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PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. -- The COVID-19 pandemic has created many operational challenges for the military. However, service members, DoD civilians and military families across the globe have adapted to overcome the challenges to stay ready and support the whole-of-government response.
While many service members and DoD civilians who work at the Presidio of Monterey and Defense Language Institute are teleworking – essential employees report to work daily to carry on the mission. Employees are strictly following CDC and DoD guidance of social distancing and face coverings to protect themselves and those around them.
The health and safety of all employees, regardless if they are essential employees or teleworking, is the command’s highest priority.
Our service members and DoD civilians are committed to mission success and remain trained and ready to defend the nation.
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Radio Caroline is a British radio station founded in 1964 by Ronan O'Rahilly initially to circumvent the record companies' control of popular music broadcasting in the United Kingdom and the BBC's radio broadcasting monopoly. Unlicensed by any government for most of its early life, it was a pirate radio station that never actually became illegal, although after the Marine Offences Act (1967) it became illegal for a British subject to associate with it.
The Radio Caroline name was used to broadcast from international waters, using five different ships of three different owners, from 1964 to 1990, and via satellite from 1998 to 2013. Since 19 August 2000, Radio Caroline has also broadcast 24 hours a day via the internet and by the occasional restricted service licence. Currently they also broadcast on DAB radio in certain areas of the UK: these services are part of the Ofcom small-scale DAB+ trials. Caroline can be heard on DAB+ in Aldershot, Birmingham, Brighton, Glasgow, Norwich, London Portsmouth and Woking.
In May 2017 Ofcom awarded the station an AM community licence to broadcast to Suffolk and north Essex; full-time AM (medium wave) broadcasting, via a previously redundant BBC World Service transmitter mast at Orford Ness, commenced on 22 December 2017. Nowadays, it broadcast all around the UK via DAB.
Radio Caroline broadcasts music from the 1960s to contemporary, with an emphasis on album-oriented rock (AOR) and "new" music from "carefully selected albums". On 1 January 2016, a second channel was launched called Caroline Flashback, playing pop music from the late 1950s to the early 1980s.
Radio Caroline was begun by Irish musician manager and businessman Ronan O'Rahilly. O'Rahilly failed to obtain airplay on Radio Luxembourg for Georgie Fame's records because it was committed to sponsored programmes promoting major record labels; EMI, Decca, Pye and Philips.
Encouraged by Scandinavian and Dutch pirates, in February 1964 O'Rahilly obtained the 702-ton former Danish passenger ferry, Fredericia, which was converted into a radio ship at the Irish port of Greenore, owned by O'Rahilly's father. At the same time, Allan Crawford's Project Atlanta was equipping the MV Mi Amigo at Greenore, where the two competed to be the first on air.
Financial backing for the venture came from six investors, including John Sheffield, chairman of Norcross, Carl "Jimmy" Ross of Ross Foods, Jocelyn Stevens of Queen magazine, with which Radio Caroline shared its first office. O'Rahilly named the station after Caroline Kennedy, daughter of U.S. President John F. Kennedy On a fund-raising trip to the US, O'Rahilly reportedly saw a Life magazine photograph of Kennedy and his children in the Oval Office that served as the inspiration for the name "Caroline Radio". In an extant photo, Caroline Kennedy and her brother, John F. Kennedy Jr., are apparently dancing in the Oval Office as their father looks on, an activity which O'Rahilly reportedly interpreted as a playful disruption of government.
First transmissions
The Fredericia was renamed MV Caroline and anchored off Felixstowe, where it began test transmissions on Friday, 27 March 1964. On Saturday, 28 March, it began regular broadcasting at noon on 197.3 metres/1520 kHz (announced as 199 metres) with the opening conducted by Simon Dee.[10] The first programme, which was pre-recorded, was hosted by Chris Moore. Radio Caroline's first musical theme was Jimmy McGriff's "Round Midnight", a jazz standard co-composed by Thelonious Monk. In March 1964, The Fortunes recorded Caroline, which became the station's theme. Round Midnight was confined to close down on Radio Caroline North after The World Tomorrow. The station's slogan was Your all-day music station, and it initially broadcast from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week.
Radio Caroline announced a wavelength of 199 metres, rhyming with the name, but was actually broadcasting on 197.3 metres (1520 kHz). Stations in the UK announced the wavelength in metres, and radios at that time were tuned using an analogue dial. The absence of precise digital readouts allowed for some leeway between the precise transmission frequency and the channel announced on the air. The Dutch offshore station Radio Veronica was on 192 metres (1562 kHz) and Radio Atlanta broadcast on 201 (1493 kHz).
Radio Caroline's transmission output was almost 20 kW, achieved by linking two 10 kW Continental Electronics transmitters. Broadcasting hours were 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. to avoid competition from Radio Luxembourg. After its close-down, the station returned at 8 p.m. and continued until after midnight. This was to avoid competition with popular television programmes. Most of Radio Caroline's pop music programmes were targeted at housewives, and some later programming was aimed at children. Without serious competition, Radio Caroline gained a regular daytime audience of some 10 million.
Merger with Radio Atlanta
On 2 July 1964, Radio Atlanta and Radio Caroline's companies, Project Atlanta and Planet Productions., announced the stations were to merge, with Crawford and O'Rahilly as joint managing directors. Radio Atlanta closed at 8 p.m. that day. It was renamed Radio Caroline South and MV Mi Amigo remained off Frinton-on-Sea while MV Caroline broadcast as Radio Caroline North. MV Caroline sailed from Felixstowe to the Isle of Man, broadcasting as she went. The only broadcast staff on board were Tom Lodge and Jerry Leighton. MV Caroline arrived at her new anchorage on the southern tip of the Bahama Bank, Ramsey Bay, on 6 July 1964,[11] at a position formerly occupied by the Bahama Bank Lightship. The two stations were able to cover most of the British Isles. Later, some programmes were pre-recorded on land and broadcast simultaneously from both ships.
In October 1965, O'Rahilly bought Crawford's interest in the MV Mi Amigo and engaged Tom Lodge from Radio Caroline North to make programme changes and regain the audience from Radio London. Lodge hired new DJs and introduced free-form programming which, by August 1966, had succeeded, creating an audience of 23 million.
When the US-backed Radio London arrived off the coast of England, there was an unsuccessful attempt to merge its sales operation with that of Caroline before Radio London started transmissions.[citation needed]. The new station introduced British audiences to slick American-style top 40 radio with electronic jingles produced by Dallas-based PAMS – and was an immediate success.
Broadcasting personnel
Radio Caroline's first programme, on 28 March 1964, was presented by Chris Moore.[12] Presenters Tony Blackburn, Roger Gale, Mike Allen, Ray Teret, Roger Day, Simon Dee, Tony Prince, Spangles Muldoon, Keith Skues, Johnnie Walker, Robbie Dale, Dave Lee Travis, Tommy Vance, Tom Edwards, Paul Noble, Bob Stewart and Andy Archer became well known. Some DJs from the USA and Commonwealth countries, such as Graham Webb, Emperor Rosko, Steve Young, Keith Hampshire, Colin Nicol and Norman St John, were also heard. DJ Jack Spector, of the WMCA "Good Guys" in New York, regularly recorded for Radio Caroline. Syndicated shows from the US and recorded religious programmes were also broadcast. BBC Radio 2 newsreader Colin Berry and Classic FM's Nick Bailey started their careers reading the news on Radio Caroline South.
In mid-September 1965, the crew and DJs on MV Mi Amigo were joined for the weekend by 1960s pop singer Sylvan Whittingham, who visited the ship to promote her single "We Don't Belong". Whittingham was unable to leave on the tender when a storm arose. The only singer to stay overnight, she helped present programmes, make jingles, and close the station at night.
Mi Amigo runs aground
On 20 January 1966, the MV Mi Amigo lost its anchor in a storm, drifted and ran aground on the beach at Frinton-on-Sea. The crew and broadcasting staff were rescued unharmed, but the ship's hull was damaged and repairs were carried out at Zaandam, Netherlands. Between 31 January and 1 May, Radio Caroline South broadcast from the vessel Cheeta II, owned by Britt Wadner of Swedish offshore station Radio Syd, which was off the air because of pack ice in the Baltic Sea.[5] The Cheeta II was equipped for FM broadcasting, so it was fitted with the 10 kW transmitter from the Mi Amigo, feeding a makeshift antenna. The resulting signal was low-powered, but ensured that Caroline South's advertising revenue would continue.
The Mi Amigo returned to its Frinton-on-Sea anchorage with a redesigned antenna and a new 50 kW transmitter and attempted to resume broadcasting on 18 April, nominally on 259 metres to enable the same jingles as Radio Caroline North on 1169 kHz to be used, but actually 252 metres. The transmitter was initially too powerful for the antenna insulators. On 27 April, the Mi Amigo was fully operational.
Radio Caroline South's 259 metres signal was now near those of Radio London on 266m (1133 kHz) and the BBC's Light Programme on 247m (1214 kHz). Radio Caroline North subsequently moved to 257m (1169 kHz) but also called it 259.
Radio City affair
In October 1965, negotiations began for Radio Caroline to take over Radio City, which broadcast from Shivering Sands Army Fort, a Second World War marine fort off the Kent[5] coast. One of Radio Caroline's directors, Major Oliver Smedley, formerly of Radio Atlanta, entered a partnership with Radio City's owner, pop group manager Reginald Calvert and installed a more powerful transmitter on the fort. However, according to Gerry Bishop's book Offshore Radio this transmitter was antiquated and failed to work. Smedley later withdrew from the deal.
On 20 June 1966, Smedley boarded the Shivering Sands Fort with 10 workmen to repossess a transmitter that he had supplied, but had not been paid for. The next day, Calvert visited Smedley's home in Saffron Walden, Essex, to demand the departure of the raiders and the return of vital transmitter parts. During a violent struggle, Calvert was shot dead. Smedley's men occupied the fort until 22 June.
Smedley was charged with Calvert's murder on 18 July, but this was reduced to a charge of manslaughter. Smedley's trial opened on 11 October at Chemlsford Assizes, where the jury acquitted him.
legal ownership.
In 1967, the UK Government enacted the Marine, &c., Broadcasting (Offences) Act 1967, outlawing advertising on or supplying an unlicensed offshore radio station from the UK. In an earlier House of Commons debate (in June 1966), the government had claimed that the pirate ships were a danger because of radio frequency interference to emergency shipping channels, and to overseas radio stations and the pirates were paying no royalties to artists, composers or record companies. Furthermore, it was stated that the pirates' use of wavelengths also broke international agreements.[15] The Manx parliament, the Tynwald, attempted to exclude the North ship from the legislation, appealing to the European Court on the legality of the act being applied to the Isle of Man. Two (Radio 270 and Radio London) of the remaining four UK based offshore stations closed, but the two Caroline ships continued with their supply operation moved to the Netherlands, which did not outlaw unlicensed ship based broadcasting until 1974.
When Marine &c. Broadcasting Offences Act become law on 14 August 1967, Radio Caroline was renamed Radio Caroline International. Six weeks later, the BBC introduced its new national pop station Radio 1, modelled largely on the successful offshore station Radio London, and employed many of the ex-pirate DJs. The BBC Light, Third, and Home programmes became Radios 2, 3 and 4 respectively.
On 3 March 1968, the radio ships Mi Amigo and Caroline, were boarded and seized before the day's broadcasting began. They were towed to Amsterdam by a salvage company to secure unpaid bills for servicing by the Dutch tender company Wijsmuller Transport
Because of the rise of land based pirate stations after the MOA became law - Usually stations run from bedrooms or outdoor sheds with small wattage transmitters - At least two stations broadcast using the Caroline name, one based in Dublin. These broadcasts took place between 1970 and 1973.
On 24 March 1970, a radio ship named Mebo II anchored off the east coast of England during the UK general election campaign, broadcasting as Radio North Sea International (RNI). RNI operated on medium wave, short wave and FM. Its medium wave transmission was jammed by the UK authorities and on 13 June, RNI changed its name to Radio Caroline International with co-operation from Ronan O'Rahilly. Radio Caroline lobbied against the Labour Party, for the Conservative Party and for the introduction of licensed commercial radio in the United Kingdom. Following the election, RNI resumed its original name but jamming continued under the newly elected Conservative government.[18] It was not until RNI returned to its original anchorage off the Netherlands that the jamming ceased.
Caroline Television
News stories appeared in Europe announcing the start of Caroline Television from two Super Constellation aircraft using Stratovision technology. One would circle over the North Sea in international air space near the United Kingdom, while the other remained on standby. Presentations were made to US advertising agencies. These stories continued and included co-operation by a former member of the Beatles and a sign-on date of 1 July; the station failed to appear.
It was later shown to be a publicity stunt.
1974–1978
In 1972, MV Mi Amigo was bought for her scrap value at auction by enthusiast Gerard van Dam, who intended to use her as a free radio museum. O'Rahilly promised financial backing if van Dam could return the ship to broadcasting condition.[22] The ship anchored off the Dutch coastal resort of Scheveningen and was serviced and operated from the Netherlands. That autumn various tests, consisting of continuous music, were made on 259 metres. The station restarted just before Christmas as Radio 199 but soon became Radio Caroline, with a Top 40 format. DJs Chris Cary, broadcasting as Spangles Muldoon (who was also station manager), Roger 'Twiggy' Day, Andy Archer, Paul Alexander, Steve England, Johnny Jason and Peter Chicago (real name Peter Murtha) manned the station.
In late 1972, Radio Caroline had money problems. On 28 December, unpaid crew cut the Mi Amigo's generator fuel line and departed. Later that day, the Dutch Royal Navy returned the crew and fighting broke out on board. Two days later, Mi Amigo was towed to IJmuiden and seized because of unpaid bills. Because of the Christmas holidays, no solicitors were available to issue a writ and the ship lay in Amsterdam harbour until O'Rahilly arranged for it to be towed back to sea. The ship was further delayed by hull damage and repaired before writs could be issued.
Between 11 and 20 April 1973, the ship broadcast for Radio Veronica while its ship, the Norderney, was aground. Because of a law that allows pirates in distress to come ashore without arrest, the running aground had no consequences for the crew. During summer 1973, it broadcast separate stations in English and Dutch simultaneously, on 389 m / 773 kHz and 252 m (announced as 259) / 1187 kHz. Two aerials and twin transmitters were used for about six weeks until the aerial mast failed. To accommodate the second aerial, a second short mast, just in front of the bridge, was employed as the other end for the main mast.
Radio Atlantis and Radio Seagull
Around this time, O'Rahilly decided Caroline should adopt an album format similar to FM progressive rock stations in the USA, an audience not catered for in Europe. This service was Radio Seagull and broadcast live during the evening.
Since Radio Caroline could not find enough advertising, it shared its nominal 259 metre wavelength (actually 1187 kHz or 253 metres) with Dutch-language pop stations. The first was a Belgian station called Radio Atlantis, owned by Belgian businessman Adriaan van Landschoot. Programmes were recorded on land and broadcast between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. Rough weather sometimes prevented tapes from arriving and old programmes had to be repeated. Later in 1973, when the contract with Radio Caroline ended, the crew of Radio Atlantis moved to their own ship, the MV Jeanine.
Radio Seagull became Radio Caroline on 23 February 1974, retaining the album format. Throughout most of the 1970s, Radio Caroline could be heard only at night, calling itself "Europe's first and only album station".
Radio Mi Amigo
Another Belgian station, Radio Mi Amigo International, launched on 1 January 1974; it was run by Belgian businessman and Suzy Waffles owner Sylvain Tack. The station's offices and studios were in Brakel, Belgium, but moved to Castell-Platja d'Aro, Costa Brava, Spain in March 1975 after a raid by Belgian police. Here they produced programmes for Dutch-speaking holidaymakers, mostly Europop, Top 40, MOR and Dutch language popular music presented by Belgian, Dutch and occasionally English DJs with frequent commercials. Because commercial radio was prohibited in Belgium, Radio Mi Amigo had little competition from the former BRT State Radio and TV (today VRT Flemisch State radio and TV) and became very popular in Belgium, the Netherlands and the UK. For the first years, advertising on the station was in demand. When Radio Veronica closed in 1974, some presenters moved to Radio Mi Amigo.
Loving Awareness
Caroline's album format meant that, although the station served a gap in the market, its audience was smaller than in the 1960s. Caroline also promoted O'Rahilly's concept of Loving Awareness (LA), a far-eastern philosophy of love and peace. Some DJs were embarrassed but some were fascinated by the challenge of an abstract concept. Disc jockey Tony Allan developed a following, combining Loving Awareness with a professional style, humanity, knowledge of music and rich radio voice.[citation needed]
In 1974, O'Rahilly set up a pop group called The Loving Awareness Band, comprising John Turnbull (guitar) and Mick Gallagher (keyboards) both formerly of Skip Bifferty and two session musicians, Norman Watt-Roy (bass) and Charlie Charles (drums). In 1976, The Loving Awareness Band released their only album, Loving Awareness on More Love Records (ML001), a label set up by O'Rahilly. The album was reissued on CD on Ross Records, c.1992, and in a "30th Anniversary Edition" with bonus material on SMC Records in 2005. The band broke up in 1977; Watt-Roy and Charles played on Ian Dury's New Boots and Panties!! album, and Turnbull and Gallagher joined them on the Stiff's tour, becoming The Blockheads.
Dutch legislation
The Dutch government banned unlicensed offshore radio on 1 September 1974. Radio Caroline continued, moving its headquarters and servicing operation to Spain. On 30 August 1974 Mi Amigo moved from the Dutch coast to the Knock Deep Channel, approximately 12 miles (19 km) from the British coast. After 31 August, shows for Radio Mi Amigo were delivered on cassettes rather than reel-to-reel tapes. Beginning in 1975, the cassettes were transported from Playa d'Aro on the Europa Bus service, which carried people from Amsterdam to Madrid at low prices. The tapes were picked up in Belgium at a bus stop, taken to a small sports plane and dropped in the sea close to the radio ship. The Mi Amigo "Top 50" tapes were flown over by helicopter to get them on board more quickly.
On 1 September, a small motor launch had difficulties in rough seas. Radio Caroline broadcast appeals for help, giving the ship's position as 51°41′N 1°35′E. A coastguard vessel escorted the launch back to shore, but the authorities were unhappy that Caroline listeners had jammed the emergency switchboards.
The Mi Amigo was tendered clandestinely from Britain, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. Tenders and boat owners were warned, and some were prosecuted for ferrying staff and provisions to the ship. Belgium had outlawed offshore radio in 1962 and prosecuted advertisers, cutting the station's revenue. Belgian courts sentenced Tack and some DJs to fines and jail in absentia, although the prison terms were later cancelled.
Wavelength changes
The two stations experimented with different frequencies. After a short test on 773 kHz in late 1975, in May 1976, Radio Caroline began a daytime service on 1562 kHz (192 m) using a 10 kW transmitter, while its overnight service continued to share the 50 kW transmitter with Radio Mi Amigo's daytime programming on 1187 kHz (253 metres, announced as 259).
In December 1976, Radio Mi Amigo moved to 1562 kHz on the 50 kW transmitter, leaving Caroline on 1187 kHz 24 hours a day on the 10 kW. Radio Caroline had greater night-time interference, and it was decided to move Caroline to a new frequency. On 3 March 1977, Caroline closed, announcing that it would return six days later on 319 metres. To allow Radio Mi Amigo to continue broadcasting by day, the engineering work for Caroline's move had to be carried out over six nights, after the 50 kW transmitter was switched off.
Caroline returned on 9 March 1977 on 953 kHz, actually 315 metres but announced as 319. This gave reasonable reception by day but strong heterodyne interference at night because the transmitter crystal was off-channel. In July Caroline moved to the adjacent channel, 962 kHz (312 metres but still called 319) and reception in the UK improved. Meanwhile, Radio Mi Amigo had interference on 1562 kHz and changed to 1412 kHz (212 m).
Finally, Radio Mi Amigo moved to 962 kHz on 1 December. Due to generator trouble, the two services could no longer be broadcast simultaneously and Radio Caroline again broadcast at night with both stations using the 50 kW transmitter and Radio Caroline began to receive more mail from the continent. At times, a 10 kW transmitter was used to save fuel and relieve the generators. The 10 kW transmitters could run on the Henschel generator beside the two main MAN units and also a Cummins unit on the aft deck behind the wheelhouse.
In late 1977, Radio Caroline began sponsored evangelical programmes, and music programmes began at 9 p.m. On 20 October 1978, technical and financial problems put the Mi Amigo off the air. Unhappy at the loss of advertising, Radio Mi Amigo terminated its contract with Caroline in November 1978 and broadcast from its own ship, the MV Magdalena later that year, but this was short-lived. Broadcasting was in Dutch and English by day and in English at night, although for the first few months broadcasting finished at 10 p.m. On 19 January 1979, the ageing ship took in water and a lifeboat was called to rescue the crew members. Radio Caroline returned to the air on 15 April 1979. The first record played was Fool (If You Think It's Over), by Chris Rea, dedicated to the British Home Office. During this period each night transmission of Radio Caroline started with Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft by the progressive Rock Band Klaatu, issued in 1976 on their album 3:47 E.S.T.
Mi Amigo sinks
Just after midnight GMT on 20 March 1980, the Mi Amigo foundered in a storm after losing its anchor and drifting. It began taking in water and the crew was rescued by lifeboat.[5] The generator was left running but the pumps could not manage and the vessel sank 10 minutes later. Three British nationals, a Dutchman and their canary (named Wilson after the former Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson) were rescued. The last broadcast from the Mi Amigo was by Stevie Gordon and Tom Anderson
(Gordon): Well, we're sorry to tell you that due to the severe weather conditions and the fact that we are shipping quite a lot of water, we are closing down, and the crew are at this stage leaving the ship. Obviously, we hope to be back with you as soon as possible, but just for the moment we would like to say goodbye.
(Anderson): It's not a very good occasion really, we have to hurry this because the lifeboat is standing by. We're not leaving and disappearing, we're going onto the lifeboat hoping that the pumps can take it; if they can, we'll be back, if not, well, we really don't like to say it.
(Gordon): I think we'll be back in one way or another.
(Anderson): Yeah. I think so.
(Gordon): For the moment from all of us, goodbye and God bless.
The crew of the Sheerness lifeboat Helen Turnbull were commended for the rescue of broadcasters Tom Anderson, Stevie Gordon, Nick Richards and Hans Verlaan from Mi Amigo while it was sinking in the Black Deep near Long Sand Bank. Having to manoeuvre the lifeboat alongside the stricken vessel 13 times in high seas and a north-easterly gale earned Coxswain Charles Bowry an RNLI silver medal. Each of his crew was awarded The Thanks of the Institution on vellum.
The Mi Amigo's 160-foot (49 m) mast remained erect for six years.
The station restarted in August 1983 from a new radio ship, the MV Ross Revenge, an ex-North Sea factory fishing trawler used during the Anglo-Icelandic Cod War by Ross Fisheries.[32] It had an antenna system radiating from a 300-foot (91 m) high mast, the tallest on any ship in the world. It left Spain, with an incomplete studio, to avoid legal entanglements. Radio Caroline began to broadcast from the ship on 19 August 1983, with unwanted mechanical sounds on speech. The station was opened by DJ Tom Anderson, who had said "goodbye" from the sinking Mi Amigo in 1980.
The Ross Revenge was larger than Mi Amigo and with more elaborate transmitting equipment: in 1983, two 5 kW RCA transmitters and a RCA 50 kW unit. One 5 kW transmitter was initially not serviceable. When Radio Monique hired the main transmitter, spare parts were taken from a fourth transmitter to convert the 5 kW into a 10 kW unit, the RCA 5 and 10 kW transmitters having similar designs.[34] The remaining 5 kW transmitter was later converted for short wave use.
O'Rahilly wanted Radio Caroline to become an oldies station. He was opposed by some DJs and crew who had worked on the Mi Amigo and the album format stayed along with presenters such as Andy Archer, Samantha Dubois, Grant Benson, Robin Ross and Simon Barrett. Officially, Radio Caroline was managed from offices in North America, with advertising from the US and Canada. In practice, day-to-day servicing was carried from France and the UK.
From the anchorage in the Knock Deep the Mi Amigo's mast could be seen on the horizon. Four studios were on board, enabling other services. Radio Caroline tried several frequencies, among them 963, 576, 585 (briefly), 558 (after Laser 558 closed) and later 819 kHz. European medium wave channels had been reallocated to multiples of nine. In the evenings on 963, some alternative music programmes were tried, including the reggae "Jamming 963", and in 1986 and early 1987, a progressive and indie rock programme called Caroline Overdrive hosted by Kevin Turner, Mark Matthews, Peter Phillips, Mick Williams (a.k.a. Ray Clark) and Rob Charles.
On 9 August 1985, an official vessel anchored 150 yards from the Ross Revenge. The UK Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) put a permanent watch on movements around the Ross Revenge and the MV Communicator, Laser 558's ship. On 3 September 1985 at 00:00 hours the Dioptric Surveyor departed in a storm.
Radio Monique
Main article: Radio Monique
From December 1984 the Ross Revenge broadcast Radio Monique, recorded and live Dutch-language programmes of a Dutch music radio production company using the 50 kW transmitter during daytime. They were pop and Europop aimed at the mainstream Dutch audience. Radio Monique was popular throughout Benelux.
In the evenings, Radio Caroline transmitted Dutch and American religious evangelist broadcasters such as Johan Maasbach and Roy Masters on medium wave, and later on short wave, under the name Viewpoint 963/819, or World Mission Radio (WMR) on short wave.
In November 1985, the competing offshore station, Laser 558, closed after electrical problems and Caroline moved from 576 kHz to Laser's 558 kHz frequency, with a Top 40 music format similar to Laser's under the name Caroline 558. When Laser returned as Laser Hot Hits, it used Caroline's former and inferior frequency of 576 kHz.
Mast collapse
In 1987, the Territorial Sea Act[35] extended the UK maritime limit from three to 12 nautical miles (22 km). To remain in international waters, the ship moved to a new, less-sheltered anchorage. Initially this was a minor inconvenience as the 300-foot (91 m) mast was thought sturdy enough. However, in October 1987 a massive storm hit southern England, causing deaths and severe damage. MV Ross Revenge weathered the storm in the North Sea.
The following day, Caroline was one of few stations in the South East still broadcasting. However, the storm had weakened the mast, which collapsed in another storm later. Caroline returned to the air using a makeshift aerial with a less powerful signal. This was replaced by a twin-mast T-antenna. For several months only one transmitter could be used, leading to the loss of the income-generating Radio Monique, although a substitute Dutch daytime service, Radio 558 (later Radio 819), was eventually established.
1989 Anglo-Dutch raid
During mid-August 1989, authorities in several European countries carried out co-ordinated raids on houses, recording studios and offices believed to be used by Caroline. On 18 August, a British government chartered ship pulled up alongside the Ross Revenge and asked to board to "discuss the future" of the Ross Revenge and the stations operating from it. This request, and one to stop transmissions on 819 kHz, was refused. A request to stop broadcasting on short wave 6.215 MHz was complied with, and after several hours the government ship returned to port.
The following day James Murphy, an investigator for the UK Office of the Official Solicitor, acting for the Department of Trade and Industry, joined colleagues and counterparts from the Netherlands Radio Regulatory Authority to execute an armed raid on the Ross Revenge in which equipment was damaged or confiscated.
Part of the raid was broadcast live before officials disabled the transmitters. Dutch nationals were arrested and returned to the Netherlands, together with most of the broadcasting equipment. Non-Dutch staff were given the option of staying on the ship or returning to the Netherlands – most chose to stay on board. Caroline claimed boarding the ship and removal or destruction of equipment was piracy. The Dutch claimed the ship's Panamanian registration had lapsed in 1987 and it was not under legal protection from any country and that its transmissions breached international regulations which since 1982 had prohibited broadcasting from outside national territories. Several years later some of the seized items were returned to the station.
In 1990 the UK government amended the 1967 anti-offshore law to allow the boarding and silencing of stations in international waters if their signals could be received in the UK, even if their vessels were foreign registered and operated. Lord Annan, author of the 1977 Report of the Committee on the Future of Broadcasting, spoke in defence of Radio Caroline in the House of Lords at report stage on the Broadcasting Act 1990, saying "Why break a butterfly upon the wheel?" In a 1995 article for the pressure group Charter88, Steve McGann commented:
"Whether Caroline was right to maintain her defiance for so many years is irrelevant. Her story illustrates how uniquely dangerous government regards an independent voice transmitted over unrestricted airwaves and to what ends it will go to silence it."
This legislation remains in force.
1990–1991: After the raid
On 1 October 1989, Radio Caroline restarted broadcasting from the Ross Revenge using makeshift equipment and low power, to retain the 558 kHz frequency. Engineer Peter Chicago had hidden transmitter parts during the raid and retuned one 5 kW transmitter, previously used on short-wave, to 558 kHz. Over the following months, Caroline's signal quality improved as transmitting valves were donated and programming returned to normal.
In June 1990, Spectrum Radio, a new multi-ethnic community radio station in London, was officially allocated 558 kHz. Caroline caused more interference to Spectrum than vice versa. Caroline broadcast regular apologies to Spectrum listeners but refused to vacate the channel. Spectrum threatened to sue the Radio Authority, which then allowed Spectrum to temporarily broadcast on 990 kHz alongside 558 kHz. Eventually, Caroline left 558 kHz and moved to 819 kHz. On 5 November 1990, lack of fuel and supplies forced the station to cease. The final song was Pilot of the Airwaves by Charlie Dore.
Although most broadcasting staff left at that time, some remained for a year as caretakers while funding and equipment were sought. The station tried to obtain a licence from a developing country,[ hoping it might offer protection from the new provisions in the 1990 Broadcasting Act which came into force on 31 December that year.
In November 1991, the ship lost its anchor in a storm and drifted on to the Goodwin Sands in the Channel. The crew was rescued by a RAF helicopter. The Ross Revenge was salvaged and brought into harbour in Dover, ending 27 years of Radio Caroline's unlicensed offshore career.
1991–present: Licensed Support Group era
Since 1991, the Ross Revenge has been maintained by enthusiasts called the Radio Caroline Support Group, originally the Ross Revenge Support Group. From 2007, the ship was docked at Tilbury, where a volunteer crew repaired and maintained it. The ship has working radio studios, from which both Caroline and BBC Essex have broadcast. On 31 July 2014 the ship was moved to the Blackwater Estuary in Essex.
Former offshore broadcasters who continue on the station are: Roger Mathews, Nigel Harris, Martin Fisher, Marc Jacobs, Johnny Lewis, Doug Wood, Dave Foster, Cliff Osbourne, Chris Pearson, Bob Lawrence, Jeremy Chartham and Ad Roberts.[43] Evangelical programmes and sponsored specialist music are broadcast. During Easter 2008, the station broadcast live for three days from the Ross Revenge, featuring presenters who had worked on the Mi Amigo in the late 1970s: Roger Mathews, Mike Stevens, Bob Lawrence, Brian Martin, Martin Fisher, Cliff Osbourne, Jeremy Chartham, Marc Jacobs, Ad Roberts, Dick Verheul and Kees Borrell.
Restricted service licences
Radio Caroline was off the air for most of the 1990s, except for occasional low-power broadcasts of one month. Some of these licensed 28-day restricted service licence (RSL) broadcasts took place from the Ross Revenge during the 1990s, with the ship anchored off Clacton, in London's Canary Wharf, Southend Pier and off the Isle of Sheppey in Kent.
On 1 October 2001 at one minute past midnight, Caroline returned on 1503 kHz from the LV (Light Vessel) 18 in Harwich harbour. This two-day broadcast featured Phil Mitchell, Paul Dennis, Colin Lamb, John Patrick, Barry James, Steve Cisco and Clive Boutell.[44] The LV 18 would later be used by the BBC for BBC Pirate Radio Essex broadcasts.
Another RSL broadcast ran from 7 August until 3 September 2004, with the ship moored at the cruise liner terminal jetty at Tilbury in Essex. It commemorated the 40th anniversary of Radio Caroline and promoted the station's legal internet and satellite programmes. The medium wave frequency was 235 metres (1278 kHz) and programmes were sent through ISDN landline to Maidstone and via the internet and broadcast on satellite. The supermarket chain Asda and English Heritage were among the backers.
The station has subsequently broadcast on 531 kHz AM from the Ross Revenge during some bank holiday weekends, beginning on 28–31 August 2009 and also within a few days of the 50th anniversary of the ship's first voyage.
Satellite and internet broadcasting
Using land-based studios leased in Kent[46] in the late 1990s, the station began broadcasting via satellites Astra 19.2°E and Eutelsat 28A, covering western Europe. These analogue transmissions ended and a full digital service from Astra 28.2°E started in February 2003.
In 2002, Caroline began on WorldSpace satellite radio, continuing until Worldspace went bankrupt and re-organised its operations in 2008. On 12 June 2006, the station bought an EPG slot on Sky channel 0199.[48] This ended on 1 July 2011 after a failure to renegotiate costs with Sky and deciding not pursue a Freesat EPG slot.[49] Surveys in 2008 and 2010 showed a small percentage listened via Sky, and that satellite listening had dropped by 9% since 2008, while online listening had increased by around 40%. Radio Caroline continued on satellite but required manual tuning.
During 2013, a survey showed a continued move from satellite reception and growth in internet listening. Following negotiations with the service provider, satellite transmissions ended at midnight on 30 September 2013. Programmes were still heard on satellite until the provider replaced the signal with a 1 kHz tone on the morning of 1 October 2013. Internet streaming of Radio Caroline programmes continued.
The Radio Caroline "album" station has been streamed on the internet for many years, accessible via the station's website, with more streams on various devices.[41] Dedicated apps for listening via Apple IOS[50] and Android[51] devices are also available. In 2011 Radio Caroline joined Radioplayer UK, an internet service formed by the BBC, Global Radio and the Guardian Media Group that supplies a live feed of UK radio stations to across the world.
From 4 May 2015, Radio Caroline has a 24-hour "Flashback" webstream carrying "oldies" music and jingles.
Via Manx Radio
Since September 2015, Radio Caroline has been broadcasting 'live' for one weekend each month[54] as "Radio Caroline North" (with original DJs and a mixed sixties, seventies and eighties music content and jingles) from its former home the MV Ross Revenge on the Blackwater Estuary in Essex, via Manx Radio's 1368 kHz 20 kW transmitter on the Isle of Man.[
Radio Caroline at 50 years (1964–2014)
From 31 March to 27 April 2014, a Caroline North tribute station, based on the Planet Lightship berthed in the Albert Dock complex on Liverpool's waterfront, broadcast locally on 87.7FM and on the internet. Programmes were presented by current and former DJs from the BBC, ILR, Ireland, Luxembourg, offshore and land-based pirate stations, and other international and freelance backgrounds, including Tony Prince and Emperor Rosko. Original 1960s Caroline North jingles were interspersed with generic Radio Caroline ones. The station played a wide selection of music from when Caroline started in the 1960s, but also included music from the 70s and 80s and early 90s to widen the audience profile. The four-week event was funded through on-air local business commercials.[citation needed]
Medium wave campaign
In December 2010, Chatham and Aylesford MP Tracey Crouch presented an Early Day Motion to the House of Commons calling for Ofcom to allow Radio Caroline to broadcast as a licensed medium wave station to its "traditional heartland of the south east".
The full text of the EDM is:
That this House expresses its disappointment that, having pioneered commercial radio in the UK and for the past decade being a fully licensed broadcaster, Radio Caroline, a cornerstone of British radio history, has been denied by OFCOM the opportunity to secure a medium wave frequency from which to broadcast; regrets that as a result its devoted listeners are confined to listening to Radio Caroline via the internet and unable to enjoy its musical offerings in transit; and calls on OFCOM to exhaust all avenues in making the provisions available for Radio Caroline to celebrate its 50th birthday in 2014 by broadcasting on a medium wave frequency which, it appears, is unwanted by both BBC and commercial operators as a broadcast platform."[56]
In May 2017, Ofcom awarded the station a community licence to broadcast to Suffolk and north Essex on 648 kHz with a power of 1 kW.[3][57] On 11 November 2017, test transmissions commenced from an omni-directional mast (formerly used by the BBC World Service) at Orford Ness, Suffolk.
Commercial programming commenced at noon on Friday 22 December 2017, with a signal that could be heard as far afield as Southampton, Birmingham and Glasgow.
International operations
The Netherlands
In January 2002, a Dutch Caroline fan called Sietse Brouwer launched a Netherlands-based Radio Caroline in Harlingen, broadcasting on the northern Netherlands cable networks and largely independent of UK Caroline. Brouwer intended to obtain an AM frequency from the Netherlands authorities in 2003 when its medium wave frequencies were reallocated. However, Dutch Caroline failed to secure a high power AM frequency and the cable network service was discontinued because of lack of funds. The Dutch Radio Caroline then changed its name to Radio Waddenzee for daytime Dutch and German language, and Radio Seagull for nighttime English language broadcasts, and now broadcasts on 1602 kHz every day and on the internet, presenting a progressive rock format. From November 2009, Radio Seagull can be heard periodically on 558 kHz in London.
Spain
In Spain, a station broadcast during the summer 2009 on 102.7 MHz in the Costa Blanca from studios in Benidorm. The station had some success but stopped broadcasting due to lack of funding. Broadcasters included Tony Christian, Pawl "Hound Dog" Shanley, Dave Fox, Simon West, Dale Richardson and Peter D.
Ireland
Radio Caroline is broadcast in the Republic of Ireland on channel 927 on the UPC Ireland cable service in the main cities of Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Waterford and Cappoquin, and the County Waterford towns of Lismore and Tallow.
New Zealand
In Timaru, an NZBC station, originally 3XC, later 3ZC, broadcast as Radio Caroline until 1995. The name was taken from Caroline Bay, a popular recreation area nearby.
In Palmerston, Radio Caroline International, based in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, acquired an AM commercial broadcasting licence in 2008, and was seeking wavelengths in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Daytime programming was leased to a community radio service called Puketapu Radio on 756 kHz.
We enhance quality of life and contribute to a healthier future, by offering healthier products and by helping families to eat and drink better and move more. We have developed 'Nestlé for Healthier Kids' to bring together all our efforts that support parents and caregivers. This includes research, product formulation, education and lifestyle services.
Bruno committed the most heinous of sins in the doggy world, he did a run by tackle of Eva while she was taking a poop in the corner of the yard. After she recovered from her surprise, she tracked him down, grabbed an ear and dropped him to the ground unceremoniously then proceeded to bite his butt. I think he deserved it.
PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. -- The COVID-19 pandemic has created many operational challenges for the military. However, service members, DoD civilians and military families across the globe have adapted to overcome the challenges to stay ready and support the whole-of-government response.
While many service members and DoD civilians who work at the Presidio of Monterey and Defense Language Institute are teleworking – essential employees report to work daily to carry on the mission. Employees are strictly following CDC and DoD guidance of social distancing and face coverings to protect themselves and those around them.
The health and safety of all employees, regardless if they are essential employees or teleworking, is the command’s highest priority.
Our service members and DoD civilians are committed to mission success and remain trained and ready to defend the nation.
Photo by Joseph Kumzak, Presidio of Monterey Public Affairs
34/365
Im a big fan of KANYE WEST!! uhmmmmm another emo series! heeeeeeeee! ;)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbjNJ3Ogqlw
See You In My Nightmares
(Featuring Lil' Wayne)
[Kanye West]
I'm cold (Yeah), I'm cold (Yeah), I'm cold (Yeah) (Yeah)
[Lil Wayne]
I got the right to put up a fight
But not quite cause you cut off my light
But my sight is better tonight and I might
See you in my nightmare, oh well how did you get there
Cause we were once a fairytale
But this is fair well
[Kanye West]
I got my life and it's my only one
I got the night, I'm running from the sun
So goodnight, I made it out the door X 4
After tonight, there will be no return
After tonight, I'm taking off on the road
I'm taking off on the road
And that you know
Tell everybody that you know
That I don't love you no more
And that's one thing that you know
That you know...
Okay I'm back up on my grind
You do you and I'm just gone do mine
You do you, cause I'm just gone be fine
Okay I got you out my mind
And The night is young, the drinks is cold
The stars is out, I'm ready to go
You always thought I was always wrong
Well now you know...
Tell everybody everybody that you know!
Tell everybody that you know
That I don't love you no more
And that's one thing that you know
That you know
[Lil Wayne]
I got the right to put up a fight
But not quite cause you cut off my light
But my sight is better tonight and I might
See you in my nightmare, oh but how did you get there
Cause we were once a fairytale
But this is fair well
Baby girl I'm finished
I thought we were committed
I thought we were cemented
I really thought we meant it
But Now we just repenting
And Now we just resenting
The clouds is in my vision
Look how high that I be getting
And it's all because of you
Girl we through
You think your shit don't stink but you are Mrs. P-U
And I don't see you with me no more
Now tell everybody that you know
That you know!
[Kanye West]
That you know
Tell everybody that you know
That I don't love you no more
And that's one thing that you know
That you know
That you know
Tell everyone that you know
That I don't love you no more
And that's one thing that you know
That you know...
WONDERFUL THURSDAY MY FLICKFRIENDS!! ;)
XOXO
You can talk the talk, but can you walk the walk? Ben drilled that our heads this year at Overflow. (Thanks bro, you were a great teacher this year! haha)
Overflow videos here: www.youtube.com/user/OverflowRetreat
(Huge shout-outs to Kyung/Jungmin & the rest of the media team for doing an UH-MAZING job!)
So yeah.. def just tryna talk that talk, and walk that walk. Nah mean?? Truly tryna live as a follower of Jesus Christ.
My prayer is that He changes me more and everyday, and gives me a heart like His, so I can reflect His light.
"Everlasting... Your light will shine when all else fades" www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-afZJ9_TIM
Thanks Christal for snapping this pic!
~
Canon EOS REBEL T1i
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II
~
Editing: Cross processing
~
Have a blessed night! Sweet dreams & all that good stuff ^__^
That's what it says, 20 years of it.
The Eastern Idaho Railroad has it's maintenance shop in the centre of Rupert ID. They must have known I was coming, they left something out for me to phot.
This is #4040, an EMD GP40-3 owned by Webb Asset Management and carrying a special version of the Eastern Idaho's colours to celebrate it's 20th anniversary, which was actually in 2013. The locomotive celebrates it's 50th birthday this month having entered service with the Penn Central in September 1968.
The Eastern Idaho has over 350 miles of trackage which was sold off by the Union Pacific, although UP power can still be seen in Rupert as they bring traffic in for the EI system.
6 September 2018
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – “Operation Star Struck,” a U.S. Marshals-led 90-day operation to reduce violent gang crime, resulted in 126 arrests, including 43 gang members. During the Operation with concluded on October 1, law enforcement seized 52 firearms, 7.74 kg of narcotics -- to include marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin -- and more than $35,000 in currency.
The operation, conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service Eastern Arkansas Fugitive Task Force, along with the Little Rock and North Little Rock Police Department’s, Faulkner County Sheriff’s Office, Conway Police Department, Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, Jonesboro Police Department, Arkansas Department of Corrections, Benton Police Department, Saline County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, US Attorney’s Office, Arkansas State Police and Arkansas National Guard Counter Drug Unit.
“Operation Star Struck” falls under the national framework of Operation Triple Beam, which is designed to target and arrest violent fugitives and criminal offenders who committed high-profile crimes such as homicide, felony assault and sexual assault, illegal possession of firearms, illegal drug distribution, robbery and arson. Each local, state and federal agency employed enforcement techniques and statutory authority in order to disrupt the criminal operations of violent gangs and offenders in Fort Myers and surrounding areas.
poster by Shane T. McCoy / US Marshals
Image source: Queensland State Archives Item ID ITM1102517 Aerial photograph of the Expo 88 site, Brisbane.
Over 15 million visitors experienced the fun of Expo, which included pavilions from international and local participants, laser displays, fireworks, parades, concerts, the Aquacade, water skiing show, a monorail and much more.
The Canberra Times, May 14 1984
Brisbane looks at Expo monorail
BRISBANE: Brisbane may get a monorail system to link the central city area to the site of Expo 88 on the south bank of the river, the Queensland Deputy Premier, Mr Gunn, said yesterday.
Mr Gunn said talks with the company which built a $7 million monorail at the New Orleans world fair had indicated the system could be the solution to problems of mass transport to the Expo site.
---
The Canberra Times, July 24 1978
Brisbane aims for expo in 1988
By GAY DAVIDSON, Political Correspondent
Queensland has made a firm and serious attempt to hold an international exposition in Brisbane in 1988 as its Australian Bicentary celebration.
The prime movers now suspect that "southern" interests are undermining their proposal and that the Department of Administrative Services, while approving the idea in principle, is not supporting Brisbane's prior interest.
The Brisbane Chamber of Commerce has been involved in the project for more than two years, and the Queensland Government has committed itself to sharing the costs of the initial proposal, which will have to be with the International Bureau of Expositions in Paris in November this year.
The Premier, Mr Bjelke-Petersen, staked Queensland's prior claim at the last Premier's Conference, according to his office. However, "Australian Bicentary" was item 16 on the agenda and the last dealt with. The NSW Premier, Mr Wran, had already left, and the conference decided only that each State would have some form of celebration and should begin working on proposals.
Since then, Mr Bjelke-Petersen has written to the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, urging support and outlining the support in Queensland. As well, the international president of the BIE, Mr Patrick Reid, saw the Brisbane proposal when he was in Australia last month and reputedly was impressed, and foresaw no difficulties provided the Commonwelalth supported the application.
Australia's official organiser for the Bicentenary, Mr Harry Miller, was in Paris earlier this month to present an Administrative Services-Australian Information Service submission for an Expo '88. This followed a tentative Australian bid for a large expo listed with the BIE in 1975.
Two weeks ago the minister, Senator Withers, replied to a letter the Brisbane Chamber of Commerce wrote" in April. He merely "noted" its advice that the State Government supported the feasability study and assured it that every effort was being made to retain the 1988 date for Australia.
The report the chamber is working on, written by Mr Jifri MacCormick, who designed the Australian exhibits for Montreal, Osaka and Spokane expos, proposes a mini or special expo, costing about $100 million and expected to attract 12 million visitors. In comparison, Osaka '70 cost $2,000 million and had between 40 and 50 million visitors.
The costs to the State and Commonwealth Governments would be limited to a pavilion each, costing about $18 million, and government-guaranteed bonds for $19 million redeemable after the expo.
The emphasis of the expo would be strongly on natural resources, energy, industry, art, science and technology, with invitations to Japan, China, 'the US, Canada, Britain, Germany, Scandinavia, Russia, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, South Africa and New Zealand "to build at their own expense major buildings and public facilities".
The report "suggests that Brisbane should be the first Australian city to hold an international exposition in this century and should look towards increased trade with countries in the Pacific basin". Apart from the obvious benefits from construction and tourism, the site of the expo would "revitalise a depressed section of the city that requires urgent urban renewal".
The site favoured by Mr MacCormick, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Premier is Kangaroo Point, an arm into the river which has been largely vacant since the Evans Deakin shipyard moved downstream. It is certainly ripe for redevelopment, and is directly opposite the central shopping and business area.
The study model for the Kangaroo Point site envisages a number of permanent pavilions, a formal plaza for "spectacles", a tower accommodating observation decks and restaurants, a ship of historic interest floating in the Evans Deakin dry dock, monorails from the city and around the exposition, and a moving sidewalk running the length of it.
The idea behind it all came from the Spokane Expo '74 which, according to Mr MacCormick, was held largely to clean up Spokane's river. Brisbane Expo '88 was a natural extension of the work being done by the local Institute of Architects'
sub-committee on Brisbane river banks.
blogs.archives.qld.gov.au/2021/10/29/when-the-world-comes...
I got a chance to shoot these people again. I used my 70-200 f4 lens to see what it was like. Makes for great portraits, under the right circumstances! Any comments welcome and appreciated!
i do not condone or wish to promote the actions of these evil bastards
A serial killer is typically defined as an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time (a "cooling off period") between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is largely based on psychological gratification. Other sources define the term as "a series of two or more murders, committed as separate events, usually, but not always, by one offender acting alone" or, including the vital characteristics, a minimum of at least two murders. Often, a sexual element is involved with the killings, but the FBI states that motives for serial murder include "anger, thrill, financial gain, and attention seeking." The murders may have been attempted or completed in a similar fashion and the victims may have had something in common; for example, occupation, race, appearance, sex, or age group.
Serial killers are not the same as mass murderers, who commit multiple murders at one time; nor are they spree killers, who commit murders in two or more locations with virtually no break in between.
The full extent of Brady and Hindley's killing spree did not come to light until their confessions in 1985, as both had until then maintained their innocence. Their first victim was 16-year-old Pauline Reade, a neighbour of Hindley's who disappeared on her way to a dance at the British Railways Club in Gorton on 12 July 1963. That evening, Brady told Hindley that he wanted to "commit his perfect murder". He told her to drive her van around the local area while he followed behind on his motorcycle; when he spotted a likely victim he would flash his headlight, and Hindley was to stop and offer that person a lift.
Driving down Gorton Lane, Brady saw a young girl walking towards them, and signalled Hindley to stop, which she did not do until she had passed the girl. Brady drew up alongside on his motorbike, demanding to know why she had not offered the girl a lift, to which Hindley replied that she recognised her as Marie Ruck, a near neighbour of her mother. Shortly after 8:00 pm, continuing down Froxmer Street, Brady spotted a girl wearing a pale blue coat and white high-heeled shoes walking away from them, and once again signalled for the van to stop. Hindley recognised the girl as Pauline Reade, a friend of her younger sister, Maureen. Reade got into the van with Hindley, who then asked if she would mind helping to search for an expensive glove she had lost on Saddleworth Moor. Reade said she was in no great hurry, and agreed. At 16, Pauline Reade was older than Marie Ruck, and Hindley realised that there would be less of a hue and cry over the disappearance of a teenager than there would over a seven or eight-year-old child. When the van reached the moor, Hindley stopped and Brady arrived shortly afterwards on his motorcycle. She introduced him to Reade as her boyfriend, and said that he had also come to help find the missing glove. Brady took Reade onto the moor while Hindley waited in the van. After about 30 minutes Brady returned alone, and took Hindley to the spot where Reade lay dying, her throat cut. He told her to stay with Reade while he fetched a spade he had hidden nearby on a previous visit to the moor, to bury the body. Hindley noticed that "Pauline's coat was undone and her clothes were in disarray ... She had guessed from the time he had taken that Brady had sexually assaulted her." Returning home from the moor in the van—they had loaded the motorcycle into the back—Brady and Hindley passed Reade's mother, Joan, accompanied by her son, Paul, searching the streets for Pauline.
Accompanied by Brady, Hindley approached twelve-year-old John Kilbride in the early evening of 23 November 1963 at a market in Ashton-under-Lyne, and offered him a lift home on the pretext that his parents would be worried about him being out so late. With the added inducement of a proffered bottle of sherry, Kilbride readily agreed to get into the Ford Anglia car that Hindley had hired. Brady told Kilbride that the sherry was at their home, and they would have to make a detour to collect it. On the way he suggested that they take another detour, to search for a glove he said that Hindley had lost on the moor. When they reached the moor Brady took the child with him while Hindley waited in the car. Brady sexually assaulted Kilbride and attempted to slit his throat with a six-inch serrated blade before fatally strangling him with a piece of string, possibly a shoelace.
Twelve-year-old Keith Bennett vanished on his way to his grandmother's house in Longsight during the early evening of 16 June 1964, four days after his birthday. Hindley lured him into her Mini pick-up—which Brady was sitting in the back of—by asking for the boy's help in loading some boxes, after which she said she would drive him home. She drove to a lay-by on Saddleworth Moor as she and Brady had previously arranged, and Brady went off with Bennett, supposedly looking for a lost glove. Hindley kept watch, and after about 30 minutes or so Brady reappeared, alone and carrying a spade that he had hidden there earlier. When Hindley asked how he had killed Bennett, Brady said that he had sexually assaulted the boy and strangled him with a piece of string.
Brady and Hindley visited a fairground on 26 December 1964 in search of another victim, and noticed 10-year-old Lesley Ann Downey standing beside one of the rides. When it became apparent that she was on her own, they approached her and deliberately dropped some of the shopping they were carrying close to her, before asking for the girl's help to carry some of the packages to their car, and then to their home. Once inside the house Downey was undressed, gagged, and forced to pose for photographs before being raped and killed, perhaps strangled with a piece of string. Hindley maintained that she went to draw a bath for the child and found the girl dead (presumably killed by Brady) when she returned. In Dr. Chris Cowley's book "Face to Face with Evil: Conversations with Ian Brady", Brady states that it was Hindley who killed Lesley Ann Downey. The following morning Brady and Hindley drove with Downey's body to Saddleworth Moor, where she was buried, naked with her clothes at her feet, in a shallow grave.
On 6 October 1965 Brady met 17-year-old apprentice engineer Edward Evans at Manchester Central railway station and invited him to his home at 16 Wardle Brook Avenue in Hattersley, where Brady beat him to death with an axe.
1990 (part 1 of 3)
January 1, 1990
Mary Ann Given and Peter DesBrisay were the parents of Kanata’s first new baby of the decade. Their baby boy, Paulson, was born at 9:42 am. Kanata Standard, January 4, 1990:6.
January 4, 1990
It was reported that the Ontario Ministry of Heath had verbally committed $20 million to build two community health centres, one in Cumberland and the second in Kanata. Kanata Standard, January 4, 1990:3.
January 4, 1990
The staff at the Kanata Standard had difficulty selecting an individual as the Kanata Newsmaker of 1989. Rather, they chose Kanata City Council itself, and stated: “More than any other year, the actions and behavior of council generated more top news stories and more reader interest than any single person.” Kanata Standard, January 4, 1990:4.
January 5, 1990
Employees leaving the Kanata License Bureau on Hazeldean Road were robbed of an undisclosed amount of the day’s receipts. One masked man was armed with a shotgun, while another waited in a nearby van. Kanata Standard, January 10, 1990:5.
January 6, 1990
Kanata’s newest and largest outdoor skating rink was officially opened. The 5-acre rink was located on the “ Beaver Pond” in Kanata Lakes. Genstar Corporation and other developers of the area donated $20,000 towards its maintenance. Kanata Standard, January 10, 1990:10.
January 10, 1990
It was reported that Campeau Corporation was facing some financial difficulty. The “cash-starved” developer was facing foreclosure on a $2.3 billion U.S. loan unless it could prove solvency to its major creditor, Citibank. Kanata Standard, January 10, 1990:1,30.
January 10, 1990
Mayor Des Adam published a Mayor’s Interim Report to Kanata Residents in the Standard. It was essentially a review of 1989 and the actions of Council. Kanata Standard, January 10, 1990:2.
January 13, 1990
Kanata City Council held an all-day budget meeting. Council entered into the meeting facing a 5.7% tax increase unless they could eliminate approximately $60,000 from the budget. A previously proposed cut to the Kanata Public Library did not happen. However, some social service agencies experienced cuts. Youth Services would receive about $30,000 less than it had requested. Council decided to consult the public over cutting garbage collection. Depending on the response, the Youth Services cut could be less drastic. The Operating Budget passed that night left the City’s portion of the tax bill at a 5% increase. Mayor Adam stated in From The Mayor’s Desk: “This marks the fourth consecutive year that your municipal tax bill has increased less than the rate of inflation.” Kanata Standard, January 17, 1990:3; Kanata Standard, January 24, 1990:17..
January 14, 1989
The last westbound VIA Rail train went through Bridlewood on the Canadian Pacific tracks, which were scheduled for abandonment. Kanata Standard, January 17, 1990:1.
January 17, 1990
The Kanata Theatre opened their production of And A Nightingale Sang. Kanata Standard, January 4, 1990:8.
January 17, 1990
The Pinhey’s Point Foundation voted unanimously in favour of a $1 title transfer to the City of Kanata for Pinhey’s Point Estate. It was the view of the Foundation that the City was in a better position to deal with the financial obligations of maintaining the heritage estate on the Ottawa River. Kanata Standard, January 24, 1990:5.
January 22, 1990
British Telecom announced that it was selling its controlling shares in Mitel Corporation because of a change in its corporate philosophy. BT decided to focus more on international telecommunications networks. Mitel spokesman Tom Travers said that this was good news for Mitel. Kanata Standard, January 24, 1990:28.
January 23, 1990
In a Kanata City Council meeting, Mayor Adam asked that Council hold a public planning forum, called “Forum 2000 - Where We Are, Where Are We Going?” Adam said that the main purpose of the forum would be to get residents more involved in city planning. Kanata Standard, January 24, 1990:1.
January 23, 1990
Kanata’s newly formed Environmental Advisory Committee reported to Kanata City Council and outlined their priorities. The group would create an Environmental Code of Ethics for the City, look at use of the pesticide 2,4-D, study issues surrounding the Municipal Industrial Strategy Abatement, and implement school educational programs. Kanata Standard, January 24, 1990:5.
January 23, 1990
Alderman Eva James, Chairman of the Kanata Ottawa-Carleton Transportation Committee, reported to Kanata City Council with a recommendation to designate one of the existing lanes on the Queensway strictly for the OC Transpo buses and multi-passenger vehicles. Kanata Standard, January 31, 1990:2.
January 24, 1990
It was reported that a petition from 64 Kanata residents, including former Mayor Marianne Wilkinson, was sent to Premier David Peterson asking for a provincial audit into Kanata’s deal to lease a new City Hall. In December, Kanata City Council had approved a $7.3 million, 10-year lease for City Hall space in a new building to be built on Terry Fox Drive. Kanata Standard, January 24, 1990:1,7.
January 25, 1990
A report prepared by the Bridlewood Residents Hydro Line Committee was released at a meeting at the Bridlewood school. More than 100 residents attended. The report, based on measurements form the National Research Council, indicated that magnetic field readings in the north wing of Bridlewood Elementary School were two to three times higher than classrooms farthest from the controversial hydro line corridor. Some of the levels were significantly higher than recommended by a study by the New York Power Authority, which stressed that constant exposure posed an increased risk of cancer in children. John Morrel, the Carleton Board’s health coordinator, stated that there was still no concrete evidence of risk to students. Alderman Judy Hunter said that ultimately, the best solution was to have the lines torn down. Alternatively, she indicated that they would attempt to close the school down. Kanata Standard, January 31, 1990:1-2.
January 26, 1990
The Bank of Nova Scotia in the Beaverbrook Mall was robbed of an undisclosed amount of cash by a lone male with a gun. He escaped with another male waiting in a nearby car. It was the second time in a month that the bank had been robbed. Kanata Standard, January 31, 1990:3.
January 31, 1990
The Kanata Standard newspaper expanded its distribution into Stittsville and Carp. Kanata Standard, January 31, 1990:1-2.
February 2, 1990
The Kanata Winter Carnival: Rendezvous 90 began, and ran until February 11. It was later reported as an “overwhelming success.” Kanata Standard, January 31, 1990:24-5; Kanata Standard, February 21, 1990:22.
February 3, 1990
The long-awaited opening of the Kanata Recreation Complex was held. According to arena manager, Larry Williams, the opening was a success and gave the arena full exposure. Kanata Standard, February 7, 1990:5.
February 5, 1990
The Carleton Board of Education overturned a decision to abolish Junior Kindergarten. More than 500 parents attended the meeting to support the JK program. Kanata Trustee Hal Hansen, who first suggested eliminating JK in CBE schools, said that he was disappointed with the decision. The initial proposal was made in an attempt to keep taxes down. In his CBE Report, Hansen provided more detail of his rationale on why to cut JK. Kanata Standard, February 7, 1990:1,7; Kanata Standard, February 14, 1990:21.
February 6, 1990
A 1990-94 Corporate Strategic Plan for the City of Kanata was released at a Kanata City Council meeting. One of the major weaknesses identified in the report was public relations. The Plan also said that Kanata lacked economic diversity. Kanata Standard, February 14, 1990:6.
February 12, 1990
Kanata resident Elizabeth (Licita) Zarma, 21, died at the scene of a car-truck collision. Kanata Standard, February 14, 1990:6.
February 12, 1990
Kanata City Council voted to approve the site plan for a four-storey office building in the Terry Fox Business Park. It was meant primarily to be the new City Hall, with a 10-year lease. Kanata Standard, February 21, 1990:7.
February 14, 1990
It was reported in the Standard that the Wetlands Preservation Group of West Carleton attended the Ontario Municipal Board hearing. The group was concerned with the Eagle Creek Golf Course development by R.J. Nicol, where four holes of the course were on 50 acres of Constance Creek, a Class 1 wetland. They asked that the hearing be delayed until it knew whether the Ministry of the Environment would grant a full environmental assessment. If this were to occur, it meant that two hearings would be combined. Kanata Standard, February 14, 1990:3.
February 14, 1990
The newly formed Kanata Rails to Trails group met with the region’s transportation committee to request support for its plan to turn the abandoned CP rail line in Bridlewood into a bicycle path. The group’s chairman, Linda Makela, said the meeting was to ensure that transportation uses were not the only options considered for the rail corridor. Regional staff were to come back to the issue four weeks later, but they acknowledged all of the options for the abandoned corridor. Kanata Standard, February 14, 1990:9; Kanata Standard, February 21, 1990:8..
February 20, 1990
Judy Hunter and Paul Griffiths, of the Bridlewood Residents Hydro Line Committee, met with the Ontario Energy Minister, Lyn McLeod, in Toronto. One of their requests was to have a hearing to allow the BRHLC to present new evidence from monitoring the magnetic radiation on and adjacent to the Bridlewood hydro line corridor. They also asked the minister to limit the amount of current running through the lines. Hunter said that she felt very positive about the meeting. Kanata Standard, February 28, 1990:6,43; Kanata Standard, February 28, 1990:17.
February 21, 1990
It was reported that the Steinberg grocery stores would be franchised, including the Kanata store. The main reason for the move was the highly competitive grocery market. Some employees indicated that there were negative effects from the franchising. There were 35 full-time and 78 part-time employees at the Kanata store. Kanata Standard, February 21, 1990:1.
February 21, 1990
It was reported that the City of Kanata had no plans to declare itself “unilingual,” as several other municipalities in Ontario had done. Mayor Adam said that the issue was a provincial and national affair. A Standard editorial stated: “And it is also heartening to learn that Kanata, with an overwhelmingly English population, has no intention of making political hay out of an issue which would be ludicrous were it not for the ominous message such a declaration holds. Kanata Standard, February 21, 1990:1,4.
February 21, 1990
The City of Kanata nominated Beaverbrook native Diana Pilsworth for Canada’s 1990 environmental achievement awards in the lifetime achievement category. She was instrumental in the recycling program with 21 years of continuous operation, the longest running program of its kind in Canada. Ms.Pilsworth was also heavily involved with Kanata Pollution Probe. At the time, she was an economist with the federal department of Energy, Mines and Resources. Kanata Standard, February 21, 1990:13.
February 23, 1990
Wilbur Bradley died at the age of 77. He was the last of the original landowners of what became Glen Cairn. Kanata Standard, February 28, 1990:1,41.
February 26, 1990
Following months of delay, the Kanata branch of the Royal Canadian Legion was presented with its official charter. Kanata Standard, February 28, 1990:3.
February 26, 1990
At a Kanata City Council meeting, Alderman Hunter moved that a public meeting be held on the use of the herbicide 2,4-D. The rest of Council except Alderman James voted against the motion. Rather, Council voted to circulate a three-page report prepared by the recently formed Environmental Advisory Committee. Hunter claimed that this was yet another example of secrecy in Council, by shying away from a public airing of controversial issues. The EAC stated that it could find no reason why the City should stop using 2,4-D, as it did not pose a “serious risk.” However, the Committee still recommended that alternatives be considered. Mayor Adam later stated that Hunter was “headline grabbing,” in implying that something sinister was going on. Kanata Standard, March 7, 1990:1,4,7; Kanata Standard, March 14, 1990:1,5.
February 27, 1990
The Cowpland riverfront estate was sold to a company owned by the McMurtry family, who previously owned the property in the 1960s. All 238 acres of the property were put on the market two years earlier by Michael Cowpland, Mitel co-founder, and was rumored to be worth about $3 million. Kanata Standard, March 7, 1990:3.
March 1, 1990
The Kanata Lakes Community Association was officially formed. More than 300 people attended the meeting and elected an interim executive. Merle Nicholds was the president. Also elected were Bob Molloy, Mary Anne Penner, Dan Westaff, and Roger Nickerson. One of the main areas of interest seemed to be tax issues. Kanata Lake residents had recently voiced discontent with the high property taxes they were paying. Kanata Standard, March 7, 1990:8.
March 1, 1990
The Kanata Racers competed in the Canadian Junior Cross-Country Ski Championships. Some of the Kanata competitors were Erik Allen, Ramon Tavares, Stephen Hui, Erik Groves, Niall Wilkins, and Iain Skinner. Kanata Standard, March 14, 1990:34. Kanata Standard, March 14, 1990:34.
March 4, 1990
The Kanata Community Christian Reformed Church celebrated its eighth year in Glen Cairn. Kanata Standard, March 14, 1990:22.
March 7, 1990
It was reported that Alderman Bill Berry had retired from the real estate business to devote more time to politics and his passion for sailing. Kanata Standard, March 7, 1990:7.
March 7, 1990
Alderman Bill Berry published the first of a series of feature articles in the Standard to mark the 170th Anniversary of the original survey of March Township. Reflections of March Past: A Tribute to One of Kanata’s First Settlers, focused on the early descendants of the Monk family. Kanata Standard, March 7, 1990:19.
March 7, 1990
It was reported in the Standard that Swim Magazine named Kanata resident Jacki Brunetta one of the nation’s top ten swimmers. The eight-year-old ranked sixth out of 101 swimmers in the country. Kanata Standard, March 7, 1990:36.
March 14, 1990
It was reported in the Standard that Kanata resident Christine Woodley was organizing an environmental group made of local citizens. Tentatively called The Environmental Network, the group would start small and focus on local issues. It would not be a lobby group and would not conflict with the City’s Environmental Advisory Committee. Kanata Standard, March 14, 1990:3.
March 14, 1990
Bill Berry continued his series in the Standard on the history of March Township with Wentworth Monk: The Prophet of March. Kanata Standard, March 14, 1990:14.
March 19, 1990
Kanata City Council decided to explore the feasibility of a new shopping centre west of Marchwood-Lakeside, despite a staff report stating the proposal was premature and that the market study accompanying it had “serious flaws.” Campeau Corporation’s proposed centre required a rezoning from residential to commercial. Council decided to delay approval of the project for one month. Kanata Standard, March 28, 1990:1,46.
March 20, 1990
At a Kanata City Council meeting, Alderman Hunter moved to open up all City committees, boards, and commissions to public input. It was defeated in a 6-1 vote. The issue seemed to be less straightforward. As Brian Switzer pointed out, certain advisory bodies, commissions, and committees fell under provincial rules, and he pointed out that municipal committees and commissions were all open unless the committee members decide otherwise. Hunter stated that she was not looking to criticize committee members, but rather for Council to give direction to its committees to be more open. Alderman Berry accused that this motion was the result of the controversial 2,4-D issue and the recommendations of the Environmental Advisory Committee, where “one of its recommendations was not agreeable to one member of council, so the accusation of openness comes up.” Kanata Standard, March 28, 1990:5.
March 20, 1990
John Sellers, from the Ministry of Natural Resources, made a presentation to Kanata City Council on Kanata-area wetlands. Kanata had several Class 1 wetlands, ranked high in their significance. Maps of the region’s wetlands were also made available. Kanata Standard, March 28, 1990:6.
March 20, 1990
There was a preliminary meeting of the Environmental Advisory Committee to discuss the issue of the proposed Eagle Creek Golf Course on Constance Creek. More than 100 residents attended. The Creek had been identified as essential wetlands, according the Wetlands Preservation Group of West Carleton. Kanata Standard, March 28, 1990:7.
March 21, 1990
It was reported that Steinberg employees had filed a claim with the Ontario Labor Relations Board against their union representatives over the unsatisfactory contract they had signed with the company. Supposedly, employees did not hear about the October deal until sometime in February. Under the new contract, employees were taking home significantly less money and working more hours. The cuts seemed to stem from an earlier announcement the grocery store chain intended to franchise its operations. The Union president, Jim Crockett, said that they made the best deal they could, and that in a 1988 contract employees agreed not to strike for five years. Kanata Standard, March 21, 1990:2.
March 21, 1990
Mayor Des Adam said that he and his wife, Marg, had listed their home in rural March and were planning to move to Kanata Lakes. Adam said that it was no longer practical to have the large property and pool. Kanata Standard, March 21, 1990:3.
March 21, 1990
It was reported in the Standard that the home of Alderman Judy Hunter and her family was conditionally sold. It had been on the market for nearly a year. It was claimed that because it bordered the controversial hydro line corridor, it was a very difficult home to sell. Hunter stated that when they moved there in 1983, smaller lines ran through the corridor. The Hunters, taking a loss on the house, hoped to remain in Bridlewood. Kanata Standard, March 21, 1990:6.
March 21, 1990
A ten-month $30,000 commissioned study by Ekos Research Associates was released. The study determined that Kanata’s Parks and Recreation Department faced some challenges to meeting future needs for recreational facilities and services. Most serious, existing facilities were operating at full capacity and were unable to expand services. Kanata Standard, March 21, 1990:8.
March 21, 1990
Bill Berry continued his series in the Standard on the history of March with General Lloyd’s Great Bessborough Estate. Kanata Standard, March 21, 1990:14.
March 28, 1990
It was reported that Ontario Hydro had announced they would string a second set of transmission lines on the 500 kV towers that ran through Goulbourn, Kanata, Nepean, and Ottawa. Kanata Standard, March 28, 1990:2,47.
March 28, 1990
It was reported in the Standard that the National Capital Commission was paying $7.3 million for the expropriation of land to create a buffer zone for Stony Swamp. This was the result of deals with Coscan Development Corporation and Douglas MacDonald Development Corporation. Kanata Standard, March 28, 1990:8.
March 28, 1990
Bill Berry continued his series in the Standard on the history of March with Brewery Trade Flourished in March in the 1800s. Kanata Standard, March 28, 1990:13.
March 28, 1990
It was reported in the Standard that the 13th Annual Kanata Book Fair was a great success. A record-setting 34,000 books were collected by Stephen Leacock students. Kanata Standard, March 28, 1990:20.
April 7, 1990
Peter Murphy received a Volunteer Recognition Award from Alderman Judy Hunter. Kanata Standard, April 11, 1990:14.
April 10, 1990
The long-term plan for Pinhey’s Point was presented to Kanata City Council. The municipality had taken control of the historic estate in February. Over ten years, the City planned to spend $280,000, beginning with the construction of a new road and amphitheatre. Kanata Standard, April 18, 1990:8.
April 10, 1990
Kanata City Council approved a $60,000 loan for the Kanata Kountry Music Festival at Pinhey’s Point. Kanata Standard, May 17, 1990:1-2.
April 11, 1990
It was reported that the City of Kanata had applied to have the mid-19th century limestone Grierson homestead on Hazeldean Rd. designated as heritage. Kanata Standard, April 11, 1990:6.
April 11, 1990
It was reported in the Standard that the City of Kanata was planning to contest an appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board regarding charges that its group home policy was discriminatory. The appeal was launched by Don Anderson after Kanata City Council approved its policy on group homes, which restricted the number of occupants for correctional group homes to six and required a special institutional zoning. Anderson wanted Kanata’s policy to be 3 to 10 residents in all group homes, regardless of use, and no change in zoning. Kanata Standard, April 11, 1990:7; Kanata Standard, April 18, 1990:3.
April 11, 1990
Bill Berry continued his series of articles in the Standard on the history of March Township with Following the Lineage of the Sweeney Family. Kanata Standard, April 11, 1990:17.
April 12, 1990
Kanata-based Leigh Instruments Ltd. announced that it was eliminating nearly 700 area jobs and 163 employees in Kanata. The company’s Board of Directors voluntarily voted the company into bankruptcy. Mayor Adam was among the many surprised at the action. Adam was also quick to lay blame on the federal government and their inability to control foreign takeovers of Canada’s high-tech firms. A Standard editorial stated: “If anyone deserves to have a finger pointed in its direction, it’s the federal government for failing to provide the kind of economic leadership it so loudly trumpets towards increasingly deaf ears.” Kanata Standard, April 18, 1990:1,4,12.
April 13, 1990
The McMurtry family, who had recently purchased the Cowpland estate, asked Kanata City Council for permission to build 92 new homes and an 18-hole golf course on the site. The mansion was originally owned by Robert Campeau and purchased by Mitel co-founder Michael Cowpland in 1981. Alderman Berry stated that the family would have to apply for a zoning change to both the municipal and regional official plan. Kanata Standard, April 18, 1990:6.
April 13, 1990
Two Kanata men, Bruce Green and Robert William Richer, were charged with attempted robbery following an aborted hold-up at the Royal Bank in the Terry Fox Shopping Centre while an employee was making the day’s deposit. Kanata Standard, April 25, 1990:5.
April 16, 1990
A fire gutted a classroom in the Glen Cairn Public School, which police said was the result of arson. There was an estimated $20,000 damage. Kanata Standard, April 18, 1990:1.
April 17, 1990
The Hazeldean Steinberg grocery store was officially declared a franchise. The new owner was Michael Drouin. Kanata Standard, April 18, 1990:2.
April 17, 1990
Kanata City Council adopted a report from the Environmental Advisory Committee regarding the controversial herbicide 2,4-D. The report had previously been deferred to allow for circulation for additional feedback. The committee recommended that certain parks be 2,4-D free and that only a granular form of the chemical be used on the majority of City parks. They also recommended an educational program on non-chemical methods of weed control. Alderman Hunter refused to support the report, stating that nothing had changed since it was originally tabled. Mayor Adam stated that the lack of response from the community on the issue indicated that concern over the City’s use of 2,4-D was not widespread. Kanata Standard, April 25, 1990:8.
April 17, 1990
Kanata City Council adopted a wide-ranging environmental code of ethics, developed by the Environmental Advisory Committee, that committed the municipality to consider the environment in every aspect of its operations. Kanata Standard, April 25, 1990:9.
April 17, 1990
In a Kanata City Council meeting, Mayor Adam proposed that the City “emphasize the capital projects that promote environmental consciousness and wellness “for the community.” Council unanimously endorsed the directive. Adam indicated that this was a shift to smaller, more healthy capital projects for the City. Kanata Standard, April 25, 1990:1,8.
April 18, 1990
It was reported in the Standard that the Kanata’s Environmental Advisory Committee held its first ’open’ meeting, after some controversy over so-called closed meetings. Three members of the public attended along with three aldermen. An environmental code of ethics was discussed. Kanata Standard, April 18, 1990:7.
April 18, 1990
Bill Berry continued his series of articles on the history of March Township with A Behind the Scenes Look at Hamnett Pinhey. Kanata Standard, April 18, 1990:17.
April 21, 1990
Kanata’s Ross Nixon, 16, placed first in the senior division in the Ottawa Regional Science Fair for his invention of a Multiple Length Ribbon Cutter. Kanata Standard, May 2, 1990:15.
April 24, 1990
Kanata City Council decided to contribute $2,000 towards a program to help reduce the caterpillar population. It was claimed that the Gypsy Moth was threatening to harm hundreds of acres of trees in Kanata and West Carleton. Kanata Standard, May 2, 1990:9.
April 25, 1990
Bill Berry continued his series of articles on the history of March Township with Controversy Surrounded the Development of St. Mary’s Church. Kanata Standard, April 25, 1990:20
April 27, 1990
There was an explosion around the area of a construction site on Bluegrass Drive which sent pieces of rock flying. Sub-contractors in the area were trying to blast away two feet of rock from a long trench, which meant that explosives were closer to the surface than normal. A six-year-old boy walking nearby was nearly hit by a rock the size of a golf ball. A similar incident had occurred two months earlier in Kanata Lakes. Kanata Standard, May 2, 1990:1,44.
At the beginning of the Vietnam War, there was little interest in a dedicated counterinsurgency (COIN) aircraft. The USAF was too committed to an all-jet, nuclear-capable force, while the US Army was satisfied with its helicopter fleet; the Navy concentrated on its carriers, and while the Marines were mildly interested, they lacked funding.
Vietnam was to change that. Horrendous losses among US Army UH-1s was to lead to a rethinking of helicopter doctrine, and pointed up the lack of a dedicated COIN aircraft. The USAF found itself depending on World War II-era A-26K Invaders, former US Navy A-1 Skyraiders, and converted trainers like the T-28 Trojan. The USAF also found itself in the market for a better forward air control (FAC) aircraft, due to the high loss rate of its O-1 Birddogs and O-2 Skymasters. Finally, the US Navy needed something to better cover its Mobile River Force units in the Mekong Delta, which could not always depend on USAF air support. In 1963, all three services issued a requirement for a new light design capable of performing as both a COIN and FAC aircraft. North American's NA-300 was selected in 1964 and designated OV-10A Bronco.
The OV-10 design drew heavily on independent research done at the China Lake research establishment, which in turn was inspired by the World War II P-38 Lightning fighter. The P-38 used a central "gondola" fuselage to concentrate all of its firepower along the centerline, which made for better accuracy; the OV-10 would do the same. As in the P-38, the engines were contained in twin booms that stretched back to the tail. The Bronco's four machine gun armament was placed in sponsons on either side of the fuselage, while ordnance was carried beneath the sponsons. To satisfy the USAF's requirements for a FAC aircraft, the two-man crew flew underneath a large, spacious canopy that gave them superb visibility. Because the Marines wanted an aircraft that could carry a Recon team, the fuselage was extended and, if the rear seat was removed, five paratroopers could be squeezed into the back, or two stretchers.
When the OV-10 arrived in Vietnam in 1968, there was a fear that the Bronco would be the jack of all trades and master of none. In fact, it proved to be excellent in all of its roles. As a FAC, it was a huge improvement over the slower O-1 and O-2; as a COIN aircraft, it was also a good aircraft, though it could not carry the same amount of ordnance as an A-1. The Navy equipped one squadron with OV-10As as VAL-4--nicknamed the "Black Ponies" for their dark green camouflage--and these were used extensively over the Mekong Delta. There were problems with the design: the airframe was actually too heavy for the engines, which left it underpowered, and ditching was invariably fatal for the pilot, as his seat tended to hurl forward into the instrument panel. Nonetheless, the Bronco turned in a sterling performance in Southeast Asia.
Though the Navy transferred its surviving Black Ponies to the Marines after the end of American involvement in Vietnam, the USAF and Marines would keep theirs for the next 20 years. For the 1970s and 1980s, the OV-10 replaced all other FAC designs in USAF service, aside from a handful of OA-37B Dragonfly squadrons. The Marines also kept their OV-10s and further refined the design by adding all-weather capability in the long-nosed OV-10D variant.
By the First Gulf War in 1991, the OV-10 was starting to show its age. The USAF began retiring its fleet even before Desert Storm; the Bronco was considered to be too slow to survive a modern air defense environment. Though the Marines used some of their OV-10Ds, the loss of two aircraft also led the USMC to retire their Broncos after war's end. Both services chose jets as replacements--the USAF with modified OA-10A Thunderbolt IIs, and the Marines with two-seat all-weather F/A-18Ds.
OV-10s were also a mild export success, going to seven other countries, mainly in the COIN role. Most have since been retired in favor of newer designs, though the Philippines still has a large and active OV-10 force. The type enjoyed a brief renaissance in 2015 when two former Marine OV-10Ds were taken up by the USAF for use against ISIS forces in Iraq, to see if the design was still viable. Though the OV-10s performed well, the USAF is not likely to put it back into production. 360 were built, and at least 25 are on display in museums aside from the aircraft that are still operational.
N421DF has a pretty exciting life with Calfire, but it led an even more exciting former career. Built as OV-10A 155496, it would be delivered to the US Navy's VAL-4 ("Black Ponies") in 1969. VAL-4 was a unique squadron that provided close air support and FAC missions in the Mekong Delta of South Vietnam, for the Mobile Riverine Force--aka the "Brown Water Navy." 155496 would see combat in Vietnam, based at Vung Tau and Binh Thuy, until 1972, when VAL-4 was disestablished. It was then transferred to the Marines and VMO-6 at MCAS Futenma, Okinawa until 1977. VMO-6 was disestablished in 1977, but 155496 continued with the Marines until it was retired in 1992. Calfire bought the aircraft afterwards.
Today, Calfire uses 155496/N421DF as a spotter and controller on fires: using the OV-10's superb visibility, a crew can coordinate slurry and water drops, keep aircraft from running into each other, and make sure that the drops go to where they're needed the most. This high-visibility scheme certainly is a change from the camouflaged and/or gray OV-10s that I'm used to from our time in Germany.
Calfire has another thing on the ball: there is a specific area, complete with benches and shade, for plane spotters at Hemet-Ryan Field, making pictures like this very easy.
Honeywell is committed to developing cutting edge technologies and products for its commercial, defense and business aviation products, so they invested in a new Boeing 757 aircraft test platform for developing new engines and APUs, avionics, flight controls and radar technologies. By utilizing a 757 especially configured as a flying testbed, Honeywell is flight testing a tool chest of new technologies for future use and retrofit opportunities to better serve their global customers.
1983 - Delivered to Eastern Airlines (N504EA)
1991 - Withdrawn from use and stored at McCarran Field, Las Vegas, Nevada
1994 - Bought by Airfleet Credit Corporation
1995 - Leased to Airtours
1995 - Registered to Airtours International (G-JALC)
1997 - During climb after take-off from London/Gatwick the left main gear hydraulic downlock hose failed and the left system fluid was lost. The aircraft returned to the airport for an overweight landing. An inadequate briefing was conducted for the approach, and on touchdown the left dump spoilers did not deploy automatically and were not manually deployed. Inadequate rudder was applied to keep the aircraft straight on the runway, and it veered off the right side onto the grass. After stopping smoke was seen from the left main wheels (hydraulic fluid deposited on brake units). The aircraft was evacuated, on board nine crew and 184 passengers.
1999 - Aborted take-off at Glasgow while operating flight AIH975 to Tenerife due to engine problems, towed back to stand for investigation while the brakes cooled off.
2005 - Registered to Parkhead Leasing & Sales Ltd.
2005 - Bought by Honeywell International Inc. (N757HW)
2008 - Arrived in Phoenix with red cheatline and small 'Honeywell' titles
Gautama Buddha, also known as Siddhārtha Gautama, Shakyamuni, or simply the Buddha, was a sage on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. He is believed to have lived and taught mostly in northeastern India sometime between the sixth and fourth centuries BCE.
The word Buddha means "awakened one" or "the enlightened one". "Buddha" is also used as a title for the first awakened being in a Yuga era. In most Buddhist traditions, Siddhartha Gautama is regarded as the Supreme Buddha (Pali sammāsambuddha, Sanskrit samyaksaṃbuddha) of the present age. Gautama taught a Middle Way between sensual indulgence and the severe asceticism found in the śramaṇa movement common in his region. He later taught throughout regions of eastern India such as Magadha and Kosala.
Gautama is the primary figure in Buddhism and accounts of his life, discourses, and monastic rules are believed by Buddhists to have been summarized after his death and memorized by his followers. Various collections of teachings attributed to him were passed down by oral tradition and first committed to writing about 400 years later.
CONTENTS
HISTORICAL SIDDHARTA GAUTAMA
Scholars are hesitant to make unqualified claims about the historical facts of the Buddha's life. Most accept that he lived, taught and founded a monastic order during the Mahajanapada era during the reign of Bimbisara, the ruler of the Magadha empire, and died during the early years of the reign of Ajasattu, who was the successor of Bimbisara, thus making him a younger contemporary of Mahavira, the Jain tirthankara. Apart from the Vedic Brahmins, the Buddha's lifetime coincided with the flourishing of other influential śramaṇa schools of thoughts like Ājīvika, Cārvāka, Jainism, and Ajñana. It was also the age of influential thinkers like Mahavira, Pūraṇa Kassapa , Makkhali Gosāla, Ajita Kesakambalī, Pakudha Kaccāyana, and Sañjaya Belaṭṭhaputta, whose viewpoints the Buddha most certainly must have been acquainted with and influenced by. Indeed, Sariputta and Moggallāna, two of the foremost disciples of the Buddha, were formerly the foremost disciples of Sañjaya Belaṭṭhaputta, the skeptic. There is also evidence to suggest that the two masters, Alara Kalama and Uddaka Ramaputta, were indeed historical figures and they most probably taught Buddha two different forms of meditative techniques. While the general sequence of "birth, maturity, renunciation, search, awakening and liberation, teaching, death" is widely accepted, there is less consensus on the veracity of many details contained in traditional biographies.
The times of Gautama's birth and death are uncertain. Most historians in the early 20th century dated his lifetime as circa 563 BCE to 483 BCE. More recently his death is dated later, between 411 and 400 BCE, while at a symposium on this question held in 1988, the majority of those who presented definite opinions gave dates within 20 years either side of 400 BCE for the Buddha's death. These alternative chronologies, however, have not yet been accepted by all historians.
The evidence of the early texts suggests that Siddhārtha Gautama was born into the Shakya clan, a community that was on the periphery, both geographically and culturally, of the northeastern Indian subcontinent in the 5th century BCE. It was either a small republic, in which case his father was an elected chieftain, or an oligarchy, in which case his father was an oligarch. According to the Buddhist tradition, Gautama was born in Lumbini, nowadays in modern-day Nepal, and raised in the Shakya capital of Kapilavastu, which may have been in either present day Tilaurakot, Nepal or Piprahwa, India. He obtained his enlightenment in Bodh Gaya, gave his first sermon in Sarnath, and died in Kushinagar.
No written records about Gautama have been found from his lifetime or some centuries thereafter. One Edict of Asoka, who reigned from circa 269 BCE to 232 BCE, commemorates the Emperor's pilgrimage to the Buddha's birthplace in Lumbini. Another one of his edicts mentions several Dhamma texts, establishing the existence of a written Buddhist tradition at least by the time of the Maurya era and which may be the precursors of the Pāli Canon. The oldest surviving Buddhist manuscripts are the Gandhāran Buddhist texts, reported to have been found in or around Haḍḍa near Jalalabad in eastern Afghanistan and now preserved in the British Library. They are written in the Gāndhārī language using the Kharosthi script on twenty-seven birch bark manuscripts and date from the first century BCE to the third century CE.
TRADITIONAL BIOGRAPHIES
BIOGRAPHICAL SOURCES
The sources for the life of Siddhārtha Gautama are a variety of different, and sometimes conflicting, traditional biographies. These include the Buddhacarita, Lalitavistara Sūtra, Mahāvastu, and the Nidānakathā. Of these, the Buddhacarita is the earliest full biography, an epic poem written by the poet Aśvaghoṣa, and dating around the beginning of the 2nd century CE. The Lalitavistara Sūtra is the next oldest biography, a Mahāyāna/Sarvāstivāda biography dating to the 3rd century CE. The Mahāvastu from the Mahāsāṃghika Lokottaravāda tradition is another major biography, composed incrementally until perhaps the 4th century CE. The Dharmaguptaka biography of the Buddha is the most exhaustive, and is entitled the Abhiniṣkramaṇa Sūtra, and various Chinese translations of this date between the 3rd and 6th century CE. The Nidānakathā is from the Theravada tradition in Sri Lanka and was composed in the 5th century by Buddhaghoṣa.
From canonical sources, the Jataka tales, the Mahapadana Sutta (DN 14), and the Achariyabhuta Sutta (MN 123) which include selective accounts that may be older, but are not full biographies. The Jātakas retell previous lives of Gautama as a bodhisattva, and the first collection of these can be dated among the earliest Buddhist texts. The Mahāpadāna Sutta and Achariyabhuta Sutta both recount miraculous events surrounding Gautama's birth, such as the bodhisattva's descent from the Tuṣita Heaven into his mother's womb.
NATURE OF TRADITIONAL DEPICTIONS
In the earliest Buddhists texts, the nikāyas and āgamas, the Buddha is not depicted as possessing omniscience (sabbaññu) nor is he depicted as being an eternal transcendent (lokottara) being. According to Bhikkhu Analayo, ideas of the Buddha's omniscience (along with an increasing tendency to deify him and his biography) are found only later, in the Mahayana sutras and later Pali commentaries or texts such as the Mahāvastu. In the Sandaka Sutta, the Buddha's disciple Ananda outlines an argument against the claims of teachers who say they are all knowing while in the Tevijjavacchagotta Sutta the Buddha himself states that he has never made a claim to being omniscient, instead he claimed to have the "higher knowledges" (abhijñā). The earliest biographical material from the Pali Nikayas focuses on the Buddha's life as a śramaṇa, his search for enlightenment under various teachers such as Alara Kalama and his forty five year career as a teacher.
Traditional biographies of Gautama generally include numerous miracles, omens, and supernatural events. The character of the Buddha in these traditional biographies is often that of a fully transcendent (Skt. lokottara) and perfected being who is unencumbered by the mundane world. In the Mahāvastu, over the course of many lives, Gautama is said to have developed supra-mundane abilities including: a painless birth conceived without intercourse; no need for sleep, food, medicine, or bathing, although engaging in such "in conformity with the world"; omniscience, and the ability to "suppress karma". Nevertheless, some of the more ordinary details of his life have been gathered from these traditional sources. In modern times there has been an attempt to form a secular understanding of Siddhārtha Gautama's life by omitting the traditional supernatural elements of his early biographies.
Andrew Skilton writes that the Buddha was never historically regarded by Buddhist traditions as being merely human:
It is important to stress that, despite modern Theravada teachings to the contrary (often a sop to skeptical Western pupils), he was never seen as being merely human. For instance, he is often described as having the thirty-two major and eighty minor marks or signs of a mahāpuruṣa, "superman"; the Buddha himself denied that he was either a man or a god; and in the Mahāparinibbāna Sutta he states that he could live for an aeon were he asked to do so.The ancient Indians were generally unconcerned with chronologies, being more focused on philosophy. Buddhist texts reflect this tendency, providing a clearer picture of what Gautama may have taught than of the dates of the events in his life. These texts contain descriptions of the culture and daily life of ancient India which can be corroborated from the Jain scriptures, and make the Buddha's time the earliest period in Indian history for which significant accounts exist. British author Karen Armstrong writes that although there is very little information that can be considered historically sound, we can be reasonably confident that Siddhārtha Gautama did exist as a historical figure. Michael Carrithers goes a bit further by stating that the most general outline of "birth, maturity, renunciation, search, awakening and liberation, teaching, death" must be true.
BIOGRAPHY
CONCEPTION AND BIRTH
The Buddhist tradition regards Lumbini, in present-day Nepal to be the birthplace of the Buddha. He grew up in Kapilavastu. The exact site of ancient Kapilavastu is unknown. It may have been either Piprahwa, Uttar Pradesh, present-day India, or Tilaurakot, present-day Nepal. Both places belonged to the Sakya territory, and are located only 15 miles apart from each other.
Gautama was born as a Kshatriya, the son of Śuddhodana, "an elected chief of the Shakya clan", whose capital was Kapilavastu, and who were later annexed by the growing Kingdom of Kosala during the Buddha's lifetime. Gautama was the family name. His mother, Maya (Māyādevī), Suddhodana's wife, was a Koliyan princess. Legend has it that, on the night Siddhartha was conceived, Queen Maya dreamt that a white elephant with six white tusks entered her right side, and ten months later Siddhartha was born. As was the Shakya tradition, when his mother Queen Maya became pregnant, she left Kapilvastu for her father's kingdom to give birth. However, her son is said to have been born on the way, at Lumbini, in a garden beneath a sal tree.
The day of the Buddha's birth is widely celebrated in Theravada countries as Vesak. Buddha's Birthday is called Buddha Purnima in Nepal and India as he is believed to have been born on a full moon day. Various sources hold that the Buddha's mother died at his birth, a few days or seven days later. The infant was given the name Siddhartha (Pāli: Siddhattha), meaning "he who achieves his aim". During the birth celebrations, the hermit seer Asita journeyed from his mountain abode and announced that the child would either become a great king (chakravartin) or a great sadhu. By traditional account, this occurred after Siddhartha placed his feet in Asita's hair and Asita examined the birthmarks. Suddhodana held a naming ceremony on the fifth day, and invited eight Brahmin scholars to read the future. All gave a dual prediction that the baby would either become a great king or a great holy man. Kondañña, the youngest, and later to be the first arhat other than the Buddha, was reputed to be the only one who unequivocally predicted that Siddhartha would become a Buddha.
While later tradition and legend characterized Śuddhodana as a hereditary monarch, the descendant of the Suryavansha (Solar dynasty) of Ikṣvāku (Pāli: Okkāka), many scholars think that Śuddhodana was the elected chief of a tribal confederacy.
Early texts suggest that Gautama was not familiar with the dominant religious teachings of his time until he left on his religious quest, which is said to have been motivated by existential concern for the human condition. The state of the Shakya clan was not a monarchy, and seems to have been structured either as an oligarchy, or as a form of republic. The more egalitarian gana-sangha form of government, as a political alternative to the strongly hierarchical kingdoms, may have influenced the development of the śramanic Jain and Buddhist sanghas, where monarchies tended toward Vedic Brahmanism.
EARLY LIFE AND MARRIAGE
Siddhartha was brought up by his mother's younger sister, Maha Pajapati. By tradition, he is said to have been destined by birth to the life of a prince, and had three palaces (for seasonal occupation) built for him. Although more recent scholarship doubts this status, his father, said to be King Śuddhodana, wishing for his son to be a great king, is said to have shielded him from religious teachings and from knowledge of human suffering.
When he reached the age of 16, his father reputedly arranged his marriage to a cousin of the same age named Yaśodharā (Pāli: Yasodharā). According to the traditional account, she gave birth to a son, named Rāhula. Siddhartha is said to have spent 29 years as a prince in Kapilavastu. Although his father ensured that Siddhartha was provided with everything he could want or need, Buddhist scriptures say that the future Buddha felt that material wealth was not life's ultimate goal.
RENUNCIATION AND ASCETIC LIFE
At the age of 29, the popular biography continues, Siddhartha left his palace to meet his subjects. Despite his father's efforts to hide from him the sick, aged and suffering, Siddhartha was said to have seen an old man. When his charioteer Channa explained to him that all people grew old, the prince went on further trips beyond the palace. On these he encountered a diseased man, a decaying corpse, and an ascetic. These depressed him, and he initially strove to overcome aging, sickness, and death by living the life of an ascetic.
Accompanied by Channa and riding his horse Kanthaka, Gautama quit his palace for the life of a mendicant. It's said that, "the horse's hooves were muffled by the gods" to prevent guards from knowing of his departure.
Gautama initially went to Rajagaha and began his ascetic life by begging for alms in the street. After King Bimbisara's men recognised Siddhartha and the king learned of his quest, Bimbisara offered Siddhartha the throne. Siddhartha rejected the offer, but promised to visit his kingdom of Magadha first, upon attaining enlightenment.
He left Rajagaha and practised under two hermit teachers of yogic meditation. After mastering the teachings of Alara Kalama (Skr. Ārāḍa Kālāma), he was asked by Kalama to succeed him. However, Gautama felt unsatisfied by the practice, and moved on to become a student of yoga with Udaka Ramaputta (Skr. Udraka Rāmaputra). With him he achieved high levels of meditative consciousness, and was again asked to succeed his teacher. But, once more, he was not satisfied, and again moved on.
Siddhartha and a group of five companions led by Kaundinya are then said to have set out to take their austerities even further. They tried to find enlightenment through deprivation of worldly goods, including food, practising self-mortification. After nearly starving himself to death by restricting his food intake to around a leaf or nut per day, he collapsed in a river while bathing and almost drowned. Siddhartha was rescued by a village girl named Sujata and she gave him some payasam (a pudding made from milk and jaggery) after which Siddhartha got back some energy. Siddhartha began to reconsider his path. Then, he remembered a moment in childhood in which he had been watching his father start the season's ploughing. He attained a concentrated and focused state that was blissful and refreshing, the jhāna.
AWAKENING
According to the early Buddhist texts, after realizing that meditative dhyana was the right path to awakening, but that extreme asceticism didn't work, Gautama discovered what Buddhists call the Middle Way - a path of moderation away from the extremes of self-indulgence and self-mortification, or the Noble Eightfold Path, as was identified and described by the Buddha in his first discourse, the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta. In a famous incident, after becoming starved and weakened, he is said to have accepted milk and rice pudding from a village girl named Sujata. Such was his emaciated appearance that she wrongly believed him to be a spirit that had granted her a wish.
Following this incident, Gautama was famously seated under a pipal tree - now known as the Bodhi tree - in Bodh Gaya, India, when he vowed never to arise until he had found the truth. Kaundinya and four other companions, believing that he had abandoned his search and become undisciplined, left. After a reputed 49 days of meditation, at the age of 35, he is said to have attained Enlightenment. According to some traditions, this occurred in approximately the fifth lunar month, while, according to others, it was in the twelfth month. From that time, Gautama was known to his followers as the Buddha or "Awakened One" ("Buddha" is also sometimes translated as "The Enlightened One").
According to Buddhism, at the time of his awakening he realized complete insight into the cause of suffering, and the steps necessary to eliminate it. These discoveries became known as the "Four Noble Truths", which are at the heart of Buddhist teaching. Through mastery of these truths, a state of supreme liberation, or Nirvana, is believed to be possible for any being. The Buddha described Nirvāna as the perfect peace of a mind that's free from ignorance, greed, hatred and other afflictive states, or "defilements" (kilesas). Nirvana is also regarded as the "end of the world", in that no personal identity or boundaries of the mind remain. In such a state, a being is said to possess the Ten Characteristics, belonging to every Buddha.
According to a story in the Āyācana Sutta (Samyutta Nikaya VI.1) - a scripture found in the Pāli and other canons - immediately after his awakening, the Buddha debated whether or not he should teach the Dharma to others. He was concerned that humans were so overpowered by ignorance, greed and hatred that they could never recognise the path, which is subtle, deep and hard to grasp. However, in the story, Brahmā Sahampati convinced him, arguing that at least some will understand it. The Buddha relented, and agreed to teach.
FORMATION OF THE SANGHA
After his awakening, the Buddha met Taphussa and Bhallika — two merchant brothers from the city of Balkh in what is currently Afghanistan - who became his first lay disciples. It is said that each was given hairs from his head, which are now claimed to be enshrined as relics in the Shwe Dagon Temple in Rangoon, Burma. The Buddha intended to visit Asita, and his former teachers, Alara Kalama and Udaka Ramaputta, to explain his findings, but they had already died.
He then travelled to the Deer Park near Varanasi (Benares) in northern India, where he set in motion what Buddhists call the Wheel of Dharma by delivering his first sermon to the five companions with whom he had sought enlightenment. Together with him, they formed the first saṅgha: the company of Buddhist monks.
All five become arahants, and within the first two months, with the conversion of Yasa and fifty four of his friends, the number of such arahants is said to have grown to 60. The conversion of three brothers named Kassapa followed, with their reputed 200, 300 and 500 disciples, respectively. This swelled the sangha to more than 1,000.
TRAVELS AND TEACHING
For the remaining 45 years of his life, the Buddha is said to have traveled in the Gangetic Plain, in what is now Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and southern Nepal, teaching a diverse range of people: from nobles to servants, murderers such as Angulimala, and cannibals such as Alavaka. Although the Buddha's language remains unknown, it's likely that he taught in one or more of a variety of closely related Middle Indo-Aryan dialects, of which Pali may be a standardization.
The sangha traveled through the subcontinent, expounding the dharma. This continued throughout the year, except during the four months of the Vāsanā rainy season when ascetics of all religions rarely traveled. One reason was that it was more difficult to do so without causing harm to animal life. At this time of year, the sangha would retreat to monasteries, public parks or forests, where people would come to them.
The first vassana was spent at Varanasi when the sangha was formed. After this, the Buddha kept a promise to travel to Rajagaha, capital of Magadha, to visit King Bimbisara. During this visit, Sariputta and Maudgalyayana were converted by Assaji, one of the first five disciples, after which they were to become the Buddha's two foremost followers. The Buddha spent the next three seasons at Veluvana Bamboo Grove monastery in Rajagaha, capital of Magadha.
Upon hearing of his son's awakening, Suddhodana sent, over a period, ten delegations to ask him to return to Kapilavastu. On the first nine occasions, the delegates failed to deliver the message, and instead joined the sangha to become arahants. The tenth delegation, led by Kaludayi, a childhood friend of Gautama's (who also became an arahant), however, delivered the message.
Now two years after his awakening, the Buddha agreed to return, and made a two-month journey by foot to Kapilavastu, teaching the dharma as he went. At his return, the royal palace prepared a midday meal, but the sangha was making an alms round in Kapilavastu. Hearing this, Suddhodana approached his son, the Buddha, saying:
"Ours is the warrior lineage of Mahamassata, and not a single warrior has gone seeking alms."
The Buddha is said to have replied:
"That is not the custom of your royal lineage. But it is the custom of my Buddha lineage. Several thousands of Buddhas have gone by seeking alms."
Buddhist texts say that Suddhodana invited the sangha into the palace for the meal, followed by a dharma talk. After this he is said to have become a sotapanna. During the visit, many members of the royal family joined the sangha. The Buddha's cousins Ananda and Anuruddha became two of his five chief disciples. At the age of seven, his son Rahula also joined, and became one of his ten chief disciples. His half-brother Nanda also joined and became an arahant.
Of the Buddha's disciples, Sariputta, Maudgalyayana, Mahakasyapa, Ananda and Anuruddha are believed to have been the five closest to him. His ten foremost disciples were reputedly completed by the quintet of Upali, Subhoti, Rahula, Mahakaccana and Punna.
In the fifth vassana, the Buddha was staying at Mahavana near Vesali when he heard news of the impending death of his father. He is said to have gone to Suddhodana and taught the dharma, after which his father became an arahant.The king's death and cremation was to inspire the creation of an order of nuns. Buddhist texts record that the Buddha was reluctant to ordain women. His foster mother Maha Pajapati, for example, approached him, asking to join the sangha, but he refused. Maha Pajapati, however, was so intent on the path of awakening that she led a group of royal Sakyan and Koliyan ladies, which followed the sangha on a long journey to Rajagaha. In time, after Ananda championed their cause, the Buddha is said to have reconsidered and, five years after the formation of the sangha, agreed to the ordination of women as nuns. He reasoned that males and females had an equal capacity for awakening. But he gave women additional rules (Vinaya) to follow.
MAHAPARINIRVANA
According to the Mahaparinibbana Sutta of the Pali canon, at the age of 80, the Buddha announced that he would soon reach Parinirvana, or the final deathless state, and abandon his earthly body. After this, the Buddha ate his last meal, which he had received as an offering from a blacksmith named Cunda. Falling violently ill, Buddha instructed his attendant Ānanda to convince Cunda that the meal eaten at his place had nothing to do with his passing and that his meal would be a source of the greatest merit as it provided the last meal for a Buddha. Mettanando and Von Hinüber argue that the Buddha died of mesenteric infarction, a symptom of old age, rather than food poisoning. The precise contents of the Buddha's final meal are not clear, due to variant scriptural traditions and ambiguity over the translation of certain significant terms; the Theravada tradition generally believes that the Buddha was offered some kind of pork, while the Mahayana tradition believes that the Buddha consumed some sort of truffle or other mushroom. These may reflect the different traditional views on Buddhist vegetarianism and the precepts for monks and nuns.
Waley suggests that Theravadin's would take suukaramaddava (the contents of the Buddha's last meal), which can translate as pig-soft, to mean soft flesh of a pig. However, he also states that pig-soft could mean "pig's soft-food", that is, after Neumann, a soft food favoured by pigs, assumed to be a truffle. He argues (also after Neumann) that as Pali Buddhism was developed in an area remote to the Buddha's death, the existence of other plants with suukara- (pig) as part of their names and that "(p)lant names tend to be local and dialectical" could easily indicate that suukaramaddava was a type of plant whose local name was unknown to those in the Pali regions. Specifically, local writers knew more about their flora than Theravadin commentator Buddhaghosa who lived hundreds of years and kilometres remote in time and space from the events described. Unaware of an alternate meaning and with no Theravadin prohibition against eating animal flesh, Theravadins would not have questioned the Buddha eating meat and interpreted the term accordingly.
Ananda protested the Buddha's decision to enter Parinirvana in the abandoned jungles of Kuśināra (present-day Kushinagar, India) of the Malla kingdom. The Buddha, however, is said to have reminded Ananda how Kushinara was a land once ruled by a righteous wheel-turning king that resounded with joy:
44. Kusavati, Ananda, resounded unceasingly day and night with ten sounds - the trumpeting of elephants, the neighing of horses, the rattling of chariots, the beating of drums and tabours, music and song, cheers, the clapping of hands, and cries of "Eat, drink, and be merry!"
The Buddha then asked all the attendant Bhikkhus to clarify any doubts or questions they had. They had none. According to Buddhist scriptures, he then finally entered Parinirvana. The Buddha's final words are reported to have been: "All composite things (Saṅkhāra) are perishable. Strive for your own liberation with diligence" (Pali: 'vayadhammā saṅkhārā appamādena sampādethā'). His body was cremated and the relics were placed in monuments or stupas, some of which are believed to have survived until the present. For example, The Temple of the Tooth or "Dalada Maligawa" in Sri Lanka is the place where what some believe to be the relic of the right tooth of Buddha is kept at present.
According to the Pāli historical chronicles of Sri Lanka, the Dīpavaṃsa and Mahāvaṃsa, the coronation of Emperor Aśoka (Pāli: Asoka) is 218 years after the death of the Buddha. According to two textual records in Chinese (十八部論 and 部執異論), the coronation of Emperor Aśoka is 116 years after the death of the Buddha. Therefore, the time of Buddha's passing is either 486 BCE according to Theravāda record or 383 BCE according to Mahayana record. However, the actual date traditionally accepted as the date of the Buddha's death in Theravāda countries is 544 or 545 BCE, because the reign of Emperor Aśoka was traditionally reckoned to be about 60 years earlier than current estimates. In Burmese Buddhist tradition, the date of the Buddha's death is 13 May 544 BCE. whereas in Thai tradition it is 11 March 545 BCE.
At his death, the Buddha is famously believed to have told his disciples to follow no leader. Mahakasyapa was chosen by the sangha to be the chairman of the First Buddhist Council, with the two chief disciples Maudgalyayana and Sariputta having died before the Buddha.
While in the Buddha's days he was addressed by the very respected titles Buddha, Shākyamuni, Shākyasimha, Bhante and Bho, he was known after his parinirvana as Arihant, Bhagavā/Bhagavat/Bhagwān, Mahāvira, Jina/Jinendra, Sāstr, Sugata, and most popularly in scriptures as Tathāgata.
BUDDHA AND VEDAS
Buddha's teachings deny the authority of the Vedas and consequently [at least atheistic] Buddhism is generally viewed as a nāstika school (heterodox, literally "It is not so") from the perspective of orthodox Hinduism.
RELICS
After his death, Buddha's cremation relics were divided amongst 8 royal families and his disciples; centuries later they would be enshrined by King Ashoka into 84,000 stupas. Many supernatural legends surround the history of alleged relics as they accompanied the spread of Buddhism and gave legitimacy to rulers.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
An extensive and colorful physical description of the Buddha has been laid down in scriptures. A kshatriya by birth, he had military training in his upbringing, and by Shakyan tradition was required to pass tests to demonstrate his worthiness as a warrior in order to marry. He had a strong enough body to be noticed by one of the kings and was asked to join his army as a general. He is also believed by Buddhists to have "the 32 Signs of the Great Man".
The Brahmin Sonadanda described him as "handsome, good-looking, and pleasing to the eye, with a most beautiful complexion. He has a godlike form and countenance, he is by no means unattractive." (D, I:115)
"It is wonderful, truly marvellous, how serene is the good Gotama's appearance, how clear and radiant his complexion, just as the golden jujube in autumn is clear and radiant, just as a palm-tree fruit just loosened from the stalk is clear and radiant, just as an adornment of red gold wrought in a crucible by a skilled goldsmith, deftly beaten and laid on a yellow-cloth shines, blazes and glitters, even so, the good Gotama's senses are calmed, his complexion is clear and radiant." (A, I:181)
A disciple named Vakkali, who later became an arahant, was so obsessed by the Buddha's physical presence that the Buddha is said to have felt impelled to tell him to desist, and to have reminded him that he should know the Buddha through the Dhamma and not through physical appearances.
Although there are no extant representations of the Buddha in human form until around the 1st century CE (see Buddhist art), descriptions of the physical characteristics of fully enlightened buddhas are attributed to the Buddha in the Digha Nikaya's Lakkhaṇa Sutta (D, I:142). In addition, the Buddha's physical appearance is described by Yasodhara to their son Rahula upon the Buddha's first post-Enlightenment return to his former princely palace in the non-canonical Pali devotional hymn, Narasīha Gāthā ("The Lion of Men").
Among the 32 main characteristics it is mentioned that Buddha has blue eyes.
NINE VIRTUES
Recollection of nine virtues attributed to the Buddha is a common Buddhist meditation and devotional practice called Buddhānusmṛti. The nine virtues are also among the 40 Buddhist meditation subjects. The nine virtues of the Buddha appear throughout the Tipitaka, and include:
- Buddho – Awakened
- Sammasambuddho – Perfectly self-awakened
- Vijja-carana-sampano – Endowed with higher knowledge and ideal conduct.
- Sugato – Well-gone or Well-spoken.
- Lokavidu – Wise in the knowledge of the many worlds.
- Anuttaro Purisa-damma-sarathi – Unexcelled trainer of untrained people.
- Satthadeva-Manussanam – Teacher of gods and humans.
- Bhagavathi – The Blessed one
- Araham – Worthy of homage. An Arahant is "one with taints destroyed, who has lived the holy life, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, reached the true goal, destroyed the fetters of being, and is completely liberated through final knowledge."
TEACHINGS
TRACING THE OLDEST TEACHINGS
Information of the oldest teachings may be obtained by analysis of the oldest texts. One method to obtain information on the oldest core of Buddhism is to compare the oldest extant versions of the Theravadin Pali Canon and other texts. The reliability of these sources, and the possibility to draw out a core of oldest teachings, is a matter of dispute. According to Vetter, inconsistencies remain, and other methods must be applied to resolve those inconsistencies.
According to Schmithausen, three positions held by scholars of Buddhism can be distinguished:
"Stress on the fundamental homogeneity and substantial authenticity of at least a considerable part of the Nikayic materials;"
"Scepticism with regard to the possibility of retrieving the doctrine of earliest Buddhism;"
"Cautious optimism in this respect."
DHYANA AND INSIGHT
A core problem in the study of early Buddhism is the relation between dhyana and insight. Schmithausen, in his often-cited article On some Aspects of Descriptions or Theories of 'Liberating Insight' and 'Enlightenment' in Early Buddhism notes that the mention of the four noble truths as constituting "liberating insight", which is attained after mastering the Rupa Jhanas, is a later addition to texts such as Majjhima Nikaya 36
CORE TEACHINGS
According to Tilmann Vetter, the core of earliest Buddhism is the practice of dhyāna. Bronkhorst agrees that dhyana was a Buddhist invention, whereas Norman notes that "the Buddha's way to release [...] was by means of meditative practices." Discriminating insight into transiency as a separate path to liberation was a later development.
According to the Mahāsaccakasutta, from the fourth jhana the Buddha gained bodhi. Yet, it is not clear what he was awakened to. "Liberating insight" is a later addition to this text, and reflects a later development and understanding in early Buddhism. The mentioning of the four truths as constituting "liberating insight" introduces a logical problem, since the four truths depict a linear path of practice, the knowledge of which is in itself not depicted as being liberating:
[T]hey do not teach that one is released by knowing the four noble truths, but by practicing the fourth noble truth, the eightfold path, which culminates in right samadhi.
Although "Nibbāna" (Sanskrit: Nirvāna) is the common term for the desired goal of this practice, many other terms can be found throughout the Nikayas, which are not specified.
According to Vetter, the description of the Buddhist path may initially have been as simple as the term "the middle way". In time, this short description was elaborated, resulting in the description of the eightfold path.
According to both Bronkhorst and Anderson, the four truths became a substitution for prajna, or "liberating insight", in the suttas in those texts where "liberating insight" was preceded by the four jhanas. According to Bronkhorst, the four truths may not have been formulated in earliest Buddhism, and did not serve in earliest Buddhism as a description of "liberating insight". Gotama's teachings may have been personal, "adjusted to the need of each person."
The three marks of existence may reflect Upanishadic or other influences. K.R. Norman supposes that these terms were already in use at the Buddha's time, and were familiar to his listeners.
The Brahma-vihara was in origin probably a brahmanic term; but its usage may have been common to the Sramana traditions.
LATER DEVELOPMENTS
In time, "liberating insight" became an essential feature of the Buddhist tradition. The following teachings, which are commonly seen as essential to Buddhism, are later formulations which form part of the explanatory framework of this "liberating insight":
- The Four Noble Truths: that suffering is an ingrained part of existence; that the origin of suffering is craving for sensuality, acquisition of identity, and fear of annihilation; that suffering can be ended; and that following the Noble Eightfold Path is the means to accomplish this;
- The Noble Eightfold Path: right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration;
- Dependent origination: the mind creates suffering as a natural product of a complex process.
OTHER RELIGIONS
Some Hindus regard Gautama as the 9th avatar of Vishnu. The Buddha is also regarded as a prophet by the Ahmadiyya Muslims and a Manifestation of God in the Bahá'í Faith. Some early Chinese Taoist-Buddhists thought the Buddha to be a reincarnation of Lao Tzu.
The Christian Saint Josaphat is based on the Buddha. The name comes from the Sanskrit Bodhisattva via Arabic Būdhasaf and Georgian Iodasaph. The only story in which St. Josaphat appears, Barlaam and Josaphat, is based on the life of the Buddha. Josaphat was included in earlier editions of the Roman Martyrology (feast day 27 November) — though not in the Roman Missal — and in the Eastern Orthodox Church liturgical calendar (26 August).
Disciples of the Cao Đài religion worship the Buddha as a major religious teacher. His image can be found in both their Holy See and on the home altar. He is revealed during communication with Divine Beings as son of their Supreme Being (God the Father) together with other major religious teachers and founders like Jesus, Laozi, and Confucius.
In the ancient Gnostic sect of Manichaeism the Buddha is listed among the prophets who preached the word of God before Mani.
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