Altar dedicated to St. Joseph, Westwego, Louisiana, circa 2002. The Feast of Saint Joseph, celebrated around March 19, by the construction of elaborate three-tiered altars displaying traditional foods--shaped hard-breads, whole fish, sweets, olive oil and fresh fruits. A Silcian legend credits St. Joseph as saint who sent rain to save starving peasants during Medieval times, and as thanks, ever since then, faithful Sicilians have offered the saint their crops and foodstuffs. During the festival, which can last up to three days, all those who come to view the altars are fed, and the altar displays are given over to feed the poor when the festival reaches its end. Altars in New Orleans are erected in private homes, as well at churches serving the Italian community.

Day 2 at Brands Hatch for the British Truck Racing Championship Season of 2021 and after Some Very Intense Battles and Superb Victories from Each of the Drivers on Saturday it was time Once again for Each Driver to Strap in and Get the Hammer Down.

 

The Weather Unlike Saturday was Beautiful with a bright Blue Sky during the Morning which no Doubt Lifted a lot of the Drivers Moods after Saturday had seen Very Grey and Overcast Conditions.

 

With Four British Truck Races Making Up the Largest Portion of the Days Events it will be interesting to see what Each Driver can do and How they Will Have to Preserve their Machinery to make it through Each Race.

 

With All Drivers Ready Having gotten up Early to do Final Checks and Adjustments to their Respective Cars it was Time to Get to Work and Take to the Race Track for Another Day of High Sped High Adrenaline Fuelled Action around the Brands Hatch Indy Circuit.

 

Carbon8 Hyundai Coupe Cup (Qualifying)

 

Starting the Day off was the Hyundai Coupe Cup A Racing Series Dedicated to the 2.0 Engine Hyundai Cars and a Large Grid of 22 Cars was Present as Qualifying Began.

 

Lets Take a Look and Find out who Made it to Pole and Took the Fastest Lap.

 

In First Place Taking Pole Position and the Fastest Lap was (Alistair Dendy) in his Hyundai Coupe 2000 with a Best Lap Time of 58.735 and a Top Speed of 74.03mph. Brilliant Work from Alistair Really Pushing Hard and Keeping his Car Under Control The Entire Time.

 

In Second Place was (Wayne Rockett) in his Hyundai Coupe 2000 with a Best Lap Time of 59.123 and a Top Speed of 73.55mph. Amazing Job there Wayne Really Going for it and Pushing Hard.

 

In Third Place was (Alex Cursley) in his Hyundai Coupe 2000 with a Best Lap Time of 59.148 and a Top Speed of 73.52mph. Great Work there Alex Fantastic Driving to take P3 on the Grid for Race 1.

 

A Superb Flying Start to the Days Action with the Top Three Drivers in Alistair Wayne and Alex All Sitting Quite Close Together in Qualifying and no Doubt Other Drivers will also Be Looking to Fight their way Through the Field in order to try and take that Glory away from them.

 

With Qualifying Over Lets Turn Our Attention to the Racing and See out of Alistair Wayne or Alex who Had managed to hold their Composure and take that All Important First Victory.

 

Carbon8 Hyundai Coupe Cup (Race 1 Results)

 

In First Place Taking the Victory was (Alistair Dendy) in his Hyundai Coupe 2000 with a Best Lap Time of 59.151 and an Average Speed of 55.27mph. Congratulations Alistair a Brilliant Lights to Flag Victory and The Drive and Bravery of a True Champion Well Done.

 

In Second Place was (Alex Cursley) in his Hyundai Coupe 2000 with a Bets Lap Time of 59.022 and an Average Speed of 55.21mph. Brilliant Driving from Alex and Some Amazing Close Racing at Times with Alistair at The Front of the Grid. A Well Deserved Second Place Finnish.

 

In Third Place was (Wayne Rockett) in his Hyundai Coupe 2000 with a Best Lap Time of 59.085 and an Average Speed of 55.16mph. Nice Work Wayne Fighting Hard and Taking the Final Step on the Podium with a Fantastic Drive and Defence of P3.

 

What a Brilliant First Race to Kick Start the Day Off with Alistair Dendy in First Place Alex Cursley in Second Place and Wayne Rockett in Third Place. Fantastic Driving from All of you as Well as All the other Drivers in the Race who Were Battling their way Through the Field.

 

Lets See what Race 2 and the Final Race Brings for the Top Three Drivers and Can Any of them Improve or will Someone Sneak in at the Last Minute to Grab P1 P2 and P3 away from them.

 

Carbon8 Hyundai Coupe Cup (Race 2 Results)

 

In First Place Taking the Final Race Victory of the Day for the Hyundai Coupe Championship was (Alistair Dendy) in his Hyundai Coupe 2000 with a Best Lap Time of 58.800 and an Average Speed of 71.74mph. Another Heroic Drive from Alistair Sees Him Take Both Race Wins for The Weekend and No Doubt in my Mind his Family Friends and Team Will be more than Happy for Him. A Truly Deserving Driver of P1.

 

In Second Place was (Alex Cursley) in his Hyundai Coupe 2000 with a Best Lap Time of 58.795 and an Average Speed of 71.70mph. Another Incredible Drive from Alex Has seen him Take P2 Once Again Brilliant Work to Him and the Team who no Doubt Will be Celebrating this One for a Long Time Coming.

 

In Third Place was (Johnny Rockett) in his Hyundai Coupe 2000 with a Best Lap Time of 59.372 and an Average Speed of 71.28mph. Amazing Drive there from Johnny Holding off the Charging Wayne Rockett to take P3 and a Proud Moment for The Entire Rocket Family.

 

Fantastic Racing Today from the Hyundai Coupe 2000 Championship with Some Fierce Competition from The Likes of Wayne Johnny Alex and Alistair Along with The Rest of the Other Drivers as they Fought Hard to Push their Points Tally Even Higher in the Championship. Congratulations Everybody and Good Luck for the Rest of the Season.

 

CTCRC All-Comers - Racing for Marshals (Race 2 Results)

 

CTRC was Up Next and After a Great Race Yesterday All of the Drivers were Ready to Strap in and Get to Work.

 

After a Hectic Day of Qualifying for The CRTC Yesterday it was Samuel Wilson who Grabbed The Pole with Gary Prebble in Second and Mike Saunders in Third Place with the Top Three Separated by Less than A Second Between Them.

 

Lets Find Out who Has Won in this Last Race of the Weekend for the CTRC Racing For Marshalls Race.

 

In First Place taking the Victory and The Fastest Lap was (Colin Claxton) in his Ford Escort MK1 2000 with a Best Lap Time of 55.365 and an Average Speed of 76.44mph. Brilliant Driving from Colin Working that Steering Wheel Hard and Putting in some Incredible Flying Laps to Maintain the Gap and Take a Deserving Victory.

 

In Second Place was (Samuel Wilson) in his Aston Martin V8 Vantage with a Best Lap Time of 51.471 and an Average Speed of 82.44mph. Really Great Drive from Samuel Pushing His Aston Martin as Hard as Possible to try and Catch the Speedy Colin Claxton.

 

In Third Place was (Malcom Harding) in his Ford Escort MK2 Zakspeed with a Best Lap Time of 51.682 and an Average Speed of 82.38mph. Really Amazing Work there from Malcom A Beautiful Looking Car Paired with a Confident and Determined Driver. A Well Deserved P3.

 

Amazing Racing from the CTRC as Always at Brands Hatch with the Likes of Colin Samuel and Malcom all taking Superb Victories and Cementing their Names into the Books of History at the Circuit. Fantastic Work to all the other Drivers and Teams out there too Keep Trying and Never Give Up.

 

Junior Saloon Car Championship (Race 2 Results)

 

A Fan Favourite Up Next with the Junior Saloon Car Championship and After Some of the Most Incredible Racing Witnessed Yesterday During Race 1 Between the likes of Jamie and Ruben who Went Side by Side for Nearly Four Whole Laps Continuously This Next Race was for Sure Going to be a Head Turner.

 

Lets Take a Look at the Results and Find Out if Charlie Hand has managed to Come Back Stronger Than Yesterday.

 

In First Place Taking the Victory and The Fastest Lap was (Charlie Hand) in his Citron Saxo VTR 1600 with a Best Lap Time of 58.614 and an Average Speed of 61.94mph. Congratulations Charlie Another Brilliant Drive for the Final Race Win of the Weekend in Junior Saloon Cars and a Well Deserved Comeback Drive After Yesterdays Race.

 

In Second Place was (Harvey Caton) in his Citron Saxo VTR 1600 with a Best Lap Time of 58.573 and an Average Speed of 61.89mph. Brilliant Driving there Harvey Pushing the Car Hard through Paddock Hill Bend and Hanging onto that P2 Spot. Amazing Job.

 

In Third Place was (Will Redford) in his Citron Saxo 1600 with a Best Lap Time of 58.830 and an Average Speed of 61.85mph. Well Done Will A Great Drive to Finnish The Weekend off and No Doubt his Family and Team Will be Celebrating All Thought the Night for that Performance.

 

Another Brilliant Final Day of Action from the Junior Saloon Car Championship, A Huge Congratulations to the Likes of Charlie Harvey and Will for their Performances and to All of their Fellow Drivers who are also Chasing their Dreams. Keep Working Hard and Improving as much as you can.

 

Pickup Truck Racing Championship (Race 2 Results)

 

Now it was the Turn of the Pickup Trucks Championship and with a Large Grid of 20 Light Weight Space Frame Pickup Trucks the Action from Yesterdays Qualifying Proved that This Race for going to be a Very Fast and Hectic One.

 

During Qualifying Second Fastest Yesterday it was Mark Wilson who Took Pole with Matt Simpson and Tom Jenkins Close Behind him in Second and Third Place. But out of All Three of thease Drivers who will be Brave Enough to Put their Foot Down and Go for it During the Race to take Victory?

 

In First Place Taking the Race Win and The Fastest Lap was (David O' Regan) in his Pickup Truck 2000 with a Best Lap Time of 52.463 and an Average Speed of 65.64mph. Amazing Driving there from David Especially through Paddock Hill Bend as the Trucks tend to Slide a lot through there but He was Keeping His Pickup Truck on Corse for a Very Well Deserved P1 Finish for the Weekend.

 

In Second Place was (George Turiccki) in his Pickup Truck 2000 with a Best Lap Time of 52.425 and an Average Speed of 65.61mph. Great Drive there by George Defending His Position Thought the Race and Hanging onto take an Impressive P2 Finish.

 

In Third Place was (Allen Cooper) in his Pickup Truck 2000 with a Best Lap Time of 52.265 and an Average Speed of 65.52mph. Really Well Driven from Allen to Take that Final P3 Spot on the Podium and to End what Has Been a Fantastic Weekend for the Pickup Trucks Racing Championship.

 

Brilliant Racing from the Pickup Truck Championship and some Fantastic Winners Across the Weekend with the likes of David George and Allen all Takin Victories. A Huge Well Done to All of the other Drivers who Also were pushing Hard for Victory Don't Give Up and Keep Fighting and Making Improvements to the Pickup Truck.

 

Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres (Race 4 Results)

 

Next Up The Legends Cars Championship and During Qualifying Yesterday each Driver was Working Hard out on Track using the Slip Stream Technique in order to Give Themselves a Boost down the Main Straight in order to take Pole Position.

 

After Qualifying it was The Legends Car of Chris Needham who took that All Important Pole Position with Will Gibson and John Mickel Following Closely Behind in Second and Third Place Respectively.

 

With Three Races Ahead who would come out on Top in Race 4 and Take Victory.

 

In First Place Setting the Fastest Lap and Taking the Victory was (Miles Rudmann) in his Legend 34 Ford Coupe 1250 with a Best Lap Time of 56.042 and an Average Speed of 76.13mph. Fantastic Driving from Miles who was Really Pushing Hard at the Front of the Grid and Making sure he was Keeping as Many other Drivers Behind him as Possible. Great Drive.

 

In Second Place was (Will Gibson) in his Legends 34 Ford Coupe 1250 with a Best Lap Time of 56.127 and an Average Speed of 76.12mph. Great Driving from Will Who Always knows a Thing or to About How to Control a Legends Car around the Circuit.

 

In Third Place was (Jack Parker) in his Legends 34 Ford Coupe with a Best Lap Time of 56.085 and an Average Speed of 76.12mph. Fantastic Driving from Jack to Keep Himself in that P3 Position and take a Well Deserved Victory. Great Work there Jack.

 

An Exciting First Race from the Legends Championship which Currently sees the likes of Miles Will and Jack all Taking Superb Victories During the Corse of Race 4 But With Race 5 About to Start Will Anyone Else Surprise them by Taking Those Positions Away.

 

Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres (Race 5 Results)

 

In First Place taking the Victory and Fastest Lap was (Daniel Clark) in his Legends Chevy Sedan 1250 with a Best Lap Time of 55.775 and an Average Speed of 76.90mph. Congratulations Daniel a Fantastic Drive for Victory and A Turley Deserving Victory too after a Storming Drive through the Field.

 

In Second Place was (Miles Rudman) in his Legends 34 Ford Coupe 1250 with a Best Lap Time of 55.524 and an Average Speed of 76.88mph. Another Superb Drive from Miles to take Second Place Showing his Incredible Speed and Commitment to Remain as Close as he Can to Race Winner Daniel.

 

In Third Place was (Andy Bird) in his Legends Coupe 1250 with a Best Lap Time of 55.847 and an Average Speed of 76.85mph. Brilliant Driving there from Andy and Pushing Hard thought the Race to Defend his P3 Position.

 

What a Race from The Legends Cars with Two New Winners in Daniel Clark and Any Brid both Taking Victories on the Podium during the Race. With One Last Race to go for The Legends Championship can Miles Rudman Redeem Himself and take that Last Race Victory for the Weekend?

 

Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres (Race 6 Results)

 

In First Place Taking the Final Race Victory of the Days for The Legends Cras was (John Mickel) in his Legends Ford 34 Coupe 1250 with a Best Lap Time of 56.068 and an Average Speed of 66.12mph. Congratulations John a Really Brilliant Final Drive to take the Victory in the Last Race of the Day for Legends His Family no Doubt will be Very Proud of What He has Achieved.

 

In Second Place was (Will Gibson) in his Legends 34 Ford Coupe 1250 with a Best Lap Time of 55.700 and an Average Speed of 66.11mph. Great Driving there from Will Who Has Really Shown All Weekend Why he is More than Deserving to be sitting in that Legends Seat and Racing it. Fantastic P2 Finnish.

 

In Third Place was (Sean Smith) in his Legends 34 Ford Coupe 1250 with a Best Lap Time of 55.839 and an Average Speed of 66.08mph. Congratulations Sean a Really Fantastic Way to Round of the Weekend for You with the Final Spot on the Podium.

 

What an Incredible Weekend it has been for the Legends Cars national Championship with so Many Different Race Winners in Sean Will Miles Daniel Jack and Andy All Fighting Hard and Taking Home Some Memorable Trophies and Cementing their Statuses in the History Books for Future Generations to See and Become Inspired by. Congratulations to All of the other Drivers who were out there Racing too Keep Working Hard and I Know that you will Achieve your Own Goals with Enough Determination.

 

British Truck Racing Championship (Race 2 Results)

 

Finally it was The Time for the Heavy Weights of Motorsport to Make their way out onto the Circuit for the Last Time this Weekend in the British Truck Racing Championship.

 

After Qualifying Yesterday Which saw Ryan Smith Dominate The Times with Stuart Oliver in Second and David Jenkins in Third Place All Three Drivers were Once Again Ready to Battle it out for The Last Time this Season to Determined who The Champion of 2021 Will Be.

 

Lets Dive Straight into Race 2 and See who is going to Strike First and Make their Mark on the Race Track.

 

In First Place Taking the Fastest Lap and The Race Victory was (Ryan Smith) in his Mercedes Actros 12000 with a Best Lap Time of 1:00.232 and an Average Speed of 72.19mph. Congratulations Ryan Really Incredible Drive and in Dominant Fashion to take The Win in Race 1 Superb Job.

 

In Second Place was (Stuart Oliver) in his Volvo VNL 13000 with a Best Lap Time of 1:00.949 and an Average Speed of 71.34mph. Fantastic Drive there Stuart Fighting Hard and More Determined than Ever Judging by the Way he Threw that Truck Round Paddock Hill Bend Really going for it.

 

In Third Place was (David Jenkins) in his Man TGX 12000 with a Best Lap Time of 1:01.146 and an Average Speed of 71.11mph. Fantastic Work there David P3 and a Superb Effort to try and Take Third Place from Stuart Oliver.

 

What an Incredible First Race with the Top Three in Ryan Stuart and David All Really Pushing Hard and Making their Mark on the Race Track. With Race 3 Coming Up Next who Will be able to try and Overtake Ryan Smith and Stop his Incredible Domination?

 

British Truck Racing Championship (Race 3 Results)

 

In First Place Taking the Victory and the Fastest Lap was (Ryan Smith) in his Mercedes Actros 12000 with a Best Lap Time of 58.984 and an Average Speed of 71.78mph. Congratulations Ryan Another Incredible Drive an a Real Determined Charge to Keep that Truck as Far Ahead of All the other Competitors as Possible. Extraordinary Performance.

 

In Second Place was (Mark Taylor) in his Man TGA 12000 with a Best Lap Time of 1:00.395 and an Average Speed of 71.15mph. Great Driving there from Mark who was Pushing Hard and Keeping the Gap to Ensure He got that All Important P2. Fantastic Drive.

 

In Third Place was (Steven Thomas) in his Man TGA 12000 with a Best Lap Time of 1:00.021 and an Average Speed of 71.05mph. Well Done Steven Driving Really Well and Making Sure to Defend from Fourth Place John Newell to Hold onto that P3 Finish.

 

Another Daring and Exciting Race in which Ryan Smith Once Again Dominates at The Top of the Standings by being an Insane 2 Seconds Faster a Lap Compared to Mark Taylor. A Big Congratulations to Both Mark and Steven for their Respective Finishes too.

 

Race 4 is up next and This Could be The Race Which Decides the Championship. Will Ryan Smith be able to Hold on or Will David Jenkins in Second Place in the Standings Have other Ideas.

 

British Truck Racing Championship (Race 4 Results)

 

In First Place taking the Victory and the Fastest Lap was (David Jenkins) in his Man TGX 12000 with a Best Lap Time of 59.282 and an Average Speed of 71.68mph. Congratulations David a Superb Victory and that Puts Him a Step Closer to Winning the Championship Over Rival Ryan Smith.

 

In Second Place was (Tom O' Rourke) in his Man TGX 12000 with a Best Lap Time of 1:00.985 and an Average Speed of 70.66mph. Congratulations To A Fantastic Drive and so Great to See a New Face in P2 on the Podium Phenomenal Job.

 

In Third Place was (Martin Gibson) in his Man TGX 12000 with a Best Lap Time of 1:00.985 and an Average Speed of 70.59mph. Fantastic Job there Martin Super Driving and Defending Well for that P3 Finish.

 

With David Jenkins Having Just Won that Last Race it Looks like Race 5 and The Final Race of the Weekend is going to Determine who The Champion for 2021 is in British Truck Racing. Will it be David Jenkins or Will it be Ryan Smith?

 

British Truck Racing Championship (Race 5 Results)

 

In First Place Taking The Championship and The Final Race Win of the Weekend is (Ryan Smith) in his Mercedes Actros 12000 with a Best Lap Time of 58.711 and an Average Speed of 72.07mph. Congratulations Ryan you are the 2021 British Truck Racing Champion a Phenomenal Drive All Weekend and through the Season.

 

In Second Place was (John Newell) in his Man TGS 12000 with a Best Lap Time of 1:00.047 and an Average Speed of 70.85mph. Fantastic Race there John Finishing in P2 to Round off the Weekends Racing no Doubt Many Celebrations will be Happening down in the Paddock.

 

In Third Place was (Shane Brereton) in his Man TGX 12000 with a Best Lap Time of 1:00.072 and an Average Speed of 70.82mph. Great Work there Shane Taking a Well Deserved P3 spot on the Podium and Racing with Such Accuracy and Craft thought.

 

What An Incredible Weekend it has Been for Ryan Smith who is Your British Truck Racing Champion of 2021 on 390 Points. Congratulations Ryan Go out and Celebrate This Moment In Style.

 

In Second Place in the Standings is David Jenkins on 380 Points who put up one Hell of a Good Fight All Thought the Season with Ryan Smith Non the Less a Well Deserving Second Place in the Championship from Such a Committed Driver.

 

And Finally In Third Place in the Standings was Martin Gibson on 350 Points who Also Put up an Incredible Fight All Season Having Been Fighting his way Through the Field on More than One Occasion.

 

A Fantastic End to a Weekend of Incredible Racing and as The Truck Parade and Fireworks Went off I can Imagine that Each Driver Reflected on what they Have Achieved this Year and the Countless People they May have Inspired to go out and Challenge their Dreams of Becoming a Racing Driver.

 

Until The Next One Keep Racing !

                           

Dedicated to Ernesto Santos Pérez

dedicated to pinguin 1961

Shaun Flack, Barry Parker, Eric Almeida, David Flack( Semper Fi), Shelly Prescod, Duane Nickerson, Brent Hines,( front)Jerry Moore, Vinnie Smith, and Carmen Sowers

Dedicated to Maxeen Ford without whom I would never have seen these beauties in the wood behind Tyne Crescent! Thanks Max.

تصدقي اني في عيدنـا مادري وش اهديك

اتعبني الأرق باهديك شي مثلك

قالوا لي ورد واتعبني الأرق

قالوا اكيد أرق شي الورد

قلت الاكيد ان انتي أرق

في حل وحيد ..

لو تسمحي لي فيه ..

اهديك انا للورد

 

903

 

Dedicated To «ــ •Mayo0oYz• ــ»

dedicated to Federico Erra aka the model.

View Large On Black

 

I bought this Lenten Rose on Thursday for the garden in Holland and I'm dedicating this plant to my lovely OU friend Liz Ayers , who sadly died on Thursday, as she was as beautiful, delicate, yet strong and light as the flowers.

view large

This is dedicated to my new friend Tina, or artsy_T, as Flickrland knows her.

She took time out of her busy day to shoot a portrait of me for an upcoming photo show that I will be in.

 

Take a minute to check out her photostream. She is a very talented artist.

 

flickr.com/photos/artsyt/

 

I can't thank you enough Tina, you are a doll ... and I ADORE your cosmo field ;-)

Russell Huiet, a pharmacist with the Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) from South Carolina, is working day and night in sweltering hot temperatures to help people in Puerto Rico get the care that they need. Huiet is hesitant to be too far from the action and he even found an innovative way to get a little sleep when he wasn’t on duty, setting up a makeshift cot just inches away from the pharmacy.

Dedicated to G :)

 

If you see the wake of a plane, make a wish... it could come true!

 

Wishlist - Pearl Jam

 

I wish I was a neutron bomb, for once I could go off

I wish I was a sacrifice but somehow still lived on

I wish I was a sentimental ornament you hung on

The christmas tree, I wish I was the star that went on top

I wish I was the evidence, I wish I was the grounds

For 50 million hands upraised and open toward the sky

 

I wish I was a sailor with someone who waited for me

I wish I was as fortunate, as fortunate as me

I wish I was a messenger and all the news was good

I wish I was the full moon shining off a camaros hood

 

I wish I was an alien at home behind the sun

I wish I was the souvenir you kept your house key on

I wish I was the pedal brake that you depended on

I wish I was the verb to trust and never let you down

 

I wish I was a radio song, the one that you turned up

I wish...

I wish...

 

Details best viewed in Original Size.

 

The Warsaw Uprising Monument is a monument in Warsaw, Poland, dedicated to the Warsaw Uprising of 1944. Unveiled in 1989, it was designed by Jacek Budyn and sculpted by Wincenty Kućma. It is located on the southern side of Krasiński Square. The monument has been described as "the most important monument of post-war Warsaw." Gazeta Wyborcza reported in 2012 that it is one of the most visited landmarks for foreign tourists. The Warsaw Uprising, which broke out on 1 August 1944 and lasted until 2 October 1944, was one of the most important and devastating events in the history of Warsaw and Poland. Up to 90% of Warsaw's buildings were destroyed during the hostilities and the systematic destruction of the city carried out by the Germans after the uprising. However, it was also an event that the communist authorities of the post-war People's Republic of Poland found highly controversial, as it was organized by the Polish resistance movement that had fought for Poland's independence during World War II, principally the Home Army, the remnants of which were brutally suppressed by the postwar Stalinist regime.

The monument is made of bronze and is about 33 Feet (10m) tall. It has two parts near each other. The larger, elevated element (seen here) shows a group of insurgents actively engaged in combat, running from the artistic vision of a collapsing building, represented by a more abstract composition. The smaller element shows insurgents descending into a manhole, a reference to the use of Warsaw's sewer system by the insurgents to move across German-held territory during the uprising and specifically to the evacuation of 5300 resistance fighters from Warsaw's Old Town to the city center at the beginning of September 1944, a five-hour journey which started from Krasiński Square.

Additional information about the Warsaw Uprising Monument may be obtained at Wikipedia.

Angkor Wat or "Capital Temple" is a temple complex in Cambodia and the largest religious monument in the world. It was first a Hindu and later a Buddhist temple. It was built by the Khmer King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century in Yaśodharapura, present-day Angkor, the capital of the Khmer Empire, as his state temple and eventual mausoleum.

 

Breaking from the Shiva tradition of previous kings, Angkor Wat was instead dedicated to Vishnu. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious center since its foundation. The temple is at the top of the high classical style of Khmer architecture. It has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on its national flag, and it is the country's prime attraction for visitors. Angkor Wat combines two basic plans of Khmer temple architecture: the temple-mountain and the later galleried temple, based on early Dravidian architecture, with key features such as the Jagati. It is designed to represent Mount Meru, home of the devas in Hindu mythology: within a moat and an outer wall 3.6 kilometres long are three rectangular galleries, each raised above the next. At the centre of the temple stands a quincunx of towers. Unlike most Angkorian temples, Angkor Wat is oriented to the west; scholars are divided as to the significance of this. The temple is admired for the grandeur and harmony of the architecture, its extensive bas-reliefs, and for the numerous devatas adorning its walls.

 

The modern name, Angkor Wat, means "Temple City" or "City of Temples" in Khmer; Angkor, meaning "city" or "capital city", is a vernacular form of the word nokor (នគរ), which comes from the Sanskrit word nagara (नगर). Wat is the Khmer word for "temple grounds" (Sanskrit: वाट vāṭa ""enclosure").

 

HISTORY

Angkor Wat lies 5.5 kilometres north of the modern town of Siem Reap, and a short distance south and slightly east of the previous capital, which was centred at Baphuon. It is in an area of Cambodia where there is an important group of ancient structures. It is the southernmost of Angkor's main sites.

 

According to one legend, the construction of Angkor Wat was ordered by Indra to act as a palace for his son Precha Ket Mealea.

 

According to the 13th century Chinese traveler Daguan Zhou, it was believed by some that the temple was constructed in a single night by a divine architect. The initial design and construction of the temple took place in the first half of the 12th century, during the reign of Suryavarman II (ruled 1113-C. 1150). Dedicated to Vishnu, it was built as the king's state temple and capital city. As neither the foundation stela nor any contemporary inscriptions referring to the temple have been found, its original name is unknown, but it may have been known as "Varah Vishnu-lok" after the presiding deity. Work seems to have ended shortly after the king's death, leaving some of the bas-relief decoration unfinished.

 

In 1177, approximately 27 years after the death of Suryavarman II, Angkor was sacked by the Chams, the traditional enemies of the Khmer. Thereafter the empire was restored by a new king, Jayavarman VII, who established a new capital and state temple (Angkor Thom and the Bayon respectively) a few kilometers to the north.

 

In the late 13th century, Angkor Wat gradually moved from Hindu to Theravada Buddhist use, which continues to the present day. Angkor Wat is unusual among the Angkor temples in that although it was somewhat neglected after the 16th century it was never completely abandoned, its preservation being due in part to the fact that its moat also provided some protection from encroachment by the jungle.

One of the first Western visitors to the temple was António da Madalena, a Portuguese monk who visited in 1586 and said that it "is of such extraordinary construction that it is not possible to describe it with a pen, particularly since it is like no other building in the world. It has towers and decoration and all the refinements which the human genius can conceive of."

 

In the mid-19th century, the temple was visited by the French naturalist and explorer, Henri Mouhot, who popularised the site in the West through the publication of travel notes, in which he wrote:

 

"One of these temples - a rival to that of Solomon, and erected by some ancient Michelangelo - might take an honorable place beside our most beautiful buildings. It is grander than anything left to us by Greece or Rome, and presents a sad contrast to the state of barbarism in which the nation is now plunged."

 

Mouhot, like other early Western visitors, found it difficult to believe that the Khmers could have built the temple, and mistakenly dated it to around the same era as Rome. The true history of Angkor Wat was pieced together only from stylistic and epigraphic evidence accumulated during the subsequent clearing and restoration work carried out across the whole Angkor site. There were no ordinary dwellings or houses or other signs of settlement including cooking utensils, weapons, or items of clothing usually found at ancient sites. Instead there is the evidence of the monuments themselves.

 

Angkor Wat required considerable restoration in the 20th century, mainly the removal of accumulated earth and vegetation. Work was interrupted by the civil war and Khmer Rouge control of the country during the 1970s and 1980s, but relatively little damage was done during this period other than the theft and destruction of mostly post-Angkorian statues.The temple is a powerful symbol of Cambodia, and is a source of great national pride that has factored into Cambodia's diplomatic relations with France, the United States and its neighbor Thailand. A depiction of Angkor Wat has been a part of Cambodian national flags since the introduction of the first version circa 1863. From a larger historical and even transcultural perspective, however, the temple of Angkor Wat did not become a symbol of national pride sui generis but had been inscribed into a larger politico-cultural process of French-colonial heritage production in which the original temple site was presented in French colonial and universal exhibitions in Paris and Marseille between 1889 and 1937. Angkor Wat's aesthetics were also on display in the plaster cast museum of Louis Delaporte called musée Indo-chinois which existed in the Parisian Trocadero Palace from C. 1880 to the mid-1920s. The splendid artistic legacy of Angkor Wat and other Khmer monuments in the Angkor region led directly to France adopting Cambodia as a protectorate on 11 August 1863 and invading Siam to take control of the ruins. This quickly led to Cambodia reclaiming lands in the northwestern corner of the country that had been under Siamese (Thai) control since 1351 AD (Manich Jumsai 2001), or by some accounts, 1431 AD. Cambodia gained independence from France on 9 November 1953 and has controlled Angkor Wat since that time.

 

ARCHITECTURE

SITE AND PLAN

Angkor Wat, located at 13°24′45″N 103°52′0″E, is a unique combination of the temple mountain, the standard design for the empire's state temples and the later plan of concentric galleries. The temple is a representation of Mount Meru, the home of the gods: the central quincunx of towers symbolises the five peaks of the mountain, and the walls and moat the surrounding mountain ranges and ocean. Access to the upper areas of the temple was progressively more exclusive, with the laity being admitted only to the lowest level. Unlike most Khmer temples, Angkor Wat is oriented to the west rather than the east. This has led many (including Maurice Glaize and George Coedès) to conclude that Suryavarman intended it to serve as his funerary temple.Further evidence for this view is provided by the bas-reliefs, which proceed in a counter-clockwise direction - prasavya in Hindu terminology - as this is the reverse of the normal order. Rituals take place in reverse order during Brahminic funeral services. The archaeologist Charles Higham also describes a container which may have been a funerary jar which was recovered from the central tower. It has been nominated by some as the greatest expenditure of energy on the disposal of a corpse. Freeman and Jacques, however, note that several other temples of Angkor depart from the typical eastern orientation, and suggest that Angkor Wat's alignment was due to its dedication to Vishnu, who was associated with the west.

 

A further interpretation of Angkor Wat has been proposed by Eleanor Mannikka. Drawing on the temple's alignment and dimensions, and on the content and arrangement of the bas-reliefs, she argues that the structure represents a claimed new era of peace under King Suryavarman II: "as the measurements of solar and lunar time cycles were built into the sacred space of Angkor Wat, this divine mandate to rule was anchored to consecrated chambers and corridors meant to perpetuate the king's power and to honor and placate the deities manifest in the heavens above." Mannikka's suggestions have been received with a mixture of interest and scepticism in academic circles. She distances herself from the speculations of others, such as Graham Hancock, that Angkor Wat is part of a representation of the constellation Draco.

 

STYLE

Angkor Wat is the prime example of the classical style of Khmer architecture - the Angkor Wat style - to which it has given its name. By the 12th century Khmer architects had become skilled and confident in the use of sandstone (rather than brick or laterite) as the main building material. Most of the visible areas are of sandstone blocks, while laterite was used for the outer wall and for hidden structural parts. The binding agent used to join the blocks is yet to be identified, although natural resins or slaked lime has been suggested. The temple has drawn praise above all for the harmony of its design. According to Maurice Glaize, a mid-20th-century conservator of Angkor, the temple "attains a classic perfection by the restrained monumentality of its finely balanced elements and the precise arrangement of its proportions. It is a work of power, unity and style." Architecturally, the elements characteristic of the style include: the ogival, redented towers shaped like lotus buds; half-galleries to broaden passageways; axial galleries connecting enclosures; and the cruciform terraces which appear along the main axis of the temple. Typical decorative elements are devatas (or apsaras), bas-reliefs, and on pediments extensive garlands and narrative scenes. The statuary of Angkor Wat is considered conservative, being more static and less graceful than earlier work. Other elements of the design have been destroyed by looting and the passage of time, including gilded stucco on the towers, gilding on some figures on the bas-reliefs, and wooden ceiling panels and doors.

 

FEATURES

OUTER ENCLOSURE

The outer wall, 1024 by 802 m and 4.5 m high, is surrounded by a 30 m apron of open ground and a moat 190 m wide. Access to the temple is by an earth bank to the east and a sandstone causeway to the west; the latter, the main entrance, is a later addition, possibly replacing a wooden bridge. There are gopuras at each of the cardinal points; the western is by far the largest and has three ruined towers. Glaize notes that this gopura both hides and echoes the form of the temple proper. Under the southern tower is a statue of Vishnu, known as Ta Reach, which may originally have occupied the temple's central shrine.Galleries run between the towers and as far as two further entrances on either side of the gopura often referred to as "elephant gates", as they are large enough to admit those animals. These galleries have square pillars on the outer (west) side and a closed wall on the inner (east) side. The ceiling between the pillars is decorated with lotus rosettes; the west face of the wall with dancing figures; and the east face of the wall with balustered windows, dancing male figures on prancing animals, and devatas, including (south of the entrance) the only one in the temple to be showing her teeth. The outer wall encloses a space of 820,000 square metres, which besides the temple proper was originally occupied by the city and, to the north of the temple, the royal palace. Like all secular buildings of Angkor, these were built of perishable materials rather than of stone, so nothing remains of them except the outlines of some of the streets. Most of the area is now covered by forest. A 350 m causeway connects the western gopura to the temple proper, with naga balustrades and six sets of steps leading down to the city on either side. Each side also features a library with entrances at each cardinal point, in front of the third set of stairs from the entrance, and a pond between the library and the temple itself. The ponds are later additions to the design, as is the cruciform terrace guarded by lions connecting the causeway to the central structure.

 

CENTRAL STRUCTURE

The temple stands on a terrace raised higher than the city. It is made of three rectangular galleries rising to a central tower, each level higher than the last. Mannikka interprets these galleries as being dedicated to the king, Brahma, the moon, and Vishnu.

 

Each gallery has a gopura at each of the points, and the two inner galleries each have towers at their corners, forming a quincunx with the central tower. Because the temple faces west, the features are all set back towards the east, leaving more space to be filled in each enclosure and gallery on the west side; for the same reason the west-facing steps are shallower than those on the other sides.

 

The outer gallery measures 187 by 215 m, with pavilions rather than towers at the corners. The gallery is open to the outside of the temple, with columned half-galleries extending and buttressing the structure. Connecting the outer gallery to the second enclosure on the west side is a cruciform cloister called Preah Poan (the "Hall of a Thousand Gods"). Buddha images were left in the cloister by pilgrims over the centuries, although most have now been removed. This area has many inscriptions relating the good deeds of pilgrims, most written in Khmer but others in Burmese and Japanese. The four small courtyards marked out by the cloister may originally have been filled with water.

 

North and south of the cloister are libraries.

 

Beyond, the second and inner galleries are connected to each other and to two flanking libraries by another cruciform terrace, again a later addition. From the second level upwards, devatas abound on the walls, singly or in groups of up to four. The second-level enclosure is 100 by 115 m, and may originally have been flooded to represent the ocean around Mount Meru.

 

Three sets of steps on each side lead up to the corner towers and gopuras of the inner gallery. The very steep stairways represent the difficulty of ascending to the kingdom of the gods. This inner gallery, called the Bakan, is a 60 m square with axial galleries connecting each gopura with the central shrine, and subsidiary shrines located below the corner towers. The roofings of the galleries are decorated with the motif of the body of a snake ending in the heads of lions or garudas. Carved lintels and pediments decorate the entrances to the galleries and to the shrines. The tower above the central shrine rises 43 m to a height of 65 m above the ground; unlike those of previous temple mountains, the central tower is raised above the surrounding four. The shrine itself, originally occupied by a statue of Vishnu and open on each side, was walled in when the temple was converted to Theravada Buddhism, the new walls featuring standing Buddhas. In 1934, the conservator George Trouvé excavated the pit beneath the central shrine: filled with sand and water it had already been robbed of its treasure, but he did find a sacred foundation deposit of gold leaf two metres above ground level.

 

DECORATION

Integrated with the architecture of the building, and one of the causes for its fame is Angkor Wat's extensive decoration, which predominantly takes the form of bas-relief friezes. The inner walls of the outer gallery bear a series of large-scale scenes mainly depicting episodes from the Hindu epics the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Higham has called these, "the greatest known linear arrangement of stone carving".

 

From the north-west corner anti-clockwise, the western gallery shows the Battle of Lanka (from the Ramayana, in which Rama defeats Ravana) and the Battle of Kurukshetra (from the Mahabharata, showing the mutual annihilation of the Kaurava and Pandava clans). On the southern gallery follow the only historical scene, a procession of Suryavarman II, then the 32 hells and 37 heavens of Hindu mythology.

 

On the eastern gallery is one of the most celebrated scenes, the Churning of the Sea of Milk, showing 92 asuras and 88 devas using the serpent Vasuki to churn the sea under Vishnu's direction (Mannikka counts only 91 asuras, and explains the asymmetrical numbers as representing the number of days from the winter solstice to the spring equinox, and from the equinox to the summer solstice). It is followed by Vishnu defeating asuras (a 16th-century addition). The northern gallery shows Krishna's victory over Bana (where according to Glaize, "The workmanship is at its worst"). and a battle between the Hindu gods and asuras. The north-west and south-west corner pavilions both feature much smaller-scale scenes, some unidentified but most from the Ramayana or the life of Krishna. Angkor Wat is decorated with depictions of apsaras and devata; there are more than 1,796 depictions of devata in the present research inventory. Angkor Wat architects employed small apsara images (30–40 cm) as decorative motifs on pillars and walls. They incorporated larger devata images (all full-body portraits measuring approximately 95–110 cm) more prominently at every level of the temple from the entry pavilion to the tops of the high towers. In 1927, Sappho Marchal published a study cataloging the remarkable diversity of their hair, headdresses, garments, stance, jewelry and decorative flowers, which Marchal concluded were based on actual practices of the Angkor period.

 

CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES

The stones, as smooth as polished marble, were laid without mortar with very tight joints that are sometimes hard to find. The blocks were held together by mortise and tenon joints in some cases, while in others they used dovetails and gravity. The blocks were presumably put in place by a combination of elephants, coir ropes, pulleys and bamboo scaffolding. Henri Mouhot noted that most of the blocks had holes 2.5 cm in diameter and 3 cm deep, with more holes on the larger blocks. Some scholars have suggested that these were used to join them together with iron rods, but others claim they were used to hold temporary pegs to help manoeuvre them into place. The monument was made out of millions of tonnes of sandstone and it has a greater volume as well as mass than the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt. The Angkor Wat Temple consumes about 6 million to 10 million blocks of sandstone with an average weight of 1.5 tons each. In fact, the entire city of Angkor used up far greater amounts of stone than all the Egyptian pyramids combined, and occupied an area significantly greater than modern-day Paris. Moreover, unlike the Egyptian pyramids which use limestone quarried barely half a km away all the time, the entire city of Angkor was built with sandstone quarried 40 km (or more) away. This sandstone had to be transported from Mount Kulen, a quarry approximately 40 km to the northeast. The route has been suggested to span 35 kilometres along a canal towards Tonlé Sap lake, another 35 kilometres crossing the lake, and finally 15 kilometres upstream and against the current along Siem Reap River, making a total journey of 90 kilometres. However, Etsuo Uchida and Ichita Shimoda of Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan have discovered in 2012 a shorter 35-kilometre canal connecting Mount Kulen and Angkor Wat using satellite imagery. The two believe that the Khmer used this route instead.

 

Virtually all of its surfaces, columns, lintels even roofs are carved. There are miles of reliefs illustrating scenes from Indian literature including unicorns, griffins, winged dragons pulling chariots as well as warriors following an elephant-mounted leader and celestial dancing girls with elaborate hair styles. The gallery wall alone is decorated with almost 1000 square metres of bas reliefs. Holes on some of the Angkor walls indicate that they may have been decorated with bronze sheets. These were highly prized in ancient times and were a prime target for robbers. While excavating Khajuraho, Alex Evans, a stonemason and sculptor, recreated a stone sculpture under 1.2 m, this took about 60 days to carve. Roger Hopkins and Mark Lehner also conducted experiments to quarry limestone which took 12 quarrymen 22 days to quarry about 400 tons of stone. The labor force to quarry, transport, carve and install so much sandstone must have run into the thousands including many highly skilled artisans. The skills required to carve these sculptures were developed hundreds of years earlier, as demonstrated by some artifacts that have been dated to the seventh century, before the Khmer came to power.

 

ANGKOR WAT TODAY

The Archaeological Survey of India carried out restoration work on the temple between 1986 and 1992. Since the 1990s, Angkor Wat has seen continued conservation efforts and a massive increase in tourism. The temple is part of the Angkor World Heritage Site, established in 1992, which has provided some funding and has encouraged the Cambodian government to protect the site. The German Apsara Conservation Project (GACP) is working to protect the devatas and other bas-reliefs which decorate the temple from damage. The organisation's survey found that around 20% of the devatas were in very poor condition, mainly because of natural erosion and deterioration of the stone but in part also due to earlier restoration efforts. Other work involves the repair of collapsed sections of the structure, and prevention of further collapse: the west facade of the upper level, for example, has been buttressed by scaffolding since 2002, while a Japanese team completed restoration of the north library of the outer enclosure in 2005. World Monuments Fund began conservation work on the Churning of the Sea of Milk Gallery in 2008 after several years of conditions studies. The project restored the traditional Khmer roofing system and removed cement used in earlier restoration attempts that had resulted in salts entering the structure behind the bas-relief, discoloring and damaging the sculpted surfaces. The main phase of work ended in 2012, and the final component will be the installation of finials on the roof of the gallery in 2013. Microbial biofilms have been found degrading sandstone at Angkor Wat, Preah Khan, and the Bayon and West Prasat in Angkor. The dehydration and radiation resistant filamentous cyanobacteria can produce organic acids that degrade the stone. A dark filamentous fungus was found in internal and external Preah Khan samples, while the alga Trentepohlia was found only in samples taken from external, pink-stained stone at Preah Khan. Angkor Wat has become a major tourist destination. In 2004 and 2005, government figures suggest that, respectively, 561.000 and 677.000 foreign visitors arrived in Siem Reap province, approximately 50% of all foreign tourists in Cambodia for both years. The site has been managed by the private SOKIMEX group since 1990, which rented it from the Cambodian government. The influx of tourists has so far caused relatively little damage, other than some graffiti; ropes and wooden steps have been introduced to protect the bas-reliefs and floors, respectively. Tourism has also provided some additional funds for maintenance - as of 2000 approximately 28% of ticket revenues across the whole Angkor site was spent on the temples - although most work is carried out by foreign government-sponsored teams rather than by the Cambodian authorities. Since Angkor Wat has seen significant growth in tourism throughout the years UNESCO and its International Co-ordinating Committee for the Safeguarding and Development of the Historic Site of Angkor (ICC), in association with representatives from the Royal Government and APSARA, organized seminars to discuss the concept of "cultural tourism". Wanting to avoid commercial and mass tourism, the seminars emphasized the importance of providing high quality accommodation and services in order for the Cambodian government to benefit economically, while also incorporating the richness of Cambodian culture. In 2001, this incentive resulted in the concept of the "Angkor Tourist City" which would be developed with regard to traditional Khmer architecture, contain leisure and tourist facilities, and provide luxurious hotels capable of accommodating large amounts of tourists. The prospect of developing such large tourist accommodations has encountered concerns from both APSARA and the ICC, claiming that previous tourism developments in the area have neglected construction regulations and more of these projects have the potential to damage landscape features. Also, the large scale of these projects have begun to threaten the quality of the nearby town's water, sewage, and electricity systems. It has been noted that such high frequency of tourism and growing demand for quality accommodations in the area, such as the development of a large highway, has had a direct effect on the underground water table, subsequently straining the structural stability of the temples at Angkor Wat. Locals of Siem Reap have also voiced concern over the charming nature and atmosphere of their town being compromised in order to entertain tourism. Since this charming local atmosphere is the key component to projects like Angkor Tourist City, local officials continue to discuss how to successfully incorporate future tourism without sacrificing local values and culture. At the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2012, both parties have agreed Borobudur and Angkor Wat to become sister sites and the provinces will become sister provinces. Two Indonesian airlines are considering the opportunity to open a direct flight from Yogyakarta, Indonesia to Siem Reap.

 

WIKIPEDIA

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The University of Central Arkansas Student Government Association and university administration held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new student recreational field on Tuesday. The field will be located behind the HPER Center and the Physical Plant. President Tom Courtway, Dean of Students Gary Roberts, Vice President for Finance and Administration Diane Newton, and SGA President Spencer Sims spoke during the ceremony.

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Terracotta carvings on the famous Char Bangla temple (1760) dedicated to Lord Shiva at Baranagar in Murshidabad district, West Bengal, India.

 

Built by Rani Bhabani, Queen of Nator, three years after the Battle of Plassey in 1757, the four structures of the Char Bangla temple are unique, stand facing each other. The temples have some of the exquisite Terracotta Panels of Bengal.

 

The temple complex may soon be sucked away by the Bhagirathi river. When the temple was built, the Bhagirathi river used to flow at least a kilometre away. Today, the temple is barely 10 feet away and its boundary wall has already been damaged by the river. Read:

250-year-old temple in Bengal village faces wrath of a river, administration sleeps

 

The terracotta craft of Bengal is famous throughout the world, for its pastoral and rustic charm. The clay-modeled items that form a part of this craft, made with natural colors, are a viewer's delight. They were a craze in Bengal during the reign of Malla rulers, in the 16th-17th century. The temple of Vishnupur stands as marvelous example of the terracotta craft of Bengal. Interesting Read

 

Beautiful Bengal, India

Cropredy has ancient origins, a chapel in the church is dedicated to St Fremund, an anglo-saxon saint thought to be the son of King Offa. It's name combines the Old English croppe or hill and ridig, a small stream. The village is only a few miles from Banbury, in hilly country along the banks of the River Cherwell. Before the Dissolution of the Monasteries Cropredy belonged the Bishop of Lincoln. More recently Brasenose College, Oxford, has become a significant landlord giving it's name to the local pub.

 

Dramatic changes to centuries of agrarian life were heralded by the excavation of the Oxford canal which runs alongside the Cherwell south-east of the church. This busy waterway was superseded by the Great Western railway, the village even had it's own station until 1956.

 

Unusually Cropredy retains the ringing of the curfew bell, in Medieval times this was a signal to return home and 'cover their fires'. Roger Lupton local priest between 1487 and 1528 was so lost in dense fog that he could only find his way from nearby Chacombe by the ringing of Cropredy's bells. He founded a fund in gratitude which paid for the daily winding of the clock and tolling the bell morning, noon and night. The bell is still rung Tuesday and Thursday nights for five minutes after eight O'clock.

 

The village is best known for the Civil War 'Battle of Cropredy Bridge'. A rare Royalist victory at a time when the Parliamentary forces were in the ascendancy. In June 1644 the King slipped out of Oxford to avoid two Roundhead armies which were rapidly approaching. At this point the Earl of Essex chose to lead his army south and relieve the siege of Lyme Regis leaving Sir William Waller to pursue the King with half of the men. Waller shadowed the Royal army to Worcester only for the King to double back towards Banbury where the Parliamentary commander saw an opportunity to split the Royal forces which were strung out along the Daventry road. Waller's artillery crossed Cropredy bridge but were too far ahead of the infantry and were overrun. Fierce fighting followed but neither side achieved a significant advantage and a chance of capturing the King was lost. As children we were told stories of a phantom drummer boy.

 

Cropredy's most prominent claim to fame is their music festival founded when Fairport Convention played the village fete in 1976. Cropredy Music Festival grew from these modest beginnings and now attracts over 20,000 music fans every year.

 

St. Mary the Virgin is an impressive building constructed from the local rust-coloured ironstone. While part of the wall of the south aisle has been dated to c1050 the present church begins in the 13th century with significant 14th and 15th century additions. The south wall has two tomb recesses thought to be built for Simon de Cropredy and his son c1200. The church has an interesting 13th century parish chest and the chapel dedicated to the anglo-saxon saint Fremund has two 15th century screens, one of which has the initials AD which may stand for Alice Danvers. The nave arcading, tower and choir arches are Perpendicular in style with no capitals and continuous moulding from ground level. The tower is early 15th century with the belfry and parapets added 80 years later, There are eight bells, six from the late 17th century, two added in 2007 called Fairport and Villager. Fragments of a Doom survive above the chancel arch. The church has a 17th century pulpit and a rare pre-reformation eagle lectern which is said to have been hidden in the river before the Battle of Cropredy where it lost one of it's lion feet. The beak has a slot for collecting 'Peter's Pence'. There is a beautiful 15th century head of the Virgin Mary in stained glass which was found in the churchyard. There are two fonts, one Norman and one Victorian. In the tower is a magnificent clock by John Moore of Clerkenwell dated 1831.

 

Cropredy is just off the Daventry road a few miles from Banbury about an hour from Stratford-upon-Avon.

 

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The Province is helping keep people safe by creating hubs of police, dedicated prosecutors and probation officers focused on tackling repeat violent offending in every region of the province. Learn more: news.gov.bc.ca/28552

The Pashupatinath Temple (Nepali: पशुपतिनाथ मन्दिर) is a famous, sacred Hindu temple dedicated to Pashupatinath and is located on the banks of the Bagmati River 5 kilometres north-east of Kathmandu Valley in the eastern city of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. This temple is considered one of the sacred temples of Hindu faith. The temple serves as the seat of the national deity, Lord Pashupatinath. This temple complex is on UNESCO World Heritage Sites's list Since 1979. This "extensive Hindu temple precinct" is a "sprawling collection of temples, ashrams, images and inscriptions raised over the centuries along the banks of the sacred Bagmati river" and is included as one of the seven monument groups in UNESCO's designation of Kathmandu Valley as a cultural heritage site. One of the major Festivals of the temple is Maha Shivaratri on which day over 700,000 devotees visit here.

 

The twelve Jyotirlinga (in India) are the body and the Jyotirlinga at Pashupatinath in Kathmandu (Nepal) is the head over this body.

 

The temple is one of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams (Holy Abodes of Shiva) on the continent. Kotirudra Samhita, Chapter 11 on the Shivalingas of the North, in Shiva Purana mentions this Shivalinga as the bestower of all wishes.

 

HISTORY

The temple was erected anew in the 15th century by Lichhavi King Shupuspa after the previous building had been consumed by termites. Countless further temples have been erected around this two -storied temple. These include the Vaishnav temple complex with a Ram temple from the 14th century and the Guhyeshwari Temple mentioned in an 11th-century manuscript.

 

LEGEND ABOUT THE TEMPLE ORIGIN

Pashupatinath Temple is the oldest Hindu temple in Kathmandu. It is not known for certain when Pashupatinath Temple was founded. But according to Nepal Mahatmaya and Himvatkhanda, the deity here gained great fame there as Pashupati, the Lord of all Pashus, which are living as well as non-living beings. Pashupatinath Temple's existence dates back to 400 A.D. The richly-ornamented pagoda houses the sacred linga or holy symbol of Lord Shiva. There are many legends describing as to how the temple of Lord Pashupatinath came to existence here. Some of them are narrated below:

 

THE COW LEGEND

Legend says that Lord Shiva once took the form of an antelope and sported unknown in the forest on Bagmati river's east bank. The gods later caught up with him, and grabbing him by the horn, forced him to resume his divine form. The broken horn was worshipped as a linga but overtime it was buried and lost. Centuries later an astonished herdsmen found one of his cows showering the earth with milk. Digging deep at the site, he discovered the divine linga of Pashupatinath.

 

THE LINCHCHAVI LEGEND

According to Gopalraj Vamsavali, the oldest ever chronicle in Nepal, this temple was built by Supuspa Deva, a Linchchhavi King, who according to the stone inscription erected by Jayadeva 11 in the courtyard of Pashupatinath in 753 AD, happened to be the ruler 39 generations before Manadeva (464-505 AD).

 

THE DEVALAYA LEGEND

Another chronicle states that Pashupatinath Temple was in the form of Linga shaped Devalaya before Supuspa Deva constructed a five storey temple of Pashupatinath in this place. As the time passed, the need for repairing and renovating this temple arose. It is learnt that this temple was reconstructed by a medieval King named Shivadeva (1099-1126 AD). It was renovated by Ananta Malla adding a roof to it. Thousands of pilgrims from all over the world come to pay homage to this temple, that is also known as 'The Temple of Living Beings'.

 

OTHER BELIEFS

There are several complex stories involving the origins of Pashupatinath. One story goes, in brief, that Shiva and Parvati came to the Kathmandu Valley and rested by the Bagmati while on a journey. Shiva was so impressed by its beauty and the surrounding forest that he and Parvati changed themselves into deers and walked into the forest. Many spots in the Kathmandu Valley are identified as places where Shiva went during his time as a deer. After a while the people and gods began to search for Shiva. Finally, after various complications, they found him in the forest, but he refused to leave. More complications ensued, but ultimately Shiva announced that, since he had lived by the Bagmati in a deer's form, he would now be known as Pashupatinath, Lord of all animals. It is said that whoever came here and beheld the lingam that appeared there would not be reborn as an animal.

 

FINDING OF SHIVA LINGA AT PASHIPATINATH TEMPLE

It is said that the wish-fulfilling cow Kamadhenu took shelter in a cave on the Chandravan mountain. Everyday Kamadhenu went down to the place the lingam was sunken into the soil and poured her milk on top of the soil. After ten thousand years some people saw Kamadhenu pouring milk on that same spot everyday, and started to wonder what that would be. So they removed the soil and found the beautiful shining lingam and started worshiping it.

 

TEMPLE COMPLEX

The area of Pashupatinath encompasses 264 hectare of land including 518 temples and monuments. Main pagoda style temple is located in the fortified courtyard within the complex guarded by Nepal Police and has a police outpost post along with living quarter within. In front of the western door there is a huge statue Nandi bull, in bronze. Along with many temples and shrines of both Vaishnav and saiva tradition.

 

TEMPLES AND SHRINES IN THE INNER COURTYARD

Vasuki nath temple

Unmatta Bhairav temple

Surya narayan temple

Kirti mukh bhairav shrine

Budanil kantha shrine

Hanuman shrine

184 shivaling shrine

 

TEMPLES AND SHRINES IN THE OUTER COMPLEX

Ram mandir

Virat swaroop temple

12 jyotirlingha and Pandra Shivalaya

Guhyeshwari Temple

 

MAIN TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE

This main temple is built in the Nepalese pagoda style of architecture. All the features of pagoda style is founded here like cubic constructions, beautifully carved wooden rafters on which they rest (tundal). The two level roofs are of copper with gold covering. The temple resides on a square base platform with a height of 23m 7 cm from base to pinnacle. It has four main doors, all covered with silver sheets. This temple has a gold pinnacle (Gajur). Inside are two Garbhagrihas, outer and inner. The inner garbhagriha or sanctum sanctorum is where the idol is placed and outer sanctum is an open corridor like space.

 

THE DEITY

The sacro sanctum, or the main idol is a stone Mukhalinga with a silver yoni base bound with silver serpent. The lingam is one metre high and has faces in four directions. These faces represents various ascepts of Shiva; Sadyojata (also known as Barun), Vamdeva (also known as Ardha nareshwor), Tatpurusha, Aghor & Ishana (imaginative). Facing West, North, East, South and Zenith respectively representing five primary elements namely earth, water, air, light and ether. Each face has tiny protruding hands holding rudraksha mala on right hand and a kamandalu on the other.Unlike other shiva lingams in India and Nepal this pashupati shiva lingam is always Dressed in its golden vastra except during abhishakam, so pouring milk and ganga jal is only possible during abhishakam through the main priests.

 

PRIESTS

Daily rituals of Pashupatinath are carried out by two sets of priests ;one being the Bhatt priests and other Bhandari. Bhatta or Bhatt are the one who performs the daily ritual and can touch the lingam, where as Bhadaris are the helper and temple care taker priests but are not qualified perform pooja rituals or to touch the deity.

 

Bhatta or Bhat are highly educated Vedic bhramin Scholars from Brahmin family from South Indian State Karnataka.Unlike other Hindu temples priesthood of Pashupatinath is not hereditary. Priests are selected from a group of scholars educated by Shri Shankaracharya Dakshinamnaya Peeth Sringeri on Rig Vedic Recitation, initiated in Pashupata Yoga by Kashi Math,Shiva Āgama and learned Recitation of Samaveda from Haridwar.After qualifying and fulfilling all those criteria they will be selected for Priesthood by Raj Guru of Pashupatinath Temple undergoing strict examination on Vedas and Shiva Agamas and then the qualifies are sent to Kathmandu for performing Puja and Daily Worship of Lord Shri Pashupatinath This tradition is reported to have started by the request of Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century, who sought to unify the different states of Bharatam (Unified India) by encouraging cultural exchange. This procedure is also followed in other temples around Bharata-varsa which were sanctified by Adi Shankaracharya. The unique feature of this temple is that only 4 Bhatta priests can touch the deity.Current Bhatt priests of the temple are;

 

Ganesh Bhat (15th head priest of the Pashupatinath Temple aka Mool Bhat) from Udupi.

Ram Karanth Bhat from Mangaluru.

Girish Bhat from Sirsi.

Narayan Bhat(Recently appointed) from Bhatkal

Raghavendra Bhat (Priest for Vasuki Nath temple only)

 

Bhandaris or Rajbhandari are the treasurers, temple caretakers, and assistant priest of the temple.

 

These Bhandaris are the descendants of helper priests brought up by early Bhatts, but were allowed to settle in Kathmandu valley and later assimilated in existing Newar caste of Rajbhandari - a high-caste Chathariya/Kshatriya clan of Kashyapa gotra. Their main function is to help the Bhatta priest and perform maintenance of the inner Garbhagriha. They can have little or no Vedic knowledge but still qualify as assistant priests if they belong from the same family lineage and undergo some basic criteria like caste, gotra, lineage purity, educational qualification, etc. They work in set of four and change in every full moon day. There are a total of 108 Bhandaris.

 

ENTRY AND DARSHAN

Temple courtyard has 4 entrances in all directions.The western entrance is the main entrance to the temple courtyard and rest three entrances are only opened during big festival . Temple security (Armed Police Force Nepal) is selective regarding who is allowed entry into the inner courtyard . Practicing Hindus and buddhist of Indian and Tibetan descendent are only allowed into temple courtiyard . Practicing Hindus of western descent are not allowed into the temple complex along with other non Hindu Visitors. Sikh and Jain groups are allowed into the temple compound if they are of Indian ancestry. Others can look at the main temple from adjacent side of the river and has to pay a nominal fee of $10 (1000 Nepali rupee) for visiting hundreds of small temples in the external premises of the temple complex . The inner temple courtyard remains open from 4 am to 7 pm for the devotee but the Inner Pashupatinath Temple where the Lingam of lord Pashupatinath is established is open from 5am to 12 pm for the morning ritual and viewing and from 5pm to 7 pm for evening ritual. Unlike many other Saiva temples devotees are not allowed to enter in the inner-most Garbhagriha but are allowed to view from the exterior premises of the outer Garbhagriha.

 

FESTIVALS

There are many festivals throughout the year .Thousands of people attend these festival.The most important festival is the Maha Shiva Ratri .Bala chaturthi and Teej.

 

CONTROVERSY OF 2009

In January 2009, after the forced resignation by the chief priest of Pashupatinath temple, the Maoist-led government of Nepal "hand picked" Nepalese priests to lead the temple, thus bypassing the temple's long-standing requirements. This appointment was contested by the Bhandaris of the temple, stating that they were not against the appointment of Nepalese priests but against the appointment without proper procedure. After the appointment was challenged in a civil court, the appointment was overruled by Supreme Court of Nepal.However, the government did not heed the ruling and stood by its decision. This led to public outrage and protests over a lack of transparency. The paramilitary group of the CPN (Maoist), called YCL, attacked the protesters, leading to over a dozen injuries. Lawmakers and activists from opposition parties joined protests, declaring their support for the Bhatta and other pro-Bhatta protesters. After long dissatisfaction and protest by Hindus both in and outside Nepal, the government was forced to reverse its decision that had been declared illegal by the Supreme Court of Nepal and reinstate Bhatta priests.

 

2015 EARTHQUAKE

The main temple complex of Pashupatinath and the sanctum sanctorum was left untouched but some of the outer buildings in the World Heritage Site were damaged by the April 2015 Nepal earthquake.

 

WIKIPEDIA

Dedicated to cousin Mohammed Bin Abdullah and all cousins too

Dedicated in 1924 on the site of the old opera house, Litchfield's Former Masonic Temple is now the Majestic Banquet Hall.

 

Litchfield is a city in Montgomery County, and is located off exit 52 on I-55 about halfway between Springfield, Illinois and St. Louis, Missouri. The population of Litchfield was 6,939 at the 2010 Census. Historic U.S. Route 66 runs through the City.

 

More photographs of Litchfield can be found in my "Litchfield IL" set.

 

Dedicated to Real Madrid Fans .. ;D

Dedicated to the sons that died in the great war of 1915-1918

Noto Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Noto in Sicily, Italy. Its construction, in the style of the Sicilian Baroque, began in the early 18th century and was completed in 1776. It is dedicated to Saint Nicholas of Myra, and has been the cathedral of the Diocese of Noto since the diocese's establishment in 1844. The cathedral collapsed in 1996 as a result of unremedied structural weakening caused by an earthquake in 1990, to which injudicious building alterations in the 1950s may have contributed. It has since been rebuilt, and was reopened in 2007.

The structures are characterized by a soft tufa stone, which under sunlight assumes a typical honey tonality.

 

Note: As usual whenever I find something nice, it is covered with scafolds. I did my best to get an angle that minimized the obstruction. A little part of a scafold can be seen on the lower right edge.

Leica M7/Fuji Velvia

 

All rights reserved - Copyright © Henri Hirschfeld

 

All images are exclusive property and may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, transmitted, manipulated or used in any way without expressed, written permission of the photographer.

  

DAY 1 of the FINALE to the 2021 Motorsport Season and the end of the Season Brings us once again Back to Brands Hatch for a weekend Dedicated to the Enduro KA Series with Many Ford KA'S Ready to do Battle on the Track along with other Support Races such as Champion of Brands MSVT Track Day Trophy and MSV Super Cup Championship to name Just a Few.

 

With a Full Day of Motorsport on the Circuit Each Driver was Getting their Car Ready and making sure they had a Really Hardy Breakfast Before Getting into their Cars to Begin their Respective Qualifying Sessions for the Day.

 

Lets Get to it and See what The Last Event of the Motorsport Season Brings and who has Taken the First Pole of the Weekend.

 

Champion Of Brands-(Qualifying)

 

First Up onto the Circuit was The Champion of Brands and these Cars are Formula Ford Based and can be Very Quick in a Straight Line and through the Corner. With Cars such as the Van Diemen JL13 and the Ray GR16 Thease Cars and Drivers know how to Really Push Hard and Get Superb Results.

 

Lets Find Out who Took Pole and By How Much

 

In First Place Taking the First Pole Position of the Weekend was (Morgan Quinn) in his Formula Ford 1600 Kent with a Best Lap Time of 50.561 and a Top Speed of 86.00mph. Brilliant Work there Morgan Fantastic Lap to Start the Weekend of with a Bang.

 

In Second Place was (Lucas Romanek) in his Van Diemen JL13 with a Best Lap Time of 50.594 and a Top Speed of 85.95mph. Amazing Drive there Lucas Fantastic Work and a Very Good Spot on the Front Row for Race 1.

 

In Third Place was (Johnny Cochran) in his Formula Ford LA10 with a Best Lap Time of 51.250 and a Top Speed of 84.85mph. Great Drive there Johnny Fantastic Car Control and a Brilliant Lap to Complete The Top Three.

 

A Really Great First Qualifying Session of the Day with the Likes of Morgan Lucas and Johnny all taking the Top Three Spots in Qualifying but will anyone Else in the Field be able to Beat them off the Line into the First Corner at Paddock Hill Bend?

 

Lets Find Out

  

Champion Of Brands-(Race 1 Results)

 

After a Thrilling Qualifying Session which saw the likes of Morgan Quinn take Pole Position from Second Place Lucas Romanek with Johnny Cochran in Third Position in a Very Close Battle at the Top, it was Now Time to see which of thease Top Three Drivers could Defend their Positions thought the Race and who would be Brave Enough to make a Challenge for the Podium.

 

In First Place Taking the Victory was (Lucas Romanek) in his Van Diemen JL13 with a Best Lap Time of 50.711 and an Average Speed of 84.44mph. Congratulations Lucas a Really Well Deserved Win Under Immense Pressure Thought The Entire Race from Morgan Quinn. Brilliant Drive.

 

In Second Place was (Morgan Quinn) in his FF 1600 Kent with a Best Lap Time of 50.564 and an Average Speed of 84.42mph. Super Job out there Morgan Only 0.131 Seconds Behind Lucas and Some Really Good Defending and Battling From both of You Thought the Race. Fantastic Drive and Well Deserved.

 

In Third Place was (Benjamin Cochran) in his Formula Ford LA10 with a Best Lap Time of 51.095 and an Average Speed of 83.99mph. Great Work there Benjamin Keeping Hold of that P3 Position and Doing some Incredible work to Keep that Car on the Tarmac in Conditions that were Already Quite Dark.

 

A Really Thrilling Race to Open up the Weekend with the Likes of Lucas, Morgan and Benjamin all Taking Superb Victories in Race 1 as Well As Proving Thrilling Battles at The Top End of the Field.

 

Really Well Done to (Morgan Quinn) who also Took the Fastest Lap of the Race an Incredible (50.564) Second Lap Around The Famous Indy Circuit. Amazing Driving from Morgan.

 

A Big Congratulations to All of the other Drivers who also Took Part Your Passion and Dedication is Immense.

 

With One Last Race to Go will the likes of Lucas Romanek be able to Make it 2 out of 2 Wins for Champion of Brands or will the likes of both Benjamin and Morgan try to take that Last Victory Away from Him?

 

Lets Find Out

  

Champion Of Brands-(Race 2 Results FINAL)

 

In First Place taking the Last Victory for Champion of Brands Is (Lucas Romanek) in his Van Diemen JL13 with a Best Lap Time of 50.825 and an Average Speed of 83.45mph. Congratulations Once Again Lucas Two out of Two Wins and no Doubt a Very Happy Team and Family Awaiting You Before and After the Podium Fantastic Driving All Weekend.

 

In Second Place was (Morgan Quinn) in his FF 1600 Kent with a Best Lap Time of 50.754 and an Average Speed of 82.99mph. Very Well Driven there Morgan Great to See Such an Intense Battle Between you and Lucas for Victory in Conditions that were Almost Impossible to see anything in. Incredible Dedication and Drive.

 

In Third Place was (Benjamin Cochran) in his Formula Ford LA10 with a Best Lap Time of 51.862 and an Average Speed of 81.70mph. Nice Work there Benjamin Fantastic Driving in both Qualifying and The Two Races with a Brilliant P3 Finnish to Round off The Weekend for Champion of Brands.

 

What a Fantastic Day it has been for Champion of Brands seeing some Incredible Racing Action and a huge amount of Competitiveness from the Likes of Lucas Morgan and Benjamin who All Drove Fantastically and Put on One Hell of a Good Show.

 

A Huge Congratulations to both Lucas and Morgan as Well Who were in a Class of their Own at The Front of the Field Racing in Deteriorating Lighting Conditions with no Front Headlights on their Formula Fords to Light their Way around The Indy Circuit they Both Drove Insanely Well.

 

MSV Super Cup-(Qualifying)

 

Next Up onto the Circuit for the Day was the MSV Super Cup Championship and with a Wide Range and Variety of Racing Cars on Display it will be Very Interesting to see how many different Battles will Develop thought Both Qualifying and The Race.

 

From BMW E36's to Seat Super Copa's and even a Peugeot 205 GTI This Series has a Huge Amount of Variety Racing Within it.

 

Lets Take a Look at Qualifying and See Who Came Where

 

In First Place taking Pole Position was (Darren Goes) in his Seat Cup Racer with a Best Lap Time of 52.257 and a Top Speed of 82.21mph. Great Work there Darren Really Pushing the Car Hard and Having to Extract Everything from both Car and Driver to take P1. Super Job.

 

In Second Place was the Pairing of (A Bradley and D Bradley) in their BMW E36 with a Best Lap Time of 52.621 and a Top Speed of 82.64mph. Really Well Driven Gentlemen Very Close to Darren looking Forward to a Competitive First Race Between you All.

 

In Third Place was (Gary Hufford) in his BMW E46 M3 with a Best Lap Time of 52.723 and a Top Speed of 82.48mph. Nice Work there Gary Keeping that Fast and Capable BMW on the Track Looked to be no Easy Task but what a Fantastic Position to Start the First Race in.

 

Another Really Close Qualifying Session Between the likes of Darren Goes and the Pairing of A Brandley and D Bradley at the Top with Third Place Gary Hufford Following Closely Behind them.

 

With Their Only Race of the Day Coming Up Next will Daren Be able to Fend off the Charging Pair of A Bradley and D Bradley to take Home Victory or Will the Likes of Gary Hufford Surprise them All and Take the Victory for Himself?

 

Let's Find Out!

 

MSV Super Cup-(Race 1 Results FINAL)

 

In First Place Taking Victory was (Darren Goes) in his Seat Cup Racer with a Best Lap Time of 52.891 and an Average Speed of 77.05mph. Congratulations Darren A Well Deserved Victory Under Immense Pressure the Entire Time and No Doubt a Very Proud and Happy Family Waiting for Him Back in the Paddock.

 

In Second Place was the Pairing of (Brytchta/Smith) in their Seat Super Copa with a Best Lap Time of 52.594 and an Average Speed of 77.04mph. Great Drive from Both of You and Keeping Right on the Heels of Darren All The Time as well as Putting up a Huge Fight for First Place. Superb Drive and a Well Deserved P2 Finnish.

 

In Third Place was the Pairing of (A Bradley and D Bradley) in their BMW E36 with a Best Lap Time of 52.680 and an Average Speed of 76.93mph. Great Work to the Both of You Putting Pressure on Second Place Brytchta and Smith.

 

What an Intense Finnish to the Super Cup Championship with the Likes of Darren Goes Brytchta/Smith and A Bradley and D Bradley All Taking Superb Podium Finishes and no Doubt Going Back Home to a Very Happy and Proud Family of Great People.

 

Congratulations to All of the Other Drivers who were Also Out there Giving it their All You Guys are What Brings to Sprit of Every Racing Series to Life. Keep Working Hard and I'm Sure your Time Will Come.

 

MSVT Trackday Championship-(Qualifying)

 

Next Up was the Track Day Championship and with Another Massive Grid of 32 Cars from All Different Makes such as BMW Volkswagen Renault Ford and Caterham it was Going to be a Dynamic Qualifying Session with Many Different Cars and Drivers All Battling for Positions thought the Qualifying Session.

 

Lets Find Out who Came Out on Top and Who will be Starting on the Front Row for what Promises to be a Very Exciting and Close Race Later on.

 

In First Place taking the Victory and The Fastest Lap was (Scott Parkin) in his VW Golf TDI with a Best Lap Time of 54.419 and a Top Speed of 79.90mph. Congratulations Scott a Brilliant Pole Lap and Fantastic Car Control thought Every Corner.

 

In Second Place was (Chris Payne) in his Caterham Supersport with a Best Lap Time of 54.540 and an Average Speed of 79.73mph. Awesome Drive there from Chris Keeping up at The Front with Scott and Trading Fastest Laps thought the Qualifying Session. I Think both of them are going to put on a Brilliant Display of Racing Later.

 

In Third Place was The Pairing of (Keen and Roberts) in their Honda Civic Type R with a Best Lap Time of 55.231 and a Top Speed of 78.73mph. Amazing Drive from Thease Two Both Pushing Hard and Securing a Brilliant P3 Position for The Race. Great Job.

 

What a Qualifying Session with the Likes of Scott Parkin and Chris Payne Both Looking to be Very Competitive and Ready to Take Each other Head On Come the Race. But Will the Pairing of Keen and Roberts Come in and Also do Battle with Them?

 

Lets Find Out!

 

MSVT Trackday Championship-(Race 1 Results FINAL)

 

In First Place taking the Victory was (Scott Parkin) in his VW Golf TDI with a Best Lap Time of 54.706 and an Average Speed of 70.47mph. Congratulations Scott what a Performance and a Really Dominant Display of Driving to take Home a Wonderful Victory.

 

In Second Place was (Chris Payne) in his Caterham Supersport with a Best Lap Time of 54.397 and an Average Speed of 70.35mph. Amazing Drive there Chris Really Working Hard to Keep that 2nd Position while Also Fighting Hard to take 1st away from Scott at the front during some Laps.

 

In Third Place was (John Lyne) in his BMW E36 328i with a Best Lap Time of 55.309 and an Average Speed of 68.87mph. Congratulations John P3 with a Very Clean and Perfectly Controlled Drive thought, Its so Great to See a New Face on the Podium and Taking Victory. His Family and Close Friends Will be Very Proud of Him Indeed.

 

Another Incredible Race Today with the Likes of Scott Chris and John All Taking Home Superb Victories and no Doubt some Fantastic Memories from the Days Events too.

 

A Big Congratulations to both the Pairing of Keen and Roberts too who also put in a Monstrous Qualifying Lap to Land P3 on the Gird. Finishing the Race in 8th is not too Bad but I'm sure they have a lot of Work to-do Back at the Workshop and Will Come Back Next Year with an even more Competitive Honda Ready to Go.

 

Finally Congratulations to the Many other Drivers who also Took Part in this Race You All Put in a Tone of Hard Work and Dedication and I'm Sure that Over Time We Will See Some of You also on the Podium Just like John Lyne Today.

 

MSVT Trackday Trophy-(Qualifying)

 

Now it was Time for The Penultimate Qualifying and Race of the Day for the Track Day Trophy. Just like with the Previous Track Day Championship Many of the Same cars that Competed Before Also Entered This Race Giving Some Drivers a Second change to Show their Skills and Talents on the Race Track.

 

Lets take a Look at Qualifying and See Who will be on Pole This Time.

 

In First Place Taking Pole Position and The Fastest Lap was The Pairing of (R. Parkin and S. Parkin) in their VW Golf with a Best Lap Time of 53.795 and a Top Speed of 80.83mph. Incredible Work by both of the Parkin Pair as Scott Parkin Previously Won in Super Cup and Now he takes His Second Pole Position of the Day! Brilliant Driving.

 

In Second Place was (Chris Kirby) in his Caterham 1.6 Super Sport with a Best Lap Time of 53.863 and a Top Speed of 80.73mph. Brilliant Driving there Chris Keeping the Two Parkins on their Toes and Almost Taking Away Pole Position from them by Just 0.068 at The Checkered Flag.

 

In Third Place was the Pair of (Palk and Pottinger) in their Reno Clio with a Best Lap Time of 54.757 and a Top Speed of 79.41mph. Very Well Done both Palk and Pottinger on a Well Deserved and Defended P3 Finish by Less than a Second to Start on the Second Row for The Race.

 

A Super Fast and Really Exciting Qualifying Session Once Again with the Pairing of R. Parkin and S. Parkin Taking Pole Position Followed Closely by Chris Kirby in Second Place and Finally The Pairing of Palk and Pottinger in Third Place.

 

With The Race Just Around the Corner Will it be the Pairing of R Parkin and Scott Parkin Taking Victory Once More or Will a New Challenger Appear to take the Fight right to the Front of the Field?

  

MSVT Trackday Trophy-(Race 1 Results FINAL)

 

In First Place Taking the Victory is (R.Parkin and S.Parkin) in their VW Golf with a Best Lap Time of 54.046 and an Average Speed of 74.44mph. What a Dominant Display of Driving from thease Two Drivers in a Class of their Own they Have Managed to Win in Both Trackday Championship and Trackday Trophy. Brilliant Driving Well Deserved.

 

In Second Place was (John Lyne) in his BMW E36 328 with a Best Lap Time of 55.415 and an Average Speed of 73.09mph. Congratulations Once Again John P2 Finish and a Lot of Smiles and Congratulations from the Family I'm sure when you Return to the Paddock. Great Driving All Weekend.

 

In Third Place was (Stewart Donavan) in his Toyota Celica with a Best Lap Time of 55.083 and an Average Speed of 73.08mph. Congratulations Stewart P3 and Another New Face on the Podium and a Brilliant Looking Celica too. Fantastic Driving Great Job.

 

What a Brilliant Race from the Trackday Trophy with the Likes of Scott Parkin and R Parkin Taking the Spoils on P1 Followed Closely by John Lyne in P2 and Finally Stewart Donavan in P3.

 

A Big Congratulations Once Again to All of the other Drivers who took Part and Fought their way Through the Field to Finnish at The Checkered Flag. Keep Racing and Keep Pushing.

 

Enduro KA -(Qualifying)

 

After a Long Days Racing and with Night Falling Fast The Headlights of The Enduro KA'S Began to Illuminate the Indy Circuit.

 

Every Part of the Track was a Wash with Darkness and The Only Thing Illuminating the Way for Each Driver was The Bright Headlights and LED'S Fitted to Each Car with some Teams and Driver Trying their Luck on the KA'S Standard Headlights to Brighten their Way to Victory.

 

A Silent Hum Came From the Engines as they Raced Around the Indy Circuit with Each Driver Pushing Hard to Set the Fastest Time Possible.

 

The Tension in the Air was Electrifying as Drivers Danced their Cars Through Traffic and Had Small Battles with One Another Trying to see what their Opponents Tactics were and How Brave each of Them Dare Go in Terms of Pace.

 

It Wasn't Long before Each Driver Began to Put their Right Foot Hard Down and Push their

73BHP KA To its Limits Trying Desperately to Grab Hold of Pole Position Ahead of Sundays Intense 8 Hour 500 Minute Race.

 

After a Really Hectic Day of Both Qualifying and Racing Lets Find Out Who Took The Last Pole of Today and Who Will be Starting on The Front Row for Tomorrow's 8 Hour Endurance Race.

 

In First Place Taking the Victory and pole Position was Team (IP Racings) (Adam Blair / Scott Parkin / Oliver Wilmot / Mark Witherington) in their Ford KA with a Best Lap Time of 1:02.845 and a Top Speed of 69.19mph. Congratulations IP Racing Fantastic Work and a Super Start to the Endurance Race at The Very Front of The Grid.

 

In Second Place Following Closely Behind by Just 0.261 Seconds was Team (JTR) Elliot Mason / Nick Tandy / David Mason / James Rhodes in their Ford KA with a Best Lap Time of 1:03.106 and a Top Speed of 68.90mph. Superb Job there JTR Fantastic Effort and Really Good Pace to Gain P2 on the Grid for Tomorrow.

 

In Third Place was Team (Octane Junkies) (Adam Smith / Martyn Smith / Bazza Ward) in their Ford KA with a Best Lap Time of 1:03.110 and a Top Speed of 68.90mph. Great Work Octane Junkies Pushing Hard and Giving it Everything for P3.

 

After an Intense Qualifying Session the Likes of

 

Team IP Racings

 

(Adam Blair / Scott Parkin / Oliver Wilmot / Mark Witherington) Start the Endurance Race in First Place with

 

(JTR) Elliot Mason / Nick Tandy / David Mason / James Rhodes in Second Place Followed By

 

(Octane Junkies) (Adam Smith / Martyn Smith / Bazza Ward) in Third Place with the Top Three Very Closely Matched on Lap Times Thought Qualifying.

 

With Tomorrows Endurance Race being 8 Hours and The use of Driver Changes after 2 Hours in a Team with Four Drivers as Well as Pit Stops and a Whole Field of 45 Cars and Drivers Will the Likes of Team IP Racing Be able to Hold Out and Take Victory After 8 Gruelling Hours of Hard Racing.

 

Or Will JTR or Octane Junkies Try and Take that Thunder Away From Them? and Can Anyone Else Have a Go at Taking The Victory?

 

Only Time Will Tell!

 

See You All On Sunday.........!

 

Information On Race Results Found on TSL Timing Solutions

 

www.tsl-timing.com/Event/214651

                         

Dedicated to Josef K., the main character of The Process, the novel by Franz Kafka. Josef K., awakens one morning and, for reasons never revealed, is arrested and prosecuted for an unspecified crime.

 

These last days I remembered him as so many strange things happened in the financial markets and so many normal workers lost their savings and employments for reasons still not revealed.

 

View On Black

  

Vibe Community Space, Spokane, Washington.

Ex-CFI Kenworth T680

Dedicated to the designers, developers and engineers who build the world’s most engaging user interfaces. From the community, for the community.

Dedicated to World War II soldiers on September 25, 1945 by the 18th District Association, the pictured monument states, “This Memorial Will Stand in Silent Tribute to Those Who Served Their Country In Time of War and Stress.” The memorial is located in a triangle formed by Bergen, Hutchinson, and East Franklin Streets in Hamilton, near the border of Trenton. This spot, known as “The Island,” was treasured by neighborhood children in the 1960s and 1970s as the site of many wiffleball games. The street sign at the triangle point was home plate and “over the monument” was a home run. Today, “The Island” continues to be cherished by local residents who decorate the memorial on special occasions. Submitted by Carla J. Olszewski Cook.

Dedicated to Sir Robert Loder

St Mary the Virgin - Shipley

The six-day festival dedicated in a long waterfall Hakusan shrine on January 6 (13:00 starts) every year is called in the alias “The festival which takes a flower " That has taken the lead in this festival is ennen performed in Todaiji in Nara, etc., and ennen of a long waterfall is an event of the Shinto-and-Buddhist-deities mixture to which the long waterfall 1 mountain-god Lord and an old priest pray for national peace and a bumper crop in the new year. It is suitable for the tradition of about 1000 year, ennen dance is simple and graceful folk performing arts, also all over the country, only several places are existing, and ennen of this long waterfall is designated as the significant intangible folk cultural asset of the country. five big paper hats with artificial flowers of the cherry tree, the chrysanthemum, the peony, the camellia, and mustard which takes a flowe began from the middle of this ennen and was hung by the ceiling of an oratory earthen floor, and about 6 meters in height -- brave young men -- 3 -- it will become a struggle for a flower to be taken if human ladder of half the next is constructed and dropped.If this flower is brought home, it is said that it becomes a good harvest, the safety of the family, and prosperity in business.

 

World Impact is a Christian missions organization dedicated to ministering God's love in the inner cities of America.

 

--

 

Since it's establishment in June of 1996, the Dallas ministry has sought to share the love of Christ with the community through Bible clubs for children, youth ministries, church planting, and leadership training for indigenous leaders.

 

--

 

History of World Impact

In 1965, Keith Phillips, a student at UCLA, began teaching Youth For Christ Bible clubs in Watts. He began recruiting BIOLA students to volunteer with him and the ministry to the urban poor grew. By 1971, God called Keith to full-time ministry and World Impact was incorporated. Full-time missionaries moved into the communities they served. Evangelism to children expanded to teens and whole families.

 

News of the ministry spread to other urban areas of the country and by 1972 World Impact was ministering in San Diego, California, and Wichita, Kansas. In 1975, Keith wrote about World Impact's experiences in They Dare to Love the Ghetto. In 1976, the St. Louis and Newark ministries began and World Impact moved into their present headquarters at 20th and Vermont in Los Angeles. In 1977, the Fresno ministry began.

 

During the 1970's, while retaining a strong emphasis on evangelism, World Impact became more intentional about discipleship. By 1981, Keith Phillips wrote The Making of a Disciple, still recognized as one of the seminal books on discipleship. Films depicting urban ministry, as well as urban ministry training materials, were developed.

 

In the early 1980's, World Impact started ministries to the whole person, while keeping its priority of evangelism and discipleship. In 1982, the Los Angeles Christian School was opened and Morning Star Ranch was acquired to disciple young men from the inner city. By 1984, World Impact began job training opportunities (Inner City Enterprises), a thrift shop (The Sonshine Shop), and the Newark Christian School, while writing a culturally-conducive "through-the-Bible" curriculum. Out of these experiences, Keith wrote No Quick Fix, explaining the need for ministry to the whole person and the importance of whole families.

 

In 1986, the Wichita Village property was acquired, from which the Good Samaritan Clinic was launched, an old Y.M.C.A building was remodeled for ministry in St. Louis, low-income housing was developed in Newark, and God provided THE OAKS camp, 65 miles north of Los Angeles. In 1988, the Chester, Pennsylvania, ministry opened, and ministry centers in San Diego and Fresno were remodeled.

 

During the 1980's, the efforts of evangelism and discipleship were bearing fruit and new believers were forming into worshiping communities, leading World Impact to plant culturally-relevant churches in the inner city. The massive numbers of immigrants from Central America and Asia, along with the growing numbers of urban poor, underscored the need to not only evangelize and disciple individuals, but to establish new churches among the poor. In 1990, church planting became the primary strategy to evangelize, equip, and empower the urban poor.

 

In the early 1990's, as national attention was focused on the inner-city during the Los Angeles riot, World Impact acquired Harmony Heart camp in Pennsylvania, began ministry in Oakland and San Francisco, opened schools in Watts and Chester, launched The Urban Ministry Institute (TUMI) and planted its first churches in various cities.

 

In 1996, World Impact celebrated its 25th anniversary as Deer Creek camp (outside Denver) and the Dallas ministry were added. Keith Phillips wrote about World Impact's emerging church planting ministry in Out of Ashes. In 1999, World Impact hosted the first of three conferences on urban church planting, called Crowns of Beauty, each of which welcomed over 1200 international delegates.

 

In 2000, World Impact began hosting its School for Urban Cross-Cultural Church Planting, training urban church plant teams from all over the nation. In 2001, The John Mark Curriculum was published to train cross-cultural missionaries and three TUMI satellite campuses were opened. By 2004, 20 churches had been planted in eight World Impact cities, and an auditorium at THE OAKS Adult Conference Center was completed, dedicated in honor of board member Dr. Jack Hayford.

 

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World Impact Center

2017 S. Ervay

Dallas, TX 75215

214-426-0044

 

www.worldimpactdallas.org/

On front:

Taming of the Shew

Dedicated to

Drs Peterson & Armstrong

Note the Whip

Copyright ©childofGOD. All rights reserved. Use without permission is illegal.

 

One of my contacts Duncan takes some amazing photos of swans so I'm dedicating my feeble attempt to him!

 

Mike and I will be gone today so no need to comment as I won't be able to visit you!

There is no doubt now that our Praying Angel Statue we named & dedicated to our cousin "Marie Rose Ferron" is "BOWING", "RESTANDING", and "REBOWING" to her JESUS, now! She officially today- Sunday 24 September 2006 at 3:00 p.m. has BOWED TO 17 1/2 INCHES! Yesterday she was at 17 1/4! Only 07 Sept. she was at 16 and the 20th August she at 15! She restands to 10 inches from fence, then starts the process over again bowing about a 1/4 inches every 2-3 days now! She hasn't gotten past 17 inches so this is a major celebration since her first bow of 24 inches!! Praise God & Thank You Rose!

 

UPDATE 25 Sept 2006: We put her in her new cement base 25 Sept and took out the wood behind so it reduced her measurement to 16 inches but to our shock the next day 26 Sept. in the base she was 17 1/2 again!! Seems God & Rose wouldn't hear of our changing or reducing her "bow" (smile)! As of September 27, she was 17 1/2 with the base, which is a new style of measurement equivalent to old is 18 1/2 inches!!!! Now she's 17 1/2 & 2/16 28 Sept 2006!

لو تــعـرفــيــن اش كثر أحبك بــكــيـــتــي ,, عن كـــل يـــوم فيه مــــا كنت أحــــبــك !