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Against The Current performing on the Gravity World Tour
World Cafe Live
Philadelphia, PA
November 19th, 2015
Shot for Rumored Nights Press
***DO NOT USE WITHOUT PERMISSION***
Merakla beklediğimiz Nihan Giyim 2016 ilkbahar yaz koleksiyonu sizlerle… Uzunca zamandır tasarımlarının yayınlanması için sabırsızlandığımız Nihan markasının daha önce hiç görmediğiniz yazlık giyim modellerini siz değerli hanımlar için tanıtmaktan büyük keyif alıyoruz.
Rahat bir yaz hayal e... yazının devamını incelemek ve diğer fotoğraflar için bit.ly/1SWxPds adresini ziyaret edebilirsiniz.
Rouen Cathedral (Cathédrale primatiale Notre-Dame de l'Assomption de Rouen) is a Roman Catholic Gothic cathedral in Rouen, Normandy, France.
A church was already present at the location in the late 4th century, and eventually a cathedral was established in Rouen as in Poitiers. It was enlarged by St. Ouen in 650, and visited by Charlemagne in 769.
All the buildings perished during a Viking raid in the 9th century. Construction on the current building began in the 12th century in Early Gothic style for Saint Romain's tower, front side porches and part of the nave. The cathedral was burnt in 1200. Others were built in High Gothic style for the mainworks: nave, transept, choir and first floor of the lantern tower in the 13th century; side chapels, lady chapel and side doorways in the 14th century. Some windows are still decorated with stained glass of the 13th century, famous because of a special cobalt blue colour, known as "the blue from Chartres". The north transept end commenced in 1280.
The cathedral was again struck by lightning in 1284. In 1302, the old Lady chapel was taken down and the new Lady chapel was built in 1360. The spire was blown down in 1353, choir windows were enlarged in 1430, the upper storey of the north-west tower was added in 1477, gable of the north transept built in 1478.
Some more parts were built in Late (Flamboyant) Gothic style, these include the last storey of Saint Romain's Tower (15th century), the Butter Tower, main porch of the front and the two storeys of the lantern tower (16th century). Construction of the south-west tower began in 1485 and was finished in 1507. The Butter Tower was erected in the early 16th century. Butter was banned during Lent and those who did not wish to forgo this indulgence would donate monies of six deniers Tournois from each diocesan for this permission.
The realisation of the Butter Tower caused disturbances in the façade, which caused the reconstruction of the central portal and the west front, which begun in 1509 and finished in 1530. The original Gothic spire suffered a fire in 1514, nevertheless the project of a stone spire was denied and a wooden construction covered with gold-plated lead was begun in 1515, a parapet was added in 1580.
In the late 16th century the cathedral was badly damaged during the French Wars of Religion: the Calvinists damaged much of the furniture, tombs, stained-glass windows and statuary. The cathedral was again struck by lightning in 1625 and 1642, then damaged by a hurricane in 1683, the wood-work of the choir burnt in 1727 and the bell broke in 1786. In the 18th century, the state (government) nationalised the building and sold some of its furniture and statues to make money and the chapel fences were melted down to make guns to support the wars of the French Republic.
The Renaissance spire was destroyed by lightning in 1822. A new one was rebuilt in Neo-Gothic style, but of cast iron instead of wood. The cathedral was named the tallest building (the lantern tower with the cast iron spire of the 19th century) in the world (151 m) from 1876 to 1880. In the 20th century, during World War II, the cathedral was bombed in April 1944 by the British Royal Air Force. Seven bombs fell on the building, narrowly missing a key pillar of the lantern tower, but damaging much of the south aisle and destroying two rose windows. One of the bombs did not explode. A second bombing by the U.S. Army Air Force (before the Normandy Landings in June 1944) burned the oldest tower, called the North Tower or Saint-Romain Tower. During the fire the bells melted, leaving molten remains on the floor. In 1999, during Cyclone Lothar, a copper-clad wooden turret, which weighed 26 tons, broke and fell partly into the church and damaged the choir [Wikipedia.org]
Baptistry window by Derek Hunt, 1994, currently the only stained glass in the modern part of the church..
St James the Greater church at Birstall is one of the most unusual parish churches I've seen, a remarkable hybrid of ancient and modern that fuses what is in effect two completely separate churches into a single entity. The old medieval church had undergone much rebuilding already during the 19th century but was never a large building, a modest west tower, nave and chancel with an aisle on the north side only. From this north wall grew the new church built in 1962, a dramatic extension of the diminutive old building and more than tripling the former seating capacity. The internal spaces are quite separate and distinct, and yet physically joined at the same time.
On approaching the church from the road the old building appears unchanged, the new extension hidden behind it. The surprise is gradually revealed as one enters the churchyard to see the diagonally angled 'sawtooth' windows beyond the old tower and the main entrance is now via the new building.
Inside the new church is somewhat austere but well proportioned with a sweeping wooden ceiling finish above and the altar against the windowless north wall. A splash of colour is added by a single modern window on the west side amongst otherwise plain glass (it would be nice if others one day complemented it). At the far end the full length of the wall is open with a glazed screen which leads into the old church.
The old church is a darker, more intimate space and entering it from its successor feels like stepping back in time. This building is still the old village church aside from its missing north wall, and makes an interesting contrast with the appendage it has grown. It was much restored in the Victorian period so has little ancient patina but does contain some remarkable Arts & Crafts stained glass windows.
www.birstall.org/about-us/church-history/
I found this a most rewarding and memorable church (both halves collectively) being such a rare fusion of contrasting styles, but also for its finest windows from across the 20th century.. This church is alas normally kept locked outside of services (much to my chagrin on a previous visit) so entry will require making contact or timing accordingly (we visited on Heritage weekend).
Hair - *Alice Project* Nadia v2
.::WoW Skins::. Persia 2016 Tan CL
+grasp+/Leather Bracelet/R
Kunstkammer Hazel Eyes
FuLo - "Eugenie" Choker - shea.lilac
ieQED flower.string.crown.red
*OAL*/*SP* RPGear - Messenger Bracer Blk
LMagnums Lace Up Slink High Boots M-L- Starzs Brown
SEVEN - DASHA OUTFIT - Leather top and skirt
ZOILA CHARCOAL Shoulder Accessories
Visit this location at The Shire - A Homely Slice of Middle Earth in Second Life
Sept. 28, 2015 - Milan, ITALY - Giorgio Armani STREETSTYLE.PEOPLE ON STREET, PPL, MILAN FASHION WEEK 2016 READY TO WEAR, RTW, SRING SUMMER, PRET A PORTER, FRUEHLING, SOMMER, MILANO, MAILAND, .MILSTSS16
1. Toyota Prius, 2. Toyota Prius Interior, 3. www.flickr.com/photos/ahhyeah/88050396/, 4. Toyota Prius Hybrid, 5. 2005 Toyota Prius, 6. Toyota Prius Hybrid, 7. Toyota Prius Hybrid, 8. 2005 Toyota Prius, 9. Toyota Prius, 10. Toyota Prius, my dream car, 11. Toyota Prius, 12. Toyota Prius, 13. Toyota Prius, 14. 2006 Toyota Prius, 15. Toyota Prius Dash, 16. Toyota Prius車頭
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Royal Navy warship HMS Westminster currently on deployment has been putting her submarine hunting skills to the test with a combined UK and US Naval Anti-Submarine Warfare exercise in the Gulf of Oman.
HMS Westminster is part of the UK’s Response Force Task Group (RFTG) currently on the Royal Navy’s annual Cougar deployment. HMS Illustrious, RFA Fort Victoria, RFA Fort Austin, USS Bulkeley and the American Los Angeles Class Submarine USS Dallas also took part in the exercise.
The aims of the exercise is to develop maritime interoperability by exercising Anti-Submarine Warfare tactics with US allies in the challenging sonar environment of the warm and shallow waters of the Gulf region.
The exercise was broken down into three phases. The ships and submarines initially tested acoustic and non-acoustics sensor performance against known positions, gaining useful real life data for the region.
The second phase relied on the ships escorting HMS Illustrious as the Mission Essential Unit (MEU) along a passage whilst evading detection and simulated torpedo attacks by USS Dallas.
In the final phase USS Dallas tried to locate and destroy RFA Fort Austin as the MEU, in a holding box which simulated an anchorage, as the UK and US naval ships provided protection. Additional helicopter support to the ships was ably provided by the Anti-Submarine sonar dipping Merlins embarked in HMS Illustrious and USS Bulkeley’s Seahawk, with Westminster’s Mark 8 Lynx helicopter providing an additional surface search and weapon carrying capability.
Pictured: Able Seaman Warfare Specialist Sam Kirk monitors the Underwater Warfare Desk during a CASEX with the US Navy.
Picture: LA(Phot) Dan Rosenbaum
HMS Westminster
Consent forms signed and held at FRPU(E), HMS Excellent, Portsmouth
it has switched between the time of the photograph and now (8 hours). i'm tempted to make a table cloth for this small round table.
Left to right:
Red rulons: 14 10/10 lbn
Red p2s: 13 9/10
Red rulons: 13 9/10 gone
Nike takedowns: 14 9/10
Nike Freeks: 14 8/10 gone
Gangaikonda Cholapuram (Tamil: கங்கைகொண்ட சோழபுரம்) was built during medieval India and was erected as the capital of the Cholas by Rajendra Chola I, the son and successor of Rajaraja Chola, the great Chola who conquered a large area in South India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Sumatra, Kadaram (Kedah in Malaysia), Cambodia and others at the beginning of the 11th century A.D. It occupies an important place in the history of India. As the capital of the Cholas from about 1025 A.D. for about 250 years, the city controlled the affairs of entire southern India, from the Tungabhadra in the north to Ceylon in the south and other south east Asian countries. As of 2014, the ancient city exists as a small forlorn village in the Ariyalur district of Tamil Nadu, India. The great temple of Siva at this place is next only to the Brihadisvara temple at Thanjavur in its monumental nature and surpasses it in sculptural quality. The Gangaikondaan temple is an architectural and engineering marvel.
CITY
The city was founded by Rajendra Chola to commemorate his victory over the Pala Dynasty. The name means The town of the chola who brought Ganga (water from Ganga) or who defeated (the kings near) Ganga. It is now a small village, its past eminence only remembered by the existence of the great Siva Temple. Rajendra Chola-I (1012-1044 A.D) son of the Great Rajaraja-I, established this temple after his great victorious march to river Ganges on Northern India. He assumed the title of Rajendra during his coronation and continued to rule along with his father Rajaraja-I for a while. He was awarded the supreme title of the Cholas known as Parakesari.
Rajendra-I, a great warrior, assisted his father in numerous expeditions to elevate the Cholas to supreme power. The various expeditions he conducted, were : Gangetic expedition, eastern/Western Chalukyas expedition, war against Cheras/Pandyas, Ceylon expedition, Kataram (currently called as Kedah) expedition.
His empire included the whole of southern India to the river Thungabathra in the north. For administrative and strategic purposes he built another capital and named it Gangaikondacholapuram. The Gangaikondacholapuram temple he constructed consists of 3 stories and was surrounded by a huge fort-like wall, the outer wall largely destroyed during the English rule (1896) to reuse the building material (granite rocks) for constructing the Lower Anicut, the dam built across river Kollidam. He built around 10 temples at various places.
He assumed the title of Gangaikonda Cholan and named his new capital as Gangaikondacholapuram and he also constructed a huge Lake known as Chola Gangam that spreads 22 km mainly used for drinking and irrigation. A statue of Rajendra-I is found in Kolaram temple at Kolar of Karnataka state in India.
C. 1022 C.E. Rajendra undertook an expedition to the Ganges along the east coast of peninsular India. The emperor himself lead the army up to the banks of the Godavari river. The Chola armies conquered all the countries north of Vengi, which included Kalinga, Odda, Southern Kosala, the lower and upper Lada and finally the Vangaladesa (Bengal). The triumphant Chola armies brought back waters from the river Ganges in golden vessels. Around the same time, the Cholas under the illustrious Rajendra Chola I also vanquished the Chalukyas of Manyakheta when the Chola protectorate of Vengi was threatened by Chalukyas Jayasimha II. Rajendra Chola I defeated Jayasimha-II Chalukya at Maski (Muyangi in Chola annals) between Eluru and Visayavadai (modern Vijayawada) and subsequently engaged the Chalukya in Kannada country itself i.e. in the Chalukyas capital of Mannaikadakkam (Manyakheta) "the war in which the Chalukya Jayasimha-II, full of fear, hid like a mouse and fled the battlefield". The Chola armies seized the Chalukya flag, decapitated or slew various generals of the Chalukyas, with the Chalukyan king fleeing the battlefield. The Chalukya King surrendered his wife to the victorious Chola monarch. With the Chola coffers filling up with riches from the Chalukya country, they were able to establish their hold of the region between the Vaigai/Kaveri delta in Tamil country up to the Tungabhadra-Krishna basins in the Maharashtra-Andhra region. To commemorate this celebrated victory, Rajendra assumed the title of Gangaikonda Cholan, "Irattapadi-konda Cholan", "Mannai-kondan" (the king who possessed Irattapadi (erstwhile land of the Rashtrakutas usurped by the Salukkis (Chalukyas) and the king who possessed (the Chalukyan capital) Manyakheta (Mannaikadakkam in Chola annals) and had the Siva Temple Gangakkondacholeswaram built (***). Soon the capital was moved from Thanjavur to Gangaikondacholapuram. The city of Gangaikondacholapuram was probably founded by Rajendra before his 17th year. Most of the Chola kings who succeeded Rajendra were crowned here. They retained it as their capital, reoriented and trained the efficient Chola army.
CHOLA CULTURE
Chola rulers were active patrons of the arts. They flourished in architectures, education, science, arts, ship construction, poetry, drama, music, business trading, dance. The beautiful Nataraja figure was first conceived during the Chola empire.
They constructed enormous stone temple complexes decorated inside and out with painted sculptures. While the stone sculptures and the inner sanctum image empowering the temple remained immovable, changing religious concepts during the 10th century demanded that the deities take part in a variety of public roles similar to those of a human monarch. As a result, large bronze images were created to be carried outside the temple to participate in daily rituals, processions, and temple festivals. The round lugs and holes found on the bases of many of these sculptures are for the poles that were used to carry the heavy images. They were admired for the sensuous depiction of the figure and the detailed treatment of their clothing and jewelry in Chola-period bronzes.
FORTIFICATIONS
Nudging from the available literature and the remains we may conclude that it was an extensive city, carefully planned and laid in accordance with the architectural treatises to suit the needs of a capital.
The city seems to have had two fortifications, one inner and the other outer. The outer was probably wider. The remains of the outer fortification can be seen as a mound running all around the palace.
The outer fortification built of burnt bricks, was about six to eight feet wide. It consisted of two walls, the intervening space (the core) being filled with sand. The bricks are fairly large in size and are made of well-burnt clay. Systematic brick robbing by the local inhabitants has reduced this structure to its current state.
The outer fortification was known as Rajendra Chola Madil and is mentioned in inscriptions. The inner fortification was around the royal palace, probably identical with the Utpadi vittu madil of the inscriptions.
Probably in the reign of Kulothunga Chola I, the fortifications were renewed and the city underwent some alteration and additions. An epigraph refers to the fort wall of Kulothunga Chola (Kulottunga Cholan Thirumadil). The strengthening of the fortification and additions to the city in the reign of Kulothunga I were probably necessitated by the uprising which led to the murder of Chola king Athithakarikal Cholain the sambuvaraya's palace of Melakadambur, Kulothunga's predecessor. By the 13th century, the Chola kingdom had exhausted its resources and was on the decline. It succumbed to an attack by the Hoysalas from the west and the Pandyas from the south. The last king of the Medieval Cholas was Rajendra Chola-III.
THE CHOLA ADMINISTRATION
The Chola administration served as a model for all the other kingdoms of the South. The king had a council of ministers. The kingdom was divided into a number of provinces known as mandalams, The mandalams in turn were divided into valanadu and nadus. The next administrative sub divisions were kurrams and kottams. The special feature of the Chola administration was the Local Self Government or the autonomous administration. The villagers themselves carried out village administration. It was more or less like the modern Panchayat Raj. Each village had a village assembly known as the ur or the sabha. The members of the sabha were elected by lot, known as kudavolai system. There was a committee to look after the specified departments, such as justice, law and order, irrigation etc., which were called as variyams.
ARCHITECTURE
The temple of Gangaikondacholisvara is approached through the eastern entrance from the road. The entrance is called the "Mahaduvar" leads to the inner court. As one steps in, the great Vimana arrests the visitor's sight. The Vimana with its recessed corners and upward movement presents a striking contrast to the straight-sided pyramidal tower of Thanjavur but with octagon shape of Dravidian architecture. As it rises to a height of 55 m and is shorter than the Thanjavur tower with larger plinth, it is often described as the feminine counterpart of the Thanjavur temple. The Vimana is flanked on either side by small temples; the one in the north now housing the Goddess is fairly well preserved. The small shrine of Chandikesvara is near the steps in the north. In the north-east are a shire housing Durga, a well called lion-well (simhakeni) with a lion figure guarding its steps and a late mandapa housing the office. Nandi is in the east facing the main shrine. In the same direction is the ruined gopura, the entrance tower. The main tower surrounded by little shrines truly presents the appearance of a great Chakravarti (emperor) surrounded by chieftains and vassals. The Gangaikondacholapuram Vimana is undoubtedly a devalaya chakravarti, an emperor among temples of South India.
ROYAL PALACE
The royal palace also was built of burnt brick. The ceilings were covered with flat tiles of small size, laid in a number of courses, in fine lime mortar. The pillars were probably made of polished wood, supported on granite bases; a few pillar bases have survived to this day. Iron nails and clamps have been recovered from this palace site. There is an underground tunnel that links the palace and the temple inner 1st pragara (north).
In the reign of Virarajendra Chola, Rajendra's third son, the palace at Gangaikondacholapuram is referred to as Chola-Keralan Thirumaligai (Chola Keralan palace) evidently after one of the titles of Rajendra I. The same inscription mentions a few parts of the palace as adibhumi (the ground floor), Kilaisopana (the eastern portico), and a seat named Mavali vanadhirajan. Evidently the palace was multistoried. In an inscription dated in the 49th year of Kulothunga I (1119 C.E.) reference is made to Gangaikondacholamaligai at this place. It is likely that there were more than one royals building each having their own name.
CATASTROPHE ON GANGAIKONDACHOLAPURAM
As per the available evidences, the last Chola King Rajendra Chozha III’s rule did not end due to any defeat in the war field. But devastations are available underneath, which proves that some major catastrophe happened around Gangaikondacholapuram which brought the Chola’s Rule to an end. After about six/eight decades, the Chola region was taken over by Pallava from whom it was Hoysala and then to Vijaya Nagar Rule. During Vijaya Nagar Rule, lots of settlements by Telugu, Telugu Brahmins, Kannada etc.happened. It is also evident that while the farmers tried to dig wells for farming around Gangaikondacholapuram, it was revealed to the world that the Palace buildings and other constructions are underneath about 50 – 80 feet depth.
EXPEDITION TO THE GANGES
With both the Western and Eastern Chalukya fronts subdued, Rajendra’s armies undertook an extraordinary expedition. 1019 CE Rajendra’s forces continued to march through Kalinga.
Kalinga was a kingdom in central-eastern India, which comprised most of the modern state of Orissa, as well as some northern areas of the bordering state of Andhra Pradesh to the river Ganges. The Emperor himself led the advance up to the river Godavari.
The Chola army eventually reach the Pala kingdom of Bengal where they met Mahipala I,considered the second founder of the Pala Empire . Gopala I established the dynastic rule of the Palas in the middle of the 8th century C.E and defeated him.
According to the Tiruvalangadu Plates, the campaign lasted less than two years in which many kingdoms of the north felt the might of the Chola army. The inscriptions further claim that Rajendra defeated the armies of Ranasura and entered the land of Dharmapala and subdued him and thereby he reached the Ganges and caused the river water to be brought back to the Chola country. The new conquests opened up new routes for the Cholas to head for distant lands like Burma by land (through what are now modern Orissa, West Bengal, Assam and Bangladesh).
It is true that Rajendra's army defeated the kings of Sakkarakottam and Dhandabhukti and Mahipala. These territories were initially added to the kingdom, while later they had the status of tribute paying subordinates and trade partners with the Chola Kingdom, an arrangement that lasted till the times of Kulothunga-III and to a limited extent, of Raja Raja-III too. It was undoubtedly an exhibition of the power and might of the Chola empire to the northern kingdoms. But the benevolent leadership of the Cholas treated them in a benevolent manner and did not permanently annexe them to the Chola dominions.
ROADS AND CITY GATES
Besides the names of the palace and fort walls, the names of a few roads and streets are preserved in the epigraphs. The entryways named Thiruvasal, the eastern gate and the Vembugudi gate, evidently the south gate leading to the village Vembugudi situated in that direction are mentioned. Reference is also found to highways named after Rajaraja and Rajendra as Rajarajan Peruvali and Rajendran Peruvali. Other streets mentioned in epigraphs are the ten streets (Pattu teru), the gateway lane (Thiruvasal Narasam) and the Suddhamali lane. The inscription also refers to the highways, Kulottungacholan Thirumadil peruvali, Vilangudaiyan Peruvali and Kulaiyanai pona Peruvali (the highway through which a short elephant passed by).
CITY LAYOUT
The epigraphs also refer to the Madhurantaka Vadavaru, now called the Vadavaru, running about six kilometers east of the ruined capital. Madhurantaka Vedavaru, named after one of the titles of Rajendra I, was a source of irrigation to a vast stretch of land bordering the capital. An irrigation channel called Anaivettuvan is also mentioned.
"Anaivettuvan" - Anai means irrigation (step irrigation) vettuvan means labour or engineer. Hence the above seque is not matching, more over Hindu dharam never allows to kill elephant.Another possible meaning of "AnaiVettuvan" - Anai means Dam, vettuvan means constructor (labour or engineer).
There were both wet and dry lands inside the Fort, used for cultivation and other purposes. The present positions of the existing temples throw some light on the lay out of the city. With the palace as the centre to the city, the great temple, and the other temples in the city seem to have been erected. Towards the northeast (Isanya) of the palace is the great temple of Siva. The Siva temple according to Vastu and traditional texts should be in the northeast of the city or village and should face east. The temple of Vishnu should be in the west.
A number of small tanks and ponds mentioned in inscriptions and a number of wells, supplied drinking water to the residents.
WIKIPEDIA
U.S. Army Africa Soldiers apply lessons of WWII to current mission
By Rick Scavetta, U.S. Army Africa
KAIROUAN, Tunisia – Col. Stephen Mariano looked down into a foxhole carved atop a rocky hill top near El Guettar, where in March 1943, troops from U.S. Army II Corps battled German panzers.
Nearby, retired Army Col. Len Fullenkamp conjured tales of U.S. Army Rangers under Lt. Col. William Darby marching through darkness along a nearby ridge to surprise sleeping enemy infantrymen with fixed bayonets. Soldiers from the 1st Infantry Division hacked fighting positions from solid rock as enemy tanks rumbled into the valley. U.S. Army artillery units skimmed shells across the desert at approaching German armor.
Mariano began to wonder, “Had my grandfather dug one of these foxholes? Was his artillery position somewhere nearby? Did he fire on Germans coming through this gap?”
Mariano, 45, of Redlands, Calif., was among several U.S. Army Africa officers who took part in a four-day “staff ride,” – onsite discussions of Tunisia’s World War II battlefields geared toward finding insights into U.S. Army Africa’s present challenge – building cooperative relationships with African land forces to increase security, stability and peace in the region.
In late 1942, U.S. forces landed in North Africa with British troops. Their first fights were with Vichy French units, who later joined the Allied cause. Together, they pushed east into Tunisia, where they clashed with German and Italian troops among craggy, cactus-covered hills and washed out wadis.
As a U.S. Army Africa’s strategic planner, a look back at the alliance between American, British and French forces offered Mariano a glimpse at an international coalitions’ growing pains and how friction between partners can doom a mission. On a more personal level, the staff ride allowed him to recapture his family’s past.
Henry Mariano, Sr., was a sergeant with the 2nd Battalion, 62nd Armored Field Artillery Regiment who survived combat in North Africa, Italy and France before being wounded during the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium.
“This staff ride is a historic event, on a historic event, separated by 67 years,” Mariano said. “To be here, where my grandfather was, is pretty powerful to me.”
The tour began May 27 outside Sidi Bou Zid, where U.S. forces suffered a horrible defeat in mid-February 1943. They stopped for the evening in Gafsa, a city in Central Tunisia that changed hands between Allied and Axis forces several times during the campaign.
The second day, they focused on the Allied defeat at Kasserine Pass, followed by the U.S. Army’s first solid gains against veteran German troops in the counterattack at El Guettar. The next day, U.S. Army Africa Soldiers ventured east to focus on British Gen. Bernard Montgomery’s attempt to punch through Axis defenses at the coastal town of Enfidaville, roughly 40 miles southeast of Tunis.
Perched on a craggy knoll near Takrouna, Col. David Buckingham, U.S. Army Africa’s senior operations officer, bent the spine of Atkinson’s book, deep in thought about how for two days in mid-April 1942, New Zealanders came to death grips with Italian defenders in the limestone foothills outside Enfidaville.
Afterward, they paid respects to French and British Commonwealth troops buried nearby.
“Tying this staff ride together with Memorial Day, taking time to better understanding leadership and feel the sacrifice of our soldiers, has been both poignant and educational,” Buckingham said.
At each stop, officers thumbed through worn copies of Rick Atkinson’s “An Army At Dawn,” at their hip as Fullenkamp spoke of the bravery, heroics, ingenuity, lunacy and debacles of the North African campaign. After discussions, they poked through thorn bushes and cacti along the rocky terrain, searching for battlefield remnants.
At El Guettar, Maj. Gen. William B. Garrett III, commander of U.S. Army Africa, found a tin C-ration can and passed it to his senior logistics officer, Col. Mike Balser. Others found shards of shells and bullet casings. Lt. Col. David Konop, the command’s public affairs officer, found a link from a 30-caliber machine gun belt.
It was hard to not be overwhelmed in the presence of such history, to walk this consecrated ground, Fullenkamp said.
Like the 34th Infantry Division, they climbed the hills near Fondouk Pass. They stood in the cold rain below Longstop Hill, just as the U.S. Army’s 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment had when they relieved the 2nd Battalion of the British Coldstream Guards, around Christmas 1942.
The U.S. Army Africa tour wrapped up in the Tunisian capital, Tunis, the prize the Allies had fought seven months to pry away from German control. The Soldeirs took part in a May 31 Memorial Day ceremony at the North Africa American Cemetery and Memorial near Carthage, Tunisia.
All agreed that their experience in Tunisia was unlike walking the U.S. battlefield of Gettysburg, tracing the footsteps of Pickett’s men from Spangler’s Woods to the Emmitsburg Road. Nor was it like stepping from the shores of Normandy onto Omaha beach’s Dog Green sector on D-Day staff rides.
This tour was focused on lessons the U.S. Army learned over the course of a seven-month campaign across North Africa.
“No one’s ever done something like this, in this context, before. We’re using the book ‘An Army At Dawn’ and we are an Army Service Component Command at dawn,” Mariano said. “That’s the connection. It’s brilliant. “
Early on, Garrett challenged his staff to ask tough questions along the way and encouraged them to discuss tactical operations, but also look for insights into overall strategic goals. In North Africa, U.S. Army leaders found innovative ways to grow and succeed against often-insurmountable odds, he said.
“Talking about the past, in the present, that’s what this is about,” Garrett said. “This staff ride is simply a mechanism, a tool for helping us think about the challenges leaders faced in Africa during World War II and applying insights to our present focus.”
PHOTO CAPTION:
U.S. Army photo by Rick Scavetta
Cleared for Public Release
I love that the wallpaper on my laptop in this photo is actually the previous photo in my flickr stream.
Thirty years later it could be a photograph of myself.
I was never interested in current fashions, whilst my friends in the mid 1960s were seeking the latest shade of anorak and trousers, I was quite happy with a waterproof raincoat, my only objection was if the hat fixed under my chin, for some reason after a couple of outings, the chin cord seem to fail and become lost.
I was fine with the fashions of the 1930s-1950s.
Get beach savvy with this fun tutorial on currents.
(Original source and more information: National Ocean Service Ocean Education)
Cara Carleton "Carly" Fiorina (née Sneed; September 6, 1954) is an American politician and former business executive who currently chairs the non-profit philanthropic organization Good360.
Starting in 1980, Fiorina rose through the ranks to become an executive at AT&T and its equipment and technology spin-off, Lucent Technologies, Inc. As chief executive officer of Hewlett-Packard (HP) from 1999 to 2005, she was the first woman to lead a top 20 company as ranked by Fortune magazine.
In 2002, Fiorina oversaw the biggest high-tech merger in history up to that time, with rival computer company Compaq, which made HP the world's largest personal computer manufacturer. The deal was controversial as analysts were not convinced of its strategic value and it was publicly opposed by several board members and shareholders. Following HP's gain in market share as a result of the 2002 merger, Fiorina laid off 30,000 U.S. employees. By 2004 the number of HP employees was about the same as the pre-merger total of HP and Compaq combined, and that 2004 number included roughly 8,000 employees of companies acquired by HP since 2001.
On February 9, 2005, the HP board of directors forced Fiorina to resign as chief executive officer and chairman over disagreements about the company's performance, disappointing earning reports, and her resistance to transferring authority to division heads. At that time, HP had about 150,000 employees. Its stock price had fallen by approximately half its value compared to when Fiorina had started, while the overall NASDAQ index had decreased by about a quarter owing to turbulence in the tech sector.
After leaving HP, Fiorina served on the boards of several organizations/ She was an adviser to Republican John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign. She won a three-person race for the Republican nomination for the United States Senate in California in 2010, but lost the general election to incumbent Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer by 10 points.
On May 4, 2015, Fiorina announced her candidacy for the Republican nomination in the 2016 presidential election.
Every four years, as America’s campaign cycle rumbles back to life, two of the country’s smaller states again return to the national spotlight.
Taking advantage of this political stage, The Seventy Four aims to bring the urgent conversation of America’s K-12 education system to both Iowa and New Hampshire in the coming months.
As first reported in The New York Times, The Seventy Four, a non-partisan, non-profit news website about education, announced it will be hosting and organizing two 2015 Education Summits beginning in August. Sponsored by the American Federation for Children, the nation’s leading school-choice advocacy organization, and organized in partnership with The Des Moines Register, the first-of-its-kind summits will gather prominent elected officials, political influencers, and education thought leaders to discuss the challenges now facing America’s education system.
“Last year, 1.3 million children dropped out of school, and U.S. students have flatlined on national and international tests,” said Betsy DeVos, chairman of the American Federation for Children. “It’s time to have a national conversation and no better time than as we look to 2016.” (The Seventy Four receives support from the Dick & Betsy DeVos Family Foundation.)
The first of the 2015 Education Summits will be held in New Hampshire on Aug. 19 and will be moderated by The Seventy Four co-founder and Editor-in-Chief Campbell Brown and others. Confirmed speakers (thus far) include Governor Jeb Bush, Governor Chris Christie, former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, Governor Bobby Jindal, Governor John Kasich and Governor Scott Walker. (Check out The Seventy Four's detailed education profiles of the six GOP leaders participating Wednesday)
Additional New Hampshire speakers will be confirmed in the coming weeks. Watch The74Million.org and EdSummits2015.org for new announcements, and check back for video and updates from both summits.
“These summits are an unprecedented opportunity to have an honest and intelligent discussion with our leaders about the failures of the education system”
The second summit, to be held in Iowa in October, will be co-hosted by The Seventy Four and The Des Moines Register, Iowa’s most influential news outlet.
The 2015 Iowa Summit will spotlight Democrats from both Iowa and across the nation — elected officials, analysts and thought leaders with clear thoughts on how to solve America’s education challenges.
All speakers at both the 2015 New Hampshire Summit and 2015 Iowa Summit are invited in their current personal or professional capacities and will appear on stage separately for an important conversation about America’s education challenges and opportunities.
When it comes to most political debates, K-12 education issues tend to get overshadowed by a landslide of other domestic policy issues. The 2015 Education Summits will keep the conversation focused on America’s most urgent policy issue, affording featured speakers time to provide in-depth perspectives outside the formal parameters of the presidential debates.
“As the political world descends on New Hampshire and Iowa, these summits are an unprecedented opportunity to have an honest and intelligent discussion with our leaders about the failures of the education system,” Brown said. “We must begin to treat fixing our education system with the urgency the crisis demands, as it is vital not only to our children’s future, but also the future of this nation
This is how I've been spending much of my time lately, building up inventory to take back to the States in July to sell! It's fun and challenging!
This picture is part of a discussion on Words-L.
The little round thing is a tape measure; the red case under phone contains mini iPad; the pink case contains a compass and business cards; the blue purse-looking thing contains cards like Rainbow bread card and membership card, Koinonia card; the flowered case contains kleenex, cough drops, hand-sanitizer, and assorted other stuff; little yellow case contains extra camera battery; little (fabric) red case contains a SD card. I think that takes care of most of the possibly mysterious items.
Just as I pulled into my driveway, about 20 turkey vultures came over the house riding the currents. With the moon behind them, and the sun shining for the first time in a month...it was my lucky day. They're not eagles, but what the heck.
N251FL - Boeing B-727-22C - Contract Air Cargo
(leased from International Trading Co. of Yukon Inc.)
at Hamilton International Airport (YHM) in March 2008
c/n 19.204 - built in 1967 for United Airlines -
operated by Kelowna Flightcraft as C-GKFZ for PUROLATOR between 03/1994 and 2004 -
leased to Contract Air Cargo
After the end of the lease the aircraft was slowly parted out at YHM and was finally scrapped in 2008.
The current N251FL of IFL Group might go the same way (currently stored at YHM)
scanned from Kodachrome-slide
Wallpaper: theal.deviantart.com/gallery/7848059#/d4a1nzt
Dock (ProtoIron theme): rocketdock.com/
Dock icons: rocketdock.com/addon/icons/40489
Time/weather widget: www.htchome.org/en/
Launchy (running in background): www.launchy.net/
Stay Classy, Not Trashy show @ The Music House in Clermont, FL with Playing For Keeps, Aglacia, Conquer, Currents, Deviations, Wake Up Atlantic, Majesty,
(wool and cotton) --- --- Olga de Amaral (born 1932) is a Colombian textile and visual artist known for her large-scale abstract works made with fibers and covered in gold and/or silver leaf. Because of her ability to reconcile local concerns with international developments, de Amaral became one of the few artists from South America to become internationally known for her work in fiber during the 1960s and ‘70s. She is also considered an important practitioner in the development of postwar Latin American Abstraction. She currently lives and works in Bogotá, Colombia. (Wikipedia)
Ka'ili'kii, Island of Hawai'i, Hawai'i, USA
seafloor map - www.shadedrelief.com/hawaii/
my photos arranged by subject, e.g. mountains - www.flickr.com/photos/29750062@N06/collections
Current keeper since 1991!
Great to see this Manta.
Numerous modifications, some OEM '400' type bits and others not. An Irmscher badge on the rear pointing to the source of some.
A different powertrain too, the legendary 'Red Top', I think it was a turbcharged C20LET unit but I can't remember for sure.
This Manta is road legal, MOT history suggests that it covered almost 2000 miles last year.
PACIFIC OCEAN (Jan. 20, 2016) Enginemen 2nd Class
Alexander Michiels measures fuel samples for testing in the oil lab aboard
amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18) during an underway
replenishment. New Orleans, part of the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group (ARG),
is currently underway conducting routine training exercises and maintenance
in preparation for its upcoming deployment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass
Communication Specialist 3rd Class Chelsea D. Daily/ Released)
Dusk settles on Carlos Gonzalez Torrez's crops that are giving him education and experience at the Agricultural Land Based Training Association (ALBA); who receives assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC) Farm Service Agency (FSA); he is a 2015 graduate of their Farmer Education Course (PEPA) and is now in his third of five (possible) incubator years where he rents farm land, currently 4.35 acres of ALBAâs 100 acre facility in Salinas, Ca., on Nov. 14, 2018.
The Agricultural Land Based Training Association (ALBA) is a training program that helps low income farmworkers and others learn how to become farmers. New farmers begin with a series of classroom courses and on-hands training, and graduate to farming their own piece of land on the farm. Eventually these new graduates hope to become successful farmers.
ALBAâs Farmer Education and Enterprise Development (FEED) Program educates and trains new farmer-entrepreneurs to plan, launch, and establish viable organic farm businesses or advance their careers. To accomplish this, ALBA has 100 acres of organic land, an experienced team with diverse expertise, and a hands-on, 5-year farmer development program. FEED is comprised of three main components:
1.The Farmer Education Course (PEPA) is a one year, bilingual, 300-hour curriculum featuring classroom instruction and field-based training, readying participants to launch an organic farm business.
2.The Organic Farm Incubator allows course graduates to launch their farm on ALBAâs land. Starting at ½ acre, farmers gradually scale up to 5 acres over 4 years under ALBAâs supervision before transitioning to fully independent farming.
3.ALBA Organics, aggregates, markets and ships participantsâ products to growing markets around California. Doing so gives farmers access to clients that would otherwise be out of reach and allows them to focus on growing and business management in their initial years.
For more information about PEPA please see www.albafarmers.org/programs/
Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC) is the USDAâs focal point for the nationâs farmers and ranchers and other stewards of private agricultural lands and non-industrial private forest lands. FPAC agencies implement programs designed to mitigate the significant risks of farming through crop insurance services, conservation programs and technical assistance, and commodity, lending, and disaster programs. The FPAC team includes, Farm Service Agency (FSA) (www.fsa.usda.gov/), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) (www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/site/national/home/), and Risk Management Agency (RMA) (www.rma.usda.gov/).
Farm Service Agency (FSA) is equitably serving all farmers, ranchers, and agricultural partners through the delivery of effective, efficient agricultural programs for all Americans. FSA is a customer-driven agency with a diverse and multi-talented work force, dedicated to achieving an economically and environmentally sound future for American Agriculture. The vision is to be a market-oriented, economically and environmentally sound American agriculture delivering an abundant, safe, and affordable food and fiber supply while sustaining quality agricultural communities.
Here, FSA works with non-profit organizations such as ALBA to provide program information and outreach to beginning farmers, socially disadvantaged farmers and limited income farmers. ALBA works with a unique farmer base of nontraditional, diverse and beginning farmers.
FSA staff has worked with ALBA for many years in the following ways:
1. Provide classroom training to new ALBA students at the ALBA farm during their regular coursework. FSA provides training on:
a. How to apply for a farm loan and prepare a cash flow statement.
b. How to apply for FSA programs that help with risk management on the farm, such as the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) or other regional crop insurance options.
c. How to apply for Disaster Assistance through FSA in case of an adverse weather event or other emergency.
2. FSA has provided micro loans, operating loans and ownership loans to help ALBA farmers become independent and successful in their operations. FSA has provided Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) and Noninsured Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) payments to these farmers.
3. FSA has provided bookkeeping training courses to ALBA students, on farm tours, and has helped students apply for USDA scholarships to attend agricultural conferences and other trainings.
4. FSA has referred ALBA farmers to NRCS for help with resource management issues.
âThese farmers are the future face of American Agriculture. It is so important for FSA to help them get a strong start in ensuring the success of their operations, said FSA County Executive Director Vivian Soffa. Carlos will need support when he graduates from ALBA and hopefully FSA will be able to assist him with his capital needs when he is farming on his own in this very competitive agriculture market. Familiarity with FSAâs programs at the beginning of a new farmerâs endeavor may be the difference between success and failure.â
For more information please see www.usda.gov.
USDA Photo by Lance Cheung.
A little cheating here because I've already finished Chuck Klosterman's But What If We're Wrong and I have to say it's the best book I've read for a long time. I read everything that Klosterman and Mary Roach publish as soon as they're available.
that's my current set up in the Palo Alto apartment I'll stay until end of march. Loosing weight running from one side to other of the desk :)
Current grantee Ciarán Donnelly, Acting Vice-President for Programme Quality for the International Rescue Committee (IRC), speaks during the first-ever awards ceremony of the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women, which was organized with UN Secretary General's UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign. The ceremony put a spotlight on ground-breaking initiatives that address the crucial needs of survivors of gender-based violence around the world and recognized individuals who have dedicated their lives to the cause.
Three individuals were honoured: UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Nicole Kidman, for her extensive global efforts to end violence against women; CEO of the Joyful Heart Foundation actress Mariska Hargitay, for her exemplary contribution to national efforts, and Co-Executive Director of CONNECT, Quentin Walcott, for his ground-breaking efforts at a local level.
Sukey Novogratz, Board Member of the Joyful Heart Foundation, accepted the award on Ms. Hargitay’s behalf, while Ms. Kidman addressed the participants via video message.
Photo: UN Women/Sebastian Montalvo