Group of unusual photos/ 3 per day/ENJOY :)
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this is a shot i took last week of the baltic contemporary art gallery. the original building was the baltic flour mill built for the rank hovis company to a late 1930's design and completed in 1950 and closed in 1981. it reopened as a art gallery to the public at midnight on saturday the 13th of july 2002 thank you for taking the time to look. uptown top ranking anthea and donna
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****This frame was chosen on March 29th 2014 to appear on FLICKR EXPLORE (Highest Ranking: #91. This is my Twenty fifth photograph to be selected, which for me is both amazing and exciting, as I never view my images as worthy compared to some of the awesome photography out there. EXPLORE is Flickr's way of showcasing the most interesting photos within a given point in time -- usually over a 24 hour period.
Flickr receives about 6,000 uploads every minute -- That's about 8.6 million photos a day! From this huge group of images, the Flickr Interestingness algorithm chooses only 500 images to showcase for each 24-hour period. That's only one image in every 17,000!..... so I am really thrilled to have a frame picked and most grateful to everyone who visited, favourite and commented on the frame*****
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Photograph taken at an altitude of Twenty one metres, in the height of the golden hour around sunrise, (Sunrise was at precisely 06:38am), at 06:50am on Thursday 29th October in the grounds of Foots Cray Meadows, looking towards Five Arch Bridge over the River Cray in Bexley, Kent, England.
Nikon D800 170mm 1/4s f/5.6 iso100 RAW (14-bit) AF-S single point focus. Manual exposure. Matrix metering. Auto white balance. Auto Active D-lighting.
Sigma 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM. Power UP 95mm HD UV filter. Nikon MB-D12 battery grip. Two Nikon EN-EL15 batteries. Nikon DK-17M Magnifying Eyepiece. Nikon DK-19 soft rubber eyecup. Manfrotto MT057C3 057 Carbon Fiber Tripod 3 Sections (Payload 18kgs). Manfrotto MH057M0-RC4 057 Magnesium Ball Head with RC4 Quick Release (Payload 15kgs). Manfrotto quick release plate 410PL-14.Jessops Tripod bag. Optech Tripod Strap.Digi-Chip 64GB Class 10 UHS-1 SDXC. Lowepro Transporter camera strap. Lowepro Vertex 200 AW camera bag. Nikon MC-DC2 remote shutter release. Nikon GP-1 GPS unit.
LATITUDE: N 51d 25m 35.81s
LONGITUDE: E 0d 7m 50.17s
ALTITUDE: 20.0m
RAW (TIFF) FILE: 103.00MB
PROCESSED Jpeg FILE: 18.05MB
Processing power:
HP Pavillion Desktop with AMD A10-5700 APU PROCESSOR. HD graphics. 2TB with 8GB RAM. 64-bit Windows 8.1. VERBATIM USB 2.0 1TB Desktop Hard drive. NIKON VIEWNX2 Version 2.90 64bit. ADOBE PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS 8 Version 8.0 64bit
Excerpt from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bukchon_Hanok_Village:
Bukchon Hanok Village is a residential neighborhood in Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea. It has many restored traditional Korean houses, called hanok. This has made it a popular tourist destination, which has caused some friction with the residents who live there.
The area of Bukchon, which consists of neighborhoods: Wonseo-dong, Jae-dong, Gye-dong, Gahoe-dong and Insa-dong, was traditionally the residential quarter of high-ranking government officials and nobility during the Joseon period. It is located north of the stream Cheonggyecheon and Jongno, hence named Bukchon, which means north village.
#231: As of 5/18/23, under Flickr's popularity rankings of my 3400+ pics, this is listed as #231 in "interestingness."
#544: As of 5/18/23, of my 3400+ pics, this is listed as #544 in most # of comments.
#596: As of 5/18/23, of my 3400+ pics, this is listed as #596 in most # of faves.
For a fun interlude, this is a 2nd take image based off of one of my popular pics posted here on flickr in the last year+. This particular image was done with the help of the FaceApp application, where I took a photo of the original "2013-09-12-pic-4" pic I've posted here, then just applied a very modest filter. This was done to help for example with the poor lighting or graininess in the original, to enhance the makeup just a tad, and to have some fun. What do you think? How do I look? :-)
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**** This frame was chosen on Saturday 26th June 2021 to appear on FLICKR EXPLORE (Highest Ranking: #325. This is my 203rd photograph to be selected.
I am really thrilled to have a frame picked and most grateful to every one of the 39.330+ Million people who have visited, favorited and commented on this and all of my other photographs here on my FLICKR site. *****
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So, let's get one thing straight from the outset.
I LOVE CARRION CROW.
There, I've said it. Words I use to describe these amazing birds would include stunning, beautiful, bold, magnificent, intelligent and fantastic, loving, tender, victimized.
Right now I have a resident pair of Carrion crows who have decided that my garden is theirs, and are playing a game of cat and mouse with a pair of cheeky Magpies (Pica pica) for dominance and food rights. The male crow actually flies in and 'wings' the magpies to make them leave, an incredible sight to witness. It's an honour and a privilege to be able to win their trust and they have given me so much pleasure this year being able to get within a few feet of them, to photograph and feed them, and they have reinforced my already deep admiration for a bird that is brimming with beauty, intelligence, confidence and also surrounded by myths, legend and prejudice.
So let's begin with a look back over history.
LEGEND AND MYTHOLOGY
Crows appear in the Bible where Noah uses one to search for dry land and to check on the recession of the flood. Crows supposedly saved the prophet, Elijah, from famine and are an Inuit deity. Legend has it that England and its monarchy will end when there are no more crows in the Tower of London. And some believe that the crows went to the Tower attracted by the regular corpses following executions with written accounts of their presence at the executions of Anne Boleyn and Jane Gray.
In Welsh mythology, unfortunately Crows are seen as symbolic of evilness and black magic thanks to many references to witches transforming into crows or ravens and escaping. Indian legend tells of Kakabhusandi, a crow who sits on the branches of a wish-fulfilling tree called Kalpataru and a crow in Ramayana where Lord Rama blessed the crow with the power to foresee future events and communicate with the souls.
In Native American first nation legend the crow is sometimes considered to be something of a trickster, though they are also viewed positively by some tribes as messengers between this world and the next where they carry messages from the living to those deceased, and even carry healing medicines between both worlds. There is a belief that crows can foresee the future. The Klamath tribe in Oregon believe that when we die, we fly up to heaven as a crow. The Crow can also signify wisdom to some tribes who believe crows had the power to talk and were therefore considered to be one of the wisest of birds. Tribes with Crow Clans include the Chippewa (whose Crow Clan and its totem are called Aandeg), the Hopi (whose Crow Clan is called Angwusngyam or Ungwish-wungwa), the Menominee, the Caddo, the Tlingit, and the Pueblo tribes of New Mexico.
The crow features in the Nanissáanah (Ghost dance), popularized by Jerome Crow Dog, a Brulé Lakota sub-chief and warrior born at Horse Stealing Creek in Montana Territory in 1833, the crow symbolizing wisdom and the past, when the crow had became a guide and acted as a pathfinder during hunting. The Ghost dance movement was originally created in 1870 by Wodziwob, or Gray Hair, a prophet and medicine man of the Paiute tribe in an area that became known as Nevada. Ghost dancers wore crow and eagle feathers in their clothes and hair, and the fact that the Crow could talk placed it as one of the sages of the animal kingdom. The five day dances seeking trance,prophecy and exhortations would eventually play a major part in the pathway towards the white man's broken treaties, the infamous battle at Wounded knee and the surrender of Matȟó Wanáȟtaka (Kicking Bear), after officials began to fear the ghost dancers and rituals which seemed to occur prior to battle.
Historically the Vikings are the group who made so many references to the crow, and Ragnarr Loðbrók and his sons used this species in his banner as well as appearances in many flags and coats of arms. Also, it had some kind of association with Odin, one of their main deities. Norse legend tells us that Odin is accompanied by two crows. Hugin, who symbolizes thought, and Munin, who represents a memory. These two crows were sent out each dawn to fly the entire world, returning at breakfast where they informed the Lord of the Nordic gods of everything that went on in their kingdoms. Odin was also referred to as Rafnagud (raven-god). The raven appears in almost every skaldic poem describing warfare.Coins dating back to 940's minted by Olaf Cuaran depict the Viking war standard, the Raven and Viking war banners (Gonfalon) depicted the bird also.
In Scandinavian legends, crows are a representative of the Goddess of Death, known as Valkyrie (from old Norse 'Valkyrja'), one of the group of maidens who served the Norse deity Odin, visiting battlefields and sending him the souls of the slain worthy of a place in Valhalla. Odin ( also called Wodan, Woden, or Wotan), preferred that heroes be killed in battle and that the most valiant of souls be taken to Valhöll, the hall of slain warriors. It is the crow that provides the Valkyries with important information on who should go. In Hindu ceremonies that are associated to ancestors, the crow has an important place in Vedic rituals. They are seen as messengers of death in Indian culture too.
In Germanic legend, Crows are seen as psychonomes, meaning the act of guiding spirits to their final destination, and that the feathers of a crow could cure a victim who had been cursed. And yet, a lone black crow could symbolize impending death, whilst a group symbolizes a lucky omen! Vikings also saw good omens in the crow and would leave offerings of meat as a token.
The crow also has sacred and prophetic meaning within the Celtic civilization, where it stood for flesh ripped off due to combat and Morrighan, the warrior goddess, often appears in Celtic mythology as a raven or crow, or else is found to be in the company of the birds. Crow is sacred to Lugdnum, the Celtic god of creation who gave his name to the city of Lug
In Greek mythology according to Appolodorus, Apollo is supposedly responsible for the black feathers of the crow, turning them forever black from their pristine white original plumage as a punishment after they brought news that Κορωνις (Coronis) a princess of the Thessalian kingdom of Phlegyantis, Apollo's pregnant lover had left him to marry a mortal, Ischys. In one legend, Apollo burned the crows feathers and then burned Coronis to death, in another Coronis herself was turned into a black crow, and another that she was slain by the arrows of Αρτεμις (Artemis - twin to Apollo). Koronis was later set amongst the stars as the constellation Corvus ("the Crow"). Her name means "Curved One" from the Greek word korônis or "Crow" from the word korônê.A similar Muslim legend allegedly tells of Muhammad, founder of Islam and the last prophet sent by God to Earth, who's secret location was given away by a white crow to his seekers, as he hid in caves. The crow shouted 'Ghar Ghar' (Cave, cave) and thus as punishment, Muhammad turned the crow black and cursed it for eternity to utter only one phrase, 'Ghar, ghar). Native Indian legend where the once rainbow coloured crows became forever black after shedding their colourful plumage over the other animals of the world.
In China the Crow is represented in art as a three legged bird on a solar disk, being a creature that helps the sun in its journey. In Japan there are myths of Crow Tengu who were priests who became vain, and turned into this spirit to serve as messengers until they learn the lesson of humility as well as a great Crow who takes part in Shinto creation stories.
In animal spirit guides there are general perceptions of what sightings of numbers of crows actually mean:
1 Crow Meaning: To carry a message from your near one who died recently.
2 Crows Meaning: Two crows sitting near your home signifies some good news is on your way.
3 Crows Meaning: An upcoming wedding in your family.
4 Crows Meaning: Symbolizes wealth and prosperity.
5 Crows Meaning: Diseases or pain.
6 Crows Meaning: A theft in your house!
7 Crows Meaning: Denotes travel or moving from your house.
8 Crows Meaning: Sorrowful events
Crows are generally seen as the symbolism when alive for doom bringing, misfortune and bad omens, and yet a dead crow symbolises potentially bringing good news and positive change to those who see it. This wonderful bird certainly gets a mixed bag of contradictory mythology and legend over the centuries and in modern days is often seen as a bit of a nuisance, attacking and killing the babies of other birds such as Starlings, Pigeons and House Sparrows as well as plucking the eyes out of lambs in the field, being loud and noisy and violently attacking poor victims in a 'crow court'....
There is even a classic horror film called 'THE CROW' released in 1994 by Miramax Films, directed by Alex Proyas and starring Brandon Lee in his final film appearance as Eric Draven, who is revived by a Crow tapping on his gravestone a year after he and his fiancée are murdered in Detroit by a street gang. The crow becomes his guide as he sets out to avenge the murders. The only son of martial arts expert Bruce Lee, Brandon lee suffered fatal injuries on the set of the film when the crew failed to remove the primer from a cartridge that hit Lee in the abdomen with the same force as a normal bullet. Lee died that day, March 31st 1993 aged 28.
The symbolism of the Crow resurrecting the dead star and accompanying him on his quest for revenge was powerful, and in some part based on the history of the carrion crow itself and the original film grossed more than $94 Million dollars with three subsequent sequels following.
TAKING A CLOSER LOOK
So let's move away from legend, mythology and stories passed down from our parents and grandparents and look at these amazing birds in isolation.
Carrion crow are passerines in the family Corvidae a group of Oscine passerine birds including Crows, Ravens, Rooks, Jackdaws, Jays, Magpies, Treepies, Choughs and Nutcrackers. Technically they are classed as Corvids, and the largest of passerine birds. Carrion crows are medium to large in size with rictal bristles and a single moult per year (most passerines moult twice). Carrion crow was one of the many species originally described by Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus (Carl Von Linne after his ennoblement) in his 1758 and 1759 editions of 'SYSTEMA NATURAE', and it still bears its original name of Corvus corone, derived from the Latin of Corvus, meaning Raven and the Greek κορώνη (korōnē), meaning crow.
Carrion crow are of the Animalia kingdom Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Family: Corvidae Genus: Corvus and Species: Corvus corone
Corvus corone can reach 45-47cm in length with a 93-104cm wingspan and weigh between 370-650g. They are protected under The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 in the United Kingdom with a Green UK conservation status which means they are of least concern with more than 1,000,000 territories. Breeding occurs in April with fledging of the chicks taking around twenty nine days following an incubation period of around twenty days with 3 to 4 eggs being the average norm. They are abundant in the UK apart from Northwest Scotland and Ireland where the Hooded crow (Corvus cornix) was considered the same species until 2002. They have a lifespan of around four years, whilst Crow species can live to the age of Twenty years old, and the oldest known American crow in the wild was almost Thirty years old. The oldest documented captive crow died at age Fifty nine. They are smaller and have a shorter lifespan than the Raven, which again is used as a symbol in history to live life to the full and not waste a moment!
They are often mistaken for the Rook (Corvus frugilegus), a similar bird, though in the UK, the Rook is actually technically smaller than the Carrion crow averaging 44-46cm in length, 81-99cm wingspan and weighing up to 340g. Rooks have white beaks compared to the black beaks of Carrion crow. There are documented cases in the UK of singular and grouped Rooks attacking and killing Carrion crows in their territory. Rooks nest in colonies unlike Carrion crows. Carrion crows have only a few natural enemies including powerful raptors such as the northern goshawk, the peregrine falcon, the Eurasian eagle-owl and the golden eagle which will all readily hunt them.
Regarded as one of the most intelligent birds, indeed creatures on the planet, studies suggest that Corvids cognitive abilities can rival that of primates such as chimpanzees and gorillas and even provide clues to understanding human intelligence. Crows have relatively large brains for their body size, compared to other animals. Their encephalization quotient (EQ) a ratio of brain to body size, adjusted for size because there isn’t a linear relationship is 4.1. That is remarkably close to chimps at 4.2 whilst humans are 8.1. Corvids also have a very high neuronal density, the number of neurons per gram of brain, factoring in the number of cortical neurons, neuron packing density, interneuronal distance and axonal conduction velocity shows that Corvids score high on this measure as well, with humans scoring the highest.
A corvid's pallium is packed with more neurons than a great ape's. Corvids have demonstrated the ability to use a combination of mental tools such as imagination, and anticipation of future events. They can craft tools from twigs and branches to hook grubs from deep recesses, they can solve puzzles and intricate methods of gaining access to food set by humans., and have even bent pieces of wire into hooks to obtain food. They have been proven to have a higher cognitive ability level than seven year old humans. Communications wise, their repertoire of wraw-wraw's is not fully understood, but the intensity, rhythm, and duration of caws seems to form the basis of a possible language. They also remember the faces of humans who have hindered or hurt them and pass that information on to their offspring.
Aesop's fable of 'The Crow and the Pitcher, tells of a thirsty crow which drops stones into a water pitcher to raise the water level and enable it to take a drink. Scientists have conducted tests to see whether crows really are this intelligent. They placed floating treats in a deep tube and observed the crows indeed dropping dense objects carefully selected into the water until the treat floated within reach. They had the intelligence to pick up, weigh and discount objects that would float in the water, they also did not select ones that were too large for the container.
Pet crows develop a unique call for their owners, in effect actually naming them. They also know to sunbathe for a dose of vitamin D, regularly settling on wooden garden fences, opening their mouths and wings and raising their heads to the sun. In groups they warn of danger and communicate vocally. They store a cache of food for later if in abundance and are clever enough to move it if they feel it has been discovered. They leave markers for their cache. They have even learned to place walnuts and similar hard food items under car tyres at traffic lights as a means of cracking them!
Crows regularly gather around a dead fellow corvid, almost like a funeral, and it is thought they somehow learn from each death. They can even remember human faces for decades.
Crows group together to attack larger predators and even steal their food, and they have different dialects in different areas, with the ability to mimic the dialect of the alpha males when they enter their territory!
They have a twenty year life span, the oldest on record reaching the age of Fifty nine. Crows can leave gifts for those who feed them such as buttons or bright shiny objects as a thank you, and they even kiss and make up after an argument, having mated for life.
In mythology they are associated with good and bad luck, being the bringers of omens and even witchcraft and are generally reviled for their attacks on baby birds and small mammals. They have an attack method of to stunning smaller birds before consuming them, tearing violently at smaller, less aggressive birds, which is simply down to the fact that they are so highly intelligent, and also the top of the food chain. Their diet includes over a thousand different items: Dead animals (as their name suggests), invertebrates, grain, as well as stealing eggs and chicks from other birds' nests, worms, insects, fruit, seeds, kitchen scraps. They are highly adaptable when food sources grow scarce. I absolutely love them, they are magnificent, bold, beautiful and incredibly interesting to watch and though at times it is hard to witness attacks made by them, I cannot help but adore them for so many other and more important reasons.
OBSERVATIONS ON THE PAIR IN MY GARDEN
Crows have been in the area for a while, but rarely had strayed into my garden, leaving the Magpies to own the territory. Things changed towards the end of May when a beautiful female Carrion crow appeared and began to take some of the food that I put down for the other birds. Within a few days she began to appear regularly, on occasions stocking up on food, whilst other times placing pieces in the birdbath to soften them.
She would stand on the birdbath and eat and drink and come back over the course of the day to eat the softened food.
Shortly afterwards she brought along her mate, a tall and handsome fella, much larger than her who was also very vocal if he felt she was getting a little too close to me. By now I had moved from a seated position from the patio as an observer, to laying on a mat just five feet from the birdbath with my Nikon so that I could photograph the pair as they landed, scavenged and fed. She was now confident enough to let me be very close, and she even tolerated and recognized the clicking of the camera. At first I used silent mode to reduce the noise but this only allowed two shooting frame rates of single frame or continuous low frame which meant I was missing shots. I reverted back to normal continuous high frames and she soon got used to the whirring of the frames as the mirror slapped back and forth.
The big fella would bark orders at her from the safety of the fence or the rear of the garden, whilst she rarely made a sound. That was until one day when in the sweltering heat she kept opening her beak and sunning on the grass, panting slightly in the heat. I placed the circular water sprayer nearby and had it rotating so that the birdbath and grass was bathed in gentle water droplets and she soon came back, landed and seemed to really like the cooling effect on offer. She then climbed onto the birdbath and opened her wings slightly and made some gentle purring, cooing noises....
I swear she was expressing happiness, joy....
On another blisteringly hot day when the sprayer was on, she came down, walked towards it and opened her wings up running into the water spray. Not once, but many times.
A final observation came with the male and female on the rear garden fence. They sat together, locked beaks like a kiss and then the male took his time gently preening her head feathers and the back of her neck as she made tiny happy sounds. They stayed together like that for several minutes, showing a gentle, softer side to their nature and demonstrating the deep bond between them.
Corvus Corone.... magnificently misunderstood by some!
Paul Williams June 4th 2021
©All photographs on this site are copyright: ©DESPITE STRAIGHT LINES (Paul Williams) 2011 – 2021 & GETTY IMAGES ®
No license is given nor granted in respect of the use of any copyrighted material on this site other than with the express written agreement of ©DESPITE STRAIGHT LINES (Paul Williams). No image may be used as source material for paintings, drawings, sculptures, or any other art form without permission and/or compensation to ©DESPITE STRAIGHT LINES (Paul Williams)
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Photograph taken at an altitude of Sixty three metres at 11:05am on a beautiful morning on Saturday 29th May 2021, off Hythe Avenue and Chessington Avenue in Bexleyheath, Kent.
Here we see a large adult female Carrion crow (Corvus corone) patrolling a garden and gathering up food scraps in front of a red Azalea, a passerine bird of the family Corvidae and the genus Raven (Higher classification: Corvus), which is native to western Europe and eastern Asia.
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Nikon D850 Focal length 600mm Shutter speed: 1/800s Aperture f/6.3 iso400 Tripod mounted with Gimbal head. Image area FX (36 x 24) NEF RAW L (4128 x 2752). JPeg basic (14 bit uncompressed) AF-C Priority Selection: Release. Nikon Back button focusing enabled. AF-S Priority selection: Focus. 3D Tracking watch area: Normal 55 Tracking points Exposure mode: Manual exposure mode Metering mode: Matrix metering White balance on: Auto1 (4550K) Colour space: RGB Picture control: Neutral (Sharpening +2)
Sigma 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3DG OS HSM SPORTS. Lee SW150 MKI filter holder with MK2 light shield and custom made velcro fitting for the Sigma lens. Lee SW150 circular polariser glass filter.Lee SW150 Filters field pouch.Hoodman HEYENRG round eyepiece oversized eyecup.Manfrotto MT057C3-G Carbon fiber Geared tripod 3 sections. Neewer Carbon Fiber Gimble tripod head 10088736 with Arca Swiss standard quick release plate. Neewer 9996 Arca Swiss release plate P860 x2.Jessops Tripod bag. Mcoplus professional MB-D850 multi function battery grip 6960.Two Nikon EN-EL15a batteries (Priority to battery in Battery grip). Black Rapid Curve Breathe strap. My Memory 128GB Class 10 SDXC 80MB/s card. Lowepro Flipside 400 AW camera bag.
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LATITUDE: N 51d 28m 28.23s
LONGITUDE: E 0d 8m 10.45s
ALTITUDE: 63.0m
RAW (TIFF) FILE: 130.00MB NEF FILE: 91.2MB
PROCESSED (JPeg) FILE: 38.40MB
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PROCESSING POWER:
Nikon D850 Firmware versions C 1.10 (9/05/2019) LD Distortion Data 2.018 (18/02/20) LF 1.00
HP 110-352na Desktop PC with AMD Quad-Core A6-5200 APU 64Bit processor. Radeon HD8400 graphics. 8 GB DDR3 Memory with 1TB Data storage. 64-bit Windows 10. Verbatim USB 2.0 1TB desktop hard drive. WD My Passport Ultra 1tb USB3 Portable hard drive. Nikon ViewNX-1 64bit Version 1.4.1 (18/02/2020). Nikon Capture NX-D 64bit Version 1.6.2 (18/02/2020). Nikon Picture Control Utility 2 (Version 2.4.5 (18/02/2020). Nikon Transfer 2 Version 2.13.5. Adobe photoshop Elements 8 Version 8.0 64bit.
Gilt silver lebes (cauldron) depicting four rows of scenes including a row of geese, a royal hunting expediiton, and military processions. On the convex bottom there is a medallion with a lion trampling a man on all fours while a hawk flies overhead. Six snake protomes were added around the rim at a later date.
The Etruscans were master metalsmiths. As metal was readily available in Etruria, artisans created a wide repertoire of vessels in bronze, gold, silver, and silver gilt, sometimes reflecting an influence from the Near East. This cauldron with attached snake protomes (decorative motifs usually of a head and torso of an animal) is a good example. Objects like these, which accompanied the deceased in their tombs, inform us of a love for luxurious objects including those inspired by their Mediterranean trading partners.
It's considered a Phoenician-style import or heavy imitation, with Egyptian-influenced iconography.
The Bernardini Tomb is one of the most celebrated princely burials of the ancient Mediterranean. Discovered in 1876 in Palestrina (the ancient Latin city of Praeneste), this 7th-century BCE trench grave (fossa) belonged to a high-ranking male elite or prince.
Etruscan, from Praeneste (modern Palestrina), 'princely' Bernardini Tomb, 2nd quarter of 7th century BCE.
Museo Nazionale Etrusco di Villa Giulia (Villa Poniatowski), Rome (inv. 61566)
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Photographed at the exhibition 'The Etruscans: From the Heart of Ancient Italy' mounted at the Legion of Honor, San Francisco
#7: As of 11/8/20, under Flickr's popularity rankings of my 2700+ pics, this is listed as #7 in "interestingness."
#36: As of 11/5/20, of my 2700+ pics, this is listed as #36 in most # of faves.
#248: As of 10/15/20, of my 2600+ pics, this is listed as #248 in most # of comments.
For a fun interlude, this is a close-up/headshot image based off one of my more popular pics posted here on flickr in the last year. This particular image was generated with the help of the FaceApp application, where I took a photo of a close-up of the "2018-10-30 video2-snap5" pic I've posted here. Then I just applied the FA "makeup" filter in part to help with the graininess of this close-up - and to have some fun with the look... :-)
#10: As of 10/14/19, under Flickr's popularity rankings of my 1900+ pics, this is listed as #10 in "interestingness."
#23: As of 10/11/19, of my 1900+ pics, this is listed as #23 in most # of comments.
#91: As of 10/10/19, of my 1900+ pics, this is listed as #91 in most # of faves.
I'm now revisiting a few videos I made last year fully made up for public outings shopping en femme. The first date was April 24, 2018, with my first outing en femme in about 4 years at that point. When I posted pics for flickr from that day last year, I only included one snapshot captured from the video I took in a Macy's dressing room. But since then I've gotten into the practice of capturing more worthy video snapshots from individual videos of mine, so I'm doing a *retrospective* now highlighting such newly-captured snapshots, of course linking to the original video posted on YouTube.
This particular pic is a snapshot from a video taken inside a women's dressing room at the local Macy's store, where they have multiple mirrors. The video is posted with my other YouTube videos at www.youtube.com/watch?v=j21e4hL9H0U. Please check it out and comment/fave here or there if you like.
As usual, I really enjoy color-coordinating attractive/sexy/cute outfits, and this one features:
* Forever 21 taupe faux-suede ultra-high-heel peeptoe pumps;
* a Forever 21 beige-ish striped lace-up-scoopneck knit dress;
* a Forever 21 taupe faux-suede waist-belt;
* an Anne Klein taupe handbag;
* Forever 21 nude wide-net fishnet tights;
* a beige fringed scarf; and
* gold rings, earrings, necklace, watch &bracelets.
Let me know your thoughts... :-)
#21: As of 8/14/20, under Flickr's popularity rankings of my 2500+ pics, this is listed as #21 in "interestingness."
#126: As of 8/7/20, of my 2500+ pics, this is listed as #126 in most # of comments.
#859: As of 8/1/20, of my 2500+ pics, this is listed as #859 in most # of faves.
For an interlude, this is a close-up/headshot image based off one of my more popular pics posted here on flickr in the last year. This particular image was generated with the help of the FaceApp application, where I started with a close-up of the "2019-11-13 pic-26" pic I've posted here. Then I just applied the FA "spark" filter to help with the graininess of this close-up.
Look for winners & rankings here!
[Green Acres Winners Contest Gallery]
Again from all of the Green Acre Team thank you!
#65: As of 11/6/20, under Flickr's popularity rankings of my 2700+ pics, this is listed as #65 in "interestingness."
#316: As of 11/2/20, of my 2700+ pics, this is listed as #316 in most # of faves.
#462: As of 10/27/20, of my 2700+ pics, this is listed as #462 in most # of comments.
As described in my April 29, 2020 Update on my flickr profile page, I have launched a retrospective series beginning with summer 2013 pics of mine from outings fully en femme. There are various reasons described there for rolling out this series, and know that this is not just a re-posting of old pics. This is a new more-authentic look at some classic pics of mine.
This pic from September 3, 2013 was taken inside a women's dressing room at a nearby Kohl's.
I don't have the full details available anymore for my outfit this 2013 day, but it did include this:
* an red-haired wig;
* orange ultra-high-heel pumps, which were unfortunately stiff and painful to wear (so I ended up replacing them later with some nicer Jessica Simpson orange pumps);
* an orange pencil skirt;
* an orange/white floral-print blouse from H&M;
* a 3"-wide orange waist belt, from beltiscool.com;
* a beige/orange floral-print semi-sheer neck scarf;
* nude ultra-sheer pantyhose;
* an orange leather shoulder bag;
* french-tip press-on nails;
* orange/gold necklaces and bracelets; and
* gold rings and dangling-hoop earrings.
Let me know your thoughts... :-)
#56: As of 12/8/20, under Flickr's popularity rankings of my 2700+ pics, this is listed as #56 in "interestingness."
#183: As of 3/15/20, of my 2200+ pics, this is listed as #183 in most # of faves.
#213: As of 3/4/20, of my 2200+ pics, this is listed as #213 in most # of comments.
#247: As of 9/25/20, of my 2600+ pics, this is listed as #247 in most # of views.
As I've described in a recent Update on my Flickr profile page (www.flickr.com/people/99244229@N04/), I had an opportunity to be back in full make-up and out in public en femme earlier this year on a work trip to Hawaii. This pic is the 30th in my 2020 series of fully made-up en femme activity, and it comes from January 5. This particular pic is from the lanai/porch of my Honolulu hotel room, as I was getting ready to go out shopping.
As usual, I really enjoy color-coordinating attractive/sexy/cute outfits, and this one features:
* a Sapphirewigs dark-orange kinky-curly lace-front layered-synthetic 26"-long wig, from amazon;
* Forever 21 black suede 5.75"-stiletto-heel 1"-platform cross-strapped-vamp sexy sandals;
* a Forever 21 brown/black leopard-print cami-straps skinny-leg bodycon jumpsuit;
* a Forever 21 black velvet floral-burnout-design semi-sheer open-front longline cardigan;
* an Apt. 9 brown cheetah-print faux-leather 1.5"-wide waist belt, from Kohl's;
* a Cejon black floral-print semi-sheer neck scarf, from Macy's;
* a VR NYC black faux-suede "Leanna" faux-fur-leopard-print-flap goldtone-detail zip-top crossbody handbag, from Target;
* A New Day black/gold faux-leather skinny-band women's watch, from Target;
* a Forever 21 black faux-obsidian-gemstones statement bib necklace;
* gold/black necklaces, bracelets, rings & earrings.
More about this and other 2017-20 pics has been written up in my profile or "About" page here on Flickr. It details some choices made for these 2017-20 pics.
Let me know your thoughts... :-)
Highest EXPLORE ranking #261
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Il y a toutes mes photos sur Facebook / All my pics on Facebook:
F a c e b o o k || A l e x i s - G o u r e . c o m || T w i t t e r || 500px
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Hong kong)
Hong Kong, officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, is an autonomous territory south to Mainland China and east to Macao in East Asia. With around 7.2 million Hong Kongers of various nationalities[note 2] in a territory of 1,104 km2, Hong Kong is the world's fourth most densely populated country or territory.
Hong Kong used to be a British colony with the perpetual cession of Hong Kong Island from the Qing Empire after the First Opium War (1839–42). The colony expanded to the Kowloon Peninsula in 1860 and acquired a 99-year lease of the New Territories from 1898. Hong Kong was later occupied by Japan during the Second World War until British control resumed in 1945. The Sino-British Joint Declaration signed between the United Kingdom and China in 1984 paved way for the transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong in 1997, when it became a special administrative region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China with a high degree of autonomy.[15]
Under the principle of "one country, two systems",[16][17] Hong Kong maintains a separate political and economic system from China. Except in military defence and foreign affairs, Hong Kong maintains its independent executive, legislative and judiciary powers.[18] In addition, Hong Kong develops relations directly with foreign states and international organisations in a broad range of "appropriate fields".[19] Hong Kong involves in international organizations, such as the WTO[20] and the APEC [21], actively and independently.
Hong Kong is one of the world's most significant financial centres, with the highest Financial Development Index score and consistently ranks as the world's most competitive and freest economic entity.[22][23] As the world's 8th largest trading entity,[24] its legal tender, the Hong Kong dollar, is the world's 13th most traded currency.[25] As the world's most visited city,[26][27] Hong Kong's tertiary sector dominated economy is characterised by competitive simple taxation and supported by its independent judiciary system.[28] Even with one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, it suffers from severe income inequality.[29]
Nicknamed "Pearl of the Orient", Hong Kong is renowned for its deep natural harbour, which boasts the world's fifth busiest port with ready access by cargo ships, and its impressive skyline, with the most skyscrapers in the world.[30][31] It has a very high Human Development Index ranking and the world's longest life expectancy.[32][33] Over 90% of the population makes use of well-developed public transportation.[34][35] Seasonal air pollution with origins from neighbouring industrial areas of Mainland China, which adopts loose emissions standards, has resulted in a high level of atmospheric particulates in winter.[36][37][38]
Contents
1 Etymology
2 History
2.1 Prehistory
2.2 Imperial China
2.3 British Crown Colony: 1842–1941
2.4 Japanese occupation: 1941–45
2.5 Resumption of British rule and industrialisation: 1945–97
2.6 Handover and Special Administrative Region status
3 Governance
3.1 Structure of government
3.2 Electoral and political reforms
3.3 Legal system and judiciary
3.4 Foreign relations
3.5 Human rights
3.6 Regions and districts
3.7 Military
4 Geography and climate
5 Economy
5.1 Financial centre
5.2 International trading
5.3 Tourism and expatriation
5.4 Policy
5.5 Infrastructure
6 Demographics
6.1 Languages
6.2 Religion
6.3 Personal income
6.4 Education
6.5 Health
7 Culture
7.1 Sports
7.2 Architecture
7.3 Cityscape
7.4 Symbols
8 See also
9 Notes
10 References
10.1 Citations
10.2 Sources
11 Further reading
12 External links
Etymology
Hong Kong was officially recorded in the 1842 Treaty of Nanking to encompass the entirety of the island.[39]
The source of the romanised name "Hong Kong" is not known, but it is generally believed to be an early imprecise phonetic rendering of the pronunciation in spoken Cantonese 香港 (Cantonese Yale: Hēung Góng), which means "Fragrant Harbour" or "Incense Harbour".[13][14][40] Before 1842, the name referred to a small inlet—now Aberdeen Harbour (Chinese: 香港仔; Cantonese Yale: Hēunggóng jái), literally means "Little Hong Kong"—between Aberdeen Island and the southern coast of Hong Kong Island. Aberdeen was an initial point of contact between British sailors and local fishermen.[41]
Another theory is that the name would have been taken from Hong Kong's early inhabitants, the Tankas (水上人); it is equally probable that romanisation was done with a faithful execution of their speeches, i.e. hōng, not hēung in Cantonese.[42] Detailed and accurate romanisation systems for Cantonese were available and in use at the time.[43]
Fragrance may refer to the sweet taste of the harbour's fresh water estuarine influx of the Pearl River or to the incense from factories lining the coast of northern Kowloon. The incense was stored near Aberdeen Harbour for export before Hong Kong developed Victoria Harbour.[40]
The name had often been written as the single word Hongkong until the government adopted the current form in 1926.[44] Nevertheless, a number of century-old institutions still retain the single-word form, such as the Hongkong Post, Hongkong Electric and the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation.
As of 1997, its official name is the "Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China". This is the official title as mentioned in the Hong Kong Basic Law and the Hong Kong Government's website;[45] however, "Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" and "Hong Kong" are widely accepted.
Hong Kong has carried many nicknames. The most famous among those is the "Pearl of the Orient", which reflected the impressive nightscape of the city's light decorations on the skyscrapers along both sides of the Victoria Harbour. The territory is also known as "Asia's World City".
History
Main articles: History of Hong Kong and History of China
Prehistory
Main article: Prehistoric Hong Kong
Archaeological studies support human presence in the Chek Lap Kok area (now Hong Kong International Airport) from 35,000 to 39,000 years ago and on Sai Kung Peninsula from 6,000 years ago.[46][47][48]
Wong Tei Tung and Three Fathoms Cove are the earliest sites of human habitation in Hong Kong during the Paleolithic Period. It is believed that the Three Fathom Cove was a river-valley settlement and Wong Tei Tung was a lithic manufacturing site. Excavated Neolithic artefacts suggested cultural differences from the Longshan culture of northern China and settlement by the Che people, prior to the migration of the Baiyue to Hong Kong.[49][50] Eight petroglyphs, which dated to the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600 BC – 1066 BC) in China, were discovered on the surrounding islands.[51]
Imperial China
Main article: History of Hong Kong under Imperial China
In 214 BC, Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of a centralised China, conquered the Baiyue tribes in Jiaozhi (modern-day Liangguang region and Vietnam) and incorporated the area of Hong Kong into his imperial China for the first time. Hong Kong proper was assigned to the Nanhai commandery (modern-day Nanhai District), near the commandery's capital city Panyu.[52][53][54]
After a brief period of centralisation and collapse of the Qin dynasty, the area of Hong Kong was consolidated under the Kingdom of Nanyue, founded by general Zhao Tuo in 204 BC.[55] When Nanyue lost the Han-Nanyue War in 111 BC, Hong Kong came under the Jiaozhi commandery of the Han dynasty. Archaeological evidence indicates an increase of population and flourish of salt production. The Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb on the Kowloon Peninsula is believed to have been built as a burial site during the Han dynasty.[56]
From the Han dynasty to the early Tang dynasty, Hong Kong was a part of Bao'an County. In the Tang dynasty, modern-day Guangzhou (Canton) flourished as an international trading centre. In 736, the Emperor Xuanzong of Tang established a military stronghold in Tuen Mun to strengthen defence of the coastal area.[57] The nearby Lantau Island was a salt production centre and salt smuggler riots occasionally broke out against the government. In c. 1075, The first village school, Li Ying College, was established around 1075 AD in modern-day New Territories by the Northern Song dynasty.[58] During their war against the Mongols, the imperial court of Southern Song was briefly stationed at modern-day Kowloon City (the Sung Wong Toi site) before their ultimate defeat by the Mongols at the Battle of Yamen in 1279.[59] The Mongols then established their dynastic court and governed Hong Kong for 97 years.
From the mid-Tang dynasty to the early Ming dynasty (1368–1644), Hong Kong was a part of Dongguan County. During the Ming dynasty, the area was transferred to Xin'an County. The indigenous inhabitants at that time consisted of several ethnicities such as Punti, Hakka, Tanka and Hoklo.
European discovery
The earliest European visitor on record was Jorge Álvares, a Portuguese explorer, who arrived in 1513.[60][61] Having established a trading post in a site they called "Tamão" in Hong Kong waters, Portuguese merchants commenced with regular trading in southern China. Subsequent military clashes between China and Portugal, however, led to the expulsion of all Portuguese merchants from southern China.
Since the 14th century, the Ming court had enforced the maritime prohibition laws that strictly forbade all private maritime activities in order to prevent contact with foreigners by sea.[62] When the Manchu Qing dynasty took over China, Hong Kong was directly affected by the Great Clearance decree of the Kangxi Emperor, who ordered the evacuation of coastal areas of Guangdong from 1661 to 1669. Over 16,000 inhabitants of Xin'an County including those in Hong Kong were forced to migrate inland; only 1,648 of those who had evacuated subsequently returned.[63][64]
British Crown Colony: 1842–1941
A painter at work. John Thomson. Hong Kong, 1871. The Wellcome Collection, London
Main articles: British Hong Kong and History of Hong Kong (1800s–1930s)
In 1839, threats by the imperial court of Qing to sanction opium imports caused diplomatic friction with the British Empire. Tensions escalated into the First Opium War. The Qing admitted defeat when British forces captured Hong Kong Island on 20 January 1841. The island was initially ceded under the Convention of Chuenpi as part of a ceasefire agreement between Captain Charles Elliot and Governor Qishan. A dispute between high-ranking officials of both countries, however, led to the failure of the treaty's ratification. On 29 August 1842, Hong Kong Island was formally ceded in perpetuity to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland under the Treaty of Nanking.[65] The British officially established a Crown colony and founded the City of Victoria in the following year.[66]
The population of Hong Kong Island was 7,450 when the Union Flag raised over Possession Point on 26 January 1841. It mostly consisted of Tanka fishermen and Hakka charcoal burners, whose settlements scattered along several coastal hamlets. In the 1850s, a large number of Chinese immigrants crossed the then-free border to escape from the Taiping Rebellion. Other natural disasters, such as flooding, typhoons and famine in mainland China would play a role in establishing Hong Kong as a place for safe shelter.[67][68]
Further conflicts over the opium trade between Britain and Qing quickly escalated into the Second Opium War. Following the Anglo-French victory, the Crown Colony was expanded to include Kowloon Peninsula (south of Boundary Street) and Stonecutter's Island, both of which were ceded to the British in perpetuity under the Convention of Beijing in 1860.
In 1898, Britain obtained a 99-year lease from Qing under the Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory, in which Hong Kong obtained a 99-year lease of Lantau Island, the area north of Boundary Street in Kowloon up to Shenzhen River and over 200 other outlying islands.[69][70][71]
Hong Kong soon became a major entrepôt thanks to its free port status, attracting new immigrants to settle from both China and Europe. The society, however, remained racially segregated and polarised under early British colonial policies. Despite the rise of a British-educated Chinese upper-class by the late-19th century, race laws such as the Peak Reservation Ordinance prevented ethnic Chinese in Hong Kong from acquiring houses in reserved areas such as Victoria Peak. At this time, the majority of the Chinese population in Hong Kong had no political representation in the British colonial government. The British governors did rely, however, on a small number of Chinese elites, including Sir Kai Ho and Robert Hotung, who served as ambassadors and mediators between the government and local population.
File:1937 Hong Kong VP8.webmPlay media
Hong Kong filmed in 1937
In 1904, the United Kingdom established the world's first border and immigration control; all residents of Hong Kong were given citizenship as Citizens of United Kingdom and Colonies (CUKC).
Hong Kong continued to experience modest growth during the first half of the 20th century. The University of Hong Kong was established in 1911 as the territory's first higher education institute. While there had been an exodus of 60,000 residents for fear of a German attack on the British colony during the First World War, Hong Kong remained unscathed. Its population increased from 530,000 in 1916 to 725,000 in 1925 and reached 1.6 million by 1941.[72]
In 1925, Cecil Clementi became the 17th Governor of Hong Kong. Fluent in Cantonese and without a need for translator, Clementi introduced the first ethnic Chinese, Shouson Chow, into the Executive Council as an unofficial member. Under Clementi's tenure, Kai Tak Airport entered operation as RAF Kai Tak and several aviation clubs. In 1937, the Second Sino-Japanese War broke out when the Japanese Empire expanded its territories from northeastern China into the mainland proper. To safeguard Hong Kong as a freeport, Governor Geoffry Northcote declared the Crown Colony as a neutral zone.
Japanese occupation: 1941–45
Main article: Japanese occupation of Hong Kong
The Cenotaph in Hong Kong commemorates those who died in service in the First World War and the Second World War.[73]
As part of its military campaign in Southeast Asia during Second World War, the Japanese army moved south from Guangzhou of mainland China and attacked Hong Kong in on 8 December 1941.[74] Crossing the border at Shenzhen River on 8 December, the Battle of Hong Kong lasted for 18 days when British and Canadian forces held onto Hong Kong Island. Unable to defend against intensifying Japanese air and land bombardments, they eventually surrendered control of Hong Kong on 25 December 1941. The Governor of Hong Kong was captured and taken as a prisoner of war. This day is regarded by the locals as "Black Christmas".[75]
During the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, the Japanese army committed atrocities against civilians and POWs, such as the St. Stephen's College massacre. Local residents also suffered widespread food shortages, limited rationing and hyper-inflation arising from the forced exchange of currency from Hong Kong dollars to Japanese military banknotes. The initial ratio of 2:1 was gradually devalued to 4:1 and ownership of Hong Kong dollars was declared illegal and punishable by harsh torture. Due to starvation and forced deportation for slave labour to mainland China, the population of Hong Kong had dwindled from 1.6 million in 1941 to 600,000 in 1945, when the United Kingdom resumed control of the colony on 2 September 1945.[76]
Resumption of British rule and industrialisation: 1945–97
Main articles: British Hong Kong, 1950s in Hong Kong, 1960s in Hong Kong, 1970s in Hong Kong, 1980s in Hong Kong, and 1990s in Hong Kong
Flag of British Hong Kong from 1959 to 1997
Hong Kong's population recovered quickly after the war, as a wave of skilled migrants from the Republic of China moved in to seek refuge from the Chinese Civil War. When the Communist Party eventually took full control of mainland China in 1949, even more skilled migrants fled across the open border for fear of persecution.[69] Many newcomers, especially those who had been based in the major port cities of Shanghai and Guangzhou, established corporations and small- to medium-sized businesses and shifted their base operations to British Hong Kong.[69] The establishment of a socialist state in China (People's Republic of China) on 1 October 1949 caused the British colonial government to reconsider Hong Kong's open border to mainland China. In 1951, a boundary zone was demarked as a buffer zone against potential military attacks from communist China. Border posts along the north of Hong Kong began operation in 1953 to regulate the movement of people and goods into and out of the territory.
Stamp with portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, 1953
In the 1950s, Hong Kong became the first of the Four Asian Tiger economies under rapid industrialisation driven by textile exports, manufacturing industries and re-exports of goods to China. As the population grew, with labour costs remaining low, living standards began to rise steadily.[77] The construction of the Shek Kip Mei Estate in 1953 marked the beginning of the public housing estate programme to provide shelter for the less privileged and to cope with the influx of immigrants.
Under Sir Murray MacLehose, 25th Governor of Hong Kong (1971–82), a series of reforms improved the public services, environment, housing, welfare, education and infrastructure of Hong Kong. MacLehose was British Hong Kong's longest-serving governor and, by the end of his tenure, had become one of the most popular and well-known figures in the Crown Colony. MacLehose laid the foundation for Hong Kong to establish itself as a key global city in the 1980s and early 1990s.
A sky view of Hong Kong Island
An aerial view of the northern shore of Hong Kong Island in 1986
To resolve traffic congestion and to provide a more reliable means of crossing the Victoria Harbour, a rapid transit railway system (metro), the MTR, was planned from the 1970s onwards. The Island Line (Hong Kong Island), Kwun Tong Line (Kowloon Peninsula and East Kowloon) and Tsuen Wan Line (Kowloon and urban New Territories) opened in the early 1980s.[78]
In 1983, the Hong Kong dollar left its 16:1 peg with the Pound sterling and switched to the current US-HK Dollar peg. Hong Kong's competitiveness in manufacturing gradually declined due to rising labour and property costs, as well as new development in southern China under the Open Door Policy introduced in 1978 which opened up China to foreign business. Nevertheless, towards the early 1990s, Hong Kong had established itself as a global financial centre along with London and New York City, a regional hub for logistics and freight, one of the fastest-growing economies in Asia and the world's exemplar of Laissez-faire market policy.[79]
The Hong Kong question
In 1971, the Republic of China (Taiwan)'s permanent seat on the United Nations was transferred to the People's Republic of China (PRC), Hong Kong's status as a recognised colony became terminated in 1972 under the request of PRC. Facing the uncertain future of Hong Kong and expiry of land lease of New Territories beyond 1997, Governor MacLehose raised the question in the late 1970s.
The British Nationality Act 1981 reclassified Hong Kong into a British Dependent Territory amid the reorganisation of global territories of the British Empire. All residents of Hong Kong became British Dependent Territory Citizens (BDTC). Diplomatic negotiations began with China and eventually concluded with the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration. Both countries agreed to transfer Hong Kong's sovereignty to China on 1 July 1997, when Hong Kong would remain autonomous as a special administrative region and be able to retain its free-market economy, British common law through the Hong Kong Basic Law, independent representation in international organisations (e.g. WTO and WHO), treaty arrangements and policy-making except foreign diplomacy and military defence.
It stipulated that Hong Kong would retain its laws and be guaranteed a high degree of autonomy for at least 50 years after the transfer. The Hong Kong Basic Law, based on English law, would serve as the constitutional document after the transfer. It was ratified in 1990.[69] The expiry of the 1898 lease on the New Territories in 1997 created problems for business contracts, property leases and confidence among foreign investors.
Handover and Special Administrative Region status
Main articles: Transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong and 2000s in Hong Kong
Transfer of sovereignty
Golden Bauhinia Square
On 1 July 1997, the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China took place, officially marking the end of Hong Kong's 156 years under British colonial governance. As the largest remaining colony of the United Kingdom, the loss of Hong Kong effectively represented the end of the British Empire. This transfer of sovereignty made Hong Kong the first special administrative region of China. Tung Chee-Hwa, a pro-Beijing business tycoon, was elected Hong Kong's first Chief Executive by a selected electorate of 800 in a televised programme.
Structure of government
Hong Kong's current structure of governance inherits from the British model of colonial administration set up in the 1850s. The 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration states that "Hong Kong should enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all areas except defence and foreign affairs" with reference to the underlying principle of one country, two systems.[note 3] This Declaration stipulates that Hong Kong maintains her capitalist economic system and guarantees the rights and freedoms of her people for at least 50 years after the 1997 handover. [note 4] Such guarantees are enshrined in the Hong Kong's Basic Law, the territory's constitutional document, which outlines the system of governance after 1997, albeit subject to interpretation by China's Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPCSC).[95][96]
Hong Kong's most senior leader, Chief Executive, is elected by a committee of 1,200 selected members (600 in 1997) and nominally appointed by the Government of China. The primary pillars of government are the Executive Council, Legislative Council, civil service and Judiciary.
Policy-making is initially discussed in the Executive Council, presided by the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, before passing to the Legislative Council for bill adoption. The Executive Council consists of 30 official/unofficial members appointed by the Chief Executive and one member among them acts as the convenor.[97][98]
The Legislative Council, set up in 1843, debates policies and motions before voting to adopt or rejecting bills. It has 70 members (originally 60) and 40 (originally 30) among them are directly elected by universal suffrage; the other 30 members are "functional constituencies" (indirectly) elected by a smaller electorate of corporate bodies or representatives of stipulated economic sectors as defined by the government. The Legislative Council is chaired by a president who acts as the speaker.[99][100]
In 1997, seating of the Legislative Council (also public services and election franchises) of Hong Kong modelled on the British system: Urban Council (Hong Kong and Kowloon) and District Council (New Territories and Outlying Islands). In 1999, this system has been reformed into 18 directly elected District Offices across 5 Legislative Council constituencies: Hong Kong Island (East/West), Kowloon and New Territories (East/West); the remaining outlying islands are divided across the aforementioned regions.
Hong Kong's Civil Service, created by the British colonial government, is a politically neutral body that implements government policies and provides public services. Senior civil servants are appointed based on meritocracy. The territory's police, firefighting and customs forces, as well as clerical officers across various government departments, make up the civil service.[101][102]
2011 Parks, 2011 10-Pack, 2011 Classic and 2012 Classic Jasmine 12'' Dolls compared.
Ranking by feature:
Face: The 2012 Jasmine has the best, most movie accurate face. She has the same head mold as the 2011 Classic Jasmine, but they have reduced the apparent size of her forehead by moving her eyebrows up. She also has fuller lips than the 2011 doll. Now she doesn't have the "alien" forehead problem. Her face is also a touch darker, her sideglance a little more pronounced, her eyebrows simplified and a little thicker, and finally she has silver eyeshadow. All of these changes I believe enhance her appearance, and make her closer to the movie character. The Parks and 10-pack dolls have almost identical faces, which are pretty but considerably less movie accurate than the 2011 and 2012 Classic dolls.
Hair: The 2012 Jasmine's hair wins as the most movie accurate, although all four dolls have basically the same hairdo. The 2012 doll's hair is a bit fuller around her forehead. All the dolls have silky smooth straight jet black hair, that require very little maintenance since they are in pony tails tied in two places. The Parks doll has the glittering gold bands over black rubber band ties; the other three just have the rubber bands. The movie has blue cloth pony tail ties.
Outfits: The 10-pack Jasmine has the most movie accurate outfit, except the top is embellished with gold trim that is not in the movie. The headband with jewel, and triangular gold earrings are very close to the movie, but the glitter gold necklace is not. The 2012 Jasmine is next most accurate. The top does not have the gold trim, but the jewel in the headband and waistband are turquoise when they should be blue. The 2012 Jasmine also has glitter in the outfit, although not an excessive amount, and has a tulle overskirt. Her earrings are not at all movie accurate, but her gold necklace is. The Parks Jasmine has by far the most elaborite and detailed outfit, but is not very movie accurate. In last place is the 2011 Classic Jasmine, due to her glitter filled tulle overpants, and solid glitter top with a jewel that should be in her headband.
Shoes: The Parks Jasmine's gold shoes are very movie accurate; the rest of the dolls have the same turquoise shoes.
Articulation: The 2012 Jasmine wins with the addition of full articulation in her knees and ankles. So she finally wear her flat shoes in a more normal way. And of course she is much more poseable than the other Jasmines. The Parks Jasmine has the least articulation, with no elbow, wrist or ankle joints, and limited range in her knees. The 2011 Classic and 10-pack dolls have the same articulation, so tie for second place.
Overall Ranking: The 2012 Jasmine wins for overall beauty and movie accuracy. The Parks doll has the most beautiful and elaborite outfit, so it is second place for her appearance. The 10-pack doll is simple, almost glitter free, and quite movie accurate, so is in third place. In last place is the 2011 Classic Jasmine, due to all the glitter.
Comparing various versions of the Disney Princess 12'' poseable dolls, from the years 2011 through 2012. They are all from my collection, and for each of the 10 Disney Princesses, the different models are posed side by side in group photos. They are viewed from the front, the back and with their skirts lifted to show their legs and shoes or feet (for those with skirts). I also include short reviews of the dolls.
The models shown are:
2011 Disney Parks Collection Princess Dolls (Pocahontas and Mulan not included). $18.95
2011 Disney Store Classic Film Collection Princess Dolls - 10 Doll Set for $99.50
2011 Disney Store Classic Princess Dolls - $12.50
2012 Disney Store Classic Princess Dolls - $14.50
The 10 Disney Princesses and their movies are:
Snow White (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, 1937)
Cinderella (Cinderella, 1950)
Aurora (Sleeping Beauty, 1959)
Ariel (The Little Mermaid, 1989)
Belle (Beauty and the Beast, 1991)
Jasmine (Aladdin, 1992)
Pocahontas (Pocahontas, 1995)
Mulan (Mulan, 1998)
Tiana (The Princess and the Frog, 2009)
Rapunzel (Tangled, 2010)
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Dirección del Rajah Park Hotel
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#121: As of 10/2/18, under Flickr's popularity rankings of my 1300+ pics, this is listed as #121 in "interestingness."
I've been engaging in some short, private crossdressing opportunities at home recently, after acquiring and trying out some new clothes, shoes, and accessories. This is the 470th pic posted from this recent CD activity, and taken just in March.
As usual, I really enjoy color-coordinating attractive/sexy/cute outfits, and this one features: Forever 21 taupe over-the-knee ultra-high-heel boots; Thalia Sodi "sand" short-shorts; a Forever 21 taupe/white-striped sweater-knit v-neck crop top; a Forever 21 tan 2.5"-wide waist belt; a Forever 21 taupe handbag; a champagne velvet fringed scarf; and gold rings, earrings, necklace, and bracelets.
More about this and other new 2017-18 pics was written up recently in a descriptive Update provided in my profile or "About" page here on Flickr. It details some choices made for these 2017-18 pics.
Let me know your thoughts... :-)
It's only 4 DAYS until I'm sitting in the theater, ready to watch Infinity War!!! To honor the occasion, I thought I'd rank EVERYTHING that I've seen that takes place in the MCU. I've included everything, movies, TV shows, Web series, even the Marvel One-Shots! So without further ado, here are my 1-20 favorite pieces of MCU content!
1. Ant-Man
2. Guardians of the Galaxy
3. Captain America: Civil War
4. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
5. Daredevil Season 1
6. Daredevil Season 2
7. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
8. Thor: Ragnarok
9. Black Panther
10. Avengers: Age of Ultron
11. The Avengers
12. Doctor Strange
13. Spider-Man: Homecoming
14. Punisher Season 1
15. Iron Man
16. The Defenders Season 1
17. Luke Cage Season 1
18. Jessica Jones Season 1
19. Captain America: The First Avenger
20. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 4
3 young men are sleeping in the heart of Ein Diab under the cover of a general seat.
High-ranking officials, however, You will live and regret a day that does not serve remorse.
You will be fully responsible and accountable for everything that happens on this country.
لاحول ولا قوة إلا بالله.
Common Feat. Will I Am - I have a dream 🎧🎤
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#329: As of 8/31/19, under Flickr's popularity rankings of my 1800+ pics, this is listed as #329 in "interestingness."
Since 2017, I've been engaging in a number of short, private crossdressing opportunities at home, after acquiring and trying out some new clothes, shoes, and accessories. This is another pic posted from this renewed CD activity, and was taken inside my house.
As usual, I really enjoy color-coordinating attractive/sexy/cute outfits, and this one features:
* a Rbenxia "rose red" fuchsia curly long 32" wig, from amazon;
* Jessica Simpson "boysenberry purple" magenta-ish suede "Javrey" slingback-cutout-back 4"-stiletto-heel peeptoe shooties, from Macy's;
* an ECI fuchsia/black metallic-knit vertical-striped A-line midi skirt, from Burlington;
* an INC pink v-neck-with-O-ring-embellishment top, from Macy's;
* magenta fishnet tights, from WeLoveColors.com;
* a shiny rainbow-colored waist belt, from Walmart;
* a rainbow-colored fringed neck scarf;
* fuchsia and burgundy necklaces and bracelets;
* a TKO purple/gold ladies watch, from Target;
* rose gold rings & earrings;
* gold/clear "ear cuffs" (long dangling jewelry cuffed to the sides of the ears), from Forever 21; and
* a rose gold layered anklet chain set, from Forever 21.
More about this and other 2017-19 pics has been written up in my profile or "About" page here on Flickr. It details some choices made for these 2017-19 pics.
Let me know your thoughts... :-)
The Planet of the Apes franchise is, in my opinion, the most underrated iconic science fiction franchise of all time. For a franchise that's given so much to pop culture and film culture, these films aren't as discussed enough as they should be. Anyways, I saw that my school library had all the Planet of the Apes films that I haven't seen so I decided to give them a shot! Turns out that they weren't all that good, but I still wanted to share with you guys how I'd rank them!
1. Planet of the Apes (1968)
2. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
3. War for the Planet of the Apes
4. Rise of the Planet of the Apes
5. Beneath the Planet of the Apes
6. Conquest of the Planet of the Apes
7. Escape from the Planet of the Apes
8. Planet of the Apes (2001)
9. Battle of the Planet of the Apes
If you haven't seen these films, I'd say you watch the newer ones, then the original and finally Beneath the Planet of the Apes. The rest are these weird time travel/prequel stuff and the bad Tim Burton movie. Anyways, if you want to see more film rankings, check out my Letterboxd account below!
HIGHEST FLICKR EXPLORE RANKING: 276
Another shot of possibly my favourite London station of 'em all, given the number of photographs I've taken in and around its environs. The last of the late night trains north prepare to depart King's Cross Station, London, England. Taken in the early hours of November 15, 2006.
#177: As of 7/25/16, under Flickr's popularity rankings of my 400+ pics, this is rated #177 in "interestingness." With so many earlier-posted pics accumulating significantly larger numbers of views (the vast majority of my 200 most viewed pics were posted before fall 2014), it's increasingly harder to have more recent pics place high on flickr's "interestingness" rankings, so this pic's ranking is an accomplishment, or noteworthy.
This is part of a series of pics taken while trying on several different outfits to go with a pair of Qupid beige booties I bought not long ago from DSW. (The shoe box says the booties are "taupe", but to me these are really more beige, and not as darker-colored as my taupe pumps and booties seen in other pics I've recently posted here on flickr.) UPDATE: I wrote a review of these on the DSW website at www.dsw.com/shoe/qupid+ravish-83+bootie?prodId=316062&....
For booties, it's great to pair with a cute short dress, a nice cardigan, and semi-opaque tights. This outfit fits the bill nicely, I think.
This is a close-up focused on these new booties (and my legs), as I introduce a new series with this first pic.
Let me know what you think... :-)
2011 Parks, 2011 10-Pack, 2011 Classic and 2012 Classic Snow White 12'' Dolls compared.
Ranking of features:
Face: The 2012 wins, for movie accuracy, youth, liveliness (due to side glancing eyes) and beauty. The 2011 Classic has the same head mold, and is also very accurate, but her lips and eyes are too dark. The 10-pack and Parks dolls have almost identical faces (their lip colors are slightly different), and are also very lovely.
Hair: I like the 10-pack and Parks hair the best, which are identical in style. The side curls of the 2011 Classic are too prominent, and the 2012 even more so.
Outfits: The Parks doll wins hands down for completeness, detail and beauty. She has the bonus of the cape, petticoat and white cloth panties that none of the others have. But the 10-pack doll has by far the most movie accurate costume, and it is almost glitter free. The nicest looking bow is on the 2012 Classic doll. The worst outfit is the 2011 Classic, with the glittery tulle overskirt, solid glitter bodice, and random jewel.
Shoes: The Parks doll wins for the beauty of her shiny gold high heeled shoes. But the most movie accurate is the 2012 Classic doll, with flat yellow shoes.
Articulation: Of course, the 2012 doll wins hands down, with the addition of fully articulated legs. The Parks doll has the least articulation, with no elbow, wrist or ankle joints, and very limited knee joints, but is still fairly poseable. And her arms and legs look more natural without exposed external joints.
Overall Ranking: For presentation and display, the Parks doll is much more impressive looking than the other dolls. However, for play and posing, the 10-pack doll wins because of her simple yet elegant and movie accurate, glitter free outfit, and articulated arms.
Comparing various versions of the Disney Princess 12'' poseable dolls, from the years 2011 through 2012. They are all from my collection, and for each of the 10 Disney Princesses, the different models are posed side by side in group photos. They are viewed from the front, the back and with their skirts lifted to show their legs and shoes or feet (for those with skirts). I also include short reviews of the dolls.
The models shown are:
2011 Disney Parks Collection Princess Dolls (Pocahontas and Mulan not included). $18.95
2011 Disney Store Classic Film Collection Princess Dolls - 10 Doll Set for $99.50
2011 Disney Store Classic Princess Dolls - $12.50
2012 Disney Store Classic Princess Dolls - $14.50
The 10 Disney Princesses and their movies are:
Snow White (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, 1937)
Cinderella (Cinderella, 1950)
Aurora (Sleeping Beauty, 1959)
Ariel (The Little Mermaid, 1989)
Belle (Beauty and the Beast, 1991)
Jasmine (Aladdin, 1992)
Pocahontas (Pocahontas, 1995)
Mulan (Mulan, 1998)
Tiana (The Princess and the Frog, 2009)
Rapunzel (Tangled, 2010)
This monkey is a low ranking male in the troop, he was some distance away from the group. Adapted for a temperate climate and well equipped for snow with a lush fur coat.
Native to Morocco.
Monkey Forest, Trentham Staffordshire UK 11th November 2012
Sunrise Holiday Mansion Hotel en Tagaytay, (Filipinas)
Hotel Ranking : 5.7
El Sunrise Holiday Mansion Hotel es una elecci¢n popular entre los viajeros en Tagaytay, ya sea que se encuentren de paso o deseen recorrerla. El hotel te ofrece todas las comodidades y servicios que necesitas para pasar una noche de descanso. Encontrar s a mano todas las comodidades necesarias, que incluyen servicio de habitaciones 24h, Seguridad 24h, limpieza diaria, tienda de regalos/souvenirs, alquiler Wi-Fi port til. Las habitaciones cuentan con todo el equipamiento que necesitas para una noche de descanso- En algunas de ellas, los hu‚spedes pueden encontrar armario, toallas, sal¢n independiente, sof , espejo. Disfruta de las instalaciones recreativas del hotel, que incluyen piscina al aire libre, masajista, jard¡n, karaoke, antes de retirarte a tu habitaci¢n para un merecido descanso. Si buscas servicio confiable y personal competente, el Sunrise Holiday Mansion Hotel es el adecuado para satisfacer tus necesidades.
Fotos del hotel Sunrise Holiday Mansion Hotel de Tagaytay
Dirección del Sunrise Holiday Mansion Hotel
Encuentra fácilmente el hotel Sunrise Holiday Mansion Hotel en Tagaytay
Sunrise Holiday Mansion Hotel en youtube
(en beta)
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Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munich
Munich (German: München; Austro-Bavarian: Minga; Polish: Monachium) is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, the second most populous German federal state. With a population of around 1.5 million, it is the third-largest city in Germany, after Berlin and Hamburg, as well as the 12th-largest city in the European Union. The city's metropolitan region is home to 6 million people. Straddling the banks of the River Isar (a tributary of the Danube) north of the Bavarian Alps, it is the seat of the Bavarian administrative region of Upper Bavaria, while being the most densely populated municipality in Germany (4,500 people per km²). Munich is the second-largest city in the Bavarian dialect area, after the Austrian capital of Vienna.
The city is a major centre of art, technology, finance, publishing, culture, innovation, education, business, and tourism in Germany and Europe and enjoys a very high standard and quality of living, reaching first in Germany and third worldwide according to the 2018 Mercer survey, and being rated the world's most liveable city by the Monocle's Quality of Life Survey 2018. According to the Globalization and World Rankings Research Institute Munich is considered an alpha-world city, as of 2015.
The name of the city is derived from the Old/Middle High German term Munichen, meaning "by the monks". It derives from the monks of the Benedictine order, who ran a monastery at the place that was later to become the Old Town of Munich; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat of arms. Munich was first mentioned in 1158. Catholic Munich strongly resisted the Reformation and was a political point of divergence during the resulting Thirty Years' War, but remained physically untouched despite an occupation by the Protestant Swedes. Once Bavaria was established as a sovereign kingdom in 1806, it became a major European centre of arts, architecture, culture and science. In 1918, during the German Revolution, the ruling house of Wittelsbach, which had governed Bavaria since 1180, was forced to abdicate in Munich and a short-lived socialist republic was declared.
In the 1920s, Munich became home to several political factions, among them the NSDAP. The first attempt of the Nazi movement to take over the German government in 1923 with the Beer Hall Putsch was stopped by the Bavarian police in Munich with gunfire. After the Nazis' rise to power, Munich was declared their "Capital of the Movement". During World War II, Munich was heavily bombed and more than 50% of the entire city and up to 90% of the historic centre were destroyed. After the end of postwar American occupation in 1949, there was a great increase in population and economic power during the years of Wirtschaftswunder, or "economic miracle". Unlike many other German cities which were heavily bombed, Munich restored most of its traditional cityscape and hosted the 1972 Summer Olympics. The 1980s brought strong economic growth, high-tech industries and scientific institutions, and population growth. The city is home to major corporations like BMW, Siemens, MAN, Linde, Allianz and MunichRE.
Munich is home to many universities, museums and theatres. Its numerous architectural attractions, sports events, exhibitions and its annual Oktoberfest attract considerable tourism. Munich is one of the most prosperous and fastest growing cities in Germany. It is a top-ranked destination for migration and expatriate location. Munich hosts more than 530,000 people of foreign background, making up 37.7% of its population.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Town_Hall_(Munich)
The New Town Hall (German: Neues Rathaus; Central Bavarian: Neis Rathaus) is a town hall at the northern part of Marienplatz in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. It hosts the city government including the city council, offices of the mayors and a small portion part of the administration. In 1874 the municipality had left the Old Town Hall for its new domicile.
The Beat ( www.thebeatofficial.com/ ) played Seaside Specialized in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust (www.teenagecancertrust.org/?gclid=CNjQ5PvZv9ICFRG3GwodmEQClA) and Youth Music ( www.youthmusic.org.uk/?gclid=COPu5rLav9ICFcQp0wod1KgH9Q)
(www.thevisitor.co.uk/whats-on/music/morecambe-set-to-boom...)
at the Winter Garden, Morecambe, Lancashire, England.