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It is difficult to get into the habit of good sun protection as inevitably as soon as one has done it the sun sinks behind the cloud and one has toi go back indoors. But even when it is a bit cloudy there are dangerous UV rays sneaking through so it's always best to have something on the face at least. I wear a sun hat too as I have to be paricularly careful having had to have a cancerous sun-spot removed. Thankfully it doesn't stop me from wearing my bikinis like this a favourite from River Island.
It is difficult to believe this photo was taken in June given the rain and low cloud. Fleet number 316 was captured in Princes Street crossing the South St. David Street intersection. The vehicle is working a Service 31 journey from East Craigs to Polton Mill (alternate journeys go to Bonnyrigg Hopefield) via Corstorphine, Edinburgh Zoo, Roseburn, the City Centre, Cameron Toll, Liberton, Bonnyrigg and Lasswade.
Surprisingly, in the middle of what can only be described as a desert, it’s difficult to find a telephone. For a while this had me concerned. How were we supposed to escape the danger of the Demon’s wrath, if we couldn’t even get hold of Alfred to arrange a pick up? I knew full well he’d come for us as fast as he could once he heard from me. Probably dust off the Wayne family jet to ensure he took as little time as possible. But without a telephone in sight, there was no chance he’d ever be showing up. Private jet or not.
Mercifully, things were far more fortunate for us when we entered Kahndaq. The country appeared to have settled significantly since I’d last been in it. By all accounts the civil war had come to an end not too long after Talia took me to Nanda Parbat, and this supposed dictator in charge had begun the long and difficult process of rebuilding the country. You know he must be fearsome if he’s able to frighten Ra’s Al-Ghul of all people. But despite all that, the US still insists on trying to intervene here. No doubt hoping to put in place a more….’favourable’ leader.
Can’t say I approve of those tactics. But thankfully it also has it’s, notably in that it makes it a damn sight easier to get a hold of someone if you are lucky enough to stumble upon a relatively new US military base. They were gracious enough to let use a telephone and call Alfred. To say he was delighted to hear from me would be an understatement. When I asked if he could collect both Talia and I, he jumped at the opportunity. Clearly things had been uneventful in Gotham and he was longing for something to distract him. Though he was a tad more conservative and hesitant when I mentioned where I’d need collecting from, but after a quick discussion with the base’s commander we managed to get everything sorted out.
Graciously, the base commander offered to let us use the base as the rendezvous location, which in hindsight was the ideal choice. A runway, walls on every side of the complex. Plus access to water. Given how we were in the middle of a desert, that was too good an opportunity to pass up.
Given the distance between Kahndaq and the United States, even with the Wayne family jet it was going to take Alfred at least twelve hours, not that Talia or I were complaining. After how long we’d spent running from Nanda Parbat it was great to have a chance to actually get some rest. Hell, I just wanted to get out of my worn out shoes. Thankfully, the base commander was kind enough to allow us the use of the quarters designated for use by a Government official. By all accounts it had yet to be used as well. An added bonus. Or potentially a red flag. Whilst it meant we had a fresh room waiting for us, it also raised a serious question about security. After all, it implied that either this intervention was relatively recent, or this location was too unsafe for political officials.
Possibly even both. But we didn’t let that worry us too much.
The soldiers were even generous enough to provide us both with a change of clothes. Personally, I was amazed they actually had a spare of anything to offer given the US’ history with war. No doubt there’s been a change of President back home.
As Talia and I retreated to the quarters taking with us a half litre bottle of water each, we couldn't help but notice them inspecting the blades we were both carrying. I’d imagine that they’d have confiscated the weapons were I not Bruce Wayne, the owner of one of the main companies supplying them. I guess there are a few perks to being one of the most recognisable faces in America. Despite what that may seem like we don’t arm them with weapons. My father would never allow the Wayne legacy to become dictated by the military industrial complex. Hell he often made no secret of his hatred towards it. Instead Wayne Enterprises is responsible for the transport craft and equipment used by the military.
I can still remember some of the blueprints for them in my father’s office…..they’ll all be in storage now…
Almost immediately upon entering the room, I removed my ceremonial robes and considered disposing of my sword there and then. But Talia managed to persuade me against it.
”I know that blade reminds you of him, but it means a lot to me. It’s the blade of Nazareth. A ceremonial sign of respect by the Demon’s head, and a proclamation of your right to succeed him.”
”It’s worthless now. After what we’ve just done, I doubt Ra’s has any interest in having me succeed him.”
”I wouldn’t rule yourself out beloved. My father is anything but predictable.”
”Do you think he’d look for us here?”
”Unlikely. My father won’t risk exposure until all is ready for his final move.”
”Final move?”
”His legacy. Tearing down civilisation as we know it and imposing a new world order.”
”Sounds like he and the dictator here have a lot more in common than he’d care to admit.”
”…”
”I’m sorry. I know it’s hard for you, leaving your life behind.”
Ever since we stepped foot outside of Nanda Parbat it had been clear as day that Talia’s heart was split on the matter. On one hand, she wanted to be with me, and I with her. But that came at the price of forsaking every trace of her former life. Giving up her family, her home. Everything, just for me.
Most people would feel honoured by such dedication, and I am make no mistake, but even to this I couldn’t feel comfortable about putting her in that position in the first place. Anyone would simply say to go back with her then, return to Nanda Parbat as if nothing happened. But at that point there was no going back for me.
”I know, it just bothers me that there’s far more truth in your words than I want to admit.”
There was a long pause between the two of us as I put on the spare shirt that the base commander given to me. The shirt was roughly two sizes too large for me but anything was better than wearing those robes, especially in that heat. I dread to think what Talia was feeling whilst walking through the desert in an extra layer than me. As I turned to face her I couldn’t help but notice her in the middle of removing her cloak, she managed to spot me in the corner of her eye and hesitated for a brief moment. I won’t deny, her hesitation caught me off guard. It implied that her faith in me had been slightly damaged, much to my fear.
”Sorry I didn’t mean to…”
”It’s alright, it’s just I’m a little….”
”On edge?”
”Yeah.”
”Can’t say I blame you. We won’t be truly safe until we’re onboard that jet with Alfred.”
”I don’t think we’ll be safe even then. My father has agents everywhere. He’ll be looking for us. Hunting us.”
”Then let him.”
”One does not simply invoke the wrath of the Demon without severe consequences, Bruce.”
”Maybe so, but if it comes to it, I’ll stand my ground. Both to protect myself, and to protect you.”
”I can take care of myself.”
”I know. I’ll just there to tire them out for you. Not that you need it.”
”….”
A lack of response signalled Talia’s lack of belief in my own abilities. Not exactly what you’d hope for with one of your own teachers. It’s basically an admission of you won’t always reach all that you aspire to. I think at that moment, I preferred my college professors back at GCU. At least they were willing to give me false hope.
Without trying to press for a response, I turned away from her and chose to climb into the double bed. The mattress wasn’t exactly the most comfortable thing in the world, though it’s hard to ascertain whether that was from overuse or underuse. It’s at that moment that I realised it had been almost 26 hours since I last got some sleep. Frankly it’s a wonder I hadn’t drifted off immediately upon lying on the bed. But sure enough, over the course of a minute, my eyes began to close as I slowly started to doze off to sleep. In the narrow slit of my closing eyes I could see Talia remove the arm coverings of her robes as she dropped them to the floor. From what I could make out, she took a pause after removing the arm covers just before my eyes closed.
As I attempted to make myself comfortable, I suddenly heard the springs on the other end of the bed contract steadily. More out of instinct than fear, I immediately opened my eyes to ensure it isn’t one of the League’s agents, but to my surprise it was a far more pleasant sight.
It was Talia.
She slowly knelt down on the mattress before leaning on to me with a smile on her face. Possibly the first time she’d smiled since stepping foot outside of Nanda Parbat.
”Hey.”
”Hey.”
”Is everything alright?”
”I don’t know. But I know everything will be, as long we have each other.”
It’s at that moment that I noticed Talia had changed into the sleeveless cover jacket that she was given. Though I didn’t say anything to her about it, it looked great on her. Almost anything looks great on her.
”Why’s that?”
As she held off on a response for a couple of seconds, she decided to take the time to rub her right hand on the left hand side of my face.
”You always did look so much better without a beard.”
”I’m glad you like it. I think I agree.”
”Do you think you’ll keep it this way?”
Whilst she was engaging in small talk, I couldn't help but notice her hand slowly moving further down my face and neck. My instincts screamed that she may be going for my throat, simply because it was what I was accustomed to. But my heart knew better. Sure enough, my suspicions were proven correct. Her hand moved further down before settling on the upper part of my chest, just above the part of my shirt that’s buttoned. Given the climate there, my top two buttons were unfastened, exposing part of my chest, seemingly to Talia’s delight.
”Well if you like it so much.”
”Oh, I do. Besides, I doubt Gotham wants it’s prodigal son to return looking like some sort of hobo off the street.”
”Sounds like someone’s been studying their Americanisms.”
”Well it sounds like someone was a good teacher.”
”Really? Well be sure to thank him on my behalf.”
”I will. Make sure you thank the one who taught you how to fight like a man.”
”I’m sure she’ll be very happy to hear that.”
”She probably will be, yes.”
”….Thank you. For everything. I’d be nothing without you.”
Again, there was a delay in Talia’s response. It was a second at best, but I couldn’t help but notice it. Despite her best attempts to conceal her doubt, it was all I could notice. It was then that she lifted her right leg up and positioned her body on top of me. Whilst I’ll admit it that I was taken aback at first, before I could properly respond Talia grabbed hold of my shirt and lifted my upper torso up towards her. Instinctively, we kissed.
The kiss lasted only ten seconds. But it felt like an eternity in heaven.
Before I had the chance to savour the moment, Talia released her grip causing me to fallback onto the pillow. Whilst I quickly attempted to rebalance myself, I looked to see her slowly unbuttoning my shirt whilst kissing my chest at the same time
It was perfectly clear as day what Talia wanted and I won’t deny it. I wanted it just as much as she did. But that nagging voice in my head couldn’t help but feel as if this was a result of her uncertainty. I loved this woman, and I still do, but the last thing I wanted was for her to act irrationally and do something she wasn’t sure she wanted to do. Though if there’s anything I know about Talia Al-Ghul, it’s that she never commits to something unless she truly wants it
”Talia….”
”Beloved….? You…. don’t want this?”
”No, I do. I just….I just want to make sure you do.”
Her response said it all. Without saying another word and without hesitation, she ripped open the rest of my shirt before rubbing her hands down my chest.
In that moment, I decided to stop fighting it.
Our affection for one another was undeniable, and no matter how much we tried to deny it, we longed for one another.
We craved one another.
With that, we allowed our desires to take hold.
I took a moment to stroke her beautiful face as her hands worked their way down the rest of my chest. Before she had the chance to make it to the bottom of my chest though, I lunged forward and kissed her on the lips again, causing her to fall on her back. This time, I savoured the moment between both of us. It was beautiful. Talia quickly responded by slowly unzipping her top as I removed my newly unbuttoned shirt.
Though it felt like everything was happening so fast, in that perfect moment. We were at peace with one another, and as Talia and I fully embraced one another.…words were no longer needed. Our actions spoke for themselves.
It was a night I still remember to this day. One I cherish greatly. Part of me likes to think that Talia also holds it in high regard. But little did we know, that such a moment of beauty and intimacy, would one day come back to haunt us both, in the most horrific way possible.
SPRING is here .... Who would ever have guessed that this is how we would all be "celebrating" it.
In the extremely difficult and stressful time that we are all in now, please do remember to be patient and to be kind and thankful to everyone who still has to work, especially Health Care workers - my daughter is one of them, and she said that she is overly stressed and exhausted, partly because of families and visitors who lose their temper over restrictions that have been put in place in the hospital.
The day before yesterday, I finally made a trip to a couple of stores, that I really didn't want to do. I needed food and I did buy an extra one of various items - but no hoarding. The cashier at the food store told me that one of the young cashiers had been in tears because of being yelled at by some customers. At the drug store, the young woman cashier told me that she was so stressed out, again partly because of yelling customers, that she was about to burst into tears. We had a good talk, as there was no one waiting behind me in line, and I made sure to thank her for meticulously sanitizing the work space at the till. A few kind words can make all the difference, people! There were no (long) line-ups at either store, for which I was extremely thankful. I know I do need to be very careful myself - I have 3 of the risk factors; age, high blood pressure, and the most concerning being a chronic cough that I have had for maybe 10 or so years, which sometimes turns into a coughing fit where I can't breath. Went through all sorts of tests but no one could find a cause. So, here I am, still coughing! The last thing I would want is the Coronavirus cough on top of it! Stay safe and well, everyone!!
Saw Westjet's announcement yesterday, 18 March 2020: "CALGARY — WestJet Airlines says some of its passengers may have been exposed to people infected with the novel coronavirus on recent flights." I just shake my head that someone would take this risk and fly for something not urgent, putting the rest of us at greater risk. Totally thoughtless and selfish, in my opinion.
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CORONAVIRUS UPDATE, 16 March 2020: 74 confirmed cases in Alberta, 342 in Canada. 4 deaths in Canada - so far, all have been in British Columbia.
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE, 17 March 2020: 97 confirmed cases in Alberta, 447 cases in Canada. 70 confirmed cases in the Calgary Zone. 7 deaths in Canada.
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE, 18 March 2020: 119 confirmed cases in Alberta, 83 confirmed cases in Calgary Zone, 591 in Canada. 8 deaths in Canada.
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE, 19 March 2020: 119 confirmed cases in Alberta, 83 confirmed cases in Calgary Zone, 690 in Canada. 9 deaths in Canada.
www.alberta.ca/coronavirus-info-for-albertans.aspx
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Thursday, 19 March 2020: our temperature shortly after noon is -9C (windchill -16C). Sunrise is at 7:39 am, and sunset is at 7:49 pm. It is lightly snowing - again.
The 8 photos posted today were all taken on Day 11 of our 13-day birding trip to South Texas, in March 2019. The first place we went to was the Birding and Nature Centre, on South Padre Island. The afternoon before, we had spent two hours there, but our "proper" visit was for three hours in the morning of Day 11. Such a great place!
We had our picnic lunch at the nearby Convention Centre and then looked for a Yellow-throated Warbler near the Centre. Amazingly, we did see it, along with a Black and white Warbler and a Wilson's Warbler. Not easy trying to photograph these fast-moving little birds that get hidden among the branches.
Someone told us about a different location and a short drive south from the Centre took us to around W Sheepshead St and Laguna Blvd, where we saw a Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Monarch butterflies, and a Green Anole (lizard).
Driving north again, we called in at a beach that was part of the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, where we could enjoy seeing the ocean waves and Laughing Gulls. This was our last stop before returning to our hotel, the Holiday Inn Express & Suites, Brownsville.
The next day, 30 March 2019, we had to drive from Brownsville to Houston, where we stayed for one night at La Quinta Inn & Suites Houston. The following day, we flew from Bush Intl Airport back to Calgary. What a fantastic holiday!
Never have I dealt with anything more difficult than my own soul, which sometimes helps me and sometimes opposes me.
Al-Ghazali
At first glance, the comparison of these two monuments seems only to be a source of antithesis; however contradictory the suggestion may seem, it will only be a question of analogies. In an ingenious and documented study, Mr Knauth, architect of Strasbourg Cathedral, demonstrated that, under an absolutely different appearance, the basilica entrusted to his care and the Great Pyramid of Egypt, known as Cheops, were designed according to an identical formula.
After the work of Colonel Howard Vyse and John Taylor, Piazzi Smyth did further research. At the entrance to the antechamber of the royal tomb, in the middle of a granite slab, a round button protrudes a fifth of its thickness. Smyth claims to find there the unit of measurement of the master builder of the pyramid; he calls the meter pyramidal five times the thickness of this button, that is to say a measure of 0.6356 m, and for this meter he adopts a division into twenty-five inches of pyramid; this mysterious detail would thus have a thickness of five inches and a projection of one inch. "It is hardly doubtful, writes Smyth, that this measure served as a unit to the builder as well in his project as in the execution, because all the measurements of lanes and chambers give rise to the most surprising relations, if they are carried out by means of this measure. "The pyramidal metre represents exactly the twenty millionth part of the earth's diameter. The latter has 12 712 178 meters[8]. The pyramidal metre is therefore worth 0.6 356 089 metre.Faced with these similarities, one naturally begins to wonder whether certain architectural principles dating back to the highest antiquity have not been perpetuated by tradition through the ages. As a result of the frequent surveys required by the floods of the Nile, the Egyptians were familiar with the surveying and geometric layouts; the Gothic masters were not inferior on these points; the marvellous monuments of all sizes they left us prove this overabundantly.
Were the rules put into practice kept by each other in the construction workshops as mysterious secrets? So many questions that it is easier to ask than to solve.
Thus reduced to his mathematical data alone, Mr. Knauth's work takes on a categorical appearance that he does not have in the original work. The eminent architect does not attempt to draw absolute and reckless consequences from his study. He only hopes that the same surveying process will be applied to other medieval édifices. In the future now to tell us if new experiences will come confirmer his thesis.
In the records of the city of London, the term "alchemy" appears as early as 1375. In those days, this referred to working fith fire permitted to freely travel the country at a time when the feudal system shackled most peasants closely to the land. They gathered in groups to work on large projects, moving from one finished castle or cathedral to the planning and building of the next. For mutual protection, education, and training, they bound themselves together into a local lodge - the building, put up at a construction site, where workmen could eat and rest. Eventually, a lodge came to signify a group of macigians based in a particular locality. The premier alchemist lodge was formed in England in 1717, the official date of the organization of the various lodges and the start of Alchemy proper. Although the style of Alchemic ritual suggest Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Templar, Rosicrucian and qabalistic origins, nothing less is true. A historical link cannot be established and given the fact that in those days no alchemists was able to read Egyptian, no direct connection with Egyptian spirituality was available. Unmistakably, the Founding Fathers of Alchemy incorporated Egyptian symbols in their various rituals and grades, as every one dollar bill makes clear. These archaisms prove the need of Alchemy to root its teachings and practices in a nonexistent, fictional historical past in order to give itself, its rituals and precepts an air of antiquity. This is especially the case in the Romantic era, when exotic tastes became fashionable. With egyptomania no longer served isolated individuals & groups, but fed the ruling classes, who were desperately trying to cope with the antagonisms and lack of humanity of emergent capitalism and the religious wars raging in Europe since the days of Luther (1483 - 1546). Alchemy and its founding myth was deemed the alternative of the educated. The God of revelation was also the "Great Architect", and in every lodge a Bible or a Koran was present. This to show the "God of the philosophers" was not a priori in conflict with the God of revelation. But the Roman Church was antagonistic, as could be expected. As a system of personal growth within a closed community of kindred spirits, alchemy survived to this day, divided between those who accept God and those who do not, between those who see symbols as instruments of growth and those who use them as gates to occult regions of the universe. Alchemy has become (or has always been ?) conservative and opaque. Its non-transparant and non-democratic (military) features may run against non-strategic, open communication, which is the foundation of social-economical justice and equality. Philosophy is more of an interest group than a spiritual organization, although some lay claim to precisely the opposite. As none of the original Egyptian teachings were available to its Founding Fathers, Alchemy, in order to accommodate the new times ahead, is bound to be reformed.
► the Rosicrucian Order...As a system of belief, Rosicrucianism came to the notice of the general public in the 17th century. In the two Rosicrucian Manifestoes, a mysterious personage called "Christian Rosenkreutz" is mentioned. But according to legend, the symbolism of the Rose and the Cross was first displayed in 11th century Spain. During a fierce battle against the Moors, an Aragonese Knight named Arista saw a cross of light in the sky with a rose on each of its arms. A monastery to commemorate his victory was erected and time later an Order of Chivalry with the emblem of these Roses and the Cross founding the monastery. The Rose and the Cross appeared in the banner of Raymond VI, Count of Toulouse when he tried to defend the Cathars against the armies of Pope Innocent III. It was in the form of a cross, described as "de gueules à la croix et pommettée d'or" ("gueule" means "red", derived from the Arabic "gul", which means "rose"). The emblem of the Cross with the red Rose in the middle square became the emblem of the Rosicrucian movement and its many orders, lodges and societies. In the Fama Fraternitatis (or Laudable Fraternity of the Rosy Cross), Christian Rosenkreutz is said to have journeyed to Damascus, Damcar, Egypt and Fez. He met those in possession of "secret teachings". He synthesized the best of these teachings and went to Spain. Finally, he returned to Germany and chose three men with whom he founded an order, meant to instruct its members in the knowledge he had obtained in the Middle East. So the typical founding myth goes. After the publication of the Manifestos, the Rosicrucians influenced the culture of Western Europe. Rosicrucianism developed along two lines, on the one hand, the scientists, intellectuals and reformers in the social, political and philosophical fields (like Descartes and Boyle) and, on the other hand, those (like Fludd, Dee, Comenius and Ashmole) concerned with occultism and mysticism (cf. the distinction between philosophical and technical Hermetica). In France, Rosicrucianism had a revival climaxing in the early 19th and the first years of the 20th century. Especially Martinez de Pasqually (1727 - 1774), Louis-Claude de Saint Martin (1743 - 1803) and Papus (1865 - 1918) are noted. ► the Golden Dawn...In 1865, and Englishman named Robert Wentforth Little founded an esoteric society, the Rosicrucian Society in Anglia. Membership was limited to Master Masons. When Little died in 1878, three men took over, a retired medical doctor, William Woodman (1828 - 1891), a coroner, Wynn Westcott (1848 - 1925) and Samuel Liddell "MacGregor" Mathers (1854 - 1918), who, as a young man, spent much of his time in the British Museum, working through piles of dusty manuscripts. He translated three Medieval magical texts : The Greater Key of King Solomon, The Kaballah Unveiled and The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage. In 1887, so the story goes, Westcott received from Reverend Woodward, an elderly parson and author on Alchemy, a set of cipher manuscripts. He asked the clairvoyant and inspired Mathers to assist him (one legend says both men forged the document, in another Westcott found it on a bookstall in Farringdon Street, and in yet another the document was inherited). Both men found the code of the cipher was contained in a work of Trithemius, the influential Steganographia extolled by John Dee (1527 - 1608), the Elizabethan scholar and astrologer of Queen Elisabeth I. It concerned "angel-magic" and Dee had secured a copy of it in Antwerp. They uncovered skeletons of rituals and Mathers expanded them. Together they started the Golden Dawn (GD), a secret Victorian society aiming to harbor true Rosicrucianism and allow its members to accomplish the Great Work. A complete system of ritual magic based on the history of Western occultism was practiced. In contrast with the Theologic policy of the Rosicrucian Society, the order admitted women members as equals. Its members were recruited from every circle of life. In these rituals, Egyptian, Jewish, Greek & Christian elements were combined. However, the combination of these various traditions led to depletion. A spiritual tradition is as strong as it is pure, i.e. devoid of notions, ideas, concepts, symbols, beliefs, rituals etc. foreign to it. Although syncretism may be intellectually satisfying, it hinders spiritual emancipation. This is certainly true if the elements combined are very different, as is the case here. Because Mathers was unable to read Egyptian texts, he could not make the crucial distinction between the Egyptian approach and the Hellenistic view (incorporated in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hermetism and Hermeticism). Neither could he isolate the native Egyptian elements present in historical Hermetism. By nevertheless incorporating Egyptian deities (in particular the Osiris-cycle), the GD walked the path of egyptomania.
► Aleister Crowley...Aleister Crowley (1875 - 1947) entered the GD in 1898, introduced to the order by George Cecil Jones (1873 - 1953). The influence of this "Hermetic Order" shaped his life. He continued to ferment the teachings of the GD until he died. In fact, he considered himself and his Thelemic Order of the Silver Star to be its lawful heir. The problems between Crowley and the Adepts of the order started in December 1899 (the first time he met Mathers), i.e. by the time he had taken his Portal grade, the preliminary to the crucial Adept Minor degree. When, in September 1900, he applied to be advanced to the level of Adepthood, the College of Adepts refused. They disliked Crowley, his attitudes and way of life. Some of them probably did not believe an adept should drink, have fun, fornicate and raising hell with enthusiasm. His scandalous reputation won the disapproval of his seniors, who were in their right to refuse him. So, in the same month, Crowley went to Paris, and was initiated in the Ahathoor Temple by Mathers himself ! Between Paris and London a deep schism had been in the making and now tensions truly exploded. When the London adepts heard Mathers had initiated him, the breach was complete. When applying for the lectures he was now entitled, he was again refused and physically thrown out. To Florence Farr, Yeats and many others, Crowley was an outcast, an opportunist who had endangered the link with Mathers. He promptly notified Mathers and the latter arranged a meeting with the "rebels" in London. Crowley acted as Mathers' plenipotentiary, and to protect himself, dressed up in the garb of Highland chieftain, concealing his face with a heavy black mask. Clearly Mathers had been a poor judge of characters, raising lunatic power freaks to Adepthood ...The GD did not recover from the insanity and within a few years became a dispersed organization, with several Temples conducted by different groupings of men, each appointing their own Chiefs. Waite kept the Isis-Urania Temple, but in 1914 he closed it down. Next, Crowley invented his own egyptomanic movement. In Cairo in 1904, the "minister" of Re dictated a new revelation to him, the "Book of the Law" ! Crowley became the "prophet" of the New Age of Horus ! The two major Egyptian deities he incorporated were the sky-goddess Nut and Horus of Edfu ("Hadit"). Had he known the cults of Ancient Egypt well enough, he would have realized they had no revelation or dogma, and certainly no "holy" books (for hieroglyphic writing itself was sacred). Was Crowley's "law" a concoction of his own power driven subconscious mind ? In 1909, he called in the "demon of demons" and turned Satanic. The psychosis had become irreversible ...Do these highlights show the scope of the phantasies, fictions and lies incorporated into the Western Tradition since the start of the Renaissance ? Indeed, to identify the backbone of this Tradition with the Qabalah was the outstanding mistake prompted by the fraud of Moses de Leon. This has perturbated thousands of excellent minds, causing them to constantly replay their own illusions, and loose, unlike Rabbi Akiba, after entering the "garden of delights", their sight, reason or faith in God. "The impeding turn of the millennium nourishes hopes of a new spiritual light for humankind in the aspirations of many. Egypt will surely play a role in such developments in both its forms : pharaonic Egypt and the esoteric-Hermetic Egypt. There has been increasing talk of the relevance of the Hermetic Weltanschauung as a point of view that can contribute to making sense of our modern world by seeking a direct connection with the original wisdom of the oldest cultures and with the core idea of all esoteric thought, according to which the ancient wisdom continues to be valid even in a world that has been transformed."
Can we today turn the page ? Can a spiritual movement emerge which focuses on a thematical reconstruction of Ancient Egyptian spirituality, and this based on the evidence of contemporary science regarding Ancient Egyptian religious practice in general and its basic ritual matrix in particular ? Several individuals work along those lines, coupling study with ritual practice (Hope, 1986, Schueler, 1989, Clark, 2003, Draco, 2003). In such a "Kemetic" reconstruction, no Jewish, Greek, Hermetic, Christian or Hermeticist elements should persist. Is this really possible, and if so, is such spirituality indeed the true backbone of our Western Tradition ? The advantage being the isolation of a tradition untouched by what today may be called "foreign elements". Such an exercise is not easy (not to speak of the contextual limitations of any author). For Hermetism did retain parts of the Egyptian Mystery Tradition, and in a lesser degree, the same goes for Hermeticism, and yes, even for the revealed religions, Christianity first. The thematical reconstruction sought is approached in two steps :
the influence of Egyptian spirituality on Alexandrian Hermetism ; the form of the basic matrix of native Egyptian religion.
In this paper, the first step is dealt with. The second will only be touched in the Epilogue. In the following ten paragraphs, we study ten basic notions of Hermetism (in other forms present in the mix of Hermeticism and in the "mystical" traditions of the religions). We try to find their Ancient Egyptian equivalent "in embryo" :mentalism : the gods, the world and humanity are the outcome of Divine thought ;correspondence : the same characteristics apply to each unity or plane of the world ;
change : nothing remains the same, everything vibrates, nothing is at rest ; polarity : everything has two poles, there are two sides to everything ; rhythm : all things have their tides, rise and fall, advance and retreat, act and react ; cause & effect : everything happens according to law, there is no coincidence ; gender : male and female are in every body and mind, but not in the soul ; timing : everything happens when the time is ripe, things start at the right time ; intent : nature works according to a purposeful plan, pure will masters the stars ; transformation : everything can be transformed into something else, opposites meet. In earlier studies, the special cognitive features of Ancient Egyptian thought, language & literature have been explained. Grosso modo, these imply the difference between rational thought, initiated by the Greeks, and ante-rationality. The latter is the mode of thought of pre-Greek Antiquity and of societies untouched by the linearizing streak of the Hellenes. Before the advent of rationality, three modes of thought prevailed, as Piaget, genetical epistemology and neurophilosophy made clear. These are mythical, pre-rational and proto-rational thought, in which the Ancient Egyptians excelled. Clearly Hermetism was codified using Greek conceptual rationality (giving birth to the influential systems of Plato and Aristotle). Hence, if we try to correlate these concepts with their native Egyptian equivalent, this cognitive difference has to be taken into account, and the multiplicity of approaches characterizing Egyptian thought has to be made an integral part of the equation. So because of this crucial difference, in all my translations of Egyptian texts and commentary, terms related to the Divine are not capitalized (i.e. god, gods, goddess, goddesses, divine, and pantheon), while in Hermetism and all rational discourses they are. This in accord with the contextualizing feature of anterationality, while rationality always puts context between brackets, and by doing so articulates an abstract, theoretical concept of the Divine.
Both Memphis and Alexandria underline the importance of the spoken and written word. Already in the Old Kingdom, Pharaoh was the Great Speech and his magic powerful, and dreaded, even by the deities. But in Late Ramesside Memphite theology, Ptah was the true primordial "god of gods", superceding Atum, in who's "image" (of totality) the universe was created (as demiurge), and establishing the supremacy of the divine word and speech. Memphite theology is explicit : every thing was made by Ptah's mind and spoken words.
Likewise, in Hermetism, the Divine Logos is the "son of God" coming forth from the Light of the Divine Nous, the teacher who, not unlike the one evoked in the Maxims of Good Discourse, gives his pupil access to the Divine Nous, a direct experience (gnosis) of the Godman Hermes. The idealist notion of the universe as a mental creation of The All, making all mind, being typical for Hermetism. The fact this teacher is "Ogdoadic" and not "Hebdomadic" (as was Pharaoh), may refer to the Greek escape from fate and the physical world (whereas the Egyptians saw the divine at work in all planes of creation).
The magical power of words is acknowledged by both traditions. Magic involves the power of efficiency (effectiveness) and the ability to counter every possible inertia and opposition, executing intent to its full capacity.
Especially Pharaoh is the "Great Magician", who is able, like the gods, to create by means of speech. He alone was the "son of Re", divine and able to encounter the deities face to face. His voice-offerings to Maat ensured the continuity of creation. By speaking the right words, the whole of creation could be rejuvenated. Likewise (but on another ontological level), the "son of God", the Ogdoadic teacher, brings the pupil directly in contact with the Enneadic Light of Nous.
The parallels drawn do not allow for an identification of both traditions, as major category-shifts occur. Indeed, together with the rejection of the physical bodyn (cf. infra), mentalism is an outstanding feature of the Hermetica. Nevertheless, in the overall semantic pattern major points overlap. The mentalism of Hermetism was not implanted on the native Egyptian intellectuals part of the Hermetic lodge "from above", but could make use of the available, longstanding verbal tradition of Egypt, linearize and "perfect" it in Greek style ...and more later in Strassburg and suitable in the city of London?
I never thought a PAW(photography a week) project would be so difficult. Lately, I’ll admit that my inspiration has been waning, almost like its on vacation and I’m not feeling that mojo any more. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it but to use Robin Wong's phrase during a “shutter therapy” session I came had some revelations.
Revelations
In order for me to shoot, my camera must be small and portable.I don’t like being noticed on the streets especially in Downtown Miami where its no cake walk. Heard of the “Miami Cannibal” I photographed the victim almost a year ago while on the streets.If my camera sits in the bag for 2 continuous weeks, then there is a problem.
In essence, I’ve now fully dabbled into the world of dslr’s and noticed that they’re not my thing, especially if I’m just walking and shooting and don’t like to be a photographer. I did have some great times with the Nikon D80/50mm 1.8 because its AF was super fast and I was actually playing the tourist card. Something I do once in a while with varying degrees of success but for everyday shooting I simply don’t take out the dslr out of the bag all that much. It is, what it is folks, a love affair with small compact cameras.
Like love, sometimes its not clear to everyone why two people are in love and they maintain a relationship. Most of the time its a mystery and that's part of the beauty of love and that's the way I see it here in my world. Strolling along the streets documenting what I see and just letting the energy flow. With that said, I'm back in the micro four third world again and I couldn't be happier(I'm actually smiling). If I've learned anything in these 39 years of life, its that, you gotta do what makes you happy and like my friend Wouter Brandsma says "Simplify".
See the rest of the images here: www.ledesmaphotography.com/2012/06/09/week-23-2012-revela...
Your comments and faves are very appreciated.
Press "L" to view large - Press "F" to add as favorite
Taken in difficult light.
The Mute swan is a very large white waterbird. It has a long S-shaped neck and an orange bill with a black base and a black knob. It flies with its neck extended and regular, slow wingbeats. The population in the UK has increased recently, perhaps due to better protection of this species.
The mute swan (Cygnus olor) is a species of swan and a member of the waterfowl family Anatidae. It is native to much of Eurosiberia, and (as a rare winter visitor) the far north of Africa. It is an introduced species in North America – home to the largest populations outside of its native range – with additional smaller introductions in Australasia and southern Africa. The name 'mute' derives from it being less vocal than other swan species.[2][3][4] Measuring 125 to 170 cm (49 to 67 in) in length, this large swan is wholly white in plumage with an orange beak bordered with black. It is recognisable by its pronounced knob atop the beak, which is larger in males.
It was so difficult for me to get my hands on Monster High boy dolls when I began collecting in 2013. The dolls were at the height of their popularity, and as a result, many people were going to stores and purchasing entire cartons of what they deemed to be "rare" and "desirable" dolls. Characters like Deuce and Gil were scarcely found in the wild. Instead, you would see copious numbers of them listed online for double, triple, QUADRUPLE their retail price. It seemed like a pipe dream for me in those early days that I would ever have a substantial collection of the Monster High boys. Colleen reassured me that the fad would die down and the dolls would be obtainable. I'm so glad I listened to her, because within a year or so, it was not impossible to find those same characters. I got this set in early 2015. There were oodles of them at a local Toys 'R' Us, and they were all on sale! At the same time, the Picnic Casket for 2 pack was also marked down (they were about 50% off if I'm not mistaken). Since I was trying to use self restraint and get a handle on my shopping addiction, I decided to only purchase one of the two sets. Since I loved the theme of the Manster pack more, and I also liked that it came with not just one, but TWO boys, it was the set that came home with us. It also helped that Deuce was included in the pack...he's always been my favorite Monster High character. Although I have other Deuce and Gil dolls now, this set will always have a special place in my heart. I never imagined a day when I could stroll into Toys 'R' Us and get a set of boy dolls on sale, with plenty of them in stock. Ironically, I assume that the Manster pack wasn't popular with little kids, as they seem to gravitate towards female dolls. Once the craze for marking the guy dolls up on eBay died down, finding my beloved male characters was so much easier...and they were almost always marked down!
The theme of this set is super unique--just two guys bro-ing it down with energy drinks and a game. What I find most appealing about this idea is that it reminds me of the things Colleen used to do with our childhood Ken dolls. I remember when she got heavily into playing with Ken circa 2003/2004, after purchasing a scraggly My First Ken at the flea market. Chandler was the first guy in our doll world to truly be his own entity. He wasn't just the girl doll's boyfriend or the little kids' father. He had an entire cast of friends and a set of interests. If the Manster pack had been out when Colleen and I were growing up, we would have created all sorts of scenarios with it. I can envision Chandler inviting Deuce and Gil over to guys' night, and the group of mismatched 80s/90s Kens, Disney dudes, and Monster High guys playing games and drinking sugary sodas/energy drinks. Colleen's beloved Kid Kore Katie probably would have interrupted at some point, as she was the pest in our doll family. Becky would have also made an appearance, requesting some sort of help with her wheelchair (sometimes Chandler was her brother, other times it was Water Jewel Magic Aladdin). Knowing how much we would have loved Deuce, Gil, and their "manly" accessories makes me cherish this set all that much more.
The KOM League
Flash Report
For
Week of January 27, 2020
This report was very difficult to start and finish. Thus, if you have trouble in the reading of it toss the unread portion and demand a refund of your subscription.
www.flickr.com/photos/60428361@N07/49444185167/
With the onset of 2020 the writer of these reports can now claim to have lived in parts or all of ten decades. That was said in attempt to excuse the inauspicious debut of the reports for this decade.
As all of you know, since the last report was shared college football has a new champion, the President has been impeached and baseball players “cheat.” So, what else is new? Saying that baseball teams steal signs is akin to Mrs. Noah telling her husband “It looks like it is going to rain.”
With regard to impeachment I regret to report that the editor of the Flash Report series has fallen upon the same fate of another John, Donald John Trump. For high crimes and misdemeanors, Yours truly now faces the “Senate of the KOM League readers” for their determination as to whether I should be removed from the office of purveyor of KOM League news. There are two articles for which John G. Hall now stands accused.
Impeachment Article #1
It was reported that a Christmas card was received from Kenny Bennett a pitcher for the 1949 Independence Yankees. That part of the article was correct. However, the statement he was a resident of a nursing home was in error. He wrote back this note....” Hi John. This is Ken Bennett. I am not in a nursing home. That was my wife who has since passed. I am at an independent living community, Friendship Village of Sunset Hills. I still play golf two times a week although I only play 9 holes. I am now 91 and in good health. Have a happy New Year.”
Impeachment Article #2
An apology was issued immediately to Bennett. Then, I got into some serious "digging" on a person who reportedly passed away this past year, George Edward Seeley. I was incorrect and the KOM League House of Representatives has accused me of malfeasance.
George Seeley or George Seeley
For over 25 years I have been conflicted by Mr. Seeley's place of birth and year of same. Upon initial research the Ponca City News stated that he was from Pueblo, Colorado. For the quarter of a century searching for this fellow nothing definitive could be found on until recently. That is when I learned of the death of a George Seeley in Colorado Springs this year.
In looking more closely at the death of the Seeley from Colorado it was evident he wasn't ever a professional baseball player, let alone a Ponca City Dodger.
For as long as the research has been conducted, regarding the KOM league, I have been aware of George Edward Seeley born May 23, 1925 in Detroit, Michigan. His life took many twists and turns. His father, Fayette, was an automobile transport sales manager who moved to Cincinnati, Ohio by the early 1940's. His son, George was sent to the Virginia Episcopal Preparatory School in Lynchburg, Virginia where in 1941 pitched on a state championship team.
After his time at Lynchburg young George returned to Cincinnati where he attended and graduated from Withrow High School. During the summer months he played American Legion baseball.
On February 3, 1944 Seeley entered the U. S. Army and served until March 28, 1946. During service to his country he was assigned to the 1562nd Army Air Force Base Unit Transport Command. He was selected to the all amateur team chosen to play the Manila Dodgers at Rizal Stadium in the Philippines.
General Burton Reynolds had conceived of gathering a team of big league stars, who were in the service, to play games against other military teams for morale boosting. Manila had such big name players as Kirby Higbe, Joe Garagiola, Max Macon, Frank LaManna, Early Wynn, Jim Hearn et. al. This group of fellows was the Philippine and Pacific Olympic champions.
In probably the biggest game of his life, Seeley, and his Air Transport team beat the Manila Dodgers. That may have been the birth of the term "Manila Folders."
Nine months after returning home from the Army, Seeley married Clarisee Marie Chartier three days after Christmas in 1946. He was a living in Dearborn, Michigan at the time he was signed by the Dodgers.
It is now my belief that he was initially assigned to the Pueblo, Colo. roster in 1947 and that is how the Ponca City News reported, he was from that city. Regardless, his time in the KOM league was limited to two games and then he was sent to Zanesville, Ohio. At the end of the 1947 season he was released by the Dodgers and signed by the Chicago White Sox. He played for Superior, Wis. in 1948 and posted an 8-0 record. That was the conclusion of his baseball career.
All that I have been able to learn about Seeley is that he died February 5, 1991 in St. Clair Shores, Michigan.
The vote of the Senate
Whether John G. Hall remains in the position of editor of this publication rests in the vote of the full Senate of readers. I have assembled the best attorney’s that can be secured with the funds available. Those funds are derived from subscribers of the Flash Reports. At last count the Flash Reports didn’t have a single subscriber, only a few casual readers. So, if I’m to remain in office some of you need to cast your vote for acquittal.
In the meantime I’ll attempt to continue in my current position and uphold the low standards that have become synonymous with this publication. The rest of this report addresses them.
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Joseph Walter Turek Sr.
www.ziegenheinfuneralhome.com/notices/Joseph-TurekSr
The following is the content of the obituary cited in the link contained above.
Joseph W. Turek, Sr., 97 of Ste. Genevieve, Mo. Fortified with the Sacraments of Holy Mother Church on December 29, 2019.
Loving husband of the late Jean (nee Jordan) Turek; Beloved father of Joseph (Dianne) Turek, Jr., Daniel (Debbie) Turek, Donna (James) Van Dillen, Sr., Christopher (Andrea) Turek, Sr., Matthew Turek, Mary (Thomas) Schanuel, Patricia A. Turek and John (Joelle) Turek; Loving grandfather of 24, great-grandfather of 19, Dear brother, uncle & friend.
Joseph Walter Turek informed this source of his Father’s passing on January 1, 2020. This was his message: “Hi John: Wanted you to know my father, Joe Turek,Sr., passed away Sunday, December 29, 2019 from natural causes. He was 97. Decorated Combat Medic, veteran of the Battle of Bulge, and The Ardennes. His wife of 48 years, Jean, preceded him in death in 1998. They had 8 children, 23 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren. Joe retired was a union carpenter.
Ed comment:
Joe Turek Sr. was a 3rd baseman for the 1947 Bartlesville, Okla. Oilers, having been sent there by the Keokuk ball club. He hadn’t been in the oil city of Bartlesville very long until he headed off to the train station and went back to St. Louis. He didn’t announce his departure but after spending time in some of the great battles of WWII he wasn’t that fond of being shuffled around minor league outposts of the Pittsburgh Pirates and thus he departed for home sweet home.
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Richard Weissman
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Paul Herman Hoffmeister
A note to Mary Lou Hoffmeister
Noel and I send along our thoughts to you on the first anniversary of Paul's passing. Thank you so much on remembering. That meant a lot to me. Paul and I sure loved those reunions and always looked forward to them! Great times and people.
Mary Lou’s reply:
You and Noel were sooo special to organize them. I still like the pictures that you send but, I know that there are not many players left and that is sad but, I just try to remember the good times and there were many. The reunions were certainly an important part of them!
Please keep in touch, stay well, here’s wishing you a blessed New Year!
Love to you both. Mary Lou
Regular message from legacy.com about anniversary dates of deceased
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Mark Santo-- Tue, Dec 31, 2019, 4:30
Hi John, Best wishes for a Happy and Healthy New Year!
Thank you for all your work in putting together these reports. Even though I am a newcomer to your work I would still be sorry to see your reports stop. But please don't feel compelled to keep doing this unless you get some measure of pleasure or satisfaction out of it and there isn't something else you could be doing that would bring greater pleasure or satisfaction. It's probably safe to say that you've greatly exceeded all reasonable expectations related to these reports and that no one would want the continuation of this publication to be a burden on you. If you stopped today I am sure you would receive nothing less than the equivalent of a standing ovation from a roaring crowd.
Best Regards, Santo
Reply:
A standing "O" would be something totally foreign to me. If I ever came close to something like that it was probably due to my departure from a job or gathering of folks who didn't care very much of my presence
I was thinking about sending you a note earlier this week. The report that I shared with the 1951 Ponca City Dodgers as the featured photo has had nearly 11,000 views.
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Gene Castiglione—
www.legacy.com/obituaries/thetelegraph/obituary.aspx?n=eu... Photo included
BENLD (Ill.) — Gene (Deke) Castiglione was born June 30th, 1928 to Guy Castiglione and Adella (Soda) Castiglione in Chicago, Illinois. He passed away at 12:10 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 7th, 2020 at Saint John's Hospital in Springfield, Illinois, surrounded by his family.
He was a talented four sport athlete at Benld High School, where he graduated in 1946. He played football, track and basketball, but his best sport was baseball. In 1947 Hall of Famer, George Sisler, signed Gene to the Dodgers Minor League System, with whom he had a contract for six years. During that time frame, he played for the Dodger Minor League Teams, Ponca City, Oklahoma; Greenville, South Carolina; Ashville, North Carolina; Great Falls, Montana; and Knoxville, Tennessee.
Each year Gene played in the minors, he was chosen for the All Star Team. In 1949, while in the KOM League, he played alongside baseball great Mickey Mantle on the All-Star Team. That year Mickey Mantle had 13 home runs and Gene had six homeruns, for which he was extremely proud.
Gene was rated the best defensive 2nd baseman in the Dodger Minor League System that year. Every year when baseball season ended, Gene was honored, along with two high school classmates who were also in the minor league, Cubby Contratto and Emil Borgini, at their hometown of Benld, Illinois, where these athletes were celebrated with a parade and a big baseball game. Gene served in the U.S. Army from 1951 – 1952. While serving in the Philippines as a surveyor, he played baseball on the weekends with the Philippines Semi-Pro Team. In 1951, he was chosen to play baseball with the U.S. 10th Airforce Pacific Tournament Team.
After his military service and baseball, Gene was a successful businessman at IBM in St. Louis, Missouri, for 10 years, working his way up from typewriter repair to supervisor. While working at IBM, he served as a Bird Dog Scout for the Major League Team, the Houston Colts. Gene experienced success at Echlin Manufacturing Plant in Litchfield, Illinois, where he met his wife, Sharon, and served as a foreman until retirement.
Gene was a loving brother, husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He lived a long life, enjoying his retirement and spending time with friends and family.
He is survived by wife, Sharon (Dooley) Castiglione; brother, Frank Castiglione; Stepson, Scott Reynolds; granddaughter, Stephanie Reynolds and her spouse, Kyle Ruppert; great-granddaughters, Krysten and Abby Ruppert, and their soon to be born brother or sister.
Published in The Telegraph from Jan. 15 to Jan. 21, 2020
Ed comment:
Gene and his wife, Sharon, were regular attendees at KOM league events. He attended the very first function ever held in reuniting KOM leaguers. It was an event at the Columbia, Mo. Public Library with a whole hog roast later that day at a local park. What should have been a mild spring evening turned out to resemble cold winter’s night. Most of the attendees weren’t prepared for the bad weather and a few expressed the desire to change places with the hog.
Many memories of Gene came to mind upon learning of his death. The last time we met was at the funeral of Bernie Tye, in 1997, where we both served as pallbearers for the KOM league funny man.
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Joe B. Elble
www.kiblerbradyruestman.com/obituaries/Joseph-Elble/#!/Ob...
Bloomington (Ill.) - Joseph B. Elble, Sr., 87, of Bloomington, passed away at 1:35 a.m. on Saturday, January 18, 2020 at Heritage Health in Bloomington.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, January 24, 2020, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 801 S. Madison, Bloomington, with Pastor Chuck Bahn officiating. Military rites will be accorded by the Bloomington-Normal American Legion Honor Guard. A visitation will be held on Thursday, January 23, 2020, from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at the church and also one hour prior to the service on Friday. Kibler-Brady-Ruestman Memorial Home is assisting with arrangements.
Memorials may be made to the Trinity Lutheran Church Cornerstone Building Fund or to a charity of the donor's choice.
Joe was born on April 16, 1932, in Alton, IL, son of Leonard and LaVerne (Tuscher) Elble. He married Shirley Duelm on September 11, 1955, at Messiah Lutheran Church in Alton.
Surviving are his wife, Shirley of Bloomington; children, Joseph (Shann) Elble, Jr. of Normal, Jeffrey (Lisa) Elble of Grand Rapids, MI, Michael (Kelly Norwood) Elble of San Antonio, TX, Mark (GiGi) Elble of Tampa, FL; grandchildren Joseph Benjamin III, Addison, Sarah, Ryan, Leila, Nicholas, and Alexander; great-grandchildren, Joseph Benjamin IV, Logan, Charles and Liam.
After completing high school, Joe was drafted by the Giants and played professional baseball before beginning his service to his country in the United States Army. Returning to Alton, Joe began his career as a homebuilder and married the love of his life, Shirley. Joe's career later brought him to Bloomington where he worked as a builder and contractor before culminating his building career at Baumgart Building Center.
Joe began his second career managing 4-Seasons Health Club, a perfect position for his outgoing, friendly, personality.
Joe was a member and former Elder at Trinity Lutheran Church. He was an avid woodworker and fisherman, loved puzzles and bingo and most importantly he loved spending time with his boys, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Joe's primary goal in life was to make someone smile every day.
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Reader comments regarding previous issue
•
I don’t know if you realize it but your reports have meant a lot to so many. I know you aren’t looking for a pat on the back but it is people like you that keep our treasured history alive.
Keep it up and have a wonderful and healthy new year. R. Jason Wallace—Grandson of Robert Leroy Matthew Saban former KOM leaguer and longtime minor league hurler.
•
A 1952 Iola player makes request--Norm Travis
John, I would like the whereabouts of the following fellows, if possible. 1952 Iola team.
Jim Maxwell (catcher), Dick Masley (left handed pitcher), Joe Vilk (pitcher), Slick Shryer (Ed note: Bill Schrier ( first base), Roy Coulter (2nd base) and Paul Weeks (short stop).
Travis was aware that Floyd Temple, Chuck Sisson, Jerry Gleason, Tom Guinn and .Gasper Del Toro, outfielder, had passed away.
Sisson, Gleason, Vic Damon & Myself were sent to Iola in 52 by Bob Housam. of Denver Bears with the promise to reimburse me if I made the team, which I did, but asked Temple for my release as I satisfied myself I could play pro ball, but could not make a living at it. (I) was missing too much money at home selling farm machinery. (I) moved back to Burlington, Colo. That is where I still live. I am now 88 years old. Played semi pro ball till age 40. The highlight was making all-state team in 1956, then played fast pitch soft ball.
I am still active as a RE (real estate) Broker and good health. Keep up the good work with the reports as I really enjoy them. Sincerely, Norm Travis
Ed note:
With regrets, Travis was informed only he and Vic Damon are survivors of that list of 1952 Iola Indians.
•
Happy New Year! 27 years, dad enjoyed 16 of those years, thank you. Cheers to a happy healthy 2020. Karla (Weber) Weible
Ed note:
Karla is the daughter of the late Charlie Weber who was a member of the famed double-play combination of the 1949 Independence Yankees. That combination was Mickey Mantle to Weber and whoever was playing first base at the time. Mostly, it was Bob Newbill and Nick Ananias.
•
John, t’was the year 1993 you wrote the first FLASH REPORT? My oh my. Tell us, if you know, what’s ‘going on’ with minor league baseball? I hear it’s days are numbered? Bob Schwarz—1950 Iola Indians.
Ed reply:
I think minor league baseball is being played in big league stadiums. I have no idea what is going on in minor league baseball and haven't since about 1952.
•
What goes around comes around! The "Roaring '20's" are about to return! We continue to look for John's wisdom and commentary. So come on y'all, dig in and share your KOM stories for John to share with his following. Tks. John for 26 years of your HALL of FAME enthusiasm. Jim Jay 1956-57 Kansas City A’s batboy.
•
Up to this point the progress of the report was going on pretty well. Then, the “wheels fell off the wagon” and Yours truly came tumbling off of it.” To describe that scenario wouldn’t make nary a bit of difference to 80% of the recipients of this report and the other 20% would be divided among; you got what you deserved, that is too bad and so what else is new. The foregoing comment was precipitated by a note from the son of Stan Santo who was a member of the 1951 Ponca City Dodgers. He wrote; “Hi John. Hope all is well. Just wanted you to know that there is at least one person (me) who has noticed the gap in time since your last report. Please at least let us know your status so that I can stop worrying about you. All the Best, Mark Santo.”
Had this report continued, all the names of people making contact so far in 2020 would have been mentioned along with a great story regarding sign stealing by the Chicago Cubs in the 1960’s. The main culprit in the sign theft in Chicago was none other than a guy who caught for the Carthage, Missouri Cubs in 1950 and 1951. If you want to wait around for a while for that to be posted on this site you can do so. Otherwise, just go on the Internet and insert key words like “Don Biebel,” traveling secretary of the Chicago Cubs and the Wrigley Field scoreboard and you will find some fascinating reading.
Every former player who ever pitched a ball or swung at one has their own stories of sign stealing, doctored infields, high grass on the playing field, steroids and corked bats. Those are only a few of the ways ballplayers have sought to gain an advantage. And, guess what? They always will.
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
The Chance Vought F4U Corsair was an American fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War.
The Corsair had been designed as a carrier-based aircraft, but its difficult carrier landing performance rendered the Corsair unsuitable for Navy use until the carrier landing issues were overcome when used by the British Fleet Air Arm.
The Corsair thus came to and retained prominence in its area of greatest deployment: land based use by the U.S. Marines. The role of the dominant U.S. carrier based fighter in the second part of the war was thus filled by the Grumman F6F Hellcat, powered by the same Double Wasp engine first flown on the Corsair's first prototype in 1940.
The Corsair served to a lesser degree in the U.S. Navy. As well as the U.S. and British use the Corsair was also used by the Royal New Zealand Air Force, the French Navy Aéronavale and other, smaller, air forces until the 1960s.
One of these were the Air Forces of Paraguay. Land-locked Paraguay first formed a flying branch of it's Army in 1927, and today's Fuerza Aérea Paraguaya (FAP) saw it's formation in 1946. Being surrounded by friendly countries and economic problems does not allow the FAP to operate a substantial combat aircraft fleet however, and the Corsairs were low budget start for the young air force.
The Corsairs for Paraguay were up to the late WWII F4U-5 standard, but lacked the naval equipment (e. g. the arrester hook, even though the wing folding mechanism was retained) since these machines were to be deployed purely from land bases and primarily as fighters.
For the Paraguayan Air Force, the machines were also outfitted with special Curtiss Electric constant-speed propellers of 146 in (3.7 m) in diameter with deeper blades, optimized for “hot and high” use.
The F4U-5 itself was a design modification of the F4U-4 and first flown on 21st of December 1945. It was intended to increase the F4U-4 Corsair's overall performance and incorporate many Corsair pilots' suggestions. It featured a more powerful Pratt and Whitney R-2800-32(E) engine with a two-stage supercharger, rated at a maximum of 2,850 hp (2,130 kW), recognizable through the twin cheek air intakes fairings alongside the cowling. This Corsair type was also flown by the Argentine Navy and Honduras’ Air Force.
Other improvements included automatic blower controls, cowl flaps, intercooler doors and oil cooler for the engine, spring tabs for the elevators and rudder, a completely modernized cockpit, a completely retractable tail wheel as well as heated cannon bays and pitot head. The cowling was lowered two degrees to help with forward visibility, but perhaps most striking as the first variant to feature all-metal wings. Paraguay bought 22 new machines in 1947, which became operational with 1º Escuadrón de Caza 'Guaraní' in early 1949.
Towards the end of their career the Corsairs even saw hot action when Paraguayan Forces became involved in the U.S. American operation ‘Power Pack’ in 1965, when U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson, convinced of the defeat of the Dominican Republic’s Loyalist forces and fearing the creation of "a second Cuba" on America's doorstep, ordered U.S. forces to restore order.
The decision to intervene militarily in the Dominican Republic was Lyndon Johnson's personal decision. All civilian advisers had recommended against immediate intervention hoping that the Loyalist side could bring an end to the civil war, but the United States decided to interpose its forces between the rebels and those of the junta, thereby effecting a ceasefire.
The United States could then ask the Organization of American States to negotiate a political settlement between the opposing factions.
"Operation Power Pack", began when the U.S. Marine Corps entered Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on April 28, 1965, in the Dominican Civil War. Marine Medium Helicopter squadron HMM-264, from the deck of the USS Boxer, airlifted 530 U.S. Marines of the 3rd Battalion of the 6th Marine Regiment into Santo Domingo.
The Inter-American Peace Force (IAPF) was established by the Organization of American States on 23 May 1965, after the American intervention. It was composed of over 42,600 United States military personnel, plus Brazilian, Honduran, Paraguayan, Nicaraguan, Costa Rican and El Salvadorian personnel.
Until the end of the American intervention in September 1966, when the 1st Brigade of the 82nd Airborne, the last remaining American unit in the country, was withdrawn, the FAP Corsairs frequently patrolled the Dominican air space or flew escorts for the American supply flights and paratrooper transports.
After that, the Brazilian government took over the operation from the United States in 1966 and the IAPF was disbanded in 1967, what also marked the end of the F4U’s service in the Forza Aérea Paraguaya.
General characteristics
Crew: 1 pilot
Length: 33 ft 8 in (10.2 m)
Wingspan: 41 ft 0 in (12.5 m)
WS Folded: 17 ft 0.5 in (5.2 m)
Height: 14 ft 9 in (4.50 m)
Empty weight: 9,205 lb (4,174 kg)
Loaded weight: 12,405 lb (5,626 kg)
Powerplant:
1 × Pratt & Whitney R-2800-32(E) radial engine,
rated at a maximum power of 2,850 hp (2,130 kW)
Performance:
Maximum speed: 453 mph (395 kn, 731 km/h)
Range: 897 mi (602 nmi/1.115 km)
Service ceiling: 41,500ft (12,649 m)
Rate of climb: 3,870ft/min (19.7 m/s)
Armament:
4× 0.79 in (20 mm) M2 cannon plus up to 4.000 pounds (1.800 kg) external ordnance,
incl. up to 10× 5" (12.7 cm) high velocity aircraft rockets, bombs or drop tanks
The kit and its assembly:
I am not certain what struck me when I started this one. It’s actually the leftover Italeri F4U-7 that I recently bought just for the French markings (for the ‘Bourrasque’ whif), which was still left on the work bench. Wondering about the type’s late Middle and South American operators I suddenly had Paraguay on the radar, no idea why.
Checking the country’s air force history I found that it was just a small air arm, and that the roundels resemble French markings a lot. A deep search in the decal box revealed some suitable roundels, and from that things evolved gradually…
As mentioned before, F4Us in smaller American air arms’ service is nothing exotic, so this one would be subtle. Hence I decided not to mess too much with the kit. It was basically built OOB, only changes were:
• Using the F4U-5 cowling that comes with the kit
• Lowering the flaps for added drama
• A different, cuffed propeller from a Hobby Boss P-47D with deeper blades
• The single OOB exhaust pipes were replaced by thin styrene tubes
• The arrester hook disappeared, as well as its opening behind the tail wheel
Since this would become a pure fighter I did not put any HVARs or bombs under the wings, but the OOB drop tanks were used.
The kit itself is nicely detailed, with engraved panels, and goes together well. Only issues I had were mounting the cowling, where the intakes run into nowhere and need some putty assistance, and the wing part needed some filling at the fuselage intersection.
Painting and marking:
Exotic realism was the intention, and painting this one was more fun than building it, even though this whif was to be kept rather subtle and unflashy. And how to paint a Paraguayan aircraft?
For inspiration I took a look at aerial landscape photographs of the country, and since the machines were supposed to be bought directly from the USA I decided to apply the classic USAF SEA scheme on the Corsair. It’s a perfect match, and the USAF scheme looks a bit weird on the naval bird. I like that!
Operation “Power Pack” was another historical fact that would match the type’s fictional service time frame with Paraguay: The South-American country actually did take part in the Dominican Republic intervention as a part of the Inter-American Peace Force, but not with aircraft or the way I cooked it up. Anyway, the IAPF duty would be a good reason for extra markings on the Corsair, so that it would look less Vietnam-esque.
The SEA scheme colors are partly authentic FS tones: the greens, FS 34102 and 34079, are ModelMaster Authentic tones. The tan, originally FS 30219, is a slightly darker tone, "French Earth Brown", also from ModelMaster. The undersides, originally FS 36622, were painted with FS 16515 (Canadian Voodoo Grey), which is a tad darker, too, and more blue-ish.
On top of that a light black ink wash was applied, in order to emphasize details and add a worn look, plus light dry-brushing for panel shading with lighter tones.
The oil stains were painted with thinned dark grey stains, the exhaust soot with matt black. Furthermore, some dry-brushing with Aluminum simulates chipped/flaked paint in some areas, but not too much.
All interior surfaces were painted in a Zinc Chromate Primer tone - I used Humbrol 159 as basic tone (not as "loud" as the treu tone), plus some dry-brusing with RLM 02.
All markings were puzzled together from the decals archive. The FAP roundels are a selection of various French roundels without the typical yellow rim and with very dark blue dots in the middle. The roundels’ size is relatively big – but I think that a mission like the IFAP would call for quick and clear identification? This was also the reason for adding the “IFAP” markings – a simple detail that pushes the whif beyond the ordinary and helps telling a story. ;) The flag on the fin is an early WWII RAF flash, turned by 90°, with a tiny, yellow star added in the middle.
The aircraft code “1-2.05” is fictional, but conceptually based on a real world FAP T-33. The “FAP” on the fin was created from single letter decals, as well as the “IFAP” on the flanks and under the wings.
Finally the kit received a coat of matt acrylic varnish.
A spontaneous, exotic and somehow disturbingly convincing what-if aircraft model? Surely one that won’t turn heads, but rather have them scratched. ;)
Original Caption: Frank Starbuck, Last of the Old Time Ranchers near Fairview Manages a Spread of 1300 Acres and 400 Head of Cattle. He Does It Alone Because It Is Too Difficult and Expensive to Get Help, 10/1972
U.S. National Archives’ Local Identifier: 412-DA-10191
Photographer: Hiser, David, 1937-
Subjects:
Rifle (Garfield county, Colorado, United States) inhabited place
Environmental Protection Agency
Project DOCUMERICA
Persistent URL: research.archives.gov/description/552676
Repository: Still Picture Records Section, Special Media Archives Services Division (NWCS-S), National Archives at College Park, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD, 20740-6001.
For information about ordering reproductions of photographs held by the Still Picture Unit, visit: www.archives.gov/research/order/still-pictures.html
Reproductions may be ordered via an independent vendor. NARA maintains a list of vendors at www.archives.gov/research/order/vendors-photos-maps-dc.html
Access Restrictions: Unrestricted
Use Restrictions: Unrestricted
Very difficult area of the sky to image from Ireland because it doesn't rise high enough above the low level light pollution. Hopefully get another go at it in August when its that bit higher.
30x90 seconds
F4 at 200mm
ISO 1600
Well........ In a very difficult situation this year as far as New Year's resolutions.....
Usually I've had a surgery.... So it's to get back in shape.
And although I am to have a surgery shortly. It shouldn't be very bad compared to the others. So I've kind off taken care of that problem prior.....
So what's a poor fat girl like me to do??????
Well...... I could pledge not to loose hair..... But somehow I don't have any chemo ahead. Knock on wood, or a certain head....
I can promise to be good. But I always am... I can promise not yo tease people. But they live for that.
Or I can promise to continue giving all health and weather alerts.
So...... Here goes......
Nipple alert in affect for the Midwest portion of the United States.. Be careful to dress warm and have a good warm breakfast before heading out.
Perhaps some hot sizzling glazed to perfection cinnamon Sticky buns. Yummy yummy. Couldn't you sink you mouth around those morsels of nutrition. Maybe licking away a little of the glaze... rubbing your nose into the soft contour.
Feeling the heat warm you from head to toe......
Yes....... I could do that occasionally...... I wonder if anyone would like though. I mean...... I've seen the stuff on this site.... It's usually men in dresses playing with tootsie rolls or tiny pork breakfast sausage dressed in lingerie with big chubby fingers.... So... Too each their own.
Happy breakfast
Thanks to the Nailbourne project, I now understand how the communities and landscape fots in along its length, though that a bubbling noisy stream can just vanish then appear miles away is very difficult to get your head round. The Nailbourne only fully flows in very wet years, but when it does, the beds that are dry now can be several feet deep.
But downstream of Littlebourne, where the Nailbourne becomes the Little Stour, it is wider, about six feet wide, clogged with reeds and weeds, but also was used to power to large mills. They both stand, one between Littlebourne and Wickhambreaux, and the other in Wickhambreaux itself, though is now just a house But is a large white clapboard building, with a large wheel.
These days, the village looks very prosperous, all grand houses or cottage conversions.
From here, the Little Stour makes its way over the marshes which centuries ago was the Wantsum Channel, so Wickhambreaux was almost a seaside town.
Od that the only features I remembered from my previous visits was the avenue of pollarded trees and the blue ceiling of the roof. Missed was the glorious glass, especially the fine east window, very art deco.
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The interior of this very pretty church is dominated by nineteenth-century work. The whole of the chancel and baptistry is lined with dark brown encaustic tiles, hiding a straightforward fourteenth-century church. The east window is an early example of American Art Nouveau in England, and dominates the entire building. It was designed by Baron Arild Rosenkrantz in 1896. Above the window are stencilled paintings of angels ascending, which can also be seen in the nave, whilst the roof there has a charming star-spangled sky. At the south-west corner is a vestry - screened off by an eighteenth-century screen which may have formed part of the refitting of the chancel paid for by Mary Young. Her monument in the chancel records that 'infirm from her youth she protracted life to the 68th year of her age'. She left £100 for wainscotting and ornamenting the chancel. The interior viewed from the east gives an unusual appearance as the aisles flank the tower (see also Sandhurst).
www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=Wickhambreaux
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WICKHAM BREAUS
LIES adjoining to Littleborne north-eastward, being usally called Wickham Brook. It is likewise called Wickham by Wingham, to distinguish it from the two other parishes of the same name in this county. In Domesday it is written Wicheham, a name derived from its situation near the banks of the river, which runs close to it. There is only one borough in it, viz. the borough of Wickham, which comprehends the whole parish.
Wickham is a low, flat, and unpleasant situation, and lying so near the marshes cannot but be unhealthy, the land throughout it is in general good and sertile, especially near the village, where the fields are very large and level ground. The village, in number about twenty houses, stands at the south-east boundary of the parish, built round a green, over which the road leads to Ickham, having the church and court-lodge on one side, and the parsonage, a handsome brick house, on the other. At the further end of the green, the Lesser Stour crosses the road, and turns a corn-mill belonging to the manor, beyond it is only one house, called the Stone-house, being built of squared stones and slints in chequers, and by the arched windows and door-ways seems of some antiquity. The parish stretches a good distance northward, as far as Groveferry, the house of which is within it, and the greater Stour river, over a level of about 500 acres of marsh land, which extend from the river into a sinus, with a ridge of upland on each side, to within a quarter of a mile of the village. North eastward from which is the Saperton, formerly the property of the Beakes's, who resided here as early as king Henry the VIIIth.'s reign; it was sold by them to the Furneses, whence it came by marriage, with Copthall, in this parish, to the St. John's, viscounts Bolingbroke, who have lately sold it, but one of the family of Beake, many of whom lie buried in this church, now occupies it. A little beyond this is Newnham, once accounted a manor, formerly belonging to the Ropers, lords Teynham, afterwards to the Bartholomews, then to Joseph Brooke, esq. of Rochester, and now to his devisee the Rev. John Kenward Shaw Brooke, of Town-Malling.—Hence among the marshes is the hamlet of Grove, through which the road leads across them to the right over the lesser Stour, to Wingham, Ash, and the eastern parts of Kent, and to the left by Grove-ferry over the Greater Stour, to the northern part of the country and the Isle of Thanet. There is no other wood in the parish excepting Trendley park. There is no fair.
At the time of taking the survey of Domesday, in the year 1080, this place was part of those possessions with which that king had enriched his half-brother Odo, the great bishop of Baieux. Accordingly it is thus entered in that record, under the general title of his lands:
In Donamesford hundred, the bishop himself holds in demesne Wicheham. It was taxed at four sulings. The arable land is eleven carucates. In demesne there are two carucates, and thirty-six villeins, with thirty-two cottagers having nine carucates. There is a church, and one priest who gives forty shillings per annum. There is one park, and two mills of fifty shillings, and two saltpits of thirtytwo pence, and three fisheries of four shillings, and thirtytwo acres of meadow. Pasture for three hundred sheep and for thirty-one beasts. Wood for the pannage of eighty bogs. In the time of king Edward the Confessor it was worth twenty-five pounds, when he received it twenty pounds, now thirty pounds. There belong to this manor in Canterbury three plats of land paying six shillings and eight pence. Alured Biga held it of king Edward. Moreover there belongs to this manor half a suling of free land, which Sired held of Alured Biga, and Goisfrid, son of Badland, now holds it of the bishop of Baieux, and it is and was worth separately sixty shillings.
Four years afterwards the bishop was disgraced, and all his possessions were consiscated to the crown, of which this manor appears afterwards to have been held by the Cliffords. Walter, son of Walter de Clifford, possessed it in the reign of king John, and with Agnes de Cundy, his wife, was a good benefactor to St. Augustine's abbey, and that of St. Radigund. (fn. 1) By the marriage of Margaret, daughter and heir of Walter Clifford, with John de Brewse, it passed into that name, and William de Brewse, or de Braiosa, as they were written in Latin, was possessed of it in the 42d year of king Henry III. His descendant William de Brewse, lord of the honour of Brembre, in Sussex, and of Gower, in Wales, as he stiled himself, whose ancestor came into England with the Conqueror, who gave him the castle of Brember, and whose descendant afterwards, by the marriage with Bertha, daughter and one of the coheirs of Milo, earl of Hereford, became possessed of the castles of Brecknock and Gower likewife, and bore for his arms, Azure, a lion rampant, between twelve cross-croslets, or; though I find by the pedigrees of this family, that his ancestors bore Azure, three bars vaire, argent, and gules. He was several times summoned to parliament in king Edward I.'s reign, as was his son of the same name, both in that and Edward II.'s reign, and died possessed of this manor in the 19th year of the latter. Very soon after which it appears, with the church appendant to it, to have come into the possession of Edmund of Woodstock, earl of Kent, half brother to king Edward II. (fn. 2) After which it descended to his brother John Plantagenet, likewife earl of Kent, it being then held of the king in sergeantry. He died anno 26 Edward III. upon which Joane his sister, commonly called the Fair Maid of Kent, wife of Sir Thomas Holand, became his heir, who in her right not only possessed this manor, but became earl of Kent likewise. She afterwards married Edward the black prince, and died in the 9th year of king Richard II. being succeeded in this manor then held in capite, by Thomas Holand, earl of Kent, her son by her first husband, whose two sons, Thomas and Edward, both earls of Kent, and the former created Duke of Surry, in turn succeeded to it, and the latter dying anno 9 Henry IV. his five sisters became his coheirs, and on a partition made between them, Edmund, earl of March, son of Eleanor, late countess of March, the eldest of them became entitled to this manor in his mother's right, being the last earl of March of this family, for he died s. p. in the 3d year of king Henry VI. being then possessed of it. The year after which, Joane, wife of Sir John Gray, appears by the escheat rolls to have been entitled to it; not long after which it became the property of the family of Tibetot, or Tiptoft, as they were usually called, in whom it continued down to John Tiptost, earl of Worcester, who was attainted and beheaded in 1471, anno 10 Edward IV. king Henry being then restored to the crown. He lest an infant son Edward, who, though he was afterwards restored in blood by king Edward IV. yet I do not find that he was ever reinstated in the possession of this manor, which remained in the crown till the reign of king Henry VIII. who granted it, with the advowson of the church, to Sir Matthew Browne, of Beechworth-castle, who in the 22d year of it, passed it away to Lucy, widow of his uncle Sir Anthony Browne, standard-bearer of England, whose grandson Anthony was, anno I and 2 of Philip and Mary, created viscount Montague, and died possessed of this manor anno 34 Elizabeth, and by his will devised it to his eldest son by his second wife, Sir George Browne, who was of Wickham Breaus, and his grandson Sir George Browne, K. B. leaving two daughters his coheirs, Winifrid, married to Basil Brooks, esq. of Salop, and Eleanor, to Henry Farmer, esq. of Oxfordshire, they joined in the sale of it, at the latter end of Charles II.'s reign, to Sir H. Palmer, bart. of Wingham, who died possessed of it in 1706, s. p. and by his will devised it to his nephew Sir Thomas Palmer, bart. who died in 1723, and by his will gave it to his natural son Herbert Palmer, esq. who married Bethia, one of the daughters of Sir Thomas D'Aeth, bart. of Knowlton, who died in 1760, s. p., having devised this manor, with the advowson of the church appendant, to his widow. She afterwards married John Cosnan, esq. who in her right became possessed of it, and died in 1778, s. p. leaving her furviving, upon which she again became entitled to the possession of it, and continued owner of it till her death in 1797, on which it came to her nephew Sir Narborough D'Aeth, bart. of Knowlton, the present owner of it. A court leet and court baron is held for this manor.
Trendley park, now accounted a manor of itself, is situated at the north-west boundary of this parish, being entirely separated from the rest of it by that of Littleborne intervening. It was part of the possessions of Odo, bishop of Baieux, and is noticed in the survey of Domesday, in the description of the manor of Wickham above recited, in which it is mentioned as being then a park; and it should seem that at least part of it was then accounted as appurtenant to that manor; though in the description of the manor of Littleborne, in the same survey, which then belonged to the abbey of St. Augustine, it appears that the bishop had lands belonging to that manor too lying within his park here. Of this manor the bishop of Baieux has in his park as much land as is worth sixty shillings, says the record. In part of the recompence for which, the bishop seems to have given the abbot the manor of Garwinton, in Littleborne, and other land within the manor of Leeds, as may be seen by the entries of both these manors in the same record. Soon after which there was another exchange of land made between the bishop and archbishop Lanfranc, for some which lay within his park of Wikeham. What is remarkable in this instrument is, that it is given in two languages, in Saxon and Latin, but neither is a translation of the other, for both are originals, as was a frequent custom of that time. Appendant to it is the bishop's seal in wax, representing him on one side on horseback, with his sword and spurs, as an earl, and on the other habited as a bishop, with his pastoral staff; being perhaps the only seal of Odo at this time extant. (fn. 3) By all which it appears, that this park is much more antient than that of Woodstock, which has been accounted the first inclosed park in England. How long it continued an inclosed park, I have no where found; but in the beginning of king Henry VI.'s reign it was not so, as appears by the escheat-rolls of the 3d year of it, after the death of Edmund, earl of March, at which time there were two hundred acres of wood in it. He was lord of the manor of Wickham, and Trendley park was chiefly at that time certainly appurtenant to it, and continued so whilst in the possession of the same owners, which it did most probably till the attainder of John Tiptost, earl of Worcester, in the 10th year of king Edward IV. when they both came into the hands of the crown, and though king Henry VIII. afterwards granted the manor of Wickham to Sir Matthew Browne, yet I do not find that Trendley park was granted with it. From which time it has had separate owners. For some time it has been the property of the family of Denne, who continue at this time the owners of it. It lies in an unpleasant, lonely part of the parish, facing Westbere, and consists of three hundred acres of woodland, and a house called the Park-house. There is a high road through the middle of it from Stodmarsh to Canterbury market, which in king Edward II.'s reign, was attempted to be shut up, but the sheriff, with the posse comitatus, was ordered to open it again, as being an antient and allowed high road.
Charities.
Andrew Holness, of Seton, in Ickham, by will in 1554, gave to the poor 2s. in money and bread, to be distributed yearly; the churchwardens to take so much yearly out of his lands in Ickham and Wickham, except his house and garden at Seton, in case his executors did not give the same yearly.
Henry Sloyden, of Wickham Breaus, by will in 1568, gave for the use of the poor and Littleborne, in equal portions, a piece of land containing six acres and a half in the latter parish, called Church-close, which is distributed twice a year by the respective minister and churchwardens, and is of the annual produce of 4l.
John Smith, rector of this parish, by deed in 1656, gave a school-room, and a house and garden for a schoolmaster, in this parish, for teaching the children of it. The master to be chosen from one of his relations in preference, if any such could be found, is vested in the rector and churchwardens of this parish.
Sir Henry Palmer, of Bekesborne, by his will in 1611, gave the sum of 10s. to each of the several parishes of Wickham, Stodmarsh, Littleborne, and five others therein mentioned, to be paid into the hands of the minister and churchwardens yearly, out of his manor and lands of Well-court, at Michaelmas, towards the relief of the poor of each of them.
Thomas Belke, D. D. rector of this parish, by will in 1712, gave 501. for the putting out of five poor children of this parish apprentices.
There are about thirty poor constantly relieved, and casually seventy.
This parish is within the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the diocese of Canterbury, and deanry of Bridge.
¶The church, which is dedicated to St. Andrew, consists of three isles and one chancel, having at the west end a square tower, in which hang six bells. The church is not large, but is handsome and neat. In the middle isle are several memorials for the Beakes, of Saperton. In the south isle for the Larkins, who lived at Grove, in this parish. In the east window are remains of good painted glass, viz. the arms of Edward the black price and of Mortimer, quartered with Burgh, and a representation of Herod's daughter beheading John the Baptist. In the chancel, on the pavement, is the figure of a priest in brass, and inscription, for Henry Welde, rector, obt. 1420. A gravestone, and monument for Alexander Young, B D. rector of this parish, who rebuilt this parsonage-house, and repaired that of Eastchurch, of which he was vicar likewife, at the expence of 2000l. obt. March 21, 1755. A memorial for John Smith, rector, obt. Oct. 28, 1658. In the church-yard are many headstones, and a tombstone for the family of Beake. In the windows of this church there were formerly many different shields of arms, long since demolished.
This church was always an appendage to the manor, and continues so at this time, Sir Narborough D' Aeth, bart. owner of the manor of Wickham, being the present patron of it.
There was antiently both a rectory and vicarage in this church, which continued till the year 1322, when on a vacancy of the latter, Richard de Newcastle, the rector, petitioned archbishop Walter Reynolds, that they might be consolidated, which was granted, and they have continued in that state to the present time. (fn. 4)
This rectory is valued in the king's books at 29l. 12s. 6d. and the yearly tenths at 2l. 19s. 3d. In 1588 it was valued at 250l. communicants one hundred and sixty-three. In 1640 the same. There are eighteen acres of glebe-land.
The marsh-lands in this parish, within Wickham and Preston valleys, pay a modus of two-pence an acre, and those within Newnham 1½d. only, in lieu of all tithes.
www.twitter.com/Memoire2cite -“ L’urbanisme des possibles ”Pourquoi dire des grands ensembles qu’ils sont des terres d’avenir ? www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaaQ2crb2Yoi0aqvbpHthqOowQ... Parce que la fréquentation régulière de ces quartiers m’a amené à y voir autre chose que des territoires à problèmes. Habiter les grands ensembles, c’est habiter la ville. Rarement
la ville-centre, celle du Paris haussmannien ou de la ville autrefois intra-muros, mais la ville tout
de même, un territoire souvent diffus, faible, pas toujours reconnaissable, mais où habite finalement aujourd’hui la majorité des urbains. Les grands ensembles font partie de cet assemblage d’entités autonomes, issues de conceptions rarement hasardeuses, mais pas forcément articulées les unes aux autres. Ils se distinguent du territoire urbanisé par leur masse, leur dimension,
parfois leur ordonnancement. C’est très clair quand on survole une ville depuis
un avion : les barres et les tours des grands ensembles émergent au milieu des
nappes de pavillons, des galettes commerciales et des infrastructures routières.
Pour autant, ils n’organisent ni ne structurent le territoire, comme l’espéraient
leurs concepteurs à l’origine. Ils sont juste plus grands.
Les grands ensembles appartiennent au paysage générique et banal de la banlieue.
Ils en sont même devenus des éléments constitutifs. A ce titre, les barres et les
tours nous parlent d’autre chose que d’habitat ou de difficultés sociales. Bien sûr,
ces immeubles ont tendance à accueillir une population souvent défavorisée, mal
intégrée aux réseaux de production et d’emploi. Bien sûr, les modes de vie et les
relations sociales y sont parfois plus durs et plus violents qu’ailleurs. Mais on ne
peut réduire les grands ensembles à ces difficultés. Leurs situations se rapportent
en effet à une condition beaucoup plus large qui est celle de la banlieue dans sa
globalité, soit la part majoritaire de la condition urbaine actuelle.
Intervenir dans les grands ensembles implique donc de penser aujourd’hui cette
nouvelle condition. Comme l’habiter ? Comment y développer une activité ?
Comment y affronter la précarité énergétique ? Les grands ensembles constituent
un formidable territoire pour aborder ces questions, ils disposent d’un formidable
gisement pour penser la ville de demain. Regarder un territoire, une nécéssité avant toute
transformation
6 | L’urbanisme des possibles
En 2012, le Ministère de la Culture nous a confié, à Ken Rabin et moi-même,
le commissariat et la scénographie d’une exposition itinérante de photographies
sur les grands ensembles. Cette initiative revient à Eric Langereau, directeur de
l’ESAM de Caen, l’Ecole supérieure d’art et de médias qui a accueilli l’exposition
pour la première fois.
L’exposition présente les œuvres d’une dizaine de photographes qui, de 1960
à nos jours, ont porté un regard sur les grands
ensembles. Les œuvres de ces photographes sont
riches d’émotions mais aussi d’enseignements car
la manière d’observer un site ou une situation est
absolument déterminante dans la manière de penser
leur transformation. Et le regard de ces artistesphotographes nous aide à dépasser l’héritage des
fausses représentations.
Au travers de cette exposition, nous avons essayé d’élever les grands ensembles
au rang d’objets dignes de considération. Non pas tant des objets de patrimoine
– dans le sens où il faudrait les conserver, s’interdire de les démolir – mais comme
des objets à la fois importants dans l’histoire d’après la Seconde guerre mondiale
et marquants dans le territoire. Des objets qu’il convient encore d’apprendre à
regarder. Le grand ensemble à l’origine : une promesse de modernité et de confort
Dès la fin des années 1950, la Caisse des dépôts s’impose comme le plus important
constructeur de logements en France. Son rôle est essentiel dans le développement
du modèle du grand ensemble. Chacune des opérations qu’elle livre fait l’objet
d’une mission photographique.
Essentiellement réalisées par Jean Biaugeaud, les images promotionnelles qui en
résultent témoignent de la formidable promesse de cette production à grande
échelle : un nouvel habitat égalitaire, une nouvelle organisation du territoire,
le tout soumis à un objectif essentiel, celui de résoudre la crise du logement. A
l’époque, l’enjeu, c’était d’abriter des gens qui travaillent. Ce qu’il faut retenir,
et ça me paraît extrêmement important par rapport à la situation actuelle dans
laquelle on se trouve aujourd’hui, c’est que le grand ensemble était fait pour loger
des salariés qui ne travaillaient pas sur place. Un lieu où on régénérait en quelque
sorte la force de travail. Le confort du logement participait à cette régénération.
Une vie nouvelle, une vie de pionniers
La vie collective des grands ensembles est très intense durant les premières années.
Les habitants s’engagent dans des mouvements d’éducation populaire et de
jeunesse et des associations. Beaucoup d’entre eux militent au parti communiste.
De 1959 à 1969, le photographe Jacques Windenberger habite Sarcelles. Il s’attache
alors à décrire la vie collective très intense dans cette cité encore en chantier, les
solidarités entre voisins aussi bien que les douceurs familiales.
Ses reportages décrivent avec fidélité la vie de ces pionniers qui inventent de
nouveaux modes de vie collectifs. Une vie un peu à l’écart, mais qui reste accrochée
à la société par le lien du travail.Une question identitaire
Les grands ensembles accueillent dès l’origine une importante communauté de
pieds-noirs et d’immigrés. Ce cosmopolitisme reste une caractéristique forte de
ces quartiers. Certains d’entre eux comptent aujourd’hui plus d’une trentaine de
nationalités différentes.
Né en banlieue parisienne, de père algérien et de mère française, le photographe
Bruno Boudjelal fait une série de clichés bouleversants sur le quotidien de plusieurs
générations de femmes d’origine algérienne.
A la fois journaux intimes et reportages sur les conditions de vie, ces séries
formalisent le trouble identitaire que peut ressentir la première génération des
enfants nés des grands ensembles.
Les grands ensembles se sont fondus dans le territoire
Commandées en 2010 par la Direction générale des patrimoines, les vues aériennes
de l’américain Alex MacLean témoignent de la manière dont quelques grands
ensembles emblématiques de la région parisienne perdurent.
Le photographe nous montre ici comme les barres et les tours ont perdu de leur
monumentalité. Les bâtiments, comme le sol, se sont usés. Les populations se sont
renouvelées. Les grandes dimensions de ces quartiers d’habitation, encore inédites
à l’époque de leur construction, ne se discernent plus dans l’hétérogénéité des
masses de la banlieue. De l’ambition initiale, il ne reste que le visage impersonnel
de ces innombrables fenêtres et une fascination mêlée d’inquiétude devant un
effacement si assumé de toute trace d’individualité.
De plus en plus, le grand ensemble et la ville se confondent. L’un et l’autre sont
immergés dans une urbanité spatiale et culturelle de plus en plus diffuse et
homogèneUn paysage en perpetuelle métamorphose
Le photographe Christian Siloé fonde un récit à partir des chantiers – de la
démolition à la reconstruction – d’une cité de Montereau-Fault-Yonne. On
y voit des grues héroïques déchiqueter les restes puissants de structures
d’immeubles. On y voit aussi les chantiers de pavillons qui viennent
reconquérir le paysage des barres et des tours démolies pour générer un
paysage reconnaissable de lotissement.
Les grands ensembles, ce sont des paysages en métamorphose. C’est
énorme, c’est grand, c’est solide, c’est en béton, mais c’est aussi très
fragile. On les a construit, on les a réhabilité, on les a re-réhabilité, on les
a partiellement démoli, on y a reconstruit d’autres logements, …
Cette fragilité est aujourd’hui inscrite dans le paysage et la culture de
la banlieue. Depuis les
grandes démolitions à
l’explosif des années
80-90, tout le monde
sait que les grands
ensembles sont en
sursis, qu’ils peuvent
disparaître à tout
moment.
Un univers d’idées reçues
Les œuvres de Mohamed Bourouissa rassemblent, dans des mises en
scène soigneuses, les signifiants de la culture des cités : squat de hall,
regroupement en pied d’immeubles, destruction de voiture sur parking,
affrontement entre jeunes sur trottoir...
En faisant appel au vocabulaire noble des tableaux maniéristes
(composition, lumière, pose, cadrage), l’artiste-photographe hisse
les idées reçues au rang de mythe. Parce que la banlieue et les grands
ensembles, c’est aussi ces regards, ces gestes, ces manières d’être en
groupe, ou simplement les uns avec les autres dans des espaces très petits
alors que, juste à côté, il y a des étendues immenses.
Cette chorégraphie des corps, des gestes et des regards – inquiétante pour
certains – est bien sûr liée à l’architecture des grands ensembles. On ne
peut l’ignorer lorsqu’il s’agit de penser aujourd’hui leur devenir.
Entre solitude et promiscuité
Le photographe Cyrus Cornut ne pose pas simplement son regard sur les
grands ensembles, mais sur l’ensemble de la banlieue parisienne.
Ses photographies nous montrent un rapport très particulier des indivi
-
dus aux grands espaces, à l’horizon. Les personnages paraissent petits et
isolés au milieu d’un paysage de fenêtres anonymes et de blocs gigan
-
tesques, au sein desquels on vit très près les uns des autres.
Cette disproportion entre solitude et promiscuité, ce sont bien sûr les
grands ensembles qui l’ont installé. Mais elle s’est étendu depuis à l’en
-
semble des territoires sub- et péri-urbains.
C’est extrêmement important de considérer que cette affaire des grands
ensembles ne se limite pas simplement aux périmètres dit « ZUS », qu’ils
ne se distinguent pas de ce vaste paysage qu’est devenu la ville, la ville
dès que l’on s’éloigne de son centre historique.
Que nous apprennent ces photographies ?
La promesse égalitaire qui fonde l’origine des grands ensembles a-t-elle
entièrement disparue ? L’intensité de la vie collective s’est-elle substituée
à la seule violence des rapports humains ? Peut-on réduire les barres et les
tours aux seuls stigmates du colonialisme et du communautarisme iden
-
titaire ? Ces photographies montrent que l’histoire des grands ensembles
est bien plus complexe et qu’ils disposent de bien d’autres atouts. Car le
propre des grands ensembles est qu’ils restent les héritiers de la politique
étatique, planificatrice et égalitaire des Trente Glorieuses tout en étant
devenus poreux au territoire qui les entoure. Et c’est justement ce carac
-
tère double qui fait des grands ensembles des terres d’avenir : des terres
mieux adaptées aux conditions économiques et sociétales d’aujourd’hui,
des terres également propices au renouvellement des pratiques de projet.
Le potentiel des espaces verts
Les grandes étendues des espaces verts qui caractérisent la plupart de
ces quartiers témoignent de cette ambigüité. À l’origine, les grands en
-
sembles reposaient sur un certain nombre de principes affirmés. Le pre
-
mier consistait à implanter les constructions au milieu de vastes étendues
paysagères, apportant ainsi l’air, la lumière et la nature au plus près des
logements. François Parfait, ingénieur des Ponts-et-Chaussées, avait alors
déclaré que ces espaces verts devaient relever d’un statut particulier :
celui de service public. Ce statut à part, qui ne relevait ni du domaine
public ni du domaine privé, n’a jamais vu le jour. Les espaces verts n’ont
jamais trouvé leurs usages et sont restés des lieux d’interdiction, difficiles
à gérer. Des lieux d’inquiétude mais aussi des lieux coûteux en entretien
pour les locataires, les copropriétaires et les collectivités locales.
À partir des années 1980-90, on a commencé à introduire un autre modèle
en aménageant des rues et en distinguant l’espace public de l’espace privé. De
fait, on a simplifié un certain nombre de questions posées depuis l’origine. Les
espaces verts ont été découpés en parcelles. Puis on a mis des clôtures. Et ces
espaces verts, très généreux au départ, que sont-ils devenus ? Essentiellement
des jardins de vue. On a créé des espaces verts privés, morcelés, plus petits, gérés
par les bailleurs sociaux mais toujours sans usage. On a gagné un espace public,
clairement délimité – le plus souvent, les clôtures servent davantage à délimiter
la rue qu’une entité résidentielle – mais, là encore, celui-ci a rarement trouvé
d’autres usages que ceux de la circulation et du stationnement.
Avec les opérations de rénovation urbaine, nous avons découvert que les grands
ensembles pouvaient accueillir un foncier privé, dédié à de nouveaux types
d’habitats privés, générant ainsi une certaine mixité sociale. Pour autant, les
espaces verts résidentiels sont restés des jardins de vue tandis que les espaces
publics sont demeurés des rues circulantes. Est-ce le seul avenir pour ces espaces
verts ? N’y a-t-il pas d’autres hypothèses à envisager ? En élargissant la focale,
on découvre d’autres vocations possibles. Je pense par exemple à des pratiques
solidaires et locales ou à des filières économiques courtes pouvant associer
les habitants ou les actifs logés à proximité. Car ce qui caractérise les grands
ensembles, et que l’on oublie bien souvent, c’est leur ancrage dans le territoire.
De par les liens fusionnels qu’ils entretiennent avec la banlieue, comme évoquée
plus haut. Mais aussi du fait du chômage qui touche souvent plus leurs habitants.
Car si la vocation première des grands ensembles consistait à loger une population
salariée, celle-ci est aujourd’hui d’accueillir des résidents qui font bien plus qu’y
habiter.
Les habitants ont pris de l’avance
Dans de nombreux quartiers périphériques, les habitants exploitent les espaces
libres dont ils disposent pour inventer de nouveaux usages, parfois collectives ainsi
que de nouvelles activités économiques, qualifiées le plus souvent d’informelles (à
ne pas confondre avec souterraines qui désignent le commerce de biens illicites).
C’est le cas tout particulièrement des résidents de nombreux pavillons qui ont
su exploiter les potentiels de leurs garages, de leurs jardins ou d’une partie de
leurs rez-de-chaussée. Ne peut-on imaginer un tel potentiel de « capacitation »
(empowerment) dans les espaces verts des grands ensembles ? Ces surfaces de
pleine terre qui s’étendent au pied des barres et des tours, encombrantes pour
les gestionnaires et les pouvoirs publics, ne pourraient-il pas profiter aujourd’hui
pleinement aux habitants ? Les espaces verts contribueraient alors à faire advenir
de nouvelles modalités de travail, dans l’esprit de ce que Jeremy Rifkin a appelé
la « Troisième révolution industrielle ». En ces temps incertains, où se prépare
une probable pénurie énergétique, les grands ensembles auraient alors toutes les
chances de devenir les porteurs d’une nouvelle promesse. Créer un parc d’initiatives à Toulouse
À Toulouse, dans le quartier de Bagatelle, nous travaillons sur un grand territoire
de 365 hectares, aussi grand que le centre-ville. Celui-ci est bordé par la rocade, la
Garonne et un boulevard de ceinture du centre-ville. Il comprend notamment cinq
quartiers d’habitat social : Bagatelle, La Faourette, Papus, Tabar et Bordelongue.
Sur ce projet de renouvellement urbain, nous abordons plusieurs échelles,
plusieurs temporalités. Nous élaborons un schéma directeur, aménageons un
certain nombre d’espaces publics et accompagnons, en tant qu’urbaniste-conseil,
toutes les opérations.
Ce territoire est constitué de petites « poches » de quelques centaines de logements
sociaux, de pavillons et de copropriétés construits, pour l’essentiel dans les années
1950 et 1960. Chaque « poche » s’est implantée sur une assiette foncière provenant
de la réunion de plusieurs parcelles maraîchères. On a des isolats, des sortes de
successions de petites unités placées les unes à côté des autres. Pour l’architecte
Candilis, auteur du Mirail, l’aménagement de ces quartiers juxtaposés, c’est l’antimodèle.
Est-ce que c’est l’anti-modèle ? Je n’en suis pas si sûr. Parce que la proximité
de toutes ces « poches » est d’une grande richesse. Une des choses les plus
frappantes, c’est le contraste entre les secteurs de grands ensembles et les secteurs
pavillonnaires. Bien que disposant de très vastes espaces verts, les abords des
premiers restent peu investis par les habitants tandis que les maisons débordent
d’usages économiques et associatifs.
Ce contraste nous a beaucoup interrogés. Nous pensions naïvement, avant d’explorer le site, que les secteurs pavillonnaires
n’avaient d’autres fonctions que résidentielles, que leur capacité d’évolution
restait, de fait, très limité. Nous avons découvert des quartiers très vivants, les
activités dans et aux abords des maisons ne cessant de changer, de se transformer.
Et on a commencé à imaginer des choses.
Il se trouve que ce territoire est entièrement soumis à un impératif majeur, le plan
d’exposition au bruit, celui-ci se trouvant dans l’axe des pistes de l’aéroport. La
stratégie de densification n’était donc pas de mise. Les vides n’ayant pas de valeur
foncière, ils pouvaient être mis à profit pour offrir aux habitants des avantages
comparables à ceux des pavillons.
Ainsi, plutôt que de diviser, comme ailleurs, les espaces verts, nous avons choisi
de les amplifier, de les réunir. Dans le quartier de Bagatelle en particulier, nous
avons constitué une entité large et généreuse de 4 hectares, la reconstruction
de l’offre de logements étant reportée de
part et d’autre.
Mais quelle affectation proposer à ce
parc sans alourdir encore les charges
des locataires et de la collectivité ?
Cet enjeu était d’autant plus crucial
que la proportion était d’espaces verts
était devenue, dans ce quartier, très
importante. Un calcul nous a paru éloquent. Il s’agit du nombre de mères carrés par
logement. Si on compare le quartier de Bagatelle avec le centre-ville de Toulouse,
ce ratio était multiplié par quatre.
Mais dès lors que ce parc s’ouvrait aux initiatives des habitants, ce ratio pouvait
diminuer. Au vu de ce qui se passe dans les pavillons, on n’a pas souhaité se
cantonner aux jardins familiaux ou partagés. Ce parc est devenu le parc des
possibles, un parc capable accueillir les initiatives économiques, énergétiques,
agricoles, alimentaires, culturelles, ludiques et sportives des habitants. Les
porteurs de projets disposent d’un morceau de terrain, d’une parcelle, pour une
durée déterminée. Le sol reste propriété de la collectivité, mais il devient, pour
une bonne part, autogéré.
La constitution d’une trame facilite ensuite les connexions à des systèmes de
partage et de coproduction.
Cette hypothèse n’est pas tout à fait nouvelle. Nous pensons notamment à Andrea
Branzi qui a poursuivi, depuis les utopies d’Archizoom dans les années 1960,
une réflexion sur « l’urbanisation faible ». Le dessein de la ville n’étant plus en
mesure d’être planifié, la trame constitue un système ouvert, capable de mettre
en relation des noyaux d’activités éparses, extensifs ou graduels. Nous sommes
loin du modèle de la ZAC. Parole à...
Pierre Vandenbrouck et Julia Golovanoff
Créer, par la trame urbaine, des pages de liberté
Dans le quartier de Bagatelle, il y a eu beaucoup de démolitions, qui ont eu pour
effet de créer du vide.
Nous avons commencé notre travail sur cette question.
Que pouvions nous en faire ? Que faire de tous ces petits espaces, souvent sans
affectation, sans fonction ? Résidentialiser ? Créer des jardins de copropriété ?
Plutôt que de faire des jardins de copropriété surdimensionnés, nous avons
proposé de regrouper, de rassembler tous ces fragments de terrains libres pour
faire un ensemble sur lequel on puisse imaginer des choses et créer un projet.
Nous avons saisi l’opportunité d’utiliser l’espace laissé par les démolitions pour
relier deux espaces verts existants, actuellement enclavés, pour créer un grand
parc qui ferait quatre hectares et permettrait de renouveler l’image du quartier
de Bagatelle.
Mais on ne voulait pas seulement proposer un parc, public et entièrement géré par
la collectivité où toutes les activités seraient assurées et encadrées par le service
public. On pensait qu’il y avait matière à proposer autre chose, plus adapté aux
besoins du quartier. L’idée que l’on a proposée était d’apposer sur ce grand espace
une trame, structure capable d’accueillir des espaces de liberté.
Cette trame, c’était aussi l’occasion de caractériser très fortement l’espace et
de créer une sorte de structure suffisamment forte pour qu’elle puisse, tout en
existant, accueillir une grande variété d’usages.
L’idée n’était pas d’imposer quelque chose de rigide, mais de voir toute la liberté
qu’offre une trame et tout ce qu’elle peut accueillir de différent.
Des jardins plus ouverts
Tout le parc a été divisé par cette trame, en parcelles.
Le mot parcelle nous convenait bien, parce que la parcelle, c’est la petite partie
d’un tout. Et on imagine que tout y est possible, en fait. Et puis on aimait
bien aussi le mot parcelle qui désignait au Moyen-âge un petit morceau d’une
demeure seigneuriale, mise à la disposition d’un serf, et que celui-ci cultivait,
entretenait et dont il se nourrissait. Ici, il ne s’agit pas d’un seigneur ou d’un
serf, mais d’une collectivité et d’une sorte de sous-locataire qui serait un usager
ou une association. Alors on imagine que cela pourrait s’organiser un peu comme
les jardins partagés, mais de façon plus ouverte car l’idée est que les parcelles ne
soient pas forcément des jardins. Elles peuvent être autre chose. Quoi ? On ne le sait pas, mais on se doute bien que les futurs usagers auront beaucoup d’idées
à proposer. On imagine que pour obtenir une parcelle, un habitant, un groupe
d’habitants ou une association puissent proposer un usage et que cette initiative
soit choisie pour son intérêt, pour ce qu’elle peut apporter aux habitants, pour ce
qu’elle peut apporter au quartier en général.
Tout le parc est divisé en parcelles de 200 mètres carrés, surface qui a été choisie
parce que dans 200 mètres carrés, on peut faire des choses très variées.
On ne sait pas ce qu’il y aura dans ces parcelles. On imagine. On peut imaginer
mille choses. Ces parcelles ne sont pas toutes privatisées. Il y a aussi des parcelles
publiques parce que si la ville ne gère pas tout, n’entretient pas tout, il y a aussi
l’idée que la collectivité ne se désintéresse pas de son sol. Et une part de l’espace
public doit rester porteuse de tous les usages possibles, sans appropriation possible.
Dans le cadre d’une préfiguration du futur parc, on a planté des espaces qui
permettent aussi de tester spatialement la taille des parcelles, de voir ce que
ça veut dire d’avoir des parcelles de cette surface sur ces terrains. L’idée est
qu’on prépare le futur. Les habitants, les associations peuvent commencer à se
demander : « Mais, qu’est-ce que j’aimerais faire si j’avais un sol disponible en
extérieur ? ». C’est une chose importante, car les habitants des pavillons ont un
jardin, un garage, alors que les habitants des immeubles collectifs n’ont que leurs
logements. Ils n’ont peut être jamais espéré pouvoir bénéficier d’un sol, prêté par
la collectivité.
Nous, on trace une trame qui peut accueillir les idées de tous les habitants, du
quartier comme d’ailleurs.
Car généralement plus on aménage un espace, moins on a le droit d’y faire de
choses, moins on a confiance dans l’usager et finalement tous les usages qui
s’écartent de ce qui a été prévu sont considérés comme déviants.
C’est finalement dommage de voir que la générosité des pouvoirs publics ou
l’attention portée par les concepteurs sur les espaces publics soient à ce point
réduits une fois les aménagements réalisés.
Ce parc de Toulouse avec ses parcelles, parle aussi de l’usager et de sa place dans
l’espace. Si on synthétise, dans l’histoire des parcs, on a les Tuileries où l’usager
est spectateur d’une nature mathématique, ordonnancée et parfaite. Les Buttes
Chaumont ensuite, c’est la même chose, sauf que c’est un bout de nature qui
est importé à l’intérieur de la ville. On s’isole de la ville et on admire la nature.
C’est dans le Parc de la Villette qu’on a commencé à s’asseoir dans l’herbe, ce
qui paraissait encore un sacrilège dans beaucoup de jardins parisiens. En fait, on
imagine qu’avec ces parcelles, nous allons passer à une autre phase, où on pourrait
s’emparer du sol et en faire quelque chose. Parole à...
Eric Amanou
Je vais vous raconter, comment chargé de la dimension sociale du projet, nous
avons mis en œuvre toute la dimension participative autour de ces intentions.
Au début du projet, nous avions deux intuitions. La première, celle d’un grand parc
de quatre hectares devant relier trois secteurs de Bagatelle, aujourd’hui repliés sur
eux-mêmes. Notre deuxième intuition, c’était de ne pas faire un parc d’agrément,
comme il en existe déjà à Toulouse, notamment dans le quartier voisin de La
Faourette.
On arrive avec quelques idées comme l’agriculture urbaine ou des initiatives
culturelles. On n’en sait pas plus que ça. Cela suffit pour organiser des rencontres
avec les habitants et recueillir leurs réactions.
Nous décidons d’aller vers les habitants, pas par une réunion publique, mais là où
ils sont. Et sur une semaine, on organise une quinzaine de temps de rencontres.
On discute, on demande aux bailleurs de nous organiser des rencontres en pied
d’immeuble avec des locataires, on va voir les personnes âgées, on va sur le marché,
à la brocante, à la sortie des écoles. On rencontre des jeunes enfants dans les
centres d’animation. En tout, c’est une quinzaine de rencontres, au cours desquels
on a dialogué avec 350 habitants, commerçants, associatifs qui nourrissent les
intentions du parc.
De ces libres discussions, où la tendance qui s’exprimait était un parc conciliant
fonction d’agrément, nature en ville et activités
partagées, on a réussi à dégager certains
éléments de fonctionnement et des éléments
programmatiques.
On a aussi voulu identifier les ressources dans
une logique de recensement des initiatives et des
prédispositions à venir. Sur l’idée du grand parc
on a réussi à dégager un élément-clé. Cet espace
vert, il doit finalement être le trait d’union entre trois sous-ensembles et trois
fonctionnements résidentiels. Tout ce travail et le travail sur le fonctionnement
social qui avait été mené en amont par Fanny Martel, nous a permis de tricoter et
de mieux assurer nos intentions, nos intuitions, nos éléments programmatiques.
Dans le même temps cela a permis aux concepteurs, atelier Landauer et atelier
Jours, d’y voir un peu plus clair sur cette idée de trame et de parcellaire.
Aujourd’hui on se demande aussi si ce n’est pas aussi notre métier d’aller vers les
habitants, parce que la démarche compte tout autant que ce qui va être proposé.
Le fait d’aller vers les habitants, avec nos panneaux, d’engager des discussions
libres, tout cela crée des conditions d’adhésion plus favorables.
Je voudrais maintenant aborder quatre difficultés auxquelles nous avons été
confrontées.
La première concerne la gouvernance des projets.
De telles intentions, un tel processus de projet, réinterrogent tous les métiers de
la direction de projet, chez les bailleurs et au
sein des différents services de la collectivité.
Culturellement cela suppose de sortir de toute
standardisation de l’espace public et de tous
les modèles. Cela questionne les logiques de
propriété, de fermeture, de séparation, de
distinction des fonctions... Culturellement
c’est difficile quand on n’a pas un modèle
précis à substituer à celui que l’on propose
d’abandonner.
Finalement, on propose de réfléchir et d’agir
comme des développeurs sociaux. C’est-àdire que l’initiative qui va sortir va devenir
le premier élément de projet, sur lequel on
appuiera un deuxième. Mais rien n’est connu
ni maîtrisé d’avance. C’est une logique de
développement sans outils, hors maquette financière.
Par exemple, une des difficultés qu’on avait avec ce parc, c’est un bâtiment qui
peut gêner son déploiement. On nous demande immédiatement ce qu’on va en
faire. Et on ne sait pas leur répondre. L’écrêter, le réhabiliter, le démolir ? Et les
incertitudes ne rentrent pas dans la maquette financière, il faut faire inscrire le
devenir de ce bâtiment. On l’inscrit donc, en faisant le pari que dans 3-4 ans les
lignes seront fongibles.
La deuxième limite, est celle de la participation traditionnelle, connue.
Avec ce projet, on dépasse les figures habituelles de la concertation et de la
participation, du « faire pour » ou du « faire avec ».
Sur cette logique de coproduction, de reconnaissance d’expertise et surtout
d’incitation aux initiatives, on va mobiliser une autre figure, celle du « faire par
». Il va falloir inventer d’autres figures de la concertation et de la participation.
Savoir solliciter, mobiliser un prestataire qui va animer le territoire, aller à la
rencontre et accompagner les porteurs de projets. On ne sait pas bien qui va
répondre. Mais il va falloir repousser les limites pour inventer un nouveau métier
que celui de la concertation ou de la participation.La troisième limite, c’est celle de la tranquillité publique, de la régulation de
l’espace public. Dans notre concertation et en règle générale, la question des
détournements d’usage, du non respect des espaces et des équipements et de
la dégradation volontaire bride l’imagination. Au travers de ce projet, je pense
qu’il faudra faire naître d’autres métiers de la régulation publique. Les jardins
partagés, d’une certaine manière, sont aussi des petits miracles, un peu partout
dans le pays. Partout où ils existent et où ils sont bien faits, ils sont extrêmement
respectés, y compris dans des contextes de grande tension. Les associations
gestionnaires de ces jardins-là, parce qu’ils ont d’autres modes de faire, parce qu’ils
travaillent autrement avec des habitants, parce que c’est une valorisation aussi de
la ressource, produisent des formes de respect, de régulation.
Pour obtenir une régulation de l’espace public afin que toutes ces initiatives se
fassent, il va falloir inventer des nouvelles figures de la régulation, à l’image
des gestionnaires de ces jardins partagés ou des collectifs de jeunes architectes
ou paysagistes qui fabriquent avec les publics qu’ils rencontrent et dont les
productions tiennent et sont respectées par tous, ou presque. Ces gens ont une
capacité, dans une approche nouvelle envers les habitants, dans leur aptitude à
être acceptés, à réussir là où l’action publique traditionnelle échoue.
La quatrième limite tient à notre approche républicaine. On se fixe des limites
idéologiques, républicaines. Si on n’accepte pas d’encourager « l’activité de la
débrouille », on ne voit pas comment ça va se faire. On connaît ces activités on
voit bien que ce n’est pas très légal, que la République ne peut pas cautionner ça
et doit fixer une limite. Mais a-t-on vraiment le choix ? Il y a peut-être une logique
de pragmatisme de l’action publique qui va devoir permettre de détendre un peu
ces grands principes républicains.
Un chiffre nous a vraiment surpris. Depuis que le statut existe, c’est dans le
quartier habitat social du Mirail qu’il y a le plus d’auto-entrepreneur. Cela rend
compte de la fermeture du marché traditionnel et de la capacité des gens à
entreprendre, innover, tenter des activités. Lorsqu’il y a cadre légal, les habitants
y adhérent. Mais si cela doit passer par de la « débrouille », ils iront aussi. Nous,
savons que sur ce genre de projet, il va falloir aussi qu’on repousse ces limites de
l’action publique républicaine.Histoire de projet
Fosses : le grand ensemble devient le centre-ville
Cela fait dix ans que nous travaillons sur le projet de Fosses. Nous avons développé
un projet urbain. Aujourd’hui nous avons la maîtrise d’œuvre des espaces publics
et une mission de coordination. On en est à peu près à mi-parcours.
Fosses, est une commune de 10 000 habitants dans le Val d’Oise, en limite de l’Ile
de France, bordée par les grandes plaines agricoles de l’Oise. C’est une ville qui n’a
jamais eu de centre. Une ville périurbaine qui s’est développée à partir des années
1960-70 à proximité de la gare, à plusieurs kilomètres du village d’origine. Elle
comprend des pavillons, un grand ensemble (avec son centre commercial et son
centre social), un lotissement fait de maisons en bandes dites « chalandonnettes
» (elles ont été financées dans le cadre d’une loi du ministre Albin Chalandon),
un réseau d’étroites venelles piétonnes et quelques gros équipements (gymnase,
piscine, poste).
Comme la ville disposait d’une densité plus importante au niveau du grand
ensemble, la ville y a disposé la mairie dans un bâtiment préfabriqué. Puis,
dans les années 1980-90, elle y a construit une église, une halle de marché et
quelques immeubles collectifs aux façades régionalistes. Cela forme un ensemble
très disparate, une juxtaposition de fragments urbains qui relèvent chacun d’une
conception urbaine particulière, sans aucun lien ni articulation, une juxtaposition
de machines solitaires séparées par des vides indistincts, remplis de stationnements
ou de buttes de terre.
Du fait de cette situation, le projet de renouvellement urbain qui nous a été confié
est vite devenu un projet de centre-ville. Il y avait une attente forte des habitants
dans ce sens. Les choses qui nous ont été dites, au tout début, c’était des choses
simples: « Quand on fait une photo pour un mariage, on aimerait bien que le décor
soit autre chose qu’un préfabriqué ! ». Il y avait donc un besoin de symbolique.
Mais en même temps, il y avait un paradoxe. Parce que rien ne justifiait a priori
que le quartier du Plateau, où se trouvait le grand ensemble devienne, plus qu’un
autre, le centre-ville.
C’est très particulier une ville qui se développe sans centre. Cela peut générer un
repli des habitants au sein de leurs logements ou de leurs unités de voisinage.
A Fosses, cela a généré, à l’inverse, une solidarité incroyable. Ici, tout le monde
semble se connaître et s’entraider. Durant la canicule de l’été 2003, tous les
habitants se sont organisés pour porter secours aux personnes les plus âgées ou
les plus immobiles. Et Fosses n’a pas connu le nombre de décès des autres villes
françaises. D’où provient cette fraternité ? Peut-être du fait qu’aucun habitant
n’est ici plus légitime qu’un autre. Pas d’habitant du cœur qui dédaignerait celui
de la périphérie : la ville n’a pas de centre ! Pas d’habitant plus ancien pour rejeter
le dernier arrivé : l’urbanisation y est à la fois trop improvisée et trop récente !
Toutes les étapes du projet que nous avons élaboré depuis dix ans se sont faites
avec les habitants. Chaque option a été discutée le soir, dans des ateliers urbains,
des réunions au centre social, au collège ou à la mairie. Mais aussi les samedis
matin devant le centre commercial. Les habitants ont toujours répondu présents.
La principale difficulté était d’installer une nouvelle identité urbaine sans détruire
ce qui fait, paradoxalement, la force et la spécificité de Fosses : celles d’une ville
à peu près égalitaire. Nous nous sommes dit qu’il fallait intervenir sur les vides,
les organiser sans forcément les délimiter par du plein. Parmi ces vides, il y aurait
une place. Mais une place traversée par les voies de circulation qui soit davantage
une juxtaposition de parvis qu’une place principale. Il ne s’agissait pas d’établir de
hiérarchie. Nous avons juste densifié un peu.
Ces parvis s’installent dans la continuité de l’actuelle placette du marché qui forme
une première équerre. Trois autres équerres viennent compléter ce dispositif.
Pourquoi d’autres équerres ? Par respect du déjà-là mais aussi pour faire que ce
nouveau morceau de ville fasse le lien entre ceux qui l’ont précédé. Prolonger
l’existant et non s’y substituer. Dialoguer et non ajouter un monologue de plus.
Jusqu’à présent, aucune génération n’avait cherché à poursuivre l’œuvre de la
génération précédente.
D’autres outils sont venus a posteriori. Il s’agit du poché. Si on regarde le plan de
Rome fait par Nolli au XVIIIème siècle, on voit que l’espace public, les places, ce
sont des blancs dans le « poché » noir du bâti. A Fosses, dans cette ville périurbaine,
quand on noircit sur un plan le bâti, il reste une gigantesque proportion de blanc.
Comment dès lors faire exister une place, par essence vide, au milieu du vide ? Si
on regarde d’un peu plus près ce même plan de Nolli, on voit qu’il a laissé en blanc tous les espaces accessibles au public, comme l’intérieur des églises ou de certains
palais. Ce n’est pas simplement le blanc dans le plein du bâti, c’est aussi le bâti
accessible au public. Et cela dit beaucoup de choses de la ville. Si on applique ce
principe au plan de Fosses on voit que finalement, la disparité, la difficulté de
cette ville, relève des registres d’accessibilité. Ce que le seul poché des bâtis ne dit
pas forcément. Nous avons proposé de remédier à cette difficulté en créant des
connexions avec les circulations existantes. Cela a permis de développer un vrai
réseau piéton, de renforcer cette identité piétonne très forte de la ville, issue des
conceptions urbaines des années 60-70 et qui fonctionnent aujourd’hui très bien.
Le premier bâtiment construit relève du symbolique. Il s’agit du pôle civique,
qui comprend la mairie et quelques équipements. C’est un très beau bâtiment
construit par Pierre-Louis Faloci. Il forme la deuxième équerre de la place. Ce
faisant, il introduit un phénomène inattendu, une relation très surprenante avec
les constructions existantes. Cette confrontation est très stimulante. Le vide entre
ces constructions de plusieurs âges, de plusieurs styles, apparaît d’ores et déjà
comme un lieu à investir et non plus un interstice sans valeur. Il devient porteur
de nouveaux imaginaires et, pourquoi pas, de nouvelles initiatives.
Une question reste. Dans un reportage réalisé sur la ville de Fosses par le collectif
Fusion, un jeune homme part de son regret de voir 3 des 6 tours démolis dans le
cadre de ce projet. Ces démolitions, c’était une demande de l’ANRU. « De quoi vat-on avoir l’air avec tous ces immeubles plus bas, à la même hauteur ? » s’interroget-il. On comprend vite que sa référence de ville se situe du côté des autres grands
ensembles – Sarcelles ou Garges-Lès-Gonesse – situés à proximité et que ces grands
ensembles, également sans hiérarchie, incarnent pour lui la vie métropolitaine.
Comment dès lors préserver ce qui, du grand ensemble, participe de cette identité
? C’est une vraie question pour l’avenir du renouvellement urbain. Il est clair, qu’à
Fosses, on aurait pu faire sans démolir ces trois tours…Besançon : “ un urbanisme de la vie privée”
Ce projet porte sur un grand ensemble de la banlieue de Besançon. Nous avons
fait un projet urbain qui prévoyait la réhabilitation de certaines barres et la
démolition-reconstruction de certaines autres. Nous avons ensuite réalisé, comme
architecte, une soixantaine de logements.
À Besançon, l’origine de la ville se trouve dans la boucle du Doubs. C’est une
ville magnifique, entourée par les fortifications de Vauban. Mais dès qu’on est à
l’extérieur, tout est déconnecté, avec un relief extrêmement complexe. Les zones
pavillonnaires et d’activités sont entièrement privatisés et greffé sur des voies de
desserte. Les seuls espaces qui restent complètement ouverts sont ceux des grands
ensembles. Il s’ensuit une situation très contrastée entre des secteurs qui n’offrent
aucun espace de rencontre en dehors des enclos et des secteurs très ouverts, mais
qui n’autorisent aucune liberté d’action en dehors du logement.
Il y a un très beau texte d’Émile Aillaud qui s’appelle « Un urbanisme de la vie
privée » et qui explique que ce qu’il manque aux grands ensembles ce ne sont
pas tant des espaces collectifs que des espaces où on peut être seul, où on peut
se mouvoir librement en dehors des logements. Des lieux où les enfants peuvent
construire leurs personnalités, à l’écart des groupes et de leurs familles. J’ajouterai
aujourd’hui : et où les adultes peuvent initier de nouvelles activités.
Aujourd’hui encore, on insiste beaucoup sur l’intimité du logement et les relations
de voisinage mais très peu sur cette dimension de solitude et de capacitation.
Dans ce quartier de La Bouloie, nous avons superposé à la trame ouverte du
grand ensemble une nouvelle trame plus privée. De cette superposition émerge
une diversité de lieux et de situations qui, nous l’espérons, favorisent la solitude
et l’autonomie. Cette diversité provient notamment de la manière dont nous
avons travaillé le terrain et implanté les constructions dans la pente. Les barres
n’entretenaient aucun rapport avec le sol.
Cette opération a été réalisée avec un budget extrêmement réduit. Une contrainte
intéressante qui nous a permis de
placer l’architecture ailleurs que
dans l’effet plastique et de montrer
combien les grands ensembles ne
souffrent pas tant de la monotonie de
leurs façades que de leurs difficultés
à établir une relation féconde avec
leur sol. Repenser ce rapport permet
d’offrir aux habitants la capacité de
réinventer un quotidien en dehors
de leurs logements. Châlons-en-Champagne : un grand ensemble face à
la campagne
À Châlons-en-Champagne, nous avons réalisé un projet urbain qui portait sur le
devenir du quartier Vallée-Saint-Pierre, situé en entrée de ville.
Ce qui nous a frappés, c’est le rapport qu’entretenait ce quartier avec la campagne
environnante. Campagne dont elle n’était séparée que par une voie rapide.
C’est une question vraiment intéressante que ce rapport d’échelle entre le
grand ensemble et la grande étendue de la campagne. Dans l’histoire des grands
ensembles, il y a deux grands modèles. Le modèle de l’unité de voisinage et un
autre modèle qui consiste à mettre directement en relation l’intimité du logement
avec le territoire, sans échelle intermédiaire.
C’est ce rapport là que nous avons tenté de mettre en valeur. Il se trouve qu’il y a
toute une tradition française du rapport entre l’intimité et la campagne. Il s’agit
de la tradition des Jardins à la Française. La plupart de ces jardins mettent en scène
l’horizon avec un premier plan composé, une géométrie affirmée et entièrement
maîtrisée. Ce dispositif permet, en quelque sorte, de faire entrer la campagne à
l’intérieur d’espaces plus intimes. C’est de là que nous sommes partis pour élaborer
ce projet. Nous avons établi une trame qui établit un lien avec le paysage qui se
déploie au-delà de la voie rapide.
Ce projet a été réalisé il y a quelques années mais j’y retrouve des choses qu’on
essaie de faire maintenant, de manière beaucoup plus consciente et précise,
notamment à Toulouse : l’installation d’une trame géométrique à l’intérieur de
laquelle plusieurs programmes peuvent venir s’installer. Une trame sans axe ni
hiérarchie car la ville aujourd’hui n’est plus le fait du prince. Strasbourg : accompagner le temps de l’entre deux
Nous avons réalisé une étude sur le quartier du Port du Rhin à Strasbourg. Cette
étude s’inscrivait dans le cadre d’un programme du PUCA intitulé « Qualité et sûreté
des espaces urbains ». Il s’agissait d’apporter les modifications ou les compléments
nécessaires à l’acceptation sociale d’un projet conçu par la paysagiste Marion
Talagrand, dans le cadre d’un schéma directeur élaboré par l’équipe Reichen et
Robert. Nous avons travaillé ici avec l’équipe REP (« Réussir l’espace public »), en
particulier avec Anne Wyvekens.
Le site en question accueillait, jusqu’à Schengen, le poste-frontière. Il est
aujourd’hui déserté. On y trouve aujourd’hui un ensemble de 520 logements,
une école, deux églises – une catholique, une protestante – ainsi qu’un parc
métropolitain, le parc des Deux Rives.
Le projet de développement de la ville de Strasbourg sur ces rives du Rhin
s’accompagne d’une nouvelle ligne de tramway qui va jusqu’à Kehl, en Allemagne.
C’est un projet très ambitieux, très emblématique. Il prévoit la construction de
1 500 logements, ainsi que de nombreux commerces, bureaux et équipements.
Jusqu’à présent, ce quartier était plus proche du centre de Kehl que du centre de
Strasbourg. La plupart des gens faisaient leurs courses dans la ville allemande, de
l’autre côté du Rhin, sur un axe de déplacement est-ouest. Avec l’installation d’une
esplanade nord-sud, parallèle au fleuve, autour de laquelle se déploient les îlots de
construction, c’est une nouvelle organisation qui s’installe.
De nombreux habitants ont exprimé le sentiment d’être exclus du projet.
Nous avons donc réfléchi aux moyens d’accompagner la transformation radicale du
site pour faciliter cette mutation, prévue sur quinze ans. Nos moyens restaient toutefois limités pour atteindre cet objectif. Le phasage du projet était déjà établi.
Un phasage tenait ainsi compte du calendrier prévisionnel des opérations à venir
sur les parcelles bordant l’esplanade ainsi que de l’arrivée du tramway.
Nous avons donc fait le choix de ne pas interférer dans un processus de projet déjà
largement engagé. Notre étude n’allait pas porter sur des « mesures correctives
» mais sur des compléments d’aménagements et des installations portant sur les
parties du site en attente de transformation.
Ces installations provisoires permettent d’accompagner « en douceur » les
transformations d’usage du site. L’objectif est d’intégrer les pratiques des habitants
dans ce passage progressif d’une organisation est-ouest à une organisation nordsud. Ils concernent tout à la fois des aménagements temporaires d’allées ou de
parvis, l’installation de jardins familiaux et partagés, de la mise en œuvre d’objets
évènementiels permettant de voir le site depuis un point haut et de la mise en
place de dispositifs d’information sur le projet. Ces aménagements et installations
provisoires seront remplacés, au fur et à mesure, par des aménagements plus
permanents. Une telle démarche permet d’explorer quelques leviers d’action du
côté de la transformation. En effet, le passage entre l’état existant et l’état projeté
est rarement pensé en tant que tel dans l’urbanisme courant. On privilégie les
images avant-après, sans s’inquiéter de ce qui se passe entre les deux. Ce que l’on
appelle le phasage est généralement déterminé par un ensemble de contraintes
techniques, économiques, voire politiques. Les potentiels de certains lieux,
les pratiques, parfois ténues, des habitants, échappent le plus souvent à cette
planification. Or le fait de tirer parti des situations existantes et des situations
intermédiaires qui peuvent surgir à certaines étapes de la transformation, permet
d’ouvrir le champ des possibles.
En abordant le phasage sous un angle qui ne serait plus exclusivement technique,
mais tout à la fois social, culturel et artistique, on s’offre la possibilité de générer
de nouvelles proximités, de nouveaux échanges. C’est une condition indispensable
pour permettre aux habitants de faire face aux transformations de leurs quartiers.
Mais aussi de la planète. Car les mutations en cours sont imprévisibles. Il est
nécessaire aujourd’hui d’être très attentifs aux initiatives micro-économiques
et aux évolutions imperceptibles qui font, par exemple, que l’habitat se mêle au
travail ou que les frontières s’effacent entre approvisionnement, production et
distribution.
Repères biographiques
• 1990 : Obtention de son diplôme d’architecte DPLG à l’Ecole Nationale
Supérieure d’Architecture de Nancy.
• 1996-2004 : Chercheur au Laboratoire d’histoire de l’architecture
contemporaine (LHAC) à l’Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de
Nancy.
• 2002 : Ouverture de son agence « atelier Landauer architecture +
urbanisme » dans le 14ème arrondissement de Paris.
• 2004 : Obtention de son doctorat en histoire de l’architecture à l’Université
de Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne.
• Depuis 2007 : Enseignant titulaire à l’Ecole d’architecture, de la ville et des
territoires à Marne-la-Vallée et chercheur à l’Observatoire de la condition
suburbaine.
• 2009 : Parution de son ouvrage « L’architecte, la ville et la sécurité » aux
éditions PUF.
• 2010 : Parution de son ouvrage « L’invention du grand ensemble » aux
éditions Picard.
• 2011 : Parution de son ouvrage, coécrit avec Dominique Lefrançois, « Emile
Aillaud, carnet d’architectes » aux éditions du Patrimoine.
• Depuis 2013 : Dirige l’Observatoire de la condition suburbaine à l’Ecole
d’architecture, de la ville et des territoires à Marne-la-Vallée.
Les grands ensembles sont des terres d’avenir ! Sans interrogation mais avec
affirmation, Paul Landauer souhaite nous montrer, à partir de son expérience,
comment les grands ensembles ont pris, depuis leur construction, toute leur place
dans la fabrique de la ville et comment ils peuvent devenir les pionniers d’une
nouvelle façon de transformer la ville.
Pour cet architecte, docteur en histoire de l’architecture, pas de rupture entre
la recherche, l’enseignement et la conception de projets urbains. De Toulouse à
Strasbourg, en passant par Fosses, Besançon, Brest, Nemours, Mourenx ou Chalonsen Champagne, il lie tous ces registres.
Au commencement de toute pratique, un regard sur les territoires mais aussi sur
les hommes et les femmes qui l’habitent... Ce regard, Paul Landauer va l’exercer sur
de nombreux territoires, comme historien, comme architecte-urbaniste, mais aussi
comme animateur d’ateliers urbains, un exercice qu’il affectionne particulièrement.
C’est cette qualité dans les expertises croisées et multiples qui le conduit à être
reconnu comme un des spécialistes des grands ensembles. C’est porté par sa
conviction que le savoir doit se transmettre, qu’il va être l’auteur de plusieurs livres
et expositions dans le domaine de l’histoire de l’habitat et de la perception des
territoires de la banlieue par les photographes.
Il s’engage également contre la place grandissante qu’a prise la sécurité dans les
projets urbains. Il s’attache, dans plusieurs ouvrages, à dénoncer les incidences des
dispositifs de contrôle, de surveillance et d’évitement dans la conception de la ville
et à revendiquer le maintien d’un espace public favorisant la rencontre et l’initiative.
Il réalise notamment une place publique – avec des bancs ! – dans le quartier réputé
insécure de Lambezellec à Brest et démontre ainsi comment l’aménagement de lieux
ouverts, sans a priori sur ce qu’ils vont accueillir, peut constituer une alternative
aux grilles et aux contrôles d’accès pour rassurer les habitants. En 2008, le Forum
français de la sécurité urbaine et l’Acsé lui décernent un prix pour cette réalisation.
Paul Landauer, c’est une manière unique de regarder la diversité des territoires,
dans leur globalité, dans leurs résonnances les uns avec les autres, mais surtout
de les interpréter avec humanisme, replaçant la question de la valorisation et de
la transformation des situations existantes comme fonction essentielle du projet.
Ni critique ni nostalgique en retraçant l’histoire des grands ensembles. Mais une
mise en perspective de tous les potentiels humains et urbains qui les composent.
Ce qu’il nous propose, c’est une autre manière de concevoir la place de l’habitant
dans la ville, pour que celui-ci soit toujours en capacité d’interaction et d’autodétermination pour faire face aux enjeux de notre époque. Urbanisme - l'Apres 1945 @ 2 millions de logements a créer en urgençe..45 pour cent du parc locatif bombardé.. « Ginny » vu par l’urbaniste Nicolas Monnot @ les grands-ensembles www.arte.tv/fr/videos/082309-000-A/ginny-vu-par-l-urbanis...
sig.ville.gouv.fr/atlas/ZUS/ La matrice des G.E. s'est développée au lendemain de la guerre, lors de la reconstruction, mais ses origines de 1930, en France (Cité de la Muette à Drancy, quartier des Gratte-ciel à Villeurbanne).Gilles Ragot, historien de l'art, maître de recherche içi www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEBfg4vXNOM …Dès la fin de la seconde guerre mondiale, Eugène Claudius-Petit, éminent ministre de la reconstruction (1948-1952) déclare qu'il faut avoir une politique de "construction et non seulement de reconstruction". Nourri des thèses du Mouvement Moderne (la Charte d'Athènes est publiée en 1943), Claudius-Petit plaide pour une politique ambitieuse de logement social qu'il ne peut dissocier d'une réforme complète de la ville traditionnelle. www.citedelarchitecture.fr/fr/video/de-la-reconstruction-... Les 30 Glorieuses . com et la carte postale.l'UNION SOCIALE POUR L HABITAT fete ses 90 ans "TOUT savoir tout voir, tout connaitre, sur le LOGEMENT SOCIAL des HLM aux HBM avec le Musée HLM" en ligne sur le WEB içi www.banquedesterritoires.fr/lunion-sociale-pour-lhabitat-... … De grandes barres d’immeubles, appelées les grands ensembles, sont le symbole de nos banlieues. Entrée Libre revient sur le phénomène de destruction de ces bâtiments qui reflètent aujourd’hui la misere www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCqHBP5SBiM
Always difficult after a "productive" day, great light and views yesterday, back to reality today.
Scrabster Harbour, Caithness, Scotland.
This is a collection of Images that show how difficult it is to be consistant lightpainting especially when the subject is different distances away from the camera
Even when I am standing in the shots it doesn`t show how big these granitetors really are
I flicked through these quickly when I was showing Rhys these on the laptop which gave me the idea to create the slideshow
I used lightroom to create this , I could have added music but I wasn`t sure what you can use without paying royalties
The Images seem to be a little soft when converted
I saved a HD version but it was 105mbs which I thought might be a bit much for you to download
I was using the Ledlenser X21 which is up to 1000 lumens and the beam is adjustable
I also had a 35 lumen headlamp which was gentle on the FG
Difficult Run, located in Great Falls National Park outside of Washington DC in Northern Virginia. Difficult Run, so named because of its obvious challenges for anyone seeking to navigate its waters, flows into the Potomac River (where the parks namesake is located) downstream of the falls.
Difficult lighting conditions can occur under a number of situations. In this case, the aurora was just TOO BRIGHT. However, the use of foreground as a nice silhouette saved the moment.
To see this picture in 3-D, sit 2-3 feet from the monitor and gently cross your eyes so that the two images become three. The one in the middle will be in 3-D. If you are finding this difficult, you may be trying too hard. Viewing full screen is best.
I haven't done a glass picture for a while, so it seemed like a good idea to try a dark field shot with a twist.
Lighting is from a wide softbox behind, with Canon 540EZ on full power, triggered by radio. The middle part of the softbox, behind the glass, is masked with black, and the exposed parts at the sides covered with coloured cloth (blue/green on the left, red on the right).
The base was black, and the sides also flagged with black cards, but there are still lots of spurious reflections I couldn't control in the limited time I had to set up, shoot and clear away.
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“An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness” ―Kay Redfield Jamison, 1995
“We all build internal sea walls to keep at bay the sadnesses of life and the often overwhelming forces within our minds. In whatever way we do this—through love, work, family, faith, friends, denial, alcohol, drugs, or medication—we build these walls, stone by stone, over a lifetime. One of the most difficult problems is to construct these barriers of such a height and strength that one has a true harbor, a sanctuary away from crippling turmoil and pain, but yet low enough, and permeable enough, to let in fresh seawater that will fend off the inevitable inclination toward brackishness.”
it can be very difficult to a photo that shows the subtle differences of colours...and here it is dyeing with the fungus Fomitopsis pinicola and in three lenghts...from left the smallest piece was taken up form the bath just after boiling for 1 hour....then next (middle) was in the bath when it cooled down and untill next day where i did another boiling for 1 hour and then cooled down and stayed there until the day after ....the last at the right was boiled also in this Fomitopsis pinicola but in an ironpot....an old one i just bought....and there does not seem to come any iron from it as far as I can see...so I tried to put into it som vinegar, but after it had cooled down ...1 1/2 dl. to a big pot...just to see what would happen..if it got darker somehow....and it stayed there some days....and it has turned somehow darker but not much...wonder if you actualle can see it here, but it did.....
Later i think i will try a proper iron bath in my very small pot containg iron from boiled ironstrings and also vinegar, and onionskins...i think I can do it before i maybe will go moulding...It is some days old since i pur in the onionskins...maybe I should take a look...but i have read that fomitopsis pinicola will work well with ironmordanting....
I consider this one of the most difficult of the Herschel 400 objects for small to medium-sized telescopes. Yes, it is a dim and small galaxy, but I believe that its real difficulty rests with it being so thin. In the above drawing I was not able, at first, to see NGC 4845 at the power (84x) used to make the drawing. It was only after I had developed a feeling of what I was looking for, by using a much higher power (232x), and then returning to the lower power was I able to see its tiny sliver-like glow. I found it far harder to see/observe than its 11.2 magnitude implies. I am surprised it made the Herschel 400 list!! On the upside is that if you can locate this galaxy in your telescope, you will likely not have too much difficulty with the other 399 objects on the Herschel list.
What NGC 4845 looks like with my 155mm refractor from my suburban backyard is very misleading. If you have the time, look up how this galaxy appears in the Hubble Space Telescope – it will shock you. This galaxy contains numerous dust lanes and an active core fueled by a 300,000 solar mass black hole. A magnificent Island Universe indeed!!
To see additional astronomy drawings visit: www.orrastrodrawing.com
It would be difficult to date this photograph of the 'Nissen Hut' loco-shed at the Ministry of Defence Aschurch Central Vehicle Depot which contained 'Army 236', a 0-4-0 diesel-mechanical built by Andrew Barclay in 1945 (works No.372). Taken on 14th October 1985 during an Industrial Railway Society visit.
© Copyright Gordon Edgar - No unauthorised use
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hNO6rJVvmQ
You might find it hard to believe, but I actually get QUITE a lot of offers from Bisexual men.
Unfortunately (I am sad to say) absolutely no ”undercover” or ”in the closet” bisexual guy's for me. I´m only attracted to men with balls AT LEAST the size of my own.
Married guys? = SURE I´m in!
”But.. Lisa (you utter in confusion).. your ethics...”
My ethics are fine! :o)
You see, I tell the married guy's to give me their wifes phone number, so I can call and check that they are meeting me with the wife's ”blessing”.
As it is my oppinion, that what happens within ”the boundaries of marriage” (with the wife's blessing) is actually ”that couples private sexlife” and therefore no one else's business in the whole wide world, but his, the wife and mine.
You see... I believe in love. Adultery (in my humble eyes) is actually a violation of love.
If I say ”yes” to a married guy (or a guy in a relationship) without the knowledge of the wife or girlfriend, I am hurting that womans heart by doing so. EVERY LITTLE TOUCH, is a whip upon her soul that shall burn forever. - Well.. I am no sadist (or domina) so there you have it :o) My conscience clean :o)
Transvestit København Danmark
After a difficult but successful searching of cougars in sectors close to the Torres del Paine National Park in the Chilean Patagonia, and fighting against a strong wind and low temperatures with the pioneer in tracking of pumas in Patagonia, biologist and wild photographer, Rodrigo Moraga, we achieved the great reward of finding this mother with her four cubs of no more than three months and feeding on a guanaco recently hunted by her. Finding a family feeding and playing together, forced us to spend long hours contemplating at a discreet and silent distance their games and activities, which invited us to remember when we were cubs too, with those same antics, bothering our mother, and she, with that patience that all mothers have, looked at us with love and patience. A very exciting moments of those that photography will help me to remember forever, and also that helped me to think in moments of my childhood.