View allAll Photos Tagged Stability
OKINAWA, Japan (Aug. 27, 2020) Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class Matthew Michela, from Santa Clarita, Calif., assigned to Naval Beach Unit 7, tucks the air cushion under the bow ramp of Landing Craft, Air Cushion 30 after it arrives on White Beach from the amphibious dock landing ship USS Germantown (LSD 42). Germantown, part of America Expeditionary Strike Group, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit team, is operating in the 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with allies and partners, and serves as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Taylor DiMartino)
IMF First Deputy Managing Director David Lipton (center), moderates a panel including Miguel Castilla (left to right), Former Minister of Economy and Finance, Peru, Joaquin Levy, Minister of Finance, Brazil, Nathan Sheets, Treasury Under Secretary, United States and Carmen Reinhart, Harvard University at the 2015 High Level Conference on Latin America - Rising Challenges to Growth and Stability in a Shifting Global Environment on Monday, June 1 at IMF Headquarters in Washington, D.C. IMF Photo/Ryan Rayburn
Secretary Wilkie Speaks at VSO Conventions, Tours VA Facilities
Customer service, stability and quality care for Veterans remain top priorities for Secretary Robert Wilkie at the Department of Veterans Affairs. He reinforced that pledge as incoming VA Secretary while visiting medical facilities and attended national Veteran engagements in three states last week. Secretary Wilkie served as keynote speaker at the American Legion’s 100th National Convention in Minneapolis, MN. He called members of the nation’s largest wartime Veterans service organization “powerful advocates” and said “let me thank you, thank the entire American Legion past and present for everything you have done to make this the last best hope of man on earth.”
In referring to his prime directive of customer service, Secretary Wilkie said “we have to talk to Veterans, we have to listen to Veterans, because every major advance and relief for those who have ‘borne the battle’ has come through the efforts of Veterans themselves, not waiting on the slow machine of government to move.” He also lauded the passing of the MISSION Act in making it easier for eligible Veterans of all eras to navigate the system and ensure they receive the best health care possible whether delivered in VA facilities or in the community.
While in Minnesota, the Secretary also visited with patients and was given an expansive tour and briefing by leadership at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System. The facility has an excellent reputation and is known worldwide for its strong research and academic services focused on Veterans. The facility is recognized for its overall performance and rated a 5-Star. Secretary Wilkie was particularly impressed with the advancements in prosthetic technology that is now available to Veterans there.
Secretary Wilkie was also welcomed at Fort Snelling National Cemetery which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The cemetery is the final resting place for Minneapolis area Veterans dating back to the Revolutionary War era with more than 225,000 interments.
The Secretary then headed to Dallas, TX to visit with Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) leadership and speak to hundreds of attendees at the PVA’s 8th annual Heath Care Summit & Expo. The Secretary reinforced his top priorities and his commitment to working hand in hand with health care professionals saying “as the Secretary of this department, I am the temporary custodian of the flame that first burned on Revolutionary fields in the 1700’s, it is a flame that you all carry and are trusted with and my pledge to you is to be part of your team.” He went on to say, “I am honored to serve with you and I thank you for carrying on the most noble mission in the federal government.”
Secretary Wilkie also engaged with Veterans and leadership at the VA North Texas Health Care System (VANTHCS) in Dallas. Topics of discussion included progress in suicide prevention and mental health awareness outreach, innovative surgical care procedures and modernization efforts. As VA’s second-largest health care system, VANTHCS is available to 600,000 Veterans that live in the northern Texas and southern Oklahoma region.
At the final stop in Cleveland, OH, the secretary served as a keynote speaker for the unveiling of a Gold Star Families Memorial Monument and Medal of Honor ribbon cutting ceremony alongside retired U.S. Marine Corps warrant officer and VA Veterans service representative Woody Williams. Williams received the Medal of Honor during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. Secretary Wilkie also participated in several media interviews including Cleveland’s Morning News in which he told the host “the Gold Star Families…have given the most of all of us and they remind us every day why all of us sleep soundly at night.”
Photos Courtesy Dept. Veteran Affairs
Capt. Jalal Kasaouati of the Moroccan Army (in HAZMAT suit) shakes hands with Richard Brooks III, director of the Cecil County, Md., Department of Emergency Services, during a tour of CBRNE response facilities, Nov. 17, 2010.
Photo by Karen Cieslewicz
U.S. Army Africa’s Command Surgeon office conducted a familiarization visit for two Moroccan military medical officers to Fort Detrick, Md., and several nearby sites Nov. 14-19.
Lt. Col. Mohamed El Haouri and Capt. Jalal Kasouati were able to visit the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases at Fort Detrick and a number of other facilities in the Washington, D.C., and Baltimore areas, said Maj. Kristin Agresta, who led the tour for the two visiting officers.
“The Moroccan Army is trying to build up their CBRNE (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosives) response capabilities and expand them,” said Agresta. “They are also interested in other models for this, as they follow the French model in most aspects of their government and military.”
“It’s a way of doing it — not the way,” said U.S. Army Africa Command Surgeon, Col. Alfonso Alarcon. “It’s a system they can model after, an example of an incident command center. It’s in line with building their capacity to deal with disasters and incidents that include CBRNE.”
“Morocco is currently developing a BSL-3 (Bio-Safety Level 3) lab,” said Agresta. “There was also discussion of the diseases studied here and that the focus is on treatment and vaccine protocols. The security in use was impressive for them.”
“We’re responding to their needs and strategy to build their medical capacity and institutions at their request. It is part of a sustained engagement,” Alarcon said.
The visitors toured a number of civilian sites as well as the Army research center.
“We showed them the capabilities of a small community hospital with Level 2-3 capabilities and what they are expected to do in an emergency,” said Agresta. “This was their first real look at Incident Command Center terminology and breakdown. They were shown what came about after 9-11, but even more so after Hurricane Katrina, and the need for coordination and interoperability between the facilities throughout a city, county, state, country . . . and with other rescue entities, such as police, rescue and others.”
Both visitors were very favorably impressed, said Agresta.
“Despite all the issues that we had before the execution of this event, this one ended up being among the best events that we have executed,” said Youssef Zinoun of the U.S. Embassy Morocco’s Office of Security Cooperation, who accompanied El Haouri and Kasouati.
“The level of contact that U.S. Army Africa gave the Moroccan medical officers access to is second to none. I think this event will open new cooperation possibilities and future familiarization and traveling contact team events to ensure relations and contacts are kept current,” he said.
To learn more about U.S. Army Africa visit our official website at www.usaraf.army.mil
Official Twitter Feed: www.twitter.com/usarmyafrica
Official YouTube video channel: www.youtube.com/usarmyafrica
International Monetary Fund Financial Economic Counsellor and Director of the Monetary and Capital Markets Department Tobias Adrian (L) and Deputy Director Fabio Natalucci (R) hold a press conference on the Global Financial Stability Report at the IMF Headquarters during the 2019 IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings, October 16, 2019 in Washington, DC. IMF Staff Photograph/Stephen Jaffe
For more information about my craft, please visit my profile page.
SEASCAPE is a 160 carat handcrafted Ammonite pendant that I created swirling and shaping silver plate wire by hand, adding Tiger Eye chips and black agate beads to enhance the natural beauty and shape of the stone. This stone has shades of brown and gold and quartz-like crystals and is an incredible jewel of nature. The elegant swirl wire-wrapped setting, together with the earthy ammonite agate create a beatiful and dramatic pendant that can be worn with formal attire or casual with your favorite jeans. It would look great with your favorite tropical beach outfit. Stylish Care More pendants are sure to add a touch of natural drama to your fashion wardrobe.
It measures 1 3/4" across and 2 1/2" top to tip including the bail.
The bail is designed to be large enough to accommodate your favorite chain, choker or cord. A 17" silver plate chain is included.
All purchases are nicely packaged in a gift box.
Ammonite's healing effects:
Aids in seeing 'the whole picture'. A protective stone used to create stability and structure in your life. Transforms the negative energies in your life into a positive flow. It promotes harmony and a sense of beauty. It releases mental obsessions and aids in relaxation especially in the birthing process. Good for treatment of lungs and limbs.
Astrological sign: Aquarius
Senior U.S. Africa Command Noncommissioned Officer arrives in Vicenza, Italy, to share guidance on NCO leadership with leaders and Soldiers of U.S. Army Africa.
U.S. Army photo by Rick Scavetta, U.S. Army Africa Public Affairs
VICENZA, Italy – Command Sgt. Maj. Mark Ripka’s wisdom, based upon extensive travel through Africa and more than three decades in uniform, offered insight to U.S. Army Africa NCOs preparing for upcoming assignments on the continent.
Ripka, U.S. Africa Command’s senior enlisted Soldier, offered practical advice to NCOs during discussions recently at Caserma Ederle.
“He gave us an inside look at how their systems were established and how we can best proceed to assist Africans in building their capacity,” said Master Sgt. Mason Bryant. “It was extremely beneficial.”
During his visit, Ripka met with Maj. Gen. William B. Garrett III, commander of U.S. Army Africa, and senior U.S. Army Africa staff. Ripka also toured the Center of Excellence for Stability Police Units (CoESPU), an Italian Carabinieri post in downtown Vicenza that mentors international police to improve their capability to operate in peacekeeping missions.
During 2009 – the U.S. Army Year of the NCO – enlisted leaders at U.S. Army Africa face new challenges. Ripka’s talks resonated through the command.
One session, held at the Hall of Heroes, was like a 101 college course on Africa. Ripka spoke frankly to Soldiers, stressing that U.S. Army NCOs must first educate themselves outside of the American perspective, to see the world as those in other countries do. That will help as they undertake new assignments in Africa, he said.
“It’s a different kind of environment. It’s not like Iraq or Afghanistan,” Ripka said. ““It takes a different kind of mentality. Everything we do in Africa rests under an ambassador’s strategic plan.”
U.S. Africa Command is looking to build and maintain relationships in Africa. U.S. Army Africa NCOs can help by doing what they do best – building NCO capacity, he said.
Ripka spends a lot of time travelling through Africa, meeting with senior military leaders in dozens of African nations. He offered NCOs a few pointers, from the differences in ranks to the subtleties of language.
“Keep this in mind – your words and actions will affect things long after you are gone,” Ripka said.
African military ranks are often based on British or other European country that previously colonized their area, Ripka said. For example a first sergeant might not have the same responsibilities of his American counterpart. A warrant officer in Africa is likely the senior enlisted equivalent of a U.S. Army sergeant major.
The high-tech briefing technology known to U.S. Soldiers can be cast aside in Africa, Ripka said. Trade the computer slides for a block of butcher paper, give up the laser pointer for a thick black marker, he said. Handing an African counterpart a disk of computer slides is not as useful to an African NCO as a reference card they can keep in their pocket.
“Give them something they can take with them, even notes on a piece of paper,” Ripka said. “They call them tactical aid memoirs.”
In fact, Ripka himself used little more than a dry-erase marker and a white board to make his point. He explained his thoughts on building NCO capacity using a mathematical formula of his own devise called “A way.”
It defined the multiplication of three figures; ways, means and three times the will. For capacity building to succeed, a nation’s military must have all three, Ripka said.
“The U.S. way is simply a data point Africans can use to combine with other ideas to develop their own doctrine,” Ripka said. “It must be their way.”
Ripka’s advice enlightened many Soldiers, to include some senior NCOs with their own overseas experiences.
“I took away a lot from these discussions,” said Master Sgt. Michael Toolin. “His knowledge on Africa was well received.”
These images are cleared for release and are considered in the public domain. Request credit be given the U.S. Army and individual photographer.
To learn more about U.S. Army Africa visit our official website at www.usaraf.army.mil
Official Twitter Feed: www.twitter.com/usarmyafrica
Official Vimeo video channel: www.vimeo.com/usarmyafrica
SOUTH CHINA SEA (June 12, 2019) Fire Controlman 3rd Class Anthony Jones, from Franklin, Ga., shoots a shot line from the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS McCampbell (DDG 85) to the USNS John Ericsson (T-AO 194) during a replenishment-at-sea. McCampbell is forward-deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Isaac Maxwell/Released)
At the end of World War II, the victorious Allies captured both German scientists and research papers in aerodynamics which had given the Germans a slight edge in technology during the war. Among this was research into swept wings, which promised better handling at high speeds, a feature used successfully in the Messerschmitt Me 262. All the combatant nations had been developing jet fighters at the end of the war, and the Soviet Union was no different: like the Western Allies, it found the swept wing concept to be a perfect solution to add speed without sacrificing stability; unlike the West, the Soviets could not take advantage of it due to a lack of adequate jet engines. Soviet metallurgy was simply not up to the task, and experimental jet fighters were severely underpowered.
Engine designer Vladimir Klimov, however, came up with a novel idea: he asked the British in 1946 if they could provide a few examples of their latest engine. To the stunned surprise of Klimov, the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau, and Josef Stalin, the British complied, providing Klimov with the plans for the Rolls-Royce Nene turbojet, one of the most successful jet engines in history. Klimov quickly reverse engineered it as the VK-1, and just like that, the Soviets had the perfect engine for their planned jet interceptors.
MiG OKB already had a jet fighter in service, the MiG-9, but it was a poor performer. By modifying a MiG-9 into the I-310 prototype, with VK-1 propulsion and swept wings and tail surfaces, the resultant aircraft was superb: it was very manueverable and fast. It was placed into production as the MiG-15. This in turn was superseded by the more advanced and reliable MiG-15bis, which added airbrakes and a few minor avionics changes. Though pilots hated the cramped cockpit, which forced them to fly without heated or pressurized flight suits—a real concern in frigid Russian winters—they loved its responsiveness and speed. Though the MiG-15 was designed to intercept the B-29 Superfortress, hence its heavy cannon armament, it could hold its own in a dogfight. It rapidly replaced most propeller-driven fighters in the Soviet inventory, and was quickly supplied to Soviet client states.
The MiG-15 would get its first taste of action during the Chinese Civil War, when Russian-flown MiG-15s flew on behalf of the Communist Chinese against the Nationalists; a P-38L was shot down on 28 April 1950 for the type’s first victory. By far, however, it would be Korea where the MiG-15 would see the most action.
After starting out well, the North Korean armies were, by fall 1950, in full rout from South Korea, pursued by United Nations forces. The World War II-era North Korean People’s Air Force had been annihilated by UN aircraft, and though China intended to intervene on behalf of North Korea, it lacked trained pilots. Stalin agreed to secretly provide both MiG-15s and the pilots to fly them, operating from bases in China across the Yalu River from North Korea. The pilots, under command of Soviet top ace Ivan Kozhedub, were instructed to speak in what little Korean they knew, and never fly over territory where they might be captured. The former was rarely heeded in the heat of combat, while the short range of the MiG-15 limited pilots to flying in and around the Yalu valley in any case. This rapidly became known as “MiG Alley.” By November 1950, Russian-flown MiG-15s were in combat against American and British aircraft, and both sides fielded pilots who had already flown combat in World War II. Both sides were to find they were close to evenly matched as well: the Russians claimed the first jet-to-jet victory on 1 November, when a MiG-15 shot down a USAF F-80C; four days later, they suffered their first loss, to a US Navy F9F Panther. Most engagements were to occur between the F-86 Sabre and the MiG-15.
Once more, the two were closely matched. The MiG-15 had a better rate of climb, was superior above 33,000 feet, and had harder hitting cannon armament. The F-86’s six machine guns were often ineffective against the rugged MiG, but it was more manueverable, especially at low level, and if the machine guns did not cause as much damage, they fired at three times the rate of the MiG-15’s cannons, and usually hit what they aimed at, due to a superior radar-ranging gunsight. Both sides had to deal with instability at high speeds: if the MiG pilot got into trouble, he would climb out of danger, whereas the Sabre pilot would dive. The pilots were evenly matched, though the Russians would later admit that the Americans were better trained. Both sides overclaimed during the war, with both Soviet and American pilots claiming 12 to 1 kill ratios: the truth may never be known, though 40 Russians were awarded the title of ace during the war.
After the end of the Korean War, the MiG-15 remained in service, though it slowly began to be replaced by the MiG-17 and MiG-19. Nonetheless, MiG-15s were involved in eleven separate incidents during the Cold War, shooting down several US and British reconnaissance aircraft and an Israeli airliner. By the mid-1950s, however, the MiG-15 was beginning to show its age, and in combat with Sidewinder-equipped F-86s of Taiwan and Israeli Super Mysteres, it came off second best. Gradually, single-seat MiG-15s were retired from active service, though hundreds of two-seat MiG-15UTI “Midget” trainers remained in service; the MiG-15UTI is still flown by several air forces to this day. About 16,000 MiG-15s were produced in the Soviet Union, Poland, and Czechslovakia, and a good number remain in existence today in museums and numerous flyable examples, including 43 in the United States.
With the knowledge that the MiG-15 would be a handful to fly for pilots used to propeller aircraft, some MiG-15s were modified with a cramped but serviceable rear cockpit; the student either used a periscope from the rear cockpit, or flew up front with the instructor behind him. The Midget was so successful that the Soviets did not build two-seat versions of the MiG-17 and MiG-19. Like most MiG-15UTIs on display in the United States, this is a former Polish SBLim-1, a MiG-15UTI built under license in Poland. It flew with the Polish Air Force through the 1960s to the 1990s as Bort 114, but was retired and put up for sale in 2003. It was acquired by the Southwest Florida Defense Antiquities Museum in Fort Myers, but in 2013, it was sold to the Inde Motorsports Ranch in Willcox, Arizona.
Like most of the collection at Inde Motorsports, this Midget is in great shape, painted as a Soviet Air Force MiG-15UTI in 1980s-era tactical camouflage, as Bort 625. Interestingly, this aircraft retains its guns and possibly its ejection seats as well.
In this shot, the connected but unmounted switch is visible, too. There's a lot of wire here because I want to mount the switch far away from where the magic stability box is located in the console. You can use less wire if you mount your switch closer to the magic stability box.
Now might be a good time to reconnect your battery (positive first then negative) and try out your switch.
The Labour Party in Ireland is a social-democratic political party. The Party was founded in 1912 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, by James Connolly, James Larkin and William X. O'Brien as the political wing of the Irish Trade Union Congress. Unlike the other main Irish political parties, Labour does not trace its origins to the original Sinn Féin. In the 2011 general election it gained 37 of the 166 seats in Dáil Éireann, almost double its total of 20 in the 2007 election, making it the second largest political party in the 31st Dáil. The Labour Party has served in government for a total of nineteen years, six times in coalition either with Fine Gael alone or with Fine Gael and other smaller parties, and once with Fianna Fáil, giving it the second-longest time in government of Irish parties, next to Fianna Fáil. As of 9 March 2011 it is the junior partner in a coalition with Fine Gael for the period of the 31st Dáil.
The current party leader is Eamon Gilmore, elected in October 2007 alongside Joan Burton as deputy leader. Gilmore is the current Tánaiste (deputy prime minister).
The Labour Party is a member of the Socialist International and the Party of European Socialists, whilst the party's MEPs sit in the European Parliament group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats. Through these bodies Labour is linked with the Social Democratic and Labour Party in Northern Ireland.
International Monetary Fund Financial Economic Counsellor and Director of the Monetary and Capital Markets Department Tobias Adrian (C), Deputy Division Chief Evan Papageorgiou (L), Division Chief Anna Ilyina (2nd L), Deputy Director Fabio Natalucci,(2nd R) and Senior Communications Officer Randa Elnagar (R) hold a press conference on the Global Financial Stability Report at the IMF Headquarters during the 2019 IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings, October 16, 2019 in Washington, DC. IMF Staff Photograph/Stephen Jaffe
International Monetary Fund Financial Economic Counsellor and Director of the Monetary and Capital Markets Department Tobias Adrian (C), Deputy Division Chief Evan Papageorgiou (L), Division Chief Anna Ilyina (2nd L), Deputy Director Fabio Natalucci,(2nd R) and Senior Communications Officer Randa Elnagar (R) hold a press conference on the Global Financial Stability Report at the IMF Headquarters during the 2019 IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings, October 16, 2019 in Washington, DC. IMF Staff Photograph/Stephen Jaffe
Almost two years after the presentation of the EU Global Strategy and more than a year after Jean Claude Juncker’s white book on the future of Europe, the European Union still struggles with major challenges and threats that seem to undermine the stability of the security environment within its borders and in its neighbourhood. In the aftermath of Brexit and with the proximity of to the European Parliament elections in 2019, the third International Conference Europe as a Global Actor (Lisbon, May 24 & 25, 2018) will discuss the role the EU can play in the current global transformations, as well as the domestic and external obstacles it faces as a global actor.
The Center for International Studies of ISCTE-IUL organized the third edition of the International Conference “Europe as a global actor”, on 24 and 25 May.
The opening lecture was given by the Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Augusto Santos Silva, on May 24, at 09:30 am.
The Conference Program also included a debate on the state of the Union with the presence of Portuguese MEPs, panels and round-tables on the challenges of the Common Security and Defense Policy, the future of European security and defense, the EU’s relationship with other global players and the future of the European Union as a global player. In addition to the presence of several invited scholars, in plenary sessions moderated by Portuguese journalists, the program also included the presentation of communications by around 40 international researchers in this area of knowledge.
May 24th
9h00 | Registration – Floor 2, Building II
09h30 | Opening Remarks (Aud. B203) – session in Portuguese
Keynote Speaker: Augusto Santos Silva, Portuguese Minister for Foreign Affairs
Helena Carreiras (Director, School of Sociology and Public Policies, ISCTE-IUL)
Luís Nuno Rodrigues (Director, Center for International Studies, CEI-IUL)
10h45 – 11h00 – Coffee Break
11h00 | Round Table I: CSDP: challenges and opportunities (Aud. B203)
Moderator: António Mateus (RTP)
Laura Ferreira-Pereira (Universidade do Minho)
Jochen Rehrl (EEAS – ESDC)
Ana Isabel Xavier (CEI-IUL)
12h30 – 14h00 – Lunch
14h00 – 15h45 | Parallel Sessions I
Panel 1 –The future of European Security and Defence (Room C201)
Moderator: Ana Isabel Xavier (CEI-IUL)
Stefano Loi (CEI-IUL): “The PESCO agreement and the future of the European common defence”
Lorinc Redei & Michael Mosser (University of Texas at Austin): “The European Union as a Catalyst in European Security”
Patricia Daehnhardt (IPRI-NOVA): “The EU and transatlantic relations: the end of the Euro-Atlantic security community?”
Panel 2 – The European policy on migration and asylum (Room C301)
Moderator: Giulia Daniele (CEI-IUL)
João Barroso (CEI-IUL): “The EU and the refugee crisis: a literature review”
Tommaso Emiliani (College of Europe): “EU Migration Agencies: More “Guarding”, Less “Support for Asylum”? An Assessment of How the European Board and Coast Guard and the European Asylum Support Office Pursue Their Relations with Third Countries in Light of the So-Called ‘Refugee Crisis’.”
Emellin de Oliveira (NOVA): “The Securitization of Migration through Technology: an analysis of the PNR Directive”
Panel 3 – The state of the Union and the future of Europe: reflections and scenarios (Room C302)
Moderator: Ana Lúcia Sá (CEI-IUL)
Luís Machado Barroso (CEI-IUL; IUM) & Marco António Ferreira da Cruz (IUM): “It is not enough to be… It needs to be seen”: the analysis of EUGS implementation 1st Year report”
Ricardo Alexandre (CEI-IUL): “The Western Balkans Euro-fatigue and the impact on EU of potential alternatives to integration”
Dina Sebastião (University of Coimbra): “The persistence of Portuguese Atlanticism as a block for a supranationalization of European defence policy”
15h45 – 16h00 – Coffee Break
16h00-18h00 | Round Table II – The EU & other global players (Aud. B204)
Moderator: Helena Tecedeiro (Diário de Notícias)
Thomas Diez (University of Tübingen)
Maria Raquel Freire (CES-UC, Coimbra)
Luís Tomé (Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa)
Bruno Cardoso Reis (CEI-IUL, Lisbon)
18h00 – 20h00 | Parallel Sessions II
Panel 4 – Brexit (Room C401)
Moderator: Bruno Cardoso Reis (CEI-IUL)
Sanja Ivic (Institute for European Studies, Serbia): “The Question of European Identity in Light of Brexit”
Allan F. Tatham (Universidad San Pablo-CEU): “‘Breaking up is Hard to Do’: The evolution of the EU’s withdrawal criteria”
Christopher Pitcher (ISCTE-IUL): “‘I voted remain’ a look at the social and political divides within Brexit Britain through qualitative analysis of the narratives and attitudes of British citizens who voted remain”
Luana Lo Piccolo (ISPI – Milan): “Brexit: an increasing fragmentation of the international architecture”
Panel 5 – The EU and its Neighbourhood (Room C402)
Moderator: Cátia Miriam Costa (CEI-IUL)
Petar Georgiev (Council of the EU): “Pursuit of greener pastures in the Eastern neighbourhood: reconciliation of EU’s security interests and normative ambitions”
César García Andrés (Universidad de Valladolid): “The role of Ukraine within the European neighborhood policy and its effects on relations with Russia”
Mónica Canário (CEI-IUL): “Why do we need a real gender policy in the EU?”
Filipe Lima (CEI-IUL): “The EU and Israel and Palestinian Conflict”
Panel 6 – Transnational threats (Room C502)
Moderator: Ana Margarida Esteves (CEI-IUL)
Sofia Geraldes (ISCTE-IUL): “Digital Battlefields: Assessing the EU soft security actorness countering social media information warfare activities”
Marc de Carrière (Amarante International): “Going beyond NATO’s Article 5: A EU-NATO Blockchain to deter cyber warfare”
Davoud Gharayagh-Zandi (IRS; Shahid Beheshti University) & João Almeida Silveira (FCSH-NOVA): “The European Union security actorness within EU-Iran relations in the Post JCPOA Era”
Henrique Miguel Alves Garcia: “Radicalization in Belgium and EU security environment”
Susana Pedro
The last part of the stage was the most difficult: a descent on sand with an altitude change of over 1100 meters. Thanks to the stability of his Powerstar, De Rooy achieved second place: learn more about Iveco.
It is a surprise to learn, that before the last day of May this year, I had never been inside St Clements.
To my reckoning, I have been here twice before, neither time was the door unlocked, and so I assumed this was always the case. But as with most of the churches we visited when Simon was down, with the exception of Lower Hardres, they were all open, and I was able to add I think six interiors to my record.
St Clements is easy to reach, it is beside the A259 coast road, and is now famous for being the final resting place of Derek Jarman, I have posted shots of his grave previously.
So, with the fame, it was used in a Rank film as well, and ease of access, it is well visited, and yet, it has an air of stability and not having been renovated, at least in Victorian times. The cream coloured pews are wonderful, as is the balcony and the width and unusual structure of the church.
Over to you, John:
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One of the most-visited Marsh churches, built on an artificial mound to protect it from the floodwaters. There is a Norman nave enlarged by the addition of aisles in the thirteenth century. Because of its virtually unrestored state it has many items of interest, the uneven floor creating a very rural atmosphere. The two hagioscopes to either side of the chancel arch are unusually large and little more than holes knocked into the wall. The rood loft staircase discovered in the 1920s still has its medieval door-frame - a rare survival indeed. In the north chapel is the mensa of the medieval altar. The delightful altar rails are early eighteenth century and present a run of very close-set balusters. The box pews and gallery are, of later eighteenth-century date and were repainted for the Rank film, Dr Syn. The large Royal Arms of George III are dated 1800 - the lion has a particularly smug expression! An interesting and unusual sight is the font, the capitals of which are carved with different figures. They date from the fourteenth century, and are much worn, but with patience one can still pick out details of the grotesque animals. The twentieth century film-producer Derek Jarman is buried in the churchyard and is commemorated by a headstone simply bearing his signature.
www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=Old+Romney
Pink pews. It's just not what you expect from an otherwise conventional 12th-century village church with walls of shaggy Kent ragstone and a silver-grey shingled spire. However, St Clement's at Old Romney is full of them: handsome Georgian box pews, painted a tasteful shade of blush with black edges and white highlights. It is smart as a bandbox and looks as though it was interior-designed by Agent Provocateur. All that is missing is a cross-dressing vicar.
In fact, all that is missing is a vicar, because Old Romney – along with half of Romney Marsh's 14 medieval churches – is suffering an interregnum. The last incumbent left in October and a new one has yet to be appointed. Signs outside the churches urge visitors to contact a "Focal Minister" by phone.
"What's new?" the marsh dwellers might say. The area has a long history of neglect by the rest of Kent, let alone the rest of Britain. For centuries it was seen as remote and quite weird; alien – often dangerous – territory for outsiders. Even in medieval times, vicars appointed to local parishes often never visited them, let alone lived there.
I went to meet John Hendy, a retired teacher who is churchwarden of St George's at Ivychurch, near the middle of the marshes, and tour organiser for the Romney Marsh Historic Churches Trust. This was started by the artist John Piper, the journalist Richard Ingrams and the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Robert Runcie, among others, and has a glittering list of members.
It has raised quantities of money for restoration since its foundation in the early 1980s, when the churches were in deep decline. This spring, John is organising the first "open" guided tour – rather than the normal private group tours – of four or five marsh churches, which will be repeated in the autumn.
The name "Romney Marsh" is used collectively for four marshes – Romney, Walland, East Guildford and Denge – occupying 100 square miles of England's south-easternmost corner. The land was reclaimed over centuries from a vast lagoon of sand and shingle formed by debris sliding off the Weald.
Hamlets formed on the islets (most marsh churches are on man-made mounds) and the fertile salt marshes around fed the famous Romney Marsh sheep, or "Kents". On the coast were busy trading settlements; Hythe and Romney, and later Rye, Winchelsea and Lydd, became part of the 11th-century Confederation of Cinque Ports.
But while trade and smuggling boomed, the marshes themselves remained sparsely populated. They were riddled with dykes, ditches and drains; the instability of the land made building difficult, there were no grand estates and people got marsh ague from the standing water. The Black Death was catastrophic and there was the threat of French raids. So why are there so many fine, if often tiny, parish churches?
"Well, this church, for example, was a statement of power by its benefactor, the Archbishop of Canterbury," John explained, gesturing at St George's. "It was propaganda, rather than a reflection of the size of the population, which probably wouldn't have been very different." Church appointments were often political stepping stones; pinned to a pillar is a list of past rectors who soared to glory as bishops, archbishops and deans.
St George's is not tiny. In fact, it has an illusory quality: from the churchyard gate it looks small, with a squat, embattled tower and sturdy, rubbly walls, but past the south porch it appears to double in size, with a surprisingly long nave. It calls itself "The Cathedral of the Marshes" (mind you, so does All Saints in Lydd, whose nave is 66 feet longer, at an impressive 199 feet) and many of its characteristics are shared by other churches that I see that day.
There are the huge beams of wood and vertical "king posts" supporting the gabled roof; there are the rough, whitewashed walls that become smoother and grander in the chancel; there is a Lady Chapel with a blocked-up Early English window and medieval floor tiles in ochre, red and black, and a St Catherine's Chapel with a piscina (a stone basin with a drainage hole, down which water from the Mass was poured).
There are Georgian text boards and a royal coat of arms. Along the south wall is a long stone seat. "Originally, there would have been no pews," John said. "People would have stood or sat on straw strewn on the floor. The elderly and infirm were allowed to use the stone bench; that's where the expression 'going to the wall' comes from."
From St George's tower we could see the discreet spires of St Mary in the Marsh and Old Romney to the east and Lydd to the south-east. Brookland and Fairfield were to the west. In the distance was the smudge of Dungeness Power Station, with its daisy chains of pylons radiating across the land.
As we visited four more churches that afternoon, I was struck by their individual quirks. St Mary in the Marsh has a scratch dial – a primitive sundial, so that the bell ringer would know when to ring the Mass bell – clearly visible on its sunny south wall. St Clement's has an ancient font on pillars carved with faces and Green Men, and a door through which the image of the crucified Christ would have been taken down from the rood screen at Easter. St Augustine's at Brookland has a separate belfry, plonked beside it like a shingled rocket and a rare lead font carved with signs of the zodiac and seasonal farming tasks.
The two that moved me most, though, were the tiny church of St Thomas Becket at Fairfield, its original wattle and daub long since replaced by brick and cement, but marooned in a peaceful marshland landscape with only sheep for company; and the large church of St Nicholas at New Romney, which used be on the quayside until massive storms silted up the port in the late 13th century, destroying the town's livelihood. The pillars in the nave have a tide mark from those momentous floods.
As for the pink pews, apparently they were painted that colour by the Rank Organisation in 1963, while a film was being made about the fictional marsh resident Dr Syn (vicar by day, smuggler by night), and the parishioners liked the colour so much they decided to keep it. See? Quirky. Let's hope the new vicar measures up.
(written in 2008)
www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/uk/souther...
U.S. Army Africa photo by Sgt. 1st Class Kyle Davis
U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) hosted its second annual C4ISR Senior Leaders Conference Feb. 2-4 at Caserma Ederle, headquarters of U.S. Army Africa, in Vicenza, Italy.
The communications and intelligence community event, hosted by Brig. Gen. Robert Ferrell, AFRICOM C4 director, drew approximately 80 senior leaders from diverse U.S. military and government branches and agencies, as well as representatives of African nations and the African Union.
“The conference is a combination of our U.S. AFRICOM C4 systems and intel directorate,” said Ferrell. “We come together annually to bring the team together to work on common goals to work on throughout the year. The team consists of our coalition partners as well as our inter-agency partners, as well as our components and U.S. AFRICOM staff.”
The conference focused on updates from participants, and on assessing the present state and goals of coalition partners in Africa, he said.
“The theme for our conference is ‘Delivering Capabilities to a Joint Information Environment,’ and we see it as a joint and combined team ... working together, side by side, to promote peace and stability there on the African continent,” Ferrell said.
Three goals of this year’s conference were to strengthen the team, assess priorities across the board, and get a better fix on the impact that the establishment of the U.S. Cyber Command will have on all members’ efforts in the future, he said.
“With the stand-up of U.S. Cyber Command, it brings a lot of unique challenges that we as a team need to talk through to ensure that our information is protected at all times,” Ferrell said.
African Union (AU) representatives from four broad geographic regions of Africa attended, which generated a holistic perspective on needs and requirements from across the continent, he said.
“We have members from the African Union headquarters that is located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; we have members that are from Uganda; from Zambia; from Ghana; and also from the Congo. What are the gaps, what are the things that we kind of need to assist with as we move forward on our engagements on the African continent?” Ferrell said.
U.S. Army Africa Commander, Maj. Gen. David R. Hogg, welcomed participants as the conference got under way.
“We’re absolutely delighted to be the host for this conference, and we hope that this week you get a whole lot out of it,” said Hogg.
He took the opportunity to address the participants not only as their host, but from the perspective of a customer whose missions depend on the results of their efforts to support commanders in the field.
“When we’re talking about this group of folks that are here — from the joint side, from our African partners, from State, all those folks — it’s about partnership and interoperability. And every commander who’s ever had to fight in a combined environment understands that interoperability is the thing that absolutely slaps you upside the head,” Hogg said.
“We’re in the early stages of the process here of working with the African Union and the other partners, and you have an opportunity to design this from the end state, versus just building a bunch of ‘gunkulators.’ And so, the message is: think about what the end state is supposed to look like and construct the strategy to support the end state.
“Look at where we want to be at and design it that way,” Hogg said.
He also admonished participants to consider the second- and third-order effects of their choices in designing networks.
“With that said, over the next four days, I hope this conference works very well for you. If there’s anything we can do to make your stay better, please let us know,” Hogg said.
Over the following three days, participants engaged in a steady stream of briefings and presentations focused on systems, missions and updates from the field.
Col. Joseph W. Angyal, director of U.S. Army Africa G-6, gave an overview of operations and issues that focused on fundamentals, the emergence of regional accords as a way forward, and the evolution of a joint network enterprise that would serve all interested parties.
“What we’re trying to do is to work regionally. That’s frankly a challenge, but as we stand up the capability, really for the U.S. government, and work through that, we hope to become more regionally focused,” he said.
He referred to Africa Endeavor, an annual, multi-nation communications exercise, as a test bed for the current state of affairs on the continent, and an aid in itself to future development.
“In order to conduct those exercises, to conduct those security and cooperation events, and to meet contingency missions, we really, from the C4ISR perspective, have five big challenges,” Angyal said.
“You heard General Hogg this morning talk about ‘think about the customer’ — you’ve got to allow me to be able to get access to our data; I’ve got to be able to get to the data where and when I need it; you’ve got to be able to protect it; I have to be able to share it; and then finally, the systems have to be able to work together in order to build that coalition.
“One of the reasons General Ferrell is setting up this joint information enterprise, this joint network enterprise . . . it’s almost like trying to bring together disparate companies or corporations: everyone has their own system, they’ve paid for their own infrastructure, and they have their own policy, even though they support the same major company.
“Now multiply that when you bring in different services, multiply that when you bring in different U.S. government agencies, and then put a layer on top of that with the international partners, and there are lots of policies that are standing in our way.”
The main issue is not a question of technology, he said.
“The boxes are the same — a Cisco router is a Cisco router; Microsoft Exchange server is the same all over the world — but it’s the way that we employ them, and it’s the policies that we apply to it, that really stops us from interoperating, and that’s the challenge we hope to work through with the joint network enterprise.
“And I think that through things like Africa Endeavor and through the joint enterprise network, we’re looking at knocking down some of those policy walls, but at the end of the day they are ours to knock down. Bill Gates did not design a system to work only for the Army or for the Navy — it works for everyone,” Angyal said.
Brig. Gen. Joseph Searyoh, director general of Defense Information Communication Systems, General Headquarters, Ghana Armed Forces, agreed that coordinating policy is fundamental to improving communications with all its implications for a host of operations and missions.
“One would expect that in these modern times there is some kind of mutual engagement, and to build that engagement to be strong, there must be some kind of element of trust. … We have to build some kind of trust to be able to move forward,” said Searyoh.
“Some people may be living in silos of the past, but in the current engagement we need to tell people that we are there with no hidden agenda, no negative hidden agenda, but for the common good of all of us.
“We say that we are in the information age, and I’ve been saying something: that our response should not be optional, but it must be a must, because if you don’t join now, you are going to be left behind.
“So what do we do? We have to get our house in order.
“Why do I say so? We used to operate like this before the information age; now in the information age, how do we operate?
“So, we have to get our house in order and see whether we are aligning ourselves with way things should work now. So, our challenge is to come up with a strategy, see how best we can reorganize our structures, to be able to deliver communications-information systems support for the Ghana Armed Forces,” he said.
Searyoh related that his organization has already accomplished one part of erecting the necessary foundation by establishing an appropriate policy structure.
“What is required now is the implementing level. Currently we have communications on one side, and computers on one side. The lines are blurred — you cannot operate like that, you’ve got to bring them together,” he said.
Building that merged entity to support deployed forces is what he sees as the primary challenge at present.
“Once you get that done you can talk about equipment, you can talk about resources,” Searyoh said. “I look at the current collaboration between the U.S. and the coalition partners taking a new level.”
“The immediate challenges that we have is the interoperability, which I think is one of the things we are also discussing here, interoperability and integration,” said Lt. Col. Kelvin Silomba, African Union-Zambia, Information Technology expert for the Africa Stand-by Force.
“You know that we’ve got five regions in Africa. All these regions, we need to integrate them and bring them together, so the challenge of interoperability in terms of equipment, you know, different tactical equipment that we use, and also in terms of the language barrier — you know, all these regions in Africa you find that they speak different languages — so to bring them together we need to come up with one standard that will make everybody on board and make everybody able to talk to each other,” he said.
“So we have all these challenges. Other than that also, stemming from the background of these African countries, based on the colonization: some of them were French colonized, some of them were British colonized and so on, so you find that when they come up now we’ve adopted some of the procedures based on our former colonial masters, so that is another challenge that is coming on board.”
The partnership with brother African states, with the U.S. government and its military branches, and with other interested collaborators has had a positive influence, said Silomba.
“Oh, it’s great. From the time that I got engaged with U.S. AFRICOM — I started with Africa Endeavor, before I even came to the AU — it is my experience that it is something very, very good.
“I would encourage — I know that there are some member states — I would encourage that all those member states they come on board, all of these regional organizations, that they come on board and support the AFRICOM lead. It is something that is very, very good.
“As for example, the African Union has a lot of support that’s been coming in, technical as well as in terms of knowledge and equipment. So it’s great; it’s good and it’s great,” said Salimba.
Other participant responses to the conference were positive as well.
“The feedback I’ve gotten from every member is that they now know what the red carpet treatment looks like, because USARAF has gone over and above board to make sure the environment, the atmosphere and the actual engagements … are executed to perfection,” said Ferrell. “It’s been very good from a team-building aspect.
“We’ve had very good discussions from members of the African Union, who gave us a very good understanding of the operations that are taking place in the area of Somalia, the challenges with communications, and laid out the gaps and desires of where they see that the U.S. and other coalition partners can kind of improve the capacity there in that area of responsibility.
“We also talked about the AU, as they are expanding their reach to all of the five regions, of how can they have that interoperability and connectivity to each of the regions,” Ferrell said.
“(It’s been) a wealth of knowledge and experts that are here to share in terms of how we can move forward with building capacities and capabilities. Not only for U.S. interests, but more importantly from my perspective, in building capacities and capabilities for our African partners beginning with the Commission at the African Union itself,” said Kevin Warthon, U.S. State Department, peace and security adviser to the African Union.
“I think that General Ferrell has done an absolutely wonderful thing by inviting key African partners to participate in this event so they can share their personal experience from a national, regional and continental perspective,” he said.
Warthon related from his personal experience a vignette of African trust in Providence that he believed carries a pertinent metaphor and message to everyone attending the conference.
“We are not sure what we are going to do tomorrow, but the one thing that I am sure of is that we are able to do something. Don’t know when, don’t know how, but as long as our focus is on our ability to assist and to help to progress a people, that’s really what counts more than anything else,” he said.
“Don’t worry about the timetable; just focus on your ability to make a difference and that’s what that really is all about.
“I see venues such as this as opportunities to make what seems to be the impossible become possible. … This is what this kind of venue does for our African partners.
“We’re doing a wonderful job at building relationships, because that’s where it begins — we have to build relationships to establish trust. That’s why this is so important: building trust through relationships so that we can move forward in the future,” Warthon said.
Conference members took a cultural tour of Venice and visited a traditional winery in the hills above Vicenza before adjourning.
To learn more about U.S. Army Africa visit our official website at www.usaraf.army.mil
Official Twitter Feed: www.twitter.com/usarmyafrica
Official YouTube video channel: www.youtube.com/usarmyafrica
Mark Carney, governor of the Bank of England, speaks during the bank's financial stability report news conference at the Bank of England in London, U.K., on Thursday, June 26, 2014. Carney waded into Britain's property market today, limiting the number of riskier mortgages to prevent an unsustainable buildup of consumer debt derailing the economic recovery. Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg *** Local Caption *** Mark C
Must attribute with link to: www.ptpioneer.com
Girl performing dumbbell military press with dumbbells on a stability ball.
International Monetary Fund Financial Economic Counsellor and Director of the Monetary and Capital Markets Department Tobias Adrian (C), Deputy Division Chief Evan Papageorgiou (L), Division Chief Anna Ilyina (2nd L), Deputy Director Fabio Natalucci,(2nd R) and Senior Communications Officer Randa Elnagar (R) hold a press conference on the Global Financial Stability Report at the IMF Headquarters during the 2019 IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings, October 16, 2019 in Washington, DC. IMF Staff Photograph/Stephen Jaffe
[Jemal Oumar] Political stability and economic development can only take place with the respect of human rights, according to Bamariam Baba Koita.
لا يمكن تحقيق الاستقرار السياسي والتنمية الاقتصادية بدون احترام حقوق الإنسان، وفقا لباماريام بابا كويتا
La stabilité politique et le développement économique ne pourront être mis en place que dans le respect des droits de l'Homme, selon Bamariam Baba Koita.
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www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/ar/features/awi/feat...
www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/fr/features/awi/feat...
Secretary Wilkie Speaks at VSO Conventions, Tours VA Facilities
Customer service, stability and quality care for Veterans remain top priorities for Secretary Robert Wilkie at the Department of Veterans Affairs. He reinforced that pledge as incoming VA Secretary while visiting medical facilities and attended national Veteran engagements in three states last week. Secretary Wilkie served as keynote speaker at the American Legion’s 100th National Convention in Minneapolis, MN. He called members of the nation’s largest wartime Veterans service organization “powerful advocates” and said “let me thank you, thank the entire American Legion past and present for everything you have done to make this the last best hope of man on earth.”
In referring to his prime directive of customer service, Secretary Wilkie said “we have to talk to Veterans, we have to listen to Veterans, because every major advance and relief for those who have ‘borne the battle’ has come through the efforts of Veterans themselves, not waiting on the slow machine of government to move.” He also lauded the passing of the MISSION Act in making it easier for eligible Veterans of all eras to navigate the system and ensure they receive the best health care possible whether delivered in VA facilities or in the community.
While in Minnesota, the Secretary also visited with patients and was given an expansive tour and briefing by leadership at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System. The facility has an excellent reputation and is known worldwide for its strong research and academic services focused on Veterans. The facility is recognized for its overall performance and rated a 5-Star. Secretary Wilkie was particularly impressed with the advancements in prosthetic technology that is now available to Veterans there.
Secretary Wilkie was also welcomed at Fort Snelling National Cemetery which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The cemetery is the final resting place for Minneapolis area Veterans dating back to the Revolutionary War era with more than 225,000 interments.
The Secretary then headed to Dallas, TX to visit with Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) leadership and speak to hundreds of attendees at the PVA’s 8th annual Heath Care Summit & Expo. The Secretary reinforced his top priorities and his commitment to working hand in hand with health care professionals saying “as the Secretary of this department, I am the temporary custodian of the flame that first burned on Revolutionary fields in the 1700’s, it is a flame that you all carry and are trusted with and my pledge to you is to be part of your team.” He went on to say, “I am honored to serve with you and I thank you for carrying on the most noble mission in the federal government.”
Secretary Wilkie also engaged with Veterans and leadership at the VA North Texas Health Care System (VANTHCS) in Dallas. Topics of discussion included progress in suicide prevention and mental health awareness outreach, innovative surgical care procedures and modernization efforts. As VA’s second-largest health care system, VANTHCS is available to 600,000 Veterans that live in the northern Texas and southern Oklahoma region.
At the final stop in Cleveland, OH, the secretary served as a keynote speaker for the unveiling of a Gold Star Families Memorial Monument and Medal of Honor ribbon cutting ceremony alongside retired U.S. Marine Corps warrant officer and VA Veterans service representative Woody Williams. Williams received the Medal of Honor during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. Secretary Wilkie also participated in several media interviews including Cleveland’s Morning News in which he told the host “the Gold Star Families…have given the most of all of us and they remind us every day why all of us sleep soundly at night.”
Photos Courtesy Dept. Veteran Affairs
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the model, the conversion or the presented background story might be based historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
In the aftermath of the Second World War, Sweden required a strong air defense, utilizing the newly developed jet propulsion technology. This led to a pair of proposals being issued by the Saab design team, led by Lars Brising. The first of these, codenamed R101, was a cigar-shaped aircraft, which bore a resemblance to the American Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star. The second design, which would later be picked as the winner, was a barrel-shaped design, codenamed R 1001, which proved to be both faster and more agile upon closer study.
The original R 1001 concept had been designed around a mostly straight wing, but after Swedish engineers had obtained German research data on swept-wing designs, the prototype was altered to incorporate a 25° sweep. In order to make the wing as thin as possible, Saab elected to locate the retractable undercarriage in the aircraft's fuselage rather than into the wings.
Extensive wind tunnel testing performed at the Swedish Royal University of Technology and by the National Aeronautical Research Institute had also influenced aspects of the aircraft's aerodynamics, such as stability and trim across the aircraft's speed range. In order to test the design of the swept wing further and avoid any surprises, it was decided to modify a single Saab Safir. It received the designation Saab 201 and a full-scale R 1001 wing for a series of flight tests. The first 'final' sketches of the aircraft, incorporating the new information, was drawn in January 1946.
The originally envisioned powerplant for the new fighter type was the de Havilland Goblin turbojet engine. However, in December 1945, information on the newer and more powerful de Havilland Ghost engine became available. The new engine was deemed to be ideal for Saab's in-development aircraft, as not only did the Ghost engine had provisions for the use of a central circular air intake, the overall diameter of the engine was favorable for the planned fuselage dimensions, too. Thus, following negotiations between de Havilland and Saab, the Ghost engine was selected to power the type instead and built in license as the RM 2.
By February 1946 the main outline of the proposed aircraft had been clearly defined. In Autumn 1946, following the resolution of all major questions of principal and the completion of the project specification, the Swedish Air Force formally ordered the completion of the design and that three prototype aircraft be produced, giving the proposed type the designation J 29.
On 1 September 1948, the first of the Saab 29 prototypes conducted its maiden flight, which lasted for half an hour. Because of the shape of its fuselage, the Saab J 29 quickly received the nickname "Flygande Tunnan" ("The Flying Barrel"), or "Tunnan" ("The Barrel") for short. While the demeaning nickname was not appreciated by Saab, its short form was eventually officially adopted.
A total of four prototypes were built for the aircraft's test program. The first two lacked armament, carrying heavy test equipment instead, while the third prototype was armed with four 20mm automatic guns. Various different aerodynamic arrangements were tested, such as air brakes being installed either upon the fuselage or on the wings aft of the rear spar, along with both combined and conventional aileron/flap arrangements.
The flight test program revealed that the J 29 prototypes were capable of reaching and exceeding the maximum permissible Mach number for which they had been designed, and the flight performance figures gathered were found to be typically in excess of the predicted values.
In 1948 production of the type commenced and in May 1951 the first deliveries of operational production aircraft were received by F 13 Norrköping. The J 29 proved to be very successful and several variants and updates of the Tunnan were produced, including a dedicated reconnaissance variant and an all-weather fighter with an on-board radar.
A trainer variant was deemed to be useful, too, since the transition of young pilots from relatively slow, piston-engine basic trainers to jet-powered aircraft was considered to be a major step in the education program. At that time, the only jet-powered two-seater in Swedish inventory was the DH 115 Vampire. 57 of these, designated J 28C by the Swedish Air Force, had been procured from Great Britain in the late Forties, but an indigenous alternative (and a more capable successor) was politically favored.
In 1952 initial wind tunnel tests with scaled-down models were conducted, since it was not clear which layout would be the best from an aerodynamic, structural and educational point of view. After a thorough inspection of wooden 1:1 mock-ups of alternative tandem and a side-by-side cockpit layouts, as well as much political debate between Saab, the Swedish Air Force and the Swedish government concerning the costs and budget for a dedicated Saab 29 trainer fleet’s development and production, a compromise was settled upon in early 1953: No new trainer airframes would be produced. Instead, only existing airframes would be converted into two seaters, in an attempt to keep as much of the existing structure and internal fuel capacity as possible.
The side-by-side arrangement was adopted, not only because it was considered to be the more effective layout for a trainer aircraft. It also had the benefit that its integration would only mean a limited redesign of the aircraft’s cockpit section above the air intake duct and the front landing gear well, allowing to retain the single-seater’s pressurized cabin’s length and internal structure. A tandem cockpit would have been aerodynamically more efficient, but it would have either considerably reduced the J 29’s internal fuel capacity, or the whole aircraft had had to be lengthened with a fuselage plug, with uncertain outcome concerning airframe and flight stability. It would also have been the more costly option,
However, it would take until 1955 that the first trainer conversions were conducted by Saab, in the wake of the major wing and engine updates for the J 29 A/B fleet that lasted until 1956. The trainer, designated Sk 29 B, was exclusively based on the J 29 B variant and benefited from this version’s extra fuel tanks in the wings and fully wired underwing weapon hardpoints, which included two wet pylons for drop tanks and made the Sk 29 B suitable for weapon training with the J 29’s full ordnance range.
The trainer conversions only covered the new cockpit section, though. The Sk 29 B did not receive the new dogtooth wing which was only introduced to the converted J 29 D, E and F fighters. The upper pair of 20mm cannon in the lower front fuselage was deleted, too, in order to compensate for the two-seater’s additional cockpit equipment weight and drag. Performance suffered only marginally under the enlarged canopy, though, and the Sk 29 B turned out to be a very sound and useful design for the advanced jet trainer role.
However, budgetary restraints and the quick development of aircraft technology in the Fifties limited the number of fighter conversions to only 22 airframes. The aging Vampire two-seaters still turned out to be adequate for the advanced trainer role, and the Sk 29 B did not offer a significant advantage over the older, British aircraft. Another factor that spoke against more Sk 29 Bs was the simple fact that more trainer conversions would have reduced the number of airframes eligible for the running fighter aircraft updates.
All Sk 29 Bs were concentrated at the F 5 Ljungbyhed Kungliga Krigsflygskolan training wing in southern Sweden, where two flights were equipped with it. Unofficially dubbed “Skola Tunnan” (literally “School Barrel”), the Sk 29B performed a solid career, even though the machines were gradually retired from 1966 onwards. A dozen Sk 29 B remained active until 1972 in various supportive roles, including target tugging, air sampling and liaison duties, while the final Vampire trainer was already retired in 1968. But by the early Seventies, the trainer role had been taken over by the brand new Saab 105/Sk 60 trainer, the long-awaited domestic development, and Sk 35 Draken trainers.
General characteristics:
Crew: 2
Length: 10.23 m (33 ft 7 in)
Wingspan: 11.0 m (36 ft 1 in)
Height: 3.75 m (12 ft 4 in)
Wing area: 24.15 m² (260.0 ft²)
Empty weight: 5,120 kg (11,277 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 8,375 kg (18,465 lb)
Powerplant:
1× Svenska Flygmotor RM2 turbojet, rated at 5,000 lbf (22.2 kN)
Performance:
Maximum speed: 1,010 km/h (627 mph)
Range: 1,060 km (658 mi)
Service ceiling: 15,500 m (50,850 ft)
Rate of climb: 30.5 m/s (6,000 ft/min)
Armament:
2x 20mm Hispano Mark V autocannon in the lower front fuselage
Underwing hardpoints for various unguided missiles and iron bombs, or a pair drop tanks
The kit and its assembly:
Another Saab 29 conversion of a variant that was thought about but never materialized, much like the radar-equipped all-weather fighter. The impulse to tackle this stunt was a leftover D. H. Vampire trainer fuselage pod in my stash (from the ‘Mystery Jet’ conversion a couple of months ago, from an Airfix kit). The canopy’s shape and dimensions appeared like a sound match for the tubby J 29, and so I decided to try this stunt.
The basis is the Heller J 29 kit, which is, despite raised surface details, IMHO the better kit than the rather simple Matchbox offering. However, what makes things more hazardous, though, is the kit’s option to build the S 29 C reconnaissance variant – the lower front fuselage is a separate part, and any surgery around the cockpit weakens the kit’s overall stability considerably. Unlike the J 29D all-weather fighter built recently, I had no visual reference material. The only valid information I was able to dig up was that a side-by-side cockpit had been the preferred layout for this paper project.
Implanting a new cockpit is always hazardous, and I have never tried to integrate a side-by-side arrangement into a single seater. The Vampire cockpit was finished first, and also mounted into the Vampire’s original cockpit pod halves, because I was able to use its side walls and also had the original canopy parts left over – and using the Vampire’s cockpit opening would ensure a good fit and limit PSR work around the clear parts. Once the Vampire cockpit tub was complete, the “implant” was trimmed down as far as possible.
Next step was to prepare the Tunnan to accept the donor cockpit. In order to avoid structural trouble I finished the two fuselage halves first, mounted the air intake with the duct to the front end, but left the fighter version’s gun tray away (while preparing it with a load of lead). The idea was to put the Vampire cockpit into position from below into the Tunnan’s fuselage, until all outer surfaces would more or less match in order to minimize PSR work.
With the Vampire cockpit as benchmark, I carefully tried to draw its outlines onto the upper front fuselage. The following cutting and trimming sessions too several turns. To my surprise, the side-by-side cockpit’s width was the least problem – it fits very well inside of the J 29 fuselage’s confines, even though the front end turned out to be troublesome. Space in length became an issue, too, because the Airfix Vampire cockpit is pretty complete: it comes with all pedals, a front and a rear bulkhead, and its bulged canopy extends pretty far backwards into an aerodynamic fairing. As a result, it’s unfortunately very long… Furthermore, air intake duct reaches deep into the Tunnan’s nose, too, so that width was not the (expected) problem, but rather length!
Eventually, the cockpit lost the front bulkhead and had to trimmed and slimmed down further, because, despite its bulky fuselage, the Tunnan’s nose is rather narrow. As a consequence the Vampire cockpit had to be moved back by about 3mm, relative to the single-seater’s canopy, and the area in front of the cockpit/above the air intake duct had to be completely re-sculpted, which took several PSR stages. Since the Vampire’s canopy shape is very different and its windscreen less steep (and actually a flat glass panel), I think this change is not too obvious, tough, and looks like a natural part of the fictional real-life conversion. However, a fiddly operation, and it took some serious effort to blend the new parts into the Tunnan fuselage, especially the windscreen.
Once the cockpit was in place, the lower front fuselage with the guns (the upper pair had disappeared in the meantime) was mounted, and the wings followed suit. In this case, I modified the flaps into a lowered position, and, as a subtle detail, the Tunnan kit lost its retrofitted dogtooth wings, so that they resemble the initial, simple wing of the J 29 A and B variants. Thanks to the massive construction of the kit’s wings (they consist of two halves, but these are very thin and almost massive), this was a relatively easy task.
The rest of the Tunnan was built mostly OOB; it is a typical Heller kit of the Seventies: simple, with raised surface detail, relatively good fit (despite the need to use putty) and anything you could ask for a J 29 in 1:72 scale. I just replaced the drop tanks with shorter, thicker alternatives – early J 29 frequently carried Vampire drop tanks without fins, and the more stout replacements appeared very suitable for a trainer.
The pitots on the wing tips had to be scratched, since they got lost with the wing modifications - but OOB they are relatively thick and short, anyway. Further additions include a tail bumper and extra dorsal and ventral antennae, plus a fairing for a rotating warning light, inspired by a similar installation on the late J 29 target tugs.
Painting and markings:
As usual, I wanted a relatively plausible livery and kept things simple. Early J 29 fighters were almost exclusively left in bare metal finish, and the Swedish Vampire trainers were either operated in NMF with orange markings (very similar to the RAF trainers), or they carried the Swedish standard dark green/blue grey livery.
I stuck to the Tunnan’s standard NMF livery, but added dark green on wing tips and fin, which were widely added in order to make formation flight and general identification easier. However, some dayglow markings were added on the fuselage and wings, too, so that – together with the tactical markings – a colorful and distinct look was created, yet in line with typical Swedish Air Force markings in the late Fifties/early Sixties.
The NMF livery was created with an overall coat of Revell 99 acrylic paint (Aluminum), on top of which various shades of Metallizer were dry-brushed, panel by panel. Around the exhaust, a darker base tone (Revell 91, Iron Metallic and Steel Metallizer) was used. Around the cockpit, in order to simulate the retrofitted parts, some panels received a lighter base with Humbrol 191.
The raised panel lines were emphasized through a light black in wash and careful rubbing with grinded graphite on a soft cotton cloth – with the benefit that the graphite adds a further, metallic shine to the surface and destroys the uniform, clean NMF look. On the front fuselage, where many details got lost through the PSR work, panel lines were painted with a thin, soft pencil.
The cockpit interior became dark green-grey (Revell 67 comes pretty close to the original color), the landing gear wells medium grey (Revell 57). The dark green markings on fin and wing tips were painted with Humbrol 163 (RAF Dark Green), which comes IMHO close to the Swedish “Mörkgrön”. The orange bands were painted, too, with a base of Humbrol 82 (Orange Lining) on top of which a thin coat of fluorescent orange (Humbrol 209) was later added. Even though the NMF Tunnan did not carry anti-dazzle paint in front of the windscreen, I added a black panel because of the relatively flat area there on the modified kit.
Decals come from different sources: roundels and stencils come from the Heller kit’s sheet, the squadron code number from a Flying Colors sheet with Swedish ciphers in various colors and sizes for the late Fifties time frame, while the tactical code on the fin was taken from a Saab 32 sheet.
Finally the kit was sealed with a “¾ matt”, acrylic varnish, mixed from glossy and matt varnishes.
An effective and subtle conversion, and a bigger stunt than one might think at first sight. The Tunnan two-seater does, hoewever, not look as disturbing as, for instance, the BAC Lightning or Hawker Hunter trainer variants? The rhinoplasty was massive and took some serious PSR, though, and the livery was also more demanding than it might seem. But: this is what IMHO a real Saab 29 trainer could have looked like, if it had left the drawing boards in the early Fifties. And it even looks good! :D
International Monetary Fund Financial Economic Counsellor and Director of the Monetary and Capital Markets Department Tobias Adrian speaks at a press conference on the Global Financial Stability Report at the IMF Headquarters during the 2019 IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings, October 16, 2019 in Washington, DC. IMF Staff Photograph/Stephen Jaffe
Almost two years after the presentation of the EU Global Strategy and more than a year after Jean Claude Juncker’s white book on the future of Europe, the European Union still struggles with major challenges and threats that seem to undermine the stability of the security environment within its borders and in its neighbourhood. In the aftermath of Brexit and with the proximity of to the European Parliament elections in 2019, the third International Conference Europe as a Global Actor (Lisbon, May 24 & 25, 2018) will discuss the role the EU can play in the current global transformations, as well as the domestic and external obstacles it faces as a global actor.
The Center for International Studies of ISCTE-IUL organized the third edition of the International Conference “Europe as a global actor”, on 24 and 25 May.
The opening lecture was given by the Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Augusto Santos Silva, on May 24, at 09:30 am.
The Conference Program also included a debate on the state of the Union with the presence of Portuguese MEPs, panels and round-tables on the challenges of the Common Security and Defense Policy, the future of European security and defense, the EU’s relationship with other global players and the future of the European Union as a global player. In addition to the presence of several invited scholars, in plenary sessions moderated by Portuguese journalists, the program also included the presentation of communications by around 40 international researchers in this area of knowledge.
May 24th
9h00 | Registration – Floor 2, Building II
09h30 | Opening Remarks (Aud. B203) – session in Portuguese
Keynote Speaker: Augusto Santos Silva, Portuguese Minister for Foreign Affairs
Helena Carreiras (Director, School of Sociology and Public Policies, ISCTE-IUL)
Luís Nuno Rodrigues (Director, Center for International Studies, CEI-IUL)
10h45 – 11h00 – Coffee Break
11h00 | Round Table I: CSDP: challenges and opportunities (Aud. B203)
Moderator: António Mateus (RTP)
Laura Ferreira-Pereira (Universidade do Minho)
Jochen Rehrl (EEAS – ESDC)
Ana Isabel Xavier (CEI-IUL)
12h30 – 14h00 – Lunch
14h00 – 15h45 | Parallel Sessions I
Panel 1 –The future of European Security and Defence (Room C201)
Moderator: Ana Isabel Xavier (CEI-IUL)
Stefano Loi (CEI-IUL): “The PESCO agreement and the future of the European common defence”
Lorinc Redei & Michael Mosser (University of Texas at Austin): “The European Union as a Catalyst in European Security”
Patricia Daehnhardt (IPRI-NOVA): “The EU and transatlantic relations: the end of the Euro-Atlantic security community?”
Panel 2 – The European policy on migration and asylum (Room C301)
Moderator: Giulia Daniele (CEI-IUL)
João Barroso (CEI-IUL): “The EU and the refugee crisis: a literature review”
Tommaso Emiliani (College of Europe): “EU Migration Agencies: More “Guarding”, Less “Support for Asylum”? An Assessment of How the European Board and Coast Guard and the European Asylum Support Office Pursue Their Relations with Third Countries in Light of the So-Called ‘Refugee Crisis’.”
Emellin de Oliveira (NOVA): “The Securitization of Migration through Technology: an analysis of the PNR Directive”
Panel 3 – The state of the Union and the future of Europe: reflections and scenarios (Room C302)
Moderator: Ana Lúcia Sá (CEI-IUL)
Luís Machado Barroso (CEI-IUL; IUM) & Marco António Ferreira da Cruz (IUM): “It is not enough to be… It needs to be seen”: the analysis of EUGS implementation 1st Year report”
Ricardo Alexandre (CEI-IUL): “The Western Balkans Euro-fatigue and the impact on EU of potential alternatives to integration”
Dina Sebastião (University of Coimbra): “The persistence of Portuguese Atlanticism as a block for a supranationalization of European defence policy”
15h45 – 16h00 – Coffee Break
16h00-18h00 | Round Table II – The EU & other global players (Aud. B204)
Moderator: Helena Tecedeiro (Diário de Notícias)
Thomas Diez (University of Tübingen)
Maria Raquel Freire (CES-UC, Coimbra)
Luís Tomé (Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa)
Bruno Cardoso Reis (CEI-IUL, Lisbon)
18h00 – 20h00 | Parallel Sessions II
Panel 4 – Brexit (Room C401)
Moderator: Bruno Cardoso Reis (CEI-IUL)
Sanja Ivic (Institute for European Studies, Serbia): “The Question of European Identity in Light of Brexit”
Allan F. Tatham (Universidad San Pablo-CEU): “‘Breaking up is Hard to Do’: The evolution of the EU’s withdrawal criteria”
Christopher Pitcher (ISCTE-IUL): “‘I voted remain’ a look at the social and political divides within Brexit Britain through qualitative analysis of the narratives and attitudes of British citizens who voted remain”
Luana Lo Piccolo (ISPI – Milan): “Brexit: an increasing fragmentation of the international architecture”
Panel 5 – The EU and its Neighbourhood (Room C402)
Moderator: Cátia Miriam Costa (CEI-IUL)
Petar Georgiev (Council of the EU): “Pursuit of greener pastures in the Eastern neighbourhood: reconciliation of EU’s security interests and normative ambitions”
César García Andrés (Universidad de Valladolid): “The role of Ukraine within the European neighborhood policy and its effects on relations with Russia”
Mónica Canário (CEI-IUL): “Why do we need a real gender policy in the EU?”
Filipe Lima (CEI-IUL): “The EU and Israel and Palestinian Conflict”
Panel 6 – Transnational threats (Room C502)
Moderator: Ana Margarida Esteves (CEI-IUL)
Sofia Geraldes (ISCTE-IUL): “Digital Battlefields: Assessing the EU soft security actorness countering social media information warfare activities”
Marc de Carrière (Amarante International): “Going beyond NATO’s Article 5: A EU-NATO Blockchain to deter cyber warfare”
Davoud Gharayagh-Zandi (IRS; Shahid Beheshti University) & João Almeida Silveira (FCSH-NOVA): “The European Union security actorness within EU-Iran relations in the Post JCPOA Era”
Henrique Miguel Alves Garcia: “Radicalization in Belgium and EU security environment”
Susana Pedro
This photo won 4th place in the Frontiers in Development: Ending Extreme Poverty photo contest.
In Baraki Barak District of Logar Province, Afghanistan, a local Community Development Council utilized a grant from USAID to repair a dilapidated irrigation system (karez), which now supports 150 families from three villages, who rely heavily on agriculture as their primary source of income. In the past, conflict over scarce resources resulted in bad blood between the villages. Communal projects such as this help improve food security and livelihoods, while simultaneously bringing feuding parties together to promote stability.
Credit: Stability in Key Areas (SIKA)-East program in Afghanistan / Mr. Ahmad Salarzai
Naser El Tibi (left) of Al Arabiya News leads a panel discussion featuring Pierre Gramegna(left), Minister of Finance for Luxembourg, Zeti Akhtar Aziz, Governor, Bank Negara Malaysia Ali Babacan, Deputy Prime Minister, Turkey, Dr. Ahmad Mohamed Ali Al-Madani, President, Islamic Development Bank and Min Zhu, Deputy Managing Director of the IMF, at the seminar Islamic Finance: Unlocking its Potential and Supporting Stability as part of the 2015 IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings on Thursday, April 16 in Washington, D.C. IMF Photo/Ryan Rayburn
Must attribute with link to: www.ptpioneer.com
Girl exercising doing stability ball squats and bicep curls with dumbbells.
Back of the climate control / stability control / hazard lights panel. Decide where you want to put your switch. Do not be tempted to add a switch to the stability control / hazard lights panel. There's a fragile circuit board in there that will get in the way of any switch you try to install. I'm going to use that unused round panel visible here on the left (on the right when you're looking at it installed in the dash). Now to find something round to replace that panel and mount my switch on....
PHILIPPINE SEA (Sept. 24, 2020) An MH-60S Seahawk helicopter from the “Archangels” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 25, Detachment 6, delivers stores to the flight deck of the amphibious dock landing ship USS Germantown (LSD 42) as the ship conducts a replenishment-at-sea with the fleet replenishment oiler USNS John Ericsson (T-AO 194). Germantown, part of Expeditionary Strike Group Seven (ESG 7), along with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility to enhance interoperability with allies and partners, and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Taylor DiMartino)
Oesterreichische Nationalbank
Logo of the Austrian National Bank
Headquarters Vienna, Austria
Central Bank of Austria
Currency€
To ISO 4217 EUR
website
Previous Austro- Hungarian Bank
List of Central Banks
Oesterreichische Nationalbank, at Otto-Wagner -Platz No. 3, Vienna
The Austrian National Bank (OeNB), Austria's central bank as an integral part of the European System of Central Banks (ESCB) and the Eurosystem. It is instrumental in the design of the economic development in Austria and in the euro area. Legally, the OeNB is a public limited company.. However, it is also subject to further enshrined in the National Bank Act regulations resulting from its separate position as a central bank. In the framework of the Eurosystem, the OeNB contributes to a stability-oriented monetary policy. At the national level, it cares about the preservation of financial stability and the money supply and manage foreign exchange reserves to hedge against the euro in times of crisis. The guideline values in terms of the tasks of the Austrian National Bank are "security, stability and trust".
Contents
1 History
1.1 1816 to 1818
1.2 1818 to 1878
1.3 1878 to 1922
1.4 1922 to 1938
1.5 1938 to 1945
1.6 1945 to 1998
1.7 From 1999
2 The OeNB as a modern central bank
3 Legal form and organs
3.1 Legal framework
3.2 organs
3.2.1 General
3.2.2 General
3.2.3 Board of Directors
4 Tasks
4.1 Monetary policy strategies and monetary policy decision-making process
4.1.1 Economic analysis
4.1.2 Production of statistical information
4.1.3 Contribute to international organizations
4.2 Implementation of monetary policy
4.2.1 use of monetary policy instruments
4.2.2 Reserve Management
4.2.3 Money Supply
4.3 Communication of monetary policy
4.4 ensure financial stability
4.4.1 Financial Stability
4.4.2 Payment System Stability and payments
5 The OeNB in the European System of National Banks
6 President / Governors
7 See also
8 Literature
9 links
10 Notes and references
History
1816-1818
As long as 50 years before the founding of the National Bank the Habsburgs carried out first experiments with securities in the form of paper money. Finally, in the 18th Century the issue of banknotes transferred to a state independent institution, while the issue of paper money called "Banco notes," founded in 1705 by the "Vienna City Bank" took place in 1762.
In wartime governance took back control of the money issue, so there was an inflation of Banco-Zettel 1796-1810. The state ordered the forced acceptance of paper money in private transport, which led to a fast-growing discount on bills in the market. 1799 was therefore one for 100 guilders paper money only 92 guilders in silver coins, and at the end of 1810 the value of the paper florin had fallen to 15 % of the nominal value of the Banco-Zettel. Later, the Habsburgs declared a devaluation of the Banco-Zettel in the ratio of 5:1. This act was considered by the business community as a sovereign default, which the paper money experienced a rapid devaluation.
At the end of the Napoleonic wars the Habsburg multinational state ( → Habsburg Monarchy) faced a new challenge: the restoration of a European balance. Church, the nobility, the army and the bureaucracy as elements in the Ancien Régime were not sufficient to solve this problem, a well -founded economic situation was needed. Moreover, one could not ignore readily the laws of supply and demand.
In this regard, were the first June 1816 by Emperor Francis I two patents issued (later to distinguish the "main patent" or "bank patent"), the "privileged Austrian National Bank", conceived as a public company, had to constitute itself as soon a possible, propose the emperor three of its directors for selection of the governor and take up their activity provisionally on 1 July 1816.
The National Bank had henceforth a monopoly on the issuance of paper money, which led to a slowdown in the Austrian monetary system and an increase in the value of paper money. The economy was again a solid source of money keeping constant the value of money regardless of the spending plans of the State. The equity of the Bank justified this by share issues.
Initially comprised the activities of the bank - under temporary management - the redemption of paper money and the issuance of shares. The full effectiveness attained the National Bank until after the issue of 1,000 shares and the associated possibility of shareholders to set the management themselves.
1818-1878
On 15 July 1817 recieved the National Bank as the "first Bankprivilegium" the exclusive right to unrestricted issue of banknotes and in this context a special position in terms of Rediskontgeschäfts (rediscount business). Beginning of 1818 the definitive bank management was ready. Part of it were among leading figures of Viennese society, including the banker Johann Heinrich von Geymüller and Bernard of Eskeles. From 1830 to 1837 the Office of the Governor was held by Adrian Nicholas Baron Barbier.
In the countries of the Habsburg Monarchy, which were characterized in large part by an agricultural oriented activity pattern, some regions showed a lively commercial-industrial growth. The goal now was to create a system of economic exchange between these areas. Successively established the National Bank branch network and thus guaranteed a uniform money and credit supply. From its headquarters in Vienna this network extended over early industrial areas and commercial centers in Eastern and Central Europe to the northern Mediterranean.
Trade bills and coins were preferred assets of the National Bank, less the supply of money to the state. With the exchange transactions, the National Bank supported the economic growth of the monarchy and secured at the same time the supply of silver coins in the event that the need for these increases in exchange for bank notes, contrary to expectations. 1818 was the National Bank, however, by increasing public debt, due to high spending in times of crisis, not spared to make an increase in the government debt positions on the asset side of its balance sheet.
The patent provisions of the founding of the National Bank not sufficiently secured against the autonomy of governance. At the center of the struggle for independence, this was the question of the extent to which the issue of banknotes must be made on the basis of government bonds. In 1841, a renewal of Bankprivilegiums got a weakening of the independence by pushing back the influence of the shareholders in favor of the state administration. During the revolution of 1848/49 followers of constitutional goals received great support from senior figures in the National Bank. For about a hundred years, the Austrian branch of the Rothschild bank (from which from 1855, the "Royal Privileged Austrian Credit-Institute for Commerce and Industry", the later Creditanstalt, was born) was playing a leading role in the banking center of Vienna. Salomon Mayer von Rothschild was involved during the pre-March in all major transactions of the National Bank for the rehabilitation of the state budget.
Special focus the National Bank was putting on the development of the premium that was payable at the exchange of banknotes into silver money in business dealings. The increase, which corresponded to a depreciation of the notes issued by the Bank should be prevented. From an overall state perspective, the increase of the silver premium means a deterioration in terms of the exchange ratio towards foreign countries, influencing the price competitiveness of the Austrian foreign trade adversely. The stabilization of the premium were set some limits. Although the height of the emission activitiy was depending on the Bank, but also the price of silver and the potential effects of increased government debt materially affected the silver premium. Especially the 1848 revolution and conflicts in the following years caused an increasement of the silver premium.
Mid-century, the private banking and wholesale houses were no longer able to cope with the rapidly growing financial intermediation of the Habsburg monarchy. New forms of capital formation were required. From an initiative of the House of Rothschild, the first by the government approved and private joint-stock bank was created. This formation was followed in 1863 and 1864 by two other joint-stock banks, whose major shareholders included important personalities of the aristocracy, who possessed large liquid funds. Overall, grew with these banks the money creation potential of the "financial center of Vienna".
The central bank faced another difficult task: with its limited resources it had to secure sufficient liquidity on the one hand and on the other hand prevent the inflationary expansion of the money supply. Through close contacts with the shareholders of Vienna was a financial center (informal) ballot, especially in times of crisis, easily dealt out. In contrast, it gave differences of opinion in the Fed Board, which required enforcement of decisions.
In 1861, Friedrich Schey Koromla became director of the National Bank. On 27 December 1862 experienced the Bankprivilegium another innovation. The independence of the National Bank of the State was restored and anchored. Furthermore, was introduced the direct allocation of banknotes in circulation by the system of "Peel'schen Bank Act", which states that the fixed budget of 200 million guilders exceeding circulation of banknotes must be covered by silver coins. In 1866, when the German war ended in defeat for Austria, the compliance of the system was no longer met. The state felt itself forced to pay compensation for breach of privilege. This balance was supported by a law of 1872, after the National Bank may issue notes up to a maximum of 200 million guilders and each additional payment must be fully backed by gold or silver.
1873 the economic boom of the Habsburg monarchy was represented in a long-lasting rise in the share price. A now to be expecting break could by the behavior of the Vienna Stock not be intercepted, so it came to the "Great Crash of 1873". The in 1872 fixed restrictions of the circulation of notes for a short time have been suspended. Contrary to expectations, the money supply in crisis peak but only outgrew by nearly 1% the prescribed limit in the bank acts. The banks and the industrial and commercial companies survived the crash without major losses, although the share prices significantly lay below the initial level.
The years with high growth were followed by a period of stagnation.
1878-1922
As part of the compensation negotiations between Austria and Hungary in 1867, the National Bank was able to exercise fully their Privilegialrechte, the Kingdom of Hungary but now had the certified right, every ten years exercisable, to found an own central bank (bank note). As resulted from the first 10 -year period that furthermore none of the two parts of the monarchy wanted to build an independent money-issuing bank (Zettelbank), was built on 28 June 1878, initially to 31 December 1887 limited, an Austro-Hungarian Bank, and equipped with the Fed privilege. The first privilege of the new bank was a compromise in which on the one hand, regulations on liability for national debts as well as regulations limiting the influence of the government on banking businesses were included. 1878 Gustav Leonhardt was Secretary of the Bank.
The General Assembly and the General Council formed the unit of the bank management. Two directorates and major institutions - in Vienna and Budapest - represented the dual nature of the bank. 1892-1900 followed a long discussion finally the currency conversion from guilders (silver currency) to the crown (gold standard) with "Gold Crown" said coins.
Since the new banknotes were very popular in the public, now many gold coins piled up in the vaults of the Austro-Hungarian Bank. This period was characterized by a balanced combination of price growth and damping, the "per capita national product" grew while prices remained mostly stable. Against this background, it was easy for the Fed to encourage a new wave of industrialization.
With a third privilege in 1899 conditions were established under which the bank could be put into the financial services of the two countries, on the other hand there have been important innovations that paved a good exchange policy. By 1914, the exchange ratio of the Austro-Hungarian currency was unchanged with only minor fluctuations. In contrast, was the by conflicts marked political development.
The expansive foreign policy quickly led to high costs from which had to be shouldered by the central bank a significant part. The stability of the currency was in danger. Shortly after the beginning of World War I in 1914, laid down the Military Command to indemnify any seized property with double the price. There was an increasing scarcity of goods, connected with an ongoing expansion of the money supply and finally the increase in the price level on the 16-fold.
The resulting cost of the war of the Dual Monarchy were covered to 40% on central bank loans and 60% through war bonds. Over the duration of the war, the power force built up in recent decades has been frozen at the end of the conflict in 1918, the real income of the workers had fallen to one-fifth of the last year of peace.
With the end of the war the end for the old order had come, too. The decay of Cisleithania and Transleithania caused in several successor states, despite the efforts of the central bank to maintain the order, a currency separation (see Crown Currency in the decay of the monarchy, successor states). First, a separate "Austrian management" of the bank was introduced. It was encouraged to shoulder the shortcomings of the state budget of the Republic of Austria founded in 1918.
The new South Slav state began in January 1919 stamping its crown banknotes. The newly founded Czechoslovak Republic retained the crown currency (to date), but their printed banknotes in circulation as of February 1919 with indications that now these ar Czechoslovak crowns. (The country could an inflation as experienced by Austria avoide.) In March 1919, German Austria began to stamp its crown banknotes.
The Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye of 10 September 1919, by Austria on 25 October 1919 ratified and which on 16 July 1920 came into force, determined the cancellation and replacement of all crown banknotes of all successor states of Austria-Hungary as well as the complete liquidation of the Austro-Hungarian Bank under the supervision of the war winners. The last meetings of the Bank took place mid 1921 and at the end of 1922.
After a period of overvaluation of the crown the dollar rate rose from 1919 again. 1921, had to be paid over 5,000 Austrian crowns per dollar. In addition to the significant drop in the external value existed in Austria rising inflation. End of 1922 was ultimately a rehabilitation program with foreign assistance - the "Geneva Protocol" - passed which slowed down the inflation.
1922-1938
With Federal Law of 24 July 1922 the Minister of Finance was commissioned to build a central bank, which had to take over the entire note circulation plus current liabilities of the Austrian management of the Austro-Hungarian Bank. With Federal Law of 14 November 1922, certain provisions of the law were amended and promulgated the statutes of the Austrian National Bank. By order of the Federal Government Seipel I 29 December 1922, the Board of the Austrian Austro-Hungarian Bank issued authorization for the central bank union activity with 1 January 1923 have been declared extinct and was made known the commencement of operations of the Oesterreichische Nationalbank this day.
The statutes of the Austrian National Bank (OeNB) secured the independence from the state, the independence of the Bank under exclusion of external influences and the corresponding equity. First, the stabilization of the Austrian currency was at the forefront. With the Schilling Act of 20 December 1924 was the schilling currency (First Republic) with 1 Introduced in March 1925, it replaced the crown currency. For 10,000 crowns now you got a shilling.
As an important personality in terms of the order of the state budget, Dr. Victor Kienböck has to be mentioned. He was in the time from 1922 to 1924 and from 1926 to 1929 finance minister of the First Republic and from 1932 to 1938 President of the Austrian National Bank. Through his work remained the Austrian Schilling, also beyound the global economy crisis, stable. Under this condition, the Fed was able to cope with the large number of bank failures of the past.
1938-1945
According to the on 13th March issued Anschlussgesetz (annexation law) , the Reichsmark with order of the Fuehrer and Chancellor of 17 was March 1938 introduced in the country Austria and determines the course: A Reichsmark is equal to one shilling fifty pence. On the same day, the Chancellor ordered that the management of the to be liquidated National Bank was transferred to the Reichsbank.
With regulation of three ministers of the German Reich of 23 April 1938, the National Bank was established as a property of the Reichsbank and its banknotes the quality as legal tender by 25 April 1938 withdrawn; public funds had Schilling banknotes until 15th of may in 1938 to accept. All the gold and foreign exchange reserves were transferred to Berlin.
The Second World War weakened the Austrian economy to a great extent, the production force after the war corresponded to only 40% of that of 1937 (see also air raids on Austria). To finance the war, the Reichsbank brought to a high degree banknotes in circulation, which only a great victory of the kingdom (Reich) actual values would have been opposable. Since prices were strictly regulated, inflation virtually could be "banned" during the war.
1945-1998
In occupied postwar Austria about 10 billion shillings by Allied military occupying powers were initially printed, which contributed to significant price increases.
With the re-establishment of the Republic of Austria by the Austrian declaration of independence of 27 April 1945, it came to the resumption of activities of the Oesterreichische Nationalbank. By the "Fed Transition Act" of July 1945 preliminary legal regulations for the operations of the Bank have been established. The restoration of the Austrian currency was their first big job. The goal was the summary of all currencies, which at the time were in circulation, and their secondment to a new Austrian currency. The "Schilling Act" of November 1945, the basis for the re-introduction of the Schilling (Second Republic) as legal tender in Austria. The next step was to reduce excess liquidity to make necessary funds for new business investment available and to make the external value of the shilling for the development of the economy competitive. First, however, less changed the inflationary situation and also the shilling was still significantly undervalued in relation to other currencies.
The "Currency Protection Act" of 1947 brought a significant change in the monetary overhang. Some deposits have been deleted without replacement, others converted into claims against the Federal Treasury. The following exchange operations also significantly reduced the amount of cash: banknotes from 1945 were canceled and exchanged for new schilling notes in the ratio 1:3. Only 150 shillings per person could go 1-1.
To control inflation, the social partners came to the foreground. The associations of employers and employees set in 1947 prices for supplies, wages were also raised. This was the first of the five "wage-price agreements" of the social partners. In 1952, inflation was held back by limiting the use of monetary policy instruments by the National Bank. Also, the external sector slowly relaxed after the end of the Korean War.
In 1955, the Austrian National Bank was re-established by the new National Bank Act as a corporation and the by the National Bank Transition of Authorities Act (Nationalbank-Überleitungsgesetz) established provisional arragement abolished. The National Bank Act stipulated that each half of the capital should be situated at the federal government and private shareholders. In addition to the independence of bank loans of the state, the new National Bank Act also contained an order that the central bank must watch within their monetary and credit policies on the economic policies of the federal government. From now on also included within the instruments of the National Bank were the areas open market and minimum reserve policy.
The Austrian economy increasingly stabilized, through good fiscal and monetary policy a high growth could be attained, with low inflation and long-term maintenance of external equilibrium.
1960, Austria joined the European Free Trade Association and participated in the European integration.
In the sixties came the international monetary system based on gold-dollar convertibility into currency fluctuations and political reforms were necessary. First, the loosening of exchange rate adjustments between several states was an option. However, U.S. balance of payments problems brought with it restrictions on capital movements, and then the Euro-Dollar market was born. In 1971, the convertibility of the U.S. dollar was lifted.
1975 interrupted a recession increasing growth time. International unbalanced ayments caused very extensive foreign exchange movements, whereby the intervention force of Austrian monetary policy has been strongly challenged. Their task now was to control the effect of foreign exchange on domestic economic activities to stabilize the shilling in the context of constantly shifting exchange rates and to control the price rise appropriately. Since the inflow of foreign funds reached to high proportions, so that the economic stability has been compromised, the policy went the way of the independent course design in a pool of selected European currencies.
The collapse of the economy forced the policy makers to a new course with active mutual credit control, subdued wage growth, financial impulses in supply and demand, and interest rates are kept low. This system of regulation, however, kept back the need for structural change, so it had to be given up in 1979. In the same year a fire destroyed large parts of the main building of the Austrian National Bank in Vienna. The repairs lasted until 1985.
Target in the eighties was to strengthen the economic performance using a competitive power comparison. The findings from the seventies stimulated the Austrian monetary policy to align the Schilling course at the Deutsche Mark to ensure price stability in the country. In addition, the structural change was initiated by inclusion in a large area. Stable, if not necessarily comfortable environment of monetary policy was a prerequisite, to secure the companies long-term productivity gains and thus safeguard their position in the economy.
Initially, this development stood a high level of unemployment in the way. Growth until the second half of the decade increased, at the same time increased the competitiveness and current accounts could be kept in balance.
In the nineties, the annexation of Austria took place in the European Community. 1995 Austria became a member of the European Union (EU) and joined the exchange rate mechanism of the European Monetary System. In 1998, the Central Banks (ESCB) have established the independence of institutions or bodies of the European Community and the governments of the EU Member States through an amendment to the National Bank Act of the Austrian National Bank to implement the goals and tasks of the European System. Thus, the legal basis for the participation of Austria in the third stage of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) was created in 1999.
As of 1999
The Austrian National Bank, and other national central banks including the European Central Bank ( ECB), belongs to the European System of Central Banks.
On 1 January 1999 was introduced in the third stage of Economic and Monetary Union in Austria and ten other EU Member States, the euro as a common currency. The European Central Bank is henceforth responsible for monetary and currency policy, decisions in this regard will be taken in accordance with the Council of the European Central Bank.
Since May 2010, the OeNB is in full possession of the Republic of Austria, after originally lobbies, banks and insurance companies were involved with 50 % of the share capital in it. In 2011, the National Bank Act was adapted by an amendment (Federal Law Gazette I No. 50 /2011) in this circumstance, a renewed privatization is thus excluded by law.
The OeNB as a modern central bank
With the withdrawal from the retail business in the sixties as well as the first major internationalization and implementation of a strategic management in the seventies, the OeNB went on the way to a future-oriented central bank. Another major reform of banking began at the end of the eighties.
In terms of global development, the OeNB established in 1988 as a service company and expanded its guiding values - "security, stability and trust" - to the principles of " fficiency" and "cost-consciousness". The business center was optimized and strategic business experienced through targeted improvements a reinforcement. Be mentioned as examples are intensifying domestic cooperation in the area of payments by encouraging the creation of the Society for the Study co-payments (STUZZA), the liberalization of capital movements, the professional management of foreign exchange reserves, the improvement of the supply of money through the construction of the money center and the internationalization of business activities through the establishment of representative offices in Brussels (European Union), Paris (OECD) and the financial center of New York.
After Austria's accession to the EU in 1995, the OeNB participated in the European Monetary System (EMS ) and its Exchange Rate Mechanism. The integration in the third stage of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) was the next step towards further development of policy stability. Since the conclusion of the Maastricht Treaty, the Austrian National Bank has very fully considered its role in the ESCB and created a basis for inclusion in the community. The profound economic and monetary policy of Austria was also a reference that qualified the OeNB to actively participate in the monetary future of Europe, a greater harmonization of the statistical framework and monetary policy instruments with a view to the euro system, the preparation of the issue of European banknotes, and the establishment of operational processes and organizational integration of business processes within the ESCB being specific objectives of the OeNB.
In the following, it came, inter alia, to the establishement of an economic study department, of an education or training initiative and to strengthen the position of payment transactions through the TARGET system.
A in 1996 created "OeNB master plan" provided important points for the upcoming transition to the euro.
In May 1998, a new pension system came into force, by which new employees were incorporated into a two-pillar model.
1999, Austria's participation in the third stage of EMU was manifest. The Austrian National Bank - as part of the ESCB - became the owner of the European Central Bank and received new powers in this context in the sense of participation in the monetary policy decision-making at the level of the European Community. With the introduction of the euro, monetary policy functions of the General Council have been transferred to the Governing Council. However, the implementation remains the responsibility of national central banks.
Activities of the Oesterreichische Nationalbank were or are, for example, the further professionalization of asset management, the expansion of the network of representative offices by opening a representative office in the financial center of London, preparation of the smooth introduction of euro cash in 2002 and the participation of the OeNB on the creation of the "A-SIT" (Center for secure Information Technology Center - Austria) and the "A-Trust" (society of electronic security systems in traffic GmbH ) in order to promote security in information technology.
Senior U.S. Africa Command NCO offers guidance
By Rick Scavetta, U.S. Army Africa Public Affairs
VICENZA, Italy – Command Sgt. Maj. Mark Ripka’s wisdom, based upon extensive travel through Africa and more than three decades in uniform, offered insight to U.S. Army Africa NCOs preparing for upcoming assignments on the continent.
Ripka, U.S. Africa Command’s senior enlisted Soldier, offered practical advice to NCOs during discussions recently at Caserma Ederle.
“He gave us an inside look at how their systems were established and how we can best proceed to assist Africans in building their capacity,” said Master Sgt. Mason Bryant. “It was extremely beneficial.”
During his visit, Ripka met with Maj. Gen. William B. Garrett III, commander of U.S. Army Africa, and senior U.S. Army Africa staff. Ripka also toured the Center of Excellence for Stability Police Units (CoESPU), an Italian Carabinieri post in downtown Vicenza that mentors international police to improve their capability to operate in peacekeeping missions.
During 2009 – the U.S. Army Year of the NCO – enlisted leaders at U.S. Army Africa face new challenges. Ripka’s talks resonated through the command.
One session, held at the Hall of Heroes, was like a 101 college course on Africa. Ripka spoke frankly to Soldiers, stressing that U.S. Army NCOs must first educate themselves outside of the American perspective, to see the world as those in other countries do. That will help as they undertake new assignments in Africa, he said.
“It’s a different kind of environment. It’s not like Iraq or Afghanistan,” Ripka said. ““It takes a different kind of mentality. Everything we do in Africa rests under an ambassador’s strategic plan.”
U.S. Africa Command is looking to build and maintain relationships in Africa. U.S. Army Africa NCOs can help by doing what they do best – building NCO capacity, he said.
Ripka spends a lot of time travelling through Africa, meeting with senior military leaders in dozens of African nations. He offered NCOs a few pointers, from the differences in ranks to the subtleties of language.
“Keep this in mind – your words and actions will affect things long after you are gone,” Ripka said.
African military ranks are often based on British or other European country that previously colonized their area, Ripka said. For example a first sergeant might not have the same responsibilities of his American counterpart. A warrant officer in Africa is likely the senior enlisted equivalent of a U.S. Army sergeant major.
The high-tech briefing technology known to U.S. Soldiers can be cast aside in Africa, Ripka said. Trade the computer slides for a block of butcher paper, give up the laser pointer for a thick black marker, he said. Handing an African counterpart a disk of computer slides is not as useful to an African NCO as a reference card they can keep in their pocket.
“Give them something they can take with them, even notes on a piece of paper,” Ripka said. “They call them tactical aid memoirs.”
In fact, Ripka himself used little more than a dry-erase marker and a white board to make his point. He explained his thoughts on building NCO capacity using a mathematical formula of his own devise called “A way.”
It defined the multiplication of three figures; ways, means and three times the will. For capacity building to succeed, a nation’s military must have all three, Ripka said.
“The U.S. way is simply a data point Africans can use to combine with other ideas to develop their own doctrine,” Ripka said. “It must be their way.”
Ripka’s advice enlightened many Soldiers, to include some senior NCOs with their own overseas experiences.
“I took away a lot from these discussions,” said Master Sgt. Michael Toolin. “His knowledge on Africa was well received.”
U.S. Army photo by Rick Scavetta
United States Army Africa, Public Affairs
These images are cleared for release and are considered in the public domain. Request credit be given the US Army and individual photographer.
Must attribute with link to: www.ptpioneer.com
Image of a girl working out Outside doing stability ball dumbbell Curls outdoors in a sunny park.
International Monetary Fund Financial Economic Counsellor and Director of the Monetary and Capital Markets Department Tobias Adrian (C), Deputy Division Chief Evan Papageorgiou (L), Division Chief Anna Ilyina (2nd L), Deputy Director Fabio Natalucci,(2nd R) and Senior Communications Officer Randa Elnagar (R) hold a press conference on the Global Financial Stability Report at the IMF Headquarters during the 2019 IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings, October 16, 2019 in Washington, DC. IMF Staff Photograph/Stephen Jaffe
A Soldier of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo quick reaction force (UMIR) assesses a patient during a simulated mass casualty bus crash exercise Sept. 16 in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
U.S. Army photo by Sgt. James D. Sims
Congolese and American medical specialists participating in MEDFLAG 10 conducted a mass casualty exercise Sept. 16 as the culminating training event of the 10-day exercise.
The exercise followed four days of humanitarian assistance to Kinshasa residents by the combined forces.
Thursday’s scenario centered on a simulated bus crash resulting in approximately 50 casualties, and highlighted Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s quick reaction force (FARDC UMIR) demonstrating their techniques and skills as first responders to a catastrophe.
“My role was to check the level of bleeding and monitor the patient’s blood pressure once they arrived,” said Ndaya Lilian, a female UMIR laboratory technician. “Outside of the military I am a specialist in child delivery, and the experience and knowledge I gained over the last few weeks will help me out tremendously in the future.”
The UMIR unit demonstrated its expertise in three areas of response: picking up of casualties, triage at the advanced medical point, and a mobile surgery hospital. The hospital included three main services: emergencies, surgery room combined with intensive care and hospitalization.
As the exercise progressed, 1st Lt. Coty Sicble, a medical administrator with the North Dakota National Guard’s 814th Army Support Medical Company based in Bismarck, gave the audience a step-by-step narration of the action taking place. Sicble described the intense preparation and execution the UMIR members demonstrated during the exercise.
After the mass casualty exercise, participants conducted a closing ceremony at the Command and Staff College in Kinshasa, where the MEDFLAG 10 exercise first began Sept. 6.
“MEDFLAG 10 has taken place and was a moment of an intense scientific, technical, social and psychological communion in perfect harmony between the American forces and FARDC respective health services,” said FARDC Surgeon General Col. Gilbert Kabanda, during the closing ceremony, Sept. 17.
As part of MEDFLAG 10, U.S. and Congolese troops worked closely together to increase the combined readiness of their medical forces to respond to humanitarian emergencies. MEDFLAG is a key program in United States efforts to partner with the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to further the development of a professional military that is accountable to civilian authority, and provides stability and security to the people.
“We can confirm, without contradiction, that MEDFLAG 10 has achieved all its objectives assigned by both military hierarchies, American and Congolese,” said Kabanda.
To learn more about U.S. Army Africa visit our official website at www.usaraf.army.mil
Official Twitter Feed: www.twitter.com/usarmyafrica
Official Vimeo video channel: www.vimeo.com/usarmyafrica
International Monetary Fund Deputy Director Fabio Natalucci speaks at a press conference on the Global Financial Stability Report at the IMF Headquarters during the 2019 IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings, October 16, 2019 in Washington, DC. IMF Staff Photograph/Stephen Jaffe
This Kenworth T880 with a 40-inch sleeper features a 500-hp PACCAR MX-13 engine providing 1,850 lb-ft of torque. It also operates with an Eaton Ultrashift Plus transmission and Bendix air disc front and rear brakes, plus Bendix anti-lock braking system with automatic traction control and electronic stability control.
Brook lies about a quarter mile from the start of Wye Down, I can see it in the spring when I am orchid hunting, but never really thought about what the village was like, or even called.
After looking at John Vigar's book, I realised there were a few churches in east Kent I had missed out, and Brook was one. I dd not read up on it, so did not know what to expect. In fact, it seems of similar construction to Brabourne, with a stocky tower, and inside, sadly locked, the tower has a private chapel built into it.
But what is obvious is the hole in the north side facing the road. This clearly needed further inspection.
You reach the church via a bridge over a stream, presumably after which the village is named, and there is a path leading to the church door, which was unlocked.
On closer inspection, the recess in the north wall lead to a door, and inside the church, there was an oval door. This is a hagioscope (or squint), but I have never seen one in the outside wall of a church before.
Once home, I did some research, and found out about anchorites, people who decided to leave the cares of the world, lived like hermits attached to a church, with a window into the church so to witness the services.
If this wasn't remarkable enough, elsewhere inside the church had been re-ordered in the 1980s so it now resembles a 12th century Norman church, and has a remarkable collection of wall paintings on top of all that.
To call it breathtaking would be an understatement.
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An anchorite or anchoret (female: anchoress; adj. anchoritic; from Ancient Greek: ἀναχωρητής, anachōrētḗs, "one who has retired from the world",[2][3] from the verb ἀναχωρέω, anachōréō, signifying "to withdraw", "to retire"[4]) is someone who, for religious reasons, withdraws from secular society so as to be able to lead an intensely prayer-oriented, ascetic, and—circumstances permitting—Eucharist-focused life. Whilst anchorites are frequently considered to be a type of religious hermit,[5] unlike hermits they were required to take a vow of stability of place, opting instead for permanent enclosure in cells often attached to churches. Also unlike hermits, anchorites were subject to a religious rite of consecration that closely resembled the funeral rite, following which—theoretically, at least—they would be considered dead to the world, a type of living saint. Anchorites had a certain autonomy, as they did not answer to any ecclesiastical authority other than the bishop.[6]
The anchoritic life is one of the earliest forms of Christian monastic living. In the Roman Catholic Church today, it is one of the "Other Forms of Consecrated Life" and governed by the same norms as the consecrated eremitic life.[7] From the 12th to the 16th centuries, female anchorites consistently outnumbered their male equivalents, sometimes by as many as four to one (in the 13th century), dropping eventually to two to one (in the 15th century). The gender of a high number of anchorites, however, is not recorded for these periods.
The anchoritic life became widespread during the early and high Middle Ages.[9] Examples of the dwellings of anchorites and anchoresses survive. A large number of these are in England. They tended to be a simple cell (also called anchorhold), built against one of the walls of the local village church.[10] In the Germanic lands, from at least the 10th century, it was customary for the bishop to say the office of the dead as the anchorite entered his cell, to signify the anchorite's death to the world and rebirth to a spiritual life of solitary communion with God and the angels. Sometimes, if the anchorite were walled up inside the cell, the bishop would put his seal upon the wall to stamp it with his authority. Some anchorites, however, freely moved between their cell and the adjoining church.[11]
Most anchoritic strongholds were small, perhaps no more than 12 to 15 ft (3.7 to 4.6 m) square, with three windows. Viewing the altar, hearing Mass, and receiving Holy Communion was possible through one small, shuttered window in the common wall facing the sanctuary, called a "hagioscope" or "squint". Anchorites would also provide spiritual advice and counsel to visitors through this window, as the anchorites gained a reputation for wisdom.[12] Another small window would allow access to those who saw to the anchorite's physical needs, such as food and other necessities. A third window, often facing the street, but covered with translucent cloth, would allow light into the cell.[6]
Anchorites were supposed to remain in their cell in all eventualities. Some were even burned in their cells, which they refused to leave even when pirates or other attackers were looting and burning their towns.[13] They ate frugal meals, spending their days both in contemplative prayer and interceding on behalf of others. Anchorites' bodily waste was managed by means of a chamber pot.[14]
In addition to being the crucial physical location wherein the anchorite could embark on the journey towards union with God and the culmination of spiritual perfection, the anchorhold also provided a spiritual and geographic focus for many of those people from the wider society who came to ask for advice and spiritual guidance. It is clear that, although set apart from the community at large by stone walls and specific spiritual precepts, the anchorite also lay at the very centre of that same community. The anchorhold was clearly also a communal 'womb' from which would emerge an idealized sense of a community's own reborn potential, both as Christians and as human subjects.[8]
An idea of their daily routine can be gleaned from an anchoritic Rule. The most widely known today is the early 13th century text known as Ancrene Wisse.[15] Another, less widely known, example is the rule known as De Institutione Inclusarum written in the 12th century, around 1160–62, by Aelred of Rievaulx for his sister.[16] It is estimated that the daily set devotions detailed in Ancrene Wisse would take some four hours, on top of which anchoresses would listen to services in the church, and engage in their own private prayers and devotional reading.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anchorite
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Since its re-ordering in 1986 Brook church has shown the visitor what a church interior might have looked like in the twelfth century. The chancel is empty except for the medieval stone altar, discovered a few years ago in the churchyard, and now set on two ragstone pillars. The church is large, for throughout the medieval period it belonged to Christ Church, Canterbury. There is much Norman work to be seen, including the three-stage west tower which contains a purpose-built chapel or `westwerk`. The church has a comprehensive series of thirteenth-century wall paintings, overlain by some fourteenth- and seventeenth-century murals, although the early paintings are not as well preserved as in some other churches. In the north wall of the chancel is a small almond-shaped hagioscope to the exterior. It may have connected to an anchorite's cell, but is more likely to have been associated with the exposition of a relic on the high altar. It is certainly not a low side window as the tower bell would have been used for this purpose.
www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=Brook
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LIES the next parish southward from Wye. It is written in antient records both Broc and Broke, and takes its name from its low situation on the stream which runs through it, baroca in Saxon signifying a rivulet. It seems once to have been accounted a hundred of itself; but at the time of taking the survey of Domesday, in the year 1080, it was reputed to be in the hundred of Wye, as it is now.
The parish is very small, and is but little known, lying out of the way of all traffic and throughfare. It is not more than a mile across each way, and has in it about twenty houses. It lies very low and wet, in a deep miry soil. There is some coppice wood in the southern part of it, about forty-three acres, of which twenty-eighty belong to the dean and chapter of Canterbury. The village is nearly in the centre of the parish, having the church at the north end of it. There is a small hamlet, called Little Bedleston, consisting of only two houses, in the eastern part of the parish, close under the high ridge of hills called Braborne-downs, to the foot of which this parish extends eastward.
BROOKE was given, long before the conquest, by Karlemann, a priest, to the church of Canterbury; but it was wrested from the church in the troublesome times which soon after followed, by reason of the Danish wars, and it continued in lay hands at the accession of the Conqueror; soon after which it appears to have been in the possession of Hugh de Montfort, from whom archbishop Lanfranc recovered Brooke again to his church in the solemn assembly of the whole county, held on this occassion by the king's command, at Pinenden-heath in 1076; and then on the division which the archbishop made of the lands of his church, this manor was allotted by him, among others, to the share of the priory of Christ-church, Canterbury; accordingly it is thus entered among the possessions of it, in the survey of Domesday, under the general title of Terra Monachorum Archiepi, i. e. lands of the monks of the archbishops;
In the hundred of Wi, the archbishop himself holds one manor, which was taxed at one suling, in the time of king Edward the Confessor, and now, for half a suling. The arable land is two carucates. In demesne there is one, and three villeins, with four borderers having two carucates and an half. There is a church, and one mill of two shillings, and two servants, and seven acres of meadow. Wood for the pannage of ten hogs. In the time of king Edward the Confessor, and afterwards, it was worth fifty shillings, now four pounds.
This manor was soon after this let to farm, by the monks, to Robert de Rumene, at the above rent, and was allotted de cibo eorum, that is, to the use of their refectory; and the possession of it was confirmed to them both by king Henry I. and II. (fn. 1) King Edward II. in his 10th year, granted to the prior and convent free warren in all their demesne lands in Broke, among other places which they were in possession of at the time of the charter of liberties granted to them by his grandfather Henry III. about which time this manor was valued at 22l. 1s. 10d. In which state it afterwards continued till the dissolution of the priory of Christchurch in the 31st year of Henry VIII. when it came into the king's hands, where it did not remain long, for the king settled it by his dotation-charter, in his 33d year, on his new-erected dean and chapter of Canterbury, part of whose possessions it still remains.
The demesne lands have been constantly let by the dean and chapter on a beneficial lease, at the yearly rent of 13l. 6s. 8d. in money, and four quarters of wheat. The present lessee is Mr. John Berry, of Newbery, Berkshire; but the manerial rights they retain in their own hands.
A court baron is regularly held for this manor. There are no parochial charities.
BROOKE is within the ECCLESIASTICAL JURISDICTION of the diocese of Canterbury, and deanry of Bridge. The church, which is dedicated to St. Mary, is but small, consisting of one isle and a chancel, with a low square tower at the west end, in which are two bells. There are no memorials of any account in it.
The church of Brooke has always been accounted an appendage to the manor, and as such passed with it from the priory of Christ-church into the hands of the crown, and from thence to the dean and chapter of Canterbury, who are the present patrons of it. The woods belonging to the dean and chapter here, claim an exemption from paying tithes.
¶This rectory is valued in the king's books at 7l. 7s. 3d. and is of the clear yearly certified value of thirty pounds. In 1588 it was valued at thirty pounds. Communicants ninety-two. In 1640 at sixty pounds. Communicants sixty. There are now only ten communicants. In 1724 it was augmented with the sum of 200l. given by the governors of queen Anne's bounty, on the gift of 100l. from the dean and chapter of Canterbury, and the like sum from Dr. Godolphin, dean of St. Paul's; with which there was purchased a piece of land, containing nine acres, called Great Chequer field, adjoining to the town of Wye.
An interesting booklet looking at the work of British Rail's Directorate of Architecture, Design & Environment that was led by Jane Priestman. As well as looking at the history and development of the 'new' BR corporate identity of 1965, based around a strict palette of symbol, new Rail Alphabet typeface and colours, the publication gives examples of how this was delivered in practice as well as how, with Sectorisation, it had been adapted for use moving forwards.
This is encapsulated on the cover with "Corporate flexibility and Corporate Stability". The new Intercity swallow motif makes an appearance.
I have scanned a few pages as examples.
Sens. John McCain, Lindsey Graham and Joe Lieberman and a senatorial advisor discuss future operations and plans with a U.S. special operations forces team leader in Mangwel village, Khas Konar District, Konar province, July 4. The senators visited the village to meet with a village elder and SOF team members to discuss current and future plans for Afghan Local Police and Village Stability Operations.
19th Public Affairs Detachment
Photo by Sgt. Lizette Hart
Date Taken:07.04.2011
Location:KONAR PROVINCE, AF
Related Photos: dvidshub.net/r/cwqdyw
Breaking the tragedy of the horizon – climate change and financial stability.
Read the speech here:
www.bankofengland.co.uk/publications/Pages/speeches/2015/...
Copyright: Johnny Millar
The Labour Party in Ireland is a social-democratic political party. The Party was founded in 1912 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, by James Connolly, James Larkin and William X. O'Brien as the political wing of the Irish Trade Union Congress. Unlike the other main Irish political parties, Labour does not trace its origins to the original Sinn Féin. In the 2011 general election it gained 37 of the 166 seats in Dáil Éireann, almost double its total of 20 in the 2007 election, making it the second largest political party in the 31st Dáil. The Labour Party has served in government for a total of nineteen years, six times in coalition either with Fine Gael alone or with Fine Gael and other smaller parties, and once with Fianna Fáil, giving it the second-longest time in government of Irish parties, next to Fianna Fáil. As of 9 March 2011 it is the junior partner in a coalition with Fine Gael for the period of the 31st Dáil.
The current party leader is Eamon Gilmore, elected in October 2007 alongside Joan Burton as deputy leader. Gilmore is the current Tánaiste (deputy prime minister).
The Labour Party is a member of the Socialist International and the Party of European Socialists, whilst the party's MEPs sit in the European Parliament group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats. Through these bodies Labour is linked with the Social Democratic and Labour Party in Northern Ireland.
PHILIPPINE SEA (Oct. 7, 2020) Damage Controlman 2nd Class Erik Coffee, from White House, Texas, recharges self-contained breathing apparatus bottles during a damage control drill aboard the amphibious dock landing ship USS Germantown (LSD 42). Germantown, part of Expeditionary Strike Group 7, along with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility to enhance interoperability with allies and partners, and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Taylor DiMartino)
Sen. John McCain speaks with a U.S. special operations forces team member in Mangwel village, Khas Kunar District, Konar province, July 4. McCain spoke with many SOF team members about their views on current and future plans for Afghan Local Police and Village Stability Operations.
19th Public Affairs Detachment
Photo by Sgt. Lizette Hart
Date Taken:07.04.2011
Location:KONAR PROVINCE, AF
Related Photos: dvidshub.net/r/lwp5b8
PHILIPPINE SEA (July 1, 2015) The forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) transits through the Philippine Sea while on patrol in the 7th Fleet area of operations in support of security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class David Flewellyn/Released)