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A Indian boy sweeping his home naked. I saw him waving to me and signaling to take a picture. Here it is!
Chiffchaff
(definite ID, we heard him sing).
Seen in a landscape protection area in Achim near Bremen - Lower Saxony - Germany. Picture taken about one week after our first sighting of Chiffchaffs this year in Northern Germany.
This one is dedicated to Luis-Gaspar, who already misses the Chiffchaffs in Portugal :-))) I hope they will have a great summer with us and return south to him in greater numbers come autumn. Which leaves for me the question where their "real" home is, or do they just have two places of residence like some people do?
:-) Cheers, Ulrike.
Zilpzalp
(definitiv identifiziert, wir hörten ihn singen).
Gesehen im Landschaftsschutzgebiet in Achim bei Bremen. Aufgenommen etwa eine Woche nach unserer ersten Sichtung dieses Jahr bei uns in Norddeutschland.
Dieser hier ist Luis-Gaspar gewidmet, der die Zilpzalpe jetzt schon in Portugal vermißt :-))) Ich hoffe sie werden hier einen guten Sommer haben und in vergrößerter Zahl im Herbst zu ihm zurückkehren. Nun frage ich mich bloß noch wo denn nun eigentlich ihre "richtige" Heimat ist, oder haben sie einfach zwei Wohnsitze so wie manche Leute es eben haben?
:-) Herzliche Grüße, Ulrike.
We heard him before we saw him. He flew right in front of us and landed in this tree making a lot of noise - I think he was trying to flush out some smaller animals.
I look down at the man dressed in red for a few moments, allowing him to process what M'gann has just told him. Ever since her encounter with Mr Moth all those weeks ago, I've been attempting to build her confidence by encouraging her to tackle low-time criminals.
So far, it would've appeared to work a charm.
Breaking my train of thought, I lower myself out of the air, phase through the bank doors and then take my place next to M'gann.
"I understand you're having some trouble."
M'gann nods; the man in red stood watching with a gormless expression spreading across his face.
"Get back! I'll kill you both!"
He raises his weapon, and I am suddenly reminded of the fact that if he was to squeeze the trigger, I would be rendered powerless and my defeat would be simple.
If only he knew.
"I mean it! I'll do it!"
Calling his bluff, I walk forwards to his trembling wreck of an arm and pause.
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Michael."
The man jolts.
"Wha...what did you call me?"
"Michael Miller. That is your name, is it not?"
His mouth begins to move out of time with his mind, then his trembling arm finally gives way and he lets out a meek whine.
"How do you-"
Miller suitably distracted, I lunge forwards and grasp his crude flame-thrower, and in one efficient movement, I bring the weapon upwards and out of his shaking hands. He attempts what some might call a punch, but one quick kick in his shin soon puts his assault to bed, and Miller to the ground.
"Let's see, what have we here?"
I examine the crude weapon at hand, then hook my fingers under a pressure gauge on the side and tear it off. The thrower makes a hissing sound as some gas escapes, then I detach the piping from the gun and throw it to the ground.
"No dammit!"
Miller squirms on the ground, but stops when the bank doors slam open and various officers from the DPD march in. I look up as I walk around Miller, now on his knees, and position myself to talk to the officers.
"Good afternoon."
They lower their weapons in turn with Miller raising his hand to his face, which now appears to be a brighter shade of red than his flattering outfit.
"Martian Manhunter. Thank god."
The officer steps forwards and looks down at Miller.
"Is that...Michael Miller?"
I nod. The officer turns to one of her colleges stood in the doorway, gun still trained on Miller.
"Call dispatch. Let them know we've got the situation under control."
The man nods as he makes his way to the police car, then the officer's hand goes to a pair of handcuffs hooked around her belt. A though flashes through my mind for a moment, the thought of my younger (and somewhat reckless) version of myself back on Mars. I then think of M'gann; how we met, and how I would act if it were her currently relieving herself in a trembling mess at my feet.
The officer steps forwards and I bring my hand up.
"That won't be necessary, officer."
She pauses.
"I'm sorry?"
"Your handcuffs. They will not required."
A look of uncertainty flashes across her face.
"And why not?"
I look down to Miller.
"Mr Miller here has done no wrong."
She frowns as I continue.
"No one was harmed. He didn't even leave here with any money, and, may I remind you, we are in a bank."
"Weather or not he left with any money does not matter, sir. This is currently being treated as a hostage situation-"
I gesture to a group of adolescents all with their mobile devices out.
"Where the hostages are taking photographs of their 'captor'."
The officer sighs.
"May I ask why you're standing up for this man? I, we, were all under the impression that your sort of people stood up for justice?"
I consider the officer's point for a moment, but another look down at the trembling wreck of a man that is Michael Miller reminds me of my cause.
"You are correct. However, take a look at Mister Miller, officer. Take away the gaudy outfit and those awful judgement skills, and you have a young individual who needs help. I do stand for justice, officer, you're quite right, but this man here,"
Miller looks down.
"Is not an example of a dangerous criminal. Someone who attacks a bank using only a home-made hair-dryer with a little extra firepower, in a city protected by two extraterrestrials with unearthly powers, clearly isn't the sharpest of criminal minds."
The officer turns to her college, and in turn I look to M'gann, stood tending to an inquisitive man in the doorway. The officer turns back to me and sighs.
"Alright, let's say for one minute that he is innocent. What's to stop him from attacking again if we let him go?"
I nod.
"A fair point. He could easily come back just as powerful next time, couldn't he?"
I crane my neck to look at Michael, but as soon as I catch his eye he snaps his neck back downwards.
"But look at him. Do you honestly think he will attempt anything like this again after what's happened today? He won't even be able to look at a dollar bill without trembling. Even the hostages outsmarted him."
Michael fidgets on the ground, but keeps his eyes down.
"His is still in possession of an offensive weapon."
"He was in possession of an offensive weapon. Currently he is in possession of a heap of rather inoffensive metal."
The officer once again sighs, then turns to her college. She whispers something in his ear, and after a few moments, she looks back to me and sighs.
"Alright."
She kneels down to Michael and begins to talk to him.
"Right then Mister Miller, it would appear today is your lucky day. Now god knows why, but thanks to your Martian friend here, we've decided to let you go, under the condition that you will be under a strict curfew for at least eighteen months."
Michael stirs, but I calm him with a hand on his shoulder. The officer stands.
"You're going to have to come with us to go through the details of your curfew, but after that, you're free to go."
She picks Miller up and leads him outside.
"I suggest you thank your lucky stars you've got the Martian Manhunter here. He's turned the end of your free life, into a life of staying indoors after nine o'clock."
The officers, Miller in tow, exit the bank and head for the police car. The woman opens the back passenger door, then turns round and says one last thing to me.
"Why?"
I pause.
"I like to believe there is a bit of good in everybody. At least, in some people. Mister Miller here is certainly no exception. He's young; he's got his whole life ahead of him. Don't bring that crashing down because he had one minor lapse of judgement."
She nods, then Miller gives me one last look before being bundled into the police car.
I walk over to M'gann stood by the doors. She says nothing, instead she just looks up at me, and smiles as we watch the car drive off down the road and into the busy afternoon traffic.
Ganesha, also spelled Ganesh, and also known as Ganapati and Vinayaka, is a widely worshipped deity in the Hindu pantheon. His image is found throughout India and Nepal. Hindu sects worship him regardless of affiliations. Devotion to Ganesha is widely diffused and extends to Jains, Buddhists, and beyond India.
Although he is known by many attributes, Ganesha's elephant head makes him easy to identify. Ganesha is widely revered as the remover of obstacles, the patron of arts and sciences and the deva of intellect and wisdom. As the god of beginnings, he is honoured at the start of rituals and ceremonies. Ganesha is also invoked as patron of letters and learning during writing sessions. Several texts relate mythological anecdotes associated with his birth and exploits and explain his distinct iconography.
Ganesha emerged as a distinct deity in the 4th and 5th centuries CE, during the Gupta Period, although he inherited traits from Vedic and pre-Vedic precursors. He was formally included among the five primary deities of Smartism (a Hindu denomination) in the 9th century. A sect of devotees called the Ganapatya arose, who identified Ganesha as the supreme deity. The principal scriptures dedicated to Ganesha are the Ganesha Purana, the Mudgala Purana, and the Ganapati Atharvashirsa.
ETYMOLOGY AND OTHER NAMES
Ganesha has been ascribed many other titles and epithets, including Ganapati and Vighneshvara. The Hindu title of respect Shri is often added before his name. One popular way Ganesha is worshipped is by chanting a Ganesha Sahasranama, a litany of "a thousand names of Ganesha". Each name in the sahasranama conveys a different meaning and symbolises a different aspect of Ganesha. At least two different versions of the Ganesha Sahasranama exist; one version is drawn from the Ganesha Purana, a Hindu scripture venerating Ganesha.
The name Ganesha is a Sanskrit compound, joining the words gana, meaning a group, multitude, or categorical system and isha, meaning lord or master. The word gaņa when associated with Ganesha is often taken to refer to the gaņas, a troop of semi-divine beings that form part of the retinue of Shiva. The term more generally means a category, class, community, association, or corporation. Some commentators interpret the name "Lord of the Gaņas" to mean "Lord of Hosts" or "Lord of created categories", such as the elements. Ganapati, a synonym for Ganesha, is a compound composed of gaṇa, meaning "group", and pati, meaning "ruler" or "lord". The Amarakosha, an early Sanskrit lexicon, lists eight synonyms of Ganesha : Vinayaka, Vighnarāja (equivalent to Vighnesha), Dvaimātura (one who has two mothers), Gaṇādhipa (equivalent to Ganapati and Ganesha), Ekadanta (one who has one tusk), Heramba, Lambodara (one who has a pot belly, or, literally, one who has a hanging belly), and Gajanana; having the face of an elephant).
Vinayaka is a common name for Ganesha that appears in the Purāṇas and in Buddhist Tantras. This name is reflected in the naming of the eight famous Ganesha temples in Maharashtra known as the Ashtavinayak (aṣṭavināyaka). The names Vighnesha and Vighneshvara (Lord of Obstacles) refers to his primary function in Hindu theology as the master and remover of obstacles (vighna).
A prominent name for Ganesha in the Tamil language is Pillai. A. K. Narain differentiates these terms by saying that pillai means a "child" while pillaiyar means a "noble child". He adds that the words pallu, pella, and pell in the Dravidian family of languages signify "tooth or tusk", also "elephant tooth or tusk". Anita Raina Thapan notes that the root word pille in the name Pillaiyar might have originally meant "the young of the elephant", because the Pali word pillaka means "a young elephant".
In the Burmese language, Ganesha is known as Maha Peinne, derived from Pali Mahā Wināyaka. The widespread name of Ganesha in Thailand is Phra Phikhanet or Phra Phikhanesuan, both of which are derived from Vara Vighnesha and Vara Vighneshvara respectively, whereas the name Khanet (from Ganesha) is rather rare.
In Sri Lanka, in the North-Central and North Western areas with predominantly Buddhist population, Ganesha is known as Aiyanayaka Deviyo, while in other Singhala Buddhist areas he is known as Gana deviyo.
ICONOGRAPHY
Ganesha is a popular figure in Indian art. Unlike those of some deities, representations of Ganesha show wide variations and distinct patterns changing over time. He may be portrayed standing, dancing, heroically taking action against demons, playing with his family as a boy, sitting down or on an elevated seat, or engaging in a range of contemporary situations.
Ganesha images were prevalent in many parts of India by the 6th century. The 13th century statue pictured is typical of Ganesha statuary from 900–1200, after Ganesha had been well-established as an independent deity with his own sect. This example features some of Ganesha's common iconographic elements. A virtually identical statue has been dated between 973–1200 by Paul Martin-Dubost, and another similar statue is dated c. 12th century by Pratapaditya Pal. Ganesha has the head of an elephant and a big belly. This statue has four arms, which is common in depictions of Ganesha. He holds his own broken tusk in his lower-right hand and holds a delicacy, which he samples with his trunk, in his lower-left hand. The motif of Ganesha turning his trunk sharply to his left to taste a sweet in his lower-left hand is a particularly archaic feature. A more primitive statue in one of the Ellora Caves with this general form has been dated to the 7th century. Details of the other hands are difficult to make out on the statue shown. In the standard configuration, Ganesha typically holds an axe or a goad in one upper arm and a pasha (noose) in the other upper arm.
The influence of this old constellation of iconographic elements can still be seen in contemporary representations of Ganesha. In one modern form, the only variation from these old elements is that the lower-right hand does not hold the broken tusk but is turned towards the viewer in a gesture of protection or fearlessness (abhaya mudra). The same combination of four arms and attributes occurs in statues of Ganesha dancing, which is a very popular theme.
COMMON ATTRIBUTES
Ganesha has been represented with the head of an elephant since the early stages of his appearance in Indian art. Puranic myths provide many explanations for how he got his elephant head. One of his popular forms, Heramba-Ganapati, has five elephant heads, and other less-common variations in the number of heads are known. While some texts say that Ganesha was born with an elephant head, he acquires the head later in most stories. The most recurrent motif in these stories is that Ganesha was created by Parvati using clay to protect her and Shiva beheaded him when Ganesha came between Shiva and Parvati. Shiva then replaced Ganesha's original head with that of an elephant. Details of the battle and where the replacement head came from vary from source to source. Another story says that Ganesha was created directly by Shiva's laughter. Because Shiva considered Ganesha too alluring, he gave him the head of an elephant and a protruding belly.
Ganesha's earliest name was Ekadanta (One Tusked), referring to his single whole tusk, the other being broken. Some of the earliest images of Ganesha show him holding his broken tusk. The importance of this distinctive feature is reflected in the Mudgala Purana, which states that the name of Ganesha's second incarnation is Ekadanta. Ganesha's protruding belly appears as a distinctive attribute in his earliest statuary, which dates to the Gupta period (4th to 6th centuries). This feature is so important that, according to the Mudgala Purana, two different incarnations of Ganesha use names based on it: Lambodara (Pot Belly, or, literally, Hanging Belly) and Mahodara (Great Belly). Both names are Sanskrit compounds describing his belly. The Brahmanda Purana says that Ganesha has the name Lambodara because all the universes (i.e., cosmic eggs) of the past, present, and future are present in him. The number of Ganesha's arms varies; his best-known forms have between two and sixteen arms. Many depictions of Ganesha feature four arms, which is mentioned in Puranic sources and codified as a standard form in some iconographic texts. His earliest images had two arms. Forms with 14 and 20 arms appeared in Central India during the 9th and the 10th centuries. The serpent is a common feature in Ganesha iconography and appears in many forms. According to the Ganesha Purana, Ganesha wrapped the serpent Vasuki around his neck. Other depictions of snakes include use as a sacred thread wrapped around the stomach as a belt, held in a hand, coiled at the ankles, or as a throne. Upon Ganesha's forehead may be a third eye or the Shaivite sectarian mark , which consists of three horizontal lines. The Ganesha Purana prescribes a tilaka mark as well as a crescent moon on the forehead. A distinct form of Ganesha called Bhalachandra includes that iconographic element. Ganesha is often described as red in color. Specific colors are associated with certain forms. Many examples of color associations with specific meditation forms are prescribed in the Sritattvanidhi, a treatise on Hindu iconography. For example, white is associated with his representations as Heramba-Ganapati and Rina-Mochana-Ganapati (Ganapati Who Releases from Bondage). Ekadanta-Ganapati is visualized as blue during meditation in that form.
VAHANAS
The earliest Ganesha images are without a vahana (mount/vehicle). Of the eight incarnations of Ganesha described in the Mudgala Purana, Ganesha uses a mouse (shrew) in five of them, a lion in his incarnation as Vakratunda, a peacock in his incarnation as Vikata, and Shesha, the divine serpent, in his incarnation as Vighnaraja. Mohotkata uses a lion, Mayūreśvara uses a peacock, Dhumraketu uses a horse, and Gajanana uses a mouse, in the four incarnations of Ganesha listed in the Ganesha Purana. Jain depictions of Ganesha show his vahana variously as a mouse, elephant, tortoise, ram, or peacock.
Ganesha is often shown riding on or attended by a mouse, shrew or rat. Martin-Dubost says that the rat began to appear as the principal vehicle in sculptures of Ganesha in central and western India during the 7th century; the rat was always placed close to his feet. The mouse as a mount first appears in written sources in the Matsya Purana and later in the Brahmananda Purana and Ganesha Purana, where Ganesha uses it as his vehicle in his last incarnation. The Ganapati Atharvashirsa includes a meditation verse on Ganesha that describes the mouse appearing on his flag. The names Mūṣakavāhana (mouse-mount) and Ākhuketana (rat-banner) appear in the Ganesha Sahasranama.
The mouse is interpreted in several ways. According to Grimes, "Many, if not most of those who interpret Gaṇapati's mouse, do so negatively; it symbolizes tamoguṇa as well as desire". Along these lines, Michael Wilcockson says it symbolizes those who wish to overcome desires and be less selfish. Krishan notes that the rat is destructive and a menace to crops. The Sanskrit word mūṣaka (mouse) is derived from the root mūṣ (stealing, robbing). It was essential to subdue the rat as a destructive pest, a type of vighna (impediment) that needed to be overcome. According to this theory, showing Ganesha as master of the rat demonstrates his function as Vigneshvara (Lord of Obstacles) and gives evidence of his possible role as a folk grāma-devatā (village deity) who later rose to greater prominence. Martin-Dubost notes a view that the rat is a symbol suggesting that Ganesha, like the rat, penetrates even the most secret places.
ASSOCIATIONS
OBSTACLES
Ganesha is Vighneshvara or Vighnaraja or Vighnaharta (Marathi), the Lord of Obstacles, both of a material and spiritual order. He is popularly worshipped as a remover of obstacles, though traditionally he also places obstacles in the path of those who need to be checked. Paul Courtright says that "his task in the divine scheme of things, his dharma, is to place and remove obstacles. It is his particular territory, the reason for his creation."
Krishan notes that some of Ganesha's names reflect shadings of multiple roles that have evolved over time. Dhavalikar ascribes the quick ascension of Ganesha in the Hindu pantheon, and the emergence of the Ganapatyas, to this shift in emphasis from vighnakartā (obstacle-creator) to vighnahartā (obstacle-averter). However, both functions continue to be vital to his character.
BUDDHI (KNOWLEDGE)
Ganesha is considered to be the Lord of letters and learning. In Sanskrit, the word buddhi is a feminine noun that is variously translated as intelligence, wisdom, or intellect. The concept of buddhi is closely associated with the personality of Ganesha, especially in the Puranic period, when many stories stress his cleverness and love of intelligence. One of Ganesha's names in the Ganesha Purana and the Ganesha Sahasranama is Buddhipriya. This name also appears in a list of 21 names at the end of the Ganesha Sahasranama that Ganesha says are especially important. The word priya can mean "fond of", and in a marital context it can mean "lover" or "husband", so the name may mean either "Fond of Intelligence" or "Buddhi's Husband".
AUM
Ganesha is identified with the Hindu mantra Aum, also spelled Om. The term oṃkārasvarūpa (Aum is his form), when identified with Ganesha, refers to the notion that he personifies the primal sound. The Ganapati Atharvashirsa attests to this association. Chinmayananda translates the relevant passage as follows:
(O Lord Ganapati!) You are (the Trinity) Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesa. You are Indra. You are fire [Agni] and air [Vāyu]. You are the sun [Sūrya] and the moon [Chandrama]. You are Brahman. You are (the three worlds) Bhuloka [earth], Antariksha-loka [space], and Swargaloka [heaven]. You are Om. (That is to say, You are all this).
Some devotees see similarities between the shape of Ganesha's body in iconography and the shape of Aum in the Devanāgarī and Tamil scripts.
FIRST CHAKRA
According to Kundalini yoga, Ganesha resides in the first chakra, called Muladhara (mūlādhāra). Mula means "original, main"; adhara means "base, foundation". The muladhara chakra is the principle on which the manifestation or outward expansion of primordial Divine Force rests. This association is also attested to in the Ganapati Atharvashirsa. Courtright translates this passage as follows: "[O Ganesha,] You continually dwell in the sacral plexus at the base of the spine [mūlādhāra cakra]." Thus, Ganesha has a permanent abode in every being at the Muladhara. Ganesha holds, supports and guides all other chakras, thereby "governing the forces that propel the wheel of life".
FAMILY AND CONSORTS
Though Ganesha is popularly held to be the son of Shiva and Parvati, the Puranic myths give different versions about his birth. In some he was created by Parvati, in another he was created by Shiva and Parvati, in another he appeared mysteriously and was discovered by Shiva and Parvati or he was born from the elephant headed goddess Malini after she drank Parvati's bath water that had been thrown in the river.
The family includes his brother the war god Kartikeya, who is also called Subramanya, Skanda, Murugan and other names. Regional differences dictate the order of their births. In northern India, Skanda is generally said to be the elder, while in the south, Ganesha is considered the first born. In northern India, Skanda was an important martial deity from about 500 BCE to about 600 CE, when worship of him declined significantly in northern India. As Skanda fell, Ganesha rose. Several stories tell of sibling rivalry between the brothers and may reflect sectarian tensions.
Ganesha's marital status, the subject of considerable scholarly review, varies widely in mythological stories. One pattern of myths identifies Ganesha as an unmarried brahmacari. This view is common in southern India and parts of northern India. Another pattern associates him with the concepts of Buddhi (intellect), Siddhi (spiritual power), and Riddhi (prosperity); these qualities are sometimes personified as goddesses, said to be Ganesha's wives. He also may be shown with a single consort or a nameless servant (Sanskrit: daşi). Another pattern connects Ganesha with the goddess of culture and the arts, Sarasvati or Śarda (particularly in Maharashtra). He is also associated with the goddess of luck and prosperity, Lakshmi. Another pattern, mainly prevalent in the Bengal region, links Ganesha with the banana tree, Kala Bo.
The Shiva Purana says that Ganesha had begotten two sons: Kşema (prosperity) and Lābha (profit). In northern Indian variants of this story, the sons are often said to be Śubha (auspiciouness) and Lābha. The 1975 Hindi film Jai Santoshi Maa shows Ganesha married to Riddhi and Siddhi and having a daughter named Santoshi Ma, the goddess of satisfaction. This story has no Puranic basis, but Anita Raina Thapan and Lawrence Cohen cite Santoshi Ma's cult as evidence of Ganesha's continuing evolution as a popular deity.
WOSHIP AND FESTIVALS
Ganesha is worshipped on many religious and secular occasions; especially at the beginning of ventures such as buying a vehicle or starting a business. K.N. Somayaji says, "there can hardly be a [Hindu] home [in India] which does not house an idol of Ganapati. [..] Ganapati, being the most popular deity in India, is worshipped by almost all castes and in all parts of the country". Devotees believe that if Ganesha is propitiated, he grants success, prosperity and protection against adversity.
Ganesha is a non-sectarian deity, and Hindus of all denominations invoke him at the beginning of prayers, important undertakings, and religious ceremonies. Dancers and musicians, particularly in southern India, begin performances of arts such as the Bharatnatyam dance with a prayer to Ganesha. Mantras such as Om Shri Gaṇeshāya Namah (Om, salutation to the Illustrious Ganesha) are often used. One of the most famous mantras associated with Ganesha is Om Gaṃ Ganapataye Namah (Om, Gaṃ, Salutation to the Lord of Hosts).
Devotees offer Ganesha sweets such as modaka and small sweet balls (laddus). He is often shown carrying a bowl of sweets, called a modakapātra. Because of his identification with the color red, he is often worshipped with red sandalwood paste (raktacandana) or red flowers. Dūrvā grass (Cynodon dactylon) and other materials are also used in his worship.
Festivals associated with Ganesh are Ganesh Chaturthi or Vināyaka chaturthī in the śuklapakṣa (the fourth day of the waxing moon) in the month of bhādrapada (August/September) and the Gaṇeśa jayanti (Gaṇeśa's birthday) celebrated on the cathurthī of the śuklapakṣa (fourth day of the waxing moon) in the month of māgha (January/February)."
GANESH CHATURTI
An annual festival honours Ganesha for ten days, starting on Ganesha Chaturthi, which typically falls in late August or early September. The festival begins with people bringing in clay idols of Ganesha, symbolising Ganesha's visit. The festival culminates on the day of Ananta Chaturdashi, when idols (murtis) of Ganesha are immersed in the most convenient body of water. Some families have a tradition of immersion on the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, or 7th day. In 1893, Lokmanya Tilak transformed this annual Ganesha festival from private family celebrations into a grand public event. He did so "to bridge the gap between the Brahmins and the non-Brahmins and find an appropriate context in which to build a new grassroots unity between them" in his nationalistic strivings against the British in Maharashtra. Because of Ganesha's wide appeal as "the god for Everyman", Tilak chose him as a rallying point for Indian protest against British rule. Tilak was the first to install large public images of Ganesha in pavilions, and he established the practice of submerging all the public images on the tenth day. Today, Hindus across India celebrate the Ganapati festival with great fervour, though it is most popular in the state of Maharashtra. The festival also assumes huge proportions in Mumbai, Pune, and in the surrounding belt of Ashtavinayaka temples.
TEMPLES
In Hindu temples, Ganesha is depicted in various ways: as an acolyte or subordinate deity (pãrśva-devatã); as a deity related to the principal deity (parivāra-devatã); or as the principal deity of the temple (pradhāna), treated similarly as the highest gods of the Hindu pantheon. As the god of transitions, he is placed at the doorway of many Hindu temples to keep out the unworthy, which is analogous to his role as Parvati’s doorkeeper. In addition, several shrines are dedicated to Ganesha himself, of which the Ashtavinayak (lit. "eight Ganesha (shrines)") in Maharashtra are particularly well known. Located within a 100-kilometer radius of the city of Pune, each of these eight shrines celebrates a particular form of Ganapati, complete with its own lore and legend. The eight shrines are: Morgaon, Siddhatek, Pali, Mahad, Theur, Lenyadri, Ozar and Ranjangaon.
There are many other important Ganesha temples at the following locations: Wai in Maharashtra; Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh; Jodhpur, Nagaur and Raipur (Pali) in Rajasthan; Baidyanath in Bihar; Baroda, Dholaka, and Valsad in Gujarat and Dhundiraj Temple in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. Prominent Ganesha temples in southern India include the following: Kanipakam in Chittoor; the Jambukeśvara Temple at Tiruchirapalli; at Rameshvaram and Suchindram in Tamil Nadu; at Malliyur, Kottarakara, Pazhavangadi, Kasargod in Kerala, Hampi, and Idagunji in Karnataka; and Bhadrachalam in Andhra Pradesh.
T. A. Gopinatha notes, "Every village however small has its own image of Vighneśvara (Vigneshvara) with or without a temple to house it in. At entrances of villages and forts, below pīpaḹa (Sacred fig) trees [...], in a niche [...] in temples of Viṣṇu (Vishnu) as well as Śiva (Shiva) and also in separate shrines specially constructed in Śiva temples [...]; the figure of Vighneśvara is invariably seen." Ganesha temples have also been built outside of India, including southeast Asia, Nepal (including the four Vinayaka shrines in the Kathmandu valley), and in several western countries.
RISE TO PROMINENCE
FIRST APEARANCE
Ganesha appeared in his classic form as a clearly recognizable deity with well-defined iconographic attributes in the early 4th to 5th centuries. Shanti Lal Nagar says that the earliest known iconic image of Ganesha is in the niche of the Shiva temple at Bhumra, which has been dated to the Gupta period. His independent cult appeared by about the 10th century. Narain summarizes the controversy between devotees and academics regarding the development of Ganesha as follows:
What is inscrutable is the somewhat dramatic appearance of Gaņeśa on the historical scene. His antecedents are not clear. His wide acceptance and popularity, which transcend sectarian and territorial limits, are indeed amazing. On the one hand there is the pious belief of the orthodox devotees in Gaņeśa's Vedic origins and in the Purāṇic explanations contained in the confusing, but nonetheless interesting, mythology. On the other hand there are doubts about the existence of the idea and the icon of this deity" before the fourth to fifth century A.D. ... [I]n my opinion, indeed there is no convincing evidence of the existence of this divinity prior to the fifth century.
POSSIBLE INFLUENCES
Courtright reviews various speculative theories about the early history of Ganesha, including supposed tribal traditions and animal cults, and dismisses all of them in this way:
In the post 600 BC period there is evidence of people and places named after the animal. The motif appears on coins and sculptures.
Thapan's book on the development of Ganesha devotes a chapter to speculations about the role elephants had in early India but concludes that, "although by the second century CE the elephant-headed yakṣa form exists it cannot be presumed to represent Gaṇapati-Vināyaka. There is no evidence of a deity by this name having an elephant or elephant-headed form at this early stage. Gaṇapati-Vināyaka had yet to make his debut."
One theory of the origin of Ganesha is that he gradually came to prominence in connection with the four Vinayakas (Vināyakas). In Hindu mythology, the Vināyakas were a group of four troublesome demons who created obstacles and difficulties but who were easily propitiated. The name Vināyaka is a common name for Ganesha both in the Purāṇas and in Buddhist Tantras. Krishan is one of the academics who accepts this view, stating flatly of Ganesha, "He is a non-vedic god. His origin is to be traced to the four Vināyakas, evil spirits, of the Mānavagŗhyasūtra (7th–4th century BCE) who cause various types of evil and suffering". Depictions of elephant-headed human figures, which some identify with Ganesha, appear in Indian art and coinage as early as the 2nd century. According to Ellawala, the elephant-headed Ganesha as lord of the Ganas was known to the people of Sri Lanka in the early pre-Christian era.
A metal plate depiction of Ganesha had been discovered in 1993, in Iran, it dated back to 1,200 BCE. Another one was discovered much before, in Lorestan Province of Iran.
First Ganesha's terracotta images are from 1st century CE found in Ter, Pal, Verrapuram and Chandraketugarh. These figures are small, with elephant head, two arms, and chubby physique. The earliest Ganesha icons in stone were carved in Mathura during Kushan times (2nd-3rd centuries CE).
VEDIC AND EPIC LITERATURE
The title "Leader of the group" (Sanskrit: gaṇapati) occurs twice in the Rig Veda, but in neither case does it refer to the modern Ganesha. The term appears in RV 2.23.1 as a title for Brahmanaspati, according to commentators. While this verse doubtless refers to Brahmanaspati, it was later adopted for worship of Ganesha and is still used today. In rejecting any claim that this passage is evidence of Ganesha in the Rig Veda, Ludo Rocher says that it "clearly refers to Bṛhaspati—who is the deity of the hymn—and Bṛhaspati only". Equally clearly, the second passage (RV 10.112.9) refers to Indra, who is given the epithet 'gaṇapati', translated "Lord of the companies (of the Maruts)." However, Rocher notes that the more recent Ganapatya literature often quotes the Rigvedic verses to give Vedic respectability to Ganesha .
Two verses in texts belonging to Black Yajurveda, Maitrāyaṇīya Saṃhitā (2.9.1) and Taittirīya Āraṇyaka (10.1), appeal to a deity as "the tusked one" (Dantiḥ), "elephant-faced" (Hastimukha), and "with a curved trunk" (Vakratuņḍa). These names are suggestive of Ganesha, and the 14th century commentator Sayana explicitly establishes this identification. The description of Dantin, possessing a twisted trunk (vakratuṇḍa) and holding a corn-sheaf, a sugar cane, and a club, is so characteristic of the Puranic Ganapati that Heras says "we cannot resist to accept his full identification with this Vedic Dantin". However, Krishan considers these hymns to be post-Vedic additions. Thapan reports that these passages are "generally considered to have been interpolated". Dhavalikar says, "the references to the elephant-headed deity in the Maitrāyaṇī Saṃhitā have been proven to be very late interpolations, and thus are not very helpful for determining the early formation of the deity".
Ganesha does not appear in Indian epic literature that is dated to the Vedic period. A late interpolation to the epic poem Mahabharata says that the sage Vyasa (Vyāsa) asked Ganesha to serve as his scribe to transcribe the poem as he dictated it to him. Ganesha agreed but only on condition that Vyasa recite the poem uninterrupted, that is, without pausing. The sage agreed, but found that to get any rest he needed to recite very complex passages so Ganesha would have to ask for clarifications. The story is not accepted as part of the original text by the editors of the critical edition of the Mahabharata, in which the twenty-line story is relegated to a footnote in an appendix. The story of Ganesha acting as the scribe occurs in 37 of the 59 manuscripts consulted during preparation of the critical edition.[174] Ganesha's association with mental agility and learning is one reason he is shown as scribe for Vyāsa's dictation of the Mahabharata in this interpolation. Richard L. Brown dates the story to the 8th century, and Moriz Winternitz concludes that it was known as early as c. 900, but it was not added to the Mahabharata some 150 years later. Winternitz also notes that a distinctive feature in South Indian manuscripts of the Mahabharata is their omission of this Ganesha legend. The term vināyaka is found in some recensions of the Śāntiparva and Anuśāsanaparva that are regarded as interpolations. A reference to Vighnakartṛīṇām ("Creator of Obstacles") in Vanaparva is also believed to be an interpolation and does not appear in the critical edition.
PURANIC PERIOD
Stories about Ganesha often occur in the Puranic corpus. Brown notes while the Puranas "defy precise chronological ordering", the more detailed narratives of Ganesha's life are in the late texts, c. 600–1300. Yuvraj Krishan says that the Puranic myths about the birth of Ganesha and how he acquired an elephant's head are in the later Puranas, which were composed from c. 600 onwards. He elaborates on the matter to say that references to Ganesha in the earlier Puranas, such as the Vayu and Brahmanda Puranas, are later interpolations made during the 7th to 10th centuries.
In his survey of Ganesha's rise to prominence in Sanskrit literature, Ludo Rocher notes that:
Above all, one cannot help being struck by the fact that the numerous stories surrounding Gaṇeśa concentrate on an unexpectedly limited number of incidents. These incidents are mainly three: his birth and parenthood, his elephant head, and his single tusk. Other incidents are touched on in the texts, but to a far lesser extent.
Ganesha's rise to prominence was codified in the 9th century, when he was formally included as one of the five primary deities of Smartism. The 9th-century philosopher Adi Shankara popularized the "worship of the five forms" (Panchayatana puja) system among orthodox Brahmins of the Smarta tradition. This worship practice invokes the five deities Ganesha, Vishnu, Shiva, Devi, and Surya. Adi Shankara instituted the tradition primarily to unite the principal deities of these five major sects on an equal status. This formalized the role of Ganesha as a complementary deity.
SCRIPTURES
Once Ganesha was accepted as one of the five principal deities of Brahmanism, some Brahmins (brāhmaṇas) chose to worship Ganesha as their principal deity. They developed the Ganapatya tradition, as seen in the Ganesha Purana and the Mudgala Purana.
The date of composition for the Ganesha Purana and the Mudgala Purana - and their dating relative to one another - has sparked academic debate. Both works were developed over time and contain age-layered strata. Anita Thapan reviews comments about dating and provides her own judgement. "It seems likely that the core of the Ganesha Purana appeared around the twelfth and thirteenth centuries", she says, "but was later interpolated." Lawrence W. Preston considers the most reasonable date for the Ganesha Purana to be between 1100 and 1400, which coincides with the apparent age of the sacred sites mentioned by the text.
R.C. Hazra suggests that the Mudgala Purana is older than the Ganesha Purana, which he dates between 1100 and 1400. However, Phyllis Granoff finds problems with this relative dating and concludes that the Mudgala Purana was the last of the philosophical texts concerned with Ganesha. She bases her reasoning on the fact that, among other internal evidence, the Mudgala Purana specifically mentions the Ganesha Purana as one of the four Puranas (the Brahma, the Brahmanda, the Ganesha, and the Mudgala Puranas) which deal at length with Ganesha. While the kernel of the text must be old, it was interpolated until the 17th and 18th centuries as the worship of Ganapati became more important in certain regions. Another highly regarded scripture, the Ganapati Atharvashirsa, was probably composed during the 16th or 17th centuries.
BEYOND INDIA AND HINDUISM
Commercial and cultural contacts extended India's influence in western and southeast Asia. Ganesha is one of a number of Hindu deities who reached foreign lands as a result.
Ganesha was particularly worshipped by traders and merchants, who went out of India for commercial ventures. From approximately the 10th century onwards, new networks of exchange developed including the formation of trade guilds and a resurgence of money circulation. During this time, Ganesha became the principal deity associated with traders. The earliest inscription invoking Ganesha before any other deity is associated with the merchant community.
Hindus migrated to Maritime Southeast Asia and took their culture, including Ganesha, with them. Statues of Ganesha are found throughout the region, often beside Shiva sanctuaries. The forms of Ganesha found in Hindu art of Java, Bali, and Borneo show specific regional influences. The spread of Hindu culture to southeast Asia established Ganesha in modified forms in Burma, Cambodia, and Thailand. In Indochina, Hinduism and Buddhism were practiced side by side, and mutual influences can be seen in the iconography of Ganesha in the region. In Thailand, Cambodia, and among the Hindu classes of the Chams in Vietnam, Ganesha was mainly thought of as a remover of obstacles. Today in Buddhist Thailand, Ganesha is regarded as a remover of obstacles, the god of success.
Before the arrival of Islam, Afghanistan had close cultural ties with India, and the adoration of both Hindu and Buddhist deities was practiced. Examples of sculptures from the 5th to the 7th centuries have survived, suggesting that the worship of Ganesha was then in vogue in the region.
Ganesha appears in Mahayana Buddhism, not only in the form of the Buddhist god Vināyaka, but also as a Hindu demon form with the same name. His image appears in Buddhist sculptures during the late Gupta period. As the Buddhist god Vināyaka, he is often shown dancing. This form, called Nṛtta Ganapati, was popular in northern India, later adopted in Nepal, and then in Tibet. In Nepal, the Hindu form of Ganesha, known as Heramba, is popular; he has five heads and rides a lion. Tibetan representations of Ganesha show ambivalent views of him. A Tibetan rendering of Ganapati is tshogs bdag. In one Tibetan form, he is shown being trodden under foot by Mahākāla, (Shiva) a popular Tibetan deity. Other depictions show him as the Destroyer of Obstacles, and sometimes dancing. Ganesha appears in China and Japan in forms that show distinct regional character. In northern China, the earliest known stone statue of Ganesha carries an inscription dated to 531. In Japan, where Ganesha is known as Kangiten, the Ganesha cult was first mentioned in 806.
The canonical literature of Jainism does not mention the worship of Ganesha. However, Ganesha is worshipped by most Jains, for whom he appears to have taken over certain functions of Kubera. Jain connections with the trading community support the idea that Jainism took up Ganesha worship as a result of commercial connections. The earliest known Jain Ganesha statue dates to about the 9th century. A 15th-century Jain text lists procedures for the installation of Ganapati images. Images of Ganesha appear in the Jain temples of Rajasthan and Gujarat.
WIKIPEDIA
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*Happy birthday!* ( a Bioshock fanfic)
*Anarchy Writer* (2012)
Earl blinked. His vision was blurry as water dropped from a leak in the ceiling, arousing him from his sleep. He struggled to his feet and screamed. He was the monster of Rapture. He was a Big Daddy! Earl was wearing a thin diving suit with shoulder guards and knee and elbow pads that had multicolored tubes inserted in them from a pack in his back, he looked in a a pool he was wearing a gas mask like helmet with two glowing portholes where his eyes were. He backed up and looked at his hands on one was a fingerless glove with the palm exposed on the other hand was a heavy gauntlet with spiked knuckles strangely in place of the bulky drill. He looked around he didn't seem much tall and he was a lot more agile then most Daddies.
"What...? What Happened to me?"
He walked over to a table with a syringe and a Revolver he looked at the Syringe which a tag hanging off.
ELECTRO BOLT! CONTROL THE POWER OF THUNDER WITH A SNAP OF YOUR FINGERS
REMEMBER DON'T BE A DOLT USE ELECTRO BOLT!
Earl hated needles but it seemed like the only smart thing to do. He closed his eyes and jammed the needle into his exposed palm, for an instant nothing happened then suddenly Earl feel to his knees. His head felt like it had been electrocuted, every cell popped then reformed the pain most emanated from his right hand, He looked at the smoking flesh and saw electricity crackle. Earl allowed himself a smile, took the revolver and walked out of the room. He thought for a second then remembered he had been going to rapture for his Birthday when he and his sister were kidnapped now he was...This. He kept walking when he heard whispering.
"I told you you was wrong!"
"I'm not THE NUMBERS NEVER LIE!"
"Shush! Here it comes!"
Earl slowly walked towards the door and kicked it open. When he saw nothing he turned both ways, left and right. Nothing. He kept walking when something dropped behind him he whirled around as a woman with no nose or mouth swung with hooks at him, Grabbing her arm Earl slammed the barrel against her forehead and pulled the trigger. Her brain exploding from her skull with a sickening crunch. Earl looked at the dead body, He had always hated Splicers freaks of nature he walked over looking for the second voice when he felt a sharp pain on his hand. Looking down, He saw a large wasp about three inches long perched on his palm. As he swatted it away He looked up at at a Splicer wearing a lab coat who was hurriedly injecting a plasmid into his arm which was covered with boils, Earl aimed with his revolver but the man blasted a swarm of the wasps distracting him causing Earl to stumble back waving his arms blindly in hopes of swatting the wasps when he tripped and smashed through a window, letting the thick sea water flood into the hallway. He floated through the hallway, Struggling. His lungs were on fire. His mind was going black. Forcing his mouth open for air he realized he could breathe, he slowly trudged through the flooded cavern when he saw the Splicer who attacked with the wasps struggling for air.He grabbed it by it's neck and twisted, breaking it.The man still flailed wildly, Earl twisted again ripping the entire head from it's shoulders he scowled at the mutated head in his hand and crushed it,
"Scumbag."
He kept walking for what felt like hours when he came to a room. A door slammed shut behind him as the water drained into grates below him, He inspected the electric arcs between his fingers and opened the door and walked into what seemed to be an amusement park a little girl in a blue dress was running past him when a splicer grabbed her and threw her to the ground,
"MISTER BUBBLES! HELP!"
The Splicer raised his wrench to strike but Earl was behind him he grabbed his arm put his hand on the Splicer's shoulder and ripped it off. the Splicer turned and tried to run but Earl shot him in the back of his head blowing his brains all over a cut out of a clown. Earl walked over to the girl.
"Hey? you okay?"
"Mister Bubbles?"
"Who?"
A loud groan sounded through the area Earl turned
"What was that!?!"
The girl smiled.
"Mister Bubbles."
Earl turned to see a large hunched over creature with multiple portholes coming out with glowing red. for one hand it had a massive drill. Earl slowly backed away the creature groaned and charged Earl slamming into him. Earl felt the wind leave his body as he was smashed into a wall he looked up to see the creature swing towards him with it's drill. Earl rolled out of the way and shot the creature in the head with his revolver before kicking it .unfazed the creature grabbed him by his leg and smashed him into the wall then swung with the side of his drill hitting with a crack. Earl felt several Ribs ache as he was sent face first into the ground. Earl turned and looked at the glass ceiling. he took his revolver and fired, breaking the glass on a panel and causing water to gush down on the creature causing it to look up quizzically Earl took that time to blast it as much as possible with Electro-Bolt. the creature stumbled and collapsed flailing as the Brain sent a few last signals to it's limbs Earl walked over to the corpse and kicked it to see if it was alive. the girl rushed over and started crying at the sight of the creature. Earl looked at the girl.
"Uh, You need to get out of here!"
The room was filled with shouts of Splicers, Earl weighed his options. He didn't have enough ammo and using Electricity would fry him too, due to the water on the ground. Either way, he was dead!
Sorry for being too lazy to upload photos on my Flickr account..
As I have been into these accounts too much lately:
500px: 500px.com/q8ieng
Instagram: instagram.com/q8ieng
Follow me on Instagram and 500px for more photos :-)
Cheers fellas!
There is a enthusiastic photographer in this photo, look carefully for him .
Sun shone late into the evening 16/5/17, many photographers had arrived and positioned themselves to get their shots of Edda Ferd arriving into Aberdeen Harbour, as we all waited this photographers enthusiasm drew my attention, climbing over the fence on to Abercrombie Jetty he prepared to take his shots, would love to see the shots he took , anyways thought this was worth posting as it reflects the enthusiasm we all have when these magnificent vessels are available for photographers .
Edda Ferd, PSV – Hybrid Platform Supply Vessel
The Edda Ferd is a platform supply vessel used to support oil rig operations in the North Sea.
A new build, the Østensjø Edda Ferd has been designed with a focus on quality, safety and efficiency. This is the first integration of a Corvus Energy ESS and Siemens’ BlueDrive PlusC propulsion system.
Name: Edda Ferd
Type: 92.6 m Platform Supply Vessel (PSV)
Duty: North Sea Offshore Drilling Platform Service & Support
Pack: 40 x 6.5kWh
Capacity: 260kWh
Bus Voltage : 888VDC
Partners: Østensjø Rederi, Siemens, Corvus Energy
Edda Ferd, PSV is based in Haugesund, Norway operating in the North Sea.
General
Operator:Østensjø Rederi AS
Built:2013
Builder:Astilleros Gondan. Spain
Yard no.:444
Call sign:LAZO7
Flag:NIS
Port of Registry:Haugesund
IMO no.:9625504
MMSI No.:259161000
Classification:DnV +1A1, SF, E0, OFFSHORE SERVICE VESSEL+, SUPPLY, DK(+), DYNPOS-AUTR, HL(2.8), LFL*, CLEAN DESIGN, NAUT-OSV(A), COMF-V3-C2, OIL REC, DEICE
Safety regulations:NMA, Trade Worldwide within GMDSS A3, Solas 1974/1978, International Convention on Load Lines, Pollution Prevention - MARPOL 1973/1978, INLS Certificate
Dimensions
Length o.a.:92,6 m
Length b.p.:82,2 m
Breadth mld.:20,6 m
Depth mld.:9,0 m
Draft max.:7,2 m
Air draft:32,46m
Tonnage - Deadweight
Deadweight:5122 t
Gross tonnage:4870 GT
Net tonnage:1462 NT
Deck loading capacities
Cargo deck:1038 m2
Deck equipment
Anchor chain:2 x 11 shacles.
Anchor Windlass / Mooring Winch:15,5 tons.
Mooring winch:Forward: 2 x 16 tons Aft: 2 x 10 tons
Deck cranes:Port: 1 x MacGregor SWL1,5 t@ 8m / Starboard: 1 x MacGregor SWL 3,0 t @ 10m
Tugger winches:2 x 15 tons.
Propulsion
General:Battery Hybrid Power Station and 2 x VSP each 2700 kW. 2 x AC asynchronous water-cooled motors each 2700 kW.
Main engines:2 x MAK 6M25C a` 2000kW - 2 x MAK 9M25C a`3000 kW
Fuel type:MDO /MGO
Auxiliaries / Electrical power
Generators:2 x Simens generator 2222 kW / 2 x Simens generator 3333 kW
Emergency generator:Caterpillar Emergency generator 158 kW
Speed / Consumption
Max speed / Consumption:abt. 16,0 knots
Main propellers
Maker:Voith Schneider propellers
Type:2 x 2700 KW
Thrusters
Bow thrusters:2 x 1400 kW FP , electric driven low noise tunnel thrusters. Plus 1 x 800 kW RIM tunnel thruster
Bridge / Manoeuvering
Bridge controls:5 control stands. (forward, 2 x aft, starboard, port)
Loading / Discharging:Simens IAS. Remote monitoring of all tanks including loading/discharging operations and start/stop of all pumps.
Dynamic positioning system
Type:Kongsberg K-Pos.
Approval / Class:DNV DYNPOS-AUTR. IMO Class 2
Reference systems:DPS 112, DPS 132, CyScan, Mini-Radascan
Sensors:3 x Gyro, 3 x Motion Reference Unit, 2 x Wind sensor
ERN number:99,99,99,99
Liquid tank capacities
Marine Gas Oil:1100 m3 included 2 chemical and 4 special prod. tanks connected to fuel system.
POT water:1000 m3
Drill Water/Ballast:2280 m3
Mud:Mud/Brine system 513 m3. Special product system 370 m3. Total 883 m3.
Brine:Brine/mud system 513 m3. Special product system 702 m3. Total 1215 m3
Base oil:Total 702 m3. When using combined tanks.
Methanol:Total 440 m3. When using combined tanks.
Special products LFL/LFL*:720 m3
Drill Cuttings:720 m3
Liquid discharge
Fuel Oil pumps:2 x 150 m3/h- 9 bar
Brine pumps:2 x 100 m3/h – 22.5 bar.
Liquid Mud pumps:2 x 100 m3/h – 24 bar.
Specal products pumps:2 x 100 m3/h – 9 bar.
Drill water pumps:1 x 250 m3/h – 9 bar.
Drill cutting pumps:4 x 40 m3/h – 9 bar.
Fresh water pumps:1 x 250 m3/h – 9 bar.
Methanol pumps:2 x 75 m3/h – 9 bar .
Slop system:1 x 20 m3/h
Tank washing system:1 x 30 m3/h
Discharge piping:5"
Bulk tank capasities
Bulk Cement Tanks:4 tanks. Total capacity: 260 m3
Bulk Discharge:2 x 100 t/hr
Navigation equipment
Radar:1 x Furuno FCR-2827 S /ARPA - 1 x Furuno FAR-2837 S / ARPA
Electronic Chart System:2 x TECDIS
Compass:3 x Simrad Gyro GC 80
Autopilot:Simrad AP-70
Echo Sounder:Furuno FE-700
Navtex:Furuno NX-700A
DGPS:Furuno GP-150
AIS:Furuno FA-150
Voyage data recorder:Furuno VR-3000
LRIT:Sailor 6130 LRIT
Log:Furuno DS-80
Communication equipment
General:GMDSS installation in accordance with IMO regulations for vessels operating within Sea Area A3
GMDSS Radio MF/HF Transceivers & DSC:1 x Furuno FS-1575
VHF:2 x GMDSS Furuno FM-8900 / 3 x GMDSS Jotron TR-20 portable / 3 x Sailor 6248
GMDSS EPIRB:1 x Jotron 40 S Mk2 - 1 x Jotron 45 S Mk2
GMDSS SART:2 x Kannad SARTII
UHF:6 x Motorola GM-360 - 6 x Motorola GP-340 ATEX
Sattelite system:1 x Inmarsat / 1 x Iridium
Accommodation
Total no. berths:38 x Beds
Total no. of cabins:27 x Cabins
Single cabins:16 x Single cabins
Double cabins:11 x Double cabins
Office:2 x Offices
Hospital:1 x Hospital
Ventilation/A-C for accommodation:High pressure single-pipe fully redundant ventilation system. Full heating/AC throughout the accommodation
Other:Messroom, Dayrooms, Conferenceroom, Gymnasium,Galley,Dry Provitions,Freezing room, Wardrobes.
Lifesaving / rescue
Approved lifesaving appliances for:40 persons
Liferafts:6 x 25 persons
Rescue/MOB boat:Alusafe 770 Mk2 - Twin installation.
Fire-fighting/foam:Water/Foam pump/ monitors covering cargo deck area
VILLE VALO from HIM (2nd Prototipe)
Custom Taeyang by Sheryl Designs to Karlfromleads
MODIFICATIONS:
Complette Make Up
Replaced acrylic eyes
©2007-2010 Sheryl Designs Eyemech Modification
eDDIE found another barn for his monumental list of barns and called me to meet him out east on hwy 66. Of course, I was there well ahead of him as the premium clouds were moving off. I grabbed my long lens instantly and shot the Bacon property against the fleeting sky before the rain moved in. I really like this sky. We should have met here more than an hour earlier. This is a start of another agricultural and barn series. eDDie's barn is over the hill, left.
eDDie swung by as I already changed back to my normal zoom. We were ready to head into the Bacon property. The bank of clouds that could have enhanced the shots, was already moving off to the southeast. Let's face it, Longmont was creeping up on an 80 degree day, and ready to shower. It's clunky sky was on its way overhead now. It is time to put the rush on. I really like the hill location and the view west although some of their old junk Chinese elms are dead.
The Bacon location has since been taken over by the Colorado Wildlife division and included into the St.Vrain State Park and recreation area. Ponds my butt... gravel pits all. BoCo is quickly losing taxable lands. Calling it a recreation area won't make it green until reclaimed.
Xplode was my first HF villain set, and I’ve been wanting to do a revamp of him for quite a while. So once I finished Thonk, I decided to try tackling something a bit smaller, more simple. A nice change of pace.
So of course I almost doubled the amount of spikes and gave him a giant spiky buster sword.
I had considered using a more tame and faithful alternative for his mace-ax-club-sword-thingamajig but I felt like he called for something heavier. Plus I had ordered three extra blade pieces that I didn’t want laying around.
Another change was the beefiness of it all. I kinda liked the idea that Xplode had upgraded himself to take a few more hits. Since the Heroes had gotten more and more powerful, it only made sense that Xplode - one of the best at the whole “Criminal for hire” gig, would have made himself more endurant and powerful to stay competitive.
I did leave his meteor blaster alone, because I feel like that’s the sort of weapon he’d like to be quick and maneuverable. Something you can be quick on the draw with, rather than have a giant cannon to lug around.
Overall this MOC certainly isn’t my best, but it was never meant to be. It’s just a fun little dive back into my childhood, and into some simpler techniques and styles. It was nostalgic, while also refreshing. I’ll definitely be doing more MOC’s like this in the future.
Thank you for checking out my stuff! And have a great day!
~Stronk
It takes us a small amount of time driving through Denver before we reach Silas Greene's manor. He does not speak at all, just looks out of his window silently. I feel somewhat exposed sitting next to him without my human façade, but since he does not seem fazed, I remain calm too.
Greene's manor was just on the outskirts of the city, and it does not fail in showing off his wealth and power in the slightest. The building was incredibly grand; made up of several spiralling towers and vast hallways.
I take a moment to observe the manor in all it's grandeur. If he was really telling the truth about being a collector of alien artefacts, this is most definitely the place to hold such a collection.
We pull up onto a gravelled driveway and come to a slow stop. Greene breaks his focus on the window and reaches back into his pocket to pull out his revolver.
"Get out."
I do as he says and make my way to two large wooden doors. Behind us, two of the men present at the warehouse get out of the car and also head for the doors. They stop, turn and pull them open for us.
Greene leads the way, and I follow.
"I'm so glad you're here, J'onn. You've got no idea how long I've been waiting for someone like you to come along."
He gestures down a long hallway, where at the end are three more wooden doors, each pointing in a different direction.
"If you'd head to the double doors on the left, that would be marvellous."
Again, I do as he says and make way towards the two double doors. Greene stands behind me and turns to the two thugs on the door.
"Thank you gentlemen, that'll be all."
He steps in front of me and pushes the doors open.
"If you could give J'onn and I some time to ourselves, that would be great."
We walk through the doors, and Silas soon shuts them behind us.
We are stood out on a balcony looking out over another long hallway. This one however, is packed full of artefacts.
His collection, I presume.
"Well, here we are. The piece de resistance, if you will."
We walk down a set of spiralled stairs and onto a finely woven red carpet that spans the hall.
"This, J'onn, if you hadn't already guessed, is my collection. Come, I'll show you."
He begins to walk down the hall and I soon follow.
"Now I know you're probably wondering what the hell you're doing here, and I can't blame you-"
I interrupt him.
"You want me in the collection."
He looks round, eyebrows raised, and nods slowly.
"Yes, how very deductive of you."
I too start to nod.
"Okay, I understand. Just one question though: How did you know I was here? As far as I'm concerned, I've hidden myself away very well during my time here."
He turns to face me fully and puts his hands in his jacket pockets.
"That's where you're wrong, I'm afraid."
I stop and try to think what he is referring to. Then I remember-
"Oh, of course..."
"Yes J'onn. That evening you were on the rooftop, interrogating that associate of Edward Skeevers. One of my informants noticed an unusual looking person hovering over the rooftops, and well. Yes. I think you can piece the rest together yourself."
"And now I'm here."
"Yes. Let's take a walk,"
He starts to walk down the hall, and I again start to follow him. I make the assumption that we are headed for the small room at the end of the hall. The contents of which remain unknown even to my telepathy.
"You see, it's all well and good owning a zoo, but what's the fun if you have no animals in it? I have countless numbers of alien objects in here, but no..."
"...Aliens."
"Correct. I mean, there's this star-thing over here that one of my contacts found over in that dump Science City, but that's about it. I want something..."
"...Like me."
He nods again as we walk, not looking back.
"I assume I will not be a live part of this exhibit?"
Again he nods.
"Mmm, yes. Sorry about that. I guess a collector will do anything..."
With his ultimate plan revealed and his back turned, I take action at once.
I step forwards with quite a speed and swing my hand into his temple with incredible swiftness.
He grunts and drops to the ground.
I arch my back and my feet raise off the ground. Now in mid-air, I flex my leg muscles and fly straight towards the double doors on the balcony. I raise my arm up to protect my head as I smash through the doors, sending shards of wood all over the floor. Fortunately for me, the two thugs present when we arrived were stood outside the doors.
I remain in flight as I smash through the front doors, again sending wooden shards flying.
I fly up until I am above the manor and look down.
"Sorry, Greene. I reject your offer."
Feeling somewhat satisfied with myself, I again flex my muscles and start to fly back into Denver.
Saul's probably wondering where I got to...
I have seen him over the many years that I have lived in Toronto’s Riverdale community and his impressive moustache has always caught my attention. I’ve known that he runs an antique shop a mere three blocks from my home. It is en route to the subway station. I can’t guess how many times I’ve walked by his shop but today I decided to “step outside the box” and meet him and ask if he would be part of my photo project. I entered the store and realized it was jam-packed with antiques – mostly lamps – and there was a path cleared through the assorted merchandise to the rear of the shop. “Watch your step” he said from the back of the store. “As you can see, I’m a bit of a collector. My wife teases me about the bits and pieces I save, but you’d be surprised how often these old parts come in handy when I’m doing a repair or restoration.” He came forward and I sensed a smile in his voice but it was hidden by his luxurious moustache. Hands were shaken. Meet Albert.
I explained I’d seen him in the neighborhood over the years and that I live just down the street. He lives around the corner in an historic renovated farmhouse which I’ve long admired. I explained my project and indicated that I felt he would make an excellent portrait and “to tell the truth, it was your wonderful moustache that drew my attention.” Albert tipped his head back and laughed. “Yes, that’s the one thing I do know how to do.” He, like many I approach, thought I wanted to book an appointment but I explained it’s very much a “here and now” spontaneous project. He was taken a bit by surprise at that and said he had an appointment with a customer who was due any minute. I asked if I could work fast and that I would stop when his customer arrived. He appreciated that and said “Sure. Just tell me what you need me to do.” When I mentioned that I was pleased he was so agreeable to the idea of the project he said “I think most people would be glad to help out and your manner made it clear that it’s ok.”
I explained I wanted a head and shoulders photo of him looking at my camera and I wanted it near the front of the shop where natural light was coming in through the window and that I wanted his antique merchandise out of focus behind him. Albert obliged politely and I put down my bag and took off my hat. It took a bit of maneuvering to find a position in the cramped path but things worked out nicely. After the initial photos were taken, I suggested that Albert take off his glasses for a photo or two. He did so and set his glasses on a piece of furniture beside him and told me he’d recently had eye surgery and is still recovering. I wouldn’t have guessed from looking at his clear eyes both in person and in the photos. He told me he is 68 and has lived in the neighborhood for quite a long time, as have I.
I was hoping to get a bit of a biography but Albert’s customer arrived just then, a friendly elderly woman. We were all somewhat jammed in the doorway but made room for her and I explained Albert had been kind enough to participate in my photo project. I had to cut things short, having spent about five minutes in the shop. We exchanged contact information and I told Albert I’d drop by in the next few days to round out my information about him and his shop. He said that’s fine as he reached down to hand me my hat and bag which I’d “parked” on the floor behind him.
Thank you Albert, for the friendly chat and for participating in 100 Strangers. You are #745 in Round 8 of my project. It was great to finally meet you properly and I look forward to seeing you around. (Next time we’ll be able to greet each other by name.)
Note: Meeting Albert, a longstanding part of my community, had me thinking about a song made popular by the children's television show "Sesame Street." The song is called "People in your Neighborhood" and this link may take you back to the past the way it did me: www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwDq32MtOQU Now I know one more of the people in MY neighborhood.
Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by the other photographers in our group at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page.
Update: Because my original encounter with Albert left me thinking there was more to this interesting neighbor, I returned a couple of days later with my wide angle lens to take a couple more photos. I learned that he was trained as an economist and worked for 20 years in the corporate world which he didn't like at all. 25 years ago he took the brave step of leaving that life behind and followed his interest: antiques. It was hard saying goodbye to pension plans and financial security but as he pointed out, spending your life doing something you don't enjoy would be a huge mistake. His shop is clearly his pride and joy. (storyofmystore.wordpress.com/2012/09/06/der-dietemann-ant...) "What do you like best about your current occupation?" "It's definitely the people. I really like meeting people." I learned that Albert is the head of the neighborhood BIA (Business Improvement Association) and he was every bit as gracious on this visit as he had been the first time. I look forward to keeping in touch with him.
Carte de visite by Charles D. Fredricks & Co. The inscription on this portrait references key details about the individual pictured. His initials, C.B.S., identify him as Charles Bradley Stoughton, the son of a successful New York City attorney. Bellows Falls, a village in southern Vermont, is a place where Charlie, as he was familiarly known, lived with his parents for a few years during his childhood. "Col.," the abbreviation for colonel, is the rank at which he served during the Civil War. His time in the military is further defined by the patch the covers his right eye. It hides the disfigurement caused by a Confederate bullet during the aftermath of the Battle of Gettysburg.
Back in 1861, 19-year-old Charlie, a recent graduate of Norwich Military Academy, pitched in as drillmaster for Company A of the 3rd Vermont Infantry. In August, he enlisted as a first lieutenant and adjutant in the state's 4th Infantry, which happened to be commanded by his older brother, Edwin, 23. A year later following the Peninsula Campaign, Edwin received his general's star and brigade command. Charlie, now 21, advanced to colonel and command of the 4th.
According to one report, Charlie was the better soldier of the two brothers. This may be a reference to Edwin's embarrassing capture by Confederate partisan ranger John S. Mosby in a March 1863 raid in Northern Virginia. The press made much of Edwin's capture, which happened while he slept at his headquarters in Fairfax Court House.
Just a few months later, Charlie and his Vermonters played a comparatively minor role at Gettysburg, suffering the loss of one wounded man. During the pursuit of Lee's defeated Army of Northern Virginia, the 4th and its brother regiments in the Vermont Brigade clashed with retreating Confederates at Funkstown, Md. During the fight, a Minié bullet struck Charlie in the head and destroyed his right eye. A long and painful recuperation ended in his resignation in early 1864. He received a brevet as brigadier general for gallantry.
Charlie headed to New York, where he studied law with his father. He's pictured here about this time, as evidenced by the tax stamp affixed to the back of the mount, which dates it between August 1864 and August 1866. The inscription date of 1869 indicates he gave this likeness to friends and acquaintances for several years after the sitting. He eventually married and made his home in Vermont and Connecticut.
Charlie fell ill with consumption and died at the Soldier's Home in Bennington, Vt., in 1898. He was 56. The same disease claimed the life of his brother Edwin in 1868. Two children survived him.
I encourage you to use this image for educational purposes only. However, please ask for permission.
The guys decided to have a pajama party in the living room.
Jeero and Strawberry were the first to fall asleep.
The Nilgiri Himal is a range of three peaks in the Annapurna region in Nepal. It is composed of Nilgiri South (6839 m), Nilgiri Central (6940 m) and Nilgiri North (7061 m).
Copyright © "Matteo Allegro" . All rights reserved.
Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission.
My adopted stray cat -- has been over 4 years now since I adopted him officially. But I was aware of this cat since 2008 when he drops by the garden , sometimes ate some out of date bread crumbs I gave for the birds. That time , I thought he was somebody else's . But I realized later on that he was fed in the neighborhood, there are kind people who feed him but didn't want him in . He was not microchipped , no one was looking for him . He is a tabby manx , he loves company, super attention seeker .
Come autumn of 2011, he frequently visits the garden and upsets the chickens, but he was not up for hunting birds , he was docile . Most cats do hunt birds , an aspect I don't like about cats although I'm a cat person. In December 2012 I realize he was ill . When I tried stroking his head, a thick projectile yucky pus squirted out of his head to my arms, I almost screamed. That's when I realized he was too ill but remained in my garden. I was a bit guilty leaving him without doing anything . The next day I bought few packets of cat food out of pure sympathy to ease down my guilt . Together with the food I put very tiny dose of antibiotic for few days. After few days looked brighter . In a week he improved a lot.
I was felt pleased of helping him. However, since then he wouldn't leave my garden. I often see him at the back patio or by the trampolin or outside kitchen at nights. Then come the winter , I felt a different level of guilt , seeing him at back of the house on chilly nights. To make the story short, I ended up adopting him and named him Minky .
I talk to him when I'm lonesome like; and I'm sure he understands. When he looks at me so attentively, and gently licks my hands; then he rubs his nose on my tailored clothes, but I never say naught thereat. For the good Lord knows I can buy more clothes, but never a friend like that.
~W. Dayton Wedgefarth
On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.
Matthew 2:11a
Chaos hunt! We’ve got Rod Hunt to share his impression of CHAOS and he’s hidden 40 cans of Lynx. Zoom in to see all the detail here
www.flickr.com/photos/rodhunt/6862425280/sizes/l/in/photo...
To find:
40 cans of Lynx Attract For Him + For Her
2 chimpanzees
6 ring tailed lemurs
9 penguins
7 angels
10 guys in rabbit masks
1 Chihuahua
8 guys in hazmat suits
18 cheerleaders
10 nuns
4 girls with bunny ears
1 artist
Emergency Chaos Bunker
8 Parrots
Mating Pandas
4 doves
2 zebras
1 rhino
2 giraffes
1 ostrich
Nurse
Waiter
Cop & Robber
Lynx Facebook Page
www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150649437897054&set...
For Lynx Attract - For Him + For Her. Ties in with the new Unleash the Chaos TV ads on at the moment.
© Rod Hunt 2012
View Rod Hunt's full portfolio here