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Ukraine’s priorities include joining NATO, implementing the decisions of the Alliance's Washington Summit, and jointly intercepting Russian missiles and drones. This was the focus of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s discussion with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte during their meeting in Kyiv.

This is Mark Rutte’s first foreign visit as the leader of the North Atlantic Alliance. President Zelenskyy noted that this visit immediately clearly outlines the current priorities, indicating where the defense of shared Euro-Atlantic values is taking place right now.

“Our key goal is Ukraine’s full NATO membership. Ukraine can become the thirty-third member of NATO. Ukrainians deserve this,” said the President.

During the meeting, the parties thoroughly discussed the prospects for cooperation, the Victory Plan and the feasibility of Ukraine's approach to a just end to the war, the situation on the battlefield, and the needs of our units, including weapons and brigade staffing.

“Ukraine needs to strengthen its positions on the frontline so that we can increase pressure on Russia for the sake of fair, real diplomacy. That is why we need a sufficient quantity and quality of weapons, including long-range weapons, the provision of which, in my opinion, is being delayed by our partners,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized.

A separate focus of the discussion was Ukraine’s air defense needs. It is crucial for Ukraine that all air defense agreements, including those reached at the NATO Summit in Washington this July, are implemented before winter begins. Additionally, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Mark Rutte discussed additional cooperation with neighboring countries, drawing on examples from the Middle East.

“Jointly intercepting Iranian missiles is no different from jointly intercepting Russian missiles, and especially "Shaheds," which link the Russian and Iranian regimes. What we need in our region is more determination from our partners to put an end to Russian terror,” the President emphasized.

Mark Rutte noted that, as NATO Secretary General, he will do everything possible to increase support for Ukraine.

“Your security matters for ours. Your fight for freedom reflects our core principles and values,” he said.

According to the NATO Secretary General, member states of the Alliance plan to boost their own defense capabilities and strengthen Ukraine’s defense industry.

“Ukraine is closer to NATO than ever before. And we will continue on this path until you become a member of our Alliance. I very much look forward to that day,” said Mark Rutte.

Lighted Farm Implement Parade, Sunnyside, Washington. I am pleasantly surprised how sharp these night photos are considering these shots are hand held and mostly shot at 1/30 and slower shutter speed. IMG_1065

España - Ciudad Real - Tomelloso - Museo del Carro y Aperos de Labranza

 

en.www.turismocastillalamancha.es/patrimonio/museo-del-ca...

 

www.rutadelvinodelamancha.com/en/wine-tourism-in-tomellos...

 

visitatomelloso.com/lugar-de-interes/museo-del-carro-y-ap...

 

***

 

ENGLISH:

 

The Museo del Carro y Aperos de Labranza is an ethnographic museum located in the Spanish municipality of Tomelloso. It was founded in the 1960s and houses a collection of more than 400 objects related to agricultural work and domestic life, as well as graphic and photographic documents. The museum is supported by the Association of Friends of the Museo del Carro.

 

On October 20, 1970, a dry-stone drum was inaugurated, for which more than two million stones were used. Inside there are rooms for farmers, tools and animals for agricultural work. It has an entrance with a semicircular arch and a fireplace. The drums were typical constructions of the area that served to shelter farmers in the field and to store their belongings.

 

***

 

ESPAÑOL:

 

El Museo del Carro y Aperos de Labranza es un museo etnográfico situado en el municipio español de Tomelloso. Fue fundado en los años 1960 y alberga una colección de más de 400 objetos relacionados con los trabajos agrícolas y la vida doméstica, además de contar con documentos gráficos y fotográficos. El museo cuenta con el apoyo de la Asociación de Amigos del Museo del Carro.

 

El 20 de octubre de 1970 se inauguró un bombo construido en piedra seca para lo que se usaron más de dos millones de piedras. En su interior hay estancias para labradores, los aperos y los animales para el trabajo agrícola.​ Cuenta con una entrada con arco de medio punto y chimenea. Los bombos eran construcciones típicas de la zona que servían para cobijar a los agricultores en el campo y para guardar sus enseres.

Farm implement in infrared in New Franklin Missouri by Notley Hawkins. Taken with a LifePixel infrared converted (720nm) Canon EOS 5D Mark II camera with a Canon EF17-40mm f/4L USM lens at ƒ8.0 with a 1/250 second exposure at ISO 100. Processed with Canon Digital Photo Professional and Adobe Lightroom CC.

 

Follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram

 

www.notleyhawkins.com/

 

©Notley Hawkins

A planter is an agricultural farm implement towed behind a tractor, used for sowing crops through a field. It is connected to the tractor with a draw-bar, or a three-point hitch. Planters lay the seeds down in precise manner along rows. Seeds are distributed through devices called row units. The row units are spaced evenly along the planter.

Abandoned farm implements near Wooldridge in Cooper County Missouri in infrared by Notley Hawkins Photography. Taken with a Canon EOS 50D camera with a LIfePIxel infrared conversion and a EF-S10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM lens at f.8.0 with a 1/25 second exposure at ISO 100. Processed with Adobe Lightroom 5.7.

 

Follow me on Twitter, Google+, Facebook

 

www.notleyhawkins.com/

 

©Notley Hawkins

Following the implementation of the new timetable (effective from September 15, 2025), the number of intercity trains connecting Athens and Thessaloniki has been reduced to two pairs per day...

 

So, every day, trains 50 & 51 run in the morning and trains 56 & 57 run in the afternoon...

 

Dwarfed by Mount Parnassos,Intercity Train 51 from Thessaloniki to Athens, passes the small village of Agia Paraskevi...

 

Video Link---> youtu.be/Owx3llXxoHg

 

Operator:Hellenic Train

Train:51 Thessaloniki-Athens

Locomotive:OSE Class 220

Adtranz / Bombardier (DE2000)

Old farm implements at Seaton's Farm, Weddin Mountains National Park, NSW

 

There is a walk around 'Seaton's Historic Farm', which is now part of the national park. Seatons Farm is how one man and his wife turned every bit of wire into something useful. Jim Seaton hand made 3 km/1.8 miles of kangaroo proof fence by hand, with posts of local saplings, which are rot and vermin proof. The property was occupied in the late 1920s and during the Depression it was set up as a farm. Times and the land were hard and the buildings represent this. The sheds have walls made from flattened corrugated iron so that it stretched further. One of the sheds is full of old wire, iron sheets, bottles, everything you can imagine. All the old machinery is still there, sitting where it was when the family sold the property to the Government in the 1980s. A unique place, showing how the less well off farmers did it in the early and mid 1900s.

 

Source : Wikipedia

 

I LOVE FLICKR DAY – JANUARY 5, 2014.

 

[Feel free to copy this text message on your photo]

 

The proposed changes will ruin Flickr.

If the New Photo Experience is implemented without option, I will decide to boycott, and also appeal all my friends and family to boycott All Brands / Products that display advertisements on Yahoo.

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

INFORMATION: from Anuj-Nair’s flickr site:

www.flickr.com/photos/110293295@N04/11451922214/

Please join the campaign, if you do not like the proposed new flickr layout.

Please download picture [on Anuj Nair’s site] and upload it to your stream on Sunday, January 5, 2014. You can also make your own picture with the text as seen in this picture ( or of similar nature, but make sure to emphasize the boycott ), in any language of your choice. Please circulate it and remember to upload it on Sunday, January 5, 2014 ( or before, if you know you'll be away on January 5 )

Pictures of Beta :

www.flickr.com/photos/110293295@N04/11461406716/in/photos...

www.flickr.com/photos/110293295@N04/11461406746/in/photos...

Beta feedback : Completed / Top ideas / Hot ideas

Want to know ? :

Why there is a sudden rise in views of your pictures ?

Why is Flickr slow now ?

---------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------

Français :

J'aime Flickr

J'aime Flickr jour - 5 janvier 2014

Les changements proposés vont ruiner Flickr.

Si la nouvelle photo expérience de est mis en œuvre sans option, je vais déciderai à boycotter et appel également tous mes amis et les famille à boycotter toutes les marques / produits qui affichent des publicités sur Yahoo.

www.flickr.com/photos/23416307@N04/11706877113/

Deutsch :

Ich liebe Flickr !

Ich liebe Flickr -Tag am 5. Januar 2014

Die geplanten Änderungen werden Flickr ruinieren.

Wenn die neue Gestaltung von Flickr ohne Wahlmöglichkeit verpflichtend eingeführt wird, werde ich boykottieren und an alle meine Freunde, Kontakte und Familienmtglieder appelieren, in Zukunft alle Marken/Produkte zu boykottieren, die bei Yahoo werben.

--------------------

Ich liebe Flickr

Ich liebe Flickr Tag - 5 Januar 2014

Die vorgeschlagenen Änderungen werden ruinieren Flickr.

Wenn das neue Foto-Erlebnis ohne Option implementiert ist, wird ich entscheiden, zu boykottieren und auch appelliere, alle meine Freunde und Familie zum Boykott alle Marken / Produkte, die auf Yahoo Werbung anzuzeigen.

 

____________________

Ελληνικά

Αγαπώ το Flickr.

Υποστηρίζω την Hμέρα για το Flickr της 5ης Ιανουαρίου 2014.

Οι προτεινόμενες αλλαγές πρόκειται να καταστρέψουν το Flickr.

Εάν η νέα παρουσίαση/εμπειρία εφαρμοστεί χωρίς να δίνεται η

δυνατότητα εναλλακτικής επιλογής, θα αποφασίσω να μποϊκοτάρω

όλες τις μάρκες / προϊόντα που εμφανίζουν διαφημίσεις στη Yahoo

και θα καλέσω τους φίλους και την οικογένειά μου να πράξουν το ίδιο

-----------------------------

Italiano

Che amo Flickr

Amo giorno Flickr - 5 GENNAIO 2014

Le modifiche proposte will rovinare Flickr .

Se la nuova esperienza foto è attuato senza l'opzione , deciderò di boicottare e chiamare anche tutti i miei amici e la famiglia di boicottare tutti i marchi / prodotti che visualizzano gli annunci su Yahoo .

_________________

Português

Eu amo Flickr

Eu amo Flickr dia - 05 de janeiro de 2014

As alterações propostas vai estragar Flickr.

Se a nova experiência foto é implementado sem uma opção, vou vai decidir boicotar e também chamar todos os meus amigos e família para boicotar todas as marcas / produtos que exibem anúncios no Yahoo.

-----------------------

Español - apelación

Por favor únase a la campaña, si no te gusta el diseño de la nueva propuesta flickr.

Descargue la imagen y subirla a su galeria el domingo 5 de enero de 2014. Usted puede hacer su propia imagen tambien con el texto como se ve en esta imagen (o de naturaleza similar, el objetivo de hacer un uso Seguro enfatizar el boicot), en cualquier idioma de su elección. Ejemplo si la nueva experiencia fotográfica se realiza sin opcion , voy a decidir boicotear y también llamar a todos mis amigos y familiares a boicotear todas las marcas / productos que muestran anuncios en Yahoo .

Por favor, distribuirlo y recordar a subirlo a Domingo, 05 de enero 2014 (o antes, si usted sabe que va a estar fuera el 5 de enero)

______________________________________________________________________ __

Beta is a test preview of the change that is getting ready to be implemented soon. It can be for a limited group of flickr members, intended to seek feedback and correct faults ( if any), before it is made public.

Change is good and public has always welcomed good changes. The preference for Windows XP by most people even after the introduction of Vista is a classic example of public acceptance. The public liked and preferred the predecessor ( Windows XP ) and the follower ( Windows 7 and Windows 8 ) versions of Vista. A change is good and often gladly welcomed by public, if it provides more utilities and user friendliness, without depriving even a single advantage of the predecessor.

The Beta version is unacceptable to the majority of Flickr users* ( who happened to experience it ) , because it's not user friendly and has only disadvantages to mention. *Please check the Beta feedback : Completed / Top ideas / Hot ideas

The layout itself is a disaster. Please check : Try our new photo experience beta / Comment box

However they try, it's quite evident that it's impossible to provide more space for descriptions, comment box, and comments; not to mention comments with pictures , group invites / awards. The more they try to fix it, the more cumbersome it becomes. The buddy icons now appear as dots making the page more unaesthetic than what you see in the earlier pictures of beta . They are desperately trying to make it appealing and user friendly, which is literally impossible with the proposed layout .

It's a big challenge for the programmers to try find means to provide more space in a vertical column which is already cramped.

Is it possible to make a rugby stadium inside a 100 square feet ground ?

Want to know ? :

Why there is a sudden rise in views of your pictures ?

Why is Flickr slow now ?

  

Another of my old wanderings took me to the back roads southwest of Longmont. This rake appears to be more lawn art than farm implement. A rambling rake no more! ...And it is not used up yet! It was not made of Chinese plastic.

 

Some of my captures need a load of editing, not so much here, as I am deluged with retouching in my directories. I expect to post more as I get past my immersion in most of the mass of current projects like starting on the quasi-logical Win-10 that needs another upgrade and a heap of cleanup afterward.

 

The Ag Museum was open to get to the McIntosh Lake Loop Trail. Hmm, I just might try it on the remaining day. I can't simply just hang around the Museum, I am already crammed with MAC snaps. I have some neighbors who do nothing more than hang around, I have places to go. Perhaps a small degree of exercise? I can only stand sitting behind the monitor for a small while.

  

++++ FROM WIKIPEDIA ++++

 

U Bein Bridge (Burmese: ဦးပိန် တံတား) is a crossing that spans the Taungthaman Lake near Amarapura in Myanmar. The 1.2-kilometre (0.75 mi) bridge was built around 1850 and is believed to be the oldest and (once) longest teakwood bridge in the world.[1][2][3] Construction began when the capital of Ava Kingdom moved to Amarapura,[4] and the bridge is named after the mayor who had it built.[5] It is used as an important passageway for the local people and has also become a tourist attraction and therefore a significant source of income for souvenir sellers.[1][5][6][7] It is particularly busy during July and August when the lake is at its highest.[8]

 

The bridge was built from wood reclaimed from the former royal palace in Inwa. It features 1,086 pillars that stretch out of the water, some of which have been replaced with concrete. Though the bridge largely remains intact, there are fears that an increasing number of the pillars are becoming dangerously decayed. Some have become entirely detached from their bases and only remain in place because of the lateral bars holding them together. Damage to these supports have been caused by flooding as well as a fish breeding program introduced into the lake which has caused the water to become stagnant. The Ministry of Culture’s Department of Archaeology, National Museum and Library plans to carry out repairs when plans for the work are finalised.[1]

 

From 1 April 2009, eight police force personnel have been deployed to guard the bridge. Their presence is aimed at reducing anti-social behaviour and preventing criminal activities, with the first arrest coming in September 2013 when two men were reported for harassing tourists.[8]

Contents

 

1 Construction

2 Design and Structure

3 Gallery

4 References

 

Construction

 

The construction was started in 1849 and finished in 1851. Myanmar construction engineers used traditional methods of scaling and measuring to build the bridge. According to historic books about U Bein Bridge, Myanmar engineers made scale by counting the footsteps.

Design and Structure

 

The bridge was built in curved shape in the middle to resist the assault of wind and water. The main teak posts were hammered into the lake bed seven feet deep. The other ends of the posts were shaped conically to make sure that rain water would fall down easily. The joints of the bridge are intertwined.

 

Originally, there were 984 teak posts supporting the bridge and two approach brick bridges. Later the two approach brick bridges were replaced by wooden approach bridge. There are four wooden pavilions at the same interval along the bridge. By adding posts of two approach bridges and four pavilions, the number of posts amounts to 1089.

 

There are nine passageways in the bridge, where the floors can be lifted to let boats and barges pass. There 482 spans and the length of the bridge is 1,209 metres.

  

Myanmar (Burmese pronunciation: [mjəmà]),[nb 1][8] officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and also known as Burma, is a sovereign state in Southeast Asia. Myanmar is bordered by India and Bangladesh to its west, Thailand and Laos to its east and China to its north and northeast. To its south, about one third of Myanmar's total perimeter of 5,876 km (3,651 mi) forms an uninterrupted coastline of 1,930 km (1,200 mi) along the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. The country's 2014 census counted the population to be 51 million people.[9] As of 2017, the population is about 54 million.[10] Myanmar is 676,578 square kilometers (261,228 square miles) in size. Its capital city is Naypyidaw, and its largest city and former capital is Yangon (Rangoon).[1] Myanmar has been a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) since 1997.

 

Early civilisations in Myanmar included the Tibeto-Burman-speaking Pyu city-states in Upper Burma and the Mon kingdoms in Lower Burma.[11] In the 9th century, the Bamar people entered the upper Irrawaddy valley and, following the establishment of the Pagan Kingdom in the 1050s, the Burmese language, culture and Theravada Buddhism slowly became dominant in the country. The Pagan Kingdom fell due to the Mongol invasions and several warring states emerged. In the 16th century, reunified by the Taungoo Dynasty, the country was for a brief period the largest empire in the history of Mainland Southeast Asia.[12] The early 19th century Konbaung Dynasty ruled over an area that included modern Myanmar and briefly controlled Manipur and Assam as well. The British took over the administration of Myanmar after three Anglo-Burmese Wars in the 19th century and the country became a British colony. Myanmar was granted independence in 1948, as a democratic nation. Following a coup d'état in 1962, it became a military dictatorship.

 

For most of its independent years, the country has been engrossed in rampant ethnic strife and its myriad ethnic groups have been involved in one of the world's longest-running ongoing civil wars. During this time, the United Nations and several other organisations have reported consistent and systematic human rights violations in the country.[13] In 2011, the military junta was officially dissolved following a 2010 general election, and a nominally civilian government was installed. This, along with the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and political prisoners, has improved the country's human rights record and foreign relations, and has led to the easing of trade and other economic sanctions.[14] There is, however, continuing criticism of the government's treatment of ethnic minorities, its response to the ethnic insurgency, and religious clashes.[15] In the landmark 2015 election, Aung San Suu Kyi's party won a majority in both houses. However, the Burmese military remains a powerful force in politics.

 

Myanmar is a country rich in jade and gems, oil, natural gas and other mineral resources. In 2013, its GDP (nominal) stood at US$56.7 billion and its GDP (PPP) at US$221.5 billion.[6] The income gap in Myanmar is among the widest in the world, as a large proportion of the economy is controlled by supporters of the former military government.[16] As of 2016, Myanmar ranks 145 out of 188 countries in human development, according to the Human Development Index.[7]

Etymology

Main article: Names of Myanmar

 

In 1989, the military government officially changed the English translations of many names dating back to Burma's colonial period or earlier, including that of the country itself: "Burma" became "Myanmar". The renaming remains a contested issue.[17] Many political and ethnic opposition groups and countries continue to use "Burma" because they do not recognise the legitimacy of the ruling military government or its authority to rename the country.[18]

 

In April 2016, soon after taking office, Aung San Suu Kyi clarified that foreigners are free to use either name, "because there is nothing in the constitution of our country that says that you must use any term in particular".[19]

 

The country's official full name is the "Republic of the Union of Myanmar" (ပြည်ထောင်စုသမ္မတ မြန်မာနိုင်ငံတော်, Pyidaunzu Thanmăda Myăma Nainngandaw, pronounced [pjìdàʊɴzṵ θàɴməda̰ mjəmà nàɪɴŋàɴdɔ̀]). Countries that do not officially recognise that name use the long form "Union of Burma" instead.[20]

 

In English, the country is popularly known as either "Burma" or "Myanmar" /ˈmjɑːnˌmɑːr/ (About this sound listen).[8] Both these names are derived from the name of the majority Burmese Bamar ethnic group. Myanmar is considered to be the literary form of the name of the group, while Burma is derived from "Bamar", the colloquial form of the group's name.[17] Depending on the register used, the pronunciation would be Bama (pronounced [bəmà]) or Myamah (pronounced [mjəmà]).[17] The name Burma has been in use in English since the 18th century.

 

Burma continues to be used in English by the governments of many countries, such as Canada and the United Kingdom.[21][22] Official United States policy retains Burma as the country's name, although the State Department's website lists the country as "Burma (Myanmar)" and Barack Obama has referred to the country by both names.[23] The Czech Republic officially uses Myanmar, although its Ministry of Foreign Affairs mentions both Myanmar and Burma on its website.[24] The United Nations uses Myanmar, as do the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Australia,[25] Russia, Germany,[26] China, India, Bangladesh, Norway,[27] Japan[21] and Switzerland.[28]

 

Most English-speaking international news media refer to the country by the name Myanmar, including the BBC,[29] CNN,[30] Al Jazeera,[31] Reuters,[32] RT (Russia Today) and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)/Radio Australia.[33]

 

Myanmar is known with a name deriving from Burma as opposed to Myanmar in Spanish, Italian, Romanian, and Greek – Birmania being the local version of Burma in the Spanish language, for example. Myanmar used to be known as "Birmânia" in Portuguese, and as "Birmanie" in French.[34] As in the past, French-language media today consistently use Birmanie.,[35][36]

History

Main article: History of Myanmar

Prehistory

Main articles: Prehistory of Myanmar and Migration period of ancient Burma

Pyu city-states c. 8th century; Pagan is shown for comparison only and is not contemporary.

 

Archaeological evidence shows that Homo erectus lived in the region now known as Myanmar as early as 750,000 years ago, with no more erectus finds after 75,000 years ago.[37] The first evidence of Homo sapiens is dated to about 11,000 BC, in a Stone Age culture called the Anyathian with discoveries of stone tools in central Myanmar. Evidence of neolithic age domestication of plants and animals and the use of polished stone tools dating to sometime between 10,000 and 6,000 BC has been discovered in the form of cave paintings in Padah-Lin Caves.[38]

 

The Bronze Age arrived circa 1500 BC when people in the region were turning copper into bronze, growing rice and domesticating poultry and pigs; they were among the first people in the world to do so.[39] Human remains and artefacts from this era were discovered in Monywa District in the Sagaing Division.[40] The Iron Age began around 500 BC with the emergence of iron-working settlements in an area south of present-day Mandalay.[41] Evidence also shows the presence of rice-growing settlements of large villages and small towns that traded with their surroundings as far as China between 500 BC and 200 AD.[42] Iron Age Burmese cultures also had influences from outside sources such as India and Thailand, as seen in their funerary practices concerning child burials. This indicates some form of communication between groups in Myanmar and other places, possibly through trade.[43]

Early city-states

Main articles: Pyu city-states and Mon kingdoms

 

Around the second century BC the first-known city-states emerged in central Myanmar. The city-states were founded as part of the southward migration by the Tibeto-Burman-speaking Pyu city-states, the earliest inhabitants of Myanmar of whom records are extant, from present-day Yunnan.[44] The Pyu culture was heavily influenced by trade with India, importing Buddhism as well as other cultural, architectural and political concepts, which would have an enduring influence on later Burmese culture and political organisation.[45]

 

By the 9th century, several city-states had sprouted across the land: the Pyu in the central dry zone, Mon along the southern coastline and Arakanese along the western littoral. The balance was upset when the Pyu came under repeated attacks from Nanzhao between the 750s and the 830s. In the mid-to-late 9th century the Bamar people founded a small settlement at Bagan. It was one of several competing city-states until the late 10th century when it grew in authority and grandeur.[46]

Imperial Burma

Main articles: Pagan Kingdom, Taungoo Dynasty, and Konbaung Dynasty

See also: Ava Kingdom, Hanthawaddy Kingdom, Kingdom of Mrauk U, and Shan States

Pagodas and kyaungs in present-day Bagan, the capital of the Pagan Kingdom.

 

Pagan gradually grew to absorb its surrounding states until the 1050s–1060s when Anawrahta founded the Pagan Kingdom, the first ever unification of the Irrawaddy valley and its periphery. In the 12th and 13th centuries, the Pagan Empire and the Khmer Empire were two main powers in mainland Southeast Asia.[47] The Burmese language and culture gradually became dominant in the upper Irrawaddy valley, eclipsing the Pyu, Mon and Pali norms by the late 12th century.[48]

 

Theravada Buddhism slowly began to spread to the village level, although Tantric, Mahayana, Hinduism, and folk religion remained heavily entrenched. Pagan's rulers and wealthy built over 10,000 Buddhist temples in the Pagan capital zone alone. Repeated Mongol invasions (1277–1301) toppled the four-century-old kingdom in 1287.[48]

Temples at Mrauk U.

 

Pagan's collapse was followed by 250 years of political fragmentation that lasted well into the 16th century. Like the Burmans four centuries earlier, Shan migrants who arrived with the Mongol invasions stayed behind. Several competing Shan States came to dominate the entire northwestern to eastern arc surrounding the Irrawaddy valley. The valley too was beset with petty states until the late 14th century when two sizeable powers, Ava Kingdom and Hanthawaddy Kingdom, emerged. In the west, a politically fragmented Arakan was under competing influences of its stronger neighbours until the Kingdom of Mrauk U unified the Arakan coastline for the first time in 1437.

 

Early on, Ava fought wars of unification (1385–1424) but could never quite reassemble the lost empire. Having held off Ava, Hanthawaddy entered its golden age, and Arakan went on to become a power in its own right for the next 350 years. In contrast, constant warfare left Ava greatly weakened, and it slowly disintegrated from 1481 onward. In 1527, the Confederation of Shan States conquered Ava itself, and ruled Upper Myanmar until 1555.

 

Like the Pagan Empire, Ava, Hanthawaddy and the Shan states were all multi-ethnic polities. Despite the wars, cultural synchronisation continued. This period is considered a golden age for Burmese culture. Burmese literature "grew more confident, popular, and stylistically diverse", and the second generation of Burmese law codes as well as the earliest pan-Burma chronicles emerged.[49] Hanthawaddy monarchs introduced religious reforms that later spread to the rest of the country.[50] Many splendid temples of Mrauk U were built during this period.

Taungoo and colonialism

Bayinnaung's Empire in 1580.

 

Political unification returned in the mid-16th century, due to the efforts of Taungoo, a former vassal state of Ava. Taungoo's young, ambitious king Tabinshwehti defeated the more powerful Hanthawaddy in the Toungoo–Hanthawaddy War (1534–41). His successor Bayinnaung went on to conquer a vast swath of mainland Southeast Asia including the Shan states, Lan Na, Manipur, Mong Mao, the Ayutthaya Kingdom, Lan Xang and southern Arakan. However, the largest empire in the history of Southeast Asia unravelled soon after Bayinnaung's death in 1581, completely collapsing by 1599. Ayutthaya seized Tenasserim and Lan Na, and Portuguese mercenaries established Portuguese rule at Thanlyin (Syriam).

 

The dynasty regrouped and defeated the Portuguese in 1613 and Siam in 1614. It restored a smaller, more manageable kingdom, encompassing Lower Myanmar, Upper Myanmar, Shan states, Lan Na and upper Tenasserim. The Restored Toungoo kings created a legal and political framework whose basic features would continue well into the 19th century. The crown completely replaced the hereditary chieftainships with appointed governorships in the entire Irrawaddy valley, and greatly reduced the hereditary rights of Shan chiefs. Its trade and secular administrative reforms built a prosperous economy for more than 80 years. From the 1720s onward, the kingdom was beset with repeated Meithei raids into Upper Myanmar and a nagging rebellion in Lan Na. In 1740, the Mon of Lower Myanmar founded the Restored Hanthawaddy Kingdom. Hanthawaddy forces sacked Ava in 1752, ending the 266-year-old Toungoo Dynasty.

A British 1825 lithograph of Shwedagon Pagoda shows British occupation during the First Anglo-Burmese War.

 

After the fall of Ava, the Konbaung–Hanthawaddy War involved one resistance group under Alaungpaya defeating the Restored Hanthawaddy, and by 1759, he had reunited all of Myanmar and Manipur, and driven out the French and the British, who had provided arms to Hanthawaddy. By 1770, Alaungpaya's heirs had subdued much of Laos (1765) and fought and won the Burmese–Siamese War (1765–67) against Ayutthaya and the Sino-Burmese War (1765–69) against Qing China (1765–1769).[51]

 

With Burma preoccupied by the Chinese threat, Ayutthaya recovered its territories by 1770, and went on to capture Lan Na by 1776. Burma and Siam went to war until 1855, but all resulted in a stalemate, exchanging Tenasserim (to Burma) and Lan Na (to Ayutthaya). Faced with a powerful China and a resurgent Ayutthaya in the east, King Bodawpaya turned west, acquiring Arakan (1785), Manipur (1814) and Assam (1817). It was the second-largest empire in Burmese history but also one with a long ill-defined border with British India.[52]

 

The breadth of this empire was short lived. Burma lost Arakan, Manipur, Assam and Tenasserim to the British in the First Anglo-Burmese War (1824–1826). In 1852, the British easily seized Lower Burma in the Second Anglo-Burmese War. King Mindon Min tried to modernise the kingdom, and in 1875 narrowly avoided annexation by ceding the Karenni States. The British, alarmed by the consolidation of French Indochina, annexed the remainder of the country in the Third Anglo-Burmese War in 1885.

 

Konbaung kings extended Restored Toungoo's administrative reforms, and achieved unprecedented levels of internal control and external expansion. For the first time in history, the Burmese language and culture came to predominate the entire Irrawaddy valley. The evolution and growth of Burmese literature and theatre continued, aided by an extremely high adult male literacy rate for the era (half of all males and 5% of females).[53] Nonetheless, the extent and pace of reforms were uneven and ultimately proved insufficient to stem the advance of British colonialism.

British Burma (1824–1948)

Main articles: British rule in Burma and Burma Campaign

Burma in British India

The landing of British forces in Mandalay after the last of the Anglo-Burmese Wars, which resulted in the abdication of the last Burmese monarch, King Thibaw Min.

British troops firing a mortar on the Mawchi road, July 1944.

 

The eighteenth century saw Burmese rulers, whose country had not previously been of particular interest to European traders, seek to maintain their traditional influence in the western areas of Assam, Manipur and Arakan. Pressing them, however, was the British East India Company, which was expanding its interests eastwards over the same territory. Over the next sixty years, diplomacy, raids, treaties and compromises continued until, after three Anglo-Burmese Wars (1824–1885), Britain proclaimed control over most of Burma.[54] British rule brought social, economic, cultural and administrative changes.

 

With the fall of Mandalay, all of Burma came under British rule, being annexed on 1 January 1886. Throughout the colonial era, many Indians arrived as soldiers, civil servants, construction workers and traders and, along with the Anglo-Burmese community, dominated commercial and civil life in Burma. Rangoon became the capital of British Burma and an important port between Calcutta and Singapore.

 

Burmese resentment was strong and was vented in violent riots that paralysed Yangon (Rangoon) on occasion all the way until the 1930s.[55] Some of the discontent was caused by a disrespect for Burmese culture and traditions such as the British refusal to remove shoes when they entered pagodas. Buddhist monks became the vanguards of the independence movement. U Wisara, an activist monk, died in prison after a 166-day hunger strike to protest against a rule that forbade him to wear his Buddhist robes while imprisoned.[56]

Separation of British Burma from British India

 

On 1 April 1937, Burma became a separately administered colony of Great Britain and Ba Maw the first Prime Minister and Premier of Burma. Ba Maw was an outspoken advocate for Burmese self-rule and he opposed the participation of Great Britain, and by extension Burma, in World War II. He resigned from the Legislative Assembly and was arrested for sedition. In 1940, before Japan formally entered the Second World War, Aung San formed the Burma Independence Army in Japan.

 

A major battleground, Burma was devastated during World War II. By March 1942, within months after they entered the war, Japanese troops had advanced on Rangoon and the British administration had collapsed. A Burmese Executive Administration headed by Ba Maw was established by the Japanese in August 1942. Wingate's British Chindits were formed into long-range penetration groups trained to operate deep behind Japanese lines.[57] A similar American unit, Merrill's Marauders, followed the Chindits into the Burmese jungle in 1943.[58] Beginning in late 1944, allied troops launched a series of offensives that led to the end of Japanese rule in July 1945. The battles were intense with much of Burma laid waste by the fighting. Overall, the Japanese lost some 150,000 men in Burma. Only 1,700 prisoners were taken.[59]

 

Although many Burmese fought initially for the Japanese as part of the Burma Independence Army, many Burmese, mostly from the ethnic minorities, served in the British Burma Army.[60] The Burma National Army and the Arakan National Army fought with the Japanese from 1942 to 1944 but switched allegiance to the Allied side in 1945. Under Japanese occupation, 170,000 to 250,000 civilians died.[61]

 

Following World War II, Aung San negotiated the Panglong Agreement with ethnic leaders that guaranteed the independence of Myanmar as a unified state. Aung Zan Wai, Pe Khin, Bo Hmu Aung, Sir Maung Gyi, Dr. Sein Mya Maung, Myoma U Than Kywe were among the negotiators of the historical Panglong Conference negotiated with Bamar leader General Aung San and other ethnic leaders in 1947. In 1947, Aung San became Deputy Chairman of the Executive Council of Myanmar, a transitional government. But in July 1947, political rivals[62] assassinated Aung San and several cabinet members.[63]

Independence (1948–1962)

Main article: Post-independence Burma, 1948–62

British governor Hubert Elvin Rance and Sao Shwe Thaik at the flag raising ceremony on 4 January 1948 (Independence Day of Burma).

 

On 4 January 1948, the nation became an independent republic, named the Union of Burma, with Sao Shwe Thaik as its first President and U Nu as its first Prime Minister. Unlike most other former British colonies and overseas territories, Burma did not become a member of the Commonwealth. A bicameral parliament was formed, consisting of a Chamber of Deputies and a Chamber of Nationalities,[64] and multi-party elections were held in 1951–1952, 1956 and 1960.

 

The geographical area Burma encompasses today can be traced to the Panglong Agreement, which combined Burma Proper, which consisted of Lower Burma and Upper Burma, and the Frontier Areas, which had been administered separately by the British.[65]

 

In 1961, U Thant, then the Union of Burma's Permanent Representative to the United Nations and former Secretary to the Prime Minister, was elected Secretary-General of the United Nations, a position he held for ten years.[66] Among the Burmese to work at the UN when he was Secretary-General was a young Aung San Suu Kyi (daughter of Aung San), who went on to become winner of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize.

 

When the non-Burman ethnic groups pushed for autonomy or federalism, alongside having a weak civilian government at the centre, the military leadership staged a coup d’état in 1962. Though incorporated in the 1947 Constitution, successive military governments construed the use of the term ‘federalism’ as being anti-national, anti-unity and pro-disintegration.[67]

Military rule (1962–2011)

 

On 2 March 1962, the military led by General Ne Win took control of Burma through a coup d'état, and the government has been under direct or indirect control by the military since then. Between 1962 and 1974, Myanmar was ruled by a revolutionary council headed by the general. Almost all aspects of society (business, media, production) were nationalised or brought under government control under the Burmese Way to Socialism,[68] which combined Soviet-style nationalisation and central planning.

 

A new constitution of the Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma was adopted in 1974. Until 1988, the country was ruled as a one-party system, with the General and other military officers resigning and ruling through the Burma Socialist Programme Party (BSPP).[69] During this period, Myanmar became one of the world's most impoverished countries.[70]

Protesters gathering in central Rangoon, 1988.

 

There were sporadic protests against military rule during the Ne Win years and these were almost always violently suppressed. On 7 July 1962, the government broke up demonstrations at Rangoon University, killing 15 students.[68] In 1974, the military violently suppressed anti-government protests at the funeral of U Thant. Student protests in 1975, 1976, and 1977 were quickly suppressed by overwhelming force.[69]

 

In 1988, unrest over economic mismanagement and political oppression by the government led to widespread pro-democracy demonstrations throughout the country known as the 8888 Uprising. Security forces killed thousands of demonstrators, and General Saw Maung staged a coup d'état and formed the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC). In 1989, SLORC declared martial law after widespread protests. The military government finalised plans for People's Assembly elections on 31 May 1989.[71] SLORC changed the country's official English name from the "Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma" to the "Union of Myanmar" in 1989.

 

In May 1990, the government held free elections for the first time in almost 30 years and the National League for Democracy (NLD), the party of Aung San Suu Kyi, won 392 out of a total 492 seats (i.e., 80% of the seats). However, the military junta refused to cede power[72] and continued to rule the nation as SLORC until 1997, and then as the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) until its dissolution in March 2011.

Protesters in Yangon during the 2007 Saffron Revolution with a banner that reads non-violence: national movement in Burmese. In the background is Shwedagon Pagoda.

 

On 23 June 1997, Myanmar was admitted into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). On 27 March 2006, the military junta, which had moved the national capital from Yangon to a site near Pyinmana in November 2005, officially named the new capital Naypyidaw, meaning "city of the kings".[73]

Cyclone Nargis in southern Myanmar, May 2008.

 

In August 2007, an increase in the price of diesel and petrol led to the Saffron Revolution led by Buddhist monks that were dealt with harshly by the government.[74] The government cracked down on them on 26 September 2007. The crackdown was harsh, with reports of barricades at the Shwedagon Pagoda and monks killed. There were also rumours of disagreement within the Burmese armed forces, but none was confirmed. The military crackdown against unarmed protesters was widely condemned as part of the international reactions to the Saffron Revolution and led to an increase in economic sanctions against the Burmese Government.

 

In May 2008, Cyclone Nargis caused extensive damage in the densely populated, rice-farming delta of the Irrawaddy Division.[75] It was the worst natural disaster in Burmese history with reports of an estimated 200,000 people dead or missing, damage totalled to 10 billion US dollars, and as many as 1 million left homeless.[76] In the critical days following this disaster, Myanmar's isolationist government was accused of hindering United Nations recovery efforts.[77] Humanitarian aid was requested but concerns about foreign military or intelligence presence in the country delayed the entry of United States military planes delivering medicine, food, and other supplies.[78]

 

In early August 2009, a conflict known as the Kokang incident broke out in Shan State in northern Myanmar. For several weeks, junta troops fought against ethnic minorities including the Han Chinese,[79] Wa, and Kachin.[80][81] During 8–12 August, the first days of the conflict, as many as 10,000 Burmese civilians fled to Yunnan province in neighbouring China.[80][81][82]

Civil wars

Main articles: Internal conflict in Myanmar, Kachin Conflict, Karen conflict, and 2015 Kokang offensive

 

Civil wars have been a constant feature of Myanmar's socio-political landscape since the attainment of independence in 1948. These wars are predominantly struggles for ethnic and sub-national autonomy, with the areas surrounding the ethnically Bamar central districts of the country serving as the primary geographical setting of conflict. Foreign journalists and visitors require a special travel permit to visit the areas in which Myanmar's civil wars continue.[83]

 

In October 2012, the ongoing conflicts in Myanmar included the Kachin conflict,[84] between the Pro-Christian Kachin Independence Army and the government;[85] a civil war between the Rohingya Muslims, and the government and non-government groups in Rakhine State;[86] and a conflict between the Shan,[87] Lahu, and Karen[88][89] minority groups, and the government in the eastern half of the country. In addition, al-Qaeda signalled an intention to become involved in Myanmar. In a video released on 3 September 2014, mainly addressed to India, the militant group's leader Ayman al-Zawahiri said al-Qaeda had not forgotten the Muslims of Myanmar and that the group was doing "what they can to rescue you".[90] In response, the military raised its level of alertness, while the Burmese Muslim Association issued a statement saying Muslims would not tolerate any threat to their motherland.[91]

 

Armed conflict between ethnic Chinese rebels and the Myanmar Armed Forces have resulted in the Kokang offensive in February 2015. The conflict had forced 40,000 to 50,000 civilians to flee their homes and seek shelter on the Chinese side of the border.[92] During the incident, the government of China was accused of giving military assistance to the ethnic Chinese rebels. Burmese officials have been historically "manipulated" and pressured by the Chinese government throughout Burmese modern history to create closer and binding ties with China, creating a Chinese satellite state in Southeast Asia.[93] However, uncertainties exist as clashes between Burmese troops and local insurgent groups continue.

Democratic reforms

Main article: 2011–12 Burmese political reforms

 

The goal of the Burmese constitutional referendum of 2008, held on 10 May 2008, is the creation of a "discipline-flourishing democracy". As part of the referendum process, the name of the country was changed from the "Union of Myanmar" to the "Republic of the Union of Myanmar", and general elections were held under the new constitution in 2010. Observer accounts of the 2010 election describe the event as mostly peaceful; however, allegations of polling station irregularities were raised, and the United Nations (UN) and a number of Western countries condemned the elections as fraudulent.[94]

U.S. President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton with Aung San Suu Kyi and her staff at her home in Yangon, 2012

 

The military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party declared victory in the 2010 elections, stating that it had been favoured by 80 percent of the votes; however, the claim was disputed by numerous pro-democracy opposition groups who asserted that the military regime had engaged in rampant fraud.[95][96] One report documented 77 percent as the official turnout rate of the election.[95] The military junta was dissolved on 30 March 2011.

 

Opinions differ whether the transition to liberal democracy is underway. According to some reports, the military's presence continues as the label "disciplined democracy" suggests. This label asserts that the Burmese military is allowing certain civil liberties while clandestinely institutionalising itself further into Burmese politics. Such an assertion assumes that reforms only occurred when the military was able to safeguard its own interests through the transition—here, "transition" does not refer to a transition to a liberal democracy, but transition to a quasi-military rule.[97]

 

Since the 2010 election, the government has embarked on a series of reforms to direct the country towards liberal democracy, a mixed economy, and reconciliation, although doubts persist about the motives that underpin such reforms. The series of reforms includes the release of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest, the establishment of the National Human Rights Commission, the granting of general amnesties for more than 200 political prisoners, new labour laws that permit labour unions and strikes, a relaxation of press censorship, and the regulation of currency practices.[98]

 

The impact of the post-election reforms has been observed in numerous areas, including ASEAN's approval of Myanmar's bid for the position of ASEAN chair in 2014;[99] the visit by United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in December 2011 for the encouragement of further progress, which was the first visit by a Secretary of State in more than fifty years,[100] during which Clinton met with the Burmese president and former military commander Thein Sein, as well as opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi;[101] and the participation of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party in the 2012 by-elections, facilitated by the government's abolition of the laws that previously barred the NLD.[102] As of July 2013, about 100[103][104] political prisoners remain imprisoned, while conflict between the Burmese Army and local insurgent groups continues.

Map of Myanmar and its divisions, including Shan State, Kachin State, Rakhine State and Karen State.

 

In 1 April 2012 by-elections, the NLD won 43 of the 45 available seats; previously an illegal organisation, the NLD had not won a single seat under new constitution. The 2012 by-elections were also the first time that international representatives were allowed to monitor the voting process in Myanmar.[105]

2015 general elections

Main article: Myanmar general election, 2015

 

General elections were held on 8 November 2015. These were the first openly contested elections held in Myanmar since 1990. The results gave the National League for Democracy an absolute majority of seats in both chambers of the national parliament, enough to ensure that its candidate would become president, while NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi is constitutionally barred from the presidency.[106]

 

The new parliament convened on 1 February 2016[107] and, on 15 March 2016, Htin Kyaw was elected as the first non-military president since the military coup of 1962.[108] On 6 April 2016, Aung San Suu Kyi assumed the newly created role of State Counsellor, a role akin to a Prime Minister.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Myanmar

A map of Myanmar

Myanmar map of Köppen climate classification.

 

Myanmar has a total area of 678,500 square kilometres (262,000 sq mi). It lies between latitudes 9° and 29°N, and longitudes 92° and 102°E. As of February 2011, Myanmar consisted of 14 states and regions, 67 districts, 330 townships, 64 sub-townships, 377 towns, 2,914 Wards, 14,220 village tracts and 68,290 villages.

 

Myanmar is bordered in the northwest by the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh and the Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh states of India. Its north and northeast border is with the Tibet Autonomous Region and Yunnan province for a Sino-Myanmar border total of 2,185 km (1,358 mi). It is bounded by Laos and Thailand to the southeast. Myanmar has 1,930 km (1,200 mi) of contiguous coastline along the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea to the southwest and the south, which forms one quarter of its total perimeter.[20]

 

In the north, the Hengduan Mountains form the border with China. Hkakabo Razi, located in Kachin State, at an elevation of 5,881 metres (19,295 ft), is the highest point in Myanmar.[109] Many mountain ranges, such as the Rakhine Yoma, the Bago Yoma, the Shan Hills and the Tenasserim Hills exist within Myanmar, all of which run north-to-south from the Himalayas.[110]

 

The mountain chains divide Myanmar's three river systems, which are the Irrawaddy, Salween (Thanlwin), and the Sittaung rivers.[111] The Irrawaddy River, Myanmar's longest river, nearly 2,170 kilometres (1,348 mi) long, flows into the Gulf of Martaban. Fertile plains exist in the valleys between the mountain chains.[110] The majority of Myanmar's population lives in the Irrawaddy valley, which is situated between the Rakhine Yoma and the Shan Plateau.

Administrative divisions

Main article: Administrative divisions of Myanmar

A clickable map of Burma/Myanmar exhibiting its first-level administrative divisions.

About this image

 

Myanmar is divided into seven states (ပြည်နယ်) and seven regions (တိုင်းဒေသကြီး), formerly called divisions.[112] Regions are predominantly Bamar (that is, mainly inhabited by the dominant ethnic group). States, in essence, are regions that are home to particular ethnic minorities. The administrative divisions are further subdivided into districts, which are further subdivided into townships, wards, and villages.

 

Climate

Main article: Climate of Myanmar

The limestone landscape of Mon State.

 

Much of the country lies between the Tropic of Cancer and the Equator. It lies in the monsoon region of Asia, with its coastal regions receiving over 5,000 mm (196.9 in) of rain annually. Annual rainfall in the delta region is approximately 2,500 mm (98.4 in), while average annual rainfall in the Dry Zone in central Myanmar is less than 1,000 mm (39.4 in). The Northern regions of Myanmar are the coolest, with average temperatures of 21 °C (70 °F). Coastal and delta regions have an average maximum temperature of 32 °C (89.6 °F).[111]

Environment

Further information: Deforestation in Myanmar

 

Myanmar continues to perform badly in the global Environmental Performance Index (EPI) with an overall ranking of 153 out of 180 countries in 2016; among the worst in the South Asian region, only ahead of Bangladesh and Afghanistan. The EPI was established in 2001 by the World Economic Forum as a global gauge to measure how well individual countries perform in implementing the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. The environmental areas where Myanmar performs worst (ie. highest ranking) are air quality (174), health impacts of environmental issues (143) and biodiversity and habitat (142). Myanmar performs best (ie. lowest ranking) in environmental impacts of fisheries (21), but with declining fish stocks. Despite several issues, Myanmar also ranks 64 and scores very good (ie. a high percentage of 93.73%) in environmental effects of the agricultural industry because of an excellent management of the nitrogen cycle.[114][115]

Wildlife

 

Myanmar's slow economic growth has contributed to the preservation of much of its environment and ecosystems. Forests, including dense tropical growth and valuable teak in lower Myanmar, cover over 49% of the country, including areas of acacia, bamboo, ironwood and Magnolia champaca. Coconut and betel palm and rubber have been introduced. In the highlands of the north, oak, pine and various rhododendrons cover much of the land.[116]

 

Heavy logging since the new 1995 forestry law went into effect has seriously reduced forest acreage and wildlife habitat.[117] The lands along the coast support all varieties of tropical fruits and once had large areas of mangroves although much of the protective mangroves have disappeared. In much of central Myanmar (the Dry Zone), vegetation is sparse and stunted.

 

Typical jungle animals, particularly tigers, occur sparsely in Myanmar. In upper Myanmar, there are rhinoceros, wild water buffalo, clouded leopard, wild boars, deer, antelope, and elephants, which are also tamed or bred in captivity for use as work animals, particularly in the lumber industry. Smaller mammals are also numerous, ranging from gibbons and monkeys to flying foxes. The abundance of birds is notable with over 800 species, including parrots, myna, peafowl, red junglefowl, weaverbirds, crows, herons, and barn owl. Among reptile species there are crocodiles, geckos, cobras, Burmese pythons, and turtles. Hundreds of species of freshwater fish are wide-ranging, plentiful and are very important food sources.[118] For a list of protected areas, see List of protected areas of Myanmar.

Government and politics

Main article: Politics of Myanmar

Assembly of the Union (Pyidaungsu Hluttaw)

 

The constitution of Myanmar, its third since independence, was drafted by its military rulers and published in September 2008. The country is governed as a parliamentary system with a bicameral legislature (with an executive President accountable to the legislature), with 25% of the legislators appointed by the military and the rest elected in general elections.

Farm implement near McBaine in rural Boone County Missouri by Notley Hawkins Photography. Taken with a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV camera with a Canon EF8-15mm f/4L FISHEYE USM lens at ƒ/4.0 with a 143 second exposure at ISO 100. Processed with Adobe Lightroom 6.4.

 

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Rolleiflex 3.5F Xenotar with Tri-X developed in HC-110 dilution B

www.kirtecarterfinearthotography.com

A Springfield Model 1903 and it’s replacement, the M1 Garand rifle. The receiver of this Springfield rifle was forged in 1933 and that of the Garand in 1940. The M1911A1 pistol is a modern production.

Farm implement near Glasgow in rural Saline County Missouri by Notley Hawkins Photography. Taken with a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV camera with a Canon EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens at ƒ/4.0 with a 150 second exposure at ISO 100. Processed with Adobe Lightroom CC.

 

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Implement Dealership - Ree Heights, SD

Farm implement near McBaine in rural Boone County Missouri by Notley Hawkins Photography. Taken with a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV camera with a Canon EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens at ƒ/4.0 with a 161 second exposure at ISO 100. Processed with Adobe Lightroom 6.4.

 

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National Trust. Calke Abbey, Derbyshire.

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on a long-abandoned farm

Tractor with farm implement near McBaine in Boone County, Missouri. Photography by Notley Hawkins. Taken with a Canon EOS R5 camera with a Canon RF15-35mm F2.8 L IS USM lens at ƒ/2.8 with a 1/160-second exposure at ISO 50. Processed with Adobe Lightroom Classic.

 

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Farm implement near Glasgow in rural Saline County Missouri by Notley Hawkins Photography. Taken with a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV camera with a Canon EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens at ƒ/4.0 with a 183 second exposure at ISO 200. Processed with Adobe Lightroom CC.

 

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Dice are implements used for generating random numbers in a variety of social and gambling games. Known since antiquity, dice have been called the oldest gaming instruments. They are typically cube-shaped and marked with one to six dots on each face. The most common method of dice manufacture involves injection molding of plastic followed by painting.

 

Dice have been used for gaming and divination purposes for thousands of years. Evidence found in Egyptian tombs has suggested that this civilization used them as early as 2000 b.c. Other data shows that primitive civilizations throughout the Americas also used dice. These dice were composed of ankle bones from various animals. Marked on four faces, they were likely used as magical devices that could predict the future. The ancient Greeks and Romans used dice made of bone and ivory. The dice of most of these early cultures were made in numerous shapes and sizes.

 

The modern day cubical dice originated in China and have been dated back as early as 600 b.c. They were most likely introduced to Europe by Marco Polo during the fourteenth century.

I rolled the clock back to an earlier portrait shot taken when we arrived before I tracked up the snow. We returned for eDDie's "better light;" I don't have a problem with this light. I used three layers to pull it out and include those great reflections on the ditch and pond. Nice pool... no fish. It even shows the sculpting on the snow. No one could believe the number of gravel pits that ripped up farm land beyond view. I have recently been tied up in several other projects. I pounded a lot of effort into them. That might be easing up.

 

If I see other things of interest, I'll go shoot them as long as eDDie doesn't light out after me with a switch. He's gonna throttle me! I bet eDDie got some good shots before I tracked it all up; check his site. I buzzed all around Four Mile Farm and Valmont to shoot the remaining rail yard and the old stage stop in the snow.

 

I energized for the snow day and am still into my snow series, reveling in some actual area snow and recent snow day with eDDie. Since then we had yet another snow panic; over a foot was promised but was pinched that down 4 inches of wet snow that shrunk to 2 by morning. I personally sent the storm to Texas to quench their drought and now Houston is trying to sue me; I'm pointing the finger at the Kochs. Why can't Texas get on with their seceding from the union; I'd sign the petition! Snow in Colorado; who'da thunk it. What's going to happen to the ecosystem and environment next? Even the Ring of Fire is being resized!

 

Originally, this site must have been a ranch along the stage route and the Boulder Valley branch of the Union Pacific. Old farm implements are in the distance. There was haying here to support the stage station at Valmont. Was the Four Mile Farm rake originally horse drawn? Perhaps not. This does support the image of the area's transportation history though. I bet the old tractor is not that old.

 

The now disappearing agricultural town and travel stop of Valmont was just south of here; agriculture around Longmont also continued thrived. I suppose that the coal field connection just to the east had a role in early travel. Also the old stage route into Valmont and Boulder coursed through here. Ranches had to supply feed for the stage stop. See some of my other Valmont images. This must have been a busy route when the stage had to start competing with the new rail route. The Valmont stage station is nearby Four Mile Farm.

  

---- some short stories, collected while walking down the street ... in search of fleeting moments ...(they are photographic shots taken one-two months ago, scenes of daily life obviously captured before the current restrictions, implemented to stem the spread of the now worldwide infection caused by the covid-19) ....

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---- alcune storie minime, raccolte camminando per la strada ... alla ricerca di attimi fugaci-s/fuggenti ... (sono scatti fotografici realizzati uno-due mesi addietro, scene di vita quotidiana catturate ovviamente prima delle attuali restrizioni, attuate per arginare il dilagare della infezione oramai mondiale, causata dal covid-19) ....

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click to activate the icon of slideshow: the small triangle inscribed in the small rectangle, at the top right, in the photostream;

 

clicca sulla piccola icona per attivare lo slideshow: sulla facciata principale del photostream, in alto a destra c'è un piccolo rettangolo (rappresenta il monitor) con dentro un piccolo triangolo nero;

  

Qi Bo's photos on Fluidr

  

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Unusually large mataa in Mauŋa Orito obsidian (the type most often used for them) found by me in Haŋa Maihiku and now in the Museo Sebastian Englert. Mataa are believed by many to have been spearheads but were more probably some kind of scraping / cutting too.

brooms and broomsticks for sale at a roadside

Photo captured via Minolta MD Tele Rokkor-X 200mm F/4 Lens. Okanogan Highlands Region. Inland Northwest. Okanogan County, Washington. Early February 2018.

 

Exposure Time: 1/640 sec. * ISO Speed: ISO-200 * Aperture: F/8 * Bracketing: None * Color Temperature: 5500 K * Film Plug-In: Kodak Portra 160 NC

have a happy weekend, even spring is taking a break (here in germany)...

 

The Setep implement was used during the ceremony of the Opening of the Mouth, giving back to the deceased energy and vitality, before placing the mummy in the tomb.

 

Wood, Deir el Bahari.

IMPLEMENTATION OF A PHANTOM IN THE SHELL / THE FINAL / CHRISTELLE GEISER & AEON VON ZARK / NAKED EYE PROJECT BIENNE / ALTERED STATE SERIE / THE WEIRD DREAM / PORTRAIT.

This shot of the horse-drawn plow is a test using the 24-70mm Nano-coated Nikkor zoom as opposed to the old manual 55mm Micro-Nikkor. The implements stand on the path to the barn. Days of duty are gone. I'd like to see some of the horse-drawn gear in operation at the agricultural museum.

 

The red Dickens barn in the background was moved here from the Dickens farm that became Longmont's FAA property. I wanted to catch the spirit of the McIntosh/Lohr Museum. William Henry Dickens was the extra-industrious side of the family. The other side of the family, cousins, were the Parker family out in Brown's Park, north-east Colorado. They were not so industrious and one changed his name to an alias to protect the family name.

 

I gained new interest in the Dickens branch of the family when I did some research and found William H. was the grandson of Charles Dickens, English author. I have still been unable to link him to his cousin, Leroy Parker, in Colorado's northwest in the day. A few know the Parker son by his stage name - see comments. Parker must have been related to Flynn or Trumpf. At least Mueller is giving Flynn violin and singing lessons while the Russian Mafia is measuring Trump's kneecaps.

 

The series slipped over to recent takes at Mac, as long as I have a long way to go on the genealogy, scanning, retouching and documenting journey that has cost me months so far, sheesh. I recently took more genealogy pix. I traveled out here just to shoot this but got tied into the fall cleanup. I even had to clean up the mess I made scrunching to get this shot..

 

The Ag Museum is still open for first Saturdays through the winter. I have some nice snow job shots last winter. It's probably time for a leisurely stroll down to Mac Lake. I loaded up with autumn captures this year in general and accessed the only snow Saturday last winter. As always, it's a great spot for exercise and access to Mac Lake. There is always something more at Mcintosh but I won't search today. I apparently can't find everything in a single pass. I like the natural patina of the rusting tones as they were. There is great diversity in those tones.

  

For this month's Bus Stop Of The Month, we are going to stop 6116 on St. Margaret's Road, near Charlestown. This stop is located near the roundabout at Lanesborough. The last bus route to serve this road (that I can determine) was route 40B. This was the 40B to Toberburr that ceased to operate in 2009, and not the current 40B to Toberburr that started in 2011. The 40B used to access Finglas Village via this road and Jamestown Road. In May 2009, the route ceased to operate and was replaced by new route 240 which ran from Toberburr to Cappagh Hospital. This was a very confusing route, as initially it was due to terminate in Deanstown before the decision was taken to extend to Cappagh Hospital. Also, it was planned to follow the old 40B routing via St. Margaret's Road and Jamestown Road, but when the route was implemented it went down St. Margaret's Road passing Charlestown Shopping Centre and McKelvey Avenue instead. However, reports from the first few days of the route saw buses using either routing between Finglas and the Lanesborough roundabout. So stop 6116 was planned to be used by the 240, then when route started it wasn't, but there is a chance it was. It should come as no surprise that route 240 did not last very long. Having started in May 2009, it was withdrawn in September 2009. Certain departures on route 40 were extended to Toberburr, and in 2011 the 40B returned but did not go via Jamestown Road.

However, the story may not end there for this bus stop. Under Bus Connects, this stretch of road is due to be served by routes E2 and the 23. So stop 6116 may have a future yet.

04/03/2023

Abandoned Implement in the gold sun.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

An abandoned farm implement near Overton in Cooper County Missouri by Notley Hawkins Photography. Taken with a Canon EOS 5D Mark III camera with a EF16-35mm f/4L IS USM lens at f.4.0 with a .5 second exposure at ISO 800 along with three Quantum Qflash Trios with red, green and blue gels. Processed with Adobe Lightroom 6.4.

 

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Sometimes I come up with an idea for a photo, implement and get a satisfactory result, which I often will post to Flickr. Usually though I do not stop trying that idea after the initial success, because even if a do not produce a "better" image with subsequent efforts, I will at least produce different images. This is the result of a second or third attempt, I honestly do not remember which. But I start in the middle...

 

Once in a while I like using a double exposure technique where the first image is taken perfectly in focus and a second exposure is made over that completely out of focus. If everything works out, it can have a lovely surreal or otherworldly effect, as seen here and here. Sometimes I just do it because I have seen a particular landscape so many times that I just want to try something new, such as here with Narada Falls. And sometimes surprisingly the effect is so slight as to hardly be noticeable at all, yet still producing a dramatically different image than a single exposure would have granted, such as these two shots. Regardless, it is a fun, and surprising (in its results) way of photographing a familiar landscape. Easy to do with both film and digital cameras, a way to escape the bounds of the box and do something different with your camera, which is what I am constantly trying to do, no matter which camera I have happened to pick up. I like finding ways to make these machines work for me, and not vice versa. But now I stray...

 

So sometime this past April I was out at the Woodburn Tulip Festival, which happens to border a giant hazelnut grove. Sometimes I enjoy the groves more than the fields, especially once noon rolls around and the fields are swarming with people. I can only handle so many parents ignoring the no pick signs while they happily wave at their children mowing down a row of tulips single-handedly. In contrast, these groves, while only a couple of minutes away, and in plain sight of the fields are almost always completely deserted. So I wandered over one day, and one thing led to another, and before I knew it I had made some double exposed shots of these groves. I was fairly satisfied with at least one of the pictures and posted it here. But then I ended up back out there, and never one to let initial successes dampen my sense of further exploration, tried again, this time with my Pentax 67. Those familiar with the camera probably wonder how I pulled this off as the camera does not allow double exposures. Very true. In this case I actually made two exposures on slide film, each a stop over exposed so the slides would be a bit lighter, then layered them together and scanned them in as a single slide. The nifty thing with this method is you can actually position the two slides independently of one another, and believe me, this can have a dramatic result on the final effect. So then I came away with this shot, which I like better than the original, but did not get around to posting again until tonight.

 

Phew, and that is the story behind this one. This is one that really gains something viewed large by the way. Enjoy.

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