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Functionality of the Difference Layer Script.
Left is before, right after the script.
The top three layer together are the same image as the bottom layer. But you can switch the difference between the original and the modified layer on or off.
Kitten is from here:
Having owned the 2008 Kona Sutra for ten months, and just completed the first chain/cassette replacement, I thought it was about time for a long term review, to give other people an idea of what living with the Sutra has been like. My previous post explains why I chose the Sutra - I came up with what I thought was an impossibly eclectic list of requirements from a bicycle, and the Sutra ticked every single box.
Here's some specs, for the statophiles out there: Frame size C54cm Frame tubing Dedacciai COM 12.5 Butted Cromoly Fork Kona P2 700c TB Disc w/Lowrider Headset TH Crankarms FSA Gossamer MegaExo Chainrings 30/39/50 B/B FSA MegaExo Pedals Shimano PD-M520 SPD - Silver Chain Shimano HG53 --> Shimano HG93 XT Freewheel Shimano Deore (11-32, 9 Spd) --> Shimano XT M760 (11-32, 9spd) F/D Shimano Tiagra Triple R/D Shimano XT Shadow Shifters Shimano Bar-Con Handlebar FSA RD30 0S Stem FSA OS-190LX Grips Velo Wrap with Gel Brakes Avid BB7 Road Disc Brake Levers Shimano BLR-600 Front Hub Shimano M525 Disc Rear Hub Shimano M525 Disc Spokes DT Stainless 14g Tires Continental Contact 700 x 32C --> Schwalbe Marathon Plus 700x38c Rims Mavic A 317 Disc Saddle Selle Italia XO SE --> Brooks B17 Seatpost FSA SL-280 Seat Clamp Kona Clamp Rear Rack Tubus Logo Panniers Bikebins Computer Sigma DTS 1606 L Fenders SKS Chromoplastic
My primary (i.e. 99% of the time) use of the Sutra has been for commuting. I have covered over 2700 miles (4500km) in the time I have owned it. My commuting route through London is pretty tough on bikes - the roads south of the Thames are awful and full of potholes, through the City there is broken glass all over the place, and further north of the river there are speedbumps everywhere. When I first got the Sutra she was wearing Continental Contact tyres, and they were pretty poor for commuting. They punctured easily and transmitted the bumpiness of the road right up into my forearms. Not much fun. After one puncture too many I replaced the tyres with Schwalbe Marathon Pluses, in their largest diameter, and the difference was marked. The increased volume of air provides a lot more cushioning for the arms, and I have not had a single puncture yet, despite having pulled 6mm long pieces of glass out of the tyre surfaces. The tyres are relatively heavy, but then so is the rest of the bike, and extra weight makes you stronger!
The original rear rack was pretty flimsy, and it did not allow the attachment of the Bikebin panniers I bought to try and add some rigidity. I ended up having to angle grind chunks out of the rack to fit the panniers, which can't have improved their structural integrity. After a month of experiencing the odd sensation of the bike wagging its tail whenever I stood up to pedal hard, I bit the bullet and upgraded the rack to a Tubus Logo. It was a tight fit with the rear disc brake, but the difference was immense. Gone was the sensation of a jelly-like bike, to be replaced by a sensation of rigid stability. Whilst the rack was expensive, it made all the difference, and I would highly recommend it.
Speaking of the brakes, they have saved my life on more than one occasion, usually when a Taxi decides to perform an emergency stop to pick up a fare. The brakes stop consistently in all conditions, and so far I have not had to replace the pads, althoguh I think it will be time to do it soon. Not bad considering I have travelled almost five thousand kilometres in all weathers in the stop-start conditions of London. I was concerned that the brakes might be too powerful, but the modulation provided by the levers and the flex in the arm of the brake means that whilst the power is there if necessary, you have a lot of control over it. There is some disc drag, but this is owing more to my laziness than the brakes themselves, and seems to have little impact on cruising speeds.
Using the bike in all conditions has been excellent. The all-over fenders (something I have never fitted to a bike previously) really keep the rain off and eliminate spray from the road. I had to saw a bit of the front fender off to fit it over the larger tyres, and a little bit off the rear for the same reason, but after the modification they have been flawless.
I had heard reports of spokes snapping, and nothing happened to me until recently, when I noticed a detached spoke whilst replacing the rear cassette. I had no idea how long the spoke had been damaged for, and replaced it myself. The rear wheel is slightly askew, but it does not foul on anything, which is good considering the small tolerance between it and the fender. To be fair, I have been jumping off kerbs and sometimes it is impossible to miss a massive hole in the road when you are in busy traffic. An upgrade I am considering is a stronger rear wheel, although it is not pressingly urgent.
The ride of the bike is super smooth, and certainly not anything like the road bikes I am used to. I use my other road bike for triathlons, and whilst it is a lot more nimble, it is much less comfortable. The Sutra is comfortable all day long, owing in no small part to the Brooks B17 saddle, which took about two thousand miles to properly break in! It was worth it though - sitting on the bike is like sitting in an armchair (albeit a very odd armchair, but an armchair nonetheless). I tend to cruise at about 20mph on her, and my 10.5 mile commute to work takes about 37 minutes. I have started seeking out hills in preparation for some touring of Wales, and the sutra certainly loves to climb. The aggressive, mountain-bike-like frame geometry no doubt assists in this, and is confidence inspiring when climbing and descending. The bar-con shifters were a novelty for me, but they make a lot of sense, especially if replacement shifters were needed on a tour. There are even bosses on the downtube to fit truly old-school shifters in an emergency.
The weight of the bike was a shock initially - weighing in at 15kgs without the accessories, she weighs significantly more than my Specialized Hardrock mountain bike, which is saying something! Over time I have become accustomed to the weight, and now it feels normal. The main advantage of this is that when I ride anything else, it feels super light and goes very rapidly. This makes this bike an ideal training steed.
In conclusion, I have found a lot to love about the Kona Sutra - she's tough, strong and surprisingly fast. There were some niggles about fitting add-ons, but they were all easy to overcome, and the result has been a reliable bike that I think will keep delivering for years.
I arrived in Macau very late in the evening. Whilst the lights of the casinos were amazing I had no idea that for the next 4 days I would not get to see the sun. At night I could not see the heavy smog that covers Macau (Blown in from China mainland and trapped over Macau by the mountains). Everyday is a humid grey day. You can't see very far and the humidity drenches you quickly.
Still I enjoyed Macau by day and night.
I was there for the Samsung Communications (Australia) conference and stayed at the Soffitel on Ponte 16. It was extremely luxurious. Plenty of good food (Waited on Hand and foot), lots to see. This is an amazing Tax Haven. I can see the rich coming and going by Helicopter, into the casinos. I saw many Ferrari's, Lamborghini's, Rolls Royces and more.
A land of plenty built on the many poor people who servce it.
Macau, also spelled Macao, is one of the two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China, the other being Hong Kong. Macau lies on the western side of the Pearl River Delta across from Hong Kong to the east, bordered by Guangdong Province to the north and facing the South China Sea to the east and south. The territory's economy is heavily dependent on gambling and tourism, but also includes manufacturing. The Cantonese people from Hong Kong and Guangdong especially recent mainland tourism from Mandarin speaking regions have boosted the economy of Macau significantly.
A former Portuguese colony, Macau was administered by Portugal from the mid-16th century until late 1999, when it was the last remaining European colony in Asia. Portuguese traders first settled in Macau in the 1550s. In 1557, Macau was rented to Portugal by the Chinese empire as a trading port. The Portuguese administered the city under Chinese authority and sovereignty until 1887, when Macau became a colony of the Portuguese empire. Sovereignty over Macau was transferred back to China on 20 December 1999. The Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration and the Basic Law of Macau stipulate that Macau operate with a high degree of autonomy until at least 2049, fifty years after the transfer. By 2002, it had become one of the world's richest cities. In 2004, the World's Highest Skyjump was broken in Macau. It became the world's biggest gambling centre in 2006.
Under the policy of "one country, two systems", the PRC's Central People's Government is responsible for the territory's defense and foreign affairs, while Macau maintains its own legal system, police force, monetary system, customs policy, and immigration policy. Macau participates in many international organizations and events that do not require members to possess national sovereignty.
According to The World Factbook, Macau has the second highest life expectancy in the world. In addition, Macau is one of the very few regions in Asia with a "very high Human Development Index", ranking 23rd or 24th in the world in 2007 (with Japan being the highest in Asia; the other Asian countries/regions within the "very high HDI" category are South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Brunei).
Before the Portuguese settlement in the mid-16th century, Macau was known as Haojing or Jinghai. The name Macau is thought to be derived from the A-Ma Temple, a temple built in 1448 dedicated to Matsu – the goddess of seafarers and fishermen.. The Portuguese named the peninsula "Macau".
The history of Macau is traced back to the Qin Dynasty (221–206 BC), when the region now called Macau came under the jurisdiction of Panyu county, in Nanhai prefecture (present day Guangdong).The first recorded inhabitants of the area were people seeking refuge in Macau from invading Mongols during the Southern Song Dynasty. Under the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644 AD), fishermen migrated to Macau from Guangdong and Fujian provinces.
Macau is situated 60 kilometres southwest of Hong Kong and 145 kilometres from Guangzhou. It also has 41 kilometres of coastline, yet only 310 metres of land border with Guangdong. It consists of the Macau Peninsula itself and the islands of Taipa and Coloane, which are now connected by landfill forming the Cotai Strip. The peninsula is formed by the Zhu Jiang (Pearl River) estuary on the east and the Xi Jiang (West River) on the west. It borders the Zhuhai Special Economic Zone in mainland China. The main border crossing between Macau and China is known as the Portas do Cerco (Barrier Gate) on the Macau side, and the Gongbei Port of Entry on the Zhuhai side.
Macau has a humid subtropical climate, with average relative humidity between 75% and 90%. Similar to much of South China, seasonal climate is greatly influenced by the monsoons, and differences in temperature and humidity between summer and winter are noticeable, though not as great as inland China. The average annual temperature of Macau is 22.7 °C
Macau's economy is based largely on tourism. Other chief economic activities in Macau are export-geared textile and garment manufacturing, banking and other financial services.The clothing industry has provided about three quarters of export earnings, and the gaming, tourism and hospitality industry is estimated to contribute more than 50% of Macau's GDP, and 70% of Macau government revenue
Starting in 1962, the gambling industry had been operated under a government-issued monopoly license by Stanley Ho's Sociedade de Turismo e Diversões de Macau. The monopoly ended in 2002 and several casino owners from Las Vegas attempted to enter the market. With the opening of the Sands Macao, in 2004 and Wynn Macau in 2006, gambling revenues from Macau's casinos were greatly prosperous. In 2007, Venetian Macau, at the time the second (now sixth) largest building in the world by floor space, opened its doors to the public, followed by MGM Grand Macau. Numerous other hotel casinos, including Galaxy Cotai Megaresort, are also to be opened in the near future.
In Macau, the unit of currency is the pataca which is currently pegged to the Hong Kong dollar at a rate of HK$1 = MOP1.03. The name pataca is a Portuguese word which was applied to the Mexican dollars that were the main circulating coin in the wider region in the second half of the 19th century.
Macau is the most densely populated region in the world, with a population density of 20,497 persons per square kilometre in 2013(18,428 persons/km2 in a 2004 projection 47,728/sq mi). 95% of Macau's population is Chinese; another 2% is of Portuguese and/or mixed Chinese/Portuguese descent, an ethnic group often referred to as Macanese.
Both Chinese (Cantonese) and Portuguese are Macau's official languages.
Canon EOS 5d, 24-70L
2013
IMG_0046
I was inspired by a recent comment by finsbry on one of my uploads www.flickr.com/photos/50889628@N08/5319404990/
I live in beautiful Oregon and don't see much sunshine in winter; in fact, we Oregonians are known to abandon all and any indoor work to rush outside for a "sunbreak" , even if it's just for a few seconds! It's a good thing that I do love clouds and fog or I'd be in Mexico for the winter.
Credit to Wikipedia for the image of jumping girls commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-480...
Cedit to David Nagy www.flickr.com/photos/ndave/2143957177/in/set-72157600198...
for the snow scene photograph.
Credit to Jerry Jones www.flickr.com/photos/skeletalmess/collections/7215761567...
for texture layers.
I used his texture Beneath The Surface 1 set on linear burn at 76%.
Jerry also has a blog: shadowhousecreations.blogspot.com/
I used to own all the S, S.C Auto and AI version of Nikon 50mm F1.4, can't tell the IQ differences between them, all good lens. I also used to own the S, S.C, K version of Nikon 55mm F1.2 and AI, AI-S version of Nikon 50mm F1.2, don't think the extra 0.2 F-stop makes any differences in digital era.
Pick any of the metallic Nikon 50mm F1.4 will be fine, but not the plastic made in China 50mm 1.8 AF-D, suffers great IQ variation between copies.
The also made in China 50mm 1.8g is another story, sharp, contrasty, silent, fast focusing, for only 100 more USD. Sharper and more contrasty than all of my Nikkor 55mm 2.8 micro lenses.
So it's either AI or pre-AI 50mm 1.4 or 50mm 1.8g that you should get.
The tree had a really catching difference! Some souls are exactly in the same way! One will feel so jealous to see such people...
The two editions of the Megabot pose for a special photo. You can see a slight color difference, though the camera flash dulled the changes. To the left is the original, and on the right is the reissue. The 2nd edition is missing paint detail on the lower front hatch and also missing the Void symbol on the chest panel. The most noticeable color difference lies in the hand pieces, as the reissue has flat gray while the original has a blue/gray mixture. Be sure to view the full size photo for the best detail!
Which is your favorite?
Like a far away smokey world, the Gorge glowed under the blanket of smoke recently. This rain the last couple days have made such a huge difference, the air smells fresh and alive again and makes me so happy! and there are interesting clouds again!
There may be a few more images added to my fire and helicopter sets but most of them are already uploaded. If you know firefighters or are one, pass on the set links to share them, share them on facebook...
©Darlisa Black
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Please ask before using any of my photos, but you may certainly share by sending the link to my pages to your friends! I share them on here but I also partly make my living from this ability to do photography. Also I enjoy knowing where they get used, it makes me happy.
You can find out more about me and the products I have available on my profile and on this website at www.starlisablackphotography.com or the simpler address to the same place is www.starlisa.net
and for a musical treat
My Daughter known as Leannan Sidhe who is a singer songwriter in the style somewhat of Enya.
Another example of truth in marketing, or is it just a bold, unsubstantiated claim? They don't promote any particular brand, they're just saying high quality makes a difference. Well, okay, it seems like a inarguable premise. I'm on board -- high quality sausages make a difference!
International Women’s Day to be celebrated at the Senedd
The National Assembly for Wales will mark International Women’s Day today (8 March) - a global celebration of the achievements of women - with a series of events across the Assembly estate. In the Senedd, Deputy Presiding Officer Rosemary Butler AM will speak at a ‘world cafe’ event, organised by the British Council and training course-provider Women Making a Difference. The world cafe will see women telling stories of the many women who have made history across the globe during the last 100 years – including those who’ve played a part in women’s rights and displayed acts of courage and determination. Exhibitions from equality organisations MEWN Cymru, Chwarae Teg, Merched y Wawr, Women’s Archive Wales and Self Help Africa will also be displayed in the Senedd to mark the day. In the Pierhead, the Women’s Arts Association will hold an event including a performance from female dance group India Dance Wales and a clog dancer. The Association will also launch a textile exhibition that will be displayed in the Pierhead’s Futures Gallery. The exhibition - Bonded by Threads: Old Crafts by Modern Women – will showcase the work of Welsh female artists. The day will also see the Assembly launch a competition to decide on a Welsh female hero from the past to be displayed in the ‘heroes room’ at the Pierhead from a shortlist which can be viewed on the National Assembly’s website at www.assemblywales.org. In north Wales, the Assembly’s Outreach bus will be present at the Mill Arts and Craft Centre in Holywell, where women’s day celebrations will be taking place, and sixty members from Merched y Wawr will also visit the Colwyn Bay visitor centre to learn about the Assembly.
www.assemblywales.org/newhome/new-news-third-assembly.htm...
Dathlu Diwrnod Rhyngwladol y Menywod yn y Senedd
Heddiw (8 Mawrth), bydd Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru yn nodi Diwrnod Rhyngwladol y Menywod, sy’n ddathliad byd-eang o gyraeddiadau merched, gyda chyfres o ddigwyddiadau drwy ystad y Cynulliad. Yn y Senedd, bydd Rosemary Butler AC, y Dirprwy Lywydd, yn siarad mewn digwyddiad ‘caffi’r byd’, a drefnwyd gan y Cyngor Prydeinig a’r darparwr cyrsiau hyfforddiant, Merched yn Gwneud Gwahaniaeth. Yn y caffi, bydd menywod yn eistedd o gwmpas byrddau yn dweud hanesion am nifer o fenywod a fu’n nodedig mewn hanes ledled y byd dros y 100 mlynedd ddiwethaf, gan gynnwys y rhai a fu’n weithgar dros hawliau merched a’r rhai sydd wedi cyflawni gweithredoedd a dewrder a phenderfyniad. Bydd arddangosfeydd gan sefydliadau cydraddoldeb fel MEWN Cymru, Chwarae Teg, Merched y Wawr, Archif Menywod Cymru a Self Help Africa hefyd i’w gweld yn y Senedd i nodi’r diwrnod. Bydd Cymdeithas Celfyddydau’r Menywod yn cynnal digwyddiad yn y Pierhead a fydd yn cynnwys perfformiad gan grwp dawns benywaidd, India Dance Cymru, a chlocsiwr. Bydd y Gymdeithas hefyd yn lansio arddangosfa decstilau a fydd i’w gweld yn Oriel y Dyfodol yn y Pierhead. Bydd yr arddangosfa, ‘Yr Edau sy’n ein Clymu: Hen Grefftau gan Fenywod Modern’, yn arddangos gwaith artistiaid benywaidd o Gymru. Ar y diwrnod hwn hefyd, bydd y Cynulliad yn lansio cystadleuaeth i ddewis arwres Gymreig o’r gorffennol i’w nodi yn ‘ystafell yr arwyr’ yn y Pierhead o restr fer y mae modd ei gweld ar wefan y Cynulliad Cenedlaethol yn www.cynulliadcymru.org. Yn y Gogledd, bydd bws Allgymorth y Cynulliad yn bresennol yng Nghanolfan Gelfyddydau a Chrefftau’r Felin, Treffynnon, lle bydd dathliadau diwrnod y menywod yn digwydd, a bydd 60 o aelodau Merched y Wawr hefyd yn ymweld a chanolfan ymwelwyr y Cynulliad ym Mae Colwyn i ddysgu am y Cynulliad.
www.assemblywales.org/cy/newhome/archive-news/new-news-th...
Mingle Media TV and Red Carpet Report host, Paige Sullivan, were invited to cover the 2013 Do Something Awards (#DSAwards) hosted by actress Sophia Bush along with celebrity presenters Malin Akerman, Lucy Hale, Cynthia Nixon, Russell Simmons and Aisha Tyler. This year’s high-energy show is honoring celebrities Patrick Dempsey, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Jennifer Hudson, LL COOL J and Kelly Osbourne for being amazing social change leaders, along with five “do-gooders,” 25 and under, who are in the trenches, creating substantial change in our world.
Get the Story from the Red Carpet Report Team - follow us on Twitter and Facebook at:
www.facebook.com/RedCarpetReportTV
www.youtube.com/MingleMediaTVNetwork
About the Do Something Awards
In addition to honoring celebrities for their work to inspire others, and a night filled with great musical performances, one young "do-er" (age 25 and under) will receive a grand prize of $100,000 for their cause and the four other nominees will receive a $10,000 community grant. This is the largest and most prestigious prize in the world for young people and social change.
This year’s five nominees have gone above and beyond to make a difference addressing important issues. Nominees include Sasha Fisher (Spark MicroGrants); Daniel Maree (Million Hoodies Movement for Justice); Jillian Mourning (All We Want is LOVE - Liberation of Victims Everywhere); Lorella Praeli (United We Dream); and Ben Simon (Food Recovery Network). www.vh1.com/shows/events/do_something_awards/2013/index.j...
For more of Mingle Media TV’s Red Carpet Report coverage, please visit our website and follow us on Twitter and Facebook here:
www.facebook.com/minglemediatvnetwork
www.flickr.com/MingleMediaTVNetwork
Follow our host, Paige Sullivan, at twitter.com/paigesull
My 2 spares. Large font on the left, small font on the right. Note the difference in colour. The large font plate is much more golden. The background texture is different too. Just noticed that the second 'L' on the later more golden badge has a slightly more angled top.
The 2022 BBC Make A Difference Awards Presentation dinner at the Hilton Doubletree hotel at Brayford Pool Lincoln. A lovely evening, great to meet other nominees and some BBC editors and presenters.
Same time, same place. In both 'miting de avance' of the UNIDO-led government of Corazon Aquino and re-electionist President Marcos, these pictures taken at the same time (5:30pm) and the same place (rooftop of the Manila Hotel) show the difference in "people power." While opposition supporters came on their own to hear Cory Aquino, KBL supporters were reportedly trucked, bused, paid and ferried to Luneta.
(Photo by Ricky Beltran, Philippine Daily Inquirer, February 6, 1986.)
Pride.be - Pride 2018 - Your Local Power
Feeling free and at home in your neighborhood, town or city. Be and show yourself in the streets. Holding hands with the person you love and smiling at each other in public. Our personal lives occur in the public space. Considering the approaching communal elections, everyone (youngsters, seniors, families, couples and all people - no matter what gender or orientation) asks the local politicians: How do you make a difference? What do you do to improve diversity in our everyday life? Where the rain makes way for the sun, we will walk proudly under the rainbow!
We will all be heading to the voting booths for the local elections on 14th of October. Deciding which circle to colour in is an important decision. A conscious decision can lead to a better living environment in your city or municipality.
And we're not just talking about the redesign of the local park, the policies in the municipal school, or the proper functioning of the local Public Centre for Social Welfare. Your local municipal or city administration can also make a real difference and turn the place where you live into a true rainbow bubble, if that's what you'd like, of course.
So it's no wonder that this year's Pride is focusing on the local elections. Belgian Pride is putting the municipalities and cities in the limelight in 2018, or better yet, at the end of the rainbow! We want the slogan 'Your Local Power!' to encourage municipal and city administrations to enact explicit, integrated local LGBTI+ policies.
Municipalities and cities can and must make the difference. They must accept responsibility for the well-being of all their residents. Flying the rainbow flag at the local government offices during the Pride period is a symbol of this. This is also a way that the municipality or city can show their solidarity with the LGBTI+ community. This symbolic gesture is not an infringement on neutrality. On the contrary, we can only actively work on ending all forms of discrimination once there is recognition for diversity and inclusion.
Policy-makers can make the lives of many citizens that much rosier by taking both small and large actions: by introducing a diversity charter in sports clubs, by making information on gender and sexuality available at the local libraries, by providing logistical and financial support to local associations, testimonials, and courses in the municipal education system, by holding a queer film festival in the local movie theatre or cultural centre, by holding LGBTI+ actions in community centres and youth centres, by providing information on what to do if you are the victim or witness of discrimination, by offering space for intimacy and (LGBTI+) sexuality in assisted-living centres, by training local police precincts and municipal officials, by including Equal Opportunity as an explicit competence within the city administration, etc.
The list of things that cities and municipalities can do is endless. Plus, many of these actions are very easy to implement. Sometimes, your local administration only needs a little boost, and you can give them that boost in the voting booth on 14th of October. A good local administration meets the needs and requirements of all residents. What does the LGBTI+ community in your city or municipality need?
You can already send the politicians a signal that is loud and clear on Saturday, the 19th of May. Make your wishes heard during the Belgian Pride.
We hope to see you there! Everyone is welcome!
( Chaque annee la Pride attire des dizaines de milliers de visiteurs vers la capitale et colore Bruxelles aux couleurs de l'arc-en-ciel. Il y a aussi le PrideVillage et le PridePodium autour de la Bourse.
Pride.be n'est pas seulement la plus grande fete de Bruxelles, mais c'est aussi un evenement avec un message politique. Avec cette manifestation, nous essayons d'obtenir plus d'egalite de droits pour tout le monde et surtout pour la communaute lesbigaytrans. )
The difference between a walk and a wander is the time spent. I had little over an hour spare once I arrived, so instead of getting some lunch, I took photos instead.
Down the street lined with shops to the town square with the large church, town hall and many wonderful looking bars and restaurants.
I was in town for a few hours for a meeting, I drove over, then drove back. As you do.
Not a bad day, but I think I will try the train next time....
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Leuven (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈløːvə(n)] ( listen); French: Louvain, pronounced: [luvɛ̃], often used in English) is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in Belgium. It is located about 25 kilometres (16 miles) east of Brussels, close to other neighbouring towns such as Mechelen, Aarschot, Tienen, and Wavre. The municipality itself comprises the historical city of Leuven and the former municipalities of Heverlee, Kessel-Lo, a part of Korbeek-Lo, Wilsele and Wijgmaal.
It is home to Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world's largest brewing group and one of the five largest consumer-goods companies in the world; and to the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, the largest and oldest university of the Low Countries and the oldest Catholic university still in existence.[2] It is also home to the UZ Leuven, one of the largest hospitals of Europe.
The earliest mention of Leuven ("Loven") is from 891, when a Viking army was defeated by the Frankish king Arnulf of Carinthia (see: Battle of Leuven). According to a legend the city's red and white arms depict the blood-stained shores of the river Dyle after this battle.
Situated beside this river, and near to the stronghold of the Dukes of Brabant, Leuven became the most important centre of trade in the duchy between the 11th and 14th centuries. A token of its former importance as a centre of cloth manufacture is shown in that ordinary linen cloth is known in late-14th-century and 15th-century texts as lewyn (other spellings: Leuwyn, Levyne, Lewan(e), Lovanium, Louvain).[3]
In the 15th century a new golden era began with the founding of what is now the largest and oldest university in the Low Countries, the Catholic University of Leuven, in 1425.[4]
In the 18th century the brewery Den Horen (meaning "the horn") flourished. In 1708 Sebastien Artois became the master brewer at Den Horen, and gave his name to the brewery in 1717, now part of AB InBev, whose flagship beer, Stella Artois, is brewed in Leuven and sold in many countries.
Leuven has several times been besieged or occupied by foreign armies; these include the Battle of Leuven (891), Siege of Leuven (1635) and Battle of Leuven (1831).
Both world wars in the 20th century inflicted major damage upon the city. Upon Germany's entry into World War I, the town was heavily damaged by rampaging soldiers. Some German soldiers shot the burgomaster, the university rector and all of the city's police officers.[5] In all, about 300 civilians lost their lives.[6] The university library was also destroyed on 25 August 1914, using petrol and incendiary pastilles.[7][8] 230,000 volumes were lost in the destruction, including Gothic and Renaissance manuscripts, a collection of 750 medieval manuscripts, and more than 1,000 incunabula (books printed before 1501).[8][9] The destruction of the library shocked the world, with the Daily Chronicle describing it as war not only against civilians but also against "posterity to the utmost generation."[10] It was rebuilt after the war, and much of the collection was replaced. Great Britain (on the initiative of the John Rylands Library, Manchester) and the United States were major providers of material for the replenishment of the collection.[6] The new library building was financed by the National Committee of the United States for the Restoration of the University of Louvain and built to the design of architect Whitney Warren; it was officially opened on 4 July 1928.[11]
In World War II, after the start of the German offensive, Leuven formed part of the British Expeditionary Force's front line and was defended by units of the 3rd Division and Belgian troops. From 14 to 16 May 1940, the German Army Group B assaulted the city with heavy air and artillery support. The British withdrew their forces to the River Senne on the night of 16 May and the town was occupied the next day.[12] The new university library building was set on fire by shelling on 16 May and nearly a million books were lost.
The Town Hall, built by Sulpitius van Vorst (nl), Jan II Keldermans, and, after both of them died, Matheus de Layens between 1439 and 1463 in a Brabantian late-Gothic style. In the 19th century, 236 statues were added to the exterior, each representing a prominent local scholar, artist or noble from the city’s history. The reception hall dates from 1750.
The St. Peter's Church (1425–1500) was finished by Jan Keldermans and Matheus de Layens. During the Second World War the church was damaged; during the restoration a Romanesque crypt from the 11th century was found. In the church itself there are several paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries (among others, Dirk Bouts's famous painting of the last supper) and the grave of Duke Henry I of Brabant. The 50-metre-high tower — which was meant to be 169 metres high, but was never completed — is home to a carillon. The tower was included in UNESCO's list of Belfries of Belgium and France in 1999.
Saint-Anthony's Chapel, Pater Damiaanplein, from the 17th to the 20th centuries, contains the tomb of Father Damien, the "leper priest" of Molokai, who was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday October 11, 2009.[15][16] The Catholic Encyclopedia calls him "the Apostle of the Lepers",[17] and elsewhere he is known as the "leper priest". The Catholic priest's remains were returned in Belgium with great fanfare in 1936, after having been originally buried on the Hawaiian Island of Molokai where he had served the outcast lepers until his death.
The Linen-hall, in an early-Gothic style, with baroque addition, is today the University Hall.
The Church of Saint Michael was built in the typical Jesuit Baroque Style.
The Church of Saint Quinten incorporates remains of a Romanesque church built in the 13th century.
The University Library on the Ladeuzeplein was built by the American architect Whitney Warren. It was a gift from the American people to Leuven after World War I, during which the Germans burned down the original library. The tower houses one of the largest carillons in the world.
Totem is a statue at the centre of the Ladeuzeplein; it is a work of the Belgian artist Jan Fabre. Featuring a 23-metre-high needle impaling a giant jewelled beetle, the statue towers over the square in front of the university library.
There is a neo-Romanesque Abbey on the Keizersberg ("Emperor's Mountain"), where there once stood a 12th-century ducal castle, which was demolished in the 17th Century.
The Large Beguinage is one of the world's best remaining examples of its architectural type. It was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1998.
There are several other smaller churches and chapels throughout the town.
"Fonske" is a statue near the centre of town. Its full name is Fons Sapientiae, Latin for "fountain of wisdom". The statue represents a university student who, while reading a book, lets wisdom flow into his head as liquid from a glass. Just like Manneken Pis in Brussels, Fonske is, from time to time, dressed in costumes appropriate for specific occasions.
The 'Oude Markt' or "Old Market" square located in the center of Leuven features a vibrant social scene the center of which displays a lifesize statue of 'De Kotmadam', or "The Landlady" resting on a bench.
Lerkeveld is a famous Jesuit abbey, and headquarters of the Jesuits in Belgium.
St Anthony's College, Leuven was located in the city, on Pater Damiaanplein. The Leuven Institute for Ireland in Europe is now located on the premises.
Sint-Donatus Park contains remains of the medieval city wall
1. Up Close, 2. Connie Orton
Created with fd's Flickr Toys.
Uploaded for a flickr challenge. What a difference 1 year can make
By Lee, Seung-bin
DAEGU GARRISON — With the first quarter of 2012 almost behind us, we thought it would be a good time to sit down with the Garrison Commander and take a quick look at where we are, where we’re going, and what might be in store for the rest of the year; and while there, here about what goes into “Making A Difference.”
U.S. Army Garrison Daegu Commander Col. Kathleen Gavle, shared her thoughts about what the Garrison can expect in terms of change and challenges in the coming months, as well as how a good attitude can help each person to make a difference.
“Overall, I believe we are doing okay,” Gavle began. “The Garrison continues to build its partnership with the 19th ESC (Expeditionary Sustainment Command), and together we are working very hard to support 19th ESC’s new missions. Not only that, we are working hard to understand our customers and the direction our footprint is going, to make USAG Daegu the best place to live, work and play in South Korea.
“We are looking at near-term progress, as well as long-term; and how to take care of the alliance.”
Gavle explained that the Southeast Enduring Hub of Area IV faces many challenges.
“We still have many missions to challenge ourselves,” she said. “Right now our biggest challenge is the decision the Army is making in terms of the overall infrastructure investment in overseas. Our community is supposed to be an enduring hub, and we have not had the same level of investment for manpower, equipment and infrastructure (as the other enduring hub). So, we are really fighting for those resources to set the condition for the long-term success in USAG Daegu.”
The Commander strongly supports taking care for the Family members of the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Civilians serving throughout the Army and the Southeast Enduring Hub.
“The Army cannot accomplish its goals without the family’s support,” Gavel explained. “That is why the USAG Daegu command is unwavering in its support for the Army family. As you can see, we have an important job, and one not just within buildings.”
Gavle underlined “changing attitude” and Making A Difference (her “trademark” as MAD-6) as one of biggest goals in 2012. The Commander said this process is about our attitude at the beginning of a difficult task which, more than anything else, will affect its successful outcome.
“Attitude is first,” Gavle explained in conclusion. “Understanding why we are here as a part of the U.S. Army and the alliance, and giving 100 percent in all that we do every day. We want USAG Daegu to be the best community in Korea, and we start that by having a good attitude.”
Gettysburg.
The Civil War from 1861-64 was the most tragic and momentous event in American history. It had its origins in the economic and agricultural differences between the North and the South which were exacerbated by different views about the morality of black slavery. Once Abraham Lincoln (a Republican) was elected in November 1860 as the next President to be inaugurated in February 1861 the fears of the South could no longer be allayed by compromise and logical thinking. South Carolina, always the most firebrand and radical of the Southern states seceded almost immediately. So technically the Civil War was about secession and whether the constitution gave any state the right to secede rather than it being about slavery. But the expansion (not the mere existence) of slavery was the issue behind secession. Sth Carolina was joined by other southern states and they quickly formed the confederacy with Jefferson Davis as President. Lincoln wanted to avoid war. He chose not to be the aggressor but as an able lawyer and great humanist he warned that he would defend the property of the US. When the Confederates (Grey Coats or Rebels) fired on Fort Sumner in the harbour of Charleston, the capital of South Carolina in April 1861 the war began. The north had the advantage of a much bigger population, better rail system, almost all of the industry in America, and money, but they struggled for four years to win the war. Many of the battles were in the Border States near Washington DC where the southern state of Virginia basically abuts the northern states of Pennsylvania and Maryland. (But Maryland really had no choice but to join with the north as it was placed under military control by Lincoln. After all the capital, Washington DC is almost surrounded by Maryland.) One of the great battles that occurred in this region was the Battle of Gettysburg.
Despite the advantages of the North it lost most of the battles in the first couple of years of the Civil War. The Yankees could not defeat the great southern General Robert E Lee. That is why Lincoln kept changing his generals. The turning point was probably the Battle of Gettysburg which raged from 1-4th July 1863. General Meade led the Union forces in their bloody defeat of the Confederates under Lee at Gettysburg. Around 163,000 men faced each other in the battles. At the end of the last day, Confederate causalities - dead, wounded and missing were 28,000 (out of 75,000 troops) and the Union casualties were 23,000 (out of 88,000 troops. ) After the battle General Lee had to retreat to the South quickly and leave the Confederate dead on the battle field. These were incredibly high death tolls for any battle. Is it any wonder the Americans still feel so deeply about the Civil War? By the end of the Civil War, over 620,000 men had been killed and nearly 300,000 wounded- many of them maimed for the rest of their lives: - a total of almost 1 million men. The death toll from the Civil War was greater than the combined US toll for World Wars One and Two. A total of16.47% of all troops were killed in the Civil War- a very high proportion. This compares badly with American involvement in say World War One- 2.46% of troops killed, or World War Two- 2.52% of troops killed. The Civil War was a huge tragedy.
After the battle Lincoln went to dedicate a memorial to the men who had lost their lives in this great battle in November of 1863. The Gettysburg Address is a remarkably short speech, for a politician, and is considered by many to be one of the finest speeches in the English language. In just over two minutes, Lincoln invoked the principles of human equality espoused by the Declaration of Independence and redefined the Civil War as a struggle not merely for the Union, but as "a new birth of freedom" that would bring true equality to all of its citizens, and that would also create a unified nation in which states' rights were no longer dominant.
At Gettysburg we will see battlefield, memorials and the interpretive centre with its dioramas and displays. Below is a map of the town and surrounding battlefields and memorials.
Abraham Lincoln 1809-1865. The Republican Party emerged in American in 1854 to oppose the EXPANSION of slavery into the new western territories. In the 1858 congressional elections Lincoln made his most famous statement:
“A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved—I do not expect the house to fall—but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing, or all the other."
Four nominees stood to be the Republican candidate for the 1860 Presidential election and Lincoln was chosen as the Republican candidate. He won the election and became the first anti slavery president from one section (the North) party to win an election. During the campaign the Democrat Party split into a northern and southern democrat parties with different candidates. Lincoln kept a low profile after the election and because of assassination threats and safety concerns in Baltimore he was secretly taken to Washington DC in disguise on 23 February 1861 to be inaugurated as President on 4th March. Once the November election results were known, Sth Carolina and then other southern states seceded. Lincoln’s training as a small town lawyer held him in good stead as president. He studied the constitution closely and developed his legalistic arguments. The South had no right to secede. The constitution was a binding contract and no state could unilaterally secede. He would not attack the South but he would defend the property of the US in the rebelling (seceding) Southern states and the posts would be delivered. Historians argue that Lincoln chose to avoid war, and not be the aggressor, but the South had little room for manoeuvring out of war. The South began the war at Fort Sumter. Despite Lincoln’s expert handling of the military aspects of the war, his choice of generals and his handling of the affairs of state, he was unpopular with many Republicans as he was not radical enough. Lincoln stood as an independent candidate for the US presidential elections of 1864 and won, this time not as a Republican but as the leader for the National Union Party. Perhaps Lincoln’s most memorable act was the Emancipation Proclamation of 1st January 1863 which set slaves free in the rebelling states. (It required a constitutional amendment to abolish slavery in all states.) This act brought former slaves into the War in both the North and South; it bought strong alliances with European powers, especially France and England who could not support a pro-slavery nation ( the Confederacy had tried to get France’s financial backing) ; and it turned the war from a war about secession and constitutional issues into a war about slavery. Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth 5 days after General Lee surrendered to General Grant at Appomattox Court House on 9 April 1865 thus ending the Civil War.
This vehicle found its way to the South West after being one of a batch of three to transfer over from First Hants & Dorset. It's also seen service in London. The black paint around the windows and smaller destination displays make the three of them stand out against the other ALX400's in Bristol.
Operator: First Bristol
Vehicle: Volvo B7TL / Transbus ALX400
Reg: LT52 WVO
Fleet No.: 32251
Location: Broad Weir, Bristol
Route: 6: Kingswood - Centre
Date: July 16, 2014
this angle shows the biggest difference between V1 and V2: the barrels. V2 has a much more accurate smaller barrel.
We made our annual trip to London in November. We travel down by coach from Slaithwaite and stay at The Cumberland Hotel at Marble Arch. It’s actually a weekend ladies shopping trip that is run as a fundraiser for Slaithwaite Brass Band – I’m the only bloke that goes every year! We decided ( the two of us) to stay down in London until Thursday this time as we wanted to see weekday London and be able to explore a bit further afield on foot. We covered up to 16 miles a day, which is tough going on crowded pavements with hundreds of busy roads to cross. I photographed anything that looked interesting but I bent a contact in the CF card slot, fortunately I had quite a few SD cards with me and the 5D has dual slots so I was able to carry on using it. It’s currently at Lehmann’s getting fixed.
With it being close to Christmas the decorations are up everywhere so there was plenty of colour at night. In Hyde Park the Winter Wonderland was in full swing, we’ve never bothered going to it before but I went twice at night this time. It is massive this year, I couldn’t get over how big it is and the quality of some of the attractions. The cost and effort involved must be phenomenal – it was quite expensive though. It was very difficult to photograph, with extremes of light (LED’s) and darkness and fast moving rides into the bargain. I think I have some decent usable stuff but at the time of writing I am only part way through the editing process so I don’t know for sure.
We set off at around 8.15 am every day and stayed out for at least 12 hours. The weather was poor for a day and a half with drizzle and very dull grey conditions, fortunately we had some pleasant weather (and light) along the way as well. Being based at the end of Oxford Street – Europe’s busiest shopping street – meant that I did quite a bit of night shooting on there. Although I carried a tripod everywhere I only used it once and that was during the day! Because there is always a moving element in almost every shot it seemed pointless using a tripod. I would have got some shots free of movement – or I could have gone for ultra-long exposures to eliminate people and traffic but it would have been problematic I felt. In the end I wound the ISO up and hand held – fingers crossed.
We walked out to Camden Market and Locks but it had been raining and we were a bit early as many were only just setting up for the day. We tried to follow routes that we hadn’t used before and visit new places. We paid a fortune to get in St Pauls but you can’t use cameras. This something that I fail to see the point of, ban flash if you want but if you are going to encourage tourism why ban cameras when there is nothing in particular happening in there. It’s a rule that seems to be applied arbitrarily in cities around the world. Fortunately we could take photos from the outside of the dome, which was real reason for visiting, and we had some great light. Expensive compared with a couple of euros in some famous cathedrals. I’ve wanted to walk to Canary Wharf for a number of years and this year we did. We crisscrossed the Thames a few times and tried to follow the Thames path at other times. We covered around ten miles but it was an interesting day. It was also very quiet for the last four or five miles. We got there about 12.00 and managed to get a sandwich in a café in the shopping centre at the foot of the high rise office blocks before tens of thousands of office workers descended from above. It was mayhem, packed, with snaking queues for anywhere that sold food. We crossed to the other side of The Isle of Dogs and looked across to the O2 Arena and the cable car, unfortunately there isn’t a way across for pedestrians and it was around 3.00 pm. With darkness falling at around 4.30 we decide it was too late to bother. We made our way back to the Thames Clipper pier to check the sailing times. They sail every twenty minutes so we had a couple of glasses of wine and a rest before catching the Clipper. Sailing on the Thames was a first in 15 trips to London. The Clipper is fast and smooth, the lights had come on in the city and there was a fantastic moon rise. It was nigh on impossible to get good shots at the speed we were traveling though and there were times that I wished I could be suspended motionless above the boat. Again, hopefully I will have some usable shots.
We felt that the shopping streets were a little quieter, following the Paris massacre it was to be expected, I might be wrong as we were out and about at later times than previous trips. I think I have heard that footfall is down though. It was good to get into some of the quieter backstreets and conversely to be stuck in the city business district – The Square Mile- at home time. A mass exodus of people running and speed walking to bus stops and the rail and tube stations. It was difficult to move against or across the flow of bodies rushing home.
Whilst the Northern(manufacturing) economy is collapsing, London is a giant development site, it must be the tower crane capital of Europe at the moment. It was difficult to take a shot of any landmark free of cranes, it was easier to make the cranes a feature of the photo. It’s easy to see where the wealth is concentrated – not that there was ever any doubt about it. The morons with too much money are still driving their Lambo’s and Ferraris etc. like clowns in streets that are packed with cars , cyclists and pedestrians, accelerating viciously and noisily for 50 yards. They are just sad attention seekers. From Battersea to Canary Wharf we walked the Thames Embankment, the difference between high and low tide on the river is massive, but the water was the colour of mud – brown! Not very attractive in colour. We caught a Virgin Train from Kings Cross for £14.00 each – a bargain!. We had quite a bit of time to kill around midday at Kings Cross so I checked with security that I was OK to wander around taking photos, without fear of getting jumped by armed security, and set off to photograph the station and St Pancras International Station across the road. I haven’t even looked at the results as I type this but I’ll find out if they are any good shortly. Talking of security, following Paris, there was certainly plenty of private security at most attractions, I don’t know if it was terrorism related though, I can’t say I noticed an increased police presence on the streets. It took us three hours and five minutes from Kings Cross to being back home, not bad for a journey of 200 miles. I can’t imagine that spending countless billions on HS2 or HS3 is going to make a meaningful (cost effective) difference to our journey. Improving what we have, a little faster, would be good. There are some bumpy bits along the route for a mainline and Wakefield to Huddersfield is the equivalent of a cart track – and takes over 30 minutes – it’s only a stone’s throw. Time to get back to editing.
ひとつ（”HITOTSU”) means “One” which is the first number of all but also mean “United” in Japanese.
Our action might be a little “one” to start with, but we can get together and become “ONE” to make a difference.
The silent auction party on 4.2.2011 brought original art from celebrated artists in the animation & film industry (Pixar, LucasFilms, Dreamworks, Nickelodeon to name a few ).
Featured Artists:
Dice Tsusumi, Robert Valley, Ronnie Del Carmen, Enrico Casarosa, Scott Morse, Bill Presing,Steve Purcell, Lou Romano,Cam De Leon, Tooru Terada, Daniel Simon, John Wayshak,Dan Mchale, Patrick Awa,Joey Chou, Ed Bell, Todd Ueminami, Marcos Mateu, Mari Inukai ,Yoriko Ito, Jackie Huang, Soosa Kim, Jamie Baker, Alina Chou, Oren Haskins, Sei Nakashima, Julia Lundman, Le Tang,Mark Sperber, Ted Mathot ,Tom Rubalcava, Derek Thompson, Sho Murase, Sergio Paez, Vaughn Ross,Nate Stanton… also critically acclaimed fine artists such as Miya Ando ,Kent Williams….and many more!
... between f/1.8 and f/1.2. Okay so they're not quite the same focal length, but that's a fat chunk of glass all the same.
Mercedes-Benz Citaro (BJ12 YPW) www.flickr.com/photos/138705729@N04/33716083298/in/dateta...
Mercedes-Benz Citaro (BV58 MLN) www.flickr.com/photos/138705729@N04/40627050073/in/dateta...