I was sitting on the ground with my macro lens taking shots of this small web with the dew drops, when all of a sudden this HUGE spider crawled into view. It startled me and I jumped back! Then I looked again (without the lens) and laughed. It was just a tiny spider! Although I'm not as afraid of spiders as I used to be (since I've been photographing them), I'll still react when one startles me. I've learned that's the amygdala part of the brain reacting. It feels fear before the reasoning part of the brain can figure out that there's no danger.

 

This spider was just 1/2 inch long or less. I must have disturbed something and she came out to check on her web. She sat here for a while and let me photograph her.

I always wonder whenever the unconventional way I see the World surrounding me. And I do believe that all the unconventional ways are not essentially driven by common senses. And that is the reason why the essential mysteries of the world remain unraveled to common people like us those who want to understand the world by reasoning through common senses!!!!!

 

No photoshop effect added.

  

lithium sunrise

 

aka "la muretta"

I've visited this scene so often, it keeps dragging me back to the Lake District at least once every year as I"m obsessed with getting the perfect conditions, but will need to visit again!

 

I arrived at 4.30am expecting piece and tranquility, but picked the worst morning of the year for that. When I began walking through Hassness Wood I shuddered in horror at the scene in front of my eyes. All I could see were loads of mobile homes, camper vans, 4x4s, cars and tents erected in the field alongside the shoreline and in the field (next to Hassness Wood). For anyone from outside the UK, wild camping in England is illegal, but one rule of law amongst wild campers is to arrive at dusk and depart at dawn. Anyway I walked on to my location determined to not let it spoil the experience thinking it was after all 4.45am, so everyone will be sound asleep.

 

At 4.55am the tranquility was turned completely upside down when a helicopter appeared and decided to fly up and down Buttermere for the next hour. This awoke everyone from their tents and mobile homes, who came out to see what was going on. The whole of Buttermere was more akin to an FBI crime scene - at 5am on a Monday morning!

 

The helicopter must have been filming as it had a massive camera on the front but it didn't disappear till well over an hour later. Over the other side of the lake people were further compounding the loud noise by riding quad bikes up and down the lake shore path. Inside my head I was seething as it's such an effort to reach this location as it's about 350 miles from my home and I get crowds of people, a helicopter and quad bikes at 5am!!!

 

Part of the reasoning for visiting Buttermere is also for peace and tranquility. I hung around for 2 hours in hope for the lake to become mirror like and couldn't wait to get out of the place after taking this photograph.

 

I later discovered all the tents and motor homes parked by the lake (behind where this shot was taken) is a once per year festival called the "Buttermere Bash" where people from any walks of life pay a fee so they can camp for 5 days and park up lakeside to have a festival (like a mini Glastonbury).

 

For anyone visiting Buttermere for photography, the best time of year is probably autumn as the light is less harsh and you can't beat the autumnal colours. Just remember the sun doesn't appear over the high surrounding fells till at least one hour after sunrise time.

366 outtakes: Day 11 - I couldn't let today pass without sharing the Shoreham houseboats with you.

 

This eclectic collection of barges moored on the riverside opposite Shoreham town centre is legendary, and this is my absolute favourite. The top deck consists of two buses, a wild metal roof and delightful teardrop windows. It even has a bomb stuck in the mud!

 

When the tide is out, there are 75 yards of mud before you get to the water, so it isn't quite as idyllic a place to live as you might imagine ...

 

It was a tough call to leave this out of my 366, but my reasoning is that I can photograph the houseboats at any time. The image I chose was a moment of light, which, although perhaps not as interesting or esoteric, is closer to my photographic heart ...

Center pivot irrigation systems expand cropping options in Brazil's Central Plateau, including perennial crops like coffee, seen here.

PLEASE READ. THIS IS MY EXPERIENCE.

 

They are the tribals living in the tropical forests of ANDAMAN ISLANDS.

 

They hunt using BOW and ARROW and usually consume raw meat.

 

The last attack by a JARAWA TRIBAL occured in 2001 where a local

from ANDAMAN was shot dead using BOW and ARROW.

Reason of attack - Provocation and insult of their tribe.

 

The JARAWA TRIBALS are offended by the presence of camera.

I witnessed this myself.Their ability to recognise a camera is beyond my reasoning ability.

 

These JARAWA TRIBALS are found along the road leading to BARATANG ( from PORT BLAIR )

in SOUTH ANDAMAN which is the home of THE MUD VOLCANO and THE LIMESTONE CAVES.

 

They are unaware about the use of money and they do not use it.

 

Interaction with a JARAWA TRIBAL is BANNED under GOVERNMENT LAWS.

 

PS: This JARAWA COUPLE were photographed by me in hiding.

They were unaware about the presence of my camera and i have tried to remain ethical

while photographing them (though illegal) and no offence was intended.

 

Andaman is a very tourist friendly location.

Apart from my family i also liked the presence of Dr. Subhasis Ghosh

(a resident of ANDAMAN) who replied to all my innumerable queries during the BARATANG visit.

 

MANOJ (09933293593) our driver cum guide made our visit very comfortable.

 

FINALLY iam outraged about the fact that the GOVERNMENT on one hand has banned

interaction and photography of JARAWA TRIBALS and on the other hand have used

them as bait to lure pesky tourists like me..!!

Paris / Champs Élysées - Eiffelturm vom Trocadero gesehen

 

The Eiffel Tower (/ˈaɪfəl/ EYE-fəl; French: Tour Eiffel [tuʁ ɛfɛl is a lattice tower on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France. It is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower from 1887 to 1889.

 

Locally nicknamed "La dame de fer" (French for "Iron Lady") for its use of wrought iron, it was constructed as the centrepiece of the 1889 World's Fair, and to crown the centennial anniversary of the French Revolution. Although initially criticised by some of France's leading artists and intellectuals for its design, it has since become a global cultural icon of France and one of the most recognisable structures in the world. The tower received 5,889,000 visitors in 2022. The Eiffel Tower is the most visited monument with an entrance fee in the world: 6.91 million people ascended it in 2015. It was designated a monument historique in 1964, and was named part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site ("Paris, Banks of the Seine") in 1991.

 

The tower is 330 metres (1,083 ft) tall, about the same height as an 81-storey building, and the tallest structure in Paris. Its base is square, measuring 125 metres (410 ft) on each side. During its construction, the Eiffel Tower surpassed the Washington Monument to become by far the tallest human-made structure in the world, a title it held for 41 years until the Chrysler Building in New York City was finished in 1930. It was the first structure in the world to surpass both the 200-metre and 300-metre mark in height. Due to the addition of a broadcasting aerial at the top of the tower in 1957, it is now taller than the Chrysler Building by 5.2 metres (17 ft). Excluding transmitters, the Eiffel Tower is the second tallest free-standing structure in France after the Millau Viaduct.

 

The tower has three levels for visitors, with restaurants on the first and second levels. The top level's upper platform is 276 m (906 ft) above the ground—the highest public observation deck in the European Union. Tickets can be purchased to ascend by stairs or lift to the first and second levels. The climb from ground level to the first level is over 300 steps, as is the climb from the first level to the second, making the entire ascent a 600-step climb. Although there is a staircase to the top level, it is usually accessible only by lift. On this top, third level, is a private apartment built for Gustave Eiffel, who decorated it with furniture made by Jean Lachaise and invited friends such as Thomas Edison.

 

History

 

Origin

 

The design of the Eiffel Tower is attributed to Maurice Koechlin and Émile Nouguier, two senior engineers working for the Compagnie des Établissements Eiffel. It was envisaged after discussion about a suitable centrepiece for the proposed 1889 Exposition Universelle, a world's fair to celebrate the centennial of the French Revolution. In May 1884, working at home, Koechlin made a sketch of their idea, described by him as "a great pylon, consisting of four lattice girders standing apart at the base and coming together at the top, joined together by metal trusses at regular intervals". Eiffel initially showed little enthusiasm, but he did approve further study, and the two engineers then asked Stephen Sauvestre, the head of the company's architectural department, to contribute to the design. Sauvestre added decorative arches to the base of the tower, a glass pavilion to the first level, and other embellishments.

 

The new version gained Eiffel's support: he bought the rights to the patent on the design which Koechlin, Nouguier, and Sauvestre had taken out, and the design was put on display at the Exhibition of Decorative Arts in the autumn of 1884 under the company name. On 30 March 1885, Eiffel presented his plans to the Société des Ingénieurs Civils; after discussing the technical problems and emphasising the practical uses of the tower, he finished his talk by saying the tower would symbolise

 

[n]ot only the art of the modern engineer, but also the century of Industry and Science in which we are living, and for which the way was prepared by the great scientific movement of the eighteenth century and by the Revolution of 1789, to which this monument will be built as an expression of France's gratitude.

 

Little progress was made until 1886, when Jules Grévy was re-elected as president of France and Édouard Lockroy was appointed as minister for trade. A budget for the exposition was passed and, on 1 May, Lockroy announced an alteration to the terms of the open competition being held for a centrepiece to the exposition, which effectively made the selection of Eiffel's design a foregone conclusion, as entries had to include a study for a 300 m (980 ft) four-sided metal tower on the Champ de Mars. (A 300-metre tower was then considered a herculean engineering effort.) On 12 May, a commission was set up to examine Eiffel's scheme and its rivals, which, a month later, decided that all the proposals except Eiffel's were either impractical or lacking in details.

 

After some debate about the exact location of the tower, a contract was signed on 8 January 1887. Eiffel signed it acting in his own capacity rather than as the representative of his company, the contract granting him 1.5 million francs toward the construction costs: less than a quarter of the estimated 6.5 million francs. Eiffel was to receive all income from the commercial exploitation of the tower during the exhibition and for the next 20 years. He later established a separate company to manage the tower, putting up half the necessary capital himself.

 

A French bank, the Crédit Industriel et Commercial (CIC), helped finance the construction of the Eiffel Tower. During the period of the tower's construction, the CIC was acquiring funds from predatory loans to the National Bank of Haiti, some of which went towards the financing of the tower. These loans were connected to an indemnity controversy that saw France force Haiti's government to financially compensate French slaveowners for lost income as a result of the Haitian Revolution, and required Haiti to pay the CIC and its partner nearly half of all taxes collected on exports, "effectively choking off the nation's primary source of income". According to The New York Times, "[at] a time when the [CIC] was helping finance one of the world's best-known landmarks, the Eiffel Tower, as a monument to French liberty, it was choking Haiti's economy, taking much of the young nation's income back to Paris and impairing its ability to start schools, hospitals and the other building blocks of an independent country."

 

Artists' protest

 

The proposed tower had been a subject of controversy, drawing criticism from those who did not believe it was feasible and those who objected on artistic grounds. Prior to the Eiffel Tower's construction, no structure had ever been constructed to a height of 300 m, or even 200 m for that matter, and many people believed it was impossible. These objections were an expression of a long-standing debate in France about the relationship between architecture and engineering. It came to a head as work began at the Champ de Mars: a "Committee of Three Hundred" (one member for each metre of the tower's height) was formed, led by the prominent architect Charles Garnier and including some of the most important figures of the arts, such as William-Adolphe Bouguereau, Guy de Maupassant, Charles Gounod and Jules Massenet. A petition called "Artists against the Eiffel Tower" was sent to the Minister of Works and Commissioner for the Exposition, Adolphe Alphand, and it was published by Le Temps on 14 February 1887:

 

We, writers, painters, sculptors, architects and passionate devotees of the hitherto untouched beauty of Paris, protest with all our strength, with all our indignation in the name of slighted French taste, against the erection ... of this useless and monstrous Eiffel Tower ... To bring our arguments home, imagine for a moment a giddy, ridiculous tower dominating Paris like a gigantic black smokestack, crushing under its barbaric bulk Notre Dame, the Tour Saint-Jacques, the Louvre, the Dome of les Invalides, the Arc de Triomphe, all of our humiliated monuments will disappear in this ghastly dream. And for twenty years ... we shall see stretching like a blot of ink the hateful shadow of the hateful column of bolted sheet metal.

 

Gustave Eiffel responded to these criticisms by comparing his tower to the Egyptian pyramids: "My tower will be the tallest edifice ever erected by man. Will it not also be grandiose in its way? And why would something admirable in Egypt become hideous and ridiculous in Paris?" These criticisms were also dealt with by Édouard Lockroy in a letter of support written to Alphand, sardonically saying, "Judging by the stately swell of the rhythms, the beauty of the metaphors, the elegance of its delicate and precise style, one can tell this protest is the result of collaboration of the most famous writers and poets of our time", and he explained that the protest was irrelevant since the project had been decided upon months before, and construction on the tower was already under way.

 

Garnier was a member of the Tower Commission that had examined the various proposals, and had raised no objection. Eiffel pointed out to a journalist that it was premature to judge the effect of the tower solely on the basis of the drawings, that the Champ de Mars was distant enough from the monuments mentioned in the protest for there to be little risk of the tower overwhelming them, and putting the aesthetic argument for the tower: "Do not the laws of natural forces always conform to the secret laws of harmony?"

 

Some of the protesters changed their minds when the tower was built; others remained unconvinced. Guy de Maupassant supposedly ate lunch in the tower's restaurant every day because it was the one place in Paris where the tower was not visible.

 

By 1918, it had become a symbol of Paris and of France after Guillaume Apollinaire wrote a nationalist poem in the shape of the tower (a calligram) to express his feelings about the war against Germany. Today, it is widely considered to be a remarkable piece of structural art, and is often featured in films and literature.

 

Construction

 

Work on the foundations started on 28 January 1887. Those for the east and south legs were straightforward, with each leg resting on four 2 m (6.6 ft) concrete slabs, one for each of the principal girders of each leg. The west and north legs, being closer to the river Seine, were more complicated: each slab needed two piles installed by using compressed-air caissons 15 m (49 ft) long and 6 m (20 ft) in diameter driven to a depth of 22 m (72 ft) to support the concrete slabs, which were 6 m (20 ft) thick. Each of these slabs supported a block of limestone with an inclined top to bear a supporting shoe for the ironwork.

 

Each shoe was anchored to the stonework by a pair of bolts 10 cm (4 in) in diameter and 7.5 m (25 ft) long. The foundations were completed on 30 June, and the erection of the ironwork began. The visible work on-site was complemented by the enormous amount of exacting preparatory work that took place behind the scenes: the drawing office produced 1,700 general drawings and 3,629 detailed drawings of the 18,038 different parts needed. The task of drawing the components was complicated by the complex angles involved in the design and the degree of precision required: the position of rivet holes was specified to within 1 mm (0.04 in) and angles worked out to one second of arc. The finished components, some already riveted together into sub-assemblies, arrived on horse-drawn carts from a factory in the nearby Parisian suburb of Levallois-Perret and were first bolted together, with the bolts being replaced with rivets as construction progressed. No drilling or shaping was done on site: if any part did not fit, it was sent back to the factory for alteration. In all, 18,038 pieces were joined using 2.5 million rivets.

 

At first, the legs were constructed as cantilevers, but about halfway to the first level construction was paused to create a substantial timber scaffold. This renewed concerns about the structural integrity of the tower, and sensational headlines such as "Eiffel Suicide!" and "Gustave Eiffel Has Gone Mad: He Has Been Confined in an Asylum" appeared in the tabloid press. Multiple famous artists of that time, Charles Garnier and Alexandre Dumas, thought poorly of the newly made tower. Charles Garnier thought it was a "truly tragic street lamp". Alexandre Dumas said that it was like "Odius shadow of the odious column built of rivets and iron plates extending like a black blot". There were multiple protests over the style and the reasoning of placing it in the middle of Paris. At this stage, a small "creeper" crane designed to move up the tower was installed in each leg. They made use of the guides for the lifts which were to be fitted in the four legs. The critical stage of joining the legs at the first level was completed by the end of March 1888. Although the metalwork had been prepared with the utmost attention to detail, provision had been made to carry out small adjustments to precisely align the legs; hydraulic jacks were fitted to the shoes at the base of each leg, capable of exerting a force of 800 tonnes, and the legs were intentionally constructed at a slightly steeper angle than necessary, being supported by sandboxes on the scaffold. Although construction involved 300 on-site employees, due to Eiffel's safety precautions and the use of movable gangways, guardrails and screens, only one person died.

 

Inauguration and the 1889 exposition

 

The main structural work was completed at the end of March 1889 and, on 31 March, Eiffel celebrated by leading a group of government officials, accompanied by representatives of the press, to the top of the tower. Because the lifts were not yet in operation, the ascent was made by foot, and took over an hour, with Eiffel stopping frequently to explain various features. Most of the party chose to stop at the lower levels, but a few, including the structural engineer, Émile Nouguier, the head of construction, Jean Compagnon, the President of the City Council, and reporters from Le Figaro and Le Monde Illustré, completed the ascent. At 2:35 pm, Eiffel hoisted a large Tricolour to the accompaniment of a 25-gun salute fired at the first level.

 

There was still work to be done, particularly on the lifts and facilities, and the tower was not opened to the public until nine days after the opening of the exposition on 6 May; even then, the lifts had not been completed. The tower was an instant success with the public, and nearly 30,000 visitors made the 1,710-step climb to the top before the lifts entered service on 26 May. Tickets cost 2 francs for the first level, 3 for the second, and 5 for the top, with half-price admission on Sundays, and by the end of the exhibition there had been 1,896,987 visitors.

 

After dark, the tower was lit by hundreds of gas lamps, and a beacon sent out three beams of red, white and blue light. Two searchlights mounted on a circular rail were used to illuminate various buildings of the exposition. The daily opening and closing of the exposition were announced by a cannon at the top.

 

On the second level, the French newspaper Le Figaro had an office and a printing press, where a special souvenir edition, Le Figaro de la Tour, was made.

 

At the top, there was a post office where visitors could send letters and postcards as a memento of their visit. Graffitists were also catered for: sheets of paper were mounted on the walls each day for visitors to record their impressions of the tower. Gustave Eiffel described the collection of responses as "truly curious".

 

Famous visitors to the tower included the Prince of Wales, Sarah Bernhardt, "Buffalo Bill" Cody (his Wild West show was an attraction at the exposition) and Thomas Edison. Eiffel invited Edison to his private apartment at the top of the tower, where Edison presented him with one of his phonographs, a new invention and one of the many highlights of the exposition. Edison signed the guestbook with this message on September 10, 1889:

 

To M Eiffel the Engineer the brave builder of so gigantic and original specimen of modern Engineering from one who has the greatest respect and admiration for all Engineers including the Great Engineer the Bon Dieu, Thomas Edison.

 

Eiffel made use of his apartment at the top of the tower to carry out meteorological observations, and also used the tower to perform experiments on the action of air resistance on falling bodies.

 

Subsequent events

 

Eiffel had a permit for the tower to stand for 20 years. It was to be dismantled in 1909, when its ownership would revert to the City of Paris. The city had planned to tear it down (part of the original contest rules for designing a tower was that it should be easy to dismantle) but as the tower proved to be valuable for many innovations in the early 20th century, particularly radio telegraphy, it was allowed to remain after the expiry of the permit, and from 1910 it also became part of the International Time Service.

 

For the 1900 Exposition Universelle, the lifts in the east and west legs were replaced by lifts running as far as the second level constructed by the French firm Fives-Lille. These had a compensating mechanism to keep the floor level as the angle of ascent changed at the first level, and were driven by a similar hydraulic mechanism as the Otis lifts, although this was situated at the base of the tower. Hydraulic pressure was provided by pressurised accumulators located near this mechanism. At the same time the lift in the north pillar was removed and replaced by a staircase to the first level. The layout of both first and second levels was modified. The original lift in the south pillar was removed 13 years later.

 

On 19 October 1901, Alberto Santos-Dumont, flying his No.6 airship, won a 100,000-franc prize offered by Henri Deutsch de la Meurthe for the first person to make a flight from St. Cloud to the Eiffel Tower and back in less than half an hour.

 

From 1910, the astronomical clocks of the Paris Observatory sent the time to sea daily through the Eiffel Tower within a radius of 5 000 km. The development of wireless telegraphy allowed unifying Universal Time. On 9 March 1911, France adopted Greenwich Mean Time by law. However, the law did not refer to Greenwich Prime Meridian, but to the local mean time of Paris delayed by 9 minutes and 21 seconds. In 1912, following a report by Gustave Ferrié, the Bureau des Longitudes organized at the Paris Observatory a Conférence internationale de l'heure radiotélégraphique (International Radiotelegraph Time Conference). The International Time Bureau was created and installed in the premises of the Paris Observatory. However, due to World War I, the International Convention was never ratified. In 1919, the existence of the International Time Bureau was formalized under the authority of an International Time Commission, under the aegis of the International Astronomical Union, created by Benjamin Baillaud.

 

In 1910, Father Theodor Wulf measured radiant energy at the top and bottom of the tower. He found more at the top than expected, incidentally discovering what are known today as cosmic rays. Two years later, on 4 February 1912, Austrian tailor Franz Reichelt died after jumping from the first level of the tower (a height of 57 m) to demonstrate his parachute design. In 1914, at the outbreak of World War I, a radio transmitter located in the tower jammed German radio communications, seriously hindering their advance on Paris and contributing to the Allied victory at the First Battle of the Marne.

 

During World War I, the Eiffel Tower's wireless station played a crucial role in intercepting enemy communications from Berlin. In 1914, French forces successfully launched a counter-attack during the Battle of the Marne after gaining critical intelligence on the German Army's movements. In 1917, the station intercepted a coded message between Germany and Spain that referenced 'Operative H-21.' This information contributed to the arrest, conviction, and execution of Mata Hari, the famous spy accused of working for Germany.

 

From 1925 to 1934, illuminated signs for Citroën adorned three of the tower's sides, making it the tallest advertising space in the world at the time. In April 1935, the tower was used to make experimental low-resolution television transmissions, using a shortwave transmitter of 200 watts power. On 17 November, an improved 180-line transmitter was installed.

 

On two separate but related occasions in 1925, the con artist Victor Lustig "sold" the tower for scrap metal. A year later, in February 1926, pilot Leon Collet was killed trying to fly under the tower. His aircraft became entangled in an aerial belonging to a wireless station. A bust of Gustave Eiffel by Antoine Bourdelle was unveiled at the base of the north leg on 2 May 1929. In 1930, the tower lost the title of the world's tallest structure when the Chrysler Building in New York City was completed. In 1938, the decorative arcade around the first level was removed.

 

Upon the German occupation of Paris in 1940, the lift cables were cut by the French. The tower was restricted to German visitors during the occupation and the lifts were not repaired until 1946. In 1940, German soldiers had to climb the tower to hoist a swastika-centred Reichskriegsflagge, but the flag was so large it blew away just a few hours later, and was replaced by a smaller one.[When visiting Paris, Hitler chose to stay on the ground. When the Allies were nearing Paris in August 1944, Hitler ordered General Dietrich von Choltitz, the military governor of Paris, to demolish the tower along with the rest of the city. Von Choltitz disobeyed the order. On 25 August, before the Germans had been driven out of Paris, the German flag was replaced with a Tricolour by two men from the French Naval Museum, who narrowly beat three men led by Lucien Sarniguet, who had lowered the Tricolour on 13 June 1940 when Paris fell to the Germans.

 

A fire started in the television transmitter on 3 January 1956, damaging the top of the tower. Repairs took a year, and in 1957, the present radio aerial was added to the top. In 1964, the Eiffel Tower was officially declared to be a historical monument by the Minister of Cultural Affairs, André Malraux. A year later, an additional lift system was installed in the north pillar.

 

According to interviews, in 1967, Montreal Mayor Jean Drapeau negotiated a secret agreement with Charles de Gaulle for the tower to be dismantled and temporarily relocated to Montreal to serve as a landmark and tourist attraction during Expo 67. The plan was allegedly vetoed by the company operating the tower out of fear that the French government could refuse permission for the tower to be restored in its original location.

 

In 1982, the original lifts between the second and third levels were replaced after 97 years in service. These had been closed to the public between November and March because the water in the hydraulic drive tended to freeze. The new cars operate in pairs, with one counterbalancing the other, and perform the journey in one stage, reducing the journey time from eight minutes to less than two minutes. At the same time, two new emergency staircases were installed, replacing the original spiral staircases. In 1983, the south pillar was fitted with an electrically driven Otis lift to serve the Jules Verne restaurant. The Fives-Lille lifts in the east and west legs, fitted in 1899, were extensively refurbished in 1986. The cars were replaced, and a computer system was installed to completely automate the lifts. The motive power was moved from the water hydraulic system to a new electrically driven oil-filled hydraulic system, and the original water hydraulics were retained solely as a counterbalance system. A service lift was added to the south pillar for moving small loads and maintenance personnel three years later.

 

Robert Moriarty flew a Beechcraft Bonanza under the tower on 31 March 1984. In 1987, A. J. Hackett made one of his first bungee jumps from the top of the Eiffel Tower, using a special cord he had helped develop. Hackett was arrested by the police. On 27 October 1991, Thierry Devaux, along with mountain guide Hervé Calvayrac, performed a series of acrobatic figures while bungee jumping from the second floor of the tower. Facing the Champ de Mars, Devaux used an electric winch between figures to go back up to the second floor. When firemen arrived, he stopped after the sixth jump.

 

For its "Countdown to the Year 2000" celebration on 31 December 1999, flashing lights and high-powered searchlights were installed on the tower. During the last three minutes of the year, the lights were turned on starting from the base of the tower and continuing to the top to welcome 2000 with a huge fireworks show. An exhibition above a cafeteria on the first floor commemorates this event. The searchlights on top of the tower made it a beacon in Paris's night sky, and 20,000 flashing bulbs gave the tower a sparkly appearance for five minutes every hour on the hour.

 

The lights sparkled blue for several nights to herald the new millennium on 31 December 1999. The sparkly lighting continued for 18 months until July 2001. The sparkling lights were turned on again on 21 June 2003, and the display was planned to last for 10 years before they needed replacing.

 

The tower received its 200,000,000th guest on 28 November 2002. The tower has operated at its maximum capacity of about 7 million visitors per year since 2003. In 2004, the Eiffel Tower began hosting a seasonal ice rink on the first level. A glass floor was installed on the first level during the 2014 refurbishment.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Der Eiffelturm (französisch Tour Eiffel, [tuʁ‿ɛˈfɛl) ist ein 330 Meter hoher Eisenfachwerkturm in Paris. Er steht im 7. Arrondissement am nordwestlichen Ende des Champ de Mars (Marsfeld), nahe dem Ufer der Seine. Das von 1887 bis 1889 errichtete Bauwerk wurde als monumentales Eingangsportal und Aussichtsturm für die Weltausstellung zur Erinnerung an den 100. Jahrestag der Französischen Revolution errichtet. Der nach dem Erbauer Gustave Eiffel benannte und zum Errichtungszeitpunkt noch 312 Meter hohe Turm war von seiner Erbauung bis zur Fertigstellung des Chrysler Building 1930 in New York das höchste Bauwerk der Welt. Mit seinem Gewicht von nur 10.100 Tonnen gilt er als ein herausragendes Beispiel für Leichtbauweise. Mit der Ausstrahlung des ersten öffentlichen Radioprogramms in Europa 1921 und des ersten französischen Fernsehprogramms 1935 trug das Bauwerk als Sendeturm zur Geschichte des Hörfunks und des Fernsehens bei. Der Fernsehturm ist die wichtigste Sendeanlage des Großraums Paris und beherbergt als Turmrestaurant das mit zwei Michelin-Sternen ausgezeichnete Restaurant Le Jules Verne.

 

Als höchstes Bauwerk von Paris prägt er das Stadtbild bis heute und zählt mit gut sechs Millionen zahlenden Besuchern pro Jahr zu den meistbesuchten Wahrzeichen der Welt. Der Turm ist eine der bekanntesten Ikonen der Architektur und der Ingenieurskunst. Der Eiffelturm ist das Vorbild vieler Nachahmerbauten und wird in Kunst und Kultur im Zusammenhang mit Paris und Frankreich vielfach aufgegriffen. Er gilt als nationales Symbol der Franzosen und avancierte zu einer weltweiten Ikone der Moderne. Seit 1964 ist der Eiffelturm als monument historique denkmalgeschützt, und 1986 nahm die American Society of Civil Engineers das Bauwerk in die Liste der historischen Meilensteine der Ingenieurbaukunst auf.

 

Geschichte

 

Hintergrund

 

Mit den technischen Möglichkeiten der Industrialisierung kamen auch Ideen auf, hohe Bauwerke zu errichten. Insbesondere Turmbauwerke spiegelten den damaligen Zeitgeist wider.

 

Bereits im Jahr 1833 schlug der Engländer Richard Trevithick vor, eine 1000 Fuß (304,80 Meter) hohe, von 1000 Stützen getragene gusseiserne Säule mit dem Durchmesser von 30 Metern an der Basis und 3,60 Metern an der Spitze zu bauen. Trevithick starb jedoch kurz nach Veröffentlichung seiner Pläne. Die amerikanischen Ingenieure Thomas Curtis Clarke (1827–1901) und David Reeves griffen die Idee auf und wollten für die Weltausstellung 1876 in Philadelphia einen solchen Turm (Centennial Tower) errichten. Die Konstruktion sah eine zylindrische Eisenröhre mit 9 Metern Durchmesser als Kern vor, die mit Stahlseilen abgespannt werden sollte. Verwirklicht wurde das Vorhaben nicht. Nach heutigem Wissensstand wäre dieses Bauwerk den Windschwingungen zum Opfer gefallen.

 

1881 kehrte der französische Ingenieur Amédée Sébillot von einer Amerikareise mit der Idee zurück, das gesamte Stadtgebiet von Paris mit einem Leuchtfeuer auf einem „Sonnenturm“ zu beleuchten. Nachdem die französische Regierung im Mai 1884 das Vorhaben der Weltausstellung für das Jahr 1889 verkündet hatte, fertigte er zusammen mit dem Erbauer des Palais du Trocadéro, Jules Bourdais, entsprechende Pläne an. Der Entwurf, der an eine romantisierende Rekonstruktion des sagenumwobenen Leuchtturms von Pharos mit vielen Verzierungen erinnerte, stieß auf große Vorbehalte und wurde bis zum offiziellen Planungswettbewerb im Mai 1886 öffentlich diskutiert. Mangels technischer Umsetzbarkeit blieben sowohl der amerikanische Centennial Tower als auch der Sonnenturm unverwirklicht.

 

Projektphase

 

Im Juni 1884 stellten die beiden Ingenieure Maurice Koechlin und Émile Nouguier, beide aus dem Büro von Gustave Eiffel, einen Entwurf für einen 300 Meter hohen Metallmast vor, der auf vier Füßen ruhen sollte. Die Stahlfachwerkkonstruktion war so entwickelt, dass die Streben durch ihre Neigungswinkel Seitenwinden möglichst geringen Widerstand boten. Die Form der Turmstützen ähnelte der Momentenlinie eines vertikalen Kragarms bei Windbelastung. Damit sollten die Seitenwinde maximal nach unten abgeleitet werden, was dem hohen Bauwerk eine extrem hohe Standsicherheit verschaffen sollte. Die erste Skizze zum Turmbau ist auf den 6. Juni 1884 datiert und wurde von Koechlin entworfen. Der Beitrag des Ko-Entwicklers Nouguier bezieht sich vermutlich auf den Montagevorgang des Bauwerks. Eiffel und sein Büro hatten in den Jahren davor bereits grundlegende Erfahrungen im Brückenbau gesammelt. Die größten Eisenbahnbrücken jener Zeit stammten von Eiffel, wie beispielsweise das Garabit-Viadukt, welches das Tal der Truyère in 122 Meter Höhe überspannt. Die Pylone aus dem Brückenbau standen beim Turmprojekt Pate. Am 18. September 1884 ließ sich Eiffel den Entwurf patentieren.

 

Der ingenieurtechnisch ausgereifte Entwurf entsprach jedoch ästhetisch nicht den Vorstellungen Eiffels. Das pylonartige Bauwerk erinnerte zu sehr an einen überdimensionierten Freileitungsmast – die Werkbezeichnung deutete dies mit pylône de 300 mètres de hauteur an. Eiffel erkannte, dass der allzu technische Entwurf im Vergleich mit den kunstvollen Bauwerken der Weltausstellung nicht überzeugen konnte, und beauftragte im Frühjahr 1886 den Architekten Stephen Sauvestre, die Form des Turms zu überarbeiten, um die Akzeptanz zu erhöhen. Zu den auffälligsten, von Sauvestre vorgenommenen Veränderungen zählt der monumentale, für die Tragfähigkeit nicht notwendige Bogen mit der ersten Etage. Er wurde dem Anspruch, als Eingangsportal für die Weltausstellung zu dienen, deutlich besser gerecht und ließ den Turm weniger nüchtern erscheinen. Sauvestre versah das Bauwerk mit gemauerten Sockeln, ließ die nach oben strebenden Pfeiler früher zusammenlaufen, änderte die Aufteilung der Geschosse und fügte eine Reihe von Verzierungen hinzu. Die ursprünglich vorgesehene Spitze in Pyramidenform veränderte der Architekt zu einer zwiebelförmigen Laterne.

 

Erst dieser Entwurf überzeugte Eiffel so, dass er die Nutzungsrechte für den „300-Meter-Turm“ erwarb.[ Eiffel pries das Konzept vor dem Ausstellungskommissariat nicht nur als Ausstellungsbauwerk, sondern stellte die wissenschaftliche Bedeutung für die Meteorologie, Astronomie und die Aerodynamik heraus. Eiffel hob den Namen Koechlins nicht besonders hervor. Dies führte dazu, dass der Turm bereits in der Projektphase mit dem Ingenieur Eiffel in Verbindung gebracht wurde und schon vor seiner Errichtung die Bezeichnung Eiffelturm erhielt; Eiffel selbst hatte ihn nie so bezeichnet. Im Frühjahr 1885 wurden die Baukosten auf 3.155.000 Francs geschätzt und die Turmmasse mit 4810 Tonnen projektiert. Am Ende kam die reine Stahlkonstruktion des Eiffelturms auf eine Masse von 7300 Tonnen und die Baukosten erhöhten sich auf mehr als das Zweieinhalbfache.

 

Am 1. Mai 1886 schrieb der Handelsminister Édouard Lockroy den Ideenwettbewerb für die Gebäude der Pariser Weltausstellung aus, der sich an französische Architekten und Ingenieure richtete. Es nahmen rund 100 Bewerber teil, viele von ihnen griffen die Idee eines Turmbauwerks auf. Nach der ersten Auswahl blieben drei Vorlagen übrig, darunter befanden sich neben Eiffels Beitrag die Entwürfe von Ferdinand Dutert und Jean Camille Formigé. Eiffel ließ die stark verzierte Fassung Sauvestres nochmals unter Verzicht auf einige Zierelemente überarbeiten und gewann mit diesem Kompromissvorschlag den Wettbewerb. Er unterschrieb am 8. Januar 1887 einen Vertrag mit der Stadt, die eine Subvention in Höhe von 1,5 Millionen Goldfranken zur Verfügung stellte, und bereits am 26. Januar wurde mit dem Bau begonnen. Da Eiffel die restlichen Baukosten von insgesamt über sieben Millionen Franken selbst zu tragen hatte, sicherte ihm der 18 Paragraphen umfassende Vertrag eine zwanzigjährige Nutzungskonzession zu. Den Vertrag unterzeichnete Eiffel persönlich, nicht im Namen seiner Baufirma. Die Finanzierung der restlichen Kosten erfolgte über eine Aktiengesellschaft mit einem Grundkapital von fünf Millionen Franken, von denen er die Hälfte übernahm; die andere Hälfte stellten zwei Pariser Großbanken als Kredite zur Verfügung. Den Inhabern von Eiffelturm-Aktien, welche die höchsten Renditen in der französischen Börsengeschichte ausschütteten, war es erlaubt, den Turm einmal im Jahr kostenfrei zu benutzen.

 

Auch wenn Eiffel den Turm als geschlossenes Projekt aus seiner Hand anpries und sich damit eine fremde Idee zu eigen machte, gilt es historisch als gesichert, dass ohne Eiffels persönliches und unternehmerisches Engagement der Bau in dieser Form nie zustande gekommen wäre.

 

Bauarbeiten von Januar 1887 bis März 1889

 

Unter regem Interesse der Öffentlichkeit begannen am 28. Januar 1887 die Bauarbeiten mit den Grabungsarbeiten für die Fundamente. Dafür wurden insgesamt 30.973 Kubikmeter Erdreich ausgehoben. Da die Fundamente unter dem Niveau des Seineflussbetts gründen, verwendete man einen sogenannten Senkkasten. Dabei wird Druckluft in die wasserdichte Metallverschalung geleitet, damit die Arbeiten unterhalb des Wasserspiegels ausgeführt werden konnten. Dieses auf den Bergbauingenieur Jules Triger zurückgehende Verfahren hatte Gustave Eiffel bereits 1857 beim Bau der 500 Meter langen Eisenbahnbrücke von Bordeaux erprobt, und wandte es bei den zwei zur Seine ausgerichteten Pfeilerfundamenten an.

 

Eiffel verwendete als Baumaterial im Puddelverfahren produziertes Schmiedeeisen, was zu seiner besonderen Haltbarkeit beigetragen hat. Da die Eisenverbindung mit geringem Kohlenstoffgehalt nicht geschweißt, sondern nur genietet werden konnte, ließ Eiffel in seinem Firmensitz in Levallois-Perret die notwendigen Einzelteile im Baukastenprinzip vorproduzieren und in Paris vor Ort zusammensetzen. Die Teile wurden exakt berechnet, geschnitten und mit den Löchern für das spätere Nieten versehen. Für die Vorproduktion bis zur Errichtung hatte Eiffel einen festen Ablaufplan. Fehlerhafte Teile wurden wieder zur Fabrik zurückgeschickt und nicht vor Ort angepasst. Ein Stab von etwa 40 technischen Zeichnern, Architekten und Ingenieuren erfasste in 700 Gesamtansichten und 3.600 Werkzeichnungen das gesamte, aus 18.038 Einzelteilen bestehende Bauwerk.

 

Am 1. Juli 1887 begann die Errichtung der vier Turmfüße. Die zunächst freitragend montierten Sparren wurden von 30 Meter hohen provisorischen Baugerüsten getragen. Am 7. Dezember 1887 erfolgte die Montage der ersten Etage, auf deren Höhe ein 45 Meter hohes Gerüst zur Abstützung der Horizontalbalken diente. Oberhalb der Etage stützten sich die Strebepfeiler von selbst. Alle Werkstücke wurden von dampfgetriebenen Kränen auf den Führungsschienen positioniert, auf denen später die unteren Fahrstühle verkehren sollten. Einer der heikelsten Bauabschnitte war die Verbindung der vier horizontalen Tragbalken in der ersten Etage. Für deren exakte Ausrichtung nutzte Eiffel sogenannte Sandkisten, mit denen die Träger millimetergenau ausgependelt werden konnten. In zwei Pfeilern befanden sich manuell mit Handpumpen bedienbare hydraulisch verstellbare Hubspindeln, mit denen die Sparren auf ihre Position gebracht wurden. Damit war eine sehr präzise Justierung der Balken möglich. Nachdem die Tragpfeiler fest miteinander verbunden waren, ersetzte man die Hubspindeln durch verankerte Stahlkeile. Die sorgfältige Planung und Ausführung führte dazu, dass die Nietlöcher erst ab einer Höhe von 57 Metern angepasst werden mussten. Vermutlich wurde die hohe Präzision durch Zusammenlegen der Teile in der Werkstatt und anschließendes Aufreiben der Nietlöcher erzielt. Eiffel selbst führte dazu aus:

 

„[…] bei unserem Verfahren waren alle Löcher im voraus mit großer Genauigkeit gebohrt, die Montage durch die Löcher selbst reguliert, und durch Zusammenheften, d. h. durch gewaltsames Eintreiben einer großen Zahl von Stahldornen in die Löcher, führte man die Zusammenfügung herbei.“

 

Am 14. August 1888 wurde die zweite Etage errichtet und der sich nach oben anschließende Teil freitragend montiert. Gleichzeitig stattete man die Plattformen aus. Die im Werk vorgebohrten Einzelteile wurden vor Ort mit konischen Dornen unter Schlageinwirkung in ihre endgültige Position gebracht. Insgesamt halten im Eiffelturm 2,5 Millionen Niete die Bauteile zusammen. Das Vernieten führten jeweils vier Männer durch. Der erste Arbeiter ließ den Niet heißstauchen und brachte ihn mithilfe einer kleinen Esse zum Glühen. Als zweiten Schritt führte ein anderer Arbeiter den Niet an das Bohrloch. Ein dritter schlug den Schließkopf in Form. In einem letzten Schritt wurde der Bolzen gestaucht.

 

An den Bauarbeiten waren bis zu 250 Personen beteiligt, rund 150 davon waren für das Vernieten der Bauteile vor Ort eingesetzt. Neben Zimmerleuten befanden sich unter den Bauarbeitern auch Schornsteinfeger, da sie das Arbeiten in großen Höhen gewohnt waren. Die Arbeitsschichten dauerten in den Wintermonaten neun und in den Sommermonaten zwölf Stunden. Im September 1888 kam es zu einem Streik der Arbeiter; drei Monate später legten sie erneut die Arbeit nieder und forderten mehr Lohn. Gustave Eiffel verhandelte mit ihnen und richtete in der ersten bereits fertiggestellten Plattform eine Kantine für sie ein. Während der gesamten Arbeiten kam es zu einem einzigen tödlichen Unfall. Ein italienischer Arbeiter verunglückte beim Einbau der Aufzüge nach der offiziellen Eröffnung.

 

Gleichzeitig mit der freitragenden Montage der obersten Stockwerke ab Dezember 1888 wurden die Plattformen ausgestattet. Nachdem am 15. März die Laterne auf der Spitze des Turms errichtet worden war, konnten wenige Tage später, am 31. März 1889, planmäßig wenige Wochen vor Eröffnung der Weltausstellung, die Arbeiten abgeschlossen werden.

 

Proteste und Widerstand gegen die Errichtung

 

Bereits vor dem Baubeginn formierte sich unter Intellektuellen und Künstlern Widerstand gegen den Bau des Eiffelturms. Der Kunst- und Kulturhistoriker Jacob Burckhardt sah in dem Bauwerk eine Reklame für die gedankenlosen Tagediebe in ganz Europa und Amerika. Zahlreiche Persönlichkeiten, darunter Charles Gounod, Alexandre Dumas, Charles Garnier, William Adolphe Bouguereau und auch Guy de Maupassant als einer der stärksten Kritiker, veröffentlichten am 14. Februar 1887, wenige Tage nach Baubeginn, in der damals renommierten Zeitung Le Temps einen Protest der Künstler:

 

„Wir Schriftsteller, Maler, Bildhauer, Architekten und leidenschaftliche Liebhaber der bisher unangetasteten Schönheit von Paris protestieren im Namen des verkannten französischen Geschmacks mit aller Kraft gegen die Errichtung des unnötigen und ungeheuerlichen Eiffelturms im Herzen unserer Hauptstadt, den die oft vom gesunden Menschenverstand und Gerechtigkeitsgefühl inspirierte Spottlust der Volksseele schon den Turm zu Babel getauft hat. […] Um zu begreifen, was wir kommen sehen, muss man sich einen Augenblick einen schwindelerregenden, lächerlichen Turm vorstellen, der wie ein riesiger, düsterer Fabrikschlot Paris überragt, muss sich vorstellen, wie alle unsere Monumente gedemütigt, alle unsere Bauten verkleinert werden, bis sie in diesem Alptraum verschwinden. […]“

 

Das Protestschreiben blieb kein Einzelfall; weitere begleiteten die Bauarbeiten. Léon Bloy beschrieb den Eiffelturm als „wirklich tragische Straßenlaterne“, Paul Verlaine als „Skelett von einem Glockenturm“ und François Coppée als „Eisenmast mit starrer Takelage, unvollkommen, konfus und unförmig“. Die starke Ablehnung richtete sich zum einen gegen die für die damalige Zeit immense Höhe, zum anderen empfand man die offen zur Schau gestellte Konstruktionsweise aus Eisen mit fehlender Fassade als geradezu skandalös.

 

Ein weiterer Kritikpunkt der Gegner war der Umstand, dass der Turm nicht wie die andere Festarchitektur nach der Ausstellung wieder abgebaut werden, sondern dauerhaft stehen bleiben sollte. Der Protest, der vor allem aus akademisch-elitären Kreisen kam, ließ sich auch durch Eiffels gewieftes Entgegenkommen nicht beruhigen, den Turm für einen Bruchteil der Baukosten in Einzelteile zu zerlegen und ihn an anderer Stelle wieder aufzubauen. Jeder praktische Aspekt, der sich den Notwendigkeiten des Alltags unterwarf, konnte dem hehren Kunstbegriff der Traditionalisten nicht genügen – Industrie und Kunst hatten in ihren Augen strikt getrennt zu bleiben. In der breiten Masse war der Eiffelturm von Anfang an sehr beliebt und die Baustelle wurde rege besucht.

 

Neben polemischen Schriften, Behauptungen und (angeblichen oder tatsächlichen) Befürchtungen gab es auch Techniker, die befürchteten, die Fundamente des Turms wären für sein Gewicht zu schwach. Ein Mathematiker prophezeite seinen Einsturz, sobald er eine Höhe von 228 Metern überschreite. Ein Anlieger am Champ de Mars strengte einen Prozess gegen den Staat und die Stadt an, aus Angst, der Eiffelturm könne einstürzen und sein Haus zerstören. Das Gericht erlaubte den Weiterbau nur mit der Auflage, dass Gustave Eiffel bei etwaigen Schäden haften müsse.

 

Eröffnung und Reaktionen

 

Am Eröffnungstag, dem 31. März 1889, bestieg Gustave Eiffel – da der Aufzug noch nicht fertiggestellt war – mit einer Delegation gegen 13:30 Uhr den Turm und hisste an dessen Spitze eine französische Trikolore, die 7 Meter lang und 4,40 Meter breit war.

 

Der in der Presse offen ausgetragene Protest gegen den Eiffelturm verstummte nach seiner Eröffnung fast vollständig und schlug teilweise sogar in Begeisterung und Stolz um. In einer Pressemeldung hieß es dazu:

 

„Vor der vollendeten Tatsache – und was für eine Tatsache! – müssen wir uns beugen. Auch ich, wie viele andere, habe gesagt und geglaubt, der Eiffelturm sei ein Wahnsinn, aber es ist ein großartiger und stolzer Wahnsinn. Gewiss, diese ungeheure Masse erdrückt die übrige Ausstellung, und wenn man wieder aufs Marsfeld hinaustritt, scheinen einem die riesigen Kuppeln und Galerien winzig klein. Aber was wollt ihr? Der Eiffelturm spricht die Fantasie an, er ist etwas Unerwartetes, etwas Fantastisches, das unserer Kleinheit schmeichelt. Als er kaum in Angriff genommen war, unterzeichneten die berühmtesten Künstler und Schriftsteller, von Meissonier bis Zola, einen flammenden Protest gegen den Turm als furchtbares Verbrechen gegen die Kunst. Würden sie ihn heute noch unterzeichnen? Nein, gewiss nicht, und es wäre ihnen lieber, dieses Dokument des Zorns existierte nicht. Und was das Volk, was die guten Bürger betrifft, so lässt sich ihr Empfinden in einem Satz zusammenfassen, den ich aus dem Munde eines braven Manns vernommen habe, nachdem er fünf Minuten lang mit offenen Munde vor dem Turm gestanden hatte: „Enfoncé l’Europe!“ [Europa kann einpacken!]“

 

Heinrich Schliemann, dem ein Aufstieg auf den Eiffelturm bereits vor der offiziellen Eröffnung ermöglicht worden war, pries das Bauwerk in einem Brief an Rudolf Virchow am 24. Mai 1889 als Wunderwerk der ingenieurtechnischen Fähigkeiten, ohne das der vierte Teil der Ausstellung – Schliemann meinte die vierte Weltausstellung in Paris – keinen Reiz hätte. Trotz der Euphorie, die ihn als gelungene nationale Selbstdarstellung und Demonstration des technischen Fortschritts rühmte, blieb auch unversöhnliche Kritik. Auf jeden Fall erregte er die Gemüter jener Zeit sehr stark und übte eine enorme Anziehungskraft auf die Menschen aus, so der französische Philosoph, Schriftsteller und Literaturkritiker Roland Barthes.

 

Für die breite Öffentlichkeit war der Turm erst seit dem Eröffnungstag der Weltausstellung, dem 15. Mai 1889, zugänglich. Das Eintrittsgeld betrug 1889 für die erste Etage zwei, für die zweite drei und für die dritte fünf Francs. Der Eintritt zur Weltausstellung kostete einen Franc. Insgesamt bestiegen während der Weltausstellung 1889 1.896.987 Menschen den Eiffelturm. Damit amortisierten sich seine Baukosten bereits zu drei Vierteln. Zahlreiche prominente Persönlichkeiten der Zeitgeschichte statteten dem höchsten Bauwerk der Welt ebenfalls einen Besuch ab. Am Eröffnungstag erschien eine Sonderausgabe der Tageszeitung Le Figaro direkt aus dem Eiffelturm. Die Redaktion hatte ihre Arbeitsräume aus diesem Anlass in der zweiten Aussichtsplattform eingerichtet. Besucher, welche die Zeitung an diesem Tag direkt bei der Redaktion kauften, erhielten eine signierte Ausgabe als „Zertifikat“ für ihre Turmbesteigung. Zum Zeitpunkt der Eröffnung und Schließung jedes Messetages wurde jeweils ein Schuss einer Salutkanone von der Spitze des Turms abgefeuert.

 

Der erste Eintrag im Gästebuch des Eiffelturms war der des britischen Kronprinzen, des späteren Königs Eduard VII., der am 10. Juni 1889 den Turm zusammen mit fünf Familienmitgliedern bestieg und den Eiffel persönlich führte. Am 1. August 1889 besuchte der damalige Schah von Persien Nāser ad-Din Schāh das neue Bauwerk. Außerdem finden sich dort die Unterschriften des Prinzen Georg von Griechenland, des späteren Königs von Belgien Albert I., des russischen Zaren Nikolaus II., Sarah Bernhardts und des japanischen Kaisersohnes Yoshihito. Der Erfinder Thomas Edison überreichte Gustave Eiffel am 10. September 1889 eine Widmung für die „Errichtung des gigantischen und originellen Musterstücks moderner Baukunst“ und nahm bei seinem Besuch die Stimme Eiffels auf. In der dritten Plattform unterhalb der Turmspitze ist dieses Ereignis im ehemaligen Büro Eiffels mit Wachsfiguren nachgebildet. Auch Mahatma Gandhi, der damals in London studierte, bestieg während der Weltausstellung den Eiffelturm.

 

Als der Eiffelturm eröffnet wurde, war er mit einer Gesamthöhe von damals 312 Metern das höchste Bauwerk der Welt und löste damit das 169,3 Meter hohe Washington Monument, einen Obelisken aus weißem Marmor in den Vereinigten Staaten, als Rekordhalter ab. Das höchste begehbare Gebäude jener Zeit war die 167,5 Meter hohe Synagoge Mole Antonelliana in Turin, die 1888 fertiggestellt wurde.

 

Die ersten 20 Jahre

 

Der Erfolg und das Fortbestehen des Eiffelturms über die zwanzigjährige Konzession hinaus war ungewiss. Eiffel versuchte immer wieder durch die Einbindung von Gelehrten und eigene Forschungen den Nutzen des Bauwerkes darzulegen.

 

Am 5. November 1898 konnten Eugène Ducretet und Ernest Roger eine drahtlose Telegraphenverbindung zwischen dem Eiffelturm und dem vier Kilometer entfernten Panthéon herstellen. Die elektromagnetische Informationsübermittlung blieb zunächst rein militärischen Zwecken vorbehalten. Im selben Jahr wurde auf dem Eiffelturm eine Wetterwarte eingerichtet. Durch den enormen Höhenunterschied von 300 Metern war es möglich, vielfältige physikalische Experimente durchzuführen. So wurden zur Justage von Luftdruckmessern ein übergroßes Manometer installiert, spektroskopische Messungen durchgeführt, ein Foucaultsches Pendel eingerichtet und Windgeschwindigkeit und Atmosphärentemperatur gemessen. Sogar Experimente zur Heilwirkung von Höhenluft führte man durch. Für seine astronomischen und physiologischen Beobachtungen richtete Eiffel ein eigenes Büro in der dritten Plattform ein. Besondere Bekanntheit erlangten Eiffels Messungen zur Aerodynamik. Eine erste Versuchsreihe begann er 1903: Er spannte zwischen der zweiten Plattform und dem Erdboden ein Kabel, an dem er verschiedene Profile nach unten gleiten ließ. 1904 konnten Zeitsignale auf der Wellenlänge 2000 Meter mit unterschiedlichen Apparaten empfangen werden. 1909 erweiterte er seine Studien durch Eröffnung eines Windkanals am Fuße des Turms und einer größeren Anlage an der Rue Boileau im Jahre 1912.

 

Für die Weltausstellung 1900, die zum fünften Mal in Paris stattfinden sollte, erwog Eiffel verschiedene Umbaupläne. Die allgemeine Empfindung der Ästhetik des Turmes hatte sich in den wenigen Jahren seines Bestehens derart gewandelt, dass seine Optik wegen ihrer Modernität und Radikalität überholt wirkte. Gefragt waren üppigere Formen, wie in der Belle Époque üblich. Die Ausstellung zeichnete sich insgesamt durch eine retrospektive Ausrichtung aus und war damit eher eine Schlussfeier des 19. als eine Eröffnungsfeier des 20. Jahrhunderts.

 

Aus diesem Grund versuchten Veranstalter und Architekten den Eiffelturm hinter einer Stilhülle zu verbergen. Die Vorschläge dazu reichten von relativ moderaten Veränderungen wie dem Anbringen von Schnörkeln, Wimpeln, Balkonen und Girlanden bis hin zu massiven Umbauplänen, die eine völlige Neukonzeption des Turms vorsahen. Der Entwurf von Guillemonats sah beispielsweise vor, den Turm bis zur ersten Plattform abzutragen und einen riesigen Globus darauf zu errichten. Zum massivsten Umbauvorschlag mit der Projektbezeichnung „la Tour Eifel (sic!) dans le mont Samson“ zählt der eines gewissen Samson, der den Turm als Stützgerüst für einen künstlichen Berg vorsah und den Eiffelturm damit komplett hinter einer Bergkulisse mit Dörfern, Straßen und Vegetation hätte verschwinden lassen. Abgesehen von der Tatsache, dass Samson nicht wusste, wie man den Eiffelturm korrekt buchstabierte, zeugte auch die wenig professionell ausgeführte Planskizze von mangelnder Seriosität. Der Umbauvorschlag von Gautier wollte den Eiffelturm als Stützkonstruktion für ein riesenhaftes pagodenähnliches Tor verwenden. Sowohl ein Abriss als auch die angestrebten Umbauvorschläge scheiterten am Eigentumsrecht Eiffels.

 

Am 28. Dezember 1897 einigte man sich schließlich, den Eiffelturm weitgehend unverändert in die Weltausstellung zu integrieren. Sein technisches Aussehen wurde lediglich durch eine neue Lichtinstallation, welche die Konturen des Bauwerks hervorhob, zu überspielen versucht. Eiffel beließ es dabei, das Bauwerk nach oben hin in abgetönter orangeroter Farbe neu zu streichen und den Plattformen ein neues äußeres Aussehen zu geben. Neben einer neuen Aufzuganlage stellte er auch seinen Salon in der dritten Plattform der Öffentlichkeit zur Verfügung. Doch zur Weltausstellung zog der Turm mit etwa einer Million nur noch halb so viele Besucher an; die Zahl sank in den Folgejahren weiter ab und pendelte sich bis zu Beginn des Ersten Weltkriegs auf jährlich rund 180.000 ein. Rein wirtschaftlich gesehen spielte es eine untergeordnete Rolle, denn die Baukosten des Eiffelturms waren bereits nach eineinhalb Jahren amortisiert. Eiffel war durch sein alleiniges Vermarktungsrecht und sein prosperierendes Unternehmen bereits mehrfacher Millionär geworden und konnte sich neben einem Stadtpalais in Paris weitere Häuser in Sèvres, Beaulieu-sur-Mer an der Côte d’Azur und in Vevey am Genfersee leisten.

 

Neben der wissenschaftlichen Nutzung wuchs vor allem auch der militärische Wert des Turmes. Am 15. Dezember 1893 erlaubte Eiffel dem Kriegsminister Auguste Mercier, auf dem Turm Antennen zu befestigen, und übernahm sogar deren Kosten. Am 21. Januar 1904 unterstützte er Hauptmann Gustave-Auguste Ferrié, einen Offizier der Pioniertruppen, die drahtlose Telegrafie für die militärische Nutzung voranzutreiben. Ferrié richtete das militärische Netzwerk ein und wurde zum zweitwichtigsten Mann neben Eiffel. Nachdem bereits 1898 eine drahtlose Verbindung hergestellt worden war, wurden 1903 zwischen dem Eiffelturm und einigen Militäranlagen in Paris weitere Funkverbindungen geschaffen und ein Jahr später wurde die Verbindung in den Osten Frankreichs erweitert. 1906 wurde ein Radiosender auf dem Turm eingerichtet. Die nach 20 Jahren ausgelaufene Konzession wurde am 1. Januar 1910 um weitere 70 Jahre verlängert. Mit der gestiegenen strategischen Bedeutung war auch der Fortbestand des Eiffelturms gesichert; sie war sogar ausschlaggebend für die Fortsetzung der Konzession, denn der wissenschaftliche Nutzen blieb real betrachtet eher bescheiden.

 

Entwicklung zur bedeutenden Sehenswürdigkeit

1937 bis 1979

 

Während der Weltfachausstellung 1937, die bereits im Zeichen der konkurrierenden Weltmächte und des drohenden Konfliktes mit dem „Dritten Reich“ stand, wurde unterhalb der ersten Plattform des Eiffelturms ein riesiger, von dem Architekten André Grasset gestalteter Kronleuchter aufgehängt. Darüber hinaus tauchte man den Turm mit 30 Projektoren in ein weißes Licht mit blauen und roten Blitzen. Die Veranstaltung war die letzte der sechs Weltausstellungen in Paris. Der Eiffelturm war seit 1889 fester Bestandteil der Ausstellungsarchitektur, zog aber mit jedem Mal weniger Besucher an.

 

Beim Staatsbesuch des britischen Königs Georg VI. im Jahr 1938 wurde ihm zu Ehren der Union Jack seitlich am Turm gehisst. Die 120 Kilogramm schwere Flagge war 30 Meter breit und 40 Meter lang.

 

Mit der Besetzung von Paris 1940 wurden die Aufzugkabel abgetrennt. Eine Reparatur war aufgrund der mangelnden Güterversorgung während des Zweiten Weltkrieges praktisch unmöglich. Für die deutschen Truppen und Adolf Hitler bedeutete dies, dass sie den Eiffelturm nur über die Treppe besteigen konnten. Deutsche Soldaten erhielten den Auftrag, bis zur Spitze hochzusteigen, um eine Hakenkreuzflagge an der Spitze des Turms zu hissen. Da sie zu groß war, wurde sie bereits nach wenigen Stunden weggeweht und etwas später durch eine kleinere ersetzt. Auf der ersten Aussichtsplattform ließ die Wehrmacht zudem ein Transparent mit der Aufschrift „Deutschland siegt auf allen Fronten“ anbringen. Als Hitler Paris am 24. Juni 1940 selbst besuchte, zog er es vor, den Eiffelturm nicht zu besteigen. Darauf hieß es, dass Hitler zwar Frankreich, aber nicht den Eiffelturm erobert habe. Auch die Hakenkreuzflagge wurde während der Besatzungszeit von einem Franzosen in einer heimlichen Aktion durch die französische Trikolore ersetzt. Trotz der Widrigkeiten inszenierten die Deutschen den Eiffelturm zu propagandistischen Zwecken. Hitler ließ sich zusammen mit weiteren namhaften Größen seines Regimes wie beispielsweise Albert Speer und Arno Breker in verschiedenen Posen vor dem Eiffelturm fotografieren, um vor der heimischen Bevölkerung den Sieg über die Franzosen zu demonstrieren.

 

Wie schon während des Ersten Weltkrieges blieb der Turm auch während des Zweiten Weltkrieges für die Öffentlichkeit geschlossen. US-amerikanische Truppen befreiten Paris am 25. August 1944 und installierten auf der zweiten Etage des Eiffelturms ihre Sendestationen, um mit deren Hilfe mit den Streitkräften am Ärmelkanal kommunizieren zu können. Nach der Wiedereröffnung für den Publikumsverkehr im Juni 1946 bestiegen in dem folgenden halben Jahr über 600.000 Besucher den Turm. Mit dem stärker werdenden Tourismus stieg auch die Besucherzahl anhaltend auf jährlich über eine Million und steigerte sich in den folgenden Jahrzehnten kontinuierlich.

 

Die 1950er Jahre waren geprägt durch das sich durchsetzende Medium des Fernsehens. Im April 1952 wurde das erste Mal eine Livesendung von Paris nach London gesendet. Die technische Schwierigkeit bestand in der Überbrückung der unterschiedlichen Übertragungsstandards zwischen Frankreich und Großbritannien. Mit der Sendung schrieb der Eiffelturm ein weiteres Mal Fernsehgeschichte. Die Show moderierten Georges de Caunes und Jacqueline Joubert vom französischen Fernsehen und Miss Reeves von der BBC. Ein Jahr später folgte der nächste Meilenstein mit der Einrichtung des Eurovision-Verbundes. Damit konnte am 2. Juni die Krönung von Elisabeth II. an alle Teilnehmerstaaten der Eurovision übertragen werden; in Frankreich wurde die Zeremonie landesweit vom Eiffelturm aus ausgestrahlt. 1956 brach im Senderaum ein Feuer aus und zerstörte die Turmspitze sowie die Sendeeinrichtungen. Im Folgejahr errichtete man neue Antennenplattformen und installierte neue Antennen. Nach dem Umbau strahlte der Turm Radio- und drei Fernsehprogramme aus. Seine neue Antenne erhöhte das Wahrzeichen auf insgesamt 320,75 Meter.

 

Zum 75-jährigen Jubiläum des Eiffelturms im Jahr 1964 lud die Betreibergesellschaft insgesamt 75 um das Jahr der Errichtung des Turms 1889 geborene Pariser Bürger zu einer festlichen Gala ein. Zu den berühmtesten Gästen zählte Maurice Chevalier.

 

Im Laufe der Jahre wurden nicht nur zu den Jubiläen besondere Ereignisse am Eiffelturm veranstaltet. Durch die vermehrte Vergabe von Dreherlaubnissen für Kinofilme stieg der Status des Bauwerks weiter. Neben immer wieder außergewöhnlichen, meist sportlichen Aktionen wurde der Eiffelturm auch zunehmend im Alltagsleben der Pariser verankert, beispielsweise durch die Eröffnung einer Schlittschuhbahn in der ersten Etage im Winter.

 

Aufgrund des traditionellen, an akademisch-klassizistischen Idealen orientierten Kunstverständnisses in Frankreich tat sich der Eiffelturm auch noch im fortgeschrittenen 20. Jahrhundert schwer mit seiner Anerkennung als Kulturdenkmal. Erst am 24. Juni 1964 wurde das Bauwerk in das Inventaire des monuments historiques eingetragen.

 

Seit 1980: Kulturerbe der UNESCO und Umbaumaßnahmen

Nachdem zum 1. Januar 1980 die an Eiffel vergebene und inzwischen auf seinen Erben übergegangene Konzession ausgelaufen war, übernahm die Société nouvelle d’exploitation de la tour Eiffel (SNTE), eine zu 100 % der Stadt Paris gehörende Tochtergesellschaft, den Betrieb des Wahrzeichens. Sie kümmert sich seither um die Erhaltung und Vermarktung des Bauwerks. Am 9. September 1983 wurde der hundertmillionste Besucher des Eiffelturms mit einem Geschenk begrüßt. Die Sängerin Mireille Mathieu überreichte der Frau die Schlüssel für einen Citroën BX.

 

Seit 1991 gehört das Seineufer mit seinen Bauwerken zwischen dem Pont de Sully und dem Pont d’Iéna am Eiffelturm in Paris zum Kulturerbe der UNESCO.

 

Im Jahr 2000 übernahm die Rundfunkgesellschaft TDF die Montage von UHF-Antennen und ließ seine Gesamthöhe von 318,7 Meter auf seine zwischenzeitliche Höhe von 324 Meter anwachsen. 2005 strahlte der Eiffelturm erstmals digitales Fernsehen aus. Die SNTE ging zum 1. Januar 2006 für zunächst zehn Jahre in die Société d’exploitation de la tour Eiffel (SETE) über. Von Februar 2012 bis 2013 wurden umfangreiche Renovierungen und Umgestaltungen in der ersten Plattform durchgeführt, die zu diesem Zeitpunkt von etwa der Hälfte der Besucher gemieden wurde. Unter anderem wurden in Anlehnung an die ursprünglichen Glassäle drei überdachte kastenförmige, dunkelrote Pavillons – teilweise mit Glasboden – aus Stahl und Glas konstruiert, die an den Seitenwänden zwischen den Pfeilern und parallel zu ihnen verlaufen. Während der 25 Millionen Euro teuren Umbaumaßnahmen wurde der Besucherbetrieb weiter aufrechterhalten. Darüber hinaus wurden Behindertenaufzüge und eine Konferenzhalle eingerichtet.

 

Im Herbst 2017 wurde mit dem Bau einer Einfriedung rund um den Eiffelturm begonnen. Zwei klare Glaswände – zur Seine und gegenüber zum Marsfeld hin – sind 3 m hoch und 6,5 cm dick und dienen als Schutz vor Beschuss. An den zwei anderen Seiten wurden 3,24 m hohe Metallzäune errichtet, deren Pfeiler schräg stehen und so die konische Form des Turms widerspiegeln. Die Errichtung – sie wurde am 14. Juni 2018 von der Betreibergesellschaft Sete präsentiert – hat 35 Mio. Euro gekostet und wurde im Dezember 2018 abgeschlossen. Geplant wurde die Glaswand vom in Paris lebenden und aus Graz stammenden Architekten Dietmar Feichtinger mit der Absicht, „die Einzäunung so diskret wie möglich zu gestalten.“ Schon bisher mussten Besucher vor dem Besteigen des Turms durch Sicherheitsschleusen gehen.

 

(Wikipedia)

grr. me and my typos. pretend that says times, okay? thanks(: hahah.

 

i've been tagged a multitudnious of times so here, i'm gonna go ahead and do those now.

 

1 i am currently working on one of those "my favorites" collages where it's made up of all other flickrites photos and i credited them and link them so you get hands on to their brilliance. good idea? ohhyahh:) haha. the theme and who will be featured is secret so HUSH:)

2 i am going to get the lovely bones in about thirty minutes and my excitment to read that book is at an unearthly magnitude. i. cant. wait.

3 i am utterly and completely fascinated by hipster things. like beanies, nail polish, tattoos, piercings, glitter, hair styles and colors, glasses, clothes, belts, anything and everything remotely just amazing. i can sit on tumblr for hours looking at those kinds of photos. i just find it all so intriguing and i love it.

4 i cant stand when people hate on the mothers. how many times a day do i hear "i hate my mom" or "my mom's a bitch" or something remotely pesimistic towards a mom. it irratates me. and their reasoning is always the same "she's mean to me." okay big whoop if you fight with your mom. my mother and i argue ALL THE TIME. on a daily basis. sometimes hourly, depending on the day of the week. but i would never call my mother a bitch. i would never say anything cruel about her. i might say i'm mad at her but that's my limit. i love my mother. same goes for my father and the way i feel when people despise their dads. be grateful for your parents.

5 i cant wait for chirstmas. like i usually get excited, but this level of excitment is foreign to me. but i like it. a lot! haha.

6 i want to see the justin bieber movie at midnight whe it come out so freaking badly. like it's madening how badly i wanna see that movie at 12:01 when it's released

7 my phone's name is Natalie incase you were all wondering :) i love that phone really passionately. it's the best phone i've ever had i do declare.

8 my cousins and i are all really close, but i don't have one girl cousin and i wish i did.

9 i like using lighter makeup as opposed to dark

10 i hope my weekend isn't a fail.

 

I AM TAGGING THIS TIME WOOT:)

and thank you for the explore :D

The migratory Short-eared owl in flight.

Along the vole infest fields of Stanwood, Wa.

This morning I took the day off from work. Yahoo! Normal people would sleep in, but being that I like to take pictures of stuff, the best time to do that is either at sunrise or sunset. Today I picked sunrise and my subject was the Pennybacker Bridge in Austin. My reasoning for the morning shot was that most people who shoot the bridge do so in the evening. I thought if I did it in the morning I would get a whole new aspect of it that most don't usually get. I thought I would get the orange glow to the left of the bridge instead of the right during sunset that you see mostly in photos of this lovely bridge. Well, it turned out that I was right in that regard. As well as the light, I was able to get a different look. This morning there was fog all over the bridge so a new aspect was in the making. However, the fog really hid the bridge. I thought I had to pack it in and try another time. But, just as the morning light was getting to that perfect time we call the "golden hour", the fog lifted over the near side of the bridge and I was able to fire off a few brackets before the fog socked it in again. I probably didn't get the best angle for it, but I'm happy with it for the most part.

 

My blog.

 

My HDR work-flow.

 

My gallery.

Inside the Eiffel Tower, with a pinhole, at sunset. There are not too many other places I would care to be. Well.... ok, in a sense there are lots of places I would like to be with a pinhole at sunset, but at the same time, I would be more than content standing right here again looking up and around and marveling at it all. Moments like this were not made for logical reasoning, they were made for the heart to feel and experience them. And sometimes you just have to give in to slack-jawed awe.

La via del cuore è inspiegabile

percorre strade alternative alla nostra ragione

e pur sapendo che sono strette e vicoli ciechi

ci passeggiamo con gioia

consapevoli delle sofferenze che ci arreca .

Un‘altra tacca nell‘anima segna una storia vissuta

I vecchi dopo una lunga vita di gioie e di affanni possono finalmente vedere la realtà della vita, così come è, non esiste più l'inganno della giovinezza ed il falso miraggio dell'immortalità, tutto passa e scorre come le acque del fiume che ormai non possono più seguire se non con gli occhi....

 

It is impossible to explain the way to the heart

it leads on different ways to our reasoning

and even knowing that they are narrows and close up end

we walk trough them with joy

knowing of the sufferings that it will give us.

Another badge to the soul so to sigh a lived story

Elders, after a long life lived with joy and sorrow, they can finally

see the reality of life, as it is, it does not exist any more cheating of

youth and false mirage of immortality, everything is passing and fade away as the river's waters which only by their eyes will follow

      

♫ Meeting Ambiece ♫

 

Previously in Chapter 8: A Convenient Encounter

  

Lexington peered at the man as he sauntered across the stone floor. He wore an exquisite dark blue wool jacket and a bright powder blue silk vest that shimmered under the candle's glow. Gold filigree adorned the jacket's lapels and along with his fine leather riding boots there was no doubt he was royalty. The man wore his hair long, which was not uncommon for this part of the world and it gleamed black, like a raven's wing. By all accounts Count Pierre Léon Chastain was a handsome man, even striking. And Prince Lexington Jelani detested him.

 

Ordinarily it wasn't in his nature to hate someone so vehemently. His loss of control troubled him and Lexington had pondered on the matter over the past few days. He didn't trust the Count and why should he? He was a Lycan but then again Lexington had always harbored a certain amount of pity for the werewolf.

So what was it that made him so furious that his hands drew up in a fist when the Count came near?

 

Truthfully, if he were honest with himself, Lexington knew the real reason he hated this man. It was jealousy and it was obvious to him. These last few days he'd watched his Mistress become more familiar with this man. Her face would light up when the Count walked into the room. She'd laugh and place her hand on his arm when he'd spin one of his ridiculous yarns. And then there were the evening walks in the gardens of the Count's home.

 

Watching them now, Lexington lowered his head as Tabitha greeted the Count. To keep them both from noticing any emotion in his expression, Lexington turned slightly away from the scene. The sandstone walls of The Red Castle, as it was so aptly named, crept in around him, and he thought for a moment how different this Persian influenced architecture was from that of his home at Belraak. He closed his eyes, gathering his composure but opened them again when he heard the footsteps coming toward him. Gazing into a dark corner of the room where the light from the candles had not reached, time seemed to stop for a few moments before he turned in time to face the Count.

 

Lexington smiled politely and nodded to his host as he took his outstretched hand. Once the pleasantries had be exchanged, they took their places around a large table where several maps had already been laid out. Tabitha smiled over to Lexington which was his cue to begin and not being one to waste time he immediately informed his Mistress that that afternoon he'd been able to acquire a ship for the coming journey. He'd also taken the liberty of inviting the vessel's Captain to the meeting so that he might share his own insights concerning their voyage. With that, the massive doors on the dark side of the large room clanked and creaked open. Lexington turned toward the doors, motioning for them to approach and introduced their guest, "Lady Kinkade may I present the Captain of the Sealark."

 

Two figures walked toward them out of the shadows. The taller man was adorned in an outdated but very beautiful military styled coat. The lapels and cuffs were both covered with worn filigree that wasn't nearly as radiant as the gold on the Count's jacket. He wore a white ruffled shirt, commonly worn by fashionable seafarers and his cavalier boots clanked against the stone floor as he walked toward them. The other man, slightly shorter, wore the traditional coat and pants of a still less than modern day military officer which was perhaps less regal and flamboyant than his counterpart. As they approached, both men bowed and introduced themselves. "Good evening my lady. Captain Ambrose Townshend at your service. And this is my first mate William Swann." Tabitha curtseyed formally and introduced the Count, then without further ado the meeting began.

 

The crux of the conference was to discuss the route the party would take and the length of the voyage. They had not been on a time table before, however Abaddon Baal had been sighted in the city of Rivne in Little Russia two days ago. No one could guess why, not even Count Chastain, however they did know that Baal's lair was in Russian Turkestan. That meant he was moving northwest, or he may have had business in Rivne. No one could know for certain, but with this news they had a possible fix on his whereabouts. It was Tabitha's fervent plan to pursue the illusive werewolf king before Baal was in a position to dictate a less than favorable confrontation. But first they had a promise to keep, and witch to visit. Thankfully, the gypsy caravan was in Romania near Transylvania which would put them on a direct path to Rivne. This latest intellegence had changed things of course, and now a time schedule was much more imperative.

 

Lexington stated that he'd read reports that a new canal was about to open that would take them through the Khedivate of Egypt on a direct coarse to the Mediterranean Sea. Captain Townshend agreed, and had it on good authority that, although it was not officially open, the canal was ready, and they would be allowed passage. This possible course would save them more than a couple of weeks, perhaps as much at twenty days at sea. Count Chastain however, disagreed stating that as much as he wanted to find a cure for his and his clan's affliction, as he called it, he felt strongly that the canal would not be ready for passage in time. His feeling was that the route around the Cape of Good Hope was the only clear choice because if they were turned away at the canal, it would cost them even more time at sea. With the loss of what might be several days, the gypsy woman would certainly have moved on, and they would most probably lose Baals trail for several weeks or even months. Captain Townshend nodded to Swann, then turned to the group, adding that he agreed with the Count's assesment.

 

The men continued to discuss the matter each giving sound reasoning behind their convictions. Tabitha however withdrew from the discussions taking a few minutes to herself to ponder the situation. She had always relied on and trusted Lexington's advice and guidance in times such as these. So out of that trust and confidence her decision was easy to come to. Looking back up at the party she tapped one of the calipers on the table to quiet the men.

 

"Gentlemen I've heard both sides of this argument and I've come to a decision. I'm quite certain sailing back around the cape along the African coast is the most assured route. However we must consider our chance to cut travel time nearly in half. Also, winter will soon be upon us. As it is already mid August, I believe we must take in consideration the snows as well as the cold in Romania by late October. And so, with your blessing Captain Townshend, and yours Mr. Swann, I propose this route. We shall sail south, back around Sri Lanka, north to the Red Sea, through this Suez Canal of yours Prince Jelani, then across the Mediterranean Sea to Greece and Port of Piraeus." Tabitha put the pointing stick down and looked at them all. Captain Townshend nodded and bowed to Tabitha signaling that he thought well of her presentation. Count Chastain held his chin in thought, then looked over at Tabitha with a polite smile and nodded. Tabitha smiled back at the men then looked over to companion, Prince Jelani before making her last formal declaration. "Friends. We have a long journey ahead of us and I have no doubt a perilous one. I realize we haven't all agreed here this evening, but to be successful I believe we must be of one accord after this night. Do I have your oath?" Each man nodded and bowed and went about shaking each other's hands.

 

It was time for a drink and refreshments before bed and their host Count Pierre Léon Chastain had already made preparations with his servants. He turned and made a motion toward the dark hallway where a man there stood silently and in a couple of minutes they were all being served.

 

The conversations among them were of far off lands and differences in their cultures. They spoke of fates and how those fates had brought them together. At one point, Tabitha had laughed more than usual at one of the Counts tall tales of wonder and excitement. Glancing over at them, Lexington again found himself back in that dark place in his mind. This journey, although made shorter by this new and uncharted route, would quite possibly the longest he'd ever taken with his Mistress, and he was not looking forward to it.

  

Wow, it's hard to believe it's been nearly a year since I've visited this story. As much as I love it too. I'm hoping to get this one going again.

 

I'm so sorry this chapter is so long. I doubted anyone would read it anyway. But in case you tried I apologize for it's length and the lack of talent. I just love to write. Not everyone is good at it.

 

I'd like to thank some people who were instrumental in helping me with this shot. In alphabetacle order:

 

Thank you BOARSNOUT aka Swedish Sausage for coming out on short notice and staying up way past your bed time. Sorry it took so long babes but thanks for hanging in there. I appreciate it!♥

 

Thank you Mr. Phil Conners for being so kind to me and always being there to help out.♥

 

Thank you Rananarmo Sèitheach McGregor aka Emanuel Müller for letting us use your wonderful McGregor Castle to take this shot. You've been so kind to me and I appreciate it so much.♥

 

And to my wonderful friend Morgan Talbot who never refuses me and is always so prepared and amazing. Thank you!♥

 

Sanquinolency: Book I

  

  

*** Before I start my "daily thought" to go along with this photo, I'd like to say this IS NOT a request for all to post their hatred for the US, the President, etc. That is not my reasoning for posting this image. I know there is a lot of things wrong in America right now, but I don't want this to be a bashing opportunity, please? Thank you for your consideration! ***

 

I went to look at the kind comments my friends leave for me on my photos this morning, and saw one that took me by surprise. It was on one of my photos of me with a black lace veil on my face (which I suppose was a good photo to leave it on, with the contents of the comment actually!). The comment was as follows, leaving the identity of the person secret....

 

"G.W. BUSH is a war monger -alcoholic USA is a very scary place I'm ashamed of it"

 

I'll be the FIRST to say that EVERYONE has their personal opinions and can state their opinions without fear. It's their Constitutional right!!!. I respect the comment of the person, only because I can understand that fear. I do have to say that I'm one of the minority that supports the President, and may be looked down on because of that. I don't like name-calling, and know that our involvement oversease is questionable, taking the lives of many men and women in our Armed Force, the reason the AMERICAN Flag flies proudly near my front door. There may be a lot of bad that people see here in the US, but LOOK at all the GOOD!! This country is wonderful, beautiful. Where else can people come in from other countries and get the kind of education funded to go to great colleges and start businesses that make money for their families??? If America is so bad, why do people from other countries come here in droves? Because it is the Land of the Free, Home of the BRAVE. I'm proud to be an American. Proud to live here. Glad that people can come here for better lives, better jobs (or own their own businesses), and better education. I don't particularly care if anyone thinks the President is a "doof" and doesn't make the right decisions. As far as I'm can see, this is his last term, and there will be someone new to take over and see if they can make things better. (Remember, the President isn't the ONLY one that can make the decisions up there.....if you want to dog on him, you might as well list the whole gammet of people that work with him = Democrats and Republicans ALIKE!). There hasn't been a President alive yet that has made ALL the people happy ALL the time. Don't think there ever will be. With that being said.....

 

This is simply a photo of me, the love I have for my country and all the different people that are here. I say the Pledge of Allegiance with hand over heart, and sing the National Anthem misty-eyed. I'm not embarrased or scared to be here. I'm proud my ancestors came here on the Mayflowe, from Germany and from Ireland during the Potatoe Famine to a country of opportunity. When I was younger I actually talked to a recruiter twice to defend my country - Dad had a say in that one though. His only daughter WAS NOT going to go into the Army, but I think he just remembered Vietnam, and was afraid I'd be going through the same thing someday. I give Veterans Day cards to those I know that served our country, and they look at me with surprised faces, and that's sad they aren't appreciated more than they are. I can wear, drive,say,eat,think,believe, and worship whatever I want here. Just a simple picture of me showing love for my Country. That's all. I know that others think differently, and that's okay. I will always respect your opinions and embrace you for your own beliefs! I'm glad I'm here and happy for the friends I've made. I hope you don't think bad of me???? To coin a phrase from a song from Country Singer Aaron Tippin -

 

"You got to stand for somethin', or you'll fall for anything"

I have been considering the merits of uploading this, after all it wasn't a technically demanding shot, but I still like it for its colour, lighting and simplicity of form. So there you have it, that is my reasoning, and to me that is why I like photography.

A regular sight in The Hope Valley used to be the returning BOC Oxygen tank train.

 

25249 and 40082 pass through Bamford Station with the Broughton Lane to Ditton BOC Sidings. Signalling work in progress and no trees hiding the golf course or the view of Stannage Edge.

 

The train always seemed to be worked by a class 25 and 40 combination....perhaps someone viewing will be able to explain the reasoning for this.

Parvin.

When she came into my life, some 40 years ago, everything changed for ever. Although thinking was becoming my profession and seemed to be my fate I had, until then, never wasted the faintest thought on something like a steady relationship. And yet, without much transition, without any doubt or fear, we immediately merged and became an entity, something entirely new. Maybe for the first time in my life I had completely abandoned thinking, without the slightest hesitation, abandoned the shining path of reason and followed my heart, which I barely had noticed so far.

Of course, I could never really have known what a wonderful life was lying ahead of us because it was not waiting for us as individuals but for us as something we created the moment we met.

Today I sometimes look back almost in disbelief how this miracle actually happened. But the innate tendency for logical reasoning and analysis of cause and effect has lost its rule over me – in a way she cured me of it, she healed me of this sometimes crippling disease – and I happily sail on, lapping it all up while it lasts.

She was a physicist, a thinker herself, but she is so much more. She came from far away (from Iran) like a force of nature to clear the path for “Us”.

 

Well this shot was a surprise...as 10 minutes previous I had been having one of my classic "adult tantrums" about how I couldn't think of a photo, and there was "no food in the kitchen". Andy was his usual helpful self and spoke to me with reasoning and logic, and eventually persuaded me that this was a good and feasible shot to do on a Sunday night! And for that I am grateful as always :-D.

Strobist: 580exii soft box 1/2 105mm left. 1/8 24mm bare at background.

Continuing my food & drink themed 365

Super busy, so these are unedited pics. I met up with Netty and Allie this morning and showed them my progress at SL5B.

Apparently January 14th is World Logic Day - I struggled to think of something for this list item in the latest ANSH scavenger hunt so I googled logic to see what came up - amongst many things were puzzles and on from that the Rubik's Cube.

 

Uneseco say this about the creation of World Logic Day (first celebrated in 2019)

 

'The ability to think is one of the most defining features of humankind. In different cultures, the definition of humanity is associated with concepts such as consciousness, knowledge and reason. According to the classic western tradition, human beings are defined as “rational” or “logical animals”. Logic, as the investigation on the principles of reasoning, has been studied by many civilizations throughout history and, since its earliest formulations, logic has played an important role in the development of philosophy and the sciences.

 

Despite its undeniable relevance to the development of knowledge, sciences and technologies, there is little public awareness on the importance of logic. The proclamation of World Logic Day by UNESCO, in association with the International Council for Philosophy and Human Sciences (CIPSH), intends to bring the intellectual history, conceptual significance and practical implications of logic to the attention of interdisciplinary science communities and the broader public.

 

A dynamic and global annual celebration of World Logic Day aims at fostering international cooperation, promoting the development of logic, in both research and teaching, supporting the activities of associations, universities and other institutions involved with logic, and enhancing public understanding of logic and its implications for science, technology and innovation. Furthermore, the celebration of World Logic Day can also contribute to the promotion of a culture of peace, dialogue and mutual understanding, based on the advancement of education and science.'

 

ANSH 108 (3) logic

228/365

Do you tend to rule by your head or by your heart? 9 times out of ten, I make decisions with my head, using logic and rational reasoning. And then there are those times, so very infrequent (like dropping out of a very sensible degree that will get me a sensible job to study dance, that will not get me a sensible job) when it is all heart.

I was home for a week and decided to finish up some ideas I had laying around on my desk. Not anything revolutionary, I kept it simple this time.

 

But a quick life update...

I am officially an Industrial Design student! My performance in an intensive design foundations course over the summer determined my placement in the major. I honestly think my experience in Lego building made a huge difference in how I worked. Even without me knowing, Lego building introduced me to the iterative process and improved my spacial reasoning skills.

 

If any of you are design students or graduated with a design degree, let me know! I imagine it's a fairly common major for those with an aptitude towards Lego building.

77/365

So, there is no message in the bottle, which I was really disappointed about, and if it were not so cold I would have written a note and gone back and put it in the bottle. But it was too cold and too windy and I could not feel my ears. Also, you could almost believe the sea was calm if you only based your reasoning on this image, but the waves were taller than me. I think I like beaches when it is windy and when the waves are tall and when there is nobody there. The summer we went to Ireland, there was this long, sandy beach that we went to one evening, and it was only Kieran and me on the entire beach, playing catch with a baseball, and despite the fact that neither of us went into the water because the waves were so big, we were both soaked from the spray by the time we rejoined Mum and Dad, and our cheeks were red raw from the sand that the wind was blowing at us. We went back the next day and it was so calm you would hardly believe it was the same beach.

 

I think, however, that the best part of today was not the beach but the two second-hand bookshops we found. If we were not all so cold, I would have stayed there for hours exploring them. To me, a bookshop is more of an adventure than any mountain.

"It is said that a horseshoe placed in this position over the door is good luck for all who are in this home. However, there are also horseshoes displayed with the heels down. The reasoning here is that from this shoe (with the heels down) good luck will flow down upon all who come and go through this doorway." according to The American Blacksmith

 

Have a happy Friday and the best of luck on your weekend!

Excerpt from brainproject.ca:

 

“Acri” is both a cautionary tale and an ode to mankind’s resilience in the midst of degenerative brain diseases. Like these pencils, the beginning stages of Alzheimer’s causes a gradual decline in memory recall, thinking, reasoning skills, and more. It is important to understand the early symptoms of Alzheimer’s and dementia in order to better care for and treat loved ones.

 

The title “Acri,” comes from the Latin for “sharp.” Latin continues to live on in countless books, inscribed into buildings, and printed on U.S. currency. We live as long as the last person who remembers us, and we live forever through the stories written about us. Degenerative brain diseases may take our memories and

lives, but it can never erase our existence.

 

“Nor shall death brag thou wander’st in his shade,

When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st.

So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,

So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.”

(William Shakespeare, Sonnet 18)

Built for the WINTER GOURD PARTY

THEME: JET

 

This build can be perfectly described by Klee's theme from the hit game Genshin Impact. The building process felt like endless grind and suddenly receiving a quest was comparable to receiving 3 resin in a five-star guaranteed gacha. After a sudden betrayal I’ve sworn that vengeance will be mine – and, just like Klee herself, I decided not to give up, going out with a bang – or, rather, with a Level 2 Sparkling Burst….

Genshin Impact itself, being a game about the eternal struggle of good versus evil, is also pretty similar to Gourd Party, as the true villain of this story were the developers all along.

  

Quests:

A New New Low - Include a weeb (touhou preferred) theme song for your build (must provide reasoning in min. 100-word short answer).

Crossing Over - Build must be part of a System diorama.

 

Sabotages:

Kiss-Up - opponent is forced to incorporate a build/aspect of a judge or another contestant’s photostream/moc (the evil jet is based on Student's Jighead)

Some Disassembly Required - Build must visibly incorporate a brick separator (3 croc ones)

Whoops! - “Stress test” video

Ashokan Reservoir, Ulster County, New York.

 

The goal was a through hike to bag Cornell, Wittenburg and Slide Mountain in the Catskills. We drove, chasing (or being chased by) storms to Woodland Valley. After setting up camp, we chased another storm to the Ashokan Reservoir, hoping for a sunset over the lake. We headed for the dam on a forested road, reasoning it would be one of the few places we could access open space around this upstate water supply for the city. Suddenly out of the woods at the dam, we beheld the rainbow. The rain was passing, down to a sprinkle and then nothing. We took the causeway at a run, looking for a composition while the rainbow lasted. Behind us the sun was setting, throwing mountain shadows of ever-softer blues and bathing the water golden--a rival for the show looking East. And East, the rainbow still arched, above the Esopus where it exited the reservoir heading towards Olive Bridge and, ultimately, the Hudson River. Official sunset finally faded the rainbow, and for awhile longer, the lake view put on a show of its own.

This is an HDR composite of two images, exposing for sky and landscape.

Forgiveness is easy. It's when you say "I am OK with you." following a time when you may not have been. This can be reached through either strength or weakness. Dogma or logic. Kindness or apathy. It isn't exactly a reset of things, nor is it a second chance or clean slate. It's none of those things because you don't forgive a person for their actions; you forgive a person for how the actions affect you. Think of it as the driver who crashes a bus/train/car of people: you don't forgive the driver for his misdeed ... you forgive him for the pain and suffering which you have endured. Justice, punishment, atonement ... these are NOT parts of forgiveness.

  

Arriving at this state isn't always so easy, however, because sometimes people cannot bring themselves to that level of acceptance. Sometimes, things are NOT OK. There are extremes of non-forgiveness where a person fights against acceptance, apologies, healing time, trust, family bonds, and all of the other things which should help resolve issues. What results from this is a grudge, and it's an ugly thing. It's a bitterness and resentment which feeds itself from stubbornness, grief, unhappiness, blame, or even hatred. I've tried reasoning with people with grudges, and have always ended up backing away slowly with one of those 'omg yikes' looks on my face. Not all unforgiveness is awful, I don't think. You can just walk away from a bad experience, putting it behind you. Or if you can't separate, you can try to coexist ... but it's a chancy move which can lead you down either a path of unhappiness or back on track to actual forgiveness.

  

Some people think that you have to get over your problem/pain before you forgive. I think that quite often it's the opposite: forgiveness can come first. 'Forgive and Forget', we've all heard. This makes a ton of sense to me, as you forgive (emotionally), then later forget (mentally). Hmmm. I think those can go either way.

  

As with apologies, it is never to late to forgive.

Have you ever wondered what the summit of a mountain looks like. I know I have. So when I saw this I thought it was a super cool shot. To the people in the Northwest this is the tallest mountain around. Mt Hood. Having seen this mountain from varying distances almost daily for 30 years was another reason why this shot intrigued me. And after knowing the photographer of this shot, Josh Lawrence, for the last several years I also know the reasoning for this to be taken at sunrise. It all has to do with the condition of the snow and the safety involved. That is why they start their final ascent at 1 in the morning. But if it was for no other reason but to get this view, I would take it every time. After seeing this shot and telling Josh he needs to pack a good camera and not just his iPhone ( because in a 35 day span he summited 5 mountains from here to Ecuador ). And after talking about the comp and the glow on the mountain I finally asked who the person was. This shot is a year old and it could have been anybody. As it turns out it is my daughter Cynthia on her third attempt to summit Mt. Hood. After getting over the surprise of not having seen this shot before it immediately became one of my favorite shots. For after she summited Mt. Hood last year I was immensely proud of her for sticking with it that I had to have this picture. And now I do and it sits on my desk.

I had such a strong adverse reaction to the first issue of this mold, Making An Entrance, that I passed on the 2017 version based on the 2016 Design Competition Winning Entry by Salvadore Lopez Arriaga called Alta Moda. Obviously I wasn't alone in this reasoning as there was only 425 in the edition size. When this doll was released, like many other collectors, I totally regretted that decision. My best doll friend is very close friends with Sal as they live near each other in N.C. They rode with me to the 2019 Live From Fashion Week Integrity Toys Convention. After meeting Sal, it made me yearn for this doll even more. (He is a real sweetie!) This doll rarely comes available secondary market, and when it does, it's very expensive. I was able to pick up a "New In Box" version from a collector who had purchased the doll for the ensemble and never redressed her. I made an offer and it was accepted. My great fortune because I think this is the very best version of the mold and truly looks like a runway model going to go-sees. She is wearing the 2009 Monogram Black Party ensemble. LOVE HER!

Spent an afternoon painting John Bubniak's likeness as the original Spider-Man PS4 Peter Parker to add to my Advanced Suit custom from last year. I think I got pretty close!

 

Haven’t gotten used to the new Ben Jordan version quite yet, and I still don’t fully understand why Insomniac Games needed to recast John Bubniak (their reasoning doesn’t seem to make sense), but I’m still really looking forward to the future of Spider-Man PS4.

 

Full video is up here!

youtu.be/197jY7niRZA

Is this--they ate each other up.

 

I must have been around three when my grandmother recited to me the poem "The Duel" by Eugene Field.

My 3 year old mind pondered that over and over for a long time." How did they do that? How could they possibly do that? Did they start on each other's tail? Wouldn't their teeth be left? They couldn't eat each other all up. Something would have to be left"

As far as I know that was my first exercise in abstract reasoning. And today I still love the poem and still wonder "How could they possibly do that?"

This is for my friend Judy whose granddaughter won't be three for a long time to file away for the future.

️ Cancer is a worldwide battle that millions of people fight daily. Though each person may have their own individual reasonings for supporting this cause, we all have one common goal, to help others in their battle. That being said, Grid Wide Fighting Championship would like to give back to the community and provide support just as we have been given since the start of GWFC.

 

️ In our best efforts to provide support to others, we are holding a boxing event to raise funds that will be 100% donated to The American Cancer Society's Relay For Life, which goes towards others who fight their own battles with cancer every single day. Whether attending the event or simply making a donation, we ask for your help in providing support for those who currently battling cancer.

~Councillor Harmann: The Matrix Reloaded

 

I was simply experimenting with this. See note below.

 

Download large 1920w x 1080h in pixel.

 

In my mind....

There are many unfair conditions that other human beings have to endure. I don't agree but I know it has always being like that since the beginning of time. It could be the same mechanism for our own long survival. I don't know. But I just hope we all realize the reasons for everything before it's too late. And don't be so quick to blame, stereotype, have prejudices against others and believe everything the so called "experts" tell us.

  

“Man spends his life in reasoning on the past, in complaining of the present, in fearing future.” ~ Antoine Rivarol

  

Note:

-Lens used: 70-200L mm F/2.8 with 1.4 extender (zoom at 200mm for this shot)

-It was a long exposure and I simply zoomed in/out the lens few times.

-PHOTOSHOP CS4:

     Color Balance

     Shadows Color Levels: -47 0 0

     Midtones Color Levels: 0 0 +25

     Highlights Color Levels: 0 +16 0

 

_

"In solving a problem of this sort, the grand thing is to be able to reason backwards. That is a very useful accomplishment, and a very easy one, but people do not practise it much. In the every-day affairs of life it is more useful to reason forwards, and so the other comes to be neglected. There are fifty who can reason synthetically for one who can reason analytically...Let me see if I can make it clearer. Most people, if you describe a train of events to them, will tell you what the result would be. They can put those events together in their minds, and argue from them that something will come to pass. There are few people, however, who, if you told them a result, would be able to evolve from their own inner consciousness what the steps were which led up to that result. This power is what I mean when I talk of reasoning backwards, or analytically."

Steampunk cyclist.

 

Steampunk is gaining in popularity as more and more people for their own particular reasoning are choosing to follow this genre that revolves around 19th century technology yet at the same time is also futuristic.

 

Steampunk takes one back into a world that has an alternate reality based on the steam engine in preference to electricity.

 

It is a genre that successfully blends 19th century technology, aesthetics and crosses over into the world of science fiction.

 

Steampunk devotees dress in clothing reminiscent of the era and I heard one member of the genre offer the following answer when asked what does it all mean, his response was, "Its art madam, it is art".

 

I felt that this was a very apt response.

 

Steampunk Sydney conducted a display at the recent Hunter Valley Steamfest where they attracted a great deal of attention.

 

This steampunk was preparing to go for a ride around the grounds on his penny farthing, the penny farthing being a popular means of cycling in the 19th century.

 

Maitland, New South Wales, Australia.

It is windy today.

More in comments.

This is very... me.

 

so, YES, I decided to do a not-very-strict 365 :) I've explained my reasoning over the past few photographs. You'll be able to catch each and every day on my blog with my favourites being posted on here. :) And I have a companion, Fine, who is a wonderful photographer (see for yourselves) whose progress I shall accompany. :)

 

2012 thus far (all three days of it!) has been wonderful, I hope yours has been the same x

 

Facebook Page (nine more likes for a couple of free curves to be given away!)

This is a work in which the message being conveyed is that man can not have negative control animals.

 

Humans:

______________________________________________________

Capacity to love

 

Ability to show affection

Ability to perceive

Ability to rejoice

Capacity of contentment

Capacity - Reasoning -

______________________________________________________

 

Animals:

______________________________________________________

Capacity to love

Ability to demonstrate love

Ability to show affection

Ability to perceive

Ability to rejoice

Capacity of contentment

______________________________________________________

 

Many differences?

Meeting only one of those listed: Reasoning! That's what sets us apart! What is the difference in the way of life? Humans do suffer with this capability, while the animals when they do, the human hand!

With so many qualities that man has, the reasoning makes the world and this system of things is as it is.

 

Animals do not have the thinking ability, but have feelings. They have the capacity to love, to show affection and show it, even without the ability to think, unlike humans who have them and not use the remaining capacity in line.

 

They may be small, but they do see many humans have potential far above them. Do not give up, learn from them ... as they do: stop to "think"!

  

More jobs in:

- olhares.aeiou.pt/Selvas

- www.behance.net/rafaelvinhas

- www.zphoto.fr/RafaelVinhas

Thanks..

 

Just a remarkable blossom in my wife's Woodland Garden. A remarkably heavy rain had knocked it over, so I picked it and brought it into the stinkio. It is a little on the dark side because the blossom was remarkably dark.

 

Here is the beginning of an answer to the question when to use a blue or black or other color background. The complimentary color to the blue/purple petals is a yellow, which just didn't appeal to me, and a triadic analysis between the blue & yellow led to a green, which also did not appeal to me; thus, I was left with black, a color that compliments all others. Sloppy reasoning? Perhaps; let me know what you think.

 

The result of a multi-image focus stack, this image should reward pretty close examination. Maximum viewing size on your computer can be found by opening the image in a separate window, making that window maximum size, typing the letter "L" on the keyboard, and then clicking the cursor as long as a '+' appears in it, typically twice.

 

BTW, I've taken to putting a white rim around these images on black because, on my iPhone flickr app, it is otherwise difficult to discern the image's edges. I made it tiny because, while large mats look lovely on my desktop monitor, they make it hard for my tired old eyes to view an image on my iPhone's small screen. While it has been argued that "serious lookers-on use serious screens" and so don't really need the rim, I rather suspect that a significant number of folks do a lot of flickr scrolling on their phones, as I frequently do.

Oudewater is famous for the Heksenwaag (Witches' scales). This Weighing house, an official town building, became famous during the 16th century because people accused of witchcraft were offered an honest chance of proving their innocence. In many cities and countries such trials were usually rigged, resulting in the burning or drowning of hundreds of innocent people.

 

Many people accused of witchcraft from all over Europe (or at least, those who could afford the trip) made a head-over-heels trip to Oudewater to avoid being burned at a stake. After the weighing, they received an official certificate proclaiming them not a witch. Although nobody was ever found to be an actual witch in Oudewater, the weighings were still a public spectacle. Even today you can get a certificate that "your body weight is in proportion to your build." The reasoning behind this is the old belief that a witch has no soul and therefore weighs significantly less than an ordinary person; this distinction allows the witch to fly on a broomstick.

 

So in early modern times when accusations of witchcraft (and resultant burnings) were prevalent, the town of Oudewater offered the accused a chance of proving his or her innocence. This was more special than it sounds. It is a sign of the growing power of a third force next to church and nobility, i.e. citizens. In a bid for total domination, the witchhunts were sanctioned by the church to break the power of the local herb doctors (especially the women). The citizens of Oudewater therefore were, simply by being honest, defying the church.

 

Was lucky to go one one of the last “photographer-only” tours of Upper Antelope Canyon. I definitely understand their reasoning as it was a MAD house. But it’s easier to be ok since I got to go. I’d probably be very upset since it was too on my shot list for years.

I hope everybody found the time yesterday to get out to vote or caucus.

 

Last night was the first caucus I’ve ever participated in. I have to say I was very satisfied walking out my polling location last night. The experience of discussing and debating real issues with my neighbors in a town hall atmosphere was very exciting. I even took the opportunity to stand up and express my opinion of why I think Barack Obama is the best choice for the Democratic nomination. The issues and reasoning I raised must have resonated with the room because I got an overwhelming positive response and the loudest applause of the evening. Obama went on the win 59% of the vote in my precinct and 66% of the overall Colorado Democratic vote.

 

“The moment of truth, the sudden emergence of a new insight, is an act of intuition. Such intuitions give the appearance of miraculous flushes, or short-circuits of reasoning. In fact they may be likened to an immersed chain, of which only the beginning and the end are visible above the surface of consciousness. The diver vanishes at one end of the chain and comes up at the other end, guided by invisible links.”

Arthur Koestler

Another look at the 0ne57 residential tower.I read an article earlier that in March of 2013 the senior president of Sotheby's International,Kevin Brown,announced that he helped an anonymous woman purchase an apartment at this place for $6.5 million,but get this...it was for her 2-years old daughter!The mother's reasoning was that the little girl will most likely end up going to NYU,Columbia,or Harvard and the she'll need to be in the center of the city for an all-pass access to an easy commute home..huh!

US Supreme Court Staircase

As "a bumble" questions Gangie's reasoning for wanting his photo, Yukon Cornelius looks on wondering if he has finally lost it because not only is he talking nonsense but doesn't everyone know it 's Flickr not Flick!

 

© All Rights Reserved - No Usage Allowed in Any Form Without My Written Consent

Let the new years wash them away

 

I don't smoke, thus the reasoning for the photoshop smoke. I was going to make real smoke, but didn't feel like making a fire.

 

You guys have a safe and happy new year

 

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