specific photos on Flickr

2

Model "Trailer Tr10" is build with LEGO® in scale 1:17,5 and motorized using LEGO® Power Functions. It is not build after a specific brand or type of trailer. This build represents the well known typical US style spread or split axle flatbed trailer.

The trailer features: solid axle suspension on all axles, three sets of lights, kingpin, toolboxes, remotely controlled landing gear and parking break, remotely controlled liftable rear axle and many details.

Also can you build it yourself. To do so you can buy the building instructions and check the inventory/parts lists!.

The axle setup of a spread axle trailer is not just randomly picked. It really has a purpose and it all is related to weight. Commonly this axle configuration is mostly found on flatbeds, car haulers and refrigerated trailers and typical for the US.

The more tires means more rubber equals more friction. To reduce the drawback of it when it comes to playability the most rear axle is liftable.

It has an all aluminum floor installed with two nailer strips. So it is outlined with the decks frame which also holds the "winches" and retroreflective strips. From the outline in two rows of Plates, two lines of Tan colored nailers are followed by Black Tiles to represent the trailers main beams. In the middle there is this last strip of Plates as aluminum floor.

1 st Feb 2025 / Photo a Day by slava e.

7 2

ok, trying to compensate for the lamentable absence of PaD last two days (shame on me!) I thought I would try to give the viewer real value for money and include a free original story to go with the pic, pro bono as they come, but being lazy I engaged an AI dude, ChatGPT to be specific, to write it for me and here it goes, I accept no responsibility for the product, not a single word changed from AI's effort

"In a city where the traffic lights were permanently stuck on yellow, and everyone walked a little sideways just because it felt right, there stood a statue of a lion with a leaf clasped gently in his mouth. The statue's name was Sir Reginald P. Lionhart III, but everyone just called him Reggie. No one knew why a lion would hold a leaf, and frankly, no one questioned the oddities in this town—like the crosswalks that led nowhere or the park benches facing brick walls.

Reggie's leaf wasn't just any leaf; it was a meticulously chosen leaf from the only tree in the city that grew upside down. The roots reached for the sky, and the branches plunged into the earth, defying all botanical logic. One day, the leaf decided it had enough of subterranean life and embarked on an adventure upward, eventually landing squarely into Reggie's open mouth.

Reggie, being a lifelike statue with a keen sense of irony, decided to keep the leaf right there. It was his silent protest against the mundane expectations placed upon stone lions. Holding a leaf was his way of saying, "I contain multitudes."

People started to notice. The local philosopher, who held office hours on the corner between the invisible bookstore and the café that only served imaginary tea, proclaimed that the leaf symbolized the absurdity of existence. "It's a manifestation of our intrinsic desire to find meaning in the meaningless!" he shouted to a crowd of none.

Children began to leave offerings at Reggie's feet: mismatched socks, left-handed gloves, and drawings of three-headed dragons playing saxophones. They felt a kinship with this lion who dared to be different in a world that was already quite different.

One night, a mime—who wasn't actually trapped in an invisible box but liked to pretend he was—approached Reggie. "Why the leaf?" the mime didn't say. Reggie didn't reply, because statues and mimes share an unspoken bond that transcends words.

Meanwhile, the mayor issued a decree that all statues must adhere to the "Statue Code of Conduct," which explicitly forbade the unauthorized holding of foliage. Reggie remained unmoved—literally and metaphorically. The townspeople loved him for it. They started a movement called "Leaf It Be," campaigning for the rights of statues to express themselves.

Amidst all this, the leaf began to sprout tiny wings. Turns out, it wasn't a leaf at all but a caterpillar in disguise, yearning to become a butterfly but accidentally becoming a leaf instead. Reggie didn't mind. He admired the caterpillar’s commitment to its absurd identity crisis.

Eventually, the caterpillar-leaf took flight, leaving Reggie's mouth and soaring into the nonsensical sky, where clouds sometimes floated underground and rain fell upwards. Reggie felt a pang of something that might have been emotion if statues could feel.

In the end, Reggie decided to hold a spoon in his mouth next, just to keep things interesting. The townspeople applauded his new choice, reading all sorts of culinary and existential meanings into it. The philosopher began writing a book titled "The Spoonful of Existence," which no one would read because the pages were all blank.

By the way, did you ever consider that maybe the lion isn't holding the leaf—the leaf is holding the lion? In a world that absurd, anything is possible. Perhaps the real question isn't why the lion has a leaf in his mouth, but why we think a leaf doesn't belong there in the first place."

Be specific. by Luie D

3

Hickory us a puca, meaning that he's a kind of fae. You know how if you dont get real specific with your requests, fae will fuck your life up?

This applies to mundane situations too.

This was actually sketched by my boyfriend, and rendered by me. check his art out here! (he posts nsfw content so shield ya eyes if thats not ya thing!)

twitter.com/aTiredFox

Prince Hall 157th. Grand Communication Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge Free and Accepted Masons by antefixus21

Grand Worshipful Matron Joan Downes (OES PHA) honouring the good work done by M.W.Bro. Charles Arthur Downes.

Members of the Order are aged 18 and older; men must be Master Masons and women must have specific relationships with Masons. Originally, a woman would have to be the daughter, widow, wife, sister, or mother of a master Mason, but the Order now allows other relatives[2] as well as allowing Job's Daughters, Rainbow Girls, Members of the Organization of Triangles (NY only) and members of the Constellation of Junior Stars (NY only) to become members when of age.

The Order was created by Rob Morris in 1850 when he was teaching at the Eureka Masonic College in Richland, Mississippi. While confined by illness, he set down the principles of the order in his Rosary of the Eastern Star. By 1855, he had organized a "Supreme Constellation" in New York, which chartered chapters throughout the United States.

In 1866, Dr. Morris started working with Robert Macoy, and handed the Order over to him while Morris was traveling in the Holy Land. Macoy organized the current system of Chapters, and modified Dr. Morris' Rosary into a Ritual.

On December 1, 1874, Queen Esther Chapter No. 1 became the first Prince Hall Affiliatechapter of the Order of the Eastern Star when it was established in Washington, D.C. by Thornton Andrew Jackson.[3]

The "General Grand Chapter" was formed in Indianapolis, Indiana on November 6, 1876. Committees formed at that time created the Ritual of the Order of the Eastern Star in more or less its current form.[4]

The emblem of the Order is a five-pointed star with the white ray of the star pointing downwards towards the manger. In the Chapter room, the downward-pointing white ray points to the West. The character-building lessons taught in the Order are stories inspired by Biblical figures:

Adah (Jephthah's daughter, from the Book of Judges)

Ruth, the widow from the Book of Ruth

Esther, the wife from the Book of Esther

Martha, sister of Mary and Lazarus, from the Gospel of Luke and the Gospel of John

Electa (the "elect lady" from II John), the mother

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Order of the Eastern Star

General Grand Chapter logo

The Order of the Eastern Star is a Freemasonicappendant body open to both men and women. It was established in 1850 by lawyer and educator Rob Morris, a noted Freemason. The order is based on teachings from the Bible,[1] but is open to people of all religious beliefs. It has approximately 10,000 chapters in twenty countries and approximately 500,000 members under its General Grand Chapter.

Members of the Order are aged 18 and older; men must be Master Masons and women must have specific relationships with Masons. Originally, a woman would have to be the daughter, widow, wife, sister, or mother of a master Mason, but the Order now allows other relatives[2] as well as allowing Job's Daughters, Rainbow Girls, Members of the Organization of Triangles (NY only) and members of the Constellation of Junior Stars (NY only) to become members when of age.

Contents

HistoryEdit

The Order was created by Rob Morris in 1850 when he was teaching at the Eureka Masonic College in Richland, Mississippi. While confined by illness, he set down the principles of the order in his Rosary of the Eastern Star. By 1855, he had organized a "Supreme Constellation" in New York, which chartered chapters throughout the United States.

In 1866, Dr. Morris started working with Robert Macoy, and handed the Order over to him while Morris was traveling in the Holy Land. Macoy organized the current system of Chapters, and modified Dr. Morris' Rosary into a Ritual.

On December 1, 1874, Queen Esther Chapter No. 1 became the first Prince Hall Affiliatechapter of the Order of the Eastern Star when it was established in Washington, D.C. by Thornton Andrew Jackson.[3]

The "General Grand Chapter" was formed in Indianapolis, Indiana on November 6, 1876. Committees formed at that time created the Ritual of the Order of the Eastern Star in more or less its current form.[4]

Emblem and heroinesEdit

The emblem of the Order is a five-pointed star with the white ray of the star pointing downwards towards the manger. In the Chapter room, the downward-pointing white ray points to the West. The character-building lessons taught in the Order are stories inspired by Biblical figures:

Adah (Jephthah's daughter, from the Book of Judges)

Ruth, the widow from the Book of Ruth

Esther, the wife from the Book of Esther

Martha, sister of Mary and Lazarus, from the Gospel of Luke and the Gospel of John

Electa (the "elect lady" from II John), the mother

OfficersEdit

Officers representing the heroines of the order sit around the altar in the center of the chapter room.

Eastern Star meeting room

There are 18 main officers in a full chapter:

Worthy Matron – presiding officer

Worthy Patron – a Master Mason who provides general supervision

Associate Matron – assumes the duties of the Worthy Matron in the absence of that officer

Associate Patron – assumes the duties of the Worthy Patron in the absence of that officer

Secretary – takes care of all correspondence and minutes

Treasurer – takes care of monies of the Chapter

Conductress – Leads visitors and initiations.

Associate Conductress – Prepares candidates for initiation, assists the conductress with introductions and handles the ballot box.

Chaplain – leads the Chapter in prayer

Marshal – presents the Flag and leads in all ceremonies

Organist – provides music for the meetings

Adah – Shares the lesson of Duty of Obedience to the will of God

Ruth – Shares the lesson of Honor and Justice

Esther – Shares the lesson of Loyalty to Family and Friends

Martha – Shares the lesson of Faith and Trust in God and Everlasting Life

Electa – Shares the lesson of Charity and Hospitality

Warder – Sits next to the door inside the meeting room, to make sure those that enter the chapter room are members of the Order.

Sentinel – Sits next to the door outside the chapter room, to make sure those that wish to enter are members of the Order.

Traditionally, a woman who is elected Associate Conductress will be elected to Conductress the following year, then the next year Associate Matron, and then next year as Worthy Matron. A man elected Associate Patron will usually be elected Worthy Patron the following year. Usually the woman who is elected to become Associate Matron will let it be known who she wishes to be her Associate Patron, so the next year they will both go to the East together as Worthy Matron and Worthy Patron. There is no male counterpart to the Conductress and Associate Conductress. Only women are allowed to be Matrons, Conductresses, and the Star Points (Adah, Ruth, etc.) and only men can be Patrons.

Once a member has served a term as Worthy Matron or Worthy Patron, they may use the post-nominal letters, PM or PP respectively.

HeadquartersEdit

The International Temple in Washington, D.C.

Main article: International Temple

The General Grand Chapter headquarters, the International Temple, is located in the Dupont Circleneighborhood of Washington, D.C., in the former Perry Belmont Mansion. The mansion was built in 1909 for the purpose of entertaining the guests of Perry Belmont. This included Britain's Prince of Wales in 1919. General Grand Chapter purchased the building in 1935. The secretary of General Grand Chapter lives there while serving his or her term of office. The mansion features works of art from around the world, most of which were given as gifts from various international Eastern Star chapters.

CharitiesEdit

The Order has a charitable foundation[5] and from 1986-2001 contributed $513,147 to Alzheimer's disease research, juvenile diabetes research, and juvenile asthma research. It also provides bursaries to students of theology and religious music, as well as other scholarships that differ by jurisdiction. In 2000 over $83,000 was donated. Many jurisdictions support a Masonic and/or Eastern Star retirement center or nursing home for older members; some homes are also open to the public. The Elizabeth Bentley OES Scholarship Fund was started in 1947.[6][7]

Eureka Masonic College, also known as The Little Red Schoolhouse, birthplace of the Order of the Eastern Star

Signage at the Order of the Eastern Star birthplace, the Little Red Schoolhouse

Notable membersEdit

Clara Barton[8]

J. Howell Flournoy[9]

Eva McGown[10]

James Peyton Smith[11]

Lee Emmett Thomas[12]

Laura Ingalls Wilder[13]

H. L. Willis[14]

See alsoEdit

Achoth

Omega Epsilon Sigma

ReferencesEdit

^ "Installation Ceremony". Ritual of the Order of the Eastern Star. Washington, DC: General Grand Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star. 1995 [1889]. pp. 120–121.

^ "Eastern Star Membership". General Grand Chapter. Retrieved 2010-06-03. These affiliations include: * Affiliated Master Masons in good standing, * the wives * daughters * legally adopted daughters * mothers * widows * sisters * half sisters * granddaughters * stepmothers * stepdaughters * stepsisters * daughters-in-law * grandmothers * great granddaughters * nieces * great nieces * mothers-in-law * sisters-in-law and daughters of sisters or brothers of affiliated Master Masons in good standing, or if deceased were in good standing at the time of their death

^ Ayers, Jessie Mae (1992). "Origin and History of the Adoptive Rite Among Black Women". Prince Hall Masonic Directory. Conference of Grand Masters, Prince Hall Masons. Retrieved 2007-10-25.

^ "Rob Morris". Grand Chapter of California. Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-10-01.

^ "OES Charities". Retrieved 2016-04-15.

^ "Elizabeth Bentley Order Of The Eastern Star Scholarship Award". Yukon, Canada. Retrieved 2009-11-05.

^ "Eastern Star has enjoyed long history". Black Press. Retrieved 2009-11-05. The Eastern Star Bursary, later named the Elizabeth Bentley OES Scholarship Fund, was started in 1947.[dead link]

^ Clara Barton, U.S. Nurse Masonic First Day Cover

^ "Sheriff 26 Years – J. H. Flournoy Dies," Shreveport Journal, December 14, 1966, p. 1

^ by Helen L. Atkinson at ALASKA INTERNET PUBLISHERS, INC

^ "James P. Smith". The Bernice Banner, Bernice, Louisiana. Retrieved September 13,2013.

^ "Thomas, Lee Emmett". Louisiana Historical Association, A Directory of Louisiana Biography (lahistory.org). Retrieved December 29, 2010.

^ Big Muddy online publications

^ "Horace Luther Willis". The Alexandria Daily Town Talk on findagrave.com. Retrieved July 25, 2015.

External linksEdit

Official website

Eastern Star Organizations at DMOZ

Pride of the North Chapter Number 61, Order of the Eastern Star Archival Collection, located at Shorefront Legacy Center, Evanston, Illinois

GARY ASHCRAFT? JESUS IS GOD by Gary Ashcraft

Oneness Pentecostalism (doctrine)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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It has been suggested that Oneness vs Trinity be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)

This list of basic Oneness Pentecostal doctrine is an overview. These doctrines are UPCI specific, and can be interpreted more conservatively or liberally with respect to individual and church specific views. These doctrines are accompanied by references to most, but not all, scriptures officially used by Oneness Pentecostal churches in defense of their doctrines. [1]

Oneness Pentecostal theology is essentially rooted in the following fundamentalist beliefs:

* God exists and is perfect.

* The Holy Bible is the inspired Word of God.

* The absolute inerrancy of the Holy Bible (not necessarily including any or all translations).

* Sola Scriptura (Scripture interprets Scripture), which also leads to the following assertions by Oneness Pentecostalism in framing its theology:

o The Bible is the final authority on all doctrine.

o Doctrine and Theology must take the entire Bible into consideration, using Scripture to interpret other Scripture.

o Any apparent contradictions between Scriptures is a result of faulty interpretation of one or both Scriptures.

o Any doctrine, theology, or person that contradicts the Bible is in error.

Contents

[hide]

* 1 God

o 1.1 Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

o 1.2 The Deity of Jesus Christ

o 1.3 The Name of Jesus (Emmanuel, God with us as Savior)

* 2 Salvation

o 2.1 Salvation Is through Faith

o 2.2 Obeying (Applying) the Gospel

o 2.3 Repentance

o 2.4 Water Baptism

o 2.5 The Baptism of the Holy Ghost

* 3 References

[edit] God

Oneness Doctrine Churches hold to a conservative monotheistic view of God and stress Jesus Christ as the self revelation of God in the New Testament, who was known as Jehovah in the Old Testament. The Christian Monotheist Oneness doctrine rejects all concepts of a duality, trinity, pantheon, or other doctrines they see as representing multiple personalities of God. It rejects all concepts of Jesus Christ as anything different than being both fully God and fully man. This rejection includes views that would place the Son as only part of God, views that the Son is only a high priest and not God, or that the Son was not fully human. It declares that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God. Oneness also rejects the view that any person can "obtain" the status of God either by works or by grace, maintaining that Jesus Christ did not "obtain" His status, but rather that he is God manifested in the flesh (1st Timothy 3:16).

Oneness specifically maintains:

God is One

God is absolutely and indivisibly One. [2]

God is an Invisible Spirit

God is not made of a physical body, but is an invisible spirit that can only be seen in Theophanies (eg. the burning bush) that God creates or manifests or as the incarnate Jesus Christ. [3]

[edit] Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

The Father

The title of God in Parental Relationship [4]

The Son of God

The only begotten Son of God and the One God incarnate in man. The title "Son" refers to both the man and the deity of Jesus Christ with specific emphasis on the man, but never God or the man only. [5]

The Holy Spirit

The title of God in activity as Spirit. [6]

The Father Is the Holy Ghost

Oneness maintains that the titles Father and Holy Ghost refer to the same being. [7]

[edit] The Deity of Jesus Christ

Jesus is God Incarnate

Oneness maintains that Jesus is fully God. [8]

From the Beginning of His Human Life

Oneness maintains that Jesus is fully man, and had birth, death, and resurrection. Oneness denies doctrines that state that the Son was eternally begotten, maintaining that the man was begotten on a specific day.[9]

The Divine Nature of Jesus Is the Father

Oneness maintains that the deity of Jesus is the Father. [10]

The Divine Nature of Jesus Is the Holy Spirit

Oneness maintains that the deity of Jesus is the Holy Ghost. [11]

Jesus is LORD (the LORD in the KJV)

Oneness maintains that LORD and Jesus refer to the same God who is also known as the Jehovah to "some" modern day Christians. [12]. Some believe Jehovah to be a false guess name with "hovah" in Hebrew meaning ruin or destruction, hence Je-hovah meaning God of ruin or destruction [13]

[edit] The Name of Jesus (Emmanuel, God with us as Savior)

Supreme Revelation of God in the New Testament

Oneness maintains that God revealed Himself as Jesus Christ. [14]

The Saving Name

Oneness Pentecostal theology is based primarily on "the saving Name" of Jesus Christ and recognition of Jesus as the revealed, supreme, and One True Name of God. [15]

[edit] Salvation

Oneness Pentecostal doctrine and theology maintains that salvation comes by a specific set of commands and requirements in the New Testament. It maintains that each set of requirements, as summarized by faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, water baptism by immersion in the name of Jesus Christ, and the gift of the Holy Ghost baptism, are all necessary for salvation. Each that is deemed a requirement, or necessary, is noted by their doctrine with Scripture that maintains that each was commanded for salvation and/or explained that the lack of them would result in not having salvation. Individual church interpretation can impact how these are carried out. Most Oneness Pentecostal churches maintain that the use of Jesus, Lord Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ of Nazareth all refer to the same name, and reference the variety used in the Book of Acts. This allows room in their doctrine for personal preference of the specific utterance of the name of Jesus Christ, though officially the full name "Jesus Christ" is advocated.

Universal Need for Salvation

Oneness Pentecostals believe that all men are sinners and lost without salvation. [16]

The Atoning Work of Jesus Christ

Oneness Pentecostals maintain that the man Christ Jesus made atonement, or payment, for the sins of all people. [17]

Salvation Is by Grace

Oneness Pentecostal theology holds that salvation is impossible to obtain without God's grace. [18]

[edit] Salvation Is through Faith

Only Through Faith in Jesus Christ

Faith must be in Jesus Christ. This theology holds that there is no salvation in faith in any name, god, being, or work other than Jesus Christ. This contradicts liberal interpretations of scripture that salvation was given automatically by the atonement of Jesus Christ. Oneness Pentecostals maintain that those without faith in Jesus Christ have not received salvation. That salvation is a gift and must be received. [19]

Saving Faith Includes Obedience

Oneness Pentecostals maintain that true faith is followed by obedience and a willingness to do the Will of God.[20]

Examples of Insufficient, Mental Faith

Oneness Pentecostals reject that salvation is obtainable by what they refer to as "mental faith". Mental faith is best described as faith that has no accompanying actions other than the barest definition of believing. Mental faith is often characterized by Oneness Pentecostals as faith without any life changing repentance or obedience. This doctrine is often used to refute groups who practice salvation by the "Sinner's Prayer". Oneness Pentecostals have no issue with the "Sinner's Prayer" itself, but would dispute that it alone is sufficient saving faith. They often argue that upon questioning, a significant portion of the US population might say they believe in Jesus Christ, but that "belief" and "faith" are not necessarily synonymous, pointing out in James 2:19 that even "the devils also believe, and tremble". [21]

Saving Faith Includes the Acts 2:38 Experience

Oneness Pentecostals affirm a position that "true faith" includes acts of faith and obedience to faith. They specifically point out Acts 2:38 which says, "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." They maintain that if a person has true faith, they will act on it.[22]

[edit] Obeying (Applying) the Gospel

New Testament Teaching

To obtain salvation, a person must meet the requirements set forth in the New Testament. [23]

Old Testament Typology (Blood, Water, Fire or Oil)

The requirements set forth in the New Testament are based on the teachings of the Old Testament, and that the New Testament teachings fulfill the teachings of the Old Testament. [24]

[edit] Repentance

Necessity of Repentance

Oneness Pentecostals maintain that salvation is not possible without repentance. [25]

Elements of Repentance

Oneness Pentecostals define repentance generally as confession and forsaking of sin. Confession is the admittance of sin and asking of forgiveness. Forsaking of sin is the conscious decision to abstain from sinning again.[26]

[edit] Water Baptism

Significance and Necessity

The majority of Oneness Pentecostals believe that baptism is absolutely essential to salvation. A small minority believe that baptism is symbolic in nature.(Reference Global Network of Christian Ministries) [27]

For Repentant Believers

Oneness Pentecostals believe that one must have faith and repent before being baptized. This would contradict a view that salvation could come through a baptism by force.[28]

The Baptismal Mode - Immersion in Water

Oneness Pentecostal theology maintains the literal definition of baptism, being full immersion in water. They often point out that other methods have either no biblical basis, or are based inexact Old Testament rituals, and that their mode is the only one described in the New Testament. This view contradicts the use of any other substance other than water for baptism. This view contradicts any reduced amount of water in baptism, such as sprinkling or head-only immersion. [29]

The Baptismal Formula - In the Name of Jesus

Oneness Pentecostal theology in the use of "the name of Jesus" as the baptismal formula is universal among its believers by definition of Oneness Pentecostalism. [30]

The One Name in Matthew 28:19

Many Oneness Pentecostals recognize "the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" in Matthew 28:19 as being that of Lord Jesus Christ. Oneness itself is often explained (in simplistic terms) as the recognition of the three titles as the singular name of Lord Jesus Christ (Father=Lord, Son=Jesus, and Holy Ghost=Christ). Some Oneness reject the triune Lord Jesus Christ representing the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost and baptize in the name of Jesus Christ only. These are called "Jesus Only". They note that in their own 20th century history, the baptismal name recognition and Oneness theology go hand in hand. Similarly, they note a universal use in the Book of Acts, and with the support of other historical texts of the time, maintain that proof of Oneness theology by the early Christian church was widespread and universal among the leading members. Also of note is that by their doctrinal basis that no Scripture contradicts, that Matthew 28:19, and all of the Acts accounts, including Acts 2:38, must be in full agreement with each other. They state that the only two explanations would be that the Apostles all disobeyed the command in Matthew 28:19 or that they correctly interpreted and fulfilled it, when they used the name Lord Jesus Christ. [31]

[edit] The Baptism of the Holy Ghost

Promise and Command

Pentecostals maintain that the baptism of the Holy Ghost is both a free gift and is commanded to be accepted. The Holy Ghost is explained by Pentecostal doctrine as the Spirit of God (also known as the Spirit of Christ) dwelling within a person. It is further explained as the power of God to edify (build up) the person, help them abstain from sin, and to anoint them with power to exercise the gifts of the Spirit for edification of the church in the Will of God. This differs from the incarnation of God in Jesus Christ, in that the incarnation is explained as "the fullness of the Godhead" in the body of Jesus Christ inseparably linking the deity and man, that is Jesus. Believers, according to this doctrine, can only receive a portion of the Spirit and are not permanently bonded with God as Jesus is. This doctrine explained most simply, it is God dwelling within an individual, communing with the individual, and working through that individual. Oneness doctrine maintains the Holy Ghost is the title of God in action, so they also maintain that the Holy Ghost in an individual is God in action in and through that individual. [32]

An Experience for the Church Founded on Pentecost

Pentecostals, both Oneness and Trinitarian, maintain that the Holy Ghost experience marks the formation of the Christian Church. [33]

Significance and Necessity

Pentecostal churches maintain that the Holy Ghost is necessary for salvation, and that he carries with him power for the believer to accomplish the Will of God. [34]

Speaking in Tongues Is the Initial Sign

The majority of Oneness Pentecostals maintain that the initial sign of the Holy Ghost is speaking in tongues. They recognize that reception of the Holy Ghost was evidenced, when documented in the New Testament, by the minimal requirement of speaking in tongues. They also recognize a biblical basis that the gift of tongues is a sign to unbelievers of the power of the Holy Ghost and is actively to be prayed for and practiced, especially in prayer. [35]

[edit] References

1. ^ A shortened version compiled from “An Overview of Basic Doctrines”, an overview compiled the book ‘’A Handbook of Basic Doctrines’’ by David K. Bernard. Also included are excerpts, as marked, from “Essential Doctrines of the Bible.” “Essential Doctrines of the Bible” and “An Overview of Basic Doctrines”, Thompson Chain-Reference Study Bible, Word Aflame Press, 1999, 1-12, 13-25, respectively

2. ^ Deuteronomy 6:4, Isaiah 37:16, 42:8, 43:10-11, 44:6, 8, 24, 45:5-6, 14, 18, 21-22, 46:5, 9, 48:11-12, Zechariah 14:9, Malachi 2:10, Mark 12:29, John 17:3, Romans 3:30, Galatians 3:20, I Timothy 2:5, James 2:19, Revelation 4:2

3. ^ Exodus 33:20, Luke 24:39, John 1:18, 4:24, Colossians 1:15, I Timothy 6:15-16, Hebrews 12:9, I John 4:12

4. ^ Deuteronomy 32:6, Malachi 2:10, Psalm 89:26, Isaiah 63:16, 64:8, Jeremiah 31:9, Romans 8:14-19, Galatians 1:1-4, Ephesians 4:6, Hebrews 12:9

5. ^ Psalm 2:7, Isaiah 7:14, 9:6, Matthew 1:18-23, Mark 13:32, Luke 1:35, John 14:10-11, 28, Acts 13:33, Romans 5:10, Galatians 4:4, Colossians 1:13-15, Hebrews 1:1-9

6. ^ Genesis 1:2, Ephesians 4:4, 6, Leviticus 11:44, John 4:24, Acts 5:3, 4, 9, I Corinthians 12:11, I Peter 1:16, II Peter 1:21

7. ^ Matthew 1:18, 20, Isaiah 40:13, Joel 2:27-28, Luke 1:35, Romans 8:15-16, Compare Matthew 10:20 and Mark 13:11, Compare John 14:17 and 14:23, Compare John 14:26 and II Corinthians 1:3-4, Compare I Corinthians 3:16-17 and 6:19, Compare Ephesians 1:17-20 and Romans 8:11, Compare I Timothy 6:13 and Romans 8:11, Compare II Timothy 3:16 and II Peter 1:21 Compare I Peter 1:2 and Jude 1

8. ^ Isaiah 9:6, 11:1, 10, 40:9, John 1:1, 14, Colossians 2:9-10, Micah 5:2, Matthew 1:23, John 1:1-18, John 20:28, II Corinthians 5:19, Ephesians 5:5, Colossians 1:15, 19, I Timothy 3:16, Titus 2:13, Hebrews 1:1-3, I John 5:20, Jude 4, 25, Revelation 1:7-18, 22:3-4, Compare Exodus 20:1-5 and Luke 24:52, Compare Deuteronomy 33:27 and Revelation 1:8, 18, Compare Psalm 139:7-13 and Matthew 18:20, 28:20, Compare Isaiah 35:3-6 and Matthew 11:2-6, Compare Isaiah 43:25 and Mark 2:5-12, Compare Malachi 3:6 and Hebrews 13:8, Compare I John 1:5 and John 1:4-9, Compare Revelation 19:6 and Colossians 1:16-18

9. ^ Galatians 4:4, Micah 5:2, Matthew 1:23, 2:11, Isaiah 7:14, 9:6, Luke 1:35, 2:38, Hebrews 1:6

10. ^ Isaiah 9:6, 63:16, John 8:19-27, 10:30, 10:38, 12:45, 14:8-11, Revelation 21:6-7, Colossians 2:9, I John 3:1-5, Compare John 2:19-21 and Acts 2:24, Compare John 6:40 and I Corinthians 6:14, Compare John 6:44 and John 12:32, Compare John 14:14 and John 16:23, Compare John 16:7 and John 14:26, Compare Ephesians 5:26 and Jude 1

11. ^ John 14:16-18, 16:7, Acts 16:6-7 (NIV), II Corinthians 3:17, Galatians 4:6, Ephesians 3:16-17, Philippians 1:19, Compare Matthew 28:20 and John 14:16, Compare Luke 21:15 and Mark 13:11, Compare John 2:19-21 and Romans 8:9-11, Compare Ephesians 5:26 and I Peter 1:2, Compare Colossians 1:27 and Acts 2:4, 38

12. ^ Jeremiah 23:5-6, 33:15-16, John 8:58, Acts 9:5, Isaiah 40:10, 53:1-2, Zechariah 11:3, 12, 12:1, 10, 14:3-5, Compare Genesis 17:1 and Revelation 1:8, 18, Compare Exodus 3:14 and John 8:56-59, Compare Psalm 27:1 and Acts 4:10-12, Compare Psalm 136:3 and Revelation 19:16, Compare Isaiah 33:22 and Acts 10:42, Compare Isaiah 40:3 and Matthew 3:3, Compare Isaiah 40:5 and I Corinthians 2:8 and Isaiah 42:8, 48:11, Compare Isaiah 45:21 and Acts 7:52, Compare Isaiah 45:23 and Philippians 2:10

13. ^ Strongs #1943

14. ^ Zecharaiah 14:9, John 14:13-14, Colossians 3:17, Isaiah 52:6, Acts 3:6, 16, 4:7-12 17-18, 30, Philippians 2:9-11, James 5:14

15. ^ Matthew 1:21, Acts 3:16, 4:12, 10:43, 15:14-17, 22:16, Romans 10:13, I John 2:12

16. ^ Romans 3:9-12, 23, 5:12, 19, 6:23, Psalm 53:1-3, 130:3, Ecclesiastes 7:20, Jeremiah 17:9, Galatians 3:22, Ephesians 2:1-3, I John 1:8-10

17. ^ Isaiah 53:5-6, Matthew 20:28, 26:28, Romans 3:24-25, 5:8-11, John 1:29, I Corinthians 15:1-4, II Corinthians 5:14-21, Ephesians 2:13-19, Colossians 1:19-22, 2,:13-15, I Timothy 2:5, 6, Hebrews 2:9, 9:22, 28, 10:4, 10-20, Revelation 5:8-10

18. ^ Ephesians 2:4-10, Titus 2:11-12, 3:4-7, Romans 3:24, 6:1-2, 15, 23, I corinthians 15:10, II Corinthians 12:9, Galatians 5:4, Philippians 2:13, Hebrews 12:15, I Peter 5:5, 10

19. ^ John 3:16, 8:24, 20:31, Acts 13:38-39, 16:31, Hebrews 11:6, Romans 1:16-17, 3:21-31, 10:8-11, Galatians 2:16, Ephesians 2:8

20. ^ Romans 1:5, 6:17, 10:16, 16:26, Hebrews 5:9, 11:6-10, 11:28, John 8:30-32, Acts 6:7, James 1:21-25, I Peter 1:21-23, I John 2:3-6, 5:1-8, Compare Romans 4:3 and Genesis 15:6, 22:16-18, 26:5, Compare Romans 10:6-10 and Deuteronomy 30:10-14 and Luke 6:46

21. ^ John 2:23-25, 12:42-43, James 2:14-19, Acts 8:12-23

22. ^ Mark 1:15, 16:16, Acts 2:38, 41, 8:36-39, 11:15, 17, 19:1-6, Galatians 3:14, Ephesians 1:13

23. ^ John 3:5, Acts 1:4-8, 2:38, 8:15-17, 9:17-18, 10:43-48, 16:30-34, 19:1-6, 22:16, Titus 3:5, Matthew 3:11, Luke 24:46-49, Romans 6:1-7, I Corinthians 6:11, 15:1-4, Hebrews 6:1-2, 10:15-23, I John 5:8-10

24. ^ I Corinthians 10:1-2, Exodus 12:13, 14:19-31, 19:10-11, 29:1-7, Leviticus 14:1-20, Numbers 19:1-10, 31:1-18, I Kings 18:33-39, Hebrews 9:18-20, Compare Exodus 40:6-7 and Hebrews 9:1-9, Compare Matthew 3:11 and Acts 2:3-4, Compare John 14:16-17, 26 and I John 2:20, 27, I Peter 3:20-21 and II Peter 3:5-7

25. ^ Luke 3:3-9, 13:1-5, Acts 2:38, 3:19, 17:30, 26:18, 20, Ezekiel 18:30-32, Matthew 3:1-11, Mark 1:15, Hebrews 6:1, II Peter 3:9

26. ^ Psalm 51:17, Proverbs 28:13, Matthew 5:23-24, Mark 1:4-5, Luke 3:7-9, 19:8, Acts 26:18, 20, II Corinthians 7:10

27. ^ Mark 16:16, John 3:5, Acts 2:38, 10:48, 22:16, Galatians 3:27, Numbers 19:1-5, 9, Romans 6:3-4, I Corinthians 6:11, Colossians 2:11-13, Titus 3:5, I Peter 3:20-21, I John 5:6, 8

28. ^ Luke 3:7-8, Acts 2:38, 41, 8:12, 36-37, 10:47-48, 16:14-15, 18:8, 19:5, Matthew 3:6-8, Mark 1:5, 16:16

29. ^ Matthew 3:16, John 3:23, Romans 6:4, Mark 1:5, 9-10, Acts 8:36-39, Colossians 2:12

30. ^ Acts 2:38, 8:12, 16, 10:48, 15:17, 19:3-5, 22:16, I Corinthians 1:13, Galatians 3:27, Philippians 3:27, Colossians 2:9-10, 3:17, James 2:7

31. ^ Matthew 1:21, 28:18-20, Luke 24:47, Isaiah 52:6, Zechariah 14:9, John 5:43, 14:26, Acts 2:38, 8:16, 10:48, 19:3-5, Colossians 3:17, Revelation 22:3-4

32. ^ Matthew 3:11, Acts 1:4-8, 2:38-39, Joel 2:28-29, Mark 15:17-18, Luke 11:13, 24:49, John 3:5, 7:38-39, 14:16-18, 20:22, 16:7, 13

33. ^ Matthew 16:18, John 7:39, 16:17, Acts 1:4-8, 2:1-4, 19:1-6, Hebrews 8:6-13, 9:15-17, 11:39-40, I Peter 10-12

34. ^ John 3:1-8, Acts 1:4-8, 2:1-4, 2:37-39, 3:19, 8:15-17, 9:17, 10:44-47, 11:15-18, 19:1-6, Romans 8:1-16, 23-27, 14:17, I Corinthians 6:11, 12:3, Ephesians 1:13-14, Titus 3:5, I John 3:24

35. ^ Acts 2:1-4, 33, 8:6-8, 12-20, 10:44-46, 11:15, 19:6, Isaiah 28:11-12, Mark 16:17, John 3:8, Romans 8:16, I Corinthians 14:18, 21-22

ashcraftministry.blogspot.com/

No. 6: Sir Gromit of Bristol by Ian Marlow by Matthew Wells

Would you like a take a shortcut to a specific Gromit?

RAISING AWARENESS by Nestlé

We run specific campaigns to encourage employees to reduce food waste in canteens. At our headquarters in Switzerland we succeeded in reducing food waste by one third in six months by encouraging employees to take an appropriate portion of food from the self-service buffet and by allowing them to buy leftovers and take them home.

Bronze bas-relief panel, detailed segment of Holy Door (Porta Santa) in Papal Basilica of Maria Maggiore in Rome, Italy. April 22, 2026 by Aris Jansons

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This specific low-relief panel represents a pivotal event in Christian history: the Council of Ephesus in 431 AD. It depicts a solemn assembly of early church fathers and bishops, distinguished by their traditional historical mitered headwear. They are shown gathered around a classical column and holding sacred texts. This ecumenical council officially proclaimed the Virgin Mary as the Theotokos (the Mother of God). This declaration directly inspired the original 5th-century construction of Santa Maria Maggiore under Pope Sixtus III.

down under by Black Cat Photos

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i always find these guys on this specific plant, they are usually hanging under the leaves and are amazing well camouflaged!

these are green veined white butterflies

(PLEASE NO AWARDS OR PICTURES OR FLASHY BADGES)

TWITTER

"La Constancia" by Regina Giménez by Latitudes | Barcelona

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The manufacturing and printing of textiles formed the basis of the industrial revolution in Catalunya. Beyond the actual fabric, it is the machinery of its production and the people who operated it—especially women—that underpins Regina Giménez’s presentation of her graphic works as part of the Compositions programme. Taking place in one of the buildings that comprises Can Trinxet, a former textile factory complex that once employed the largest workforce in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Giménez’s intervention comprises painted compositions that are derived from schematic representations of machines and their components. Her abstractions have been applied on transparent panels that lean against a scarred factory wall, becoming devices that reanimate the marks and memories embedded in the building. An accompanying poster evokes the clamour that once would have filled the workshop in typographic form. Giménez has titled her project “La Constancia” (2016) in tribute to the labor union that called a general strike in 1913 to protest the conditions of the female and child workers who undertook the textile industry’s most monotonous and arduous tasks. – Latitudes

Regina Giménez (Barcelona, 1966) has exhibited individually at: ‘Architecture d’aujourd’hui’, The Green Parrot, Barcelona (2015); ‘Art de foc art de badoc’, Nadala 2015 Fundació Joan Miró, Barcelona (2015); ‘Simbols Convencionals’, Museu d’Art Modern de Tarragona (2012). She has recently participated in the following group shows: Biennal de Valls, Tarragona (2015); ‘Modernitat Amagada’, Casa Capell, Mataró (2013); ‘La casa de la playa’ para ‘Cas de estudi’, Can Felipa, Barcelona (2013).

Giménez is represented by Ana Mas Projects, L’Hospitalet/San Juan (Puerto Rico) and by Galería Miquel Alzueta, Barcelona.

––

“La Constancia” (2016) was commissioned for the second edition of the Barcelona Gallery Weekend (29 September–2 October 2016) as part of the “Composiciones” programme.

Curated by Latitudes for the second time (see 2015 edition), the project further explores Barcelona as a rich fabric of the historic and the contemporary, the unfamiliar and the conspicuous. Resisting an overall theme, and instead developing from the artists’ responses to the specificity of each context—people as well as places—the five art projects form a temporary thread that links evocative locations and public space, running parallel to the Weekend’s exhibitions in galleries and museums.

In its second edition, "Composiciones" presents interventions by Lúa Coderch (Club Billar Barcelona); Regina Giménez (Antigua Fábrica de Can Trinxet, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat); Lola Lasurt (Biblioteca Pública Arús); Robert Llimós (connecting all the participating galleries) and Wilfredo Prieto (Unitat Muntada de la Guàrdia Urbana de Barcelona). Their projects offer moments of intermission, intimacy and bewilderment throughout the weekend, highlighting some lesser-known aspects of the city’s cultural heritage and municipal life.

Conceived and curated by Latitudes | www.lttds.org

Photo: Roberto Ruiz / Courtesy: Barcelona Gallery Weekend.

Info: www.lttds.org/projects/composiciones2016/

Social media documentation: storify.com/lttds/composiciones-five-commissions-curated-...

Nothing is real by Muhammad Zakir

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'The arrangement of matter, its behaviour, addition to or subtraction from it, its shape and difference in position, and its rearrangement create chaos in the normal activity of the human brain. Apparently, all of this is without a reason, but the following can be experienced from this:

- A temporary feeling of stillness (or a partial feeling of emptiness)

- A strong reaction of the inquisitive cells

- A realization of meaninglessness.

Wise men say:

"Be empty if you want to be full".

Does he know about the distance between existence and annihilation, or the difference between what is visible and what is not?'

.

'বস্তুর বিন্যাস, আচরণ, সংযোজন বা বিয়োগ,

আকার এবং অবস্থানগত পরিবর্তন কিংবা পুন:বিন্যাস মনুষ্য মস্তিষ্কের স্বাভাবিক তৎপরতায় যে বিশৃঙ্খলার উদ্রেগ করে, আপাত দৃষ্টিতে তার কোন উপযোগিতা পরিলক্ষিত না হলেও এর থেকে প্রাপ্তি এই যে :

- ক্ষণিক স্থবির ভাব তথা শূন্যতার বোধ (আংশিক)

- মস্তিষ্কের অনুসন্ধানী কোষসমূহের প্রবল প্রতিক্রিয়া

- অর্থহীনতার উপলব্ধি

.

জ্ঞানী বৃদ্ধ বলেন :

‘পূর্ন হতে হলে আগে শূন্য হও’

তিনি কি জানেন

অস্বিস্ত এবং অস্তিত্বহীনতার মধ্যে কতটা পথ কিংবা

কি তফাৎ যা কিছু দৃশ্যমান এবং যা কিছু না?'

.

Photo: Saad Abdullah

No. 25 - Andrew Lloyd Webbear by Matthew Wells

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Welcome fellow Paddington Bear spotter! My photostream features all 50 Paddingtons. If you would like to shortcut to a specific one, please use the links below

No. 1: Love, Paddington X (Lulu Guinness) |

No. 69: Roger by Richard Williams by Matthew Wells

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Would you like a take a shortcut to a specific Gromit?

Dr. Kawasaki - He's The Man...If he can't do it no one can! by DonnitaMae

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Miss Sarie and Dr. Kawasaki at her follow up visit. He is a wonderful Vet and very skilled in surgery on small animals. He is well know for his work on Ferrets. I believe he is one of the few vets in my area that could have been successful doing Miss Sarie's high risk surgery!

I can never thank you enough Dr. Kawasaki for saving sweet little Sarie! I will treasure every moment that I have been given with her...

UPDATE 5:45 PM 12 April

Miss Sarie had her follow up appointment today to have her stitches removed. Everyone was happy to see her. She has a clean bill of health for right now. I will be taking in a urine sample so that her Urine Specific Gravity can be checked for any signs of kidney damage. Pyometra can damage the kidneys.

UPDATE 5:15 AM 9 April

Miss Sarie had a quiet Easter Sunday. She napped most of the day. When she wasn't napping she wanted to be held.

Last night we moved back to my bed. She nestled down and slept peacefully through the night.

This will be her first day alone. I will be leaving for work in about 1/2 hour. She will go through withdrawal. All the attention has made her into quite a spoiled baby!

She goes back to the Vet to have her stitches out on the 12th of April. I probably won't update again until then.

UPDATE 8:15 PM 7 April

Miss Sarie and I went to visit a few folks today. We stopped by the adoption event so everyone could see her. They have been quite concerned about Miss Sarie. They all love her. Miss Sarie is the mascot for the rescue.

Today Miss Sarie was very happy to be held by others. Normally she gets anxious if I am not holding her. She will only stay in someone elses arms for a very short time. But today she was very content and quite a showoff!

UPDATE 10:30 AM 7 April

4 Days since her surgery and she is thriving!

Miss Sarie and I woke up to a light coat of snow on the ground this morning. I took one of her little beds out and laid it on the ground so she could enjoy the fresh smell of the newly fallen snow. She didn't move off of the little bed but she perked up and sniffed all around.

She then came in and decided she would eat her breakfast that she had been ignoring all morning. And is now toddling around checking out all her special places in the dining room.

She woke me up several times last night. She has decided that enough is enough. She wants back in bed with me. Since the surgery I have had her in an extra large laundry basket with bedding on the floor next to me. I have slept on the couch so if she wakes I can easily lay my hand on her. Well last night the hand laying went on all night!

UPDATE 11:45 AM 6 April

Miss Sarie is continuing to recover like she was a puppy! This morning she gave me a little bit of a scare. A few minutes after she was up she vomited the contents of her stomach. It was a very quick non-violent episode. I think she was overheated because she slept nestled into a snuggly donut bed and had a little blanket with her. She got over it quickly and ate her breakfast and drank water with no further episodes. She is resting comfortably now.

Yesterday late afternoon she went to visit Auntie Betty. Auntie Betty adores Miss Sarie. When Miss Sarie first came to me and Betty met her she said that she wanted to take care of Sarie's medical care. For the first 1 3/4 years she paid every bill but then I felt to awkward to let her know about anything that I was doing for Miss Sarie.

We go visit Betty several times a year but we hadn't been to visit since last Fall. On Monday, 2 April, I called Betty because I feared Miss Sarie was not going to make it through this. I wanted to give her a chance to see Miss Sarie before this terrible disease took her away from all of us. Her phone went to her answering machine and I left her a message telling her that Sarie was very sick.

When I didn't hear back from her I assumed she was out of town for Easter vacation. She is retired and travels a lot. On Wednesday evening she called me. I was able to happily tell her that Miss Sarie had been though surgery and was thriving!

She immediately insisted that she wanted to pay for all of the costs. She told me she fully realizes that Miss Sarie is an old dog and that medical costs can be high with an old baby. She said when she made the offer that she meant it no matter how long Miss Sarie is with us. I was amazed at her generosity when she first offered 2.5 years ago but am overwhelmed that she is still committed to this sweet little girl.

Thank you Betty for taking much of the worry off of taking care of Miss Sarie. And for your dedication to this sweet little rescue girl! I will be forever grateful for your selfless act.

UPDATE 11:00 AM 5 April

Miss Sarie had a wonderful night last night. She slept soundly and never woke up once. This morning she ate her breakfast, did her potty duties, took her medicine....and promptly decided she wanted to sleep some more. At the moment she is basking in the sun by the sliding glass door in her donut bed!

UPDATE 8:30 PM 4 April

At about 5 today Miss Sarie and I took a ride to Bob Evans to pick up dinner. We drove to Auntie Teresa's. (Sarie has many Aunties and Uncles!) She toddled around Auntie Teresa's kitchen and rested in a donut bed. When I opened the food I had picked up for Auntie Teresa and me she started whining... YES.. She wanted more food!

When we came home she had her first BM since the surgery. So another Post-Op milestone has been met!

Auntie Teresa sat with me yesterday morning while I waited for Miss Sarie to go into surgery. I didn't want to leave Miss Sarie because I knew she would be upset. That wouldn't have been good for her before surgery. She had her catheter put in about 4 hours before her surgery, so it was a long wait. Auntie Teresa sat with us for about 3 hours waiting! She was shocked tonight to see how amazing Sarie is doing..

We are tuckered out now and are going to bed. Sarie slept most of the day but was active for a few hours this evening. She wanted to be held most of the time.

UPDATE 3:00 PM 4 April

The little darling is doing amazing! She woke me up from a nap at 12:30. She was whining and I could hear her even though I was sleeping deeply.

I picked her up and took her to her puppy pad. She used it again and then ate some more of her Breakfast. I gave her once a day pain meds orally with a syringe. She took it just fine.

A few minutes ago she got restless so I gave her some more food. To my surprise she ate again!

She is making a miraculous recovery!

UPDATE 10:30 AM 4 April

Miss Sarie had a wonderful visit at the Vet this morning. They are amazed at how well she is doing. Her heart is strong, her surgical wound looks good.... There was nothing negative about her at all! Her catheter was removed and she was sent home with me to continue her recovery.

She is an amazing little old gal! Thanks everyone for all your emails, kind words, and prayers. They were a great help to both Miss Sarie and me...

UPDATE 7:15 AM 4 April

Miss Sarie slept well last night. She woke up a couple of times crying. I rubbed her and she fell back to sleep. This morning she used the puppy pad for the first time since the surgery. She also ate a very good breakfast of FROMM's Shredded Duck Entree. She wasn't interested in water so I syringed Pedialyte slowly into her mouth. She accepted it fine. We will be leaving for the Vet's office in about a 1/2 hour.

UPDATE 8:00 PM 3 April

Miss Sarie and I arrived home about 15 minutes ago. She ate almost her normal dinner portion. She is sitting on my lap resting very comfortably. I think sleep will be very light for me tonight!

In the morning at 8:00 we will go back up to the Vet's so she can be checked out. Depending on how she is doing, she may stay for a day of fluids. Her IV catheter is still in so it will easy to set up her drip bag.

UPDATE 4:00 PM 3 April

Miss Sarie survived the surgery. They almost lost her on the table. Her oxygen levels dropped dangerously low. Her uterus was ruptured. Dr. Kawasaki worked fast. He was in and out very quickly. She came to and stabilized fast. She started kicking up a fuss very soon after the surgery. They came out to get me because they knew she wanted me. They are going to let her come home with me tonight because they realize that she is better off with me than at a closed Vet office tonight. I will update more later. I have many pictures to load.

UPDATE 6:00 AM 3 April

Miss Sarie made it through the night comfortably. As soon as we came downstairs she went potty on her pad, drank some water, and started her usual whining at me to pick her up. I woke up several times through the night and laid my hand on her to check her breathing. I am very frightened but hopeful. We will be leaving the house in about 2 hours to go the Old Bridge Veterinary Hospital where Dr. Putts will put in her IV. Dr. Kawasaki will come in at noon and start the surgery. She has not deteriotated over the last 36 hours. I believe she is stronger.

UPDATE 6:30 PM 2 April

Miss Sarie and I stopped at the park on the way to her Vet appointment. Given her grave condition she is actually doing quite well. The two Vet's I spoke with today are not sugar coating her condition. The bottom line is without surgery she will not survive. And she may not survive the surgery or postoperative recovery period. She goes into surgery midday tomorrow. She has to be at the Vet's by 8:30 for IV fluids. They want to make sure she is well hydrated before surgery. They are going to allow me to stay with her while she waits for surgery. I feel much better about that. She does not like me to leave her. Leaving her at home is one thing but in a scary strange place she would be distraught. She ate a wonderful dinner tonight and is resting comfortably on my lap as I type this.

FYI-Pyometra is a disease of the uterus. It is compared to acute appendicitis in humans because both are essentially empyemas within an abdominal organ. It involves the Uterus in unspayed female dogs. Treatment of choice is an emergency spay.

Original Comment

Miss Sarie is very sick. She needs everyone's thoughts and prayers. Yesterday I noticed that she had a pus discharge from her vulva. Given that she has been diagnosed with early kidney disease, I didn't dare wait until this morning to take her to the Vet. They believe she has Pyometra. It is unknown if Sarie was ever spayed. She has never gone into heat in the 2.5 years she has been with me. Even given that they wanted to take her into emergency surgery. They gave me 3 choices, give her antibiotics, emergency surgery, or euthanize. Several of my rescue friends dropped everything and came to the hospital. They reminded me that I have always said no heroics, that I just want to keep her happy and comfortable for whatever time she has left. The odds of her making it through the surgery were not good. Not to mention Woodbridge Animal Hospital's estimate was 1700 dollars. I opted for the antibiotics. Her white blood cell count was 59,000 with 16,000 being the high end of normal. This morning there is no pus and she is eating and drinking. She is also being her demanding primadonna self.

All of my favorite vets are unavailable today. The rescue vet (Dr. Cunningham) van is in the shop today. She can see Miss Sarie tonight. I took a clean catch urine into Old Bridge Vet this morning. I just received a call from them and they said there are a lot of white blood cells in the urine. They also believe she needs surgery because of the white blood cell count. I feel like I am going to just die...

Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers as I try to do what is best for Miss Sarie. Dr. Kawasaki is willing to come in tomorrow on his day off to do the surgery. Dr. Cunningham may be able to do it tonight. I don't want to do this but it is the only chance she has. My heart is breaking.

Esthel by Ben C.K.

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My hairstylist friend Weena wanted some specific pictures to add to her portfolio.

So we set up this photoshoot back in Januray with 3 models, A Stylist & 2 MUA.

Here is Esthel.

--

Mon amie coiffeuse Weena voulait quelques images particulières à ajouter à son portfolio.

Nous avons donc organisé un photoshoot avec 3 modèles, une styliste et 2 maquilleuses.

Je vous présente Esthel.

Model Esthel Racine

Styling Darragh Kílkenny-Mondoux

Makeup Louanna Rosset

Hair Weena Jérôme

Lighting info

Left image

Key Light PCB E640, in a 120cm eBay Octabox, 1/4 power lighting model from the top 12:00

Kick Light 430EX with pink gel @24mm 1/2 Power, camera right behind model @2:00

Right image
Key Light PCB E640, in a 120cm eBay Octabox, 1/4 power lighting model from the top 12:00
Kick Light AB800 1/4 Power, camera right behind model @2:00

Canon 5D MKII + EF 85MM F1.8 USM | F9 | 1/160 | Iso 100

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Your comments and favs are always appreciated!

Prohibido cantar / No Singing. Jordi Colomer by Matadero Madrid

JORDI COLOMER

Prohibido Cantar / No Singing. Obra didáctica sobre la fundación de una ciudad paradisíaca.

Desde el 14 de septiembre

Precio: Entrada libre

Institución:

Abierto x Obras

Inauguración: Viernes 14 de septiembre a las 20 h.

Jordi Colomer es el encargado de esta nueva creación site specific en la antigua cámara frigorífica de Matadero. La obra de Colomer explora una singular visión de la escultura incorporando dispositivos escénicos, fotografía y videoinstalación.

'Os será más fácil sacarles el oro a los hombres que a los ríos'1

"La fundación de una ciudad no es forzosamente un acto heroico. Para las ciudades antiguas, la arqueología tantea un orden cronológico, desempolva las pruebas del suceso, mientras la Historia y la leyenda proponen sus relatos. Dice Jorge-Luis Borges: 'A mí se me hace cuento que empezó Buenos Aires: La juzgo tan eterna como el agua y como el aire'2.

Pero cada día, empiezan nuevas ciudades, construidas de agua, de hormigón, de sudor y de dinero. Algunas son -casi- pura idea. En su programa electoral el presidente Kubitschek prometió la creación de una moderna capital para Brasil y, en tres años, Brasilia se levantó entre las malezas del plano alto central, siguiendo fielmente los planes de Lucio Costa. A su vez los obreros que la pusieron en pie, venidos de todas las regiones del país, plantaron sus chamizos trémulos donde dormir y fundaron -sin saberlo- su propia ciudad. Hay ciudades de cristal que crecen en los despachos, y otras de lata y cartón que bailan al ritmo de sus propios habitantes. En una ocasión, a un grupo de forajidos a los que la policía les pisaba los talones se les estropeó el camión en pleno desierto. No podían seguir, ni ir hacia atrás. Fundaron entonces allí mismo una ciudad paradisíaca, la ciudad dorada, donde el mayor de los crímenes era no tener dinero. Esa ciudad se llama Mahagonny y Bertolt Brecht la imaginó al tiempo que Las Vegas brotaba con la forma de ciudad que hoy conocemos.

En Prohibido cantar / No Singing unos pocos personajes plantan un garito donde se ofrecen juegos de entretenimiento, trucos, amor y comida a bajo precio. La acción transcurre cerca de un camino polvoriento, en los mismos solares en los que hace un tiempo se proyectó una gran ciudad privada, con 32 casinos, llamada Gran Escala, que debía atraer a 25 millones de visitantes, pero que nunca vió la luz. Las imágenes que presentamos (en 7 pantallas) muestran cómo prospera la ciudad de Eurofarlete, bajo un sol inclemente y el cierzo soplando. Están compuestas de fragmentos de lo que allí sucedió durante dos días, y quizás ayuden a discernir una singular forma de organización por la supervivencia, donde todo está en venta, a precio de ganga y también a cualquier precio".

Jordi Colomer

1 Bertolt Brecht. Ascenso y caída de la ciudad de Mahagonny.1927-30.

2 Jorge Luis Borges. Fundación mítica de Buenos Aires in Fervor de Buenos Aires, 1923

BIOGRAFÍA

Jordi Colomer (1962) nació en Barcelona, ciudad en la que estudió Arte en EINA, Historia del Arte en la Universidad Autónoma y Arquitectura en la ETSAB. Vive y trabaja entre Barcelona y París.

Desde sus inicios el trabajo de Jordi Colomer ha ido incorporando a una singular visión de la escultura elementos de los dispositivos escénicos. Desde 1997 ha privilegiado el uso de la fotografía y la video-instalación. Sus primeros vídeos tomaban forma de micro-narraciones de raíz beckettiana, en los que los habitantes se debaten con objetos, decorados y espacios artificiales. En un segundo período estos personajes recorren la calle y el desierto con gestos y derivas que - (no exentos de cierto humor absurdo) - contagian un marcado espíritu crítico. Las obras de Colomer exploran las posibilidades de supervivencia poética que ofrece la urbe contemporánea. Así surgen obras como Anarchitekton (2002-2004), proyecto itinerante a través de cuatro ciudades (Barcelona, Bucarest, Brasilia, Osaka), No? Future! (rodada en Le Havre, 2004), Arabian stars (Yemen, 2005), Cinecito (La Habana, 2006), En la Pampa (realizada en el desierto de Atacama, Chile, 2008), Avenida Ixtapaluca (houses for México, 2009), The Istanbul Map (Istanbul, 2010), o más recientemente la trilogía What will come (Nueva York, 2010-11) donde los propios habitantes escriben el guión con sus desplazamientos en la suburbia americana ; o el proyecto Crier sur les toits (gritar a los cuatro vientos, 2011) donde se propone utilizar las azoteas como un pedestal a escala urbana, instituyendo una fiesta mundial. En l’Avenir (2011), inspirada en el Falansterio de Charles Fourier, las imágenes dan rostro a los habitantes de un proyecto utópico y son a la vez un comentario sobre sus posibilidades de materializarse. La instalación Prohibido cantar que aquí se presenta, investiga una vez más esa tensión entre proyecto y realidad, dibujando un espacio híbrido, a la vez totalmente físico y puramente mental; los proyectos de construcción de una ciudad de oro y casinos, que los medios anuncian tiene visos de precisarse y un lugar con mucho viento, contaminado por proyectos imaginarios del pasado y ahora ocupado por personas jugando a la ficción. Nótese que el propio espacio de Abierto x Obras ha quedado transformado por efecto de todas estas visitas.

Ha trabajado también como escenógrafo para el teatro en obras de Joan Brossa, Samuel Beckett, Valère Novarina así como en una ópera de Robert Ashley.

PROHIBIDO CANTAR / NO SINGING. JORDI COLOMER

(Didactic work on the foundation of a paradise city)

From 14 of september

to 09 of december

Price: Free

Institution:

Abierto x Obras

GALERÍA DE FOTOS

[ver + fotos]

'It's easier getting gold out of men than from rivers'. Bertolt Brecht,

The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny, 1927-30

The foundation of a city is not necessarily a heroic act. Everyday a new city begins to be built on water, concrete, sweat and money. Some are -almost- a pure idea. In his election manifesto president Juscelino Kubitschek promised the creation of a modern capital for Brazil in three years, Brasilia was built amongst the weeds of the high central plane, faithfully following the plans of Lucio Costa. At the same time the builders, who came on foot from all parts of the country, pitched their trembling huts where they slept and founded– without knowing it- their own city.

There are glass cities that grow out of offices and others made from tin and card that dance to the rhythm of their own inhabitants. On one occasion, a group of outlaws were being tailed by the police, when their truck broke down in the middle of the desert. They couldn't keep going or turn back. So they ended up founding a paradise city, the golden city, where the worst crime was not to have any money. That city was called Mahagonny and Bertolt Brecht envisioned it at the time when Las Vegas came about shaping the image of the city that we recognise today.

In Prohibido cantar / No Singing a few characters make a gambling den where they offer entertainment games, tricks, love and food at low prices. The action takes place close to a dusty road, on the same plot of land and during the time in which a great private city was planned, with 32 casinos, called Gran Escala, which was to attract 25 million visitors, and yet never saw the light of day. These images reveal how the city of Eurofarlete thrives, under a blazing sun and strong blowing winds. Fragments of what passed there over two days may help to discern the particular form of organisation needed for survival, where everything is on sale at a bargain price or indeed at any price.

Jordi Colomer (Barcelona, 1962) His work explores the possibility of poetic survival that is offered by the contemporary metropolis through a unique vision of sculpture incorporating scenic devices, photography and video installation. Prohibido Cantar / No Singing returns to investigate the tension between project and fiction and creates a hybrid space, on both a physical and mental plane. He has been educated in art, art history and architecture, among his latest solo shows are l'Avenir in the Palais de Beaux Arts (Brussels), What will come in the Argos Centre for Art and Media (Brussels), Co Op City at the Bronx Museum of the Arts (New York), Fuegogratis in the Laboratorio Arte Alameda (México D.F.), La Panera (Lleida) and Galerie du Jeu de Paume (Paris).

www.dawngrace.com by Bella Rose Tattoo Chicago

2

Black & grey stork scissors tattoo by Dawn Grace.

Please do not steal my photos or link without my consent.

These pictures are here to represent my work as a professional tattoo artist, and most of these designs were drawn specifically for each client. That said, i cannot email you pictures of my clients' custom work so that you can take it to another artist to have it done.

It's not fair to the people who pay to get tattooed by me. Tattooing is a personal decision, and should you decide to get tattooed, put thought into what you want and find an artist who is willing and able to draw and tattoo exactly what you desire.

Do not leave comments about my clients' bodies or choice of subject matter. Such comments are annoying and will be deleted immediately.

No. 5: Golden Gromit by Julie Vernon by Matthew Wells

Would you like a take a shortcut to a specific Gromit?

Mike Rijnierse – Klok by Ed Jansen

2

TodaysArt 2015

Pier, Scheveningen

Mike Rijnierse is known for his large scale site specific installations, where the audience gets incorporated into the context of the work. For the 11th edition of TodaysArt, Mike Rijnierse has developed a site specific work for the pier in Scheveningen. During the festival, a 100 kg church bell will bungee jump from The Pier, from the bungee jump tower. The sixty meter fall of the bell will result in a unique sound experience.

While contacting Royal Eijsbouts Bell Foundry, world’s largest manufacturer of cast bronze bells, carillons, swinging bells, clocks, and bell and clock towers, asking whether they wanted to contribute to the project, Joep van Brussel asked if he had understood it correctly: “So, it is like cycling towards a church with the speed of 60 km per hour?” The answer lies in the question. Joep immediately understood the concept of ‘Klok’. The effect is commonly heard when a sounding object approaches, passes, and recedes from an observer. Compared to the emitted frequency, the received frequency is higher during the approach, identical at the instant of passing by, and lower during the recession. The fall of the sounding bell will cause a Doppler effect.

Mike Rijnierse (1974) is an artist known for his large scale site specific installations, where the audience gets incorporated into the context of the work. His installations and performances are instruments in which dialogue and interaction are developed for sensory investigation, as a platform for interdisciplinary research. The relation of space and time or the geography and the perception of the observer are used as parameters for musical development. As a teacher at the Interaction Design department of ArtEZ Art Academy, Arnhem (NL), Mike developed the course Design of Instruments, which focuses on the development of new design tools and instruments.

In 2005, Rijnierse developed a 16 channel sound installation PAN, which stretched out along a 170 meter path inside of the sculpture garden of the Kröller-Müller Museum for the opening of ‘Kijk Uit!/Attention!’ by Krijn Giezen. That work was followed in that same year by a 16 channel sound installation ‘CITY CIRCLES’ in the Grote Marktstraat and resulted in ‘THX_The Hague INT’L’ in 2007. TodaysArt approached him to develop a concept for the Central Station of The Hague in 2008, which he developed in collaboration with Staalplaat Soundsystem and Erik Hobijn. This resulted in ‘STATION TO STATION’.

Germany - Lüneburg Heath - 37dd by Manfred Sommer

Lüneburg Heath (German: Lüneburger Heide) is a large area of heath, geest and woodland in the northeastern part of the state of Lower Saxony in northern Germany. It forms part of the hinterland for the cities of Hamburg, Hanover and Bremen and is named after the town of Lüneburg. Most of the area is a nature reserve. Northern Low Saxon is still widely spoken in the region.

Lüneburg Heath has extensive areas of heathland, typical of those that covered most of the North German countryside until about 1800, but which have almost completely disappeared in other areas. The heaths were formed after the Neolithic period by overgrazing of the once widespread forests on the poor sandy soils of the geest, as this slightly hilly and sandy terrain in northern Europe is called. The Lüneburg Heath is therefore a historic cultural landscape. The remaining areas of heath are kept clear mainly through grazing, especially by a North German breed of moorland sheep called the Heidschnucke. Due to its unique landscape, Lüneburg Heath is a popular tourist destination in North Germany.

GEOGRAPHY

LOCATION

From a geographical point of view, Lüneburg Heath is a specific natural region, that is an area distinguished by a specific combination of abiotic factors (climate, relief, water resources, soil, geology) and biotic factors (flora and fauna). Lüneburg Heath is a sub-division of the North European Plain. In the list of the major natural regions of Germany issued by the Federal Office for Nature Conservation (Bundesamt für Naturschutz) it is region number D28.

Lüneburg Heath covers an area which includes the districts (Landkreise) of Celle, Gifhorn, Heidekreis, Uelzen, Lüneburg, Lüchow-Dannenberg, southeast Rotenburg (the town of Visselhövede, Fintel, part of the municipality of Scheeßel and the eastern half of Bothel) and the rural district of Harburg. The easternmost fringes of the Stade Geest belonging to Landkreis Verden are called the Linteln Geest (Lintelner Geest) or Verden Heath (Verdener Heide) and form part of the municipality of Kirchlinteln. This region has no sharply defined boundary with the Lüneburg Heath.

Lüneburg Heath lies between the rivers Elbe to the north, the Drawehn to the east, the Aller to the south and southwest, the middle course of the Wümme to the west and the Harburg Hills (Harburger Berge) to the northwest.

On the northwestern edge of Lüneburg Heath are the Harburg Hills and south of Schneverdingen there are bogs, such as the Pietzmoor. Also of note are other smaller bogs in sinkholes, like the Grundloses Moor ("bottomless bog") near Walsrode or the Bullenkuhle near Bokel (part of Sprakensehl). The eastern boundary to the Wendland is formed by the Göhrde-Drawehn Hills (the Ostheide natural region). Parts of Lüneburg Heath are in the Südheide Nature Park, others in the Lüneburg Heath Nature Park.

HILLS

The highest elevation on Lüneburg Heath is the Wilseder Berg (169.2 metres) above NN). Other hills over 100 metres high are: Falkenberg (150 metres), near Bergen, Ahrberg (145 metres), Hakenberg (143 metres), Hoher Mechtin (142 metres), Pampower Berg (140 metres), Lüßberg (130 metres), Brunsberg, near Sprötze (129 metres), Goldbockenberg (129 metres), Hingstberg (126 metres), Staffelberg (126 metres), Hengstberg (121 metres), Höpenberg near Schneverdingen (120 metres), Haußelberg (119.1 metres), Breithorn (118 metres), Mützenberg (115 metres ), Tellmer Berg (113 metres), Wümmeberg (107.9 metres), Schiffberg (107 metres), Hummelsberg and Wulfsberg (each 106 metres), Drullberg and Thonhopsberg (each 104 metres), Kruckberg and Wietzer Berg (each 102 metres) and Höllenberg (101 metres).

Several of these hills - the Wilseder Berg, the Falkenberg, the Haußelberg and the Breithorn - were used by the mathematician, Carl Friedrich Gauss, as triangulation stations in his topographical surveys of the Kingdom of Hanover from 1821–1825.

RIVERS AND STREAMS

Rivers in the area, beside the numerous small heathland streams, include the Wümme, which rises on the western slopes of the Wilseder Berg, in the south the Lachte with its tributary the Lutter, and the Aller, the Vissel, the Böhme, the Grindau, the Meiße and the Örtze. They all belong to the Weser river system. Those flowing into the Elbe are the Aue, the Ilmenau, the Luhe and the Seeve.

GEOLOGY

The immediate subsurface layers on Lüneburg Heath are almost exclusively made up of deposits from the quaternary ice age. The landscape consists of flat plains of ground moraines, ridges of hilly terminal moraines and also of sandar - glacial outwash plains deposited at the edge of the ice sheet.

During the Saalian Stage (230,000–130,000 years ago) the area of the present-day Lüneburg Heath was covered three times by a continental ice sheet. In the last glacial period (110,000–10,000 years ago) the ice sheet no longer covered the Lüneburg Heath area; it reached only as far as the River Elbe. Due to the lack of vegetation, the much more rugged terrain at that time was heavily eroded by water, wind and by soil fluction; this resulted in valleys like the Totengrund. The material displaced by erosion, referred to as sediment (Geschiebedecksand), has a depth of 0.4 to 0.8 metres (on slopes up to 1.5 metres).

The region is mostly covered by a heathland landscape consisting of big heather and juniper areas, forests and some smaller swamps. In contrast to the areas in the north of Lüneburg Heath, the landscape is very hilly, as it is placed on a terminal moraine.

NATURAL DIVISIONS

Lüneburg Heath is divided into the following natural sub-divisions:

HIGH HEATH

The Hohe Heide ("High Heath") consists of a series of end moraines from the glaciers of the Saalian glaciation (230,000–130,000 years ago) with the Wilseder Berg at its heart. Unlike the other natural divisions of Lüneburg Heath, the terrain is quite rugged. Characteristic of the area are dry hilltops, periglacial dry valleys and hollows like the Totengrund. Heathland dominates the landscape. They are part of the Lüneburg Heath Nature Park and of great importance for tourism. In addition there are also extensive pine forests.

SOUTH HEATH

The South Heath (Südheide) is dominated by expanses of gently undulating, hilly Sander plains, and sheets of ground moraine and the remains of end moraines from earlier ice ages. There are still large areas of heath on the military training areas near Bad Fallingbostel and Munster (Örtze); these are out-of-bounds to visitors however. The Osterheide near Schneverdingen also belongs to this natural subdivision. It is part of the Lüneburg Heath Nature Reserve. Near Schneverdingen and south of Soltau there are several bogs. A large area of the Südheide is covered by pine forests.

EAST HEATH

Numerous end moraines run through the Ostheide ("East Heath") which stretches on the eastern edge of Lüneburg Heath from Lüneburg to north of Wolfsburg. In parts of this region the land is intensively cultivated. The northern area, the so-called Göhrde and the Drawehn, are by contrast mostly wooded like the southern ridge of end moraine.

UELZEN BASIN AND ILLMENAU DEPRESSION

The ground moraine landscape of the Uelzen Basin is predominantly used for agriculture. On the surrounding ridges there are also a few pine forests however. There are still large areas of heath here as well, for example the Ellerndorfer Heide ("Ellerndorf Heath") in western Uelzen district or the Klein Bünstorfer Heide ("Klein Bünstorf Heath").

LUHEHEIDE

The ridges of end moraine on the Luheheide have clearly defined slopes that fall away sharply to the Elbe Valley. The heath is deeply incised by all the rivers that drain northwards to the Elbe; rivers such as the Seeve, Aue, Luhe (Ilmenau). The ridges between them are wooded and sparsely populated. Settlements are crowded together in the valleys. There is hardly any heathland left in this area, it has been largely reforested by pines.

CLIMATE

Lüneburg Heath lies in a temperate maritime climatic region moderated by the Atlantic, with mild winters, cool summers and precipitation all-year round. The Hohe Heide, however, has a "low mountain climate" with lower temperatures and higher precipitation than in the surrounding area.

NATURE

NATURE PARKS AND NATURE RESERVES

In the northwestern part of Lüneburg Heath is the Lüneburg Heath Nature Park which covers an area of 1,130 square kilometres. At its heart, around the Wilseder Berg, is the Lüneburg Heath Nature Reserve (Naturschutzgebiet or NSG) founded as long ago as 1921 with 234 square kilometres of land which is roughly 58% woods and 20% heathland. Other nature parks in the Lüneburg Heath region are the Südheide Nature Park and Elbufer-Drawehn Nature Park. Right in the north of the area is the Harburg Hills Nature Park. The Lüneburg Heath NSG, together with the open heathland of the huge Munster Nord and Süd training areas and the Bergen-Hohne Training Area, is the largest single area of heathland in Central Europe. And within the former province (Regierungsbezirk) of Lüneburg there are no less than 212 individual nature reserves (as at 31 December 2006).

FORMATION OF THE HEATH LANDSCAPE

After the end of the Weichselian Ice Age (115,000 to 10,000 years ago) the first woods appeared in the area that now forms Lüneburg Heath which, following the natural ecological succession and encouraged by a gradual improvement in the climate, progressed from birch and pine forest through hazel woods to light woods of sessile oaks.

The heath and its surrounding area belong to those regions of the North German Plain in which the hunter culture of the Mesolithic era was superseded quite early on by Neolithic farmers. By about 3000 BC, during the Neolithic, large open areas appeared on the lightly undulating, sandy stretches of geest on Lüneburg Heath. This was a result of the intensive grazing of the sessile oak woods and the associated destruction of successive new stands of trees. These open areas became dominated by the common heather (Calluna vulgaris), a largely grazing-resistant species of plant. Nevertheless, oak and beech woods succeeded time and again in establishing themselves wherever man left areas of heath untended. Over a long period of time the region of Lüneburg Heath alternated between periods when the heathlands spread and dominated the scene and times when it was largely covered with forest and only small areas of heath existed. Finally, after the migration period, the wooded areas of the region increased considerably.

Not until after 1000 AD does the pollen analysis show a continuous reduction in the woodlands and a considerable increase in heather. This was brought about by a change from nomadic farming to settled farming with permanent settlements. The typical heath farming economy emerged: due to the poor soils the few available nutrients from a large area were concentrated on relatively small fields, from which grain, in particular, could be produced. This was achieved by the regular removal of the turf (a method known as Plaggen), which was used as hay for the pens of the moorland sheep, the Heidschnucken. This was then enriched with the manure and urine of the sheep – and spread over the fields as fertiliser.

By cutting the turf the regenerative capacity of the soils was exhausted. The regular removal of the top layer of soil contributed to the spreading of heathland. As heather decomposes, the pH value of the soil falls drastically, as far as the iron buffer-region at pH 3, which initiates the process of podsolisation. Soil life is severely damaged, which results in a hard layer of earth underneath the root zone on the heath at a depth of about 40 centimetres. The iron and humus particles released by the topsoil precipitate onto this impervious hardpan. The subsoil thus separates itself from the topsoil. The nutrients are largely washed out of the topsoil which leads to leaching and causes the typical grey-white coloration of the paths on the heath.

The oft-expressed view in the literature that the heath arose in the Middle Ages as a result of the demand for wood by the Lüneburg salt pans is incorrect. The Lüneburg salt ponds certainly needed firewood for the production of salt, but they did not appear until around 1000 AD, by which time the heath had already been around for 4,000 years. The amount required, even in the heyday of production, could have been continuously supplied by an area of woodland about 50 km2 in area, yet the heath covers over 7000 km2. In any case the wood certainly did not come from the heath, but via the waterways, especially from Mecklenburg up the Elbe and from the area of the Schaalsee. Transportation overland would have been far too expensive (apart from the River Ilmenau which was navigable at the time, no rivers flow from the main areas of heathland to Lüneburg), as can be seen not only from some of the delivery notes which still survive, but also from the fact that there are still large woods around Lüneburg itself, such as the Göhrde. Finally heathland has frequentely developed in areas where there are no salt pans, such as the sheep-grazing regions on the coasts of Norway to Portugal and in Scotland and Ireland.

The heath is not therefore a natural landscape, but a cultural landscape created by the intervention of man. In order to prevent its semi-open heathland from being repopulated by trees, especially pines and, to a lesser extent, silver birches, which would cause the loss of this millennia-old environment and its many inhabitants, including often very rare animal and plant species, sheep are allowed to graze it regularly; these are almost exclusively the local German moorland sheep, the Heidschnucke.

PLANT POPULATION/PHYTOCENOSIS

In the 20th century, numerous conservation measures were implemented on Lüneburg Heath; as a result, it is one of the best researched regions of central Europe.

- Heathland

Sand heaths form about 20% of the Lüneburg Heath Nature Reserve and may be broken down into further sub-divisions, the most important being:

- Ordinary sand heath (Typische Sandheide, Genisto-Callunetum)

In addition to the common heather (Calluna vulgaris) only a few taller plants occur here, none of which can be classed as characteristic species. Amongst them are the wavy hair-grass (Deschampsia flexuosa) and common juniper (Juniperus communis). Ordinary sand heath is the most widespread of the heathland types. Its proportion has increased in recent decades at the expense of other heath habitats. This reduction in the variety of heathland types may be due to increasing nitrogen levels from the air, the increase in plant litter (Rohhumusauflagen) and the natural ageing of the heathland.

- Lichen-rich sand heath (Flechtenreiche Sandheide, Genisto-Callunetum cladonietosum)

The lichen-rich sand heaths can be told apart from the other types of heathland by the presence of various cup lichens (Cladonia), ciliated fringewort (Ptilidium ciliare) and juniper haircap (Polytrichum juniperinum). They occur frequently on dry, south-facing slopes. This type of heath is found west of Niederhaverbeck and near Sundermühlen.

- Clay heath (Lehmheide, Genisto-callunetum danthonietusum)

This can be identified by the presence of heath grass (Danthonia decumbens), pill sedge (Carex pilulifera), mat grass (Nardus stricta), fine-leaved sheep's-fescue (Festuca filiformis), mouse-ear hawkweed (Hieracium pilosella) and field wood-rush (Luzula campestris). Clay heaths have become very rare within the Lüneburg Heath. They are found on the Wilseder Berg and south of Niederhaverbeck.

- Blueberry sand heath (Heidelbeer-Sandheide, Genisto-Callunetum, Vaccinium myrtillus Rasse)

Blueberries (Vaccinium myrtillus) are the signature species of this type of heath and, more rarely, cranberries (Vaccinium vitis-idaea). Blueberry heath is the second most common type of vegetation on the heathlands and occurs especially on northern slopes, the edges of woods and thick juniper hedges. This type of heath is particularly characteristic of the northern slopes of the Wilseder Berg, as well as the Steingrund and Totengrund. In those places, cranberries have even ousted the common heather (Calluna vulgaris) in places.

- Wet sand heath (Feuchte Sandheide, Genisto-Callunetum, Molinia-Variante)

Wet sand heath is the ideal habitat for purple moor grass (Molinia caerulea), cross-leaved heath (Erica tetralix) and scirpus (Scirpus cespitosus). It occurs in places close to the water table and in the transition zone around bogs. Its primary locations are areas north of Wilsede and near the Hörpel Ponds (Hörpeler Teichen).

WOODS

The greater part (about 58%) of the Lüneburg Heath Nature Reserve consists of woods, primarily pine forests, which were planted in the second half of the 19th century on former heathland and drifting sand. In some cases the dunes simply became naturally overgrown, again with pines. There are only a very few old stands of sessile oaks, which stem from the logging industry during the time of the Kingdom of Hanover. In many parts of the nature reserve there are so-called Stühbüsche (a form of coppice), trees that were coppiced by repeatedly being cut short. In the meantime they have grown wild again and have a characteristic and unusual appearance with their multiple trunks. Near Wilsede there is the remnant of a Hutewald, a wood pasture with giant, multi-stemmed beech trees.

BOGS

The largest bog on Lüneburg Heath is the Pietzmoor, which lies east of Schneverdingen. It was drained however and peat was cut there until the 1960s. The Nature Park Association carried out work in the 1980s to try and turn it back to its natural waterlogged state. For example, some of the drainage ditches were filled which led to a considerable rise in the water levels of the former peat cuts. However typical bog vegetation has not yet re-established itself.[8]

ANIMALS

Many species of animal live on Lüneburg Heath, particularly birds that are at home in the wide, open landscape, some of which are seriously threatened by the intensive-farming techniques in other areas. These include the: black grouse (Tetrao tetrix), the nightjar (Caprimulgus europaeus), the woodlark (Lullula arborea), the great grey shrike (Lanius excubitor), the red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio), the northern wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe), the wryneck (Jynx torquilla), the European green woodpecker (Picus viridis), the stonechat (Saxicola torquata), the Eurasian curlew (Numenius arquata), the common quail (Coturnix coturnix) and the black stork (Ciconia nigra). In the Lüneburg Heath the population of the very rare black grouse is rising continually. In 2007 78 were counted, 13 more than in the previous year. Since 2003 the number of grouse has doubled.

Wolves, although once extinct in the area, have returned to the Lüneburg Heath.

Numerous species including European bison, moose and brown bear which once inhabited the region may be seen in the Lüneburg Heath Wildlife Park alongside more exotic animals like snow leopards and Arctic wolves.

CULTURE AND HISTORY

EARLY HISTORY

Pollen analyses show that the dry geest soils of North Germany have been cultivated since about 3000 BC. Clearance by fire and the cultivation of crops on the Pleistocene sandy soils quickly led however to soil degradation. So the land cleared by fire could only be used for a short time. The settlements moved frequently and woods elsewhere were cleared. Even at that time the first Calluna (heather) heaths appeared (see above). Evidence of relatively dense settlement is found especially in Uelzen district. On Lüneburg Heath there are numerous Megalithic sites and tumuli from the Neolithic and the early Bronze Age. The most famous are the Oldendorfer Totenstatt (Oldendorf Gravesite) and the Sieben Steinhäuser (Seven Stone Houses). But even in the Lüneburg Heath Nature Reserve there are more than a thousand tumuli, especially near Nieder- and Oberhaverbeck. The largest of these tumuli is the so-called Prince's Grave (Fürstengrab). Also near Wilsede there is the well-known stone and juniper group known as Hannibal's Grave (Hannibals Grab).

TRANSITION TO SETTLEMENT CULTURE

After the withdrawal of the Lombards in the migration period, from about 700 AD Lüneburg Heath belonged to the Duchy of Saxony, which was conquered by Charlemagne in the 9th century and became part of the Frankish Empire. The resulting close control of the population and the Christianization meant that the rural settlements had to stay in one place and could no longer move about freely. The land had to be farmed more intensively which led to the heathland spreading.

SETTLEMENTS

Lüneburg Heath was always relatively sparsely populated due to the poor soils in the area. The region was dominated by heath farming which was a less intensive form of land usage necessary for its large areas of barren terrain and heathland. An important economic sideline of past centuries was heathland beekeeping. The villages were usually encircled by small tracts of woodland, sometimes interrupted by fields or meadows, and merged without clear boundaries into the surrounding landscape. The farmsteads were arranged relatively arbitrarily, many stood very close to one another; others were spread out at some distance from each other. They were loose cluster villages (lockere Haufendörfer). In order to prevent cattle trampling flat the gardens attached to the houses, village roads were enclosed with wooden fences and, later, with characteristic stone walls. The typical design of farmhouse was the Fachhallenhaus, a large timber-framed single building, in which people and animals lived under a single roof. Each village had relatively few complete farms; in Wilsede there were only four, in the church village (Kirchdorf) of Undeloh there were eleven, but that was an exception. In addition there were Koten (small, single houses), sheep pens and shared bakehouses. The farms themselves, however, were very large. In Wilsede all the features of a heath village described here may still be seen. Wilsede Heath Museum (Heidemuseum Wilsede) was established in a Fachhallenhaus and it gives an insight into the working and living conditions of a heathland farm around 1850. Walsrode Heath Museum was one of the first German open air museums and also portrays the life of heathland folk. In rural parts of the region they still sometimes use today a Low German dialect called Heidjerisch. This word derives from the name given to inhabitants of the Lüneburg Heath – the Heidjer.

HEATH CONVENTS

In the Lüneburg Heath region, six nunneries from the Middle Ages survived, which became Protestant convents after the Reformation. These establishments are the abbeys of: Ebstorf, Isenhagen, Lüne, Medingen, Wienhausen and Walsrode.

THE END OF THE HEATHLAND FARMING IN THE 19TH CENTURY

From 1831 feudalism was abolished in the Kingdom of Hanover and those heathland areas that were common land for the villages were divided amongst the individual farmers. Heathland farming died out at the end of the 19th century. Many farmers sold their land to the Prussian treasury or the Hanover monastic chamber, who afforested the land with pines. As a result, the area of heath was drastically reduced.

In 1800, large parts of Northwest Germany had been covered with heaths and bog. Today, by contrast the only large, continuous areas of heath remaining are in the Lüneburg Heath Nature Reserve and on a few military training areas.

The changing perception of the heath

As late as the turn of the 18th to the 19th century, the barren and almost treeless heathlands were still perceived as hostile and threatening environments, as evinced by two travel logs of journeys between 1799 and 1804:

As I had traversed the Hanoverian dominions in so many directions, I did not expect to find nature clothed in charms, or a high degree of population, fertility, and cultivation. Next to Lauenburg, I think it is the worst tract of an equal extent that I ever met with. The soil is one vast sandy desert, which is either naturally bare, or covered with patches of heath or grass.

- Charles Gottlob Küttner: Travels through Denmark, Sweden, Austria and part of Italy, in 1798 & 1799. London 1805.

On leaving Zell we passed through a dark wood, of at least two leagues in extent; and from that city to Harburgh, in a line of nearly twenty German miles, we travelled over sandy plains and extensive heaths. At a great distance, geese, ducks and sheep of a very poor appearance, never failed to indicate the vicinity of some wretched hamlet. What habitations! Whole families, of the most wretched appearance, and covered with tattered garments, associate together, eat and sleep with their cattle. Near these real catacombs we observed growing a few stalks of rye and barley, and here and there a few tufu of buck-wheat. The straw is short and stunted, and the ears of a diminutive size. Population and agriculture must ever be dependant on each other.

- Michel Ange Mangourit: Travels in Hanover, during the years 1803 and 1804. London 1806.

The poem Der Heideknabe ("The Heath Lad") from the year 1844 by Friedrich Hebbel stresses the unearthly atmosphere and the bleak solitude of the heaths:

:(...) Out, out of the town! And there it stretches,

The heath, misty, ghostly,

The wind swishing over it,

Oh, every step here is like a thousand others!

And all so still, and all so quiet,

You look around for signs of life,

Only hungry birds dart by

Out of the clouds, to spear worms (...).

Towards the middle of the 19th century the first positive descriptions of the heath emerged, initially inspired by the romantic movement. With the Industrial Revolution in Germany, unspoilt nature became more important for people, providing a welcome contrast with the rapidly burgeoning cities. Because the heathlands of North Germany were being increasingly decimated by cultivation and reforestation, they now appeared to be worth protecting. Numerous writers and painters portrayed the beauty of the heath, particularly when it was in bloom in August and September. One important heathland artist was Eugen Bracht. The most famous heath poet was the local writer Hermann Löns (1866–1914), who spent some time living in a hunting lodge near Westenholz. He worked the heath countryside into his books and promoted the foundation of the first German nature reserve on Lüneburg Heath. His purported remains were buried in a juniper copse at Tietlingen near Walsrode in 1935. His works were a source for Heimatfilme that were shot on Lüneburg Heath, such as Grün ist die Heide ("The Heath Is Green") from 1932 and remade in 1951 and 1972, as well as Rot ist die Liebe ("Red is Love") from 1956.

HISTORY OF CONSERVATION ON LÜNEBURG HEATH

Around 1900, there were growing demands to save the heathland and bogs of northwest Germany, which were threatened by reforestation and drainage. On Lüneburg Heath, Wilhelm Bode, then the pastor at Egestorf, was particularly active in pressing for the preservation of the endangered countryside. He had learned in 1905 of plans for building weekend houses on the Totengrund. In order to prevent this, he persuaded Andreas Thomsen, a professor from Münster, to acquire the area as a nature reserve. In 1909, Pastor Bode and district administrator (Landrat) Fritz Ecker prevented the planned reforestation of the Wilseder Berg.

In the same year, an appeal by Curt Floerike appeared in Kosmos magazine, citing the establishment of national parks in the United States and calling for them in Germany. In order to realise this goal, the Nature Park Society or Verein Naturschutzpark (VNP) was founded in Munich on 23 October 1909. They planned to create national parks in the Alps, the Central Uplands and in the north German geest region. By 1913, the society had 13,000 members.

The area of Lüneburg Heath near Wilsede was selected as the location for the north German national park. Using the VNP's funds, more than 30 km² of heathland were purchased or rented by 1913. In 1921, a police ordinance placed more than 200 km² of Lüneburg Heath under protection, the first time this had been achieved in Germany. One problem that arose as early as the 1920s was the steadily increasing number of visitors. In 1924, in order to keep visitors away from sensitive areas of heathland, a volunteer Heath Guard (Heidewacht) was founded.

The Reich conservation law was passed in 1933 and Lüneburg Heath was designated as an official nature reserve. Although plans to build a motorway through the park and for the heath to be used as a military training area were stopped, in 1933 the Heidewacht was disbanded, mainly because it was made up of members of social democratic youth organisations. In 1939, a new law that granted the chairman of the VNP – now called Führer – wide-ranging powers. Jews could no longer be members of the society.

Between 1891 and the Second World War, large military training areas were established on Lüneburg Heath, including the largest one in Europe, the Bergen-Hohne Training Area on the Südheide. Here the heathland has largely been preserved, albeit no longer accessible to the general public.

A large area of the nature park belonging to the society near Schneverdingen was taken over by the British Army of the Rhine in 1945 for use as a tank training area. In the 1950s, during military exercises, British tanks even pushed forward as far as the Wilseder Berg. Not until the Soltau-Lüneburg Agreement, was signed in 1959 between the Federal Republic of Germany, the United Kingdom and Canada, were the boundaries of the tank training area fixed. Continual exercising over the area by armoured vehicles completely destroyed the vegetation on the Osterheide near Schneverdingen, forming large areas of sand dunes. In 1994, the British returned the so-called "Red Areas" of the Soltau-Lüneburg Training Area to the Nature Park Society who, with the help of money from the federal government, set about the work of renaturation. Nowadays hardly any traces of the tank training area are left. The base camp for military exercises, Reinsehlen Camp, has been turned into a nature reserve.

FOREST FIRE

In August 1975, fire broke out on the Südheide which turned out to be the biggest forest fire in West Germany to that date. Serious forest fires broke out in the southern part of the area near Stüde, Neudorf-Platendorf, Meinersen and then by Eschede near Celle, with devastating effects and fatalities.

TOURISM

Today the area is a popular tourist destination. Contributing to this are the theme park, Heidepark Soltau, the Walsrode Bird Park, the Serengeti Safari Park at Hodenhagen, Snow Dome Bispingen, and a Center Parc as well as the many farms offering holiday stays, making the Lüneburg Heath especially popular for families. Another group of tourists are the elderly on free guided bus tours (Kaffeefahrten), stopping for coffee and wool plaids at a farm before touring Lüneburg for an hour.

Kunststätte Bossard in the Nordheide near Jesteburg is an expressionist Gesamtkunstwerk open to the public.

The memorial/exhibition at the former Bergen-Belsen concentration camp near the town of Bergen is also located in the Lüneburg Heath.

WIKIPEDIA

Indonesia - Bali - Tirta Gangga Water Palace - Statue - 2bb by Manfred Sommer

Bali is an island and province of Indonesia. The province includes the island of Bali and a few smaller neighbouring islands, notably Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and Nusa Ceningan. It is located at the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, between Java to the west and Lombok to the east. Its capital of Denpasar is located at the southern part of the island.

With a population of 3,890,757 in the 2010 census, and 4,225,000 as of January 2014, the island is home to most of Indonesia's Hindu minority. According to the 2010 Census, 83.5% of Bali's population adhered to Balinese Hinduism, followed by 13.4% Muslim, Christianity at 2.5%, and Buddhism 0.5%.

Bali is a popular tourist destination, which has seen a significant rise in numbers since the 1980s. It is renowned for its highly developed arts, including traditional and modern dance, sculpture, painting, leather, metalworking, and music. The Indonesian International Film Festival is held every year in Bali.

Bali is part of the Coral Triangle, the area with the highest biodiversity of marine species. In this area alone over 500 reef building coral species can be found. For comparison, this is about 7 times as many as in the entire Caribbean. There is a wide range of dive sites with high quality reefs, all with their own specific attractions. Many sites can have strong currents and swell, so diving without a knowledgeable guide is inadvisable. Most recently, Bali was the host of the 2011 ASEAN Summit, 2013 APEC and Miss World 2013.

HISTORY

ANCIENT

Bali was inhabited around 2000 BC by Austronesian people who migrated originally from Southeast Asia and Oceania through Maritime Southeast Asia. Culturally and linguistically, the Balinese are closely related to the people of the Indonesian archipelago, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Oceania. Stone tools dating from this time have been found near the village of Cekik in the island's west.

In ancient Bali, nine Hindu sects existed, namely Pasupata, Bhairawa, Siwa Shidanta, Waisnawa, Bodha, Brahma, Resi, Sora and Ganapatya. Each sect revered a specific deity as its personal Godhead.

Inscriptions from 896 and 911 don't mention a king, until 914, when Sri Kesarivarma is mentioned. They also reveal an independent Bali, with a distinct dialect, where Buddhism and Sivaism were practiced simultaneously. Mpu Sindok's great granddaughter, Mahendradatta (Gunapriyadharmapatni), married the Bali king Udayana Warmadewa (Dharmodayanavarmadeva) around 989, giving birth to Airlangga around 1001. This marriage also brought more Hinduism and Javanese culture to Bali. Princess Sakalendukirana appeared in 1098. Suradhipa reigned from 1115 to 1119, and Jayasakti from 1146 until 1150. Jayapangus appears on inscriptions between 1178 and 1181, while Adikuntiketana and his son Paramesvara in 1204.

Balinese culture was strongly influenced by Indian, Chinese, and particularly Hindu culture, beginning around the 1st century AD. The name Bali dwipa ("Bali island") has been discovered from various inscriptions, including the Blanjong pillar inscription written by Sri Kesari Warmadewa in 914 AD and mentioning "Walidwipa". It was during this time that the people developed their complex irrigation system subak to grow rice in wet-field cultivation. Some religious and cultural traditions still practised today can be traced to this period.

The Hindu Majapahit Empire (1293–1520 AD) on eastern Java founded a Balinese colony in 1343. The uncle of Hayam Wuruk is mentioned in the charters of 1384-86. A mass Javanese emigration occurred in the next century.

PORTUGUESE CONTACTS

The first known European contact with Bali is thought to have been made in 1512, when a Portuguese expedition led by Antonio Abreu and Francisco Serrão sighted its northern shores. It was the first expedition of a series of bi-annual fleets to the Moluccas, that throughout the 16th century usually traveled along the coasts of the Sunda Islands. Bali was also mapped in 1512, in the chart of Francisco Rodrigues, aboard the expedition. In 1585, a ship foundered off the Bukit Peninsula and left a few Portuguese in the service of Dewa Agung.

DUTCH EAST INDIA

In 1597 the Dutch explorer Cornelis de Houtman arrived at Bali, and the Dutch East India Company was established in 1602. The Dutch government expanded its control across the Indonesian archipelago during the second half of the 19th century (see Dutch East Indies). Dutch political and economic control over Bali began in the 1840s on the island's north coast, when the Dutch pitted various competing Balinese realms against each other. In the late 1890s, struggles between Balinese kingdoms in the island's south were exploited by the Dutch to increase their control.

In June 1860 the famous Welsh naturalist, Alfred Russel Wallace, travelled to Bali from Singapore, landing at Buleleng on the northcoast of the island. Wallace's trip to Bali was instrumental in helping him devise his Wallace Line theory. The Wallace Line is a faunal boundary that runs through the strait between Bali and Lombok. It has been found to be a boundary between species of Asiatic origin in the east and a mixture of Australian and Asian species to the west. In his travel memoir The Malay Archipelago, Wallace wrote of his experience in Bali:

I was both astonished and delighted; for as my visit to Java was some years later, I had never beheld so beautiful and well-cultivated a district out of Europe. A slightly undulating plain extends from the seacoast about ten or twelve miles inland, where it is bounded by a fine range of wooded and cultivated hills. Houses and villages, marked out by dense clumps of coconut palms, tamarind and other fruit trees, are dotted about in every direction; while between them extend luxurious rice-grounds, watered by an elaborate system of irrigation that would be the pride of the best cultivated parts of Europe.

The Dutch mounted large naval and ground assaults at the Sanur region in 1906 and were met by the thousands of members of the royal family and their followers who fought against the superior Dutch force in a suicidal puputan defensive assault rather than face the humiliation of surrender. Despite Dutch demands for surrender, an estimated 200 Balinese marched to their death against the invaders. In the Dutch intervention in Bali, a similar massacre occurred in the face of a Dutch assault in Klungkung.

AFTERWARD THE DUTCH GOVERNORS

exercised administrative control over the island, but local control over religion and culture generally remained intact. Dutch rule over Bali came later and was never as well established as in other parts of Indonesia such as Java and Maluku.

n the 1930s, anthropologists Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson, artists Miguel Covarrubias and Walter Spies, and musicologist Colin McPhee all spent time here. Their accounts of the island and its peoples created a western image of Bali as "an enchanted land of aesthetes at peace with themselves and nature." Western tourists began to visit the island.

Imperial Japan occupied Bali during World War II. It was not originally a target in their Netherlands East Indies Campaign, but as the airfields on Borneo were inoperative due to heavy rains, the Imperial Japanese Army decided to occupy Bali, which did not suffer from comparable weather. The island had no regular Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL) troops. There was only a Native Auxiliary Corps Prajoda (Korps Prajoda) consisting of about 600 native soldiers and several Dutch KNIL officers under command of KNIL Lieutenant Colonel W.P. Roodenburg. On 19 February 1942 the Japanese forces landed near the town of Senoer [Senur]. The island was quickly captured.

During the Japanese occupation, a Balinese military officer, Gusti Ngurah Rai, formed a Balinese 'freedom army'. The harshness of war requisitions made Japanese rule more resented than Dutch rule. Following Japan's Pacific surrender in August 1945, the Dutch returned to Indonesia, including Bali, to reinstate their pre-war colonial administration. This was resisted by the Balinese rebels, who now used recovered Japanese weapons. On 20 November 1946, the Battle of Marga was fought in Tabanan in central Bali. Colonel I Gusti Ngurah Rai, by then 29 years old, finally rallied his forces in east Bali at Marga Rana, where they made a suicide attack on the heavily armed Dutch. The Balinese battalion was entirely wiped out, breaking the last thread of Balinese military resistance.

INDIPENDENCE FROM THE DUTCH

In 1946, the Dutch constituted Bali as one of the 13 administrative districts of the newly proclaimed State of East Indonesia, a rival state to the Republic of Indonesia, which was proclaimed and headed by Sukarno and Hatta. Bali was included in the "Republic of the United States of Indonesia" when the Netherlands recognised Indonesian independence on 29 December 1949.

CONTEMPORARY

The 1963 eruption of Mount Agung killed thousands, created economic havoc and forced many displaced Balinese to be transmigrated to other parts of Indonesia. Mirroring the widening of social divisions across Indonesia in the 1950s and early 1960s, Bali saw conflict between supporters of the traditional caste system, and those rejecting this system. Politically, the opposition was represented by supporters of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) and the Indonesian Nationalist Party (PNI), with tensions and ill-feeling further increased by the PKI's land reform programs. An attempted coup in Jakarta was put down by forces led by General Suharto.

The army became the dominant power as it instigated a violent anti-communist purge, in which the army blamed the PKI for the coup. Most estimates suggest that at least 500,000 people were killed across Indonesia, with an estimated 80,000 killed in Bali, equivalent to 5% of the island's population. With no Islamic forces involved as in Java and Sumatra, upper-caste PNI landlords led the extermination of PKI members.

As a result of the 1965/66 upheavals, Suharto was able to manoeuvre Sukarno out of the presidency. His "New Order" government reestablished relations with western countries. The pre-War Bali as "paradise" was revived in a modern form. The resulting large growth in tourism has led to a dramatic increase in Balinese standards of living and significant foreign exchange earned for the country. A bombing in 2002 by militant Islamists in the tourist area of Kuta killed 202 people, mostly foreigners. This attack, and another in 2005, severely reduced tourism, producing much economic hardship to the island.

GEOGRAPHY

The island of Bali lies 3.2 km east of Java, and is approximately 8 degrees south of the equator. Bali and Java are separated by the Bali Strait. East to west, the island is approximately 153 km wide and spans approximately 112 km north to south; administratively it covers 5,780 km2, or 5,577 km2 without Nusa Penida District, its population density is roughly 750 people/km2.

Bali's central mountains include several peaks over 3,000 metres in elevation. The highest is Mount Agung (3,031 m), known as the "mother mountain" which is an active volcano rated as one of the world's most likely sites for a massive eruption within the next 100 years. Mountains range from centre to the eastern side, with Mount Agung the easternmost peak. Bali's volcanic nature has contributed to its exceptional fertility and its tall mountain ranges provide the high rainfall that supports the highly productive agriculture sector. South of the mountains is a broad, steadily descending area where most of Bali's large rice crop is grown. The northern side of the mountains slopes more steeply to the sea and is the main coffee producing area of the island, along with rice, vegetables and cattle. The longest river, Ayung River, flows approximately 75 km.

The island is surrounded by coral reefs. Beaches in the south tend to have white sand while those in the north and west have black sand. Bali has no major waterways, although the Ho River is navigable by small sampan boats. Black sand beaches between Pasut and Klatingdukuh are being developed for tourism, but apart from the seaside temple of Tanah Lot, they are not yet used for significant tourism.

The largest city is the provincial capital, Denpasar, near the southern coast. Its population is around 491,500 (2002). Bali's second-largest city is the old colonial capital, Singaraja, which is located on the north coast and is home to around 100,000 people. Other important cities include the beach resort, Kuta, which is practically part of Denpasar's urban area, and Ubud, situated at the north of Denpasar, is the island's cultural centre.

Three small islands lie to the immediate south east and all are administratively part of the Klungkung regency of Bali: Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan. These islands are separated from Bali by the Badung Strait.

To the east, the Lombok Strait separates Bali from Lombok and marks the biogeographical division between the fauna of the Indomalayan ecozone and the distinctly different fauna of Australasia. The transition is known as the Wallace Line, named after Alfred Russel Wallace, who first proposed a transition zone between these two major biomes. When sea levels dropped during the Pleistocene ice age, Bali was connected to Java and Sumatra and to the mainland of Asia and shared the Asian fauna, but the deep water of the Lombok Strait continued to keep Lombok Island and the Lesser Sunda archipelago isolated.

CLIMATE

Being just 8 degrees south of the equator, Bali has a fairly even climate year round.

Day time temperatures at low elevations vary between 20-33⁰ C although it can be much cooler than that in the mountains. The west monsoon is in place from approximately October to April and this can bring significant rain, particularly from December to March. Outside of the monsoon period, humidity is relatively low and any rain unlikely in lowland areas.

ECOLOGY

Bali lies just to the west of the Wallace Line, and thus has a fauna that is Asian in character, with very little Australasian influence, and has more in common with Java than with Lombok. An exception is the yellow-crested cockatoo, a member of a primarily Australasian family. There are around 280 species of birds, including the critically endangered Bali myna, which is endemic. Others Include barn swallow, black-naped oriole, black racket-tailed treepie, crested serpent-eagle, crested treeswift, dollarbird, Java sparrow, lesser adjutant, long-tailed shrike, milky stork, Pacific swallow, red-rumped swallow, sacred kingfisher, sea eagle, woodswallow, savanna nightjar, stork-billed kingfisher, yellow-vented bulbul and great egret.

Until the early 20th century, Bali was home to several large mammals: the wild banteng, leopard and the endemic Bali tiger. The banteng still occurs in its domestic form, whereas leopards are found only in neighbouring Java, and the Bali tiger is extinct. The last definite record of a tiger on Bali dates from 1937, when one was shot, though the subspecies may have survived until the 1940s or 1950s. The relatively small size of the island, conflict with humans, poaching and habitat reduction drove the Bali tiger to extinction. This was the smallest and rarest of all tiger subspecies and was never caught on film or displayed in zoos, whereas few skins or bones remain in museums around the world. Today, the largest mammals are the Javan rusa deer and the wild boar. A second, smaller species of deer, the Indian muntjac, also occurs. Saltwater crocodiles were once present on the island, but became locally extinct sometime during the last century.

Squirrels are quite commonly encountered, less often is the Asian palm civet, which is also kept in coffee farms to produce Kopi Luwak. Bats are well represented, perhaps the most famous place to encounter them remaining the Goa Lawah (Temple of the Bats) where they are worshipped by the locals and also constitute a tourist attraction. They also occur in other cave temples, for instance at Gangga Beach. Two species of monkey occur. The crab-eating macaque, known locally as "kera", is quite common around human settlements and temples, where it becomes accustomed to being fed by humans, particularly in any of the three "monkey forest" temples, such as the popular one in the Ubud area. They are also quite often kept as pets by locals. The second monkey, endemic to Java and some surrounding islands such as Bali, is far rarer and more elusive is the Javan langur, locally known as "lutung". They occur in few places apart from the Bali Barat National Park. They are born an orange colour, though by their first year they would have already changed to a more blackish colouration. In Java however, there is more of a tendency for this species to retain its juvenile orange colour into adulthood, and so you can see a mixture of black and orange monkeys together as a family. Other rarer mammals include the leopard cat, Sunda pangolin and black giant squirrel.

Snakes include the king cobra and reticulated python. The water monitor can grow to at least 1.5 m in length and 50 kg and can move quickly.

The rich coral reefs around the coast, particularly around popular diving spots such as Tulamben, Amed, Menjangan or neighbouring Nusa Penida, host a wide range of marine life, for instance hawksbill turtle, giant sunfish, giant manta ray, giant moray eel, bumphead parrotfish, hammerhead shark, reef shark, barracuda, and sea snakes. Dolphins are commonly encountered on the north coast near Singaraja and Lovina.

A team of scientists conducted a survey from 29 April 2011 to 11 May 2011 at 33 sea sites around Bali. They discovered 952 species of reef fish of which 8 were new discoveries at Pemuteran, Gilimanuk, Nusa Dua, Tulamben and Candidasa, and 393 coral species, including two new ones at Padangbai and between Padangbai and Amed. The average coverage level of healthy coral was 36% (better than in Raja Ampat and Halmahera by 29% or in Fakfak and Kaimana by 25%) with the highest coverage found in Gili Selang and Gili Mimpang in Candidasa, Karangasem regency.

Many plants have been introduced by humans within the last centuries, particularly since the 20th century, making it sometimes hard to distinguish what plants are really native.[citation needed] Among the larger trees the most common are: banyan trees, jackfruit, coconuts, bamboo species, acacia trees and also endless rows of coconuts and banana species. Numerous flowers can be seen: hibiscus, frangipani, bougainvillea, poinsettia, oleander, jasmine, water lily, lotus, roses, begonias, orchids and hydrangeas exist. On higher grounds that receive more moisture, for instance around Kintamani, certain species of fern trees, mushrooms and even pine trees thrive well. Rice comes in many varieties. Other plants with agricultural value include: salak, mangosteen, corn, kintamani orange, coffee and water spinach.

ENVIRONMENT

Some of the worst erosion has occurred in Lebih Beach, where up to 7 metres of land is lost every year. Decades ago, this beach was used for holy pilgrimages with more than 10,000 people, but they have now moved to Masceti Beach.

From ranked third in previous review, in 2010 Bali got score 99.65 of Indonesia's environmental quality index and the highest of all the 33 provinces. The score measured 3 water quality parameters: the level of total suspended solids (TSS), dissolved oxygen (DO) and chemical oxygen demand (COD).

Because of over-exploitation by the tourist industry which covers a massive land area, 200 out of 400 rivers on the island have dried up and based on research, the southern part of Bali would face a water shortage up to 2,500 litres of clean water per second by 2015. To ease the shortage, the central government plans to build a water catchment and processing facility at Petanu River in Gianyar. The 300 litres capacity of water per second will be channelled to Denpasar, Badung and Gianyar in 2013.

ECONOMY

Three decades ago, the Balinese economy was largely agriculture-based in terms of both output and employment. Tourism is now the largest single industry in terms of income, and as a result, Bali is one of Indonesia's wealthiest regions. In 2003, around 80% of Bali's economy was tourism related. By end of June 2011, non-performing loan of all banks in Bali were 2.23%, lower than the average of Indonesian banking industry non-performing loan (about 5%). The economy, however, suffered significantly as a result of the terrorist bombings 2002 and 2005. The tourism industry has since recovered from these events.

AGRICULTURE

Although tourism produces the GDP's largest output, agriculture is still the island's biggest employer; most notably rice cultivation. Crops grown in smaller amounts include fruit, vegetables, Coffea arabica and other cash and subsistence crops. Fishing also provides a significant number of jobs. Bali is also famous for its artisans who produce a vast array of handicrafts, including batik and ikat cloth and clothing, wooden carvings, stone carvings, painted art and silverware. Notably, individual villages typically adopt a single product, such as wind chimes or wooden furniture.

The Arabica coffee production region is the highland region of Kintamani near Mount Batur. Generally, Balinese coffee is processed using the wet method. This results in a sweet, soft coffee with good consistency. Typical flavours include lemon and other citrus notes. Many coffee farmers in Kintamani are members of a traditional farming system called Subak Abian, which is based on the Hindu philosophy of "Tri Hita Karana". According to this philosophy, the three causes of happiness are good relations with God, other people and the environment. The Subak Abian system is ideally suited to the production of fair trade and organic coffee production. Arabica coffee from Kintamani is the first product in Indonesia to request a Geographical Indication.

TOURISM

The tourism industry is primarily focused in the south, while significant in the other parts of the island as well. The main tourist locations are the town of Kuta (with its beach), and its outer suburbs of Legian and Seminyak (which were once independent townships), the east coast town of Sanur (once the only tourist hub), in the center of the island Ubud, to the south of the Ngurah Rai International Airport, Jimbaran, and the newer development of Nusa Dua and Pecatu.

The American government lifted its travel warnings in 2008. The Australian government issued an advice on Friday, 4 May 2012. The overall level of the advice was lowered to 'Exercise a high degree of caution'. The Swedish government issued a new warning on Sunday, 10 June 2012 because of one more tourist who was killed by methanol poisoning. Australia last issued an advice on Monday, 5 January 2015 due to new terrorist threats.

An offshoot of tourism is the growing real estate industry. Bali real estate has been rapidly developing in the main tourist areas of Kuta, Legian, Seminyak and Oberoi. Most recently, high-end 5 star projects are under development on the Bukit peninsula, on the south side of the island. Million dollar villas are being developed along the cliff sides of south Bali, commanding panoramic ocean views. Foreign and domestic (many Jakarta individuals and companies are fairly active) investment into other areas of the island also continues to grow. Land prices, despite the worldwide economic crisis, have remained stable.

In the last half of 2008, Indonesia's currency had dropped approximately 30% against the US dollar, providing many overseas visitors value for their currencies. Visitor arrivals for 2009 were forecast to drop 8% (which would be higher than 2007 levels), due to the worldwide economic crisis which has also affected the global tourist industry, but not due to any travel warnings.

Bali's tourism economy survived the terrorist bombings of 2002 and 2005, and the tourism industry has in fact slowly recovered and surpassed its pre-terrorist bombing levels; the longterm trend has been a steady increase of visitor arrivals. In 2010, Bali received 2.57 million foreign tourists, which surpassed the target of 2.0–2.3 million tourists. The average occupancy of starred hotels achieved 65%, so the island is still able to accommodate tourists for some years without any addition of new rooms/hotels, although at the peak season some of them are fully booked.

Bali received the Best Island award from Travel and Leisure in 2010. The island of Bali won because of its attractive surroundings (both mountain and coastal areas), diverse tourist attractions, excellent international and local restaurants, and the friendliness of the local people. According to BBC Travel released in 2011, Bali is one of the World's Best Islands, ranking second after Santorini, Greece.

In August 2010, the film Eat Pray Love was released in theatres. The movie was based on Elizabeth Gilbert's best-selling memoir Eat, Pray, Love. It took place at Ubud and Padang-Padang Beach at Bali. The 2006 book, which spent 57 weeks at the No. 1 spot on the New York Times paperback nonfiction best-seller list, had already fuelled a boom in Eat, Pray, Love-related tourism in Ubud, the hill town and cultural and tourist center that was the focus of Gilbert's quest for balance through traditional spirituality and healing that leads to love.

In January 2016, after music icon David Bowie died, it was revealed that in his will, Bowie asked for his ashes to be scattered in Bali, conforming to Buddhist rituals. He had visited and performed in a number of Southest Asian cities early in his career, including Bangkok and Singapore.

Since 2011, China has displaced Japan as the second-largest supplier of tourists to Bali, while Australia still tops the list. Chinese tourists increased by 17% from last year due to the impact of ACFTA and new direct flights to Bali. In January 2012, Chinese tourists year on year (yoy) increased by 222.18% compared to January 2011, while Japanese tourists declined by 23.54% yoy.

Bali reported that it has 2.88 million foreign tourists and 5 million domestic tourists in 2012, marginally surpassing the expectations of 2.8 million foreign tourists. Forecasts for 2013 are at 3.1 million.

Based on Bank Indonesia survey in May 2013, 34.39 percent of tourists are upper-middle class with spending between $1,286 to $5,592 and dominated by Australia, France, China, Germany and the US with some China tourists move from low spending before to higher spending currently. While 30.26 percent are middle class with spending between $662 to $1,285.

SEX TOURISM

In the twentieth century the incidence of tourism specifically for sex was regularly observed in the era of mass tourism in Indonesia In Bali, prostitution is conducted by both men and women. Bali in particular is notorious for its 'Kuta Cowboys', local gigolos targeting foreign female tourists.

Tens of thousands of single women throng the beaches of Bali in Indonesia every year. For decades, young Balinese men have taken advantage of the louche and laid-back atmosphere to find love and lucre from female tourists—Japanese, European and Australian for the most part—who by all accounts seem perfectly happy with the arrangement.

By 2013, Indonesia was reportedly the number one destination for Australian child sex tourists, mostly starting in Bali but also travelling to other parts of the country. The problem in Bali was highlighted by Luh Ketut Suryani, head of Psychiatry at Udayana University, as early as 2003. Surayani warned that a low level of awareness of paedophilia in Bali had made it the target of international paedophile organisations. On 19 February 2013, government officials announced measures to combat paedophilia in Bali.

TRANSPORTATION

The Ngurah Rai International Airport is located near Jimbaran, on the isthmus at the southernmost part of the island. Lt.Col. Wisnu Airfield is found in north-west Bali.

A coastal road circles the island, and three major two-lane arteries cross the central mountains at passes reaching to 1,750m in height (at Penelokan). The Ngurah Rai Bypass is a four-lane expressway that partly encircles Denpasar. Bali has no railway lines.

In December 2010 the Government of Indonesia invited investors to build a new Tanah Ampo Cruise Terminal at Karangasem, Bali with a projected worth of $30 million. On 17 July 2011 the first cruise ship (Sun Princess) anchored about 400 meters away from the wharf of Tanah Ampo harbour. The current pier is only 154 meters but will eventually be extended to 300–350 meters to accommodate international cruise ships. The harbour here is safer than the existing facility at Benoa and has a scenic backdrop of east Bali mountains and green rice fields. The tender for improvement was subject to delays, and as of July 2013 the situation remained unclear with cruise line operators complaining and even refusing to use the existing facility at Tanah Ampo.

A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed by two ministers, Bali's Governor and Indonesian Train Company to build 565 kilometres of railway along the coast around the island. As of July 2015, no details of this proposed railways have been released.

On 16 March 2011 (Tanjung) Benoa port received the "Best Port Welcome 2010" award from London's "Dream World Cruise Destination" magazine. Government plans to expand the role of Benoa port as export-import port to boost Bali's trade and industry sector. The Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry has confirmed that 306 cruise liners are heading for Indonesia in 2013 – an increase of 43 percent compared to the previous year.

In May 2011, an integrated Areal Traffic Control System (ATCS) was implemented to reduce traffic jams at four crossing points: Ngurah Rai statue, Dewa Ruci Kuta crossing, Jimbaran crossing and Sanur crossing. ATCS is an integrated system connecting all traffic lights, CCTVs and other traffic signals with a monitoring office at the police headquarters. It has successfully been implemented in other ASEAN countries and will be implemented at other crossings in Bali.

On 21 December 2011 construction started on the Nusa Dua-Benoa-Ngurah Rai International Airport toll road which will also provide a special lane for motorcycles. This has been done by seven state-owned enterprises led by PT Jasa Marga with 60% of shares. PT Jasa Marga Bali Tol will construct the 9.91 kilometres toll road (totally 12.7 kilometres with access road). The construction is estimated to cost Rp.2.49 trillion ($273.9 million). The project goes through 2 kilometres of mangrove forest and through 2.3 kilometres of beach, both within 5.4 hectares area. The elevated toll road is built over the mangrove forest on 18,000 concrete pillars which occupied 2 hectares of mangroves forest. It compensated by new planting of 300,000 mangrove trees along the road. On 21 December 2011 the Dewa Ruci 450 meters underpass has also started on the busy Dewa Ruci junction near Bali Kuta Galeria with an estimated cost of Rp136 billion ($14.9 million) from the state budget. On 23 September 2013, the Bali Mandara Toll Road is opened and the Dewa Ruci Junction (Simpang Siur) underpass is opened before. Both are ease the heavy traffic congestion.

To solve chronic traffic problems, the province will also build a toll road connecting Serangan with Tohpati, a toll road connecting Kuta, Denpasar and Tohpati and a flyover connecting Kuta and Ngurah Rai Airport.

DEMOGRAPHICS

The population of Bali was 3,890,757 as of the 2010 Census; the latest estimate (for January 2014) is 4,225,384. There are an estimated 30,000 expatriates living in Bali.

ETHNIC ORIGINS

A DNA study in 2005 by Karafet et al. found that 12% of Balinese Y-chromosomes are of likely Indian origin, while 84% are of likely Austronesian origin, and 2% of likely Melanesian origin. The study does not correlate the DNA samples to the Balinese caste system.

CASTE SYSTEM

Bali has a caste system based on the Indian Hindu model, with four castes:

- Sudra (Shudra) – peasants constituting close to 93% of Bali's population.

- Wesia (Vaishyas) – the caste of merchants and administrative officials

- Ksatrias (Kshatriyas) – the kingly and warrior caste

- Brahmana (Bramhin) – holy men and priests

RELIGION

Unlike most of Muslim-majority Indonesia, about 83.5% of Bali's population adheres to Balinese Hinduism, formed as a combination of existing local beliefs and Hindu influences from mainland Southeast Asia and South Asia. Minority religions include Islam (13.3%), Christianity (1.7%), and Buddhism (0.5%). These figures do not include immigrants from other parts of Indonesia.

Balinese Hinduism is an amalgam in which gods and demigods are worshipped together with Buddhist heroes, the spirits of ancestors, indigenous agricultural deities and sacred places. Religion as it is practised in Bali is a composite belief system that embraces not only theology, philosophy, and mythology, but ancestor worship, animism and magic. It pervades nearly every aspect of traditional life. Caste is observed, though less strictly than in India. With an estimated 20,000 puras (temples) and shrines, Bali is known as the "Island of a Thousand Puras", or "Island of the Gods". This is refer to Mahabarata story that behind Bali became island of god or "pulau dewata" in Indonesian language.

Balinese Hinduism has roots in Indian Hinduism and Buddhism, and adopted the animistic traditions of the indigenous people. This influence strengthened the belief that the gods and goddesses are present in all things. Every element of nature, therefore, possesses its own power, which reflects the power of the gods. A rock, tree, dagger, or woven cloth is a potential home for spirits whose energy can be directed for good or evil. Balinese Hinduism is deeply interwoven with art and ritual. Ritualizing states of self-control are a notable feature of religious expression among the people, who for this reason have become famous for their graceful and decorous behaviour.

Apart from the majority of Balinese Hindus, there also exist Chinese immigrants whose traditions have melded with that of the locals. As a result, these Sino-Balinese not only embrace their original religion, which is a mixture of Buddhism, Christianity, Taoism and Confucianism, but also find a way to harmonise it with the local traditions. Hence, it is not uncommon to find local Sino-Balinese during the local temple's odalan. Moreover, Balinese Hindu priests are invited to perform rites alongside a Chinese priest in the event of the death of a Sino-Balinese. Nevertheless, the Sino-Balinese claim to embrace Buddhism for administrative purposes, such as their Identity Cards.

LANGUAGE

Balinese and Indonesian are the most widely spoken languages in Bali, and the vast majority of Balinese people are bilingual or trilingual. The most common spoken language around the tourist areas is Indonesian, as many people in the tourist sector are not solely Balinese, but migrants from Java, Lombok, Sumatra, and other parts of Indonesia. There are several indigenous Balinese languages, but most Balinese can also use the most widely spoken option: modern common Balinese. The usage of different Balinese languages was traditionally determined by the Balinese caste system and by clan membership, but this tradition is diminishing. Kawi and Sanskrit are also commonly used by some Hindu priests in Bali, for Hinduism literature was mostly written in Sanskrit.

English and Chinese are the next most common languages (and the primary foreign languages) of many Balinese, owing to the requirements of the tourism industry, as well as the English-speaking community and huge Chinese-Indonesian population. Other foreign languages, such as Japanese, Korean, French, Russian or German are often used in multilingual signs for foreign tourists.

CULTURE

Bali is renowned for its diverse and sophisticated art forms, such as painting, sculpture, woodcarving, handcrafts, and performing arts. Balinese cuisine is also distinctive. Balinese percussion orchestra music, known as gamelan, is highly developed and varied. Balinese performing arts often portray stories from Hindu epics such as the Ramayana but with heavy Balinese influence. Famous Balinese dances include pendet, legong, baris, topeng, barong, gong keybar, and kecak (the monkey dance). Bali boasts one of the most diverse and innovative performing arts cultures in the world, with paid performances at thousands of temple festivals, private ceremonies, or public shows.

The Hindu New Year, Nyepi, is celebrated in the spring by a day of silence. On this day everyone stays at home and tourists are encouraged to remain in their hotels. On the day before New Year, large and colourful sculptures of ogoh-ogoh monsters are paraded and finally burned in the evening to drive away evil spirits. Other festivals throughout the year are specified by the Balinese pawukon calendrical system.

Celebrations are held for many occasions such as a tooth-filing (coming-of-age ritual), cremation or odalan (temple festival). One of the most important concepts that Balinese ceremonies have in common is that of désa kala patra, which refers to how ritual performances must be appropriate in both the specific and general social context. Many of the ceremonial art forms such as wayang kulit and topeng are highly improvisatory, providing flexibility for the performer to adapt the performance to the current situation. Many celebrations call for a loud, boisterous atmosphere with lots of activity and the resulting aesthetic, ramé, is distinctively Balinese. Often two or more gamelan ensembles will be performing well within earshot, and sometimes compete with each other to be heard. Likewise, the audience members talk amongst themselves, get up and walk around, or even cheer on the performance, which adds to the many layers of activity and the liveliness typical of ramé.

Kaja and kelod are the Balinese equivalents of North and South, which refer to ones orientation between the island's largest mountain Gunung Agung (kaja), and the sea (kelod). In addition to spatial orientation, kaja and kelod have the connotation of good and evil; gods and ancestors are believed to live on the mountain whereas demons live in the sea. Buildings such as temples and residential homes are spatially oriented by having the most sacred spaces closest to the mountain and the unclean places nearest to the sea.

Most temples have an inner courtyard and an outer courtyard which are arranged with the inner courtyard furthest kaja. These spaces serve as performance venues since most Balinese rituals are accompanied by any combination of music, dance and drama. The performances that take place in the inner courtyard are classified as wali, the most sacred rituals which are offerings exclusively for the gods, while the outer courtyard is where bebali ceremonies are held, which are intended for gods and people. Lastly, performances meant solely for the entertainment of humans take place outside the walls of the temple and are called bali-balihan. This three-tiered system of classification was standardised in 1971 by a committee of Balinese officials and artists to better protect the sanctity of the oldest and most sacred Balinese rituals from being performed for a paying audience.

Tourism, Bali's chief industry, has provided the island with a foreign audience that is eager to pay for entertainment, thus creating new performance opportunities and more demand for performers. The impact of tourism is controversial since before it became integrated into the economy, the Balinese performing arts did not exist as a capitalist venture, and were not performed for entertainment outside of their respective ritual context. Since the 1930s sacred rituals such as the barong dance have been performed both in their original contexts, as well as exclusively for paying tourists. This has led to new versions of many of these performances which have developed according to the preferences of foreign audiences; some villages have a barong mask specifically for non-ritual performances as well as an older mask which is only used for sacred performances.

Balinese society continues to revolve around each family's ancestral village, to which the cycle of life and religion is closely tied. Coercive aspects of traditional society, such as customary law sanctions imposed by traditional authorities such as village councils (including "kasepekang", or shunning) have risen in importance as a consequence of the democratisation and decentralisation of Indonesia since 1998.

WIKIPEDIA

Sensing the Distress by ON BORROWED TIME

34 5

Compassion/Kindness

Compassion is sensing the distress of others, empathizing with them, and reaching out to them in specific ways to assist in alleviating their need. A godly, Christ-centered man must include compassion as a quality of his busy, success-oriented lifestyle. If you are married, strive to have compassion for your wife and children.

1. Our model for compassion is God himself.

Psalm 72:12–13 For he will deliver the needy when he cries for help, the afflicted also, and him who has no helper. He will have compassion on the poor and needy, and the lives of the needy he will save. (NASB)

Lamentations 3:21–23 This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. The LORD’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. (NASB)

Matthew 14:14 When He went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and felt compassion for them and healed their sick. (NASB)

Deuteronomy 30:3; Psalm 25:6; 51:1; Isaiah 49:10; 54:10; Micah 7:18–19; Matthew 15:32; 20:34; Luke 7:13; 10:33

2. Compassion for others is required.

Zechariah 7:9 This is what the LORD Almighty said: “Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.” (NIV)

Colossians 3:12–14 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. (NIV)

Proverbs 29:7; Philippians 2:1–3

3. Compassion must be expressed in tangible ways, not just talk or good intentions. Those who are able should share materially with others.

Proverbs 19:17 If you help the poor, you are lending to the LORD—and he will repay you! (NLT)

Psalm 41:1 Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the LORD delivers him. (ESV)

1 John 3:17 If we are rich and see others in need, yet close our hearts against them, how can we claim that we love God? (GNT)

Proverbs 11:25; Matthew 25:35–36; Luke 3:11; James 2:15–16

Biblical Narratives

• David to Saul, 1 Samuel 23:21

• David to Mephibosheth, 2 Samuel 9

• Jonah’s need, Jonah 4

• Nehemiah to Jerusalem, Nehemiah 1

• Jesus, Matthew 14:14; 15:32; 20:34; Mark 1:40–42

• Good Samaritan, Luke 10:25–37

Practical Steps

• Get your family involved in volunteer work for needy people. Make a list of those you know who are hurting; do something tangible to help.

• Study the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37), and write out ten specific applications reflecting present-day needs around you.

• List the number of times in the Gospels something is mentioned or modeled about compassion.

• Get involved in the lives of needy people through ministries such as Christmas shoe boxes or Angel Tree. Consider sponsoring a child through organizations such as Compassion International or Samaritan’s Purse.

• In showing compassion to your children, remember their age and the need to see things from their point of view. How can you show compassion in language they will understand?

• Make a list of coming events in your child’s life when you will need extra compassion (start of school, new baby coming, fear of illness, losing a game in sports, etc.).

Keith R. Miller, Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling Men (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2014), 72–74.

salt glass plate and crockery by Zeeshan butt

Indeed, there are as many uses for a heavy slab of Pink Himalayan salt as there are foods, cooking styles. The salt’s crystal lattice has a fairly high specific energy (energy per unit of mass), so it will tend to hold any temperature you bring it to for a good while. Also, due to its lack of porosity or moisture (.026%), the salt plates can be safely heated or chilled to virtually any extreme. We have tested them from 0°F up to 900°F.

Cooking with Himalayan salt Blocks, plates and bowls is the latest trend on the culinary scene. These cooking slabs can be used to grill, broil, or heat foods on the stove top, as well as serve chilled foods such as cheeses, fruits, and sushi.

Himalayan salt Blocks, plates and bowls are available in a wide range of sizes and shapes including small squares, large rectangular Blocks, round plates and salt bowls.

Himalayan salt Blocks, plates and bowls are composed of 100 percent pure salt that contains 84 natural minerals and trace elements. According to Global Healing Center, Himalayan salt is referred to as “white gold” because of its purity and health benefits.

A few of the health benefits offered include: promotion of stable pH balances, balanced blood sugar, improved circulation, prevention of cellulite, healthy libido, and support of respiratory functions.

Foods that are placed on the Blocks, plates and bowls absorb the salt and minerals which results in perfectly seasoned foods. Nearly anything that can be cooked in the oven, stove top, or grill can be cooked on a salt block. From fresh vegetables to steaks and fish to pizzas, this versatile vessel turns cooking into an adventure instead of a chore.

Uses for Himalayan Salt Blocks, Plates and Bowls:

Chilled Foods: Salt Blocks, plates and bowls are ideal for use as a chilled serving platter. For best results, they should be placed in the refrigerator or freezer overnight. The Blocks, plates and bowls will retain the chill for several hours, making them perfect for entertaining and outdoor parties.

Some of my favorite uses include serving moist cheeses like Brie and Mozzarella, Caprice salad, raw vegetables and dips, watermelon chunks, and sushi. Salt Blocks, plates and bowls are also a fun way to serve ice cream. Vanilla, chocolate, and coffee ice creams taste amazing when they absorb a hint of pure salt.

Seared Foods: Salt Blocks, plates and bowls can be preheated on stove top and grills and used to cook thin slices of meats, seafood, and vegetables.

Grilled Foods: Salt Blocks, plates and bowls take grilling to a new level and further intensify the flavor of grilled foods. The secret is to preheat the salt block using indirect heat for about 30 minutes. Pretty much anything that is cooked on the grill can be cooked on the salt block with the exception of fatty foods like bacon.

Stovetop Cooking: Salt Blocks, plates and bowls can be heated on gas and electric ranges. When using electric stovetops it’s recommended to use some sort of metal spacer between the burners and salt.

Salt Blocks, plates and bowls should be preheated over low-medium heat for about 15 minutes. Salt Blocks, plates and bowls can get extremely hot and they retain heat for long periods of time, so have thick pot holders nearby and always keep hot Blocks, plates and bowls out of the reach of children.

Oven Cooking: When it comes to cooking foods in the oven, it’s recommended to check with the manufacturer first. Some Himalayan salt Blocks, plates and bowls are only for use as serving trays and can explode in the oven, so make certain the one you use is safe for cooking.

When heating salt Blocks, plates and bowls in the oven, the recommended way to heat the block is to place it in a cold oven and heat to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the oven reaches 250 degrees, remove the salt and let cool for 30 minutes. Next, return the block to the oven and set the temperature at 400 to 450 degrees. Once the block reaches the desired temperature, remove from oven and cook foods on the heated block.

______________________

SALT DRINKING GLASSES:

Gurgling:

Just add warm water and gurgle.

You will be surprised how much more comfortable it is with our Himalayan Salt Glass.

Drinks:

The beautiful and functional set will be the perfect conversation starter for your party or decorative accent for your home. The set of six glasses and tray are an elegant work of art that will grace any sideboard or tabletop. Carved from naturally beautiful Himalayan pink crystal salt, the lovely striated pattern perfectly complements any decor. The naturally anti-bacterial surface requires minimal maintenance, and your long-lasting carved salt glasses will add elegance and fun to many. You’ll be amazed how the rich taste of Himalayan crystal salt enhances the flavor of your favorite drinks like table salt never did!

Simple cleaning: Just quickly rinse with water and dry with a paper towel

100% Natural

100% Organic

Carved from the finest food grade Himalayan salt

he best part about the Salt glass is that it adds saltines to any beverage you put in it. With the sodium content of Himalayan salt, the glass attempts to equalize the amount of sodium between the glass and the beverage giving you a burst of salty goodness without unhealthy iodized salt or even sea salt.If you freeze the glasses before using them, they’ll hold their cool temperature for up to 4 hours. You can serve cold drinks all night long at a party!

Cleaning Himalayan Salt Blocks, plates, bowls and glasses:

Since salt Blocks, plates and bowls are pure salt they will dissolve over time. It’s imperative to keep salt away from moisture and never immerse in a sink full of water or place inside a dishwasher. Instead, salt Blocks, plates and bowls can be cleaned with a damp cloth and dried with a towel. When Blocks, plates and bowls aren’t being used on a regular basis it’s best to wrap them in plastic wrap and store in a cool, dry location.

Storing. Once your salt block has been cleaned dry it with a paper towel. It is best to store it in a dry location. If you live in an area of high humidity wrap the salt block in paper towels and place in a sealed plastic bag.

Recycling Himalayan Salt Blocks, plates, bowls and glasses:

Over time, salt Blocks, plates and bowls will have pieces that break off. These salts can be ground using a pestle and mortar and sprinkled on foods. Chunks can also be used as therapeutic bath salts and pumice stones.

Specifications:

Size: small, medium, large and as per customer’s demand

Shape:Beside the pictures any shape and size is possible to craft on blocks, glasses, plates and bowls

Colors: Red, Reddish Orange, Light Orange and white salt

Packing: shrink wrapping on each product,air bubble packing, 4 ply inner, 7 ply master cartoons

Also available in Fancy, plain brown and custom Print Packaging

We also make custom shapes and designs according to given diagrams, not every design is possible to Craft on the Rock Salt, but we can try to make one of your choice.

A part of the beauty of our salt COOKWARE AND CROCKERY is that everyone is unique. While we can’t place a picture of every crockery on our website. By nature all of our handcrafted items are individually unique and no two are alike, so style, color, design, shape and of course the size, may vary from our photos and general guideline measurements. Being a natural product made by hand, weights and measurements are approximate.

6 June 82 by Steve 83010

2 2

I can recall a few specific details regarding this week. I'm not a great wordsmith so please bear with me on my ramblings!!

00.01 was a ferrying turn, an ad-hoc or anything not booked or needs shifting job, what may be termed a STP or VSTP in todays parlance.

Sunday 6th - Took 08647 to Saltley for re-fuelling.

Monday 7th booked a lieu day for organised Crewe Works staff visit.

Tuesday 8th - another lieu day, as a precaution that (if?) I was plastered I wouldn't be fit for work at 00.01!

Wednesday 9th - T251 was a 2nd man's diagram.

If I remember correct was, SC to Saltley, basically a railway minibus working as a taxi when no trains available. Prep loco, (47560) light engine to Oxley, pick up the ecs for the 06.45 Birmingham-Paddington 1V48.

Then pass to Coventry (which I would usually sit up front anyway) on 1O03 07.20 Liverpool-Poole, loco change at Coventry 2nd man on (86324) to New St via Stechford, Perry Barr and Soho and usually sit in Monument Lane loop until it's train arrives and then back it on, 1M11 possibly 07.50 Swansea-Manchester?

Thurs 10th - 45042 another boiler job beckons to Bristol. This was the Newcastle-Bristol TPO which at that time I think booked for an eth loco but the TPO vehicles had a fair few that were steam heat only. This was now a single manned Saltley driver's job so no 2nd man now rostered. No one had forwarded any information regarding the need for a 2nd man to work the boiler, not unusual in BR days. I was always ready and willing for some overtime and being an enthusiast a nice trip to Bristol on a peak was just the job, even at 2am!

Best of all I knew the driver and he offered me the seat, even though I hadn't driven anything but a dmu beyond Longbridge before. After a quick look around the shed at Bath Road, we were to work back with the first HST north. Again he let me "have a go", I couldn't believe it never drove one before (43187+43188) it was a beautiful sunny morning and I'll never forget driving up the Lickey bank breasting the summit at 70mph. Then to cap it all off 87019 on T251 for a 11.30am finish and a well earned and needed bed!!

aNarvik-coaches+ore-train by tisdalem2001

1

Malmbanan and Narvik, 27 and 28 March 1980

While I was touring Europe by rail in March 1980, I made up the trip as I went along, generally not planning more than a few days in advance where I was going. Often it depended on where I was and were I could get to overnight on a train.

I had a few specific goals, among them riding Le Mistral and the Rheingold, the premier trains of France and Germany at the time and both TEEs. I saw a new item about Italy's Paola-Cosenza rack line still running steam in Continental Railway Journal, so I included it in my trip. I wanted to see some of Switzerland and had a day when I rode the Gotthard, Simplon and Lotschberg lines in a day trip from Luzern, where I was staying, to Milan and back. The now well worn February 1980 copy of Cook's International Timetalbe now on the table next to me was invaluable for figuring all this out.

My Euirailpass had come with a rail map of Europe, showing the lines where the pass was valid, and something I'd noticed was a line in far northern Sweden and Norway ending at Narvik, on the Norwegian coast. I don't think I knew much about the line at the time, other than that it was above the Arctic Circle and was as far north as I could reach by rail in western Europe. (Wikipedia says its northernmost point is 68.452 degrees north latitude.) I've since gone through my collection of rail magazines and realized that I might have read about the line to Narvik before I went there, but at the time it was an abstraction, a far away place that might as well have been Olympus Mons or the Sea of Tranquility for me. Anyway, I don't think I had any clue of what to expect when I boarded the Nordpilen (Northern Arrow) in Stockholm the night of 26 March.

Cook's had shown me that the train to Narvik left Stockholm at 1632 and was due into Narvik at 1400 the following afternoon. It was not really a through train as the sleeper and couchettes from Stockholm only went as far as Kiruna. Meanwhile, it would have picked up some coaches and 3 of those would continue on from Kriuna to Narvik. The train was a classic overnight run with cars for various destinations as it left Stockholm as well as picking up cars along the way..

My notes say that out of Stockholm, we had a Rc4, three 2nd class and one 1st class coach for Ostersund, a self service diner, a 2nd class coach for Ange, two couchettes and a sleeper for Krruna and three sleepers and a couchette for Lulea..

I had food with me as European train food was often expensive and not all trains had food service. Cooks says the Nordpilen had a diner for dinner and as far as Kiruna for breakfast.

Normally, on overnight trips, I'd sleep in a first class coach compartment as I had a first class Eurailpass, but on the Nordpilen, I was in a couchette, an economy sleeper with 6 berth compartments. I probably slept like a rock...whether the other people in the compartment did with my snoring is another matter.

At some point in the morning we stopped at the Arctic Circle sign., I thought it was a signal stop at first, but then saw the sign out the window and I presume the stop was made so people could see it and get photos if they wanted.

Kiruna was the last major community in Sweden on our route and it turned out to be a major iron mining center and the reason for the line's existence. The railroad reached Kiruna in 1899 and then was pushed over the mountains to Narvik to give the ore an Atlantic Ocean port, being completed in 1903.

In addition to shedding the couhettes and sleeper from Stockholm and a coach-diner from Lulea in Kriuna, the Nordpilen swapped its Rc4 electric for a Da 1-C-1 jackshaft drive electric. The Da series dated from the 1950s, had about 2500 HP and a maximum speed of 100 km/h. This was more than adequate for the train and railroad between Kiruna and Narvik.

We left Kriuna on time at 1100 and headed into some very remote country. There were a few towns along the way, but to give you a feel for how small they are, the Nordpilen stops at Abisko, which has 85 people.

At about 1310, we stopped at Bjornfjell, just inside Norway and stayed there for a while. Up to that point, we'd been on time. We heard there was a derailment ahead. another train was in the station, also 3 cars behind a Da. This train was also headed for Narvik, and my notes say that it was coupled to the end of our train when we left. Cook's lists a train that left Kiruna at 0700, so if that was the train already in the station, it had been there a while.

I got off the train and took some photos of the trains, station and snowsheds. The station had a cafe and I warmed up with coffee from it. At the time, there was not a road from Narvik to Sweden through Bjornfjell, but that changed in 1984.

At about 1515, with the other train's Da locomotive run around to the end of the train, we headed west, with Da, 6 cars, Da. It is 40 km from Bjornfjell to Narvik and the line is called the Ofotbanan in Norway, although the whole route if frequently referred to by the Swedish Malmbanan.

Bjornfjell is at 514 meters elevation and the line drops to sea level at Narvik. The 40 km separating the two stations is one of the most spectacular routes anywhere in the world and only its remoteness keeps it from being as well known as the Moffat line out of Denver, Donner Pass or various Swiss mountain railways. It runs along Narvik Fjord and the whole trip is nothing short of gorgeous. As we were two hours late, we had late afternoon light, as well.

We stopped again at Katterat, about 10 km from Bjornfjell and met an uphill ore train and a passenger train, probably the Nordpilen, which was scheduled to leave Narvik at 1500. My notes say we were going again at 1650 and arrived in Narvik at 1728, 3 1/2 hours late.

Railroading above the Arctic Circle presents challenges!

Several of us walked from the station to the hostel. I remember talking to one woman who lived somewhere near Narvik that would require a ferry ride to get to and the last ferry had already left for the evening, so she was spending the night at the hostel.

After getting checked in and having dinner, I went out and got photos of the sunset and the lights on the harbor. As this was after the spring equinox and we were above the Arctic Circle, the sky still had color at 10 at night.

The next day (28 March), I explored Narvik. Its main reason for being is as the port for the ore, and is the biggest community in the area with 20,000 people. The photos aren't really in order by time, but I grouped them by location with the station, ore dock and general harbor and city scenes together. My notes say that in addition to ore trains with the 3 unit jackshaft drive Dm3 electrics and NSB class 15s, I saw an NSB DMU train depart, then the Nordpilen arrive, although I don't seem to have a photo of the Nordpilen's arrival.

The Dm3s were quite a sight, They were 3 unit 1'D+D+D'1 jackshaft drive engines built from 1954 to 1971. The last were retired in 2011, but some are preserved. They had 9,700 HP and were geared for a maximum speed of 75 km/h. Not speed demons, but they got the ore up and down the mountain for decades.

The Nordpilen left on time at 1500, and afforded another sightseeing trip up the fjord. My notes say that the train's 5 cars filled up when we stopped at various Swedish stations with skiers. 28 March was a Friday, so, perhaps, people were also going from remote towns into larger communities for the weekend.

I switched to a couchette at Kiruna. We left almost on time at 1825, having replaced the Da with an Rc4 and added 3 couchettes and a sleeper (or maybe it was 2 and 2, I wasn't sure about one car) and a diner-coach. The coaches and diner would be taken off at Boden and continue to the port city of Lulea on the Gulf of Bothnia. Aslo at Boden, sleepers and couchettes from Lulea would be added to the train for the run to Stockholm.

After 3 days of beautiful weather in Stockholm and the far north, the weather turned wet. The Nordpilen arrived in Stockholm around 1315, which would have been maybe 5 minutes late. With the wet weather, I just hung around Stockholm station until my next train was due to leave, the 1547 train to Malmo and Copenhagen, which had a through cars to Hamburg and Berlin, the Berlin car being a Mitropa sleeper. (Mitropa was the East German sleeping dand dining car company.)

On the trip south from Stockholm, I rode in the the through car to Hamburg, a DB 1st/2nd composite car. It was packed. It seemed that a Danish gymnastic team had missed an earlier train and was on this one. I wound up on a jump seat in the aisle. At one point, someone saw me reading the International Herald-Tribune and asked if she could see it when I was done. When I said "Sure" she exclaimed, "He's American!" in shock, which got some laughs. Several of the gymnasts and I got to talking and I swapped addresses with one of them, whom I visited the following year.

After Copenhagen, I had a compartment to myself in the Copenhagen-Konstanz coach and rode that to Frankfurt overnight.

With Norwegian Airlines offering cheap flights on Oslo and Stockholm from Oakland, I have been itching to get back to Scandinavia and have another go at the Malmbanan. No Dm3s these days, but heavy ore trains still run along the fjord and I'd like a few days to do some linesiding at the little stations where we stopped. Perhaps when I retire.

Ngā Manaaki by Anton Forde by siberfi

14 2

Ngā Manaaki is a site-specific installation, inspired by the land and philosophy of Brick Bay.

Composed of a formation of 44 individual contemporary pou with a commanding presence on the hillside, this artwork explores the concept of manaakitanga – a broad and expansive term encompassing the notions of support, care, protection, hospitality, respect and generosity. Perhaps the most profound meaning in the Brick Bay context is the act of caretaking, whether it is for the whenua, for others, or one’s own wellbeing.

As Forde explains:

“The whakapapa / genealogy of this work is grounded in the philosophy of Brick Bay…the Didsbury whānau, the whenua, the reality of sustainability and the connecting mahi toi are all relevant aspects when we link the ability to leave a legacy to our whānau and in turn the wider world. At present we are seeing a real shift in our approach to using land and water as a resource. At Brick Bay I feel this approach has been embedded in whenua / land and tangata / people for many years, and the legacy is whakapapa.”

The pou are carved from sustainably sourced Australian hardwoods ((jarrah, ironbark, eucalyptus) and the dazzling spectrum of colour creates movement and vibrancy across the installation. The varying shades give each pou a unique identity, together with the wood grains which roam over the pou like fingerprints. Furthermore, the distinctive poise and pose of each figure, the carved korowai tāniko (cloak design) and the individual pounamu taonga (greenstone pendants) are marks of self-expression and individualism. There is a deliberate move away from uniformity; rather there is a celebration of diversity, and we are reminded that the subtleties of a person such as expression and gesture are what make up their character.

PCM - Amosite Asbestos Fiber Bundles by Asbestorama

Captured image showing microscopic asbestos fibers (bundles) and other ambient particles under 400x magnification using Phase-Contrast Microscopy (PCM) optical illumination method.

Although certain technical fiber-counting rules prohibit identification of specific fiber types using the PCM technique, this particular example depicts a reference slide with a known type of fiber; in this case, amosite asbestos fibers. Note characteristic parallel splitting, straightness, narrow width, and splayed ends of the fibers (fiber bundles).

The visible "fibers" in the image are actually bundles of yet further bundles of "fibers". One of the more distinguishing features of asbestos is its incredible capability to subdivide into increasingly smaller and thinner fibers (far beyond the resolution of this microscopy method); until the fiber might possibly reach its ultimate particle size: the theoretical, individual unit fibril (on the order of angstroms and nanometers).

Among other scientific applications, PCM is a fairly common, standard analytical technique utilized for testing air monitoring samples for airborne fiber concentrations pertaining to asbestos-related work, such as projects related to: abatement, repair, clean-up, worker exposure, ambient background, etc.

Further, PCM equipment is relatively inexpensive, portable, and sturdy enough that it can be setup directly on many project sites, a particularly convenient advantage. This testing method is currently so routine, that if one is familiar with an asbestos abatement work project that has occurred, occurring or will occur, it's quite likely that PCM air monitoring analysis is/was involved.

However, while PCM is used as an acceptable standard method for determining worker exposure levels to airborne fiber concentrations and for "clearance" of post-abatement work areas, there are a number of significant issues regarding over-reliance on PCM for airborne asbestos fiber detection.

One main cause for concern are serious limitations of PCM's optical resolution. Unknown quantities of asbestos fibers too small or too thin may not be discernible using PCM, but are easily detected using more advanced, sensitive and asbestos-specific imaging techniques such as transmission-electron microscopy (TEM). This situation could allow possible false "clearance" of an asbestos abatement work area using PCM, when in reality TEM analyses may find airborne asbestos fibers "too small" for PCM detection and subsequently fail the "clearance".

Moreover, also considering potential for wide ranges of analysts' variances in reporting results, PCM may be considered simply more as a "screening" method and possibly inadequate for truly accurate analyses of airborne asbestos fiber concentrations; another debate that typically boils down to "Cost vs. Health" and method limitations.

Also depicted, partially shown, is a standardized Walton-Beckett graticule with incremental graduated x-y axes measured in micrometer units (microns); diameter is approx. 100-µm across. Encircling the graticule area are measured scale markers in 3:1 length-to-width aspect ratio for visual reference. The green color is from a green-tinted light interference filter.

aNarvik-fjord+town by tisdalem2001