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We decided to have a holiday plant of the day - most days :-)
www.inaturalist.org/taxa/356062-Cistus-clusii
Cistus clusii is a shrubby species of flowering plant in the family Cistaceae, with white flowers, native to south west and south central Europe and north Africa.
Pinhole photograph. Made on Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day, April 25, 2021. Finney pinhole cap on Nikon F + Portra 800. © John Lehmann. All Rights Reserved
St. Kitts Marriott Resort and Royal St. Kitts Casino, 858 Frigate Bay Road, St. Kitts
Canadian Vic De Zen turned a small Woodbridge, Ontario plastics company into a worldwide empire in the 1990's known as Royal Group Technologies Ltd. He built it up over the course of 30 years into a publicly traded company with about $2 billion in annual sales and 9,000 employees around the world. While growing the plastics company Vic De Zen met another Toronto developer, Mr. Archie Zuliani, who owned a small hotel on the island of St. Kitts. Zuliani needed a source for building supplies on St. Kitts and on De Zen's first trip to St Kitts the two hit it off and immediately started plans for a resort project featuring Royal Group's products and also a retirement villa for De Zen and his family. According to Zuliani, De Zen wanted the project to be built entirely of plastics! In 1996 a joint venture agreement was signed between Vic De Zen and Archie Zuliani for a $50 million development including hotel, conference center, golf course, casino and an internet gambling operation. In short order the project costs rose to $120 million. Within a year Zuliana became uncomfortable with De Zen's ambitious project and he was happy to accept a $4 million buyout from De Zen in 1998. Mr. De Zen and his brother in law, Fortunato Bordin, who used to work at Royal Group, borrowed $114-million from Scotiabank between 1996 and 2004 to fund construction of the Caribbean resort which when built out cost upwards of $330 million.
On November 3, 2000 a signing ceremony was held involving St Kitts Prime Minister Denzil Douglas, Mr. Vincent Morton, Chairman of the Frigate Bay Development Corporation and Mr. Vic De Zen. The announcement stated that the world class resort was being built by Technologies Limited of Canada. Denzil Douglas was the longest-serving Prime Minister of the Federation of St. Kitts & Nevis, having held the position between 1995 and 2015. He led the Saint Kitts and Nevis Labour Party. Douglas transformed his country’s formerly sugar-based economy into a service-oriented one driven by tourism, offshore medical education, small farm agriculture and the manufacture of electronic components. Prime Minister Douglas succeeded in establishing St. Kitts and Nevis as a tourist destination, giving as evidence his promoting of De Zen's 600-room Marriott hotel project.
Royal Group Technologies growth allowed De Zen vast liberties in pursuing side-bar projects and the doling out bonuses to family and friends. The line between Royal Group Business and De Zen's personal business became a complete blur. De Zen owned over 80% of the shareholders votes. With Zuliana bought out De Zen took the St Kitts project to new heights. He brought in his brother, Angelo De Zen, to head up the construction and Joey Cecchini was in charge of the design build of the Royal St. Kitts Beach Resort & Casino. The architect was Claudio Rabaglino from Toronto. According to the Toronto Mail and Globe "the resort became so important to De Zen that he turned over one of Royal Group's Boardroom - dubbed the war room - to the project. As construction progressed, 16 contractors were involved and about 3,000 shipments of products were made from Toronto. By 2000, roughly 700 workers were on site, some of them connected to Royal Group."
Marriott International announced a soft opening of their 471-room resort, St. Kitts Marriott Royal Beach Resort & Spa, on February 22, 2003. It is the tenth property in Marriott and Renaissance Offshore Resorts’ portfolio. John Toti was the resort's opening General Manager. Marriott said the resort is owned by Royal St. Kitts Beach Resort Ltd. Marriott's opening announcement said the resort’s five-story main building has 237 guestrooms. Between the main building and the beach, a series of three-story garden houses, surround the swimming pools, house an additional 234 rooms. Guestrooms are oversized and well-appointed with most including large, private balconies. Each bathroom of the houses will have a whirlpool bath.
For dining and entertainment, the St. Kitts Marriott Royal Beach Resort has six restaurants, two bars and a disco: La Cucina, an Italian restaurant; Royal Grill Steakhouse, offering outdoor seating; BLU, a seafood restaurant; Bohemia Beach Bar & Grill; Calypso, a family style restaurant, Golf Club House Restaurant; Lobby Bar; Keys, a cigar and rum bar; and Tigers, a disco. Recreational amenities include a 15,000 square foot spa, three swimming pools, tennis courts, retail shopping, Kids Club and a 35,000 square foot casino. A newly-designed 18-hole golf course, operated by Marriott Golf. For conferences and social events, the St. Kitts Marriott Royal Beach Resort & Spa has 12,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, including a 7,100 square foot ballroom that is divisible into three sections; meeting rooms offering 5,000 square feet of space; and a board room and terraces for pre-function receptions and events.
In hindsight Vic De Zen gained a Caribbean luxury resort but lost his billion dollar company. In February 2004 the St Kitts development became the subject of an extensive Ontario Securities Commission and Royal Canadian Mounted Police criminal probe into whether Mr. De Zen used Royal Group money or assets on a private development project. It seems the Royal Group shareholders new virtually nothing about the massive resort project on St Kitts! Vic De Zen was ousted as board chairperson of Royal Group in 2004 after an internal investigation. Two years later, the company was sold to United States-based Georgia Gulf Corp. for $1.7 billion. The RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) charged De Zen and other former executives with defrauding the company of more than $29 million.
The trial respecting the allegations made against Mr. De Zen and others commenced in April 2010. On December 10, 2010, at the conclusion of the five-month trial, the trial judge acquitted the defendants of the two charges they faced. The trial judge found overwhelming evidence supporting the defense that no fraud, no deceit, no dishonesty and no concealment had taken place. Indeed, the judge indicated that it would be a "travesty of justice" to wait even one day before pronouncing the verdict of not guilty.
Mr. De Zen formed a new company, ZZen Group, which includes the Marriott beach resort that has become the Caribbean island’s largest employer. When Mr. De Zen travels to ZZen’s resort in St. Kitts – his favorite way to relax is to work on small repairs. Joseph Sgro, an assistant to De Zen says he actually has a tool belt when he is at the resort … walking around the resort grounds and he fixes things and talks to the landscapers.
Georgia Gulf Corporation, a large PVC raw-material manufacturer, completed its acquisition of Royal Group on October 3, 2006 for $1.6 billion.
***********
Vic De Zen and his partners Fortunato Bordin and Domenic D’Amico have supported the people of St Kitts and Nevis since their first agreement in 1997 to build the Marriott Resort. This first initiative produced strong economic and social growth within the Federation of St. Kitts & Nevis. Vic De Zen's group continues with investments that have created the following St. Kitts businesses and organizations which collectively employ more than 1,000 persons in the Federation:
*St. Kitts Marriott Resort;
*Marriott Vacation Club;
*Marriott Residences;
*Royal Beach Development Group;
*Royal Beach Casino;
*Royal St. Kitts Golf Club;
*Royal Utilities Limited
***********
The St. Kitts Marriott has had 4 General Managers.
Jacques Hamou, General Manager, ( 2012 - ) St. Kitts Marriott Resort & Royal Beach Casino appointed Jacques Hamou as General Manager in February, 2012. Hamou’s career in the hospitality industry spans 30 years. He joins the property from Montreal where he served as general manager for the Montreal Marriott Chateau Champlain for thirteen years. Previously, Hamou was at Fortis Hospitality Corporation in Sydney, Nova Scotia, where he held the position of director of operations for Delta Sydney, Holiday Inn Sydney and the Sydney Inn.
Flor Van Der Vaart, General Manager (2008 - 2011) - Flor van der Vaart was appointed General Manager of St. Kitts Marriott Beach Resort on July 6, 2008. Flor began his career with Marriott in 2004 as the Resident Manager of the Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino. Prior to joining the Aruba Marriott Resort, Flor was the Operations Manager at the Hyatt Dorado Beach Resort & Country Club in Puerto Rico. Van der Vaart received his Master’s Degree in Business Administration from The University of Phoenix. He received his Bachelor’s Degree from The University of The Hague – Haagshe Hogeschool in Holland.
George Landa, General Manager (2006 - 2008) - St Kitts Marriott Resort & the Royal Beach Casino appointed Cuban-born George Landa as General Manager in April 2006. Most recently he was general manager at the Curacao Marriott Beach Resort & Emerald Casino from 2003-2006. Previously he also served as General Manager of the Intercontinental Hotel in Valencia, Venezuela.
John Toti, Opening General Manager ( 2002 - 2006 ) John Toti was named general manager, responsible for overseeing all aspects of operations at the new St. Kitts Marriott Resort. Most recently, Mr. Toti was the general manager at the Guatemala City Marriott. During his 25-year career with Marriott, Mr. Toti held positions in various aspects of hotel operations. In the food and beverage departments, he served as executive chef for Marriott Hotels in the Orlando World Center, Panama City and Puerto Vallarta, and was director of food and beverage at the Marriott Plaza Hotel, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Mr. Toti later went on to work in the operations segment, becoming area director of operations for Marriott's Caribbean region and assisting on short and long-term projects for resorts in St. Thomas, Jamaica, Caracas & Costa Rica. He served as director of operations at the Guatemala and Lima Marriott Hotels as well. Mr. Toti was also director of groups and conventions at the Marriott in Puerto Vallarta. Toti is now retired and lives in Naples, Florida.
Wayne Michaelson is the current Executive Chef, (2015 - ) - Executive Chef Wayne Michaelson, previously from the Macon (Georgia) Marriott City Center, is in charge of overseeing daily operations of the resort’s eight onsite restaurants as well as catering for special events. Before his previous job in Macon, where he supervised seven kitchens, a catering facility for 2,500 people, Chef Michaelson owned and operated his own restaurant for a decade. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, Chef Michaelson began his career in hospitality at Omni Hotels & Resorts in 1984 in Alabama as an Executive Chef. He then moved to Puerto Rico in 1986 where he worked for prominent hotels such as the Caribe Hilton Hotel & Casino, the Hyatt Regency Cerromar Resort, the Hyatt Dorado Beach Resort & Golf Club, and the El San Juan Hotel & Casino, a Waldorf Astoria Collection hotel.
Arun Maharajh is the Vice President Operations at the resort's Royal Beach Casino. Maharajh started at the casino in 2005 as the Financial Controller. Previously he was a business analyst at the Ontario (Canada) Lottery and Gaming Corporation.
Compiled by Dick Johnson
February, 2016
www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9WGD8D_FcU
I felt the earth on Monday. It moved beneath my feet.
In the form of a morning paper. Laid out for me to see.
Saw his face in a corner picture. I recognized the name.
Could not stop staring at the. Face I'd never see again.
It's a shame to awake in a world of pain
What does it mean when a war has taken over
It's the same everyday in a hell manmade
What can be saved, and who will be left to hold her?
The whole world...World over.
It's a worldwide suicide.
Medals on a wooden mantle. Next to a handsome face.
That the president took for granted.
Writing checks that others pay.
And in all the madness. Thought becomes numb and naive.
So much to talk about. Nothing for to say.
It's the same everyday and the wave won't break
Tell you to pray, while the devils on their shoulder
Laying claim to the take that our soldiers save
Does not equate, and the truth's already out there
The whole world,... World over.
It's a worldwide suicide.
The whole world,... World over.
It's a worldwide suicide.
Looking in the eyes of the fallen
You got to know there's another, another, another, another
Another way
It's a shame to awake in a world of pain
What does it mean when a war has taken over
It's the same everyday and the wave won't break
Tell you to pray, while the devils on their shoulder
The whole world,... World over.
It's a worldwide suicide.
The whole world,... World over.
It's a worldwide suicide.
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Plexus Worldwide shared hope, health and happiness with attendees of the 2023 Annual Convention. The Plexus convention was held from June 15th through June 18th at the Music City Center in Nashville, Tennessee. Ambassadors and their guests were treated to a variety of motivational speakers including keynotes by Alec, Gene and Tarl, John Maxwell, Valorie Burton, and Sara Ross. Musical performances kicked the event off with some of Nashville’s finest musicians and singers!
The exploitation rights for this text are the property of the Vienna Tourist Board. This text may be reprinted free of charge until further notice, even partially and in edited form. Forward sample copy to: Vienna Tourist Board, Media Management, Invalidenstraße 6, 1030 Vienna; media.rel@wien.info. All information in this text without guarantee.
Author: Andreas Nierhaus, Curator of Architecture/Wien Museum
Last updated January 2014
Architecture in Vienna
Vienna's 2,000-year history is present in a unique density in the cityscape. The layout of the center dates back to the Roman city and medieval road network. Romanesque and Gothic churches characterize the streets and squares as well as palaces and mansions of the baroque city of residence. The ring road is an expression of the modern city of the 19th century, in the 20th century extensive housing developments set accents in the outer districts. Currently, large-scale urban development measures are implemented; distinctive buildings of international star architects complement the silhouette of the city.
Due to its function as residence of the emperor and European power center, Vienna for centuries stood in the focus of international attention, but it was well aware of that too. As a result, developed an outstanding building culture, and still today on a worldwide scale only a few cities can come up with a comparable density of high-quality architecture. For several years now, Vienna has increased its efforts to connect with its historical highlights and is drawing attention to itself with some spectacular new buildings. The fastest growing city in the German-speaking world today most of all in residential construction is setting standards. Constants of the Viennese architecture are respect for existing structures, the palpability of historical layers and the dialogue between old and new.
Culmination of medieval architecture: the Stephansdom
The oldest architectural landmark of the city is St. Stephen's Cathedral. Under the rule of the Habsburgs, defining the face of the city from the late 13th century until 1918 in a decisive way, the cathedral was upgraded into the sacral monument of the political ambitions of the ruling house. The 1433 completed, 137 meters high southern tower, by the Viennese people affectionately named "Steffl", is a masterpiece of late Gothic architecture in Europe. For decades he was the tallest stone structure in Europe, until today he is the undisputed center of the city.
The baroque residence
Vienna's ascension into the ranks of the great European capitals began in Baroque. Among the most important architects are Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach and Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt. Outside the city walls arose a chain of summer palaces, including the garden Palais Schwarzenberg (1697-1704) as well as the Upper and Lower Belvedere of Prince Eugene of Savoy (1714-22). Among the most important city palaces are the Winter Palace of Prince Eugene (1695-1724, now a branch of the Belvedere) and the Palais Daun-Kinsky (auction house in Kinsky 1713-19). The emperor himself the Hofburg had complemented by buildings such as the Imperial Library (1722-26) and the Winter Riding School (1729-34). More important, however, for the Habsburgs was the foundation of churches and monasteries. Thus arose before the city walls Fischer von Erlach's Karlskirche (1714-39), which with its formal and thematic complex show façade belongs to the major works of European Baroque. In colored interior rooms like that of St. Peter's Church (1701-22), the contemporary efforts for the synthesis of architecture, painting and sculpture becomes visible.
Upgrading into metropolis: the ring road time (Ringstraßenzeit)
Since the Baroque, reflections on extension of the hopelessly overcrowed city were made, but only Emperor Franz Joseph ordered in 1857 the demolition of the fortifications and the connection of the inner city with the suburbs. 1865, the Ring Road was opened. It is as the most important boulevard of Europe an architectural and in terms of urban development achievement of the highest rank. The original building structure is almost completely preserved and thus conveys the authentic image of a metropolis of the 19th century. The public representational buildings speak, reflecting accurately the historicism, by their style: The Greek Antique forms of Theophil Hansen's Parliament (1871-83) stood for democracy, the Renaissance of the by Heinrich Ferstel built University (1873-84) for the flourishing of humanism, the Gothic of the Town Hall (1872-83) by Friedrich Schmidt for the medieval civic pride.
Dominating remained the buildings of the imperial family: Eduard van der Nüll's and August Sicardsburg's Opera House (1863-69), Gottfried Semper's and Carl Hasenauer's Burgtheater (1874-88), their Museum of Art History and Museum of Natural History (1871-91) and the Neue (New) Hofburg (1881-1918 ). At the same time the ring road was the preferred residential area of mostly Jewish haute bourgeoisie. With luxurious palaces the families Ephrussi, Epstein or Todesco made it clear that they had taken over the cultural leadership role in Viennese society. In the framework of the World Exhibition of 1873, the new Vienna presented itself an international audience. At the ring road many hotels were opened, among them the Hotel Imperial and today's Palais Hansen Kempinski.
Laboratory of modernity: Vienna around 1900
Otto Wagner's Postal Savings Bank (1903-06) was one of the last buildings in the Ring road area Otto Wagner's Postal Savings Bank (1903-06), which with it façade, liberated of ornament, and only decorated with "functional" aluminum buttons and the glass banking hall now is one of the icons of modern architecture. Like no other stood Otto Wagner for the dawn into the 20th century: His Metropolitan Railway buildings made the public transport of the city a topic of architecture, the church of the Psychiatric hospital at Steinhofgründe (1904-07) is considered the first modern church.
With his consistent focus on the function of a building ("Something impractical can not be beautiful"), Wagner marked a whole generation of architects and made Vienna the laboratory of modernity: in addition to Joseph Maria Olbrich, the builder of the Secession (1897-98) and Josef Hoffmann, the architect of the at the western outskirts located Purkersdorf Sanatorium (1904) and founder of the Vienna Workshop (Wiener Werkstätte, 1903) is mainly to mention Adolf Loos, with the Loos House at the square Michaelerplatz (1909-11) making architectural history. The extravagant marble cladding of the business zone stands in maximal contrast, derived from the building function, to the unadorned facade above, whereby its "nudity" became even more obvious - a provocation, as well as his culture-critical texts ("Ornament and Crime"), with which he had greatest impact on the architecture of the 20th century. Public contracts Loos remained denied. His major works therefore include villas, apartment facilities and premises as the still in original state preserved Tailor salon Knize at Graben (1910-13) and the restored Loos Bar (1908-09) near the Kärntner Straße (passageway Kärntner Durchgang).
Between the Wars: International Modern Age and social housing
After the collapse of the monarchy in 1918, Vienna became capital of the newly formed small country of Austria. In the heart of the city, the architects Theiss & Jaksch built 1931-32 the first skyscraper in Vienna as an exclusive residential address (Herrengasse - alley 6-8). To combat the housing shortage for the general population, the social democratic city government in a globally unique building program within a few years 60,000 apartments in hundreds of apartment buildings throughout the city area had built, including the famous Karl Marx-Hof by Karl Ehn (1925-30). An alternative to the multi-storey buildings with the 1932 opened International Werkbundsiedlung was presented, which was attended by 31 architects from Austria, Germany, France, Holland and the USA and showed models for affordable housing in greenfield areas. With buildings of Adolf Loos, André Lurçat, Richard Neutra, Gerrit Rietveld, the Werkbundsiedlung, which currently is being restored at great expense, is one of the most important documents of modern architecture in Austria.
Modernism was also expressed in significant Villa buildings: The House Beer (1929-31) by Josef Frank exemplifies the refined Wiener living culture of the interwar period, while the house Stonborough-Wittgenstein (1926-28, today Bulgarian Cultural Institute), built by the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein together with the architect Paul Engelmann for his sister Margarete, by its aesthetic radicalism and mathematical rigor represents a special case within contemporary architecture.
Expulsion, war and reconstruction
After the "Anschluss (Annexation)" to the German Reich in 1938, numerous Jewish builders, architects (female and male ones), who had been largely responsible for the high level of Viennese architecture, have been expelled from Austria. During the Nazi era, Vienna remained largely unaffected by structural transformations, apart from the six flak towers built for air defense of Friedrich Tamms (1942-45), made of solid reinforced concrete which today are present as memorials in the cityscape.
The years after the end of World War II were characterized by the reconstruction of the by bombs heavily damaged city. The architecture of those times was marked by aesthetic pragmatism, but also by the attempt to connect with the period before 1938 and pick up on current international trends. Among the most important buildings of the 1950s are Roland Rainer's City Hall (1952-58), the by Oswald Haerdtl erected Wien Museum at Karlsplatz (1954-59) and the 21er Haus of Karl Schwanzer (1958-62).
The youngsters come
Since the 1960s, a young generation was looking for alternatives to the moderate modernism of the reconstruction years. With visionary designs, conceptual, experimental and above all temporary architectures, interventions and installations, Raimund Abraham, Günther Domenig, Eilfried Huth, Hans Hollein, Walter Pichler and the groups Coop Himmelb(l)au, Haus-Rucker-Co and Missing Link rapidly got international attention. Although for the time being it was more designed than built, was the influence on the postmodern and deconstructivist trends of the 1970s and 1980s also outside Austria great. Hollein's futuristic "Retti" candle shop at Charcoal Market/Kohlmarkt (1964-65) and Domenig's biomorphic building of the Central Savings Bank in Favoriten (10th district of Vienna - 1975-79) are among the earliest examples, later Hollein's Haas-Haus (1985-90), the loft conversion Falkestraße (1987/88) by Coop Himmelb(l)au or Domenig's T Center (2002-04) were added. Especially Domenig, Hollein, Coop Himmelb(l)au and the architects Ortner & Ortner (ancient members of Haus-Rucker-Co) by orders from abroad the new Austrian and Viennese architecture made a fixed international concept.
MuseumQuarter and Gasometer
Since the 1980s, the focus of building in Vienna lies on the compaction of the historic urban fabric that now as urban habitat of high quality no longer is put in question. Among the internationally best known projects is the by Ortner & Ortner planned MuseumsQuartier in the former imperial stables (competition 1987, 1998-2001), which with institutions such as the MUMOK - Museum of Modern Art Foundation Ludwig, the Leopold Museum, the Kunsthalle Wien, the Architecture Center Vienna and the Zoom Children's Museum on a wordwide scale is under the largest cultural complexes. After controversies in the planning phase, here an architectural compromise between old and new has been achieved at the end, whose success as an urban stage with four million visitors (2012) is overwhelming.
The dialogue between old and new, which has to stand on the agenda of building culture of a city that is so strongly influenced by history, also features the reconstruction of the Gasometer in Simmering by Coop Himmelb(l)au, Wilhelm Holzbauer, Jean Nouvel and Manfred Wehdorn (1999-2001). Here was not only created new housing, but also a historical industrial monument reinterpreted into a signal in the urban development area.
New Neighborhood
In recent years, the major railway stations and their surroundings moved into the focus of planning. Here not only necessary infrastructural measures were taken, but at the same time opened up spacious inner-city residential areas and business districts. Among the prestigious projects are included the construction of the new Vienna Central Station, started in 2010 with the surrounding office towers of the Quartier Belvedere and the residential and school buildings of the Midsummer quarter (Sonnwendviertel). Europe's largest wooden tower invites here for a spectacular view to the construction site and the entire city. On the site of the former North Station are currently being built 10,000 homes and 20,000 jobs, on that of the Aspangbahn station is being built at Europe's greatest Passive House settlement "Euro Gate", the area of the North Western Railway Station is expected to be developed from 2020 for living and working. The largest currently under construction residential project but can be found in the north-eastern outskirts, where in Seaside Town Aspern till 2028 living and working space for 40,000 people will be created.
In one of the "green lungs" of Vienna, the Prater, 2013, the WU campus was opened for the largest University of Economics of Europe. Around the central square spectacular buildings of an international architect team from Great Britain, Japan, Spain and Austria are gathered that seem to lead a sometimes very loud conversation about the status quo of contemporary architecture (Hitoshi Abe, BUSarchitektur, Peter Cook, Zaha Hadid, NO MAD Arquitectos, Carme Pinós).
Flying high
International is also the number of architects who have inscribed themselves in the last few years with high-rise buildings in the skyline of Vienna and make St. Stephen's a not always unproblematic competition. Visible from afar is Massimiliano Fuksas' 138 and 127 meters high elegant Twin Tower at Wienerberg (1999-2001). The monolithic, 75-meter-high tower of the Hotel Sofitel at the Danube Canal by Jean Nouvel (2007-10), on the other hand, reacts to the particular urban situation and stages in its top floor new perspectives to the historical center on the other side.
Also at the water stands Dominique Perrault's DC Tower (2010-13) in the Danube City - those high-rise city, in which since the start of construction in 1996, the expansion of the city north of the Danube is condensed symbolically. Even in this environment, the slim and at the same time striking vertically folded tower of Perrault is beyond all known dimensions; from its Sky Bar, from spring 2014 on you are able to enjoy the highest view of Vienna. With 250 meters, the tower is the tallest building of Austria and almost twice as high as the St. Stephen's Cathedral. Vienna, thus, has acquired a new architectural landmark which cannot be overlooked - whether it also has the potential to become a landmark of the new Vienna, only time will tell. The architectural history of Vienna, where European history is presence and new buildings enter into an exciting and not always conflict-free dialogue with a great and outstanding architectural heritage, in any case has yet to offer exciting chapters.
Info: The folder "Architecture: From Art Nouveau to the Presence" is available at the Vienna Tourist Board and can be downloaded on www.wien.info/media/files/guide-architecture-in-wien.pdf.
And for folks who have just arrived - my workspace photos can be seen in the Desk Diary category.
The original article for this image lives at www.dannychoo.com/post/en/25659/Worldwide+Workspaces.html
Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Debbie Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American new wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s. Their first two albums contained strong elements of these genres, and although successful in the United Kingdom and Australia, Blondie was regarded as an underground band in the United States until the release of Parallel Lines in 1978. Over the next three years, the band achieved several hit singles and became noted for its eclectic mix of musical styles incorporating elements of disco, pop, rap, and reggae, while retaining a basic style as a new wave band.
Blondie broke up after the release of their sixth studio album The Hunter in 1982. Debbie Harry continued to pursue a solo career with varied results after taking a few years off to care for partner Chris Stein, who was diagnosed with pemphigus, a rare autoimmune disease of the skin.
The band reformed in 1997, achieving renewed success and a number one single in the United Kingdom with "Maria" in 1999. The group toured and performed throughout the world[5] during the following years, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.[6] Blondie has sold 40 million records worldwide[7] and is still active today, with a new album, Panic of Girls, planned for release in 2010.
Early career (1975–1978) In the early 1970s, Chris Stein moved from Brooklyn to Manhattan.Inspired by the burgeoning new music scene at the Mercer Arts Center, he sought to join a similar band. He joined The Stilettos in 1973 as their guitarist and formed a romantic relationship with one of the band's vocalists, Debbie Harry, a former waitress and Playboy Bunny, Harry had been a member of the folk-rock band, The Wind in the Willows, in the late 1960s. In 1974, Stein parted ways with The Stilettos and Elda Gentile, the band's originator. Stein and Harry formed a new band with drummer Billy O'Connor and bassist Fred Smith. By 1975, after some personnel turnover (including sisters Tish and Snooky Bellomo on backing vocals), Stein and Harry were joined by drummer Clem Burke, keyboard player Jimmy Destri and bass player Gary Valentine. Originally billed as Angel and the Snakes,they renamed themselves Blondie in late 1975. The name derived from comments made by truck drivers who catcalled "Hey, Blondie" to Harry as they drove by.Later, band members were amused to learn that the name was shared by Adolf Hitler's dog Blondie, a fact acknowledged in parody when, in 1997, they semi-anonymously contributed a cover of "Ordinary Bummer" to the Iggy Pop tribute album We Will Fall under the pseudonym 'Adolph's Dog'. Blondie became regulars at Max's Kansas City and CBGB.They got their first record deal with Private Stock Records in early 1976 and released their debut single "X-Offender" on June 17, 1976.Their debut album Blondie (AUS #14, UK #75) was issued in December 1976. In September 1977, Blondie bought back its contract with Private Stock and then signed with Chrysalis Records.The first album was re-released on the new label in October 1977. Rolling Stone's review of the debut album observed the eclectic nature of the group's music, comparing it to Phil Spector and The Who, and commented that the album's two strengths were Richard Gottehrer's production and the persona of Deborah Harry, saying she performed with "utter aplomb and involvement throughout: even when she's portraying a character consummately obnoxious and spaced-out, there is a wink of awareness that is comforting and amusing yet never condescending." It also noted that Harry was the "possessor of a bombshell zombie's voice that can sound dreamily seductive and woodenly Mansonite within the same song".
The band's first commercial success occurred in Australia in 1977, when the music television program Countdown mistakenly played their video "In the Flesh", which was the B-side of their current single "X-Offender".[6] Jimmy Destri later credited the show's Molly Meldrum for their initial success, commenting that "we still thank him to this day" for playing the wrong song.[16] In a 1998 interview, drummer Clem Burke recalled seeing the episode in which the wrong song was played, but he and Chris Stein suggested that it may have been a deliberate subterfuge on the part of Meldrum. Stein asserted that "X-Offender" was "too crazy and aggressive [to become a hit]", while "In the Flesh" was "not representative of any punk sensibility. Over the years, I've thought they probably played both things but liked one better. That's all." In retrospect, Burke described "In the Flesh" as "a forerunner to the power ballad".
Both the single and album reached the Australian top five in October 1977, and a subsequent double-A release of "X-Offender" and "Rip Her to Shreds" was also popular. A successful Australian tour followed in December, though it was marred by an incident in Brisbane when disappointed fans almost rioted after Harry canceled a performance, due to illness.
In February 1978, Blondie released their second album, Plastic Letters (UK #10, US #78). The album was recorded as a four-piece band because Gary Valentine left the band.Plastic Letters was promoted extensively throughout Europe and Asia by Chrysalis Records.[6] The album's first single, "Denis", was a cover version of Randy and the Rainbows' 1963 hit. It reached number two on the British singles charts, while both the album and its second single, "(I'm Always Touched by Your) Presence, Dear", reached the British top ten. Chart success, along with a successful 1978 UK tour, including a gig at London's Roundhouse, made Blondie one of the first American new wave bands to achieve mainstream success in the United Kingdom.[6] By this time, Gary Valentine had been replaced by Frank Infante (guitar, bass guitar), and shortly after that Nigel Harrison (bass guitar) joined, expanding the band to a six-piece for the first time.
"Heart of Glass" was their first U.S. hit. The disco-infused track topped the U.S. charts in April 1979. It was a reworking of a rock and reggae-infused song that the group had performed since its formation, updated with strong elements of disco music. Clem Burke later said the revamped version was inspired partly by Kraftwerk and partly by the Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive", whose drum beat Burke tried to emulate. He and Stein gave Jimmy Destri much of the credit for the final result, noting that Destri's appreciation of technology had led him to introduce synthesizers and to rework the keyboard sections.[21] Although some members of the British music press condemned Blondie for "selling out", the song became a success, worldwide. Selling more than a million copies and garnering major airplay, the single reached number one in many countries including the U.S., where Blondie had previously been considered an "underground" band. The song was accompanied by a music video that showcased Debbie Harry's hard-edged and playfully sexual persona, and she began to attain a celebrity status that set her apart from the other band members, who were largely ignored by the media.
Blondie's next single in the U.S. was a more aggressive rock song, "One Way or Another" (US #24), which became their second hit single in the United States. Meanwhile, in the UK, an alternate single choice, "Sunday Girl", became a #1 hit. Parallel Lines is ranked #140 on Rolling Stone's list of 500 greatest albums of all time.[22] In June 1979, Blondie, photographed by Annie Leibovitz, was featured on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.
Their fourth album, Eat to the Beat (UK #1, US #17), released in October 1979, was well-received by critics as a suitable follow-up to Parallel Lines, but in the U.S., its singles failed to achieve the same level of success as in the UK, where "Atomic" (UK #1, US #39) reached number one, "Dreaming" (UK #2, US #27) reached number two, and "Union City Blue" (UK #13) charted in the top 20.
Blondie's next single, the Grammy-nominated "Call Me" was the result of Debbie Harry's collaboration with the Italian songwriter and producer Giorgio Moroder, who had been responsible for Donna Summer's biggest hits. This track was not included on any Blondie studio album; rather, it was the title theme of the soundtrack for the film American Gigolo. Released in February 1980, "Call Me" spent six weeks at #1 in the U.S. and Canada, reached #1 in the U.K. and became a hit throughout the world. The song is the band's biggest selling single in the U.S. (over a million copies sold - gold status) and was Billboard magazine's #1 single of 1980.
In November 1980, Blondie's fifth studio album, Autoamerican (UK #3, US #7) was released and contained two more #1 US hits: the reggae-styled "The Tide Is High", a cover version of a 1967 song by The Paragons, and the rap-flavored "Rapture", which was one of the earliest songs containing elements of rap vocals to reach number one in the U.S.,sweeping the world by storm. "Rapture" would be the band's only single to achieve a higher chart position on the U.S. charts than in the UK, where it peaked at #5. Autoamerican was a departure from previous Blondie records, featuring less new wave and rock in favor of stylistic experiments, including acoustic jazz: "Faces", and from an early Broadway show, "Camelot", came "Follow Me".
Hiatus, The Hunter, and breakup (1981–1982)
Following their success of 1978-80, Blondie took a brief break in 1981. That year, Debbie Harry and Jimmy Destri both released solo albums; Stein helped out with Harry's album Koo Koo (UK #6, US #28) and Burke with Destri's Heart on a Wall. Frank Infante sued the band regarding a lack of involvement during the Autoamerican sessions; it was settled out of court, and Infante remained in the band (though Harry has subsequently said Infante was not on the next LP).
The band reconvened in 1981 to record and release (in 1982) The Hunter (UK #9, US #33). In contrast to their earlier commercial and critical successes, The Hunter was poorly received and failed to hit the top 20 in the U.S. The album did have two moderate hit singles: "Island of Lost Souls" (#11 UK, #37 US) and "War Child" (#39 UK).
The Hunter also included a song entitled "For Your Eyes Only" which shares its title with a 1981 James Bond film. This song was originally written on spec to be the film's opening-title theme. However, the producers chose another song by the same name, composed by Bill Conti and Michael Leeson. Blondie was offered the chance to perform Conti and Leeson's song, but they turned the offer down. Sheena Easton's rendition of Conti and Leeson's theme song became a top-ten single worldwide.
With tensions within the band on the rise due to the commercial decline and the constant press focus on Harry to the exclusion of the other band members, events reached a breaking point when Stein was diagnosed with the life-threatening illness pemphigus.Blondie band members received a letter to tell them not to rely on any more money from the bank, as there was only $25,000 left in their account. Their managers had completely wiped them out, and as a result of this and of drug use, mismanagement, tension in the band, slow ticket sales, and Chris Stein's worsening illness, Blondie canceled their tour plans early in August 1982. Shortly thereafter, the band splintered, with at least one (unspecified) member quitting and instigating lawsuits against the other group members; the group formally announced their break up in November, 1982.
Stein and Harry, still a couple at the time, stayed together and retreated from the public spotlight for a few years, with the exception of the minor single releases "Rush Rush" (1983, from the film Scarface) and 1985's dance track "Feel the Spin". Harry was forced to sell the couple's five-story mansion to pay off debts that the band had run up, Stein owed in excess of $1 million, and drug use was becoming an increasing concern for them. Harry decided to call off her intimate relationship to Stein and moved downtown. She stated in a 2006 interview that she felt she was having a sort of breakdown due to all the stress. After Stein recovered from his illness, Harry resumed her solo career with a new album (Rockbird) in 1986, with active participation from Stein. Meanwhile, Burke became a much-in-demand session drummer, playing for a time with the Eurythmics, and Destri maintained an active career as a producer and session musician.
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IOC President Thomas Bach attends the signing of the new Worldwide Partner Agreement between the IOC and Intel.
Copyright: IOC/Greg Martin
Día Mundial de la Fotografía Estenopeica 2016
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On last weeks Scott Kelby Worldwide Photowalk around Hertford I found out that Hertford was where the General Synod was first held back in the 7th Century (673AD), apparently it was in this meeting that the dates for Easter were established - Easter was to be held on the first Sunday following the first full moon after March 21st. The above sculpture was produced by Ronald Pope to commemorate the 13th centenary of this meeting.
I drilled a hole in a body cap, taped a piece of aluminium foil over the hole and stuck a thin needle through it.
I set the camera to manual, the ISO to 3200 and a one second exposure, which seemed about right.
Click here to learn more about Camp Click here to learn more about Camp Humphreys
U.S. Army photos by Anthony Langley
Ducks top Hoyas in Armed Forces Classic at Camp Humphreys
By Tim Hipps
U.S. Army Installation Management Command
CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea – In a season opener between teams led by newcomers, Joseph Young scored 24 points to lead No. 19 Oregon to an 82-75 victory over Georgetown in the 2013 Armed Forces Classic here.
The Ducks and Hoyas tipped off Nov. 9 at 10:16 a.m., on a Saturday morning in the Humphreys Community Fitness Center. For college basketball fans across America, the game was one of many season openers on Friday night. Only one, however, was played before 2,100 U.S. troops and their family members, along with a worldwide television audience on ESPN.
“We’re about to start the journey to determine who is the best team in college basketball, the best team in the country, and we’re doing it in front of the best team in the world,” ESPN announcer Jay Bilas said. “I’m in absolute awe of the commitment, the sacrifice, of our men and women in uniform.”
Young, a junior guard who transferred from Houston is a son of Michael Young, who played for the high-flying “Phi Slama Jama” teams of the early 1980’s. He grabbed five rebounds and was perfect on 12 free throws in his first game as a Duck.
Joshua Smith, a 6-foot-10, 350-pound junior center who transferred from UCLA, led Georgetown (0-1) with 25 points on 10-of-13 shooting and 5 of 9 free throws before fouling out of his first game as a Hoya with 9 seconds remaining.
Jason Calliste made all 11 of his free throws and scored 16 points for Oregon (1-0). Mike Moser added 15 points, seven rebounds and a career-high six steals, the most by an Oregon player in 15 seasons. Darius Wright was the last Duck to post six steals in a game against USC on Jan. 7, 1999.
“We came a long way, so we really didn’t want to lose this one,” Moser said. “It definitely feels good to go home – a 12-hour ride – with a win.”
Damyean Dotson grabbed eight rebounds and Johnathan Loyd had seven assists for Oregon. Loyd recorded his 304th career assist for a spot on the Ducks’ top 10 list.
The Hoyas shot 1 of 15 from 3-point range, failed to find much offensive continuity, and were outrebounded, 40-32.
“Things we can control, we have to control,” Georgetown coach John Thompson III said. “We had too many untimely unforced turnovers. We got our rhythm offensively, but we gave up a lot of threes in a row – it felt like four or five. The timing of that is what we have to learn. When we had to get a stop or a rebound, we didn’t.”
Oregon took an 18-7 lead via a 12-2 run, capped by two free throws by Calliste with 12:27 remaining in the first half. Calliste also converted a three-point play that gave the Ducks a 30-23 lead with 5:25 remaining in the period. Oregon led, 37-34, at halftime.
Georgetown took its first lead since 2-0 on a steal by Markel Starks and Smith’s feed to Jabril Trawick for a layup and a 40-39 lead with 18:06 left. D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera’s jumper put Georgetown ahead, 42-39. Loyd responded with a 3-pointer, Young followed with a layup, and the Ducks led the rest of the way.
Starks finished with 16 points and four assists for Georgetown. Trawick added 11 points and three rebounds. Before departing, Moser saluted the troops who welcomed the Ducks to Camp Humphreys, their most distant regular-season game site in school history.
“We had a lot of fun,” Moser said. “Getting a chance to hang out with the troops for a couple days inspired us to try and come out here and win this game.”
Played on Veterans Day weekend, the game featured a military theme throughout. Rather than players’ last names, Army values, such as “Courage,” “Integrity” and “Respect,” adorned the back of Georgetown’s camouflage-patterned jerseys. The backs of the Ducks’ camouflage-patterned jerseys displayed: “USA.” Members of both coaching staffs wore military-style cargo pants and combat boots.
“This was an unbelievable experience,” Thompson said. “It was a privilege to play in this environment, and it was a privilege to play in front of the Soldiers. One of the most rewarding times was serving lunch yesterday and getting the chance to interact with the young men and women stationed here at Camp Humphreys.”
Georgetown players Nate Lubick and Starks also were appreciative.
“This was a great opportunity to get a close-up look at what life is like for the men and women who protect our country,” Lubick said. “We’re very fortunate to have the opportunity to come here and play a game to thank them for all they do.”
“We’re blessed to have the chance to come here and see and tour the base and the helicopters,” Starks added. “It’s amazing all that they do and we’re really thankful to get the chance to meet everyone here.”
Folks at Camp Humphreys thought likewise.
“It’s such a blessing,” said Cassie Gaudette, wife of Army Capt. Brian Gaudette. “I don’t think that they can truly understand how exciting and wonderful it is to have a little piece of home and have the teams come here to South Korea. We’re originally from Eugene [home of the Oregon Ducks], so this was really exciting to see.”
Oregon played without sophomores Dominic Artis and Ben Carter, who were suspended nine games for violating NCAA rules by selling school-issued athletic apparel. If only they knew what they missed.
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www.LaserLightShow.ORG - We feature music from DJ P.A.W.N., Think Pink Floyd, Eve Michelson, Epic Micky UK, MC Foxy, Audiotrackerz, DJ ToTo, Alan Moll, Dstar Down Jones, Matt Falcone, Rezenber, Kreefer, Vibe-X Golan, Lily Zobel, Micky Zobel, Billy Martin, Johann Sebastian Bach, Scheherazade, Nikolai Rimsky Korsakov, DJ Dann D, Dreamlab Victor Andrews, ParaNormal SpacEE, TwinDrops, and many more on our past artist Roster like MC Skibadee (BBC RADIO 1Xtra award for best MC, best MC southwest Drum n Bass award, best Lyrical MC and best Hype MC in the national Drum and bass awards, as well as the Stevie Hyper D Lifetime Achievement Award) and also MC TC Izlam (Zulu Nation Minster of Information Grandmaster) and our past clothing line distribution at events of Jungle Sky Designs of NYC owned by DJ Soul Slinger.
With over 25 years in the music business, basically creating the EDM Electronic Dance Music industry inside the USA, which it is now valued at $7.4 Billion Dollars a year today (Billboard Magazine). We have built up one of the largest publishing & distributing partners in the music industry including outlets such as music stores, radio, TV, Jukeboxes, & audio fingerprinting. Our award winning portfolio of music can be found in stores like iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Spotify, iHeart Radio, beatport, Tidal and over 300+ more stores.
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TOURS & FESTIVALS: Ultra Music Festival (3 times), Detroit Electronic Music Festival (3 Times), Snoop Dogg with Linken Park, Jay Z, and Ghostface Killah (7 times) on the 2004 Project Revolution US Tour. Additionally, 100th Anniversary Boy Scouts of America, 100th Anniversary Borough of Stone Harbor NJ, 175th Anniversary of the Pennington School NJ, Red Bull Product Launch at Rock n' Air, Reebok And1 shoe Product Launch, Six Flags Great Adventure 2012, 2013, 2014, & 2016, Grand RE-Opening of Philadelphia’s City Hall Dilworth Park, Goya Foods 2014 Super Bowl Illumination and many more.
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