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This was my first visit to Alive & V-Dubbin and I loved it, will definately return in future years!

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Another day in the Abbey. Didn't edit this one, might do in future.

Gerry Leone named this town on his Bona Vista Railroad after a model railway hobby hero, former MR editor Linn Westcott. There's a bronze statue of Westcott in the town square at left. Gerry built the depot for his "Master Builder - Structures" certificate in the NMRA Achievement Program, and it features a fully-detailed interior. Look for a series on building this town in future issues of Model Railroader magazine.

Gerry is our guest on Episode 32.

www.themodelrailwayshow.com

I really enjoyed creating and planting a garden last year. I spent a lot of time standing in bare earth imagining how things might play out for shooting in future. This year has shown me a few of those ideas, yet my imagination is already set on next.

Blue Alien - Gwyllm Griffiths figure wearing regal blue fur space pimp jacket - originally from an episode titled The Sixth Finger from The Outer Limits TV series television portrait - evolution evolved future human alien creature monster Scifi sci-fi science fiction adventure action figure David McCallum giant brain big head NYC 2011 New York City 60s 50s aliens Pulp Fiction Action Vampire Vampyre villain Mysterious Figure - Sci-fi Science Fiction bubble helmet future city from the film Just Imagine similar to Metropolis or Things to Come Newspaper Science Fiction Sci-Fi comic strip hero action figure spaceman metalloglass helmet

As part of our Birthday DUB-AMS-[RTM]-AMS-HAM-[TXL]-DUB Tour in April 2016. We enjoyed our combination of planes and trains during our travels in April and would highly recommend such a mix between these two transportation options which also bring greater flexibility and add more choices on “where to go” when out and about exploring our beautiful planet incl. Aer Lingus [DUB-AMS + TXL-DUB], EasyJet [AMS-HAM] and Trains between [AMS-RTM-AMS + HAM-TXL]. Enjoy.

St Margaret took some finding. Despite it being clearly marked from the centre of the village, the lane takes the visitor past a meditation centre then beside a golf course. All with no sign of the church.

 

On first attempt, I turned the car round and went back, but no sign of the church could be seen.

 

I gave up, but hoped a warden at Tottiscliffe could help.

 

And indeed she did.

 

Upon turning into the lane, there is a wall on your left, and on the wall is a small sign pointing to the church along a long and narrow grassy lane.

 

I drove up the 400 yards to the lych gate, parked and found the church open, and a family of cyclists also enjoying it.

 

The church features many brasses and memorials to investigate and record. Also a good feature.

 

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The church was built on a narrow promontory a long way from the centre of its village and is entered through a porch with pretty bargeboards. The Norman aisleless nave was extended to the west when the present tower was built in the fifteenth century, and the former outside corner of the Norman building may be clearly seen. The Victorians heavily restored the interior but the south chapel still contains much of interest, notably the Watton memorial of 1653 which blocks the former east window, the outline of which may be seen outside. This chapel also has a good contemporary painted ceiling.

 

www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=Addington

 

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ADDINGTON.

NORTHWARD from Ofham lies Addington, written in Domesday and antient charters, Eddingtune, signifying, as I imagine, the town or territory of Adda, or Edda, its antient Saxon owner; tun in Saxon being a town or territory inclosed with a hedge or fence.

 

THE PARISH of Addington is not unpleasantly situated, for the greatest part on high ground, adjoining to the northern side of the Maidstone road, at the twenty-seventh mile stone, at a small distance from which is the small rivulet which rises at Nepecker, in Wrotham, and flowing through this parish is here called Addington brook, whence the new-built house near it takes its name of St. Vincent's, alias Addington brook, built some years ago by admiral William Parry, who resided in it till his death in 1779, he left by Lucy his wife, daughter of Charles Brown, esq. commissioner of the navy at Chatham, an only daughter, who carried it in marriage to captain William Locker, the present lieutenant-governor of Greenwich hospital. It was lately inhabited by Mr. William Hunter, but is now unoccupied.

 

Hence the ground rises, and at a small distance above it is the mansion and garden of Addington place, pleasantly situated on the side of the hill, having a lawn and avenue down to the road, from which it is a conspicuous object, behind it still higher stands the church and village, built round Addington green, over which the road leads from Trottesclive, to which and Wrotham this parish joins towards the west. The soil is a sand covering the quarry rock, but the land is most of it but poor and unfertile, especially towards the north and west parts of it, where the sand is deepest; in the latter is a small green called Addington common.

 

Here is an eelbourn, or nailbourn, as they are commonly called, the stream of which breaks out with great impetuosity once in seven or eight years, which then directs its waters along a trench, dug for this purpose, till it flows into the Leyborne rivulet, the trout of which it makes of a red colour, which otherwise are white.

 

These nailbourns, or eruptions of water, are very common in the eastern part of Kent, where the reason of their breaking forth will be particularly mentioned.

 

In a place here, called the Warren, about five hundred paces north-eastward from the church, on a little eminence, there are the remains of several large stones, placed in an oval form; seventeen of them may be easily traced, though from the distances between the stones, which are nearly equal, there must have been at least twenty to complete the oval, which consisted of only one row of stones. The sandiness of the soil has covered many of them, which can, only by guessing their distances, be found by thrusting of a stick into the ground. Such of the stones as have fallen down, have been carried away by the inhabitants for different uses. The stones are of the same kind as those of Stonehenge, and being placed in the same form, seem as if they were intended for the same use. (fn. 1)

 

About one hundred and thirty paces to the northwest of the above is another heap of large stones, tum- bled inwards one upon another. They originally consisted of six in number, and in circuit measure thirty-three paces.

 

SOON AFTER the conquest, this place was become part of the possessions of Odo, bishop of Baieux and earl of Kent, the Conqueror's half-brother, under the general title of whose lands it is thus entered in the survey of Domesday, taken about the year 1080.

 

Ralf (son of Turald) holds Eddintune of the bishop (of Baieux) for half a suling. The arable land is one carucate, and there is . . . with four borderers, and two servants, and there is one mill of twenty-three shillings. The whole manor was valued at four pounds. In the time of king Edward the Confessor, it was worth but little. Lestan held it of king Edward, and after his death turned himself over to Alnod Cilt, and now it is in dispute.

 

And a little further thus:

 

Ralf, son of Turald, holds Eddintune of the bishop (of Baieux). It was taxed at two sulings and an half. The arable land is five carucates, in demesne there are two, and six villeins, with nine borderers, having one carucate. There is a church and ten servants, and two mills of eleven shillings and two-pence, and twelve acres of meadow, wood for the pannage of ten hogs. In the time of king Edward the Confessor it was worth eight pounds, when he received it one hundred shillings, now six pounds. Agelred held it of king Edward.

 

These were plainly, by the descriptions, two separate estates, and both certainly, by their names, in this parish, and held by the same person. On the disgrace of the bishop of Baieux, about four years afterwards, they became, among the rest of his possessions, confiscated to the crown. Soon after which they seem to have been held as one manor, by William de Gurnay, and afterwards by Galiena de Gurnay, his grandchild; they were succeeded in the possession of this place by the family of Mandeville, or De Magna Villa, as the name was written in Latin, who held it of the family of Montchensie, as capital lords of the fee.

 

But this family was extinct here in the next reign of king Edward II. for Roger del Escheker was owner of it in the 7th year of it, (fn. 2) who assumed his name from his hereditary office of usher of the exchequer, whence he was called del Eschequer, de la Chekere, and de Scaccario. (fn. 3) John de la Chekere possessed it in the first year of king Edward III. in which he was succeeded by Nicholas de Daggeworth, (fn. 4) whose ancestor, John de Daggeworth, had married Maud, one of the sisters and coheirs of Simon del Exchequer. At the accession of king Richard II. he was made of his privy council, and afterwards steward of his houshold, keeper of the great seal, and treasurer of England. (fn. 5) He bore for his arms, Sable, a lion rampant, argent, crowned or, with proper difference.

 

In the 20th year of king Edward III. he paid aid for this manor, which Robert de Scaccario before held in Addington, of Warine de Montchensie, as of his manor of Swanscombe. He alienated it, before the end of that reign, to Sir Hugh de Segrave, knight batchelor, and he conveyed it to Richard Charles, who died in the 2d year of king Richard II. anno 1378, and lies buried in this church, leaving his brother's sons, Richard and John, his next heirs.

 

Richard Charles, the eldest brother, possessed this manor, whose son, Robert Charles, dying without manor, whose son, Robert Charles, dying without issue, his two sisters became his coheirs, Alice, married to William Snayth, and Joane to Richard Orme- skirke; and upon the division of their inheritance, this manor fell to the share of William Snayth, commonly called Snette, sheriff in the 9th year of king Henry IV. who kept his shrievalty at his manor-house of Addington, bearing for his arms, Argent, a chevron between three birds heads erased, sable; two years after which he died, and was buried, with Alice his wife, in this church. He left an only daughter and heir Alice, who carried this manor, with the rest of his estates, in marriage to Robert Watton, who thenceforward resided at Addington. He was descended from ancestors, who held lands in the parish of Ridley in the 20th year of king Edward III. and bore for his arms, Argent, a lion rampant, gules, debruised with a bend, sable, charged with three cross-croslets fitchee, argent. He died possessed of the manor, and patronage of the church of Addington in the year 1444, anno 23 king Henry VI. and was buried in this church.

 

His descendant, Thomas Watton, esq. of Addington, procured his lands in this county to be disgavelled by the act of 2d and 3d of king Edward VI. and in his descendants, residents at this place, who on their deaths were all buried in this church, (fn. 6) and his manor, with the patronage of this church, continued down to Edmund Watton, esq. of Addington, who left an only daughter and heir Elizabeth, who marrying Leonard Bartholomew, second son of Leonard Bartholomew, esq. of Oxenhoath, entitled him to this estate. He had by her two sons; Edmund, who died unmarried; and Leonard, who will be mentioned hereafter. On his death she again became possessed of this estate, which she carried in marriage to her second husband, Sir Roger Twisden, bart. of Bradbourn, whom she likewise survived, and dying in 1775, was succeeded in it by her only surviving son by her first husband, Leonard Bartholomew, esq. who resides at Addington-place, where he served the office of sheriff in 1790, bearing for his arms, Or, three goats erased sable. He married the daughter of Mr. Wildash, of Chatham, widow of Mr. Thornton, of East-Malling, by whom he has an only daughter, married in 1797 to the hon. captain John Wingfield, brother to the lord viscount Powerscourt, of the kingdom of Ireland.

 

There is a court leet and court baron held for this manor, which is held of the manor of Swanscombe by castle-guard to the castle of Rochester.

 

CHARITIES.

A PERSON UNKNOWN gave to the use of the poor the annual sum of 15s. arising from land vested in Leonard Bartholomew, esq. and now of that annual product.

 

ADDINGTON is within the ECCLESIASTICAL JURISDICTION of the diocese of Rochester and deanry of Malling.

 

The church has a handsome tower steeple at the west end. It is dedicated to St. Margaret. The present building was erected in 1403, as appears by the following inscription on the wall of it:

In fourteen hundred and none,

Here was neither stick nor stone;

In fourteen hundred and three,

The goodly building which you see.

 

The church of Addington has always been an appendage to the manor, and as such this rectory is now in the patronage of Leonard Bartholomew, esq.

 

It is endowed with all tithes whatsoever.

 

It is valued in the king's books at 6l. 6s. 8d. and the yearly tenths at 12s. 8d.

 

William de Gurnay gave to the church and priory of St. Andrew, in Rochester, in pure and perpetual alms, certain tithes of the demesnes of his parish of Edintune; but they lying so dispersed, that they could not be conveniently gathered by the monks, though they could be easily collected by the parson of this church: therefore it was agreed, that the parson of it should pay the yearly sum of five shillings to the monks of Rochester, on St. Andrew's day, for them. (fn. 7)

 

This pension, after the dissolution of the priory in the 31st year of king Henry VIII. was surrendered into the king's hands, who granted it two years afterwards by his dotation charter, to his new-erected dean and chapter of Rochester, to which it continues to be paid at this time.

 

¶It appears by the endowment of the vicarage of Hadlow, in this county, in 1287, that the rector of that parish had been used, beyond memory, to pay yearly the sum of eighteen-pence to the rector of this church, which payment the vicar of Hadlow was enjoined to pay in future. (fn. 8)

 

www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-kent/vol4/pp542-548

I worked very hard today to get this shot. I learned some new tricks along the way which will come in handy in future. Taken with macro lens and 36mm extension tube.

Berlin boasts two zoological gardens, a consequence of decades of political and administrative division of the city. The older one, called Zoo Berlin, founded in 1844, is situated in what is now called the "City West". It is the most species-rich zoo worldwide. The other one, called Tierpark Berlin ("Animal Park"), was established on the long abandoned premises of Friedrichsfelde Manor Park in the eastern borough of Lichtenberg, in 1954. Covering 160 ha, it is the largest landcape zoo in Europe.

 

Rund 15 Prozent der Erdoberfläche werden von Savannen bedeckt. Damit gehören sie zu den größten und wichtigsten Lebensräumen des Planeten. Seit dem 26. Mai 2023 wird Besucher*innen im Tierpark Berlin ein Einblick in diese faszinierende Landschaft gewährt und sie können mehr über die unterschiedlichen Bewohner der ostafrikanischen Savanne und ihren natürlichen Lebensraum erfahren.

Ein wahrer Höhepunkt der neuen Tierpark-Savanne ist der 120 Meter lange Giraffenpfad: Hier werden die Gäste den bis zu fünf Meter hohen Grazien der Savanne zukünftig auf Augenhöhe begegnen können – wer sich traut, bahnt sich den Weg durch den Wald bis zu den Aussichtsplattformen über eine abenteuerliche Hängebrücke. Der Tierpark Berlin erreicht mit der Eröffnung der Afrikanischen Savannenlandschaft ein neues Etappenziel auf seinem Weg zu einem Zoo der Zukunft. Seit knapp neun Jahren wird der 1955 gegründete und 160 Hektar große Tierpark Berlin zu einem naturnahen Geozoo umgebaut. Um einen Einblick in den Lebensraum der einzelnen Tierarten und deren Interaktionen, Besonderheiten und Problematiken zu ermöglichen, werden die Tiere im Tierpark größtenteils nach geografischen Gesichtspunkten zu sehen sein.

 

www.tierpark-berlin.de/de/aktuelles/alle-news/artikel/wil...

 

Around 15 per cent of the earth's surface is covered by savannahs. This makes them one of the largest and most important habitats on the planet. Since 26 May 2023, visitors to Tierpark Berlin have been given an insight into this fascinating landscape and can learn more about the different inhabitants of the East African savannah and their natural habitat.

A true highlight of the new zoo savannah is the 120-metre-long giraffe trail: here, guests will be able to meet the up to five-metre-high graces of the savannah at eye level in future - those who dare will make their way through the forest to the viewing platforms via an adventurous suspension bridge. With the opening of the African Savannah Landscape, Tierpark Berlin has reached a new milestone on its way to becoming a zoo of the future. For almost nine years, the 160-hectare Tierpark Berlin, which was founded in 1955, has been transformed into a near-natural geozoo. In order to provide an insight into the habitat of the individual animal species and their interactions, peculiarities and problems, the animals in the zoo will largely be seen according to geographical aspects. www.tierpark-berlin.

 

de/de/aktuelles/alle-news/artikel/wil...

18 June 2023, Tallinn, Estonia: His All Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew of the Ecumenical Patriarchate delivers a keynote speech on the topic of 'What are our Ecumenical tasks in future Europe?' at the 2023 CEC General Assembly, which takes place in Tallinn, Estonia on 14-20 June under the theme of: 'Under God's blessing – shaping the future'. Photo: Albin Hillert/CEC

Flat of seedlings in various stages of germination.

 

After the beginning of fall term at UH Mānoa I was really delighted to see heavy seed set on the old Brownea macrophylla (they have it mislabelled as B. coccinea) tree near the Sinclair Library. At first I simply picked up 3 seeds that had freshly fallen to sow for myself. However, each day after class I noticed that more seeds kept dropping and baking in the sun, rendering them dead within a few days in the hot sunlight also causing them to emit a strong unpleasant odour! There was no sign that anyone had interest in salvaging hundreds of valuable seeds of this beautiful and rarely grown species. Even in the shade these seeds have a short viability period.

 

Over the course of a few weeks, a few days each week after my last class of the day, I checked beneath the tree for seeds that might still be viable. After a few weeks I had collected and sown around 70 seeds into individual 4" pots. About half of the seeds had germinated by the 9 week mark. I delivered all the seedlings produced to Lyon Arboretum (part of UHM) in January with the hope that they will be sold in future plant sales. It would make me quite happy to see this species make its way into more O'ahu gardens and in doing so, bring in extra dollars to the arboretum.

 

As with some other leguminous rainforest species with very large cotyledons, I found that this species is hypogeal, and sometimes these large seeds send up more than one stem simultaneously from a single seed upon germination.

 

Brownea macrophylla is a enchanting rainforest tree endemic to Panama and Colombia. Margaret Barwick, author of the fantastic book “Tropical and Subtropical Trees” aptly employs adjectives such as “glamorous”, “sumptuous”, and “billowy” in her description of this South American genus. This splendid species deserves much wider cultivation in tropical gardens and is still quite rare outside of botanical gardens in Hawai'i.

 

This legume belongs to a group of tropical trees informally dubbed as 'handkerchief trees”, owing to the ornamental habit of their newly emergent leaves which hang as light-coloured limp tassels, quite soft to the touch. Such flushes of new growth can be just as showy as their flame-coloured blossoms. As leaves and new stems mature, they erect themselves upright from a pendent position. Its evergreen leaves are a deep green. A true understorey rainforest species, this species requires decent humidity, protection from strong winds and dry soil. It is slow-growing and only after many decades can it reach a maximum height of 20m.

 

In mid-summer spectacular hemispherical inflorescences emerge directly from the oldest branches, and even low down on its trunk (cauliflory). Pollinated by hummingbirds, these stunning flowers consist of scarlet red petals contrasted with long bright orange stamens.

www.usaraf.army.mil

 

Senior Ugandan general meets with U.S. Army Africa leaders; continues cooperative partnership

 

VICENZA, Italy – When Ugandan Brig. Gen. Silver Kayemba arrived at U.S. Army Africa headquarters on April 27, he was met by familiar faces.

 

Kayemba, 53, the chief of training and operations for the Ugandan People’s Defense Force, was a key player during Natural Fire 10, a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief exercise co-led by the UPDF and U.S. Army Africa, held in Uganda in Oct. 2009.

 

“This visit strengthens our relationship with the U.S. Armed Forces, particularly with U.S. Army Africa,” Kayemba said. “We are looking forward to even closer cooperation in the future.”

 

One of the first people Kayemba met was Maj. Gen. William B. Garrett III, commander of U.S. Army Africa.

 

“As part of our engagement strategy, U.S. Army Africa invites senior military leaders from partner land forces to see how our command operates,” Garrett said. “We create opportunities to discuss the way forward, as the U.S. Army continues to work with Ugandan land forces to strengthen their capacity to support security missions in Africa.”

 

U.S. Army Africa leaders briefed Kayemba on the command’s mission, its ongoing partnerships with African land forces to foster securing, stability and peace on the African continent. During his two-day visit, Kayemba also toured Caserma Ederle, stopping first at training simulators used by Soldiers prior to deploying.

 

In 2006, Kayemba visited several military sites in the United States, to include the Pentagon, National Defense University, and a U.S. Marine Corps base. As a junior officer then, Kayemba also attended the basic transportation officer course in the United States.

 

During Natural Fire, Kayemba served as exercise deputy director and worked closely with Garrett.

 

“We’ve been reviewing lessons learned from Natural Fire,” Kayemba said. “We are going to benefit from what I’ve seen here and I look forward to working with U.S. Army Africa in future.”

  

U.S. Army Photo - Cleared for public release.

St Margaret took some finding. Despite it being clearly marked from the centre of the village, the lane takes the visitor past a meditation centre then beside a golf course. All with no sign of the church.

 

On first attempt, I turned the car round and went back, but no sign of the church could be seen.

 

I gave up, but hoped a warden at Tottiscliffe could help.

 

And indeed she did.

 

Upon turning into the lane, there is a wall on your left, and on the wall is a small sign pointing to the church along a long and narrow grassy lane.

 

I drove up the 400 yards to the lych gate, parked and found the church open, and a family of cyclists also enjoying it.

 

The church features many brasses and memorials to investigate and record. Also a good feature.

 

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The church was built on a narrow promontory a long way from the centre of its village and is entered through a porch with pretty bargeboards. The Norman aisleless nave was extended to the west when the present tower was built in the fifteenth century, and the former outside corner of the Norman building may be clearly seen. The Victorians heavily restored the interior but the south chapel still contains much of interest, notably the Watton memorial of 1653 which blocks the former east window, the outline of which may be seen outside. This chapel also has a good contemporary painted ceiling.

 

www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=Addington

 

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ADDINGTON.

NORTHWARD from Ofham lies Addington, written in Domesday and antient charters, Eddingtune, signifying, as I imagine, the town or territory of Adda, or Edda, its antient Saxon owner; tun in Saxon being a town or territory inclosed with a hedge or fence.

 

THE PARISH of Addington is not unpleasantly situated, for the greatest part on high ground, adjoining to the northern side of the Maidstone road, at the twenty-seventh mile stone, at a small distance from which is the small rivulet which rises at Nepecker, in Wrotham, and flowing through this parish is here called Addington brook, whence the new-built house near it takes its name of St. Vincent's, alias Addington brook, built some years ago by admiral William Parry, who resided in it till his death in 1779, he left by Lucy his wife, daughter of Charles Brown, esq. commissioner of the navy at Chatham, an only daughter, who carried it in marriage to captain William Locker, the present lieutenant-governor of Greenwich hospital. It was lately inhabited by Mr. William Hunter, but is now unoccupied.

 

Hence the ground rises, and at a small distance above it is the mansion and garden of Addington place, pleasantly situated on the side of the hill, having a lawn and avenue down to the road, from which it is a conspicuous object, behind it still higher stands the church and village, built round Addington green, over which the road leads from Trottesclive, to which and Wrotham this parish joins towards the west. The soil is a sand covering the quarry rock, but the land is most of it but poor and unfertile, especially towards the north and west parts of it, where the sand is deepest; in the latter is a small green called Addington common.

 

Here is an eelbourn, or nailbourn, as they are commonly called, the stream of which breaks out with great impetuosity once in seven or eight years, which then directs its waters along a trench, dug for this purpose, till it flows into the Leyborne rivulet, the trout of which it makes of a red colour, which otherwise are white.

 

These nailbourns, or eruptions of water, are very common in the eastern part of Kent, where the reason of their breaking forth will be particularly mentioned.

 

In a place here, called the Warren, about five hundred paces north-eastward from the church, on a little eminence, there are the remains of several large stones, placed in an oval form; seventeen of them may be easily traced, though from the distances between the stones, which are nearly equal, there must have been at least twenty to complete the oval, which consisted of only one row of stones. The sandiness of the soil has covered many of them, which can, only by guessing their distances, be found by thrusting of a stick into the ground. Such of the stones as have fallen down, have been carried away by the inhabitants for different uses. The stones are of the same kind as those of Stonehenge, and being placed in the same form, seem as if they were intended for the same use. (fn. 1)

 

About one hundred and thirty paces to the northwest of the above is another heap of large stones, tum- bled inwards one upon another. They originally consisted of six in number, and in circuit measure thirty-three paces.

 

SOON AFTER the conquest, this place was become part of the possessions of Odo, bishop of Baieux and earl of Kent, the Conqueror's half-brother, under the general title of whose lands it is thus entered in the survey of Domesday, taken about the year 1080.

 

Ralf (son of Turald) holds Eddintune of the bishop (of Baieux) for half a suling. The arable land is one carucate, and there is . . . with four borderers, and two servants, and there is one mill of twenty-three shillings. The whole manor was valued at four pounds. In the time of king Edward the Confessor, it was worth but little. Lestan held it of king Edward, and after his death turned himself over to Alnod Cilt, and now it is in dispute.

 

And a little further thus:

 

Ralf, son of Turald, holds Eddintune of the bishop (of Baieux). It was taxed at two sulings and an half. The arable land is five carucates, in demesne there are two, and six villeins, with nine borderers, having one carucate. There is a church and ten servants, and two mills of eleven shillings and two-pence, and twelve acres of meadow, wood for the pannage of ten hogs. In the time of king Edward the Confessor it was worth eight pounds, when he received it one hundred shillings, now six pounds. Agelred held it of king Edward.

 

These were plainly, by the descriptions, two separate estates, and both certainly, by their names, in this parish, and held by the same person. On the disgrace of the bishop of Baieux, about four years afterwards, they became, among the rest of his possessions, confiscated to the crown. Soon after which they seem to have been held as one manor, by William de Gurnay, and afterwards by Galiena de Gurnay, his grandchild; they were succeeded in the possession of this place by the family of Mandeville, or De Magna Villa, as the name was written in Latin, who held it of the family of Montchensie, as capital lords of the fee.

 

But this family was extinct here in the next reign of king Edward II. for Roger del Escheker was owner of it in the 7th year of it, (fn. 2) who assumed his name from his hereditary office of usher of the exchequer, whence he was called del Eschequer, de la Chekere, and de Scaccario. (fn. 3) John de la Chekere possessed it in the first year of king Edward III. in which he was succeeded by Nicholas de Daggeworth, (fn. 4) whose ancestor, John de Daggeworth, had married Maud, one of the sisters and coheirs of Simon del Exchequer. At the accession of king Richard II. he was made of his privy council, and afterwards steward of his houshold, keeper of the great seal, and treasurer of England. (fn. 5) He bore for his arms, Sable, a lion rampant, argent, crowned or, with proper difference.

 

In the 20th year of king Edward III. he paid aid for this manor, which Robert de Scaccario before held in Addington, of Warine de Montchensie, as of his manor of Swanscombe. He alienated it, before the end of that reign, to Sir Hugh de Segrave, knight batchelor, and he conveyed it to Richard Charles, who died in the 2d year of king Richard II. anno 1378, and lies buried in this church, leaving his brother's sons, Richard and John, his next heirs.

 

Richard Charles, the eldest brother, possessed this manor, whose son, Robert Charles, dying without manor, whose son, Robert Charles, dying without issue, his two sisters became his coheirs, Alice, married to William Snayth, and Joane to Richard Orme- skirke; and upon the division of their inheritance, this manor fell to the share of William Snayth, commonly called Snette, sheriff in the 9th year of king Henry IV. who kept his shrievalty at his manor-house of Addington, bearing for his arms, Argent, a chevron between three birds heads erased, sable; two years after which he died, and was buried, with Alice his wife, in this church. He left an only daughter and heir Alice, who carried this manor, with the rest of his estates, in marriage to Robert Watton, who thenceforward resided at Addington. He was descended from ancestors, who held lands in the parish of Ridley in the 20th year of king Edward III. and bore for his arms, Argent, a lion rampant, gules, debruised with a bend, sable, charged with three cross-croslets fitchee, argent. He died possessed of the manor, and patronage of the church of Addington in the year 1444, anno 23 king Henry VI. and was buried in this church.

 

His descendant, Thomas Watton, esq. of Addington, procured his lands in this county to be disgavelled by the act of 2d and 3d of king Edward VI. and in his descendants, residents at this place, who on their deaths were all buried in this church, (fn. 6) and his manor, with the patronage of this church, continued down to Edmund Watton, esq. of Addington, who left an only daughter and heir Elizabeth, who marrying Leonard Bartholomew, second son of Leonard Bartholomew, esq. of Oxenhoath, entitled him to this estate. He had by her two sons; Edmund, who died unmarried; and Leonard, who will be mentioned hereafter. On his death she again became possessed of this estate, which she carried in marriage to her second husband, Sir Roger Twisden, bart. of Bradbourn, whom she likewise survived, and dying in 1775, was succeeded in it by her only surviving son by her first husband, Leonard Bartholomew, esq. who resides at Addington-place, where he served the office of sheriff in 1790, bearing for his arms, Or, three goats erased sable. He married the daughter of Mr. Wildash, of Chatham, widow of Mr. Thornton, of East-Malling, by whom he has an only daughter, married in 1797 to the hon. captain John Wingfield, brother to the lord viscount Powerscourt, of the kingdom of Ireland.

 

There is a court leet and court baron held for this manor, which is held of the manor of Swanscombe by castle-guard to the castle of Rochester.

 

CHARITIES.

A PERSON UNKNOWN gave to the use of the poor the annual sum of 15s. arising from land vested in Leonard Bartholomew, esq. and now of that annual product.

 

ADDINGTON is within the ECCLESIASTICAL JURISDICTION of the diocese of Rochester and deanry of Malling.

 

The church has a handsome tower steeple at the west end. It is dedicated to St. Margaret. The present building was erected in 1403, as appears by the following inscription on the wall of it:

In fourteen hundred and none,

Here was neither stick nor stone;

In fourteen hundred and three,

The goodly building which you see.

 

The church of Addington has always been an appendage to the manor, and as such this rectory is now in the patronage of Leonard Bartholomew, esq.

 

It is endowed with all tithes whatsoever.

 

It is valued in the king's books at 6l. 6s. 8d. and the yearly tenths at 12s. 8d.

 

William de Gurnay gave to the church and priory of St. Andrew, in Rochester, in pure and perpetual alms, certain tithes of the demesnes of his parish of Edintune; but they lying so dispersed, that they could not be conveniently gathered by the monks, though they could be easily collected by the parson of this church: therefore it was agreed, that the parson of it should pay the yearly sum of five shillings to the monks of Rochester, on St. Andrew's day, for them. (fn. 7)

 

This pension, after the dissolution of the priory in the 31st year of king Henry VIII. was surrendered into the king's hands, who granted it two years afterwards by his dotation charter, to his new-erected dean and chapter of Rochester, to which it continues to be paid at this time.

 

¶It appears by the endowment of the vicarage of Hadlow, in this county, in 1287, that the rector of that parish had been used, beyond memory, to pay yearly the sum of eighteen-pence to the rector of this church, which payment the vicar of Hadlow was enjoined to pay in future. (fn. 8)

 

www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-kent/vol4/pp542-548

Villagers Celebrate The Historic US Supreme Court’s Verdict Which Ended The Immunity of the IFIs

March 31, 2019, Mundra: The air in Mundra filled with the slogans like Kaun Banata Hai Hindustan, Machuawara, Majdoor, Kisan! (Who makes India? Fishermen, Labourer and Farmers); Ladenge Jeetenge! (We shall fight, we shall win); Aadiwaasi Machhuawara Kisaan Ekta Zindabad! (Long live the unity of tribals, fishermen and farmers), and Poonjipatiyon Ki Dalaai Band karo! Hundreds of people from Navinal and Tagri villages of Kutch and representatives from various social movements and civil society members have gathered to celebrate the historic verdict of the US Supreme Court that ended the absolute immunity enjoyed for long by the International Financial Institutions.

“Is Development only for Tata, Ambani, and Adani? What about the fishermen from Mundra, who live in the open with huts made up of bamboo and gunny bags but feed thousands of people in and outside Gujarat,” asked Medha Patkar, senior activist, Narmada Bachao Andolan and National Alliance for the Peoples’ Movements. “Every citizen has the constitutional right to question anti-people policies,” she asserted. She further said, “We do not have any problem in discharging Sardar Sarovar (Narmada) Dam waters for the benefit of the farmers of Kutch. However, we will fight if it is given to the industries,” referring to the allocation of water for a large number of industries.

She was speaking at the public meeting, organised by the Machimar Adhikar Sangharsh Sangathan (MAAS), Mundra, which witnessed the participation of the hundreds of the villagers affected by the World Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation-funded Tata Mundra Ultra Mega Power Plant. The meeting was organised to celebrate the historic verdict of the US Supreme Court that ended the absolute immunity enjoyed for long by the International Financial Institutions.

During the occasion, representatives from various social movements and civil society members like Medha Patkar, senior activist of the Narmada Bachao Andolan; Soumya Dutta, Convenor of the Beyond Copenhagen Collective; Nitaben Mahadev, Gujarat Lok Samiti, Sanjeev Danda, Dalit Adivasi Shakti Adhikaar Manch; and Maju Varghese and Anuradha Munshi from the Working Group on International Financial Institutions (WGonIFIs) were also present to extend their solidarity and felicitate the fishermen and villagers who have been at the forefront of this historic struggle.

The petitioners of the case were garlanded and facilitated at the public meeting. Speakers after speakers alluded their courage, encountering hostilities and the broader impact of this victory to the people around the globe, making institutions like World Bank more accountable.

Speaking at the occasion, Soumya Dutta, emphasised that the recent US Supreme Court’s decision to end immunity of the International Financial Institutions is a significant victory of the people fighting to save their dignity, land and livelihood across the world. He stressed that a broader alliance of different sections of the people affected by the project be formed to fight getting justice.

Sanjeev Danda said the US Supreme Court’s verdict is a firm reminder that fishers and poor are not insects that can’t be eliminated easily. He thanked the villagers for their firm resistance against the might of the IFC and Tata.

Nitaben Mahadev expressed solidarity on behalf of organisations in Gujarat and wished the people the best to take the fight to higher heights.

Buddha Ismail Jam, the main petitioner of the case against the ongoing IFC, emphasised the need to stay together. He said, “If we continue to stay strong for the remaining struggle, nobody can snatch justice away from us.”

Gajendra Sinh Jadeja, a co-petitioner of the case and Sarpanch of the Navinal Panchayat in Mundra, listed the problems currently being faced by the fishermen, farmers and pastoralists. He said, “The production of cotton, dates, chikoo has considerably reduced due to the coal-ash, which has also adversely impacted the health of the people. Similarly, the inlet and outlet channel have increased the salinity, thus impacting agriculture. Additionally, the channel has also driven away from the fishes away from the coast, due to which, the fishermen have to travel about 25 kilometres into the sea.”

Bharat Patel, thanked the villagers, civil society and social movements across the country for their solidarity, and the Earth Rights International, for their unflinching support. He asserted that the policies of the IFIs need to be amended and said that they can’t function at the cost of the lives of people. Talking about the further course of action, he said, “We will fight till the ecology is restored; the people who lost their livelihoods are adequately compensated; and the officials of IFC and Tata Power, who conspired to destroy our lives for their greed are criminally charged.”

Background

On February 27, 2019, the Supreme Court of United States, in a historic 7-1 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court decided in Jam v. IFC that international organisations like the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank Group do not enjoy absolute immunity.

The Court’s decision marks a defining moment for the IFC – the arm of the World Bank Group that lends to the private sector. For years, the IFC has operated as if it were “above the law,” at times pursuing reckless lending projects that inflicted serious human rights abuses on local communities, and then leaving the communities to fend for themselves.

In the case of the Tata Mundra, since the beginning, the IFC recognised that the Tata Mundra coal-fired power plant is a high-risk project that could have significant adverse impacts on local communities and their environment. Despite knowing the risks, the IFC provided a critical Rs 1,800 crore (USD 450 million) loan in 2008, thus enabling the project’s construction. Despite this, the IFC failed to take reasonable steps to prevent the harms it predicted and failed to ensure that the project abided by the environmental and social safeguards.

As predicted, the plant caused significant harm to the communities living in its shadow. Construction of the plant destroyed vital sources of water used for drinking and irrigation. Coal ash has contaminated crops and fish laid out to dry, air pollutants are at levels dangerous to human health, and there has already been a rise in respiratory problems. The enormous quantity of thermal pollution – hot water released from the plant – has destroyed the local marine environment and the fish populations that fishermen rely on to support their families. Although a 2015 law required all plants to install cooling towers to minimise thermal pollution by the end of 2017, the Tata plant has failed to do so.

A nine-mile-long coal conveyor belt, which transports coal from the port to the Plant, runs next to local villages and near fishing grounds. Coal dust from the conveyor and fly ash from the plant frequently contaminate drying fish, reducing their value, damage agricultural production, and cover homes and property.

The IFC’s own internal compliance mechanism, the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO), issued a scathing report in 2013 confirming that the IFC had failed to ensure the Tata Mundra project complied with the environmental and social conditions of the IFC’s loan at virtually every stage of the project. The report recommended the IFC to take remedial action. However, the IFC’s management responded to the CAO by rejecting most of its findings and ignoring others. In a follow-up report in early 2017, the CAO observed that the IFC remained out of compliance and had failed to take any meaningful steps to remedy the situation.

The harms suffered by the people are all the more regrettable because the project made no economic sense from the beginning. In 2017, in fact, Tata Power began trying to unload a majority of its shares in the project for one rupee because of the losses it has suffered and will suffer in future. At the moment, the plant is operating much-below capacity in part because India has an oversupply of electricity.

Please visit here for more background and accessing documents related to the case.

About us:

Machimar Adhikar Sangharsh Sangathan (MAAS) is a trade union of the fish workers in Mundra and a co-petitioner in the historic Budha Jam vs IFC case.

 

Contact:

Dr Bharat Patel (Mundra, Gujarat, India)

General Secretary, Machimar Adhikar Sangharsh Sangathan

+ 91 94264 69803

bharatp1977@gmail.com

 

URL: wgonifis.net/2019/03/31/villagers-celebrate-the-historic-...

Wooden Cuties

W-011

plywood

570 pieces

38 x 54 cm

 

I make no apology for uploading multiple images of our latest puzzle, from a new brand: Wooden Cuties.

Packed in a sturdy box with an illustration of the enclosed puzzle on the front, and a 'puzzle assembly record' to fill in on the back, this brand joins the growing number of British makers using laser technology.

Nice thick pieces (although some are a little on the too-small side for me) and a good selection of whimsies, it's got a slightly loose fit which gives the 'feel' of a hand cut, push-fit puzzle.

Most of the available images aren't to my taste, but I'm hoping that there will be a larger selection in the New Year.

Will I be buying more in future? Probably!

www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/as-covid-turns-3-experts-w...

 

As COVID turns 3, experts worry where the next pandemic will come from – and if we'll be ready

 

For years, public health experts warned of the possibility of an illness spreading across the globe killing millions. After all, it had happened before.

 

Measures were in place around the world to spot early signs of a never-before-seen bug with dangerous potential.

 

That's why on Dec. 31, 2019, China notified the World Health Organization that a novel pathogen was circulating in Wuhan, the most populous city in central China. A day later, in that city of 12 million, a wet market selling live animals was shuttered because of fears it was the source of the virus that would later be named SARS-CoV-2.

 

Three years later, the risk of a deadly pathogen spreading around the world remains.

 

Now, in addition to worrying about a virus that might jump from animals to humans, experts are concerned about research accidents and – what should be unthinkable – the possibility of someone intentionally unleashing a highly contagious and lethal pathogen.

 

A pandemic has long been known to be far riskier for global security than conventional, nuclear or chemical warfare, said Lawrence Gostin, a professor of public health law at Georgetown University and a leading expert in global health.

 

"We've seen that play out with COVID and COVID is far from the worst pandemic threat that we face," he said.

 

Although it has so far killed more than 6.6 million people worldwide, other pandemics have been more lethal. The 1918 flu, for instance, is estimated to have cost 50 million lives across the globe, and in the 14th century, the Black Death killed between 30% and 60% of all Europeans in just four years.

 

Public health and national defense experts worry the next pandemic will come at an even higher price than this one. And the nation needs to be ready.

 

"It's incumbent on the United States and other countries to be prepared for whatever comes from biology, whether it's from nature or from engineering or a laboratory accident," said Dr. Tom Inglesby, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security at the Bloomberg School of Public Health.

 

The next pandemic could be worse

 

Gostin sees nature as the most likely source of the next pandemic. A highly lethal strain of bird or swine flu could mutate naturally to become contagious to humans. That scenario kept health experts like Gostin awake at night long before COVID-19.

 

But other causes are possible.

 

"We have a whole host of threats from lab leaks to bioterror to bioweapons to naturally occurring zoonotic spillovers," said Gostin, author of the 2021 book "Global Health Security: A Blueprint for the Future."

 

"All of that leads to quite a high probability that we're going to have more frequent pandemic-like threats and we need to take them seriously as a national security threat."

 

The SARS-CoV-2 virus is the third coronavirus to pose a major health threat, following the first SARS and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome – both of which are far more lethal. Another coronavirus with the contagious potential of SARS-CoV-2 and the 30% death rate of MERS would threaten the economy, supply chains and the health care system, not to mention human life.

 

And those are just the direct impacts.

 

With COVID-19, we're likely to see indirect impacts for years, as people who skipped routine medical care are diagnosed with more advanced and deadlier cancers and children who missed routine vaccines fall ill with preventable diseases, among other consequences, Gostin said.

 

"If you think of a far worse pandemic, you can multiply that by 10- or even 50-fold in terms of the economic and social harms the United States would suffer," he said.

 

That means the world needs to have a better ongoing capacity to fight these threats, not spending money only after the crisis arrives, he and others said.

 

Right now, only about 5% of the country's health care dollars are spent on public health and preventing the next crisis. "That's a rounding error in the U.S. budget," Gostin said.

 

Manmade threats are real

 

The idea of engineering a deadly pathogen that sickens the world sounds like the stuff of science fiction or superhero movies. But it's no longer a fantasy.

 

Kevin Esvelt, an MIT biologist, said people in his own lab could theoretically assemble a dangerous virus from DNA ordered on the internet for under $1,000.

 

Once pandemic-capable viruses are identified, thousands of people worldwide have the scientific training to make them from mail-ordered synthetic DNA.

 

"Imagine a world where you can order weapons-grade plutonium in the mail," he said, "and there are thousands of engineers who have the skills to put together something that might be a bomb."

 

In less than 100 days last fall and winter, the omicron variant spread from southern Africa to the rest of the world, infecting 26% of Americans, Esvelt said, illustrating how fast a pandemic response needs to be.

 

Esvelt warned Congress earlier this year that pandemic virus identification would make pandemics widely accessible and recently released a 30-page plan preparing for a world in which it's feasible to unleash one.

 

The risk is real and growing over time as engineering biology becomes easier, agreed Jaime Yassif, vice president of the Nuclear Threat Initiative's Global Biological Policy and Programs. Still, it's not "trivial to create a biological weapon that would cause significant harm," she said.

 

COVID-19 made the threat more real, she and others said, by showing how much chaos a global pandemic can sow.

 

"Some people may have taken note of the impact and paid more attention than before," Yassif said. "It's reasonable to assume that the intentions are already there and they may be growing and that capabilities are increasingly within reach. That's my rational calculus about why I take it seriously."

 

The potential for bioterrorism

 

The global Biological Weapons Convention was enacted in March 1975 to prevent countries from ever developing or producing biological weapons. It has largely held ever since, though a few countries that signed onto the treaty are believed to have or have had secret programs.

 

The Soviets once tried to engineer Ebola into a more contagious pathogen, for instance, but it didn't work well, said Christine Parthemore, CEO of the Council on Strategic Risks, a nonprofit, nonpartisan security policy institute.

 

China and Iran may have come right up to the line, if not crossed it, making offensive weapons, she said. [WHAT A BASELESS ACCUSATION!! See article below about a paper written by Columbia Univ Prof. Jeffrey Sachs and Neil Harrison] Based on U.S. government public assessments, for example, Iran may be using "botulinum toxin that we don't think is for Botox, at least not solely."

 

"The history is there," Parthemore said. "Countries have engineered pathogens."

 

The Defense Department initially became interested in mRNA vaccines, which were used to fight COVID-19, as a rapid way to counter state-based biological threats and engineered pathogens, she said.

 

And the vaccine that proved effective this summer against mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) was developed to counter the possibility that someone might try to unleash it's deadlier cousin smallpox on the world.

 

But the vast majority of countries are unlikely to try to unleash a deadly pathogen, she said, because it would be hard to protect their own people during a massive outbreak.

 

Still Parthemore worries nations are losing faith in international institutions and treaties. Russia's war against Ukraine and the United Nations' inability to stop it have weakened international agreements in the eyes of many nations, including those focused on biosecurity.

 

"The loss of faith in cooperation and the U.N. and collective action and Russia and others acting as they have further degrading the norms we've held onto so dearly for decades – it's pretty scary," she said.

 

Should research be regulated?

 

One question is how much regulation should be imposed on scientific work and researchers involved in synthesizing potential pathogens.

 

Yassif supports "more rules of the road" to safeguard the scientific advances that might be misused by bad actors.

 

In 2012, the scientific community and others debated research in the U.S. and the Netherlands that explored five mutations making avian influenza more contagious to humans. Some in the virology community defended that research as essential for understanding naturally emerging risks. Yassif and others worry it made creating a global hazard one step easier.

 

"The systems we have in place are not as broad in scope or as robust as they need to be," Yassif said.

 

The construction of new biosafety labs also has raised concerns among experts.

 

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, more than a dozen countries have announced plans to build Level 4 labs, the highest level of security, designed to investigate the most dangerous pathogens.

 

These labs lack strong international oversight, Parthemore said. "Obviously, if you had an offensive program and you were trying to engineer pathogens in certain ways, a BSL-4 laboratory is where you would do the work," she said. "The lack of transparency in these labs and their proliferation is a huge problem."

 

It's also too easy to order the building blocks of a pathogen on the internet, Yassif said. Some companies screen orders to make sure they're not selling dangerous DNA sequences to bad actors, but they're not required to do so. "There's probably a sizeable market share that's not being screened and we're trying to close that gap," she said.

 

How to prepare for the next one

 

No single action can reduce the pandemic risk to zero, the experts said.

 

But there are plenty of options for actions and a "layered defense." Intervening at multiple points in the process a bad actor would use to create a biological weapon will make the world much safer.

 

Technology can solve the problem created by biology, Esvelt said. He envisions better protective gear, especially for health care and other essential workers, as well as germicidal lights that kill pathogens without harming the people who use the same indoor space. He wants wastewater and air surveillance at airports to detect new pathogens that might have a long incubation period before showing symptoms, as HIV does.

 

Preparedness isn't just about scientific breakthroughs. It also involves investing in people, said Dr. Raj Panjabi, senior director for global health security and biodefense on the United States National Security Council.

 

For decades, the U.S. has underinvested in those who deliver public and animal health, he said, including epidemiologists, veterinarians, public health nurses and community health workers.

 

In October, the Biden administration launched what it called a National Biodefense Strategy and Implementation Plan for Countering Biological Threats, Enhancing Pandemic Preparedness, and Achieving Global Health Security.

 

Panjabi described some of the strategy's goals and timelines in a webinar this fall:

 

Testing: Enable testing for a new pathogen within 12 hours, surge testing within a week and pathogen-specific testing within 30 days

Vaccine: A new vaccine should be developed within 100 days, enough manufactured for the entire U.S. population within 130 days, and for high-risk populations around the world within 200 days.

Treatments: Drugs should be repurposed within 90 days and new therapeutics developed within 180 days.

 

"Time is lives in an emergency," he said. "How well we respond depends on how well we prepare.

 

The administration has asked for $88 billion over the next five years to implement the plan. "Billions to be invested now to save trillions in the future and an incalculable amount of human lives both American and around the world," Panjabi said.

 

Congress has not yet followed up with adequate funding to pursue this agenda.

 

"It makes no sense that Congress has not taken up the administration’s proposed pandemic preparedness agenda," said Inglesby, who recently co-wrote a proposal for the development of diagnostics in a health emergency. He hopes the money will be allocated soon.

 

Another disastrous pandemic is not inevitable, he and others said, but prevention requires preparation and forethought.

 

"Pathogens of various forms are very good at adapting and changing form. But modern science is very good at countering that," Gostin said. "If we're smart and well prepared and invest strongly and robustly in it, we can substantially lower the risk."

 

Contact Karen Weintraub at kweintraub@usatoday.com.

 

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: As COVID turns 3, experts worry where the next pandemic will come from – and if we'll be ready

_____

 

www.jeffsachs.org/interviewsandmedia/64rtmykxdl56ehbjwy37...

Why the Chair of the Lancet’s COVID-19 Commission Thinks The US Government Is Preventing a Real Investigation Into the Pandemic

August 3, 2022 Jeffrey D. Sachs

 

Prof. Jeffrey Sachs says he is “pretty convinced [COVID-19] came out of US lab biotechnology” and warns that there is dangerous virus research taking place without public oversight.

 

theintercept.com/2022/05/19/covid-lab-leak-evidence-jeffr...

Jeffrey Sachs Presents Evidence of Possible Lab Origin of Covid-19

An article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences calls for an independent investigation of information held by U.S.-based institutions that could shed light on the origins of Covid.

 

In an article published Thursday, economist Jeffrey Sachs called for an independent investigation of information held by U.S.-based institutions that could shed light on the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic. Writing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Sachs and his co-author, Neil Harrison, a Columbia University professor of molecular pharmacology and therapeutics, said that federal agencies and universities possess evidence that has not been adequately reviewed, including virus databases, biological samples, viral sequences, email communications, and laboratory notebooks. Sachs and Harrison also highlighted a tantalizing scientific detail that may be an indication that SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes Covid-19, originated in a laboratory: a sequence of eight amino acids on a critical part of the virus’s spike protein that is identical to an amino acid sequence found in cells that line human airways.

 

Sachs and Harrison are hardly the first to suggest that SARS-CoV-2 might have been created in a lab. Since its genetic sequence was first published in February 2020, scientists have puzzled over the furin cleavage site, an area on the virus’s spike that allows it to be cleaved by a protein on the membrane of human cells and makes the coronavirus particularly dangerous to people. Once split, the virus releases its genetic material into the cell and reproduces. While attaching to cells and spike cleavage is part of how all coronaviruses work, SARS-CoV-2 is the only one of its class, sarbecoviruses, that can use furin for the cleavage.

 

As with past discussion of a possible lab origin of SARS-CoV-2, this latest theory has already been met with considerable pushback. Even some scientists who are open to the idea that a lab accident could have sparked the pandemic remain unconvinced by the particular trail of evidence laid out by Sachs and Harrison.

 

The journal article offers a scientific road map for how this unusual sequence of amino acids could have made its way into the furin cleavage site, or FCS, of the virus. Sachs and Harrison acknowledge that the sequence could have arisen naturally. But they also lay out another possibility: that scientists might have purposefully inserted this particular string of amino acids into a bat coronavirus in the course of their work. They focus particularly on scientists who submitted an unfunded grant proposal to a division of the Defense Department called the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, laying out plans to insert a furin cleavage site into a bat coronavirus.

 

“We do not know whether the insertion of the FCS was the result of natural evolution — perhaps via a recombination event in an intermediate mammal or a human — or was the result of a deliberate introduction of the FCS into a SARS-like virus as part of a laboratory experiment,” Sachs and Harrison write. “We do know that the insertion of such FCS sequences into SARS-like viruses was a specific goal of work proposed by the EHA-WIV-UNC partnership within a 2018 grant proposal (“DEFUSE”) that was submitted to the US Defense Advanced Research Projects (DARPA).”

"Now that is what I call a Re-enactment!

 

Bartimaeus the blind beggar

May the Peace of the Risen Christ be with you! Easter is here.

 

We had a most successful Re-enactment of Our Lord's Passion. After so many months of preparation, sewing machines running hot updating costumes, actors learning lines, sound systems being upgraded and more, there we stood at 11am on Good Friday with microphone in hand: "Welcome to the 2018 Re-enactment of Our Lord's Passion!" And so it began.

 

How do we measure "success" in regards to our re-enactment?

On one measure you can use crowd numbers, donations, "Likes" and Shares and that would be appropriate if this was just a normal play. Even on that basis our event would certainly be considered a success with somewhere around 5,000 people participating and lots of great feedback and support.

But how do you measure success for a play that tries to be an authentic re-enactment of the Passion of Jesus Christ based on scripture and tradition of the Church? In this case we were told by the Pauline Fathers that many people came back and they were hearing confessions the whole day.

We saw many people following the play and praying along with us.

  

Crowning with Thorns

Many came up to us after the play thanking us for such an invigorating presentation of our Lord's Passion. Here are some of the early tales we have been told of the day.

 

One of the biggest challenges with a moving play is the safety of actors, crew and pilgrims as the play moves from scene to scene. We try many methods such as fixed tape and ropes as well as rope held by our marshalls. Enforcement for keeping the crowd back tends to fall towards the soldiers who, like in a theatre restaurant, instruct the crowd to move back for their own safety. Our photographer, eager to get "the photo", allowed a little old lady to sneak past the barriers so she could touch the cloak of Jesus. As the Centurion swung his arm giving orders to his soldiers, this lady who stood upright under his swing moved forward. "What the?" cried the Centurion and firmly moved her back with instructions. I thought she would be concerned at the firm treatment but she was grinning ear to ear and holding her bag telling her family, "I touched his cloak!"

 

I touched Jesus' Robes!

 

Some of our Marshalls volunteered to help on the day. Often these had not experienced the fluid intensity of a moving play like this and even though they were holding on to the rope barrier, found themselves sucked into the crowd. When the Centurion or one of the soldiers noticed their lost marshall and we heard the cry, "Get him out of there!" as they reached in and brought him back into line.

 

Our marshalls and soldiers request people to stay back for their own safety. When the Roman soldiers and Jewish guards broke out into another scuffle we heard the cry, "They're fighting again!" and the crowd suddenly made space. "Please stand back for your own safety," we once more cried as the procession moved on.

 

When Jesus was being scourged, the process started with one Roman making a few lashes. Then he gets moved back with the cry, "Let someone do it properly!" The primary flogging Roman soldier let fly with the whip dipped in the fake blood. Drops of blood flew in an arc and the soft straps struck Jesus with a satisfying slap and Jesus cried out. The crowd stopped chattering with an audible gasp.

 

One of our new actors had not actually attended the play in past years so this was all an amazing experience. When Jesus was being scourged and mocked, tears came to her eyes, but the Woman of Jerusalem in charge held her and said, "Don't cry yet. We have to call for his crucifixion in the next scene." So she held back her tears and like a trooper joined the crowd calling for Jesus' crucifixion. As she said afterwards, it won't be the same contemplating the story of Jesus' Passion in future.

 

At the start of the play we made sure the actors and crew knew that this was a "Live" play. That meant no retakes, no pause to re-do the scene, no stepping in to try again. "The play must go on!" we instructed. "After all, the pilgrims haven't read the script and the story won't be affected if your lines are not exact. So long as we get the important bits in the right order, no-one will know." That was good advice.

 

When Pontius Pilate was standing majestically on the balcony addressing the crowd, the sign of Roman Superiority detached from the balcony railing and fell to the ground with a crash. Pontius Pliate's eyes opened wide for a brief moment and then he turned his gaze back to the Crowd and Caiaphas and the Jews and continued as if nothing was wrong. The crew quickly removed the sign and all moved on as if this was part of play. We were told afterwards how clever this was, the falling of the sign representing the fall of Roman Justice. The play must go on.

  

Although we have a script which covers all the main dialogue and actions, the flavour comes from the interactions and improvised dialogue of the actors. Insults between the Jews and Romans provided occasional humour too. At the crucifixion, one of the Jewish Chief Priests called out "How many Romans does it take to Crucify someone?" Being sick of their taunts a Roman Guard approached them and said, "I have room for one more. Are you ready?" The Chief Priest stepped back behind the Jewish Guards and replied, "I have an appointment tomorrow and can't today."

 

We will report further tales as they come to light, but I want to end this post-play post with some heartfelt thanks. When organising an event like this where there are months of preparation involving over 100 cast, crew and support organisations, the whole thing only works when people do their part. This year worked so well because everyone did their part, no matter how small that part may have appeared. The actors didn't just remember their lines, but they also worked with their fellow actors and added their own ideas for their character. For example, the actor playing the blind beggar Bartimeus had the idea of having a blindfold and sat in his spot near the start of the play, begging for alms for about 20 minutes before the play reached him. Then he improvised with many calls for alms and requests about what the commotion was. It was a great job which really brought out the character of the blind beggar. It may have only been a bit part, but it formed part of the greater whole.

The same applied for each of the roles, from the primary speaking parts through to the behind the scenes actors of the Women of Jerusalem and Apostles before and after the abandonment of Jesus.

 

So many people have done their parts and done them well I am very proud to have been able to assist in co-ordinating and directing the play. An event like this generates a great camaraderie and fellowship and fosters a deeper understanding of not just this critical point in salvation history, but also the very human element that is the point of the whole Passion. Every actor and member of the crew and supporters must know that all the work and effort has been worthwhile to so many people.

 

Thank you.

~David Bruggeman"

Copied from goodfridaypassionplay.blogspot.com.au/

 

For more information please visit www.paulinefathers.org.au

 

No need to meditate or imagine, this event will take you to Calvary!

 

Images by Giovanni Portelli Photography © 2018.

The Ayrshire Elite Business Circle's "Optimiser Think Tank" have a new dynamic business proposal. The new West Coast High Speed Rail Link is currently due to reach as far as Birmingham by 2026, however Ayrshire Elite Business Circle have plans to extend it even further - all the way to Ayr! The extension to Ayr may take up to another 35 years beyond that (there is a fast-track option which could reduce the time to 33 years but would entail another £1 Billion in additional contracts). Included within this dynamic business plan is a modest proposal to allow the London Underground (AKA The Tube).to ride Cockey-Back under the extended rail link. This highly original plan will allow Ayr to access all of the benefits of being a part of London's infrastructure - but without the lack of central parking or congestion charging.

We have plans for two London Underground stations to serve Ayr - one at Tesco in Whitletts linked by the Tube to another at Poundland in the Sandgate. There is also a proposal to level the Sandgate and create a new tennis - themed attraction called The Andy Murray Experience. The recent explosion of tennis interest in Scotland coupled with Andy Murray's fantastic British Wimbledon Victory could mean a real boost for the tourist footfall in Ayr if the scheme goes ahead. The Andy Murray Experience would also have a fully operational tennis court which it is hoped Andy Murray would open and actually play at regularly. Just imagine what that could do for the Commercial Hub and Ayr's Town Centre's dynamism!

This could mean that in future we might well see Andy Murray playing the Wimbledon Finals and winning it - here in Ayr High Street! Everyone's a winner!

Showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa) seed has matured when the pod splits open and the seeds turn from white to dark brownish orange. The fluff that botanist types call the "coma", carries the seed off on the wind and breaks off when it lands. When the seeds germinate in future years and plants begin to grow, the milkweed can persist for years from the root systems that overwinter in the ground. This photo shows one of many large patches of showy milkweed with the still maturing seedpods. Photo: Tom Koerner/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Angelo Novi - Das 1. Evangelium - Matthäus/Il Vangelo secondo Matteo/The Gospel According to St. Matthew, 1964 (Regie/Director: Pier Paolo Pasolini, IT/FR, 1964), Privatsammlung

 

The Albertina

The architectural history of the Palais

(Pictures you can see by clicking on the link at the end of page!)

Image: The oldest photographic view of the newly designed Palais Archduke Albrecht, 1869

"It is my will that ​​the expansion of the inner city of Vienna with regard to a suitable connection of the same with the suburbs as soon as possible is tackled and at this on Regulirung (regulation) and beautifying of my Residence and Imperial Capital is taken into account. To this end I grant the withdrawal of the ramparts and fortifications of the inner city and the trenches around the same".

This decree of Emperor Franz Joseph I, published on 25 December 1857 in the Wiener Zeitung, formed the basis for the largest the surface concerning and architecturally most significant transformation of the Viennese cityscape. Involving several renowned domestic and foreign architects a "master plan" took form, which included the construction of a boulevard instead of the ramparts between the inner city and its radially upstream suburbs. In the 50-years during implementation phase, an impressive architectural ensemble developed, consisting of imperial and private representational buildings, public administration and cultural buildings, churches and barracks, marking the era under the term "ring-street style". Already in the first year tithe decided a senior member of the Austrian imperial family to decorate the facades of his palace according to the new design principles, and thus certified the aristocratic claim that this also "historicism" said style on the part of the imperial house was attributed.

Image: The Old Albertina after 1920

It was the palace of Archduke Albrecht (1817-1895), the Senior of the Habsburg Family Council, who as Field Marshal held the overall command over the Austro-Hungarian army. The building was incorporated into the imperial residence of the Hofburg complex, forming the south-west corner and extending eleven meters above street level on the so-called Augustinerbastei.

The close proximity of the palace to the imperial residence corresponded not only with Emperor Franz Joseph I and Archduke Albert with a close familial relationship between the owner of the palace and the monarch. Even the former inhabitants were always in close relationship to the imperial family, whether by birth or marriage. An exception here again proves the rule: Don Emanuel Teles da Silva Conde Tarouca (1696-1771), for which Maria Theresa in 1744 the palace had built, was just a close friend and advisor of the monarch. Silva Tarouca underpins the rule with a second exception, because he belonged to the administrative services as Generalhofbaudirektor (general court architect) and President of the Austrian-Dutch administration, while all other him subsequent owners were highest ranking military.

In the annals of Austrian history, especially those of military history, they either went into as commander of the Imperial Army, or the Austrian, later kk Army. In chronological order, this applies to Duke Carl Alexander of Lorraine, the brother-of-law of Maria Theresa, as Imperial Marshal, her son-in-law Duke Albert of Saxe-Teschen, also field marshal, whos adopted son, Archduke Charles of Austria, the last imperial field marshal and only Generalissimo of Austria, his son Archduke Albrecht of Austria as Feldmarschalil and army Supreme commander, and most recently his nephew Archduke Friedrich of Austria, who held as field marshal from 1914 to 1916 the command of the Austro-Hungarian troops. Despite their military profession, all five generals conceived themselves as patrons of the arts and promoted large sums of money to build large collections, the construction of magnificent buildings and cultural life. Charles Alexander of Lorraine promoted as governor of the Austrian Netherlands from 1741 to 1780 the Academy of Fine Arts, the Théâtre de Ja Monnaie and the companies Bourgeois Concert and Concert Noble, he founded the Academie royale et imperial des Sciences et des Lettres, opened the Bibliotheque Royal for the population and supported artistic talents with high scholarships. World fame got his porcelain collection, which however had to be sold by Emperor Joseph II to pay off his debts. Duke Albert began in 1776 according to the concept of conte Durazzo to set up an encyclopedic collection of prints, which forms the core of the world-famous "Albertina" today.

Image : Duke Albert and Archduchess Marie Christine show in family cercle the from Italy brought along art, 1776. Frederick Henry Füger.

1816 declared to Fideikommiss and thus in future indivisible, inalienable and inseparable, the collection 1822 passed into the possession of Archduke Carl, who, like his descendants, it broadened. Under him, the collection was introduced together with the sumptuously equipped palace on the Augustinerbastei in the so-called "Carl Ludwig'schen fideicommissum in 1826, by which the building and the in it kept collection fused into an indissoluble unity. At this time had from the Palais Tarouca by structural expansion or acquisition a veritable Residenz palace evolved. Duke Albert of Saxe-Teschen was first in 1800 the third floor of the adjacent Augustinian convent wing adapted to house his collection and he had after 1802 by his Belgian architect Louis de Montoyer at the suburban side built a magnificent extension, called the wing of staterooms, it was equipped in the style of Louis XVI. Only two decades later, Archduke Carl the entire palace newly set up. According to scetches of the architect Joseph Kornhäusel the 1822-1825 retreaded premises presented themselves in the Empire style. The interior of the palace testified from now in an impressive way the high rank and the prominent position of its owner. Under Archduke Albrecht the outer appearance also should meet the requirements. He had the facade of the palace in the style of historicism orchestrated and added to the Palais front against the suburbs an offshore covered access. Inside, he limited himself, apart from the redesign of the Rococo room in the manner of the second Blondel style, to the retention of the paternal stock. Archduke Friedrich's plans for an expansion of the palace were omitted, however, because of the outbreak of the First World War so that his contribution to the state rooms, especially, consists in the layout of the Spanish apartment, which he in 1895 for his sister, the Queen of Spain Maria Christina, had set up as a permanent residence.

Picture: The "audience room" after the restoration: Picture: The "balcony room" around 1990

The era of stately representation with handing down their cultural values ​​found its most obvious visualization inside the palace through the design and features of the staterooms. On one hand, by the use of the finest materials and the purchase of masterfully manufactured pieces of equipment, such as on the other hand by the permanent reuse of older equipment parts. This period lasted until 1919, when Archduke Friedrich was expropriated by the newly founded Republic of Austria. With the republicanization of the collection and the building first of all finished the tradition that the owner's name was synonymous with the building name:

After Palais Tarouca or tarokkisches house it was called Lorraine House, afterwards Duke Albert Palais and Palais Archduke Carl. Due to the new construction of an adjacently located administration building it received in 1865 the prefix "Upper" and was referred to as Upper Palais Archduke Albrecht and Upper Palais Archduke Frederick. For the state a special reference to the Habsburg past was certainly politically no longer opportune, which is why was decided to name the building according to the in it kept collection "Albertina".

Picture: The "Wedgwood Cabinet" after the restoration: Picture: the "Wedgwood Cabinet" in the Palais Archduke Friedrich, 1905

This name derives from the term "La Collection Albertina" which had been used by the gallery Inspector Maurice von Thausing in 1870 in the Gazette des Beaux-Arts for the former graphics collection of Duke Albert. For this reason, it was the first time since the foundation of the palace that the name of the collection had become synonymous with the room shell. Room shell, hence, because the Republic of Austria Archduke Friedrich had allowed to take along all the movable goods from the palace in his Hungarian exile: crystal chandeliers, curtains and carpets as well as sculptures, vases and clocks. Particularly stressed should be the exquisite furniture, which stems of three facilities phases: the Louis XVI furnitures of Duke Albert, which had been manufactured on the basis of fraternal relations between his wife Archduchess Marie Christine and the French Queen Marie Antoinette after 1780 in the French Hofmanufakturen, also the on behalf of Archduke Charles 1822-1825 in the Vienna Porcelain Manufactory by Joseph Danhauser produced Empire furnitures and thirdly additions of the same style of Archduke Friedrich, which this about 1900 at Portois & Ffix as well as at Friedrich Otto Schmidt had commissioned.

The "swept clean" building got due to the strained financial situation after the First World War initially only a makeshift facility. However, since until 1999 no revision of the emergency equipment took place, but differently designed, primarily the utilitarianism committed office furnitures complementarily had been added, the equipment of the former state rooms presented itself at the end of the 20th century as an inhomogeneous administrative mingle-mangle of insignificant parts, where, however, dwelt a certain quaint charm. From the magnificent state rooms had evolved depots, storage rooms, a library, a study hall and several officed.

Image: The Albertina Graphic Arts Collection and the Philipphof after the American bombing of 12 März 1945.

Image: The palace after the demolition of the entrance facade, 1948-52

Worse it hit the outer appearance of the palace, because in times of continued anti-Habsburg sentiment after the Second World War and inspired by an intolerant destruction will, it came by pickaxe to a ministerial erasure of history. In contrast to the graphic collection possessed the richly decorated facades with the conspicuous insignia of the former owner an object-immanent reference to the Habsburg past and thus exhibited the monarchial traditions and values ​​of the era of Francis Joseph significantly. As part of the remedial measures after a bomb damage, in 1948 the aristocratic, by Archduke Albert initiated, historicist facade structuring along with all decorations was cut off, many facade figures demolished and the Hapsburg crest emblems plunged to the ground. Since in addition the old ramp also had been cancelled and the main entrance of the bastion level had been moved down to the second basement storey at street level, ended the presence of the old Archduke's palace after more than 200 years. At the reopening of the "Albertina Graphic Collection" in 1952, the former Hapsburg Palais of splendour presented itself as one of his identity robbed, formally trivial, soulless room shell, whose successful republicanization an oversized and also unproportional eagle above the new main entrance to the Augustinian road symbolized. The emocratic throw of monuments had wiped out the Hapsburg palace from the urban appeareance, whereby in the perception only existed a nondescript, nameless and ahistorical building that henceforth served the lodging and presentation of world-famous graphic collection of the Albertina. The condition was not changed by the decision to the refurbishment because there were only planned collection specific extensions, but no restoration of the palace.

Image: The palace after the Second World War with simplified facades, the rudiment of the Danubiusbrunnens (well) and the new staircase up to the Augustinerbastei

This paradigm shift corresponded to a blatant reversal of the historical circumstances, as the travel guides and travel books for kk Residence and imperial capital of Vienna dedicated itself primarily with the magnificent, aristocratic palace on the Augustinerbastei with the sumptuously fitted out reception rooms and mentioned the collection kept there - if at all - only in passing. Only with the repositioning of the Albertina in 2000 under the direction of Klaus Albrecht Schröder, the palace was within the meaning and in fulfillment of the Fideikommiss of Archduke Charles in 1826 again met with the high regard, from which could result a further inseparable bond between the magnificent mansions and the world-famous collection. In view of the knowing about politically motivated errors and omissions of the past, the facades should get back their noble, historicist designing, the staterooms regain their glamorous, prestigious appearance and culturally unique equippment be repurchased. From this presumption, eventually grew the full commitment to revise the history of redemption and the return of the stately palace in the public consciousness.

Image: The restored suburb facade of the Palais Albertina suburb

The smoothed palace facades were returned to their original condition and present themselves today - with the exception of the not anymore reconstructed Attica figures - again with the historicist decoration and layout elements that Archduke Albrecht had given after the razing of the Augustinerbastei in 1865 in order. The neoclassical interiors, today called after the former inhabitants "Habsburg Staterooms", receiving a meticulous and detailed restoration taking place at the premises of originality and authenticity, got back their venerable and sumptuous appearance. From the world wide scattered historical pieces of equipment have been bought back 70 properties or could be returned through permanent loan to its original location, by which to the visitors is made experiencable again that atmosphere in 1919 the state rooms of the last Habsburg owner Archduke Frederick had owned. The for the first time in 80 years public accessible "Habsburg State Rooms" at the Palais Albertina enable now again as eloquent testimony to our Habsburg past and as a unique cultural heritage fundamental and essential insights into the Austrian cultural history. With the relocation of the main entrance to the level of the Augustinerbastei the recollection to this so valuable Austrian Cultural Heritage formally and functionally came to completion. The vision of the restoration and recovery of the grand palace was a pillar on which the new Albertina should arise again, the other embody the four large newly built exhibition halls, which allow for the first time in the history of the Albertina, to exhibit the collection throughout its encyclopedic breadh under optimal conservation conditions.

Image: The new entrance area of the Albertina

64 meter long shed roof. Hans Hollein.

The palace presents itself now in its appearance in the historicist style of the Ringstrassenära, almost as if nothing had happened in the meantime. But will the wheel of time should not, cannot and must not be turned back, so that the double standards of the "Albertina Palace" said museum - on the one hand Habsburg grandeur palaces and other modern museum for the arts of graphics - should be symbolized by a modern character: The in 2003 by Hans Hollein designed far into the Albertina square cantilevering, elegant floating flying roof. 64 meters long, it symbolizes in the form of a dynamic wedge the accelerated urban spatial connectivity and public access to the palace. It advertises the major changes in the interior as well as the huge underground extensions of the repositioned "Albertina".

 

Christian Benedictine

Art historian with research interests History of Architecture, building industry of the Hapsburgs, Hofburg and Zeremonialwissenschaft (ceremonial sciences). Since 1990 he works in the architecture collection of the Albertina. Since 2000 he supervises as director of the newly founded department "Staterooms" the restoration and furnishing of the state rooms and the restoration of the facades and explores the history of the palace and its inhabitants.

 

www.wien-vienna.at/albertinabaugeschichte.php

 

Bitter Sweet Harmony - M+M個展

Bitter Sweet Harmony - M+M Solo Exhibition

藝術家:M+M (Marc Weis and Martin De Mattia)

策展人:Lars Koepsel

展 期:2015/08/22 - 2015/09/19

開幕酒會:2015/08/22 (六) 19:00

展覽地點:VT Artsalon 非常廟藝文空間 (台北市新生北路三段56巷17號B1)

 

藝術家座談會:2015/08/15(六)15:00

座談會地點:實踐大學媒體傳達設計系 演講廳

網 址:http://www.vtartsalon.com

聯絡電話:02-2597-2525

EMAIL:info@vtartsalon.com

 

本次展覽為非常廟藝文空間(以下簡稱VT)與德國藝術公寓(Apartment Of Art)三年計劃之一。兩年前VT與德國藝術公寓總監-拉斯科樸索(Lars Koepsel)為推廣台灣及德國兩地藝術家與藝術空間之間的交流,締訂為期三年合作計畫。兩地空間每年交換合作藝術家展覽、策展人、藝術家駐村等三階段合作方式。本次展覽檔期為計畫中的第二年,由德國藝術公寓總監-拉斯科樸索推薦新媒體藝術團隊「M+M」首度來台展出。

 

德國「M+M」為Marc Weis 和 Martin De Mattia 兩人所組成的新媒體科技藝術團隊,M+M多年來持續於國際間進行展演計畫。過去重要展覽節錄:1999年在義大利羅馬的Villa Massimo進行為期一年的駐村計畫,同年於威尼斯雙年展「義大利國家館」展出。2003年於ZKM卡爾斯魯厄藝術與媒體中心展出,2006年參加Lintz科技藝術節以及2015於盧森堡casino個展。

 

「M+M」兩位藝術家長期關注媒體中所產生的語彙,並分析影像媒體之間的運作,結合大眾社會對於影像媒體的交互機制,透過電影中畫面擷取並使用非線性的敘事方式,將虛構與現實的影像內容混合處理,作品內容帶有強烈情感,如恐懼、仇恨、愛情等,並透過虛實間的差異成為新的敘事方式。

 

本次將於VT展出系列作品「7 Tage」中兩件新作《Dienstag (Tuesday)》&《Freitag (Friday》,兩位藝術家挑選兩部經典電影-理髮師的男人(The hairdresser’s husband)與黑影(Tenebre)作為本次創作素材,作品影像中運用電影畫面對應一週的七天,並運用電影裡擷取部分畫面拼湊成每一天的生活景象,兩位藝術家各自將自行剪輯的影像運用雙投影同步裝置將兩影像並置,在大多數情況下,觀者將會看到這兩位藝術家都不約而同的就其類似情感內容做出對應畫面,細膩的處理家庭、人際關係以及生活中不確定性及矛盾狀態,擺盪在兩個非線性影像原件和翻拍之間的矛盾對抗。展覽中另外一件作品《kurz vor fünf (shortly before five)》則是將自2001年以來「7 Tage」系列中出現的電影場景運用電腦運算重新將影格輸出成290幀於平面畫面中,透過影像運算將3分多鐘影像畫面獨立,觀眾將可以發現運算過後的場景照片故事都在同一天的同一時間地點,透過運算影像畫面將可以看到不同的時間影像畫面聚落成同一影像,讓觀者重新於平面畫面重新審視影像中孤獨個體的趣味。

 

「7 Tage」系列作品自2009年來,逐段完成每段錄像影片,並於2015年發表了最新兩部新作《Dienstag (Tuesday)》&《Freitag (Friday》。本系列影像之中,除了相同的其他演員重複出現外,來自奧地利的演員Christoph Luser以精湛的演技表現出憂鬱詭譎的情緒變化,而體現了主角矛盾的異型建構的心理,投射非常輕微情緒以及揭示了人際關係中裂縫和固有的矛盾變化,無論是任何威脅與衝突的情緒反應,將在看似平靜的畫面帶來暗潮洶湧般的相互作用。

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

 

Bitter Sweet Harmony - M+M Solo Exhibition

German Artists duo: M+M (Marc Weis and Martin De Mattia)

Exhibition: 2015/08/22−9/19

Opening:22nd August 19:00 p.m.

Location: VT Artsalon

(B1, No.17, Lane 56, Sec 3, Xinsheng N. Rd, TaipeiCity 104, Taiwan, Taipei)

Curator: Lars Koepsel

 

Symposium: 2015/08/15(Sat.) 15:00

Symposium location: Auditorium room, Department of Communication Design

(Shih Chien University)

Website: www.vtartsalon.com/

Contact Number: 02-2597-2525

Email: info@vtartsalon.com

___________________________________________________________

 

This exhibition is from one of the 3-year program between VT Artsalon(VT) and Apartment Of Art from German. VT and the director of Apartment of Art -Lars Koepsel have signed the contract for a “3-year program“ 2 years ago. The program is aim to promote the exchange in artist and art space between Taiwan and German. Each space will corporate in 3 stages every year, from exchanging the artist exhibition, curator to artist residency program. This exhibition is now in the 2nd-year. It was the director of Apartment of Art -Lars Koepsel, who recommended to exhibit the new media art group, named ”M+M” as their very first show in Taiwan.

 

Marc Weis and Martin De Mattia are a digital artists group named “M+M”, which use the new media in their project, from German. M+M has various international exhibition experience , which includes: the one-year residency program in Villa Massimo, Rome, Italy, back in 1999 and exhibited their work in Venice Biennale in the same year. They have also exhibited at ZKM in 2003 and participated the Ars Electronica Lintz in 2006. Their latest exhibition was at Casino, Luxembourg.

 

“M+M” have been focusing on the vocabulary produced from the media work, and analyze the operation between image media. They combined the public social consume system, and use non-way to describe things. They used film making skills such as camera movements and cuts to mix-up the fictional and the realistic image content. And also find out the new way to describe things through the difference between the fiction and reality.

 

”M+M” will be exhibit their new works in “7 Tage” (7 Days)series, which are 《Dienstag (Tuesday)》and《Freitag (Friday) 》. The artists picked two classic movie, includes《The hairdresser’s husband》and《Tenebre》as the elements. They named their works as“7 Tage” (7 Days), and make the image in their works able to correspond in 7 days a week. They have also excerpt some of the classic scenes from the epic movie as the everyday life in their works. From the artists remakes, cuts and the main actor’s view and mind changing from time to time; audience will get the new visual experience to re-conduct with the double projection device. The viewer will also find out the against between two non-linear original videos and conversion with the double channel device. And the other works named《kurz vor fünf (shortly before five)》in this exhibition have combined the movie scene and the computer operations and re-export the file fragmentation into 290 as a 2D picture. With the computer operations, they separated every scene in three minutes, which audience will find out the picture and the story are all at the same place and the same time in everyday. By gathering the video scene into on image, the viewers will discover the fun part in the isolation.

 

They have been shooting the ”7 Tage” series works for 7 years from 2009, and have also released the latest new works in recent, named 《Dienstag (Tuesday)》&《Freitag (Friday). The audience will get to see some of the actors repeatedly and the actor from Austria -Christoph Luse’s excellent performance skill, which he interpreted and showed the sad and odd emotional changes to incarnate the main character’s inconsistent mind structure. Whether is any threat or conflict emotion response, will all brings the audience the unexpected plot.

 

This exhibition will start from 22nd August to 19th September , and will be held an artist symposium on 15th August at Shih Chien University. The Artist M+M(Marc Weis, Martin De Mattia), curator Lars Koepsel and the director of the department of communication design- Wen-Chi, Chen will all participate the discussion.

Please feel free to join us!

 

“VT 3 Year Venture Project” Space

VT Artsalon, Taipei, Taiwan

Apartment of Art, München, German

 

Part 1:

Date: 2015/05/16-2015/06/13

Exhibition: “An Uncanny Tomorrow-Yuan Goang-Ming Solo Exhibition”

Curator: Wu Dar-Kuen

Location: Apartment of Art, München, Germen

 

Part 2:

Date: 2015/06/27-2015/07/24 “Peony Pavilion - Isa Ho Solo Exhibition”

Location: Apartment of Art, München, Germen

 

Part 3:

Date: 2015/08/22-2015/09/19 “M+M Solo Exhibition”

Location: VT Artsalon, Taipei, Taiwan

 

“VT 3 Year Venture Project” was the first time VT Artsalon and Apartment of Art collaborated with an exchange project as a 3-year program. The program is now in the third stage in the second year, and the exhibition will start from 22nd August, 2015 till 19th September, which is going to exhibit the art groups “M+M”’s works (Marc Weis, Martin De Mattia) from German, recommended by the director of Apartment of Art- Lars Koepselfor for their first exposure in Asia.

 

Currently it is the second stage of the second year, beginning on June 27th in Apartment of Art, Munich, will be Isa Ho’s solo exhibition, “ Peony Pavilion”, this is also the first solo exhibition of Isa Ho in Germany.

 

VT has been dedicated to bring the Taiwanese contemporary art into the international art world, connecting with the international community through various art spaces, galleries, exhibitions constantly.

We are hoping to converge the power of arts groups in Taiwan and gather more visions in Taiwan to create the collaboration opportunity. We are looking forward to extend more possibility of Taiwanese art in future with these exchanging programs.

 

Non-motorized boating pilot program comes to an end

 

LOS ANGELES — When the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District, granted a license in July for a seven week non-motorized boating pilot program on the Los Angeles River, the Los Angeles Conservation Corps quickly booked the allotted tours.

 

“It took about 10 minutes for the 280 tickets to sell, once we posted the announcement on line,” said Yasmin Mero-Corona, program coordinator, Los Angeles Conservation Corps. “We had another 300 on a waiting list to fill any no-shows. One gentleman stood by with his check every weekend until we had a cancellation for him to fill,” Mero-Corona added.

 

The test program allowed for no more than two trips per day on Friday, Saturday and Sunday beginning August 12 and ending September 25. The program was as much about education as it was access, with many of the tours featuring guest speakers, including Corps personnel, talking about the history of the river and plans for its revitalization.

 

The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority supervised the two-hour canoe and kayak trips covering a 1.5-mile stretch of the river. While most of the trip is a leisurely ride the 'Cattail Shoot' provides a bit of excitement as the staff helps participants and their vessels through a narrow, shallow shoot and one portage point, 'Rocky Rapids,' that requires boaters to exit their crafts and navigate the rocks on foot.

 

“A mentor of mine when I was a biologist at New York District was fond of saying, touch the resource. That's what accessing the river is to so many urban dwellers in Los Angeles,” said Josephine Axt, Chief, Planning Division, Los Angeles District, during her tour September 16.

 

“Even though there are nearby mountains where people can enjoy the outdoors, their day to day experience doesn't usually encourage or encompass much of a non-urban environment. Accessing the river is symbolic of a shared vision many LA residents have of the city embracing a more sustainable future,” added Axt.

 

For many boaters these trips represented their first access to the river and their enthusiasm was not tied to their skill level.

 

“The participants were nervous at first because for many adults, this was the first time on a canoe or kayak,” said Supervising Ranger III, Fernando Gomez. “However, at the end of the trip, they wanted more and some even said they were going to go out and buy a kayak to continue their experience, not on the LA River of course. For the skilled kayakers, they walked away with the surprise of how beautiful and calming the trip was,” Gomez added.

 

The Corps is an active partner in revitalizing and preserving the Los Angeles River, however, an important primary mission remains.

 

“I must be clear, nothing we do can jeopardize human safety or reduce the flood carrying capacity of this river,” said Col. Mark Toy, Los Angeles District Commander, during his opening remarks for the inaugural tour Aug. 8.

 

Now that the non-motorized boating pilot program has ended, no boating is authorized on the Los Angeles River. The river can, very quickly, become extremely dangerous, especially during the general winter storm season.

 

The Corps will review trip reports and lessons learned from staff and participants. Working with the stakeholders the Corps will carefully consider all options for boating on the Los Angeles River in future years.

 

Marc Chagall

Schläferin mit Blumen

Sleeping Woman with Flowers, 1972

Albertina - Sammlung Batliner

 

The Albertina

The architectural history of the Palais

(Pictures you can see by clicking on the link at the end of page!)

Image: The oldest photographic view of the newly designed Palais Archduke Albrecht, 1869

"It is my will that ​​the expansion of the inner city of Vienna with regard to a suitable connection of the same with the suburbs as soon as possible is tackled and at this on Regulirung (regulation) and beautifying of my Residence and Imperial Capital is taken into account. To this end I grant the withdrawal of the ramparts and fortifications of the inner city and the trenches around the same".

This decree of Emperor Franz Joseph I, published on 25 December 1857 in the Wiener Zeitung, formed the basis for the largest the surface concerning and architecturally most significant transformation of the Viennese cityscape. Involving several renowned domestic and foreign architects a "master plan" took form, which included the construction of a boulevard instead of the ramparts between the inner city and its radially upstream suburbs. In the 50-years during implementation phase, an impressive architectural ensemble developed, consisting of imperial and private representational buildings, public administration and cultural buildings, churches and barracks, marking the era under the term "ring-street style". Already in the first year tithe decided a senior member of the Austrian imperial family to decorate the facades of his palace according to the new design principles, and thus certified the aristocratic claim that this also "historicism" said style on the part of the imperial house was attributed.

Image: The Old Albertina after 1920

It was the palace of Archduke Albrecht (1817-1895), the Senior of the Habsburg Family Council, who as Field Marshal held the overall command over the Austro-Hungarian army. The building was incorporated into the imperial residence of the Hofburg complex, forming the south-west corner and extending eleven meters above street level on the so-called Augustinerbastei.

The close proximity of the palace to the imperial residence corresponded not only with Emperor Franz Joseph I and Archduke Albert with a close familial relationship between the owner of the palace and the monarch. Even the former inhabitants were always in close relationship to the imperial family, whether by birth or marriage. An exception here again proves the rule: Don Emanuel Teles da Silva Conde Tarouca (1696-1771), for which Maria Theresa in 1744 the palace had built, was just a close friend and advisor of the monarch. Silva Tarouca underpins the rule with a second exception, because he belonged to the administrative services as Generalhofbaudirektor (general court architect) and President of the Austrian-Dutch administration, while all other him subsequent owners were highest ranking military.

In the annals of Austrian history, especially those of military history, they either went into as commander of the Imperial Army, or the Austrian, later kk Army. In chronological order, this applies to Duke Carl Alexander of Lorraine, the brother-of-law of Maria Theresa, as Imperial Marshal, her son-in-law Duke Albert of Saxe-Teschen, also field marshal, whos adopted son, Archduke Charles of Austria, the last imperial field marshal and only Generalissimo of Austria, his son Archduke Albrecht of Austria as Feldmarschalil and army Supreme commander, and most recently his nephew Archduke Friedrich of Austria, who held as field marshal from 1914 to 1916 the command of the Austro-Hungarian troops. Despite their military profession, all five generals conceived themselves as patrons of the arts and promoted large sums of money to build large collections, the construction of magnificent buildings and cultural life. Charles Alexander of Lorraine promoted as governor of the Austrian Netherlands from 1741 to 1780 the Academy of Fine Arts, the Théâtre de Ja Monnaie and the companies Bourgeois Concert and Concert Noble, he founded the Academie royale et imperial des Sciences et des Lettres, opened the Bibliotheque Royal for the population and supported artistic talents with high scholarships. World fame got his porcelain collection, which however had to be sold by Emperor Joseph II to pay off his debts. Duke Albert began in 1776 according to the concept of conte Durazzo to set up an encyclopedic collection of prints, which forms the core of the world-famous "Albertina" today.

Image : Duke Albert and Archduchess Marie Christine show in family cercle the from Italy brought along art, 1776. Frederick Henry Füger.

1816 declared to Fideikommiss and thus in future indivisible, inalienable and inseparable, the collection 1822 passed into the possession of Archduke Carl, who, like his descendants, it broadened. Under him, the collection was introduced together with the sumptuously equipped palace on the Augustinerbastei in the so-called "Carl Ludwig'schen fideicommissum in 1826, by which the building and the in it kept collection fused into an indissoluble unity. At this time had from the Palais Tarouca by structural expansion or acquisition a veritable Residenz palace evolved. Duke Albert of Saxe-Teschen was first in 1800 the third floor of the adjacent Augustinian convent wing adapted to house his collection and he had after 1802 by his Belgian architect Louis de Montoyer at the suburban side built a magnificent extension, called the wing of staterooms, it was equipped in the style of Louis XVI. Only two decades later, Archduke Carl the entire palace newly set up. According to scetches of the architect Joseph Kornhäusel the 1822-1825 retreaded premises presented themselves in the Empire style. The interior of the palace testified from now in an impressive way the high rank and the prominent position of its owner. Under Archduke Albrecht the outer appearance also should meet the requirements. He had the facade of the palace in the style of historicism orchestrated and added to the Palais front against the suburbs an offshore covered access. Inside, he limited himself, apart from the redesign of the Rococo room in the manner of the second Blondel style, to the retention of the paternal stock. Archduke Friedrich's plans for an expansion of the palace were omitted, however, because of the outbreak of the First World War so that his contribution to the state rooms, especially, consists in the layout of the Spanish apartment, which he in 1895 for his sister, the Queen of Spain Maria Christina, had set up as a permanent residence.

Picture: The "audience room" after the restoration: Picture: The "balcony room" around 1990

The era of stately representation with handing down their cultural values ​​found its most obvious visualization inside the palace through the design and features of the staterooms. On one hand, by the use of the finest materials and the purchase of masterfully manufactured pieces of equipment, such as on the other hand by the permanent reuse of older equipment parts. This period lasted until 1919, when Archduke Friedrich was expropriated by the newly founded Republic of Austria. With the republicanization of the collection and the building first of all finished the tradition that the owner's name was synonymous with the building name:

After Palais Tarouca or tarokkisches house it was called Lorraine House, afterwards Duke Albert Palais and Palais Archduke Carl. Due to the new construction of an adjacently located administration building it received in 1865 the prefix "Upper" and was referred to as Upper Palais Archduke Albrecht and Upper Palais Archduke Frederick. For the state a special reference to the Habsburg past was certainly politically no longer opportune, which is why was decided to name the building according to the in it kept collection "Albertina".

Picture: The "Wedgwood Cabinet" after the restoration: Picture: the "Wedgwood Cabinet" in the Palais Archduke Friedrich, 1905

This name derives from the term "La Collection Albertina" which had been used by the gallery Inspector Maurice von Thausing in 1870 in the Gazette des Beaux-Arts for the former graphics collection of Duke Albert. For this reason, it was the first time since the foundation of the palace that the name of the collection had become synonymous with the room shell. Room shell, hence, because the Republic of Austria Archduke Friedrich had allowed to take along all the movable goods from the palace in his Hungarian exile: crystal chandeliers, curtains and carpets as well as sculptures, vases and clocks. Particularly stressed should be the exquisite furniture, which stems of three facilities phases: the Louis XVI furnitures of Duke Albert, which had been manufactured on the basis of fraternal relations between his wife Archduchess Marie Christine and the French Queen Marie Antoinette after 1780 in the French Hofmanufakturen, also the on behalf of Archduke Charles 1822-1825 in the Vienna Porcelain Manufactory by Joseph Danhauser produced Empire furnitures and thirdly additions of the same style of Archduke Friedrich, which this about 1900 at Portois & Ffix as well as at Friedrich Otto Schmidt had commissioned.

The "swept clean" building got due to the strained financial situation after the First World War initially only a makeshift facility. However, since until 1999 no revision of the emergency equipment took place, but differently designed, primarily the utilitarianism committed office furnitures complementarily had been added, the equipment of the former state rooms presented itself at the end of the 20th century as an inhomogeneous administrative mingle-mangle of insignificant parts, where, however, dwelt a certain quaint charm. From the magnificent state rooms had evolved depots, storage rooms, a library, a study hall and several officed.

Image: The Albertina Graphic Arts Collection and the Philipphof after the American bombing of 12 März 1945.

Image: The palace after the demolition of the entrance facade, 1948-52

Worse it hit the outer appearance of the palace, because in times of continued anti-Habsburg sentiment after the Second World War and inspired by an intolerant destruction will, it came by pickaxe to a ministerial erasure of history. In contrast to the graphic collection possessed the richly decorated facades with the conspicuous insignia of the former owner an object-immanent reference to the Habsburg past and thus exhibited the monarchial traditions and values ​​of the era of Francis Joseph significantly. As part of the remedial measures after a bomb damage, in 1948 the aristocratic, by Archduke Albert initiated, historicist facade structuring along with all decorations was cut off, many facade figures demolished and the Hapsburg crest emblems plunged to the ground. Since in addition the old ramp also had been cancelled and the main entrance of the bastion level had been moved down to the second basement storey at street level, ended the presence of the old Archduke's palace after more than 200 years. At the reopening of the "Albertina Graphic Collection" in 1952, the former Hapsburg Palais of splendour presented itself as one of his identity robbed, formally trivial, soulless room shell, whose successful republicanization an oversized and also unproportional eagle above the new main entrance to the Augustinian road symbolized. The emocratic throw of monuments had wiped out the Hapsburg palace from the urban appeareance, whereby in the perception only existed a nondescript, nameless and ahistorical building that henceforth served the lodging and presentation of world-famous graphic collection of the Albertina. The condition was not changed by the decision to the refurbishment because there were only planned collection specific extensions, but no restoration of the palace.

Image: The palace after the Second World War with simplified facades, the rudiment of the Danubiusbrunnens (well) and the new staircase up to the Augustinerbastei

This paradigm shift corresponded to a blatant reversal of the historical circumstances, as the travel guides and travel books for kk Residence and imperial capital of Vienna dedicated itself primarily with the magnificent, aristocratic palace on the Augustinerbastei with the sumptuously fitted out reception rooms and mentioned the collection kept there - if at all - only in passing. Only with the repositioning of the Albertina in 2000 under the direction of Klaus Albrecht Schröder, the palace was within the meaning and in fulfillment of the Fideikommiss of Archduke Charles in 1826 again met with the high regard, from which could result a further inseparable bond between the magnificent mansions and the world-famous collection. In view of the knowing about politically motivated errors and omissions of the past, the facades should get back their noble, historicist designing, the staterooms regain their glamorous, prestigious appearance and culturally unique equippment be repurchased. From this presumption, eventually grew the full commitment to revise the history of redemption and the return of the stately palace in the public consciousness.

Image: The restored suburb facade of the Palais Albertina suburb

The smoothed palace facades were returned to their original condition and present themselves today - with the exception of the not anymore reconstructed Attica figures - again with the historicist decoration and layout elements that Archduke Albrecht had given after the razing of the Augustinerbastei in 1865 in order. The neoclassical interiors, today called after the former inhabitants "Habsburg Staterooms", receiving a meticulous and detailed restoration taking place at the premises of originality and authenticity, got back their venerable and sumptuous appearance. From the world wide scattered historical pieces of equipment have been bought back 70 properties or could be returned through permanent loan to its original location, by which to the visitors is made experiencable again that atmosphere in 1919 the state rooms of the last Habsburg owner Archduke Frederick had owned. The for the first time in 80 years public accessible "Habsburg State Rooms" at the Palais Albertina enable now again as eloquent testimony to our Habsburg past and as a unique cultural heritage fundamental and essential insights into the Austrian cultural history. With the relocation of the main entrance to the level of the Augustinerbastei the recollection to this so valuable Austrian Cultural Heritage formally and functionally came to completion. The vision of the restoration and recovery of the grand palace was a pillar on which the new Albertina should arise again, the other embody the four large newly built exhibition halls, which allow for the first time in the history of the Albertina, to exhibit the collection throughout its encyclopedic breadh under optimal conservation conditions.

Image: The new entrance area of the Albertina

64 meter long shed roof. Hans Hollein.

The palace presents itself now in its appearance in the historicist style of the Ringstrassenära, almost as if nothing had happened in the meantime. But will the wheel of time should not, cannot and must not be turned back, so that the double standards of the "Albertina Palace" said museum - on the one hand Habsburg grandeur palaces and other modern museum for the arts of graphics - should be symbolized by a modern character: The in 2003 by Hans Hollein designed far into the Albertina square cantilevering, elegant floating flying roof. 64 meters long, it symbolizes in the form of a dynamic wedge the accelerated urban spatial connectivity and public access to the palace. It advertises the major changes in the interior as well as the huge underground extensions of the repositioned "Albertina".

 

Christian Benedictine

Art historian with research interests History of Architecture, building industry of the Hapsburgs, Hofburg and Zeremonialwissenschaft (ceremonial sciences). Since 1990 he works in the architecture collection of the Albertina. Since 2000 he supervises as director of the newly founded department "Staterooms" the restoration and furnishing of the state rooms and the restoration of the facades and explores the history of the palace and its inhabitants.

 

www.wien-vienna.at/albertinabaugeschichte.php

 

Khao Phra Tamnak also called Phra Tamnak Hill, is a hill located in between Pattaya Beach and Jomtien Beach on the south side of Pattaya. The hill is known for its viewpoints in Chaloem Phrakiat Park; the temple Wat Phra Yai, also known as Big Buddha Hill, which is generally known for its large golden Buddha statue; and the Pattaya City sign. It has the highest natural point in Pattaya City, with its highest elevation being 98 meters above sea level.

 

The hill is generally known as Khao Phra Tamnak or Phra Tamnak Hill, with 'khao' (เขา) meaning hill or mountain. The hill is also known in English sources as 'Pattaya Hill', due to the absence of hills from most of central Pattaya; or as Phrabat mountain.

 

Phra Tamnak Hill is 170 kilometres (110 mi) southeast of Bangkok in Bang Lamung District, Pattaya, Chonburi Province of Thailand. The location borders numerous beaches, Bali Hai Beach (north), Pattaya Beach (north-northeast), Royal Cliff Beach, Cozy Beach and Pratumnak Beach (west), Sugar Beach (southwest), Dongtan Beach and the Jomtien Beach (South-Southeast) to the Gulf of Thailand.[citation needed]

 

The hill is also located near the end of Walking Street, and behind the Bali Hai pier.

 

The hill can be accessed by foot, car or taxi.

 

Phra Tamnak Hill or Pratumnak Hill is a spot for fitness and beach leisure. Under the patronage of His Royal Majesty Bhumibol Adulyadej, it has an impact on the development and rise of sailing, yacht racing, and sea sports.

 

Pattaya Park and Pattaya Tower are on the south end of Phra Tamnak Hill and the Pattaya Exhibition and Convention Hall (P.E.A.C.H.) is on the north. From there down the hill is the Bali Hai Pier and the Walking Street, Pattaya.

 

At 98 meters above sea level is the Abhakara Kiartivongse monument, a bronze statue dedicated to Abhakara Kiartivongse, who is regarded as the Father of the Royal Thai navy. Due to the construction of the Waterfront Suites and Residence condominium from 2011 to 2014, the statue's view of the Bay of Bangkok has been restricted, causing the building and then mayor Itthiphol Khunpluem to come under criticsim. Since its construction halt in 2014, the abandoned building has continued to obstruct most of the statue's view of the sea.

 

Due to the area being the highest - at 98 metres above sea level - both a radio and TV station were constructed. The radio station is administered by the Royal Thai navy as Sor Tor Ro 5 Station.

 

Wang Sam Sien is a Taoist temple dedicated to Confucius and Guanyin. The shrine is along the way up to Wat Phra Yai.The organization that created Wang Sam Sien, the Mahakitpaisan Foundation, came into conflict with Pattaya City officials, who accuse the foundation of building on public land. The Supreme Administrative Court then ruled in Pattaya City's favour. This eventually resulted in the Mahakitpaisan Foundation releasing the land to the city in March 2021, who will then keep it as a Chinese-Thai cultural center with the Sawangboriboon Foundation. Then mayor, Sontaya Kunplome, then toured the temple on 9 March 2021 to come up with a plan with the Sawangboriboon Foundation to develop the center.

 

Wat Phra Yai is a Buddhist temple known primarily for its golden 18-metre tall 'Big Buddha statue'. The temple dates back to the 1940s when Pattaya was still a fishing town,[14] while the statue was built in 1977. The steps leading up to the statue are bounded by two 7-headed Nagas who are designed to guard the statue. Wat Phra Yai also contains seven other statues of the Buddha in different postures to represent their day of the week.

 

Covering around 24,000m², Chaloem Phrakiat park was established during the reign of King Bhumibol.

 

The Pattaya City sign is a large sign with the words 'PATTAYA' in red, and 'city' in white located on the hill. The sign also has a view point, which is not promoted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand and as such has no tour buses going to and from it. The view point can be accessed from either Bali Hai pier area or from a nearby road.

 

Pattaya is a city in Eastern Thailand, the second-largest city in Chonburi province and the eighth-largest city in Thailand. It is on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand, about 100 kilometres (62 mi) southeast of Bangkok, and has a population of 328,961 as of 2021.

 

Pattaya City (Thai: เมืองพัทยา, RTGS: Mueang Phatthaya, pronounced [mɯ̄a̯ŋ pʰát.tʰā.jāː]) is a self-governing municipal area within, but not part of, Bang Lamung district and has a population of 119,532. It covers the tambons of Nong Prue and Na Klua and parts of Huai Yai and Nong Pla Lai. Although the municipal area is not part of Bang Lamung district, Pattaya City has grown into all adjacent sub-districts and accounts for the largest population percentage in the district, making it de facto a part of the "Pattaya-Bang Lamung-Jomtien" area, otherwise known as "Greater Pattaya". The city is in the industrial Eastern Seaboard zone, along with Si Racha, Laem Chabang, and Chonburi. Pattaya is at the center of the Pattaya-Chonburi Metropolitan Area (a conurbation in Chonburi Province with a population of 1,000,000), which forms the third largest metropolitan area in Thailand.

 

The name Pattaya evolved from the march of Phraya Tak (later King Taksin) and his army from Ayutthaya to Chanthaburi, which took place before the fall of the former capital to Burmese invaders in 1767. When his army arrived in the vicinity of what is now Pattaya, Phraya Tak encountered the troops of a local leader named Nai Klom, who tried to intercept him. When the two met face to face, Nai Klom was impressed by Phraya Tak's dignified manner and his army's strict discipline. He surrendered without a fight and joined his forces. The place the armies confronted each other was thereafter known as "Thap Phraya", which means the "army of the Phraya".[4] Thap Phraya was later changed to Phatthaya, which means 'the wind blowing from the southwest to the northeast at the beginning of the rainy season'.

 

Following World War II, entrepreneur Parinya Chawalitthamrong saw the potenial of investing in Pattaya and donated some land to the governing administration. Pattaya City Hall would later be constructed on this land.

 

A fishing village until the 1960s, tourism began during the Vietnam War, when American servicemen began arriving on R&R (rest and relaxation). One large group who arrived from a base in Korat on 29 June 1959 and rented houses from Phraya Sunthorn at the south end of the beach, on what is now known as the "Strip", are credited with recommending Pattaya, whose fame spread by word of mouth.

 

On 29 November 1978, Pattaya was granted city status by the Thai government. In 1978, it also became a special governed city.

 

In 1981, businessman Lek Viriyaphan began constructing on the Sanctuary of Truth which remains unfinished and is entirely made out of wood.

 

In 2004, Nirun Wattanasartsaton became the first democratically elected mayor. In the 2008 mayoral election, Itthiphol Khunpluem became Pattaya's mayor. As mayor, Itthiphol approved construction on the Waterfront Suites and Residence condominium near the Bali Hai pier, which became constroversial. His approvement later led to his arrest in 2023 over corruption.

 

Following the 2014 coup, the National Council for Peace and Order appointed two mayors until in 2018 when the Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha appointed Sontaya Kunplome, brother of Itthiphol, as mayor. Mayor Sontaya went on to form the Rao Rak Pattaya party which won the 2022 mayoral election led by Poramet Ngampichet, who has served as mayor ever since.

 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Pattaya's economy suffered greatly due to travel restrictions restricting tourism.

 

From the 2010s through to the 2020s, Pattaya attempted to shift public perception of it being a sex-city to a more family-friendly location. Bars which were friendly towards pedophiles in Sunee plaza were closed, and the amount of gogo bars on Walking Street declined. However, a 2023 documentary by Deutsche Welle, which has been banned in Thailand, resurrected concerns around Pattaya's sex industry and its association with child prostitution. The documentary is around a German tourist who is claimed to have paid ฿‎1 million to return to Germany and escape charges. The claims resulted in PM Srettha Thavisin launcing an investigation headed by Surachate Hapkarn. The documentary has been described by local media as having the potential of hurting Pattaya's industry which has been recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Pattaya has frequently suffered from flooding, especially during the monsoon season. Torrential rain on 27 August 2021 left many important roads under water, with water reaching up to two metres deep in some areas. Pattaya City officials called the August flooding as the worst flood for Pattaya in a decade.

 

On 4 November 2023, Pattaya was awarded the Integrity and Transparency Assessment award for the highest development category. The award was presented by the National Anti-Corruption Commission to Poramet at Government House in Bangkok.

 

Pattaya has a tropical wet and dry climate, which is divided into the following seasons: hot and dry (December to February), hot and humid (March and April), and hot and rainy (May to November).

 

The municipality has a population of 119,532 residents (2019), while the city ("Greater Pattaya") has a population of 328,961 (2021). Most of these people counted are Thai, with most migrant populations not recognized, although migrant workers are increasingly regularized due to foreign pressure. Some details of the census remain complex, as even indigenous Thais without nationality are not being recognized. Therefore, the census population currently does not represent the total figure. As with the Bangkok Metropolitan Region, registered population figures issued by the National Statistics Office (NSO) and the Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA) hardly capture the scope of the urban transformation that has occurred over time, especially with the economy being dependent on the large numbers of casual Thai workers who work in the city yet remain registered in their hometowns, the employment turnover from and to the capital, as well as seasonal farm migration. Migrant workers from neighboring nations, and many long-term expatriates who reside in the city as retirees, self-employed, or contracted are traditionally not counted. There has never been a reliably published figure for the total population in Pattaya, but its thought to be quite large (on the order of half a million people[citation needed]) given the ubiquity and sheer number of migrant workers. Pattaya additionally has a massive population inflow from short stay tourism, with its 2000 hotels and 136,000 rooms available as of 2015.

 

Throughout the years, the municipality (Pattaya City) has outgrown its municipal borders (53.5 km²) and now reaches into all neighboring subdistricts (tambon) within the Bang Lamung district, forming the "Pattaya-Bang Lamung-Jomtien" area (727 km²), also known as "Greater Pattaya", though the commonly used term to describe the urban area is simply Pattaya. Changes in population and area size are regularly revised by the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning and the Chonburi Provincial Administrative Organization.

 

Pattaya is part of the Pattaya-Chonburi Metropolitan Area, a conurbation of the urban areas of Chonburi, Si Racha and Pattaya. The total population of this area is 999,092, making it the third largest metropolitan area in the country after Bangkok and Chiang Mai.

 

A growing community of foreign retirees lives in Pattaya. The Thai Immigration Bureau has a special visa category for foreigners over the age of 50 who wish to retire in Thailand. The city also has a large Indian community, which mainly speaks Tamil.

 

Pattaya, on the Gulf of Thailand, is approximately 160 kilometres (99 mi) south of the city of Bangkok in Bang Lamung District, Chonburi Province.

 

The city of Pattaya is a special municipal area which covers the whole tambon Nong Prue (Nongprue) and Na Kluea (Naklua) and parts of Huai Yai and Nong Pla Lai. Bang Lamung township which forms the northern border of Pattaya covers parts of the tambon Bang Lamung (Banglamung), Nong Pla Lai and Takhian Tia. Bang Sare (Bang Saray) is on the southern border of Pattaya.

 

"Greater Pattaya" occupies most of the coastline of Banglamung (one of the eleven districts that make up Chonburi Province). It is divided into a larger northern section which spans the areas to the east of Naklua Beach (the most northern beach) and Pattaya Beach (the main beach) plus Phra Tamnak Hill (often called "Buddha Hill" because of the temples on top of the hill) headland immediately south of Pattaya Beach, and a smaller southern section covering the area to the east of Jomtien Beach (directly south of Phra Tamnak Hill).

 

The Pattaya Bay area is one of Asia's largest beach resorts and the second most visited city in Thailand, after Bangkok. This panorama overlooks Bali Hai pier and the core of the city.

 

The main sweep of the bay area is divided into two principal beachfronts. Pattaya Beach lies parallel to the city centre, and runs about 2.7 km long from Pattaya Nuea (North) south along the coast to Pattaya Tai (South) which is the entrance to Walking Street. The beach, which used to be 35 m wide, suffers from erosion and in some places was reduced to a width of only two to three meters. A 429 million baht beach restoration scheme was implemented in 2018. It will take 360,000 m3 of sand from Ko Rang Kwian offshore to increase the beach width to 50 m. Without intervention Pattaya will likely see its beaches disappear in roughly ten years according to Chulalongkorn University researchers. Within a month of the completion of the restoration of the first 400 m of Pattaya Beach, the work was "seriously damaged" by flooding. The beach is the first in the country to use imported sand to compensate for coastal erosion. An official said, "...the longer it is left without the flood damage being repaired, the worse it will get."

 

Phra Tamnak Hill is on the south side of Pattaya and is popular for its viewpoints and the temple (Wat Phra Yai) on top of the hill. Pattaya Park and Pattaya tower are at the south end of Phra Tamnak Hill and the Pattaya Exhibition And Convention Hall (P.E.A.C.H), is positioned at the north end of Phra Tamnak Hill. In recent years, Phra Tamnak Hill has gained in popularity because of its more natural environment, nicer beaches, and its convenient location between Jomtien and Pattaya city.

 

Jomtien is divided from Pattaya by Thepprasit Road, the southern route into Pattaya city. It consists of high-rise condominiums, beach side hotels, bungalow complexes, shops, bars, and restaurants.

 

Offshore islands include three "near islands": Ko Lan (main island), Ko Sak, and Ko Krok, 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) from the shore of Pattaya. The "far islands" are Ko Phai (main island), Ko Man Wichai, Ko Hu Chang and Ko Klung Badan, located offshore further west of the "near islands". Ko Rin lies offshore to the south-west, south of Ko Phai group. The names "near islands", "far islands", and "Coral Island" are used for marketing purposes only and do not correspond to any naming conventions of the island groups and are not shown on maritime charts published by the Hydrographic Service of the Royal Thai Navy.

 

In June 2016, the Regional Environmental Office reported that, "The sea water along the busy central Pattaya beaches is of poor quality and could endanger human and marine life."

 

Pattaya produces on the order of 450 tonnes of solid waste per day. The city spends more than 300 million baht on waste removal and disposal annually. On average it pays 1,600 baht to process each tonne of garbage. Significant volumes of rubbish are allegedly dumped into the sea by tour boats.

 

In July 2017 Pattaya Beach was fouled for a week by raw sewage that poured out of a storm drain. City officials blamed the incident on broken pumps and Pattaya's poorly maintained sewage-treatment plant. The environmental ministry declared it would step up enforcement of pollution laws and push Pattaya for better wastewater-treatment efficiency. According to the ministry, Pattaya has 1,047 identified sources of sewage and garbage pollution, the number increasing as the city grows. The sea water along central Pattaya beaches is of poor quality even in the absence of sewage spills and "could endanger human and marine life", the regional environmental office has said. They deemed sea water quality near central Pattaya beaches as "poor" and deteriorating. They judged water quality near Na Klua in North Pattaya, South Pattaya, Ko Lan, and Jomtien Beach as "fairly good". The city has considered expanding two water management plants to increase capacity for better treatment of wastewater prior to discharge into the ocean. The water treatment plant in Soi Wat Nongyai after expansion would be able to treat around 130,000 cubic metres of waste water a day, up from 80,000 cubic metres at present. The expansion was never implemented.

 

In November 2018, the Pattaya City Council approved 188 million baht for the repair of its six wastewater treatment plants. Installed in 2000, the plants can accommodate 65,000 m3 of wastewater per day. More than a third of plant equipment was found to be 40–50 percent worn out. The system treats waste from a 36 km2 portion of Pattaya, or 68 percent of its urban area. Earlier plans to increase treatment capacity to 135,000 m3 were never implemented and existing plants were allowed to fall into disrepair. Pattaya uses more than 200,000 m3 of water a day, but claims to only discharge about 70,000 m3 a day. The discrepancy is unexplained. Once treated, there are no tests to measure water quality before it is dumped back into the sea, which may account for foul water discharges.

 

Pattaya is at the center of Thailand's Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC). Investments totaling more than 1.5 trillion baht (US$45 billion) are flowing into EEC infrastructure projects: airports, deep-sea ports, high-speed railways, autoroutes. The result will enhance Pattaya's accessibility. According to the Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) the EEC investments, the U-Tapao International Airport and the high-speed train that will link three major airports to Pattaya, will make Pattaya the heart of the eastern region. The TCC view is that, "Plenty of attractions...will lure lots more foreign and domestic tourists in the future." Better connectivity will reduce both the cost and time to travel to Pattaya, with the TCC estimating the number of tourists visiting the EEC region to rise to 46.7 million over the next few years, one and half times the current 29.8 million visitors. Pattaya projects include developing a tram in the city and building a bigger cruise terminal, as well as new tourist attractions: a water park, an ice dome, cultural markets, Thai boxing gyms, theaters, and conference halls. All are under development. "We aimed to get rid of the previous [seedy] image of Pattaya and try to promote a new image to show that Pattaya is a place for everyone with diversity of new tourist attractions," said an official of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). He said that the EEC would make Pattaya more competitive compared with other popular Thai beach destinations such as Phuket and Ko Samui, with cheaper transport costs.

 

Fourteen million visitors in 2018 contributed 239 billion baht to the city's treasury. That represents more than 70% of Pattaya's total income for the year. The city's leadership plans to reduce Pattaya's reliance on tourism to 60% by 2025 by transforming itself into "Neo Pattaya", an international business center. Key to the plans are infrastructure improvements: 9.5 billion baht for flood management projects and upgrading sewage treatment plants to handle 130,000 m3 of waste per day, up from 67,000 m3 per day in 2019.

 

Pattaya's thriving real estate market plays a pivotal role in bolstering the local economy. The continuous growth in the sector, particularly driven by foreign interest in condos, contributes significantly to employment, from construction to property management. Increased property transactions also generate substantial revenue through taxes and fees, further enhancing the city's fiscal health.

 

During 2020-2022, Pattaya witnessed a limited number of new projects, resulting in high absorption rates. Notably, the second and third quarters of 2023 saw a remarkable uptick in condo launches, significantly elevating sales. In 2023, Pattaya maintained its lead in condo transfers to foreigners, surpassing Bangkok with proportions of 41.7% and 37.5%, respectively. This outperformed the average rates of 30.8% and 48.8% from 2018 to 2022.

 

Via the Bangkok-Chonburi-Pattaya Motorway (Hwy 7). The motorway is linked with Bangkok's Outer Ring Road (Hwy 9) and there is also another entrance at Si Nakharin and Rama IX Junction.

Via Bang Na-Trat Highway (Hwy 34). From Bang Na, Bang Phli, across the Bang Pakong River to Chonburi there is a Chonburi bypass that meets Sukhumvit Road (Hwy 3), passing Bang Saen Beach, Bang Phra to Pattaya.

 

A daily service operates on the Eastern Line of the State Railway of Thailand between Pattaya and Hualumphong Station in Bangkok.

 

Pattaya is served by bus services from Bangkok's Northern Bus Terminal (Mo Chit) and the Eastern Bus Terminal (Ekamai), connecting to Pattaya's main bus terminal on Pattaya Nuea (North Pattaya Road) near Sukhumvit Road.

 

There are two airport bus services. The 389 Bus (airportpattayabus) service connects Pattaya with Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK). It uses modern, air-conditioned buses, and takes around 1+1⁄2 hours to reach the airport. The trip from the airport (Level 1 Gate 8 at the Arrival Hall) to the bus terminal in Pattaya, makes three stops at North, Central, and South Pattaya intersections before going to their last drop off point, the office on Thappraya Road (near Jomtien). It can take longer if many hotel stops are negotiated along Sukhumvit Road in Pattaya. The other bus service is the Bell Travel Service (Coach 36) which goes from the airport (Level 1 between Gate 7 & 8) to the Pattaya Bell office at the North Pattaya Intersection, and then provides transfers to local hotels.

 

Buses from a terminal on Sukhumvit Road near Pattaya Klang (near the Central Pattaya intersection) connect Pattaya with many destinations in the north-east region (i.e. Isan).

 

City and suburban services are mainly provided by songthaew, popularly nicknamed "baht buses" or "blue taxis".

 

Pattaya is about 120 kilometres (75 mi) by road from Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK), the country's largest international airport. By road, it is accessed from Sukhumvit Road and Motorway 7 from Bangkok. Pattaya is also served by scheduled flights via U-Tapao International Airport (UTP) which is 45-minute drive south of the city.

 

A passenger-only ferry service from Pattaya to Hua Hin began operation on 12 January 2017 and is operated by Royal Passenger Liner. By road, the journey takes five to six hours. The ferry shortens travel time to about two hours, subject to sea conditions. The ferry cruises at 27 knots on the 113 km journey across the Gulf of Thailand with a maximum passenger capacity of 150 persons. Larger ferries carrying up to 260 people may be added to the service later. Ferries capable of carrying vehicles are projected for 2020. In November 2018, Hua Hin deputy chief Chareewat Phramanee confirmed the ferry service, suspended due to low tourist numbers during low season, would be up and running again for high season between Hua Hin and Pattaya, a 2.5-hour journey for 1,250 baht on a catamaran with a maximum capacity of 340.

 

Pattaya city has been administered under a special autonomous system since 30 October 1978. It has a status comparable to a municipality and is separately administered by the mayor of Pattaya city who is responsible for making policies, organising public services, and supervising the city's workforce for an area that covers 53.4 square kilometers and consists of four subdistricts, 18 villages (muban).

 

Once a fishing town, Pattaya first boomed as an R&R destination for US servicemen stationed at nearby former USAF base at U-Tapao, or other US bases in Thailand during the Vietnam War. In 2018, Pattaya was the 18th most visited city in the world with 9.6 million tourists, and 3rd most in Thailand, after Bangkok (24.1 million) and Phuket (10.5 million).

 

Chinese New Year (varies from late January to early February) is celebrated by Pattaya's large Thai-Chinese community with dragons parades, lion dances, and fireworks.

Pattaya International Music Festival is held annually in the month of March. It attracts huge crowds to the different stages along Beach Road and Bali Hai Pier, and presents several styles of music performed by Thai and international artists.

The Pattaya Songkran festival, locally called Wan Lai, takes place each year in mid-April. It differs from most other Songkran festivals of Thailand in several aspects. It lasts several days longer and, besides water fights, the event includes beauty pageants, musical performances, cultural shows, fireworks, and water sports competitions.

Top of the Gulf Regatta is a week-long sailing event held at the end of April, beginning of May.

The Miss Tiffany Universe beauty pageant is held mid-May each year. During the four-day pageant, transgender models vie for first place with the final evening broadcast live on Thai TV for an audience of, on average, 15 million.

Pattaya Marathon, featuring several race categories, is held each year in July.

Pattaya Classical Guitar Festival, held annually on the last weekend of October, organized by the Thailand Guitar Society, Pattaya People Media Group, and Siam Bayshore Pattaya.

Loi Krathong, a light festival held during the full moon of the twelfth month in the traditional Thai lunar calendar and which usually falls in November, is celebrated in Pattaya, as in the rest of the country, that evening with people floating krathongs (small, candle-lit floats made from elaborately folded banana leaves) on the waters, as well as releasing khom loi (candle-fired hot air balloons) into the night sky.

Every November Pattaya hosts Miss International Queen, a yearly international pageant for transgender persons and transsexuals. In 2007 the event drew an estimated 25 million viewers on national TV.

Nightlife

 

Pattaya has derived part of its reputation as a tourist destination due to the sex industry and the resulting nightlife, and this notoriety has influenced the city's evolution in many ways. Prostitution in Thailand is technically illegal but tolerated in most cities, including Pattaya. The city's vast numbers of host bars, gogo bars, massage parlours, saunas, and hourly hotels, serve foreign tourists as well as locals. This is especially prominent on Walking Street as well as other areas around the city. Efforts have been made to clean up the city's image.

 

An article in the British tabloid the Daily Mirror have described Pattaya as "the world's sex capital", a "modern-day Sodom and Gomorrah". This provoked anger from government officials as high up as Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. Pol Col Apichai Krobpetch, the Pattaya police superintendent, denied that Pattaya is a sex trade paradise. Upset about the British media's stories, he insisted they were fabricated. "There is no such thing as prostitution in Pattaya," said Col Apichai. "Where did they get the figure of 27,000 sex workers in Pattaya? Anyone can make up this information....Thai ladies having sex with foreigners is their personal issue. If they like each other, I don't see anything wrong with what they do behind closed doors." In response, Pattaya social worker Surang Janyam, the director of Service Workers IN Group Foundation, said that estimated number of Pattaya prostitutes published in the Daily Mirror is inaccurate: "27,000 sex workers in Pattaya is way too low. We have a lot more sex workers than that." In June 2019, over twenty high ranking Police, Army and Local government officers toured Pattaya and reported the central streets safe and free from illegal activities.

 

As evidence of the government's commitment to clean up Pattaya, on 26 February 2017 at 20:00, 60 police officers and soldiers raided Pattaya's notorious Soi 6 to check for violations of the law. When the checks were completed, police announced that all licenses were in order and there was no law breaking of any kind, including prostitution, taking place there.

 

Pattaya also has Asia's largest gay scene based around Boyztown, the Jomtien Complex, and Sunee Plaza. The city is also famous for its flamboyant kathoey cabaret shows where transgender entertainers perform to packed houses.

 

In recent years, Pattaya has served as a hideaway for foreigners with connections to organized crime in their home countries, and dozens have been murdered in gang-related disputes.

 

People who visit the Pattaya area may encounter petty crime, usually limited to pickpocketing and confidence tricks, particularly in and around major tourist areas such as Jomtien and Pattaya Beaches and on the "baht buses". A special Tourist Police division has been established to aid tourists who are victims of crime. The 2009 British eight-episode TV documentary Big Trouble in Tourist Thailand described crimes involving tourists in Pattaya.

 

On 11 April 2009, Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva declared a state of emergency in the areas of Pattaya and Chonburi, in response to Red Shirt anti-government protesters breaking into the conference center of the Royal Cliff Beach Resort hotel complex, the site of an ASEAN Summit. The meeting was immediately cancelled and Asian leaders were evacuated, some by helicopter.

 

In 2019, the International Thai Foundation ('ITF') established a Community Legal Centre in Soi Bua Kao, Pattaya. Its objectives are to promote education, protect human rights & relieve poverty for the people in Thailand. This is the third CLC in Thailand Pro Bono Community Hub in Chiang Mai.

 

Several local foreign-language newspapers and magazines are published either weekly or monthly, especially in English, Russian, and German. The English-language newspapers include the Pattaya Mail and Pattaya People. The Pattaya News is an online portal that writes the local news in six languages. DER FARANG is a German-language newspaper published every 14 days. Thailands Tidende is a Norwegian-language newspaper published monthly.

 

The novel Platform by French author Michel Houellebecq prominently features the city of Pattaya as well as its nightlife.

 

The GMMTV Boys' Love (BL) series Moonlight Chicken (2023) is set in Pattaya.

 

International schools in Pattaya:

École francophone de Pattaya

International School of Chonburi

Tara Pattana International School

Rugby School Thailand

Mooltripakdee International School Pattaya

Hastin International School

The Thai-Japanese Association School Sriracha, a Japanese international school, is in nearby Si Racha. It is an affiliate of the Thai-Japanese Association School in Bangkok. Si Racha formerly housed the Sriracha-Pattaya Japanese Supplement School, a Japanese weekend school.

 

Twin towns and sister citiess

Kazakhstan Shymkent, Kazakhstan (June 2017)

Russia Saint Petersburg, Russia (June 2017)

China Qingdao, China (2013)

China Hubei, China (2014)

China Zhangjiajie, China (2016)

Vintage Italian postcard. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, 279. United Artists. Mary Philbin in Drums of Love (D.W. Griffith, 1928), also with Don Alvarado and Lionel Barrymore. The Italian release title was 'Romanzo della vecchia Spagna' [Romance of Old Spain].

 

Mary Philbin (1902-1993) was an American film actress of the silent film era, who is best known for playing the roles of Christine Daaé in The Phantom of the Opera (Rupert Julian, 1925) opposite Lon Chaney, and as Dea in The Man Who Laughs (Paul Leni, 1928), opposite Conrad Veidt.

 

Mary Philbin was born in 1903, in Chicago, Illinois, to John Philbin and his first wife and namesake, Mary. The child was regarded as a little beauty from an early age and her mother was exceedingly proud of her and loved to show her off. Her mother was controlling and domineering, to the point of imprinting her strict religious beliefs on the child. Mary took after her shy, quiet, and reserved father, whom she adored. Emily Greene at IMDb: "Many of her contemporaries remarked how she didn't seem to belong to the current age; her personality was a throwback to the 19th century with her mannerisms and religious, quiet and very gentle nature. Being an only child, Mary grew up quite spoiled by her mother. Her father would take her often to see the plays at local theaters and even, on rare occasions, to see an opera at the Chicago Opera House." She fell in love with the stage and decided that she wanted a career in the theatre. She took up classical dancing (ballet and waltz) and was quite adept at playing the pipe organ and piano, although much to her chagrin, she could not sing. However, she did not train in an acting school and this would ultimately have impact on her later career.

 

Her best friend was Carla Laemmle, the daughter of Joseph Laemmle, brother of Universal Studios mogul Carl Laemmle. Through her friend's uncle, Mary became interested in films and put her stage career on hold. Upon seeing her first "Nickelodeon", she was bitten by the film bug and eagerly awaited any new ones that came out. She was particularly fond of the films of Erich von Stroheim, so much so that at the age of 16, when she heard that the director was making his new film Blind Husbands (1919) and a contest was set up to search for talent for the film, Mary tried to sign up. At first, she could not find the right photograph worthy of submission, but her mother had taken a picture and submitted it. The contest was held in Chicago at the Elks Club and was sponsored by her church, with Von Stroheim himself as the judge. The Teutonic director was smitten with her beauty and her eagerness to behave and speak well and gave her the leading role in one of his films.

 

When finding out she was to move to Los Angeles to make the film, Mary at first had reservations and consulted her parents. Her parents refused until they found out their old family friends, the Laemmle's, were moving out to Los Angeles as well, and they gave consent for Mary to go but only with her parents as her chaperons due to their fear that the 'sheiks' of Los Angeles would corrupt Mary's moral character. When arriving at the studio, she found out that she had been replaced in the leading role in Blind Husbands. Mary was deeply hurt at the time and felt cheated, and was considering going home had it not been for her friend Carla who recommended her to her uncle, the owner of Universal City, Carl Laemmle, and the man in charge of production, Irving Thalberg. Although Carl Laemmle had met Mary sometime earlier and always regarded her as an 'angelic, sweet, quiet' young lady, he was none too impressed with her at the time to consider her for a contract, owing mostly to her moralistic and reserved disposition. Thalberg held the same reservations about her.

 

However, after being persuaded by Mary's family and Carla, Carl caved and gave 17-year-old Mary her first big part: Talitby Millicuddy, the leading lady, in the melodrama The Blazing Trail (Robert Thornby, 1921) starring Frank Mayo. Mary caught on in films very quickly and was considered by the public, initially at least, in the same league as her bigger contemporaries - Mary Pickford, Florence Lawrence, Mae Marsh, and Lillian Gish, one of those 'child-woman' actresses particularly noted for her subtle but extraordinary ethereal Irish beauty. In 1922, Philbin was awarded at the first annual WAMPAS Baby Stars awards, a promotional campaign sponsored by the Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers, which honoured thirteen young women each year whom they believed to be on the threshold of movie stardom.

 

After the moderate success of her first film, Mary Philbin was cast in Danger Ahead! (Rollin S. Sturgeon, 1921), the one-reel comedy Twelve Hours to Live (William Watson, 1921), and the Western Red Courage (B. Reeves Eason, 1921), starring Hoot Gibson. In all, she made six films in 1921. After seeing her work in Danger Ahead, Erich von Stroheim cast Mary in a small part as the crippled girl for his next film, Foolish Wives (Erich von Stroheim, 1922). It would become the most expensive production ever for Universal; the costs rising up to a million dollars. Mary can be seen in the film as the little girl on crutches with her back turned, and you only quickly get a darkened glimpse of her face through her curly ringlets. Although her role in the film was just a bit part, Mary relished being under Von Stroheim's tutelage and it was from him, as she always said, she learned about 'true' acting in comparison to stage acting. Emily Greene at IMDb: "It has always been said of Mary Philbin that when the director was really good (such as von Stroheim, Paul Leni, and William Beaudine), people noticed she could be equally as good an actress as her colleagues.

 

However, in the hands less talented directors such as Rupert Julian, who would partly direct her later in Merry-Go-Round (1923) and The Phantom of the Opera, her lack of acting training became a real handicap for her (this is clearly evident in some of her later films)." Mary began to get more notice from Carl Laemmle and Irving Thalberg, after Erich von Stroheim's high recommendation of her. After a minor film, The Trouper (Harry B. Harris, 1922) starring Gladys Walton, she was given the role of Ruth in Human Hearts (King Baggot, 1922). Mary began to get even further recognition, but her personal life was darkened by her father's divorce and remarriage to Alice Mead. Mary was shattered by the event, and as a result, became closer to her mother. Mary made two more films before she received her first big break as the heroine Agnes Urban, in von Stroheim's The Merry-Go-Round (1923). The casting for this film, set in the Austro-Hungarian Empire of the time of Emperor Franz Josef, was impeccable and in particular with her leading man, Norman Kerry, she would be reunited in several films. The production came to a standstill when the perfectionist von Stroheim insisted that some of the actors wear underwear embroidered with the Imperial Austrian Royal Family insignia, which infuriated Carl Laemmle. After an intense argument with Laemmle the wildly extravagant director was dropped from the picture. The cast was stunned and the two most affected were Wallace Beery (cast as Agnes' father) and Mary Philbin. Beery, infuriated with Laemmle's decision walked out, as did many others. Laemmle hired Universal actor Rupert Julian to direct. Not having met or worked with Julian before, Philbin decided to stay, and Cesare Gravina was re-cast in Beery's role. However, it became clearly evident that Julian was a novice compared to von Stroheim, and much of the original footage was cut or re-filmed upon its release. However, Merry-Go-Round (Rupert Julian, Erich von Stroheim, 1923) launched Mary as an official Hollywood star.

 

During this time, Mary met the love of her life, Universal Studio executive/producer Paul Kohner - through the Laemmles. Paul Kohner was only a year older than Mary and born in Teplitz-Schoenau, Austria-Hungary (now Teplice, Czech Republic). They were immediately smitten with each other - but due to Mary's parents' religion (Roman Catholicism) and the fact that Paul was a Jew - they kept their relationship, in the early years, secret as much as possible. Mary's film career took off with such films as the comic Western Where Is This West? (George Marshall, 1923), the drama The Age of Desire (Frank Borzage, 1923), the fantasy The Temple of Venus (Henry Otto, 1923), and the action-comedy The Thrill Chaser (Edward Sedgwick, 1923) with Hoot Gibson. Paul Kohner sometimes was the producer, which afforded her more time to be with him, under the protection from her parents' observance. But it wasn't until 1924 after she made good in the role of Marianne in The Rose of Paris (Irving Cummings, 1924) that Mary was to be cast in her next, most famous and best-remembered film role of her entire career.

 

In 1924, Carl Laemmle was searching among the elite list of Hollywood starlets for the role of the young Swedish soprano Christine Daaé in the film adaption of Gaston Leroux's novella 'Le Fantôme de l'Opéra' (The Phantom of the Opera) starring in the leading role of Erik, the Phantom of the Opera, was one of Hollywood's best actors Lon Chaney, fresh from his success in The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Wallace Worsley, 1923). Much to the concern of the cast and crew, the director hired for the picture was the temperamental Rupert Julian. Julian remembered Mary and Norman Kerry from Merry-Go-Round and hired them. Mary was cast in the key role of Christine, the chance of a lifetime. But the production was one of the most difficult for the cast to endure. Although Mary was working alongside of many of her former colleagues and friends (Norman Kerry, Cesare Gravina, and Carla Laemmle), she had never met Lon Chaney personally before and, in keeping with her nature, was initially very shy and nervous around him. During the filming Chaney and Julian exchanged heated arguments. Chaney would direct his own scenes including several scenes with Mary. Her big test with Chaney came for the climactic unmasking scene - there was a shot of Mary on the floor screaming after Christine unmasks the Phantom and is supposed to cry. Julian had gone through several takes of the scene with Mary, but all takes failed to satisfy Julian. This angered the cast and crew and Julian called it a day and they shut down early. But Lon Chaney remained behind and asked Mary and the crew to stay and reshoot the scene themselves. His approach was a success. From then on Chaney would always be on the set when Julian was directing Mary in future scenes, even if he was not in it. The Phantom of the Opera (1925) was Universal's biggest money maker of the decade, launching not only Chaney to stardom but Philbin as well.

 

Her next big role was the dual part of Stella Maris/Unity Blake in a remake of Mary Pickford's Stella Maris (Marshall Neilan, 1918). The new version, Stella Maris (Charles Brabin, 1925), was received with moderate success with Mary being complimented on her ability to change from the beautiful Stella into the hideous outcast Unity Blake so well that many didn't recognise her. When Mary was filming The Man who Laughs in the role of the blind girl Dea, her secret fiance Paul Kohner was acting as production supervisor and interpreter for Conrad Veidt who played Gwynplaine. On opening night, the film was hailed as a box-office success and Mary was praised for her the role as Dea. It was then that Mary announced her engagement to Paul Kohner. But her family was outraged at the news and called a meeting to meet Kohner. Paul admitted then he was a staunch Jew and Mary's mother would have none of it. In the end, Mary gave the devastated Paul back the ring. Mary also was devastated, even so much that she would never marry. At the dawn of talkies, Mary's film career nose-dived along with her personal life. Because of the inadequacy of early recording equipment - Mary's voice recorded as high pitched and squeaky. However, she did dub her own voice when The Phantom of the Opera was given sound and re-released in 1929. New scenes with Norman Kerry were intercut with footage of the 1924 version with Chaney. In retrospect, all of her post-Phantom films were mediocre. She received good notices in D.W. Griffith's otherwise pathetic Drums of Love (1928), co-starring Lionel Barrymore and Don Alvarado. Her final film was the sound film After the Fog (Leander De Cordova, 1929). Mary decided to abandon her film career and took up a life of self-enforced celibacy, becoming a virtual recluse in her father's home. Mary virtually vanished off the face of the earth and Hollywood forgot her.

 

In the 1960s, it was discovered that Philbin was still alive, living in the very same home in Huntington Beach, she had bought in the 1920s. She had never married and had spent much of her life looking after her parents. It was remarked at how youthful and beautiful she still looked even though she was in her 60s and how her voice still had that youthful girlish quality. She had been a faithful member of her parents' church and only went out to visit friends and family, shop, and go to church. During that time, she admitted that she refused interviews and photo shoots, although she replied to her fans and sent them autographs. In the late 1970s, Philbin experienced the first symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease.

 

In 1988, Mary made her first public appearance since 1931 at a memorial service for Rudolph Valentino. Another blow came when it was announced Paul Kohner had passed away. Shortly after his death, workers cleaning out his office at his agency found Mary's love letters close at hand in his desk, more than 60 years later. When she was informed, Mary cried and revealed the letters Paul had sent to her and even a few after the 'family incident'. After that Mary's memory lapses grew worse, and her old friend Carla Laemmle came to help her. At her insistence - Mary made two more public appearances - the first at the Los Angeles opening night of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical 'The Phantom of the Opera'. And the second to help promote author Philip Riley's study 'The Phantom of the Opera'. After that, Mary was never seen in public again. In 1993, Mary Philbin died of complications from pneumonia. The original Christine Daaé was dead at age 91.

Hydrolator to Sea Base Alpha inside The Living Seas pavilion in Future World at Epcot.

A prototype rover is commanded to drive in Cueva de Los Verdes lava tube in Spain’s Canary Island of Lanzarote, also known as the island of a thousand volcanoes.

 

The ENTERN experiment focuses on testing a robotic system for exploration of rough surfaces such as caves or craters.

The project is run by the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI).

 

The robot can operate autonomously, but will also use tele-operation feedback from the astronauts.

 

When the rover is navigating it is constantly building an internal 3D model of the environment. One of the goals of this test is to improve the autonomous capabilities of the rover in the complex lava tube environment.

 

This type of settings are potential candidates to host human habitats in future missions to the Moon and Mars.

 

The rover is taking part in a test campaign that brings together geology, high-tech survey equipment and space exploration. For five days to 24 November 2017, Pangaea-X is mobilising 50 people, four space agencies and 18 organisations in five different locations.

 

Copyright: ESA–A. Romeo

Faversham’s Magna Carta

Copies of this confirmation of Magna Carta granted in 1300, which includes the whole text of Magna Carta, were sent to many towns throughout the country. At the foot of this copy it is stated in Latin that it is for the barons of the Port of Faversham. Originally granted by King John 1215, Faversham’s version is a confirmation of the re-issue of 1225.

 

1300 Magna Carta.

Parchment, c. 59 × 44 (+32) cms. Decorated initial ‘E’. Great seal of Edward I on a replaced parchment tag.

Tann, Royal Charters of Faversham, pp. 102-111.

 

Translation

Edward by the grace of God king of England, Lord of Ireland and Duke of Aquitaine sends greeting to his archbishops, bishops, abbots, priors, earls, barons, sheriffs, reeves, ministers and all bailiffs and faithful people. We have inspected the charter of the lord Henry, our father, king of England (Henry III 1216-1272) about the liberties of England in these words:

 

Henry by the grace of God king of England, Duke of Normandy, Aquitaine and Count of Anjou sends greeting to his archbishops, bishops, earls, barons, sheriffs, reeves, ministers and all faithful people who will inspect the present charter. You may know that we by the instigation of God and for the salvation of our souls and the souls of our ancestors and descendants by our spontaneous and good will have, for the elevation of the Holy church and the bettering of our kingdom, given and granted to the archbishops, bishops, priors, earls, barons and ministers of our kingdom these liberties as are written below to be observed in our kingdom of England in perpetuity. Firstly we have conceded to God and we, by this our present charter, confirm for ourselves and for our heirs in perpetuity that the English church may be free and may hold all rights freely, fully and its liberties unquestioned; we have also granted and have given to all free men of our kingdom on behalf of ourself and of our heirs in perpetuity that they may have and hold the liberties as written below, by them and their heirs of us and our heirs in perpetuity. If any person of our earls or barons or of any other tenants who hold of us in chief through knight service may die and after his death and his heir shall be of full age and he owes relief, he may receive his inheritance through the old relief, that is to say an heir or the heirs of an earl by a hundred pounds for the entire Earldom, an heir or the heirs of a baron by a hundred marks for the full Barony, the heir or heirs by a hundred shillings for a full knights fee at the most and who has held less may give in accordance with the ancient custom of the fees. If however the heir of anyone of any such status should have been under age, the lord may not have custody of him nor of his land before he has taken his homage and afterwards such an heir who shall have been in custody, shall, when he has come of age, that is at twenty one years, receive his inheritance without relief and without a fine. Moreover that if he should have become a knight while he has been in custody, even so the land may remain in the keeping of his lords to the end of the aforesaid term. The guardian of the land of an heir of this nature, who has been under age, may not take anything from the heir’s land unless reasonable profits of that land. He ought to make report to us and if he, during his time of guardianship shall cause damage or commit waste then we will take it from him to be emended and the land may be committed to two trusted and honest men. And if we have given or sold the guardianship of the land to anyone of such nature and he then has caused damage or waste he shall loose that guardianship and it be handed over to two trusted and honest men of that fee who similarly may answer to us just as is aforesaid. However the guardian of the land has to accept a certain responsibility for the land in this manner: he will maintain the buildings, parks, fish ponds, stanks, mills and all things pertaining to that land out of the profits of the same land and when the heir shall come of full age he shall return his land completely stocked with ploughs and all other things in full just as he received it. All these things are to be observed concerning the custody of the lands of archbishops, bishops, abbots, priors, churches and vacant dignitaries which pertain to us, except when the guardianship in this manner ought to come to us. The heirs shall marry without disparagement, a widow at once after her husband’s death and she may have her marriage allowance and her inheritance without obstacle and may not give anything for her dowry nor for her marriage portion for the inheritance; that is any inheritance which she, the same widow and her husband held on the day of her husband’s death and she may remain in her husband’s capital messuage for forty days after her husband’s death, within which days her dowry may be assigned to her, unless it shall have been already assigned to her or unless that residence should be a castle and if she should depart from such castle, a suitable house may be provided at once for her in which she may honourably remain until her dowry be assigned to her, as it aforesaid and meanwhile she may have a reasonable maintenance grant from the community. However a third part of all her husband’s land may be assigned to her for her dowry which was hers during his life, unless she had been provided with less dowry at the church entrance. No widow may be pressurised to get married while she has wished to live without a husband. Then so that she may give assurance that she will not marry without our assent if she has held from us or without her lord’s assent if she has held from another. Indeed neither we, nor our bailiffs will seize any land or rent for any debt when certain present chattels of the debtor are sufficient to pay the debt and the debtor himself made be prepared to make satisfaction, nor shall the sureties of the same debtor be distrained when the chief debtor himself has sufficient for the payment of his own debt and if the chief debtor should default in payment of the debt, not having the funds to make repayment or being reluctant to make payment when he is able, the sureties for the debt may be responsible and if they should wish they may have the debtor’s lands and rents until he makes satisfaction to them about the debt which they have paid for him previously, unless the chief debtor has shown that he is quit towards his sureties. The city of London may have all is ancient liberties and customs; in addition we wish and concede that all other cities and boroughs and towns and the barons of the Cinque Ports and all ports may have all the liberties as their free customs. No one may be distrained to make more service for a knight’s fee nor for any other free tenement than that which is owing. The common pleas may not follow our court but shall be held in another particular place. Recognizances of Nova Disseisina and of Morte Antecessorum shall not be taken unless in their own counties. We, or if we should be out of the kingdom our chief justiciary, shall send our justiciaries into every county whatsoever once in a year, where, with the knights of the shires they may take the aforesaid assizes and those things which at his coming in the county cannot be terminated through our aforesaid justiciaries at the two assizes which were taken, shall be terminated by the same men elsewhere in their itinerary and those matters which by the same men could not be terminated on account of difficulty of other articles may be referred to the justiciaries of the Bench. The assizes of Ultima Presentacione are always taken before the justiciaries of the Bench and to be terminated there. A free man may not be amerced for a minor offence except according to the manner of the same man’s offence and for a more serious offence according to the extent of his delinquency, saving to the consideration of his status and a merchant in the same way according to his merchandise and a villein of another, rather than of ours, shall be amerced in the same way according to his weregeld should he happen to be placed into our mercy and none of the aforesaid amercements shall be imposed unless through the oath of trusted and law-abiding men of the neighbourhood and knights and barons shall not be amerced except through their peers and not unless according to the manner of the offence. No ecclesiastical person shall be amerced according to the quantity of his benefice but according to the quantity of his lay fee and according to the nature of his offence nor shall any villein or free man be distrained to build bridges at the waterways unless they had been obliged to do so from ancient times and by right. No defences shall be made for any river banks apart from those which had been made as defences in the time of king Henry our grandfather throughout the same places and under the same terms, just as they were accustomed to do in his time. No sheriff, constable, coroner or any other of our bailiffs may hold pleas of our crown. If any person holding a lay free of us shall have died and our sheriff or bailiff shall show our letters patent concerning our summons about the debt which shows what he owes to us, it may then be lawful for the sheriff or our bailiff to impound and evaluate all the deceased person’s goods and chattels found in that lay fee to the extent of that debt assessed by the valuation of trusted men. Thence nothing may be removed from there until the debt to us which was clearly shown shall be paid and the residue may be left to the executors in accordance with the deceased person’s will and if nothing may be owed to us by him and all his chattels shall yield to the deceased, saving to the wife and children of the same in reasonable share. No constable or a bailiff of his may take the corn or other chattels of anyone who is not of the town where the castle is situated unless he immediately pays money for them, or then he can have respite by the wish of the vendor. If however he is of that same town he may pay the price within forty days. No constable may distrain any knight to give him money for castle guard if he shall have been willing to do this in his own person or if for some good reason he is not able to perform this service through another trusted man; in addition, if we have led or sent him into the army, he may be exempt from service in accordance with the time during which through us he was in the army because of the fee for which he has done service in the host. No sheriff or our bailiff or any other person shall take the horses or carts of anyone to make a carriage unless he shall make the payment laid down in ancient statutes, that is to say ten pence per day for one cart with two horses and fourteen pence per day for one cart with three horses. No cart of the demesne of any ecclesiastical person or knight or of any other lord shall be taken by our bailiffs neither shall we, our bailiffs or anyone else take wood belonging to anyone else for our castles or for any other of our works unless by permission of the person to whom the wood belongs. We will not hold the lands of those persons convicted of felony longer than one year and one day and then those lands shall be returned to the lord of the fees. All fish kidells shall forthwith be removed from the Thames and Medway and throughout the whole of England unless upon the sea coast. The writ called Precipe in future shall not be granted to anyone of any free tenement, thence a free man may loose his court. There shall be one measure of wine throughout our whole kingdom and one measure of beer and one measure of corn, that is to say the quarter of London and one width of dyed cloth, of russets and halberjects, that is two ells within the selvedges. Concerning weights, these shall be the same as the measures. In future nothing may be given or taken from him who seeks the writ of the inquisition Concerning life and limbs but it shall be freely conceded and not denied. If anyone may hold of us in fee farm or socage or burgage and shall hold land from another by military service we will not have the custody of either his heir nor lands which he holds of another because of that fee -farm, socage or burgage, unless the fee farm owes that same man military service. We will not have custody of the heir or lands of anyone who holds from any other person lands by military service by reason of petty serjeantry which he holds of us by service of giving daggers or arrows or other similar things to us. Forthwith no bailiff shall place any man to his open law, not to an open oath upon his own simple affirmation without faithful witnesses brought for the purpose. No free man be taken or imprisoned nor dispossessed of his free tenement nor of his liberties or free customs nor outlawed nor exiled nor in any way brought to destruction nor shall we go upon him nor condemn him except through the lawful judgement of his peers or through the law of the land. We will not sell to anyone, nor will we not deny nor delay to anyone either right or justice. All merchants, unless they have received public prohibition, shall have safe and secure conduct to go from and come into England and to remain and to travel throughout England both by land and by water to buy and sell with no unjust exactions, in accordance with the ancient and right customs, except in time of war and if they should be from the country with which we are at war and such merchants are found in our land at the beginning of the war, they shall be apprehended with no loss to their persons or to their goods until it is made known to us or to our chief justiciary how the merchants of our land who may be found in that land which is at war with us are used and if our men were safe there, then those others shall be safe in our land. If anyone has held of another escheat, as of the honour of Wallingford, Boulogne, Nottingham, Lancaster or other escheats which are in our hands and which might be baronies and has died, his heir shall not give any relief nor perform any other service to us other than he may make to a baron, if that might be in a baron’s hands and we will hold it in the same manner by which the baron held it, nor by reason of such a barony or escheat will we have any escheat or custody of any of our men unless he who held the barony or escheat held otherwise of us in chief. In future no free man shall give or sell any more of his land but except that from the residue of his land he may be able to make the service owing to the lord of the fee which pertains to that fee. All the patrons of abbeys which have charters of the kings of England concerning the advowson or the ancient tenure or possessions may hold custody of them while they shall have been vacant just is they ought to have and just as is decreed above. No one shall be arrested or imprisoned by the appeal of a woman for the death of any man other than her husband. Henceforth no county court may be held except from month to month, and where the greater term was accustomed to be it may be greater, neither shall any sheriff or his bailiff make his turn throughout the hundred except on two occasions in a year and not unless in the due and accustomed place, that is to say once after Easter and again after the feast of Michaelmas and the view of frank pledge shall be then made at the same Michaelmas term with no obstacle, thus moreover that everyone may have his liberties which he had or was accustomed to have in the time of king Henry our grandfather or which things he has since acquired. However the view of frank pledge may be so done that our peace may be held and that the tything may be fully kept just as it was accustomed to be and that the sheriff may seek no perquisites and that he may be content with such as the sheriff was accustomed to have when he made his view at the time of king Henry our grandfather, nor in the future may it be lawful for any man to give his land to a religious house and to take that land to hold from the same house nor may it be lawful for a religious house to accept land of any man and to lease that land to him from whom it was received. Forthwith if anyone has so granted land to a religious house and upon this is convicted, his gift shall immediately be curtailed and that land returned to the lord of that fee. Forthwith scutage may be taken [as was customary] in the time of our grandfather king Henry and saving to the archbishops, bishops, abbots, priors, Templars, Hospitallers, earls, barons and all other persons both ecclesiastical and secular all the liberties and free customs which they first had. However all men of our kingdom, both clergy and laity shall observe all the customs and the aforesaid liberties [hole in MS which we have granted] in as much as pertains to us towards them in the way that these pertain towards them. However for this grant and concession of those liberties and other things contained in our charter concerning the liberties of the Forest the archbishops, bishops, abbots, priors, earls, barons and all people of our kingdom have given us a fifteenth part of all their moveable goods. We have granted also to the same people on our behalf and that of our heirs that neither we nor our heirs may request anything through which the liberties as contained in this charter may be violated or questioned and if any persons [may presume to commit such action] such may be worthless and set at nought. These are the witnesses: The lord S archbishop of Canterbury, E bishop of London, the bishops, J. Bath. P Winchester. H, Lincoln. R. Salisbury. W. Rochester, W.Worcester, J. Ely. H. Hereford. R. Chichester. W. Exeter, the abbot of Bury St Edmunds. The abbot of [hole], the abbot of Battle, the abbot of St Augustine’s Canterbury, the abbot of Evesham, the abbot of Westminster, the abbot of Peterborough, the abbot of Reading, the abbot of Abingdon, the abbot of Malmesbury, the abbot of Winchcombe, the abbot of Hythe, the abbot of Chertsey, the abbot of Shirbourne. The abbot of [hole] the abbot of Aylesbury. the abbot of Middleton., the abbot of Selby, the abbot of Cirencester, Hubert de Burgh our justiciar, H. earl of Chester and Lincoln, W. earl of Salisbury. W. earl Warenne. Gilbert de Clare earl of Gloucester and Hereford, W. de Ferrars earl of Derby, W de Mandeville earl of Essex, Hugh de Bigod earl of Norfolk, W. earl of Albermarle, H earl of Hereford. J Constable of Chester, R. de Ros, R son of Walter, R de Veteri Ponte, W. de Bruer. R. de Montfichet. P. fitz Herbert, W. de Aubeny son of Gresly, J de Munmue. J. Fitzalan, H de Mortimer, W de Beauchamp, W. de St John, P. de Malo lacu, Brian de Isham, Thomas de Multon, R. de Argentenn, G de Nevill, W. Manduit, J de Ballivi and others. Given at Westminster on the eleventh day of February in the ninth year of our reign, 1224/5. We however, having ratified the aforesaid grants and concessions freely concede and confirm them on behalf of ourself and of our heirs and renew them by the tenor of the present writings, desiring and granting for ourselves and our heirs that the aforesaid charter may be observed in all and each of its articles firmly and also unquestioned in perpetuity, if any articles contained in the same charter shall not previously have been observed. These are the witnesses: the venerable fathers * Robert archbishop of Canterbury, primate of all England, and bishops Anthony of Durham, Robert of London. Robert of Ely, Thomas of Exeter, Walter of Coventry and Lichfield, Simon of Salisbury, J (sic) Thomas of Rochester, John of Norwich and John of Llandaff, John elect of Lincoln, John de Warenne Earl of Surrey, Thomas Earl of Lancaster, Roger le Bygod Earl of Norfolk and Marshall of England, Henry de Lacy Earl of Lincoln, Ralph de Monte Hermern Earl of Gloucester and Hertford, Humphrey de Bohun Earl of Hereford and Essex, Guy de Beauchamp Earl of Warwick, Richard fitz Alan Earl of Arundel, Reginald de Grey, John de Hastings, Henry de Percy, Hugh le Despenser, Hugh de Veer, Robert de Tateshale, Hugh Bardolp, Hugh de Courteneye, John de Seagrave, Henry de Grey, William de Ros de Helmesleye, Alan la Zusche, Robert de Tony, Robert de Monte Alto, William de Breous, Thomas [hole]nall, John de Engaygne, Peter Corbet, William de Leyburn, William de Latymer, Walter de Beauchamp, steward of our lodgings, Walter de Huntercumbe and others. Given by our hand at Westminster on the twenty eighth day of March in the twenty eighth year of our reign. * Robert Winchelsey archbishop of Canterbury 1293-1313 Anthony Bek bishop of Durham 1283-1311 Robert Gravesend bishop of London 1280-1303 Robert de Walpole bishop of Ely1299-1302 Thomas de Bitton bishop of Exeter 1291-1307 Walter de Langeton bishop of Coventry and Lichfield 1296-1321 Simon of Ghent bishop of Salisbury 1297-1315 Thomas de Wouldham bishop of Rochester 1291-1317 John Salmon bishop of Norwich 1299-1325 John de Dalderby bishop elect of Lincoln 1300-1320. Elected 15th January 1300, consecrated 12 June 1300.

 

Written on fold of charter: For the Barons of the port of Faversham. Examined through Master Edmund of London

 

L1004579

"Now that is what I call a Re-enactment!

 

Bartimaeus the blind beggar

May the Peace of the Risen Christ be with you! Easter is here.

 

We had a most successful Re-enactment of Our Lord's Passion. After so many months of preparation, sewing machines running hot updating costumes, actors learning lines, sound systems being upgraded and more, there we stood at 11am on Good Friday with microphone in hand: "Welcome to the 2018 Re-enactment of Our Lord's Passion!" And so it began.

 

How do we measure "success" in regards to our re-enactment?

On one measure you can use crowd numbers, donations, "Likes" and Shares and that would be appropriate if this was just a normal play. Even on that basis our event would certainly be considered a success with somewhere around 5,000 people participating and lots of great feedback and support.

But how do you measure success for a play that tries to be an authentic re-enactment of the Passion of Jesus Christ based on scripture and tradition of the Church? In this case we were told by the Pauline Fathers that many people came back and they were hearing confessions the whole day.

We saw many people following the play and praying along with us.

  

Crowning with Thorns

Many came up to us after the play thanking us for such an invigorating presentation of our Lord's Passion. Here are some of the early tales we have been told of the day.

 

One of the biggest challenges with a moving play is the safety of actors, crew and pilgrims as the play moves from scene to scene. We try many methods such as fixed tape and ropes as well as rope held by our marshalls. Enforcement for keeping the crowd back tends to fall towards the soldiers who, like in a theatre restaurant, instruct the crowd to move back for their own safety. Our photographer, eager to get "the photo", allowed a little old lady to sneak past the barriers so she could touch the cloak of Jesus. As the Centurion swung his arm giving orders to his soldiers, this lady who stood upright under his swing moved forward. "What the?" cried the Centurion and firmly moved her back with instructions. I thought she would be concerned at the firm treatment but she was grinning ear to ear and holding her bag telling her family, "I touched his cloak!"

 

I touched Jesus' Robes!

 

Some of our Marshalls volunteered to help on the day. Often these had not experienced the fluid intensity of a moving play like this and even though they were holding on to the rope barrier, found themselves sucked into the crowd. When the Centurion or one of the soldiers noticed their lost marshall and we heard the cry, "Get him out of there!" as they reached in and brought him back into line.

 

Our marshalls and soldiers request people to stay back for their own safety. When the Roman soldiers and Jewish guards broke out into another scuffle we heard the cry, "They're fighting again!" and the crowd suddenly made space. "Please stand back for your own safety," we once more cried as the procession moved on.

 

When Jesus was being scourged, the process started with one Roman making a few lashes. Then he gets moved back with the cry, "Let someone do it properly!" The primary flogging Roman soldier let fly with the whip dipped in the fake blood. Drops of blood flew in an arc and the soft straps struck Jesus with a satisfying slap and Jesus cried out. The crowd stopped chattering with an audible gasp.

 

One of our new actors had not actually attended the play in past years so this was all an amazing experience. When Jesus was being scourged and mocked, tears came to her eyes, but the Woman of Jerusalem in charge held her and said, "Don't cry yet. We have to call for his crucifixion in the next scene." So she held back her tears and like a trooper joined the crowd calling for Jesus' crucifixion. As she said afterwards, it won't be the same contemplating the story of Jesus' Passion in future.

 

At the start of the play we made sure the actors and crew knew that this was a "Live" play. That meant no retakes, no pause to re-do the scene, no stepping in to try again. "The play must go on!" we instructed. "After all, the pilgrims haven't read the script and the story won't be affected if your lines are not exact. So long as we get the important bits in the right order, no-one will know." That was good advice.

 

When Pontius Pilate was standing majestically on the balcony addressing the crowd, the sign of Roman Superiority detached from the balcony railing and fell to the ground with a crash. Pontius Pliate's eyes opened wide for a brief moment and then he turned his gaze back to the Crowd and Caiaphas and the Jews and continued as if nothing was wrong. The crew quickly removed the sign and all moved on as if this was part of play. We were told afterwards how clever this was, the falling of the sign representing the fall of Roman Justice. The play must go on.

  

Although we have a script which covers all the main dialogue and actions, the flavour comes from the interactions and improvised dialogue of the actors. Insults between the Jews and Romans provided occasional humour too. At the crucifixion, one of the Jewish Chief Priests called out "How many Romans does it take to Crucify someone?" Being sick of their taunts a Roman Guard approached them and said, "I have room for one more. Are you ready?" The Chief Priest stepped back behind the Jewish Guards and replied, "I have an appointment tomorrow and can't today."

 

We will report further tales as they come to light, but I want to end this post-play post with some heartfelt thanks. When organising an event like this where there are months of preparation involving over 100 cast, crew and support organisations, the whole thing only works when people do their part. This year worked so well because everyone did their part, no matter how small that part may have appeared. The actors didn't just remember their lines, but they also worked with their fellow actors and added their own ideas for their character. For example, the actor playing the blind beggar Bartimeus had the idea of having a blindfold and sat in his spot near the start of the play, begging for alms for about 20 minutes before the play reached him. Then he improvised with many calls for alms and requests about what the commotion was. It was a great job which really brought out the character of the blind beggar. It may have only been a bit part, but it formed part of the greater whole.

The same applied for each of the roles, from the primary speaking parts through to the behind the scenes actors of the Women of Jerusalem and Apostles before and after the abandonment of Jesus.

 

So many people have done their parts and done them well I am very proud to have been able to assist in co-ordinating and directing the play. An event like this generates a great camaraderie and fellowship and fosters a deeper understanding of not just this critical point in salvation history, but also the very human element that is the point of the whole Passion. Every actor and member of the crew and supporters must know that all the work and effort has been worthwhile to so many people.

 

Thank you.

~David Bruggeman"

Copied from goodfridaypassionplay.blogspot.com.au/

 

For more information please visit www.paulinefathers.org.au

 

No need to meditate or imagine, this event will take you to Calvary!

 

Images by Giovanni Portelli Photography © 2018.

Non-motorized boating pilot program comes to an end

 

LOS ANGELES — When the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District, granted a license in July for a seven week non-motorized boating pilot program on the Los Angeles River, the Los Angeles Conservation Corps quickly booked the allotted tours.

 

“It took about 10 minutes for the 280 tickets to sell, once we posted the announcement on line,” said Yasmin Mero-Corona, program coordinator, Los Angeles Conservation Corps. “We had another 300 on a waiting list to fill any no-shows. One gentleman stood by with his check every weekend until we had a cancellation for him to fill,” Mero-Corona added.

 

The test program allowed for no more than two trips per day on Friday, Saturday and Sunday beginning August 12 and ending September 25. The program was as much about education as it was access, with many of the tours featuring guest speakers, including Corps personnel, talking about the history of the river and plans for its revitalization.

 

The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority supervised the two-hour canoe and kayak trips covering a 1.5-mile stretch of the river. While most of the trip is a leisurely ride the 'Cattail Shoot' provides a bit of excitement as the staff helps participants and their vessels through a narrow, shallow shoot and one portage point, 'Rocky Rapids,' that requires boaters to exit their crafts and navigate the rocks on foot.

 

“A mentor of mine when I was a biologist at New York District was fond of saying, touch the resource. That's what accessing the river is to so many urban dwellers in Los Angeles,” said Josephine Axt, Chief, Planning Division, Los Angeles District, during her tour September 16.

 

“Even though there are nearby mountains where people can enjoy the outdoors, their day to day experience doesn't usually encourage or encompass much of a non-urban environment. Accessing the river is symbolic of a shared vision many LA residents have of the city embracing a more sustainable future,” added Axt.

 

For many boaters these trips represented their first access to the river and their enthusiasm was not tied to their skill level.

 

“The participants were nervous at first because for many adults, this was the first time on a canoe or kayak,” said Supervising Ranger III, Fernando Gomez. “However, at the end of the trip, they wanted more and some even said they were going to go out and buy a kayak to continue their experience, not on the LA River of course. For the skilled kayakers, they walked away with the surprise of how beautiful and calming the trip was,” Gomez added.

 

The Corps is an active partner in revitalizing and preserving the Los Angeles River, however, an important primary mission remains.

 

“I must be clear, nothing we do can jeopardize human safety or reduce the flood carrying capacity of this river,” said Col. Mark Toy, Los Angeles District Commander, during his opening remarks for the inaugural tour Aug. 8.

 

Now that the non-motorized boating pilot program has ended, no boating is authorized on the Los Angeles River. The river can, very quickly, become extremely dangerous, especially during the general winter storm season.

 

The Corps will review trip reports and lessons learned from staff and participants. Working with the stakeholders the Corps will carefully consider all options for boating on the Los Angeles River in future years.

 

St Margaret took some finding. Despite it being clearly marked from the centre of the village, the lane takes the visitor past a meditation centre then beside a golf course. All with no sign of the church.

 

On first attempt, I turned the car round and went back, but no sign of the church could be seen.

 

I gave up, but hoped a warden at Tottiscliffe could help.

 

And indeed she did.

 

Upon turning into the lane, there is a wall on your left, and on the wall is a small sign pointing to the church along a long and narrow grassy lane.

 

I drove up the 400 yards to the lych gate, parked and found the church open, and a family of cyclists also enjoying it.

 

The church features many brasses and memorials to investigate and record. Also a good feature.

 

A family of cyclists were there, mother, father and two children, I could hear them in the chapel, and as I moved towards them, they moved in the opposite direction, so we barely made eye contact.

 

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The church was built on a narrow promontory a long way from the centre of its village and is entered through a porch with pretty bargeboards. The Norman aisleless nave was extended to the west when the present tower was built in the fifteenth century, and the former outside corner of the Norman building may be clearly seen. The Victorians heavily restored the interior but the south chapel still contains much of interest, notably the Watton memorial of 1653 which blocks the former east window, the outline of which may be seen outside. This chapel also has a good contemporary painted ceiling.

 

www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=Addington

 

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ADDINGTON.

NORTHWARD from Ofham lies Addington, written in Domesday and antient charters, Eddingtune, signifying, as I imagine, the town or territory of Adda, or Edda, its antient Saxon owner; tun in Saxon being a town or territory inclosed with a hedge or fence.

 

THE PARISH of Addington is not unpleasantly situated, for the greatest part on high ground, adjoining to the northern side of the Maidstone road, at the twenty-seventh mile stone, at a small distance from which is the small rivulet which rises at Nepecker, in Wrotham, and flowing through this parish is here called Addington brook, whence the new-built house near it takes its name of St. Vincent's, alias Addington brook, built some years ago by admiral William Parry, who resided in it till his death in 1779, he left by Lucy his wife, daughter of Charles Brown, esq. commissioner of the navy at Chatham, an only daughter, who carried it in marriage to captain William Locker, the present lieutenant-governor of Greenwich hospital. It was lately inhabited by Mr. William Hunter, but is now unoccupied.

 

Hence the ground rises, and at a small distance above it is the mansion and garden of Addington place, pleasantly situated on the side of the hill, having a lawn and avenue down to the road, from which it is a conspicuous object, behind it still higher stands the church and village, built round Addington green, over which the road leads from Trottesclive, to which and Wrotham this parish joins towards the west. The soil is a sand covering the quarry rock, but the land is most of it but poor and unfertile, especially towards the north and west parts of it, where the sand is deepest; in the latter is a small green called Addington common.

 

Here is an eelbourn, or nailbourn, as they are commonly called, the stream of which breaks out with great impetuosity once in seven or eight years, which then directs its waters along a trench, dug for this purpose, till it flows into the Leyborne rivulet, the trout of which it makes of a red colour, which otherwise are white.

 

These nailbourns, or eruptions of water, are very common in the eastern part of Kent, where the reason of their breaking forth will be particularly mentioned.

 

In a place here, called the Warren, about five hundred paces north-eastward from the church, on a little eminence, there are the remains of several large stones, placed in an oval form; seventeen of them may be easily traced, though from the distances between the stones, which are nearly equal, there must have been at least twenty to complete the oval, which consisted of only one row of stones. The sandiness of the soil has covered many of them, which can, only by guessing their distances, be found by thrusting of a stick into the ground. Such of the stones as have fallen down, have been carried away by the inhabitants for different uses. The stones are of the same kind as those of Stonehenge, and being placed in the same form, seem as if they were intended for the same use. (fn. 1)

 

About one hundred and thirty paces to the northwest of the above is another heap of large stones, tum- bled inwards one upon another. They originally consisted of six in number, and in circuit measure thirty-three paces.

 

SOON AFTER the conquest, this place was become part of the possessions of Odo, bishop of Baieux and earl of Kent, the Conqueror's half-brother, under the general title of whose lands it is thus entered in the survey of Domesday, taken about the year 1080.

 

Ralf (son of Turald) holds Eddintune of the bishop (of Baieux) for half a suling. The arable land is one carucate, and there is . . . with four borderers, and two servants, and there is one mill of twenty-three shillings. The whole manor was valued at four pounds. In the time of king Edward the Confessor, it was worth but little. Lestan held it of king Edward, and after his death turned himself over to Alnod Cilt, and now it is in dispute.

 

And a little further thus:

 

Ralf, son of Turald, holds Eddintune of the bishop (of Baieux). It was taxed at two sulings and an half. The arable land is five carucates, in demesne there are two, and six villeins, with nine borderers, having one carucate. There is a church and ten servants, and two mills of eleven shillings and two-pence, and twelve acres of meadow, wood for the pannage of ten hogs. In the time of king Edward the Confessor it was worth eight pounds, when he received it one hundred shillings, now six pounds. Agelred held it of king Edward.

 

These were plainly, by the descriptions, two separate estates, and both certainly, by their names, in this parish, and held by the same person. On the disgrace of the bishop of Baieux, about four years afterwards, they became, among the rest of his possessions, confiscated to the crown. Soon after which they seem to have been held as one manor, by William de Gurnay, and afterwards by Galiena de Gurnay, his grandchild; they were succeeded in the possession of this place by the family of Mandeville, or De Magna Villa, as the name was written in Latin, who held it of the family of Montchensie, as capital lords of the fee.

 

But this family was extinct here in the next reign of king Edward II. for Roger del Escheker was owner of it in the 7th year of it, (fn. 2) who assumed his name from his hereditary office of usher of the exchequer, whence he was called del Eschequer, de la Chekere, and de Scaccario. (fn. 3) John de la Chekere possessed it in the first year of king Edward III. in which he was succeeded by Nicholas de Daggeworth, (fn. 4) whose ancestor, John de Daggeworth, had married Maud, one of the sisters and coheirs of Simon del Exchequer. At the accession of king Richard II. he was made of his privy council, and afterwards steward of his houshold, keeper of the great seal, and treasurer of England. (fn. 5) He bore for his arms, Sable, a lion rampant, argent, crowned or, with proper difference.

 

In the 20th year of king Edward III. he paid aid for this manor, which Robert de Scaccario before held in Addington, of Warine de Montchensie, as of his manor of Swanscombe. He alienated it, before the end of that reign, to Sir Hugh de Segrave, knight batchelor, and he conveyed it to Richard Charles, who died in the 2d year of king Richard II. anno 1378, and lies buried in this church, leaving his brother's sons, Richard and John, his next heirs.

 

Richard Charles, the eldest brother, possessed this manor, whose son, Robert Charles, dying without manor, whose son, Robert Charles, dying without issue, his two sisters became his coheirs, Alice, married to William Snayth, and Joane to Richard Orme- skirke; and upon the division of their inheritance, this manor fell to the share of William Snayth, commonly called Snette, sheriff in the 9th year of king Henry IV. who kept his shrievalty at his manor-house of Addington, bearing for his arms, Argent, a chevron between three birds heads erased, sable; two years after which he died, and was buried, with Alice his wife, in this church. He left an only daughter and heir Alice, who carried this manor, with the rest of his estates, in marriage to Robert Watton, who thenceforward resided at Addington. He was descended from ancestors, who held lands in the parish of Ridley in the 20th year of king Edward III. and bore for his arms, Argent, a lion rampant, gules, debruised with a bend, sable, charged with three cross-croslets fitchee, argent. He died possessed of the manor, and patronage of the church of Addington in the year 1444, anno 23 king Henry VI. and was buried in this church.

 

His descendant, Thomas Watton, esq. of Addington, procured his lands in this county to be disgavelled by the act of 2d and 3d of king Edward VI. and in his descendants, residents at this place, who on their deaths were all buried in this church, (fn. 6) and his manor, with the patronage of this church, continued down to Edmund Watton, esq. of Addington, who left an only daughter and heir Elizabeth, who marrying Leonard Bartholomew, second son of Leonard Bartholomew, esq. of Oxenhoath, entitled him to this estate. He had by her two sons; Edmund, who died unmarried; and Leonard, who will be mentioned hereafter. On his death she again became possessed of this estate, which she carried in marriage to her second husband, Sir Roger Twisden, bart. of Bradbourn, whom she likewise survived, and dying in 1775, was succeeded in it by her only surviving son by her first husband, Leonard Bartholomew, esq. who resides at Addington-place, where he served the office of sheriff in 1790, bearing for his arms, Or, three goats erased sable. He married the daughter of Mr. Wildash, of Chatham, widow of Mr. Thornton, of East-Malling, by whom he has an only daughter, married in 1797 to the hon. captain John Wingfield, brother to the lord viscount Powerscourt, of the kingdom of Ireland.

 

There is a court leet and court baron held for this manor, which is held of the manor of Swanscombe by castle-guard to the castle of Rochester.

 

CHARITIES.

A PERSON UNKNOWN gave to the use of the poor the annual sum of 15s. arising from land vested in Leonard Bartholomew, esq. and now of that annual product.

 

ADDINGTON is within the ECCLESIASTICAL JURISDICTION of the diocese of Rochester and deanry of Malling.

 

The church has a handsome tower steeple at the west end. It is dedicated to St. Margaret. The present building was erected in 1403, as appears by the following inscription on the wall of it:

In fourteen hundred and none,

Here was neither stick nor stone;

In fourteen hundred and three,

The goodly building which you see.

 

The church of Addington has always been an appendage to the manor, and as such this rectory is now in the patronage of Leonard Bartholomew, esq.

 

It is endowed with all tithes whatsoever.

 

It is valued in the king's books at 6l. 6s. 8d. and the yearly tenths at 12s. 8d.

 

William de Gurnay gave to the church and priory of St. Andrew, in Rochester, in pure and perpetual alms, certain tithes of the demesnes of his parish of Edintune; but they lying so dispersed, that they could not be conveniently gathered by the monks, though they could be easily collected by the parson of this church: therefore it was agreed, that the parson of it should pay the yearly sum of five shillings to the monks of Rochester, on St. Andrew's day, for them. (fn. 7)

 

This pension, after the dissolution of the priory in the 31st year of king Henry VIII. was surrendered into the king's hands, who granted it two years afterwards by his dotation charter, to his new-erected dean and chapter of Rochester, to which it continues to be paid at this time.

 

¶It appears by the endowment of the vicarage of Hadlow, in this county, in 1287, that the rector of that parish had been used, beyond memory, to pay yearly the sum of eighteen-pence to the rector of this church, which payment the vicar of Hadlow was enjoined to pay in future. (fn. 8)

 

www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-kent/vol4/pp542-548

Spaceship Earth, the iconic and symbolic structure of Epcot, opened with the park in Future World in 1982. The 18-story, 180-foot tall geosphere, whose design was conceived by Wallace Floyd Design Group and completed by Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc., is derived from the Class 2 geodesic polyhedron.

 

Each face of the polyhedron is divided into three isosceles triangles to form each point—with, in theory, 11,520 triangles forming 3,840 points (some are nonexistent due to supports and doors). The 15,520,000 pound sphere, with a circumference of 518.1 feet and a diameter of 165 feet, is raised 18-feet off the ground by three pylons sunk more than 120-feet into the ground.

 

Inside the sphere, guests take a 15-minute dark Omnimover ride in a "time machine" to learn how advancements in communication have helped create the future. Narrators have included Lawrence Dobkin, Walter Cronkite, Jeremy Irons and now Dame Judi Dench.

Led by a New Orleans' style jazz funeral band several thousand people march from Marble Arch to Russell Square, where various ceremonies were conducted, mourning species lost and to be lost in future.

 

Extinction Rebellion stage 2 weeks of protests in London (and cities around the world) to force the government to tell the truth about the threats from climate change and biodiversity loss and declare an emergency, to commit to acting on it and to call a citizens assembly to assess how best to respond.

 

Throughout, the protests were peaceful and good natured, with non-violent direct action a core tactic of Extinction Rebellion. Nonetheless by 19/10/19 the police reported that 1,700+ people had been arrested, many for obstructing the highway (eg lock-ons while lying in the road). As XR publicly say, their strategy aims at maximizing arrests to gain publicity and raise the issue of climate change in the media and public consciousness.

 

Policing was much heavier compared to the April "rebellion", with pre-emptive arrests and raids on storage facilities. On 14/10/19 police expanded an order banning XR protests to include the whole of London. This ban has been widely criticised and may be subject to judicial review.

 

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Final year... alhamdulillah, akhirnya dapat jugak naik final year. Nak siapkan research for thesis memang tak kurang hebat jugak cabarannya. Pernah menangis teruk sebab hampir putus asa(tak reti buat programming, orang ajar puluh kali pun I still tak faham, tensyen sebab I bengap sangat, kahkahkah), I cried sepanjang jalan balik rumah, lantak laa orang tengok I dah tak peduli, sedih dan tertekan, I called abah(1st time dalam hidup I menangis dan mengadu pada abah sebab study, selalunya I managed myself), sampai rumah, nangis kat myLove pulak, sungguh malu bila ingat balik, hehe... Kalau nak cerita pahit maung belajar, rasanya ramai yang pernah ada pengalaman yang sama. I pernah dihalau lecturer bila jumpa dia untuk rayu nak repeat paper yang cuma kurang 1 markah untuk layakkan I untuk duduki repeat paper, haha, macam2... Tapi alhamdulillah, semua pahit maung tu jadi manis bila I dapat grad on time! yeay, masa tu fikir nak BABY! kihkih

 

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

I nak jawab soalan2 yang kerap sangat orang tanya...

 

1. Kenapa kahwin awal?

Dah jodoh! Lagipun sejak kecil, I always pray semoga I kahwin awal. Allah makbulkan... I believed perkahwinan akan bantu I untuk sampai kepada matlamat hidup I, perkahwinan akan bimbing both of us ke jalan yang diredhai, perkahwinan akan jaga maruah dan harga diri...

 

2. Bila nak dapat anak? (soalan ni masa I belum ada anak lagi laa)

Selepas 2tahun bernikah baru I pregnant. Memang kalau boleh, I nak anak cepat2 tapi I hormati pendirian myLove, dia pun nak anak tapi dia pertimbangkan keadaan I dulu. Awal2 tu, bila orang tanya, I jawab nak settle study dulu, alahaiii ramai pulak bagi tazkirah dan ceramah free, aduh tensyen! I tak kata anak tu beban, I tak pernah kata kalau ada anak I tak boleh study. Tapi kalau I pregnant then mabuk, I tak boleh pi kelas, korang nak tolong pi kelas ambil note dan buat report for me ker? Kalau baby lahir, korang nak tolong jaga? Kalau I tensyen study, tak ker kasihan my baby? huh! Bila dah tak tahan dengan khutbah2 tu, kalau orang tanya, I jawab belum ada rezeki, haa senang. Kalau banyak cakap, I suruh dia pi tanya Allah laa. Tapi ada yang terlebih pandai pulak, kata kami tak usaha laa pulak, hey kami usaha atau tak, mana hang tau?! Kami ada anak ker tak, ada kacau hang?! Sibuk betul!

Soalan ni sebenarnya tak beri apa2 kesan pun pada emosi I, bukannya I tak boleh pregnant, cuma tunggu masa yang sesuai, dan perancangan itu Allah restui, so what the heck?! Yang menyakitkan tu bila orang pandai2 judge pilihan kita, sibuk2 bagi pendapat bila kita tak minta, beri kata2 yang bukan membantu tapi menambah semak minda, itu yang I benci.

 

3. Kenapa tak balik Malaysia?

Nak stabil life dulu, kumpul harta dan pengalaman...

I tahu ada orang cakap I buang duit kerajaan belajar tinggi2 tapi tak berbakti pada negara... Pengertian berbakti tu terlalu luas...

Seorang surirumah melahirkan anak dan beri dia ilmu dan didikan yang baik hingga dia menjadi seorang yang hebat in future, itu jugak sumbangan hebat buat negara... Bukan bermakna bila I habis study in engineering, I MUST balik Malaysia, jadi kuli di kilang, baru I dianggap BALAS budi. Setiap orang ada future planning masing2, setiap orang ada target sendiri, dan tak siapa tahu jika I boleh capai target I suatu hari nanti betapa besarnya sumbangan I pada negara, I tak pernah fikir kawan2 yang memilih untuk balik itu adalah pilihan yang salah, I tak pernah pesimis pada pilihan orang lain... Semua orang ada sebab untuk apa jua yang dibuat!

 

4. Kenapa tak nak kerja?

I akan kerja dengan syarat I still boleh "jaga" anak2 dan myLove. "Jaga" maknanya uruskan makan minum, sakit demam, pakaian dll laa, all by myself. I want all my children membesar depan mata I, I want to be TRUE-mommy, bukan setakat melahirkan, tapi ibu yang 100% IBU...

My mom is full-time housewife, dulu I always happy bila balik dari sekolah cause I knew there is someone waiting for me at home, di rumah ada teman, I won't be alone... Masa sekolah dulu, I perhatikan teman2 yang ibunya bekerja tak gemar berada di rumah, sunyi... I pernah tanya mereka, apa perasaan mereka bila ibu keluar bekerja, most of them gave negative answers. Bukanlah mereka tak hargai ibu mereka, tapi itu luahan jujur hati mereka... So, I tak nak my children merasa kekosongan itu. Impaknya besar pada masa depan mereka. Sebab tu laa, zaman sekarang banyak masalah sosial, anak2 tak terkawal dan terabai...

Kesimpulannya, I tetap akan bekerja nanti tapi I will make sure segala urusan anak2 dan myLove adalah my priority yang mengatasi segalanya...

 

** Guys, I tak kritik ibu2 yang memilih untuk bekerja, sebab I know taraf hidup di Malaysia memaksa ibu2 ini bekerja. If they have choice, they will choose to be housewife... Ini sekadar pandangan peribadi I...

 

5. Kenapa pilih nama jepun untuk anak?

Hahaha, honestly I have no answer for this question. Why? Cause it's not me who gave that name! Ask myLove laa...

Apa juga namanya, tak timbul soal "sedar diri", I know ada orang kata we all perasan, anak melayu nama jepun, whatever! Kalau kita teliti nama sendiri pun, nama most of us bukan MELAYU pun, nama kita ARAB, right? Ada jugak letak nama ala-ala MAT SALEH... So, tak kesah lah, as long as ada makna yang baik...

A model of the Visby Class Destroyer HSwMS Visby (in WWII camouflage) at the Swedish Maritime Museum, Stockholm, June 2010; 4 ships of this class were launched in 1942-43 and completed in 1943-44. The Visby was launched in 1942 and completed in 1943. She had a displacement of 1,135 tons, measured 321.5 ft. x 30 ft. x 12.5 ft., had a maximum speed of 39 kts and was armed with 3x4.7” (3x1), 4x40mm AA (2x2) 4x20mm AA (2x2) guns and 6x21 TT (2x3).

 

Destroyers were an important element of the deterrent role of the Swedish Navy and by the early 1920’s existing destroyers were obsolete. A completely new design was developed, the Ehrenskold Class (974 tons) of 1927, then two ships of a slightly larger version followed in 1932, the Klas Class (1,020 tons), to in turn be followed in 1936-41 by six more ships with detail improvements – the 1,040 ton Goteborgs which were amongst the fastest destroyers ever built.

 

By the late 1930’s the Goteborg Class was deemed too sophisticated and expensive for duplication bearing in mind Sweden’s poor economy. Consequently, Sweden looked towards Italy where the latest destroyers were simple, of similar compact size and high speed, and not expensive. In 1940 Sweden thus bought two Italian destroyers of the 970 ton Sella Class (as the Psilander class) for comparison. However, the Psilanders proved too lightly built to cope with Baltic conditions and poor sea boats. Consequently, with the outbreak of WWII, Sweden ordered a larger and updated version of the highly thought of Goteborgs: the four 1,135 ton Visby Class destroyers. The Visby Class were the last of the standard Swedish destroyer designs.

 

Although small by international standards, their compact size, heavy armament for their size, agility and high speed made them ideal for warfare amongst the myriad of islands and islets in the shallow waters of the Baltic against the larger vessels of opposing fleets which dared to breach Sweden’s neutrality.

 

Two of the Visby Class were modernised in 1957-59 and all were converted to A/S frigates in 1965-68. Two were stricken in 1978 and the remaining two (including Visby) in 1982 following Sweden’s controversial decision to abandon their blue water navy and only build coastal forces in future.

 

On a drizzly day in February, Dona and I were traveling the back roads of Randolph County when we came across Beulah Land. This was one of my catches. Usually Dona spots things for me but this time I saw it out of the corner of my eye. We turned around and went back to see what was at this place. Although in need of upkeep, I found Beulah Land to be a sincere -albeit primitive - expression of faith. This sign is the beginning of a small entrance to a church. There are painted roadside cement statures representing Jesus and either Mary or an angel. I go with angel because of the wings. As you will see in future uploads, the statues are in need of upkeep. But, in spite of that, this sincere expression of welcome to the church is something I admire.

Session 6: Finance, Financial Inclusion and Growth: Challenges for the Next Decade

 

Since 2000, the region’s financial sector has been growing at a robust pace. However, research has shown that this can create new risks for growth, given the costs of booms and busts over time. At the same time, increasing attention is being paid to the link between financial inclusion— greater availability of and access to financial services—and economic development, as barriers to financial inclusion can contribute to persistent income inequality and slower growth. This session will examine ways to maintain stability while ensuring continued growth and opportunity, and look at financial inclusion in Asia, gaps in access to finance, modes of infrastructure finance, and policies to address barriers to greater inclusion.

 

Moderator:

 

José Viñals, Financial Counselor and Director, IMF Monetary and Capital Markets Department

 

Panelists:

 

Andrew Sheng, Fung Institute, Chief Adviser China Banking Regulatory Commission

Chandra Shekhar Ghosh, Managing Director and CEO, Bandhan Bank Ltd., India

Arjuna Mahendran, Governor Central Bank of Sri Lanka

Subir Gokarn, Executive Director for Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Sri Lanka, International Monetary Fund

Mercedes F200 Imagination Concept (1996)

The F200 concept was based on the current S class and was first shown at the 1996 Paris Motor Show . As a platform for ideas that might be incorporated in future models.

The car has no steering wheel, instead uses two sticks located in the interior door trim and the centre console. To steer the driver moves the sticks left to right: push forward to accelerate and backwards to brake. Known in aeronautical terms as fly by wire.

The car has active suspension as used on Formula One cars in the 1980's where each wheel is is controlled by sensors operating hydraulic cylinders to give a constant ride height whilst smoothing out bumps. The interior or exterior mirrors is replaced by inboard cameras monitoring the rear of the vehicle with images shown on a screen in the cockpit. The butterfly doors are hydraulically operated giving a larger door opening space and require less room when parking.

Shot on 27.02.2011 at Mercedes World. Ref 67a-179

 

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Faversham’s Magna Carta

Copies of this confirmation of Magna Carta granted in 1300, which includes the whole text of Magna Carta, were sent to many towns throughout the country. At the foot of this copy it is stated in Latin that it is for the barons of the Port of Faversham. Originally granted by King John 1215, Faversham’s version is a confirmation of the re-issue of 1225.

 

1300 Magna Carta.

Parchment, c. 59 × 44 (+32) cms. Decorated initial ‘E’. Great seal of Edward I on a replaced parchment tag.

Tann, Royal Charters of Faversham, pp. 102-111.

 

Translation

Edward by the grace of God king of England, Lord of Ireland and Duke of Aquitaine sends greeting to his archbishops, bishops, abbots, priors, earls, barons, sheriffs, reeves, ministers and all bailiffs and faithful people. We have inspected the charter of the lord Henry, our father, king of England (Henry III 1216-1272) about the liberties of England in these words:

 

Henry by the grace of God king of England, Duke of Normandy, Aquitaine and Count of Anjou sends greeting to his archbishops, bishops, earls, barons, sheriffs, reeves, ministers and all faithful people who will inspect the present charter. You may know that we by the instigation of God and for the salvation of our souls and the souls of our ancestors and descendants by our spontaneous and good will have, for the elevation of the Holy church and the bettering of our kingdom, given and granted to the archbishops, bishops, priors, earls, barons and ministers of our kingdom these liberties as are written below to be observed in our kingdom of England in perpetuity. Firstly we have conceded to God and we, by this our present charter, confirm for ourselves and for our heirs in perpetuity that the English church may be free and may hold all rights freely, fully and its liberties unquestioned; we have also granted and have given to all free men of our kingdom on behalf of ourself and of our heirs in perpetuity that they may have and hold the liberties as written below, by them and their heirs of us and our heirs in perpetuity. If any person of our earls or barons or of any other tenants who hold of us in chief through knight service may die and after his death and his heir shall be of full age and he owes relief, he may receive his inheritance through the old relief, that is to say an heir or the heirs of an earl by a hundred pounds for the entire Earldom, an heir or the heirs of a baron by a hundred marks for the full Barony, the heir or heirs by a hundred shillings for a full knights fee at the most and who has held less may give in accordance with the ancient custom of the fees. If however the heir of anyone of any such status should have been under age, the lord may not have custody of him nor of his land before he has taken his homage and afterwards such an heir who shall have been in custody, shall, when he has come of age, that is at twenty one years, receive his inheritance without relief and without a fine. Moreover that if he should have become a knight while he has been in custody, even so the land may remain in the keeping of his lords to the end of the aforesaid term. The guardian of the land of an heir of this nature, who has been under age, may not take anything from the heir’s land unless reasonable profits of that land. He ought to make report to us and if he, during his time of guardianship shall cause damage or commit waste then we will take it from him to be emended and the land may be committed to two trusted and honest men. And if we have given or sold the guardianship of the land to anyone of such nature and he then has caused damage or waste he shall loose that guardianship and it be handed over to two trusted and honest men of that fee who similarly may answer to us just as is aforesaid. However the guardian of the land has to accept a certain responsibility for the land in this manner: he will maintain the buildings, parks, fish ponds, stanks, mills and all things pertaining to that land out of the profits of the same land and when the heir shall come of full age he shall return his land completely stocked with ploughs and all other things in full just as he received it. All these things are to be observed concerning the custody of the lands of archbishops, bishops, abbots, priors, churches and vacant dignitaries which pertain to us, except when the guardianship in this manner ought to come to us. The heirs shall marry without disparagement, a widow at once after her husband’s death and she may have her marriage allowance and her inheritance without obstacle and may not give anything for her dowry nor for her marriage portion for the inheritance; that is any inheritance which she, the same widow and her husband held on the day of her husband’s death and she may remain in her husband’s capital messuage for forty days after her husband’s death, within which days her dowry may be assigned to her, unless it shall have been already assigned to her or unless that residence should be a castle and if she should depart from such castle, a suitable house may be provided at once for her in which she may honourably remain until her dowry be assigned to her, as it aforesaid and meanwhile she may have a reasonable maintenance grant from the community. However a third part of all her husband’s land may be assigned to her for her dowry which was hers during his life, unless she had been provided with less dowry at the church entrance. No widow may be pressurised to get married while she has wished to live without a husband. Then so that she may give assurance that she will not marry without our assent if she has held from us or without her lord’s assent if she has held from another. Indeed neither we, nor our bailiffs will seize any land or rent for any debt when certain present chattels of the debtor are sufficient to pay the debt and the debtor himself made be prepared to make satisfaction, nor shall the sureties of the same debtor be distrained when the chief debtor himself has sufficient for the payment of his own debt and if the chief debtor should default in payment of the debt, not having the funds to make repayment or being reluctant to make payment when he is able, the sureties for the debt may be responsible and if they should wish they may have the debtor’s lands and rents until he makes satisfaction to them about the debt which they have paid for him previously, unless the chief debtor has shown that he is quit towards his sureties. The city of London may have all is ancient liberties and customs; in addition we wish and concede that all other cities and boroughs and towns and the barons of the Cinque Ports and all ports may have all the liberties as their free customs. No one may be distrained to make more service for a knight’s fee nor for any other free tenement than that which is owing. The common pleas may not follow our court but shall be held in another particular place. Recognizances of Nova Disseisina and of Morte Antecessorum shall not be taken unless in their own counties. We, or if we should be out of the kingdom our chief justiciary, shall send our justiciaries into every county whatsoever once in a year, where, with the knights of the shires they may take the aforesaid assizes and those things which at his coming in the county cannot be terminated through our aforesaid justiciaries at the two assizes which were taken, shall be terminated by the same men elsewhere in their itinerary and those matters which by the same men could not be terminated on account of difficulty of other articles may be referred to the justiciaries of the Bench. The assizes of Ultima Presentacione are always taken before the justiciaries of the Bench and to be terminated there. A free man may not be amerced for a minor offence except according to the manner of the same man’s offence and for a more serious offence according to the extent of his delinquency, saving to the consideration of his status and a merchant in the same way according to his merchandise and a villein of another, rather than of ours, shall be amerced in the same way according to his weregeld should he happen to be placed into our mercy and none of the aforesaid amercements shall be imposed unless through the oath of trusted and law-abiding men of the neighbourhood and knights and barons shall not be amerced except through their peers and not unless according to the manner of the offence. No ecclesiastical person shall be amerced according to the quantity of his benefice but according to the quantity of his lay fee and according to the nature of his offence nor shall any villein or free man be distrained to build bridges at the waterways unless they had been obliged to do so from ancient times and by right. No defences shall be made for any river banks apart from those which had been made as defences in the time of king Henry our grandfather throughout the same places and under the same terms, just as they were accustomed to do in his time. No sheriff, constable, coroner or any other of our bailiffs may hold pleas of our crown. If any person holding a lay free of us shall have died and our sheriff or bailiff shall show our letters patent concerning our summons about the debt which shows what he owes to us, it may then be lawful for the sheriff or our bailiff to impound and evaluate all the deceased person’s goods and chattels found in that lay fee to the extent of that debt assessed by the valuation of trusted men. Thence nothing may be removed from there until the debt to us which was clearly shown shall be paid and the residue may be left to the executors in accordance with the deceased person’s will and if nothing may be owed to us by him and all his chattels shall yield to the deceased, saving to the wife and children of the same in reasonable share. No constable or a bailiff of his may take the corn or other chattels of anyone who is not of the town where the castle is situated unless he immediately pays money for them, or then he can have respite by the wish of the vendor. If however he is of that same town he may pay the price within forty days. No constable may distrain any knight to give him money for castle guard if he shall have been willing to do this in his own person or if for some good reason he is not able to perform this service through another trusted man; in addition, if we have led or sent him into the army, he may be exempt from service in accordance with the time during which through us he was in the army because of the fee for which he has done service in the host. No sheriff or our bailiff or any other person shall take the horses or carts of anyone to make a carriage unless he shall make the payment laid down in ancient statutes, that is to say ten pence per day for one cart with two horses and fourteen pence per day for one cart with three horses. No cart of the demesne of any ecclesiastical person or knight or of any other lord shall be taken by our bailiffs neither shall we, our bailiffs or anyone else take wood belonging to anyone else for our castles or for any other of our works unless by permission of the person to whom the wood belongs. We will not hold the lands of those persons convicted of felony longer than one year and one day and then those lands shall be returned to the lord of the fees. All fish kidells shall forthwith be removed from the Thames and Medway and throughout the whole of England unless upon the sea coast. The writ called Precipe in future shall not be granted to anyone of any free tenement, thence a free man may loose his court. There shall be one measure of wine throughout our whole kingdom and one measure of beer and one measure of corn, that is to say the quarter of London and one width of dyed cloth, of russets and halberjects, that is two ells within the selvedges. Concerning weights, these shall be the same as the measures. In future nothing may be given or taken from him who seeks the writ of the inquisition Concerning life and limbs but it shall be freely conceded and not denied. If anyone may hold of us in fee farm or socage or burgage and shall hold land from another by military service we will not have the custody of either his heir nor lands which he holds of another because of that fee -farm, socage or burgage, unless the fee farm owes that same man military service. We will not have custody of the heir or lands of anyone who holds from any other person lands by military service by reason of petty serjeantry which he holds of us by service of giving daggers or arrows or other similar things to us. Forthwith no bailiff shall place any man to his open law, not to an open oath upon his own simple affirmation without faithful witnesses brought for the purpose. No free man be taken or imprisoned nor dispossessed of his free tenement nor of his liberties or free customs nor outlawed nor exiled nor in any way brought to destruction nor shall we go upon him nor condemn him except through the lawful judgement of his peers or through the law of the land. We will not sell to anyone, nor will we not deny nor delay to anyone either right or justice. All merchants, unless they have received public prohibition, shall have safe and secure conduct to go from and come into England and to remain and to travel throughout England both by land and by water to buy and sell with no unjust exactions, in accordance with the ancient and right customs, except in time of war and if they should be from the country with which we are at war and such merchants are found in our land at the beginning of the war, they shall be apprehended with no loss to their persons or to their goods until it is made known to us or to our chief justiciary how the merchants of our land who may be found in that land which is at war with us are used and if our men were safe there, then those others shall be safe in our land. If anyone has held of another escheat, as of the honour of Wallingford, Boulogne, Nottingham, Lancaster or other escheats which are in our hands and which might be baronies and has died, his heir shall not give any relief nor perform any other service to us other than he may make to a baron, if that might be in a baron’s hands and we will hold it in the same manner by which the baron held it, nor by reason of such a barony or escheat will we have any escheat or custody of any of our men unless he who held the barony or escheat held otherwise of us in chief. In future no free man shall give or sell any more of his land but except that from the residue of his land he may be able to make the service owing to the lord of the fee which pertains to that fee. All the patrons of abbeys which have charters of the kings of England concerning the advowson or the ancient tenure or possessions may hold custody of them while they shall have been vacant just is they ought to have and just as is decreed above. No one shall be arrested or imprisoned by the appeal of a woman for the death of any man other than her husband. Henceforth no county court may be held except from month to month, and where the greater term was accustomed to be it may be greater, neither shall any sheriff or his bailiff make his turn throughout the hundred except on two occasions in a year and not unless in the due and accustomed place, that is to say once after Easter and again after the feast of Michaelmas and the view of frank pledge shall be then made at the same Michaelmas term with no obstacle, thus moreover that everyone may have his liberties which he had or was accustomed to have in the time of king Henry our grandfather or which things he has since acquired. However the view of frank pledge may be so done that our peace may be held and that the tything may be fully kept just as it was accustomed to be and that the sheriff may seek no perquisites and that he may be content with such as the sheriff was accustomed to have when he made his view at the time of king Henry our grandfather, nor in the future may it be lawful for any man to give his land to a religious house and to take that land to hold from the same house nor may it be lawful for a religious house to accept land of any man and to lease that land to him from whom it was received. Forthwith if anyone has so granted land to a religious house and upon this is convicted, his gift shall immediately be curtailed and that land returned to the lord of that fee. Forthwith scutage may be taken [as was customary] in the time of our grandfather king Henry and saving to the archbishops, bishops, abbots, priors, Templars, Hospitallers, earls, barons and all other persons both ecclesiastical and secular all the liberties and free customs which they first had. However all men of our kingdom, both clergy and laity shall observe all the customs and the aforesaid liberties [hole in MS which we have granted] in as much as pertains to us towards them in the way that these pertain towards them. However for this grant and concession of those liberties and other things contained in our charter concerning the liberties of the Forest the archbishops, bishops, abbots, priors, earls, barons and all people of our kingdom have given us a fifteenth part of all their moveable goods. We have granted also to the same people on our behalf and that of our heirs that neither we nor our heirs may request anything through which the liberties as contained in this charter may be violated or questioned and if any persons [may presume to commit such action] such may be worthless and set at nought. These are the witnesses: The lord S archbishop of Canterbury, E bishop of London, the bishops, J. Bath. P Winchester. H, Lincoln. R. Salisbury. W. Rochester, W.Worcester, J. Ely. H. Hereford. R. Chichester. W. Exeter, the abbot of Bury St Edmunds. The abbot of [hole], the abbot of Battle, the abbot of St Augustine’s Canterbury, the abbot of Evesham, the abbot of Westminster, the abbot of Peterborough, the abbot of Reading, the abbot of Abingdon, the abbot of Malmesbury, the abbot of Winchcombe, the abbot of Hythe, the abbot of Chertsey, the abbot of Shirbourne. The abbot of [hole] the abbot of Aylesbury. the abbot of Middleton., the abbot of Selby, the abbot of Cirencester, Hubert de Burgh our justiciar, H. earl of Chester and Lincoln, W. earl of Salisbury. W. earl Warenne. Gilbert de Clare earl of Gloucester and Hereford, W. de Ferrars earl of Derby, W de Mandeville earl of Essex, Hugh de Bigod earl of Norfolk, W. earl of Albermarle, H earl of Hereford. J Constable of Chester, R. de Ros, R son of Walter, R de Veteri Ponte, W. de Bruer. R. de Montfichet. P. fitz Herbert, W. de Aubeny son of Gresly, J de Munmue. J. Fitzalan, H de Mortimer, W de Beauchamp, W. de St John, P. de Malo lacu, Brian de Isham, Thomas de Multon, R. de Argentenn, G de Nevill, W. Manduit, J de Ballivi and others. Given at Westminster on the eleventh day of February in the ninth year of our reign, 1224/5. We however, having ratified the aforesaid grants and concessions freely concede and confirm them on behalf of ourself and of our heirs and renew them by the tenor of the present writings, desiring and granting for ourselves and our heirs that the aforesaid charter may be observed in all and each of its articles firmly and also unquestioned in perpetuity, if any articles contained in the same charter shall not previously have been observed. These are the witnesses: the venerable fathers * Robert archbishop of Canterbury, primate of all England, and bishops Anthony of Durham, Robert of London. Robert of Ely, Thomas of Exeter, Walter of Coventry and Lichfield, Simon of Salisbury, J (sic) Thomas of Rochester, John of Norwich and John of Llandaff, John elect of Lincoln, John de Warenne Earl of Surrey, Thomas Earl of Lancaster, Roger le Bygod Earl of Norfolk and Marshall of England, Henry de Lacy Earl of Lincoln, Ralph de Monte Hermern Earl of Gloucester and Hertford, Humphrey de Bohun Earl of Hereford and Essex, Guy de Beauchamp Earl of Warwick, Richard fitz Alan Earl of Arundel, Reginald de Grey, John de Hastings, Henry de Percy, Hugh le Despenser, Hugh de Veer, Robert de Tateshale, Hugh Bardolp, Hugh de Courteneye, John de Seagrave, Henry de Grey, William de Ros de Helmesleye, Alan la Zusche, Robert de Tony, Robert de Monte Alto, William de Breous, Thomas [hole]nall, John de Engaygne, Peter Corbet, William de Leyburn, William de Latymer, Walter de Beauchamp, steward of our lodgings, Walter de Huntercumbe and others. Given by our hand at Westminster on the twenty eighth day of March in the twenty eighth year of our reign. * Robert Winchelsey archbishop of Canterbury 1293-1313 Anthony Bek bishop of Durham 1283-1311 Robert Gravesend bishop of London 1280-1303 Robert de Walpole bishop of Ely1299-1302 Thomas de Bitton bishop of Exeter 1291-1307 Walter de Langeton bishop of Coventry and Lichfield 1296-1321 Simon of Ghent bishop of Salisbury 1297-1315 Thomas de Wouldham bishop of Rochester 1291-1317 John Salmon bishop of Norwich 1299-1325 John de Dalderby bishop elect of Lincoln 1300-1320. Elected 15th January 1300, consecrated 12 June 1300.

 

Written on fold of charter: For the Barons of the port of Faversham. Examined through Master Edmund of London

IMJIN PROMS 2015

 

In this image: The Band of the Adjutant General's Corps on stage mid act.

 

More than a thousand people enjoyed the first Imjin Proms on Saturday (30/05/15).

 

The concert and outdoor festival event raised money for three military service charity associations with entertainment ranging from a musically choreographed Spitfire display to children's activities.

 

Imjin Barracks, a Royal Air Force base that served for decades, has been home since 2010 to the event's other main host, NATO's Allied Rapid Reaction Corps.

 

Lt.Gen. Tim Evans, ARRC commander, welcomed the crowd with gratitude, wishing everyone a splendid evening, and thanking Aramark and other sponsors. The general envisioned the event more than a year ago to be a way for Imjin and other nearby military communities to share a memorable evening with Gloucestershire.

 

The plane flew to classical music played by The Band of the Royal Air Force College, who also lit up the evening with a finale and fireworks around 10 pm. Other music included a pop-music cover set by the Adjutant Generals Corps' Band who got people up and dancing from their picnic blankets and chairs. The crowd also witnessed the precision of The Royal Marines Band and 19th Regimental Royal Artillery Pipes and Drums.

 

Children representing their school's talent, the Innsworth Military Wives Choir, and many others performed during the evening to the local crowd. The event succeeded in opening the gates of Imjin to the community and there is a hope to see more of these kinds of events in future.

 

Photographer: Sgt Mike O’Neill, RLC ABIPP, Photographer, HQ ARRC

 

U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Corey W. Dahmen, right, engages targets during a combined arms exercise aboard Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif., Dec. 15, 2014. Dahmen is a team leader with Battalion Landing Team 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit. BLT 3/1 conducted this training concurrent with the 15th MEU’s realistic urban training. RUT prepares the 15th MEU’s Marines for their upcoming deployment, enhancing their combat skills in environments similar to those they may find in future missions.

 

Photo by Sgt. Emmanuel Ramos

www.facebook.com/15thMarineExpeditionaryUnit

twitter.com/15thmeuofficial

Day 329 - Football

 

Weekend! At the last weekends Oliver always had photoshootings or edited photos. He will change this in future. Oliver wants to enjoy weekends like everyone else. This weekend he will start with it. No photoshootings and time for other things. In the evening, Annika, Oliver and I were at a soccer game under floodlights. Something that Oliver has long wanted to photograph. It was no professional football, but still very exciting. Tomorrow we will travel to Hamburg to a large toy store and after that we will drive to a great christmas parade. I look forward to it :)

 

Wochenende! An den letzten Wochenenden hatte Oliver immer Fotoshootings oder hat Fotos bearbeitet. Dies wird er in Zukunft ändern. Oliver möchte Wochenenden genießen, wie andere auch. Dieses Wochenende fängt er damit an. Keine Shootings und Zeit für andere Dinge. Am Abend waren Annika, Oliver und Ich bei einem Fussballspiel im Flutlicht. Etwas, was Oliver schon lange fotografieren wollte. Es war kein Profi-Fussball, aber dennoch sehr spannend. Morgen fahren wir nach Hamburg in einen großen Spielzeugladen und danach fahren wir zu einer großen Weihnachtsparade. Ich freue mich darauf :)

 

Please check: 365.olivertotzke.de for the complete project and leave a comment there!

The Albertina

The architectural history of the Palais

(Pictures you can see by clicking on the link at the end of page!)

Image: The oldest photographic view of the newly designed Palais Archduke Albrecht, 1869

"It is my will that ​​the expansion of the inner city of Vienna with regard to a suitable connection of the same with the suburbs as soon as possible is tackled and at this on Regulirung (regulation) and beautifying of my Residence and Imperial Capital is taken into account. To this end I grant the withdrawal of the ramparts and fortifications of the inner city and the trenches around the same".

This decree of Emperor Franz Joseph I, published on 25 December 1857 in the Wiener Zeitung, formed the basis for the largest the surface concerning and architecturally most significant transformation of the Viennese cityscape. Involving several renowned domestic and foreign architects a "master plan" took form, which included the construction of a boulevard instead of the ramparts between the inner city and its radially upstream suburbs. In the 50-years during implementation phase, an impressive architectural ensemble developed, consisting of imperial and private representational buildings, public administration and cultural buildings, churches and barracks, marking the era under the term "ring-street style". Already in the first year tithe decided a senior member of the Austrian imperial family to decorate the facades of his palace according to the new design principles, and thus certified the aristocratic claim that this also "historicism" said style on the part of the imperial house was attributed.

Image: The Old Albertina after 1920

It was the palace of Archduke Albrecht (1817-1895), the Senior of the Habsburg Family Council, who as Field Marshal held the overall command over the Austro-Hungarian army. The building was incorporated into the imperial residence of the Hofburg complex, forming the south-west corner and extending eleven meters above street level on the so-called Augustinerbastei.

The close proximity of the palace to the imperial residence corresponded not only with Emperor Franz Joseph I and Archduke Albert with a close familial relationship between the owner of the palace and the monarch. Even the former inhabitants were always in close relationship to the imperial family, whether by birth or marriage. An exception here again proves the rule: Don Emanuel Teles da Silva Conde Tarouca (1696-1771), for which Maria Theresa in 1744 the palace had built, was just a close friend and advisor of the monarch. Silva Tarouca underpins the rule with a second exception, because he belonged to the administrative services as Generalhofbaudirektor (general court architect) and President of the Austrian-Dutch administration, while all other him subsequent owners were highest ranking military.

In the annals of Austrian history, especially those of military history, they either went into as commander of the Imperial Army, or the Austrian, later kk Army. In chronological order, this applies to Duke Carl Alexander of Lorraine, the brother-of-law of Maria Theresa, as Imperial Marshal, her son-in-law Duke Albert of Saxe-Teschen, also field marshal, whos adopted son, Archduke Charles of Austria, the last imperial field marshal and only Generalissimo of Austria, his son Archduke Albrecht of Austria as Feldmarschalil and army Supreme commander, and most recently his nephew Archduke Friedrich of Austria, who held as field marshal from 1914 to 1916 the command of the Austro-Hungarian troops. Despite their military profession, all five generals conceived themselves as patrons of the arts and promoted large sums of money to build large collections, the construction of magnificent buildings and cultural life. Charles Alexander of Lorraine promoted as governor of the Austrian Netherlands from 1741 to 1780 the Academy of Fine Arts, the Théâtre de Ja Monnaie and the companies Bourgeois Concert and Concert Noble, he founded the Academie royale et imperial des Sciences et des Lettres, opened the Bibliotheque Royal for the population and supported artistic talents with high scholarships. World fame got his porcelain collection, which however had to be sold by Emperor Joseph II to pay off his debts. Duke Albert began in 1776 according to the concept of conte Durazzo to set up an encyclopedic collection of prints, which forms the core of the world-famous "Albertina" today.

Image : Duke Albert and Archduchess Marie Christine show in family cercle the from Italy brought along art, 1776. Frederick Henry Füger.

1816 declared to Fideikommiss and thus in future indivisible, inalienable and inseparable, the collection 1822 passed into the possession of Archduke Carl, who, like his descendants, it broadened. Under him, the collection was introduced together with the sumptuously equipped palace on the Augustinerbastei in the so-called "Carl Ludwig'schen fideicommissum in 1826, by which the building and the in it kept collection fused into an indissoluble unity. At this time had from the Palais Tarouca by structural expansion or acquisition a veritable Residenz palace evolved. Duke Albert of Saxe-Teschen was first in 1800 the third floor of the adjacent Augustinian convent wing adapted to house his collection and he had after 1802 by his Belgian architect Louis de Montoyer at the suburban side built a magnificent extension, called the wing of staterooms, it was equipped in the style of Louis XVI. Only two decades later, Archduke Carl the entire palace newly set up. According to scetches of the architect Joseph Kornhäusel the 1822-1825 retreaded premises presented themselves in the Empire style. The interior of the palace testified from now in an impressive way the high rank and the prominent position of its owner. Under Archduke Albrecht the outer appearance also should meet the requirements. He had the facade of the palace in the style of historicism orchestrated and added to the Palais front against the suburbs an offshore covered access. Inside, he limited himself, apart from the redesign of the Rococo room in the manner of the second Blondel style, to the retention of the paternal stock. Archduke Friedrich's plans for an expansion of the palace were omitted, however, because of the outbreak of the First World War so that his contribution to the state rooms, especially, consists in the layout of the Spanish apartment, which he in 1895 for his sister, the Queen of Spain Maria Christina, had set up as a permanent residence.

Picture: The "audience room" after the restoration: Picture: The "balcony room" around 1990

The era of stately representation with handing down their cultural values ​​found its most obvious visualization inside the palace through the design and features of the staterooms. On one hand, by the use of the finest materials and the purchase of masterfully manufactured pieces of equipment, such as on the other hand by the permanent reuse of older equipment parts. This period lasted until 1919, when Archduke Friedrich was expropriated by the newly founded Republic of Austria. With the republicanization of the collection and the building first of all finished the tradition that the owner's name was synonymous with the building name:

After Palais Tarouca or tarokkisches house it was called Lorraine House, afterwards Duke Albert Palais and Palais Archduke Carl. Due to the new construction of an adjacently located administration building it received in 1865 the prefix "Upper" and was referred to as Upper Palais Archduke Albrecht and Upper Palais Archduke Frederick. For the state a special reference to the Habsburg past was certainly politically no longer opportune, which is why was decided to name the building according to the in it kept collection "Albertina".

Picture: The "Wedgwood Cabinet" after the restoration: Picture: the "Wedgwood Cabinet" in the Palais Archduke Friedrich, 1905

This name derives from the term "La Collection Albertina" which had been used by the gallery Inspector Maurice von Thausing in 1870 in the Gazette des Beaux-Arts for the former graphics collection of Duke Albert. For this reason, it was the first time since the foundation of the palace that the name of the collection had become synonymous with the room shell. Room shell, hence, because the Republic of Austria Archduke Friedrich had allowed to take along all the movable goods from the palace in his Hungarian exile: crystal chandeliers, curtains and carpets as well as sculptures, vases and clocks. Particularly stressed should be the exquisite furniture, which stems of three facilities phases: the Louis XVI furnitures of Duke Albert, which had been manufactured on the basis of fraternal relations between his wife Archduchess Marie Christine and the French Queen Marie Antoinette after 1780 in the French Hofmanufakturen, also the on behalf of Archduke Charles 1822-1825 in the Vienna Porcelain Manufactory by Joseph Danhauser produced Empire furnitures and thirdly additions of the same style of Archduke Friedrich, which this about 1900 at Portois & Ffix as well as at Friedrich Otto Schmidt had commissioned.

The "swept clean" building got due to the strained financial situation after the First World War initially only a makeshift facility. However, since until 1999 no revision of the emergency equipment took place, but differently designed, primarily the utilitarianism committed office furnitures complementarily had been added, the equipment of the former state rooms presented itself at the end of the 20th century as an inhomogeneous administrative mingle-mangle of insignificant parts, where, however, dwelt a certain quaint charm. From the magnificent state rooms had evolved depots, storage rooms, a library, a study hall and several officed.

Image: The Albertina Graphic Arts Collection and the Philipphof after the American bombing of 12 März 1945.

Image: The palace after the demolition of the entrance facade, 1948-52

Worse it hit the outer appearance of the palace, because in times of continued anti-Habsburg sentiment after the Second World War and inspired by an intolerant destruction will, it came by pickaxe to a ministerial erasure of history. In contrast to the graphic collection possessed the richly decorated facades with the conspicuous insignia of the former owner an object-immanent reference to the Habsburg past and thus exhibited the monarchial traditions and values ​​of the era of Francis Joseph significantly. As part of the remedial measures after a bomb damage, in 1948 the aristocratic, by Archduke Albert initiated, historicist facade structuring along with all decorations was cut off, many facade figures demolished and the Hapsburg crest emblems plunged to the ground. Since in addition the old ramp also had been cancelled and the main entrance of the bastion level had been moved down to the second basement storey at street level, ended the presence of the old Archduke's palace after more than 200 years. At the reopening of the "Albertina Graphic Collection" in 1952, the former Hapsburg Palais of splendour presented itself as one of his identity robbed, formally trivial, soulless room shell, whose successful republicanization an oversized and also unproportional eagle above the new main entrance to the Augustinian road symbolized. The emocratic throw of monuments had wiped out the Hapsburg palace from the urban appeareance, whereby in the perception only existed a nondescript, nameless and ahistorical building that henceforth served the lodging and presentation of world-famous graphic collection of the Albertina. The condition was not changed by the decision to the refurbishment because there were only planned collection specific extensions, but no restoration of the palace.

Image: The palace after the Second World War with simplified facades, the rudiment of the Danubiusbrunnens (well) and the new staircase up to the Augustinerbastei

This paradigm shift corresponded to a blatant reversal of the historical circumstances, as the travel guides and travel books for kk Residence and imperial capital of Vienna dedicated itself primarily with the magnificent, aristocratic palace on the Augustinerbastei with the sumptuously fitted out reception rooms and mentioned the collection kept there - if at all - only in passing. Only with the repositioning of the Albertina in 2000 under the direction of Klaus Albrecht Schröder, the palace was within the meaning and in fulfillment of the Fideikommiss of Archduke Charles in 1826 again met with the high regard, from which could result a further inseparable bond between the magnificent mansions and the world-famous collection. In view of the knowing about politically motivated errors and omissions of the past, the facades should get back their noble, historicist designing, the staterooms regain their glamorous, prestigious appearance and culturally unique equippment be repurchased. From this presumption, eventually grew the full commitment to revise the history of redemption and the return of the stately palace in the public consciousness.

Image: The restored suburb facade of the Palais Albertina suburb

The smoothed palace facades were returned to their original condition and present themselves today - with the exception of the not anymore reconstructed Attica figures - again with the historicist decoration and layout elements that Archduke Albrecht had given after the razing of the Augustinerbastei in 1865 in order. The neoclassical interiors, today called after the former inhabitants "Habsburg Staterooms", receiving a meticulous and detailed restoration taking place at the premises of originality and authenticity, got back their venerable and sumptuous appearance. From the world wide scattered historical pieces of equipment have been bought back 70 properties or could be returned through permanent loan to its original location, by which to the visitors is made experiencable again that atmosphere in 1919 the state rooms of the last Habsburg owner Archduke Frederick had owned. The for the first time in 80 years public accessible "Habsburg State Rooms" at the Palais Albertina enable now again as eloquent testimony to our Habsburg past and as a unique cultural heritage fundamental and essential insights into the Austrian cultural history. With the relocation of the main entrance to the level of the Augustinerbastei the recollection to this so valuable Austrian Cultural Heritage formally and functionally came to completion. The vision of the restoration and recovery of the grand palace was a pillar on which the new Albertina should arise again, the other embody the four large newly built exhibition halls, which allow for the first time in the history of the Albertina, to exhibit the collection throughout its encyclopedic breadh under optimal conservation conditions.

Image: The new entrance area of the Albertina

64 meter long shed roof. Hans Hollein.

The palace presents itself now in its appearance in the historicist style of the Ringstrassenära, almost as if nothing had happened in the meantime. But will the wheel of time should not, cannot and must not be turned back, so that the double standards of the "Albertina Palace" said museum - on the one hand Habsburg grandeur palaces and other modern museum for the arts of graphics - should be symbolized by a modern character: The in 2003 by Hans Hollein designed far into the Albertina square cantilevering, elegant floating flying roof. 64 meters long, it symbolizes in the form of a dynamic wedge the accelerated urban spatial connectivity and public access to the palace. It advertises the major changes in the interior as well as the huge underground extensions of the repositioned "Albertina".

 

Christian Benedictine

Art historian with research interests History of Architecture, building industry of the Hapsburgs, Hofburg and Zeremonialwissenschaft (ceremonial sciences). Since 1990 he works in the architecture collection of the Albertina. Since 2000 he supervises as director of the newly founded department "Staterooms" the restoration and furnishing of the state rooms and the restoration of the facades and explores the history of the palace and its inhabitants.

 

www.wien-vienna.at/albertinabaugeschichte.php

 

© All rights reserved. Use without permission is illegal

The Albertina

The architectural history of the Palais

(Pictures you can see by clicking on the link at the end of page!)

Image: The oldest photographic view of the newly designed Palais Archduke Albrecht, 1869

"It is my will that ​​the expansion of the inner city of Vienna with regard to a suitable connection of the same with the suburbs as soon as possible is tackled and at this on Regulirung (regulation) and beautifying of my Residence and Imperial Capital is taken into account. To this end I grant the withdrawal of the ramparts and fortifications of the inner city and the trenches around the same".

This decree of Emperor Franz Joseph I, published on 25 December 1857 in the Wiener Zeitung, formed the basis for the largest the surface concerning and architecturally most significant transformation of the Viennese cityscape. Involving several renowned domestic and foreign architects a "master plan" took form, which included the construction of a boulevard instead of the ramparts between the inner city and its radially upstream suburbs. In the 50-years during implementation phase, an impressive architectural ensemble developed, consisting of imperial and private representational buildings, public administration and cultural buildings, churches and barracks, marking the era under the term "ring-street style". Already in the first year tithe decided a senior member of the Austrian imperial family to decorate the facades of his palace according to the new design principles, and thus certified the aristocratic claim that this also "historicism" said style on the part of the imperial house was attributed.

Image: The Old Albertina after 1920

It was the palace of Archduke Albrecht (1817-1895), the Senior of the Habsburg Family Council, who as Field Marshal held the overall command over the Austro-Hungarian army. The building was incorporated into the imperial residence of the Hofburg complex, forming the south-west corner and extending eleven meters above street level on the so-called Augustinerbastei.

The close proximity of the palace to the imperial residence corresponded not only with Emperor Franz Joseph I and Archduke Albert with a close familial relationship between the owner of the palace and the monarch. Even the former inhabitants were always in close relationship to the imperial family, whether by birth or marriage. An exception here again proves the rule: Don Emanuel Teles da Silva Conde Tarouca (1696-1771), for which Maria Theresa in 1744 the palace had built, was just a close friend and advisor of the monarch. Silva Tarouca underpins the rule with a second exception, because he belonged to the administrative services as Generalhofbaudirektor (general court architect) and President of the Austrian-Dutch administration, while all other him subsequent owners were highest ranking military.

In the annals of Austrian history, especially those of military history, they either went into as commander of the Imperial Army, or the Austrian, later kk Army. In chronological order, this applies to Duke Carl Alexander of Lorraine, the brother-of-law of Maria Theresa, as Imperial Marshal, her son-in-law Duke Albert of Saxe-Teschen, also field marshal, whos adopted son, Archduke Charles of Austria, the last imperial field marshal and only Generalissimo of Austria, his son Archduke Albrecht of Austria as Feldmarschalil and army Supreme commander, and most recently his nephew Archduke Friedrich of Austria, who held as field marshal from 1914 to 1916 the command of the Austro-Hungarian troops. Despite their military profession, all five generals conceived themselves as patrons of the arts and promoted large sums of money to build large collections, the construction of magnificent buildings and cultural life. Charles Alexander of Lorraine promoted as governor of the Austrian Netherlands from 1741 to 1780 the Academy of Fine Arts, the Théâtre de Ja Monnaie and the companies Bourgeois Concert and Concert Noble, he founded the Academie royale et imperial des Sciences et des Lettres, opened the Bibliotheque Royal for the population and supported artistic talents with high scholarships. World fame got his porcelain collection, which however had to be sold by Emperor Joseph II to pay off his debts. Duke Albert began in 1776 according to the concept of conte Durazzo to set up an encyclopedic collection of prints, which forms the core of the world-famous "Albertina" today.

Image : Duke Albert and Archduchess Marie Christine show in family cercle the from Italy brought along art, 1776. Frederick Henry Füger.

1816 declared to Fideikommiss and thus in future indivisible, inalienable and inseparable, the collection 1822 passed into the possession of Archduke Carl, who, like his descendants, it broadened. Under him, the collection was introduced together with the sumptuously equipped palace on the Augustinerbastei in the so-called "Carl Ludwig'schen fideicommissum in 1826, by which the building and the in it kept collection fused into an indissoluble unity. At this time had from the Palais Tarouca by structural expansion or acquisition a veritable Residenz palace evolved. Duke Albert of Saxe-Teschen was first in 1800 the third floor of the adjacent Augustinian convent wing adapted to house his collection and he had after 1802 by his Belgian architect Louis de Montoyer at the suburban side built a magnificent extension, called the wing of staterooms, it was equipped in the style of Louis XVI. Only two decades later, Archduke Carl the entire palace newly set up. According to scetches of the architect Joseph Kornhäusel the 1822-1825 retreaded premises presented themselves in the Empire style. The interior of the palace testified from now in an impressive way the high rank and the prominent position of its owner. Under Archduke Albrecht the outer appearance also should meet the requirements. He had the facade of the palace in the style of historicism orchestrated and added to the Palais front against the suburbs an offshore covered access. Inside, he limited himself, apart from the redesign of the Rococo room in the manner of the second Blondel style, to the retention of the paternal stock. Archduke Friedrich's plans for an expansion of the palace were omitted, however, because of the outbreak of the First World War so that his contribution to the state rooms, especially, consists in the layout of the Spanish apartment, which he in 1895 for his sister, the Queen of Spain Maria Christina, had set up as a permanent residence.

Picture: The "audience room" after the restoration: Picture: The "balcony room" around 1990

The era of stately representation with handing down their cultural values ​​found its most obvious visualization inside the palace through the design and features of the staterooms. On one hand, by the use of the finest materials and the purchase of masterfully manufactured pieces of equipment, such as on the other hand by the permanent reuse of older equipment parts. This period lasted until 1919, when Archduke Friedrich was expropriated by the newly founded Republic of Austria. With the republicanization of the collection and the building first of all finished the tradition that the owner's name was synonymous with the building name:

After Palais Tarouca or tarokkisches house it was called Lorraine House, afterwards Duke Albert Palais and Palais Archduke Carl. Due to the new construction of an adjacently located administration building it received in 1865 the prefix "Upper" and was referred to as Upper Palais Archduke Albrecht and Upper Palais Archduke Frederick. For the state a special reference to the Habsburg past was certainly politically no longer opportune, which is why was decided to name the building according to the in it kept collection "Albertina".

Picture: The "Wedgwood Cabinet" after the restoration: Picture: the "Wedgwood Cabinet" in the Palais Archduke Friedrich, 1905

This name derives from the term "La Collection Albertina" which had been used by the gallery Inspector Maurice von Thausing in 1870 in the Gazette des Beaux-Arts for the former graphics collection of Duke Albert. For this reason, it was the first time since the foundation of the palace that the name of the collection had become synonymous with the room shell. Room shell, hence, because the Republic of Austria Archduke Friedrich had allowed to take along all the movable goods from the palace in his Hungarian exile: crystal chandeliers, curtains and carpets as well as sculptures, vases and clocks. Particularly stressed should be the exquisite furniture, which stems of three facilities phases: the Louis XVI furnitures of Duke Albert, which had been manufactured on the basis of fraternal relations between his wife Archduchess Marie Christine and the French Queen Marie Antoinette after 1780 in the French Hofmanufakturen, also the on behalf of Archduke Charles 1822-1825 in the Vienna Porcelain Manufactory by Joseph Danhauser produced Empire furnitures and thirdly additions of the same style of Archduke Friedrich, which this about 1900 at Portois & Ffix as well as at Friedrich Otto Schmidt had commissioned.

The "swept clean" building got due to the strained financial situation after the First World War initially only a makeshift facility. However, since until 1999 no revision of the emergency equipment took place, but differently designed, primarily the utilitarianism committed office furnitures complementarily had been added, the equipment of the former state rooms presented itself at the end of the 20th century as an inhomogeneous administrative mingle-mangle of insignificant parts, where, however, dwelt a certain quaint charm. From the magnificent state rooms had evolved depots, storage rooms, a library, a study hall and several officed.

Image: The Albertina Graphic Arts Collection and the Philipphof after the American bombing of 12 März 1945.

Image: The palace after the demolition of the entrance facade, 1948-52

Worse it hit the outer appearance of the palace, because in times of continued anti-Habsburg sentiment after the Second World War and inspired by an intolerant destruction will, it came by pickaxe to a ministerial erasure of history. In contrast to the graphic collection possessed the richly decorated facades with the conspicuous insignia of the former owner an object-immanent reference to the Habsburg past and thus exhibited the monarchial traditions and values ​​of the era of Francis Joseph significantly. As part of the remedial measures after a bomb damage, in 1948 the aristocratic, by Archduke Albert initiated, historicist facade structuring along with all decorations was cut off, many facade figures demolished and the Hapsburg crest emblems plunged to the ground. Since in addition the old ramp also had been cancelled and the main entrance of the bastion level had been moved down to the second basement storey at street level, ended the presence of the old Archduke's palace after more than 200 years. At the reopening of the "Albertina Graphic Collection" in 1952, the former Hapsburg Palais of splendour presented itself as one of his identity robbed, formally trivial, soulless room shell, whose successful republicanization an oversized and also unproportional eagle above the new main entrance to the Augustinian road symbolized. The emocratic throw of monuments had wiped out the Hapsburg palace from the urban appeareance, whereby in the perception only existed a nondescript, nameless and ahistorical building that henceforth served the lodging and presentation of world-famous graphic collection of the Albertina. The condition was not changed by the decision to the refurbishment because there were only planned collection specific extensions, but no restoration of the palace.

Image: The palace after the Second World War with simplified facades, the rudiment of the Danubiusbrunnens (well) and the new staircase up to the Augustinerbastei

This paradigm shift corresponded to a blatant reversal of the historical circumstances, as the travel guides and travel books for kk Residence and imperial capital of Vienna dedicated itself primarily with the magnificent, aristocratic palace on the Augustinerbastei with the sumptuously fitted out reception rooms and mentioned the collection kept there - if at all - only in passing. Only with the repositioning of the Albertina in 2000 under the direction of Klaus Albrecht Schröder, the palace was within the meaning and in fulfillment of the Fideikommiss of Archduke Charles in 1826 again met with the high regard, from which could result a further inseparable bond between the magnificent mansions and the world-famous collection. In view of the knowing about politically motivated errors and omissions of the past, the facades should get back their noble, historicist designing, the staterooms regain their glamorous, prestigious appearance and culturally unique equippment be repurchased. From this presumption, eventually grew the full commitment to revise the history of redemption and the return of the stately palace in the public consciousness.

Image: The restored suburb facade of the Palais Albertina suburb

The smoothed palace facades were returned to their original condition and present themselves today - with the exception of the not anymore reconstructed Attica figures - again with the historicist decoration and layout elements that Archduke Albrecht had given after the razing of the Augustinerbastei in 1865 in order. The neoclassical interiors, today called after the former inhabitants "Habsburg Staterooms", receiving a meticulous and detailed restoration taking place at the premises of originality and authenticity, got back their venerable and sumptuous appearance. From the world wide scattered historical pieces of equipment have been bought back 70 properties or could be returned through permanent loan to its original location, by which to the visitors is made experiencable again that atmosphere in 1919 the state rooms of the last Habsburg owner Archduke Frederick had owned. The for the first time in 80 years public accessible "Habsburg State Rooms" at the Palais Albertina enable now again as eloquent testimony to our Habsburg past and as a unique cultural heritage fundamental and essential insights into the Austrian cultural history. With the relocation of the main entrance to the level of the Augustinerbastei the recollection to this so valuable Austrian Cultural Heritage formally and functionally came to completion. The vision of the restoration and recovery of the grand palace was a pillar on which the new Albertina should arise again, the other embody the four large newly built exhibition halls, which allow for the first time in the history of the Albertina, to exhibit the collection throughout its encyclopedic breadh under optimal conservation conditions.

Image: The new entrance area of the Albertina

64 meter long shed roof. Hans Hollein.

The palace presents itself now in its appearance in the historicist style of the Ringstrassenära, almost as if nothing had happened in the meantime. But will the wheel of time should not, cannot and must not be turned back, so that the double standards of the "Albertina Palace" said museum - on the one hand Habsburg grandeur palaces and other modern museum for the arts of graphics - should be symbolized by a modern character: The in 2003 by Hans Hollein designed far into the Albertina square cantilevering, elegant floating flying roof. 64 meters long, it symbolizes in the form of a dynamic wedge the accelerated urban spatial connectivity and public access to the palace. It advertises the major changes in the interior as well as the huge underground extensions of the repositioned "Albertina".

 

Christian Benedictine

Art historian with research interests History of Architecture, building industry of the Hapsburgs, Hofburg and Zeremonialwissenschaft (ceremonial sciences). Since 1990 he works in the architecture collection of the Albertina. Since 2000 he supervises as director of the newly founded department "Staterooms" the restoration and furnishing of the state rooms and the restoration of the facades and explores the history of the palace and its inhabitants.

 

www.wien-vienna.at/albertinabaugeschichte.php

 

The Albertina

The architectural history of the Palais

(Pictures you can see by clicking on the link at the end of page!)

Image: The oldest photographic view of the newly designed Palais Archduke Albrecht, 1869

"It is my will that ​​the expansion of the inner city of Vienna with regard to a suitable connection of the same with the suburbs as soon as possible is tackled and at this on Regulirung (regulation) and beautifying of my Residence and Imperial Capital is taken into account. To this end I grant the withdrawal of the ramparts and fortifications of the inner city and the trenches around the same".

This decree of Emperor Franz Joseph I, published on 25 December 1857 in the Wiener Zeitung, formed the basis for the largest the surface concerning and architecturally most significant transformation of the Viennese cityscape. Involving several renowned domestic and foreign architects a "master plan" took form, which included the construction of a boulevard instead of the ramparts between the inner city and its radially upstream suburbs. In the 50-years during implementation phase, an impressive architectural ensemble developed, consisting of imperial and private representational buildings, public administration and cultural buildings, churches and barracks, marking the era under the term "ring-street style". Already in the first year tithe decided a senior member of the Austrian imperial family to decorate the facades of his palace according to the new design principles, and thus certified the aristocratic claim that this also "historicism" said style on the part of the imperial house was attributed.

Image: The Old Albertina after 1920

It was the palace of Archduke Albrecht (1817-1895), the Senior of the Habsburg Family Council, who as Field Marshal held the overall command over the Austro-Hungarian army. The building was incorporated into the imperial residence of the Hofburg complex, forming the south-west corner and extending eleven meters above street level on the so-called Augustinerbastei.

The close proximity of the palace to the imperial residence corresponded not only with Emperor Franz Joseph I and Archduke Albert with a close familial relationship between the owner of the palace and the monarch. Even the former inhabitants were always in close relationship to the imperial family, whether by birth or marriage. An exception here again proves the rule: Don Emanuel Teles da Silva Conde Tarouca (1696-1771), for which Maria Theresa in 1744 the palace had built, was just a close friend and advisor of the monarch. Silva Tarouca underpins the rule with a second exception, because he belonged to the administrative services as Generalhofbaudirektor (general court architect) and President of the Austrian-Dutch administration, while all other him subsequent owners were highest ranking military.

In the annals of Austrian history, especially those of military history, they either went into as commander of the Imperial Army, or the Austrian, later kk Army. In chronological order, this applies to Duke Carl Alexander of Lorraine, the brother-of-law of Maria Theresa, as Imperial Marshal, her son-in-law Duke Albert of Saxe-Teschen, also field marshal, whos adopted son, Archduke Charles of Austria, the last imperial field marshal and only Generalissimo of Austria, his son Archduke Albrecht of Austria as Feldmarschalil and army Supreme commander, and most recently his nephew Archduke Friedrich of Austria, who held as field marshal from 1914 to 1916 the command of the Austro-Hungarian troops. Despite their military profession, all five generals conceived themselves as patrons of the arts and promoted large sums of money to build large collections, the construction of magnificent buildings and cultural life. Charles Alexander of Lorraine promoted as governor of the Austrian Netherlands from 1741 to 1780 the Academy of Fine Arts, the Théâtre de Ja Monnaie and the companies Bourgeois Concert and Concert Noble, he founded the Academie royale et imperial des Sciences et des Lettres, opened the Bibliotheque Royal for the population and supported artistic talents with high scholarships. World fame got his porcelain collection, which however had to be sold by Emperor Joseph II to pay off his debts. Duke Albert began in 1776 according to the concept of conte Durazzo to set up an encyclopedic collection of prints, which forms the core of the world-famous "Albertina" today.

Image : Duke Albert and Archduchess Marie Christine show in family cercle the from Italy brought along art, 1776. Frederick Henry Füger.

1816 declared to Fideikommiss and thus in future indivisible, inalienable and inseparable, the collection 1822 passed into the possession of Archduke Carl, who, like his descendants, it broadened. Under him, the collection was introduced together with the sumptuously equipped palace on the Augustinerbastei in the so-called "Carl Ludwig'schen fideicommissum in 1826, by which the building and the in it kept collection fused into an indissoluble unity. At this time had from the Palais Tarouca by structural expansion or acquisition a veritable Residenz palace evolved. Duke Albert of Saxe-Teschen was first in 1800 the third floor of the adjacent Augustinian convent wing adapted to house his collection and he had after 1802 by his Belgian architect Louis de Montoyer at the suburban side built a magnificent extension, called the wing of staterooms, it was equipped in the style of Louis XVI. Only two decades later, Archduke Carl the entire palace newly set up. According to scetches of the architect Joseph Kornhäusel the 1822-1825 retreaded premises presented themselves in the Empire style. The interior of the palace testified from now in an impressive way the high rank and the prominent position of its owner. Under Archduke Albrecht the outer appearance also should meet the requirements. He had the facade of the palace in the style of historicism orchestrated and added to the Palais front against the suburbs an offshore covered access. Inside, he limited himself, apart from the redesign of the Rococo room in the manner of the second Blondel style, to the retention of the paternal stock. Archduke Friedrich's plans for an expansion of the palace were omitted, however, because of the outbreak of the First World War so that his contribution to the state rooms, especially, consists in the layout of the Spanish apartment, which he in 1895 for his sister, the Queen of Spain Maria Christina, had set up as a permanent residence.

Picture: The "audience room" after the restoration: Picture: The "balcony room" around 1990

The era of stately representation with handing down their cultural values ​​found its most obvious visualization inside the palace through the design and features of the staterooms. On one hand, by the use of the finest materials and the purchase of masterfully manufactured pieces of equipment, such as on the other hand by the permanent reuse of older equipment parts. This period lasted until 1919, when Archduke Friedrich was expropriated by the newly founded Republic of Austria. With the republicanization of the collection and the building first of all finished the tradition that the owner's name was synonymous with the building name:

After Palais Tarouca or tarokkisches house it was called Lorraine House, afterwards Duke Albert Palais and Palais Archduke Carl. Due to the new construction of an adjacently located administration building it received in 1865 the prefix "Upper" and was referred to as Upper Palais Archduke Albrecht and Upper Palais Archduke Frederick. For the state a special reference to the Habsburg past was certainly politically no longer opportune, which is why was decided to name the building according to the in it kept collection "Albertina".

Picture: The "Wedgwood Cabinet" after the restoration: Picture: the "Wedgwood Cabinet" in the Palais Archduke Friedrich, 1905

This name derives from the term "La Collection Albertina" which had been used by the gallery Inspector Maurice von Thausing in 1870 in the Gazette des Beaux-Arts for the former graphics collection of Duke Albert. For this reason, it was the first time since the foundation of the palace that the name of the collection had become synonymous with the room shell. Room shell, hence, because the Republic of Austria Archduke Friedrich had allowed to take along all the movable goods from the palace in his Hungarian exile: crystal chandeliers, curtains and carpets as well as sculptures, vases and clocks. Particularly stressed should be the exquisite furniture, which stems of three facilities phases: the Louis XVI furnitures of Duke Albert, which had been manufactured on the basis of fraternal relations between his wife Archduchess Marie Christine and the French Queen Marie Antoinette after 1780 in the French Hofmanufakturen, also the on behalf of Archduke Charles 1822-1825 in the Vienna Porcelain Manufactory by Joseph Danhauser produced Empire furnitures and thirdly additions of the same style of Archduke Friedrich, which this about 1900 at Portois & Ffix as well as at Friedrich Otto Schmidt had commissioned.

The "swept clean" building got due to the strained financial situation after the First World War initially only a makeshift facility. However, since until 1999 no revision of the emergency equipment took place, but differently designed, primarily the utilitarianism committed office furnitures complementarily had been added, the equipment of the former state rooms presented itself at the end of the 20th century as an inhomogeneous administrative mingle-mangle of insignificant parts, where, however, dwelt a certain quaint charm. From the magnificent state rooms had evolved depots, storage rooms, a library, a study hall and several officed.

Image: The Albertina Graphic Arts Collection and the Philipphof after the American bombing of 12 März 1945.

Image: The palace after the demolition of the entrance facade, 1948-52

Worse it hit the outer appearance of the palace, because in times of continued anti-Habsburg sentiment after the Second World War and inspired by an intolerant destruction will, it came by pickaxe to a ministerial erasure of history. In contrast to the graphic collection possessed the richly decorated facades with the conspicuous insignia of the former owner an object-immanent reference to the Habsburg past and thus exhibited the monarchial traditions and values ​​of the era of Francis Joseph significantly. As part of the remedial measures after a bomb damage, in 1948 the aristocratic, by Archduke Albert initiated, historicist facade structuring along with all decorations was cut off, many facade figures demolished and the Hapsburg crest emblems plunged to the ground. Since in addition the old ramp also had been cancelled and the main entrance of the bastion level had been moved down to the second basement storey at street level, ended the presence of the old Archduke's palace after more than 200 years. At the reopening of the "Albertina Graphic Collection" in 1952, the former Hapsburg Palais of splendour presented itself as one of his identity robbed, formally trivial, soulless room shell, whose successful republicanization an oversized and also unproportional eagle above the new main entrance to the Augustinian road symbolized. The emocratic throw of monuments had wiped out the Hapsburg palace from the urban appeareance, whereby in the perception only existed a nondescript, nameless and ahistorical building that henceforth served the lodging and presentation of world-famous graphic collection of the Albertina. The condition was not changed by the decision to the refurbishment because there were only planned collection specific extensions, but no restoration of the palace.

Image: The palace after the Second World War with simplified facades, the rudiment of the Danubiusbrunnens (well) and the new staircase up to the Augustinerbastei

This paradigm shift corresponded to a blatant reversal of the historical circumstances, as the travel guides and travel books for kk Residence and imperial capital of Vienna dedicated itself primarily with the magnificent, aristocratic palace on the Augustinerbastei with the sumptuously fitted out reception rooms and mentioned the collection kept there - if at all - only in passing. Only with the repositioning of the Albertina in 2000 under the direction of Klaus Albrecht Schröder, the palace was within the meaning and in fulfillment of the Fideikommiss of Archduke Charles in 1826 again met with the high regard, from which could result a further inseparable bond between the magnificent mansions and the world-famous collection. In view of the knowing about politically motivated errors and omissions of the past, the facades should get back their noble, historicist designing, the staterooms regain their glamorous, prestigious appearance and culturally unique equippment be repurchased. From this presumption, eventually grew the full commitment to revise the history of redemption and the return of the stately palace in the public consciousness.

Image: The restored suburb facade of the Palais Albertina suburb

The smoothed palace facades were returned to their original condition and present themselves today - with the exception of the not anymore reconstructed Attica figures - again with the historicist decoration and layout elements that Archduke Albrecht had given after the razing of the Augustinerbastei in 1865 in order. The neoclassical interiors, today called after the former inhabitants "Habsburg Staterooms", receiving a meticulous and detailed restoration taking place at the premises of originality and authenticity, got back their venerable and sumptuous appearance. From the world wide scattered historical pieces of equipment have been bought back 70 properties or could be returned through permanent loan to its original location, by which to the visitors is made experiencable again that atmosphere in 1919 the state rooms of the last Habsburg owner Archduke Frederick had owned. The for the first time in 80 years public accessible "Habsburg State Rooms" at the Palais Albertina enable now again as eloquent testimony to our Habsburg past and as a unique cultural heritage fundamental and essential insights into the Austrian cultural history. With the relocation of the main entrance to the level of the Augustinerbastei the recollection to this so valuable Austrian Cultural Heritage formally and functionally came to completion. The vision of the restoration and recovery of the grand palace was a pillar on which the new Albertina should arise again, the other embody the four large newly built exhibition halls, which allow for the first time in the history of the Albertina, to exhibit the collection throughout its encyclopedic breadh under optimal conservation conditions.

Image: The new entrance area of the Albertina

64 meter long shed roof. Hans Hollein.

The palace presents itself now in its appearance in the historicist style of the Ringstrassenära, almost as if nothing had happened in the meantime. But will the wheel of time should not, cannot and must not be turned back, so that the double standards of the "Albertina Palace" said museum - on the one hand Habsburg grandeur palaces and other modern museum for the arts of graphics - should be symbolized by a modern character: The in 2003 by Hans Hollein designed far into the Albertina square cantilevering, elegant floating flying roof. 64 meters long, it symbolizes in the form of a dynamic wedge the accelerated urban spatial connectivity and public access to the palace. It advertises the major changes in the interior as well as the huge underground extensions of the repositioned "Albertina".

 

Christian Benedictine

Art historian with research interests History of Architecture, building industry of the Hapsburgs, Hofburg and Zeremonialwissenschaft (ceremonial sciences). Since 1990 he works in the architecture collection of the Albertina. Since 2000 he supervises as director of the newly founded department "Staterooms" the restoration and furnishing of the state rooms and the restoration of the facades and explores the history of the palace and its inhabitants.

 

This was my first visit to Alive & V-Dubbin and I loved it, will definately return in future years!

© Copyright 2014 Dibaday Photography. All Rights Reserved. This image is the exclusive property of Dibaday Photography and is protected by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. Images may not be copied, printed or otherwise disseminated without express written permission from Dibaday Photography. No form of reproduction of this image, including copying or saving of the digital image file, or the alteration or manipulation of said image files is authorised unless written permission is given. Use of any image as the basis for another photographic concept or illustration (digital, artist rendering or alike) is a violation of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

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