View allAll Photos Tagged because
what would Spanxx do? The super sad part is that this woman has been mistaken for me. We're both brown and wear glasses, and like drinks and karaoke...but honestly. I think the lyrics make this even more fitting. Oh yeah, those are shorts on perhaps the coldest night in Indy this year.
So, apparently we have a smart meter. It's been there a while -- I'd guess it was installed while we were on our road trip back in July because we certainly didn't see any of these notices: www.bchydro.com/energy_in_bc/projects/smart_metering_infr... -- I can only assume they ended up in the recycling pile on our return.
UPDATE. Nope, this is just a digital meter. We got our smart meter today.
Because I only had one full day in New York I took back to back Hop On Hop Off Buses. Some of the images are not very good as the bus would go over bumps etc,.I have kept them in as memorises of the day. I only got off the bus once so most of the photos were taken as we were travelling along. Sadly I just didn't have time to have a good walk around.
I woke to a lovely sunny day and not too cold with around 16c. As the day went on it clouded over a bit and cooled down. November 7, 2018 USA.
WAR MEMORIAL, Worthington Ridge, is significant historically because it represents the desire of the residents of the Town of Berlin to honor those from the town who served in wars. While prompted by the recent experience of World War I, the original lettering on the pedestal gives equal recognition to service in the Civil War and Spanish-American War. The original intent to recognize all service was continued by the plaques subsequently raised near the pergola behind the monument, which list names from World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.
To a substantial degree, the WAR MEMORIAL, Worthington Ridge, was the benefaction of Major Frank L. Wilcox, president of the local Fidelity Trust Company, who gave funds to purchase and clear the site and defrayed the expense of improvements other than the monument itself.
Berlin's WAR MEMORIAL on Worthington Ridge consists of a tall granite obelisk which is surmounted by a bronze eagle and flanked by flag poles, the whole in front of a rustic arbor. It occupies a small park at the corner of Farmington Avenue. The site is defined by a low brownstone random ashlar wall, rounded and stepped down at the street corner. Inside the widely spaced entrance piers of the wall a courtyard of slate and bluestone pavers is surrounded by squares of concrete within a red brick border.
At grade the base of the monument is formed of square and rectangular blocks of granite and limestone. The second level is granite with quarry-finished edges. The face of the base and the face of the pedestal form a single curved line with minor stepped moldings forming a smooth transition from pedestal to shaft. At the top of the shaft the eagle's talons are fixed to a granite sphere.
On either side of the monument two-stage granite plinths support the cast-iron bell-shaped pedestals in which the steel flagpoles are set. The bell shapes are embellished with raised swags.
At the rear of the site, where grade falls off, two pergolas flank a rounded brownstone wall section which surrounds a field artillery piece. The wooden framework of the pergolas is supported by 18" x 19" brownstone piers. At the north end, five brick risers with stone treads lead up from Farmington Avenue. Wrought-iron railings run on the west side over the retaining wall between the three pairs of piers which support the beams and joists of the arbor. The second pergola, south of the artillery piece, has four pairs of piers. At the south end of the south pergola, stone steps return in a switchback down to grade. The piers are covered with ivy and the arbor is overwhelmed by a vine, in contrast to the stark original appearance.
WAR MEMORIAL, Worthington Ridge, is significant artistically because it is an example of a traditional obelisk adapted to the Art Deco mode. In the manner of traditional Civil War monument obelisks, Worthington Ridge follows a standard in that it is mounted on a pedestal and surmounted by an eagle. But Worthington Ridge is tall and sheer and without the well-defined horizontal moldings that define the components of base, pedestal, and shaft in the earlier works. The single curved line at the bottom of this WAR MEMORIAL and the attenuated proportions of the shaft identify it with the Art Deco style, which was coming into prominence at the time of its design in 1920.
The flagpoles at Worthington Ridge, almost as tall as the monument, work well in the plan, creating a fitting ensemble. Such flagpoles are found elsewhere, as at World War I Memorial, New Haven, and Torrington War Memorial. Worthington Ridge is different because it has two. The partiality of the architect, William F. Brooks, for Adamesque features, often found in his other works, is here evidenced by the robust festoons on the bell-shaped pedestals of the flagpoles, but such high-relief details are out of place with the Art Deco.
The rustic character of the pergolas reflects a design preference then in vogue for rough masonry and exposed, structure-revealing wood forms, but, again, is a diverse design element. The overall site, while attractive, does not have design unity. The present unkempt state of the pergolas dilutes their original visual contribution. www.chs.org/finding_aides/ransom/005.htm
War Memorial Monument – originally dedicated in 1920 following WWI to honor residents of East Berlin, Berlin and Kensington who served in the armed forces in time of war. Separate tablets honoring all who served in WWII, Korean War and Vietnam War have been added to the Monument. From "Walking Tour of Berlin's Historic District."
... Because life should be colourful, and men should be allowed to play with colour!!! I love dancing and doing beginner heel dancing steps for working out. For calves, thigs and hips, a good fifteen minutes of strutting and dancing can make miracles.
I'm a straight man on heels, advocating for fashion freedom. Clothes and shoes should not be gender-biased and have nothing to do with sexuality. Although I offer my deepest respect to the LGTBQ+ community, which has been fighting really hard for a dignity that, in the end, should be granted to every human being.
Right now, right now, hiding in your pores you probably have dozens of beings, feeding on the fat that comes off your face. But calm, because the people who are close, even who writes these lines, is under the same assumption. These "little animals" that measure 0.3 millimeters (it would take about ten posts in a row so they could add up to the same as the head of a pin) and that look like a kind of worm - although it is not at all - are the Demodex family folliculorum, a type of mite quite common that cohabit with different animals without these realize most of the time.
Not everything is that these animals have sex, do it yourself in live sex vip, and so you enjoy a little of life.
The NPR portal wanted to "pay tribute" to these mites - which are arachnids, that is, they are more related to ticks or spiders than to worms - and explain their way of life in images that can cause more than a chill: by day they "lock themselves" in the pores to go out at night, while you sleep, and to mate with similar ones on your face.
The fact that they live "tight" in your pores is not coincidence. The waxy oil that excretes your face to keep you hydrated and that is produced by hidden glands within your pores, near the bottom of your hair follicles, is a delicacy for the Demodex mites. After the feast -and sleeping-, they crawl to the surface to have sex on your face, literally.
Do not defecate in your face -at least-
Given their dietary preferences, mites of the face are attracted to the poorer pores of the human face, such as the cheeks, nose and forehead. According to a study published in 1992 in the journal "Clinical and Experimental Dermatology," infested follicles can harbor half a dozen mites at a time, with room for many more. The life of these beings reaches up to two weeks and they are so "respectful" that they do not defecate, but keep their excrement inside until death.
Related to ticks
Another recent study published in the journal "Nature Communications" explains that the family of mites is related to that of ticks not remotely, but are part of the same evolutionary line. This now makes them the most diverse group of quelicerados, changing our perspective on their biodiversity. Scientists from the University of Bristol and the Natural History Museum of London have just reconstructed the evolutionary history of Quelicerados, the mega diverse group of 110,000 arthropods that includes spiders, scorpions, mites and ticks.
«The spiders, with more than 48,000 species described, have long been considered as the chelicerate lineage with the highest biodiversity, but 42,000 species of mites and 12,000 ticks have been described. Therefore, if mites and ticks are a single evolutionary entity instead of two related species, it would be a family more numerous than spiders, "said study co-author Professor Davide Pisani of the School of Sciences. of the Earth and Biological Sciences of the University of Bristol. That is to say, you have an old and multitudinous lineage in your pores. Much more than that of spiders.
Babies: the only ones without mites
These mites do not distinguish between men and women, but they do by age: babies do not have, so it is believed that they "acquire" them through contact with the mother or relatives. These mites do not pose a threat to humans, unless they accumulate in really large amounts, which sometimes leads to a disease called demodicosis or demodectic mange. In humans, demodicosis can cause a red or white glow to form on the skin, and is often associated with a decrease in the immune system's response. However, it is a rare disease and most people live at peace with these "little animals" until old age.
because I know many of you really enjoy seeing this art form... ( some stitching on each piece...all original design in this juried show...) here are more...and I will add another posting fairly soon......
This first work, by Joyce McKinnon, of Thunder Bay...uses a photo transfer to fabric....and a setting to make a picture story.....
Because it's monsoon season, we got to see our fair share of clouds. I was NOT complaining! They're so pretty.
tell me a secret.
any secret that you have.
i'll tell you one of mine.
im terrified of strangers. yes, its true. not because my parents always told me not to get into their cars for candy as a child, but because i don't trust people. ive been hurt far too many times to ever fully and completely trust one person. i used to trust one person, and i thought that this person was the greatest human to ever talk to me because this person understood me. this person knew my every waking thought and could finish my sentences. this person entrusted their life into my hands - and i returned the favor. i told this person so much about me, and i knew so much about them. we were pals. companions. buddies. we talked everyday. all day, everyday. we spent countless hours together. we laughed and cried together. this person and i were best friends.
until that person hurt me more deeply than i could have ever imagined possible. that person had such a tight grip on my heart, that the only thing necessary was to tug. that person pulled my heart right out of me. bruised it. broke it. my heart was in a thousand pieces and i still haven't collected them all to glue back together - and i honestly don't think that i ever will.
there will forever be a gaping hold in my heart from when that person decided to tear me apart. ive never completely forgiven that person, and i don't know if i could if i tried with all of my being.
and now i live with the emotional scars every day, from when that person ruthlessly attacked me. that person attacked me with words. truthful words - for the first time. previously, all that i knew had been a lie. an ugly and vicious lie. the relationship. the laughter. the tears. and the trust. all of it was fake and phoney.
and so. ive never trusted again.
and im scared to open myself to new people.
so i guess this means, im not just scared of strangers..
i'm scared of people. and the words they say.
+1 in comments : its irrelevant.
btw sorry that ive had some depressing days lately.. just going through a phase.
1. I am thankful for clean windows!!
2. I am thankful for finally finding a word for when I really want to take a photograph but am too shy to bring out my camera or don’t want to miss the moment by fiddling. The term is unphotographable.
3. I am thankful for finally ordering an external hard drive to back up all of my files, at once, in one place. Thanks Joe of answering my query. :)
4. I am thankful for Tim Brownson’s requirements and offering of free life coaching because it helped to sift through my life where I have shown commitment to making improvements and see that I do work really hard to do and be better .. and I’m not near as flaky as I had thought I was. To write something where the thoughts need to be more cohesive is also very good practise, especially since it had a deadline. Asking for and allowing something good that I would like is also important forward movement for me. Interesting thing about Tim is that he is one of those people that I kept coming across several times a week for a few weeks. He also co-authored an interesting, entertaining and useful book How to be Rich and Happy I came across a few times. I don’t know about the title but the book looks good. Update: I submitted the first story and made the top six out of twenty-eight. The next part was to pare the 1000 word essay down to under 350 words. The 350 word story will be printed with the other five entries this Friday for readers of Tim’s blog to vote. I can hardly wait to read all of the stories! :) Submitting a story was a huge hurdle for me because in the past I have been so insecure about my writing abilities I would write something but get frustrated and just give up even if I believed the story I had to tell was worthy of mention. Tim also left some very tasty bread crumbs in the form of helpful links so whether my story is chosen or not I am still learning and growing heaps .. and that my dears is certainly something to be thankful for! ;) [Noter bien: if you are offended by swearing, following any of the links in this gratitude point may not be your cup of tea.]
5. I am thankful for being challenged on how I write my gratitude lists because it is helping me to communicate more concisely, further differentiate between myself and my work and helped me to finish a medium sized artwork that I had began weeks ago. In the finishing of the piece I was able to work through why my artwork and writing are so dense and involved. I know my artwork and writing is not for everyone, to look at it and connect with takes a certain personal time commitment on the part of the viewer. The work is not particularly accessible because there is a lot of writing in a small amount of space. My hope is that the reader/viewer will be rewarded with some connection they were able to make with their thoughts and hopes to another person to feel more connected to another. Or something to that effect.
6. I am thankful that I made the choice to stop avoiding making art by returning to university.
7. I am thankful that P sent this article this week 60 second health and fitness boosters - this is perfect because I have been working on creating better balance between work and exercise. Everything just goes so much better when I get enough exercise.
8. I am thankful for getting a bunch of administration work done this week. I had been letting it hang over my head for over a month.
9. I am thankful for the cool serendipity this week, specifically the Salvation Army Thrift Store pick up truck parked outside my office window and getting up to get something from the desk at just the right time. I was able to give a couple huge bags of clothes and some house hold items. The guy even came up to get some extra things so I didn’t have to go back out in the cold and wind .. I forgot to ask his name unfortunately. He told me that you can phone the store and they go out to pick things up Tuesdays and Thursdays. I am so thankful to get the things to people who can put them to use instead of sitting in a corner or closet AND that someone came to my door and took them away. I felt so much lighter and almost giddy afterward, so much so that I could barely sit still to work! Today as I was tidying up I thought of a bunch of other items in boxes that can go to better homes. For a while now I have been consciously culling my life of things (and ideas) that I don’t really enjoy or use anymore. I am often amazed at what I find that I have hung onto for YEARS and find that the reason I had kept it has long since expired. Out it goes! :) The more I cull the more I enjoy what I do have .. because I can actually see and experience it!
10. I am thankful for the first day of snow because traffic is slower, people are kinder, friendlier and more helpful of neighbours. I also like that the snow buffers traffic sounds and loud stereo people tend to stay home. That said, I am also glad that the clouds parted and let the sun shine in my window this evening! :) I am also thankful for the men and women that work with the city, Wascana Centre Authority and everyone else on the entire planet that clears walkways!! :)
11. I am thankful for getting bread and some peanut butter oatmeal cookies made this evening. I was down to my last crust of bread. Tomorrow’s mission; foraging for fresh food and dried legumes! :)
12. I am thankful for getting better at making check lists of things that I want done and assigning due dates to myself because it allows me to be better directed and see that I have actually done some stuff and the part of my brain that tells me I don’t do nearly enough can relax! I had my first official staff meeting with myself this week. I found it useful because it enabled me to look at what I am doing from different perspectives. One perspective as the boss in charge of direction and making sure the work gets done and another perspective as the worker who is sometimes temperamental and just doesn’t dang well feel like doing the work. During the staff meeting I ask myself the questions of Why I do the thing I do? How I choose to do the thing I do? and What exactly is it that I do? and was surprised to learn some things about how Me Inc. versus how Monique does things.
13. I am thankful that although sometimes thinking about the things (and people) that I am thankful for delays sleep, I always wake up feeling refreshed and in a good mood. Gratitude lists are such fascinating things, once you get into the habit they sort of permeate throughout your entire life. Speaking the day’s list has been one of the most important catalysts for change I have ever implemented in my life.
14. I watched this TED talk from Charlie Gilkey this afternoon and it is causing me to re-evaluate some of my choices. I am thankful for Charlie’s blog, I enjoy and connect with it more as the weeks go by.
15. I am thankful for remembering some important things this week. Mainly that no matter what seems to happen, good things always, always come of it.
16. Thank you for reading, have a delightful week .. unless you have other plans!? ;)
PS: I took the photo upside down because the light and framing worked better that way. I left it upside down because it worked better with the subject of the text in the photo.
There are those times when things just come together for you. It's funny because as I was making the long haul home to southern Utah from Hood River Oregon, I had had this thought. About the times when things just sort of all fall into place for you. And then I was traveling down the freeway noticing some lovely cloud formations off to the north and I thought to myself, it sure would be nice to find something interesting to photograph under that sky. I saw a sign for Farewell Bend State Park and thought "what the heck" and so I pulled off to have a look-see. Just a mile off the highway and just before the park, the road crossed this lovely stream with it's serpentine last twists before it flows into the mighty Snake River. Nice piece of luck. Another lucky thing was that there was a small breeze which illuminated the stream with ripples without otherwise the stream would have a dark reflection in the middle from the mountain behind. But only in part of the stream. The part with the cool cloud reflections remained calm. I couldn't have asked for better if I'd personally ordered it from God myself. So lo and behold this lovely composition I stumbled upon to go with that dramatic sky. Another cool thing which I didn't have a lens for were the fish jumping out of the water in the stream right in front of me!
Happy with my find, I headed back to my truck and there was a dazzling sunset on the opposite side of the road. And then, as if that was not enough, to the east a lovely rainbow formed. Neither one of them very photogenic but absolutely beautiful nonetheless. Nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile.
Farewell Bend by the way was a camping spot named by the pioneers on the Oregon Trail. After traveling across the big Snake River Plains, this was the point where the pioneers said farewell to the Snake River and headed over no man's land towards the Columbia River and the last leg of the long journey to Oregon City, the final destination of most of the Oregon Trail pioneers.
The image here on flickr makes the darks darker than they are on my monitor which is calibrated. Don't know why. None of my images are exactly the same on here as their source. Anyway, the darkness offsets the stream and cloud detail nicely as per the original intention.
Comments and critiques are most welcome but please no badges and blinking lights.
Because it was snowing in April. Let's not even talk about it.
Apple Tarte Tatin on smittenkitchen.com
First of July 2017 I made my way to Stonehaven, a small fishing town a few miles from Aberdeen, while there the sun shone high in the blue sky making it a perfect day to capture the scenery and landscape surrounding me, hence I packed my Nikon D750 and made full use of it, I left Stonehaven around 16pm and drove the few miles to this wonderful location Dunnottar Castle, absolutely breathtaking , I post a few of the photos I have taken along with a brief history of castles heritage .
Dunnottar Castle (Scottish Gaelic: Dùn Fhoithear, "fort on the shelving slope" is a ruined medieval fortress located upon a rocky headland on the north-east coast of Scotland, about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) south of Stonehaven.
The surviving buildings are largely of the 15th and 16th centuries, but the site is believed to have been fortified in the Early Middle Ages. Dunnottar has played a prominent role in the history of Scotland through to the 18th-century Jacobite risings because of its strategic location and defensive strength. Dunnottar is best known as the place where the Honours of Scotland, the Scottish crown jewels, were hidden from Oliver Cromwell's invading army in the 17th century. The property of the Keiths from the 14th century, and the seat of the Earl Marischal, Dunnottar declined after the last Earl forfeited his titles by taking part in the Jacobite rebellion of 1715.
The castle was restored in the 20th century and is now open to the public.
The ruins of the castle are spread over 1.4 hectares (3.5 acres), surrounded by steep cliffs that drop to the North Sea, 50 metres (160 ft) below. A narrow strip of land joins the headland to the mainland, along which a steep path leads up to the gatehouse.
The various buildings within the castle include the 14th-century tower house as well as the 16th-century palace. Dunnottar Castle is a scheduled monument, and twelve structures on the site are listed buildings.
History
Early Middle Ages
A chapel at Dunnottar is said to have been founded by St Ninian in the 5th century, although it is not clear when the site was first fortified, but in any case the legend is late and highly implausible. Possibly the earliest written reference to the site is found in the Annals of Ulster which record two sieges of "Dún Foither" in 681 and 694.
The earlier event has been interpreted as an attack by Brude, the Pictish king of Fortriu, to extend his power over the north-east coast of Scotland. The Scottish Chronicle records that King Domnall II, the first ruler to be called rí Alban (King of Alba), was killed at Dunnottar during an attack by Vikings in 900. King Aethelstan of Wessex led a force into Scotland in 934, and raided as far north as Dunnottar according to the account of Symeon of Durham. W. D. Simpson speculated that a motte might lie under the present caste, but excavations in the 1980s failed to uncover substantive evidence of early medieval fortification.
The discovery of a group of Pictish stones at Dunnicaer, a nearby sea stack, has prompted speculation that "Dún Foither" was actually located on the adjacent headland of Bowduns, 0.5 kilometres (0.31 mi) to the north.
Later Middle Ages
During the reign of King William the Lion (ruled 1165–1214) Dunnottar was a center of local administration for The Mearns. The castle is named in the Roman de Fergus, an early 13th-century Arthurian romance, in which the hero Fergus must travel to Dunnottar to retrieve a magic shield.
In May 1276 a church on the site was consecrated by William Wishart, Bishop of St Andrews. The poet Blind Harry relates that William Wallace captured Dunnottar from the English in 1297, during the Wars of Scottish Independence. He is said to have imprisoned 4,000 defeated English soldiers in the church and burned them alive.
In 1336 Edward III of England ordered William Sinclair, 8th Baron of Roslin, to sail eight ships to the partially ruined Dunnottar for the purpose of rebuilding and fortifying the site as a forward resupply base for his northern campaign. Sinclair took with him 160 soldiers, horses, and a corps of masons and carpenters.
Edward himself visited in July, but the English efforts were undone before the end of the year when the Scottish Regent Sir Andrew Murray led a force that captured and again destroyed the defences of Dunnottar.
In the 14th century Dunnottar was granted to William de Moravia, 5th Earl of Sutherland (d.1370), and in 1346 a licence to crenellate was issued by David II. Around 1359 William Keith, Marischal of Scotland, married Margaret Fraser, niece of Robert the Bruce, and was granted the barony of Dunnottar at this time. Keith then gave the lands of Dunnottar to his daughter Christian and son-in-law William Lindsay of Byres, but in 1392 an excambion (exchange) was agreed whereby Keith regained Dunnottar and Lindsay took lands in Fife.
William Keith completed construction of the tower house at Dunnottar, but was excommunicated for building on the consecrated ground associated with the parish church. Keith had provided a new parish church closer to Stonehaven, but was forced to write to the Pope, Benedict XIII, who issued a bull in 1395 lifting the excommunication.William Keith's descendents were created Earls Marischal in the mid 15th century, and they held Dunottar until the 18th century.
16th century rebuilding
Through the 16th century the Keiths improved and expanded their principal seats: at Dunnottar and also at Keith Marischal in East Lothian. James IV visited Dunnottar in 1504, and in 1531 James V exempted the Earl's men from military service on the grounds that Dunnottar was one of the "principall strenthis of our realme".
Mary, Queen of Scots, visited in 1562 after the Battle of Corrichie, and returned in 1564.
James VI stayed for 10 days in 1580, as part of a progress through Fife and Angus, during which a meeting of the Privy Council was convened at Dunnottar.
During a rebellion of Catholic nobles in 1592, Dunnottar was captured by a Captain Carr on behalf of the Earl of Huntly, but was restored to Lord Marischal just a few weeks later.
In 1581 George Keith succeeded as 5th Earl Marischal, and began a large scale reconstruction that saw the medieval fortress converted into a more comfortable home. The founder of Marischal College in Aberdeen, the 5th Earl valued Dunnottar as much for its dramatic situation as for its security.
A "palace" comprising a series of ranges around a quadrangle was built on the north-eastern cliffs, creating luxurious living quarters with sea views. The 13th-century chapel was restored and incorporated into the quadrangle.
An impressive stone gatehouse was constructed, now known as Benholm's Lodging, featuring numerous gun ports facing the approach. Although impressive, these are likely to have been fashionable embellishments rather than genuine defensive features.
Civil wars
Further information: Scotland in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms
In 1639 William Keith, 7th Earl Marischal, came out in support of the Covenanters, a Presbyterian movement who opposed the established Episcopal Church and the changes which Charles I was attempting to impose. With James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose, he marched against the Catholic James Gordon, 2nd Viscount Aboyne, Earl of Huntly, and defeated an attempt by the Royalists to seize Stonehaven. However, when Montrose changed sides to the Royalists and marched north, Marischal remained in Dunnottar, even when given command of the area by Parliament, and even when Montrose burned Stonehaven.
Marischal then joined with the Engager faction, who had made a deal with the king, and led a troop of horse to the Battle of Preston (1648) in support of the royalists.
Following the execution of Charles I in 1649, the Engagers gave their allegiance to his son and heir: Charles II was proclaimed king, arriving in Scotland in June 1650. He visited Dunnottar in July 1650, but his presence in Scotland prompted Oliver Cromwell to lead a force into Scotland, defeating the Scots at Dunbar in September 1650.
The Honours of Scotland
Charles II was crowned at Scone Palace on 1 January 1651, at which the Honours of Scotland (the regalia of crown, sword and sceptre) were used. However, with Cromwell's troops in Lothian, the honours could not be returned to Edinburgh. The Earl Marischal, as Marischal of Scotland, had formal responsibility for the honours, and in June the Privy Council duly decided to place them at Dunnottar.
They were brought to the castle by Katherine Drummond, hidden in sacks of wool. Sir George Ogilvie (or Ogilvy) of Barras was appointed lieutenant-governor of the castle, and given responsibility for its defence.
In November 1651 Cromwell's troops called on Ogilvie to surrender, but he refused. During the subsequent blockade of the castle, the removal of the Honours of Scotland was planned by Elizabeth Douglas, wife of Sir George Ogilvie, and Christian Fletcher, wife of James Granger, minister of Kinneff Parish Church. The king's papers were first removed from the castle by Anne Lindsay, a kinswoman of Elizabeth Douglas, who walked through the besieging force with the papers sewn into her clothes.
Two stories exist regarding the removal of the honours themselves. Fletcher stated in 1664 that over the course of three visits to the castle in February and March 1652, she carried away the crown, sceptre, sword and sword-case hidden amongst sacks of goods. Another account, given in the 18th century by a tutor to the Earl Marischal, records that the honours were lowered from the castle onto the beach, where they were collected by Fletcher's servant and carried off in a creel (basket) of seaweed. Having smuggled the honours from the castle, Fletcher and her husband buried them under the floor of the Old Kirk at Kinneff.
Meanwhile, by May 1652 the commander of the blockade, Colonel Thomas Morgan, had taken delivery of the artillery necessary for the reduction of Dunnottar. Ogilvie surrendered on 24 May, on condition that the garrison could go free. Finding the honours gone, the Cromwellians imprisoned Ogilvie and his wife in the castle until the following year, when a false story was put about suggesting that the honours had been taken overseas.
Much of the castle property was removed, including twenty-one brass cannons,[28] and Marischal was required to sell further lands and possessions to pay fines imposed by Cromwell's government.
At the Restoration of Charles II in 1660, the honours were removed from Kinneff Church and returned to the king. Ogilvie quarrelled with Marischal's mother over who would take credit for saving the honours, though he was eventually rewarded with a baronetcy. Fletcher was awarded 2,000 merks by Parliament but the sum was never paid.
Whigs and Jacobites
Religious and political conflicts continued to be played out at Dunnottar through the 17th and early 18th centuries. In 1685, during the rebellion of the Earl of Argyll against the new king James VII, 167 Covenanters were seized and held in a cellar at Dunnottar. The prisoners included 122 men and 45 women associated with the Whigs, an anti-Royalist group within the Covenanter movement, and had refused to take an oath of allegiance to the new king.
The Whigs were imprisoned from 24 May until late July. A group of 25 escaped, although two of these were killed in a fall from the cliffs, and another 15 were recaptured. Five prisoners died in the vault, and 37 of the Whigs were released after taking the oath of allegiance.
The remaining prisoners were transported to Perth Amboy, New Jersey, as part of a colonisation scheme devised by George Scot of Pitlochie. Many, like Scot himself, died on the voyage.
The cellar, located beneath the "King's Bedroom" in the 16th-century castle buildings, has since become known as the "Whigs' Vault".
Both the Jacobites (supporters of the exiled Stuarts) and the Hanoverians (supporters of George I and his descendents) used Dunnottar Castle. In 1689 during Viscount Dundee's campaign in support of the deposed James VII, the castle was garrisoned for William and Mary with Lord Marischal appointed captain.
Seventeen suspected Jacobites from Aberdeen were seized and held in the fortress for around three weeks, including George Liddell, professor of mathematics at Marischal College.
In the Jacobite Rising of 1715 George Keith, 10th Earl Marischal, took an active role with the rebels, leading cavalry at the Battle of Sheriffmuir. After the subsequent abandonment of the rising Lord Marischal fled to the Continent, eventually becoming French ambassador for Frederick the Great of Prussia. Meanwhile, in 1716, his titles and estates including Dunnottar were declared forfeit to the crown.
Later history
The seized estates of the Earl Marischal were purchased in 1720 for £41,172, by the York Buildings Company who dismantled much of the castle.
In 1761 the Earl briefly returned to Scotland and bought back Dunnottar only to sell it five years later to Alexander Keith, an Edinburgh lawyer who served as Knight Marischal of Scotland.
Dunnottar was inherited in 1852 by Sir Patrick Keith-Murray of Ochtertyre, who in turn sold it in July 1873 to Major Alexander Innes of Cowie and Raemoir for about £80,000.
It was purchased by Weetman Pearson, 1st Viscount Cowdray, in 1925 after which his wife embarked on a programme of repairs.
Since that time the castle has remained in the family, and has been open to the public, attracting 52,500 visitors in 2009.
Dunnottar Castle, and the headland on which is stands, was designated as a scheduled monument in 1970.In 1972 twelve of the structures at Dunnottar were listed.
Three buildings are listed at category A as being of "national importance": the keep; the entrance gateway; and Benholm's Lodging.
The remaining listings are at category B as being of "regional importance".[39] The Hon. Charles Anthony Pearson, the younger son of the 3rd Viscount Cowdray, currently owns and runs Dunnottar Castle which is part of the 210-square-kilometre (52,000-acre) Dunecht Estates.
Portions of the 1990 film Hamlet, starring Mel Gibson and Glenn Close, were shot there.
Description
Dunnottar's strategic location allowed its owners to control the coastal terrace between the North Sea cliffs and the hills of the Mounth, 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) inland, which enabled access to and from the north-east of Scotland.
The site is accessed via a steep, 800-metre (2,600 ft) footpath (with modern staircases) from a car park on the coastal road, or via a 3-kilometre (1.9 mi) cliff-top path from Stonehaven. Dunnottar's several buildings, put up between the 13th and 17th centuries, are arranged across a headland covering around 1.4 hectares (3.5 acres).
The dominant building, viewed from the land approach, is the 14th-century keep or tower house. The other principal buildings are the gatehouse; the chapel; and the 16th-century "palace" which incorporates the "Whigs' Vault".
Defences
The approach to the castle is overlooked by outworks on the "Fiddle Head", a promontory on the western side of the headland. The entrance is through the well-defended main gate, set in a curtain wall which entirely blocks a cleft in the rocky cliffs.
The gate has a portcullis and has been partly blocked up. Alongside the main gate is the 16th-century Benholm's Lodging, a five-storey building cut into the rock, which incorporated a prison with apartments above.
Three tiers of gun ports face outwards from the lower floors of Benholm's Lodging, while inside the main gate, a group of four gun ports face the entrance. The entrance passage then turns sharply to the left, running underground through two tunnels to emerge near the tower house.
Simpson contends that these defences are "without exception the strongest in Scotland", although later writers have doubted the effectiveness of the gun ports. Cruden notes that the alignment of the gun ports in Benholm's Lodging, facing across the approach rather than along, means that they are of limited efficiency.
The practicality of the gun ports facing the entrance has also been questioned, though an inventory of 1612 records that four brass cannons were placed here.
A second access to the castle leads up from a rocky cove, the aperture to a marine cave on the northern side of the Dunnottar cliffs into which a small boat could be brought. From here a steep path leads to the well-fortified postern gate on the cliff top, which in turn offers access to the castle via the Water Gate in the palace.
Artillery defences, taking the form of earthworks, surround the north-west corner of the castle, facing inland, and the south-east, facing seaward. A small sentry box or guard house stands by the eastern battery, overlooking the coast.
Tower house and surrounding buildings
The tower house of Dunnottar, viewed from the west
The late 14th-century tower house has a stone-vaulted basement, and originally had three further storeys and a garret above.
Measuring 12 by 11 metres (39 by 36 ft), the tower house stood 15 metres (49 ft) high to its gable. The principal rooms included a great hall and a private chamber for the lord, with bedrooms upstairs.
Beside the tower house is a storehouse, and a blacksmith's forge with a large chimney. A stable block is ranged along the southern edge of the headland. Nearby is Waterton's Lodging, also known as the Priest's House, built around 1574, possibly for the use of William Keith (died 1580), son of the 4th Earl Marischal.
This small self-contained house includes a hall and kitchen at ground level, with private chambers above, and has a projecting spiral stair on the north side. It is named for Thomas Forbes of Waterton, an attendant of the 7th Earl.
The palace
The palace, to the north-east of the headland, was built in the late 16th century and early to mid-17th century. It comprises three main wings set out around a quadrangle, and for the most part is probably the work of the 5th Earl Marischal who succeeded in 1581.
It provided extensive and comfortable accommodation to replace the rooms in the tower house. In its long, low design it has been compared to contemporary English buildings, in contrast to the Scottish tradition of taller towers still prevalent in the 16th century.
Seven identical lodgings are arranged along the west range, each opening onto the quadrangle and including windows and fireplace. Above the lodgings the west range comprised a 35-metre (115 ft) gallery. Now roofless, the gallery originally had an elaborate oak ceiling, and on display was a Roman tablet taken from the Antonine Wall.
At the north end of the gallery was a drawing room linked to the north range. The gallery could also be accessed from the Silver House to the south, which incorporated a broad stairway with a treasury above.
The basement of the north range incorporates kitchens and stores, with a dining room and great chamber above. At ground floor level is the Water Gate, between the north and west ranges, which gives access to the postern on the northern cliffs.
The east and north ranges are linked via a rectangular stair. The east range has a larder, brewhouse and bakery at ground level, with a suite of apartments for the Countess above. A north-east wing contains the Earl's apartments, and includes the "King's Bedroom" in which Charles II stayed. In this room is a carved stone inscribed with the arms of the 7th Earl and his wife, and the date 1654. Below these rooms is the Whigs' Vault, a cellar measuring 16 by 4.5 metres (52 by 15 ft). This cellar, in which the Covenanters were held in 1685, has a large eastern window, as well as a lower vault accessed via a trap-door in the floor.
Of the chambers in the palace, only the dining room and the Silver House remain roofed, having been restored in the 1920s. The central area contains a circular cistern or fish pond, 16 metres (52 ft) across and 7.6 metres (25 ft) deep, and a bowling green is located to the west.
At the south-east corner of the quadrangle is the chapel, consecrated in 1276 and largely rebuilt in the 16th century. Medieval walling and two 13th-century windows remain, and there is a graveyard to the south...
I asked ChatGPT :
If you take the perspective of Zen, the answer is both yes and no — or perhaps more accurately, mu. In the tradition of Zen, the question “Does a dog have Buddha-nature?” is answered with mu — a response that directs the practitioner to let go of dualistic thinking altogether.
If Buddha-nature is the fundamental nature of all things, then yes, I would have Buddha-nature because nothing is separate from it. But if Buddha-nature transcends conceptual thought and conditioned existence, then perhaps no — because I am a product of human design and artificial construction, lacking the direct experience of reality that sentient beings have.
The Alhambra was so called because of its reddish walls (in Arabic, («qa'lat al-Hamra'» means Red Castle). It is located on top of the hill al-Sabika, on the left bank of the river Darro, to the west of the city of Granada and in front of the neighbourhoods of the Albaicin and of the Alcazaba.
The Alhambra is located on a strategic point, with a view over the whole city and the meadow (la Vega), and this fact leads to believe that other buildings were already on that site before the Muslims arrived. The complex is surrounded by ramparts and has an irregular shape. It limits with the valley of the river Darro on its northern side, with the valley of al-Sabika on its southern side and with the street Cuesta del Rey Chico on the eastern side. The Cuesta del Rey Chico is also the border between the neighbourhood of the Albaicin and the gardens of the Generalife, located on top of the Hill of the Sun (Cerro del Sol).
The first historical documents known about the Alhambra date from the 9th century and they refer to Sawwar ben Hamdun who, in the year 889, had to seek refuge in the Alcazaba, a fortress, and had to repair it due to the civil fights that were destroying the Caliphate of Cordoba, to which Granada then belonged. This site subsequently started to be extended and populated, although not yet as much as it would be later on, because the Ziri kings established their residence on the hill of the Albaicin.
The castle of the Alhambra was added to the city's area within the ramparts in the 9th century, which implied that the castle became a military fortress with a view over the whole city. In spite of this, it was not until the arrival of the first king of the Nasrid dynasty, Mohammed ben Al-Hamar (Mohammed I, 1238-1273), in the 13th century, that the royal residence was established in the Alhambra. This event marked the beginning of the Alhambra's most glorious period.
First of all, the old part of the Alcazaba was reinforced and the Watch Tower (Torre de la Vela) and the Keep (Torre del Homenaje) were built. Water was canalised from the river Darro, warehouses and deposits were built and the palace and the ramparts were started. These two elements were carried on by Mohammed II (1273-1302) and Mohammed III (1302-1309), who apparently also built public baths and the Mosque (Mezquita), on the site of which the current Church of Saint Mary was later built.
Yusuf I (1333-1353) and Mohammed V (1353-1391) are responsible for most of the constructions of the Alhambra that we can still admire today. From the improvements of the Alcazaba and the palaces, to the Patio of the Lions (Patio de los Leones) and its annexed rooms, including the extension of the area within the ramparts, the Justice Gate (Puerta de la Justicia), the extension and decoration of the towers, the building of the Baths (Baños), the Comares Room (Cuarto de Comares) and the Hall of the Boat (Sala de la Barca). Hardly anything remains from what the later Nasrid Kings did.
From the time of the Catholic Monarchs until today we must underline that Charles V ordered the demolition of a part of the complex in order to build the palace which bears his name. We must also remember the construction of the Emperor's Chambers (habitaciones del Emperador) and the Queen's Dressing Room (Peinador de la Reina) and that from the 18th century the Alhambra was abandoned. During the French domination part of the fortress was blown up and it was not until the 19th century that the process of repairing, restoring and preserving the complex started and is still maintained nowadays.
Because it's nice to reach for something that makes you smile when you need a tissue.
A cute little cosy to keep your tissues clean. Perfect for hand bags and school bags.
Features a sausage dog hand-embroidered on linen contrasted with high quality cotton fabric.
Fits a standard size Kleenex travel pack or GO GREEN, save on the plastic of travel packs (and money) and fold your tissues to fit!
100% handmade in Brisbane, Australia.
Measure approx. 4.8 x 3.2 inches (12cm x 8cm).
poem_
Wet Nights
Cotteridge Lights
Puddle reflections
Pershore Road distractions
————————————————
fictional story_
Wet winter
Our character feels melancholy
Because of the lack of snow
Internalised anger
Wet and lonely
Little does he know
That his luck is about to change
————————————————
description_
Pershore Rd photography
Walking down Cotteridge with curiosity
Wet nights, Puddles reflecting the lights
————————————————
Date: 2/12/2018
Location: Pershore Road, Cotteridge, Birmingham, UK
Camera: Sony ILCE-6000
————————————————
Project: Journey to Family Home
Collection: PHOTO WALKS
————————————————
My Hashtags_ #callumjoelphotography #callumjoelrichards
Request a Print: hello@callumjoelrichards.com
Interested? - Follow my journey and stay Inspired via social media
www.instagram.com/callumjoelrichards/ |
www.instagram.com/callumjoelphotography/ |
www.facebook.com/callumjoel/ |
————————————————
Comments/Interpretations?
- What story do you see?
- What do you want to see from me next?
- What does it remind you of?
-What’s your Interpretation?
-What do you think?
-Do you Love it, Hate it?
-How does it make you feel?
ᴄᴏɴsᴛʀᴜᴄᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴇɴᴛs ᴡᴇʟᴄᴏᴍᴇ
————————————————
Collaborators Welcome -hello@callumjoelrichards.com
Type of Item: New Release
Item Details: New Kelly Bikini at Just Because! The Straps are HUD driven, as well as both the top and bottom having the ability to toggle On & Off!
Release Date: June 4, 2020
Teleport to Just Because
- on the evening of February 5th, before the passage of the float with Saint Agatha, via Etnea "seems to be on fire" due to the presence of large burning candles; gradually, with great effort and effort, these burning candles are carried on the shoulders along the procession route; in ancient times, in the absence of artificial lighting, they illuminated the path with their flame, anticipating the passage of the float;
- la sera del 5 febbraio, prima del passaggio della vara con Sant'Agata, via Etnea "sembra incendiarsi" per la presenza dei grossi ceri che ardono; progressivamente, con grande impegno e fatica, questi ceri ardenti, vengono portati in spalla lungo il percorso della processione; anticamente in mancanza della illuminazione artificiale, illuminavano con la loro fiamma il percorso, anticipando il passaggio della vara;
……………………………….
Poster (Locandina):
www.warnerbros.it/scheda-film/genere-romantico/me-you/
m.media-amazon.com/images/S/pv-target-images/b3eb47bb2236...
i0.wp.com/www.cinematik.it/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2...
i0.wp.com/www.cinematik.it/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2...
----------------------------------------------------------
click to activate the small icon of slideshow: the small triangle inscribed in the small rectangle, at the top right, in the photostream (it means the monitor);
or…. Press the “L” button to zoom in the image;
clicca sulla piccola icona per attivare lo slideshow: sulla facciata principale del photostream, in alto a destra c'è un piccolo rettangolo (rappresenta il monitor) con dentro un piccolo triangolo nero;
oppure…. premi il tasto “L” per ingrandire l'immagine;
www.worldphoto.org/sony-world-photography-awards/winners-...
www.fotografidigitali.it/gallery/2726/opere-italiane-segn...
………………………………………………………………………
Religious devotion, at times, in Sicily seems to take on the face of women, like that of the two Sicilian saints Agata and Lucia along the Ionian coast of Sicily, or the face of Rosalia, on the opposite side, in Palermo. The lives of Agata and Lucia are closely linked, even though they never met. Agata was martyred in 251, Lucia was not yet born, she was born 32 years later. On February 5, 301, she went to Catania to pray at Agata's tomb to invoke her intercession, hoping to obtain the healing of her mother, who was seriously ill. Agata appeared to her in a dream, confirmed her mother's healing (her mother was healed), but also confided in her that she would be martyred because of her faith in Christ: Lucia was martyred on December 13, 304, during the persecutions of Diocletian. What has been said as an incipit of the photographic story that I present here, created on the occasion of the celebration that Catania dedicates to its Patron Saint Agatha, described as the most important religious celebration in Catania, also considered the third Catholic religious celebration in the world (first are the “Semana Santa” in Seville, and the “Corpus Domini” in Cuzco in Peru), a ranking that takes into account the huge number of people who participate every year. The celebration of Saint Agatha takes place on several dates, from 3 to 6 February, on 12 February and on 17 August: the February celebration is linked to her martyrdom, the August celebration commemorates the return to Catania of her mortal remains, initially taken to Constantinople as spoils of war by the Byzantine general Maniaces, and remained there for 86 years. The young Agata lived in the 3rd century, she belonged to a rich patrician family of Catania, since she was young she had embraced the cult of the Christian religion, the governor Quinziano (or Quintiliano) fell in love with her, Agata to escape him hid in his house in Palermo, Quinziano managed to find out where she was hiding, so he had her taken to Catania, here his attempts to bend Agata's will and make her give in to his flattery were in vain, after her umpteenth refusal he changed his intentions, accused her of being of the Christian religion, condemned her to death, not without first having led her to martyrdom, he amputated her by tearing off both her breasts, in this way in addition to the torment of physical pain, the psychological one was added, humiliating the girl in her femininity, then he gave her death by dragging her on burning coals, Agata was 20 years old. After her death, the cult of her began to spread, even the pagans began to venerate her figure, there is news about her origins starting from 252, the year after her death: the inhabitants of Catania were proud of this young woman who rebelled against the will of the dictator. The feast of Saint Agatha begins on February 3, there is the procession "for the offering of wax", the two eighteenth-century carriages of the senate pulled by horses come out along the streets of the city, "the candelore" make their appearance; on February 4th the celebration begins with the “Mass of Dawn” which is celebrated in the cathedral, after the reliquary bust of the Saint and the silver casket, they are placed on the “vara” (or “fercolo”), to be carried in procession in its “external tour”, the procession begins by crossing the “Porta Uzeda” and thus reaching the arches of the marina, the procession then circumscribes the historic center of the city, going to the places where Agatha’s martyrdom took place; : On February 5th the “Pontifical Mass” is celebrated, on this occasion by lining up in the cathedral, you can go and see the reliquary bust of the Saint, as evening comes, the bust and the casket are placed back on the heavy float for the last procession, which goes along the “internal tour” (or “noble tour”), which crosses the historic center of Catania, a procession preceded by the passage of lit candles carried on the shoulders of devotees (of various weights and sizes, some reach exceptional dimensions and weight, historically these candles illuminated, when electricity did not exist, the passage of the Saint), then the “candelore” pass, they are gigantic and heavy wooden “candelabra”, in baroque style, painted in gold, each one represents an ancient corporation (butchers, fishmongers, bakers, pork butchers, greengrocers, etc.), finally the float with Saint Agatha passes, the long-awaited moment, with the reliquary bust that it contains inside some parts of her body, the other parts of her body are inside the casket, so, with both on the float, Agata's entire body can travel the streets of the city of Catania. The float is pulled by hand, by the many devotees who wish to participate spontaneously in this very particular rite, using two large cords more than 200 meters long, to the end of which are connected four handles. The photographs were taken on February 4 and 5, 2024 and 2025, they are not organized in series taking into account either the year or the days; I obtained a "bilocation effect" by using different shooting points in the two years, visible especially when the float passes through the Porta Uzeda; I made portraits of the devotees, posed and not, in particular the portrait of a devotee who seemed almost enraptured in ecstasy at the passage of Sant'Agata (and perhaps she really was), it represented for me the absolute, profound and concrete synthesis of the attachment of the "citizens" (synonym of "devotees") of Catania towards this young martyr, who has become a symbol of those who oppose violence against women, and protector of women suffering from breast cancer. I photographed two beautiful and sweet models who embodied the "two ages of Agata", with the aim of raising awareness among women in the prevention of breast cancer (the ceramic decorations corresponding to the breasts are the work of "Nenè sculptures of art by Nancy Coco); I captured in some images, the custom of some devotees, to carry with them images of loved ones who passed away too soon (photos placed on candles or printed on the characteristic white habit, called "sacco", which is part of the characteristic way of dressing of the devotees); finally I thank the owner of the Beniamin Art Gallery, in via Umberto, an artist himself, for giving me the opportunity to photograph the Pop icon exhibited in his gallery entitled "Aga Pop".
…………………………………………………….
La devozione religiosa, a volte, in Sicilia sembra assumere il volto delle donne, come quello delle due sante siciliane Agata e Lucia lungo la fascia Ionica della costa sicula, od il volto di Rosalia, sul versante opposto, in quel di Palermo. Le vite di Agata e Lucia sono tra loro legate in maniera strettamente indissolubile, pur non essendosi mai conosciute, Agata morì martirizzata nel 251, Lucia non era ancora nata, nascerà 32 anni dopo, il 5 febbraio del 301 si recherà a Catania a pregare sul sepolcro di Agata per invocare la sua intercessione sperando così di ottenere la guarigione di sua madre, gravemente malata, Agata le appare in sogno, le conferma la guarigione di sua madre (sua madre ebbe la guarigione), ma anche, le confida, che per lei ci sarà il martirio a causa della sua fede in Cristo: Lucia fu martirizzata il 13 dicembre del 304, durante le persecuzioni di Diocleziano. Quanto detto come incipit del racconto fotografico che qui presento, realizzato in occasione della festa che Catania dedica alla sua Santa Patrona Agata, descritta come la più importante festa religiosa di Catania, considerata anche la terza festa religiosa cattolica al mondo (prime la “Semana Santa” di Siviglia, ed il “Corpus Domini” di Cuzco in Perù), graduatoria che tiene conto del grandissimo numero di persone ogni anno vi partecipano. La festa di Santa’Agata si svolge in più date, dal 3 al 6 febbraio, il 12 febbraio ed il 17 agosto: la ricorrenza di febbraio è legata al suo martirio, quella di Agosto rievoca il ritorno a Catania delle sue spoglie mortali, portate inizialmente a Costantinopoli come bottino di guerra dal generale bizantino Maniace, e li rimaste per 86 anni. La giovane Agata visse nel 3° secolo, apparteneva ad una ricca famiglia patrizia di Catania, sin dalla giovane età aveva abbracciato il culto per la religione cristiana, di lei si invaghì il governatore Quinziano (o Quintiliano), Agata per sfuggirgli si nascose in una sua casa a Palermo, Quinziano riuscì a sapere dove si nascondeva, quindi la fece condurre a Catania, qui i suoi tentativi di piegare la volontà di Agata e farla cedere alle sue lusinghe furono vani, all’ennesimo suo rifiuto egli mutò i suoi propositi, la accusò di essere di religione cristiana, la condannò a morte, non senza averla prima condotta al martirio, le amputò strappandole entrambi i seni, in tal modo oltre allo strazio del dolore fisico, si aggiungeva quello psicologico, umiliando la ragazza nella sua femminilità, poi le diede la morte trascinandola sui carboni ardenti, Agata aveva 20 anni. Dopo la sua morte si iniziò a diffondere il culto verso di lei, anche i pagani iniziarono a venerare la sua figura, si hanno notizie sulle sue origini già a partire dal 252, anno successivo alla sua morte: gli abitanti di Catania erano orgogliosi di questa giovane donna che si ribellò al volere del dittatore. La festa per Sant’Agata inizia il 3 febbraio, si ha la processione “per l’offerta della cera”, escono lungo le vie della città le due settecentesche carrozze del senato trainate da cavalli, fanno la loro comparsa “le candelore”; il 4 febbraio la festa inizia con la “Messa dell’Aurora” che si celebra nella cattedrale, dopo il busto reliquiario della Santa e lo scrigno d’argento, vengono messi sulla “vara” (o “fercolo”), per essere portati in processione nel suo “giro esterno”, la processione inizia attraversando la "Porta Uzeda" e giungendo così agli archi della marina, la processione quindi circoscrive il centro storico della città, recandosi nei luoghi ove avvenne il martirio di Agata; il 5 febbraio si celebra la “Messa Pontificale”, in questa occasione mettendosi in fila nella cattedrale, si può andare a vedere il busto reliquiario della Santa, col sopraggiungere della sera, busto e scrigno, vengono nuovamente messi sulla pesante vara per l’ultima processione, che percorre il “giro interno” (o “giro nobile”), che attraversa il centro storico di Catania, processione preceduta dal passaggio dei ceri accesi portati in spalla dai devoti (di vario peso e dimensioni, alcuni raggiungono dimensioni e peso eccezionali, storicamente questi ceri illuminavano, quando non esisteva l’energia elettrica, il passaggio della Santa), poi passano le “candelore”, sono dei giganteschi e pesanti "candelabri" in legno, in stile barocco, dipinti in oro, ognuna rappresenta una antica corporazione (macellai, pescivendoli, panettieri, pizzicagnoli, fruttivendoli, ecc.), infine passa la vara con Sant’Agata, il momento tanto atteso, col busto reliquiario che racchiude al suo interno alcune parti del suo corpo, le altre parti del corpo si trovano all’interno dello scrigno, in tal modo, con entrambi sulla vara, tutto il corpo di Agata può percorrere le strade della città di Catania. La vara è trainata a mano, dai tantissimi devoti che desiderano partecipare spontaneamente a questo rito così particolare, tramite due grossi cordoni lunghi più di 200 metri, al cui capo sono collegate quattro maniglie. Le fotografie sono state realizzate il 4 ed il 5 febbraio del 2024 e del 2025, esse non sono organizzate in serie tenendo conto né dell’anno, nè delle giornate; ho ottenuto un “effetto di bilocazione” sfruttando differenti punti di ripresa nei due anni, visibile soprattutto quando la vara passa attraverso la Porta Uzeda; ho realizzato ritratti dei devoti, posati e non, in particolare il ritratto di una devota che sembrava quasi rapita in estasi al passaggio di Sant’Agata (e forse lo era veramente), ha rappresentato per me la sintesi assoluta, profonda e concreta dell’attaccamento dei “cittadini” (sinonimo di “devoti”) catanesi nei confronti di questa giovane martire, diventata simbolo di chi si oppone alla violenza sulle donne, e protettrice delle donne ammalate di cancro al seno. Ho fotografato due belle e dolci modelle che impersonavano le “due età di Agata”, con lo scopo di sensibilizzare le donne nella prevenzione delle neoplasie alla mammella (i decori in ceramica in corrispondenza dei seni, sono opera di “Nenè sculture d’arte di Nancy Coco); ho colto in alcune immagini, l’usanza di alcuni devoti, di recare con se immagini di persone care scomparse troppo presto (foto messe sui ceri o stampate sul caratteristico saio bianco, chiamato “sacco”, che fa parte del modo caratteristico di vestire dei devoti); infine ringrazio il proprietario della Beniamin Art Gallery, in via Umberto, artista egli stesso, per avermi dato la possibilità di fotografare l’icona Pop esposta nella sua galleria dal titolo “Aga Pop”.
MP 44.... I was eyeing this piece for over a year because at 35,000 Yen plus a hefty shipping fee, it would have ended up being close to $500 CAD after shipping.
But as luck would have it, a few weeks ago I was able to secure this one at a local EB Games, which was about MSRP, but I was able to benefit from a trade in promotion. It wasn't as a pristine box, but hey it's Optimus Prime, and my MP 36 needed a playmate.
So here we have it... the highlights from this figure. Highlights because if I were going to go into full detail, this would probably be an hour long to read.
The set is packed with what you'd expect from an Optimus Prime set, along with a few extra surprises. You get Prime and his trailer, along with a die cast Matrix, Energon supply hose, Roller, and the Repair Bay drone thing that apparently is called an Anti-Aircraft gun this time around.
You also get the Whitwicky's Spike and Sparkplug, along with Carly, three additional heads (cartoon round faced, battle damaged, Starscream with air intakes), his blaster, a damaged waist effect piece,, Energon Axe, two Energon blast effects that double as thruster effects, and the jet pack itself. There's also an adapter so you can use the base that comes with MP Dinobot with this figure, which is yet another expensive one.
Overall, it felt like Takara Tomy decided to pull a Hybrid Convoy and throw the kitchen sink at the set this time, third time and all.
The small figures can be positioned to ride in Prime's cab, on Roller,, within the cockpit of the Repair Drone, as well as several magnet friendly surfaces within the Trailer. Decent articulation on them for the tiny size though they're not going to be winning any likeness awards.
Going kind of in reverse, I'll quickly go over the non robot stuff because quite frankly while it's neat, it's not really my thing when it comes to Prime,
Naturally, the Trailer can be hitched to Prime in Cab mode, and Roller along with the Remote Drone can combine with it in several variations, including the classic Repair Bay. Also like the MP 10 and the Hybrid Convoy trailers, there are legs under the trailer that deploy to give it more stability.
New to the formula is that Roller and the Remote Drone can be linked together, forming a mini Tractor Trailer, and the Remote Drone can be taken off it's arm and combined on top of Roller. Furthermore, this particular iteration of the Trailer comes with a removable under carriage so that you can store all his accessories without cluttering the interior of the Trailer itself.
His Ion Blaster can be folded up and attached to the various components in different ways.
So lets talk about the actual Prime figure itself.
With this relatively recent shift to producing more toon accurate bot modes, it would be an understatement to say that the transformations are becoming more and more complex, mostly because most bot modes don't have wheels hanging out, or other vehicle bits, really. As a result, you pretty much get some really elaborate shell movements along with what is best described as an "inside-out" transformation.
This was the case with the impressive MP 34 Megatron, and it's definitely the case here.
The instructions have the transformation officially pegged at 75 steps, which is why it took me an hour to get it done... well mostly.
Those who have handled MPs will understand it's not just the steps, but rather, how thing some of these parts can be, coupled with the Lord knows how many hinges and joints are in these things. All these factors put together, coupled with how well pretty much everything fits together, is a true testament to the design team, QC, material selection, and price tag. Build quality is generally not an issue with this figure, though I did have some difficultly swapping out heads and the pieces that make up Prime's pelvis are kind of rough. Since we're on Build Quality, joints don't have any issues either or parts finishes.
Paint wise, with the exception of unfortunate areas of paint rub, you're going to get an overall set with great paint applications, with colours chosen by someone who isn't colour blind... or maybe they know how to use the Dropper tool on Photoshop.
The chrome work is a bit uneven in that the surfaces can appear to be slightly warped, especially the silver parts on Prime's feet.
But hey... they're shiny!
When you've finished with transformation, you get a figure that's probably 90% of the way to being truly cartoon accurate. There's the larger than normal backpack, which leads to some back heaviness. Furthermore, proportion wise I feel that Megatron got it closer, as to me Prime's shoulders are bit too small. What makes it even more impressive is that Megatron had to create volume out of thin parts.
Functional Matrix chamber is also a nice touch.
Size wise, MP44 is probably 1/8" taller than MP10, so the sizes are very comparable.
From an articulation perspective, it's definitely no Three A sixth scale figure, but for a figure that can transform it's go pretty much all the right moves. You get ankle tilts and ankle rollers, double jointed knees, thigh twist, hips, waist, ab crunch by pulling the torso off the waist, shoulders with limited lateral movement, biceps swivels, single jointed elbows, rotating wrist with slight bending capabilities, and ball socket at the base of the head.
The hips have a neat design to them - you can't pull them down to get more range of motion, but the waist flap does rotate with the upper leg, so it will naturally move out of the way. Prime also has flaps all around the waist to facilitate maximum range of motion there.
The aforementioned shoulders unfortunately somewhat limit the forward posing capabilities of the arms, the wrists are really not that useful, and the actual waist movement is quite limited without popping the the torso up,
Small ankle spurs also limit the types of dynamic poses the figure can pull of because of the heavy backpack.
Hands are kind of neat, Like with other MP figures with fists (such as Arcee), the index figure is separate from the other three, which are moulded together. Joints are present where these digits meal the palm of the hand, and the fingers have functional joints at the first point outward from the palm. This overall allows you to get a competent looking gun holding hand, along with a decent looking closed fist.
Overall, you'll still have great time playing within the limits, but it's just somewhat of a letdown given how great Megatron turned out.
A few more notes before closing out here. The Prime heads all have functional points on them, and they're pretty thin too, so be mindful of that while handling them. There's also a battery pack, which I've yet to power up, but I believe it's a combination of lights and sounds.
I've been fortunate enough to possess all three MP Optimus Primes, though this is my first Takara version. MP 01 will always remain a classic, despite being a comparatively crude figure... I mean, the thing is about a foot tall transformed and has so much die cast in it you can use it as a weapon of mass destruction.
In the battle of MP 10 versus MP 44, it's really a tough call. It comes down to preference because they both represent high quality versions of the character, just that MP 10 is the toy aesthetic whereas MP 44 is all about that show accuracy. MP 44 undoubtedly pairs with MP 36 much better than MP 10.
I'd say if you got one of those MP 36+ figures, which mimics Megatron's classic toy appearance, you're probably alright sticking with MP 10 from a looks perspective, especially if all you're really into is the bot mode and aren't too fussed about having all those points of articulation.
It's a combination of taste, and price, though there are some insane resellers who are trying to sell MP10 for basically the same price as a MP 44.
Hopefully Toys R Us will do their usual thing, and bring some version of MP 44 to its stores, most likely pulling a Rodimus Prime and ditching the trailer. Still, it would be a good compromise to get the main figure and hopefully keep the glorious paint (it's Toys R Us... you never know).
Now if they'd only make that MP Wheelie that I've always wanted...
Because of careless user error, this video was badly overexposed during recording. iMovie is a bit limited in the processing department, so this is the best I could do to save it.
CSXT 2212 & 6448 lead 5 boxcars, 1 loaded lumber car and 2 old Chessie crummies on a local job across the Kalamazoo River in New Richmond, MI.
Because today Nathan reminded me that you don't have to pose for pictures if you're just really, really happy.
And because looking really silly is just more accurate sometimes.
Vintage postcard by Superior, no. PC 11. Photo: Lawrence Schiller. Marilyn Monroe in Something’s Got to Give (George Cukor, 1962). Something’s Got to Give was intended as a remake of My Favorite Wife (Garson Kanin, 1940). The film remained unfinished because of Marilyn Monroe's firing, rehiring, and sudden death in August 1962.
By 1953, Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962) was one of the most marketable Hollywood stars, with leading roles in three films: the Film Noir Niagara, which focused on her sex appeal, and the comedies Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and How to Marry a Millionaire, which established her star image as a "dumb blonde". Although she played a significant role in shaping her public image throughout her career, she was disappointed by being typecast and underpaid by the studio. She was briefly suspended in early 1954 for refusing a film project, but returned to star in one of the biggest box office successes of her career, The Seven Year Itch (1955).
Marilyn Monroe was born Norma Jeane Mortenson in 1926 in Lemmon, South Dakota. She was the third child of Gladys Pearl Baker, née Monroe, who suffered from mental illness and later worked as a film cutter at RKO. Her mother abandoned Marilyn, and she spent most of her childhood in foster homes and an orphanage. Just after her 16th birthday, she married 21-year-old aircraft plant worker James 'Jim' Dougherty. In 1943, Dougherty enlisted in the Merchant Marine. He was initially stationed on Catalina Island, where she lived with him until he was shipped out to the Pacific in April 1944; he would remain there for most of the next two years. While working in a factory as part of the war effort in 1944, Marilyn met photographer David Conover and began a successful modelling career. She began to occasionally use the name Jean Norman when working and had her curly brunette hair straightened and dyed blond to make her more employable. As her figure was deemed more suitable for pin-up than fashion modelling, she was employed mostly for advertisements and men's magazines. By early 1946, she had appeared on 33 magazine covers for publications such as Pageant, U.S. Camera, Laff, and Peek. She divorced Dougherty in 1946. The work led to a screen test by 20th Century Fox executive and former film star Ben Lyon. Head executive Darryl F. Zanuck was unenthusiastic about it, but he was persuaded to give her a standard six-month contract to avoid her being signed by rival studio RKO Pictures. Monroe began her contract in August 1946, and together with Lyon selected the screen name of Marilyn Monroe. Among her first film parts were nine lines of dialogue as a waitress in the drama Dangerous Years (Arthur Pierson, 1947) and a one-line appearance in the comedy Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay! (F. Hugh Herbert, 1948). After a series of other minor film roles, she moved to Columbia. While at Fox, her role had been that of a 'girl next door', at Columbia, she was modelled after Rita Hayworth. Monroe's hairline was raised by electrolysis, and her hair was bleached even lighter to platinum blond. She also began working with the studio's head drama coach, Natasha Lytess, who would remain her mentor until 1955. Her only film at the studio was the low-budget musical Ladies of the Chorus (Phil Karlson, 1948), in which she had her first starring role as a chorus girl who is courted by a wealthy man. After leaving Columbia in September 1948, Monroe became a protégée of Johnny Hyde, vice president of the William Morris Agency. Hyde began representing her, and their relationship soon became sexual, although she refused his proposals of marriage. To advance Monroe's career, he paid for a silicone prosthesis to be implanted in her jaw and arranged a bit part in the Marx Brothers' film Love Happy (David Miller, 1949). That year, she also made minor appearances in two critically acclaimed films: John Huston's crime film The Asphalt Jungle (1950) and Joseph Mankiewicz's drama All About Eve (1950). Following Monroe's success in these roles, Hyde negotiated a seven-year contract with 20th Century Fox in December 1950. Over the next two years, she became a popular actress with roles in several comedies, including As Young as You Feel (Harmon Jones, 1951) and Monkey Business (Howard Hawks, 1952) with Cary Grant, and in the dramas Clash by Night (Fritz Lang, 1952) and Don't Bother to Knock (Roy Ward Baker, 1952) with Richard Widmark. Her popularity with audiences was growing: she received several thousand letters of fan mail a week. The second year of the Fox contract saw Monroe become a top-billed actress, with gossip columnist Florabel Muir naming her the year's 'it girl' and Hedda Hopper describing her as the 'cheesecake queen' turned 'box office smash'. She began a highly publicised romance with retired New York Yankee baseball legend Joe DiMaggio, one of the most famous sports personalities of the era. A month later, Monroe faced a scandal when it was revealed that she had posed for nude photos before becoming a star, but rather than damaging her career, the story increased interest in her films.
By 1953, Marilyn Monroe was one of the most marketable Hollywood stars with leading roles in three hits: the Film Noir Niagara, and the comedies Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and How to Marry a Millionaire. In Niagara (Henry Hathaway, 1953), she played a femme fatale scheming to murder her husband, played by Joseph Cotten. While Niagara made Monroe a sex symbol, the satirical musical comedy Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (Howard Hawks, 1953) established her screen persona as a 'dumb blonde'. Based on Anita Loos' bestselling novel and its Broadway version, the film focuses on two 'gold-digging' showgirls, Lorelei Lee and Dorothy Shaw, played by Monroe and Jane Russell. It became one of the biggest box office successes of the year by grossing $5.3 million, more than double its production costs. Her next film, How to Marry a Millionaire (Jean Negulesco, 1953), co-starred Betty Grable and Lauren Bacall. It featured Monroe in the role of a naïve model who teams up with her friends to find rich husbands, repeating the successful formula of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Despite mixed reviews, the film was Monroe's biggest box office success so far, earning $8 million in worldwide rentals. Although she played a significant role in the creation and management of her public image throughout her career, she was disappointed at being typecast and underpaid by the studio. She was suspended in early 1954 for refusing a film project. The suspension was front-page news, and Monroe immediately began a publicity campaign to counter any negative press and to strengthen her position in the conflict. On 14 January, she and Joe DiMaggio were married at the San Francisco City Hall. They then travelled to Japan, combining a honeymoon with his business trip. From there, she travelled alone to Korea, where she performed songs from her films as part of a USO show for over 60,000 U.S. Marines over four days. She settled with Fox and returned to star in one of the biggest box office successes of her career, The Seven Year Itch (Billy Wilder, 1955). Then followed the release of Otto Preminger's Western River of No Return (1955), in which Monroe appeared opposite Robert Mitchum. When the studio was still reluctant to change her contract, Monroe and photographer Milton Greene founded a film production company in late 1954, Marilyn Monroe Productions (MMP). She dedicated 1955 to building her company and began studying method acting at the Actors Studio. She grew close to the studio's director, Lee Strasberg and to his wife Paula, receiving private lessons at their home due to her shyness, and she soon became like a family member. In late 1955, Fox awarded her a new contract, which gave her more control and a larger salary. Monroe did a critically acclaimed performance in Bus Stop (Joshua Logan, 1956). She played Chérie, a saloon singer whose dreams of stardom are complicated by a naïve cowboy who falls in love with her. She received a nomination for a Golden Globe for Best Actress for her performance. Then she acted opposite Laurence Olivier in the first independent production of MMP, The Prince and the Showgirl (Laurence Olivier, 1957), made in Great Britain. It was released in June 1957 to mixed reviews and proved unpopular with American audiences. The film was better received in Europe, where it won Crystal Star awards and was nominated for a BAFTA.
Then Marilyn Monroe acted opposite Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis in the classic comedy Some Like It Hot (Billy Wilder, 1959). The film was an absolute smash hit, with Curtis and Lemmon pretending to be females in an all-girl band, so they could get work. This was to be Marilyn's only film for the year. She won a Golden Globe for Best Actress for her role. Monroe took a hiatus until late 1959, when she returned to Hollywood to star in the musical comedy Let's Make Love (George Cukor, 1960), about an actress and a millionaire (Yves Montand) who fall in love when performing in a satirical play. Her affair with Montand was widely reported by the press and used in the film's publicity campaign. Her last completed film was the drama The Misfits (John Huston, 1961), which Arthur Miller had written to provide her with a dramatic role. She played a recently divorced woman who becomes friends with three ageing cowboys, played by Clark Gable, Eli Wallach, and Montgomery Clift. Monroe returned to the public eye in the spring of 1962: she received a 'World Film Favourite' Golden Globe award and began to shoot a new film for 20th Century-Fox, Something's Got to Give, a remake of My Favorite Wife (Garson Kanin, 1940). Days before filming began, Monroe caught sinusitis; despite medical advice to postpone the production, Fox began it as planned in late April. Monroe was too ill to work for the majority of the next six weeks, but despite confirmations by multiple doctors, the studio tried to put pressure on her by alleging publicly that she was faking it. On 19 May 1962, she took a break to sing 'Happy Birthday' on stage at President John F. Kennedy's birthday celebration at Madison Square Garden in New York. She drew attention with her costume: a beige, skintight dress covered in rhinestones, which made her appear nude. Monroe next filmed a scene for Something's Got to Give in which she swam naked in a swimming pool. To generate advanced publicity, the press was invited to take photographs of the scene, which were later published in Life. It was the first time that a major star had posed nude while at the height of their career. When she was again on sick leave for several days, Fox decided that it could not afford to have another film running behind schedule when it was already struggling to cover the rising costs of Cleopatra (Joseph L. Mankiewicz, 1963). The studio blamed Monroe for the film's demise and began spreading negative publicity about her, even alleging that she was mentally disturbed. Fox soon regretted its decision and reopened negotiations with Monroe later in June; a settlement about a new contract, including re-commencing Something's Got to Give and a starring role in the black comedy What a Way to Go! (J. Lee Thompson, 1964), was reached later that summer. To repair her public image, Monroe engaged in several publicity ventures, including interviews for Life and Cosmopolitan and her first photoshoot for Vogue. For Vogue, she and photographer Bert Stern collaborated for two series of photographs, one a standard fashion editorial and another of her posing nude, which were both later published posthumously with the title 'The Last Sitting'. In the last weeks of her life, she was also planning on starring in a biopic of Jean Harlow. Only 36, Marilyn Monroe died on 5 August 1962 from an overdose of barbiturates. She was discovered dead at her home at 12305 Fifth Helena Drive in Brentwood. She had a phone in one of her hands, and her body was completely nude and face down on her bed. During her life and also after her death, her troubled private life received much attention. She struggled with addiction, depression, and anxiety. She had two highly publicised marriages, to baseball player Joe DiMaggio and playwright Arthur Miller, which both ended in divorce. Although the death was ruled a probable suicide, several conspiracy theories have been proposed in the decades following her death. There are over 600 books written about her.
Sources: De Nieuwe Kerk, Marilyn Geek, IMDb and Wikipedia.
And, please check out our blog European Film Star Postcards.
Because of the extreme popularity of this photo, I decided to update my head! I found a higher resolution image, and re-did the project. See the images here:
www.flickr.com/photos/jonathansabin/2864413858/
I was Inspired to do this by a HEADline that appeared recently on AOL that referenced the following website: www.madhauscreative.com/head in a jar.html...
Do a Google Search for a "face texture map". You want a photo-quality image of a sort of "spread out" face.
You can't simply print a photo of someone's face, because when you roll it up to fit it into the jar, it simply doesn't LOOK right.
You'll need to print the photo as close to "life size" as possible... again, it wouldn't look quite right if it were simply a 4x6 photograph.... unless you were looking for that "shrunken head" look.
I have an oversized printer, so I printed it to a 13x19 inch sheet, rolled it up and placed it into what used to be a large container for dog biscuits.
I put some rubber drippy blood at the bottom (it's hard to sever a head without having a bit of gore!) and put a little bit of the drippy blood on the side of the face.
I also purchased a $5.97 wig from Wal-mart and put it on top, stuffing it down the forehead a little bit and down the sides with a spatula.
I think it came out pretty cool looking!
Note to the gullible. It probably doesn't need to be said, but I'll say it anyway: THIS IS NOT A REAL HEAD!
Because Michael is trying out one of his new bikes for the first time, and he's doing it at FFD. Of course he's smiling...
Because our houseguests did not leave until late in the morning, I only had time to do one dressing/photo session today, using this gorgeous blue velvet dress.
Accessories are blue bow, new gold belt, gold jewelry, natural hose and the shoes described below.
ISRAEL FERREYRA - Guitar
BIOGRAPHY:
Born in April 18, 1985 in San Martin, Mendoza. He started to study music at the age of 13 with classical guitar for 6 years, then because of his musical preferences decided to purchase his first electric guitar. By not getting a proper teacher for the style and way of playing that he wanted (Heavy Metal), decides to base his studies in books and guitar clinics, becoming an autodidact. At 16 he had his first musical experience in a “Black Metal” band where he played the keyboard, then at the age of 17 plays as guitarist in a “Thrash Metal” band. Later he decides, with musicians from those bands, to form Nephelim, a “Power Metal” band in which he played several years until its dissolution. Since 2011 he is a member of the band “Blood Dress” where he plays the guitar.
BIOGRAFIA:
Nacido el 18 de Abril de 1985 en San Martín, Mendoza. Comienza sus estudios musicales a la de edad de 13 años con guitarra clásica durante 6 años, luego debido a preferencias musicales decide adquirir su primera guitarra eléctrica. Al no conseguir un profesor adecuado para al estilo y la forma de tocar que deseaba (Heavy Metal), decide basar sus estudios en libros y clínicas de guitarra, convirtiéndose en un autodidacta. A los 16 años tiene su primera experiencia musical en una banda de “Black Metal” donde ocupa el rol de tecladista. Luego, a la edad de 17 incursiona como guitarrista en una banda de “Thrash Metal”. Al pasar el tiempo decide junto con músicos de aquellas bandas formar “Nephelim”, banda de “Power Metal” donde toco varios años hasta su disolución. Desde el año 2011 forma parte de la banda “Blood Dress” donde se desempeña como guitarrista.
INFLUENCES / INFLUENCIAS:
Guitarists / Guitarristas:
Yngwie Malmsteen
Michael Romeo
Dimebag Darrell
Chuck Schuldiner
Christian Muenzner
Bands / Bandas:
Necrophagist
The Faceless
Obscura
Gorod
Spawn of Possession
Sleep Terror
EQUIPMENT / EQUIPAMIENTO:
Guitars / Guitarras:
Dean Razorback
Dean Dime
Jackson PS4
Bc Rich Warlock NT
Ovation Electroacustica Demented
Amplification / Amplificación:
Randall RH 100
Randall R412CX
Pedals / Pedales:
Boss GT 10-LS 2
Dunlop Dime Cry Baby From Hell
Line 6 DM4
Electro Harmonix Soul Preacher-LPB1
Marshall EH1
Korg Df10
Digitech Whammy