5/81: FDNY Super Pumper System - Tillary St & Randalls Island, NY

Updated about 7 months ago

Fire Department of New York

Super Pumper System

conceived by Gibbs & Cox, naval architects & marine engineers

designed & constructed by Mack Trucks - 1963

operational units delivered and accepted 1965

Final cost for design & construction was $875,000

In addition to the Super Pumper and Super Tender, the plan called for the Super Pumper to be supported by three "Satellite" units, which were basically a smaller hose tender, with 2000' of super high pressure 4 1/2" diameter hose, and a roof mounted 4000 g.p.m. water cannon. The three Satellites were refurbished in 1980.

In circa 1982, the three Satellite support plan was revised, and expanded to include a total of six Satellite units. But alas, the Super Pumper System was retired shortly after. The Satellites were re-equipped with conventional hose and responded to to major fires in a support capacity, until they too were retired..

The Super Pumper was designed in the day of pumper (known as engines in FDNY parlance) capacities of mediocre capacity, e.g. 1000 gpm.

As with any large city port, the prevalence of massive warehouses and piers made for spectacular fires. `Unfortunately, the smaller pumpers were not up to the task.

So, the Super Pumper was designed to take advantage of the waterfront supply of water, and / or the high pressure hydrant system in most of the industrial areas of New York City.

While I've never witnessed it personally, it has been reported that the 7" water cannon / monitor on the Super Tender tractor was capable of blasting holes in the brick walls of warehouses. It's been said that in one instance in which the Super Pumper System responded to, that the water cannon punched a hole in the wall of the warehouse, ripped a significantly sized piece of machinery that had been bolted to the concrete floor, and pushed it clear across the warehouse floor to the other side.

It should be noted that the water cannon in these images was the second design. The first was slightly different and had a reducing nozzle to increase pressure and water throw.

Why it went out of service:

According to various sources, there were two reasons the Super Pumper System was retired.

The publicized and commonly accepted reason was that the cost of maintaining the system which was so infrequently used, was cost prohibitive.

The second reason which was told to us by one of the engineers, was more technical and consisted of two factors:

1) When constructed, the Napier Deltic diesel engine that powered the pump was mounted on the trailer. However, the air compressor and air reservoir for starting that diesel was mounted on the Mack tractor.

2) That model Mack tractor (that pulled the pump trailer, was prone to be out of service for repair frequently.

Even though the tractor of the Super Tender was of identical model, it was not equipped with an air compressor and therefore could not be used to start the Napier Deltic diesel engine.

Even so, with only one tractor in service (hypothetically if the other was out of service for repair) and had both unit been equipped with air compressors, only one piece of equipment could be pulled at one time. This would have required a third "spare" tractor, and this was not accounted for in the final plan.

Whether this reason can be confirmed through official channels at this time remains to be seen.

--- Current Disposition of the Super Pumper System ---

Super Pumper: private owner, Michigan (Bay City?)

Super Tender: private owner, California, (Hemet?)

Specifications:

--- Super Pumper ---

Tractor:

Mack F-715-ST Cab Over Engine

Trailer: custom designed

power plant: Napier Deltic 18 cylinder opposed piston (3 banks of 6 arranged in triangle (120 degrees) mechanically turbocharged

rated at 2400 h.p. at 1800 r.p.m.

equipped with ether injection system for cold weather starting

pump: DeLaval

parallel hook up: 8800 g.p.m. / 350 p.s.i @ 1800 r.p.m

series hook up: 4400 g.p.m. / 700 p.s.i @ 1800 r.p.m.

supply: four to eight 4½” diameter super high pressure hoses

--- Super Tender ---

Tractor: Mack F-715-ST Cab Over Engine

equipped with 7” bore water cannon

capacity: 10,000 gpm / 37 tons of water per minute

tractor is equipped with hydraulically operated outriggers to stabilize unit while water cannon is in operation.

Trailer: custom designed hose wagon

carries 2000’ of super high pressure 4½” dia hose

pressure hose: polyester construction, manufactured by Thermoid Division of H. K. Porter. 1000 psi burst strength, 800 psi continuous operation

tender also carriers twenty sections of 8" rigid wall suction hose for drawing water from rivers and standing bodies of water.

Trailer is also equipped with pressure reducing check valve equipped hose manifold to supply eight standard handheld 2½” diameter hose lines at 100 psi

(4 outlets located on each side of tender body)

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!

Some background:

Following World War II the Allies dissolved the Wehrmacht with all its branches on 20 August 1946. However, already one year after the founding of the Federal Republic of Germany in May 1949 and because of its increasing links with the West, the Consultative Assembly of Europe began to consider the formation of a European Defence Community with German participation on 11 August 1950.

Only a small number (40 plus two prototypes) of Spähpanzer Puma (Neu) were eventually converted or re-build from spares, but they became in 1957 the launch equipment of the Bundeswehr’s armored reconnaissance brigades, together with M8 Greyhound scout cars donated by the USA, even though the latter were soon complemented and replaced by tracked vehicles, based on the Schützenpanzer Kurz. However, due to their high road speed and excellent range, the Puma (Neu) scout cars were popular and remained in service until the late Seventies, when a new generation of 8x8 reconnaissance vehicles in the form of the amphibious Spähpanzer Luchs was introduced and replaced all 1st generation Bundeswehr vehicles.

Specifications:

Crew: Four (commander, gunner, driver, radio operator/2nd driver)

Weight: 10.500 kg (23,148 lbs)

Length: 6.02 m (19 ft 9 in)

Width: 2.36 m (7 ft 9 in)

Height: 2.84 metres (9 ft 4 in)

Suspension: Independent on each wheel, with leaf springs

Track width: 1.95 m (6 ft 4 1/2 in)

Wading depth: 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in)

Trench crossing capability: 2m (6 ft 6 1/2 in)

Ground clearance: 350 mm (13 3/4 in)

Climbing capability: 30°

Fuel capacity: 240 l

Armor:

9-30 mm (.35-1.18 in) steel armor

Performance:

Maximum road speed: 80 km/h (49 mph)

Operational range: 800 km (500 mi)

Fuel consumption: 30 l/100 km on roads, 45 l/100 km off-road

Power/weight: 17 PS/t

Engine:

Air-cooled, supercharged 10,622 cc (648³ in) Magirus-Deutz F8L 614K V8 diesel engine,

with 132 kW (180 hp) output at 2.500 RPM

Transmission:

Büssing-NAG "GS" with 6 forward and reverse gears, eight-wheel drive

Armament:

1× 20 mm (0.79 in) Rheinmetall (Hispano-Suiza) MK 20 Rh202 autocannon with 750 rounds

1× co-axial 7.62 mm MG42/57 light machine gun 2.000 rounds

The kit and its assembly:

This German 8x8 vehicle is a contribution to the “Back into service” Group Build at whatifmodelers.com in late 2019. Beyond aircraft I also thought about (armored) vehicles that could fit into this theme, and the SdKfz. 234/2 “Puma” (even though this popular name was never official!) came to my mind, because it was a very effective vehicle with many modern features for its time. So, what could a modernized Puma for the young Bundeswehr look like…?

The starting point became the very nice Hasegawa SdKfz. 234/2 kit, which did not – except for some PSR between the hull halves – pose any complications. I did not want to change too much for the Bundeswehr update, but new/wider wheels and a new, more modern turret with a light post-war weapon appeared sensible.

The wheels come from a ModelTrans aftermarket resin set for the LAV-25 – they are quite modern, but they do not look out of place. Their different, more solid style as well as the slightly bigger diameter and the wider tires change the Puma’s look considerably. In order to mount them, I modified the suspension and cut away the former attachment point on the four axles, replacing them with thin, die-punched styrene discs. This reduced the track width far enough so that the new, wider wheels would fit under the original mudguards. It’s a tight arrangement, but does not look implausible. The spare wheel, normally mounted to the vehicle’s rear, was omitted.

The turret was taken from a Revell “Luchs” Spähpanzer kit, but simplified so that it would have a more vintage look. For instance, the machine gun ring mount above the commander’s hatch was omitted, as well as the rotating warning light and the modern smoke grenade dischargers. The latter were replaced by the WWII triple dischargers from the Hasegawa kit, for a more vintage look.

To my astonishment, the Luchs turret was easy to mate with the Puma chassis: its attachment ring diameter was almost identical! The new part could be attached almost without a problem or modification. I just added some reinforcements to the hull’s flanks, since the Luchs turret is slightly wider than the SdKfz. 234/2’s horseshoe-shaped turret. Beyond that, only small, cosmetic things were added, like mirror fairings for both drivers above their workstations, license plates at the front and the rear and antennae.

Painting and markings:

Creating an early Bundeswehr vehicle is a simple task, because there is only one potential color option until the Eighties: a uniform livery in Gelboliv (RAL 6014). Due to the livery’s simplicity, I used a rattle can to paint hull, turret and wheels separately.

After some detail painting, a very dark brown wash with acrylic paint and some post shading with Revell 42 (also Gelboliv, but a rather greenish and bright interpretation of the tone) as well as dry-brushing with Revell 46 and 45 along the many edges were used to weather the model and emphasize details. After decals had been applied (mostly from a Peddinghaus sheet for early Bundeswehr vehicles, plus some tactical markings from the Revell Luchs), the kit was sealed with matt acrylic varnish.

Once dry and completed, some artist pigments were added around the wheels and lower hull in order to simulate dust and dirt. On the lower chassis, some pigments were also "cluttered" onto small patches of the acrylic varnish, so that the stuff soaks it up, builds volume and becomes solid - the perfect simulation of dry mud crusts. I found the uniform livery to look quite dull, so I added some branches (real moss, spray-painted with dark green acrylic paint from a rattle can) to the hull – a frequent field practice.

This was a very quick project – in fact, the model was completed in the course of just one evening, and painting it was a quick affair, too, lasting only another day. However, I like the result. The SdKfz. 234/2 already had a quite modern look in its original guise, but the new wheels and the Luchs turret change its look considerably, it really has an even more modern feel that fits well into the early Bundeswehr era.

Dead Can Dance - 'Anabasis'

Right-click link. Select "Open in New Window"

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gvu8JO4vm-A

Cambodia (/kæmˈboʊdiə/ (About this soundlisten); also Kampuchea /ˌkæmpʊˈtʃiːə/; Khmer: កម្ពុជា Khmer: [kam.pu.ciə]; French: Cambodge), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia (Khmer: ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា, prĕəh riəciənaacak kampuciə, IPA: [prĕəh riə.ciə.naː.caʔ kam.pu.ciə]; French: Royaume du Cambodge), is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is 181,035 square kilometres in area, bordered by Thailand to the northwest, Laos to the northeast, Vietnam to the east and the Gulf of Thailand to the southwest.

The sovereign state of Cambodia has a population of over 16 million. The official religion is Theravada Buddhism, practised by approximately 95 percent of the population. The country's minority groups include Vietnamese, Chinese, Chams and 30 hill tribes. The capital and largest city is Phnom Penh, the political, economic and cultural centre of Cambodia. The kingdom is an elective constitutional monarchy with a monarch, currently Norodom Sihamoni, chosen by the Royal Throne Council as head of state. The head of government is the Prime Minister, currently Hun Sen, the longest serving non-royal leader in Southeast Asia, ruling Cambodia since 1985.

In 802 AD, Jayavarman II declared himself king, uniting the warring Khmer princes of Chenla under the name "Kambuja". This marked the beginning of the Khmer Empire, which flourished for over 600 years, allowing successive kings to control and exert influence over much of Southeast Asia and accumulate immense power and wealth. The Indianised kingdom facilitated the spread of first Hinduism and then Buddhism to much of Southeast Asia and undertook many religious infrastructural projects throughout the region, including the construction of more than 1,000 temples and monuments in Angkor alone. Angkor Wat is the most famous of these structures and is designated as a World Heritage Site.

After the fall of Angkor to Ayutthaya in the 15th century, a reduced and weakened Cambodia was then ruled as a vassal state by its neighbours. In 1863, Cambodia became a protectorate of France, which doubled the size of the country by reclaiming the north and west from Thailand.

Cambodia gained independence in 1953. The Vietnam War extended into the country with the US bombing of Cambodia from 1969 until 1973. Following the Cambodian coup of 1970 which installed the right-wing pro-US Khmer Republic, the deposed king gave his support to his former enemies, the Khmer Rouge. The Khmer Rouge emerged as a major power, taking Phnom Penh in 1975 and later carrying out the Cambodian genocide from 1975 until 1979, when they were ousted by Vietnam and the Vietnamese-backed People's Republic of Kampuchea, supported by the Soviet Union in the Cambodian–Vietnamese War (1979–91).

Following the 1991 Paris Peace Accords, Cambodia was governed briefly by a United Nations mission (1992–93). The UN withdrew after holding elections in which around 90 percent of the registered voters cast ballots. The 1997 factional fighting resulted in the ousting of the government by Prime Minister Hun Sen and the Cambodian People's Party, who remain in power as of 2018.

Cambodia is a member of the United Nations since 1955, ASEAN, the East Asia Summit, the WTO, the Non-Aligned Movement and La Francophonie. According to several foreign organisations, the country has widespread poverty, pervasive corruption, lack of political freedoms, low human development and a high rate of hunger. Cambodia has been described by Human Rights Watch's Southeast Asian Director, David Roberts, as a "vaguely communist free-market state with a relatively authoritarian coalition ruling over a superficial democracy".

While per capita income remains low compared to most neighboring countries, Cambodia has one of the fastest growing economies in Asia, with growth averaging 7.6 percent over the last decade. Agriculture remains the dominant economic sector, with strong growth in textiles, construction, garments and tourism leading to increased foreign investment and international trade. The US World Justice Project's 2015 Rule of Law Index ranked Cambodia 76 out of 102 countries, similar to other countries in the region.

NAME

The "Kingdom of Cambodia" is the official English name of the country. The English "Cambodia" is an anglicisation of the French "Cambodge", which in turn is the French transliteration of the Khmer កម្ពុជា kampuciə. Kampuchea is the shortened alternative to the country's official name in Khmer ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា prĕəh riəciənaacak kampuciə. The Khmer endonym Kampuchea derives from the Sanskrit name कम्बोजदेश kambojadeśa, composed of देश deśa ("land of" or "country of") and कम्बोज kamboja, which alludes to the foundation myths of the first ancient Khmer kingdom. The term Cambodia was already in use in Europe as early as 1524, since Antonio Pigafetta (an Italian explorer who followed Ferdinand Magellan in his circumnavigation of the globe) cites it in his work Relazione del primo viaggio intorno al mondo (1524-1525) as Camogia.

Colloquially, Cambodians refer to their country as either ស្រុកខ្មែរ srok khmae (Khmer pronunciation: [srok ˈkʰmae]), meaning "Khmer's Land", or the slightly more formal ប្រទេសកម្ពុជា prɑteih kampuciə (Khmer pronunciation: [prɑ.ˈteih kam.pu.ciə]), literally "Country of Kampuchea". The name "Cambodia" is used most often in the Western world while "Kampuchea" is more widely used in the East.

HISTORY

PRE-HISTORY

There exists sparse evidence for a Pleistocene human occupation of present-day Cambodia, which includes quartz and quartzite pebble tools found in terraces along the Mekong River, in Stung Treng and Kratié provinces, and in Kampot Province, although their dating is unreliable. Some slight archaeological evidence shows communities of hunter-gatherers inhabited the region during Holocene: the most ancient archaeological discovery site in Cambodia is considered to be the cave of L'aang Spean, in Battambang Province, which belongs to the Hoabinhian period. Excavations in its lower layers produced a series of radiocarbon dates around 6000 BC. Upper layers in the same site gave evidence of transition to Neolithic, containing the earliest dated earthenware ceramics in Cambodia

Archaeological records for the period between Holocene and Iron Age remain equally limited. A pivotal event in Cambodian prehistory was the slow penetration of the first rice farmers from the north, which began in the late 3rd millennium BC. The most curious prehistoric evidence in Cambodia are the various "circular earthworks" discovered in the red soils near Memot and in the adjacent region of Vietnam in the latter 1950s. Their function and age are still debated, but some of them possibly date from 2nd millennium BC.

Other prehistoric sites of somewhat uncertain date are Samrong Sen (not far from the ancient capital of Oudong), where the first investigations began in 1875, and Phum Snay, in the northern province of Banteay Meanchey. An excavation at Phum Snay revealed 21 graves with iron weapons and cranial trauma which could point to conflicts in the past, possible with larger cities in Angkor. Prehistoric artefacts are often found during mining activities in Ratanakiri. Iron was worked by about 500 BC, with supporting evidence coming from the Khorat Plateau, in modern-day Thailand. In Cambodia, some Iron Age settlements were found beneath Baksei Chamkrong and other Angkorian temples while circular earthworks were found beneath Lovea a few kilometres north-west of Angkor. Burials, much richer than other types of finds, testify to improvement of food availability and trade (even on long distances: in the 4th century BC trade relations with India were already opened) and the existence of a social structure and labour organisation. Also, among the artefacts from the Iron Age, glass beads are important evidence. Different kinds of glass beads recovered from several sites across Cambodia, such as the Phum Snay site in northwest and the Prohear site in southeast, show that there were two main trading networks at the time. The two networks were separated by time and space, which indicate that there was a shift from one network to the other at about 2nd–4th century AD, probably with changes in socio-political powers.

PRE-ANGKORIAN AND ANGKORIAN ERA

During the 3rd, 4th, and 5th centuries, the Indianised states of Funan and its successor, Chenla, coalesced in present-day Cambodia and southwestern Vietnam. For more than 2,000 years, what was to become Cambodia absorbed influences from India, passing them on to other Southeast Asian civilisations that are now Thailand and Laos. Little else is known for certain of these polities, however Chinese chronicles and tribute records do make mention of them. It is believed that the territory of Funan may have held the port known to Alexandrian geographer Claudius Ptolemy as "Kattigara". The Chinese chronicles suggest that after Jayavarman I of Chenla died around 690, turmoil ensued which resulted in division of the kingdom into Land Chenla and Water Chenla which was loosely ruled by weak princes under the dominion of Java.

The Khmer Empire grew out of these remnants of Chenla, becoming firmly established in 802 when Jayavarman II (reigned c790-850) declared independence from Java and proclaimed himself a Devaraja. He and his followers instituted the cult of the God-king and began a series of conquests that formed an empire which flourished in the area from the 9th to the 15th centuries. During the rule of Jayavarman VIII the Angkor empire was attacked by the Mongol army of Kublai Khan, however the king was able to buy peace. Around the 13th century, monks from Sri Lanka introduced Theravada Buddhism to Southeast Asia. The religion spread and eventually displaced Hinduism and Mahayana Buddhism as the popular religion of Angkor; however it was not the official state religion until 1295; when Indravarman III took power.

The Khmer Empire was Southeast Asia's largest empire during the 12th century. The empire's centre of power was Angkor, where a series of capitals were constructed during the empire's zenith. In 2007 an international team of researchers using satellite photographs and other modern techniques concluded that Angkor had been the largest pre-industrial city in the world with an urban sprawl of 2,980 square kilometres. The city, which could have supported a population of up to one million people and Angkor Wat, the best known and best-preserved religious temple at the site, still serves as a reminder of Cambodia's past as a major regional power. The empire, though in decline, remained a significant force in the region until its fall in the 15th century.

DARK AGES OF CAMBODIA

After a long series of wars with neighbouring kingdoms, Angkor was sacked by the Ayutthaya Kingdom and abandoned in 1432 because of ecological failure and infrastructure breakdown. This led to a period of economic, social, and cultural stagnation when the kingdom's internal affairs came increasingly under the control of its neighbours. By this time, the Khmer penchant for monument building had ceased. Older faiths such as Mahayana Buddhism and the Hindu cult of the god-king had been supplanted by Theravada Buddhism.

The court moved the capital to Longvek where the kingdom sought to regain its glory through maritime trade. The first mention of Cambodia in European documents was in 1511 by the Portuguese. Portuguese travellers described the city as a place of flourishing wealth and foreign trade. The attempt was short-lived however, as continued wars with Ayutthaya and the Vietnamese resulted in the loss of more territory and Longvek being conquered and destroyed by King Naresuan the Great of Ayutthaya in 1594. A new Khmer capital was established at Oudong south of Longvek in 1618, but its monarchs could survive only by entering into what amounted to alternating vassal relationships with the Siamese and Vietnamese for the next three centuries with only a few short-lived periods of relative independence.

The hill tribe people in Cambodia were "hunted incessantly and carried off as slaves by the Siamese (Thai), the Annamites (Vietnamese), and the Cambodians".

In the nineteenth century a renewed struggle between Siam and Vietnam for control of Cambodia resulted in a period when Vietnamese officials attempted to force the Khmers to adopt Vietnamese customs. This led to several rebellions against the Vietnamese and appeals to Thailand for assistance. The Siamese–Vietnamese War (1841–1845) ended with an agreement to place the country under joint suzerainty. This later led to the signing of a treaty for French Protection of Cambodia by King Norodom Prohmborirak.

FRENCH COLONISATION

In 1863, King Norodom, who had been installed by Thailand, sought the protection of Thailand from French rule. In 1867, the Thai king signed a treaty with France, renouncing suzerainty over Cambodia in exchange for the control of Battambang and Siem Reap provinces which officially became part of Thailand. The provinces were ceded back to Cambodia by a border treaty between France and Thailand in 1907.

Cambodia continued as a protectorate of France from 1867 to 1953, administered as part of the colony of French Indochina, though occupied by the Japanese empire from 1941 to 1945.[48] Between 1874 and 1962, the total population increased from about 946,000 to 5.7 million. After King Norodom's death in 1904, France manipulated the choice of king, and Sisowath, Norodom's brother, was placed on the throne. The throne became vacant in 1941 with the death of Monivong, Sisowath's son, and France passed over Monivong's son, Monireth, feeling he was too independently minded. Instead, Norodom Sihanouk, a maternal grandson of King Sisowath was enthroned. The French thought young Sihanouk would be easy to control. They were wrong, however, and under the reign of King Norodom Sihanouk, Cambodia gained independence from France on 9 November 1953.

INDEPENDENCE AND VIETNAM WAR

Cambodia became a constitutional monarchy under King Norodom Sihanouk. When French Indochina was given independence, Cambodia lost hope of regaining control over the Mekong Delta as it was awarded to Vietnam. Formerly part of the Khmer Empire, the area had been controlled by the Vietnamese since 1698, with King Chey Chettha II granting the Vietnamese permission to settle in the area decades before. This remains a diplomatic sticking point with over one million ethnic Khmers (the Khmer Krom) still living in this region. The Khmer Rouge attempted invasions to recover the territory which, in part, led to Vietnam's invasion of Cambodia and deposition of the Khmer Rouge.

In 1955, Sihanouk abdicated in favour of his father to participate in politics and was elected prime minister. Upon his father's death in 1960, Sihanouk again became head of state, taking the title of prince. As the Vietnam War progressed, Sihanouk adopted an official policy of neutrality in the Cold War. Sihanouk allowed the Vietnamese communists to use Cambodia as a sanctuary and a supply route for their arms and other aid to their armed forces fighting in South Vietnam. This policy was perceived as humiliating by many Cambodians. In December 1967 Washington Post journalist Stanley Karnow was told by Sihanouk that if the US wanted to bomb the Vietnamese communist sanctuaries, he would not object, unless Cambodians were killed.

The same message was conveyed to US President Johnson's emissary Chester Bowles in January 1968. However, in public Sihanouk refuted the right of the U.S. to use air strikes in Cambodia, and on 26 March he said "these criminal attacks must immediately and definitively stop". On 28 March a press conference was held and Sihanouk appealed to the international media: "I appeal to you to publicise abroad this very clear stand of Cambodia—that is, I will in any case oppose all bombings on Cambodian territory under whatever pretext." Nevertheless, the public pleas of Sihanouk were ignored and the bombing continued. Members of the government and army became resentful of Sihanouk's ruling style as well as his tilt away from the United States.

KHMER REPUBLIC (1970–75)

While visiting Beijing in 1970 Sihanouk was ousted by a military coup led by Prime Minister General Lon Nol and Prince Sisowath Sirik Matak. US support for the coup remains unproven. However, once the coup was completed, the new regime, which immediately demanded that the Vietnamese communists leave Cambodia, gained the political support of the United States. The North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces, desperate to retain their sanctuaries and supply lines from North Vietnam, immediately launched armed attacks on the new government. The king urged his followers to help in overthrowing this government, hastening the onset of civil war.

Soon Khmer Rouge rebels began using him to gain support. However, from 1970 until early 1972, the Cambodian conflict was largely one between the government and army of Cambodia, and the armed forces of North Vietnam. As they gained control of Cambodian territory, the Vietnamese communists imposed a new political infrastructure, which was eventually dominated by the Cambodian communists now referred to as the Khmer Rouge.[56] Between 1969 and 1973, Republic of Vietnam and US forces bombed Cambodia in an effort to disrupt the Viet Cong and Khmer Rouge.

Documents uncovered from the Soviet archives after 1991 reveal that the North Vietnamese attempt to overrun Cambodia in 1970 was launched at the explicit request of the Khmer Rouge and negotiated by Pol Pot's then second in command, Nuon Chea. NVA units overran many Cambodian army positions while the Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK) expanded their small-scale attacks on lines of communication. In response to the North Vietnamese invasion, US President Richard Nixon announced that US and South Vietnamese ground forces had entered Cambodia in a campaign aimed at destroying NVA base areas in Cambodia (see Cambodian Incursion). Although a considerable quantity of equipment was seized or destroyed by US and South Vietnamese forces, containment of North Vietnamese forces proved elusive.

The Khmer Republic's leadership was plagued by disunity among its three principal figures: Lon Nol, Sihanouk's cousin Sirik Matak, and National Assembly leader In Tam. Lon Nol remained in power in part because neither of the others was prepared to take his place. In 1972, a constitution was adopted, a parliament elected, and Lon Nol became president. But disunity, the problems of transforming a 30,000-man army into a national combat force of more than 200,000 men, and spreading corruption weakened the civilian administration and army.

The Communist insurgency inside Cambodia continued to grow, aided by supplies and military support from North Vietnam. Pol Pot and Ieng Sary asserted their dominance over the Vietnamese-trained communists, many of whom were purged. At the same time, the CPK forces became stronger and more independent of their Vietnamese patrons. By 1973, the CPK were fighting battles against government forces with little or no North Vietnamese troop support, and they controlled nearly 60% of Cambodia's territory and 25% of its population. The government made three unsuccessful attempts to enter into negotiations with the insurgents, but by 1974, the CPK were operating openly as divisions, and some of the NVA combat forces had moved into South Vietnam. Lon Nol's control was reduced to small enclaves around the cities and main transportation routes. More than 2 million refugees from the war lived in Phnom Penh and other cities.

On New Year's Day 1975, Communist troops launched an offensive which, in 117 days of the hardest fighting of the war, collapsed the Khmer Republic. Simultaneous attacks around the perimeter of Phnom Penh pinned down Republican forces, while other CPK units overran fire bases controlling the vital lower Mekong resupply route. A US-funded airlift of ammunition and rice ended when Congress refused additional aid for Cambodia. The Lon Nol government in Phnom Penh surrendered on 17 April 1975, just five days after the US mission evacuated Cambodia.

KHMER ROUGE REGIME 1975–1978

The Khmer Rouge reached Phnom Penh and took power in 1975. Led by Pol Pot, they changed the official name of the country to Democratic Kampuchea. The new regime modelled itself on Maoist China during the Great Leap Forward, immediately evacuated the cities, and sent the entire population on forced marches to rural work projects. They attempted to rebuild the country's agriculture on the model of the 11th century, discarded Western medicine and destroyed temples, libraries, and anything considered Western.

Estimates as to how many people were killed by the Khmer Rouge regime range from approximately one to three million; the most commonly cited figure is two million (about a quarter of the population). This era gave rise to the term Killing Fields, and the prison Tuol Sleng became notorious for its history of mass killing. Hundreds of thousands fled across the border into neighbouring Thailand. The regime disproportionately targeted ethnic minority groups. The Cham Muslims suffered serious purges with as much as half of their population exterminated. Pol Pot was determined to keep his power and disenfranchise any enemies or potential threats, and thus increased his violent and aggressive actions against his people.

Forced repatriation in 1970 and deaths during the Khmer Rouge era reduced the Vietnamese population in Cambodia from between 250,000 and 300,000 in 1969 to a reported 56,000 in 1984. However, most of the victims of the Khmer Rouge regime were not ethnic minorities but ethnic Khmer. Professionals, such as doctors, lawyers and teachers, were also targeted. According to Robert D. Kaplan, "eyeglasses were as deadly as the yellow star" as they were seen as a sign of intellectualism.

Religious institutions were not spared by the Khmer Rouge either. Religion was so viciously persecuted to such a terrifying extent that the vast majority of Cambodia's historic architecture, 95% of Cambodia's Buddhist temples, was completely destroyed.

VIETNAMESE OCCUPATION AND TRANSITION 1978–1992

In November 1978, Vietnamese troops invaded Cambodia in response to border raids by the Khmer Rouge. The People's Republic of Kampuchea (PRK), a pro-Soviet state led by the Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Party, a party created by the Vietnamese in 1951, and led by a group of Khmer Rouge who had fled Cambodia to avoid being purged by Pol Pot and Ta Mok, was established. It was fully beholden to the occupying Vietnamese army and under direction of the Vietnamese ambassador to Phnom Penh. Its arms came from Vietnam and the Soviet Union.

In opposition to the newly created state, a government-in-exile referred to as the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea (CGDK) was formed in 1981 from three factions. This consisted of the Khmer Rouge, a royalist faction led by Sihanouk, and the Khmer People's National Liberation Front. Its credentials were recognised by the United Nations. The Khmer Rouge representative to the UN, Thiounn Prasith, was retained, but he had to work in consultation with representatives of the noncommunist Cambodian parties. The refusal of Vietnam to withdraw from Cambodia led to economic sanctions by the US and its allies.

Peace efforts began in Paris in 1989 under the State of Cambodia, culminating two years later in October 1991 in a Paris Comprehensive Peace Settlement. The UN was given a mandate to enforce a ceasefire and deal with refugees and disarmament known as the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC).

RESTAURATION OF THE MONARCHY

In 1993, Norodom Sihanouk was restored as King of Cambodia, but all power was in the hands of the government established after the UNTAC sponsored elections. The stability established following the conflict was shaken in 1997 by a coup d'état led by the co-Prime Minister Hun Sen against the non-communist parties in the government. In recent years, reconstruction efforts have progressed and led to some political stability through a multiparty democracy under a constitutional monarchy.

In July 2010, Kang Kek Iew was the first Khmer Rouge member found guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity in his role as the former commandant of the S21 extermination camp and he was sentenced to life in prison. However, Hun Sen has opposed extensive trials of former Khmer Rouge mass murderers.

In August 2014, a UN-backed war crimes tribunal, the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (also known as the Khmer Rouge Tribunal), sentenced Khieu Samphan, the regime's 83-year-old former head of state, and Nuon Chea, its 88-year-old chief ideologue, to life in prison on war crimes charges for their role in the country's terror period in the 1970s. The trial began in November 2011. Former Foreign Minister Ieng Sary died in 2013, while his wife, Social Affairs Minister Ieng Thirith, was deemed unfit to stand trial due to dementia in 2012. The group's top leader, Pol Pot, died in 1998.

GEOGRAPHY

Cambodia has an area of 181,035 square kilometres (69,898 square miles) and lies entirely within the tropics, between latitudes 10° and 15°N, and longitudes 102° and 108°E. It borders Thailand to the north and west, Laos to the northeast, and Vietnam to the east and southeast. It has a 443-kilometre coastline along the Gulf of Thailand.

Cambodia's landscape is characterised by a low-lying central plain that is surrounded by uplands and low mountains and includes the Tonle Sap (Great Lake) and the upper reaches of the Mekong River delta. Extending outward from this central region are transitional plains, thinly forested and rising to elevations of about 200 metres above sea level.

To the north the Cambodian plain abuts a sandstone escarpment, which forms a southward-facing cliff stretching more than 320 kilometres from west to east and rising abruptly above the plain to heights of 600 to 180–550 metres. This cliff marks the southern limit of the Dângrêk Mountains.

Flowing south through the country's eastern regions is the Mekong River. East of the Mekong the transitional plains gradually merge with the eastern highlands, a region of forested mountains and high plateaus that extend into Laos and Vietnam. In southwestern Cambodia two distinct upland blocks, the Krâvanh Mountains and the Dâmrei Mountains, form another highland region that covers much of the land area between the Tonle Sap and the Gulf of Thailand.

In this remote and largely uninhabited area, Phnom Aural, Cambodia's highest peak rises to an elevation of 1,813 metres. The southern coastal region adjoining the Gulf of Thailand is a narrow lowland strip, heavily wooded and sparsely populated, which is isolated from the central plain by the southwestern highlands.

The most distinctive geographical feature is the inundations of the Tonle Sap, measuring about 2,590 square kilometres during the dry season and expanding to about 24,605 square kilometres during the rainy season. This densely populated plain, which is devoted to wet rice cultivation, is the heartland of Cambodia. Much of this area has been designated as a biosphere reserve.

WIKIPEDIA

by rocksideranch ift.tt/1PgqK8l

Chhattisgarh is a very young state, only 19 years old, and is currently on a growing trajectory. Its education system is catching up with the other states. The lack of proper educational infrastructure is definitely a problem but the government has joined hands with private players in the state and together they are uplifting higher education in the state. Among these private players is one of the Best University in Chhattisgarh, Dr CV Raman University, Bilaspur.

The 21st century is rightly named as the digital era and the internet has clearly taken over every aspect of our life, including education. Technology is the biggest driver of the education sector of any country and this college has definitely leveraged the use of the internet. From providing full-fledged computer labs to fully functional digitized libraries, the college has taken care of everything.

Technological evolutions like AI, ML, Data Science have had a resounding impact on the education sector and this college has included all these topics in their management courses Chhattisgarh. They are making sure that the state is at par with the changing scenario of the world around. Their curriculum also focuses on technology, innovation, general skills and business management which other colleges generally overlook.

According to the world economic forum, by 2025, demand for critical thinking and computer skills would increase by 20% which in turn would create 2.1 million jobs by 2020 in all related domains. Incorporation of digitized courses by the university helps its students learn critical thinking, innovation, problem solving and collaboration.

Exams from pen and paper have now moved to online portals, powerpoint presentations have taken the place of projects and the computer is taking over everything. This college has signed up for many online portals such as LMS, MOOC, KConnect and many more. Students directly get quizzes to solve, submit projects, divide into groups through online platforms are now getting the gist of technology.

CV Raman University is emerging as the Top Private College in Chhattisgarh and it is making sure that its students walk that path with them. They have clearly understood the outcomes of digitized education and have taken up the challenge to ensure that everyone gets to reap the benefits of it. The students of this college are involved in a more research-oriented and thought based learning process. The business world is rapidly moving towards newer technologies like IOT and Block Chain and the college organizes regular guest lectures from experts in the industry to keep the students up-to-date with the latest trends. The students, while graduating, are industry ready and take upon new challenges.

With the pace technology is moving at, the future of jobs will be defined by speed, scale and digitization. In order to embrace this change, India needs to skill their youth to ensure that we excel in it. This will help us raise the living standards of people in our country. All these transformational changes are bound to take higher education of the country to another level.

To Know More: cvru.ac.in/

Soybeans grown by Norwood Farms owners and producers Don and son Grant Norwood who have been helped by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) District Conservationist Ron Harrison to implement their crop rotation and residue management practices to reduce erosion leading to improved land use and crop production; they also practice no-till farming on nearly every acre in the operation, in Henry County, TN, on Sept 19, 2019.

The stover of remaining corn stalk stubs, leaves, and cobs that are expelled and and left behind the corn harvester becomes a cover crop. The stover can be seen between soybean crop.

Crop dusters adapted with a seed spreader can seed directly into standing corn and standing soybeans. This gives the seeds a chance to get established before it freezes. In the spring, the cover crop will grow up through the corn stover.

Norwood Farms have successfully established the building blocks of conservation with conservation crop rotation on the entire Norwood operation. The crops are rotated between corn, wheat, soybeans and in some cases, corn cover crops and soybeans cover crops. The practices are implemented to reduced erosion sediment in surface water and are leading to improved land use and crop production.

Conservation Crop Rotation (Practice Code 328) is a management practices where growing a planned sequence of various crops takes place on the same piece of land for a variety of conservation purposes. Crops included in conservation crop rotation include high-residue producing crops such as corn or wheat in rotation with low-residue- producing crops such as soybeans. Crop rotations vary with soil type, crops produced, farming operations, and how the crop residue is managed. The most effective crops for soil improvement is fibrous-rooted high-residue producing crops such as grass and small grain.

Residue and Tillage Management (Practice Code 329) is managing the amount, orientation and distribution of crop and other plant residue on the soil surface throughout the year. For our area, we are utilizing reduced tillage and no-till. Residue and Tillage Management should be used on all cropland fields, especially where excess sheet and rill erosion are a problem. Residue and tillage management is most effective when used with other conservation practices like grassed waterways, contouring, field borders, etc.

NRCS has a proud history of supporting America's farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners. For more than 80 years, we have helped people make investments in their operations and local communities to keep working lands working, boost rural economies, increase the competitiveness of American agriculture, and improve the quality of our air, water, soil, and habitat. As the USDA's primary private lands conservation agency, we generate, manage, and share the data, technology, and standards that enable partners and policymakers to make decisions informed by objective, reliable science. And through one-on-one, personalized advice, we work voluntarily with producers and communities to find the best solutions to meet their unique conservation and business goals. By doing so, we help ensure the health of our natural resources and the long-term sustainability of American agriculture.

Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC) is the Department's focal point for the nationâs farmers and ranchers and other stewards of private agricultural lands and non-industrial private forest lands. FPAC agencies implement programs designed to mitigate the significant risks of farming through crop insurance services, conservation programs, and technical assistance, and commodity, lending, and disaster programs.

The agencies and services supporting FPAC are Farm Service Agency (FSA), NRCS, and Risk Management Agency (RMA).

For more information please see www.usda.gov

USDA Photo by Lance Cheung.

Michael Moeller, all rights reserved © 2014

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based historical facts. BEWARE!

Some background:

The G.91Y was an increased-performance version of the Fiat G.91 funded by the Italian government. Based on the G.91T two-seat trainer variant, the single Bristol Orpheus turbojet engine of this aircraft was replaced by two afterburning General Electric J85 turbojets which increased thrust by 60% over the single-engine variant. Structural modifications to reduce airframe weight increased performance further and an additional fuel tank occupying the space of the G.91T's rear seat provided extra range. Combat manoeuvrability was improved with the addition of automatic leading edge slats. The avionics equipment of the G.91Y was considerably upgraded with many of the American, British and Canadian systems being license-manufactured in Italy.

When Poland joined NATO on 12 March 1999, the G.91Ys (18 were still in service, plus all five trainers) received another major overhaul, a new low-visibility paint scheme, and they were updated with avionics that ensured inter-operability with other NATO forces, e .g. a GPS positioning sensor in a small, dorsal hump fairing. In 2006, when deliveries of 48 F-16C/D fighters to Poland started, the G.91Ys were to be retired within 12 months. But problems with the F-16s’ operability kept the G.91Y fleet active until 2011, when all aircraft were grounded and quickly scrapped.

General characteristics:

Crew: one

Length: 11.67 m (38 ft 3.5 in)

Wingspan: 9.01 m (29 ft 6.5 in)

Height: 4.43 m (14 ft 6.3 in)

Wing area: 18.13 m² (195.149 ft²)

Empty weight: 3,900 kg (8,598 lb)

Loaded weight: 7,800 kg (17,196 lb)

Max. takeoff weight: 8,700 kg (19,180 lb)

Powerplant:

2× General Electric J85-GE-13A turbojets, 18.15 kN (4,080 lbf) each

Performance:

Maximum speed: 1,110 km/h (600 kn, 690 mph, Mach 0.95) at 10,000 m (33,000 ft)

Range: 1,150 km (621 nmi, 715 mi)

Max. ferry range with drop tanks: 3,400 km (2,110 mls)

Service ceiling: 12,500 m (41,000 ft)

Rate of climb: 86.36 m/s (17,000 ft/min)

Wing loading: 480 kg/m² (98.3 lb/ft² (maximum)

Thrust/weight: 0.47 at maximum loading

Armament:

2× 30 mm (1.18 in) DEFA cannons with 120 RPG

4× under-wing pylon stations with a capacity of 1,814 kg (4,000 lb)

The kit and its assembly:

This whiffy Yankee Gina was inspired by a profile that had popped up during WWW picture search a while ago. Tracking it back, I found it to be artwork created and posted at DeviantArt by user “Jeremak-J”, depicting a G.91Y in polish markings and sporting a two-tone grey camouflage with light blue undersides and a medium waterline. I found the idea bizarre, but attractive, and, after some research, I found a small historic slot that might have made this “combo” possible.

When I recently delved through my (growing…) kit pile I came across a Matchbox G.91Y in a squashed box and with a cracked canopy – and decided to use that kit for a personal Polish variant.

The Matchbox G.91Y bears light and shadow galore. While it is IIRC the only IP kit of this aircraft, it comes with some problem areas. The fit of any major kit component is mediocre and the cockpit tub with an integral seat-thing is …unique. But the overall shape is IMHO quite good – a typical, simple Matchbox kit with a mix of (very fine) raised and engraved panel lines.

The OOB canopy could not be saved, but I was lucky to find a replacement part in the spares box – probably left over from the first G.91Y I built in the early Eighties. While the donor part had to be stripped from paint and was quite yellowed from age, it saved the kit.

It was built almost OOB, since major changes would not make sense in the context of my background story of a cheap 2nd hand purchase for an air force on a lean budget. I just added some details to the cockpit and changed the ordnance, using missile pods and iron bombs of Soviet origin (from a Kangnam/Revell Yak-38).

The exhausts were drilled open, because OOB these are just blank covers, only 0.5 mm deep! Inside, some afterburners were simulated (actually main wheels from an Arii 1:100 VF-1).

The flaps were lowered and extended, which is easy to realize on this kit.

The clumsy, molded guns were cut away, to be later replaced with free-standing, hollow steel needles.

In order to add some more exterior detail I also scratched the thin protector frames around the nozzles with thin wire.

Since the replacement canopy looked quite old and brittle, I did not dare cutting the clear part in two, so that the cockpit remained closed, despite the effort put into the interior.

A personal extra is the pair of chaff/flare dispensers on the rear fuselage, reminiscent of Su-22 installations.

Painting and markings:

The inspiring profile was nice, but I found it to be a bit fishy. The depicted tactical code format would IMHO not be plausible for the aircraft’s intended era, and roundels on the fuselage flanks would also long have gone in the Nineties. Therefore, I rather looked at real world benchmarks from the appropriate time frame for my Polish Gina’s livery, even though I wanted to stay true to the artist’s original concept, too.

One direction to add more plausibility was the scheme that Polish Su-22 fighter bombers received during their MLU, changing the typical tactical camouflage in up to four hues of green and brown into a much more subdued two tone grey livery with lighter, bluish-grey undersides, combined with toned-down markings like tactical codes in white outlines only. Some late MiG-21s also received this type of livery, and at least one Polish Fishbed instructional airframe received white low-viz national insignia.

For the paint scheme itself I used the MiG-21 pattern as benchmark (found in the Planes & Pilots MiG-21 book) and adapted it to the G.91Y as good as possible. The tones were a little difficult to define – some painting instructions recommend FS 36118 (US Gunship Grey) for the dark upper grey tone, but this is IMHO much too murky. Esp. on the Su-22s, the two upper greys show only little contrast, and the lower grey does not stand out much against the upper tones, either. On the other side, I found a picture of a real-life MiG-21U trainer in the new grey scheme, and the contrast between the grey on the upper surfaces appeared much stronger, with the light grey even having a brownish hue. Hmpf.

As a compromise I settled for FS 36173 (F-15E Dark Grey) and 36414 (Flint Grey). For the undersides I went for FS 35414 (Blue Green), which comes close to the typical Soviet underside blue, but it is brighter.

After basic painting, the kit received a light black ink wash and subtle post-shading, mostly in order to emphasize single panels, less for a true weathering effect.

The cockpit was painted in Dark Gull Grey (Humbrol 140), with a light blue dashboard and a black ejection seat. The OOB pilot was used and received an olive drab suit with a light grey helmet, modern and toned down like the aircraft itself. The landing gear as well as the air intake interior were painted in different shades of aluminum.

The decals were, as so often, puzzled together from various sources. The interesting, white-only Polish roundels come from a Mistercraft MiG-21. I also added them to the upper wing surfaces – this is AFAIK not correct, but without them I found the model to look rather bleak. Under the wings, full color insignia were used, though. The English language “Navy” markings on the fuselage might appear odd, but late MiG-21s in Polish Navy service actually had this operator designation added to their spines!

The typical, tactical four-digit code consists of markings for Italian Tornados, taken from two different Italeri sheets. The squadron emblem on the fin came from a Mistercraft Su-22, IIRC.

Most stencils were taken from the OOB sheet, some of them were replaced with white alternatives, though, in order to keep a consistent overall low-viz look.

Finally the kit was sealed with matt acrylic varnish.

An interesting result. Even though this Polish Gina is purely fictional, the model looks surprisingly convincing, and the grey low-viz livery actually suits the G.91Y well.

Governor O'Malley gives remarks at reducing violence against women and children press conference by Tom Nappi at Arnold, Maryland

St. Helena Prison Buildings.

Year after year the Comptroller-General of Prisons calls attention to the danger of having wooden buildings in the prison at St. Helena. In his annual report, just issued, he says:- "I must also draw attention to the fact that the buildings at St. Helena, which are mostly of wood, are very old, and that as the years pass by the risk of fire increases. At present each cell is opened by a separate key, and in the event of a fire taking good hold of the buildings, it might be impossible to let all the prisoners out. To minimise this risk, I would strongly urge that automatic machinery be obtained for the purpose of closing and opening all the cells at one time. I understand that such apparatus is in use in the prisons of the United States."

Description source:

The Brisbane Courier, 20 August 1908

Image source: Queensland State Archives Item ID ITM328272 St Helena Penal Establishment - New penitentiary, book of 17 plans, reduced scale from linen tracings - Public Works Department (II)

Governor O'Malley gives remarks at reducing violence against women and children press conference by Tom Nappi at Arnold, Maryland

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Description Credit to Gulf news,com

Description :

Oslo, Norway: The suspect in Norway's twin attacks that killed at least 92 people says he acted alone, police said Sunday, after some witness accounts said a second gunman had taken part in a mass shooting.

But police are still trying to establish whether there was "one or several" shooters at Friday's attack on a Labour Party youth meeting on Utoeya island, northwest of Oslo, police commissioner Sveinung Sponheim told journalists.

Norway suspect 'deemed killings necessary'

A suspected right-wing fanatic accused of killing at least 92 people deemed his acts "atrocious" yet "necessary" as Norway mourned victims of the nation's worst attacks since World War Two.

Police were hunting on Sunday to see if a possible second gunman took part in the shooting massacre and bomb attack on Friday that traumatised a normally peaceful Nordic country.

Anders Behring Breivik comments

In his first comment via a lawyer since he was arrested, 32-year-old Norwegian Anders Behring Breivik expressed willingness to explain himself in court at a hearing likely to be held on Monday about extending protective custody.

"He has said that he believed the actions were atrocious, but that in his head they were necessary," lawyer Geir Lippestad told independent TV2 news.

Police said Breivik gave himself up after admitting to a massacre in which at least 85 people died, mostly young people attending a summer camp of the youth wing of Norway's ruling Labour Party on an idyllic island.

Breivik was also arrested for the bombing of Oslo's government district that killed seven people hours earlier. Norway's toughest sentence is 21 years in jail. Survivors, relatives of those killed and supporters planned a procession to mourn the dead at Sundvollen on Sunday, near the island where the massacre took place.

Police defend delays

The comments from Breivik came as reports said police arrived at the island massacre about an hour and a half after he first opened fire, slowed because they didn't have quick access to a helicopter and then couldn't find a boat to make their way to the scene just several hundred yards offshore.

Survivors of the shooting spree have described hiding and fleeing into the water to escape the gunman, but a police briefing Saturday detailed for the first time how long the terror lasted - and how long victims waited for help.

Manifesto and video against multiculturalism

King Harald would attend a service in Oslo cathedral, a few hundred metres (yards) from where a bomb devastated government buildings including the offices of Labour Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg.

Breivik hated "cultural marxists", wanted a "crusade" against the spread of Islam and liked guns and weightlifting, web postings, acquaintances and officials said.

A video posted to the YouTube website showed several pictures of Breivik, including one of him in a Navy Seal type scuba diving outfit pointing an automatic weapon. "Before we can start our crusade we must do our duty by decimating cultural marxism," said a caption under the video called "Knights Templar 2083" on the YouTube website, which took down the video on Saturday.

A Norwegian website provided a link to a 1,500 page electronic manifesto which says Breivik was the author. It was not possible to verify who posted the video or wrote the book.

"Once you decide to strike, it is better to kill too many than not enough, or you risk reducing the desired ideological impact of the strike," the book said.

Norway has traditionally been open to immigration, which has been criticised by the Progress Party, of which Breivik was for a short time a member. The Labour Party, whose youth camp Breivik attacked, has long been in favour of immigration.

About 100 people stood solemnly early on Sunday at a makeshift vigil near Oslo's main church, laying flowers and lighting candles. Soldiers with guns and wearing bullet-proof vests blocked streets leading to the government district.

"We are all in sorrow, everybody is scared," said Imran Shah, a Norwegian taxi driver of Pakistani heritage, as a light summer drizzle fell on unusually empty Oslo streets.

Some terrified survivors of the shooting rampage said bullets came from at least two sides. "We are not at all certain" about whether he acted alone, police chief Sveinung Sponheim said. "That is one of the things that the investigation will concentrate on."

Witnesses

Witnesses said the gunman, wearing a police uniform, was able to shoot unchallenged for a prolonged period. He picked off his victims on Utoeya island northwest of Oslo forcing youngsters to scatter in panic or to jump into the lake to swim for the mainland.

"I heard screams. I heard people begging for their lives and I heard shots. He just blew them away," Labour Party youth member Erik Kursetgjerde, 18, told Reuters.

"I was certain I was going to die," he said. "People ran everywhere. They panicked and climbed into trees. People got trampled."

Home-grown militant

The suspect, tall and blond, owned an organic farming company called Breivik Geofarm, which a supply firm said he had used to buy fertiliser -- possibly to make the Oslo bomb.

Home-grown anti-government militants have struck elsewhere in the past, notably in the United States, where Timothy McVeigh killed 168 people with a truck bomb in Oklahoma City in 1995.

The district attacked is the heart of power in Norway. But security is not tight in a country unused to such violence and better known for awarding the Nobel Peace Prize and mediating in conflicts, including the Middle East and Sri Lanka.

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Here is a quick noise comparison that many of you have asked for on the Canon EOS 5D Mark II vs. the Canon 5D Mark III. I photographed the gray cinder block fence in my backyard (at night), the first day I received my new camera. All photos were taken at ISO 6400 and enlarged to 100% (the Mk3 image was reduce slightly to match the size of the Mk2 image). The object on the right in each photo is a green steel fence post in my garden (and its shadow). I plan to redo this comparison with some real test charts :)

My observations: If you compare the Mk2 camera JPEG with the Mk3 camera JPEG, you'll immediately notice more color noise, as well as less overall sharpness in the Mk2 image. Until Adobe came out recently with the new Adobe Raw Converter (version 6.7), images processed from the Mk2 RAW files were not much better than the camera JPEGs. The new ARC 6.7 is so much better than previous versions in reducing color and luminance (grain) noise. The Mk3 has an obvious advantage over the Mk2, but with the ARC 6.7 software, that advantage has been reduced.

Conclusions: ARC 6.7 is so much better, I plan to reprocess some of my old Mk2 images to remove more of the color noise. If you'd like to do NightScape photography (that often requires shooting at high ISOs), but can't afford the Mk3, you might consider buying a used Mk2 (about $1,000 right now) and processing the images with this new converter.

The collection of farms visible here, beneath the majestic Teton Range, is called Mormon Row. This picture is by no means original, as thousands of people, if not more, have certainly taken a similar shot, but I don't believe that this fact in any way reduces its beauty.

File name: 10_03_003770b

Binder label: Shoes

Title: Parents, remember Standard Screw fastened soles never rip - no nails to hurt feet or wear out stockings. Reduce your shoe bills one-half, by wearing Standard Screw fastened boots and shoes - only screwed shoe made. Soles fastened on with screws turned in whole length. Refuse to buy shoes not stamped with our trade mark. [back]

Date issued: 1870 - 1900 (approximate)

Physical description: 1 print : chromolithograph ; 9 x 18 cm.

Genre: Advertising cards

Subject: Men; Shoes

Notes: Title from item. Retailer: J. N. Richardson & Son, Front St., Winchendon, Mass.

Collection: 19th Century American Trade Cards

Location: Boston Public Library, Print Department

Rights: No known restrictions.

Jose Rojas, North American Division Volunteer Ministries director, visits with audience members following a Check Him Out program.

“Rupertswood” in Sunbury on the outskirts of Melbourne is one of Australia's most important mansions, both historically and architecturally. Built as a residence for Sir William John Clarke (1831 – 1897), the first Australian born Baronet, in 1874 – 1876 it became a power seat in the great English tradition. The property covered an area of 31,000 acres. Today the estate has been greatly reduced due to subdivision to a more modest 1,100 acres.

Designed by local architect George L. Browne, "Rupertswood" is a 50 room bluestone mansion built for Sir William John Clarke by contractors George Sumner & Co. Designed in the Victorian Italianate style, the two storey mansion is surmounted by a 100 foot tower with a Mansard roof and widow's walk. The foundation stone for “Rupertswood” was laid on 29 August 1874 with some 1000 people in attendance. The house was completed in 1876. The grand entrance is paved with Victorian tessellated tiles and the house is flanked by splendid wide and shady verandahs on three sides. The ballroom was added in late 1881 or 1882. Interior decorations were carried out by Schemmel and Shilton. There are six magnificent stained glass panels made by Urie and Fergeson in 1874-76, considered some of the finest examples in the world. The elaborate mansion with its large estate demonstrates the important status of Clarke whose prominence as a colonist was recognised in 1882 by his appointment as a baronet.

William Sangster designed the gardens at “Rupertswood” originally covering an area of 99 acres, and once boasted tennis courts, croquet lawns and an underground fernery. “Rupertswood” also had its own private railway station where hundreds of guests to grand balls would arrive from Spencer Street. Balls, hunt meets and weekend house parties were frequent. Anyone of note, in Victorian and Edwardian society, was entertained by Sir John and Lady Eliza Clarke. Many historical figures visited “Rupertswood” during its history, including the then Duke and Duchess of York, (later to become King George V and Queen Mary), Australian opera singer Dame Nellie Melba and several Governors of Victoria. The estate also had its own half battery of horse artillery when Sir William John Clarke formed a small permanent force in 1885.

“Rupertswood” holds a place in the great sporting rivalry between Australia and England, as it was on a field at “Rupertswood” that the “Ashes” were created. On Christmas Eve of 1882, after a congenial lunch, Sir William Clarke suggested a social game between the English Cricket team and a local side, made up largely of “Rupertswood” staff. By all accounts, it was an enjoyable game with no one really keeping score, however, it was generally agreed that the English won. Pat Lyons, a worker at “Rupertswood”, clearly remembered the afternoon many years later. It was his understanding that Lady Clarke, at dinner that evening, had presented Ivo Bligh with a pottery urn. It was purported to contain the ashes of a burnt bail. This was a light hearted gesture to commemorate England's win at “Rupertswood”.

By 1922, “Rupertswood” had passed from the Clarke family into the possession of Hugh Victor McKay (1865 – 1926), a self-made millionaire, industrialist and inventor of “Sunshine Harvester”. His dream of owning “Rupertswood” had been realised, if however, a little short lived. He died at “Rupertswood” only four years after acquiring it. A short time later one of Australia's greatest pastoralist, Queenslander William Naughton acquired the property. One year later he sold the mansion and 1,100 acres to the Roman Catholic Salesian Order. The mansion then became a school for under privileged boys.

Today “Rupertswood” is open to the public. The mansion has undergone extensive restoration, with the help of interior designer and Victorian architecture specialist Jacqui Robertson, reinstating elaborate Victorian colour and decorative schemes, and operating as a boutique hotel.

Ikat, or ikkat, is a dyeing technique used to pattern textiles that employs resist dyeing on the yarns prior to dyeing and weaving the fabric.

In ikat the resist is formed by binding individual yarns or bundles of yarns with a tight wrapping applied in the desired pattern. The yarns are then dyed. The bindings may then be altered to create a new pattern and the yarns dyed again with another colour. This process may be repeated multiple times to produce elaborate, multicolored patterns. When the dyeing is finished all the bindings are removed and the yarns are woven into cloth. In other resist-dyeing techniques such as tie-dye and batik the resist is applied to the woven cloth, whereas in ikat the resist is applied to the yarns before they are woven into cloth. Because the surface design is created in the yarns rather than on the finished cloth, in ikat both fabric faces are patterned.

A characteristic of ikat textiles is an apparent "blurriness" to the design. The blurriness is a result of the extreme difficulty the weaver has lining up the dyed yarns so that the pattern comes out perfectly in the finished cloth. The blurriness can be reduced by using finer yarns or by the skill of the craftsperson. Ikats with little blurriness, multiple colours and complicated patterns are more difficult to create and therefore often more expensive. However, the blurriness that is so characteristic of ikat is often prized by textile collectors.

Ikat is produced in many traditional textile centres around the world, from India to Central Asia, Southeast Asia, Japan (where it is called "kasuri"), Africa and Latin America. Double ikats - in which both the warp and weft yarns are tied and dyed before being woven into a single textile - are relatively rare because of the intensive skilled labour required to produce them. They are produced in Okinawa islands of Japan, the village of Tenganan in Indonesia, and the villages of Puttapaka and Bhoodan Pochampally in Telangana and Gujarat in India.

TYPES

In warp ikat it is only the warp yarns that are dyed using the ikat technique. The weft yarns are dyed a solid colour. The ikat pattern is clearly visible in the warp yarns wound onto the loom even before the weft is woven in. Warp ikat is, amongst others, produced in Indonesia; more specifically in Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and Sumatra by respectively the Dayaks, Torajans and Bataks.

In weft ikat it is the weaving or weft yarn that carries the dyed patterns. Therefore, the pattern only appears as the weaving proceeds. Weft ikats are much slower to weave than warp ikat because the weft yarns must be carefully adjusted after each passing of the shuttle to maintain the clarity of the design.

Double Ikat is a technique in which both warp and the weft are resist-dyed prior to weaving. Obviously it is the most difficult to make and the most expensive. ouble ikat is only produced in three countries: India, Japan and Indonesia. The double ikat made in Patan, Gujarat in India is the most complicated. Called "patola," it is made using fine silk yarns and many colours. It may be patterned with a small motif that is repeated many times across the length of a six-meter sari. Sometimes the Patan double ikat is pictorial with no repeats across its length. That is, each small design element in each colour was individually tied in the warp and weft yarns. It's an extraordinary achievement in the textile arts. These much sought after textiles were traded by the Dutch East Indies company for exclusive spice trading rights with the sultanates of Indonesia. The double ikat woven in the small Bali Aga village, Tenganan in east Bali in Indonesia reflects the influence of these prized textiles. Some of the Tenganan double ikat motifs are taken directly from the patola tradition. In India double ikat is also woven in Puttapaka, Nalgonda District and is called Puttapaka Saree. In Japan, double ikat is woven in the Okinawa islands where it is called tate-yoko gasuri.

ETYMOLOGY

Ikat is an Indonesian language word, which depending on context, can be the nouns: cord, thread, knot and the finished ikat fabric as well as the verbs "to tie" or "to bind". It has a direct etymological relation to Javanese language of the same word. Thus, the name of the finished ikat woven fabric originates from the tali (threads, ropes) being ikat (tied, bound, knotted) before they are being put in celupan (dyed by way of dipping), then berjalin (woven, intertwined) resulting in a berjalin ikat- reduced to ikat.

The introduction of the term ikat into European language is attributed to Rouffaer. Ikat is now a generic English loanword used to describe the process and the cloth itself regardless of where the fabric was produced or how it is patterned.

In Indonesian the plural of ikat remains ikat. However, in English a suffix plural 's' is commonly added, as in ikats. This is true in other some other languages. All are correct.

DISTRIBUTION

Ikat is a weaving style common to many world cultures. It is probably one of the oldest forms of textile decoration. However, it is most prevalent in Indonesia, India and Japan. In Central and South America, ikat is still common in Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Guatemala and Mexico.

In the 19th century, the Silk Road desert oases of Bukhara, Samarkand, Hotan and Kashgar (in what is now Uzbekistan and Xinjiang in Central Asia) were famous for their fine silk Uzbek/Uyghur ikat.

India, Japan, Indonesia and many other Southeast Asian nations including Cambodia, Myanmar, Philippines and Thailand have weaving cultures with long histories of ikat production.

Double ikat weaving is still found in India, Japan and Indonesia. In Indonesia, it is still woven in Bali, Java, Kalimantan or Borneo and Sumatra.

HISTORY

As textiles do not last well through history, scholars have so far been unable to determine where the technique of ikat originated. Nevertheless, some parts of Asia demonstrates strong ikat traditions which suggest its possible origin; they are Maritime Southeast Asia, Indian subcontinent and Central Asia. However, it probably developed in several different locations independently, since ikat was known to be produced in several pre-Columbian Central and South American cultures.

The term "ikat" has Indonesian origin, and it was introduced into European textile vocabulary back in early 20th century, when the Dutch scholars begin to study the rich textile traditions of East Indies archipelago (today Indonesia).

Uyghurs call it atlas (in IPA [ɛtlɛs]) and use it only for woman's clothing. The historical record indicates that there were 27 types of atlas during Qing occupation. Now there are only four types of Uyghur atlas remaining: Qara-atlas (Darayi, black ikat used for older women's clothing), Khoja'e-atlas (yellow, blue, purple ikat used for married women), Qizil-atlas (red ikat used for girls) and Yarkant-atlas (Khan-atlas). Yarkant-atlas has more diverse styles; during Yarkant Khanate (16th century), there ten different styles of Yarkant-atlas.

PRODUCTION

WARP IKAT

Ikat created by dyeing the warp are simpler to make than either weft ikat or double ikat. First the yarns - cotton, silk, wool or other fibres - are wound onto a frame. Then they are tied into bundles. The bundles may be covered with wax, as in batik. (However, in making batik, the craftsperson applies the resist to the finished cloth rather than to the yarns to be woven.) The warp yarns are then wrapped tightly with thread or some other dye-resistant material to prevent unwanted dye permeation. The procedure is repeated, depending on the number of colours required to complete the design. Multiple coloration is common, requiring multiple rounds of tying and dyeing. The newly dyed and thoroughly washed bundles are wound onto the loom to produce the warp (longitudinal yarns). Warp threads are adjusted for the desired alignment for precise motifs.

Some ikat traditions, such as Central Asia's, embrace a blurred aesthetic in the design. Other traditions favour a more precise and more difficult to achieve refinement in the placement of the ikat yarns. South American and Indonesian ikat are known for a high degree of warp alignment. Weavers must adjust the warp repeatedly to maintain pattern alignment.

Patterns result from a combination of the warp dye and the weft thread colour. Some warp ikat traditions are designed with vertical-axis symmetry or have a "mirror-image" running along their long centre line. That is, whatever pattern or design is woven on the right is duplicated on the left in reverse order about a central warp thread group. Patterns can be created in the vertical, horizontal or diagonal.

WEFT IKAT

Weft ikat uses resist-dyeing for the weft yarns. The movement of the weft yarns in the weaving process means precisely delineated patterns are more difficult to weave. The weft yarn must be adjusted after each passing of the shuttle to preserve the pattern.

Nevertheless, highly skilled artisans can produce precise weft ikat. Japanese weavers produce very accurate indigo and white weft ikat with small scale motifs in cotton. Weavers in Odisha, India have replicated fine Urdu script in weft ikat. In Thailand, weavers make very fine silk sarongs depicting birds and complex geometrical designs in seven colour weft ikat.

In some precise weft ikat traditions (Gujarat, India), two artisans weave the cloth: one passes the shuttle and the other adjusts the way the yarn lies in the shed.

As the weft is commonly a continuous strand, aberrations or variation in coloration are cumulative. Some weft ikat traditions incorporate this affect into their aesthetic. Patterns become transformed by the weaving process into irregular and erratic designs. Guatemalan ikat is well-noted for its beautiful "blurs."

DOUBLE IKAT

Double Ikat is created by resist-dyeing both the warp and weft prior to weaving.This form of weaving requires the most skill for precise patterns to be woven and is considered the premiere form of ikat. The amount of labour and skill required also make it the most expensive, and many poor quality cloths flood the tourist markets. Indian and Indonesian examples typify highly precise double ikat. Especially prized are the double ikats woven in silk known in India as patola (singular: patolu). These are from Gujarat (Cambay). During the colonial era, Dutch merchants used patola as prestigious trade cloths during the peak of the spice trade.

In Indonesia double ikat is only woven in the Bali Aga village of Tenganan. These cloths have high spiritual significance. In Tenganan they are still worn for specific ceremonies. Outside Tenganan, geringsing are treasured as they are purported to have magical powers.

The double ikat of Japan is woven in the Okinawa islands and is called tate-yoko gasuri.

Pochampally Sari, a variety from a small village in Nalgonda district, Andhra Pradesh, India is known for silk saris woven in the double Ikat.

The Puttapaka Saree is made in Puttapaka village, Samsthan Narayanpuram mandal in Nalgonda district, India. It is known for its unique style of silk saris. The symmetric design is over 200 years old. The Ikat is warp-based. The Puttapaka Saree is a double ikat.

Before the weaving is done, a manual winding of yarn, called Asu, needs to be performed. This process takes up to 5 hours per sari and is usually done by the womenfolk, who suffer physical strain through constantly moving their hands back and forth over 9000 times for each sari. In 1999, a young weaver C Mallesham developed a machine which automated Asu, thus developing a technological solution for a decades-old unsolved problem.

OSHIMA

Oshima ikat is a uniquely Japanese ikat. In Oshima, the warp and weft threads are both used as warp to weave stiff fabric, upon which the thread for the ikat weaving is spot-dyed. Then the mats are unravelled and the dyed thread is woven into oshima cloth.

The Oshima process is duplicated in Java and Bali, and is reserved for ruling royalty, notably Klungkung and Ubud: most especially the dodot cloth semi-cummerbund of Javanese court attire.

OTHER COUNTRIES

CAMBODIA

The Cambodian ikat is a weft ikat woven of silk on a multi-shaft loom with an uneven twill weave, which results in the weft threads showing more prominently on the front of the fabric than the back.

By the 19th century, Cambodian ikat was considered among the finest textiles of the world. When the King of Thailand came to the US in 1856, he brought as a gift for President Franklin Pierce fine Cambodian ikat cloth. The most intricately patterned of the Cambodian fabrics are the sampot hol - skirts worn by the women - and the pidans - wall hangings used to decorate the pagoda or the home for special ceremonies.

Unfortunately, Cambodian culture suffered massive disruption and destruction during the mid-20th century Indochina wars but most especially during the Khmer Rouge regime. Most weavers were killed and the whole art of Cambodian ikat was in danger of disappearing.

Kikuo Morimoto is a prominent pioneer in re-introducing ikat to Cambodia. In 1995, he moved from Japan and located one or two old lady weavers and Khmer Rouge survivors who knew the art and have taught it to a new generation.

THAILAND

In Thailand, the local weft ikat type of woven cloth is known as Matmi (also spelled 'Mudmee' or 'Mudmi'). Traditional Mudmi cloth was woven for daily use among the nobility. Other uses included ceremonial costumes. Warp ikat in cotton is also produced by the Karen and Lawa tribal peoples in northern Thailand.

This type of cloth is the favourite silk item woven by ethnic Khmer people living in southern Isaan, mainly in Surin, Sisaket and Buriram.

LATIN AMERICA

Ikat patterns are common among the Andes peoples, and native people of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela. The Mapuche shawl or poncho of the Huaso cowboys of Chile is perhaps the item best known in the West. Wool and cabuya fibre are the most commonly used.

The Mexican rebozos can be made from silk, wool or cotton and are frequently ikat dyed. These shawls are seen as a part of the Mexican national identity and most women own at least one.

Latin American ikat (Jaspe, as it is known to Maya weavers) textiles are commonly woven on a back-strap loom. Pre-dyed warp threads are a common item in traditional markets- saving the weaver much mess, expense, time and labour. A Latin American innovation which may also be employed elsewhere is to employ a round stick around which warp threads are wrapped in groups, thus allowing more precise control of the desired design. The "corte" is the typical wrap skirt used worn by Guatemalan women.

ACCREDITATION

As of 2010, the government of the Republic of Indonesia announced it would pursue UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage accreditation for its ikat weaving, along with songket, and gamelan having successfully attained this UNESCO recognition for its wayang, batik and the kris.

WIKIPEDIA

Railway signage, even when I started spotting in the 70's, was always pretty sturdy and instantly recognisable as a railway sign. I wonder when we ended up with these really flimsy generic looking signs that could be in a warehouse or car park, okay not necessarily saying 25000 volts. Another thing what happened to good old 25Kv has that had to be dumbed down? Also why no comma between the five and the first zero? So many questions. Anyhow new signage at Winwick at 300mm and a low shutter speed allows 9M56 1251 Edinburgh to London Euston to be reduced to a blur.

Omega Speedmaster Reduce

On April 20, 2011 the Sony network was hacked and taken offline for 23 days.

The reason for the attack was Sony reducing the functionality of the PS3 already sold in market. GeoHolz created a "hack" to jailbreak the PS3 to allow the original functionality of the PS3 to use Linux. Sony then sued Geoholz and all the users downloading this hack/patch to the PS3. Anonymous hackers struck back and took down the Sony Network for 23 days. They left code saying "We are Legion". Sony claimed 77 million credit cards were stolen while the hackers proclaimed no numbers were stolen. This was the largest and longest hack in history to date.

Anonymous response:

We are Anonymous

We are Legion

We do not forgive

We do not forget

Expect us

The hack took 23 days based on the conspiracy of 23, a famous German hacker film. The phrase "We are Legion" comes from Mark 5:9 in the Bible referring to Jesus talking to the possessed. Legion refers to multiple demons. The symbol 5:9 and 23 are prominent in the painting.

Numbers 32:23: "...you may be sure your sin finds you out."

Exhibition:

4th Street Studio, Berkeley - Dec 2011

Art Murmur, Oakland - Jun 2012

Related websites:

us.playstation.com/

anonnews.org/

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anonymous_(group)

www.imdb.com/title/tt0434409/

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_for_Vendetta_(film)

usa.visa.com/index.html?gclid=CPHm28699bMCFQtxQgodch8ACQ

www.mastercard.com/index.html

Painting Size: 24 x 48 inches

Exhibition:

Convert Gallery, Berkeley - Apr-May 2013

Paintings for sale: www.shawnshawn.co/store/p95/Anonymous.html

Newsletter: shawnshawn.co/Site/Contact.html

Code:PP07111

Art of the Real

A Morsbag I made a little while ago from an old sheet. I have a lot more of this fabric, and I hope each one will each have a stencilled picture to distract people from the pattern!

www.jenmeister.com/2010/06/birds-and-bears-on-bags-oh-my....

www.losestomachnow.com Lose Stomach Now is a site about helping you with that frustrating battle against stomach fat and belly fat. You will find great Tips, Tools, secrets and stomach exercises to help you burn abdominal fat and how to get a flat stomach.

Reduce Credit Card Debt - www.CreditCardDebtSecrets.org

Start of our walk through the tea planations.

Georg Baselitz *1938 (seen from left, Ede, 1993 - Lena, 1992 - Hage, 1993). Albertina, Sammlung Batliner (Batliner Collection)

The Albertina

The architectural history of the Palais

(Pictures you can see by clicking on the link at the end of page!)

Image: The oldest photographic view of the newly designed Palais Archduke Albrecht, 1869

"It is my will that ​​the expansion of the inner city of Vienna with regard to a suitable connection of the same with the suburbs as soon as possible is tackled and at this on Regulirung (regulation) and beautifying of my Residence and Imperial Capital is taken into account. To this end I grant the withdrawal of the ramparts and fortifications of the inner city and the trenches around the same".

This decree of Emperor Franz Joseph I, published on 25 December 1857 in the Wiener Zeitung, formed the basis for the largest the surface concerning and architecturally most significant transformation of the Viennese cityscape. Involving several renowned domestic and foreign architects a "master plan" took form, which included the construction of a boulevard instead of the ramparts between the inner city and its radially upstream suburbs. In the 50-years during implementation phase, an impressive architectural ensemble developed, consisting of imperial and private representational buildings, public administration and cultural buildings, churches and barracks, marking the era under the term "ring-street style". Already in the first year tithe decided a senior member of the Austrian imperial family to decorate the facades of his palace according to the new design principles, and thus certified the aristocratic claim that this also "historicism" said style on the part of the imperial house was attributed.

Image: The Old Albertina after 1920

It was the palace of Archduke Albrecht (1817-1895), the Senior of the Habsburg Family Council, who as Field Marshal held the overall command over the Austro-Hungarian army. The building was incorporated into the imperial residence of the Hofburg complex, forming the south-west corner and extending eleven meters above street level on the so-called Augustinerbastei.

The close proximity of the palace to the imperial residence corresponded not only with Emperor Franz Joseph I and Archduke Albert with a close familial relationship between the owner of the palace and the monarch. Even the former inhabitants were always in close relationship to the imperial family, whether by birth or marriage. An exception here again proves the rule: Don Emanuel Teles da Silva Conde Tarouca (1696-1771), for which Maria Theresa in 1744 the palace had built, was just a close friend and advisor of the monarch. Silva Tarouca underpins the rule with a second exception, because he belonged to the administrative services as Generalhofbaudirektor (general court architect) and President of the Austrian-Dutch administration, while all other him subsequent owners were highest ranking military.

In the annals of Austrian history, especially those of military history, they either went into as commander of the Imperial Army, or the Austrian, later kk Army. In chronological order, this applies to Duke Carl Alexander of Lorraine, the brother-of-law of Maria Theresa, as Imperial Marshal, her son-in-law Duke Albert of Saxe-Teschen, also field marshal, whos adopted son, Archduke Charles of Austria, the last imperial field marshal and only Generalissimo of Austria, his son Archduke Albrecht of Austria as Feldmarschalil and army Supreme commander, and most recently his nephew Archduke Friedrich of Austria, who held as field marshal from 1914 to 1916 the command of the Austro-Hungarian troops. Despite their military profession, all five generals conceived themselves as patrons of the arts and promoted large sums of money to build large collections, the construction of magnificent buildings and cultural life. Charles Alexander of Lorraine promoted as governor of the Austrian Netherlands from 1741 to 1780 the Academy of Fine Arts, the Théâtre de Ja Monnaie and the companies Bourgeois Concert and Concert Noble, he founded the Academie royale et imperial des Sciences et des Lettres, opened the Bibliotheque Royal for the population and supported artistic talents with high scholarships. World fame got his porcelain collection, which however had to be sold by Emperor Joseph II to pay off his debts. Duke Albert began in 1776 according to the concept of conte Durazzo to set up an encyclopedic collection of prints, which forms the core of the world-famous "Albertina" today.

Image : Duke Albert and Archduchess Marie Christine show in family cercle the from Italy brought along art, 1776. Frederick Henry Füger.

1816 declared to Fideikommiss and thus in future indivisible, inalienable and inseparable, the collection 1822 passed into the possession of Archduke Carl, who, like his descendants, it broadened. Under him, the collection was introduced together with the sumptuously equipped palace on the Augustinerbastei in the so-called "Carl Ludwig'schen fideicommissum in 1826, by which the building and the in it kept collection fused into an indissoluble unity. At this time had from the Palais Tarouca by structural expansion or acquisition a veritable Residenz palace evolved. Duke Albert of Saxe-Teschen was first in 1800 the third floor of the adjacent Augustinian convent wing adapted to house his collection and he had after 1802 by his Belgian architect Louis de Montoyer at the suburban side built a magnificent extension, called the wing of staterooms, it was equipped in the style of Louis XVI. Only two decades later, Archduke Carl the entire palace newly set up. According to scetches of the architect Joseph Kornhäusel the 1822-1825 retreaded premises presented themselves in the Empire style. The interior of the palace testified from now in an impressive way the high rank and the prominent position of its owner. Under Archduke Albrecht the outer appearance also should meet the requirements. He had the facade of the palace in the style of historicism orchestrated and added to the Palais front against the suburbs an offshore covered access. Inside, he limited himself, apart from the redesign of the Rococo room in the manner of the second Blondel style, to the retention of the paternal stock. Archduke Friedrich's plans for an expansion of the palace were omitted, however, because of the outbreak of the First World War so that his contribution to the state rooms, especially, consists in the layout of the Spanish apartment, which he in 1895 for his sister, the Queen of Spain Maria Christina, had set up as a permanent residence.

Picture: The "audience room" after the restoration: Picture: The "balcony room" around 1990

The era of stately representation with handing down their cultural values ​​found its most obvious visualization inside the palace through the design and features of the staterooms. On one hand, by the use of the finest materials and the purchase of masterfully manufactured pieces of equipment, such as on the other hand by the permanent reuse of older equipment parts. This period lasted until 1919, when Archduke Friedrich was expropriated by the newly founded Republic of Austria. With the republicanization of the collection and the building first of all finished the tradition that the owner's name was synonymous with the building name:

After Palais Tarouca or tarokkisches house it was called Lorraine House, afterwards Duke Albert Palais and Palais Archduke Carl. Due to the new construction of an adjacently located administration building it received in 1865 the prefix "Upper" and was referred to as Upper Palais Archduke Albrecht and Upper Palais Archduke Frederick. For the state a special reference to the Habsburg past was certainly politically no longer opportune, which is why was decided to name the building according to the in it kept collection "Albertina".

Picture: The "Wedgwood Cabinet" after the restoration: Picture: the "Wedgwood Cabinet" in the Palais Archduke Friedrich, 1905

This name derives from the term "La Collection Albertina" which had been used by the gallery Inspector Maurice von Thausing in 1870 in the Gazette des Beaux-Arts for the former graphics collection of Duke Albert. For this reason, it was the first time since the foundation of the palace that the name of the collection had become synonymous with the room shell. Room shell, hence, because the Republic of Austria Archduke Friedrich had allowed to take along all the movable goods from the palace in his Hungarian exile: crystal chandeliers, curtains and carpets as well as sculptures, vases and clocks. Particularly stressed should be the exquisite furniture, which stems of three facilities phases: the Louis XVI furnitures of Duke Albert, which had been manufactured on the basis of fraternal relations between his wife Archduchess Marie Christine and the French Queen Marie Antoinette after 1780 in the French Hofmanufakturen, also the on behalf of Archduke Charles 1822-1825 in the Vienna Porcelain Manufactory by Joseph Danhauser produced Empire furnitures and thirdly additions of the same style of Archduke Friedrich, which this about 1900 at Portois & Ffix as well as at Friedrich Otto Schmidt had commissioned.

The "swept clean" building got due to the strained financial situation after the First World War initially only a makeshift facility. However, since until 1999 no revision of the emergency equipment took place, but differently designed, primarily the utilitarianism committed office furnitures complementarily had been added, the equipment of the former state rooms presented itself at the end of the 20th century as an inhomogeneous administrative mingle-mangle of insignificant parts, where, however, dwelt a certain quaint charm. From the magnificent state rooms had evolved depots, storage rooms, a library, a study hall and several officed.

Image: The Albertina Graphic Arts Collection and the Philipphof after the American bombing of 12 März 1945.

Image: The palace after the demolition of the entrance facade, 1948-52

Worse it hit the outer appearance of the palace, because in times of continued anti-Habsburg sentiment after the Second World War and inspired by an intolerant destruction will, it came by pickaxe to a ministerial erasure of history. In contrast to the graphic collection possessed the richly decorated facades with the conspicuous insignia of the former owner an object-immanent reference to the Habsburg past and thus exhibited the monarchial traditions and values ​​of the era of Francis Joseph significantly. As part of the remedial measures after a bomb damage, in 1948 the aristocratic, by Archduke Albert initiated, historicist facade structuring along with all decorations was cut off, many facade figures demolished and the Hapsburg crest emblems plunged to the ground. Since in addition the old ramp also had been cancelled and the main entrance of the bastion level had been moved down to the second basement storey at street level, ended the presence of the old Archduke's palace after more than 200 years. At the reopening of the "Albertina Graphic Collection" in 1952, the former Hapsburg Palais of splendour presented itself as one of his identity robbed, formally trivial, soulless room shell, whose successful republicanization an oversized and also unproportional eagle above the new main entrance to the Augustinian road symbolized. The emocratic throw of monuments had wiped out the Hapsburg palace from the urban appeareance, whereby in the perception only existed a nondescript, nameless and ahistorical building that henceforth served the lodging and presentation of world-famous graphic collection of the Albertina. The condition was not changed by the decision to the refurbishment because there were only planned collection specific extensions, but no restoration of the palace.

Image: The palace after the Second World War with simplified facades, the rudiment of the Danubiusbrunnens (well) and the new staircase up to the Augustinerbastei

This paradigm shift corresponded to a blatant reversal of the historical circumstances, as the travel guides and travel books for kk Residence and imperial capital of Vienna dedicated itself primarily with the magnificent, aristocratic palace on the Augustinerbastei with the sumptuously fitted out reception rooms and mentioned the collection kept there - if at all - only in passing. Only with the repositioning of the Albertina in 2000 under the direction of Klaus Albrecht Schröder, the palace was within the meaning and in fulfillment of the Fideikommiss of Archduke Charles in 1826 again met with the high regard, from which could result a further inseparable bond between the magnificent mansions and the world-famous collection. In view of the knowing about politically motivated errors and omissions of the past, the facades should get back their noble, historicist designing, the staterooms regain their glamorous, prestigious appearance and culturally unique equippment be repurchased. From this presumption, eventually grew the full commitment to revise the history of redemption and the return of the stately palace in the public consciousness.

Image: The restored suburb facade of the Palais Albertina suburb

The smoothed palace facades were returned to their original condition and present themselves today - with the exception of the not anymore reconstructed Attica figures - again with the historicist decoration and layout elements that Archduke Albrecht had given after the razing of the Augustinerbastei in 1865 in order. The neoclassical interiors, today called after the former inhabitants "Habsburg Staterooms", receiving a meticulous and detailed restoration taking place at the premises of originality and authenticity, got back their venerable and sumptuous appearance. From the world wide scattered historical pieces of equipment have been bought back 70 properties or could be returned through permanent loan to its original location, by which to the visitors is made experiencable again that atmosphere in 1919 the state rooms of the last Habsburg owner Archduke Frederick had owned. The for the first time in 80 years public accessible "Habsburg State Rooms" at the Palais Albertina enable now again as eloquent testimony to our Habsburg past and as a unique cultural heritage fundamental and essential insights into the Austrian cultural history. With the relocation of the main entrance to the level of the Augustinerbastei the recollection to this so valuable Austrian Cultural Heritage formally and functionally came to completion. The vision of the restoration and recovery of the grand palace was a pillar on which the new Albertina should arise again, the other embody the four large newly built exhibition halls, which allow for the first time in the history of the Albertina, to exhibit the collection throughout its encyclopedic breadh under optimal conservation conditions.

Image: The new entrance area of the Albertina

64 meter long shed roof. Hans Hollein.

The palace presents itself now in its appearance in the historicist style of the Ringstrassenära, almost as if nothing had happened in the meantime. But will the wheel of time should not, cannot and must not be turned back, so that the double standards of the "Albertina Palace" said museum - on the one hand Habsburg grandeur palaces and other modern museum for the arts of graphics - should be symbolized by a modern character: The in 2003 by Hans Hollein designed far into the Albertina square cantilevering, elegant floating flying roof. 64 meters long, it symbolizes in the form of a dynamic wedge the accelerated urban spatial connectivity and public access to the palace. It advertises the major changes in the interior as well as the huge underground extensions of the repositioned "Albertina".

Christian Benedictine

Art historian with research interests History of Architecture, building industry of the Hapsburgs, Hofburg and Zeremonialwissenschaft (ceremonial sciences). Since 1990 he works in the architecture collection of the Albertina. Since 2000 he supervises as director of the newly founded department "Staterooms" the restoration and furnishing of the state rooms and the restoration of the facades and explores the history of the palace and its inhabitants.

www.wien-vienna.at/albertinabaugeschichte.php

I dropped off our recycling today and grabbed this shot.

One man's trash is another's treasure. Make a photo of something discarded or abandoned today.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – “Operation Star Struck,” a U.S. Marshals-led 90-day operation to reduce violent gang crime, resulted in 127 arrests, including 44 gang members. During the Operation with concluded on October 1, law enforcement seized 52 firearms, 7.74 kg of narcotics -- to include marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin -- and more than $35,000 in currency.

The operation, conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service Eastern Arkansas Fugitive Task Force, along with the Little Rock and North Little Rock Police Department’s, Faulkner County Sheriff’s Office, Conway Police Department, Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, Jonesboro Police Department, Arkansas Department of Corrections, Benton Police Department, Saline County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, US Attorney’s Office, Arkansas State Police and Arkansas National Guard Counter Drug Unit.

“Operation Star Struck” falls under the national framework of Operation Triple Beam, which is designed to target and arrest violent fugitives and criminal offenders who committed high-profile crimes such as homicide, felony assault and sexual assault, illegal possession of firearms, illegal drug distribution, robbery and arson. Each local, state and federal agency employed enforcement techniques and statutory authority in order to disrupt the criminal operations of violent gangs and offenders in Fort Myers and surrounding areas.

Photo by Shane T. McCoy / US Marshals

I am not a fan of shopping centers but I must admit that I liked this one.

Victoria Square is a commercial, residential and leisure development in Belfast, Northern Ireland developed and built by Multi Development UK over 6 years.

A key element in the development is two covered, multi-level streets linked to the massive glass dome measuring 35 m in diameter. A public square covered entirely by the glass dome serves as the hub of the entire area. The ornate Jaffe Fountain, constructed in the 1870s by former Lord Mayor Otto Jaffe in memory of his father, has been restored to its original location in Victoria Square. Victoria Square is a neighbourhood consisting of 17 contextual different buildings. Pedestrian links to nearby business, nightlife and shopping streets on Laganside, Donegall Place, Royal Avenue and Ann Street. Victoria Square includes a wide variety of shops for males, females and children as well as a wonderful 80ft viewing area.

In employment terms, over 3,000 people were involved in the construction phase of Victoria Square, with a further 3,000 people gaining employment in the scheme through jobs in retail, security and the service industries. Environmentally, a large section of the roof has been covered in Sedum in a direct attempt to reduce the carbon footprint of Victoria Square. This material soaks up rainwater allowing it to evaporate naturally over time rather than overload draining systems.

"Reduce Speed! Save Lives" campaign

Former Anchor Hocking building in Clarksburg, WV. See the attached photo of what it used to look like.

The DMPS Business & Finance department reached out to Oak Park Elementary School - a 75% free and reduced lunch school - to see how they could help the school's community during this time of year.

In the spirit of the holiday season, Oak Park had already begun a toy drive, so the department decided to run a supplementary drive that has provided approximately 150 Oak Park students with a gift.

"As a department we've been looking for ways to get involved in the community, even beyond the holiday season. All it takes is a phone call to a school's community leader to learn how to support the students and surrounding community," said Nicholas Lenhardt, controller for Des Moines Public Schools.

Quadrifoglio Verde starting MSRP $62,000. Alfa has made it clear the Giulia Quadrifoglio Verde will directly target BMW's M3 Series in terms of dynamics and pricing.

Perfect blend of the new Alfa Romeo paradigm and maximum expression of the 'meccanica delle emozioni', the new model encapsulates 105 years of style excellence and Italian technology.

Its distinctive design expresses three quintessential features of Italian design: sense of proportions, simplicity and high quality surface finish.

The new Alfa Romeo badge, now refreshed while preserving its legendary shape and unmistakable style, stands out in the middle of the famous front trefoil nose.

The entire 'creation' centers around the driver and the promise of exhilarating driving experiences with sensitive steering, responsive acceleration and prompt shifting and braking.

Rear or four-wheel drive is more than just a tribute to the most authentic roots of the Alfa Romeo legend: it is also a technical solution which guarantees high performance and astounding fun.

State-of-the-art, innovative engines: a six-cylinder 510 HP, inspired by Ferrari technologies, the brand's new powertrain reference, will be introduced on the Quadrifoglio version.

Performance is thrilling: from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.9 seconds.

Perfect weight distribution (50/50 across the two axles), sophisticated suspensions (the front is an Alfa Romeo exclusive) and the most direct steering on the market.

Unique, exclusive technical solutions, like Torque Vectoring for outstanding stability control, Integrated Brake System for considerably reducing braking distance and Active Aero Splitter for active high-speed downforce management.

Alfa Romeo Giulia combines extraordinary engine performance and the ample use of ultralight materials, like carbon fibre, aluminium, aluminium composite and plastic, to obtain the best weight-to-power ratio (lower than 3kg/hp).

The model was introduced to the international press in the renovated Alfa Romeo Museum in Arese, Italy ,which will reopen on June 30 for enthusiasts and researchers worldwide.

The photo shows the main architectural elements of a Roman theater.

The stage of the theatre, “pulpitum”, supported by a podium, faces the semicircular “orchestra”. The façade of the stage, or “scaena”, is richly decorated by niches and columns. Three monumental entrances towards the "pulpitum" open on the wall of the “scaena”. The central monumental door, or “valva regia”, was used for the principal actor. The two lateral doors, or “portae hospitales”, have reduced dimensions: they were reserved for the entrance of second actors, and for characters of less importance.

Through the three doors it’s possible to see the “portus post scenas”, a portico or passageway behind the scene building.

South theater

Domitian reign, approx.90-92 AD

Gerasa, Jordan

The Postcard

A postally unused postcard bearing no publisher's name. The image is a glossy real photograph, and the card, which was printed in Great Britain, has a divided back.

It looks as if the height of the four-poster bed has been reduced so that it can fit under the sloping ceiling.

Poundstock

Penfound Manor is near Poundstock, which is a hamlet on the north coast of Cornwall. The hamlet is situated four miles (6.5 km) south of Bude, and is about one mile from the coast.

The population of the parish in the 2001 census was 805, increasing to 925 at the 2011 census.

The manor of Poundstock was recorded in the Domesday Book (1086) when it was held by Jovin from Robert, Count of Mortain.

Penfound Manor

Penfound manor house is built round a large medieval hall whose roof has collar-beams on arched braces. It is the oldest continually inhabited manor house in Britain, and is a private home to this day.

Additions to the hall are a massive chimney-stack in the north wall and a small room with solar above at the southwest corner.

The windows are Tudor, and the entrance porch has a granite doorway with an inscription of 1642. East of this are an inner hall which contains a 17th.-century staircase, and a former dairy, built in Stuart times.

One observer has commented:

“The old house has become as much a part

of the natural landscape as the ancient beeches,

elms and oaks which surround it. Its grey stones

have seen the centuries step by, and the house

has become gracious with time.”

The house dates from various different periods, (Norman, Elizabethan and Stuart), the earliest part being the medieval hall, but the manor itself was actually founded back sometime during the Saxon period.

At one time Penfound Manor belonged to Edith of Wessex, the wife of the Anglo-Saxon King Edward the Confessor and sister of King Harold. After Harold’s defeat at the Battle of Hastings, the manor was given to Robert, Earl of Mortain, the half-brother of William the Conqueror.

The Earl of Mortain was actually one of the largest landowners in Cornwall at the time the Domesday Book was written in 1086; it was recorded that he owned no less than 248 manors including Penfound.

Sabine Baring-Gould wrote in 1898:

“In a dip in the land, at the source of a little

stream, snuggling in the fold of a down,

bedded into foliage, open to the sun, hummed

about by bees, twinkled over by butterflies, lies

this lovely old house.”

Several generations of the Penfound family, who actually took their name from the manor rather than the other way around, lived in the house for roughly 600 years, from the 12th. century until the 18th. century.

Nicholas Penfound was born around 1600, and was the son of Thomas Penfound. It is said that it was Nicholas who enlarged the manor house in the 17th. century, (although this may also have been a relation called Arthur Penfound).

The Civil War

Nicholas is best remembered however for taking part in the Civil War battle at Stratton in Cornwall on the 16th. May 1643. This was also the day he died.

During the early days of the Civil War, Cornwall was under Royalist control, but all that was in jeopardy when in May 1643 a Roundhead army crossed the Tamar and prepared to attack.

The force of 5,400 infantry, 200 horse, 23 cannon and a great mortar was commanded by the Earl of Stamford. The Cornish leaders, Sir Ralph Hopton and Sir Bevil Grenville, were outnumbered, with less than 3000 men with them when they attacked Stamford’s army on a hill near Stratton.

The battle lasted for hours, but eventually the Cornish were victorious. Nicholas Penfound, however, a staunch supporter of the king, was sadly killed in the fighting.

Nicholas’ son Thomas inherited, and legend has it that he planted a Judas Tree in the garden of Penfound manor as a symbol of Thomas Cromwell’s betrayal of King Charles. That tree was still standing 300 years later in 1909 when it was mentioned in a local newspaper article, then sadly in 1930 it was struck by lighting and had to be removed. A sundial now stands in its place in the courtyard.

The Penfounds’ royalist allegiances got them into trouble again in the 18th. century. There are no Penfounds in Penfound Manor today, because in 1759 they had their home and land confiscated by the Crown as a result of their support for the reinstatement of the Stuart line. The last of the Penfound line, Henry Penfound, is said to have died in the local poor house in 1847.

The Manor has plenty of unusual architectural features. These include medieval oak doors and stained glass from the 15th. century as well as granite archways with the initials of generations of the Penfounds carved into the stonework.

The Illustrated London News commented in 1969:

“Wrapped in story from its cobbled entrance

to its crooked chimneys, Penfound wears its

history like a comfortable grey mantle, but not

a history of ‘old, unhappy, far-off things’, of

statesmen, politicians and warriors, Penfound’s

is the quiet, domestic history of Cornish

gentlemen, of a country family adsorbed in the

business of living, washed by the tides of their

times, but rarely swept away by them.”

The Oak Staircase

One of the most striking features is the ancient oak staircase which is reputed to have been made from the timbers of a Spanish galleon wrecked around the time of the Armada (there is no suggestion that it was one of THE armada ships however). The ship was grounded at Widemouth Bay, and the salvaged wood brought to the house and used to build the stairs in c1589.

The age of the staircase is quite obvious from the uneven, crooked treads which apparently creak so loudly that a previous owner referred to them as an excellent burglar alarm!

The Hidden Bottles

Another strange feature can be found in the Great Hall. The room has a huge fireplace, and deep inside the chimney breast there is said to be a shelf with two bottles standing on it.

These bottles, legend has it, are filled with Holy Water from the River Jordan brought back to Cornwall from the crusades by a member of the Penfound family to replace an earlier talisman.

The Eastern Times reported on the 24th. September 1909:

“The bottles were put there in place of a bullock’s

heart which previously rested there and had dried

up after years of duty. That office was to keep off

the influence of the Evil Eye which had been

supposed to trouble the Penfound family.”

It was also said that if the bottles were ever removed, then the chimney would collapse, so, perhaps wisely, it seems that no owner of the house was prepared to take that risk.

The Ghost of Kate Penfound

Kate, the daughter of Arthur Penfound (possibly Nicholas) and his wife Sibilla, was born in about 1621. She is said to have fallen in love with John Trebarfoote of Trebarfoote Manor, the family’s neighbours a few miles away.

The two families had long-standing martial connections and a friendly relationship, but unfortunately a terrible rift developed when it became clear that the Trebarfootes were supporters of Cromwell and the parliamentarians.

Consequently, like some Cornish Romeo and Juliet, Kate and John were forbidden to see one another. The couple decided that they had no alternative but to elope, perhaps to Temple Church, Cornwall’s Gretna Green on Bodmin Moor, so around midnight on the 26th. April around 1640 (the exact date is unclear) Kate climbed out of her bedroom window and lowered herself into the courtyard below.

Tragically the girl’s father had got wind of their plans, and was waiting in the shadows. What happened next is the subject of some confusion and speculation. Some say that in his blind fury Kate’s father shot the young lovers while they stood embracing, killing them both.

Some say that the two men started to fight, and that Kate was fatally wounded trying to come between them, and that both John and Arthur also died as a consequence of the duel.

Whatever happened, since that night Kate’s ghost is said to haunt the manor, and is especially thought to appear each 26th April. Previous owners of the house are said to have heard voices and bangs and crashing sounds in the courtyard, and Kate’s ghostly figure has been seen crossing the Great Hall late at night.

Her face has also been spotted, milky white, peering out of her bedroom window, as she must have done 400 years ago, looking for her love.

In Poundstock church there was reputedly a slate monument to John Trebarfoote, the inscription on it read:

“That of Trebarfoote may be truly said

The love of mankind here lies buried.”

Ownership of Penfound

Penfound had changed hands a few times since it was taken from the Penfound family in the 18th. century. In 1909 it was sold at auction to Mr G. Brendon of Bude who paid just £570.

During the 1950's the then-owners of Penfound Manor, Kenneth and Doris Tucker, opened the house to the public during the summer months. The couple welcomed upwards of 20,000 visitors until Kenneth’s death forced Doris to sell their home. The pair were passionate about the heritage of the building, and delighted in sharing it. Kenneth even produced a small guide to the manor and wrote in it:

“This is not a stately home built and fortified by

some royal tyrant to ensure more rest for his

uneasy head, or flung to some fawning lordling

in exchange for dubious and probably immoral

services rendered.

Penfound was built slowly, gradually, by ordinary

gentry for ordinary gentry to live in and bring up

their families in, and die. This house has witnessed

dark deeds, petty quarrels, family feuds and great

joys. Is there a prefab which has not?”

In the 1970's the National Trust wanted to purchase the house but couldn’t afford it, and it was bought by Colonel Haynes.

It remains a private home to this day, one of the things that actually makes it so unique - if sadly it means that we can’t actually visit.

http;//www.property-management-marbella.com

Beautiful private villa for sale situated in El Paraiso, Benahavís (Estepona, Málaga)

Reduced from 1,200,000 € to 975,000 € (will accept sensible offers)

Situated in an elevated position, this well positioned luxury property boasts fabulous views to the sea and Africa.

Ground floor: Entrance hall with guest toilet, leading through to a sunny spacious split level open plan lounge / dining room, large open fire, covered terrace and outside lounge area, perfect for al fresco dining, private swimming pool and mature manicured garden, good sized fully equipped kitchen, large utility room with extra storage space, private secure car port for two cars, 2 double bedrooms, fitted wardrobes, both with en-suite.

Upper floor: Double bedroom with sea views, balcony, fitted wardrobes, en-suite bathroom. Spacious and light master-suite offering delightful sea and mountain views from the large balcony, a great place to sip your morning coffee and take in the view, fitted wardrobes, en-suite bathroom.

Electric security gates, alarm system, air conditioning hot/cold, automatic sprinkler system, no community fees, conveniently situated for golf, short drive to local amenities and beaches

House size 300m² (inc. terraces), total size 1050m²

This project involves constructing approximately 11 miles of second track along the North Carolina Railroad (NCRR) corridor in Rowan County. A second track will allow trains to pass more frequently, reducing congestion, increasing capacity and reliability, and decreasing travel time between Raleigh and Charlotte. Additionally, the work will involve upgrading some railroad crossings and permanently closing others, extending Kimball Road from Main Street to Chapel Street, and constructing a bridge carrying the North Carolina Railroad tracks over Kimball Road. The project limits extend along U.S. 29 from Airport Road in Salisbury to 18th Street in Kannapolis.

This project is one of three that in total will add approximately 26 miles of new second track along the main line. These projects will provide an uninterrupted double track spanning 92 miles between Greensboro and Charlotte.

This section of the NCRR is part of the busiest railroad corridor in North Carolina. This project is among improvements to the NCRR corridor between Raleigh and Charlotte to increase railroad capacity, efficiency, and safety.

Project contract was awarded in November 2013.

Project is currently under construction.

Constructing 11 miles of second track between Salisbury and Kannapolis.

Extending Kimball Road from Main Street to Chapel Street and constructing a two-track railroad bridge carrying NCRR tracks over Kimball Road.

Upgrading the following railroad crossings:

Webb Road (Salisbury)

E. Church Street (China Grove)

E. Centerview Street (China Grove)

E. Ryder Avenue (Landis)

E. 22nd Street (Kannapolis)

E. 18th Street (Kannapolis)

Permanently closing the following railroad crossings:

Mount Hope Church Road (China Grove)

E. Thom Street (China Gove)

Eudy Road (China Grove)

N. Central Avenue (Landis)

E. Mill Street (Landis)

E. 29th Street (Kannapolis)

Miracle King | Communications Officer Divisions 7 & 9

North Carolina Department of Transportation

1584 Yanceyville Street 375 Silas Creek PKWY

Greensboro, NC 27405 Winston-Salem, NC 27127

336.487.0157 | miracleking@ncdot.gov| @NCDOT_Triad

GB Railfreight Class 92, 92043 powers south through the early morning fog at Acton Bridge with the Caledonian Sleeper Up Highlander (1M16) bound for London Euston.

A revised timetable was in operation due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with only the Inverness and Glasgow portions running and splitting/joining at Edinburgh to form one train in each direction on the WCML. 92043 had also worked the Glasgow-Edinburgh portion (1C16) prior to working 1M16 from Waverley.