View allAll Photos Tagged TO
The most important things to do in the world are to get something to eat, something to drink and somebody to love you- Brandan Behan
i have something to eat, i have something to drink, and some one loves me. i feel that this small check list makes up for my lack of action today.
where did the day go?
oh yeah, to sleep. i slept ALL day. i hate it just a little bit. didn't get any of the studying i wanted to do.
i haven't really talked to boyfriend yet today, as a consequence, but i did get in some great roommate time, which we've been awful at. We went to the Media Library and rented Session 9 [which was AWESOME.] Then made an egg sandwich, which was delicious.
wow, thinking back on it... i really haven't done anything today... lame.
Meditate to Regenerate "Realize Lebanon: Music, Dance and Meditation"
concerts on September 6 and 15, 2011 in West Hall, Bathish Auditorium.
Picture taken by Ahmad El Itani, AUB's Senior Photographer
Grateful to be awake and alive. Grateful to be here. Grateful to be in love. Grateful for this now. Grateful to feel healthy. Grateful for this day. Grateful it's all for me. Grateful to be here.
Grateful to feel calm and blissful. Grateful it's all working out for me. Grateful life loves me. Grateful to be easy about it. Grateful to have a good life. Grateful to feel relief. Grateful everything is going my way. Grateful to be in the flow. Grateful to be in control of my vibration.
My titties sitting right! Grateful for this now. Grateful to feel focused. Grateful to feel loved. Grateful to be god in human form. Grateful for my friends. Grateful to be here!!
Grateful to find my center. Grateful for fun adventures. Grateful to be a good driver. Grateful to feel relief. Grateful to feel the best I've ever felt!
Grateful for my strength. Grateful for my smile. Grateful for thoughts that feel good. Grateful to be awake! Grateful to be surrounded by love.
I have a charmed life. I have it all. I have ease and flow. I have power. I have infinite abundance. I have love. I have fun. I have control of my vibration. I have it all. I have a charmed life.
I feel the best I've ever felt. I feel the flow. I feel rested. I feel energized. I feel fun! Be fun! Be playful! I feel bold. I feel confident. I feel attractive. I feel knowing. I feel the best I've ever felt. I feel healthy. I feel at ease. I feel calm. I feel loved. I feel peaceful.
I am so happy to be here. I am loving you no matter what. I am in the right place at the right time. I am allowing well being. I am focused. I am loved. I am breathing deeply. I am so blessed. I am so loved. I am taken care of. I am so happy to be here.
I live a charmed life. I am so happy to be here. I feel bold and confident! I love you no matter what. Lets have fun!
We recently had a week’s holiday to take – Jayne’s job dictates my holidays – we went through the usual process of leaving it late and then desperately selecting a shortlist of cities where we thought the weather might be ok, after a reasonably short flight and we can fly from the north of England. Budapest was the chosen destination.
Budapest is touted as possibly the most beautiful city in Europe and we had a stream of people tell us that it was fantastic. It is. I was looking forward to getting there, no agenda other than walking, photographing the sights and trying to get off the beaten track. We certainly walked – over 70 miles – I photographed it ( I’m a bit embarrassed to say how many shots but it was a lot ) but I’m not sure we got off the beaten track as much as I wanted to.
We flew over Eastern England (and home actually – a first for us) and out over Europe. It was a late afternoon flight on a stunning day, one of the more interesting flights I’ve had. I was glued to the window watching the world go by, wondering about all of lives being played out beneath us. It was dark when we arrived. We were staying on the Buda or Castle Hill side of the city. What we didn’t know was, we were staying in one of the most prominent hotels in the city, sat on the hilltop overlooking Budapest. The Hilton sits on an historic sight and features in every photo taken of the Castle District from Pest. We had time to get out before bedtime and photograph the Matthias Church next door – floodlit – like all of the major buildings in Budapest.
Unfortunately after leaving the best weather of the year in the UK, Budapest was forecast to be a bit dull and cool – not what we wanted. There was occasional sun over the first two days but it was generally grey. Now I have to admit, I let the dullness get me down, I took photos because I wasn’t sure how the week would unfold but I was fairly sure that I was wasting my time. The photos would be disappointing and if it was sunny later we would have to revisit all of the famous landmarks again to get something that I was happy with. This is essentially what happened. The next four days were gorgeous and we did revisit, more than once all of the places that we walked to in the first two days. This meant that we didn’t have the time to go “off piste” or venture further afield as much later in the week.
The sun was rising before seven and we were staying in the best location for watching it rise. By day three I was getting up at 6.00 (5.00 our time) and getting out there with my gear. By day four I was using filters and tripod, not something I usually bother with despite always having this gear with me, and dragging it miles in my backpack. One morning I was joined by a large and noisy party of Japanese photographers, they appeared to have a model with them who danced around the walls of the Fisherman’s Bastion being photographed. Once the orange circle started to appear above the city they started clicking at the horizon like machine guns. We all got on well though and said goodbye as we headed off for breakfast – still only 7.15am.
By 8.00am everyday we were out on foot wandering along the top of Castle Hill wondering where to go that day. We tend to discover the sights as we walk on a city break, frequently discovering things as we head for a distant park or building and research it afterwards with a glass of wine. It works for us. We walked out to Heroes’ Square and beyond, returning by less well known streets. We walked along the Danube to Rákóczi Bridge a couple of times then back into Pest using a different route. Having been under the thumb of Russia for so long and considering its turbulent past there are lots of large Russian style monuments, tributes to great struggles, or the working man – very socialist and very much like Prague in a lot of respects. The Railway stations were also very similar to Prague, you could walk across the tracks and no one bothered. In the main station, now famed for the migrant crisis a few weeks previously, there was a mixture of very new and very old rolling stock from the surrounding countries, all very interesting. Considering that this station is the first thing some visitors to the city will see it is an appalling state. One side of the exterior is shored up and fenced off. This contrasts with the expensive renovation work that has been well executed in the city centre. It really is like stepping into the past when you enter the station building. It all seems to work efficiently though, unlike the UK.
Transport in Budapest is fascinating. Trams everywhere, trolley buses, ancient and new, bendybuses, again, very old and very new, the underground metro, yellow taxis in enormous numbers and of course the river and boats. This never ending eclectic mix seems to operate like clockwork with people moved around in vast numbers seamlessly. The trams looked packed at any time of day. Anyone dealing with tourists seemed to speak very good English, which is just as well as we didn’t have any grasp of Hungarian. Cost wise it was a very economical week for us in a capital city.
Once the weather (or light, to be precise) improved, I cheered up and really enjoyed Budapest. A common comment after visiting is that , although you’ve “done Budapest” you wouldn’t hesitate to go back, which isn’t always the case after a city visit. As ever, I now have a lot of work to do to produce a competent album of work. I think I will end up discarding a lot of the early days material – but then again, I’m not renowned for my discarding skills.
Thank you for looking.
To purchase a photo, send an email to Karen Brower at kbrowerphotos@yahoo.com with the image number. You will receive a return email with a PayPal invoice. $11.95 per photo emailed to you at full resolution for personal use. Photos will be edited for brightness, cropping, etc.
I was gifted these Mizunos a year ago (as I'm posting these, about 9 months before the photos were taken). My kind friend overseas has provided me with quite a number of wonderfully broken in shoes.
I had never heard of Mizuno before getting these. Nice, comfortable sneakers.
They are US size 8 1/2, a little larger than I usually wear, particularly as I've been into wearing "too small" shoes for some years now, but I've recently acquired some nicely broken in (like these) shoes somewhat larger than my "real" size, and I've found most of them quite comfortable. So, now I have shoes as small as child's Y13 and as large as US 9 or 10 which I wear (and a couple even larger, but they look like clown shoes on my feet).
But these are just perfect in size and condition. I think they must have belonged to a bicycle messenger at some point, as the soles are nicely chewed up.
Flickr ☆ If you would like to use this photo, contact
www.sebastien-duhamel.com/contact/
___________________________________________________
Marche pour le climat, Paris 2014 www.flickr.com/photos/sebastienduhamel/sets/7215763696110...
Reportages Fondation Nicolas Hulot 2007/17 www.flickr.com/photos/sebastienduhamel/collections/721576...
Albums Éducation et Politique www.flickr.com/photos/sebastienduhamel/collections/721576...
___________________________________________________
Le 23 mai 2015, les citoyens du monde entier, dans une cinquantaine de pays et plus de 30 villes françaises, marcheront à nouveau contre Monsanto et consorts (Bayer, Syngenta, les multinationales des OGM et des pesticides). Toutes et tous dans la rue pour condamner ce modèle agricole accro à la chimie et aux manipulations du vivant, imposé au détriment des peuples et des paysans qui les nourrissent !
Lancées de façon autogérée par des citoyens soucieux de s’engager, ou par des militants associatifs locaux, ces marches sont des événements ouverts, sur un positionnement 100% citoyen, sans étiquette politique.
Nos revendications
Assez d’empoisonnement ! En mars 2015, le Centre international de recherche sur le cancer de l’Organisation mondiale de la santé classait le Roundup de Monsanto, l’herbicide le plus vendu au monde et indissociable de la culture des OGM, comme « probablement cancérogène ». Nous exigeons la prise en compte des études indépendantes sur les conséquences toxiques des OGM, pesticides et hormones de croissance, sur notre santé et sur l’environnement, ainsi que l’attribution de budgets publics permettant l’indépendance totale de la recherche sur ces sujets. Nous réclamons le retrait immédiat des produits toxiques abusivement présents sur le marché, pour agriculteurs ou jardiniers, et plus particulièrement le Roundup et les néonicotinoïdes tueurs d’abeilles.
OGM et Tafta, même combat ! Nous affirmerons notre opposition au projet de Grand marché transatlantique (TAFTA ou TTIP), cheval de Troie des multinationales de l’agrobusiness pour imposer les OGM et réduire toujours davantage les normes sanitaires destinées à protéger la santé des consommateurs. Demain, avec le TAFTA, des entreprises comme Monsanto pourraient attaquer les moratoires des États opposés à la culture des OGM devant des tribunaux d’arbitrage privés, et réclamer des indemnités de plusieurs millions puisées dans les deniers publics.
Réapproprions-nous les biens communs, contre les intérêts privés d’une minorité ! Nous exigeons la cessation immédiate des brevets sur les semences et le vivant, régulièrement entachés de biopiraterie, et la liberté d’usage des semences de ferme, ainsi que leur échange entre jardiniers amateurs, car il est inacceptable que des entreprises privées aient la mainmise sur une diversité génétique qui appartient à toute l’humanité, qui est le fruit d’un savoir-faire millénaire, et qui constitue la source de toute alimentation humaine. Il est inadmissible que dans de nombreux pays, particulièrement du Sud, les « lois semencières » dictées par les multinationales menacent la souveraineté alimentaire et criminalisent, comme de vulgaires voleurs, les paysans et paysannes qui produisent et échangent des semences traditionnelles.
Une alimentation saine pour tous ! Nous dénonçons la dérive des fermes-usines où des animaux sont parqués dans des cages pour être gavés d’OGM, sans qu’aucun étiquetage sur la viande n’éclaire le choix du consommateur. Le 23 mai nous manifesterons notre volonté d’une agriculture écologique, relocalisée, respectueuse des travailleurs agricoles comme des écosystèmes, et d’une alimentation capable de garantir notre santé et celle de nos enfants. L’agriculture biologique, sans OGM ni pesticides toxiques, respectant les équilibres climatiques, ne doit pas devenir une niche commerciale réservée à un public averti ou privilégié, mais bien la solution pour offrir une alimentation saine pour TOUS. Une première étape serait le passage de toutes les cantines scolaires et restaurants collectifs à des menus « 100 % bio » afin de soutenir les transitions d’agriculteurs désireux de faire évoluer leurs pratiques.
___________________________________________________
Marche contre Monsanto www.combat-monsanto.org
Marche Internationale contre Monsanto www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDwBQ5HWhBU
Mangez végétarien www.mangez-vegetarien.com/
Végétarisme www.veganisme.fr/
L214 www.l214.com/
___________________________________________________
Le Sommet des Consciences pour le climat www.dailymotion.com/video/x2yukt6
Lancé par Nicolas Hulot, envoyé spécial du président de la République pour la protection de la planète, le Sommet des Consciences réunit le 21 juillet 2015 à Paris, au CESE plus d'une quarantaine personnalités morales et religieuses du monde entier pour répondre à la question « The climate, why do I care ? » et lancer ensemble un « Appel des Consciences pour le climat ».
Une mobilisation des consciences de tous le habitants de la planète s’impose pour réussir le défi auquel l’humanité est confrontée : limiter le réchauffement du climat en diminuant sa consommation d’énergies fossiles et permettre à tous de s’adapter aux conditions nouvelles !
Le Temps est compté. Ce n’est plus seulement une question écologique, économique ou politique. C’est l’avenir de l’humanité qui est en jeu. Chacun de nous se doit de répondre maintenant à la question : est-ce qu’il m’importe que l’aventure de l’humanité sur Terre puisse se poursuivre ? Est-ce que je suis prêt à modifier dès aujourd’hui mon mode de vie pour que nos enfants et leurs enfants puissent vivre dans des conditions supportables ?
L'Appel des consciences
Il est fondamental que les consciences des hommes et des femmes de cette planète s'expriment ensemble, quelques soient leurs conditions, leurs religions, leurs philosophies.
La campagne "Why do I care ?" invite chacun à témoigner, et à faire savoir autour de lui, pourquoi la lutte contre le réchauffement climatique est importante et nous concerne chacun.
___________________________________________________
OSONS
Plaidoyer d'un homme libre
« Les sommets sur le climat se succèdent, nous croulons sous l'avalanche de rapports plus alarmants les uns que les autres. Et l'on se rassure avec une multitude de déclarations d'intention et de bonnes résolutions. Si la prise de conscience progresse, sa traduction concrète reste dérisoire. L'humanité doit se ressaisir, sortir de son indifférence et faire naître un monde qui prend enfin soin de lui. »
Nicolas Hulot, Président de la Fondation Nicolas Hulot pour la Nature et l'Homme
Ce manifeste écrit par Nicolas Hulot est un cri du coeur, un plaidoyer pour l'action, un ultime appel à la mobilisation et un coup de poing sur la table des négociations climat avant le grand rendez-vous de la COP21. Il engage chacun à apporter sa contribution dans l'écriture d'un nouveau chapitre de l'aventure humaine, à nous changer nous mêmes et par ce biais à changer le monde.
Diagnostic implacable, constat lucide mais surtout propositions concrètes pour les responsables politiques et pistes d'action accessibles pour chacun d'entre nous, cet ouvrage est l'aboutissement de son engagement et de sa vision en toute liberté des solutions à « prescrire » avant et après la COP21. L'urgence est à l'action. En 12 propositions concrètes, Nicolas Hulot dresse, avec sa Fondation, une feuille de route alternative pour les États et suggère 10 engagements individuels pour que chacun puisse également faire bouger les lignes à son niveau.
Depuis 40 ans, Nicolas Hulot parcourt la planète. Témoin de sa lente destruction, il a décidé de devenir un des acteurs de sa reconstruction. Au côté de sa Fondation pour la Nature et l'Homme ou en parlant aux oreilles des décideurs, il contribue à faire évoluer les mentalités.
Broché - 96 pages boutique-solidaire.com/…/produits-…/26414-osons-.html
Fondation Nicolas Hulot www.fondation-nicolas-hulot.org/
___________________________________________________
Photographie de Sébastien Duhamel, professionnel de l’image www.sebastien-duhamel.com/présentation-références/
Derniers projets/reportages photos www.flickr.com/photos/sebastienduhamel/collections/721576...
Classeurs photos www.flickr.com/photos/sebastienduhamel/collections
Albums photos www.flickr.com/photos/sebastienduhamel/sets/
Tournages vimeo.com/137495739
www.dailymotion.com/user/Sebastien_Duhamel/1
____________________________________________________
Photo/Conditions www.sebastien-duhamel.com/conditions-tarifs/
____________________________________________________
[NB] Les photos HD sont de 5610x3741 Px-300dpi. Dans la base Flickr 700x467 Px-072dpi
Pour une visualisation optimale d’un album, placez la souris sur le bouton du centre en haut à droite de la fenêtre Flickr, puis cliquez sur le bouton
Pour une visualisation pleine écran cliquez sur la photo et flèches de direction du clavier
Retour à la navigation :
Classeurs www.flickr.com/photos/sebastienduhamel/collections
Teignmouth to ShaldonaThe Ferry Crossing can be traced back to 1296, but is probably much older, with origins in Saxon times. It has always been an important link and in those days saved a 14 mile journey to Shaldon and beyond, via Newton Abbot as the first bridge wasn’t built until 1827.
The Ferry now runs from the bottom of Lifeboat Lane in Teignmouth, but throughout its history has landed in several different places. For instance, during World War Two, The Ferry landing moved along the beach to Gales Hill, next to the present commercial docks, as the whole area around The Point was used by U.S. Forces for the repair and preparation of landing craft for D Day.
Black and white ‘gunports’ were added to the rowing boat ferries after the Napoleonic wars to make them look like ‘fearsome’ Men o’ War. This tradition continued with the advent of the first motor ferries nos. 1 & 2 in 1907-08.
When the first bridge was built around 1827 the ferry was then owned by the Shaldon Bridge Company until it was purchased by the local Council in the early 1950s.
Teignbridge District Council still retain the ‘rights to the crossing and own No.4 ferry, which was built in 1946. The service itself is run privately by a local company, the previous owners added the former Kings Lynn Ferry to the route, built around 1973 and now named ‘No.5’.
A visit the Teignmouth & Shaldon museum will tell you more about the Ferry and local history. Historic Ferry Teign Passenger Ferry
Happy to stand on the Future of Flight Strato Deck and capture a Dreamlifter flying... so enjoy.
Here's an outtake from the July 24, 2015 Future of Flight Summer Nights on the Strato Deck that I didn't feel was worth www.flickr.com/photos/futureofflightcenter/albums/7215765.... So enjoy.
PHOTO CREDIT: Joe A. Kunzler Photo, AvgeekJoe Productions, growlernoise-AT-gmail-DOT-com
Camila Polo Florez, IAEA Chief of Protocol and External Relations Officer escorts the arrival of the US Congressional Delegation as they make their way to the M7 meeting room during their official visit at the International Atomic Energy Agency on 6 July 2021. Vienna, Austria.
Photo Credit: Dean Calma / IAEA
United States Congressional Delegation:
Senator Roger F. Wicker
Senator Ben Cardin
Representative Richard Hudson
Senator John Cornyn
Representative Addison “Joe” Wilson
Senator Thorn Tillis
Representative Llyod Dogget
Representative Steve Cohen
Representative Andy Harris
Representative Marc Veasey
Representative Trent Kelley
Representative Gwen Moore
Mr. Alex Tiersky
Mr. Nic Adams
CAPT Chase Patrick
Dr. Brian Monahan
Permanent Mission of the United States to the IAEA :
Chargé d'Affaires, Mr Louis Bono
Acting DCM, Ms Leslie Hayden,
Acting IAEA Counsellor, Edward Canuel,
Matt Gillwald
Claudio Noetzli
Jack Sabatini
IAEA:
Rafael Mariano Grossi, IAEA Director General
Jacek Bylica, IAEA Chief of Cabinet
Edgard Perez Alvan, Senior Advisor to the Director General
Camila Polo Florez, IAEA Chief of Protocol and External Relations Officer
Ruzanna Harman, IAEA External Relations Officer
0927-676-19
Mumma Farm
Samuel and Elizabeth (Miller) Mumma lived here with their 10 children, Samuel having inherited it from his father in 1850. It was Samuel who had given some of his land on which to build the Dunker Church.
As the armies began to move into place around Sharpsburg the Mummas were told they should leave. They gathered clothing and packed the family silver in a basket, but left everything behind as artillery fire broke out overhead. The parents and younger children travelled in a two horse cart while the older children walked, escaping to Manor Church, about four miles to the north. It was good that they did. Their home became the site of some of the earliest fighting in the battle, and their buildings the only buildings on the battlefield purposely destroyed in the fighting. The house, barn, and two outbuildings were burned by withdrawing North Carolina troops to keep them from sheltering Union sharpshooters.
The Mummas returned to the loss of everything they owned, which they estimated as worth around eight to ten thousand dollars. Over the winter they lived on the Sherrick farm near the Burnside Bridge, and rebuilt in 1863. The current house was rebuilt on the original foundation. After the war the Federal government refused compensation for the Mummas’ loss because the damage was caused by Confederates, and compensation was only paid for damage caused by Federal troops.
To see all 420 photos from my day in Edinburgh, please click here -
www.flickr.com/photos/mals_uk_buses/sets/72157686497271494
This set will be added to over the next few days
went to a local beading store today and they had the most magnificent polished beads and stones... here are some samples!
Within a year British Railways would have become British Rail and with a new corporate identity; it is interesting that in the years prior to the DRU's rebranding of the railways publicity had become devoid of the 1948 'totem' branding and it appears each Region was, to an extent, trying out its own approach. I wonder if this fragmentation of corproate 'look' was part of the driver behind the new double arrow era?
This leaflet gives details of reduced fares for holiday travel from the North East of the North Eastern Region. Stations on Tyneside, Wearside and Teesside are shown with a range of holiday destinations in both the North of England (West and East Coast), East Anglia and North Wales as well as destinations in Scotland. Several of these once popular seaside towns subsequently lost their direct rail connections.These fares were valid from June 1964 until September, excluding the July - August 'high season'.
Day 1 of a trip from Adelaide to Kangaroo Island South Australia 10/04/2019
Kangaroo Island Sealink operates a daily ferry service from mainland South Australia to Penneshaw, a major town on Kangaroo Island. The ferry departs from the town of Cape Jervis, which is a 90-minute drive south of Adelaide (or take Sealink's shuttle bus service). Daily flights also transfer passengers from Adelaide to Kangaroo Island with the airline Regional Express. The island is surprisingly large, being 155 kilometres (96 miles) long and 55 kilometres (35 miles) at its widest; you'll need at least a weekend to explore it
Walk among rare sea lions
The Seal Bay Conservation Park on Kangaroo Island's south coast is the only place in the world where you can walk among endangered Australian sea lions. You can walk along a 900-metre (2950-foot) wooden boardwalk on a Boardwalk Tour and see the animals on the sand and in the surf, or you can take a guided 45-minute Seal Bay Experience tour onto the beach itself.
Where the wild things are...
Even though a third of Kangaroo Island is national park, you don’t have to be in one to see its famous wildlife. Across the island, kangaroos, Tammar wallabies, Rosenberg’s goannas, koalas, echidnas, Australian fur seals and long-nosed fur seals roam free. In addition, the island is home to over 250 species of birds, including Little Penguins and one of the world’s largest birds of prey, the magnificent Wedge Tailed Eagle.
Kangaroo Island is also the world’s only sanctuary for Ligurian bees. Introduced from Italy in the late 1800s, the bee has created a thriving honey industry.
Flinders Chase National Park dominates the western end of the island, and although 326 square kilometres in size, has just four permanent residents, all of whom are Park Rangers. It’s also home to some of the island’s most spectacular sights, like Remarkable Rocks, Admirals Arch and Cape du Couedic Lighthouse.
Koalas are arguably Australia’s cutest native marsupials. They spend most of the day resting and eating high up in eucalyptus trees. If you fancy giving a koala a cuddle just like Chris, then the best way to encounter them is with a visit to Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park near the centre of the island. Another great way to spot koalas is by taking a guided or self-guided stroll down the Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary Koala walk located along the south-west coast.
The Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea), also known as the Australian sea-lion or Australian sealion, is a species of sea lion that is the only endemic pinniped in Australia.[2] It is currently monotypic in the genus Neophoca, with the extinct Pleistocene New Zealand sea lion Neophoca palatina the only known congener.[3] These sea lions are sparsely distributed through Houtman Arbrolhos Islands (28°S., 114°E.) in Western Australia and The Pages Islands (35°46’S., 138°18’E) in southern Australia. With a population estimated at around 14,730 animals, the Wildlife Conservation Act of Western Australia (1950) has listed them as “in need of special protection”. Their Conservation status is listed as endangered. These pinnipeds are specifically known for their abnormal breeding cycles, which are varied between a 5-month breeding cycle and a 17- to 18-month aseasonal breeding cycle, compared to other pinnipeds which fit into a 12-month reproductive cycle.[2] Females are either silver or fawn with a cream underbelly and males are dark chocolate brown with a yellow mane and are bigger than the females.
To commemorate Amtrak's 40th Anniversary, they assembled a special train with displays of photos, uniforms, china, and memorabilia from America’s Railroad℠ while also offering a glimpse into the future.
Photo - Matt Donnelly
Troopers assigned to the Regimental Engineer Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, were inducted, by senior leadership from their unit, into the ranks of the Noncommissioned officer during a ceremony held at Tower Barracks, located in Grafenwoehr, Germany, Oct. 30, 2015. The inductees were from Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, Sgt. Joshua M. Cooper; Alpha Troop, Sgt. Joshua E. Powls, Sgt. Jesse R. Spensley and Sgt. Abdoul A. Songne; Bravo Troop, Sgt. Eduardo M. Potter and Sgt. Zachary D. Chandler; Foward Support Troop, Sgt. Jae K. Kim and Sgt. Lashawn C. May. The special guest speaker for the event was Command Sgt. Maj. Robert Johnson, the Field Artillery Squadron's Senior Enlisted Advisor, whom also received an award from the RES in recognition of his service and support of the unit. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. William A. Tanner/released)
“I am happy when I do something voluntarily. I want to help every single person if possible,” says Nilab.
“Doing something voluntarily keeps you down to earth and doesn’t give you an ego.” She adds.
Volunteerism is also an important vehicle for sustainable development. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development explicitly recognises volunteer groups as stakeholders to achieve the 17 SDGs.
Many of the SDGs call for long-term attitude and behavior changes - for example, in the way we live together or in the way we consume. Volunteers facilitate change in mindsets by raising awareness and inspiring others.
“My ambition is big, as big as the SDGs,” says Shugofa Ayub, a project officer UNV working on the SDGs. “Through our work as volunteers, I believe we can achieve it.”
104 UN Volunteers contribute to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Afghanistan. This include 20 National and 83 internationals. A total of 43 UNVs in UNDP, 1 in UNICEF, 1 with UNWOMEN, 68 with UN Mission, 1 UNFPA, and 1 with the World Bank.
© UNDP / S. Omer Sadaat / 2018
___________________
STORY:
Imagine a situation where just going to school puts your life at risk.
Under Taliban rule in Afghanistan, this was the situation for Nilab Aria and many others. In second grade, she had to be homeschooled by her mother. Nilab had been forced to wear a burqa since she was eight years old.
Today, Nilab is a United Nations Volunteer. Her passion for education and professionalism started back then.
Hidden from sight, and from the Taliban, she took short courses in English and Science in a basement, where she studied by a candlelight. As an additional precaution, the students were forced to pretend that that they were taking Islamic studies, the only studies permitted under the Taliban regime.
One day, however, someone informed the Taliban, and the underground classes were closed for a time. The Taliban threated death for anyone who attempted to attend any classes.
My hero, my inspiration:
Recently, another difficult period in Nilab’s life. She lost her father. “Knowing that my father is no longer with us is the worst memory of my life. He was my hero and my inspiration.”
Her father died of a heart attack when he was in their hometown in Nijrab district of Kapisa province, helping his fellow villagers build clean water systems.
Nilab is the eldest sibling in her family. She has one brother and five sisters. After their loss, she is the sole breadwinner in the family.
“Right before he died, he called us and asked each of us one by one what he should bring us from our village.” She inherited her spirit of helping people from her father.
During the 1960s, when most people were highly conservative and had no interest on education, her father was the first man in town to put her aunts and other family members through school.
It was a common tradition in their family that a girl is married as soon as she reaches the final classes of school but her father was different. He wanted her first to achieve her dreams and be able to stand on her own feet.
Unwavering Spirit for volunteerism:
While Nilab was pursuing her undergraduate studies, she also worked with a local NGO that works to end violence against women and sexual harassment. She worked during the day and attended university in the evening.
She has been volunteering since her school days. She did not think so much of the money she would earn, because her goal was to learn as much as she could and help to bring positive change and peace in Afghanistan.
In Sept 2017, she was successfully selected as an intern for UNDP. Her internship was later extended and she applied for a UNV post as Finance Associate with the elections project, UNESP.
UN Volunteers are highly motivated, qualified individuals, committed to the principles and ideals of the United Nations. They complement and strengthen the work of UN entities, public institutions and civil society organizations.
“As a UN Volunteer, you are not only contributing to peace and development, but also helping, caring, meeting new people, and there is an exchange of cultural values” says Nilab.
Today, International Volunteers Day 2018 focuses on the values of volunteerism through the appreciation of local volunteers, including marginalized groups and women, who make up nearly 60 per cent of volunteers worldwide, and their impact on building Resilient Communities.
“I am happy when I do something voluntarily. I want to help every single person if possible,” says Nilab.
“Doing something voluntarily keeps you down to earth and doesn’t give you an ego.” She adds.
Volunteerism is also an important vehicle for sustainable development. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development explicitly recognises volunteer groups as stakeholders to achieve the 17 SDGs.
Many of the SDGs call for long-term attitude and behavior changes - for example, in the way we live together or in the way we consume. Volunteers facilitate change in mindsets by raising awareness and inspiring others.
“My ambition is big, as big as the SDGs,” says Shugofa Ayub, a project officer UNV working on the SDGs. “Through our work as volunteers, I believe we can achieve it.”
104 UN Volunteers contribute to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Afghanistan. This include 20 National and 83 internationals. A total of 43 UNVs in UNDP, 1 in UNICEF, 1 with UNWOMEN, 68 with UN Mission, 1 UNFPA, and 1 with the World Bank.
***
Story by Omer
The focus of the tour lies on the question: What has Vogelsang (still) got to do with me now?
The second year of study in the Junker program was held at Burg Vogelsang locating on a slope overlooking the Urft river in the region of west Germany called the Eifel.
Built by Clemens Klotz, the sprawling complex included the Adlerhof (Eagle court), a church like structure called the Gemeinschaftshaus (community house), Wirtschauftgegebäude (economics building), Haus des Wissens or (House of Knowledge), the Kameradschaftshäusen or (Barracks), the Burgsschenke or cantine, Swim and sports Hall.
The daily rountine consisted of 6:00 early morning exercise 7:00 muster, 8:00 - 10:00 project groups, 10:00 - 12:00, mess followed by lectures and afternoon sports, group projects 5:00 - 6:30 pm and rest at 10:00 pm. Studies consisted of National socialist race science, geopolitics and intensive sportive education (especially equitation).
Another emphasis was pilot training.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Der fatalen Faszination der NS-Zeit nachspüren
Stefan Wunsch: In meinen Augen bedeutet Bildungsarbeit, Vogelsang sowohl als Lernort als auch als kultur-touristischen Ort zu nutzen, fundierte Informationen und sehr gute Bildungsprogramme anzubieten. Ob Einzelbesucher oder Gruppe, Bildung ist unser Kernzweck. Andrea Nepomuck: Meines Erachtens ist der Auftrag des Ortes die historisch-politische Bildungsarbeit.
Es geht um die spezifische Geschichte und die Geschichte der damals handelnden Menschen, zugleich erzählt der Ort auch sehr viel über das Heute und über uns. Unsere Bildungsarbeit ist nicht beliebig – und um sie auszubauen und diesen Ort für noch mehr Menschen als Lernort attraktiv zu machen, werden ja auch die Baumaßnahmen durchgeführt. Bedauerlich, wenn nun genau an der Bildung gespart werden sollte.
Was zeichnet die Bildungsarbeit in der ehemaligen Ordensburg aus?
Stefan Wunsch: Vogelsang ist ein besonderer Lernort. Es ist keine Gedenkstätte, sondern ein ”Täterort„. Gedenkstätten sind sehr wichtig, aber Vogelsang legt komplementäre Perspektiven nahe. Andrea Nepomuck: Der Ort zeigt die fatale Attraktion des Nationalsozialismus. Und wir wagen in der Bildungsarbeit, den NS-Tätern des Nationalsozialismus quasi „auf Augenhöhe“ zu begegnen. Dieser Teil gehört zur Geschichte des Nationalsozialismus dazu. Wir spüren nach, was diese fatale Attraktion damals für ganz normalen Menschen war, welche Bedürfnisse sie hatten. Genau das führt zu einer ”positiven Verunsicherung„. Man bringt sich selbst mit ins Spiel und beginnt, Fragen zu stellen.
Dadurch kann historisch-politisches Lernen hier auch einen besonderen Ansatz verfolgen. Stefan Wunsch: Wir machen hier keinen Geschichtsunterricht, sondern wenden uns durch den Blick auf individuelles Handeln damals wie heute gegenwärtigen Fragen zu: ”Wie will ich Gesellschaft und Zusammenleben demokratisch gestalten?„ Schüler etwa bringen hier als Transfer von sich aus die Flüchtlingsproblematik oder die Frage nach Rassismus, Antisemitismus oder Ausgrenzung mitten in unserer Gesellschaft auf.
Wie wichtig ist dieser Ort für die Region? Ist es wichtig, dass die Menschen, die hier leben und aufgewachsen sind, auch erfahren, was direkt vor der Haustür passiert ist?
Stefan Wunsch: Unbedingt, für die Eifel ist es wichtig, dass man sich damit auseinandersetzt. Vogelsang ist eines der größten Bauwerke der NS-Zeit, und das mitten in der Heimat. Menschen aus der Region fanden hier Arbeit, NS-Funktionäre, Ordensjunker und Adolf-Hitler-Schüler kamen aus anderen Regionen hierher in die Eifel. Zugleich ist es wichtig zu verstehen, dass die Nationalsozialisten mit Vogelsang die Region durchdringen wollten und gezielt eine Plattform für ihre Ideologie schaffen konnten. Andrea Nepomuck: Unsere Bildungsprogramme werden in der Tat regional und überregional von Schülerinnen und Schülern, Studierenden und Erwachsenen nachgefragt, auch aus unseren Nachbarländern.
Was genau möchten sie vermitteln?
Stefan Wunsch: Wie sieht Erinnerungskultur aus, wenn Gesellschaft sich stetig verändert? Die vierte Generation nach dem Nationalsozialismus stellt eigene Fragen an die Geschichte, wir leben in einer vielfältigen Migrationsgesellschaft. Die Auseinandersetzung mit der unbeantwortbaren Frage, ”Was hätte ich vielleicht getan? Wie hätte ich gehandelt?„ führt zu einer Kernfrage des Aushandelns der Gegenwart: Wie will ich unser Miteinander heute gestalten?
Gute historisch-politische Bildung, die zum Diskurs anregt und essentielle Fragen aufwirft, setzt hier wesentlicheImpulse. Andrea Nepomuck: An einem Ort, der in Stein gehauen, Diskurse unterbinden wollte, stellen wir kritische Fragen. Diskussion, Kritik und Selbstreflexion waren hier einst nicht erwünscht, jetzt umso mehr.
Wer nimmt an Ihren Bildungsprogrammen teil?
Andrea Nepomuck: Schülerinnen und Schüler aller Schulformen kommen zu hierher, Gymnasien, Realschulen und auch Berufskollegs. Regelmäßig kommen Schülerinnen und Schüler aus Schleiden, Euskirchen, Stolberg oder Aachen. Wir haben somit als Lernort eine hohe Bedeutung in der Bildungslandschaft. Die Schülerinnen und Schüler arbeiten hier eigenständig, erkunden mit Lernbegleitern Gelände und Geschichte; sie sollen ihre Frage stellen können.
Die Lernenden müssen nicht vorbereitet sein, müssen nichts „können“, hier wird niemand abgefragt, sondern hier sollen erste Schritte zum Thema „Holocaust“ und Nationalsozialismus gewagt werden. Stefan Wunsch: Auch mit Universitäten arbeiten wir zusammen. Studierende zum Beispiel des Lehramtes oder der Geschichte kommen zu uns oder Multiplikatoren. Die Zahlen sprechen für sich: Rund 300 Programme, Studientage und Projekttage mit Schulen pro Jahr, von denen wir stets ein gutes Feedback erhalten, von Lehrkräften wie von den Lernenden. Wir haben neun Bildungspartner unterschiedlicher Schulformen, fünf weitere in Vorbereitung, und zwar weit über die Region hinaus.
Andrea Nepomuck: Wir werden damit auch modernen Ansprüchen von Schule gerecht. Schule öffnet sich immer mehr, der Einbezug außerschulischer Partner wird mehr und mehr gestärkt. Auch die Lehrpläne verlangen dies. Und wir als Lernort können Schule einiges bieten. Wir sind ein ganz lebendiger und zukunftszugewandter Ort.
Welche Angebote gibt es für Erwachsene?
Stefan Wunsch: Sie können sich derzeit das Gelände erschließen und Führungen mitmachen, 35 hervorragende freiberufliche Referenten führen diese mit rund 25 000 Besucherinnen und Besuchern im Durchschnitt jährlich durch. Jede Führung hier ist politische Bildung. Dazu können Erwachsene auch Seminare bei uns belegen, das wird die Akademie Vogelsang IP weiter vertiefen. Künftig möchten wir auch intergenerationell arbeiten.
Viele Erwachsene buchen unsere Programme: Betriebsausflug, Wandergruppe, Geschichtsverein, Bundeswehr, Polizei, interessierte Gruppen und Einzelpersonen usw. Und bald gibt es die Dauerausstellung „Bestimmung: Herrenmensch. NS-Ordensburgen zwischen Faszination und Verbrechen.“
Was genau erwartet das Publikum in dieser Ausstellung?
Stefan Wunsch: Ein neuer Blick auf die Geschichte der Ordensburg. Neben dem ”authentischen„ Ort als großes Exponat sozusagen zeigt die Ausstellung dann Vieles, was man bisher noch nicht kennt – zeitgenössische Fotos, Filme, Objekte und Texte. Wir laden die Besucher ein, sich einmal zuzutrauen, den damaligen Akteuren zu begegnen, zu analysieren, welche Praktiken man in Vogelsang erlernte, und schließlich, sich mit dem menschenverachtenden Handeln von „Herrenmenschen“ im Osten auseinanderzusetzen. In der Ausstellung lernen wir auch Perspektiven der Opfer kennen.
Während es im Unterschied zu Gedenkstätten hier am Ort keine deutschen Massenverbrechen gab, sind viele Männer, die hier geschult worden sind, zu Tätern in den damals besetzten „Ostgebieten“ geworden. Wie sahen ihre Handlungsspielräume dort aus? Was genau taten sie? Andrea Nepomuck: Die Ausstellung erzählt von den Menschen, die hier waren: von Biografien, Traditionen, Körperkult und Sport, vom Alltag in Vogelsang. Und auch die Frauen, die zu Hunderten hier zum Beispiel in der Küche arbeiteten, soll man kennenlernen. Wir möchten mit der Dauerausstellung niemanden belehren, sondern Neugierde schaffen, eine Fragehaltung ermöglichen.
Die Ausstellung wird also auch die Bildungsarbeit beeinflussen?
Stefan Wunsch: Ja. Die Ausstellung wird durch vertiefende Bildungsangebote und Führungen erschlossen. Und sie wird durch den Blick auf die Akteure auch den Blick auf das Bauwerk verändern. Andrea Nepomuck: Mit diesen neuen Programmen erhalten wir ein ganz spezifisches Profil im Bildungsbereich. Dabei möchten wir alle ansprechen, jung, alt und egal welche Vorbildung. Dieser Ort geht jeden etwas an, nicht nur historisch interessierte Menschen. Jeder und Jede ist willkommen.
Was machen sie noch neben der Arbeit mit Kindern, Jugendlichen und Studenten und Erwachsenen? Woran arbeiten sie noch?
Stefan Wunsch: Wir sind eng in unterschiedlichste Netzwerke eingebunden, in pädagogisch-didaktische, wissenschaftliche, kulturelle. Einige Beispiele von vielen: Wir sind Kooperationspartner von ”Schule ohne Rassismus„ und Mitglied im Arbeitskreis der NS-Gedenkstätten und Erinnerungsorte in NRW. Wir kooperieren mit den Jüdischen Gemeinden Nordrhein, wir sind Projektpartner der Initiative Kulturrucksack NRW, wir leisten Präventionsarbeit gegen Rechtsextremismus.
Wir forschen, befragen Zeitzeugen, bereiten Publikationen, Wechselausstellungen, Lesungen oder Theaterprojekte vor. Andrea Nepomuck: Die Impulse und Ideen aus diesen vielfältigen Netzwerken nehmen wir auch wieder in die Bildungsarbeit auf. Wir sind also eine Art Scharnier zwischen aktueller Forschung und denjenigen, die Bildungsprogramme nutzen.
Wovor hat man als Wissenschaftler und Studienrätin im Moment Angst? Gibt es Sorgen?
Stefan Wunsch: Mir macht es Sorgen, Programme, die sehr gut ankommen, eventuell nicht mehr durchführen zu können, sodass gerade die, die so gerne mit uns arbeiten, die Leidtragenden sind. Man macht ein Bildungsprogramm nicht zum Spaß, sondern für die Teilnehmenden. Der Ort ist nicht nur für Tourismus gedacht, sondern auch zum Lernen und zum Diskurs. Die Kürzungen könnten zudem leider wertvolle Projekte wie internationale Jugendbegegnungen oder Veranstaltungen zum Thema Menschenrechte betreffen. Andrea Nepomuck: Für mich ist das eine gesamtgesellschaftliche Frage.
Wie wollen wir unsere heutige Gesellschaft gestalten? Eine kritische Auseinandersetzung mit Geschichte und Gegenwart ist dringend notwendig, gerade hier, an dieser ehemaligen NS-Ausbildungsstätte. Wenn dies durch wegfallende Bildungsprogramme nicht mehr möglich sein sollte, wäre das eine große vertane Chance. Den Auftrag, den wir gegenüber diesem ”Täterort„ haben, könnten wir dann nicht mehr umsetzen. Das macht mir Angst.
Was wünscht man sich für Vogelsang in solch schweren Zeiten?
Stefan Wunsch: Ich wünsche mir viele Besucher, die sich mit Ausstellung und Ort auseinandersetzen. Ich hoffe auf viele ganz verschiedene Menschen, die beginnen, sich selbst Fragen zu stellen, die nach Hause gehen und auf ein vielfältiges demokratisches Miteinander hinwirken. Dafür setzt der Ort ganz wesentliche Impulse. Andrea Nepomuck: Noch mehr Erwachsene, noch mehr Kinder und Jugendliche, die diesen Ort als „bunten Ort“ gestalten.
Erode and Trip to Trichy, 9 Feb 1980
February 9, 1980 ·
The next stop after the Nilagiri line on our 1980 trip to India was the loco shed at Erode in Tamil Nadu.
Erode had the only roundhouse we visited in India. Other depots had turntables, but only Erode's was surrounded by a roundhouse.
Erode also had AWC 2-8-0s, American built WW2 engines similar to the S-160s used in Europe, such as the one that was running on the Worth Valley in England at the time.
There were also some XE1 heavy 2-8-2s of the 1920s IRS standard design at Erode.
Erode also had an allotment of WL light 4-6-2s, one of which pulled our train that afternoon on the run to Tiruchirappalli.
As happened all over India, the shed staff welcomed us like long lost relatives and gave us a great tour of the place.
Our afternoon all stops local on the run to Tiruchirappalli was pulled by a WL 4-6-2. The light Pacific was used because of the lighter rail on this line. We rode in the second class car right behind the engine, to enjoy the full sound of the the 4-6-2.
At one point, we had a meet with a westbound train and I was inspired by an H Reid photo of Virginian passenger trains meeting in my framing of the eastbound train with the running gear of our train in the foreground.
At another station, a bunch of elementary school kids boarded. The train would take them back to their villages, much like a school bus. They used our group to practice their English, and spoke it very well.
Our engine was a bit low on water, and women who expected to get how water from the injector overflow were disappointed when the fireman did not have any to spare. Not sure why we were sent out low on water. I'd seen photos of women doing the same thing in Gerry Best's "Mexican Narrow Gauge".
Although the train was passenger only, not mixed, its relaxed schedule and many rural stops were right out of Mixed Train Daily, and if the spirits of Beebe and Clegg ever rode the Erode-Tricky line in Tamil Nadu they would have felt right at home after their trips through rural Georgia in the 1940s.
The pendant for this necklace was created with Art Silver Clay (ACS), which is a combination of fine silver (.999 silver), organic binders and water. After firing it in my kiln, the organic binders dissipate and what is left is a 99.9% fine silver pendant. I oxidized this pendant and further applied a satin finish to this pendant.
In addition, it features a dichroic cabochon created on a base of clear glass.
This pendant is strung on a 16 inch box cable chain and a toggle clasp adds a finishing touch.
The measurements for this pendant are as follows:
Length: 1 3/4 inches (including the bail) 1 1/4 inches without the bail.
Width: 1 1/4 inches.
East Germans waited a decade or more for the opportunity to buy their own plastic-bodied 2-cylinder, 26hp Trabant or the comparably awful Wartburg, surely among of the worst cars ever made. But this one made it through the opening of the Wall and into the West. Now they were lost. Fortunately, the West Berlin newspaper Berlin Morgenpost was handing out copies of the newspaper that included a map of West Berlin as a way to help the new arrivals find their way around. Nice article about the Trabant at www.nytimes.com/2014/11/09/automobiles/berlin-welcomes-ba...
I went to Berlin just a few days after the Wall came down.
Digitized from film negative.
We made a short notice booking to Copenhagen, Jayne had the first week in September booked off and we wanted to try and do a city break. Five nights hardly seemed enough but the short flight was ok. We flew over home heading east on a beautiful morning. I love flying over an area that I know and being able to see it from above. We had been warned that Copenhagen was expensive-it was! I hadn’t done any research before we set off but on the flight over, I read that taxis were expensive, so it was best to use the Metro from the airport, it isn’t far in to the city and the Metro was fairly easy to use. However! We should have caught the train, I read this whist we were sat on the Metro it has to be said! The nearest Metro stop, which I was frantically trying to work out, using my phone, travelling in and out of tunnels, turned out to be a 1.5 mile walk from our hotel, the rail station was .5. Never mind we were there to walk-subject to my lately diagnosed arthritic ankle, we just didn’t want to be towing suitcases over cobbled pavements at the same time.
We were staying in the Tivoli Hotel which was described as central, it is near Central Station but you wouldn’t describe it as central to the city. Our room wasn’t ready but we could upgrade for a modest amount plus we realised it would be a good idea to include breakfast in the upgrade deal. A good move as it turned out. Our room overlooked the train lines-all twelve of them!! We could already hear train brakes squealing along with the thump thump of steel wheels rolling over points and joints. It’s true to say that Central Station is a 24/7 operation. The overnight noise didn’t bother Jayne but I could hear it all night.
We dumped our stuff and I loaded up with the backpack and camera and we were straight out there. Copenhagen is a relatively small city but there is a lot to see. We were soon finding out that it has an extensive network of canals and bridges and these are a major feature of life in the city. Pan flat, the cyclist rules, There appeared to be twice as many bikes as residents, with countless thousands propped up everywhere you went. Where ever you looked there was silent conveyor of sit up and beg cycles being ridden in all directions. You soon got used to looking over your shoulder before making a move. The vast majority of bikes are left unlocked and almost no one wears a helmet ( I’m a no helmet man, much to the annoyance of the helmet zealots). Copenhagen is reputedly the happiest place in the world and it certainly came across as friendly and relaxed. It is, though, one of the most expensive cities in the world and two burgers and two small glasses of wine at Nyhavn cost us £50. Comically, there were four people, local to us, shouting out Jayne’s name, they had seen us going past and we had a laugh about the prices, They were sat drinking beer at £8.50 a pint. Despite the expense, the place was packed with people parting with their money. Wages are very high locally, as are the taxes. The high wages and high costs must feed each other in an upward spiral I would have thought.
Unfortunately the cost of entering buildings to go up towers etc. for a higher view of the city was also very expensive (to us). The tower at Christiansborg Palace is free but restricted by the lift system and you don’t get to the top, it does also open later than the others so you have a chance of seeing sunset over the city. Unfortunately the lifts were out of order on one of our best weather days. We did get to go up the day after but it was dull and I wasn’t overly impressed. The spiral tower across in Christiana, The Church of Our Saviour, was far more impressive. We climbed the tower here just after it opened on a stunning morning and the views are fantastic. There will be incredible bottlenecks when it’s busy though on the corkscrew stairs that get progressively narrower towards the top. Some people hog it to take endless selfies at the top and it is extremely tight up there, you can’t move up until they come down.
As usual, we tried to get to some out of the way places, with only five days and mixed weather though we had enough mainstream destinations to see. We had a day of heavy rain so we went back to the rail station which was a good indoor (and free!) destination, and made umbrellas and the rain the focal point of that days photos. The entire Danish navy seemed to be at anchor, we just missed an open day on one ship. Some I could photograph, others were guarded and had restrictions, I got the evil eye from a couple of guards as the spotted the big Canon in my hand. I can’t imagine that they could police the Japanese and stop them from getting their photos and selfies though. I always act very openly with the camera and if people look at me suspiciously I smile and give them the thumbs up. In a rail station I usually ask the police. In Central Station the police were in their station and I never saw one move out, it is covered by extensive CCTV but there were some very unpleasant people, drinking and watching for people being careless with their belongings. We were lucky to be in the station on Sunday as a tourist steam train arrived, it sat at the platform belching smoke and steam for fifteen minutes, it was also coming back in an hour so we had an expensive coffee and waited to see it again. There was big military event outside the Christiansborg Palace on Monday, with a parade through the city that came past just as we were in a good spot to view it. The area was full of soldiers wearing their medals. We haven’t discovered the reason, although someone suggested a passing out parade for new recruits. Maybe the ships were in port for this as well.
Tivoli Gardens is another big draw and we went in, again it was fairly expensive, it had been a stunning day and the biggest problem was contrast, with deep shadows and a bright blue sky. We stayed until dark, it opens late and is very colourful. We went on the world’s highest carousel and got flung around 260 odd feet in the air. Luckily, we also found a bar that served wine at ‘only’ £5.60 a glass so we sat and watched people have fun screaming and shrieking above us.
There are many buildings with copper domes, entire copper roofs, even modern buildings are often clad in either brass or copper to blend in with the ancient buildings around them. Like every city we have visited, tower cranes are in abundance. There is a lot of development going on and unfortunately a lot of it is around buildings that you would want to photograph. We walked 12 to 14 mile every day and took in most of the sights. We didn’t really do any interiors, only towers and the railway station. At the time of writing I haven’t looked at what I’ve got, I have around 3000 shots, some on the G1X which I used when it was raining heavily as it easy to put in a pocket. I have a lot less time for editing these days so it will be a long process I think. To save time I am going to create a list of generic tags that I can copy and paste to each upload – the time saving is enormous – so apologies to anyone who gets a photo of a canal when they wanted a steam train or vice versa.
Parkinson Takes Down Fanning to Claim Golden Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach
BELLS BEACH, Victoria/Australia (Sunday, April 24, 2011) – Joel Parkinson (AUS), 30, has claimed the 2011 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach presented by Ford Ranger over compatriot and former two-time ASP World Champion Mick Fanning (AUS), 29, in an electric Final in solid six-to-eight foot (2 – 2.5 metre) waves at Bells Beach.
The second stop of the 2011 ASP World Title season, the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach celebrated its 50th year of operation this season and the Southern Ocean delivered one of the best swells in recent history for the world’s best to sink their collective fangs into. Today’s Final ran in front of a capacity crowd at Bells Beach, maxing out as early as 11am with cars lined back to the center of Torquay, and the elite ASP Top 34 delivered in sensational fashion.
Leaving little to chance in the highly-anticipated Final, Parkinson opened up with an 8.53 on the first ride of the heat and drove the nail into the coffin with a Perfect 10.
“To me, Mick (Fanning) has been the form surfer of the event and I was never going to take him lightly,” Parkinson said. “I think we both had the same game plan of getting the first good one that came through and putting the momentum behind us. We scrapped for that first wave and I got the nod. Even though it was a mid-8, I knew I needed a lot more to hold him off so I just kept the pressure on from there.”
Today’s victory marks the third Bells title for the Gold Coaster and his 10th elite tour win overall.
“It’s incredible,” Parkinson said. “It’s not so much the fact that I’ve won the event, but more so that it’s the 50th anniversary. It feels that much more special. We’ve had such good waves too. I can’t remember the last time that Bells had such good waves. I’m so excited. I can’t believe this.”
Parkinson, who’s last two ASP World Title campaigns have been marred by injuries, is adamant that he is 100% healthy this season and surfing better than ever.
“I definitely feel like I’m back,” Parkinson said. “I feel like I’m surfing better than I was back in ’09 before I hurt my ankle. I’m feeling fit, I have some really good boards under my feet and I’m excited for the rest of the year.”
Parkinson vaults from 9th to 2nd on the ASP World Title Rankings.
Fanning, who last rung the bell as a wildcard in 2001, was the in-form surfer of the event, consistently notching the highest single-wave scores and heat totals from Round 1 onwards. However, the lightning-fast natural-footer was unable to overtake his Gold Coast sparring partner in the Final.
"It was a tough Final," Fanning said. "For some reason overtime we have a heat he gets in sync real early. I tried to fight back but it was too little too late. Surfing against your mate is just like surfing against anyone else you've just got to go out and think about yourself and catching waves and getting scores. To have a mate beat me makes it a bit easier to swallow, but I'm still fired up for the rest of the year."
Fanning moves from 13th to 6th on the ASP World Title Rankings.
Jordy Smith (ZAF), 24, 2010 ASP World Runner-Up, cruised through to the Semifinals of the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach despite admittedly feeling out of rhythm throughout the event.
"It was a nice last wave, but it was a pity I didn't get any before that," Smith said. "I've felt off all week so to get a 3rd is pretty good. I've got two 3rds now, which is kind of frustrating because you want to make the Final, but that's how it goes sometimes. 3rd is better than 5th.”
Smith further cements his position at ASP World No. 3.
Adriano de Souza (BRA), 24, flew the South American flag high through the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, scalping a number of high-profile competitors before falling to Parkinson in the Semifinal.
"I found my rhythm in the heat against Kelly (Slater)," De Souza said. "But against Joel (Parkinson) I couldn't find any waves. I'm so frustrated because I wanted to ring the Bell, but I'm really happy with my result. Kelly is my hero, 10 x ASP World Champ, he just didn't get any waves, then it happened to me in the next round. It happens to everyone. Next up is my home event in Brazil, I hope Brazil is proud of me and Jadson (Andre) for doing well at this event."
De Souza goes from 9th to 4th on the ASP World Title Rankings.
Kelly Slater (USA), 39, reigning 10-time ASP World Champion and current ASP World No. 1, suffered a surprise elimination at the hands of De Souza in this morning’s Quarterfinal clash. The young Brazilian left little room for the Champ to respond and an admittedly out-of-rhythm Slater saw his Bells Beach title defense cut abruptly short.
“It's not my day, not my week and that happens,” Slater said. “For some reason you don't make the right choices and you're not in sync with it, I'm definitely not in the zone this week at all. Every heat of mine has had slow surf and then when there were, waves I was on the wrong ones. It's the way it goes, you win some you lose some.”
Slater’s Equal 5th at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach sees the American holding the lead in the race for the 2011 ASP World Title heading into the next stop in Brazil.
“We're two events in and I've got a 1st and a 5th so I'm averaging about a 3rd, you want to be there and higher,” Slater said. “These kind of waves favor the best guys, the guys you're going to expect to be at the top at the end of the year and all those guys are still in the event. A 5th isn't that bad a result, but when all the guys who you expect to be in the world title hunt finish higher than you it feels like a 17th.”
Highlights from the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach presented by FORD will be available via www.live.ripcurl.com
The next stop on the 2011 ASP World Title season is the Billabong Pro Rio in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from May 11 – 22, 2011.
For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com
RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH FINAL RESULTS:
1 – Joel Parkinson (AUS) 18.53
2 – Mick Fanning (AUS) 13.26
RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH SEMIFINAL RESULTS:
SF 1: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 16.33 def. Adriano de Souza (BRA) 12.00
SF 2: Mick Fanning (AUS) 18.87 def. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 17.23
RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH QUARTERFINAL RESULTS:
QF 1: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 16.66 def. Owen Wright (AUS) 13.16
QF 2: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 18.00 def. Kelly Slater (USA) 11.24
QF 3: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 14.16 def. Chris Davidson (AUS) 11.10
QF 4: Mick Fanning (AUS) 17.46 def. Jadson Andre (BRA) 14.03
RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH ROUND 5 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Owen Wright (AUS) 14.17 def. Bede Durbidge (AUS) 9.26
Heat 2: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 13.97 def. C.J. Hobgood (USA) 13.66
Heat 3: Chris Davidson (AUS) 16.03 def. Michel Bourez (PYF) 15.37
Heat 4: Jadson Andre (BRA) 14.37 def. Tiago Pires (PRT) 13.93
ASP WORLD TITLE RATINGS (After Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach):
1. Kelly Slater (USA) 15,200 pts
2. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 14,000 pts
3. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 13,000 pts
4. Adriano de Souza (BRA) 10,500 pts
4. Tiago Pires (PRT) 10,500 pts
Photo ASP/Kirstin
To purchase a photo, send an email to Karen Brower at kbrowerphotos@yahoo.com with the image number. You will receive a return email with a PayPal invoice. $11.95 per photo emailed to you at full resolution for personal use. Photos will be edited for brightness, cropping, etc.
This album contains photos from the 18 mile distance (and remaining 62 mile riders) on Hubble Rd at approximately mile 6 between 11:30 am and 12:00 pm. See other albums for other distances/locations.
Follow me on Instagram @kbrowerphotos.
The Pont de Zähringen crosses the Sarine River into Fribourg and close to its Cathédrale St-Nicolas.
Fribourg’s Cathédrale St-Nicolas is the focal point of the medieval city’s heart, with a soaring Gothic spire commanding the skies above the old town.
Construction began in the 13th century, but was not completed until 1490. In all that time, it has remained home to the city’s Catholic congregation, despite the majority of Switzerland converting to Protestantism during the Reformation.
The exterior is dominated by the lacy tower, the 368 steps of which can be climbed for views out over the city and to the Alps beyond, while the interior is in the Swiss Gothic style, with numerous statues and reliefs.
There is a 15th century sculpted portrayal of the Last Judgement around the main portal, while inside there are 15th century wooden choir stalls and an organ played by Franz Liszt, as well some art nouveau stained-glass windows.
To purchase a photo, send an email to Karen Brower at kbrowerphotos@yahoo.com with the image number. You will receive a return email with a PayPal invoice. $11.95 per photo emailed to you at full resolution for personal use. Photos will be edited for brightness, cropping, etc.
Issey is eager for us to play Minecraft. To buy time, I ask her to draw or write what she wants us to do. This is how she writes unassisted.
"We rae going too mayck a neww baybee cat" = "We are going to make a new baby cat" (she wants to breed another kitten.)
I'm still impressed that Issey (now nearly 5) can actually read and write to a degree, but also somewhat disheartened by how far she still has to go. Most people wouldn't be able to decipher this. Mouse over the picture for an explanation.
A late September 2018 visit to Packwood House, another National Trust property. Been meaning to visit this one myself for a while now!
A nice cool Sunday afternoon to visit Packwood.
Packwood House is a timber-framed Tudor manor house near Lapworth, Warwickshire. Owned by the National Trust since 1941, the house is a Grade I listed building. It has a wealth of tapestries and fine furniture, and is known for the garden of yews.
The house began as a modest timber-framed farmhouse constructed for John Fetherston between 1556 and 1560. The last member of the Fetherston family died in 1876. In 1904 the house was purchased by Birmingham industrialist Alfred Ash. It was inherited by Graham Baron Ash (Baron in this case being a name not a title) in 1925, who spent the following two decades creating a house of Tudor character. He purchased an extensive collection of 16th- and 17th-century furniture, some obtained from nearby Baddesley Clinton. The great barn of the farm was converted into a Tudor-style hall with sprung floor for dancing, and was connected to the main house by the addition of a Long Gallery in 1931.
In 1941, Ash donated the house and gardens to the National Trust in memory of his parents but continued to live in the house until 1947 when he moved to Wingfield Castle.
Sundial at the West Front of Packwood House.
Grade II Listed
Sundial Approximately 10 Metres West of Packwood House
Listing Text
LAPWORTH PACKWOOD LANE
SP17SE (West side)
Packwood
1/46 Sundial approx. 10m W of
Packwood House
GV II
Sundial. Dated 1667, with C20 restoration. Stone. Round stepped base; round
column, part C20 replacement; painted stone square top with round ball finial.
Erected by John Featherston, who probably planted the Yew Garden, traditionally
said to represent the "Sermon on the Mount"
(Buildings of England: Warwickshire: 1966, pp370-1; Packwood House National
Trust Guide book, 1987)
[ 15]
Listing NGR: SP1732472214
This text is from the original listing, and may not necessarily reflect the current setting of the building.
I actually took few shots of Buzz lightyear with various arm positions in hopes to create a good double/multiple exposure shot. However the slight movement of the subject created a blurry affect which I didn't wanted. With time running out I decided to just post one of the shots. There is always next time ;)!
SALT LAKE CITY — L3 Communication Systems-West presented an in-kind donation to the Utah Guard Sub-for-Santa program Dec. 6 at the Salt Lake Armory.
According to Capt. Noé Vázquez, director of the Sub-for-Santa program, donations from private citizens and organizations like this will ensure a more meaningful Christmas for military families in Utah who have indicated a need for support this year. As of Dec. 5, the Utah Guard Family Support Services office projects helping about 300 children during the holiday.
The Utah Guard Sub-for-Santa program was originated in 2003 after many community members realized the sacrifices that our Utah servicemembers were performing. The intent of the community members was to give back to military families, with deployed members and who were in need. Last year, the Sub-for-Santa program assisted nearly 400 children in need. While this program specifically assists those dependents of our Utah military who might go without during a holiday season, the program does accept general gifts for the parents or family gifts.
Sub for Santa is dedicated to helping people who cannot help themselves. An application process verifies that the donations go to the families who need it most. Applicants are also given the tools and resources with learning opportunities to help them better manage their money, time, and talents from a Family Assistance Center.
Those wishing to make a donation to the Sub-for-Santa program can make payments online at the following link: utngtrust.org/charitable_trust_1_1/subForSanta.php.
-30-
Tanjore Bragadeeshwara temple. This temple is famous for its architecture. It is said that the platform is built in such a way that the shadow of the gopura falls within the platform throughout the year
Liège, 1666
A small reliquary, made to fit on a figure of St Thomas. .
Commissioned for the English Jesuit College of St Omers, the ensemble was probably carried in religious processions and is still used today at Stonyhurst College in Lancashire.
[British Museum]
Thomas Becket: Murder and the Making of a Saint
(May - Aug 2021)
On 29 December 1170, Becket was assassinated in Canterbury Cathedral by four knights with close ties to King Henry II, an act that left Medieval Europe reeling. Becket was one of the most powerful figures of his time, serving as royal chancellor and later as Archbishop of Canterbury. Initially a close friend of Henry, the two men became engaged in a bitter dispute that culminated in his violent and public death – an event that sent shockwaves across Europe and caused an immense political fallout.
Marking the 850th anniversary of his brutal murder, this special exhibition presents Becket's tumultuous journey from a merchant's son to an archbishop, and from a revered saint in death to a 'traitor' in the eyes of Henry VIII more than 350 years later.
Becket was a second-generation French immigrant, born around 1120 in Cheapside, in the City of London, to Gilbert and Matilda, who had left Normandy following the Norman Conquest. His father was a well-connected merchant but the family were neither excessively wealthy nor powerful. Becket was sent to school at Merton Priory and, after a few years studying in Paris, he eventually gained employment through one of his father’s friends as a clerk for Theobald, the then Archbishop of Canterbury. Becket was described by his contemporaries as intelligent, charming and authoritative and, in 1155, he got his biggest break. Recognising his talents, Theobald suggested that Henry II appoint Becket as Chancellor of England. He and the king quickly became close friends, hunting, gaming and travelling around England together. Becket embraced life in the royal court: he is said by his contemporary biographers to have enjoyed vast wealth, throwing lavish parties, decorating his residences with beautiful furnishings and making numerous journeys to France on his own ships.
When the position of Archbishop of Canterbury became vacant, Becket was put forward. Given his lifestyle and reputation he was an unlikely candidate but the king had other ideas. Henry was keen to appoint his close friend to the role but, crucially, he wanted him to continue as Chancellor. With Becket in both positions, Henry saw an opportunity to exercise greater authority over the Church as well as the state. Becket was appointed Archbishop on 23 May 1162 and consecrated (officially blessed) on 3 June. However, at some point during the rest of that year, and against the king’s wishes, Becket resigned as Chancellor. His actions drove a wedge between him and the king which would never be repaired. From this point on, Becket’s relationship with Henry began to deteriorate. A series of disputes ensued regarding the division of power between the Crown and the Church. By 1164, tensions were at an all-time high and, in October, Becket was summoned to appear before the King’s council and ordered to forfeit all his personal property. He refused to accept the terms of his punishment and, fearing further repercussions from the king, he fled to France.
Becket remained in exile in France for six years. During this time Henry flexed his power in England. His most blatant snub of his old friend’s authority was his decision to have his son, Henry the Young King, crowned in June 1170 by Becket’s long-standing enemy, the Archbishop of York. Becket appealed to the Pope and, under significant pressure, Henry agreed to reopen negotiations. Following this, the Archbishop and the king spoke privately for the first time since 1164, and Henry promised to restore Becket’s rights as Archbishop of Canterbury. Becket was reassured that it would be safe to return to England. However, his final act was to punish those involved in the unauthorised coronation. Before leaving France Becket issued three letters expelling (excommunicating) the Archbishop of York and two bishops from the Church. This act was to have devastating consequences upon his return to England.
Becket returned from exile on 1 December 1170. Contemporary reports record that he was greeted on his journey back to the Cathedral by cheering crowds and rejoicing monks, but he faced increasing hostility by the authorities loyal to the king. Meanwhile, the Archbishop of York and the Bishops of London and Salisbury, furious that they had been excommunicated, travelled to Henry’s royal court in Normandy where they relayed Becket’s actions to the king. Henry was outraged and, although it is unclear whether he ever specifically ordered retribution for Becket’s actions, his furious outburst prompted four knights – Reginald FitzUrse, William de Tracy, Hugh de Morville and Richard le Bret – to travel to Canterbury in search of Becket.
...One key account was written by a man named Edward Grim, who was so close to Becket during the skirmish that he was wounded by one of the knight’s swords. Grim tells us that when the four knights arrived at Canterbury Cathedral, Becket was in the Archbishop’s Palace. They attempted to arrest him but he refused. Becket was persuaded by the monks to take refuge in the church, but the knights pursued him, bursting into the Cathedral with swords drawn...As Grim recounts, Becket held tight onto one of the Cathedral’s pillars to prevent them seizing him, and it was at this point that one of the knights raised his sword for the first time, bringing it down on Becket, slicing off the crown of his head. Two of the other knights then started to attack Becket and most of the monks fled. The third blow brought the Archbishop’s life to an end...
Chaos ensued following the murder, and with none of those present knowing what to do next, the body remained where it had fallen for several hours. Some individuals dipped parts of their clothes in his spilled blood, or collected it in small vessels to take away in anticipation of Becket’s future sanctity. After spending the night on the high altar of the Cathedral, he was buried by the monks the next day in the crypt. Reports immediately circulated of miraculous healings connected to Becket. Facing increasing pressure from the people of Canterbury, the monks opened the crypt of the Cathedral so pilgrims could visit his tomb. An extraordinary wave of miracles was recorded and, in recognition of this, Becket was made a saint (canonised) by the Pope on 21 February 1173. It was one of the fastest canonisations in history. Becket’s reputation as a miracle-working saint spread quickly and people from all over Europe started to flock to Canterbury in the hope that they would be healed. As well as visiting the tomb, pilgrims could also purchase a mixture of his blood and water, called St Thomas’ Water, which was bottled and sold by opportunistic monks in small lead vessels called ampulla. Henry II, in a public act of penance for his involvement in the murder, visited the tomb in 1174, granting royal approval to Becket’s cult.
Becket’s death and subsequent miracles transformed Canterbury Cathedral into one of the most important pilgrimage destinations in Europe. In 1220 his body was moved from the crypt to a glittering new shrine in a purpose-built chapel upstairs in the Cathedral. Geoffrey Chaucer famously captured something of the atmosphere of pilgrimage to this shrine in his Canterbury Tales. In death Becket remained a figure of opposition to unbridled power and became seen as the quintessential defender of the rights of the Church. To this end you can find images of his murder in churches across Latin Christendom, from Germany and Spain, to Italy and Norway. Becket was, and remains, a truly European saint. His relics at Canterbury were visited by people from across the continent until 1538, when Henry VIII would label him a traitor, order the destruction of his shrine and try to wipe him from history altogether.
[British Museum]
Taken in the British Museum