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Photo copyright Tom Bradley. Requires credit in all media. Available for all TLM publications and media. Additional permission required for non-TLM publications.
“My whole life is a struggle. When I was a child I had leprosy and ulcers. Then I lost my parents. Then I lost my husband. Now I’m involved with tailoring for rest of life...I have to get food for myself, there’s no one to help me. But I don’t want to marry again. If I hadn't had leprosy, then maybe I would be educated and be able to get a job. Life is not joyful.”
Case study: www.tlmconnect.org/PromotionLibrary/Case%20studies/Rina%2...
Taking public transport requires two things: a desire to travel to a specific destination and the ability to pay the price to get there. Similarly, Bhakti wisdom reveals that nature is not just a collection of mountains, rivers, forests, and sunsets, but is essentially a universal transport service from body to body. What type of body will we get next? That all depends on our desire and how much we can pay. If we desire to fly, why not be in a bird's body? If we desire to swim or surf, why not have fish or dolphin bodies? If we want to eat meat for every meal, why not be in a tiger’s body? And if we desire sex all the time, a pigeon's body is perfect! What is the fare for using the universal transport service? All the experiences, possessions, relationships, and qualifications that we have accumulated during our lifetime: all that is given to the driver of material nature at the moment of death, as we travel to our next destination, our next body, care of the universal transport service.
“The living entity in the material world carries his different desires from one body to another, as the air carries aromas. Thus he takes one kind of body and again quits it to take another. Taking another gross body, he obtains a certain type of ear, eye, tongue, nose, and sense of touch, which are grouped about the mind. He thus enjoys a particular set of sense objects. The uninformed can’t understand how a living entity can quit his body, nor can they understand what sort of body he enjoys under the influence of material nature. But one whose eyes are trained in knowledge can see all this.”
Bhagavad Gita 15.8-10
(*Requires anaglyph glasses (cyan/red) to view 3D effect)
My first attempt at 3D (anaglyph) photography. This image is in the style of Vanitas.
View from Santo Parade. Foundation stone 20 Sep 1880 by Chief Secretary, W Morgan, architect William Beattie, opened as wool & grain store opposite the new Port Adelaide Dock, closed, now storage. The practice of “dumping wool” refers to the use of hydraulic presses to compact wool & thus reduce space required in ship’s hold.
“On the occasion of the opening of the Port Adelaide Dock on Monday, September 20, the opportunity was taken by Sir Thomas Elder to ask the Hon. W. Morgan, as Chief Secretary, to lay the foundation-stone of the new store being built for the firm of Messrs. Elder, Smith, and Co. alongside the dock. . . Mr. Beattie had taken care to deposit photographs of their friends Sir Thomas Elder and Mr. Barr Smith in the bottle under the stone. In future ages to come — which would be a long time, judging from the strength of the building.” [Register 21 Sep 1880]
“the sites on which there will presently rise up two or three of the largest stores in the colony. The foundation-stone of one of them — that of Elder, Smith, & Co. — was laid by the Chief Secretary before the formal opening of the bridge, and near it will be one erected for Messrs. D. & J. Fowler, which is to be 245 feet long and 150 wide, and is to cost about £12,000. Between these two, we understand, Messrs. Stilling & Co. intend erecting a first-class store, and at the end of the block — all close to tbe frontage of the new dock — there will be a handsome hotel, so that, what with the dock, the bridge, and the large buildings near, the appearance of this portion of Port Adelaide will soon be in marked contrast to the dismal swamp it was when the present enterprising owners first took possession of it.” [Evening Journal 21 Sep 1880]
“in the vicinity -of the new Dock, where three stores and an hotel are in course of erection. The stores for Messrs. Elder, Smith, & Co. . . will be completed next month. As the roof is covered in and the plasterers are at work, some idea can be formed of the style of building it will assume. It has the appearance of a well-proportioned, large, and lofty store strongly built and conveniently arranged. The external appearance of the front will resemble the store of Messrs. Santo & Co., in Lipson-street, designed by the same architect, Mr. W. Beattie.” [Adelaide Observer 22 Jan 1881]
“Messrs. Elder, Smith, & Co. have erected at the Port Adelaide Dock extensive new wool warehouse, combining the latest improvements for the proper display and sale of wool. The firm's wool sales are in future to be held in those warehouses, which are directly connected with the Government railways and the wharf, thus reducing the expense of cartage and avoiding vexatious delays. It will be observed by reference to Elder, Smith, and Co.'s lengthy advertisement which appears in our business columns that the firm's opening sale will take place on October 4. As an evidence of the growing importance of the Adelaide sales, we are informed that several large European buying firms will be represented here during the coming season.”[Register 30 Sep 1881]
“Elder's Wool and Produce Company. . . held the opening sale of the season at our Port Adelaide warehouses on Tuesday, 3rd instant, when we had a crowded attendance of European, Melbourne, and local buyers. Our catalogue comprised 3,120 bales and 22 sacks, out of which we have sold 1,461 bales, and are negotiating further sales.” [Advertiser 7 Oct 1882]
“At the invitation of Messrs. Elder, Smith, & Co. the mayor of Port Adelaide (Mr. J. W. Caire), several of the councillors, and the Port Corporation officers, on Tuesday visited the firm's extensive wool stores, which face the New Dock, Port Adelaide. . . The method of compressing the bales of wool was later observed. Surprise was expressed by some of the-party at the extensive character of the stores, which have accommodation for 20,000 bales of wool. At present, however, the stock is about 16,000 bales. Interest was taken in the way the wool was displayed for the convenience of the various English and Continental buyers, who attend the different sales. . . [The Mayor] referred to the importance of the wool stores at Port Adelaide, and expressed the hope that the depression in the wool market would soon pass away. . . During past seasons, he understood, that Messrs. Elder, Smith, and Co. had employed from 100 to 150 men in their Port wool stores. This season about half that number had been given work.” [Chronicle 17 Nov 1900]
“Press delegates paid a visit to Port Adelaide on Thursday for the purpose of inspecting Messrs. Elder, Smith and Company's wool stores. . . the store, which has had already 77,000 bales of wool on the premises this season, had about 60,000 bales then in the store. . . In the double dump press they saw two large bales, each about 5 ft. long, put end on end and compressed and banded with hoop iron into one bale only 3 ft. in length and weighing about 7 cwt. This process, it was explained, greatly reduced the shipping space required.” [Port Adelaide News 23 Oct 1925]
“Elder, Smith & Co. Ltd. stores at Port Adelaide handled 199,383 bales of wool last season, a record for any wool store in the world. During the season, before and after a wool sale, the Port's wool stores are a hive of industry as thousands of bales enter and leave each day. A sample lot — about 30 per cent. — is taken from each consignment and placed on the show floor for buyers' inspection. Buyers, under the perfeet natural light of saw-toothed roofing, quickly assess the value of the wool they are shown, select their likely requirements, and fix their price limits for each bale. They bid against each other at the wool auction held in Brookman Buildings, Adelaide. . . Some of Port Adelaide's wool stores are very old. Imbedded in the walls of Elder's ‘Main Store’ are heavy wrought iron rings where sailing vessels moored many years ago. What is now Santo Parade was then a dock for these sailing vessels.” [News 6 Jul 1954]
There are a lot of different elements required in order to create complete communities. Institutional uses, such as places of worship are an important component of the social fabric of our Centres and Corridors and serve our diverse populations with a variety of community amenities.
Note: As a result of a fire on April 11, 2014, the Aurora United Church (pictured here) was torn down.
Country: Republic of Austria
Stamp 1: 4 Schilling, Fire Lily
Stamp 2: 4 Schilling, Biathlon
Postmark City & Date: Alpbach, February 28, 1978
Fancy Cancel: Stamp 1 canceled and tied to the cover with CDS, and a second CDS applied to the cover before being partially obscured by the addition of a second postage stamp, which is then canceled and tied to the cover with a third CDS. The sequence of postmark cancellations leads me to conclude that the biathlon stamp was not applied until after the first stamp was cancelled and additional postage was determined to be necessary.
Cousin Andy has always liked difficult and technical sports that require very fast reflexes and often complex maneuvers. In his 20's and 30's he was an avid hang glider and moto-cross racer. He probably did face jumping too but hasn't let on. Now in his late 60's he has settled down to kite boarding and kite skiing. The kite in the picture is a training kite and thus at 12 ft (almost 2 meters) across it is quite large and with the right gust of wind can lift just about anybody off the ground.
He used the training kite to show us how to steer, power-up, power-down, and maintain control of the kite. Unfortunately the winds were not strong enough for him to give us a proper display of what it looks like when a kite board (evidently a hybrid of surfboard and windsurf board) is strapped to his feet and he takes flight. He is known to traverse several miles of North Carolina beach and even head out to sea. In the winter, he will go into the mountains with his telemark skis and fly around. Not bad for a retired dentist.
I'm afraid that I'm several lessons short of even attempting any of these things.
Josh and I both flew the kite. In this shot Andy is showing Josh how its done.
No nigiri-combo sushis (www.flickr.com/photos/photophyl/15725714355/) available that day so I had to improvise them with a combination of makizushi rolls (right) and sashimi sushis, then just drop the latter on the former and done ! Ok, not really a nigiri but close enough...
Necesitas gafas rojo-cyan para verla.
Red/Cyan glasses required for viewing
Una camara, dos disparos a mano alzada.
One camera, two shots hand-held(or cha-cha method).
EXPOSICIÓN DEL NINOT
NINOTS EXHIBITION
Un Ninot es una figura con apariencia humana. Son figuras que normalmente se situan en la base del monumento fogueril, con caracter de crítica o burla. Hay dos categorías: ninot infantil y ninot(grande).
Antes de comenzar las Hogueras de San Juan se realiza la Exposición del Ninot, donde todas las Comisiones de Hogueras aportan un Ninot, de cada categoría, de su monumento, para que el público elija "el ninot indultat", que será la figura que se salvará del fuego. Antes los ninots se fabricaban con cartón, pero actualmente el corcho blanco es bastante común.
(Sorry for my bad English, I'm learning it)
The Ninot is a figure with human appearance. They are figures that usually are placed, with critic character or mockery, at the base of the monument(Hoguera). There are two categories of ninots: ninot infantile and ninot(big).
The Exhibition of Ninots is realised before the beginning of the festival "Fogueres de Sant Joan"; all the Commissions contribute with two Ninot, infantile and big. People choose a Ninot, for each category, to grant a pardon; the Ninot winner is "El ninot indultat"(Ninot pardoned), and it's going to be the figure that will be saved of the fire.
Before, most of the Ninots were making with papier mâché, but nowadays the white foam is so common.
To know more about the festival of "Hogueras"...
www.alicante-live.com/fiestas/celebrations.htm
www.spain.info/vive/fiestas/alicante/hogueras_de_san_juan...
www.spain.info/reportajes/las_hogueras_de_san_juan_un_sim...
www.alicanteturismo.com/AdaptingShop/usuario/productos/fi...
And my video: Anthem of Hogueras...
Our grill finally stopped working completely after 13 years. Joanna went out and bought a replacement before folks started showing up to our house. Once they got here they chipped in and helped assemble the new grill.
MFG Kick-Off Cross
Series Race #1
September 9, 2012
King County’s Big Finn Hill Park
Kirkland, WA
© Derek Blagg Photography
Olean, NY. February 2025.
If you would like to use THIS picture in any sort of media (such as newspaper or article) please send me a Flickr mail or an e-mail at natehenderson6@gmail.com.
Day 2 of The Indy KA500 and After a Fantastic First Day of Racing and Celebrations now is where the Real Hard Work Begins as The Entire Field of 46 KA'S were in the Garages with Drivers Teams and Engineers at The Ready as they were about to tackle 8 Hours of the Indy Circuit.
With an 8 Hour Race anything can Happen and with such a Large Field of Cars a lot of Overtakes and Careful Navigation will be Required to Ensure Victory.
With The Start of The Race About to get underway Its Time to See Who will be able to Hold out the Longest and Take the Title of IndyKa500 Endurance Champion for 2021.
Hour 1 (11:04AM)
As The Field of 46 KA'S Completed the Formation Lap and Slowly made their way Towards the Start Finish Straight The Lights went Green and at Exactly 11:04AM the Race Had Begun.
Racing Down Towards Paddock Hill Bend it was The KA of Team (IP Racing's Adam Blair Scott Parkin Oliver Wilmot and Mark Witherington) Who took the Lead Followed Closely by Team (Octane Junkies Adam Smith Martyn Smith and Bazza Ward) in Second Place and Team (Alex Read Motorsport's Chris Reade Sam Luke's Carlito Miracco and Luke Read) in Third Place as they Thundered Up the Hill Towards The Tops of Druids and Back Down Again through Bottom Bend where Team (Ferguson Motorsport's Damon Astin Billy Ferguson Joe Ferguson and Daniel Ferguson) took the Lead from (Octane Junkies) before Flying Around The Track to Complete Lap 1 of 500.
As The Cars came Round Paddock for The Second Time The KA of (Ferguson Motorsport) Now Leads by a Heathy Margin While Further Back (IP Racing) and (Octane Junkies) Have A Fantastic Scrap over Second Place with The Two of Them Swapping The Lead Over and Over again. Car Number 55 of (Al Most Racers Alistair Hardie Alistair McDonald Lee Conway and Will Denny) was Seen Getting Air of The Inside Curb on the Exit of Paddock Hill Bend making for a Spectacular Sight.
Hour 2 (11:54AM)
Hour 2 and All 46 KA'S are Still Alive and Well with Each Driver Pushing Hard to Maintain their Advantage as the Tyres Begin to Warm Up and Start to Grip the Track More.
KA Number 56 Team (Hard And Enthusiastic Martyn Dilworth Mark Figes and Mike Hickey) are Locked in a Tight Battle at The Top of Paddock Hill Bend with KA Number 27 Team (Semprini Racing's Jeremy Evans James Hart Phil Hart and William Puttergill) as they Fight it Out Between the Two Cars for a Position.
Further Down the Field KA Number 23 Team (Kastrol's Michael Keegan Tim Keegan and David Murfitt) is Having its Own Battle with KA Number 4 of Team (Alex Read Motorsport) as The Two Teams Have a Go at One Another Thought the Course of The Lap trying Hard to Hold onto that Position they Worked so Hard for.
Another Battle at Paddock is the KA Number 3 of Team (Wingdat Racing's Andy Chapman Jonathan Barret and Wayne Jackson) Having to Fend off The KA Number 16 of Team (M and D Racing's Alex Martin Daniel Martin Tony Perfect and Mathew Rowling) as they Also were Looking to be in an Intense Battle Thought the Lap with Many Other Teams and Drivers Now Settling into a Rhythm. at The Endo f The Second Hour The KA't Mobile Number 49 of Team (LDR Performance Tuning's David Bywater Adrian Clarke Andy Grear Hardy and Sammy Bryan) is Seen Making its way Through Paddock Hill Bend and Through the Gravel Trap but Manages to Get Out Unaided and Safely.
At 12:12PM a Huge and Very Loud Crash is Heard at The Bottom of Paddock Hill Bend and Seen Rowling Through The Gravel Trap and Ending up on its Wheels is the KA Number 3 of Team (Windgat Racing) Bringing out the First Safety Car of The Endurance Race. Lucky The Driver was Fine and After a Few Minutes Due to The Recovery Taking Place they Are Back out in the Race But with a Lot of Catching Up to do.
Hour 3 (13:08PM)
With the Safety Car Now in the Race gets Back Underway and Already each Driver was Pushing Even Harder trying to either Create a Gap or Make Up for Lost Time Due to The Safety Car Intervention.
At The Top of Paddock Hill Bend a Fierce Battle is Taking Place Between the Two Teams of KA Number 13 and KA Number 155 Team (Deranged Motorsport's Jason Pelosi Josh Larkin and Alex Kelby) and Team (JRS's Nick Walker Alex Day and William Foster) as they Duel Thought the Whole of Paddock Hill Bend Starting at The Top and Still Keeping the Fight Going Right Up towards Druids in The End Deranged Motorsport Wins Out and Takes The Position Away from JRS.
At 13:24PM The Fighting Between each Team Continues at The Top of Paddock Hill Bend which is Proving to be the Best Overtaking Area as Each Car has Only 73 Break Horse Power so Carrying as Much Speed as Possible from the Main Straight Towards Paddock is Essential for a Successful Overtake.
Team (Piston Heads Peter Dignan Oliver Lewis Benjamin Lowden and Sam Sheehan) Battles it out with Team (LDR Performance Tuning's Laurence Davey Mike Paul James Parker and Glen Copeland) as The Two Cars Do Battle for All to See with Team LDR Taking The Position Away.
At 13:39PM A Set of 4 KA's are Seen Fighting Their Way up Towards Druids with All Four Teams not Giving up the Fight as they Swap Positions Relentlessly with not One Driver Willing to Give Up his Position.
The 98 55 53 and 13 All Really Having a Good Go at One Another Thought their Fight. As The Sun Starts its Slow Dissent Down Over The Hills and Valleys that Surround The Circuit Bottom Bend was Providing Some More Opportunities for Drivers to do Battle with One Another. A Four way Fight Between KA's Number 56 51 44 and 64 was Occurring with Number 56 Holding Strong at The Front of This Fight and Leading them on Towards Clearways.
Finally at 13:48PM An Epic Battle Between KA's Number 64 and 44 was Witnessed Through Bottom Bend with The Likes of The Number 64 Bouncing a Wheel Into The Air as The Car Took the Tight Racing Line making for an Amazing Picture and a Superb bit of Car Control To Keep that KA Pointing The Right Way.
Hour 4 (14:02PM)
The Fourth Hour and Pit Stops and Driver Changes were Imminent with Many Teams Choosing to Go into The Pits to Change Both Drivers and Top Up the Fuel as Well as Change Tyres if Necessary. Every Team was Running to a Different Strategy Depending Upon the Amount of Drivers they Had with Teams of Four Drivers Taking 2 Hours in the Car Each While Teams of Three or Less would Have to Take on Longer Stints of 3 To Maybe Even 4 Hours in the Car Hoping that Having to do Fewer Driver Changes would Mean they could make Up The Difference on Track.
Back on The Track at 14:02PM More Battles were Commencing Through Pilgrims Drop With KA's Number 81 Team (GM Performance's Gary Mitchell and Ian Mitchell) Going Head to Head with KA Number 46 Team (JDC Motorsport's Stu Neal Andy Gaugler and Simon Walker Hensell) with The KA of GM Performance Narrowly Taking The Place From JDC Motorsport on the Run towards Clearways.
At 14:20PM a Fantastic Battle Between KA Number's 18 100 127 3 55 and 115 was Seen as they Powered their Way onto Clearways with 155 Leading Followed by 55 and 3 127 100 and 18 All Slowly Gaining Ground to the Two Leading KA's at The Front of This Train.
Shortly After This Train of Cars Came Through Another Train of 5 KA's was not Far Behind this Time Being Lead by Number 13 Deranged Motorsport with 131 (Team Viking's Mark Holme Harry Nunn and Nick Nunn) Then came Number 4 Alex Read Motorsport with 98 Piston Heads and 41 (Rowe Rage Motorsport's Alex Butler Greg Caswell Jason Handcock and Sam Rowe) As they All Fought Hard to Catch One Another Thought their Fight.
KA's Number 98 4 and 64 were Also Seen at 14:48PM Having a Really Good Three Way Fight with 64 and 98 Side by Side down Pilgrims Drop with The Number 4 Car Closing Fast.
At 14:54PM A Final Battle was Seen on the Run Up Towards Clearways with The KA's of Number 60 (Powerflex's David Power Paul Cowland and Dom David) Battling Hard with KA's Number 7 (G and B Finch's Joe Bragg Lee Finch Steve Finch Benjamin Smith and Arthur Thurtle) and Number 127 (Fat Boys Racing's Charlie Jackson and Matt Pinny) with The Number 7 KA Leading The Trio On Towards Clearways as The Sun Began to Set.
Hour 5 (15:25PM)
The Fith Hour and a Swarm of KA's were Seen Storming Down the Main Straight towards Paddock Hill Bend with the Number 131 Car of (Team Viking) in the Lead by Some Distance Followed by Number 64 125 18 81 and 155 as they All Made their Way Towards Paddock for another Chance at an Overtake.
Another Battle Followed Closely Behind with KA Numbers 11 18 49 and 111 All Fighting as Well in order to Maintain or Improve their Positions as The Race Went on.
At 15:28PM The Safety Car was Out again While Another KA Somewhere on Track was Being Recovered and The Leading car Number 36 IP Racing's (Adam Blair Scott Parkin Oliver Wilmot and Mark Witherington's Lead Evaporates as the Field is Once again Bunched up.
Behind Them are KA's Number 44 (Mini Challenges Max Coates Dominic Wheatley Lewis Saunders and Dan Zelos) Looking to Make a More Once the Safety Car Period Ends The 14 of (Frugal Racing) and 51 of (Barwell Autosport's Taylor Norton Kamran Tunio Ryan Brinsted and Kester Cook) Also Looking to Take the Lead of This Endurance Race.
At 15:36PM The Car that Had Caused The Safety Car was Seen Being Recovered into the Outer Garage Area where cars are Held Before the Start of Each Race. KA Number 46 (JDC Motorsport) Had Made Contact Somewhere on the Circuit and Looked to Have a Broken Front Left Steering Arm with the Wheel Being Completely Bend Backwards into The Car with the Car Heading Back to the Garage for Repairs Before Rendering The Race Quite a Few Laps Down.
15:38PM and The Two KA's of Positive Motorsport's Andrew Rogerson Samuel Rendon and Ryan Frith Battle it Out with Number 13 Deranged Motorsport Through Westfield Towards Dingle dell with The Number 13 Beautifully Sweeping Around the Outside to Take The Position Away.
Another Battle was Seen at 15:38PM with (Alex Read Motorsport) Number 4 Battling Number 64 (Auto Teach Motorsport's Reece Kellow Andrew Howell Luca Ataccini Anzanello and Megan) through Westfields Side by Side on Towards Dingle dell.
Finally at 15:57PM Another KA Had Fallen Victim to an Issue with the Number 23 Car of (PSR's Carl Beresford Russel Danzey Tom Gilbert and Jack Wood) Being Taken on the Back of the Recovery Truck to The Garages for Repairs Before Going back Out into The Race as Night Began to Fall Upon The Indy Circuit.
Hour 6 (16:15PM)
As The Light Slowly began to Fade Away from the Indy Circuit Many Drivers were Now starting to use their Headlights as The Lighting Conditions got Darker and Darker as Time went by.
At 16:15PM A Massive Group of Cars came Flying Down Through Paddock Hill Bend with KA Number 55 Al Most Racers on the Inside Line 127 Fat Boys Racing on the Middle Line and 39 Kameleon Racing's Chris Bright Richard Cox Steve Goldsmith and Leigh Youles Michael on the Outside Line as they Fought their way Through the Bend and Up Towards Druids.
At 16:21PM Piston Heads Racing KA Number 98 was Seen Leading another Group of Cars Through Paddock Hill Bend with Numbers 41 52 33 and 2 All Fighting for Places as they Came Towards Paddock Hill Bend.
16:24PM and The Paddock Hill Bend Gravel Trap Claims Another Victim This Time the Number 131 KA of Team Viking Had Ended up Taking a Trip Through it Before a Half Spin Left Him Facing the Marshalls Post Opposite before Returning to the Track after Losing a Few Places. Recovery Teams set to work Once Again with The Safety Car Being Called into Action for The Third Time.
16:40PM and at The Top of Paddock Hill Bend a Three way Fight Becomes a Two Way Fight as The Number 127 KA of Fat Boys Racing Goes for a Spin after Trying to Get a Run on the Number 19 KA of LDR Performance Tuning with The Number 14 Car of Frugal Racing Just Narrowly Missing The Spinning Car.
16:42PM and a Final Intense Battle Between the Number 44 KA and The Number 1 KA of Burton Power Racing's Andy Burton Kyle Sagar Tom Valentine and Sammy Venables as They Fight Hard to try and Take that Position away from Mini Challenge to Round off The 6th Hour.
Hour 7 (16:50PM)
The Seventh Hour and at The Bottom of Surtees a Massive Crash is Heard as The KA's of Number 42 The K Teams (Paul Simmons Edward Simmons Glen Woodbridge Damo) is Seen Running off Track with Number 13 Deranged Motorsport Onto The Grass and Number 81 GM Performance Being Spun Out Trying to Avoid The Carnage in Front. All Drivers Okay and They Get back on Track and Continue on As Day Turns into Night.
17:02PM and a Top of Druids The Ka's of Number 72 Misty Racings (Adam Bonham and Simon Bonham) are Fighting Hard to Keep their Position from the Number 49 Car of LDR Performance Tuning as well as Number 7 of G and B Finch Trying to Find a Way Through on the Outside of Druids. The 98 of Piston Heads is also Closing in by This Stage with Headlights A Blaze.
17:05PM and Coming Towards Druids is a Sea of KA's All With Headlights A Blaze as they Fight for Positions Cars Number 60 3 19 and 39 All in Different Positions and Yet Still Fighting to try and Gain an Advantage that Could Swine this Endurance Race in Any of the Teams Favours. Further Back 127 and 140 Are Doing Battle on the Run Up Towards Druids.
17:09PM Once Again Another Battle at Druids This Time its The Trio of Number 127 36 and 60 That are All Trying to Better One Another in their Attempt to Gain a Place with Number 36 IP Racing Leading The Way.
17:14PM One Final Battle is Seen Coming Up towards Druids with The Number's 18 44 55 and 2 Fighting it Out Number 2 Kastrol's Has The Lead of This Group of Cars with Blazing Bright Headlights to Aid the Drivers Around The Circuit.
17:27PM and Now Darkness was Everywhere Making Visibility Very Difficult and Yet this did not Stop the Likes of Cars Number 128 JTR's Eliot Mason Nick Tandy David Mason and James Rhodes from Battling with Car Number 16 M and D Racing's Alex Martin Daniel Martin Tony Perfect and Mathew Rowling. In a Daring Move in the Pitch Black Darkness The Two Cars Go Side by Side Trying to Gain One over The Other Before JTR's Takes The Inside Line and The Position.
17:30PM Another Daring Battle is Captured Between The Number 180 Car of (Shine Auto motive's Colin French Mathew Eldridge and Wayne Clelland) and Number 44 (Mini Challenge's Max Coates Dominic Whitely Lewis Saunders and Dan Zelos) Defending The Outside Line as Best as they Can but Ultimately Shine Automotive Makes their way Through.
17:51PM A KA is Seen Flying Down Through The Bottom of Druids and into a Cloud of Dust Caused by Another KA Going off The KA is Just Barely Visible Showing The Dangers of what can Happen at Night When Visibility Becomes Low or Obstructed. Other KA's Soon Followed Through the Dust Cloud as Well with Many Backing off Slightly In case a Car was Stuck out on The Track but Thankfully All was Good as Hour 7 Ended.
Hour 8 (17:56PM) (THE FINAL HOUR)
The FINAL Hour of The 8 Hour Indy KA 500 and With Every Driver Now Getting into a Rhythm it was Up to Each Teams Last Driver to Strap in and Go for it to the Checkered Flag. However not All had gone to Plan for every Driver as The Number 29 KA of LDR Performance Tuning Found Out Slipping into the Gravel and Costing Them a Ridge Back to the Pits for Repairs with Less than 1 Hour to go.
18:00PM and The Number 2 KA of Kastrol's was Captured Racing Through Paddock Hill Bend During The Night Pushing Incredibly Hard to Ensure a Good Top 25 Finnish in the Points with Headlights Illuminating their way Around Paddock Hill Bend as The Car Flew Through The Bend.
18:30PM The Safety Car was Out for The Last Time During The Race and was Captured Leading a whole Train of KA's Through Pilgrims Drop and Onto Clearways with Each Driver Poised and Ready to Get Going Once the Safety Car Had Come In.
19:07PM An Amazing Sight to Behold with Just 15 Minutes Left on the Clock a Huge Rush of KA's Flooded their way Down The Main Straight and Past The Start Finnish Straight with Headlights on Full Beam to Aid in Visibility. The Number 8 KA Leads The way in This Group of Cars with The Number 18 CHR Hoonikan Car of Stratton MacKay Dave Mayer and Paul Robson Closing in Behind.
19:09PM And The Green Flag is Dropped for The Final Time as The Safety Car Comes into the Pitlane All 44 Remaining KA's Race Towards Druids with the Field so Bunched up this is Anyone's Race to both Win or Lose at This Stage.
The Number 42 KA of The K Teams Paul Simmons Edward Simmons and Glen Woodbridge Damo takes off Leading from Number 20 A Reeve's Motorsport Aron Reeve Stuart Lane and Andy Godfrey while The Number 127 of Fat Boys Racing Chases Them Down into a Nail Biting Finnish at The Centre of The Field.
19:13PM A Group of Six KA's are Captured Having an Intense Battle with Only 5 Minutes Left to Run The Likes of KA Number 127 36 and 128 All Putting Up One Hell of a Good Fight in The Closing Stages of The Endurance Race with Some Drives Having Driven for 4 Hours Straight.
19:21PM and after 8 Hours of Continuous Racing and 5 KA's Out of The Race The Checkered Flag was Ready and Waiting as The Number 81 KA of GM Performance's Gary Mitchell and Ian Mitchell Takes the Victory at The 2021 8 Hour Indy Car 500!!!! Followed Closely by The Number 72 Car Misty Racing's Adam Bonham and Simon Bonham in Second Place with KA Number 14 Frugal Racing's Jim McDougal Callum McDougal Mike Marais and Leon Bidgeway Taking Third Place.
A Huge Congratulations to The Overall Top Three Winners and to All of the other Teams and Competitors for Showing some Incredible Racing To End of The 2021 Motorsport Season. From
Historic Formula 1 to Classic Touring Cars To The Indy KA 500 This Season Has been One of The Best to Date.
See You All Again Next Year Where We Will do it All Over Again.
In 10th grade, my history class finished the SOL's (Standards of Learning, required to advance to the next grade). If you passed the SOL's you weren't required to take the final exam, so my teacher, Mr. Kelly, had no teaching left to do. We arrived to class the next week, and Mr. Kelly began class. The excitement in the air was tangible. No more lessons, surely we'd be doing something fun, goofing off. Mr. Kelly had never looked so serious. "Today I am going to share with you something very near and dear to my heart. If my house burnt down, this is the first thing I would save." The suspense was growing. He pulled out a VHS tape and put it in the TV. Super Bowl XIII. Steelers vs. Cowboys. I can't even describe the disappointment. Mr. Kelly pounded out the beat to the football music, nodding his head with enthusiasm. Students slowly dropped off to sleep. The next week, having survived three days of intense football (read: naptime) we wondered what kind of non-educational revelry we had to look forward to now. Stepping up to the podium, Mr. Kelly said, "This is the second thing most near and dear to my heart. If my house was burning down, this is the second thing I would save." Could it be? Yes. Super Bowl XIV. Steelers vs. Rams. We couldn't comprehend watching a game that had taken place years before any of us were born. In less than five minutes the room filled with snoring. Super Bowl antiquity may not have been the ideal post-SOL shenanigans, but to this day I have semi-cheered for this team. So cheers Mr. Kelly, Go Steelers.
The NSPCC Childline White Hat Ball held at the Lancaster Hotel, London. With special appearances by Esther Rantzen, Fiona Phillips and Clive Room. Entertainment by Session One, 27th January 2017
Photography by Fergus Burnett
Accreditation required with all use.
Steve Nash Fitness World, Salvation Army and the cast of "Some Assembly Required" join forces with Toys 'R Us for the annual toy drive for kids.
The Climate Group hosts its Under 2 Gala Dinner and Awards reception and dinner at Stirling Castle. Attended by Scottish First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, 6th November 2021
Photography by Fergus Burnett
Accreditation required with all use - 'fergusburnett.com'
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the model, the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
The Bachem Ba 349 Natter (English: Colubrid, grass-snake) was a World War II German point-defence rocket-powered interceptor, which was to be used in a very similar way to a manned surface-to-air missile. In 1943, Luftwaffe air superiority was being challenged by the Allies over the Reich and radical innovations were required to overcome the crisis. Surface-to-air missiles appeared to be a promising approach to counter the Allied strategic bombing offensive; a variety of projects were started, but invariably problems with the guidance and homing systems prevented any of these from attaining operational status. Providing the missile with a pilot, who could operate a weapon during the brief terminal approach phase, offered a solution.
Submissions for a simple target defense interceptor were requested by the Luftwaffe in early 1944 under the umbrella of the Jägernotprogramm, literally "Emergency Fighter Program". The Natter was one of several design proposals, first conceived by Dr Erich Bachem in August 1944, after witnessing an American bombing raid on a major German city. He believed there ought to be a way to break up these large formations of bombers. His BP-20 ("Natter") was a development from a design he had worked on at Fieseler, the Fi 166 concept, but considerably more radical than the other submissions.
The Natter was designed to be built by unskilled labor with poor-quality tools and inexpensive material. Various stringent economies were imposed on an already frugal design. The Natter had no landing gear, which saved weight, expense, and construction time. It was built using glued and nailed wooden parts with an armor-plated bulkhead and bulletproof glass windshield at the front of the cockpit. The initial plan was to power the machine with a Walter HWK 109-509A-2 rocket engine; however, only the 109-509A-1, as used in the Me 163, was available. It had a sea level thrust variable between 100 kg (220 lb) at "idle" to 1,600 kg (3,500 lb) at full power, with the Natter's intended quartet of rear flank-mount Schmidding SG34 solid fuel rocket boosters used in its vertical launch to provide an additional 4,800 kg (10,600 lb) thrust for 10 seconds before they burned out and were jettisoned. The experimental prototypes slid up a 20 m (66 ft)-tall vertical steel launch tower for a maximum sliding length of 17 m (56 ft) in three guideways, one for each wing tip and one for the lower tip of the ventral tail fin. By the time the aircraft left the tower it was hoped that it would have achieved sufficient speed to allow its aerodynamic surfaces to provide stable flight.
Under operational conditions, once the Natter had left the launcher, it would be guided to the proximity of the Allied bombers by an autopilot with the possibility of an added beam guidance similar to that used in some V2 rocket launches. Only then would the pilot take control, aim and fire the armament, which was originally proposed to be a salvo of nineteen 55mm R4M rockets. Later, 28 R4Ms or a number of the larger, 73mm Henschel Hs 297 Föhn rockets were suggested, with either variety of unguided rocket fired from the Natter's nose-mounted cellular launch tubes. Alternatively, a pair of 30 mm (1.181 in) MK 108 cannon with 30 rpg were proposed, but the lack of resources did not allow this to be realized or even tested.
The Natter was intended to fly up and over the bombers, by which time its Walter engine would probably be out of propellant. Following its one-time attack with its rockets, the pilot would dive his Natter, now effectively a glider, to an altitude of around 3,000 m (9,800 ft), flatten out, release the nose of the aircraft and a small braking parachute from the rear fuselage. The fuselage would decelerate, and the pilot would be ejected forwards by his own momentum and land by means of a personal parachute.
In an early proposal in August 1944, the Natter design had a concrete nose; it was suggested that the machine might ram a bomber, but this proposal was subsequently withdrawn in later Project Natter outlines. Bachem stated clearly in the initial proposal that the Natter was not a suicide weapon, and much effort went into designing safety features for the pilot. The design had one decisive advantage over its competitors – it eliminated the necessity to control and land an unpowered gliding machine at an airbase, which, as the history of the Me 163 rocket aircraft had clearly demonstrated, made an aircraft extremely vulnerable to attack by Allied fighters and required a trained pilot – a resource the Luftwaffe was running out steadily.
Wind tunnel testing on a wooden model, scaled to 40% of full size, was performed at the Deutsche Versuchsanstalt für Luftfahrt (DVL), the Institute for Aerodynamics at Berlin-Adlershof in September 1944 at speeds up to 504 km/h (313 mph). Results from these tests were reported in January 1945 to the Bachem-Werk. Further model tests were carried out at the Luftfahrtforschungsanstalt Hermann Göring (LFA) facility in Völkenrode-Braunschweig, at speeds close to Mach 1. In March the Bachem-Werk simply received a statement that satisfactory flying qualities should be expected with speeds up to 1,100 km/h (680 mph).
After a rather fast and troublesome development phase the Natter was rushed into production. The SS ordered 150 Natters, and the Luftwaffe ordered 50, and the first serial production aircraft, now designated Ba 349 A-1, reached operational status in April 1945 with the Erprobungskommando (EK) 349. An operational launch site under the code name Operation Krokus was being established in a small, wooded area called Hasenholz, south of the Stuttgart to Munich autobahn and to the east of Nabern unter Teck. Around the end of February and the beginning of March the Organisation Todt had been in action, constructing each set of the trios of concrete foundations (or "footings") for the stationary launch towers. These three launch pads and their towers were arranged at the corners of an equilateral triangle, 120 m per side. At the same time mobile launch rigs were developed, the so-called “Meillerwagen II”, which was based on repurposed Königstiger battle tank hulls that had their engine moved into a mid-chassis position behind the driver’s compartment and carried an erectable ramp on the rear section with a vacuum-powered launch sled. This device could, beyond the Natter, also be used to start the unmanned Fieseler Fi 103 “V1” cruise missile and the Messerschmitt E-4 “Enzian” anti-aircraft missile.
As EK 349 commenced small-scale combat operations with the Ba 349 A-1 in April 1945, the aircraft’s velocity and small size were something Allied fighter pilots were at a loss to counter. The Natter attacked singly or in pairs, often even faster than the intercepting escort fighters could dive. A typical tactic was to fly vertically upward through the bombers at 9,000 m (30,000 ft), climb to 10,700–12,000 m (35,100–39,400 ft), then dive through the formation again, firing as they went. Most of the flight to the Allied bombers was to be controlled by an autopilot. The primary role of the relatively untrained pilot was to aim the aircraft at its target bomber and fire its armament, a single salvo of unguided Henschel Hs 297 Föhn 73mm rocket shells. The pilot and the fuselage containing the rocket engine would then land using separate parachutes, while the nose section was disposable.
By August 1945, 91 aircraft had been delivered to EK 349 and the first operational unit, the JG 400, into which the test unit was soon integrated. But a persistent lack of fuel, staff and maintenance resources kept most of them grounded. It was clear that the original plan for a huge network of Ba 349 bases that protected important locations would never be realized. Up to that point, only six aircraft had been lost due to enemy action, though, but nineteen Ba 349 A-1s had been lost to other causes, mostly due to explosions of the highly volatile fuel in the start phase, but also because of material failures on the rocket engine and the wooden airframe. Plans to field an upgraded version of the Natter, with more armament options and a rocket engine with two chambers that would allow a longer operational time in the air, so that two or even three attack runs could be made before the small aircraft would have to land again, never materialized.
General characteristics:
Crew: 1
Length: 6 m (19 ft 8 in)
Wingspan: 4 m (13 ft 1 in)
Height: 2.25 m (7 ft 5 in) (without fins)
Wing area: 4.7 m² (51 sq ft)
Empty weight: 880 kg (1,940 lb), with fuel expended
Gross weight with boosters: 2,232 kg (4,921 lb)
Gross weight boosters jettisoned: 1,769 kg (3,900 lb)
Fuel capacity: 650 kg
Powerplant:
1× Walter HWK 109-509A-1 bi-fuel rocket engine, 15.7 kN maximum thrust
4× Schmidding SG 34 solid fuel booster rockets, 4.9 kN (1,100 lbf) thrust each
Performance:
Maximum speed: 1,000 km/h (620 mph, 540 kn) at 5,000 m (16,404 ft)
Cruise speed: 800 km/h (500 mph, 430 kn)
Range: 60 km (37 mi, 32 nmi) after climb at 3,000 m (9,843 ft)
55 km (34 mi)after climb at 6,000 m (19,685 ft)
42 km (26 mi)after climb at 9,000 m (29,528 ft)
40 km (25 mi)after climb at 10,000 m (32,808 ft)
Endurance: 4.36 minutes at 6,000 m (19,685 ft)
3.15 minutes at 9,000 m (29,528 ft)
Service ceiling: 12,000 m (39,000 ft)
Rate of climb: 190 m/s (37,000 ft/min)
Time to altitude: 62 seconds to 12 km (7.5 mi)
Armament:
24× 73 mm (2.874 in) Henschel Hs 297 Föhn 73mm rocket shells, or
33× 55 mm (2.165 in) R4M rocket shells
(Alternatively/proposed) 2× 30 mm (1.181 in) MK 108 cannon with 30 rpg
The kit and its assembly:
This small and simple what-if model was inspired by two things: first of all, there was no operational Ba 349 – there were glide tests and a single launch which ended in a catastrophe. So, what could a late-war service aircraft have looked like? The other factor was the idea to build a mobile launch platform for the tiny rocket fighter – in real life the tests were conducted with stationary rigs in Southern Germany, but a self-propelled device would certainly have improved the Natter’s operational value and survivability of its complex infrastructure. The latter, however, is worth its own post and description, so this here is only about the Natter’s model.
The kit is the Brengun model of the Natter, and it’s quite nice for a short-run IP kit. The cockpit has decent detail, just the fin is IMHO a bit chunky, and it requires some PSR to make the fuselage parts blend together well. I just wonder if there had not been a less complicated and user-friendly mold solution for the rocket booster bottles, which consist of four parts each – two halves for the twin bottles, but also twin halves for the tiny nozzles! What a mess! :-/
The only thing I changed was the canopy, which was cut into two pieces to present the Ba 349 with an open cockpit on its wooden rack – unlike the Heller kit, which comes with a lower and more delicate rack, the Brengun offering lacks wheels so that it rather looks like a museum display and not a field tool of the Luftwaffe. I must have a Scheuch-Schlepper from an Academy Me 163 kit somewhere, maybe I can adapt that for the Natter?
Painting and markings:
The whiffier aspect of the model: an in-service camouflage for the Ba 349. I took inspiration from late Me 163s and gave the tiny aircraft a camouflage consisting of RLM 76 Lichtblau underneath (Modelmaster 2086) and on the flanks, with RLM 81 and 82 (Braunviolett, Humbrol 251, which is a very brownish interpretation of that tone, and Dunkelgrün, respectively, Modelmaster 2091) on the wings and the spine and sharply edged blotches on the flanks. For better visibility from underneath, as a support for Flak units, the wings and the lower fuselage behind the cockpit were painted black.
After basic painting the model received a light black ink washing and some panel-shading.
As a late-war aircraft the cockpit interior became (very) dark grey while the rocket booster bottles were painted in universal RLM 02.
As a service aircraft the Natter would IMHO carry standard Luftwaffe national and unit insignia (any model shows the Natter devoid of anything, except the test machines which had some photo calibration and orientation markings), and I adapted late-war markings with simplified white crosses in six positions, a serial number on the lower fin, a unit badge (suitably from a JG 400 Me 163) and white tactical code and squadron marking as a thin ring around the nose. Stencils were generously taken from the Brengun OOB sheet. All quite simple and straightforward, but it works and adds a purposeful look to the wee aircraft.
Soot stains were created with graphite around the rocket launcher in the nose and around the rocket nozzles in the tail area, and finally everything was sealed with matt acrylic varnish.
A quick build, but only part of a much bigger project, the respective mobile launch platform (based on a Jagdtiger and a Japanese aircraft steam catapult kit!). The late-war Luftwaffe colors and markings suit the Natter well, adding a very convincing touch to this desperate attempt to fight off incoming Allied bombers.
Wedding at Pocahontas State Park: www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/pocahontas#general_infor...
Parks wedding info: www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/weddings#wedpo
Please call the park, (804) 796-4255, for details or to reserve. Reservations may be made up to 11 months in advance
Photo credit REQUIRED: Caiti Garter Photography caitigarterphotography.pixieset.com/
The Three Johns
The I Beam
San Francisco, California
5-5-86
The Three Johns; The I Beam; San Francisco; California; 5-5-86; Any further use requires permission from the photographer; Michael Conen.
***
These photos were taken on print film, and then digitally scanned at 2000 dpi.
All images viewed here are "proofs" of the negatives.
Serious inquiries regarding further publication will be entertained.
Please contact me with comments, questions, etc. at michaelconen@tutanota.com
USS North Carolina was the first US battleship constructed after the long between-wars construction period. Built on a nominal 35000 ton standard displacement required under the London Treaty, she set the basic pattern for all subsequent US Navy battleships. North Carolina was designed to carry 14 inch main guns, but was built with nine- 16 inch, 45-caliber guns after foreign nations did not agree to a 14 inch limitation. North Carolina was the first fast battleship in the US Navy reaching speeds of above the 28 knot range.
North Carolina was laid down at New York Navy Yard on 27 October 1937, launched 13 June 1940, and commissioned 9 April 1941. She operated in the Atlantic for the first part of her career, then transferred to the Pacific in 194, where she operated mainly as an escort for aircraft carriers. She was torpedoed 15 September 1942, suffering 5 fatalities. After a lengthy and distinguished wartime service where she earned 15 battle stars, North Carolina was overhauled and used for training Naval Academy midshipmen. She was decommissioned and laid up in reserve on 27 June 1947.
She was stricken 1 June 1960, donated to the state of North Carolina on 6 September 1961, and preserved as a museum in Wilmington where she remains today.
These photos were taken by my son Bill who visited the ship last week.
Basildon Park
Basildon Park estate was bought by Francis Sykes in 1771.
Sykes had made his fortune in the East India Company and required a home befitting his status. He demolished the original house and employed architect John Carr to build the mansion, which still survives.
The Sykes family owned the house until 1838.
The Morrison family owned Basildon Park from 1838 to 1928. It was originally bought by Liberal MP James Morrison who passed it to his eldest son Charles. On his death, it was inherited by his sister Ellen, who died just seven months later, leaving it to her nephew, Major James Archibald Morrison.
The estate was requisitioned during the Second World War. It served several purposes, including being used by the 101st Airborne Division of the American Army for D-Day training and later as a prisoner-of-war camp for German and Italian soldiers. This was all vital to the war effort but inevitably resulted in severe damage to the house and estate.
In 1952, Lord and Lady Iliffe bought the semi-ruined Basildon Park.
The couple set about sensitively restoring the house to its former glory, adding modern comforts such as central heating, a contemporary kitchen, and bathrooms.
They restored the elegant interior and scoured the country, searching for 18th-century architectural fixtures and fittings to fill their comfortable new home.
The fine paintings, fabrics and furniture they bought can still be enjoyed by visitors today.
The house and gardens have been featured in several Film and TV drama productions, including Pride and Prejudice, Bridgerton, Downtown Abbey, The Gentlemen and The Crown.
Lord and Lady Iliffe gifted the house and 400 acres of parkland to the National Trust in 1978.
Grade I Listed
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basildon_Park
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/oxfordshire-buckinghamshir...
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/oxfordshire-buckinghamshir...
Christmas 2024
Basildon Park celebrates twenty years of starring as a filming location this year.
The room decor theme is ‘Your favourite Christmas movie’.
Visitors are invited to admire the sumptuous Christmas trees, bask in the glow of the twinkling lights, and see if they can guess the movie theme of the room.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/oxfordshire-buckinghamshir...
The Library
Lord Iliffe used this room as his study.
Portrait
Edward Langton Iliffe, 2nd Baron Iliffe of Yattendon
by Graham Vivian Sutherland
1976
Oil on Canvas
Masonic Perfect Ashlar.
Rough and Perfect Ashlar
A rough and perfect ashlar are stones which symbolize Man's moral and spiritual life.
Cutting stone to uniform shapes and sizes requires the skill and experience of a true craftsman with many years of experience.
This is why, historically, only large edifices (buildings) were made of ashlars (rather than brick or wood), due to the necessity (and difficulty) of assembling the many skilled craftsman needed to complete the many subsets of knowledge such as how to build a stone archway, how to lay foundation stone, and how to lay stone, one atop another to great heights...not to mention the artisans who sculpted the stones into ornamental shapes.
In days of old, apprentice masons cut and raised the Rough Ashlars from the stone quarry under the supervision of more experienced craftsman, called Fellowcrafts.
The work was accomplished under the watchful eye of the Master masons of the craft...those who had proved their ability to make their Master's piece to the satisfaction of their superiors.
In Freemasonry, there are 2 forms of ashlars.
Rough Ashlar
In operative Freemasonry, the rough ashlar represents a rough, unprepared or undressed stone. In speculative Freemasonry, a rough ashlar is an allegory to the uninitiated Freemason prior to his discovering enlightenment.
Perfect Ashlar
Operatively, the Perfect ashlar represents the dressed stone (after it has been made uniform and smoothed) by use of the working tools, the common gavel, (mallet) and chisel. (The chisel may be found in English Freemasonry, but is not used in the United States as a Freemason symbol.)
Only after the stone has been dressed by an experienced stonemason, can it be suitable to be placed into the architectural structure or building.
Speculatively, a Perfect Ashlar is an allegory to a Freemason who, through Masonic education, works to achieve an upstanding life and diligently strives to obtain enlightenment.
Rough and Perfect Ashlars
In the Fellowcraft Degree, we see the use of the Rough and Perfect Ashlars. The lesson to be learned is that by means of education and the acquirement of knowledge, a man improves the state of his spiritual and moral being.
Like man, each Rough Ashlar begins as an imperfect stone. With education, cultivation and brotherly love, man is shaped into a being which has been tried by the square of virtue and encircled by the compasses of his boundaries, given to us by our Creator.
Rough and Perfect Ashlar: Fitted For The Builder's Use
In ancient times, quarried stone which could be easily shaped into desired configurations, was called "freestone". Typical freestones are limestone and sandstone.
Then, as now, only after refining and smoothing these rough stones into their desired shape, were the stonemasons able to "fit them for the builder's use".
In the Fellowcraft degree, the Rough Ashlar represents a man's unrefined state and his need for improvement. He learns that the goal of being a better man includes spirituality of thought and striving for perfection of conduct. Via duties, expectations and obligations, he is charged to work toward these goals of self improvement.
As the Freemason "smoothes" his rough edges, internally and externally; he becomes a better man and, therefore, a better Freemason.
Once a man has perfected his ashlar to the best of his ability,... as Brothers to all mankind, it is his duty to help others become better men and better Freemasons.
Rough and Perfect Ashlar - The Potential For Change
All rough ashlars must have within them the potential to be made into a perfect ashlar.
The stone must be made of sound material and have a minimum of character flaws which may cause it to weaken the edifice (building). It must be capable of being worked into a perfect stone. This is why candidates for the degrees are asked many questions as to their qualifications and character about why they wish to become Freemasons.
The candidate must have the potential to both serve and support the Fraternity. He must be carefully inspected, just as each Rough Ashlar is inspected for quality in order to be able to "fit" him into Freemasonry's tenets and goals, which are compatible to God's laws.
An imperfect stone may be made perfect, however major flaws are difficult to overcome and when assembled into a structure, the entire structure can be weakened from its improper use. This is as true of men as it is of stones.
Rough and Perfect Ashlar - States of Metamorphose
Freemasonry has a glorious history. Flawed ashlars can bring negative feelings and reproach upon the Fraternity from non-Freemasons in the outside world and therefore, can have no place within its walls.
...That said,...let us not forget that perfect ashlars are not found lying about the stone quarry without benefit of their having been hammered, chiseled and polished into such a state of being.
It also holds true that "perfect" men are also such an anomaly without the benefit of brotherly love, guidance and light. There are very few Freemasons who have not been in both the rough and perfect ashlar state-of-being at some point in their lives.
Freemason Duties For the Future of the Craft
1. Freemasons must give serious consideration to our personal responsibility to educate other Brothers toward their self improvement.
Like the Good Samaritan in the Holy Books; it is in the giving and assistance to others in which you will find the true "jewels" of enlightenment. True Master Masons not only exemplify the tenets of the craft, but they teach what they learn.
2. Lodges should carefully judge the potential of each candidate, weighing both their character and their potential for change. For more information as to how to properly perform this duty, see my page Masonic Investigation Committee.
3. Each Freemason is charged to extend the hand of brotherly love and affection to help new Freemasons become better men and strive to live on the square, stand upright with the plumb and take their true place as a man who would make his Creator (the Almighty), proud of him.
The lesson of the Rough and Perfect Ashlar applies to all men who are worthy,...who have a heartfelt wish to go from ignorance to knowledge,...from darkness to light...and from death to life.
The following poem, written by Mary Brooks Picken, entitled, "Thimblefuls of Friendliness" was written in 1924, and, perhaps says it, best.
"Thimblefuls of Friendliness"
"Isn't it strange that Princes and Kings
And clowns that caper in sawdust rings,
And just plain folks like you and me,
Are builders for Eternity?
To each is given a bag of tools,
A shapeless mass and a book of rules,
And each must make ere life is flown,
A stumbling block, or a stepping stone.
So,...it's up to you. What will YOU decide to build with YOUR working tools?
Walking down Kingley Street, next to Carnaby St, London, spotted this discarded doll in a pram outside a restaurant. Obviously food was a bigger draw than the doll.
Even with the mask requirement, the Navy stadium has been closed to visitors due to the pandemic. Navy has been playing their games without spectators.
3D PHOTO-Red/cyan glasses needed for the red/blue version. Or use the no-glasses required "cross eyed" version. For that, look at the center of the "paired photos" and gradually cross your eyes. Eventually you should see full color 3D image appear in between the other two - no glasses required!
Page up or down for hundreds of normal photos too :)
Photos from 2018 Emerald City Comic Con, Seattle, Washington
Please tag your friends in comments so they can find the photos!
My photos are not for sale or commercial use - you can download any of my Comic Con photos for FREE at Flickr - These photos are for you!
Thank you for all your fantastic costume and character creations!
Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/edwardmitchell/sets/72157694158778205
where you are welcome to download the originals. These are for you!
Instagram: instagram.com/coldstreams
3D Photos: phereo.com/EdwardM
3D ECCC Album: phereo.com/album/5a9de5a28884283c53000000
3D Video (if I post it!): www.youtube.com/user/coldstreams
#ECCC #ECCC18 #ECCC2018 #EmeraldCityComicCon #Seattle #ConventionCenter
#Washington #cosplay #cosplayers #cosplayersofinstagram #comiccon #popculture #photography #photos #costumes #olympus #EM10 #EM10ii
Design Thinking requires the ability to move through a series of perceptual positions in a fluid movement from a specific local view towards a general global view.
Final Project:
You will be required to work on a project that includes photographing (a minimum of) five different individuals in the style of your choice. Once you have selected the style, keep it consistent throughout the series.
You will also need:
1. an establishing shot (an image that tells us something about your idea. For example if you were to do a series of chefs the establishing shot could be a close-up of a measuring spoons.)
2. a self-portrait, with a brief artist statement
Side Note: A lot of thing didn't come through like I had wanted. Had flakey models, then scored on a really expressive friend of a friend, and I got these new to me models that showed up and kicked ass, then I got severely sick and ended up in urgent care Monday, etc. But hopefully I was able to get domestic abuse portrayed like I wanted to. I decided not to try for sexual abuse because no matter how I tried it, it could be construed as porn, and that isn't something I wish to ever touch upon.
Artist's Statement:
Emmy's work is influenced by elements in the world that most people consider to be imperfect, broken, or weak. She builds upon imperfection because it is the only true indicator of character and beauty. She captures imperfection as the summit of her art. She is inspired by things that surround her every day, and uses them as a creative base. As the proud divorced, single mother of five closely spaced children she has no shortage of material from which to draw.
With her work, it is difficult to ignore the obvious experience and background Emmy has in graphic design. In addition to photography and graphic design, she is an entrepreneur, business ideas person, CEO of a small assessment corporation, movie scriptwriter, mother, and friend to all, even those pesky telemarketers if they happen to catch her on the telephone at home.
The most important thing to Emmy is the opportunity to create art. To be an artist, even an unknown one, is more important to her than going forth and finding notoriety. She feels the only way for her to create is to continue growing as an artist whether by introducing new techniques, new mediums, or a combination of both. Her primary focus is on creating art that reaches across boundaries. She creates art that speaks figuratively and demands its own place within its world. She tries to create art that will link people to her, and with her.
Fast Facts on Domestic Violence
Battering on women is the most under reported crime in America.
Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women between the ages of 15 and 44 in the United States; more than car accidents, muggings, and rapes combined. "Violence Against Women, A Majority Staff Report," Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, 102nd Congress, October 1992, p.3.
Three to four million women in the United States are beaten in their homes each year by their husbands, ex-husbands, or male lovers. "Women and Violence," Hearings before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, August 29 and December 11, 1990, Senate Hearing 101-939, pt. 1, p. 12.
One woman is beaten by her husband or partner every 15 seconds in the United States. Uniform Crime Reports, Federal Bureau of Investigation, 1991.
About 1 out of 4 women are likely to be abused by a partner in her lifetime. Sara Glazer, "Violence, Against Women" CO Researcher, Congressional Quarterly, Inc., Volume 3, Number 8, February, 1993, p. 171.
Approximately 95% of the victims of domestic violence are women. Statistics, National Clearinghouse for the Defense of Battered Women, Ruth Peachey, M.D. 1988.
Police report that between 40% and 60% of the calls they receive, especially on the night shift, are domestic violence disputes. Carrillo, Roxann "Violence Against Women: An Obstacle to Development," Human Development Report, 1990.
Battering occurs among people of all races, ages, socio-economic classes, religious affiliations, occupations, and educational backgrounds.
Fifty percent of all homeless women and children in this country are fleeing domestic violence. Senator Joseph Biden, U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Violence Against Women: Victims of the System, 1991.
A battering incident is rarely an isolated event.
Battering tends to increase and become more violent over time.
Many batterers learned violent behavior growing up in an abusive family.
25% - 45% of all women who are battered are battered during pregnancy.
Domestic violence does not end immediately with separation. Over 70% of the women injured in domestic violence cases are injured after separation.
Domestic violence is not only physical and sexual violence but also psychological. Psychological violence means intense and repetitive degradation, creating isolation, and controlling the actions or behaviors of the spouse through intimidation or manipulation to the detriment of the individual. "Five Year State Master Plan for the Prevention of and Service for Domestic Violence." Utah State Department of Human Services, January 1994.