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"Hand the case over, now!" The woman yells, her pistol trained on Vernon after reloading.
"Please.. You don't have to do this." Vernon begs, but the plea is met with gunfire, as the woman aims and fires, shooting Vernon's bodyguards. Just like that, Stanley and Kirby were dead. Once again, people lost their lives because I did nothing. She won't listen to reason, so it's time for the Astonishing Ant-Man to make his grand debut. Not that anyone will see it. Elihas is looking over at the stage, which gives me the perfect opportunity to leave. It takes me a few minutes to change into my costume, but thankfully I had most of it on underneath my suit jacket. This will serve as the suit's test run, as I didn't really have time to finish my calculations before coming here.
"Here goes nothing." I mutter to myself, as I press the button to shrink myself in the bathroom stall after putting the rest of my costume on. Thankfully it works, as I'm now almost eye level with the ground. I'm not sure I'll ever get fully used to this strange sensation, with every part of me shrinking, while the world around me grows, all at once.
You never fully realize just how truly disgusting a bathroom floor is, until it's pretty much eye level. From various stains, to dust particles, and all the revolting things in between. It takes everything in me not to vomit at the sight. Additionally, there's the multitude of formerly innocent objects suddenly becoming potentially hazardous. Like the roll of toilet paper if it happened to fall could easily crush me. Or someone somehow misses with the soap dispenser, and suddenly there's a glob of soap falling towards me. Not that it applies here, but I could also get stuck in the gaps between the floorboards, if they had wood flooring. These are problems I wouldn't normally have to consider, until now.
It isn't all bad however. There is some beauty in this bathroom Like this ant that's off to the left of me, going about his day. An animal others consider annoying, but I find intriguing. Though, now's really not the time for this.
So far, so good. No adverse side effects from the shrinking, unlike last time. Well, that's a relief, knowing the suit is negating those side effects.
I smile, and wave to the ant, before making my way back into the ballroom. Unfortunately, due to my size, my strides are drastically smaller... So, it takes a while to get back. Note to self, I need to find some form of transportation. After a few minutes of weaving through the panicked crowd, trying to avoid being stepped on, I make it back to the stage. You know, It's not easy being small. There were a couple close calls, but thankfully I made it back intact.
Surprisingly, the thief's still here, just now making a beeline for the exit with the briefcase in hand. Blocking her path, are several security guards. Thankfully most of the guests have flooded out of the ballroom at this point. There's this deafening boom as she opens fire. Almost as if an explosion was going off. The security guards take cover just in time, as the bullets embed in the wall behind them.
It's at this point she's out of ammo. She places the briefcase beside her, behind cover.
This is it, now's the time.
"Give it up! This is your last chance to stop. No one else has to die today." I yell out, but it falls on deaf ears, as she continues to reload her pistol. It's as though she didn't hear a word I said. I guess no one can hear me when I'm this small, as the security guards didn't react either. Note to self, some more modifications are in order. Add in some sound amplification equipment so that people can hear me when I'm small.
Having my left arm in an uppercut position, I press the button with my right thumb. But nothing happens.
Is this some sort of glitch? It worked fine before... I slightly smack my right hand that's pressing the button with my left, trying to make it work. Of course, after a couple of seconds of delay, this is when it works. Catching the thief way off guard, I end up headbutting her as I grow back to human size. The hit sends her soaring through the air, only to crash into one of the many tables set up throughout the ballroom seconds later. It's over. If she's somehow not unconscious after that, there's more than enough guards to take her in.
I didn't want to resort to violence, as I've always been more of a pacifist. I never hurt a fly, growing up. But today, I was ready to throw the first punch of my life, because she wouldn't listen to reason. As tough as it is, some people only listen to violence.
As I look to my right, I notice Vernon lying there, a pool of blood beneath him. How did I not see this until now? I'm about to go over there, but I notice someone's already over there, applying pressure on the wound, trying to stop the bleeding. One of the security guards notices I'm here, and points at me, before speaking.
"Hold it right there."
As much as I want to help Vernon, that's my cue to leave. Can't afford to have them ask any more questions. Pressing the trigger, I shrink after the couple of seconds of delay it has, before leaving. I only hope that Vernon makes it through this. He believed in me when no one else did. He's like the father I never really had growing up. I-- No, the company needs him. That's not even thinking of how devastating it would be to his daughter, Janet.
As a test run, that could've gone better. Though, it could've been way worse too. Guess my calculations were off. Lots of adjustments need to be made. Have to fix that delay, then find a way to add in sound amplification tech, and work out some sort of transportation system. Maybe some wings or something? Not sure yet. Guess it's a good thing I have my lab, and time to make said adjustments. Just have to make sure no one's around when I'm adjusting the suit. I'm a little worried more eyes will be on me, if that security guard mentions what he saw, of me shrinking. Hopefully he'll think I go invisible or something? Cause otherwise it could lead to investigations that could ruin my career. But that's tomorrow's problem. For now, I need to sleep, as it's been a long day. Looks like the ambulance is here... Hopefully I'll be able to visit Vernon tomorrow. Assuming the best, and he makes it out of this alive, of course. He's a fighter, so he'll be fine, right?
--------------------------------------------------------
Elsewhere
I hope dad's okay... Apparently, there was a robbery attempt at the gala shortly after I left. Here I am, sitting in the back seat of the car, left to wonder what's happened.
We're almost at my apartment, when my phone starts ringing.
"Hello?" I answer.
"Hello, is this Miss Janet Van Dyne?" The voice asks
"Yeah, that's me. What's going on?" I inquire.
"It's your dad. He's been shot."
"What happened??! Is he going to be okay?" I ask, panicking.
"It's hard to say if he'll make it or not, as it's a pretty serious gunshot wound. This isn't something we should discuss on the phone. It's better if you come to New York Presbyterian Hospital as soon as you can, so I can explain everything in detail." With that, she hangs up on me, before I can get another word in. Wow, talk about rude...
"Change of plans David, we're going to the hospital. My father's been shot." I say to my driver, as I start tearing up.
"Of course, Janet, anything for you. I'll get you there as fast as I can." He replies with a smile, his way of trying to cheer me up I guess... Making a u turn, he starts driving towards New York Presbyterian. Dad, please be okay. I can't lose you.
Arguably, the most famous magic square is depicted in Albrecht Dürer's (1471–1528) engraving 'Melancholia' (or 'Melencolia' in his own spelling), dating from 1514. This is the year his mother died.
Melencolia I is a depiction of the intellectual situation of the artist and is thus, by extension, a spiritual self-portrait of Dürer. In medieval philosophy each individual was thought to be dominated by one of the four humors; melancholy, associated with black gall, was the least desirable of the four, and melancholics were considered the most likely to succumb to insanity. Renaissance thought, however, also linked melancholy with creative genius; thus, at the same time that this idea changed the status of this humor, it made the self-conscious artist aware that his gift came with terrible risks.
The winged personification of Melancholy, seated dejectedly with her head resting on her hand, holds a caliper and is surrounded by other tools associated with geometry, the one of the seven liberal arts that underlies artistic creation--and the one through which Dürer, probably more than most artists, hoped to approach perfection in his own work. An influential treatise, the De Occulta Philosophia of Cornelius Agrippa of Nettesheim, almost certainly known to Dürer, probably holds the explanation for the number I in the title: creativity in the arts was the realm of the imagination, considered the first and lowest in the hierarchy of the three categories of genius. The next was the realm of reason, and the highest the realm of spirit. It is ironic that this image of the artist paralyzed and powerless exemplifies Dürer's own artistic power at its superlative height.
Dürer hid a magic square in the top right corner of Melencolia. The year that Dürer engraved it, 1514, is hidden in the two center cells of the bottom row of the magic square.
Source:
"If my calculations are correct, when this baby hits 88 miles per hour, you're gonna see some serious shit."
The word Allah
The Semitic language which is spoken in the celestial spheres, is the language in which the angels and God address each other. Adam Safi-Allah spoke the same language in paradise. Adam and eve then came into the world and settled in Arabia. Their children also spoke the same language. Then as a result of the descendants of Adam spreading in the world, this language passed from Arabic, Persian, Latin and into English and God was then known by different names in the different languages. As Adam lived in Arabia, there are many words of the Semitic language which are still found in the Arabic language. God addressed the Prophets, Adam as Adam Safi-Allah, Noah as Nuh Nabi-Allah, Abraham as Ibraheem Khalil-Allah, Moses as Musa Kalim-Allah, Jesus as I’sa Ruh-Allah and Mohammed Rasul-Allah. All these titles, in the Semitic language were written on the Tablet before the arrival of the Prophets. This is why the Prophet Mohammed said: “I was a Prophet even before I came in to this world.”
Many people believe that the word Allah is a name given by Muslims, this is not so.
The Prophet Mohammed’s fathers name was Abd-Allah, at a time when Islam did not exist. Prior to the advent of Islam the Name Allah was announced with the title of every Prophet. When the souls were created, the first Name on their tongue was Allah and when the soul entered the body of Adam, it said, Ya-Allah, and only then it entered the body. Many religions understand this enigma and chant the Name Allah and many others because of doubt are deprived of the Name.
Any name which is used to point towards God is worthy of respect.
In other words, which points towards God. The mystical effect of the Name of God has been diversified due to the different names. Every letter of the alphabet has a separate numeric value. This is also a celestial knowledge. All the numeric values are connected with all of the human race. Occasionally the numeric values do not agree with the astronomical calculations as a result of which people become afflicted. Many people go to astrologers and experts of this knowledge and have charts prepared based on the stars. They name their children on this basis.
Just as the letters (a, b, j, d,) (1, 2, 3, 4) when added have the numerical value of ten. Similarly every name has a separate numeric value. As God has been given so many different names, this has caused a conflict between the numeric value of the different names. If all the people called upon God by the same name, then despite the fact that they would all have separate religions, they would all be united inwardly. They too, like Nanak Sahib and Baba Farid would then say:
“All the souls have been created by the light of God, even though their environment and communities are separate.”
The angels that are assigned tasks in the world are also taught the languages of the people of the world.
It is important for the people of every Prophet that they recite, chant and affirm the Title of their Prophet which was granted by God to the Prophet at his time, for the recognition, spiritual grace and purification of his people. The recital and affirmation should be in the same method and in the language of their Prophet.
The entry of any individual into any religion is subject to the condition that the individual accepts and affirms the Title of the Prophet of that religion. Just as the affirmation and the verbal vows are a condition of any marriage.
Entry into the heavens has been made subject to the acceptance and affirmation of the Titles of the Prophets. In the western world many Muslims and Christians have no knowledge of their Prophet’s Title furthermore many do not even know their Prophets original name (in the original language of the Prophet.)
People who only verbalize the affirmation of their Prophet’s Title rely upon their good deeds. Those that reject and do not affirm their Prophet’s Title are refused entry to paradise. Those individuals in whose hearts the affirmation of their Prophet’s Title has descended (entered) they will enter paradise without any accountability.
The revealed celestial Scriptures, whichever language they are in so long as they are in the original form, are a means to finding God. Where the texts and the translations that have been adulterated, just as adulterated flour is harmful for the stomach, the adulterated books have become harmful and people of the same religion and the same of Prophet have divided into so many sects.
To be sure of the straight and guided path it is better that you are guided by the Light (of God) also.
The method of producing light.
In prehistoric times stones would be rubbed together to make fire. Whereas a spark can also be produced by rubbing two metals together. In a similar way electricity is made from water. Similarly by the friction of the blood inside the human body, in other words electric energy is produced by the vibrating heartbeat. In every human being there is present, approximately one and a half volts of electricity due to which the body is energetic. As the heartbeat slows in old age, this reduces the electricity in the body and this in turn also causes a reduction of the energy level in the body.
Firstly, the heartbeat has to be made vibrant and pronounced. Some do this by dancing, some by sports and exercise and some people try to do this by meditating and chanting the Name of God Allah.
When the heartbeat becomes vibrant and pronounced then by chanting the Name Allah try to synchronize it with every heartbeat. Alternatively try to synchronize Allah with one heartbeat and Hu with the other. Some time by placing your hand on the heart and when you feel your heartbeat, again try to synchronize the Name Allah by chanting it with the rythm of the heartbeat and imagine that the Name Allah is entering the heart.
The chanting of Allah Hu is better and more effective but if anyone has an objection, or a fear of chanting Hu, then instead of being deprived one should solely use the Name Allah, repetitively in the chanting. It is beneficial for people who chant and practice this discipline and who read mantras to physically remain as clean as possible as the:
“disrespectful are unfulfilled and the respectful are fulfilled.”
The first method for producing light.
Write Allah on a paper in black ink, and do this exercise for as long as you wish on a daily basis. Soon thereafter, the Word Allah will be transported from the paper and hover over the eyes. Then with one-pointed concentration, attempt to transport the word from the eyes to the heart.
The second method for producing light.
Write Allah on a zero watt bulb, in yellow. Whilst you are awake or just before sleep, concentrate and try to absorb it into the eyes. When it appears on the eyes then try to transport it to the heart.
The third method for producing light.
This method is for those people who have perfect spiritual guides and teachers and who due to their spiritual connection are spiritually assisted by them.
Sit alone and imagine that your index finger is a pen. Using your finger and with your concentration, attempt to write Allah on your heart. Call upon your spiritual teacher (spiritually), so that he too may, hold your finger, and write Allah on your heart. Continue to do this exercise everyday, until you see Allah written on your heart.
By the first and second method, the Name Allah becomes inscribed on the heart, just as it was written and seen by you but when it becomes synchronized with the heartbeat, then it slowly starts to shine. In the synchronized method, the assistance of the spiritual teacher is provided and for this reason it is seen shining and well written on the heart right from the beginning.
Many Prophets and Saints have come into the world, and just for the sake of testing this, if you feel it appropriate, concentrate or call upon all of them when you are practicing your meditation.
Whilst concentrating on any Prophet or Saint, during your meditating practice, if the rhythm of your heartbeat increases, in its vibration or you feel an improvement then this means that your destiny (spiritual fruits) lies with that Prophet or Saint.
Thereafter it is beneficial to concentrate on that same person whenever you practice your meditation as spiritual grace is transferred in this way, because every Saint is spiritually connected to a Prophet, even if that Prophet is not physically living.
The spiritual fruit (grace) of every illuminated person is in the hands of one Saint or another. It is essential that the Saint is living. Sometimes a very fortunate person is gifted with celestial spiritual grace by a perfect Saint who is not living, but this is very rare. However Saints not living in our human realm can provide worldly spiritual grace and assistance to people from their tombs. This is known as Owaisi spiritual grace.
The recipients of such spiritual grace often get entangled in their spiritual insights, visions and dreams because the spiritual guide providing the assistance is in the spiritual realm and so too is Satan and the recognition of the two becomes difficult.
Along with the spiritual grace it is important to have knowledge, for which a living Saint is more appropriate. If a person (Saint) possesses spiritual grace but is without knowledge, that person is known as a Majzoob (Godly but abstracted due to the complete absorption into the Essence of God and who is not in full control of his faculties).
A person (Saint) having spiritual grace and knowledge is known as a Mehboob (literally, loved one). Such people (Saints) as a result of their knowledge provide worldly spiritual assistance as well as spiritual grace and benefit. Whereas the Majzoobs are known to provide worldly spiritual assistance to people by their unusual but accepted practices of shouting obscenities and poking people with their wooden sticks.
If any (Prophet or Saint) appears but does not help or assist you then put Gohar Shahi to the test.
You may belong to any religion, there is no condition in this respect as long as the individual is not eternally ill-fated.
Many people have received the spiritual grace of Qalb meditation from the Moon. This is obtained when there is a full Moon from the East. Look at it with concentration and when you see the image of Gohar Shahi on it say Allah, Allah, Allah three times and you will be blessed with this spiritual grace. Thereafter without any fear or reservation practice the meditation as described.
Believe (the fact) that the image on the Moon has spoken to many people in many different languages. You can try looking and speaking to it also.
About Muraqba
(transcendental meditation)
(Literally. journey. Meditation in which the soul leaves the human body)
Many people without having acquired the illumination of the spiritual entities (‘Lata’if/Shaktian’) and without attaining spiritual strength and prowess try to engage in this meditation. They either fail to reach the meditative state or become the subject of Satanic interference. This type of meditation is for illuminated people, whose spiritual entity of the self has been purified and the Qalb has been cleansed. The practice or attempt at this type of meditation is foolish no matter what type of physical worship is used to achieve this. To collect and gather the strength of the soul and the spiritual entities and then to travel to a place is what is known as meditation.
Sainthood is the one fourtieth part of Prophecy.
Every dream, meditative journey, inspiration or revelation of a Prophet is accurate and authentic and does not need verification. Only fourty out of a hundred dreams, meditative journeys, inspirations and revelations of Saints are accurate the remaining sixty percent are inaccurate.
God cannot be understood without knowledge
The lowest type of meditative journey is started only after the illumination and awakening of the spiritual entity of the Qalb. This is impossible without first achieving the meditation of the Qalb (meditation with the vibrating heartbeat synchronized with the Name Allah). It takes one jerk or shake to bring the person out of this meditative state and back to consciousness. The faculty of the augury (foretelling the future by reading verses or looking into designated books) is also connected to the Qalb.
The next stage is the meditative journey of the soul. It takes three jerks or shakes to return a person back to normality from this meditative state.
The third stage of the meditative journey is done by the spiritual entity, Anna and the soul together. The soul travels along with the spiritual entity Anna, to the realm of souls just as the Archangel Gabriel accompanied the Prophet Mohammed to the realm of souls.
People who are in this meditative state are sometimes even taken to be buried in their graves and they are unaware of this happening to them. Such a meditative state and journey was taken by the “Companions of the Cave” as a result of which they remained asleep in the cave for more than three hundred years.
When this meditative state and journey was undertaken by the Sheikh, Abdul-Qadir al-Jilani, in the jungle, the occupants of the jungle would regard the Sheikh as dead and would take him to a grave for burial but the meditative journey would break just before the burial (the Sheikh would return to consciousness).
How to recognize a special inspiration and revelation from God.
When a person has awakened and illuminated the spiritual entities in the chest and is worthy of receiving the rays of the Grace of God, then at that point God communicates with that person. God is All-Powerful and can do as he pleases and thus communicate with the human being in any way fit, but he has made a special method for his recognition so that his friends can be saved from the deception of Satan.
Firstly, text in the Semitic language appears on the seekers heart and its translation is seen in the language of the seekers mother-tongue. The text is white and shiny and the eyes close automatically and look at the text (internally). The text then passes the Qalb and moves towards the spiritual entity Sirri as a result of which it shines even more. Then the text moves towards the spiritual entity, Akhfa and from here it shines more and then moves onto the tongue. The voice then spontaneously starts to repeat that text.
If this inspiration is from Satan then an illuminated heart will dull the text and if the text is strong and prominent then the spiritual entities Sirri or Akhfa destroy that text. Further if due to the weakness of the spiritual entities the text does arrive at the tongue, then the voice will prevent it from being spoken into words.
This type of inspiration is for special types of Saints, whereas in respect of ordinary Saints, God sends messages to them through the angels or other spiritual entities. When the Archangel Gabriel accompanies the special and inspired text, this is known as revelation which is confined to the Prophets.
For more detail visit www.goharshahi.org or visit asipk.com and for videos visit HH rags
I have this Ict project? and i based it on regina spektor! I did a stop motion video for her song 'the calculation' whihch i will upload when i finally get it finished:')!
Hit 3000 views this weekend, I feel loved;D!
The word Allah
The Semitic language which is spoken in the celestial spheres, is the language in which the angels and God address each other. Adam Safi-Allah spoke the same language in paradise. Adam and eve then came into the world and settled in Arabia. Their children also spoke the same language. Then as a result of the descendants of Adam spreading in the world, this language passed from Arabic, Persian, Latin and into English and God was then known by different names in the different languages. As Adam lived in Arabia, there are many words of the Semitic language which are still found in the Arabic language. God addressed the Prophets, Adam as Adam Safi-Allah, Noah as Nuh Nabi-Allah, Abraham as Ibraheem Khalil-Allah, Moses as Musa Kalim-Allah, Jesus as I’sa Ruh-Allah and Mohammed Rasul-Allah. All these titles, in the Semitic language were written on the Tablet before the arrival of the Prophets. This is why the Prophet Mohammed said: “I was a Prophet even before I came in to this world.”
Many people believe that the word Allah is a name given by Muslims, this is not so.
The Prophet Mohammed’s fathers name was Abd-Allah, at a time when Islam did not exist. Prior to the advent of Islam the Name Allah was announced with the title of every Prophet. When the souls were created, the first Name on their tongue was Allah and when the soul entered the body of Adam, it said, Ya-Allah, and only then it entered the body. Many religions understand this enigma and chant the Name Allah and many others because of doubt are deprived of the Name.
Any name which is used to point towards God is worthy of respect.
In other words, which points towards God. The mystical effect of the Name of God has been diversified due to the different names. Every letter of the alphabet has a separate numeric value. This is also a celestial knowledge. All the numeric values are connected with all of the human race. Occasionally the numeric values do not agree with the astronomical calculations as a result of which people become afflicted. Many people go to astrologers and experts of this knowledge and have charts prepared based on the stars. They name their children on this basis.
Just as the letters (a, b, j, d,) (1, 2, 3, 4) when added have the numerical value of ten. Similarly every name has a separate numeric value. As God has been given so many different names, this has caused a conflict between the numeric value of the different names. If all the people called upon God by the same name, then despite the fact that they would all have separate religions, they would all be united inwardly. They too, like Nanak Sahib and Baba Farid would then say:
“All the souls have been created by the light of God, even though their environment and communities are separate.”
The angels that are assigned tasks in the world are also taught the languages of the people of the world.
It is important for the people of every Prophet that they recite, chant and affirm the Title of their Prophet which was granted by God to the Prophet at his time, for the recognition, spiritual grace and purification of his people. The recital and affirmation should be in the same method and in the language of their Prophet.
The entry of any individual into any religion is subject to the condition that the individual accepts and affirms the Title of the Prophet of that religion. Just as the affirmation and the verbal vows are a condition of any marriage.
Entry into the heavens has been made subject to the acceptance and affirmation of the Titles of the Prophets. In the western world many Muslims and Christians have no knowledge of their Prophet’s Title furthermore many do not even know their Prophets original name (in the original language of the Prophet.)
People who only verbalize the affirmation of their Prophet’s Title rely upon their good deeds. Those that reject and do not affirm their Prophet’s Title are refused entry to paradise. Those individuals in whose hearts the affirmation of their Prophet’s Title has descended (entered) they will enter paradise without any accountability.
The revealed celestial Scriptures, whichever language they are in so long as they are in the original form, are a means to finding God. Where the texts and the translations that have been adulterated, just as adulterated flour is harmful for the stomach, the adulterated books have become harmful and people of the same religion and the same of Prophet have divided into so many sects.
To be sure of the straight and guided path it is better that you are guided by the Light (of God) also.
The method of producing light.
In prehistoric times stones would be rubbed together to make fire. Whereas a spark can also be produced by rubbing two metals together. In a similar way electricity is made from water. Similarly by the friction of the blood inside the human body, in other words electric energy is produced by the vibrating heartbeat. In every human being there is present, approximately one and a half volts of electricity due to which the body is energetic. As the heartbeat slows in old age, this reduces the electricity in the body and this in turn also causes a reduction of the energy level in the body.
Firstly, the heartbeat has to be made vibrant and pronounced. Some do this by dancing, some by sports and exercise and some people try to do this by meditating and chanting the Name of God Allah.
When the heartbeat becomes vibrant and pronounced then by chanting the Name Allah try to synchronize it with every heartbeat. Alternatively try to synchronize Allah with one heartbeat and Hu with the other. Some time by placing your hand on the heart and when you feel your heartbeat, again try to synchronize the Name Allah by chanting it with the rythm of the heartbeat and imagine that the Name Allah is entering the heart.
The chanting of Allah Hu is better and more effective but if anyone has an objection, or a fear of chanting Hu, then instead of being deprived one should solely use the Name Allah, repetitively in the chanting. It is beneficial for people who chant and practice this discipline and who read mantras to physically remain as clean as possible as the:
“disrespectful are unfulfilled and the respectful are fulfilled.”
The first method for producing light.
Write Allah on a paper in black ink, and do this exercise for as long as you wish on a daily basis. Soon thereafter, the Word Allah will be transported from the paper and hover over the eyes. Then with one-pointed concentration, attempt to transport the word from the eyes to the heart.
The second method for producing light.
Write Allah on a zero watt bulb, in yellow. Whilst you are awake or just before sleep, concentrate and try to absorb it into the eyes. When it appears on the eyes then try to transport it to the heart.
The third method for producing light.
This method is for those people who have perfect spiritual guides and teachers and who due to their spiritual connection are spiritually assisted by them.
Sit alone and imagine that your index finger is a pen. Using your finger and with your concentration, attempt to write Allah on your heart. Call upon your spiritual teacher (spiritually), so that he too may, hold your finger, and write Allah on your heart. Continue to do this exercise everyday, until you see Allah written on your heart.
By the first and second method, the Name Allah becomes inscribed on the heart, just as it was written and seen by you but when it becomes synchronized with the heartbeat, then it slowly starts to shine. In the synchronized method, the assistance of the spiritual teacher is provided and for this reason it is seen shining and well written on the heart right from the beginning.
Many Prophets and Saints have come into the world, and just for the sake of testing this, if you feel it appropriate, concentrate or call upon all of them when you are practicing your meditation.
Whilst concentrating on any Prophet or Saint, during your meditating practice, if the rhythm of your heartbeat increases, in its vibration or you feel an improvement then this means that your destiny (spiritual fruits) lies with that Prophet or Saint.
Thereafter it is beneficial to concentrate on that same person whenever you practice your meditation as spiritual grace is transferred in this way, because every Saint is spiritually connected to a Prophet, even if that Prophet is not physically living.
The spiritual fruit (grace) of every illuminated person is in the hands of one Saint or another. It is essential that the Saint is living. Sometimes a very fortunate person is gifted with celestial spiritual grace by a perfect Saint who is not living, but this is very rare. However Saints not living in our human realm can provide worldly spiritual grace and assistance to people from their tombs. This is known as Owaisi spiritual grace.
The recipients of such spiritual grace often get entangled in their spiritual insights, visions and dreams because the spiritual guide providing the assistance is in the spiritual realm and so too is Satan and the recognition of the two becomes difficult.
Along with the spiritual grace it is important to have knowledge, for which a living Saint is more appropriate. If a person (Saint) possesses spiritual grace but is without knowledge, that person is known as a Majzoob (Godly but abstracted due to the complete absorption into the Essence of God and who is not in full control of his faculties).
A person (Saint) having spiritual grace and knowledge is known as a Mehboob (literally, loved one). Such people (Saints) as a result of their knowledge provide worldly spiritual assistance as well as spiritual grace and benefit. Whereas the Majzoobs are known to provide worldly spiritual assistance to people by their unusual but accepted practices of shouting obscenities and poking people with their wooden sticks.
If any (Prophet or Saint) appears but does not help or assist you then put Gohar Shahi to the test.
You may belong to any religion, there is no condition in this respect as long as the individual is not eternally ill-fated.
Many people have received the spiritual grace of Qalb meditation from the Moon. This is obtained when there is a full Moon from the East. Look at it with concentration and when you see the image of Gohar Shahi on it say Allah, Allah, Allah three times and you will be blessed with this spiritual grace. Thereafter without any fear or reservation practice the meditation as described.
Believe (the fact) that the image on the Moon has spoken to many people in many different languages. You can try looking and speaking to it also.
About Muraqba
(transcendental meditation)
(Literally. journey. Meditation in which the soul leaves the human body)
Many people without having acquired the illumination of the spiritual entities (‘Lata’if/Shaktian’) and without attaining spiritual strength and prowess try to engage in this meditation. They either fail to reach the meditative state or become the subject of Satanic interference. This type of meditation is for illuminated people, whose spiritual entity of the self has been purified and the Qalb has been cleansed. The practice or attempt at this type of meditation is foolish no matter what type of physical worship is used to achieve this. To collect and gather the strength of the soul and the spiritual entities and then to travel to a place is what is known as meditation.
Sainthood is the one fourtieth part of Prophecy.
Every dream, meditative journey, inspiration or revelation of a Prophet is accurate and authentic and does not need verification. Only fourty out of a hundred dreams, meditative journeys, inspirations and revelations of Saints are accurate the remaining sixty percent are inaccurate.
God cannot be understood without knowledge
The lowest type of meditative journey is started only after the illumination and awakening of the spiritual entity of the Qalb. This is impossible without first achieving the meditation of the Qalb (meditation with the vibrating heartbeat synchronized with the Name Allah). It takes one jerk or shake to bring the person out of this meditative state and back to consciousness. The faculty of the augury (foretelling the future by reading verses or looking into designated books) is also connected to the Qalb.
The next stage is the meditative journey of the soul. It takes three jerks or shakes to return a person back to normality from this meditative state.
The third stage of the meditative journey is done by the spiritual entity, Anna and the soul together. The soul travels along with the spiritual entity Anna, to the realm of souls just as the Archangel Gabriel accompanied the Prophet Mohammed to the realm of souls.
People who are in this meditative state are sometimes even taken to be buried in their graves and they are unaware of this happening to them. Such a meditative state and journey was taken by the “Companions of the Cave” as a result of which they remained asleep in the cave for more than three hundred years.
When this meditative state and journey was undertaken by the Sheikh, Abdul-Qadir al-Jilani, in the jungle, the occupants of the jungle would regard the Sheikh as dead and would take him to a grave for burial but the meditative journey would break just before the burial (the Sheikh would return to consciousness).
How to recognize a special inspiration and revelation from God.
When a person has awakened and illuminated the spiritual entities in the chest and is worthy of receiving the rays of the Grace of God, then at that point God communicates with that person. God is All-Powerful and can do as he pleases and thus communicate with the human being in any way fit, but he has made a special method for his recognition so that his friends can be saved from the deception of Satan.
Firstly, text in the Semitic language appears on the seekers heart and its translation is seen in the language of the seekers mother-tongue. The text is white and shiny and the eyes close automatically and look at the text (internally). The text then passes the Qalb and moves towards the spiritual entity Sirri as a result of which it shines even more. Then the text moves towards the spiritual entity, Akhfa and from here it shines more and then moves onto the tongue. The voice then spontaneously starts to repeat that text.
If this inspiration is from Satan then an illuminated heart will dull the text and if the text is strong and prominent then the spiritual entities Sirri or Akhfa destroy that text. Further if due to the weakness of the spiritual entities the text does arrive at the tongue, then the voice will prevent it from being spoken into words.
This type of inspiration is for special types of Saints, whereas in respect of ordinary Saints, God sends messages to them through the angels or other spiritual entities. When the Archangel Gabriel accompanies the special and inspired text, this is known as revelation which is confined to the Prophets.
For more detail visit www.goharshahi.org or visit asipk.com and for videos visit HH rags
臺灣府城隍廟 - 中門 / 煙飄爾來終一報 - 算盤一撥都知了
The Town god temple of the Taiwan government office - Central gate / Smoke floating you come in to the final report - Abacus calculations are considered
El templo de dios de la ciudad de la oficina gubernamental de Taiwán - Puerta central / Flotación de humo que entra en el informe final - cálculos de ábaco se consideran
台湾府の城隍廟 - 中の扉 / たばこが翻ってなんじが来て結局は申し込みますと - 珠算の1組すべてセミ
Die Stadt Gottes Tempel der Taiwan Staatsamt - Zentrales Tor / Rauch schwimmt Sie kommen in den Abschlussbericht - Abakus Berechnungen werden berücksichtigt
Le temple de la ville dieu du bureau du gouvernement de Taiwan - Porte centrale / Fumée flottante, vous entrez dans le rapport final - Les calculs d'Abacus sont considérés
Tainan Taiwan / Tainan Taiwán / 台灣台南
管樂小集 2017/08/06 安平古堡 Fort Zeelandia performances 1080P
{ 明天是否依然愛我 Will still love me tomorrow 明日依然として私が好きかどうか }
{View large size on fluidr/觀看大圖}
{My Blog / 管樂小集精彩演出-觸動你的心}
{My Blog / Great Music The splendid performance touches your heart}
{My Blog / 管楽小集すばらしい公演-はあなたの心を心を打ちます}
{Mi blog / La gran música el funcionamiento espléndido toca su corazón}
{Mein Blog / Große Musik die herrliche Leistung berührt Ihr Herz}
{Mon blog / La grande musique l'exécution splendide touche votre coeur}
Melody 曲:JAPAN / Words 詞:Sheesen / Singing : Sheesen
{ 夢旅人 1990 Dream Traveler 1990 }
家住安南鹽溪邊
The family lives in nearby the Annan salt river
隔壁就是聽雨軒
The next door listens to the rain porch
一旦落日照大員
The sunset Shineing to the Taiwan at once
左岸青龍飛九天
The left bank white dragon flying in the sky
Inside the Ladd Observatory Transit Room (built 1891)
Brown University
Providence, RI
May 6th, 2014
Ever wonder how everyone kept track of time way back when? Read below to find out. This was taken in the Transit Room inside the Brown University’s Transit Room. Above the telescope in the photo, the roof opens up exposing the North to South line. From there, the stars could be viewed and the exact time could be determined for Providence, RI. The telegraph device seen to the right of the telescope would be used to mark the time and the official time could be adjusted. If you are the least bit interested in astronomy, definitely plan to visit the Ladd Observatory when they are open to the public on Tuesday’s night, see this for more info on times: www.brown.edu/Departments/Physics/Ladd/
Some info on the Transit Room:
At the far end of the observatory one can find the old transit room. This is where an observer would use a transit telescope to time stars crossing the local meridian, an imaginary north-south line passing through the observatory. Local time could then be precisely established, which was not only needed for astronomical calculations, but also for deriving civil time. Ladd Observatory was responsible as a time keeping service for the Providence area. And speaking of time, please note the various clocks throughout the observatory. They were an important piece of this time keeping tradition.
SOURCE: www.theskyscrapers.org/-42
Some info on how the Transit Room got to be restored:
Many observatories kept time before it became a function of the federal government, said Targan, also associate dean of the College for science education. When the nation moved from an agrarian lifestyle to an industrially based economy, keeping exact time became more vital. Train accidents occurred in the 1800s because the conductors’ watches were on different times, Targan said.
Since then, new technology such as computers and navigation systems have made precise timekeeping even more important. The science of timekeeping has kept up with the technology, Targan said.
Ladd’s two telescopes are less advanced than the atomic clock at the National Institute of Science and Technology in Boulder, Colo., which sets the international standard for time, but they still allow people to learn about the science and history behind timekeeping.
“We lose track of how we determine time in the first place,” Targan said. “When people look at their watches, what does that mean and what does that come from?”
With the restoration, Targan hopes to educate the public and answer those questions.
So, where do clocks get their time?
“The Earth itself is the most reliable timepiece we have,” astronomy concentrator David Eichhorn ’09 said.
Astronomers use the rotational period of the earth to keep time. “By looking at the stars entering above, you can time those stars as they cross key imaginary lines across the sky,” Targan said.
In Ladd Observatory’s transit room, an observer can press a key that makes an extra mark on the chronometer, which is already marked to show when certain stars move across the sky. By measuring the difference between the marks, an observer can calibrate clocks accordingly, Eichhorn said.
Fixing this telegraph system is one of the many repairs planned, Targan said.
Sarah Zurier, special projects coordinator at the Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission, which awarded the grant, listed other intended tasks including fixing slits in the roof that provide the telescope with a view of the sky, repairing windows and upgrading the electrical system.
Zurier cited the observatory’s history of serving the public as one of the reasons for its selection for the grant.
SOURCE: www.browndailyherald.com/2008/01/24/ladds-timekeepers-to-...
My personal favourite shot from my visit to Abereiddy the other evening. I think I've got the exposure calculations OK now. It's just a matter of deciding how long for a given scene. At just over 100sec I think the balance is just about right.
Explore Highest Position: #325 on Wednesday 7th March 2012.
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According the first calculations before 2007 the building should cost about 77 million €. By 2013 the cost for the taxpayer amounted to 789 million €. The project should have been finshed years ago, but it still is under construction.
Smoke Photo Art
If I did my calculations correctly, that is the correct count on the number of pieces of smoke art that I have posted.
Flickr does some interesting things when you do a search for something. Since so few of my pieces are titled "Smoke Art," my work rarely shows up when you do a search of smoke art. Fortunately I show up as number one in the photographers' list when you search smoke art, so that's cool. Perhaps I'll need to start putting "Smoke Art" in the titles.
Still in the seventies, the reddish giant sun Aldebaran, a so-called "red giant", as the astrophysical expression for it is called, with a mass of at least 2.5 times the mass of our own sun, with which, according to astrophysical calculations, Aldebaran was only granted an age of about 800 million years at best, according to astronomical reference works and tables,which practically excluded the existence of inhabitable planets, because only from 1.5 masses of sun can a sun remain stable for at least 2.5 billion years and exist altogether as sun for about 3.0 billion years, thus just long enough to enable the formation of one or some earth-like planets with at least primitive life forms on it.Only from the mid-1980s did Aldebaran appear in corresponding technical literature with around 1.15 solar masses, giving this sun at least a total age of around 6 billion years, of which the last 100 to 500 million years were from a stable "main sequence star" of spectral type F6,a yellow sun that was somewhat brighter than ours (our sun is an approximately 5 billion year old main sequence star, luminosity class 7, spectral type G2, which could remain stable for an estimated 3 billion years), expanded and became a "red giant" with the current spectrum K5. In Christmas 1943 the probably last big joint meeting of the Vril Society and Thule Society took place. The scene was the romantic beach castle in the German Baltic seaside resort of Kolberg.
Here, Thule and Vril people from all directions should have gathered once again.Maria Orschitsch and a new medium of the Vril Society, Sigrun F., discovered by Maria Orschitsch, were also present (with respect to living relatives we do not mention the full name of Sigrun here).These two women should soon have played a leading role in this meeting.But for the time being - and we can only assume this - the war situation will have been discussed; and we can assume that in that circle, which included widely travelled world connoisseurs, little illusions will have reigned over the overall situation.The threat posed to Germany and its few allies by an enormous superiority in terms of numbers was as obvious as the increasing problem of raw materials.It was clear that Germany was facing a merciless destruction like that of Carthage, if not the very last possibilities could be exhausted to counter this intention of the Allies.The difficulties in preparing the UFOs for combat will also have been discussed.For as soon as the ("UFO" had built up its own "field", it was virtually invulnerable to attacks from outside - but just as enemy projectiles could not break through the field from outside, so the conventional weapons could not be used from inside to outside.Neither bomb drops nor gunfire were possible, because the propulsion was reduced to such an extent that not only the flight characteristics became unattractive, but also the sensitivity to bombardment existed.And the "power-jet guns" provided by the SS-E-IV, the details of which are little known, were not yet ready for use. The unconventional technology had hardly anything to offer at that time, which could have been thrown directly into the fights as a weapon. In this overall situation, the "Aldebaran perspective" came into play.In the media (so it is said) concrete connections had been established with the distant but powerful "Summi" empire of Aldebaran.And the Vril people were working at an advanced stage on a spaceship that would be "dimension channel capable" - that is, the distance to Aldebaran, which would be relatively easy and fast to cover for about 68 light years...In everything we recognise two principles that determine events: light and darkness, good and evil, creation and destruction -- as in electricity we know plus and minus. It is always: either - or."These two principles - the creative and the destructive - also determine our technical means...Everything destructive is of Satanic origin, everything creative is divine... Every technology based upon explosion or combustion has thus to be called Satanic. The coming new age will be an age of a new, positive, divine technology!..." Dr. Schumann (from SS archives). The Vril Society known as “The All German Society for Metaphysics “was formed in 1921 to explore the origins of the Aryan race. The Society allegedly taught concentration exercises designed to awaken the forces of Vril, a shaakti sexual energy force strongest in women with long hair that fed magnetic energy from the earth to the brain. Male members of the Vril Society are said to have included Adolf Hitler, Alfred Rosenberg, Heinrich Himmler, Hermann Goering, and Hitler’s personal physician, Dr. Theodor Morell. They were original members of the Thule Society which supposedly joined Vril in 1919. The NSDAP (Nazi Party) was created by Thule in 1920, one year later. Dr. Krohn, who created the Nazi flag, was also a Thulist. Maria Orsic, aka Maria Orsitsch, Marija Orsitsch, Marija Oršić - but mostly written simply as Maria Orsic. She was a famous occult medium who later became the leader of the Vril Gesellschaft - or Vril Society ... She was born in Vienna, Austria. Her father was a Croatian from Zagreb, her mother was from Vienna. Maria soon followed into the popular German nationalist movement which was popular at this time - the main goal of the movement was to annex Austria with the German Reich. In 1917 the occultist Karl Haushofer, Baron Rudolf von Sebottendorf, the WWI ace pilot Lothar Waiz, prelate Gernot of the secret “Societas Templi Marcioni” (The Inheritors of the Knights Templar) and Maria Orsic, the well known beautiful transcendental medium from Zagreb, met in Schopenhauer café in Vienna. They all had extensively studied the Golden Dawn, its teachings, rituals and especially its knowledge about Asian secret lodges. Sebottendorf and Haushofer were experienced travelers of India and Tibet and much influenced by the teachings and myths of those places. During the First World War, Karl Haushofer had made contacts with one of the most influential secret societies of Asia, the Tibetan “Yellow Hats” (dGe-lugs-pa). The contacts between Haushofer and the Yellow Hats led in the Twenties to the formation of Tibetan colonies in Germany. The four young people hoped that during these meeting in Vienna they would learn something about the secret revelatory texts of the Knights Templar and also about the secret fraternity Die Herren vom schwarzen Stein (“The Lords of the Black Stone”). Prelate Gernot was on of the “Inheritors of the Knights Templar”, which are the only true Templar society. They are the descendants of the Templars of 1307 who passed on their secrets from father to son – until today. Prelate Gernot apparently told them about the advent of a new age – the change-over from the Age of Pisces to the Age of Aquarius. In December 1919 a members of Thule, Vril and DHvSS (Die Herren vom schwarzen Stein - The Lords of the Black Stone) rented a small forester’s lodge in the vicinity of Berchtesgaden (Germany) where they met, accompanied by Maria Orsic and another medium who was only known as Sigrun. Maria claimed to have received mediumistically transmissions in a secret German Templar script - a language unknown to her - containing technical data for the construction of a flying machine. Vril documents discovered after WWII, mention these telepathic messages, which had their origin in Aldebaran, a solar system 68 light-years away in the constellation Taurus. Supposedly the documents state that she had two piles of papers: one with the Templar script, the other with a legible writing. Maria suspected the second pile would be written in an ancient eastern language and therefore she could be aided by the “Panbabylonists”, a circle close to the Thule society which was integrated by Hugo Winckler, Peter Jensen, Friedrich Delitzsch and others. It turned out that the apparently mysterious language was actually ancient Sumerian and hence the language of the ancient Babylonian culture founders. Sigrun, from the Vril gesellschaft helped translate the language and decipher the strange mental images of a circular flight machine. The concept of “other science” (or “alternative science”) matured in this time and the following years. Because of the financing difficulties it took three years until the flying machine project started taking shape. By 1922, parts for the machine began arriving independently from various industrial sources paid in full by Thule and Vril. While in Munich, Maria was in contact with the Thule Gesellschaft and soon she created her own cult 'circle' together with Traute A. from Munich and several other mediums: the “Alldeutsche Gesellschaft für Metaphysik”, official name of the Vril Gesellschaft. All of them were young educated ladies, highly opinionated on politics, among other things they were against the rising fashion of short hair-styles for women ... Both Maria and Traute A. were beautiful ladies with very long hair - Maria was blonde and Traute A. was a brunette. They both had long horse tails, a very uncommon hairstyle at that time. This became a distinctive characteristic in all the women who integrated into Vril - which was maintained until May 1945. They believed that their long hair acted as cosmic antennae to receive alien communication from beyond. In public, however, they hardly ever exhibited the hair in horse tail style. For identification, Vril members (also called “Vrilerinnen”) wore a disk which represented the two leading mediums: Marija Oršić and Sigrun. In late November 1924 Maria Orsic visited Rudolf Hess in his apartment in Munich, together with Rudolf von Sebottendorf, the founder of the Thule Gesellschaft. Sebottendorf wanted to contact Dietrich Eckart, who had deceased one year before. Eckert had translated Ibsen’s plays into German and had published the magazine “Auf gut Deutsch”; he had also been a member of the Thule Gesellschaft. To establish contact with Eckart, Sebottendorff and other Thulists (amongst them Ernst Schulte-Strathauss) joined hands around a black-draped table. Hess was irritated to watch Maria Orsic’s eyeballs rolling back and showing only whites, and to see her slumping backward in her chair, mouth agape. However Sebottendorff smiled in satisfaction as the voice of Eckart started coming out of the medium. Eckart announced that he was obliged to let someone else’s voice come through, with an important message. A weird voice then identified itself as “the Sumi, dwellers of a distant world, which orbits the star Aldebaran in the constellation you call Taurus the Bull”. Hess and Schulte-Strathaus blinked at each other in surprise. According to the voice, the Sumi were an humanoid race who had briefly colonized Earth 500 million years ago. The ruins of ancient Larsa, Shurrupak and Nippur in Iraq had been built by them. Those of them who survived the great flood of Ut-napishtim (the Deluge of Noah’s Ark) had become the ancestors of the Aryan race. Sebottendorff remained skeptical and asked for proof. While Maria was still in a trance, she scribbled several lines of queer-looking marks. Those marks turned out to be ancient Summerian characters, the language of the founders of the oldest Babylonian culture. In December 1943 Maria attended, together with Sigrun, a meeting held by Vril at the seaside resort of Kolberg. The main purpose of the meeting was to deal with the “Aldebaran project”. The Vril mediums had received precise information regarding the habitable planets around the sun Aldebaran and they were willing to plan a trip there. This project was discussed again the 22nd January 1944 in a meeting between Hitler, Himmler, Dr. W. Schumann (scientist and professor in the Technical University of Munich) and Kunkel of the Vril Gesellschaft. It was decided that a Vril 7 “Jäger” would be sent through a dimension channel independent of the speed of light to Aldebaran. According to N. Ratthofer (writer), a first test flight in the dimension channel took place in late 1944. Maria Oršić was more beautiful than any Hollywood star at that time ... Leslie Elwood Brooks says: "Oršić’s daughter is probably Yolanda Raffa (her married name). It is documented that Maria's father was from Zagreb and her mother was from Vienna - and so was the mother of her patron, Franziske Romana Oettingen. There may have been family connections, at least there probably were in Vienna. Franziske Romana, who donated the diamond tiara to help finance the original Vril Society, was born near Munich on September 28, 1884 and died March 25, 1931. Her mother was Berta Eszterhazy from Vienna, who was born September 26, 1857 in Hungary and died November 20, 1937 in Munich. And Berta Eszterhazy’s mother had been Polyxena Lobkowitz from Prague, who had been born Polyxena Lobkovice on November 21, 1830 in “Austrian” territory, and died February 3, 1913. The family connections may go back farther than that. Maria Orsic moved to Munich, where Franziske Romana lived, in 1919, the year that Franziske’s niece and namesake was born, so there was probably a plan to dedicate her niece to the Vril from the time of her birth." Maria 'Orsitsch' was first mentioned and pictured in 1967 by Bergier and Pauwels in their book "Aufbruch ins dritte Jahrtausend: von der Zukunft der phantastischen Vernunft".
Picture. After the rise of Hitler and the NASDAP Fascist Germany everything seemed possible and the Vril Society, Thule Society and many others were secreted into the departmental Ahnenerbe Bureau, either to be supervised by the Nazi Leaders, or to advance their agendas within the Nazi Military Industrial Complex umbrella. Ultimately WWII began and saw the incredible advancement of weapons and vehicles - some say 30 years ahead of any other nation - it however ended badly for Germany and Maria Orsic disappeared in 1945. On the 11th of March of 1945 an internal document of the Vril Gesellschaft was sent to all its members ... The letter ends: “niemand bleibt hier” (no one is staying here) and is signed "With Cheerful Courage" (Mit frischem Mut) by Godrun. n Norse mythology Gudrun was the sister of Gunnar, both children of Giuki – king of the Nibelungs. Sigrun (another Vril Maiden) was one of the nine daughters of Odin.This was the last announcement from Vril. It is speculated they departed to Aldebaran. .... Fueling speculation among some writers that Maria may have in fact escaped, as she claimed, to Aldebaran. A recently published "Letter of Departure" to the Young Vrilerinnen (jungen Vrilerinnen), dated March 11, 1945, mentions the "Odin Departure" (Odin-Ausflug). It refers to a temporary evacuation location with Maria, and the final departure to Aldebaran. Regardless of how much of this story is factual, and how much is modern myth, why is there nothing about this reported in the media or in mainstream WWII documentaries? Particularly in Germany, where there is freedom of the press and they declare that they only teach the truth ... surely it is reasonable to discuss the real truth now ... after 70 years ... openly without being arrested or publicly labeled a "fascist fantasist"... or a "conspiratorial history revisionist" ...During the time that I. G. Farben supported Hitler, their 'partner' Standard Oil (Rockefeller) organized the US people against the Nazi's - benefiting from both sides of the war ... Likewise Ford Motor Company made armaments for the U.S. Army, while producing Germany military vehicles for the Nazi's ... Ford and Opel (subsidiary of GM that is controlled by JP Morgan) were the two largest car manufacturers in Germany for Hitler ... The 'Union Bank Corp' was also seized and indicted under the 'Trading with the Enemy' act during WWII - as The Union Bank seemed to be owned by a Dutch Bank - but was actually owned by Nazi Party Bankster Fritz Thyssen - and its USA Directors were none other than Prescott Bush and W. Averell Harriman ... No matter the winner, Banksters and multinational corporations were clearly instigating and profiting from ALL sides of wars ...What's more, in 1946 the Rockefeller foundation paid $139,000 USD for the exclusive rights to the official 'public version' report of the History of the Second World War, which concealed all the help provided by American Bankers in financing and arming the Nazi war machine ... They also made sure to keep from the public the truth behind Admiral Byrd's mission to Antarctica immediately following WWII.It was also silent about the mystical and occult ideology behind the Nazi regime, including the Vril inspired free-energy technology, which was rumored to have been later perfected at the infamous Area 51, near the site of the Roswell incident...
The Hardangerfjord is 183 kilometers long and is Norway's second longest fjord after the Sognefjord , and the fifth longest fjord in the world. It is located in Vestland county in the districts of Sunnhordland and Hardanger . The fjord is considered to go from Halsnøy and Huglo in the west in Sunnhordland to Odda and Eidfjord in the east in Hardanger.
The greatest depth is more than 850 meters close to Norheimsund about halfway into the fjord. The Folgefonna glacier is located on the south side of the Hardangerfjord.
The high density of salmon farming facilities makes the Hardangerfjord one of four large farming regions in the world.
The following municipalities have a coastline towards the fjord (from outermost to innermost): Stord , Tysnes , Kvinnherad , Ullensvang , Kvam , Voss , Ulvik and Eidfjord .
As of 2019, there is a ban on fishing for salmon and sea trout within Ystadnes in Ølve.
Geology
It is widely agreed that real fjords such as the Hardangerfjord have mainly been created by glacial erosion of the bedrock. The main course of the Hardangerfjord follows the direction of the cracks in the Caledonian fold which has controlled the erosion of the glaciers. While the Sognefjord gets steadily deeper from the threshold towards the North Sea and from the innermost fjord arms, the Hardangerfjord consists of several basins separated by thresholds. The varying depth with several thresholds is probably due to varying rock types.
The fjord has an irregular width so that in some places the glacier could spread over a larger area and thus eroded with less force. The glacier in Sogn, by comparison, was confined in a narrow channel of uniform gneiss to a point approximately 30 km from the sea where the glacier spread out and lost power.
The deepest part is Samlafjorden between Jonaneset ( Jondal ) and Ålvik with a marked threshold at Vikingneset in Kvam herad . The Hissfjorden-Sildafjorden-Kvinnheradsfjorden form a slightly shallower basin of almost 700 meters deep, the Husnesfjorden between Skorpo (at Uskedalen ) and Huglo forms a basin of around 400 meters deep. At Huglo and the entrance to Langenuen , there is a threshold of around 150 meters in depth.
The Halsnøyfjord forms a basin to a threshold at Otterøy a little inside Mosterhamn ( the Bømlafjord tunnel runs through this relatively shallow part), the Bømlafjord outside goes down to a depth of more than 400 metres. The Granvinsfjord has a bottom about 200 meters deep and the bottom drops steeply at the mouth to the bottom of the main fjord so that the Granvinsfjord forms a hanging valley under water. Sørfjorden has a depth of 300-400 meters and also forms a hanging valley. The largest ice thickness over Sogn was around 3,000 metres, while it was somewhat less in Hardanger.
Transport
Hardanger was settled from the sea and it was the fjord that was the way. The old shipping companies and many municipalities were organized around the fjord with associated areas on both sides. For example, some villages on the south side of the fjord formerly belonged to Kvam herad .
Until 1631, Hallingdal belonged to Stavanger diocese, and due to the bishop's journey across the Hardangervidda , Eidfjord was simultaneously part of Hallingdal diocese and thus under the Stavanger bishop.
The Hardangerfjord was trafficked by steamboats from around 1846. Regular scheduled traffic started in 1861 with weekly trips with stops in Odda, Norheimsund and Rosendal. From 1865, the Bergen-Stavanger steamboat passed through Hardanger. From 1850 there was a strong increase in new steamship routes and in 1866 there was a drivable road between the Sognefjord (Gudvangen) and the Hardangerfjord (Granvin). A popular tourist route (under the direction of Thomas Cook among others ) at the end of the 19th century was by steamboat to Hardanger, overland to Gudvangen via Vossevangen, and steamboat back to Bergen. Road building was encouraged by the new steamship routes.
When Voss got its way to Granvin (Eide), a large part of the traffic to and from Voss, especially the transport of goods, went through Granvin. Much of this traffic disappeared when the Vossebanen was opened and Voss got a direct connection with Bergen. The road connection between Odda and Telemark at the end of the 19th century stimulated tourist traffic on the Sørfjorden.
From the 1930s, the old fjord boats (which took vehicles on board with a lift) were gradually replaced by car ferries . Between Øystese and Granvin along the north side of the fjord, it was built on a partly very demanding stretch 1933–1941, including the Fyksesund Bridge , which was an unusual construction at the time. In the period 1935–1985, the Hardanger Railway connected the Bergen Railway with the Hardanger Fjord.
The arm of the Hardangerfjord is crossed by the Hardangerbrua , the ferry connection Bruravik–Brimnes was closed when the bridge opened. Utne has a ferry connection with Kvanndal and Kinsarvik . Jondal and Tørrvikbygd have a ferry connection. The ferry between Gjermundshamn and Årsnes passes by Varaldsøy .
Side and part fjords from west to east:
The Bømlafjord (forms the outlet of the Hardangerfjord towards the Norwegian Sea , and is not strictly speaking part of the fjord)
The Børøyfjord
Førdespollen
Stokksundet / Sagvågsfjorden
The Halsnøyfjord
The Bjoafjord
The Ålfjord
The Ølsfjorden
The Etnefjord
The flour
Skånevik Fjord
The Matrefjord
Åkrafjorden
Klosterfjorden
Langenuen
Husnesfjorden (first part which is strictly considered part of Hardangerfjorden)
Høylandssundet
Kvinnheradsfjorden
The Onarheimsfjord
Storsundet
The Øynefjord
The Sildafjord
Maurangsfjorden
Ostrepollen
Nordrepollen
Hissfjorden
Samlafjorden
Outer Samlafjorden
Inner Samlafjorden
Fyksesund
The Utnefjord
Granvinsfjorden
Sørfjorden
Kinsarvik bay
The Eidfjord
The Osafjord
The Bagnsfjord
Ulvikafjorden
Simadalsfjorden
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway , is a Nordic , European country and an independent state in the west of the Scandinavian Peninsula . Geographically speaking, the country is long and narrow, and on the elongated coast towards the North Atlantic are Norway's well-known fjords . The Kingdom of Norway includes the main country (the mainland with adjacent islands within the baseline ), Jan Mayen and Svalbard . With these two Arctic areas, Norway covers a land area of 385,000 km² and has a population of approximately 5.5 million (2023). Mainland Norway borders Sweden in the east , Finland and Russia in the northeast .
Norway is a parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy , where Harald V has been king and head of state since 1991 , and Jonas Gahr Støre ( Ap ) has been prime minister since 2021 . Norway is a unitary state , with two administrative levels below the state: counties and municipalities . The Sami part of the population has, through the Sami Parliament and the Finnmark Act , to a certain extent self-government and influence over traditionally Sami areas. Although Norway has rejected membership of the European Union through two referendums , through the EEA Agreement Norway has close ties with the Union, and through NATO with the United States . Norway is a significant contributor to the United Nations (UN), and has participated with soldiers in several foreign operations mandated by the UN. Norway is among the states that have participated from the founding of the UN , NATO , the Council of Europe , the OSCE and the Nordic Council , and in addition to these is a member of the EEA , the World Trade Organization , the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and is part of the Schengen area .
Norway is rich in many natural resources such as oil , gas , minerals , timber , seafood , fresh water and hydropower . Since the beginning of the 20th century, these natural conditions have given the country the opportunity for an increase in wealth that few other countries can now enjoy, and Norwegians have the second highest average income in the world, measured in GDP per capita, as of 2022. The petroleum industry accounts for around 14% of Norway's gross domestic product as of 2018. Norway is the world's largest producer of oil and gas per capita outside the Middle East. However, the number of employees linked to this industry fell from approx. 232,000 in 2013 to 207,000 in 2015.
In Norway, these natural resources have been managed for socially beneficial purposes. The country maintains a welfare model in line with the other Nordic countries. Important service areas such as health and higher education are state-funded, and the country has an extensive welfare system for its citizens. Public expenditure in 2018 is approx. 50% of GDP, and the majority of these expenses are related to education, healthcare, social security and welfare. Since 2001 and until 2021, when the country took second place, the UN has ranked Norway as the world's best country to live in . From 2010, Norway is also ranked at the top of the EIU's democracy index . Norway ranks third on the UN's World Happiness Report for the years 2016–2018, behind Finland and Denmark , a report published in March 2019.
The majority of the population is Nordic. In the last couple of years, immigration has accounted for more than half of population growth. The five largest minority groups are Norwegian-Poles , Lithuanians , Norwegian-Swedes , Norwegian-Syrians including Syrian Kurds and Norwegian-Pakistani .
Norway's national day is 17 May, on this day in 1814 the Norwegian Constitution was dated and signed by the presidency of the National Assembly at Eidsvoll . It is stipulated in the law of 26 April 1947 that 17 May are national public holidays. The Sami national day is 6 February. "Yes, we love this country" is Norway's national anthem, the song was written in 1859 by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson (1832–1910).
Norway's history of human settlement goes back at least 10,000 years, to the Late Paleolithic , the first period of the Stone Age . Archaeological finds of settlements along the entire Norwegian coast have so far been dated back to 10,400 before present (BP), the oldest find is today considered to be a settlement at Pauler in Brunlanes , Vestfold .
For a period these settlements were considered to be the remains of settlers from Doggerland , an area which today lies beneath the North Sea , but which was once a land bridge connecting today's British Isles with Danish Jutland . But the archaeologists who study the initial phase of the settlement in what is today Norway reckon that the first people who came here followed the coast along what is today Bohuslân. That they arrived in some form of boat is absolutely certain, and there is much evidence that they could easily move over large distances.
Since the last Ice Age, there has been continuous settlement in Norway. It cannot be ruled out that people lived in Norway during the interglacial period , but no trace of such a population or settlement has been found.
The Stone Age lasted a long time; half of the time that our country has been populated. There are no written accounts of what life was like back then. The knowledge we have has been painstakingly collected through investigations of places where people have stayed and left behind objects that we can understand have been processed by human hands. This field of knowledge is called archaeology . The archaeologists interpret their findings and the history of the surrounding landscape. In our country, the uplift after the Ice Age is fundamental. The history of the settlements at Pauler is no more than fifteen years old.
The Fosna culture settled parts of Norway sometime between 10,000–8,000 BC. (see Stone Age in Norway ). The dating of rock carvings is set to Neolithic times (in Norway between 4000 BC to 1700 BC) and show activities typical of hunters and gatherers .
Agriculture with livestock and arable farming was introduced in the Neolithic. Swad farming where the farmers move when the field does not produce the expected yield.
More permanent and persistent farm settlements developed in the Bronze Age (1700 BC to 500 BC) and the Iron Age . The earliest runes have been found on an arrowhead dated to around 200 BC. Many more inscriptions are dated to around 800, and a number of petty kingdoms developed during these centuries. In prehistoric times, there were no fixed national borders in the Nordic countries and Norway did not exist as a state. The population in Norway probably fell to year 0.
Events in this time period, the centuries before the year 1000, are glimpsed in written sources. Although the sagas were written down in the 13th century, many hundreds of years later, they provide a glimpse into what was already a distant past. The story of the fimbul winter gives us a historical picture of something that happened and which in our time, with the help of dendrochronology , can be interpreted as a natural disaster in the year 536, created by a volcanic eruption in El Salvador .
In the period between 800 and 1066 there was a significant expansion and it is referred to as the Viking Age . During this period, Norwegians, as Swedes and Danes also did, traveled abroad in longships with sails as explorers, traders, settlers and as Vikings (raiders and pirates ). By the middle of the 11th century, the Norwegian kingship had been firmly established, building its right as descendants of Harald Hårfagre and then as heirs of Olav the Holy . The Norwegian kings, and their subjects, now professed Christianity . In the time around Håkon Håkonsson , in the time after the civil war , there was a small renaissance in Norway with extensive literary activity and diplomatic activity with Europe. The black dew came to Norway in 1349 and killed around half of the population. The entire state apparatus and Norway then entered a period of decline.
Between 1396 and 1536, Norway was part of the Kalmar Union , and from 1536 until 1814 Norway had been reduced to a tributary part of Denmark , named as the Personal Union of Denmark-Norway . This staff union entered into an alliance with Napoléon Bonaparte with a war that brought bad times and famine in 1812 . In 1814, Denmark-Norway lost the Anglophone Wars , part of the Napoleonic Wars , and the Danish king was forced to cede Norway to the king of Sweden in the Treaty of Kiel on 14 January of that year. After a Norwegian attempt at independence, Norway was forced into a loose union with Sweden, but where Norway was allowed to create its own constitution, the Constitution of 1814 . In this period, Norwegian, romantic national feeling flourished, and the Norwegians tried to develop and establish their own national self-worth. The union with Sweden was broken in 1905 after it had been threatened with war, and Norway became an independent kingdom with its own monarch, Haakon VII .
Norway remained neutral during the First World War , and at the outbreak of the Second World War, Norway again declared itself neutral, but was invaded by National Socialist Germany on 9 April 1940 .
Norway became a member of the Western defense alliance NATO in 1949 . Two attempts to join the EU were voted down in referendums by small margins in 1972 and 1994 . Norway has been a close ally of the United States in the post-war period. Large discoveries of oil and natural gas in the North Sea at the end of the 1960s led to tremendous economic growth in the country, which is still ongoing. Traditional industries such as fishing are also part of Norway's economy.
Stone Age (before 1700 BC)
When most of the ice disappeared, vegetation spread over the landscape and due to a warm climate around 2000-3000 BC. the forest grew much taller than in modern times. Land uplift after the ice age led to a number of fjords becoming lakes and dry land. The first people probably came from the south along the coast of the Kattegat and overland into Finnmark from the east. The first people probably lived by gathering, hunting and trapping. A good number of Stone Age settlements have been found which show that such hunting and trapping people stayed for a long time in the same place or returned to the same place regularly. Large amounts of gnawed bones show that they lived on, among other things, reindeer, elk, small game and fish.
Flintstone was imported from Denmark and apart from small natural deposits along the southern coast, all flintstone in Norway is transported by people. At Espevær, greenstone was quarried for tools in the Stone Age, and greenstone tools from Espevær have been found over large parts of Western Norway. Around 2000-3000 BC the usual farm animals such as cows and sheep were introduced to Norway. Livestock probably meant a fundamental change in society in that part of the people had to be permanent residents or live a semi-nomadic life. Livestock farming may also have led to conflict with hunters.
The oldest traces of people in what is today Norway have been found at Pauler , a farm in Brunlanes in Larvik municipality in Vestfold . In 2007 and 2008, the farm has given its name to a number of Stone Age settlements that have been excavated and examined by archaeologists from the Cultural History Museum at UiO. The investigations have been carried out in connection with the new route for the E18 motorway west of Farris. The oldest settlement, located more than 127 m above sea level, is dated to be about 10,400 years old (uncalibrated, more than 11,000 years in real calendar years). From here, the ice sheet was perhaps visible when people settled here. This locality has been named Pauler I, and is today considered to be the oldest confirmed human traces in Norway to date. The place is in the mountains above the Pauler tunnel on the E18 between Larvik and Porsgrunn . The pioneer settlement is a term archaeologists have adopted for the oldest settlement. The archaeologists have speculated about where they came from, the first people in what is today Norway. It has been suggested that they could come by boat or perhaps across the ice from Doggerland or the North Sea, but there is now a large consensus that they came north along what is today the Bohuslän coast. The Fosna culture , the Komsa culture and the Nøstvet culture are the traditional terms for hunting cultures from the Stone Age. One thing is certain - getting to the water was something they mastered, the first people in our country. Therefore, within a short time they were able to use our entire long coast.
In the New Stone Age (4000 BC–1700 BC) there is a theory that a new people immigrated to the country, the so-called Stone Ax People . Rock carvings from this period show motifs from hunting and fishing , which were still important industries. From this period, a megalithic tomb has been found in Østfold .
It is uncertain whether there were organized societies or state-like associations in the Stone Age in Norway. Findings from settlements indicate that many lived together and that this was probably more than one family so that it was a slightly larger, organized herd.
Finnmark
In prehistoric times, animal husbandry and agriculture were of little economic importance in Finnmark. Livelihoods in Finnmark were mainly based on fish, gathering, hunting and trapping, and eventually domestic reindeer herding became widespread in the Middle Ages. Archaeological finds from the Stone Age have been referred to as the Komsa culture and comprise around 5,000 years of settlement. Finnmark probably got its first settlement around 8000 BC. It is believed that the coastal areas became ice-free 11,000 years BC and the fjord areas around 9,000 years BC. after which willows, grass, heather, birch and pine came into being. Finnmarksvidda was covered by pine forest around 6000 BC. After the Ice Age, the land rose around 80 meters in the inner fjord areas (Alta, Tana, Varanger). Due to ice melting in the polar region, the sea rose in the period 6400–3800 BC. and in areas with little land elevation, some settlements from the first part of the Stone Age were flooded. On Sørøya, the net sea level rise was 12 to 14 meters and many residential areas were flooded.
According to Bjørnar Olsen , there are many indications of a connection between the oldest settlement in Western Norway (the " Fosnakulturen ") and that in Finnmark, but it is uncertain in which direction the settlement took place. In the earliest part of the Stone Age, settlement in Finnmark was probably concentrated in the coastal areas, and these only reflected a lifestyle with great mobility and no permanent dwellings. The inner regions, such as Pasvik, were probably used seasonally. The archaeologically proven settlements from the Stone Age in inner Finnmark and Troms are linked to lakes and large watercourses. The oldest petroglyphs in Alta are usually dated to 4200 BC, that is, the Neolithic . Bjørnar Olsen believes that the oldest can be up to 2,000 years older than this.
From around 4000 BC a slow deforestation of Finnmark began and around 1800 BC the vegetation distribution was roughly the same as in modern times. The change in vegetation may have increased the distance between the reindeer's summer and winter grazing. The uplift continued slowly from around 4000 BC. at the same time as sea level rise stopped.
According to Gutorm Gjessing, the settlement in Finnmark and large parts of northern Norway in the Neolithic was semi-nomadic with movement between four seasonal settlements (following the pattern of life in Sami siida in historical times): On the outer coast in summer (fishing and seal catching) and inland in winter (hunting for reindeer, elk and bear). Povl Simonsen believed instead that the winter residence was in the inner fjord area in a village-like sod house settlement. Bjørnar Olsen believes that at the end of the Stone Age there was a relatively settled population along the coast, while inland there was less settlement and a more mobile lifestyle.
Bronze Age (1700 BC–500 BC)
Bronze was used for tools in Norway from around 1500 BC. Bronze is a mixture of tin and copper , and these metals were introduced because they were not mined in the country at the time. Bronze is believed to have been a relatively expensive material. The Bronze Age in Norway can be divided into two phases:
Early Bronze Age (1700–1100 BC)
Younger Bronze Age (1100–500 BC)
For the prehistoric (unwritten) era, there is limited knowledge about social conditions and possible state formations. From the Bronze Age, there are large burial mounds of stone piles along the coast of Vestfold and Agder, among others. It is likely that only chieftains or other great men could erect such grave monuments and there was probably some form of organized society linked to these. In the Bronze Age, society was more organized and stratified than in the Stone Age. Then a rich class of chieftains emerged who had close connections with southern Scandinavia. The settlements became more permanent and people adopted horses and ard . They acquired bronze status symbols, lived in longhouses and people were buried in large burial mounds . Petroglyphs from the Bronze Age indicate that humans practiced solar cultivation.
Finnmark
In the last millennium BC the climate became cooler and the pine forest disappears from the coast; pine forests, for example, were only found in the innermost part of the Altafjord, while the outer coast was almost treeless. Around the year 0, the limit for birch forest was south of Kirkenes. Animals with forest habitats (elk, bear and beaver) disappeared and the reindeer probably established their annual migration routes sometime at that time. In the period 1800–900 BC there were significantly more settlements in and utilization of the hinterland was particularly noticeable on Finnmarksvidda. From around 1800 BC until year 0 there was a significant increase in contact between Finnmark and areas in the east including Karelia (where metals were produced including copper) and central and eastern Russia. The youngest petroglyphs in Alta show far more boats than the earlier phases and the boats are reminiscent of types depicted in petroglyphs in southern Scandinavia. It is unclear what influence southern Scandinavian societies had as far north as Alta before the year 0. Many of the cultural features that are considered typical Sami in modern times were created or consolidated in the last millennium BC, this applies, among other things, to the custom of burying in brick chambers in stone urns. The Mortensnes burial ground may have been used for 2000 years until around 1600 AD.
Iron Age (c. 500 BC–c. 1050 AD)
The Einangsteinen is one of the oldest Norwegian runestones; it is from the 4th century
Simultaneous production of Vikings
Around 500 years BC the researchers reckon that the Bronze Age will be replaced by the Iron Age as iron takes over as the most important material for weapons and tools. Bronze, wood and stone were still used. Iron was cheaper than bronze, easier to work than flint , and could be used for many purposes; iron probably became common property. Iron could, among other things, be used to make solid and sharp axes which made it much easier to fell trees. In the Iron Age, gold and silver were also used partly for decoration and partly as means of payment. It is unknown which language was used in Norway before our era. From around the year 0 until around the year 800, everyone in Scandinavia (except the Sami) spoke Old Norse , a North Germanic language. Subsequently, several different languages developed in this area that were only partially mutually intelligible. The Iron Age is divided into several periods:
Early Iron Age
Pre-Roman Iron Age (c. 500 BC–c. 0)
Roman Iron Age (c. 0–c. AD 400)
Migration period (approx. 400–600). In the migration period (approx. 400–600), new peoples came to Norway, and ruins of fortress buildings etc. are interpreted as signs that there has been talk of a violent invasion.
Younger Iron Age
Merovingian period (500–800)
The Viking Age (793–1066)
Norwegian Vikings go on plundering expeditions and trade voyages around the coastal countries of Western Europe . Large groups of Norwegians emigrate to the British Isles , Iceland and Greenland . Harald Hårfagre starts a unification process of Norway late in the 8th century , which was completed by Harald Hardråde in the 1060s . The country was Christianized under the kings Olav Tryggvason , fell in the battle of Svolder ( 1000 ) and Olav Haraldsson (the saint), fell in the battle of Stiklestad in 1030 .
Sources of prehistoric times
Shrinking glaciers in the high mountains, including in Jotunheimen and Breheimen , have from around the year 2000 uncovered objects from the Viking Age and earlier. These are objects of organic material that have been preserved by the ice and that elsewhere in nature are broken down in a few months. The finds are getting older as the melting makes the archaeologists go deeper into the ice. About half of all archaeological discoveries on glaciers in the world are made in Oppland . In 2013, a 3,400-year-old shoe and a robe from the year 300 were found. Finds at Lomseggen in Lom published in 2020 revealed, among other things, well-preserved horseshoes used on a mountain pass. Many hundreds of items include preserved clothing, knives, whisks, mittens, leather shoes, wooden chests and horse equipment. A piece of cloth dated to the year 1000 has preserved its original colour. In 2014, a wooden ski from around the year 700 was found in Reinheimen . The ski is 172 cm long and 14 cm wide, with preserved binding of leather and wicker.
Pytheas from Massalia is the oldest known account of what was probably the coast of Norway, perhaps somewhere on the coast of Møre. Pytheas visited Britannia around 325 BC. and traveled further north to a country by the "Ice Sea". Pytheas described the short summer night and the midnight sun farther north. He wrote, among other things, that people there made a drink from grain and honey. Caesar wrote in his work about the Gallic campaign about the Germanic tribe Haruders. Other Roman sources around the year 0 mention the land of the Cimbri (Jutland) and the Cimbri headlands ( Skagen ) and that the sources stated that Cimbri and Charyds lived in this area. Some of these peoples may have immigrated to Norway and there become known as hordes (as in Hordaland). Sources from the Mediterranean area referred to the islands of Scandia, Scandinavia and Thule ("the outermost of all islands"). The Roman historian Tacitus wrote around the year 100 a work about Germania and mentioned the people of Scandia, the Sviones. Ptolemy wrote around the year 150 that the Kharudes (Hordes) lived further north than all the Cimbri, in the north lived the Finnoi (Finns or Sami) and in the south the Gutai (Goths). The Nordic countries and Norway were outside the Roman Empire , which dominated Europe at the time. The Gothic-born historian Jordanes wrote in the 5th century about 13 tribes or people groups in Norway, including raumaricii (probably Romerike ), ragnaricii ( Ranrike ) and finni or skretefinni (skrid finner or ski finner, i.e. Sami) as well as a number of unclear groups. Prokopios wrote at the same time about Thule north of the land of the Danes and Slavs, Thule was ten times as big as Britannia and the largest of all the islands. In Thule, the sun was up 40 days straight in the summer. After the migration period , southern Europeans' accounts of northern Europe became fuller and more reliable.
Settlement in prehistoric times
Norway has around 50,000 farms with their own names. Farm names have persisted for a long time, over 1000 years, perhaps as much as 2000 years. The name researchers have arranged different types of farm names chronologically, which provides a basis for determining when the place was used by people or received a permanent settlement. Uncompounded landscape names such as Haug, Eid, Vik and Berg are believed to be the oldest. Archaeological traces indicate that some areas have been inhabited earlier than assumed from the farm name. Burial mounds also indicate permanent settlement. For example, the burial ground at Svartelva in Løten was used from around the year 0 to the year 1000 when Christianity took over. The first farmers probably used large areas for inland and outland, and new farms were probably established based on some "mother farms". Names such as By (or Bø) show that it is an old place of residence. From the older Iron Age, names with -heim (a common Germanic word meaning place of residence) and -stad tell of settlement, while -vin and -land tell of the use of the place. Farm names in -heim are often found as -um , -eim or -em as in Lerum and Seim, there are often large farms in the center of the village. New farm names with -city and -country were also established in the Viking Age . The first farmers probably used the best areas. The largest burial grounds, the oldest archaeological finds and the oldest farm names are found where the arable land is richest and most spacious.
It is unclear whether the settlement expansion in Roman times, migrations and the Iron Age is due to immigration or internal development and population growth. Among other things, it is difficult to demonstrate where in Europe the immigrants have come from. The permanent residents had both fields (where grain was grown) and livestock that grazed in the open fields, but it is uncertain which of these was more important. Population growth from around the year 200 led to more utilization of open land, for example in the form of settlements in the mountains. During the migration period, it also seems that in parts of the country it became common to have cluster gardens or a form of village settlement.
Norwegian expansion northwards
From around the year 200, there was a certain migration by sea from Rogaland and Hordaland to Nordland and Sør-Troms. Those who moved settled down as a settled Iron Age population and became dominant over the original population which may have been Sami . The immigrant Norwegians, Bumen , farmed with livestock that were fed inside in the winter as well as some grain cultivation and fishing. The northern border of the Norwegians' settlement was originally at the Toppsundet near Harstad and around the year 500 there was a Norwegian settlement to Malangsgapet. That was as far north as it was possible to grow grain at the time. Malangen was considered the border between Hålogaland and Finnmork until around 1400 . Further into the Viking Age and the Middle Ages, there was immigration and settlement of Norwegian speakers along the coast north of Malangen. Around the year 800, Norwegians lived along the entire outer coast to Vannøy . The Norwegians partly copied Sami livelihoods such as whaling, fur hunting and reindeer husbandry. It was probably this area between Malangen and Vannøy that was Ottar from the Hålogaland area. In the Viking Age, there were also some Norwegian settlements further north and east. East of the North Cape are the scattered archaeological finds of Norwegian settlement in the Viking Age. There are Norwegian names for fjords and islands from the Viking Age, including fjord names with "-anger". Around the year 1050, there were Norwegian settlements on the outer coast of Western Finnmark. Traders and tax collectors traveled even further.
North of Malangen there were Norse farming settlements in the Iron Age. Malangen was considered Finnmark's western border until 1300. There are some archaeological traces of Norse activity around the coast from Tromsø to Kirkenes in the Viking Age. Around Tromsø, the research indicates a Norse/Sami mixed culture on the coast.
From the year 1100 and the next 200–300 years, there are no traces of Norwegian settlement north and east of Tromsø. It is uncertain whether this is due to depopulation, whether it is because the Norwegians further north were not Christianized or because there were no churches north of Lenvik or Tromsø . Norwegian settlement in the far north appears from sources from the 14th century. In the Hanseatic period , the settlement was developed into large areas specialized in commercial fishing, while earlier (in the Viking Age) there had been farms with a combination of fishing and agriculture. In 1307 , a fortress and the first church east of Tromsø were built in Vardø . Vardø became a small Norwegian town, while Vadsø remained Sami. Norwegian settlements and churches appeared along the outermost coast in the Middle Ages. After the Reformation, perhaps as a result of a decline in fish stocks or fish prices, there were Norwegian settlements in the inner fjord areas such as Lebesby in Laksefjord. Some fishing villages at the far end of the coast were abandoned for good. In the interior of Finnmark, there was no national border for a long time and Kautokeino and Karasjok were joint Norwegian-Swedish areas with strong Swedish influence. The border with Finland was established in 1751 and with Russia in 1826.
On a Swedish map from 1626, Norway's border is indicated at Malangen, while Sweden with this map showed a desire to control the Sami area which had been a common area.
The term Northern Norway only came into use at the end of the 19th century and administratively the area was referred to as Tromsø Diocese when Tromsø became a bishopric in 1840. There had been different designations previously: Hålogaland originally included only Helgeland and when Norse settlement spread north in the Viking Age and the Middle Ages, Hålogaland was used for the area north approximately to Malangen , while Finnmark or "Finnmarken", "the land of the Sami", lay outside. The term Northern Norway was coined at a cafe table in Kristiania in 1884 by members of the Nordlændingernes Forening and was first commonly used in the interwar period as it eventually supplanted "Hålogaland".
State formation
The battle in Hafrsfjord in the year 872 has long been regarded as the day when Norway became a kingdom. The year of the battle is uncertain (may have been 10-20 years later). The whole of Norway was not united in that battle: the process had begun earlier and continued a couple of hundred years later. This means that the geographical area became subject to a political authority and became a political unit. The geographical area was perceived as an area as it is known, among other things, from Ottar from Hålogaland's account for King Alfred of Wessex around the year 880. Ottar described "the land of the Norwegians" as very long and narrow, and it was narrowest in the far north. East of the wasteland in the south lay Sveoland and in the north lay Kvenaland in the east. When Ottar sailed south along the land from his home ( Malangen ) to Skiringssal, he always had Norway ("Nordveg") on his port side and the British Isles on his starboard side. The journey took a good month. Ottar perceived "Nordveg" as a geographical unit, but did not imply that it was a political unit. Ottar separated Norwegians from Swedes and Danes. It is unclear why Ottar perceived the population spread over such a large area as a whole. It is unclear whether Norway as a geographical term or Norwegians as the name of a ethnic group is the oldest. The Norwegians had a common language which in the centuries before Ottar did not differ much from the language of Denmark and Sweden.
According to Sverre Steen, it is unlikely that Harald Hårfagre was able to control this entire area as one kingdom. The saga of Harald was written 300 years later and at his death Norway was several smaller kingdoms. Harald probably controlled a larger area than anyone before him and at most Harald's kingdom probably included the coast from Trøndelag to Agder and Vestfold as well as parts of Viken . There were probably several smaller kingdoms of varying extent before Harald and some of these are reflected in traditional landscape names such as Ranrike and Ringerike . Landscape names of "-land" (Rogaland) and "-mark" (Hedmark) as well as names such as Agder and Sogn may have been political units before Harald.
According to Sverre Steen, the national assembly was completed at the earliest at the battle of Stiklestad in 1030 and the introduction of Christianity was probably a significant factor in the establishment of Norway as a state. Håkon I the good Adalsteinsfostre introduced the leasehold system where the "coastal land" (as far as the salmon went up the rivers) was divided into ship raiders who were to provide a longship with soldiers and supplies. The leidange was probably introduced as a defense against the Danes. The border with the Danes was traditionally at the Göta älv and several times before and after Harald Hårfagre the Danes had control over central parts of Norway.
Christianity was known and existed in Norway before Olav Haraldson's time. The spread occurred both from the south (today's Denmark and northern Germany) and from the west (England and Ireland). Ansgar of Bremen , called the "Apostle of the North", worked in Sweden, but he was never in Norway and probably had little influence in the country. Viking expeditions brought the Norwegians of that time into contact with Christian countries and some were baptized in England, Ireland and northern France. Olav Tryggvason and Olav Haraldson were Vikings who returned home. The first Christians in Norway were also linked to pre-Christian local religion, among other things, by mixing Christian symbols with symbols of Odin and other figures from Norse religion.
According to Sverre Steen, the introduction of Christianity in Norway should not be perceived as a nationwide revival. At Mostratinget, Christian law was introduced as law in the country and later incorporated into the laws of the individual jurisdictions. Christianity primarily involved new forms in social life, among other things exposure and images of gods were prohibited, it was forbidden to "put out" unwanted infants (to let them die), and it was forbidden to have multiple wives. The church became a nationwide institution with a special group of officials tasked with protecting the church and consolidating the new religion. According to Sverre Steen, Christianity and the church in the Middle Ages should therefore be considered together, and these became a new unifying factor in the country. The church and Christianity linked Norway to Roman Catholic Europe with Church Latin as the common language, the same time reckoning as the rest of Europe and the church in Norway was arranged much like the churches in Denmark, Sweden and England. Norway received papal approval in 1070 and became its own church province in 1152 with Archbishop Nidaros .
With Christianity, the country got three social powers: the peasants (organized through the things), the king with his officials and the church with the clergy. The things are the oldest institution: At allthings all armed men had the right to attend (in part an obligation to attend) and at lagthings met emissaries from an area (that is, the lagthings were representative assemblies). The Thing both ruled in conflicts and established laws. The laws were memorized by the participants and written down around the year 1000 or later in the Gulationsloven , Frostatingsloven , Eidsivatingsloven and Borgartingsloven . The person who had been successful at the hearing had to see to the implementation of the judgment themselves.
Early Middle Ages (1050s–1184)
The early Middle Ages is considered in Norwegian history to be the period between the end of the Viking Age around 1050 and the coronation of King Sverre in 1184 . The beginning of the period can be dated differently, from around the year 1000 when the Christianization of the country took place and up to 1100 when the Viking Age was over from an archaeological point of view. From 1035 to 1130 it was a time of (relative) internal peace in Norway, even several of the kings attempted campaigns abroad, including in 1066 and 1103 .
During this period, the church's organization was built up. This led to a gradual change in religious customs. Religion went from being a domestic matter to being regulated by common European Christian law and the royal power gained increased power and influence. Slavery (" servitude ") was gradually abolished. The population grew rapidly during this period, as the thousands of farm names ending in -rud show.
The urbanization of Norway is a historical process that has slowly but surely changed Norway from the early Viking Age to today, from a country based on agriculture and sea salvage, to increasingly trade and industry. As early as the ninth century, the country got its first urban community, and in the eleventh century we got the first permanent cities.
In the 1130s, civil war broke out . This was due to a power struggle and that anyone who claimed to be the king's son could claim the right to the throne. The disputes escalated into extensive year-round warfare when Sverre Sigurdsson started a rebellion against the church's and the landmen's candidate for the throne , Magnus Erlingsson .
Emergence of cities
The oldest Norwegian cities probably emerged from the end of the 9th century. Oslo, Bergen and Nidaros became episcopal seats, which stimulated urban development there, and the king built churches in Borg , Konghelle and Tønsberg. Hamar and Stavanger became new episcopal seats and are referred to in the late 12th century as towns together with the trading places Veøy in Romsdal and Kaupanger in Sogn. In the late Middle Ages, Borgund (on Sunnmøre), Veøy (in Romsdalsfjorden) and Vågan (in Lofoten) were referred to as small trading places. Urbanization in Norway occurred in few places compared to the neighboring countries, only 14 places appear as cities before 1350. Stavanger became a bishopric around 1120–1130, but it is unclear whether the place was already a city then. The fertile Jæren and outer Ryfylke were probably relatively densely populated at that time. A particularly large concentration of Irish artefacts from the Viking Age has been found in Stavanger and Nord-Jæren.
It has been difficult to estimate the population in the Norwegian medieval cities, but it is considered certain that the cities grew rapidly in the Middle Ages. Oscar Albert Johnsen estimated the city's population before the Black Death at 20,000, of which 7,000 in Bergen, 3,000 in Nidaros, 2,000 in Oslo and 1,500 in Tunsberg. Based on archaeological research, Lunden estimates that Oslo had around 1,500 inhabitants in 250 households in the year 1300. Bergen was built up more densely and, with the concentration of exports there, became Norway's largest city in a special position for several hundred years. Knut Helle suggests a city population of 20,000 at most in the High Middle Ages, of which almost half in Bergen.
The Bjarkøyretten regulated the conditions in cities (especially Bergen and Nidaros) and in trading places, and for Nidaros had many of the same provisions as the Frostating Act . Magnus Lagabøte's city law replaced the bjarkøretten and from 1276 regulated the settlement in Bergen and with corresponding laws also drawn up for Oslo, Nidaros and Tunsberg. The city law applied within the city's roof area . The City Act determined that the city's public streets consisted of wide commons (perpendicular to the shoreline) and ran parallel to the shoreline, similarly in Nidaros and Oslo. The roads were small streets of up to 3 cubits (1.4 metres) and linked to the individual property. From the Middle Ages, the Norwegian cities were usually surrounded by wooden fences. The urban development largely consisted of low wooden houses which stood in contrast to the relatively numerous and dominant churches and monasteries built in stone.
The City Act and supplementary provisions often determined where in the city different goods could be traded, in Bergen, for example, cattle and sheep could only be traded on the Square, and fish only on the Square or directly from the boats at the quayside. In Nidaros, the blacksmiths were required to stay away from the densely populated areas due to the risk of fire, while the tanners had to stay away from the settlements due to the strong smell. The City Act also attempted to regulate the influx of people into the city (among other things to prevent begging in the streets) and had provisions on fire protection. In Oslo, from the 13th century or earlier, it was common to have apartment buildings consisting of single buildings on a couple of floors around a courtyard with access from the street through a gate room. Oslo's medieval apartment buildings were home to one to four households. In the urban farms, livestock could be kept, including pigs and cows, while pastures and fields were found in the city's rooftops . In the apartment buildings there could be several outbuildings such as warehouses, barns and stables. Archaeological excavations show that much of the buildings in medieval Oslo, Trondheim and Tønsberg resembled the oblong farms that have been preserved at Bryggen in Bergen . The land boundaries in Oslo appear to have persisted for many hundreds of years, in Bergen right from the Middle Ages to modern times.
High Middle Ages (1184–1319)
After civil wars in the 12th century, the country had a relative heyday in the 13th century. Iceland and Greenland came under the royal authority in 1262 , and the Norwegian Empire reached its greatest extent under Håkon IV Håkonsson . The last king of Haraldsätten, Håkon V Magnusson , died sonless in 1319 . Until the 17th century, Norway stretched all the way down to the mouth of Göta älv , which was then Norway's border with Sweden and Denmark.
Just before the Black Death around 1350, there were between 65,000 and 85,000 farms in the country, and there had been a strong growth in the number of farms from 1050, especially in Eastern Norway. In the High Middle Ages, the church or ecclesiastical institutions controlled 40% of the land in Norway, while the aristocracy owned around 20% and the king owned 7%. The church and monasteries received land through gifts from the king and nobles, or through inheritance and gifts from ordinary farmers.
Settlement and demography in the Middle Ages
Before the Black Death, there were more and more farms in Norway due to farm division and clearing. The settlement spread to more marginal agricultural areas higher inland and further north. Eastern Norway had the largest areas to take off and had the most population growth towards the High Middle Ages. Along the coast north of Stad, settlement probably increased in line with the extent of fishing. The Icelandic Rimbegla tells around the year 1200 that the border between Finnmark (the land of the Sami) and resident Norwegians in the interior was at Malangen , while the border all the way out on the coast was at Kvaløya . From the end of the High Middle Ages, there were more Norwegians along the coast of Finnmark and Nord-Troms. In the inner forest and mountain tracts along the current border between Norway and Sweden, the Sami exploited the resources all the way down to Hedmark.
There are no censuses or other records of population and settlement in the Middle Ages. At the time of the Reformation, the population was below 200,000 and only in 1650 was the population at the same level as before the Black Death. When Christianity was introduced after the year 1000, the population was around 200,000. After the Black Death, many farms and settlements were abandoned and deserted, in the most marginal agricultural areas up to 80% of the farms were abandoned. Places such as Skien, Veøy and Borgund (Ålesund) went out of use as trading towns. By the year 1300, the population was somewhere between 300,000 and 560,000 depending on the calculation method. Common methods start from detailed information about farms in each village and compare this with the situation in 1660 when there are good headcounts. From 1300 to 1660, there was a change in the economic base so that the coastal villages received a larger share of the population. The inland areas of Eastern Norway had a relatively larger population in the High Middle Ages than after the Reformation. Kåre Lunden concludes that the population in the year 1300 was close to 500,000, of which 15,000 lived in cities. Lunden believes that the population in 1660 was still slightly lower than the peak before the Black Death and points out that farm settlement in 1660 did not reach the same extent as in the High Middle Ages. In 1660, the population in Troms and Finnmark was 6,000 and 3,000 respectively (2% of the total population), in 1300 these areas had an even smaller share of the country's population and in Finnmark there were hardly any Norwegian-speaking inhabitants. In the High Middle Ages, the climate was more favorable for grain cultivation in the north. Based on the number of farms, the population increased 162% from 1000 to 1300, in Northern and Western Europe as a whole the growth was 200% in the same period.
Late Middle Ages (1319–1537)
Due to repeated plague epidemics, the population was roughly halved and the least productive of the country's farms were laid waste. It took several hundred years before the population again reached the level before 1349 . However, those who survived the epidemics gained more financial resources by sharing. Tax revenues for the state almost collapsed, and a large part of the noble families died out or sank into peasant status due to the fall in national debt . The Hanseatic League took over trade and shipping and dominated fish exports. The Archbishop of Nidaros was the country's most powerful man economically and politically, as the royal dynasty married into the Swedish in 1319 and died out in 1387 . Eventually, Copenhagen became the political center of the kingdom and Bergen the commercial center, while Trondheim remained the religious center.
From Reformation to Autocracy (1537–1660)
In 1537 , the Reformation was carried out in Norway. With that, almost half of the country's property was confiscated by the royal power at the stroke of a pen. The large seizure increased the king's income and was able, among other things, to expand his military power and consolidated his power in the kingdom. From roughly the time of the Reformation and in the following centuries, the state increased its power and importance in people's lives. Until around 1620, the state administration was fairly simple and unspecialised: in Copenhagen, the central administration mainly consisted of a chancellery and an interest chamber ; and sheriffs ruled the civil (including bailiffs and sheriffs) and the military in their district, the sheriffs collected taxes and oversaw business. The accounts were not clear and without summaries. The clergy, which had great power as a separate organization, was appointed by the state church after the Reformation, administered from Copenhagen. In this period, Norway was ruled by (mainly) Danish noble sheriffs, who acted as intermediaries between the peasants and the Oldenborg king in the field of justice, tax and customs collection.
From 1620, the state apparatus went through major changes where specialization of functions was a main issue. The sheriff's tasks were divided between several, more specialized officials - the sheriffs retained the formal authority over these, who in practice were under the national administration in Copenhagen. Among other things, a separate military officer corps was established, a separate customs office was established and separate treasurers for taxes and fees were appointed. The Overbergamtet, the central governing body for overseeing mining operations in Norway, was established in 1654 with an office in Christiania and this agency was to oversee the mining chiefs in the Nordenfjeld and Sønnenfjeld areas (the mines at Kongsberg and Røros were established in the previous decades). The formal transition from county government to official government with fixed-paid county officials took place after 1660, but the real changes had taken place from around 1620. The increased specialization and transition to official government meant that experts, not amateurs, were in charge of each area, and this civil service meant, according to Sverre Steen that the dictatorship was not a personal dictatorship.
From 1570 until 1721, the Oldenborg dynasty was in repeated wars with the Vasa dynasty in Sweden. The financing of these wars led to a severe increase in taxation which caused great distress.
Politically-geographically, the Oldenborg kings had to cede to Sweden the Norwegian provinces of Jemtland , Herjedalen , Idre and Särna , as well as Båhuslen . As part of the financing of the wars, the state apparatus was expanded. Royal power began to assert itself to a greater extent in the administration of justice. Until this period, cases of violence and defamation had been treated as civil cases between citizens. The level of punishment was greatly increased. During this period, at least 307 people were also executed for witchcraft in Norway. Culturally, the country was marked by the fact that the written language became Danish because of the Bible translation and the University of Copenhagen's educational monopoly.
From the 16th century, business became more marked by production for sale and not just own consumption. In the past, it was particularly the fisheries that had produced such a large surplus of goods that it was sold to markets far away, the dried fish trade via Bergen is known from around the year 1100. In the 16th century, the yield from the fisheries multiplied, especially due to the introduction of herring in Western Norway and in Trøndelag and because new tools made fishing for herring and skre more efficient. Line fishing and cod nets that were introduced in the 17th century were controversial because the small fishermen believed it favored citizens in the cities.
Forestry and the timber trade became an important business, particularly because of the boom saw which made it possible to saw all kinds of tables and planks for sale abroad. The demand for timber increased at the same time in Europe, Norway had plenty of forests and in the 17th century timber became the country's most important export product. There were hundreds of sawmills in the country and the largest had the feel of factories . In 1680, the king regulated the timber trade by allowing exports only from privileged sawmills and in a certain quantity.
From the 1520s, some silver was mined in Telemark. When the peasants chased the German miners whereupon the king executed five peasants and demanded compensation from the other rebellious peasants. The background for the harsh treatment was that the king wanted to assert his authority over the extraction of precious metals. The search for metals led to the silver works at Kongsberg after 1624, copper in the mountain villages between Trøndelag and Eastern Norway, and iron, among other things, in Agder and lower Telemark. The financial gain of the quarries at that time is unclear because there are no reliable accounts. Kongsberg made Denmark-Norway self-sufficient in silver and the copper works produced a good deal more than the domestic demand and became an important export commodity. Kongsberg and Røros were the only Norwegian towns established because of the quarries.
In addition to the sawmills, in the 17th century, industrial production ( manufactures ) was established in, among other things, wool weaving, soap production, tea boiling , nail production and the manufacture of gunpowder .
The monopoly until the Peace of Kiel (1660–1814)
Until 1660, the king had been elected by the Danish Riksråd, while he inherited the kingdom of Norway, which was a tradition in Norway. After a series of military defeats, the king committed a coup d'état and deposed the Riksdag. King Frederik III introduced absolute power, which meant that there were hardly any legal restrictions on the king's power. This reinforced the expansion of the state apparatus that had been going on for a few decades, and the civil administration was controlled to a greater extent from the central administration in Copenhagen. According to Sverre Steen, the more specialized and expanded civil service meant that the period of autocracy was not essentially a personal dictatorship: The changing monarchs had the formal last word on important matters, but higher officials set the conditions. According to Steen, the autocracy was not tyrannical where the citizens were treated arbitrarily by the king and officials: the laws were strict and the punishments harsh, but there was legal certainty. The king rarely used his right to punish outside the judiciary and often used his right to commute sentences or pardons. It almost never happened that the king intervened in a court case before a verdict had been passed.
In 1662, the sheriff system (in which the nobility played an important role) was abolished and replaced with amt . Norway was divided into four main counties (Akershus, Kristiansands, Bergenhus and Trondhjems) which were later called stiftamt led by stiftamtmen with a number of county marshals and bailiffs (futer) under them. The county administrator in Akershus also had other roles such as governor. The former sheriffs were almost absolute within their fiefs, while the new stifamtmen and amtmen had more limited authority; among other things, they did not have military equipment like the sheriffs. The county officials had no control over state income and could not enrich themselves privately as the sheriffs could, taxes and fees were instead handled by their own officials. County officials were employed by the king and, unlike the sheriffs, had a fixed salary. Officials appointed by the king were responsible for local government. Before 1662, the sheriffs themselves appointed low officials such as bailiffs, mayors and councillors. A church commissioner was given responsibility for overseeing the churchwardens' accounts. In 1664, two general road masters were appointed for Norway, one for Sonnafjelske (Eastland and Sørlandet) and one for Nordafjelske (Westlandet and Trøndelag; Northern Norway had no roads).
Both Denmark and Norway got new law books. The wretched state finances led to an extensive sale of crown property, first to the state's creditors. Further sales meant that many farmers became self-owned at the end of the 18th century. Industrial exploitation of Norwegian natural resources began, and trade and shipping and especially increasing timber exports led to economic growth in the latter part of the 1700s.
From 1500 to 1814, Norway did not have its own foreign policy. After the dissolution of the Kalmar Union in 1523, Denmark remained the leading power in the Nordic region and dominated the Baltic Sea, while Sweden sought to expand geographically in all directions and strengthened its position. From 1625 to 1660, Denmark lost its dominance: Christian IV lost to the emperor in the Thirty Years' War and ceded Skåne, Blekinge, Halland, Båhuslen , Jemtland and Herjedalen as well as all the islands in the inner part of the Baltic Sea. With this, Norway got its modern borders, which have remained in place ever since. Sweden was no longer confined by Norway and Denmark, and Sweden became the great power in the Nordic region. At the same time, Norway remained far from Denmark (until 1660 there was an almost continuous land connection between Norway and Denmark). During the Great Nordic War, Danish forces moved towards Scania and ended with Charles the 12th falling at Fredriksten . From 1720 to 1807 there was peace except for the short Cranberry War in 1788. In August 1807, the British navy surrounded Denmark and demanded that the Danish fleet be handed over. After bombing 2-7. On September 1807, the Danes capitulated and handed over the fleet (known as the "fleet robbery") and the arsenal. Two weeks later, Denmark entered into an alliance with Napoleon and Great Britain declared war on Denmark in November 1807. The Danish leadership had originally envisioned an alliance with Great Britain. Anger at the fleet robbery and fear of French occupation of Denmark itself (and thus breaking the connection with Norway) were probably the motive for the alliance with France. According to Sverre Steen, the period 1807-1814 was the most significant in Norway's history (before the Second World War). Foreign trade was paralyzed and hundreds of Norwegian ships were seized by the British. British ships, both warships and privateers , blocked the sea route between Norway and Denmark as described in " Terje Vigen " by Henrik Ibsen . During the Napoleonic Wars , there was a food shortage and famine in Norway, between 20 and 30 thousand people out of a population of around 900 thousand died from sheer lack of food or diseases related to malnutrition.
From the late summer of 1807, Norway was governed by a government commission led by the governor and commander-in-chief, Prince Christian August . Christian August was considered an honorable and capable leader. In 1808, a joint Russian and Danish/Norwegian attack on Sweden was planned; the campaign fails completely and Christian August concludes a truce with the Swedes. The Swedish king was deposed, the country got a new constitution with a limited monarchy and in the summer of 1808, Christian August was elected heir to the throne in Sweden. Christian August died a few months after he moved to Sweden and the French general Jean Baptiste Bernadotte became the new heir to the throne with the name "Karl Johan". After Napoleon was defeated at Leipzig in 1813, Bernadotte entered Holstein with Swedish forces and forced the Danish king to the Peace of Kiel .
"Business, more than any other occupation, is a continual dealing with the future; it is a continual calculation, an instinctive exercise in foresight."
by Henry R. Luce
-- ... and that's how my daily life ... :-) (better viewed on black)
second calculation today feb 12th for the big bang at Luzern feb 16th 5 am
#draw365 #artjournal #pencil by @peter_seelig
Countdown bis Urknall
3 Tage 3 Stunden 24 Minuten 40 Sekunden #luzern #schweiz
A bit of a re-post but its a different crop from a picture that I posted earlier in the week so I hope thats ok for Fly Day. I was really keen to put this one in Fly Day Friday! I think this is fascinating!
These are flies in the sunshine which have been captured such that we can see a series of wing beats captured during the 1/40th of a second exposure. Since there are generally 10 wing beats seen for each fly we can calculate that they are beating their wings at 400 beats per second.
Happy Fly Day!
Canon EOS 1V + Kodak Ektachrome + Ps
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We have had a months worth of rain in the past two days and figured we would take advantage of this beautiful sunny day. Well it appears Mother Nature was still in the healing phase and we though we could get through. At least my wife is a trooper and we had a good laugh over hot chocolate when we got home.
After doing some calculations, I realized that, if one has the time, the $150 white box is a better option then buying a $70 unopened case (which fits between 630 and 660 2x4 bricks, loose).
Fit in this box:
1092 2x4 bricks (white)
546 1x10 bricks (white)
It's very tight, but if you work at it you can create a block that is 26 studs wide by 26 studs long, and 21 bricks high.
If you were to fill it with only 2x4 bricks, you could fit 1764 of them in here with space for a 21-brick tall column of 2x2 bricks. That comes out to roughly 8.5 cents each. You can get them cheaper on bricklink, but not if you need a lot of them (and then you have to pay shipping - and this thing weighs around 10-15 lbs.)
This took a little under two hours so only do it if you have the time.
fourth calculation today feb 14th for the big bang at Luzern feb 16th 5 am
#draw365 #artjournal #pencil by @peter_seelig
Countdown bis Urknall
1 Tag 6 Stunden 22 Minuten 55 Sekunden #draw365 #luzern #schweiz
It is out of this understanding of rebellion as salvation for all that the most courageous acts of solidarity are born. One is reminded of Simone Weil, whom Camus lauded as “the only great spirit of our times” and who, as she lay dying of tuberculosis, defied her doctors’ orders by refusing to eat more than the rations her compatriots in Nazi-occupied France were given. Invoking such heroes, Camus writes:
This insane generosity is the generosity of rebellion, which unhesitatingly gives the strength of its love and without a moment’s delay refuses injustice. Its merit lies in making no calculations, distributing everything it possesses to life and to living men. It is thus that it is prodigal in its gifts to men to come. Real generosity toward the future lies in giving all to the present. […] Rebellion proves in this way that it is the very movement of life and that it cannot be denied without renouncing life. Its purest outburst, on each occasion, gives birth to existence. Thus it is love and fecundity or it is nothing at all. At the end of this tunnel of darkness, however, there is inevitably a light, which we already divine and for which we only have to fight to ensure its coming. All of us, among the ruins, are preparing a renaissance beyond the limits of nihilism. But few of us know it. In a sentiment of especial poignancy today, as Europe struggles to welcome the world’s refugees and displaced families so ungenerously referred to as a “crisis,” Camus adds:
In the light, the earth remains our first and our last love. Our brothers are breathing under the same sky as we; justice is a living thing. Now is born that strange joy which helps one live and die… With this joy, through long struggle, we shall remake the soul of our time, and a Europe which will exclude nothing.
The Rebel is a magnificent and acutely timely read in its totality. Complement it with Susan Sontag on courage and resistance and Nietzsche on what it really means to be a free spirit, then revisit Camus on strength of character, happiness, unhappiness, and our self-imposed prisons, the art of awareness, and the touching letter of gratitude he sent to his childhood teacher shortly after winning the Nobel Prize.
Building on Nietzsche’s ideas about the fine line between constructive and destructive rebellion — ideas Camus sees as “born of abundance and fullness of spirit” — he summarizes this orientation of mind: One must accept the unacceptable and hold to the untenable… From absolute despair will spring infinite joy, from blind servitude, unbounded freedom. To be free is, precisely, to abolish ends. The innocence of the ceaseless change of things, as soon as one consents to it, represents the maximum liberty. The free mind willingly accepts what is necessary. Nietzsche’s most profound concept is that the necessity of phenomena, if it is absolute, without rifts, does not imply any kind of restraint. Total acceptance of total necessity is his paradoxical definition of freedom. The question “free of what?” is thus replaced by “free for what?” Liberty coincides with heroism. It is the asceticism of the great man, “the bow bent to the breaking-point.” In a passage of remarkable resonance today, when we are confronting a wave of violence so strangely divorced from everything the past has taught us — those countless bloody lessons in the perennial fact that violence is always without victors — Camus considers the only adequate role of history:
History … is only an opportunity that must be rendered fruitful by a vigilant rebellion. “Obsession with the harvest and indifference to history,” writes René Char admirably, “are the two extremities of my bow.” If the duration of history is not synonymous with the duration of the harvest, then history, in effect, is no more than a fleeting and cruel shadow in which man has no more part. He who dedicates himself to this history dedicates himself to nothing and, in his turn, is nothing. But he who dedicates himself to the duration of his life, to the house he builds, to the dignity of mankind, dedicates himself to the earth and reaps from it the harvest that sows its seed and sustains the world again and again. More than half a century before Rebecca Solnit’s electrifying case for the vital difference between blind optimism and hope as an act of rebellion, Camus writes: The words that reverberate for us at the confines of this long adventure of rebellion are not formulas for optimism, for which we have no possible use in the extremities of our unhappiness, but words of courage and intelligence which, on the shores of the eternal seas, even have the qualities of virtue. No possible form of wisdom today can claim to give more. Rebellion indefatigably confronts evil, from which it can only derive a new impetus. Man can master in himself everything that should be mastered. He should rectify in creation everything that can be rectified. And after he has done so, children will still die unjustly even in a perfect society. Even by his greatest effort man can only propose to diminish arithmetically the sufferings of the world. But the injustice and the suffering of the world will remain and, no matter how limited they are, they will not cease to be an outrage. Dimitri Karamazov’s cry of “Why?” will continue to resound; art and rebellion will die only with the last man.
[…]
Then we understand that rebellion cannot exist without a strange form of love. Those who find no rest in God or in history are condemned to live for those who, like themselves, cannot live: in fact, for the humiliated. The most pure form of the movement of rebellion is thus crowned with the heart-rending cry of Karamazov: if all are not saved, what good is the salvation of one only?
Why rebel if there is nothing permanent in oneself worth preserving? And yet true rebellion, Camus argues, is an act motivated by concerned with the common good rather than by self-interest: The affirmation implicit in every act of rebellion is extended to something that transcends the individual in so far as it withdraws him from his supposed solitude and provides him with a reason to act. […] An act of rebellion is not, essentially, an egoistic act. Of course, it can have egoistic motives… The rebel … demands respect for himself, of course, but only in so far as he identifies himself with a natural community. […] When he rebels, a man identifies himself with other men and so surpasses himself, and from this point of view human solidarity is metaphysical. With an eye to the osmotic relationship between construction and destruction, Camus adds: Rebellion, though apparently negative, since it creates nothing, is profoundly positive in that it reveals the part of man which must always be defended. While this essay is a particularly spirited expression of his lifelong mission to defeat nihilism, Camus uses the writings of Nietzsche — who proclaimed himself “the first perfect nihilist of Europe” — as a springboard for exploring the constructive potentiality of rebellion. He writes: Because his mind was free, Nietzsche knew that freedom of the mind is not a comfort, but an achievement to which one aspires and at long last obtains after an exhausting struggle. He knew that in wanting to consider oneself above the law, there is a great risk of finding oneself beneath the law. That is why he understood that only the mind found its real emancipation in the acceptance of new obligations. The essence of his discovery consists in saying that if the eternal law is not freedom, the absence of law is still less so.
[…]
The sum total of every possibility does not amount to liberty… Chaos is also a form of servitude. Freedom exists only in a world where what is possible is defined at the same time as what is not possible. Without law there is no freedom.
Despair, like the absurd, has opinions and desires about everything in general and nothing in particular. Silence expresses this attitude very well. But from the moment that the rebel finds his voice — even though he says nothing but “no” — he begins to desire and to judge… Not every value entails rebellion, but every act of rebellion tacitly invokes a value… Awareness, no matter how confused it may be, develops from every act of rebellion: the sudden, dazzling perception that there is something in man with which he can identify himself, even if only for a moment.
“You say you want a revolution,” the Beatles sang in 1968 as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was erecting the pillars of nonviolence on the other side of the Atlantic, “Well, you know / We all want to change the world… But when you talk about destruction / Don’t you know that you can count me out… If you want money for people with minds that hate / All I can tell you is brother you have to wait.”
Perhaps such is the curse of our species: Only in violent times do we remember, in our bones and our sinews, that hate is not a weapon of rebellion but of cowardice; that no true revolution is achieved through destruction and nihilism; that the only way to change the world is through constructive and life-affirming action. No one has made this point more persuasively and elegantly than Albert Camus (November 7, 1913–January 4, 1960) in his sublime and sublimely timely 1951 book The Rebel: An Essay on Man in Revolt (public library).The Rebel (French: L'Homme révolté) is a 1951 book-length essay by Albert Camus, which treats both the metaphysical and the historical development of rebellion and revolution in societies, especially Western Europe. Camus relates writers and artists as diverse as Epicurus and Lucretius, Marquis de Sade, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Friedrich Nietzsche, Max Stirner, André Breton, and others in an integrated, historical portrait of man in revolt. Examining both rebellion and revolt, which may be seen as the same phenomenon in personal and social frames, Camus examines several 'countercultural' figures and movements from the history of Western thought and art, noting the importance of each in the overall development of revolutionary thought and philosophy. This work has received ongoing interest, influencing modern philosophers and authors such as Paul Berman and others.
Fred Rosen has examined the influence of ideas of Simone Weil on Camus' thinking in The Rebel. George F Selfer has analysed parallels between Camus and Friedrich Nietzsche in philosophical aesthestics
One of Camus' primary arguments in The Rebel concerns the motivation for rebellion and revolution. While the two acts - which can be interpreted from Camus' writing as states of being - are radically different in most respects, they both stem from a basic human rejection of normative justice. If human beings become disenchanted with contemporary applications of justice, Camus suggests that they rebel. This rebellion, then, is the product of a basic contradiction between the human mind's unceasing quest for clarification and the apparently meaningless nature of the world. Described by Camus as "absurd," this latter perception must be examined with what Camus terms "lucidity." Camus concludes that the absurd sensibility contradicts itself because when it claims to believe in nothing, it believes in its own protest and the value of the protester's life. Therefore, this sensibility is logically a "point of departure" that irresistibly "exceeds itself." In the inborn impulse to rebel, on the other hand, we can deduce values that enable us to determine that murder and oppression are illegitimate and conclude with "hope for a new creation."
Another prominent theme in The Rebel, which is tied to the notion of incipient rebellion, is the inevitable failure of attempts at human perfection. Through an examination of various titular revolutions, and in particular the French Revolution, Camus argues that most revolutions involved a fundamental denial of both history and transcendental values. Such revolutionaries aimed to kill God. In the French Revolution, for instance, this was achieved through the execution of Louis XVI and subsequent eradication of the divine right of kings. The subsequent rise of utopian and materialist idealism sought "the end of history." Because this end is unattainable, according to Camus, terror ensued as the revolutionaries attempted to coerce results. This culminated in the "temporary" enslaving of people in the name of their future liberation. Notably, Camus' reliance on non-secular sentiment does not involve a defense of religion; indeed, the replacement of divinely-justified morality with pragmatism simply represents Camus' apotheosis of transcendental, moral values.
A third is that of crime, as Camus discusses how rebels who get carried away lose touch with the original basis of their rebellion and offer various defenses of crime through various historical epochs.
At the end of the book, Camus espouses the possible moral superiority of the ethics and political plan of syndicalism. He grounds this politics in a wider "midday thought" which opposes love of this life, and an unrelativisable normative commitment to fellow human beings, against ideological promises of the other world, end of history, or triumph of an alleged master race.
According the first calculations before 2007 the building should cost about 77 million €. By 2013 the cost for the taxpayer amounted to 789 million €. The project should have been finshed years ago, but it still is under construction.
Description The women of the Computer Department at NACA High-Speed Flight Research Station are shown busy with test flight calculations. The "computers" under the direction of Roxanah Yancey were responsible for accurate calculations on the research test flights made at the Station. There were no mechanical computers at the station in 1949, but data was reduced by human computers. Shown in this photograph starting at the left are: Geraldine Mayer and Mary (Tut) Hedgepeth with Friden calculators on the their desks; Emily Stephens conferring with engineer John Mayer; Gertrude (Trudy) Valentine is working on an oscillograph recording reducing the data from a flight. Across the desk is Dorothy Clift Hughes using a slide rule to complete data calculations. Roxanah Yancey completes the picture as she fills out engineering requests for further data.
Credit: NASA
Image Number: E49-0053
Date: November 1949
LEGO Indian Chief Classic 2017 motorbike, a Technic and System combination model.
About this creation:
As you may know I have a soft spot for vintage motorbikes, but I also like modern touring bikes. The Indian Chief Classic brings the vintage look into our time with a modern interpretation of how a cruiser is supposed to be. The special characteristics of the Indian Chief are the bulky wheel fenders that you either love or hate. At the same time these are also the most challenging part of the model.
Drawings for this model simply consist of a sideview picture, scaled so that each 5mm equals one stud. Calculations starts with the available wheels, which actually dictates the final size of the bike, but I haven`t calculated the exact scale of the bike, but it`s somewhere between 1:7 and 1:8. Both front and rear wheels are the same configuration as with my LEGO V-Rod; The wheels consist of a 61.6mm Rim (# 2903), with 81,6mm Tyre (# 2902), outside this is another Tyre 94,2mm (# 88516).
Next step was designing the engine and frame. The engine came out quite easy, at least in the LDD file, but reality is something different. On the cylinder heads some of the round plates are pressed firmly together, whereas I would have liked them to have a little gap to perfectly form the cooling fins, but it was only possible to maintain two gaps. From the engine there is a chain-drive to the rear wheel. The corrugated exhaust-pipes are kept in shape by use of inserted copper wire.
The frame consist of various Technic pieces to tie everything together, and behind the engine there is a single shock absorber mounted for the rear wheel suspension.
The front fork has no working suspension, but a “look alike” telescopic system.
Front and rear fenders are a further development of the fenders used on my previous bikes. Now with sides made of plates attached to the front suspension fork on the front, and on the rear attached to the side fairings and at the rear of the fender with a bracket-plate. Hope you like them, I do!
The bike has quite a lot of shiny bits and pieces. These are all chromed genuine LEGO pieces, very expensive, but in my opinion they are all worth every Euro!
Comments and criticism are more than welcome!
Hope you enjoy the pictures.
Today the Hereios of the We're Here group are shooting rulers. I use a scale ruler to identify the true size of things shown on a plan, and occasionally to produce a drawing of a building (though I prefer to leave that to a specialist).
Dices macro, b&w. Calculate n do home works, don't take chances. In viewing this shot, try focusing on different dices, different facets, turning head...
YOUR BABY IS DUE Aug 28:
You are currently 4 WEEKS PREGNANT
Estimated Date of Conception: Dec 05, 1988
(4 weeks 3 days or 1 months)
This is based on the cycle length provided, not an average cycle length of 28 days, however it is still an estimate.
PROGRESS: You are 12% of the way through your pregnancy.
12% Weekly Development WEEK 1 & 2
Weeks 1 & 2 of your pregnancy is Nov 22, 1988 - Dec 05, 1988
Baby Conceived: It's ovulation time. If sperm and egg meet, you're on your way to pregnancy.
WEEK 3: Week 3 of your pregnancy is Dec 06, 1988 - Dec 12, 1988
Implantation occurs: Your baby is a tiny ball of several hundred cells that are rapidly multiplying and burrowing into the lining of your uterus. The cells that become the placenta are producing hCG, the pregnancy hormone. It tells your ovaries to stop releasing eggs and keep producing progesterone. Once there's enough hCG in your urine, you'll get a positive pregnancy test result.
WEEK 4: Week 4 of your pregnancy is Dec 13, 1988 - Dec 19, 1988 - Positive Pregnancy Test: Your baby is an embryo made up of two layers, the hypoblast and the epiblast. The placenta is developing and preparing to provide nutrients and oxygen to your growing baby. The amniotic sac is developing and will surround and protect your baby while it continues to grow.
WEEK 5: Week 5 of your pregnancy is Dec 20, 1988 - Dec 26, 1988 - Your embryo is now made up of three layers, the ectoderm, the mesoderm and the endoderm which will later form all the organs and tissues. You might start to feel the first twinges of pregnancy such as tender breasts, frequent urination, or morning sickness.
WEEK 6: Week 6 of your pregnancy is Dec 27, 1988 - Jan 02, 1989
Heartbeat detectable by ultrasound. Your baby's heart is beating about 160 times a minute and the nose, mouth and ears are taking shape. Lungs and digestive system are forming organs.
WEEK 7: Week 7 of your pregnancy is Jan 03, 1989 - Jan 09, 1989 - Your baby is forming hands and feet. Key organs like the stomach, liver and esophagus are beginning to form. Your uterus has doubled in size. The umbilical cord is transferring blood and waste between baby and mother.
WEEK 8: Week 8 of your pregnancy is Jan 10, 1989 - Jan 16, 1989 - The respiratory system is forming now. Breathing tubes extend from the throat to the branches of the developing lungs.
WEEK 9: Week 9 of your pregnancy is Jan 17, 1989 - Jan 23, 1989 - Your baby is nearly an inch long now. If you watch closely, you may see your baby move if you have an ultrasound done
WEEK 10: Week 10 of your pregnancy is Jan 24, 1989 - Jan 30, 1989 - Your baby's organs are growing and beginning to mature. The baby's head comprises half the length of the body.
WEEK 11: Week 11 of your pregnancy is Jan 31, 1989 - Feb 06, 1989 - Fingers and toes have separated and the bones are beginning to harden. External genitalia has almost completely formed.
WEEK 12: Week 12 of your pregnancy is Feb 07, 1989 - Feb 13, 1989 - The kidneys can now secrete urine and the nervous system is maturing. You baby may be curling all 10 toes, practicing opening and closing fingers and sucking a thumb. And mom should have gained from 0,5 -3 kgs.
WEEK 13: Week 13 of your pregnancy is Feb 14, 1989 - Feb 20, 1989 - Miscarriage risk decreases. Your baby now has unique fingerprints and the kidney and urinary tract are completely functional, that means she's peeing. And if you are having a girl, her ovaries are already full of thousands of eggs.
WEEK 14: Week 14 of your pregnancy is Feb 21, 1989 - Feb 27, 1989 - Your baby's facial muscles are getting a workout as he squints, frowns, grimaces and practices his first smile for you.
WEEK 15: Week 15 of your pregnancy is Feb 28, 1989 - Mar 06, 1989 - Your baby is looking more like a baby with legs growing longer than the arms and all her limbs moving. The ears are properly positioned on the side of her head and the eyes are moving from the side of the head to the front of the face. At your doctor's visit, he should offer you a quad screening test to check for Down's syndrome or other chromosomal abnormalities.
WEEK 16: Week 16 of your pregnancy is Mar 07, 1989 - Mar 13, 1989 - Baby's heart is pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day. His eyes are working and moving side to side even though the eyelids are still sealed. Mom will have a "pregnancy glow" due to increased blood supply.
WEEK 17: Week 17 of your pregnancy is Mar 14, 1989 - Mar 20, 1989 - Baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone and her heart is now regulated by her brain. She's practicing her sucking and swallowing skills in preparation for that first suckle at your breast or the bottle. Mom's breasts may have increased a full bra size.
WEEK 18: Week 18 of your pregnancy is Mar 21, 1989 - Mar 27, 1989 - Gender reveal time. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticable now but he may hide them during an ultrasound. Are you feeling kickes and punches? Baby's hearing is also developing, so you may want to start talking to your baby.
WEEK 19: Week 19 of your pregnancy is Mar 28, 1989 - Apr 03, 1989 - Baby's brain is designating specialized areas for his 5 senses - vision, hearing, taste, smell and touch. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on his skin to prevent wrinkling.
WEEK 20: Week 20 of your pregnancy is Apr 04, 1989 - Apr 10, 1989 - Your baby weighs about 300 grams and is the size of a small banana. Her uterus is fully formed this week and she may have tiny primitive eggs in tiny ovaries now. His testicles are waiting for the scrotum to finish growing and will begin their descent soon. Mom can expect to gain about 1/2 lb per week for the rest of her pregnancy.
WEEK 21: Week 21 of your pregnancy is Apr 11, 1989 - Apr 17, 1989 - Feel all that moving and shaking going on! Baby's arms and legs are in proportion now and movements are much more coordinated. Bone marrow is now helping the liver and spleen produce blood cells. The intestines are starting to produce meconium, the thick tarry looking stool first seen in baby's diaper.
WEEK 22: Week 22 of your pregnancy is Apr 18, 1989 - Apr 24, 1989 - Senses are growing stronger. Now she can hear your heart beat, your breathing and digestion. Sense of sight is becoming more fine-tuned and he can preceive light and dark. Hormones are now developing which will the organs the commands they need to operate.
WEEK 23: Week 23 of your pregnancy is Apr 25, 1989 - May 01, 1989 - Premature baby may survive. Baby's organs and bones are visible through his skin, which has a red hue because of the developing veins and arteries beneath. He'll become less transparent as his fat deposits fill in. Baby is also developing surfactant which will help the lungs inflate if baby is born prematurely
WEEK 24: Week 24 of your pregnancy is May 02, 1989 - May 08, 1989 - Baby's face is almost fully formed complete with eyelashes, eyebrows and hair. Right now her hair is white because there's no pigment yet. Between now and 28 weeks, the doctor should send mom for a glucose screening test for gestational diabetes.
WEEK 25: Week 25 of your pregnancy is May 09, 1989 - May 15, 1989 - Baby is gaining more fat and looking more like a newborn. Hair color and texture is in place. His lungs are maturing and preparing for that first breath. You might feel the baby having hiccups.
WEEK 26: Week 26 of your pregnancy is May 16, 1989 - May 22, 1989 - Brain-wave activity is on high That means baby can hear noises and respond to them with an increase pulse rate or movement. Eyes are beginning to open but they don't have much pigmentation. That will develop over the next couple months and may even continue to change until she's about 6-months-old.
WEEK 27: Week 27 of your pregnancy is May 23, 1989 - May 29, 1989 - Start talking to your baby . Baby may recognize both your and your partner's voices. This is the time to read and even sing to your baby. She now has taste buds so when you eat spicy food, your baby will be able to taste the difference in the amniotic fluid. Her mealtime comes about two hours after yours. Feel some belly spasms? Those are likely hiccups from that spicy food. It doesn't bother the baby as much as you. Baby also has settled in to a regular sleep cycle, but it may be different from mom's.
WEEK 28: Week 28 of your pregnancy is May 30, 1989 - Jun 05, 1989 - During the third trimester the brain triples in weight adding billions of new nerve cells. Senses of hearing, smell and touch are developed and functional. Your baby is having different sleep cycles, including rapid eye movement. That means she's dreaming.
WEEK 29: Week 29 of your pregnancy is Jun 06, 1989 - Jun 12, 1989 - Baby can breathe. Baby's bones are soaking up lots of calcium as they harden so be sure to consume good sources of calcium. We recommend taking Nordic Naturals and Fairhaven Health supplements.
WEEK 30: Week 30 of your pregnancy is Jun 13, 1989 - Jun 19, 1989 - Baby's brain is taking on characteristic grooves and indentations to allow for an increased amount of brain tissue. Bone marrow has taken over the production of red blood cells. This means she'll be better able to thrive on her own when she's born Baby is now weighing about 1.36 kgs and is 28 centimetres.
WEEK 31: Week 31 of your pregnancy is Jun 20, 1989 - Jun 26, 1989 - Baby's brain is developing faster than ever and he's processing information, tracking light and perceiving signals from all five sense. She's probably moving a lot, especially at night when you're trying to sleep. Take comfort that all this activity means your baby is healthy. Mom may start feeling some Braxton Hicks contractions.
WEEK 32: Week 32 of your pregnancy is Jun 27, 1989 - Jul 03, 1989 - Baby can focus on large objects not too far away; toenails and fingernails have grown in along with real hair. He's practicing swallowing, breathing, kicking and sucking. All key skills for thriving after birth.
WEEK 33: Week 33 of your pregnancy is Jul 04, 1989 - Jul 10, 1989 - Immune system is maturing. The bones in your baby's skull are still pliable which makes it easier for her to fit through the birth canal. Your uterine walls are becoming thinner allowing more light to penetrate your womb. That helps baby differentiate between night and day.
WEEK 34: Week 34 of your pregnancy is Jul 11, 1989 - Jul 17, 1989 - Baby's fat layers are filling her out and will help regulate body temperture when she's born. If your baby is a boy, the testicles are making their way down from the abdomen to the scrotum.
WEEK 35: Week 35 of your pregnancy is Jul 18, 1989 - Jul 24, 1989 - Kidneys are fully developed and her liver can process some waste products. Most of her physical development is complete. She'll spend the next few weeks gaining weight and adding baby fat. Baby is settling lower into the pelvis preparing for delivery and this is called "lightening".
WEEK 36: Week 36 of your pregnancy is Jul 25, 1989 - Jul 31, 1989 - Hopefully your baby is in a head-down position. If not, your practitioner may suggest an external cephalic version to manipulate your baby into a head down position. The vernix caseosa has now disappeared.
WEEK 37: Week 37 of your pregnancy is Aug 01, 1989 - Aug 07, 1989 - Baby is considered full term. Baby is taking up most of the room in your womb so he's only kicking and poking you, no more somersaults. Baby is sucking her thumb, blinking eyes and inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid.
WEEK 38: Week 38 of your pregnancy is Aug 08, 1989 - Aug 14, 1989 - Baby's eyes right now are blue, gray or brown but once they're exposed to light they may change color or a shade. The lanugo, the fine downy hair that covered his body for warmth is falling off in preparation for delivery. Her lungs have strenthened and her vocal cords have developed. That means she's ready for her first cry.
WEEK 39: Week 39 of your pregnancy is Aug 15, 1989 - Aug 21, 1989 - Baby is ready to make his debut. He's adding more fat as his pinkish skin turns white or white-grayish. He won't have his final pigment until shortly after birth.
WEEK 40: Week 40 of your pregnancy is Aug 22, 1989 - Aug 28, 1989 - This is the official end of your pregnancy but because due dates are just a calculation he might be "late." No need to worry, your body knows the right time to go into labor, or your doctor may suggest you be induced. At birth your baby's eye sight is a little blurry since central vision is still developing. Just say hello and he'll recognize your voice.
During the Process of Fertilization, the sperm and the oocyte cease to exist as such, and a new human being is produced.
Here is a direct scan, un-retouched, of a spread, complete with fingerprints, and calculations for your creative use.
Enjoy and use it, just don't redistribute or sell the original as your own!
Manuscript title: Evronot ("Rules for Calculation of the Calendar")
Manuscript summary: This manuscript contains an Evronot ("Rules for Calculation of the Calendar"). Many so-called Sifre evoronot ("Books of calculation") emerged in the 17th and 18th centuries. They can be taken as a reaction to the Gregorian calendar, introduced in 1582. Such manuscripts often depict the biblical Issachar, one of Jacob’s sons, on or near a ladder; as an attribute, he holds an hourglass in his hand. This manuscript has two such miniatures; above the first of which there is also an illustration of a waning and a waxing moon with a human face and stars. The title page depicts an ornamental architectural arch. At the end of the book, there is the familiar motif of Moses seated at a table holding the Tablets of the Law.
Origin: Germany
Period: 17th century
Image source: Zürich, Braginsky Collection, B247: Evronot ("Rules for Calculation of the Calendar") (www.e-codices.unifr.ch/en/list/one/bc/b-0247)
In one or two countries the date is written eccentrically, with month coming before day. Thus today's date would be 3.14.23 rather than 14.3.23. In such countries today is Pi Day.
Here the lovely Ama Pipi, a British athlete, is helping us to mark said Pi day. (I took her photo ten years ago, so she looks rather older now.)
2nd attempt with home-made camera mount... Shot on State Street, Chicago IL
(disclaimer: i wasnt really going 88)
The Dreiländereck (tri-border area) monument, also known as the Pylon (Plastik), was constructed by Wilhelm Münger and erected at the meeting point of France, Germany, and Switzerland in 1957. The calculations as well as the elevation and floor plans were provided by the mathematician Istvan Csontos, who fled from Hungary to Basel in 1956. The sculpture has the shape of a stele or pylon. It stands on a man-made spit in the River Rhine that was approved and funded by the Grand Council of Basel.
Information from: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pylon_(Plastik)
Basel, also known as Bâle in French and Basilea in Italian, is a city in northwestern Switzerland on the Rhine. Basel is Switzerland's third-most-populous city (after Zürich and Geneva), with roughly 178,000 inhabitants within the city municipality limits in the 2020s. The official language of Basel is (the Swiss variety of Standard) German, and the main spoken language is the local Basel German dialect.
Basel is commonly considered to be the cultural capital of Switzerland and the city is famous for its many museums, including the first collection of art accessible to the public in the world (1661) and the largest museum of art in Switzerland. The University of Basel, Switzerland's oldest university (founded in 1460), and the city's centuries-long commitment to humanism, have made Basel a safe haven at times of political unrest in other parts of Europe for refugees and dissidents.
Information from: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basel
I covered this unit during the Gulf War and was at MHAFB when they returned. As Paul Harvey often says...heres the rest of the story:
Operation Desert Storm - First Wave to Iraq
by Ike Sweesy, EF-111 Flight Lead, 390 Electronic Combat Squadron, USAF, Ta-if, Saudi Arabia
The EF-111 is a Supersonic Radar Jammer plane modified by Grumman from the General Dynamics F-111 Fighter Bomber. It was designed to jam the enemy early warning and missile threat radars. EF's from both Mountain Home AFB, ID and Upper Heyford, UK flew in Desert Storm. The receivers are located on the tail of the aircraft in "the football", and the transmitters on the belly in "the canoe". The EF has since been retired from service.
The following letter to family and friends was written a few days after the first mission to Baghdad.
I had my first mission early, early 17 January morning and it was spectacular. I know everyone was watching things on the news. I was in the first wave leading three EF-111s for the strike against Baghdad and there were over 70 aircraft in the mission. Our package was striking airfields, missile sites and military targets in and around Baghdad itself. It was AWESOME!!!
For the two days prior to the attack, we were working on the mission planning and getting our body clocks adjusted for the 1:30 AM launch. The night prior to the mission I stayed up until about 5 AM putting the final touches on my mission then went to bed. I could only sleep until 11 AM then I got up and puttered around at Intell and the Squadron. I cleaned my Chemical Warfare mask and put in new filters then went and found the security policeman that I had bartered with. I traded one of my flight suits for a bayonet and sheath. It is VERY sharp! I took off my rings and patches and set up my combat wallet (plastic ziplok) taking only my ID card, some money and my New Testament, no pictures allowed. I put together my web belt and canteen with my gun holster and hooked on the bayonet. The extra water and my survival equipment would be easier to carry if I got shot down. We normally have our .38 pistol on our survival vest but it is in a bad place right above the left kidney and it gets in the way. I have an extra helmet bag to hold my web belt, two flashlights, a set of desert fatigues and floppy sun hat (no desert flight suits yet), my Chem gear and mask, and my big ziplok bag with sunscreen, skin lotion, aspirin, gum, pepto bismal tablets, malaria tablets, go pills, blistex, ear plugs, eye drops, throat lozenges razor blade knife, camouflage paint, fire starter, matches, nylon cord (two thicknesses), and camouflage scarf. I also carry my little Swiss Army knife that Sandy gave me two Christmases ago plus my big Swiss Army knife that Bob gave me. All my knives I have sharpened to a razor edge. The bag fits below my legs and between the seat and joystick. My helmet bag with the Escape and Evasion maps and my flight jacket goes under the seat. What about ejection you ask me - in the F-111 the entire cockpit goes with you and you land on a balloon!! I'm not kidding!
About 1930 our flight piled into the PimpMobile and went to the Mess Tent for dinner. It's called the PimpMobile because it has felt curtains with little danglies hanging down and felt covers on the dashboard and other plastic parts. Inside the Mess Tent door, there is a sign-in sheet and everyone always makes a joke of it. Sometimes we will all sign one person's name or else "Mickey Mouse" or even "Dan Quayle". We had a variety of "sign ins" tonight also but I was feeling particularly pugilistic so I just signed "Fighter Pilot". My good Christian friend "BRENT" behind me signed just his first name in a mock shaking script. We all laughed at each other but we all understood what danger we were flying into. After dinner we all went back to the MPC (Mission Planning Cell) for our final Intell update and got our Blood Chits issued.
The Blood Chit is a paper with the US Flag on one side and a message in several languages that promises that the US government will pay a person several thousand dollars if they will aid a downed airman to escape back to Allied territory. I had not seen one since Southeast Asia and we all hoped that we would keep them in our pockets and turn then in the next morning after the mission.
At 2115 we attended the mass briefing with the weather, Escape and Evasion briefing, taxi plan, and the enemy situation. This lasted about 45 minutes. At the end, the Wing Commander stood up and all he said was "Alright guys, let's go to war." There was no cheering, no bravado. There were probably some of us that would not come back.
After this briefing I took my flight to the squadron and we briefed for the mission. I had heard some talk in the squadron about turning around if enemy Mig fighters were spotted so I spent some time talking about the difference between aggressiveness and recklessness. We need to be aggressive in protecting the striking fighters. We go right in with them and jam the radars that direct the missiles and the interceptors, and if we turn around just because a Mig is in the area then we aren't doing our job and a lot more fighter crews will get shot down. A Mig in the area is not a threat until he targets you, THEN you do your threat reaction and call for the F-15s. On a later mission my flight had 4 Mig-29s in our orbit but they didn't get a shot since we were all maneuvering. Dang, where's that gun I had on my F-4 Phantom?!
For this first mission, my mission briefing took an hour and a half versus the normal 30 to 45 minutes for a training mission, then we went upstairs to Life Support. We loaded our guns, stashed the extra ammo and put on our survival vests and G-Suits and picked up our Escape and Evasion maps. You should see me with my pistol on my right hip, my bayonet on my left and my G-Suit and Survival Vest on. Now I weigh about 220 pounds with all my gear instead of my lean and mean 170!
About two days prior I thought about the plane that I would fly and prayed "Lord, it would be nice if I got to fly my own jet with my name on it." I didn't think much else about it until we got our aircraft assignments just prior to the mission - There it was, Aircraft 7048, Major Ike Sweesy. It was just a touch of assurance that the Lord was in charge here. It reminded me of the assurance that God gave Gideon before he went into battle.
There must have been twenty ground crew to help us because everyone knew what was happening and knew that it was serious. There was very little joking around but lots of 'good luck' and 'God bless' comments from everyone. I was glad that I didn't see any of my friends from the church in Mountain Home. It would have really been hard on me and I knew that I would cry if I tried to talk to them. I had no fear of death (and after 15 combat missions I still don't) but the sadness of the temporary separation should I be killed gets to you. Two days prior I had written a 'last' letter to each of the kids and one to Sandy and that was really hard on me. Even though I'm assured of God's personal hand in my life, that doesn't mean there wouldn't be emotional pain for my loved ones should I be killed in combat. This tough fighter pilot cried a lot writing those letters.
It was pitch dark, but once I climbed into the cockpit, I got down to business and just like I said in an earlier letter before the war started, a brave man is not someone who doesn't get scared or nervous. Instead the brave man is the person that just goes ahead and does what he has to do - his duty. "Duty then, is the sublimest word in the English language. You should do your duty in all things. One could never do more and never wish to do less." General Robert E. Lee. As I checked in my flight on the radio and we taxied out, everyone saluted us and gave us the thumbs up and the "Give 'em Hell" fist! You can bet that we saluted back very smartly. All was dark but you could see the aircraft lights from thirty or more EF-111s and F-111s for the first wave to Baghdad. Every five minutes four aircraft took off with the brilliant light of the afterburners blinding us as we waited for our turn.
At 0142 I led my formation onto the runway, all three line-abreast pointing toward Baghdad. I can't describe the feeling that I had but as I pushed the throttles up to full afterburner and released the brakes I turned to my right seater and said "Well Marty, we're on our way." That was almost as profound as what one Lieutenant right-seater said to his pilot after we took off on that moonless August night when we deployed to Saudi Arabia, "Gosh Sir, looks like it'll be dark all night." "Yup," the pilot replied.
Everyone in the three ship was nervous and we all made little errors like bad radio calls or missed frequencies, but we made a smooth level off at 20,000 feet and only had a tanker rendezvous and air refueling between us and the Iraqi border. What I did next I had planned for over a week. While Marty busied himself with checking the flight's fuel on the HF radio, I pulled out some matches from an MRE and a pack of cigarettes that had come in one of those 'to any servicemember' boxes. The flare of the match lit up the dark cockpit as I puffed on that cigarette to get it lit. Marty had a cow. Actually it had just the effect I wanted. He just couldn't believe that ‘straight arrow’ Ike Sweesy was smoking a cigarette. Yes, I put out that cigarette right away but the terrible taste stayed in my mouth for hours. The other two crews saw our cockpit light up with flames and Marty told them over the HF radio what I did. This out-of-character action really broke the tension for us and we relaxed and we started performing like fighter crews.
In about forty five minutes Marty had the tanker cell on radar and we made an outstanding tanker rendezvous. And it had been all 'comm out' since we departed from homeplate of Ta-if (30 miles from Mecca!). We turned at just the right time, never exceeded 30 degrees of bank, and rolled out exactly one mile behind the tanker. With our 50 knots of overtake we pulled up to the refueling boom and I stabilized under the KC-135 tanker as our wingmen moved to the side of the tanker. We each took on over 2500 gallons of jet fuel in one long gulp. It only took about 6 minutes or so, but it was overcast and pitch black with no moon. Only the blinking position lights of the other fighters were there to remind me of the mission ahead.
By the time the 3 EF-111's were finished refueling, the F-4G Wild Weasels were anxious to get their gas (F4's are always anxious for gas). The Weasels shoot missiles at radars and also have Air-to-Air missiles against enemy fighters, so we waited for them to refuel before we all headed to the drop off point together. The 12 Weasels and my 3 Ravens had drained three tankers dry. As each flight lead took his flight from the tankers we all jockeyed for position and took up our assigned altitude heading for the 'push' point. The 4 F-15 'Eagles' pushed five minutes earlier to do a Mig Sweep ahead of us, then came 8 Weasels with our 3 EFs at 30 seconds trail each and finally the last 4 Weasels. We were stacked from 12,000 feet all the way up to 23,000 feet with the Eagles up above 30,000. All were at 510 knots for the ingress. Other strikers with bombs were down in the weeds on TFR (Terrain Following Radar). And this was only the SEAD package (Suppression of Enemy Air Defense). Once the air defenses were thinned out, hundreds of other fighters hit targets such as the nuclear/ chem/ biological warfare facilities; command, control, and communication capabilities; and SCUD missile facilities.
When we passed the Iraqi border the airborne radar aircraft AWACS started giving us "Bogey Dope" on the enemy fighters' locations and I felt this strange exhilaration just like at RED FLAG exercises at Las Vegas when Bob Patridge, my EWO and I, led a 40 aircraft 'Gorilla'. We were on a Penetration Escort mission to a target northwest of Area 51 ("the box") and the Aggressor F-5s and F-16s were looking for us. On that mission we led the whole package in to the target area, then egressed at MACH 1.2 and 300 feet above the ground TFR to avoid the interceptors trying to 'kill' us. It feels real even in Nevada (of course, that's the point of wargames). Now, however, it was for keeps, but it felt almost the same. Actually those feelings only come rarely. I remember thinking that this felt just like the first time I soloed a Cessna 150 down in Puerto Rico when I was 16 years old. There was a certain thrill. You knew that you had been well-trained but there was still a chance that you wouldn't live through it. The adrenaline was really pumping now and Marty and I were leaning forward in our seats in anticipation. Actually it was to help us look around the aircraft for missiles or AAA.
We were jamming the early warning radars from over a hundred miles before the border and then on in to the target area, and the EMI (ElectroMagnetic Interference) got so bad that Marty and I had trouble talking to each other. Soon we couldn't hear the Bogey Dope either. I didn't want to get out in front of our shooter cover so I would point to the ground speed indicator and Marty would signal with his left hand to pull back or push up the throttles then hold up 5 or 10 fingers for knots. We had annotated on our map where we would be when the strikers were to hit targets so that we could watch for them. 10 F-111Fs and 2 Mud-Eagles (F-15Es) were coming in on the deck against two different targets. F-117 Stealth fighters were hitting targets in Baghdad and we were jammin' for everyone! The audio tape of one F-111 attack on an airfield was on CNN as well as some video of F-117 hits.
Just prior to the F-15E strike, our Jamming computer malfunctioned dumping all of our automatic jammer steering. This was bad news since we were blinding the radars that control the Iraqi SAMs and interceptors. Marty was very busy for too many tense seconds getting everything set up again on manual to protect the strikers and ourselves. I grabbed the map and took over navigation to get us to the orbit. I was so busy with ground speed calculations, navigation and watching outside for missile threats that I didn't even look for the first bomb strike by the Mud-Eagles that closed an enemy fighter base and destroyed an important radar center. We were very busy however when we got to our orbit and didn't have time to lament this.
We were only 25 miles from an active Iraqi interceptor base with lots of Soviet-built Mig 29s and French F-1s; and besides flying my orbit parameters, we were looking for those threats. Just after we got into the orbit, the 10 F-111s hit that airfield and shut it down and an F-15 shot down an Iraqi F-1 from there that had gotten off before the strike. We knew the TOT (Time Over Target) and were watching the airfield and saw it all. It was spectacular!! By this time, our F-117 Stealth Fighters were striking targets in Baghdad and the whole sky lit up with sparkles. I'm sure you saw it on the news. It was doubly impressive from where we were I can assure you. Our jamming orbit was just outside of two SA-2 (Surface-to-Air Missile) threat rings but what we didn't know was that the Iraqis had put up another one that was only 4 nautical miles from our orbit centroid. They had never turned it on before, so our Intelligence didn't know it was there! Just as "Monk" and "Rude Dog" were turning at the end of the orbit, the SA-2 launched and I saw it shooting up. We were jamming of course, and it exploded behind them and lit up the cockpit and the whole sky around them. Rude Dog said it was like daylight in the cockpit! Even if I had tried, I couldn't have transmitted a warning because of our EMI noise.
A couple minutes later, I was looking out and saw a SCUD surface to surface missile fired and it looked like an inverted bowl of light. What an impressive sight! It landed in a Saudi oil field. Finally all the strikers were clear and we departed our orbit for the Saudi border going the speed of smell. Marty kept telling me to push it up but we were just short of supersonic already and I didn't want to use my afterburners anymore because of my fuel state. On the way out, AAA was firing at us but we were so high that they couldn't reach us. Well, I climbed even higher. We finally reached the border and slowed down - both our speed and our breathing. We had survived our first combat in Iraq after over 45 minutes in enemy territory!
Since our homeplate of Taif was closed for fog, I directed the flight to find the Post-Strike tanker and refuel again. (No communications blackout now since they know we are here). We would return to Taif and hold for better weather and then divert only if required. My wingmen whined but I made them do it. They were glad later when they had enough fuel to get to yet another tanker and hold over the field until the fog cleared out. [other flights ended up diverting to Jeddah and other bases] We eventually ended up refueling from four different tankers that mission until the field opened up. Most of the F-111s wimped out and flew a straight in approach but I went to overhead initial and pitched out like a man for a 360 overhead pattern and landed as the last whisps of fog dispersed. As we rolled out down the runway, Marty and I shook hands and smiled broadly. After almost six hours in the air, we had completed our first combat mission over Iraq and were back home to prepare for another.
It took us 25 minutes holding at the end of the runway waiting for all the planes to land before we could get across to our parking spot in Q10, but I finally put my plane back where I found it. That's the way it's supposed to be. We eventually found that not a single EF-111 or F-111 had been lost even though most of us had been fired at by surface missiles, enemy interceptor aircraft, or ground fire (AAA)!
The euphoria of the successful mission was tremendous and Marty and I were yelling and slapping hands with a high 5 and everyone on the maintenance crew was shaking our hands. What a feeling! As I said, those special feelings only come rarely and it hasn't returned in my subsequent combat missions. Now it is just a dangerous job that must be done to make things in this region right. I know the dangers and do my job professionally but I know the Lord is watching over me. The war isn't over yet and will be some time still, but no matter what happens, I know the Lord is with me and with my Christian friends here. We have seen his deliverance over and over again in our first combat mission and in missions since! Keep praying for us.
I eventually flew 34 missions over Iraq and Kuwait during those 6 short weeks of war.
Since we were based on the opposite side of Saudi Arabia from Iraq, most missions lasted around 4 hours or more and all involved refueling, sometime both inbound and outbound depending upon the target area in Iraq and how much maneuvering was required. On one mission I had 3 missiles fired at me. But with Full Afterburners, defensive jamming, Chaff, and maneuvers, all missed!! On another mission, some Iraqi fighters attacked our formation. Without guns or missiles on the EF-111, we did our defensive maneuvering and called for the Eagles! Reforming my flight of 4 EF's, I continued with the mission. By the end of March 1991 we returned home to bands, speeches, and parades, which was quite a difference from my 'welcome home' after Southeast Asia. Then, less than a year later, I was back over in Saudi Arabia as the EF-111 commander with the 'provisional wing'.
I retired in 1992 after twenty years of flying fighters, but the U.S. is still there (or should I say 'again'), just like in many, many other locations around the world now. Pray for those great warriors.
from NDSM WEEKNUMMER681-HRE0000CD73 "Melania"
newsreel
film commentaar Philip Bloemendaal
tewaterlating van de eerste helft van deze 200.000 tons tanker, het achterschip.
Direct na de tewaterlating werd begonnen aan de bouw van het voorschip.
"Melania" was one of four similar VLCC's built
at the NDSM yard Amsterdam.
Shell ordered 3 ships and Maersk ordered 1 ship.
''Melania'', ''Marticia'', ''Mysella'', for Shell Tankers U.K.
''Dagmar Maersk'' for A.P. Moller,
"Melania"
Imo number: 6828569
Year of construction: 1969
Discarded in: 1976
Class: M-class 200.000 ton
Tonnage: 212.760
Yard: NDSM
Nederlandse Dok & Scheepsbouw Maatschappij Amsterdam Holland
Construction number: 535
Flag: GB Great Britain
Callsign: GYCE
Sailed for Anglo-Saxon / Shell Tankers UK / STUK
Owner:Anglo-Saxon / Shell Tankers U.K.
Completed 1969 as "Melania" for STUK,
by joining two halves afloat.
1976 sold to Goulandris Greece and renamed "Andros Tempo". 1976 sold to Centurion Maritime and renamed "Atlas Titan",
27-5-1979 exploded and on fire while tankcleaning at Setubal.
31-5-1980 arrived Kaohsiung for scrap.
info: Helderline
This tanker blew up on May 27, 1979,
killing three men.
Another drowned while trying to abandon ship by way of the after mooring ropes.
Earlier "Atlas Titan" (ex-"Melania") (ex "Andros Tempo")
had discharged cargo at Wilhelmshaven and the tanks had been crude oil washed in the required inert condition. En route to Setubal for drydock, her tanks received a water wash and slops were collected in No 5 Center tank and the port slop tank.
When "Atlas Titan" berthed at Gaslimpo Tankcleaning on May 24, the tanks were reported as properly inerted.
But there was a problem with a valve or line in No 5 center which prevented that tank from being pumped down to the last 4-5 ft of sounding.
It was therefore planned to complete the job with portable pumps.
An initial attempt -- using hydraulic equipment with the power unit situated safely on the poop -- failed.
Because of a defective seal.
Efforts to repair the pump were unsuccessful.
As a result, it was decided to use five air-driven sump pumps, suspended in the tank by means of a non-synthetic rope.
Air was supplied via standard compressed air hoses fitted with instantaneous couplings of ferrous material and exhausted through a short stub pipe on each pump and vented into the cargo tank.`
Discharge hoses of synthetic construction and fitted with aluminum instantaneous couplings led from each pump through a single tank hatch and then to below the liquid level in the port slop tank, so eliminating the possibility of static generation through free-fall.
But none of the pumps was electrically bonded to the ship's structure.
The first pump was started at 1900 on May 26th;
by 0030 the next day four units were working.
The fifth pump was not started until 1600.
Less than two hours later, the VLCC "Atlas Titan"
(ex-"Melania") (ex "Andros Tempo") blew up.
The explosion in 5C ripped open the decks and caused crippling structural damage.
Later the tanker was declared a CTL.
The first four pumps operated each had an air consumption of some 9600 cu ft/hr while the capacity of the fifth unit is still unknown.
However, simple calculation shows that air consumed and then exhausted into No 5 center tank by the first four pumps alone totalled 792,000 cu ft compared to the tank's capacity of 899,339 cu ft.
This indicates that almost a complete air change had been effected, so negating the inerting operation carried out earlier !
This Dragon kite was made by Master Vietnamese kite maker Nguyen Van Be from Hue, vietnam. He is considered to be the most renowned Vietnamese kite maker, based among other reasons on the number of overseas festivals he has attended (nine in France alone). The tale of this kite is 100 meter long.
Tết is celebrated on the same day as Chinese New Year, though exceptions arise due to the one-hour time difference between Hanoi and Beijing resulting in the alternate calculation of the new moon. It takes place from the first day of the first month of the Lunar calendar (around late January or early February) until at least the third day. Many Vietnamese prepare for Tết by cooking special holiday foods and cleaning the house. There are a lot of customs practiced during Tết, such as visiting a person's house on the first day of the new year (xông nhà), ancestral worshipping, wishing New Year's greetings, giving lucky money to children and elderly people, and opening a shop.
Tết is also an occasion for pilgrims and family reunions. During Tết, Vietnamese visit their relatives and temples, forgetting about the troubles of the past year and hoping for a better upcoming year. They consider Tết to be the first day of spring and the festival is often called Hội xuân (spring festival).
From wikipedia
HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR : The year of the Dragon 2012
AFRIKAANS gelukkige nuwejaar ALBANIAN Gëzuar vitin e ri ALSATIAN e glëckliches ëies / güets nëies johr ARABIC aam saiid / sana saiida ARMENIAN shnorhavor nor tari
AZERI yeni iliniz mubarek BAMBARA bonne année BASQUE urte berri on BELARUSIAN З новым годам (Z novym hodam) BENGALI subho nababarsho BERBER asgwas amegas BETI mbembe mbu BOBO bonne année BOSNIAN sretna nova godina BRETON bloavez mad BULGARIAN честита нова година BIRMAN hnit thit ku mingalar pa CANTONESE kung hé fat tsoi CATALAN feliç any nou CHINESE xin nièn kuai le / xin nièn hao CORSICAN pace e salute CROAT sretna nova godina CZECH šťastný nový rok
DANISH godt nytår DUTCH gelukkig Nieuwjaar ESPERANTO felicxan novan jaron eliæan novan jaron ESTONIAN head uut aastat FAROESE gott nýggjár FINNISH onnellista uutta vuotta FLEMISH gelukkig Nieuwjaar FRENCH bonne année FRIULAN bon an GALICIAN feliz aninovo GEORGIAN gilotsavt aral tsels GERMAN ein gutes neues Jahr / prost Neujahr GREEK kali chronia / kali xronia eutichismenos o kainourgios chronos GUARANÍ rogüerohory año nuévo-re HAITIAN CREOLE bònn ané HMONG Jawn Sha No Cha HAWAIIAN hauoli makahiki hou HEBREW shana tova HINDI nav varsh ki subhkamna HUNGARIAN boldog új évet ICELANDIC farsælt komandi ár INDONESIAN selamat tahun baru IRISH GAELIC ath bhliain faoi mhaise ITALIAN felice anno nuovo, buon anno JAPANESE akemashite omedetô KABYLIAN asseguèsse-ameguèsse
KANNADA hosa varshada shubhaashayagalu KHMER sur sdei chhnam thmei KIRUNDI umwaka mwiza KOREAN seh heh bok mani bat uh seyo KURDE sala we ya nû pîroz be
LAO sabai di pi mai LATIN felix sit annus novus LATVIAN laimīgo Jauno gadu LINGALA bonana / mbula ya sika elamu na tonbeli yo LITHUANIAN laimingų Naujųjų Metų LOW SAXON gelükkig nyjaar LUXEMBOURGEOIS e gudd neit Joër MACEDONIAN srekna nova godina MALAGASY arahaba tratry ny taona MALAY selamat tahun baru MALTESE sena gdida mimlija risq MAORI kia hari te tau hou MONGOLIAN shine jiliin bayariin end hurgeye (Шинэ жилийн баярын мэнд хvргэе) MORÉ wênd na kô-d yuum-songo NORWEGIAN godt nytt år OCCITAN bon annada PERSIAN sâle no mobârak POLISH szczęśliwego nowego roku PORTUGUESE feliz ano novo ROMANI bangi vasilica baxt
ROMANIAN un an nou fericit / la mulţi ani RUSSIAN С Новым Годом (S novim godom)
SAMOAN ia manuia le tausaga fou SANGO nzoni fini ngou SARDINIAN bonu annu nou
SCOTTISH GAELIC bliadhna mhath ur SERBIAN srecna nova godina SHONA goredzwa rakanaka \SINDHI nain saal joon wadhayoon SLOVAK stastlivy novy rok SLOVENIAN srečno novo leto SOBOTA dobir leto SPANISH feliz año nuevo SWAHILI mwaka mzuri
SWEDISH gott nytt år SWISS-GERMAN äs guets Nöis TAGALOG manigong bagong taon TAHITIAN ia ora te matahiti api TAMIL iniya puthandu nalVazhthukkal TATAR yana yel belen TELUGU nuthana samvathsara subhakankshalu THAI (sawatdii pimaï) TIBETAN tashi délek TURKISH yeni yiliniz kutlu olsun UDMURT Vyľ Aren UKRAINIAN Z novym rokom URDU naya saal mubarik VIETNAMESE Chúc Mừng Nam Mới / Cung Chúc Tân Niên / Cung Chúc Tân Xuân WALOON ("betchfessîs" spelling) bone annéye / bone annéye èt bone santéye WELSH blwyddyn newydd dda WEST INDIAN CREOLE bon lanné YIDDISH a gut yohr
Modern heroines: the Greek mother ..
In the purse money scarce. In the evening, before bed, she makes calculations. How to pay the bills . Which expences to cut, reducing the costs more and more .. If she will have a job tomorrow. But In the morning she has a tender hug and a big smile for her family .. And endless love, that no austerity measures can limit . This is the Greek mother today ... A heroine. Happy Mother's day ! ( DSC_0820: day shot at the beach)
Working towards a better word
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www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EWXz_TJfQg
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rym3GCIlMUA
www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjjKtIo4dyM
Σύγχρονες ηρωίδες: η Ελληνίδα μάνα..
Στο πορτοφόλι τα χρήματα λιγοστά . Το βράδι, πριν κοιμηθεί, κάνει υπολογισμούς. Πως θα πληρώσει τους λογαριασμούς, αν θα έχει αύριο δουλειά.. Περιορίζει τα έξοδα ολοένα και πιο πολύ.. Το πρωί έχει μια τρυφερή αγγαλιά κι ένα χαμόγελο για την οικογένειά της.. Και αστείρευτη αγάπη , που κανένα μέτρο λιτότητας δεν μπορεί να την περιορίσει . Αυτή είναι σήμερα η Ελληνίδα μάνα… Ηρωίδα . Χρόνια Πολλά !