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...so I saw red again. Why? Well, I attracted the attention of the NYPD while taking these shots. I was kneeling with my tripod in front of my car (I was about to leave when I decided to experiment with traffic/night shots on 1st Avenue). I was finishing my last shot, when out of the corner of my eye I see a NYPD Crown Vic pull up across the street and slow. The cop looks at me. I get up as was planned and start getting ready to leave. Wrong idea.
I get in my car, turn the lights on, strap my camera away and start the engine. I see the cops waiting for traffic and surely just as I suspected they come with sirens and lights on and block my exit.
'what were you doing?', 'Get out'. So I get out. 'Hand out of pockets'. I do this, but apparently not elegantly enough. 'Don't show us an attitude we just stopped to talk to you.' I say nothing. They keep asking questions about who I work for (got this 4 times), what I'm doing, why they stopped me. So why did they stop me?
They thought I was suspicious. I had a sophisticated camera with a tripod late at night. I was in a sensitive area. They point to the FDR (a highway) and a ConEd power plant two blocks aways as being the reasons why it was sensitive, and I am silently concluding: power plant and motorway are not that uncommon so most areas are sensitive. My actions were suspicious. I tried to leave when they came.
They ask for ID and for me to show them the pictures. The main cop is somewhat cocky, the other guy quiet and polite. I does not take many pictures to convince them that there is little terrorist activity in what I was doing. "....and I can now see why you take these at night, you want the light effect" the cop concludes.
He then apologizes and jokes: 'we can't have terrorists blowing stuff up, you know, can't be too careful'. 'Yeah, you're right' trying not to sound ironic. He then - in an attempt to be nice - starts asking about stuff like: you are you and what do you do.
Meanwhile the other cop is doing paperwork with my ID so I ask. What is he writing down? Paperwork they say. We just have to document what we are doing. We do it in case someone calls about harrassment and to have a log of events. 'So does my name go in a file or record?' No, no, just paperwork they both say on separate occasions. Somehow I want to believe them, but don't really. The war on terror is simply too imporant.
After being caught for violent robbery and kidnapping, Welcome was sentenced to 20 years in prison where the violence intensified tenfold.
“It was a horrific experience,” explains Welcome. “It was a man eat man world. It was either you eat or be eaten. It was a process of survival.”
Background
Welcome transformed his life to become a women’s rights champion, after taking part in a UK aid supported prisons project with Sonke Gender Justice. Their One Man Can campaign tackles HIV and gender-based violence.
In March 2013 the United Nation's Commission on the Status of Women will meet to discuss how to prevent all forms of violence against women and girls.
UK aid is working in 21 countries to address physical and sexual violence against women and girls and will be supporting 10 million women and girls with improved access to security and justice services by 2015.
Find out more at www.dfid.gov.uk/violence-against-women-and-girls
For more information about the Sonke Gender Justice programme visit genderjustice.org.za/
Picture: Lindsay Mgbor/Department for International Development
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This image is posted under a Creative Commons - Attribution Licence, in accordance with the Open Government Licence. You are free to embed, download or otherwise re-use it, as long as you credit the source as Lindsay Mgbor/Department for International Development'.
Yosemite Winter Fine Art Landscapes! Sony A7RII yosemite National Park Winter Snow! Dr. Elliot McGucken Fine Art Landscape Photography! Ansel Adams Tribute!
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John Muir: "When I reached the [Yosemite] valley, all the rocks seemed talkative, and more lovable than ever. They are dear friends, and have warm blood gushing through their granite flesh; and I love them with a love intensified by long and close companionship. … I … bathed in the bright river, sauntered over the meadows, conversed with the domes, and played with the pines."
"Between every two pine trees there is a door leading to a new way of life."--John Muir
"I would advise sitting from morning till night under some willow bush on the river bank where there is a wide view. This will be "doing the valley" far more effectively than riding along trails in constant motion from point to point. The entire valley is made up of "points of interest." --John Muir on Yosemite!
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Had a great time waking up at 5 AM every day to shoot tunnel view and then driving around down in the valley to Half Dome, Bridalviel Falls, Cook's Meadow and the glorious Cook's Meadow elm tree, Sentinel Bridge, Valley View, Swinging Bridge, and more! Yosemite winters are made for black and whites, and Ansel Adam's ghost haunts the brilliant landscape scenery!
The most epic "Ansel Adams" view is tunnel view where one can see El Capitan, Bridalviel Falls, and Half Dome over magnificent trees, snow, rising fogs, and breaking mists. Enjoy!
Been busy traveling and shooting landscapes and working on my books The Golden Hero's Odyssey about the golden rectangle and divine proportion I use in a lot of my compositions! Also working on my physics book on Dynamic Dimensions Theory! The equation dx4/dt=ic is on a lot of the 45surf swimsuit and shirts and all! :)
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My fine art landscape lenses for the A7RII are the Sony 16-35mm Vario-Tessar T FE F4 ZA OSS E-Mount Lens and the Sony FE 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS Lens ! Love the Carl Zeiss and super sharp Sony Glass!
Winter fine art landscapes!
Epic Yosemite valley village winter snowstorm!
Yosemite Winter Fine Art Landscapes! Sony A7RII yosemite National Park Winter Snow! Dr. Elliot McGucken Fine Art Landscape Photography
Sunset from Level 5 of the Brisbane Airport parking garage - Nikon D810. Post processing with Macphun Intensify.
A Strict Conversation About Clara's Outfit
Clara: Mom, why do I have to wear this? I don’t want to wear skirts and dresses every single day, especially to uni. No one else does.
Mom: Because this is how a proper young woman should present herself. A well-dressed lady wears skirts or dresses, not pants like a boy. I will not have my daughter looking sloppy or unladylike.
Clara: But I don’t feel comfortable in this. It’s impractical, and it makes me stand out in a way I don’t like.
Mom: Comfort is not an excuse for looking inappropriate. The world will judge you based on how you present yourself, Clara. A young woman should always look refined.
Clara: I can look refined in pants too! There are plenty of elegant outfits that don’t involve skirts.
Mom: Enough of this nonsense. You will wear the outfit I have chosen for you. A white blouse, a cardigan, a pleated skirt, and matching heels. That is how a respectable young lady should dress.
Clara: But why do you get to decide every detail? Shouldn’t I have a say in what I wear?
Mom: Your say? If you keep complaining, I will add gloves and a headscarf to your outfit to ensure you look even more proper. Do you want that?
Clara: (hesitates) …That’s not fair.
Mom: Life isn’t about fairness, Clara. It’s about doing what is right. And you will walk out of this house dressed appropriately. Or would you rather I make your outfit even stricter?
Clara: (sighs) …Fine. I’ll wear it.
Mom: That’s better. Now stop fussing and get ready. I won’t have you leaving this house looking anything less than presentable.
A Strict Outfit Inspection
(Clara stands in front of a mirror, adjusting the skirt she was forced to wear. Her mother walks in, her eyes scanning every detail with a sharp, critical gaze.)
Mom: Stand up straight, Clara. Let me see you properly.
(Clara stiffens as her mother steps closer, eyes narrowing as she begins her inspection.)
Mom: The blouse—buttoned all the way up. I don’t want to see even the slightest gap.
(She reaches forward, tugging at the collar to make sure it sits perfectly against Clara’s neck.)
Mom: The cardigan—why is one sleeve slightly pushed up? Fix it.
(Clara sighs and pulls the sleeve down.)
Mom: The skirt… Good, it’s the right length. I don’t want it shifting too high when you walk.
(Her mother circles her slowly, eyeing the pleats for any sign of wrinkles.)
Mom: Stockings. Show me.
(Clara hesitates, then slowly lifts the hem of her skirt just enough to reveal her stockings. Her mother leans in, pinching the fabric between her fingers.)
Mom: No snags, no wrinkles. At least you got that right. But your seams—they are slightly misaligned. Straighten them. Now.
(Clara quickly adjusts her stockings, biting her tongue to keep from complaining.)
Mom: And your shoes… No scuffs, I hope?
(She bends down slightly, running a hand over the red heels, inspecting every inch as if even the smallest imperfection would be unacceptable.)
Mom: Good. At least you know how to keep them polished.
(She steps back, arms crossed, but she isn’t done yet.)
Mom: Your undergarments. Proper ones, I assume? None of those modern, inappropriate things.
(Clara flushes, nodding stiffly.)
Mom: Good. I will not tolerate anything less than full modesty.
(Her mother finally leans back, taking one last, slow look from head to toe.)
Mom: Much better. This is how you will present yourself every day. No more complaints. If I catch you trying to change anything, I will add gloves and a headscarf next time. Do you understand?
Clara: (quietly) Yes, Mother.
Mom: Louder.
Clara: (reluctantly) Yes, Mother.
Mom: Good. Now get going. I expect you to carry yourself properly today. No slouching, no fidgeting. And don’t forget—you represent me when you step outside this house.
(With that, her mother steps aside, allowing Clara to leave—dressed exactly as commanded, with no choice but to obey.)
Clara Meets Sophie at Uni
(Clara walks onto campus, feeling self-conscious in her rigidly chosen outfit. She tugs slightly at the sleeves of her cardigan, trying to shake the suffocating feeling of the inspection she just endured. As she reaches the courtyard, she spots Sophie, who immediately brightens at the sight of her.)
Sophie: Oh my goodness, Clara! You look absolutely stunning today!
Clara: (blinking in surprise) Huh?
Sophie: I mean it! Just look at you—so elegant, so refined! The way your skirt flows, the crispness of your blouse, that perfect little cardigan… You look like you stepped out of a vintage fashion magazine!
Clara: (awkwardly adjusting her collar) I… I don’t know about that.
Sophie: Oh, but I do! And that beret? Perfection. The matching shoes? So ladylike! I swear, you look like the definition of “prim and proper.”
Clara: (fidgeting) You really think so?
Sophie: Think so? Clara, everyone is always dressing so casually—jeans, hoodies, sneakers… But you? You look polished. It’s like you actually care about how you present yourself.
Clara: (murmurs) It’s not exactly by choice.
Sophie: (tilting her head) What do you mean?
Clara: I… would have much rather worn pants and a sweater today. Something comfortable.
Sophie: (gasps) No way! But you look so graceful in this!
Clara: (sighs) That’s what my mother says too. She insists I dress like this every day. She even inspects me before I leave home to make sure I’m dressed exactly how she wants.
Sophie: (eyes widening) She inspects you? Like, checks everything?
Clara: (nods) Down to my stockings, my shoes, even my collar. If I complain, she threatens to make my outfit even more restrictive—gloves, a headscarf…
Sophie: (softly) Wow. That’s… intense.
Clara: (looking away) Yeah.
Sophie: (pauses, then smiles gently) Well… even if it’s not what you would have chosen, you do look beautiful in it. I mean that.
Clara: (glancing down at her skirt, uncertainly smoothing the pleats) I just wish I had a choice.
Sophie: I get that. But hey—until you do, at least know that you wear it well.
(Clara forces a small smile, but the weight of her outfit still lingers as she walks to class, feeling trapped between admiration and frustration.)
Clara’s Struggle Between Resentment and Acceptance
In Class
Clara slid into her seat, smoothing her skirt instinctively, as she always had to. The fabric draped perfectly over her knees—just as her mother demanded—but to Clara, it felt like a weight pressing down on her. As the lecture began, she tried to focus, but her mind kept drifting to the stiff collar pressing against her throat, the tightness of her stockings, the way her cardigan sat perfectly on her shoulders, never shifting out of place. She couldn’t slouch. She couldn’t sit too casually. Every movement had to be deliberate, graceful—controlled.
She glanced around the lecture hall. Other students leaned back comfortably in their chairs, legs casually crossed in jeans, arms tucked into oversized hoodies, completely at ease. Meanwhile, Clara sat with her back unnaturally straight, feeling more like a porcelain doll than a university student.
She exhaled sharply. She hated how aware she was of herself.
At the Library
Later, Clara found herself at the library with Sophie, who still couldn’t stop gushing over her outfit.
“Clara, you just move so elegantly in that skirt,” Sophie whispered as they browsed the shelves. “Like, every step looks so poised.”
Clara sighed, running her fingers along the spine of a book absentmindedly.
“That’s because I have to be careful,” she muttered. “If I move too fast, the pleats might fold the wrong way. If I sit too carelessly, my skirt will ride up, and then I’ll have to adjust it—again.”
Sophie chuckled. “See? That’s what makes it look so graceful. You carry yourself differently.”
Clara turned to her, eyes sharp with frustration.
“It’s not grace, Sophie. It’s restriction. Every time I step outside, I feel like I have to walk a tightrope—one wrong move, and my mother will know. She’ll see a wrinkle, a scuff, an undone button, and I’ll never hear the end of it.”
Sophie’s smile faltered. “…I hadn’t thought of it like that.”
Clara sighed again, closing her eyes for a moment.
“I know you mean well, and I appreciate it. But when I look in the mirror, I don’t see elegance. I see a costume. One I didn’t choose.”
At the Cafeteria
During lunch, Clara’s awareness of her outfit only intensified. She sat with Sophie and a few other students, trying to eat as naturally as possible. But everything about her appearance demanded restraint.
Her mother’s voice echoed in her head: Sit up straight. Keep your knees together. No slouching over your plate. Take small, delicate bites.
The others around her were relaxed—one girl sitting cross-legged in her chair, a guy in a hoodie laughing loudly between mouthfuls of food. Clara, meanwhile, had to remind herself not to brush her sleeves against the table, not to let her skirt crease too much.
At one point, she reached for her drink and hesitated. The way she had to hold the glass—fingers gently curled, movement controlled—felt ridiculous compared to how freely the others moved.
Sophie noticed her hesitation.
“You okay?”
Clara let out a quiet, humorless laugh. “I can’t even drink water without thinking about whether I look ‘ladylike’ enough.”
Sophie frowned. “Clara…”
“It’s exhausting, Sophie.” Clara’s voice was softer now, as if the weight of the day was finally settling over her. “Every second, I’m reminded that this isn’t really me.”
An Honest Conversation with Sophie
Later, as they walked across campus, Clara’s frustration spilled out.
“I just don’t know what to feel anymore,” she admitted, crossing her arms. “Everyone thinks I look so put together, so elegant. Even you love it.”
Sophie nodded. “Because you do look beautiful.”
Clara stopped walking and turned to her. “But what if I don’t want to be beautiful like this? What if I don’t want to be graceful, or delicate, or ‘prim and proper’? What if I just want to be comfortable?”
Sophie was silent for a moment. Then, with a small smile, she said, “Then I hope, one day, you get to wear exactly what makes you happy.”
Clara looked away, blinking hard.
She wasn’t sure if that day would ever come.
In: Wikipedia
Number 1: Barbaric Invasion of the Roman Empire
The Migration Period, also known as the Völkerwanderung ("migration of peoples"), was a period of intensified human migration in Europe from about 400 to 800 AD.[1][2] Historians consider it to be the transition from Late Antiquity to the Early Middle Ages[citation needed]. This period was marked by profound changes both within the Roman Empire and beyond its "barbarian frontier". The migrants who came first were Germanic tribes such as the Goths, Vandals, Angles, Saxons, Lombards, Suebi, Frisii and Franks; they were later pushed westwards by the Huns, Avars, Slavs, Bulgars and Alans.[3] Later migrations (such as the Arab conquest and Viking, Magyar, Moorish, Turkic, and Mongol invasions) also had significant effects (especially in North Africa, the Iberian peninsula, Anatolia and Central and Eastern Europe); however, they are outside the scope of the Migration Period.
Origins of Germanic tribes
Germanic peoples moved out of southern Scandinavia, Denmark and adjacent lands between the Elbe and Oder rivers after 1000 BC. The first wave moved westward and southward (pushing the resident Celts west to the Rhine River by about 200 BC) and moving into southern Germany up to the Roman province of Gaul by 100 BC, where they were stopped by Gaius Marius and Julius Caesar. It is this western group which was described by the Roman historian Tacitus (56–117 AD) and Julius Caesar (100–44 BC). A later wave of German tribes migrated eastward and southward from Scandinavia between 600 and 300 BC to the opposite coast of the Baltic Sea, moving up the Vistula near the Carpathians. During Tacitus' era they included lesser-known tribes such as the Tencteri, Cherusci, Hermunduri and Chatti; however, a period of federation and intermarriage resulted in the familiar groups known as the Alemanni, Franks, Saxons, Frisians and Thuringians.
First phase
The Migration Period may be divided into two phases. The first phase, occurring between 300 and 500 AD, is partly documented by Greek and Latin historians but difficult to verify archaeologically. It put Germanic peoples in control of most areas of the then-Western Roman Empire.[5] The Tervingi entered Roman territory (after a clash with the Huns) in 376. The following year in Marcianopolis, the escort to Fritigern (their leader) was killed while meeting with Lupicinus.[6] The Tervingi rebelled, and the Visigoths, a group derived either from the Tervingi or from a fusion of mainly Gothic groups, eventually invaded Italy and sacked Rome in 410, before settling in Iberia and founding a kingdom which lasted for 200 years. They were followed into Roman territory by the Ostrogoths, led by Theodoric the Great, who settled in Italy. In Gaul the Franks (a fusion of western Germanic tribes whose leaders had been aligned with Rome since the third century AD) entered Roman lands gradually and peacefully during the fifth century, and were accepted as rulers by the Roman-Gaulish population. Fending off challenges from the Allemanni, Burgundians and Visigoths, the Frankish kingdom became the nucleus of the future France and Germany. The initial Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain occurred during the fifth century, when Roman control of Britain had come to an end.
Second phase
The second phase took place between 500 and 700 and saw Slavic tribes settling in central and eastern Europe (particularly in eastern Magna Germania), gradually making it predominantly Slavic.[8] Additionally, Turkic tribes such as the Avars were involved in this phase. In 567, the Avars and the Lombards destroyed much of the Gepid Kingdom. The Lombards, a Germanic people, settled in northern Italy in the region now known as Lombardy. The Bulgars (people of Turkic origin who were present in far eastern Europe since the second century) conquered the eastern Balkan territory of the Byzantine Empire in the seventh century.
During the early Byzantine–Arab Wars the Arab armies attempted to invade southeast Europe via Asia Minor during the late seventh and early eighth centuries, but were defeated at the siege of Constantinople by the joint forces of Byzantium and the Bulgars. During the Khazar–Arab Wars, the Khazars stopped the Arab expansion into Europe across the Caucasus. At the same time, the Moors (consisting of Arabs and Berbers) invaded Europe via Gibraltar (conquering Hispania—the Iberian Peninsula—from the Visigothic Kingdom in 711), before being halted by the Franks at the Battle of Tours in 732. These battles largely fixed the frontier between Christendom and Islam for the next millennium. The following centuries saw the Muslims successful in conquering Sicily and parts of southern Italy from the Christians.
Number 2: The Tribes that arrived to Iberia Peninsula, the afirmation of the Suevi Kingdom
Suevi Kingdom
Passing through the Basque country, they settled in the Roman province of Gallaecia, in north-western Hispania (modern Galicia and northern Portugal), swore fealty to the Emperor Honorius and were accepted as foederati and permitted to settle, under their own autonomous governance. Contemporaneously with the self-governing province of Britannia, the kingdom of the Suebi in Gallaecia became the first of the sub-Roman kingdoms to be formed in the disintegrating territory of the Western Roman Empire. Suebic Gallaecia was the first kingdom separated from the Roman Empire to mint coins.
The Suebic kingdom in Gallaecia and northern Lusitania was established at 410 and lasted until 584. Smaller than the Ostrogothic kingdom of Italy or the Visigothic kingdom in Hispania, it reached a relative stability and prosperity—and even expanded military southwards—despite the occasional quarrels with the neighbouring Visigothic kingdom.
The Germanic invaders settled mainly in the areas of Braga (Bracara Augusta), Porto (Portus Cale), Lugo (Lucus Augusti) and Astorga (Asturica Augusta). Bracara Augusta, the modern city of Braga and former capital of Roman Gallaecia, became the capital of the Suebi. Orosius, at that time resident in Hispania, shows a rather pacific initial settlement, the newcomers working their lands or serving as bodyguards of the locals. Another Germanic group that accompanied the Suebi and settled in Gallaecia were the Buri. They settled in the region between the rivers Cávado and Homem, in the area known as Terras de Bouro (Lands of the Buri).
As the Suebi quickly adopted the local language, few traces were left of their Germanic tongue, but for some words and for their personal and land names, adopted by most of the Galicians. In Galicia four parishes and six villages are named Suevos or Suegos, i.e. Sueves, after old Suebic settlements.
Establishment
The Visigoths were sent in 416 by the Emperor to fight the Germanic invaders in Hispania, but they soon re-established themselves as foederati in Aquitania after completely defeating the Alans and the Silingi Vandals. The absence of competition permitted, first the Asdingi Vandals and later the Suebi, to expand South and East. At its heyday Suebic Gallaecia extended as far south as Mérida and Seville, capitals of the Roman provinces of Lusitania and Betica, while their expeditions reached Zaragoza and Lleida.
In 438 Hermeric ratified the peace with the Gallaeci, the local and just partially romanized rural population, and sick and weary of fighting abdicated in favour of his son Rechila, who proved to be a notable general, defeating first Andevotus, Romanae militiae dux,[46] and later Vitus magister utriusque militiae. In 448, Rechila died, leaving the crown to his son Rechiar who had converted to Roman Catholicism circa 447. Soon, he married a daughter of the Gothic king Theodoric I, and began a wave of attacks on the Tarraconense, still a Roman province. By 456 the campaigns of Rechiar clashed with the interests of the Visigoths, and a large army of Roman federates (Visigoths under the command of Theodoric II, Burgundians directed by kings Gundioc and Chilperic) crossed the Pyrenees into Hispania, and defeated the Suebi near modern day Astorga. Rechiar was executed after being captured by his brother-in-law, the Visigothic king Theodoric II. In 459, Roman Emperor Majorian defeated the Suebi, briefly restoring Roman rule in northern Hispania. Nevertheless, the Suebi became free of Roman control forever after Majorian was assassinated two years later. The Suebic kingdom then became cornered in the northwest, in Gallaecia and northern Lusitania, where political division and civil war arose among several pretenders to the royal throne. After years of turmoil, Remismund was recognized as the sole king of the Suebi, bringing forth a politic of friendship with the Visigoths, and favoring the conversion of his people to Arianism.
In 561 king Ariamir called the catholic First Council of Braga, which dealt with the old problem of the Priscillianism heresy. Eight years after, in 569, king Theodemir called the First Council of Lugo, in order to increase the number of dioceses within his kingdom. Its acts have been preserved through a medieval resume known as Parrochiale Suevorum or Divisio Theodemiri.
Defeat by the Visigoths
In 570 the Arian king of the Visigoths, Leovigild, made his first attack on the Suebi. Between 572 and 574, Leovigild invaded the valley of the Douro, pushing the Suebi west and northwards. In 575 the Suebic king, Miro, made a peace treaty with Leovigild in what seemed to be the beginning of a new period of stability. Yet, in 583 Miro supported the rebellion of the Catholic Gothic prince Hermenegild, engaging in military action against king Leovigild, although Miro was defeated in Seville when trying to break on through the blockade on the Catholic prince. As a result he was forced to recognize Leovigild as friend and protector, for him and for his successors, dying back home just some months later. His son, king Eboric, confirmed the friendship with Leovigild, but he was deposed just a year later by his brother-in-law Audeca, giving Leovigild a excuse to attack the kingdom. In 585 AD, first Audeca and later Malaric, were defeated and the Suebic kingdom was incorporated into the Visigothic one as its sixth province. The Suebi were respected in their properties and freedom, and they continue to dwell in Gallaecia, finally merging with the rest of the local population during the early Middle Ages.
Number 3: The arrival of the Visigothic tribe, as roman allie to defeat the Suevi kingdom
When the Visigoths arrived, we start to see wars and peace treaties all the time.
Most of the time as about religion, in one day they were arians in the other pagans again and so on.
They also pay taxes to the visigoths.
Number 4: The Visigotic Kingdom, after conquer Suevi Kingdom
Visigothic kingdom
The Visigothic Kingdom was a Western European power in the 5th to 7th centuries, created in Gaul when the Romans lost their control of their empire. In response to the invasion of Roman Hispania of 409 by the Vandals, Alans and Suevi, Honorius, the emperor in the West, enlisted the aid of the Visigoths to regain control of the territory. In 418, Honorius rewarded his Visigothic federates by giving them land in Gallia Aquitania on which to settle. This was probably done under hospitalitas, the rules for billeting army soldiers. The settlement formed the nucleus of the future Visigothic kingdom that would eventually expand across the Pyrenees and onto the Iberian peninsula.
The Visigoths' second great king, Euric, unified the various quarreling factions among the Visigoths and, in 475, forced the Roman government to grant them full independence. At his death, the Visigoths were the most powerful of the successor states to the Western Roman Empire.
The Visigoths also became the dominant power in the Iberian Peninsula, quickly crushing the Alans and forcing the Vandals into north Africa. By 500, the Visigothic Kingdom, centred at Toulouse, controlled Aquitania and Gallia Narbonensis and most of Hispania with the exception of the Suevic kingdom in the northwest and small areas controlled by the Basques and Cantabrians. However, in 507, the Franks under Clovis I defeated the Visigoths in the Vouillé and wrested control of Aquitaine. King Alaric II was killed in battle.
After Alaric's death, Visigothic nobles spirited his heir, the child-king Amalaric, first to Narbonne, which was the last Gothic outpost in Gaul, and further across the Pyrenees into Hispania. The center of Visigothic rule shifted first to Barcelona, then inland and south to Toledo. From 511 to 526, the Visigoths were ruled by Theodoric the Great of the Ostrogoths as de jure regent for the young Amalaric.
In 554, Granada and southernmost Hispania Baetica were lost to representatives of the Byzantine Empire (to form the province of Spania) who had been invited in to help settle a Visigothic dynastic struggle, but who stayed on, as a hoped-for spearhead to a "Reconquest" of the far west envisaged by emperor Justinian I.
The last Arian Visigothic king, Liuvigild, conquered the Suevic kingdom in 585 and most of the northern regions (Cantabria) in 574 and regained part of the southern areas lost to the Byzantines, which King Suintila reconquered completely in 624. The kingdom survived until 711, when King Roderic (Rodrigo) was killed while opposing an invasion from the south by the Umayyad Muslims in the Battle of Guadalete on July 19. This marked the beginning of the Muslim conquest of Hispania in which most of the peninsula came under Islamic rule by 718.
A Visigothic nobleman, Pelayo, is credited with beginning the Christian Reconquista of Iberia in 718, when he defeated the Umayyads in battle and established the Kingdom of Asturias in the northern part of the peninsula. Other Visigoths, refusing to adopt the Muslim faith or live under their rule, fled north to the kingdom of the Franks, and Visigoths played key roles in the empire of Charlemagne a few generations later.
During their long reign in Spain, the Visigoths were responsible for the only new cities founded in Western Europe between the 5th and 8th centuries. It is certain (through contemporary Spanish accounts) that they founded four: Reccopolis, Victoriacum, Luceo, and Olite. There is also a possible fifth city ascribed to them by a later Arabic source: Baiyara (perhaps modern Montoro). All of these cities were founded for military purposes and three of them in celebration of victory.
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Early in the morning on October 25, 2012, the Suomi NPP satellite passed over Hurricane Sandy after it made landfall over Cuba and Jamaica, capturing this highly detailed infrared imagery, showing areas of deep convection around the central eye. Besides the highly detailed infrared imagery, the satellite’s day night band captured detailed visible-like imagery of the cloud tops, along with the city lights of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
As most polar-orbiting satellites fly over an area, the visible and infrared sensors scan left to right. Data in the center part of the scan typically has the highest resolution and quality; farther out in the scan, the imagery gets distorted. An improvement in the Suomi NPP's VIIRS sensor over its predecessors reduces the loss of data quality along the length of the scan. Hurricane Sandy is a perfect example of the importance of this improvement – both times the satellite passed over Sandy on October 25th in consecutive orbits, the storm was on the edge of the scan area, which would have meant decreased image quality from previous satellites, but not Suomi NPP. Only at the very limits of the imagery (left hand side) can the edge of scan issues be seen in the day-night band image. These distortions would be much more pronounced in similar imagery from AVHRR or MODIS.
Credit NOAA/NASA/GSFC/SuomiNPP
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission.
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Yosemite Winter Fine Art Landscapes! Sony A7RII yosemite National Park Winter Snow! Dr. Elliot McGucken Fine Art Landscape Photography! Ansel Adams Tribute!
Follow me on Instagram! instagram.com/45surf
John Muir: "When I reached the [Yosemite] valley, all the rocks seemed talkative, and more lovable than ever. They are dear friends, and have warm blood gushing through their granite flesh; and I love them with a love intensified by long and close companionship. … I … bathed in the bright river, sauntered over the meadows, conversed with the domes, and played with the pines."
"Between every two pine trees there is a door leading to a new way of life."--John Muir
"I would advise sitting from morning till night under some willow bush on the river bank where there is a wide view. This will be "doing the valley" far more effectively than riding along trails in constant motion from point to point. The entire valley is made up of "points of interest." --John Muir on Yosemite!
Follow me on instagram for more!
Had a great time waking up at 5 AM every day to shoot tunnel view and then driving around down in the valley to Half Dome, Bridalviel Falls, Cook's Meadow and the glorious Cook's Meadow elm tree, Sentinel Bridge, Valley View, Swinging Bridge, and more! Yosemite winters are made for black and whites, and Ansel Adam's ghost haunts the brilliant landscape scenery!
The most epic "Ansel Adams" view is tunnel view where one can see El Capitan, Bridalviel Falls, and Half Dome over magnificent trees, snow, rising fogs, and breaking mists. Enjoy!
Been busy traveling and shooting landscapes and working on my books The Golden Hero's Odyssey about the golden rectangle and divine proportion I use in a lot of my compositions! Also working on my physics book on Dynamic Dimensions Theory! The equation dx4/dt=ic is on a lot of the 45surf swimsuit and shirts and all! :)
Follow me & 45surf!!
www.facebook.com/45surfAchillesOdysseyMythology/
www.facebook.com/elliot.mcgucken
My fine art landscape lenses for the A7RII are the Sony 16-35mm Vario-Tessar T FE F4 ZA OSS E-Mount Lens and the Sony FE 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS Lens ! Love the Carl Zeiss and super sharp Sony Glass!
Winter fine art landscapes!
Epic Yosemite valley village winter snowstorm!
Yosemite Winter Fine Art Landscapes! Sony A7RII yosemite National Park Winter Snow! Dr. Elliot McGucken Fine Art Landscape Photography
Yosemite Winter Fine Art Landscapes! Sony A7RII yosemite National Park Winter Snow! Dr. Elliot McGucken Fine Art Landscape Photography! Ansel Adams Tribute!
Follow me on Instagram! instagram.com/45surf
John Muir: "When I reached the [Yosemite] valley, all the rocks seemed talkative, and more lovable than ever. They are dear friends, and have warm blood gushing through their granite flesh; and I love them with a love intensified by long and close companionship. … I … bathed in the bright river, sauntered over the meadows, conversed with the domes, and played with the pines."
"Between every two pine trees there is a door leading to a new way of life."--John Muir
"I would advise sitting from morning till night under some willow bush on the river bank where there is a wide view. This will be "doing the valley" far more effectively than riding along trails in constant motion from point to point. The entire valley is made up of "points of interest." --John Muir on Yosemite!
Follow me on instagram for more!
Had a great time waking up at 5 AM every day to shoot tunnel view and then driving around down in the valley to Half Dome, Bridalviel Falls, Cook's Meadow and the glorious Cook's Meadow elm tree, Sentinel Bridge, Valley View, Swinging Bridge, and more! Yosemite winters are made for black and whites, and Ansel Adam's ghost haunts the brilliant landscape scenery!
The most epic "Ansel Adams" view is tunnel view where one can see El Capitan, Bridalviel Falls, and Half Dome over magnificent trees, snow, rising fogs, and breaking mists. Enjoy!
Been busy traveling and shooting landscapes and working on my books The Golden Hero's Odyssey about the golden rectangle and divine proportion I use in a lot of my compositions! Also working on my physics book on Dynamic Dimensions Theory! The equation dx4/dt=ic is on a lot of the 45surf swimsuit and shirts and all! :)
Follow me & 45surf!!
www.facebook.com/45surfAchillesOdysseyMythology/
www.facebook.com/elliot.mcgucken
My fine art landscape lenses for the A7RII are the Sony 16-35mm Vario-Tessar T FE F4 ZA OSS E-Mount Lens and the Sony FE 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS Lens ! Love the Carl Zeiss and super sharp Sony Glass!
Winter fine art landscapes!
Epic Yosemite valley village winter snowstorm!
Yosemite Winter Fine Art Landscapes! Sony A7RII yosemite National Park Winter Snow! Dr. Elliot McGucken Fine Art Landscape Photography
Why waste a perfectly good shot just because I have already posted another version. Played around with this one in Intensify to get a slightly different feel.
Yosemite Winter Fine Art Landscapes! Sony A7RII yosemite National Park Winter Snow! Dr. Elliot McGucken Fine Art Landscape Photography! Ansel Adams Tribute!
Follow me on Instagram! instagram.com/45surf
John Muir: "When I reached the [Yosemite] valley, all the rocks seemed talkative, and more lovable than ever. They are dear friends, and have warm blood gushing through their granite flesh; and I love them with a love intensified by long and close companionship. … I … bathed in the bright river, sauntered over the meadows, conversed with the domes, and played with the pines."
"Between every two pine trees there is a door leading to a new way of life."--John Muir
"I would advise sitting from morning till night under some willow bush on the river bank where there is a wide view. This will be "doing the valley" far more effectively than riding along trails in constant motion from point to point. The entire valley is made up of "points of interest." --John Muir on Yosemite!
Follow me on instagram for more!
Had a great time waking up at 5 AM every day to shoot tunnel view and then driving around down in the valley to Half Dome, Bridalviel Falls, Cook's Meadow and the glorious Cook's Meadow elm tree, Sentinel Bridge, Valley View, Swinging Bridge, and more! Yosemite winters are made for black and whites, and Ansel Adam's ghost haunts the brilliant landscape scenery!
The most epic "Ansel Adams" view is tunnel view where one can see El Capitan, Bridalviel Falls, and Half Dome over magnificent trees, snow, rising fogs, and breaking mists. Enjoy!
Been busy traveling and shooting landscapes and working on my books The Golden Hero's Odyssey about the golden rectangle and divine proportion I use in a lot of my compositions! Also working on my physics book on Dynamic Dimensions Theory! The equation dx4/dt=ic is on a lot of the 45surf swimsuit and shirts and all! :)
Follow me & 45surf!!
www.facebook.com/45surfAchillesOdysseyMythology/
www.facebook.com/elliot.mcgucken
My fine art landscape lenses for the A7RII are the Sony 16-35mm Vario-Tessar T FE F4 ZA OSS E-Mount Lens and the Sony FE 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS Lens ! Love the Carl Zeiss and super sharp Sony Glass!
Winter fine art landscapes!
Epic Yosemite valley village winter snowstorm!
Yosemite Winter Fine Art Landscapes! Sony A7RII yosemite National Park Winter Snow! Dr. Elliot McGucken Fine Art Landscape Photography
As our helicopter approaches Leer in northern South Sudan, all one can see is eerily empty, dry, sun-stricken land. The people we meet on the ground, however, have a different story to tell. It is one of human suffering on an unimaginable scale. Escalating fighting and brutality in the area may compromise the next, widely believed to be decisive, round of peace talks in Addis Ababa.
“The peace talks have not been successful, and I guess most disappointingly the cessation of hostilities [agreement] that was signed at the end of last year which most people felt was a step in the right direction is not working either, and the intensification of the conflict on the ground has a huge human impact,” says UNMISS Chief David Shearer, keen to talk to the warring parties in the hope they will lay down their weapons and build durable peace.
On arrival, we are greeted not by one but two typhoons, as the armed personnel carriers used by the Ghanaian peacekeepers are called.
And the 126 West African blue helmets making up the robust base in Leer have indeed gotten used to vicious, destructive whirlwinds in their immediate vicinity. Recent, frequent clashes between government and opposition troops have seen several humanitarian actors forced to leave the area.
But Leer has witnessed numerous arrivals, albeit involuntary ones, too. Over the last week, a steady stream of approximately 600 displaced persons have been scrambling for a place to temporarily settle down in a tiny protection area next to the base of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan.
They are joining another 500 or so displaced and disillusioned individuals, most of whom may smile wryly at the somewhat euphemistically named Temporary Protection Area.
“I have been here for three years by now, because of the crisis and all the cases of rape going on outside of here, in the villages. Staying here is not easy, but at least it is better and safer than in a village,” says Nyalui Yor. “Many people were being killed outside, and if you survive and if you are a woman, they rape you.”
Or worse, her fellow protection area resident Nyakui Kong, might add. She arrived just three days ago, with horror scenes still haunting her mind.
“People were killed, houses were burnt, food was taken away. Someone tried to hang me, but luckily I fell down and ran to the UN base. This is the only place I can go,” she says.
The utter lack of available food has also contributed to the decision of the desperate to seek shelter in the protection area, and judging by what precious little can be purchased in Leer’s town centre, real scarcity persists.
Cooking oil is sold in minuscule plastic bags, garlic is bought, or at least on offer, by the clove. Purchasing power is so limited and customers so few and far between that an elderly, near-toothless man fails to fetch a paltry 5 dollars for his two cute baby goats. Two armed young men of unknown affiliation grin grimly, puffing away on their cigarettes as they watch the non-unfolding of the business transaction.
James Gatdit, in the protection area, is also having a feeling that nothing positive is happening. He and his six brothers, three sets of twins, no less, were somehow separated from their parents about two years ago. His mother and father live in the UN Mission protection site in Bentiu, while James and his brothers are mostly idle in Leer.
“Life is no good here. We have no proper accommodation, there is not enough food and nobody is going to school. Why? There are no teachers and no books,” says James, who would like to become a doctor “to give medicines to people who need them”.
James Gatdit seems sadly resigned to his fate.
“How can I be optimistic? The future is no good. There is no future. I don’t believe that our leaders have it in their hearts to make peace.”
Sporting a Liverpool FC football shirt, he cannot even follow his favourite club’s amazing Champions League campaign on TV. Yet Champions League football provides a rare distraction for James and his peers.
“We can’t watch the games, but we play them ourselves,” he says with a hint of a smile.
So, who is to blame for the dire circumstances found in Leer and its surroundings? That, it turns out, depends on whom you are asking.
John Matip Gatluak, governor of Southern Liech, talks of “rebel” attacks “on a daily basis” and about the difficulties of “youth management”.
“The government is doing what it can to contain the situation, but management of youths is difficult, actually. We can’t really control our youth. The security situation is normal, except for the youth, who are out there fighting far from Leer”, Mr. Gatluak says as he steps out from his bullet-ridden office. He and his advisors hint that the conflict is not “tribal”, but “all political” and also driven by cattle raids and subsequent revenge attacks.
His is a lone voice of optimism:
“There is no point that we fight ourselves. President Salva Kiir is declaring a ceasefire and we have to respect it, although rebels continue to attack us. But peace will come. We will manage to bring peace to our people.”
In Dablual in Northern Liech, ten minutes north by helicopter, the tune is different.
“The security situation here is very bad. Government forces have been stealing in this area for almost ten days now. The soldiers come and look for the IO [in opposition] soldiers. They come and kill the old women, the children, the old men. They destroy everything, including houses and even the bore hole, which is now broken,” Major General Joseph Nhial, acting governor in the opposition-controlled area, laments. He mentions numerous places where fighting is ongoing, but maintains that his troops are just defending themselves.
“We [the opposition] are in a position of peace. We follow the cessation of hostilities [agreement] we signed last year.”
In the meantime, a majority of the local population, mostly women and children, are surviving on wild vegetables and fruits, in the bush or on fragile islands in the swamps surrounding the area.
Later this month, the next round of the High Level Revitalization Forum, already postponed twice, is expected to take place. Several stakeholders believe that these talks are crucial, and possibly the last chance to mend the broken seams of this young, war-torn country.
Optimism is hard to come by.
“I know that we are making a difference. I know that people are alive today because of what we do. It is what gets me up in the morning and keeps me going, but you are not seeing the longer term process panning out and that is really depressing. After a day like today, I feel pretty dispirited, to be perfectly honest,” Mr. Shearer said.
In an attempt to mitigate these bleak circumstances, UNMISS is intensifying its patrols to protect civilians and to monitor and report human rights violations. The Mission is also supporting the safe delivery of humanitarian aid and will continue to work alongside local communities to end the hostilities and build durable peace for the sake of the people.
But as we leave Leer heading for Juba, the Ghanaian typhoons remain. So does the uncertainty of what the future holds.
Photo: UNMISS / Eric Kanalstein
In an age defined by shadows cast from Eastern horizons, young hearts across Europe awaken to an unsettling truth: war is no longer a distant memory, but an imminent reality. The conflict in Ukraine intensifies, a grim harbinger of potential wider devastation. Facing the inexorable march of history, the youth confronts an existential reckoning, their futures uncertain beneath gathering storm clouds. Fear threatens to consume their spirits, yet amidst this anxiety blossoms an urgent call to embrace connection, intimacy, and profound understanding. Love becomes a quiet rebellion against impending darkness, a sanctuary constructed amid the ruins of former certainties. Relationships deepen, forged with the immediacy and intensity reserved for those who know the transient fragility of peace. The dictum of their generation emerges clear and poignant: to love deeply and without reservation before the inevitable descent into chaos. Waiting is no longer an option; hesitation risks irreparable loss. Thus, the youth's defiance becomes poetic, anchored in the resolute belief that love, even in the bleakest hour, can withstand and transcend the cruelty of fate.
Poem:
Where Ashes Lie
Upon fields once sewn with promises,
Now march legions of iron and flame,
Youth awakened by distant thunder
From sleep, now restless, not the same.
The horizon wears a mourning veil,
Borne heavy upon tender hearts,
And every whispered word of love,
A defiance, as twilight departs.
In ancient libraries and café rooms,
Hands brush softly, urgent and shy,
Aware tomorrow might sever chance,
Where dreams—too fragile—swiftly die.
Yet beneath these anxious stars,
Affection thrives with fierce intent,
For love, a fire in darkest night,
Refuses fear’s grim testament.
Kiss as though the world might end,
In quiet rooms where candles fade,
For in these tumultuous days of dread,
True courage wears love’s accolade.
Though war may scourge this trembling earth,
And silence peace’s fleeting song,
The young claim moments rich and true—
In love’s embrace, bold and strong.
Three Haikus:
Shadows cross Europe,Hearts entwined against the storm;Love is rebellion.
Whispers of war grow,Urgency ignites soft touch—Tomorrow unsure.
Libraries in dusk,Hands clasp beneath trembling skies,Hope carved from sorrow.
The rumors further intensified when an insider confirmed about Lucy Liu Plastic Surgery Before After. You can download Lucy Liu Plastic Surgery Before After for desktop background that is an awesome collection of wallpaper high resolution. FREE download Lucy Liu Plastic Surgery Before After was...
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+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
Never colonised, Oman has benefited from a long and close alliance with Britain, which helped transform the tribal levies and palace guard of Muscat and Oman into modern armed forces. The 1950s had seen several challenges to Oman’s sovereignty, which led to the modernisation of the Sultan’s Armed Forces. This was driven by increased nationalism in the Middle East and the discovery of oil. The successful use of air power during the Jebel Akhdar Campaign provided the impetus for the formation of the Sultan of Muscat and Oman’s Air Force, as it illustrated the importance of air power.
An exchange of letters in 1958 between the Sultan and the British Government agreed to the formation of a national air force. The British Foreign Office agreed to fund it while the Royal Air Force would supply officers. This set a precedence that continues to this day.
The Sultan of Muscat and Oman’s Air Force was officially formed on 1 March 1959. Initial RAF aircrew, under Wing Commander Barry Atkinson, arrived at Bayt Al-Falaj airfield on 19 August 1959. Initial aircraft for the Sultan of Muscat and Oman’s Air Force consisted of two Scottish Aviation Pioneers (XL518 and CL554), provided by No 78 Squadron based at Aden, together with three Hunting Provosts T.52 (XF682, XF683 and XF688) delivered directly from the manufacturer. The Pioneers were the first aircraft to wear the Sultan’s insignia; the crossed swords and Khanjar (dagger) design.
While the Sultan of Muscat and Oman’s Air Forces early aircraft were not modern, their simple designs perfectly suited Oman’s rugged terrain. The first jets for the Sultan of Muscat and Oman’s Air Force arrived in 1961, in the form of eight Supermarine Swifts, which came just in time for the escalating Dhofar Rebellion.
The Swift was a British single-seat jet fighter of the Royal Air Force (RAF), built by Supermarine during the 1950s. After a protracted development period, the Swift entered service as an interceptor, but, due to a spate of accidents, its service life was short - even though it did break a number of speed records in its time.
A photo reconnaissance variant, the FR.5, resolved some of the Swift's teething problems, and the FR.5 was the last Swift variant to enter service with the RAF and was eventually replaced by the Hunter FR.10, leaving the RAF in 1961. The FR.5 was primarily based with RAF Germany during the Cold War and the Swift never saw combat action with the RAF – . Some of these early retired aircraft were revamped and offered as FR.51 to friendly nations. Oman was happy to buy some of these fast aircraft which paved the way to the country’s entry to the jet age.
The Omani Swifts were used in both the reconnaissance and interceptor role. In order to improve the air-to-air capabilities, the Mk. 51s were retrofitted with an EKCO Ranging Radar Mk.1 (ARI.5820) in a bulged new nose, coupled with a Gyro Gunsight Mk.5 (actually a predecessor of the Swift F.7's system, but this type did not make it into operational RAF service). The nose-mounted camera was re-located in a shallow fairing behind the front wheel well. The FR.5's two ADEN cannon were retained, and two additional pylons under the wing roots for AIM-9 Sidewinders were added - similar to the arrangement on Singaporean Hawker Hunters. The outer pylons were hardwired for Sidewinders as well, so that a total of four could be carried.
The new jets had just become operational, the Dhofar Rebellion escalated in 1962. At first, 12 armed Percival Provost T.Mk 52s were taken on charge, and these saw extensive use in the close air support role. The Swifts were primarily used for low level reconnaissance missions, or for the Provosts' air cover.
The rebellion, initially supported by Saudi Arabia, intensified in 1967, with the establishment of the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen (PDRY), which gave the rebels an adjacent source of arms and supplies, and which radicalised the Adoo rebel forces, whose aims went from greater autonomy for their region, and an improvement in living standards, to an overthrow of the Sultanate.
The campaign moved from a tribal revolt into a major communist rural insurgency backed by the USSR and the Peoples Republic of China. The Omani Supermarine Swifts were deployed for close air support missions (firing unguided missiles or dropping iron bombs), but they were not really suited for this type of mission. Therefore fet-engined BAC Strikemaster Mk.82s entered service in 1968 (the order increasing from four to 12 and later to 24), and these were augmented by Dakota transports and later by DHC-4 Caribous and Short Skyvans and five second-hand Vickers Viscounts. Pilatus PC-6 Porter air ambulances were also used extensively during the conflict. The Supermarine Swifts were then relegated to their original reconnaissance and escort fighter role.
Around 1971 the reorganised and modernised armed forces, ably supported by British SAS and (from 1971) Iranian detachments, and by RAF, IIAF and SOAF air power, drove the rebels back into their heartland. But the rebellion lasted was finally declared to be over in 1976.
The Swifts did not serve with the Omani forces that long - the machines had become outdated and by 1970 three had been lost (two through AA fire, one through a ground accident) and the harsh climate took its toll on the airframes and engines – by the early 1970ies all Swifts were eventually replaced by Hawker Hunter FR.10.
General characteristics:
Crew: 1
Length: 42 ft 3 in (12.88 m)
Wingspan: 32 ft 4 in (9.85 m)
Height: 13 ft 2 in (4.02 m)
Wing area: 328 ft² (30.5 m²)
Empty weight: 13,435 lb (6,094 kg)
Max. take-off weight: 21,673 lb (9,381 kg)
Powerplant:
1× Rolls-Royce Avon RA.7R/114 turbojet, rated at 7,175 lbf (31.9 kN) dry thrust
and at 9,450 lbf (42.0 kN) with afterburner
Performance:
Maximum speed: at sea level 713 mph (1,148 km/h)
Range: 630 mi (1,014 km)
Service ceiling: (service) 45,800 ft (13,960 m)
Rate of climb: (initial) 14.660 (74.5 m/s)
Armament:
2 × 30 mm ADEN cannon under the air intakes
Underwing provisions for drop tanks, bombs, AIM-9 Sidewinder AAMs
or up to eight unguided missiles
The kit and its assembly:
A rather unglamorous whif kit. The Swift did not have a breathtaking career in RAF service, and the Oman is not a country that comes to your mind when you consider air power. Anyway, since Great Britain exported many aircraft in the post WWII era to "friendly countries", inclusing the Venom and the Hunter, why shouldn't the Swift have seen a second life after RAF retirement?
The kit is the Xtrakit offering, not the new Airfix kit, I had it in the stash for some time until the background story came to fruition. It's a nice rendition of the FR.5, with fine, engraved panel lines, a nice interior and superb clear parts. The only issue I had upon building it was that the wing section (which also forms a part of the lower fuselage) was 1mm too long for the fuselage opening, and the interscetion between these major parts called for some putty work.
The only personal additions are the wing pylons, the Sidewinders and the drop tanks - the Xtrakit model comes clean. The nose camera was replaced by a small radome and a new camera fairling - carved from a piece of 1.5mm styrene sheet - mounted under the fuselage. Furthermore the flaps were lowered, for a more lively look.
Painting and markings:
This livery is based on 1st generation Omani aircraft like the Provost or Strikemaster, with a livery in Dark Green, Dark Earth and Light Aircraft Grey (Humbrol 163, 29 and 166, respectively). The pattern is the original RAF scheme, just the Dark Sea Grey was replaced by Dark Earth. The cockpit became very dark grey (RAL 7021) while the landing gear remained in Aluminum. Very simple.
The Swift depicted in this model is supoosed to have seen some service, so the kit received a black ink wash and the panels were lightened, esp. directly from above, with several green and brown tones (including RLM82, Faded Olive Drab, French Earth Brown and even Israeli Armor Brown, all ModelMaster enamels).
Decals come primaily from an Xtradecal aftermarket sheet for the BAC Strikemaster, which offers several Omani aircraft. Stencils come from the OOB sheet, and some more details like the white ring behind the radome or the yellow markings on the canopy were scratched from generic stripes and sheet.
Finally, after the white AIM-9 and the drop tanks were mounted, the kit received a final coat with acrylic matt varnish.
A simple and quick project, but I think the Swift has a lot of whiffing potential - concerning both operators as well as further, fictional versions?
6 shot pano merged in LR CC and then ran through Intensify Pro and Noiseless Pro. They were letting water out because of all the rain and the water was just under the spillway.
المتظاهرون المتضامنون مع فلسطين يدعون إلى السلام وإنهاء الاحتلال الإسرائيلي والفصل العنصري
I was deeply shocked when James Cleverly, the UK's foreign secretary, was asked specifically about Israel's intensified blockade of Gaza. He didn't say anything critical about Israel's recent decision to stop all electricity, fuel, food, and water from going into the area.
لقد صدمت بشدة عندما سُئل جيمس كليفرلي، وزير خارجية المملكة المتحدة، على وجه التحديد عن الحصار الإسرائيلي المكثف على غزة. ولم يقل أي شيء ينتقد قرار إسرائيل الأخير بوقف دخول الكهرباء والوقود والغذاء والمياه إلى المنطقة
twitter.com/OnlinePalEng/status/1711471826692436328
There are more than two million people living there, and this brutal form of collective punishment is clearly a war crime which threatens the lives of all of them. As is the round the clock bombing of some 2000 targets over just four days.
ويعيش هناك أكثر من مليوني شخص، ومن الواضح أن هذا الشكل الوحشي من العقاب الجماعي يشكل جريمة حرب تهدد حياة الجميع. جريمة حرب خطيرة أخرى هي القصف على مدار الساعة لنحو 2000 هدف في غزة خلال أربعة أيام فقط
The Gaza Strip is a small densely populated area which is only about one quarter the size of London. As of 10 October, over 900 residential units and 70 industrial units have been destroyed, including the deliberate targeting of some residential apartments without prior warning, and as a result the bombing has already killed 185 Palestinian children, 120 women and seven journalists.
reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/israe...
Netenyahu, Israel's prime minister, has called on Palestinian civilians to flee the air strikes he has unleashed which is reducing much of Gaza to rubble. However, the two neighbouring states, Israel and the Egyptian dictatorship of Fatah Abdul El-Sisi, have sealed the borders, making any attempt to escape the strip suicidal.
When Goav Gallant, Israel's Defence Minister, announced the intensification of the siege, he added that "we are fighting against human animals," phraseology often favoured by genocidal regimes. The United States and Britain, which have effectively given the green light to these brutal measures of collective punishment, are now clearly complicit in this war crime, and in Israel's war of aggression against the two million Palestinians who live on this tiny strip of land.
For years Gaza has been under what the UN recognises as Israeli occupation, since Israel controls everything that is allowed in, and regularly acts, every few years, to cripple the city's infrastructure with air strikes, so that even before these latest attacks, only 10% of Gazans had access to clean drinking water while the level of anemia among young children was 59%.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4391478/
No right minded person would not also condemn the brutal and horrific Hamas attacks on Israeli civilians, but we have to understand that terrorism can not be eradicated by continuing, intensifying and expanding the 75 year long occupation. It is the crime of illegal occupation which encompasses and leads to (though that's not the same as justifying) the near inevitability of violence.
Many Palestinians feel they have no other real, long-term way to resist the Israeli armed forces and a tiny number of them resort to unacceptable and sometimes irrational, terrible, and counterproductive acts of terrorism against innocent Israeli civilians. We should rightly condemn all such violence, but it's unlikely to stop without an end to the occupation.
It should not be forgotten that 248 Palestinians, 40 of them children, had been killed by Israeli soldiers during the first nine months of 2023 prior to last Saturday, but these deaths attracted almost no attention in the Western media.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMIZTiN-TrE
Meanwhile, Palestinian homes continue to be bulldozed to make way for new illegal Israeli settlements and when Netenyahu addressed the UN General Assembly in September he displayed a map of the Middle East with an "Israel", outlined in blue, which clearly included within it all of the West Bank, Gaza, Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, a de facto way of announcing their annexation.
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based historical facts. BEWARE!
The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was an American single-engined, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground-attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and enabled a rapid entry into production and operational service. The Warhawk was used by most Allied powers during World War II, and remained in frontline service until the end of the war. It was the third most-produced American fighter, after the P-51 and P-47.
P-40 Warhawk was the name the United States Army Air Corps adopted for all models, making it the official name in the United States for all P-40s. The British Commonwealth and Soviet air forces used the name Tomahawk for models equivalent to the P-40B and P-40C, and the name Kittyhawk for models equivalent to the P-40D and all later variants, which were used by many Allied nations during and even after WWII: The last P-40s in military service, used by the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), were only retired in 1960.
Another, minor operator of the P-40 were The Philippines: At the outbreak of World War II, after a few months of the Philippine Army Air Corps’ (PAAC) induction into the USAFFE by General Douglas Mc Arthur on 15 August 1941, the PAAC found itself unprepared for a shooting war. Japanese invading forces separately struck Pearl Harbor in Hawaii and the Philippines. Using only Curtiss P-26A “Peashooters”, which were obsolete at that time, PAAC officers and men fought gallantly against the superior enemy raids.
At that time the whole PAAC force only consisted of a mere 28 P-26s, and the growing Japanese threat in the Pacific theatre prompted the USA to immediately send further support to the PAAC - namely a batch of thirty brand-new P-40Es that were originally intended for the RAAF and literally “on the way” into the Pacific.
These aircraft were a quantum leap for the PAAC, concerning performance and firepower. The Kittyhawks arrived in November 1941, just in time to be operational during the Japanese raid of Zablan Field at Camp Murphy (now Camp Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo) near Manila on December 10, 1941. This event became the baptism of fire for PAAC pilots against an incoming invasion, and left the PAAC with heavy losses.
Among these brave PAAC pilots was 6th Pursuit Squadron leader Capt Jesus Villamor, a fearless fighter pilot in whose honor, Colonel Jesus Villamor Air Base, the home of the Headquarters of today's Philippine Air Force, is named after. Fighting was fierce: on December 12, 1941, remnants of Villamor’s squadron, again gallantly fought, engaging 17 Japanese Zeros and 27 bombers in an incredible dogfight over Batangas Field, as a result Lt Cesar Basa was killed in that action.
The more superior Japanese invading forces, with the advantage in aircraft ratio against the PAAC, lost a bomber and a fighter during the encounter. These feats would later earn Capt. Villamor two Distinguished Conduct Star awards.
Anyway, the late 1941 battles were rather disastrous for the PAAC - especially the P-40E crews suffered heavy losses due to the unfamiliarity with the new aircraft as well as the lack of tactics and experience against the more agile Japanese fighters: a total of eight P-40’s was lost within three days!
The RP-US forces and the whole country later on succumbed to Japanese regime but Capt Villamor and few of the PAAC officers continued to fight under guerrilla movements. Several aircraft could be rescued and were, after WWII, returned to military service. Capt Villamor’s courage and bravery during delicate missions of Mc Arthur’s Allied Intelligence net became instrumental for the RP-US forces in liberating the Country, which earned him the Medal for Valor.
After the war, the surviving P-40’s (only a dozen was left in airworthy condition) were relegated to the ground attack role, and the PAAC was immediately reconstituted and pilot training was intensified. By 1st of July 1947, the PAAC was renamed Philippine Air Force (PAF) and rose to a major service command of the AFP.
Additional units were formed and PAF organizational structures were enhanced in response to the equipment and air assets provided by U.S. Military Aid. In the early years of the PAF, the Command was instrumentally engaged in anti-HUK and anti-Kamlon insurgency campaigns. The PAF then had established Sulu Air Task Group (SATAG), with an initial force of P-51 “Mustangs”, PBY “Catalina” amphibian planes and L-5 “Sentinel” liaison aircraft to intensify the campaign against Hadji Kamlon, who eventually surrendered in 1955 - and at the same time the last P-40E was eventually retired from PAF service.
General characteristics:
Crew: 1
Length: 31.67 ft (9.66 m)
Wingspan: 37.33 ft (11.38 m)
Height: 12.33 ft (3.76 m)
Wing area: 235.94 ft² (21.92 m²)
Airfoil: NACA2215 / NACA2209
Empty weight: 6,070 lb (2,753 kg)
Loaded weight: 8,280 lb (3,760 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 8,810 lb (4,000 kg)
Powerplant:
1× Allison V-1710-39 liquid-cooled V12 engine, 1,150 hp (858 kW)
Performance:
Maximum speed: 360 mph (310 kn, 580 km/h)
Cruise speed: 270 mph (235 kn, 435 km/h)
Range: 650 mi (560 nmi, 1,100 km)
Service ceiling: 29,000 ft (8,800 m)
Rate of climb: 2,100 ft/min (11 m/s)
Wing loading: 35.1 lb/ft² (171.5 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 0.14 hp/lb (228 W/kg)'
Armament:
6× 0.50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns with 235 RPG in the wings, plus
a total of 2.000 lb (907 kg) of bombs on three hardpoints (one under the fuselage, two
underwing)
The kit and its assembly:
Nothing fancy - this P-40E is the Hobby Boss model and it was built almost OOB, even the drop tank comes with the simple but very nice kit. I just added a Matchbox pilot, some antennae and a metal axis for the propeller - that’s all.
Painting and markings:
This was the real challenge – the whole thing was actually inspired by a PrintScale P-26 decal sheet which features, among others, a camouflaged PAAC aircraft. I wondered what aircraft could have been a plausible replacement for the vintage Peashooters, and the P-40E appeared as a perfect choice - and I had one in the huge kit pile...
The paint scheme was chosen to match the fictional background story behind this whiffy model, as a field-modified factory finish for the Kittyhawk’s original operator – a practice that was more common than one might think. For instance, some early P-40s in RAF 'temperate day' scheme (painted with US colors, though!) ended up with the Flying Tigers in China. For the PAAC I chose a similar approach, as these fictional aircraft would be diverted from running Commonwealth deliveries (for the RAAF) from the USA, too.
The basic tones I used are FS 34096, FS 30118 and FS 34554 (two Modelmaster tones and Humbrol 23, simulating a pale/fake Sky Type ‘S’), modified with a light black ink wash, some shaded panels and some weathering, simulating the harsh climate in which this aircraft would have operated.
As an extra I mimicked overpainted RAAF roundels and codes, done with ANA 613 Olive Drab (Modelmaster) on the upper surfaces and FS 36440 for the lower sides. The result is a slightly shaggy look, but the kit is otherwise pretty “normal”, so I think it’s O.K. and adds a unique touch.
Spinner and rudder were painted in French Blue (again from Modelmaster), inspired by the PAAC P-26’s blue cowlings. All interior surfaces were painted in US Cockpit Green (Humbrol 226) and Zinc Chromate.
A rather simple project, done in a couple of days – the PAAC P-40 is simple, but the odd roundels certainly catch attention. And finally a good use for a kit that I had bought as part of a lot without a true plan!
Magic Day in Anguilla
www.thierrydehove.com/portfolio/
Edited with Intensify Pro from MacPhun and Adobe Lightroom
The Funeral of Akidi
the white began to intensify
leaving an blank open space
for the heart to let in sorrow
Part IX of "The Funeral of Akidi"
A selective color photography series meant as an exploration into the process of mourning, the depth of loss, and the fantastic beauty that is held within it.
This series was taken on April 9th, 2014 at a traditional Northern Ugandan funeral. It is paired with a collection of poems, wire wrapped necklaces and audio recordings.
Ladwar
Yosemite Winter Fine Art Landscapes! Sony A7RII yosemite National Park Winter Snow! Dr. Elliot McGucken Fine Art Landscape Photography! Ansel Adams Tribute!
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John Muir: "When I reached the [Yosemite] valley, all the rocks seemed talkative, and more lovable than ever. They are dear friends, and have warm blood gushing through their granite flesh; and I love them with a love intensified by long and close companionship. … I … bathed in the bright river, sauntered over the meadows, conversed with the domes, and played with the pines."
"Between every two pine trees there is a door leading to a new way of life."--John Muir
"I would advise sitting from morning till night under some willow bush on the river bank where there is a wide view. This will be "doing the valley" far more effectively than riding along trails in constant motion from point to point. The entire valley is made up of "points of interest." --John Muir on Yosemite!
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Had a great time waking up at 5 AM every day to shoot tunnel view and then driving around down in the valley to Half Dome, Bridalviel Falls, Cook's Meadow and the glorious Cook's Meadow elm tree, Sentinel Bridge, Valley View, Swinging Bridge, and more! Yosemite winters are made for black and whites, and Ansel Adam's ghost haunts the brilliant landscape scenery!
The most epic "Ansel Adams" view is tunnel view where one can see El Capitan, Bridalviel Falls, and Half Dome over magnificent trees, snow, rising fogs, and breaking mists. Enjoy!
Been busy traveling and shooting landscapes and working on my books The Golden Hero's Odyssey about the golden rectangle and divine proportion I use in a lot of my compositions! Also working on my physics book on Dynamic Dimensions Theory! The equation dx4/dt=ic is on a lot of the 45surf swimsuit and shirts and all! :)
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My fine art landscape lenses for the A7RII are the Sony 16-35mm Vario-Tessar T FE F4 ZA OSS E-Mount Lens and the Sony FE 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS Lens ! Love the Carl Zeiss and super sharp Sony Glass!
Winter fine art landscapes!
Epic Yosemite valley village winter snowstorm!
Yosemite Winter Fine Art Landscapes! Sony A7RII yosemite National Park Winter Snow! Dr. Elliot McGucken Fine Art Landscape Photography
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Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlanta
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. With an estimated 2018 population of 498,044, it is also the 37th most-populous city in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, home to 5.9 million people and the ninth-largest metropolitan area in the nation. Atlanta is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia. A small portion of the city extends eastward into neighboring DeKalb County.
Atlanta was originally founded as the terminating stop of a major state-sponsored railroad. With rapid expansion, however, it soon became the convergence point between multiple railroads, spurring its rapid growth. The city's name derives from that of the Western and Atlantic Railroad's local depot, signifying the town's growing reputation as a transportation hub. During the American Civil War, the city was almost entirely burned to the ground in General William T. Sherman's famous March to the Sea. However, the city rose from its ashes and quickly became a national center of commerce and the unofficial capital of the "New South". During the 1950s and 1960s, Atlanta became a major organizing center of the civil rights movement, with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Ralph David Abernathy, and many other locals playing major roles in the movement's leadership. During the modern era, Atlanta has attained international prominence as a major air transportation hub, with Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport being the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic since 1998.
Atlanta is rated as a "beta(+)" world city that exerts a moderate impact on global commerce, finance, research, technology, education, media, art, and entertainment. It ranks in the top twenty among world cities and 10th in the nation with a gross domestic product (GDP) of $385 billion. Atlanta's economy is considered diverse, with dominant sectors that include transportation, logistics, professional and business services, media operations, medical services, and information technology. Atlanta has topographic features that include rolling hills and dense tree coverage, earning it the nickname of "the city in a forest." Revitalization of Atlanta's neighborhoods, initially spurred by the 1996 Summer Olympics, has intensified in the 21st century, altering the city's demographics, politics, aesthetics, and culture.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centennial_Olympic_Park
Centennial Olympic Park is a 21-acre (85,000 m2) public park located in downtown Atlanta, Georgia owned and operated by the Georgia World Congress Center Authority. It was built by the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games (ACOG) as part of the infrastructure improvements for the 1996 Summer Olympics. It plays host to millions of visitors a year and several events, including a summer popular music concert series (Wednesday WindDown) and an annual Independence Day concert and fireworks display.
Contrary to what this image would have you believe, most of my damage was done against the enemy Amagi and Mogamis. Still, I love annihilating fail platoons as much as the next guy, even if there's nothing spectacular about crushing botes four tiers below you. The Atago and I went to the A cap alone and found them there, I detonated the Kuma in one shot from one of my secondary guns (kek), we dunked on the Myogi until he had 2000 health (the Tirpitz sniped him from 19km after that, I don't count him as a part of our duo), and then the we put the Cleveland to rest after a brief chase. All in all, it took about 4 minutes to wipe that flank clean, and half of that was chasing the Cleveland. Then I joined the main fray on the other side of the map, where I fought the Amagi and two Mogamis mentioned above (I killed one, the Amagi was in four digit health when we won by points). I really do like this bote, it's a tier 8 Kongo with better and more guns. #battlecruiserlyfe
The GOES-East satellite has been tracking what is now Hurricane Delta as it rapidly intensified from a tropical storm over the Caribbean Sea last night. As of 11:20 a.m. ET on Oct. 6, 2020, the storm’s maximum sustained wind speeds reached 130 mph, making it a major Category-4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, and it was expected to continue strengthening. According to the National Hurricane Center, an “extremely dangerous storm surge and hurricane conditions are expected over portions of the northern Yucatan Peninsula beginning tonight.”
After passing the peninsula, the storm is expected to swing up over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico and make landfall along the northern Gulf Coast—likely somewhere in Louisiana—by Friday or Saturday. Additionally, areas from Texas through the Florida panhandle have been put on alert.
Delta is not only the earliest 25th named Atlantic storm on record; it is also the second time that the Greek letter Delta has been used to name a storm. The previous Delta storm formed on November 15, 2005. Additionally, if Delta makes landfall on the Gulf Coast, it will be the first time on record that 10 named storms have done so in the U.S. in one season, breaking the 1916 record of nine landfalling storms.
www.nesdis.noaa.gov/content/delta-intensifies-major-hurri...
Another one from the Gibraltar Point nature reserve last Sunday. It gave me an opportunity to play with my new software toy, Intensify Pro.
Not only does Ilias provide mechanization services and produce seed for the local market, he also helps develop and produce machinery for sale throughout Bangladesh.
Ilias had sold 18 of his new motorcycle-mounted shelling machine, and also sells maize, rice and wheat shellers and semi-mechanised rice threshers. “Farmers come to my shop from all around Bangladesh,” said Ilias, who also produced 4 tons of wheat seed in 2014.
Credit: CIMMYT/Sam Storr
With the heat intensifying and WOLO's in place, CM3308 and CM3309 take their time as they lead 5100S loaded Bemax Ore through Nantawarra bound for Port Flat
Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941, led the United States into World War II and radically changed the lives of 120,000 men, women, and children of Japanese ancestry living in the United States. The attack intensified racial prejudices and led to fear of potential sabotage and espionage by Japanese Americans among some in the government, military, news media, and public. In February, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 authorizing the Secretary of War to establish Military Areas and to remove from those areas anyone who might threaten the war effort. Without due process, the government gave everyone of Japanese ancestry living on the West Coast only days to decide what to do with their houses, farms, businesses, and other possessions. Most families sold their belongings at a significant loss. Some rented their properties to neighbors. Others left possessions with friends or religious groups. Some abandoned their property. They did not know where they were going or for how long. Each family was assigned an identification number and loaded into cars, buses, trucks, and trains, taking only what they could carry. Japanese Americans were transported under military guard to 17 temporary assembly centers located at racetracks, fairgrounds, and similar facilities in Washington, Oregon, California, and Arizona. Then they were moved to one of 10 hastily built relocation centers. By November, 1942, the relocation was complete.
Ten war relocation centers were built in remote deserts, plains, and swamps of seven states; Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming. Manzanar, located in the Owens Valley of California between the Sierra Nevada on the west and the Inyo mountains on the east, was typical in many ways of the 10 camps.
About two-thirds of all Japanese Americans interned at Manzanar were American citizens by birth. The remainder were aliens, many of whom had lived in the United States for decades, but who, by law, were denied citizenship.
www.nps.gov/manz/learn/historyculture/japanese-americans-...
In 1943, Ansel Adams (1902-1984), America's most well-known photographer, documented the Manzanar War Relocation Center in California and the Japanese-Americans interned there during World War II.