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metaphors for a mediated world; dialogue with Craig Ross...
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Featuring artists Ana Beschia & Alexandra Walton from the National Slovak Theater. As I mentionned on last weeks BTS video we'll be coming up with part 2 of our video quite soon featuring all these amazing shots done in studio.
Erwan's a brand new father so we might be slightly delayed in our BTS video but definitely stop by and congratulate him on his fan page.
Sorry for not keeping you guys updated, travelling in Seattle right now meeeting all sorts of fantastic people and keeping myself quite busy. Promise to upload more stuff...soon!!
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Setup light diagram provided by Sylights.com:
www.sylights.com/vonwong/6475-national-slovak-theater
Our tour is sponsored by: http://www.slrlounge.com/
Studio Equipment/lighting/equipment sponsored by: www.lovinpix.com
(The following is the last post/issue/story of 2019)
*5 hours prior to Raze/Gardner's encounter:*
Jericho: “And I should have known it was a conspiracy. Every goddamn agency hides something. Who doesn't have secrets? Imagine if Edens knows something about it. But if they didn’t say anything—they never told your brothers in arms, and Avalon.”
Navin: “How do you have proof that we’re being overlooked by sleeper agents? Even if they’re shady enough.”
Jericho: “I hid a bug inside Gardner's room. I recorded everything so he would know the truth. After that, he’ll hate Raze for everything. ”
Jesse: “That’s blackmailing. You can’t be serious, man.”
Lyra: "I am very concerned right now. Don't stress me out further."
Jericho: “You want the truth? I am here! I am fighting for my rights, I am fighting for my life back! But I don’t have the rest of the time to spare so I knew a famed businessman would be a good asset. I didn’t want him to be bait, but he needs to learn the truth. He has to!"
Connor: "Go on...what else?"
Navin: "This is more than a bite sized apple pie. It's public knowledge, and we'll be screwed."
Jericho: "Now you get my point! And you wanna know why some of you people got recruited? That’s because the old woman and the board orchestrated it! To recruit valuable people, their powers so strong so they could harvest it to train their army one day. The agency is doomed to fail. There is no salvation or mercy when the truth is out!”
Connor: "Then I speak of no return. Through tooth and nail, things will come to its true ends..."
*Present time, 10:30 P.M.**
(The other members show up in holographic format. This is Raze's part of the plan to bait, conquer and threaten. Edens is in tow behind the guards, but he does not say a word. Gardner holds onto a medical stick, part of a machine attached to his arms while he is wearing his patient clothing).
Mason: “You lied from time to time again…you made me bait and tried to bankrupt me for you own gains.”
Raze: “Guards, take him out. You've gone mad. Your accusations mean nothing to me.”
Mason: “Let it go, Raze. He’s telling the truth. I was always wary of my company's relationship with Paladin. You are not sanctioned, always treading on waters. When I telI’m telling everyone the truth. This will not distance me from being blamed, as expected. And now, you bring the council. I should have removed Gardner Consolidated eons ago, stripped barren of connections."
Raze: "Yet, you didn't. Your company belongs to us too,"
Mason: "Bullshit. My company is my life. But you're just like us, we should all suffer from the same fate. I'm dying anyhow, and I'm bringing it all down.”
Chase: “Who are you to judge, Mr Gardner? If that is a threat, you will be removed on the grounds be placed elsewhere.”
Lockman: “Never justify the odds. Take him away. We have seen everything as well. This is an act of terrorism. You are not welcome on Paladin grounds.”
Watson: “Hear, hear!”
Other board members: “Aye!”
8 board members against me and the truth. It has always been the worst. This is not the run on the mill conspiracy show, this is real. And I'm already sick. Had I not been listening from the tape from the Jericho guy...I would have suffered worse. I couldn’t believe Connor and the others had to listen to everything, and now their faith would be shattered if I told Avalon the rest of it.
And North. He’ll be coming for me. I feel my blood boiling, my powers trying to urge me to unleash it...the sight and feeling under it makes me sick. But I hold it in, coughing so much blood.
I’m close to dying. There is no reversal, no more of me on this Earth. Then, I try to imagine of sister, running towards me. She is concerned. Her image lingers in my head, as I feel my peripheral vision taking over. Shaking and wobbling uncomfortably, I hold onto the stick, as sweat drops down my face.
Mason: “I may have less 24 hours to be here, but I won't go away just yet. You people robbed me of my election, nearly stripped me of my will to live...but I will not give up. I will show the world what you have done---”
(An explosion occurs, but it does not harm anyone in the room, but the Paladin guards keep their guns up. North enters from the side with his ES soldiers.)
North: “But it’s only just the beginning. You have no friends to save you, Mason Gardner.”
Fuck. It’s the man himself. North. The warlord. He’s right in here, the highest floor of the room, my quarters here at Paladin. My worst fears are here to come....
North: “Ladies and gentlemen, so I have heard the so called stories you hide down there...seems like the rival agency is not very bright. Is it, Antonia?"
Raze: "North? What are you---?
North: "Your very own family has turned against you. You used her as a weapon, thinking I'd never notice? I never loved you, Antonia. And your underlings were right, you're nothing but a cunt, a cold hearted one to play with their strings like toys. Your niece...is now under my control. Sabine, end them.”
Sabine: “As you wish, Lord North.”
No...this cannot be...Raze and North were married? God, I need to find a way to get out. Edens, Avalon, wherever you are, you better be here.
In my last ditch efforts, I make a shield. As big as it can possibly get.
**Gamma Squad jet, on the way back to Paladin base, 11:00 P.M:*
Jericho: “Gardner's in trouble. He’s disrupted my frequency. Which means something bad is going to happen, or least is happening now. We need to teleport there in time—because North got to him first.”
Jesse: "No fucking way, ese. Esto no puede ser verdad."
Lyra: “Shit, this keeps getting worse and worse, doesn’t it?”
Connor: “Navin, speed up as fast as you can. We need to save our friend. Can you sense our other allies?”
Jericho: “Yes. They are in mortal danger. Right now the agency is on high alert. Exosage...she’s started to enter her fiancé’s head. I can feel his emotions running...his trauma is knee deep. With this upgraded power, it poses a threat because Gamma Squad is unavailable.”
Jesse: “What about Harry? Is he fine?”
Jericho: “I can feel his presence...but I cannot feel him. Only him. She needs company to save people one by one. Vibroclash...she is fending off on her own emotions, like Nightedge does.”
Navin: "Now hang on tight, everyone! This will be a very bumpy jet ride!"
**Paladin base, 11:24 P.M:*
As soon as we arrive at the agency, we find it is covered in smoke. Many people are dead. It is absolute chaos. North must have ransacked it right away when he got to Mason. He had lots of ES soldiers. This is a really shitty situation since we got dead bodies at our feet, bloodied, and horribly dismembered.
I had hoped Jericho would provide more assistance as a pilot since his companions sounded useful. He was the only human among his colleagues as the rest were cyborgs, but still good enough.
Jericho: “Now the base is on lockdown, there is no clearance. You already know about this, the codes: ‘ARTHUR’ is the biggest command, and ‘EXCALIBUR’ has been overridden.”
Navin: “How do you know so damn much. I didn't figure it was Arthurian.”
Jericho: “Living and hacking on the streets since my sacking. Now go! If you want to save your friend, go to the top floor. The barrier protecting won’t be holding for long before North breach’s through!”
Lyra: “You good on your own?”
Jericho: “I have invisible tech. The enemies won’t see me for long. Leave right away. Find your friends, and hurry!”
Connor: "Come on, let him distract the others while we go."
We run and gun on our way as some ES soldiers spot us through the wreckage of vehicles piled up. Navin provides us protection with glass shields. The enemy team’s fire is quite powerful, and under that damage he won’t hold for long. I follow suit in absorbing the floor, but it is temporary protection. I decide to take a leap in the air, taking a few hits in my chest armour before hijacking a soldier's nervous system, and fighting the rest by CQC.
Jesse shocks the ground hard, but they seem to be resistant, and resorts to his guns. Could it be possible that the army has upgraded their armour? Not a surprise, but I really hope it isn’t the answer. Connor tries to blow them away, which leaves them impaled on some pikes before Navin throws a couple more shards to ensure they’re dead.
Jesse: “Let’s hope they’re dead. Putas. You did good big bro.”
Connor: “Just like we got our ancestors’ blood running in us. Resilience. If only Jericho could help us out with some teleportation because we're just about halfway there.”
Jesse: “He’s hella cool jefe. But I’m grateful I can still shock after hearing all of this. I gotta charge up more...”
Lyra: “Guys, Erin is just a few floors up in the medical wing. Sam’s glad we’re back. But he says...”
Connor: “What?”
Lyra: “She’s in control, but since she's under attack she is definitely struggling with that power. Sam had to leave her behind with the rest, all alone. He had no choice to be with her in the medical wing with Ty.”
Navin: “We take the stairs. The elevators are not working here. I’ll man the lookout.”
We run to the medical wing fast, fighting our way through damaged computers, systems and more bodies. Minutes pass as we go into the designated area Erin is at.
I find her sitting next to Ty and Riley, who are both unconscious. Riley's body is not moving as I attempt to touch her. I focus on trying to shut down her nervous system, but it doesn’t work. Navin carries her out of the way to a safer spot, while me and the Arden brothers stay behind.
Ty seems to be immobile as well, as I tap into his nervous system, but still no response. I try it again, but there’s no effect. I wait and then I see a face staring at me. Turning my head slowly, Erin is standing behind, in her suit. But she does not do anything. Connor and Jesse stay still, thinking about the possibility that she could attack, and ask me to stay put.
But her eyes are all black now, creepily staring at me.
She's already gone inside. Long gone...
MuCEM + Fort Saint-Jean, Marseille, France - 2013 -Architects: Rudy Ricciotti and C+T architecture
Views, sea, sun, a mineral quality, which all must be orchestrated by a program that will become federal and cognitive. First of all a perfect square of 72 m per side, it is a classic plan, Latin, under the control of Pythagoras. Within this square, another of 52 m per side, comprising the exhibition and conference halls identified as the heart of the museum.
Around, above and below are the service areas. But between these areas and the heart, openings entirely bypass the central square and form interconnected spaces. More interested by the views of the fort, the sea or the port, the culturally overwhelmed visitor will choose this route. Along two interlacing ramps, he will then plunge into the imaginary of the tower of Babel or of a ziggurat in order to climb up to the rooftop and on to Fort Saint- Jean. This peripheral loop will be a free breathe, enveloped by the smells of the sea from the proximity to the moats, a pause to dispel any lingering doubts about the use of the history of our civilizations. The MuCEM will be a vertical Casbah.
The tectonic choice of an exceptional concrete coming from the latest research by French industry, reducing the dimensions to little more than skin and bones, will affirm a mineral script under the high ramparts of Fort Saint-Jean. This sole material in the colour of dust, matt, crushed by the light, distant from the brilliance and technological consumerism, will commend the dense and the delicate. The MuCEM sees itself evanescent in a landscape of stone and Orientalist through its fanning shadows.
The Waiting Lounge Flowers
The Waiting Lounge Flowers
The waiting lounge is a place of human transition, where strangers weave a tapestry of silent experiences.
People occupy seats, orchestrating a symphony of hushed conversations and restless energy.
The air is full of anticipation, and a semblance of camaraderie ignites the room.
While some are lost in digital worlds, others watch planes on the tarmac.
Amidst the restless hum, some seek solace in nervous taps upon their thighs.
A young couple shares whispers of love and delicate secrets.
An elderly man turns time-worn pages, escaping into another world.
The collective yearning within is veiled by the dance of coffee and perfume.
Spontaneous children's laughter bounces between rows of chairs, filling the space with memory echoes of want.
A businessman's urgency is etched upon his face as his fingers dance within his keys.
Fleeting connections, forgotten glances, and stories that interlace and entwine.
Blossoming possibilities sprout within these transient walls like delicate flowers.
Departure looms, and the lounge pulses with energy, a portrait of imminent dispersal.
Strangers bound by purpose, threads of destiny intertwine.
Conversations are canvases and whispered brushstrokes paint the air.
Eyes are portals to distant skies, yearning for wings that will soon take flight.
Nervous rhythms and whispered rhymes form a symphony of unspoken desires.
Fragments of stories are whispered between sips of bitter coffee and sweet perfumes.
Nervous laughter cascades like an inconvenient rain, trying to wash away the burdens of waiting.
In this transient space, transitions unfurl, and the lounge becomes a confined meeting place of souls.
Blogger
www.jjfbbennett.com/2023/04/the-waiting-lounge-flowers.html
JJFBbennett Art Directory
Contemporary Positional Art and Socio-Fictional Writings
It is about being creative and innovative with knowledge
MuCEM + Fort Saint-Jean, Marseille, France - 2013 -Architects: Rudy Ricciotti and C+T architecture
Views, sea, sun, a mineral quality, which all must be orchestrated by a program that will become federal and cognitive. First of all a perfect square of 72 m per side, it is a classic plan, Latin, under the control of Pythagoras. Within this square, another of 52 m per side, comprising the exhibition and conference halls identified as the heart of the museum.
Around, above and below are the service areas. But between these areas and the heart, openings entirely bypass the central square and form interconnected spaces. More interested by the views of the fort, the sea or the port, the culturally overwhelmed visitor will choose this route. Along two interlacing ramps, he will then plunge into the imaginary of the tower of Babel or of a ziggurat in order to climb up to the rooftop and on to Fort Saint- Jean. This peripheral loop will be a free breathe, enveloped by the smells of the sea from the proximity to the moats, a pause to dispel any lingering doubts about the use of the history of our civilizations. The MuCEM will be a vertical Casbah.
The tectonic choice of an exceptional concrete coming from the latest research by French industry, reducing the dimensions to little more than skin and bones, will affirm a mineral script under the high ramparts of Fort Saint-Jean. This sole material in the colour of dust, matt, crushed by the light, distant from the brilliance and technological consumerism, will commend the dense and the delicate. The MuCEM sees itself evanescent in a landscape of stone and Orientalist through its fanning shadows.
The Uyghurs are a very welcoming Muslim Turkic ethnic group living in Eastern and Central Asia. About 7,2 millions of them live in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region at the western extremity of China. Though the Uyghur identity remains fragmented, Uyghur activists like Rebiya Kadeer mainly try to garner international support for the "rights and interests of the Uyghurs", including the right to demonstrate, although the Chinese government has accused her of orchestrating the deadly July 2009 Urumqi riots. Six Uyghur men were sentenced to death after the riots. Uyghurs are classified as a National Minority rather than an indigenous group and thus have no special rights to the land under the law. As a result of Han immigration and government policies, Uyghurs' freedoms of religion and of movement are curtailed. Tensions between Uyghurs and Han have resulted in several instances of violence and ethnic clashes.
© Eric Lafforgue
www.holyspiritspeaks.org/videos/hymn-how-god-rules-over-a...
Introduction
BestGospel Song | How Great Is Our God | "How God Rules Over All Things"
From the moment you come crying into this world,
you begin to perform your duty.
In the plan and ordination of God, you assume your role,
and begin the journey of life.
Whatever your background or the journey ahead of you,
none can escape the orchestration and arrangement that Heaven has in store,
and none are in control of their destiny,
for only He who rules over all things is capable of such work.
Since the day man came into existence,
God has been steady in His work,
managing this universe and directing the change and movement of all things.
Like all things, man quietly and unknowingly
receives
the nourishment of the sweetness and rain and dew from God.
Like all things, man unknowingly lives under the orchestration of God’s hand.
The heart and spirit of man are held in the hand of God,
and all the life of man is beheld in the eyes of God.
Regardless of whether or not you believe this,
any and all things, living or dead,
will shift, change, renew, and disappear according to God’s thoughts.
This is how God rules over all things.
from The Word Appears in the Flesh
Eastern Lightning,The Church of Almighty God was created because of the appearance and work of Almighty God, the second coming of the Lord Jesus, Christ of the last days. It is made up of all those who accept Almighty God's work in the last days and are conquered and saved by His words. It was entirely founded by Almighty God personally and is led by Him as the Shepherd. It was definitely not created by a person. Christ is the truth, the way, and the life. God's sheep hear God's voice. As long as you read the words of Almighty God, you will see God has appeared.
Terms of Use： en.godfootsteps.org/disclaimer.html
Italien / Belluno - Col die Lana vor Marmolta
seen from Passo di Valparola
gesehen vom Passo di Valparola
The Col di Lana is a mountain of the Fanes Group in the Italian Dolomites. The actual peak is called Cima Lana and situated in the municipality of Livinallongo del Col di Lana (German: Buchenstein) in the Province of Belluno, Veneto region.
History
World War I
During World War I the mountain, alongside the neighbouring Monte Sief, was the scene of heavy fighting between Austria-Hungary and Italy. It is now a memorial to the War in the Dolomites.
During the years of 1915/16, Italian troops from 12 infantry and 14 Alpini companies repeatedly attempted to storm the peak, defended first by the German Alpenkorps and later by Austro-Hungarian regiments. These attempts resulted in heavy losses; 278 Italians died due to avalanches alone. On 8 November 1915 the Italians, under the command of Lt. Col. Giuseppe Garibaldi II conquered the summit but then could only mount a weak defence with rag-tag units against a well orchestrated pincer manoeuvre: the top of the Col di Lana fell back to Austro-Hungarian troops early the next day. A terrible winter then set in, doing its fair share of killing. However this is not the only reason that the Italians dubbed it "Col di Sangue", "Blood Mountain". Like all sides in the First World War, the Italian Army sought to conquer the summit with relatively large forces, paying a high price in casualties.
In 1916, Col di Lana became the site of fierce mine warfare on the Italian Front. Lieutenant Caetani of the Italian engineers developed a plan for mining the peak, which was executed silently using hand-operating drilling machines and chisels. At the start of 1916, the Austro-Hungarian army learned through an artillery observer on Pordoi Pass that the Col di Lana summit had been mined. The Austro-Hungarians began a counter mine, and exploded this on 6 April 1916. The counter mine was, however, too far away from the Italian explosive tunnel. This was laid with five tonnes of blasting gelatin. On the night of 16/17 April 1916, the 5th Company of the 2nd Tyrolean Kaiserjäger regiment was relieved by the 6th Company, under Oberleutnant Anton von Tschurtschenthaler. The struggle reached its zenith on the night of 17/18 April 1916, when at around 23:30 the summit was blasted. The Austro-Hungarians under Tschurtschenthaler then had to surrender the mountain; however they were able to maintain a position on Monte Sief, which is linked to Col di Lana by a ridge, which was cut in two by a mine fired on 21 October 1917 by Austro-Hungarian soldiers, thereby obstructing the Italian breakthrough in the area.
Memorial
Today a memorial chapel stands on the summit as a memorial to the soldiers that fell in battle. The remains of a barracks and decaying gun and communications trenches have been left behind from the war. There is also a small war museum on the mountain.
The route is from Pieve di Livinallongo (1,465 m) via the Rifugio Pian della Lasta (1,835 m); there is a road as far as the hut.
(Wikipedia)
Marmolada (Ladin: Marmoleda; German: Marmolata, pronounced [maʁmoˈlaːta]) is a mountain in northeastern Italy and the highest mountain of the Dolomites (a section of the Alps). It lies between the borders of Trentino and Veneto. The Marmolada is an ultra-prominent peak (Ultra).
Geography
The mountain is located about 100 kilometres (62 mi) north-northwest of Venice, from which it can be seen on a clear day. It consists of a ridge running west to east. Towards the south it breaks suddenly into sheer cliffs, forming a rock face several kilometres long. On the north side there is a comparatively flat glacier, the only large glacier in the Dolomites (the Marmolada Glacier, Ghiacciaio della Marmolada).
The ridge is composed of several summits, decreasing in altitude from west to east: Punta Penia 3,343 metres (10,968 ft), Punta Rocca 3,309 metres (10,856 ft), Punta Ombretta 3,230 metres (10,600 ft), Monte Serauta 3,069 metres (10,069 ft), and Pizzo Serauta 3,035 metres (9,957 ft). An aerial tramway goes to the top of Punta Rocca. During the ski season the Marmolada's main ski run is opened for skiers and snowboarders alike, making it possible to ski down into the valley.
History
Paul Grohmann made the first ascent in 1864, along the north route. The south face was climbed for the first time in 1901 by Beatrice Tomasson, Michele Bettega and Bartolo Zagonel.
Until the end of World War I the border between Austria-Hungary and Italy ran over Marmolada, so it formed part of the front line during that conflict. Austro-Hungarian soldiers were quartered in deep tunnels bored into the northern face's glacier, and Italian soldiers were quartered on the south face's rocky precipices. It was also the site of fierce mine warfare on the Italian Front. As glaciers retreat, soldiers' remains and belongings are occasionally discovered.
(Wikipedia)
Der Col di Lana (ladinisch Col de Lana) ist ein 2462 m s.l.m. hoher Berg in der Fanesgruppe in den Dolomiten. Er liegt bei Livinallongo del Col di Lana (deutsch: Buchenstein) in der Provinz Belluno (Italien).
Der Berg war wie der benachbarte Monte Sief im Ersten Weltkrieg zwischen Österreichern und Italienern heftig umkämpft und ist heute ein Mahnmal des Krieges in den Dolomiten.
Kämpfe 1915/16
12 italienische Infanterie- und 14 Alpini-Kompanien unternahmen 1915/16 immer wieder verlustreiche Versuche, den zuerst vom Deutschen Alpenkorps und dann von Österreichisch-Ungarischen Truppen besetzten Gipfel zu stürmen, wobei allein durch Lawinen 278 Italiener ums Leben kamen. Doch nicht nur deshalb bekam der Berg von den Italienern auch den Namen „Col di Sangue“, „Blutberg“. Die italienische Armee versuchte wie alle anderen kriegführenden Parteien des Ersten Weltkriegs, durch den Einsatz von verhältnismäßig vielen Soldaten den Gipfel zu erobern, wobei große eigene Verluste in Kauf genommen wurden.
Der als Pionier eingesetzte italienische Leutnant Gelasio Caetani entwarf schließlich den Plan zur Unterminierung des Berges, die geräuscharm mit Handbohrmaschinen und Meißeln erfolgte. Anfang 1916 erkannten die Österreicher durch einen Artilleriebeobachter am Pordoijoch, dass der Berggipfel unterminiert wurde. Die Österreicher begannen, einen Gegenstollen anzulegen, und sprengten diesen am 5. April 1916. Diese Gegenmine war allerdings zu weit entfernt vom italienischen Sprengstollen. Dieser wurde mit 5 t Sprenggelatine geladen. In der Nacht vom 16. auf 17. April 1916 wurde die 5. Kompanie des 2. Regiments der Tiroler Kaiserjäger durch die 6. Kompanie unter Oberleutnant Anton von Tschurtschenthaler abgelöst. Ihren Höhepunkt fanden die Kämpfe in der Nacht vom 17. auf den 18. April 1916, als der Gipfel um 23:30 Uhr gesprengt wurde. Die Österreicher unter von Tschurtschenthaler mussten den Berg daraufhin aufgeben; sie konnten sich jedoch am Monte Sief, der mit dem Col di Lana durch einen Gipfelgrat verbunden ist, behaupten und so einen italienischen Durchbruch in dieser Gegend verhindern.
Auf dem Gipfel befindet sich heute eine Kapelle zum Andenken an die im Krieg gefallenen Soldaten. Aus der Kriegszeit sind noch verfallene Schützen- und Laufgräben und einige Barackenreste erhalten, und es gibt ein kleines Museum über die Kämpfe.
Wegenetz
Ein Anstieg erfolgt von Pieve di Livinallongo (1465 m) über das geschlossene Rifugio Alpino auf dem Pian della Lasta (1835 m); bis zur Hütte gibt es einen Fahrweg. Die Rundumsicht schließt im Norden die weiteren Gipfel der Fanesgruppe, im Osten die Tofane und die Nuvolaugruppe, im Südosten die Civettagruppe, im Südwesten die Marmolatagruppe und im Westen die Sellagruppe ein.
Wolkenkreuz
Aus dem Jahr 1915 wird eine kreuzförmige Wolkenformation über dem Col di Lana berichtet, die als "Wolkenkreuz vom Col di Lana" ("Nube a forma di croce") bekannt ist. Andere Quellen datieren die Erscheinung mit September 1938 als Vorbote der Katastrophe des Zweiten Weltkriegs, aber auch als Zeichen der Hoffnung auf die Vergänglichkeit der "gottlosen Ideologie des Nationalsozialismus".
(Wikipedia)
Die Marmolata (italienisch Marmolada, ladinisch Marmoleda, der Name soll von der Ähnlichkeit des Felsens mit Marmor herrühren) ist der höchste Berg der Dolomiten und Teil der Marmolatagruppe. Die Marmolata ist ein westöstlich verlaufender Gratrücken, der von der Punta Penia (3343 m s.l.m.) über die Punta Rocca (3309 m s.l.m.) und die Punta Ombretta (3230 m s.l.m.) zum Pizzo Serauta (3035 m s.l.m.) und der Punta Serauta (3069 m s.l.m.) führt. Dieser Gratrücken bricht nach Süden in einer geschlossenen, zwei Kilometer breiten und bis zu 800 Meter hohen Steilwand ins Ombrettatal ab. Die auf der Nordseite zum Passo Fedaia vergleichsweise sanft abfallende Flanke trägt den einzigen größeren Gletscher der Dolomiten (Ghiacciaio della Marmolada).
Zur Geschichte der Marmolata
Die Sage vom Marmolatagletscher
Eine Südtiroler Sage erklärt (ätiologisch) den Ursprung des Marmolatagletschers so: Ursprünglich gab es auf der Marmolata kein Eis und Schnee, sondern fruchtbare Almen und Wiesen. Vor einem Marienfeiertag im August unterbrachen die Bauern wie üblich die Heuernte und gingen ins Tal, um in die Kirche zu gehen. Doch zweien war die gebotene Feiertagsruhe gleichgültig, sie arbeiteten den ganzen Feiertag durch, um ihr Heu noch trocken in die Heuschober zu bringen. Tatsächlich fing es auch gleich an zu schneien. Doch es schneite immer weiter und hörte gar nicht mehr auf, bis schließlich die ganze Marmolata von einem Gletscher bedeckt war. Eine andere Version berichtet von einer gottlosen Gräfin, welche die Bauern zur Heuarbeit gezwungen hatte. Während sich die Bauern retten konnten, wurde die Gräfin samt Gesinde von den Schneemassen begraben.
Die Besteigungsgeschichte bis 1914
Am 3. August 1802 erreichen drei Priester (Don Giovanni Costadedòi, Don Giuseppe Terza, Don Tommaso Pezzei), ein Chirurg (Hauser) und ein bischöflicher Richter (Peristi) vom Passo Fedaia aus den Höhenkamm bei der Punta di Rocca. Beim Abstieg verliert die Gruppe Don Giuseppe Terza vermutlich durch Spaltensturz. Es ist ein Unfall, der dem Aberglauben neue Nahrung gab, was dazu beigetragen haben mag, dass erst 50 Jahre später ein neuer Besteigungsversuch unternommen wurde. Diesmal waren es drei Priester aus dem Bereich Agordo (Don Pietro Munga, Don Alessio Marmolada, Don Lorenzo Nikolai) und der 17-jährige Adelsspross Gian Antonio De Manzoni. Als Führer der Gruppe wird der bergerfahrene „Führer“ Pellegrino Pellegrini engagiert, der den Gämsjäger Gasparo de Pian mitnimmt. Diese Sechsergruppe steigt am 25. August 1856 vom Passo Fedaia, mit einfachen Steigeisen ausgerüstet, über den Gletscher zum Grat an und bezeichnet sich als Erstbesteiger, obwohl ihr Bericht keinen Nachweis enthält, dass man die Punta di Rocca tatsächlich bestiegen hat.
1860 bezeichnet sich John Ball (mit dem Führer Victor Tairraz und John Birkbeck) ebenfalls als Erstersteiger der Marmolata, was jedoch widerlegt wurde.
Tatsächlich wurde die Punta Rocca erst im Juli 1862 vom Wiener Bergsteiger und Gründungsmitglied des Österreichischen Alpenvereins Paul Grohmann auf der Nordroute bestiegen. Er fand weder auf dem kurzen, schwierigen Gipfelgrat, noch auf dem Gipfel Besteigungsspuren. Die um 35 Meter höhere Punta Penia wird am 28. September 1864 ebenfalls von Paul Grohmann gemeinsam mit den beiden Bergführern Angelo und Fulgenzio Dimai bestiegen. In den 1880er Jahren nimmt das Dolomitenbergsteigen einen gewaltigen Aufschwung, was zur Errichtung von Schutzhütten am Fedaiasattel (Alpenvereinssektion Bamberg) und beim Ombrettapass (Contrinhaus der Alpenvereinssektion Nürnberg) führt. Die Sektion Nürnberg bemühte sich auch um einen relativ einfach zu begehenden Weg auf die Punta Penia und finanziert die Versicherung des Westgrates, der von Hans Seyffert, Eugen Dittmann mit Führer Luigi Rizzi am 21. Juli 1898 erstbestiegen wurde. Der sehr beliebte, exponierte Klettersteig wurde am 5. August 1903 eröffnet.
Den ersten Weg durch die Südwand (Schwierigkeitsgrad II) fanden die Bergführer Cesare Tomè, Santo De Toni und ihr Begleiter Luigi Farenza am 21. August 1897 mit Hilfe einer Schlucht. Den Grat erreichten sie allerdings zwei Kilometer östlich des Hauptgipfels. Die erste Südwandroute auf die Punta Penia, die heute als „Via Classica“ (IV) bekannt ist, wurde am 1. Juni 1901 von den Bergführern Michele Bettega, Bortolo Zagonel und der Britin Beatrice Tomasson eröffnet.
Die Marmolata und der Erste Weltkrieg
Die Marmolata war im Ersten Weltkrieg als Grenzberg zwischen Österreich-Ungarn und Italien Frontgebiet. Die österreichischen Stellungen verliefen vom Passo Fedaia über den Sasso Undici zur Forcella Serauta und weiter entlang des Kammes nach Westen. Die italienischen Stellungen befanden sich ostwärts bzw. südlich davon. Die Italiener bemühten sich vor allem entlang des Grates Richtung Punta Rocca vorzudringen, was jedoch auch unter Einsatz von Sprengstollen nicht gelang. Um den Nachschub zu den Stellungen am Kamm sicherzustellen, gruben bzw. sprengten die Österreicher Stollen in den Gletscher, die neben der Versorgung auch Unterkunftszwecken dienten, was zur Errichtung einer regelrechten „Eisstadt“ führte. In Zusammenhang mit diesen Kampfhandlungen steht auch das größte Lawinenunglück der Alpingeschichte. Am 13. Dezember 1916 verschüttete eine Nassschneelawine das westlich des Fedaiapasses gelegene österreichische Reservelager Gran Poz, wobei an die 300 Soldaten ums Leben kamen (→ Lawinenkatastrophe vom 13. Dezember 1916).
Die Erschließung ab 1918
Nach dem Krieg schreiben vom 8. bis 9. September 1929 Luigi Micheluzzi, Roberto Perathoner und Demetrio Christomannos mit der Ersteigung des Südpfeilers der Punta Penia (VI) Alpingeschichte. Sie hatten lediglich ein Hanfseil mit und schlugen ganze sieben Haken. Bezüglich der korrekten Besteigung tauchten allerdings Zweifel auf. Jedenfalls bezeichneten einige Nachbegeher (Fritz Kasparek, Hans Steger) diesen Weg als den schwierigsten ihrer Kletterlaufbahn, vor dem Zweiten Weltkrieg wird er lediglich sieben Mal begangen. Mit der Südwestwand der Punta Penia (VI+) durch Gino Soldà und Umberto Conforto und vor allem mit der ebenfalls 1936 durch die von Batista Vinatzer und Ettore Castiglioni erstiegenen Südwand der Punta di Rocca (VI+) kamen noch vor dem Zweiten Weltkrieg hervorragende Routen dazu. Die Vinatzerführe trug lange Zeit den Ruf der schwierigsten Dolomitenführe. Nach dem Krieg trugen sich mit Armando Aste, Toni Egger, Claudio Barbier, Walter Philipp und Georges Livanos Spitzen des Nachkriegsbergsteigens in die Liste der Erstbegeher ein. In den 1980er Jahren sollte sich zeigen, dass die schon beendet erschienene Erschließung durch die Freikletterbewegung neue Impulse erhielt. Eine neue Generation eroberte die Silberplatten, wobei vor allem Heinz Mariacher Pionierarbeit leistete. Bekannt wurde auch der Weg durch den Fisch (IX-), den tschechische Bergsteiger erstbegingen.
Tourismus heute
Über die Westseite des Gletschers verläuft der anspruchsvollste Teil des sogenannten Dolomiten-Höhenweges Nr. 2. Auf die Punta Penia führt ein Klettersteig mit der Schwierigkeits-Bewertung B vom Contrinhaus auf der Südseite via Marmolatascharte und Westgrat (daher der Name Westgrat-Klettersteig). Der Klettersteig trägt auch den Namen Hans-Seyffert-Weg. Eine sehr eindrucksvolle Bergtour führt am Fuß der Marmolata-Südwand von Malga Ciapela über den Passo Ombretta und das Contrinhaus nach Alba bei Canazei.
Auf die Marmolata führt auch eine Seilbahn; die in den Jahren 2004 und 2005 erneuerte Anlage führt in drei Abschnitten von Malga Ciapela (1467 m s.l.m.) über die Stationen Banc/Coston d'Antermoia (2350 m) und Serauta (2950 m) auf die Punta Rocca (3265 m). Das in die Seilbahnstation Serauta integrierte Gebirgskriegsmuseum in 2950 m Seehöhe ist das wohl höchstgelegene Museum Europas. Von der Bergstation Punta Rocca lässt sich durch einen Stollen unschwer das kleine Felsheiligtum Madonna della Neve erreichen, das Papst Johannes Paul II. bei einem Besuch persönlich konsekriert hat.
Eine der längsten Schiabfahrten der Alpen, die Bellunese, führt bei einem Höhenunterschied von fast 1900 m und ca. 12 km Länge von der Punta Rocca über den Passo Fedaia nach Malga Ciapela.
Bis etwa 2000 fand zudem auf dem Marmolata-Gletscher Sommerskifahren mit einigen Schleppliften statt; dieses Angebot wurde danach seltener und 2005 dann auf Druck von Umweltschutzverbänden komplett gestrichen. Zudem gab es bis zum Jahr 2008 eine weitere Liftkette von der Passhöhe des Fedaiapasses zur Punta Serauta, dann wurde jedoch zuerst 2008 der Schlepplift stillgelegt, und 2012 wurde die Talstation der Sesselbahn auf der Passhöhe durch einen Brand zerstört und seitdem nicht wieder aufgebaut. Die hierdurch stark verminderte Kapazität und der große Andrang führen zu regelmäßigen Wartezeiten von einer Stunde und mehr bei der Talstation der nun einzigen Seilbahn auf die Marmolata in Malga Ciapela.
Berghütten im Marmolata-Gebiet:
Rifugio Contrin (2016 m, A.N.A., traditionsreiches Haus südwestlich der Marmolata-Südwand)
Rifugio Falier (2074 m, CAI, am Fuß der Marmolata-Südwand im Val Ombretta)
Bivacco Marco Dal Bianco (2727 m, Biwakschachtel am Passo Ombretta)
Capanna Punta Penia (3340 m, privat, kleine Schutzhütte unmittelbar in Gipfelnähe)
(Wikipedia)
Hartline, Washington: before breakfast-o’clock in the midst of temperatures tumbling into inhumane depths; when one can scarcely feel his digits ditch lights reach into the darkness and find Conductor Gary Durr wading through drifted and drifting snow to hold a job briefing with Dave Reagan, his Engineer, where Durr will briefly escape the inclemency in the relative warmth of the cab as they assess the situation and plan their next few moves. Railroaders have been at war with the elements for generations, hence there is nothing extraordinary about this scene. Yet, it is a glimpse into one such campaign in that perpetual conflict between man; his machines; his – a la Nietzsche – indomitable Will to Power and what is Force Majeure. To-wit: the crew confronts myriad complications: frozen switch locks; compacted, snowed in switches and “throwing” them means throwing your back – all your living and dead might – into bending frozen steel to one’s will; bad, if not non-existent footing; air hoses and the air that passes through them frozen, unbendable and impassable; not to mention the overarching mental and physical fatigue all while ensuring that each move is orchestrated according to a detailed, sequential plan: switches lined, handbrakes set, derails dropped, cars properly spotted, working in between unaired cars and 200-plus-ton locomotives. These men; this Band of Brothers, they have each other’s six every-single-step of the way for any lapse or deviation from said maneuver or miscommunication is consequential. The demand for unflagging concentration is nothing short of supreme as the wind mercilessly knifes its icy blades into any exposed skin and through as many layers of clothing, and any romantic notion of railroading leaves you as quickly as the boreal vacuum sucks the warmth from your body. (30Dec16 ©)
Anton Bruckner (1824 –1896) was an Austrian composer known for his symphonies, masses, and motets.
Anton Bruckner was born in this house in Ansfelden near Linz in Upper Austria that I visited last week.
Success came late in his life, but since his death he has been increasingly admired for his intricate counterpoint and expressive orchestration.
Listen here to Sir Simon Rattle who is speaking about Bruckner´s Symphony 4
Dutch photographer Ellen Kooi received her art education at the Art Academy ABK Minerva in Groningen, Netherlands and completed her post graduate studies in Art at the Rijksacademy in Amsterdam. Shot at a wide angle, landscape orientation, the beguiling color and natural scenery of her images contradict the intense orchestration of her compositions. Hours of labored control over lighting and arrangement of her subjects are part of each photograph. Every image appears to have been shot in the middle of a dark fairytale set in the hinterlands of Holland. Uncanny disquiet weaves a characteristic thread through the narrative non-linear style of her larger body of work.
Her work has been featured in exhibitions at numerous national and international institutions, including recently at the Institut Néerlandais, Paris, France in 2010. Her work is also exhibited at The Fields Sculpture Park at Omni International Arts Center in Ghent, New York; Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Castilla Y León in Spain; the Moscow House of Photography in Russia; Speed Art Museum in Louisville, Kentucky; and Hague Museum of Photography in the Netherlands. Her work is part of the public collections of both national and international institutions such as Museo de Arte Contemporaneo de Castilla Y Leon; 21c Museum in Louisville, Kentucky; the French State Collection in Paris; the Marsh Collection in London; the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Netherlands, and many others. This year her work will be featured in OFF-SPRING: New Generations, a group show at 21c Museum, Cincinnati, Ohio. Kooi currently lives and works in the Netherlands and has exhibited with Catharine Clark Gallery since 2007.
MuCEM + Fort Saint-Jean, Marseille, France - 2013 -Architects: Rudy Ricciotti and C+T architecture
Views, sea, sun, a mineral quality, which all must be orchestrated by a program that will become federal and cognitive. First of all a perfect square of 72 m per side, it is a classic plan, Latin, under the control of Pythagoras. Within this square, another of 52 m per side, comprising the exhibition and conference halls identified as the heart of the museum.
Around, above and below are the service areas. But between these areas and the heart, openings entirely bypass the central square and form interconnected spaces. More interested by the views of the fort, the sea or the port, the culturally overwhelmed visitor will choose this route. Along two interlacing ramps, he will then plunge into the imaginary of the tower of Babel or of a ziggurat in order to climb up to the rooftop and on to Fort Saint- Jean. This peripheral loop will be a free breathe, enveloped by the smells of the sea from the proximity to the moats, a pause to dispel any lingering doubts about the use of the history of our civilizations. The MuCEM will be a vertical Casbah.
The tectonic choice of an exceptional concrete coming from the latest research by French industry, reducing the dimensions to little more than skin and bones, will affirm a mineral script under the high ramparts of Fort Saint-Jean. This sole material in the colour of dust, matt, crushed by the light, distant from the brilliance and technological consumerism, will commend the dense and the delicate. The MuCEM sees itself evanescent in a landscape of stone and Orientalist through its fanning shadows.
God Himself, the Unique III God’s Authority (II)
God's word: “3. Believing in Fate Is No Substitute for a Knowledge of the Creator’s Sovereignty
After being a follower of God for so many years, is there a substantial difference between your knowledge of fate and that of the worldly people? Have you truly understood the predestination of the Creator, and truly come to know the Creator’s sovereignty? Some people have a profound, deeply-felt understanding of the phrase “that’s fate,” yet they do not in the least bit believe in God’s sovereignty, do not believe that human fate is arranged and orchestrated by God, and are unwilling to submit to the sovereignty of God. Such people are as if adrift on the ocean, tossed by the waves, floating with the current, with no choice but to wait passively and resign themselves to fate. Yet they do not recognize that human fate is subject to God’s sovereignty; they cannot come to know God’s sovereignty on their own initiative, and thereby achieve knowledge of God’s authority, submit to God’s orchestrations and arrangements, stop resisting fate, and live under God’s care, protection, and guidance. In other words, accepting fate is not the same thing as submitting to the Creator’s sovereignty; belief in fate does not mean that one accepts, recognizes, and knows the Creator’s sovereignty; belief in fate is just recognition of this fact and this outer phenomenon, which is different from knowing how the Creator rules humanity’s fate, from recognizing that the Creator is the source of dominion over the fates of all things, and even more from submitting to the Creator’s orchestrations and arrangements for humanity’s fate. If a person only believes in fate—even feels deeply about it—but is not thereby able to know, recognize, submit to, and accept the Creator’s sovereignty over the fate of humanity, then his or her life will nonetheless be a tragedy, a life lived in vain, a void; he or she will still be unable to become subject to the Creator’s dominion, to become a created human being in the truest sense of the phrase, and enjoy the Creator’s approval. A person who truly knows and experiences the Creator’s sovereignty should be in an active, not passive or helpless state. While at the same time accepting that all things are fated, he or she should possess an accurate definition of life and fate: that every life is subject to the Creator’s sovereignty. When one looks back upon the road one has walked, when one recollects every phase of one’s journey, one sees that at every step, whether one’s road was arduous or smooth, God was guiding one’s path, planning it out. It was God’s meticulous arrangements, His careful planning, that led one, unknowingly, to today. To be able to accept the Creator’s sovereignty, to receive His salvation—what great fortune that is! If a person’s attitude toward fate is passive, it proves that he or she is resisting everything that God has arranged for him or her, that he or she does not have a submissive attitude. If one’s attitude toward God’s sovereignty over human fate is active, then when one looks back upon one’s journey, when one truly comes to grips with God’s sovereignty, one will more earnestly desire to submit to everything that God has arranged, will have more of the determination and confidence to let God orchestrate one’s fate, to stop rebelling against God. For one sees that when one does not comprehend fate, when one does not understand God’s sovereignty, when one gropes forward willfully, staggering and tottering, through the fog, the journey is too difficult, too heartbreaking. So when people recognize God’s sovereignty over human fate, the smart ones choose to know it and accept it, to bid farewell to the painful days when they tried to build a good life with their own two hands, instead of continuing to struggle against fate and pursue their so-called life goals in their own manner. When one has no God, when one cannot see Him, when one cannot clearly recognize God’s sovereignty, every day is meaningless, worthless, miserable. Wherever one is, whatever one’s job is, one’s means of living and the pursuit of one’s goals bring one nothing but endless heartbreak and irrelievable suffering, such that one cannot bear to look back. Only when one accepts the Creator’s sovereignty, submits to His orchestrations and arrangements, and seeks true human life, will one gradually break free from all heartbreak and suffering, shake off all the emptiness of life.”
Recommended for You: God's Work
Daniel Rolander (1725-1793), a rather gruff and short-fused man, was one of Great Linnaeus's many students. A general biologist, he specialised in botany and entomology. In 1755 he travelled to Surinam in South America and amassed a large collection of specimens. Upon his return to Europe, Rolander fell out with his envious teacher Linnaeus. The latter - green with envy for that Srinan Collection - even orchestrated a break-in to steal some of Rolander's specimens. Rolander had no way to counter Linnaeus's jealous slanders against him; he fell more and more into his rough and non-polished ways; the scientific community increasingly ignored him; he died in poverty.
Part of his collection came into the hands of another of Linnaeus's students who was himself the founder of an Herbarium (Hortus Botanicus Bergianus) still today in existence: Pehr Jonas Bergius (1730-1790). Rolander had enriched, writes Bergius in 1772, his own collection with many of the plants he'd collected in South America. One of those plants which Bergius describes 'for the public' is this pretty grass.
Paspalum conjugatum goes by many common names; in Malaysia it's known as Rumput kerbau, Buffalo Grass. It's become naturalised here. Though it's not the kind of grass the horticulturalists of the KLCC Park like to see in their lawns, here and there it pops up in the 'rougher' areas which don't often see grass cutters.
A rather tall, thin plant, it's quite easy to understand how difficult it is to draw and engrave for a page in an average-sized book if you want to show some of the character of the 'flower heads'. Bergius in his 1772 description comes up with a good solution. The engraving there shows the entire plant with the stalk bent downward in the middle. That gave the artist the possibility to draw the roots as well as the 'head' in some detail. Great solution.
The green in the background is that of the nicely manicured lawn right next to the KLCC Park mosque.
MuCEM + Fort Saint-Jean, Marseille, France - 2013 -Architects: Rudy Ricciotti and C+T architecture
Views, sea, sun, a mineral quality, which all must be orchestrated by a program that will become federal and cognitive. First of all a perfect square of 72 m per side, it is a classic plan, Latin, under the control of Pythagoras. Within this square, another of 52 m per side, comprising the exhibition and conference halls identified as the heart of the museum.
Around, above and below are the service areas. But between these areas and the heart, openings entirely bypass the central square and form interconnected spaces. More interested by the views of the fort, the sea or the port, the culturally overwhelmed visitor will choose this route. Along two interlacing ramps, he will then plunge into the imaginary of the tower of Babel or of a ziggurat in order to climb up to the rooftop and on to Fort Saint- Jean. This peripheral loop will be a free breathe, enveloped by the smells of the sea from the proximity to the moats, a pause to dispel any lingering doubts about the use of the history of our civilizations. The MuCEM will be a vertical Casbah.
The tectonic choice of an exceptional concrete coming from the latest research by French industry, reducing the dimensions to little more than skin and bones, will affirm a mineral script under the high ramparts of Fort Saint-Jean. This sole material in the colour of dust, matt, crushed by the light, distant from the brilliance and technological consumerism, will commend the dense and the delicate. The MuCEM sees itself evanescent in a landscape of stone and Orientalist through its fanning shadows.
Recommended music:
idk, listen to Certain Kind of Magic in the background
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ARCH0MEN, the Cyber-Sukeban Leak Queen of Tokyo.
She had made a name for herself during the Orbit Wars, orchestrating many of the high-profile leaks against government and corporate interests. Not to mention being the face of countless online smear campaigns against political and big business types. It didn’t take long for her to decide to make a show (or more aptly, sideshow) out of it.
Almost a decade later, and she was still going strong. There was a reason she was still getting views. Her charismatic snark and prowess in the news leak world gave her a steady viewership and a loyal cult following. Even if you didn’t care much about the infosphere, her personality was enough to keep you tuned in.
Being Japanese, all her shows were recorded only in her native tongue. However, she utilized advanced speech synthesis software to translate herself into a wide range of languages, always having a unique yet entirely lifelike voice depending on your language setting.
Lip sync wasn’t an issue. To mask her identity, she always wore a black bandana over her face. Overtop it was projected a virtual cartoonish Oni mouth, automated and animated to sync up with whatever regional translation you were listening to. It was almost seamless, but any bugs were simply brushed off as part of her glitchy aesthetic.
Her style was typical of the Neo-Tokyo trends; dark colored pleather, plastic, and semi-synthetic fibers, all tightly worn over her petite form. Her large, spiked, dyed hair helped further mask her identity. Only one eye was left fully visible. Eyes are the window to the soul, after all. Everything else was hidden behind thick purple strands of hair. Face analysis dazzle camouflage, popular among some of the more notorious or paranoid of the virtual world.
As was usual for her set up, she was cloaked in shadows and red edge lighting. A glossy glass tabletop sat in front of her like some parody of a news anchor. In the background was a wall made of nothing but TV displays, old and new, flickering with static or cycling through any random channel every few seconds.
She sat straight on toward the camera with her hands cupped together.
“Hello, hello, and welcome again to 0men At Night!” she began cheerfully. “I’m your wonderful loveable hostess, The ARCH0MEN…mh, granted you aren’t part of the Global 500, that is. I have a bad habit of ruffling their feathers...” she raised a hand over her mouth and let out a mischievous giggle.
“To start our night off, here’s your Leak of the Week! Tonight’s leak comes from Japan’s very own Hachitekku Mechatronics, provided by a very generous informant who shall as usual remain unnamed…
“Hachitekku is currently working on an upgrade to their Bolt lineup of proxy models. Some say you can’t improve upon perfection – in my humble opinion-“ she raised a hand over her chest with a prideful look, “-but apparently the engineers at Hachitekku believe otherwise. My informant tells me that the project’s objective is to focus on improving durability and survivability, implementing the most advanced metallurgyyyy-…et cetera, et cetera…” She twirled her fingers, as if growing bored of the technical jargon.
“-Well, as many of you may recall, in our previous episodes we leaked that Hachitekku has been on a binge of quietly buying out many of Japan’s leading tech and industry startups. Clearly not a coincidence. Ever heard of the old adage ‘competition breeds innovation’? Well, our friends on Hachijo seem to be choosing instead to simply buy out the competition and reap the benefits. But such is how the business world goes, shady practices and all.
“A release date has yet to be announced, obviously, since the project is still in prototype stage. Though surely this broadcast will help speed up the process. You’re welcome.” Her catchphrase.
She cocked her head to the side and gave her trademarked smug smile through her eyes. At this point her software knew it well enough, and the animated Oni mouth transformed to match it.
She continued-
“I just hope the software will finally be prepackaged instead of being sold separately. It is such a pain always having to pirate it...” She leaned in,
“Hint, hint.”
She readjusted herself as her face took on a more neutral appearance.
“Moving on to more serious news: There has been yet another attempt at revealing the identity of yours truly. I obviously won’t mention the poor soul who was falsely identified. She has already been through more than enough the past week, and out of respect I will refrain from delving into any of the personal attacks she has faced. I do have standards after all, despite what the media claims. But rest assured, I and my inner circle have worked tirelessly to ensure her safety.
“In the meantime, gracious members from our Shanghai chapter have successfully tracked down the would-be doxxers. The group responsible appear to be sponsored by the People’s Republic of Beijing, most likely in retaliation for my previous slanders of your marvellous little communist dictatorship. Try harder next time, boys. ROC is best China.
“Unfortunately I don’t think we have the time to list everyone involved, because I do have the full list. Perhaps we’ll have an episode dedicated to that later this week. But just to serve as a little warning-“
She turned her head and gazed into the camera, as if addressing someone personally.
“Wei Sing. I’d expect far better data encryption from a person in your line of work. Quite the cultured man, you are! ‘Futa’, ‘femdom’, ‘female-on-male’, very…*interesting*…tastes, if I might say. Perhaps your glorious leader would like to hear the full list, hmm? Or maybe he and your comrades would prefer a more visual medium? I’ve come to find out it goes well beyond your search history. I certainly have the juicy vid files as proof, and I bet the audience would just love to see them!”
After a moment of pause, her posture slumped. Her carefree, self-satisfied aura vanished. She narrowed her eyes and stared deep into the camera. They were full of malice.
“You don’t want to play this game.” She droned without emotion. “You really don’t want to play this game.”
A few seconds went by before she finally breathed a sigh.
“Moving on-!“ she forced a smile.
Her chipper personality returned as she recomposed herself.
“Turning our attention over to America: Another day, another stock exchange financier is revealed to be human excrement. At this point I should just make a segment dedicated to it. It’s basically become a monthly event…But, I digress!
“Andy Florance. Owner of a lovely little flat in lower Manhattan. Just turned 27, happy belated birthday by the way. You all should know the story by now; silver spooned upbringing, some young Mr. Big, caught in a web of embezzlement and fraud, the usual scumbag-ary we’ve come to expect from the wonderful world of Wall Street.
“BUT, here’s the rotten cherry on top: the fund he was working for? The Rightful Passage Foundation…a charity foundation…dedicated to giving third world victims of the Choke a proper burial.”
She paused for a moment and blinked with wide eyes, just to let it sink in.
“Yes, you heard that right! This fine example of wasted genes was siphoning money away from the literal bones of dead African children! To finance underwater Miami CASINOS of all things!” she spoke with exuberance, as if trying to embody the absurdity of the situation. “Just-…it takes effort to be that much of a human septic tank.” She spat out the last three words with vitriol.
“A New York watchdog organization had already uncovered the story before I was able to get to it. Not that I’m complaining; I tip my hat to you. Got anymore scoops, hook me up!" She hastily added, making a calling gesture with her fingers.
“He was promptly brought into custody once all this came to light, and the RPF made quick at publicly denouncing him. From what I’ve heard, his future doesn’t sound very bright.
“It didn’t take long for the police body camera footage to leak of his arrest, and it is…just beautiful. I won’t show the full clip here. RATHER, I’ll save it for our Hour of 0men Weekly Roundup later this week, and we’ll take all the time we need laughing at him blubbering like a baby for minutes on end! Mark your calendars, you won’t want to miss it!
“Unfortunately that marks the end of our show tonight. But be sure to keep tuning in for future episodes! Same time, same place, same marvellous face! Sweet dreams, and remember… 0men is always watching.” She stared ominously into the camera, before glitching out in her usual outro.
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I had WAAAAY too much fun writing this character...
I AM UNASHAMED TO ADMIT THE PRIMARY INSPIRATION BEHIND HER. Aside from that; a hint of WikiLeaks, a smidgen of VTuber, a health dash of smarmy edgy political YouTuber. I'll definitely go into more detail with her in the future
Looking at the actual "scene", you can see why this took over a month to finish. Me and my stupid obsessive attention to detail, putting an excessive amount of effort into thumbnails for in-universe content creators (majority actually inspired by YouTubers I follow). Although I will say, I am extremely proud of how it all turned out. Nothing quite like that dopamine rush when your art comes out perfect.
This chapter is nearly done! We've got two more parts! The end is in sight!!
If you fave, comment as well!
The show is organised by the Hong Kong Tourism Board and is displayed every night with good weather at 8 pm Hong Kong Time (UTC+8). An orchestration of music, decoration lights, laser light displays, and pyrotechnic fireworks, the multimedia light and sound show lasts for around 14 minutes and was conceptualised, created, and installed by LaserVision.
The best vantage points include the "Avenue of Stars" on the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront, on the waterfront promenade outside the Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai and on sightseeing ferries (i.e. Star Ferry) running across the Victoria Harbour. The Show's music and narration live at the "Avenue of Stars" and the promenade outside the Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai every night. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays the narration is in English, while it is in Mandarin on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and Cantonese on Sundays.
Special pyrotechnic fireworks will be added to the show on the rooftop of participating buildings on both sides of the harbour or stages off at the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront. They are used on special events or holidays, like Chinese New Year and Christmas.
Nottingham has a large Ukrainian community and on Sunday 27th February 2022 there was a demonstration against the unprovoked attacks on Ukraine, the invasion and subsequent war orchestrated by the war criminal Putin. I cannot believe that the Russian people are behind this Hitleresque war in Europe in the 21st century. Ukraine is fighting back against the mightiest army in the world with a ferocity that must have taken Putin by surprise.
Slava Ukraini! (Glory to Ukraine)
Italien / Südtirol - Col di Lana und Monte Civetta
seen from Pralongià
gesehen von der Pralongià
Pralongià High Plateau
The flower meadows of the Pralongià, the “Amphitheatre of the Dolomites”, are accessible by funicular from Corvara.
Between Corvara, La Villa and San Cassiano there’s a special natural highlight at 2,100 m a.s.l. - the Pralongià High Plateau known as the “Amphitheatre of the Dolomites” for the stunning panoramic views it offers: it includes the Fanes Group with Mt. Piz Cunturines, the Puez Group with Mt. Sassongher and the mighty glacier of Mt. Marmolada. In between there’s the homonymous mountain hut (2,157 m a.s.l.), dating back to 1932, which also offers overnight stays.
The high plateau invites both in summer and winter to beautiful snowshoe tours, MTB rides and hikes: the Alta Badia High Route (6 days) as well as the Dolomite High Route no. 9 pass here. From the wide and easy paths of the highland you can ascend to the peak of Mt. Piz Sorega, the Col Alto and the Piz la Ila. The Pralongià High Plateau is accessible by the homonymous funicular (2 sections) starting near the Alta Badia Golf Club in Corvara.
(alta-badia.org)
The Col di Lana is a mountain of the Fanes Group in the Italian Dolomites. The actual peak is called Cima Lana and situated in the municipality of Livinallongo del Col di Lana (German: Buchenstein) in the Province of Belluno, Veneto region.
History
World War I
During World War I the mountain, alongside the neighbouring Monte Sief, was the scene of heavy fighting between Austria-Hungary and Italy. It is now a memorial to the War in the Dolomites.
During the years of 1915/16, Italian troops from 12 infantry and 14 Alpini companies repeatedly attempted to storm the peak, defended first by the German Alpenkorps and later by Austro-Hungarian regiments. These attempts resulted in heavy losses; 278 Italians died due to avalanches alone. On 8 November 1915 the Italians, under the command of Lt. Col. Giuseppe Garibaldi II conquered the summit but then could only mount a weak defence with rag-tag units against a well orchestrated pincer manoeuvre: the top of the Col di Lana fell back to Austro-Hungarian troops early the next day. A terrible winter then set in, doing its fair share of killing. However this is not the only reason that the Italians dubbed it "Col di Sangue", "Blood Mountain". Like all sides in the First World War, the Italian Army sought to conquer the summit with relatively large forces, paying a high price in casualties.
In 1916, Col di Lana became the site of fierce mine warfare on the Italian Front. Lieutenant Caetani of the Italian engineers developed a plan for mining the peak, which was executed silently using hand-operating drilling machines and chisels. At the start of 1916, the Austro-Hungarian army learned through an artillery observer on Pordoi Pass that the Col di Lana summit had been mined. The Austro-Hungarians began a counter mine, and exploded this on 6 April 1916. The counter mine was, however, too far away from the Italian explosive tunnel. This was laid with five tonnes of blasting gelatin. On the night of 16/17 April 1916, the 5th Company of the 2nd Tyrolean Kaiserjäger regiment was relieved by the 6th Company, under Oberleutnant Anton von Tschurtschenthaler. The struggle reached its zenith on the night of 17/18 April 1916, when at around 23:30 the summit was blasted. The Austro-Hungarians under Tschurtschenthaler then had to surrender the mountain; however they were able to maintain a position on Monte Sief, which is linked to Col di Lana by a ridge, which was cut in two by a mine fired on 21 October 1917 by Austro-Hungarian soldiers, thereby obstructing the Italian breakthrough in the area.
Memorial
Today a memorial chapel stands on the summit as a memorial to the soldiers that fell in battle. The remains of a barracks and decaying gun and communications trenches have been left behind from the war. There is also a small war museum on the mountain.
The route is from Pieve di Livinallongo (1,465 m) via the Rifugio Pian della Lasta (1,835 m); there is a road as far as the hut.
(Wikipedia)
Monte Civetta (3,220 m) is a prominent and major mountain of the Dolomites, in the Province of Belluno in northern Italy. Its north-west face can be viewed from the Taibon Agordino valley, and is classed as one of the symbols of the Dolomites.
The mountain is thought to have been first climbed by Simeone di Silvestro in 1855, which, if true, makes it the first major Dolomite peak to be climbed. The north-western face, with its 1,000-metre-high cliff, was first climbed in 1925 by Emil Solleder and Gustl Lettenbauer. It is historically considered the first "sixth grade" in six-tier scale of alpinistic difficulties proposed by Willo Welzenbach (corresponding to 5.9). Thirty years later UIAA used this as a basis for its grading system.
The famed Svan mountain climber Mikhail Khergiani died in a climbing accident on Monte Civetta in 1969.
(Wikipedia)
Hochebene des Pralongià
Die Blumenwiesen der Pralongià, das “Amphitheater der Dolomiten”, sind von Corvara aus mit der Seilbahn erreichbar.
Zwischen Corvara, Stern (La Villa) und St. Kassian befindet sich auf rund 2.100 m Meereshöhe ein ganz besonderes Ausflugsziel: das “Amphitheater der Dolomiten”. Die wunderschöne Hochebene des Pralongià bietet einen Rundumblick auf die majestätischen Gipfel der Dolomiten, u.a. auf die Fanesgruppe mit der Cunturinesspitze, auf die Puezgruppe mit dem Sassongher und auf den beeindruckenden Gletscher der Marmolata. Mitten auf dem Hochplateau befindet sich seit 1932 die gleichnamige Schutzhütte (2.157 m ü.d.M.), die auch Übernachtungen anbietet.
Die Pralongià-Hochebene lädt Sommer wie Winter zu ausgedehnten Schneeschuh-Touren, MTB-Touren und Wanderungen ein: Hier führt der Alta Badia Höhenweg (6 Tage) und der Dolomiten Höhenweg Nr. 9 vorbei. Von den breiten und leichten Wegen der Hochebene aus geht es zudem weiter zum Gipfel des Piz Sorega, zum Col Alto und Piz la Ila. Erreichbar ist Pralongià mit der gleichnamigen Seilbahn (2 Sektionen), die nahe des Golfplatzes in Corvara startet.
(alta-badia.org)
Der Col di Lana (ladinisch Col de Lana) ist ein 2462 m s.l.m. hoher Berg in der Fanesgruppe in den Dolomiten. Er liegt bei Livinallongo del Col di Lana (deutsch: Buchenstein) in der Provinz Belluno (Italien).
Der Berg war wie der benachbarte Monte Sief im Ersten Weltkrieg zwischen Österreichern und Italienern heftig umkämpft und ist heute ein Mahnmal des Krieges in den Dolomiten.
Kämpfe 1915/16
12 italienische Infanterie- und 14 Alpini-Kompanien unternahmen 1915/16 immer wieder verlustreiche Versuche, den zuerst vom Deutschen Alpenkorps und dann von Österreichisch-Ungarischen Truppen besetzten Gipfel zu stürmen, wobei allein durch Lawinen 278 Italiener ums Leben kamen. Doch nicht nur deshalb bekam der Berg von den Italienern auch den Namen „Col di Sangue“, „Blutberg“. Die italienische Armee versuchte wie alle anderen kriegführenden Parteien des Ersten Weltkriegs, durch den Einsatz von verhältnismäßig vielen Soldaten den Gipfel zu erobern, wobei große eigene Verluste in Kauf genommen wurden.
Der als Pionier eingesetzte italienische Leutnant Gelasio Caetani entwarf schließlich den Plan zur Unterminierung des Berges, die geräuscharm mit Handbohrmaschinen und Meißeln erfolgte. Anfang 1916 erkannten die Österreicher durch einen Artilleriebeobachter am Pordoijoch, dass der Berggipfel unterminiert wurde. Die Österreicher begannen, einen Gegenstollen anzulegen, und sprengten diesen am 5. April 1916. Diese Gegenmine war allerdings zu weit entfernt vom italienischen Sprengstollen. Dieser wurde mit 5 t Sprenggelatine geladen. In der Nacht vom 16. auf 17. April 1916 wurde die 5. Kompanie des 2. Regiments der Tiroler Kaiserjäger durch die 6. Kompanie unter Oberleutnant Anton von Tschurtschenthaler abgelöst. Ihren Höhepunkt fanden die Kämpfe in der Nacht vom 17. auf den 18. April 1916, als der Gipfel um 23:30 Uhr gesprengt wurde. Die Österreicher unter von Tschurtschenthaler mussten den Berg daraufhin aufgeben; sie konnten sich jedoch am Monte Sief, der mit dem Col di Lana durch einen Gipfelgrat verbunden ist, behaupten und so einen italienischen Durchbruch in dieser Gegend verhindern.
Auf dem Gipfel befindet sich heute eine Kapelle zum Andenken an die im Krieg gefallenen Soldaten. Aus der Kriegszeit sind noch verfallene Schützen- und Laufgräben und einige Barackenreste erhalten, und es gibt ein kleines Museum über die Kämpfe.
Wegenetz
Ein Anstieg erfolgt von Pieve di Livinallongo (1465 m) über das geschlossene Rifugio Alpino auf dem Pian della Lasta (1835 m); bis zur Hütte gibt es einen Fahrweg. Die Rundumsicht schließt im Norden die weiteren Gipfel der Fanesgruppe, im Osten die Tofane und die Nuvolaugruppe, im Südosten die Civettagruppe, im Südwesten die Marmolatagruppe und im Westen die Sellagruppe ein.
Wolkenkreuz
Aus dem Jahr 1915 wird eine kreuzförmige Wolkenformation über dem Col di Lana berichtet, die als "Wolkenkreuz vom Col di Lana" ("Nube a forma di croce") bekannt ist. Andere Quellen datieren die Erscheinung mit September 1938 als Vorbote der Katastrophe des Zweiten Weltkriegs, aber auch als Zeichen der Hoffnung auf die Vergänglichkeit der "gottlosen Ideologie des Nationalsozialismus".
(Wikipedia)
Der Monte Civetta – meist nur Civetta (ital. für Eule) genannt – ist ein 3220 m s.l.m. hoher Berg in den Dolomiten und gibt der Civettagruppe ihren Namen, welche in der italienischen Provinz Belluno (Region Venetien) liegt.
Der Berg liegt östlich des Val Cordevole, südlich des Val Fiorentina und westlich des Val di Zoldo und bildet gemeinsam mit einigen kleineren Gipfeln die Civetta-Moiazza-Gruppe. Diese 6 km lange Gruppe bildet eine hohe Felsmauer, die gegen Westen über 1000 m abfällt. Sie bildet folgende Gipfel aus (von Nord nach Süd): Monte Coldai (2396 m), Torre Coldai (2600 m), Torre d’Alleghe (2649 m), Torre di Valgrande (2715 m), Punta Civetta (2892 m), Monte Civetta (3220 m), Piccola Civetta (3207 m), Cime di Mede (2504 m), Torre Venezia (2337 m), Cima delle Busazze (2894 m) und Monte Moiazetta (2727 m).
Der Gipfel selbst wurde in den 1860er Jahren durch den Jäger Simeone De Silvestro erstmals bestiegen. Seine Route, die heute übliche Normalroute (Tivanweg), führt vom Val di Zoldo aus über die SO-Flanke des Berges. Ein anderer Anstieg ist die teilweise gesicherte Via ferrata degli Alleghesi, die über den Ostpfeiler der Punta Civetta und den Nordgrat des Civetta-Hauptgipfels führt. Hier sind immer wieder auch Gehstrecken zu bewältigen. Die Via ferrata Attilio Tissi (diese ist sehr steinschlaggefährdet) und die Via ferrata Costantini (Moiazza) gehören zu den anspruchsvollsten Klettersteigen der Dolomiten.
Nordwestwand
Die Civetta-Nordwestwand stand in den 1920er Jahren im Mittelpunkt des alpinistischen Interesses. Emil Solleder und Gustl Lettenbauer konnten dann die über 1000 Meter hohe Wand am 7. August 1925 erstmals durchsteigen. Sie gilt als eine der schwersten Klettereien ihrer Zeit und wurde mit den 6. Grad eingestuft.
Berghütten in der Civettagruppe:
Rif. Coldài (2132 m; CAI) – im Norden
Rif. Tissi (2262 m; CAI) – in aussichtsreicher Lage am Fuß der Civetta-Westwand
Rif. Vazzoler (1714 m; CAI) – Standquartier im Süden für beliebte Klettertouren (Torre Trieste, Torre Venezia)
Rif. Carestiato (1834 m; CAI) – am Fuß der Moiazza, im Südosten gelegen
Rif. Torrani (2984 m; CAI) – direkt unterhalb des Hauptgipfels
Eine eindrucksvolle Bergwanderung führt vom Val Zoldana (Forcella Staulanza bzw. Palafavera) zur Coldaihütte, von dort vorbei am Coldaisee zur Tissihütte und zum Rif. Vazzoler; über das Rif. Carestiato erreicht man den Passo Duran. Dieser Weg ist zugleich einer der schönsten Abschnitte des Dolomiten-Höhenweges 1.
Wichtigster Talort ist Alleghe am gleichnamigen See im Cordevoletal.
(Wikipedia)
Moab, UT - At first I thought it was the spicy buffalo jerky that was making me hallucinate, but then after gathering my thoughts in the far corner of the mind I had realized that I wan't experiencing an altered reality. This valley of wind and water shaped rock (these structures are commonly called fins) was real.
I have seen these before but that didn't keep my jaw from hitting the floor (again). It took millions of years to create this art work, the slowest paint-strokes are still pressing on the canvas of Utah. The low sun and cooperative clouds showed up on time as if orchestrated by luck.
My heart sank a little once I heard the transmitted broadcast from Jericho; a disgraced, fallen agent--once a pilot. It turned out he was the one leaked the truths out, secrets untold. But this meant we would be attracting the banes of our existence, the Exiled Spectres—who have taken over this once rightful agency.
The more we encounter, the more destruction happens, as if the end looks closer than ever. We're right at the command center, the bastion of a climax.
From my brief imprisonment until my release just now, the revelations grew bigger. I witnessed the confrontation of men and women, their words like knives plunged towards each other. Actions speak louder than words.
North: “Let us in, and I will end your lives swiftly without ease, or just allow you to rot inside. Your choices, your fate. I promise, it will not be painful.”
Sabine: “The truth, the further it will bring your downfall. Choose wisely—either die or come out. Aunt Antonia, this was your choice, and you brought this upon yourself.”
Raze: “Do not leak a word! I...this is madness, North! You cannot...”
North: “Pity you were my half sister, Antonia. The only good things that come out is honesty, rather than your lies and deception. You could not even handle your niece...like her father, you were weak. Always. And when she was untamed, she came to me, and joined me.”
Raze: “You murdered our eldest brother because you sought power…killed those agents to grab a serum, you orchestrated from the lab explosions to Japan and nearly global event--”
North: “Triggering a chain reaction. Precisely. I was the better strategist. The plans were always in motion."
Raze: "I should have killed you when we were children. But I was were too late. Mother should have murdered you in childbirth."
North: "What else would I have done? I never liked any of you anyways--my siblings. I abhorred everyone, except for Sabine. You think you're not so different from me, Antonia? When you tried to build an army amongst your coven, lying to your own kind so you could harvest them one day…for the true purpose of rebelling me. That came very close to earning my respect, but it was just a little.”
Raze: "I'm doing what I'm doing."
North: "Maliciousness. Wonderful. That was the only greatest trait you ever had, and I liked it. But now...you're nothing."
I hear voice loud enough to seek through every wall. Weapons drew from both sides. Gamma, Avalon and the rest of the agency was there to stop the assault—so did the enemy.
But Mason Gardner was there. He was briefly re-energized, standing in his own suit. Last I remember he was knocked out, but how'd he get up so quick?
Mason: “…I will not let monsters decide who I am…I am one already…just like the rest. The rest of all recordings lie in my hands, and Paladin will go down as corrupt and immoral for the rest of history. I’m far from dead already…my body can no longer contain my powers. But I will make this worth your while.”
North: “The challenger arrives! How unexpected. Let us in, and I I will finish you.”
Mason: “We shall see through the net. Activate the doors, now.”
Upon his order, the doors quickly open, but not Gardner emits a green blast of energy through the glass panes. The direction hits towards the warlord’s direction, striking him behind a few blocks of walls. He was live bait, like a fish. Realizing their master was attacked, the Spectres reacted quickly, as they raised their guns at him, firing every shred of bullet. And so it continues.
Smoke wallowed away as North emerged unscathed, creating a black shield that engulfed him in the process. His armour was covered in grime and dust. He chuckled to himself before nodding to Sabine, who herself dashed towards Gardner, fiercely brimming with rage. Holding the lava axe, she attempted to create an opening, but her efforts stopped by Edens and Raze’s timely mind control, telekinetic powers kept her at bay. She was levitating in the air, struggling to break free. Meanwhile, the Arden brothers, Gary, Lyra, Kieran and Sam came dashing from the southeast corridor, and rushed to their aid. The moment they came, they quickly exchanged gunfire against the Spectres, killing a few.
Edens: “You were among the brightest, but you never succeeded. Intelligence and arrogance blinded you too far. You know your niece is just like another experiment. She means nothing to you.”
North: “As if. I pity you, Remus. If you were as sentimental like the rest, unlike Antonia, you were the closest to my equal…to control the superhuman race.”
Edens: “Control? No. This is not forsaken. I do it for humanity, and science. But that won't change anything this instance. We both know this damage cannot be undone, and I carry it for eternity—the namesake will fall beside me.”
North: “How the tides have turned since we first met. You place your guilt on yourself, thinking about atonement! That is incorrigible."
Edens: "Morality? We're both sinners, North. This makes no difference."
Having grown so impatient, North fires a blast of crackling black energy towards the professor. Edens…the scapegoat. Now the new target. Taking the fall. Is this heroic blame?
But North was a cunning fellow. He still many tricks in his sleeve—retaliating with white energy, projected from his mind, he blocked North's energy. For a brief minute, both Paladin and the Spectres paused their infighting during the ensuing struggle. Amusement and surprise from many faces. But it was battle of indeed. If that is so, then Edens and North must have been classmates in the past, like Raze as well. The scientist connection of developing superhumans confirms my theory now. The first batch of experiments before it became a global thing of the future.
Mason: “No! Don’t do this! You'll die too, Remus!”
Edens: “You can still be saved, Mason. Go and help the others. This is where it ends; the project and the plans. Everything must go down. I'm sorry, but this is why I cannot forgive myself!”
Mason: “You can’t atone for the crimes of the board alone! I know you've done a lot of things, but you have to turn Raze in as well!”
Edens: "You are already doing it. Achieving what is meant to be."
After his giant blast, Gardner realizes he's already used up so much power. He is in his absolute weakened state, struggling so much that he could die any minute. But he didn't care. He simply picked himself up among the chaos, his face battered, his nose bleeding. An absolute mess, like he was gonna melt too. I immediately do a quick scan in my eyes, and my readings show his life vitals are dropping too fast. Sam pounces over on my side, trying reach over to Gardner but I stop him. I give a quick nod to him, and briefly inform with Avalon and Gamma teams on the comms. Realizing there is no time and no choice left, the teams agree in unison as they continue fighting together alongside the Paladin agents.
Remus starts to lose control as North’s power starts overpowering the latter, his right arm starting to build up more black energy. The effort is strong enough for Remus to resist, as the clash looks like is about to end. Until Gardner limps in front of his mentor, channelling his own powers. He is struck as Gardner is taking hit after hit, which I realize...are killing his organs. Shit.
Edens: “Mason, what are you doing, get off!”
Mason: “Doing what needs to be done. I have barely enough minutes to save everyone…everything I want and need to hear… I’m sorry, Remus…”
And in the engulfing explosion, I black out, and everyone is spread across the giant command center.
***
I wake up in rubbles, as electricity and clutter are all mixed together. The destruction has exposed me to the air. I do another quick scan, the environments are basically nothing more than scrap.
Within the next instant, I can feel my shoulders and back being really painful, probably hitting a wall or something. The other heroes rise up slowly, but I can tell they are hurt. In my peripheral state, I can see Riley, Harry, Tyrone and Erin approaching their fallen comrades. Kieran’s arm is hurt bad, and so is Lyra, who is regenerating slowly, Sam is probably hurt too. Seems like the two teams are injured, but fine. That is a relief.
Despite my wounds, I keep scanning for to see anyone else still alive, with many Spectres laying dead on the floor, and maybe half of Paladin agents also gone—but North or Sabine are nowhere to be seen. My heart races faster, but I have to stay calm and focus. "Come on old man", I mutter to myself. And close to the window’s edge outside, there was a badly charred Mason Gardner, lying down on a bed of stones. He is bleeding badly, his suit damaged and his body is burnt from severe burns.
Mason: “Hhhh…where...is everyone...anyone? Anyone?!”
Kurt: “We’re here. We’re all here.”
Mason: “Edens?”
Kurt: “He’s right over there….yeah, behind me.”
Edens: “Mason. Mason, look at me.”
Mason: “I…I feel so in pain…but now it feels free…our secrets are all out. I can go rest peacefully now…here, a recording. Let everyone know my final will…”
Edens: “Wait—what if I could transfer your consciousness? It could save your life! Mason, please, don't..."
Both Gamma and Avalon members stood behind both of us, except Harry, who was nowhere to be seen. I swear he was there a moment ago, but he left so abruptly. But amidst the mess, everyone was staring at their friend, drowned in sorrow. Tyrone hugs Erin, Connor and Jesse help the injured Kieran on his shoulders, while Gary helps Riley stay still. Lyra begins to sob in Sam's shoulders.
Mason: “What’s worth if I could stay longer and assist her? Yvette…my sister…is a grown woman already…*cough*…she can figure herself out…I want her to continue my legacy anyway…she is the last true successor of…of the Gardner family.”
Edens: “But your life, it can be valuable…”
Mason: “You’re valuable. All…my friends here…are valuable….”
Edens: “I can still save you, please hang on to me!”
Mason: “Not it’s not, Remus. You can’t…I, I know everyone tried, every medicine I’ve taken…it worn save me. I knew this…from day one. They all endorsed, supported…me…but I’m not even fit to run for mayor. *Chokes* I'm so tired. But...I need you need to tell my sister….I love her…and I...I love you all…”
“Please take care of her for me.”
And he breathed one last time, with a tear rolling down his face, his visor broken.
On a Friday night, Mason Gardner died approximately around 2:30 A.M.
***
“We have reports that a explosion happened at a building today…sources confirmed that it was an agency’s building, known as Paladin. They have been hiding in secret…”
“Multiple leaks detailing the agency’s shady activities have been released, as the moon evacuation was a hoax, people are to be sent home while local authors take a deeper investigation as Antonia Raze, the chairperson of the agency, is being under arrest for breaching rules…”
“Mason Gardner dies at 38, in an attempt to release confidential info of his association and involvement with the agency, but did not leak names except files of the high ranking board. The CIA and various authorities are looking at it. Business partners have dropped out after alliances were revealed to be...”
News. Media. They’re everywhere. We’re in the open now, exposed, aware to the world. There is too much to undo, given how much we were independent in the first place. A supposedly neutral ground catering to the highest bastion, to oversee those with powers and undertaking missions that involved superhumans/superpowers. That was the mantra. A piece of the rulebook that everyone should have known.
But regardless of the aftermath, there was always consequences—North was right. He wanted to usurp power but it turned out to be the Paladin itself, an agency of chaos. The conflicts bred violence, as people would riot on the streets, on a larger scale. The world had turned itself into fear, succumbing to the worst in technology. In time, agents of Paladin left, disillusioned with secrets, while some stayed. The uprising against superhumans was true, exposed to a new light.
Was it going to be the end of Paladin?
I don't know.
Richard Georg Strauss (Múnich; 11 de junio de 1864 - Garmisch-Partenkirchen; 8 de septiembre de 1949) fue un destacado compositor y director de orquesta alemán cuya larga trayectoria abarca desde el romanticismo tardío hasta la primera mitad del siglo XX. Es conocido particularmente por sus óperas, poemas sinfónicos y Lieder. Strauss, junto con Gustav Mahler, representa el extraordinario florecimiento tardío del romanticismo germánico después de Richard Wagner, en el cual un desarrollo elaborado y complejo de la orquestación se une a un estilo armónico avanzado. La música de Strauss influyó profundamente en el desarrollo de la música del siglo XX.
es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Strauss
es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categoría:Óperas_de_Richard_Strauss
Richard Georg Strauss (11 June 1864 – 8 September 1949) was a German composer, conductor, pianist, and violinist. Considered a leading composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras, he has been described as a successor of Richard Wagner and Franz Liszt. Along with Gustav Mahler, he represents the late flowering of German Romanticism after Wagner, in which pioneering subtleties of orchestration are combined with an advanced harmonic style.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Strauss
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_operas_by_Richard_Strauss
La Ópera Estatal de Viena (en alemán: Wiener Staatsoper), ubicada en Viena, Austria, es una de las más importantes compañías de ópera mundiales. Hasta 1920 se llamó Teatro de la Ópera de la Corte Imperial y Real de Viena (k.k. Hof-Operntheater). Es el centro neurálgico de la vida musical vienesa y uno de los polos de atracción del mundo musical.
El teatro original de la Ópera Estatal (conocido entonces como K. (Kaiserliches) k. (königliches) Hof-Operntheater, Teatro de la Ópera de la Corte Imperial y Real), un edificio neorrenacentista muy criticado por los vieneses cuando se construyó entre 1861 y 1869, según un proyecto de los arquitectos vieneses Eduard van der Nüll y August Sicard von Sicardsburg. Ambos arquitectos fallecieron antes de ver terminado el edificio (van der Nüll se suicidó y su compañero Sicardsburg murió poco después de un ataque al corazón). En la decoración interior participaron otros renombrados artistas, particularmente el pintor Moritz von Schwind, que pintó los famosos frescos del foyer y la terraza. El teatro fue inaugurado el 25 de mayo de 1869 con la ópera de Mozart Don Giovanni.
Durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial, el edificio fue bombardeado por la aviación el 12 de marzo de 1945 y posteriormente un incendio destruyó totalmente el escenario y la sala de espectadores. Casi todo el decorado para más de 120 óperas con cerca de 150 000 trajes resultaron destruidos. Sólo se salvaron la fachada principal, la gran escalinata y el vestíbulo con los frescos de Schwind. La Ópera Estatal se albergó temporalmente en el Theater an der Wien y en la Volksoper.
Justo después del final de la guerra, en mayo de 1945, se anunció que los trabajos de reconstrucción se iniciarían inmediatamente. El proyecto contemplaba la reconstrucción de la sala con un diseño similar al original, pero con decoración más acorde con las tendencias de diseño de la época, si bien se mantuvieron los colores tradicionales, rojo, oro y marfil. Toda la sala se recubrió en madera, con el fin de recuperar la brillante acústica original. Se redujo el número de asientos del patio de butacas y se reestructuró el cuarto piso para eliminar las columnas, que reducían la visibilidad. La fachada, el vestíbulo y el foyer de Schwind se restauraron en su estilo original.
El teatro reconstruido, con 2284 plazas (en lugar de las 2881 originales), se reabrió el 5 de noviembre de 1955, poco después de la firma del tratado que restableció a Austria como Estado independiente, con la representación de la ópera de Beethoven Fidelio dirigida por Karl Böhm.
Actualmente, la Staatsoper de Viena es uno de los teatros de ópera más importantes y de mayor prestigio y tradición del mundo. La programación sigue el sistema de "repertorio", en el que la compañía residente, apoyada por los más importantes cantantes de ópera del mundo, representa un cierto número de obras del repertorio de la compañía, que se van rotando o alternando durante toda una temporada, en la que se pueden alcanzar las 300 representaciones, entre ópera, ballet y ópera infantil, desde principios de septiembre hasta finales de junio.1 En una misma temporada se pueden alternar alrededor de 53 títulos de ópera y 9 de ballet, de los cuales alrededor de ocho serán estrenos de nuevas producciones.
Desde 2010, la Ópera Estatal de Viena ha sido pionera en la transmisión en directo de sus espectáculos a través de internet. Mediante un sistema de vídeo bajo demanda y por subscripción, el teatro ofrece hasta 45 espectáculos (ópera y ballet) por temporada, a través de navegadores de internet, o diferentes aplicaciones para dispositivos de reproducción.
En mayo de 2019, la Staatsoper celebró el 150 aniversario del edificio de la Ringstrasse, con una serie de actos y exposiciones conmemorativas en el edificio, que culminaron con el estreno de una nueva producción de Die Frau ohne Schatten el 25 de mayo, y con un gran concierto al aire libre, en el exterior del teatro, el día 26.
es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ópera_Estatal_de_Viena
The Vienna State Opera (German: Wiener Staatsoper) is an opera house and opera company based in Vienna, Austria. The 1,709-seat Renaissance Revival venue was the first major building on the Vienna Ring Road. It was built from 1861 to 1869 following plans by August Sicard von Sicardsburg and Eduard van der Nüll, and designs by Josef Hlávka. The opera house was inaugurated as the "Vienna Court Opera" (Wiener Hofoper) in the presence of Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Elisabeth of Austria. It became known by its current name after the establishment of the First Austrian Republic in 1921.
The members of the Vienna Philharmonic are recruited from the Vienna State Opera's orchestra. The building is also the home of the Vienna State Ballet, and it hosts the annual Vienna Opera Ball during the carnival season.
The Vienna State Opera is closely linked to the Vienna Philharmonic, which is an incorporated society of its own, but whose members are recruited from the orchestra of the Vienna State Opera.
The Wiener Staatsoper is one of the busiest opera houses in the world producing 50 to 60 operas in a repertory system per year and ten ballet productions in more than 350 performances. It is quite common to find a different opera being produced each day of a week. The Staatsoper employs over 1000 people. As of 2008, the annual operating budget of the Staatsoper was 100 million euros with slightly more than 50% as a state subsidy.
Win, Place and Show!
**ATTENTION**: I have a confession. In a sick, feeble, humiliating attempt to capture some 'awesome street raw', I slunk in on the back end of this scene and grabbed an unscrupulous capture that was completely orchestrated by my BdK compadre, Franky2step . He cajoled these fine, young ladies into a group hug and I simply, like a sly dog from Sudbury, snapped up the pieces. I got caught. I admit comp stomp flagrance. Shame on me.
His wonderful capture is here: disinterested, tolerant, ham .
The leaf-rolling weevils are admirably evolved to perform their family-building activities. Inside their meticulously rolled leaf are their eggs which, when they hatch, will have their first meal directly from the leaf that harbors them.
See comments for additional image.....
The leaves are rolled by a pair of beetles without use of silk or adhesives but through a carefully orchestrated series of cuts, crimps and creases enabled by their overdeveloped necks, a feature that have earned them the colloquial name of giraffe weevils.
Pu'er, Yunnan, China
Poem.
Oh, bright new day.
A fiery glow in the eastern sky, silhouettes the hills above
the distant shoreline, of the iconic, Loch Lomond.
A plethora of tantalising islands blacken the indigo hills
of the far shore, five to six miles away.
Breathless silence orchestrates the first hour of a spectacular dawn.
The dichotomy is whether to just stay here and see this loch’s vistas transform as the light intensifies; or race on and see other venues unfold their beauty to this slow but ravishing pyrotechnic display of an exquisite sunrise.
Many children took the day off school without permission to force action in response to rising temperatures. As one sign said, youth were ‘skipping lessons to teach one’. Orchestrated across 150 countries, protestors will hope they have sent a clear message ahead of the UN Climate Action Summit in New York on Monday.
La Rocco Tower is surrounded by the sea at half tide, but at low tide it can easily be reached from the shore.
It was severely damaged during or shortly after World War Two, but not through its use as a target for German gunnery practice, as is commonly believed. In the 1970s public demand, orchestrated by the then Rector of St John, the Rev Peter Manton, led to the States of Jersey deciding to repair and restore the tower.
This history is based on an article by Paula Thelwell in the Jersey Evening Post in August 2019
La Rocco Tower was built between 1796 and 1801 to guard St Ouen's Bay from attack by the French at a time when France and Great Britain were sworn enemies.
It was one of 30 coastal towers proposed by Sir Henry Seymour Conway to be built around the coastline when he was appointed Governor of Jersey. His target was not met, because La Rocco was the 23rd and last built to Conway's design. It was the largest and most heavily armed of the series.
It was originally named Gordon's Tower, after the Lieut-Governor of the time, Lieut-General Andrew Gordon, but that found little favour with islanders.
The tower's military role declined in the second half of the 19th century and in 1923 the States bought the site from the Crown for £100, to provide a landmark for shipping, and under an obligation to maintain it in good condition.
During the Occupation the Germans fortified St Ouen's Bay, which they believed was the most likely beach for an Allied landing. They adapted La Rocco Tower and laid landmines around it. The accidental detonation of some of these in 1943 caused significant damage, in particular a breach of the southern part of the gun platform, that allowed the sea to get in.
Legend also has it that the tower was further damaged by German soldiers at gun emplacements around the bay using it for target practice.
In the 20 years after the Liberation constant pounding by rough seas left the structure on the verge of collapse. This would have suited the States, who had decided to let it fall into the sea. But the then Rector of St John, the Rev Peter Manton, was having nothing of that and devoted 12 years from the mid-1950s to saving the tower.
He was of the opinion that the terms of acquisition obliged the States to restore it.
Estimates of the costs were obtained and in April 1967 the Public Works Committee were told that it would cost between £50,000 and £90,000. There was no appetite among politicians to foot the bill from the public purse.
By then La Rocco was in a parlous state. Half of the terrace had been swept away and sea erosiion had reached the foundations of the tower itself. Simply to undertake essential repair work before a full restoration could begin would cost £35,000.
Italien / Belluno - Marmolata und Col di Lana
seen from Small Lagazuoi
gesehen vom Kleinen Lagazuoi
Marmolada (Ladin: Marmolèda; German: Marmolata, pronounced [maʁmoˈlaːta]) is a mountain in northeastern Italy and the highest mountain of the Dolomites (a section of the Alps). It lies between the borders of Trentino and Veneto. The Marmolada is an ultra-prominent peak (Ultra), known as the "Queen of the Dolomites".
Geography
The mountain is located about 100 kilometres (62 mi) north-northwest of Venice, from which it can be seen on a clear day. It consists of a ridge running west to east. Towards the south it breaks suddenly into sheer cliffs, forming a rock face several kilometres long. On the north side there is a comparatively flat glacier, the only large glacier in the Dolomites (the Marmolada Glacier, Ghiacciaio della Marmolada).
The ridge is composed of several summits, decreasing in altitude from west to east: Punta Penia 3,343 metres (10,968 ft), Punta Rocca 3,309 metres (10,856 ft), Punta Ombretta 3,230 metres (10,600 ft), Monte Serauta 3,069 metres (10,069 ft), and Pizzo Serauta 3,035 metres (9,957 ft). An aerial tramway goes to the top of Punta Rocca. During the ski season the Marmolada's main ski run is opened for skiers and snowboarders alike, making it possible to ski down into the valley.
History
Paul Grohmann made the first ascent in 1864, along the north route. The south face was climbed for the first time in 1901 by Beatrice Tomasson, Michele Bettega and Bartolo Zagonel.
Until the end of World War I the border between Austria-Hungary and Italy ran over Marmolada, so it formed part of the front line during that conflict. Austro-Hungarian soldiers were quartered in deep tunnels bored into the northern face's glacier, and Italian soldiers were quartered on the south face's rocky precipices. It was also the site of fierce mine warfare on the Italian Front. As glaciers retreat, soldiers' remains and belongings are occasionally discovered.
On July 3, 2022, a serac collapsed which led to the sliding downstream of over 200 000 m3 of ice and debris, killing eleven people and wounding eight more.
(Wikipedia)
The Col di Lana is a mountain of the Fanes Group in the Italian Dolomites. The actual peak is called Cima Lana and situated in the municipality of Livinallongo del Col di Lana (German: Buchenstein) in the Province of Belluno, Veneto region.
History
World War I
During World War I the mountain, alongside the neighbouring Monte Sief, was the scene of heavy fighting between Austria-Hungary and Italy. It is now a memorial to the War in the Dolomites.
During the years of 1915/16, Italian troops from 12 infantry and 14 Alpini companies repeatedly attempted to storm the peak, defended first by the German Alpenkorps and later by Austro-Hungarian regiments. These attempts resulted in heavy losses; 278 Italians died due to avalanches alone. On 8 November 1915 the Italians, under the command of Lt. Col. Giuseppe Garibaldi II conquered the summit but then could only mount a weak defence with rag-tag units against a well orchestrated pincer manoeuvre: the top of the Col di Lana fell back to Austro-Hungarian troops early the next day. A terrible winter then set in, doing its fair share of killing. However this is not the only reason that the Italians dubbed it "Col di Sangue", "Blood Mountain". Like all sides in the First World War, the Italian Army sought to conquer the summit with relatively large forces, paying a high price in casualties.
In 1916, Col di Lana became the site of fierce mine warfare on the Italian Front. Lieutenant Caetani of the Italian engineers developed a plan for mining the peak, which was executed silently using hand-operating drilling machines and chisels. At the start of 1916, the Austro-Hungarian army learned through an artillery observer on Pordoi Pass that the Col di Lana summit had been mined. The Austro-Hungarians began a counter mine, and exploded this on 6 April 1916. The counter mine was, however, too far away from the Italian explosive tunnel. This was laid with five tonnes of blasting gelatin. On the night of 16/17 April 1916, the 5th Company of the 2nd Tyrolean Kaiserjäger regiment was relieved by the 6th Company, under Oberleutnant Anton von Tschurtschenthaler. The struggle reached its zenith on the night of 17/18 April 1916, when at around 23:30 the summit was blasted. The Austro-Hungarians under Tschurtschenthaler then had to surrender the mountain; however they were able to maintain a position on Monte Sief, which is linked to Col di Lana by a ridge, which was cut in two by a mine fired on 21 October 1917 by Austro-Hungarian soldiers, thereby obstructing the Italian breakthrough in the area.
Memorial
Today a memorial chapel stands on the summit as a memorial to the soldiers that fell in battle. The remains of a barracks and decaying gun and communications trenches have been left behind from the war. There is also a small war museum on the mountain.
The route is from Pieve di Livinallongo (1,465 m) via the Rifugio Pian della Lasta (1,835 m); there is a road as far as the hut.
(Wikipedia)
Die Marmolata (italienisch Marmolada, ladinisch Marmoleda, der Name soll von der Ähnlichkeit des Felsens mit Marmor herrühren) ist der höchste Berg der Dolomiten und Teil der Marmolatagruppe. Die Marmolata ist ein westöstlich verlaufender Gratrücken, der von der Punta Penia (3343 m s.l.m.) über die Punta Rocca (3309 m s.l.m.) und die Punta Ombretta (3230 m s.l.m.) zum Pizzo Serauta (3035 m s.l.m.) und der Punta Serauta (3069 m s.l.m.) führt. Dieser Gratrücken bricht nach Süden in einer geschlossenen, zwei Kilometer breiten und bis zu 800 Meter hohen Steilwand ins Ombrettatal ab. Die auf der Nordseite zum Passo Fedaia vergleichsweise sanft abfallende Flanke trägt den einzigen größeren Gletscher der Dolomiten (Ghiacciaio della Marmolada).
Zur Geschichte der Marmolata
Die Sage vom Marmolatagletscher
Eine Südtiroler Sage erklärt (ätiologisch) den Ursprung des Marmolatagletschers so: Ursprünglich gab es auf der Marmolata kein Eis und Schnee, sondern fruchtbare Almen und Wiesen. Vor einem Marienfeiertag im August unterbrachen die Bauern wie üblich die Heuernte und gingen ins Tal, um in die Kirche zu gehen. Doch zweien war die gebotene Feiertagsruhe gleichgültig, sie arbeiteten den ganzen Feiertag durch, um ihr Heu noch trocken in die Heuschober zu bringen. Tatsächlich fing es auch gleich an zu schneien. Doch es schneite immer weiter und hörte gar nicht mehr auf, bis schließlich die ganze Marmolata von einem Gletscher bedeckt war. Eine andere Version berichtet von einer gottlosen Gräfin, welche die Bauern zur Heuarbeit gezwungen hatte. Während sich die Bauern retten konnten, wurde die Gräfin samt Gesinde von den Schneemassen begraben.
Die Besteigungsgeschichte bis 1914
Am 3. August 1802 erreichen drei Priester (Don Giovanni Costadedòi, Don Giuseppe Terza, Don Tommaso Pezzei), ein Chirurg (Hauser) und ein bischöflicher Richter (Peristi) vom Passo Fedaia aus den Höhenkamm bei der Punta Rocca. Beim Abstieg verliert die Gruppe Don Giuseppe Terza vermutlich durch Spaltensturz. Es ist ein Unfall, der dem Aberglauben neue Nahrung gab, was dazu beigetragen haben mag, dass erst 50 Jahre später ein neuer Besteigungsversuch unternommen wurde. Diesmal waren es drei Priester aus dem Bereich Agordo (Don Pietro Munga, Don Alessio Marmolada, Don Lorenzo Nikolai) und der 17-jährige Adelsspross Gian Antonio De Manzoni. Als Führer der Gruppe wird der bergerfahrene „Führer“ Pellegrino Pellegrini engagiert, der den Gämsjäger Gasparo de Pian mitnimmt. Diese Sechsergruppe steigt am 25. August 1856 vom Passo Fedaia, mit einfachen Steigeisen ausgerüstet, über den Gletscher zum Grat an und bezeichnet sich als Erstbesteiger, obwohl ihr Bericht keinen Nachweis enthält, dass man die Punta Rocca tatsächlich bestiegen hat.
1860 bezeichnet sich John Ball (mit dem Führer Victor Tairraz und John Birkbeck) ebenfalls als Erstersteiger der Marmolata, was jedoch widerlegt wurde.
Tatsächlich wurde die Punta Rocca erst im Juli 1862 vom Wiener Bergsteiger und Gründungsmitglied des Österreichischen Alpenvereins Paul Grohmann auf der Nordroute bestiegen. Er fand weder auf dem kurzen, schwierigen Gipfelgrat, noch auf dem Gipfel Besteigungsspuren. Die um 35 Meter höhere Punta Penia wird am 28. September 1864 ebenfalls von Paul Grohmann gemeinsam mit den beiden Bergführern Angelo und Fulgenzio Dimai bestiegen. In den 1880er Jahren nimmt das Dolomitenbergsteigen einen gewaltigen Aufschwung, was zur Errichtung von Schutzhütten am Fedaiasattel (Alpenvereinssektion Bamberg) und beim Ombrettapass (Contrinhaus der Alpenvereinssektion Nürnberg) führt. Die Sektion Nürnberg bemühte sich auch um einen relativ einfach zu begehenden Weg auf die Punta Penia und finanziert die Versicherung des Westgrates, der von Hans Seyffert, Eugen Dittmann mit Führer Luigi Rizzi am 21. Juli 1898 erstbestiegen wurde. Der sehr beliebte, exponierte Klettersteig wurde am 5. August 1903 eröffnet.
Den ersten Weg durch die Südwand (Schwierigkeitsgrad II) fanden die Bergführer Cesare Tomè, Santo De Toni und ihr Begleiter Luigi Farenza am 21. August 1897 mit Hilfe einer Schlucht. Den Grat erreichten sie allerdings zwei Kilometer östlich des Hauptgipfels. Die erste Südwandroute auf die Punta Penia, die heute als „Via Classica“ (IV) bekannt ist, wurde am 1. Juni 1901 von den Bergführern Michele Bettega, Bortolo Zagonel und der Britin Beatrice Tomasson eröffnet.
Die Marmolata und der Erste Weltkrieg
Die Marmolata war im Ersten Weltkrieg als Grenzberg zwischen Österreich-Ungarn und Italien Frontgebiet. Die österreichischen Stellungen verliefen vom Passo Fedaia über den Sasso Undici zur Forcella Serauta und weiter entlang des Kammes nach Westen. Die italienischen Stellungen befanden sich ostwärts bzw. südlich davon. Die Italiener bemühten sich vor allem entlang des Grates Richtung Punta Rocca vorzudringen, was jedoch auch unter Einsatz von Sprengstollen nicht gelang. Um den Nachschub zu den Stellungen am Kamm sicherzustellen, gruben bzw. sprengten die Österreicher Stollen in den Gletscher, die neben der Versorgung auch Unterkunftszwecken dienten, was zur Errichtung einer regelrechten „Eisstadt“ führte. In Zusammenhang mit diesen Kampfhandlungen steht auch das größte Lawinenunglück der Alpingeschichte. Am 13. Dezember 1916 verschüttete eine Nassschneelawine das westlich des Fedaiapasses gelegene österreichische Reservelager Gran Poz, wobei an die 300 Soldaten ums Leben kamen (→ Lawinenkatastrophe vom 13. Dezember 1916).
Die Erschließung ab 1918
Nach dem Krieg schreiben vom 8. bis 9. September 1929 Luigi Micheluzzi, Roberto Perathoner und Demetrio Christomannos mit der Ersteigung des Südpfeilers der Punta Penia (VI) Alpingeschichte. Sie hatten lediglich ein Hanfseil mit und schlugen ganze sieben Haken. Bezüglich der korrekten Besteigung tauchten allerdings Zweifel auf. Jedenfalls bezeichneten einige Nachbegeher (Fritz Kasparek, Hans Steger) diesen Weg als den schwierigsten ihrer Kletterlaufbahn, vor dem Zweiten Weltkrieg wird er lediglich sieben Mal begangen. Mit der Südwestwand der Punta Penia (VI+) durch Gino Soldà und Umberto Conforto und vor allem mit der ebenfalls 1936 durch die von Batista Vinatzer und Ettore Castiglioni erstiegenen Südwand der Punta di Rocca (VI+) kamen noch vor dem Zweiten Weltkrieg hervorragende Routen dazu. Die Vinatzerführe trug lange Zeit den Ruf der schwierigsten Dolomitenführe. Nach dem Krieg trugen sich mit Armando Aste, Toni Egger, Claudio Barbier, Walter Philipp und Georges Livanos Spitzen des Nachkriegsbergsteigens in die Liste der Erstbegeher ein. In den 1980er Jahren sollte sich zeigen, dass die schon beendet erschienene Erschließung durch die Freikletterbewegung neue Impulse erhielt. Eine neue Generation eroberte die Silberplatten, wobei vor allem Heinz Mariacher Pionierarbeit leistete. Bekannt wurde auch der Weg durch den Fisch (IX-), den tschechische Bergsteiger erstbegingen.
Tourismus heute
Über die Westseite des Gletschers verläuft der anspruchsvollste Teil des sogenannten Dolomiten-Höhenweges Nr. 2. Auf die Punta Penia führt ein Klettersteig mit der Schwierigkeits-Bewertung B vom Contrinhaus auf der Südseite via Marmolatascharte und Westgrat (daher der Name Westgrat-Klettersteig). Der Klettersteig trägt auch den Namen Hans-Seyffert-Weg. Eine sehr eindrucksvolle Bergtour führt am Fuß der Marmolata-Südwand von Malga Ciapela über den Passo Ombretta und das Contrinhaus nach Alba bei Canazei.
Auf die Marmolata führt auch eine Seilbahn; die in den Jahren 2004 und 2005 erneuerte Anlage führt in drei Abschnitten von Malga Ciapela (1467 m s.l.m.) über die Stationen Banc/Coston d'Antermoia (2350 m) und Serauta (2950 m) auf die Punta Rocca genannte Bergstation (3265 m), von der man den Marmolata-Nebengipfel Punta Rocca (3309 m) in einer halben Stunde erreichen kann. Das in die Seilbahnstation Serauta integrierte Gebirgskriegsmuseum in 2950 m Seehöhe ist das wohl höchstgelegene Museum Europas. Von der Bergstation Punta Rocca lässt sich durch einen Stollen unschwer das kleine Felsheiligtum Madonna della Neve erreichen, das Papst Johannes Paul II. bei einem Besuch persönlich konsekriert hat.
Eine der längsten Skiabfahrten der Alpen, die Bellunese, ist ca. 12 km lang. Sie führt von der Punta Rocca 1900 Höhenmeter bergab über den Passo Fedaia nach Malga Ciapela.
Bis etwa 2000 fand auf dem Marmolata-Gletscher Sommerskifahren mit einigen Schleppliften statt. Dieses Angebot wurde danach seltener und 2005 – auch auf Druck von Umweltschutzverbänden – komplett gestrichen. Bis zum Jahr 2008 gab es eine weitere Liftkette von der Passhöhe des Fedaiapasses zur Punta Serauta. 2008 wurde der Schlepplift stillgelegt; 2012 brannte die Talstation der Sesselbahn auf der Passhöhe nieder und wurde seitdem nicht wieder aufgebaut. Die hierdurch stark verminderte Kapazität und der große Andrang führen oft zu langen Wartezeiten (eine Stunde und mehr) bei der Talstation der nun einzigen Seilbahn auf die Marmolata in Malga Ciapela.
Gletschersturz 2022
Am 3. Juli 2022 kam es zu einem Gletschersturz am Gipfelgletscher der Punta Rocca. Wohl aufgrund außergewöhnlich hoher Temperaturen und eindringenden Wassers riss ein Eisblock auf etwa 200 Meter Breite ab, die Eis- und Gesteinsmassen stürzten auf die darunterliegende Normalroute zur Punta Penia, auf der zu diesem Zeitpunkt mehrere Seilschaften unterwegs waren. Zahlreiche Tote und Vermisste waren die Folge. Als Auslöser wurde der Klimawandel gesehen: Nach einem warmen und niederschlagsarmen Winter habe sich im folgenden Sommer Schmelzwasser unter dem Gletschereis gesammelt und dessen Haftung reduziert.
Schutzhütten im Marmolata-Gebiet
Rifugio Contrin (2016 m, A.N.A., traditionsreiches Haus südwestlich der Marmolata-Südwand)
Rifugio Falier (2074 m, CAI, am Fuß der Marmolata-Südwand im Val Ombretta)
Bivacco Marco Dal Bianco (2727 m, Biwakschachtel am Passo Ombretta)
Capanna Punta Penia (3340 m, privat, kleine Schutzhütte in Gipfelnähe)
(Wikipedia)
Der Gran Vernel (auch Gran Vernèl, deutsch manchmal Großer Vernel) ist ein 3210 m s.l.m. hoher Berg in den Dolomiten in der italienischen Provinz Trient. Er bildet den westlichen Abschluss des Marmolata-Massivs.
Lage und Umgebung
Der Gran Vernel steht als isolierte Felspyramide nordwestlich des Marmolata-Hauptgipfels Punta Penia, von dem ihn der tiefe Einschnitt der Marmolatascharte (2896 m) trennt. Der Westgrat des Berges trägt die Gipfel Punta Cornates (3029 m) und Pala di Vernel (2836 m), nordöstlich ist dem Hauptgipfel die Roda de Mulon (2882 m), südöstlich der Piccolo Vernel (3098 m) vorgelagert. In einem Kar östlich des Hauptgipfels liegt zudem mit dem Ghiacciaio del Vernel (Vernelgletscher) ein Ausläufer des Marmolatagletschers. Besonders beeindruckende Blicke auf den Berg bieten sich vom Passo Fedaia, vom nördlich gelegenen Padonkamm oder aus dem hinteren Fassatal bei Alba und Penia.
Alpinismus
Die Erstbesteigung des Vernel gelang am 8. Juli 1879 dem deutschen Geographen Gottfried Merzbacher mit den Bergführern Cesare Tomè, Giorgio Bernard und Giovanni Battista Bernard. Sie wählten dabei den Anstieg über die Ostseite des Berges, der heute als Normalweg (UIAA-Grad III) gilt. 1898 folgte die erste Durchsteigung der Südwand durch Eberhard Ramspeck. Weitere wichtige Erstbegehungen erfolgten in den 1920er und 30er Jahren durch Ettore Castiglioni, der unter anderem 1935 den langen Westgrat (IV) bestieg. Die Routen durch die Nordwand wurden zwischen 1940 und 1980 nach und nach erschlossen.
Am 10. April 1979 durchquerte der aus dem Fassatal stammende Extrembergsteiger und Steilwandskifahrer Toni Valeruz erstmals die Nordwestwand des Gran Vernel in der Abfahrt. Nachdem er von einem Helikopter am Gipfel abgesetzt worden war, benötigte er für die Abfahrt über die schneebedeckte Felswand (bis zu IV) lediglich 30 Minuten. Diese Leistung wurde als großes Spektakel inszeniert, zu dem sich hunderte Zuschauer einfanden und sogar vom italienischen Rundfunk aufgezeichnet. Insgesamt gelangen Valeruz vier verschiedene Varianten in der vormals für Skifahrer als „unmöglich“ geltenden Nordwand.
Felssturz
Am 4. August 2015 ereignete sich im Bereich des Contrintals ein nicht unerheblicher Felssturz. Das Gesteinsmaterial sammelte sich dabei in einem Becken am Fuß der Südwand, die Staubwolke drang bis zum Rifugio Contrin vor. Laut Angaben der Schutzhütte belief sich die Kubatur auf rund 100.000 Kubikmeter. Ein Wanderweg musste sicherheitshalber vorübergehend gesperrt werden. Verletzte gab es nicht.
Stützpunkte
Durch das dichte Hüttennetz bestehen mehrere Stützpunkte für eine Besteigung über den Normalweg.
Rifugio Pian dei Fiacconi (2626 m) an der Bergstation des Marmolata-Korblifts, durch Lawinenabgang im Dezember 2020 zerstört
Rifugio Contrin (2016 m) auf der Südseite im Val Contrin
Rifugio Ettore Castiglioni (Marmolata Haus) (2054 m) am Nordwestufer des Fedaiasees
(Wikipedia)
Der Col di Lana (ladinisch Col de Lana) ist ein 2462 m s.l.m. hoher Berg in der Fanesgruppe in den Dolomiten. Er liegt bei Livinallongo del Col di Lana (deutsch: Buchenstein) in der Provinz Belluno (Italien).
Der Berg war wie der benachbarte Monte Sief im Ersten Weltkrieg zwischen Österreichern und Italienern heftig umkämpft und ist heute ein Mahnmal des Krieges in den Dolomiten.
Kämpfe 1915/16
12 italienische Infanterie- und 14 Alpini-Kompanien unternahmen 1915/16 immer wieder verlustreiche Versuche, den zuerst vom Deutschen Alpenkorps und dann von Österreichisch-Ungarischen Truppen besetzten Gipfel zu stürmen, wobei allein durch Lawinen 278 Italiener ums Leben kamen. Doch nicht nur deshalb bekam der Berg von den Italienern auch den Namen „Col di Sangue“, „Blutberg“. Die italienische Armee versuchte wie alle anderen kriegführenden Parteien des Ersten Weltkriegs, durch den Einsatz von verhältnismäßig vielen Soldaten den Gipfel zu erobern, wobei große eigene Verluste in Kauf genommen wurden.
Der als Pionier eingesetzte italienische Leutnant Gelasio Caetani entwarf schließlich den Plan zur Unterminierung des Berges, die geräuscharm mit Handbohrmaschinen und Meißeln erfolgte. Anfang 1916 erkannten die Österreicher durch einen Artilleriebeobachter am Pordoijoch, dass der Berggipfel unterminiert wurde. Die Österreicher begannen, einen Gegenstollen anzulegen, und sprengten diesen am 5. April 1916. Diese Gegenmine war allerdings zu weit entfernt vom italienischen Sprengstollen. Dieser wurde mit 5 t Sprenggelatine geladen. In der Nacht vom 16. auf 17. April 1916 wurde die 5. Kompanie des 2. Regiments der Tiroler Kaiserjäger durch die 6. Kompanie unter Oberleutnant Anton von Tschurtschenthaler abgelöst. Ihren Höhepunkt fanden die Kämpfe in der Nacht vom 17. auf den 18. April 1916, als der Gipfel um 23:30 Uhr gesprengt wurde. Die Österreicher unter von Tschurtschenthaler mussten den Berg daraufhin aufgeben; sie konnten sich jedoch am Monte Sief, der mit dem Col di Lana durch einen Gipfelgrat verbunden ist, behaupten und so einen italienischen Durchbruch in dieser Gegend verhindern.
Auf dem Gipfel befindet sich heute eine Kapelle zum Andenken an die im Krieg gefallenen Soldaten. Aus der Kriegszeit sind noch verfallene Schützen- und Laufgräben und einige Barackenreste erhalten, und es gibt ein kleines Museum über die Kämpfe.
Wegenetz
Ein Anstieg erfolgt von Pieve di Livinallongo (1465 m) über das geschlossene Rifugio Alpino auf dem Pian della Lasta (1835 m); bis zur Hütte gibt es einen Fahrweg. Die Rundumsicht schließt im Norden die weiteren Gipfel der Fanesgruppe, im Osten die Tofane und die Nuvolaugruppe, im Südosten die Civettagruppe, im Südwesten die Marmolatagruppe und im Westen die Sellagruppe ein.
Wolkenkreuz
Aus dem Jahr 1915 wird eine kreuzförmige Wolkenformation über dem Col di Lana berichtet, die als "Wolkenkreuz vom Col di Lana" ("Nube a forma di croce") bekannt ist. Andere Quellen datieren die Erscheinung mit September 1938 als Vorbote der Katastrophe des Zweiten Weltkriegs, aber auch als Zeichen der Hoffnung auf die Vergänglichkeit der "gottlosen Ideologie des Nationalsozialismus".
(Wikipedia)
MuCEM + Fort Saint-Jean, Marseille, France - 2013 -Architects: Rudy Ricciotti and C+T architecture
Views, sea, sun, a mineral quality, which all must be orchestrated by a program that will become federal and cognitive. First of all a perfect square of 72 m per side, it is a classic plan, Latin, under the control of Pythagoras. Within this square, another of 52 m per side, comprising the exhibition and conference halls identified as the heart of the museum.
Around, above and below are the service areas. But between these areas and the heart, openings entirely bypass the central square and form interconnected spaces. More interested by the views of the fort, the sea or the port, the culturally overwhelmed visitor will choose this route. Along two interlacing ramps, he will then plunge into the imaginary of the tower of Babel or of a ziggurat in order to climb up to the rooftop and on to Fort Saint- Jean. This peripheral loop will be a free breathe, enveloped by the smells of the sea from the proximity to the moats, a pause to dispel any lingering doubts about the use of the history of our civilizations. The MuCEM will be a vertical Casbah.
The tectonic choice of an exceptional concrete coming from the latest research by French industry, reducing the dimensions to little more than skin and bones, will affirm a mineral script under the high ramparts of Fort Saint-Jean. This sole material in the colour of dust, matt, crushed by the light, distant from the brilliance and technological consumerism, will commend the dense and the delicate. The MuCEM sees itself evanescent in a landscape of stone and Orientalist through its fanning shadows.
Do you see the Conductor?
While putting the final touches on the 2017 Nunavut Calendar, I was looking for a new Northern Lights image to include. I found this image from December 1 last year. I did not see the Conductor then but it stood out right away when I looked at this yesterday.
It is so fitting, as the Northern Lights dance across the sky I can always imagine them dancing in sync with some beautiful music. I think I captured the one in charge of orchestrating that awesome show that evening!
Here's the simple sketch of the lighting setup I promised to show. As you can see it is quite simple and direct. It wasn't me orchestrating the lighting equipment but this is how I memorized it.
The right light source was moved around alot, and sometimes faced the right side of the wall to bounce back light. My 430EX was attached as a fill-in light source, which I adjusted accordingly.
Spotlight behind the model was moved around alot too.
I hope this simple illustration helps :) Personally, I prefer outdoors still :P Unless if I have my own studio, I'd go crazy with the light stuff :D
MuCEM + Fort Saint-Jean, Marseille, France - 2013 -Architects: Rudy Ricciotti and C+T architecture
Views, sea, sun, a mineral quality, which all must be orchestrated by a program that will become federal and cognitive. First of all a perfect square of 72 m per side, it is a classic plan, Latin, under the control of Pythagoras. Within this square, another of 52 m per side, comprising the exhibition and conference halls identified as the heart of the museum.
Around, above and below are the service areas. But between these areas and the heart, openings entirely bypass the central square and form interconnected spaces. More interested by the views of the fort, the sea or the port, the culturally overwhelmed visitor will choose this route. Along two interlacing ramps, he will then plunge into the imaginary of the tower of Babel or of a ziggurat in order to climb up to the rooftop and on to Fort Saint- Jean. This peripheral loop will be a free breathe, enveloped by the smells of the sea from the proximity to the moats, a pause to dispel any lingering doubts about the use of the history of our civilizations. The MuCEM will be a vertical Casbah.
The tectonic choice of an exceptional concrete coming from the latest research by French industry, reducing the dimensions to little more than skin and bones, will affirm a mineral script under the high ramparts of Fort Saint-Jean. This sole material in the colour of dust, matt, crushed by the light, distant from the brilliance and technological consumerism, will commend the dense and the delicate. The MuCEM sees itself evanescent in a landscape of stone and Orientalist through its fanning shadows.
A carefully orchestrated holiday village full of stores, a carousel, a large skating rink, fountains,restaurants and crowds.
It is the bus depots drop off of choice if you are entering NYC for the day.
Plenty of things to do and places to see.
Close to 8 hours of visiting on foot feels like and is a New York minute.
In music, variation is a formal technique where material is repeated in an altered form. The changes may involve harmony, melody, counterpoint, rhythm, timbre, orchestration or any combination of these.
A lively Sunday afternoon - a concert of exotic instrumentals by two of New York's most exciting other world music ensembles
TriBeCaStan and God's Unruly Friends
Sunday, March 6, 2016
3 PM - 6 PM
St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery
131 E 10th St, New York, New York 10003
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Premik, a composer, arranger, producer and an accomplished multi-instrumentalist performs on various flutes, soprano, alto and tenor saxophones, wind synthesizers, and lap steel guitar.
Premik has worked with everyone from Carlos Santana, Whitney Houston, Herbie Hancock, John McLaughlin, Ravi Shankar, Narada Michael Walden, Clarence Clemons, Ornette Coleman, Jackson Browne, Jean-Luc Ponty, Lonnie Liston-Smith, Scarlet Riveria, James Taylor, Sting and Lady Gaga, just to name a few. He is equally adept in pop, R&B, jazz, world and experimental genres.
Sax solos on #1 Hits -: “How Will I Know” (Whitney Houston) and “Baby, Come To Me” (Regina Belle).
Premik's first major recording breakthrough was with John McLaughlin and the Mahavishnu Orchestra on the album“Visions of the Emerald Beyond.” Premik was a major part of the landmark Carlos Santana album "The Swing of Delight" which featured Herbie Hancock as co-arranger and co-musical director. Also featured were Wayne Shorter, Tony Williams, Ron Carter and several members of the Santana band.
www.premik.com/recordings/discography/
New music coming soon!
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YouTube -DEVADIP CARLOS SANTANA ~~ HANNIBAL ~~ 1980
Russel Tubbs, saxo
Devadip Santana, guitar
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lv_jsp_43h0
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Most recent recordings and projects:
In 2012 Premik recorded with 2011 Grammy nominee vocalist and composer Chandrika Krishnamurthy Tandon. 'Over 75 musicians came together to record the album in the US and India combining ancient traditional instruments like the rhumba, calypso, ektara, dugdugi and esraj with saxophone, banjo and piano to transcend musical boundaries.'
Sound Samples: www.cdbaby.com/cd/chandrikakrishnamurthyta2 Check out "JOG"
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Recording projects in 2010-2012 with Grammy award-winning producer and founder of Windham Hill Records Will Ackerman include albums by Fiona Jay Hawkins, Shambhu, Dean Boland, Rebecca Harrold, Ronnda Cadle and Masako.
Will Ackerman: ...‘The criteria for who works here go way past simple talent. Imaginary Road is my home and I’m only letting wonderful people into my home. I don’t care how talented you are; if you’re not able to wear your heart on your sleeve don’t bother to turn up. We use Keith Carlock (Sting and Steeley Dan) as a drummer too along with Arron Sterling (John Mayer and Sheryl Crow). Only last year I met Premik Russel Tubbs who plays sax and wind synths for us.
‘Premik has become part of the family...'
www.newagemusicworld.com/will-ackerman-interview-new-in-2...
imaginaryroadstudios.com/
*****
Premik plays on both of these albums
Winners in 2013
10th Annual ZMR Awards
Album: Masako
Artist: Masako M. Kumano
Award Category- Best New Artist
Premk with Masako: played wind synth on Secret Path to Point Reyes (track 3)
Album: Dreaming of Now Best
Artist: Shambhu
Award Category: Contemporary Instrumental Album
Premik with Shambhu: alto flute on Dreaming of Now (track 4) and wind synth on Jasmine (track 10)
www.zonemusicreporter.com/admin/2013award_finalists.asp
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Premik recorded with Heidi Breyer and accompanied her at the ZMR Awards 2013, staged in New Orleans.
www.zonemusicreporter.com/admin/performers.asp
ZMR Awards 2013 -Best Instrumental Album – Piano - “Beyond the Turning” - Heidi Breyer - Winterhall Records, produced at Synchrosonic Productions by Grammy winner Corin Nelsen. www.heidibreyer.com/
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New Age / Ambient / World Top 100 Radio Chart
ZoneMusicReporter.com
Top 100 Radio Play - #1 Top Recordings for January 2014
Title: Call of the Mountains - Artist: Masako
www.zonemusicreporter.com/charts/top100.asp
Premik plays wind synth on tracks 4 "Watching the Clouds", & 9 "Purple Indulgence".
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Premik, in conjunction with jazz pianist Uli Geissendoerfer heads Bangalore Breakdown, an exciting, world music ensemble. They released their first CD, titled Diary, in 2008. In the words of noted Jazz author Bill Milkowski: Is it world music? Is it jazz? Is it some kind of new uncategorizable fusion that hasn’t yet been labeled?
Sound samples here: www.bangalorebreakdown.com/music.html
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Premik and Uli Geissendoerfer released their own collaborative duo CD titled Passport to 'Happyness' (yes, happiness with a 'y'') www.ulimusic.com
www.flickr.com/photos/42514297@N04/15543396956/in/set-721...
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Premik will soon be featured in Carman Moore's Cd “Concerto for Ornette” in which Premik will play the orchestral solo saxophone part. Premik is also the featured saxophonist with SKYBAND on its recording of Carman Moore’s “DON AND BEA IN LOVE,” a fantasy concept album roughly about the intense Renaissance love between Dante and Beatrice which, in part, takes place in outer space! Carman Moore is a 2013 Guggenheim Fellowship winner. www.carmanmoore.com
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Premik’s ‘Journey To Light Ensemble’
Sound is East/West, jazz., a journey....
With Premik Russell Tubbs (saxpohones, flutes, lap steel, wind synth),
Dave Phelps (guitar),
Leigh Stuart (cello),
Nathan Peck (upright & electric bass),
www.alexskolnick.com/biography-nathan-peck/
Todd Isler (drums, percussion)
Naren Budakar (tabla)
www.sooryadance.com/html/Milan/naren.htm
Watch for a Journey To Light Ensemble album to be released in 2014
YouTube JTLE
www.youtube.com/watch?list=UU3hE8wtW3VeyOU17sQd2GQQ&v...
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TriBeCaStan
Premik (saxophones, flutes, lap steel, wind synth)
"Coal Again"
www.flickr.com/photos/42514297@N04/15447303643/
Goddess Polka Dottess
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Premik has performed in Rock for the Rainforest, a biennial benefit concert held by the Rainforest Foundation Fund and Rainforest Foundation US, hosted by the organizations' founders Sting and his wife Trudie Styler in 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014.
25th Anniversary of the Rainforest Fund Benefit Concert
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Carnegie Hall
Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage
7 PM
www.carnegiehall.org/Calendar/2014/4/17/0700/PM/25th-Anni...
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Premik solo in SINGING THE OCEANS ALIVE CONCERT with the ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
Fairfield Hall concert LONDON, ENGLAND APRIL 25, 2014
Watch/Listen
YouTubes
Premik solo with the London Royal Philharmonic performing "Apla Kathar."
The main melody was composed by Sri Chinmoy & orchestrated by Vapushtara Matthijs Jongepier.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbhReDbyIOY
High praise from Craig Pruess:
"The piece was excellent, thrilling even, very well orchestrated, and your playing was note perfect. An honor to work with you, my man." –Craig Pruess Composer, Musician, Arranger, and a Gold & Platinum Record Producer
www.heaven-on-earth-music.co.uk/
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4euUuBNUzco
Song of the Ocean by Kristin Hoffmann
All performers of the evening take the stage with the London Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
***
Premik will guest and record with the Five Toe Dragon
Premik Russell Tubbs with the Five Toed Dragon @ the BeanRunner Cafe 04/18/2014
YouTubes 4-18-2014
www.youtube.com/watch?v=spkxaVteX08 Set 2 0f 2
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSI-ZwekM-Y Set 1 of 2
The sound of the Five Toed Dragon can be described as electro-acoustic featuring a distinctly original blend of styles from jazz, classical and ethnic music.
J. ERIC JOHNSON
F. CARTER HOODLESS
BRIAN LEE
Regular guest artists will include Charles Burnham/violin and Premik Russell Tubbs/ saxophones, fultes, wind synth
All are long time members Carman Moore ’s the Incredible Skyband and/or Skymusic Ensemble.
Carman Moore is a 2013 Guggenheim Fellowship winner.
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BeanRunner Cafe
A wonderful venue!
Owners Ted and Drew are true champions of the arts.
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Premik Russell Tubbs | The Music of Karl Jenkins | Carnegie Hall
MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY
Monday, January 19, 2015
Premik Russell Tubbs played "bansuri & ethnic flutes" in this concert. (Bansuri is an Indian bamboo flute).
nyconcertreview.com/reviews/distinguished-concerts-intern...
Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents The Music of Karl Jenkins in Review
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My last post of 2014. Wow, there are so many things to say!
This year has been an incredible year for me and I first have to say how grateful I am to Yahoo for picking up my story and featuring my work. It has catapulted me into a place with my photography I never thought possible. Needless to say the past few months have been quite hectic for me which for the most part has been amazing but the downside has been the lack of time I’ve had to actually create and post new work. I’m anticipating a bit of a lull for January/February so I’m looking forward to getting back to the creative side of my work.
It’s strange to have started out on facebook and flickr very quietly keeping my past to myself but now that it’s out there it’s been liberating and inspiring. I received literally hundreds of e-mails from people who were touched by my story in some way whether it was something they were going through themselves, they new someone or it just gave them some sort of epiphany about their own lives.
I did another interview the other day and was asked the question “Why do you think so many people have been drawn to your story?” and my response was this “I don’t think there is anything particularly rare about my story, I was just given the platform to tell it. There are thousands of people out there with similar stories that inspire but mine is just being heard and noticed through my work.”
I’ve heard from incredibly strong women from places like Uganda, Iceland, Spain, Italy, Philiipines and closer to home Seattle, Toronto, New York, all facing breast cancer in their own way, all with their brave and inspiring stories to tell. I feel honoured to share my story on behalf of them all.
Thank you to all that wrote me and I wish you nothing but health and happiness in 2015.
Onto the photography side of things. If you’ve followed my work you know that my environmental series Footprints has been my main focus and passion this year. I wanted to end 2014 with this shot of the iconic symbol of global warming, the polar bear. It was a little tricky orchestrating this concept because I typically shoot everything in the same location at the same time. That obviously wasn’t going to happen with a little girl and a polar bear so I had to improvise. So....after a visit to Iceland, a visit to the local zoo and a quick shoot in my backyard I was able to come up with “You Want and You’re Taking Plenty.”
I think the message in this one is fairly obvious compared to some of my other ones. You have a sad polar bear walking away from his disappearing home with the support of his friend. Polar bears rely on the artctic ice to feed and year after year that habitat shrinks leaving a bleak looking future for the survival of this species. I hope the message is conveyed in this photograph.
My word for this year is definitely “grateful.” No other word has popped into my head more often than this one. Watching my daughter sing at her Christmas concert - “grateful” to be there and see it happen. Selling a print - “grateful” to have touched someone with my work.
Gathered around a table playing cards with family and friends - “grateful” to share the laughter. Five and a half years since breast cancer - just plain “grateful.” The list goes on and on.
Grateful. What is your word?
Well, this is turning out to be a longer post than I expected but if you’re still reading I want to thank you so much for your support this year. Every comment, favourite or like motivates me for the next piece and they are all greatly appreciated.
Wishing everyone a happy and healthy 2015! Happy New Year!!
xo Robin
PS. If you don’t already, follow me on facebook as I will be having a couple of book covers put out in 2015 :):)
Dutch photographer Ellen Kooi received her art education at the Art Academy ABK Minerva in Groningen, Netherlands and completed her post graduate studies in Art at the Rijksacademy in Amsterdam. Shot at a wide angle, landscape orientation, the beguiling color and natural scenery of her images contradict the intense orchestration of her compositions. Hours of labored control over lighting and arrangement of her subjects are part of each photograph. Every image appears to have been shot in the middle of a dark fairytale set in the hinterlands of Holland. Uncanny disquiet weaves a characteristic thread through the narrative non-linear style of her larger body of work.
Her work has been featured in exhibitions at numerous national and international institutions, including recently at the Institut Néerlandais, Paris, France in 2010. Her work is also exhibited at The Fields Sculpture Park at Omni International Arts Center in Ghent, New York; Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Castilla Y León in Spain; the Moscow House of Photography in Russia; Speed Art Museum in Louisville, Kentucky; and Hague Museum of Photography in the Netherlands. Her work is part of the public collections of both national and international institutions such as Museo de Arte Contemporaneo de Castilla Y Leon; 21c Museum in Louisville, Kentucky; the French State Collection in Paris; the Marsh Collection in London; the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Netherlands, and many others. This year her work will be featured in OFF-SPRING: New Generations, a group show at 21c Museum, Cincinnati, Ohio. Kooi currently lives and works in the Netherlands and has exhibited with Catharine Clark Gallery since 2007.
Pano orchestrated by 4 shots.
I wanted to call it:"careless swing!"
I started from the left to swing, and then in the 3 shot the roof was cut off a bit.
but I still like the effect of the curved street and looking down in either direction.
Sigma 10-20 mm
Marburg
Germany
Make it clean, make it lean, make it decorated
Line it up, all in pairs, make it orchestrated
I'm a sucker for symmetry
Lock the door, what it's for, it's not complicated
Give the key, just to me, I'm not devastated
I'm a sucker for privacy
I'm a sucker for harmony
Chaos did never work for me
I'm in control of heart and soul
I'm a sucker for harmony
I'm a sucker for harmony
Let me show you my agony
You'll understand what I have planned
I'm a sucker for harmony
Another day that I've been on retreat
Another day to recover
Another task that I'll never complete
The day we prey on each other
The day I'll come to my senses
You make me lose it all again
And I fall into pieces
I think you'll never understand
Scrub your feet, wash your hands, make them disinfected
Don't come near, don't stay here
Don't feel disconnected
I'm a sucker for purity
Don't drink this, don't eat that
Only if it's heated
Please refrain from the stain
It just has been treated
I'm a sucker for decency
Another day that I've been under the siege
Another day to discover
My holy grail, it is never complete
And so I feed on another
The day I'll jump all the fences
Is the day when I lose it all
When I'm down on my knees yet
I've nowhere left to fall