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My second contribution to Challenge 5-finding light. I added Kim Klassen's texture, "Isobel" at soft light 90% opacity in PS then ran Kim's LR action "Lettherebelight".
This is a beautiful photo and I love the way that the little girl is looking back at the camera whilst the woman is still walking down the path. I love the path too, the way it turns so you can see far on into the distance which gives this photo depth. This is a great winter/spring scene and a great contribution to the spring album.
© 2019 Millettarian Photographic Institute
Here is my contribution to this weeks Emulation Challenge for My Face is My Canvas. I thought for a while about this, at first I was thinking notes, then I thought about what my favorite song is now. And then I thought eccentric. David Bowie popped in my head and there was no turning back.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Watching him dash away, swinging an old bouquet - dead roses
Sake and strange divine Uh-hu-hu-uh-hu-hu you'll make it
Passionate bright young things, takes him away to war - don't fake it
Sadden glissando strings
Uh-hu-hu-uh-hu-hu - you'll make it
Who'll love Aladdin Sane
Battle cries and champagne just in time for sunrise
Who'll love Aladdin Sane
Motor sensational, Paris or maybe hell - (I'm waiting)
Clutches of sad remains
Waits for Aladdin Sane - you'll make it
Oooh Who'll love Aladdin Sane
Millions weep a fountain, just in case of sunrise
Oooh Who'll love Aladdin Sane
We'll love Aladdin Sane
Love Aladdin Sane
Oooh Who'll love Aladdin Sane
Millions weep a fountain, just in case of sunrise
Oooh Who'll love Aladdin Sane
We'll love Aladdin Sane
We'll love Aladdin Sane
Oooh Who'll love Aladdin Sane
Millions weep a fountain, just in case of sunrise
Oooh Who'll love Aladdin Sane
We'll love Aladdin Sane
Who'll love Aladdin Sane
See the lights shine oh so bright on Broadway
My contribution to the Photography Contest at www.ljosmyndakeppni.is. The theme was landscape
#30 of 150 photos.
Canon 5d + Canon 16-35mm f2.8 L
EXPLORE
Please contact me regarding publication requests.
KristjánFreyr
tring Quartet No 8, in C Minor, Op. 110 Dimtri Shostakovich
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"Gold" Building
www.monumenteromania.ro/index.php/monumente/detalii/en/Go...
Category: Blocks
Period: înc. sec. XX, 1934
Importance: B
LMI code: B-II-m-B-18209
Address: Bd. Botev Hristo 34 sector 3
Location: municipiul BUCUREŞTI
District: Bucuresti
Region: Muntenia
Imobilul Solly Gold
Blocul "Gold"
www.monumenteromania.ro/index.php/monumente/detalii/ro/Bl...
viabucuresti.ro/pe-urmele-lui-marcel-iancu-prin-cartierul...
Categorie: Blocuri/imobile
Perioada: înc. sec. XX, 1934
Importanta: B
Cod LMI: B-II-m-B-18209
Adresa: Bd. Botev Hristo 34 sector 3
Localitate: municipiul BUCUREŞTI
Judet: Bucuresti
Regiune: Muntenia
architect Marcel Janco
arhitect Marcel Iancu
.
Marcel Janco
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcel_Janco
Marcel Iancu
ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcel_Iancu
Marcel Hermann Iancu
Born: May 24, 1895; Bucharest, Romania
Died: April 21, 1984; Israel
Nationality: Jewish, Romanian, Israeli
Art Movement: Dada, Constructivism
Marcel Janco’s Contribution to Modern Architecture in Romania
Professor Dr. Ana-Maria Zahariade, Ion Mincu University of Architecture and Urbanism (UAUIM), Bucharest
Catedral de la Asunción de El Burgo de Osma, Soria.
La catedral de El Burgo de Osma (Soria, España) es un edificio de estilo gótico que sustituyó a otro anterior románico. Comenzada su construcción en 1232, muestra también otros aportes estilísticos, concluyendo con el neoclásico (1784). Como otras muchas catedrales españolas del siglo XIII, fue dedicada a la Asunción de la Virgen. Es el principal monumento de la localidad de El Burgo de Osma.
La catedral románica.
La construcción de la catedral románica, iniciada por Pedro de Bourges en 1101, fue continuada por sus sucesores: Raimundo (1109–1126) —después, arzobispo de Toledo—, Beltrán (1128–1140), Esteban (1141–1147) y Juan (1148–1174). La catedral debió de estar casi terminada a mediados del siglo XII, gracias a las limosnas que aportaban los numerosos peregrinos que, camino de Santiago de Compostela, acudían a venerar los restos del obispo restaurador de la sede oxomense, San Pedro de Osma.
La primitiva catedral románica, como otras de la época, debió tener tres naves —más alta, larga y ancha la central—, capillas absidiales y un crucero. Además, contaba con un claustro y diferentes dependencias anejas. De ella, quedan pocos aunque destacables restos en el claustro y la sala capitular.
La catedral gótica.
La catedral románica tuvo poca vida, pues el crecimiento y creciente importancia del El Burgo de Osma exigían espacios más amplios. Imbuido totalmente por las corrientes espirituales de la época, el obispo Juan Díaz de Medina —conocido tradicionalmente como Juan Domínguez— (1231–1240), ordenó la demolición de la catedral románica, para reedificarla inmediatamente (1232) en estilo Gótico. Las obras continuaron con su sucesor, Pedro Peñafiel (1240–1246). La obra principal de la catedral pertenece a esta época.
En 1235 fue celebrada en la catedral la canonización de Santo Domingo de Guzmán, nacido en las cercanías de Osma, y que fue canónigo de esta catedral.
Diversos obispos continuaron realizando obras a lo largo de la Edad Media, atestiguándolas con sus respectivos escudos. Entre ellos, Pedro García de Montoya (1454–1474), Alonso de Fonseca Quijada (1493–1505) o Pedro González de Mendoza, obispo electo de Osma, en 1482.
The cathedral of El Burgo de Osma (Soria, Spain) is a Gothic style building that replaced a previous Romanesque one. Beginning its construction in 1232, it also shows other stylistic contributions, concluding with the neoclassic (1784). Like many other Spanish cathedrals of the thirteenth century, it was dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin. It is the main monument of the town of El Burgo de Osma.
The Romanesque cathedral.
The construction of the Romanesque cathedral, begun by Pedro de Bourges in 1101, was continued by his successors: Raimundo (1109-1126) -after archbishop of Toledo-, Beltran (1128-1140), Esteban (1141-1147) and Juan (1148-1174). The cathedral must have been almost completed by the middle of the twelfth century, thanks to the alms provided by the numerous pilgrims who came to Santiago de Compostela to venerate the remains of the restoring bishop of the oxomense headquarters, San Pedro de Osma.
The primitive Romanesque cathedral, like others of the time, had to have three ships - more high, long and wide the central one, absidiales chapels and a cruise ship. In addition, it had a cloister and different dependencies attached. Of her, few remain but remarkable remains in the cloister and the room capitular.
The Gothic cathedral.
The Romanesque cathedral had little life, as the growing and growing importance of El Burgo de Osma demanded larger spaces. Imbued wholly by the spiritual currents of the time, Bishop Juan Diaz de Medina - traditionally known as Juan Domínguez - (1231-1240), ordered the demolition of the Romanesque cathedral, to rebuild it immediately (1232) in Gothic style. The works continued with his successor, Pedro Peñafiel (1240-1246). The main work of the cathedral belongs to this period.
In 1235 was celebrated in the cathedral the canonization of Santo Domingo de Guzmán, born in the neighborhoods of Osma, and that was canon of this cathedral.
Several bishops continued to carry out works throughout the Middle Ages, attesting them with their respective shields. Among them, Pedro García de Montoya (1454-1474), Alonso de Fonseca Quijada (1493-1505) or Pedro González de Mendoza, bishop-elect of Osma, in 1482.
Our contribution for the new round of the Seasons Story: The Pumpkin House Console and the Tea Cup Drape. The Console is available in 8 different colors and is 8 LI (Dimensions: 1.1 x 1.1 x 1.9 meters). The light in the house is on touch.
The Tea Cup Drape is also 8LI (Dimensions: 3.2 x 2.3 x 3.7 meters). The light (with projector) is also on touch.
The Seasons Story starts 10th October. SURL: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Seasons%20Story/122/...
My contribution to the Burtonesque photo competition. I've always loved his movies, and wanted to capture the loneliness of his characters, but in the short moments when they actually find happiness... the visual inspiration to this image came from the scene in Edward Scissorhands when Winona Ryder's character dances in the snow, just before the tragic end. The birds and cages are to make the image "me".
Title from favourite album by Bonnie Prince Billy, The Letting Go.
Pose: [LAP], Fantasy Faepose 7
Hair: Tiny Bird, Olivia, in Milk
Skin: Shadow Things, Eulogy
Dress: Silent Sparrow White (?) wedding
The birds are photographed from the birds in Tiny Birds demos (obs I did buy the hair lol)
Birdcage brushes by Falln_Stock, DeviantArt
Textures by JoesSistah and Pink Sherbet Photography
Thank you!!!
My contribution to a massive Exo-Force tribute collab that will be displayed at Skaerbaek this weekend.
It was super fun reimagining a mech I drooled over in the catalogues back in the day! This is by far the biggest mech I’ve made yet, and I got some valuable input and advice from colleagues – especially toothdominoes and Pohaturon.
It features working pistons in the ankles and claw, opening cockpit, and a light brick ‘powering’ up the cannon.
See more images and a GIF of the claw in action on Brickbuilt.
6179. My contribution to Fotosöndag 8 8 2010 (Flickr Group). This weeks theme is "spegling" (reflection). Photo from Uppsala central station friday morning. My departure was canceled and I had a few minutes over for photography.
I re-used it for another photographic theme. In this case "symmetry" in Fototriss where you post three images in a photo triplet on the same theme or topic.
Selected for my blog.
My contribution to the May/June 2016 issue of the LTD Magazine
Credits and info here
issuu.com/ltdmagazinesl/docs/ltd_magazine_mayjune_2016/17...
Read full issue here: issuu.com/ltdmagazinesl/docs/ltd_magazine_mayjune_2016?e=...
Pics by Jordan Giant!
Municipal incinerators are generally not seen as architectural highlights; however, they stand as a notable exception in Vienna.
A prime example is the Spittelau incinerator, designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser, which features a distinctive appearance reminiscent of a contemporary art museum. It serves as one of Vienna's municipal waste incinerators, generating energy for approximately 50,000 households and heating and warm water for 60,000 residents. Originally constructed in the late 1960s, the facility underwent significant repairs following a fire in 1987, creating an ideal upgrade opportunity. Authorities enlisted the renowned artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser to redesign the chimney and façade, a project completed by the early 1990s. While Hundertwasser is primarily known for his paintings, his contributions to architecture and design have profoundly impacted the public.
Prints & Downloads are available on my 👉 H O M E P A G E
our contribution to the oceaan zine
more info and previews: cargocollective.com/studiofluit#2471937/Oceaan
Contributions to the Wolsztyn XXVI Parade celebrations from TurKol pl. have extended to running to several locations in the Poznan district in one day behind steam.
Having earlier arrived from Wolsztyn, loco Ol49-69 departs upon 'Franek' 10.25 Poznan Glowny-Franowo excursion with national flags affixed in the platform.
The foreground canopy is part of the period Dworzec Letni (Summer Station) now beautifully restored.
3rd May 2019
Här kommer mitt bidrag till fotosöndags veckotema - tidsfördriv.
Jag vill inte låta allt för löjlig men jag gillar verkligen att vara sysslolös och spendera kvalitets tid men denna kvinna - hon är bäst! Det är också hennes 50 (!) årsdag idag, 6 juni. Så det är en stor dag i vårt hushåll!
Here comes my contribution to fotosöndag's weekly challenge - pastime.
Don't want to sound cheesy here but I really like to idly waste quality time with this woman - she's the best! It's also her 50th (!) birthday today, June 6th. Which also happens to be Sweden's national day. Big day here in our household!
..o chiesa dei Corallini
Cervo est l'un des villages balnéaires de Ligurie qui a su conserver le mieux les traces de son passé, et ce n'est pas un hasard s'il a été inclus dans le prestigieux club des plus beaux villages d'Italie .
Les Corallini sont les pêcheurs de corail qui ont apporté une contribution fondamentale à la construction, tant en termes de transport de matériaux que de dons.
Commencée en 1686 les travaux ne furent achevés qu'en 1734 .
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(Pour l'intérieur voir photo précédente)
(For the interior see previous photo)
Cervo is one of the seaside villages in Liguria that has best preserved the traces of its past, and it is no coincidence that it has been included in the prestigious club of the most beautiful villages in Italy.
The Corallini are the coral fishermen who made a fundamental contribution to the construction, both in terms of transporting materials and donations.
Begun in 1686, the work was not completed until 1734.
Explored- Highest Position May 27th 2010 # 139.
To Waterfall Wednesday :)
Best Viewed Large - farm5.static.flickr.com/4045/4642382778_5382879c3c_b.jpg
This is a image from the middle falls at Gooseberry Falls State Park. Taken on a beautiful spring day, way up north.
As you can see there was quite a bit of spring runoff coming from the hills. This is why the water has a brownish tinge to it.
Canon 50d
Sigma 10-20mm
B&W F-Pro CPL
HOYA ND400( 9-stops)
Single RAW exposure @ 11mm
ISO 100
f/11
6 seconds
My contribution for the theme " treasure" in Photo Sunday.
Mitt bidrag till temat "skatt" till Fotoöndag.
My contribution for this week's theme «spel/spela»; for the Swedish photo group Fotosondag.
Mitt bidrag till Fotosöndag och veckans tema «game/play».
My final contribution to Brick Fanatics' 2018 advent calendar, and also my favorite of the ones I did. These were an interesting challenge, but I'm rather proud of the solution I created.
Build your own with the directions! www.brickfanatics.com/brick-fanatics-lego-advent-calendar...
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Through the creations that I build, I hope to inspire other young (or perhaps older) LEGO builders to unleash their inner creativity. We all need a positive way to express ourselves, so let's allow LEGO to be an extension of us. Your creativity belongs to you, and nobody can take that away. Build what you want to build, and how you want to build it.
Here is my contribution for the “Wild” category of RogueOlympics, week 6. I wanted to make an outrageous concept vehicle that looked super flashy and fast, without being practical in the slightest. Tying into these definition of wild: “not subject to restraint or regulation; going beyond normal or conventional bounds : fantastic, wild ideas, also: sensational”.
So I had fun with super bright colors and large shapes. This time I used just 95 elements.
See more photos on Brickbuilt.
Mitt bidrag till veckans fotosöndag/ My contribution to this week on Photosunday/Fotosöndag on the theme Stearinljus/Candle
Light a candle and let it burn
Never let hope vanish in the dark now
But it gets bright back
Light a candle for everthing you belive
For the planet we live on
Light a candle for the childern of the earth
Tänd ett ljus och låt det brinna
Låt aldrig hoppet försvinna det är mörkt nu
Men det blir ljusare igen
Tänd ett ljus för allt du tror på
För den planeten vi bor på
Tänd ett ljus för jordens barn
My contribution for the Macro Mondays Challenge "Paint".
Sorry that i have to upload it that late but my Inet crashed yesterday. :/
For this shot i did some fingerpainting on my window while using the sky as my painting background. ;o)
Check out my new art gallery: Click here
Cape Coast Castle is the largest of the buildings which contains the legacy of the trans-Atlantic slave trade and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Like most ancient fortifications in Ghana, Cape Coast Castle played a significant role in the gold and slave trades. But also, two significant contributions were made here: the arrival of Christianity, and the establishment of the first formal education system through Castle Schools.
Did you know that cats have favorite authors and genres? Jarvis Cocker prefers non fiction and so his favorite authors are Claudia Rankine, Sasha Geffen, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Ta-Nehisi Coates. Broadcast prefers experimental Asian fiction and so her favorite authors are Haruki Murakami, Ryu Murakami, Bae Suah, Can Xue, Banana Yoshimoto, Kazuo Umezz, Shin Kyung-Sook, Karen Tei Yamashita,Keiichirō Hirano, Yasutaka Tsutsui, Krys Lee and Banana Yoshimoto. PJ Harvey prefers poetry so her favorite authors are Rumi, Hanif Abdurraqib, Naomi Shihab Nye, Ocean Vuong, Nikki Giovanni and Eve L. Ewing. When I asked her what she thought of Nick Cave’s lyrics, you should have seen her reaction! What all my cats can agree on is that Karen Tei Yamashita’s Through the Arc of the Rainforest is a masterpiece and so, I always have to read that one out loud to them during cat story hour. Though I didn’t read Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor this year either, it’s still a solid second choice for our story hour together.
I have to always preface these lists by making the disclaimer that while no human being can read all of the books in existence put out in one year, I read even less this year having only finished a little under 150 books (I read 365 last year). Not all of these books were released this year and some of these books may be released in the future depending on which alternative timeline of reality you exist in. The pandemic really put a dent into my reading because I typically read while on the elliptical at the gym for a couple of hours every day but, with the gyms closed, I had to turn to memorizing K pop dance moves off of Youtube for my exercise for several months (I am not good at this), which caused me to almost get murdered by my downstairs neighbor until I straight up invested in an elliptical a couple of months ago and saved myself from the sudden doom that would have rivaled any gruesome ending of a Chan-wook Park film.
These books represent a few different genres-nonfiction, fiction, graphic novels, poetry-and are in a general order but I decided not to number them as I kept changing the order depending on my mood and that didn’t seem very efficient (I am not a journalist) Feel free to share your favorite books that you read this year. You may be stuck in a black hole reading books that we don’t even have in our reality. I want to hear about those too!
And, without further ado, my feline fanatic friends and literature lovers, gather around for this is my Favorite Books of 2020:
The City We Became by N. K. Jemisin
Sometimes it’s actually hard to take science fiction seriously….why? Maybe because it’s so fun and engaging….either way, it’s actually quite hard to write something that is very inventive and also relevant in our modern times. In a way, it speaks to the high ability of the author to also be able to make it grounded in reality enough to be just believable but imaginative enough to get truly lost in a unique story. Such is the case for The City We Became, which has all of the NYC buroughs represented by different humans with vivid personalities fitting their areas who have to work together to stop an evil takeover and, of course, have a really tough time with that pesky and racist ignorant Ms. Staten Island. N.K. Jemisin creates a world of actual monsters and proud boy like art dealer/real estate mogul monsters (the kind we don’t actually have to work hard to imagine because they exist in real life). This looks like what will be the first in hopefully a long series of riveting books!
Tropic of Orange: Karen Tei Yamashita
I read Through the Arc of the Rainforest last year and this year Tropic of Orange was my exceptional read by this Japanese American author who is so imaginative in the way she writes both memorable characters and interwoven plots. I can’t predict any endings for any of their lives and that is quite something indeed. If you don’t like magical realism or complex storylines, you may miss out on the brilliance that is Yamashita and the bulk of her work. But, if you find yourself wanting to explore what creative literature is capable of, please look no further!
Pet by Akwaeke Emezi-
Just released this year and highly recommended by me! This book was philosophically engaging from start to finish. Set in the fictional town of Lucille, the residents have conquered all of the “monsters” (who are basically Trump voters and the like) until an angel (who looks like a monster) emerges from a painting to find a “family monster” who is abusing a child. The protagonist is a trans adolescent whose mom reads the great Nnedi Okorafor to her and speaks through sign language. I loved the layers of moral complexity here. Pet gets into what truly makes a monster and how insidious monsters (again, basically republicans) can hide in plain sight and if a monster is redeemable too. I liked Freshwater (Emezi’s 1st novel) but this was 100x better imo
Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi
This novel is both imaginative and also heart breaking…its main plot involves a country overtaken by American forces who also can’t trust their own government and a corpse that reanimates from other corpses to seek revenge. Though it delves into a little bit of black comedy and takes on a creature who may seem more familiar to those who enjoy the horror genre, it’s the horror of reality with the violence of the American invasion of Iraq that the novel is actually about. What Saadawi does is to create a vivid metaphor that evolves throughout the book and forces us to think deeply about morality. We must remember that Saadawi may also be coming to terms with his own grief, mortality, and the modern reality of living in Iraq. He has had friends lost through suicide bombs that he narrowly missed being killed in himself, for instance.
Catherine Lacey: Pew
I am always a little hesitant to promote the work of someone who is white when there are many women of color who are under-recognized and struggling to earn both critical acclaim and also just a living. So, I will just say that I found Catherine Lacey’s very recent novel Pew incredibly moving and relevant for our times. She writes about race and gender identity in a way that feels fully realized. This book is about identity that words cannot define and the frustrations that result in a white community (who considers themselves super religious) because they cannot take ownership over human identity. There’s a real sense of the frustration of language and lack of it and of not being in control and the way these humans handle that feeling. It is a postmodern masterpiece and I would highly recommend it. On a side note, it doesn’t really matter or seem worth mentioning the personal romantic life of a female author but, in this case, I must mention that she is currently the partner of one of my favorite authors who also resides in Chicago, Jesse Ball, and has a funny statement about him at the end in the thank-you section that is worth taking a look at.
Elif Shafak’s 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World
This novel is fiercely feminist following so many female friends from all walks of life in Turkey and the way the body lives on after death. This book starts with death but is really filled with life! As our heroine protagonist, murdered yet still filled with extreme senses, dies a little more on each page, we find out a little more about her and what in her life brought her to this point. And therein lies the largest devastation of this novel because we fall in love with dear Leila but it’s too late to save her. Her life was doomed from the beginning because she happened to be born female and poor and did not have any rights to make her own happiness despite having all the ambitions to do so.
Imani Perry: Breathe, A Letter to My Sons:
This book was a little reminiscent of Ta-Nehisi Coates’s “Between the World and Me” but I actually was even more moved by this mothers take on raising her two boys in America with it’s racist past and present. Really wise and incredible. This was such a gift to be added to the canon of American literature and as a resource to help nurture the modern African American family and was both honest and insightful.
Yaa Gyasi: Transendent Kingdom
Yaa Gyasi’s second novel is quite a bit different than her first, Homegoing. This one is about a family from Ghana but one that lives in Alabama and struggles to make their way in the American South. It is a portrait of a family in turmoil as the family unit as a whole is severed in a couple of major ways…and, I am hesitant to say more on that end as I don’t want to spoil the novel. Gyasi writes us a very strong female protagonist in Gifty who is a neuroscientist studying mice and both reward seeking and inhibition in her quest to understand and make sense of addiction. It is one of those soul searching types of books that is well worth reading and without artifice or cliché, which is sometimes quite a challenge to find in literature.
The Liar by Ayelet Gundar-Goshen
In some ways, this was not as profound as an earlier fiction work by this Israeli author, Waking Lions, but is still however very meaningful and relevant about lies that take on a life and storyline of their own between Israel and Poland and between both a young and a much older female protagonist. To me, this book was incredibly relevant especially in these times about how a little bit of dishonesty ends up leading to incredibly different results in the lives of humans. It’s a short read but very worthwhile in the way it makes you think of the role of truth in one’s life.
Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools by Dr. Monique W. Morris
This was a really difficult read by the Founder and President of the National Black Women’s Justice Institute (NBWJI). Yet, it was also an important read for me not just as an educator but as someone who also wants to do right by all students I support. Morris gets into some of the facts behind racial profiling in schools and does well to expose how it is often overlooked what impact early racism in schools has on young women (although, it is often acknowledged and still very damaging for young Black men). The treatment of young women in a place of learning is very important and could be instrumental in nurturing and encouraging these girls to succeed and to set ambitious yet achievable goals but they have to not only be taught skills but believe in their own worth. We also need to recognize signs of trauma and ensure that we are addressing the whole child. We cannot ignore these facts and we cannot assume that every educator before us was kind and acted within the best interest of every student. So, when we consider what a child’s perception of education may be, for a student of color especially a young human who may be Black, there may be a lot of work to do in changing a negative sense of school. What we see in our schools is not “safe spaces” but punishment that sets the stage for a cruel future. Do we really want this as a society? We must accept that we have failed and that we must change.
We must actively change schools across America! It is a gift to be able to teach and nurture and abuses of power are the most heinous kind. On a personal note, I spent much of my time this summer protesting against police brutality and cops in schools. Our mayor and Board of Ed. in Chicago has kept a few incidents of racially motivated violence against students in schools from the public and, instead of hiring nurses and ending our contract with the cops, tax payers are still footing the bill. They’ll make us take a mandatory online training about stopping the school to prison pipeline but, in terms of policy and where our tax dollars are going, Chicago is far from walking the same walk they are preaching.
Brit Bennett-The Vanishing Half
This reminded me of a modern day Passing by Nella Larsen and a great follow up novel to The Mothers. Bennett shows a portrait of two sisters, one who decides to pass and leads a much different life than the other who ends up having a child with a man who has a much darker skin tone than herself and returns to their small town in Louisiana where there is an obsession about shades of skin. This novel is as much an examination about race as it is about the human desperation driven by racism and what humans are capable of denying about themselves and others they love to continue to live safely within a certain space and level of comfort. There is also a second layer that is about transitioning genders that adds to the storyline and characters overall.
The Atlas of Reds and Blues by Devi S. Laskar
The story of racism that a Bengali immigrant family experiences in the American south (in a suburb of Atlanta) is important but what elevates this work is the unique writing style. I literally felt like I was slipping to and fro through time and seeing these glimpses of a vivid life in all its joys and sorrows. Laskar is incredibly poetic in her exploration of police violence and trauma and was also herself a victim of racial profiling. She’s another author who I hope continues to gain readers and write more books. For a debut, this is exceptional and really reads like it come from an author who has written her whole life.
Disability / Visibility edited and FW by Alice Wong
This is nonfiction at its finest because it has the power to open your mind to the struggles of a group of humans you may not have had a clue about before you opened the first page. Wong did an excellent job of finding an incredibly diverse group of perspectives not just in terms of race, class and religion but also in terms of ability level and opinions on ableism and world perspectives. Keah Brown and Haben Girma are probably the most well known authors in this collection but each of these essays is enlightening in a different way-some focus more on technological aspects, others on fashion, others on abortion, and still others on deficits in terms of public transport. All of these perspectives are valid and insightful and should give able bodied humans a clue as to what obstacles need to be examined and removed in our society to make a better world exist.
Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man by Emmanuel Acho.
In an alternative reality where white American born humans also need to pass a citizenship test, this would be required reading. Acho comes from Nigerian parents and grew up in Texas. I didn’t realize he wasn’t just a political science philosopher type of author (He’s also an NFL player) when I started reading as I don’t really follow the actual sports game but he does a fantastic job with these questions, which are actual questions submitted by white people in America. Some of these questions show a huge lack of understanding of history and privilege. Other questions are more related to wanting to help and be anti-racist but not knowing where to start. Acho calmly rewinds and takes us through some background and gives suggestions on how to live differently and be better as well as some valuable resources. And, in order to keep in mind white privilege, I will say that it is definitely not the responsibility of Black or African American humans to educate us but when they do make an effort (and hopefully like Acho are compensated for it), it’s definitely our duty to listen. As ignorant as some of these questions seem, we must all be humble and willing to ask questions and all the more willing to listen to the answers. It’s also worth noting that this nonfiction was written after the murder of George Floyd so it is incredibly current and Acho also writes very calmly and in a way that most people probably won’t find having a huge adverse reaction to when confronting white privilege and entitlement.
A Man by Keiichirō Hirano
What an engaging read! I don’t think I’ve ever read a novel that so effectively skirted the line of experimental fiction in its exploration of identity and story lines before. First, there is the identity based on an exchanged one and a lie for a human being who lives a quiet life as someone else. But, then there is the exploration of identify of what it means to be S. Korean and living in Japan and the xenophobia experienced by humans in this predicament. In some ways, A Man reads like a thriller and mystery novel but in many other ways, it is a deeply philosophical work that cannot be contained by genre but makes you wonder about and question the human stories were are assigned, we tell ourselves, and that we make up altogether. I can’t wait for At the End of the Matinee to be released April 15th, 2021!
Hidden Colors by Nillu Nasser
The book explores the struggles of Syrian refugees in Berlin putting on a magical circus but after a couple of years. the anti-immigrant sentiment rises and politicians and journalists have to choose which side to take. This book feels fantastical in the sense of the circus production but realistic in its depiction of the hardship of existence as a mere pawn in politics and left vulnerable to political whims and opinions of the public. There’s a great deal here about the ethics of journalism as well and the responsibilities in terms of telling of the human story. Though this book is technically a work of fiction, it is highly relevant to our current world.
A Fortune For Your Disaster by Hanif Andurraqib
I didn’t do as much poetry reading this year as I did last year but this one definitely stood out. I read it for book club. Full disclosure-I love everything by Hanif and would recommend Go Ahead in the Rain, his nonfiction regarding A Tribe Called Quest if you are fan of the band. I follow Hanif on Twitter and am a fan of him both in terms of his politically conscious side and his human side where he bakes and talks about his love of music and Columbus, Ohio. He’s also great to see speak. He’s an incredibly lovable human. Anyway, this poetry is so rich with imagery and soul and, though it definitely explores topics of racism, I would also say that it explores the full range of what it means to be human and does so artfully. So many of the lines should be read more than once and contemplated. Read a poem and put it down for a while and think about the full complexity of what Hanif was exploring and picture the photograph he created with his masterful words that appears in your head.
Just Us by Claudia Rankine:
Rankine is an extraordinary poet who is also insightful when it comes to race in America and her observations based on both casual encounters and a whole lot of systemic racism. At the end of the day, Rankine is aware of the damning impact of white supremacy and she wants humans to heal and for the world to become a better and safer place for all human to exist in. And, that isn’t going to happen without some conversations taking place that are sometimes challenging to initiate and to explore. We find ourselves sometimes in situations that might at first seem perplexing but have a history based in reality. If you haven’t read Citizen, the collection of poetry by Rankine, you might be blown away but this work of nonfiction. If, like me, you have read Citizen, you might at this point be more impressed by the fact that with all of the facts and insights Rankine has, she still is willing to have conversations about race and that speaks to the kind of beautiful human being she is.
The Drifting Classroom Volume 1-3 by Kazuo Umezz
This is a riveting 700+ page graphic novel about a school that disappears from the present and travels to a desolate future with a lot of human psychological issues of those trapped in this new reality. I will say one key thing in this epic journey through the minds and choices of these young children is that both the surreal storyline and the art work are captivating and I was soon hooked and couldn’t wait for the third volume to be released a couple of months ago. I devoured it like a piece of decadent chocolate cake while soaking in my bathtub for night after night. I became very invested in these creatures who first had to fight for their lives when there was a struggle for power and then when their dreams came alive and then when there was a plague and then when there was still extreme scarcity of food and water….and somehow our hero and protagonist is able to community at some points with his mom living in the time and reality they came from even though they are far from it. Just a fantastic imaginative series for Japanese graphic novel fans especially.
Myla Goldberg’s Feast Your Eyes-
Tis is a very well done and complex portrait of a photographer living in NYC in the 60s-70s who didn’t actually exist but you’ll be convinced did exist by the way this book is laid out describing her photographs with fictional journal entries and fictional accounts of friends and family. This is a lot about artistic rights and the line between art and child protection. Interesting philosophically and based on several other female photographers who actually did exist like Vivian Maier and Diane Arbus. It really reads like a very engaging nonfiction work instead of fiction, which is an interesting experience for the reader.
Sharks in the Time of Saviors: by Kawai Strong Washburn
I had two books by native authors, this one and Rebecca Roanhorse’s Black Sun become available around the same time from my Chicago Public Library holds list and they couldn’t be more different. But while I did love the imagination of Black Sun overall, I didn’t feel as connected to the characters and just saw it as a starting point for hopefully a long series whereas Sharks in the Time of Saviors feels like a truly stand alone work. This book is, in many ways, a portrait of a native Hawaiian family struggling to get by and having a son with healing powers. There is a bit of a leap in terms of what you can believe here but it is written with enough reality that the surreality is very effective. Our hero Noa is trying to find himself and come to terms with a crucial error he makes. In the meantime, his brother and sister are also floundering between not being the most brilliant basketball star (former) and with same sex preferences (latter) and no one has any money to fly home to Hawaii from college because, of course, it’s just far too expensive even for the natives to get home. What is the most interesting to me is how the relationships between family members is explored and the idea that you shouldn’t ever encourage someone to define their identity with just one main thing or being good at one thing because it destines them to an unhappy sort of life and failure. I found the writing here very engaging and it dealt with some of the real issues Natives face in our country, especially in areas where cost of living has become insurmountable.
A Burning: by Megha Majumbar
This was a very difficult book to read, primarily because Majumbar writes us a story where you easily feel connected to and devastated by the chain of events that bring our heroine, Jivan, a poor Muslim girl in the Indian slums to a prison cell wrongfully accused of being a terrorist. In some ways, it made me think of a modern day Kafka-esque tale where it just seems all odds are stacked against our protagonist and it just keeps getting worse. Majumbar explores the corruption in modern day India but also interestingly enough explores the life and rise of a transgender fried of the protagonist at the very same time. This book is filled with politicians and political opportunists and liars who don’t seem to mind making Jivan a fall girl for their own political agenda and it made me wonder how possible all of this might actually be, especially as Majumdar was born and raised in Kolkata herself though is now living in NYC. This is Majumdar’s first novel and shows a promising career.
All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson
One of the reasons why this nonfiction is so powerful is because these voices are so often not heard or misheard. Johnson takes us through his life and what it was like to grow up with two identities, sometimes at odds with himself and what it meant to be both an African American and one who questioned his gender and preferred humans of the same sex to his biologically given gender. Johnson takes us through his very harrowing struggle to fit in and the relief of finding members in his family who at least partially understood what he was going through. He takes through what it’s like to be sexually abused and have assumptions made about him. It is harrowing and honest and makes you grateful that he has created something that shows us the whole range of humanity and helps some of us find comfort in who we are and others of us understand how to be better and more compassionate humans.
Glitter up the Dark: How Pop Music Broke the Binary by Sasha Geffen
Sasha Geffen is a human who has devoted countless hours to exploring how we came to this exact moment in music history and all of the steps that led us here in an all inclusive non fiction epic journey examining how, in just about every genre of music I can think of, gender identity and transforming gender norms was a part of both image and sound of musicians. I am a huge fan of music and many of these musicians and bands I was already familiar with and own albums by. However, Geffen caused me to view many songs, concerts, and even album covers a different way and I also learned about many artists I was not familiar with. This is a must read for those who love music and for those who seek to accept and appreciate all genders (male, female, and non-binary) and their artistic contributions within this very flawed yet sometimes quite beautiful world.
A Partial History of Lost Causes by Jennifer duBois
This book fascinated me….Irina knows she is going to die and it is going to possibly be horrible and painful when she does the genetic testing and finds out she inherited Huntington’s Disease. She knows what the future holds because she saw her father progressively lose abilities and she starts to lose control in ways that signal to her what her future could hold. And so, she decides she’s going to go on adventure to Russia in order to find a chess master who is an active political opponent of Putin because, after all, what exactly does she have to lose? This book is about the idea of taking your life into your own hands and controlling your destiny instead of letting genetics define you. It is also about trying to make the most out of a life that many others would consider doomed. It also has a really great joke about Adam and Eve actually being soviets and it takes a lot to make me laugh in the middle of a pandemic.
Vivian by Christina Hesselholdt
This work explores all ll different points of view including Vivian Maier’s own on life and photography with interesting narrator interjections and musings based on what is known of this photographer. I have to admit that I have a personal bias of loving many of Maier’s photographic works so this was a very engaging read for me based on my familiarity with and admiration of the photographer that was the focus of this technically “biographical fiction” work. I think it might be a key point to get acquainted with some of Maier’s photographs and read this book if you are enamored. But, you might also enjoy this book if you in general love photography and think often about what might a photographer be like as a human and what makes for a good photographer as well.
Empire of Wild: Cherie Dimaline
This is the first novel I have read by a Métis (Native French Canadian) author and I really loved it. It was definitely wild and centered around the traditional Native myth of the Rogarou as it kills and steals souls. This was as much about human deception and religion and racism as it was about this creature and it was impossible for me to not visualize the horror while, at the same time, see Rogarou as a metaphor for white opportunists who will do whatever it takes to steal Native land. I had my heart in my throat for a lot of this journey and I think the power of the writing really showed its effectiveness.
Well-Read Black Girl: Finding Our Stories, Discovering Ourselves edited by Glory Edim.
Fantastic autobiographical accounts of prominent African American female authors of today and how they were inspired by literature that uniquely spoke to them. This book does well to emphasize the importance of representation and I would advocate that those who define curricula across the country on every level should start considering whether we are really celebrating our current list of authors because they were talented and had something relevant to say then and now or whether it goes within our nation’s history of white supremacy to promote primarily white male authors as the definitive standard even though they had every advantage over their women of color possible colleagues. What is hopeful is that now more than ever talented women of color are being published and truly heard but, in my opinion, there is still a lot of history around celebrating only or primarily only white male authors that should be challenged in this country. In any case, this collection features a great deal of talented contemporary female authors such as Jesmyn Ward, Jacqueline Woodson, Zinzi Clemmons, N. K. Jemisin, Tayari Jones and more and speaks to the power of literature and it’s transformative qualities!
The Nocturnal Brain: Nightmares, Neuroscience, and the Secret World of Sleep by Guy Leschziner.
I thought this was nonfiction about dreams but it was mainly about different sleep disorders…still very interesting and informative though! Did you know you can have something called Restless Chest Syndrome? Yikes! I tend to love neuroscience and yet besides this book and The Telomere Effect by Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn, I didn’t read nearly as many science oriented books in 2020. I read far more nonfiction books about race, gender, and immigrant memoirs. Still, I love to learn about all facets of the human brain and I believe in life long learning. The case studies in this book were especially fascinating and made me feel like my reoccurring insomnia is really not so bad at all compared to what it could be!
Wow, No Thank You: Samantha Irby
This nonfiction collection of essays made me laugh so hard (especially the chapter on cat vs. dog ownership) that I instantly fell in love with Irby as both an author and as a human being and, though she no longer lives in Chicago, it was cool to see what living in Chicago twenty or so years ago was like through her eyes. Irby is happily married and has encountered both homophobia and racism in her life and these essays showed both an intellectual and a quick witted approach to dealing with it. Irby is so candid and does not hold anything back when it comes to her own biology, either, which is almost shocking (and also appreciated) at times in its brutal honesty and well worth reading. Irby is also my age so I could relate to some of these chapters quite a bit because of that. Hello 911, filled with imagined 911 calls as well as Love and Marriage where she answers ridiculous questions are also not to be missed chapters if you want to laugh hysterically.
The Monk of Mokha (Story of Mokhtar Alkhanshali) told by Dave Eggers
I actually led a two hour remote book club on this book last month and, though I love discussing books, what is odd is that I liked the book better before the discussion. This is an incredible story of a Yemeni American man who risks literally his life more than once to bring back viable coffee beans and establish a coffee trade between his homeland of Yemen and the United States. Dave Eggers insists emphatically that this is 100% nonfiction and it is unfathomable the lengths that Mokhtar goes to. There’s an undying sense of the human spirit that can be both courageous and also lucky in this book. There’s also a component of the struggle itself against both the violent conflict situation in Yemen and the racism encountered in America. In any case, if you are interested, here’s an article about the book.
www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/dave-eggers-te...
I Don’t Expect Anyone to Believe Me: Juan Pablo Villalobos
Good, because they probably won’t! This is an adventure in surrealist experimental fiction walking the line between humor and existential dread. In the end, you honestly don’t know exactly what really happened and if the protagonist is even still alive. There are doubling of characters, journal entries, a talking dog, and lots of unsavory types I wouldn’t trust with my favorite pencil (or even my least favorite pencil). Our extremely flawed hero is a Mexican intellectual who wants to study humor in literature in Catalonia, Spain but is side tracked before he can even get there by a group of mafia like henchmen in an impossible scheme his cousin roped him into involving seducing a woman identifying as a lesbian amongst other crazy shenanigans. This is a wild ride! If you’re an intellectual who dislikes thrillers, try this one out to see if maybe it was just the writing style in those other books wasn’t enough for you in the first place.
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
I expected a lot from Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens because of the human (a coworker and friend) who recommended it to me and I did think it was worth reading. I like the sense of looking into isolationism and classism as well as the justice system in the American South plus there’s a courtroom cat! (Sunday Justice) but probably best of all was the fierce individualism of the female protagonist, Kya, the “Marsh Girl” who learns to make her own way in life. Kya’s unusual personality and talents drew me into the story line as a whole but it was the ending that made it truly worthwhile and landed it on my best of 2020 list.
Junji Ito’s Yon & Mu:
This is a super adorable autobiographical #catlife graphic nonfiction about his wife’s 2 cats that he learns to 💕 and who turn him into a cat person. I loved the drawings in this book and the little stories about getting his cat neutered, going on a business trip and missing his cats, cats around his chair where the heater was, cats on his lap, cats in his bed….you know the drill. A lot of these are relatable and silly but sweet and the book also includes photos! I’ve read Ito’s harrowing fiction, graphic horror novels and this was quite a departure but it gave me a glimpse into his lovable human side. Though this was maybe not the best book I read critically, it was still definitely one of my favorites as someone who is a fan of Ito’s graphic novels and cats!
Cats of the Louvre: Taiyo Matsumoto
Full disclosure here that I didn’t really think anyone would take me seriously if I started with these last two books/graphic novels because, honestly, I love cats and so I cannot be objective about extreme cat topics and/or cat protagonists. This one is perfection-a wildly imaginative storyline centered around the cats that live in Le Louvre. What more do you need to know? Ok, there’s a human trapped in a painting and also all the cats take on human traits at night when no on is looking. Is this not a good enough reason to read this book right now?!?! Oh wait, you’re a dog lover??? Well, forget you anyway! 😹
Honorable mentions:
Ok, so again this list only represents about 30% of the books I read this year. I can’t write about 100+ more books but here are the books I would still recommend:
Little Gods by Meng Jin
I’m Afraid of Men by Vivek Shraya
Eatheater by Dolores Reyes
Dear Girls by Ali Wong (so funny!)
Telephone by Percival Everett
The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré
Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
Famous Suicides of the Japanese Empire by David Mura
The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates
The Telomere Effect by Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn
1919 by Eve L. Ewing
**All photos are copyrighted**
Here's my (probably only) Nnovvember contribution this year. It was a bunch of fun and I hope you all like it!
I got through shooting and editing about halfway before realizing I completely forgot the pilot! I'm such a dummy. I don't have the time to reshoot (particularly because I took these outside), so I'd like to take some new ones in the future with a pilot and perhaps a better setup.
I mentioned to my good buddy here on Flickr that I had spotted a tiny Monarch Instar (I suspect 2nd stage) the other day and decided to switch gears and post something other than a sunset. I must admit the place where I took the shot is still at El. Franco Lee Park in what I call the garden of good and evil near the wetland area. Good intensions that were had when creating the garden and evil intensions for those that maintain it. I should say that it’s a lack of maintenance and poorly kept. I check it out from time to time when I go to check out the sunsets, but rarely find anything there. A late evening shot here just for a change of pace. I need to be better prepared for the unexpected. It’s the same place I capture the Broad-banded Water snake.
DSC07076uls
Första dagen som det kändes som en verklig vårdag. Solen sken, fåglarna kvittrade och blommorna har vuxit till sig. Solens värme börjar synas och kännas.
The first day when it felt as a true spring day. The sun was shining, birds singing and the flowers had grown more from when I last saw them. The warmth of the sun is more visible than before. I can feel it in my toes.
Mutt bidrag till fotosöndag varm. My contribution to the theme warm in Photo Sunday!
My contribution to this weeks "Macro Mondays" with the theme "Carbon". Taken with my iPhone 8 and the #blackeyelens macro lens.
Thank you for viewing, commenting and / or adding this photo to your favorites.
It's very much appreciated.
Have a great day and a great new week!
My contribution to the COLORS MAGAZINE 77 (SEA) projects on the sea,
My contribution to my quilt blocks for the hoop up and send swap. I got the pattern from
www.etsy.com/shop/sadieandoliver
His beard isn't as blue as it appears in the picture. I was so excited to share him I didn't want to wait for morning and natural light!
Our contribution for the upcoming round of On9: Cloud9 is a mesh leather sofa with 11 Sits for 2 avatars and 3 friends animations. The Sofa will be available in "Heaven", "Hell", "Heaven and Hell" and "Hell and Heaven". LI 3/2 Prims, Dimensions: 2.65 x 1.5 x 1 meters.
On9 starts 9th June 2015!
Surl: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Tropical%20Orchid/239/193/999
Bluebells are a hit and miss for me... I went 3 different places to try and get a sea of bluebells like some of the ones I've seen here on Flickr, but I wasn't successful. Anyway, this is my contribution for my tribute to Spring :)
Dungannon Park, in County Tyrone was the first place I tried (it's constantly raining and I didn't want to get soaked, even though I still got rained on this day LOL) and I used the flash with my Tamron 90mm macro lens, it was very windy and this was handheld, so I know it could have been sharper, but I liked the bokeh this created :)
Off work this morning to help my brother with a motorcycle instructor assessment thing... aarrgghh the things I let myself get talked into LOL
Wishing you all a very happy Wednesday... sorry I've been getting behind, but will catch up soon, thank you everyone for the fantastic comments on yesterday's Apple Blossom photo :)
My contribution to Macro Monday's challenge, "berries", on 29 April 2024.
(They look good enough to eat but, seriously, I wouldn't. lol)
my contribution to the etsy labs wall project.
entirely needle felted from scratch...no sewing, no embroidery, no stuffing. 1.4 oz of corriedale wool + 10 hours of poking = present for the etsy gang.
(6″ x 4″ x 1ish″)
This year Second Life celebrates its 11th birthday, so what better contribution than a presentation featuring some of the talented people who design and create the clothing we wear every day?
With designs from 22769, Bare Rose, David Heather, Gizza, Loovus Dzevavor, LpD, Miamai, Pixicat, Purplemoon, sYs Design, The Annex and ValentinaE.
Saturday, June 28th at 6pm and 7 pm.
We hope to see you there
maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/SL11B%20Fascinate/218/101/21
model and photographer: Dantelicia Ethaniel
As you guys know, I won't be able to come to the Sewing Summit because we have a wedding in NYC that weekend. Ali talked me into making something for the silent auction though. :) I made a wall hanging and a little storage basket. At least I can be there in some small way! Hope you ladies have fun!
Erin, these will go in the mail today.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia
Philadelphia, commonly referred to as Philly, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the second-most populous city in the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Philadelphia is known for its extensive contributions to United States history, especially the American Revolution, and served as the nation's capital until 1800. It maintains contemporary influence in business and industry, culture, sports, and music. Philadelphia is the nation's sixth-most populous city with a population of 1,603,797 as of the 2020 census and is the urban core of the larger Delaware Valley (or Philadelphia metropolitan area), the nation's seventh-largest and one of the world's largest metropolitan regions consisting of 6.245 million residents in the metropolitan statistical area and 7.366 million residents in its combined statistical area.
Philadelphia was founded in 1682 by William Penn, an English Quaker and advocate of religious freedom. The city served as the capital of the Pennsylvania Colony during the British colonial era and went on to play a historic and vital role as the central meeting place for the nation's founding fathers whose plans and actions in Philadelphia ultimately inspired the American Revolution and the nation's independence following the Revolutionary War. Philadelphia hosted the First Continental Congress in 1774, preserved the Liberty Bell, and hosted the Second Continental Congress during which the founders signed the Declaration of Independence, which historian Joseph Ellis has described as "the most potent and consequential words in American history". Once the Revolutionary War commenced, the Battle of Germantown and the siege of Fort Mifflin were fought within Philadelphia's city limits. The U.S. Constitution was later ratified in Philadelphia at the Philadelphia Convention of 1787. Philadelphia remained the nation's largest city until 1790, when it was surpassed by New York City, and it served as the nation's first capital from May 10, 1775, until December 12, 1776, and on four subsequent occasions during and following the American Revolution, including from 1790 to 1800 during the construction of the new national capital of Washington, D.C.
With 18 four-year universities and colleges, Philadelphia is one of the nation's leading centers for higher education and academic research. As of 2018, the Philadelphia metropolitan area was the state's largest and nation's ninth-largest metropolitan economy with a gross metropolitan product of US$444.1 billion. The city is home to five Fortune 500 corporate headquarters as of 2022. As of 2023, metropolitan Philadelphia ranks among the top five U.S. venture capital centers, facilitated by its proximity to New York City's entrepreneurial and financial ecosystems. The Philadelphia Stock Exchange, owned by Nasdaq since 2008, is the nation's oldest stock exchange and a global leader in options trading. 30th Street Station, the city's primary rail station, is the third-busiest Amtrak hub in the nation, and the city's multimodal transport and logistics infrastructure, includes Philadelphia International Airport, and the rapidly-growing PhilaPort seaport. A migration pattern has been established from New York City to Philadelphia by residents opting for a large city with relative proximity and a lower cost of living.
Philadelphia is a national cultural center, hosting more outdoor sculptures and murals than any other city in the nation. Fairmount Park, when combined with adjacent Wissahickon Valley Park in the same watershed, is 2,052 acres (830 ha), representing one of the nation's largest and the world's 45th-largest urban park. The city is known for its arts, culture, cuisine, and colonial and Revolution-era history; in 2016, it attracted 42 million domestic tourists who spent $6.8 billion, representing $11 billion in economic impact to the city and its surrounding Pennsylvania counties.
With five professional sports teams and one of the nation's most loyal fan bases, Philadelphia is often ranked as the nation's best city for professional sports fans. The city has a culturally and philanthropically active LGBTQ+ community. Philadelphia also has played an immensely influential historic and ongoing role in the development and evolution of American music, especially R&B, soul, and rock.
Philadelphia is a city of many firsts, including the nation's first library (1731), hospital (1751), medical school (1765), national capital (1774), university (by some accounts) (1779), stock exchange (1790), zoo (1874), and business school (1881). Philadelphia contains 67 National Historic Landmarks, including Independence Hall. From the city's 17th century founding through the present, Philadelphia has been the birthplace or home to an extensive number of prominent and influential Americans. In 2021, Time magazine named Philadelphia one of the world's greatest 100 places.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masonic_Temple_(Philadelphia,_Pennsylvania)
The Masonic Temple is a historic Masonic building in Philadelphia. Located at 1 North Broad Street, directly across from Philadelphia City Hall, it serves as the headquarters of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, Free and Accepted Masons. The Temple features the Masonic Library and Museum of Pennsylvania, and receives thousands of visitors every year to view the ornate structure, which includes seven lodge rooms, where today a number of Philadelphia lodges and the Grand Lodge conduct their meetings.
Additional Foreign Language Tags:
(United States) "الولايات المتحدة" "Vereinigte Staaten" "アメリカ" "美国" "미국" "Estados Unidos" "États-Unis"
(Pennsylvania) "بنسلفانيا" "宾夕法尼亚州" "Pennsylvanie" "पेंसिल्वेनिया" "ペンシルベニア" "펜실베니아" "Пенсильвания" "Pensilvania"
(Philadelphia) "فيلادلفيا" "费城" "Philadelphie" "फिलाडेल्फिया" "フィラデルフィア" "필라델피아" "Филадельфия" "Filadelfia"