From the Wiki: During the Irish War of Independence in 1921, the Irish Republican Army burnt down the Custom House, to disrupt British rule in Ireland by destroying tax records. The original interior was completely destroyed in the fire and the central dome collapsed. A large quantity of irreplaceable historical records were also destroyed in the fire. Despite achieving its objectives, the attack on the Custom House was a setback for the IRA as a large number of Volunteers were captured either during the attack or when falling back.

Legend has it that members of the fire brigade were intentionally slow to fight the fire, which lasted five days, and who may have actually consulted with the IRA on how best to burn the building! The Custom House was restored in 1929.

Powis Castle (Welsh: Castell Powys) is a medieval castle, fortress and grand country house near Welshpool, in Powys, Wales. The seat of the Herbert family, earls of Powis, the castle is known for its formal gardens and for its interiors, the former having been described as "the most important", and the latter "the most magnificent", in the country. The castle and gardens are under the care of the National Trust. Powis Castle is a Grade I listed building, while its gardens have their own Grade I listing on the Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales.

The present castle was built in the 13th century. Unusually for a castle on the Marches, it was constructed by a Welsh prince, Gruffydd ap Gwenwynwyn, rather than by a Norman baron. Gruffydd was prince of the ancient Kingdom of Powys and maintained an alliance with the English king Edward I during the struggles of the later 13th century. He was able to secure the position of his son, Owain, although the kingdom itself was abolished by the Parliament of Shrewsbury in 1283. After his father's death, Owain was raised to the peerage as Owen de la Pole, 1st Lord of Powis. Following his own death c. 1293, and the death of his only son, he was succeeded by his daughter, Hawys Gadarn, "the Lady of Powis". Hawys married Sir John Charlton in 1309.

In the late 16th century the castle was purchased by Sir Edward Herbert, a younger son of William Herbert, 1st earl of Pembroke, beginning a connection between the family and the castle that continues today. The Herberts remained Roman Catholic until the 18th century and, although rising in the peerage to earls, marquesses and Jacobite dukes of Powis, suffered periods of imprisonment and exile. Despite these setbacks, they were able in the late 17th and early 18th centuries to transform Powis from a border fortress into an aristocratic country house, and surround it with one of the very few extant examples of a British Baroque garden.

In 1784 Henrietta Herbert married Edward Clive, eldest son of Clive of India, a match which replenished the much-depleted Herbert family fortune. In the early 20th century, George Herbert, 4th Earl of Powis, redeveloped the castle with the assistance of the architect George Frederick Bodley. Herbert’s wife, Violet, undertook work of equal importance in the garden, seeking to turn it into "one of the most beautiful, if not the most beautiful, in England and Wales". On the 4th Earl's death in 1952, his wife and his sons having predeceased him, the castle passed into the care of the National Trust.

History

First castles at Welshpool: 1111–1286

Unlike the castles at Conwy, Caernarfon, Harlech and nearby Montgomery, which were built by the English to subdue the Welsh, the castles at Welshpool were built by the Welsh princes of Powys Wenwynwyn as their dynastic seat.[1] In addition to the current site, two motte-and-bailey castles and a set of earthworks are located nearby.[2] The names Trallwg/Tallwm and Pola are used interchangeably in early primary sources, and it is unclear which of these sites is being referred to.[3]

The earliest reference dates from 1111, when Cadwgan ap Bleddyn is mentioned as having planned to construct a castle at Trallwng Llywelyn,[3] the oldest record of a native Welsh castle.[4] Domen Castell, a motte-and-bailey near the modern railway station, is considered the most likely site of Cadwgan's castle, although it is uncertain whether it was completed as he was assassinated the same year.[5] The first documentary account of an extant castle at Welshpool is a description of the successful 1196 siege by an English army, although the castle was retaken by the Welsh within the year.[5][6]

The earliest castle at the current site may have been a timber building constructed by Owain Cyfeiliog or his son, Gwenwynwyn (r. 1197–1216).[7] The present masonry structure contains 13th-century fabric,[8] most likely the work of Gruffydd ap Gwenwynwyn (r. 1241–1287) – although historians are uncertain when this took place.[a][10] In 1274, Gruffydd's "first castle" at Welshpool was destroyed by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd as punishment for his involvement in a scheme to assassinate Llywelyn.[b] The castle was documented again in 1286, when it was listed amongst Gruffydd's possessions as "la Pole Castr".[12] A detailed examination of Powis Castle's extant masonry carried out between 1987 and 1989 revealed early stonework incorporated into the later structure, putatively the remains of an early stone shell keep.[13] At the end of Edward I's conquest of Wales in 1282–83, the king permitted Gruffydd to rebuild his castle at Welshpool as a reward for his loyalty.[14]

Early history: 1286–1644

Edward Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Cherbury[c]

In 1286, four years after the conquest of Wales, Gruffydd's son, Owain ap Gruffydd ap Gwenwynwyn became the last hereditary prince of Powys when he renounced his royal title, and was granted the barony of de la Pole, (i.e. "of the Pool", a reference to Welshpool, formerly called just "Pool").[d][16][17] The ancient Kingdom of Powys had once included the counties of Montgomeryshire, much of Denbighshire, parts of Radnorshire and large areas of Shropshire, but by the 13th century had been reduced to two independent principalities – Powys Wenwynwyn and Powys Fadog – roughly equivalent to Montgomeryshire and South Denbighshire (plus Maelor Saesneg), respectively; Welshpool had become the capital of Powys Wenwynwyn, of which Owain had been heir. On the death of Owain, the castle passed to his daughter Hawys, who married Sir John Charlton.[17] The Charltons continued to live at Powis until the fifteenth century when two daughters, Joyce Tiptoft and Joan Grey inherited the castle and estates. Both were equally divided, each daughter and her husband living in a portion of the castle.[18]

In 1578 an illegitimate son of the last Baron Grey of Powis, began leasing the lordship and castle to a distant relative – Sir Edward Herbert (d. 1595), second son of Sir William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke. Edward eventually bought the castle outright in 1587, beginning the connection between the Herberts and Powis Castle which continues today.[19] Sir Edward's wife was a Roman Catholic and the family's allegiance to Rome and to the Stuart kings was to shape its destiny for over a century.[16] Sir Edward began the transformation of Powis from a border fortress into an Elizabethan country house. The major remaining element of his work is the Long Gallery.[19]

Herbert's descendent William Herbert, 1st Baron Powis (c. 1573–1655), was a supporter of Charles I, and was granted the barony of Powis in 1629.[19] His loyalty during the English Civil War cost him his castle and his estates.[20] On 22 October 1644 Powis Castle was captured by Parliamentary troops and was not returned to the family until the restoration of Charles II in 1660.[21]

The Herberts: 1660–1800

The Hercules statue which stood originally in the Water Garden

On the restoration, the Herberts returned to Powis, and in 1674 William Herbert (c. 1626–1696) was created Earl of Powis (of the first creation). The state bedroom was installed in about 1665 and further improvements, including the construction of the Great Staircase followed in the 1670s. These developments were most probably carried out under the direction of William Winde, who may also have designed the terraced gardens. His employer, although restored to his estates, and raised in the peerage, was barred by his Catholic faith from high office under Charles II. On the accession of the King's brother, James in 1685, Herbert became one of the new king's chief ministers, and was again advanced in the peerage becoming Marquess of Powis in 1687, but fell at the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and followed James into exile in France.[e] William III granted the castle to his nephew, William Nassau de Zuylestein, 1st Earl of Rochford. Herbert died, still in exile, in 1696.[24]

Despite their 30-year exile, the Herberts were able to continue with developments at the castle and even to live there on an irregular basis, the Baroque water garden below the castle being completed at this time.[25] Their fortunes were also materially improved by the discovery of a lucrative lead mine on their Welsh estates.[24] The second Marquess, also William, was reinstated in 1722. On the death of his son, the third Marquess in 1748, the marquessate became extinct, while the castle and estates passed to a relative, Henry Herbert (c. 1703–1772), of Oakly Park in Shropshire, who was made 1st Earl of Powis (of the second creation) by George II.[26] Herbert married Barbara, the fifteen-year-old granddaughter of the 2nd Marquess, in 1751. Their eldest son, George Herbert, 2nd Earl of Powis (1755–1801), died unmarried and the earldom of the second creation became extinct.[f][27] Powis was much neglected during his tenure. John Byng, 5th Viscount Torrington, a diarist and traveller who chronicled his journeys into Wales in the 1780s and 1790s, described the castle in 1784, "In the gardens not even the fruit is attended to; the balustrades and terraces are falling down, and the horses graze on the parterres!!!"[28] The castle itself was in no better condition, a visitor in 1774 describing it as "in Neglect and Ruin".[27] Nonetheless, the potential of the site was recognised. George Lyttelton, the politician, poet and essayist, recorded his impressions in 1756, "About £3,000 laid out upon Powis Castle would make it the most august place in the Kingdom."[29]

The Clives and Herberts: 1801–1952

The Outer Courtyard with the Fame statue in the foreground

In 1784, Henry Herbert's daughter, Henrietta, married Edward Clive (1754–1839), the eldest son of Clive of India.[30] Clive had followed his father to India, and served as Governor of Madras. Henrietta's brother died in 1801, whereupon the title lapsed; in 1804, her husband was created first Earl of Powis (of the third creation). The Clive fortune paid for long overdue repairs to the castle, which were carried out by Sir Robert Smirke.[31][32] Their son, Edward (1785–1848), inherited his late uncle's Powis estates on his 21st birthday, taking the surname Herbert in compliance with his uncle's will.[30] Edward Herbert served in a range of administrations as an Anti-Catholic Tory, his speeches in the House of Commons being "cautious and pertinent, although marred by dull delivery". He died in 1848, following a shooting accident at Powis in which he was fatally injured by his second son.[33] No further major changes were made to the Powis estate during his time, or in the long tenure of his eldest son Edward Herbert, 3rd Earl of Powis (1818–1891), although the castle was well maintained. In honour of his great-grandfather, the earl was offered the viceroyalty of India by Benjamin Disraeli but declined, writing "Not worth considering. Powis" on the envelope containing the invitation.[34]

The final alterations to Powis Castle were undertaken at the beginning of the 20th century by George Frederick Bodley for George Charles Herbert, 4th Earl of Powis (1862–1952). The rooms designed by Bodley remain his only extant decorative scheme; the longevity of the 4th Earl, the deaths of his heirs, and his bequest of the castle to the National Trust saw the early 20th-century remodelling remain largely unaltered.[g][36] The 4th earl's wife, Violet (nee Lane-Fox), undertook the final transformation of the gardens of Powis Castle, which she felt had the potential to be "the most beautiful in England and Wales".[37] The Countess died following a car accident in 1929, and Lord Powis outlived both his sons, who died on active service, Percy from wounds received at the Battle of the Somme in 1916,[38] and Mervyn in a plane crash in 1943.[39] On his own death in 1952, he bequeathed the castle and gardens to the National Trust.[h][42]

The National Trust: 1952–present

The 4th earl was succeeded by his cousin, Edward Herbert, 5th Earl of Powis (1889–1974). Edward's heir was Christian Herbert, 6th Earl of Powis (1904–1988). He was succeeded by his cousin, George Herbert, 7th Earl of Powis (1925–1993),[42] who was in turn succeeded by his son, John, the 8th and current Earl.[43] The Herbert family continue to live in part of the castle, under an arrangement with the National Trust.[44] The Trust has undertaken a number of major works of restoration during its ownership, including the Marquess Gate,[45] the Grand Staircase,[46] and the sculpture of Fame in the Outer Courtyard.[i][47] The castle and its gardens receive around 200,000 visitors annually. Wikipedia

Had a wonderful day yesterday folks, good photography and good friends and a first for the 2016 birding season, due to my setback. This is one of my favorite warblers, and really gave me a hard way to go, but one good one is better than nothing, thanks for stopping by, be safe and have a great weekend everyone.

Taken today at the home of my dear friends - Ottavia and Joe. The bench and other furniture are made by Joe. Ottavia is the one with the green thumb. She is improving but still in pain.

Happy last Weekend in Summer! It will be a good one in Toronto, Canada. Thanks for visiting, enjoy your weekend!

Excerpt from uwaterloo.ca:

Description of the District

St. Clair Boulevard Heritage Conservation District runs along St. Clair Boulevard between Delaware Avenue and Cumberland Avenue. The district consists of 38 residential properties.

Cultural Heritage Value of the District

The Heritage Conservation District Planning Background Study and Plan discuss the value of the district:

“The St. Clair Park survey, registered in 1911, was one of a number of residential surveys laid out in Hamilton’s east end just after the turn of the century, a boom period for residential construction throughout the City. The St. Clair Park Survey formed part of a middle to upper class residential area comprising a number of surveys, which extended from King Street East to the foot of the escarpment and from Wentworth Street South to Gage Park.

As was common practice in Hamilton at the time, the St. Clair Park Survey has building restrictions in the form of restrictive covenants registered on deed to the lots. Restrictions on the cost, construction and setback of the house account to a large extent for the cohesive character of St. Clair Boulevard’s urban streetscape.

While the restrictive covenants associated with the St. Clair Park Survey has building restrictions on its social make-up, the social composition of St. Clair Boulevard was nevertheless very homogenous, comprising middle to upper-middle income families of Anglo-Saxon origins. In the course of its history the boulevard has attracted some of Hamilton’s most prominent citizens; notably, he well-known and highly-respected judge, William F Schwenger and the successful construction company manager, Ralph W. Cooper. The Boulevard is also noteworthy for its social stability, owning to the long-term residence of most of the homeowners and

continuous use of the houses as single-family dwellings”.

Designation of the District

The designation of St. Clair Boulevard was initiated by local residents following the designation of the adjacent St. Clair Avenue district. According to the Background Study and Plan, “a petition requesting designation of the area...signed by all 37 homeowners, was presented to LACAC at its December meeting

and was supported by this committee”.

The St. Clair Boulevard Heritage Conservation District is protected by By-law 92-140, passed in 1992.

The year is coming to an end and it's time to look back on the year.

My 2022 was an eventful year.

The first half was a high with beautiful trips and good prospects.

The second half started with setbacks and setbacks. All plans fell through, nothing went smoothly until I changed my plans for the future and took matters into my own hands again.

Months of hectic and stress began, which I managed with the help of my FRIENDS.

And it paid off, a new house, a place to stay and a future.

I am again looking positively towards 2023

with hopefully many new pictures

I wish you all the best, good luck and even more health for the coming year 2023.

LG Klaus

Das Jahr geht zu Ende und der Zeitpunkt zurück auf das Jahr zu sehen

Mein 2022 war ein bewegtes Jahr.

Die erste Hälfte war eine Hochstimmung mit schönen Reisen und guten Perspektiven.

In der zweite Hälfte begann mit Rück - und Nackenschlägen. Alle Planungen platzten, nix lief rund bis ich meine Planungen für die Zukunft änderte und wieder selbst in die Hand nahm.

Es begannen Monate der Hektik und des Stresses die ich auch mit der Hilfe meiner FREUNDE packte.

Und es hat sich ausgezahlt, ein neues Haus, Bleibe und Zukunft

Ich blicke wieder positiv in Richtung 2023

mit hoffentlich vielen neuen Bildern

Ich wünsche Euch alles Gute, viel Glück und noch mehr Gesundheit für das kommende Jahr 2023

LG Klaus

Amsterdam Centraal was designed by Dutch architect Pierre Cuypers and first opened in 1889. It features a Gothic/Renaissance Revival station building and a cast iron platform roof spanning approximately 40 metres. Since 1997, the station has been continuously undergoing reconstruction works because of the development of the North-South Line of the Amsterdam Metro, which was originally planned to be completed in 2014. Due to several setbacks, some at the Amsterdam Centraal building site, the line is now expected to open fully in 2018.

Ahh, the ups & downs of owning a difficult pup like Flynn.... Last week, I shared the very special moment when he came over & rested his head gently on my lap, for the first time in nearly 2 years. This morning, for the first time in about 6 months, Flynn bit me. It wasn't exactly a brilliant start to our day - although I am OK & it certainly woke me up! Now that this sort of thing so rarely happens, in some ways it is more upsetting on the occasions when he does slip up but setbacks are bound to happen & we've come such a long way in the past couple of years!

I gave us both a few hours to calm down, then late this afternoon we went out on one of Flynn's favourite walks. He had a great time herding & stalking me through the woods & fields, chasing squeaky balls & paddling in puddles. I enjoyed the light & took a few photos. I liked this one... Flynn at his best sheepdoggy self, completely focussed on the task at hand - stalking me & the ball. Hopefully, things are now back to normal (or, as normal as they ever are with this pup!) & it will be a very long time before we see a return of Bitey Dog...

Le marché central de la ville de Valence, en Espagne, est un édifice conçu en 1914 par les architectes barcelonais Alexandre Soler i March et Francesc Guàrdia i Vial, tous deux formés à l'Escola Tècnica Superior d'Arquitectura de Barcelona et collaborateurs de Lluís Domènech i Montaner (notamment concepteur du palais de la musique catalane), qui est caractérisé par un style propre dans les lignes du Art Nouveau valencienne.

Le projet du marché central prétendait concilier l'usage des grandes structures de fer dépouillées caractéristiques de l’Art nouveau. Après quelques inconvenues et modifications apportées au projet initial, les travaux furent terminés en janvier 1928 sous la direction d'Enric Viedma i Vidal

D'une surface de plus de 8 000 mètres carrés, il est riche d'allusions décoratives relatives aux produits des potagers, vergers et jardins de Valence. Sa structure, constituée de colonnes de fer rappelant la Tour Eiffel, de faïence et de vitraux, en fait une attraction architecturale à ne pas manquer.

Cette agora de la gastronomie valencienne compte plus de 1 200 stands dans lesquels se distinguent les fruits et légumes frais, avec comme protagonistes l'orange, la tomate et les haricots, puis les viandes, fromages, poissons et fruits de mer.

The Central Market (Valencian: mercat central; Castilian: mercado central) in the city of Valencia, Spain, is a building designed in 1914 by Barcelona architects Alexandre Soler i March and Francesc Guàrdia i Vial, both trained in 'Escola Tècnica Superior d'Arquitectura de Barcelona and collaborators of Lluís Domènech i Montaner (especially designer of the Palace of Catalan Music), which is characterized by its own style in the lines of Valencian Art Nouveau.

The central market project claimed to reconcile the use of the large, bare iron structures characteristic of Art Nouveau. After some setbacks and modifications to the initial project, the work was completed in January 1928 under the direction of Enric Viedma i Vidal

With a surface area of ​​more than 8,000 square meters, it is rich in decorative allusions relating to products from the vegetable gardens, orchards and gardens of Valencia. Its structure, made up of iron columns reminiscent of the Eiffel Tower, earthenware and stained glass, makes it an architectural attraction not to be missed.

This agora of Valencian gastronomy has more than 1,200 stalls in which fresh fruit and vegetables stand out, with orange, tomato and beans as protagonists, then meat, cheese, fish and seafood.

Red Maple (Acer rubrum) is one of the most attractive maples because of its stunning red leaves with red petioles in the fall, attractive red flowers and samaras (also often red) in spring, and contrasting silvery gray bark.

This native tree is easy to grow. It is very adaptable, tolerating full sun to light shade, wet to dry conditions, and almost any kind of soil, although it prefers moist loamy soil that is mildly acidic. It grows moderately fast while young, bearing samaras in as little as 5 years. Longevity of mature trees is typically 75-150 years.

Red Maple tree can develop all male flowers, all female flowers, or both male and female flowers on the same tree. They are cross-pollinated by the wind. The female flowers are later replaced by paired samaras (pictured) that are arranged along the twigs in drooping umbels.

Plant in your landscape and you will not be disappointed with this all season tree, but keep a setback from walkways and paved patios because the lateral roots run close to the surface.

Happy Earth Day!

Located at the highly visible terminus of LaSalle Street, the Chicago Board of Trade is considered to be one of the finest Art Deco style buildings in Chicago. Built in 1929 and designed by Holabird and Root, the building features a limestone exterior with the quintessential setbacks of the style and carved stone ornament. At the top of the 42-story tower is a pyramidal metal roof topped by an aluminum statue of Ceres, the Roman Goddess of agriculture.

The interior features a series of dramatic lobbies with six varieties of marble, nickel silver metal trim and ornamental plaster. The main lobby is a three-story arcaded space with nickel silver storefronts, balconies, marble piers and walls and a luminous ceiling. All of the lobbies were illuminated by stylized fixtures with nickel silver frames and translucent glass. Due to its significance for architecture and its association with trading, the building is a National Historic Landmark and a City of Chicago Landmark.

Excerpt from www.tourstcatharines.com/tours-wellandave.shtml:

25 Welland Avenue has undergone many changes. Note the tree canopies and consistent setbacks on the side streets.

Chasing the clear sky and finding it after a long series of setbacks

Handsome male House Finch during an early-spring (hopefully, last) weather setback.

Common.

Ham Thornycroft's imposing bronze statue of Winchester's most significant royal visitor.

King Alfred ruled Wessex from 871 until his death in 899. At the time of his enthronement the Vikings had taken control and were threatening Wessex. After initial setbacks, Alfred's armies won a great battle at Edington in 878, resulting in the conversion of the Viking King Guthrum to Christianity.

THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR FAVS AND LOVELY COMMENTS THEY ARE MUCH APPRECIATED

Building sandcastles is not just a playful pastime; it's a metaphor for life's endeavors. As

we meticulously construct towers and moats with grains of sand, we learn patience, creativity, and resilience. Each crumbling tower represents setbacks, but also opportunities to rebuild and improve. The process teaches adaptability, as the tide may wash away hours of work in an instant, mirroring life's unexpected challenges. Yet, the joy found in the act of creation transcends the transient nature of sandcastles, reminding us to cherish moments of beauty and accomplishment amidst the impermanence of life. Just as with sandcastles, life's experiences shape us, and it's in the act of building and rebuilding that we discover our strength and resilience.

maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Chronotis%20Empire/186/65/26

Cosden Building

The Mid-Continent Tower started out as the 16-story Cosden Building, built for oil baron Joshua Cosden in 1918. The Cosden Building was built on the site of the first Tulsa schoolhouse, which was established as a mission in 1885 on Creek Indian land.[2] The Cosden Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.[1] It was designed by Kansas City architect Henry F. Hoit who also designed a home for Cosden.

Although it is sometimes mentioned in connection with Tulsa's extensive inventory of Art Deco buildings, the Mid-Continent Tower is actually built in a modern version of the Gothic style that was popular before the advent of Art Deco. 101

Das Norwegische Industriearbeitermuseum ist ein Industriemuseum in Rjukan, Norwegen. Es befindet sich im Kraftwerk Vemork und wurde 1988 gegründet, um den Erhalt der Industriegesellschaft zu ermöglichen, die von Norsk Hydro geschaffen wurde, als sie sich 1907 in Rjukan niederließen.

Die Forschung und Ausstellungen des Museums umfassen die Geschichte der energieintensiven Industrie in Norwegen nach 1900; einschließlich Wasserkraft , elektrochemischer Industrie und der Prämisse für die Arbeiter. Insbesondere dem lokalen Erbe von Tinn und der norwegischen Schwerwassersabotage wird hohe Priorität eingeräumt.

In den Kriegsjahren 1942 bis 1945 wurde das südnorwegische Rjukan in der Provinz Telemark Schauplatz einer brisanten Auseinandersetzung. Dort befand sich seit 1934 im Chemie- und Wasserkraftwerk Vemork die einzige europäische Fabrik (Norsk Hydro), die durch ihren immensen Energieüberschuss schweres Wasser in nennenswerten Mengen herstellen konnte.

Ende der 1930er Jahre hatten Otto Hahn, Fritz Straßmann und Lise Meitner das Prinzip der nuklearen Kettenreaktion entdeckt, woraus sich nach dem Ausbruch des Zweiten Weltkriegs ein Wettlauf mit den Alliierten um die Kontrolle über die Fabrik entwickelte. Für das deutsche Uranprojekt war dabei die Verwendung von schwerem Wasser als Moderator eines Versuchsreaktors vorgesehen, mit dem unter anderem waffenfähiges Plutonium hätte hergestellt werden könnte.

Somit richtete sich das Augenmerk der Alliierten auf die Anlage in Rjukan, deren Ausschaltung die deutsche Nuklearforschung auf einen Schlag neutralisieren konnte: Nach mehreren Rückschlägen wurde am 27. Februar 1943 von zwölf norwegischen Widerstandskämpfern (unterstützt durch das Special-Operations-Executive), die sich auf der Hochebene von Hardangervidda versteckt gehalten hatten, die Sprengung an der Hochkonzentrieranlage für schweres Wasser der Norsk Hydro Werke durchgeführt. Bereits wenige Wochen später war der entstandene Schaden jedoch behoben, und die deutschen Besatzer ließen die Produktion verstärkt wieder anlaufen. Die norwegisch-französische Koproduktion Kampf ums schwere Wasser (Kampen om tungtvannet, 1948), der britische Spielfilm Kennwort „Schweres Wasser“ (The Heroes of Telemark, 1965) sowie die norwegisch-dänisch-britische Fernsehminiserie Saboteure im Eis – Operation Schweres Wasser (Kampen om tungtvannet, 2015) handeln von diesen Begebenheiten.

Es folgten mehrere alliierte Bombenangriffe auf das Kraftwerk und die wiederaufgebaute Anlage, bis sich die deutschen Besatzer entschlossen, die Fabrik aufzugeben und 50 Fässer bereits produzierten schweren Wassers mitzunehmen. Die Konzentration des Deuteriumoxids schwankte zwischen 1 % und 99 %, sie wurde durch eine zweistellige Nummer auf den Fässern gekennzeichnet, die für Außenstehende keinen Rückschluss auf die Konzentration zuließ.

Die Eisenbahnfähre der Rjukanbanen namens Hydro, beladen mit schwerem Wasser, wurde am 20. Februar 1944 durch einen Sprengsatz im Maschinenraum sabotiert. Die Fähre sank binnen weniger Minuten auf dem 460 Meter tiefen Tinnsjø (norwegisch für ‚See bei Tinn‘). Fässer mit stark konzentriertem Inhalt, die nur teilweise befüllt waren, trieben nach dem Untergang an der Wasseroberfläche. Sie wurden von den Deutschen geborgen und drei Wochen nach der Versenkung nach Deutschland versandt und später im Forschungsreaktor Haigerloch verwendet. Beim Untergang der Fähre kamen vier deutsche Soldaten und 14 Zivilisten ums Leben.

Der Unterwasserarchäologe Brett Phaneuf erhielt mit einem norwegisch-amerikanischen Forscherteam 60 Jahre nach Untergang der Hydro die Genehmigung zu einer Tauchfahrt zur Hydro, jedoch mit der Auflage, nur genau ein Fass zu heben, da das Wrack offiziell als Kriegsgrab gilt.

Das sehr gut erhaltene Fass Nr. 26 ließ sich nach der Bergung mühelos öffnen, da der Dichtungsgummiring des Spundlochs nach über 60 Jahren noch intakt war. Laut der geheimen Ladeliste von 1944 sollte das Fass ein Destillat von 1,64 % schwerem Wasser enthalten. Tatsächlich ergaben Untersuchungen an Bord sowie später in London einen annähernd hohen Anreicherungsgrad von 1,1 % ± 0,2.

Mehr Informationen über das Kraftwerk und die Geschehnisse während des 2. Weltkrieges gibt es hier: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwegian_Industrial_Workers_Museum

und hier: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schweres_Wasser

The Norwegian Industrial Workers' Museum is an industrial museum in Rjukan, Norway. Located at Vemork Power Plant, it was established in 1988 to enable the preservation of the industrial society created by Norsk Hydro when they settled in Rjukan in 1907.

The museum's research and exhibitions include the history of energy-intensive industry in Norway after 1900; including hydroelectric power, electrochemical industry and the premise for the workers. In particular, the local heritage of Tinn and Norwegian heavy water sabotage is given high priority.

During the war years 1942 to 1945, Rjukan in the province of Telemark in southern Norway became the scene of an explosive conflict. Since 1934, the only European factory (Norsk Hydro) was located in the chemical and hydroelectric power station Vemork, which was able to produce heavy water in significant quantities due to its immense energy surplus.

At the end of the 1930s, Otto Hahn, Fritz Straßmann and Lise Meitner had discovered the principle of the nuclear chain reaction, which led to a race with the Allies for control of the factory after the outbreak of World War II. For the German uranium project, the use of heavy water as a moderator of an experimental reactor was intended, with which, among other things, weapons-grade plutonium could have been produced.

The Allies' attention was thus directed to the Rjukan plant, the elimination of which could neutralize German nuclear research in one fell swoop: After several setbacks, on February 27, 1943, twelve Norwegian resistance fighters (supported by the Special Operations Executive) who hidden on the Hardangervidda plateau, carried out the demolition at Norsk Hydro Works' heavy water high-concentration plant. However, the damage was repaired just a few weeks later and the German occupying forces restarted production. The Norwegian-French co-production The Battle for Heavy Water (Kampen om tungtvannet, 1948), the British feature film The Heroes of Telemark (1965) and the Norwegian-Danish-British TV miniseries Operation Heavy Water (Kampen om tungtvannet, 2015) deal with these events.

Several Allied bombing raids on the power plant and the rebuilt plant followed, until the German occupiers decided to abandon the factory and take 50 barrels of heavy water that had already been produced with them. The concentration of deuterium oxide varied between 1% and 99%, it was identified by a two-digit number on the barrels, which did not allow outsiders to draw any conclusions about the concentration.

The Rjukanbanen railway ferry called Hydro, loaded with heavy water, was sabotaged by an explosive device in the engine room on February 20, 1944. The ferry sank within a few minutes on the 460 meter deep Tinnsjø (Norwegian for 'lake near Tinn'). Barrels with highly concentrated contents, which were only partially filled, floated on the water's surface after sinking. They were salvaged by the Germans and shipped to Germany three weeks after the sinking and later used in the Haigerloch research reactor. When the ferry sank, four German soldiers and 14 civilians died.

Underwater archaeologist Brett Phaneuf and a Norwegian-American research team received permission to dive to the Hydro 60 years after the sinking of the Hydro, but with the condition that they only lift one barrel, as the wreck is officially considered a war grave.

Barrel No. 26, which is in very good condition, was easy to open after it was salvaged, as the rubber seal of the bunghole was still intact after more than 60 years. According to the 1944 secret loading list, the cask was to contain a distillate of 1.64% heavy water. In fact, investigations on board and later in London revealed an almost high degree of enrichment of 1.1% ±0.2.

More information about the power station and what happened during WWII can be found here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwegian_Industrial_Workers_Museum

and here: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schweres_Wasser

Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved

NO GROUP INVITES

¡No hay invitaciones de grupo!

I started the new year 23 with a lot of optimism.

Many things have developed well for me and of course there have also been setbacks.

But when I look at the developments in our world, it fits in quite well with my picture

in the bottom left-hand corner.

CAN'T THINGS BE A BIT MORE PEACEFUL ON OUR PLANET INSTEAD OF VIOLENCE, DEATH AND WAR?

So let's also look at the top right-hand corner of the picture with a sunny day leaving and the promise of another sunny one.

Come into the new year 2024 safe and sound tonight.

Cheers to that.

LG Klaus

PS. The last pictures of this year should be a series of flood pictures here from the Rhine.

I have decided not to do this for the time being due to the terrible flood situation here in Germany with many people and animals standing in the water and the many helpers who have been trying day and night since Christmas to prevent the worst from happening

May they succeed

Ich bin mit viel Optimismus ins neue Jahr 23 gegangen.

Vieles hat sich für mich gut entwickelt und natürlich gab es auch Rückschläge.

Aber wenn ich auf die Entwicklungen auf unserer Welt schaue passt das ganz gut zu meinem Bild

in der unteren linken Ecke.

KANN ES DENN NICHT EINMAL ETWAS FRIEDLICHER AUF UNSEREM PLANETEN ZUGEHEN STATT DER GEWALT, TOD UND KRIEG

Lasst uns daher auch die rechte obere Ecke des Bildes sehen mit einem sonnigen Tag der geht und uns einen weiteren sonnigen verspricht.

Kommt heute Abend alle gut und gesund ins neue Jahr 2024.

Darauf ein Prost.

LG Klaus

PS. Die letzten Bilder dieses Jahres sollten eine Reihe Hochwasserbilder hier vom Rhein sein.

Darauf habe ich erstmal verzichtet aufgrund der schlimmen Hochwasser Situation hier in Deutschland mit vielen Menschen und Tieren die im Wasser stehen und der vielen Helfer die seit Weihnachten schon Tag und Nacht versuchen das schlimmste zu verhindern

Möge es ihnen gelingen

Explore Highest position: 56 on Saturday, May 30, 2009

Il geranio apparve per la prima volta in Europa tra la fine del 1600 e l'inizio del 1700. La bellezza del fiore non fu apprezzata immediatamente ma soltanto dopo alcuni decenni. La notorietà del geranio raggiunse il suo culmine durante l'epoca vittoriana, quando, soprattutto in Gran Bretagna, ma anche nel resto dell'Europa, i giardini delle dimore dei signori erano abbelliti e arricchiti con ogni varietà conosciuta di geranio. Nel giro di pochi anni però la popolarità e la fama di questo fiore subirono una forte battuta d'arresto, tant'è che nell'Ottocento il geranio veniva definito come fiore della strada. Ai nostri giorni, bellissimi gerani adornano, durante l'estate, i balconi e le terrazze delle nostre case. Famose sono le proprietà decongestionanti del geranio e la capacità del loro profumo di tenere lontani gli insetti. Il significato attribuito a questo fiore varia a seconda del colore e della varietà: il geranio rosso vuol dire consolazione, quello rosa predilezione, il geranio edera fedeltà e stabilità.

Translated to English

Geranium appeared for the first time in Europe in late 1600 and early 1700. The beauty of the flower was not appreciated immediately but only after several decades. The reputation of geranium reached its height during the Victorian era, when, especially in Great Britain but also in the rest of Europe, the gardens of the dwellings of the lords were embellished and enriched by all known varieties of geranium. In a few years but the popularity and fame of this flower suffered a sharp setback, so founded in the geranium was defined as a flower of the road. Nowadays, beautiful geraniums decorate during the summer, the balconies and terraces of our homes. Famose decongestants are the property of the geranium and the ability of their scent to keep away insects. The meaning of this flower may vary depending on the color and variety, the red geranium means consolation, love the pink, the ivy geranium fidelity and stability.

created for: Surrealart challenge "Setback"

All photos used courtesy of Unsplash.

Texture by Topaz.

HE > i

Fremont Canyon lies south of Casper in Central Wyoming. It was carved by the North Platte River through Pre-Cambrian granitic rocks.

In 1842, Lieutenant John Charles Fremont explored the canyon during his first expedition to the American West. He was tasked with mapping the fur-trade route along the Platte, North Platte, and Sweetwater Rivers. With the guidance of mountain man Kit Carson, who was not yet famous at the time, Fremont's group crossed South Pass and ventured into the Oregon Territory, west of the Wind River Mountains, which lay beyond the then-US borders.

On their return journey, Fremont and a small group attempted to navigate Fremont Canyon in an inflatable boat while Carson led the rest of the party overland. On August 24, 1842, the boat struck a rock, capsized, and deflated, resulting in the loss of most of their supplies and equipment. Despite the setback, the entire group survived and reunited with Carson downstream. They all made it safely to Fort Laramie by August 31, 1842. Fremont would go on to lead more expeditions and eventually rise to the rank of general. Kit Carson's exploits would later be popularized in the dime novels of the era.

Today, this section of Fremont Canyon lies between the Pathfinder Dam, named after Fremont who is known as the "Pathfinder of the West", and the Alcova Reservoir, which submerges part of the canyon. The canyon walls here are over 200 feet high, and they reach up to 500 feet further downstream toward Alcova. The Pathfinder Dam was constructed between 1905 and 1909, while the Alcova Dam was completed in 1936. Between these two reservoirs, the North Platte River still flows through the canyon but its flowrate is controlled by the Pathfinder Dam. On this day, the river had a relatively low flow. The rapids did not "roar" as they did when Fremont attempted his passage through the canyon..

Erzherzog-Carl-Denkmal (1., Heldenplatz), Reiterdenkmal aus Bronze von Anton Dominik Fernkorn für Feldmarschall Erzherzog Carl (Sieger über Napoleon in der Schlacht bei Aspern am 21./22. Mai 1809), errichtet 1853-1859. Die Auftragserteilung erfolgte 1848 durch Graf Eltz beziehungsweise am 4. Jänner 1853 durch Franz Joseph I., nachdem Fernkorn ein Bronzemodell angefertigt hatte. Das Modell (bezeichnet 1847!) befindet sich im niederösterreichischen Schloss Dobersberg (Modellabguss: Erzherzog-Carl-Denkmal). Der Guss erfolgte in acht Teilstücken in der K. k. Kunsterzgießerei (1858/1859) und wurde durch Franz Pönninger ausgeführt. Die Inschriften wurden von Theodor von Karajan verfasst und (nach Befürwortung Grillparzers) 1858 genehmigt. Das Denkmal steht auf einem von Eduard van der Nüll gestalteten Steinsockel, der an die Stelle von Figurengruppen getreten ist, die Fernkorn ursprünglich an den Ecken geplant hatte. Die Enthüllung war für den 50. Jahrestag der Schlacht bei Aspern vorgesehen gewesen (worauf auch die Widmung „Kaiser Franz Joseph 1859" hindeutet), erfolgte jedoch im Hinblick auf die militärischen Rückschläge in Oberitalien (1859) erst am 22. Mai 1860.

Archduke Carl Monument (1st, Heldenplatz), bronze equestrian monument by Anton Dominik Fernkorn for Field Marshal Archduke Carl (victor over Napoleon in the Battle of Aspern on May 21st/22nd, 1809), built in 1853-1859. The order was placed in 1848 by Count Eltz and on January 4, 1853 by Franz Joseph I after Fernkorn had made a bronze model. The model (marked 1847!) is located in Dobersberg Castle in Lower Austria (model cast: Archduke Carl Monument). The casting was carried out in eight sections in the K. k. Artificial ore foundry (1858/1859) and was carried out by Franz Pönninger. The inscriptions were written by Theodor von Karajan and approved (after Grillparzer's endorsement) in 1858. The monument stands on a stone base designed by Eduard van der Nüll, which replaces groups of figures that Fernkorn originally planned at the corners. The unveiling was planned for the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Aspern (which is also indicated by the dedication "Kaiser Franz Joseph 1859"), but did not take place until May 22, 1860 in view of the military setbacks in Northern Italy (1859).

im pretty sure that instead of getting better at bringing my ideas to life, im getting worse... its hard to tell, because my ideas themselves, i think, are getting a lot better and a lot more detailed... however i find myself over the past few months feeling scared to shoot my personal work, and really doubting that i can create anything, which is the absolute last thing i want to feel. i havent hardly been shooting personally at all (since march ive only made 3 photos that havent in some way been commissioned), and ive realized its REALLY taking its toll on me - photographically, but also emotionally. creating imagery through my camera is my rock in life and ive been smacked in the face and really reminded of the girl i was before i had that rock, and that girl is the last person i want to be again.

ive decided its time to rest my wings and focus on the important things again. i feel like i go through this same conversation in my head about once every three months, but i never actually do anything about it and each time the feelings get worse. life lessons can be a pain in the butt, but ive finally made a pact with myself to stop booking new paid work after september so i have time to actually try to be the photographer i want to be.

oh yea, also my pro account expired, so apologies for my old stuff disappearing. ill probably scrap together some change and renew soon.

power line stock. ahhh i wish i could have used this better...

- on an added note, i want to say thanks to everyone for all the super nice and encouraging comments, but also wanted to let everyone know that by no means am i stopping or falling any bit out of love with photography! its just a matter of practice, and ever since i began photography ive never spent this little time on my own work! so i feel like that lack of time is holding me back from growing at the same rate and obviously is resulting in less work which i dont like! and i actually think this piece is successful, otherwise i wouldnt have uploaded it... i think its just farther away from what i intended than my earlier stuff, which is a setback! :P -

before/after since has been added to facebook!

I wanted to take a couple of days to distance myself from what happened before posting about it, so that I may speak from a place of reflection instead of emotion. Those who know me know that I am not a particularly political person. I see merits and flaws to both major parties. This post is not an attack on conservative/republican values, nor is it an attack on those who voted for the current administration. I understand and appreciate that everyone has deeply personal reasons for voting the way they do, and not everyone thinks alike. That said, I would like to speak from personal experience about some concerning things that are happening at the behest of two billionaires.

I lost my job on Friday. I was a high level biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 10 days from completing my probationary period. I left a very stable job that I absolutely loved last February because I thought that I could better serve my nation and the natural resources that I hold so dear through employment with the federal government. In my position I did not stand in the way of development and progress. I worked hard to ensure that our nation could continue to prosper, and so that some of our most imperiled species would have a place in its future. For a month before being terminated I was demonized, vilified, and subjected to psychological torture. I was referred to as a "blood sucking parasite" and a member of the "unelected bureaucracy" that "has more power than the other branches". I was sent a multitude of e-mails from upper administration with condescending, ominous tones. I watched the news as speculation abound, and those those in power spoke of "transparency", none was afforded to us. After a litany of memos and e-mails, many speaking to or of probationary employees, I endured many sleepless nights, and constant stress or worry that I would lose my job, and my benefits. As the sole breadwinner of a family with a small child, this terrified me.

Then, on Friday I was invited to a call with all probationary employees. I was informed that I would be terminated at the end of the day and would lose access to our systems shortly thereafter. I had a performance review of "exceeds expectations" and won a performance award last year. I had a huge workload including numerous in flight projects, and was simply cutoff without any opportunity to transition these. In doing so, both my colleagues at the Service, other federal agencies I was working with, and private industries I was working with will experience setbacks. Fortunately I did not have to move cross country or endure any other major life change for this position, and therefore have it much better than many others who left everything behind. Some were living in government housing which they had to vacate within a matter of days.

I would like to remind everyone that we are Americans, just the same as anyone else. I would also like to say that it's ok to support a political party and still demand answers and accountability when they do something wrong. The desire to make the government less expensive and more efficient is understandable, but in my opinion the lack of decency with which we were treated is not in line with the moral code that I know many conservatives follow. I implore everyone to consider that, if they can do this to thousands of probationary employees, many of which voted for the current administration, and continue to terrorize millions of other Americans in the federal work force, it's not a stretch to think that your own families can be impacted in some way. Please pay attention to what's happening and seek factual, unbiased accounts of it.

This image is of a Lousiana pine snake (Pituophis ruthveni), one of the species I was working with. It is largely considered to be one of, if not the rarest snake in the country. I was working with a number of partners to pave the way for reintroductions of this species into Texas, which I hoped would lead to the species' recovery and eventual removal from the list of federally threatened and endangered species. I will continue to support conservation in any way that I can. Thanks everyone for your time this morning, and I wish you all the best.

My Website : Twitter : Facebook : Instagram : Photocrowd

Another upload from the recent London Flickr Group Photowalk.

Although I'd walked the route I chose for the Photowalk many times before there was still much for me photograph as changing lighting conditions mean that there's always something photogenic. Here the abstract reflections of the Lloyds Building and the Cheesegrater are caught in the curved glass facade of the Willis building.

We're just starting to plan another London Photowalk for October, click here for more details : www.flickr.com/groups/londonflickrgroup/discuss/721577198...

From Wikipedia, "The Willis Building is a commercial skyscraper in London named after the primary tenant, Willis Group. It is located on Lime Street in the City of London financial district.

The building was designed by Norman Foster and developed by British Land. It stands opposite the Lloyd's building and is 125 metres (410 ft) tall, with 26 storeys. It features a "stepped" design, which was intended to resemble the shell of a crustacean, with setbacks rising at 97 m (318 ft) and 68 m (223 ft). In total, there are 475,000 square feet (44,128.9 m2) of office floor-space, most of which was pre-let to the insurance broker Willis."

© D.Godliman

If just a whiff is

enough to scatter

days, it's useless

to combat the dissent

of time. The setback

is grace, it's a form

of life in which life goes

towards itself

countercurrent

caught by a gentle

breeze. There's a love

in deceit, a malice

in the reluctance pushing

things, the untamed ones, backwards.

Se basta appena

un soffio a sparpagliare

i giorni, è inutile

combattere il dissenso

del tempo. Il contrattempo

è grazia, è una forma

di vita in cui la vita va

incontro a se stessa

controcorrente

presa da una brezza

leggera. C'è un amore

nel dolo, una malizia

nella riluttanza che sospinge

le cose, le indocili, a ritroso.

di/by Valerio Magrelli, in Poesie, Torino, Einaudi, 1996, p.148

(ns. trad. verso l'inglese)

Ladakh, Asia, July 2009.

Portrait of two children monks.

Ladakh, Asia, luglio 2009.

Ritratto di due monaci bambini.

Flickr Explore Apr. 1° 2015 #73

Excerpt from uwaterloo.ca:

Description of the District

St. Clair Boulevard Heritage Conservation District runs along St. Clair Boulevard between Delaware Avenue and Cumberland Avenue. The district consists of 38 residential properties.

Cultural Heritage Value of the District

The Heritage Conservation District Planning Background Study and Plan discuss the value of the district:

“The St. Clair Park survey, registered in 1911, was one of a number of residential surveys laid out in Hamilton’s east end just after the turn of the century, a boom period for residential construction throughout the City. The St. Clair Park Survey formed part of a middle to upper class residential area comprising a number of surveys, which extended from King Street East to the foot of the escarpment and from Wentworth Street South to Gage Park.

As was common practice in Hamilton at the time, the St. Clair Park Survey has building restrictions in the form of restrictive covenants registered on deed to the lots. Restrictions on the cost, construction and setback of the house account to a large extent for the cohesive character of St. Clair Boulevard’s urban streetscape.

While the restrictive covenants associated with the St. Clair Park Survey has building restrictions on its social make-up, the social composition of St. Clair Boulevard was nevertheless very homogenous, comprising middle to upper-middle income families of Anglo-Saxon origins. In the course of its history the boulevard has attracted some of Hamilton’s most prominent citizens; notably, he well-known and highly-respected judge, William F Schwenger and the successful construction company manager, Ralph W. Cooper. The Boulevard is also noteworthy for its social stability, owning to the long-term residence of most of the homeowners and

continuous use of the houses as single-family dwellings”.

Designation of the District

The designation of St. Clair Boulevard was initiated by local residents following the designation of the adjacent St. Clair Avenue district. According to the Background Study and Plan, “a petition requesting designation of the area...signed by all 37 homeowners, was presented to LACAC at its December meeting

and was supported by this committee”.

The St. Clair Boulevard Heritage Conservation District is protected by By-law 92-140, passed in 1992.

Excerpt from uwaterloo.ca:

Description of the District

St. Clair Boulevard Heritage Conservation District runs along St. Clair Boulevard between Delaware Avenue and Cumberland Avenue. The district consists of 38 residential properties.

Cultural Heritage Value of the District

The Heritage Conservation District Planning Background Study and Plan discuss the value of the district:

“The St. Clair Park survey, registered in 1911, was one of a number of residential surveys laid out in Hamilton’s east end just after the turn of the century, a boom period for residential construction throughout the City. The St. Clair Park Survey formed part of a middle to upper class residential area comprising a number of surveys, which extended from King Street East to the foot of the escarpment and from Wentworth Street South to Gage Park.

As was common practice in Hamilton at the time, the St. Clair Park Survey has building restrictions in the form of restrictive covenants registered on deed to the lots. Restrictions on the cost, construction and setback of the house account to a large extent for the cohesive character of St. Clair Boulevard’s urban streetscape.

While the restrictive covenants associated with the St. Clair Park Survey has building restrictions on its social make-up, the social composition of St. Clair Boulevard was nevertheless very homogenous, comprising middle to upper-middle income families of Anglo-Saxon origins. In the course of its history the boulevard has attracted some of Hamilton’s most prominent citizens; notably, he well-known and highly-respected judge, William F Schwenger and the successful construction company manager, Ralph W. Cooper. The Boulevard is also noteworthy for its social stability, owning to the long-term residence of most of the homeowners and

continuous use of the houses as single-family dwellings”.

Designation of the District

The designation of St. Clair Boulevard was initiated by local residents following the designation of the adjacent St. Clair Avenue district. According to the Background Study and Plan, “a petition requesting designation of the area...signed by all 37 homeowners, was presented to LACAC at its December meeting

and was supported by this committee”.

The St. Clair Boulevard Heritage Conservation District is protected by By-law 92-140, passed in 1992.

Excerpt from uwaterloo.ca:

Description of the District

St. Clair Boulevard Heritage Conservation District runs along St. Clair Boulevard between Delaware Avenue and Cumberland Avenue. The district consists of 38 residential properties.

Cultural Heritage Value of the District

The Heritage Conservation District Planning Background Study and Plan discuss the value of the district:

“The St. Clair Park survey, registered in 1911, was one of a number of residential surveys laid out in Hamilton’s east end just after the turn of the century, a boom period for residential construction throughout the City. The St. Clair Park Survey formed part of a middle to upper class residential area comprising a number of surveys, which extended from King Street East to the foot of the escarpment and from Wentworth Street South to Gage Park.

As was common practice in Hamilton at the time, the St. Clair Park Survey has building restrictions in the form of restrictive covenants registered on deed to the lots. Restrictions on the cost, construction and setback of the house account to a large extent for the cohesive character of St. Clair Boulevard’s urban streetscape.

While the restrictive covenants associated with the St. Clair Park Survey has building restrictions on its social make-up, the social composition of St. Clair Boulevard was nevertheless very homogenous, comprising middle to upper-middle income families of Anglo-Saxon origins. In the course of its history the boulevard has attracted some of Hamilton’s most prominent citizens; notably, he well-known and highly-respected judge, William F Schwenger and the successful construction company manager, Ralph W. Cooper. The Boulevard is also noteworthy for its social stability, owning to the long-term residence of most of the homeowners and

continuous use of the houses as single-family dwellings”.

Designation of the District

The designation of St. Clair Boulevard was initiated by local residents following the designation of the adjacent St. Clair Avenue district. According to the Background Study and Plan, “a petition requesting designation of the area...signed by all 37 homeowners, was presented to LACAC at its December meeting

and was supported by this committee”.

The St. Clair Boulevard Heritage Conservation District is protected by By-law 92-140, passed in 1992.

Wochenende auf der Baustelle

=========================

Unfortunately I can't show this photo on the world map, I don't know what they did on Flickr again, sorry, these aren't improvements, just another setback! But maybe I'm just too stupid for that, I'm happy to be corrected!!!

======================================================

Leider kann ich dieses Foto nicht auf der Weltkarte anzeigen, ich weiß nicht, was die da wieder auf Flickr gemacht haben, tut mir leid, das sind keine Verbesserungen, nur ein weiterer Rückschlag! Aber vielleicht bin ich auch einfach zu blöd dafür, ich lasse mich gern korrigieren!!!

Inside an abandoned file & rasp factory. The company started in 1830 & the factory was built in 1853. The factory remained in operation until 1976 when the company closed. Portions of the factory were used up until 1988 when the new owner passed away. The factory gradually fell into disrepair and became a target for vandals. Today a real estate lawyer owns the building & work is being done to revitalize this wonderful old structure however various setbacks have slowed the process. Plans include residential units as well as a glass blowing studio.

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In the mid 1960s Škoda manufacturer AZNP started to think about a successor for the 1000 MB and the later 100/110 series. Ital Design founder Giorgetto Giugiaro (It., 1938) was asked for ideas. In June 1969 useful sketches were approved, and in Aug. 1969 the first model 740 prototype was presented.

After overcoming many problems and setbacks, production could finally start in 1976.

The Škoda Type 742 and 746 share the same body. They were available as 105, 120 and as 125, depending on the engine. The type designation 130 Type 743 was reserved for the coupe.

In 1983 renewed 742 versions were presented. They received rectangular head lamps.

In the UK these cars were sold as Estelle. In France as 1050, because Peugeot had claimed the rights of using the 105 model name for their own cars.

1046 cc L4 rear engine.

Performance: 46 bhp.

902 kg.

Production Škoda Type 742 series: Aug. 1976-1989.

Production Škoda 742 series this 2nd version: Sept. 1983-1989.

Production Škoda Type 742 105 series version: Aug. 1976-1987.

Original Dutch reg. number: Aug. 10, 1984.

Since July 2, 2011 with current owner.

Alkmaar, Wezelkoog, April 27. 2025.

© 2025 Sander Toonen Halfweg | All Rights Reserved

My Website : Twitter : Facebook : Instagram : Photocrowd

A square format monochrome version of my previous upload from the recent London Flickr Group Photowalk.

Although I'd walked the route I chose for the Photowalk many times before there was still much for me photograph as changing lighting conditions mean that there's always something photogenic. Here the abstract reflections of the Lloyds Building and the Cheesegrater are caught in the curved glass facade of the Willis building.

We're just starting to plan another London Photowalk for October, click here for more details : www.flickr.com/groups/londonflickrgroup/discuss/721577198...

From Wikipedia, "The Willis Building is a commercial skyscraper in London named after the primary tenant, Willis Group. It is located on Lime Street in the City of London financial district.

The building was designed by Norman Foster and developed by British Land. It stands opposite the Lloyd's building and is 125 metres (410 ft) tall, with 26 storeys. It features a "stepped" design, which was intended to resemble the shell of a crustacean, with setbacks rising at 97 m (318 ft) and 68 m (223 ft). In total, there are 475,000 square feet (44,128.9 m2) of office floor-space, most of which was pre-let to the insurance broker Willis."

© D.Godliman

My Website : Twitter : Facebook : Instagram : Photocrowd

Another architectural abstract from last month's London Flickr Group Photowalk.

Although I'd walked the route I chose for the Photowalk many times before there was still much for me photograph as changing lighting conditions mean that there's always something photogenic. Here abstract reflections of the Lloyds of London building are created by the curved glass facade of the Willis building.

We're just starting to plan another London Photowalk for October, click here for more details : www.flickr.com/groups/londonflickrgroup/discuss/721577198...

From Wikipedia, "The Willis Building is a commercial skyscraper in London named after the primary tenant, Willis Group. It is located on Lime Street in the City of London financial district.

The building was designed by Norman Foster and developed by British Land. It stands opposite the Lloyd's building and is 125 metres (410 ft) tall, with 26 storeys. It features a "stepped" design, which was intended to resemble the shell of a crustacean, with setbacks rising at 97 m (318 ft) and 68 m (223 ft). In total, there are 475,000 square feet (44,128.9 m2) of office floor-space, most of which was pre-let to the insurance broker Willis."

© D.Godliman

Excerpt from uwaterloo.ca:

Description of the District

St. Clair Boulevard Heritage Conservation District runs along St. Clair Boulevard between Delaware Avenue and Cumberland Avenue. The district consists of 38 residential properties.

Cultural Heritage Value of the District

The Heritage Conservation District Planning Background Study and Plan discuss the value of the district:

“The St. Clair Park survey, registered in 1911, was one of a number of residential surveys laid out in Hamilton’s east end just after the turn of the century, a boom period for residential construction throughout the City. The St. Clair Park Survey formed part of a middle to upper class residential area comprising a number of surveys, which extended from King Street East to the foot of the escarpment and from Wentworth Street South to Gage Park.

As was common practice in Hamilton at the time, the St. Clair Park Survey has building restrictions in the form of restrictive covenants registered on deed to the lots. Restrictions on the cost, construction and setback of the house account to a large extent for the cohesive character of St. Clair Boulevard’s urban streetscape.

While the restrictive covenants associated with the St. Clair Park Survey has building restrictions on its social make-up, the social composition of St. Clair Boulevard was nevertheless very homogenous, comprising middle to upper-middle income families of Anglo-Saxon origins. In the course of its history the boulevard has attracted some of Hamilton’s most prominent citizens; notably, he well-known and highly-respected judge, William F Schwenger and the successful construction company manager, Ralph W. Cooper. The Boulevard is also noteworthy for its social stability, owning to the long-term residence of most of the homeowners and

continuous use of the houses as single-family dwellings”.

Designation of the District

The designation of St. Clair Boulevard was initiated by local residents following the designation of the adjacent St. Clair Avenue district. According to the Background Study and Plan, “a petition requesting designation of the area...signed by all 37 homeowners, was presented to LACAC at its December meeting

and was supported by this committee”.

The St. Clair Boulevard Heritage Conservation District is protected by By-law 92-140, passed in 1992.

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Another architectural abstract from last month's London Flickr Group Photowalk.

Although I'd walked the route I chose for the Photowalk many times before there was still much for me photograph as changing lighting conditions mean that there's always something photogenic. Here abstract reflections of the Lloyds of London building are created by the curved glass facade of the Willis building.

We're just starting to plan another London Photowalk for October, click here for more details : www.flickr.com/groups/londonflickrgroup/discuss/721577198...

From Wikipedia, "The Willis Building is a commercial skyscraper in London named after the primary tenant, Willis Group. It is located on Lime Street in the City of London financial district.

The building was designed by Norman Foster and developed by British Land. It stands opposite the Lloyd's building and is 125 metres (410 ft) tall, with 26 storeys. It features a "stepped" design, which was intended to resemble the shell of a crustacean, with setbacks rising at 97 m (318 ft) and 68 m (223 ft). In total, there are 475,000 square feet (44,128.9 m2) of office floor-space, most of which was pre-let to the insurance broker Willis."

© D.Godliman

Excerpt from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tai_Kwun:

Tai Kwun, or the Former Central Police Station Compound (CPS Compound) includes three declared monuments in Central, Hong Kong: the former Central Police Station, the Former Central Magistracy, and the Victoria Prison. Surrounded by Hollywood Road, Arbuthnot Road, Chancery Lane, and Old Bailey Street, the compound underwent a heritage revitalisation and reopened to the public on 29 May 2018[1] as Tai Kwun (Chinese: 大館), a centre for heritage and arts.

The Former Central Police Station Compound (FCPSC), built between 1841 and 1925, comprises 16 historic buildings grouped under the former Central Police Station, the Former Central Magistracy, and the Victoria Prison. Most of the city's historic colonial architecture had been bulldozed for development before the British government handed it back to China in 1997.

The first building in the FCPSC is the Magistrate's House, with jail blocks, which were built in 1841. In 1899, the former Central Prison was renamed to Victoria Prison (or Victoria Gaol). The site underwent numerous expansions and reconstruction over the next century. In 1862, the number of prisoners increased to 650, and the government decided to develop the land nearby. The series of compounds hence formed Tai Kwun. Victoria Prison was decommissioned in 2006.

In 2008, the government of Hong Kong partnered with the Hong Kong Jockey Club to conserve and revitalise the complex, which turned into one of the most significant and expensive revitalisation projects in the territory, costing HK$1.8 billion; work began in 2011.

The conversion was completed in phases. Work faced a setback when a wall and roof collapsed in 2016. The Buildings Department prosecuted a subcontractor it deemed responsible for the accident, which was reportedly triggered by the failure of a brick pier that had been structurally undermined. Tai Kwun partially reopened to the public in May 2018.

A Former Central Police Station (CPS) Revitalisation Project was established to conserve and revitalise the heritage site for reuse. The project was operated by the Hong Kong Jockey Club and took eight years and HK$3.8 billion or about US$480M in 2018.

Tai Kwun, named after the historical colloquial name of the compound, is a mix of heritage and contemporary architecture. 16 heritage buildings have been restored for reuse. An additional two new buildings have been constructed, featuring designs inspired by the site's historic brickwork.

As early as the 1880s, the name Tai Kwun has been recorded in news articles in reference to the Former Central Police Station.

In 2018, Time listed Tai Kwun in its "World's Greatest Places 2018" list.

In 2019, Tai Kwun was awarded "Award of Excellence" from the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation.

In 768 A.D., the young Charles I of Francia would assume the Frankish throne. He like many Christians during that time was very devout. Charles I goal in life was to expand the Frankish realm and to convert the pagans to Christianity. He wanted to create a new Christian Roman Empire. This opportunity would soon come knocking on his door. In 772 A.D. a group of pagan Saxons sacked and burned the church of the city of Deventer in what is now the Netherlands. This would be the casus belli for the first war waged by Charles I against the heathens. He would attack soon after launching an invasion of Saxony and the opening blow against the Saxons in the war would be his destruction of an Irminsul. The Saxons believed that if the Irminsul fell, the sky would fall on their heads and the world would end. Fortunately for the world, that didn't happen. This gave Charles I further justification for his cause to expand his realm and convert the Saxons to Christianity as he believed God was with him.

There would be serious setbacks in his quest to conquer Saxony. A Saxon noble named Widukind would rally many pagan Saxons to rise up and drive out the franks and kill the Saxons who converted. He would be a thorn in Charles I side until 785 A.D. when he decided to surrender and convert to Christianity. Legend says he had a divine vision while observing a Frankish mass taking place disguised as a beggar. However this did not end the rebellion. There would be more uprisings until at least 804 A.D. that mainly consisted of back and fourth engagements, forced conversions and massacres between the pagan Saxons and the Franks.

Charles I would later become known as Charlemagne (Charles the Great) for his conquests and for kick starting the Carolingian renaissance which saw an increase of literature, writing, the arts, architecture, jurisprudence, liturgical reforms, and scriptural studies.

I have more builds on the way so stay tuned!

As the summer of 2037 came to a close it was clear the Ultranationalist position was unsustainable. Countless setbacks in the field and at home had crippled the once vast movement. Had it not been for a return of centralized command with the Aku Corporation it is likely Russia would have descended into anarchy before Eurasia ever got near Moscow. Yet Aku's motives were never really clear and in August of 2037 Leningrad was retaken by Eurasia cutting the Ultranationalists off from any remaining outside supply networks. The only way supplies would get to Russia was through piracy and hijacking, and so marked the last days of the Ultranationalist Front and their attempts at a free Russia.

Excerpt from www.gananoque.ca/sites/gananoque.ca/files/2018-081-Amend%...:

Description of the Property: Old Foundry 9-15 King St East:

The Old Foundry, also known as the Bell Tower Building, is centrally located in the Town of Gananoque on the north bank of the Gananoque River, near the King Street Bridge and on the east side of King Street East. Built in stone a single-storey high and on an irregular plan, the Old Foundry is the most prominent structure of a former industrial complex that today includes three other one-to-two storey buildings on a large polygonal lot.

Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest:

The Old Foundry has design or physical value for its stone construction executed to a high degree of craftsmanship, multiple large openings, and for its unique monitor and small bell tower capping its roof. Its historical value lies in its direct association with Gananoque's heritage as a thriving industrial centre in the 19th century, and for its use for many years by the Gananoque Spring and Axle Company, later a part of Ontario Steel Products Company Limited. The building is considered a local landmark and through its materials, design, massing, and location in downtown Gananoque in close proximity to the river maintains and supports the Town's historic industrial and commercial character.

Description of Heritage Attributes

Key attributes that express the value of the Old Foundry include its:

• Single storey massing with irregular quadrilateral plan aligned with King Street East;

• Hip roof capped with a multi-sashed monitor and octagonal bell tower;

• Coursed rubble stone walls with large cut stone quoins;

• Symmetrically placed openings with segmental arched heads; and,

• Paired four-over-four sash windows on the north and south sides.

• Key attributes that express the property's contextual value include its:

• Location near the centre of the Town and siting with minimal setback on a main

thoroughfare and directly adjacent the Gananoque River; and,

• Visual relationships with other 19th century historic properties including the Public Library (10 King Street East) and Town Hall (30 King Street East).

《//////LOG92827718263627263728127\\\\\》

《《《《ACCESSING》》》》

《《《《ACCESS GRANTED》》》》

Nailed that petty clanker pretty darn good.

Got out with minor injuries.

|CC-4712|Havoc|: "I'll see if I can make it."

《《《《LOG TERMINATED》》》》

Excerpt from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tai_Kwun:

Tai Kwun, or the Former Central Police Station Compound (CPS Compound) includes three declared monuments in Central, Hong Kong: the former Central Police Station, the Former Central Magistracy, and the Victoria Prison. Surrounded by Hollywood Road, Arbuthnot Road, Chancery Lane, and Old Bailey Street, the compound underwent a heritage revitalisation and reopened to the public on 29 May 2018[1] as Tai Kwun (Chinese: 大館), a centre for heritage and arts.

The Former Central Police Station Compound (FCPSC), built between 1841 and 1925, comprises 16 historic buildings grouped under the former Central Police Station, the Former Central Magistracy, and the Victoria Prison. Most of the city's historic colonial architecture had been bulldozed for development before the British government handed it back to China in 1997.

The first building in the FCPSC is the Magistrate's House, with jail blocks, which were built in 1841. In 1899, the former Central Prison was renamed to Victoria Prison (or Victoria Gaol). The site underwent numerous expansions and reconstruction over the next century. In 1862, the number of prisoners increased to 650, and the government decided to develop the land nearby. The series of compounds hence formed Tai Kwun. Victoria Prison was decommissioned in 2006.

In 2008, the government of Hong Kong partnered with the Hong Kong Jockey Club to conserve and revitalise the complex, which turned into one of the most significant and expensive revitalisation projects in the territory, costing HK$1.8 billion; work began in 2011.

The conversion was completed in phases. Work faced a setback when a wall and roof collapsed in 2016. The Buildings Department prosecuted a subcontractor it deemed responsible for the accident, which was reportedly triggered by the failure of a brick pier that had been structurally undermined. Tai Kwun partially reopened to the public in May 2018.

A Former Central Police Station (CPS) Revitalisation Project was established to conserve and revitalise the heritage site for reuse. The project was operated by the Hong Kong Jockey Club and took eight years and HK$3.8 billion or about US$480M in 2018.

Tai Kwun, named after the historical colloquial name of the compound, is a mix of heritage and contemporary architecture. 16 heritage buildings have been restored for reuse. An additional two new buildings have been constructed, featuring designs inspired by the site's historic brickwork.

As early as the 1880s, the name Tai Kwun has been recorded in news articles in reference to the Former Central Police Station.

In 2018, Time listed Tai Kwun in its "World's Greatest Places 2018" list.

In 2019, Tai Kwun was awarded "Award of Excellence" from the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation.

This image was taken at Deadvlei - Namibia on the day of our Silver Wedding.

It was an amazing two weeks (despite a few car related setbacks) with fantastic memories of the landscapes such as this, wonderful lodges and delicious food. Nevertheless, there was still time for a lot of photographs of fabulous landscape, many curious mammals and over 100 species of birds.

Call it the most anticipated “kiss” in Copenhagen’s history. After years of delays, the Inner Harbor Bridge (Inderhavnsbro) opened at last. The bridge—which connects the centre of the Danish capital with more residential neighborhoods such as Christianshavn and Holmen—was scheduled for completion in February 2013. But a series of setbacks—including engineering errors and the bankruptcy of its first financial backer—saw the deadline repeatedly extended. For months, the incomplete sections of the bridge jutted out from opposite sides of the harbor, like lovers straining to smooch. That earned the bridge a cute nickname: the Kissing Bridge (Kyssebroen).

Little wonder that city officials were in ebullient mood when the bridge opened on July 7, 2016. “It has been chaotic, confusing and ugly,” the city’s deputy mayor for technical affairs, Morten Kabell, told the Danish newspaper Politiken. “But now it’s done, and I think all Copenhageners have been looking forward to this day, when we can finally put our bridge to use.”

The bridge—which is 180 meters long, eight meters wide, and one of three inner harbor bridges—will allow pedestrians and cyclists alike to zip from postcard-pretty Nyhavn to the canals of Christianshavn and beyond. It also helps cement Copenhagen’s reputation as the world’s best city for cyclists. Other recent infrastructure upgrades include the serpentine Cycle Snake (Cykelslangen) and Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson’s Circle Bridge (Cirkelbroen).

Time has etched lines on their faces, each wrinkle telling a story of triumphs, setbacks, and the profound lessons that come with navigating the unpredictable journey of life.

Through the ebb and flow of years a unique perspective that transcends the ephemeral concerns of the present.

(Personally I think as you get older you start to realise the nonsense and drivel we wade through all the time - news and social media "that you can't believe" bombard us with stories that are supposedly the "big issues of the day". In reality everything is driven by big business and money - it doesn't matter if the business is called Exon, Shell, X, twitter, Apple or the Church. I wonder who is making a profit from the present Middle eastern conflict?)

Sorry - feeling cynical this morning.

On the news today - the Beatles release their last song, 'Now and Then,' Featuring A.I.-Extracted Vocals From John Lennon.

I bet Beatles fans would buy it if all of it was A.I. generated.

GECX 2034 leads a CN L594, as they rumble by Boundary Creek, New Brunswick, nearing their final destination of Moncton, New Brunswick, with empty potash hoppers in tow.

A great lashup, with GECX 2034 leading, with CN 2851 and CREX 1510 trailing. I chased these guys from Saint John, to Moncton. 83 miles. The only setbacks? No sun, and that half the trip was done in the dark. There was only decent amount of lighting during the last 30 miles. Oh well. There's no way in hell I was going to pass up a lashup like this. Worth getting up at 4am for.

March 7, 2018.

Knots are supposed to ward off evil spirits, hence are a symbol of longevity and eternity. Knots act as good-luck charms given during the Lunar New Year celebration. In Feng Shui belief, 'endless knots' symbolize a long life without setbacks.

This was gifted to us when we visited China during the Lunar New Year a few years ago.