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Wildfire mitigation strategies involve clearing the underbrush from the forest floor near buildings.
CN 3200 has a Zero is Possible sticker, because CN believes it is possible to have Zero injuries or fatalities. The train was lead by CN 3200 (ET44AC) with CN 3061 (ET44AC) as the rear DPU.
Partner, what do you think of these fabrics? I'm thinking of a frosty wintery scheme with maybe a few dashes of pale pink to warm it up a little. Is there anything you want taken out, or anything you'd like added? I will probably edit this stack once I have a better idea of design so now is your chance to have a say! I used a similar colour scheme here without the darker blues.
(I know that this description is lengthy. I tried to make it as short as possible.)
~ Of the Seven Divines ~
"A Primer on the Worship of the Major Gods and Goddesses in the Lands of Galacia and Beyond."
Thorne Babblebrook ~ Willowstone Historian
Since the dawn of civilization in the lands of Galacia and beyond, there have been stories told of beings that exist beyond our sight and comprehension who have shaped the mortal realm. These unseen forces have guided the fate of all beings from an unknown and unglimpsed realm known as the Vale of the Mists. The invisible hands of these deities have helped to raise great kingdoms and topple them down again. They are responsible for the changes in the seasons, the rising and setting of the sun, and the victory or defeat of armies on the field of battle. The Seven Divines, as they have become known, represent the major forces of the natural world.
Enril – Enril is the patron god of justice, honor, and light. He is seen as being the chief of all the Seven Divines and one of the beings of the Holy Triad. Enril has ruled over the mortal realm since time immemorial. It was Enril who first decided bestow upon the world the races of men, dwarves, elves, and orcs, and to these races he gave the initial spark of civilization. Enril is seen as being a distant god, only because he prefers to allow his races to prove themselves worthy of the gifts that he has given them. Enril is also seen as being responsible for the celestial movements of the heavenly bodies and the natural rhythm of the universe. Enril is worshipped by a majority of followers. Kings, rulers, and clerics especially appreciate him for his emphasis on justice and light.
Gnar – Gnar is the patron god of the wisdom, magic, and the earth. Gnar, the blind god, is another of the Holy Triad, and the oldest of the Seven Divines. Ancient beyond description, Gnar maintains all of the collected knowledge of the ages and he is the god responsible creating the force known as magic and bestowing the gifting upon a selected few. Wizards, mages, and historians all revere the wisdom of Gnar, and through complicated rituals they commune with his knowledge of the unknown as they unravel the various mysteries of the universe. Residing mostly in his dimly lit cavern, Gnar is more than happy to depart shreds of wisdom upon the worthy, but never so much so that a mortal may become too powerful in their pursuit of the arcane.
Zephyria – Zephyria is the patron goddess of life, nature, and the winds. She is the final member of the Holy Triad, and she is the second most widely worshipped deity. Zephyria, the most involved of the Seven Divines in the lives of mortals, loves all living things and sees each being as one of her children. Zephyria is also seen as being responsible for weather patterns, climates, and the winds, it is for this reason that farmers, archers, rangers, and sailors worship her with reverence. She is also the creator of all the flora and fauna that exists beneath the heavens and in the sea. Zephyria has molded new races in her image, such as the dryad, satyr, and other spirits of the natural realm who live to protect the wilderness that Zephyria loves so dearly.
Argoth – Argoth, the only god of the Seven Divines recognized by the barbarian Morni of Grey Fogg, is the patron god of warfare, fire, and steel. By most, Argoth is worshipped as a god who appears in the form of a man, though the Morni have taken to associating the powerful Argoth with the form of a strong mountain bear. Often times, the superstitious Morni refer to Argoth as the Great Bear of the North. Outside of Grey Fogg, the main groups who worship Argoth are those of the warrior class, fighting men who value strength and courage, and those who work the forge. He is a very primitive and unforgiving god, and his followers rarely pray to him as they feel it will do them no good since Argoth will not save those weak enough to plead for his help. Though, soldiers will often utter a few solemn words in Argoth’s honor prior to a battle, asking for him to guide their hand in battle so that they may send him the souls of fellow warriors for judgement before his granite throne.
Narci – Narci is the patron goddess of love, beauty, and the arts. Being a lesser deity, and a creation of Gnar, Narci does not have the power wielded by those in the Holy Triad. Even so, she does have a strong following amongst those involved in the world of art. Many playwrights, painters, and musicians look to Narci as their muse. Lovers also look to Narci as a source of inspiration, and marriage ceremonies are generally conducted in her honor. Narci’s major weakness is her extreme vanity, which tends to get her into trouble with the other Divines.
Tidus – Tidus is the patron god of the tides and of all the seas of the mortal world. He is also known as the Sea King of Unda, the realm of the sea nymphs and the mermaids. Tidus, initially a creation of Zephyria, was raised to the level of a Divine in order to better protect the seas and waterways of the mortal realm, and to rule over the submariner race spirits known as the Nereid. Tidus has been known to give in to intense bouts of anger that lead to great storms, crashing waves, and devastating whirlpools. It is for this reason that sailors, fishermen, and ship makers take their worship of the temperamental god seriously.
“The Black One” – It has no name, no form, and no voice... but all are aware of the existence of this being of pure darkness. It is the patron god of death, destruction, and evil. “The Black One” exists for the sole purpose of sowing discord amongst the races of the mortal realm. Few chose to worship this Divine, though it has collected a small following amongst necromancers, thieves, outcasts, and others who live on the shadowy fringe of society. “The Black One” was once a respected Divine, however it lusted for power and was cast out of the Vale of the Mists for conspiring against its kin. “The Black One” now languishes and waits for its opportunity to strike back at the deities who cast it out. To aid in spreading death and destruction, this deity has created various repulsive races such as the vampires, werewolves, and gargoyles that favor the darkness of night and tread more in the realm of the dead than the land of the living.
So I’ve been putting off giving my curvy Fashionista joints cuz I’m so lazy but my knock off Triad Alpha body has similar proportions?
Idk but I wished the Alpha body had bigger thighs and a tummy so i might keep curvy on this body lol.
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SOOC
Hi everyone!
Yes I know, another Christmas shot, sorry... but I couldn't resist to post it :P, specially thinking about a title for this shot and trying to write the sound in English (sorry if the title is not very accurate but English is not my mother tongue).
So, I googled for trying to find how the native English speakers write the trumpet sound and I found this video which is very bad but at least I found that native English speakers write the trumpet sound... anyways if it is not accurate, please let me know...
Otherwise, I took this photo close to my office, at the Christmas Market, I have another shots but I will post them probably tomorrow...
Hope you like it!
Good night everyone!
En route home from doing a bit of scouting for possible blossom photography sites I was on the North Service Road at the site immediately adjacent to the Tim Horton’s as well as the ESSO gas station I had photographed a few days ago. The large tract of land on the South shore of Lake Ontario was, for many years, the site of Prudhomme’s motel/hotel and entertainment complex, until a massive first fire in June 1967 signalled the beginning of the end of the complex. A few efforts were made to resurrect the business but, ultimately, a second fire and lack of investment in a proper restoration destined it for the bulldozers and many years of awaiting development. In the past couple of years development finally commenced, albeit somewhat slowly, and the two aforementioned images show the progress to date. Now a bit more work has begun, although the site still looks pretty barren with large concrete blocks and barriers suggesting the future layout. I stopped there during a brief lull in the rain and got this.– JW
Date Taken: 2025-05-01
Date PP: 2025-05-02
(c) Copyright 2025 JW Vraets
If you are interested in prints or licensing of any of my images, DM me with a brief description of what you may be looking for.
Tech Details:
Taken using hand-held Nikon D800 fitted with an AF-S Nikkor 24-120mm VR 1:4.0 lense set to 58mm, ISO100 (Auto ISO), Daylight WB, Matrix metering, Shutter Priority Mode, f/6.3, 1/400 sec. PP in free Open Source RAWTherapee from Nikon RAW/NEF source: Set final image size to 9000px wide, level the horizon and crop the frame to a 16x9 format, convert to black-and-white/B&W/monochrome, apply Tone Mapping as well as Dynamic Range Compression each at default levels, use the Graduated Neutral Density/GND tool to darken the sky to bring out the storm clouds, slightly increase Contrast, sharpen, save. PP in free Open Source GIMP: use the Levels tool to set up a good base tonal range, use the Brightness/Contrast tool to increase overall contrast, duplicate the frame to a new top layer and use the Curves tool to adjust the contrast and brightness of the sales building in the background (disregarding the impact on the rest of the frame) and add a black/transparent layer mask following which a white brush was used to pain in the sales building on the mask to make the better looking version visible, ad a non-destructive Dodge/Burn layer and use it to make some localized adjustments to sky brightness, make new working layer from visible result, sharpen, save, scale to 7100 px wide, sharpen, save, add fine black-and-white frame, add bar and text on left, save, scale image to 3700 px wide for posting online, sharpen very slightly, save.
friend brought this to my office; his grandmother died before he could ask her where it came from; any ideas?
Delaware and Hudson Railway steam locomotive no. 97 and other unidentified engines sit in possible dead line at the yard possibly in Oneonta, New York, circa 1953. Alan Furler, Donald Furler's son, inspects the line. Photograph by Donald W. Furler. Furler-17-116-02; © 2017, Center for Railroad Photography and Art
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
Although the performance increases of jet-powered aircraft introduced towards the end of World War II over their piston-powered ancestors were breathtaking, there were those at the time who believed that much more was possible. As far back as 1943, the British Ministry of Aircraft Production had issued a specification designated "E.24/43" for a supersonic experimental jet aircraft that would be able to achieve 1,600 KPH (1,000 MPH).
Beginning in 1946, a design team at English Electric (EE) under W.E.W. "Teddy" Petter began design studies for a supersonic fighter, leading to award of a Ministry of Supply (MoS) contract in 1947 under specification "ER.103" for a design study on an experimental aircraft that could achieve Mach 1.2.
The MoS liked the EE concepts, and in early 1949 awarded the company a contract under specification "F.23/49" for two flying prototypes and one ground-test prototype of the "P.1".
The P.1 was defined as a supersonic research aircraft, though the design had provisions for armament and a radar gunsight. It incorporate advanced and unusual design features, such as twin turbojet engines mounted one above the other to reduce aircraft frontal area; and strongly swept wings, with the wingtip edges at a right angle to the fuselage, giving a wing configuration like that of a delta wing with the rear inner corners cut out. The aircraft featured an elliptical intake in the nose.
The P.1's performance was so outstanding that the decision was quickly made to proceed on an operational version that would be capable of Mach 2. In fact, the second P.1 prototype featured items such as a bulged belly tank and fit of twin Aden Mark 4 30 millimeter revolver-type cannon, bringing it closer to operational specification.
Orders were placed for three "P.1B" prototypes for a production interceptor and the original P.1 was retroactively designated "P.1A". The P.1B featured twin Rolls-Royce Avon afterburning engines and a larger tailfin. An airborne intercept (AI) radar was carried in the air intake shock cone, which was changed from elliptical to circular. The cockpit was raised for a better field of view and the P.1B was armed with two Aden cannon in the upper nose, plus a pack under the cockpit that could either support two De Havilland Blue Jay (later Firestreak) heat-seeking AAMs or 44 Microcell 5 centimeter (2 inch) unguided rockets.
The initial P.1B prototype performed its first flight on 4 April 1957 and the type entered RAF service as EE Lightning F.1. RAF Number 74 Squadron at Coltishall was the first full service unit, with the pilots acquiring familiarization with the type during late 1960 and the squadron declared operational in 1961.
However, while the Lightning was developed further into more and more advanced versions. Its concept was also the basis for another research aircraft that would also be developed into a high performance interceptor: the P.6/1, which later became the “Levin” fighter.
P.6 encompassed a total of four different layouts for a Mach 2+ research aircraft, tendering to ER.134T from 1952. P.6/1 was the most conservative design and it relied heavily on existing (and already proven) P.1 Lightning components, primarily the aerodynamic surfaces. The most obvious difference was a new fuselage of circular diameter, housing a single Rolls Royce RB.106 engine.
The RB.106 was a two-shaft design with two axial flow compressors each driven by its own single stage turbine and reheat. It was of similar size to the Rolls-Royce Avon, but it produced about twice the thrust at 21,750 lbf (96.7 kN) in the initial version. The two-shaft layout was relatively advanced for the era; the single-shaft de Havilland Gyron matched it in power terms, while the two-spool Bristol Olympus was much less powerful at the then-current state of development. Apart from being expected to power other British aircraft such as those competing for Operational Requirement F.155, it was also selected to be the powerplant for the Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow and led to the Orenda Iroquois engine, which even reach 30.000 lbf (130 kN).
The P.6/1 was eventually chosen by the MoS for further development because it was regarded as the least risky and costly alternative. Beyond its test bed role for the RB.106 the P.6/1 was also seen as a potential basis for a supersonic strategic air-to-ground missile (similar to the massive Soviet AS-3 ‘Kangaroo’ cruise missile) and the starting point for an operational interceptor that would be less complex than the Lightning, but with a comparable if not improved performance but a better range.
In 1955 English Electric received a go ahead for two P.6/1 research aircraft prototypes. Despite a superficial similarity to the Lightning, the P.6/1’s internal structure was very different. The air duct, for instance, was bifurcated and led around on both sides of the cockpit tub and the front wheel well instead of below it. Further down, the duct ran below the wing main spar and directly fed the RB.106.
The rear fuselage was area-ruled, the main landing gear retracted, just like the Lightning’s, outwards into the wings, while the front wheel retracted backwards into a well that was placed further aft than on the Lightning. The upper fuselage behind the main wings spar carried fuel tanks, more fuel was carried in wing tanks.
Both research machines were ready in 1958 and immediately started with aerodynamic and material tests for the MoS, reaching top speeds of Mach 2.5 and altitudes of 60.000 ft. and more.
In parallel, work on the fighter version, now called “Levin”, had started. The airframe was basically the same as the P.6/1’s. Biggest visible changes were a wider air intake with a bigger central shock cone (primarily for a radar dish), a shorter afterburner section and an enlarged fin with area increased by 15% that had become necessary in order to compensate instability through the new nose layout and the potential carriage of external ordnance, esp. under the fuselage. This bigger fin was taken over to the Lightning F.3 that also initially suffered from longitudal instability due to the new Red Top missiles.
The Levin carried armament and avionics similar to the Lightning, including the Ferranti-developed AI.23 monopulse radar. The aircraft was to be fully integrated into a new automatic intercept system developed by Ferranti, Elliot, and BAC. It would have turned the fighters into something like a "manned missile" and greatly simplified intercepts.
Anyway, the Levin’s weapon arrangement was slightly different from the Lightning: the Levin’s armament comprised theoretically a mix of up to four 30mm Aden cannons and/or up to four of the new Red Top AAMs, or alternatively the older Firestreak. The guns were mounted in the upper nose flanks (similar to the early Lightning arrangement, but set further back), right under the cockpit hatch, while a pair of AAMs was carried on wing tip launch rails. Two more AAMs could be carried on pylons under the lower front fuselage, similar to the Lightning’s standard configuration, even though there was no interchangeable module. Since this four-missile arrangement would not allow any cannon to be carried anymore and caused excessive drag, the typical payload was limited to two Aden cannons and the single pair of wing-tip missiles.
Despite its proven Lightning ancestry, the development of the Levin went through various troubles. While the RB.106 worked fine in the research P.6/1, it took until 1962 that a fully reliable variant for the interceptor could be cleared for service. Meanwhile the Lightning had already evolved into the F.3 variant and political discussions circled around the end of manned military aircraft. To make matters even worse, the RAF refused to buy the completely automatic intercept system, despite the fact that it had been fully engineered at a cost of 1.4 million pounds and trialed in one of the P.1Bs.
Eventually, the Levin F.1 finally entered service in 1964, together with the Lightning F.3. While the Lightning was rather seen as a point defense interceptor, due to the type’s limited range: If a Lightning F.3 missed its target on its first pass, it almost never had enough fuel to make a second attempt without topping off from a tanker, which would give an intruder plenty of time to get to its target and then depart… The Lightning’s flight endurance was less than 2 hours (in the F.2A, other variants even less), and it was hoped that the Levin had more potential through a longer range. Anyway, in service, the Levin’s range in clean configuration was only about 8% better than the Lightning’s. The Levin F.1’s flight endurance was about 2 ½ hours – an improvement, but not as substantial as expected.
In order to improve the range on both fighters, English Electric developed a new, stiffened wing for the carriage of a pair of jettisonable overwing ferry tanks with a capacity of 1,182 liters (312 US gallons / 260 Imperial gallons, so-called “Overburgers”). The new wing also featured a kinked leading edge, providing better low-speed handling. From mid 1965 onwards, all Levins were directly produced in this F.2 standard, and during regular overhauls the simpler F.1 machines were successively updated. The Lightning introduced the kinked wing with the F.3A variant and it was later introduced with the F.2A and F.6A variants.
Levin production comprised 21 original F.1 airframes, plus 34 F.2 fighters, and production was stopped in 1967. A trainer version was not produced, the Lightning trainers were deemed sufficient for conversion since the Levin and the Lightning shared similar handling characteristics.
The Levin served only with RAF 29 and 65 Squadron, the latter re-instated in 1970 as a dedicated fighter squadron. When in November 1984 the Tornado squadrons began to form, the Levin was gradually phased out and replaced until April 1987 by the Tornado F.3.
General characteristics:
Crew: 1
Length w/o pitot: 51 ft 5 in (15,70 m), 55 ft 8 in (16.99 m) overall
Wingspan incl. wingtip launch rails: 34 ft 9 in (10.54 m)
Height: 19 ft 7 in (5.97 m)
Wing area: 474.5 ft² (44.08 m²)
Empty weight: 8937 kg (lb)
Loaded weight: 13,570 kg (29,915)
Max. takeoff weight: 15,210 kg (33,530 lb)
Powerplant:
1× Rolls-Royce RB.106-10S afterburning turbojet,
rated at 20,000 lbf (89 kN) dry and 26,000 lbf (116 kN) with afterburning
Performance:
Maximum speed:
- 1,150 km/h (620 kn, 715 mph, Mach 0.94) at sea level
- 2,230 km/h (1.202 kn, 1,386 mph, Mach 2.1;), clean with 2× Red Top AAMs at high altitude
- Mach 2.4 absolute top speed in clean configuration at 50.000 ft.
Range: 1,650 km (890 nmi, 1,025 mi) on internal fuel
Combat radius: 500 km (312 mi); clean, with a pair of wing tip Red Top AAMs
Ferry range: 1,270 mi (1.100 NM/ 2.040 km) with overwing tanks
Service ceiling: 16,760 m (55,000 ft)
Rate of climb: 136.7 m/s (27,000 ft/min)
Wing loading: 76 lb/ft² (370 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight: 0.78
Takeoff roll: 950 m (3,120 ft)
Landing roll: 700 m (2,300 ft)
Armament:
2× 30 mm (1.18 in) ADEN cannons with 120 RPG in the upper front fuselage
2× wing tip hardpoints for mounting air-to-air missiles (2 Red Top of Firestreak AAMs)
2× overwing pylon stations for 260 gal ferry tanks
Optional, but rarely used: 2× hardpoints under the front fuselage for mounting air-to-air missiles
(2 Red Top of Firestreak AAMs)
The kit and its assembly:
Another contribution to the Cold War GB at whatifmodelers.com, and the realization of a project I had on the agenda for long. The EE P.6/1 was a real project for a Mach 2+ research aircraft, as described above, but it never went off the drawing board. Its engine, the RB.106, also never saw the light of day, even though its later career as the Canadian Orenda Iroquois for the stillborn CF-105.
Building this aircraft as a model appears simple, because it’s a classic Lightning (actually a F.1 with the un-kinked wing and the small fin), just with a single engine and a rather tubular fuselage. But creating this is not easy at all…
I did not want to replicate the original P.6/1, but rather a service aircraft based on the research aircraft. Therefore I used parts from a Lightning F.6 (a vintage NOVO/Frog kit). For the fuselage I settled for a Su-17, from a MasterCraft kit. The kit’s selling point was its small price tag and the fuselage construction: the VG mechanism is hidden under a separate spine piece, and I wanted to transplant the Lightning’s spine and cockpit frame, so I thought that this would make things easier.
Nope.
Putting the parts from the VERY different kits/aircraft together was a major surgery feat, with several multiple PSR sessions on the fuselage, the air intake section (opened and fitted with both an internal splitter and a bulkhead to the cockpit section), the wings, the stabilizers, the fin… This model deserves the title “kitbash” like no other, because no major sections had ever been intended to be glued together, and in the intended position!
The landing gear was more or less taken OOB, but the main struts had to be elongated by 2mm – somehow the model turned out to be a low-riding tail sitter! The cockpit interior was improvised, too, consisting of a Su-17 cockpit tub, a scratched dashboard and a Martin Baker ejection seat from an Italeri Bae Hawk trainer.
Since most of the fuselage surface consists of various materials (styrene and two kinds of putty), I did not dare to engrave panel lines – after all the PSR work almost any surface detail was gone. I rather went for a graphic solution (see below). Some antennae and air scoops were added, though.
The overwing tanks come OOB from the NOVO kit, as well as the Red Top missiles, which ended up on improvised wing tip launch rails, based on design sketches for Lightning derivatives with this layout.
Colors and markings:
There are several “classic” RAF options, but I settled for a low-viz Eighties livery taken from BAC Lightnings. There’s a surprising variety of styles, and my version is a mix of several real world aircraft.
I settled for Dark Sea Grey upper surfaces (Modelmaster Authentic) with a high waterline, a fuselage completely in Medium Sea Grey (Humbrol 165 – had to be applied twice because the first tin I used was obviously old and the paint ended up in a tone not unlike PRU Blue!) and Light aircraft Grey underwing surfaces (Humbrol 166). The leading edges under the wings are Dark Sea Grey, too.
The cockpit interior was painted in dark grey (Humbrol 32 with some dry-brushing), while the landing gear is Aluminum (Humbrol 56).
Once the basic painting was done I had to deal with the missing panel lines on the fuselage and those raised lines that were sanded away during the building process. I decided to simulate these with a soft pencil, after the whole kit was buffed with a soft cotton cloth and some grinded graphite. This way, the remaining raised panel lines were emphasized, and from these the rest was drawn up. A ruler and masking tape were used as guidance for straight lines, and this worked better than expected, with good results.
As a next step, the newly created panels were highlighted with dry-brushed lighter tones of the basic paints (FS 36492 and WWII Italian Blue Grey from Modelmaster, and Humbrol 126), more for a dramatic than a weathered effect. The gun ports and the exhaust section were painted with Modelmaster Metallizer (Titanium and Magnesium).
The decals come from several Xtradecal aftermarket sheets, including a dedicated Lightning stencils sheet, another Lightning sheet with various squadron markings and a sheet for RAF Tornado ADVs.
The code number “XS970” was earmarked to a TSR.2, AFAIK, but since it was never used on a service aircraft it would be a good option for the Levin.
The kit received a coat of matt acrylic varnish from the rattle can – jn this case the finish was intended to bear a slight shine.
This was a project with LOTS of effort, but you hardly recognize it – it’s a single engine Lightning, so what? But welding the Lightning and Su-17 parts together for something that comes close to the P.6/1 necessitated LOTS of body work and improvisation, carving it from wood would probably have been the next complicated option. Except for the surprisingly long tail I am very happy with the result, despite the model’s shaggy origins, and the low-viz livery suits the sleek aircraft IMHO very well.
That is closest species I can find, the legs look the right colour & markings look like a male photo in the book. In our local wood.
Possible this may be the same insect I posted earlier but more likely and adult. On an unopened daylily. Its body is now about a full inch long, was only about 1/2 inch last time. I did find out these are a type of tree cricket that lives on bushes, etc. and not on the ground. First time for me to see one!
Saving a few photos taken today between rain showers, no need to comment.
The only possible way to show Twin Falls without branches is to "get down" and in the water to shoot, and I did.....probably for the last time.
I only saw those two odd brown streaks on the far right hand side after I got home. It's not dirt or silt. I have no idea what that is! Oh, wait! Maybe it is silt. I see some light brown elsewhere across the falls.
Lacking the market driven industry of the US, the Soviets were keen to re-use a good design in as many roles as possible. The chassis of the Katyusha was so rugged and adaptable it saw service in many roles including front end loaders and troop transports in the Lunar War.
Notes:
~I may re-use the chassis to build other vehicles. I tried adding windows onto the dome but it look more sinister without.
~Are the drill pieces on the guns too much?
~From what I can translate from propaganda posters, the decal on the side of the dome should read "For the Motherland".
~I wish we could embed music files to flickr posts. I have some wicked Kom-Intern tracks that would be perfect here to add some atmosphere.
~Was looking at these recently :)
Possible Lake Darner - female. This one seems to have lost it's head. It was still moving it legs. Probably lost it's head in an unfortunate mating mishap.
==The Trailer==
Day 10
In the months following Miranda's death, the Misfits undertook a role that Sharpe had rather cruelly dubbed "Drury Duty;" what that entailed, was monitoring Walker as closely as they could, placating him whenever possible and giving him an outlet for his outbursts, mood swings and frustrations. Often times, it meant simply watching whatever he wanted to watch, buying what he wanted to eat and in one particularly notable instance, it had meant fighting the League of Assassins.
When he returned from his exile, things remained very much the same; the Misfits supported him however they could, and with varying degrees of enthusiasm- Rigger was of course ecstatic to help Drury out, Gar did his part with unwavering loyalty, and Flannegan would pitch in so long as he was paid for what he considered "Overtime."
Philip Reardon, Ten, who had previously objected to Walker's continuing reckless streak, had similarly carried on, keeping his reservations unspoken. Yet, the longer they stayed away from Gotham, the more anxious he had grown. Confined to the trailer, he sat unimpressed, as Drury watched The Disaster Artist for the sixth time that week, Gar by his side, flicking that infernal lighter on and off, with annoying consistency.
Fortunately, a moment's respite arrived, as Rigger entered the base with a bag laden with Chinese food. "Take-Out's here," he announced cheerily.
"Place it on the table there, Joe, we'll get it in a minute," Drury said, not taking his eyes off the screen, a thoughtful hand placed on his chin.
Rigger nodded, and dutifully began unpacking the food. "You think Batman minds we're using his Netflix?" he asked, as he placed napkins around the table.
"We stole his truck, Joey, he didn't seem to fault us for that," Drury joked.
"It's not Batman's," Gar drawled, as he turned back to the TV. "The account was listed under Devon or Damon or something."
==Study Room F==
Since Jeff and Chuck had made their uneasy peace, the Misfits continued to study side by side with their fellow students. Well, Chuck studied. Blake, was still set on winning Britta's heart, and Mayo, spent his time doodling in his notebook; his latest creations were a series of drawings about a pair of anthropomorphic ketchup and mustard bottles he'd named Keith and Robert Attfield.
With his now-typical flamboyant flair, Dean Pelton entered the room, this time dressed in a Women's Suffrage outfit. "Bad news people," he began. "Our Woman StuDeans teacher dropped out and now we need a replacem-"
Without thinking, Blake spoke up. "I'll do it," he said proudly.
The girls look at him, then back at the Dean in horror.
"Great! You start Thursday, here's your schedule, your office key, and- my personal number," Pelton winked, as he handed Blake the coursework, and scribbled on the bottom of the topmost sheet.
"Cool," Blake said,
"Dean!" Annie gasped in protest. "Shouldn't a woman's studies class be taught be a woman? Instead of, y'know..." she gestured at Blake, hesitant to say 'man.'
"Oh, yeah, and I guess Ladders should be taught by a ladder? Get with the times, bigot," Pierce grumbled condescendingly.
The Dean smiled. "It's a nice thought, Annie, but the board's concerned that if we hire another woman, and for a woman's studies class no less, that there may be a level of bias involved. That why I've always made sure replacement teachers are the opposite gender, and, anything in between," he explained, as he made his exit.
The group pondered the accuracy of the statement; strangely enough, it did seem to line up.
Britta frowned, as she turned to the boys bitterly. "You just couldn't let us have this one, could you? Just another thing you men just had to take from women. The oppressive power of the penis strikes again."
"Give it a rest Britta," Jeff interjected. "We gave you Ghostbusters."
At this, Troy reached over and rested his arm on Abed's shoulder to comfort him.
"Told you I'd get there, Chuck," Blake whistled triumphantly, rising to his feet. And, as he left, he dumped the textbooks in the nearby bin
"That's a really bad sign," Abed declared flatly.
==The Trailer==
Forced to choose between Wiseau and his career, The Room or his girlfriend, Sestero bowed his head. Amber scoffed disappointedly, and walked off the set. Tommy shrugged, and continued to bark nasally orders. Gar's eyes widened as he began to notice parallels that you could only really notice if you too had been forced to watch The Disaster Artist on a daily basis for a week.
"Nah," Drury tutted to himself. "Sorry Dave, I'm just not feeling it." Reardon had begun to notice that his opinion towards the Franco brothers' acting was as flippant as Wiseau's on-set behaviour.
Gar paused, and slowly turned his head to his companion. "Drury. Did you Disaster Artist me?" he asked sternly.
"Now, Gar, that depends on the context," Drury deflected. "Did I once proposition you to make a kick ass movie? Yes, yes I did- you said no. Did I invite you to live with me? Also yes- you said no. Did I fire a team member or two because they didn't like me- You know what, this isn't helping my case, is it?"
"You- Hang on, you told me Lord Death Man was stealing stationary!" Gar said in disbelief.
"Maybe he was! ...oh, who am I kidding, he was a class act. But, also a weeb. He had to go, Gar," Drury said as though he felt that justified his dismissal.
"Weeb? He was Japanese!" Gar exclaimed, his ire rising.
"Oh," Drury muttered. "Oh, in that case, I really need to review my diversity quota. Helps with the scandals."
"Speaking of-" Rigger interjected cautiously. "Do you think when you're done, we can watch what I wanna watch?" he asked trepidatiously.
At this, Drury pressed pause on the remote and glared at him, before both him and Gar burst out laughing.
"It's just... I've got some stellar anime lined up, not to mention Ten refuses to binge watch Stranger Things with me," Rigger muttered sadly.
Reardon, took his earphones out. "First off, it's a binge listen, not a binge watch for me-"
"Yeah, but visual impairment stuff is-"
"Secondly, I just don't like kids."
Drury and Gar scowled at him.
Backpedaling, Reardon attempted to explain himself. "I mean, I like your kids; there are many more I'm indifferent to... I just find the concept of child actors rather hokey and I think they don't make for a particularly compelling auditory experience."
"But she's so good man, so good!" Rigger reassured him.
"I still use Twitter, Joe. Drake's told me exactly how good she is," Reardon grimaced, as he leaned back into his chair.
"You follow Drake on Twitter-?" Rigger asked.
"I did. I liked his music."
"IT, GLOW, Stranger Things... it really all is just 80s nostalgia these days, ain't it? I grew up in the 80s, and believe me, there's nothing nostalgic about it," Gar complained.
"Yeah, but you grew up in 80s Gotham. 80s Hollywood had so much more cocaine," Rigger elaborated. "Like, so much cocaine."
The radio in Drury's pocket started to buzz. "Destro to Commander, Destro to Commander, are you reading me, over?" Chuck's voice rang out.
Drury looked over at Gar guiltily. "Look, I have to take this. Yeah, this is the Commander, over."
"You just wanted the title, didn't you?" Gar scoffed.
"That's not true at all," Drury said sternly. "My original pitch was Vader and the Emperor."
"But, to be clear, in that scenario, you would also be the Emperor, right?" Reardon asked.
"God, there you go again! That's also the 80s!" Gar frowned.
"True. But from a certain point of view, isn't Star Wars timeless?" Drury asked.
"Yeah, Jesus, Gar, it happened a long time ago in a galaxy far far away, keep up," Rigger piped up.
"Sorry, what was that, Chuck?" Drury asked into the walkie talkie, glaring at Gar. "The Baroness is being a real bitch."
"Sure. Hi, Drury," Chuck said. "As I was saying there's been a, um, slight hiccup."
"How slight?" Drury asked suspiciously.
Chuck winced. "Blake joined the faculty."
Gar's ears pricked up. "He did- When? Why? How?"
"I guess god did bless the Pussy Patrol after all," Rigger shrugged.
"Oh, no, don't you put that on Him," Reardon responded sternly.
"No, no, this is good," Drury said.
The trio stared at him blankly. "How?!" Gar repeated.
"Think of it this way," Drury explained. "Blake might be our best shot of getting to Kuttler. As a teacher, he'll have access to the faculty lounge. And seeing as Kuttler sprints there between classes, you know he has nowhere else to go."
Reardon swallowed, then he tucked his goggles into his breast pocket. "Do you know what, Drury? I don't think you've made a good call this entire trip- I actually don't know if you've made one since you came back, but we are all increasingly worried for your mental state. I don't know if it's grief or guilt or another bipolar episode, but you need to start talking to us. And, please, god, about something other than GLOW. Have you even given a second thought as to how we're going to get back into Gotham? The Bats hate us, the Outcasts want to kill us, and that's to say nothing of the two million other people we've ticked off... We've put our jobs on the line for you. We put our lives on the line for you, and-"
"Ten!" Drury yelled with unexpected anger; Rigger jumped out of his seat, Gar put away his lighter, and Chuck wisely moved the walkie away from his ear. "Can you come outside with me for a minute, please?" Drury said quietly.
~
Reardon climbed down the ladder, and took a deep, regretful breath. "Look, Drury, about what I said- It's not that I trust you, not fully, it's just-"
"Enough." Drury raised his hand to silence him. He said nothing for a moment, just staring at him in contempt. "You're my friends, ok? My best friends. But when I was in Keystone, not one of you visited me. Not one. I got your texts, I saw your photos, but no one bothered to come down there, not even for a cup of tea, or coffee, or hot chocolate; I make great hot chocolate, you know. But it was like- like you were all content to just pawn me off to Suit and McCulloch. "Let him be their problem now!" Do you understand what it's like? To be me? To feel so elated one minute, and so utterly lonely and empty the next? Because that's my life, Ten. God knows what it did to my marriages, I can barely describe what it does to me." And then, his lip quivered, and suddenly, he collapsed into Reardon's arms, as it all came flooding out; all his insecurities and all his pain. "And why does... Why does he get to come back? Why does he... And not her?"
Reardon sighed; he didn't know how to respond, or what to say. He didn't have those answers, as much as he wished that, in that moment, he did. "Because..." he paused. "I... I don't know. I'm sorry, but I don't. But I do know, that if we got to decide who lived and who died, we'd be no better than Carson."
Unsatisfied but understanding, Drury rubbed his nose and nodded. "Figures," he sniffled. "Don't tell the other guys, ok?" he asked genuinely. "They're nice people, but, I don't think they get me. I... I don't think anyone can, not even Miranda could've."
"Of course," Reardon replied firmly. "But do you know what I think? Honestly? I think you try hard, very hard, in fact, to do the right thing. You don't always succeed, but then again, no one can. Not even Superman, I'd wager. I know how much you care that people know that; that you wish they'd notice more. I know you're fiercely loyal and wholly committed once you've set your mind to a task. And I just... I just wish sometimes you'd think things through, that's all. And, if it helps, you're also the strongest person I know, so there's that. Because, if not for you, I'd likely still be in Blackgate. Heck, I'd be dead," he admitted.
"Urgh, God help you," Drury winked cheekily.
"I'd like to think so, yes."
"Now," Reardon smiled. "Do you want to come inside and watch Animé with Joe and I?"
"I would absolutely hate that," Walker said grimly. "So, let's do it," he smirked
==The Women's Studies Classroom==
Day 11
Blake had rested a pair of spectacles on his nose, and tied back his hair. From a glance, he almost looked educated. "Today," he said, addressing the classroom, "I thought, just to break the ice- I'd talk about some of my favourite women." He snapped his fingers and Mayo began to place pictures up on the whiteboard for him.
Blake gestured at the first image with a laser pointer. "Joan of Arc. Murdered the English, pretty slick. From what I hear, she's also a witch. Badass." In reality, the picture was of Jennifer Lawrence's Hunger Games character.
Mayo placed the next picture up.
"Rosa Parks. Used public transport. And this was, like, in the 60s where there was really no hygiene. Badass."
Mayo frowned at the next picture, looking to Blake for confirmation, and hesitantly placed it up on the board.
"Amy Schumer. She keeps going up on stage and sharing intimate details about her body- even though she is clearly terrible at what she does. She has left nothing to the imagination and we all hate her for it. Badass."
Lastly, Mayo put the final picture up, and nodded in approval of the large image of Sigourney Weaver.
"And Ripley. Ellen Ripley fought aliens. Need I go on? Badass."
As Blake spoke, each remark more sexist than the last, the girls looked on in horror; Shirley shook her head back and forth, Britta stared at him, mouth agape, Annie's eyes brimmed with tears. Abed, continued taking notes.
===The Trailer==
That day, the four Misfits sat assembled in the trailer, watching an Animé show of some sort; Rigger sat crossed legged in front of the monitor, and sat around him, on black leather seats were Drury, Reardon and a less than enthused Lynns. Reardon's arm was outstretched and he was struggling to read the subtitles (Joey, had adamantly refused to put on the dubbed version). Gar and Joey had entered an inappropriate debate over the impractical proportions of the lead characters; Gar was especially critical of the creator's intent; Joey was insistent that, come chapter 610, the show gets much better.
Drury sank further into his chair. "I really hate these shows," he muttered, as he reached into his left hand pocket and slid out his phone to read his new text message; one from an unknown caller. 'Town center. Tomorrow evening,' it read. Drury frowned for a moment, then he gazed off at the Misfits, still discussing things they had no business discussing. His boyish smile returned, as he reached over and whispered in Ten's ear. "So, you think we can sneak into one of Blake's lectures tomorrow?"
Reardon smirked back at him. "God, I hope so."
Mental Constructs: the cornerstone of self-improvement
Think about what moved you to self-improvement in the first place.
I guess that it probably was some frustration or some obstacle on the pursuit of an objective, which made you stop, step back, and think that maybe it was your own behavior or attitude which needed to change, rather than external circumstances.
Hopefully you solved your problem.
Nonetheless, the assumption you made — that you could change your own point of view and beliefs — would have not been possible for normal people before some centuries ago.
Before the birth of Kantian philosophy and then psychology, people could not even imagine that they had an inner life, that their psychology was separate from external reality, and that the former was viable to errors, and to be even doubted and changed. Your banal assumption is then the product of centuries of philosophical speculation by the finest minds humans have ever known.
What’s truly interesting about that idea though, is that its explicit content — that we can change our way of seeing things — is at once the application of such content to yourself. By thinking that maybe your way of seeing things can be modified, you are indeed already influencing your though patterns. You are moving your focus on different elements, from external elements, to your own thought process.
The consequences are real: your actions might change, your empathy towards others might too — maybe you’ll stop thinking you are right, and you might start thinking that your opinion is one among many. You might experiment with new ways to deal with people, or do things.
There nowadays exist entire professions devoted to studying and influencing our perceptions of things: psychologists, psychiatrists, marketers, politicians, philosophers, journalists. The common thread is the basic, uninteresting idea that our ideas, feelings and reality might not coincide. That we might be wrong.
Welcome to mental constructs.
The anatomy of Mental constructs
The example above is the father of mental constructs, while being a mental construct itself.
Mental constructs are simply the set of ideas and beliefs that we hold. While this seems easy on the surface, truth is that most mental constructs are so deeply ingrained in us, and backed up by so many experiences and emotional baggage, that we fail to see them as opinion, not facts.
Furthermore, I like referencing to them as constructs, rather than only beliefs, because they they indeed possess entire scaffolds to back them up, and we mostly experience them as entire world views, rather than individual ideas. This makes it even harder to separate them from facts.
Mental constructs literally form the structure of our world. This is because they orient our attention, and therefore actions in the World. They give meaning to our experiences. They are meaning itself. Experience without it would be raw data, as much as a foreign language is just mere sound before you know not only its words, but its rules as well.
The very idea of “World” is a mental construct.
We can’t ever really escape mental constructs, nor should we. The very beliefs which might not be fully accurate are the same ones that allow us to feel emotions and give richness to experiences.
The power of Mental Constructs
Mental constructs are power itself, as philosopher Michel Foucault held. They are since power itself is the desire to influence the world, and we define what is the world, and how to influence it, by mental constructs.
Mental constructs form the invisible net through which you live your life, the maze which you try to navigate and which determines which choices you’re allowed to take, and which ones seem inaccessible to you.
Your emotions are products of them, since emotions are our reaction to our perception of events. Between events and feeling stand the transparent world of ideas and beliefs, which determine if we feel sadness or joy, anger or calm.
We like to think that events are reality: we do since events are tangible, and therefore more readily available. Thoughts are not. We also do since most of our mental constructs are strongly backed up by hard emotions, since they constitute our most fundamental mean of power and security in life.
Mental constructs are the fabric of our worlds, and this is not going to change.
What can we do about it?
Some practical tips to use mental models
1)Discerning emotions, thoughts and facts
The basic tip is one from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
When living an experience, learn to discern between emotions and thought, and thought and facts.
You do this by questioning “is this an emotion, a thought, or a fact?”. Everyone gets this wrong from time to time. “I feel you are right” is actually an opinion, and should say “I think you are right, therefore I feel secure”.
The above tool is useful, and is taught in CBT sessions to patients, because emotions, thoughts and facts need to be dealt with differently.
Emotions need to be accepted as they are and experienced. They cannot be directly changed.
Facts must be accepted, but can be influenced with action.
Opinions can be seen, accepted but also questioned. “How much is this opinion realistic, and useful?”. This is the question to apply to opinions, after you’ve spotted it out.
Problems start when:
you treat emotions as facts, so you try to force them to change, you deny them, or you apply judgement (so called secondary beliefs) to them, thus making the feeling usually worse
you treat thoughts as facts or emotions, therefore forgetting that they can be questioned in their usefulness
It’s usually hard to treat emotions as thoughts since emotions are more direct and hardly get mistaken for something colder like a thought.
It is usually helpful to start from emotions, as they are directly noticeable due to their physical quality, then discern the event or fact associated to it, and last individuate the thought which stands in the middle. Thoughts are more elusive and usually taken for granted, so they are harder to pinpoint at first.
2)Finding alternatives to thoughts
Try it now. Pick a thought you had recently, maybe about an argument you had. Try for a moment to imagine an alternative explanation to it. Maybe you thought “they’ve been really rude to me”. Try to think “they behaved rudely, but maybe I need to understand their reasons”. Now check your emotions. Do you feel a difference? At first you felt resentful, annoyed. Now you feel calmer.
This brief experiment is simply to show you how experimenting with different perspectives can truly shift our feelings about a situation, and it also show how two different opinions are not more or less real, as they both feel true when you hold them.
It is not “lying to ourselves” as we do this all the times, albeit unknowingly.
The knowledge of mental models hopefully give you the tool to be more in control of your inner state in a conscious way.
A core idea is that of experimenting with new perspective after you’ve spotted an opinion. This is since we all hold our opinions very dearly and trying to force them to change can actually work against us, causing negative emotions and self-judgement to take place.
3)Accept your emotions, be compassionate of your mental constructs
Emotions are experientially closer to facts than opinions, because they are experienced in the body. Emotions cannot really be influenced directly (without the use of substances) but can be influenced modifying opinions and facts (although the latter are always filtered by mental constructs).
We often feel bad for some emotions we experience, or some thoughts we entertain. You might feel shame, or guilt. These are usually the consequence of secondary thoughts which we formulate about our own emotions.
Fact is, our mental construct were mostly there before we even noticed them. We are not to be held responsible for their creation (nor are our parents). Most importantly, we can put them in perspective and even experiment with alternative ones.
We can react to our own mental constructs, and work on building more useful ones.
An useful mental construct is to see them as something we were endowed with during our growth, but which are passible of change, and improvement.
4)In every situation, know a mental construct is in action
We often get stuck in life and feel there is no way out of situation when we forget that we are employing a mental construct to interpret it.
We see reality and our emotions so tied that we deduce they must be one.
The knowledge of mental constructs lets you now that the key to your wellbeing is really inside of you, not in some deep way but simply in your possibility to choose the mental construct which you live by.
Often facts need to change to make us finally well-off, but cannot influence facts until we come to see them as passible of being acted upon, and that comes through a change of mental construct.
Change comes after we decide we can change, or something makes us realize that we can do it.
The way you see and approach a situation determines the elements you’ll pay attention to, and the action you will take.
By knowing this and reminding yourself of it, you will hopefully feel more empowered and less victim to circumstances.
To conclude
Mental constructs are at work continuously in our lived. There is no escape from them.
While this might seem a prison, and we might never come to see reality as it is, it actually is the source of great power. The power to, literally, choose the form of the world we live in.
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The Basilica of Sacré Coeur de Montmartre (Sacred Heart of Montmartre), commonly known as Sacré-Cœur Basilica and often simply Sacré-Cœur is a Roman Catholic church and minor basilica in Paris, France, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Sacré-Cœur Basilica is located at the summit of the butte of Montmartre. From the dome, two hundred meters above the Seine, it is possible to see all of Paris, and the countryside for fifty kilometres around, It is the second-most visited monument in Paris, after the Eiffel Tower. Sacré-Cœur Basilica has maintained a perpetual adoration of the Holy Eucharist since 1885.
The Basilica was first proposed by Felix Fournier, the Bishop of Nantes, on 4 September, 1870, following the defeat of France and the capture of Napoleon III at the Battle of Sedan, in the Franco-Prussian War, and six months before the Paris Commune. He blamed the defeat of France upon the "moral decline" of France since the Revolution, and proposed a new Paris church dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Christ.The site chosen was the butte of Montmartre, overlooking the whole city, and the traditional location of the martrydom of Saint Denis, the patron saint of Paris.
The basilica was designed by Paul Abadie, whose Neo-Byzantine-Romanesque plan was selected from among seventy-seven proposals. Construction began in 1875, and continued for forty years, under five successive architects. It was completed in 1914, but, because of World War I, it was not formally consecrated until 1919.
The site of the church was politically controversial, since Montmartre was also the site of beginning of the Paris Commune where, on March 18, 1871, Communard soldiers killed two French army generals and seized a park full of artillery. On the last day of the Commune, one of its leaders, the socialist and anarchist Eugène Varlin, was executed there. There was (and remains) a feeling of resentment on the French left against the church.
The plan to build a new Parisian church dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus was first proposed on September 4, 1870, by Felix Fournier, the Bishop of Nantes, following the defeat of France and the capture of Emperor Napoleon III by the Prussians at the Battle of Sedan in the Franco-Prussian War. Until his death in 1877, Fournier was an active builder who completed the long-delayed restoration of Nantes Cathedral. He wrote that the defeat of France in 1870 was a divine punishment for the moral decline of the country since the French Revolution.
In January 1871, Bishop Fournier was joined by the philanthropist Alexandre Legentil, who was a follower of Frederic Ozanam, the founder of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul. Legentil declared that France had been justly punished for its sins by the defeat of the French Army at Sedan and the imprisonment of the Pope in Italy by Italian nationalists. He wrote, "We recognize that we were guilty and justly punished. To make honourable amends for our sins, and to obtain the infinite mercy of the Sacred Heart of our Lord Jesus Christ and the pardon of our sins, as well as extraordinary aid which alone can delivery our sovereign Pontiff from captivity and reverse the misfortune of France, we promise to contribute to the erection in Paris of a sanctuary dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus." The influence of Legentil led to a successful fundraising campaign based entirely on private contributions.
Montmarte was selected as the site of the new Basilica due to its prominent height and visibility from many parts of the city. Since the location included land belonging to the local government as well as private owners, the French parliament assisted in securing the site by declaring that the construction of the Basilica was in the national interest. In July 1873, the proposal was finally brought forward and approved in the National Assembly with the official statement that "it was necessary to efface by this work of expiation the crimes which have crowned our sorrows." The groundbreaking for the new church finally took place in 1875.
Apart from its physical attributes, Montmartre or the "Hill of the Martyrs" was also chosen for its association with the early Christian church. According to tradition, it was the place where the patron saint of Paris, Saint Denis of Paris, was beheaded by the Romans. His tomb became the site of the Basilica of Saint Denis, the traditional resting place for the Kings of France until the French Revolution.
In addition, Montmartre was the birthplace of the Society of Jesus, one of the largest and most influential religious orders in the history of the Catholic Church. In 1534, Ignatius of Loyola and a few of his followers made their vows in Saint-Pierre de Montmartre, one of the oldest churches in Paris. The church survived the Revolution although the Montmartre Abbey to which it belonged was destroyed.
A competition was held for the design of the Basilica and attracted seventy-seven proposals. Architect Paul Abadie was selected, and the cornerstone finally laid on June 16, 1875.
The early construction was delayed and complicated by unstable foundations. Eighty-three wells, each thirty meters deep, had to be dug under the site and filled with rock and concrete to serve as subterranean pillars supporting the Basilica.[8] Construction costs, estimated at 7 million francs drawn entirely from private donors, were expended before any above-ground structure became visible. A provisional chapel was consecrated on March 3, 1876, and pilgrimage quickly brought in additional funding.
Not long after the foundation was completed in 1884, Abadie died and was succeeded by five other architects who made extensive modifications: Honoré Daumet (1884–1886), Jean-Charles Laisné (1886–1891), Henri-Pierre-Marie Rauline (1891–1904), Lucien Magne (1904–1916), and Jean-Louis Hulot (1916–1924).
During construction, opponents of the Basilica were relentless in their effort to hinder its progress. In 1882, the walls of the church were barely above its foundations when the left-wing coalition led by Georges Clemenceau won the parliamentary election. Clemenceau immediately proposed halting the work, and the parliament blocked all further funding for the project. However, faced with enormous liabilities of twelve million francs from project cancellation, the government had to allow the construction to proceed.
In 1891, the interior of the Basilica was completed, dedicated and opened for public worship. Still, in 1897, Clemenceau made another attempt to block its completion in the parliament, but his motion was overwhelmingly defeated since the cancellation of the project would require repaying thirty million francs to eight million people who had contributed to its construction.
The dome of the church was completed in 1899, and the bell tower finished in 1912. The Basilica was completed in 1914 and formally dedicated in 1919 after World War 1.
Criticism of the church by leftist journalists and politicians for its alleged connection with the destruction of the Paris Commune continued from the late 19th century into the 20th and 21st centuries, even though the church had been proposed before the Paris Commune took place. In 1898, Emile Zola wrote sarcastically, "France is guilty. It must do penitence. Penitence for what? For the Revolution, for a century of free speech and science, and emancipated reason... for that they built this gigantic landmark that Paris can see from all of its streets, and cannot be seen without feeling misunderstood and injured."
Shortly after the completed Statue of Liberty was transported from France to the United States, opponents of Sacre-Coeur came up with a new strategy. They proposed installing a full-size copy of the Statue of Liberty on top of Montmartre, directly in front of the Basilica, which would entirely block the view of the church. This idea was eventually dropped as expensive and impractical.
A bomb was exploded inside the church in 1976. To make the government opposition to the church clear, the socialist prime minister Lionel Jospin in 2004 renamed the square in front of and below the church for Louise Michel, the prominent anarchist and participant in the Paris Commune. He expressed his wish that the basilica be demolished as a symbol of "obscurantism, bad taste and reactionism."
In 2021, to avoid celebrating the church's history in the same year as the 150th anniversary of the Paris Commune, leftist members of the French parliament blocked a measure to declare the church a national historic monument and postponed it until 2022.
The church is 85 meters long and thirty-five meters wide. It is composed of a large central rotunda, around which are placed a small nave, two transepts, and an advance-choir, which form a cross. The porch of the church has three bays, and is modelled after the porch of Périgueux Cathedral. The dominant feature is the immense elongated ovoid cupola, 83.33 meters high, surrounded by four smaller cupolas. At the north end is the campanile, or bell tower, 84 meters high, containing the "Savoyarde", the largest bell in France.
The overall style of the structure is a free interpretation of Romano-Byzantine architecture. This was an unusual architectural style at the time, and was in part a reaction against the neo-Baroque of the Palais Garnier opera house by Charles Garnier, and other buildings of the Napoleon III style. The construction was eventually handed on to a series of new architects, including Garnier himself, who was a counsellor to the architect Henri-Pierre Rauline between 1891 and 1904,
Some elements of the design, particularly the elongated domes and the structural forms of the windows on the south facade, are Neo-classical, and were added by the later architects Henri-Pierre Rauline and Lucien Magne.
The campanile, or bell tower, on the north front, houses the nineteen-ton Savoyarde bell (one of the world's heaviest), cast in 1895 in Annecy. It alludes to the attachment of Savoy to France in 1860.
The porch of the south façade, the main entrance, is loaded with sculpture combining religious and French national themes. It is topped with a statue representing the Sacred Heart of Christ. The arches of the façade are decorated with two equestrian statues of French national saints Joan of Arc (1927) and King Saint Louis IX, both executed in bronze by Hippolyte Lefèbvre.
The white stone of Sacré-Cœur is travertine limestone of a type called Chateau-Landon, quarried in Souppes-sur-Loing, in Seine-et-Marne, France. The particular quality of this stone is that it is extremely hard with a fine grain, and exudes calcite on contact with rainwater, making it exceptionally white.
The nave is dominated by the very high dome, which symbolises the celestial world, resting upon a rectangular space,symbolising the terrestrial world. The two are joined by massive columns, which represent the passage between the two worlds.
The plan of the interior is a Greek cross, with the altar in the center, modelled after Byzantine churches. More traditional Latin features, the choir and the disambulatory, were added around the altar. The light in interior of the church is unusually dim, due to the height of the windows above the altar, and this contributes to the mystical effect. Other Byzantine features in the interior include the designs of the tile floor and the glasswork.
The mosaic over the choir, entitled The Triumph of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, is the largest and most important work of art in the church. It was created by Luc-Olivier Merson, H. M. Magne and R. Martin, and was dedicated in 1923. The mosaic is composed of 25,000 enamelled and gilded pieces of ceramic, and covers 475 square meters, making it one of the largest mosaics in the world.
The central figure is Jesus Christ, dressed in white, with open arms offering his heart, decorated with gold. He is joined by his mother, the Virgin Mary, and by the Archangel Michael, the protector of the church and of France. At his feet, kneeling, is Saint Joan of Arc offering him a crown. A figure of Pope Leo XIII offers a globe to Christ, symbolising the world.
To the right of Christ is a scene titled "The Homage of France to the Sacred Heart;" a group of popes and cardinals present a model of the basilica to Christ. On his left is "The Homage of the Catholic Church to the Sacred Heart": where people in the costumes of the five continents pay their homage to the Sacred Heart. At the base of the mosaic is a Latin inscription, stating that the basilica is a gift from France. "To the Sacred Heart of Jesus, France fervent, penitent and grateful." The word "grateful" was added after World War I.
At the top of the mosaic is another procession, called "the Saints of France and Saints of the Universal Church". In all of the mosaic, the artists adapted elements of Byzantine art in the organization of the figures, the altered perspective, and the use of polychrome colors enhanced with silver and gold.
The basilica complex also includes a garden for meditation, with a fountain. The top of the dome is open to tourists and affords a spectacular panoramic view of the city of Paris, which spreads out to the south of the basilica.
The use of cameras and video recorders is forbidden inside the basilica.
The interior of the basilica is surrounded by a series of chapels, mostly offered by professional groups or religious orders. The chapels are decreed with sculpture, relief sculpture, and tapestries, often relating to the professions of the donors. For example, the Chapel of the Order of Notre Dame of the Sea is decorated with tapestries illustrating Christ walking on the water and the Miraculous Catch of fish.
Beginning to the right of the main entrance, they are:
The Chapel of the Archangel Michael, or Chapel of the Armies
The Chapel of Saint Louis (Louis IX) or the Attorneys
The Tribune of Commerce and Industry (end of the East transept)
The Chapel of Marguerite-Marie Alacoque
the Chapel of Notre Dame of the Sea
The apse itself is ringed by an additional seven chapels.
The Chapel of Saint Francis of Assisi
The Chapel of Saint John the Baptist, offered by Canada and the Knights of Malta
The Chapel of Saint Joseph
The Chapel of the Virgin Mary
The Chapel of Saint Luke the Evangelist, Comé and Damien, or the Doctors
The Chapel of Ignace de Loyola
Th Chapel of Saint Ursula of Cologne
The Chapel of Saint Vincent de Paul
The Tribune of Agriculture (at the end of the west transept)
The chapel of the Queens of France
The crypt below Sacré-Cœur is different from traditional crypts, which are usually underground. At Sacré-Cœur, the crypt has stained glass windows, thanks to a "saut-de-loup", a trench about four meters wide around it, which allows light to enter through windows and oculi of the crypt wall. In the centre of the crypt is the chapel of the Pieta, whose central element is a monument statue of the Virgin Mary at the foot of the cross, at the altar. The statue was made by Jules Coutain in 1895. A series of seven chapels is placed on the east side and seven on the west side of crypt, corresponding to the chapels on the level above. The crypt contains the tombs of important figures in the creation of the basilica, including Cardinals Guibert and Richard.
Art and decoration
Decoration covers the walls, the floor, and the architecture. Much of the decoration is in a distinctly neo-Byzantine style, with intricate patterns, and abundant color.
The basilica contains a large and very fine pipe organ built by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, the most celebrated organ builder in Paris in the 19th century. His other organs included those of Saint-Denis Basilica (1841), Sainte-Clotilde Basilica (1859), Saint-Sulpice church and Notre Dame de Paris (1868). The organ is composed of 109 ranks and 78 speaking stops spread across four 61-note manuals and the 32-note pedalboard (unusual before the start of the 20th century; the standard of the day was 56 and 30), and has three expressive divisions (also unusual for the time, even in large organs).
The organ was originally built in 1898 for the Biarritz chateau of the Baron Albert de L'Espée. It was the last instrument built by Cavaillé-Coll. The organ was ahead of its time, containing multiple expressive divisions and giving the performer considerable advantages over other even larger instruments of the day. It was almost identical (tonal characteristics, layout, and casework) to the instrument in Sheffield's Albert Hall, which was destroyed by fire in 1937. However, when installed in Paris in 1905 by Cavaillé-Coll's successor and son-in-law, Charles Mutin, a much plainer case was substituted for the original ornate case.
The organ was recognised as a national landmark in 1981. It has undergone several restorations. The most recent, begun in 1985, replaced only the most severely damaged pneumatic parts, but others have deteriorated and some are no longer usable. The pipes are now covered with a thick layer of dust which impacts the pitch and timbre. Both the organ and the church itself have been recognized as national landmarks.
Bells
The belfry of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Montmartre houses five bells. The four small bells named from largest to smallest are Félicité, Louise, Nicole and Elisabeth, which were the original bells of the church of Saint-Roch and moved to the basilica in 1969.
Below the four bells is a huge bourdon called "The Savoyarde", the biggest bell in France. The full name of the bourdon is “Françoise Marguerite of the Sacred Heart of Jesus". It was cast on May 13, 1891, by the Paccard foundry (Dynasty of Georges, Hippolyte-Francisque and Victor or "G & F") in Annecy-le-Vieux.
The Savoyarde itself only rings for major religious holidays, especially on the occasion of Easter, Pentecost, Ascension, Christmas, Assumption and All Saints. One exception was on the night of August 24, 1944 when La Nueve – 9th Company, Régiment de marche du Tchad of the French 2nd Armored Division – broke into Paris and arrived at the Hôtel de Ville during the Liberation of Paris from Nazi German occupation, becoming the first French Army troops to return to the city since 1940. The bell then rang when Pierre Schaeffer broadcast the news on a Radiodiffusion Nationale broadcast and then, after a playing of "La Marsellaise", asked any priests who were listening to ring their churches' bells. The Savoyarde can be heard from 10 km away.
This bell is the fifth largest in Europe, ranking behind the Petersglocke of Cologne (Germany), the Olympic Bell of London, Maria Dolens of Rovereto (Italy), and the Pummerin of Vienna (Austria). It weighs 18,835 kg, measures 3,03 m of diameter for 9.60 m of outer circumference, with a base thickness of 22 cm and a leaf of 850 kg. With its accessories, its official weight reaches 19,685 kg. It was offered by the four dioceses of Savoy. It was transported to the basilica on October 16, 1895, pulled by a team of 28 horses. In the late 1990s, a crack was noticed in the bell.
Role in Catholicism
The church is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which was an increasingly popular devotion after the visions of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647–1690) in Paray-le-Monial. In response to requests from French bishops, Pope Pius IX promulgated the feast of the Sacred Heart in 1856. The basilica itself was consecrated on 16 October 1919.
Since 1885 (before construction had been completed) the Blessed Sacrament (Christ's body, consecrated during the Mass) has been continually on display in a monstrance above the high altar. Perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament has continued uninterrupted in the basilica since 1885.
Christian de Chergé, one of the killed monks of Tibherine, was chaplain at the basilica in the years 1964-1969.
Tourists and others are asked to dress appropriately when visiting the basilica and to observe silence as much as possible, so as not to disturb persons who have come from around the world to pray in this place of pilgrimage, especially since the Blessed Sacrament is displayed. Photos are not allowed to be taken in the basilica.
Access
The basilica is accessible by bus or metro line 2 at Anvers station. Sacré-Cœur is open from 06:00 to 22:30 every day. The dome is accessible from 09:00 to 19:00 in the summer and to 18:00 in the winter.
Copy in Martinique
A much smaller version of the basilica, Sacré-Cœur de la Balata, is located north of Fort-de-France, Martinique, on N3, the main inland road. Built for the refugees driven from their homes by the eruption of Mount Pelée, it was dedicated in 1915.
Vor drei Jahren (2017) gab es im Tierpark eine große Ausstellung mit Skulpturen zimbabwischer Künstler. Jetzt stehen einige davon wieder im Tierpark verteilt. Wie uns ein Handwerker des Tierparks, der gerade die Standfestigkeit des Sockels dieser gerade erst aufgestellten Skulptur prüfte, erklärte, hat ein Sponsor mehrere Skulpturen aus der Ausstellung aufgekauft und dem Tierpark gespendet. An dieser Skulptur fehlt noch ein Schild mit den Namen der Skulptur und des Künstlers, alle anderen haben ein solches schon.
Three years ago (2017) there was a large exhibition of sculptures by Zimbabwean artists in the Tierpark Berlin (Animal Park). Now some of them are again spread around the area. As a craftsman of the Animal Park, who was just checking the stability of the base of this recently erected sculpture, explained to us, a sponsor has bought several sculptures from the exhibition and donated them to the zoo. This sculpture is still missing a sign with the names of the sculpture and the artist, all the others already have one.
Der 1955 eröffnete Tierpark Berlin entstand aufgrund der Teilung Deutschlands nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg. Der Zoologische Garten Berlin lag im britischen Sektor Berlins, daher fehlte Ost-Berlin eine eigene tiergärtnerische Einrichtung. Als geeignete Fläche wurde der Schlosspark Friedrichsfelde ausgewählt, weil dieser nach der Enteignung seiner Eigentümer nicht mehr gepflegt wurde. Der historische Teil des Tierparks wird durch das Schloss Friedrichsfelde und seine Gartenanlagen bestimmt. Der von Peter Joseph Lenné 1821 umgestaltete Landschaftspark diente als Basis für den Aufbau des Tierparks; er blieb weitgehend erhalten und wurde den Bedingungen eines zoologischen Parkes angepasst, denn der Berliner Tierpark ist vor allem eine Parkanlage. Breite Alleen, möglichst naturbelassene Waldbestände und großzügige Tieranlagen, die oft nur durch Wassergräben vom Besucher getrennt sind, prägen vor allem den alten Teil des Tierparks. Teich- und Wiesenanlagen erweitern den Park. Heute steht der Tierpark unter einer gemeinsamen Leitung mit dem bereits 1844 eröffneten Zoologischen Garten, dem ältesten noch bestehenden Zoo Deutschlands.
Quelle: Wikipedia.de
Opened in 1955, Berlin Tierpark (Animal Park) was created as a result of the division of Germany after the Second World War. The traditional Zoological Garden was located in the British sector of Berlin, so East Berlin lacked its own zoological garden. Friedrichsfelde Manor Park was chosen as a suitable area because it was no longer maintained after the expropriation of its owners. The historical part of the zoo is dominated by Friedrichsfelde Manor and its gardens. The landscape park, redesigned by Peter Joseph Lenné in 1821, served as the basis for the construction of the zoo; it was largely preserved and adapted to the conditions of a zoological park, because the Berlin Tierpark is primarily a park. Wide avenues, forest areas that are as natural as possible, and spacious animal facilities, often separated from the visitor only by moats, characterize above all the old part of the zoo. Ponds and meadows extend the park. Today, Berlin Tierpark is under the same management as the Zoological Garden, which was opened in 1844 and is the oldest zoo still existing in Germany.
Source: Wikipedia.de
Seen from the Blachniks' bedroom
To all who visit and view, and – especially – express support and satisfaction: you are much appreciated!
Ohlebach: Fußgängerbrücke, Blick vom Schlaafzimmer
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Album Description – Babenhausen, Germany – 03DEC2017:
For my first layover in December I wanted to take the train from Mainz to Babenhausen to visit the Blachnik family & see the Christmas Market, December 2-3 in 2017: Cheryl made it possible, swapping her trip on the 2nd for mine on the 3rd! The plane left Charlotte with 6 open seats, and Joe got on board!
This was the first "great, big, historic Christmas Market" for Babenhausen, and I was really excited: what I wanted most to experience was the castle courtyard, normally not open to the public but for this historic weekend, would house 1 of the 2 live nativity scenes in Babenhausen, featuring a new-born donkey foal as a heartwarming companion to the Holy Family.
And I was eager to hear the Catholic Church Choir singing their concert for the first Sunday in Advent in the Old Town Square at 4 p.m., and also the Babenhausen brass ensemble at 6 p.m.
These 3 highlights along with the Advent Bazaar were what I had selected as my top 4 picks: Joe & I gave up our nap upon arrival in Mainz, heading instead straight to the train station:
Gertrud now wanted us to take her to the Christmas Market, in snowfall not feasible for 94-year-old Heinz in a wheelchair (he still wanted to go). Gertrud: "Not me. I've been 100 times," yet later in the week: "Hundreds of lights! It'll be so beautiful!" It'll be cold & wet outside! Gertrud: "Just dress appropriately."
Due to a delay at the FRA airport, we were later than expected coming into Mainz and due to trains running not so frequently that day, missed the 8:49 train we had hoped to catch and the next train at 10:01, but caught the 10:49 train arriving 11:58, and the Christmas Market would open at noon, as it's Sunday.
Joe: "Hi, Gertrud, how are you?" Here we were, to take her to the Christmas Market: "I'm excited!" She served Heinz a huge nice dinner – for him alone – then she, Joe, & I set out into icy-needle snowflakes, Gertrud in Sunday attire: dressy shoes, gloves, & coat, "no goofy cap!" Gertrud, yours looks like mine!
So she did put it on, after all. But she didn't head to the castle, adjacent to their residence. She turned her walker away from it, toward the main street. She told us she was treating us to lunch and went into a restaurant. She had made reservations!
We entered festive, jam-packed surroundings & dined 2 hours, resuming our trek after a delicious meal, to Old Town Square flanked by half-timbered houses and St. Nikolaus Church.
Next to the church is the fellowship hall with its Advent bazaar. Gertrud told Joe & me to take the stairs – too many for her to negotiate – up to shop the bazaar, & enjoyed cake downstairs visiting with friends from her 89 years living in Babenhausen.
Then Gertrud wanted to go straight home. Even so, clad for a fine lunch in the restaurant, on the way she lost feeling in her fingers from the frozen precipitation: "I'll say 10 'Our Father's' if I make it back..." [I don't know if she said all ten, but for the first time in my life, I did!] At 3:30 we were telling Heinz about our Christmas Market visit, & Joe asked about sitting down, in seconds sound asleep in Heinz's easy chair. I scrapped plans to see the castle courtyard + the choral & brass concerts. Joe got a Mainz weather update: ice on snow, thus we said good-bye before 4:30, crunching through snow to catch the 4:59 train.
It was sundown and snow fell the whole day, from Frankfurt to Mainz to Babenhausen and back: cold, but oh so picturesque!
It felt late (pitch dark), but in Mainz the Christmas Market was going full swing. We had planned on the 7:59 train to arrive in Mainz about quarter past 9 (21:12), and then I realized we had come 3 hours earlier; we hopped off the bus at the Cathedral.
Joe said, "I'm hungry," & bought a Bratwurst. At the hotel I asked his favorite part of the day. "I liked the Wurst the best."
Our best of 213 photos on this beautiful day are a 2-album set:
• Babenhausen, Germany – 03DEC2017
• Mainz, Germany – 03DEC2017
Hope you enjoy the 25% of 145 Babenhausen photos we took!
Annual Transgender festival @ Koovagam, Viluppuram, Tamilnadu, April 2013
Of the many bizarre and strange customs and festivals observed in India, the Koothandavar festival of Koovagam is one among them. The very basis of the festival, its associated rituals and the people involved make it the weirdest possible celebration on earth. A celebration of love and death, of sacrifice and life.
The small hamlet of Koovagam is present in the Vizhuppuram district of Tamil Nadu, making it virtually a ‘nothing’. However, once a year this tiny village turns into the biggest camp for transgenders from all over the country. They gather in flocks to take part in the rituals of the festival which lasts for 18 days, culminating on chitra pournami (april-may).
Story behind this
A festival which has its base rooted into the depths of the Mahabharatha war, Krishna’s cunningness and the noble nature of a very valiant young man.
War between the Pandavas and Kauravas was imminent. There was no way that a war could be averted, thus saving millions of innocent human lives. Krishna, as the protector of the universe was worried about the outcome of the war. It was true that he could intervene with his divine powers and avert catastrophe, but humans are required to decide their own fates. That’s what the vedas and shastras say. But still, he wanted the Pandavas to win the war, for he was on their side and their doings were just and moral. This would be the ultimate “Good wins over Bad” story if it went along as he desired.
Having no choice, he goes to Sahadeva who is blessed with the talent of accurately forecasting the future and reading horoscopes, Sahadeva rolled his Shozhi (shells used to help in prediction) and after several calculations looked up and said “To attain victory in the upcoming war, you need to sacrifice a man filled with all the good qualities of Valor, strength, bravery, beauty and such, to the goddess of war, Kali. He who first performs this sacrifice will gain the blessings of Kali and win the war”,
All along his way back his mind was filled with a single thought, “Is there anyone… Anyone else, other than Arjuna who can match the requirements of sacrifice? Anyone at all?” He pleaded, only to be met by a stunning silence. Krishna’s heart shattered at the thought of losing a dear friend. He felt light headed and started to sway with dizziness, when a voice cut through his haziness.
“Am I eligible to be sacrificed?” the voice asked. Looking for the source of the voice, Krishna’s eyes land on a very handsome man, dressed as a warrior and bearing resemblances to Arjuna. “Who are you, may I know?” questioned Krishna, as hope revived in his heart.
“I am Aravaan, the son of Arjuna, born to the Naaga princess Chithrangadha, through an illicit wedlock. I have come here to help bring victory to my father and his brothers. And if I can indeed help them win by sacrificing myself, then I am ready to die.” he proclaimed.
Krishna is flooded with relief. Using his divine powers, he comes to know that Aravaan is indeed a warrior par excellence, full of good qualities and excellent character. “He would make the perfect sacrifice to Kali”, Krishna thought and he beckoned Aravaan to come with him. He introduced Aravaan to the Pandavas including to Arjuna, his father (what weirdness!!!) and praised the sacrificial qualities of Aravaan. “So you will be sacrificed to the Goddess at the dawn of war, tomorrow. Purify yourself mentally and physically and prepare for the day. Long live your sacrifice”, Krishna told Aravaan and turned to leave.
“One moment my lord, I have but a few wishes to be granted before I die. Will you grant them?” Aravaan asked Krishna. “Why don’t you try me?” Krishna winked mischievously at Aravaan.” My lord”, began Aravaan,” I have had the good fortune to enjoy much in life, but before I die, I would like to enjoy the heat of a woman. I wish to die a married man, my lord.” Krishna is stunned. Which woman would marry a man who is going to the sacrificial altar the very next day? Probably none. No woman is crazy to throw her life away.”We will manage that”, he assured Aravaan, “Anything else?”.”Yes my lord, I would like to witness the entire war unfold, in my physical body and I would also like to fight on the Pandava side for a minimum of three weeks. Is that agreeable?”
It was here that the jealousy of Krishna kicked in. He knew that Aravaan was an excellent warrior and if he was allowed to fight there would be no need of any of the Pandavas or Krishna himself. “ParthaPuthra, what is ‘three weeks’ to a man like you? You can probably crush the entire enemy forces in three and a two third minutes. You will be able to fight on the Pandava side for those three and a two third minutes.” Aravaan agreed, charmed by Krishna’s flattery and speech. “If that is all, you can follow me to meet your bride, who will be your wife tonight and your widow in some days.” Krishna commanded.
Aravaan followed Krishna to the interiors of the palace. There, in the presence of the Pandavas and a few close friends, Krishna did the unbelievable. He transformed himself into Mohini, a form so beautiful that even Shiva had fallen for it, and in the presence of the elders, married Aravaan. That night Aravaan got his first wish fulfilled. Mohini seduced him with all her sexuality. All through the night, Aravaan was confused if he was with a man or woman. The smell of butter and milk reminded him of Krishna, but at the same time he couldn’t come out of Mohini’s clutches. The night passed and the day of the war dawned.
Aravaan was taken to the battle field and was made to stand at the center. There he tore off his skin from his arms and offered them to Kali. Kali, ever thirsty for blood, pounced on it and gave her blessings to Pandavas. The war began. Over the course of the 18 days, Aravaan kept Kali satisfied, stripping pieces from his body and offering it to her. On the final day when his allotted 3 and a two-third minutes of time came up, he realised that he had been tricked. He just had his head and his skeleton intact. A fat lot of use they would come to.
Conetemplating, he assumed his Vishwaroopa form and with his head as a large stone, he rolled over the enemy forces killing millions and badly hurting himself. The war was over. The Pandavas had won and the cause for it all, Aravaan, was lying, all alone on the Kurukshetra field. During his final moments on earth, when his life was ebbing away, he heard the high pitched wail of a woman. Turning towards the source of the wail, he sees Krishna, as Mohini, beating her breasts and wailing, the very picture of a widowed woman grieving her husband. With that final sight, his spirit soared heaven-wards and joined the other immortal heroes in warrior heavens, forever shining upon the brave warriors of yore. Aravaan had passed on, a happy man.
This chapter in the Mahabharatha forms the central theme of the 18 day festival at Koovagam. The small shrine at Koovagam is dedicated to none other than Aravaan himself and he is worshipped as Koothandavar. The 18 day festival celebrates the final days of Aravaan’s life, right up to his brave sacrifice on the 18th day. The highlight of the festival happens to be the marriage of Aravaan. The transgenders who gather here are the self-proclaimed brides of Aravaan. They claim themselves to be incarnations of Krishna, who was a man trapped inside a woman’s body, when he seduced Aravaan, just like the transgenders themselves. The first 15 days of the festival pass in dancing, singing and merrymaking, the transgenders putting up colourful and lively performances. All through the 18 days, a gigantic head of Aravaan is made and painted with the greatest care within the temple precincts
On the 17th day, the priest does special poojas to the idol of Aravaan and bringing upon the power of Aravaan on himself, he ties the mangalsutra (the sacred marital thread) around the neck of all the transgenders present there. They are now the wives of Aravaan, just for the night. A gala feast is organised which is followed by a night full of merrymaking, laughter and dance. The gigantic head of Aravaan is mounted on a chariot and taken around the village.
At the dawn of the 18th day, the air is ripped by sharp wails, as Aravaan is beheaded, widowing all his one-day-old wives. Following the traditions, the widows of Aravaan rip the Mangalsutraa from their necks, tear flowers out of their hair, throw away ornaments, and remove all cosmetics from their faces, wailing loudly, beating their chests, just like Krishna mourned for Aravaan long, long ago. They did a holy dip and wear a white saree (widow costume). And till that day arrives, they have to rely on the grace of Aravaan to take them through the rough times to come.
#4 with quite possibly one of the ugliest P42s on the roster flies past the 849 Intermediates on NMDOT Sub. Yeah the lead locomotive sucks, but these signals are not long for the world if they haven’t fallen already.
Waning crescent. Low to the east before sunrise.
This marks the first time that accurate shadows at this level of detail are possible in such a computer simulation. The shadows are based on the global elevation map being developed from measurements by the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) aboard the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO). LOLA has already taken more than 10 times as many elevation measurements as all previous missions combined.
The Moon always keeps the same face to us, but not exactly the same face. Because of the tilt and shape of its orbit, we see the Moon from slightly different angles over the course of a month. When a month is compressed into 12 seconds, as it is in this animation, our changing view of the Moon makes it look like it's wobbling. This wobble is called libration.
The word comes from the Latin for "balance scale" (as does the name of the zodiac constellation Libra) and refers to the way such a scale tips up and down on alternating sides. The sub-Earth point gives the amount of libration in longitude and latitude. The sub-Earth point is also the apparent center of the Moon's disk and the location on the Moon where the Earth is directly overhead.
The Moon is subject to other motions as well. It appears to roll back and forth around the sub-Earth point. The roll angle is given by the position angle of the axis, which is the angle of the Moon's north pole relative to celestial north. The Moon also approaches and recedes from us, appearing to grow and shrink. The two extremes, called perigee (near) and apogee (far), differ by more than 10%.
The most noticed monthly variation in the Moon's appearance is the cycle of phases, caused by the changing angle of the Sun as the Moon orbits the Earth. The cycle begins with the waxing (growing) crescent Moon visible in the west just after sunset. By first quarter, the Moon is high in the sky at sunset and sets around midnight. The full Moon rises at sunset and is high in the sky at midnight. The third quarter Moon is often surprisingly conspicuous in the daylit western sky long after sunrise.
Celestial north is up in these images, corresponding to the view from the northern hemisphere. The descriptions of the print resolution stills also assume a northern hemisphere orientation. To adjust for southern hemisphere views, rotate the images 180 degrees, and substitute "north" for "south" in the descriptions.
Credit: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission.
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Centurions dreaming...Power Xtreming!
Artwork by Eliott Lilly.
Found at ConceptRobots and I couldn't resist :)
Located in the foothills of the Bighorns, this 4-mile, non-motorized trail is perfect for a sunrise walk with your dog, trail run, horseback ride, or mountain bike ride. It offers beautiful 360 degree views and is located convenient to Sheridan. Bring a windbreaker during colder months and extra sunscreen and a hat during the summer as the trail follows the exposed ridge.
The Soldier Ridge Trail is located where pavement turns to gravel at the end of W 5th St., about a 5-minute drive from downtown Sheridan. When the road becomes gravel, take the second left (first left is a private driveway) and cross a cattle guard. Turn right into the trailhead parking area.
Completed in 2013, this trail was made possible through generous gifts from the Don Roberts Family and ERA Carroll Realty and was a combined conservation and recreation project.
Link:
Main Contact:
Colin Betzler
Sheridan Community Land Trust
Executive Director
P: 307.673.4702
E: director@sheridanclt.org
PO Box 7185
Sheridan, WY 82801
#SheridanNaturally
#VisitSheridan
#ThatsWY
Photographs © 2016 Flash Parker.
Video by Salvatore Brown.
Sheridan Travel & Tourism:
Welcome to the official Sheridan Travel & Tourism Locations flickr page. For media inquiries, photo requests, or travel information, please email megan@sheridanwyoming.org or call 1(307)673-7120.
All photographs © 2016 Sheridan Travel & Tourism, and may not be used, copied, transmitted or altered in any way without express written consent. This image archive is maintained for promotional, non-commercial use only.
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Listing Information:
Listing Date: 11/29/16
Location Name: Soldier Ridge Trail
Listing Text by: Shawn Parker, Executive Director, Sheridan Travel & Tourism