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Vi ho già parlato di loro, Joy Totò e Milo, ma mentre altri hanno trovato adozione, loro si trovano ancora al Rifugio Ohana di Banda a 4 Zampe Umbria.
Lui è Milo, taglia media, culo morbido, occhi con l'eye-liner, ricercatore specializzato in contatto umano. Serve una coccola?
A section of Purgatory brook I've never shot before. It's a pretty tight turn, but the bubble swirl was just too much to pass up.
These cookies are probably the largest set I have made in a hurry. There are approximately four and a half dozen here. I started baking at seven in the evening because I HAD to go pick of some furniture yesterday out of town and it turned into a long trip...Anyway, two and a half hours of decorating after the baking, plus about an hour this morning adding the finishing touches with my food color pen out me in at right about 4 1/2 hours total decorating and baking time. Although I don't hate these, I had much grander plans for these that didn't pan out because I didn't prioritize very well. Most notably, I would change the handcuff chain design. But I will save that for next time. Moral of the story, don't wait until seven in the evening to start on a batch of cookies, LOL!
That said, these were for a man who is graduating from the police accademy today.
Klobben marina seen from the pier of Ristiniemi, Espoo. The pier serves as a stop of scheduled archipelago boat service in summer months.
The building on the left is the pavilion of the Soukka boat club.
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Today is ANZAC Day.
Every April 25 in Australia and New Zealand, we set aside the day to remember the fallen in all wars and the sacrifices that were made and are still being made for freedom. Last year in the midst of a National Covid-19 lock down, no public gatherings were possible. People gathered on their front lawns and shared the moment in each neighbourhood. It was special, but so much better to see the several thousand people braving the freezing Dawn Service at the Launceston cenotaph this morning.
I'm posting a few tribute photos this morning, and where better to start than with the Vietnam Veterans Motor Cycle Club. My title says it all really: "They Also Serve". For many years Vietnam Veterans (most of whom in Australia had been conscripts) were treated unkindly. They returned from the front with no fanfare, and often abuse from the Anti-War movement. It took its toll. Post-Traumatic Stress and lack of the sort of care we take for granted these days, led to a shocking suicide rate among veterans.
But these guys are brothers, and they knew how to build their own support networks. One of those was the hugely successful Vietnam Veterans Motor Cycle Club. Of this group I photographed this morning, only the man with the medals actually served. But you see those other blokes, they serve too! Associate members of the association have done enormous good in helping their returned brothers to readjust to life back home. They've been a lifeline in many cases.
To every one of these men, you have my deepest respect.
9/4/22 A woman carrying soft serve ice cream on the Coney Island boardwalk. Sony a7. 7Artisans 35mm 1:2.0.
A busy bee on a dandelion :)
Ein fleißiges Bienchen bearbeitet einen Löwenzahn :)
This one has been in explore :)
1940 North American Yale 64 RCAF 3349 G-BYNF
Served with the Royal Canadian Air Force as a Trainer
This is the only airworthy Yale still flying in Europe.
The Yale was constructed as a 2 seater trainer aircraft
Photo taken at the Imperial War Museum Duxford Cambridgeshire 9th January 2025
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The events that night in the parking lot changed me forever.
I used to look at things as so much more 'black and white.'
'The police were good' I thought.
And 'our government existed to serve and protect the people.'
There was a certain bliss in living with that ignorance.
One night shattered that and life itself would never be so simple again.
I knew that anyone could go bad.
I'd seen that before.
But the systematic coverup I was witness to...
that whacked my reality big time.
Since then I've made quite a few friends who happen to be cops.
I'd say that in my experience about half of them are an honor to the badge.
The other half...
you'd be shocked that they're nothing but another street gang bunch of thugs...
only they hide behind those badges and blue uniforms.
And they're authorized by the state to carry guns and use deadly force.
I don't think anything's ever offended me so much as seeing that bullshit up close.
It was like some fog was lifted and I saw what went on 'behind the curtain.'
That shit really shook me up.
I'm talking about people who've not only got no problem murdering someone...
but they've got the understanding and the means to get away with it.
There's more than a few people in prison who've been sent there wrongly convicted of crimes these guys have done.
They know how to pull it off.
The only thing that they really fear are the half of the cops who wouldn't tolerate that stuff.
The problem is that in some departments the ratio's pretty skewed.
Like Deadwood.
The whole place is filled with bad apples.
The stories I started to hear were unbelievable.
Witness intimidation.
Planting drugs.
Lying on police reports.
Giving false testimony.
And of course...
firebombing the garbage dumpster in front of my office.
I saw that one with my own eyes.
Or that phone call I got about the Police Commisioner's federal conviction for selling a couple of kilos of the white stuff.
The same guy that owned the bar that installed the illegal poker machines.
The ones that were all gone when the county went to raid his place because Iron Fist supposedly got tipped off and told him he'd better get rid of those things fast.
And I heard Iron Fist was pissed.
Not because his Police Commissioner had an illegal gambling operation going on in his town...
but because he'd kept it a secret from him.
Iron Fist kept secrets.
You didn't keep secrets from him.
There's some dark shadows on the other side of that 'thin blue line' and I'm telling you that I hope you never see them.
They get away with way too much.
They get away with murder.
The corruption is so endemic to the system that I have no faith at all that it can ever be eliminated.
There's a secret code.
If you've ever gotten a ticket and the cop thought you were an asshole all he had to do was to make sure that when he stapled your drivers lisense to the paperwork was that he put the staple through your picture.
The next cop that pulled you over knew right away that some other cop had a problem with you.
Because you had staple holes there on your license.
On your face.
That's the kind of shit that they do.
That's the 'code.'
One thing that they do better than anything though is to stick together.
'Professional courtesy' they call it.
In Chicago givin' another cop a ticket for DUI is an instant career dead end.
The older cops with more experience know how it works.
The young guys get sucked into it in order to prove themselves.
And to survive.
You gotta tow the line if you want backup to help you out in a timely manner when you call for it.
It's almost a rite of passage.
You don't pass the test...
you're gonna get your ass kicked on the streets or worse...
and no one's gonna drive really fast to help you out.
You'll be on your own.
Over the years the cops have developed an 'us or them' mentality.
They become jaded about the way it all works...
they socialize amongst themselves and the women who they call 'holster sniffers.'
They start to hate the legal system...
the judges and the prosecutors...
and then all of the sudden they're one of the 'bad apples.'
You hear about them every once in a while...
either they're busted by the feds or they're turned on by the guys around them because they pissed someone off.
You got no idea how bad it is really.
Not until you start hearin' what's going on 'off the record.'
You'll never sleep as well as you did before you heard the stories.
What makes it all worse is when corrupt politicians start to use the police as a 'personal army.'
That only makes everything dirtier.
The cops know that they're gonna get away with so much more when the guys above them are corrupt too.
That's the way it went in Deadwood.
Iron Fist used the police like they were his own little militia.
If he had a problem with you then you had yourself a problem with the cops.
And keepin' Iron Fist happy took precedence over 'law and order' any day of the week in Deadwood.
You got old Iron Fist pissed off at you that'd be a real quick end to your career in 'law enforcement.'
While Iron Fist ran the place the town was known as a really desirable place to live.
You didn't put a 'for sale' sign in front of your house if you wanted to sell it when he was in charge.
The old man would never tolerate that.
He had a list of people who wanted to live there and him and his cronies would figure out who they were gonna let buy your house.
They didn't want any 'undesirables' moving in.
And by 'undesirables' I mean black people.
Iron Fist thought that 'for sale' signs on people's homes made him look bad.
Dude should have been a cult leader the way he operated.
If you went around 'the system'...
and some people did because they felt that Iron Fist's little policy was cutting their profits on the sale of their homes...
Iron Fist would send the cops out late at night and snatch that 'for sale' sign right out of your front yard.
The guys I talked to said 'Secret Squirrel' was always up for the job.
He was the guy that drove around with the trunk full of machine guns.
The Village was sued in federal court for the practice by real estate agents and the Village lost on First Ammendment grounds...
but they still kept doing it.
Iron Fist reduced the police to commonon thievery.
For a lot of them I think that was the line that they'd first crossed into the corruption that soiled the place.
Kind of like a little 'initiation' into the way things were done in Deadwood.
They wanted to make damn sure no 'undesirables' were ever hired on to the police department too.
They asked applicants to provide a picture of themselves with their applications.
You better not have a dark complection if you wanted to get a job there.
The thing that really made everything so corrupt was that the Chief would always end up with a big old bag of dirt on Iron Fist...
just as much as Iron Fist'd end up with a big old bag of dirt on the Chief.
The relationships never seemed to last too long because Iron Fist knew the game better than any of the clowns he'd make Chief.
He'd take 'em down before they really became a threat.
When Skeevy left there to run another department it wasn't too long before the feds were all over his ass.
It was Skeevy who'd installed the guy that'd become the next Chief...
'Chief Hotdog.'
The one I sent the 'nutcracker' letter to.
Where I told him 'I was gonna squeeze his balls until they popped.'
The letter I had to read in front of the jury with all the good stuff blacked out.
Man I really thought I was gonna be charged with some serious felonies for that action.
Even my lawyer said he was worried about it.
'You don't go around writing that kind of stuff down' he said 'say whatever you want but you don't write letters like that and send them to the Chief of Police signed with your name.'
Fortunately the statute of limitations has run out on that one and I ain't got no problems that way.
I really tortured poor Chief Hotdog...
got inside his head and fucked with him big time.
The way I saw it he deserved it.
I mean... he was the boss... and he coudda done something to make things right for me and my family.
He was given the chance to do the right thing.
They all were.
But when he came out lying to the media about what happened that night and defended the actions of his street thug cops I knew I was goin' after his ass any way I could.
Right after the case against my wife was thrown out Chief Hotdog resigned.
Of course The Kid said it had nothin' to do with the bungling of that case...
and insiders said it was because he didn't do really well at fundraising for The Kid politically...
but I didn't care.
He was just one more corrupt motherfucker that I had in my crosshairs that went down in flames.
Whatever it was it ended his career.
The department went without a Chief for a few months and everyone speculated on who was gonna be named Chief Hotdog's successor.
I was shakin' the place up with allegations about the use of the contaminated well but that was all kinda behind the scenes...
the media or the feds hadn't picked up on it just yet.
When The Kid appointed the new Chief, me and The Mole both let out a collective gasp at the same time.
He appointed a woman who used to run the water department.
Terry Stewbauer.
I couldn't believe it.
It was such an obvious payoff and anyone in the know could see that right away.
It was blatant.
The Kid wasn't just 'ball-less' he seemed to be brainless too.
That was the first time I knew I really had those assholes and I knew I had them good.
They knew the feds were comin' sooner or later because I wasn't letting up and appointing Stewbauer as the new Chief of Police was a sort of premptory strike.
They wanted to keep her quiet and they wanted to keep her loyal...
put her on the 'short leash.'
I think she was scared shitless about what was comin' down the line and thinkin' about makin' a deal herself with the federales.
The Kid appointing her as the new Chief was probably a confidence builder for the woman.
She was working part time as a detective for the department before she was appointed Chief and I'd heard she wasn't a bad cop.
But she knew the truth about the use of the contaminated well and I knew that in appointing her that The Kid was hoping she'd never tell that truth to anyone.
Especially the feds.
I heard that her husband was a convicted drug dealer who was sitting in prison at the time she was appointed as the new Chief too.
She couldn't have been a very good detective if she didn't know that the old man was dealin' drugs out of her house.
Or she was a very corrupt detective.
Take your pick.
She was working as the Chief of Police in Deadwood when she was indicted on something like twenty three felony counts by the US Attorney.
She had to surrender her gun and her firearm owners identification card to the feds right after that.
Deadwood gave her a paid 'leave of absence' so now she gets paid for doing nothing.
Except takin' a fall for Iron Fist and his crew and keeping some serious secrets.
Of course they're paying her legal bills too.
I can't believe they get away with that shit but they do.
If I was a reporter I'd tear 'em a new one over that story.
I guess that made her the second Chief of Police that I'd end up takin' down in a row over this whole thing.
The Mole once pointed out that 'fucking with you doesn't seem to be a really good career move.'
We shared a good laugh over that one.
I was makin' enemies there almost as fast as I'm known to make friends.
And I was using the enemies of my enemy pretty effectively too.
That's why I'd reached out to Congressman Bobby Rush.
Krista'd made the introduction.
I'd read that when Rush was first elected to Congress that Iron Fist was pretty pissed off that now a black man would be representing Deadwood in Congress.
He was quoted in the newspapers saying that he wanted to secceed from the congressional district because 'there was no way that that man could represent the white ethnics of Deadwood.'
That comment really pissed off Congressman Rush and I don't think he ever forgot it.
Or forgave it.
I remember thinking 'this guy will really be a help in nailing Iron Fist to the cross' and I was right.
Congressman Rush and I are not the kind of guys who you'd ever accuse of seeing 'eye to eye' politically but we had a common enemy in Iron Fist and that's all it takes in Illinois politics... or politics in general to gain a strong ally.
I remember the Congressman pulling me out of a big meeting saying that he wanted me to get in front of the cameras with him and talk to the press.
Right after he'd given the best political speech I've ever had the great pleasure to witness.
I'm telling you I swear he channeled the spirit of a baptist preacher from the deep south of the seventies on that one.
I think the Congressman wanted Iron Fist to see him with his arm around me there smiling.
Kinda like twisting the knife if you know what I mean.
I also remember the Fox News reporter with that tight sweater and the most amazing pair of tits I'd ever seen...
I thought it was pretty funny that I'm standing next to a Congressman with about a half a dozen tv cameras in my face blowin' the lid on Iron Fist and his dirty and despicable deeds and I can't take my eyes off of this woman's rack.
I'm usually not like that...
but damn... the combination of that sweater and her upper body were a work of freakin' art...
a thing of incredible beauty.
That moment was the closest I'd ever come to feeling a woman up on live tv.
I'm glad the Congressman did most of the talking.
When I watched myself on tv that night I looked like a really honest guy lookin' right into the camera like that.
Only me and God knew where I was really looking though.
And I blame the whole thing on God anyway.
That was not the work of some plastic surgeon...
and if it was, then it was God that gave him that talent...
so I still blame God and I think he'd be honored that I do.
I felt like dirt for thinkin' that way there though.
Iron Fist and his shenanigans killed people.
Innocent people that had no idea that they were drinking that cancer water.
There were so many people with cancer there at that meeting.
I shook their hands and I hugged them.
I looked into their eyes and I listened to their stories.
And it all got me even more pissed off at what those assholes did.
Yeah... there was a certain selfish satisfaction in the imminent crucifiction of the people who'd hurt my family...
but more and more I was beginning to find myself taking up the crusade to bring these guys to justice not just for what they'd done to me and my family...
but for what they'd done to the people that trusted them.
They had to pay for what they'd done and it seemed like I was the only one with the balls and the motivation and the understanding of the situation to keep driving them towards justice.
And now I had some powerful people on my side.
Rush had called Eric Holder, the US Attorney General from the meeting and told him what was going on.
Shit was getting stirred up alright.
I was excited.
I'd seen enough in that parking lot and in the days after to know that they were soul-less and corrupt and I wanted to show everyone that.
I wanted revenge ever since that night.
There was a battle going on inside of my soul by this time.
And I found myself slowly letting the whole concept of revenge go.
More than anything...
I really wanted justice.
And I wanted it for the frail thirty eight year old woman I'd just hugged who had cancer all over her body and was sick right there from all of the chemo...
I wanted justice for her.
They had no right to do that to another human being.
Iron Fist and his whole crew hadda go down for this.
From the series 'There's Something in the Water' here on Flickr... www.flickr.com/photos/light_seeker/sets/72157627041317913...
Buddhism in Laos is largely of the Theravada school. Nearly 60% of the Lao population is Buddhist of the Theravada school, though Buddhism in this country has become integrated with folk beliefs such as ancestor worship. Buddhism was based on the religious movement founded in the sixth century B.C. by Siddhartha , later known as the Buddha, who urged the world to relinquish the extremes of sensuality and self-mortification and follow the enlightened Middle Way...... The focus of this religion is on man, not gods; the assumption is that life is pain or suffering, which is a consequence of craving, and that suffering can end only if desire ceases. The end of suffering is the achievement of nirvana often defined as the absence of craving and therefore of suffering, sometimes as enlightenment. Like in most other Theravada nations, Buddhism in Laos is represented primarily by the presence of Buddhist monks, who serve as officiants on ceremonial occasions, as well as being responsible for preserving and conveying the teachings of the Buddha.
Every family expect for every young man to live as a monk for awhile (a week till single months) between school time and their working life.
Their lifestyle is shaped so as to support their spiritual practice, to live a simple and meditative life. In Thailand the buddhist are being more strict to the simple life than in Loas where monks even drink fruitshakes ;-)
Een groot deel van de Laostiaase bevolking, zo’n 60% is boeddhist. Men hangt het zogenaamde Teravada-boeddhisme. In het Theravada wordt meditatie benadrukt als een essentieel onderdeel van het pad naar verlichting, samen met moreel gedrag en wijsheid. Het brengen van een einde aan het lijden is het hoofddoel van het Theravada boeddhisme. De Boeddha legde verder een zeer gedetailleerde gedragscode voor de Monniken neer: de Vinaya. Over het algemeen worden monniken door de Boeddha aangemoedigd om wereldse aangelegenheden en passies achter zich te laten, zodat zij gemakkelijker in staat zijn een staat van vrede en wijsheid te bereiken, en sterke ongezonde emoties zoals haat, verlangen en lust te overwinnen. Een Monnik zoals hierboven in z'n oranje gewaad, kaalgeschoren en met sandalen aan de voeten is niet meer weg te denken uit het straatbeeld van Laos.
Er wordt van iedere jongeman verwacht, dat zij een poosje (van een week tot enkele maanden) als monnik leven. Zo tussen hun schooltijd en hun werkende leven in. Het wordt beschouwd als een overgangsrite en zij verwerven op die wijze aanzien voor zichzelf en hun familie.
The Western Frankish Tower, located within the Paphos Castle complex in Paphos, Republic of Cyprus, holds a rich and intriguing history that spans several centuries. This architectural marvel serves as a testament to the island's tumultuous past and the influences of various civilizations that have shaped its destiny. In the following 1000 words, I will take you on a journey through time, unraveling the captivating story of the Western Frankish Tower.
The history of Paphos Castle itself dates back to the Byzantine period, with the original structure constructed in the 13th century as a fortification against Arab raids. However, it was during the reign of the Frankish Lusignan dynasty that the castle underwent significant transformations. In the 13th century, after the conquest of Cyprus by Richard the Lionheart, the Western Frankish Tower was added to the existing fortifications, contributing to the castle's imposing presence.
The Western Frankish Tower served multiple purposes throughout its history. Primarily, it acted as a defensive stronghold, strategically positioned to protect the harbor and the surrounding area from potential threats. With its solid walls and commanding position overlooking the sea, the tower became an integral part of Paphos' defense system.
During the medieval period, Cyprus faced numerous challenges, including raids by Arab pirates and conflicts between various European powers vying for control over the island. The Western Frankish Tower played a vital role in these turbulent times, serving as a refuge for the local population and offering shelter during times of siege.
Over the centuries, as the geopolitical landscape shifted, Paphos Castle and the Western Frankish Tower came under the control of different rulers. Following the fall of the Lusignan dynasty, Cyprus fell under the dominion of the Republic of Venice in the late 15th century. Under Venetian rule, the castle underwent further modifications and fortifications to enhance its defensive capabilities.
In the 16th century, the Ottoman Empire expanded its reach into the Eastern Mediterranean, and Cyprus fell under Ottoman control. The Western Frankish Tower and the rest of Paphos Castle became part of the Ottoman defensive network, playing a pivotal role in safeguarding the island's western coast.
During the Ottoman era, Paphos Castle and the tower underwent further alterations to accommodate the changing needs of the ruling empire. Mosques, storage rooms, and other structures were added within the castle walls, reflecting the Islamic influence that characterized this period. The Western Frankish Tower, with its medieval origins, stood as a reminder of the island's past under Frankish and Venetian rule.
The end of the Ottoman era came in the late 19th century when Cyprus was handed over to the British Empire. With British control, Paphos Castle and the Western Frankish Tower lost their strategic importance and were no longer actively used for military purposes. However, the historical and architectural value of the castle began to attract attention, leading to efforts to preserve and restore the site.
In the mid-20th century, Paphos Castle underwent extensive renovations to restore its former glory. The Western Frankish Tower was carefully preserved, with its distinctive features and medieval character maintained. The castle complex became a significant tourist attraction, showcasing Cyprus' rich history and offering visitors a glimpse into its past.
Today, the Western Frankish Tower stands as a striking testament to the island's diverse heritage. Tourists and locals alike are drawn to its imposing structure, which combines medieval fortifications with traces of Byzantine, Frankish, Venetian, and Ottoman influences. The tower serves as a cultural landmark, housing exhibitions and events that celebrate Cyprus' history and cultural identity.
In conclusion, the Western Frankish Tower within Paphos Castle encapsulates the dynamic history of Cyprus. From its origins as a Byzantine fortification to its modifications under Frankish, Venetian, and Ottoman rule, the tower has witnessed the rise and fall of empires. Today, it stands as a symbol of resilience, serving as a reminder of the island's rich past and inviting visitors to explore its captivating history.
Beagle A-61 Terrier 2 or Auster T7 G-ASAJ Aircraft has served with the RAF & Army Air Corps WE569
Photo taken at Imperial War Museum Duxford Cambridgeshire UK
Daks over Normandy 75th D-Day anniversary Airshow 2019
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There are three pairs of Red Necked Grebes nesting around Bronte Harbour. This is the male of the more accessible pair. I managed to catch him diving and coming with a fish. He wrestled with it for a bit but eventually subdued it.
The Nimrud Gunship, named for the great hunter, serves the Aku Partnership as a fast attack and perimeter security helicopter. Coaxial rotors leave room in the aft for a push rotor, greatly increasing airspeed for lighting fast CAS. Equipped with modular weapon systems affixed to the winglets as well as an integral rotary cannon at the front, the Nimrud has few rivals.
The tandem configuration, where gunner has the greatest amount of downward visibility.
Curtiss Wright Hawk 75 G-CCVH
Year of Manufacture: 1939, Powered by: one Pratt and Whitney R-1830-925
This aircraft served with the Armee de l Air (French Air Force) s/n 82
Photo taken at the Imperial War Museum Duxford Cambridgeshire 12th Aug 2023 Flying Show
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served on banana leave for sharing. This type of community eating is a party favorite in the Philippines. Best served during picnics like this one we had on a beach trip.