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this security guard is so intent in his job, as an escort security to an armored vehicle transporting cash from one bank to another. the armored vehicle was just a few feet away from where we are standing. no smiles for me from this guy.
i guess everytime he climbs in that vehicle, he puts his one foot to the grave. just part of the job.
The Goodyear blimp Wingfoot Two has landed at its base in Suffield Township, Ohio, and the ground crew is working to secure it. The blimp has just landed after a trip from Columbus, Ohio, where it had helped cover an Ohio State football game the night before. Note the duck paddling past in Wingfoot Lake and leaving a trail in its wake.
Seen at Ocean Adventure, Subic, Philippines.
Psalm 16: 8-10
8 I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my
right hand, I will not be shaken. 9 Therefore my heart is glad
and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, 10 because you will not abandon me to the grave, [a] nor will you
let your Holy One [b] see decay.
Cyprus 17-03-2020
[group] Kites, hawks and eagles | [order] ACCIPITRIFORMES | [family] Accipitridae | [latin] Circus aeruginosus | [UK] Western Marsh Harrier | [FR] Busard des roseaux | [DE] Rohrweihe | [ES] Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental | [NL] Bruine Kiekendief | [IRL] Cromán móna
Measurements
spanwidth min.: 115 cm
spanwidth max.: 140 cm
size min.: 43 cm
size max.: 55 cm
Breeding
incubation min.: 31 days
incubation max.: 38 days
fledging min.: 30 days
fledging max.: 38 days
broods 1
eggs min.: 3
eggs max.: 8
Status: Has bred in Ireland. A scarce summer visitor to well-vegetated wetlands from March to September throughout Ireland. May occasionally overwinter.
Conservation Concern: Green-listed in Ireland. The European population is currently Secure.
Identification: About the same size as Hen Harrier and has similar behaviour. Adult male Marsh Harriers are very distinctive, having an all grey head and reddishy-brown body. In flight, large black patches can be seen on the primaries, with the rest of the wing mainly grey. Adult females are a dark brown colour, except for beige partches on the head and throat. In flight, they appear almost uniformly brown. Subadult Marsh Harriers are variable in appearance, though most resemble females.
Similar Species: Hen Harrier, Common Buzzard
Call: Generally silent when seen in Ireland.
Diet: Actively hunts for birds and small mammals in wetlands.
Breeding: Formerly bred in large reedbeds in Ireland. Single birds have been noted at several wetland sites throughout Ireland though these are almost always young non-breeding birds. Around 150 pairs of Marsh Harrier breed in the UK and this species is fairly common at wetland sites in Central and Eastern Europe.
Wintering: The European population is partially migratory. Some overwinter in western and southern Europe, while the majority move south to tropical Africa. Occasionally seen in winter at wetland sites in Ireland.
Physical characteristics
Plumage variable. Male generally brown above particularly on back, underparts streaked, but solid dark brown at least on belly and vent. plumage becomes progressively paler with age. Female averages larger, usually brown with yellowish cream crown, throat and forewing. All dark or melanistic morph in some adults. Race harterti has much paler underparts than nominate.
Habitat
This species is a bird of swamps, marshes, flood plains or rice fields and reed beds. On migration it is much less likely to be seen in dry open grassland than other harriers and principally follows river valleys or coasts, though it must cross dry areas sometimes. ln its winter quarters it is often very common, e.g. in rice fields in South India.
Other details
This harrier inhabits open swamps in northern Africa and Eurasia, between 30 degrees N and 62 degrees N. The birds of the south and south-west are largely sedentary, but those from the north and the north-east are mainly wintering in sub-Saharan Africa. About 10000 breeding pairs inhabit the European Union. Some populations have definitely increased in western Europe, but those of the southern part of the continent are steadily decreasing, e.g. in the Iberian Peninsula
Feeding
Being a good bit bigger than the Hen Harrier, the Marsh Harrier can take a wider variety of prey. During the breeding season his hunting area is reduced and it must take advantage of local abundances. At that time he concentrates on marsh birds and small mammals which are easily caught, relying on surprise rather than speed. The Harrier generally quarters flat areas at a height of only a few meters, always taking advantage of cover, sometimes hovering or performing impressive aerobatics before dropping with claws outstretched. Prey is sometimes spotted from a low perch. Birds taken include poultry, ducks, waders, coot, moorhen, water rail, gulls, young pheasants and partridges, and songbirds and their young. Mammals include voles, mice, rabbits, moles, rats and young hares. Frogs are also important.
Breeding
During courtship the male carries out spectacular aerobatics over the nest and surrounding area. He soars in high circles, sometimes flying with exaggerated wing beats, and occasionally calling. Sometimes the pair display together, when he dives down at her and she rolls over to present her talons. The nest is well hidden in the dense reed bed or other thick vegetation in shallow water. The female takes about 10 days to build the pile of sticks, reeds and grass that serves as a nest. Meanwhile, the male makes a platform for resting and feeding. Both parents add material to the main nest during fledging. The female incubates for 31-38 days per egg, usually starting with the first. The male provides for the female near the nest. For the first week or so the chicks are brooded by the female, who feeds them beak-to-beak, but later they feed themselves in the nest, often with some ferocity, especially if the female is not very attentive. During lean times the bigger chicks may kill and eat their smaller siblings. The male brings food in the typical harrier way, dropping it for the female to catch in the air. As the young develop, the female helps with the hunting. She can rear the brood on her own if her mate is killed or deserts her. After a month or so the chicks scatter into the surrounding vegetation. They fledge at 35-40 days. The male soon leaves after that, but they usually remain with the female for a further 15-25 days.
Migration
Mainly migratory in Northern & Eastern Europe and Central Asia- sedentary and dispersive in South of breeding range. Northern breeders winter from France and North Africa through Mediterranean to Turkey, Middle East and Nile Valley, and South to sub-Saharan Africa. Easternmost Asian populations winter in Indian Subcontinent and Sri Lanka.
Migration in Western Europe begins with young birds of the year in mid-August, followed by adults in September and October. Males migrate later than females and young, and arrive in wintering grounds later. The rate and extent of migration varies according to the place of origin, northern birds leaving earlier, moving faster and travelling further than do birds from Southern Europe, which may remain most of the winter quite close to their breeding areas. The southern migration from Europe follows well-marked routes through Gibraltar or the Bosphorus, and rarely crosses large bodies of water- they may reach high altitudes up to 9,000 feet when crossing mountain passes on migration, but usually favour low ground.
Northward migration begins again in February and March, and both at this time and in autumn they are more gregarious than usual, roosting communally in swamps like some other harriers, with up to 300 together in some races. The northward migration frequently crosses the Mediterranean, so that evidently they can cross large bodies of water if necessary. Returning birds arrive in their breeding haunts from late March onwards, as late as early May in the northern parts of the range. They generally migrate singly or in small parties, not in large flocks, but often roost gregariously even when hunting singly. In winter quarters the same individuals may frequent the same area for weeks at a time.
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Padlock on a piggy bank. Financial security.
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Twenty-two Transylvania County TIME 4 Real Science students advanced to two different state level science research competitions on March 24-25 in Raleigh-Durham, where they presented the results of 11 different year-long research projects. The team secured 19 state-level awards and will advance 11 students to the national and/or international level.
“My favorite part of the science competitions was being able to explain my project to people with minimal background in the scientific field,” said Sam Ballard, a sophomore from Rosman High School (RHS) and a student scientist in the TIME 4 Real Science Program. “When somebody came` over and asked about my project on their own terms, and then began to understand the science behind it, it made me feel so happy.” Ballard and Brevard High School (BHS) freshman Fritz Ruppert worked this year to levitate small particles using ultrasound.
“I think it is essential to remember that these science competitions are more than just competitions - they are chances for you, the scientist, to share and demonstrate your research; to show the world your accomplishments and your failures,” said Ruppert, reflecting on the competitions. “While receiving awards is nice, this is the most important part.”
As part of the North Carolina Student Academy of Science (NCSAS) Competition, students submit an original scientific paper for review by professional scientists and present their work to these scientists and their peers at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics. Students also have the honor of hearing from a keynote speaker. This year NCSU Professor Dr. Robert Dunn presented “Six keys to making totally new discoveries in biology before you finish high school.”
Research teacher Jennifer Williams said, “NCSAS is my favorite competition. Students get to share their original work and participate in the excitement of a scientific meeting, much like professional scientists do. First place winners also have the opportunity to present at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) meeting alongside scientists from around the world-- a life-changing experience for students passionate about science. This year eight TIME student scientists were selected to present expenses paid at the AAAS meeting in Austin, Texas next year: Aidan Spradlin, Bryce Spradlin, Hannah Lemel, Matthew Bailey, John Nguyen, Sara Megown, Chase Bishop and Alex Eberhardt. Incredible!”
At the NCSAS meeting, students have the opportunity to seek leadership roles . This year, BHS sophomore Chase Bishop ran for NCSAS president-elect and defeated seven other candidates from across the state. “It was inspirational to see that people saw me as a leader and voted for me. In football we are told that we are to be the difference, and I hope that I can be that difference not only in the NCSAS but for the world as a scientist,” Bishop said, He will serve for one year as president-elect and then move into the role of president for a year.
When most people think of science competitions, the North Carolina Science and Engineering Fair (NCSEF) comes to mind. For this competition, students prepare a trifold poster that displays their research. Judges view the boards without the students and then ask the students to defend and elaborate on their work. After the judging, the public is invited to interact with the students and their projects. Like NCSAS, NCSEF models a key component of a professional scientific meeting, the poster presentation.
Emma Dauster, sophomore, said conducting a research project and preparing for NCSEF, “took a lot of hard work and dedication, but being part of the TIME program means always going the extra mile.” Dauster worked with sophomores Cullen Duval and Kylie Evans to study the attraction of mosquitoes to plant and fungal volatiles and win a Grand Award at this year’s NCSEF. The team will travel to Los Angeles from May 14-19 to compete in the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). According to ISEF representatives, “Each year, approximately 1,800 high school students from more than 75 countries, regions, and territories are awarded the opportunity to showcase their independent research and compete for on average $4 million in prizes.” Duval says “it still hasn’t really sunk in yet!”
Junior A. Spradlin reflected on his experiences during the science competitions, “My group and I had the chance to share our research and contribute to the scientific field. Sharing what we discovered with respected scientists that may use our experiments to stem further research is very fulfilling.” A. Spradlin worked with juniors B. Spradlin and Lemel to design a new, safer method to test for Naegleria fowleri (the brain eating amoeba) in local waters.
A. Spradlin added, “As for the competition, I am extremely proud to say that the projects we completed in a small high school lab in Brevard, North Carolina were able to compete with and defeat projects that were conducted in advanced laboratories at Duke University and UNC Chapel Hill.”
The TIME 4 Real Science Program is an intensive, inquiry-based school-day course. Students learn about the process of science as they conduct original scientific research into topics of their own choosing. They are supported by both teacher and scientist mentors as they choose a topic of interest, develop a testable question, design a procedure, collect and analyze data and present their findings.
“TIME is a class that offers students, who like me have a strong interest in science, the ability to really pursue their passion and curiosity in this field. The TIME science program has opened countless doors and led to experiences that have shaped my personal interest in biotechnology, and science in general, so much so that I am currently pursuing a career in this field,” said B. Spradlin.
Current TIME students would like to thank all who have helped with their research during the year including students, teachers, administrators, parents, and numerous scientists and community volunteers. Thanks go to 2016-17 TIME volunteers: Brian Byrd, Neill Cagle, Ora Wells, Ann Farrash, Alan Smith, Inga Meadows, Courtney Long, Scott Stevens, Cindy Carpenter, Jeff Hinshaw, Adam Moticak, Ken Chepenik, Don Wauchope, Gordon Riedesel, David Williams, Jay Case, Sam Farrar, Jeremy Gibbs, and Heidi Bullock. Special thanks go to Dr. Kent Wilcox, without whose help, guidance, and actions the class could not have been possible!
The TIME 4 Real Science Program is a partnership between Transylvania County Schools and NC Cooperative Extension. Funding for the students’ trip was provided by generous donations from the Duke Energy Foundation and from TIME alumnus Abby Williams’ 2016-17 community fundraising campaign. Special thanks goes to the campaign donors that helped make this program year possible: George and Elin Abercrombie, Ann Farash and Paul Onnink, Harriett Walls, Donna and Frank Patton, Bruce and Belinda Roberts, Johnny, Elsa and Ben Strickland, Mark and Page Lemel, Pat Montgomery, Jane and Chris Dauster, John and Nancy Strickland, Marion Petterson, Steve and Mary Arnaudin, Jim and Barb Strickland, Ned Steadman, Abby and Erika Williams, Jessica Good, Jodie DuBrueil, Leah Johnson and Dawn Davenport, Kathie and George Williams,Jennifer Frick-Ruppert, Tracie and Daniel Trusler, Kristi Whitworth, Jeremy Gibbs, Frances Bradburn, Mark and Betsy Burrows, Mike Judd, Laura Patch, Mark and Ameran Tooley, Brooke Burrows, Seyl Park and John Burrows.
FOR MORE INFORMATION or to indicate an interest in volunteering or donating to the program, please visit our website at time4realscience.org or contact Jennifer Williams, BHS Science Instructional Leader and TIME 4 Real Science Co-director, at jwilliam@tcsnc.org .
Transylvania County State Level Science Awards:
A. Spradlin, B. Spradlin and Lemel: An Evaluation of Local, Thermally Polluted Lakes for the Presence of Naegleria fowleria via PCR Without Hazardous Cultivation: 1st place Biotechnology and AAAS Grand Award (NCSAS); 3rd place Biology B and 2nd place, Water Works Award (NCSEF).
Dauster, Evans and Duval: Olfactometer assays to measure the response of Culex quinquefasciatus to plant and fungal volatiles: 1st place Biology A and ISEF Grand Award (NCSEF); 2nd place Behavioral Science (NCSAS).
John Nguyen and Matthew Bailey: Oligochaete Populations in Transylvania County Trout Streams: A Risk Assessment of Susceptibility to the Whirling Disease Parasite, Myxobolus cerebralis: 1st place Environmental Science and AAAS Grand Award (NCSAS); Western Representative (NCSEF).
Bishop and Alex Eberhardt: Feasibility of Cultivating Arthrospira platensis as a Food Source for Mars Exploration and Colonization: 1st place Earth and Space Science and AAAS Grand Award (NCSAS); Western Representative (NCSEF).
Sara Megown: The Antifungal Effect of Plant Extracts on Candida albicans: 1st place Biological Sciences and AAAS Grand Award (NCSAS).
Ruppert and Ballard: Particle Manipulation by an Acoustic Levitator: 3rd place Technology and Engineering (NCSAS); 3rd place Army Award, Engineering, (NCSEF).
Bain Brown and Nicole Rideout: Screening Kudzu Associated Insects and Fungi for Enzymes with Potential Application in Aqueous Oil Extraction: 3rd place Biological Sciences (NCSAS); Western Representative (NCSEF).
Emily Trusler and Elise Poche: Isolation and Identification of Entomopathogenic Fungi for Use in Mosquito Control: 2nd Place Biological Sciences (NCSAS).
Carly Tabor and Lily Harris: Megacopta cribraria Attraction to Plant Volatiles: Western Representative (NCSAS).
Jasmine Gillespie: Toxicity of Nightshade Plants to the Freshwater Clam Corbicula fluminea: Western Representative, (NCSAS).
Caleb Fore: Developing a Cost Effective Solar Array While Capturing Energy for Heating Water: Western Representative (NCSAS).
Photo captions:
1: Twenty-two Transylvania County TIME 4 Real Science students made an impact at two recent state level science competitions. Eleven students advance to national and international competitions.
2: Chase Bishop (left), new president-elect for the NC Student Academy of Science, joins his partner Alex Eberhardt in congratulating another state level NCSAS winner. Chase and Alex studied the potential of using Martian resources to grow Spirulina, a potential source for nutrition in future Martian settlements.
3: Kylie Evans and Cullen Duval test mosquitoes in their homemade olfactometer. The team discovered that carnations are strongly attractive to mosquitoes and a new fungus isolated from kudzu repels them.
4: Elise Poche counts fungal spores using a hemocytometer and contrasting light microscope to prepare a spore concentration for dosing mosquito larvae.
5: Emily Trusler uses DNA analysis to identify entomopathogenic fungi isolated from local soil and tree holes. Trusler and her partner Elise Poche studied the fungi’s potential to control mosquito larvae.
6: Jasmine Gillespie prepares a dose of snuff. Gillespie worked with her partner Noah Graham to evaluate the sublethal toxicity of tobacco on golden clams.
7: Emma Dauster retrieves mosquitoes for testing. She and her partners Kylie Evans and Cullen Duvall will represent North Carolina at the International Science and Engineering Fair in Los Angeles next month.
8: Sara Megown tests the effect of herbal extracts on Candida albicans, the causative agent of yeast infections. She found that Goldenseal extract inhibits the growth of yeast in a petri dish. She also tested the extract in living wax moth larvae with some promising, if inconclusive results.
9: Matthew Bailey works to analyze DNA from oligochaetes collected from local streams. Bailey worked with partner John Nguyen to assess local susceptibility to whirling disease, a devastating trout pathogen.
@ 2017, Transylvania County Schools, TIME 4 Real Science. All rights reserved.
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Members of the Maritime Tactical Operators Course 1701 secure “A” Jetty during their final security exercise, A Jetty, HMC Dockyard, CFB Esquimalt, 8 June 2017.
The Maritime Tactical Operator’s Course taught candidates the skills necessary for Royal Canadian Navy personnel to meet the evolving and dangerous security challenges faced in today’s maritime environment.
Image by: Leading Seaman David Gariepy
ET2017-0176-03
©2017 DND – MDN Canada ET2017-0176-03 ET2017-0176-03
Original Caption: Reflection from Biloxi Lighthouse Secured, 02/1862
U.S. National Archives' Local Identifier: 6037241
Created by: Department of the Treasury. Customs Service. Collection District of New Orleans (Louisiana). (1804 - 1913)
From: Series: Letters Received from the Confederate Treasury Department, compiled 1861 – 1862
Production Date: 02/1861
Persistent URL: arcweb.archives.gov/arc/action/ExternalIdSearch?id=6037241
Repository: National Archives at Fort Worth, TX.
Access Restrictions Unrestricted
Use Restrictions: Unrestricted
Kathmandu is the capital and largest municipality of Nepal. It is the only city of Nepal with the administrative status of Mahanagar (Metropolitan City), as compared to Upa-Mahanagar (Sub-Metropolitan City) or Nagar (City). Kathmandu is the core of Nepal's largest urban agglomeration located in the Kathmandu Valley consisting of Lalitpur, Kirtipur, Madhyapur Thimi, Bhaktapur and a number of smaller communities. Kathmandu is also known informally as "KTM" or the "tri-city". According to the 2011 census, Kathmandu Metropolitan City has a population of 975,453 and measures 49.45 square kilometres.
The city stands at an elevation of approximately 1,400 metres in the bowl-shaped Kathmandu Valley of central Nepal. It is surrounded by four major hills: Shivapuri, Phulchoki, Nagarjun, and Chandragiri. Kathmandu Valley is part of three districts (Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur), has the highest population density in the country, and is home to about a twelfth of Nepal's population.
Historically, the Kathmandu Valley and adjoining areas were known as Nepal Mandala. Until the 15th century, Bhaktapur was its capital when two other capitals, Kathmandu and Lalitpur, were established. During the Rana and Shah eras, British historians called the valley itself "Nepal Proper". Today, Kathmandu is not only the capital of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, but also the headquarters of the Bagmati Zone and the Central Development Region of Nepal.
Kathmandu is the gateway to tourism in Nepal. It is also the hub of the country's economy. It has the most advanced infrastructure of any urban area in Nepal, and its economy is focused on tourism, which accounted for 3.8% of Nepal's GDP in 1995–96. Tourism in Kathmandu declined thereafter during a period of political unrest, but since then has improved. In 2013, Kathmandu was ranked third among the top 10 travel destinations on the rise in the world by TripAdvisor, and ranked first in Asia.
The city has a rich history, spanning nearly 2000 years, as inferred from inscriptions found in the valley. Religious and cultural festivities form a major part of the lives of people residing in Kathmandu. Most of Kathmandu's people follow Hinduism and many others follow Buddhism. There are people of other religious beliefs as well, giving Kathmandu a cosmopolitan culture. Nepali is the most commonly spoken language in the city. English is understood by Kathmandu's educated residents. Kathmandu was devastated by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake on April 25, 2015.
ETYMOLOGY
The city of Kathmandu is named after Kasthamandap temple, that stood in Durbar Square. In Sanskrit, Kastha (काष्ठ) means "wood" and Mandap (/मण्डप) means "covered shelter". This temple, also known as Maru Satal (in ″Newar language″), was built in 1596 by King Laxmi Narsingh Malla. The two-storey structure was made entirely of wood, and used no iron nails nor supports. According to legend, all the timber used to build the pagoda was obtained from a single tree. The structure unfortunately collapsed during the major earthquake in April 2015.
The colophons of ancient manuscripts, dated as late as the 20th century, refer to Kathmandu as Kasthamandap Mahanagar in Nepal Mandala. Mahanagar means "great city". The city is called "Kasthamandap" in a vow that Buddhist priests still recite to this day. Thus, Kathmandu is also known as Kasthamandap. During medieval times, the city was sometimes called Kantipur (कान्तिपुर). This name is derived from two Sanskrit words - Kanti and pur. "Kanti" is one of the names of the Goddess Lakshmi, and "pur" means place.
Among the indigenous Newar people, Kathmandu is known as Yen Desa (येँ देश), and Patan and Bhaktapur are known as Yala Desa (यल देश) and Khwopa Desa (ख्वप देश). "Yen" is the shorter form of Yambu (यम्बु), which originally referred to the northern half of Kathmandu.
HISTORY
Archaeological excavations in parts of Kathmandu have found evidence of ancient civilizations. The oldest of these findings is a statue, found in Maligaon, that was dated at 185 AD. The excavation of Dhando Chaitya uncovered a brick with an inscription in Brahmi script. Archaeologists believe it is two thousand years old. Stone inscriptions are an ubiquitous element at heritage sites and are key sources for the history of Nepal
The earliest Western reference to Kathmandu appears in an account of Jesuit Fathers Johann Grueber and Albert d'Orville. In 1661, they passed through Nepal on their way from Tibet to India, and reported that they reached "Cadmendu, the capital of the Kingdom of Necbal".
ANCIENT HISTORY
The ancient history of Kathmandu is described in its traditional myths and legends. According to Swayambhu Purana, the present day Kathmandu was once a lake called Nagdaha. The lake was drained by Manjusri, who established a city called Manjupattan and made Dharmakar the ruler of the land.
Kotirudra Samhita of Shiva Purana, Chapter 11, shloka 18 refers to the place as Nayapala city famous for its Pashupati Shivalinga. The name Nepal probably originates from this city Nayapala.
Very few historical records exist of the period before the medieval Licchavis rulers. According to Gopalraj Vansawali, a genealogy of Nepali monarchs, the rulers of Kathmandu Valley before the Licchavis were Gopalas, Mahispalas, Aabhirs, Kirants, and Somavanshi. The Kirata dynasty was established by Yalamber. During the Kirata era, a settlement called Yambu existed in the northern half of old Kathmandu. In some of the Sino-Tibetan languages, Kathmandu is still called Yambu. Another smaller settlement called Yengal was present in the southern half of old Kathmandu, near Manjupattan. During the reign of the seventh Kirata ruler, Jitedasti, Buddhist monks entered Kathmandu valley and established a forest monastery at Sankhu.
MEDIEVAL HISTORY
LICCHAVI ERA
The Licchavis from the Indo-Gangetic plain migrated north and defeated the Kiratas, establishing the Licchavi dynasty. During this era, following the genocide of Shakyas in Lumbini by Virudhaka, the survivors migrated north and entered the forest monastery in Sankhu masquerading as Koliyas. From Sankhu, they migrated to Yambu and Yengal (Lanjagwal and Manjupattan) and established the first permanent Buddhist monasteries of Kathmandu. This created the basis of Newar Buddhism, which is the only surviving Sanskrit-based Buddhist tradition in the world. With their migration, Yambu was called Koligram and Yengal was called Dakshin Koligram during most of the Licchavi era.Eventually, the Licchavi ruler Gunakamadeva merged Koligram and Dakshin Koligram, founding the city of Kathmandu. The city was designed in the shape of Chandrahrasa, the sword of Manjushri. The city was surrounded by eight barracks guarded by Ajimas. One of these barracks is still in use at Bhadrakali (in front of Singha Durbar). The city served as an important transit point in the trade between India and Tibet, leading to tremendous growth in architecture. Descriptions of buildings such as Managriha, Kailaskut Bhawan, and Bhadradiwas Bhawan have been found in the surviving journals of travelers and monks who lived during this era. For example, the famous 7th-century Chinese traveller Xuanzang described Kailaskut Bhawan, the palace of the Licchavi king Amshuverma. The trade route also led to cultural exchange as well. The artistry of the Newar people - the indigenous inhabitants of the Kathmandu Valley - became highly sought after during this era, both within the Valley and throughout the greater Himalayas. Newar artists travelled extensively throughout Asia, creating religious art for their neighbors. For example, Araniko led a group of his compatriot artists through Tibet and China. Bhrikuti, the princess of Nepal who married Tibetan monarch Songtsän Gampo, was instrumental in introducing Buddhism to Tibet.
MALLA ERA
The Licchavi era was followed by the Malla era. Rulers from Tirhut, upon being attacked by Muslims, fled north to the Kathmandu valley. They intermarried with Nepali royalty, and this led to the Malla era. The early years of the Malla era were turbulent, with raids and attacks from Khas and Turk Muslims. There was also a devastating earthquake which claimed the lives of a third of Kathmandu's population, including the king Abhaya Malla. These disasters led to the destruction of most of the architecture of the Licchavi era (such as Mangriha and Kailashkut Bhawan), and the loss of literature collected in various monasteries within the city. Despite the initial hardships, Kathmandu rose to prominence again and, during most of the Malla era, dominated the trade between India and Tibet. Nepali currency became the standard currency in trans-Himalayan trade.
During the later part of the Malla era, Kathmandu Valley comprised four fortified cities: Kantipur, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, and Kirtipur. These served as the capitals of the Malla confederation of Nepal. These states competed with each other in the arts, architecture, aesthetics, and trade, resulting in tremendous development. The kings of this period directly influenced or involved themselves in the construction of public buildings, squares, and temples, as well as the development of water spouts, the institutionalization of trusts (called guthis), the codification of laws, the writing of dramas, and the performance of plays in city squares. Evidence of an influx of ideas from India, Tibet, China, Persia, and Europe among other places can be found in a stone inscription from the time of king Pratap Malla. Books have been found from this era that describe their tantric tradition (e.g. Tantrakhyan), medicine (e.g. Haramekhala), religion (e.g. Mooldevshashidev), law, morals, and history. Amarkosh, a Sanskrit-Nepal Bhasa dictionary from 1381 AD, was also found. Architecturally notable buildings from this era include Kathmandu Durbar Square, Patan Durbar Square, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, the former durbar of Kirtipur, Nyatapola, Kumbheshwar, the Krishna temple, and others.
MODERN ERA
EARLY SHAH RULE
The Gorkha Kingdom ended the Malla confederation after the Battle of Kathmandu in 1768. This marked the beginning of the modern era in Kathmandu. The Battle of Kirtipur was the start of the Gorkha conquest of the Kathmandu Valley. Kathmandu was adopted as the capital of the Gorkha empire, and the empire itself was dubbed Nepal. During the early part of this era, Kathmandu maintained its distinctive culture. Buildings with characteristic Nepali architecture, such as the nine-story tower of Basantapur, were built during this era. However, trade declined because of continual war with neighboring nations. Bhimsen Thapa supported France against Great Britain; this led to the development of modern military structures, such as modern barracks in Kathmandu. The nine-storey tower Dharahara was originally built during this era.
RANA RULE
Rana rule over Nepal started with the Kot Massacre, which occurred near Hanuman Dhoka Durbar. During this massacre, most of Nepal's high-ranking officials were massacred by Jang Bahadur Rana and his supporters. Another massacre, the Bhandarkhal Massacre, was also conducted by Kunwar and his supporters in Kathmandu. During the Rana regime, Kathmandu's alliance shifted from anti-British to pro-British; this led to the construction of the first buildings in the style of Western European architecture. The most well-known of these buildings include Singha Durbar, Garden of Dreams, Shital Niwas, and the old Narayanhiti palace. The first modern commercial road in the Kathmandu Valley, the New Road, was also built during this era. Trichandra College (the first college of Nepal), Durbar School (the first modern school of Nepal), and Bir Hospital (the first hospital of Nepal) were built in Kathmandu during this era. Rana rule was marked by tyranny, debauchery, economic exploitation and religious persecution.
GEOGRAPHY
Kathmandu is located in the northwestern part of Kathmandu Valley to the north of the Bagmati River and covers an area of 50.67 square kilometres. The average elevation is 1,400 metres above sea level. The city is directly bounded by several other municipalities of the Kathmandu valley: south of the Bagmati by Lalitpur Sub-Metropolitan City (Patan) with which it today forms one urban area surrounded by a ring road, to the southwest by Kirtipur Municipality and to the east by Madyapur Thimi Municipality. To the north the urban area extends into several Village Development Committees. However, the urban agglomeration extends well beyond the neighboring municipalities, e. g. to Bhaktapur and just about covers the entire Kathmandu valley.
Kathmandu is dissected by eight rivers, the main river of the valley, the Bagmati and its tributaries, of which the Bishnumati, Dhobi Khola, Manohara Khola, Hanumant Khola, and Tukucha Khola are predominant. The mountains from where these rivers originate are in the elevation range of 1,500–3,000 metres, and have passes which provide access to and from Kathmandu and its valley. An ancient canal once flowed from Nagarjuna hill through Balaju to Kathmandu; this canal is now extinct.
Kathmandu and its valley are in the Deciduous Monsoon Forest Zone (altitude range of 1,200–2,100 metres), one of five vegetation zones defined for Nepal. The dominant tree species in this zone are oak, elm, beech, maple and others, with coniferous trees at higher altitude.
TOURISM
Tourism is considered another important industry in Nepal. This industry started around 1950, as the country's political makeup changed and ended the country's isolation from the rest of the world. In 1956, air transportation was established and the Tribhuvan Highway, between Kathmandu and Raxaul (at India's border), was started. Separate organizations were created in Kathmandu to promote this activity; some of these include the Tourism Development Board, the Department of Tourism and the Civil Aviation Department. Furthermore, Nepal became a member of several international tourist associations. Establishing diplomatic relations with other nations further accentuated this activity. The hotel industry, travel agencies, training of tourist guides, and targeted publicity campaigns are the chief reasons for the remarkable growth of this industry in Nepal, and in Kathmandu in particular.
Since then, tourism in Nepal has thrived; it is sometimes called the "third religion" of Nepal. It is the country's most important industry. Tourism is a major source of income for most of the people in the city, with several hundred thousand visitors annually. Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims from all over the world visit Kathmandu's religious sites such as Pashupatinath, Swayambhunath, Boudhanath and Budhanilkantha. From a mere 6,179 tourists in 1961–62, the number jumped to 491,504 in 1999-2000. With the end of Maoist insuregency period in 2009 there was a significant rise of 509,956 tourist arrivals. Since then, tourism has improved as the country turned into a Democratic Republic. In economic terms, the foreign exchange registered 3.8% of the GDP in 1995–96 but then started declining[why?]. The high level of tourism is attributed to the natural grandeur of the Himalayas and the rich cultural heritage of the country.
The neighborhood of Thamel is Kathmandu's primary "traveler's ghetto", packed with guest houses, restaurants, shops, and bookstores, catering to tourists. Another neighborhood of growing popularity is Jhamel, a name for Jhamsikhel coined to rhyme with Thamel. Jhochhen Tol, also known as Freak Street, is Kathmandu's original traveler's haunt, made popular by the hippies of the 1960s and 1970s; it remains a popular alternative to Thamel. Asan is a bazaar and ceremonial square on the old trade route to Tibet, and provides a fine example of a traditional neighborhood.
With the opening of the tourist industry after the change in the political scenario of Nepal in 1950, the hotel industry drastically improved. Now Kathmandu boasts several five-star hotels like Hyatt Regency, Hotel Yak & Yeti, The Everest Hotel, Hotel Radisson, Hotel De L'Annapurna, The Malla Hotel, Shangri-La Hotel (which is not operated by the Shangri-La Hotel Group) and The Shanker Hotel. There are several four-star hotels such as Hotel Vaishali, Hotel Narayani, The Blue Star and Grand Hotel. The Garden Hotel, Hotel Ambassador, and Aloha Inn are among the three-star hotels in Kathmandu. Hotels like Hyatt Regency, De L'Annapurna and Hotel Yak & Yeti are among the five-star hotels providing casinos as well.
DEMOGRAPHICS
Kathmandu's urban cosmopolitan character has made it the most populous city in Nepal, recording a population of 671,846 residents living in 235,387 households in the metropolitan area, according to the 2001 census. According to the National Population Census of 2011, the total population of Kathmandu city was 975,543 with an annual growth rate of 6.12% with respect to the population figure of 2001. 70% of the total population residing in Kathmandu are aged between 15 and 59.
Over the years the city has been home to people of various ethnicities, resulting in a range of different traditions and cultural practices. In one decade, the population increased from 427,045 in 1991 to 671,805 in 2001. The population was projected to reach 915,071 in 2011 and 1,319,597 by 2021. To keep up this population growth, the KMC-controlled area of 5,076.6 hectares has expanded to 8,214 hectares in 2001. With this new area, the population density which was 85 in 1991 is still 85 in 2001; it is likely to jump to 111 in 2011 and 161 in 2021.
ETHNIC GROUPS
The largest ethnic groups are Newar (29.6%), Matwali (25.1% Sunuwar, Gurung, Magars, Tamang etc.), Khas Brahmins (20.51%) and Chettris (18.5%) .[47] Tamangs originating from surrounding hill districts can be seen in Kathmandu. More recently, other hill ethnic groups and Caste groups from Terai have become present as well in vast majority. The major languages are Nepali, Nepal Bhasa and English is understood by about 30% of the people. The major religions are Hinduism and Buddhism.
The linguistic profile of Kathmandu underwent drastic changes during the Shah dynasty's rule because of its strong bias towards the Brahminic culture. Sanskrit language therefore was preferred and people were encouraged to learn it even by attending Sanskrit learning centers in Terai. Sanskrit schools were specially set up in Kathmandu and in the Terai region to inculcate traditional Hindu culture and practices originated from Nepal.
Architecture and cityscape
The ancient trade route between India and Tibet that passed through Kathmandu enabled a fusion of artistic and architectural traditions from other cultures to be amalgamated with local art and architecture. The monuments of Kathmandu City have been influenced over the centuries by Hindu and Buddhist religious practices. The architectural treasure of the Kathmandu valley has been categorized under the well-known seven groups of heritage monuments and buildings. In 2006 UNESCO declared these seven groups of monuments as a World Heritage Site (WHS). The seven monuments zones cover an area of 188.95 hectares, with the buffer zone extending to 239.34 hectares. The Seven Monument Zones (Mzs) inscribed originally in 1979 and with a minor modification in 2006 are Durbar squares of Hanuman Dhoka, Patan and Bhaktapur, Hindu temples of Pashupatinath and Changunarayan, the Buddhist stupas of Swayambhu and Boudhanath.
DURBAR SQUARES
The literal meaning of Durbar Square is a "place of palaces". There are three preserved Durbar Squares in Kathmandu valley and one unpreserved in Kirtipur. The Durbar Square of Kathmandu is located in the old city and has heritage buildings representing four kingdoms (Kantipur, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Kirtipur); the earliest is the Licchavi dynasty. The complex has 50 temples and is distributed in two quadrangles of the Durbar Square. The outer quadrangle has the Kasthamandap, Kumari Ghar, and Shiva-Parvati Temple; the inner quadrangle has the Hanuman Dhoka palace. The squares were severely damaged in the April 2015 Nepal earthquake.
Hanuman Dhoka is a complex of structures with the Royal Palace of the Malla kings and of the Shah dynasty. It is spread over five acres. The eastern wing, with ten courtyards, is the oldest part, dating to the mid-16th century. It was expanded by King Pratap Malla in the 17th century with many temples. The royal family lived in this palace until 1886 when they moved to Narayanhiti Palace. The stone inscription outside is in fifteen languages.
Kumari Ghar is a palace in the center of the Kathmandu city, next to the Durbar square where a Royal Kumari selected from several Kumaris resides. Kumari, or Kumari Devi, is the tradition of worshipping young pre-pubescent girls as manifestations of the divine female energy or devi in South Asian countries. In Nepal the selection process is very rigorous. Kumari is believed to be the bodily incarnation of the goddess Taleju (the Nepali name for Durga) until she menstruates, after which it is believed that the goddess vacates her body. Serious illness or a major loss of blood from an injury are also causes for her to revert to common status. The current Royal Kumari, Matina Shakya, age four, was installed in October 2008 by the Maoist government that replaced the monarchy.
Kasthamandap is a three-storeyed temple enshrining an image of Gorakhnath. It was built in the 16th century in pagoda style. The name of Kathmandu is a derivative of the word Kasthamandap. It was built under the reign of King Laxmi Narsingha Malla. Kasthamandap stands at the intersection of two ancient trade routes linking India and Tibet at Maru square. It was originally built as a rest house for travelers.
PASHUPATINATH TEMPLE
The Pashupatinath Temple is a famous 5th century Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva (Pashupati). Located on the banks of the Bagmati River in the eastern part of Kathmandu, Pashupatinath Temple is the oldest Hindu temple in Kathmandu. It served as the seat of national deity, Lord Pashupatinath, until Nepal was secularized. However, a significant part of the temple was destroyed by Mughal invaders in the 14th century and little or nothing remains of the original 5th-century temple exterior. The temple as it stands today was built in the 19th century, although the image of the bull and the black four-headed image of Pashupati are at least 300 years old. The temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Shivaratri, or the night of Lord Shiva, is the most important festival that takes place here, attracting thousands of devotees and sadhus.
Believers in Pashupatinath (mainly Hindus) are allowed to enter the temple premises, but non-Hindu visitors are allowed to view the temple only from the across the Bagmati River. The priests who perform the services at this temple have been Brahmins from Karnataka, South India since the time of Malla king Yaksha Malla. This tradition is believed to have been started at the request of Adi Shankaracharya who sought to unify the states of Bharatam (Unified India) by encouraging cultural exchange. This procedure is followed in other temples around India, which were sanctified by Adi Shankaracharya.
The temple is built in the pagoda style of architecture, with cubic constructions, carved wooden rafters (tundal) on which they rest, and two-level roofs made of copper and gold.
BOUDHANATH
The Boudhanath, (also written Bouddhanath, Bodhnath, Baudhanath or the Khāsa Chaitya), is one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Nepal, along with Swayambhu. It is a very popular tourist site. Boudhanath is known as Khāsti by Newars and as Bauddha or Bodhnāth by speakers of Nepali. Located about 11 km from the center and northeastern outskirts of Kathmandu, the stupa's massive mandala makes it one of the largest spherical stupas in Nepal. Boudhanath became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.The base of the stupa has 108 small depictions of the Dhyani Buddha Amitabha. It is surrounded with a brick wall with 147 niches, each with four or five prayer wheels engraved with the mantra, om mani padme hum. At the northern entrance where visitors must pass is a shrine dedicated to Ajima, the goddess of smallpox. Every year the stupa attracts many Tibetan Buddhist pilgrims who perform full body prostrations in the inner lower enclosure, walk around the stupa with prayer wheels, chant, and pray. Thousands of prayer flags are hoisted up from the top of the stupa downwards and dot the perimeter of the complex. The influx of many Tibetan refugees from China has seen the construction of over 50 Tibetan gompas (monasteries) around Boudhanath.
SWAYAMBHU
Swayambhu is a Buddhist stupa atop a hillock at the northwestern part of the city. This is among the oldest religious sites in Nepal. Although the site is considered Buddhist, it is revered by both Buddhists and Hindus. The stupa consists of a dome at the base; above the dome, there is a cubic structure with the eyes of Buddha looking in all four directions.[clarification needed] There are pentagonal Toran above each of the four sides, with statues engraved on them. Behind and above the torana there are thirteen tiers. Above all the tiers, there is a small space above which lies a gajur.
CULTURE
ARTS
Kathmandu valley is described as "an enormous treasure house of art and sculptures", which are made of wood, stone, metal, and terracotta, and found in profusion in temples, shrines, stupas, gompas, chaityasm and palaces. The art objects are also seen in street corners, lanes, private courtyards, and in open ground. Most art is in the form of icons of gods and goddesses. Kathmandu valley has had this art treasure very long, but received worldwide recognition only after the country opened its doors to the outside world in 1950.
The religious art of Nepal and Kathmandu in particular consists of an iconic symbolism of the Mother Goddesses such as: Bhavani, Durga, Gaja-Lakshmi, Hariti-Sitala, Mahsishamardini, Saptamatrika (seven mother goddesses), and Sri-Lakshmi(wealth-goddess). From the 3rd century BC, apart from the Hindu gods and goddesses, Buddhist monuments from the Ashokan period (it is said that Ashoka visited Nepal in 250 BC) have embellished Nepal in general and the valley in particular. These art and architectural edifices encompass three major periods of evolution: the Licchavi or classical period (500 to 900 AD), the post-classical period (1000 to 1400 AD), with strong influence of the Palla art form; the Malla period (1400 onwards) that exhibited explicitly tantric influences coupled with the art of Tibetan Demonology.
A broad typology has been ascribed to the decorative designs and carvings created by the people of Nepal. These artists have maintained a blend of Hinduism and Buddhism. The typology, based on the type of material used are: Stone Art, Metal Art, Wood Art, Terracotta Art, and Painting.
MUSEUMS
Kathmandu is home to a number of museums and art galleries, including the National Museum of Nepal and the Natural History Museum of Nepal. Nepal's art and architecture is an amalgamation of two ancient religions, Hinduism and Buddhhism. These are amply reflected in the many temples, shrines, stupas, monasteries, and palaces in the seven well-defined Monument Zones of the Kathmandu valley recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This amalgamation is also reflected in the planning and exhibitions in museums and art galleries throughout Kathmandu and its sister cities of Patan and Bhaktapur. The museums display unique artifacts and paintings from the 5th century CE to the present day, including archeological exportation.
KATHMANDU MUSEUMS ABD ART GALLERIES INCLUDE:
The National Museum
The Natural History Museum
Hanumandhoka Palace Complex
The Kaiser Library
The National Art Gallery
The NEF-ART (Nepal Fine Art) Gallery
The Nepal Art Council Gallery
Narayanhity Palace Museum
The Taragaon Museum
The National Museum is located in the western part of Kathmandu, near the Swayambhunath stupa in an historical building. This building was constructed in the early 19th century by General Bhimsen Thapa. It is the most important museum in the country, housing an extensive collection of weapons, art and antiquities of historic and cultural importance. The museum was established in 1928 as a collection house of war trophies and weapons, and the initial name of this museum was Chhauni Silkhana, meaning "the stone house of arms and ammunition". Given its focus, the museum contains an extensive quantity of weapons, including locally made firearms used in wars, leather cannons from the 18th–19th century, and medieval and modern works in wood, bronze, stone and paintings.
The Natural History Museum is located in the southern foothills of Swayambhunath hill and has a sizeable collection of different species of animals, butterflies, and plants. The museum is noted for its display of species, from prehistoric shells to stuffed animals.
The Tribhuvan Museum contains artifacts related to the King Tribhuvan (1906–1955). It has a variety of pieces including his personal belongings, letters and papers, memorabilia related to events he was involved in and a rare collection of photos and paintings of Royal family members. The Mahendra Museum is dedicated to king Mahendra of Nepal (1920–1972). Like the Tribhuvan Museum, it includes his personal belongings such as decorations, stamps, coins and personal notes and manuscripts, but it also has structural reconstructions of his cabinet room and office chamber. The Hanumandhoka Palace, a lavish medieval palace complex in the Durbar, contains three separate museums of historic importance. These museums include the Birendra museum, which contains items related to the second-last monarch, Birendra of Nepal.
The enclosed compound of the Narayanhity Palace Museum is in the north-central part of Kathmandu. "Narayanhity" comes from Narayana, a form of the Hindu god Lord Vishnu, and Hiti, meaning "water spout" (Vishnu's temple is located opposite the palace, and the water spout is located east of the main entrance to the precinct). Narayanhity was a new palace, in front of the old palace built in 1915, and was built in 1970 in the form of a contemporary Pagoda. It was built on the occasion of the marriage of King Birenda Bir Bikram Shah, then heir apparent to the throne. The southern gate of the palace is at the crossing of Prithvipath and Darbar Marg roads. The palace area covers (30 hectares) and is fully secured with gates on all sides. This palace was the scene of the Nepali royal massacre. After the fall of the monarchy, it was converted to a museum.The Taragaon Museum presents the modern history of the Kathmandu Valley. It seeks to document 50 years of research and cultural heritage conservation of the Kathmandu Valley, documenting what artists photographers architects anthropologists from abroad had contributed in the second half of the 20th century. The actual structure of the Museum showcases restoration and rehabilitation efforts to preserve the built heritage of Kathmandu. It was designed by Carl Pruscha (master-planner of the Kathmandy Valley [69]) in 1970 and constructed in 1971. Restoration works began in 2010 to rehabilitate the Taragaon hostel into the Taragaon Museum. The design uses local brick along with modern architectural design elements, as well as the use of circle, triangles and squares. The Museum is within a short walk from the Boudhnath stupa, which itself can be seen from the Museum tower.
ART GALLERIES
Kathmandu is a center for art in Nepal, displaying the work of contemporary artists in the country and also collections of historical artists. Patan in particular is an ancient city noted for its fine arts and crafts. Art in Kathmandu is vibrant, demonstrating a fusion of traditionalism and modern art, derived from a great number of national, Asian, and global influences. Nepali art is commonly divided into two areas: the idealistic traditional painting known as Paubhas in Nepal and perhaps more commonly known as Thangkas in Tibet, closely linked to the country's religious history and on the other hand the contemporary western-style painting, including nature-based compositions or abstract artwork based on Tantric elements and social themes of which painters in Nepal are well noted for. Internationally, the British-based charity, the Kathmandu Contemporary Art Centre is involved with promoting arts in Kathmandu.
Kathmandu contains many notable art galleries. The NAFA Gallery, operated by the Arts and crafts Department of the Nepal Academy is housed in Sita Bhavan, a neo-classical old Rana palace.
The Srijana Contemporary Art Gallery, located inside the Bhrikutimandap Exhibition grounds, hosts the work of contemporary painters and sculptors, and regularly organizes exhibitions. It also runs morning and evening classes in the schools of art. Also of note is the Moti Azima Gallery, located in a three storied building in Bhimsenthan which contains an impressive collection of traditional utensils and handmade dolls and items typical of a medieval Newar house, giving an important insight into Nepali history. The J Art Gallery is also located in Kathmandu, near the Royal Palace in Durbarmarg, Kathmandu and displays the artwork of eminent, established Nepali painters. The Nepal Art Council Gallery, located in the Babar Mahal, on the way to Tribhuvan International Airport contains artwork of both national and international artists and extensive halls regularly used for art exhibitions.
CUISINE
The staple food of most of Kathmanduites is dal bhat. It consists of rice and lentil soup, generally served with vegetable curries, achar and sometimes Chutney. Momo, a type of Nepali version of Tibetan dumpling, has become prominent in Nepal with many street vendors selling it. It is one of the most popular fast foods in Kathmandu. Various Nepali variants of momo including buff (i.e. buffalo) momo, chicken momo, and vegetarian momo are famous in Kathmandu. Dal Bhaat is the local cuisine of Kathmandu.
Most of the cuisines found in Kathmandu are non-vegetarian. However, the practice of vegetarianism is not uncommon, and vegetarian cuisines can be found throughout the city. Consumption of beef is very uncommon and considered taboo in many places. Buff (meat of water buffalo) is very common. There is a strong tradition of buff consumption in Kathmandu, especially among Newars, which is not found in other parts of Nepal. Consumption of pork was considered taboo until a few decades ago. Due to the intermixing with Kirat cuisine from eastern Nepal, pork has found a place in Kathmandu dishes. A fringe population of devout Hindus and Muslims consider it taboo. The Muslims forbid eating buff as from Quran while Hindus eat all varieties except Cow's meat as the consider Cow to be a goddess and symbol of purity. The chief breakfast for locals and visitors is mostly Momo or Chowmein.
Kathmandu had only one restaurant in 1955.[73] A large number of restaurants in Kathmandu have since opened, catering Nepali cuisine, Tibetan cuisine, Chinese cuisine and Indian cuisine in particular. Many other restaurants have opened to accommodate locals, expatriates, and tourists. The growth of tourism in Kathmandu has led to culinary creativity and the development of hybrid foods to accommodate for tourists such as American chop suey, which is a sweet-and-sour sauce with crispy noodles with a fried egg commonly added on top and other westernized adaptations of traditional cuisine. Continental cuisine can be found in selected places. International chain restaurants are rare, but some outlets of Pizza Hut and KFC have recently opened there. It also has several outlets of the international ice-cream chain Baskin-Robbins
Kathmandu has a larger proportion of tea drinkers than coffee drinkers. Tea is widely served but is extremely weak by western standards. It is richer and contains tea leaves boiled with milk, sugar and spices. Alcohol is widely drunk, and there are numerous local variants of alcoholic beverages. But its use has been now reduced.refnational survey. Drinking and driving is illegal, and authorities have a zero tolerance policy. Ailaa and thwon (alcohol made from rice) are the alcoholic beverages of Kathmandu, found in all the local bhattis (alcohol serving eateries). Chhyaang, tongba (fermented millet or barley) and rakshi are alcohols from other parts of Nepal which are found in Kathmandu. However, shops and bars in Kathmandu widely sell western and Nepali beers. Shops are forbidden to sell alcohol on the first two days and last two days of the Nepali month (Nepal Sambat).
FESTIVALS
Most of the fairs and festivals in Kathmandu originated in the Malla period or earlier. Traditionally, these festivals were celebrated by Newars. In recent years, these festivals have found wider participation from other Kathmanduites as well. As the capital of the Republic of Nepal, various national festivals are celebrated in Kathmandu. With mass migration to the city, the cultures of Khas from the west, Kirats from the east, Bon/Tibetan from the north, and Mithila from the south meet in the capital and mingle harmoniously. The festivities such as the Ghode (horse) Jatra, Indra Jatra, Dashain Durga Puja festivals, Shivratri and many more are observed by all Hindu and Buddhist communities of Kathmandu with devotional fervor and enthusiasm. Social regulation in the codes enacted incorporate Hindu traditions and ethics. These were followed by the Shah kings and previous kings, as devout Hindus and protectors of Buddhist religion.
Cultural continuity has been maintained for centuries in the exclusive worship of goddesses and deities in Kathmandu and the rest of the country. These deities include the Ajima, Taleju (or Tulja Bhavani), Digu taleju, and Kumari (the living goddess).[citation needed] The artistic edifices have now become places of worship in the everyday life of the people, therefore a roster is maintained to observe annual festivals. There are 133 festivals held in the year.
Some of the traditional festivals observed in Kathmandu, apart from those previously mentioned, are Bada Dashain, Tihar, Chhath, Maghe Sankranti, Naga Panchami, Janai Poornima, Pancha Dan, Teej/Rishi Panchami, Pahan Charhe, Jana Baha Dyah Jatra (White Machchhendranath Jatra), and Matatirtha Aunsi.
HINDUISM
Assumedly, together with the kingdom of Licchhavi (c. 400 to 750), Hinduism and the endogam social stratification of the Caste was established in Kathmandu Valley. The Pashupatinath Temple, Changu Narayan temple (the oldest), and the Kasthamandap are of particular importance to Hindus. Other notable Hindu temples in Kathmandu and the surrounding valley include Bajrayogini Temple, Dakshinkali Temple, Guhyeshwari Temple, and the Sobha Bhagwati shrine.
The Bagmati River which flows through Kathmandu is considered a holy river both by Hindus and Buddhists, and many Hindu temples are located on the banks of this river. The importance of the Bagmati also lies in the fact that Hindus are cremated on its banks, and Kirants are buried in the hills by its side. According to the Nepali Hindu tradition, the dead body must be dipped three times into the Bagmati before cremation. The chief mourner (usually the first son) who lights the funeral pyre must take a holy riverwater bath immediately after cremation. Many relatives who join the funeral procession also take bath in the Bagmati River or sprinkle the holy water on their bodies at the end of cremation as the Bagmati is believed to purify people spiritually.
BUDDHISM
Buddhism started in Kathmandu with the arrival of Buddhist monks during the time of Buddha (c. 563 - 483 BC). They started a forest monastery in Sankhu. This monastery was renovated by Shakyas after they fled genocide from Virudhaka (rule: 491-461 BC).
During the Hindu Lichchavi era (c. 400 to 750), various monasteries and orders were created which successively led to the formation of Newar Buddhism, which is still practiced in the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Sanskrit.
WIKIPEDIA
084_GHP_SoireePortraits_2019.jpg -- Greater Houston Partnership “Emerald City” Soiree 2019 with photography sponsored by Conoco Phillips at Hotel ZaZa August 24, 2019. (Photo by Richard Carson)
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Avoiding the Talking Flashlight over the Sermons from Science exhibit, one could also check out Electronic Voice Analog (EVA), a "Visible Speech" synthesizer that said "I enjoy the simple life" to anyone within earshot. EVA was essentially a formant vocode married to a chart-reading machine. Its voice was created by spectrograms, speech-waves traced onto Mylar paper by conductive ink.
Dave Tomkins - How to wreck a nice beach. The vocoder from WWII to hiphop
[order] Charadriiformes | [family] Scolopacidae | [latin] Calidris alpina | [UK] Dunlin | [FR] Bécasseau variable | [DE] Alpenstrandläufer | [ES] Correlimos Común | [IT] Piovanello pancianera | [NL] Bonte Strandloper | [IRL] Breacóg
Sea Lark, Ebb Sleeper, Sea Mouse, Sand Mouse
[order] Charadriiformes | [family] Scolopacidae | [latin] Calidris alpina | [UK] Dunlin | [FR] Bécasseau variable | [DE] Alpenstrandläufer | [ES] Correlimos Común | [IT] Piovanello pancianera | [NL] Bonte Strandloper
spanwidth min.: 32 cm
spanwidth max.: 36 cm
size min.: 17 cm
size max.: 21 cm
Breeding
incubation min.: 21 days
incubation max.: 22 days
fledging min.: 19 days
fledging max.: 21 days
broods 1
eggs min.: 3
eggs max.: 5
Status: Summer visitor from NW Africa/SW Europe, winter visitor from Scandinavia to Siberia, passage migrant from Greenland (heading south to winter in Africa). Most occur during the mid-winter period.
Conservation Concern: Amber-listed in Ireland as the majority of Dunlins winter at less than ten sites. The European population has been evaluated as Depleted, due to a large historical decline.
Identification: One of the smaller waders and our most abundant one in winter and on passage. A limited number breed in some sandy / grassy locations along the west and north coasts. Plumage is highly variable - in summer, rich chestnut above, streaked on breast, white below with a striking black patch on the belly. The more usually encountered winter plumage bird shows a rather non-descript, uniform, plain brownish-grey on all upperparts and cold white underparts. Juveniles in autumn have warm brown tones on the upperparts and considerable streaking on the breast and underparts. There are many other variations and combinations, depending on the bird's state of moult. It is a rather dumpy bird, with black legs and a longish bill which downcurves slightly. Often occurs in very large flocks. An important bird to get to know (in all its plumages) if you want to successfully identify other similar-sized waders.
Call: A harsh churring trill - "thrrrreeep"
Diet: Feed predominantly on small invertebrates of estuarine mudflats, particularly polychaete worms and small gastropods. They feed in flocks, in the muddier sections of the estuaries and close to the tide edge.
Breeding: Nests on the ground in sparse, low vegetation - in Ireland favours machair habitats.
Wintering: Common along all coastal areas - especially on tidal mudflats and estuaries. Very few inland.
Where to see: Shannon & Fergus Estuary in County Clare and Dundalk Bay in County Louth regularly support >10,000 birds. Other important sites include Cork Harbour in County Cork, Lough Swilly in Donegal and Strangford Lough in Down (6,000- 9,000 birds).
Physical characteristics
This small shorebird is distinctive in breeding plumage, with a black belly-patch extending behind its black legs. Its head and breast are light-colored, and its back is bright rufous. In non-breeding plumage it is drab gray with a brownish head and breast. In flight it has white underwings, a white line down the middle of the upperwing, and white on either side of its rump and tail. The white underwings are especially distinctive in flight. As a flock twists and turns together in flight, white flashes of underwing are evident from a distance.
Dunlin flocks are often huge, most impressive when they display their coordinated aerial maneuvers trying to escape predation by Peregrine Falcons and Merlins. When foraging, they either pick food from the surface or probe in the mud. They feed on exposed mud or in shallow water, making short runs interspersed with periods of feeding. They feed day or night, depending on the timing of low tide.
Habitat
Tundra-breeders, Dunlin typically nest in wet meadow tundra with low ridges, vegetation hummocks, and nearby ponds. During migration and winter, they prefer mudflats, but can also be seen on sandy beaches, coastal grasslands, estuaries, and occasionally in muddy, freshwater areas.
Other details
Calidris alpina breeds mainly in northern Europe, which accounts for less than half of its global breeding range. Its European breeding population is large (>300,000 pairs), and was probably stable between 1970-1990 (although the European wintering population declined markedly). The species was stable in north-west Europe during 1990-2000, but declined around the Baltic and in Russia. Although the trend in Iceland was unknown, the species's population has clearly not yet recovered to the level that preceded its decline.
The Canadian Wildlife Service estimates the Dunlin population at 3,934,000 birds worldwide, with 1,325,000 in North America. Of that group, 500,000 birds make up the Pacific Coast population. Dunlin are currently the second most common shorebird in Washington, and the most common of Washington's wintering shorebirds, but numbers have declined in the Northwest in recent decades. There has been little habitat destruction or disturbance on the breeding grounds to date, but the migration and wintering grounds are threatened by destruction of habitat. There is currently no reliable information about population status or trends for Dunlin range-wide, so it is unknown if the trend in the Northwest is due to a decrease in population or a shift in range. Dunlin are considered an indicator species for assessing the health of Holarctic ecosystems, so determining range-wide population trends should be of high priority as reduction in their numbers could indicate that other species that use these ecosystems are at risk.
Feeding
On the breeding grounds, insects and insect larvae are the most important source of food. In coastal habitats, Dunlin also eat marine worms, small crustaceans, mollusks, and other aquatic creatures. They sometimes eat seeds and leaves.
Conservation
This species has a large range, with an estimated global Extent of Occurrence of 1,000,000-10,000,000 km². It has a large global population estimated to be 4,200,000-6,400,000 individuals (Wetlands International 2002). Global population trends have not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e. declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations). For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern. [conservation status from birdlife.org]
Breeding
Males typically arrive first on the breeding grounds. Pairs form when females arrive, but if arrival on the breeding grounds is delayed due to weather, pairs may form prior to arrival. Former mates often use the same territory as in the previous year. The male starts a few scrapes, which may be lined with grass, sedge, and willow leaves. The female chooses one and finishes the construction. The nest is usually well hidden under a clump of grass or on a hummock. Both parents incubate the four eggs for 20 to 22 days. The young leave the nest shortly after hatching and find their own food. Both parents tend the young, although the female usually abandons the group within a week of hatching. The male generally stays with the young until they are close to fledging, typically about 19 days.
Migration
Migratory. Variety of migration strategies, from short coastal flights to long, non-stop flights overland on broad front. Race arctica moves from Greenland through Iceland, Britain and W France to Morocco and W Africa, primarily to Banc d´Arguin, Mauritania; arrives in Africa from late Jul and departs mainly Mar to early Apr; return migration farther W up W Britain, probably overflying Iceland. Race schinzii passes through Britain, France and Portugal to NW Africa; few may winter in SW England; continental birds move N up continental coasts, when fewer reach Britain than after breeding. Race alpina winters in Europe and NW Africa; easternmost birds migrate farthest; many moult in Wadden Sea or Wash, arriving from Jul, followed by W movements in Oct-Nov to British Is; birds wintering in E Mediterranean make long distance, flights overland across E Europe. At least 3 races move down E Asian coast, where passage recorded through Ussuriland, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and coastal China. Race articola stages in W Alaska, and crosses Bering Strait to E Asian winter quarters. Almost entire population of pacifica uses Copper R Delta, SE Alaska, as spring staging site. Some 1-year-old birds remain in non-breeding range all year.
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Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula
[order] Charadriiformes | [family] Charadriidae | [latin] Charadrius hiaticula | [UK] Ringed Plover | [FR] Pluvier grand-gravelot | [DE] Sandregenpfeifer | [ES] Chorlitejo Anillado | [IT] Corriere grosso | [NL] Bontbekplevier
spanwidth min.: 35 cm
spanwidth max.: 41 cm
size min.: 17 cm
size max.: 20 cm
Breeding
incubation min.: 23 days
incubation max.: 25 days
fledging min.: 22 days
fledging max.: 26 days
broods 2
eggs min.: 3
eggs max.: 4
Charadrius hiaticula
Feadóg chladaigh
Bull's Eye, Sea Lark, Sand Lark, Sand Tripper, Stone Runner
Status: Resident & winter visitor from areas further north where this population also breeds (Iceland, the Baltic & southern Scandinavia). Peak numbers between August and early October, and then numbers decline slightly (passage birds move further south) and stabilise between November and January.
Conservation Concern: Amber-listed as internationally important numbers winter in Ireland. The European population is considered to be Secure.
Identification: Compact, small wader, similar in size to Dunlin. Grey-brown upperparts and white underparts. Adults with orange bill with black tip in summer, which is mostly black in winter, orange legs, black ring widens as it extends across the chest. White throat and across the back of the neck. Prominent white wing-bar in flight.
Call: Mellow 'choo-ee'. Alarm is sharp 'peep', song repeated rythmic, mellow 'tee-too-e' and hurried and repeated 't'weea-t'.
Diet: Hunts visually, scanning the area for signs of movement which indicate potential prey. It feeds on a variety of invertebrates, particularly polychaete worms and crustaceans. Characteristic plover feeding action - short run along ground, pause, bend to pick up food item followed by another run.
Breeding: Mostly coastal breeding distribution, preferring to nest on exposed wide sandy or shingle beaches. Some breed inland, particularly in the west, where their preferred nesting habitat is on short-grazed pasture beside rivers and along lake
Wintering: Winter around the entire coastline, but are quite sparse along the north and southeast coasts. Mostly recorded along sandy stretches or along the upper shores of estuaries and non-estuarine coastline
Where to See: The Mullet, Broadhaven & Blacksod Bays in County Mayo, Outer Ards in County Down, Tralee Bay, Lough Gill & Akeragh Lough in County Kerry, Dublin Bay in County Dublin and Inner Galway Bay in County Galway are among the most important wintering sites (250-450 birds).
Physical characteristics
More robust plover than C. dubius and very similar to C. semipalmatus, but lacks basal web between middle and inner toes, and has slightly broader breast band, larger white supercilium and clearer yellow eye-ring. Female has breast band and ear-coverts tinged brown on sides. Distinct non-breeding plumage absent in nominate race. Juvenile resembles pale adult with buffy fringes, but these soon lost.
Habitat
Along coast on sand or shingle beaches, sandbanks and mudflats, estuaries and, occasionally, rivers, lakes, lagoons, short grassland, flooded fields and some artificial habitats also occurs on tundra. Prefers moist substrates, but rarely in shallow water. Generally, at least during migration, race tundrae occurs on softer sediments than hiaticula. Roosts communally, close to feeding area, on exposed, bare ground, or that with short vegetation, usually on coast, above high water mark.
Other details
Charadrius hiaticula is a widespread breeder in northern Europe (occurring more patchily further south), which probably constitutes >50% of its global breeding range. Its European breeding population is large (>120,000 pairs), and was stable between 1970-1990. Although there were declines in a few countries during 1990-2000, the species was stable or increased across most of its European range (the trend in Iceland was unknown), and probably underwent only a small decline overall.
Feeding
Moluscs, isopods, polychaete worms, crustaceans, amphipods and various insects. Sometimes uses foot-trembling. Typically in small flocks of up to 50. Forages by day and night, often on tidal flats.
Conservation
This species has a large range, with an estimated global Extent of Occurrence of 1,000,000-10,000,000 km². It has a large global population estimated to be 410,000-540,000 individuals (Wetlands International 2002). Global population trends have not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e. declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations). For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern. [conservation status from birdlife.org]
Breeding
April around North Sea, June-July in Iceland, June in Nortern Eurasia. Seasonally monogamous.pair-bond occasionally maintained over successive years. Solitary or in loose neighbourhood groups, with nests 10-100 m apart. Nest is shallow scrape, lined with pebbles, debris and pieces of vegetation. 3-4 eggs, incubation lasts 21-27 days, by both parents. Chick pale buffy grey finely mottled with dusky and some cinnamon-buff above, white underparts, with blackish bordering band. Age of first breeding 1 year.
Migration
Migratory. Northernmost birds migrate furthest S, while southernmost breeders are also northernmost winterers; some W European birds may remain close to their breeding grounds. Mainly winters in Africa, but also in Mediterranean Basin, Iberian Peninsula, Red Sea and Persian Gulf. Small numbers migrate through, or possibly winter in, China and Japan. Nearctic breeders all migrate across N Atlantic, in a single flight or via Greenland and Iceland, probably to winter in W Africa. Race tundrae migrates via Europe, but also crosses Eurasian and African landmasses in broad front, towards E & S Africa; possibly crosses Sahara. In Egypt arrives early Sept and departs late May, in South Africa Sept-Oct and Apr, in Morocco Aug-Nov and Apr-Jun. High degree of site fidelity during migration and wintering.
19 BBY, Outer Rim Sieges - Siege of Ilansa
Shortly after a small skirmish on the Separatist-controlled dark planet of Ilansa, Commander CC-3582 "Treay" of the 212th Attack Battalion's Camo Company ordered Lieutenant CL-1275 "Lard" to take a small group of troopers to scout and secure the area. As the Droid forces were successfully cleared out, Lard and his men soon returned to the Commander to advance into the next phase of the attack.
I tried something different this time. I thought I could try making the water using SNOT technique to get that reflective effect on the side of the bricks. Maybe dark bluish gray wasn't the best colour to go with and I might've used a bit too much light, but the final product isn't too bad and the reflections are definitely visible.
With one of the finest deep-water harbours in the country, Plymouth makes for an exceptional sailing destination. The Sutton Harbour lock gate is operated 24/7 monitoring both tide height and weather conditions, ensuring safe mooring in Plymouth for winter or summer berthing
From The Marina at Sutton Harbour some of the best cruising waters in the UK are right on the doorstep. Situated in the old quarter of Plymouth, the places to eat and drink, places to shop and to be entertained, make this the natural choice for mooring a boat in Plymouth. Plus, The Barbican, The Hoe, The Lighthouse ‘Smeaton’s Tower’ and Plymouth Lido are only a short stroll from The Marina at Sutton Harbour.
The Marina at Sutton Harbour offers three berthing options; Sutton Quay is a fully serviced, 5 Gold Anchor award winning location with berthing assistance, fully staffed reception, complimentary newspapers, tea and coffee on the decking, free wifi and excellent wet rooms and showers. West Pier and Guy’s Quay benefit from top class pontoons and secure gated access with electricity and water easily to hand.
Kapunda.
Six years after the founding of the colony, SA was producing almost no wheat and the government was near bankruptcy. Governor Gawler had run up huge debts that the SA Company and the British government were unwilling to pay. Governor Grey arrived to face these problems but the discovery of commercial quantities of copper at Kapunda saved the state. Captain Charles Bagot of Koonunga Station discovered the copper and conferred with Francis Dutton of Anlaby station who had also discovered copper. They kept the news secret whilst they applied for 80 acres of land to be surveyed which they then bought at auction. Thus the two purchased the Kapunda copper mine with Bagot owning 75% and Dutton 25%. The first samples were assayed and averaged 23% pure copper, an extremely high rate for any mine. Cornish miners were secured for the mining jobs and mining began in January of 1843. The first shipment of copper reached England in 1845 and the royalties from the sales revived the states flagging economy. The first group of three blocks of miners cottages owned by the mine were built in 1845 really marking the beginning of the town. They were near the Dutton chimney stack and whim. Over the next thirty five years the mine delivered about £1,000,000 of wealth and the township of Kapunda grew quickly to become a major SA town. Dutton sold his share of the mine in 1846 for a huge sum (£16,000) which allowed him to invest in the even wealthier Burra copper mine. Bagot became the major shareholder but sold out to an English company within a couple of years although he maintained financial involvement with the mine until 1859. He returned to Adelaide and built Nurney House North Adelaide. His younger son Edward lived on in the district and established a stock agent and wool handling business when the railway reached Kapunda in 1860. This business eventually merged into Elder Smiths Goldsborough Mort. Edward Bagot was an important pastoralist with several stations in the far north of SA and a boiling down works at Thebarton.
William Oldham became the mine superintendant in 1848, as well as the Congregational minister, the town surveyor, the local post master and a local businessman. To many he is considered the “father” of Kapunda! From 1866 Captain Osborne succeeded William Oldham as the mine superintendent until the mine closed in 1878. At first copper was carted to Port Adelaide by bullock dray, a six day journey. It was then exported to Wales for smelting. Soon the Welsh joined the Cornish in Kapunda and smelting operations began in the town in 1849. In 1851 three hundred men, including woodcutters were employed in the smelting works. The town had taken its name from an Aboriginal word “cappie oonda” which means spring. There were several mines with different names on the site.
In 1850 the Cornish miners built the still impressive Dutton chimney which draw the draft from the Buhl Enginehouse furnaces via a lined tunnel up into the air through the chimney stack. The Cornish traditionally built round chimney stacks and the Welsh built square chimney stacks. The Buhl pump house drew water out of the main shaft which was up to 360 feet deep. Then in 1861-62 a second winding house to haul up copper ore was built further up the hill but for some strange reason it was named the Buhl Winding house although it never contained a Buhl engine. A significant part of the Buhl Winding House ruins remain on the site. Although the first mining was simple open cut mining undertaken by miners and tributers (who were paid according to how much ore they extracted), deep shafts were soon needed to reach the underground lodes of ore. The deepest shafts sunk were 150 m (490ft) and mining operations were complex. By 1861 the mine employed 340 men and boys. Just two years later mining operations were scaled down (Moonta Mine had begun by that time) and the mine reverted to open cut mining. Low grade ore was mined until 1878, the year after the Burra mine closed. Some tribute work continued in the mine until 1912. Almost nothing remains to mark the site of the copper smelters which were on the southern edge of the mine site off Perry Road.
The original private township was called North Kapunda and it was laid out by the North Kapunda Mining Company in 1846 although many miners were living on the lands of the Dutton copper mine before that time. These early miners squatted on land even if they built a hut or cottage on it. In 1849 the government belatedly surveyed a town which it called Victoria and then Kapunda. Look at a map of Kapunda today and you can see this government town delineated by South, North, and West terraces. This is the northern half of today’s Kapunda where the old primary school is located. Government facilities followed soon after the founding of the mining town with the police station, now a private residence being erected in 1852. Later in 1866 the impressive Court House was built adjacent to the police station still in the private township of the Kapunda Mining Company. The early Congregational Church of 1857 was also built on land obtained from the Kapunda Mining Company. The town prospered greatly once the government railway arrived in 1860. It then became the terminus for the bullock drays carting copper ore from Burra. It was during the 1860s and 1870s that many of the fine buildings in the town were erected. At this time Kapunda was larger than Gawler and Glenelg and in 1850 Kapunda was larger than Brisbane! It was the first town in SA with gas street lighting from around 1870. Kapunda also had its own newspaper from 1864 when the Kapunda Herald was established. Andrew Thomson of Osborne House bought the newspaper later that year. The paper still operates today as the Barossa and Light Herald (from 1908) and is the largest circulating regional weekly newspaper. Thomson also ran the general store, which is now the information centre.
Once the mine closed in 1878 the town focused on its agricultural hinterland and Sir Sidney Kidman played a major role in developing the town. He regularly held horse and cattle auctions behind the North Kapunda Hotel in the main street and by the time of his death in 1935 he owned or had a financial interest in 68 large properties which covered over 100,000 square miles ( 64 million acres or 259,000 square kms ) of Australia. Victoria is only 227,000 square kms! Kidman donated his home to the education department in 1921 for it to become Kapunda High School- one of the first high schools outside of Adelaide. In 1876 a local Scot, Alexander Greenshields built a mansion for £4,000 which he called Lanark after his birthplace in Scotland. He was a wealthy Kapunda draper and store owner. Sir Sidney Kidman bought the house around 1897 and renamed it Eringa. A major fire destroyed the roof of Eringa in 1902 and the Art Nouveau style Marseille tile roof replaced the original roof. The western wing was also added at this time and if you get to go inside you can see the delightful Art Nouveau ceiling motifs and the leadlight windows featuring bull rushes. When Sidney and his wife Bel moved to Adelaide they purchased a house at 76 Northgate Street Unley Park which they also named Eringa. Sir Sidney Kidman died here in 1935 and was buried nearby in the Mitcham cemetery. The Kidman Empire was inherited by his son Walter and other family members. Sir Sidney Kidman was mourned by people around the world and the almost illiterate 13 year who set about to create a pastoral empire on his own died an extremely wealthy man. Kidman was knighted partly for his generosity and bequests to the Inland Mission, the Salvation Army, the Red Cross and other charities. During World War One he had also donated hundreds of horses, produce, especially beef and other materials to the Australian war effort including two fighter airplanes. As a generous employer it was not surprising that his employees put on a rodeo party for his 75th birthday in 1932 in the Adelaide Parklands. 60,000 people attended! Kidman was meant to be as comfortable talking to British royalty as to his stockmen. Although the Kidman properties are only half what they used to be in size they are for sale for round $350 million in 2015.
Secure, Owen takes a first spin in his "big boy" carseat. He was getting too tall for the infant seat, even though he hadn't hit the weight limit.
MONUSCO Uruguayan Peacekeepers patrol the town of Pinga to secure the place left without police or FARDC after NDC militia withdrew, the 4th of December 2013. © MONUSCO/Sylvain Liechti
Geopolitical Lunch: Securing Sustainability, Collaboration and Peace
Børge Brende, President, World Economic Forum; Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum
Copyright: World Economic Forum/Jeffery Jones
Sustainable Development Impact Meetings, New York, USA 19 - 23 September
Kline Creek Farm - DuPage County, IL. Fence post shot with a Nikon N80 on CineStill 400D color film. Scanned with slight adjustments in Photoshop.
Diplomatic Security Service secure communications and technical experts set up equipment to provide around-the-clock secure communications and support for the 73rd UN General Assembly in New York.
The Astoria-Megler Bridge recedes in the distance as we begin the hour-long leg from Astoria, Oregon's, West Basin marina to the Columbia River Bar. There, it's an overnight run on the Pacific Ocean to Neah Bay on the northwest corner of Washington State.
Here, I'm securing the fenders and the fender lines before heading out onto the open ocean. Even with a good forecast, you bring in all the dock lines and secure everything on deck.
You never know when sea and weather conditions might turn on you, and the last thing you want is a line getting loose and wrapping itself around your prop.
This photo shows my method of securing items that need to remain on deck. I'm sure traditional sailors and perhaps even Eagle Scouts would know all sorts of knots that would hold a line fast to a rail in a raging storm. For my part, I use cable ties. Lots of 'em. Easy on and, with clippers, easy off.
Another maritime tradition bites the dust.
The Department of Homeland Security has a vital mission: to secure the nation from the many threats we face. This requires the dedication of more than 240,000 employees in jobs that range from aviation and border security to emergency response, from cybersecurity analyst to chemical facility inspector. Our duties are wide-ranging, but our goal is clear - keeping America safe.
Homeland security is an American umbrella term referring to the national effort to prevent terrorist attacks within the United States, reduce the vulnerability of the U.S. to terrorism, and minimize the damage from attacks that do occur.
The term arose following a reorganization of many U.S. government agencies in 2003 to form the United States Department of Homeland Security after the September 11 attacks, and may be used to refer to the actions of that department, the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, or the United States House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security.
Homeland defense (HD) is the protection of U.S. territory, sovereignty, domestic population, and critical infrastructure against external threats and aggression.
In the United States, the concept of "Homeland Security" extends and recombines responsibilities of government agencies and entities.
According to Homeland security research, the U.S. federal Homeland Security and Homeland Defense includes 187 federal agencies and departments, including the United States National Guard, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the United States Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, the United States Secret Service, the Transportation Security Administration, the 14 agencies that constitute the U.S. intelligence community and Civil Air Patrol. Although many businesses now operate in the area of homeland security, it is overwhelmingly a government function.
The George W. Bush administration consolidated many of these activities under the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), a new cabinet department established as a result of the Homeland Security Act of 2002. However, much of the nation's homeland security activity remains outside of DHS; for example, the FBI and CIA are not part of the Department, and other executive departments such as the Department of Defense and Department of Health and Human Services play a significant role in certain aspects of homeland security. Homeland security is coordinated at the White House by the Homeland Security Council, currently headed by John Brennan.
Homeland security is officially defined by the National Strategy for Homeland Security as "a concerted national effort to prevent terrorist attacks within the United States, reduce America's vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize the damage and recover from attacks that do occur". Because the U.S. Department of Homeland Security includes the Federal Emergency Management Agency, it also has responsibility for preparedness, response, and recovery to natural disasters.
According to the U.S. Office of Management and Budget and Homeland Security Research Corporation, DHS Homeland security funding constitutes only 20-21% of the consolidated U.S. Homeland Security - Homeland Defense funding, while approximately 40% of the DHS budget funds civil, non-security activities, such as the U.S. coast guard search and rescue operations and customs functions. The U.S. Homeland Security is the world's largest Homeland counter terror organization, having 40% of the global FY 2010 homeland security funding.
The term became prominent in the United States following the September 11, 2001 attacks; it had been used only in limited policy circles prior to these attacks. The phrase "security of the American homeland" appears in the 1998 report Catastrophic Terrorism:
Homeland security is also usually used to connote the civilian aspect of this effort; "homeland defense" refers to its military component, led chiefly by the U.S. Northern Command headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The scope of homeland security includes:
Emergency preparedness and response (for both terrorism and natural disasters), including volunteer medical, police, emergency management, and fire personnel;
Domestic and International intelligence activities, largely today within the FBI;
Critical infrastructure and perimeter protection;
Border security, including both land, maritime and country borders;
Transportation security, including aviation and maritime transportation;
Biodefense;
Title: Barney Welch
Digital Publisher: Digital: Cushing Memorial Library and Archives, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
Physical Publisher: Physical: Graphic Services, Texas A&M University
Date Issued: 2011-08-17
Date Created: 1956
Dimensions: 4 x 5 inches
Format Medium: Photographic negative
Type: image
Identifier: Photograph Location: Graphic Services Photos, Box 32, File 32-423
Rights: It is the users responsibility to secure permission from the copyright holders for publication of any materials. Permission must be obtained in writing prior to publication. Please contact the Cushing Memorial Library for further information
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