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Margaret Hassan, who has been murdered aged 59, devoted more than 30 years of her life to helping the disadvantaged people of Iraq.
For the past 12 years she had been Care International`s country director for Iraq, refusing to leave when many other aid agencies fled as a result of the war. Care`s offices were surrounded by sandbags and she gave her 60-strong staff bicycles so they could get about more easily in the event of an attack. Last November the premises were struck by a grenade, and threatening letters arrived. Expatriate staff left the country, but Margaret Hassan, who saw herself as an Iraqi, remained.
Care International is the largest humanitarian charity in the world; that it is also American cannot have counted in Margaret Hassan`s favour. In Iraq it concentrated on supplying medical facilities, clean water, food, blankets and generators to communities devastated by years of sanctions and violence.
During the airstrikes, Care technicians would go around Baghdad restoring power supplies to hospitals, converting lorries into emergency water tankers and repairing buildings.
Margaret Hassan was a familiar and immensely popular figure on the streets of Baghdad. Felicity Arbuthnot, who filmed a documentary about her work, has described Margaret Hassan being mobbed during a visit to a water sanitation plant. "A crowd gathered and tiny children rushed up and threw their arms round her knees, saying, `Madam Margaret, Madam Margaret`, and everywhere she went, people just beamed."
Although no Western woman had previously been kidnapped in Iraq, Margaret Hassan was aware of the risks she ran, conscious that many Iraqi women had been abducted, ransomed, raped and murdered by the Baghdad mafia.
On October 19, as she was leaving home for work in the Khadra district of western Baghdad, she was seized by unknown gunmen. Hours after her capture, the first in a series of harrowing videos was released on the Arab television station al-Jazeera. It showed her pleading: "I beg of you, the British people, to help me. I don`t wan`t to die like [Kenneth] Bigley." A second video showed her calling on Tony Blair to withdraw troops from Iraq and "not bring them to Baghdad".
Devoted to her adopted country and its people, she learnt fluent Arabic and took Iraqi citizenship. Under Care`s rules she was forbidden from talking about politics, but she nonetheless became a vehement campaigner against the United Nations sanctions, which she held responsible for the fact that ordinary Iraqis had to make do with shortages of food, medical provisions and adequate sanitation. "This is a man-made disaster," she said in 1998.
In the build-up to the American-led invasion last year, she travelled to the UN security council in New York and the House of Commons in London to campaign against the war. "The Iraqi people are already living through a terrible emergency," she said. "They do not have the resources to withstand an additional crisis brought about by military action."
As Care began stockpiling fuel, food and medical supplies in readiness for war, she said: "We will do what we can, but we do not expect to work miracles here."
Source: The Daily Telegraph, 18 November 2004
Picture kindly provided by CARE
Tashiding Monastery is a Buddhist monastery of the Nyingma sect of Tibetan Buddhism in Western Sikkim, northeastern India. It is located on top of the hill rising between the Rathong chu and the Rangeet River, 40 kilometres from Gyalshing and 19 kilometres to the south east of Yuksam meaning Yuk-Lamas, Sam- Three in Lepcha Language which signifies the meeting place of three holy lamas from Tibet in 1641 A.D. Tashiding is the nearest town to the Tashiding Monastery (Gompa), which is the most sacred and holiest monasteries in Sikkim.
Tashiding means “The Devoted Central Glory” and the monastery by this name was founded in 1641 by Ngadak Sempa Chempo Phunshok Rigzing who belonged to the Nyingma sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Ngadak was one of the three wise men who held the consecration ceremony crowning the first King of Sikkim at Yuksom. It was extended and renovated in 1717 during the reign of the third Chogyal Chakdor Namgyal. 'Bhumchu Ceremony' or festival is a popular religious festival that is held on the 14th and 15th day of the first month of Tibetan Calendar.
The Tashiding Monastery is part of Buddhist religious pilgrimage circuit starting with the first monastery at Yuksam in Sikkim known as the Dubdi Monastery, Norbugang Chorten, Pemayangtse Monastery, the Rabdentse ruins, the Sanga Choeling Monastery, and the Khecheopalri Lake.
LEGEND
There are several legends linked to the most revered monastery and the Bhuchu festival that is held here.
According to one local legend Guru Padmasambhava shot an arrow into the air to select the place. Where the arrow he shot landed, he sat in meditation and that site eventually became the site of the Tashiding Monastery.
Another legend relates to the three monks who consecrated the first Chogyal of Sikkim at Yuksam. It is said that the three monks saw an unusual divine phenomenon of bright light shining on top of the Kanchendzonga mountain, which reflected to a site near the place where the present Tashiding Monastery has been built. Concurrently, a scented smell of incense followed by all pervading divine music was also noted. The first Chogyal who visited the site subsequent to hearing this unusual event, erected a small chorten at the site and named it as Thongwa-Rang-Grol. Legend further glorifies the site stating that a mere sight of it “confers self-emancipation”.
Another absorbing legend is related to the celebration of the Bhumchu festival at Tashiding Monastery. The legend is traced to the tantric art. Guru Padmasambhava, while teaching the tantric system of “Mahakarunika Avalokiteshvara Sadhana and initiation on emancipation from the cycle of mundane existence” to the King Trisong Duetsen, prince Murub Tsenpo, Yeshe Tsogyal and Verotsana in Tibet, sanctified the same holy vase with holy water, which is now kept in Tashiding Monastery and revered during the Bhumchu festival. This vase is made of five types prized jewels, divine soil and holy water said to have been gathered by Padmasambhava from religious centres in India, Odiuana and Zahor. The vase was made by the wrathful deity Damchen Gar-bgag and sanctified by Guru Padmasambhava himself by performing the “Sadhana of Yidam Chuchig Zhal (meaning tutelary deity of eleven heads)”. On this occasion, heavenly deities appeared in the sky and thereafter merged into the holy water contained in the vase. The vase then overflowed and the water dispersed in “all directions in the form of rays.” This ritual was immediately followed by an earthquake, which was considered an auspicious sign. The divine moment also witnessed the presence of the four guardian divinities namely, “the Gyalchen Dezhi/Cutur – Maharajika of Dharma and the gods of the thirty-three heavens (Samchu Tsasumgyi Lhanam) who showered flowers from the sky.” The event was witnessed by devotees and Padmasmabhava distributed the holy water from the vase to all assembled people, which spiritually benefited one and all. The vase was then hidden as a treasure under the care of the divine deities. However, the vase was rediscovered and passed through the hands of several holy men and finally placed at Tashiding by Terton Ngdag Sampachenpo. During the reign of the first ruler of Sikkim, Phuntshog Namgyal, the Terton recited the holy hymn “Om Mani Padme Hum” five billions when several unique events were also witnessed in Sikkim. After the religious ceremony the vase with the water has been kept on display in a small chamber in the Monastery under the custody of the Chogyal himself, which is opened once a year during the Bhumchu festival.
GEOGRAPHY
This monastery located at an altitude of 1465 m is built on top of a heart shaped hill or helmet shaped hill above the confluence of the Rathong Chu and Rangeet rivers, with the Mt. Kanchendzonga providing the scenic back drop. It is about 16 km from Yuksam, 40 km from Gezing via Legship.
The monastery is considered as the spiritual centre of Sikkim since it is encircled by many important monasteries in Sikkim in all directions such as: the Dubdi Monastery 23 km away on its northern direction, the Khecheopalri Lake (wish fulfilling lake) on the northwest, the Pemayangtse monastery on the west, the Shiva temple at Legship on the south, the Mongbrue gompa and Ravangla Bön monastery on the southeast, the Ravangla Gelug monastery on the east, the Karma Kagyud Ralang Monastery on the northeast.[citation needed] Gulia summarising the importance of this monastery has said:
For tashiding one can say: seeing is believing. The monastery is historically illustrious, geographically well located, aesthetically beautiful, spiritually divine – a place where nature and spirituality dwell together, urging the human race to be ecologically upright.
Geographically the Monastery and the Tashiding town are surrounded by four divine caves located in four cardinal directions. The four caves where Buddhist saints meditated are: On the East is the Sharchog Bephug, on the South is the Khandozangphu, in the West is Dechenpug cave and on the North is the Lhari Nyingphug. The main deity deified in the monastery is Tashiding and hence the monastery is also known as 'Dakkar Tashiding'.
HISTORY
In the 17th century, Ngadak Sempa Chemp built a small Lhakhang at this location. This was enlarged into the present monastery during the reign of Chogyal Chakdor Namgyal. Pedi Wangmo built the main monastery and installed many statues which are still seen in the monastery. Lhatsun Chenpo built the Chortens; which are considered holy. Yanchong Lodil, the Master craftsman crafted the flagstones that surround the monastery. These are carved with the holy Buddhist mantra 'Om Mane Padme Hum'.
ARCHITECTURE
An overall picture of the precincts of the monastery within the Tashiding town is provided in five distinct blocks namely, the Sinem market place, the outskirts, the main market place, the main Tashiding Monastery and the Chorten area.
The Sinek market place is located on an incline on the ridge between Rathong Chu and Rangeet River. There is a gompa here called the Sinolochu Gompa from where an approach leads to the Tashiding Monastery on the southern direction. The settlement is spread lengthwise and is 23 kilometres from Yuksom. A large 'Mani' stone is seen at the entrance to this settlement and the Tashiding market.
From the main market centre the approach to the Monastery is through a road, and also a foot path. The foot path in the southern direction has a gentle slope and passes through a Mani and then prayer wind wheels terminating at the entrance gate of the Monastery.
The Monastery itself consists of a 'Mani Lhakang' at the entrance surrounded by flags, and lead to the guest house. From this point ahead is the main 'Tashiding Gompa' which is called as Chogyal Lhakhang or the monastery, followed by the 'butter lamp house', four chortens, 'Tsenkhang', a new butter lamp house and finally terminating at the 'Guru Lhakhang', which is the temple of Guru Rinpoche. Other basic essential structures such as kitchen, school and residential housing are located on the left side of the approach path to the monastery.
In the 'Chorten area', there are 41 chortens categorised as 'Chortens of Enlightenment', 'Chortens of Reconciliation' and 'Chortens of Great Miracle', which are all of Rinpoches and Tathāgatas.
However, the main temple has undergone renovation work in modern times and rebuilt, but is still encircled by traditional buildings and chortens at the far end of the site, which holds the relics of Sikkim Chogyals and Lamas, including the 'Thong-Wa-rang-Dol' chorten which is believed to cleanse the soul of any person who looks at it.
Also of major note are the stone plates called the 'Mani', the work of Yanchong Lodil who inscribed them with the sacred Buddhist inscriptions, such as "Om Mane Padme Hum".
FESTIVALS
Bhumchu festival, which is linked by an ancient legend to Guru Padmasambhava, is about a divine vase filled with holy water kept in the monastery, which is opened for public display and worship every year on the night before the Full Moon day in the first month of Tibetan calendar. Bhumchu (Bhum=pot; Chu=water) is a Buddhist festival celebrated to predict the future. In this vase, water of Rathong chhu is stored for a year and kept in the Tashiding Monastery. It is opened during the festival by the lamas who inspect the water level and hence it is called the festival of holy water. The belief is that alteration in the quantity and quality of the water stored in the vase over a year would indicate the fortune of Sikkim and its people in the following year. If it is filled to the brim (which is interpreted as a measure of increase by 21 cups), the following year will be prosperous. If it is empty, famine will follow, and if it is half-filled also a prosperous year is predicted. If the water is polluted with dust it is interpreted as a sign of strife and clash. Once inspected and the Bhumchu festival is concluded, the lamas fill the vase with fresh water from the river and seal it for the opening in the following year.
The procedure followed for taking out the sacred water from the vase is that the first cup of sacred water is taken out for blessing the members of the Royal family of the Chogyals, then the second cup is meant for the Lamas and the third cup of water is meant for the devotees to whom it is distributed. Pilgrims come to the monastery from all regions of Sikkim to be blessed with the holy water. The festival is of particular importance to the Bhutias (ethnic Tibeteans) of Sikkim who hold the “life-sustaining water of the rivers” with great reverence. The festival falls on the 15th day Full Moon day of the first Tibetan month or Hindu month of Magh corresponding to February/March according to Gregorian calendar.
The basic purpose of the festival is to highlight the importance of water as a precious resource to be conserved and its purity preserved. The prophecy also sends a message to the people that waters should not be polluted and its environmental importance is propagated.
WIKIPEDIA
devoted to my friend and teacher Joseph (21.04.27 - 13.12.93)
paper, water color, gouache, photoshop (50x460 cm)
Ambedkar Memorial Park is a public park and memorial in Gomti Nagar, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. It is more formally known as Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Samajik Parivartan Prateek Sthal and is also referred to simply as "Ambedkar Park". The park honors the lives and memories of Jyotirao Phule, Narayana Guru, Birsa Munda, Shahuji Maharaj, Bhimrao Ambedkar, Kanshi Ram and all those who've devoted their life for humanity, equality and social justice. The memorial was constructed by Mayawati, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, during her administration when she led the Bahujan Samaj Party.
The Lakshmi Narayan temples complex, devoted to the Vaishnavite sect, includes the main Lakshmi Narayan temple, built in the 10th century by Raja Sahil Verman. It has been built to suit the local climatic conditions with wooden chatries and has a shikara, and a sanctum sanctorum (Garbhagriha), with an antarala and a mantapa. A metallic image of Garuda, the vahana (mount) of Vishnu is installed on the dwajastamba pillar at the main gate of the temple. In 1678, Raja Chhatra Singh adorned the temple roof with gold plated pinnacles, as a riposte to Auranagzeb, who had ordered demolition of this temple.
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Chamba (Hindi: चम्बा) is an ancient town in the Chamba district in the state of Himachal Pradesh, in northern India. According to the 2001 Indian census, Chamba has a population of 20,312 people. Located at an altitude of 996 metres above mean sea level, the town is situated on the banks of the Ravi River (a major tributary of the Trans-Himalayan Indus River), at its confluence with the Sal River.
Though historical records date the history of the Chamba region to the Kolian tribes in the 2nd century BC, the area was formally ruled by the Maru dynasty, starting with the Raju Maru from around 500 AD, ruling from the ancient capital of Bharmour, which is located 75 kilometres from the town of Chamba. In 920, Raja Sahil Varman (or Raja Sahil Verma) shifted the capital of the kingdom to Chamba, following the specific request of his daughter Champavati (Chamba was named after her). From the time of Raju Maru, 67 Rajas of this dynasty have ruled over Chamba until it finally merged with the Indian Union in April 1948, although Chamba was under British suzerainty from 1846 to this time.
The town has numerous temples and palaces, and hosts two popular jatras (fairs), the "Suhi Mata Mela" and the "Minjar Mela", which last for several days and involve music and dancing. Chamba is also well noted for its arts and crafts, particularly its Pahari paintings, which originated in the Hill Kingdoms of North India between the 17th and 19th century and its handicrafts and textiles.
HISTORY
Chamba has an ancient history, which is inseparable from that of the surrounding district of Chamba. The earliest rulers were Kolian tribes. In the 2nd century BC the Khasas and Audumbaras were in power in the region. In the 4th century AD during the Gupta period, the Thakurs and Ranas ruled. From the 7th century, the Gurjara Pratiharas or the Rajput dynasty came into power.
The recorded history of the Rajput rulers is traced to an eminent individual named Maru who is said to have moved to northwest India from Kalpagrama, around 500 AD. He founded his capital in the Budhal river valley at a place called Brahmaputra, which later became known as Bharmour or Bhramaur, which is situated 75 kilometres to the east of the present day Chamba town. For three hundred years, kings of Rajput Dynasty ruled from their capital in Bharmour.
However, in 920, Raja Sahil Varman (or Raja Sahila Verma), King of Bharmour, shifted his capital from Bharmour to a more centrally located plateau in the lower Ravi valley, and named the city Champavati, after his daughter. There is some variation in the story to how exactly this transition came about in the historical records of Chamba. One version tells how Varman, who, after being childless for a significant period, was blessed with ten sons and a daughter, named "Champavati". It was Champavati who urged her father to build a new capital town in the valley. However, obstacles stood in the way to relocating his capital, given that the king had previously granted the land in the modern Chamba vicinity to the Kanwan Brahmins. A solution was found in the form of offering a gift of eight copper coins called chaklis on the occasion of every marriage that took place in the Brahmin family, if they would agree to surrender their land to pave the way for the new capital. With the land thus obtained, the new capital was built and named as Champa after Chamapavati, the King’s daughter, which, over the years, was simply shortened to "Chamba'.
A variation of this origin of Chamba is that it originated as a hermitage which Champavati, a devout Hindu, used to frequent. The king, being suspicious of his daughter's fidelity, one day investigated and followed her to the hermitage, but surprisingly he found neither his daughter nor the hermit there. Suddenly he was said to have heard a voice which informed him that his suspicions were ill founded, admonishing him and informing him that his daughter had been taken away from him permanently as a punishment of his lack of trust in her morals. The King, fully chastened, sought redemption for his sin by expanding the hermitage into a temple, named in his daughter’s honour and built a city around the temple. Today this temple, called the Champavati Temple, belongs to the Royal family and the King’s daughter is venerated as a goddess. Every year, since 935, the Minjar festival or fair has been held. It lasts for 21 days, coinciding with the first day of Baisakhi.
Since Raja Sahil Varman, the dynasty ruled without successful invasion for around a millennium, until the British gained power. The isolation of the town and its rugged hilly terrain is believed to have been a contributing factor to this unusual state of security. Later, Mughal emperors Akbar and Aurangzeb did attempt to annex Chamba but were unsuccessful in subjugating this territory into their kingdoms. Raja Prithvi Singh (1641-1664 AD), who was on amiable terms with Emperor Shahjahan was instrumental in introducing the court life styles of the Mughals.
Many progressive reforms and developments were made in Chamba under the British. In 1863, the first Post office was established in Chamba and a daily mail service and a primary school. In December, 1866, a hospital was opened by Doctor Elmslie of the Kashmir Medical Mission. In the late 1860s two new roads to Dalhousie via Kolri and Khajiar were built. Gopal Singh, who ruled from 1870 to 1873, after abdicating, was responsible for building the grand Jandarighat Palace as his summer residence.
After India becoming an independent nation in August 1947, the princely state of Chamba finally merged with India on April 15, 1948 along with the other princedoms of Mandi-Suket State, Sirmour State and all of those in the Shimla hills.
Buildings in Chamba were traditionally constructed using local materials. Buildings were made out of dry stone masonry, with the walls and floors of the older houses plastered with a concoction of clay and cow-dung. Thick wooden beams were used to support the walls, paying attention to durability and to withstand earthquakes, and wooden cantilever construction was often used to support the verandas. The staircases and doors were made from wood, with the doors often decorated in religious reliefs and flanked by two lamps to light it at night. Before the arrival of the British, who introduced slate roofs to Chamba, roofs were covered with planks, coated in clay. Few of these houses remiain today, although a number still have wood-clay roofs in villages in the suburbs.
The old heritage monuments, which are palaces and temples are located in the old town (east of the Chaugans), on the lower slopes of Shah Madar hill. They were built in the lower valley where the two rivers and steep thickly forested hillsides provided a strong defense. Located here is the 10th century Champavati Temple, said to have marked the birth of the town, the Lakshmi Narayan group of temples (built from 10th-19th century), the 10th century Sita Ram Temple, Bansi Gopal temple, Kharura Mohalla and Hari Rai temple, the 11th century Sui Mata Temple and Chamunda Devi Temple, and the Akhand Chandi palace, overlooking the Chaugan, which has since been converted into a college. Additions were made to the palace in the form of the Zenana Mahal and the Rang Mahal in the 18th century. The temples built in Chamba demonstrate a strong Kashmiri influence with their stone temple architecture and temple iconography. Given their age however, only their unicellular layout with fluted pillars has been retained.
WIKIPEDIA
JUAN DE MARCOS AFRO-CUBAN ALL STARS (Cuba) Performing on Stage 1. Born out of the late-1990s Buena Vista Social Club recording sessions, this mighty big band is devoted to the full range of Cuban music. Led by Juan de Marcos González (formerly of Sierra Maestra), the 15-piece ensemble spans generations and musical styles from rumba to son montuno to bolero. - WomAdelaide 2011
Dance performance in Nowohuckie Centrum Kultury, devoted to the remembrance of the choreographer and pedagogue Professor Janina Strzembosz. Kraków, Poland
After a week devoted to alien genocide on the planet Reach and after hours of cut scenes and dramatic lens flare it finally dawned on me, this has to be the most retarded thing I've ever seen. I mean I am a space marine fighting intergalactic apes. Seriously this feels like it was copied from a 50's weird sci fi novel, years down the road people will look back and wonder how anyone could be entertained or frightened by this. Needless to say I was completely entertained and absolutely frightened of an ape carrying a grav hammer.
So I decided to do my interpretation of Halo if it was made in the 50's.
A UK web site devoted to popular culture used one of my Star Wars figure photos to illustrate a brief news snippet about "valuable" Star Wars toys.
I certainly hope this Asoka "Jailbait" Tano figure is not one of those valuable toys, because I have long ago opened the figure and she has appeared in a number of my toy diorama photos.
Who knows, perhaps I shall see her again as I search for further uses of my images on blog, news, and other web sites.
Source:
theculturetrip.com/europe/united-kingdom/england/london/a...
I have a set devoted to Park Hill:
www.flickr.com/photos/shefftim/sets/72157642537014264/
More to upload during the week.
Park Hill is a large disused council housing estate in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. It was built in the late 1950s. It was closed in 1998 following a period of steep decline and a reputation for crime, drugs & social problems. It now is largely depopulated, though oddly its nursery school is still open.
The estate is structurally sound & has Grade II listed building status for its modernist style, influenced by the architect Le Corbusier. Part of the estate is currently being renovated by developer Urban Splash.
More about Park Hill’s history:
www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/architecture/9551327/Mult...
Margaret Hassan, who has been murdered aged 59, devoted more than 30 years of her life to helping the disadvantaged people of Iraq.
For the past 12 years she had been Care International`s country director for Iraq, refusing to leave when many other aid agencies fled as a result of the war. Care`s offices were surrounded by sandbags and she gave her 60-strong staff bicycles so they could get about more easily in the event of an attack. Last November the premises were struck by a grenade, and threatening letters arrived. Expatriate staff left the country, but Margaret Hassan, who saw herself as an Iraqi, remained.
Care International is the largest humanitarian charity in the world; that it is also American cannot have counted in Margaret Hassan`s favour. In Iraq it concentrated on supplying medical facilities, clean water, food, blankets and generators to communities devastated by years of sanctions and violence.
During the airstrikes, Care technicians would go around Baghdad restoring power supplies to hospitals, converting lorries into emergency water tankers and repairing buildings.
Margaret Hassan was a familiar and immensely popular figure on the streets of Baghdad. Felicity Arbuthnot, who filmed a documentary about her work, has described Margaret Hassan being mobbed during a visit to a water sanitation plant. "A crowd gathered and tiny children rushed up and threw their arms round her knees, saying, `Madam Margaret, Madam Margaret`, and everywhere she went, people just beamed."
Although no Western woman had previously been kidnapped in Iraq, Margaret Hassan was aware of the risks she ran, conscious that many Iraqi women had been abducted, ransomed, raped and murdered by the Baghdad mafia.
On October 19, as she was leaving home for work in the Khadra district of western Baghdad, she was seized by unknown gunmen. Hours after her capture, the first in a series of harrowing videos was released on the Arab television station al-Jazeera. It showed her pleading: "I beg of you, the British people, to help me. I don`t wan`t to die like [Kenneth] Bigley." A second video showed her calling on Tony Blair to withdraw troops from Iraq and "not bring them to Baghdad".
Devoted to her adopted country and its people, she learnt fluent Arabic and took Iraqi citizenship. Under Care`s rules she was forbidden from talking about politics, but she nonetheless became a vehement campaigner against the United Nations sanctions, which she held responsible for the fact that ordinary Iraqis had to make do with shortages of food, medical provisions and adequate sanitation. "This is a man-made disaster," she said in 1998.
In the build-up to the American-led invasion last year, she travelled to the UN security council in New York and the House of Commons in London to campaign against the war. "The Iraqi people are already living through a terrible emergency," she said. "They do not have the resources to withstand an additional crisis brought about by military action."
As Care began stockpiling fuel, food and medical supplies in readiness for war, she said: "We will do what we can, but we do not expect to work miracles here."
Source: The Daily Telegraph, 18 November 2004
Picture kindly provided by CARE
History of the Development of Marengo Warehouse
In a book titled "History of Crawford County", H.H. Pleasant (who was my Grandmothers Uncle) , devoted the following three paragraphs to the beginning of the Stone Quarry at Marengo, Indiana. They are quoted as follows:
On June 10, 1886, men became interested in the rock at Marengo. The railroad was a means of getting the stone away. Joseph Garrow was the first man to undertake to open the quarry. He has a good chance to sell Wash DePauw of the New Albany Glass Works. The first load or two he let his men mix clinker with the rock. When DePauw saw this he would not buy any more crushed rock Garrow.
Garrow sawed out the rock, which he sold wherever he could get market. One day in November 1886 he was injured and died. Then his two sons, Joseph and Milton Garrow, took up the work. They did so much work that their business was soon running fairly well.
Other men took shares in the rock quarry and business went rapidly on with various degrees of success. Today one can get some idea of the great amount of rock shipped away by the hole in the hill.
The identity of the group of investors taking over the mining operation from The Garrow brothers, and The Company Name under which they first operated in 1887, cannot be immediately determined. The reason being is that Crawford County records of land title transfers does not date back past 1891, a few years after the untimely mine blast killed Milton Garrow, in late 1886 or early 1887.
The history of the fate Joseph Garrow Jr., Milton's brother. The surviving son of Joseph Garrow Sr., could not be verified at the time of this writing. However, court records reveal; that on April 15, 1915, by court decree, Title to the land of the Joseph Garrow heirs, passed to the only surviving Garrow, in Crawford County. A woman by the name of Isabel Garrow, believed to be the mother of Joseph Garrow Sr.,
It appears that the event of the death of Joseph Garrow Jr. (at some prior date), caused Isabel, to inherit all the property of the Joseph Garrow heirs in 1915.
About a year later in 1916, the court ordered Isabel, to surrender the title to all Garrow property to two (2) men, named Arthur B. Harris and David M. Seyton. These men appear to be two of the original investors that financed continued mining operations at the Garrow Rock Quarry, after the death of Milton Garrow.
Earliest records indicate that the Garrow's were operating the rock quarry on lot 199, in the town of Marengo, under the name of the Marengo stone company. Lot 199 is located across the tracks from all other town lots. Lying along the Southeast side of the railroad, Northeast of the junction of Depot road and the Norfolk Southern line. Earliest court records in 1891 reveal that the Garrow family owned lots 52, 53, 54, 55, 199 and 200 in the town of Marengo, once adjacent to Quarry property now separated by the railroad.
The authenticity of the report that early limestone mining occurred on this parcel of land is evidenced, by a long ago abandoned mine high wall and other deep rock mining scars left in the ancient face of a 350-foot long limestone out-crop still visible lying across lot 199.
Upon further examination, court records reveal that land deals made, (before and after the Garrow property passed to the shareholders from Isabel Garrow, in 1916), added bordering lands to lot 199 to the south and east. Eventually unifying adjacent land parcels into a 205-arce tract, which makes up the present day Marengo Warehouse property.
The first documentation, of a company name, under which The Rock Quarry probably operated from the beginning, is recorded, "Marengo Lime Stone Company". They bought 3 one half acres from "Marengo Manufacturing Company" on February 11, 1909.
On the 24th day of November 1917 the Marengo bank recorded a sheriffs deed to the Marengo Stone Quarry Property, on May 5, 1919. The property went back to Marengo Limestone Company.
On November 9,1922 Marengo Stone Company added land from the Jenner heirs.
On the 14th of December 1922, land was added to the quarry property from Lavonia Balthi's heirs. On the same day, Marengo Limestone Company, transferred its property to Marengo Crushed Stone Company.
On the same day in 1929, Marengo Crushed Stone Company transferred the property to Westside Bank of Evansville.
On December 2nd, 1936 the Quarry property transferred from Westside Bank, to Albert Wedeking.
From its beginning on 1886, The Rock Quarry at Marengo, operated as an open pit mine until 1936.
In 1936 Rudy Messinger, bought the Rock Quarry at Marengo, and changed its name to High-Rock Mining Company, and began to mine underground using the room and pillar mining method.
High-Rock Mining operated the Quarry until it sold to the Bowen Family in 1947.
But eye witness, say no significant mining in-roads in the interior were made, they simply refer to as a "Hole" left under the hill, at the Rock Quarry and the Messinger operation. None of this compares to the existing 36 miles of tunnel and roads of today and accessing nearly 100 acres of cavernous open spaces called "rooms" left inside the quarry by the Bowen and Marengo LLC operations. However the Bowen operation created the lion share of the underground rooms, in what presently is known as the Marengo Warehouse & Distribution Center.
From 1947 until they sold the High-Rock Quarry, to Marengo LLC in the fall of 1984, the Bowen Family aggressively pursued the room and pillar mining method to remove and sell rock at the Quarry. After buying the Quarry, from the Bowens in 1984, Marengo LLC, completely renovated the mining operation, inside and out by updating and modernizing mining methods and equipment, to meet higher production demand by his customers for crushed rock.
Marengo LLC also aggressively mined, squaring up the roof support pillars and huge rooms, that had been left standing vacant in the underground area. Always looking with an entrepreneurial eye toward a second benefit, Marengo envisioned what could be reaped from their investment in Marengo Quarry. Others saw as just "a hole under the hill", Marengo saw what could be, valuable storage space in the "raw" waiting for someone to "modernize" and market it.
In 1986, Marengo took advantage of an over abundance of grain and the unavailability of enough grain storage facilities to meet the demand. To prevent loss from damage to grain from outside storage in huge piles by the Federal Commodities Corporation, Marengo convinced the government, to license the underground storage space in Marengo Quarry as a Federal Grain Storage Facility.
However, by1990, the government, changed their policy of renting grain storage facilities from third parties, Uncle Sam, made a deal with the farmer who produced the crop to store the grain on the farm. In1990 an end user bought the grain stored in the underground confines of the quarry. At that time, Marengo ceased to operate as a storage facility and loaded out the grain stored in the quarry.
The storage space in the quarry was vacant until 1992. Late in 1993, Marengo began to prepare a portion of the interior for further development. A modern 100,000 square foot warehouse was constructed, with all confidence, that when finished, it would be rented for custom storage space. Then during the clean up operation a customer wanted to rent the storage space as it was in the raw, except for some preliminary cleaning and lighting.
But by mid year1995, problems with fugitive dust and floors too rough for forklift traffic compelled the warehouse tenant to negotiate with Marengo to provide them with modern storage space inside the Quarry.
In late 1995, Marengo finished the first 100,000 square feet of modern storage space in the Quarry's interior. A customer was waiting to occupy it all before it was completed.
During the years of 1996 and 1997 we finished five more, 100,000 square foot, storage areas inside the Quarry, and began to call them "Warehouses". All the warehouses were rented to international manufacturing companies, and filled with their products upon completion.
In late 1998, Marengo began construction of five additional individual Warehouses inside the Quarry, all of which are now complete.
Marengo Warehouse & Distribution Center now houses twelve (12) individual warehouses, totaling in an excess of 1,300,000 square feet. When fully developed the Quarry's interior will house twenty-eight (28) Warehouses, totaling over 3,000,000 square feet of modern storage space.
Today, Marengo Warehouse & Distribution Center is starting the second phase of three construction phases and is planning a one million square feet expansion to meet the demands of storage space for their present and future clients. With the constant 56 to 60 degree temperature, and with the high cost of natural gas and other forms of energy, Marengo is able to offer the most economical solution for warehousing in the Midwest.
JUAN DE MARCOS AFRO-CUBAN ALL STARS (Cuba) Performing on Stage 1. Born out of the late-1990s Buena Vista Social Club recording sessions, this mighty big band is devoted to the full range of Cuban music. Led by Juan de Marcos González (formerly of Sierra Maestra), the 15-piece ensemble spans generations and musical styles from rumba to son montuno to bolero. - WomAdelaide 2011
I know Tyler is devoted to me, but i wonder if he realises i'm just as devoted to him. He is everything to me, my handsome, gentle boy.
Stephanie Mills: Never Knew Love Like This Before
de.youtube.com/watch?v=ciT32gkE1qY&feature=related
A song that makes me feel good and wish to dance.:)
University of California, at Santa Cruz, has a big astronomy department. It has a center devoted to seeing more clearly. Called the "Center for Adaptive Optics." I stopped into the center and ask if there was a museum, or interpretive center.
The receptionist said nothing much was on display, but "wait a minute." She made a phone call and found a professor that invited me into his office.
We had a good talk.
I had learned some about Adaptive Optics in college astronomy classes. A fascinating topic. Sort of like looking through the bug screen of my motel's bathroom, astronomical telescopes get a blurry view of the universe as they look out through Earth's turbulent atmosphere.
Blurred view through the bug screen of my motel room.
Adaptive optics is a "space age" technology that clears up the blurry image and allows telescopes to see more clearly what's in the universe.
Interesting to note that this same technology can also be used to peer through the murkiness of the human eyeball.
Eye surgeons and optometrists can use it to get a clear view of the retina. Good for eye surgery and other things.
This may soon revolutionize optometry.
Here is a case where space research can help us with down to Earth problems, such as poor eyesight.
The professor explained quite a few things to me.
When large observatories, on Earth, look at the universe, they have to look through turbulence in Earth's atmosphere. This makes the images fuzzy.
To the rescue comes "ADAPTIVE OPTICS;" a "high tech" system for cleaning up the image.
Here is, sort of, how it works. At least what I think my blurry mind can remember.
A mirror inside the telescope quivers like, say, a blob of jelly?
Maybe it's more like a rubber blanket.
Wobbling and wiggling, the mirror contorts into various shapes.
Faster than blinks of an eye.
If you were to look at your face, in such a mirror, your face would look like it was quivering also.
What good does this do?
Well, the quivering mirror is precisely controlled, by computers, to compensate for turbulence in Earth's atmosphere.
This "cleans up" the image.
Specially designed quivers, in the mirror, can compensate for quivers in the atmosphere. This makes the image almost as sharp as if the telescope was located in space, where it would not have to peer out through the atmosphere.
The whole thing is kind of like a dance.
Wobbling air causes the image of a star to bulge in one direction. The mirror bends another direction to make it look like nothing happened.
Choreography at the finest level.
How does the mirror know which way to bend?
High speed computers.
Also the observatory shines a light (actually I think a laser beam) into the night sky. This light reflects off a layer of air creating a spot in the sky that looks like a star.
A small telescope, at the observatory, watches this artificial star like a hawk. Each time the star wiggles, quivers, twinkles or what ever, the telescope passes the information along to the computer.
Like a split second choreographer, the computer tells the quivering mirror which way to dance in order to clean up the image.
The mirror is like a rubber blanket with hundreds of little "actuators" (magnet controlled pistons) on its back side. The mirror dances, squirms or what ever it needs to do to keep a clear image.
Amazing.
Good that this technology can also be used for clearly seeing things as close as the retina in our eyes. The retina that is normally obscured by fluids in the eye.
Jane Ivycrest was a repressed woman, an old maid who had devoted her life to literature, ideas, and the appreciation of art. She lived silently in her family's old mansion – the only one in a sleepy fishing village on the coast of Dover. Jane knew that she would live amongst its decaying beauty until she died. On a chilly October night, Jane heard a sound, more like a moan, that came from the attic. But that was not uncommon, for she had suspected for a while that a tortured soul roamed the cold and dusty hallways of her home. What certainly startled her was the smell of phosphorous and cypress that emanated from the adjacent library. Without making the floorboards creak, Jane floated to the library and witnessed what her own fertile mind never would have managed to concoct. In the fireplace, a fire, both savage and delicate, roared as if choreographed by a mad ballerina. Inside its flames, minute orange, yellow, and red simians twirled and sang a song so enchanting that Jane could not help but sing it herself. The song announced her demise, yet Jane saw in the red hot embers the story of her other self, the story of the Jane who had loved passionately, of the Jane who had sauntered barefoot under the rain, of the Jane who had defied convention.
Seduced by the loveliness of her visions, Jane walked into the bonfire that, as if by magic, grew tall and enveloped her forever.
F o r e v e r m o r e...
If you had been in Jane's shoes, would you have surrendered to the fire too?
All Saints, Campsea Ashe, Suffolk
Campsea Ashe is a parish which many people will have passed through without realising it. This is because the Ipswich to Lowestoft railway line has a stop here, but the station is named for the town of Wickham Market, a mile and a half away. The railway line and its bridge makes for something of a split village. But it is an interesting place, with an interesting church.
St John the Baptist is set near the centre of the village, and apart from the 14th century tower appears to be entirely a 19th century rebuilding, the chancel about thirty years after the nave. In fact, this is not the case at all. The nave windows were replaced in the 1860s, and the chancel was refaced in flint, and vestries were added, a few years after. Like all the churches in this area, St John the Baptist is open every day, and you step into a church that presents itself at first as being like a long tunnel under its white ceiling. However, the late 19th and early 20th Century glass alleviates this, and is jewel-like in such a setting. The best of it is a window for Powell & Sons by Henry Holiday, perhaps the finest of all the early Arts and Crafts artists, depicting Faith with her cross, and Hope with her anchor.
The east window is also by Powell & Sons, of 1912, depicting the risen Christ in Majesty, with six saints at his feet. The left hand three are Saint John the Baptist, the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Peter. On the right is St Hilda, who represents Yorkshire where William Lowther's wife was born, St Edmund for Suffolk, and St Oswald for Cumberland where the Lowther family seat is. The glass is a memorial to the Lowther family.
The Lowthers are everywhere in this church, most notably on a fine memorial in the 17th century style. This is in extraordinarily good condition; and so it should be, since on closer inspection it proves to date from the early 1950s. When you know this, you can detect a certain Festival of Britain quality to it. As a one-off it is rather charming.
The grandest memorial here is to Frederic Sheppard, who died at the Battle of Badajoz in 1812. His army days took him from the Siege of Copenhagen to Portugal, and then to the retreat from Salamanca; he carried the King's colours at the memorable Battle of Corunna, took part in the expedition to Zealand where he beheld the fall of Flushing, and then fought at Gibraltar and Cueta on either side of the Mediterranean. He finally ran out of luck when he received a musquet ball thro' his thigh, of which wound to the universal regret of his regiment he died six days after... and his remains were honourably interred on the ramparts where he so gloriously fell. Remarkably, after such a distinguished career, he was just 22 years old.
Not far from the busy Sheppard lies Emily Mair, the devoted nurse and friend of the family of Lord Rendlesham. She died in 1895, and the carved roses that frame her memorial are a lovely piece of late Victorian sentiment. The inscription, not unnaturally, is far too gallant to mention her age.
1962
Location: Sancta Sophia College, University of Sydney
The nuns at Sancta Sophia, the Catholic women's college at the University of Sydney, asked me to do a votive figure of the Sacred Heart. They belong to the Sacré Coeur order, which is very civilised, devoted to education. They deplore most representations of the Sacred Heart, which are of course very sentimental.
For me it was a really important thing to do and I've always felt that it was important for the nuns too. Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus came into being at a time when sacred art, for the most part, had lost the vigour dynamic qualities which had once characterised it. Most representations therefore tended to be sentimental and lacked the dynamics of earlier votive icons.
The women of the order of Sacré Coeur were dissatisfied, even embarrassed by most images of the Sacred Heart. This finally led to their suggestion that I should attempt a sculpture which would more truly express the devotion at the centre of their religious life.
Reading a book-an account of a series of apparitions by Christ to a lowly Spanish lay-nun of the Sacré Coeur order I was affected by two main observations. The first was the great power of the presence of Christ. The second, the extent of His love for the world and His grief at its suffering and its misunderstanding of His teachings.
Those things combined to give me the concept for the sculpture. I wanted to express the sheer elemental power of that love for the world, the humanity of Christ. The body of Christ is made like a concrete beam, an analogy of his power to structural form in the modern world. The head expresses His pain and sorrow for the needless suffering of the people of the world. The arms are raised as a gesture of compassion, love and prayer.
Tom Bass
A Facebook group devoted to “Pulp Gaming” made me think about joining that pasttime, but using LEGO elements to create everything for the games. I certainly have enough minifigs to create any kind of character, with lots of accessories to arm them. I can construct any kind of building. I discovered that there are a wealth of LEGO models of antique cars, and I have been building airliners of the 1920s and 1930s. The only thing missing was a tramp freighter to have adventures on the high seas or South Pacific islands.
This design is a waterline model sitting on a 2 x 4 arrangement of 32x32 blue baseplates. The ship is 128 studs long with a beam of 40 studs. The ship is designed as four modules that are joined by technic pieces. The bow and forward hold are number one, the superstructure is two, the funnel and rear hold is three and the stern is number four. The ship could be lengthened with other sections.
The freighter features a small forward hold and a much larger hold aft. Both winches will be functional with windlasses, string and hooks. The deck above the stern is removable and reveals two crew compartments with 4 bunkbeds each. There is also a bathroom for the crew.
The roof above the bridge is removable which shows the bridge with ship’s wheel and engine telegram. Aft is the radio room with a bunk for the radio operator. That entire deck lifts up to reveal four cabins; one for the captain, one for the first mate, and two for possible passengers. That section lifts up to reveal the mess hall, galley and food storage area. There are numerous doors and stairways so the crew can move about the ship.
The cover for the aft cargo hold is large enough to hold the Island Hopper seaplane with its wings in the folded position.
The LDD file currently lists around 3900 parts in this model, although some bits of cargo are on the mid and aft decks. I wanted to see what kind of containers were available and how they would look. I have also been designing some machinery type cargo.
Some of the tables that WAMALTC uses for train displays have height adjustable legs which change in increments of five bricks. The brown dock area next to the ship serves to show how the ship would look on a table that was lowered five, ten and fifteen bricks.
The SS Wheatley would serve as a good base for any seafaring adventure.
Tashiding Monastery is a Buddhist monastery of the Nyingma sect of Tibetan Buddhism in Western Sikkim, northeastern India. It is located on top of the hill rising between the Rathong chu and the Rangeet River, 40 kilometres from Gyalshing and 19 kilometres to the south east of Yuksam meaning Yuk-Lamas, Sam- Three in Lepcha Language which signifies the meeting place of three holy lamas from Tibet in 1641 A.D. Tashiding is the nearest town to the Tashiding Monastery (Gompa), which is the most sacred and holiest monasteries in Sikkim.
Tashiding means “The Devoted Central Glory” and the monastery by this name was founded in 1641 by Ngadak Sempa Chempo Phunshok Rigzing who belonged to the Nyingma sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Ngadak was one of the three wise men who held the consecration ceremony crowning the first King of Sikkim at Yuksom. It was extended and renovated in 1717 during the reign of the third Chogyal Chakdor Namgyal. 'Bhumchu Ceremony' or festival is a popular religious festival that is held on the 14th and 15th day of the first month of Tibetan Calendar.
The Tashiding Monastery is part of Buddhist religious pilgrimage circuit starting with the first monastery at Yuksam in Sikkim known as the Dubdi Monastery, Norbugang Chorten, Pemayangtse Monastery, the Rabdentse ruins, the Sanga Choeling Monastery, and the Khecheopalri Lake.
LEGEND
There are several legends linked to the most revered monastery and the Bhuchu festival that is held here.
According to one local legend Guru Padmasambhava shot an arrow into the air to select the place. Where the arrow he shot landed, he sat in meditation and that site eventually became the site of the Tashiding Monastery.
Another legend relates to the three monks who consecrated the first Chogyal of Sikkim at Yuksam. It is said that the three monks saw an unusual divine phenomenon of bright light shining on top of the Kanchendzonga mountain, which reflected to a site near the place where the present Tashiding Monastery has been built. Concurrently, a scented smell of incense followed by all pervading divine music was also noted. The first Chogyal who visited the site subsequent to hearing this unusual event, erected a small chorten at the site and named it as Thongwa-Rang-Grol. Legend further glorifies the site stating that a mere sight of it “confers self-emancipation”.
Another absorbing legend is related to the celebration of the Bhumchu festival at Tashiding Monastery. The legend is traced to the tantric art. Guru Padmasambhava, while teaching the tantric system of “Mahakarunika Avalokiteshvara Sadhana and initiation on emancipation from the cycle of mundane existence” to the King Trisong Duetsen, prince Murub Tsenpo, Yeshe Tsogyal and Verotsana in Tibet, sanctified the same holy vase with holy water, which is now kept in Tashiding Monastery and revered during the Bhumchu festival. This vase is made of five types prized jewels, divine soil and holy water said to have been gathered by Padmasambhava from religious centres in India, Odiuana and Zahor. The vase was made by the wrathful deity Damchen Gar-bgag and sanctified by Guru Padmasambhava himself by performing the “Sadhana of Yidam Chuchig Zhal (meaning tutelary deity of eleven heads)”. On this occasion, heavenly deities appeared in the sky and thereafter merged into the holy water contained in the vase. The vase then overflowed and the water dispersed in “all directions in the form of rays.” This ritual was immediately followed by an earthquake, which was considered an auspicious sign. The divine moment also witnessed the presence of the four guardian divinities namely, “the Gyalchen Dezhi/Cutur – Maharajika of Dharma and the gods of the thirty-three heavens (Samchu Tsasumgyi Lhanam) who showered flowers from the sky.” The event was witnessed by devotees and Padmasmabhava distributed the holy water from the vase to all assembled people, which spiritually benefited one and all. The vase was then hidden as a treasure under the care of the divine deities. However, the vase was rediscovered and passed through the hands of several holy men and finally placed at Tashiding by Terton Ngdag Sampachenpo. During the reign of the first ruler of Sikkim, Phuntshog Namgyal, the Terton recited the holy hymn “Om Mani Padme Hum” five billions when several unique events were also witnessed in Sikkim. After the religious ceremony the vase with the water has been kept on display in a small chamber in the Monastery under the custody of the Chogyal himself, which is opened once a year during the Bhumchu festival.
GEOGRAPHY
This monastery located at an altitude of 1465 m is built on top of a heart shaped hill or helmet shaped hill above the confluence of the Rathong Chu and Rangeet rivers, with the Mt. Kanchendzonga providing the scenic back drop. It is about 16 km from Yuksam, 40 km from Gezing via Legship.
The monastery is considered as the spiritual centre of Sikkim since it is encircled by many important monasteries in Sikkim in all directions such as: the Dubdi Monastery 23 km away on its northern direction, the Khecheopalri Lake (wish fulfilling lake) on the northwest, the Pemayangtse monastery on the west, the Shiva temple at Legship on the south, the Mongbrue gompa and Ravangla Bön monastery on the southeast, the Ravangla Gelug monastery on the east, the Karma Kagyud Ralang Monastery on the northeast.[citation needed] Gulia summarising the importance of this monastery has said:
For tashiding one can say: seeing is believing. The monastery is historically illustrious, geographically well located, aesthetically beautiful, spiritually divine – a place where nature and spirituality dwell together, urging the human race to be ecologically upright.
Geographically the Monastery and the Tashiding town are surrounded by four divine caves located in four cardinal directions. The four caves where Buddhist saints meditated are: On the East is the Sharchog Bephug, on the South is the Khandozangphu, in the West is Dechenpug cave and on the North is the Lhari Nyingphug. The main deity deified in the monastery is Tashiding and hence the monastery is also known as 'Dakkar Tashiding'.
HISTORY
In the 17th century, Ngadak Sempa Chemp built a small Lhakhang at this location. This was enlarged into the present monastery during the reign of Chogyal Chakdor Namgyal. Pedi Wangmo built the main monastery and installed many statues which are still seen in the monastery. Lhatsun Chenpo built the Chortens; which are considered holy. Yanchong Lodil, the Master craftsman crafted the flagstones that surround the monastery. These are carved with the holy Buddhist mantra 'Om Mane Padme Hum'.
ARCHITECTURE
An overall picture of the precincts of the monastery within the Tashiding town is provided in five distinct blocks namely, the Sinem market place, the outskirts, the main market place, the main Tashiding Monastery and the Chorten area.
The Sinek market place is located on an incline on the ridge between Rathong Chu and Rangeet River. There is a gompa here called the Sinolochu Gompa from where an approach leads to the Tashiding Monastery on the southern direction. The settlement is spread lengthwise and is 23 kilometres from Yuksom. A large 'Mani' stone is seen at the entrance to this settlement and the Tashiding market.
From the main market centre the approach to the Monastery is through a road, and also a foot path. The foot path in the southern direction has a gentle slope and passes through a Mani and then prayer wind wheels terminating at the entrance gate of the Monastery.
The Monastery itself consists of a 'Mani Lhakang' at the entrance surrounded by flags, and lead to the guest house. From this point ahead is the main 'Tashiding Gompa' which is called as Chogyal Lhakhang or the monastery, followed by the 'butter lamp house', four chortens, 'Tsenkhang', a new butter lamp house and finally terminating at the 'Guru Lhakhang', which is the temple of Guru Rinpoche. Other basic essential structures such as kitchen, school and residential housing are located on the left side of the approach path to the monastery.
In the 'Chorten area', there are 41 chortens categorised as 'Chortens of Enlightenment', 'Chortens of Reconciliation' and 'Chortens of Great Miracle', which are all of Rinpoches and Tathāgatas.
However, the main temple has undergone renovation work in modern times and rebuilt, but is still encircled by traditional buildings and chortens at the far end of the site, which holds the relics of Sikkim Chogyals and Lamas, including the 'Thong-Wa-rang-Dol' chorten which is believed to cleanse the soul of any person who looks at it.
Also of major note are the stone plates called the 'Mani', the work of Yanchong Lodil who inscribed them with the sacred Buddhist inscriptions, such as "Om Mane Padme Hum".
FESTIVALS
Bhumchu festival, which is linked by an ancient legend to Guru Padmasambhava, is about a divine vase filled with holy water kept in the monastery, which is opened for public display and worship every year on the night before the Full Moon day in the first month of Tibetan calendar. Bhumchu (Bhum=pot; Chu=water) is a Buddhist festival celebrated to predict the future. In this vase, water of Rathong chhu is stored for a year and kept in the Tashiding Monastery. It is opened during the festival by the lamas who inspect the water level and hence it is called the festival of holy water. The belief is that alteration in the quantity and quality of the water stored in the vase over a year would indicate the fortune of Sikkim and its people in the following year. If it is filled to the brim (which is interpreted as a measure of increase by 21 cups), the following year will be prosperous. If it is empty, famine will follow, and if it is half-filled also a prosperous year is predicted. If the water is polluted with dust it is interpreted as a sign of strife and clash. Once inspected and the Bhumchu festival is concluded, the lamas fill the vase with fresh water from the river and seal it for the opening in the following year.
The procedure followed for taking out the sacred water from the vase is that the first cup of sacred water is taken out for blessing the members of the Royal family of the Chogyals, then the second cup is meant for the Lamas and the third cup of water is meant for the devotees to whom it is distributed. Pilgrims come to the monastery from all regions of Sikkim to be blessed with the holy water. The festival is of particular importance to the Bhutias (ethnic Tibeteans) of Sikkim who hold the “life-sustaining water of the rivers” with great reverence. The festival falls on the 15th day Full Moon day of the first Tibetan month or Hindu month of Magh corresponding to February/March according to Gregorian calendar.
The basic purpose of the festival is to highlight the importance of water as a precious resource to be conserved and its purity preserved. The prophecy also sends a message to the people that waters should not be polluted and its environmental importance is propagated.
WIKIPEDIA
Dance performance in Nowohuckie Centrum Kultury, devoted to the remembrance of the choreographer and pedagogue Professor Janina Strzembosz. Kraków, Poland
from jhan santos comment
History of Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Retiro Quezon City Philippines
compilled by: Marylew Marcos
May 8, 1892 – first chapel opened by the Capuchins to the public.
The chapel was actually devoted to Divina Pastora.
1892 – Rev. Fr. Berardo de Cieza (Superior of the Central House) requested Mr. Manuel Flores to sculpt an image of Our Lady of Lourdes.
The statue was meant to be placed in the grotto of the garden, however because of its exquisite beauty the people felt that it would be a pity to leave it exposed to the elements of nature, thus, Fr. Berardo of Cieza prepared a side altar within the chapel to place the statue of Our Lady of Lourdes.
February 1893 – First Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes
D. Regino Garcia – great devotee of the Virgin of Lourdes and founder of the Archonfraternity; initatiated the idea of the cult to the Virgin of Lourdes in Manila.
May 23, 1893 – Superior Rev. Fr. Berardo de Cieza asked His Excellency Mons. Bernardino Nozaleda, OP, Archbishop of Manila, to establish a confraternity.
September 15, 1893 – Archbishop gave out a decree declaring canonically erected and founded the chapel of Capuchins the confraternity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lourdes, approved as well all the graces corresponding such religious society.
1894 – a second image was sculpted by Mr. Manuel Flores, a famous Filipino Sculptor with the guidance and cooperation of Fr. Antonio of Valencia. Carmen Macam paid Mr. Flores for the image. This second statue was even more beautiful and was placed in the side altar of the chapel on February 10, 1896.
November 1896 – Martina Azucena was miraculously cured from her incurable illness in front of the statue.
September 1897 – the primitive chapel of the Capuchins was to enlarge for the growing pious exigencies of the devout people (Engr. D. Jose Garcia Moron, Doña Pelagia Velasquez, Doña Carmen Macam) and their enthusiasm for the Virgin of Lourdes.
September 1897 – enlargement of the chapel was started by Architect D. Federico Soler and the donation of Mr. Moron for the love and devotion to the Virgin of Lourdes.
1898- Outbreak of the Spanish-American War, moments of anguish waiting of the deadline for surrender was already at hand. Rev. Fr. Alfonso of Morentin, the present Superior of the Capuchin Fathers during that time, prostrated before the venerated image of Lourdes in the name of the whole capuchin community, gathered at the chapel for the pious exercise of flowers of May, promised solemnly to the Virgin of Lourdes to dedicate to her the new church that they were building if she would save the house and the city of Manila from the terrible destruction of the announced bombing by the Americans.
- Deadline of surrender came, May passes away, war was over, Manila did not suffer the fearful effects of the bombs of the Military Fleet of Dewey. Indeed the help and powerful protection from Mary was attained. Fr. Morentin, being faithful to his promise, consecrated to the Virgin of Lourdes the new church. The image of the Virgin of Lourdes was venerated at the main altar and “Te Deum” was solemnly sung at the same time. The Virgin of Lourdes was officially proclaimed the Titular of the Church of the Capuchins, obtained from Rome on February 3, 1897.
September 24, 1898 – due to the increasing devotion and alms of the faithful, the energetic Fr. Alfonso of Morentin, put in the high altar the image of Our Lady of Lourdes.
October 13, 1905 – arrival of visitor general, Fr. Daniel of Arbacegui gave the solicited permit to Fr. Morentin the authorization to begin the works of extension and embellishment of the church
January 1908 – First Procession of the Virgin of Lourdes
-Fr. Rector during the time asked for suggestions to do something extraordinary on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the Apparitions. An illustrious catholic writer, Mr. Manuel Ravago stood up and in brilliant exposition defended that it is most opportune extraordinary thing would be to organize a big procession on the last day of the novena. This has been done every year with multitude of people joining up to this time.
February 3, 1910- the new church dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes, exclusively built with the contribution of the faithful was inaugurated. The new church was the glorious coronation of the efforts and aspiration of the devout people of the Philippines to the Virgin of Lourdes.
Alfonso of Morentin – the soul and life of the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes
The Crown of the Virgin of Lourdes
Some ladies began to campaign for funds to make a wonderful crown for the Virgin of Lourdes. Great enthusiasm supported the campaign. Jewels, diamonds and big sum of money were voluntarily offered to pay the cost of the new crown. The artistic work of the crown was entrusted to the famous artists Pablo and Ventura D. Gabriel. It was done with great love and care, wholly of pure gold. The starts that surrounded the crown are all diamonds and jewels, all of it legitimate and of great value. During the Japanese-American War, this crown was saved together with the treasure of the Virgin of Lourdes. It was deposited in the Agencia de Empeños of Raimundo Samlonga in Binondo. However, at the end of the war, the Sacred Congregation authorized the selling of the treasure to build the new Lourdes Church in Quezon City.
The Tragedy of Intramuros
It was during the Novena at Our Lady of Lourdes when the Japanese ordered all residents of Intramuros to go out of their houses and gather together at the four (4) main places of Intramuros: the Hollywood Theater, the San Agustin Church, the San Francisco Church and the Cathedral. Our Virgin of Lourdes and all the most necessary things were transferred from to altar to the receiving room of the convent of San Agustin Church. On February 11, the Feast of the Virgin of Lourdes, the capuchins and devotees appealed to the Japanese for permission to say 3 masses in the sacristy. The permit was granted, allowing 3 Superiors celebrating 3 masses for the feast: Franciscans, Augustinians and the Capuchins.
How was the image of Lourdes was saved during the war?
Many people especially the devotees of Lourdes cried out to the capuchins to see the beautiful Virgin of Lourdes wondering how it was saved. According to history, when the capuchin brothers abandoned the church of Lourdes, Intramuros and the central house, they carried with them the image of Lourdes. Some days later, the Capuchin Custos, ,Fr. Florencio of Lezaun, gathered all religious articles: chalices, ciboriums, monstrances, relics and the treasure of the Virgin of Lourdes: crowns, rosaries and jewels. All together they put in iron box at the bank of D. Raimundo Salonga in Binondo.
For the refuge of the Capuchin brothers, they were ordered by their superior to go to San Agustin and placed the images of Lourdes in the wide sacristy of the church. They continued on the daily novena exercises together with the religious of other orders and devotees including Doña Martina Azucena who was miraculously cured in 1896 before the image of Our Lady of Lourdes.
On February 23 of the same year, the image of Lourdes was abandoned in the sacristy of St. Augustine. Men young and old and the religious were horribly massacred by the Japanese sometime between
January 5-19. Around 3500 women and children and all other refugees of St. Augustine were ordered to abandon the building.
March of the same year, the capuchins with the help of Fr. Mc Carthy, an Augustinian priest, brought the image of Lourdes to the University of Santo Tomas. During Palm Sunday of the same year, the image of saints are covered with veils by the Dominicans including the image of Lourdes and handed it over to the Capuchins and carried it to the chapel of Santa Teresita for the celebration of Flores de Mayo. It was from this small church that Fr. Bienvenido of Arbeiza started all over again: reorganizing the Archonfraternity, contacting the different sodalities scattered all over the Philippines, continuing to honor Our Lady and solemnly celebrating her novena and her feast, and, in 1946, reviving in her honor the beautiful procession which had not been held since 1910.
February 9, 1946, the Capuchins obtained the official authorization from the government to restore the church of Lourdes in Intramuros. An official letter indicating the approval of the church and its condition, a plan of the church building was approved and signed on February 17, 1946. However, the Capuchins decided to build a beautiful and wide church in Quezon City, Retiro St. because Intramuros was a deserted place, abandoned by people and nobody’s land. The property of Intramuros where the Church of Lourdes and the Central House was sold to support the building of the new church at Quezon City.
Feast Day of Our Lady of Lourdes 1946 (Sta. Teresita Parish)
Pontifical Mass of Mons. Olano. Before the mass, Father Superior of the Capuchins gave a fervent talk and exactly 12:00 noon, Angelus was prayed followed by the Holy Mass. The wife of the President of the Republic of the Philippines, Doña Trinidad de Roxas assisted at the Novena and one of the days even the President himself attended the mass.
January 30, 1950
Laying of the cornerstone and solemnly blessed by Mons. Olano. Immediately the work of construction under the direct supervision of Engineer and contractor, Mr. Marquez. The works of the front altars and walls are advanced already and it looks very similar to the convent of San Antonio in Zaragoza Spain. The construction was under the administration of Fr. Bienvenido of Arbeiza as Custos.
February 10, 1951
The newly built church of Our Lady of Lourdes received and sheltered the two statues. At 4:00 pm, the surroundings of Sta. Teresita were filled with a huge crowd. The procession from Sta. Teresita Parish to the newly constructed Our Lady of Lourdes Church lasted for one hour and a half.
In the procession we could see distributed in a beautiful order the different Catholic associations with their respective banners and colorful dresses (Legion of Mary, the members of the Confraternity of Lourdes, students of Belgian sisters, representations of the different parishes and religious institutes) before and after the Virgin like a sea of burning hearts.
As the “carroza” of silver could not go in through the main door, they were forced to get down the image from its throne of flowers and at the shoulders of 10 strong Filipinos was carried across the long central aisle of the church of the altar.
When Mons. Olano arrived at the altar and the image was placed in the provincial throne, the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament took place and Fr. Fernardo of Erasun addressed his prophetic word of fire to the crowd. Afterwards the blessing with the Blessed Sacrament followed and then the crowd sung the solemn “SALVE”
That night, Fr. Pastor of Arroyoz addressed his word to the Filipino people. Following day feast day of Lourdes, Fr. Custos blessed privately the new church in order to say mass from that day on.
August 15, 1951 – solemn inauguration
The archbishop of Manila, Mons Reyes was one who officiated in so solemn an occasion. The inauguration was attended by piles of people, among were many important people from Manila, the “ninongs”, sponsors and benefactors, President of the Philippine Senate, Don Mariano Jesus Cuenco, a representative from the Spanish Embassy and Miss Gullon, the daughter of the Ambasssador.
Immediately after, they proceeded to the blessing and the solemn ceremony ended with the exposition of His Divine Majesty and the Eucharistic Blessing. Then, they opened the marble stone where the names of the illustrious benefactors are written, located at the back of the altar. Diplomas of the Benefactors were distributed, among which the first to receive was the old and venerable Doña Natividad de Tuazon, who generously donated to the Capuchin Order the beautiful lot of La Loma.
Finally we make it to St Radegund's Abbey near to Dover.
Being the heritage weekend, we took the chance to meet at the now working farm for a tour our the remains of a very major abbey.
The weather even played ball, though it was breezy.
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The Abbey of Saint Radegund is at the top of the Coombe Valley, at Poulton, on a minor road from Dover to Folkestone. Now a working farm, the Abbey gives its name, with a slightly different spelling, to a part of Dover – St Radigunds.
St Radegund, to whom the Abbey was dedicated, was a princess born in 518 AD. Her father, Berthaire, was the pagan King of Thuringia in Southern Germany but when she was about ten her country was invaded by the Franks. Radegund was taken prisoner by King Clothier (or Lothier in some accounts) and he decided that Radegund should be groomed for the role of a royal Christian wife. Radegund acquiesced and took her studies seriously.
When she grew up, not only was Radegund accomplished but also very beautiful and Clothier, a notorious womaniser, decided to make her his fifth wife. Radegund, by all accounts, accepted her position meekly but increasingly devoted herself to great charitable works. Notably, she founded a hospital for lepers and persons ‘afflicted with the most nauseous distempers’, nursing them herself. She was also very pious and it was reputed that during Lent, Radegund wore a shift of haircloth with iron chains and collars and even hot plates of iron under her robes. She also abstained from eating flesh, fish, eggs and fruit.
About six years after their marriage, Clothier had Radegund’s brother murdered and this was probably the last straw for the young queen. Albeit, instead of loudly protesting, she ‘quietly removed herself from Court’ and sought help of Bishop Medard of Noyon, who was later canonised. The Bishop conferred on her the veil, made her a deaconess and Radegund retired to a religious house at Poitiers, France.
Clothier, however, demanded Radegund’s return and was about to try force when Germain, the Bishop of Paris (again later canonised), persuaded Clothier to leave his wife alone. In 557 Radegund built the monastery of the Holy Cross at Poitiers for which, twelve years later, she obtained, from Emperor Justin I, a large fragment of the true cross-encased in rich reliquary. Radegund’s monastery, for both monks and nuns, became a centre of learning. Radegund died peacefully on 13 August 587 and was buried in the crypt at Poitiers.
The Abbey of St Radegund, in the ancient parish of Poulton, was one of two English houses colonised by the mother abbey of the Premonstratensian Order at Prémontré, Picardy, northern France. Commonly known as the White Canons, after the colour of their habits, the Order was founded in 1120 and followed a particularly austere interpretation of the rules of St Augustine.
These rules govern chastity, poverty, obedience, apportionment of labours, fraternal charity, fasting and abstinence, care of the sick and prayer, amongst many other things. The community’s life revolved around common prayer and the celebration of the Eucharist – in essence, consecrated the wafers and wine become the real presence of Christ i.e. the physical presence (Transubstantiation) so kneeling before them is reverencing the divine body and blood, (explanation provided by Fr. Peter Sherred of Dover).
t would appear, from the scant evidence that is available, that the first Abbot, Hugh founded the Abbey about 1192. Walter and Emma Hacket, with the agreement of William and Stephen de Poltone, granted the land in what was then known as Bradasole where the Abbey was built.
Later Robert de Poltone granted the manor of Poulton and Hamo de Crevequer and his wife Maud, granted the advowson – the right to nominate the minister – of Alkham and the chapel of Capel to the Abbey. Other grants included the churches of Shepherdswell and of Postling, the manor of Coombe, the site of the mill at Crabble and by Hubert de Burgh (1160-1243) the churches of Portslade and Aldrington, Sussex.
Royal patronage included a further 100 acres of land at Bradasole by Richard I (1189-1199); 100 acres of land in the village of River by King John (1199-1216) on 12 May 1204 and the church of River on 26 July 1215. The latter grant was made on the assumption that a new Abbey would be built at River, but this did not happen. From 16 March 1227, Henry III (1216-1272) gave the rent of 20-shillings a year he received from his mill at River. The same day as he granted the Abbey its Charter of Confirmation. In 1315, Edward II (1307-1327) granted a further Charter of Confirmation.
Like St Martin-le-Grand in Dover, St Radegund’s was not free from inter-denominational strife. In 1303, Abbot William and some of his canons were accused of stealing a horse, saddle, bridle, prayer book and girdle to the value of £10. In addition, a purse containing 48-shillings (£2.40p) together with a papal bull authorising the removal of one of his canons, Solomon de Wengham, from the Abbey of Bayham, near Frant, East Sussex.
By 1500, it would appear that many of the austere Augustinian rules were lacking if a report from the Abbot of Bayham is to be believed. His visitation took place on 3 October that year and states that John Newton, the Abbot of St Radegund’s, frequented taverns on Sundays and feast days, used bad language and that the Abbey was in a poor state of repair plus £30 in debt. However, in 1535, the possessions of the Abbey were valued at £142 8-shillings 9-pence (£142 44p) while outgoings only amounted to approximated £44, which questions the findings of the visitation.
However, it was the 1536 Act for the Dissolution of the lesser Monasteries that brought to an end the monastic life at St Radegund’s Abbey. On 10 May 1537 the site was leased to Richard Kays for £13 10-shillings 8-pence (£13.53p) a year and on 31 July 1538 it was granted to the Archbishop of Canterbury.
When we arrived to the Magic Kingdom we had to rush down Main Street to get to the Crytal Palace for our first Character meal. My wife thought it would be nice to start off our Disney memories with a nice meal. She was right of course. Once we finished stuffing ourselves with some wonderful food this was our real "First Look" at Cinderellas Castle.
On a more personal note to all of my Flickr friends. A while back when I started planning this past trip to Disney with my wife I used this wonderful tool known as Flickr. I remember thinking that there must be some pictures of Disney here on Flickr and I found some Disney groups which I started looking into. I realized quickly that was a core group of devoted Disney photographers in those groups. One of them (Matt) had made me a contact even though I had yet to have any Disney images posted. He seemed to like my landscape stuff and I enjoyed his Disney stuff (duh- obviously).
The week came for our trip and I had found out that he was going to be there with a few other of the core group. I got a chance on Friday to say 'Hi' to them/you at Epcot. I really wanted to hang out with 'y'all', but being it was my last day there it was more important to make some more memories with my family.
Since that time way back a whole month ago now I have been posting a quite a bit from my trip. And I have gotten to know everyone a bit since then with the wonderful comments left on my images and a few messages here and there. Everyone is so nice and real and your images and dedication to the art and appreciation of photography is wonderful. Everyone is VERY talented and the one thing I really like is that everyone constantly pushes that talent to become even better photographers. I say that truthfully because after being there (again looking through different eyes) it is not easy to capture all of these wonderful images and find different ways to make the same scene even more magical.
I say this because I want everyone to get to know me a little better. I have been bothered by something all week. It seems that I may have upset someone by a comment or two I have left on an image or two of theirs. I want the air to be clear that if I leave any sort of critique it is meant to be constructive.
When I was taking photography courses at college we had assignements that we had to shoot, develop, print, mount, and show for assignment. The class then would critique each of the 10 images as would the professor. So this was a great way to be judged and learn from our peers as well from the professional. If we weren't critiqued how could we ever get any better? How could we learn? How would we ever know if we were on the right track?
I always try to 'keep it real' when I leave comments, even if I just say 'Nice or Great Image'. I know that trying to keep up with everyone is tough during the week and on the weekends we want to be out shooting and so short comments are needed.
But if I do leave more, a critique or something else I just want everyone to know that it is just my opinion and it is meant to hopefully inspire you. It may just be something that I've seen that maybe you didn't. I am very open to having my images critiqued and I may steer in the wrong direction at times. Even though I ran my own wedding photography business and shot close to 250 weddings I still don't think I'm great or perfect. I would like to think even Ansel Adams needed his peers to push him sometimes.
I just needed to get that off of my chest and hopefully everyone gets a little more insight to who I am. I really enjoy everyone here and hopefully one day we get to meet and shoot together.
God Bless and I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter!
Sherborne School Chapel Memorials, Sherborne School, Abbey Road, Sherborne, Dorset, UK, DT9 3AP.
Location in chapel: North aisle (side chapel/ ‘hencoop’).
Inscription:
IN MEMORY OF
ERIC JOHN BOLTON, M.C.
SCHOLAR, LOVER AND UPHOLDER
OF SHERBORNE SCHOOL.
OFFICER AND DEVOTED FRIEND
OF THE SHERBORNE COMPANY
SOUTHWARK CADET CORPS.
BORN JULY 23RD 1897.
DIED FEBRUARY 23RD 1923.
“IF I FORGET THEE O JERUSALEM
LET MY RIGHT HAND FORGET HER CUNNING”
Biographical Information:
Eric John Bolton (1897-1923).
Born 23 July 1897 at Hendon, Middlesex.
Son of John William Bolton (a reporter) and Bertha Elizabeth Bolton, 48 Fellows Road, Hampstead.
Attended Upton School, Haverstock Hill, London.
Attended Sherborne School (Abbey House), September 1910-December 1915; Scholar; School Prefect; Head of House; English Verse Prize 1913; Longmuir English Prize 1914; Parsons Divinity 1914; Barnes Elocution 1915.
Appears as 'Burgess' in Alec Waugh's semi-autobiographical novel, 'The Loom of Youth' (1917) oldshirburnian.org.uk/the-characters-in-the-loom-of-youth...
WW1, Lieutenant, Dorset Regiment (MC).
Merton College, Oxford.
Home Civil Service (Admiralty).
Author, Some Memories 1916-1917.
Died 23 February 1923 at Cliffcot, Studland Road, Bournemouth.
Obituary, The Shirburnian, March 1923:
E.J. BOLTON.
Eric Bolton joined the Abbey House as a scholar in September 1910. Though delicate and unable to play football, he threw himself at once into the life of the place, and, when he left, had won the Longmuir, Parsons and Barnes prizes, and become the best “fives” player in the School.
The headship of his house was a time fruitful both for himself and others. He was learning those lessons of fortitude and unselfishness which he practised up to the last day of his short life. The welfare of everyone who came under his influence was very near his heart. One of these has since said, “If I had ever had a big trouble, I should have taken it to Bolton.” In the war he served with distinction, won the M.C. for bravery and lost the sight of one eye. The horrors of war, peculiarly repellent to one of his sensitive temperament, were largely palliated by the pride and interest he felt in his men, whose affection he won and retained. Throughout the ennui and pain of his last illness he was not once heard to complain: he was ever buoyed up by the hope of return to his loved School and to his happy work among his less fortunate brothers in Southwark. Few have ever made closer and warmer friends than Eric Bolton: by these – and they are many – he will not be forgotten.
Quis desiderio sit pudor aut modus
Tam cari capitis?
G.M. Carey.
No outstanding incident comes to me to illustrate the charm and power of “Admiralty” as I always called him, but there remains a very deep impress of
“That best portion of a good man’s life
His little nameless and unremembered acts
Of kindness and of love.”
His influence in B (Sherborne) Company, with which he worked some ten months, was wonderful: “Splendid officer and devoted friend” the Sergeants’ choice for the wording to accompany the laurel wreath laid upon his grave, and “great gentleman,” an extract from a cadet’s letter, may give some faint idea: and the giving of a Christmas present, bought out of five weeks’ contributions, to an officer whom only two cadets had seen since the middle of July, should prove the hold he had over their hearts. The life and soul of the cricket and football, and the organizer of boxing and the visit to Sherborne at Whitsuntide, eh won the affection and love of the cadets by that simplicity and good nature which, together with a keen sense of duty, made him beloved wherever he went. Even when he had a doubt as to whether all was physically well with him, he would not spare himself until the order not to be at Southwark more than two nights a week was given and most reluctantly obeyed. B Company has not yet confessed its failure by drumming out even the most turbulent cadet, and during Admiralty’s long illness it was the knowledge of his influence that strengthened me to give one further chance with the hoped for result, which, perhaps, he now knows has been achieved. Why did he give up so much time to help the Company? Because he loved Sherborne and he felt he must not let her down, and because he loved the work and all the difficulties inherent in his Father O’Flynn like helping of so many different brothers: for it was as the bright high-spirited elder brother that his personality was most revealed.
Even right up to the end he was keenly interested in Sherborne and the Company and longed for health to enable him to visit both again. Perhaps, nay, probably his life was shortened by his work in Southwark, but
“We should count time by heart-throbs. He most lives
Who thinks most, feels the noblest, acts the best.
Life’s but a means unto an end, that end,
Beginning, mean and end to all things – God.”
His exact form of faith I never knew, but I am certain that the words “He went about doing good” were the kernel of his religion.
The memory of his tenderness and tact soften my regret of the inadequacy of this appreciation of my “splendid officer and devoted friend.”
T.C. Rogerson, O.C. ‘B’ Sherborne Company, 1 C.B. L.R. The Queen’s.’
If you have any additional information about this image or if you would like to use one of our images then we would love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below or contact us via the Sherborne School Archives website: oldshirburnian.org.uk/school-archives/contact-the-school-...
I was single mindedly devoted to one thought at work today: "Why oh Why did I forget my mid-morning snack?"
I bought this box of snack donuts - you get 4 little donuts in each pack. My plan was to toss a pack in my purse to have with a cup of coffee about 10:00 am. This was a very good plan. My execution, however, left a lot to be desired. I DID remember my plan this morning... but not until I was halfway to work. So being the obsessive/compulsive person that I am, I stewed about it the rest of the day. UNTIL I could get home and have my lovely little chocolate goodies!
All's well that end's well!
Commissioned in 1891 by a writers’ association to make a monument to the French writer Honoré de Balzac (1799–1850), Rodin devoted seven years of trial and exploration to the project. He found a cart driver from Tours, where Balzac was born, to model for the head. For the body, Rodin started with the imposing Study of Nude C, repeatedly adjusting its arms. The final version was adapted from a study of Jean d’Aire, one of the figures in The Burghers of Calais. Rodin replaced its legs and crossed the arms. He then experimented with arranging different types of drapery over this hybrid body. Study for the Dressing Gown, for example, was a plaster cast taken from a real gown.
Unveiled in 1898, the final abstracted figure proved too radical for the commissioners. They refused to recognise the sculpture as a statue of Balzac and rejected it. Though it wasn’t cast in bronze for another 40 years, it is now recognised as a landmark in the history of public sculpture.
[Tate Modern]
Taken in the exhibition
The Making of Rodin
(May – November 2021)
Working at the turn of the 20th century, Auguste Rodin broke the rules of classical sculpture to create an image of the human body that mirrored the ruptures, complexities and uncertainties of the modern age.
This major exhibition is the first to focus on the importance of plaster in his work. Although Rodin is best known for his bronze and marble sculptures, he himself worked as a modeller, who captured movement, light and volume in pliable materials such as clay and plaster.
This presentation evokes the atmosphere of the artist’s studio. Plasters casts in all sizes show how he continually experimented with fragmentation, repetition and joining existing parts in unconventional ways. Some of his best-known works were influenced by this process, including The Burghers of Calais, which is represented here by the newly restored original plaster.
With the process of making at its heart, the exhibition also considers the complex dynamics of the workshop, as well as between the artist and his models and collaborators, including fellow sculptor Camille Claudel, the Japanese actress Ohta Hisa, and the German aristocrat Helene Von Nostitz.
[Tate Modern]
'Totally Devoted To You' (2013) van het het Israelisch-Nederlands kunstenaarsduo Gil and Moti.
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Deze kunst-uitstalling vindt plaats in NEST, een tentoonstellingsruimte bij de voormalige electriciteitsfabriek aan het Constant Rebecqueplein. Eerlijk gezegd was ik niet onder de indruk. Wat mij betreft iets teveel videokunst.
The Taft Hotel building, a 22-story pre-war Spanish Renaissance structure, occupies the eastern side of 7th Avenue between W. 50th and W. 51st streets. It currently features two separate portions with their own entrances on W. 51st Street. The larger portion is devoted to the Executive Plaza, a 440-unit condominium. The smaller portion contains The Michelangelo hotel.
Manger Hotels, owned by the Manger brothers, in 1924 announced it purchased a block on 7th Avenue between W. 50th and W. 51st streets from Realty Associates and Bing & Bing after plans for a sports arena fell through. H. Craig Severance designed the hotel; the 20-story Hotel Manger opened on November 15, 1926. At the time, the 2,250-room Manger was the largest hotel in the Times Square area, and the third largest in Manhattan. The hotel was connected to the Roxy Theatre, which opened a few months later. The lobby of the Roxy was located in the W. 50th Street and 7th Avenue corner of the hotel.
In 1931, Manger Hotels sold the hotel to Bing & Bing, which renamed it the Hotel Taft, after President William Howard Taft. In 1957, J.I. Lubin & Associates sold the hotel to Lawrence A. Wien. In 1958, Wien re-sold the hotel to Zeckendorf Hotels Corporation; two years later, Zeckendorf sold the hotel to the Breitbart Corporation.
The 1960 demolition of the Roxy Theatre, 1968 demolition of Madison Square Garden, increasing presence of unsavory businesses in the area and the desire for newer, more elegant hotels contributed to the gradual decay of the Taft Hotel. In 1974, Urban Renewal Housing and Development Corporation acquired the hotel from Lawrence A. Wien. At the time, the hotel was struggling with a 51% occupancy rate. A year later, the hotel fell into receivership and was foreclosed on by its lender. From 1984 to 1986, the hotel was converted to mixed use, at a cost of $100 million. Taft Partners Development Group, which converted the building, employed architects Wechsler-Grasso-Menziuso for the renovation. It included the Executive Plaza and 179-room Grand Bay Hotel at Equitable Center, which opened in October 1986. Park Lane Hotels International acquired the hotel portion in 1990 and renamed it the Parc Fifty One Hotel. In 1992, Starhotels acquired the hotel for $42 million and renamed it The Michelangelo.
Free download under CC Attribution (CC BY 4.0). Please credit the artist and rawpixel.com.
Vintage fish illustrations from Ichtyologie, ou, Histoire naturelle, générale et particulière des poissons (1785–1797) by Marcus Elieser Bloch (1723–1799), the German physician and naturalist. Bloch was the most influential ichthyologist of the 18th century who consistently devoted himself to natural objects, anatomy, and physiology. This collection showcases his devotion to ichthyology, illustrating more than 400 various types of fish. We have digitally enhanced these richly colored public domain illustrations in high-resolution printable quality. Free to download under the CC0 license.
Higher resolutions with no attribution required can be downloaded: https://www.rawpixel.com/board/938140/ichtyologie-ou-histoire-naturelle-generale-et-particuliere-des-poissons?sort=curated&mode=shop&page=1
Volunteer organization devoted to helping other residents, particularly newcomers. Come visit, explore a beautiful sim, and make new friends.
help, greece, greek, new, newbies,
Hey, it's my video tutorials =) Glad they keep coming in handy...
Posted by Second Life Resident Torley Linden. Visit Paradise Love.
Jesus Restrepo, 62, of Jackson Heights, Queens, NY, describes friend Detective Joseph Vigiano, as someone who was "very kind, very friendly and always there to help any human being." Photo taken by Viviana Gonzalez
Margaret Hassan, who has been murdered aged 59, devoted more than 30 years of her life to helping the disadvantaged people of Iraq.
For the past 12 years she had been Care International`s country director for Iraq, refusing to leave when many other aid agencies fled as a result of the war. Care`s offices were surrounded by sandbags and she gave her 60-strong staff bicycles so they could get about more easily in the event of an attack. Last November the premises were struck by a grenade, and threatening letters arrived. Expatriate staff left the country, but Margaret Hassan, who saw herself as an Iraqi, remained.
Care International is the largest humanitarian charity in the world; that it is also American cannot have counted in Margaret Hassan`s favour. In Iraq it concentrated on supplying medical facilities, clean water, food, blankets and generators to communities devastated by years of sanctions and violence.
During the airstrikes, Care technicians would go around Baghdad restoring power supplies to hospitals, converting lorries into emergency water tankers and repairing buildings.
Margaret Hassan was a familiar and immensely popular figure on the streets of Baghdad. Felicity Arbuthnot, who filmed a documentary about her work, has described Margaret Hassan being mobbed during a visit to a water sanitation plant. "A crowd gathered and tiny children rushed up and threw their arms round her knees, saying, `Madam Margaret, Madam Margaret`, and everywhere she went, people just beamed."
Although no Western woman had previously been kidnapped in Iraq, Margaret Hassan was aware of the risks she ran, conscious that many Iraqi women had been abducted, ransomed, raped and murdered by the Baghdad mafia.
On October 19, as she was leaving home for work in the Khadra district of western Baghdad, she was seized by unknown gunmen. Hours after her capture, the first in a series of harrowing videos was released on the Arab television station al-Jazeera. It showed her pleading: "I beg of you, the British people, to help me. I don`t wan`t to die like [Kenneth] Bigley." A second video showed her calling on Tony Blair to withdraw troops from Iraq and "not bring them to Baghdad".
Devoted to her adopted country and its people, she converted to Islam, learnt fluent Arabic and took Iraqi citizenship. Under Care`s rules she was forbidden from talking about politics, but she nonetheless became a vehement campaigner against the United Nations sanctions, which she held responsible for the fact that ordinary Iraqis had to make do with shortages of food, medical provisions and adequate sanitation. "This is a man-made disaster," she said in 1998.
In the build-up to the American-led invasion last year, she travelled to the UN security council in New York and the House of Commons in London to campaign against the war. "The Iraqi people are already living through a terrible emergency," she said. "They do not have the resources to withstand an additional crisis brought about by military action."
As Care began stockpiling fuel, food and medical supplies in readiness for war, she said: "We will do what we can, but we do not expect to work miracles here."
Source: The Daily Telegraph, 18 November 2004
Picture kindly provided by CARE
The Postcard
A postally unused postcard published by Fred Harvey.
On the back of the card is printed:
'The Hopi House is an exact reproduction
of a Hopi Indian pueblo. It is an irregular
stone structure plastered with adobe and
rising three stories high.
Here are Hopi men, women and children -
some decorating and burning pottery,
others spinning yarn and weaving squaw
dresses and blankets, and perhaps some
maidens weaving a basket.
Several rooms in the Hopi House are
devoted to a rare and costly exhibit of
Indian handicraft'.
Fred Harvey
Fred's company obviously had a financial interest in the Hopi House as the following makes clear.
Frederick Henry Harvey was born in the UK in 1835. He emigrated to the United States when he was 17.
He became an entrepreneur, developing the Harvey House lunch rooms, also restaurants, souvenir shops and hotels.
He created the first restaurant chain in America, and is reputed to have 'civilised' the Wild West.
Fred was also known for pioneering the art of commercial cultural tourism. His 'Indian Detours' were meant to provide an authentic Native American experience by having actors stage a certain lifestyle in the desert in order to sell tickets to unwitting tourists.
The tour guides he used were attractive women in outfits becoming their figures. This tactic was adapted from his restaurants, where 'Harvey Girls' worked as waitresses.
Fred was also a postcard publisher - he touted postcards as 'The best way to promote your hotel or restaurant'.
Fred died in 1901 in Leavenworth Kansas at the relatively young age of 65. His legacy remained in the family until the death of a grandson in 1965.
The Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in Arizona, United States. It is 277 miles (446 km) long, up to 18 miles (29 km) wide and attains a depth of over a mile (6,093 feet or 1,857 meters).
The canyon and adjacent rim are contained within Grand Canyon National Park, the Kaibab National Forest, Grand Canyon–Parashant National Monument, the Hualapai Indian Reservation, the Havasupai Indian Reservation and the Navajo Nation.
President Theodore Roosevelt was a major proponent of the preservation of the Grand Canyon area, and visited it on numerous occasions to hunt and enjoy the scenery.
Nearly two billion years of Earth's geological history have been exposed as the Colorado River and its tributaries cut their channels through layer after layer of rock while the Colorado Plateau was uplifted.
While some aspects about the history of incision of the canyon are debated by geologists, several recent studies indicate that the Colorado River established its course through the area about 5 to 6 million years ago.
Since that time, the Colorado River has driven the down-cutting of the tributaries and retreat of the cliffs, simultaneously deepening and widening the canyon.
For thousands of years, the area has been continuously inhabited by Native Americans, who built settlements within the canyon and its many caves. The Pueblo people considered the Grand Canyon a holy site, and made pilgrimages to it.
The first European known to have viewed the Grand Canyon was García López de Cárdenas from Spain, who arrived in 1540.
The Bright Angel Trail
The Bright Angel Trail is a hiking trail located in Grand Canyon National Park in the U.S. state of Arizona.
The trail originates at Grand Canyon Village on the south rim of the Grand Canyon, descending 4380 feet to the Colorado River. It has an average grade of 10% along its entire length. At trail's end, the River Trail continues another 1.9 miles to the Bright Angel Campground and Phantom Ranch.
These two trails combined are the most common method used to access Phantom Ranch by hikers and mules.
Two trails cross or join the Bright Angel Trail:
-- One is an intersection with the Tonto Trail at Indian Garden, leading toward the Monument Use Area to the west, and to the South Kaibab Trail 4.7 miles (7.6 km) to the east.
-- The other is the River Trail, which officially begins when the Bright Angel Trail reaches the Colorado River at the River Resthouse.
Condition of the Bright Angel Trail
Grand Canyon National Park categorizes the Bright Angel Trail as a corridor trail. With this designation it receives regular maintenance and patrols by park rangers.
Water Availability
Water is available from the trans-canyon pipeline at the Mile-and-a-half Resthouse, the Three Mile Resthouse, and Indian Garden. During cooler months (usually October–April) the two higher elevation resthouses are shut off from the water supply to prevent the pipeline from freezing.
Below Indian Garden, both Garden Creek and Pipe Creek flow year-round. Water is also available at the River Resthouse from the Colorado River. All water from natural sources must be filtered, treated, or boiled prior to consuming.
Camping
Hikers can camp at Indian Garden Campground or at the Bright Angel Campground. At either site, they can stay overnight with a permit issued by the Grand Canyon National Park Backcountry Information Center.
Overnight use of the campgrounds is regulated by the National Park Service, and they regulate the maximum number of groups (7 to 11 people) and parties (1 to 6 people), as well as a maximum total number of persons.
Use permits are available on a first-come, first-served basis from the park's Backcountry Information Center. Requests are taken beginning on the 1st. day of the month, up to four months before the requested first night of camping.
Hazards
Hazards that hikers can encounter along the Bright Angel Trail include dehydration, hyperhydration, sudden rainstorms, flash flooding, loose footing, boot-packed ice, rockfall, encounters with wildlife, and extreme heat.
At the Colorado River, additional hazards include hypothermia (due to the river's consistently cold temperatures), trauma (due to collisions with boulders in rapids), and drowning.
Also, the trail is used by the mules transporting people and gear to and from the bottom of the canyon. Although these mules are highly trained, the trail is narrow in some places, and care must be given to give mules the right of way.
The trail also has many switchbacks, and a bad fall can result in serious injuries. Squirrel bites at Plateau Point are the leading cause of animal injuries to park visitors.
History of the Bright Angel Trail
-- Havasupai
The upper part of the trail was originally built by the Havasupai people for access to the water source of present-day Garden Creek. The Havasupai settled seasonally in this area, now known as Indian Garden.
In 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt ordered them to leave the area, to make way for a park. However, it was not until 1928 that the last Havasupai left, forced out by the National Park Service.
-- Ralph Cameron
Ralph H. Cameron, who would later become a United States senator (1921–27), settled on the canyon rim in 1890, and began improving the old Havasupai trail.
It was at this time that the trail was extended all the way to the Colorado River. Once official control of the trail fell to Cameron, he named it the Bright Angel Trail, commonly referred to in its early years as Cameron's Trail, and began charging a $1 toll to access it, plus additional fees for drinking water and the use of outhouses at Indian Garden.
-- The Kolb Brothers
Ellsworth Kolb arrived at the Grand Canyon to work as a bellboy at the Bright Angel Hotel in 1901. The next year, Ellsworth invited his brother Emery to come to the canyon as the possibility of mine work opened up. However, John Hance's asbestos mine closed before he arrived, leaving Emery unemployed. (Given that this was asbestos, the closure was probably quite fortunate for the brothers).
Shortly after this, Emery discovered a photography business for sale in Williams, Arizona. He purchased the business for US$425 (equivalent to about $13,300 in 2021) and moved the operation back to the Grand Canyon.
He and Ellsworth began taking photographs of visitors who took the mule rides down Cameron's trail, charging a fee for the pictures.
The Cameron family leased a small piece of land nearby to Emery, where the two brothers set up a photography studio in a tent to develop and sell their photos.
The business was profitable, and after a few years the Kolb brothers built their permanent studio building on the rim of the canyon. Rock was blasted away to provide the foundation for the building, which is perched slightly below rim level.
Ellsworth left the venture in 1924, but Emery continued operating the studio until his death in 1976. The present-day Kolb Studio is operated by the Grand Canyon Association as a gift shop, art studio, and history center.
Competition With Cameron
To compete with Cameron, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway improved an existing horsethief trail in Hermit Canyon (the Hermit Trail) in 1911.
In 1924, the newly created National Park Service began construction of the South Kaibab Trail near Yaki Point as an additional bypass for Cameron's tolls.
National Park Service Control
After a long series of legal battles, the Bright Angel Trail was turned over to the National Park Service in 1928.
Bright Angel Trail Statistics
-- Length -- 8.0 mi (12.9 km); 9.9 mi (15.9 km) to Phantom Ranch via River Trail
-- Elevation change -- 4,380 ft (1,340 m)
-- Highest point -- South Rim, 6,860 ft (2,090 m)
-- Lowest point -- Colorado River, 2,480 ft (760 m)
-- Difficulty Level -- 'Strenuous'