purpose photos on Flickr

06970-17-sh2-pt1 by Olmsted Archives, Frederick Law Olmsted NHS, NPS

Item Number: 6970-17-sh2-pt1

Document Title: Stauffen Burial Lot/ Woodlawn Cemetery, N.Y./ Elevation of Sarcophagi/; Scale 1"= 5' [orig]

Project: 06970; Stauffen, E. Jr. Cemetery Lot; Stauffen, Ernest Jr. --Cemetery Lot in Woodlawn Cemetery; New York; NY; 08 Monument, Statue Designs & Cemeteries; 93;

Artist/Creator: OBLA / OLMSTED BROTHERS

Location: FREDERICK LAW OLMSTED NHS, BROOKLINE, MA

Category: PLAN

Purpose: A&E (Architectural & Engineering)

Physical Characteristics: 0000076954 14" x 12" cyano neg paper

Dates: 03-NOV-1921 [orig]

Please credit: Courtesy of the United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site.

Dirty On Purpose 10 by WOXY.com

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#Locally produced security equipment donated for the purpose of enhancing security of the Parliament complex by Duminda Gamage

Locally produced security equipment donated for the purpose of enhancing security of the Parliament complex. #The Centre for Defence Research and Development under the Ministry of Defence handed over locally produced security equipment in Parliament today (25) to ensure the security of the Parliament complex.

Defence Secretary Gen. (Rtd.) Kamal Gunaratne handed over the equipment to Hon. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana, Speaker of Parliament. The equipment includes a Drone Jammer System and security communications equipment used to ensure the defence mechanism.

Secretary-General of Parliament Mr. Dhammika Dasanayake, Serjeant-at-Arms, Mr. Narendra Fernando, Air Vice Marshal M. D. A. P. Payoe, Director General of the Research Analysis Projection and Development Branch Major General Renuka Rowell, Deputy Director General Captain T. D. S De Silva, Director of the Parliamentary Police Division Manjula Senarath were present at this occasion.

It was disclosed that if this stock of equipment was imported, it would cost Rs. 19 million. However, the Centre for Defence Research and Development of the Ministry of Defense only spent approximately Rs. 7 million to have this equipment produced locally.

The Hon. Speaker and the Secretary General of Parliament thanked the Security Forces for providing this stock of locally produced equipment with advanced technology. Speaking at the event, the Defence Secretary said that the Defence Forces have the capability to manufacture advanced technology level equipment for the security forces as well as other national needs, and by such ways the security forces have the ability to protect national wealth.

Serjeant-at-Arms, Mr. Narendra Fernando said that for the first time in the history of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, the stock of equipment was provided in accordance with a security requirement identified during the Joint Security Exercise held in July 2020 with the participation of all security forces attached to the security of Parliament.

Hong Kong Transport - Trucks | TN 3873 by Jamie Lloyd

Hong Kong Transport - Trucks

The Hong Kong Truck Culture

The number of Trucks, Vans* and Special Purpose Vehicles (Light, Medium & Heavy) registered + licenced in Hong Kong seems to fluctuate between 120,000 - 125,000 vehicles and presumably new trucks registered are offset by old trucks being retired or sold over the border in China.

*Vans are classified as Light Goods Vehicles and are not shown in this album

In Hong Kong Trucks are classified as GOODS VEHICLES By the Transport Department - see below

☛Light Goods Vehicles - Goods vehicles of permitted gross vehicle weight not exceeding 5.5 tonnes.

☛Medium Goods Vehicles - Goods vehicles of permitted gross vehicle weight exceeding 5.5 tonnes but not exceeding 24 tonnes.

☛Heavy Goods Vehicles - Goods vehicles of permitted gross vehicle weight exceeding 24 tonnes but not exceeding 38 tonnes.

The major truck types you tend to see in urban areas are trucks carrying construction materials or waste, dump trucks, concrete mixers and all sizes of delivery trucks... outside of the urban areas it is container trucks and large trucks carrying construction materials.

The following brands of Trucks can be seen on the streets of Hong Kong and include:-

Beiben ✚ Bell ✚ CAMC ✚ CNHTC ✚ DAF ✚ Dennis ✚ Dong Feng ✚ FAW ✚ Fuso ✚ Foton ✚ Ford ✚ Hino ✚ Howo ✚ Hyundai ✚ Isuzu ✚ Iveco ✚ JAC ✚ Kato ✚ KIA ✚ Liebherr ✚ MAN ✚ Mercedes Benz ✚ Mitsubishi ✚ Nissan ✚ Renault ✚ Scania ✚ Shacman ✚ Sinotruk ✚ Suzuki ✚ Toyota ✚ UD ✚ Volvo ✚ Zoomlion

Hong Kong is a brand conscious place even for trucks (!) hence the popularity of the European brands, Scania and Man are very popular and even the older trucks look the business and they are utterly reliable.

Isuzu is the market leader in terms of sale volume for all types of trucks.

(Source - The Transport Department, Hong Kong Government)

☛.... and if you want to read about my views on Hong Kong, then go to my blog, link below

✚ www.j3consultantshongkong.com/j3c-blog

☛ Photography is simply a hobby for me, I do NOT sell my images and all of my images can be FREELY downloaded from this site in the original upload image size or 5 other sizes, please note that you DO NOT have to ask for permission to download and use any of my images!

Oslo to Myrdal and Vatnahalsen - Train Journey September 10, 2023 by JR P

Vatnahalsen was originally built as a sanatorium in 1896, but it was never used for its intended purpose. Instead, it became popular as a hotel because of the Bergen Railway. After the Bergen Railway was opened in 1909, and especially after the Flåm Railway was connected with the Bergen Railway in 1940, Vatnahalsen became a great winter destination. The hotel´s guest books from the 1930s show how Norwegian, British, German and Dutch skiers enjoyed their stay. Due to steep mountains and the arrival by train, many of them called it the Nordic St. Moritz. For several decades winter was the most important season. Even today, the hotel can only be reached by train.

From the mid-1980s, biking along the old road next to the Bergen Railway became popular, and summer traffic at the hotel increased considerably. Today, the Rallar road is considered the finest bike road in Norway. But regardless of shifting trends, throughout the last 120 years, Vatnahalsen Hotel´s vision has been to create a relaxing and pleasant atmosphere where everyone feels welcome. Here you can arrive any time of the year and find a homely atmosphere, a comfortable bed, a hearty meal and a hospitable host.

www.vatnahalsen.no/en/hotel

Vatnahalsen Hotel was originally built as a sanatorium by doctor Håkon Philip Fretheim (1853-1924) and Sjur B. Heimdal (1863-1950). A small building in the dragon style, which was a fashion at that time, was set up in 1896. The sanatorium was never realised, and some years later Sjur B. Heimdal left the company. Håkon Philip Fretheim ran the hotel with a hired manager.

Vatnahalsen Hotel became right away very popular because of the Bergen Railway. The people who were engaged in the administration of the company used the hotel quite a lot. The construction road up the Flåm valley was also used by travellers. When the railway tracks were laid up to Myrdal, it became a fashion among the wealthy citizens of Bergen to go by train to Myrdal, have a dinner at Vatnahalsen Hotel and then return back home.

When the Bergen Railway opened in the autumn of 1909, the number of accommodations increased. After the reconstruction in 1909 the hotel`s capacity rose to 115 beds. The hotel received electricity from the hydro-electric powerstation by Kjosfossen, a plant that was built because of the railway construction. It was probably the first hotel in the Sogn and Fjordane county that got electricity. In 1911 the hotel also got a state telephone exchange.

In 1912 the hotel and the property was sold to Edvard Holte. He invested much in winter tourism and ran the hotel successfully for five years. In 1917 the hotel was sold again, this time to a stock company, A/S Vatnahalsen. The company was brought to an end in 1927, and Else and Torstein Brun Fretheim bought the hotel. In 1929 it was sold at a forced sale to Marthe Fretheim, the owner of Fretheim Hotel, and the lawyer Kristian Tønneberg, and they established the stock company A/S Vatnahalsen. Two years later, Astrid Fretheim, Marthe`s niece, bought Mr. Tønnebergs part. When Marthe died in 1933, her brother, Ole Fretheim, took over her part.

During the winter of 1935/1936 the hotel was again reconstructed and renovated. The hotel had 126 rooms, among them were 35 rooms with cold and hot water. The hotel could accomadate 140 guests, and in the dining-hall 170 people could be seated. During this renovation the exterior was changed, and the Swiss style was removed.

In the 1930ies the traffic in the Easter Holiday grew, and Vatnahalsen got a reputation as a good resort. In the guestbooks from the 1930ies we can see that Swedes, Danes and Englishmen found their way up into the mountains in the summer as well as in the winter. But this traffic came to an end when the war broke out. The German soldiers occupied the hotel during the war. On the 23rd of June the hotel burnt down. We have reason to believe that, having a party, celebrating some victory, the soldiers were careless about the fire. There were munitions in the basement, and consequently the fire grew big. Other people could see the smoke at a long distance.

In 1953 the reconstruction work started and on the 10th of June 1954 the hotel was opened anew. The hotel was managed by Guttorm Fretheim until 1960. He started the sale of a round-trip tour on the Bergen Railway, with bus from Voss via Stalheim to Gudvangen, by boat on the Nærøy- and Aurlandsfjord and finally from Flåm to Myrdal. This tour is today known as Norway in a Nutshell and is the most popular round-trip in Norway.

In 1965 restaurant owner Guttorm Fretheim, director at Dalane mountain lodge, Ludvig Wærness, estate agent Hans Johannesen and manager Kåre Brunborg, Voss got the ownership of the hotel. The hosts were Magnhild and Kåre Hopsland. Agin the touris traffic increased, and in 1970 a new building and a conference room were added. From 1970 Arne Kjell Kahrs was the director of the hotel, and he and his family ran the hotel until about 1979. One year earlier the hotel got its own skilift. This was very popular and very much used by the hotel guests and the people down at Flåm.

The Aksnes family

In November 1983 Kjell Arne and Rigmor Aksnes became the hosts, and they, after a bankruptcy, got the opportunity to buy the hotel. They came from Bergen and settled here with their children. As owners and hosts they have invested a lot in giving the guests various options and in securing the running of the hotel all year round. In 1990, after a vote in the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation P2-programme, Vatnahalsen Hotel was declared the company with the best service in Norway.

During several decades the winter has been the most important season. In the autumn many guests came to the seminars and conferences, and in the winter many skiers arrived. In the summer season most of the guests came on day trips, mostly from cruise-ships in Flåm. From the mid-1980ies a new trend developed in the area, biking on the old road along the Bergen Railway. Gradually, the road got the name the Rallar road (Rallarvegen). The traffic increased from only 200 bikers in 1989 to 20 000 in 1997.

As the summer traffic increased there was a reduction in number of guests in the winter. The skiers sought for the larger alpine ski centres with bigger challenges. As the traffic decreased the ski-lift, set up in 1978, came to a standstill. Anyway, there was still some activity at the hotel. In winters with heavy snowfall, bringing the trains to a halt, passengers as well as rail-road workers found shelter from the snow and wind in the hotel. Many sandwiches were prepared by the hotel staff early in the morning as well as late at night.

In 1998, Jannet Aksnes, the daughter of Kjell Arne and Rigmor, took over the management of the hotel. She ran the hotel together with Jorunn Stokseth until 2001, when Jannet`s parents took over again. In 2005, Jannet came back and acted as managing director of the hotel until 2018. The summer time is still the main season, and many cyclists come in the period July–September. In the busiest part of the season there are some 11 people working from early in the morning till late at night to make the visitors feel at home.

From time to time it has been difficult to run the hotel. But although the hotel has been threatened by a closing of the railway line, by difficulties regarding transportation of goods and litter and by high electricity tariffs, we have entered the 115th year of management. The motto is: “What doesn`t kill you, makes you stronger”.

27 november 2019 - 10th Anniversary High Level Conference Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes. by OECDtax

10th Anniversary High Level Conference Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange

of Information for Tax Purposes.

27 november 2019

Paris, France,

Photo : OECD / Victor Tonelli

Common Purpose Dishaa by Common Purpose

During the course of the Common Purpose Dishaa event, participants took part in a unique and experiential innovation process to try and tackle the shared UK-India challenge of reducing the cost of heart surgery.

Silver against Blue by Louis Carr Photography

Hong Kong Transport - Trucks | TUNG HING by Jamie Lloyd