ACE-01 Firebird

After the decisive defeat that was the Seven Hour War, the 507th TEM unit needed something to replace their aging Chub and Rumble Monkey against the Varangian Guard's frames. Under the guidance of 507-Captain Jean LaCoste, Amber Coast spent the last two-months frantically working on experimental frames to give the 507 an even playing ground against their enemies.

Even after a sabotage attempt by an unknown culprit, ACE managed to retool, rebuild, and finish their Firebird prototype. Sadly, this delay allowed the Varangian Guard to release their own air-superiority frame, the "Seraph Paladin". While normally we would be concerned, in our mock battles, the Firebird exceeds any and all aerial capabilities that the Seraph may have.

After a successful test-flight mock battle, and a mock-battle turned real by a surprise attack by the Varangians, Amber Coast immediately put the Firebird into limited mass production. Not only is this unit leagues better than the 507's aging Rumble Monkey and Chub, but it gives the 507 a distinct edge in the War for Arcadia: Aerial superiority.

The "jet mode" is meant to be used for two reasons alone: Landing & Take-off, and flying distance. Its "frame mode" is meant for combat, though that's not to be said that its jet-fighter mode is useless in combat. As with such parameters, the S.O.P. however is to slow down to C-level speeds to transform safely. However, with a quick-enough (or ballsy enough) pilot, the Firebird can transform in mid-air at battle-level speeds, something that while not intended for, is possible - albeit extremely risky to try, due to the G-forces on the pilot.

What truly makes the Firebird a revolutionary design however, is how it flies. Not through conventional laws of flight... The innovative design of the Firebird revolves around a radical new piece of technology - an Amber Coast exclusive - an Ion-Generating system. Built into the frame's wings. This powerful electromagnetic field polarizes the air currents as the Firebird flies through the air. In tandem with the Firebird's Linear Rifle, which further extends the reach of the ionization, the polarized air flows along the aerodynamically shaped electromagnetic field, making the Firebird more aerodynamic and agile than it looks.

Afterthoughts:

Inspired by my ideas, actually built however, by the one and only Gatlinggouf927. If anyone deserves the credit. It is he.

Basilique romane de Sant’ Angelo in Formis ; commune de Capoue, province de Caserte, région de Campanie, Italie

C’est un édifice basilical sans transept, subdivisé en trois nefs, suivies de trois absides, par deux rangées de colonnes libres (sept de chaque côté) sur lesquelles retombent huit arcs en plein cintre.

La construction est précédée d’un porche à cinq arcs brisés soutenus par de grosses colonnes de remploi; l’arc central est sensiblement plus haut et plus large que les arcs latéraux. Les fenêtres des absides, trois dans l’abside centrale et une dans les latérales, ont été obturées afin de disposer de toute la surface pour la décoration picturale à l’intérieur. Il s’agit évidemment d’une modification du projet originel exécutée à une époque immédiatement postérieure à l’achèvement de construction, comme le montre (au moins pour l’abside centrale et celle de gauche) la parfaite identité du matériau employé. …

… Avant d’en venir à l’analyse de la décoration du porche et de l’intérieur, jetons un bref regard sur le clocher. Construit sur plan carré en retrait par rapport à la façade du porche, ce campanile semble contemporain de la basilique. C’est en effet à un moment assez voisin de la renaissance classiciste de l’art figuratif, survenue en Campanie vers la fin du XIe siècle, que renvoient les motifs décoratifs sculptés le long de la corniche qui sépare le premier registre du second. La présence de certains éléments de nature nettement dassicisante (denticules, cordelière et oves), parfaitement combinés avec des motifs végétaux de divers genres, offre des points de comparaison précis avec des solutions analogues (par exemple sur les portails de la cathédrale d’Aversa) datables avec certitude des vingt dernières années du XIe siècle. Une telle combinaison, légèrement simplifiée toutefois, se retrouvera dans les corniches extérieures de la nef et du transept de la cathédrale de Calvi, de trente ou quarante ans plus tardive. …

Ne subsistant qu’aux deux tiers de sa hauteur, le campanile avait un troisième étage légèrement en retrait (d’après certaines aquarelles de G. Carelli) et se terminait par une « petite coupole ou chapeau d’une très grande beauté à son sommet et par une croix ».

Les fresques qui ornent l’église à l’intérieur constituent la manifestation la plus importante, en quantité et en qualité, des tendances formelles apportées au Mont-Cassin par les mosaïstes byzantins. Homogènes entre elles, c’est-à-dire certainement de la même époque, on en peut fixer la date avec certitude entre 1072 et 1087. En effet, sur l’abside, l’abbé Desiderius est figuré avec un nimbe rectangulaire qui, dans la coutume médiévale, voulait dire explicitement que le personnage en question était vivant …. Le riche programme de la campagne décorative, qui recouvre encore aujourd’hui la presque totalité des parois disponibles, s’articule de la façon suivante : dans l’abside centrale, entouré des symboles des évangélistes, trône le Christ en majesté donnant la bénédiction (sur son livre le verset à nette référence eschatologique montre une des « incompréhensions » … dues à des peintres locaux, de celle sorte que l’oméga qui, en même temps que l’alpha, est le symbole du commencement et de la fin des temps, est figuré à tort comme un omicron. Au registre inférieur sont figurés en vraie grandeur les trois archanges, l’abbé Desiderius offrant le modèle architectural réduit de l’église, et (entièrement repeint) saint Benoît. Sur les écoinçons de l’arc d’entrée de l’abside, deux séraphins. Les trois registres de chacune des parois de la nef centrale se subdivisent en cadres où sont (ou étaient) représentées des scènes au contenu christologique, disposées dans leur ensemble comme dans les basiliques paléochrétiennes (par exemple à Saint-Paul-hors-les-Murs), Ces scènes commençaient au registre supérieur du mur de droite près de l’abside. De là, se développant dans le sens de l’écriture, elles arrivaient au mur d’entrée et de là, passant sur le mur opposé, elles retournaient vers l’abside. De nouveau sur le mur de droite elles se 

poursuivaient au registre médian pour se terminer enfin, en suivant la même progression, auprès de l’abside au terme du troisième registre. Bien que les scènes initiales soient totalement perdues, on peut faire crédit à l’hypothèse que formule avec justesse M. de Jerphanion, et qui voit dans l’Annonciation la première scène et dans les autres récits de l’enfance du Christ les scènes qui suivent immédiatement; ce qui termine la longue séquence, c’est l’Ascension, développée sur les deux registres inférieur et médian. Au revers de la façade, sur la paroi tout entière est peinte une majestueuse représentation du jugement dernier (la figure du Christ-Juge y est malheureusement repeinte de façon irrémédiable), Sur les écoinçons entre les arcs sont figurés des prophètes, parmi lesquels trouve place même la sibylle Éri- thrée. Chaque prophète tient un cartouche dont les versets permettent des références précises aux scènes qui les surmontent, présentant ainsi cette concordantia Veteris et Novi Testament qui, dans l’art chrétien, nous est connue dès ses réalisations monumentales originelles (à Rome comme à Ravenne) mais qui, dans le milieu oriental et particulièrement dans le célèbre manuscrit syriaque (VIe siècle) aujourd’hui à Rossano Calabro, se présente dans les formes les plus proches de cette concordance campanienne (de Francovich). Sur l’absidiole de droite (celle qui lui correspondait à gauche a disparu) figure le buste de la Vierge à l’Enfant entre deux anges, au-dessus d’un registre inférieur avec des saints martyrs. Sur les murs des collatéraux (en y incluant les parties latérales du revers de la façade) se déploie, fort incomplet, sur deux registres le cycle vétéro-testamentaire. Une scène y est étrangère par son thème : le martyre de saint Pantaléon, sur le registre inférieur au mur occidental du côté gauche (en entrant dans l’église). Sur les écoinçons des deux collatéraux sont peints enfin les figures de saints de l’ordre bénédictin et de saintes. L’état de conservation des fresques, bien que bon en général (les zones altérées ayant été repeintes), a été cependant gâché par les restaurations des années 30, En effet, comme on l’a révélé seulement récemment (Thiery) et comme le prouve la comparaison entre les photos antérieures aux années 30 et l’état actuel, à cette occasion, on a enlevé par un lavage malheureux les glacis à la détrempe qui faisaient partie intégrante de la contexture dernière de l’œuvre. Il s’ensuit que les scènes maltraitées en question (de la partie droite de la Crucifixion jusqu’à l’Ascension, y compris les figures des prophètes) présentent un caractère estompé et une légèreté de couleur nullement voulus par le peintre. Malgré cela subsiste la possibilité de distinguer les « mains » des nombreux peintres qui, tous membres d’une équipe unique d’où émergent quelques « maîtres » plus vigoureux (parmi lesquels ceux qui ont travaillé, par exemple, sur le cul-de-four de l’abside ou dans la scène de la Samaritaine au puits) durent exécuter le travail en un temps relativement court. Leur formation artistique, pour la compréhension de laquelle la perte de la décoration cassinaise est sans remède, est substantiellement d’origine byzantine, teintée cependant de reflets provenant des manières de faire occidentales (tant dans l’iconographie, par exemple dans le thème même de l’abside, que pour les composantes du style, par exemple dans les bandes polychromes servant de fond aux scènes). … A l’extérieur, le décor pictural couvre les deux tympans au fond de l’arcade centrale et les quatre qui correspondent aux arcades latérales du porche. Le tympan supérieur, … porte l’image de la Vierge en majesté à l’intérieur d’une gloire soutenue par deux anges en plein vol (celui de droite est entièrement repeint); le tympan inférieur, encore en place, représente l’archange Michel en buste. Les étroites coïncidences de style entre l’un et l’autre ont toujours porté les historiens de l’art à leur donner une même date. Celle-ci doit se situer en un second temps par rapport à la campagne désidérienne de travaux, du fait que la fresque de la Vierge se superpose à une autre dont des traces fragiles ont été révélées à la suite de la dépose (dans la partie basse du tympan sur la droite). …

(extrait de : Campanie romane ; Mario d’Onofrio, Ed. Zodiaque, Coll. La nuit des Temps, 1981, pp. 169-178)

Coordonnées GPS : N41.118396 ; E14.260211

started out as an USS J F Kennedy Hawkeye, then I played.

South Africa.

Eastern Cape

Graaff-Reinet

Graaff-Reinet Museum or “Reinet House”

The museum houses a fine array of period furniture and kitchen utensils, doll collection, medical and dental collection, haberdashery and clothing collection, wagon and transport collection as well as a blacksmith collection.

www.graaffreinet.co.za/listing/reinet_house

Forming footings at the Harvard Street Bridge.

Over-complication is a human fallacy. So when I photograph anything, I try to maintain focus and make sure that every form in the frame matters and contributes something to the capture. If it does not belong then I make sure that they are not included.

For photographs which there is no time to think (live action), I just shoot and then crop after the fact. But for things which stay put I take my time to compose before clicking the shutter.

In digital photography, cropping means lose of resolution and detail, so it is best to do it right at the moment of capture then trying to fix things in Photoshop after the fact. Photoshop is not magic, you know. The best Photoshop jobs do not look like it was ever Photoshopped. And I am not a one of those wizards who can wield magic. So I try to do it right where I can.

# SML Data

+ Date: 2013-02-19 13:39:11 GMT+0800

+ Dimensions: 3429 x 5144

+ Exposure: 1/1000 sec at f/5.6

+ Focal Length: 280 mm

+ ISO: 100

+ Flash: Did not fire

+ Camera: Canon EOS 7D

+ Lens: Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM + Canon EF 1.4x Extender III

+ GPS: 22°25'0" N 114°13'41" E

+ Location: 中國香港馬鞍山恆安商場 中国香港马鞍山恒安商场 Heng On Shopping Centre, Ma On Shan, Hong Kong, China

+ Serial: SML.20130219.7D.23216.P1.L1

+ Workflow: Photoshop CS6, Lightroom 4

+ Series: 商場 Shopping Malls, 形 Forms

“三角形交響樂 Symphonic Triangles No. 3” / 商場建築之形 Shopping Malls Architecture Forms / SML.20130219.7D.23216.P1.L1

/ #商場 #ShoppingMalls #形 #Forms #SMLForms #CCBY #SMLPhotography SMLUniverse #SMLProjects

/ #三角形 #Triangles #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #馬鞍山 #MaOnShan #建築 #建筑 #Architecture #城市 #Urban #攝影 #摄影 #photography

Athens Olympic Sports Complex, Marousi, Athens, Attica, Greece

150816-athens-eos5dsr-080-ss-a

Après avoir constaté les différences fortement observables entre des Petit-ducs maculés de forme grises (Parc Angrignon) et d'autres de formes rousses (Jacques Gagnon à St-Antoine de Richelieu) et découvert dans la littérature ornithologique que trois formes existes, la troisième étant brune chocolat, il apparaît plus que probable que celui-ci, du Boisé Papineau, soit de forme brune chocolat. Il est intéressant de noter que, tout comme pour les chiens labrador, on peut retrouver dans une portée les trois couleurs si les parents sont de couleurs différentes.

logo for Form Apparatus design & development studio (which I'm part of)

www.formapparatus.com/

i went outside to have a ciggy and saw this amazing cloud being formed .

i did not transform this image in any way apart from the contrast and sharpness .

Sedimentary rocks form by the solidification of loose sediments. Loose sediments become hard rocks by the processes of deposition, burial, compaction, dewatering, and cementation.

There are three categories of sedimentary rocks:

1) Siliciclastic sedimentary rocks form by the solidification of sediments produced by weathering & erosion of any previously existing rocks.

2) Biogenic sedimentary rocks form by the solidification of sediments that were once-living organisms (plants, animals, micro-organisms).

3) Chemical sedimentary rocks form by the solidification of sediments formed by inorganic chemical reactions. Most sedimentary rocks have a clastic texture, but some are crystalline.

Shale is the # 1 most common sedimentary rock on Earth. It's a siliciclastic rock, formed by the solidification of very fine-grained sediments (mud & clay). Clay-sized grains are all sediments smaller than 1/256 of a millimeter in size. Shale feels relatively smooth to the touch (smooth for a rock). Almost all shales weather & break apart as relatively thin, flat pieces, a physical property referred to as “fissility”. Some very thinly-laminated shales weather into almost paper-thin pieces - they are called paper shales.

“Shale” is supposed to be an informal field term only. Technical rock names for shales include mudshale, clayshale, claystone, mudstone, and mudrock. Each of these terms has a different meaning. Of these terms, "mudstone” should not be used to refer to a variety of fine-grained, siliciclastic sedimentary rock - that term usually refers to a fine-grained variety of limestone (I would recommend using two word terms to prevent confusion - "siliciclastic mudstone" for the non-fissile shale and "lime mudstone" for the fine-grained limestone).

Shales vary in color from black to gray to reddish to brownish to greenish-gray. Purplish- and bluish-colored shales are also known.

Shales are composed of clay minerals. The clay minerals are a group of silicate minerals that form by chemical weathering of other silicates. So, shales are composed of clay-sized grains of clay minerals.

Ellora (\e-ˈlȯr-ə\, Marathi: वेरूळ Vērūḷa), is an archaeological site, 29 km North-West of the city of Aurangabad in the Indian state of Maharashtra built by the Rashtrakuta dynasty. It is also known as Elapura (in the Rashtrakuta literature-Kannada). Well known for its monumental caves, Ellora is a World Heritage Site. Ellora represents the epitome of Indian rock-cut architecture. The 34 "caves" are actually structures excavated out of the vertical face of the Charanandri hills. Buddhist, Hindu and Jain rock-cut temples and viharas and mathas were built between the 5th century and 10th century. The 12 Buddhist (caves 1–12), 17 Hindu (caves 13–29) and 5 Jain (caves 30–34) caves, built in proximity, demonstrate the religious harmony prevalent during this period of Indian history. It is a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India.

ETYMOLOGY

Ellora, also called Verula or Elura, is the cave form of the Ancient name Elapura.

HISTORY

Ellora is known for Hindu, Buddhist and Jain cave temples built during (6th and 9th centuries) the rule of the Kalachuri, Chalukya and Rashtrakuta dynasties. The Jagannatha Sabha a group of five Jain cave temples of 9th century built by Rashtrakuta.

THE BUDDHIST CAVES

These caves were built during the 5th-7th century. It was initially thought that the Buddhist caves were one of the earliest structures, created between the fifth and eighth centuries, with caves 1-5 in the first phase (400-600) and 6-12 in the later phase (mid 7th-mid 8th), but now it is clear to the modern scholars that some of the Hindu caves (27,29,21,28,19,26,20,17 and 14) precede these caves.[citation needed] The earliest Buddhist cave is Cave 6, followed by 5,2,3,5 (right wing), 4,7,8,10 and 9. Caves 11 and 12 were the last. All the Buddhist caves were constructed between 630-700.

These structures consist mostly of viharas or monasteries: large, multi-storeyed buildings carved into the mountain face, including living quarters, sleeping quarters, kitchens, and other rooms. Some of these monastery caves have shrines including carvings of Gautama Buddha, bodhisattvas and saints. In many of these caves, sculptors have endeavoured to give the stone the look of wood.

Most famous of the Buddhist caves is cave 10, (refer map) a chaitya hall (chandrashala) or 'Vishvakarma cave', popularly known as the 'Carpenter's Cave'. Beyond its multi-storeyed entry is a cathedral-like stupa hall also known as chaitya, whose ceiling has been carved to give the impression of wooden beams. At the heart of this cave is a 15-foot statue of Buddha seated in a preaching pose. Amongst other Buddhist caves, all of the first nine (caves 1–9) are monasteries. The last two caves, Do Tal (cave 11) and Tin Tal (cave 12) have three stories.

CAVE 10

Cave 10 is a vihara with eight cells, four in the back wall and four in the right wall. It had a portico in the front with a cell. Possibly served as a granary for other viharas.

THE VISHWAKARMA

The Vishwakarma (Cave 10) is the only chaitya griha amongst the Buddhist group of caves. It is locally known as Vishwakarma or Sutar ka jhopda "carpenter's hut". It follows the pattern of construction of Caves 19 and 26 of Ajanta. On stylistic grounds, the date of construction of this cave is assigned to 700 A.D. The chaitya once had a high screen wall, which is ruined at present. At the front is a rock-cut court, which is entered through a flight of steps. On either side are pillared porticos with chambers in their back walls. These were probably intended to have subsidiary shrines but not completed. The pillared verandah of the chaitya has a small shrine at either end and a single cell in the far end of the back wall. The corridor columns have massive squarish shafts and ghata-pallava (vase and foliage) capitals. The main hall is apsidal on plan and is divided into a central nave and side aisles by 28 octagonal columns with plain bracket capitals. In the apsidal end of the chaitya hall is a stupa on the face of which a colossal 3.30 m high seated Buddha in vyakhyana mudra (teaching posture) is carved. A large Bodhi tree is carved at the back. The hall has a vaulted roof in which ribs have been carved in the rock imitating the wooden ones.

THE HINDU CAVES

The Hindu caves were constructed between the middle of sixth century to the end of the eighth century. The early caves (caves 17–29) were constructed during the Kalachuri period. The work first commenced in Caves 28, 27 and 19. These were followed by two most impressive caves constructed in the early phase - Caves 29 and 21. Along with these two, work was underway at Caves 20 and 26, and slightly later at Caves 17, 19 and 28. The caves 14, 15 and 16 were constructed during the Rashtrakuta period. The work began in Caves 14 and 15 and culminated in Cave 16. All these structures represent a different style of creative vision and execution skills. Some were of such complexity that they required several generations of planning and co-ordination to complete.

THE KAILASANATHA TEMPLE

Cave 16, also known as the Kailasa temple, is the unrivaled centerpiece of Ellora. This is designed to recall Mount Kailash, the abode of Lord Shiva – looks like a freestanding, multi-storeyed temple complex, but it was carved out of one single rock, and covers an area double the size of Parthenon in Athens. Initially the temple was covered with white plaster thus even more increasing the similarity to snow-covered Mount Kailash.

All the carvings are done in more than one level. A two-storeyed gateway resembling a South Indian Gopura opens to reveal a U-shaped courtyard. The courtyard is edged by columned galleries three storeys high. The galleries are punctuated by huge sculpted panels, and alcoves containing enormous sculptures of a variety of deities. Originally flying bridges of stone connected these galleries to central temple structures, but these have fallen.

Within the courtyard are three structures. As is traditional in Shiva temples, the first is a large image of the sacred bull Nandi in front of the central temple. The central temple - Nandi Mantapa or Mandapa - houses the Lingam. The Nandi Mandapa stands on 16 pillars and is 29.3 m high. The base of the Nandi Mandapa has been carved to suggest that life-sized elephants are holding the structure aloft. A living rock bridge connects the Nandi Mandapa to the Shiva temple behind it. The temple itself is a tall pyramidal structure reminiscent of a South Indian Dravidian temple. The shrine – complete with pillars, windows, inner and outer rooms, gathering halls, and an enormous lingam at its heart – carved from living stone, is carved with niches, pilasters, windows as well as images of deities, mithunas (erotic male and female figures) and other figures. Most of the deities at the left of the entrance are Shaivaite (followers of Shiva) while on the right hand side the deities are Vaishnavaites (followers of Vishnu). There are two Dhvajastambhas (pillars with the flagstaff) in the courtyard. The grand sculpture of Ravana attempting to lift Mount Kailasa, the abode of Lord Shiva, with his full might is a landmark in Indian art. The construction of this cave was a feat of human genius – it entailed the removal of 200,000 tonnes of rock, and took 100 years to complete.

The temple is a splendid achievement of Rashtrakuta Karnata architecture. This project was started by Krishna I (757–773) of the Rashtrakuta dynasty that ruled from Manyakheta in present day Karnataka state. His rule had also spread to southern India, hence this temple was excavated in the prevailing style. Its builders modelled it on the lines of the Virupaksha Temple in Pattadakal. Being a south Indian style temple, it does not have a shikhara common to north Indian temples. – The Guide to the Architecture of the Indian Subcontinent, 1996, Takeo Kamiya, Japan Architects Academy and archaeological Survey of India.

THE DASHAVATARA

The Dashavatara (Cave 15) was begun as a Buddhist monastery. It has an open court with a free-standing monolithic mandapa at the middle and a two-storeyed excavated temple at the rear. The layout of the temple is closely related to caves 11 and 12. Large sculptural panels between the wall columns on the upper floor illustrate a wide range of themes, which include the ten avatars of Vishnu. An inscription of grant of Dantidurga is found on the back wall of the front mandapa. According to Coomaraswamy, the finest relief of this cave is the one depicting the death of Hiranyakashipu, where Vishnu in man-lion (Narasimha) form, emerges from a pillar to lay a fatal hand upon the shoulder of Hiranyakashipu.

OTHER HINDU CAVES

CAVE 21

Other notable Hindu caves are the Rameshvara (Cave 21), which has figurines of river goddesses Ganga and Yamuna at the entrance and the Dhumar Lena (Cave 29) whose design is similar to the cave temple on Elephanta Island near Mumbai. Two other caves, the Ravan ki Khai (Cave 14) and the Nilkantha (Cave 22) also have several sculptures. The rest of the Hindu caves, which include the Kumbharvada (Cave 25) and the Gopilena (Cave 27) have no significant sculptures.

The five Jain caves at Ellora belong to the ninth and tenth centuries. They all belong to the Digambara sect. Jain caves reveal specific dimensions of Jain philosophy and tradition. They reflect a strict sense of asceticism – they are not relatively large as compared to others, but they present exceptionally detailed art works. The most remarkable Jain shrines are the Chhota Kailash (cave 30), the Indra Sabha (cave 32) and the Jagannath Sabha (cave 33). Cave 31 is an unfinished four-pillared hall and a shrine. Cave 34 is a small cave, which can be approached through an opening on the left side of Cave 33. Amongst other devotional carvings, a place called samvatsarana can be found in Elora caves. Samvatsarana is of special interest to Jains, as it is a hall where the tirthankara preaches after attaining omniscience.

THE INDRA SABHA

The Indra Sabha (Cave 32) is a two storeyed cave with one more monolithic shrine in its court. It has a very fine carving of the lotus flower on the ceiling. It got the appellation "Indra Sabha" probably it is significantly ornate and also because of the sculpture of the yaksha (dedicated attendant deity) Matanga on an elephant, which was wrongly identified as that of Indra. On the upper level of the double-storied shrine excavated at the rear of the court, an U image of Ambika, the yakshini of Neminath, is found seated on her lion under a mango tree, laden with fruits.

OTHER JAIN CAVES

All other Jain caves are also characterized by intricate detailing. Many of the structures had rich paintings in the ceilings - fragments of which are still visible.

GEOLOGY OF ELLORA

Ellora occupies a relatively flat region of the Western Ghats. Ancient volcanic activity in this area created many layered basalt formations, known as Deccan Traps. During the Cretaceous, one such volcanic hill formed on the southwest-facing side of Ellora. Its vertical face made access to many layers of rock formations easier, enabling architects to pick basalt with finer grains for more detailed sculpting.

INSCRIPTIONS AT ELLORA

Several inscriptions at Ellora range from 6th century to 15th century. The best known of them is an inscription of Rashtrakuta Dantidurga (c. 753-57 A.D.) on the back wall of the front mandapa of Cave 15, which gives an account of his conquests. Inscriptions on the Kailash temple itself range from 9th to 15th century. Jain cave Jagannatha Sabha has 3 inscriptions that give the names of monks and donors. A Parshvanth temple on the hill has a 11th-century inscription that gives the name of the donor from Vardhanapura.

The Great Kailasa (Cave 16) is attributed to Krishna I (c. 757-83 A.D.), the successor and uncle of Dantidurga. A copper plate grant by Karka II (c. 812-13 A.D.) narrates that a great edifice was built on a hill by Krishnaraja at Elapura (Ellora).

The Ellora caves, unlike Ajanta, were never lost. There have been several written records that indicate that these caves were visited regularly. The earliest is that of the Arab geographer Al-Mas‘udi of the 10th century A.D. In 1352 A.D. Sultan Hasan Gangu Bahmani, who camped at the site and visited the caves. The others are by Firishta, Thevenot (1633–67), Niccolao Manucci (1653-1708), Charles Warre Malet (1794), and Seely (1824)

WIKIPEDIA

Early juveniles in August when all or most adults dead. Similar form to adults, but periostracum thinner and paler, and spire protrudes less.

Maximum dimension 4.1 mm and 3.3 mm, Portlethen, north-east Scotland, August 1970.

Full SPECIES DESCRIPTION BELOW

Revised PDF available at www.researchgate.net/publication/372768813_Lacuna_pallidu....

Sets of OTHER SPECIES at: www.flickr.com/photos/56388191@N08/collections/

Lacuna pallidula (da Costa, 1778)

Synonyms: Cochlea pallidula da Costa, 1778; Lacuna neritoidea Gould, 1840; Lacuna patula Thorpe, 1844; Lacuna retusa Brown.

Current taxonomy: WoRMS www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=140168

Vernacular: Pallid chink shell; Pale lacuna; Gwichiad agennog gwelw (Welsh); Lacuna pâle (French); Lavspiret grubesnegl (Danish); Bleke scheefhoren (Dutch); Blek lagunsnäcka (Swedish).

Shell description

The largest dimension of female shells is up to about 12 mm fig. 01 flic.kr/p/2kNQ7pc and males grow to 6 mm. The species has an annual life cycle; all or most adults are dead by June. Their small juvenile offspring occur in summer fig. 02 flic.kr/p/2kGH2G9 , growing to full size in winter. The body whorl forms the great majority of the shell, and the very small spire is sunk below the upper margin in most views. Juveniles are similar in form with a slightly lower spire. Sutures between the whorls are distinct. The smooth surface has no sculpture apart from numerous, growth lines.

One face of the hollow columella is missing, exposing a long wide columellar groove (lacuna, chink or canal), leading to a large funnel-like umbilicus fig. 03 flic.kr/p/2kNL1YB . On some specimens the columellar groove is indistinct and the umbilicus reduced fig. 04 flic.kr/p/2kNPCc9 and fig. 05 flic.kr/p/2oQ83ra .

The very large ‘D’ shape aperture is as high as the whole shell, and it occupies about 75% of the area in apertural-view images fig. 01 flic.kr/p/2kNQ7pc . The palatal lip is semi-circular, and it continues along the abapertural side of the columellar groove. The wide, white columellar lip forms the adapertural edge of the groove fig. 03 flic.kr/p/2kNL1YB .

The ‘D’ shape operculum is a rapidly expanding oligogyrous spiral with its off-centre nucleus close to the base of the columellar lip. It is transparent, tinted yellow fig. 04 flic.kr/p/2kNPCc9 & fig. 06 flic.kr/p/2kNL1Ut or nearly colourless fig. 05 flic.kr/p/2oQ83ra . The substantial periostracum is olive-brown with distinct growth lines on large specimens fig. 07 flic.kr/p/2kNQ773, and it usually extends beyond the lip of the aperture fig. 04 flic.kr/p/2kNPCc9 . Under the periostracum, the calcareous shell is white or yellowish white fig. 01 flic.kr/p/2kNQ7pc . Live adults with a thick opaque periostracum are olive-green/brown in water fig. 08 flic.kr/p/2kNPC3g becoming dull brown when dead and dried fig. 01 flic.kr/p/2kNQ7pc . There are no coloured bands or variegation at any stage.

Body description

The flesh is translucent white with varying amounts of yellow or pink tinting fig. 07 flic.kr/p/2kNQ773 and fig. 05 flic.kr/p/2oQ83ra . The snout is ventrally slit fig.06 flic.kr/p/2kNL1Ut and usually rolled into a cylinder fig. 09 flic.kr/p/2oQ92WM . The extended cephalic tentacles are long, smooth, translucent whitish and taper to a blunt tip. When contracted they wrinkle and any yellow tint is intensified fig. 08 flic.kr/p/2kNPC3g . There is a black eye on a slight bulge at the base of each tentacle fig. 07 flic.kr/p/2kNQ773 . The roof of the mantle cavity is whitish translucent showing the colour of the shell except for the mantle edge which is thick and sometimes yellowish fig. 09 flic.kr/p/2oQ92WM . The foot is white with varying amounts of yellow or pink fig. 07 flic.kr/p/2kNQ773 , especially on the opercular disc which supports, and is visible under and through, the transparent operculum fig. 05 flic.kr/p/2oQ83ra and fig. 09 flic.kr/p/2oQ92WM . The two small, flat metapodial tentacles protrude beyond the posterior of the operculum fig. 09 flic.kr/p/2oQ92WM .

Key identification features

Lacuna pallidula

1) Columellar groove (lacuna or chink) leads to umbilicus fig. 01 flic.kr/p/2kNQ7pc but is sometimes sealed over fig. 04 flic.kr/p/2kNPCc9 .

2) Largest dimensions up to 12 mm (female) and 6 mm (male). Hardly any of the spire protrudes beyond the body whorl fig. 01 flic.kr/p/2kNQ7pc

3) Very large ‘D’ shape aperture equals shell height and occupies about 75% of area in apertural view fig. 01 flic.kr/p/2kNQ7pc.

4) Shell olive-brown with no spiral bands fig. 08 flic.kr/p/2kNPC3g .

5) Body white fig. 07 flic.kr/p/2kNQ773 , sometimes yellowish or pinkish; no grey stipple.

6) Found mainly on Fucus serratus and sometimes on Laminaria.

Similar species

Lacuna parva (da Costa, 1778) fig. 10 flic.kr/p/2kNL1A2 .

1) Columellar groove (“lacuna” or “chink) leads to umbilicus. 2) Usual maximum height 4 mm; sometimes 6 mm. Spire 30% to 40% of shell height.

3) Aperture occupies about 50% of area in apertural-view images.

4) Body whorl has three brown spiral bands; basal band 1 easily overlooked if base of shell not examined. Some shells are uniform white or brown with no bands.

5) Body translucent white, usually stippled grey.

6) Found mainly, especially when young, on small red weeds. Sometimes on fucoids.

Littorina fabalis (W. Turton, 1825) and

L. obtusata (Linnaeus, 1758) fig. 11 flic.kr/p/2kNPBJk .

1) No columellar groove or umbilicus.

2) Maximum dimension up to 17 mm. Very large body whorl and small spire.

3) Aperture occupies about 50% of area in apertural-view images.

4) Shell of L. obtusata is sometimes greenish olive.

5) Body varied shades of yellow, brown or black.

6) Found on Fucus serratus (L. fabalis) or Ascophyllum (L. obtusata) and on Fucus vesiculosus (both).

Lacuna vincta (Montagu, 1803) fig. 12 flic.kr/p/2kNQ6PK .

1) Columellar groove (“lacuna” or “chink”) leads to umbilicus. 2) Maximum height about 10 mm. Well developed spire about 50% of adult shell height, and about 30% on juveniles less than 3 mm high.

3) Aperture occupies about 30% of area in apertural-view images of full grown adults.

4) Body whorl has four brown spiral bands.

5) Body whitish with grey, yellow, orange and/or aquamarine parts.

6) Found on Laminaria and, especially juveniles, on small red weeds. Also on Zostera and sometimes on fucoids.

Lacuna crassior (Montagu, 1803) fig. 13 flic.kr/p/2kGH26u

1) Wide white columellar shelf. Usually no groove or umbilicus but sometimes small ones present.

2) Distinct spire about 50% of mature shell height, about 45% when younger.

3) Aperture occupies about 30% of area in apertural view.

4) Shell when live, has translucent, yellowish-brown spire and brownish-white body whorl. Thick periostracum has distinct, raised, transverse (costal) ridges. Dead dry shells are dull yellowish-brown if periostracum retained, yellowish white with faint spiral lines if periostracum worn off.

5) Body translucent whitish.

6) A rare species which often associates with the bryozoan Alcyonidium diaphanum.

Habits and ecology

L. pallidula feeds on the surface of Fucus serratus (Smith, 1973) and Laminaria (Lebour, 1937) near low water on rocky shores and to 70 metres depth. It is usually absent where turbidity or soft substrate prevents growth of F. serratus. It cannot survive desiccation. Some populations live in the Baltic in salinity down to 12‰.

It moves with a bipedal stepping motion, lifting alternately the right and left sides of the foot. It breeds in late winter and spring, sometimes extending into summer and autumn, with a maximum in February to May in Britain, but precise dates vary regionally. The spawn mass is a low gelatinous dome with an almost circular, oval base (not kidney-shape), diameter 3.9 mm to 5.3 mm (Lebour, 1937), laid on fronds of F. serratus or Laminaria. There are up to about 200 ova per spawn mass fig. 14 flic.kr/p/2kNQ71M . In the low salinity Øresund, Denmark, the masses are smaller with as few as 13 ova (Thorson, 1946 in Fretter & Graham, 1962).

Fretter and Graham (1962) reported confusion with the spawn of “Littorina littoralis” (the name mistakenly used formerly by British authors for an aggregate of Littorina obtusata and L. fabalis). The limited material examined for this account suggests the confusion is with L. fabalis which lives on F. serratus at the same shore level and lays similar, almost circular oval spawn masses, while L. obtusata lives higher up the shore, favouring Ascophyllum, and often lays kidney-shaped spawn masses up to 7 mm long. The difference between the spawn masses of L. fabalis and Lacuna pallidula may be that the latter has a distinctly bevelled peripheral rim while the surface of the former slopes to the substrate without a break in slope fig. 14 flic.kr/p/2kNQ71M . But more investigation is required to test these suggestions; the difference might be due to age of spawn mass. Lacuna parva also has similar spawn but it is found on red algae and is smaller, about 2.5 mm diameter with about 50 ova in Britain fig. 14 flic.kr/p/2kNQ71M ; 2.2 mm to 2.5 mm with 6 to16 ova in the brackish Øresund (Ockelmann & Nielsen, 1981 in Wigham & Graham, 2017).

The individual egg capsules of L. pallidula become angular as they swell and become crowded and compressed. There is no planktonic veliger stage; young emerge as tiny crawling snails. Through a microscope, just before hatching, two tentacular extensions of the opercular disc protruding beyond the operculum may be detected on the embryos within the clear capsules (Fretter & Graham, 1962). Males die after mating, and the females about a month later, so all or most adults breeding in the main period are dead by June or July, and few specimens over 5 mm high can be found in August fig. 02 flic.kr/p/2kGH2G9 . Both sexes grow rapidly until October. From October to February males grow slowly, but females at three times their rate so that by breeding time they are over twice as high as males (Thorson, 1946 in Fretter & Graham, 1962). When mating, the small male rides on the female’s shell near the aperture with his penis inserted into her mantle cavity.

Distribution and status

L. pallidula occurs from northern Norway and Iceland to Atlantic Spain and New England (USA). GBIF map www.gbif.org/species/2301181

It is found all around Britain and Ireland, but is scarce or absent in the north-eastern Irish Sea and southern North Sea where lack of hard substrate and/or turbidity hinder the growth of Fucus serratus and Laminaria. UK distribution map NBN species.nbnatlas.org/species/NBNSYS0000175975#tab_mapView

Acknowledgements

For use of an image, I thank Rob Durrant.

References and links

Forbes, E. & Hanley S. 1849-53. A history of the British mollusca and their shells. vol. 3 (1853), London, van Voorst. archive.org/details/historyofbritish03forbe/page/56/mode/2up

Also plate LXX11 at end of vol.4, fig. 1 & 2, also fig. 3 & 4 labelled “L. patula” archive.org/details/historyofbritish04forbe/page/n459/mod...

Fretter, V. and Graham, A. 1962. British prosobranch molluscs. London, Ray Society.

Graham, A. 1988. Molluscs: prosobranch and pyramidellid gastropods. Synopses of the British Fauna (New Series) no.2 (Second edition). Leiden, E.J.Brill/Dr. W. Backhuys. 662 pp.

Jeffreys, J.G. 1862-69. British conchology. vol. 3 (1865). London, van Voorst.

archive.org/details/britishconcholog03jeffr/page/350/mode...

Lebour, M.V. 1937. The eggs and larvae of the British prosobranchs with special reference to those living in the plankton. J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K., 22: 105 – 166. plymsea.ac.uk/953/

Ockelmann, K. W. and Nielsen, C. 1981. On the biology of the prosobranch Lacuna parva in the Øresund. Ophelia 20: 1-16.

Abstract at www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00785236.1981.10426559

Smith, D. A. S. 1973. The population biology of Lacuna pallidula (da Costa) and Lacuna vincta (Montagu) in north-east England. J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K., 53: 493-520.

Thorson, G. 1946. Reproduction and larval development of the Danish marine bottom invertebrates. Meddelelser fra Kommissionen for Danmarks Fiskeri- og Havundersøgelser, Serie Plankton 4: 1-523.

Wigham, G.D. & Graham, A. 2017. Marine gastropods 2: Littorinimorpha and other, unassigned, Caenogastropoda. Synopses of the British Fauna (New Series) no.61. (344 pages). Field Studies Council, Telford, England.

Glossary

‰ = (salinity) parts salt per thousand parts water (brackish <30‰).

abapertural = away from the aperture.

abapical = away from the apex of the shell.

adapertural = towards the aperture

adapical = towards the apex of the shell.

aperture = mouth of gastropod shell; outlet for head and foot.

apical = at or near the apex.

chink = (see columellar groove).

columella = solid or hollow axis around which gastropod shell spirals; concealed except next to aperture where hollow ones may end in an umbilicus, slit or siphonal canal.

columellar = (adj.) of or near central axis of spiral gastropod,

columellar groove = Groove where one face of hollow columella missing, terminates in umbilicus. Also called “lacuna” or “chink.

columellar lip = lower (abapical) part of inner lip of aperture.

cephalic = (adj.) of the head.

costa = (pl. costae) rib crossing a whorl of a gastropod shell at about 90° to direction of coiling and any spiral ribs or lines.

costal = (adj.) of, or arranged like, costae.

ctenidium = comb-like molluscan gill; usually an axis with a row of filaments either side.

height = (of gastropod shells) distance from apex of spire to base of aperture.

lacuna = (see columellar groove).

mantle = sheet of tissue that secretes the shell and forms a cavity for the gill.

oligogyrous = (of a spiral) having few turns.

operculum = plate of horny conchiolin used to close shell aperture.

palatal lip = outer lip of gastropod aperture.

parietal lip = upper (adapical) part of inner lip of gastropod aperture that lies, often as a glaze, on surface of whorl.

periostracum = thin horny layer of conchiolin often coating shells.

plankton = animals and plants that drift in pelagic zone (main body of water).

protoconch = apical whorls produced during embryonic and larval stages of gastropod; often different in form from other whorls.

suture = groove or line where whorls adjoin.

umbilicus = cavity up axis of some gastropods, open as a hole or chink on base of shell, sometimes sealed over.

umbilical groove = narrow slit opening of umbilicus on some gastropods.

veliger = shelled larva of marine gastropod or bivalve mollusc which swims by beating cilia of a velum (bilobed flap).

Rocky planets may be able to form in harsher environments than we thought. Webb detected key building blocks of planets, including water and carbon dioxide, in a rocky planet-forming zone being hit by extreme amounts of ultraviolet radiation.

Planets are formed from disks of gas, dust and rock surrounding stars. The specific disk Webb observed, XUE 1, is near several massive stars. These stars emit high levels of ultraviolet radiation, which scientists expected would disperse gas and break apart chemical molecules.

To the team’s surprise, Webb found partially crystalline silicate dust, plus various molecules (water, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen cyanide, acetylene) that can form rocky planets. It’s the first time such molecules have been detected under these extreme conditions.

Learn more: www.nasa.gov/missions/webb/webb-study-reveals-rocky-plane...

This image: This spectrum shows data from the protoplanetary disk termed XUE 1, which is located in the star cluster Pismis 24. The inner disk around XUE 1 revealed signatures of water (highlighted here in blue), as well as acetylene (C2H2, green), hydrogen cyanide (HCN, brown), and carbon dioxide (CO2, red). As indicated, some of the emission detected was weaker than some of the predicted models, which might imply a small outer disk radius.

Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, M. Ramírez-Tannus (Max Planck Institute for Astronomy), J. Olmsted (STScI)

[Image description: Graphic titled “XUE 1 Irradiated Protoplanetary Disk, MIRI Medium -Resolution Spectroscopy” shows a graph of brightness on the y-axis versus wavelength of light in microns on the x-axis. An arrow pointing down along the y-axis reads “dimmer;” arrow pointing up reads “brighter.” (There are no values or tick marks on the y-axis.) The x-axis ranges from 13.3 microns on the left to 15.5 microns on the right, labeled in even increments of 0.5 microns, starting at 13.5. A key in the upper right corner shows that model data are plotted in purple and Webb data are plotted in white. Both the model and data form jagged lines with numerous peaks and valleys. The model and data do not match perfectly, but the general trends align. Four sets of peaks are highlighted and labeled. (1) Acetylene, C 2 H 2—highlighted in green; centered around 13.7 microns. (2) Hydrogen Cyanide, H C N—brown; 14.0 microns. (3) Water, H 2 O—blue; 14.2 microns. (4) Carbon Dioxide, C O 2—bright red; 14.95 microns.]

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based historical facts. BEWARE!

Some backgorund:

The Corps d'Aviation d'Haïti was formed in 1943 with some aircraft from the United States. Its main task was transport and communication. Headquarters were at Bowen Field, Port-au-Prince, a former U.S. Marine Corps airfield, which was the main air base of the Haïtian Air Force until 1994. During the 1940s Haiti received small quantities of training aircraft. The first combat aircraft, six F-51D Mustang and four F-47D-40, arrived in country in 1950 - just in time when things turned rough.

Eventually, the Haitian Air Force was disbanded in 1994, after United Nation sponsored forces came to Haiti to reinstall president Aristide.

General characteristics:

Crew: 1

Length: 36 ft 1 in (11.00 m)

Wingspan: 40 ft 9 in (12.42 m)

Height: 14 ft 8 in (4.47 m)

Wing area: 300 ft² (27.87 m²)

Empty weight: 10,000 lb (4,535 kg)

Loaded weight: 13,300 lb (6,032 kg)

Max. takeoff weight: 17,500 lb (7,938 kg)

Powerplant:

1× Pratt & Whitney R-2800-59 twin-row radial engine, 2,535 hp (1,890 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 433 mph at 30,000 ft (697 km/h at 9,145 m)

Range: 800 mi combat, 1,800 mi ferry (1,290 km / 2,900 km)

Service ceiling: 43,000 ft (13,100 m)

Rate of climb: 3,120 ft/min (15.9 m/s)

Wing loading: 44.33 lb/ft² ()

Power/mass: 0.19 hp/lb (238 W/kg)

Armament:

8× 0.50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns (w. 3.400 rounds total)

Up to 2,500 lb (1,134 kg) of bombs or10× 5 in (127 mm) unguided rockets/HVARs

The kit and its assembly:

An exotic topic, since I suppose that hardly anyone could imagine what a Haïtian Air Force aircraft (much like a Nepalese one) is or would look like? I found a profile of a Haïtian F-51 in a book and was… inspired. Building a model of the real aircraft could have been an option, but doing a whiffy alternative appeared more entertaining.

My choice finally fell on the P-47 Thunderbolt. The kit is the Hobby Boss P-47D (bubble canopy version), but the ordnance was replaced – instead of WWII drop tanks or iron bombs I settled for a rather anachronistic load of two LAU-68 launchers for 2.75” FFARs on the wing hardpoints.

Otherwise the kit was only marginally modified: I added a dashboard and a respective cover with a gun sight inside of the cockpit, the canopy was cut in two parts so that it could be presented in an open position, and I added a scratched antenna fairing on the P-47's back – similar to an installment that Haïtian F-51s carried in their late career.

Painting an markings:

The Haïtian P-51s were originally delivered in bare metal finish, but during their modifications at Cavalier painted all-gray, with some red trim on spinner, fin and wing tips. Except for the roundels only a three digit tactical code on the fin was carried – all very basic, but with potential.

I just transplanted this concept on the P-47. The red spinner became a red ring around the engine opening, and in order to make the aircraft not look too uniform I layered the paint, with an aluminum basis coat (Revell Acrylics) over which a thin and cloudy coat of light gray (IJN Gray from Modelmaster) was brushed. This was, after a light black ink wash, wet sanded in order to achieve an uneven, worn and even bleached look, esp. on the upper surfaces.

The anti glare panel in front of the cockpit was painted with matt olive drab (Humbrol 66 & 155), also inspired by the real Haïtian P-51s, and some small panels and trim tabs were painted in shades of gray.

The roundels were completely scratched with separate white circles and bars, plus RAF Type B roundels – the circles are actually blank start numbers for slot cars and the RAF roundels belong to a British F-4 Phantom! The tactical code actually belongs to an IAI Kfir in Israeli service.

After having dried, the roundels also received a light sanding treatment, as well as some dry painting to blend them into the overall look of the aircraft.

There actually is an aftermarket decal sheet for Haïtian P-51s in 1:72, but its sports the later roundel which shows a circle in a red and a blue half – but I wanted the earlier variant.

Some more wear was done with dry-brushed Polished Aluminum and silver, as well as grinded graphite for soot and exhaust stains. The aircraft was supposed to look used and worn.

Finally, everything was sealed under coat of matt varnish.

A rather simple project, concerning both the build and the livery (expect for the special weathering effects, maybe), but the result looks convincing and has a certain exotic charm. Nothing you'll often come across.

NK 1505 A4 1964

In the first part of the book, Mr. Alexander discusses the process by which a form is adapted to the context of human needs and demands that has called it into being. He shows that such an adaptive process will be successful only if it proceeds piecemeal instead of all at once. In the second part, Mr. Alexander presents a method by which the designer may bring his full creative imagination into play, and yet avoid the traps of irrelevant preconception. He shows that, whenever a problem is stated, it is possible to ignore existing concepts and to create new concepts, out of the structure of the problem itself, which do correspond correctly to what he calls the subsystems of the adaptive process. By treating each of these subsystems as a separate subproblem, the designer can translate the new concepts into form. The form, because of the process, will be well-adapted to its context, non-arbitrary, and correct.

Sixth Form Spring Ball, March 2017.

Reseña de Bailes Tipicos de Bolivia

Las danzas propiamente originarias se distinguen a primera vista por el empleo de plumas y cueros de animales en la vestimenta. De estas las danzas que quedan son las siguientes: Kachua, cintakaniris, sicuris, choqquelas, chiriguanos,pallapallas, qquenaqquenas, lichihuayus, chunchus, callahuadas, llameros, huitiquis, liphis, cañeros, cullahuas, tarkafucus, salquis, pacpacu, tairari, etc.

La Kachua fue una danza del amor. La ejecutaba la juventud soltera de ambos sexos, formando una gran rueda de personas que giraban de uno a otro lado, en la cual cada varon seguido por la moza con quien mantenia realciones amorosas, al verificarse los rapidos y generales movimientos de la rueda, bailaba a su vez con ella, agarrandola, algunos momentos, de la mano y otros enganchandola del brazo y haciendola dar vueltas aisladas, pero sin desprenderse del circulo comun ni alterar su orden. Los instrumentos mas usados en la kachua y el cintakaniris son flautas y tambores tocados solo a ratos, porque mas se rigen en sus movimientos coreograficos por el canto.

Los Sicuris o sopladores de zampoña son de tres clases: los suri-sicuris, los laquitas y los sulka-sicuris o yungueños. Los primeros llevan enormes plumeros sobre la cabeza en forma de paraguas adornados el centro por plumas de colores; visten pollerines de Genero blanco almidonado y planchado; sobre las espaldas les cubre diagonalmente un paño blanco. La musica es variada y es indudablemente una de las mejores y mas armoniosas del folklore boliviano.

Los laquitas llevan sombreros adornados de plumas, paños de colores sobre la espalda y tocan cuatro clases de zampoñas de gran tamaño de una sola fila. Son de numero indefinido y los preside un hombre que conduce sobre la cabeza un condor disecado con las alas extendidas (antiguamente); su musica es entusiasta.

Los Sulka-sicuris o yungueños visten ponchos vistosos y su mejor traje, tocan zampoñas de una sola fila de ocho flautas, y cajas pequeñas en forma de tambores; su musica es alegre, de ritmo vivo y energico. En estas danzas particularmente los suri-sicuris, las mujeres se presentan vestidas de chaquetillas de merino de colores y polleras de castilla, la cabeza con cintas y chaquiras, y en la mano derecha un pañuelo que se agita a menudo. La musica de los sicuris llamada ayarichi se destaca por sus notas variadas y su armoniosa ejecucion. En el canton de Italaque, de la antigua provincia Muñecas, se encuentran los mejores musicos de ese orden.

Los choqquelas llevan un cuero curtido de vicuña sobre la espalda, adornandose las extremidades con horlas de colores y pedazos de cintas. Visten pollerines de lienzo blanco, almidonados y encarrujados; la copa de los sombreros esta rodeada de plumas, unas veces blancas y otras rosadas. Dos o tres bailarines llevan colgados de las manos zorros y vicuñas disecadas, los que hacen representar en los intermedios.

Los lichihuayus, que anualmente bailan por la fiesta de Santiago en la region de Oruro, tocan la qquena y se compone cada grupo de seis o diez personas, vestidos con polleras blancas, una chaqueta de terciopelo bordada con lentejuelas y un sombrero plano que remata en un penacho de plumas.

Los llameros se diferencias por su traje, compuesto de un ponchillo matizado de diversos colores y guarnecido con flecos, de calcetas de lana blanca, que se las colocan como polainas, de un sombrero de copa aplastado por sus costados y terminado en punta. Se cubren el rostro con una mascara de yeso de aspecto agradable, en la cual la boca esta figurada en actitud de silbar. A cada varon sigue en el baile una moza con la rueca en la mano y un ovillo de hilo prendido al pecho en ademan de hilar. Los hombres a medida que bailan acostumbran agitar y hacer sonar la honda que traen consigo, aparentando espantar o arrear llamas. La musica es ejecutada con qquena, tocada con cierta dulzura, que se hace escuchar con agrado.

Con el nombre de chunchus, se conocia un baile establecido en epoca remotas por los indigenas del tropico sojuzgados por los kollas, que venian atavidos segun su costumbre a las fiestas de estos. Posteriormente les imitaron los kollas, cubriendose el cuerpo de plumas y simulando acciones propias de aquellos. Los bailarines llevaban flechas que descargaban segun la exigencia de la musica. Ultimamente han sustituido el uniforme de plumas con sayas de terciopelo cortas, de varios colores, bordadas con hilos de oro y plata y recargas de lentejuelas. Esta danza es propia de Tarija y es aun posible verla en la fiesta de San Roque.

Los callahuayas, se distinguen por las bolsas elegantes y grandes que traen bajo el brazo. Eran estas provenientes del ayllu de los curanderos y herbolarios del dominio kolla. Llevan sombreros comunes adornados con flores. El cuerpo cubierto de una camisa almidonada de genero blanco. La espalda y el pecho cruzados por bandas anchas, bordadas y acondicionadas en direcciones opuestas; encima de las bandas levan dos bolsas, cubiertas de monedas antiguas.

En varias de las danzas anteriores habia un actor que desempeñaba el papel comico con el nombre de kusillo o sea mono, haciendo cabriolas y visajes. El kusillo anima el buen humor de los danzantes, haciendo reir con frecuencia a los espectadores con sus dichos picarescos y las licencias que se toma. Ademas en las fiestas habia otro personaje bajo cuya autoridad se desenvolvian bailarines y concurrentes, era el brujo; y a falta de este el anciano mas caracterizado de la marca o pueblo.

Remontandonos a investigar el origen de estos bailes, considerados como propios de la raza, se nota que cada cual emana de la necesidad de venerar al animal u objeto material, bajo cuya proteccion se pone el ayllu (comunidad), y a quien suponia deber su existencia. Asi los qquenaqquenas, danza exclusivamente kolla, llevaban el cuero de tigre en señal de que provenian de el sus antepasados y de que, al usar esa piel se hacian invulnerables; los choqquelas se conceptuaban protegidos de la vicuña y el zorro, y se tendia a imitar la ligereza de la una y la estucia del ultimo. Los sicuris (baile kolla) era dedicado al suri y al condor, aves que entre ellos simbolizan la tormenta y la fuerza. Cada ayllu observa el uso de totems, segun la tradicion que tenian en su origen, pero el dios comunmente acatado por todos los ayllus kollas, fue el titi o tigre; por eso el cuero de este animal sagrado, rara vez dejaba de ser parte de sus disfraces en alguna forma. El baile entre los indigenas no constituia una simple diversion, tenia por objeto recordar su pasado y rendir culto a sus dioses penantes.

Algunas representaciones, a cual mas grotesca, tambien fueron introducidas por los españoles e impuestas a los indigenas. Como ejemplo esta la "mojiganga" que llamaban Juan de la Coba, se componia de tres negros vestidos con sacos y bonetes encarnados cabalgados en mulas o asnos, con timbales cubiertos de trapos del mismo color. Una multitud de muchachos andrajosos, de negros y sambos de mayor edad, hacian el acompañamiento con desordenada griteria. Entre Juan de la Coba y el pueblo habia una especie de dialogo compuesto de palabras toscas e indecentes.

De las muchas danzas implantadas en el regimen colonial, que han sobrevivido al tiempo, se distinguen la conocida con el nombre de huaca-tocoris o sea toros bailadores y los tinti caballos. El uniforme del huaca-tocoris consiste en un cuero de toro disecado sobre un fuste de madera, que tiene la forma de este animal, con una abertura circular en el lomo, por donde se introduce la persona y se sujeta a la cintura. Por delante va un indigena con la cara pintada de hollin, vestido de pantalon blanco; en una mano empuña una espada de madera y con la otra agita un pañuelo. Esta danza es la caricatura vulgar y ruda de la corrida de toros. La musica es monotona y estridente.

Los tinti caballos llevan fustes de caballitos de yeso, por cuyo centro se introduce un bailarin. Con una una mano agarra una campañilla y con la otra un pañuelo que segun las circunstancias las dan aplicacion. Siguen a los huaca-tocoris, con quiene forman la supuesta y burlesca cuadrilla de toreros.

Los danzantes es un baile en el que los bailarines se cubren las cabezas de grandes y pesados cascos de yeso, pintados de colores caprichosos. Se bailaba en Achacachi, en la fiesta de san Pedro. Este baile debio ser una derivacion de los Gigantones.

La diablada es una danza compuesta de individuos disfrazados todos ellos de diablos, con trajes vistosos y bordados con hilos de oro y plata, mascaras que representan figuras pintadas de vivos colores, y con grandes espuelas en los pies. Los grupos suelen constar de muchos miembros en cuyo centro domina el que esta disfrazado de arcangel San Miguel. Cuando mas soberbios y pagados de si mismos andan los diablos, se presenta San Miguel, reta a Satanas, lo humilla y lo abate; lo hace contemplar en el espejo que lleva consigo su rostro horroroso; luego se ponen a bailar juntos en una danza llena de satisfaccion y contento. Es un baile que encierra un simbolismo religioso propio del caracter y preocupacion de los españoles. La diablada tiene algo de satira porque refleja la rebeldia de los mitayos mineros contra la opresion y conquista española y la danza fue asi utilizada para expresar sus ansias de libertad. Su musica tiene cierto aire marcial pero esta llena de vitalidad. En la ciudad de Oruro es donde este baile se manifiesta con todo su esplendor.

Imitando y ridiculizando a la vez, el porte, vanidad y fanfarroneria de los soldados castellanos, los indigenas inventaron el baile de los ppakkacoches. En Oruro se llamaba palampas.

Los catripullis se diferencian por su indumento especial, formado por una saya de genero blanco almidonado y encarrujado, de una camisa del mismo genero y un pañuelo de madras verde que les cruza diagonalmente por la espalda. Sobre la cabeza llevan un casco de carton o lata. Bailan formando circulos, en cuyo centro hay dos indigenas disfrazados de negro y negra (con la cara pintada con betun), que hacen gracias y divierten a los demas.

Las danzas mestizas en las que predominan una mezcla de caracteristicas de bailes y notas indigenas con las extrañas venidas de afuera, como el misti-sicuris, compuesta de dos filas de bailarines, vestidos de chaquetas y pantalon corto, ambas piezas confeccionadas de generos de color, sombrero de falda ancha con plumas y toquilla de color. Tocan zampoñas; su musica es cadenciosa e impresiona agradablemente.

Las danzas indigenas cuando llegan a ser adoptadas por los mestizos son transformadas por completo en su indumento y aun en su musica. Algunos como los auqui-auquis se ponen grandes sombreros de paja tejida, con desproporcionadas faldas y caretas con lengua, barba balanca y rubia. Asi cada una de estas danzas se distingue por su traje, su musica y su significado.

Los hombres de color introducidos en el coloniaje en calidad de esclavos, tuvieron varios bailes peculiares. De estos, solo queda el tundiques y mururatas, que han llegado a popularizarse mucho. El vestido esta compuesto de un pantalon y saco de genero blanco y llevan en las manos dos pedazos de maderas, talladas y condentaduras apropiadas para producir un sonido aspero con el roce de ambas partes, y cascabeles en los pies. Entonan canciones que acompasan con el movimiento de los cascabeles y sonido de las maderas. Cantan y bailan con mucho donaire y mimica ritmica, sin perder un momento el compas

A los bailes españoles la influencia indigena les hizo adquirir nuevas formas y nuevas figuras, de mayor movimiento y de mas alegres cambios como en el Fandango, del que se derivaron el Khaluyu, la celebre Mecapaqueña.

El Khaluyu, como baile es distinto del huayñu , aunque la musica es semejante. La Mecapaqueña y el Khaluyu difieren un poco. La ultima es de menos figuras que la otra, pero mas animada y de mas constante zapateo. La Mecapaqueña fue el baile predilecto de la sociedad paceña y su nombre viene de haberse originado y ejecutado en el pueblo de Mecapaca, a donde en determinadas estaciones del año se retiraban las familias paceñas a descansar.

Actualmente la mecapaqueña ha sido olvidada y se le ha sustituido con un baile de extremados movimientos que ha tomado todas las figuras de la Cuadrilla francesa, son los movimientos y el compas del huayñu criollo.

De los numerosos bailes populares, que en otros tiempos se acostumbraban, solo tres han sobrevivido: el bailecito, el huayñu y la cueca . Los demas como los morenos mistti-sicuris y los auqui-auquis, son una derivacion de las danzas indigenas, con mezcla de figuras y vestimenta apropiada para su representacion y se desenvuelven al aire libre, en hileras y con movimientos agiles. Los tres primeros son ejecutados siempre al son de instrumentos de cuerda, acompañados estos de cantos o de flautas. La musica bailable mestiza se halla dominada por una profunda tristeza, en estos bailes se agita zapateando y se hace contorsiones con el cuerpo.

En el bailecito se colocan frente a frente hombre y mujer a una distancia apropiada, en seguida se mueve la pareja agitando los pañuelos, haciendo contorsiones con el cuerpo y diferentes pasos con los pies; dan dos vueltas enteras primero, dos medias vueltas despues y terminan la danza con una vuelta entera, en la que los movimientos de los danzantes son mas desenvueltos y animados por el jaleo y expresiones de aplauso de los concurrentes, por el furioso rasguear de la guitarra y por el entusiasmo de los cantores en levantar la voz.

El huayñu ha sido propiamente el baile originario de los indigenas. Lo ejecutaban en los intermedios de las demas danzas enfrentandose un hombre y una mujer en el centro de los bailarines que hacian rueda. Esta forma personal de bailar se llama huayñusiña. Actualmente se da el nombre de huayñu a una singular mezcla de las antiguas danzas denominadas agua de nieve, moza mala, bolero, en ciertas figuras y en otras se nota la influencia manifiesta de la muñcira gallega. Todas estas figuras han sido arregladas a la manera de ser y al tono del gusto nacional.

El huayñu lo bailan por parejas de hombres y mujeres colocadas en la misma forma que la anterior danza. Comienza por una vuelta entera, en seguida se para uno de los dos, mientras el otro comienza a danzar solo frente a su pareja el tiempo que considere necesario. Al terminar la figura la agarra de ambas manos y le hace dar una vuelta. Despues la pareja que ha permanecido quieta ejecuta a su vez otra figura distinta a la anterior y asi sucesivamente se van cambiando las figuras, cuidando que no se repitan . Es una danza de extremados movimientos en que las jovenes hacen excitantes quiebres de cintura y hacen diferentes pasos mientras se contonean y mueven los brazos.

La cueca fue el baile de preferencia de las clases aristocratas, durante el coloniaje y en los primeros años de la republica. Se enfrenta la pareja, suena la musica y comienza en canto; los bailarines avanzan y retroceden agitando los pañuelos. El hombre con una mano en la cadera y con otra batiendo el pañuelo acosa a su pareja; esta se hace la indiferente y baila seguida de aquel que continua asediandola. Dan vueltas enteras y medias vueltas, zapatenado y haciendo girar el hombre su pañuelo por sobre la cabeza de la mujer, o lo baja al nivel de sus rodillas. El hombre despliega toda su habilidad, redobla su donaire, ondula, zapatea hasta que la bailarina se para en medio de los palmoteos. El hombre hinca la rodilla a los pies de la mujer y termina el baile.

Otra danza al aire libre es la de los morenos o morenada , notable por el costoso traje que llevan. Este se compone de casaca de terciopelo de color, profusamente bordado con hilos de oro y de plata; chaleco y pantalon corto, igualmente bordados; medias de seda, calzado de charol, peluca y sombrero adornado con plumas.

Bicycle racks line the entire path on the street outside an MTR station in Hong Kong.

# SML Data

+ Date: 2013-02-22

+ Dimensions: 4766 x 3177

+ Exposure: 1/320 sec at f/5.6

+ Focal Length: 215 mm

+ ISO: 1000

+ Flash: Did not fire

+ Camera: Canon EOS 7D

+ Lens: Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM + Canon EF 1.4x Extender III

+ GPS: 22°25'8" N 114°13'34" E

+ Location: 中國香港馬鞍山馬鐵恆安站對出西沙路單車徑 中国香港马鞍山马铁恒安站对出西沙路自行车道 Bicycle lane at Sai Sha Road near the Heng On MTR Station in Ma On Shan, Hong Kong, China

+ Serial: SML.20130222.7D.24245

+ Workflow: Lightroom 4

+ Series: 人流 Human Logistics, 形 Forms

“單車架 Bicycle Racks” / 人流設施之形 Human Logistics Infrastructure Forms / SML.20130222.7D.24245

/ #人流 #HumanLogistics #形 #Forms #SMLForms #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects

/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #馬鞍山 #MaOnShan #街 #Street #城市 #Urban #攝影 #摄影 #photography #單車 #自行车 #Bicycle

forms made from green coloured stoneware clay,1250C

Patrimoine de Lyon

Hamburg - Moments

On Sept. 19, 2018, crews form a cast-in-place wall in the median work zone of SR 167. This work is part of ongoing construction for the I-405/SR 167 Interchange Direct Connector Project in Renton.

Exploration in 3D Form making via non-traditional methods

ip 238

1 - a stack of three things

2 - one red thing

3 - cinematic aspect ratio

Today I got all my senior ordering forms and crap done, so I figured today I shall share with you my senior picture, the only current picture of me...ever. I was tagged by Captain Morgan here: www.flickr.com/photos/46590237@N08/6347420354/in/photosof... more than a year ago, but I still remember. I WILL REMEMBER FOREVER.

1) I live in Oregon. Don't get any ideas.

2) I have two cats. I like my cats more than people. Cats are good.

3) This is not what I ever actually look like. Smiling is awkward.

4) I don't understand vegans /vegetarians. Vegetables are for peasants.

5) I do art an stuff. Mainly sketching because I am terribly lazy.

6) I'm white. True story.

7) I like music. Metal, rock, instrumental. Some bands I like: Lamb of God, Sevendust, Metallica, Megadeth, Pantera, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Two Steps From Hell, etc.

8) My XBOX gamertag is 'Waff1ebread'. I actually HAD an XBOX but, everything changed when the fire nation attacked. Feel free to still add me, I plan to get another XBOX. Eventually.

9) I'm not religious. Nor am I atheist. I respect your faith, unless of course I don't.

10) I don't like small children. They disturb me.

11) I don't like planes or boats. I was born on the ground and I will die on the ground.

12) I can't actually effectively swim. I sink like a rock. Nor can I fly. These facts help to determine my logic for my love of the ground.

13) I'm not really Democratic or Republican. I support the idea of an American dictator, because America is too nice. I currently decide who I prefer as president based on how successful they would be if engaged in Mortal Kombat.

14) I despise drugs. Drugs are stupid. If you smoke I will hunt you down and rub coarse sand in your eyes until you cry for forgiveness. That will make you quit.

15) I don't really do anything. I stay inside and stare at the wall until I'm satisfied.

16) Bacon is the sustanence of kings, and root beer is the nectar of the gods. This is not up to debate.

I'm only 17). You know like the Winger song. Except I'm not a girl, and I'm not going to 'show you lovin' like you've never seen. '

18) I tend to not move very fast at all. Only fools run voluntarily, instead of only if in immediate threat from a large carniverous animal. My philosophy is, the less energy I use doing normal activities, the more stored energy I will have in the event of a sudden predicament. This is why I have decent reflexes.

19) Remember, there is no spoon.

20) I'm Batman.

Best viewed large on black: www.flickr.com/photos/david_lewis_baker_arts/8037390793/i...

Casapueblo atelier-museu, Punta Bellena - Punta del Este, UY.

Residence and atelier of Carlo Paez Vilaró.

form funks it up!

found thes flix from last autumn big ups 2 form82!

PGB Photographer & Creative - © Philip Romeyn - Phillostar Gone Ballistic 2021 - Photo may not be edited from its original form. Commercial use is prohibited without contacting me.

Formed by the Glen Canyon Dam, Lake Powell is a spectacular mix of buttes, ridges and water. The photo is from Alstrom point via a challanging 4 wheel drive climb to this mountain view.

A visit to the National Trust property that is Penrhyn Castle

Penrhyn Castle is a country house in Llandygai, Bangor, Gwynedd, North Wales, in the form of a Norman castle. It was originally a medieval fortified manor house, founded by Ednyfed Fychan. In 1438, Ioan ap Gruffudd was granted a licence to crenellate and he founded the stone castle and added a tower house. Samuel Wyatt reconstructed the property in the 1780s.

The present building was created between about 1822 and 1837 to designs by Thomas Hopper, who expanded and transformed the building beyond recognition. However a spiral staircase from the original property can still be seen, and a vaulted basement and other masonry were incorporated into the new structure. Hopper's client was George Hay Dawkins-Pennant, who had inherited the Penrhyn estate on the death of his second cousin, Richard Pennant, who had made his fortune from slavery in Jamaica and local slate quarries. The eldest of George's two daughters, Juliana, married Grenadier Guard, Edward Gordon Douglas, who, on inheriting the estate on George's death in 1845, adopted the hyphenated surname of Douglas-Pennant. The cost of the construction of this vast 'castle' is disputed, and very difficult to work out accurately, as much of the timber came from the family's own forestry, and much of the labour was acquired from within their own workforce at the slate quarry. It cost the Pennant family an estimated £150,000. This is the current equivalent to about £49,500,000.

Penrhyn is one of the most admired of the numerous mock castles built in the United Kingdom in the 19th century; Christopher Hussey called it, "the outstanding instance of Norman revival." The castle is a picturesque composition that stretches over 600 feet from a tall donjon containing family rooms, through the main block built around the earlier house, to the service wing and the stables.

It is built in a sombre style which allows it to possess something of the medieval fortress air despite the ground-level drawing room windows. Hopper designed all the principal interiors in a rich but restrained Norman style, with much fine plasterwork and wood and stone carving. The castle also has some specially designed Norman-style furniture, including a one-ton slate bed made for Queen Victoria when she visited in 1859.

Hugh Napier Douglas-Pennant, 4th Lord Penrhyn, died in 1949, and the castle and estate passed to his niece, Lady Janet Pelham, who, on inheritance, adopted the surname of Douglas-Pennant. In 1951, the castle and 40,000 acres (160 km²) of land were accepted by the treasury in lieu of death duties from Lady Janet. It now belongs to the National Trust and is open to the public. The site received 109,395 visitors in 2017.

Grade I Listed Building

Penrhyn Castle

History

The present house, built in the form of a vast Norman castle, was constructed to the design of Thomas Hopper for George Hay Dawkins-Pennant between 1820 and 1837. It has been very little altered since.

The original house on the site was a medieval manor house of C14 origin, for which a licence to crenellate was given at an unknown date between 1410 and 1431. This house survived until c1782 when it was remodelled in castellated Gothick style, replete with yellow mathematical tiles, by Samuel Wyatt for Richard Pennant. This house, the great hall of which is incorporated in the present drawing room, was remodelled in c1800, but the vast profits from the Penrhyn slate quarries enabled all the rest to be completely swept away by Hopper's vast neo-Norman fantasy, sited and built so that it could be seen not only from the quarries, but most parts of the surrounding estate, thereby emphasizing the local dominance of the Dawkins-Pennant family. The total cost is unknown but it cannot have been less than the £123,000 claimed by Catherine Sinclair in 1839.

Since 1951 the house has belonged to the National Trust, together with over 40,000 acres of the family estates around Ysbyty Ifan and the Ogwen valley.

Exterior

Country house built in the style of a vast Norman castle with other later medieval influences, so huge (its 70 roofs cover an area of over an acre (0.4ha)) that it almost defies meaningful description. The main components of the house, which is built on a north-south axis with the main elevations to east and west, are the 124ft (37.8m) high keep, based on Castle Hedingham (Essex) containing the family quarters on the south, the central range, protected by a 'barbican' terrace on the east, housing the state apartments, and the rectangular-shaped staff/service buildings and stables to the north. The whole is constructed of local rubblestone with internal brick lining, but all elevations are faced in tooled Anglesey limestone ashlar of the finest quality jointing; flat lead roofs concealed by castellated parapets. Close to, the extreme length of the building (it is about 200 yards (182.88m) long) and the fact that the ground slopes away on all sides mean that almost no complete elevation can be seen. That the most frequent views of the exterior are oblique also offered Hopper the opportunity to deploy his towers for picturesque effect, the relationship between the keep and the other towers and turrets frequently obscuring the distances between them. Another significant external feature of the castle is that it actually looks defensible making it secure at least from Pugin's famous slur of 1841 on contemporary "castles" - "Who would hammer against nailed portals, when he could kick his way through the greenhouse?" Certainly, this could never be achieved at Penrhyn and it looks every inch the impregnable fortress both architect and patron intended it to be.

East elevation: to the left is the loosely attached 4-storey keep on battered plinth with 4 tiers of deeply splayed Norman windows, 2 to each face, with chevron decoration and nook-shafts, topped by 4 square corner turrets. The dining room (distinguished by the intersecting tracery above the windows) and breakfast room to the right of the entrance gallery are protected by the long sweep of the machicolated 'barbican' terrace (carriage forecourt), curved in front of the 2 rooms and then running northwards before returning at right-angles to the west to include the gatehouse, which formed the original main entrance to the castle, and ending in a tall rectangular tower with machicolated parapet. To the right of the gatehouse are the recessed buildings of the kitchen court and to the right again the long, largely unbroken outer wall of the stable court, terminated by the square footmen's tower to the left and the rather more exuberant projecting circular dung tower with its spectacularly cantilevered bartizan on the right. From here the wall runs at right-angles to the west incorporating the impressive gatehouse to the stable court.

West elevation: beginning at the left is the hexagonal smithy tower, followed by the long run of the stable court, well provided with windows on this side as the stables lie directly behind. At the end of this the wall turns at right-angles to the west, incorporating the narrow circular-turreted gatehouse to the outer court and terminating in the machicolated circular ice tower. From here the wall runs again at a lower height enclosing the remainder of the outer court. It is, of course, the state apartments which make up the chief architectural display on the central part of this elevation, beginning with a strongly articulated but essentially rectangular tower to the left, while both the drawing room and the library have Norman windows leading directly onto the lawns, the latter terminating in a slender machicolated circular corner tower. To the right is the keep, considerably set back on this side.

Interior

Only those parts of the castle generally accessible to visitors are recorded in this description. Although not described here much of the furniture and many of the paintings (including family portraits) are also original to the house. Similarly, it should be noted that in the interests of brevity and clarity, not all significant architectural features are itemised in the following description.

Entrance gallery: one of the last parts of the castle to be built, this narrow cloister-like passage was added to the main block to heighten the sensation of entering the vast Grand Hall, which is made only partly visible by the deliberate offsetting of the intervening doorways; bronze lamp standards with wolf-heads on stone bases. Grand Hall: entering the columned aisle of this huge space, the visitor stands at a cross-roads between the 3 principal areas of the castle's plan; to the left the passage leads up to the family's private apartments on the 4 floors of the keep, to the right the door at the end leads to the extensive service quarters while ahead lies the sequence of state rooms used for entertaining guests and displayed to the public ever since the castle was built. The hall itself resembles in form, style and scale the transept of a great Norman cathedral, the great clustered columns extending upwards to a "triforium" formed on 2 sides of extraordinary compound arches; stained glass with signs of the zodiac and months of the year as in a book of hours by Thomas Willement (completed 1835). Library: has very much the atmosphere of a gentlemen’s London club with walls, columned arches and ceilings covered in the most lavish ornamentation; superb architectural bookcases and panelled walls are of oak but the arches are plaster grained to match; ornamental bosses and other devices to the rich plaster ceiling refer to the ancestry of the Dawkins and Pennant families, as do the stained glass lunettes above the windows, possibly by David Evans of Shrewsbury; 4 chimneypieces of polished Anglesey "marble", one with a frieze of fantastical carved mummers in the capitals. Drawing room (great hall of the late C18 house and its medieval predecessor): again in a neo-Norman style but the decoration is lighter and the columns more slender, the spirit of the room reflected in the 2000 delicate Maltese gilt crosses to the vaulted ceiling. Ebony room: so called on account of its furniture and "ebonised" chimneypiece and plasterwork, has at its entrance a spiral staircase from the medieval house. Grand Staircase hall: in many ways the greatest architectural achievement at Penrhyn, taking 10 years to complete, the carving in 2 contrasting stones of the highest quality; repeating abstract decorative motifs contrast with the infinitely inventive figurative carving in the newels and capitals; to the top the intricate plaster panels of the domed lantern are formed in exceptionally high relief and display both Norse and Celtic influences. Next to the grand stair is the secondary stair, itself a magnificent structure in grey sandstone with lantern, built immediately next to the grand stair so that family or guests should not meet staff on the same staircase. Reached from the columned aisle of the grand hall are the 2 remaining principal ground-floor rooms, the dining room and the breakfast room, among the last parts of the castle to be completed and clearly intended to be picture galleries as much as dining areas, the stencilled treatment of the walls in the dining room allowing both the provision of an appropriately elaborate "Norman" scheme and a large flat surface for the hanging of paintings; black marble fireplace carved by Richard Westmacott and extremely ornate ceiling with leaf bosses encircled by bands of figurative mouldings derived from the Romanesque church of Kilpeck, Herefordshire. Breakfast room has cambered beam ceiling with oak-grained finish.

Grand hall gallery: at the top of the grand staircase is vaulted and continues around the grand hall below to link with the passage to the keep, which at this level (as on the other floors) contains a suite of rooms comprising a sitting room, dressing room, bedroom and small ante-chamber, the room containing the famous slate bed also with a red Mona marble chimneypiece, one of the most spectacular in the castle. Returning to the grand hall gallery and continuing straight on rather than returning to the grand staircase the Lower India room is reached to the right: this contains an Anglesey limestone chimneypiece painted to match the ground colour of the room's Chinese wallpaper. Coming out of this room, the chapel corridor leads to the chapel gallery (used by the family) and the chapel proper below (used by staff), the latter with encaustic tiles probably reused from the old medieval chapel; stained and painted glass by David Evans (c1833).

The domestic quarters of the castle are reached along the passage from the breakfast room, which turns at right-angles to the right at the foot of the secondary staircase, the most important areas being the butler's pantry, steward's office, servants' hall, housekeeper's room, still room, housekeeper's store and housemaids' tower, while the kitchen (with its cast-iron range flanked by large and hygienic vertical slabs of Penrhyn slate) is housed on the lower ground floor. From this kitchen court, which also includes a coal store, oil vaults, brushing room, lamp room, pastry room, larder, scullery and laundry are reached the outer court with its soup kitchen, brewhouse and 2-storey ice tower and the much larger stables court which, along with the stables themselves containing their extensive slate-partitioned stalls and loose boxes, incorporates the coach house, covered ride, smithy tower, dung tower with gardeners' messroom above and footmen's tower.

Reasons for Listing

Included at Grade I as one of the most important large country houses in Wales; a superb example of the relatively short-lived Norman Revival of the early C19 and generally regarded as the masterpiece of its architect, Thomas Hopper.

Clocks - went up a tower and they had thousands of clocks all over the place!

Harrison's Garden

An installation of over 5000 clocks creates an imagined landscape in the derelict 'unloved' rooms of the keep.

You needed a token to go up here, and only a certain number of people were allowed up here at each time.

Model Anna Lóa

Pole Fitness

Mynd tekin X Form

Trikk Candlestick

Mynd og Vinsla ©Sveinbi

2011

Flow Form FF04, KW V3s, BMW M Performance Brake System

From my set entitled ‘Sumac”

www.flickr.com/photos/21861018@N00/sets/72157607186471302/

In my collection entitled “The Garden”

www.flickr.com/photos/21861018@N00/collections/7215760718...

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumac

Sumac (also spelled sumach) is any one of approximately 250 species of flowering plants in the genus Rhus and related genera, in the family Anacardiaceae. The dried berries of some species are ground to produce a tangy purple spice often used in juice.

Sumacs grow in subtropical and warm temperate regions throughout the world, especially in North America.

Sumacs are shrubs and small trees that can reach a height of 1-10 meters. The leaves are spirally arranged; they are usually pinnately compound, though some species have trifoliate or simple leaves. The flowers are in dense panicles or spikes 5-30 cm long, each flower very small, greenish, creamy white or red, with five petals. The fruits form dense clusters of reddish drupes called sumac bobs.

Sumacs propagate both by seed (spread by birds and other animals through their droppings), and by new sprouts from rhizomes, forming large clonal colonies.

The drupes of the genus Rhus are ground into a deep-red or purple powder used as a spice in Middle Eastern cuisine to add a lemony taste to salads or meat; in the Turkish cuisine e.g. added to salad-servings of kebabs and lahmacun. In North America, the smooth sumac (Rhus glabra), and the staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina), are sometimes used to make a beverage, termed "sumac-ade" or "Indian lemonade" or "rhus juice". This drink is made by soaking the drupes in cool water, rubbing them to extract the essence, straining the liquid through a cotton cloth and sweetening it. Native Americans also used the leaves and berries of the smooth and staghorn sumacs combined with tobacco in traditional smoking mixtures.

Species including the fragrant sumac (Rhus aromatica), the littleleaf sumac (R. microphylla), the skunkbush sumac (R. trilobata), the smooth sumac and the staghorn sumac are grown for ornament, either as the wild types or as cultivars.

The leaves of certain sumacs yield tannin (mostly pyrogallol), a substance used in vegetable tanning. Leather tanned with sumac is flexible, light in weight, and light in color, even bordering on being white.

Dried sumac wood is fluorescent under long-wave UV light. Mowing of sumac is not a good control measure as the wood is springy resulting in jagged, sharp pointed stumps when mowed. The plant will quickly recover with new growth after mowing. See Nebraska Extension Service publication G97-1319 for suggestions as to control.

At times Rhus has held over 250 species. Recent molecular phylogeny research suggests breaking Rhus sensu lata into Actinocheita, Baronia, Cotinus, Malosma, Searsia, Toxicodendron, and Rhus sensu stricta. If this is done, about 35 species would remain in Rhus. However, the data is not yet clear enough to settle the proper placement of all species into these genera.

A visit to the National Trust property that is Penrhyn Castle

Penrhyn Castle is a country house in Llandygai, Bangor, Gwynedd, North Wales, in the form of a Norman castle. It was originally a medieval fortified manor house, founded by Ednyfed Fychan. In 1438, Ioan ap Gruffudd was granted a licence to crenellate and he founded the stone castle and added a tower house. Samuel Wyatt reconstructed the property in the 1780s.

The present building was created between about 1822 and 1837 to designs by Thomas Hopper, who expanded and transformed the building beyond recognition. However a spiral staircase from the original property can still be seen, and a vaulted basement and other masonry were incorporated into the new structure. Hopper's client was George Hay Dawkins-Pennant, who had inherited the Penrhyn estate on the death of his second cousin, Richard Pennant, who had made his fortune from slavery in Jamaica and local slate quarries. The eldest of George's two daughters, Juliana, married Grenadier Guard, Edward Gordon Douglas, who, on inheriting the estate on George's death in 1845, adopted the hyphenated surname of Douglas-Pennant. The cost of the construction of this vast 'castle' is disputed, and very difficult to work out accurately, as much of the timber came from the family's own forestry, and much of the labour was acquired from within their own workforce at the slate quarry. It cost the Pennant family an estimated £150,000. This is the current equivalent to about £49,500,000.

Penrhyn is one of the most admired of the numerous mock castles built in the United Kingdom in the 19th century; Christopher Hussey called it, "the outstanding instance of Norman revival." The castle is a picturesque composition that stretches over 600 feet from a tall donjon containing family rooms, through the main block built around the earlier house, to the service wing and the stables.

It is built in a sombre style which allows it to possess something of the medieval fortress air despite the ground-level drawing room windows. Hopper designed all the principal interiors in a rich but restrained Norman style, with much fine plasterwork and wood and stone carving. The castle also has some specially designed Norman-style furniture, including a one-ton slate bed made for Queen Victoria when she visited in 1859.

Hugh Napier Douglas-Pennant, 4th Lord Penrhyn, died in 1949, and the castle and estate passed to his niece, Lady Janet Pelham, who, on inheritance, adopted the surname of Douglas-Pennant. In 1951, the castle and 40,000 acres (160 km²) of land were accepted by the treasury in lieu of death duties from Lady Janet. It now belongs to the National Trust and is open to the public. The site received 109,395 visitors in 2017.

Grade I Listed Building

Penrhyn Castle

History

The present house, built in the form of a vast Norman castle, was constructed to the design of Thomas Hopper for George Hay Dawkins-Pennant between 1820 and 1837. It has been very little altered since.

The original house on the site was a medieval manor house of C14 origin, for which a licence to crenellate was given at an unknown date between 1410 and 1431. This house survived until c1782 when it was remodelled in castellated Gothick style, replete with yellow mathematical tiles, by Samuel Wyatt for Richard Pennant. This house, the great hall of which is incorporated in the present drawing room, was remodelled in c1800, but the vast profits from the Penrhyn slate quarries enabled all the rest to be completely swept away by Hopper's vast neo-Norman fantasy, sited and built so that it could be seen not only from the quarries, but most parts of the surrounding estate, thereby emphasizing the local dominance of the Dawkins-Pennant family. The total cost is unknown but it cannot have been less than the £123,000 claimed by Catherine Sinclair in 1839.

Since 1951 the house has belonged to the National Trust, together with over 40,000 acres of the family estates around Ysbyty Ifan and the Ogwen valley.

Exterior

Country house built in the style of a vast Norman castle with other later medieval influences, so huge (its 70 roofs cover an area of over an acre (0.4ha)) that it almost defies meaningful description. The main components of the house, which is built on a north-south axis with the main elevations to east and west, are the 124ft (37.8m) high keep, based on Castle Hedingham (Essex) containing the family quarters on the south, the central range, protected by a 'barbican' terrace on the east, housing the state apartments, and the rectangular-shaped staff/service buildings and stables to the north. The whole is constructed of local rubblestone with internal brick lining, but all elevations are faced in tooled Anglesey limestone ashlar of the finest quality jointing; flat lead roofs concealed by castellated parapets. Close to, the extreme length of the building (it is about 200 yards (182.88m) long) and the fact that the ground slopes away on all sides mean that almost no complete elevation can be seen. That the most frequent views of the exterior are oblique also offered Hopper the opportunity to deploy his towers for picturesque effect, the relationship between the keep and the other towers and turrets frequently obscuring the distances between them. Another significant external feature of the castle is that it actually looks defensible making it secure at least from Pugin's famous slur of 1841 on contemporary "castles" - "Who would hammer against nailed portals, when he could kick his way through the greenhouse?" Certainly, this could never be achieved at Penrhyn and it looks every inch the impregnable fortress both architect and patron intended it to be.

East elevation: to the left is the loosely attached 4-storey keep on battered plinth with 4 tiers of deeply splayed Norman windows, 2 to each face, with chevron decoration and nook-shafts, topped by 4 square corner turrets. The dining room (distinguished by the intersecting tracery above the windows) and breakfast room to the right of the entrance gallery are protected by the long sweep of the machicolated 'barbican' terrace (carriage forecourt), curved in front of the 2 rooms and then running northwards before returning at right-angles to the west to include the gatehouse, which formed the original main entrance to the castle, and ending in a tall rectangular tower with machicolated parapet. To the right of the gatehouse are the recessed buildings of the kitchen court and to the right again the long, largely unbroken outer wall of the stable court, terminated by the square footmen's tower to the left and the rather more exuberant projecting circular dung tower with its spectacularly cantilevered bartizan on the right. From here the wall runs at right-angles to the west incorporating the impressive gatehouse to the stable court.

West elevation: beginning at the left is the hexagonal smithy tower, followed by the long run of the stable court, well provided with windows on this side as the stables lie directly behind. At the end of this the wall turns at right-angles to the west, incorporating the narrow circular-turreted gatehouse to the outer court and terminating in the machicolated circular ice tower. From here the wall runs again at a lower height enclosing the remainder of the outer court. It is, of course, the state apartments which make up the chief architectural display on the central part of this elevation, beginning with a strongly articulated but essentially rectangular tower to the left, while both the drawing room and the library have Norman windows leading directly onto the lawns, the latter terminating in a slender machicolated circular corner tower. To the right is the keep, considerably set back on this side.

Interior

Only those parts of the castle generally accessible to visitors are recorded in this description. Although not described here much of the furniture and many of the paintings (including family portraits) are also original to the house. Similarly, it should be noted that in the interests of brevity and clarity, not all significant architectural features are itemised in the following description.

Entrance gallery: one of the last parts of the castle to be built, this narrow cloister-like passage was added to the main block to heighten the sensation of entering the vast Grand Hall, which is made only partly visible by the deliberate offsetting of the intervening doorways; bronze lamp standards with wolf-heads on stone bases. Grand Hall: entering the columned aisle of this huge space, the visitor stands at a cross-roads between the 3 principal areas of the castle's plan; to the left the passage leads up to the family's private apartments on the 4 floors of the keep, to the right the door at the end leads to the extensive service quarters while ahead lies the sequence of state rooms used for entertaining guests and displayed to the public ever since the castle was built. The hall itself resembles in form, style and scale the transept of a great Norman cathedral, the great clustered columns extending upwards to a "triforium" formed on 2 sides of extraordinary compound arches; stained glass with signs of the zodiac and months of the year as in a book of hours by Thomas Willement (completed 1835). Library: has very much the atmosphere of a gentlemen’s London club with walls, columned arches and ceilings covered in the most lavish ornamentation; superb architectural bookcases and panelled walls are of oak but the arches are plaster grained to match; ornamental bosses and other devices to the rich plaster ceiling refer to the ancestry of the Dawkins and Pennant families, as do the stained glass lunettes above the windows, possibly by David Evans of Shrewsbury; 4 chimneypieces of polished Anglesey "marble", one with a frieze of fantastical carved mummers in the capitals. Drawing room (great hall of the late C18 house and its medieval predecessor): again in a neo-Norman style but the decoration is lighter and the columns more slender, the spirit of the room reflected in the 2000 delicate Maltese gilt crosses to the vaulted ceiling. Ebony room: so called on account of its furniture and "ebonised" chimneypiece and plasterwork, has at its entrance a spiral staircase from the medieval house. Grand Staircase hall: in many ways the greatest architectural achievement at Penrhyn, taking 10 years to complete, the carving in 2 contrasting stones of the highest quality; repeating abstract decorative motifs contrast with the infinitely inventive figurative carving in the newels and capitals; to the top the intricate plaster panels of the domed lantern are formed in exceptionally high relief and display both Norse and Celtic influences. Next to the grand stair is the secondary stair, itself a magnificent structure in grey sandstone with lantern, built immediately next to the grand stair so that family or guests should not meet staff on the same staircase. Reached from the columned aisle of the grand hall are the 2 remaining principal ground-floor rooms, the dining room and the breakfast room, among the last parts of the castle to be completed and clearly intended to be picture galleries as much as dining areas, the stencilled treatment of the walls in the dining room allowing both the provision of an appropriately elaborate "Norman" scheme and a large flat surface for the hanging of paintings; black marble fireplace carved by Richard Westmacott and extremely ornate ceiling with leaf bosses encircled by bands of figurative mouldings derived from the Romanesque church of Kilpeck, Herefordshire. Breakfast room has cambered beam ceiling with oak-grained finish.

Grand hall gallery: at the top of the grand staircase is vaulted and continues around the grand hall below to link with the passage to the keep, which at this level (as on the other floors) contains a suite of rooms comprising a sitting room, dressing room, bedroom and small ante-chamber, the room containing the famous slate bed also with a red Mona marble chimneypiece, one of the most spectacular in the castle. Returning to the grand hall gallery and continuing straight on rather than returning to the grand staircase the Lower India room is reached to the right: this contains an Anglesey limestone chimneypiece painted to match the ground colour of the room's Chinese wallpaper. Coming out of this room, the chapel corridor leads to the chapel gallery (used by the family) and the chapel proper below (used by staff), the latter with encaustic tiles probably reused from the old medieval chapel; stained and painted glass by David Evans (c1833).

The domestic quarters of the castle are reached along the passage from the breakfast room, which turns at right-angles to the right at the foot of the secondary staircase, the most important areas being the butler's pantry, steward's office, servants' hall, housekeeper's room, still room, housekeeper's store and housemaids' tower, while the kitchen (with its cast-iron range flanked by large and hygienic vertical slabs of Penrhyn slate) is housed on the lower ground floor. From this kitchen court, which also includes a coal store, oil vaults, brushing room, lamp room, pastry room, larder, scullery and laundry are reached the outer court with its soup kitchen, brewhouse and 2-storey ice tower and the much larger stables court which, along with the stables themselves containing their extensive slate-partitioned stalls and loose boxes, incorporates the coach house, covered ride, smithy tower, dung tower with gardeners' messroom above and footmen's tower.

Reasons for Listing

Included at Grade I as one of the most important large country houses in Wales; a superb example of the relatively short-lived Norman Revival of the early C19 and generally regarded as the masterpiece of its architect, Thomas Hopper.

Tower

Rapid strata formation in soft sand (field evidence).

Photo of strata formation in soft sand on a beach, created by tidal action of the sea.

Formed in a single, high tidal event. Stunning evidence which displays multiple strata/layers.

Why this is so important ....

It has long been assumed, ever since the 17th century, that layers/strata observed in sedimentary rocks were built up gradually, layer upon layer, over many years. It certainly seemed logical at the time, from just looking at rocks, that lower layers would always be older than the layers above them, i.e. that lower layers were always laid down first followed, in time, by successive layers on top.

This was assumed to be true and became known as the superposition principle.

It was also assumed that a layer comprising a different material from a previous layer, represented a change in environmental conditions/factors.

These changes in composition of layers or strata were considered to represent different, geological eras on a global scale, spanning millions of years. This formed the basis for the Geologic Column, which is used to date rocks and also fossils. The evolutionary, 'fossil record' was based on the vast ages and assumed geological eras of the Geologic Column.

There was also circular reasoning applied with the assumed age of 'index' fossils (based on evolutionary beliefs & preconceptions) used to date strata in the Geologic Column. Dating strata from the assumed age of fossils is known as Biostratigraphy.

We now know that, although these assumptions seemed logical, they are not supported by the evidence.

At the time, the mechanics of stratification were not properly known or studied.

An additional factor was that this assumed superposition and uniformitarian model became essential, with the wide acceptance of Darwinism, for the long ages required for progressive microbes-to-human evolution. There was no incentive to question or challenge the superposition, uniformitarian model, because the presumed, fossil 'record' had become dependant on it, and any change in the accepted model would present devastating implications for Darwinism.

This had the unfortunate effect of linking the study of geology so closely to Darwinism, that any study independent of Darwinian considerations was effectively stymied. This link of geology with Darwinian preconceptions is known as biostratigraphy.

Some of the wealth of evidence can be observed here: www.flickr.com/photos/101536517@N06/sets/72157635944904973/

and also in the links to stunning, experimental evidence, carried out by sedimentologists, given later.

_______________________________________________

GEOLOGIC PRINCIPLES (established by Nicholas Steno in the 17th Century):

What Nicolas Steno believed about strata formation is the basis of the principle of Superposition and the principle of Original Horizontality.

dictionary.sensagent.com/Law_of_superposition/en-en/

“Assuming that all rocks and minerals had once been fluid, Nicolas Steno reasoned that rock strata were formed when particles in a fluid such as water fell to the bottom. This process would leave horizontal layers. Thus Steno's principle of original horizontality states that rock layers form in the horizontal position, and any deviations from this horizontal position are due to the rocks being disturbed later.”)

BEDDING PLANES.

'Bedding plane' describes the surface in between each stratum which are formed during sediment deposition.

science.jrank.org/pages/6533/Strata.html

“Strata form during sediment deposition, that is, the laying down of sediment. Meanwhile, if a change in current speed or sediment grain size occurs or perhaps the sediment supply is cut off, a bedding plane forms. Bedding planes are surfaces that separate one stratum from another. Bedding planes can also form when the upper part of a sediment layer is eroded away before the next episode of deposition. Strata separated by a bedding plane may have different grain sizes, grain compositions, or colours. Sometimes these other traits are better indicators of stratification as bedding planes may be very subtle.”

______________________________________________

Several catastrophic events, flash floods, volcanic eruptions etc. have forced Darwinian influenced geologists to admit to rapid stratification in some instances. However they claim it is a rare phenomenon, which they known about for many years, and which does nothing to invalidate the Geologic Column, the fossil record, evotuionary timescale, or any of the old assumptions regarding strata formation, sedimentation and the superposition principle. They fail to face up to the fact that rapid stratification is not an extraordinary phenonemon, but rather the prevailing and normal mechanism of sedimantary deposition whenever and wherever there is moving, sediment-laden water. The experimental evidence demonstrates the mechanism and a mass of field evidence in normal (non-catastrophic) conditions shows it is a normal everyday occurrence.

It is clear from the experimental evidence that the usual process of stratification is - that strata are not formed by horizontal layers being laid on top of each other in succession, as was assumed. But by sediment being sorted in the flowing water and laid down diagonally in the direction of flow.

Several catastrophic events, flash floods, volcanic eruptions etc. have forced Darwinian, influenced geologists to admit to rapid stratification in some instances. However they claim it is a rare phenomenon, which they have known about for many years, and which does nothing to invalidate the Geologic Column, the fossil record, evotuionary timescale, or any of the old assumptions regarding strata formation, sedimentation and the superposition principle. They fail to face up to the fact that rapid stratification is not an extraordinary phenonemon, but rather the prevailing and normal mechanism of sedimentary deposition whenever and wherever there is moving, sediment-laden water. The experimental evidence demonstrates the mechanism and a mass of field evidence in normal (non-catastrophic) conditions shows it is a normal everyday occurrence.

It is clear from the experimental evidence that the usual process of stratification is - that strata are not formed by horizontal layers being laid on top of each other in succession, as was assumed. But by sediment being sorted in the flowing water and laid down diagonally in the direction of flow. See diagram:

www.flickr.com/photos/truth-in-science/39821536092/in/dat...

The field evidence (in the image) presented here - of rapid, simultaneous stratification refutes the Superposition Principle, and the Principle of Lateral Continuity.

We now know, the Superposition Principle only applies on a rare occasion of sedimentary deposits in perfectly, still water. Superposition is required for the long evolutionary timescale, but the evidence shows it is not the general rule, as was once believed. Most sediment is laid down in moving water, where particle segregation is the general rule, resulting in the simultaneous deposition of strata/layers as shown in the photo.

See many other examples of rapid stratification with geological features: www.flickr.com/photos/101536517@N06/sets/72157635944904973/

Rapid, simultaneous formation of layers/strata, through particle segregation in moving water, is so easily created it has even been described by sedimentologists (working on flume experiments) as a law ...

"Upon filling the tank with water and pouring in sediments, we immediately saw what was to become the rule: The sediments sorted themselves out in very clear layers. This became so common that by the end of two weeks, we jokingly referred to Andrew's law as "It's difficult not to make layers," and Clark's law as "It's easy to make layers." Later on, I proposed the "law" that liquefaction destroys layers, as much to my surprise as that was." Ian Juby, www.ianjuby.org/sedimentation/

The example in the photo is the result of normal, everyday tidal action in a single incident. Where the water current or movement is more turbulent, violent, or catastrophic, great depths (many metres) of stratified sediment can be laid down in a short time. Certainly not the many millions of years assumed by evolutionists.

The composition of strata formed in any deposition event. is related to whatever materials are in the sediment mix, not to any particular timescale. Whatever is in the mix will be automatically sorted into strata/layers. It could be sand, or other material added from mud slides, erosion of chalk deposits, coastal erosion, volcanic ash etc. Any organic material (potential fossils), alive or dead, engulfed by, or swept into, a turbulent sediment mix, will also be sorted and buried within the rapidly, forming layers.

See many other examples of rapid stratification with geological features: www.flickr.com/photos/101536517@N06/sets/72157635944904973/

Stratified, soft sand deposit. demonstrates the rapid, stratification principle.

Important, field evidence which supports the work of the eminent, sedimentologist Dr Guy Berthault MIAS - Member of the International Association of Sedimentologists.

(Dr Berthault's experiments (www.sedimentology.fr/)

And also the experimental work of Dr M.E. Clark (Professor Emeritus, U of Illinois @ Urbana), Andrew Rodenbeck and Dr. Henry Voss, (www.ianjuby.org/sedimentation/)

Location: Sandown, Isle of Wight. Formed 17/02/2018, This field evidence demonstrates that multiple strata in sedimentary deposits do not need millions of years to form and can be formed rapidly. This natural example confirms the principle demonstrated by the sedimentation experiments carried out by Dr Guy Berthault and other sedimentologists. It calls into question the standard, multi-million year dating of sedimentary rocks, and the dating of fossils by depth of burial or position in the strata.

Mulltiple strata/layers are evident in this example.

Dr Berthault's experiments (www.sedimentology.fr/) and other experiments (www.ianjuby.org/sedimentation/) and field studies of floods and volcanic action show that, rather than being formed by gradual, slow deposition of sucessive layers superimposed upon previous layers, with the strata or layers representing a particular timescale, particle segregation in moving water or airborne particles can form strata or layers very quickly, frequently, in a single event.

And, most importantly, lower strata are not older than upper strata, they are the same age, having been created in the same sedimentary episode.

Such field studies confirm experiments which have shown that there is no longer any reason to conclude that strata/layers in sedimentary rocks relate to different geological eras and/or a multi-million year timescale. www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PVnBaqqQw8&feature=share&amp.... they also show that the relative position of fossils in rocks is not indicative of an order of evolutionary succession. Obviously, the uniformitarian principle, on which the geologic column is based, can no longer be considered valid. And the multi-million, year dating of sedimentary rocks and fossils needs to be reassessed. Rapid deposition of stratified sediments also explains the enigma of polystrate fossils, i.e. large fossils that intersect several strata. In some cases, tree trunk fossils are found which intersect the strata of sedimentary rock up to forty feet in depth. upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/08/Lycopsi... They must have been buried in stratified sediment in a short time (certainly not millions, thousands, or even hundreds of years), or they would have rotted away. youtu.be/vnzHU9VsliQ

In fact, the vast majority of fossils are found in good, intact condition, which is testament to their rapid burial. You don't get good fossils from gradual burial, because they would be damaged or destroyed by decay, predation or erosion. The existence of so many fossils in sedimentary rock on a global scale is stunning evidence for the rapid depostion of sedimentary rock as the general rule. It is obvious that all rock containing good intact fossils was formed from sediment laid down in a very short time, not millions, or even thousands of years.

See set of photos of other examples of rapid stratification: www.flickr.com/photos/101536517@N06/sets/72157635944904973/

Carbon dating of coal should not be possible if it is millions of years old, yet significant amounts of Carbon 14 have been detected in coal and other fossil material, which indicates that it is less than 50,000 years old. www.ldolphin.org/sewell/c14dating.html

www.grisda.org/origins/51006.htm

Evolutionists confidently cite multi-million year ages for rocks and fossils, but what most people don't realise is that no one actually knows the age of sedimentary rocks or the fossils found within them. So how are evolutionists so sure of the ages they so confidently quote? The astonishing thing is they aren't. Sedimentary rocks cannot be dated by radiometric methods*, and fossils can only be dated to less than 50,000 years with Carbon 14 dating. The method evolutionists use is based entirely on assumptions. Unbelievably, fossils are dated by the assumed age of rocks, and rocks are dated by the assumed age of fossils, that's right ... it is known as circular reasoning.

* Regarding the radiometric dating of igneous rocks, which is claimed to be relevant to the dating of sedimentary rocks, in an occasional instance there is an igneous intrusion associated with a sedimentary deposit -

Prof. Aubouin says in his Précis de Géologie: "Each radioactive element disintegrates in a characteristic and constant manner, which depends neither on the physical state (no variation with pressure or temperature or any other external constraint) nor on the chemical state (identical for an oxide or a phosphate)."

"Rocks form when magma crystallizes. Crystallisation depends on pressure and temperature, from which radioactivity is independent. So, there is no relationship between radioactivity and crystallisation.

Consequently, radioactivity doesn't date the formation of rocks. Moreover, daughter elements contained in rocks result mainly from radioactivity in magma where gravity separates the heavier parent element, from the lighter daughter element. Thus radiometric dating has no chronological signification." Dr. Guy Berthault www.sciencevsevolution.org/Berthault.htm

Visit the fossil museum:

www.flickr.com/photos/101536517@N06/sets/72157641367196613/

Just how good are peer reviews of scientific papers?

www.sciencemag.org/content/342/6154/60.full

www.examiner.com/article/want-to-publish-science-paper-ju...

The neo-Darwinian idea that the human genome consists entirely of an accumulation of billions of mutations is, quite obviously, completely bonkers. Nevertheless, it is compulsorily taught in schools and universities as 'science'.

www.flickr.com/photos/truth-in-science/35505679183

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In the Swiss Alps near the Italian border is a small valley town called Lostallo. For the 5th summer in a row Shankra festival made this place its home for a goa-psytrance festival.

Video from 2017 youtu.be/sGJAhJp605k

Downloads on Flickr are free for fiends & followers but do tell the people where you got the picture.

Copyright © 2015 OffdaLipp Images

This image is protected under the United States and International Copyright laws and may not be downloaded, reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without written permission.

This doll was a gift for my boyfriend.

It is the cat form of a druid, from world of Warcraft (a game). It was made in incredible 14 days! I don't know how many hours it took.

About the doll: this is a handmade one of a kind ball jointed doll, entirely made from scratch of cold porcelain. The doll is made of purple clay and has some airbrushing and painted details. The eyes and the stones of the collar are handpainted glass cabochons and both glow in the dark. The rest of the collar and the bracelets are made from craft foam, and the bracelets has golden details made with 3d paint. And it also has some faux fur. The mark on it's back is made of clay but painted with a transparent ink that glows under UV light. Felt was used on some joints to protect the painting from scratch.

Character reference: www.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/druidcat(1).jpg

It is hard to find pictures of this character!

The story: I was suffering to find a gift for my boyfriend to celebrate our dating anniversary. I had no ideas... After some long time thinking, I decided to make a doll for him. I never made him one before XD The idea was to have something to distract the mind when he wasn't being able to solve a problem while working, something to relax, to play. Then, there was a problem: which doll to make? Which character or whatever? More days thinking. I remember seeing he plays WoW, and that there was a druid that could transform itself in other critters, being a panther like the one I saw more frequently. That was called the cat form, even it looking like a big wild feline. More and more days passed thinking on which kind of doll to make. Chibi? Standard? Deluxe?! Chibi was not very poseable, so next. Deluxe was too hard and there wasn't enough time to finish. Standard was the chosen one. I was going to follow a cute style as well. But I wasn't being able to imagine how the doll would look, I couldn't draw it.... the time was passing.... How to make the open mouth? The accessories? Wow, and if I make the eyes and the collar, and that mark on the back glows like in the game? But how?? Well, Happens that there was only 14 days left to the dating anniversary and I started to freak out! So I just had to start even not knowing that the hell I was going to do and how! Sculpting like crazy XD The eyes needed 4 or five attempts, and paints and adhesives to find something that work fine to glow in the dark. I found a nail polish that glows under UV lamp for the marking at the back. But my boyfriend didn't have a UV light. So I discovered a tiny laser pen like thing that was originally made to check if money is real or not. The thing had a UV led. Bought it. In the middle of the craziness my boyfriend asked me if I was going to give him a coffee maker (espresso one). And I was like "crap! I forgot he want one of those!! XD" but I said it was indeed what I was going to give him, just to surprise in the end. Back to work, I wake up very early and laid down very late all days working on the doll. Go out to buy all the supplies, and still have to hide everything when he came to my place! He stays at my place like Friday, Saturday and Sunday. So, many days I couldn't work of the very few I already had when started! T___T Finished the sculpting process like crazy, still remade 4 pieces. Then I decided to airbrush the doll, you know, because weren't enough stress already. And when airbrushing, I had to cover every claw and the nose, and the pawpads, because those were in the correct color already................. I bought a latex mask (not sure if it is the word) for watercolor and it thank goddess worked!! But oh, soooo much work to cover all those tiny tiny things... And then after airbrushing and removing the mask, there was a gap around all the claws (the latex ran a bit..) and I needed to mask everything again, airbrush again..... Then paint all the little details. Seal everything, make all the accessories, glue all the faux fur.... Also, had to glue something on the joints to avoid scratching the paint. I found a felt - no kidding - that was exactly the same color as the light purple on the doll! Couldn't be better. I think you can barely see it on the pictures. Well, I still have to find a package for it. I wanted a treasure chest, but couldn't find one that suits. So I bought a plastic box similar to the ones I use, but with a funny shape. I designed the labels, with pictures from the game an all. Made the little drawstring bag, that I find on the stuffs I have since many years a blue stone that looks very "WoW" to use on the strings. I was literally finishing it in the day I had to give it to my boyfriend XD But not enough, I decided to fake it was the coffee maker. So I've found a box that had a good size, made fake labels (made very funny drawings, with "memes" and such, by hand with a black pen over craft paper), covered the box, put some rice bags inside to make it weight like a coffee maker, put the doll inside, and wrapped everything with gift wrapping paper. All packaged, it was a coffee maker! So I give it for him. And when he started to open and seeing the fake labels, his face was just like "WTF??!!" and while he was opening, removing lots of bubble wrapping, paper, and... rice bags, he was getting more and more confused, and I couldn't stop laughing! Until he finally found the little box (that was also wrapped in gift paper), opened and discovered the little doll inside, with a letter on which I told all the story you are also reading, but more detailed, and some cute things (by the way I had to write that letter, that has 2 or three pages too in this amount of time!). He got very touched I pass through all that to make a doll for him, and totally surprised because he never guessed what I was up to. In the end, beautiful doll, happy boyfriend, mission accomplished! XD Of course it isn't allll perfect as my dolls usually are. There are very small flaws that maybe just I and few people (my boyfriend isn't one of them) can see. But he is very different, and very detailed, and I am very very proud of this little guy!

Well, I hope you like my "little" adventure! I am glad I survived all of this! I doubt many people would read it anyway, but I decided to share n.n

All of this happened on 2014, months ago, but just now I took the pictures of the doll to show you.

Isaiah, 8, and Leah, 5.

Former Mecca Bingo Hall located at 125 Fountainbridge in Edinburgh prior to demolition.

The building was originally constructed in around 1911 - 1912 on the site of a former iron foundry and saw mill. At least part of it is an ice rink, but this was later converted to a cinema (called the Coliseum) and then a dance hall (called the Palais de Danse). It closed down as a Dance Hall in the early 1970s. After a period of redundancy, the building then functioned as the Mecca Bingo Hall, which closed down in the 2000s.

A visit to the National Trust property that is Penrhyn Castle

Penrhyn Castle is a country house in Llandygai, Bangor, Gwynedd, North Wales, in the form of a Norman castle. It was originally a medieval fortified manor house, founded by Ednyfed Fychan. In 1438, Ioan ap Gruffudd was granted a licence to crenellate and he founded the stone castle and added a tower house. Samuel Wyatt reconstructed the property in the 1780s.

The present building was created between about 1822 and 1837 to designs by Thomas Hopper, who expanded and transformed the building beyond recognition. However a spiral staircase from the original property can still be seen, and a vaulted basement and other masonry were incorporated into the new structure. Hopper's client was George Hay Dawkins-Pennant, who had inherited the Penrhyn estate on the death of his second cousin, Richard Pennant, who had made his fortune from slavery in Jamaica and local slate quarries. The eldest of George's two daughters, Juliana, married Grenadier Guard, Edward Gordon Douglas, who, on inheriting the estate on George's death in 1845, adopted the hyphenated surname of Douglas-Pennant. The cost of the construction of this vast 'castle' is disputed, and very difficult to work out accurately, as much of the timber came from the family's own forestry, and much of the labour was acquired from within their own workforce at the slate quarry. It cost the Pennant family an estimated £150,000. This is the current equivalent to about £49,500,000.

Penrhyn is one of the most admired of the numerous mock castles built in the United Kingdom in the 19th century; Christopher Hussey called it, "the outstanding instance of Norman revival." The castle is a picturesque composition that stretches over 600 feet from a tall donjon containing family rooms, through the main block built around the earlier house, to the service wing and the stables.

It is built in a sombre style which allows it to possess something of the medieval fortress air despite the ground-level drawing room windows. Hopper designed all the principal interiors in a rich but restrained Norman style, with much fine plasterwork and wood and stone carving. The castle also has some specially designed Norman-style furniture, including a one-ton slate bed made for Queen Victoria when she visited in 1859.

Hugh Napier Douglas-Pennant, 4th Lord Penrhyn, died in 1949, and the castle and estate passed to his niece, Lady Janet Pelham, who, on inheritance, adopted the surname of Douglas-Pennant. In 1951, the castle and 40,000 acres (160 km²) of land were accepted by the treasury in lieu of death duties from Lady Janet. It now belongs to the National Trust and is open to the public. The site received 109,395 visitors in 2017.

Grade I Listed Building

Penrhyn Castle

History

The present house, built in the form of a vast Norman castle, was constructed to the design of Thomas Hopper for George Hay Dawkins-Pennant between 1820 and 1837. It has been very little altered since.

The original house on the site was a medieval manor house of C14 origin, for which a licence to crenellate was given at an unknown date between 1410 and 1431. This house survived until c1782 when it was remodelled in castellated Gothick style, replete with yellow mathematical tiles, by Samuel Wyatt for Richard Pennant. This house, the great hall of which is incorporated in the present drawing room, was remodelled in c1800, but the vast profits from the Penrhyn slate quarries enabled all the rest to be completely swept away by Hopper's vast neo-Norman fantasy, sited and built so that it could be seen not only from the quarries, but most parts of the surrounding estate, thereby emphasizing the local dominance of the Dawkins-Pennant family. The total cost is unknown but it cannot have been less than the £123,000 claimed by Catherine Sinclair in 1839.

Since 1951 the house has belonged to the National Trust, together with over 40,000 acres of the family estates around Ysbyty Ifan and the Ogwen valley.

Exterior

Country house built in the style of a vast Norman castle with other later medieval influences, so huge (its 70 roofs cover an area of over an acre (0.4ha)) that it almost defies meaningful description. The main components of the house, which is built on a north-south axis with the main elevations to east and west, are the 124ft (37.8m) high keep, based on Castle Hedingham (Essex) containing the family quarters on the south, the central range, protected by a 'barbican' terrace on the east, housing the state apartments, and the rectangular-shaped staff/service buildings and stables to the north. The whole is constructed of local rubblestone with internal brick lining, but all elevations are faced in tooled Anglesey limestone ashlar of the finest quality jointing; flat lead roofs concealed by castellated parapets. Close to, the extreme length of the building (it is about 200 yards (182.88m) long) and the fact that the ground slopes away on all sides mean that almost no complete elevation can be seen. That the most frequent views of the exterior are oblique also offered Hopper the opportunity to deploy his towers for picturesque effect, the relationship between the keep and the other towers and turrets frequently obscuring the distances between them. Another significant external feature of the castle is that it actually looks defensible making it secure at least from Pugin's famous slur of 1841 on contemporary "castles" - "Who would hammer against nailed portals, when he could kick his way through the greenhouse?" Certainly, this could never be achieved at Penrhyn and it looks every inch the impregnable fortress both architect and patron intended it to be.

East elevation: to the left is the loosely attached 4-storey keep on battered plinth with 4 tiers of deeply splayed Norman windows, 2 to each face, with chevron decoration and nook-shafts, topped by 4 square corner turrets. The dining room (distinguished by the intersecting tracery above the windows) and breakfast room to the right of the entrance gallery are protected by the long sweep of the machicolated 'barbican' terrace (carriage forecourt), curved in front of the 2 rooms and then running northwards before returning at right-angles to the west to include the gatehouse, which formed the original main entrance to the castle, and ending in a tall rectangular tower with machicolated parapet. To the right of the gatehouse are the recessed buildings of the kitchen court and to the right again the long, largely unbroken outer wall of the stable court, terminated by the square footmen's tower to the left and the rather more exuberant projecting circular dung tower with its spectacularly cantilevered bartizan on the right. From here the wall runs at right-angles to the west incorporating the impressive gatehouse to the stable court.

West elevation: beginning at the left is the hexagonal smithy tower, followed by the long run of the stable court, well provided with windows on this side as the stables lie directly behind. At the end of this the wall turns at right-angles to the west, incorporating the narrow circular-turreted gatehouse to the outer court and terminating in the machicolated circular ice tower. From here the wall runs again at a lower height enclosing the remainder of the outer court. It is, of course, the state apartments which make up the chief architectural display on the central part of this elevation, beginning with a strongly articulated but essentially rectangular tower to the left, while both the drawing room and the library have Norman windows leading directly onto the lawns, the latter terminating in a slender machicolated circular corner tower. To the right is the keep, considerably set back on this side.

Interior

Only those parts of the castle generally accessible to visitors are recorded in this description. Although not described here much of the furniture and many of the paintings (including family portraits) are also original to the house. Similarly, it should be noted that in the interests of brevity and clarity, not all significant architectural features are itemised in the following description.

Entrance gallery: one of the last parts of the castle to be built, this narrow cloister-like passage was added to the main block to heighten the sensation of entering the vast Grand Hall, which is made only partly visible by the deliberate offsetting of the intervening doorways; bronze lamp standards with wolf-heads on stone bases. Grand Hall: entering the columned aisle of this huge space, the visitor stands at a cross-roads between the 3 principal areas of the castle's plan; to the left the passage leads up to the family's private apartments on the 4 floors of the keep, to the right the door at the end leads to the extensive service quarters while ahead lies the sequence of state rooms used for entertaining guests and displayed to the public ever since the castle was built. The hall itself resembles in form, style and scale the transept of a great Norman cathedral, the great clustered columns extending upwards to a "triforium" formed on 2 sides of extraordinary compound arches; stained glass with signs of the zodiac and months of the year as in a book of hours by Thomas Willement (completed 1835). Library: has very much the atmosphere of a gentlemen’s London club with walls, columned arches and ceilings covered in the most lavish ornamentation; superb architectural bookcases and panelled walls are of oak but the arches are plaster grained to match; ornamental bosses and other devices to the rich plaster ceiling refer to the ancestry of the Dawkins and Pennant families, as do the stained glass lunettes above the windows, possibly by David Evans of Shrewsbury; 4 chimneypieces of polished Anglesey "marble", one with a frieze of fantastical carved mummers in the capitals. Drawing room (great hall of the late C18 house and its medieval predecessor): again in a neo-Norman style but the decoration is lighter and the columns more slender, the spirit of the room reflected in the 2000 delicate Maltese gilt crosses to the vaulted ceiling. Ebony room: so called on account of its furniture and "ebonised" chimneypiece and plasterwork, has at its entrance a spiral staircase from the medieval house. Grand Staircase hall: in many ways the greatest architectural achievement at Penrhyn, taking 10 years to complete, the carving in 2 contrasting stones of the highest quality; repeating abstract decorative motifs contrast with the infinitely inventive figurative carving in the newels and capitals; to the top the intricate plaster panels of the domed lantern are formed in exceptionally high relief and display both Norse and Celtic influences. Next to the grand stair is the secondary stair, itself a magnificent structure in grey sandstone with lantern, built immediately next to the grand stair so that family or guests should not meet staff on the same staircase. Reached from the columned aisle of the grand hall are the 2 remaining principal ground-floor rooms, the dining room and the breakfast room, among the last parts of the castle to be completed and clearly intended to be picture galleries as much as dining areas, the stencilled treatment of the walls in the dining room allowing both the provision of an appropriately elaborate "Norman" scheme and a large flat surface for the hanging of paintings; black marble fireplace carved by Richard Westmacott and extremely ornate ceiling with leaf bosses encircled by bands of figurative mouldings derived from the Romanesque church of Kilpeck, Herefordshire. Breakfast room has cambered beam ceiling with oak-grained finish.

Grand hall gallery: at the top of the grand staircase is vaulted and continues around the grand hall below to link with the passage to the keep, which at this level (as on the other floors) contains a suite of rooms comprising a sitting room, dressing room, bedroom and small ante-chamber, the room containing the famous slate bed also with a red Mona marble chimneypiece, one of the most spectacular in the castle. Returning to the grand hall gallery and continuing straight on rather than returning to the grand staircase the Lower India room is reached to the right: this contains an Anglesey limestone chimneypiece painted to match the ground colour of the room's Chinese wallpaper. Coming out of this room, the chapel corridor leads to the chapel gallery (used by the family) and the chapel proper below (used by staff), the latter with encaustic tiles probably reused from the old medieval chapel; stained and painted glass by David Evans (c1833).

The domestic quarters of the castle are reached along the passage from the breakfast room, which turns at right-angles to the right at the foot of the secondary staircase, the most important areas being the butler's pantry, steward's office, servants' hall, housekeeper's room, still room, housekeeper's store and housemaids' tower, while the kitchen (with its cast-iron range flanked by large and hygienic vertical slabs of Penrhyn slate) is housed on the lower ground floor. From this kitchen court, which also includes a coal store, oil vaults, brushing room, lamp room, pastry room, larder, scullery and laundry are reached the outer court with its soup kitchen, brewhouse and 2-storey ice tower and the much larger stables court which, along with the stables themselves containing their extensive slate-partitioned stalls and loose boxes, incorporates the coach house, covered ride, smithy tower, dung tower with gardeners' messroom above and footmen's tower.

Reasons for Listing

Included at Grade I as one of the most important large country houses in Wales; a superb example of the relatively short-lived Norman Revival of the early C19 and generally regarded as the masterpiece of its architect, Thomas Hopper.

Railway Museum

Room with model steam locomotives.

Midland Railway - "Princess of Wales"

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