Continuously flowering since the early spring

Image transfer on salvaged San Francisco Bay fill material from Yosemite Slough and Candlestick Point, debris from Butchertown redevelopment.

Image source: Google Street View image of California fossil fuel infrastructure, San Pedro oil depot, Martinez refinery, Contra Costa County, California.

Ceramic with salt crust, 4.5" x 2" x 0.5", 2018.

On April 2, all bridge visitors had the chance to cut and take home a piece of the official ribbon from the inaugural ceremony with Governor Inslee.

English / Português

English

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisbon

Is the capital and largest city of Portugal. It is considered an alpha global city and is the seat of the district of Lisbon and the main city of the Lisbon region. Its municipality, which matches the city proper excluding the larger continuous conurbation, has a municipal population of 564,477 in 84.8 km2 (33 sq mi), while the Lisbon Metropolitan Area in total has around 2.8 million inhabitants, and 3.34 million people live in the broader agglomeration of Lisbon Metropolitan Region (includes cities ranging from Leiria to Setúbal).

Due to its economic output, standard of living, and market size, the Grande Lisboa (Greater Lisbon) subregion is considered the third most important financial and economic centre in the Iberian Peninsula. The Lisbon region is the wealthiest region in Portugal and it is well above the European Union's GDP per capita average – it produces 37% of the Portuguese GDP. It is also the political centre of the country, as seat of government and residence of the Head of State.

The city was under Roman rule from 205 BC, when it was already a 1000 year old town. Julius Caesar made it a municipium called Felicitas Julia, adding to the name Olissipo. Ruled by a series of Germanic tribes from the 5th century, it was captured by Moors in the 8th century. In 1147, the Crusaders under Afonso Henriques reconquered the city for the Christians and since then it has been a major political, economic and cultural center of Portugal. Unlike most capital cities, Lisbon's status as the capital of Portugal has never been granted or confirmed officially – by statute or in written form. Its position as the capital has formed through constitutional convention, making its position as de facto capital a part of the Constitution of Portugal.

Lisbon hosts two agencies of the European Union, namely, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) and the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA). The Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), is also headquartered in Lisbon.

Português

pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisboa

Lisboa é a capital e a maior cidade de Portugal. A cidade é também capital do Distrito de Lisboa, da Área Metropolitana de Lisboa, e é ainda o principal centro da sub-região estatística da Grande Lisboa. Eclesiasticamente, é sede da diocese e do Patriarcado de Lisboa. Lisboa possuía, em 2008 uma população de 489 563 habitantes e uma área metropolitana envolvente que ocupa cerca de 2 870 km², com cerca de 2,8 milhões de habitantes. A sua área metropolitana concentra 27% da população do país. A Região de Lisboa, que abrange do estuário do Tejo ao norte da Península de Setúbal, apresenta um PIB per capita superior à média da União Europeia, que faz desta a região a mais rica de Portugal. O concelho de Lisboa tem 83,84 km² de área, e apresenta uma densidade demográfica de 5 839 hab./km².

O concelho subdivide-se em 53 freguesias, encontrando-se em estudo a formação de uma nova freguesia, que abrangeria a zona do Parque das Nações. Faz fronteira a norte com os municípios de Odivelas e Loures, a oeste com Oeiras, a noroeste com a Amadora e a sudeste com o estuário do Tejo. Por este estuário, Lisboa une-se aos concelhos da Margem Sul: Almada, Seixal, Barreiro, Moita, Montijo e Alcochete.

Os principais meios de deslocação na cidade são o Metropolitano de Lisboa e os autocarros da Carris. Porém, todos os dias entram em Lisboa cerca de meio milhão de carros, provenientes dos concelhos periféricos. Estes carros entram na cidade pela CRIL, pela CREL, a Ponte 25 de Abril, a Ponte Vasco da Gama e outros meios rodoviários importantes à capital.

Lisboa possui inúmeras atracções turísticas. Os seus bairros típicos atraem visitantes pelas suas características peculiares. A baixa pombalina, Belém, Chiado ou Bairro Alto, são zonas onde afluem milhares de turistas e visitantes anualmente. Duas agências europeias têm sede em Lisboa: o Observatório Europeu da Droga e da Toxicodependência e a Agência Europeia de Segurança Marítima, ambas com projectos de novas sedes à beira rio. A Comunidade dos Países de Língua Portuguesa encontra-se igualmente sediada em Lisboa.

Para a década de 2010, Lisboa prepara-se para receber inumeros investimentos, incluindo a construção de um novo aeroporto, uma nova ponte, uma expansão em 30 Km do metropolitano, a construção de um mega-hospital (ou hospital central), a criação de duas linhas de TGV que a unirão a Madrid, Porto, Vigo e restante Europa, a restauração da parte principal da cidade (entre a Rotunda do Marquês de Pombal e o Terreiro do Paço), a criação em grande escala de ciclovias, assim como a modernização e renovação de várias infra-estruturas.

No campo do desporto, Lisboa pondera candidatar-se aos Jogos Olímpicos de Verão 2020.

In everlasting memory

of

Ellen MELVILLE

Daughter of the late

Alexander and Eliza MELVILLE

Who died 27th July 1946

Councillor of City of Auckland

For 33 years continuously.

~Her life was service~

PRESBYTERIAN DIVISION D Row 23, Plot 1

************************************

Occupation at death: Solicitor [1]

Age at death: 64

Lovely portrait of Ellen:

www.teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/2229/eliza-ellen-melville

Biography by Sandra Coney

Eliza Ellen (known as Ellen) Melville was born on 13 May 1882 at Tokatoka, Northern Wairoa, New Zealand, the third of seven children of Alexander Melville, a boatbuilder and farmer, and his wife, Eliza Annand Fogerty, formerly a schoolteacher and governess. Until she was seven, Ellen was taught at home by her mother, who instilled in her the value of education.

Ellen Melville attended the tiny Tokatoka School, then in 1895 won a Junior District Scholarship to attend Auckland College and Grammar School. The law as a profession was just opening up to women, and in 1898 Melville passed her matriculation and her Solicitors' General Knowledge Examination. She received her early legal training at the Auckland firm of Devore and Cooper (later Devore and Martin), and in 1904, encouraged by her employers, began studying law at Auckland University College night classes. In December 1906 she became the second New Zealand woman to be admitted to the Bar and, three years later, the second to establish herself in sole practice; the first had been Ethel Benjamin.

With her professional career established, Melville turned her attention to the chief interest of her life: the advancement of women. The feminist movement in New Zealand was at a low ebb and she devoted herself to rebuilding it through the formation of women's societies, and through advocating women's involvement and participating personally in public life.

In March 1911 she was the prime mover behind the formation of the YWCA Women's Club in Auckland as a place for working women, mainly office workers, to meet and discuss current issues. She was a leading figure in the revival of the National Council of the Women of New Zealand (NCW), calling the inaugural meeting of the Auckland branch in 1917 at the rooms of the Civic League. The following year she travelled to Wellington to attend the national conference at which the NCW was formally reconstituted. She became the first president and was nine times president of the Auckland branch of the NCW, and between 1919 and 1922 was dominion president. In 1924 she travelled to Europe with fellow NCW member Elsie Griffin to 'get in personal touch with the women's movement throughout the world'. In Scotland she stayed with Lady Aberdeen, president of the International Council of Women, and she helped Lady Astor, first woman member of the British House of Commons, in her election campaign. In 1934 she was a delegate to the conference of the Pan-Pacific Women's Association in Honolulu.

The Auckland Women's Club (later the Auckland Lyceum Club), the New Zealand Society for the Protection of Women and Children, the Women's Forum, and, during the depression of the 1930s, the Auckland Unemployed Women's Emergency Committee, were some of the other organisations in which Melville held office. Her briskness, efficiency and strong sense of purpose occasionally led to opposition from other women, but she was never deterred by controversy. Her legal skills were freely put at the disposal of the many women's organisations she supported.

The law provided sufficient financial security for Melville, as a single woman, to be active in public life, although her income was always modest. In 1913 she and other women such as Rosetta Baume and Emily Maguire formed the Civic League, to encourage women to stand for public office. Auckland women called for Melville's own candidacy for the Auckland City Council in 1913, and in that year she was successful in becoming the first woman in New Zealand to be elected to a city council; she was to retain her seat until 1946. Journalist Robin Hyde noted that Melville was initially viewed by her male colleagues as 'rather an improper joke', but she was ultimately respected for her 'logical mind and abundant common sense…. The contributions she made to debates were always models of their kind, brief, completely thought-out and containing original ideas of real value.'

In 1919, when the Women's Parliamentary Rights Act was passed (a reform Melville had agitated for), she announced her candidacy for the Reform Party in the Auckland electorate of Grey Lynn. Despite polling well in this Labour stronghold, she was rebuffed by her own party at the next election when it chose an ex-Liberal to contest the seat. Melville said bitterly that 'the only conclusion to be taken was that they did not want a woman in Parliament'. Instead, she stood as an independent candidate in Roskill in 1922 and, in 1926, in Eden where she split the vote, causing Reform to lose the seat. She continued to seek election in 1928, 1931, 1941 and 1943, standing a total of seven times, but although she polled strongly each time she was never successful. In 1944 she founded the Women to Wellington movement to encourage Auckland women to run for Parliament.

In her local-body life there were also obstacles. Although she was a long-serving member of the key finance committee of the Auckland City Council, had invigorated Auckland's library system, and usually came in near the top of the poll, she was several times passed over as deputy mayor. This led to protests from Auckland women's groups who objected 'to sex being regarded…as a disqualification for leadership'.

Melville believed that politics should be a partnership of men and women, with women taking an equal share in governing; but she also argued that women had a responsibility to look after women's interests, stating that, 'We have only ourselves to blame that government and government departments take no interest in women.' Politically she was conservative, particularly on economic matters. Although she had a broad platform, her parliamentary campaigns gave her the opportunity to publicly advance the agenda of the NCW, including the raising of the age of consent, the appointment of women police, and the need for a motherhood endowment.

For much of her adult life Melville lived with her parents and sister in Mount Eden, Auckland. She took a keen interest in the lives of her nieces and nephews. In her leisure time she grew native plants and went motoring, on at least one occasion combining this with the promotion of New Zealand-made goods. She liked fashionable clothes, often sewing them herself, and making her own hats. She was always attractively dressed, although she refused to wear make-up.

Ellen Melville died on 27 July 1946 in Remuera. The Pioneer Women's and Ellen Melville Hall in central Auckland was erected in memory of her 33-year membership of the Auckland City Council and her service to women, and Melville Park in Epsom commemorates her support for Auckland's sportswomen.

Although she worked tirelessly to complete the work of the nineteenth century feminists in attempting to remove so-called women's disabilities, Ellen Melville represented a new breed of feminism. She was an independent professional woman who vigorously sought full participation in public life. She encouraged other women to follow her and to form strong women's societies, which would take women's concerns into the arena of public affairs. Melville was one of the key figures in the revival of the feminist movement in the twentieth century. [2]

Law practitioner files

Eliza Ellen Melville, Northcote - Admission as Solicitor 1906

archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=19166102

Archives NZ

Executive Secretary records dealing with the administration of Government House and functions of the Governor General as well as subject-based classification files

Ellen Melville and Pioneer Women's Memorial Hall (R18697758)

archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=18697758

Her probate is available:

archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=9372386

SOURCES:

[1]

Waikumete online Cemetery database

[2]

Sandra Coney. 'Melville, Eliza Ellen', from the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 30-Oct-2012

URL: www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/biographies/3m51/melville-eliza-ellen

Continuous light with 90º grid camera left

Stability.

Stabiliteit van het evenwicht.

Construction material in the line of the forces.

Constructie materiaal in de lijn van de krachten.

Stable sailing is a building skill.

Spailboat levert zijn energie, ammoniak, en / of waterstof, LH2, af aan tankers die het naar havens brengen.

Men moet olie gebruiken om ermee te bouwen.

Spailboat is een naam. Er zit speed spailing in, uit het Engels, terwijl er ook spelevaren in zit. Spelevaren is een denigrerende term voor rijke lui die uit verveling niets anders kunnen doen dan doelloos varen, op hun omslaande jachten. De echte verwijzing is echter de letterlijke. Spelen. Toevallig ook met ai, de klank van Sail. Dus, de naam voor het nieuwe type zeilboot, respectievelijk, windsurfboot, of, kitesurfboot, is Speelboot, respectievelijk, Spailboat.

Een Spailboat, speed-sail-boat, is zeilboot die de lift normaal behandelt. Alle gewone -niet normaal- langsgetuigde zeilboten slaan om. Het is eigenlijk ongelofelijk maar, alle zeilboten zijn instabiel, ofwel, labiel, ofwel in mensentermen, een wankel gebeuren. En, levensgevaarlijk. Dus, een Speelboot is wel een zeilende boot, maar, het mag geen zeilboot heten, omdat zeilboot al bezet is door de gangbare. Maar kitesurfen is ook zeilen, maar toch geen zeilboot. Speelboot is een kitesurfboot, met de monoliete behandeling van een windsurfer.

Omdat speelboten niet omslaan. Sterker, speelboten gaan vliegen. De massa, echter, is veel te groot om te gaan vliegen, desalniettemin wil de tuigage het geheel dat deze vasthoudt, opliften. Dus, een speelboot lijkt op een kitesurfer. Want, een kite staat eigenlijk zoals speelbootzeilen staan opgesteld. Een nadere kijk leert ons namelijk dat vleugels die als kite staan, de behandelaars van die vleugels in staat stellen de overbrenging tussen de lift en de blokkade hierop te normaliseren. Ofwel, alleen en slechts dan als de vleugel staat opgesteld als een kite, maar ook windsurferzeil, werkt de lift opwaarts.

Logisch, als men bedenkt dat andere bekende vleugels, aan vogels of vliegtuigen, de lift ook omhoog werken. Heel onlogisch dus dat zeilboten eigenlijk van vliegende naar duikende evolueerden. Vikingschepen, Latijnse zeilboten, de eerste brikken en barken, de latere windjammers (volschepen, barken, brikken) hielden hun zeilen in feit ook al op als kite. Zeilen was aanvankelijk windsurfen. Toen kwamen er rond 1800 AD langsgetuigde zeilboten, en nu kon er wel hoger aan de wind worden gelopen.

Om energie op te wekken hoeven we nergens heen, zodat de "aan de windse koers" waardeloos wordt > weinig snelheid. We kunnen weer vliegen. Dus, een speelboot is geen windsurfer, omdat de zeilen ver weg staan. Wel lijkt een speelboot in alles op een windsurfer. Werkelijk, een speelboot is in feite een windsurfer. De zeilen worden volledig gemanipuleerd met als enige doelen de snelheid en, het vliegen. Dus, een speelboot lijkt het meeste op een kitesurfer, heeft de eigenschappen van een windsurfer, en valt onder de noemer: zeilboten. Maar, een speelboot lijkt in feite nergens op. Het is, zoals gezegd, geen zeilboot, terwijl het wel zeker een zeilboot is. Maar natuurlijk. Kort gezegd komt het erop neer dat een speelboot iets nieuws is.

Een speelboot vaart, net als windsurfers en kitesurfers, half wind en voor de wind, maar, een speelboot kan ook wel degelijk hoogte winnen. Een speelboot kan alles, als het komt tot zeilen. Windsurfen is eigenlijk super zeilen. Een windsurfer zeilt ook, en een kiter zeilt ook. Toch heet kitesurfen geen zeilen, maar kiten. Een windsurfer surft, terwijl surfen toch echt oorspronkelijk zonder zeil gebeurde. Een Spailboat spailt. Ofwel, een speelboot speelt. De link terug naar de actualiteit is spelen van de jeugd. Het leukste spel van allemaal is kiten. Als de jeugd heet voor het zeggen had, dan zouden ze altijd zeilen, als het waait. En dat noem ik spelen.

Een Spailboat is een robot die kan windsurfen. Massa, M, in kg, dat kan windsurfen. Windsurfen kenmerkt zich door de snelheid, v, in m/s en het surfen met de korte windgolven. Het surfen is het mooiste wat er is op aarde. We nemen een groot stuk water. We blazen er wind overheen. Er ontstaan golven. De golven lopen haaks op de wind. De half windse koers loopt parallel aan de golven.

We need stable wind surf machines with turbines.

The new riggings lead to stable sailing compositions. The already mentioned windsurfing, SB, is the wave riding version of the stable sailing compositions and; meant for usage at the windy waters near the both poles, in fact just outside the cargo shipping routes. Also the edges of overcoming hurricanes, especially the periodic appearing ones like, the ones in the Mexican Gulf during the so-called hurricane season, are goals. On both working grounds is room enough for a very large fleet. A “million” super sized, SB, can provide the worlds' hunger for energy, by means of the *provision of hydrogen and electricity. Imagine then an entering of an imaginary million super sized, SB: a tiny significant amount of energy will be sucked out of the hurricane, causing the hurricane to loose a bit of its ferocious strength and so, causing lesser devastating power when hitting land! The mentioned working grounds are characterized by high winds, making beautiful “water mountain chains”, or swell, and in between two “stretched hills” are long “valleys”. These valleys -tubes- can be considered as speedways, which make the ocean in high winds like an endlessly wide freeway, making enough room to spare for the earlier mentioned absurd sounding amount super sized, SB. Gaining maximum speed out of windsurfing is done perpendicular to the wind so that, the mentioned freeways are always windsurfed parallel with the wind front. Because, the wind sweeps the waves. The wave fronts on open sea run perfectly perpendicular to the wind because, here is no diffraction or, refraction of the waves!

In the fact of the matter happens now the coincidence that, both surfing the swell and the usage of the wind alone are done most economically in the same direction; parallel with the wave fronts, perpendicular to the wind. So, the both directions, in where for the two maximum speeds are reached, are the very same. It is therefor that the both speeds reinforce each other, leading towards better sail positions.

The hydrogen, LH2, can be stored on board in special tanks, with Indium.

Cavitation, air bubbles around the water appendages beacause of the high speed. So, SB has luxury problems in high winds, by means of the potential to go faster than the water can take without creating air bubbles around the swords, the water appendages. Windsurfers call this cavitation phenomena: “spin out”. It is therefor no wonder that the needed speed tempering force on the windsurfing, SB, in high winds is, logically, to be used to make passive working paddle wheels, or scoops, spin, in order to drive for instance a continuous current dynamo. There is, however, a major down side in keeping the speed down. More speed means more overall lift and more overall lift means more compulsion and more vertical lifting force. SB, definitely wants to get airborne in order to get rid of the water resistance on the hulls. Without the hulls dragging though water opens way to put the sails in a more economic way, flatter to the wind. This rotatory mechanism, in which the increasing speed then at some point leads towards the possible clear lifting of the windsurfing SB, out off the water -because of more lift and better sail positions-, is now suddenly stopped because of the spin outs, cavitation, around the through water dragging swords! In this rotatory mechanism, one must be aware that by doubling the speed, the lift force increases by a factor four, in other words, the speed and the lift are quadratically related! After all, for getting air born we only need the rotatory speed making boat lifting mechanism to go on for just a bit longer. If we walk around dragging problems in general, then we encounter, at some point of the walk, the replacement of slides by wheels, by firstly the Egyptians. Digging further into the context, in where dragging and cutting are combinations, we encounter the successful replacements of the slide-like dragging cutters, by cutting wheels; in for instance glass cutters and can openers. These cutting wheels spin, during the cutting, causing less cutting resistance. Even a side force can be taken by the cutting wheels, during the cut making! In fact, besides the lower cutting resistance, cutting wheels have the same characteristics as cutting knives. If we translate this cutting information back towards the drag related cavitation problems in the water, then we find that the air bubbles around the water appendages, might not necessary occur, when replacing the former used swords by spinning sword wheels. By dragging spinning wheels with the cutting edges through water, the speed of the windsurfing, SB, now differs from the dragging speed of the cutting edges of the cutting wheels through the water. In other words, the water now “feels” a lower dragging speed, allowing the water to keep its original form, because no cavitation is caused. By controlling the circular speed of the spinning sword wheels, by means of a gear box, the cavitation can be avoided at all times. But off course, cutting water differs from cutting glass and in order to create side ways blocking force on spinning sword wheels in water, these sword wheels must slip! The side ways blocking force in water is also quadratic related with the dragging speed. In order to let the sword wheels slip, for creating -more- side ways blocking force, there is a certain amount of resistance needed! Once again the gear box can regulate the resistance, and so, the spinning speed and once again the tempering force is, logically, to be used for making continuous current and with the surplus, hydrogen. Using sword wheels means most of all that the speed of the hull may now over top the former cavitation speed barrier. More speed implies, notably quadratically, more lift, clearing the way to allow the,SB, to get air born; now leading at once towards lesser water resistance, which now, also at once, speeds up the SB, importantly, resulting once more in better sail positions, et cetera. In other words, the earlier mentioned rotatory mechanism is with usage of swords wheels back in action. In facto, the, as the result of the mentioned rotatory mechanism, reachable speeds over water now have to be tempered for safety reasons, making it once again appropriate to use the speed tempering force on the spinning wheels for generating continuous current! For an optimum energy conversion, we need to solve a so-called differential equation, in where all the parameters are related to one and other. The versions of the composition, SB, for over land ride, or over asphalt, or over non-hardened ground -with then very big wheels under, SB-, or over a special track, rails. The last mentioned version of, SB, the so-called Spailtrains over a special track, might possibly reach speeds running up towards, 400km/hr; because these under carriers clamp their wheels around the rails, like the carriers on roller coaster tracks, increasing the massive control over the sails importantly. And again, these possibly reachable high speeds need to be tempered for safety reasons, making it obvious that again the tempering forces are used to drive continuous current dynamos. The continuous current might now directly be led towards the electricity network. Special tracks for Spailtrains are favorably moored on places where windmills are active, because the electricity transportation cables towards the main electricity networks are already installed. Also one may assume that windmills are placed in windy places on land, where the wind is blowing most of the time from one particular direction. The Spailtrains can be used next to the windmills, at the same time, and, in case the wind is over topping the maximum wind mill operating wind force, clearly additionally, and by doing so, widening the wind force window from, eight bfr, towards, ten, or even twelve bfr. SB, compositions operate, just like windmills, flat on the winds direction, for maximum benefit of the given sail areas. The ends of wind mill blades move, at maximum speed in wind force, eight bfr, up to, 250km/hr. The blade, towards the end, is indeed positioned almost perfectly flat, respectively perpendicular, on the wind. If only wind mills did not vibrate and if the positions at the ends of the blades should be hold in a stable and firm way, then the speed at the ends of the blades, in wind force, twelve bfr, might easily run towards the, 800km/hr, though circular. Steady in position hold transversally moving blades do not have the problem of vibrating caused by the turning motion. In other words, a transversal moving blade could reach, 800km/hr, without shaking to pieces. Spailtrains, clamping their selves around rails, are able to position wings in a stable way, making theoretical speeds of, 800km/hr, possible. SB, in general, widens the operating window of the wind force and, as a consequence, the working ground. Antarctica.

Because of the normalization of the lift transfer, SB can be made strong enough! The fact of the matter is that all stable constructions can be forced to the limit, in where the heaviest loaded parts of the structure firstly collapse. Stabilized towers out of rock, like pyramids or, church towers, are only limited in their heights by the strength of the rocks at the very bottoms. Within, SB, the lift transfer is normalized, making composition, SB, stable constructions, which therefor can be made strong enough and perfectly suitable to get sized -, respectively scaled, up. And then, next to the overall stability of the composition, SB, each mast in, SB, is also almost normally used itself; because the lift force, vector, 10, works only slightly outside the mast line. There are, in certain variations of the composition, SB, periods of time noticeable in where the masts are stressed out perfectly through the center of the so-called core of the mast cross section! In this case of pure stress on the mast, the maximum stress load, to be taken by the mast, is nothing more the product of material strength and the area of cross section. In this very case, we can use a massive mast, as well as a rope! However, SB, is not a kite surfer, it is a wind surfer, in where each towards the wings running mast take care of the first condition for the eventual monolith kind of control, the so-called massive trim, over the wings, 6. On, SB, the masts work the cumulated lift force, vector, 10, slightly outside the mast lines, in order to direct the lift at all times in a straight line towards the blocking force, in water created by the water appendages. SB, masts are mainly stressed out and at the same time loaded with bending forces. In this very case it is wise to use hollow masts; lesser material, same bending strength. Presume now a square hollow mast cross section, of twenty, by, twenty meters, with skin thickness, 1000mm, loaded with a, around a parallel with two sides of the square, working couple, respectively torque. Now, one side of the square cross section is stressed out towards the limit. If the used materials are of highly strong composite materials, which can withstand, 1000N, approximately 100Kg, per square mm, and if the torque then put, 25%, on top of the stress load, then follows for maximum amount of stress force in this mast cross section, approximately: average tension in the cross section, sigma, times the working area of the cross section, A, or: sigma = 0.25 x ((1 x 0.6) + (2 x 0.8)) x 10^3N/mm^2 = 0.8 x 10^3N/mm^2 , A = (10^3mm x 2 x 2 x 10^4mm + 10^3mm x 2 x 1.8 x 10^4mm) = 7.6 x 10^7mm^2. Maximum lift force, vector, 10 = sigma x A = 0.8 x 10^3 N/mm^2 x 7.6 x 10^7mm^2 = 6.08 x 10^10N. One square meter sail area, in 100km/hr, generates, approximately, 300N = 3 x 10^2N, so, on this mast might hang, 2.026 x 10^8m^2, sail area! The common maximum wing on three supporting points, is, 300m x 20m, or, about twice the width and the length of an Airbus380 wing. At a mast of, 300m, length, might, roughly, hang twenty wings, running from the size, 300m x 20m, towards, 50m x 10m. The total sail area the leads, to, approximately: 0.6 x 20 x 300m x 20m = 7.2 x 10^5m^2 = way below, factor, 400, the theoretical maximum applicable sail area. In reality there are dynamic forces working on, and in, the mast, leading,towards maximum mast lengths of, 200m, for safety reasons. In, 315km/hr, the lift per, m^2, is approximately, 3000N. 3 x 10^3N, times the maximum theoretical total sail area, at masts of, 200m; 7.2 x 10^5m^2, provides lift force: 2.26 x 10^9N is smaller than 6.08 x 10^10N, and in this extreme case, even a mast of 200m, length can be made strong enough! Round and oval mast are even better. Well, 200m, mast length, that is something else than regular masts on conventional capsizing sailboats. SB, with four masts, can be made up to a kilometer long! If such, SB, move along with, 100km/hr, over water, or, 300km/hr, over special tracks, it is easy to understand that there is a lot of kinetic energy, ready to be converted into continuous current and after, into hydrogen. Once in race course, the sail positions are not moving too much, with respect to each other and with respect to the under carrier, so that the hydraulic motors and jacks won't take a lot of continuous current; leading to an enormous surplus to drive the hydrogen reactors, in order to make hydrogen. Holding positions of the with respect to each other movable parts, is done by break mechanisms, which might only take from the continuous current during installation. Off course, making nuance differences takes off of the continuous current, but after all, once in race, SB, compositions are almost static compositions,. At the end of the song, SB, are to be considered as mass, M, running from an endlessly long hill, which then only need to steer occasionally. Ekin = 1/2 M v^2, with M as mass in kg and v as velocity in m/s. Super positioning leads towards the conclusion that Spailboat is a peace machine because, any nation in the world can build them; in order to provide them selves with hydrogen and fresh water. With the deliverance of shear endless amounts of clean energy ( hydrogen ), the need for making war over oil can be put to the past. Also nuclear power can be put back. Drinking water can be made and, transported, without any down sides. Even ecosystems can be purified. SB hits the ground running.

Why this picture and the ones after? Imagine wind, storm, and one side of the church will go. The flying butres hangs in there on the pulling side, that is incredible.

BOOK BOEK

vervolg hoofdstuk 9

intussen al twee jaar van voorbij. In dat opzicht is dat verlies. In mijn beleving mocht alles zo blijven zoals het was in, 1990. Zeker in het begin was het een zeldzaamheid, als een plectrum gericht naar iemand toe werd geschoten. Ronnie, kan het beter en dit zinde, Keith, niet. Op een gegeven moment leek het wel een wedstrijd tussen, Keith, en, Ronnie; wie het beste de plectrums naar de bestemde persoon kon schieten. Zoals kleine veranderingen tijdens en na een concert is dit er een van. Feitelijk hebben, Harry, David, Libgart, Ken, Dirk en ik een nieuwe manier van leven geïntroduceerd. David, vraagt vandaag de dag nog steeds hoe het gaat met mijn, “Trail of Terror”. Een leven dat een spoor van vernieling achterlaat, ja dat is mijn leven. Alle schepen heb ik verbrand, terwijl ik nieuwe schepen met succes enterde. Ik haalde mijn universiteit diploma in een werkelijk zeer turbulente tijd, en sleepte het diploma letterlijk uit het vuur. In het verbranden van schepen ben ik altijd goed geweest en, net als, Harry, woon ik nu in een andere stad. Van, Zaandam, ben ik verhuisd naar Delft. En nu woon ik sinds kort in, Den Haag. Als ik nu door de stad fiets, bekruipt me altijd het gevoel van vakantie. De sfeer van een grote stad is toch wel euforisch te noemen. Het doet me kortsluiting maken naar de ervaringen tijdens de Stones-tournee’s langs de wereldsteden van, Europa, en, Amerika. Ik kon bij wijze van spreken naakt op de fiets door het centrum van, Delft, rijden zonder dat mijn familie het te weten komt. Het verbrande schip heette, Zaandam, en door mijn wilde leven hoef ik nergens meer aan te kloppen. Ze hebben allemaal een beetje een hekel aan me gekregen. Ik denk omdat ik altijd blijf volhouden waar ik mee bezig ben en ook nog succes verhaal. Mensen zien niet graag de zweetdruppels, maar veroordelen me snel als ik weer eens naar Amerika ga, want dat valt dan wel in het oog. Je ziet de mensen denken: “Wat doet-ie nu?” Dat is ongehoord. Is ie wel wijs? Mijn leven speelde zich voornamelijk af in de, “frontrow”. Een leven vooraan tijdens een Stones show, waar dan ook ter wereld. In het begin krijg je geen respons van de band, omdat alles, ook voor de Stones zelf, in veel opzichten nieuw was en, vooral Keith had het veel te druk had met zijn nummers en de sound. Aan het einde van de Urban Jungle Tour herkenden ze met gemak Ken, mijn persoon, Libgart, Harry, David en Dirk. We waren er altijd en altijd op hetzelfde plekje aan de barrier. Later, tijdens de, Bridges To Babylon Tour, en verder werd het publiek dat de, Stones, overal volgde, groter en voor mij raakte de jus er een beetje af, omdat mensen hetzelfde trucje herhaalden van wat wij al eerder hadden gedaan. De eerste plectrum van, Keith, was een mijlpaal en een zeldzaam gebeuren. In, 2003, is het altijd hetzelfde vooraan en iedereen heeft wel een plectrum. Maar toen was een, door, Keith Richards, zelf, aangereikte plectrum, een schaars goed, en voor mij was duidelijk dat de, Stones, in, 1997, een gemeenschapsgoed was geworden, omdat er veel plectrums worden verschoten per show. Soms wel tien tussen de nummers door. Iedereen had alles. Het publiek is verwend en steevast nukkig en weinig inspirerend. Ze leven echt voor die ene glimp van Keith en dat is triest. Als de nieuwe helden, doorgezakte veertigers en vijftigers met geld als drek, dan van, Libgart, horen dat wij het al deden in, 1990, deinzen ze terug. Wij gingen het avontuur aan. Zonder veel geld en met veel inventiviteit. Zo stelde, Harry, zijn hagel-nieuwe motor ter beschikking aan, Dan Reed, die het voorprogramma verzorgde tijdens het tweede deel van de, Urban Jungle Tour. In ruil kreeg hij dan backstage-passes. Wij waren vaak ‘s middags al in het stadion. Deze generatie oude zakken koopt alles. Maar ze kunnen toch nooit de rehearsals zien, daar steken de, Stones, wel een stokje voor. Ze staan vooraan, a la, alles geregeld, maar kopen voor grof geld deze plaatsen, daar waar wij vroeger al, door geldgebrek, allerlei listen nodig hadden om telkens maar weer vooraan te kunnen staan. Er waren journalisten die ons volgden om ons verhaal te horen. In ruil kregen we dit en dat. Het spel rondom het stadion was een deel van ons leven geworden. En we werden dan ook steeds beter in het bereiken van ons doel. De eerste rij en backstage passes. Wij baarden in, 1990, nog opzien door overal op te duiken. Het felbegeerde zogenaamde, “all-access-laminate”, maakte en drukte Harry op een gegeven moment zelfs zelf in, 1994, en, 1995. Harry, is een art-director en geniaal op het gebied van ontwerpen en logo’s. Het namaken van de stickers resulteerde zelfs in het veranderen van rond naar ovale stickers, omdat, Harry, zijn stickers verkocht. Had ik al verteld dat hij ook joods bloed had. Zelfs de hologrammen waren niet van echt te onderscheiden. We kregen wel op ons kop van de, Stones, maar ze vonden het prachtig. Jaloezie tussen Stones-fans onderling is immer aanwezig en zo gemoedelijk als het was in, 1990, zou het niet meer worden. In de latere jaren van de jaren negentig en in, 2003, was er veel geld te verspillen voor complete stelletjes en idioten. Maar telkens denk ik dan: ”Waar waren jullie tijdens de Urban Jungle Tour?” Toen ze echt goed waren en snel speelden en het weer opnieuw ontdekten om de, Stones, te zijn. In, 2003, werden complete reizen gearrangeerd voor rijke Canadezen en Amerikanen, die vroegtijdig in het stadion werden binnen gelaten en zo zonder moeite vooraan konden staan. Dat is geen sport meer. Dit is vervlakking van het Stones-publiek. Als ik dan met veel moeite, door steeds weer andere manieren, aan het front kom wordt dat zelfs opgevat als, “vals spelen”, terwijl ik juist uit geldgebrek inventief ben. Vals spelen is wel degelijk een verhaal. Want met, “vals spelen”, kun je de sound-checks zien en in de keuken kijken van de, Stones. Ze zijn dan nog normaal. En ik heb veel sound-checks gezien en altijd is het een belevenis, want, sound-checken doen ze niet vaak. Eigenlijk zouden mensen dit moeten kunnen zien. Want de geadoreerde helden proberen net zoals iedereen een mooi kunstwerkje af te leveren. Net zoals de overdreven aandacht voor een gepoetste auto op zondagmiddag, zo wordt door de Stones de laatste hand gelegd aan een intermezzo of intro. Mensenwerk en burgerlijkheid tot in den treuren. Meerdere malen is het voor gekomen dat ik de helpende hand toesteek aan timmer werkzaamheden en het opruimen van het veld. Eenmaal binnen gedraag ik me als een werknemer, een zogenaamde rodie en omdat niemand, behalve, J.C, een compleet overzicht heeft over de genen op de vloer is het mogelijk de hele dag binnen in het stadion te blijven, zonder dat iemand vragen stelt. Een beetje opruimen hier en een beetje timmeren daar en de middag is zo om. Als dan de poorten opengaan is het chaos en in die chaos begeef ik me naar het front aan de barrière en sta dan weer vooraan. Intussen kostte het me een hele dag werken in het stadion. Zoals gezegd varieert dat van opruimen tot aan timmeren, en de helpende hand toesteken, waar maar kan, of is gewenst. Gratis naar binnen heeft een consequentie en die is dat je moet werken, anders wordt je gepakt en het stadion uit gegooid. Het schijnt heel moeilijk te zijn voor de moderne mens om zich te schikken in een knechtenrol waar je dan uiteindelijk zelf beter van wordt. Als ik met iemand anders in het stadion ben, en komt het erop aan, dan kijken ze vertwijfeld naar me en willen eigenlijk niet werken. Ze willen niet meehelpen en niet werken, maar juist dan val je op en word je eruit gegooid. Het is blijkbaar moeilijk voor nieuwste generatie in te zien dat de kost voor de baat uit gaat. Lang leve, Amsterdam. Op die manier lukt het me steeds weer opnieuw binnen te blijven. De laatste jaren is het steeds raak. In verhouding veel meer sound-checks ten opzichte van gevolgde concerten. In, 1990, was dat nog een op twintig nu loopt het op tot een op vier. Van de afgelopen concerten, vanaf, 1997, heb ik weinig sound-checks gemist. Een keer was ik een paar platen aan het zagen, vlakbij het mindden-podium, voor een paar hekken in de toren. Plotseling voelde ik ogen in me priemen en ik voelde een raar soort spanning. Niemand was meer op het veld, behalve de andere timmerman en ik. Ik voelde dat ik door moest zagen. Het was, Charlie, die met bewondering naar me stond te kijken, en wachtte totdat ik klaar was, want de sound-check ving aan. Dit was kenmerkend, omdat ik druk aan het werk was. Ik ben immers timmerman in hart en ziel. Mijn handigheid met timmergereedschap komt me dan goed uit. Met dank aan de werkplaats van mijn oom, waar ik ben opgeleid tot timmerman, meubelmaker. Het voordeel van binnen zijn is dat je de sound-checks mag meemaken, en daar is het me natuurlijk allemaal om te doen. Menigmaal verstopte ik me ergens in een kast of onder de tribune om niet op te vallen en rustig te genieten van de sound-check. sound-checks zijn de ultieme beloning voor een dag zweten om in het stadion te komen. De sound-checks vormen de basis van dit script. Niemand ziet dit namelijk. Het best bewaarde geheim van de, Stones, wordt hier geopenbaard.

Het resultaat van de rechtszaak volgde de volgende dag. Het vonnis was hard voor de hooligans. Het gerechtshof stuurde de hooligans naar de gevangenis en de vergoeding voor mij was tienduizend gulden. De rechtszaak zelf was een farce maar succesvol. De rechtzaak en het verblijf, destijds in, Engeland, bij, Harry, was een toppunt van het einde. Harry, was naar de klote door drugs, werk en, Mel, zijn beoogde vriendin. Bovendien was die periode voor, Harry, een bewogen tijd, omdat hij toen veel, zo niet al zijn schepen in Engeland, aan het verbranden was. Hij was duidelijk zoekende en zocht een weg om te emigreren naar Amerika; iets waar hij een paar maanden ook toe leek gedwongen, door de uitzichtloze situatie. In Amerika zal hij het wel gaan maken, en verdraaid, twaalf jaar later heeft hij het daar ook gemaakt! Ja, zijn, Rock ‘N Roll-leven, is hard. Feitelijk leeft, Harry, een veel te zwaar leven. Anders dan mijn gestel is zijn gestel van staal. Maar hij gaat elke dag over de schreef en predikt dan, dat dat nu juist de vrijheid is, om te doen waar je zin in hebt. En vrijheid biedt altijd de kans te schijnen. Harry, is en kunstenaar en laat zich niet sturen. Hij voelt zich waarschijnlijk als een strijder. Zijn kunst wordt gevormd door zijn talent en door de keuzes die hij maakt. Hij heeft een feilloos gevoel voor kleuren en zijn werk bestaat voor een groot deel uit inkleuren van voornamelijk mensen. De vlezige huidskleur van mensen op zwart-wit prentjes, moeten worden gevonden op het zogenaamde pallet, en Harry is daar een meester in. Hij heeft bovendien een gave om zich te kunnen uiten met behulp van computers. Naar eigen zeggen is de computer zijn enige echte vriend. Opdrachten volbrengt hij altijd binnen een paar dagen, om vervolgens een week bij te komen. Hij werkt achter elkaar door, als er een opdracht binnenkomt en verdient dan een paar duizend dollar per dag! Zijn inspiratie komt van reizen, motorrijden op zijn Harley Davidson, science-fiction-films en muziek. Zijn concurrenten bedienen zich van veel administratie en weinig talent. Hier is, Harry, door gegriefd. Hij weet dat hij op eenzame hoogte staat, maar de huidige maatschappij is vastgeroest en biedt weinig plaats voor kunstenaars. De reden, aangegrepen voor vertrek uit Engeland, herhaalt zich in Amerika en dat doet hem verdriet. Samen met een vriend, Colin, startten zij een bedrijf en investeerden in een drukkerij. Colin, is leider van de motorbende, maar een ongelooflijke aardige jongen. Hij heeft ook nog eens gestudeerd. Daarnaast is hij, Kunfu-Master, en werkelijk elke dag had hij een andere vriendin. Bende-leider zijn heeft zo zijn voordelen! Eenmaal geïnvesteerd en geïnstalleerd als grafisch bedrijf in, L.A., volgde toen precies de computerrace en hun aanschaf bleek binnen een paar jaar ouderwets en achterhaald. Ze konden niet meer concurreren met grotere bedrijven, die de vernieuwingsrace wel konden volhouden en het bedrijf heeft drie jaar bestaan en toen was het op. Intussen is zijn compagnon werkzaam bij een bouwbedrijf en, Harry, werkt thuis aan zijn ontwerpen en logo’s. Nu is hij dus letterlijk de eenzame strijder. Het onheil heeft hij over zichzelf afgeroepen, maar hij blijft vechten voor zijn bestaan. Het enige dat hem staande houdt is zijn geloof. Hij onderscheidt zich door prachtige ontwerpen, maar die worden verkocht in een commerciële markt en worden niet als kunst erkend, maar als een vervulling van een opdracht. Zijn opdrachten hielden hem lange tijd staande, maar ook, Harry, moest op zoek naar ander werk. Hij vond dit in de vorm van een muziek-bedrijf, MOD, Music On Demand, en is daar eindredacteur, niet slecht. Tussen al de troebelheden van de maatschappij biedt de, Rock ‘N Roll, voor het individu vertrouwen. Harry, laat zich nooit ontmoedigen en gelukkig voor hem leefde zijn muziek helemaal op in de jaren negentig. AC/DC, is zijn favoriete band en juist die deden het voorprogramma van de Stones. Intussen gaan de geruchten over, AC/DC, dat zanger, Brion Johnson, in, Moskou, gaat optreden, met het Russisch filharmonisch orkest. Harry regelt dit bijvoorbeeld. Harry, is een moderne zwerver, met altijd geld! In iedere donkere periode schijnt altijd het licht van de verwondering. De kanonnen, die altijd gepaard gaan met een optreden van concert van, AC/DC, worden vervangen door de echte kanonnen van het Russische leger. Tot zover de laatste geruchten in, April, 2005. Ik heb er weinig van gemerkt. Volgens mij is dit optereden nooit doorgegaan. Maar, Harry, was destijds zeer enthousiast. Hij ziet licht, in het pikkedonker. Ook zal, J.C., inmiddels zijn ontslagen door de, Stones, omdat hij kaartjes zou hebben verkocht. Voor, Harry, en mij betekent dit slecht nieuws. En inderdaad, na 2003, was het betalen om naar binnen te komen. Trouwens, na vier tournee's was mijn geld toch echt op. In, 2006, en, 2007, Bigger Bang Tour, stopte ik met het volgen van alle optredens. Harry, en ik, beseften heel goed dat onze tijd voorbij was. Harry is aan de grond, ging terug naar Engeland en ging zich nestelen. Het laatse wat ik van hem zag, voor mijn voordeur, was hoe hij op zijn motor stapte, met een grote tas op de tank, en me die blik gaf. Dit was goodbye, farewell. Harry, en ik hebben altijd al weinig woorden nodig gehad om punten duidelijk te maken. Harry ging naar huis, na zeventien jaar in L.A. te hebben gewoond. Ik wist het. Voelde het. Dit is het einde van een periode. Juni 2009, het einde, en een nieuw begin. Mijn vriendin heeft toen nog vier jaar met alle mogelijkheden geprobeerd mijn leven te bederven, en het lukte haar ook nog aardig. Harry maakte ook haar duidelijk dat ik niets waard was. Ja, ik heb slaapproblemen, en ben een wrak. In 2014 heeft ze een ander en ik vraag daarom af: hoelang heeft ze al een ander? U moet weten dat ik geen twee minuten weg mocht. Zij had besloten dat ik vreemd ging. En nu moest ik boeten. Harry woonde destijds bij me in, en vond dit helemaal prachtig. En dan ineens kwam er mailtje; kom je nog naar Hyde Park? Ik zei: Nee. Ik peins er niet over. Do you want to melt down on the field, I replied. En dat was het dan. De kunst is om de lichtpunten te zien en, Rock ‘N Roll, is een lichtpunt. Rock ‘N Roll, maakt je blij. Het laat mij zingen. Zomaar. Vooral als de omgeving zo somber is. Het biedt gewoon houvast, dat juist voor gitaristen, die door en door naar de klote zijn, toch nog hun talent de kans geven. De klank van een akoestische gitaar is vergelijkbaar mooi als de klank van een harp. Hun talent om de gitaar te spelen, zullen ze nooit verliezen. Een gitaar klinkt altijd, moe of niet. Zo moet ook, Harry, gedacht hebben. De heldere klanken van inspiratie klinken door en je vergeet de rest. Harry, wist dus zijn droom vast te houden. Ik zal dit van hem overnemen, als levensles. Achteraf is dit de les van de, Stones: “Nooit opgeven en altijd vertrouwen in jezelf houden. Er is op deze aarde ruimte genoeg voor ook jouw persoontje.” Als, Keith, inderdaad te weinig talent zou hebben, is dit nog meer waar.

In de periode van de rechtzaak was ik ook al gecrashed en woonde weer bij mijn ouders in, samen met mijn vriendin, Moniwi en dat ging ook helemaal niet goed. De trip naar, Engeland, bleek de relatie met, Moniwi, te breken, omdat ze niet mee mocht van mij en dus een week alleen bij mijn ouders woonde. Bij terugkomst begreep ik niets van de apathische liefde van, Moniwi, en op het vliegveld in, Amsterdam, vloog ze om mijn nek van blijdschap. Doordat ik niet in staat was dit te filteren, in wat voor, Moniwi, een laatste poging was, om toch nog iets van onze relatie te maken, heeft ze waarschijnlijk een keuze gemaakt. Ongelukkiger kon ze moeilijk worden; ik was weg en ze woonde bij mijn ouders in. Bij terugkomst was ik zo versleten, dat ik niets anders wilde dan met rust gelaten te worden. Stom rund, denk ik wel eens. Maar ja. Had ik maar van haar gehouden zoals ik nu van haar houd! Mmm, trouwens, niet getreurd, de aanspraak van mooie meisjes begint weer te komen. De ergste tijd van depressiviteit is voorbij! Het is niet voor niets, 2014, en de ellende ligt achter me, vandaar de kracht om dit op te schrijven. Daags voor de rechtzaak kwam ik aan in, Engeland. In, Londen, haalde, Harry, me op en we gingen naar zijn nieuwe flat. Wat een puinhoop, die flat met twee verdiepingen en grote kamers, maar donker en zeer groot. Ik kreeg een tablet in mijn mond geduwd, was nog niet eens binnen, en stapte toen over de drempel zijn flat binnen en werd linea recta naar de televisiekamer, met een tweepersoons bed, geleid. Harry, gaf me zijn kamer. Hij, en, Mel, waren overal door het huis. Het licht mocht niet aan van, Mel. Zijn kamer was zeer goed aangekleed voor verblijf. Perfect eigenlijk, met super-films als, Black Adder, en, David Bowie, en, Monty Pytons, “Quest for the Holy Grale”. U weet wel, die film die zich afspeelde ten tijde van, Koning Arthur, en ridders van de ronde tafel, die op zoek gaan naar de heilige graal. Ineens stond daar een politie korps, met wapenstok, de invasie van de ridders te verijdelen, en betekende hiermee het einde van de film. Verwoed zocht ik naar de oorzaak van het plotseling stoppen van de film. De video werkte wel. Na een poos ging ik, Harry, halen en die lachte het uit: ”Dat is juist de bedoeling van, John Cleese, dat je denkt dat de film doorgaat, maar door een paar agenten wordt, Koning Arthur, ingerekend en zodoende is de zoektocht naar de heilige graal afgebroken.” Jammer vond ik dat. Het begon net leuk te worden. Black Adder volgde, lang voordat hij werd ontdekt in Nederland en ik kon gewoon niet begrijpen dat er zulke goede humor bestaat. Black Adder, is, Rowan Atkinson, en belichaamt Britse humor. Niet te vertellen en dat probeer ik ook niet eens. En, Black Adder, is anderhalf uur achter elkaar proesten van het lachen. De volgende dag moesten we nog eventjes naar, Oxford, voor de rechtzaak, maar, na een paar uur voor de video, trippend en wel, maakte dat allemaal niets meer uit. Lachen. De dag zelf zou minder leuk worden, al was het resultaat van rechtzaak ongelooflijk.

De winter na de tournee van, 1990, dus de winter van, 1990 / 1991, was een ommekeer in mijn leven, Moniwi kwam terug. Niet in de laatste plaats omdat ik haar beste vriendinnen had gebruikt om haar jaloers te maken, en dat werkte. In, 1989, had Moniwi het uitgemaakt, nadat ze in de zomer in Spanje een Spaanse jongen ontmoette. Moniwi maakte het na de zomer uit en ik was zielsverloren. De naweeën ervan bestonden uit drugsgebruik en veel stappen, uitgaan dus, en zuipen. Hij, de Spaanse jongen, verlegen, mooi en perfect eigenlijk, stond voor de deur en ik liet, Moniwi, en hij een avond alleen. Urban Jungle-concerten. Dan krijg je tenminste wat je wilt en vergeet je even de realiteit. Mooier kan toch niet? Niets dan. Al het touren zou volgen. Bovendien trok ik tijdens de, Steel Wheels Tour, bij mijn oom en tante in, na de zomer van, 1989. De eerste paar maanden voelde de vrijheid goed aan. Vrijheid in doen en laten, uitslapen bijvoorbeeld. Thuis blijven, bij mijn vader en moeder bleek niet te kunnen. Mijn hoofd spookte en ik sliep niet. Ik voelde me teugelloos en moest weg. Bij mijn oom en tante sliep ik nog steeds slecht, maar omdat ze des morgens weggingen, kon ik toch overdag bij slapen en voelde me redelijk. Ik kon mijn eigen ritme gaan bepalen. Op een gegeven moment kreeg mijn oom in de gaten dat ik vooral overdag sliep en alleen leefde voor het voetbal. Op dat moment droomde ik nog van idealen, zoals het worden van een goede voetballer. Talent had ik, maar mijn lichamelijke gesteldheid werkte niet mee om door te breken. Zo kwam de marihuana van mijn oom en tante, langzaam in mijn leven als slaapmiddel, maar drank en drugs waren gelukkig, ook voor mijn oom en tante taboe. Want drank en drugs maakten je kapot. Weed niet? Nee, volgens hen kon weed geen kwaad. Want dan sliep ik lekker en was ik niet tot last. In de winter van, 1991, in, Februari, ging mijn opa dood en net voor die tijd werd ik het huis uitgezet, geplaatst in een kleine flat. Mijn oom en tante hadden deze flat geregeld, en ik kon mooi daar wonen. In die zes maanden tijdens mijn verblijf aldaar was ik verwend, letterlijk gedrogeerd en mijn baantje kwijt bij de catamaran-importeur, omdat ik voor mijn oom ging werken. Op school ging het slecht en ik bleef ook zitten dat jaar. Ik hunkerde naar weed en seks. Allebei was het op mij flatje in overvloed voorhanden. Moniwi, had altijd zin, en ik ook. Bovendien werkte ik toen voor een klein aannemertje die me grof betaalde. Geld was er gelukkig genoeg om de levensstijl te handhaven, voor een tijdje. Niemand kon werkelijk iets doen. Mijn grootste passie, voetballen ging ook niet meer en ik verspeelde mijn plaats in de selectie en ik moest nu gaan ploeteren in de zogenaamde B-selectie. We werden dat jaar wel kampioen, en het jaar daarop ook en ik heb gelukkig mooie wedstrijden gespeeld en bovendien kwam ik na een jaar in de, B-selectie, weer in aanmerking voor de, A-selectie. Direct tijdens de eerste training van de A-selectie ging het niet. Ik moest afwerken op doel. Mijn enkel was verrekt, mijn bovenbeenspieren waren verrekt, maar dat verzweeg ik natuurlijk. Ik leerde de regels van de straat. Ik moest vechten voor mijn vriendinnetje, ik moest vechten om de school te halen, ik moest vechten op mijn werk. Ik moest een huis bouwen en blijven functioneren. Kortom, ik was naar de klote, en dat voor iemand van, 21 jaar! Ik voelde me tachtig of nog veel ouder. Ik kon, tijdens die selectie-training niet aanzetten en niet schieten en precies die training ging het om felle sprints gevolgd door afwerken op doel. Ik was niet explosief en kon niet voluit schieten, kortom, raakte geen bal en de trainer keek me vertwijfeld aan. Ik kon goed voetballen, passeerde verdedigers met alle gemak, maar in deze training ging het niet om een mannetje te passeren, maar het kwam aan op kracht. De trainer was een Amsterdammer en had veel meegemaakt met zijn pupillen en spelers, maar hoe ik erbij liep was klaarblijkelijk voor hem zelfs deerniswekkend. Met spijt in zijn stem en handelen zei hij niet te begrijpen waarom juist de meest getalenteerde speler, linksbuiten nog wel, zo gebukt gaat onder spanningen. Het waren niet alleen spanningen trainer. De reden dat ik letterlijk steeds door mijn benen zakte was meer, plus het gevoel onbegrepen te zijn en zoals ik later begreep, geluk dat ik ontbeerde, daar waar ik zo gewend aanraakte in de Jaren Tachtig. Mijn bovendijbeen was gescheurd, maar ik zei dit niet. En, we moesten toen precies, natuurlijk, schieten van afstand, afwerken vanaf de tweede lijn, 20 meter van de goal. En bovendien kreeg ik in de grote partij, aan het einde, gewoonweg de bal niet toegespeeld, hoe vrij ik ook stond. Ik werd, “even”, door de, A-selectie, genegeerd en zo ontnamen ze me mijn kans iemand te passeren en een opening te vinden. Ook de plekjes in de kleedkamer zijn voor de grote jongens. Toen vond ik het opzienbarend en kinderachtig en vooral stom om zo opzichtig met de aanvoerders-band te lopen, alsof er nooit een andere zal komen. Werkelijk hilarisch wordt het toneel in de kleedkamer voor de wedstrijd of training als ze blijven staan en grapjes maken, en jou wegkijken, en ik me inderdaad zo gespannen voelde en ergens anders ging zitten. En ik vond dat niet erg. Met inderdaad spot verliet ik dan mijn stelling en zocht een andere kapstok uit, ver weg van de verwarming. De aanvoerder van het elftal was goed en had een perfect atletisch, halfbloedig en dus een aanstekelijk lijf voor de oudere heren, kon de bal goed raken, maar had tijd nodig in de aanname. Hij was ook een goede kickbokser en hier pronkte hij mee door middel van zijn hardheid. Maar met alleen een bal, dus zonder de lange bal, had hij geen kans in het korte spel. Als het eerste speelde, op zondag middag, liep de aanvoerder meer in de rondte als een lust-object, dan als een goede voetballer. Als ik maar eens de kans kreeg om te voetballen in het eerste en als ze me maar de bal toeschoven. Mijn moeder wilde dat ik op atletiek of een andere individuele sport ging, om zo maar niet afhankelijk te zijn van, “klootzakken”. Tijd gaf ik de aanvoerder niet en ik zou hem wel even laten zien wat er gebeurt in de kleine ruimte. Het korte spel en de bal slechts een keer raken en versnellen en hem passeren gebeurde niet in werkelijkheid, slechts in mijn dromen. Om in een eerste elftal te mogen spelen is een ieder afhankelijk van de wensen van de club. Klasse justitie, de zonen van de voorzitter en zo mogen wel meespelen en krijgen kans op kans. Mijn enige kans werd door die ene training vergooid; iets waarvoor ik leefde! De club stelde vervolgens vast, dat het wel plezierig was dat de B-selectie telkens kampioen werd. Voornamelijk door mijn doelpunten en assists. Het zat me wel en niet mee in die tijd op het voetbalveld. Toch heb ik mooie herinneringen, want ik speelde goed. Zo goed dat altijd iedereen bleef staan om me te zien spelen. Het nadeel van de, B-selectie, is dat je zondag om tien uur moet spelen. Voor iemand met slaap-problemen is dat niet een beetje vroeg, maar zeg maar gerust onmogelijk vroeg. Daarna zuipen in de kantine en verplicht naar het eerste kijken en daarna thuis aan de dope. Maandag kon ik niet naar school, punt. Dat was een ding dat zeker was. Dinsdag, donderdag en zaterdagmiddag trainen, alle energie naar het voetballen, terwijl ik die luttele energie nodig had om orde op zaken te stellen, in mijn gewone leven. Waarom zat mijn vader niet in het bestuur? En waarom deed mijn oom, die wel het een en ander te zeggen binnen de club, niet een goed woordje voor me. Oh ja, dat was natuurlijk omdat hij en mijn vader een levenslange ruzie met elkaar hadden, dat was ik even in mijn naïviteit vergeten. Maar voor mij onbegrijpelijk dat werkelijk middelmatige voetballers zich staande hielden in het eerste. Triviaal en kenmerkend voor de grootste club uit de, Zaanstreek, was het absurde lage niveau van het eerste. Ik wist intussen wel hoe dat kwam. Het leek wel een club uit het, Midden Oosten, waar de sheiks het voor het zeggen hebben en per definitie neefjes opstelden in het eerste en niet mijn persoontje, klein en mager maar toch echt wel een talent, de kans gaven om te groeien. Deze ontkenning van mijn voetbal-capaciteiten heeft mij zeer aangegrepen. Mijn neef, die bij een andere club speelde kreeg wel die kans en werd doodleuk uitgenodigd door een prof-club uit de regio, Volendam. Hij speelde daar met, Johan Steur. Helaas voor mijn neef; hij brak zijn enkel. Weg carrière. We voetbalden vaak samen en leerden elkaar trucjes en passeerbewegingen en we waren gewoon echt goede voetballers. Maar hij kreeg de kans en ik niet. Oververmoeid en letterlijk met een waas voor ramde ik steeds vaker zomaar, Moniwi, in elkaar. Steeds vaker uitte mijn agressie zich en op een gegeven moment leek ik gek te worden. Ook in het uitgaansleven heb ik veel ruzies uitgelokt. Mijn broer zal vaak zijn geramd en een enkele keer hard ook. Excuses, Bernard. Toen ik in 1994, zoals dat heet, op een blauwe maandag, nog eenmaal ging voetballen stond ik wel direct in het eerste. Ik was toch sterker en groter geworden en evenwichtiger en nu kon niemand meer om me heen. Maar de, Voodoo Lounge Tour, van, 1994, begon tegelijkertijd met het voetbalseizoen en na een paar weken zegde ik mijn lidmaatschap op en vertrok in, Oktober, naar, Amerika. Het was heel zoet om toch nog een keer in het eerste te spelen. Nog geen maand na de verhuizing, van mijn oom en tante naar de kleine flat, stond Moniwi met een grote koffer op de stoep en ze vroeg of ze bij me mocht wonen. Dit was een droom, maar die verstoorde ik dus zelf. Natuurlijk! De omstandigheden de komende vier jaar waren ook ongunstig. We verhuisden naar een oud huis waarvan zelfs de fundering en de gevels opnieuw opgetrokken dienden te worden. Niet echt een plek om rustig aan een relatie te bouwen. Toen had ik alles op alles moeten zetten om een gewoon leven te gaan leiden en niet domweg blind aan het huis werken om het daarna te verkopen, om Stones-concerten te zien, om maar niet de realiteit van het leven te hoeven zien. Sterker, ik overtuigde, Moniwi, dat het volgen van een Stones-tour geweldig is. En ik dacht echt dat de, Stones, niet meer gingen touren, na het geweldige succes van de, Steel Wheels -, en, Urban Jungle Tour. Dat konden ze onmogelijk overtoppen. Bovendien was het acht jaar stil geweest en ik verwachtte weer zo’n stilte. Dus ik kon makkelijk zoiets suggereren. Ik leefde met de dag. Het ongelooflijke nieuws van de, Voodoo Lounge Tour, deed me letterlijk verblinden. Ja, toen dacht ik echt dat ze nog een keer zouden gaan touren. In, 1994, was het huis klaar en ik zou naar, Amerika, gaan voor de, Voodoo Lounge Tour. Nogmaals, ik was ervan overtuigd dat dit de laatste keer zou worden. Ik vond het toen al gewaagd van de, Stones, om, in, 1994, al T-shirts te drukken met doodleuk de vermelding: 1994/1995 World Tour. Ik moest eerst nog zien dat ze, 1994, volmaakten. 1995, was nog zover weg. Maar ik was dom om te denken dat, Moniwi, altijd aan mijn zijde bleef. Ik heb daar geen minuut meer aan getwijfeld, hoewel, Moniwi, er toch anders over ging denken. Ze hield echt van me, dat bewees ze eigenlijk elke dag, maar op een gegeven moment heeft ze het opgegeven. Ik was gefocusseerd op alles, met name op de verrichtingen van de, Stones, en de voortgang van het huis, behalve op, Moniwi. Nu besef ik dat de ideale situatie er een is die je dagelijks moet onderhouden. Of te wel: ”Er moet gewerkt worden aan relaties, net zoals er gewerkt moet worden aan een huis.” En toch maakte de schoonheid van, Moniwi, me niet gelukkig. Ik was alleen maar met mezelf bezig, en vond de gevoelens van, Moniwi, ondergeschikt. Dit zou ze me terugbetalen, en letterlijk heb ik er tien jaar last van gehad. Mijn deel was verdriet en ongelukkigheid. Ik besloot te gaan studeren in, 1995, omdat ik bang was dat ik dood zou gaan van verdriet. Ik moest een doel hebben om te leven. Stones-concerten waren het enige dat me verroerde en, “over bewust”, lette ik thuis op de uitvoeringen van nummers en diepte ze uit tot in den treuren. Ik had niets beters te doen, lijkt wel. Maar bedenk dat ik geen televisie had gedurende de jaren 90 en altijd aan het werk of studeren was en muziek was mijn rustpunt. Nummers die mijn gehele jeugd hebben bepaald. Mijn steun en toeverlaat. Ik snapte werkelijk niets van de manier van spelen. Waarom zijn de Stones anders dan alle andere bands? Ik kon dan ook de veranderingen van de shows goed meemaken. Hoe is het mogelijk dat de band, in de, Jaren Negentig, dezelfde kleur en emoties kan oproepen als van, de Jaren Zestig. Geen andere band heeft die kleurechtheid. Under My Thumb, Let’s Spend The Night Together, Shattered, en, 19th Nervous Breakdown, klonken tijdens de, Voodoo Lounge Tour, ongehoord echt. Ongelooflijk vond ik dat. Bij het horen van de intro’s voel je dat ze de juiste snaar weten te raken en dat ze terugkeren naar vervlogen tijden. Mijn moeder zei altijd dat de, Beatles, en, Stones, tijdloos waren. En nu begrijp ik dit. Tijdens de, Bridges to Babylon Tour, 1997, en, 1998, en de, No Security Tour, van, 1999, waren de, Stones, weer ouderwets op elkaar ingespeeld en speelden, op verzoek, nummers. Een keer werd, Waiting on a Friend, aangevraagd, via voorkeurstemmen op de internet-site. Bill Gates, sponsorde die tournee en als tegenprestatie kon het publiek voorkeurstemmen uitbrengen, via de website. Ik heb al veel gehoord, maar toen, Waiting on a Friend, out of the blue werd ingezet, was het overduidelijk dat, Waiting on a Friend, en feitelijk alle andere nummers symfonietjes zijn. Nummers van, Keith, kunnen perfect worden geconserveerd. De lijnen en contouren bestaan uit basiselementen. Waarschijnlijk omdat elk Stones-nummer en zeker ook die van de, Beatles, bestaan uit losse elementen, is de kleur-echtheid gegarandeerd. Anders dan het gerommel en gehark en gegraaf, met als gevolg dat de muziek een brei wordt van bandjes die proberen, Rock’ N Roll, te spelen, speelt, Keith, sober en schoon en ontvouwt stalen brug waarop, Waiting on a Friend, leunt. En ook, 19th Nervous Breakdown, werd bijvoorbeeld gedragen door, Keith. De lijnen en de bas-loopjes zijn uitgekristalliseerd. Mijn voorlopige conclusie is dat een nummer eerst zijn vorm aanneemt als de bas-loop is uitgelegd. Om minimaal te spelen, zoals de, Stones, doen, moet de basis helder zijn. Omdat elk nummer bestaat uit basis-lijnen is het zaak te weten wat deze zijn. En omdat, Keith, de nummers zelf schrijft is het triviaal te vermelden, dat hij die gene is, die precies weet wat die basis elementen van zijn nummers zijn. Doordat het onmogelijk is om te spelen als, Keith, is het simpelweg onmogelijk voor bands om dit te kopiëren. En doordat de, Stones, zichzelf, tijdens de jaren negentig, in een levensecht oefenterrein begeven, is het niet verwonderlijk, dat met het verstrijken van de jaren, de klassieke nummers een voor een, klakkeloos, werden afgestoft. Verreweg hoogtepunten waren de versies van, When The Whip Comes Down, Some Girls, You Got The Silver, Sister Morphine, met een toen, uniek voor een Stones-concert, tweede toegift, tijdens de, No Security Tour: You Can’t Always Get What You Want, werd plotseling ingezet, als extra toegift, door, Keith, en volgens mij was dit niet gepland. Voor de liefhebber: Eerste show in, Houston, Februari, 1999. Tijdens de, No Security Tour, van, 1999, was, You Can’t Always Get What You Want, inmiddels uit het repertoire geschrapt, want de, No Security Tour, had een veel harder karakter dan alle voorgaande tournee’s. Mick had pijn. Er knaagde bovendien iets aan zijn geweten en werd zich bewust van zijn bovenmenselijke status, vergelijkbaar met Caesar of Alexander De Grote. Marianne Faithfull, vergelijkt hem met de Zonne-koning, Louis XIV. De grote, Mick Jagger, werd, naar mijn mening, voor het eerst in zijn leven aan de kant geschoven door een vrouw; Jerry Hall. Toen, Keith, You Can’t Always Get What You Want, inzette stond daar een duidelijk geëmotioneerde, Mick Jagger. Je kon het hoopje verdriet opvegen. Ik stond toen, in, Houston, in de, Compaq Centre, direct aan het podium en zag hoe, Keith, plotseling weer naar het midden van het podium liep en achteloos het nummer inzette. Eerder werd die avond ook al, Sister Morphine, op schrijnende wijze vertolkt. Mick, had pijn, dat was duidelijk en, Keith, hielp hem daar overheen. Net zoals bij de tweede toegift liep, Keith, gedurfd, tijdens de intro, naar de rand van het podium en was op dat moment de bliksemafleider. Natuurlijk is het normaal als, Mick, de show steelt, maar toen kon dat even niet. Mick, was een hoopje verdriet. Keith, nam de honeurs waar als voorman en, Mick, kon, na zichzelf weer te hebben hervonden, op hartverscheurende wijze, Sister Morphine, brengen. Inclusief de gebroken stem die precies bij het nummer past. De, No Security Tour, was geen doorsnee tour. De geluidsinstallatie had veel te veel vermogen en was bestemd voor stadions. En de, No Security Tour, had in, Amerika, plaats, in, kleine arena’s. Toen, Some Girls, op verbluffende wijze, authentiek, werd gebracht, met een werkelijk spectaculaire staande intro, waarbij binnen de seconde, alle instrumenten zich perfect mengden, was het duidelijk: Mick, moest weer zingen, iets anders zou hij niet kunnen op dat moment. Hij zou in het dagelijks leven worden uitgehold door verdriet en onmacht, ten gevolge van zijn scheiding. Anders zou hij sterven van verdriet. Wie nu nog durft te zeggen dat de, Stones, slechts voor het geld spelen is niet goed bij zijn hoofd. Die tournee van, 1999, was niet voor het geld. Die was er, om, Mick, te laten te overleven. Om hem zijn verdriet te laten uiten. En, wat is er beter, dan uiting door middel van muziek. Mijn broer was mee naar, Amerika, en zag het ook. Nog steeds verhaalt hij met ontzag de impact van de, Stones, als ze kwaad zijn. Hij vertelde dat de stoere Amerikaanse yuppies, met allemaal een prachtige vriendin aan hun zijde, inclusief een vlotte zonnebril, letterlijk verbleekten toen, Keith, en, Ronnie, bij wijze van hoge uitzondering, over gingen op, Trash Rock. Nogmaals, When the Whip Comes Down, Midnight Rambler, en, Star Fucker, gespeeld op het midden podium in de kleine arena’s, begin, 1999, in, Amerika, waren een zegen voor de diehard fans, maar een regelrechte kwelling voor mensen, die dachten, dat ze het hadden gemaakt in hun leven. Al hun zekerheden konden de prullenbak in. Hun vriendinnen vonden het plotseling geweldig, en vonden, Mick, en, Keith, nu ineens zeer aantrekkelijke beesten. De yuppies en de jetset, zo moet u zich voorstellen, kochten voor honderden dollars een plekje vooraan en probeerde natuurlijk indruk te maken met die plaatsen, op hun veel te mooie, “gekochte”, vriendinnen. De Amerikanen verwachten weer een, Stones-concert, zoals ze die kenden van de, Voodoo Lounge, en, Bridges to Babylon. Zo kenden ze de, Stones, niet, en zo zijn de, Stones, ook helemaal niet aardig voor hun publiek. Letterlijk niet wetende waar te zoeken en te kijken, om zich nog enigszins te profileren als vlotte veertiger, volgde vooral de vrouwelijke, en veel jongere aanhang, de wulpse bewegingen van, Mick. De jetset werd getrakteerd op primitieve omgangs-normen, waar zij dus zogenaamd ver boven dient te staan en er nu met hun neus werden ingewreven. De meisjes vonden dat prachtig en hadden plotseling geen oog meer, en zeker geen interesse voor hun welgemanierde partners. Ze wilden bruut worden aangerand en worden verkracht en als oud vuil worden behandeld. Ze wilden ook die primitieve manier van leven ondervinden. Ze wilden ook wel eens gillend en schreeuwend klaarkomen! Keith, en, Ronnie, gooiden het ene spervuur na het andere de zaal in. Met de veel te grote geluidsinstallatie in de kleine zalen, was het een ware geseling voor de genen, die nog niet uit de zaal waren gevlucht. In het oog van de orkaan stond daar plotseling weer een herboren, Mick Jagger, die zichtbaar opluchtte tijdens de storm. Mick, kwam tot rust en, Keith, lachte liefkozend naar hem. Alsjeblieft, maatje, hier heb je je verdriet, verwerk het maar lekker. Alles komt goed. Wat een band! Sentiment komt wel erg hard aan, maar dat is het leven! Ik sta altijd vooraan en was waar de, Stones, waren. Maniakaal volgde ik ze door heel, Europa, en later, in, 1994, en verder door de, USA. Tot mijn verbazing zag ik van dichtbij de oogcontacten tussen de bandleden en zag dat de, Stones, konden temporiseren en pieken, wanneer ze maar wilden. Zo waren ze instaat een menigte van honderdduizend man in slaap te sussen om ze daarna meedogenloos wakker te schudden. Als ze zin hadden in experimenten werd een gehele set aangepast om de experimenten in te kleden, met als vangnet opsluiting door gepaste nummers. Na bijvoorbeeld probeersels als, Factory Girl, en, I Just Want to Make Love to You, kwam een klassieker, een nummer met een voortstuwende kracht, als, Satisfaction. Dus al zou het experiment mislukken, de menigte zal dit snel vergeten. Klassieke Rock-nummers om de experimentele nummers maskeerden dit, bij voorbaat. De boodschap van dit alles is dat iedereen een kans moet krijgen om te schijnen. De Stones hebben zelf de regie in handen. Ze maken tijd en ruimte voor probeersels, om zo het spectrum op te rekken. Omdat ze omringd worden door zekerheden, de nummers, het stadion en de enorme geluidsinstallatie, mislukken experimenten niet! Het heeft even geduurd, maar toevallig geluk moet je afdwingen.

De Stones, hebben zich een weg gebaand door de tijd en steeds goed opgelet wat mogelijk is voor de tijd. En bekend is dat in deze tijd alles mogelijk is. De, Stones, hebben de tijd met glans naar hun hand gezet. Ik voelde me sterk verbonden met de kracht van de muziek van de, Stones, maar was verloren en zocht ongewild grip in de goede muziek en de entourage van de Stones-karavaan en kwam verder en zo kwam ik in contact met, Alan Dunn, eerst in, Birmingham, USA!, via de telefoon, via, Arend Jan van der Marel in, Amsterdam!, en later in levende lijve bij aanvang van het concert in, 1995, in, Wembley. Alan Dunn, grijnsde. Ik maakte zo goed als deel uit van het Stones-circus en werd zelfs herkend door fans, die me hadden gezien tijdens de, Stones-film, van, 1990, in het, IMAX-theater. Alan Dunn, en meerdere leden van de vaste kern van de Stones-administratie kenden me en in, Londen, in, 1995, zei, Alan Dunn, dat hij wel een vermoeden had, waarom ze elke keer beter gingen spelen en dat dit voor betrokkenen een eindeloze rit is geworden. De crew en de die-hard fans zitten gevangen en worden verblind door de voortgang van de grootste, Rock ‘N Roll-band, aller tijden. Zij worden beter en de fans, die het volgen, gaan langzaam stuk. Het wordt altijd beter, dus de mensen die het laatste goede concert hebben gezien weten net zoveel als de mensen die alle concerten volgen. De groep vaste bezoekers van de eerste rij werd zodoende steeds groter en eind jaren negentig, en tijdens de laatste, Licks Tour, namen zij met honderden mijn plaats in op de eerste rijen en ik distantieerde me ervan. Noodzakelijk, door geldgebrek. Maar ook omdat ik nu zeker wist dat de Stones zo groot zijn geworden door het afdwingen van inspanningen van anderen en als de lachende derde er van door te gaan, met de opgedane kennis. Kijk naar, bijvoorbeeld, Brian Jones, Mick Taylor, Billy Preston. Ik wist dat de, Stones, niet of nauwelijks acht slaan op mensen die hun eigen leven vergooien om, Rock ‘N Roll, te spelen en te zien. Weten ze wat ik weet? Zoeken ze wat? Billy Preston, weet nu dat zijn muziek is samengevat in een nummer, niet van hem zelf, maar van, Jagger / Richards, en heet, Hot Stuff. In dit nummer is de alle franje en tierelantijn afgeschud en wat overblijft is definiërende muziek. Uitgedroogd en sober, als een overblijfsel of relikwie van de muziek van, Preston, is de beat van, Hot Stuff, een belichaming van wat eens zijn muziek was. De, Stones, hebben in alle rust van dichtbij het kunstje afgekeken van, Billy. Hij verzorgde tijdens de, tour van, 1975, en, 1976, het voorprogramma en deed twee nummers tijdens het Stones-optreden. De, Stones, verloren destijds in rap tempo terrein aan met name, Led Zeppelin. De funky muziek van, Billy, was een uitgelezen mogelijkheid voor de, Stones, om zich aan te passen aan de tijd. Led Zeppelin, was onaantastbaar. De kracht waarmee, Led Zeppelin, de jaren zeventig binnen kwam zeilen was ontzagwekkend. De gitarist, Jimmie Page, was in topvorm en de zanger, Robert Plant was de nieuwe belichaming geworden van, Rock ‘N Roll. Voor zowel Jagger als Richards werd, Exile on Main Street, pijnlijk bewaarheid. Ze werden van de weg gereden door, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Dire Straits, en door de nieuwe funk muziek en wat later door de, Punk. Iggy Pop, voorop.

De jaren zestig waren definitief verleden tijd, halverwege de jaren zeventig. Er stonden nu al weer nieuwe soldaten aan het front. De episode met, Mick Taylor, die de band nog steeds en, steeds meer, voorzag van muzikale impulsen, tijdens de begin Jaren Zeventig, liep plotseling af. Hoewel, Mick Taylor, was verworden tot oud vuil leunden de, Stones, op hem; dit oude vuil. Mick Taylor, verliet de band, om de afgang van zijn lichaam te voorkomen. De situatie van de Stones was niets meer dan een stelletje zielepoten, die net hun kip met de gouden eieren, Mick Taylor, zagen verdwijnen. Terug aan de grond in, 1975. Het enige wat overeind bleef waren de geweldige nummers. Zo blijkt, Gimme Shelter, echt een heel goed nummer, dat juist in die periode helemaal werd gearrangeerd en tot in de puntjes werd uitgekauwd. Happy, het solo-nummer van, Keith, bleek zich ook uitstekend modern en vooruitstrevend te gedragen tijdens live-optredens. De tour van, 1975, gaat gepaard met verwoede pogingen van de, Stones, zich te revancheren, op volgens mij met name, Led Zeppelin. Op het podium komen de gebruikelijke bovennatuurlijke krachten nog steeds moeiteloos los. En dat is bij beide bands zo. Duidelijk is alleen dat, op het gebied van pure rock, de, Stones, de meerdere moeten erkennen in, Led Zeppelin, vergelijkbaar zoals de, Who, de, Stones, in, 1968, naar huis speelde.

Gezegend met, zoals hij zelf zegt een antenne heeft, Keith, de teloorgang van zijn band aangekeken. De massieve knetterende drum van, Led Zeppelin, was niet normaal en inderdaad, de drummer overleed in, 1980. Net als overigens de super-drummer van de, Who, Keith Moon, die, in, 1978, overleed. Pink Floyd, pakte de muziek weer anders aan en toverde het ene na het andere sublieme album uit de hoge hoed. Toch, eerlijk is eerlijk, live on stage, kon, Keith, zich nog steeds meten met de nieuwe orde. Keith, heeft gelukkig heel zijn leven geluisterd, hij moest wel. Een gouden kans voor jonge, Mister Richards. Eerst ontspon hij de, Blues, op een manier die de, Beatles, bijkans deed verbleken. Hij deed dit overigens niet alleen, want een zekere, Brian Jones, was toen zijn maatje, zelfs toen, Keith, nog een tiener was. Hij kwam samen met, Brian, tot een synthese van twee gitaren, die klonken als een eenheid. Met name de manier van spelen van, Keith, dwingend, bepalende en ruig vereiste een drummer die niet probeerde die gitaar, de zogenaamde rythem gitaar, te overstemmen. En feitelijk

Pen and ink drawing. Blind contour (1').

21 x 29 cm

This is another attempt at water droplets using my Nikon D40. The lens used was a 18-55mm Lens.

"Continuous Drift is a public sound installation designed and conceived of by the artist Sven Anderson with contributions from 21 leading artists and collectives, located in Meeting House Square in the Temple Bar region of Dublin, Ireland"

Varanasi, also known as Benares, or Kashi is an Indian city on the banks of the Ganga in Uttar Pradesh, 320 kilometres south-east of the state capital, Lucknow. It is the holiest of the seven sacred cities (Sapta Puri) in Hinduism, and Jainism, and played an important role in the development of Buddhism. Some Hindus believe that death at Varanasi brings salvation. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Varanasi is also known as the favourite city of the Hindu deity Lord Shiva as it has been mentioned in the Rigveda that this city in older times was known as Kashi or "Shiv ki Nagri".

The Kashi Naresh (Maharaja of Kashi) is the chief cultural patron of Varanasi, and an essential part of all religious celebrations. The culture of Varanasi is closely associated with the Ganges. The city has been a cultural centre of North India for several thousand years, and has a history that is older than most of the major world religions. The Benares Gharana form of Hindustani classical music was developed in Varanasi, and many prominent Indian philosophers, poets, writers, and musicians live or have lived in Varanasi. Gautama Buddha gave his first sermon at Sarnath, located near Varanasi.

Varanasi is the spiritual capital of India. It is often referred to as "the holy city of India", "the religious capital of India", "the city of Shiva", and "the city of learning". Scholarly books have been written in the city, including the Ramcharitmanas of Tulsidas. Today, there is a temple of his namesake in the city, the Tulsi Manas Mandir. The current temples and religious institutions in the city are dated to the 18th century. One of the largest residential universities of Asia, the Banaras Hindu University (BHU), is located here.

ETYMOLOGY

The name Varanasi possibly originates from the names of the two rivers: Varuna, still flowing in Varanasi, and Asi, a small stream near Assi Ghat. The old city does lie on the north shores of Ganges River bounded by its two tributaries Varuna and Asi. Another speculation is that the city derives its name from the river Varuna, which was called Varanasi in olden times.[11] This is generally disregarded by historians. Through the ages, Varanasi has been known by many names including Kāśī or Kashi (used by pilgrims dating from Buddha's days), Kāśikā (the shining one), Avimukta ("never forsaken" by Shiva), Ānandavana (the forest of bliss), and Rudravāsa (the place where Rudra/Śiva resides).

In the Rigveda, the city is referred to as Kāśī or Kashi, the luminous city as an eminent seat of learning. The name Kāśī is also mentioned in the Skanda Purana. In one verse, Shiva says, "The three worlds form one city of mine, and Kāśī is my royal palace therein." The name Kashi may be translated as "City of Light".

HISTORY

According to legend, Varanasi was founded by the God Shiva. The Pandavas, the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahabharata are also stated to have visited the city in search of Shiva to atone for their sins of fratricide and Brāhmanahatya that they had committed during the climactic Kurukshetra war. It is regarded as one of seven holy cities which can provide Moksha:

The earliest known archaeological evidence suggests that settlement around Varanasi in the Ganga valley (the seat of Vedic religion and philosophy) began in the 11th or 12th century BC, placing it among the world's oldest continually inhabited cities. These archaeological remains suggest that the Varanasi area was populated by Vedic people. However, the Atharvaveda (the oldest known text referencing the city), which dates to approximately the same period, suggests that the area was populated by indigenous tribes. It is possible that archaeological evidence of these previous inhabitants has yet to be discovered. Recent excavations at Aktha and Ramnagar, two sites very near to Varanasi, show them to be from 1800 BC, suggesting Varanasi started to be inhabited by that time too. Varanasi was also home to Parshva, the 23rd Jain Tirthankara and the earliest Tirthankara accepted as a historical figure in the 8th century BC.

Varanasi grew as an important industrial centre, famous for its muslin and silk fabrics, perfumes, ivory works, and sculpture. During the time of Gautama Buddha (born circa 567 BC), Varanasi was the capital of the Kingdom of Kashi. Buddha is believed to have founded Buddhism here around 528 BC when he gave his first sermon, "Turning the Wheel of Law", at nearby Sarnath. The celebrated Chinese traveller Xuanzang, who visited the city around 635 AD, attested that the city was a centre of religious and artistic activities, and that it extended for about 5 kilometres along the western bank of the Ganges. When Xuanzang, also known as Hiuen Tsiang, visited Varanasi in the 7th century, he named it "Polonisse" and wrote that the city had some 30 temples with about 30 monks. The city's religious importance continued to grow in the 8th century, when Adi Shankara established the worship of Shiva as an official sect of Varanasi.

In ancient times, Varanasi was connected by a road starting from Taxila and ending at Pataliputra during the Mauryan Empire. In 1194, the city succumbed to Turkish Muslim rule under Qutb-ud-din Aibak, who ordered the destruction of some one thousand temples in the city. The city went into decline over some three centuries of Muslim occupation, although new temples were erected in the 13th century after the Afghan invasion. Feroz Shah ordered further destruction of Hindu temples in the Varanasi area in 1376. The Afghan ruler Sikander Lodi continued the suppression of Hinduism in the city and destroyed most of the remaining older temples in 1496. Despite the Muslim rule, Varanasi remained the centre of activity for intellectuals and theologians during the Middle Ages, which further contributed to its reputation as a cultural centre of religion and education. Several major figures of the Bhakti movement were born in Varanasi, including Kabir who was born here in 1389 and hailed as "the most outstanding of the saint-poets of Bhakti cult (devotion) and mysticism of 15th-Century India"; and Ravidas, a 15th-century socio-religious reformer, mystic, poet, traveller, and spiritual figure, who was born and lived in the city and employed in the tannery industry. Similarly, numerous eminent scholars and preachers visited the city from across India and south Asia. Guru Nanak Dev visited Varanasi for Shivratri in 1507, a trip that played a large role in the founding of Sikhism.

In the 16th century, Varanasi experienced a cultural revival under the Muslim Mughal emperor Akbar who invested in the city, and built two large temples dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu. The Raja of Poona established the Annapurnamandir and the 200 metres Akbari Bridge was also completed during this period. The earliest tourists began arriving in the city during the 16th century. In 1665, the French traveller Jean Baptiste Tavernier described the architectural beauty of the Vindu Madhava temple on the side of the Ganges. The road infrastructure was also improved during this period and extended from Kolkata to Peshawar by Emperor Sher Shah Suri; later during the British Raj it came to be known as the famous Grand Trunk Road. In 1656, emperor Aurangzeb ordered the destruction of many temples and the building of mosques, causing the city to experience a temporary setback. However, after Aurangazeb's death, most of India was ruled by a confederacy of pro-Hindu kings. Much of modern Varanasi was built during this time by the Rajput and Maratha kings, especially during the 18th century, and most of the important buildings in the city today date to this period. The kings continued to be important through much of the British rule (1775–1947 AD), including the Maharaja of Benares, or Kashi Naresh. The kingdom of Benares was given official status by the Mughals in 1737, and continued as a dynasty-governed area until Indian independence in 1947, during the reign of Dr. Vibhuti Narayan Singh. In the 18th century, Muhammad Shah ordered the construction of an observatory on the Ganges, attached to Man Mandir Ghat, designed to discover imperfections in the calendar in order to revise existing astronomical tables. Tourism in the city began to flourish in the 18th century. In 1791, under the rule of the British Governor-General Warren Hastings, Jonathan Duncan founded a Sanskrit College in Varanasi. In 1867, the establishment of the Varanasi Municipal Board led to significant improvements in the city.

In 1897, Mark Twain, the renowned Indophile, said of Varanasi, "Benares is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together." In 1910, the British made Varanasi a new Indian state, with Ramanagar as its headquarters but with no jurisdiction over the city of Varanasi itself. Kashi Naresh still resides in the Ramnagar Fort which is situated to the east of Varanasi, across the Ganges. Ramnagar Fort and its museum are the repository of the history of the kings of Varanasi. Since the 18th century, the fort has been the home of Kashi Naresh, deeply revered by the local people. He is the religious head and some devout inhabitants consider him to be the incarnation of Shiva. He is also the chief cultural patron and an essential part of all religious celebrations.

A massacre by British troops, of the Indian troops stationed here and of the population of the city, took place during the early stages of the Indian Rebellion of 1857. Annie Besant worked in Varanasi to promote theosophy and founded the Central Hindu College which later became a foundation for the creation of Banaras Hindu University as a secular university in 1916. Her purpose in founding the Central Hindu College in Varanasi was that she "wanted to bring men of all religions together under the ideal of brotherhood in order to promote Indian cultural values and to remove ill-will among different sections of the Indian population."

Varanasi was ceded to the Union of India on 15 October 1948. After the death of Dr. Vibhuti Narayan Singh in 2000, his son Anant Narayan Singh became the figurehead king, responsible for upholding the traditional duties of a Kashi Naresh.

MAIN SIGHTS

Varanasi's "Old City", the quarter near the banks of the Ganga river, has crowded narrow winding lanes flanked by road-side shops and scores of Hindu temples. As atmospheric as it is confusing, Varanasi's labyrinthine Old City has a rich culture, attracting many travellers and tourists. The main residential areas of Varanasi (especially for the middle and upper classes) are situated in regions far from the ghats; they are more spacious and less polluted.

Museums in and around Varanasi include Jantar Mantar, Sarnath Museum, Bharat Kala Bhawan and Ramnagar Fort.

JANTAR MANTAR

The Jantar Mantar observatory (1737) is located above the ghats on the Ganges, much above the high water level in the Ganges next to the Manmandir Ghat, near to Dasaswamedh Ghat and adjoining the palace of Raja Jai Singh of Jaipur. Compared to the observatories at Jaipur and Delhi, it is less well equipped but has a unique equatorial sundial which is functional and allows measurements to be monitored and recorded by one person.

RAMNAGAR FORT

The Ramnagar Fort located near the Ganges River on its eastern bank, opposite to the Tulsi Ghat, was built in the 18th century by Kashi Naresh Raja Balwant Singh with creamy chunar sandstone. It is in a typically Mughal style of architecture with carved balconies, open courtyards, and scenic pavilions. At present the fort is not in good repair. The fort and its museum are the repository of the history of the kings of Benares. It has been the home of the Kashi Naresh since the 18th century. The current king and the resident of the fort is Anant Narayan Singh who is also known as the Maharaja of Varanasi even though this royal title has been abolished since 1971. Labeled "an eccentric museum", it has a rare collection of American vintage cars, sedan chairs (bejeweled), an impressive weaponry hall and a rare astrological clock. In addition, manuscripts, especially religious writings, are housed in the Saraswati Bhawan. Also included is a precious handwritten manuscript by Goswami Tulsidas. Many books illustrated in the Mughal miniature style, with beautifully designed covers are also part of the collections. Because of its scenic location on the banks of the Ganges, it is frequently used as an outdoor shooting location for films. The film titled Banaras is one of the popular movies shot here. However, only a part of the fort is open for public viewing as the rest of the area is the residence of the Kashi Naresh and his family. It is 14 kilometres from Varanasi.

GHATS

Ghats are embankments made in steps of stone slabs along the river bank where pilgrims perform ritual ablutions. Ghats in Varanasi are an integral complement to the concept of divinity represented in physical, metaphysical and supernatural elements. All the ghats are locations on "the divine cosmic road", indicative of "its manifest transcendental dimension" Varanasi has at least 84 ghats. Steps in the ghats lead to the banks of River Ganges, including the Dashashwamedh Ghat, the Manikarnika Ghat, the Panchganga Ghat and the Harishchandra Ghat (where Hindus cremate their dead). Many ghats are associated with legends and several are now privately owned.

Many of the ghats were built when the city was under Maratha control. Marathas, Shindes (Scindias), Holkars, Bhonsles, and Peshwas stand out as patrons of present-day Varanasi. Most of the ghats are bathing ghats, while others are used as cremation sites. A morning boat ride on the Ganges across the ghats is a popular visitor attraction. The extensive stretches of ghats enhance the river front with a multitude of shrines, temples and palaces built "tier on tier above the water’s edge".

The Dashashwamedh Ghat is the main and probably the oldest ghat of Varansi located on the Ganges, close to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. It is believed that Brahma created it to welcome Shiva and sacrificed ten horses during the Dasa -Ashwamedha yajna performed here. Above the ghat and close to it, there are also temples dedicated to Sulatankesvara, Brahmesvara, Varahesvara, Abhaya Vinayaka, Ganga (the Ganges), and Bandi Devi which are part of important pilgrimage journeys. A group of priests perform "Agni Pooja" (Worship to Fire) daily in the evening at this ghat as a dedication to Shiva, Ganga, Surya (Sun), Agni (Fire), and the whole universe. Special aartis are held on Tuesdays and on religious festivals.

The Manikarnika Ghat is the Mahasmasana (meaning: "great cremation ground") and is the primary site for Hindu cremation in the city. Adjoining the ghat, there are raised platforms that are used for death anniversary rituals. It is said that an ear-ring (Manikarnika) of Shiva or his wife Sati fell here. According to a myth related to the Tarakesvara Temple, a Shiva temple at the ghat, Shiva whispers the Taraka mantra ("Prayer of the crossing") in the ear of the dead. Fourth-century Gupta period inscriptions mention this ghat. However, the current ghat as a permanent riverside embankment was built in 1302 and has been renovated at least three times.

TEMPLES

Among the estimated 23000 temples in Varanasi, the most worshiped are: the Kashi Vishwanath Temple of Shiva; the Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple; and the Durga Temple known for the band of monkeys that reside in the large trees nearby.

Located on the outskirts of the Ganges, the Kashi Vishwanath Temple – dedicated to Varanasi's presiding deity Shiva (Vishwanath – "Lord of the world") – is an important Hindu temple and one of the 12 Jyotirlinga Shiva temples. It is believed that a single view of Vishwanath Jyotirlinga is worth more than that of other jyotirlingas. The temple has been destroyed and rebuilt a number of times. The Gyanvapi Mosque, which is adjacent to the temple, is the original site of the temple. The temple, as it exists now, also called Golden Temple, was built in 1780 by Queen Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore. The two pinnacles of the temple are covered in gold, donated in 1839 by Ranjit Singh, the ruler of the Punjab and the remaining dome is also planned to be gold plated by the Ministry of Culture & Religious Affairs of Uttar Pradesh. On 28 January 1983, the temple was taken over by the government of Uttar Pradesh and its management was transferred to a trust with then Kashi Naresh, Vibhuti Narayan Singh, as president and an executive committee with a Divisional Commissioner as chairman. Numerous rituals, prayers and aratis are held daily, starting from 2:30 am till 11:00 pm.

The Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple is one of the sacred temples of the Hindu god Hanuman situated by the Assi River, on the way to the Durga and New Vishwanath temples within the Banaras Hindu University campus. The present temple structure was built in early 1900s by the educationist and freedom fighter, Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya, the founder of Banaras Hindu University. It is believed the temple was built on the very spot where the medieval Hindu saint Tulsidas had a vision of Hanuman. Thousands flock to the temple on Tuesdays and Saturdays, weekdays associated with Hanuman. On 7 March 2006, in a terrorist attack one of the three explosions hit the temple while the Aarti was in progress when numerous devotees and people attending a wedding were present and many were injured. However, normal worship was resumed the next day with devotees visiting the temple and reciting hymns of Hanuman Chalisa (authored by Tulidas) and Sundarkand (a booklet of these hymns is provided free of charge in the temple). After the terrorist incident, a permanent police post was set up inside the temple.

There are two temples named "Durga" in Varanasi, Durga Mandir (built about 500 years ago), and Durga Kund (built in the 18th century). Thousands of Hindu devotees visit Durga Kund during Navratri to worship the goddess Durga. The temple, built in Nagara architectural style, has multi-tiered spires[96] and is stained red with ochre, representing the red colour of Durga. The building has a rectangular tank of water called the Durga Kund ("Kund" meaning a pond or pool). Every year on the occasion of Nag Panchami, the act of depicting the god Vishnu reclining on the serpent Shesha is recreated in the Kund.

While the Annapurna Temple, located close to the Kashi Vishwanath temple, is dedicated to Annapurna, the goddess of food, the Sankatha Temple close to the Sindhia Ghat is dedicated to Sankatha, the goddess of remedy. The Sankatha temple has a large sculpture of a lion and a nine temple cluster dedicated to the nine planets.

Kalabhairav Temple, an ancient temple located near the Head Post Office at Visheshar Ganj, is dedicated to Kala-Bhairava, the guardian (Kotwal) of Varanasi. The Mrithyunjay Mahadev Temple, dedicated to Shiva, is situated on the way to Daranagar to Kalbhairav temple. A well near the temple has some religious significance as its water source is believed to be fed from several underground streams, having curative powers.

The New Vishwanath Temple located in the campus of Banaras Hindu University is a modern temple which was planned by Pandit Malviya and built by the Birlas. The Tulsi Manas Temple, nearby the Durga Temple, is a modern temple dedicated to the god Rama. It is built at the place where Tulsidas authored the Ramcharitmanas, which narrates the life of Rama. Many verses from this epic are inscribed on the temple walls.

The Bharat Mata Temple, dedicated to the national personification of India, was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi in 1936. It has relief maps of India carved in marble. Babu Shiv Prasad Gupta and Durga Prasad Khatri, leading numismatists, antiquarians and nationalist leaders, donated funds for its construction.

RELIGION

HINDUISM

Varanasi is one of the holiest cities and centres of pilgrimage for Hindus of all denominations. It is one of the seven Hindu holiest cities (Sapta Puri), considered the giver of salvation (moksha). Over 50,000 Brahmins live in Varanasi, providing religious services to the masses. Hindus believe that bathing in the Ganges remits sins and that dying in Kashi ensures release of a person's soul from the cycle of its transmigrations. Thus, many Hindus arrive here for dying.

As the home to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple Jyotirlinga, it is very sacred for Shaivism. Varanasi is also a Shakti Peetha, where the temple to goddess Vishalakshi stands, believed to be the spot where the goddess Sati's earrings fell. Hindus of the Shakti sect make a pilgrimage to the city because they regard the River Ganges itself to be the Goddess Shakti. Adi Shankara wrote his commentaries on Hinduism here, leading to the great Hindu revival.

In 2001, Hindus made up approximately 84% of the population of Varanasi District.

ISLAM

Varanasi is one of the holiest cities and centres of pilgrimage for Hindus of all denominations. It is one of the seven Hindu holiest cities (Sapta Puri), considered the giver of salvation (moksha). Over 50,000 Brahmins live in Varanasi, providing religious services to the masses. Hindus believe that bathing in the Ganges remits sins and that dying in Kashi ensures release of a person's soul from the cycle of its transmigrations. Thus, many Hindus arrive here for dying.

As the home to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple Jyotirlinga, it is very sacred for Shaivism. Varanasi is also a Shakti Peetha, where the temple to goddess Vishalakshi stands, believed to be the spot where the goddess Sati's earrings fell. Hindus of the Shakti sect make a pilgrimage to the city because they regard the River Ganges itself to be the Goddess Shakti. Adi Shankara wrote his commentaries on Hinduism here, leading to the great Hindu revival.

In 2001, Hindus made up approximately 84% of the population of Varanasi District.

OTHERS

At the 2001 census, persons of other religions or no religion made up 0.4% of the population of Varanasi District.

Varanasi is a pilgrimage site for Jains along with Hindus and Buddhists. It is believed to be the birthplace of Suparshvanath, Shreyansanath, and Parshva, who are respectively the seventh, eleventh, and twenty-third Jain Tirthankars and as such Varanasi is a holy city for Jains. Shree Parshvanath Digambar Jain Tirth Kshetra (Digambar Jain Temple) is situated in Bhelupur, Varanasi. This temple is of great religious importance to the Jain Religion.

Sarnath, a suburb of Varanasi, is a place of Buddhist pilgrimage. It is the site of the deer park where Siddhartha Gautama of Nepal is said to have given his first sermon about the basic principles of Buddhism. The Dhamek Stupa is one of the few pre-Ashokan stupas still in existence, though only its foundation remains. Also remaining is the Chaukhandi Stupa commemorating the spot where Buddha met his first disciples in the 5th century. An octagonal tower was built later there.

Guru Nanak Dev visited Varanasi for Shivratri in 1507 and had an encounter which with other events forms the basis for the story of the founding of Sikhism. Varanasi also hosts the Roman Catholic Diocese of Varanasi, and has an insignificant Jewish expatriate community. Varanasi is home to numerous tribal faiths which are not easily classified.

Dalits are 13% of population Of Varanasi city. Most dalits are followers of Guru Ravidass. So Shri Guru Ravidass Janam Asthan is important place of pilgrimage for Ravidasis from all around India.

RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS

On Mahashivaratri (February) – which is dedicated to Shiva – a procession of Shiva proceeds from the Mahamrityunjaya Temple to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple.

Dhrupad Mela is a five-day musical festival devoted to dhrupad style held at Tulsi Ghat in February–March.

The Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple celebrates Hanuman Jayanti (March–April), the birthday of Hanuman with great fervour. A special puja, aarti, and a public procession is organized. Starting in 1923, the temple organizes a five-day classical music and dance concert festival titled Sankat Mochan Sangeet Samaroh in this period, when iconic artists from all parts of India are invited to perform.

The Ramlila of Ramnagar is a dramatic enactment of Rama's legend, as told in Ramacharitamanasa. The plays, sponsored by Kashi Naresh, are performed in Ramnagar every evening for 31 days. On the last day, the festivities reach a crescendo as Rama vanquishes the demon king Ravana. Kashi Naresh Udit Narayan Singh started this tradition around 1830.

Bharat Milap celebrates the meeting of Rama and his younger brother Bharata after the return of the former after 14 years of exile. It is celebrated during October–November, a day after the festival of Vijayadashami. Kashi Naresh attends this festival in his regal attire resplendent in regal finery. The festival attracts a large number of devotees.

Nag Nathaiya, celebrated on the fourth lunar day of the dark fortnight of the Hindu month of Kartik (October–November), that commemorates the victory of the god Krishna over the serpent Kaliya. On this occasion, a large Kadamba tree (Neolamarckia cadamba) branch is planted on the banks of the Ganges so that a boy acting the role of Krishna can jump into the river on to the effigy representing Kaliya. He stands over the effigy in a dancing pose playing the flute; the effigy and the boy standing on it is given a swirl in front of the audience. People watch the display standing on the banks of the river or from boats.

Ganga Mahotsav is a five-day music festival organized by the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department, held in November–December culminating a day before Kartik Poornima (Dev Deepawali). On Kartik Poornima also called the Ganges festival, the Ganges is venerated by arti offered by thousands of pilgrims who release lighted lamps to float in the river from the ghats.

Annually Jashne-Eid Miladunnabi is celebrated on the day of Barawafat in huge numbers by Muslims in a huge rally coming from all the parts of the city and meeting up at Beniya Bagh.

WIKIPEDIA

Thought this was interesting.

Hong Kong (香港; "Fragrant Harbour"), officially Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, is an autonomous territory on the southern coast of China at the Pearl River Estuary and the South China Sea. Hong Kong is known for its skyline and deep natural harbour. It has an area of 1104 km2 and shares its northern border with the Guangdong Province of Mainland China. With around 7.2 million Hongkongers of various nationalities, Hong Kong is one of the world's most densely populated metropolises.

After the First Opium War (1839–42), Hong Kong became a British colony with the perpetual cession of Hong Kong Island, followed by Kowloon Peninsula in 1860 and a 99-year lease of the New Territories from 1898. Hong Kong remained under British control for about a century until the Second World War, when Japan occupied the colony from December 1941 to August 1945. After the Surrender of Japan, the British resumed control. In the 1980s, negotiations between the United Kingdom and the People's Republic of China resulted in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration, which provided for the transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong on 30 June 1997. The territory became a special administrative region of China with a high degree of autonomy on 1 July 1997 under the principle of one country, two systems. Disputes over the perceived misapplication of this principle have contributed to popular protests, including the 2014 Umbrella Revolution.

In the late 1970s, Hong Kong became a major entrepôt in Asia-Pacific. The territory has developed into a major global trade hub and financial centre. The 44th-largest economy in the world, Hong Kong ranks top 10 in GDP (PPP) per capita, but also has the most severe income inequality among advanced economies. Hong Kong is one of the three most important financial centres alongside New York and London, and the world's number one tourist destination city. The territory has been named the freest market economy. The service economy, characterised by free trade and low taxation, has been regarded as one of the world's most laissez-faire economic policies, and the currency, the Hong Kong dollar, is the 13th most traded currency in the world.

The Hong Kong Basic Law empowers the region to develop relations and make agreements directly with foreign states and regions, as well as international organizations, in a broad range of appropriate fields. It is an independent member of APEC, the IMF, WTO, FIFA and International Olympic Committee among others.

Limited land created a dense infrastructure and the territory became a centre of modern architecture, and one of the world's most vertical cities. Hong Kong has a highly developed public transportation network covering 90 per cent of the population, the highest in the world, and relies on mass transit by road or rail. Air pollution remains a serious problem. Loose emissions standards have resulted in a high level of atmospheric particulates. Nevertheless, Hongkongers enjoy the world's longest or second longest life expectancies.

NAME

It is not known who was responsible for the Romanisation of the name "Hong Kong" but it is generally believed to be an early imprecise phonetic rendering of the pronunciation of the spoken Cantonese or Hakka name 香港, meaning "Fragrant Harbour". Before 1842, the name referred to a small inlet—now Aberdeen Harbour (香港仔, Sidney Lau: heung1gong2 jai2, Jyutping: hoeng1gong2 zai2, or Hiong1gong3 zai3 in a form of Hakka, literally means "Little Hong Kong")—between Aberdeen Island and the south side of Hong Kong Island, which was one of the first points of contact between British sailors and local fishermen. As those early contacts are likely to have been with Hong Kong's early inhabitants, the Tankas (水上人), it is equally probable that the early Romanisation was a faithful execution of their speech, i.e. hong1, not heung1. Detailed and accurate Romanisation systems for Cantonese were available and in use at the time.

The reference to fragrance may refer to the sweet taste of the harbour's fresh water estuarine influx of the Pearl River, or to the incense from factories, lining the coast to the north of Kowloon, which was stored near Aberdeen Harbour for export before the development of the Victoria Harbour.

In 1842, the Treaty of Nanking was signed and the name, Hong Kong, was first recorded on official documents to encompass the entirety of the island.

The name had often been written as the single word Hongkong until the government adopted the current form in 1926. Nevertheless, a number of century-old institutions still retain the single-word form, such as the Hongkong Post, Hongkong Electric and the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation.

The full official name, after 1997, is "Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China". This is the official title as mentioned in the Hong Kong Basic Law and the Hong Kong Government's website; however, "Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" and "Hong Kong" are widely accepted.

Hong Kong has carried many nicknames: the most famous among those is the "Pearl of the Orient", which reflected the impressive night-view of the city's light decorations on the skyscrapers along both sides of the Victoria Harbour. The territory is also known as "Asia's World City".

HISTORY

PRE-BRITISH

Archaeological studies support human presence in the Chek Lap Kok area (now Hong Kong International Airport) from 35,000 to 39,000 years ago and on Sai Kung Peninsula from 6,000 years ago.

Wong Tei Tung and Three Fathoms Cove are the earliest sites of human habitation in Hong Kong during the Paleolithic Period. It is believed that the Three Fathom Cove was a river-valley settlement and Wong Tei Tung was a lithic manufacturing site. Excavated Neolithic artefacts suggested cultural differences from the Longshan culture of northern China and settlement by the Che people, prior to the migration of the Baiyue (Viets) to Hong Kong. Eight petroglyphs, which dated to the Shang dynasty in China, were discovered on the surrounding islands.

ANCIENT CHINA

In 214 BC, Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China, conquered the Baiyue tribes in Jiaozhi (modern Liangguang region and Vietnam) and incorporated the territory into imperial China for the first time. Modern Hong Kong was assigned to the Nanhai commandery (modern Nanhai District), near the commandery's capital city Panyu. In Qin dynasty, the territory was ruled by Panyu County(番禺縣) up till Jin Dynasty.

The area of Hong Kong was consolidated under the kingdom of Nanyue (Southern Viet), founded by general Zhao Tuo in 204 BC after the collapse of the short-lived Qin dynasty. When the kingdom of Nanyue was conquered by the Han Dynasty in 111 BC, Hong Kong was assigned to the Jiaozhi commandery. Archaeological evidence indicates that the population increased and early salt production flourished in this time period. Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb on the Kowloon Peninsula is believed to have been built during the Han dynasty.

IMPERIAL CHINA

Started from Jin dynasty to early period of Tang dynasty, the territory that now comprises Hong Kong was governed by Bao'an County (寶安縣). In Tang dynasty, the Guangdong region flourished as an international trading center. The Tuen Mun region in what is now Hong Kong's New Territories served as a port, naval base, salt production centre and later, base for the exploitation of pearls. Lantau Island was also a salt production centre, where the salt smugglers riots broke out against the government.

Under the Tang dynasty, the Guangdong (Canton) region flourished as a regional trading centre. In 736 AD, the first Emperor of Tang established a military stronghold in Tuen Mun in western Hong Kong to defend the coastal area of the region. The first village school, Li Ying College, was established around 1075 AD in the modern-day New Territories under the Northern Song dynasty. After their defeat by the Mongols, the Southern Song court briefly moved to modern-day Kowloon City (the Sung Wong Toi site), before its final defeat at the Battle of Yamen.

From the mid-Tang dynasty to early Ming dynasty, the territory that now comprises Hong Kong was governed by Dongguan County (東莞縣/ 東官縣). In Ming dynasty, the area was governed by Xin'an County (新安縣) before it was colonized by the British government. The indigenous inhabitants of what is now Hong Kong are identified with several ethnicities, including Punti, Hakka, Tanka) and Hoklo.

The earliest European visitor on record was Jorge Álvares, a Portuguese explorer who arrived in 1513. Having founded an establishment in Macau by 1557, Portuguese merchants began trading in southern China. However, subsequent military clashes between China and Portugal led to the expulsion of all Portuguese merchants from the rest of China.

In the mid-16th century, the Haijin order (closed-door, isolation policy) was enforced and it strictly forbade all maritime activities in order to prevent contact from foreigners by sea. From 1661 to 1669, Hong Kong was directly affected by the Great Clearance of the Kangxi Emperor, who required the evacuation of coastal areas of Guangdong. About 16,000 people from Hong Kong and Bao'an County were forced to emigrate inland; 1,648 of those who evacuated were said to have returned after the evacuation was rescinded in 1669.

BRITSH CROWN COLONY 1842–1941

In 1839, the refusal of Qing authorities to support opium imports caused the outbreak of the First Opium War between the British Empire and the Qing Empire. Qing's defeat resulted in the occupation of Hong Kong Island by British forces on 20 January 1841. It was initially ceded under the Convention of Chuenpee, as part of a ceasefire agreement between Captain Charles Elliot and Governor Qishan. While a dispute between high-ranking officials of both countries led to the failure of the treaty's ratification, on 29 August 1842, Hong Kong Island was formally ceded in perpetuity to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland under the Treaty of Nanking. The British officially established a Crown colony and founded the City of Victoria in the following year.

The population of Hong Kong Island was 7,450 when the Union Flag raised over Possession Point on 26 January 1841. It mostly consisted of Tanka fishermen and Hakka charcoal burners, whose settlements scattered along several coastal hamlets. In the 1850s, a large number of Chinese immigrants crossed the then-free border to escape from the Taiping Rebellion. Other natural disasters, such as flooding, typhoons and famine in mainland China would play a role in establishing Hong Kong as a place for safe shelter.

Further conflicts over the opium trade between Britain and Qing quickly escalated into the Second Opium War. Following the Anglo-French victory, the Crown Colony was expanded to include Kowloon Peninsula (south of Boundary Street) and Stonecutter's Island, both of which were ceded to the British in perpetuity under the Convention of Beijing in 1860.

In 1898, Britain obtained a 99-year lease from Qing under the Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory, in which Hong Kong obtained a 99-year lease of the Lantau Island, the area north of Boundary Street in Kowloon up to Shenzhen River and over 200 other outlying islands.

Hong Kong soon became a major entrepôt thanks to its free port status, attracting new immigrants to settle from both China and Europe alike. The society, however, remained racially segregated and polarised under British colonial policies. Despite the rise of a British-educated Chinese upper-class by the late-19th century, race laws such as the Peak Reservation Ordinance prevented ethnic Chinese in Hong Kong from acquiring houses in reserved areas, such as the Victoria Peak. At this time, the majority of the Chinese population in Hong Kong had no political representation in the British colonial government. There were, however, a small number of Chinese elites whom the British governors relied on, such as Sir Kai Ho and Robert Hotung, who served as communicators and mediators between the government and local population.

Hong Kong continued to experience modest growth during the first half of the 20th century. The University of Hong Kong was established in 1911 as the territory's oldest higher education institute. While there was an exodus of 60,000 residents for fear of a German attack on the British colony during the First World War, Hong Kong remained peaceful. Its population increased from 530,000 in 1916 to 725,000 in 1925 and reached 1.6 million by 1941.

In 1925, Cecil Clementi became the 17th Governor of Hong Kong. Fluent in Cantonese and without a need for translator, Clementi introduced the first ethnic Chinese, Shouson Chow, into the Executive Council as an unofficial member. Under his tenure, Kai Tak Airport entered operation as RAF Kai Tak and several aviation clubs. In 1937, the Second Sino-Japanese War broke out when the Japanese Empire expanded its territories from northeastern China into the mainland proper. To safeguard Hong Kong as a freeport, Governor Geoffry Northcote declared the Crown Colony as a neutral zone.

JAPANESE OCCUPATION 1941–45

As part of its military campaign in Southeast Asia during Second World War, the Japanese army moved south from Guangzhou of mainland China and attacked Hong Kong on 8 December 1941. The Battle of Hong Kong ended with the British and Canadian defenders surrendering control of Hong Kong to Japan on 25 December 1941 in what was regarded by locals as Black Christmas.

During the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, the Japanese army committed atrocities against civilians and POWs, such as the St. Stephen's College massacre. Local residents also suffered widespread food shortages, limited rationing and hyper-inflation arising from the forced exchange of currency from Hong Kong Dollars to Japanese military banknotes. The initial ratio of 2:1 was gradually devalued to 4:1 and ownership of Hong Kong Dollars was declared illegal and punishable by harsh torture. Due to starvation and forced deportation for slave labour to mainland China, the population of Hong Kong had dwindled from 1.6 million in 1941 to 600,000 in 1945, when Britain resumed control of the colony on 30 August 1945.

ECONOMY

As one of the world's leading international financial centres, Hong Kong has a major capitalist service economy characterised by low taxation and free trade. The currency, Hong Kong dollar, is the eighth most traded currency in the world as of 2010. Hong Kong was once described by Milton Friedman as the world's greatest experiment in laissez-faire capitalism, but has since instituted a regime of regulations including a minimum wage. It maintains a highly developed capitalist economy, ranked the freest in the world by the Index of Economic Freedom every year since 1995. It is an important centre for international finance and trade, with one of the greatest concentrations of corporate headquarters in the Asia-Pacific region, and is known as one of the Four Asian Tigers for its high growth rates and rapid development from the 1960s to the 1990s. Between 1961 and 1997 Hong Kong's gross domestic product grew 180 times while per-capita GDP increased 87 times over.

The Hong Kong Stock Exchange is the seventh largest in the world and has a market capitalisation of US$2.3 trillion as of December 2009. In that year, Hong Kong raised 22 percent of worldwide initial public offering (IPO) capital, making it the largest centre of IPOs in the world and the easiest place to raise capital. The Hong Kong dollar has been pegged to the US dollar since 1983.

The Hong Kong Government has traditionally played a mostly passive role in the economy, with little by way of industrial policy and almost no import or export controls. Market forces and the private sector were allowed to determine practical development. Under the official policy of "positive non-interventionism", Hong Kong is often cited as an example of laissez-faire capitalism. Following the Second World War, Hong Kong industrialised rapidly as a manufacturing centre driven by exports, and then underwent a rapid transition to a service-based economy in the 1980s. Since then, it has grown to become a leading centre for management, financial, IT, business consultation and professional services.

Hong Kong matured to become a financial centre in the 1990s, but was greatly affected by the Asian financial crisis in 1998, and again in 2003 by the SARS outbreak. A revival of external and domestic demand has led to a strong recovery, as cost decreases strengthened the competitiveness of Hong Kong exports and a long deflationary period ended. Government intervention, initiated by the later colonial governments and continued since 1997, has steadily increased, with the introduction of export credit guarantees, a compulsory pension scheme, a minimum wage, anti-discrimination laws, and a state mortgage backer.

The territory has little arable land and few natural resources, so it imports most of its food and raw materials. Imports account for more than 90% of Hong Kong's food supply, including nearly all of the meat and rice available there. Agricultural activity - relatively unimportant to Hong Kong's economy and contributing just 0.1% of its GDP - primarily consists of growing premium food and flower varieties. Hong Kong is the world's eleventh largest trading entity, with the total value of imports and exports exceeding its gross domestic product. It is the world's largest re-export centre. Much of Hong Kong's exports consist of re-exports, which are products made outside of the territory, especially in mainland China, and distributed via Hong Kong. Its physical location has allowed the city to establish a transportation and logistics infrastructure that includes the world's second busiest container port and the world's busiest airport for international cargo. Even before the transfer of sovereignty, Hong Kong had established extensive trade and investment ties with the mainland, which now enable it to serve as a point of entry for investment flowing into the mainland. At the end of 2007, there were 3.46 million people employed full-time, with the unemployment rate averaging 4.1% for the fourth straight year of decline. Hong Kong's economy is dominated by the service sector, which accounts for over 90% of its GDP, while industry constitutes 9%. Inflation was at 2.5% in 2007. Hong Kong's largest export markets are mainland China, the United States, and Japan.

As of 2010 Hong Kong is the eighth most expensive city for expatriates, falling from fifth position in the previous year. Hong Kong is ranked fourth in terms of the highest percentage of millionaire households, behind Switzerland, Qatar, and Singapore with 8.5 percent of all households owning at least one million US dollars. Hong Kong is also ranked second in the world by the most billionaires per capita (one per 132,075 people), behind Monaco. In 2011, Hong Kong was ranked second in the Ease of Doing Business Index, behind Singapore.

Hong Kong is ranked No. 1 in the world in the Crony Capitalism Index by the Economist.

In 2014, Hong Kong was the eleventh most popular destination for international tourists among countries and territories worldwide, with a total of 27.8 million visitors contributing a total of US$38,376 million in international tourism receipts. Hong Kong is also the most popular city for tourists, nearly two times of its nearest competitor Macau.

DEMOGRAPHICS

The territory's population in mid-2015 is 7.30 million, with an average annual growth rate of 0.8% over the previous 5 years. The current population of Hong Kong comprises 91% ethnic Chinese. A major part of Hong Kong's Cantonese-speaking majority originated from the neighbouring Guangdong province, from where many fled during the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Chinese Civil War, and the communist rule in China.

Residents of the Mainland do not automatically receive the Right of Abode, and many may not enter the territory freely. Like other non-natives, they may apply for the Right of Abode after seven years of continuous residency. Some of the rights may also be acquired by marriage (e.g., the right to work), but these do not include the right to vote or stand for office. However, the influx of immigrants from mainland China, approximating 45,000 per year, is a significant contributor to its population growth – a daily quota of 150 Mainland Chinese with family ties in Hong Kong are granted a "one way permit". Life expectancy in Hong Kong is 81.2 years for males and 86.9 years for females as of 2014, making it the highest life expectancy in the world.

About 91% of the people of Hong Kong are of Chinese descent, the majority of whom are Taishanese, Chiu Chow, other Cantonese people, and Hakka. Hong Kong's Han majority originate mainly from the Guangzhou and Taishan regions in Guangdong province. The remaining 6.9% of the population is composed of non-ethnic Chinese. There is a South Asian population of Indians, Pakistanis and Nepalese; some Vietnamese refugees have become permanent residents of Hong Kong. There are also Britons, Americans, Canadians, Japanese, and Koreans working in the city's commercial and financial sector. In 2011, 133,377 foreign domestic helpers from Indonesia and 132,935 from the Philippines were working in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong's de facto official language is Cantonese, a variety of Chinese originating from Guangdong province to the north of Hong Kong. English is also an official language, and according to a 1996 by-census is spoken by 3.1 percent of the population as an everyday language and by 34.9 percent of the population as a second language. Signs displaying both Chinese and English are common throughout the territory. Since the 1997 Handover, an increase in immigrants from communist China and greater interaction with the mainland's economy have brought an increasing number of Mandarin speakers to Hong Kong.

RELIGION

A majority of residents of Hong Kong have no religious affiliation, professing a form of agnosticism or atheism. According to the US Department of State 43 percent of the population practices some form of religion. Some figures put it higher, according to a Gallup poll, 64% of Hong Kong residents do not believe in any religion, and possibly 80% of Hong Kong claim no religion. In Hong Kong teaching evolution won out in curriculum dispute about whether to teach other explanations, and that creationism and intelligent design will form no part of the senior secondary biology curriculum.

Hong Kong enjoys a high degree of religious freedom, guaranteed by the Basic Law. Hong Kong's main religions are Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism; a local religious scholar in contact with major denominations estimates there are approximately 1.5 million Buddhists and Taoists. A Christian community of around 833,000 forms about 11.7% of the total population; Protestants forms a larger number than Roman Catholics at a rate of 4:3, although smaller Christian communities exist, including the Latter-day Saints and Jehovah's Witnesses. The Anglican and Roman Catholic churches each freely appoint their own bishops, unlike in mainland China. There are also Sikh, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu and Bahá'í communities. The practice of Falun Gong is tolerated.

PERSONAL INCOME

Statistically Hong Kong's income gap is the greatest in Asia Pacific. According to a report by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme in 2008, Hong Kong's Gini coefficient, at 0.53, was the highest in Asia and "relatively high by international standards". However, the government has stressed that income disparity does not equate to worsening of the poverty situation, and that the Gini coefficient is not strictly comparable between regions. The government has named economic restructuring, changes in household sizes, and the increase of high-income jobs as factors that have skewed the Gini coefficient.

WIKIPEDIA

Castletown River, Dundalk, Co.Louth, Ireland 03-01-2020

[order] Charadriiformes | [family] Scolopacidae | [latin] Tringa erythropus | [UK] Spotted Redshank | [FR] Chevalier arlequin | [DE] Dunkelwasserläufer | [ES] Archibebe oscuro | [IT] Totano moro | [NL] Zwarte Ruiter

Measurements

spanwidth min.: 48 cm

spanwidth max.: 52 cm

size min.: 29 cm

size max.: 32 cm

Breeding

incubation min.: 23 days

incubation max.: 24 days

fledging min.: 0 days

fledging max.: 0 days

broods 1

eggs min.: 3

eggs max.: 4

Physical characteristics

Big and elegant wader, with long neck, legs and bill. Entirely black, with white dots on upperparts, and often variable amounts of whitish on underparts, in flight shows white wedge on back and white underwing. Female slightly larger and generally paler, with white tips on crown feathers and more white fringes on underparts. Non-breeding adult has contrasting dark eye stripe and white supercilium, ash grey upperparts with white fringes, plain grey breast and white underparts. Rather similar to T. totanus, but has longer darker red legs. Longer, finer bill, lower mandible basally red. White above lores. Juvenile darker than non-breeding adult.

Habitat

Open wooded tundra, swampy pine or birch forest near tree-line, and also more open areas such as heathland and shrub tundra. After breeding, occurs in variety of freshwater or brackish wetlands, including sewage farms, irrigated rice fields, brackish lagoons, salt-marshes, salt-pans and sheltered muddy shores along coast

Other details

This bird inhabits taiga and scrub tundra in northern Eurasia, from the north of Scandinavia and Finland to eastern Siberia. European populations winter mainly in sub-Saharan Africa, north of the Equator. Small numbers stay in the Mediterranean regions and Western Europe however. The total European population, Russia included, is estimated at 27000-47000 breeding pairs

Feeding

Mainly aquatic insects, terrestrial flying insects, small crustaceans, molluscs, worms, fish and amphibians. When feeding on fish, may forage socially in dense flock of conspecifics or mixed with other tringines, moving erratically while pecking at prey or running synchronously in one direction, while each bird sweeps bill through water. Often found in water, and occasionally swims while feeding in deep water, may immerse head and neck completely. Pecks, probes, jabs or sweeps bill through water from side to side. Mostly in small flocks, sometimes singly. Diurnal and nocturnal feeder.

Conservation

This species has a large range, with an estimated global Extent of Occurrence of 1,000,000-10,000,000 km². It has a large global population estimated to be 120,000-360,000 individuals (Wetlands International 2002). Global population trends have not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e. declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations). For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern. [conservation status from birdlife.org]

Breeding

Egg laying from April to May. pair bond is monogamous, apparently sometimes polyandrous.Nest is usually built in grass tussocks or moss, sparsely lined with plant material. 4 eggs are laid, incubation period unknown. Chick pale drab grey finely marked with fuscous black above, dark cap and dirty white on chin and belly. Most females leave before eggs hatch.

Migration

Migratory. Overall winter range extends from western Europe and West Africa to Vietnam and south-east China; reached by broad-front overland movements, though important passage concentrations also occur along western seaboard. European migration characterized by long, continuous flights between staging areas, so that over large regions seen only in low numbers which do not reflect true scale of movement. Adult females form flocks and leave breeding grounds while males incubating (about 10 June in Finland) and reach Denmark and Waddenzee by mid-June. males and juveniles follow in second half July and August. Early birds reach West Africa August-September, but main arrivals in October. Sénégal wintering areas vacated in March; return movement through Europe in April and May. First birds consistently reach Finland about 4 May (× 4 days), and immigration proceeds rapidly, reaching even northern Gulf of Bothnia within a few days. A few non-breeders summer in Africa, but others return to Europe and remain in flocks south of breeding latitudes

It's been raining continuously, but I had to get out to the blind today. Quite a few species, though I only managed a few really useful images.

Continuous lights behind and camera left.

A few pics from Continuous Worship Conference

A7 III with LA-EA3 and Tamron 70-300 USD lens.

These photos are out of camera JPGs with digital x2.0 zoom applied in camera. Here 8 fps is achieved.

There are many options available allowing patients with diabetes to monitor and manage their glucose levels. The Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) shown here includes a glucose level sensor and transmitter, a data receiver which displays the patient's glucose levels, and an insulin delivery system (pump), which administers doses of insulin decided by the patient and their health care provider. Patients should always make insulin and other diabetes dosing decisions using a blood glucose level result. Insulin may be delivered by pill, syringe, pen, or pump.

This graphic is free of all copyright restrictions and available for use and redistribution without permission. Credit to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is appreciated but not required. For more privacy and use information visit: www.flickr.com/people/fdaphotos/

FDA graphic by Michael J. Ermarth

2022年9月30日 百里飛行場（航空自衛隊 百里基地・茨城空港）にて撮影

September 30, 2022 at Hyakuri Airfield (JASDF Hyakuri Air Base / Ibaraki Airport), IBR / RJAH

The Chapel Royal

A beautiful chapel in continuous use for over 450 years. Everyone is welcome to attend religious services in The Chapel Royal at Hampton Court Palace.

Sumptuous Ceiling and Important Historic Site

Outstandingly rich, colorful and layered with history, the chapel’s ceiling is the grand culmination of the Tudor interiors at Hampton Court.

Kings and queens used the private pew which looks down upon the main body of the chapel.

It was here in the chapel, in 1540, that Archbishop Cranmer handed Henry VIII a letter outlining various accusations against the King’s young new wife, Catherine Howard.

She was accused of unchaste behavior before her marriage. Henry VIII had been besotted with his young wife, which is why he turned against her all the more viciously. She was executed at the Tower of London soon afterwards.

Henry VIII’s Crown, an accurate replica of the crown worn by Henry VIII, is on display in the Royal Pew of the Chapel Royal where Henry himself would have sat wearing it.

Her Majesty’s Chapel

“Her Majesty provides this beautiful place of worship and its establishment of a Chaplain, a full-time Choir, and a Verger, for all who may wish to attend its services or visit it.”

—Denis Mulliner, Canon of The Chapel Royal

Hampton Court’s royal chapel remains in active use today. In fact, it has been in continuous use ever since Thomas Wolsey built it almost 500 years ago. It was Cardinal Wolsey who had the Chapel extended to its current size. Henry VIII installed the magnificent vaulted ceiling here in 1535. There are clear signs that the ceiling was built by a Tudor monarch. The red and white rose of the house of Tudor as well as Margaret Beaufort’s portcullis—which Henry had chosen to take over after his grandmother’s death—have been carved out at the very top of the walls.

The East end of the chapel once contained a great double window filled with stained glass: Henry VIII’s patron saint—Saint Henry the Emperor—was joined by Saint Catherine, Saint Thomas Becket and Saint Anne. The royal family itself is also featured—Henry VIII, his wife Catherine of Aragon, and Cardinal Thomas Wolsey are kneeling in prayer. It was originally created for Wolsey by Erhard Schön of Nürnberg but he fell from favor before he could enjoy it. The glass was destroyed in the Commonwealth and the window eventually bricked up. It is now completely hidden by the large oak reredos carved by Grinling Gibbons for Queen Anne in the early 1700s. The monarch and his family would sit in the Royal Pew above the rest of the congregation.

The Chapel at Hampton Court Palace witnessed many important events during the Tudor time. Among other things, it was here that Archbishop Cranmer secretly handed Henry VIII a letter containing all the details of Katherine Howard’s affairs. Prince Edward was baptized here shortly after his birth in 1537.

A History of the Chapel Royal

One feature of Wolsey’s house, distinguishing it from the houses of other courtiers, was the Chapel and the grand procession route to it. In a king’s or cardinal’s household, the stately procession from his own chambers to Chapel to hear mass on feast days was an important ritual. Passing along the gallery, accompanied by his officers, the king or grandee could see and be seen by the throngs of courtiers and visitors. At Hampton Court, Wolsey constructed a magnificent double-height chapel, with an estoppel window at its east end filled with stained glass. Remains of this great double window survive behind Queen Anne’s eighteenth-century reredos, which dominates the east end of the chapel today. The stained-glass windows, designed by Erhard Schön from Nuremberg, included figures of a king and queen praying. Wolsey’s Chapel choir was excellent, so fine that in 1519, Henry VIII insisted that some of its members transferred to the King’s own singers; the choristers who still practice in the chapel today are their successors.

It is possible to work out that the Royal lodgings, Wolsey’s own lodgings, and the Chapel were built in one campaign because they share similar bricks. The soft red brick of Wolsey’s building was enhanced by patterns in “diaper-work”. Diamond -shaped designs picked out in black or over burnt bricks. This subtle decoration once covered most of the Palace, although later repairs have erased or spoiled much of it. However, on the external east wall of the chapel, one patch of what appears to be diaper-work survives in good condition because it has been sheltered from the elements by later buildings constructed against it. Here, the builders tried to deceive the eye by continuing the diaper pattern in black paint rather than by using actual blackened bricks.

On feast or holy days, the King would hear mass from the Holyday Closet, a room overlooking the Chapel. On other days, he was often keen to leave the palace early to reach the hunting field and would hear mass at seven o’clock in his Privy Closet within his own lodgings, sometimes reading state papers throughout the service. On feast-days, the Kingwood process in a stately manner to the Chapel, as Wolsey had done, along what is today known as the Haunted Gallery. The most important procession took place at Epiphany, the 12th day of Christmas, for which Henry would wear his crown and ropes. By 1535, the Holyday Closet and Chapel itself were now far superior to the simpler structure that Wolsey had built.

The Chapel, Henry’s last great building project at the Palace, was begun in 1535. The most important change was the addition of the fantastical ceiling, which still survives. The designer was probably William Clement, and its virtuosity clearly demonstrates his qualifications for his next task, which was to create another new Palace for Henry not far from Hampton Court: the largely wooden structure of Nonsuch. Although little remains Nonsuch Palace today, we can imagine its complexity and flamboyance from Hampton Court’s Chapel ceiling. Like the great Hall roof, the ceiling has many decorative flourishes on trusses, vaults, and pendants decorated with angels blasting their trumpets. The craftsman John Hethe and Henry Blankston added color and gilding.

At the same time, the Royal Pew was refitted to create the Holyday Closets at the west end of the chapel. Previously, there had been one large room for the King’s use; now two were created, with a painted screen incorporating stained-glass separating the King’s private pew from the Queen’s. Here it was that Henry first received the fateful news of Catherine Howard’s adultery. Henry VIII married his sixth and last wife in the Queen’s Closet. Catherine Parr was a good mother to Henry’s three children; she outlived her husband.

In 1643, the Parliamentarian forces seized Hampton Court. Motivated by the radical Puritanism that sought to strip the church of its frivolous trappings, they removed all the fine fittings from the Chapel: “the Altar was taken down … the Rails pulled down, the steps leveled; and the Popish pictures and superstitious Images that were in the glass windows were also demolished”. Only the elaborate ceiling remained above a white-painted room for preaching, with twelve long hard forms laid out for the congregation.

The greatest impact the Queen Anne had upon the fabric of the Palace was in the remodeling of the Chapel Royal is a firm upholder of the Anglican feet and royal tradition, she maintained a full complement of chapel musicians. As a sick woman who did not care for the elaborate etiquette of the Bedchamber, she saw her daily attendance at Chapel as her main opportunity to make a public appearance. In 1710, Sir Christopher Wren and Nicholas Hawksmoor successfully presented schemes for remodeling the body of the Chapel; these included a grand timber reredos at the east end with a painted scene by Sir James Thornhill above, the removal of the Tudor window tracery and the addition of paneling, box pews, an organ, and new sanctuary fittings. The Tudor windows were replaced with large casement windows. A trompe l’œil window painted by Thornhill on the south wall of the chapel, next to the organ, preserves the appearance of the eighteenth-century windows. A staircase was added leading down from the Royal Pew, where Thornhill also painted the central ceiling with a playful scene of cherubs in the heavens holding aloft a crown and a sword. The work was completed in 1712.

In the Grace and Favor Period, there was continuing rancor over the seating arrangements with the Chapel Royal. Seating for the worshipers was strictly by rank and social standing, policed by the resident housekeeper. There was sometimes unseemly behavior when elderly ladies tried to pull rank over their neighbors or over the visitors who tried to come into the Chapel. The problem seating had become so urgent that in 1866, the architect Anthony Salvin reordered the pews and added a block of box pews in the center. Even with these enhancements, the disputes continued, until the Lord Chamberlain decreed that no longer were those attending services in the Chapel to sit by rank.

Queen Anne’s casement windows were replaced with copies of the original Tudor windows in 1894.

During the Grace and Favor Period, famous Antarctic explorer Sir Robert falcon Scott was married in the Chapel Royal in 1908; his bride, Kathleen Bruce, a famous sculptor in her own right, was living in the grace-and-favor apartment at the time with her aunt, Mrs. Zoë Thomson.

Under the supervision of Edward Jesse, Itinerant Deputy Surveyor in the Office of Woods, Forests and Land Revenues, the ceiling of the Chapel Royal was repainted in its original rich blue coloring and gilded with gold stars. (The ceiling had been painted white in the reign of Queen Anne.) The design was further enhanced with mottos.

In the 1920s, the roof of the Chapel Royal was found to be in a decayed and dangerous state. Here new structural supports were introduced to bear the weight of the Tudor timber ceiling.

The Cloister

The cloister outside the main doors of the Chapel Royal has remained much as it was in Cardinal Wolsey’s time. He had the present Chapel built on the site of the thirteenth century chapel of the Knights Hospitaller of St. John of Jerusalem. The traces of a doorway opposite the entrance to the Chapel suggest that there was access at one time to the courtyard on the west side. Wolsey’s Chapel was taken over as a Chapel Royal with the Palace by King Henry VIII, and has been much altered since the sixteenth century, but its dimensions are still those of the Chapel which Wolsey built. The coats-of-arms flanking the doors of the Chapel Royal contain the heraldic achievements of King Henry VIII and his third Queen, Jane Seymour. The supporters are angels, and it has been suggested because of their religious subject that they may have belonged to Wolsey’s coat-of-arms; but it is more likely that they were integral to the Royal Arms of King Henry VIII and his Queen.

Built in 1681, The Old Ship Church is the oldest building in continuous ecclesiastical use in the United States.

Architecturally, The Old Ship reflects the Elizabethan Gothic of the builders' homeland. The great curved frames that support the roof were cut from oak grown on neighboring hillsides. They were axe hewn and no two are exactly alike in dimension. The name "Old Ship" likely derived from this unusual roof structure, which if inverted, would resemble the hull of a ship.

Studio headshot portrait using three LED flashlights as lighting.

/ More info on this photo on my blog /

Lighting info

Three lights (flashlights), main light above camera through diffusion panel. Left and right behind model with colour gel filters as rim lights.

I am not used to using continuous lighting in the studio, and getting the ratios as well as the exposure right with just on/off buttons on the flashlights proved to be a challenge. But it worked.

Nikon D800 and a 85mm/1.4G lens. Processed in Lightroom and some fixes in Photoshop.

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A Continuous Miner at Wearmouth Colliery.

Location: Roma Street Parklands, situated near the College Close car park

i drew eyes whilst watching the telly.

i had to be v.quick.

Samarkand is a city in southeastern Uzbekistan and among the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Central Asia. Samarkand is the capital of the Samarkand Region and a district-level city, that includes the urban-type settlements Kimyogarlar, Farhod and Khishrav. With 551,700 inhabitants (2021)] it is the third-largest city in Uzbekistan.

There is evidence of human activity in the area of the city dating from the late Paleolithic Era. Though there is no direct evidence of when Samarkand was founded, several theories propose that it was founded between the 8th and 7th centuries BC. Prospering from its location on the Silk Road between China, Persia and Europe, at times Samarkand was one of the largest cities in Central Asia, and was an important city of the empires of Greater Iran. By the time of the Persian Achaemenid Empire, it was the capital of the Sogdian satrapy. The city was conquered by Alexander the Great in 329 BC, when it was known as Markanda, which was rendered in Greek as Μαράκανδα. The city was ruled by a succession of Iranian and Turkic rulers until it was conquered by the Mongols under Genghis Khan in 1220.

The city is noted as a centre of Islamic scholarly study and the birthplace of the Timurid Renaissance. In the 14th century, Timur made it the capital of his empire and the site of his mausoleum, the Gur-e Amir. The Bibi-Khanym Mosque, rebuilt during the Soviet era, remains one of the city's most notable landmarks. Samarkand's Registan square was the city's ancient centre and is bounded by three monumental religious buildings. The city has carefully preserved the traditions of ancient crafts: embroidery, goldwork, silk weaving, copper engraving, ceramics, wood carving, and wood painting. In 2001, UNESCO added the city to its World Heritage List as Samarkand – Crossroads of Cultures.

Modern Samarkand is divided into two parts: the old city, which includes historical monuments, shops, and old private houses; and the new city, which was developed during the days of the Russian Empire and Soviet Union and includes administrative buildings along with cultural centres and educational institutions. On 15 and 16 September 2022, the city hosted the 2022 SCO summit.

Samarkand has a multicultural and plurilingual history that was significantly modified by the process of national delimitation in Central Asia. Many inhabitants of the city are native or bilingual speakers of the Tajik language, whereas Uzbek is the official language and Russian is also widely used in the public sphere, as per Uzbekistan's language policy.

A quick continuous line study. I really enjoy working with continuous line, its simple and quick yet really affective.

www.stitchedincolor.com/2014/06/tutorial-continuous-eight...

our continuous integration signalling in action at the mindmatters HQ.

View in Black - Hit "L"

Feel free to leave comments and suggestions..

Beringer Vineyards, Napa Valley, California, USA

Historic Beringer Vineyards is the oldest continuously operating winery in Napa Valley. It is also significant for the quality of its structures, stone walls and gardens that were all part of the wine country estate founded by the Beringer family in 1876. The entire winery site was designated a Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.

History of Beringer’s Vineyards

In 1868, Jacob Beringer left his home in Mainz, Germany, to start a new life in America. His brother, Frederick, had settled in New York five years prior, but New York life did not appeal to Jacob. Unlike his brother, Jacob enjoyed toiling in the cellars in his youth in Germany. He had heard that the warm sunny climate of California was ideal for growing wine grapes, so in 1870 he traveled by train to San Francisco, then to Napa Valley. To his delight he discovered rocky, well-drained soils similar to those in the Rhine River Valley. Best of all, he found the hills could be dug out to provide storage and aging tunnels that would maintain the constant temperature needed to produce fine wines. Jacob bought land with Frederick in 1875 and settled into producing wines comparable to the premium wines he had developed in Europe. In 1876, they founded Beringer Winery.

The tedious task of hand-chiseling the rock tunnels was completed by Chinese workers. The tunnels took several years to complete but rewarded the brothers with an extremely effective storing and aging facility that maintains a mean temperature of 58 degrees F. Today, Beringer Vineyards continues to age fine wines, including its Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, in the tunnels they built.

While the winery was being built, Jacob took up residence in a farmhouse on the property built in 1848, now referred to as the “Hudson House.” Meticulously restored and expanded, the Hudson House servers today as Beringer Vineyards’ Culinary Arts Center.

In 1883, Frederick began construction of the 17 room mansion which was to be his home—a re-creation of the family house on the Rhine River in Germany. Frederick’s “Rhine House”, is now on the National Register of Historic Places. The Rhine House is constructed of redwood framing, basalt rocks, Pennsylvania slate tiled roof, decorative hardwoods, and a collection of 40 panels of original stained glass – all for the total cost of $28,000.

Beringer Vineyards is the oldest continuously operating winery, producing wines which continue to reflect a single-minded dedication to the making of memorable wines.

Carriage House: Even though this building looks historic, it was built in 2001, as the Tour and Visitors Center. Thousands of guests pass each year through here to take steps back in history.

Old Stone Cellars and Caves: Recognizable for its third floor cupola, the Old Winery was started in 1876 and operational for the harvest of 1877. Guided tours of the caves are offered daily.

Rhine House: Completed in 1884 by architect Albert Schroepfer, Frederick Beringer’s residence has beautiful exterior stonework, stained glass windows and interior wood paneling—all exhibiting exceptional artistry and craftsmanship.

The Leaning Oak is well over 200 years old and stunning, this valley oak is a touchstone for the natural beauty of the site. In honor of the tree, Beringer’s introduced an exclusive line of wines called “Leaning Oak.”

Hudson House: The original structure on the property, built around 1850, served as Jacob Beringer’s home. Today the house serves as the Culinary Arts Center.

HDR. AEB +/-3 total of 7 exposures processed with Photomatix. Colors adjusted in PSE.

High-dynamic-range imaging (HDRI) is a high dynamic range (HDR) technique used in imaging and photography to reproduce a greater dynamic range of luminosity than is possible with standard digital imaging or photographic techniques. The aim is to present a similar range of luminance to that experienced through the human visual system. The human eye, through adaptation of the iris and other methods, adjusts constantly to adapt to a broad range of luminance present in the environment. The brain continuously interprets this information so that a viewer can see in a wide range of light conditions.

HDR images can represent a greater range of luminance levels than can be achieved using more 'traditional' methods, such as many real-world scenes containing very bright, direct sunlight to extreme shade, or very faint nebulae. This is often achieved by capturing and then combining several different, narrower range, exposures of the same subject matter. Non-HDR cameras take photographs with a limited exposure range, referred to as LDR, resulting in the loss of detail in highlights or shadows.

The two primary types of HDR images are computer renderings and images resulting from merging multiple low-dynamic-range (LDR) or standard-dynamic-range (SDR) photographs. HDR images can also be acquired using special image sensors, such as an oversampled binary image sensor.

Due to the limitations of printing and display contrast, the extended luminosity range of an HDR image has to be compressed to be made visible. The method of rendering an HDR image to a standard monitor or printing device is called tone mapping. This method reduces the overall contrast of an HDR image to facilitate display on devices or printouts with lower dynamic range, and can be applied to produce images with preserved local contrast (or exaggerated for artistic effect).

In photography, dynamic range is measured in exposure value (EV) differences (known as stops). An increase of one EV, or 'one stop', represents a doubling of the amount of light. Conversely, a decrease of one EV represents a halving of the amount of light. Therefore, revealing detail in the darkest of shadows requires high exposures, while preserving detail in very bright situations requires very low exposures. Most cameras cannot provide this range of exposure values within a single exposure, due to their low dynamic range. High-dynamic-range photographs are generally achieved by capturing multiple standard-exposure images, often using exposure bracketing, and then later merging them into a single HDR image, usually within a photo manipulation program). Digital images are often encoded in a camera's raw image format, because 8-bit JPEG encoding does not offer a wide enough range of values to allow fine transitions (and regarding HDR, later introduces undesirable effects due to lossy compression).

Any camera that allows manual exposure control can make images for HDR work, although one equipped with auto exposure bracketing (AEB) is far better suited. Images from film cameras are less suitable as they often must first be digitized, so that they can later be processed using software HDR methods.

In most imaging devices, the degree of exposure to light applied to the active element (be it film or CCD) can be altered in one of two ways: by either increasing/decreasing the size of the aperture or by increasing/decreasing the time of each exposure. Exposure variation in an HDR set is only done by altering the exposure time and not the aperture size; this is because altering the aperture size also affects the depth of field and so the resultant multiple images would be quite different, preventing their final combination into a single HDR image.

An important limitation for HDR photography is that any movement between successive images will impede or prevent success in combining them afterwards. Also, as one must create several images (often three or five and sometimes more) to obtain the desired luminance range, such a full 'set' of images takes extra time. HDR photographers have developed calculation methods and techniques to partially overcome these problems, but the use of a sturdy tripod is, at least, advised.

Some cameras have an auto exposure bracketing (AEB) feature with a far greater dynamic range than others, from the 3 EV of the Canon EOS 40D, to the 18 EV of the Canon EOS-1D Mark II. As the popularity of this imaging method grows, several camera manufactures are now offering built-in HDR features. For example, the Pentax K-7 DSLR has an HDR mode that captures an HDR image and outputs (only) a tone mapped JPEG file. The Canon PowerShot G12, Canon PowerShot S95 and Canon PowerShot S100 offer similar features in a smaller format.. Nikon's approach is called 'Active D-Lighting' which applies exposure compensation and tone mapping to the image as it comes from the sensor, with the accent being on retaing a realistic effect . Some smartphones provide HDR modes, and most mobile platforms have apps that provide HDR picture taking.

Camera characteristics such as gamma curves, sensor resolution, noise, photometric calibration and color calibration affect resulting high-dynamic-range images.

Color film negatives and slides consist of multiple film layers that respond to light differently. As a consequence, transparent originals (especially positive slides) feature a very high dynamic range

Tone mapping

Tone mapping reduces the dynamic range, or contrast ratio, of an entire image while retaining localized contrast. Although it is a distinct operation, tone mapping is often applied to HDRI files by the same software package.

Several software applications are available on the PC, Mac and Linux platforms for producing HDR files and tone mapped images. Notable titles include

Adobe Photoshop

Aurora HDR

Dynamic Photo HDR

HDR Efex Pro

HDR PhotoStudio

Luminance HDR

MagicRaw

Oloneo PhotoEngine

Photomatix Pro

PTGui

Information stored in high-dynamic-range images typically corresponds to the physical values of luminance or radiance that can be observed in the real world. This is different from traditional digital images, which represent colors as they should appear on a monitor or a paper print. Therefore, HDR image formats are often called scene-referred, in contrast to traditional digital images, which are device-referred or output-referred. Furthermore, traditional images are usually encoded for the human visual system (maximizing the visual information stored in the fixed number of bits), which is usually called gamma encoding or gamma correction. The values stored for HDR images are often gamma compressed (power law) or logarithmically encoded, or floating-point linear values, since fixed-point linear encodings are increasingly inefficient over higher dynamic ranges.

HDR images often don't use fixed ranges per color channel—other than traditional images—to represent many more colors over a much wider dynamic range. For that purpose, they don't use integer values to represent the single color channels (e.g., 0-255 in an 8 bit per pixel interval for red, green and blue) but instead use a floating point representation. Common are 16-bit (half precision) or 32-bit floating point numbers to represent HDR pixels. However, when the appropriate transfer function is used, HDR pixels for some applications can be represented with a color depth that has as few as 10–12 bits for luminance and 8 bits for chrominance without introducing any visible quantization artifacts.

History of HDR photography

The idea of using several exposures to adequately reproduce a too-extreme range of luminance was pioneered as early as the 1850s by Gustave Le Gray to render seascapes showing both the sky and the sea. Such rendering was impossible at the time using standard methods, as the luminosity range was too extreme. Le Gray used one negative for the sky, and another one with a longer exposure for the sea, and combined the two into one picture in positive.

Mid 20th century

Manual tone mapping was accomplished by dodging and burning – selectively increasing or decreasing the exposure of regions of the photograph to yield better tonality reproduction. This was effective because the dynamic range of the negative is significantly higher than would be available on the finished positive paper print when that is exposed via the negative in a uniform manner. An excellent example is the photograph Schweitzer at the Lamp by W. Eugene Smith, from his 1954 photo essay A Man of Mercy on Dr. Albert Schweitzer and his humanitarian work in French Equatorial Africa. The image took 5 days to reproduce the tonal range of the scene, which ranges from a bright lamp (relative to the scene) to a dark shadow.

Ansel Adams elevated dodging and burning to an art form. Many of his famous prints were manipulated in the darkroom with these two methods. Adams wrote a comprehensive book on producing prints called The Print, which prominently features dodging and burning, in the context of his Zone System.

With the advent of color photography, tone mapping in the darkroom was no longer possible due to the specific timing needed during the developing process of color film. Photographers looked to film manufacturers to design new film stocks with improved response, or continued to shoot in black and white to use tone mapping methods.

Color film capable of directly recording high-dynamic-range images was developed by Charles Wyckoff and EG&G "in the course of a contract with the Department of the Air Force". This XR film had three emulsion layers, an upper layer having an ASA speed rating of 400, a middle layer with an intermediate rating, and a lower layer with an ASA rating of 0.004. The film was processed in a manner similar to color films, and each layer produced a different color. The dynamic range of this extended range film has been estimated as 1:108. It has been used to photograph nuclear explosions, for astronomical photography, for spectrographic research, and for medical imaging. Wyckoff's detailed pictures of nuclear explosions appeared on the cover of Life magazine in the mid-1950s.

Late 20th century

Georges Cornuéjols and licensees of his patents (Brdi, Hymatom) introduced the principle of HDR video image, in 1986, by interposing a matricial LCD screen in front of the camera's image sensor, increasing the sensors dynamic by five stops. The concept of neighborhood tone mapping was applied to video cameras by a group from the Technion in Israel led by Dr. Oliver Hilsenrath and Prof. Y.Y.Zeevi who filed for a patent on this concept in 1988.

In February and April 1990, Georges Cornuéjols introduced the first real-time HDR camera that combined two images captured by a sensor3435 or simultaneously3637 by two sensors of the camera. This process is known as bracketing used for a video stream.

In 1991, the first commercial video camera was introduced that performed real-time capturing of multiple images with different exposures, and producing an HDR video image, by Hymatom, licensee of Georges Cornuéjols.

Also in 1991, Georges Cornuéjols introduced the HDR+ image principle by non-linear accumulation of images to increase the sensitivity of the camera: for low-light environments, several successive images are accumulated, thus increasing the signal to noise ratio.

In 1993, another commercial medical camera producing an HDR video image, by the Technion.

Modern HDR imaging uses a completely different approach, based on making a high-dynamic-range luminance or light map using only global image operations (across the entire image), and then tone mapping the result. Global HDR was first introduced in 19931 resulting in a mathematical theory of differently exposed pictures of the same subject matter that was published in 1995 by Steve Mann and Rosalind Picard.

On October 28, 1998, Ben Sarao created one of the first nighttime HDR+G (High Dynamic Range + Graphic image)of STS-95 on the launch pad at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. It consisted of four film images of the shuttle at night that were digitally composited with additional digital graphic elements. The image was first exhibited at NASA Headquarters Great Hall, Washington DC in 1999 and then published in Hasselblad Forum, Issue 3 1993, Volume 35 ISSN 0282-5449.

The advent of consumer digital cameras produced a new demand for HDR imaging to improve the light response of digital camera sensors, which had a much smaller dynamic range than film. Steve Mann developed and patented the global-HDR method for producing digital images having extended dynamic range at the MIT Media Laboratory. Mann's method involved a two-step procedure: (1) generate one floating point image array by global-only image operations (operations that affect all pixels identically, without regard to their local neighborhoods); and then (2) convert this image array, using local neighborhood processing (tone-remapping, etc.), into an HDR image. The image array generated by the first step of Mann's process is called a lightspace image, lightspace picture, or radiance map. Another benefit of global-HDR imaging is that it provides access to the intermediate light or radiance map, which has been used for computer vision, and other image processing operations.

21st century

In 2005, Adobe Systems introduced several new features in Photoshop CS2 including Merge to HDR, 32 bit floating point image support, and HDR tone mapping.

On June 30, 2016, Microsoft added support for the digital compositing of HDR images to Windows 10 using the Universal Windows Platform.

HDR sensors

Modern CMOS image sensors can often capture a high dynamic range from a single exposure. The wide dynamic range of the captured image is non-linearly compressed into a smaller dynamic range electronic representation. However, with proper processing, the information from a single exposure can be used to create an HDR image.

Such HDR imaging is used in extreme dynamic range applications like welding or automotive work. Some other cameras designed for use in security applications can automatically provide two or more images for each frame, with changing exposure. For example, a sensor for 30fps video will give out 60fps with the odd frames at a short exposure time and the even frames at a longer exposure time. Some of the sensor may even combine the two images on-chip so that a wider dynamic range without in-pixel compression is directly available to the user for display or processing.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-dynamic-range_imaging

After reading this www.diyphotography.net/ikea-continuous-light-ring-flash I decided to build my own.

This is version 4. Version 3 caught fire - oops - and was my first attempt to snood the light. This thing kicks out a huge amount of heat!

Version 2 is below. Version 1 is just like 2, only without the orange lamp added to "gel" the pictures.

It's made out of a Target HulaHoop, some wire coat hangers, lots of black card, 12x 60W bulbs, and an orange mood light. It has two power cords (to control different lights).

ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam (Mar. 10, 2017) - A U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer assigned to the 9th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, deployed from Dyess Air Force Base (AFB), Texas, takes off at Andersen AFB, Guam. The B-1B's are deployed to Andersen as part of U.S. Pacific Command's (USPACOM) Continuous Bomber Presence operations. This forward deployed presence demonstrates continuing U.S. commitment to stability and security in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. Most importantly, these bomber rotations provide Pacific Air Forces and USPACOM commanders an extended deterrence capability. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Senior Airman 1st Class Christopher E. Quail) 170310-F-UA699-0187

** Interested in following U.S. Pacific Command? Engage and connect with us at www.facebook.com/pacific.command | twitter.com/PacificCommand |

instagram.com/pacificcommand | www.flickr.com/photos/us-pacific-command; | www.youtube.com/user/USPacificCommand | www.pacom.mil/

* Visit 3. A 7min 50sec video of GBRf 66725, 'Sunderland', reversing Container traffic under the Wood Lane bridge from the north-west end of the Yard and onto the single track section to the end of the N&W Terminal.

** It has just come to my notice (10/12/23) that the Download option below and to the right of the media _does not_ allow you to download the full version, only the 3 minutes available here. So, I am going to try and 'fix' this for all videos lasting more than 3 minutes, this is the link to obtain the full version shown here-

www.flickr.tightfitz.com/Video/GBRf_Containers_into_Tinsl...

The 1st day, Monday 28th of October, of Container activity at the south-east end of Tinsley Yard was very busy, but by the end of the day, some problems had arisen with the Yard road surfaces, when an almost continuous convoy of HGV's started to roll in and out, and the roadways started to be affected by the weight. Today, Wednesday 6th November, after 8 days of no train-hauled Container activity, the Yard is back in action again, though only partly, London GAteway traffic from the Tilbury area is once more being handled here, but the Felixstowe workings are still being handled by the Newell & Wright Container Port at the Masbrough Freight Depot. As I hadn't been around when the 1st, very delayed, by more than 48 hours, working came in, I wasn't aware of the operation regarding the reversal move which got the Container traffic onto the end of the now re-instated line which runs the length of the Yard to the Sheffield Parkway. These 3 videos, the first one is a combination of 4 edited shorter ones to remove 'dead time', and show GBRf 66725, 'Sunderland', arriving at the north-west end of the Yard via the Shepcote Lane connection to the Lower Don Valley line through Tinsley and Rotherham Central. It is the early morning working, 4E00, setting out from the London Gateway, in Tilbury on the north side of the River Thames at 04:36 this morning. The working comes north via Huntingdon, Peterborough, Sleaford, Lincoln Central, Gainsborough, Doncaster Bridge Junction where the set turns back south to head to Hexthorpe, Mexborough, Swinton, Aldwarke, taking the GCR line through Rotherham Central and finally on to Tinsley and the South Junction connection into the Yard. All went well this morning after the initial problem more than 10 days agon when the very first working, this one, was supposed to come up on Saturday, 26th October but was delayed by more than 48 hours by heavy flooding in various parts of this area, and had to stand in the Kilnhurst Goods Loop until the Monday morning when it did finally arrive.

This first video, made up of 4 shorter versions, shows the GBRf 66 arriving, the staff already on site and waiting just outside the exit to the north-end Yard, for the arrival of the Container train. Once this arrives and comes to a stand at the corner of the M&S building, the loco is uncoupled and moves forward and passes over the junction which will allow it to set-back and take one of the Yard lines, to run-around the Containers. The loco extinguishes the 3 white lights on the front and changes them to two, red, now rear lights and then, having had the points switched over, the last section of this first video shows the loco setting off along the Yard siding road to get to the other end of its consist. In the second video, the loco will then be reverse its Containers out of the north-west end of the Yard next to the M&S buildings and, _very_ slowly, back along to the end of the track at the south-east end of the N&W Terminal and this is shown in the final video, along with general shots of activity in the Yard. A good re-start to proceedings, lets hope it continues and that, in the near future, it will be worth opening a connection again to the 'Old Road' at Treeton South Junction... maybe the northern connection is a lot further off...

Continuous to channel the woman’s inner Angelina! Caitlyn Jenner arrived out in sun-drenched L. A. on Tuesday, Sept. 1, wearing an extremely sophisticated, Jolie-esque set.

The transgender truth star, 65, patterned a loosely built in white Topshop blouse, which she tucked right belted,...

tsceleb.com/caitlyn-jenner-channels-her-inner-angelina-jo...

Skilift Art

EZ Triple lift ~ Steel cable and wheel abstract. Eldora Mountain Ski Resort.

1/10 of a second @ f/32 off a monopod to get the blur.

Finished in Topaz Adjust 5 - Solar Dreams

“Continuous casting” refers to Continuous Steel Casting; it’s a physical process which transforms the molten steel into solid format in order to get the Semi-Final-Product for the upcoming production such as rolling mill, etc. For making all sorts of Final Products, originally there are two ways: casting ingot and continuous casting. Continuous casting technology is the advanced way to solidify large volumes of molten steel into certain desirable shapes, which emerged in American and European countries during the 1950s. Relative to other conventional processes, continuous casting is distinguished by its advanced nature of increased metal yield rate, improved casting steel quality and saving on energy resources.

The process of continuous casting steel begins with molten metal solidifies against the mould walls while it is simultaneously withdrawn from the bottom of the mould, and then the casting steel is cooled by the spraying water to entirely solidified for subsequent cutting into casting blank. (See the drawing below)

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!

The Supermarine Spitfire was a British single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and other Allied countries before, during and after World War II. Many variants of the Spitfire were built, using several wing configurations, and it was produced in greater numbers than any other British aircraft. It was also the only British fighter produced continuously throughout the war.

Since the Taurus-powered Spitfire turned out to be quite ineffective (it was no good either in the fighter or in an alternative ground attack role and 20 mph slower than the comparable Mk. V), production was already stopped in late 1942 after 353 aircraft. At the same time, the Spitfire Mk. IX with a much more powerful Merlin engine entered service, and all resources were immediately allocated to this more potent fighter variant and the idea of the Spitfire with a radial engine was ultimately dropped. Since the Taurus-powered type was quickly phased out of frontline service, the designation was later re-used for a pressurized high-altitude photo reconnaissance variant of the Spitfire, the PR.X, of which only 16 machines were built.

General characteristics:

Crew: one pilot

Length: 29 ft 6 in (9.00 m)

Wingspan: 32 ft 2 in (9.80 m)

Height: 11 ft 5 in (3.86 m)

Wing area: 242.1 ft2 (22.48 m²)

Airfoil: NACA 2213 (root)

NACA 2209.4 (tip)

Empty weight: 5,065 lb (2,297 kg)

Loaded weight: 6,622 lb (3,000 kg)

Max. takeoff weight: 6,700 lb (3,039 kg)

Powerplant:

1× Bristol Taurus VI 14-Cylinder sleeve valve radial engine, 1.130 hp (830 kW)

Performance:

Maximum speed: 350 mph (312 kn, 565 km/h)

Combat radius: 410 nmi (470 mi/756 km)

Ferry range: 991 nmi (1,135 mi/1,827 km)

Service ceiling: 36,500 ft (11,125 m)

Rate of climb: 2,535 ft/min (12.9 m/s)

Wing loading: 27.35 lb/ft2 (133.5 kg/m²)

Power/mass: 0.22 hp/lb (0.36 kW/kg)

Armament:

2× 20 mm Hispano Mk II with 60 RPG

4× .303 in Browning Mk II machine guns with 350 RPG

The kit and its assembly:

My third contribution to the “RAF Centenary” Group Build at whatifmodelers.com, and the next one in chronological order. This one was spawned by the simple thought of “What would a Spitfire with a radial engine look like…?”. I have seen this stunt done in the form of a Fw190/Spitfire kitbash – nice result, but it did IMHO just not look like a “real” Spitfire with a radial engine, rather like an Fw 190 with elliptical wings. And the fact that I had already successfully transplanted a Centaurus engine onto a P-51 airframe made me feel positive that the stunt could be done!

Consequently, the conversion was pretty straightforward. The basis is a Revell 1:72 Spitfire VB (1996 mold), which was – except for the nose section – taken OOB. A simple, nice kit, even though it comes with some flaws, like a depression at the rear of the wing/fuselage intersection and the general need for PSR – not much, but I expected a better fit for such a relatively young mold?

For the engine, I used a personal replacement favorite, the cowling and the engine block from a Mitsubishi A6M2 “Zero” (Hasegawa). The Nakajima Sakae radial engine has a relatively small diameter, so that it serves well as a dummy for the compact Bristol Taurus engine – a replacement I have already used for a radial-powered Westland Whirlwind. The other benefit of the small diameter is that it is relatively easy to blend the round front end into the oval and very slender fuselage of the early Spitfire airframe. This was realized through massive body sculpting from scratch with 2C putty, widening the area in front of the cockpit and expanding its width to match the cowling – I guess that real life engineers would have followed a similar, simple path.

Since the radial engine would not need a radiator, I simple omitted this piece (cut out from the single piece lower wing half) and faired the respective underwing area over with a piece of styrene sheet and PSR. The asymmetrical oil cooler was retained, though. The propeller is a replacement from the scrap box, with a smaller diameter spinner and more slender blades which better suit the open cowling.

Since the Taurus had its best performance at low altitudes, I used the Revell kit’s OOB option of clipped wing tips – a move that makes the aircraft look much faster, esp. with the new, deeper nose section.

Painting and markings:

I did not want classic RAF markings, but still keep the model well within the Centenary GB confines. The original plan had been a classic Dark Green/Ocean Grey livery, which all Spitfire’s in USAAF service and based in the UK received. But I rather wanted to create a frontline aircraft, operated during Operation Torch in late 1942/early 1943 with American roundels – and the grey/green look would not look plausible on a machine taking part in the North African campaign. In fact, any Spitfire with American roundels I found that was used in North Africa carried the RAF Tropical Scheme in Dark Earth/Middle Stone. And, AFAIK, during Operation 'Torch' all British aircraft received American markings in the hope that the Vichy French, who were anti-British due to them bombing their ships in 1940, would switch to the allied cause. They were supposed to think that the Americans would be invading, not British troops as well. So I eventually switched to the classic Tropical Scheme (using Humbrol 29 and Modelmaster 2052 as basic tones), and it does not look bad at all - even though the yellow trim around the roundels does not stand out as much as on a Grey/Green aircraft.

Typically, the RAF codes were retained, as well as – at least during the early phases of Operation Torch – the RAF fin flash. A little personal twist is the pale blue (Humbrol 23, Duck Egg Blue) underside of the aircraft, instead of the typical Azure Blue. The rationale behind is that the Tropical Scheme was originally designed with Sky undersides, and the blue shades were later modifications after initial field experience.

The red spinner is a typical Northern Africa marking, and found on many 5th FS aircraft.

The interior (cockpit, landing gear wells) was painted with RAF Cockpit Green (Modelmaster), while wheels and struts became light grey.

As a standard procedure, the kit received a light black ink wash and a post shading treatment.

The decals were puzzled together from various sheets and sources, the design benchmark was a real USAAF Spitfire Vb from Operation Torch, though. The code letters were taken from an Xtradecal sheet, the roundels come from a Carpena Spitfire sheet, even though I placed American markings in all six positions – the roundels without yellow trim under the wings were taken from a Hobby Boss F6F sheet.

The serial number comes from the Revell kit’s OOB sheet, because it fits perfectly into the kit’s intended time frame. The nose art comes from a P-38 sheet (PrintScale) – not a typical feature for an RAF Spitfire, but a frequent personal decoration among USAAF machines during Operation Torch (e.g. on P-40s).

The Allied yellow ID markings on the wings’ leading edges, which were typically carried by Operation Torch Spitfires, too, were created with generic yellow decal sheet (TL Modellbau), while the maroon machine gun nozzle covers are part of Revell’s OOB sheet.

Finally, the kit received some soot stains around gun and exhaust nozzles, and was finally sealed with matt acrylic varnish.

A bold experiment, and it turned out well. The Zero’s cowling has the perfect diameter for this transplant, and the scratch-sculpted new front fuselage section blends well with the new engine – the whole thing really looks intentional! I am just not certain if the resulting aircraft still deserves the “Spitfire” designation? Even though only the engine was changed, the aircraft looks really different and has a Ki-43ish aura? I guess that a dark green livery and some hinomaru would also look great and pretty plausible?

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!

The Supermarine Spitfire was a British single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and other Allied countries before, during and after World War II. Many variants of the Spitfire were built, using several wing configurations, and it was produced in greater numbers than any other British aircraft. It was also the only British fighter produced continuously throughout the war.

Since the Taurus-powered Spitfire turned out to be quite ineffective (it was no good either in the fighter or in an alternative ground attack role and 20 mph slower than the comparable Mk. V), production was already stopped in late 1942 after 353 aircraft. At the same time, the Spitfire Mk. IX with a much more powerful Merlin engine entered service, and all resources were immediately allocated to this more potent fighter variant and the idea of the Spitfire with a radial engine was ultimately dropped. Since the Taurus-powered type was quickly phased out of frontline service, the designation was later re-used for a pressurized high-altitude photo reconnaissance variant of the Spitfire, the PR.X, of which only 16 machines were built.

General characteristics:

Crew: one pilot

Length: 29 ft 6 in (9.00 m)

Wingspan: 32 ft 2 in (9.80 m)

Height: 11 ft 5 in (3.86 m)

Wing area: 242.1 ft2 (22.48 m²)

Airfoil: NACA 2213 (root)

NACA 2209.4 (tip)

Empty weight: 5,065 lb (2,297 kg)

Loaded weight: 6,622 lb (3,000 kg)

Max. takeoff weight: 6,700 lb (3,039 kg)

Powerplant:

1× Bristol Taurus VI 14-Cylinder sleeve valve radial engine, 1.130 hp (830 kW)

Performance:

Maximum speed: 350 mph (312 kn, 565 km/h)

Combat radius: 410 nmi (470 mi/756 km)

Ferry range: 991 nmi (1,135 mi/1,827 km)

Service ceiling: 36,500 ft (11,125 m)

Rate of climb: 2,535 ft/min (12.9 m/s)

Wing loading: 27.35 lb/ft2 (133.5 kg/m²)

Power/mass: 0.22 hp/lb (0.36 kW/kg)

Armament:

2× 20 mm Hispano Mk II with 60 RPG

4× .303 in Browning Mk II machine guns with 350 RPG

The kit and its assembly:

My third contribution to the “RAF Centenary” Group Build at whatifmodelers.com, and the next one in chronological order. This one was spawned by the simple thought of “What would a Spitfire with a radial engine look like…?”. I have seen this stunt done in the form of a Fw190/Spitfire kitbash – nice result, but it did IMHO just not look like a “real” Spitfire with a radial engine, rather like an Fw 190 with elliptical wings. And the fact that I had already successfully transplanted a Centaurus engine onto a P-51 airframe made me feel positive that the stunt could be done!

Consequently, the conversion was pretty straightforward. The basis is a Revell 1:72 Spitfire VB (1996 mold), which was – except for the nose section – taken OOB. A simple, nice kit, even though it comes with some flaws, like a depression at the rear of the wing/fuselage intersection and the general need for PSR – not much, but I expected a better fit for such a relatively young mold?

For the engine, I used a personal replacement favorite, the cowling and the engine block from a Mitsubishi A6M2 “Zero” (Hasegawa). The Nakajima Sakae radial engine has a relatively small diameter, so that it serves well as a dummy for the compact Bristol Taurus engine – a replacement I have already used for a radial-powered Westland Whirlwind. The other benefit of the small diameter is that it is relatively easy to blend the round front end into the oval and very slender fuselage of the early Spitfire airframe. This was realized through massive body sculpting from scratch with 2C putty, widening the area in front of the cockpit and expanding its width to match the cowling – I guess that real life engineers would have followed a similar, simple path.

Since the radial engine would not need a radiator, I simple omitted this piece (cut out from the single piece lower wing half) and faired the respective underwing area over with a piece of styrene sheet and PSR. The asymmetrical oil cooler was retained, though. The propeller is a replacement from the scrap box, with a smaller diameter spinner and more slender blades which better suit the open cowling.

Since the Taurus had its best performance at low altitudes, I used the Revell kit’s OOB option of clipped wing tips – a move that makes the aircraft look much faster, esp. with the new, deeper nose section.

Painting and markings:

I did not want classic RAF markings, but still keep the model well within the Centenary GB confines. The original plan had been a classic Dark Green/Ocean Grey livery, which all Spitfire’s in USAAF service and based in the UK received. But I rather wanted to create a frontline aircraft, operated during Operation Torch in late 1942/early 1943 with American roundels – and the grey/green look would not look plausible on a machine taking part in the North African campaign. In fact, any Spitfire with American roundels I found that was used in North Africa carried the RAF Tropical Scheme in Dark Earth/Middle Stone. And, AFAIK, during Operation 'Torch' all British aircraft received American markings in the hope that the Vichy French, who were anti-British due to them bombing their ships in 1940, would switch to the allied cause. They were supposed to think that the Americans would be invading, not British troops as well. So I eventually switched to the classic Tropical Scheme (using Humbrol 29 and Modelmaster 2052 as basic tones), and it does not look bad at all - even though the yellow trim around the roundels does not stand out as much as on a Grey/Green aircraft.

Typically, the RAF codes were retained, as well as – at least during the early phases of Operation Torch – the RAF fin flash. A little personal twist is the pale blue (Humbrol 23, Duck Egg Blue) underside of the aircraft, instead of the typical Azure Blue. The rationale behind is that the Tropical Scheme was originally designed with Sky undersides, and the blue shades were later modifications after initial field experience.

The red spinner is a typical Northern Africa marking, and found on many 5th FS aircraft.

The interior (cockpit, landing gear wells) was painted with RAF Cockpit Green (Modelmaster), while wheels and struts became light grey.

As a standard procedure, the kit received a light black ink wash and a post shading treatment.

The decals were puzzled together from various sheets and sources, the design benchmark was a real USAAF Spitfire Vb from Operation Torch, though. The code letters were taken from an Xtradecal sheet, the roundels come from a Carpena Spitfire sheet, even though I placed American markings in all six positions – the roundels without yellow trim under the wings were taken from a Hobby Boss F6F sheet.

The serial number comes from the Revell kit’s OOB sheet, because it fits perfectly into the kit’s intended time frame. The nose art comes from a P-38 sheet (PrintScale) – not a typical feature for an RAF Spitfire, but a frequent personal decoration among USAAF machines during Operation Torch (e.g. on P-40s).

The Allied yellow ID markings on the wings’ leading edges, which were typically carried by Operation Torch Spitfires, too, were created with generic yellow decal sheet (TL Modellbau), while the maroon machine gun nozzle covers are part of Revell’s OOB sheet.

Finally, the kit received some soot stains around gun and exhaust nozzles, and was finally sealed with matt acrylic varnish.

A bold experiment, and it turned out well. The Zero’s cowling has the perfect diameter for this transplant, and the scratch-sculpted new front fuselage section blends well with the new engine – the whole thing really looks intentional! I am just not certain if the resulting aircraft still deserves the “Spitfire” designation? Even though only the engine was changed, the aircraft looks really different and has a Ki-43ish aura? I guess that a dark green livery and some hinomaru would also look great and pretty plausible?

AEC Routemaster Park Royal seen on the last day of continuous service

During the 18th century, Britain and France were engaged in an almost continuous struggle to see which nation would be the world's dominant military power. Wars between the two spilled over to their North American colonies. By the middle of the century the great prize, claimed by both sides, was the Ohio Valley. If France could successfully hold it as part of Canada, the 13 English colonies would not be able to expand west of the Appalachian mountains. In 1755, Britain sent troops to drive the French from the Ohio country. But Major General Edward Braddock's force of 2,000 British regulars and Virginia militia was ambushed and routed by a French force which included 650 Ottawa and Potawatamie Indians. Braddock's disastrous defeat left the British frontier undefended. The French organized their Indian allies into raiding parties led by French officers, spreading death and destruction throughout the Pennsylvania and Virginia frontier. In Virginia, hundreds of terrified settlers in the northern Shenandoah Valley fled east; those that remained gathered together in fortified houses or log forts. Militia officers were sent west to organize the settlers for defense and recruit for the regiment of full-time troops which would serve with the British Regulars. In the spring of 1756, Captain Jeremiah Smith of Albermarle County arrived in Hampshire County, Virginia, then on the western edge of settlement and today part of West Virginia. He was just in time: "...a party of about 50 Indians, with a French captain at their head, crossed the Allegheny Mountains...Capt. Jeremiah Smith raised a party of twenty brave men, marched to meet this...foe, and fell in with them at the head of the Capon River, when a fierce and bloody battle was fought. Smith killed the captain with his own hand; five other Indians have fallen...they gave way and fled." Episodes such as this were repeated scores of times in the frontier counties of what is now West Virginia, which also supplied recruits for the full-time Virginia Regiment. The spirit of these citizen-soldiers of the French and Indian War is carried on today by the men and women of the West Virginia Army National Guard.