much fainter than seen here. but what is realistic when dealing with astrophotography?
Testimonio cristiano | "El viejo y el niño" Fortalece la fe en Dios en la persecución y la adversidad
🎬🎬 www.kingdomsalvation.org/es/videos/the-old-man-and-the-ch...
En 2008, el Partido Comunista de China comienza a reprimir frenéticamente las creencias religiosas so pretexto de la “estabilización”. Gran número de cristianos son encarcelados y torturados, y muchos forzados a dejar su hogar para esconderse sin poder volver. Zhang Zhizhong, un hermano de avanzada edad, es declarado por el Partido Comunista de China objetivo prioritario de detención por predicar el evangelio y alojar a miembros de la iglesia en casa. Toda la familia se ve obligada a huir para eludir la detención del PCCh. Al no poder encontrar a Zhang Zhizhong, unos agentes del PCCh registran su casa y detienen a su hermano y a sus hijos para interrogarlos. Además, le congelan la pensión, con lo que le cortan su medio de vida. Su situación es cada vez más peligrosa y difícil, pues está constantemente huyendo con su pequeño nieto sin un lugar estable donde vivir. Después, en 2010, el PCCh vuelve a utilizar una excusa, esta vez un censo, para hacer una batida a nivel nacional con el fin de buscar y detener a cristianos. Sin tener adonde ir, Zhang Zhizhong y su nieto se ven obligados a esconderse en una cueva de montaña y a afrontar el frío en pleno invierno. ¿Cómo sobreviven a la búsqueda y persecución inhumanas del PCCh? Los invitamos a ver la obra de teatro “El viejo y el niño”.
Los medios del PCCh para perseguir al cristianismo se están escalando constantemente. Utiliza Internet y varios sistemas de vigilancia de alta tecnología para detener a los cristianos. Un gran número de cristianos han sido detenidos huyéndose por todas partes, e incluso muchos de ellos fueron asesinados. ¿Quieres conocer más la verdad sobre la persecución de los cristianos en China? Haz clic en el WhatsApp para discutir y comunicarte con nosotros en línea.
chat.whatsapp.com/LNk6RYHlRWHD5uQfq96yIt
Ver más: Peliculas cristianas gratis
~ # PhotoChalleng.org 2016.... ~ Week #48 - "BOKEH - GUEST CHALLENGE" - 2016 ~
~ Thank you Amy for a wonderful challenge this week, I love "BOKEH". Since I don't have my Christmas decorations up yet I got them out yesterday, today I set a set up on some lights and put one of my big lighted snow globes up and turn it on. Just as the timer was ready to go off I shook the snow globe so all the snow would swirl around. The light in the snow globe is kind of yellowy so I had to work on the color in Lightroom.... ~
... sometimes I love this loneliness in the middle of several peoples .. to be the other one .. to see/hear/touch and not at least feel different things ...
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copyright: 2015 © R. Peter 1764.org All rights reserved. Please do not use this image, or any images from my flickr photostream, fb account or g+, without my permission.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devils_Tower
Devils Tower (also known as Bear Lodge Butte) is a butte, possibly laccolithic, composed of igneous rock in the Bear Lodge Ranger District of the Black Hills, near Hulett and Sundance in Crook County, northeastern Wyoming, above the Belle Fourche River. It rises 1,267 feet (386 m) above the Belle Fourche River, standing 867 feet (265 m) from summit to base. The summit is 5,112 feet (1,559 m) above sea level.
Devils Tower was the first United States national monument, established on September 24, 1906 by President Theodore Roosevelt. The monument's boundary encloses an area of 1,347 acres (545 ha).
Source: www.nps.gov/deto/index.htm
Many People, Many Stories, One Place
The Tower is an astounding geologic feature that protrudes out of the prairie surrounding the Black Hills. It is considered sacred by Northern Plains Indians and indigenous people. Hundreds of parallel cracks make it one of the finest crack climbing areas in North America. Devils Tower entices us to learn more, explore more and define our place in the natural and cultural world.
Source: www.blackhillsbadlands.com/parks-monuments/devils-tower-n...
Devils Tower National Monument, a unique and striking geologic wonder steeped in Native American legend, is a modern-day national park and climbers' challenge. Devils Tower sits across the state line in northeast Wyoming. The Tower is a solitary, stump-shaped granite formation that looms 1,267 feet above the tree-lined Belle Fourche River Valley, like a skyscraper in the country. Once hidden below the earth’s surface, erosion has stripped away the softer rock layers revealing the Tower.
The two-square-mile park surrounding the tower was proclaimed the nation’s first national monument by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906. The park is covered with pine forests, woodlands, and grasslands. While visiting the park you are bound to see deer, prairie dogs, and other wildlife. The mountain’s markings are the basis for Native American legend. One legend has it that a giant bear clawed the grooves into the mountainside while chasing several young Indian maidens. Known by several northern plains tribes as Bears Lodge, it is a sacred site of worship for many American Indians. Devils Tower is also remembered as the movie location for “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.”
The stone pillar is about 1,000 feet in diameter at the bottom and 275 feet at the top and that makes it the premier rock climbing challenge in the Black Hills. Hikers enjoy the Monument’s trails. The 1.25-mile Tower Trail encircles the base. This self-guided hike offers close-up views of the forest and wildlife, not to mention spectacular views of the Tower itself. The Red Beds Trail covers a much wider three-mile loop around the tower.
Source: travelwyoming.com/places-to-go/destinations/national-park...
While America’s first national monument garnered significant attention as the backdrop to the 1977 Stephen Spielberg movie, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, the tower is sacred to Northern Plains Indian tribes and the Black Hills region Kiowa Tribe. With oral storytelling and a history that dates back thousands of years, today, American Indian tribes continue to hold sacred ceremonies at the tower, including sweat lodges and sun dances. There is more to this monument than its rich history. You can stop at the visitor’s center to learn about one of the ranger-led programs, night sky viewing, hiking and even climbing to the top of Devils Tower. If one day isn’t enough to explore this unforgettable area, bring your camping gear to stay within the monument, or stay just outside or in accommodations at one of the nearby towns.
Additional Foreign Language Tags:
(United States) "الولايات المتحدة" "Vereinigte Staaten" "アメリカ" "美国" "미국" "Estados Unidos" "États-Unis"
(Wyoming) "وايومنغ" "怀俄明州" "व्योमिंग" "ワイオミング州" "와이오밍" "Вайоминг"
(Devils Tower National Monument) "النصب التذكاري الوطني لبرج الشياطين" "魔鬼塔国家纪念碑" "डेविल्स टॉवर राष्ट्रीय स्मारक" "デビルズタワー国定公園" "데빌스 타워 국립천연기념물" "Национальный монумент «Башня дьявола»" "Monumento Nacional Torre del Diablo"
copyright: © R-Pe 1764.org All rights reserved. Please do not use this image, or any images from my flickr photostream, fb account or g+, without my permission.
source: Wikipedia.org
--------------------------------
Cologne Cathedral (German: Kölner Dom, officially Hohe Domkirche St. Petrus, Latin: Ecclesia Cathedralis Sanctorum Petri, English: High Cathedral of Saint Peter) is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Cologne, Germany. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Cologne and of the administration of the Archdiocese of Cologne. It is a renowned monument of German Catholicism and Gothic architecture and was declared a World Heritage Site in 1996. It is Germany's most visited landmark, attracting an average of 20,000 people a day, currently the tallest twin spired church at 157 meters 515 feet tall.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_Bridge
Tower Bridge is a combined bascule and suspension bridge in London, England, over the River Thames. It is close to the Tower of London, which gives it its name.Name[›] It has become an iconic symbol of London.
The bridge consists of two towers which are tied together at the upper level by means of two horizontal walkways which are designed to withstand the horizontal forces exerted by the suspended sections of the bridge on the land-ward sides of the towers. The vertical component of the forces in the suspended sections and the vertical reactions of the two walkways are carried by the two robust towers. The bascule pivots and operating machinery are housed in the base of each tower. Its present colour dates from 1977 when it was painted red, white and blue for the Queen's Silver Jubilee. Originally it was painted a chocolate brown colour.[1]
Tower Bridge is sometimes mistakenly referred to as London Bridge, which is actually the next bridge upstream.[2] A popular urban legend is that in 1968, Robert McCulloch, the purchaser of the old London Bridge that was later shipped to Lake Havasu City, Arizona, believed that he was in fact buying Tower Bridge. This was denied by McCulloch himself and has been debunked by Ivan Luckin, the seller of the bridge.[3]
The nearest London Underground station is Tower Hill on the Circle and District Lines.
The nearest Docklands Light Railway station is Tower Gateway.
In the second half of the 19th century, increased commercial development in the East End of London led to a requirement for a new river crossing downstream of London Bridge. A traditional fixed bridge could not be built because it would cut off access to the port facilities in the Pool of London, between London Bridge and the Tower of London.
A Special Bridge or Subway Committee was formed in 1876, chaired by Sir Albert Joseph Altman, to find a solution to the river crossing problem. It opened the design of the crossing to public competition. Over 50 designs were submitted, including one from civil engineer Sir Joseph Bazalgette. The evaluation of the designs was surrounded by controversy, and it was not until 1884 that a design submitted by Horace Jones, the City Architect (who was also one of the judges),[4] was approved.
Jones' engineer, Sir John Wolfe Barry, devised the idea of a bascule bridge with two towers built on piers. The central span was split into two equal bascules or leaves, which could be raised to allow river traffic to pass. The two side-spans were suspension bridges, with the suspension rods anchored both at the abutments and through rods contained within the bridge's upper walkways.
Construction started in 1886 and took eight years with five major contractors – Sir John Jackson (foundations), Baron Armstrong (hydraulics), William Webster, Sir H.H. Bartlett, and Sir William Arrol & Co.[5] – and employed 432 construction workers. E W Crutwell was the resident engineer for the construction.[6]
Two massive piers, containing over 70,000 tons of concrete,[4] were sunk into the riverbed to support the construction. Over 11,000 tons of steel provided the framework for the towers and walkways.[4] This was then clad in Cornish granite and Portland stone, both to protect the underlying steelwork and to give the bridge a pleasing appearance.
Jones died in 1887 and George D. Stevenson took over the project.[4] Stevenson replaced Jones' original brick facade with the more ornate Victorian Gothic style, which makes the bridge a distinctive landmark, and was intended to harmonise the bridge with the nearby Tower of London.[6] The total cost of construction was £1,184,000.[6]
The bridge was officially opened on 30 June 1894 by The Prince of Wales (the future King Edward VII), and his wife, The Princess of Wales (Alexandra of Denmark).[7]
The bridge connected Iron Gate, on the north bank of the river, with Horsleydown Lane, on the south – now known as Tower Bridge Approach and Tower Bridge Road, respectively.[6] Until the bridge was opened, the Tower Subway – 400 m to the west – was the shortest way to cross the river from Tower Hill to Tooley Street in Southwark. Opened in 1870, Tower Subway was the world's first underground ('tube') railway, but closed after just three months and was re-opened as a pedestrian foot tunnel. Once Tower Bridge was open, the majority of foot traffic transferred to using the bridge, there being no toll to pay to use it. Having lost most of its income, the tunnel was closed in 1898.[8]
Tower Bridge is one of five London bridges now owned and maintained by the Bridge House Estates, a charitable trust overseen by the City of London Corporation. It is the only one of the Trust's bridges not to connect the City of London to the Southwark bank, the northern landfall is in Tower Hamlets.
The bridge is 800 feet (244 m) in length with two towers each 213 feet (65 m) high, built on piers. The central span of 200 feet (61 m) between the towers is split into two equal bascules or leaves, which can be raised to an angle of 83 degrees to allow river traffic to pass. The bascules, weighing over 1,000 tons each, are counterbalanced to minimize the force required and allow raising in five minutes.
The two side-spans are suspension bridges, each 270 feet (82 m) long, with the suspension rods anchored both at the abutments and through rods contained within the bridge's upper walkways. The pedestrian walkways are 143 feet (44 m) above the river at high tide.[6]
The original raising mechanism was powered by pressurised water stored in several hydraulic accumulators.Hydraulics[›][clarification needed]
The system was designed and installed by Sir W. G. Armstrong Mitchell & Company of Newcastle upon Tyne. Water, at a pressure of 750 psi, was pumped into the accumulators by two 360 hp stationary steam engines, each driving a force pump from its piston tail rod. The accumulators each comprise a 20-inch ram on which sits a very heavy weight to maintain the desired pressure.
In 1974, the original operating mechanism was largely replaced by a new electro-hydraulic drive system, designed by BHA Cromwell House. The only components of the original system still in use are the final pinions, which engage with the racks fitted to the bascules. These are driven by modern hydraulic motors and gearing, using oil rather than water as the hydraulic fluid.[9]
Some of the original hydraulic machinery has been retained, although it is no longer in use. It is open to the public and forms the basis for the bridge's museum, which resides in the old engine rooms on the south side of the bridge. The museum includes the steam engines, two of the accumulators and one of the hydraulic engines that moved the bascules, along with other related artefacts.
During World War II, as a precaution against the existing engines being damaged by enemy action, a third engine was installed in 1942:[10] a 150 hp horizontal cross-compound engine, built by Vickers Armstrong Ltd. at their Elswick works in Newcastle upon Tyne. It was fitted with a flywheel having a 9-foot diameter and weighing 9 tons, and was governed to a speed of 30 rpm.
The engine became redundant when the rest of the system was modernised in 1974, and was donated to the Forncett Industrial Steam Museum by the Corporation of the City of London.
To control the passage of river traffic through the bridge, a number of different rules and signals were employed. Daytime control was provided by red semaphore signals, mounted on small control cabins on either end of both bridge piers. At night, coloured lights were used, in either direction, on both piers: two red lights to show that the bridge was closed, and two green to show that it was open. In foggy weather, a gong was sounded as well.[6]
Vessels passing through the bridge had to display signals too: by day, a black ball at least 2 feet (0.61 m) in diameter was to be mounted high up where it could be seen; by night, two red lights in the same position. Foggy weather required repeated blasts from the ship's steam whistle.[6]
If a black ball was suspended from the middle of each walkway (or a red light at night) this indicated that the bridge could not be opened. These signals were repeated about 1,000 yards (910 m) downstream, at Cherry Garden Pier, where boats needing to pass through the bridge had to hoist their signals/lights and sound their horn, as appropriate, to alert the Bridge Master.[6]
Some of the control mechanism for the signalling equipment has been preserved and may be seen working in the bridge's museum.
Although the bridge is an undoubted landmark, professional commentators in the early 20th century were critical of its aesthetics. "It represents the vice of tawdriness and pretentiousness, and of falsification of the actual facts of the structure", wrote H. H. Statham,[11] while Frank Brangwyn stated that "A more absurd structure than the Tower Bridge was never thrown across a strategic river".[12]
Architectural historian Dan Cruickshank selected the bridge as one of his four choices for the 2002 BBC television documentary series Britain's Best Buildings.[13]
Tower Bridge is still a busy and vital crossing of the Thames: it is crossed by over 40,000 people (motorists and pedestrians) every day.[14] The bridge is on the London Inner Ring Road, and is on the eastern boundary of the London congestion charge zone. (Drivers do not incur a charge by crossing the bridge.)
In order to maintain the integrity of the historic structure, the City of London Corporation have imposed a 20 miles per hour (32 km/h) speed restriction, and an 18-tonne weight limit on vehicles using the bridge. A sophisticated camera system measures the speed of traffic crossing the bridge, utilising a number plate recognition system to send fixed penalty charges to speeding drivers.[citation needed]
A second system monitors other vehicle parameters. Induction loops and piezoelectric detectors are used to measure the weight, the height of the chassis above ground level, and the number of axles for each vehicle.[citation needed]
River traffic
The bascules are raised around 1000 times a year.[15] River traffic is now much reduced, but it still takes priority over road traffic. Today, 24 hours' notice is required before opening the bridge. In 2008, a local web developer created a Twitter feed to post live updates of the bridge's opening and closing activities.[16]
A computer system was installed in 2000 to control the raising and lowering of the bascules remotely. Unfortunately it proved less reliable than desired, resulting in the bridge being stuck in the open or closed positions on several occasions during 2005, until its sensors were replaced.[14]
The high-level walkways between the towers gained an unpleasant reputation as a haunt for prostitutes and pickpockets and were closed in 1910. In 1982 they were reopened as part of the Tower Bridge Exhibition, an exhibition now housed in the bridge's twin towers, the high-level walkways and the Victorian engine rooms. The walkways boast stunning views of the River Thames and many famous London sites, serving as viewing galleries for over 380,000 tourists[citation needed] who visit each year. The exhibition also uses films, photos and interactives to explain why and how Tower Bridge was built. Visitors can access the original steam engines that once powered the bridge bascules, housed in a building close to the south end of the bridge.
In April 2008 it was announced that the bridge will undergo a 'facelift' costing £4m, and taking four years to complete. The work entails stripping off the existing paint and repainting in blue and white. Each section will be enshrouded in scaffolding to prevent the old paint from falling into the Thames and causing pollution. Starting in mid-2008, contractors will work on a quarter of the bridge at a time to minimise disruption, but some road closures are inevitable. The bridge will remain open until the end of 2010, but is then expected to be closed for several months. It is hoped that the completed work will stand for 25 years.[17]
The walkway section of the renovation was completed in mid 2009. Within the walkways a versatile new lighting system has been installed, designed by Eleni Shiarlis, for when the walkways are in use for exhibitions or functions. The new system provides for both feature and atmospheric lighting, the latter using bespoke RGB LED luminares, designed to be concealed within the bridge superstructure and fixed without the need for drilling (these requirements as a result of the bridge's Grade I status).[18]
In December 1952, the bridge opened while a number 78 double-decker bus (stock number RT 793) was on it. At that time, the gateman would ring a warning bell and close the gates when the bridge was clear before the watchman ordered the lift. The process failed while a relief watchman was on duty. The bus was near the edge of the south bascule when it started to rise; driver Albert Gunter made a split-second decision to accelerate the bus, clearing a three-foot drop on to the north bascule, which had not started to rise. There were no serious injuries.[19]
Main article: Hawker Hunter Tower Bridge incident
On 5 April 1968 a Hawker Hunter FGA.9 jet fighter from No.1 Squadron RAF, flown by Flt Lt Alan Pollock, flew under Tower Bridge. Unimpressed that senior staff were not going to celebrate the RAF's 50th birthday with a fly-past, Pollock decided to do something himself. Without authorisation, Pollock flew the Hunter at low level down the Thames, past the Houses of Parliament, and continued on to Tower Bridge. He flew the Hunter beneath the bridge's walkway, remarking afterwards it was an afterthought when he saw the bridge looming ahead of him. Pollock was placed under arrest upon landing, and discharged from the RAF on medical grounds without the chance to defend himself at a court martial.[20][21]
In May 1997,[22] the motorcade of United States President Bill Clinton was divided by the opening of the bridge. Thames sailing barge Gladys, on her way to a gathering at St Katharine Docks, arrived on schedule and the bridge was duly opened for her. Returning from a Thames-side lunch at Le Pont de la Tour restaurant, with UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, President Clinton was less punctual, and arrived just as the bridge was rising. The bridge opening split the motorcade in two, much to the consternation of security staff. A spokesman for Tower Bridge is quoted as saying, "We tried to contact the American Embassy, but they wouldn't answer the 'phone."[23]
On 19 August 1999, Jef Smith, a Freeman of the City of London, drove a "herd" of two sheep across the bridge. He was exercising an ancient permission, granted as a right to Freemen, to make a point about the powers of older citizens and the way in which their rights were being eroded.[24] However, this was a hollow gesture as the so-called right is to drive sheep across London Bridge into the City of London, and Tower Bridge does not have its northern landfall in the City.[citation needed]
Before dawn on 31 October 2003, David Crick, a Fathers 4 Justice campaigner, climbed a 120 ft (37 m) tower crane near Tower Bridge at the start of a six-day protest dressed as Spider-Man.[25] Fearing for his safety, and that of motorists should he fall, police cordoned off the area, closing the bridge and surrounding roads and causing widespread traffic congestion across the City and east London. The Metropolitan Police were later criticised for maintaining the closure for five days when this was not strictly necessary in the eyes of some citizens.[26][27]
On May 11, 2009, six persons were trapped and injured after a lift fell 10 ft inside the north tower.[28][29]
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/York_Minster
The Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York, commonly known as York Minster, is the cathedral of York, England, and is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe. The minster is the seat of the Archbishop of York, the second-highest office of the Church of England, and is the cathedral for the Diocese of York. It is run by a dean and chapter, under the Dean of York. The title "minster" is attributed to churches established in the Anglo-Saxon period as missionary teaching churches, and serves now as an honorific title.[1] Services in the minster are sometimes regarded as on the High Church or Anglo-Catholic end of the Anglican continuum.[2]
The minster has a very wide Decorated Gothic nave and chapter house, a Perpendicular Gothic Quire and east end and Early English North and South transepts. The nave contains the West Window, constructed in 1338, and over the Lady Chapel in the east end is the Great East Window, (finished in 1408), the largest expanse of medieval stained glass in the world. In the north transept is the Five Sisters Window, each lancet being over 52 feet (16 m) high.[citation needed] The south transept contains a rose window, while the West Window contains a heart-shaped design colloquially known as 'The Heart of Yorkshire'.
History
York has had a verifiable Christian presence from the 4th century. However, there is circumstantial evidence pointing to much earlier Christian involvement. According to Bede, missionaries were sent from Rome by Eleutherius at the request of the chieftain Lucius of Britain in AD 180 to settle controverted points of differences as to Eastern and Western ceremonials which were disturbing the church. Tradition speaks of 28 British bishops, one for each of the greater British cities, over whom presided the Archbishops of London, York and Caerleon-on-Usk.
The first recorded church on the site was a wooden structure built hurriedly in 627 to provide a place to baptise Edwin, King of Northumbria. Moves toward a more substantial building began in the decade of the 630s. A stone structure was completed in 637 by Oswald and was dedicated to Saint Peter. The church soon fell into disrepair and was dilapidated by 670 when Saint Wilfrid ascended to the See of York. He repaired and renewed the structure. The attached school and library were established and by the 8th century were some of the most substantial in Northern Europe.[citation needed][3]
In 741 the church was destroyed in a fire. It was rebuilt as a more impressive structure containing thirty altars. The church and the entire area then passed through the hands of numerous invaders, and its history is obscure until the 10th century. There was a series of Benedictine archbishops, including Saint Oswald of Worcester, Wulfstan and Ealdred, who travelled to Westminster to crown William in 1066. Ealdred died in 1069 and was buried in the church.[4]
The church was damaged in 1069 during William the Conqueror's harrying of the North, but the first Norman archbishop, Thomas of Bayeux, arriving in 1070, organised repairs. The Danes destroyed the church in 1075, but it was again rebuilt from 1080. Built in the Norman style, it was 111 m (364.173 ft) long and rendered in white and red lines. The new structure was damaged by fire in 1137 but was soon repaired. The choir and crypt were remodelled in 1154, and a new chapel was built, all in the Norman style.
The Gothic style in cathedrals had arrived in the mid 12th century. Walter de Gray was made archbishop in 1215 and ordered the construction of a Gothic structure to compare to Canterbury; building began in 1220. The north and south transepts were the first new structures; completed in the 1250s, both were built in the Early English Gothic style but had markedly different wall elevations. A substantial central tower was also completed, with a wooden spire. Building continued into the 15th century.
The Chapter House was begun in the 1260s and was completed before 1296. The wide nave was constructed from the 1280s on the Norman foundations. The outer roof was completed in the 1330s, but the vaulting was not finished until 1360. Construction then moved on to the eastern arm and chapels, with the last Norman structure, the choir, being demolished in the 1390s. Work here finished around 1405. In 1407 the central tower collapsed; the piers were then reinforced, and a new tower was built from 1420. The western towers were added between 1433 and 1472. The cathedral was declared complete and consecrated in 1472.[5]
The nave of York Minster
The English Reformation led to the looting of much of the cathedral's treasures and the loss of much of the church lands. Under Elizabeth I there was a concerted effort to remove all traces of Roman Catholicism from the cathedral; there was much destruction of tombs, windows and altars. In the English Civil War the city was besieged and fell to the forces of Cromwell in 1644, but Thomas Fairfax prevented any further damage to the cathedral.
Following the easing of religious tensions there was some work to restore the cathedral. From 1730 to 1736 the whole floor of the minster was relaid in patterned marble and from 1802 there was a major restoration. However, on 2 February 1829, an arson attack by a non-conformist, Jonathan Martin,[6] inflicted heavy damage on the east arm. An accidental fire in 1840 left the nave, south west tower and south aisle roofless and blackened shells. The cathedral slumped deeply into debt and in the 1850s services were suspended. From 1858 Augustus Duncombe worked successfully to revive the cathedral.
During the 20th century there was more concerted preservation work, especially following a 1967 survey that revealed the building, in particular the central tower, was close to collapse. £2,000,000 was raised and spent by 1972 to reinforce and strengthen the building foundations and roof. During the excavations that were carried out, remains of the north corner of the Roman Principia (headquarters of the Roman fort, Eboracum) were found under the south transept. This area, as well as remains of the Norman cathedral, re-opened to the public in spring 2013 as part of the new exhibition exploring the history of the building of York Minster.[7]
On 9 July 1984, a fire believed to have been caused by a lightning strike[8] destroyed the roof in the south transept, and around £2.5 million was spent on repairs. The fire was photographed from just south of the minster in the early hours by Bettison photographers. This picture was subsequently published showing the South transept alight with a list of North Yorkshire firefighters attending. The stations attending ranged from Scarborough to Harrogate. Huge amounts of water were needed to provide jets at great height to hit the roof timbers and protect the Rose Window. Most of the water was pumped from the Ouse nearby because the water supplies around the minster were inadequate. Fire crews from the main York fire station in Clifford Street worked hard to protect the Rose Window and stop the fire spreading into the tower and organ. Many crews worked for hours and some were on high levels of the minster at the time when the South transept roof fell in. Luckily, those few firefighters inside when the roof crashed down were not directly beneath. But what they saw after the ventilation released the smoke, was a pile of timber covering the whole of the south transept floor to a height of at least six feet. When daylight came the whole scene was occupied by media. At about 8am an officer was approached by two ladies looking for information. "Have you an account for The Times"? They said. The officer replied, "Actually, I spoke to the London and New York Times at about four thirty" The ladies then announced that they were from the Church Times. Reports of the fire travelled across both hemispheres. The Restoration work was completed in 1988, and included new roof bosses to designs which had won a competition organised by BBC Television's Blue Peter programme. In 2007 renovation began on the east front, including the Great East Window, at an estimated cost of £23 million.[9][10]
In 2000, the Dean and Chapter allowed the York Mystery Plays to be performed for the first time inside the Minster, directed by Greg Doran.[11]
Architecture of the present building
York Minster is the second largest Gothic cathedral of Northern Europe and clearly charts the development of English Gothic architecture from Early English through to the Perpendicular Period. The present building was begun in about 1230 and completed in 1472. It has a cruciform plan with an octagonal chapter house attached to the north transept, a central tower and two towers at the west front. The stone used for the building is magnesian limestone, a creamy-white coloured rock that was quarried in nearby Tadcaster. The Minster is 173 yards (158 m) long[citation needed] and the central tower has a height of 230 feet (70 m) high.[citation needed] The choir has an interior height of 102 feet (31 m).[citation needed]
The north and south transepts were the first parts of the new church to be built. They have simple lancet windows, including the Five Sisters in the north transept. These are five lancets, each 52 feet (16 m) high[citation needed] and glazed with grey (grisaille) glass, rather than narrative scenes or symbolic motifs that are usually seen in medieval stained glass windows. In the south transept is a rose window whose glass dates from about 1500 and commemorates the union of the royal houses of York and Lancaster. The roofs of the transepts are of wood, that of the south transept was burnt in the fire of 1984 and was replaced in the restoration work which was completed in 1988. New designs were used for the bosses, five of which were designed by winners of a competition organised by the BBC's Blue Peter television programme.
The chapter house.
Work began on the chapter house and its vestibule that links it to the north transept after the transepts were completed. The style of the chapter house is of the early Decorated Period where geometric patterns were used in the tracery of the windows, which were wider than those of early styles. However, the work was completed before the appearance of the ogee curve, an S-shaped double curve which was extensively used at the end of this period. The windows cover almost all of the upper wall space, filling the chapter house with light. The chapter house is octagonal, as is the case in many cathedrals, but is notable in that it has no central column supporting the roof. The wooden roof, which was of an innovative design, is light enough to be able to be supported by the buttressed walls. The chapter house has many sculptured heads above the canopies, representing some of the finest Gothic sculpture in the country. There are human heads, no two alike, and some pulling faces; angels; animals and grotesques. Unique to the transepts and chapter house is the use of Purbeck marble to adorn the piers, adding to the richness of decoration.
The Kings Screen and organ.
The nave was built between 1291 and c. 1350 and is also in the decorated Gothic style. It is the widest Gothic nave in England and has a wooden roof (painted so as to appear like stone) and the aisles have vaulted stone roofs. At its west end is the Great West Window, known as the 'Heart of Yorkshire' which features flowing tracery of the later decorated gothic period.
The east end of the Minster was built between 1361 and 1405 in the Perpendicular Gothic style. Despite the change in style, noticeable in details such as the tracery and capitals, the eastern arm preserves the pattern of the nave. The east end contains a four bay choir; a second set of transepts, projecting only above half-height; and the Lady Chapel. The transepts are in line with the high altar and serve to throw light onto it. Behind the high altar is the Great East Window, the largest expanse of medieval stained glass in the world, which is currently undergoing a massive conservation project, due to be completed in 2015–16. Below the Great East Window currently sits the Orb, a stainless steel dome which opened at the end of October 2012, containing five of the conserved panels from the window, one of which is changed each month. The Orb enables visitors to see the work of renowned medieval artist, John Thornton, up close, revealing the remarkable detail in each panel.
The sparsely decorated Central Tower was built between 1407 and 1472 and is also in the Perpendicular style. Below this, separating the choir from the crossing and nave is the striking 15th century choir screen. It contains sculptures of the kings of England from William the Conqueror to Henry VI with stone and gilded canopies set against a red background. Above the screen is the organ, which dates from 1832. The West Towers, in contrast with the Central Tower, are heavily decorated and are topped with battlements and eight pinnacles each, again in the Perpendicular style.
English Heritage has recently made publicly available a monograph[12] on the architectural history of York Minster. The book charts the construction and development of the minster based on the architectural recording of the building from the 1970s. The full report can be downloaded from the Archaeology Data Service website.
Stained glass
York as a whole, and particularly the minster, have a long tradition of creating beautiful stained glass. Some of the stained glass in York Minster dates back to the 12th century. The Minster's records show that much of the glass (white or coloured) came from Germany.[13] Upon arrival at York, it was intricately painted, fired, then glazed together with lead strips into the windows. The 76-foot (23 m)[citation needed] tall Great East Window, created by John Thornton in the early 15th century, is the largest expanse of medieval stained glass in the world. Other windows in the minster include an ornate rose window and the 50-foot (15 m)[citation needed] tall Five Sisters window. Because of the extended time periods during which the glass was installed, different types of glazing and painting techniques which evolved over hundreds of years are visible in the different windows. Approximately two million individual pieces of glass make up the cathedral's 128 stained glass windows. Much of the glass was removed before and pieced back together after the First and Second World Wars, and the windows are constantly being cleaned and conserved to keep their beauty intact.
In 2008 a major conservation project of the Great East Window commenced, involving the removal, repainting and re-leading of each individual panel.[14] While the window was in storage in the minster's stonemasons' yard, a fire broke out in some adjoining offices, due to an electrical fault, on 30 December 2009.[15] The window's 311 panes, stored in a neighbouring room, were undamaged and were successfully moved to safety.[16][17] In September 2015 Phase One of the renovation project of the East Front of the Minster was completed.[18]
Towers and bells
The two west towers of the minster hold bells, clock chimes and a concert carillon. The north-west tower contains Great Peter (216 cwt or 10.8 tons) and the six clock bells (the largest weighing just over 60 cwt or 3 tons). The south-west tower holds 14 bells (tenor 59 cwt or 3 tons) hung and rung for change ringing and 22 carillon bells (tenor 23 cwt or 1.2 tons) which are played from a baton keyboard in the ringing chamber (all together 35 bells.)
The clock bells ring every quarter of an hour during the daytime and Great Peter strikes the hour. The change ringing bells are rung regularly on Sundays before church services and at other occasions, the ringers practise on Tuesday evenings. York Minster became the first cathedral in England to have a carillon of bells with the arrival of a further twenty-four small bells on 4 April 2008. These are added to the existing "Nelson Chime" which is chimed to announce Evensong around 5.00 pm each day, giving a carillon of 35 bells in total (three chromatic octaves). The new bells were cast at the Loughborough Bell Foundry of Taylors, Eayre & Smith, where all of the existing minster bells were cast. The new carillon is a gift to the minster. It will be the first new carillon in the British Isles for 40 years and first hand played carillon in an English cathedral. Before Evensong each evening, hymn tunes are played on a baton keyboard connected with the bells, but occasionally anything from Beethoven to the Beatles may be heard.[19]
Shrines
When Thomas Becket was murdered and subsequently enshrined at Canterbury, York found itself with a rival major draw for pilgrims. More specifically, pilgrims spent money and would leave gifts for the support of the cathedral. Hence Walter de Gray, supported by the King, petitioned the Pope. On 18 March 1226, Pope Honorius issued a letter to the effect that the name of William (Fitzherbert), formerly Archbishop of York, was "inscribed in the catalogue of the Saints of the Church Militant." Thus there was now St William of York (whose name is perhaps more often associated with the adjacent St William's College). York had its saint but it took until 1279, when William de Wickwane (William de Wykewayne) was elected archbishop, for the remains of the canonised William to be transferred to a shrine prepared for them behind the high altar.[20] This was placed on a platform raised upon the arches of the crypt removed to this position for that purpose. On 29 December King Edward I himself, together with the bishops who were present, carried on their shoulder the chest or feretory containing the relics to their new resting-place and Anthony Beck, consecrated the same day as Bishop of Durham, paid all the expenses.
The tomb of Walter de Gray was erected in the south transept. His remains were interred on "the vigil of Pentecost, 1255"[20] under his effigy "in full canonicals" carved in Purbeck marble under a canopy resting on ten light pillars. It was subsequently somewhat hidden behind a screen of ironwork erected by Archbishop William Markham in the early 19th century.
Organ
The choir
The fire of 1829 destroyed the organ and the basis of the present organ dates from 1832, when Elliot and Hill constructed a new instrument. This organ was reconstructed in 1859 by William Hill and Sons. The case remained intact, but the organ was mechanically new, retaining the largest pipes of the former instrument.
In 1903, J.W. Walker and Sons built a new instrument in the same case. They retained several registers from the previous instrument.
Some work was undertaken in 1918 by Harrison & Harrison when the Tuba Mirabilis was added and the Great chorus revised. The same firm rebuilt this Walker-Harrison instrument in 1931 when a new console and electro-pneumatic action were added together with four new stops. The smaller solo tubas were enclosed in the solo box. In 1960, J.W. Walker & Sons restored the actions, lowered wind pressures and introduced mutations and higher chorus work in the spirit of the neo-classical movement. They cleaned the organ in 1982.
The fire of 1984 affected the organ but not irreparably; the damage hastened the time for a major restoration, which was begun in 1991 and finished two years later by Principal Pipe Organs of York, under the direction of their founder, Geoffrey Coffin, who had at one time been assistant organist at the Minster.[21]
Organists
The organists of York Minster have had several official titles, the job description roughly equates to that of Organist and Master of the Choristers. The current Organist and Director of Music of the minster is Robert Sharpe. There is also an assistant director of music, David Pipe, and an organ scholar.
Among the notable organists of York Minster are four members of the Camidge family, who served as the cathedral's organists for over 100 years, and a number of composers including John Naylor, T. Tertius Noble, Edward Bairstow, Francis Jackson, and Philip Moore.
Dean and chapter
Dean: The Very Revd Vivienne Faull (since 1 December 2012 installation[22])
Precentor: The Revd Canon Peter Moger (since 12 September 2010 installation[23])
Pastor: The Reverend Michael Smith
Chancellor: The Reverend Canon Christopher Collingwood
Archdeacon: The Reverend Canon David Butterfield
Burials
Bosa of York, Bishop of York and Saint (died c. 705)
Eanbald I, Archbishop (780–796)
Osbald, King of Northumbria (died 799)
Ealdred (archbishop of York) (1061–1069)
Thomas of Bayeux, Archbishop (1070–1100)
Gerard, Archbishop (1100–1108)
Thomas II of York, Archbishop (1108–1114)
William of York, Archbishop (1141–1147, 1153–1154)
Henry Murdac, Archbishop (1147–1153)
Roger de Pont L'Eveque, Archbishop {1154–1181}
Walter de Gray, Archbishop (1216–1255)
Sewal de Bovil, Dean and Archbishop (1256–1258)
Godfrey Ludham, Archbishop (1258–1265)
William Langton, Archbishop (1265)
Walter Giffard, Archbishop (1266–1279)
John le Romeyn, Archbishop (1286–1296)
Henry of Newark, Archbishop (1296–1299)
William Greenfield, Archbishop (1306–1315)
Prince William of Hatfield, Infant son of Edward III (1337)
William Melton, Archbishop (1317–1340)
William Zouche, Archbishop (1342–1352)
Henry Percy, soldier (1364–1403)
Richard le Scrope, Archbishop (1398–1405)
Henry Bowet, Archbishop (1407–1423)
Thomas Savage, Archbishop (1501–1507)
Hugh Ashton, Archdeacon of York (died 1522)
John Piers, Archbishop (1589–1594)
George Meriton, Dean of York (1579–1624)
Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham, (1730-1782)
John Farr Abbott, barrister (1756–1794)
Astronomical clock
The astronomical clock was installed in the North Transept of York Minster in 1955. The clock is a memorial to the airmen operating from bases in Yorkshire, County Durham and Northumberland who were killed in action during the Second World War.[24]
Illuminations
In November 2002, York Minster was illuminated in colour, devised by York-born Mark Brayshaw, for the first time in its history. The occasion was televised live on the BBC1 Look North programme. Similar illuminations have been projected over the Christmas period in subsequent years.
York Minster was also artistically illuminated on 5 November 2005, celebrating the 400th anniversary of the foiling of York-born Guy Fawkes' gunpowder plot. This was done by Patrice Warrener using his unique "chromolithe" technique with which he 'paints' with light, picking out sculpted architectural details.
In October 2010, York Minster's south transept was selected for "Rose", a son et lumiere created by international artists Ross Ashton and Karen Monid which lit up the entire exterior of the south transept of the minster and illuminated the Rose Window. There were also satellite illuminate events in Dean's Park.