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A goal in each half from Leyland United saw them take the points to keep them at the top of Division 2 and one hand on the title.
Longridge came up against a tough LSG team today and came away with a narrow win which keeps them on top of the league table. Lostock can hold their heads high with a great display which should inspire them for the next few home matches.
The Northern Lights are an atmospheric light phenomenon consisting of colorful, dancing and changing patterns in the northern and southern night sky. The northern lights are mostly green, but sometimes red, purple or blue.
The northern lights are caused by charged particles brought by the solar wind hitting the Earth's atmosphere at an altitude of about 80-250 kilometers. When a particle collides with oxygen atoms and nitrogen molecules in the Earth's ionosphere , it gives them additional energy, and the atoms are momentarily excited to a higher energy state. When a particle's excited state is released, the excited energy is released as photons , which is visible as light .
Designation
In the northern hemisphere, the aurora borealis is also internationally called by the Latin name Aurora borealis , or northern fire, in the southern hemisphere, Aurora australis , or southern fire. In most other languages as well, the name of the phenomenon refers to the northern lights or northern brown. Only in Finnish is the phenomenon called "aurora borealis". The name is said to come from the fact that the aurora borealis is believed to have been caused by the fur of the Fire Fox rubbing against the trees. According to another theory, "repo" means the spells of the forest Finns , i.e. the northern lights are the spell fires of the sky.
Occurrence
The source of the aurora's energy is the Sun and the solar wind emanating from it , which continuously blows electrically charged particles towards the Earth. The aurora borealis is caused by the interaction of high-energy, charged particles of the solar wind with molecules in the Earth's atmosphere at an altitude of about 80–600 kilometers. Most aurora borealis occur between 80 and 250 km altitude. Their lower edge is usually sharp, but the upper edge gradually fades into invisibility.
Upon arriving in the Earth's magnetic field , the charged particle that arrived from the Sun begins to bounce, guided by the magnetic field, between the Earth's north and south polar regions along the magnetic path, i.e. the field line. When the particle stops bouncing under the influence of an external force, it plunges down in the direction of the Earth's magnetic field. When a particle collides with oxygen atoms and nitrogen molecules in the Earth's ionosphere , it gives them additional energy, and the atoms are momentarily excited to a higher energy state. When the excited state of the particle is released, the excited energy is released as photons, which is visible as a flash of light. Up to thousands of such can occur simultaneously in an area of a cubic centimeter. Together, all the flashes produce a vast aurora borealis.
Occurrence
The aurora borealis occurs mainly in ring-like areas surrounding the Earth's geomagnetic north and south poles, called aurora borealis. They are located at a distance of about 20 degrees of latitude from the poles. The northern aurora oval runs along the width of the northern part of Fennoscandia , the Svalbards , Iceland , southern Greenland , northern Canada, Alaska and the northern coast of Siberia . The southern aurora borealis is located in an uninhabited area around Antarctica, far from, for example, Australia and New Zealand.
The diameter of the aurora oval increases from time to time, when the aurora borealis moves further from the poles and can be seen further away. An aurora substorm is an event where the point of the aurora oval brightens, the oval becomes wider, and the bright area spreads west and east.
On Karhusaari in the Arctic Ocean, halfway between Fennoscandia and Väippuvuorti, the probability of aurora borealis is at its highest, and they occur there every night. In Finland's Kilpisjärvi, the northern lights occur three nights out of four, at the height of Oulu every fourth night, and in the capital region once a month. In the south, the aurora borealis are usually only visible in the northern sky, but sometimes the aurora borealis can also be seen in southern Finland directly above at the zenith .
Sometimes, during periods of strong solar activity, the northern lights can also be seen in Central and Southern Europe, for example in Vienna on average once a year and in Istanbul about every ten years. At low latitudes, the northern lights can sometimes very rarely be observed during strong solar storms in the sky. The northern lights were observed in 1859 in Hawaii at 21 degrees north latitude and in 1872 in Mumbai , India at 19 degrees north latitude, when they were at their zenith in Istanbul and Athens . The southern northern lights have possibly been observed in 1921 in Samoa 13 degrees south latitude and in 1909 in Singapore just one degree north of the equator .
Because the magnetic poles wander on the Earth's surface, the aurora borealis also moves to different places over the centuries. For example, in 1700 the aurora borealis extended to Oulu and Scotland , as a result of which Europe saw ten times more northern lights than today. In the 11th century, however, the aurora borealis reached deep into the southern parts of Siberia, and the aurora borealis was seen significantly more in China than now, but only a little in Western Europe.
Occurrence periods
The frequency of northern lights varies in several cycles – daily, 27-day cycle, seasonal and 11-year cycle.
Since the aurora oval is asymmetric with respect to the magnetic pole and remains stationary with respect to the Sun, as the Earth rotates, it moves during the day relative to the Earth's surface. In the afternoons, the northern lights are far to the north of Finland, but in the course of the evening they move towards the south and are over northern Finland at 22–23. Towards morning, the northern lights retreat to the north again.
When an area of the Sun is activated, it produces not only a lot of sunspots , but also a lot of charged particles that cause the aurora borealis. Such an active region is turned towards the Earth every 27 days, because in that time the Sun rotates once around its axis. An active northern lights period is often followed by a new active period after 27 days. This usually lasts for a few revolutions of the Sun, until the active point of the Sun fades and the aurora borealis decreases.
The most active time of the northern lights is called the northern lights maximum and the smallest is called the northern lights minimum. During the year, the northern lights have their maxima at the vernal equinox and autumn equinox . The minima, on the other hand, are at the summer solstice and winter solstice . However, their differences are not great, and in the northern lights event, the northern lights are observed every night of the year.
Over a period of several years, the northern lights occur most often when the Sun's magnetic activity is at its highest during its 11-year sunspot period , more precisely in the early years of the waning season.
Longer-lasting or irregular fluctuations have also been observed in the number of sunspots and, at the same time, auroras. Around the years 1640–1715 there was the so-called Maunder minimum , during which there were exceptionally few sunspots and the aurora borealis was hardly visible.
Detection
Place and time of sighting
One of the best places to observe and study the aurora borealis is northern Fennoscandia , as it is more populated and has better transport links than the rest of the aurora borealis area.
The aurora borealis is best observed in clear and dark conditions, when the Sun has set behind the horizon . The air temperature is not important in itself, although in freezing weather the air is often clear and therefore good for spotting the northern lights. The aurora borealis occurs as much during the day as at night, but daylight prevents them from being seen just as well as the aurora borealis at night. In Finland, the best time to observe the northern lights is in the northern sky between 21 and 24, far from the light pollution of urban areas .
Northern Lights substorm
The aurora borealis occurs during the night as regular aurora borealis substorms, or "aurora borealis shows". On a calm night, one occurs only once a night, but sometimes 3 to 5 of them are seen during the night. In the north, the aurora borealis can sometimes be seen from directly below, but in the south it is usually only visible from the side.
An aurora substorm starts early in the evening, when one or more peaceful greenish aurora arcs appear on the northern horizon. The arches stretch across the horizon in the east-west direction, but in the north-south direction their width is only a couple of kilometers. The arcs remain unchanged or drift slowly towards the south. The arc brightens an hour or two after it appears, and red may be visible above it. The previously flat light splits into vertical rays, and the arc often begins to ripple. During half an hour, the arc moves south to the middle sky.
The third act of the northern lights play lasts only 10 minutes, but during that time the northern lights substorm is at its fiercest. In the sky, you can see wide aurora bands and curtains that fold and rotate and move rapidly north and south. In addition to green and red, you can also see blue and violet, sometimes even purple. The climax of the northern lights show is sometimes formed by the so-called aurora corona, which is directly above the viewer and spreads to both the northern and southern sky.
In the fourth act, the northern lights diminish in brightness and calm down, and the sky is covered by a gray-green diffuse mantle or pulsating northern lights. This takes about an hour, after which the whole show can start over, when a new aurora arc appears in the northern sky.
Already after the aurora shows have ended in the morning, there are gauzy aurora surfaces that shine with a steady intensity. During the night, so-called false starts can also occur, where the arc does not develop into a substorm.
Colors
The color of the light of the northern lights depends on the quality of the excited particle and the energy it receives in the collision. The excited states of oxygen atoms make the northern lights green and red, and nitrogen molecules bluish.
Green is the most common color of the northern lights. It is born at an altitude of about 100–300 kilometers. The green forms of aurora borealis are usually clearly distinct and sharp, because the state of excitation that releases the green color is maintained for only a second between the impact and the release of the light. Green auroras sometimes also show yellow, which is due to the mixing effect of other colors or the atmosphere. If the sky is not completely dark, green can appear white because the human eye cannot distinguish color from low brightness.
It takes a good minute for the red state of excitation to be discharged. Because the object of impact moves long distances in that time, the red auroras are softer in shape than the green ones. Red light is also weaker than green. The red auroras are mainly created at an altitude of more than 300 kilometers, because the particles have more room to move there than lower down, and because the low-energy and slow particles that cause the red light collide with oxygen even before they have penetrated lower in the atmosphere. At southern latitudes, the aurora borealis almost always appears as intense red, and not green, as in the north.
Purple or mauve color usually occurs below green. It is caused by very high-energy and fast particles that collide with nitrogen molecules only late, at an altitude of about 80–100 kilometers. This color occurs in strong and fast-moving aurora borealis, and the excited state of the particle only lasts for a fraction of a second. The purple aurora borealis are indeed very strong and sharp.
Blue light from ionized nitrogen molecules can sometimes be seen at the top of the aurora borealis. It is very common in conjunction with all other colors, but is often overshadowed by other, stronger colors. The blue color is best seen in the early evening or late morning, and early fall or late spring.
A single aurora form can change color. At first it may be completely green, but after a while the green color will be replaced by a red and softer form.
Formats
Northern lights come in many different forms. The same Northern Lights can look different depending on whether it is viewed directly from below or from the side. During large eruptions, auroras change rapidly and take many forms.
The different forms of northern lights are divided into belt-like, diffuse (blurry) and radiated. In structure, aurora borealis are homogeneous (even), circular or radial. The state of the aurora borealis can be calm, active (moving or changing), or pulsating.
The most common, longest-lived and first visible form of the Northern Lights is the Northern Lights Arc. It stretches from the eastern horizon to the western horizon, and has a flat lower edge. It is usually green and moves calmly and steadily. It can gradually rise higher. As the aurora activity intensifies, several adjacent arcs can be seen in the sky, and the aurora zone expands at the same time. There may be brightenings in the arc that go east or west. The arcs may also start flashing.
Northern Lights Belt.
The aurora belt is created when the aurora arc begins to activate. The aurora borealis has various folds and other structures, and the lower edge of the shape becomes folded and multi-layered.
Northern Lights Veil.
The aurora borealis is a radial arc or belt when viewed from the side. The rays are streaks of light up to several hundreds of kilometers high that may move along the veil.
The aurora corona or aurora crown is visible directly above the observer. It can sometimes cover the entire sky. The corona is usually green, but sometimes it can be completely red.
Aurora spiral.
The aurora spiral is a twisted belt-like structure. The rotation of the magnetic field is caused by the increased upward electric currents, which twist the field line of the magnetic field. A spiral chain has several simultaneous and adjacent spirals.
A westward advancing attack is not as strongly twisted as a spiral. It heralds the strengthening of the northern lights within half an hour.
A place where there is no aurora light is called a black aurora, because the particles travel back into near space. The black aurora borealis form streaks against the bright green aurora borealis.
North–south arcs occur as magnetic activity increases. [39]
Pulsating northern lights occur when the most powerful phase of the eruption begins to pass. They do not move, but their brightness varies greatly, i.e. they pulse or flash. They can appear as patches or long streaks, and are most common in the early morning hours.
The Omega belt resembles the letter omega of the Greek alphabet. It is often seen in the early hours of the morning. It forms a wide and long arc-shaped circle from north to south, and moves towards the eastern horizon.
The aurora pillars can be seen during calm times of the aurora night. They appear on their own and may remain completely in place for a long time. They can show all the colors of the northern lights, but they are quite dim.
Diffuse Northern lights are a flat and dim blanket of northern lights that often appear in the early hours of the night.
Sounds
It has been claimed that a sound is sometimes produced from the aurora borealis. Sounds are not believed to be produced high in the atmosphere, but according to some researchers, it is possible that some kind of sound is produced in the lower atmosphere in connection with the northern lights.
One possibility is that electromagnetic waves are converted into sound waves in objects located near the viewer. Such objects could be, for example, the listener's hair or clothes, or even some parts of the hearing organs. A recent Finnish study suggests that voices can actually be heard. However, their physical basis is still not completely known.
According to the latest measurement results, the sounds associated with the northern lights are produced only at a height of 70 meters and are audible to the human ear. Unto K. Laine and other researchers from Aalto University recorded the sounds of the aurora borealis with three microphones placed apart from each other and were able to locate their place of origin by comparing the delays caused by the passage of the sounds. The sounds are not created in the northern lights, but the same solar particle eruptions that cause the northern lights can also create sound sources near the earth's surface. The details of how the sounds are made are still a mystery, and they do not occur regularly during the northern lights. The sounds are quiet and barely stand out from the surrounding noise. Those who have heard the sounds have often described them as a distant noise and crackling. Because of this, the researchers consider it possible that there are several ways of generating sounds and that the distances of the sound sources from the surface of the earth can vary.
In Culture and Research
Concepts and beliefs related to the northern lights are abundant in the traditions of the peoples who lived in the regions of the Arctic Circle. According to Finnish folk belief, the northern lights were caused by fire foxes running around in Lapland , when their flanks hit trees or their tails hit the snow. Native Americans in Canada had a similar belief, featuring a caribou deer instead of a fire fox . According to an Inger and Karelian folklore, the aurora borealis is caused by the sunlight-reflecting scales of the Leviathan whale swimming in the Arctic Ocean . In the Kalevala, the aurora borealis is referred to, among other things, as the Gates of the North.
The gates of Pohjola are visible,
The evil guards are shining,
The roofs are colorful
from the man-eating village,
from the sinker of Uroho.
( Old poems of the Finnish people : VII1,679)
The pale green color of the northern lights is often associated with the dead in northern folklore, and for example the Eskimos of Greenland considered the northern lights to be the souls of dead children. The red glow of the northern lights has sometimes been seen as soldiers who died in battle struggle with giants. In central and southern Europe, rare and usually blood-red aurora borealis were seen as heavenly signs of wars, plagues and other upheavals. The Norsemen of the time of the Edda poems also associated the northern lights with battles and the dead in battles, and the Canadian Eskimos in Hudson Bay saw the northern lights as guiding lights to heaven for the souls of those who had died violently. In Finland, the northern lights are also widely believed to predict weather changes, although in different ways in different regions.
Earliest written references
Northern lights are rarely seen in Mediterranean countries, but when they are, they can be very spectacular and can be seen over large areas. They are mentioned in several ancient Greek literary sources. Thale is known for example around 600 BC. having paid attention to them and tried to come up with an explanation for them. It has been speculated that at that time Thales saw the same aurora borealis that was also noticed by the prophet Ezekiel who lived at the same time , whose description of the extraordinary phenomena seen in the sky at the beginning of the book has been explained as referring to the aurora borealis.
History of Scientific Theories
The Greek Aristotle proposed in the 3rd century BC that the aurora borealis would be vapors evaporating from the underground layers that ignite from the heat of the Sun. Even at the beginning of the modern era until the 18th century, the northern lights were explained as reflections of sunlight either from ice crystals in the air in the polar regions or from the waves or salt sprays of the Arctic Ocean. Another popular explanation was the glowing smoke from volcanic eruptions in Iceland .
Swedish physics professor Anders Celsius noticed in 1741 that the compass needle vibrated more than usual during the occurrence of strong aurora borealis. This is how the aurora borealis was first connected to Earth's magnetism. Later in the same century, more evidence was found of connections between the aurora borealis and magnetism. In the 19th century, the aurora borealis began to be considered an electromagnetic phenomenon produced by the atmosphere. For example, Selim Lemström , professor of physics at the University of Helsinki , developed the aurora theory at the end of the 19th century, according to which the aurora borealis is a slow discharge of electric charge accumulations in the atmosphere, while lightning is their rapid discharge.
When the electron was discovered at the end of the 19th century, the Norwegians Carl Strömer and Kristian Birkeland proposed that the aurora borealis is caused by electrons thrown into space by the Sun, which somehow generate a glow of light in the upper layers of the atmosphere. Finally, in the 1920s, it was discovered that the northern lights are created by the impact of the Sun's particles on atmospheric oxygen and nitrogen, which release the energy they receive as light.
In popular culture
The northern lights appear, among others, in Philip Pullman's fantasy novel Kultainen Kompassi , in the films Kätketty kullan maa (1996), Insomnia (2002) and Aurora Borealis (2005) and in the television series Villi Pohjola
We have been reprimanded by Flickr for incorrect safe filter settings :-(
Actually fair play to them, I had got a bit lax checking some of our naturist shots were set to the appropriate filter. To us any shot depicting nudity in a genuine naturist setting is "safe" but it's not an opinion that is shared by Flickr & possibly the majority of their users/regulators.
It's not like they don't give you ample opportunity to read their guidelines. They do. So fair do's - Sorry Flickr we will try to ensure we set the safety level in line with these guidelines :
>>>>>>>>>
There are 2 types of filters that you need to use for your content.
1. Safety Level
* Safe - Content suitable for a global, public audience
* Moderate - If you're not sure whether your content is suitable for a global, public
audience but you think that it doesn't need to be restricted per se, this category is for you
* Restricted - This is content you probably wouldn't show to your mum, and definitely shouldn't be seen by kids
A good rule of thumb is, bare breasts and bottoms are "moderate." Full frontal nudity is "restricted."
>>>>>>>>>>>>
even if the full frontal nudity is in a non sexual naturist context. :-)
In addition to their warning, anything set by us as safe was changed to "moderate". In effect making most of our 1600 or so photos disappear from view in the wider world.
So I trawled through our stream checking the "moderate" were indeed moderate and not "restricted". I think we had misrated 10-15. Having done the conscientious thing I then mailed them to re-assess our stream. Within 24 hours they replied saying our stream was safe again.
The catch is that all of our former "safe" were still set to moderate so there was another round of work to do to go through them again setting the "safe" filter correctly.
Like I said - I don't think we were treated unfairly - quite the reverse but forewarned is forarmed. So ..... Keep an eye on your safety filter settings folks.
Photo - A pipistrelle bat that had taken residence in our plastic bottle window frame at Camp Full Monte.
Meet: Charlotte's Angels!
I made them for the Super Plush show in L.A.
The theme for the show was "Creatures" - and because the show took part in L.A. I thought it would be a nice idea to create creatures which remind in some way of popular TV shows; like (I guess you already realized the connection :-) ) : Charlie's Angels.
Charlotte's Angels are the revoluzZzionary 2008 version of the pretty patriarchic original version from the 70s (no, I'm not going to make this an feminist issue :-) ). They are still very pretty, they are cool - and they don't need a mysterious sugar daddy telling them what to do. So forget about Charlie - here are Charlotte's Angels!
An external show at The Rag Factory in East London Showcasing the work of 54 fresh off the block illustrators and designs from the Design for Illustration pathway of the BA Graphic & Media Design at London College of Communication.
Photography by Adam Hayes
Myers are clearing out some well cannibalised ERF's, all four are immobile and they are having to crane them on at their end. Fortunately they have their own low loader and we have a forty tonne machine to get them off at our end. There isn't the money in the job to mess about being nice with them, it's brutal but they're scrap, they're worn out and once on the floor we can't move them out of the way without spending a great deal of time messing about. We don't have anywhere to put them in any case. Last week it was forty foot trailers and next week we have some more trailers. We have to process them and load it out. Prices are bad because of things going on around the world and they may drop more yet, we need to move them so that we don't take a financial hit with them.
After a slow first half, Longridge came out all guns blazing which saw them score 6 in the second half to take all three points with a 7-0 win. Goals from Sinclair(3), Wilkinson(2), Allen and Ince.
I just had to go out and greet them!
Six vakas sailed into SF Bay--their port of origin was New Zealand.
It's always great to see our Polynesian sailing traditions alive and well. And even more powerful to see them out in the water sailing. Just found out that the crew is multinational, with people on the vakas (seafaring double-hulled canoes) from Aotearoa (New Zealand), Cook Islands, Fiji, Samoa, and Tahiti, which all have their own vakas--the Tahiti vaka had to return due to scheduling. Then there were two vakas crewed from a "pan-national" crew from Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Vanuatu--this is what is from their website as well as information I learned from speaking with a Fijian crew member when they landed at Treasure Island.
www.pacificvoyagers.org/about-project/people/
In February 2008, I had the wonderful privilege of working on a traditional, seafaring Micronesian canoe in Guam, which is called a "proa" and had the greatest pleasure of meeting Manny Sikau, a master navigator from the Federated States of Micronesia who taught the traditional craft of building a proa and traditional navigation:
www.flickr.com/photos/drsobredo/2272302336/in/set-7215760...
www.flickr.com/photos/drsobredo/2275185283/in/set-7215760...
Near Fort Point
San Francisco Bay.
©James Sobredo 2011
001, shot of woman in a two piece swimsuit walking past a child in a swimsuit along a possible beach environment, surrounded by boats. 002,003,008, shots of two boats with two men in each of them rowing with oars in the water, possibly at the beach. Various people make hand signals. 004, shot of group of men dressed in swim wear and helmets running on a sandy beach like area towards the ocean where there are a row of boats. They are surrounded by a large group of spectators also dressed in swim wear. In the background are large buildings built in different elevations to each other, possibly private homes or recreational areas. 005,028, shots of four boats with people inside them and using oars to row them in the ocean alongside a possible beach side. 006,007, shots of men in swim wear and helmets race on a beach type area while a large group of spectators watch them, also dressed in swim wear. In the background are buildings, possibly private homes or recreational environment. 009, shot of two boats with oars with four men dressed in swim wear and helmet's while rocking in the ocean. 010,025, shots of a large boat with four people in swim wear and helmets rocking among the waves in the ocean. Boat reads SAN DIEGO...LIFE SAVING. 011-014, multiple shots of group of men wearing swimsuits and some wearing helmets standing in a possible beach like environment. One man wears a black and white striped outfit, synonymous with a referee holding a megaphone. In the background are large groups of people. 015, shot of group of men dressed in swim wear smiling, while they are at a possible beach. 016, shot of people in swim wear standing among boats along a possible beach area. Boats have names that read CT77 and HERMOSA BEACH. In the background is a boardwalk with series of buildings on it. 017,018, shots of people at a possible beach environment. People wear swim wear and among rows of boats. 019, shot of woman in two piece swimsuit standing next to a man in a white shirt, shorts and a hat, holding a large mechanical object, similar to a camera. They stand among a row of boats along a possible beach front area. 020, shot of boat with oars with two people sitting in it on an ocean surface along a possible beach. 021,022, shots of two men in swim wear and helmets and holding duct tape stand among two boats in a beach type environment. Boats have names that read ROCK N' ROLL and L.A. COUNTY. 023,024, shots of a boat with the name L.A. COUNTY is floating and being thrashed by the waves of an ocean along a beach. Person in swimsuit walks toward the boat and in the background is another boat with oars with people in it. 026, blurry shot of two boats with oars with people in it floating on the waves of an ocean alongside a beach area. 027, shot of two boats with groups of people in swim wear and helmets sitting in them appearing to battle with the oars. The boats are floating on the waves of an ocean. 029,030, shots of crowd of people dressed in swim wear standing or sitting on a possible beach environment with large buildings in the background. 031, shot of people in swim wear walking along a possible beach front and underneath a wooden bridge. In the background are large buildings. 032, shot of people in swimsuits occupying two boats and the coast of a beach type area with the ocean in the background. One boat has a name that reads RUB A DUB.
The Disaster
On the evening of 25th October 1960 a number of barges were making their way up river from Avonmouth to Sharpness. Amongst them were two vessels operated by John Harker Ltd. of Knottingley, Yorkshire. The WASTDALE H had been built locally at Sharpness Shipyard in 1951. She was a tanker barge and was carrying a load of petroleum. The ARKENDALE H had been built by Richards Ironworks of Lowestoft in 1937 as a dumb (unpowered) tanker barge. She had been converted to a motor barge in 1948 and was later lengthened. Her cargo was Britoleum black oil, a heavy oil which required her to be fitted with heating coils in her tanks to keep the oil liquid.
The barges hit thick fog near Berkeley Power Station and the strong incoming tide was running at 5 knots making it difficult to manoeuvre the vessels for their approach to the lock at Sharpness. Both barges were swept past the lock entrance and the found themselves by the old, disused dock entrance further upstream. The two barges came abreast and the skippers found it impossible to separate them. Whilst they struggled to break them apart they drifted yet further upstream until the port bow of the WASTDALE H hit pier 17 of the bridge. The bridge shook with the impact and the WASTDALE H turned onto her port side and began to sink. As pier 17 gave way under the pressure the two spans it supported fell onto the barges causing the WASTDALE H’s petroleum cargo to ignite and explode. The ARKENDALE H’s cargo of black oil was also ruptured and with the help of the petroleum it too ignited leaving the entire expanse of the river blazing. The two barges drifted on up river before grounding on the Ridge Sandbank. Skipper George Thompson of the ARKENDALE H managed to make it ashore. His engineer Jack Cooper also survived but not before he received a severe back injury sustained by an encounter with the still-rotating propeller of the sinking ARKENDALE H. Skipper James Dew of the WASTDALE H was the only other survivor. The other five crew members were missing.
The next morning the smouldering wrecks of the two barges were left high and dry on the sand with the WASTDALE H standing on her port side. On the following tide she settled back to en even keel. Attempts were made to pump out and search both vessels for the missing crew members but their inaccessible position made the job difficult. All five bodies were later found at various locations along the Severn. On 30th October 1960 the Army blew holes in the bow and stern of both barges to prevent them refloating. They remain there to this day, submerged at high tide and exposed at low tide.
On the night of the disaster the Fairfields workers engaged on the strengthening of the bridge decided to take an early meal break in order to listen to the Henry Cooper v Karl Muller boxing match on the wireless at Severn Bridge Station. Had they not done so the death toll would have been considerably worse as the span they were working on was one of the two that fell.
Within a month of the disaster the Western Region of British Railways had prepared an outline plan to repair the bridge. Pier 16 would be repaired and a new concrete pier would be constructed to replace pier 17. A single, welded mild steel span would then be placed across the top, supported in the middle by the new pier. The projected cost for this was £85,000.
It was found that pier 16 was significantly damaged and was leaning towards the Sharpness bank. It was therefore decided to erect a timber trestle beneath span 15-16 and the contract to do this was awarded to Peter Lind & Co. Ltd.
The bridge suffered further mishap on 17th February 1961 when the tanker barge BP EXPLORER capsized and struck pier 20 causing a further £12,740 worth of damage.
Peter Lind & Co. Ltd. hired the twin floating crane TWEEDLEDUM & TWEEDLEDEE to assist with the erection of the trestle. On the 14th April 1961 the TWEEDLEDUM & TWEEDLEDEE broke away from its moorings on a flood tide and drifted into the bridge damaging the dolphins on pier 20. The crane jib also struck the underside of the bridge. This time the damage was estimated at £6,000."
Smoke helps the beekeeper to control the defensive reaction of the bees. It inhibits the normal pheromone communication.
Pride deludes people, making them believe they are better than others. Haughty ones feel that they have the authority to judge the moral value of their fellowman. In what way? When disagreements arise, they often view their antagonists as lost causes, beyond hope of improvement. Pride moves some people to judge those who differ with them as undeserving of attention, let alone a sincere apology. Hence, those driven by personal pride often allow conflicts to continue rather than resolve them properly.
Like a barricade that halts traffic on a highway, pride often halts the steps leading to peace. So if you find yourself resisting efforts to make peace with someone, you may be struggling with pride. How can you overcome pride? By developing its opposite—humility.
*information taken from Watchtower BIble and Tract Society website.
The people that remained, are heartbroken, all they had has been lost. In conversation with them, it becomes clear that PTSD has set in, as despite their best efforts to salvage what is left, there is very little to build upon. They are without power, water, roofs, and in many cases any of their belongings. One resident pictured here, Eliseo Nunez Ruiz (first image) told us he was doing his best to not visualize his own suicide, but he felt he was losing the battle.
One of the days, we followed some local health care workers to Toa Baja City, a area on the northern coast, built on the alluvial deposits of the three rivers that flow nearby. There isn’t much intellectualization that can describe what happened there, and the only words that come to mind is destruction. Pure and absolute. Flood waters rose 15-20 feet, filling first then the second floor (second image). Many of the residents have just left, the keys sit in the flooded cars, the homes emptied, doors left open, plants begin to grow over everything and bulldozers just push the destroyed remnants of people’s belongings into piles so more disaster relief crews can move through the streets. (@joshuacogan for the @who)
This past week, I had the opportunity to travel to Puerto Rico with the World Health Organization to do some documentation of the post hurricane recovery. It was a short trip, just a few days really, and in such a short period of time, doing justice to any experience or telling of someone else’s experience is fraught with ignorance and assumptions. There are elements you can learn from being in conversation with people, and some you can from witnessing, but there is also a language of heart that goes beyond the words and thoughts. Now 70 days past the devastating hurricane, the immediate trauma has past, and the long-term work of repair is setting in.
4 steps that will force your body to burn extra fat There are different ways to burn extra fat. One of them is the ketogenic diet in which they stop eating carbohydrates forcing the body into a metabolic process called ketosis. In ketosis the body is forced to burn fats in search of a source of energy, whether it is accumulated in the body or ingested. When this happens the liver begins to produce the ketone bodies, which will be responsible for supplying energy to the heart and brain. Glycogen, which is nothing more than glucose stored in the liver and muscles, will no longer be a reserve to become the main source of energy that will be used to carry out daily activities. In the early days it is common to feel tired and even moody as part of the process of adaptation to the low intake of carbohydrates. Just remember that this should be done with moderation because, if the intention is to lose weight, ingesting too much fat means an increase in the calories consumed daily. Also, protein is vital for muscle replenishment that occurs when you lose weight. This is because in the process of burning extra fat you can also lose some muscle mass. Advantages of ketosis You lose weight quickly by using stored fat as an energy source. However, the difference is not very marked when compared to a low-carbohydrate diet. It helps to better metabolize carbohydrates when they are included again and gradually in the diet. With ketosis the body learns to use fats more efficiently and this effect can be maintained over time. The ketogenic diet has a satiating effect. The levels of anxiety that make us overeat are reduced, since it includes a greater number of healthy fats in the daily diet. We recommend reading: 4 ways to include aloe vera in your diet Side Effects of Burning Extra Fat With This Diet Although burning the extra fat is one of your concerns, you must take into account that any diet always carries some risk. Although the ketogenic diet is very natural and actually teaches you to eat well, it could cause you some side effects due to the changes you require in your diet. The most common side effects are: Dizziness and headaches. This effect occurs after the third day and occurs because the brain needs glycogen to function. While the ketone bodies will make it work, in the process of adaptation there may be dizziness when rising or moving quickly. Bad breath or metallic taste in the mouth. It is common for the high presence of ketone bodies in the body when trying to burn extra fat with this method. Urine with a very strong odor. Its cause is the release of ketones through it. Excessive sweating. Like urine, excessive sweating is one of the ways in which the body eliminates ketone bodies. Loss of calcium. There is a link between high protein intake and loss of calcium through the urine. If you found this video helpful hit Subscribe to support the channel and share the video with your friends to www.youtube.com/channel/UCcUzz3o4qb6inarEfrkbWiQ digg.com/u/jhonsm www.stumbleupon.com/stumbler/lhealth4 www.linkedin.com/in/jhon-smm-754389134/ www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100013176189529 plus.google.com/u/0/106240290294084283617
And I shoot people who perhaps dont even know why I am shooting them,hard industrious Indian people of the street , the entire family at work eking out a living ,, very close to where I stay .
I have always shot them from a moving cab or bus many a times the softer sensitive part of me has wanted to reach out to them talk to them but I have no time ,,and than I wonder what do I talk to them , I am a street photographer and not a storyteller of words .
And they live on the streets close to the Muslim slums ghettos of upscale Bandra among ruffians drugaddicts too, and this community can be found near Mahim station too where their girls boys beg at the traffic signals to supplement the family income ,, their children are abused molested , attempts were made to kidnap them but they continue to live make cane baskets.
I dont see any other community making these baskets in the suburbs , there are some Marathi folks making these baskets in one of the bylanes close to Chor Bazar too.
Most of these weaver women come to Bandra Bazar to buy the leftovers of chicken from the chicken shops .. it is the only cheap meat for the poor ..
The women of this community are frail looking not heavy boned , but work non stop they wear a long skirt and a long sleeved blouse .. very simple attire that does not change .
The guys wear dhotis and long shirts very rustic and are cutting the bamboos the kids also peel the bamboos ,,
In a rough shod cradle hanging on a support is the new born baby unaware of its surroundings and you can see its silhouette when you pass by in a bus or a cab.
Even the kids of these basket weavers beg at Bandra Reclamation signal but young Muslim kids from the slums beg here to after they return from their Municipal schools .
And Bandra sadly has not changed much in 15 years not the poor side of Bandra , more slums keep coming up on empty public spots , they soon become vote banks for the long lasting political sartraps of our area .
Change in Bandra is for those living near Joggers Park Band stand .. the poor live as they and will die as they live ..political generosity has been showered on those who help the leader , he is the head tout who gets things done and reaps the rewards in extra rooms and other such benefits ,, this is also seen where they live .
I am a SOBO person but now living in Bandra since 26 years ...and the Bandra I live in is the most neglected ugliest filthiest place abutting a disease prone market with no garbage management , open gutters , and thanks to the pictures I have shot of the many open garbage dumps and taught my grandchildren photography shooting these dumps even foreigners from Italy Australia America France come here to shoot these dumps they say it is Fine Art ,,
Our local representatives are like seasonal frogs you see them hear their voice during elections once they win the coveted seat you get to see them hoisting our National flag on Independence day.Than they disappear and the poorest of the poor has to deal with their chamchas and white clothed henchman in white footwear too..
I have become totally disillusioned with this democratic process of voting for most of these wrong guys like you I too got carried away by the Am Admi Party I saw a great opposition , values etc but than they were just a short time dream..less said the better ..
The only Man who connected to the poor , the shopkeeper the residents was late Mr Sunil Dutt and sadly even God has stopped making leaders like him..is all I can say about Dutt Saabs heritage , I feel sorry his wifes name is associated with the dirtiest slum in this part of Bandra called the Nargis Dutt slums among the other slums such as Rajiv Nagar Indra Nagar and Shastri Nagar ,,
So a picture sometimes is therapeutic it adds to the catharsis of the urban fucked soul of the common man of Bandra ,,
There is no other car maker winning the Rallye World Championship more often than Lancia. Also Lancia is responsible for many engineering's first in the car industry. Fulvias are available at acceptable prices, and for the same money you can also get a Delta Integrale with true rallye pedigree. So, get them, as long as they are affordable!
Classic beauty with just a touch of color. This is pretty much as seen live, just a little extra contast on the flower and lips to make them pop.
Don't you love these colors and tones? Visit them!
1. Sunny {Day}, 2. Thank You Amy, 3. Can I say Happy Birthday too?, 4. Untitled, 5. Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the Soul ~ Henry Ward Beecher, 6. 1.4 @ its finest, 7. { feathers }, 8. Inspirational Mushroom, 9. Rubber Ducky
Hindu deities are the gods and goddesses in Hinduism. The terms and epithets found in Indian culture, that are translated as deity, varies with the text and diverse traditions within Hinduism, and include Deva, Devi, Ishvara, Bhagavan and Bhagavathi.[1][2][note 1]
The deities of Hinduism have evolved from Vedic era (2nd millennium BCE) through medieval era (1st millennium CE), regionally within India and in southeast Asia, and across Hinduism's diverse traditions.[3][4] The Hindu deity concept varies from a personal god as in Yoga school of Hindu philosophy,[5][6] to 33 Vedic deities,[7] to hundreds of Puranic deities, to millions of deities in Tantra traditions of Hinduism.[8] Illustrations of major deities include Vishnu, Sri (Lakshmi), Shiva, Parvati (Durga), Brahma and Saraswati. These deities have distinct and complex personalities, yet often viewed as aspects of the same Ultimate Reality called Brahman.[9][note 2] From ancient times, the idea of equivalence has been cherished in Hinduism, in its texts and in early 1st millennium sculpture with concepts such as Harihara (half Shiva, half Vishnu),[10] Ardhanarishvara (half Shiva, half Parvati) or Vaikuntha Kamalaja (half Vishnu, half Lakshmi),[11] with mythologies and temples that feature them together, declaring they are the same.[12][13][14] Major deities have inspired their own Hindu traditions, such as Vaishnavism, Shaivism and Shaktism, but with shared mythology, ritual grammar, theosophy, axiology and polycentrism.[15][16][17] Some Hindu traditions such as Smartism from mid 1st millennium CE, have included multiple major deities as henotheistic manifestations of Saguna Brahman, and as a means to realizing Nirguna Brahman.[18][19][20]
Hindu deities are represented with various icons and anicons, in paintings and sculptures, called Murtis and Pratimas.[21][22][23] Some Hindu traditions, such as ancient Charvakas rejected all deities and concept of god or goddess,[24][25][26] while 19th-century British colonial era movements such as the Arya Samaj and Brahmo Samaj rejected deities and adopted monotheistic concepts similar to Abrahamic religions.[27][28] Hindu deities have been adopted in other religions such as Jainism,[29] and in regions outside India such as predominantly Buddhist Thailand and Japan where they continue to be revered in regional temples or arts.[30][31][32]
In ancient and medieval era texts of Hinduism, the human body is described as a temple,[33][34] and deities are described to be parts residing within it,[35][36] while the Brahman (Absolute Reality, God)[18][37] is described to be the same, or of similar nature, as the Atman (self, soul), which Hindus believe is eternal and within every living being.[38][39][40] Deities in Hinduism are as diverse as its traditions, and a Hindu can choose to be polytheistic, pantheistic, monotheistic, monistic, agnostic, atheistic or humanist.[41][42][43]
Deities in Hinduism are referred to as Deva (masculine) and Devi (feminine).[44][45][46] The root of these terms mean "heavenly, divine, anything of excellence".[47] According to Douglas Harper, the etymological roots of Deva mean "a shining one," from *div- "to shine," and it is a cognate with Greek dios "divine" and Zeus, and Latin deus (Old Latin deivos).[48]
In the earliest Vedic literature, all supernatural beings are called Asuras.[49][50] By the late Vedic period (~500 BCE), benevolent supernatural beings are referred to as Deva-Asuras. In post-Vedic texts, such as the Puranas and the Itihasas of Hinduism, the Devas represent the good, and the Asuras the bad.[3][4] In some medieval Indian literature, Devas are also referred to as Suras and contrasted with their equally powerful, but malevolent half-brothers referred to as the Asuras.[51]
Hindu deities are part of Indian mythology, both Devas and Devis feature in one of many cosmological theories in Hinduism.[52][53]
Characteristics of Vedic era deities[edit]
In Vedic literature, Devas and Devis represent the forces of nature and some represent moral values (such as the Adityas, Varuna, and Mitra), each symbolizing the epitome of a specialized knowledge, creative energy, exalted and magical powers (Siddhis).[54][55]
The most referred to Devas in the Rig Veda are Indra, Agni (fire) and Soma, with "fire deity" called the friend of all humanity, it and Soma being the two celebrated in a yajna fire ritual that marks major Hindu ceremonies. Savitr, Vishnu, Rudra (later given the exclusive epithet of Shiva), and Prajapati (later Brahma) are gods and hence Devas.[30]
The Vedas describes a number of significant Devis such as Ushas (dawn), Prithvi (earth), Aditi (cosmic moral order), Saraswati (river, knowledge), Vāc (sound), Nirṛti (destruction), Ratri (night), Aranyani (forest), and bounty goddesses such as Dinsana, Raka, Puramdhi, Parendi, Bharati, Mahi among others are mentioned in the Rigveda.[58] Sri, also called Lakshmi, appears in late Vedic texts dated to be pre-Buddhist, but verses dedicated to her do not suggest that her characteristics were fully developed in the Vedic era.[59] All gods and goddesses are distinguished in the Vedic times, but in the post-Vedic texts (~500 BCE to 200 CE), and particularly in the early medieval era literature, they are ultimately seen as aspects or manifestations of one Brahman, the Supreme power.[59][60]
Ananda Coomaraswamy states that Devas and Asuras in the Vedic lore are similar to Angels-Theoi-Gods and Titans of Greek mythology, both are powerful but have different orientations and inclinations, the Devas representing the powers of Light and the Asuras representing the powers of Darkness in Hindu mythology.[61][62] According to Coomaraswamy's interpretation of Devas and Asuras, both these natures exist in each human being, the tyrant and the angel is within each being, the best and the worst within each person struggles before choices and one's own nature, and the Hindu formulation of Devas and Asuras is an eternal dance between these within each person.[63][64]
The Devas and Asuras, Angels and Titans, powers of Light and powers of Darkness in Rigveda, although distinct and opposite in operation, are in essence consubstantial, their distinction being a matter not of essence but of orientation, revolution or transformation. In this case, the Titan is potentially an Angel, the Angel still by nature a Titan; the Darkness in actu is Light, the Light in potentia Darkness; whence the designations Asura and Deva may be applied to one and the same Person according to the mode of operation, as in Rigveda 1.163.3, "Trita art thou (Agni) by interior operation".
— Ananda Coomaraswamy, Journal of the American Oriental Society[65]
Characteristics of medieval era deities[edit]
In the Puranas and the Itihasas with the embedded Bhagavad Gita, the Devas represent the good, and the Asuras the bad.[3][4] According to the Bhagavad Gita (16.6-16.7), all beings in the universe have both the divine qualities (daivi sampad) and the demonic qualities (asuri sampad) within each.[4][66] The sixteenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita states that pure god-like saints are rare and pure demon-like evil are rare among human beings, and the bulk of humanity is multi-charactered with a few or many faults.[4] According to Jeaneane Fowler, the Gita states that desires, aversions, greed, needs, emotions in various forms "are facets of ordinary lives", and it is only when they turn to lust, hate, cravings, arrogance, conceit, anger, harshness, hypocrisy, violence, cruelty and such negativity- and destruction-inclined that natural human inclinations metamorphose into something demonic (Asura).[4][66]
The Epics and medieval era texts, particularly the Puranas, developed extensive and richly varying mythologies associated with Hindu deities, including their genealogies.[67][68][69] Several of the Purana texts are named after major Hindu deities such as Vishnu, Shiva and Devi.[67] Other texts and commentators such as Adi Shankara explain that Hindu deities live or rule over the cosmic body as well in the temple of human body.[33][70] They remark that the Sun deity is the giver of vision, the Vayu deity the nose, the Prajapati the sexual organs, the Lokapalas (directions) are the ears, moon deity the mind, Mitra deity is the inward breath, Varuna deity is the outward breath, Indra deity the arms, Brhaspati the speech, Vishnu whose stride is great is the feet, and Maya is the smile.[70]
Symbolism[edit]
Edelmann states that gods and anti-gods of Hinduism are symbolism for spiritual concepts. For example, god Indra (a Deva) and the antigod Virocana (an Asura) question a sage for insights into the knowledge of the self.[71] Virocana leaves with the first given answer, believing now he can use the knowledge as a weapon. In contrast, Indra keeps pressing the sage, churning the ideas, and learning about means to inner happiness and power. Edelmann suggests that the Deva-Asura dichotomies in Hindu mythology may be seen as "narrative depictions of tendencies within our selves".[71] Hindu deities in Vedic era, states Mahoney, are those artists with "powerfully inward transformative, effective and creative mental powers".[72]
In Hindu mythology, everyone starts as an Asura, born of the same father. "Asuras who remain Asura" share the character of powerful beings craving for more power, more wealth, ego, anger, unprincipled nature, force and violence.[73][74] The "Asuras who become Devas" in contrast are driven by an inner voice, seek understanding and meaning, prefer moderation, principled behavior, aligned with Ṛta and Dharma, knowledge and harmony.[73][74][75]
The god (Deva) and antigod (Asura), states Edelmann, are also symbolically the contradictory forces that motivate each individual and people, and thus Deva-Asura dichotomy is a spiritual concept rather than mere genealogical category or species of being.[76] In the Bhāgavata Purana, saints and gods are born in families of Asuras, such as Mahabali and Prahlada, conveying the symbolism that motivations, beliefs and actions rather than one's birth and family circumstances define whether one is Deva-like or Asura-like.[76]
Another Hindu term that is sometimes translated as deity is Ishvara, or alternatively various deities are described, state Sorajjakool et al., as "the personifications of various aspects of one and the same Ishvara".[77] The term Ishvara has a wide range of meanings that depend on the era and the school of Hinduism.[78][79][80] In ancient texts of Indian philosophy, Ishvara means supreme soul, Brahman (Highest Reality), ruler, king or husband depending on the context.[78] In medieval era texts, Ishvara means God, Supreme Being, personal god, or special Self depending on the school of Hinduism.[2][80][81]
Among the six systems of Hindu philosophy, Samkhya and Mimamsa do not consider the concept of Ishvara, i.e., a supreme being, relevant. Yoga, Vaisheshika, Vedanta and Nyaya schools of Hinduism discuss Ishvara, but assign different meanings.
Early Nyaya school scholars considered the hypothesis of a deity as a creator God with the power to grant blessings, boons and fruits; but these early Nyaya scholars then rejected this hypothesis, and were non-theistic or atheists.[25][82] Later scholars of Nyaya school reconsidered this question and offered counter arguments for what is Ishvara and various arguments to prove the existence of omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent deity (God).[83]
Vaisheshika school of Hinduism, as founded by Kanada in 1st millennium BC, neither required nor relied on creator deity.[84][85] Later Vaisheshika school adopted the concept of Ishvara, states Klaus Klostermaier, but as an eternal God who co-exists in the universe with eternal substances and atoms, but He "winds up the clock, and lets it run its course".[84]
Ancient Mimamsa scholars of Hinduism questioned what is Ishvara (deity, God)?[86] They considered deity concept unnecessary for a consistent philosophy and moksha (soteriology).[86][87]
In Samkhya school of Hindu philosophy, Isvara is neither a creator-God, nor a savior-God.[88] This is called one of the several major atheistic schools of Hinduism by some scholars.[89][90][91] Others, such as Jacobsen, state that Samkhya is more accurately described as non-theistic.[92] Deity is considered an irrelevant concept, neither defined nor denied, in Samkhya school of Hindu philosophy.[93]
In Yoga school of Hinduism, it is any "personal deity" (Ishta Deva or Ishta Devata)[94] or "spiritual inspiration", but not a creator God.[81][89] Whicher explains that while Patanjali's terse verses in the Yogasutras can be interpreted both as theistic or non-theistic, Patanjali's concept of Isvara in Yoga philosophy functions as a "transformative catalyst or guide for aiding the yogin on the path to spiritual emancipation".[95]
The Advaita Vedanta school of Hinduism asserted that there is no dualistic existence of deity (or deities).[96][97] There is no otherness nor distinction between Jiva and Ishvara.[98][99] God (Ishvara, Brahman) is identical with the Atman (soul) within each human being in Advaita Vedanta school,[100] and there is a monistic Universal Absolute Oneness that connects everyone and everything, states this school of Hinduism.[39][99][101] This school, states Anantanand Rambachan, has "perhaps exerted the most widespread influence".[102]
The Dvaita sub-school of Vedanta Hinduism, founded in medieval era, Ishvara is defined as a creator God that is distinct from Jiva (individual souls in living beings).[40] In this school, God creates individual souls, but the individual soul never was and never will become one with God; the best it can do is to experience bliss by getting infinitely close to God.[20]
Number of deities[edit]
Yāska, the earliest known language scholar of India (~ 500 BCE), notes Wilkins, mentions that there are three deities (Devas) according to the Vedas, "Agni (fire), whose place is on the earth; Vayu (wind), whose place is the air; and Surya (sun), whose place is in the sky".[107] This principle of three worlds (or zones), and its multiples is found thereafter in many ancient texts. The Samhitas, which are the oldest layer of text in Vedas enumerate 33 devas,[note 3] either 11 each for the three worlds, or as 12 Adityas, 11 Rudras, 8 Vasus and 2 Ashvins in the Brahmanas layer of Vedic texts.[7][47]
The Rigveda states in hymn 1.139.11,
ये देवासो दिव्येकादश स्थ पृथिव्यामध्येकादश स्थ ।
अप्सुक्षितो महिनैकादश स्थ ते देवासो यज्ञमिमं जुषध्वम् ॥११॥[111]
O ye eleven gods whose home is heaven, O ye eleven who make earth your dwelling,
Ye who with might, eleven, live in waters, accept this sacrifice, O gods, with pleasure.
– Translated by Ralph T. H. Griffith[112]
Gods who are eleven in heaven; who are eleven on earth;
and who are eleven dwelling with glory in mid-air; may ye be pleased with this our sacrifice.
– Translated by HH Wilson[113]
— Rigveda 1.139.11
Millions, one or one-ness?[edit]
Thirty-three divinities are mentioned in other ancient texts, such as the Yajurveda,[114] however, there is no fixed "number of deities" in Hinduism any more than a standard representation of "deity".[115] There is, however, a popular perception stating that there are 330 million (or "33 crore") deities in Hinduism.[116] Most, by far, are goddesses, state Foulston and Abbott, suggesting "how important and popular goddesses are" in Hindu culture.[115] No one has a list of the 330 million goddesses and gods, but all deities, state scholars, are typically viewed in Hinduism as "emanations or manifestation of genderless principle called Brahman, representing the many facets of Ultimate Reality".[115][116][117]
This concept of Brahman is not the same as the monotheistic separate God found in Abrahamic religions, where God is considered, states Brodd, as "creator of the world, above and independent of human existence", while in Hinduism "God, the universe, human beings and all else is essentially one thing" and everything is connected oneness, the same god is in every human being as Atman, the eternal Self.[117][118]
Hinduism has an ancient and extensive iconography tradition, particularly in the form of Murti (Sanskrit: मूर्ति, IAST: Mūrti), or Vigraha or Pratima.[22] A Murti is itself not the god in Hinduism, but it is an image of god and represents emotional and religious value.[124] A literal translation of Murti as idol is incorrect, states Jeaneane Fowler, when idol is understood as superstitious end in itself.[124] Just like the photograph of a person is not the real person, a Murti is an image in Hinduism but not the real thing, but in both cases the image reminds of something of emotional and real value to the viewer.[124] When a person worships a Murti, it is assumed to be a manifestation of the essence or spirit of the deity, the worshipper's spiritual ideas and needs are meditated through it, yet the idea of ultimate reality or Brahman is not confined in it.[124]
A Murti of a Hindu deity is typically made by carving stone, wood working, metal casting or through pottery. Medieval era texts describing their proper proportions, positions and gestures include the Puranas, Agamas and Samhitas particularly the Shilpa Shastras.[21] The expressions in a Murti vary in diverse Hindu traditions, ranging from Ugra symbolism to express destruction, fear and violence (Durga, Kali), as well as Saumya symbolism to express joy, knowledge and harmony (Saraswati, Lakshmi). Saumya images are most common in Hindu temples.[125] Other Murti forms found in Hinduism include the Linga.[126]
A Murti is an embodiment of the divine, the Ultimate Reality or Brahman to some Hindus.[21] In religious context, they are found in Hindu temples or homes, where they may be treated as a beloved guest and serve as a participant of Puja rituals in Hinduism.[127] A murti is installed by priests, in Hindu temples, through the Prana Pratishtha ceremony,[128] whereby state Harold Coward and David Goa, the "divine vital energy of the cosmos is infused into the sculpture" and then the divine is welcomed as one would welcome a friend.[129] In other occasions, it serves as the center of attention in annual festive processions and these are called Utsava Murti.[130]
In Hinduism, deities and their icons may be hosted in a Hindu temple, within a home or as an amulet. The worship performed by Hindus is known by a number of regional names, such as Puja.[134] This practice in front of a murti may be elaborate in large temples, or be a simple song or mantra muttered in home, or offering made to sunrise or river or symbolic anicon of a deity.[135][136][137] Archaeological evidence of deity worship in Hindu temples trace Puja rituals to Gupta Empire era (~4th century CE).[138][139] In Hindu temples, various pujas may be performed daily at various times of the day; in other temples, it may be occasional.[140][141]
The Puja practice is structured as an act of welcoming, hosting, honoring the deity of one's choice as one's honored guest,[142] and remembering the spiritual and emotional significance the deity represents the devotee.[124][134] Jan Gonda, as well as Diana L. Eck, states that a typical Puja involves one or more of 16 steps (Shodasha Upachara) traceable to ancient times: the deity is invited as a guest, the devotee hosts and takes care of the deity as an honored guest, praise (hymns) with Dhupa or Aarti along with food (Naivedhya) is offered to the deity, after an expression of love and respect the host takes leave, and with affection expresses good bye to the deity.[143][144] The worship practice may also involve reflecting on spiritual questions, with image serving as support for such meditation.[145]
Deity worship (Bhakti), visiting temples and Puja rituals are not mandatory and is optional in Hinduism; it is the choice of a Hindu, it may be a routine daily affair for some Hindus, periodic ritual or infrequent for some.[146][147] Worship practices in Hinduism are as diverse as its traditions, and a Hindu can choose to be polytheistic, pantheistic, monotheistic, monistic, agnostic, atheistic or humanist.[41]
Examples[edit]
Main articles: List of Hindu deities and Rigvedic deities
Major deities have inspired a vast genre of literature such as the Puranas and Agama texts as well their own Hindu traditions, but with shared mythology, ritual grammar, theosophy, axiology and polycentrism.[16][17] Vishnu and his avatars are at the foundation of Vaishnavism, Shiva for Shaivism, Devi for Shaktism, and some Hindu traditions such as Smarta traditions who revere multiple major deities (five) as henotheistic manifestations of Brahman (absolute metaphysical Reality).[116][148][149]
While there are diverse deities in Hinduism, states Lawrence, "Exclusivism – which maintains that only one's own deity is real" is rare in Hinduism.[116] Julius Lipner, and other scholars, state that pluralism and "polycentrism" – where other deities are recognized and revered by members of different "denominations", has been the Hindu ethos and way of life.[16][150]
Trimurti and Tridevi[edit]
The concept of Triad (or Trimurti, Trinity) makes a relatively late appearance in Hindu literature, or in the second half of 1st millennium BCE.[151] The idea of triad, playing three roles in the cosmic affairs, is typically associated with Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva (also called Mahesh); however, this is not the only triad in Hindu literature.[152] Other triads include Tridevi, of three goddesses – Lakshmi, Saraswati and Durga in the text Devi Mahatmya, in the Shakta tradition, who further assert that Devi is the Brahman (Ultimate Reality) and it is her energy that empowers Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.[151] The other triads, formulated as deities in ancient Indian literature, include Sun (creator), Air (sustainer) and Fire (destroyer); Prana (creator), Food (sustainer) and Time (destroyer).[151] These triads, states Jan Gonda, are in some mythologies grouped together without forming a Trinity, and in other times represented as equal, a unity and manifestations of one Brahman.[151] In the Puranas, for example, this idea of threefold "hypostatization" is expressed as follows,
They [Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva] exist through each other, and uphold each other; they are parts of one another; they subsist through one another; they are not for a moment separated; they never abandon one another.
— Vayu Purana, 5.17, Translated by Jan Gonda[151]
The triad appears in Maitrayaniya Upanishad, for the first time in recognized roles known ever since, where they are deployed to present the concept of three Guṇa – the innate nature, tendencies and inner forces found within every being and everything, whose balance transform and keeps changing the individual and the world.[152][153] It is in the medieval Puranic texts, Trimurti concepts appears in various context, from rituals to spiritual concepts.[151] The Bhagavad Gita, in verses 9.18, 10.21-23 and 11.15, asserts that the triad or trinity is manifestation of one Brahman, which Krishna affirms himself to be.[154] However, suggests Bailey, the mythology of triad is "not the influence nor the most important one" in Hindu traditions, rather the ideologies and spiritual concepts develop on their own foundations.[152]
Avatars of Hindu deities[edit]
Hindu mythology has nurtured the concept of Avatar, which represents the descent of a deity on earth.[155][156] This concept is commonly translated as "incarnation",[155] and is an "appearance" or "manifestation".[157][158]
The concept of Avatar is most developed in Vaishnavism tradition, and associated with Vishnu, particularly with Rama and Krishna.[159][160] Vishnu takes numerous avatars in Hindu mythology. He becomes female, during the Samudra manthan, in the form of Mohini, to resolve a conflict between the Devas and Asuras. His male avatars include Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Narasimha, Vamana, Parashurama, Rama, Krishna, Buddha, and Kalki.[160] Various texts, particularly the Bhagavad Gita, discuss the idea of Avatar of Vishnu appearing to restore the cosmic balance whenever the power of evil becomes excessive and causes persistent oppression in the world.[156]
In Shaktism traditions, the concept appears in its legends as the various manifestations of Devi, the Divine Mother principal in Hinduism.[161] The avatars of Devi or Parvati include Durga and Kali, who are particularly revered in eastern states of India, as well as Tantra traditions.[162][163][164] Twenty one avatars of Shiva are also described in Shaivism texts, but unlike Vaishnava traditions, Shaiva traditions have focussed directly on Shiva rather than the Avatar concept.[155]
My Dad had been craving chicken livers (I know, gross) so my Mom told him he could get them, as long as he cooked them because she said they made her gag. =) So, on Saturday or Sunday he bought some and brought them home.
My Dad decided he was going to fry them. He took the canister (see photo above) and breaded his livers. Then he fried them up in a frying pan. They actually didn't smell too bad (my sister said the reason they didn't smell bad was because they were fried and things always seem better when they're fried). It took him awhile... I'm not sure why but he eventually had them all cooked (why he cooked them all at once, I'm not sure... because there were quite a few of them!!) He sat down at the kitchen table to eat them. I think he ate at least a half a dozen (maybe he ate more... my Mom thinks he probably ate a dozen, I'm not sure) and then he tells us they weren't as good as he was thinking they would be. 'They tasted kind of sweet', he says to us. We just laughed at him and my sister said sarcastically, 'Are you sure you didn't use sugar?' He ended up feeding the rest of them to our dogs. =)
Well, tonight my Mom was going to make some Green Chili for dinner and was about to use the same jar as above to add to the chili when she decided she'd taste it and see if it had anything to do with my Dad's livers being sweet... she brought it to my sister and I and told us to taste it and see what we thought. We all decided it was powdered sugar. My Mom took the jar into my Dad and told him what we thought so he had to test it for himself... and it *is* powdered sugar! So, my Dad ate pretty much an entire meal of chicken livers with a fried sugar coating. =)
We have no idea how he was even able to get the powdered sugar to stick to the livers, as we've always experienced powder sugar dissolving once it came into contact with any type of moisture (like the cooking oil he fried them in!!)
Anyway, I just thought it was a funny story and thought some people might get a kick out of it... when my sister found out I was going to post this, she freaked out at me and told me that's not what Flickr is for... so, if you take offense to my posting this story, I'm sorry. I'll probably delete it before long anyway. =)
Knew he was probably a Snowy Egret when he showed off those wild yellow feet, hunting for snacks in the late-afternoon surf at Daytona Beach, Florida.
I have a new addiction and it's the food at FRSH.com. They deliver all over Gurgaon and if you are someone who likes to watch what they are eating you can do it best with this service as every item they prepare has a clear mention of the number of calories it contains.
The curd rice for instance, oh the curd rice! Why must I write a review at this time of the night when FRSH isn't open. It is now open until 9pm though as compared to before when it was only an morning-afternoon service. Anyway, how much I crave it now - at 1am! So, moving on, the curd rice is phenomenal. I have to admit I have only once had curd rice in Mysore before and that was completely forgettable, this on the other hand is something I can eat everyday and still not be done with it. "Seasoning" or "tadka" for the curd rice is packed separately to keep it warm and crunchy. It has cashew nuts, curry leaves, red chillies, peanuts, etc. and it completely enhances and elevates the taste of the dish. The pomegranates in it do the same too, I would never have thought of adding fresh pomegranates to curd rice but it just works so well.
The honey loops blueberry yoghurt is another one of my favourites. I just can't get enough of that. If reminds me of the innumerable jars of muller I used to buy at Tesco. It is like one of those really nice flavours of Muller or Onken you get in gourmet grocery stores in India. It is a lot healthier though, because it has oranges, apples, pomegranates, blueberry purée and to that you add crunchy honey loops, I had no idea something this healthy could taste this moreish.
I love pasta but red sauce isn't really my thing. I couldn't have imagined to like red sauce pasta this much but I did & it had broccoli in it! With only 550 calories in a bowl, this is one dish I don't mind licking the plate for.
These are my top favourite dishes out out all the things I've tried at FRSH. They have poha, shakes, juices, bhel puri, sabudana khichdi, etc. but I prefer the above items the most.
When you visit their website and pick a delivery slot, they are there at that time. I've been ordering from them for a while now and they are seldom late. They deliver all over Gurgaon to both office and residential customers.
XOXO
Shivangi
(Shivangi Reviews)
Contact: mail@shivangireviews.com
Find me on Facebook, search "Shivangi Reviews"
The Disaster
On the evening of 25th October 1960 a number of barges were making their way up river from Avonmouth to Sharpness. Amongst them were two vessels operated by John Harker Ltd. of Knottingley, Yorkshire. The WASTDALE H had been built locally at Sharpness Shipyard in 1951. She was a tanker barge and was carrying a load of petroleum. The ARKENDALE H had been built by Richards Ironworks of Lowestoft in 1937 as a dumb (unpowered) tanker barge. She had been converted to a motor barge in 1948 and was later lengthened. Her cargo was Britoleum black oil, a heavy oil which required her to be fitted with heating coils in her tanks to keep the oil liquid.
The barges hit thick fog near Berkeley Power Station and the strong incoming tide was running at 5 knots making it difficult to manoeuvre the vessels for their approach to the lock at Sharpness. Both barges were swept past the lock entrance and the found themselves by the old, disused dock entrance further upstream. The two barges came abreast and the skippers found it impossible to separate them. Whilst they struggled to break them apart they drifted yet further upstream until the port bow of the WASTDALE H hit pier 17 of the bridge. The bridge shook with the impact and the WASTDALE H turned onto her port side and began to sink. As pier 17 gave way under the pressure the two spans it supported fell onto the barges causing the WASTDALE H’s petroleum cargo to ignite and explode. The ARKENDALE H’s cargo of black oil was also ruptured and with the help of the petroleum it too ignited leaving the entire expanse of the river blazing. The two barges drifted on up river before grounding on the Ridge Sandbank. Skipper George Thompson of the ARKENDALE H managed to make it ashore. His engineer Jack Cooper also survived but not before he received a severe back injury sustained by an encounter with the still-rotating propeller of the sinking ARKENDALE H. Skipper James Dew of the WASTDALE H was the only other survivor. The other five crew members were missing.
The next morning the smouldering wrecks of the two barges were left high and dry on the sand with the WASTDALE H standing on her port side. On the following tide she settled back to en even keel. Attempts were made to pump out and search both vessels for the missing crew members but their inaccessible position made the job difficult. All five bodies were later found at various locations along the Severn. On 30th October 1960 the Army blew holes in the bow and stern of both barges to prevent them refloating. They remain there to this day, submerged at high tide and exposed at low tide.
On the night of the disaster the Fairfields workers engaged on the strengthening of the bridge decided to take an early meal break in order to listen to the Henry Cooper v Karl Muller boxing match on the wireless at Severn Bridge Station. Had they not done so the death toll would have been considerably worse as the span they were working on was one of the two that fell.
Within a month of the disaster the Western Region of British Railways had prepared an outline plan to repair the bridge. Pier 16 would be repaired and a new concrete pier would be constructed to replace pier 17. A single, welded mild steel span would then be placed across the top, supported in the middle by the new pier. The projected cost for this was £85,000.
It was found that pier 16 was significantly damaged and was leaning towards the Sharpness bank. It was therefore decided to erect a timber trestle beneath span 15-16 and the contract to do this was awarded to Peter Lind & Co. Ltd.
The bridge suffered further mishap on 17th February 1961 when the tanker barge BP EXPLORER capsized and struck pier 20 causing a further £12,740 worth of damage.
Peter Lind & Co. Ltd. hired the twin floating crane TWEEDLEDUM & TWEEDLEDEE to assist with the erection of the trestle. On the 14th April 1961 the TWEEDLEDUM & TWEEDLEDEE broke away from its moorings on a flood tide and drifted into the bridge damaging the dolphins on pier 20. The crane jib also struck the underside of the bridge. This time the damage was estimated at £6,000."
My friend just left for NYC for 2 weeks and she entrusted her 2 beee-yooo-ti-fool cats to me.
Its only day 2 but I've managed to get some pretty interesting pussy shots.
Unfortch, the other cat Belle still doesn't wanna pose for me >.<
Btw, Intan if you're reading this, Keira's neck has been combed but she doesn't seem to want to eat the vitamins so I left it next to her tray. Belle's not touching the dry food at all but chows down on the wet food like mad. Either one of them puked out the dry food on day 1 after you left, not sure which cat did it, but the mess has been cleared up and they're lookin' good so far :p Have fun in NYC and don't forget to bring back a real-life NYPD cop for me. I want a really buff one in a tight fitting uniform please! Kwakwakwa :p
Edit: Ehhhh, just noticed that Keira's expression is similar to Koobz's pic below. Wahahahaaha!
US & THEM: Based on an award-winning BBC series and starring Emmy Award nominee Jason Ritter (fourth from L) and Alexis Bledel (third from R), US & THEM is a new single-camera ensemble comedy about a young couple, whose path to happily-ever-after is complicated by the screwed-up circus of people closest to them. The new single-camera ensemble comedy US & THEM is slated for midseason on FOX. Also pictured: L-R: Jane Kaczmarek, Dustin Ybarra, Kurt Fuller, Michael Ian Black and Kerri Kenney. ©2013 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: David Johnson/FOX
Virgin Pendolino trains at Euston Station. I love these trains & travel on them regularly. I especially like that they are the lowest emission (per seat) long distance trains in Europe. (Eurostar beats them on paper, but as they buy most of their electricity from France which is 85% nuclear and supposedly "zero carbon" ... ) All aluminium, so low structural weight, regenerative braking, lots of safety features - Well done Virgin!
I was struck by the symmetry of composition as I was walking round to get on the one on the right last night, and only really saw the extra detail such as the flare from the central lights and reflections down the middle of the carriages when I loaded it onto my pc this morning.
(Versão em português após o original em inglês)
“Mr. President,
I congratulate the Republic of Korea for assuming the presidency of the Security Council for the month of February.
I also thank your Excellency for convening this timely and important high-level debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict.
I would like to greet Her Excellency Louise Mushikiwabo, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Rwanda, and His Excellency Elmar Mammadyarov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, and thank them for their contribution to this debate.
I am equally grateful to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his very informative briefing and to High Commissioner Navi Pillay and Mr Philip Spoerri, of the International Committee of the Red Cross, for their remarks.
Mr. President,
As we gather to discuss this crucial item in the Council’s agenda, our departing point must be the acknowledgement that, as indicated by the Secretary-General in his latest report, the state of affairs regarding the protection of civilians is "abysmal".
Civilians continue to be injured, displaced and killed in great numbers and submitted to all kinds of hardship in many parts of the world.
It is our collective moral and political responsibility to confront this situation and offer civilians under actual or potential risk improved prospects.
The difficulties that have prevented us from adequately discharging our responsibilities around the protection of civilians do not stem from differences on the fundamental ethics underlying the concept.
They stem from differences that prevent us from translating our common ethics into agreed policies that will lead to coherent and effective results.
The use of force in the protection of civilians stands out as an issue that divides opinions, compromises efforts towards the peaceful settlement of disputes, and distances us from dealing with the multifaceted issues surrounding protection.
As regards the use of force, a Brazilian concept paper on the “responsibility while protecting” was shared with the Security Council in 2011.
In our view, resort to military action should always be an exceptional measure, after all peaceful means have been exhausted and only upon the authorization of this Council.
And if force is authorized, it must be judicious, proportionate and limited to the objectives established by the Council. One must be careful not to worsen a situation that puts civilians at risk and involuntarily contribute to further violence and instability.
Furthermore, the Council should ensure before the wider membership that military action is monitored and resolutions are interpreted and implemented in a way that guarantees the observance of responsibility while protecting.
Events in the recent past make us ponder whether direct military intervention or support to armed groups has led to improved circumstances for civilians or to further instability and violence.
However, even as we ponder on past experience, we could easily agree on the notion that the most effective way to protect civilians is to prevent armed conflict and, should it arise, display a real commitment to its resolution by peaceful means.
The Charter provides a basis for associating the maintenance of peace and security with the promotion of socioeconomic and institutional development, as well as respect for human rights.
I had the opportunity to highlight this aspect in the debate under Brazil’s presidency, in February 2011, on the interdependence between peace, security and development.
It is possible to argue that the promotion of sustainable development, poverty eradication and food security contributes to the promotion of peace and security by creating a more stable environment for civilians.
It is regrettable that the world should spend astronomical resources on the development of weapons and military budgets, while we are still short of meeting ODA targets, as agreed in the 2002 Monterey Consensus.
This disturbing situation was described by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in a powerful article published last August. As he said, the world is over-armed and peace is under-funded.
If we are seriously to commit to the protection of civilians – and if we all agree this should be done first by avoiding the emergence of conflict – we must seek to revert this trend.
The upcoming Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty offers us an opportunity to take a meaningful step and agree on rules that will help spare civilians from the consequences of poorly monitored flows of arms.
On the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation front, consistent and balanced progress needs to be made. We cannot afford to leave this agenda unfinished. In this context, I must say that the Brazilian Government condemns the new nuclear test carried out by the DPRK. We urge the North Korean Government to fully comply with all relevant UNSC resolutions on the matter.
In the same vein of approaching the protection of civilians as a means to avoid conflict, this Council should fully assume its responsibility regarding the plight of those who are victimized on a daily basis in protracted conflicts, such as the one between Israel and Palestine.
The protection of civilians must be implemented in a universal and non-selective manner.
Civilians ought to be equally protected against threats of violence, be it in Homs or in Gaza; in Khandahar or in Timbuktu. And multilateral efforts should comply with International Human Rights Law and International Humanitarian Law, including in the context of the fight against terrorism.
Under this heading, Brazil welcomes the announcement by the UN Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism and Human Rights concerning the launch of an inquiry into the civilian impact, and human rights implications of the use of drones and other forms of targeted killing for the purpose of counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency.
We welcome the increased participation of regional organizations, such as the African Union, in efforts towards mediation and conflict-resolution in coordination with multilateral efforts, in accordance with relevant provisions of the Charter.
But at the same time we must recognize that coordination between the regional and the multilateral has not always been satisfactory and that improved governance will be required to effectively deal with situations of instability in which civilians are placed at risk.
The complexity of the challenges requires inclusiveness in decision-making and in the implementation of decisions. In this respect, a word on the long overdue Security Council reform is also justified.
A more representative and legitimate Security Council can, and in my opinion will, help lead to decisions and strategies that contribute to avoid conflict and protect a greater number of civilians.
Negotiating and building common ground is the fundamental task of this Council. And in this regard, diplomacy is of the essence and should not be equated, as it sometimes is, with lack of resolve.
The phrase “there is no military solution to” is being increasingly used and may reflect the recognition that we are entering a phase of greater openness to dialogue, negotiation, diplomacy – certainly a tendency which Brazil would favor.
Syria certainly comes to mind and Brazil agrees with those who are of the view that there is no military solution to the Syrian crisis and that this Council should firmly and unequivocally rally behind the efforts of Joint Special Envoy Lakhdar Brahimi, on the basis of the Geneva Plan of Action – which clearly opposes “militarization”.
Mr. President,
I believe that, after recent experiences in the use of force for the protection of civilians, the international community can now better appreciate the value of conflict prevention and the peaceful settlement of disputes, including as tools to ensure the safety of those whom it wishes to protect.
My conclusion points to the importance of strategies that protect civilians in situations of conflict through non-military efforts.
First, we see the need for a broader awareness on the importance of dealing with the prevention of conflict by peaceful means, including through the promotion of social and economic development, intensified efforts towards the full implementation of disarmament and non-proliferation commitments, and by seriously confronting crucial challenges such as Israel and Palestine, among others.
Second, in situations where conflicts do break out, we see the urgency of placing more emphasis on diplomacy and dialogue as the primary tools in addressing them.”
* * * * *
Intervenção do Ministro das Relações Exteriores no Debate do Conselho de Segurança das Nações Unidas sobre Proteção de Civis em Conflitos Armados -
“Senhor Presidente,
Felicito a República da Coréia por assumir a presidência do Conselho de Segurança durante o mês de fevereiro.
Agradeço também a Vossa Excelência por convocar este oportuno e importante debate de alto nível sobre a proteção de civis em conflitos armados.
Gostaria de saudar Sua Excelência Louise Mushikiwabo, Ministra dos Negócios Estrangeiros de Ruanda, e Sua Excelência Elmar Mammadyarov, Ministro das Relações Exteriores do Azerbaijão, e agradecer-lhes por sua contribuição para este debate.
Sou igualmente grato ao Secretário-Geral Ban Ki-moon por seu “briefing” muito informativo, bem como à Alta Comissária Navi Pillay e ao Senhor Philip Spoerri, do Comitê Internacional da Cruz Vermelha, por suas observações.
Senhor Presidente,
Ao nos reunirmos para discutir este item fundamental da agenda do Conselho de Segurança, nosso ponto de partida deve ser o reconhecimento de que a situação da proteção de civis é "abismal", tal como indicado pelo Secretário-Geral em seu último relatório.
Civis continuam a ser feridos, deslocados e mortos em grande número e submetidos a todo tipo de dificuldades em muitas partes do mundo.
É nossa responsabilidade coletiva, tanto moral quanto política, enfrentar esta situação e oferecer perspectivas de melhoria a civis que estejam sob riscos reais ou potenciais.
As dificuldades que nos têm impedido de cumprir adequadamente as nossas responsabilidades relativas à proteção de civis não derivam de divergências sobre os fundamentos éticos que estão na base desse conceito.
Elas resultam de divergências que nos impedem de traduzir nossa ética comum em políticas mutuamente acordadas que levarão a resultados coerentes e eficazes.
O uso da força para a proteção de civis destaca-se como tema que divide opiniões, compromete esforços voltados à solução pacífica das controvérsias e nos distancia do tratamento multifacetado dos temas relacionados à proteção.
No que se refere ao uso da força, o Brasil compartilhou com o Conselho de Segurança em 2011 um documento de reflexão sobre "responsabilidade ao proteger".
Em nossa opinião, o recurso à ação militar deve ser sempre uma medida excepcional, tomada depois de esgotados todos os meios pacíficos e apenas mediante a autorização deste Conselho.
Se a força for autorizada, deve ser empregada de forma criteriosa, proporcional e limitada aos objetivos estabelecidos pelo Conselho. É preciso ter cuidado para não agravar uma situação que coloca civis em risco e gerar, involuntariamente, mais violência e instabilidade.
Além disso, o Conselho deve assegurar aos membros da ONU que as ações militares sejam monitoradas e que as resoluções sejam interpretadas e implementadas de modo a garantir o respeito à responsabilidade ao proteger.
Alguns acontecimentos no passado recente nos fazem refletir sobre se a intervenção militar direta ou o apoio a grupos armados levaram a uma melhoria das condições para os civis ou a uma situação de maior instabilidade e violência.
Entretanto, mesmo quando refletimos sobre a experiência passada, podemos facilmente chegar à conclusão de que a maneira mais efetiva de proteger os civis é evitar conflitos armados e, caso esses conflitos surjam, demonstrar compromisso real com a sua resolução por meios pacíficos.
A Carta da ONU constitui a base para que possamos associar a manutenção da paz e segurança à promoção do desenvolvimento sócio-econômico e institucional, bem como ao respeito aos direitos humanos.
Eu tive a oportunidade de destacar esse aspecto no debate realizado sob a presidência brasileira do CSNU, em fevereiro de 2011, sobre a interdependência entre paz, segurança e desenvolvimento.
É possível argumentar que a promoção do desenvolvimento sustentável, da erradicação da pobreza e da segurança alimentar contribui para a promoção da paz e segurança na medida em que promove um ambiente mais estável para os civis.
É lamentável que o mundo gaste recursos astronômicos no desenvolvimento de armas e na manutenção de elevados orçamentos militares, ao mesmo tempo em que continuamos aquém do cumprimento das metas de Assistência Oficial ao Desenvolvimento, conforme acordado no Consenso de Monterrey de 2002.
Esta situação preocupante foi descrita pelo Secretário-Geral Ban Ki-moon em um impactante artigo publicado em agosto passado. Como disse o Secretário-Geral, o mundo está sobre-armado e a paz está sub-financiada.
Se estamos seriamente comprometidos com a proteção de civis - e se todos concordamos que isso deve ser feito evitando-se, em primeiro lugar, o surgimento de conflitos – devemos buscar reverter essa tendência.
A próxima Conferência sobre o Tratado do Comércio de Armas nos oferece oportunidade de dar um passo significativo e chegar a um acordo sobre regras que ajudarão a poupar os civis das consequências do fluxo desregulado de armas.
No campo do desarmamento e da não-proliferação nuclear, é preciso haver progresso consistente e equilibrado. Não podemos nos dar ao luxo de deixar essa agenda sem uma conclusão. Neste contexto, devo dizer que o Governo brasileiro condena o novo teste nuclear realizado pela República Democrática e Popular da Coréia. Instamos o Governo norte-coreano a cumprir integralmente todas as resoluções do Conselho de Segurança sobre o assunto.
Na mesma linha de abordagem da proteção de civis como forma de evitar conflitos, este Conselho deve assumir plenamente sua responsabilidade com relação à situação daqueles que são vítimas diárias de conflitos prolongados, como o conflito entre Israel e Palestina.
A proteção de civis deve ser implementada de forma universal e não-seletiva.
Os civis devem ser igualmente protegidos contra ameaças de violência, sejam elas em Homs ou em Gaza; em Khandahar ou Timbuktu. Esforços multilaterais devem estar de acordo com os Direitos Humanos e com o Direito Internacional Humanitário, inclusive no contexto da luta contra o terrorismo.
Nesse particular, o Brasil saúda o anúncio feito pelo Relator Especial da ONU sobre Contra-terrorismo e Direitos Humanos a respeito do lançamento de investigações sobre o impacto, para os direitos humanos de civis, do uso de “drones” e outros meios de assassinatos seletivos com objetivos de contra-terrorismo e contra-insurgência.
Acolhemos com satisfação a crescente participação de organizações regionais, como a União Africana, em esforços de mediação e resolução de conflitos, em coordenação com outros esforços multilaterais e de acordo com as disposições da Carta das Nações Unidas.
Mas, ao mesmo tempo, devemos reconhecer que a coordenação entre os níveis regional e multilateral não tem sido sempre satisfatória e que será necessário contar com melhores meios de governança para lidar, de maneira efetiva, com situações de instabilidade em que civis são colocados em risco.
A complexidade dos desafios requer que a tomada e a implementação de decisões seja feita de maneira mais inclusiva. Nesse quadro, justificam-se algumas considerações sobre a reforma, há muito devida, do Conselho de Segurança.
Um Conselho de Segurança mais representativo e legítimo pode, e na minha opinião irá, ajudar a adotar decisões e estratégias para evitar conflitos e proteger um maior número de civis.
Negociar a fim de criar denominadores comuns é a tarefa fundamental deste Conselho. Neste particular, a diplomacia é essencial e não deve ser equiparada, como se faz por vezes, à falta de determinação.
A frase "não há solução militar" está sendo cada vez mais utilizada e pode refletir o reconhecimento de que estamos entrando em uma fase de maior abertura ao diálogo, à negociação, à diplomacia - certamente uma tendência que o Brasil favorece.
O caso da Síria certamente vem à tona. O Brasil concorda com aqueles que são da opinião de que não há solução militar para a crise síria e que este Conselho deverá firme e inequivocamente apoiar os esforços do Enviado Especial Conjunto Lakhdar Brahimi, com base no Plano de Ação de Genebra - o qual claramente se opõe à "militarização".
Senhor Presidente,
Acredito que, após as experiências recentes de uso da força para proteção de civis, a comunidade internacional pode apreciar melhor o valor da prevenção de conflitos e da resolução pacífica de disputas, inclusive como maneira de garantir a segurança daqueles que se deseja proteger.
Minha conclusão aponta para a importância de estratégias que protejam civis em situações de conflito por meio de esforços não-militares.
Primeiro, vemos a necessidade de maior conscientização sobre a importância de lidar com a prevenção de conflitos por meios pacíficos, inclusive por meio da promoção do desenvolvimento sócio-econômico, de esforços redobrados para o pleno cumprimento dos compromissos de desarmamento e não-proliferação, e por meio do enfrentamento de desafios cruciais como o conflito entre Israel e Palestina, entre outros.
Em segundo lugar, em situações onde conflitos eclodirem, vemos a urgência de enfatizar a diplomacia e o diálogo como as principais ferramentas para a sua resolução.
Muito obrigado”
Wrapping our gifts for loved ones, we hope they bring joy to them !
USED:
Mixed Ribbon Including:
Rose vintage lace trim
Brown sheer dotted ruffled trim
Aqua & Mocha rose trim ( I snipped each rose off & Used them as centerpieces!)
Chocolate Brown mini pom pom trim
Jute loop fringe trim
Jute string <-- lots of this adds a great vintage feel !
Vintage fabric covered brad fastenings ( for the centre of roses!)
Metal xmas themed brads.. Dovecraft Jolly Happy Xmas.
Teal & Caramel Velvet ribbon.
And a huge 25m reel of 10mm gold glitter ribbon, which came in handy everywhere, even for adding little gold bows to the gift tags to spruce them up!
Glittered Pinecones, in bright purple, turquise blue, gold & brown!) ..
Small, bright pink metal bells and Red Berries on wire stems.
The gift tags are made from kraft card business card blanks, distressed edges with Tim Holtz Tea & Linen distress Inks, and stamped with various xmas stamps ( mostly Inkadinkado ) in a hap hazard way to make them look aged too!)...
We used 3 wrapping papers, all based on Kraft paper, which we bought a large roll of, (so much cheaper than xmas wrapping paper!!!) then we matched two Paperchase designs with them, and mixed all designs with everyones gifts, so every person got one each of the patterned papers and any extra parcels were wrapped in plain kraft paper ( the mix of papers made each gift stand out! .. and wrapping the 'main gift' in patterned, made a great statement !)
AND as Im not able to make all these lovely things myself anymore, it was a GREAT project for kids !!!!! x
…loved someone so much that you let them go?” Dwell on that familiar quote for a while. What is it trying to say? Yes, it lyrical. Yes, it’s beautiful. Yes, it seems filled with wisdom and insight…but, is it? I think that’s all it is…beautiful, lyrical, but pointless and ambiguous. The only way I can even fathom it making any bona fide sense, find some substance in reality, is when I think about it in the context of a parent, whose child is grown and leaving home. Then I firmly believe, that you can take comfort in the fact that you’ve raised a strong, independent child and it’s time to let them go….let them fly and find their own path. But, contemplating it in the perspective of adult life, I find it slightly ludicrous. Why? Because….if someone wants out of a relationship, let them go without regret, not because you’re noble, but to try and keep them is pointless, cruel and ultimately not your decision. If you’re clinging to the theory that you’re not “good” enough for them…again the same principals apply. You aren’t capable of making that decision nor should you. Justifying your act on an assessment of yourself is self-depreciating, sabotaging, a theory filled with holes and misconceptions. So, in my humble opinion, the culmination of the adage is that it’s lovely SOUNDING. Instead, grab all the love offered in your life, feed it, nourish it, cherish and protect it… as the precious blessing it is, while it exists. (Please, don’t be offended. Like all opinions, this is merely …mine.)
Everything for this lo was created by:
Lily Designs, guesting at 9th and Bloom, “Endless Love”
TotallyWild Dezinez @ Deviant Scrap, “Butterly Clusters Brushes”
and tons of other brushes including:
Obsidian Dawn fire brushes and patterns
Available now
TFL
Kathi
80th birthday of James Paul McCartney.
I mention this, as we were off to that London for a celebration with the guys from A Word in your Ear podcast, aka Messers Ellen and Hepworth, and joining them and us, the massive would be Danny Baker (of course) and Graham Gouldman once of 10CC.
It would mean a day in that London, at least one meal out, and maybe some drinks as I am not suffering from gout this year.
The show started at two, in Holland Park again, and as the new heavy cross London line, Crossrail, aka The Elizabether Line had opened, I thought I might go to snap that too.
A plan was forming.
And the Northern Line extension to Battersea Power Station was yet to be ridden by me, so there was the plan.
All we had to do was get up in time and make a train early enough to be able to do all what we wanted.
Simple.
Of course, as there was a plan and a train we wanted to catch just before eight, we lay in bed until quarter to seven, giving us just enough time to have a coffee, get dressed and be down the station to buy our tickets and to get one.
We did make it, with a few minutes to spare. Really, the only reason for going so early was a parking space dwon near Priory station. As it was, I nabbed the final space, so we were able to board in a stree-free fashion.
The train glided out, and we settled back; me looking out the window and Jools reading her e-book.
Not much to say about the ride up, but we got out at Stratford, walked through the shopping mall. It was just before nine, so few stores open, but people already lining up to go in and spend, spend, spend. We walked through, over the bridge spanning the regional station, then following the signs to the Elizabeth Line onto platform 5 for a few minutes wait.
I was expecting the train to plunge into the tunnel at Pudding Mill Lane, but instead it crudied into Liverpool Street main line station, though without stopping, coming to rest at the buffers on platform 16. Just by the steps leading up to Bishopsgate, which was handy, as I had scoped out a place to eat for breakfast.
The POlo Bar is a 24 hour a day joint, and had great reviews. I fancied pancakes and bacon with lots of syrup, which is what I ordered, though no coffee as it was so hot.
The weather was due to break, but for the time being it was over 25 degrees, no air con in the place and all I could order was orange juice and still still long enough to cool down. Which I did.
Four buttermilk pancakes came, each adorned with a slice of smoked bacon and a small jug of syrup. I know, syrup and bacon shouldn't go together, but they do. Well.
Jools had a small fried breakfast, so we had eaten well.
We walked back down onto the street, then over to the station and down to the new trhough platforms, and it was here that I found that, for now, the central section started and finished here and at Paddington, so to travel further involved a change.
I was happy going to Paddington, as I wanted to snap the stations and passenger throughways, so I was happy going straight to Paddington, getting shots, then going back to Tottenham Court Road where Jools would find a quiet place while I headed down on the Northern Line to Battersea.
In truth the stations pretty much look the same at platform level, but Paddingtn has some round designs on the ceiling, while Totten Court Road has a variation of this. Anyway, while shiny and new they look great and took many shots.
The area around Dryden has a lot of small farms. Servicing them, just west of town in Oxdrift, is a small abattoir - if you didn't know it was there, I don't think you'd even notice it. While I can't see (or smell) anything that would indicate what goes on inside, based on the number of eagles, ravens and turkey vultures typically perched out front, the birds do seem to have some idea...
I shot this image from the window of my vehicle during a brief interlude in the drizzle. There were several vultures around jockeying for positions out of the rain on the available sheltered perches in the trees - I staked out this perch (out in the open, near my vantage point) assuming at some point that one would decide to occupy it - I got lucky and had two visitors at once.