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Hippolais polyglotta (Hypolais polyglotte) - Réserve de La Feuillée, between Saint-Julien en Genevois et Soral, French-Swiss border.
This bird has a very varied repertoire of songs, some of which are imitations of the songs of other species. When he starts singing, it can last for a while, so you have plenty of time to enjoy his performance. All in all, a beautiful bird to watch and listen to. It is breeding mainly in Southern Europe, but also further north, and in north Africa.
By the time the Emperor Hadrian entered the purple, Rome controlled a vast area stretching from northern Europe to the Middle East. Sea trade and transport were vital to the functioning of the Empire and so numerous ports sprung up along the coast of Britannia. On the Tyne side of Hadrian’s Wall the fort of Arbeia (now known as South Shields) grew into one such port and was the destination of many supply shipments to the wall.
Trading ships, such as the one depicted in this scene, were common visitors to Arbeia and came from all corners of the empire. A funeral monument found at the site tells us much about what this trade meant to the area. It is dedicated to a lady called Regina and is unique in Britain for its bilingual inscription, written in Latin and Palmyrene. The inscription reveals that Regina was of the Catuvellaunian tribe while her husband Barates, was a Palmyrene merchant living at Arbeia, which had attached to it a substantial civilian settlement. From Barates’ own funeral monument we know that he supplied military standards to the cohorts along the wall.
Despite being on the edge of the Empire, the civilian settlement at Arbeia must have been home to a diverse polyglot population. Thanks to the trade bought by the Empire’s many ships, people, ideas and symbols must have circulated frequently, making it lively and interesting place to live.
* Ruiseñor,Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglots) (Rc)
Los ejemplares adultos son grises por la parte superior del cuerpo, con ojos de un amarillo pálido y pico negro mínimamente curvo. La cola es de color oscuro con los bordes blancos, y las patas largas y negras. Las alas muestran finas líneas blancas, y durante el vuelo dejan ver manchas, también blancas en las alas y dos franjas blancas longitudinales en la cola. Se caracterizan por imitar sonidos de otros animales.
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The adults are gray in the upper body with a pale yellow eyes and black minimally curved beak. The tail is dark with white edges, and long black legs. The wings show thin white lines, and during flight reveal spots, also white in the wings and two longitudinal white stripes on the tail. They feature imitate sounds of other animals.
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Clase: Aves
Orden: Passeriformes
Familia: Mimidae
Género: Mimus
Especie: M. polyglottos
stanzaic, polyglot rain
ex The South Indian Telegraph Code, in English, Tamil and Telugu, for the use of Merchants, Commission Agents, Bankers, Contractors, and the Public in general.
by P. B. Krishnasawamy Naidu, Merchant and Commission Agent. Madras (1898)
Roja Muthiah Research Library copy (via archive.org)
my description, excerpts (etc., along with other South Asian codes) : link
L'Hypolaïs polyglotte (Hippolais polyglotta) est une espèce d'oiseaux de la famille des Acrocephalidae. C'est un visiteur d'été en France.
Il a le dessus gris-brun olivâtre et le dessous jaune, plus net sur la gorge et le haut de la poitrine. Le ventre et les flancs sont lavés de gris jaunâtre. Petit sourcil jaune, pas toujours visible. Le bec, long relativement à la tête, et orangé.
Cet oiseau mesure 12 à 13 cm de longueur pour une envergure de 18 à 20 cm et une masse de 11 à 14 g.
Mystique is a mutant shapeshifter who can mimic the appearance and voice of any person with exquisite precision.
Her natural appearance includes blue skin, red hair and yellow eyes.
Though at times she has acted in alliance with heroes such as the X-Men, Mystique is very much a villain, often operating in conjunction with teams such as the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants or independently as a hired killer.
Mystique's origin is unknown. Her current name is Raven Darkhölme but it is doubtful that is her birthname. There is some evidence that Mystique is over a century in age which is most likely another benefit of her unusual mutant physiology.
Mystique's mutant shapeshifting ability specifically involves psionically shifting the formation of her biological cells at will to change her appearance and thereby assume the form of other humans and animals.
She can also alter her voice to duplicate exactly that of another person. Originally, it was apparent that Mystique's powers were limited to appearances only and she could not assume the powers of the people she morphed into or alter her body to adapt to different situations.
Additionally she could not change her overall body mass when taking on the appearance of a person larger or smaller, but due to subsequent enhancements she has stated that her body mass is not fixed and can change when she does.
Her body is not limited to purely organic appearances: She also has the ability to create the appearance of clothes and other materials out of her own body, including items such as glasses, zippers, identity cards, handbags and even test tubes.
Mystique is shown in at least one instance transforming a metallic part of her costume into a functioning blaster pistol. Whether this was a function of her powers or the costume piece itself, is unclear.
As a shape-shifter, Mystique is able to constantly alter and rejuvenate her body's cells and thereby retain her youthful appearance, explaining her long lifespan.
Mystique received her first power enhancement when she was exposed to dangerous levels of radiation in order to save the life of Toad.
The process boosted her powers so that she can now morph her body into taking certain desired physical traits depending on her situation at the time. Examples of these new abilities include night vision, wings on her back, talons in her fingers, and natural body armor.
She can compress into nearly two-dimensions (like a sheet of paper) to glide on air currents in a fashion similar to that of Mister Fantastic.
She has moved her vital organs out of place in order to survive gunshots to her torso and head, and can make herself virtually invisible via camouflage. She has even, with strain, given herself two heads and four arms to facilitate a gun fight on two fronts, as well as shapeshifted into herself as a small child.
She is also now able to hold a shape when knocked unconscious and can conceal items in shapeshifted pouches under her skin.
Following her near death experience when fighting the Hand, her powers were further enhanced. She can now alter and conceal her scent from those with enhanced senses, and is capable of changing her shape to a greater degree, including altering her limbs to form tentacles and bladed weapons, and compressing herself further, taking the form of a small dog.
Damage to her biological tissue is known to heal at a relatively fast rate and she can form a resistance to poisons upon contacting them. Her enhancements have allowed her to rapidly regrow severed limbs, and rapidly recover from near fatal injury. Her powers grant her immunity to diseases, enhanced agility and strength, and near agelessness.
Mystique is a cunning strategist in terrorist and commando operations, and adept at martial arts and information technology.
She has a talent for finding, stealing, and understanding cutting edge weaponry. She is a talented actress and a polyglot, being fluent in over fourteen languages.
Her mind is naturally unreadable owing to changing grey matter and she wears devices to prevent telepathic intrusion. Furthermore, with over a century's experience in posing as other people she has picked up the unusual skill of being able to identify people posing as others based on body language and changes in behavioral cues.
Having lived for at least a century, Mystique has built up considerable resources, one of her aliases being the billionaire B Byron Biggs who owns a number of safehouses around the world which are often protected by sophisticated security systems.
She also controls a variety of weaponry and gadgets, including the Changeling, a highly advanced stealth ship capable of cloaking and flying at very high speed. The ship had sophisticated weapons and surveillance systems, with an on-board analysis computer and power-suppressing containment cells.
Mystique had concealed her superhuman powers and criminal intentions so well over the years that, as Raven Darkholme, she was able to rise rapidly through the United States Civil Service to the trusted position of Deputy Director of the Defense Advanced Research Planning Agency (DARPA) in the United States Department of Defense, giving her access to military secrets and advanced weaponry, both of which she used for her own criminal and subversive purposes.
Mystique organized the third incarnation of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, which originally consisted of herself, Avalanche, the Blob, Destiny, and Pyro. Mystique named her group after the original Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, an organization founded by Magneto.
This Brotherhood first became known when it attempted to intimidate the public by assassinating Senator Robert Kelly, who was investigating what he perceived was the possible danger posed by the existence of any superhuman beings. The X-Men thwarted the assassination attempt, and the Brotherhood later clashed with the X-Men on other occasions, as well as the Avengers and other heroes. Rogue was a member of the Brotherhood for a time but finally left to join the X-Men in order to find help in learning how to deal with her superhuman powers.
If the circumstances occur that Mystique will work alongside heroes, they must operate carefully alongside her. Mystique shifts alliances as smoothly as her appearance and she is not to be trusted. She has consistently betrayed trusts and it has always been revealed that she had her own endgame at work each time.
⚡ Happy 🎯 Heroclix 💫 Friday! 👽
_____________________________
A year of the shows and performers of the Bijou Planks Theater.
Secret Identity: Raven Darkhölme
Publisher: Marvel
First appearance: Ms. Marvel #16 (May 1978)
Created by: Chris Claremont (writer)
Dave Cockrum (artist)
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, is the capital and largest city of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union and headquarters for NATO.
Brussels is a regional level entity comprising 19 municipalities, including the municipality of the City of Brussels, which de jure is the capital of Belgium, in addition to the seat of the French Community of Belgium and of the Flemish Community.
Brussels has grown from a 10th-century fortress town founded by a descendant of Charlemagne to a sizeable city.
The city has a population of 1.2 million and a metropolitan area with a population of over 1.8 million, both of them the largest in Belgium.
Since the end of the Second World War, Brussels has been a major centre for international politics. Hosting principal EU institutions,
the secretariat of the Benelux and the headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the city has become the polyglot home of numerous international organisations, politicians, diplomats and civil servants.
Brussels is just a few miles north of the boundary between Belgium's language communities—French in the south,
Dutch in the north. Historically a Dutch-speaking city, it has seen a major shift to French since Belgian independence in 1830. Today, although the majority language is French,
the city is officially bilingual. All road signs, street names, and many advertisements and services are shown in both languages.
Brussels is increasingly becoming multilingual with increasing numbers of migrants, expatriates and minority groups speaking their own languages, and English often serves as a lingua franca.
This is St Michael and St Gudula Cathedral.
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, is the capital and largest city of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union and headquarters for NATO.
Brussels is a regional level entity comprising 19 municipalities, including the municipality of the City of Brussels, which de jure is the capital of Belgium, in addition to the seat of the French Community of Belgium and of the Flemish Community.
Brussels has grown from a 10th-century fortress town founded by a descendant of Charlemagne to a sizeable city.
The city has a population of 1.2 million and a metropolitan area with a population of over 1.8 million, both of them the largest in Belgium.
Since the end of the Second World War, Brussels has been a major centre for international politics. Hosting principal EU institutions,
the secretariat of the Benelux and the headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the city has become the polyglot home of numerous international organisations, politicians, diplomats and civil servants.
Brussels is just a few miles north of the boundary between Belgium's language communities—French in the south,
Dutch in the north. Historically a Dutch-speaking city, it has seen a major shift to French since Belgian independence in 1830. Today, although the majority language is French,
the city is officially bilingual. All road signs, street names, and many advertisements and services are shown in both languages.
Brussels is increasingly becoming multilingual with increasing numbers of migrants, expatriates and minority groups speaking their own languages, and English often serves as a lingua franca.
One of several bronze statues on Puebla de Zaragoza Cinco de Mayo, Hugo Leitch Meyer.
The sculpture honours historian Hugo Leicht Meyer (1881-1952)
Meyer was a German scientist living in Puebla, a polyglot and literary figure, during his time in Puebla he dedicated himself to writing the only historical work on the city, "The Streets of Puebla," a reference book that chronicles the history of most of the houses in Puebla's Historic Centre.
26 December, 2024 thieves removed the book Meyer was holding in his left hand.
By the time the Emperor Hadrian entered the purple, Rome controlled a vast area stretching from northern Europe to the Middle East. Sea trade and transport were vital to the functioning of the Empire and so numerous ports sprung up along the coast of Britannia. On the Tyne side of Hadrian’s Wall the fort of Arbeia (now known as South Shields) grew into one such port and was the destination of many supply shipments to the wall.
Trading ships, such as the one depicted in this scene, were common visitors to Arbeia and came from all corners of the empire. A funeral monument found at the site tells us much about what this trade meant to the area. It is dedicated to a lady called Regina and is unique in Britain for its bilingual inscription, written in Latin and Palmyrene. The inscription reveals that Regina was of the Catuvellaunian tribe while her husband Barates, was a Palmyrene merchant living at Arbeia, which had attached to it a substantial civilian settlement. From Barates’ own funeral monument we know that he supplied military standards to the cohorts along the wall.
Despite being on the edge of the Empire, the civilian settlement at Arbeia must have been home to a diverse polyglot population. Thanks to the trade bought by the Empire’s many ships, people, ideas and symbols must have circulated frequently, making it lively and interesting place to live.
This photo of Dipsacus fullonum, Fuller's Teasel, provided me with an hour or so of High Amusement this afternoon. Where better to begin than with Englishman John Mason Good (1764-1827) who in 1805 published his English translation with copious notes of Lucretius's On Nature?
Good was a surgeon, a literary scholar and an able classicist, as well as a polyglot. And like Lodewijk van der Grinten (see my previous photo), the founder of the industry for which the Océ-weerd - where I saw our plant - was named, he was also a pharmacist. The fortunes of Océ go back to Van der Grinten's development of a yellow-orange dye used to give margarine the color of butter to make it economically viable. So far so good...
So then I happened on to Good's rendition of some lines of Lucretius's poem describing the 'innocent young' wetting their bed at night:
"So boys asleep, too, deeming near at hand
The public sewer, or close appropriate vase,
Oft lift their skirts the native brine t'eject,
And stain with saffron all the purple bed."
My eye was caught not as much by the urinary staining and dyeing of night clothes, but rather by that 'public sewer' (or as another translator coyly puts it: 'public jordan'), and especially by Good's very long footnote actually running on in the smallest of type for several pages.
In that note he gives a sometimes hilarious overview of the entire process of the making of wool cloth. He notes that human and animal urine was highly prized - and taxed as such by Roman authorities - as a cleaning agent and bleacher of wool. Hence also night urine from public pissoirs was avidly collected. After a full account of wool-making, he comes finally to its napping or teaseling, the process whereby it is made soft e.g. into flannel - such as my jammies as a kid. That teaseling was done by using the sharp hooks of various plants, especially thistles, and also hedgehog hides.
One would now immediately think of a direct connection to our Wild Teasel. Indeed, many later botanical authors refer to the Teasel described in Antiquity by Dioscorides and Pliny as this Dipsacus. But Good is apodictic. He praises both authors for their 'exquisite and accurate descriptions ... but neither of them make mention of that peculiar and idiopathic character of the teazle, its incurvated spines ... which alone renders it of exclusive value to the manufacturer or fuller. I cannot, therefore, agree ... that the ancients were acquainted with the real teazle...'
So if Good is right, all those historical descriptions we read of Fuller's Teasel are off the mark if they refer to its wooling use in Classical Times. But it must be said that Good's argument is one from silence ('e silentio'), so though learned and amusing it's not very strong.
And now I must quickly get up for fear of emulating Lucretius's lads...
PS In the background of course: Tanacetum vulgaris, Golden Buttons.
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglots) at the Gilbert Riparian Reserve in Gilbert, Arizona, U.S.A.
The harsh desert light makes it difficult to get a soft textured image.
16 February, 2017.
Slide # GWB_20170216_5509.CR2
Use of this image on websites, blogs or other media without explicit permission is not permitted.
© Gerard W. Beyersbergen - All Rights Reserved Worldwide In Perpetuity - No Unauthorized Use.
Le chant de cette hypolaïs est un long babil assez précipité, parfois mélodieux, parfois plutôt grinçant, commençant par la répétition d'une note simple et incluant des imitations des cris d'autres espèces (merle, moineau, hirondelle,...), ce qui lui a valu le nom de polyglotte.
Il s'entend plus qu'elle ne se voit sur ses lieux de reproduction.
Mais une fois un chant localisé, il est possible de trouver assez facilement le chanteur qui ne craint pas de s'exposer au sommet d'un buisson ou au bout d'une branche.
L'Hypolaïs polyglotte est une "fauvette" de taille moyenne qui se remarque surtout à ses parties inférieures très jaunes en tous plumages.
Le dessus est d'un brun assez clair nuancé de jaune ou de verdâtre suivant la lumière, avec ailes et queue plus brunes et plus sombres. L'œil est cerclé de jaune. La zone lorale est jaune.
Source: Oiseaux.net
Generations of Americans have been taught that one of the United States' true strengths is that it is just a big ol' melting pot.
We come from all parts of the world, and what binds us together are an adopted or shared history, a culture honed by common influences and faith in our imperfect democracy.
Sociologists would call that a polyglot society.
Fact is, that we also share convergent bloodlines. Love has a way of knowing no color, no religion and in some cases, no politics.
Hard times have a way of making people think about who they are and how they feel.
I guess belief systems are really being tested these days.
I've cast a lot of ballots in the past 36 years. Sometimes I've voted for people who look a little like me. Many times I've voted for what late Congressman Mickey Leland often described as candidates who were "people of good will."
This time, that's the choice for some folks. You can look at this candidate and see the obvious. You can look at this candidate's family and see America. If you can't get past what you see on the surface, just vote for the white part.
A few more thoughts in my Blog: dehollsworld.blogspot.com/
The earliest archaeological evidence of human habitation of the territory of the city of San Francisco dates to 3000 BC The Yelamu group of the Ohlone people resided in a few small villages when an overland Spanish exploration party, led by Don Gaspar de Portolá, arrived on November 2, 1769, the first documented European visit to San Francisco Bay. The first maritime presence occurred on August 5, 1775, when San Carlos—commanded by Juan Manuel de Ayala—became the first ship to anchor in the bay. The following year, on March 28, 1776, the Spanish established the Presidio of San Francisco, followed by a mission, Mission San Francisco de Asís (Mission Dolores), established by the Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza.
Upon independence from Spain in 1821, the area became part of Mexico. Under Mexican rule, the mission system gradually ended, and its lands became privatized. In 1835, William Richardson, a naturalized Mexican citizen of English birth, erected the first independent homestead, near a boat anchorage around what is today Portsmouth Square. Together with Alcalde Francisco de Haro, he laid out a street plan for the expanded settlement, and the town, named Yerba Buena, began to attract American settlers. Commodore John D. Sloat claimed California for the United States on July 7, 1846, during the Mexican–American War, and Captain John B. Montgomery arrived to claim Yerba Buena two days later. Yerba Buena was renamed San Francisco on January 30 of the next year, and Mexico officially ceded the territory to the United States at the end of the war in 1848. Despite its attractive location as a port and naval base, San Francisco was still a small settlement with inhospitable geography.
Juana Briones de Miranda, considered the "Founding Mother of San Francisco"
The California Gold Rush brought a flood of treasure seekers (known as "forty-niners", as in "1849"). With their sourdough bread in tow, prospectors accumulated in San Francisco over rival Benicia, raising the population from 1,000 in 1848 to 25,000 by December 1849. The promise of great wealth was so strong that crews on arriving vessels deserted and rushed off to the gold fields, leaving behind a forest of masts in San Francisco harbor. Some of these approximately 500 abandoned ships were used at times as storeships, saloons, and hotels; many were left to rot, and some were sunk to establish title to the underwater lot. By 1851, the harbor was extended out into the bay by wharves while buildings were erected on piles among the ships. By 1870, Yerba Buena Cove had been filled to create new land. Buried ships are occasionally exposed when foundations are dug for new buildings.
California was quickly granted statehood in 1850, and the U.S. military built Fort Point at the Golden Gate and a fort on Alcatraz Island to secure the San Francisco Bay. Silver discoveries, including the Comstock Lode in Nevada in 1859, further drove rapid population growth. With hordes of fortune seekers streaming through the city, lawlessness was common, and the Barbary Coast section of town gained notoriety as a haven for criminals, prostitution, and gambling.
Entrepreneurs sought to capitalize on the wealth generated by the Gold Rush. Early winners were the banking industry, with the founding of Wells Fargo in 1852 and the Bank of California in 1864. Development of the Port of San Francisco and the establishment in 1869 of overland access to the eastern U.S. rail system via the newly completed Pacific Railroad (the construction of which the city only reluctantly helped support) helped make the Bay Area a center for trade. Catering to the needs and tastes of the growing population, Levi Strauss opened a dry goods business and Domingo Ghirardelli began manufacturing chocolate. Chinese immigrants made the city a polyglot culture, drawn to "Old Gold Mountain", creating the city's Chinatown quarter. In 1870, Asians made up 8% of the population. The first cable cars carried San Franciscans up Clay Street in 1873. The city's sea of Victorian houses began to take shape, and civic leaders campaigned for a spacious public park, resulting in plans for Golden Gate Park. San Franciscans built schools, churches, theaters, and all the hallmarks of civic life. The Presidio developed into the most important American military installation on the Pacific coast. By 1890, San Francisco's population approached 300,000, making it the eighth-largest city in the United States at the time. Around 1901, San Francisco was a major city known for its flamboyant style, stately hotels, ostentatious mansions on Nob Hill, and a thriving arts scene. The first North American plague epidemic was the San Francisco plague of 1900–1904.
At 5:12 am on April 18, 1906, a major earthquake struck San Francisco and northern California. As buildings collapsed from the shaking, ruptured gas lines ignited fires that spread across the city and burned out of control for several days. With water mains out of service, the Presidio Artillery Corps attempted to contain the inferno by dynamiting blocks of buildings to create firebreaks. More than three-quarters of the city lay in ruins, including almost all of the downtown core. Contemporary accounts reported that 498 people lost their lives, though modern estimates put the number in the several thousands. More than half of the city's population of 400,000 was left homeless. Refugees settled temporarily in makeshift tent villages in Golden Gate Park, the Presidio, on the beaches, and elsewhere. Many fled permanently to the East Bay.Rebuilding was rapid and performed on a grand scale. Rejecting calls to completely remake the street grid, San Franciscans opted for speed. Amadeo Giannini's Bank of Italy, later to become Bank of America, provided loans for many of those whose livelihoods had been devastated. The influential San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association or SPUR was founded in 1910 to address the quality of housing after the earthquake. The earthquake hastened development of western neighborhoods that survived the fire, including Pacific Heights, where many of the city's wealthy rebuilt their homes. In turn, the destroyed mansions of Nob Hill became grand hotels. City Hall rose again in splendid Beaux Arts style, and the city celebrated its rebirth at the Panama–Pacific International Exposition in 1915.
During this period, San Francisco built some of its most important infrastructure. Civil Engineer Michael O'Shaughnessy was hired by San Francisco Mayor James Rolph as chief engineer for the city in September 1912 to supervise the construction of the Twin Peaks Reservoir, the Stockton Street Tunnel, the Twin Peaks Tunnel, the San Francisco Municipal Railway, the Auxiliary Water Supply System, and new sewers. San Francisco's streetcar system, of which the J, K, L, M, and N lines survive today, was pushed to completion by O'Shaughnessy between 1915 and 1927. It was the O'Shaughnessy Dam, Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, and Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct that would have the largest effect on San Francisco. An abundant water supply enabled San Francisco to develop into the city it has become today.
The Bay Bridge, shown here under construction in 1935, took forty months to complete.
In ensuing years, the city solidified its standing as a financial capital; in the wake of the 1929 stock market crash, not a single San Francisco-based bank failed. Indeed, it was at the height of the Great Depression that San Francisco undertook two great civil engineering projects, simultaneously constructing the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge, completing them in 1936 and 1937, respectively. It was in this period that the island of Alcatraz, a former military stockade, began its service as a federal maximum security prison, housing notorious inmates such as Al Capone, and Robert Franklin Stroud, the Birdman of Alcatraz. San Francisco later celebrated its regained grandeur with a World's fair, the Golden Gate International Exposition in 1939–40, creating Treasure Island in the middle of the bay to house it.
During World War II, the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard became a hub of activity, and Fort Mason became the primary port of embarkation for service members shipping out to the Pacific Theater of Operations. The explosion of jobs drew many people, especially African Americans from the South, to the area. After the end of the war, many military personnel returning from service abroad and civilians who had originally come to work decided to stay. The United Nations Charter creating the United Nations was drafted and signed in San Francisco in 1945 and, in 1951, the Treaty of San Francisco re-established peaceful relations between Japan and the Allied Powers.
Urban planning projects in the 1950s and 1960s involved widespread destruction and redevelopment of west-side neighborhoods and the construction of new freeways, of which only a series of short segments were built before being halted by citizen-led opposition. The onset of containerization made San Francisco's small piers obsolete, and cargo activity moved to the larger Port of Oakland. The city began to lose industrial jobs and turned to tourism as the most important segment of its economy. The suburbs experienced rapid growth, and San Francisco underwent significant demographic change, as large segments of the white population left the city, supplanted by an increasing wave of immigration from Asia and Latin America. From 1950 to 1980, the city lost over 10 percent of its population.
The Transamerica Pyramid was the tallest building in San Francisco until 2016, when Salesforce Tower surpassed it.
Over this period, San Francisco became a magnet for America's counterculture. Beat Generation writers fueled the San Francisco Renaissance and centered on the North Beach neighborhood in the 1950s. Hippies flocked to Haight-Ashbury in the 1960s, reaching a peak with the 1967 Summer of Love. In 1974, the Zebra murders left at least 16 people dead. In the 1970s, the city became a center of the gay rights movement, with the emergence of The Castro as an urban gay village, the election of Harvey Milk to the Board of Supervisors, and his assassination, along with that of Mayor George Moscone, in 1978.
Bank of America completed 555 California Street in 1969 and the Transamerica Pyramid was completed in 1972, igniting a wave of "Manhattanization" that lasted until the late 1980s, a period of extensive high-rise development downtown. The 1980s also saw a dramatic increase in the number of homeless people in the city, an issue that remains today, despite many attempts to address it. The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake caused destruction and loss of life throughout the Bay Area. In San Francisco, the quake severely damaged structures in the Marina and South of Market districts and precipitated the demolition of the damaged Embarcadero Freeway and much of the damaged Central Freeway, allowing the city to reclaim The Embarcadero as its historic downtown waterfront and revitalizing the Hayes Valley neighborhood.
The two recent decades have seen booms driven by the internet industry. First was the dot-com boom of the late 1990s, startup companies invigorated the San Francisco economy. Large numbers of entrepreneurs and computer application developers moved into the city, followed by marketing, design, and sales professionals, changing the social landscape as once poorer neighborhoods became increasingly gentrified. Demand for new housing and office space ignited a second wave of high-rise development, this time in the South of Market district. By 2000, the city's population reached new highs, surpassing the previous record set in 1950. When the bubble burst in 2001, many of these companies folded and their employees were laid off. Yet high technology and entrepreneurship remain mainstays of the San Francisco economy. By the mid-2000s (decade), the social media boom had begun, with San Francisco becoming a popular location for tech offices and a common place to live for people employed in Silicon Valley companies such as Apple and Google.
The Ferry Station Post Office Building, Armour & Co. Building, Atherton House, and YMCA Hotel are historic buildings among dozens of historical landmarks in the city according to the National Register of Historic Places listings in San Francisco.
The San Francisco Peninsula
San Francisco is located on the West Coast of the United States at the north end of the San Francisco Peninsula and includes significant stretches of the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay within its boundaries. Several picturesque islands—Alcatraz, Treasure Island and the adjacent Yerba Buena Island, and small portions of Alameda Island, Red Rock Island, and Angel Island—are part of the city. Also included are the uninhabited Farallon Islands, 27 miles (43 km) offshore in the Pacific Ocean. The mainland within the city limits roughly forms a "seven-by-seven-mile square", a common local colloquialism referring to the city's shape, though its total area, including water, is nearly 232 square miles (600 km2).
There are more than 50 hills within the city limits. Some neighborhoods are named after the hill on which they are situated, including Nob Hill, Potrero Hill, and Russian Hill. Near the geographic center of the city, southwest of the downtown area, are a series of less densely populated hills. Twin Peaks, a pair of hills forming one of the city's highest points, forms an overlook spot. San Francisco's tallest hill, Mount Davidson, is 928 feet (283 m) high and is capped with a 103-foot (31 m) tall cross built in 1934. Dominating this area is Sutro Tower, a large red and white radio and television transmission tower.
The nearby San Andreas and Hayward Faults are responsible for much earthquake activity, although neither physically passes through the city itself. The San Andreas Fault caused the earthquakes in 1906 and 1989. Minor earthquakes occur on a regular basis. The threat of major earthquakes plays a large role in the city's infrastructure development. The city constructed an auxiliary water supply system and has repeatedly upgraded its building codes, requiring retrofits for older buildings and higher engineering standards for new construction.[88] However, there are still thousands of smaller buildings that remain vulnerable to quake damage. USGS has released the California earthquake forecast which models earthquake occurrence in California.
San Francisco's shoreline has grown beyond its natural limits. Entire neighborhoods such as the Marina, Mission Bay, and Hunters Point, as well as large sections of the Embarcadero, sit on areas of landfill. Treasure Island was constructed from material dredged from the bay as well as material resulting from the excavation of the Yerba Buena Tunnel through Yerba Buena Island during the construction of the Bay Bridge. Such land tends to be unstable during earthquakes. The resulting soil liquefaction causes extensive damage to property built upon it, as was evidenced in the Marina district during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. Most of the city's natural watercourses, such as Islais Creek and Mission Creek, have been culverted and built over, although the Public Utilities Commission is studying proposals to daylight or restore some creeks.
L'Hypolaïs polyglotte (Hippolais polyglotta) est une espèce d'oiseaux de la famille des Acrocephalidae. C'est un visiteur d'été en France.
Il a le dessus gris-brun olivâtre et le dessous jaune, plus net sur la gorge et le haut de la poitrine. Le ventre et les flancs sont lavés de gris jaunâtre. Petit sourcil jaune, pas toujours visible. Le bec, long relativement à la tête, et orangé.
Cet oiseau mesure 12 à 13 cm de longueur pour une envergure de 18 à 20 cm et une masse de 11 à 14 g.
Name: Navin Khattar
Age: 36
Aliases: N/A, Nav, Agent Khattar, sometimes Agent K
Nationality: American, Emirati
Profile: Born in Dubai to an American father and a Pakistani-British mother, Navin was supposed to have the name “Hensley”, but his parents insisted on using Navin. He gained powers at a young age and the rest is history. He states that once he turned 8, he travelled with his father back to the states in Ohio—where he came from while his mother stayed behind. Upon his high school education, he didn’t have much of a career ahead until going back to Dubai, working around stalls then at the Burj Khalifa.
Navin went for soul searching, knowing had to go somewhere after graduating in Oxford. It struck his head when he found out his powers were best used for something. An agency—Interpol, which he joined. Much to his ability as a polyglot, he traced for criminal activities around. The surge of superhumans grew more as Navin became the team’s valuable consultant, and meeting a woman who became his wife, but before her impeccable betrayal which would make the Navin a different man.
Powers and abilities: Glass manipulation , able to warp shards and make shields.
Equipment: Standard Interpol gear, lined, armored suit except his torso. Necklace given to him by his mother, sidearms worn at chest.
Personality: Prior to his supposed mission, Navin was carefree, happy and a wise cracking man, until his wife’s betrayal spiraled him into demise because he was unable to accept the fact who she became. He is rather hard boiled and hardened his own senses.
Taken on December 8, 2007 at 4.47pm, Muller Shopping, Curitiba City, Paraná State, Southern Brazil....... See in Larger
Santa Claus Names from Around the World:
Afghanistan: Baba Chaghaloo
Australia: Father Christmas
Brazil: Papai Noel
Canada: English Speaking: Santa Claus
French Speaking: Pere Noel
China: Shengdan Laoren
Denmark: Julemanden
Holland: Sinter Klaas
Egypt: Papa Noel
England: Father Christmas
Finland: Joulupukki
France: Pere Noel
Germany: Christtindl
Hungary: Mikulas
India: Ganesha
Iran: Baba Noel
Italy: Babbo Natale
Japan: Hoteisho
Netherlands: Kertsman
New Zealand: Father Christmas
Norway: Julenissen
Peru: Papai Noel
Poland: Świety Mikolaj
Portugal: Pai Natal
Russia: Ded Moroz
Spain: Papa Noel
Sweden: Jultomten
Turkey: Noel Baba
United States: Santa Claus.
I will see all my friends soon soon!
This month is of many activities at my work, but I know that friends understand
the situation...Kisses
Eu verei a todos muito em breve!
Este mês é muito tumultuado no meu trabalho, mas eu sei que meus amigos compreendem a situação...Bjks
Try it for free no card data required….Our system is based on both science and the practical success strategies that polyglots (people who speak 5 or more languages fluently) use, which practically guarantees your success.
link to page: Follow THIS LINK to try it out.
rocketlanguagestoday.com/learn-japanese-faster-rocket-lan...
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Clase: Aves
Orden: Passeriformes
Familia: Mimidae
Género: Mimus
Especie: M. polyglottos
Brussels (French: Bruxelles, pronounced [bʁysɛl] ( listen); Dutch: Brussel, pronounced [ˈbrʏsəl] (help·info)), officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region (French: Région de Bruxelles-Capitale, Dutch: Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest (help·info)), is the de facto capital city of the European Union (EU) and the largest urban area in Belgium. It comprises 19 municipalities, including the City of Brussels proper, which is the constitutional capital of Belgium, the French Community of Belgium, as well as Flanders and the Flemish Community.
Brussels has grown from a 10th-century fortress town founded by a descendant of Charlemagne into a metropolis of more than one million inhabitants.
The metropolitan area has a population of over 1.8 million, making it the largest in Belgium.
Since the end of the Second World War, Brussels has been a main centre for international politics. Its hosting of principal EU institutions as well as the headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has made the city a polyglot home of numerous international organisations, politicians, diplomats and civil servants.
Although historically Dutch-speaking, Brussels became increasingly French-speaking over the 19th and 20th centuries. Today a majority of inhabitants are native French-speakers, although both languages have official status. Linguistic tensions remain, and the language laws of the municipalities surrounding Brussels are an issue of much controversy in Belgium.
(by Wikipedia)
Name: Connor Elías Raul Arden
Age: 26
Aliases: Con/Conn, Dusksmoke, Battoman of 23, Big Bro
Nationality: Italian-American, 1/3 Spanish and Mexican, Japanese (granted permanent stay/residence)
Profile: Like his younger brother Jesse, Connor grew up in a poor household, constantly abused by their alcoholic mother, and his father could not do anything to help.
However his father managed to meet a Mexican-American woman, whom he married later and had a better job and life. Both siblings went to the same elementary school where they met Tyrone and Erin, becoming best friends. Connor was often a troublemaker and almost blew up the lab during an experiment, which is a common recurring joke.
When Connor turned 14, he started to act differently to due harassment and bullying, but he still stood strong. His former electronics teacher in first grade, Oddcrow, found him and decided to take the young teen to Japan, as he trained in secret under the guild and worked his way up to become an assassin. His family was constantly worried during his disappearance.
In the years passing by, Connor managed to become Igarashi’s finest lieutenants in the guild, as he also became accustomed to Asian education, culture and norms, but still shunned by most of his peers. His allies included Oddcrow, who still remained as a uncle figure and mentor to him, and developed a brief relationship with a detective, Mina Tatsugami. Mason Gardner also became a friend of his when Connor went back to the states for university and met the businessman as a teaching assistant, despite their age gap by 12 years.
Upon learning Paladin’s activity and rediscovering his brother alongside his team, whom they arrived in Tokyo to fight against the Yakuza, he decided to aid them secretly. Seven months later, he also participated in the battle against North, the warlord, at the behest of his friend Gardner.
Approximately a year after the Tokyo incident (and five months after dealing with the Spectres), he was tasked by the Guild to find a red katana, but found himself framed and being set up. Connor decided to reach out to Paladin in order to clear his name, which meant revealing his identity and managed to do so succesfully, while electing his mentor, Oddcrow, to become the new guild leader.
Currently, he has joined Paladin as a new member while managing to reunite with his family.
Powers and abilities: Like the name of his alias, he is able to conjure winds and smokes, able to suffocate people or blind them, while also aided by his smoke bombs. Connor is a natural polyglot and genius, being able to demonstrate science at an early age and master languages including his native English and Spanish, later on Italian and Japanese etc. Connor is also a martial arts expert, mastering most forms of Asian and international fighting styles and perfects them to killing if he has to. He has a vast knowledge of weapons, culture and many things.
Equipment: Being the weapons master he is, Connor possesses a highly refined protective suit that is water, electric and fire proof. After proving himself in the field, he and Oddcrow have added many touches to the suit, including acid prevention, stealth mode and etc. His main weapon is a hardened staff that can retract and shock people with attacks, or call upon a jet for contact. He also carries shurikens and daggers, not much a gun fighter. Dusksmoke is still a mysterious figure whose weapons are yet to be fully showcased
Personality: Mostly opposite compared his younger brother, but shares some similar qualities, such as interest/smartness in technology, modesty and bravery. Connor is known to be sufficient and independent and adaptable facing the outside world. He is shown as being dark and secretive, but still has a sense of deadpan humour.