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"Hi, is that IT support? Since those Rebel fighters showed up near the thermal exhaust port the network has been a bit slow".
Tahai, Rapa Nui, Easter Island, Chile.
The three ahu of Tahai
But without a doubt, the great focus of attention at Tahai are its three ahu or ceremonial platforms located on the small rocky cliff that rises above the sea. The altars form a visual line that stars in this magnificent setting. If you look straight at the platforms, the first group on the left with five moai statues is the Ahu Vai Uri, the next one is the Ahu Tahai and the last one with a single statue wearing a pukao or hat is the Ahu Ko Te Riku.
Ahu Vai Uri
The Ahu Vai Uri, whose name could be translated as dark water or green water, is the platform with the largest number of erected statues. Its construction dates from 1200 AD. and its five restored moai are a sample of the different styles of how they were carved.
The first one on the right is currently a piece of rock that is barely recognizable. However, the one that follows, much better preserved as such as the first on the left, has a lower and more robust body than the rest and shows a grim expression.
Ahu Tahai
Ahu Tahai has a single solitary moai about 4.5 meters high. The figure, which is very eroded, shows a thick torso and a wide neck, and rises on the oldest platform of the complex built around 700 AD.
Despite the enormous wear suffered by the moai over time, it still shows the greatness and pride of the ancestors they represent and, in some way, still transmits that mythical power called mana.
Ahu Ko Te Riku
Ahu Ko Te Riku is the last and singular platform located further north. Above it rises a single moai of 5.1 meters high that was restoredwith all the elements that adorned the old finished statues.
On his head it carries a pukao, a cylindrical piece carved in red scoria from the Puna Pau volcano. This form, which according to different opinions, represents a hat or a hair bun, was placed in the last phase of construction of the ahu. It is believed that the original pukaoof this moai was used to carve the Christian cross that is found in the nearby cemetery to Tahai, but there is not even the certainty that it had one. The other differentiating element of Ahu Ko Te Riku is that it supports the only moai that has eyes of the whole island.
For video, please visit youtu.be/b3LaCk0laBo
Motorists of the 1950's making the long drive down to Florida often needed to replace worn tires. In lieu of this, a unique building of the modern era called the General Tire Building was constrcutred at 5600 Biscayne Boulevard. The structure was designed by Architect Robert Law Weed of Weed Russell Johnson Associates and built in 1954, the two-story construction also served as a gas station for Standard Oil gas. The building's flat double-height concrete roof extends outwards to form a broad canopy which wraps around it, supported by slender steel columns. At its southern corner, the canopy is cradled by a geometric steel grid which originally towered above the roof, displaying the large General Tire sign. (The sign was since be removed and the grid has been partially cut down.) A glassed-in showroom with floor to ceiling windows occupies about half of the enclosed area, adding to the structure’s streamlined, modern look.
Credit for the data above is given to the following websites:
www.emporis.com/buildings/1154333/5600-biscayne-boulevard...
mimoboulevard.org/general-tire-building-5600-biscayne-bou...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurobe_Dam
Kurobe Dam
The Kurobe Dam (黒部ダム) or Kuroyon Dam (黒四ダム), is a variable-radius arch dam on the Kurobe River in Toyama Prefecture on the island of Honshū, Japan. It supports the 335 MW Kurobe No. 4 Hydropower Plant and is owned by Kansai Electric Power Company. At 186 metres (610 ft) high, it is the tallest dam in Japan.[1] It was constructed between 1956 and 1963 at a cost of ¥51.3 billion yen. The project was a difficult engineering feat for the rapidly growing post–World War II Japan, and claimed the lives of 171 people.[2]
The Kurobe Dam is a 492 m (1,614 ft) long and 186 m (610 ft) high variable-radius (dome) arch dam. The dam is 39.7 m (130 ft) wide at its base, 8.1 m (27 ft) wide at its crest and contains 1,582,845 m3 (2,070,283 cu yd) of concrete. The dam is flanked and supported by two "wing" dams; the one on the left bank is 69 m (226 ft) long and the right is 56 m (184 ft). The dam withholds a reservoir with a capacity of 199,285,175 m3 (260,655,168 cu yd) of which 148,843,000 m3 (194,679,000 cu yd) is live (active or "useful") storage. The reservoir also has a catchment area of 188.5 km2 (72.8 sq mi) and surface area of 3.49 km2 (1.35 sq mi).[4] The dam's spillway is located on its crest and contains 10 11.5 m (38 ft) wide uncontrolled openings with a maximum discharge capacity of 906 m3/s (32,000 cu ft/s). Three other openings exist in the dam's orifice which consist of 1.5 m (4.9 ft) diameter pipes, two of which can discharge a maximum of 88 m3/s (3,100 cu ft/s) each and the third 44 m3/s (1,600 cu ft/s). The dam's crest elevation is 1,454 m (4,770 ft) above sea level while the reservoir's normal operating level is 1,448 m (4,751 ft) and low level is considered 1,338 m (4,390 ft).[5]
The dam's power station, Kurobe No. 4, is located underground and contains four generators which are powered by Pelton turbines for a total installed capacity of 335 MW and average annual generation of 1 billion kWh.[1][6] The power station is 22 m (72 ft) wide, 33 m (108 ft) high and 117 m (384 ft) long. The penstock serving water to the power station is 10,909.6 m (35,793 ft) long and utilizes a maximum effective hydraulic head of 545.5 m (1,790 ft) while transferring a maximum of 72 m3/s (2,500 cu ft/s) to the turbines. The plant's surge chamber is 145.6 m (478 ft) long and 5 m (16 ft) high.[5]
黒部ダム（くろべダム）は、富山県中新川郡立山町、黒部川水系黒部川に建設されたダムである。ダムに貯えられた水を利用している発電所が黒部川第四発電所（黒四）であることから、黒四ダム（くろよんダム）とも呼ぶ人もある。
黒部ダムは、世界的に見ても大規模なダムであり、また周辺は名勝・中部山岳国立公園でもあることから、立山黒部アルペンルートのハイライトのひとつとして、多くの観光客が訪れる。なお、黒部ダムを紹介するときの映像でダムから放水されているシーンがあるが、これは常時ではなく、6月下旬～10月中旬頃に限られる。
ダム観光施設の運営は、関西電力関電アメニックスくろよん観光事業部が行っている。
登山客の間では、下ノ廊下に平行して歩く日電歩道の玄関口として親しまれている。
黑部水壩（黒部ダム）是位於日本富山縣中新川郡立山町、黑部川水系黑部川上建設的水壩。水壩有利用貯發電的黑部川第四發電所（黑四）、故又名黒四水壩（黒四ダム）。
為日本代表水壩之一，堤高186米，是全日本最大的拱形水壩；水庫的建造共歷時七年，攔截御前澤所形成的人工湖黑部湖貯水量在2 億立方公尺以上，為日本最大的水庫，於1963年正式完工啟用，由關西電力公司以513億日元建設。1968年，石原裕次郎製作了以這個水庫為外景的電影《黑部之太陽》（黒部の太陽）。2002年12月31日播放NHK電視台的「紅白歌合戰」中，中島美雪在黑部水庫的洞穴中唱出《地上之星》，創下瞬間收視率52.8%的高收視率。
Site of Edward Thatch's final camp before his battle with the Ranger and the Jane.
"...Springer’s Point Preserve on Ocracoke Island is the perfect spot to spend the morning bird watching or the afternoon hiking and sitting on the beach overlooking the Pamlico Sound. This tranquil Preserve was opened to the public on May 20, 2006 and encompasses more than 120 acres of maritime forest, tidal red cedar forest, salt marsh, wet grasslands and sound front beach. You’ll pass ancient, gnarled live oaks as you make your way along winding trails to the sandy beach overlooking the infamous Teach’s Hole. Designated as one of the state’s significant natural heritage areas because of its unique maritime forest and importance to colonial water birds, the Preserve enjoys a cultural history as vibrant as the array of plant and bird species it supports. This site, historically referred to as “Teach’s Plantation”, is the reputed favorite haunt of the legendary pirate, Blackbeard, who marauded, eluded capture and finally met his fate at Teach’s Hole, off Springer’s Point." coastallandtrust.org
(coastallandtrust.org/lands/springers-point-preserve/)
"Springer's Point Nature Preserve is only accessible by foot or bicycle, and parking is prohibited on the road and private driveways. The trail and reserve are owned and operated by the North Carolina Coastal Land Trust. Encompassing more than 120 acres, the preserve is home to maritime forest, tidal red cedar forest, salt marsh, wet grasslands, and sound-front beach.
In 1718, the pirate Blackbeard camped in this area in the days leading up to his defeat and death. The water off Springer's Point-called Teach's Hole-is known to be where the final battle between Blackbeard and the British Royal Navy occurred. Now, a pleasant stroll through the maritime forest leads out to views of Ocracoke Inlet and Cape Lookout National Seashore beyond." nps.gov
(www.nps.gov/places/000/springers-point-nature-preserve.htm)
PLEASE, NO GRAPHICS, BADGES, OR AWARDS IN COMMENTS. They will be deleted.
A departure from Death Valley for a bit.
Back to one of my favorite local beaches....Ellwood. This is just to the SE of Sandpiper Golf course. The remains of the wall run for nearly a mile. Originally it supported an access road to several oil piers back in the '30's. I have a fascination with the old seawall and all the beautifully weathered wood along this beach. This is one of those rich locations that I will always shoot, the conditions vary quite a bit through the year. With winter and the storms, most of the sand will be washed out to sea and a beautiful cobble beach is exposed. I hope to get back out and shoot here soon. This was was with my D7000 and I would like to get some images with the newer full frame D600.
This little island is just a dome of rock about 15' square, but it supports trees, bushes, grasses and moss. It has no dock, so it is seldom if ever visited, but we discovered it years ago. We would bring our small outboard motorboat as close as we could and hop overboard onto the rocks, then wade in and tie up; then scramble ashore, ferrying the lunch bags and towels; and then enjoy a picnic and some swimming and snorkeling.
We are "Leave No Trace" campers, so we left the place as we found it. It's still a great little place to paddle to today.
Boundary Bay is a vital link in the Pacific Flyway, supporting over 1.5 million birds from three continents and 20 countries. As part of the larger Fraser River estuary, it supports the largest wintering shorebird and waterfowl populations in Canada. The area also provides habitat for significant numbers of raptors and marine mammals.
Located in the Fraser River estuary in Delta, BC Canada
Circumsphere - Chris Marshall & Stephen Lewis. This globe like structure was constructed from more than a mile of galvanised steel rod. It supports a number of steel disks, that show the route of Sir Francis Drake's circum-navigational voyage around the earth. The voyage was completed at this waterfront in 1581.
Circumsphere is mounted on a Dolphin; the name given to many small mooring structures that sit out in the river Thames, that provided low-tide moorings for ships, barges, tugs and lighters.
False friendship, like the ivy, decays and ruins the walls it embraces; but true friendship gives new life and animation to the object it supports.
Richard Burton
(1 in a multiple picture album)
Nothing caps Autumn like a visit to Snowline Orchards high on a hill in Oak Glen, California. The big red barn (almost hidden behind these trees) carries all sorts of goodies including apple cider donuts and the juice used to make them. There is a large blackberry patch for the picking and one can see the cider being squeezed in the mill. Being at a higher elevation it supports, besides the apple trees, oaks and maples which spring red and orange color as winter approaches.
Rievaulx Abbey is a Cistercian monastery, founded in 1131 by Walter Espec in a secluded valley on the edge of the North York Moors. The name Rievaulx is a Norman concoction, a misuse of Rye Vallis, or Rye Valley. The abbey was one of the first Cistercian houses to be established in England. It was meant to act as an administration centre for Cistercian missionary work in the north of England and into Scotland, a place from which monks would be sent out to establish daughter houses throughout the region.
The first structures at Rievaulx were temporary timber buildings, intended to serve only until proper permanent buildings could be erected in stone. The first stone structures were begun under the first abbot, William (1132-1145), sometime after 1135. The plan for Rievaulx was to follow the same layout as that of the mother abbey of the order at Citeaux, in France. This consisted of a large church, with a cloister range to the south.
Abbot William's church was taken down and rebuilt on a grand scale by the third abbet, Aelred (1147-1167). Aelred had come to Rievaulx from Scotland, where he had served as a steward in the household of King David.
The east end of the church was later torn down and enlarged by Abbot Roger II (1223-1239). One unusual feature at Rievaulx is the orientation of the church. Most churches in Britain, certainly established in the mediaval period, are oriented loosely on an east/west line. At Rievaulx the layout of the site neccessitated a different approach, and the abbey church is laid out on a north/south line.
The abbey was expanded in the period 1145-1165 and again in the late 12th century. Interestingly, though Rievaulx was reckoned the most important Cistercian house in England in the late 12th century, it really reached the peak of its power around 1200, and from that point on life at Rievaulx became a struggle. Part of the struggle was the monk's own fault An ambitious programme of rebuilding and extended the abbey buildings in the 13th century led to heavy debts.
But some things were beyond the abbey's control. Like most Cistercian monasteries Rievaulx relied heavily on income from sheep farming. In the 13th century a series of epidemics ravaged the abbey's flocks, leaving them with far lower income than expected. They did engage in minor rebuilding during the 14th century, but by then the abbey had truly fallen upon hard times. Parts of the abbey buildings were torn down in the 15th century. By the time the abbey was suppressed by Henry VIII in 1538 it supported 22 monks and 100 lay people. Compare that to the 1160s when, under Abbot Aelred, it had a population of 140 monks and more than 500 lay brothers.
If you like it support this 3in1 space creator project at LegoIdeas. This creator set would not only offer 3 possible models to build but whole worlds.
More Infos here:
ABOUT:
The Galaxy Dropship showing its main gimmicks: rotating and extractable thrusters, opening hatch to reveal the co-pilot, swivelling wings and opening stern hatches to release cargo.
Here the Galaxy Dropship is holding a space lab similar to the Galaxy Commander.
Commentary.
Above Little Gruinard River and Farmstead,
on the hill called Creag Mhòr, 127 metres (417 feet)
this view is north-east across the incredible eastern shore of Gruinard Bay.
In my opinion, this is probably one of the most beautiful,
natural, unspoiled stretches of coastline in the world.
From the west (left) Tannera Mòr, the largest of the Summer Isles, is visible.
Strung out along the coastline are the endearing
settlements of Achiltibuie, Polglass and Badenscallie.
Left of centre one can just see the lighthouse on Cailleach Head, the western extremity of the Scoraig Peninsula.
It is so remote that access is only gained by a twelve-mile single-track road and then a five-mile walk, or by boat.
Yet, even now, it supports a self-sufficient community of nearly 100 people.
A sand-spit from Gruinard Island can just be seen at the top of the near slope.
Just left of centre one of Quinag’s several peaks, in Sutherland, can be seen breaking the horizon, 45 km. (27 miles) away.
The Coigach Mountains dominate the eastern (right) section.
Not just one of the most beautiful coastlines but also, very, very old.
The light grey Lewisian Gneiss rocks on the islands, left of Camus Gaineamhaich beach, are in the region of 3 billion years old!
Stupendous.
Magnificent.
Wonderful.
Taken at the Hawk Conservancy in Andover the day after it reopened. Great to see these magnificent birds soaring over the Hampshire countryside once again and for the Hawk Conservancy Trust generating much needed income to support the fabulous conservation work it supports
Eagle Harbor Lighthouse in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
The red brick Eagle Harbor Light Station sits on the rocky entrance to the harbor and is a working lighthouse as it guides mariners across the northern edge of the Keweenaw Peninsula. The original lighthouse, built in 1851, was replaced in 1871. The octagonal brick light tower is ten feet in diameter, with walls 12 inches thick and it supports a 10-sided cast iron lantern. The Lighthouse was manned by a head keeper and two assistant keepers. This red brick lighthouse is still standing and is furnished with period furnishings and open to the public from mid-June to early October- 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $4 for adults. Children are free. The lighthouse and museum complex is now owned by the Keweenaw County Historical Society.
Wow! Don't you just love these colors? Took this in an old stadium. Once it was a water sport stadium in Miami. Great place to visit and take photos.
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The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,300 kilometres over an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometres. The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia. The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is the world's biggest single structure made by living organisms. This reef structure is composed of and built by billions of tiny organisms, known as coral polyps. It supports a wide diversity of life and was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981. The Great Barrier Reef has long been known to and used by the Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and is an important part of local groups' cultures and spirituality. The reef is a very popular destination for tourists, especially in the Whitsunday Islands and Cairns regions. Tourism is an important economic activity for the region, generating over A$3 billion per year. 22743
scout crew to base. come in.
base here. what's your situation?
we've landed on the exoplanet. and guess what? it supports life.
amazing! that's the first sign of life outside our solar system!
right! and get this: they may be even more advanced than us!
really?
you should see the awesome machines they use to get around on this planet!
ion-powered like ours?
hell no! they use something called 'oil and gas.' completely beyond our technology!
great! we need a new sustainable energy source. get all the info you can.
my eye stalks are peeled.
and if the inhabitants are digestible, so much the better.
I know, right?
Build up around log jams can actually get thick enough to support growth of plants making one think that solid ground is below them. The biggest example of this is about an hour north of us. There is a bog ( it's huge ) that is completely covered ( like this ) even has trees growing on it. There is a board walk that crosses it supported on pontoons that appear to sit on solid ground. When you walk across it the trees and other plants will sway back and forth. This has been like this for thousands of years. They have recovered bones of saber tooth cats, and other prehistoric megafauna there. The surface will not support the weight of a heavy objects, they fall right thru never to be seen again. The plants float on a thick carpet of debris and the roots are intertwined.
"...Springer’s Point Preserve on Ocracoke Island is the perfect spot to spend the morning bird watching or the afternoon hiking and sitting on the beach overlooking the Pamlico Sound. This tranquil Preserve was opened to the public on May 20, 2006 and encompasses more than 120 acres of maritime forest, tidal red cedar forest, salt marsh, wet grasslands and sound front beach. You’ll pass ancient, gnarled live oaks as you make your way along winding trails to the sandy beach overlooking the infamous Teach’s Hole. Designated as one of the state’s significant natural heritage areas because of its unique maritime forest and importance to colonial water birds, the Preserve enjoys a cultural history as vibrant as the array of plant and bird species it supports. This site, historically referred to as “Teach’s Plantation”, is the reputed favorite haunt of the legendary pirate, Blackbeard, who marauded, eluded capture and finally met his fate at Teach’s Hole, off Springer’s Point." coastallandtrust.org
(coastallandtrust.org/lands/springers-point-preserve/)
"Springer's Point Nature Preserve is only accessible by foot or bicycle, and parking is prohibited on the road and private driveways. The trail and reserve are owned and operated by the North Carolina Coastal Land Trust. Encompassing more than 120 acres, the preserve is home to maritime forest, tidal red cedar forest, salt marsh, wet grasslands, and sound-front beach.
In 1718, the pirate Blackbeard camped in this area in the days leading up to his defeat and death. The water off Springer's Point-called Teach's Hole-is known to be where the final battle between Blackbeard and the British Royal Navy occurred. Now, a pleasant stroll through the maritime forest leads out to views of Ocracoke Inlet and Cape Lookout National Seashore beyond." nps.gov
(www.nps.gov/places/000/springers-point-nature-preserve.htm)
PLEASE, NO GRAPHICS, BADGES, OR AWARDS IN COMMENTS. They will be deleted.
Photo courtesy of EAD-Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi. www.ead.gov.ae/
You may not consider this material soil, just a large pile of sand; however, soil is the natural medium for the growth of land plants (note plants on the steep slopes), whether or not it has discernible soil horizons.
People consider soil important because it supports plants that supply food, fibers, drugs, and other human needs and because it filters water and recycles wastes. For purposes of classification, the lower boundary of soil is arbitrarily set at 200 cm. All terrestrial life ultimately depends on soil, energy, and water. Soils have always been central to human civilization and life. They are an integral part of the physical and cultural environment, and we may take them for granted and even tend to treat them contemptuously.
For more photos related to soils and landscapes visit:
Tahai, Rapa Nui, Easter Island, Chile.
The three ahu of Tahai
But without a doubt, the great focus of attention at Tahai are its three ahu or ceremonial platforms located on the small rocky cliff that rises above the sea. The altars form a visual line that stars in this magnificent setting. If you look straight at the platforms, the first group on the left with five moai statues is the Ahu Vai Uri, the next one is the Ahu Tahai and the last one with a single statue wearing a pukao or hat is the Ahu Ko Te Riku.
Ahu Vai Uri
The Ahu Vai Uri, whose name could be translated as dark water or green water, is the platform with the largest number of erected statues. Its construction dates from 1200 AD. and its five restored moai are a sample of the different styles of how they were carved.
The first one on the right is currently a piece of rock that is barely recognizable. However, the one that follows, much better preserved as such as the first on the left, has a lower and more robust body than the rest and shows a grim expression.
Ahu Tahai
Ahu Tahai has a single solitary moai about 4.5 meters high. The figure, which is very eroded, shows a thick torso and a wide neck, and rises on the oldest platform of the complex built around 700 AD.
Despite the enormous wear suffered by the moai over time, it still shows the greatness and pride of the ancestors they represent and, in some way, still transmits that mythical power called mana.
Ahu Ko Te Riku
Ahu Ko Te Riku is the last and singular platform located further north. Above it rises a single moai of 5.1 meters high that was restoredwith all the elements that adorned the old finished statues.
On his head it carries a pukao, a cylindrical piece carved in red scoria from the Puna Pau volcano. This form, which according to different opinions, represents a hat or a hair bun, was placed in the last phase of construction of the ahu. It is believed that the original pukaoof this moai was used to carve the Christian cross that is found in the nearby cemetery to Tahai, but there is not even the certainty that it had one. The other differentiating element of Ahu Ko Te Riku is that it supports the only moai that has eyes of the whole island.
For video, please visit youtu.be/b3LaCk0laBo
“All things share the same breath - the beast, the tree, the man. The air shares its spirit with all the life it supports.”
― Chief Seattle
Asian Palm-swift (Cypsiurus balasiensis) in Kattur, Near Chennai
If there is ever an impressive family of birds, Swifts it is! Extremely fast flying and super difficult to take a pic of.
They are of the family named Apodidae, an ancient group that probably separated from all other birds in the Tertiary period (65 million years ago) or even the Cretaceous (70 mya). For perspective, Archaeopteryx (a genus of bird-like dinosaurs that is transitional between non-avian feathered dinosaurs and modern birds) was 150 mya, and Tyrannosaurus died out about the same time as the Apodidae separated! All birds have fleas and feather lice or similar parasites. However the parasites in swifts are so different to those of other species that it supports the fact that they separated from other bird species a very long time ago. Their parasites have evolved with them.(Source:RSPB)
Swifts are the fastest birds in level flight, reaching speeds of up to 110 km/h (recorded.Believed to be capable of much more). Arguably the most aerial of birds, they spend their life almost entirely on the wing. These spend up to NINE MONTHS aloft outside the breeding season. The swift performs most activities on the wing, including feeding, preening, drinking, sleeping and mating (not always - sometimes observed mating in the nests). It lands only to roost.
Excerpt from Wikipedia: La Mauricie National Park (French: Parc national de la Mauricie) is located near Shawinigan, in the Laurentian mountains, in Mauricie, in the province of Québec, Canada. It covers 536 km2 (207 sq mi) in the southern Canadian Shield region bordering the Saint Lawrence lowlands. The park contains 150 lakes and many ponds.
The park lies within the Eastern forest-boreal transition ecoregion. The forests in this region were logged from the middle of the 19th century to the early 20th century. The park's forests have regrown and contain a mixture of conifers and mixed deciduous trees.
Wildlife in the park includes moose, black bears, beavers and otters. It supports a small number of wood turtles, rare in Canada. The park is a popular location for camping, canoeing and kayaking.
The park is named after the nearby Saint-Maurice River to the east of the park. The Matawin River flows along the west and north borders of the park.
Part II
www.flickr.com/photos/maratphdakunin/51804317535/
[polish language spoken, subtitles in English]
Under the lining of dreams (OBEnauts) is a reportage, made in 2008 at OBE fans camp in Poland. OBE means Out of Body Experience, NDE means Near Death Experience and LD means Lucid Dreams. Style of this documentary video is a freestyle speaking at close up camera shoots. It support the sincerity of speaking people and their emotions. Director and crew are not intervene in the set and not manipulate anything, so sometimes it is an impression of somehow incoherence and naivety etc. However after 12 years director thinks, that this video may be interesting in a light of current affairs. Director thinks, that image still present some of the Truth.
Written&Dirrected: Mateusz Droba, cinematography: Paweł Dunia, Marek Czarnik, Mateusz Droba, editing: Mateusz Droba, music: Krzysztof Jaros, production: Marek Czarnik & Mateusz Droba, Poland 2008.
This version is (c) to PLEOROMA & Marat Dakunin 2022
Director's Statement 2008 & 2020
Film został zarejestrowany na zlocie fanów tzw. "OBE" w 2008 r. Przedstawiłem swobodne wypowiedzi uczestników, bez żadnej ingerencji i bez montażu reżyserującego wypowiedź itp. W bliskich ujęciach dokumentalnych, na twarz, mówiące usta, mimikę, starałem się oddać "prawdę mówiącego". Wydaje mi się, że film pokazuje szczerość wypowiedzi. To, o czym i jak, wypowiadają się Bohaterowie, cechuje w moim przekonaniu znaczne pomieszanie fantazji, pewnych przewidzeń, dopowiedzeń i mylnych interpretacji, nie przeczy to jednak temu, że jest tu także obecna Prawda.
Tę prawdę, choćby w tym materiale było jej niewiele, chciałem pokazać. [Marat Dakunin, 2008]
Obecnie, chciałbym dodać jedno: Z wiedzy, jaką udało mi się uzyskać, z najbardziej wiarygodnego Źródła, tzw. OBE - LD itp. nie nadaje się w zasadzie do niczego innego, jak do rozrywki (entertainment). Tak więc, ponieważ obecnie, sytuacja wzywa raczej do pracy, a nie rozrywki, prezentuję ten film jako ciekwostkę. [Marat Dakunin, PLEOROMA, 2022]
Metroline route 603: Muswell Hill Broadway - Swiss Cottage Station
Approaching The Spaniards Inn.
Route 603 is unusual in that, despite the suggestion from its number and running times that it is a school route, it completes a round in both peak hours and I am sure some duties have covered more on the odd occasion. In the AM, the round starts from Swiss Cottage; in the PM, from Muswell Hill.
The limited service also extends into the school holidays and subsequently welcomes the general public onboard, thus it is not exclusive to the schools it supports via East Finchley and Highgate. Additionally, the 603 has recently adopted VWHs as its allocation, TEs and VWs also not uncommon since Metroline withdrew their Plaxton Presidents.
©London Bus Breh 2018.
American Coot swims like a duck but it does not have webbed feet like a duck. Instead, each one of the coot’s long toes has broad lobes of skin that help it kick through the water. The broad lobes fold back each time the bird lifts its foot, so it doesn’t impede walking on dry land, though it supports the bird’s weight on mucky ground.
I find this Lilyette bra to be very comfortable and it supports 'the girls' perfectly. I will most likely purchase a few more in different colors next time they are on sale.
🎁 très beau. Mainstore Release and Giveaway!
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For this 60-90L happy weekend, I remade one of our bestsellers, Candy. I just love how this skin looks—it's one of my favorites! This skin is flippable, so you can pick which side of your face you want light or dark. She comes with 10 super pretty lip colors. You can also line your waterline and add cute freckles! ✨ Plus, you can style your brows or keep them natural, whatever you prefer! 😊
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Gotta go, right now I gotta go
Headed home, To a different timezone
Sun is low
Everything is going right
'Til she told me
Where she slept last night, yeah
Where'd you go, yeah
When the sun came down?
Karma knows
It'll come back around, yeah
Fire's hot, don't you let it go out, yeah
Fires hot, babe, don't you let it go out
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A big thank you to my lovely DVISION members and close friends! Rose, Mae, and Bishop were nice enough to join me and sit pretty for a couple hours while I struggled with this pic, so don't forget to check them out as well!
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☽ this lovely picture is sponsored by...
⋆ DIOS
Nina Outfit (Body and Panties in pic) @ DREAMDAY!
DIOS out with another baddie fit and I'm here for it. This outfit has the Body, Panties, and Pasties! It supports Kupra, Legacy, BBL, Reborn & Reborn Mounds!
⋆ Sintiklia
Xiao Hair @ Man Cave event!
When I saw this hair i KNEW I had to get it. As a Xiao simp I just had to leave my dream okay >.> This gorgeous hair comes with Rigged and Unrigged, and has 11 color packs to choose from as well as the bonus colors!
⋆ Tsumi
Razor Cuts
First post for Tsumi and I must say I am NOT disappointed. I've been looking for some good cuts and bruises and Tsumi delivered. Razor comes with a bruise (under eye), Cuts (on cheek), and Slash (on nose) and has both the Evox and Genus/LelutkaEvo versions!
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☽ also featuring...
AsteroidBox - Zara T-shirt
AERTH - Dehumanize Tattoo (Gold)
Guapa - Maya Freckles
Tres Beau - Rala Skin
Aii & Ego - Night Glamour ( Bindi)
St. Helena Island is just south of the mouth of the Brisbane River and can be seen of the southern bayside suburb of Wynnum. It's claim to fame was as a quarantine station then penal (not convict)* settlement although of course it's history predates white settlement and some information on that is laid out below. It is now a National Park to which tours operate both day and night to learn and view its history. Like Norfolk Island and Port Arthur in Tasmania, some of the structures built to house and provide prison work for inmates are still in existence. I will let the Wikipedia article tell the potted history far better than I can. * In Australia, convict in this sense is usually taken to mean those transported from Britain as their sentence.
Note also, we went out on the very traditionally built Lady Brisbane. The cat seen in this view, called the Cat o' Nine Tails sails from nearby Wynnum/Manly.
St Helena Island is a heritage-listed island in Queensland, Australia, 21 kilometres (13 mi) east of Brisbane and 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) east of the mouth of the Brisbane River in Moreton Bay. Originally used as a prison, it is now a national park. Local Australian Aborigines called the island Noogoon but it was renamed St Helena after an aboriginal named Napoleon was exiled there in 1827. The island is visible from the mainland, particularly the suburbs of Wynnum, Manly and Lota. It has its own permanent water supply, a spring in the centre of the island. Many migratory birds use the island as a watering hole; it forms part of the Moreton Bay and Pumicestone Passage Important Bird Area, so identified by BirdLife International because it supports large numbers of migratory waders, or shorebirds. It's area is 75 hectares. It operated until 1933.
In the 19th century St Helena Island was a quarantine station which became one of the most profitable prisons in Queensland history. The island was used to house prisoners and staff for 65 years. Many of those involved in the 1891 Australian shearers' strike were imprisoned there along with murderers and bushrangers.
Four kilometres from the mouth of the Brisbane River lies St Helena Island. For more than 60 years from 1867, St Helena was the place of imprisonment for many hundreds of society's outcasts, for here was located colonial Queensland's foremost prison for men.
In the early 1860s, as Brisbane's gaol at Petrie Terrace became more and more crowded, about 30 prisoners were transferred to an old hulk, called the Proserpine, anchored near the mouth of the Brisbane River. In 1866, as part of their labours, the prisoners were taken each morning across the waters of Moreton Bay by whaleboat to St Helena Island. Here they were put to work sinking wells, clearing scrub, quarrying stone and building accommodation for a new quarantine station. They were brought back to the hulk each night.
Government plans for the quarantine station were scrapped later that year — because the conditions at Petrie Terrace gaol had become so unbearable, the prisoners from the Proserpine were set to work building a gaol instead. On 14 May 1867, the Governor of Queensland signed a proclamation declaring the island 'a place whereat offenders under order or sentence of hard labour or penal servitude may be detained'. In the years that followed, St Helena was to become Queensland's showpiece prison.
The toughest years on St Helena were undoubtedly the early ones, and the ruins on the island testify to the hard work that the prisoners had to do. These, too, were the years of severe punishment — the lash, the dreaded dark underground cells, the gag, and energy-sapping shot drill. These were the years that gained St Helena its fearful reputation as 'the hell hole of the Pacific' and 'Queensland's Inferno'. But in these days tough measures were used, because St Helena housed some of the country's worst criminals. In 1891, for example, there were 17 murderers, 27 men convicted of manslaughter, 26 men convicted of stabbings and shootings, and countless individuals responsible for assaults, rapes and similar violent crimes.
Because of this, St Helena had to be a secure prison — and it was, through its isolation and its iron rule. During its lifetime, there were fewer than 25 serious attempts by prisoners to escape. Most of the 50 or so men involved were recaptured, although three disappeared without trace, two were drowned or taken by sharks in Moreton Bay, and a few were caught several years later.
By the turn of the century, the St Helena establishment had grown to accommodate over 300 prisoners in a maze of buildings surrounded by a high stockade wall. It operated as a self-sufficient settlement, and even exported some of its produce to the mainland, including bricks for many of Brisbane's buildings, clothes to be sold in Brisbane, and white rope for ships, which was made from imported Sisal Hemp plants. In the island workshops the prisoners were taught such trades as carpentry, boot making, tailoring, tinsmith, saddle making, bread baking and butchery. The island boasted a prize dairy herd which won many awards at the Brisbane Exhibitions. The island was extensively farmed, particularly in the later years as a prison. Maize, potatoes, lucerne and other vegetables thrived in the rich volcanic soil and the sugar mill crushed over 75 tons of locally grown sugar annually by 1880. In many ways, St Helena was regarded as a model prison for the times, and held in high regard by visiting interstate and overseas penologists.
By the 1920s, the prison had begun to show its age. In its later years, after the majority of prisoners and the workshops had been removed to the Boggo Road Gaol on the mainland, the island became a prison farm for trusties, with a few dozen resident inmates tenaciously dismantling the ageing edifice. Many prison buildings remain. The last prisoner left the island on 15 February 1933. The last prison superintendent was Mr Patrick Roche.
"It is impossible", wrote the Visiting Justice in 1869,"for prisoners to escape from St Helena. I am convinced of it. They would have three miles to swim." In fact, history was to show that the island was almost escape-proof.
Over six decades, there were more than 50 prisoners desperate enough to try to escape but, despite several super-human efforts, their attempts proved futile.
A few tried to swim. They were doomed to failure due to the dangers of the tides, offshore winds, choppy seas and sharks. Some took to crudely made rafts of driftwood and logs. One man lashed a door to two pine stools. Even a bath tub was tried. One pair planned to swim two horses across the bay with themselves as passengers. They were foiled by an alert warder.
Then there were those who took to boats. One commandeered a whaleboat after slinging the guard into the water. Others discovered boats which had broken loose from moorings on the mainland and had drifted unseen cross the bay into the mangroves at St Helena. Still others tried to break into the prison boathouse. Some prisoners perished in their attempt. The aborigine, Burketown Peter, clinging desperately to a wooden target-frame used by the warders during rifle practice, vanished beneath the waters of Moreton Bay as his makeshift raft headed out to sea on an outgoing tide.
One of the island prison's most publicised episodes took place in November 1911, when prisoners Henry Craig and David Mclntyre vanished for nearly two weeks. Most people believed they had escaped to the mainland and, as a result, a search was undertaken across South East Queensland. Warders turned out each day to search St Helena from end to end. Police and blacktrackers patrolled hundreds of kilometres of mainland coastline. On the twelfth day the prisoners reappeared. They had been hiding above the ceiling of the tailors' workshop on St Helena, where they had been aided by a prisoner accomplice who supplied them daily with food and water.
Most escapees, however, rarely got any further than the island mangroves and scrub where they were captured by searching warders, supplemented, if necessary, by police from Brisbane, or driven out by hunger, or by intolerable hordes of mosquitoes. In fact, only one man was not recaptured after escaping from the island prison. Notorious gunman Charles Leslie was whisked from the island early one morning in 1924 by criminal accomplices who were waiting offshore in a motor boat.
Tourism
These days, the island is a tourist destination for school children and visitors to Brisbane alike. The island is visited by several local cruise companies. Private individuals can visit the island but are restricted to the picnic area to the south west, and excluding the ruins. History tours of the island operate, including a Ghost tour.
2007 saw the first roving theatre on the island. Cat O' Nine Tails Cruises in conjunction with the St Helena Island Theatre Troupe, have written the show Secrets of St Helena. The show brings to life the often harsh but sometimes funny stories about St Helena Island. A repeater station for radio stations 4KQ and 4TAB is located on the island.
720BC to 1840 (Approx) Used by Aboriginal tribe, the Nooghies
1799 Island described as one of the 'Green Isles' by Matthew Flinders
1826 Named St Helena after Aboriginal exiled on Island
1850s Fledgling dugong industry
1866 Quarantine Station built
1867 (14 May) Declared Penal Establishment
1875 Construction started on stone causeway
1885 Tramway commences operation (first passenger tramcar in Qld)
1890 Warder's families removed from Island
1891 Leaders of Great Shearer's Strike imprisoned on Island *
1905 Sisal Hemp growing started
1907 Lash last used
1921 Announcement of intended prison closure
1921 (to 1932) Became prison farm for low security prisoners
1922 Dismantling of buildings commenced (cont'd to 1932)
1925 Electric light installed
1932 (Dec) Official Prison closure
1933 (1 Dec) Opened to the public (under responsibility of Brisbane City Council) First passenger ferry service established from Wynnum Pier (Closed 1934)
1939 BCC handed Island back to State Gov't. Leased as dairy farm to 1973
1973 Charles Carroll acquires 2 leases on Island (tourism and pasture)
1974 Part of North Point leased to 4IP Radio to build radio station
1979 (4 Oct) Gazetted National Park
1980 (11 Sept) Gazetted Historic Area (First in Qld)
1981 First Park Ranger appointed to Island
1983 Coral dredging commenced Eastern side of Island (finished 1988)
1984 Carroll's leases requisitioned
1985 Education Queensland involved in guide training and collating archival material
1986 (Oct) New jetty opened. First scripted play, St Helena by Night staged on Island 1987 Horse-drawn wagon transport introduced to Island (until 1996)
1996 Diesel powered train commenced operation (until 2002)
2000 Establishment of Museum completed
2004 Queensland Prison & Penal Historical Association was formed by tour guides to assist in the restoration, research and promotion of the island.
Heritage listing
St Helena Island was added to the Queensland Heritage Register in 1992.
I did point out the other day that the tramway system built on the island has been torn up despite it being consistent with that operated and would assist older and disabled people today to access the facilities on the island as it is otherwise quite a long walk from the jetty.
Site of Edward Thatch's final camp before his battle with the Ranger and the Jane. As simple as it sounds, I do like to imagine that pirates buried treasure here. And I don't want to know what this thing is, since it'll spoil the mystery and the fun : )
"...Springer’s Point Preserve on Ocracoke Island is the perfect spot to spend the morning bird watching or the afternoon hiking and sitting on the beach overlooking the Pamlico Sound. This tranquil Preserve was opened to the public on May 20, 2006 and encompasses more than 120 acres of maritime forest, tidal red cedar forest, salt marsh, wet grasslands and sound front beach. You’ll pass ancient, gnarled live oaks as you make your way along winding trails to the sandy beach overlooking the infamous Teach’s Hole. Designated as one of the state’s significant natural heritage areas because of its unique maritime forest and importance to colonial water birds, the Preserve enjoys a cultural history as vibrant as the array of plant and bird species it supports. This site, historically referred to as “Teach’s Plantation”, is the reputed favorite haunt of the legendary pirate, Blackbeard, who marauded, eluded capture and finally met his fate at Teach’s Hole, off Springer’s Point." coastallandtrust.org
(coastallandtrust.org/lands/springers-point-preserve/)
"Springer's Point Nature Preserve is only accessible by foot or bicycle, and parking is prohibited on the road and private driveways. The trail and reserve are owned and operated by the North Carolina Coastal Land Trust. Encompassing more than 120 acres, the preserve is home to maritime forest, tidal red cedar forest, salt marsh, wet grasslands, and sound-front beach.
In 1718, the pirate Blackbeard camped in this area in the days leading up to his defeat and death. The water off Springer's Point-called Teach's Hole-is known to be where the final battle between Blackbeard and the British Royal Navy occurred. Now, a pleasant stroll through the maritime forest leads out to views of Ocracoke Inlet and Cape Lookout National Seashore beyond." nps.gov
(www.nps.gov/places/000/springers-point-nature-preserve.htm)
PLEASE, NO GRAPHICS, BADGES, OR AWARDS IN COMMENTS. They will be deleted.
From this angle, the tiny community of Hartsop seems to have barely changed since it supported the 17th Century spinning and lead mining industries.
These cottages in the main valley of Patterdale are at the foot of Lingy Crag; the nearest is about 500 m from the camera. Most of the village is hidden in the mouth of Pasture Beck, on the far side of which Hartsop Dodd rises to 618 m off the right edge of the image,1¾ km away.
To the left of the background, the 699 m summit ridge of Grey Crag is snow-dusted, 2.6 km away on the far side of Pasture Bottom.
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide 2nd Edition with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
Audouin's gull (Ichthyaetus audouinii) is a large gull restricted to the Mediterranean and the western coast of Saharan Africa and the Iberian Peninsula.
In the late 1960s, this was one of the world's rarest gulls, with a population of only 1,000 pairs. It has established new colonies, but remains rare with a population of about 10,000 pairs.
This species, unlike many large gulls, rarely scavenges, but is a specialist fish eater, and is therefore strictly coastal and pelagic. This bird will feed at night, often well out to sea, but also slowly patrols close into beaches, occasionally dangling its legs to increase drag.
The adult basically resembles a small European herring gull, the most noticeable differences being the short stubby red bill and "string of pearls" white wing primary tips, rather than the large "mirrors" of some other species. The legs are grey-green. It takes four years to reach adult plumage.
This species shows little tendency to wander from its breeding areas, but there were single records in the Netherlands and England in May 2003, and one spent from December 2016 to April 2017 in Trinidad.
It is listed as vulnerable by the IUCN. (wikipedia)
I was fortunate to bump into a small flock of Audouin's Gull on a local beach in Vilarmoura on the south coast of Portugal in the early summer of 2024. One of the nicest looking of the gull species. This bird had a white darvic ring with the code ARTU. The bird was ringed/banded with this ring on 5th July 2005 as a chick on Isla del Alboran, Almeria (a small islet of Spain in the Alboran Sea, part of the western Mediterranean Sea, about 56 kilometres (35 mi; 30 nmi) north of the Moroccan coast and 85 kilometres (53 mi; 46 nmi) from the Spanish mainland. The main buildings are an automated lighthouse built in the 19th century, a small cemetery, and a harbor). The island is a flat platform about 15 metres (49 feet) above sea level and about 71,200 m2 . The islet has been recognised as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports a breeding population of Audouin's gulls as well as various species of passerines on migration. In 2001, the United Nations declared the island and its seabed a Specially Protected Area of Mediterranean Importance.
Light slices an underpass, as it supports vehicles to slice through cities, towns and spaces in between.
Rievaulx Abbey is a Cistercian monastery, founded in 1131 by Walter Espec in a secluded valley on the edge of the North York Moors. The name Rievaulx is a Norman concoction, a misuse of Rye Vallis, or Rye Valley. The abbey was one of the first Cistercian houses to be established in England. It was meant to act as an administration centre for Cistercian missionary work in the north of England and into Scotland, a place from which monks would be sent out to establish daughter houses throughout the region.
The first structures at Rievaulx were temporary timber buildings, intended to serve only until proper permanent buildings could be erected in stone. The first stone structures were begun under the first abbot, William (1132-1145), sometime after 1135. The plan for Rievaulx was to follow the same layout as that of the mother abbey of the order at Citeaux, in France. This consisted of a large church, with a cloister range to the south.
Abbot William's church was taken down and rebuilt on a grand scale by the third abbet, Aelred (1147-1167). Aelred had come to Rievaulx from Scotland, where he had served as a steward in the household of King David.
The east end of the church was later torn down and enlarged by Abbot Roger II (1223-1239). One unusual feature at Rievaulx is the orientation of the church. Most churches in Britain, certainly established in the mediaval period, are oriented loosely on an east/west line. At Rievaulx the layout of the site neccessitated a different approach, and the abbey church is laid out on a north/south line.
The abbey was expanded in the period 1145-1165 and again in the late 12th century. Interestingly, though Rievaulx was reckoned the most important Cistercian house in England in the late 12th century, it really reached the peak of its power around 1200, and from that point on life at Rievaulx became a struggle. Part of the struggle was the monk's own fault An ambitious programme of rebuilding and extended the abbey buildings in the 13th century led to heavy debts.
But some things were beyond the abbey's control. Like most Cistercian monasteries Rievaulx relied heavily on income from sheep farming. In the 13th century a series of epidemics ravaged the abbey's flocks, leaving them with far lower income than expected. They did engage in minor rebuilding during the 14th century, but by then the abbey had truly fallen upon hard times. Parts of the abbey buildings were torn down in the 15th century. By the time the abbey was suppressed by Henry VIII in 1538 it supported 22 monks and 100 lay people. Compare that to the 1160s when, under Abbot Aelred, it had a population of 140 monks and more than 500 lay brothers.
A setting sun gives a warm glow to the sky over the Ribble Estuary near Lytham in Lancashire.
Over half of the Ribble Estuary is a National Nature Reserve, it contains extensive areas of mud and sandflats and one of the largest single areas of saltmarsh in England. In the summer the saltmarshes support large numbers of breeding birds such as the Black Headed Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Common Tern and Redshank. Skylark, Meadow Pipit and Linnet nest in significant numbers on the grazing marsh. The reserve has also been declared a Ramsar site and Special Protection Area (SPA), providing an important link in the chain of wetland sites in Western Europe. It supports over 100,000 ducks, geese and swans, in winter the site is home to around 150,000 waders and it is an internationally important refuge for 16 bird species.
Blue tits also like to eat insects, mealworms, waxworms, and caterpillars.The best tree of all is the oak. It supports a good crop of winter moth caterpillars, and a large quantity of other insects, and given the choice, blue tits would spend the bulk of their time foraging in oak trees, Birch and hawthorn are other good sources of food.
Self portrait in my studio with layering effects, including one of my paintings as background.
Pls read profile for links to my art gallery pages.
love art, show it, support it!
The Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL) at NASA's Johnson Space Centre in Houston, Texas.
It was the only facility in the Space Shuttle Program where actual orbiter hardware and flight software can be integrated and tested in a simulated flight environment. It supported the entire Space Shuttle program to perform integrated verification tests. It also contained Firing Room Launch Equipment identical to that used at KSC. Complete ground verifications, as well as countdown and abort operations, could be tested and simulated.
The testing process is extensive and rigorous; the software on the Shuttle is often considered to be among the most bug-free of operational systems.
The laboratory contains a complete avionics mock-up of a Shuttle, designated OV-095. While only a skeleton of an orbiter, the electronics are identical in position and type to those used on the Shuttle; it is a sufficiently faithful replica that crews sometimes prefer to use it to train on, rather than the training simulators.
The facility was renovated and recreated as part of NASA's Space Centre Houston Level 9 Tour, a separate add-on to the visitor's centre admission in which tourists are given entrance to buildings normally off limits to visitors.
Information Source:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuttle_Avionics_Integration_Labora...
I first visited Salisbury Plain in July 2007 and since then it has remained in my mind. I have always wanted to visit it again quite soon after but I had not passed that away. I decided to visit it when on my trip to Dorset as it was not too far. I was glad that it was dry and sunny and that is when the Salisbury Plains look their best. The big open and rolling landscapes are coloured golden as the wheat is ready to be harvested and coloured green because of other crops and meadows. The clouds look like they are floating slowly over the big open landscapes.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salisbury_Plain
Salisbury Plain is a chalk plateau in central southern England covering 300 square miles (780 km2).[1] It is part of the Southern England Chalk Formation and largely lies within the county of Wiltshire, with a little in Hampshire. The plain is famous for its rich archaeology, including Stonehenge, one of England's best known landmarks. Largely as a result of the establishment of the Army Training Estate Salisbury Plain (ATE SP), the plain is sparsely populated and is the largest remaining area of calcareous grassland in north-west Europe. Additionally the plain has arable land, and a few small areas of beech trees and coniferous woodland.
Physical geography
The boundaries of Salisbury Plain have never been truly defined, and there is some difference of opinion as to its exact area.[2] The river valleys surrounding it, and other downs and plains beyond them loosely define its boundaries. To the north the scarp of the downs overlooks the Vale of Pewsey, and to the north west the Bristol Avon. The River Wylye runs along the south west, and the Bourne runs to the east.[3] The Avon runs through the eastern half of the plain and to the south the plain peters out as the river valleys close together before meeting at Salisbury. From here the Avon continues south to the English Channel at Christchurch. The Hampshire Downs and the Berkshire Downs are chalk downland to the east and north of Salisbury Plain, and the Dorset Downs and Cranborne Chase are to the south west. In the west and north west the geology is mainly of the clays and limestones of the Blackmore Vale, Avon Vale and Vale of Wardour.
Amesbury is considered the largest settlement on the plain, though there are a number of small villages, such as Tilshead, Chitterne and Shrewton in the middle of the plain, as well as various hamlets and army camps. The A303 road runs along the southern area of the plain, and the A360 cuts across the centre.
History
Salisbury Plain is famous for its history and archaeology. In the Neolithic period Stone Age man began to settle on the plain, most likely centred around the causewayed enclosure of Robin Hood's Ball. Large long barrows like White Barrow and other earthworks were built across the plain. By 2500 BC areas around Durrington Walls and Stonehenge had become a focus for building, and the southern part of the plain continued to be settled into the Bronze Age.
Around 600 BC Iron Age Hill forts came to be constructed around the boundaries of the plain, including Scratchbury Camp and Battlesbury Camp to the south west, Bratton Camp to the north west, Casterley Camp to the north, Yarnbury and Vespasian's Camp to the south, and Sidbury Hill to the east.
Roman roads are visible features, probably serving a settlement near Old Sarum. Villas are sparse, however, and Anglo-Saxon place names suggest that the plain was mostly a grain-producing imperial estate.
In the sixth century Anglo-Saxon incomers built planned settlements in the valleys surrounded by strip lynchets, with the downland left as sheep pasture. To the south is the city of Salisbury, whose 13th and 14th century cathedral is famous for having the tallest spire in the country, and the building was, for many centuries, the tallest building in Britain. The cathedral is evidence of the prosperity the wool and cloth trade brought to the area. In the mid-19th century the wool and cloth industry began to decline, leading to a decline in the population and change in land use from sheep farming to agriculture and military use. Wiltshire became one of the poorest counties in England during this period of decline.
There are a number of chalk carvings on the plain, of which the most famous is the Westbury White Horse. The Kennet and Avon Canal was constructed to the north of the plain, through the Vale of Pewsey.
In 1896, George Kemp and Guglielmo Marconi experimented with wireless telegraphy on Salisbury Plain, and achieved good results over a distance of 1.75 miles (2.8 km).
Army Training Estate Salisbury Plain (SPTA)
The exact area of Salisbury Plain is sometimes confused with the extent of the military training area that it is home to. In fact this only covers roughly half of the geological boundaries of the plain. The army first conducted exercises on the plain in 1898. From that time, the Ministry of Defence bought up large areas of land until World War II. The MoD now own 150 square miles (390 km2) of land, making it the largest military training area in the United Kingdom. Of this, around 39 square miles (100 km2) are permanently closed to the public, and access is greatly restricted in other areas. As military use of the plain increased, new camps and barracks were constructed, including those at Larkhill, Bulford, Tidworth and Warminster. Several installations have been built and since removed, including a railway line and aerodrome that were constructed next to Stonehenge. In 1943 the village of Imber and the hamlet of Par Hinton were evacuated to allow training for Operation Overlord to be conducted. The village has remained closed, except for the annual church service and some bank holidays, ever since.
The Royal School of Artillery is based at Larkhill, and live firing is conducted on the plain for approximately 340 days of each year. Military personnel from the UK and around the world spend some 600,000 man days on the plain every year.[4]
The ATE SP is located close to other military facilities including the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down (much of whose work is secret), Boscombe Down airfield and Middle Wallop Army Air Corps Base, where pilots train on the Westland Apache.
Ecology
Because of the large training areas inaccessible to the public, the plain is a wildlife haven, and home to two National Nature Reserves, but there is concern that the low level of grazing on the plain could allow scrub to encroach on the grassland. The plain supports the largest known expanse of unimproved chalk downland in north west Europe, and represents 41% of Britain's remaining area of this wildlife habitat. The Plain supports 13 species of nationally rare and scarce plants, 67 species of rare and scarce invertebrates and forms a site of international importance for birds. In addition to chalk downland, the Plain supports scrub and woodland habitats, temporary and permanent pools and the River winterbourne.
Vegetation
A diversity of soil types, slope, aspect and past and present land-use has given rise to various grassland communities. Historical evidence suggests that large areas of grassland are of great antiquity, and areas which were cultivated at the beginning of this century have experienced nearly 100 years of chalk grassland re-colonisation. Parts of East Salisbury Plain and the periphery of Central and West comprise areas of grassland currently managed for grazing pasture and hay-cutting, whilst the middle of Centre and West are ungrazed. A large proportion of Salisbury Plain supports upright brome Bromus erectus species rich grassland, within which a continuous floristic variation is seen. A widespread type on the Plain is characterised by an abundance of red fescue Festuca rubra, crested hair-grass Koeleria macrantha, salad burnet Sanguisorba minor, lady's bedstraw Galium verum, rough hawkbit Leontodon hispidus, common rock-rose Helianthemum nummularium and dropwort Filipendula vulgaris. The high constancy of this last species is a distinctive feature of the upright brome grasslands on Salisbury Plain and is otherwise only known from one other site in Hampshire. Where upright brome is less dominating, plants such as small scabiousa Scabiosa columbaria, clustered bellflower Campanula glomerata, dyer's greenweed Genista tinctoria, kidney vetch Anthyllis vulneraria, sainfoin Onobrychis viciifolia and horseshoe vetch Hippocrepis comosa are characteristic associates.
Vegetation
A diversity of soil types, slope, aspect and past and present land-use has given rise to various grassland communities. Historical evidence suggests that large areas of grassland are of great antiquity, and areas which were cultivated at the beginning of this century have experienced nearly 100 years of chalk grassland re-colonisation. Parts of East Salisbury Plain and the periphery of Central and West comprise areas of grassland currently managed for grazing pasture and hay-cutting, whilst the middle of Centre and West are ungrazed. A large proportion of Salisbury Plain supports upright brome Bromus erectus species rich grassland, within which a continuous floristic variation is seen. A widespread type on the Plain is characterised by an abundance of red fescue Festuca rubra, crested hair-grass Koeleria macrantha, salad burnet Sanguisorba minor, lady's bedstraw Galium verum, rough hawkbit Leontodon hispidus, common rock-rose Helianthemum nummularium and dropwort Filipendula vulgaris. The high constancy of this last species is a distinctive feature of the upright brome grasslands on Salisbury Plain and is otherwise only known from one other site in Hampshire. Where upright brome is less dominating, plants such as small scabiousa Scabiosa columbaria, clustered bellflower Campanula glomerata, dyer's greenweed Genista tinctoria, kidney vetch Anthyllis vulneraria, sainfoin Onobrychis viciifolia and horseshoe vetch Hippocrepis comosa are characteristic associates.
Insects
The botanically and structurally diverse grasslands support a large range of rare and uncommon chalk downland invertebrates. Where abundance has been assessed strong populations of national and local importance are present, and the large area of habitat available to them is important in ensuring their survival.[3]
The Plain is an important stronghold for declining downland butterflies. A high concentration of colonies of three nationally scarce species, the Adonis Blue Polyommatus bellargus, Duke of Burgundy Hamearis lucina, and the largest population of Marsh Fritillary Euphydryas aurinia on the chalk, occur. A colony of Brown Hairstreak Thecla betulae is present on East Salisbury Plain at one of its two Wiltshire localities. Strong populations of other downland species such as Chalkhill Blue Polyommatus coridon and Dark Green Fritillary Argynnis aglaja are found, and of note here is the occurrence of Grayling Hipparchia semele, a butterfly rarely found away from the coast.[3]
Moths
An outstanding assemblage of two rare (RDB), 36 nationally scarce and two regionally notable moths are present, most of which are either chalk grassland specialists or are partly dependent on chalk grassland. The RDB species Scarce Forester Adscita globulariae is present, and amongst many species of nationally scarce moths are the Cistus Forester Adscita geryon, Six-belted Clearwing Bembecia scopigera, Oblique Striped Phibalapteryx virgata, Pimpernel Pug Eupithecia pimpinellata, Shaded Pug Eupithecia subumbrata and Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk Moth Hemaris tityus. Larvae of these moths feed on the chalk grassland plants which are widespread on the Plain. Other nationally scarce moths such as Orange-tailed Clearwing Synanthedon anthraciniformis depend on the associated scrub habitats.[
Bees
The bee fauna is particularly rich in species which depend on chalk grassland. One of only two British populations of the endangered (RDB) mining bee Melitta dimidiata is present on the Plain, and two other RDB species which occur are Andrena hattorfiana and its nest parasite the Cuckoo Bee Nomada armata. This is a rare inland site for the nationally scarce Tawny Bumble Bee Bombus humilis.[
Flies
The Diptera (flies) include four RDB species which depend on chalk grassland, the picture-wing flies Chaetorellia loricata, Urophora solstitialis and Terellia vectensis and the hover fly Volucella inflata.
Crustaceans
Recent observations have shown that Salisbury Plain is an important site for the RDB crustacean, the Fairy Shrimp Chirocephalus diaphanus which is dependent on temporary pools, a rare and declining habitat. On the Plain this habitat requirement is met by numerous pools created by repeated tank movements along the earth tracks which cross the chalk grassland.
Others
Other nationally scarce invertebrates occur within the Orthoptera (grasshoppers and crickets), Heteroptera (bugs) and Coleoptera (beetles), the latter group including a RDB soldier beetle, Cantharis fusca.
Birds
The area as a whole is of national and international importance for breeding and wintering birds. It supports seven species listed on Annex 1 of the EC Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds, populations of six species of Red Data bird and several species of candidate Red Data bird. Amongst the breeding birds three species are particularly noteworthy. Up to 20 pairs of Stone Curlew representing 12% of the British population breed on the Plain. The area accounts for approximately 20% of breeding records for Quail in Britain each year, and numbers of breeding Hobby are thought to exceed 1% of the British population on a regular basis. Other important breeding species include Buzzard, Barn Owl, Long-eared Owl, Nightingale, Stonechat, Whinchat, Wheatear, Corn Bunting and, on occasion, Montagu's Harrier.[3]
The overall breeding assemblage is exceptionally diverse for a British dry grassland site. In winter the Plain is an important area for foraging flocks of thrushes, finches and buntings. These, together with abundant small mammals are prey for wintering Hen Harrier, Merlin and Short-eared Owl. Hen Harriers occur in nationally significant numbers each winter, and the Plain is an important winter roost for this species in southern England.[3] In 2003 the Great Bustard was reintroduced into Britain on Salisbury Plain.
Snakes and Amphibians
Other species of interest on Salisbury Plain include the Great Crested Newt Triturus cristatus. This newt occurs in dew ponds across the Plain and in pools along the River Winterbourne, together with smooth newt Triturus vulgaris, common frog Rana temporia and common toad Bufo bufo. Grass snake Natrix natrix are also often seen near pools, and common lizard Lacerta vivipara, slow worm Anguis fragilis and adder Vipera berus are present.
Cultural references
The plain has featured in the writings of William Wordsworth, Thomas Hardy, William Henry Hudson and A. G. Street, and in the paintings of John Constable. It is also used in The Beatles movie Help! as they sing "The Night Before" and "I Need You". It is also the setting of a scene in John Boorman's film Catch Us If You Can when the film's hero, pop star Dave Clark, encounters a group of sinister beatniks in a deserted village used as target practice by the British Army. It is also mentioned in Ayreon song "And the Druids Turn to Stone". In the Gilbert and Sullivan opera Iolanthe, the Lord Chancellor has a nightmare in which he is crossing the English Channel in a steamer, which changes to a 4-wheel vehicle, and finally he is "Crossing Salisbury Plain on a bicycle".
Billy Bragg makes mention of Salisbury Plain in the song "Island of No Return".
Salisbury Plain is also marked as the location of a Piece of Eden in the video game Assassins Creed.
In the episode One of Us of the British television series Yes, Prime Minister, a lost dog on Salisbury Plain becomes a crucial plot point.
c/n 76-1538
Built in 1944 with the US military serial 42-99119 and shipped to Europe where it served with the 8th and 9th Air Forces. From June 1946 till November 1948 it supported the US Army in Germany, but was then transferred to the Italian Air Force with the serial MM52882. Retired in June 1980, it was found as a wreck in 1991 and restored to static condition wearing D-Day markings. GAVS Turin loaned it to the museum here during 2013 and it is on display in the fixed wing hangars.
Volandia – Parco e Museo del Volo.
Vizzola Ticino, Varese, Italy.
25th March 2023
The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,300 kilometres over an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometres. The Great Barrier Reef is a distinct feature of the East Australian Cordillera division. It reaches from Torres Strait (between Bramble Cay, its northernmost island, and the south coast of Papua New Guinea) in the north to the unnamed passage between Lady Elliot Island (its southernmost island) and Fraser Island in the south. Lady Elliot Island is located 1,915 km southeast of Bramble Cay as the crow flies. It includes the smaller Murray Islands. The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia. The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is the world's biggest single structure made by living organisms. This reef structure is composed of and built by billions of tiny organisms, known as coral polyps. It supports a wide diversity of life and was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981. The Great Barrier Reef has long been known to and used by the Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and is an important part of local groups' cultures and spirituality. The reef is a very popular destination for tourists, especially in the Whitsunday Islands and Cairns regions. Tourism is an important economic activity for the region, generating over A$3 billion per year. 23005
The back of a blue coloured knife and the edge of a serrated bread knife. Both are stuck to a magnetic rail which bears a few scars from the blades it supports. Found in the kitchen. HMM.
The Barrier Reef is the world’s largest with over 900 islands and nearly 3,000 reefs along 2,000 kms of coastline. It is clearly visible from space and it is the world’s largest single structure made up of living organisms, known as coral polyps. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1981 and is considered to be one of the seven wonders of the natural world. It supports a wide range of life from marine mammals (dugongs and whales) to fish, turtles, crocodiles and birds. Many of the coral cays (small islands) have fringing lagoons. One of the many islands near the reef and just off the coat of Townsville is beautiful Magnetic Island. Horseshoe Bay beach is pictured left.
Just 10 kms across the ocean from Townsville is Magnetic Island. It covers 5,184 hectares and roughly three quarters of the island is a National Park created in 1953. Magnetic Island was named by Captain James Cook in 1770 and so named as he believed the topography of the island made his compass work erratically. In 1876 Harry Butler and his family came to Picnic Bay and became the first permanent white settlers on Magnetic Island. His daughter Nellie was born on the island in the late 1870s hence the bay was called Nelly Bay. In 1886 the coastline of Magnetic Island was surveyed by J. G. O'Connell. He reported that five different parties were settled round the Island and that Picnic Bay was the favourite resort of Townsville holiday makers. Robert Hayles erected a hotel at Picnic Bay in 1899. The first freehold town lots were put up for auction at Picnic Bay in 1887. A regular ferry service to Magnetic Island from Townsville began in 1899. By the 1920s quite a few people lived and farmed on the island which had two schools and several dance pavilions at that time. Horseshoe Bay with the longest beach on the island was first settled by Europeans in 1912. Today Nelly Bay is the main town with shops, school, church and ferry terminal and a population of about 1,000.The other main settlement is Horseshoe Bay with 500 residents. Over 2,200 people live on the island. Julian Assange was born in Townville in 1971 and grew up on Magnetic Island. Nelly Bay has the ferry terminal, supermarket, marina and lots of apartments. Horseshoe Bay is small but with several cafes, a hotel, a store, a beach and a park along the beach. Horseshoe Bay also has the Magnetic Island Museum at 11 Granite street two streets back from the beach and it is located in the heritage listed former schoolroom.
When I immigrated to Canada at the age of 17 I went through a culture shock. The most differences between the Canadian society and the Iraqi society are the lack of commitment, and how lightly love is treated here. I first came to realize that commitment is not highly valued here at my first summer job: people simply didn't care about the company, the products they were producing, their co-workers, or the owners—they only wanted their pay checks. I don't even want to start talking about love here, because I don't know where to start and where to end! I just want to make one comment about love:
Love is not only a feeling, if it was our Lord Jesus Christ wouldn't command us to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44). Because when was the last time you felt love towards your enemy? So love is also a commitment: while a feeling is something you can't control, a commitment you certainly can. It is after you make the commitment to pray and do good to your enemies that the feeling of love may come.
I remember while I was new in Canada I watched on a Judge Judy show a woman suing her common-law husband who is 25 years old because he does not work or help her around the house because he only plays video games with his friends, while she takes care of their 2 children. I had to laugh when I heard that, as I was new to this concept of a 25 years old man who does nothing with his life but play video games! Then around that time I heard in the morning news that a man was wanted in a drive-by shooting related to gang wars, and they said he was 35 years old! I was very shocked to find out that a 35 years old man is still in a gang and he goes around shooting people! It took me few years to figure out what is going on to a high percentage of people here: people (both males and females, but it seems males have a higher percentage) seem to go through infancy, childhood, adolescence, but have such a hard time passing into adulthood. Let me give you an example:
Boys in Iraq when they grow up they are constantly reminded that one day they are going to be men. For example, when my brother-in-law (who is from Egypt) goes to do a business deal he takes my 6 years old nephew with him because he wants his son to see that life is not all playing and that it requires seriousness and responsibility. And we are also told to keep our word—that is if we say something we stick by it. Because Iraq is a cultural society a man's worth is valued by how he values his own words. Let's say a man promises his neighbour to help him fix his car in the evening. If evening comes and the man doesn't show up then he cannot be trusted, if he cannot be trusted then he is not dependable, which mean his services will not be required, and if you are not needed in the society then you are not important. This idea here is almost non-existing. At university for example students are constantly being formed into groups of about 5 people and have to work as a group to get a project done. It is almost always that one group member or more either doesn't show up to a meeting, or is late, or has not done his or her part. Many have no feelings of responsibility or commitment. Yet, those same students are expected to graduate in a year or so and become leaders of families and our society!
The problem lies in that most people live here by preference rather than convictions. Their thoughts pattern usually goes like this: I feel like it therefore I will do it, or I don't feel like it therefore I won't do it. People live by preferences when they are selfish and self centred. But living by convictions and commitments requires selflessness and sacrifice. And as Christians it is essential that we keep our words and promises. Because if we desire to be like our Lord then we have to be trustworthy, faithful, selfless, and committed like Him. It is essential that we live by convictions.
Imagine marriage run by feelings alone? Who feels like taking the garbage out? Who feels like changing diapers? Who feels like waking up 3 times a night to a crying child? Who feels like paying the mortgage? Who feels in love the same with their spouse after 30 years?
Another problem people face here is that at such a young age they engage in sexual immorality, and associate love with it, and experience rejection. If a person has had multiple sex partners by the time they are 20 years old, what value does marriage, love, or commitment have to them anymore? That's why it is so important that Christians raise their children on Biblical principles and enforce those principles.
I am not saying that in Iraq people don't break their promises, and people in Canada are not trustworthy, all I am saying is that the percentage of people who are untrustworthy, take love easily, and don't value commitment is much higher here. And I am not saying that if you promise something you have to always keep it. If you promise in your anger to commit a sin then don't do it. Or if you promise doesn't fit God's will then don't do it. And I am also not saying you should become like a machine living without feelings but by commands alone. The goal here is not to be become a perfectionist or ignore your humanity; the goal here is to be trustworthy, dependable, and not disappoint God and people as long as it depends on you. The idea here is to be a adult (responsible) man or woman.
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Few months ago I read in the February 2009 InTouch magazine a story of a Christian man's divorce that really touched me. I cried when I read it because the emotions he expressed were so true of a rejected, fooled, deceived, mistreated, and disesteemed person. The story reminded me of a movie that was based on a true story of a man committing adultery with his secretary, and then divorcing his completely unsuspecting wife to marry his mistress. The sad part of the story is that he only felt guilty for a while, while she had to live with the feelings of being rejected, unloved, unimportant, deceived, and had to deal with disappointment, shame and labels (because of society), and having no support in raising their sons for many years. On top of that, when holidays came her sons went to spend time with their dad while she stayed home alone. It is amazing how the actions of one person can harm another so greatly. Sometimes we think that the person who does the wrongdoings reaps the consequences for his or her actions immediately, but often times this is not the case and that the victim suffers for much longer. At least that's sometimes true here on earth, but in heaven everything is fair and no time is longer than an eternity in hell.
Sometimes people say that it takes two people to ruin a marriage. I don't believe in that: I think it needs only one person to ruin a marriage (of course, it can also take two people). You only need one hand to be missing for you not to be able to clap. Few years ago at work a woman discovered her husband was committing adultery with a co-worker who was 20 years his junior. The wife was very crushed. Then a co-worker told me that her sons say that she doesn't even cook at home. I answered her, "That's non-sense, if he was that hungry he should cook himself, order food, or take them out for dinner. How is food connected to adultery?" It seems that we humans love to blame the victim for the crime, but this doesn't please God.
I also know a very godly Iraqi man who loved a girl with all of his heart for 3 years. There was nothing he wouldn't do for her as long as it made her happy and it wasn't a sin. Then one day she told him that she couldn't marry him because he was a construction worker, and even though he made good money he was worth nothing because he doesn't have a degree. He was shocked when he heard her say that to him, because he wanted to marry her! After all those years, money spent and efforts from his part, and all that love, that's what she thought of him? Few months later he heard that she got married to a doctor. Six months later she sent him an e-mail apologizing, asking his forgiveness saying that she still loves him. He wrote her back with the supervision of his pastor and addressing her as "sister" saying that what happened has happened, and he prays for her and her husband, wishes them the best, and that he doesn't want her to contact him anymore because she is a married woman now. Since then I wondered: Why make a mess of your life? Why not value someone who you know in your heart that this person genuinely loves you? And we all know how difficult it is to find someone who loves you unconditionally and is committed to you. Why marry someone for the wrong reasons and regret it later? I want to say this to the ladies reading this:
There is nothing more attractive in a woman than knowing she is wise, and have a strong character. (That's why so many men find girls who wear glasses attractive!) It is a beautiful thing in a woman to have an independent character. And by independent I don't mean rebellious or that she doesn't respect other people's thoughts, but I mean to be dependent on God's Word and to know who she is in Him and what His will is and to live a godly life—that she is not easily persuaded to do things. I am saying this because in the Middle Eastern culture and even among many Christians, women seem to be so easily influenced by whatever a man says. When I get married, if it is God's will, I want my wife to have her own character, her own thoughts and to ask, "Is what my husband saying correct? Is it supported Biblically?" And if it is not then I would love for her to correct me. Just as I am supposed to be the man of the house, she is supposed to be my helper, and how can she helps me when she just duplicates my thoughts, and doesn't question my decisions?! Interestingly, the most independent in her thinking godly woman I know is also the best wife I know. The Bible says in Proverbs 31:
"{10} A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
{11} Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value."
[How can a husband have full confidence in his wife if he knows she is easily influenced?]
"{13} She selects…. {14} She bringing…. {15} She gets up…she provides…. {16} She considers… she plants…. {17} She sets about her work…. {18} She sees that her trading is profitable…. {19} She holds…. {20} She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy…. {21} She has no fear…. {22} She makes…. {25} She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. {26} She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue."
[This is a woman has an independent mind and a strong character, works hard, and make profitable deals, she is confident and makes wise decisions, and her husband has confidence in her and is respected—that's a godly woman.]
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So for few months now I have decided to take a photo to illustrate the pain a man or a woman go through when the wife or the husband commit adultery. And yesterday at university with the help of few classmates I was able to take that photo. The photo is dedicated to William Ryder (whose story is posted below), and all wronged persons out there whose only crime is that they loved so purely that they didn't see evil coming.
I hope you like the photo and the writing :)
PS: The one thing I don't understand about adultery is how come it is not against the law! I mean, marriage is a contract and both parties agree on its terms and sign it, right? Then how come the breach of this contract is not against the law? I mean, if you do it in business you get sued and have to pay for it. So why is destroying a family, and the lives of the wife or husband, and the children is not punishable by law?
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This (unexpected) Life
Surviving the pain of labels and “good intentions”
by William Ryder
I will always remember that night with crystal clarity. We had just moved to a new city eleven days earlier to enable Amy, my wife of three years, to begin a Master’s program. Having graduated from seminary ten weeks prior, I was working a retail job while I searched for a church ministry position. Weary from a ten-hour workday framed by a one-hour commute, I slowly climbed the steps to our new apartment.
Inside, I sank gleefully into my favorite chair and turned my attention to Amy, who was sitting at the edge of the couch beside me. She nervously cleared her throat and said, “We need to talk.” I was not prepared for what came next. In what seemed like a single breath she said, “Well, I have not been very happy lately. I have been racking my brain trying to figure out why, and I think I’ve finally realized the truth. I don’t love you. I don’t have the feelings for you that I think a wife should have for her husband. I think marrying you was a mistake, and I don’t want to be married anymore.”
Wow. There was simply no response in my mind to what she had said. I was numb. I stood up and paced the floor as I desperately strove to work through this information. I understand that in most divorces, both parties usually see it coming; however, there is occasionally that hapless idiot who’s caught completely off guard. That was me, catching butterflies in left field while my wife decided she no longer loved me.
Almost immediately, Amy moved out of our apartment to stay with a friend. She would speak to me only through e-mails and, soon after, her attorney. I stayed there alone for several weeks, pleading with her to change her mind. However, two months after the initial bombshell, Amy had divorce papers drawn up, and I realized that our marriage was truly over. Knowing her decision was final, and because I had no job or friends in the new city, I agreed to leave town.
I remember walking through the apartment, trying to separate “my” things from “her” things. It was impossible—like reaching inside of a baked cake, trying to pull out the individual ingredients. No longer was there a unity of belongings, but rather a collection of two people’s possessions thrown together. Looking over all our stuff, I was no longer able to see any gray; everything was either black or white, hers or mine, staying or going.
As I made the last inspection after packing all of my things into a U-Haul, my attention paused at a framed wedding picture on the kitchen table. For a moment, I stopped breathing. Picking it up, I looked into the eyes of that beautiful bride, and I trembled. Returning the photograph to the table, I became painfully aware of the now-defunct piece of gold on my left hand. I slowly pulled the wedding band off my finger, gently kissed it, and sat it on the table beside the portrait. Then I turned, walked outside, and locked the door behind me. At that moment, in every way, I was a man with no home.
Weeks later, I suffered the tremendous indignity of piecing together the abhorrent truth behind Amy’s departure. Her “rational, adult decision” to leave our marriage was a sham; she’d actually been embroiled in an affair with another man for almost a year—one third of our marriage. This was the “friend” with whom she was staying while I pled for her to return. With this insight, my last hopes were destroyed, and I signed the divorce papers . . . two days before Thanksgiving.
This is my story. Tragic? Absolutely. Pitiful? Without a doubt. The real question, though, is, Why should you care about all of this? Why did I have to invite you into the darkest part of my private nightmares? The answer, sadly, is that if you do not have such a painful story yourself, you can be certain that you know someone who does. Roughly half of all marriages in America end in divorce; for born-again Christians, the percentage is, surprisingly, higher. Despite all of these “newly single” people populating American churches, the church in general has no idea how to react, relate, or respond to the needs of this heartbroken crowd.
I believe the first obstacle that must be conquered is a matter of identity. Let me explain: In the past few years, I have become painfully aware of how, when, and where the word “divorce” is used. It often appears in a checklist under the heading “Marital Status,” which gives people four options: single, married, widowed, or divorced. I’ve seen this in the most unexpected places, from a church visitor information card to an application for health insurance.
The issue is that people have grown accustomed to categorizing others according to certain “pegs” in their social life. The problem with this, however, is that there is no such thing as a “divorced person.” Divorce is an event, not a condition. My divorce was something that happened to me, a tragedy in my past. However, that misfortune should not characterize my whole life from now on.
The church can go a long way toward ministering to the expansive population of “new singles” by simply striking the word “divorced” from its vocabulary. Using the term as an adjective simply identifies an individual by a horrible event in his life. In this, saying, “Will is a divorced person” is tantamount to saying, “Frank is a pancreatic cancer person.” No one would be insensitive enough to say the latter, so why should it be acceptable to commonly say the former?
The most shocking and hurtful appearance of the “divorce check-box” that I have seen was actually church-related. I had taken myself out of the ministry search for almost a year while I worked through my divorce. Then, as I began to test the waters, I wrote to local denominational associations, asking for help in finding possible positions in their areas. One group mailed back a Personal Inventory Checklist to be stapled to my résumé. The checklist contained a brief list of yes/no questions that inquired about any involvement in child abuse, spousal abuse, and other indiscretions. There, wedged neatly between “Obscene/Harassment Phone Calls” and “Do you use illegal drugs?” was the question, “Have you been divorced?” It was then I realized that, in many people’s opinions, my new peer group consisted of wife beaters and child molesters. I completed the form, but obviously never heard from any church in that area.
Another problem is the “civilian’s” inability to understand what divorce does to a person. Unfortunately, many well-meaning people attempt to help their hurting friends by uttering the five most potentially destructive words imaginable: “Get on with your life.” This encouragement is built on the premise that their friend’s life is still there, but he has just removed himself from it. This is a mistake. Even though he may still be breathing, your friend’s life, for all intents and purposes, was terminated by his divorce.
Let me demonstrate this point from my own experience. For eight long, continuous years I worked hard in school, held a full-time job, took on various church leadership roles, got married, and began making long-term career and family plans. However, my wife’s actions effectively ended that life. In a real sense, my divorce murdered the man and the minister that I was becoming. I will simply never be that man again.
The miracle is that God has raised a new life from the ashes. I now have a new career and ministry that I adore. I honestly cannot imagine being happier doing anything else. Does this mean that my current life will always be second-string to what “might have been”? I don’t think so; however, I do know that this life came about only through time, patience, and the determined work of God. Do not be quick to urge the newly single person to “get on with his life”; he may actually be stuck between the old life and the new. Only the Holy Spirit and a hearty amount of patience will truly enable him to get on with his new life.
When my ordeal first began in August of 2000, I met with a trusted mentor—a minister who had been through a similar situation. He said something to me that I’ll never forget: “William, nothing I say can make this less painful. But I do know that if you get through a major crisis like divorce with your faith intact, you will understand some things about God that a lot of people never realize.” Now, looking back, I see that he was right. I have never been more aware of the enduring presence of the Holy Spirit than I have these past few years. I have never before known the complete joy and release of casting everything at the foot of the cross and coming to God with a broken heart and empty hands. Mostly, though, I never expected to actually like my new life, but God was more gracious than I ever imagined.
If you are standing where I have been, or if you love someone who is going through the whirlwind of divorce, do no expect any trite words of comfort and solace here. However, if you are a hurting individual who is crying out to God for the strength to endure, be encouraged by His response through the apostle Peter: “[Cast] all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you . . . And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you” (1 Peter 5:7, 10). Even if the present seems insurmountable, you can trust that the future is wide open for your success, love, and happiness. How do I know? Because God said so, and because He has done it for me.
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Source: InTouch Magazine, February 2009
(Toronto, ON; fall 2009.)