View allAll Photos Tagged intolerance
We live in times of uncertainty, where the feeling of insecurity has been installed in our lives, and incentidumbres lead us along the paths of intolerance and lack of solidarity. The bombing of news is such that events have ceased to exist before being aware of it. Our memory is poised to become like a fish and feelings in a light breeze
Columbia Space Shuttle model standing guard at Portal of the Folded Wings, burial site for L.A. aviation pioneers. Designed by Kenneth A. MacDonald in 1924, with stone castings by Federico A. Giorgi, who did exterior of downtown's Million Dollar Theater, plus elaborate statues for the 1917 epic film Intolerance.
Couldn't resist a return visit for some night shots of this awesome Sculpture before it heads off to Chester Cathedral on 30th October at 6am
This amazing 27 foot high sculpture is made up of 100,000 bladed weapons collected during police surrenders across the country.
Today this stunning statue signifies the nations overwhelming intolerance to knife crime.
The Angel is helping to raise awareness of violent crime and helping young people understand the reasons not to carry knives.
Derby Cathedral
Recent political and social changes around the world and the emergence of the pandemic (please read more below), prevent me from enjoying beautiful, relaxing surroundings in nature and keep me locked in within a turmoil of dark thoughts. This image is a part of the series on "Living in a Changing World"
I thought I understood some "truths" about the world I live in. I notice the resurgence of aggressive nationalism, intolerance, and hate rising in my world. I see that people are entitled not just to their opinion but to their own facts. They are entitled to their rights even if it means that others may not be entitled to their lives as a result of not wearing a mask. I see that normal tolerance and compassion are now becoming optional. I see that allies treat each other as enemies and that dictators are becoming friends of our nations. I am confused, puzzled, anxious, angry, and I feel powerless to affect the changes.
The pandemic has changed my daily life completely and made me feel cut off. It has also changed how I photograph as I can no longer photograph in public indoor spaces or in congested city areas where I used to take most of my photos. I can not travel beyond my vicinity. I, therefore, have to return to my earlier subject matter and find something new to say.
.
Tant qu'il y aura suprématie d'un côté et pas de véritable association amicale, il y aura toujours de la souffrance, quel que soit le pôle de la dispute qui tyrannise l'autre pôle.
Tant qu'il n'y aura pas d'empathie pour l'autre et pas de compréhension de l'intolérance à la moindre frustration, les bébés seront jetés car ils génèrent une surcharge pour certaines femmes. Peut-être qu'un jour, malheureusement, les anciens seront eux aussi coupés de la vie car eux aussi créent une surcharge et travaillent pour ceux qui voient la liberté à travers le prisme de l'individualisme ou devrais-je dire de l'égoïsme.
C'est bien triste de s'en rendre compte au milieu de tant de bruit et de tentatives de narration : [
Un jour l'empathie ira de pair avec la liberté, sereinement par les avenues.
--------------------------------------------------
As long as there is supremacy on one side and no friendly and genuine association, there will always be suffering, no matter which pole of the dispute tyrannizes over the other pole.
As long as there is no empathy for the other and no understanding of intolerance at the slightest frustration, babies will be thrown away because they create an overload to some women. Maybe one day, unfortunately, older people will also be cut out of life because they also create an overload and more assignments to people who see freedom through the prism of individualism or should I say selfishness.
It's very sad to realize this in the midst of so much noise and attempts at narration : [
One day empathy will go hand in hand with freedom, serenely through the avenues.
.
I hear such packaging is common in Canada. Not so used to seeing it around here.
cc 2003 Eden Politte
I spotted these two young men walking hand-in-hand at the Florida State Fair a couple of weeks ago.
In an era of what alarmingly seems to be growing intolerance in certain segments of our society, I had to admire their resolve and personal courage.
My latest shot of The Vista, opened 1923, historic single-screen movie theater in Los Feliz on the border with East Hollywood. Director Quentin Tarantino acquired the theater in 2021, had it refurbished, and re-opened it in November of 2023.
Historic note: The extravagant "Walls of Babylon" scenes from (gifted director & rancid racist) D. W. Griffith's 1916 silent epic 'Intolerance' were filmed on this open site before the theater was constructed.
And what a joy it is that a heart that feels and beats hard with positive feeling will never know of differences or intolerance.
Let's love each other for who we are and what we can contribute. Nothing else matters. We are all the same...
Brooklyn Heights,
New York City
2015
© Sion Fullana
All Rights Reserved
"Un problema sempre più grave nella società contemporanea: l'intolleranza verso la felicità degli altri"
"An increasingly serious problem in contemporary society: intolerance towards the happiness of others"
"Un problema cada vez más grave en la sociedad contemporánea: la intolerancia hacia la felicidad de los demás"
Mildly unamused, Upper Peninsula, Michigan - October 9 2024
-notes-
she's wonderful though not so sure the feeling's mutual. that's the look of thinly veiled intolerance.
I know I posted a pic of Freja the other day, but she really deserves another shout out today! Last night, right before I went to sleep, I felt the symptoms of a migraine coming on. As any migraine sufferer knows, time is all important in stopping these things before they take hold, or life is impossible once they kick in. Freja proved to be a very special kitty shortly after I laid down to sleep.
Many of my contacts have heard about how my cat, Squeegee, used to alert me when I had a migraine starting. He would stand outside my bedroom door and squeek and howl incessantly until I got up and took my migraine meds, and then he would leave. When he first started doing it, I just thought he was griping about something he got for dinner that he wasn't happy with or just wanted attention, and he drove me nuts with his yowling! It didn't take long to figure out why he was doing it, though, as each time a migraine was coming on, and he was alerting me to the changes going on in my body that I was unaware of until I woke. Squeegee's intervention made it possible for me to overcome many of the migraines before they took hold, and that allowed me to get up and go to work the next day! Sadly, Squeeks passed away on October 19, 2015.
After Squeegee died, and even for a few years before, I seldom got the kind of headaches that used to incapacitate me. Still, since the symptoms of nausea, light sensitivity, heat intolerance, and noise intolerance played in, I was concerned that I no longer had my alert kitty to wake me before it was too late to alleviate the awful symptoms that I still sometimes had.
I got Ragnar and Freja as kittens. They were about six months old when I took them in. Freja was always the yacky one, but I never noticed a pattern until recently. Squeeks was still alive when I brought them home, but passed about one month later. As youngsters, the two rowdy cats were mostly playing or sleeping, and it has taken nearly 3 years to realize that Freja seems to have the same ability that Squeegee had to predict my migraines.
Last night, after I laid down, Freja was right at my bedroom door, meowing away loudly and even pawing the door to get my attention. She seldom bothers me when I'm sleeping, and I did notice that I was getting the migraine aura, which is for me lights and images that appear to be in front of my eyes, not in my mind, and can be quite colorful and electrical looking! Freja was alerting me, and this time, I thanked her. She left the door right after that, and I went to sleep relieved that if the headaches ever do come back the way they once were, my new little alert kitty will be able to warn me in advance if I pay attention to her! What a treasure this little one is! Besides having an adorable face and sweet disposition, God made her capable of helping me with something that can be horribly disabling. Now I have even more reason to love her!
1964
Palette knife oil painting on hardboard.
I painted this picture when I was nearly 18 and it was selected by the late John Nash CBE RA (Royal Academy London) for inclusion into an exibition at the then Beecroft Art gallery in Southend-on-Sea, Essex.
The exhibition was held between the 21st May - 27th June 1965.
John Nash was born in Colchester in April 1893 and died in September 1977. He was a self taught artist like me.
This painting is the only surviving unsold picture from many I produced in my mid teens to early 20's. all others being sold or now lost due to my parents moving house when I was living away in London.
There was a slightly larger companion picture to this, but it was regrettably, sold to a friend in the 1980's.
I'm glad I did not weaken and be tempted to take offers from others to buy this painting as it has always remained a favourite of mine. I have promised it to my daughter who loves it and so it will never be sold in my lifetime and will hopefully stay in the family.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Nash_%28artist%29
Sorry for slow or no comments friends but I am still sick after 3 weeks partly caused by gastric flu which resulted in a sudden intolerance to hormone tablets which I have been taking prior to undergoing treatment for a diagnosed mens' condition requiring Radiotherapy.>b>
Well a few people have been posting on flickr about the recent POTUS results with Superman in the forefront. I wanted to join in.
I've had all day to think about this and one thing that I've come to realize, is that we've gotta keep our heads up! I know myself personally, I'm heartbroken. Pessimism and Aggression have won. Lies and Greed have won. Oppression and Fear Mongering have won today and it's a damn shame.
The US chose the worst kind of person to become the most powerful man in the world and it's scary.
But see that only makes us the underdog now. We've gotta keep fighting! We've got to keep moving forward! Pushing for honesty and kindness before cynicism and hatred! We're all human, we're all still alive, and we can only do better from here!
Don't let it dampen your spirits! In the next coming weeks try your best to be positive and uplifting to those around you! Smile and laugh and love and care for as many people as you can! Because the amount of people hurting right now is only going to get bigger. Keep your friends and families close, and remind them that everything will be okay. That's what Superman would do.
We could use a Superman to give us hope. To right all the wrongs, bring justice to the people, and oppose monsters that want to control the world. But that would be too easy. We've got to do it for ourselves!
Remember to keep kindness in your heart.
I'm gonna leave you guys with a monologue from The Great Dictator performed by Charlie Chaplin. Take a couple minutes out of your evening and just listen.
Breathe.
We'll get through this together.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t want to be an emperor. That’s not my business. I don’t want to rule or conquer anyone. I should like to help everyone - if possible - Jew, Gentile - black man - white. We all want to help one another. Human beings are like that. We want to live by each other’s happiness - not by each other’s misery. We don’t want to hate and despise one another. In this world there is room for everyone. And the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone. The way of life can be free and beautiful, but we have lost the way.
Greed has poisoned men’s souls, has barricaded the world with hate, has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed. We have developed speed, but we have shut ourselves in. Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want. Our knowledge has made us cynical. Our cleverness, hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery we need humanity. More than cleverness we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost....
The aeroplane and the radio have brought us closer together. The very nature of these inventions cries out for the goodness in men - cries out for universal brotherhood - for the unity of us all. Even now my voice is reaching millions throughout the world - millions of despairing men, women, and little children - victims of a system that makes men torture and imprison innocent people.
To those who can hear me, I say - do not despair. The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed - the bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress. The hate of men will pass, and dictators die, and the power they took from the people will return to the people. And so long as men die, liberty will never perish....
Soldiers! don’t give yourselves to brutes - men who despise you - enslave you - who regiment your lives - tell you what to do - what to think and what to feel! Who drill you - diet you - treat you like cattle, use you as cannon fodder. Don’t give yourselves to these unnatural men - machine men with machine minds and machine hearts! You are not machines! You are not cattle! You are men! You have the love of humanity in your hearts! You don’t hate! Only the unloved hate - the unloved and the unnatural! Soldiers! Don’t fight for slavery! Fight for liberty!
In the 17th Chapter of St Luke it is written: “the Kingdom of God is within man” - not one man nor a group of men, but in all men! In you! You, the people have the power - the power to create machines. The power to create happiness! You, the people, have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure.
Then - in the name of democracy - let us use that power - let us all unite. Let us fight for a new world - a decent world that will give men a chance to work - that will give youth a future and old age a security. By the promise of these things, brutes have risen to power. But they lie! They do not fulfil that promise. They never will!
Dictators free themselves but they enslave the people! Now let us fight to fulfil that promise! Let us fight to free the world - to do away with national barriers - to do away with greed, with hate and intolerance. Let us fight for a world of reason, a world where science and progress will lead to all men’s happiness. Soldiers! in the name of democracy, let us all unite!”
The Thirtieth Ion Prophecy - Darkcoin - The Dictatorship of Shadows by Daniel Arrhakis (2021)
With the music : Jo Blankenburg- Lords of Arkhmar
The Thirtieth Ion Prophecy - Darkcoin - The Dictatorship of Shadows
And the times of money covered by shadows, encoded in bits of information came ready to finance the new nightmares and the new dictatorships of Man.
And the Lords of Money financed lies and fear, discrediting journalists, financing conspiracy theories writers in a web of falsehoods for which many will be their slaves.
And the academies of idolatry and the new sects of communication will be founded. The hordes of hate and intolerance worshipers, soldiers of anarchy and conservatives of old moral values will echo to make democracy and freedom of peoples hostages.
And the seeds of uncertainty and discord will be sown so that the Lords of Shadows can re-claim divine power again.
And days will come when the digital gold pyramids will fall apart like leaves in the wind and shake all the ivory towers of the kingdoms of Man while the lords of the shadows tried to implement anarchy and hostage the governments of the Earth.
And the lie will be repeated to the winds until it is considered to be true and the doubt will be written so many times that it will become the new law, unless the resistant fight with all their might and never question their deepest beliefs and values.
Because believe me, the biggest battle of our age is yet to come ... the Battle Of The Consciences !
________________________________________________
A Trigésima Profecia De Ion - Dinheiro Negro - A Ditadura das Sombras
E os tempos do dinheiro envolto nas sombras, codificado em bits de informação chegaram prontos para financiar os novos pesadelos e as novas ditaduras do Homem.
E os Senhores do Dinheiro financiaram mentiras e medos, desacreditando jornalistas, financiando escritores de teorias da conspiração em uma teia de falsidades da qual muitos serão seus escravos.
E as academias de idolatria e as novas seitas de comunicação serão fundadas. As hordas de adoradores do ódio e da intolerância, soldados da anarquia e conservadores de antigos valores morais ecoarão para tornarem reféns a democracia e a liberdade dos povos.
E as sementes da incerteza e da discórdia serão semeadas para que os Senhores das Sombras possam reivindicar novamente o poder divino.
E chegará o dia em que as pirâmides de ouro digital se desintegrarão como folhas ao vento e sacudirão todas as torres de marfim dos reinos do Homem enquanto os senhores das sombras tentam implementar a anarquia e tornar reféns os governos da Terra.
E a mentira se repetirá aos ventos até que seja considerada verdadeira e a dúvida será escrita tantas vezes que se tornará a nova lei, a menos que os resistentes lutem com todas as suas forças e nunca questionem suas crenças e os seus valores mais profundos.
Porque acreditem em mim, a maior batalha de nossa era ainda está por vir ... a Batalha das Consciências!
________________________________________________
2015
Oil on stretched canvas
50cm x 70cm
Painted as a companion picture to 'Other Worlds' posted awhile ago which is shown in the first comment box.
(The brownish planet is taken from recent photos of PLUTO) Others are merely a composite of various celestial bodies. The background is a little darker than reality.
Maybe there's somewhere out there light years away where people live in peace and harmony, for it could take light years to cure this planet of the unrelentless and spreading cancer of hatred and intolerance - if ever?????
Hanalei Valley taro farm
One of the largest taro growing areas in the Hawaiian Islands is the Lower Hanalei Valley
About 10% of the world's population uses taro or taro-like plants (Araceae) as a staple in the diet, and for 100 million people this is an important daily food.
Taro is similar to the Irish potato (Solanum tuberosum) in many properties, and is sometimes called the "potato" of the humid tropics. In comparison with potato, taro corm has a higher proportion of protein (1.5-3.0%), calcium, and phosphorus; it has a trace of fat, and is rich in vitamins A and C. Moreover, taro is 98.8% digestible, because it has very small starch grains fairly rich in amylose (20-25%), which breaks down to sugar with human saliva. This type of carbohydrate is excellent for people with digestive problems, so that taro flour is used in infant formulae and canned baby foods and is good for people with allergies, such as lactose intolerance. Some workers say that taro produces fewer dental problems than other starch crops. Recent research indicates that plastics can be made to be biodegradable by adding taro starch grains.
When Captain Cook discovered the Hawaiian Islands in 1778, the native population (est. 300,000) lived chiefly on dasheen (taro) and sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas), supplemented with things from the sea. In the Hawaiian Islands, taro was said to have been formed by the union of daughter earth and father sky, before man was born, so taro was honored as superior to man and treasured as the most important food crop. So intensive was its cultivation there that there may have been up to 300 cultivars in Hawaii when Captain Cook landed. Poi was traditionally prepared by removing the corm "skin" and then pounding the white flesh on a board with a stone pounder (pohaku ku'I) to make a thick paste, which was dried, diluted with water, kneaded, and then aged. The infamous Polynesian poi may be fermented (first bacteria, then yeast) or sometimes unfermented forms of this sticky dasheen paste, eaten with the fingers or as small balls. Some Polynesians were said to consume up to 20 pounds of poi per day!
[...] No loss by flood and lightening, no destruction of cities and temples by the hostile forces of nature, has deprived man of so many noble lives and impulses as those which his intolerance has destroyed [...]
-- Quote by Helen Keller (American Author and Educator who was blind and deaf. 1880-1968)
Nikon D200, Samyang 8mm, f/3.5, 8mm - f/8 - 1/15s - HDR 5xp +2/-2EV
Fara Sabina, Italy (April, 2016)
The Hollywood-Highland Complex underwent a major makeover sometime over a year ago. The new owners decided to gentrify the area and eliminate the elephants and the Babylon Temple from the wall that you see here. Their reason? Their claim was that D.W. Griffith was a racist. And he was. But that was with "Birth of a Nation." The elephants and temple wall were part of "Intolerance," Griffith's attempt at atoning for his artistic choices. The problem here is that both "Birth" and "Intolerance" are cinematic masterpieces. Griffith all but invented the movies as we watch them today. Russian filmmakers such as Sergei Eisenstein and his friends not only studied "Intolerance" frame by frame and shot by shot, they took it upon themselves to keep the print, re-cut it and experiment with editing themselves. This was when Russia was experiencing a film stock shortage, so these filmmaker wannbes sampled the works of Griffith to contribute further the art of film editing.
And now the symbol of early Hollywood is gone. Inside the archway are lame drawings of people, presumably tourists, taking photos of the real tourists at the complex taking photos. The newspaper article a year ago said the wall would celebrate the Tik Tok artists who were apparently making strides in changing Hollywood. Well, that was a boast that has yet to be proven.
Despite Griffith's reputation, there really was no reason to remove the wall art nor the elephants on huge pillars. Most tourists would not know what movie they were from, and their presence was hardly offensive.
The blank, dull, nondescript wall in what is supposed to be the new ground zero for Hollywood is more offensive, if not insulting to the history and legacy of Hollywood's Golden Age.
Wonderful World
by the Cinquini brothers.
Nelson Mandela, the protagonist of the float, sacrificed 27 years of his life locked up in a small cell, nurturing the hope of
demonstrating to humanity that the world is actually a wonderful place. The message left to us by him is stronger today than ever.
We are only realizing this now, after being locked in a house for several months of self-isolation.
On the giant Noah's Ark, the smiling face of Nelson Mandela enters the carnival. A new biblical boat needed to escape the flood of intolerance, ignorance, and hatred in search of a better world where everyone can exist freely without fear of living their own lives. On a large boat, you can see the emblems of culture and human progress of each era.
January 01, 2026
How could we build a liveable space habitat?
In the not-too-distant future, humanity will be faced with the challenge of building permanent homes in space. For this to happen, space habitats will need to closely replicate Earth’s gravity, while dealing with the threat of radiation and meteorites from outer space. Through his research, Werner Grandl at Space Renaissance International in Italy considers how these challenges could be overcome. Through a series of recent studies, he conceives a feasible design for a rotating space habitat, shielded from outer space by a mined‑out asteroid.
The idea of human settlers establishing permanent homes in space is a staple of our favourite sci-fi. Over the past century, countless films, books, TV shows, and video games have found creative, often elaborate ways to convey the threats and motivations which would force humanity to leave Earth behind and explain how they might survive in the harsh environment of space.
Yet today, many of these fictional threats look all too familiar in the real world. Werner Grandl at Space Renaissance International explains, ‘Besides man-made disasters like global warming or nuclear war, there are a number of serious natural threats to planet Earth such as asteroid impacts, super-volcanoes, and ice ages.’
For Grandl, the ever-looming presence of these threats creates a pressing need for us to think about what realistic extra-terrestrial habitats could look like and consider how they could be constructed in the not-too-distant future. ‘The construction of self-sustaining colonies in space using lunar and asteroid resources will be the next step of human evolution,’ he says.
Accommodating the human body
Beyond the staggering feats of engineering required to build these habitats, some of the most important challenges to consider in their design are related to the limitations of our own bodies. Having evolved on Earth, the physical attributes of our muscles, bones, and many other vital biological systems are finely tuned to functioning in the gravitational field of our home planet. If we leave this familiar environment for extended periods, medical problems will inevitably start to emerge before long. ‘A lack of gravity can cause danger for human health such as bone demineralisation, muscle atrophy, and orthostatic intolerance,’ Grandl explains.
Artificial Gravity Orbital Station AGOS: a spinning space station, built in three stages.
Just like generations of sci-fi writers – although with far higher stakes – this challenge will be one of the first things we will need to consider when conceiving future space colonies. To provide a suitable home for the human body, habitats will need to generate their own artificial gravity, which matches Earth’s field as closely as possible.
A familiar grounding force
To simulate gravity, future space habitats will need to spin. ’Rotating space habitats can provide simulated gravity and a comfortable environment for astronauts and space settlers,’ says Grandl. The effect is achieved through the effect of centrifugal forces – you have probably experienced this effect yourself when driving a car around a tight curve or riding the loop-the-loop on a rollercoaster.
Prototype Asteroid Habitat for 2,000 people: the rotating torus is driven by magnetic levitation bearings; sunlight is beamed into the cave and distributed by a central mirror cone.
Here, the idea is that the manned part of a space habitat will constantly circle around the centre of the station. In this way, a person standing on the inner rim of the circle would feel like they are being pulled downwards by gravity, when in fact the floor is pushing them upwards, towards the centre of the habitat’s rotation.
Designing a rotating station
In one recent study, Grandl took this concept a step further. In his paper, he envisages a habitat built from interconnected cylindrical modules, which spin around the axis of a central cylinder – powered by a non-rotating framework of solar panels.
Grandl then shows how such a habitat could be enlarged in stages: eventually reaching a diameter of 102 metres, incorporating some 32 living quarter modules, which could comfortably house up to 180 people long term. He also considers how an agricultural sphere could be attached, providing food for these inhabitants.
A home inside an asteroid
Low-gravity environments aren’t the only challenge. In the harsh environment of space, without any atmosphere to protect them, future space habitats would face a constant threat of bombarded with radiation from the Sun, as well as tiny meteorites hurtling through space. Building further on his earlier concept, Grandl next considered how rotating habitats could be made safer by housing them inside hollowed-out asteroids – shielding them from outer space.
‘Near-Earth asteroids can be mined and the remaining cave would be a natural shelter against cosmic rays, solar flares, micrometeorites,’ he describes. ‘Inside excavated asteroids we can build self-sustaining human outposts in space providing artificial gravity.’
To reach this point, Grandl has conceived a multi-step process. It starts with a pair of unmanned space tugs, docked to either side of a near-Earth asteroid using anchors drilled firmly into the rock. Using advanced propulsion systems, the tugs could then pull the asteroid into a stable orbit around Earth, beyond the Moon.
From here, mining can begin along the axis of the asteroid’s rotation. At this point, the asteroid is connected to a manned space station – with the space and equipment required for digging, as well as carrying, processing, and storing mined materials.
After boring a straight tunnel into the centre of the asteroid, a larger spherical cave could then be excavated, taking up around half of the asteroid’s total volume. While mass is being removed from the asteroid, its orbit would be continuously stabilised by the two space tugs, still docked to either side. Finally, once mining has finished, a rotating habitat could be constructed inside the cave.
The future path to space
While our technology is still a long way off from being able to build these habitats, Grandl is confident that with the current pace of advancement, they will one day be perfectly feasible. Before we get there, he envisages a step-by-step improvement in our understanding of survival in space. ‘As a first step, we should build a rotating space station in Earth’s orbit to study the influence of different gravity-levels on human health,’ he describes.
Space habitats could be made safer by housing them inside hollowed-out asteroids – shielding them from outer space.
From here, we could build on this understanding to modify designs of manned space habitats to ensure the highest possible standards of safety and comfort for their inhabitants. Ultimately, by starting to tackle these challenges now, Grandl hopes that the possibility of permanently manned space habitats will begin to look far more feasible in the coming decades. In turn, his ideas may one day help to accelerate humanity’s exploration of the solar system, and to ensure our future in the face of whatever disasters we may one day face.
Personal Response
How long do you think it will be before humans will be able to live permanently in space?
It will depend on political decisions. In a best case scenario, a spinning orbital station as a successor of the present ISS could be built by 2035. First habitats inside hollow asteroids may be constructed in the last decade of this century. It will depend on the development of mining techniques in space.
References
Grandl, W, Böck, C, (2023) Asteroid habitats—Living inside a hollow celestial body. In: Badescu, V, et al, (eds), Handbook of Space Resources. Switzerland: Springer Nature, 763–785. doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-97913-3_22
Grandl, W, Autino, AV, Böck, C, (2023) Artificial gravity orbital dtation (AGOS)-the simulation of gravity in a rotating space station, 74th International Astronautical Congress (IAC).
Grandl, W, Bazso A, (2013) Near Earth asteroids — Prospection, orbit modification, mining and habitation. In: Badescu, V, (eds), Asteroids. Heidelberg: Springer Berlin, 415–438. doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-39244-3_17
Behind the Research
Werner Grandl
Werner Grandl was born in Vienna in 1957. He graduated from the Technical University of Vienna in 1984. He is a trained architect and civil engineer in Austria. His research interests include space stations and space colonies, and the use of lunar and asteroid resources.
Research Objectives
Werner Grandl describes the construction of self-sustaining colonies in space using lunar and asteroid resources.
Funding
Space Renaissance International (SRI), Viale Risorgimento 57, 22073 Fino Mornasco (CO), Italy.
Collaborators
Clemens Böck
Adriano V Autino
Cite this Article
Grandl, W, (2024) How could we build a liveable space habitat?, Research Outreach, 139.
DOI: 10.32907/RO-139-5856553861
Creative Commons Licence
(CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Creative Commons License
What does this mean?
Share: You can copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
More Articles
Lightweighting the future with aluminium crossover alloys
Engineering & Technology
Should pre-anaesthesia consultations be done telephonically?
Health & Medicine
researchoutreach.org/articles/how-could-we-build-liveable...
Making a Home on the Moon
20925 views
39 likes
ESA / Education / Moon Camp
A future home on the Moon has to have a lot more than a place to eat and sleep. It will be the only structure on the Moon, it will have to provide shelter, power, and a place to work and live. But where should it be located and how will it be built? Find out more in this set of 6 animations from Airbus Foundation Discovery Space.
What is the best place to live on the Moon?
An entirely new landscape awaits when you land on the Moon. Will you choose one of the poles or dig underground – where will your Moon village be?
François-Marie Arouet (1694 – 1778) was a French Enlightenment writer, philosopher (philosophe) and historian. Known by his nom de plume M. de Voltaire, he was famous for his wit, in addition to his criticism of Christianity—especially of the Roman Catholic Church—and of slavery. Voltaire was an advocate of freedom of speech, freedom of religion and separation of church and state.
Voltaire was a versatile and prolific writer, producing works in almost every literary form, including plays, poems, novels, essays, histories, but also scientific expositions. He wrote more than 20,000 letters and 2,000 books and pamphlets. Voltaire was one of the first authors to become renowned and commercially successful internationally. He was an outspoken advocate of civil liberties and was at constant risk from the strict censorship laws of the Catholic French monarchy. His polemics witheringly satirized intolerance and religious dogma, as well as the French institutions of his day. His best-known work and magnum opus, Candide, is a novella which comments on, criticizes and ridicules many events, thinkers and philosophies of his time.
Because of his well-known criticism of the Church, which he had refused to retract before his death, Voltaire was denied a Christian burial in Paris, but friends and relations managed to bury his body secretly at the Abbey of Scellières in Champagne. His heart and brain were embalmed separately.
On July 11 1791, the National Assembly of France, regarding Voltaire as a forerunner of the French Revolution, had his remains brought back to Paris and enshrined in the Panthéon. An estimated million people attended the procession, which stretched throughout Paris. There was an elaborate ceremony, including music composed for the event by André Grétry.
(Source: Wikipedia)
El viento las juntó... : )
Tercera Ley:
En cualquier momento que comience es el momento correcto”. Todo comienza en el momento indicado, ni antes, ni después. Cuando estamos preparados para que algo nuevo empiece en nuestras vidas, es allí cuando comenzará.
La impaciencia, la intolerancia, la impulsividad sólo nos limita ya que no podemos ver la perfección de los eventos. Cambia esta percepción y cambia tus sentimientos.
Third Law:
“Whenever it starts is the right time.”
It all starts at the right time, either before or after. When we are ready to start something new in our lives, that’s when starts. Impatience, intolerance, impulsivity only limit us in the sense that we can not see the perfection of the events. Change this perception and change your feelings.
Buena semana!
Couldn't resist a return visit for some night shots of this awesome Sculpture before it heads off to Chester Cathedral on 30th October at 6am.
This amazing 27 foot high sculpture is made up of 100,000 bladed weapons collected during police surrenders across the country.
Today this stunning statue signifies the nations overwhelming intolerance to knife crime.
The Angel is helping to raise awareness of violent crime and helping young people understand the reasons not to carry knives.
Derby Cathedral
The Knife Angel was created by the British Ironwork Centre, and sculptor Alfie Bradley, to illustrate the scale of the knife crime problem affecting the UK.
The 27 feet high sculpture is made from 100,000 bladed weapons collected in knife banks during police surrenders across the country.
Today, this stunning statue eloquently signifies the nation’s overwhelming intolerance to violence and aggression.
It was brought to Chester to raise awareness of knife crime across the country and looked truly haunting illuminated at night against the gothic architecture.
© Ben Stacey All Rights Reserved - Any use, reproduction or distribution of this image without my explicit permission is strictly prohibited.
Around the USA today, hundreds of thousands marched, and around the wold thousands upon thousands more marched in solidarity. All to say NO to hate, NO to intolerance, NO to misogny, NO to homophobia, and NO to fear of immigration. I pray for my country.
Khajuraho is believed to be the religious capital of Chandellas. Chandella rulers had tried to discriminate politics from religious & cultural activities, so they established their political capital in Mahoba which is about 60km. away from Khajuraho and religious/cultural capital in Khajuraho. Whole Khajuraho was enclosed by a wall with about 8 gates used for entry/exit. It is believed that each gate is flanked by two date/palm trees. Due to these date trees present Khajuraho get its name Khajura-vahika. In hindi language, “Khajura” means ‘Date’ and “Vahika” means ‘Bearing’.
After fall of Chandella dynasty (after AD 1150), Khajuraho Temples suffered destruction & disfigurement by muslim invaders in this area which forced local people to leave Khajuraho. As muslim invaders had a ruling policy of intolerance for worship places of other religions so all the citizens of Khajuraho left the town with a hope that its solitude will not attract attention of muslim invaders into the temple area and in this way both temple and they themselves will remain unhurt. So from about 13th century to 18th century, Khajuraho temples remain in forest cover, away from popularity till it was re-discovered by British engineer T. S. Burt.
Orishá priestess
statue at Lagoa de Abaeté, Salvador
driven into death by Universal Church in 2000
Officially commemorated in 2016 with this statue
giving start to law against religious intolerance
Teach your children well. Teach them to stand up against both indifference and intolerance. Teach them to be careful and kind, to value being creative over memorization, to interact with the world in a way that reinforces the best in us as humans.
And teach them to dream of a better life than the one we might leave them after this presidency...let's hope there is something left for them.
"No hate. No fear. Immigrants are welcome here!" Chicago is a super city and we must keep our city a safe space and respect all of those who will enter and live here. We cannot let the national disease infect our residents.
Great Conjunctions Like This Just Take 800 Years, Will We Humans Still Be Around For The Next One? - IMRAN™
What truly insignificant creatures we are even on our own planet. Our planet is merely a pebble around the solar system. And that system isn’t even big enough to be a speck of cosmic dirt in the cosmos. Yet what incredible creatures we are.
We developed our knowledge, skills and tools in merely a few hundred years to be able to predict and observe things that take place maybe every 800 years or so. What a great time to be alive. Even hobbyists with a DSLR camera in Tampa, Florida can capture and share images online showing the conjunction of Jupiter & Saturn and even their respective moons in one photo! But now objects made by humans are not just watching objects in space, they are in space — gazing at the heavens even deeper and even watching us mortals wreak havoc down below. The second image is a screenshot of an iPhone app showing some of those man-made marvels and their locations above us.
They orbit our planet until the ends of their useful lives. Meanwhile, a few purely scientific endeavors, primitive tdchnoybu today’s standards, like the Voyager twins, launched when I was a kid in the 1970s, have even left the solar system! Literally, to the stars, and beyond, possibly for eternity.
Will we humans prove ourselves worthy of being memorialized by those spacecraft forever? Or will we let willful ignorance, illiteracy, bigotry, racism, intolerance, and other such hatreds embraced by sizable minorities worldwide ensure that we exterminate ourselves & destroy our habitable planet before the next such conjunction occurs?
What do you think?
© 2020 IMRAN™
#IMRAN #science #space #technology #florida #TampaBay #JupiterSaturnConjunction2020 #Jupiter #Saturn #history #future #humanity
The Prayer Song of the Temple Bells by Daniel Arrhakis (2023)
The Prayer Song of the Temple Bells (**)
Dling, Dlong, Dling, Dlong
The bells ring endlessly
Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha (*)
The monks pray without stopping
So that there is no more hunger
So that there is no more thirst
The bells ring in the temple on the hill
the bells ring endlessly, rain or shine
Monks keep praying
on top of the mountain, down in the valley
Dling, Dlong, Dling, Dlong
Whether wind or rain, the bells echo, always shining
And the Monks don't stop playing
So that there is no more greed
So that there is no more indifference
Bells ring in the valley temple
the bells ring endlessly, make it snow, make it ice
Monks don't stop believing
in the blue of the sky, in the green of the forest
Dling, Dlong, Dling, Dlong
Hot or cold, the songs echo in the air
And the monks don't stop singing
so that there is no more hate
so that there is no more war
The bells ring in the temple of the sea
The bells ring endlessly, make it calm, make it storm
Monks keep rowing
against waves and tides
Dling, Dlong, Dling, Dlong
The bells ring endlessly
Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha
the monks pray without stopping
so that there is no more fear
so that there are no more lies
The bells ring in the cave temple
the bells ring endlessly, make it dark, make it light
the monks do not stop lighting
against ignorance and uncertainty
Dling, Dlong, Dling, Dlong
The bells ring endlessly
Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha
the monks pray without stopping
So that there is no more doubt
So that there is no more intolerance
The bells ring in the temple of heaven
the bells ring endlessly, with love, with truth
receive me then Buddha in your gaze
receive me then Buddha with your embrace
Dling, Dlong, Dling, Dlong
The bells ring endlessly
Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha
The Monks Are Praying
(*) Meaning of the Green Tara mantra
The Green Tara mantra is a ten-syllable mantra. Every time it is chanted, it allows a connection with the goddess.
His verses are: “Om tare tuttare ture soha”
"Om" are the immeasurable qualities of the body, speech and mind of enlightened beings.
“Tare” is the one who liberates.
“Tuttare” eliminates all fears.
“Ture” grants all success.
“Soha” means: “May the blessings of Tara which are contained in the mantra ‘om tare tuttare ture’ take root in our hearts.”
In the Tibetan language, Tara is known as Drolma, the savior, being the manifestation of the feminine energy of the enlightened mind: wisdom. That is, it is enlightened, flexible and practical wisdom. It is the fast energy, present in the moment. Besides being the release of fear and everything!
When practiced, this mantra helps overcome fear and anxiety. Tara devotees believe that the mantra can grant wishes, eliminate suffering and bring all kinds of happiness.
(**) The Meaning of Ringing Bells in Buddhism
Buddhist meditations or prayer rituals include objects that symbolize important concepts in Buddhism. Two of the most important objects in worship include the bell and incense. Each have several meanings and are part of honoring the Three Jewels or Three Treasures of Buddhism, which are the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha.
The bell symbolizes Buddha's voice. It calls for the protection of heavenly deities. The sound of the bell equals the sound of the Dharma, or the entity or law, which sustains the order of things in the universe.
The gentle ring of the bell serves to focus a follower's attention, bringing it out of future worries or pulling it away from past concerns. Many Buddhist prayers begin with the sound of the bell. However, the Buddhist faithful may also ring bells when entering a temple or answering the call to worship when a monk sounds the bell. The bell symbolizes wisdom and compassion, which Buddhist practitioners recognize as being the path to Enlightenment.
Here, with this prayer, we intend to positively inspire our state of mind, giving it strength to distance itself from negative feelings and seek to overcome itself through prayer but also through persistence.
Before each section "Dling, Dlong, Dling, Dlong" the call is made with a small personal bell evoking it both at the beginning and at the end of the prayer, which must be repeated as many times as we want.
Here the position can be sitting, kneeling, cross-legged or even standing.
The bell has a sense of alertness here, alerting the spirit not to let itself be influenced by negative feelings or ideas; deep down a constant awakening, a call to self-assessment and self-criticism but also a call to prayer.
____________________________________________________
A Canção Oração dos Sinos do Templo (**)
Dling, Dlong, Dling, Dlong
Tocam os sinos sem parar
Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha (*)
Rezam Os monges sem parar
Para que não haja mais fome
Para que não haja mais sede
Tocam os sinos no templo do monte
tocam os sinos sem parar , faça chuva, faça sol
Os monges não param de rezar
no cimo da montanha, em baixo no vale
Dling, Dlong, Dling, Dlong
Faça vento Ou chuva, ecoam os sinos sempre a brilhar
E os Monges não param de tocar
Para que não haja mais avareza
Para que não haja mais indiferença
Tocam os sinos no templo do vale
tocam os sinos sem parar, faça neve, faça gelo
Os monges não param de acreditar
no azul do céu, no verde da floresta
Dling, Dlong, Dling, Dlong
Faça calor ou frio, ecoam as canções no ar
E os monges não param de cantar
para que não haja mais ódio
para que não haja mais guerra
Tocam os sinos no templo do mar
tocam os sinos sem parar, faça calmaria, faça tempestade
Os monges não param de remar
contra ondas e marés
Dling, Dlong, Dling, Dlong
Tocam os sinos sem parar
Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha
rezam os monges sem parar
para que não haja mais medo
para que não haja mais mentira
Tocam os sinos no templo da gruta
tocam os sinos sem parar, faça escuridão, faça luz
os monges não param de iluminar
contra a ignorância e a incerteza
Dling, Dlong, Dling, Dlong
Tocam os sinos sem parar
Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha
rezam os monges sem parar
Para que não haja mais dúvida
Para que não haja mais intolerância
Tocam os sinos no templo do céu
tocam os sinos sem parar, com amor, com verdade
recebe-me pois Buddha no teu olhar
recebe-me pois Buddha com o teu abraço
Dling, Dlong, Dling, Dlong
Tocam os sinos sem parar
Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha
Rezam Os Monges Sem Parar
(*) Significado do mantra Tara Verde
O mantra de Tara Verde é um mantra de dez sílabas. Toda vez que é entoado, ele permite uma conexão com a deusa.
Seus versos são: “Om tare tuttare ture soha”
“Om” são as imensuráveis qualidades dos corpo, da fala e da mente de seres iluminados.
“Tare” é aquela que liberta.
“Tuttare” elimina todos os medos.
“Ture” concede todo o sucesso.
“Soha” significa: “Possam as bênçãos de Tara que estão contidas no mantra ‘om tare tuttare ture’ se enraizarem nos nossos corações.”
Na língua tibetana, Tara é conhecida como Drolma, a salvadora, sendo a manifestação da energia feminina da mente iluminada: a sabedoria. Ou seja, é a sabedoria iluminada, flexível e prática. É a energia rápida, presente no momento. Além de ser a libertação do medo e de tudo!
Quando praticado, esse mantra ajuda a superar o medo e a ansiedade. Quem é devoto de Tara acredita que o mantra pode conceder desejos, eliminar os sofrimentos e trazer todo tipo de felicidade.
(**) O significado de tocar sinos no budismo
Meditações budistas ou rituais de oração incluem objetos que simbolizam conceitos importantes no budismo. Dois dos objetos mais importantes na adoração incluem o sino e o incenso. Cada um tem vários significados e fazem parte da homenagem às Três Jóias ou Três Tesouros do Budismo, que são o Buda, o Dharma e a Sangha.
O sino simboliza a voz de Buda. Ele clama pela proteção das divindades celestiais. O som do sino equivale ao som do Dharma, ou a entidade ou lei, que sustenta a ordem das coisas no universo.
O toque suave do sino serve para focar a atenção de um seguidor, tirando-o das preocupações futuras ou afastando-o das preocupações passadas. Muitas orações budistas começam com o som do sino. No entanto, os fiéis budistas também podem tocar sinos ao entrar em um templo ou atender ao chamado para a adoração quando um monge toca o sino. O sino simboliza sabedoria e compaixão, que os praticantes budistas reconhecem como sendo o caminho para a Iluminação.
Aqui com esta oração pretendemos inspirar positivamente o nosso estado de espirito dando-lhe força para se afastar dos sentimentos negativos e procurar superar-se a si mesmo através da oração mas também da persistencia.
Antes de cada trecho "Dling, Dlong, Dling, Dlong" faz-se a chamada com um pequeno sino pessoal evocando-o também tanto no inicio e no fim da reza, que deverá ser repetida tantas vezes que quisermos.
Aqui a posição pode ser sentada, de joelhos, de pernas cruzadas ou mesmo de pé.
O sino tem aqui um sentido de alerta, alerta para o espirito para não se deixar influenciar por sentimentos ou ideias negativas; no fundo um acordar constante, um apelo à autoavaliação e à autocritica de nós mesmos mas também um apelo à oração.
____________________________________________________
Texts And Image created by Daniel Arrhakis for The Ion Mystical World / The Prophets Of Ion / Humanistic Mystic Movement
On a recent trip to Pfeiffer beach (Summer of 2009), my daughter Pia, found this death and dried up starfish sitting on a rock quite far away from the ocean. Who knows how it got there, how long had it been laying under the blazing sun, and how agonizing its end was. What is clear is that this perfectly adapted being, now solid as a rock, did not stand a chance once it left the water.
I can't help but think that our civilization has abused our planet's balance so far beyond proportion that unless each one of us takes immediate and drastic measures to revert the damage, our children who should otherwise live well into the 2080s-2100s will soon see the same fate as this lowly starfish.
I recently watched "Home Project", an amazingly well photographed documentary by Yann Arthus-Bertrand about the current state of our planet, and I'm completely freaked out. What freaks me out the most is not how messed up the environment already is, or the urgency of the matter, but how blind and tolerant everyone is. I cant' believe that despite the conclusive assessments of the IPCC I still find 'educated' people who think that Global Warming is not real, is not our fault or there is nothing they can do about it.
Please make some time to watch Yann's amazing documentary (click here), (enjoy the photography while you are at it), become educated and pass around some intolerance towards planet abuse.
American Halloween - The Sacrifice of Freedom by Daniel Arrhakis (2022)
Under the guise of Freedom of Expression, the Politics of Hate has spread conspiracy theories and Fake News in the populations, largely because of the lack of legal regulation to the platforms that govern social networks.
If, on the one hand, Democracy and its institutions guarantee Freedom of Expression, on the other hand, they are the direct victims of the attacks of an extreme right policy that does not look at means to achieve its ends!
The lack of regulation in the multinational technology and social media companies, and in particular the lack of a code of conduct as existed in the press in general, accentuated ideological extremisms, whether political, economic or religious.
Violence is openly cultivated as if it were freedom of expression, the expressed threat has become a form of political and social claim, slander and lies have become reliable information.
The end result is a new reality built and fed by ancestral hatreds, social and religious moralisms and civilizational dogmas that promote discrimination and persecution of those who do not belong to the same group.
In a society in which selfishness, profit and indifference are winning apologies for the cult of the strongest, we are moving towards a dehumanized society in which everything counts to achieve the ends, even the sacrifice of family, society, moral values and most basic human rights!
The capitol invasion or the recent attack on Paul Pelosi are a reflection of this new intolerant society and dangerously radicalized by a few unscrupulous politicians and businessmen.
If we allow this intolerance and radicalization to contaminate the institutions of the states then it will not only be the War in Ukraine perpetuated by Russia our main problem but it will be Democracy, Freedom and Peace worldwide that will be at stake in the near future.
Ultimately, History has shown us that the worst dictators were put in power by the very people who elected them, and often applauded!
Our choice matters! And these days more than ever!
_________________________________________________________
Halloween Americano - O Sacrifício Da Liberdade
Sob o pretexto da Liberdade de Expressão a Política do Ódio tem espalhado as teorias da conspiração e as Fake News nas populações muito por culpa da falta de regulamentação legal das plataformas que regem as redes sociais.
Se por um lado a Democracia e as suas instituições garantem a Liberdade de Expressão por outro lado são as vitimas diretas dos ataques de uma politica de Extrema direita que não olha a meios para atingir os fins !
A falta de regulamentação nas empresas multinacionais de tecnologia e mídia social e em especial a inexistência de um código de conduta como existia na Imprensa em geral veio acentuar os extremismos ideológicos, sejam eles politicos, económicos ou religiosos.
A violência é cultivada de forma aberta como se de uma liberdade de expressão se tratasse, a ameaça expressa tornou-se uma forma de reivindicação politica e social, a calúnia e a mentira tornaram-se informação fidedigna.
O resultado final é uma nova realidade construída e alimentada por ódios ancestrais, moralismos sociais e religiosos e dogmas civilizacionais que promovem a descriminação e a perseguição dos que não pertencem ao mesmo grupo.
Numa sociedade em que egoísmo, o lucro e a indiferença são apologias vencedoras do culto ao mais forte, caminhamos para uma sociedade desumanizada em que tudo vale para atingir os fins nem que para isso, se sacrifiquem a família, a sociedade, os valores morais e os mais básicos direitos humanos !
A invasão do capitólio ou o ataque recente a Paul Pelosi são o reflexo desta nova sociedade intolerante e perigosamente radicalizada por uns quantos politicos e empresários sem escrúpulos.
Se deixarmos que esta intolerância e radicalização contamine as instituições dos estados então não serão apenas a Guerra na Ucrânia perpetuada pela Russia o nosso principal problema, mas será a própria Democracia, a Liberdade e a Paz a nível mundial que estarão em causa num futuro próximo.
Em ultima análise a História tem nos mostrado que os piores ditadores foram colocados no poder pelos proprios povos que os elegeram e muitas vezes em palmas !
A nossa escolha importa ! E nos dias de hoje mais que nunca !
Ely Cathedral is in the top rank of the great English cathedrals, and indeed earns its place among the best of medieval churches internationally for its unique architecture and astonishing beauty. It is a church I've visited several times over the years and never fails to impress, its form at once imposing and strikingly individual. Owing to the flatness of the surrounding countryside it is visible from afar as a major landmark, which makes approaching this tiny city all the more enticing.
The church was founded as an abbey by St Etheldreda in 672 and didn't achieve cathedral status until the foundation of the diocese in 1109. Much of the present building dates from the following years, with the nave and transepts still substantially as they were built (aside from a few altered windows and later ceilings) and a fine example of Norman / Romanesque architecture. A little later during the 1170s the soaring west tower and western transepts were added which would have created a magnificent facade when complete and of a type rarely seen in this country. The style is richer with more use of ornamentation than before, but also many of the arches (particularly the upper parts of the tower) are pointed, making it an early example of the transition to Gothic (the octagonal top storey is from two centuries later, but follows the original overall plan in form, if not detail). The north-west transept however collapsed in the late 15th century and was never rebuilt, leaving the front of the cathedral will the curiously lopsided but not unattractive west front we see today. The Galilee porch that projects from the base of the tower dates from the beginning of the 13th century, only a few decades later but now fully Gothic in style.
The Norman eastern limb had been fairly short so the next major building phases saw the great eastward extension of the presbytery built in Gothic style in 1234-50. It makes an interesting contrast with the earlier parts of the building being so rich in style, externally punctuated with pinnacles and flying buttresses and profusely ornamented withing, making the Romanesque nave and transepts seem somewhat austere by comparison. Then in 1321 an ambitious new lady chapel was begun at the north-east corner, but soon afterwards work was delayed by unforeseen events.
In 1322 the old Norman central tower collapsed, bringing down with it most of the old Romanesque choir (but not the recently built presbytery beyond). The aftermath left the cathedral with a gaping hole at its heart, but this must have inspired those charged with its recovery, and under the direction of Alan of Walsingham the crossing was rebuilt in a unique way; rather than build a new tower of a similar form the central piers that supported it were entirely cleared away along with the adjoining bay of nave, transepts and choir to create a much larger octagonal central space. This then rose to become the unique central tower that Ely is so famous for, the Octagon, a combination of a lower octagonal tower built of stone crowned by a delicate lantern built of wood and covered with lead externally. The result is an incredible, piece of architecture, and the view inside of the open space rising to the curved vaults above on which the glazed lantern appears to float is unforgettable.
After the Octagon and beautifully spacious and richly adorned Lady Chapel were completed there was no more major work at the cathedral. The transept roofs were replaced in the 15th century with the wooden hammerbeam structures we see today, adorned with large angel figures in the East Anglian tradition. The most significant late medieval additions are the two sumptuously decorated chantry chapels built within the end of each choir aisle, each a riot of later medieval ornament and Bishop West's also being remarkable for its fusion of Gothic and Renaissance detail. The cloister appears to have been rebuilt at a similar stage though sadly very little of it survives today.
Sadly the Reformation saw a wave of iconoclasm of particular ferocity unleashed here in Ely. The most telling reminder is the Lady Chapel with its richly ornamented arcading carved with hundreds of small scenes and figures, all brutally beheaded (not a single head survives). Free standing statues in niches have all gone without trace, but in the case of Bishop West's chantry chapel the topmost figures were carved in relief, so these were hammered away leaving the mutilated remains as a testament to zealotry and intolerance. Most of the stained glass appears to have also been removed around this time, so there was surprisingly little damage here during the Civil War a century later as the Puritan frenzy had already been unleashed.
A corner of the north transept collapsed in 1699 but was rebuilt almost identically, a rare early example of such an exacting approach to reconstruction. The classical form of a window and doorway below are the only reminders of the rebuilding, some say with advice from Christopher Wren whose uncle had been bishop here decades earlier (Wren knew the cathedral as a result, and the Octagon is believed to have inspired his plans for St Paul's, as the ground plans of the Octagon and his domed central space at St Paul's are remarkably similar).
The cathedral saw further changes in the 18th century when the structure was in need of repair. James Essex was called in to repair the Octagon and the wooden lantern was stabilised but its external was appearance simplified by stripping away much of its original detail. The medieval choir stalls had originally sat directly underneath the Octagon with painted walls on either side, but these were removed at this time and the stalls relocated further east to the position they are in now. Sadly the Norman pulpitum screen at the end of the nave was also removed (the earliest of its kind to survive in any cathedral).
By the mid 19th century tastes had changed again and the Victorian preference for richness over Georgian austerity saw the cathedral restored under the direction of George Gilbert Scott. He restored the Octagon lantern to something much closer to its original appearance and added new screens at the crossing and behind the altar. Stained glass gradually filled the cathedral again and it remains one of the richest collections of Victorian glass in the country. The ceiling of the nave which had been left plain for centuries was given a new richly painted finish with scenes from the Old & New Testaments, begun by Henry le Strange but finished by Thomas Gambier Parry after the former had died halfway through the project. Gambier Parry also undertook the lavish redecoration of the interior of the Octagon lantern.
The cathedral has remained little changed since and is one of the rewarding in the country. There is much of beauty to enjoy here beyond the architecture, with many interesting tombs and monuments from the medieval and post-Reformation periods. There is a wealth of stained glass of unusual richness; not everyone appreciates Victorian glass (indeed Alec Clifton Taylor was quite scathing about the glass here) but while it is very mixed I find much of it is of remarkably high quality.
Since 1972 the Stained Glass Museum has been housed in the nave triforium (originally on the north side, it was later transferred to the south where it currently remains). This is the only collection in the country solely devoted to the medium and is a great ambassador for it, with fine pieces covering a range of styles and illustrating the development of the art through the various backlit panels on show in the gallery.
Visitors can usually take tours to ascend the Octagon and even the west tower on more select days. Tours do get booked up though so it took me many visits before I could make my ascent, but happily this time I finally managed it and it was a wonderful experience I won't forget. Frustratingly I was unable to ascend the west tower since I was at a symposium on the day when tours were held so I hope to have better luck next time.
For more historical detail and context see below:-
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ely_Cathedral
For entry fees and tower tours see the cathedral's website below:-
Angels And Demons In Ion Mystical World by Daniel Arrhakis (2021)
With the music : Monasterium Imperi - Dark Litanies of Terra (Full Album)
____________________________________________________
Angels And Demons In Ion Mystical World - First Postulate - About Demons - Introduction
There are two conceptions in the Mystical World of Ion about what we commonly refer to as Demons. The "Guardians of Chaos" and the "Shapeless Shadows" or simply "The Shadows" .
The former are primordial entities that were at the origin of the Universe itself and of its evolution until today.
The latter are insidious and older, they existed even before the creation of the Light itself.
If the former allow the Universe to evolve through cycles of creation, destruction and rebirth, the latter hate the light and the evolution of knowledge, they do everything so that darkness dominates over everything so that time does not exist nor the awareness of the existence of life itself in a timeless space and without material existence.
However, even the existence of so-called darkness or shadows, depends on the battle between Light and Darkness, because without the Light the darkness itself plunged into its non-existence as such, due to the absence of time, matter or universal consciousness.
Likewise, light needs darkness to reach its fullness as a lighthouse that opens new horizons, indicates paths and gives hope to those who do not see! In its primary purpose, light is the source of knowledge that allows the realization of matter, space and time.
So as much as we want, one does not exist without the other and it is in the balance of forces that they can coexist infinitely.
In this Conception everything changes and becomes a dynamic balance that is always imperfect and timeless, so everything that exists depends on it.
But who they are or how we can describe them ?
The "Guardians of Chaos" often take the elementary state, they manifest themselves through their physical, chemical and action-reaction properties whose intensity depends on time, mass and gravity. Although they do not have a human or bestial form, throughout the ages, they have been represented by Gods or Mighty Beings but they can be transcribed by mathematical formulas or simple and complex geometries.
They are recognizable for their physical manifestations in Nature or in the Universe, but also for their creative and transformative material and spiritual manifestations. Its fundamental purpose is Evolution through cycles of destruction and creation, which also drives knowledge, the development of ideas and the evolution of societies themselves. Without Chaos, the immutable organization of systems was dictatorially immortalized in time without changes but also without evolving and without allowing the existence of new creations, ideas or new beings.
The snake in the garden of Eden is the transfiguration of Chaos that influences human beings but also allows them to discover the taste of knowledge, the forbidden fruit of their tree! !
As for "Shapeless Shadows" , they are insidious, most of the time acting silently, deceiving and spreading doubt or lies, distrust or fear, hatred and intolerance. If in most of their manifestations they are spiritual, environmental or social conditions can favor their action through suggestion and are more difficult to combat.
In the Mystical World of Ion they have no form, they are not visible to our eyes but they can be felt especially in moments of concentration or by people with more developed senses.
In any case, the knowledge about ourselves and the recognition of our virtues but also of our imperfections can be the foundation for building a stronger spirit that better resist to temptations.
Definitely *not* preaching to the choir!
2013 Capital Pride Parade - Washington, DC
This photo selected for the 2014 Exposed DC Photography Show!
The City Where It Rained Money - Is inequality inevitable? by Daniel Arrhakis (2021)
With the music : Tears in the Rain · Hans Zimmer · Benjamin Wallfisch / Blade Runner 2049 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) / ℗ 2017 Alcon Sleeping Giant (ASG) Records
Is inequality inevitable?
Inequality has always assumed an inevitable character over time and in different societies, but it didn't have to be that way.
The fact that inequalities exist at various levels is a sad demonstration of the much that remains to be done in cultural, social and fundamental human rights terms. Inequality promotes intolerance, hatred, conflict, poverty, ignorance and ultimately prevents the full development of our society, compromising its survival in the medium and long term.
Unfortunately the Praise of the Strongest Culture and the promotion of Competition has taken root in human society since primordial times, but there are also good examples of sharing and cooperation between peoples in the most dramatic moments in our history. So it is easily demonstrable that, after all, we are capable of surpassing ourselves and all together transforming the World into a much better place for everyone. But unfortunately, inequality has become generational, taught and, in a way, factual or even as if it were a destiny to which few can escape it.
The apology for Success is like a lottery to which only a few have access and which in a way serves to whiten the continuity of inequalities!
More than ever we needed a Spiritual Revolution, a transformation of mentalities and new values, but for that we need more education and this is where everything is still to be done! When we accept that inequality is inevitable we are accepting not only that it exists but that it is a destiny that we cannot escape from, but as far as I know, the destiny is in our hands and in the courage of our will to change! It just depends on all of us!
____________________________________________________
Será A Desigualdade Inevitável ?
A desigualdade assumiu sempre um caracter inevitável ao longo dos tempos e nas várias sociedades mas não tinha que ser assim.
O facto de existirem desigualdades a vários níveis é a triste demonstração do muito que ainda há por fazer em termos culturais, sociais e em termos de direitos humanos fundamentais.
A desigualdade promove a intolerância, o ódio, o conflito, a pobreza, a ignorância e em ultima análise impede o desenvolvimento pleno da nossa sociedade comprometendo a médio e longo prazo a sua sobrevivência.
Infelizmente o Elogio da Cultura do Mais Forte e a promoção da Competição enraizou-se na sociedade humana desde tempos primordiais, mas também existem bons exemplos de partilha e de cooperação entre os povos em momentos mais dramáticos da nossa história.
Assim é facilmente demonstrável que afinal somos capazes de nos superar a nós mesmos e todos juntos transformar o Mundo num local bem melhor para todos.
Mas infelizmente a desigualdade tornou-se geracional, ensinada e de certa forma factual ou até mesmo como se um destino se tratasse ao qual poucos lhe podem fugir.
A apologia do Sucesso é como uma lotaria a que só alguns tem acesso e que de certa forma serve de branqueamento para a continuação das desigualdades !
Mais que nunca precisávamos de uma Revolução Espiritual, de uma transformação de mentalidades e de novos valores mas para isso precisamos de mais educação e é aqui que ainda está tudo por fazer ! Quando aceitamos que a desigualdade é inevitável estamos a aceitar não só que ela existe mas que é um destino a que não podemos fugir, mas que eu saiba o destino está nas nossas mãos e na coragem da nossa vontade em mudar ! Só depende de todos nós !
Text and image by Daniel Arrhakis
_______________________________________________
City Textures by Javon Swaby on Pexels (C0) :
images.pexels.com/photos/2783862/pexels-photo-2783862.jpe...
Young people on the street by Nipan Chawcharernpon on Pexels (C0) :
images.pexels.com/photos/6072358/pexels-photo-6072358.jpe...
After many years i finally had a chance to visit Berlin again, the first time since the memorial has been inaugurated. Many images of this place seem to focus on the rows of multiple concrete slabs, but here i felt more for looking up.
Perhaps the blue sky can symbolise something like hope, that remembrance helps to ensure such atrocity can never happen again. But then, the grey clouds could also symbolise caution and remind us to remain vigilant, quite appropriate in times when fascist ideas seem to re-awaken and intolerance continues to rear its ugly head, 73 years after the liberation from the Nazi regime in Europe.
☞ IG
☞ more from Germany
© All rights reserved. Please do not use my images and text without prior written permission.