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Everyone is kneaded out of the same dough but not baked in the same oven. ~Yiddish Proverb
15 exposiciones de 90 segundos con teleobjetivo 200 mm f/1.8, ISO 1.600, cámara Canon EOS 6D modificada. Centro, (AR): 06h 16m 52s, (Dec.): +23° 04' 06”. Campo angular: 6.5º x 4.4º. Escala: 6.7 arcsec/pixel.
IC 443, nebulosa de La Medusa, Sh2-248. Es un remanente de supernova galáctica (SNR) en la constelación de Géminis. Su distancia es de unos 5.000 años luz.
IC 443 pueden ser los restos de una supernova que ocurrió hace 3.000-30.000 años. El evento de supernova probablemente creó la estrella de neutrones CXOU J061705.3 + 222127, el remanente colapsado del núcleo estelar. IC 443 es uno de los casos mejor estudiados de restos de supernova que interactúan con las nubes moleculares circundantes.
IC 443 es una fuente extendida, que tiene un diámetro angular de 50 arcmin (en comparación, la luna llena tiene 30 arcmin de diámetro). A la distancia estimada de 5.000 años luz, corresponde a un tamaño físico de aproximadamente 70 años luz (20 parsec).
La morfología óptica y de radio de la SNR tiene forma de concha (por ejemplo, una SNR prototipo con forma de concha es SN 1006), que consta de dos subconchas conectadas con diferentes centros y radios. Un tercer subconjunto más grande, inicialmente atribuido a IC 443, ahora se reconoce como una SNR diferente y más antigua (100.000 años), llamada G189.6 + 3.3.
En particular, la morfología de rayos X IC 443 tiene un pico central y una capa de rayos X muy suave es apenas visible. A diferencia de los remanentes de plerion (Pulsar Wind Nebula, en inglés o nebulosa de viento de púlsar, es un resto de supernova que es alimentado por la energía de rotación de un púlsar, como la Nebulosa del Cangrejo), la emisión interna de rayos X no está dominada por la nebulosa central del viento pulsar. De hecho, tiene un origen térmico. IC 443 muestra características muy similares a la clase de morfología mixta de los remanentes de supernova. Las emisiones ópticas y de rayos X son fuertemente absorbidas por una nube molecular gigante en primer plano, cruzando todo el resto del cuerpo del noroeste al sureste.
La edad del remanente aún es incierta. Recientes observaciones de Chandra y XMM-Newton identificaron una nebulosa plerion, cerca del borde sur. La fuente puntual cerca del vértice de la nebulosa es una estrella de neutrones, reliquia de una explosión SN. La ubicación en una región de formación de estrellas y la presencia de una estrella de neutrones favorecen una supernova de Tipo II, el destino final de una estrella masiva, como la explosión del progenitor.
El remanente está evolucionando en un entorno rico y complejo, que afecta fuertemente su morfología. Las observaciones de longitud de onda múltiple muestran la presencia de gradientes de densidad nítidos y diferentes geometrías de nubes en los alrededores de IC 443.
Sh2-249. Es una nebulosa de emisión visible en la constelación de Géminis.
Se encuentra en la parte occidental de la constelación, en la dirección de la brillante estrella Tejat Posterior (μ Geminorum), cuya luz perturba su observación; aparece inmerso en un rico campo estelar.
Sh2-249 es una región extendida de H II que podría estar unida al complejo de la nebulosa molecular de Gemini OB1, ubicada a una distancia de unos 5.000-10.000 años luz. La fuente de ionización de la iluminación vendría del viento estelar de tres estrellas masivas de tipo espectral B, catalogada como HD 43753, HD 43818 y HD 255091.
IC 444. Es una pequeña nebulosa de reflexión en la constelación de Géminis, junto a la nebulosa Sh2-249. Dista unos 8.700 años luz.
Tejat Posterior, μ Geminorum, μ Gem, 13 Geminorum. Es la cuarta estrella más brillante de la constelación de Géminis, pese a ostentar la denominación de Bayer «Mu», duodécima letra del alfabeto griego. Comparte el nombre de Tejat con Tejat Prior (Propus, η Geminorum) y la palabra Posterior sirve para diferenciarla de esta última, ya que visualmente ambas estrellas están muy cerca. Curiosamente los dos astros son similares pero no están físicamente relacionados: Tejat Prior, distante 232 años luz del Sistema Solar, está unos 120 años luz más alejada de nosotros que Tejat Prior.
La palabra Tejat proviene de Al Taḥāyī, término arábigo. Esta estrella también fue conocida como Nuhātai, nombre de la mansión lunar árabe de la que formaba parte junto a Alhena (γ Geminorum) y Tejat Prior. Otras denominaciones que ha recibido son Calx —«talón» en latín— o Pish Pai, este último nombre de origen persa.
Tejat Posterior es una gigante roja de tipo espectral M3III con una temperatura superficial de 3.650 K. Con un radio 104 veces más grande que el radio solar, equivalente a 0,48 UA, si estuviera en el lugar del Sol su superficie se extendería hasta casi la mitad de la órbita terrestre. Brilla con una luminosidad, una vez considerada la radiación infrarroja emitida, igual a la de 1.540 soles. Respecto al Sol, se mueve con una velocidad relativa cinco veces mayor que la habitual.
Tiene una masa aproximada de 3 masas solares e inició su vida como una estrella de la secuencia principal de tipo B medio. Actualmente ha terminado la fusión nuclear tanto del hidrógeno como del helio y está evolucionando hacia una fase de más luminosidad para convertirse en una variable Mira. Finalmente se irá extinguiendo y concluirá su vida como una enana blanca masiva.2
Tejat Posterior es una estrella variable clasificada como variable irregular de tipo LB cuyo brillo varía entre magnitud aparente +2,75 a +3,02.4 Parece existir un período principal de 27 días junto a un segundo período, de mucha mayor duración, de aproximadamente 2.000 días.
Propus, Tejat Prior, η Geminorum, η Gem, 7 Geminorum. Es una estrella de magnitud aparente +3,32 en la constelación de Géminis. El nombre de Propus, de origen griego, significa «pie delantero». El término Tejat proviene de una palabra árabe de origen desconocido, mientras que la palabra Prior diferencia a esta estrella de la vecina Tejat Posterior (μ Geminorum), visualmente a menos de 2º.
Propus es una gigante roja de tipo espectral M3IIIab y 3.600 K de temperatura superficial. Situada a 350 años luz, brilla con una luminosidad 2.400 veces mayor que la del Sol. Tiene un radio 130 veces más grande que el radio solar; si estuviera en el centro del Sistema Solar, su superficie prácticamente llegaría hasta la órbita de Venus. Es una estrella variable clasificada como semirregular, con un brillo variable entre magnitud aparente +3,15 y +3,90 a lo largo de un período de 234 días.
Junto a la estrella principal, Tejat Prior A, dos estrellas más conforman el sistema estelar. A 7 UA de distancia, una compañera (probablemente de tipo espectral B) completa una órbita alrededor de la estrella principal cada 8,2 años. Más alejada, a 1,4 segundos de arco (que equivalen a una distancia mínima de 150 UA), se encuentra una segunda acompañante de tipo espectral F o G, Tejat Prior B, cuyo período orbital alrededor del par interior es superior a 700 años.
Tejat Prior era la estrella más cercana a Urano cuando éste fue descubierto el 13 de marzo de 1781 por William Herschel.
M35, NGC 2168. Es un cúmulo estelar abierto en la constelación de Géminis. Fue descubierto por Philippe Loys de Chéseaux en 1745 y redescubierto independientemente por John Bevis antes de 1750.
M35 contiene varios cientos de estrellas (Åke Wallenquist ha contado 120 con magnitud aparente superior a 13) dispersas en el área que cubre la luna llena (28 arcmin). El Sky Catalogue 2000.0 y la primera edición de Uranometría 2000.0 conceden 200 miembros. A una distancia de unos 2.800 años luz corresponde a un diámetro de cerca de 24 años luz. El cúmulo tiene una edad de entre 95 y 110 millones de años y contiene algunas estrellas que ya han abandonado la secuencia principal, entre las que se incluyen varias gigantes amarillas y naranjas de tipo espectral G tardío o K temprano.
NGC 2158. Es un cúmulo estelar abierto en la constelación de Géminis, a 15 arcmin al suroeste del también cúmulo abierto M35. De magnitud aparente 8,6, se encuentra a unos 11.000 años luz de la Tierra.
NGC 2158 es un cúmulo bastante compacto, siendo considerado durante un tiempo candidato a cúmulo globular. Hoy, sin embargo, se clasifica como un cúmulo abierto de tipo II 3 r. Es un cúmulo antiguo, cuya edad se calcula en poco más de 1.000 millones de años. Con más de 10.000 estrellas, su luz está dominada por estrellas amarillentas, la más luminosa de ellas de tipo espectral F0 y magnitud 12-13.
Fue descubierto por el astrónomo William Herschel en 1784.
Sh2-247. Es una nebulosa de emisión visible en la constelación de Géminis.
Se encuentra en la parte suroeste de la constelación, en la frontera con Orión.
Sh2-247 consiste en una pequeña región esferoidal H II cuyo diámetro aparente está alrededor de 8-9 ', unida físicamente a la región de asociación OB Gemini OB1; contiene dentro una estrella azul-blanca de la secuencia principal de la clase B0V. Presenta estructuras con filamentos espacialmente distintos. Se encuentra a unos 5.500 años luz.
IC 2157. Es un cúmulo estelar abierto en la constelación de Geminis. Fue descubierto en 1899, cuando Thomas Espin lo reconoció como un cúmulo abierto; su bajo brillo y poca concentración habían hecho que la familia Herschel ignorara este objeto. Finalmente se incluyó en el Index Catalog (IC), publicado como una extensión del Nuevo Catálogo General (NGC).
La baja luminosidad de este objeto se justifica en parte por la gran distancia a la que se encuentra, más de 6.650 años luz, por lo que también aparece fuertemente oscurecido por el polvo interestelar que se interpone a lo largo de la línea de vista; esta distancia lo coloca en el borde exterior del Brazo de Perseo.
Es un cúmulo poco estudiado, cuya edad es de aproximadamente 63 millones de años como máximo, sus componentes más brillantes muestran signos de evolución hacia la etapa de estrella gigante y dos de ellos, ubicados en el borde del grupo , son gigantes rojas en todos los aspectos. Los componentes menos masivos se encuentran, en su mayoría, en la secuencia principal y están ubicados en la región central del grupo y en dos extensiones ubicadas al norte y al este.
15 exposures of 90 seconds with telephoto lens 200 mm f / 1.8, ISO 1,600, Canon EOS 6D camera modified. Center, (AR): 06h 16m 52s, (Dec.): + 23 ° 04 '06 ". Angular field: 6.5º x 4.4º. Scale: 6.7 arcsec / pixel.
IC 443, Jellyfish Nebula, Sh2-248. It is a remnant of galactic supernova (SNR) in the constellation of Gemini. Its distance is about 5,000 light years.
IC 443 may be the remains of a supernova that occurred 3,000-30,000 years ago. The supernova event probably created the neutron star CXOU J061705.3 + 222127, the collapsed remnant of the stellar core. IC 443 is one of the best-studied cases of supernova remnants that interact with the surrounding molecular clouds.
IC 443 is an extended source, which has an angular diameter of 50 arcmin (in comparison, the full moon has 30 arcmin in diameter). At the estimated distance of 5,000 light years, corresponds to a physical size of approximately 70 light years (20 parsec).
The optical and radio morphology of the SNR is shell-shaped (for example, a shell-shaped SNR prototype is SN 1006), which consists of two sub-slices connected to different centers and radii. A third larger subset, initially attributed to IC 443, is now recognized as a different and older SNR (100,000 years), called G189.6 + 3.3.
In particular, the IC 443 X-ray morphology has a central peak and a very soft X-ray layer is barely visible. Unlike remnants of plerion (Pulsar Wind Nebula, in English or pulsar wind nebula, it is a rest of supernova that is fed by the energy of rotation of a pulsar, like the Crab Nebula), the internal emission of rays X is not dominated by the central nebula of the pulsar wind. In fact, it has a thermal origin. IC 443 shows characteristics very similar to the mixed morphology class of the supernova remnants. The optical and X-ray emissions are strongly absorbed by a giant molecular cloud in the foreground, crossing all the rest of the body from northwest to southeast.
The age of the remnant is still uncertain. Recent observations by Chandra and XMM-Newton identified a plerion nebula near the southern edge. The point source near the vertex of the nebula is a neutron star, relic of an SN explosion. The location in a region of star formation and the presence of a neutron star favor a Type II supernova, the final destination of a massive star, such as the progenitor explosion.
The remnant is evolving in a rich and complex environment, which strongly affects its morphology. The multiple wavelength observations show the presence of sharp density gradients and different cloud geometries in the vicinity of IC 443.
Sh2-249. It is a visible emission nebula in the constellation of Gemini.
It is found in the western part of the constellation, in the direction of the bright star Tejat Posterior (μ Geminorum), whose light disturbs its observation; appears immersed in a rich star field.
Sh2-249 is an extended region of H II that could be linked to the complex of the Gemini OB1 molecular nebula, located at a distance of about 5,000-10,000 light years. The ionization source of the illumination would come from the stellar wind of three massive stars of spectral type B, cataloged like HD 43753, HD 43818 and HD 255091.
IC 444. It is a small nebula of reflection in the constellation of Gemini, next to the nebula Sh2-249. It is about 8,700 light years away.
Posterior Tejat, μ Geminorum, μ Gem, 13 Geminorum. It is the fourth brightest star of the constellation of Gemini, despite having the name of Bayer "Mu", twelfth letter of the Greek alphabet. It shares the name of Tejat with Tejat Prior (Propus, η Geminorum) and the word Posterior serves to differentiate it from the latter, since visually both stars are very close. Curiously, the two stars are similar but not physically related: Tejat Prior, distant 232 light years from the Solar System, is about 120 light years farther from us than Tejat Prior.
The word Tejat comes from Al Taḥāyī, an Arabic term. This star was also known as Nuhātai, name of the Arab lunar mansion of which it was a part along with Alhena (γ Geminorum) and Tejat Prior. Other denominations that it has received are Calx - «heel» in Latin- or Pish Pai, this last name of Persian origin.
Tejat Posterior is a red giant of spectral type M3III with a surface temperature of 3,650 K. With a radius 104 times larger than solar radius, equivalent to 0.48 AU, if it were in the place of the Sun its surface would extend to almost half of Earth's orbit. It shines with a luminosity, once considered the emitted infrared radiation, equal to that of 1,540 soles. With respect to the Sun, it moves with a relative velocity five times greater than usual.
It has an approximate mass of 3 solar masses and began its life as a star of the main sequence of type B medium. At the moment nuclear fusion of both hydrogen and helium has been completed and is evolving towards a phase of more luminosity to become a Mira variable. Eventually it will go extinct and its life will end like a massive white dwarf.2
Tejat Posterior is a variable star classified as an irregular variable of type LB whose brightness varies between apparent magnitude +2.75 to +3.02.4 There seems to be a main period of 27 days together with a second period, much longer, of approximately 2,000 days.
Propus, Tejat Prior, η Geminorum, η Gem, 7 Geminorum. It is a star of apparent magnitude +3.32 in the constellation of Gemini. The name of Propus, of Greek origin, means "front foot". The term Tejat comes from an Arabic word of unknown origin, while the word Prior differentiates this star from the neighboring Tejat Posterior (μ Geminorum), visually to less than 2º.
Propus is a red giant of spectral type M3IIIab and 3.600 K of superficial temperature. Located at 350 light years, it shines with a luminosity 2,400 times greater than that of the Sun. It has a radius 130 times bigger than the solar radius; if it were in the center of the Solar System, its surface would practically reach the orbit of Venus. It is a variable star classified as semiregular, with a variable brightness between apparent magnitude +3.15 and +3.90 over a period of 234 days.
Along with the main star, Tejat Prior A, two more stars make up the star system. At 7 AU away, a companion (probably of spectral type B) completes an orbit around the main star every 8.2 years. Further away, at 1.4 seconds of arc (equivalent to a minimum distance of 150 AU), there is a second companion of spectral type F or G, Tejat Prior B, whose orbital period around the inner pair is over 700 years .
Tejat Prior was the closest star to Uranus when it was discovered on March 13, 1781 by William Herschel.
M35, NGC 2168. It is an open star cluster in the constellation of Gemini. It was discovered by Philippe Loys de Chéseaux in 1745 and independently rediscovered by John Bevis before 1750.
M35 contains several hundred stars (Åke Wallenquist has counted 120 with apparent magnitude greater than 13) scattered in the area covered by the full moon (28 arcmin). The Sky Catalog 2000.0 and the first edition of Uranometry 2000.0 grant 200 members. At a distance of about 2,800 light years corresponds to a diameter of about 24 light years. The cluster is between 95 and 110 million years old and contains some stars that have already left the main sequence, including several yellow and orange giants of the late G or early K spectral type.
NGC 2158. It is an open star cluster in the constellation of Gemini, 15 arcmin southwest of the also open cluster M35. Of apparent magnitude 8.6, it is about 11,000 light years from Earth.
NGC 2158 is a fairly compact cluster, being considered for a time candidate globular cluster. Today, however, it is classified as an open cluster of type II 3 r. It is an ancient cluster, whose age is estimated at just over 1,000 million years. With more than 10,000 stars, its light is dominated by yellow stars, the brightest of them of spectral type F0 and magnitude 12-13.
It was discovered by the astronomer William Herschel in 1784.
Sh2-247. It is a visible emission nebula in the constellation of Gemini.
It is located in the southwestern part of the constellation, on the border with Orion.
Sh2-247 consists of a small spheroidal region H II whose apparent diameter is around 8-9', physically attached to the OB Gemini OB1 association region; contains inside a blue-white star of the main sequence of class B0V. It presents structures with spatially different filaments. It is about 5,500 light years away.
IC 2157. It is an open star cluster in the constellation Gemini. It was discovered in 1899, when Thomas Espin recognized it as an open cluster; its low brightness and low concentration had caused the Herschel family to ignore this object. Finally it was included in the Index Catalog (IC), published as an extension of the New General Catalog (NGC).
The low luminosity of this object is justified in part by the great distance it is at, more than 6,650 light years, so it also appears strongly obscured by the interstellar dust that stands along the line of sight; this distance places it on the outer edge of the Perseus Arm.
It is a poorly studied cluster, whose age is approximately 63 million years at most, its brightest components show signs of evolution towards the giant star stage and two of them, located at the edge of the group, are red giants in all aspects. The less massive components are, in their majority, in the main sequence and are located in the central region of the group and in two extensions located to the north and east.
Equal Pay Day
21. März, 12 – 14 Uhr
22 % auf ALLES für Frauen im sattgrün
Satte 22 Prozent – so hoch ist der Lohnunterschied zwischen Frauen und Männern im Durchschnitt. Gründe dafür sind:
Frauen arbeiten oft in Berufen, die schlechter bezahlt werden.
Frauen sind es meistens, die für die Erziehung ihrer Kinder oder die Pflege von Angehörigen eine Berufspause einlegen.
Frauen arbeiten häufig in Teilzeit und in Minijobs. Frauen erhalten bei gleichwertiger Qualifikation und gleichwertiger Arbeit weniger Geld.
Das wollen wir ändern und mit Ihnen hierüber ins Gespräch kommen.
Am Freitag zahlen Frauen im sattgrün am Hafen von 12 bis 14 Uhr für Essen und Getränke 22% weniger. Die GRÜNEN in NRW möchten mit dieser Aktion auf die immer noch bestehende Lohnungleichheit zwischen Frauen und Männern aufmerksam machen und laden ein zum gemütlichen Mittagessen mit:
Barbara Steffens
NRW-Ministerin für Gesundheit, Emanzipation, Pflege und Alter
Sven Lehmann
Landesvorsitzender der GRÜNEN NRW
Miriam Koch
GRÜNE Oberbürgermeisterkandidatin für Düsseldorf
Terry Reintke
GRÜNE Kandidatin für das Europaparlament
Permanent Mission of Principality of Monaco to the UN, New York, 17 September 2022.
© ITU/ M. Jacobson-Gonzalez
Striking the way the tree and lady are bend. One from not so easy life and the other by the natural environment and people.
I'll be posting a bunch of new eagle captures most likely, so I wanted to give some other flying birds equal chance ... they can be just a pretty in the air given the right lighting ;))
On Us Highway 65 Fristoe Missouri. A right thinking gentleman. We here in the Ozarks cling to our guns and our God.
Bhutan is not a country that is generally well known. If asked, most people might say that it lies somewhere in the Himalayas and is a bit hilly. If pressed, they might think of yaks and snow leopards and rhododendrons, or maybe know it as the land where development is measured in terms of Gross National Happiness rather than Gross Domestic Privation.
And in fact, this latter characteristic most fits with my experiences of this mountainous kingdom – the happiness of the people stands out a mile. In the short time that I was there I cannot recall a frown or a curse or even so much as a tiny disagreement. Even the use of the car horn is limited to polite little peeps or playful messages sent to pretty girls as they saunter along the pavement. It is such a gentle society.
It’s also an equal and an emancipated one. Women are first in line to inherit following the death of their parents; it is they who get the house and the property and the rights, not the son (whether he’s older or not). Women can have as many spouses as men. Women are very forthright when it comes to flirting: within a couple of hours at my first hotel I was invited to a dance that evening and asked if I wanted to marry one of the waitresses. I didn’t take advantage of either offer but, given the beauty of the women here, I was sorely tempted. They really are extremely lovely – slim and wiggly bodies, velvety black hair that never seems to grey, wonderful dimpled smiles, and eyes that just penetrate into the heart of you.
They seem to be a very sexually liberated lot (well, that’s one way of calling it). My guide, Kinlay, was forever talking about his girlfriends (even though he’s married with two sons), hanky-panky (but no spanky, perhaps that was pushing revelations a mite too far given that I’d only just met him), and jiggy-jiggy (or, in local parlance, ‘jeggy-jeggy’), or shouting, ‘Charimdumaray’ (‘You’re lovely’) through the window at any passing female. But then he’s very young, he’s in his thirties … Or maybe he’s just trying to live up to the reputation of his namesake, Lama Drukpa Kunley (1455-1529), aka ‘The Divine Madman’, a saint who had the MO of driving out demons by means of excessive drinking and fornication which sounds a perfectly valid and jolly method of exorcism to me. His signature, a big phallus , now adorns many buildings throughout the area – a sign to ward off evil and protect the household. I wonder how this would go down with the good citizens of Ayr?
Many people still revere His Mad Divineship / Holy Madness and consequently many people have been given his name (or that of the temple that was dedicated to him, ‘Chimey Lhakhang’). The first two people I met in Bhutan were called Kunley. Then the third (who was confusingly a woman ) turned out to be a Kunley too. And so was the fourth. I gave up asking after that.
Bhutan is now a constitutional monarchy since the present king relinquished absolute rule in 2008. Like a 21 year old with the keys to life, the new democracy is revelling in its liberation, independence and autonomy and is enjoying furnishing its own flat and buying its own clothes and food. But at the same time it looks up to the person who granted it its freedom, and the whole country remains loyal and truly affectionate towards the Royal Family.
The king (31, Pisces - they like such details here) married his young betrothed (21, Virgo ) on the 13th October. Every shop had photos of the couple posted outside and inside, decorated with ribbons in the colours of the Buddha – blue (for the sky), white (for the clouds), red (for fire), green (for water) and yellow (for the soil). Huge banners adorned hillsides and town gates. Radio programmes were filled with callers wishing the happy pair a long, fruitful, loving union. And as I watched the wedding in a restaurant in Paro , with the assembled masses in the crowds and in the organised dances that must have taken weeks to rehearse, and thought that there could not be a single person in the nation who was not either at the ceremony or who was not glued to the TV, it occurred to me that this was what it must have been like with QEII 50 years ago . How long will this state of innocent bliss last?
Maybe for a long time yet. Not only is this a peaceful society (I never once felt threatened) but it’s also relatively prosperous, well organised, and, crucially and in a real way, it actually is a society. It is not a collection of individuals out to benefit for themselves. This is one big nation of people (about 650 000 of them) who believe they are part of a larger community of family, friends and neighbours. The neighbours may be from the east of the country (300 miles away and effectively 2 days travelling) who speak another dialect and wear different clothes, but they are still part of the same community.
Free education for all plays an important role in levelling classes and bringing people together. The king (apparently) lives in a ‘cottage’ and he is certainly one who puts much effort in meeting and greeting. The ceremony he attended in Thimpu, after the wedding, lasted from 0900 to 1700 and for a lot of that time he was moving amongst the crowds, shaking hands and speaking with (not ‘to’ – I don’t think he’s a Charlie. ‘And what do you do?’ – probably isn’t his stock, opening gambit) virtually everyone there.
Communities work in unison to improve the environment and their own lives. They harvest the rice together, it’s a communal thing. Often I saw small congregations on the hillside, burning juniper as incense, intoning incantations, chanting with monks. Several times I saw parties of villagers or school children walking along the roadside picking up litter. The land is free of piles of rubbish. This is a clean country. The drains and rivers are not open sewers. Not once did I see a rat.
Smoking was banned recently. It’s an offence to smoke – you could be imprisoned. For grass it’s up to three years for possession and 9 years for dealing. This was the first country to outlaw plastic bags too. Unfortunately, however, for both fags and bags neither law is strictly enforced and both are commonly (if expensively for the former) available.
But Bhutan is not Shangri La. In 1999 TV was introduced for the first time. Now the two favourite programmes are World Federation Wrestling from the USA, and ‘Bhutan Idol’ (the third series) – it was this programme that Kinlay said would prevent me from watching any footie on TV in the bars. ‘Idol’ was that popular! Everyone now has a TV and there is a good link between the growth in its distribution and the incidence of crime in the country.
Mobile phones came in in 2003 (so my guide said) and they are now ubiquitous. Young people have adopted the global practice of meeting up and then spending all the time texting and / or phoning other friends elsewhere. That’s when they can stop blowing bubble gum for long enough to say anything. One person I met had a sophisticated ring tone system that alerted him to whoever was trying to contact him: his wife’s ring tone was his young son’s crying and gurgling; his mate’s tone was an extract from his favourite blue movie accompanied by the obligatory image of a busty brunette.
The people like to dress up for occasions (like the festival – Tseschu – in Thimpu) with their finest national gear: beautiful, iridescent, brightly coloured silk dresses for the women; rather more subdued but still unique skirts and knee-high stockings for the men. When visiting national monuments (such as museums, temples, dzongs ) or events they have to dress in national costume. But these days, for normal everyday wear, they tend far more towards the boring western norm of t-shirts and jeans and track-suits (usually with ‘Man Utd’ written on them. Damn their souls!). There was a great contrast between the clothes worn to the formal Tseschu festival and the far less formal singalong in Thimpu town square – colourful, vibrant, exciting of the exotic compared with the dull, drab, grey and black of the mundane (and the future).
Traditional sports seem to be holding their own against the overwhelming and inexorable influence of football . Archery is something the Bhutanese are especially good at having won medals of all colours at recent Olympics. These days they employ carbon composite bows for main competitions. Traditional bows of bamboo are still found and used but mainly to simply maintain the tradition. The target is a wooden board about 40cm high and usually 140m from the archer. No wonder they’re good at it.
Darts (not the UK variety) – about 15cm long consisting of a 3cm metal point, a wooden shaft and 5cm feathers – is also played at weekends. The ‘court’ is longer than a cricket pitch and the target is a 30cm wooden board with a bulls-eye near the top. A wall of earth or concrete backdrops the target, really just a sop to health and safety. They are not overly concerned with H&S, which is healthy.
For both archery and darts, the opposing team (all wearing fine traditional skirts ) line up alongside the target and watch intently as the projectile is released and heads towards them. The observers’ reaction time for the darts is far less than that for archery. I think I was happier watching the archery. When a dart or arrow actually hits the board it triggers a mediaeval ritual of chanting and dancing by both of the teams, in praise of the gods for such a blessing. If only our supporters and ‘sportsmen’ took win and loss in the same spirit.
There are cars in Bhutan as well. Not many of them because there aren’t that many people. They are in good condition and few of them send out blasts of poisonous black smoke. I saw my first privately-owned electric car here. They are generally new (the favourites being Hyundais and Toyota) and without any dents. Motorbikes are rare and tuc-tucs are entirely absent (which is such a relief!). Roads (maintained and built by Indians, and funded by the RoI government) are largely pothole-free and gloriously smooth. It still takes a long time to get anywhere because of the winding nature of the terrain, but at least it’s almost painless.
But, of course, this road system comes at a cost. Gangs of Indians, thousands of them, have been imported and have set up semi-permanent residence in Bhutan (without citizen rights, of course) and their sole employment, occupation and raison d’etre is road building and repair. They work very long hours (0600 to 1600 hrs) for a pittance. Their tools are mainly their hands: hauling large stones over cliffs or onto lorries. Primitive implements are provided: back bent double as they use pathetic brushes to sweep the road; women shovelling sand and gravel and throwing it through sieves. Some (men as well as women) actually break rocks with hammers, all day long, like a work detail from a ‘40s state penitentiary, a modern day chain-gang. These gangs have their own settlements and schools; they are separate from mainstream Bhutanese society. But they don’t seem to be discriminated or prejudiced against. There is, at least, no bigotry in Bhutan.
Except perhaps against the Nepalese. This is not talked about, but many Bhutanese who originated in Nepal (two or three or more generations back) were forcibly deported in the ‘90s (?) and now reside in refugee camps in Nepal. I met only one person whose ancestors came from Nepal but he seemed contented and calm. He might have said more but we’d been caught up in a delay caused by a landslide and the obstruction had just been removed so we had to move on. 11 days is not enough in Bhutan.
You might think that a Buddhist democracy consisting of less than three quarters of a million people might not need or, especially, want an army. How could they justify killing? And anyway, what could their paltry population hope to accomplish against the might of the Indians or Chinese if they chose to invade ? But it’s a career path to some (Kinlay considered it after university (in Chennai) if tourism didn’t work out), and for others the army really is a necessity.
Earlier in the noughties there was some trouble with Assamese rebels. They had occupied some of the forests of the duars in Bhutan (just across the border) and were causing problems (not with the locals – the Assamese were generous with their payment for goods – but with the (Indian?) politicians). Negotiations with the rebels were not successful and so the Bhutanese government sent in the troops. This resulted in the insurgents being ousted but at the cost of 12 Bhutanese soldiers being killed. The effects of this battle / war seems to have become deeply embedded within the psyche of the Bhutanese; a large memorial (at Dochu La consisting of 108 chortens) was established to commemorate the conflict and one of the on-going repercussions is that the army are more popular than ever. Not that it would ever sink to the depths of the Burmese army and become a junta. That would be unthinkable.
So the army is needed . But what about religious or moral objections, after all Costa Rica doesn’t have a standing army so surely a strict Buddhist nation could do without one? But then the Bhutanese love meat. They are devout devourers of pork and beef and, to a slightly lesser extent, chicken? So long as they don’t have to kill the animals themselves they are happy to consume flesh.
Do I hear calls of ‘Hypocracy’? Well, I’m not going to shout them down.
But all religions are institutionally hypocritical and Buddhism is no worse than any other. An army of a Buddhist nation sounds contradictory but religion has always been political, nations are essentially political beasts with artificial boundaries, politicians need to maintain and protect those boundaries as well as they can given limited resources, and armies are the main way of providing protection.
At least this army is not there to violate other nations or supress the population or support an unauthorised government. It provides comfort and a sense of security, a source of pride, and a life for many people. Who am I to criticise it?
The trekking in Bhutan was far better than in Nepal (although Nepal was good). Here it was proper camping, there it was in Guesthouses. Nepal is over-populated, there is no getting away from people; waves of trekkers (ramblers) met you head on along the Poon Hill circuit; football crowds gathered to catch the dawn view of Annapurna; dogs, locals, cows, agricultural terraces … they all swarm and cover the slopes of Nepal.
But in Bhutan … ah, it’s different. I met perhaps 10 other trekkers on my 5 day stint. Yes, there were monks and the occasional dog, but mainly it was me in the wild, in untouched, blue pine forests and stands of huge or dwarf rhodies and junipers and alpine meadows of the highest hills. Alongside the soft beats of the wings of the goshawk, and ‘glowps’ of ravens, and cheeky cawings of choughs there was the whisper of winds and ripple of drying leaves. No sounds of machinery. No barking . No drunken laughter . It was heaven.
Of course I was spoilt. Apart from the landscape, and the views, and the sky and the clouds, and the wildlife and the vegetation, I had a platoon of (for wont of a better word ) servants to look after my every needs. I had my own chef, and he had a helper. I had a guide who made sure I didn’t fall down a cliff or take the wrong path. I had a horseman who looked after the seven ponies that accompanied our small expedition. The only person I lacked was a masseur (which, incidentally, was what I really needed).
They erected my tent and decamped for me. They cooked me three meals a day and washed up after me. I was served at my table and they even ran off to buy beer for me . They set up my own private lav, provided loo paper, and filled the hole in after me. My guide even carried my water bottle. They did everything for me except tuck me in at night (for which I was grateful).
It was hard walking, some of the slopes were steep, and it was bloody cold at night. I met a couple of Aussies on the second day and, after I remarked how bloody cold it was the previous night (not that I was fixated or anything), they said, ‘Well, it gets colder. There was frost on the ground two nights ago.’ I said, ‘Great. Good job my sleeping bag isn’t as good as I thought it was (and the zip’s broken), and that I forgot my socks.’ They said, ‘You forgot your socks?! Are you mad?’ I didn’t say anything. ‘But you’re from Scotland, right?’ ‘Aye,’ I said, ‘You’ll be fine then.’ They were nice people but they could afford to be because they’d survived the ordeal and were now heading back to civilisation. They had had socks. Smug bastards. Nice people though.
Ten minutes later, as I was watching a huge thanka being unfolded by the Phajoding monks, the lady (to my shame I never did get to know her name) ran up to me and offered, like a true Buddhist using both hands, a pair of socks. ‘They’re a day and a half old,’ she said, ‘but they’ll save your life!’ I didn’t know what to say so I kept repeating, like the simpleton John Miles played in ‘Ryan’s Daughter’, ‘Thank you, thank you.’ I refrained from saying ‘God bless’, but I was genuinely touched (in more ways than one) and didn’t even have the sense to ask for their address so that I could send them back to Oz. Which was just as well. But I would have had them washed.
And the socks really were a Godsend. Never before have I held so much regard for footware. They (along with the extra blanket supplied by chef) actually made the next three nights bearable (just. There was still the issue of the bells and the thin mattress). Thanks Australia ;-)
Overall, you might think that a minimum of $200 a day to visit and exist in Bhutan is a lot of money. And it is. No argument. But … this money covers everything apart from incidentals such as snacks and souvenirs , and so, although it’s expensive, it’s not that expensive and is, actually, when it comes down to it, damned good value for money. Outside of Bhutan, how much would it cost to have what they provided me? A personal guide (just for little old me) who answers most of the inane and arcane questions I usually pose to myself or strangers (who aren’t good at responding. Either of them) and panders to almost my every whim My own transport (so I can say, ‘Why don’t we go down this wee road?’, ‘Can we just stop here for a minute to take a photo’, and ‘STOP! There’s a bird I haven’t seen, I’m sure of it. Might be new to science too. Come on, we’ll be famous!’ ) My your own private expeditionary force to conquer the Himalayas? The chance to stay in top class hotels (with clean, unstained sheets and electrics that work. Luxury). To have all your meals provided for you (most of them excellent). And to have the flexibility to be able to change itinerary and venues / hotels depending on how you feel … and all this amongst the beauty, serenity and unspoilt splendour of a country which is Bhutan …
Well, what can I say? It’s not a perfect country, but it comes damned close to it.
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Shiny objects equal reflections…. I couldn't resist walking by the fountain without getting a "photographer's selfie"…. You can see a little of the town also in the reflection.
This one is a bonus with the upside double selfie. Hee-Hee!!
and, in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make | lennon and mccartney
i wanted to shoot a part of me that is "uncomfortable." That is not really pretty. My own large posterior is a sign of huge failure for me. i have always been heavy but years ago i lost a great deal of weight, and while i have strugged to keep it down, and have gone up and down, i have not been this heavy for over 25 years. i am more uncomfortable than ever because i am older and carrying around this much weight is a true burden, psychologically and physically. and while i talk a good game about "accepting myself as i am" the truth is i often am very guilty of beating the crap out of myself and poor Carl has to hear me. and i am extremely sad about that.
we have gone through a rough patch, what with my shoulder injury and then his serious illness, it has been scary and there have been other adjustments -- his retirement for one and my separation from my brother's family. scary and sad. no wonder rootedness has become a sad word for me, when in reality, i love so many things about being rooted: in my love, my faith, my community, my friendships.
again, i am not sad every day, and even the bad days have always had humor and glimpses of joy. i credit Carl with bringing out the best in me when all i want to do is crawl under the covers, with a good book and a sandwich!!!
so this morning when i saw that amazing shot of Kristin after her surgery i held that image in my mind all day. i wanted to share a part of myself to let you know a little of what i am about. but what to shoot?? i strugged with that. i am not at the jumping point -- i keep thinking that will really do my bad knees in -- but i wanted to be real. And believe you me, this butt is for real!!!!
i keep saying how much i am enjoying this workshop, and i am!!! but it is also churning up lots of stuff that i think is also a good thing, but sometimes not so pleasant. it is encouraging that i am going through this with such stellar women!!!!
Nick Robinson has an origami symbol for equal marriage. It's flat folded. This one is 3-D folded. The design is simple. Fold the mirror images of the letter E at either end of a 17 by 27 paper. Join the two together and you get the model, with colour change..
Equal-armed brooch.
Bronze, iron and textiles.
Grave find, Björkö, Adelsö, Uppland, Sweden.
SHM 34000:Bj 983
Equality Equals Health, and Washington, DC looks gorgeous from the roof of The Hepburn at sundown :).
Capital Pride Alliance, including Capital TransPride Sponsor Appreciation, Washington, DC USA
Use or share this graphic on your website or social media networks to show your support for equal marriage. 1024x683
Infographic text:
"SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW, SOMETHING BOROWED, SOMETHING BLUE, EVERYONE EQUAL #equalmarriage".
Read the DCMS news item at www.culture.gov.uk/news/news_stories/9692.aspx
2015-11-14 Hamburg-Germany Demonstration
Refugees Welcome means Equal Rights for all
Right to the City network
Under the impression of yesterday’s killings in Paris, around 9.000 refugees and supporters took to the streets of Hamburg.
We stand together united, in hope not hate!
Let’s be neighbors: Housing in apartments!
No isolation in tents, warehouses and mass-camps!
Migration happens: Freedom of movement is a human right! Right to stay for everyone!
Against defining asylum down; No one is a ›bad‹ migrant; stop deportations!
Make solidarity practical: Support the migrant struggles! For the right to full participation in society!
President Obama, who is traveling to Africa on Air Force One today called the plaintiffs in the Defense of Marriage Act case, congratulating them on their victory.
In a statement, the president said that he applauds the court's decision to strike down "discrimination enshrined in law."
"The Supreme Court has righted that wrong, and our country is better off for it. We are a people who declared that we are all created equal – and the love we commit to one another must be equal as well," Obama said. "This ruling is a victory for couples who have long fought for equal treatment under the law; for children whose parents' marriages will now be recognized, rightly, as legitimate; for families that, at long last, will get the respect and protection they deserve; and for friends and supporters who have wanted nothing more than to see their loved ones treated fairly and have worked hard to persuade their nation to change for the better."