Presentación Final del Proyecto en la Comuna 8 Medellin: Intergrando Comuna 8 Octavo Semestre/Taller9 UNAL Facultad de Arquitectura

A Belgian Air Component F-16 goes ballistic during its display at the Royal International Air Tattoo.

By loosening the kip lever on top of the pusher unit, the plywood panel can be set at any angle. There is no built-in mechanism provided to square the face of the plywood panel perpendicular to the travel of the sliding table. The easiest way to square the pusher unit to the blade is to pull over the rip fence, and use the rip fence as a registration stop before clamping down on the kip lever. One complaint I had is that the kip lever is too low to clear the handle when it's rotated fully. I rectified this by adding additional washers under the kip lever.

Universal Studios Florida is a theme park located in Orlando, Florida. Opened on June 7, 1990, the park's theme is the entertainment industry, in particular movies and television. Universal Studios Florida inspires its guests to "ride the movies", and it features numerous attractions and live shows. The park is one component of the larger Universal Orlando Resort.

 

In 2013, the park hosted an estimated 7.06 million guests, ranking it the eighth-most visited theme park in the United States, and ranking it sixteenth worldwide.[2]

  

Contents [hide]

1 History 1.1 Park history

1.2 Branding

1.3 Timeline

1.4 Previous attractions

 

2 Park design 2.1 Production Central

2.2 New York

2.3 San Francisco

2.4 London/Diagon Alley

2.5 World Expo

2.6 Woody Woodpecker's Kidzone

2.7 Hollywood

 

3 Character appearances

4 Production facilities

5 Annual events 5.1 Grad Bash and Gradventure

5.2 Halloween Horror Nights

5.3 Macy's Holiday Parade

5.4 Mardi Gras

5.5 Rock the Universe

5.6 Summer Concert Series

 

6 Universal's Express Pass

7 Attendance

8 See also

9 References

10 External links

  

History[edit]

  

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2010)

     

The original entrance to the theme park.

Over the years, Universal Studios Florida has not limited itself to attractions based on its own vast film library. It has occasionally licensed popular characters from other rival studios, many of whom did not operate theme parks themselves. Some examples include Ghostbusters and Men in Black, (Sony's Columbia Pictures), The Simpsons (20th Century Fox) and Shrek (DreamWorks Animation).

 

Many of the park's past and present attractions were developed with the actual creators of the films they were based on, and feature the original stars as part of the experience. Steven Spielberg helped create E.T. Adventure and was a creative consultant for Back to the Future: The Ride, Twister...Ride it Out, An American Tail Theatre, Jaws, Men in Black: Alien Attack and Transformers: The Ride.

 

In many current rides, the original stars reprised their film roles including: Rip Torn and Will Smith in Men in Black: Alien Attack, Brendan Fraser for Revenge of the Mummy: The Ride, Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt in Twister...Ride it Out, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Edward Furlong and Linda Hamilton reprised their roles for Terminator 2: 3-D Battle Across Time, Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and John Lithgow for Shrek 4D, Steve Carell, Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, and Elsie Fisher reprised their roles from Despicable Me for Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem, and Peter Cullen and Frank Welker reprised their roles as Optimus Prime and Megatron for Transformers: The Ride.

 

In many former rides, the many original stars were also to reprise their film roles such as: Christopher Lloyd and Thomas F. Wilson in Back to the Future: The Ride, Roy Scheider recorded a voice over for the conclusion of Jaws, Alfred Hitchcock and Anthony Perkins appeared in Alfred Hitchcock: The Art of Making Movies, additionally, various Nicktoon voice actors reprised their roles in Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast.

 

Park history[edit]

 

From its inception in 1982,[3] Universal Studios Florida was designed as a theme park and a working studio. It was also the first time that Universal Studios had constructed an amusement park "from the ground up." However, the proposed project was put on hold until 1986, when a meeting between Steven Spielberg, a co-founder for the park, and Peter N. Alexander prompted for the creation of a Back to the Future simulator ride in addition to the already planned King Kong based ride.[4]

 

A major component of the original park in Hollywood is its studio tour, which featured several special-effects exhibits and encounters built into the tour, such as an attack by the great white shark from the film Jaws. For its Florida park, Universal Studios took the concepts of the Hollywood tour scenes and developed them into larger, stand-alone attractions. As an example, in Hollywood, the studio tour trams travel close to a shoreline and are "attacked" by Jaws before they travel to the next part of the tour. In Florida, guests entered the "Jaws" attraction and would board a boat touring the fictitious Amity Harbor, where they encountered the shark, then exited back into the park at the conclusion of the attraction. Universal Studios Florida originally had a Studio Tour attraction that visited the production facilities, but that tour has since been discontinued.

 

Branding[edit]

 

Previous slogans for Universal Studios Florida were: See the Stars. Ride the Movies. (1990 - 1998); No one makes believe like we do! (1990 - 1998); Ride the Movies (1998 - 2008); Jump into the Action (2008–2012). The current slogan is: Experience the Movies (2012–present).

 

Timeline[edit]

1986: Land clearing takes place on the swamp land purchased by MCA/Universal that would hold the park.

1987: Universal Studios Florida is announced at a press conference on the Hollywood property, with a planned opening date of December 1989.

1988: Universal Studios Florida's opening date is delayed from December, 1989 to May 1, 1990. Shortly following, MCA/Universal releases a video detailing the future park, which stars Christopher Lloyd as the Universal character Doc Brown interacting with the various attractions at the Florida park.[5] Universal Studios allows guests to witness the production of television shows and motion pictures in the Florida park's soundstages in middle 1988, while the rest of the studio/park is still under construction.[6]

1989: MCA/Universal Studios claims that The Walt Disney Company and its CEO, Michael Eisner copied several concepts of the Universal Studios Florida park, and integrated them into Disney's recently opened Disney/MGM Studios park.[7]

1990: On January 31, Universal Studios Florida's opening date is again delayed from May 1, 1990 to June 7, 1990.[8] Universal Studios Florida begins soft openings for the general public in late May.[9] Many of the park's attractions are not yet open at the time, and still under testing. Universal Studios Florida is officially opened with a grand opening style ceremony on June 7.[10] The park opens with five themed areas: The Front Lot (entrance area), Production Central, New York, San Francisco/Amity, Expo Center, Hollywood as well as a Lagoon located in the center of the park. The Front Lot and Production Central areas are referred to as "In Production", the New York section is referred to as "Now Shooting", the San Francisco and Amity sections are referred to as "On Location" and the Expo Center area is referred to as "The World of CineMagic Center". Nickelodeon Studios also opened on this day where there was a grand opening ceremony hosted by Marc Summers. Due to massive technical problems with the original Kongfrontation, Earthquake: The Big One and Jaws rides, Universal begins a temporary voucher service to allow guests to re-visit the studio/park when the attractions are operating.[10] Jaws is temporarily closed by Universal on September 30 due to persistent major technical problems. During the shut-down, Universal sues the original designer of the Jaws ride,[11] Ride & Show Engineering, and hires Totally Fun Company to create a re-designed version of most of the ride.

1991: Universal adds four new attractions to the park: The Blues Brothers Show, StreetBusters, The Screen Test Home Video Adventure and How to Make a Mega Movie Deal.[12] Back to the Future: The Ride officially opens in the World Expo Center area of the park, in a grand opening ceremony.[13] The ride is considered to be a success, and receives positive reception from theme park critics.[14] Fright Nights debuts at the park. In 1992, it is renamed to Halloween Horror Nights.

1993: Jaws is re-opened, with many scenes altered. MCA/Universal announces plans to expand Universal Studios Florida into the Universal City, Florida resort complex, including a second theme park and multiple hotels.[15]

1995: Universal Studios Florida celebrates its 5th anniversary. A Day in the Park with Barney opens in the World Expo area. The Production Studio Tour is closed due to a dwindle in the studios' recent Film/TV production.

1996: Terminator 2: 3-D Battle Across Time opens in the Hollywood area.[16]

1997: Universal announces that Ghostbusters Spooktacular will be replaced by Twister...Ride it Out, with a planned opening date of Spring 1998[17] Universal Studios announces that the sole Studio park will be expanded into the Universal Studios Escape, including the Islands of Adventure park, Universal CityWalk Orlando and multiple hotels. The Islands of Adventure Preview Center opens in the New York area, replacing The Screen Test Home Video Adventure. It is meant to give guests a preview of the up-coming Islands of Adventure park, as well as expansion of the Studio park into the Universal Studios Escape resort.

1998: The expansion begins as the original open parking lot for Universal Studios Florida is demolished and replaced by CityWalk and a parking garage complex.[18] Universal delays the opening of Twister...Ride it Out from March, 1998 to May 4, 1998 out of respect for the 42 deaths caused by a recent El Nino outbreak of tornadoes in the central Florida area. Twister...Ride it Out opens in the New York area, replacing Ghostbusters Spooktacular.[19] A new area of the park, Woody Woodpecker's Kidzone, is officially opened, holding the attractions Curious George Goes to Town, StarToons and the previously opened Fievel's Playland, E.T. Adventure, Animal Actors Stage and A Day in the Park with Barney; CityWalk opens outside of the park.

1999: Woody Woodpecker's Nuthouse Coaster opens in the Woody Woodpecker's Kidzone area. Islands of Adventure opens next door to Universal Studios Florida.[20]

2000: Men in Black: Alien Attack opens in the World Expo area, on the former site of The Swamp Thing Set. Universal Studios Florida's 10th anniversary celebration.

2001: Animal Planet Live opens, replacing Animal Actors Stage.

2002: Universal Studios Escape is renamed Universal Orlando Resort. Kongfrontation closes in a closing ceremony. Halloween Horror Nights is moved to Islands of Adventure. Macy's Holiday Parade debuts at the park.

2003: Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast opens, replacing The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera.[21] Shrek 4-D opens with Donkey's Photo Finish, replacing Alfred Hitchcock: The Art of Making Movies and Stage 54 respectively.[22]

2004: Revenge of the Mummy: The Ride opens, replacing Kongfrontation.[23] Halloween Horror Nights takes place in both Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure.

2005: Universal Express Plus is introduced, replacing Universal Express. Nickelodeon Studios closes after nearly 15 years. Fear Factor Live opens, replacing The Wild Wild Wild West Stunt Show. Universal Studios Florida celebrates its 15th anniversary.

2006: Delancey Street Preview Center opens in the New York area. Universal 360: A Cinesphere Spectacular opens, replacing Dynamite Nights Stunt Spectacular. Animal Planet Live is closed, and replaced by Animal Actors on Location. Halloween Horror Nights returns to Universal Studios Florida for its "Sweet 16".

2007: Back to the Future: The Ride closes on March 30.[24] Blue Man Group Sharp Aquos Theatre opens in CityWalk, replacing Nickelodeon Studios. Earthquake: The Big One closes in the San Francisco area on November 5.

2008: Disaster!: A Major Motion Picture Ride...Starring You! opens, replacing Earthquake: The Big One.[25] Universal announces Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, with a planned opening of Spring 2009. The Simpsons Ride opens, replacing Back to the Future: The Ride.[26]

2009: The Universal Music Plaza Stage opens, replacing The Boneyard. Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit opens.

2010: The 20th anniversary of Universal Studios Florida in June, as well as Halloween Horror Nights in October.

2011: The 10th anniversary of Macy's Holiday Parade at the park.[27]

2012: Jaws and the surrounding Amity themed area closes, as announced on December 2, 2011.[28] Universal announces the additions of Universal’s Cinematic Spectacular: 100 Years of Movie Memories and Universal's Superstar Parade to the park, with openings on May 8, 2012.[29] Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem, opens replacing Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast; as announced on March 14, 2011 as "...one of many exciting things planned for the next couple of years".[30] Universal Orlando Resort announced Transformers: The Ride will officially open in the summer of 2013, replacing Soundstages 44 and 54, which were demolished on June 24, 2012.[31] SpongeBob StorePants,a gift shop themed after SpongeBob SquarePants opened in Woody Woodpecker's Kidzone replacing the Universal Cartoon Store

2013: The opening date for Transformers The Ride is announced for June 20, 2013. Details of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter expansion are officially announced. Details for the new Simpsons Land are announced and expected to open in the summer of 2013. Transformers: The Ride officially opens in the Production Central area replacing Soundstage 44. Simpsons Fast Food Boulevard (renamed Springfield U.S.A.) concludes its expansion as it includes one new ride: Kang and Kodos Twirl 'n' Hurl.

2014: The opening date for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Diagon Alley is announced for July 8, 2014 amid the Diagon Alley preview red carpet premiere on June 18, 2014 with Domhnall Gleeson, Bonnie Wright, Evanna Lynch, Matthew Lewis, James and Oliver Phelps, Tom Felton, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis and Helena Bonham Carter attending the premiere. King's Cross station opens on July 1, 2014 as well as the Hogwarts Express Hogsmeade station at Universal's Islands of Adventure, connecting park visitors to both theme Harry Potter theme parks via a full scale replica of the train that appears in the Harry Potter film series. Diagon Alley officially opens, replacing Jaws and the Amity section of the park.

 

Previous attractions[edit]

 

Main article: List of former Universal Studios Florida attractions

     

The previous icon of the Jaws ride is still a popular photo spot.

Like all theme parks, attractions are sometimes closed due to aging and replaced with more contemporary attractions. Universal has seen this happen several times. Some notable closures include Kongfrontation, Back to the Future: The Ride, The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera and Jaws. The closures of Kongfrontation, Back to the Future, and Jaws have been given homages by the park to honor veteran visitors who revered the former rides.

 

Park design[edit]

 

Main article: List of Universal Studios Florida attractions

 

Universal Studios Florida features seven themed areas all situated around a large lagoon. In 2012, this lagoon was the site of Universal’s Cinematic Spectacular: 100 Years of Movie Memories, a thematic display that showcased scenes from various Universal films, featuring lasers, projectors and fountains, and pyrotechnics.

 

The seven surrounding themed areas, clockwise from the entrance, are Production Central, New York, San Francisco, London/Diagon Alley, World Expo, Woody Woodpecker's Kidzone and Hollywood. Each area features a combination of rides, shows, attractions, character appearances, dining outlets and merchandise stores. A new area, based on Harry Potter's Diagon Alley was added to the park in the July of 2014.

 

Production Central[edit]

  

Ride

 

Year opened

 

Manufacturer

  

Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem 2012 Intamin

Shrek 4-D 2003 PDI/DreamWorks

Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit 2009 Maurer Söhne

Transformers: The Ride 3D 2013 Oceaneering International

The Universal Music Plaza Stage 2009

  

The area is also home to a variety of dining outlets and merchandise shops. Food and beverage items can be purchased from Beverly Hills Boulangerie or Universal Studios' Classic Monsters Cafe while merchandise can be bought from a variety of themed stores including Universal Studios Store, Studio Sweets, It's a Wrap!, Super Silly Stuff, Shrek's Ye Olde Souvenir Shoppe, and Transformers: Supply Vault.[32][33]

 

1979 Upper Water St. as viewed from the north side of Jacob St.

 

Date: October 23, 1967

Photographer: Det. W. W. Conrad, Halifax Police Department

Format: 1 photograph : b&w print ; 25.4 x 20.3 cm (10 x 8 inches)

Retrieval Code: Halifax Police Department photograph, 102-16N-0016.47

Universal Studios Florida is a theme park located in Orlando, Florida. Opened on June 7, 1990, the park's theme is the entertainment industry, in particular movies and television. Universal Studios Florida inspires its guests to "ride the movies", and it features numerous attractions and live shows. The park is one component of the larger Universal Orlando Resort.

 

In 2013, the park hosted an estimated 7.06 million guests, ranking it the eighth-most visited theme park in the United States, and ranking it sixteenth worldwide.[2]

  

Contents [hide]

1 History 1.1 Park history

1.2 Branding

1.3 Timeline

1.4 Previous attractions

 

2 Park design 2.1 Production Central

2.2 New York

2.3 San Francisco

2.4 London/Diagon Alley

2.5 World Expo

2.6 Woody Woodpecker's Kidzone

2.7 Hollywood

 

3 Character appearances

4 Production facilities

5 Annual events 5.1 Grad Bash and Gradventure

5.2 Halloween Horror Nights

5.3 Macy's Holiday Parade

5.4 Mardi Gras

5.5 Rock the Universe

5.6 Summer Concert Series

 

6 Universal's Express Pass

7 Attendance

8 See also

9 References

10 External links

  

History[edit]

  

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2010)

     

The original entrance to the theme park.

Over the years, Universal Studios Florida has not limited itself to attractions based on its own vast film library. It has occasionally licensed popular characters from other rival studios, many of whom did not operate theme parks themselves. Some examples include Ghostbusters and Men in Black, (Sony's Columbia Pictures), The Simpsons (20th Century Fox) and Shrek (DreamWorks Animation).

 

Many of the park's past and present attractions were developed with the actual creators of the films they were based on, and feature the original stars as part of the experience. Steven Spielberg helped create E.T. Adventure and was a creative consultant for Back to the Future: The Ride, Twister...Ride it Out, An American Tail Theatre, Jaws, Men in Black: Alien Attack and Transformers: The Ride.

 

In many current rides, the original stars reprised their film roles including: Rip Torn and Will Smith in Men in Black: Alien Attack, Brendan Fraser for Revenge of the Mummy: The Ride, Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt in Twister...Ride it Out, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Edward Furlong and Linda Hamilton reprised their roles for Terminator 2: 3-D Battle Across Time, Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and John Lithgow for Shrek 4D, Steve Carell, Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, and Elsie Fisher reprised their roles from Despicable Me for Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem, and Peter Cullen and Frank Welker reprised their roles as Optimus Prime and Megatron for Transformers: The Ride.

 

In many former rides, the many original stars were also to reprise their film roles such as: Christopher Lloyd and Thomas F. Wilson in Back to the Future: The Ride, Roy Scheider recorded a voice over for the conclusion of Jaws, Alfred Hitchcock and Anthony Perkins appeared in Alfred Hitchcock: The Art of Making Movies, additionally, various Nicktoon voice actors reprised their roles in Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast.

 

Park history[edit]

 

From its inception in 1982,[3] Universal Studios Florida was designed as a theme park and a working studio. It was also the first time that Universal Studios had constructed an amusement park "from the ground up." However, the proposed project was put on hold until 1986, when a meeting between Steven Spielberg, a co-founder for the park, and Peter N. Alexander prompted for the creation of a Back to the Future simulator ride in addition to the already planned King Kong based ride.[4]

 

A major component of the original park in Hollywood is its studio tour, which featured several special-effects exhibits and encounters built into the tour, such as an attack by the great white shark from the film Jaws. For its Florida park, Universal Studios took the concepts of the Hollywood tour scenes and developed them into larger, stand-alone attractions. As an example, in Hollywood, the studio tour trams travel close to a shoreline and are "attacked" by Jaws before they travel to the next part of the tour. In Florida, guests entered the "Jaws" attraction and would board a boat touring the fictitious Amity Harbor, where they encountered the shark, then exited back into the park at the conclusion of the attraction. Universal Studios Florida originally had a Studio Tour attraction that visited the production facilities, but that tour has since been discontinued.

 

Branding[edit]

 

Previous slogans for Universal Studios Florida were: See the Stars. Ride the Movies. (1990 - 1998); No one makes believe like we do! (1990 - 1998); Ride the Movies (1998 - 2008); Jump into the Action (2008–2012). The current slogan is: Experience the Movies (2012–present).

 

Timeline[edit]

1986: Land clearing takes place on the swamp land purchased by MCA/Universal that would hold the park.

1987: Universal Studios Florida is announced at a press conference on the Hollywood property, with a planned opening date of December 1989.

1988: Universal Studios Florida's opening date is delayed from December, 1989 to May 1, 1990. Shortly following, MCA/Universal releases a video detailing the future park, which stars Christopher Lloyd as the Universal character Doc Brown interacting with the various attractions at the Florida park.[5] Universal Studios allows guests to witness the production of television shows and motion pictures in the Florida park's soundstages in middle 1988, while the rest of the studio/park is still under construction.[6]

1989: MCA/Universal Studios claims that The Walt Disney Company and its CEO, Michael Eisner copied several concepts of the Universal Studios Florida park, and integrated them into Disney's recently opened Disney/MGM Studios park.[7]

1990: On January 31, Universal Studios Florida's opening date is again delayed from May 1, 1990 to June 7, 1990.[8] Universal Studios Florida begins soft openings for the general public in late May.[9] Many of the park's attractions are not yet open at the time, and still under testing. Universal Studios Florida is officially opened with a grand opening style ceremony on June 7.[10] The park opens with five themed areas: The Front Lot (entrance area), Production Central, New York, San Francisco/Amity, Expo Center, Hollywood as well as a Lagoon located in the center of the park. The Front Lot and Production Central areas are referred to as "In Production", the New York section is referred to as "Now Shooting", the San Francisco and Amity sections are referred to as "On Location" and the Expo Center area is referred to as "The World of CineMagic Center". Nickelodeon Studios also opened on this day where there was a grand opening ceremony hosted by Marc Summers. Due to massive technical problems with the original Kongfrontation, Earthquake: The Big One and Jaws rides, Universal begins a temporary voucher service to allow guests to re-visit the studio/park when the attractions are operating.[10] Jaws is temporarily closed by Universal on September 30 due to persistent major technical problems. During the shut-down, Universal sues the original designer of the Jaws ride,[11] Ride & Show Engineering, and hires Totally Fun Company to create a re-designed version of most of the ride.

1991: Universal adds four new attractions to the park: The Blues Brothers Show, StreetBusters, The Screen Test Home Video Adventure and How to Make a Mega Movie Deal.[12] Back to the Future: The Ride officially opens in the World Expo Center area of the park, in a grand opening ceremony.[13] The ride is considered to be a success, and receives positive reception from theme park critics.[14] Fright Nights debuts at the park. In 1992, it is renamed to Halloween Horror Nights.

1993: Jaws is re-opened, with many scenes altered. MCA/Universal announces plans to expand Universal Studios Florida into the Universal City, Florida resort complex, including a second theme park and multiple hotels.[15]

1995: Universal Studios Florida celebrates its 5th anniversary. A Day in the Park with Barney opens in the World Expo area. The Production Studio Tour is closed due to a dwindle in the studios' recent Film/TV production.

1996: Terminator 2: 3-D Battle Across Time opens in the Hollywood area.[16]

1997: Universal announces that Ghostbusters Spooktacular will be replaced by Twister...Ride it Out, with a planned opening date of Spring 1998[17] Universal Studios announces that the sole Studio park will be expanded into the Universal Studios Escape, including the Islands of Adventure park, Universal CityWalk Orlando and multiple hotels. The Islands of Adventure Preview Center opens in the New York area, replacing The Screen Test Home Video Adventure. It is meant to give guests a preview of the up-coming Islands of Adventure park, as well as expansion of the Studio park into the Universal Studios Escape resort.

1998: The expansion begins as the original open parking lot for Universal Studios Florida is demolished and replaced by CityWalk and a parking garage complex.[18] Universal delays the opening of Twister...Ride it Out from March, 1998 to May 4, 1998 out of respect for the 42 deaths caused by a recent El Nino outbreak of tornadoes in the central Florida area. Twister...Ride it Out opens in the New York area, replacing Ghostbusters Spooktacular.[19] A new area of the park, Woody Woodpecker's Kidzone, is officially opened, holding the attractions Curious George Goes to Town, StarToons and the previously opened Fievel's Playland, E.T. Adventure, Animal Actors Stage and A Day in the Park with Barney; CityWalk opens outside of the park.

1999: Woody Woodpecker's Nuthouse Coaster opens in the Woody Woodpecker's Kidzone area. Islands of Adventure opens next door to Universal Studios Florida.[20]

2000: Men in Black: Alien Attack opens in the World Expo area, on the former site of The Swamp Thing Set. Universal Studios Florida's 10th anniversary celebration.

2001: Animal Planet Live opens, replacing Animal Actors Stage.

2002: Universal Studios Escape is renamed Universal Orlando Resort. Kongfrontation closes in a closing ceremony. Halloween Horror Nights is moved to Islands of Adventure. Macy's Holiday Parade debuts at the park.

2003: Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast opens, replacing The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera.[21] Shrek 4-D opens with Donkey's Photo Finish, replacing Alfred Hitchcock: The Art of Making Movies and Stage 54 respectively.[22]

2004: Revenge of the Mummy: The Ride opens, replacing Kongfrontation.[23] Halloween Horror Nights takes place in both Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure.

2005: Universal Express Plus is introduced, replacing Universal Express. Nickelodeon Studios closes after nearly 15 years. Fear Factor Live opens, replacing The Wild Wild Wild West Stunt Show. Universal Studios Florida celebrates its 15th anniversary.

2006: Delancey Street Preview Center opens in the New York area. Universal 360: A Cinesphere Spectacular opens, replacing Dynamite Nights Stunt Spectacular. Animal Planet Live is closed, and replaced by Animal Actors on Location. Halloween Horror Nights returns to Universal Studios Florida for its "Sweet 16".

2007: Back to the Future: The Ride closes on March 30.[24] Blue Man Group Sharp Aquos Theatre opens in CityWalk, replacing Nickelodeon Studios. Earthquake: The Big One closes in the San Francisco area on November 5.

2008: Disaster!: A Major Motion Picture Ride...Starring You! opens, replacing Earthquake: The Big One.[25] Universal announces Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, with a planned opening of Spring 2009. The Simpsons Ride opens, replacing Back to the Future: The Ride.[26]

2009: The Universal Music Plaza Stage opens, replacing The Boneyard. Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit opens.

2010: The 20th anniversary of Universal Studios Florida in June, as well as Halloween Horror Nights in October.

2011: The 10th anniversary of Macy's Holiday Parade at the park.[27]

2012: Jaws and the surrounding Amity themed area closes, as announced on December 2, 2011.[28] Universal announces the additions of Universal’s Cinematic Spectacular: 100 Years of Movie Memories and Universal's Superstar Parade to the park, with openings on May 8, 2012.[29] Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem, opens replacing Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast; as announced on March 14, 2011 as "...one of many exciting things planned for the next couple of years".[30] Universal Orlando Resort announced Transformers: The Ride will officially open in the summer of 2013, replacing Soundstages 44 and 54, which were demolished on June 24, 2012.[31] SpongeBob StorePants,a gift shop themed after SpongeBob SquarePants opened in Woody Woodpecker's Kidzone replacing the Universal Cartoon Store

2013: The opening date for Transformers The Ride is announced for June 20, 2013. Details of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter expansion are officially announced. Details for the new Simpsons Land are announced and expected to open in the summer of 2013. Transformers: The Ride officially opens in the Production Central area replacing Soundstage 44. Simpsons Fast Food Boulevard (renamed Springfield U.S.A.) concludes its expansion as it includes one new ride: Kang and Kodos Twirl 'n' Hurl.

2014: The opening date for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Diagon Alley is announced for July 8, 2014 amid the Diagon Alley preview red carpet premiere on June 18, 2014 with Domhnall Gleeson, Bonnie Wright, Evanna Lynch, Matthew Lewis, James and Oliver Phelps, Tom Felton, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis and Helena Bonham Carter attending the premiere. King's Cross station opens on July 1, 2014 as well as the Hogwarts Express Hogsmeade station at Universal's Islands of Adventure, connecting park visitors to both theme Harry Potter theme parks via a full scale replica of the train that appears in the Harry Potter film series. Diagon Alley officially opens, replacing Jaws and the Amity section of the park.

 

Previous attractions[edit]

 

Main article: List of former Universal Studios Florida attractions

     

The previous icon of the Jaws ride is still a popular photo spot.

Like all theme parks, attractions are sometimes closed due to aging and replaced with more contemporary attractions. Universal has seen this happen several times. Some notable closures include Kongfrontation, Back to the Future: The Ride, The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera and Jaws. The closures of Kongfrontation, Back to the Future, and Jaws have been given homages by the park to honor veteran visitors who revered the former rides.

 

Park design[edit]

 

Main article: List of Universal Studios Florida attractions

 

Universal Studios Florida features seven themed areas all situated around a large lagoon. In 2012, this lagoon was the site of Universal’s Cinematic Spectacular: 100 Years of Movie Memories, a thematic display that showcased scenes from various Universal films, featuring lasers, projectors and fountains, and pyrotechnics.

 

The seven surrounding themed areas, clockwise from the entrance, are Production Central, New York, San Francisco, London/Diagon Alley, World Expo, Woody Woodpecker's Kidzone and Hollywood. Each area features a combination of rides, shows, attractions, character appearances, dining outlets and merchandise stores. A new area, based on Harry Potter's Diagon Alley was added to the park in the July of 2014.

 

Production Central[edit]

  

Ride

 

Year opened

 

Manufacturer

  

Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem 2012 Intamin

Shrek 4-D 2003 PDI/DreamWorks

Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit 2009 Maurer Söhne

Transformers: The Ride 3D 2013 Oceaneering International

The Universal Music Plaza Stage 2009

  

The area is also home to a variety of dining outlets and merchandise shops. Food and beverage items can be purchased from Beverly Hills Boulangerie or Universal Studios' Classic Monsters Cafe while merchandise can be bought from a variety of themed stores including Universal Studios Store, Studio Sweets, It's a Wrap!, Super Silly Stuff, Shrek's Ye Olde Souvenir Shoppe, and Transformers: Supply Vault.[32][33]

 

It is easily crumbled to be added to a lit coal in an incense burner. There are a lot of other scents stored elsewhere.

The frankincense was of good quality.

 

Incense is aromatic biotic material that releases fragrant smoke when burned. The term refers to the material itself, rather than to the aroma that it produces. Incense is used for aesthetic reasons, and in therapy, meditation, and ceremony. It may also be used as a simple deodorant or insectifuge.

 

Incense is composed of aromatic plant materials, often combined with essential oils. The forms taken by incense differ with the underlying culture, and have changed with advances in technology and increasing number of uses.

 

Incense can generally be separated into two main types: "indirect-burning" and "direct-burning". Indirect-burning incense (or "non-combustible incense") is not capable of burning on its own, and requires a separate heat source. Direct-burning incense (or "combustible incense") is lit directly by a flame and then fanned or blown out, leaving a glowing ember that smoulders and releases a smoky fragrance. Direct-burning incense is either a paste formed around a bamboo stick, or a paste that is extruded into a stick or cone shape.

 

A variety of incense cones which thankfully were not overly sweet. I am sad to have likely lost this annual Toronto ON sconce of incense cones.

 

Incense is aromatic biotic material that releases fragrant smoke when burned. The term refers to the material itself, rather than to the aroma that it produces. Incense is used for aesthetic reasons, and in therapy, meditation, and ceremony. It may also be used as a simple deodorant or insectifuge.

 

Incense is composed of aromatic plant materials, often combined with essential oils. The forms taken by incense differ with the underlying culture, and have changed with advances in technology and increasing number of uses.

 

Incense can generally be separated into two main types: "indirect-burning" and "direct-burning". Indirect-burning incense (or "non-combustible incense") is not capable of burning on its own, and requires a separate heat source. Direct-burning incense (or "combustible incense") is lit directly by a flame and then fanned or blown out, leaving a glowing ember that smoulders and releases a smoky fragrance. Direct-burning incense is either a paste formed around a bamboo stick, or a paste that is extruded into a stick or cone shape.

 

HISTORY:

 

The word incense comes from Latin incendere meaning "to burn".

 

Combustible bouquets were used by the ancient Egyptians, who employed incense in both pragmatic and mystical capacities. Incense was burnt to counteract or obscure malodorous products of human habitation, but was widely perceived to also deter malevolent demons and appease the gods with its pleasant aroma. Resin balls were found in many prehistoric Egyptian tombs in El Mahasna, giving evidence for the prominence of incense and related compounds in Egyptian antiquity. One of the oldest extant incense burners originates from the 5th dynasty. The Temple of Deir-el-Bahari in Egypt contains a series of carvings that depict an expedition for incense.

 

The Babylonians used incense while offering prayers to divining oracles. Incense spread from there to Greece and Rome.

 

Incense burners have been found in the Indus Civilization (3300–1300 BCE). Evidence suggests oils were used mainly for their aroma. India also adopted techniques from East Asia, adapting the formulation to encompass aromatic roots and other indigenous flora. This was the first usage of subterranean plant parts in incense. New herbs like Sarsaparilla seeds, frankincense, and cypress were used by Indians.

 

At around 2000 BCE, Ancient China began the use of incense in the religious sense, namely for worship. Incense was used by Chinese cultures from Neolithic times and became more widespread in the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties. The earliest documented use of incense comes from the ancient Chinese, who employed incense composed of herbs and plant products (such as cassia, cinnamon, styrax, and sandalwood) as a component of numerous formalized ceremonial rites. Incense usage reached its peak during the Song dynasty with numerous buildings erected specifically for incense ceremonies.

 

Brought to Japan in the 6th century by Korean Buddhist monks, who used the mystical aromas in their purification rites, the delicate scents of Koh (high-quality Japanese incense) became a source of amusement and entertainment with nobles in the Imperial Court during the Heian Era 200 years later. During the 14th-century Ashikaga shogunate, a samurai warrior might perfume his helmet and armor with incense to achieve an aura of invincibility (as well as to make a noble gesture to whoever might take his head in battle). It wasn't until the Muromachi period during the 15th and 16th century that incense appreciation (kōdō) spread to the upper and middle classes of Japanese society.

 

COMPOSITION:

 

A variety of materials have been used in making incense. Historically there has been a preference for using locally available ingredients. For example, sage and cedar were used by the indigenous peoples of North America. Trading in incense materials comprised a major part of commerce along the Silk Road and other trade routes, one notably called the Incense Route.

 

Local knowledge and tools were extremely influential on the style, but methods were also influenced by migrations of foreigners, such as clergy and physicians.

 

COMBUSTIBLE BASE:

 

The combustible base of a direct burning incense mixture not only binds the fragrant material together but also allows the produced incense to burn with a self-sustained ember, which propagates slowly and evenly through an entire piece of incense with such regularity that it can be used to mark time. The base is chosen such that it does not produce a perceptible smell. Commercially, two types of incense base predominate:

 

Fuel and oxidizer mixtures: Charcoal or wood powder provides the fuel for combustion while an oxidizer such as sodium nitrate or potassium nitrate sustains the burning of the incense. Fragrant materials are added to the base prior to shaping, as in the case of powdered incense materials, or after, as in the case of essential oils. The formula for charcoal-based incense is superficially similar to black powder, though it lacks the sulfur.

Natural plant-based binders: Gums such as Gum Arabic or Gum Tragacanth are used to bind the mixture together. Mucilaginous material, which can be derived from many botanical sources, is mixed with fragrant materials and water. The mucilage from the wet binding powder holds the fragrant material together while the cellulose in the powder combusts to form a stable ember when lit. The dry binding powder usually comprises about 10% of the dry weight in the finished incense. These include:

Makko (incense powder) made from the bark of various trees in the genus Persea (such as Persea thunbergii) Xiangnan pi (made from the bark of trees of genus Phoebe such as Phoebe nanmu or Persea zuihoensis.

 

Jigit: a resin based binder used in India

Laha or Dar: bark based powders used in Nepal, Tibet, and other East Asian countries.

 

Typical compositions burn at a temperature between 220 °C and 260 °C.

 

TYPES:

 

Incense is available in various forms and degrees of processing. They can generally be separated into "direct-burning" and "indirect-burning" types. Preference for one form or another varies with culture, tradition, and personal taste. The two differ in their composition due to the former's requirement for even, stable, and sustained burning.

 

INDIRECT-BURNING:

 

Indirect-burning incense, also called "non-combustible incense", is an aromatic material or combination of materials, such as resins, that does not contain combustible material and so requires a separate heat source. Finer forms tend to burn more rapidly, while coarsely ground or whole chunks may be consumed very gradually, having less surface area. Heat is traditionally provided by charcoal or glowing embers. In the West, the best known incense materials of this type are the resins frankincense and myrrh, likely due to their numerous mentions in the Bible. Frankincense means "pure incense", though in common usage refers specifically to the resin of the boswellia tree.

 

Whole: The incense material is burned directly in raw form on top of coal embers.

Powdered or granulated: Incense broken into smaller pieces burns quickly and provides brief but intense odour.

 

Paste: Powdered or granulated incense material is mixed with a sticky incombustible binder, such as dried fruit, honey, or a soft resin and then formed to balls or small pastilles. These may then be allowed to mature in a controlled environment where the fragrances can commingle and unite. Much Arabian incense, also called "Bukhoor" or "Bakhoor", is of this type, and Japan has a history of kneaded incense, called nerikō or awasekō, made using this method. Within the Eastern Orthodox Christian tradition, raw frankincense is ground into a fine powder and then mixed with various sweet-smelling essential oils.

 

DIRECT-BURNING:

 

Direct-burning incense, also called "combustible incense", is lit directly by a flame. The glowing ember on the incense will continue to smoulder and burn the rest of the incense without further application of external heat or flame. Direct-burning incense is either extruded, pressed into forms, or coated onto a supporting material. This class of incense is made from a moldable substrate of fragrant finely ground (or liquid) incense materials and odourless binder. The composition must be adjusted to provide fragrance in the proper concentration and to ensure even burning. The following types are commonly encountered, though direct-burning incense can take nearly any form, whether for expedience or whimsy.

 

Coil: Extruded and shaped into a coil without a core, coil incense can burn for an extended period, from hours to days, and is commonly produced and used in Chinese cultures.

 

Cone: Incense in this form burns relatively quickly. Incense cones were invented in Japan in the 1800s.

Cored stick: A supporting core of bamboo is coated with a thick layer of incense material that burns away with the core. Higher-quality variations have fragrant sandalwood cores. This type of incense is commonly produced in India and China. When used in Chinese folk religion, these are sometimes known as "joss sticks".

 

Dhoop or solid stick: With no bamboo core, dhoop incense is easily broken for portion control. This is the most commonly produced form of incense in Japan and Tibet.

Powder: The loose incense powder used for making indirect burning incense is sometimes burned without further processing. Powder incense is typically packed into long trails on top of wood ash using a stencil and burned in special censers or incense clocks.

Paper: Paper infused with incense, folded accordion style, is lit and blown out. Examples include Carta d'Armenia and Papier d'Arménie.

Rope: The incense powder is rolled into paper sheets, which are then rolled into ropes, twisted tightly, then doubled over and twisted again, yielding a two-strand rope. The larger end is the bight, and may be stood vertically, in a shallow dish of sand or pebbles. The smaller (pointed) end is lit. This type of incense is easily transported and stays fresh for extremely long periods. It has been used for centuries in Tibet and Nepal.

 

Moxa tablets, which are disks of powdered mugwort used in Traditional Chinese medicine for moxibustion, are not incenses; the treatment is by heat rather than fragrance.

Incense sticks may be termed joss sticks, especially in parts of East Asia, South Asia and Southeast Asia. Among ethnic Chinese and Chinese-influenced communities these are traditionally burned at temples, before the threshold of a home or business, before an image of a religious divinity or local spirit, or in shrines, large and small, found at the main entrance of every village. Here the earth god is propitiated in the hope of bringing wealth and health to the village. They can also be burned in front of a door or open window as an offering to heaven, or the devas. The word "joss" is derived from the Latin deus (god) via the Portuguese deos through the Javanese dejos, through Chinese pidgin English.

 

PRODUCTION:

 

The raw materials are powdered and then mixed together with a binder to form a paste, which, for direct burning incense, is then cut and dried into pellets. Incense of the Athonite Orthodox Christian tradition is made by powdering frankincense or fir resin, mixing it with essential oils. Floral fragrances are the most common, but citrus such as lemon is not uncommon. The incense mixture is then rolled out into a slab approximately 1 cm thick and left until the slab has firmed. It is then cut into small cubes, coated with clay powder to prevent adhesion, and allowed to fully harden and dry. In Greece this rolled incense resin is called 'Moskolibano', and generally comes in either a pink or green colour denoting the fragrance, with pink being rose and green being jasmine.

 

Certain proportions are necessary for direct-burning incense:

 

Oil content: an excess of oils may prevent incense from smoldering effectively. Resinous materials such as myrrh and frankincense are typically balanced with "dry" materials such as wood, bark and leaf powders.

Oxidizer quantity: Too little oxidizer in gum-bound incense may prevent the incense from igniting, while too much will cause the incense to burn too quickly, without producing fragrant smoke.

Binder: Water-soluble binders such as "makko" ensure that the incense mixture does not crumble when dry, dilute the mixture.

Mixture density: Incense mixtures made with natural binders must not be combined with too much water in mixing, or over-compressed while being formed, which would result in either uneven air distribution or undesirable density in the mixture, causing the incense to burn unevenly, too slowly, or too quickly.

Particulate size: The incense mixture has to be well pulverized with similarly sized particulates. Uneven and large particulates result in uneven burning and inconsistent aroma production when burned.

 

"Dipped" or "hand-dipped" direct-burning incense is created by dipping "incense blanks" made of unscented combustible dust into any suitable kind of essential or fragrance oil. These are often sold in the United States by flea-market and sidewalk vendors who have developed their own styles. This form of incense requires the least skill and equipment to manufacture, since the blanks are pre-formed in China or South East Asia.

 

Incense mixtures can be extruded or pressed into shapes. Small quantities of water are combined with the fragrance and incense base mixture and kneaded into a hard dough. The incense dough is then pressed into shaped forms to create cone and smaller coiled incense, or forced through a hydraulic press for solid stick incense. The formed incense is then trimmed and slowly dried. Incense produced in this fashion has a tendency to warp or become misshapen when improperly dried, and as such must be placed in climate-controlled rooms and rotated several times through the drying process.

 

Traditionally, the bamboo core of cored stick incense is prepared by hand from Phyllostachys heterocycla cv. pubescens since this species produces thick wood and easily burns to ashes in the incense stick. In a process known as "splitting the foot of the incense stick", the bamboo is trimmed to length, soaked, peeled, and split in halves until the thin sticks of bamboo have square cross sections of less than 3mm. This process has been largely replaced by machines in modern incense production.

 

In the case of cored incensed sticks, several methods are employed to coat the sticks cores with incense mixture:

 

Paste rolling: A wet, malleable paste of incense mixture is first rolled into a long, thin coil, using a paddle. Then, a thin stick is put next to the coil and the stick and paste are rolled together until the stick is centered in the mixture and the desired thickness is achieved. The stick is then cut to the desired length and dried.

 

Powder-coating: Powder-coating is used mainly to produce cored incense of either larger coil (up to 1 meter in diameter) or cored stick forms. A bundle of the supporting material (typically thin bamboo or sandalwood slivers) is soaked in water or a thin water/glue mixture for a short time. The thin sticks are evenly separated, then dipped into a tray of incense powder consisting of fragrance materials and occasionally a plant-based binder. The dry incense powder is then tossed and piled over the sticks while they are spread apart. The sticks are then gently rolled and packed to maintain roundness while more incense powder is repeatedly tossed onto the sticks. Three to four layers of powder are coated onto the sticks, forming a 2 mm thick layer of incense material on the stick. The coated incense is then allowed to dry in open air. Additional coatings of incense mixture can be applied after each period of successive drying. Incense sticks produced in this fashion and burned in temples of Chinese folk religion can have a thickness between 2 and 4 millimeters.

Compression: A damp powder is mechanically formed around a cored stick by compression, similar to the way uncored sticks are formed. This form is becoming more common due to the higher labor cost of producing powder-coated or paste-rolled sticks.

 

BURNING INCENSE:

 

Indirect-burning incense burned directly on top of a heat source or on a hot metal plate in a censer or thurible.

 

In Japan a similar censer called a egōro (柄香炉) is used by several Buddhist sects. The egōro is usually made of brass, with a long handle and no chain. Instead of charcoal, makkō powder is poured into a depression made in a bed of ash. The makkō is lit and the incense mixture is burned on top. This method is known as sonae-kō (religious burning).

 

For direct-burning incense, the tip or end of the incense is ignited with a flame or other heat source until the incense begins to turn into ash at the burning end. The flame is then fanned or blown out, leaving the incense to smolder.

 

CULTURAL VARIATIONS:

 

ARABIAN:

 

In most Arab countries, incense is burned in the form of scented chips or blocks called bakhoor (Arabic: بخور‎ [bɑˈxuːɾ, bʊ-]. Incense is used on special occasions like weddings or on Fridays or generally to perfume the house. The bakhoor is usually burned in a mabkhara, a traditional incense burner (censer) similar to the Somali Dabqaad. It is customary in many Arab countries to pass bakhoor among the guests in the majlis ('congregation'). This is done as a gesture of hospitality.

 

CHINESE:

 

For over two thousand years, the Chinese have used incense in religious ceremonies, ancestor veneration, Traditional Chinese medicine, and daily life. Agarwood (chénxiāng) and sandalwood (tánxiāng) are the two most important ingredients in Chinese incense.

 

Along with the introduction of Buddhism in China came calibrated incense sticks and incense clocks. The first known record is by poet Yu Jianwu (487-551): "By burning incense we know the o'clock of the night, With graduated candles we confirm the tally of the watches." The use of these incense timekeeping devices spread from Buddhist monasteries into Chinese secular society.

Incense-stick burning is an everyday practice in traditional Chinese religion. There are many different types of stick used for different purposes or on different festive days. Many of them are long and thin. Sticks are mostly coloured yellow, red, or more rarely, black. Thick sticks are used for special ceremonies, such as funerals. Spiral incense, with exceedingly long burn times, is often hung from temple ceilings. In some states, such as Taiwan,

 

Singapore, or Malaysia, where they celebrate the Ghost Festival, large, pillar-like dragon incense sticks are sometimes used. These generate so much smoke and heat that they are only burned outside.

 

Chinese incense sticks for use in popular religion are generally odorless or only use the slightest trace of jasmine or rose, since it is the smoke, not the scent, which is important in conveying the prayers of the faithful to heaven. They are composed of the dried powdered bark of a non-scented species of cinnamon native to Cambodia, Cinnamomum cambodianum. Inexpensive packs of 300 are often found for sale in Chinese supermarkets. Though they contain no sandalwood, they often include the Chinese character for sandalwood on the label, as a generic term for incense.

 

Highly scented Chinese incense sticks are used by some Buddhists. These are often quite expensive due to the use of large amounts of sandalwood, agarwood, or floral scents used. The sandalwood used in Chinese incenses does not come from India, its native home, but rather from groves planted within Chinese territory. Sites belonging to Tzu Chi, Chung Tai Shan, Dharma Drum Mountain, Xingtian Temple, or City of Ten Thousand Buddhas do not use incense.

 

INDIAN:

 

Incense sticks, also known as agarbathi (or agarbatti) and joss sticks, in which an incense paste is rolled or moulded around a bamboo stick, are the main forms of incense in India. The bamboo method originated in India, and is distinct from the Nepali/Tibetan and Japanese methods of stick making without bamboo cores. Though the method is also used in the west, it is strongly associated with India.

 

The basic ingredients are the bamboo stick, the paste (generally made of charcoal dust and joss/jiggit/gum/tabu powder – an adhesive made from the bark of litsea glutinosa and other trees), and the perfume ingredients - which would be a masala (spice mix) powder of ground ingredients into which the stick would be rolled, or a perfume liquid sometimes consisting of synthetic ingredients into which the stick would be dipped. Perfume is sometimes sprayed on the coated sticks. Stick machines are sometimes used, which coat the stick with paste and perfume, though the bulk of production is done by hand rolling at home. There are about 5,000 incense companies in India that take raw unperfumed sticks hand-rolled by approximately 200,000 women working part-time at home, and then apply their own brand of perfume, and package the sticks for sale. An experienced home-worker can produce 4,000 raw sticks a day. There are about 50 large companies that together account for up to 30% of the market, and around 500 of the companies, including a significant number of the main ones, including Moksh Agarbatti and Cycle Pure, are based in Mysore.

 

JEWISH TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM:

 

KETORET:

 

Ketoret was the incense offered in the Temple in Jerusalem and is stated in the Book of Exodus to be a mixture of stacte, onycha, galbanum and frankincense.

 

TIBETAN:

 

Tibetan incense refers to a common style of incense found in Tibet, Nepal, and Bhutan. These incenses have a characteristic "earthy" scent to them. Ingredients vary from cinnamon, clove, and juniper, to kusum flower, ashvagandha, and sahi jeera.

 

Many Tibetan incenses are thought to have medicinal properties. Their recipes come from ancient Vedic texts that are based on even older Ayurvedic medical texts. The recipes have remained unchanged for centuries.

 

JAPANESE:

 

In Japan incense appreciation folklore includes art, culture, history, and ceremony. It can be compared to and has some of the same qualities as music, art, or literature. Incense burning may occasionally take place within the tea ceremony, just like calligraphy, ikebana, and scroll arrangement. The art of incense appreciation, or koh-do, is generally practiced as a separate art form from the tea ceremony, and usually within a tea room of traditional Zen design.

 

Agarwood (沈香 Jinkō) and sandalwood (白檀 byakudan) are the two most important ingredients in Japanese incense. Agarwood is known as "jinkō" in Japan, which translates as "incense that sinks in water", due to the weight of the resin in the wood. Sandalwood is one of the most calming incense ingredients and lends itself well to meditation. It is also used in the Japanese tea ceremony. The most valued Sandalwood comes from Mysore in the state of Karnataka in India.

 

Another important ingredient in Japanese incense is kyara (伽羅). Kyara is one kind of agarwood (Japanese incense companies divide agarwood into 6 categories depending on the region obtained and properties of the agarwood). Kyara is currently worth more than its weight in gold.

 

Some terms used in Japanese incense culture include:

 

Incense arts: [香道, kodo]

Agarwood: [ 沈香 ] – from heartwood from Aquilaria trees, unique, the incense wood most used in incense ceremony, other names are: lignum aloes or aloeswood, gaharu, jinko, or oud.

Censer/Incense burner: [香爐] – usually small and used for heating incense not burning, or larger and used for burning

Charcoal: [木炭] – only the odorless kind is used.

Incense woods: [ 香木 ] – a naturally fragrant resinous wood.

 

USAGE:

 

PRACTICAL:

 

Incense fragrances can be of such great strength that they obscure other less desirable odours. This utility led to the use of incense in funerary ceremonies because the incense could smother the scent of decay. An example, as well as of religious use, is the giant Botafumeiro thurible that swings from the ceiling of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. It is used in part to mask the scent of the many tired, unwashed pilgrims huddled together in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.

 

A similar utilitarian use of incense can be found in the post-Reformation Church of England. Although the ceremonial use of incense was abandoned until the Oxford Movement, it was common to have incense (typically frankincense) burned before grand occasions, when the church would be crowded. The frankincense was carried about by a member of the vestry before the service in a vessel called a 'perfuming pan'. In iconography of the day, this vessel is shown to be elongated and flat, with a single long handle on one side. The perfuming pan was used instead of the thurible, as the latter would have likely offended the Protestant sensibilities of the 17th and 18th centuries.

 

The regular burning of direct-burning incense has been used for chronological measurement in incense clocks. These devices can range from a simple trail of incense material calibrated to burn in a specific time period, to elaborate and ornate instruments with bells or gongs, designed to involve multiple senses.

 

Incense made from materials such as citronella can repel mosquitoes and other irritating, distracting, or pestilential insects. This use has been deployed in concert with religious uses by Zen Buddhists who claim that the incense that is part of their meditative practice is designed to keep bothersome insects from distracting the practitioner. Currently, more effective pyrethroid-based mosquito repellent incense is widely available in Asia.

 

Papier d'Arménie was originally sold as a disinfectant as well as for the fragrance.

 

Incense is also used often by people who smoke indoors and do not want the smell to linger.

 

AESTHETIC:

 

Many people burn incense to appreciate its smell, without assigning any other specific significance to it, in the same way that the foregoing items can be produced or consumed solely for the contemplation or enjoyment of the aroma. An example is the kōdō (香道), where (frequently costly) raw incense materials such as agarwood are appreciated in a formal setting.

 

RELIGIOUS:

 

Religious use of incense is prevalent in many cultures and may have roots in the practical and aesthetic uses, considering that many of these religions have little else in common. One common motif is incense as a form of sacrificial offering to a deity. Such use was common in Judaic worship and remains in use for example in the Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican churches, Taoist and Buddhist Chinese jingxiang (敬香 "offer incense), etc.

 

Aphrodisiac Incense has been used as an aphrodisiac in some cultures. Both ancient Greek and ancient Egyptian mythology suggest the usage of incense by goddesses and nymphs. Incense is thought to heighten sexual desires and sexual attraction.

 

Time-keeper Incense clocks are used to time social, medical and religious practices in parts of eastern Asia. They are primarily used in Buddhism as a timer of mediation and prayer. Different types of incense burn at different rates; therefore, different incense are used for different practices. The duration of burning ranges from minutes to months.

 

Healing stone cleanser Incense is claimed to cleanse and restore energy in healing stones. The technique used is called “smudging” and is done by holding a healing stone over the smoke of burning incense for 20 to 30 seconds. Some people believe that this process not only restores energy but eliminates negative energy.

 

HEALTH RISK FROM INCENSE SMOKE:

 

Incense smoke contains various contaminants including gaseous pollutants, such as carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur oxides (SOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and adsorbed toxic pollutants (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and toxic metals). The solid particles range between ~10 and 500 nm. In a comparison, Indian sandalwood was found to have the highest emission rate, followed by Japanese aloeswood, then Taiwanese aloeswood, while Chinese smokeless sandalwood had the least.

 

Research carried out in Taiwan in 2001 linked the burning of incense sticks to the slow accumulation of potential carcinogens in a poorly ventilated environment by measuring the levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (including benzopyrene) within Buddhist temples. The study found gaseous aliphatic aldehydes, which are carcinogenic and mutagenic, in incense smoke.

 

A survey of risk factors for lung cancer, also conducted in Taiwan, noted an inverse association between incense burning and adenocarcinoma of the lung, though the finding was not deemed significant.

 

In contrast, epidemiologists at the Hong Kong Anti-Cancer Society, Aichi Cancer Center in Nagoya, and several other centers found: "No association was found between exposure to incense burning and respiratory symptoms like chronic cough, chronic sputum, chronic bronchitis, runny nose, wheezing, asthma, allergic rhinitis, or pneumonia among the three populations studied: i.e. primary school children, their non-smoking mothers, or a group of older non-smoking female controls. Incense burning did not affect lung cancer risk among non-smokers, but it significantly reduced risk among smokers, even after adjusting for lifetime smoking amount." However, the researchers qualified their findings by noting that incense burning in the studied population was associated with certain low-cancer-risk dietary habits, and concluded that "diet can be a significant confounder of epidemiological studies on air pollution and respiratory health."

 

Although several studies have not shown a link between incense and lung cancer, many other types of cancer have been directly linked to burning incense. A study published in 2008 in the medical journal Cancer found that incense use is associated with a statistically significant higher risk of cancers of the upper respiratory tract, with the exception of nasopharyngeal cancer. Those who used incense heavily also were 80% more likely to develop squamous-cell carcinomas. The link between incense use and increased cancer risk held when the researchers weighed other factors, including cigarette smoking, diet and drinking habits. The research team noted that "This association is consistent with a large number of studies identifying carcinogens in incense smoke, and given the widespread and sometimes involuntary exposure to smoke from burning incense, these findings carry significant public health implications."

 

In 2015, the South China University of Technology found toxicity of incense to Chinese hamsters' ovarian cells to be even higher than cigarettes.

 

Incensole acetate, a component of Frankincense, has been shown to have anxiolytic-like and antidepressive-like effects in mice, mediated by activation of poorly-understood TRPV3 ion channels in the brain.

Universal Studios Florida is a theme park located in Orlando, Florida. Opened on June 7, 1990, the park's theme is the entertainment industry, in particular movies and television. Universal Studios Florida inspires its guests to "ride the movies", and it features numerous attractions and live shows. The park is one component of the larger Universal Orlando Resort.

 

In 2013, the park hosted an estimated 7.06 million guests, ranking it the eighth-most visited theme park in the United States, and ranking it sixteenth worldwide.[2]

  

Contents [hide]

1 History 1.1 Park history

1.2 Branding

1.3 Timeline

1.4 Previous attractions

 

2 Park design 2.1 Production Central

2.2 New York

2.3 San Francisco

2.4 London/Diagon Alley

2.5 World Expo

2.6 Woody Woodpecker's Kidzone

2.7 Hollywood

 

3 Character appearances

4 Production facilities

5 Annual events 5.1 Grad Bash and Gradventure

5.2 Halloween Horror Nights

5.3 Macy's Holiday Parade

5.4 Mardi Gras

5.5 Rock the Universe

5.6 Summer Concert Series

 

6 Universal's Express Pass

7 Attendance

8 See also

9 References

10 External links

  

History[edit]

  

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2010)

     

The original entrance to the theme park.

Over the years, Universal Studios Florida has not limited itself to attractions based on its own vast film library. It has occasionally licensed popular characters from other rival studios, many of whom did not operate theme parks themselves. Some examples include Ghostbusters and Men in Black, (Sony's Columbia Pictures), The Simpsons (20th Century Fox) and Shrek (DreamWorks Animation).

 

Many of the park's past and present attractions were developed with the actual creators of the films they were based on, and feature the original stars as part of the experience. Steven Spielberg helped create E.T. Adventure and was a creative consultant for Back to the Future: The Ride, Twister...Ride it Out, An American Tail Theatre, Jaws, Men in Black: Alien Attack and Transformers: The Ride.

 

In many current rides, the original stars reprised their film roles including: Rip Torn and Will Smith in Men in Black: Alien Attack, Brendan Fraser for Revenge of the Mummy: The Ride, Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt in Twister...Ride it Out, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Edward Furlong and Linda Hamilton reprised their roles for Terminator 2: 3-D Battle Across Time, Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and John Lithgow for Shrek 4D, Steve Carell, Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, and Elsie Fisher reprised their roles from Despicable Me for Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem, and Peter Cullen and Frank Welker reprised their roles as Optimus Prime and Megatron for Transformers: The Ride.

 

In many former rides, the many original stars were also to reprise their film roles such as: Christopher Lloyd and Thomas F. Wilson in Back to the Future: The Ride, Roy Scheider recorded a voice over for the conclusion of Jaws, Alfred Hitchcock and Anthony Perkins appeared in Alfred Hitchcock: The Art of Making Movies, additionally, various Nicktoon voice actors reprised their roles in Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast.

 

Park history[edit]

 

From its inception in 1982,[3] Universal Studios Florida was designed as a theme park and a working studio. It was also the first time that Universal Studios had constructed an amusement park "from the ground up." However, the proposed project was put on hold until 1986, when a meeting between Steven Spielberg, a co-founder for the park, and Peter N. Alexander prompted for the creation of a Back to the Future simulator ride in addition to the already planned King Kong based ride.[4]

 

A major component of the original park in Hollywood is its studio tour, which featured several special-effects exhibits and encounters built into the tour, such as an attack by the great white shark from the film Jaws. For its Florida park, Universal Studios took the concepts of the Hollywood tour scenes and developed them into larger, stand-alone attractions. As an example, in Hollywood, the studio tour trams travel close to a shoreline and are "attacked" by Jaws before they travel to the next part of the tour. In Florida, guests entered the "Jaws" attraction and would board a boat touring the fictitious Amity Harbor, where they encountered the shark, then exited back into the park at the conclusion of the attraction. Universal Studios Florida originally had a Studio Tour attraction that visited the production facilities, but that tour has since been discontinued.

 

Branding[edit]

 

Previous slogans for Universal Studios Florida were: See the Stars. Ride the Movies. (1990 - 1998); No one makes believe like we do! (1990 - 1998); Ride the Movies (1998 - 2008); Jump into the Action (2008–2012). The current slogan is: Experience the Movies (2012–present).

 

Timeline[edit]

1986: Land clearing takes place on the swamp land purchased by MCA/Universal that would hold the park.

1987: Universal Studios Florida is announced at a press conference on the Hollywood property, with a planned opening date of December 1989.

1988: Universal Studios Florida's opening date is delayed from December, 1989 to May 1, 1990. Shortly following, MCA/Universal releases a video detailing the future park, which stars Christopher Lloyd as the Universal character Doc Brown interacting with the various attractions at the Florida park.[5] Universal Studios allows guests to witness the production of television shows and motion pictures in the Florida park's soundstages in middle 1988, while the rest of the studio/park is still under construction.[6]

1989: MCA/Universal Studios claims that The Walt Disney Company and its CEO, Michael Eisner copied several concepts of the Universal Studios Florida park, and integrated them into Disney's recently opened Disney/MGM Studios park.[7]

1990: On January 31, Universal Studios Florida's opening date is again delayed from May 1, 1990 to June 7, 1990.[8] Universal Studios Florida begins soft openings for the general public in late May.[9] Many of the park's attractions are not yet open at the time, and still under testing. Universal Studios Florida is officially opened with a grand opening style ceremony on June 7.[10] The park opens with five themed areas: The Front Lot (entrance area), Production Central, New York, San Francisco/Amity, Expo Center, Hollywood as well as a Lagoon located in the center of the park. The Front Lot and Production Central areas are referred to as "In Production", the New York section is referred to as "Now Shooting", the San Francisco and Amity sections are referred to as "On Location" and the Expo Center area is referred to as "The World of CineMagic Center". Nickelodeon Studios also opened on this day where there was a grand opening ceremony hosted by Marc Summers. Due to massive technical problems with the original Kongfrontation, Earthquake: The Big One and Jaws rides, Universal begins a temporary voucher service to allow guests to re-visit the studio/park when the attractions are operating.[10] Jaws is temporarily closed by Universal on September 30 due to persistent major technical problems. During the shut-down, Universal sues the original designer of the Jaws ride,[11] Ride & Show Engineering, and hires Totally Fun Company to create a re-designed version of most of the ride.

1991: Universal adds four new attractions to the park: The Blues Brothers Show, StreetBusters, The Screen Test Home Video Adventure and How to Make a Mega Movie Deal.[12] Back to the Future: The Ride officially opens in the World Expo Center area of the park, in a grand opening ceremony.[13] The ride is considered to be a success, and receives positive reception from theme park critics.[14] Fright Nights debuts at the park. In 1992, it is renamed to Halloween Horror Nights.

1993: Jaws is re-opened, with many scenes altered. MCA/Universal announces plans to expand Universal Studios Florida into the Universal City, Florida resort complex, including a second theme park and multiple hotels.[15]

1995: Universal Studios Florida celebrates its 5th anniversary. A Day in the Park with Barney opens in the World Expo area. The Production Studio Tour is closed due to a dwindle in the studios' recent Film/TV production.

1996: Terminator 2: 3-D Battle Across Time opens in the Hollywood area.[16]

1997: Universal announces that Ghostbusters Spooktacular will be replaced by Twister...Ride it Out, with a planned opening date of Spring 1998[17] Universal Studios announces that the sole Studio park will be expanded into the Universal Studios Escape, including the Islands of Adventure park, Universal CityWalk Orlando and multiple hotels. The Islands of Adventure Preview Center opens in the New York area, replacing The Screen Test Home Video Adventure. It is meant to give guests a preview of the up-coming Islands of Adventure park, as well as expansion of the Studio park into the Universal Studios Escape resort.

1998: The expansion begins as the original open parking lot for Universal Studios Florida is demolished and replaced by CityWalk and a parking garage complex.[18] Universal delays the opening of Twister...Ride it Out from March, 1998 to May 4, 1998 out of respect for the 42 deaths caused by a recent El Nino outbreak of tornadoes in the central Florida area. Twister...Ride it Out opens in the New York area, replacing Ghostbusters Spooktacular.[19] A new area of the park, Woody Woodpecker's Kidzone, is officially opened, holding the attractions Curious George Goes to Town, StarToons and the previously opened Fievel's Playland, E.T. Adventure, Animal Actors Stage and A Day in the Park with Barney; CityWalk opens outside of the park.

1999: Woody Woodpecker's Nuthouse Coaster opens in the Woody Woodpecker's Kidzone area. Islands of Adventure opens next door to Universal Studios Florida.[20]

2000: Men in Black: Alien Attack opens in the World Expo area, on the former site of The Swamp Thing Set. Universal Studios Florida's 10th anniversary celebration.

2001: Animal Planet Live opens, replacing Animal Actors Stage.

2002: Universal Studios Escape is renamed Universal Orlando Resort. Kongfrontation closes in a closing ceremony. Halloween Horror Nights is moved to Islands of Adventure. Macy's Holiday Parade debuts at the park.

2003: Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast opens, replacing The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera.[21] Shrek 4-D opens with Donkey's Photo Finish, replacing Alfred Hitchcock: The Art of Making Movies and Stage 54 respectively.[22]

2004: Revenge of the Mummy: The Ride opens, replacing Kongfrontation.[23] Halloween Horror Nights takes place in both Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure.

2005: Universal Express Plus is introduced, replacing Universal Express. Nickelodeon Studios closes after nearly 15 years. Fear Factor Live opens, replacing The Wild Wild Wild West Stunt Show. Universal Studios Florida celebrates its 15th anniversary.

2006: Delancey Street Preview Center opens in the New York area. Universal 360: A Cinesphere Spectacular opens, replacing Dynamite Nights Stunt Spectacular. Animal Planet Live is closed, and replaced by Animal Actors on Location. Halloween Horror Nights returns to Universal Studios Florida for its "Sweet 16".

2007: Back to the Future: The Ride closes on March 30.[24] Blue Man Group Sharp Aquos Theatre opens in CityWalk, replacing Nickelodeon Studios. Earthquake: The Big One closes in the San Francisco area on November 5.

2008: Disaster!: A Major Motion Picture Ride...Starring You! opens, replacing Earthquake: The Big One.[25] Universal announces Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, with a planned opening of Spring 2009. The Simpsons Ride opens, replacing Back to the Future: The Ride.[26]

2009: The Universal Music Plaza Stage opens, replacing The Boneyard. Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit opens.

2010: The 20th anniversary of Universal Studios Florida in June, as well as Halloween Horror Nights in October.

2011: The 10th anniversary of Macy's Holiday Parade at the park.[27]

2012: Jaws and the surrounding Amity themed area closes, as announced on December 2, 2011.[28] Universal announces the additions of Universal’s Cinematic Spectacular: 100 Years of Movie Memories and Universal's Superstar Parade to the park, with openings on May 8, 2012.[29] Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem, opens replacing Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast; as announced on March 14, 2011 as "...one of many exciting things planned for the next couple of years".[30] Universal Orlando Resort announced Transformers: The Ride will officially open in the summer of 2013, replacing Soundstages 44 and 54, which were demolished on June 24, 2012.[31] SpongeBob StorePants,a gift shop themed after SpongeBob SquarePants opened in Woody Woodpecker's Kidzone replacing the Universal Cartoon Store

2013: The opening date for Transformers The Ride is announced for June 20, 2013. Details of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter expansion are officially announced. Details for the new Simpsons Land are announced and expected to open in the summer of 2013. Transformers: The Ride officially opens in the Production Central area replacing Soundstage 44. Simpsons Fast Food Boulevard (renamed Springfield U.S.A.) concludes its expansion as it includes one new ride: Kang and Kodos Twirl 'n' Hurl.

2014: The opening date for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Diagon Alley is announced for July 8, 2014 amid the Diagon Alley preview red carpet premiere on June 18, 2014 with Domhnall Gleeson, Bonnie Wright, Evanna Lynch, Matthew Lewis, James and Oliver Phelps, Tom Felton, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis and Helena Bonham Carter attending the premiere. King's Cross station opens on July 1, 2014 as well as the Hogwarts Express Hogsmeade station at Universal's Islands of Adventure, connecting park visitors to both theme Harry Potter theme parks via a full scale replica of the train that appears in the Harry Potter film series. Diagon Alley officially opens, replacing Jaws and the Amity section of the park.

 

Previous attractions[edit]

 

Main article: List of former Universal Studios Florida attractions

     

The previous icon of the Jaws ride is still a popular photo spot.

Like all theme parks, attractions are sometimes closed due to aging and replaced with more contemporary attractions. Universal has seen this happen several times. Some notable closures include Kongfrontation, Back to the Future: The Ride, The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera and Jaws. The closures of Kongfrontation, Back to the Future, and Jaws have been given homages by the park to honor veteran visitors who revered the former rides.

 

Park design[edit]

 

Main article: List of Universal Studios Florida attractions

 

Universal Studios Florida features seven themed areas all situated around a large lagoon. In 2012, this lagoon was the site of Universal’s Cinematic Spectacular: 100 Years of Movie Memories, a thematic display that showcased scenes from various Universal films, featuring lasers, projectors and fountains, and pyrotechnics.

 

The seven surrounding themed areas, clockwise from the entrance, are Production Central, New York, San Francisco, London/Diagon Alley, World Expo, Woody Woodpecker's Kidzone and Hollywood. Each area features a combination of rides, shows, attractions, character appearances, dining outlets and merchandise stores. A new area, based on Harry Potter's Diagon Alley was added to the park in the July of 2014.

 

Production Central[edit]

  

Ride

 

Year opened

 

Manufacturer

  

Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem 2012 Intamin

Shrek 4-D 2003 PDI/DreamWorks

Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit 2009 Maurer Söhne

Transformers: The Ride 3D 2013 Oceaneering International

The Universal Music Plaza Stage 2009

  

The area is also home to a variety of dining outlets and merchandise shops. Food and beverage items can be purchased from Beverly Hills Boulangerie or Universal Studios' Classic Monsters Cafe while merchandise can be bought from a variety of themed stores including Universal Studios Store, Studio Sweets, It's a Wrap!, Super Silly Stuff, Shrek's Ye Olde Souvenir Shoppe, and Transformers: Supply Vault.[32][33]

 

This waterproof tablet is serious about entertainment. Hear every beat thanks to Hi-res audio, noise canceling technology and front stereo speakers. See every shade on the 8” (20.3 cm) screen bursting with Sony’s display technology. With an impressive rating, you won't ever have to worry about water or dust getting in the way of performance. This super-light, super-slim tablet is a true feat of engineering - crafted from the highest-quality materials with clean lines and a rounded aluminum frame.

 

Launched: 2014 November

Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (Quad-core 2,5 GHz)

Memory: 3 GB RAM, 16 GB internal storage, micro SDXC slot

Screen: 8-inch TFT LCD, 1200x1920, 283 dpi

Dimensions: 213.4 x 123.6 x 6.4 mm

Weight: 270 g

 

Photo: Thomas Ohlsson Photography

 

www.thomasohlsson.com | 500px | Facebook | Flickr | Instagram

This waterproof tablet is serious about entertainment. Hear every beat thanks to Hi-res audio, noise canceling technology and front stereo speakers. See every shade on the 8” (20.3 cm) screen bursting with Sony’s display technology. With an impressive rating, you won't ever have to worry about water or dust getting in the way of performance. This super-light, super-slim tablet is a true feat of engineering - crafted from the highest-quality materials with clean lines and a rounded aluminum frame.

 

Launched: 2014 November

Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (Quad-core 2,5 GHz)

Memory: 3 GB RAM, 16 GB internal storage, micro SDXC slot

Screen: 8-inch TFT LCD, 1200x1920, 283 dpi

Dimensions: 213.4 x 123.6 x 6.4 mm

Weight: 270 g

 

Photo: Thomas Ohlsson Photography

 

www.thomasohlsson.com | 500px | Facebook | Flickr | Instagram

Various asbestos-containing friction products (mostly brake components).

These precision ballscrew nut housings, which are used on a wide range of Haas machines, are machined in large batches on Haas EC-400PP pallet pool HMCs. In-house machining and extensive use of common components help Haas Automation keep machine prices affordable, and provide customers with more value.

Maplin store trip

Photo: Ken Fager

While the bus is in component parts its important you scribe your panel lines now as the sides are still easy to work many people jump part this stage and try to do it later and they give themselves far more work.

One of the biggest and best Veterans Day parades this area has ever seen. More than 100 units with multiple components signed up to march or perform during this year's annual parade, hosted by the Hampton Roads Council of Veterans Organizations (HRCVO). The parade started at 9 a.m. at 16th Street and Atlantic Avenue, and ended at the Tidewater Veterans Memorial at 19th Street, across from the Virginia Beach Convention Center.

This year's Grand Marshal is CPL Johnny Johnson, USMC (Ret.) and MR1 William T. Jones, Jr., USN (Ret.) is this year's Co-Marshal. The parade will include, among others: Marching bands from the U. S. Army Training & Doctrine Command at Fort Eustis, Bayside, Green Run, Kellam, Landstown, Ocean Lakes, Salem and Tallwood High Schools, Honor Guards and/or Motorcycle and Mounted Units from Chesapeake, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach Police Departments and the Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office.

This year's parade is co-sponsored by the La Societe des Quarante Hommes et Huit Chevaux (40 & 8) Voiture Locale 86). It will include military units from the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force that represent military installations across the region. Veterans from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Desert Shield, Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom will participate, as well as several Tidewater municipal and veterans support organizations, including Naval Junior ROTC Units and Boy Scout and Girl Scout Troops.

The Veterans Day Parade is sanctioned by the Department of Veterans Affairs National Veterans Day Committee and the Mayors of Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk and Virginia Beach who signed the Veterans Day Proclamation resolving that "citizens, businesses and organizations demonstrate due appreciation, admiration and respect for all veterans who have served our great nation."

Immediately following the parade, a formal ceremony was held at the Tidewater Veterans Memorial. This service included military and civilian honors to the Veterans. Afterwards, there was a luncheon at the DoubleTree Hotel.

 

Photography - Craig McClure

17076

 

© 2016

ALL Rights reserved by City of Virginia Beach.

Contact photo[at]vbgov.com for permission to use. Commercial use not allowed.

In conjunction with CyberClimb and Legado Video, we produced a business legacy video for Component Manufacturing and Reaves Creating Systems. The video aids …

  

www.arrivalelectronics.co.uk/manufacturing Arrival Electronics delivers a full variety of Managed Electronic...

 

Read more about Component Manufacturing

 

(Posted by a Precision Machining China Manufacturer)

An old vacuum tube.

St. Kitts Marriott Resort and Royal St. Kitts Casino, 858 Frigate Bay Road, St. Kitts

 

Canadian Vic De Zen turned a small Woodbridge, Ontario plastics company into a worldwide empire in the 1990's known as Royal Group Technologies Ltd. He built it up over the course of 30 years into a publicly traded company with about $2 billion in annual sales and 9,000 employees around the world. While growing the plastics company Vic De Zen met another Toronto developer, Mr. Archie Zuliani, who owned a small hotel on the island of St. Kitts. Zuliani needed a source for building supplies on St. Kitts and on De Zen's first trip to St Kitts the two hit it off and immediately started plans for a resort project featuring Royal Group's products and also a retirement villa for De Zen and his family. According to Zuliani, De Zen wanted the project to be built entirely of plastics! In 1996 a joint venture agreement was signed between Vic De Zen and Archie Zuliani for a $50 million development including hotel, conference center, golf course, casino and an internet gambling operation. In short order the project costs rose to $120 million. Within a year Zuliana became uncomfortable with De Zen's ambitious project and he was happy to accept a $4 million buyout from De Zen in 1998. Mr. De Zen and his brother in law, Fortunato Bordin, who used to work at Royal Group, borrowed $114-million from Scotiabank between 1996 and 2004 to fund construction of the Caribbean resort which when built out cost upwards of $330 million.

 

On November 3, 2000 a signing ceremony was held involving St Kitts Prime Minister Denzil Douglas, Mr. Vincent Morton, Chairman of the Frigate Bay Development Corporation and Mr. Vic De Zen. The announcement stated that the world class resort was being built by Technologies Limited of Canada. Denzil Douglas was the longest-serving Prime Minister of the Federation of St. Kitts & Nevis, having held the position between 1995 and 2015. He led the Saint Kitts and Nevis Labour Party. Douglas transformed his country’s formerly sugar-based economy into a service-oriented one driven by tourism, offshore medical education, small farm agriculture and the manufacture of electronic components. Prime Minister Douglas succeeded in establishing St. Kitts and Nevis as a tourist destination, giving as evidence his promoting of De Zen's 600-room Marriott hotel project.

 

Royal Group Technologies growth allowed De Zen vast liberties in pursuing side-bar projects and the doling out bonuses to family and friends. The line between Royal Group Business and De Zen's personal business became a complete blur. De Zen owned over 80% of the shareholders votes. With Zuliana bought out De Zen took the St Kitts project to new heights. He brought in his brother, Angelo De Zen, to head up the construction and Joey Cecchini was in charge of the design build of the Royal St. Kitts Beach Resort & Casino. The architect was Claudio Rabaglino from Toronto. According to the Toronto Mail and Globe "the resort became so important to De Zen that he turned over one of Royal Group's Boardroom - dubbed the war room - to the project. As construction progressed, 16 contractors were involved and about 3,000 shipments of products were made from Toronto. By 2000, roughly 700 workers were on site, some of them connected to Royal Group."

 

Marriott International announced a soft opening of their 471-room resort, St. Kitts Marriott Royal Beach Resort & Spa, on February 22, 2003. It is the tenth property in Marriott and Renaissance Offshore Resorts’ portfolio. John Toti was the resort's opening General Manager. Marriott said the resort is owned by Royal St. Kitts Beach Resort Ltd. Marriott's opening announcement said the resort’s five-story main building has 237 guestrooms. Between the main building and the beach, a series of three-story garden houses, surround the swimming pools, house an additional 234 rooms. Guestrooms are oversized and well-appointed with most including large, private balconies. Each bathroom of the houses will have a whirlpool bath.

For dining and entertainment, the St. Kitts Marriott Royal Beach Resort has six restaurants, two bars and a disco: La Cucina, an Italian restaurant; Royal Grill Steakhouse, offering outdoor seating; BLU, a seafood restaurant; Bohemia Beach Bar & Grill; Calypso, a family style restaurant, Golf Club House Restaurant; Lobby Bar; Keys, a cigar and rum bar; and Tigers, a disco. Recreational amenities include a 15,000 square foot spa, three swimming pools, tennis courts, retail shopping, Kids Club and a 35,000 square foot casino. A newly-designed 18-hole golf course, operated by Marriott Golf. For conferences and social events, the St. Kitts Marriott Royal Beach Resort & Spa has 12,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, including a 7,100 square foot ballroom that is divisible into three sections; meeting rooms offering 5,000 square feet of space; and a board room and terraces for pre-function receptions and events.

 

In hindsight Vic De Zen gained a Caribbean luxury resort but lost his billion dollar company. In February 2004 the St Kitts development became the subject of an extensive Ontario Securities Commission and Royal Canadian Mounted Police criminal probe into whether Mr. De Zen used Royal Group money or assets on a private development project. It seems the Royal Group shareholders new virtually nothing about the massive resort project on St Kitts! Vic De Zen was ousted as board chairperson of Royal Group in 2004 after an internal investigation. Two years later, the company was sold to United States-based Georgia Gulf Corp. for $1.7 billion. The RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) charged De Zen and other former executives with defrauding the company of more than $29 million.

 

The trial respecting the allegations made against Mr. De Zen and others commenced in April 2010. On December 10, 2010, at the conclusion of the five-month trial, the trial judge acquitted the defendants of the two charges they faced. The trial judge found overwhelming evidence supporting the defense that no fraud, no deceit, no dishonesty and no concealment had taken place. Indeed, the judge indicated that it would be a "travesty of justice" to wait even one day before pronouncing the verdict of not guilty.

 

Mr. De Zen formed a new company, ZZen Group, which includes the Marriott beach resort that has become the Caribbean island’s largest employer. When Mr. De Zen travels to ZZen’s resort in St. Kitts – his favorite way to relax is to work on small repairs. Joseph Sgro, an assistant to De Zen says he actually has a tool belt when he is at the resort … walking around the resort grounds and he fixes things and talks to the landscapers.

 

Georgia Gulf Corporation, a large PVC raw-material manufacturer, completed its acquisition of Royal Group on October 3, 2006 for $1.6 billion.

 

***********

 

Vic De Zen and his partners Fortunato Bordin and Domenic D’Amico have supported the people of St Kitts and Nevis since their first agreement in 1997 to build the Marriott Resort. This first initiative produced strong economic and social growth within the Federation of St. Kitts & Nevis. Vic De Zen's group continues with investments that have created the following St. Kitts businesses and organizations which collectively employ more than 1,000 persons in the Federation:

 

*St. Kitts Marriott Resort;

*Marriott Vacation Club;

*Marriott Residences;

*Royal Beach Development Group;

*Royal Beach Casino;

*Royal St. Kitts Golf Club;

*Royal Utilities Limited

 

***********

 

The St. Kitts Marriott has had 4 General Managers.

 

Jacques Hamou, General Manager, ( 2012 - ) St. Kitts Marriott Resort & Royal Beach Casino appointed Jacques Hamou as General Manager in February, 2012. Hamou’s career in the hospitality industry spans 30 years. He joins the property from Montreal where he served as general manager for the Montreal Marriott Chateau Champlain for thirteen years. Previously, Hamou was at Fortis Hospitality Corporation in Sydney, Nova Scotia, where he held the position of director of operations for Delta Sydney, Holiday Inn Sydney and the Sydney Inn.

 

Flor Van Der Vaart, General Manager (2008 - 2011) - Flor van der Vaart was appointed General Manager of St. Kitts Marriott Beach Resort on July 6, 2008. Flor began his career with Marriott in 2004 as the Resident Manager of the Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino. Prior to joining the Aruba Marriott Resort, Flor was the Operations Manager at the Hyatt Dorado Beach Resort & Country Club in Puerto Rico. Van der Vaart received his Master’s Degree in Business Administration from The University of Phoenix. He received his Bachelor’s Degree from The University of The Hague – Haagshe Hogeschool in Holland.

 

George Landa, General Manager (2006 - 2008) - St Kitts Marriott Resort & the Royal Beach Casino appointed Cuban-born George Landa as General Manager in April 2006. Most recently he was general manager at the Curacao Marriott Beach Resort & Emerald Casino from 2003-2006. Previously he also served as General Manager of the Intercontinental Hotel in Valencia, Venezuela.

 

John Toti, Opening General Manager ( 2002 - 2006 ) John Toti was named general manager, responsible for overseeing all aspects of operations at the new St. Kitts Marriott Resort. Most recently, Mr. Toti was the general manager at the Guatemala City Marriott. During his 25-year career with Marriott, Mr. Toti held positions in various aspects of hotel operations. In the food and beverage departments, he served as executive chef for Marriott Hotels in the Orlando World Center, Panama City and Puerto Vallarta, and was director of food and beverage at the Marriott Plaza Hotel, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Mr. Toti later went on to work in the operations segment, becoming area director of operations for Marriott's Caribbean region and assisting on short and long-term projects for resorts in St. Thomas, Jamaica, Caracas & Costa Rica. He served as director of operations at the Guatemala and Lima Marriott Hotels as well. Mr. Toti was also director of groups and conventions at the Marriott in Puerto Vallarta. Toti is now retired and lives in Naples, Florida.

 

Wayne Michaelson is the current Executive Chef, (2015 - ) - Executive Chef Wayne Michaelson, previously from the Macon (Georgia) Marriott City Center, is in charge of overseeing daily operations of the resort’s eight onsite restaurants as well as catering for special events. Before his previous job in Macon, where he supervised seven kitchens, a catering facility for 2,500 people, Chef Michaelson owned and operated his own restaurant for a decade. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, Chef Michaelson began his career in hospitality at Omni Hotels & Resorts in 1984 in Alabama as an Executive Chef. He then moved to Puerto Rico in 1986 where he worked for prominent hotels such as the Caribe Hilton Hotel & Casino, the Hyatt Regency Cerromar Resort, the Hyatt Dorado Beach Resort & Golf Club, and the El San Juan Hotel & Casino, a Waldorf Astoria Collection hotel.

 

Arun Maharajh is the Vice President Operations at the resort's Royal Beach Casino. Maharajh started at the casino in 2005 as the Financial Controller. Previously he was a business analyst at the Ontario (Canada) Lottery and Gaming Corporation.

 

Compiled by Dick Johnson

February, 2016

 

Was playing around with my new flash on my new rear hub

1.549 mujeres hacen parte del segundo grupo de auxiliares de policía, al servicio de los colombianos.

 

Durante los últimos tres meses, la Policía Nacional de todos los colombianos desarrolló el proceso de selección, incorporación y formación de 1.549 mujeres que hacen parte del segundo grupo que prestará su servicio militar de manera voluntaria como auxiliares de policía en 20 unidades del país.

 

El acto de juramento de bandera, de manera virtual, se llevó a cabo en la Dirección General de la Institución, el cual estuvo presidido por la señora vicepresidenta, doctora Marta Lucía Ramírez.

 

Las nuevas auxiliares de policía tienen edades que oscilan entre los 18 y los 24 años. Durante su proceso de formación, recibieron formación en Derecho de Policía; Derecho Penal y Procedimiento Penal; Código Penal Militar, ética, transparencia y valores; Código Nacional de Seguridad y Convivencia; derechos humanos y Derecho Internacional Humanitario, aplicado a la función policial y sus correspondientes procedimientos.

 

Las auxiliares de policía cumplirán funciones de apoyo al servicio de policía en múltiples componentes de la seguridad ciudadana, tales como: atención a niños, niñas y adolescentes, adultos mayores y habitantes de calle en situación de vulnerabilidad; vigilancia y asistencia a los usuarios del transporte masivo; prevención y educación ciudadana, protección al turismo y al patrimonio nacional; atención en movilidad y fortalecimiento de la cultura de seguridad en las vías; actividades de vigilancia y protección a los recursos naturales; campañas educativas en planteles escolares y otros escenarios sociales, encaminados a prevenir el consumo de alcohol, tabaco y otras sustancias que pueden generar adicción.

 

La primera e histórica incorporación voluntaria comenzó el 15 de agosto de 2019 con 243 mujeres, quienes prestaron su servicio a la patria durante un periodo de 15 meses en la Policía Metropolitana de Bogotá.

 

Este programa piloto tuvo como objetivo principal dar igualdad de oportunidades para la mujer colombiana, para su incorporación al servicio militar en la Policía Nacional al servicio de la seguridad ciudadana, de acuerdo a los lineamientos que consagra la Ley 1861 del 4 de agosto de 2017 "Por la cual se reglamenta el servicio de reclutamiento, control de reservas y la movilización".

 

Las integrantes del primer grupo recibieron su licenciamiento el pasado 15 de noviembre, convirtiéndose en las primeras mujeres reservistas de primera clase de la Policía Nacional.

 

Incluso, en la actualidad, 72 de estas jóvenes adelantan su proceso de selección e incorporación para convertirse en patrulleras. Así mismo, cuatro más aspiran a ser oficiales.

 

La misión de las mujeres auxiliares de policía es seguir contribuyendo a mejorar las condiciones de convivencia y seguridad de todos los colombianos, en el marco de los tres pilares trazados por el director general de la Policía Nacional, general Oscar Atehortua Duque: 'Una Policía para la gente, que se transforma para servir mejor y piensa en sus policías'.

Dr. Charles Richard Drew Mural 2014 by Susan Schwerin

 

Dr. Drew can be seen on the left, rising out of the fog (symbolizing his neighborhood, Foggy Bottom, in DC where he was born). He is holding a test tube of blood that has been separated into its individual components: plasma (55%), platelets (1%) and red blood cells (44%). Next to him is a microscope with a microscopic view of each blood element in the background. The red blood cells are marked for the various blood types (A+,A-, B+,B-, O; however, in 1 drop of someone’s blood all of the red blood cells would be the same type, I have only mixed them here to exemplify that there are different types). Plasma, however, is not very different across people making it a better candidate for transfusions, plus it does not need to be refrigerated and lasts a long time.

Dr. Drew’s steps to “SUCCESS” are created by his education and training:

 

First he went to Stevens Elementary where he was received medals for swimming2 (“S” of success with silhouette of swimmer).

 

Next he went to Dunbar high school where he lettered in track (hurdles), football, baseball and basketball1(“U” of success with silhouette of hurdles, football, baseball, basketball).

 

Then he was off to Amherst college where he was captain of the track team and was the most valuable player on the baseball team, star halfback, national high hurdles champion5(“C” of success with silhouette of baseball, football and hurdles).

 

After graduating he started saving for medical school by teaching biology and chemistry and coaching football and basketball at Morgan State University in Baltimore1. During his two years at Morgan, his coaching transformed its mediocre sports teams into serious collegiate competitors1 (“C” of success with silhouette of an instructor and a coach, a football and a basketball).

 

He then went to McGill Medical School where he earned a Doctor of Medicine degree (MD) and a Master of Surgery (CM)2. He joined the Omega Psi Phi fraternity where he helped to pen their fraternity hymn, “Omega Dear”3. He was also inducted into the medical honor society Alpha Omega Alpha2. He won a neuroanatomy award2 and continued to excel competing in hurdles (“E” of success with silhouette of music notes, brain, hurdles).

 

He then went to work as a surgeon and teacher at Howard University, where they were trying to get and/or train their faculty to be competitive in their fields (“S” of success with silhouette of instructor and surgeon).

 

Dr. Drew got a Rockefeller Foundation research scholarship to get his doctorate at Columbia University where he wrote a thesis titled, ”Banked Blood”2 (“S” of success with silhouette of researcher at microscope and thesis).

  

World War II broke out. There is a world map at the bottom of the mural where the different countries are colored according to whether they were on the side of the Axis (blue-primarily Germany, Italy, Japan, and also Slovakia, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Libya, Ethiopia, Somalia, Thailand, Taiwan, Korea, Irag, Finland) or the Allies (green: primarily United Kingdom, France, China, Soviet Union, United States and also Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Belgium, Brazil, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, India, Latvia, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, South Africa, Yugoslavia with light green being countries that joined the war late: United States, Mexico, many South American countries, Liberia, Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Phillipines) or Neutral countries (gray-primarily Ireland, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, and also Sahara, Angola, Mozambique, Yemen, Afghanistan, Tibet, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania).

 

After the war started, Dr. Drew was requested to organize the Red Cross Blood for Britain program (represented by the blood transfusion line spelling out Blood Bank, which then enters the top of the Red Cross symbol in the middle of the mural), where his attention to detail and doctorate research on blood banking enabled him to effectively collect blood, separate out the plasma and ship it to wounded British soldiers (represented by the yellow plasma transfusion line leaving the Red Cross symbol and going to the soldiers in the bottom right of the mural). The plasma transfusion line makes the shape of an EKG heart beat signal before getting to the soldiers, showing that it is giving life (giving heart beats). Beneath the soldiers is an open box with open cans, this is the box they received from the Red Cross with the dried plasma and distilled water which they combined to reconstitute the plasma to give to the soldier on the battlefield. Behind the soldiers is the British Flag. After the US joined the war, Dr. Drew led the National Blood Donor Service as well (represented by the American Flag on the far right of the mural).

 

In order to meet the huge demand for plasma, Drew initiated the use of "bloodmobiles" - trucks equipped with refrigerators6.

 

Unfortunately, the irony of his work was that the Red Cross would only accept blood from white donors. (This is shown in the mural by the 5 hands at the top. The center hand is Caucasian and is the only hand, whose blood drop has a Red Cross symbol on it, even though all the blood drops look the same, no matter what color hand is holding it). Dr. Drew publicly stated that the blood from different races was no different; however the Red Cross continued to exclude black donors. They eventually began allowing black donors, but kept the blood segregated for the recipients.

 

The NAACP gave Dr. Drew the Springarn award for "the highest and noblest achievement" by an African-American "during the preceding year or years” for his blood banking accomplishments2 (The medal and ribbon are at the top of the mural, just under the hands). This award bolstered Dr. Drew into becoming more of an advocate for black rights4.

 

Dr. Drew had a personal commitment to excellence as well as an expectation of excellence of his black medical students who frequently scored among the highest in nationwide medical exams (represented by the word “EXCELLENCE” in the mural). Dr. Drew continued to teach at Howard University where he was known by his students as ‘Big Red’ because of the color of his face when he was upset4 (represented in the mural by the Howard University Bison Logo with the words “Big Red”).

 

Dr. Drew died in a car accident in 1950 at the age of 45 (represented by the car in the upper right hand corner of the mural).

 

While attending a conference in April 1939, Drew met Minnie Lenore Robbins, a professor of home economics at Spelman College in Atlanta. They married in September of that year, and had three daughters and a son (represented on the mural by the house with the family inside, just under the Red Cross).

 

Dr. Drew’s one leisure activity was gardening, especially Canna Lily flowers4, which are featured at the base of the mural under SUCCESS.

 

The hand in the upper left corner of the mural that is punching through the wall is a representation of this quote by Dr. Drew and symbolizes how his accomplishments (the blood bank) knocked a hole out of the wall:

“Whenever, however, one breaks out of this rather high-walled prison of the "Negro problem" by virtue of some worthwhile contribution, not only is he himself allowed more freedom, but part of the wall crumbles. And so it should be the aim of every student in science to knock down at least one or two bricks of that wall by virtue of his own accomplishment.”

 

References:

1.The Charles R. Drew Papers. Profiles in Science. National Library of Medicine. profiles.nlm.nih.gov/ps/retrieve/Narrative/BG/p-nid/336

2.Bio. www.biography.com/people/charles-drew-9279094#early-life

3.Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Website www.omegapsiphifraternity.org/about_omega.asp

4.One Blood: The Death and Resurrection of Charles R. Drew By Spencie Love books.google.com/books?id=JF3sSgLA_AC&printsec=frontc...

5.http://web.stcloudstate.edu/lstripp/charles-drew.htm

6.http://www.pbs.org/wnet/redgold/innovators/bio_drew.html

 

Refined ideas for a mascot competition.

Main shape is 1/4" MDF; the handle parts are 3/8" MDF

The insides of an 803 transmitting vacuum tube. The number n the center column is 96393. One of the leads is wrapped in what appears to be asbestos.

034/365 polyptych

 

Some shots from an abandoned refinery in CA. There are technically 4 photos in this image including the texture which was shot in the same location.

 

lexmachina365.tumblr.com/

 

Prints available from lexmachine.etsy.com

I unearthed a bundle of old cycling magazines in the attic the other

day and came across this brilliant advert for Campagnolo's 50th

Anniversary groupset. The magazine was the May 1983 issue of

'Cyclist Monthly'. Best seen on large size. I'm not sure I'm too fond

of the gold-plated parts mind you. There wasn't any price given in

the advert but one went on ebay last week for more than £2000.

Title: Symmetrical Components Seminar

Digital Publisher: Digital: Cushing Memorial Library and Archives, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas

Physical Publisher: Physical: Graphic Services, Texas A&M University

Date Issued: 2011-08-17

Date Created: 1968

Dimensions: 4 x 5 inches

Format Medium: Photographic negative

Type: image

Identifier: Photograph Location: Graphic Services Photos, Box 21, File 21-155

Rights: It is the users responsibility to secure permission from the copyright holders for publication of any materials. Permission must be obtained in writing prior to publication. Please contact the Cushing Memorial Library for further information

 

Dr. Charles Richard Drew Mural 2014 by Susan Schwerin

 

Dr. Drew can be seen on the left, rising out of the fog (symbolizing his neighborhood, Foggy Bottom, in DC where he was born). He is holding a test tube of blood that has been separated into its individual components: plasma (55%), platelets (1%) and red blood cells (44%). Next to him is a microscope with a microscopic view of each blood element in the background. The red blood cells are marked for the various blood types (A+,A-, B+,B-, O; however, in 1 drop of someone’s blood all of the red blood cells would be the same type, I have only mixed them here to exemplify that there are different types). Plasma, however, is not very different across people making it a better candidate for transfusions, plus it does not need to be refrigerated and lasts a long time.

Dr. Drew’s steps to “SUCCESS” are created by his education and training:

 

First he went to Stevens Elementary where he was received medals for swimming2 (“S” of success with silhouette of swimmer).

 

Next he went to Dunbar high school where he lettered in track (hurdles), football, baseball and basketball1(“U” of success with silhouette of hurdles, football, baseball, basketball).

 

Then he was off to Amherst college where he was captain of the track team and was the most valuable player on the baseball team, star halfback, national high hurdles champion5(“C” of success with silhouette of baseball, football and hurdles).

 

After graduating he started saving for medical school by teaching biology and chemistry and coaching football and basketball at Morgan State University in Baltimore1. During his two years at Morgan, his coaching transformed its mediocre sports teams into serious collegiate competitors1 (“C” of success with silhouette of an instructor and a coach, a football and a basketball).

 

He then went to McGill Medical School where he earned a Doctor of Medicine degree (MD) and a Master of Surgery (CM)2. He joined the Omega Psi Phi fraternity where he helped to pen their fraternity hymn, “Omega Dear”3. He was also inducted into the medical honor society Alpha Omega Alpha2. He won a neuroanatomy award2 and continued to excel competing in hurdles (“E” of success with silhouette of music notes, brain, hurdles).

 

He then went to work as a surgeon and teacher at Howard University, where they were trying to get and/or train their faculty to be competitive in their fields (“S” of success with silhouette of instructor and surgeon).

 

Dr. Drew got a Rockefeller Foundation research scholarship to get his doctorate at Columbia University where he wrote a thesis titled, ”Banked Blood”2 (“S” of success with silhouette of researcher at microscope and thesis).

  

World War II broke out. There is a world map at the bottom of the mural where the different countries are colored according to whether they were on the side of the Axis (blue-primarily Germany, Italy, Japan, and also Slovakia, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Libya, Ethiopia, Somalia, Thailand, Taiwan, Korea, Irag, Finland) or the Allies (green: primarily United Kingdom, France, China, Soviet Union, United States and also Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Belgium, Brazil, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, India, Latvia, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, South Africa, Yugoslavia with light green being countries that joined the war late: United States, Mexico, many South American countries, Liberia, Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Phillipines) or Neutral countries (gray-primarily Ireland, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, and also Sahara, Angola, Mozambique, Yemen, Afghanistan, Tibet, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania).

 

After the war started, Dr. Drew was requested to organize the Red Cross Blood for Britain program (represented by the blood transfusion line spelling out Blood Bank, which then enters the top of the Red Cross symbol in the middle of the mural), where his attention to detail and doctorate research on blood banking enabled him to effectively collect blood, separate out the plasma and ship it to wounded British soldiers (represented by the yellow plasma transfusion line leaving the Red Cross symbol and going to the soldiers in the bottom right of the mural). The plasma transfusion line makes the shape of an EKG heart beat signal before getting to the soldiers, showing that it is giving life (giving heart beats). Beneath the soldiers is an open box with open cans, this is the box they received from the Red Cross with the dried plasma and distilled water which they combined to reconstitute the plasma to give to the soldier on the battlefield. Behind the soldiers is the British Flag. After the US joined the war, Dr. Drew led the National Blood Donor Service as well (represented by the American Flag on the far right of the mural).

 

In order to meet the huge demand for plasma, Drew initiated the use of "bloodmobiles" - trucks equipped with refrigerators6.

 

Unfortunately, the irony of his work was that the Red Cross would only accept blood from white donors. (This is shown in the mural by the 5 hands at the top. The center hand is Caucasian and is the only hand, whose blood drop has a Red Cross symbol on it, even though all the blood drops look the same, no matter what color hand is holding it). Dr. Drew publicly stated that the blood from different races was no different; however the Red Cross continued to exclude black donors. They eventually began allowing black donors, but kept the blood segregated for the recipients.

 

The NAACP gave Dr. Drew the Springarn award for "the highest and noblest achievement" by an African-American "during the preceding year or years” for his blood banking accomplishments2 (The medal and ribbon are at the top of the mural, just under the hands). This award bolstered Dr. Drew into becoming more of an advocate for black rights4.

 

Dr. Drew had a personal commitment to excellence as well as an expectation of excellence of his black medical students who frequently scored among the highest in nationwide medical exams (represented by the word “EXCELLENCE” in the mural). Dr. Drew continued to teach at Howard University where he was known by his students as ‘Big Red’ because of the color of his face when he was upset4 (represented in the mural by the Howard University Bison Logo with the words “Big Red”).

 

Dr. Drew died in a car accident in 1950 at the age of 45 (represented by the car in the upper right hand corner of the mural).

 

While attending a conference in April 1939, Drew met Minnie Lenore Robbins, a professor of home economics at Spelman College in Atlanta. They married in September of that year, and had three daughters and a son (represented on the mural by the house with the family inside, just under the Red Cross).

 

Dr. Drew’s one leisure activity was gardening, especially Canna Lily flowers4, which are featured at the base of the mural under SUCCESS.

 

The hand in the upper left corner of the mural that is punching through the wall is a representation of this quote by Dr. Drew and symbolizes how his accomplishments (the blood bank) knocked a hole out of the wall:

“Whenever, however, one breaks out of this rather high-walled prison of the "Negro problem" by virtue of some worthwhile contribution, not only is he himself allowed more freedom, but part of the wall crumbles. And so it should be the aim of every student in science to knock down at least one or two bricks of that wall by virtue of his own accomplishment.”

 

References:

1.The Charles R. Drew Papers. Profiles in Science. National Library of Medicine. profiles.nlm.nih.gov/ps/retrieve/Narrative/BG/p-nid/336

2.Bio. www.biography.com/people/charles-drew-9279094#early-life

3.Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Website www.omegapsiphifraternity.org/about_omega.asp

4.One Blood: The Death and Resurrection of Charles R. Drew By Spencie Love books.google.com/books?id=JF3sSgLA_AC&printsec=frontc...

5.http://web.stcloudstate.edu/lstripp/charles-drew.htm

6.http://www.pbs.org/wnet/redgold/innovators/bio_drew.html

 

The work is 78x55x40 in. brushed bronze sculpture with black natural patina from the series "Double Mobius Strip", 2002 - ongoing. Mobius Strip series consist of pieces fabricated using different materials such as corten steel, stainless steel, combination of copper and bronze and leaded stained glass. All of them are large scale, up to 20 ft. tall.

 

Work statement:

Infinity (Mobius Strip) refers to several distinct concepts, linked to the idea of "without end" which arise in philosophy, mathematics, and theology. The sculpture is based on the Mobius strip, which is a surface with only one side and only one boundary component. In this work I combine two Mobius strips together with common edges. The result is one double rich and fascinating 3D form, representing the idea of continuance, endless repetition of life...

Hosts and guests of the U.S. AFRICOM C4ISR Senior Leader Conference tour a winery in the hills above Vicenza, Italy, Feb. 3, 2011.

 

U.S. Army Africa photo by David Ruderman

 

U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) hosted its second annual C4ISR Senior Leaders Conference Feb. 2-4 at Caserma Ederle, headquarters of U.S. Army Africa, in Vicenza, Italy.

 

The communications and intelligence community event, hosted by Brig. Gen. Robert Ferrell, AFRICOM C4 director, drew approximately 80 senior leaders from diverse U.S. military and government branches and agencies, as well as representatives of African nations and the African Union.

 

The conference is a combination of our U.S. AFRICOM C4 systems and intel directorate,” said Ferrell. “We come together annually to bring the team together to work on common goals to work on throughout the year. The team consists of our coalition partners as well as our inter-agency partners, as well as our components and U.S. AFRICOM staff.”

 

The conference focused on updates from participants, and on assessing the present state and goals of coalition partners in Africa, he said.

 

“The theme for our conference is ‘Delivering Capabilities to a Joint Information Environment,’ and we see it as a joint and combined team ... working together, side by side, to promote peace and stability there on the African continent,” Ferrell said.

 

Three goals of this year’s conference were to strengthen the team, assess priorities across the board, and get a better fix on the impact that the establishment of the U.S. Cyber Command will have on all members’ efforts in the future, he said.

 

“With the stand-up of U.S. Cyber Command, it brings a lot of unique challenges that we as a team need to talk through to ensure that our information is protected at all times,” Ferrell said.

 

African Union (AU) representatives from four broad geographic regions of Africa attended, which generated a holistic perspective on needs and requirements from across the continent, he said.

 

“We have members from the African Union headquarters that is located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; we have members that are from Uganda; from Zambia; from Ghana; and also from the Congo. What are the gaps, what are the things that we kind of need to assist with as we move forward on our engagements on the African continent?” Ferrell said.

 

U.S. Army Africa Commander, Maj. Gen. David R. Hogg, welcomed participants as the conference got under way.

 

“We’re absolutely delighted to be the host for this conference, and we hope that this week you get a whole lot out of it,” said Hogg.

 

He took the opportunity to address the participants not only as their host, but from the perspective of a customer whose missions depend on the results of their efforts to support commanders in the field.

 

“When we’re talking about this group of folks that are here — from the joint side, from our African partners, from State, all those folks — it’s about partnership and interoperability. And every commander who’s ever had to fight in a combined environment understands that interoperability is the thing that absolutely slaps you upside the head,” Hogg said.

 

“We’re in the early stages of the process here of working with the African Union and the other partners, and you have an opportunity to design this from the end state, versus just building a bunch of ‘gunkulators.’ And so, the message is: think about what the end state is supposed to look like and construct the strategy to support the end state.

 

“Look at where we want to be at and design it that way,” Hogg said.

 

He also admonished participants to consider the second- and third-order effects of their choices in designing networks.

 

“With that said, over the next four days, I hope this conference works very well for you. If there’s anything we can do to make your stay better, please let us know,” Hogg said.

 

Over the following three days, participants engaged in a steady stream of briefings and presentations focused on systems, missions and updates from the field.

 

Col. Joseph W. Angyal, director of U.S. Army Africa G-6, gave an overview of operations and issues that focused on fundamentals, the emergence of regional accords as a way forward, and the evolution of a joint network enterprise that would serve all interested parties.

 

“What we’re trying to do is to work regionally. That’s frankly a challenge, but as we stand up the capability, really for the U.S. government, and work through that, we hope to become more regionally focused,” he said.

 

He referred to Africa Endeavor, an annual, multi-nation communications exercise, as a test bed for the current state of affairs on the continent, and an aid in itself to future development.

 

“In order to conduct those exercises, to conduct those security and cooperation events, and to meet contingency missions, we really, from the C4ISR perspective, have five big challenges,” Angyal said.

 

“You heard General Hogg this morning talk about ‘think about the customer’ — you’ve got to allow me to be able to get access to our data; I’ve got to be able to get to the data where and when I need it; you’ve got to be able to protect it; I have to be able to share it; and then finally, the systems have to be able to work together in order to build that coalition.

 

“One of the reasons General Ferrell is setting up this joint information enterprise, this joint network enterprise . . . it’s almost like trying to bring together disparate companies or corporations: everyone has their own system, they’ve paid for their own infrastructure, and they have their own policy, even though they support the same major company.

 

“Now multiply that when you bring in different services, multiply that when you bring in different U.S. government agencies, and then put a layer on top of that with the international partners, and there are lots of policies that are standing in our way.”

 

The main issue is not a question of technology, he said.

 

“The boxes are the same — a Cisco router is a Cisco router; Microsoft Exchange server is the same all over the world — but it’s the way that we employ them, and it’s the policies that we apply to it, that really stops us from interoperating, and that’s the challenge we hope to work through with the joint network enterprise.

 

“And I think that through things like Africa Endeavor and through the joint enterprise network, we’re looking at knocking down some of those policy walls, but at the end of the day they are ours to knock down. Bill Gates did not design a system to work only for the Army or for the Navy — it works for everyone,” Angyal said.

 

Brig. Gen. Joseph Searyoh, director general of Defense Information Communication Systems, General Headquarters, Ghana Armed Forces, agreed that coordinating policy is fundamental to improving communications with all its implications for a host of operations and missions.

 

“One would expect that in these modern times there is some kind of mutual engagement, and to build that engagement to be strong, there must be some kind of element of trust. … We have to build some kind of trust to be able to move forward,” said Searyoh.

 

“Some people may be living in silos of the past, but in the current engagement we need to tell people that we are there with no hidden agenda, no negative hidden agenda, but for the common good of all of us.

 

“We say that we are in the information age, and I’ve been saying something: that our response should not be optional, but it must be a must, because if you don’t join now, you are going to be left behind.

 

“So what do we do? We have to get our house in order.

 

“Why do I say so? We used to operate like this before the information age; now in the information age, how do we operate?

 

“So, we have to get our house in order and see whether we are aligning ourselves with way things should work now. So, our challenge is to come up with a strategy, see how best we can reorganize our structures, to be able to deliver communications-information systems support for the Ghana Armed Forces,” he said.

 

Searyoh related that his organization has already accomplished one part of erecting the necessary foundation by establishing an appropriate policy structure.

 

“What is required now is the implementing level. Currently we have communications on one side, and computers on one side. The lines are blurred — you cannot operate like that, you’ve got to bring them together,” he said.

 

Building that merged entity to support deployed forces is what he sees as the primary challenge at present.

 

“Once you get that done you can talk about equipment, you can talk about resources,” Searyoh said. “I look at the current collaboration between the U.S. and the coalition partners taking a new level.”

 

“The immediate challenges that we have is the interoperability, which I think is one of the things we are also discussing here, interoperability and integration,” said Lt. Col. Kelvin Silomba, African Union-Zambia, Information Technology expert for the Africa Stand-by Force.

 

“You know that we’ve got five regions in Africa. All these regions, we need to integrate them and bring them together, so the challenge of interoperability in terms of equipment, you know, different tactical equipment that we use, and also in terms of the language barrier — you know, all these regions in Africa you find that they speak different languages — so to bring them together we need to come up with one standard that will make everybody on board and make everybody able to talk to each other,” he said.

 

“So we have all these challenges. Other than that also, stemming from the background of these African countries, based on the colonization: some of them were French colonized, some of them were British colonized and so on, so you find that when they come up now we’ve adopted some of the procedures based on our former colonial masters, so that is another challenge that is coming on board.”

 

The partnership with brother African states, with the U.S. government and its military branches, and with other interested collaborators has had a positive influence, said Silomba.

 

“Oh, it’s great. From the time that I got engaged with U.S. AFRICOM — I started with Africa Endeavor, before I even came to the AU — it is my experience that it is something very, very good.

 

“I would encourage — I know that there are some member states — I would encourage that all those member states they come on board, all of these regional organizations, that they come on board and support the AFRICOM lead. It is something that is very, very good.

 

“As for example, the African Union has a lot of support that’s been coming in, technical as well as in terms of knowledge and equipment. So it’s great; it’s good and it’s great,” said Salimba.

 

Other participant responses to the conference were positive as well.

 

“The feedback I’ve gotten from every member is that they now know what the red carpet treatment looks like, because USARAF has gone over and above board to make sure the environment, the atmosphere and the actual engagements … are executed to perfection,” said Ferrell. “It’s been very good from a team-building aspect.

 

“We’ve had very good discussions from members of the African Union, who gave us a very good understanding of the operations that are taking place in the area of Somalia, the challenges with communications, and laid out the gaps and desires of where they see that the U.S. and other coalition partners can kind of improve the capacity there in that area of responsibility.

 

“We also talked about the AU, as they are expanding their reach to all of the five regions, of how can they have that interoperability and connectivity to each of the regions,” Ferrell said.

 

“(It’s been) a wealth of knowledge and experts that are here to share in terms of how we can move forward with building capacities and capabilities. Not only for U.S. interests, but more importantly from my perspective, in building capacities and capabilities for our African partners beginning with the Commission at the African Union itself,” said Kevin Warthon, U.S. State Department, peace and security adviser to the African Union.

 

“I think that General Ferrell has done an absolutely wonderful thing by inviting key African partners to participate in this event so they can share their personal experience from a national, regional and continental perspective,” he said.

 

Warthon related from his personal experience a vignette of African trust in Providence that he believed carries a pertinent metaphor and message to everyone attending the conference.

 

“We are not sure what we are going to do tomorrow, but the one thing that I am sure of is that we are able to do something. Don’t know when, don’t know how, but as long as our focus is on our ability to assist and to help to progress a people, that’s really what counts more than anything else,” he said.

 

“Don’t worry about the timetable; just focus on your ability to make a difference and that’s what that really is all about.

 

“I see venues such as this as opportunities to make what seems to be the impossible become possible. … This is what this kind of venue does for our African partners.

 

“We’re doing a wonderful job at building relationships, because that’s where it begins — we have to build relationships to establish trust. That’s why this is so important: building trust through relationships so that we can move forward in the future,” Warthon said.

 

Conference members took a cultural tour of Venice and visited a traditional winery in the hills above Vicenza before adjourning.

 

To learn more about U.S. Army Africa visit our official website at www.usaraf.army.mil

 

Official Twitter Feed: www.twitter.com/usarmyafrica

 

Official YouTube video channel: www.youtube.com/usarmyafrica

  

2-16-08

 

My name is Lori Zarlenga- Blaquiere. I was born on September 14, 1961 in the state of Rhode Island. I am writing to you for your immediate help. My life is in immediate danger from orders issued by President George W. Bush and Rhode Island Governor Donald Carcieri to

assassinate/murder me. You can contact me at my email LoriZarlenga@gmail.com and

my space.com/lorizz Also, you can find me on “google” by entering my name as keyword. My case is legitimate. Please do not disregard my case.

 

I have evidence and tapes on top officials and law enforcement among others to support my

claims. The current Rhode Island Senators Sheldon Whitehouse , Senator Jack Reed and former Senator Lincoln Chafee, among others are covering up and will not help me.

 

I posted a diary on the Daily Kos website on August 12, 2007 with regard to my life being in immediate danger from orders issued by President George W. Bush and Rhode Island Governor Donald Carcieri to assassinate/murder me.

 

I continued to stay on the Daily Kos website until sometime after 5:00 am and received

comments from the Daily Kos members community. The Daily Kos has over 1 million

members on their website.

  

On August 12, 2007, I was uploading exhibits, photos, and evidence to the Daily Kos members that support my claims against the United States Government et al.

  

On August 12, 2007 at approximately between 5:00 am & 6:00 am a West Warwick

Police officer came out to my house at 101 Border Street West Warwick, R.I. and violently banged at the doors at my house and continued to violently bang at the doors of my house for a long period of time in a terrorizing manner. The West Warwick Police Officer was given orders to stop me from getting the truth out to the American public .

   

I Lori Ann Zarlenga state that on August 21, 2007, a West Warwick Police vehicle came

up behind the vehicle where I was located in the back seat with my 5 year

old granddaughter and my mother Victoria Zarlenga who was seated on the passenger

side and my son Michael Zarlenga who was driving the vehicle on Cowesett Avenue

West Warwick, R.I.

 

I Lori Ann Zarlenga state that the police officers proceeded to get out of their police

vehicles with their guns drawn and aimed at the vehicle where I was located in the back

seat of the vehicle along with my 5 year old granddaughter, my mother and son .

  

The Coventry police, East Greenwich Police, the Rhode Island State Police, and the West

Warwick Police were on the scene.

   

I Lori Ann Zarlenga state that a West Warwick Police Officer pulled me out of the

vehicle where I was located in the back seat near my 5 year old granddaughter, with my

mother and son in the front seat of the vehicle.

I Lori Ann Zarlenga state that the Police proceeded to slam me to the ground and force

handcuffs on me and force me in the back seat of the West Warwick Police Vehicle.

  

I repeatedly asked the West Warwick Police Officer why the police forced handcuffs on

me and forced me in the back seat of the police vehicle, but the West Warwick Police

Officer repeatedly ignored me.

   

I continued to ask the West Warwick Police Officer why the police forced handcuffs on

me and forced me in the back seat of the police vehicle, he then stated to me that he was

trying to protect me .

   

While I was in the West Warwick Police vehicle, I observed police officers saluting to

each other with regard to capturing me.

 

While I was in the back seat of the West Warwick Police vehicle, a West Warwick Police

Officer asked me if I was injured and if I needed to go to the hospital inorder to lure me

into consenting to go to the hospital.

  

I stated to the West Warwick Police officer that I did not need to go to the hospital.

The West Warwick Police Officer told me that the fire rescue was going to take me to the

hospital for a psych evaluation.

    

I stated to the West Warwick Police officer that I did not want to go to the hospital and

that I did not need a pych evaluation. However, the West Warwick Police Officer told me

that I had to get into the Fire Rescue and go to the hospital. As a result, I had no other

choice but be taken by fire rescue to Kent County Memorial Hospital for a psych

evaluation without my consent.

  

My mother told me that the police officers apologized to her and stated to my mother

that they made a mistake .

  

I was subsequently taken by ambulance and transferred

to Land mark Medical Center without my consent and held hostage in lock down mental

health unit against my will. All of the evidence that was in my favor was ignored

by the doctors, social workers, and psychiatrist at Kent County Memorial Hospital and

Landmark Medical Center. The doctors, social workers, and psychiatrist at Kent County

Memorial Hospital and Land mark Medical Center manipulated and skewed the true facts

to cause me harm in connection with helping law enforcement and United States

Government from preventing me from exposing the truth to the American people and

my case continuing on Appeal with regard to the criminal acts committed by law

enforcement and the United States Government.

  

My Mother stated to the psychiatrist and nurses at Landmark Medical Center that I was

not delusional or paranoid and that I have never been a danger to myself or others and

that I have no history of mental health, and that I have never had a history of being

prescribed psychiatric medication and that I did not need psychiatric medication

my complaints against law enforcement are legitimate.

However, Dr. Elahi disregarded my mother statements and proceeded to contact his lawyer to

discuss whether or not he should discharge me, despite all evidence in my favor.

  

My family member stated to me that nurses at Landmark Medial Center made

statements about being disgusted with Dr. Shahid Elahi for consulting with his lawyer

with regard to whether or not to discharge me and delaying my discharge.

   

The nurses at Landmark Medical Center stated to me that I did not belong at Landmark

Medical Center Mental Health Unit

  

I have never had a history of mental illness.

   

On September 4, 2007, I was discharged from Landmark Medical Center.

  

I have never had a history of being targeted by the United States Government, Federal

and State law enforcement, among others prior to my L-tryptophan lawsuit.

       

In August of 2007, I had an Appeal pending in the First Circuit United States Court of

Appeals with regard to my December 7, 2006 Complaint against the United States

Government et al. As a result, of being held hostage in the hospital from August 21, 2007

to September of 2007, along with intimidation from law enforcement, among others in

connection with the United States Government I was unable to respond important

deadlines set by the First Circuit United States Court of Appeals . As a result, my Appeal with the First Circuit United States Court of Appeals is in default/dismissed for lack of

diligent prosecution.

    

As a result of my ingestion of contaminated L-tryptophan manufactured by Showa

Denko K.K., I developed a disease Eosinphilia Myalgia Syndrome. There are

approximately 5,000 people who ingested contaminated L-tryptophan

manufactured by Showa Denko K.K., and developed a disease Eosinphilia Myalgia

Syndrome. There maybe more unreported cases of Eosinphilia Myalgia

Syndrome caused by ingestion of contaminated L-tryptophan .

   

The L-tryptophan problem is the fault of the FDA due to lack of enforcement of 172.320,

among other violations of the FDA rules. Therefore, the FDA permitted the continued

illegal use of L-tryptophan.

  

If the FDA had enforced action against Showa Denko K.K., for violation of the FDA

rules mentioned herein, then L-tryptophan would not have been on the market and sold

to the American Public and caused death and illnesses associated with the sales of L-

tryptophan .

    

On October 25, 1995, I filed a products liability lawsuit against the Defendants

Showa Denko, K.K., Showa Denko America, Inc. General Nutrition Centers (GNC), et al. in

the State of Rhode Island Superior Court.

  

My case was transferred to Rhode Island District Court, (Blaquiere v. Showa Denko, K.K.,

Showa Denko America, Inc. General Nutrition Centers (GNC), et al., C.A.No.1:95-629 ).

  

My case was subsequently transferred for discovery to (MDL) United States District Court

Columbia, South Carolina, C. A. No. 3:96-361-0.

  

My case (Blaquiere v. Showa Denko, K.K., Showa Denko America, Inc. General

Nutrition Centers (GNC), et al., (C.A.No.1:95-629 ) was remanded to Rhode Island

District Court in 2003.

 

I hired a lawyer Dennis S. Mackin in 2000/2001 who used my case to file discovery

motions in the(MDL) United States District Court Columbia, South Carolina, (C. A. No. 3:96-

361-0), damaging to the defendant ShowaDenkoK.K.,their lawyers,Cleary,Gottlieb,Steen,and

Hamilton, and the United States Government.

  

My former lawyer Dennis Mackin was paid off to withdraw from my case and to

not go forward with the discovery motions and depositions damaging to Showa

Denko K.K., their lawyers, and the United States Government.

       

The discovery sought in my case that my former attorney Dennis Mackin filed in 2001 in the(MDL) United States District Court Columbia, South Carolina, (C. A. No. 3:96-361-0) was to demonstrate that Showa Denko K.K. and its attorneys have been involved in a continuing conspiracy to not only circumvent the discovery process, but to manipulate any scientific examination of Showa Denko K.K.’s reckless and wanton conduct”.

 

The United States Government wiretapped my phones, hacked my computers, surviellanced me during my L-tryptophan litigation and to the present. The United States Government obstructed justice, unlawfully sabotage my case inside and outside of the court system at every level.

   

My former attorney Dennis Mackin stated in his October 12, 2001 Reply of Plaintiff to Defendant's Motion to Qaush Deposition of Kenneth Rabin , that "additional questions must be answered about political pressure brought to bear upon members of the South Carolina Congressional delegation."" What information was given to Senator Thurmond, Senator Hollings and Congressman Ravenell?"

   

Documents made by Showa Denko K.K. included a budget attached to their public

relation scheme which was an amount determined for congressional

contracts, including the South Carolina delegation which was for 16, 000.00.

   

My former attorney Dennis Mackin stated in his motions that, “ The research of

this Eosinophilia Myalgia Syndrome has been twisted by the endless

manipulations by Showa Denko K.K and their lawyers,Cleary,Gottlieb,Steen,and

Hamilton and their confederates”. “ Worst of all, the scientific literature now

contains representations by shills for Showa Denko K.K. that will cause erroneous

medical science in the future”.

 

The United States Government is involved in the cover up .

   

My former attorney Dennis Mackin informed me that a promoter of an EMS

 

support group was being surveillanced and that anyone that who was viewed as a

 

threat was being surveillanced and intelligence was gathered .

  

The defendant Showa Denko K.K. a corrupt corporate giant, their corrupt lawyers,

and the United States Government conspired with all the courts at every level to

sabotage my case and the L-tryptophan litigation.

 

Showa Denko K.K., their lawyers, and the United States Government view me as

a threat, since my lawsuit still remains open that is damaging against Showa

Denko K.K. and General Nutrition Centers (GNC), among others. Also, Showa Denko K.K., their lawyers, and the United States Government, President George W. Bush and Rhode Island Governor Donald Carcieri fear the threat of civil and criminal action against them for their unlawful criminal activities.

  

I pose a threat to Showa Denko K.K. and the United States Government since,

my L-tryptophan lawsuit could re-open previous settlements entered into by

2,000- 5,000 L-tryptophan litigants on the basis of fraudulent inducement and the

United States Government's involvement in the cover up.

 

They were entered into by L-tryptophan Plaintiffs who were unaware of the defendants fraudulent concealment and the United States Government's cover up.

 

Showa Denko K.K., the United States Government, President George W. Bush and

Rhode Island Governor Donald Carcieri fear a movie being made and publicizing

their criminal activities which has continued to date.

    

President George W. Bush's father former President George H. W. Bush Sr. was

President of the United States from 1989 to 1993 during the Eosiophilia Myalgia Syndrome epidemic.

  

I filed a Complaint on December 7, 2006 against the United States Government et al. in

the United States District Court of Rhode Island, CA. No. 06-534 ML. My complaint is

pending in the First Circuit Court of Appeals. The United States Government have hired

my family, among others as informants to surveillance and gather intelligence on me.

  

At the time that I filed my December 7, 2006 complaint against a number of defendants

who are employed by the United States Government, I was unaware of orders issued by

President George W. Bush and Rhode Island Governor Donald Carcieri to assasinate/

murder me.

   

I spoke to a state senator with regard to my circumstances of law enforcement on the state and federal level that have harassed, targeted, survillenced me and have come out to my house and follow me on a daily basis. Also, the West Warwick police have even parked at my grandchild’s school shortly after I exposed President George W. Bush orders to assassinate/murder me.

  

The state senator stated to me that federal law enforcement, the Attorney General of the United States, and the Department of Justice are employed by President George W. Bush.

 

Moreover, my case is not isolated by a small number of police and law enforcement targeting and surveillanceing me. There are to many law enforcement and police and government officials organized at the highest level on the federal and local level that have targeted and surviellanced me. The state senator stated that the orders to murder me are coming from the President George W. Bush .

 

Further, the Rhode Island State Police who have been targeting and surviellancing me are given orders from Rhode Island Governor Donald Carcieri

   

In June or July of 2007, President George W. Bush came to Rhode Island and went on a

private helicopter ride with Rhode Island Governor Donald Carcieri and had discussions.

      

Shortly after I filed my December 7, 2006 complaint against the United States

Government et al, two key defendants named in my complaint retired Captain Gregory

Johnson of the West Warwick Police Department and Supervisory Special Agent

Nicholas Murphy of the Federal Bureau of investigation of R.I., and there may be others

who have also retired.

  

I am targeted, followed, and surveillanced by police officers, among others in the towns and places I travel in the state of Rhode Island and out of the state of Rhode Island on a daily basis.

 

The level of intensity and the number of police targeting, surviellancing, and following me has increased after I filed my December 7, 2006 complaint. And now since I have exposed President George W. Bush who issued orders to assassinate/murder me, the level of intensity and the number of police surviellacing and following me has further increased.

  

My telephones are wiretapped. The United States Government is hacking my computers.

The Federal Bureau of investigation, among others covered up the investigation of the hacking of my computers.

  

The Federal Bureau of investigation, United States Attorneys Office , Attorney Generals office, Department of Justice, among others are covering up and aware of the fact that I was kidnapped and assaulted by a Warwick Police Officer Joseph Mee on January 22, 2006 that was organized at the highest level of United States Government to assassinate/ murder me.

   

Further, law enforcement, among others are covering up the fact that on December 15, 2005 and December 16, 2005, Captain Gregg Johnson and Officer Patrick Kelly and the Kent County Memorial Hospital Emergency Room Staff violated my constitutional rights and deprived me of liberty against my will and without my consent to cause me harm in connection with the United States Government and Showa Denko K.K.

  

On April 14, 2006, I spoke to Laura Lineberry who is Condalezza Rice's personal assistant. Laura Lineberry informed me that she could not help me with regard to my circumstances mentioned herein, and that I should leave a message with the Representative of Secretary of State. I left a message with the Representative of Secretary of State, but no one returned my call.

  

On April 14, 2006, I contacted the White House comments department in Washington, DC for help with regard to my circumstances mentioned herein, and spoke to a young lady number(77) who stated she would pass on my comments to her supervisor and that her supervisor would summarize my comments and give it to President Bush. On April 14, 2006, I was unaware that President George W. Bush issued orders to assassinate/ murder me.

  

President George W. Bush, Condalezza Rice's office , nor anyone associated with the White House, responded in any way shape or form to my plea for help with regard to my circumstances mentioned herein.

 

I have evidence of my telephone calls to the White House, among others.

 

The IP Addresses with regard to the hacking of my computers have been traced to Washington, D.C.

         

You can view my complaint at pacer.psc.uscourts.gov.

 

My login is: lz0129 My password is 3y6!pomz ( party name is under my married name of Blaquiere) December 8, 2006 thru December 8, 2007 is the date you would use to view my complaint, since December 8, 2006 is the date my complaint was entered by the United States District Court of Rhode Island.

 

The United States District Court of Rhode Island omitted my supporting exhibits on

Pacer website and have intentionally obstructed my case and deprived me of a fair judicial process, inorder to protect and insulate the United States Government et al.

   

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT DOES NOT INITIATE ACTION AGAINST SHOWA DENKO K.K. FOR THE FOLLOWING VIOLATIONS:

    

The L-tryptophan problem is the fault of the FDA due to lack of enforcement of 172.320, among other

 

violations of the FDA rules. Therefore, the FDA permitted the continued illegal use of L-tryptophan.

  

If the FDA had enforced action against Showa Denko K.K.,for violation of the FDA rules mentioned

 

herein, then L-tryptophan would not have been on the market and sold to the American Public and

 

caused death and illnesses associated with the sales of L-tryptophan in violation of the FDA rule.

     

In 1970 FDA considered L-tryptophan (amino acids) , when used as nutrients or dietary supplements, to

 

be generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for those uses, and published that fact in the code of Federal

 

Regulations.

   

In 1972 FDA engaged in rule making to withdraw and remove approximately twenty amino acids

 

including L-tryptophan from the GRAS list ( generally recognized as safe) and to regulate them as

 

approved food additives that could not be sold without FDA's prior approval in the form of a food

 

additive petition, (37 Fed. Reg. 6938; April 6, 1972).

    

In 1973 FDA promulgated a binding substantive rule that is presently on the books, the Food additive

 

regulation that makes all amino acids, when used as components of dietary supplements,

 

unsafe food additives that violate the adulteration provisions of Act. 21 C.F.R. 172. 320.

    

In 1977, FDA seized L-tryptophan tablets on the grounds that the L-tryptophan that they contained

 

was an unapproved food additive. The court, however, found for the manufacturer of the tablets

 

because L-tryptophan was still on the FDA's GRAS list, (FDA had failed to remove it after the 1973

 

rulemaking), and the manufacturer was acting in accordance with the FDA's regulation.

   

In 1977, FDA deleted the listing of twenty amino acids that were the subject of the 1973 rulemaking

 

form the GRAS list, ( 42 Fed. Reg. 56720; October 28, 1977).

  

The FDA never renewed its regulatory action against dietary supplements containing L-tryptophan .

   

The food additive regulation that the FDA adopted in 1973 does not list (approve) L-tryptophan for

 

this use, and foods that contain unapproved food additive are deemed to be adulterated (21 U.S.C. 342

 

(a) (2) (c)).

  

FDA has not brought an action since 1977 against an L-tryptophan dietary supplement.

    

The FDA sought to enforce the rule prohibiting the use of amino acids in dietary supplements in two

 

seizure actions against products containing L-tryptophan. Those seizure actions were not successful.

 

The U.S. Government voluntarily dismissed the second lawsuit because the lawsuit was controlled by

 

a very hostile judge and the government feared that it would obtain an adverse ruling that would

 

insulate all dietary supplements from regulation under the food additive provisions of the act.

  

The FDA has not made any efforts to regulate amino acids since 1982. FDA ignored the food additive

 

regulations since 1982. In 1990, there was evidence showing that 30 amino acids other than L-

 

tryptophan were being sold by at least 22 companies.

    

The FDA has failed to date to bring charges against Showa Denko K.K. Showa Denko K.K. was in

 

violation of the FDA Food additive regulation that makes all amino acids, when used as components of

 

dietary supplements, unsafe food additives that violate the adulteration provisions of Act. 21

 

C.F.R. 172. 320. FDA should have gone after Showa Denko K.K. on an adulteration charge that the

 

L-tryptophan in the supplements is an unapproved food additive under 21 U.S.C. 342 (a) (2) (c).

 

Also, FDA failed to bring charges against Showa Denko K.K. with regard to L-

 

tryptophan being unfit for food, ( 21 U.S.C. 342 (a) (3). L-trytophan associated with illness

 

Eosinophilia Myalgia Syndrome, is unfit for food.

  

The FDA could have gone after L-tryptophan supplements as drugs. The FDA could have

 

developed evidence that L-tryptophan used for therapeutic purposes to combat sleeplessness and PMS

 

which is what L-tryptophan was advertized for is considered a drug and the FDA finding L-tryptophan

 

had not met the FDA's rational food supplement test would permit the FDA to bring drug charges

 

against the product under either 21 U.S.C. 321(g) (1) (B) or (c), National Nutritional Foods

 

Association v. Mathews, 557 F.2nd 325, 334 ( 2d Cir. 1977).

  

If the FDA had enforced action against Showa Denko K.K.,for violation of the FDA rules mentioned

 

herein, then L-tryptophan would not have been on the market and sold to the American Public and

 

caused death and illnesses associated with the sales of L-tryptophan in violation of the FDA rule.

       

On the Rhode Island ACLU website, there is a lawsuit against the United States

Government for Illegally surviellacing individuals attending a peace group in Rhode

Island and in other states.

 

The United States Government has files on these peace groups and have labeled these

peace group individuals as a threat because their simply anti-war.

 

The illegal acts of our United States Government is not an example of democracy, it is a

Dictatorship ruled by a dictator President George W. Bush who has committed crimes

against humanity and has violated our human rights.

  

Representative John Conyers Jr, was the Chairman re: the July 18, 1991 hearing on the FDA oversight of L-tryptophan. Representative John Conyers Jr, is currently the Chairman of the U.S.

House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary who can call for an investigation and immediate congressional hearings into this matter.

  

Please help me by writing to congress and. to investigate and call for immediate congressional hearings into this matter. Also, contact Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Senator Jack Reed to investigate and call for congressional hearings into this matter. If the American people place enough political pressure to investigate and call for congressional hearings into this matter, then an investigation into this matter will go forward and the truth will be exposed to the American people.

 

Also, please contact Senate Majority Leader, Senator Harry Reid, Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy of Vermont, Senator Arlen Specter, Senator Charles E. Schumer, Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr., Senator John McCain, Senator Hillary Clinton, Senator Barack Obama, and all members of the Senate to call for investigation and congressional hearings with regard to law enforcement engaged in an ongoing organized crime to assassinate/murder me by orders issued by President George W. Bush.

 

President George W. Bush has scammed the American people into believing that the Iraq

war is a "just war" and that the United States military are fighting for democracy,

freedom and for our safety here at home, and yet at the same time President George W.

Bush is committing the worst crimes in american history against innocent american

citizens.

    

Please expedite the above and contact me at my email: LoriZarlenga@hotmail.com

  

You can view documents and obtain information about L-tryptophan and Eosinophilia Myalgia Syndrome on the National EMS Support Group website at www.nemsn.org

  

You can find me at myspace.com/lorizz

  

Also, you can find me at my website www.tiptopwebsite.com/lorizz.

  

I posted a letter explaining in more detail on my website and on my space.com/lorizz

  

If you have any questions or want to view my exhibits that support my December 7, 2006 complaint filed in the United States District Court of Rhode Island, then you can e-mail me and I will send you attachments you can view .

    

Thank You, Lori Zarlenga

  

Internal build breakdown of balancer for Peter Morris

 

And Gauntlet inspired cockpit assembly. 1x6 long slope just arrived for this today.

 

The 1x2 panels on the side of the cockpit are a pain to work around. A challenge to overcome with this build.

Patricia Lee "Patti" Smith (born December 30, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, poet and visual artist, who became a highly influential component of the New York City punk rock movement with her 1975 début album Horses.[1] Called the "Godmother of Punk",[2] she integrated the beat poetry performance style with three-chord rock. Smith's most widely known song is "Because the Night", which was co-written with Bruce Springsteen and reached number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1978.[1] In 2005, Patti Smith was named a Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Minister of Culture,[3] and in 2007, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[4]

Water levels receded sufficiently along the Fraser River in mid-July to allow crews to install the mechanical and electrical components for the Whooshh Passage Portal on the West Beach portion of the Big Bar landslide site.

 

Learn more:

www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/pacific-smon-pacifique/big-bar-land...

www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content?id=636BAFFB10A1492C964B5FE1E90...

 

Photo: Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), July 16, 2020

 

Miner's guide P11 - Recycling the parts

  

All photos should be credited to Fairphone.

  

Creative Commons license: creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon our work non-commercially, as long as you credit us and license our new creations under the identical terms.

To view our range of Wrought Iron Components please visit:

www.fhbrundle.co.uk/groups/05__Wrought_Iron_Components

 

U.S. Army Africa photo by Sgt. 1st Class Kyle Davis

 

U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) hosted its second annual C4ISR Senior Leaders Conference Feb. 2-4 at Caserma Ederle, headquarters of U.S. Army Africa, in Vicenza, Italy.

 

The communications and intelligence community event, hosted by Brig. Gen. Robert Ferrell, AFRICOM C4 director, drew approximately 80 senior leaders from diverse U.S. military and government branches and agencies, as well as representatives of African nations and the African Union.

 

“The conference is a combination of our U.S. AFRICOM C4 systems and intel directorate,” said Ferrell. “We come together annually to bring the team together to work on common goals to work on throughout the year. The team consists of our coalition partners as well as our inter-agency partners, as well as our components and U.S. AFRICOM staff.”

 

The conference focused on updates from participants, and on assessing the present state and goals of coalition partners in Africa, he said.

 

“The theme for our conference is ‘Delivering Capabilities to a Joint Information Environment,’ and we see it as a joint and combined team ... working together, side by side, to promote peace and stability there on the African continent,” Ferrell said.

 

Three goals of this year’s conference were to strengthen the team, assess priorities across the board, and get a better fix on the impact that the establishment of the U.S. Cyber Command will have on all members’ efforts in the future, he said.

 

“With the stand-up of U.S. Cyber Command, it brings a lot of unique challenges that we as a team need to talk through to ensure that our information is protected at all times,” Ferrell said.

 

African Union (AU) representatives from four broad geographic regions of Africa attended, which generated a holistic perspective on needs and requirements from across the continent, he said.

 

“We have members from the African Union headquarters that is located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; we have members that are from Uganda; from Zambia; from Ghana; and also from the Congo. What are the gaps, what are the things that we kind of need to assist with as we move forward on our engagements on the African continent?” Ferrell said.

 

U.S. Army Africa Commander, Maj. Gen. David R. Hogg, welcomed participants as the conference got under way.

 

“We’re absolutely delighted to be the host for this conference, and we hope that this week you get a whole lot out of it,” said Hogg.

 

He took the opportunity to address the participants not only as their host, but from the perspective of a customer whose missions depend on the results of their efforts to support commanders in the field.

 

“When we’re talking about this group of folks that are here — from the joint side, from our African partners, from State, all those folks — it’s about partnership and interoperability. And every commander who’s ever had to fight in a combined environment understands that interoperability is the thing that absolutely slaps you upside the head,” Hogg said.

 

“We’re in the early stages of the process here of working with the African Union and the other partners, and you have an opportunity to design this from the end state, versus just building a bunch of ‘gunkulators.’ And so, the message is: think about what the end state is supposed to look like and construct the strategy to support the end state.

 

“Look at where we want to be at and design it that way,” Hogg said.

 

He also admonished participants to consider the second- and third-order effects of their choices in designing networks.

 

“With that said, over the next four days, I hope this conference works very well for you. If there’s anything we can do to make your stay better, please let us know,” Hogg said.

 

Over the following three days, participants engaged in a steady stream of briefings and presentations focused on systems, missions and updates from the field.

 

Col. Joseph W. Angyal, director of U.S. Army Africa G-6, gave an overview of operations and issues that focused on fundamentals, the emergence of regional accords as a way forward, and the evolution of a joint network enterprise that would serve all interested parties.

 

“What we’re trying to do is to work regionally. That’s frankly a challenge, but as we stand up the capability, really for the U.S. government, and work through that, we hope to become more regionally focused,” he said.

 

He referred to Africa Endeavor, an annual, multi-nation communications exercise, as a test bed for the current state of affairs on the continent, and an aid in itself to future development.

 

“In order to conduct those exercises, to conduct those security and cooperation events, and to meet contingency missions, we really, from the C4ISR perspective, have five big challenges,” Angyal said.

 

“You heard General Hogg this morning talk about ‘think about the customer’ — you’ve got to allow me to be able to get access to our data; I’ve got to be able to get to the data where and when I need it; you’ve got to be able to protect it; I have to be able to share it; and then finally, the systems have to be able to work together in order to build that coalition.

 

“One of the reasons General Ferrell is setting up this joint information enterprise, this joint network enterprise . . . it’s almost like trying to bring together disparate companies or corporations: everyone has their own system, they’ve paid for their own infrastructure, and they have their own policy, even though they support the same major company.

 

“Now multiply that when you bring in different services, multiply that when you bring in different U.S. government agencies, and then put a layer on top of that with the international partners, and there are lots of policies that are standing in our way.”

 

The main issue is not a question of technology, he said.

 

“The boxes are the same — a Cisco router is a Cisco router; Microsoft Exchange server is the same all over the world — but it’s the way that we employ them, and it’s the policies that we apply to it, that really stops us from interoperating, and that’s the challenge we hope to work through with the joint network enterprise.

 

“And I think that through things like Africa Endeavor and through the joint enterprise network, we’re looking at knocking down some of those policy walls, but at the end of the day they are ours to knock down. Bill Gates did not design a system to work only for the Army or for the Navy — it works for everyone,” Angyal said.

 

Brig. Gen. Joseph Searyoh, director general of Defense Information Communication Systems, General Headquarters, Ghana Armed Forces, agreed that coordinating policy is fundamental to improving communications with all its implications for a host of operations and missions.

 

“One would expect that in these modern times there is some kind of mutual engagement, and to build that engagement to be strong, there must be some kind of element of trust. … We have to build some kind of trust to be able to move forward,” said Searyoh.

 

“Some people may be living in silos of the past, but in the current engagement we need to tell people that we are there with no hidden agenda, no negative hidden agenda, but for the common good of all of us.

 

“We say that we are in the information age, and I’ve been saying something: that our response should not be optional, but it must be a must, because if you don’t join now, you are going to be left behind.

 

“So what do we do? We have to get our house in order.

 

“Why do I say so? We used to operate like this before the information age; now in the information age, how do we operate?

 

“So, we have to get our house in order and see whether we are aligning ourselves with way things should work now. So, our challenge is to come up with a strategy, see how best we can reorganize our structures, to be able to deliver communications-information systems support for the Ghana Armed Forces,” he said.

 

Searyoh related that his organization has already accomplished one part of erecting the necessary foundation by establishing an appropriate policy structure.

 

“What is required now is the implementing level. Currently we have communications on one side, and computers on one side. The lines are blurred — you cannot operate like that, you’ve got to bring them together,” he said.

 

Building that merged entity to support deployed forces is what he sees as the primary challenge at present.

 

“Once you get that done you can talk about equipment, you can talk about resources,” Searyoh said. “I look at the current collaboration between the U.S. and the coalition partners taking a new level.”

 

“The immediate challenges that we have is the interoperability, which I think is one of the things we are also discussing here, interoperability and integration,” said Lt. Col. Kelvin Silomba, African Union-Zambia, Information Technology expert for the Africa Stand-by Force.

 

“You know that we’ve got five regions in Africa. All these regions, we need to integrate them and bring them together, so the challenge of interoperability in terms of equipment, you know, different tactical equipment that we use, and also in terms of the language barrier — you know, all these regions in Africa you find that they speak different languages — so to bring them together we need to come up with one standard that will make everybody on board and make everybody able to talk to each other,” he said.

 

“So we have all these challenges. Other than that also, stemming from the background of these African countries, based on the colonization: some of them were French colonized, some of them were British colonized and so on, so you find that when they come up now we’ve adopted some of the procedures based on our former colonial masters, so that is another challenge that is coming on board.”

 

The partnership with brother African states, with the U.S. government and its military branches, and with other interested collaborators has had a positive influence, said Silomba.

 

“Oh, it’s great. From the time that I got engaged with U.S. AFRICOM — I started with Africa Endeavor, before I even came to the AU — it is my experience that it is something very, very good.

 

“I would encourage — I know that there are some member states — I would encourage that all those member states they come on board, all of these regional organizations, that they come on board and support the AFRICOM lead. It is something that is very, very good.

 

“As for example, the African Union has a lot of support that’s been coming in, technical as well as in terms of knowledge and equipment. So it’s great; it’s good and it’s great,” said Salimba.

 

Other participant responses to the conference were positive as well.

 

“The feedback I’ve gotten from every member is that they now know what the red carpet treatment looks like, because USARAF has gone over and above board to make sure the environment, the atmosphere and the actual engagements … are executed to perfection,” said Ferrell. “It’s been very good from a team-building aspect.

 

“We’ve had very good discussions from members of the African Union, who gave us a very good understanding of the operations that are taking place in the area of Somalia, the challenges with communications, and laid out the gaps and desires of where they see that the U.S. and other coalition partners can kind of improve the capacity there in that area of responsibility.

 

“We also talked about the AU, as they are expanding their reach to all of the five regions, of how can they have that interoperability and connectivity to each of the regions,” Ferrell said.

 

“(It’s been) a wealth of knowledge and experts that are here to share in terms of how we can move forward with building capacities and capabilities. Not only for U.S. interests, but more importantly from my perspective, in building capacities and capabilities for our African partners beginning with the Commission at the African Union itself,” said Kevin Warthon, U.S. State Department, peace and security adviser to the African Union.

 

“I think that General Ferrell has done an absolutely wonderful thing by inviting key African partners to participate in this event so they can share their personal experience from a national, regional and continental perspective,” he said.

 

Warthon related from his personal experience a vignette of African trust in Providence that he believed carries a pertinent metaphor and message to everyone attending the conference.

 

“We are not sure what we are going to do tomorrow, but the one thing that I am sure of is that we are able to do something. Don’t know when, don’t know how, but as long as our focus is on our ability to assist and to help to progress a people, that’s really what counts more than anything else,” he said.

 

“Don’t worry about the timetable; just focus on your ability to make a difference and that’s what that really is all about.

 

“I see venues such as this as opportunities to make what seems to be the impossible become possible. … This is what this kind of venue does for our African partners.

 

“We’re doing a wonderful job at building relationships, because that’s where it begins — we have to build relationships to establish trust. That’s why this is so important: building trust through relationships so that we can move forward in the future,” Warthon said.

 

Conference members took a cultural tour of Venice and visited a traditional winery in the hills above Vicenza before adjourning.

 

To learn more about U.S. Army Africa visit our official website at www.usaraf.army.mil

 

Official Twitter Feed: www.twitter.com/usarmyafrica

 

Official YouTube video channel: www.youtube.com/usarmyafrica

 

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