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© ajpscs
On life's journey faith is nourishment, virtuous deeds are a shelter, wisdom is the light by day and right mindfulness is the protection by night. If a man lives a pure life, nothing can destroy him.
Buddha
“her wistful pale face
is listless + laced
with a virtuous veil
transparent + frail”
words by - gaminefille.tumblr.com
california
Taken at Eagleby Wetland Reserve.
The black swan is an Australian icon. The official emblem of Western Australia, depicted in the state flag and coat-of-arms, it decorates several public buildings. The bird is also the namesake for Perth’s Swan River, where the British established the Swan River Colony in 1829.
Native to Australia, the black swan or Cygnus atratus can be found across the mainland, and right now, the breeding season of the black swan is in full swing across southern Australia, having recently ended in the north.
The once mythical Black Swan has long been used to illustrate extreme contrast: e.g. In the first century CE, Roman satirist Juvenal referred to a good wife as a “rare bird in the earth, and very like a black swan”.
Casual misogyny aside, this shows it used as a figure of speech for something absurd or preposterous — like pigs flying, or getting blood from a stone.
The ballet Swan Lake was inspired by a long tradition of European fairy tales depicting Swan Maidens, but Tchaikovsky also played on the myth of identifying white with purity and black with corruption:
Prince Siegfried falls in love with Odette, the innocent and virtuous white swan. But he is tricked into promising himself to her double, the seductive and malevolent black swan Odile.
These days - the “black swan” metaphor, coined in the 2007 NYT bestseller ‘The Black Swan’ by Nassim Taleb - has become fashionable as a label for virtually all low probability/high impact events as ‘black swan events’!
(With help from articles in ‘The Conversation’.)
Gulfstream Park is a racetrack and county-approved casino in Hallandale Beach, Florida. During its annual meet, which spans December through October, it is one of the most important venues for horse racing in the United States.
Gulfstream Park was opened on Wednesday February 1, 1939 conducting a four-day meeting. The initial meeting had a crowd of 18,000. In 1944, the track was reopened by James Donn, Sr. for a 20-day meeting in December. The Gulfstream Park Handicap was first run in 1946 and the Florida Derby began in 1952. In that year the clubhouse was built and the Grandstand seating was expanded.
In 1952 the clubhouse was erected and a new addition was put on the grandstand. It also marked the first running of the Florida Derby. The following year, the Florida Derby became the first stakes in Florida with a $100,000 purse.
The 1955 Kentucky Derby winner and Horse of the Year Swaps set a then world-record of 1:39 3/5 for a mile and 70 yards while carrying 130 pounds in the Broward Handicap. The following year was just as exciting at Gulfstream when Gen. Duke equaled the world record of 1:46 4/5 in defeating Bold Ruler in the Florida Derby.
In 1959, a new era at Gulfstream began with the opening of its world-acclaimed turf course. In 1961, James Donn Jr. became president of Gulfstream. It also marked the construction of what was then the world's largest tote board.
Following the death of his father, James Donn Jr., Doug Donn was elected Gulfstream Park's president.
In 1961, James Donn Jr. succeeded his father as president of Gulfstream Park. In this year the Clubhouse was enlarged and the then-world's largest totalisator board was installed in the infield. A big break for Gulfstream Park came in 1972, when the track was awarded "middle dates" for a 40-day January through April meet.
In 1980, Hall of Fame rider Angel Cordero Jr. set a meeting record with 60 winners.
In 1982, the Grandstand was renovated with new architecture and in 1984 the renovation of the clubhouse was completed. In 1986, the renovation of the track was completed with the new Gulfdome, a domed dining terrace. In 1989 Gulfstream Park hosted the Breeders Cup for the first time (which it did again in 1992 and 1999).
Gulfstream played host its first Breeders' Cup World Championships in 1989, highlighted by the Classic match-up between Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Sunday Silence and Belmont Stakes winner Easy Goer. Gulfstream would host the Breeders' Cup again in 1992.
In 1990, the track was purchased by Bertram R. Firestone.
Jockey Julie Krone took the jockey's title in 1993 with 98 winners. In 1994, Holy Bull won the Florida Derby while, in 1995, Cigar won the Donn Handicap and Gulfstream Park Handicap on his way to a perfect season. Meanwhile, '95 Florida Derby winner Thunder Gulch would go on to win the Kentucky Derby. Monarchos would repeat Thunder Gulch's feat in 2001.
In 1994, a half interest in the track was sold to Nigashi Nihon.
The track was purchased by Magna Entertainment Corporation, in 1999 for $95 million. In 2010, the ownership of the track was taken over by Magna parent MI Developments Inc. (MID). The track is currently owned by The Stronach Group since July 3, 2011.
Hal's Hope, winner of the 2000 Florida Derby, would return in 2002 to win the Gulfstream Park Handicap. The 2002 season was also highlighted by the first running of the popular Sunshine Millions, pitting Florida-breds vs. California-breds for purses totaling $3.6 million. Palm Meadows, Gulfstream's state-of-the-art training facility in Palm Beach County, was opened on Nov. 29, 2002.
Trainer Todd Pletcher started his unprecedented run of nine consecutive training titles in 2004.
The track began a $130 million renovation of the grandstand and clubhouse in 2004 and slot machines were approved for the track in 2004. It now hosts all of the races in the series of races known as the Sunshine Millions. The series now consists of the:
Sunshine Millions Classic
Sunshine Millions Turf Stakes
Sunshine Millions Distaff
Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf
Sunshine Millions Sprint
In 2006, Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey rode his last race aboard Silver Tree in the Sunshine Millions and the great Barbaro would win the Florida Derby before making headlines with his victory in the Kentucky Derby.
The renovation, first effective for the 2006 spring meeting, was heavily criticized by racegoers and commentators, who felt that the new racino laid its emphasis entirely on the casino part, destroying the racetrack's atmosphere.
In June, 2011, Tim Ritvo was named President and General Manager of Gulfstream Park Racing & Casino. He was a prominent jockey and racing official at Suffolk Downs in the 1980s before establishing himself in the 1990s as a leading Florida trainer. Ritvo has also served as Vice President and Director of the Florida Horsemen's Benevolent & Protective Association.
In April, 2012, Javier Castellano, who collected his first Gulfstream title by riding a record 112 winners, scored his 3000th career success aboard Virtuously on Feb. 24 and Todd Pletcher, who claimed an unprecedented ninth consecutive training title at Gulfstream with 72 trips to the winner's circle, recorded his 3,000 career victory when he saddled Spring Hill Farm for a winning performance on Feb. 11.
In 2012, Stronach Group named Tim Ritvo, Chief Operating Officer of its Racing Division.
March 2, 2020 Tim Ritvo stepped down as COO of Stronach Group operated tracks, which include the troubled Santa Anita racetrack in California. He left to “pursue other opportunities.”
Credit for the data above is given to the following websites:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulfstream_Park
www.gulfstreampark.com/shopping
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.
This old bent gate (in County Antrim, Northern Ireland) sits on a lane that mustn't have been used for many years - it's completely overgrown. The main purpose now seems to be keeping the sheep in, rather than providing a means of access for the farmer.
Jesus once said:
Enter ye in at the strait [an old English word meaning "narrow"] gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (Matthew 7:13-14)
We live in a world where there appear to be no absolutes. Things which once were considered immoral, and even illegal, today are deemed not only tolerable, but virtuous. Literally "anything goes" - provided that the majority agrees that it is acceptable.
The same approach is often adopted when it comes to the matter of salvation - or where we will spend eternity. Many seem content to simply follow where the majority goes, instead of asking, "What has God said?".
Jesus warned that simply "going with the flow", whilst easy, will ultimately lead to disaster!
During my last day of shooting in Le Puy-en-Velay (March 9, 2023), I managed to complete all the subjects that required additional photography, and to extensively shoot the last item on my bucket list, i.e., the spectacular Saint-Michel d’Aiguilhe chapel which I will show in a few days.
My first goal was to photograph the “inner” statuary in the canons’ cloister, i.e. the items that are only visible from the central space (préau in French), as opposed to the galleries. In monasteries, that space was often used as an herb garden, particularly when safe space was at a premium elsewhere. However, in the case of Le Puy and its secular canons, very often the offspring from the wealthiest families, there were other sources of supply, should herbs be needed, and aside from framing the central well, the purpose assigned to that space was most probably very similar to what it is now: a pleasure garden.
Bearing that in mind (and, no doubt, the designers of the cloister did), it is not surprising that we should find, on this inner side, one of the wildest collections of monsters, devils and sinners ever devised by the fertile imagination of Mediæval sculptors: while meditation in the galleries took place among virtuous and God-pleasing representations, the canons (or those who cared, at least) were reminded by that gallery of monsters and vices that basking leisurely in the sun in the garden wasn’t too good for their karma, if I dare say.
This other very interesting part of the frieze shows a man with a distraught face surrounded by dæmonic monsters.
Yūrei – The Japanese Ghost.
KABUKI theater plays an important role in the history of yūrei, and yūrei play an important role in the history of kabuki. Nearly every play has at least one ghost.
Kabuki began when a woman called Okuni performed a provocative dance on a dry river-bottom in Kyoto in 1603. Along the way kabuki changed: later, only men were allowed to perform it. Kabuki is theater for the common people, whereas nō existed for the elite. Kabuki draws it’s ideas from anything that excites the audience.
The first ghost appeared in kabuki already in 1698, but horror stories exploded into great success only in 1744, when Onoe Matsusuke I scared the audience in a play written by Tsuruya Nanboku IV. In the play a maiden passionately in love transforms into a serpent and kills a virtuous young priest. The special effects were unprecedented.
Today a yūrei’s makeup in kabuki is called aiguma, and it is a strongly exaggerated version of Ōkyo Maruyama ghost of Oyuki. The makeup appears also in modern horror movies, where special effects technology has given completely new possibilities, for example, for showing a yūrei’s wild hair.
futoiyatsu.wordpress.com/articles-in-english/there-is-a-y...
Most dangerous chocolate cake in the world.
Why dangerous I hear you ask? Because you make it in the same am of time it takes to make a cup of tea so you will never be more than 5 minutes away from chocolate cake again... You have been warned.
You will need:
4 tablespoons flour (I used self raising)
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil (I used vegetable)
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
A small splash of vanilla essence
1 large coffee mug
Add dry ingredients to your largest mug and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips (if using), vanilla essence , then mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts (high).
The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!
Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.
EAT! (this can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous).
This photo was taken two days ago, on 11 October 2015, during a morning walk in very high winds, at Lafarge Meadows, Fish Creek Park, with friends. The hope that the juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron might still be at a small pond or perched high up in a nearby tree was enough to make me get up early and push me out the front door. Also, I wondered if the rare (in Alberta) Hooded Warbler might still be around in that area. No sign of the Night Heron (maybe it was sheltering from the strong wind), but we did see the little Warbler again. It is such a difficult bird to spot and photograph, though I did end up with a single shot - I think even worse than the photo I posted the other day, lol! This little White-breasted Nuthatch was seen near the beginning of our walk. I'm supposed to be doing a lot more walking, so I felt virtuous by the time I got back home.
I will add our leader, Howard Heffler's report of the outing:
Even though it was Thanksgiving, six people showed up for a walk from the boat ramp to Lafarge Meadows. Of course the Hooded Warbler that had been reported by several observers all week was a good reason to be a bit late to get the turkey in the oven. And good fortune prevailed as we had excellent, albeit fleeting, views of this little cutie! Other highlights included a Northern Shrike perched near the top of snag beside the trail and a Rough-legged Hawk riding the riding the wind on the other side of the Bow River. We recorded 26 species:
Canada Goose 9
Gadwall 4
American Wigeon 207
Mallard 40
Lesser Scaup 65
Bufflehead 12
Common Goldeneye 3
Common Merganser 1
Pied-billed Grebe 2
Great Blue Heron 1
Bald Eagle 2
Rough-legged Hawk 1
American Coot 400
Greater Yellowlegs 5
Ring-billed Gull 50
Rock Pigeon 3
Downy Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker 2
Northern Shrike 1
Black-billed Magpie 6
American Crow 30
Common Raven 4
Black-capped Chickadee 4
White-breasted Nuthatch 2
European Starling 40
Hooded Warbler 1
Howard Heffler
During my last day of shooting in Le Puy-en-Velay (March 9, 2023), I managed to complete all the subjects that required additional photography, and to extensively shoot the last item on my bucket list, i.e., the spectacular Saint-Michel d’Aiguilhe chapel which I will show in a few days.
My first goal was to photograph the “inner” statuary in the canons’ cloister, i.e. the items that are only visible from the central space (préau in French), as opposed to the galleries. In monasteries, that space was often used as an herb garden, particularly when safe space was at a premium elsewhere. However, in the case of Le Puy and its secular canons, very often the offspring from the wealthiest families, there were other sources of supply, should herbs be needed, and aside from framing the central well, the purpose assigned to that space was most probably very similar to what it is now: a pleasure garden.
Bearing that in mind (and, no doubt, the designers of the cloister did), it is not surprising that we should find, on this inner side, one of the wildest collections of monsters, devils and sinners ever devised by the fertile imagination of Mediæval sculptors: while meditation in the galleries took place among virtuous and God-pleasing representations, the canons (or those who cared, at least) were reminded by that gallery of monsters and vices that basking leisurely in the sun in the garden wasn’t too good for their karma, if I dare say.
The inner “pleasure garden” with its well. The giant statue of the Virgin and Child on the Corneille Rock in the background is from the 19th century (I’m sure its unmistakable general ugliness helped you guess right), made of bronze from 200+ cannons captured from the Russians at the battle of Sebastopol.
When visiting here,I always feel something to close to awe that I can not express well...
location : Kyoto Kochidani (northern area of Ohara) Amidaji temple,Kyoto city .Kyoto prefecture,Japan
即身仏（ミイラ仏/ 京都で唯一ここのみ）弾誓上人のお寺
京都大原 古知谷 光明山法国院 阿弥陀寺
ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%98%BF%E5%BC%A5%E9%99%80%E5%AF%BA_( in Japanese)
The temple belongs to the Pure Land of Jodo-shu Sect of Buddhism,crowned with the mountain name of Kochidani-Komyozan古知谷光明山.
The high priest Tanzei 弾誓 established the temple in 1609 as a training hall for sutra chanting.The priest was born in present Aichi Prefecture and entered priesthood at age of 9. He journeyed during his training before he settled down here.
The priest "became a Buddha in his own body ( starved himself to death) " in 1613 in the age of 63.
His mummified remains ,now deified were placed in a coffin and enshrined even today in the founder's cave in the far back of main hall. The statue of priest Tanzei is said to be have been created by the priest himself using his own hair and it referred to as the "revered statue with hair" It is placed in the main hall as the principal deity. The sitting statue of Amitabha Tathagata (Important Cultural Asset) is enshrined in the temple's treasure house along with invaluable items donated by Imperial relatives.
A stone cavern called Chozen-kutsu澄禅窟 is located on the top of the mountain in the back ,where the high priest Chozen 澄禅 came to this temple as he deeply admired the virtuous late priest Tanzai.
- Amidaji temple
Canon EOS M5/ EF-M18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM /
ƒ/8.0 34.0 mm 1/8sec ISO200 /all manual (no editing)
/handheld
Kathina-Robe Offering is a wonderful Buddhist tradition that has been preserved for thousands of years since the Buddha’s time. It is a practice establisฟhed by the Buddha permitting the lay community to make a respectful offering of robes to monks who have spent three months during Buddhist Lent purifying their mind and body. The objective as envisioned by the Buddha was to foster harmony in the monastic community and to allow virtuous monks with torn robes to receive new sets.
During my last day of shooting in Le Puy-en-Velay (March 9, 2023), I managed to complete all the subjects that required additional photography, and to extensively shoot the last item on my bucket list, i.e., the spectacular Saint-Michel d’Aiguilhe chapel which I will show in a few days.
My first goal was to photograph the “inner” statuary in the canons’ cloister, i.e. the items that are only visible from the central space (préau in French), as opposed to the galleries. In monasteries, that space was often used as an herb garden, particularly when safe space was at a premium elsewhere. However, in the case of Le Puy and its secular canons, very often the offspring from the wealthiest families, there were other sources of supply, should herbs be needed, and aside from framing the central well, the purpose assigned to that space was most probably very similar to what it is now: a pleasure garden.
Bearing that in mind (and, no doubt, the designers of the cloister did), it is not surprising that we should find, on this inner side, one of the wildest collections of monsters, devils and sinners ever devised by the fertile imagination of Mediæval sculptors: while meditation in the galleries took place among virtuous and God-pleasing representations, the canons (or those who cared, at least) were reminded by that gallery of monsters and vices that basking leisurely in the sun in the garden wasn’t too good for their karma, if I dare say.
As I mentioned before, some of the keystones are decorated; maybe all of them were in the 1100s when the cloister was built. Here there is a half-dog, half-human monster with the head and hands of a woman.
Virgos and Valkyries
In years gone past, as thunder rode a stark and blackened sky
in Thor’s abode lived Valkyrie’s, women such as I.
Virtuous, valiant, shield maidens, brought victors on high
Virgo’s, surely, sisters all, who ordered those who died.
Judges true of pure intent whose honor none belied
for all of life seeks order, if chaos would be denied.
An independent nature every Virgo’s does maintain
with thoughts of selfless causes and the shunning of acclaim.
With fire and fidelity your Virgo’s never tame
but, you can trust a Virgo’s, a Valkyrie all the same…
~Debbie Guzzi
During my last day of shooting in Le Puy-en-Velay (March 9, 2023), I managed to complete all the subjects that required additional photography, and to extensively shoot the last item on my bucket list, i.e., the spectacular Saint-Michel d’Aiguilhe chapel which I will show in a few days.
My first goal was to photograph the “inner” statuary in the canons’ cloister, i.e. the items that are only visible from the central space (préau in French), as opposed to the galleries. In monasteries, that space was often used as an herb garden, particularly when safe space was at a premium elsewhere. However, in the case of Le Puy and its secular canons, very often the offspring from the wealthiest families, there were other sources of supply, should herbs be needed, and aside from framing the central well, the purpose assigned to that space was most probably very similar to what it is now: a pleasure garden.
Bearing that in mind (and, no doubt, the designers of the cloister did), it is not surprising that we should find, on this inner side, one of the wildest collections of monsters, devils and sinners ever devised by the fertile imagination of Mediæval sculptors: while meditation in the galleries took place among virtuous and God-pleasing representations, the canons (or those who cared, at least) were reminded by that gallery of monsters and vices that basking leisurely in the sun in the garden wasn’t too good for their karma, if I dare say.
A particularly ugly winged monster.
Christian Movie | God Is the Way, the Truth, and the Life | "The Mystery of Godliness: The Sequel"
www.holyspiritspeaks.org/videos/the-mystery-of-godliness-...
Lin Bo'en is an old preacher who has believed in the Lord for many decades. Since accepting Almighty God, Christ of the last days, he was convicted, excluded, and expelled from the religious community by the pastors and elders, the antichrist forces. But even though Lin Bo'en was attacked, convicted, and framed, he did not shrink back in fear. Rather, his faith became more resolute than ever, and this led him to finally understand that the pastors and elders of the religious world were faking a virtuous appearance. At the same time, he came to know that only Christ is the truth, the way, and the life, and only Christ can save and purify and perfect man. Because of this, he was resolved to follow Christ, bear witness for Christ, and do his utmost to pursue the truth, to seek to transform his disposition so that he could become a true witness for God. Once the Chinese Communist Party discovered that Lin Bo'en was released from prison and had not changed, that he had not renounced his faith in the slightest bit and even believed in the Eastern Lightning , that he went everywhere to testify that the Lord Jesus had come again and that He was Almighty God, the CCP listed him as wanted and went to arrest him. Lin Bo'en was forced to leave his family, and in each place he testified to Almighty God's work in the last days, he was able to lead a lot of sincere, good-natured believers to God's side. This video gives an account of Lin Bo'en's true story of spreading the gospel and testifying for God.
Terms of Use en.godfootsteps.org/disclaimer.html
Gulfstream Park is a racetrack and county-approved casino in Hallandale Beach, Florida. During its annual meet, which spans December through October, it is one of the most important venues for horse racing in the United States.
Gulfstream Park was opened on Wednesday February 1, 1939 conducting a four-day meeting. The initial meeting had a crowd of 18,000. In 1944, the track was reopened by James Donn, Sr. for a 20-day meeting in December. The Gulfstream Park Handicap was first run in 1946 and the Florida Derby began in 1952. In that year the clubhouse was built and the Grandstand seating was expanded.
In 1952 the clubhouse was erected and a new addition was put on the grandstand. It also marked the first running of the Florida Derby. The following year, the Florida Derby became the first stakes in Florida with a $100,000 purse.
The 1955 Kentucky Derby winner and Horse of the Year Swaps set a then world-record of 1:39 3/5 for a mile and 70 yards while carrying 130 pounds in the Broward Handicap. The following year was just as exciting at Gulfstream when Gen. Duke equaled the world record of 1:46 4/5 in defeating Bold Ruler in the Florida Derby.
In 1959, a new era at Gulfstream began with the opening of its world-acclaimed turf course. In 1961, James Donn Jr. became president of Gulfstream. It also marked the construction of what was then the world's largest tote board.
Following the death of his father, James Donn Jr., Doug Donn was elected Gulfstream Park's president.
In 1961, James Donn Jr. succeeded his father as president of Gulfstream Park. In this year the Clubhouse was enlarged and the then-world's largest totalisator board was installed in the infield. A big break for Gulfstream Park came in 1972, when the track was awarded "middle dates" for a 40-day January through April meet.
In 1980, Hall of Fame rider Angel Cordero Jr. set a meeting record with 60 winners.
In 1982, the Grandstand was renovated with new architecture and in 1984 the renovation of the clubhouse was completed. In 1986, the renovation of the track was completed with the new Gulfdome, a domed dining terrace. In 1989 Gulfstream Park hosted the Breeders Cup for the first time (which it did again in 1992 and 1999).
Gulfstream played host its first Breeders' Cup World Championships in 1989, highlighted by the Classic match-up between Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Sunday Silence and Belmont Stakes winner Easy Goer. Gulfstream would host the Breeders' Cup again in 1992.
In 1990, the track was purchased by Bertram R. Firestone.
Jockey Julie Krone took the jockey's title in 1993 with 98 winners. In 1994, Holy Bull won the Florida Derby while, in 1995, Cigar won the Donn Handicap and Gulfstream Park Handicap on his way to a perfect season. Meanwhile, '95 Florida Derby winner Thunder Gulch would go on to win the Kentucky Derby. Monarchos would repeat Thunder Gulch's feat in 2001.
In 1994, a half interest in the track was sold to Nigashi Nihon.
The track was purchased by Magna Entertainment Corporation, in 1999 for $95 million. In 2010, the ownership of the track was taken over by Magna parent MI Developments Inc. (MID). The track is currently owned by The Stronach Group since July 3, 2011.
Hal's Hope, winner of the 2000 Florida Derby, would return in 2002 to win the Gulfstream Park Handicap. The 2002 season was also highlighted by the first running of the popular Sunshine Millions, pitting Florida-breds vs. California-breds for purses totaling $3.6 million. Palm Meadows, Gulfstream's state-of-the-art training facility in Palm Beach County, was opened on Nov. 29, 2002.
Trainer Todd Pletcher started his unprecedented run of nine consecutive training titles in 2004.
The track began a $130 million renovation of the grandstand and clubhouse in 2004 and slot machines were approved for the track in 2004. It now hosts all of the races in the series of races known as the Sunshine Millions. The series now consists of the:
Sunshine Millions Classic
Sunshine Millions Turf Stakes
Sunshine Millions Distaff
Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf
Sunshine Millions Sprint
In 2006, Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey rode his last race aboard Silver Tree in the Sunshine Millions and the great Barbaro would win the Florida Derby before making headlines with his victory in the Kentucky Derby.
The renovation, first effective for the 2006 spring meeting, was heavily criticized by racegoers and commentators, who felt that the new racino laid its emphasis entirely on the casino part, destroying the racetrack's atmosphere.
In June, 2011, Tim Ritvo was named President and General Manager of Gulfstream Park Racing & Casino. He was a prominent jockey and racing official at Suffolk Downs in the 1980s before establishing himself in the 1990s as a leading Florida trainer. Ritvo has also served as Vice President and Director of the Florida Horsemen's Benevolent & Protective Association.
In April, 2012, Javier Castellano, who collected his first Gulfstream title by riding a record 112 winners, scored his 3000th career success aboard Virtuously on Feb. 24 and Todd Pletcher, who claimed an unprecedented ninth consecutive training title at Gulfstream with 72 trips to the winner's circle, recorded his 3,000 career victory when he saddled Spring Hill Farm for a winning performance on Feb. 11.
In 2012, Stronach Group named Tim Ritvo, Chief Operating Officer of its Racing Division.
March 2, 2020 Tim Ritvo stepped down as COO of Stronach Group operated tracks, which include the troubled Santa Anita racetrack in California. He left to “pursue other opportunities.”
Credit for the data above is given to the following websites:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulfstream_Park
www.gulfstreampark.com/shopping
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.
Date: December 2025
Medium: Digital Photomontage
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
Dimensions: 15” x 20”
© 2025 Tony DeVarco
Credit: Julia Margaret Cameron (British, born India, 1815 - 1879), photographer "Christabel (May Prinsep)" (detail), 1866. collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1429589/christabel-photograph...
From The Victoria and Albert Museum collection note on this Cameron photograph: "In late 1865, Julia Margaret Cameron began using a larger camera. It held a 15 x 12 inch glass negative, rather than the 12 x 10 inch negative of her first camera. Early the next year she wrote to Henry Cole with great enthusiasm – but little modesty – about the new turn she had taken in her work.
Cameron initiated a series of large-scale, closeup heads that fulfilled her photographic vision. She saw them as a rejection of ‘mere conventional topographic photography – map-making and skeleton rendering of feature and form’ in favour of a less precise but more emotionally penetrating form of portraiture. Cameron also continued to make narrative and allegorical tableaux, which were larger and bolder than her previous efforts.
In the poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Christabel is a virtuous maiden who is put under a spell by an evil sorceress. Cameron wrote of photographs such as this, ‘When coming to something which, to my eye, was very beautiful, I stopped there instead of screwing on the lens to the more definite focus which all other photographers insist upon’."
Together we’re building a new identity ecosystem, a globally recognized universal biometric ID blockchain system. It will be a biometric smartchip ID that will be tracked worldwide by AI to solve the 17 sustainable development goals.
The Mark of the Beast is a Certification Mark of authentication (the new global standard), affirming that all who are involved with this new global biometric digital ID blockchain are compliant with the core principles of the 17 Sustainable Development goals, which have been adopted by all the United Nations Member States. No one will be able to buy or sell or do anything in society without this Certification Mark. This Mark will now become mandatory for all. Without it, you will be arrested.
Through the means of a microchip implant we will be able to eradicate human trafficking (we cause the crisis, and then we offer you the solution). Every kind of supposed virtuous cause will be exploited to promote the 666 Beastchip. Climate change…take the smartchip…blah, blah, blah. Refugees…take the smartchip…blah, blah, blah. Human rights…take the smartchip…blah, blah, blah. Fight poverty…take the smartchip…blah, blah, blah. For the sake of equality, inclusiveness, and sustainability…take the smartchip…blah, blah, blah.
www.accenture.com/us-en/services/blockchain/digital-identity
Romanian postcard by Casa Filmului Acin, no. 33102.
French actor of Spanish origin ,b>Louis de Funès (1914 – 1983) was one of the giants of French comedy alongside André Bourvil and Fernandel. In many of his over 130 films, he portrayed a humorously excitable, cranky man with a propensity to hyperactivity, bad faith, and uncontrolled fits of anger. Along with his short height (1.63 m) and his facial contortions, this hyperactivity produced a highly comic effect, especially opposite Bourvil, who always played calm, slightly naive, good-humored men.
Louis de Funès (French pronunciation: [lwi də fynɛs]) was born Louis Germain David de Funès de Galarza in Courbevoie, France in 1914. His father, Carlos Luis de Funès de Galarza had been a lawyer in Seville, Spain, but became a diamond cutter upon arriving in France. His mother, Leonor Soto Reguera was of Spanish and Portuguese extraction. Since the couple's families opposed their marriage, they settled in France in 1904. Known to friends and intimates as ‘Fufu’, the young de Funès was fond of drawing and piano playing and spoke French, Spanish and English well. He studied at the prestigious Lycée Condorcet in Paris. He showed a penchant for tomfoolery, something which caused him trouble at school and later made it hard for him to hold down a job. He became a pianist, working mostly as a jazz pianist at Pigalle, the famous red-light district. There he made his customers laugh each time he made a grimace. He studied acting for one year at the Simon acting school. It proved to be a waste of time except for his meeting with actor Daniel Gélin, who would become a close friend. In 1936, he married Germaine Louise Elodie Carroyer with whom he had a son, Daniel (1937). In 1942, they divorced. During the occupation of Paris in the Second World War, he continued his piano studies at a music school, where he fell in love with a secretary, Jeanne Barthelémy de Maupassant, a grandniece of the famous author Guy de Maupassant. They married in 1943 and remained together for forty years, until de Funès' death in 1983. The pair had two sons: Patrick (1944) and Olivier (1947). Patrick became a doctor who now practices in Saint-Germain en Laye. Olivier was an actor for a while, known for the son roles in his father's films, including Le Grand Restaurant/The Big Restaurant (1966, Jacques Besnard), Fantômas se déchaine/Fantomas Strikes Back (1965, André Hunebelle) starring Jean Marais, Les Grandes Vacances/The Big Vacation (1967, Jean Girault), and Hibernatus (1969, Edouard Molinaro) with Claude Gensac as De Funès’ wife, a role she played in many of his films. Olivier later worked as an aviator for Air France Europe.
Through the early 1940's, Louis de Funès continued playing piano at clubs, thinking there wasn't much call for a short, balding, skinny actor. His wife and Daniel Gélin encouraged him to overcome his fear of rejection. De Funès began his show business career in the theatre, where he enjoyed moderate success. At the age of 31, thanks to his contact with Daniel Gélin, he made his film debut with an uncredited bit part as a porter in La Tentation de Barbizon/The Temptation of Barbizon (1945, Jean Stelli) starring Simone Renant. For the next ten years, de Funès would appear in fifty films, but always in minor roles, usually as an extra, scarcely noticed by the audience. Sometimes he had a supporting part such as in the Fernandel comedy Boniface somnambule/The Sleepwalker (1951, Maurice Labro) and the comedy-drama La vie d'un honnête homme/The Virtuous Scoundrel (1953, Sacha Guitry) starring Michel Simon. In the meanwhile he pursued a theatrical career. Even after he attained the status of film star, he continued to play theatre. His stage career culminated in a magnificent performance in the play Oscar, a role which he would later reprise in the film version of 1967. During this period, De Funès developed a pattern of daily activities: in the morning he did dubbing for recognized artists such as Renato Rascel and the Italian comic Totò, during the afternoon he worked in film, and in the theater in the evening. A break came when he appeared as the black-market pork butcher Jambier (another small role) in the well-known WWII comedy, La Traversée de Paris/ Four Bags Full (1956, Claude Autant-Lara) starring Jean Gabin and Bourvil. In his next film, the mediocre comedy Comme un cheveu sur la soupe/ Crazy in the Noodle (1957, Maurice Régamey), De Funès finally played the leading role. More interesting was Ni vu, ni connu/Neither Seen Nor Recognized (1958, Yves Robert). He achieved stardom with the comedy Pouic-Pouic (1963, Jean Girault) opposite Mireille Darc. This success film guaranteed de Funès top billing in all of his subsequent films.
Between 1964 and 1979, Louis de Funès topped France's box-office of the year's most successful films seven times. At the age of 49, De Funès unexpectedly became a superstar with the international success of two films. Fantômas (1964, André Hunebelle) was France's own answer to the James Bond frenzy and lead to a trilogy co-starring Jean Marais and Mylène Demongeot. The second success was the crime comedy Le gendarme de Saint-Tropez/The Gendarme of St. Tropez (1964, Jean Girault) with Michel Galabru. After their first successful collaboration on Pouic-Pouic, director Girault had perceived de Funès as the ideal actor to play the part of the accident prone gendarme. The film lead to a series of six 'Gendarme' films. De Funès's collaboration with director Gérard Oury produced a memorable tandem of de Funès with Bourvil, another great comic actor, in Le Corniaud/The Sucker (1964, Gérard Oury). The successful partnership was repeated two years later in La Grande Vadrouille/Don't Look Now - We're Being Shot At (1966, Gérard Oury), one of the most successful and the largest grossing film ever made in France, drawing an audience of 17,27 million. It remains his greatest success. Oury envisaged a further reunion of the two comics in his historical comedy La Folie des grandeurs/Delusions of Grandeur (1970, Gérard Oury), but Bourvil's death in 1970 led to the unlikely pairing of de Funès with Yves Montand in this film. Very succesful, even in the USA, was Les aventures de Rabbi Jacob/The Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacob (1973, Gérard Oury) with Suzy Delair. De Funès played a bigoted Frenchman who finds himself forced to impersonate a popular rabbi while on the run from a group of assassins. In 1975, Oury had scheduled to make Le Crocodile/The Crocodile with de Funès as a South American dictator, but in March 1975, the actor was hospitalized for heart problems and forced to take a rest from acting. The Crocodile project was canceled.
After his recovery, Louis de Funès collaborated with Claude Zidi, in a departure from his usual image. Zidi wrote for him L'aile ou la cuisse/The Wing and the Thigh (1976, Claude Zidi), opposite Coluche as his son. He played a well-known gourmet and publisher of a famous restaurant guide, who is waging a war against fast food entrepreneur. It was a new character full of nuances and frankness and arguably the best of his roles. In 1980, de Funès realised a long-standing dream to make a film version of Molière's play, L'Avare/The Miser (1980, Louis de Funès, Jean Girault). In 1982, De Funès made his final film, Le Gendarme et les gendarmettes/Never Play Clever Again (1982, Tony Aboyantz, Jean Girault). Unlike the characters he played, de Funès was said to be a very shy person in real life. He became a knight of France's Légion d'honneur in 1973. He resided in the Château de Clermont, a 17th-century monument, located in the commune of Le Cellier, which is situated near Nantes in France. In his later years, he suffered from a heart condition after having suffered a heart attack caused by straining himself too much with his stage antics. Louis de Funès died of a massive stroke in 1983, a few months after making Le Gendarme et les gendarmettes. He was laid to rest in the Cimetière du Cellier, the cemetery situated in the grounds of the château. Films de France: “Although fame was a long time coming, Louis de Funès is regarded today as not just a great comic actor with an unfaltering ability to make his audience laugh, but practically an institution in his own right. His many films bear testimony to the extent of his comic genius and demonstrate the tragedy that he never earned the international recognition that he certainly deserved.”
Sources: Steve Shelokhonov (IMDb), Films de France, Wikipedia and IMDb.
The Political Assassination of Robert LaVoy Finicum
VIDEO :
LaVoy Finicum Tribute
Robert LaVoy Finicum (January 27, 1961 – January 26, 2016) was a spokesman for the Citizens for Constitutional Freedom.
Robert Lavoy Finicum was Shot and murdered in Cold blood 26 January 2016 in Burns Oregon by the FBI and State Law enforcement. He had his hands up and was shot 3 Times. This Man Is one of the best Patriots, Husband, Father, Grandfather, friend and Neighbor, that this world will ever know.
Liberty has been created by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and it is our responsibility to learn how to use this liberty appropriately, then to defend it, suffer for it and even die for it. If we don’t do these things, the blessings and privileges of this God given liberty will be lost to all that opposes truth and light. Robert Lavoy Finicum understood this. He upheld his responsibility to appropriately learn how to use liberty. He then defended it, suffered for it and was murdered for liberty. LaVoy's legacy of learning how to appropriately use his God given liberty began years ago as he practiced daily diligence in the things that refined and educated himself. He invited all who had an ear to listen to also do the work required to become informed on this topic of liberty because he understood the principle that one cannot give that which he or she does not have.
It is imperative to understand how liberty requires not just the structures of freedom such as constitution and law, but the 'spirit of liberty'. LaVoy, as do his family, understand how despite while the structures of liberty such as constitution and law can by established for centuries, that the 'spirit of liberty' must be alive from generation to generation and if a generation arises that does not understand liberty as a habit of the heart, then freedom is in danger of being lost.
Liberty is not the freedom to do what you want but the power to do what you ought. Freedom requires virtue. The founders understood this as we read of John Adams bold statement of how, "only a virtuous people are capable of freedom."
I'm pretty good, am I?
Quick version of Snake as he appears in MGS3: Snake Eater.
I realize that I had a first attempt of a camo and hair with a bandana I sculpted some time ago so I combined the two things and PUFF! a Snake came out.
As always tell me what you think and if you have any ideas for upcoming MGS figs like Ocelot or Solid Snake or whatever,
Cheers
Davide
stained glass window in the Neo-Gothic church in Kylemore Abbey containing the virtuous images of Fortitude, Faith, Charity, Hope, and Chastity.
Gulfstream Park is a racetrack and county-approved casino in Hallandale Beach, Florida. During its annual meet, which spans December through October, it is one of the most important venues for horse racing in the United States.
Gulfstream Park was opened on Wednesday February 1, 1939 conducting a four-day meeting. The initial meeting had a crowd of 18,000. In 1944, the track was reopened by James Donn, Sr. for a 20-day meeting in December. The Gulfstream Park Handicap was first run in 1946 and the Florida Derby began in 1952. In that year the clubhouse was built and the Grandstand seating was expanded.
In 1952 the clubhouse was erected and a new addition was put on the grandstand. It also marked the first running of the Florida Derby. The following year, the Florida Derby became the first stakes in Florida with a $100,000 purse.
The 1955 Kentucky Derby winner and Horse of the Year Swaps set a then world-record of 1:39 3/5 for a mile and 70 yards while carrying 130 pounds in the Broward Handicap. The following year was just as exciting at Gulfstream when Gen. Duke equaled the world record of 1:46 4/5 in defeating Bold Ruler in the Florida Derby.
In 1959, a new era at Gulfstream began with the opening of its world-acclaimed turf course. In 1961, James Donn Jr. became president of Gulfstream. It also marked the construction of what was then the world's largest tote board.
Following the death of his father, James Donn Jr., Doug Donn was elected Gulfstream Park's president.
In 1961, James Donn Jr. succeeded his father as president of Gulfstream Park. In this year the Clubhouse was enlarged and the then-world's largest totalisator board was installed in the infield. A big break for Gulfstream Park came in 1972, when the track was awarded "middle dates" for a 40-day January through April meet.
In 1980, Hall of Fame rider Angel Cordero Jr. set a meeting record with 60 winners.
In 1982, the Grandstand was renovated with new architecture and in 1984 the renovation of the clubhouse was completed. In 1986, the renovation of the track was completed with the new Gulfdome, a domed dining terrace. In 1989 Gulfstream Park hosted the Breeders Cup for the first time (which it did again in 1992 and 1999).
Gulfstream played host its first Breeders' Cup World Championships in 1989, highlighted by the Classic match-up between Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Sunday Silence and Belmont Stakes winner Easy Goer. Gulfstream would host the Breeders' Cup again in 1992.
In 1990, the track was purchased by Bertram R. Firestone.
Jockey Julie Krone took the jockey's title in 1993 with 98 winners. In 1994, Holy Bull won the Florida Derby while, in 1995, Cigar won the Donn Handicap and Gulfstream Park Handicap on his way to a perfect season. Meanwhile, '95 Florida Derby winner Thunder Gulch would go on to win the Kentucky Derby. Monarchos would repeat Thunder Gulch's feat in 2001.
In 1994, a half interest in the track was sold to Nigashi Nihon.
The track was purchased by Magna Entertainment Corporation, in 1999 for $95 million. In 2010, the ownership of the track was taken over by Magna parent MI Developments Inc. (MID). The track is currently owned by The Stronach Group since July 3, 2011.
Hal's Hope, winner of the 2000 Florida Derby, would return in 2002 to win the Gulfstream Park Handicap. The 2002 season was also highlighted by the first running of the popular Sunshine Millions, pitting Florida-breds vs. California-breds for purses totaling $3.6 million. Palm Meadows, Gulfstream's state-of-the-art training facility in Palm Beach County, was opened on Nov. 29, 2002.
Trainer Todd Pletcher started his unprecedented run of nine consecutive training titles in 2004.
The track began a $130 million renovation of the grandstand and clubhouse in 2004 and slot machines were approved for the track in 2004. It now hosts all of the races in the series of races known as the Sunshine Millions. The series now consists of the:
Sunshine Millions Classic
Sunshine Millions Turf Stakes
Sunshine Millions Distaff
Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf
Sunshine Millions Sprint
In 2006, Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey rode his last race aboard Silver Tree in the Sunshine Millions and the great Barbaro would win the Florida Derby before making headlines with his victory in the Kentucky Derby.
The renovation, first effective for the 2006 spring meeting, was heavily criticized by racegoers and commentators, who felt that the new racino laid its emphasis entirely on the casino part, destroying the racetrack's atmosphere.
In June, 2011, Tim Ritvo was named President and General Manager of Gulfstream Park Racing & Casino. He was a prominent jockey and racing official at Suffolk Downs in the 1980s before establishing himself in the 1990s as a leading Florida trainer. Ritvo has also served as Vice President and Director of the Florida Horsemen's Benevolent & Protective Association.
In April, 2012, Javier Castellano, who collected his first Gulfstream title by riding a record 112 winners, scored his 3000th career success aboard Virtuously on Feb. 24 and Todd Pletcher, who claimed an unprecedented ninth consecutive training title at Gulfstream with 72 trips to the winner's circle, recorded his 3,000 career victory when he saddled Spring Hill Farm for a winning performance on Feb. 11.
In 2012, Stronach Group named Tim Ritvo, Chief Operating Officer of its Racing Division.
March 2, 2020 Tim Ritvo stepped down as COO of Stronach Group operated tracks, which include the troubled Santa Anita racetrack in California. He left to “pursue other opportunities.”
Credit for the data above is given to the following websites:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulfstream_Park
www.gulfstreampark.com/shopping
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.
The Crystal Heart Festival is NOW OPEN!
Need a super secret hideout, to chill with your girls, while making battle plans?
I got you covered!! I've had this idea in mind for ages. I always feel like the bad guys have a secret hideout, but what about the good guys!?
So, I've made a super secret bunker type hideout for all the SHEroes, Heroes, and Magical Girls to plot those virtuous plans to save the world!
OR… you can make yourself a really cute Babe Cave instead – We won’t judge.
The exterior of the Magical Hideaway is a non-descript mossy rock landform - making it easy for you to assimilate your hideout into virtually any environment. Disregard the slightly weathered Wanted: Dead or Alive poster, its all part of some seriously clever misdirection ♡
The entrance of the hideaway is seamlessly hidden to the left of the Wanted poster, simply click the area to activate the sliding rock wall and quickly escape your enemies!
The interior is a stark contrast from the exterior, with Neon Lights, and Pink for daaaaaaaaays!
It's everything that magical dreams are made of ♡
The Magical Hideaway is 34 Land Impact and comes with Copy & Modify permissions. With intermediate building skills you can tint, unlink, and edit to your hearts content -
allowing you to perfect your hideout to suit your imagination.
I hope you enjoy this release as much as I have in making it for you, be sure to stop by The Crystal Heart Festival to grab your own ♡
Don't forget to wear your {moss&mink} VIP tags for 30% off!
<3 Cielo
Check out the preview on YouTube ♡
Teleport to The Crystal Heart Festival
Is the event full?! Teleport to the DEMO at {moss&mink}
During my last day of shooting in Le Puy-en-Velay (March 9, 2023), I managed to complete all the subjects that required additional photography, and to extensively shoot the last item on my bucket list, i.e., the spectacular Saint-Michel d’Aiguilhe chapel which I will show in a few days.
My first goal was to photograph the “inner” statuary in the canons’ cloister, i.e. the items that are only visible from the central space (préau in French), as opposed to the galleries. In monasteries, that space was often used as an herb garden, particularly when safe space was at a premium elsewhere. However, in the case of Le Puy and its secular canons, very often the offspring from the wealthiest families, there were other sources of supply, should herbs be needed, and aside from framing the central well, the purpose assigned to that space was most probably very similar to what it is now: a pleasure garden.
Bearing that in mind (and, no doubt, the designers of the cloister did), it is not surprising that we should find, on this inner side, one of the wildest collections of monsters, devils and sinners ever devised by the fertile imagination of Mediæval sculptors: while meditation in the galleries took place among virtuous and God-pleasing representations, the canons (or those who cared, at least) were reminded by that gallery of monsters and vices that basking leisurely in the sun in the garden wasn’t too good for their karma, if I dare say.
Another interesting example of symbolic Romanesque statuary on these two well-sheltered capitals that have come to us almost unscathed.
[Moving from left to right.]
1. CONFUCIUS:
This symbol does not just represent the Master Confucius, but everything he stood for – righteousness and internal harmony. Confucius is seen to embody these six aspects of a virtuous life:
• Yi – Righteousness and moral rectitude
• Xin - Honesty and trustworthiness in one’s dealings
• Chung - Loyalty to the State and one’s community
• Li – Respect for ritual, propriety, etiquette, and proper behaviour
• Hsiao - Love within the family, love of parents for their children, and love of children for their parents with special emphasis on the respect of one’s ancestors
• Jen – Benevolence and lovingkindness towards one another. This is the most important Confucian virtue: “Do not do unto others what you would not want them to do to you.”
2. WATER:
In Chinese philosophy water is seen as the life force, but particularly associated with calmness and serenity, fluidity and flexibility. One might remember the Kung Fu master Bruce Lee once saying in a famous interview, “Be water my friend.” Water always molds itself to fit the circumstances around which it flows, while at the same time having the strength to wear away any resisting force.
3. SCHOLAR:
The importance of learning. Here Confucius himself is the model. The essence of being a full human being is that one is scholarly in all pursuits. Learn to show yourself approved. The scholar is always learning, growing and improving. This is the antithesis of intellectual laziness and explains why cultures influenced by Confucius prize education above all endeavours.
4. YIN YANG:
The most famous symbol in Chinese philosophy represents the balance in nature between opposing forces. The outer circle represents everything. The black and white shapes in the circle represent the interaction of two energies, called "yin" (black) and "yang" (white). Like the Zoroastrians, Confucians do not expect a world without darkness, evil or suffering. In fact it sees the opposition between good and evil, light and dark forces as essential to the drama of life.
confucianismbmhs.weebly.com/symbols-icons--sacred-writing...
I know that most people who visit this page will merely click on the photograph and view it for a few seconds and move on. Very well, that's typical for Flickr. But what I am doing here is telling a story. A very important one that has serious ramifications for colonial history and the history of art in Australia.
So thank you to those of you taking the time to read this story as we unpack the main message of Daniel Herbert's in the Ross Bridge stone carvings. Remember you can return at any time to reread this information and make any historical comments or suggestions - I welcome that. This research is in its infancy so to speak.
Last photograph I introduced you to Herbert's type of the devil, Jorgen Jorgenson - so I won't repeat any of that here. But I will say a word about his sad wife, Norah Corbett, and then show how these figures are linked with Herbert's type of a virtuous woman, his wife Mary Witherington.
[I've tagged the relevant figures in the photograph to help you.]
Norah Corbett was the same age as Mary Witherington, but whereas the virtuous Mary lived until 90, Norah died at 40 as a result of the effects of alcohol and "loose living". Norah was an Irish convict from County Cork, and had married Jorgenson in 1831.
Whether Jorgenson's activities on the infamous "Black Line", the squad dedicated to eradicating the "Aboriginal problem", had contributed to her deep malaise we can't be sure, but knowing something of Jorgenson's boastfulness there is no doubt he told this poor women some harrowing tales of death and destruction. "The devil seeks to kill and destroy."
So spare a thought for poor Norah, for whereas her convict counterpart Mary Witherington had been blessed to meet a man who had turned his life around to that of a practical saint, Norah lived with her demons until the end. And so they are all presented on the first arch on the north side of the Ross Bridge.
Have a look at the picture again. Can you see the typographical symmetry here? Mary and Norah on opposite sides (both number sevens, but in alternate "kingdoms"). For two stones up from Norah is Jorgen Jorgenson, the "king" of his own devilish kingdom.
On the other side we see Mary and two stones up from her (on exactly the same level as Jorgen Jorgenson) is the "Celtic horned-god" or the devil himself. Between the devil and Mary was the saving power of the rosy cross, but if you look closely under Norah Corbett's face you also see a cross form. But this is a "cross-out", an X that might allude to Norah's illiteracy, but also to the fact that she is crossed out of the kingdom of light.
To further cap this allegorical interpretation (remember I said that this work resembles a medieval mystery play), Norman Laird believes there is a cross in stone eight between Norah and Jorgen as well. [It is difficult to make out because of erosion in the sandstone.] We can see that it almost looks like a cross that is also the sun god. Laird lists a number of mythological origins here I won't go into (but p.168 if you find a copy of the book).
Let me suggest two possible interpretations. Apart from the pagan meanings of a sun god, we have two possible biblical considerations that feature prominently in the work of William Blake (and in the great "Paradise Lost" by John Milton). In biblical mythology, the devil or Lucifer, was an angel of light. And the purpose of that light shifted after the "fall from heaven" from reflecting the glory of God to that of the deceptive serpent who crept into the Garden of Eden and "enlightened" Adam and Eve in the "knowledge of good and evil". That's what the eating of the fruit ("apple" from the Latin malum, a play on the word that also means evil) meant. The Lucifer used his "light" to deceive humanity.
Now the other interpretation is even simpler. The day is coming when the Light of God will expose all sin for what it is. In either case, there is no chance of redemption for Jorgen Jorgenson or Norah Corbett, whereas the cross had already transformed the convict Mary Witherington into a virtuous woman.
There's a lot to unpack here and this is really just the beginning. In essence what I am doing is synthesising the admirable "depth" research of Norman Laird, and giving it a unified message that relates both to the individual hope for transformation, and for the belief that out of the evil beginnings of Van Diemen's Land as a colony, a new and just society may be born.
It is my singular belief, that the Ross Bridge artwork is one of the most important steps ever taken in this country to establish an iconography of renewal. To take the dross that led to the founding of Australia and turn it into an example of light in the world. That was Daniel Herbert's dream. But we are still a long way from getting there yet.
location : Rakuhoku Renge-ji temple Kyoto city,Kyoto prefecture,Japan
京都 洛北 蓮華寺
Rakuhoku Renge-ji temple :
This temple belongs to the Tendai sect of Buddhism cowned with the mountain name of Kinyozan.
Shigenao imaeda( 今枝重直),a retainer of the Maeda Clan in Kaga,present Ishikawa pref.,entered the priesthood around period from 1661 to 1673. He built a residence here and spent his later years associating with such people as Jozan Ishikawa 石川丈山and Tanyu Kano狩野探幽.His groundson Chikayoshi今枝民部近義,who admire the virtuous Shigenao, transfered a temple from Hachijo-Shiokoji(元西八条塩小路附近)to this place in order to pray for the repose of his grandfather. He made it as a sub-temple of the Enryakuji Jitsuzobo Temple延暦寺実蔵坊.
The principal statue enshrined in main hall is of Shakamuni Tothagata.Unique Rengeji temple-style tone lanterns with hexagonal shades and a monument commemorating Shigenao inscribed Tehsho-style calligraphy written by Jozan Ishikawa on top and passage composed by Jun-an Kinoshita are found on the grounds beautifully covered with moss.
The garden woth crane stone and turtle islands in the lake,an excellent example from Edo period(1603-1867) -Kyoto city
Canon EOS M5/ EF-M18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM/ f6.3 26.0 mm 1/15sec ISO800 manual exposure/manual focus /auto white balance /no crop
This temple has an explicit no-tripod policy, so tripods, including monopods, are usually prohibited.
Anima Series 6
Lismore NSW Australia 2025
One form of innocence is less about what we have or haven’t done in the past, and more about our current mental outlook.
It’s about a view of the world that sees the wonder of this planet and really values our physical, face to face contact with the place we occupy – the place we actually live our life.
This vista lives in the now and is more accepting, more inclined to think ‘it is what it is’.
Cultivating a more innocent view of the world cannot absolve us of anything we’ve done or said in the past, nor does it ‘make’ us innocent in the manner of other less travelled people.
Yet it can deliver a less filtered, less judgmental view that is unencumbered, unconcerned with assumption or ideology and focused instead upon simple observation.
Innocence is a virtuous perspective that can still be surprised.
“Totalitarianism is not a historical coincidence. In the final analysis, it is the logical consequence of mechanistic thinking and the delusional belief in the omnipotence of human rationality. As such, totalitarianism is the defining feature of the Enlightenment tradition.” ‒ Mattias Desmet
Totalitarianism is a product of the Enlightenment tradition. It places faith in human rationality. It’s a belief system in which man’s intellect can save man, the world, and the universe. Man will solve man’s problems, thus bringing salvation to mankind. Its priests desire to form a new society built on rationality. They want a world without pain and suffering. They even want to conquer death. Science, man’s new religion, has its own creation story. In this story, man has been reduced to particles that interact according to the laws of mechanics. Life and mankind were randomly produced without any purpose or direction. Man is seen as a machine; he works (repetitively) as a machine; he will merge with machine. The universe is also a machine, and it too will eventually be manipulated. The spiritual elect of this religion look forward to an artificial heaven on earth, where man and nature have been replaced by perfect technological clones. Once this happens, man will have conquered both man and nature. He will then gain eternal life. He will synthetically live forever. “Amen and Hallelujah!” shout the transhumanists. As a result, the totalitarians will have realized their goal of a superman/super race like the New Soviet Man/Aryan Race. The idolatry of science, which aims to create a perfect world, will ultimately result in a dystopian nightmare. Their rationality will become irrational. Secular humanism will fail.
“Man is at last becoming aware that he alone is responsible for the realization of the world of his dreams, that he has within himself the power for its achievement.” – Humanist Manifesto I
With science came technological advancement. These advances separated man from nature, tradition, and family. The industrial revolution changed the social fabric of society. Before industrialization, most families lived in rural areas and did agricultural work. The family worked together to support itself. Multiple generations lived together in the same area. Extended families were an important part of society. After industrialization, many families moved to urban areas and did manufacturing work. They became cogs in the machine, working meaningless jobs. This movement split up the extended family unit. Then there was one: the nuclear family. “The dynamics of industrialization contributed to the rise of single-parent families. Factors such as increased divorce rates, the normalization of out-of-wedlock childbirth, and the empowerment of women to raise children independently all played a role in this shift.” As you can see, the nuclear family has not fared too well. Technology produced the radio, television, and social media, which have created an antisocial society. Technology was supposed to make life easier; it was supposed to make us happier, yet it has made us lonely and unhappy. Society has lost its meaning. People come home from meaningless jobs, only to live meaningless social lives online. Wolves chase after those separated from the herd, because they are easy targets. When the isolated are rounded up and killed, no one will fight for them because they are isolated from the herd. Those who are alone and isolated will be seen as useless eaters by their enemies. “To keep you is no gain; to kill you is no loss.” Indeed, a lonely society is very prone to accepting totalitarianism.
The Enlightenment was supposed to empower us, yet we have become more powerless. The Enlightenment was supposed to make us more independent, yet we have become more dependent. Plus, technology is controlled by the few. With science, a perfect artificial world is being built. It’s creating a fake Garden of Eden that is full of genetically modified foods, lab-grown meat, sex dolls that look like Eve, and synthetic-fiber clothing to hide our naked bodies of sin. Don’t eat the genetically modified fruit, it will kill you! Automated machines, robots, and artificial intelligence will replace man’s toil. Artificial wombs will replace the pain of childbirth. The digital paradise being constructed dehumanizes us. It steals our humanity. It makes us insecure, unempathetic, narcissistic, apathetic, cowardly, lonely, and isolated. An insecure society is less resilient. An insecure society is easier to control. An unempathetic, narcissistic, apathetic, and cowardly society will look the other way when people are rounded up and killed. A lonely and isolated society is weak and submissive. They feel empty and meaningless, and they have little self-worth. Such a society yearns for direction and authority. They are weak and lazy and want someone (the state) to take care of them.
We have a dumbed-down society. The education system teaches us how to be cogs in the machine. Mass media is a giant propaganda machine, indoctrinating the masses. The ignorant zombies have been trained to listen to the experts. These experts lead the sheep with twisted data and statistics. Thus, the people are easily led. Safety: give up your freedom of privacy to fight terror. Misinformation: give up your freedom of speech to fight hate speech. 15-minute cities: give up your freedom of movement to fight climate change. Mass immigration: give up your culture for multiculturalism. Abortion is women’s health. Euthanasia is good. By the way, how many genders are there? Society has been molded and shaped. You have been taught what to think, not how to think.
“I don’t want a nation of thinkers, I want a nation of workers.” ‒ John D. Rockefeller
Students have been indoctrinated and radicalized by feminism, gender theory, critical race theory, and decolonialism. The goal: abolish women, gender, race, borders and nations. All hail the tranhumanist new world order! The youth are taught that capitalism is bad and socialism is good. They’ve been taught to hate their own country, traditions, values, and culture. They’ve been taught to hate their own race! Humiliation is a tool of control to shape and guide them. If a person loses their identity, they can be easily manipulated and brainwashed. Our youth have been taught that a communist revolution is necessary to overthrow capitalism. The end justifies the means! Therefore, radicals in the education system have raised up an army of woke activists. These woke evangelists have been poisoned by envy, hate, and bitterness. It doesn’t help that subversive billionaires are pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into supposed ‘organic’ protests, which are being organized by professional protesters (communist agitators). Wokeism is the new puritan movement of today, with its moral values and commandments. These born-again socialists preach the dialectic gospel of social(ist) justice and equality. These radicalized saints promise a perfect world. A radicalized society is prone to accepting totalitarianism. In fact, it’s extremely prone to accepting totalitarianism. Especially when the youth are radicalized!
“Give me just one generation of youth, and I’ll transform the whole world.” ‒ Vladimir Lenin
Science, the religion of the day, has become corrupted. Fraud in scientific research is increasing. Falsified scientific papers are becoming more and more common. The perception of reality can be steered by crunching numbers in any desired fashion. (Climate change data is famous for distorting numbers.) Totalitarians mold the perception of reality with propaganda. The COVID-19 hysteria, with its “follow the science,” was proof of its degeneration. People blindly became disciples of the experts. Their apostles commanded: Mask up, even though it’s ineffective! Social distance, even though it’s useless! Take a PCR test, even though it’s unreliable! Take the vaccines, even though they haven’t been properly tested! Ivermectin is bad, even though it can help some patients! The population must be locked down, even though it’s physically and mentally bad for their health and weakens their immune system! Herd immunity, what’s that? Small businesses must be shutdown, even though big corporations like Walmart can stay open! Schools must be shut down, even though the average age of death is 70+ years old! Fire the unvaccinated healthcare workers, even though the emergency rooms are supposedly full and short-staffed! TicTok nurses! Dance, baby, dance! We’re in a pandemic, can’t you see!?! Falsely mark down unrelated deaths as COVID deaths—beef up those numbers! Big numbers, big money! Since this is science, we must suppress opposing ideas! Science that censors different opinions is not science. Much of society faithfully trusted the science, with its religious experts and scientific doctrines, numbers and graphs. In Nazi Germany, children were conditioned to accept any form of authority without question. Without question, many people blindly obeyed the COVID restrictions. To this day, some people mask up in public. They are religious zealots! They still haven’t woken up from their indoctrination. The science of today: take a big pharma flu shot, rather than rely on your own immune system; take a big pharma flu shot, rather than eat foods that are high in antioxidants like vitamin C. Could you not just find a natural vitamin C supplement? Nope! We love big pharma! We love big corporations! We love Big Brother! We love fascism! Since you’ve been trained to be a consumer, you’ll consume what has been marketed to you. Oh, the science of propaganda! Ah, the science of marketing!
“Scientism has remained to this day one of the strongest Gnostic movements in Western society.” – Eric Voegelin
During COVID-19, people were not only begging for totalitarian measures, but they were applauding them. They wanted strict rules to ease their uncertainty, fear, and insecurity. They coped with their insecurity by running others down. The big bad enemies were not the Jews, but the unvaccinated. Fear needs an enemy! People were calling for the unvaccinated to be rounded up. Some even wanted the unvaccinated killed. This made them feel more secure, like they had the upper hand. They had the camaraderie of the mob; they felt like they belonged! The extra rules helped ease their anxiety. They felt more in control of their fear. The fellowship of the mob helped to further ease their stress and insecurity. There is security in numbers! They rebuked, denounced, and excommunicated heretical friends and relatives who strayed from the holy narrative. They felt righteous, because they were supposedly fighting for a righteous cause. This made them feel virtuous. They were crusaders for the truth, and they felt heroic! They felt relief as they took out their frustrations on their enemies. They blew off steam! They felt good! They felt energized!
These people had an authoritarian mindset. Their true selves, their true natures, came to the surface. They had a mob mentality. They had a pack mentality. These people were so filled with fear, hysteria, and panic that they could not think straight. They lost their ability to calm down and think things through. They could not regulate their fears and emotions. As a result, they could not think critically. How can one think critically in a panic? In fact, since they were taught to be cogs in the machine, they weren’t really taught to be critical thinkers. Just as a child must learn how to walk, a child must be taught how to critically think. They were taught to solve problems related to the machine, but they were not taught to think outside the machine. That is why they say things like: I support free speech, ‘but’ not hate speech. They don’t even understand how speech operates under the framework of free speech. They literally can’t understand the concept of free speech! It’s over their heads. Will these people ever change? Nope, I’ve yet to see any of them apologize for their actions during COVID. Given the right crisis, our society will accept totalitarianism.
Big government, with its increased bureaucracy, administration, and management, loves to make ever-increasing rules and regulations. We are drawing closer and closer to totalitarianism. We will soon have a totalitarian system with digital biometric IDs, central bank digital currencies, and social credit scores. We are becoming a total surveillance society. Our data is being collected, tracked, analyzed, and sold. COVID caused a worldwide hypnosis, a mass hysteria, in which the masses were ready to trade their freedoms for safety. Nothing much has changed. The world’s population is slowly being boiled like a frog; it’s slowly being corralled into a worldwide authoritarian system. Like Nazi Germany, many today would pick totalitarianism if they were promised economic solutions in a time of financial hardship. If we had another great depression like the 1930s, many in our decadent society would pick a totalitarian system. They would choose digital IDs, CBDCs, and social credit scores if they could receive universal basic income to feed their families. Is it really a stretch to see why people would accept the Mark of the Beast?
In the fourth industrial revolution, man will physically merge with technology. Of course, this technology is supposed to make man smarter and healthier. It’s supposed to turn man into the perfect superman. How can the imperfect make the perfect? Man is an imperfect sinner. He has sinned against God. God is perfect, and sin is imperfect. Perfection and imperfection do not mix. Righteousness and sin do not mix. Light expels darkness, God expels sin. God’s punishment for sin is death. God will permit sinful man to utilize his strength and rationality to attempt to work out his own salvation. Ultimately, man will fail. Christ will return to stop man from destroying all life on earth at the battle of Armageddon (Matthew 24:22). Jesus will destroy those who, in their sin, are destroying the earth (Revelation 11:18). Jesus first came as a sacrificial Lamb for the atonement of sins. The second time, Jesus will come as a roaring lion to destroy His enemies. His enemies will choose His imposter, the antichrist. They will accept the transhuman Mark of the Beast. As a result, they will forfeit salvation. Only in Christ (the perfect sacrifice) is sin forgiven. Will you accept His salvation? Or will you try, in your sin, to work out your own salvation?
Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and fellowship with him, and he with Me.”
This old bent gate (in County Antrim, Northern Ireland) sits on a lane that mustn't have been used for many years - it's completely overgrown and rather soggy.
Jesus once said:
Enter ye in at the strait [an old English word meaning "narrow"] gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (Matthew 7:13-14)
We live in a world where there appear to be no absolutes. Things which once were considered immoral, and even illegal, today are deemed not only tolerable, but virtuous. Literally "anything goes" - provided that the majority agrees that it is acceptable.
The same approach is often adopted when it comes to the matter of salvation - or where we will spend eternity. Many seem content to simply follow where the majority goes, instead of asking, "What has God said?".
Jesus warned that simply "going with the flow", whilst easy, will ultimately lead to disaster!
Grail Knight - the most virtuous of men who devote their lives to defend the innocent and fighting evil become Knights of the Grail.
During my last day of shooting in Le Puy-en-Velay (March 9, 2023), I managed to complete all the subjects that required additional photography, and to extensively shoot the last item on my bucket list, i.e., the spectacular Saint-Michel d’Aiguilhe chapel which I will show in a few days.
My first goal was to photograph the “inner” statuary in the canons’ cloister, i.e. the items that are only visible from the central space (préau in French), as opposed to the galleries. In monasteries, that space was often used as an herb garden, particularly when safe space was at a premium elsewhere. However, in the case of Le Puy and its secular canons, very often the offspring from the wealthiest families, there were other sources of supply, should herbs be needed, and aside from framing the central well, the purpose assigned to that space was most probably very similar to what it is now: a pleasure garden.
Bearing that in mind (and, no doubt, the designers of the cloister did), it is not surprising that we should find, on this inner side, one of the wildest collections of monsters, devils and sinners ever devised by the fertile imagination of Mediæval sculptors: while meditation in the galleries took place among virtuous and God-pleasing representations, the canons (or those who cared, at least) were reminded by that gallery of monsters and vices that basking leisurely in the sun in the garden wasn’t too good for their karma, if I dare say.
A thin sculpted frieze that runs for dozens of meters around a central square is very difficult to photograph. Here, I stitched together 5 exposures in a panorama shot to try and give you a general impression of what it looks like, before I go into the details.
You can also use the general cloister photo I first uploaded in today’s batch to locate the frieze: it is just below the edge of the roof covering the galleries, above the Romanesque arches.
Self Portrait
// Abandoned Soviet Complex Hotel, Armenia 💚
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When visiting here,I always feel something to close to awe that I can not express well...
location : Kyoto Kochidani (northern area of Ohara) Amidaji temple,Kyoto city .Kyoto prefecture,Japan
即身仏（ミイラ仏/ 京都で唯一ここのみ）弾誓上人のお寺
京都大原 古知谷 光明山法国院 阿弥陀寺
ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%98%BF%E5%BC%A5%E9%99%80%E5%AF%BA_( in Japanese)
The temple belongs to the Pure Land of Jodo-shu Sect of Buddhism,crowned with the mountain name of Kochidani-Komyozan古知谷光明山.
The high priest Tanzei 弾誓 established the temple in 1609 as a training hall for sutra chanting.The priest was born in present Aichi Prefecture and entered priesthood at age of 9. He journeyed during his training before he settled down here.
The priest "became a Buddha in his own body ( starved himself to death) " in 1613 in the age of 63.
His mummified remains ,now deified were placed in a coffin and enshrined even today in the founder's cave in the far back of main hall.
The statue of priest Tanzei is said to be have been created by the priest himself using his own hair and it referred to as the "revered statue with hair" It is placed in the main hall as the principal deity. The sitting statue of Amitabha Tathagata (Important Cultural Asset) is enshrined in the temple's treasure house along with invaluable items donated by Imperial relatives.
A stone cavern called Chozen-kutsu澄禅窟 is located on the top of the mountain in the back ,where the high priest Chozen 澄禅 came to this temple as he deeply admired the virtuous late priest Tanzai.
- Amidaji temple
Canon EOS M5 / EF-M22mm f/2 STM/
ƒ/8.0 22.0 mm 1/20sec ISO200/ manual exposure/manual focus / handheld
.....the men of the Cheyenne tribe were considered to be brave providers and the women virtuous. Though the buffalo provided food, bone for tools and weapons, and hide, their clothing was typically made of buckskin, which was softer in texture than buffalo skin.
The Cheyenne tribe of Native American Indians were amongst what is now the most well known of plains Indian tribes. Often allying with the Sioux and Arapaho, the Cheyenne tribe originally lived in stationary villages in the eastern parts of the country and occupied much of what is now Minnesota until they migrated to the high plains in the early 1800s. They were divided into the Northern Cheyenne and Southern Cheyenne and ranged from the Missouri River to the Arkansas River.
The Cheyenne tribe were a proud people who valued their freedom and relationship with the created world. After acquiring horses from the Spanish, they hunted on horseback, relying heavily on the buffalo to provide much of life’s necessities. They lived in tepees, and often migrated with the buffalo herds.
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When visiting here,I always feel something to close to awe that I can not express well...
In the middle is a famous maple tree 800 years old called "Kochidani maple tree"（古知谷楓） ,which has been designated a natural monument by Kyoto city. （京都市指定天然記念物に指定されています。）
location : Kyoto Kochidani (northern area of Ohara) Amidaji temple,Kyoto city .Kyoto prefecture,Japan
即身仏（ミイラ仏/ 京都で唯一ここのみ）弾誓上人のお寺
京都大原 古知谷 光明山法国院 阿弥陀寺
ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%98%BF%E5%BC%A5%E9%99%80%E5%AF%BA_( in Japanese)
The temple belongs to the Pure Land of Jodo-shu Sect of Buddhism,crowned with the mountain name of Kochidani-Komyozan古知谷光明山.
The high priest Tanzei 弾誓 established the temple in 1609 as a training hall for sutra chanting.The priest was born in present Aichi Prefecture and entered priesthood at age of 9. He journeyed during his training before he settled down here.
The priest "became a Buddha in his own body ( starved himself to death) " in 1613 in the age of 63.
His mummified remains ,now deified were placed in a coffin and enshrined even today in the founder's cave in the far back of main hall. The statue of priest Tanzei is said to be have been created by the priest himself using his own hair and it referred to as the "revered statue with hair" It is placed in the main hall as the principal deity. The sitting statue of Amitabha Tathagata (Important Cultural Asset) is enshrined in the temple's treasure house along with invaluable items donated by Imperial relatives.
A stone cavern called Chozen-kutsu澄禅窟 is located on the top of the mountain in the back ,where the high priest Chozen 澄禅 came to this temple as he deeply admired the virtuous late priest Tanzai.
- Amidaji temple
Canon EOS M5/ EF-M22mm f/2 STM/
ƒ/4.0 22.0 mm 1/30sec ISO400 /all manual /no crop
Gulfstream Park is a racetrack and county-approved casino in Hallandale Beach, Florida. During its annual meet, which spans December through October, it is one of the most important venues for horse racing in the United States.
Gulfstream Park was opened on Wednesday February 1, 1939 conducting a four-day meeting. The initial meeting had a crowd of 18,000. In 1944, the track was reopened by James Donn, Sr. for a 20-day meeting in December. The Gulfstream Park Handicap was first run in 1946 and the Florida Derby began in 1952. In that year the clubhouse was built and the Grandstand seating was expanded.
In 1952 the clubhouse was erected and a new addition was put on the grandstand. It also marked the first running of the Florida Derby. The following year, the Florida Derby became the first stakes in Florida with a $100,000 purse.
The 1955 Kentucky Derby winner and Horse of the Year Swaps set a then world-record of 1:39 3/5 for a mile and 70 yards while carrying 130 pounds in the Broward Handicap. The following year was just as exciting at Gulfstream when Gen. Duke equaled the world record of 1:46 4/5 in defeating Bold Ruler in the Florida Derby.
In 1959, a new era at Gulfstream began with the opening of its world-acclaimed turf course. In 1961, James Donn Jr. became president of Gulfstream. It also marked the construction of what was then the world's largest tote board.
Following the death of his father, James Donn Jr., Doug Donn was elected Gulfstream Park's president.
In 1961, James Donn Jr. succeeded his father as president of Gulfstream Park. In this year the Clubhouse was enlarged and the then-world's largest totalisator board was installed in the infield. A big break for Gulfstream Park came in 1972, when the track was awarded "middle dates" for a 40-day January through April meet.
In 1980, Hall of Fame rider Angel Cordero Jr. set a meeting record with 60 winners.
In 1982, the Grandstand was renovated with new architecture and in 1984 the renovation of the clubhouse was completed. In 1986, the renovation of the track was completed with the new Gulfdome, a domed dining terrace. In 1989 Gulfstream Park hosted the Breeders Cup for the first time (which it did again in 1992 and 1999).
Gulfstream played host its first Breeders' Cup World Championships in 1989, highlighted by the Classic match-up between Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Sunday Silence and Belmont Stakes winner Easy Goer. Gulfstream would host the Breeders' Cup again in 1992.
In 1990, the track was purchased by Bertram R. Firestone.
Jockey Julie Krone took the jockey's title in 1993 with 98 winners. In 1994, Holy Bull won the Florida Derby while, in 1995, Cigar won the Donn Handicap and Gulfstream Park Handicap on his way to a perfect season. Meanwhile, '95 Florida Derby winner Thunder Gulch would go on to win the Kentucky Derby. Monarchos would repeat Thunder Gulch's feat in 2001.
In 1994, a half interest in the track was sold to Nigashi Nihon.
The track was purchased by Magna Entertainment Corporation, in 1999 for $95 million. In 2010, the ownership of the track was taken over by Magna parent MI Developments Inc. (MID). The track is currently owned by The Stronach Group since July 3, 2011.
Hal's Hope, winner of the 2000 Florida Derby, would return in 2002 to win the Gulfstream Park Handicap. The 2002 season was also highlighted by the first running of the popular Sunshine Millions, pitting Florida-breds vs. California-breds for purses totaling $3.6 million. Palm Meadows, Gulfstream's state-of-the-art training facility in Palm Beach County, was opened on Nov. 29, 2002.
Trainer Todd Pletcher started his unprecedented run of nine consecutive training titles in 2004.
The track began a $130 million renovation of the grandstand and clubhouse in 2004 and slot machines were approved for the track in 2004. It now hosts all of the races in the series of races known as the Sunshine Millions. The series now consists of the:
Sunshine Millions Classic
Sunshine Millions Turf Stakes
Sunshine Millions Distaff
Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf
Sunshine Millions Sprint
In 2006, Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey rode his last race aboard Silver Tree in the Sunshine Millions and the great Barbaro would win the Florida Derby before making headlines with his victory in the Kentucky Derby.
The renovation, first effective for the 2006 spring meeting, was heavily criticized by racegoers and commentators, who felt that the new racino laid its emphasis entirely on the casino part, destroying the racetrack's atmosphere.
In June, 2011, Tim Ritvo was named President and General Manager of Gulfstream Park Racing & Casino. He was a prominent jockey and racing official at Suffolk Downs in the 1980s before establishing himself in the 1990s as a leading Florida trainer. Ritvo has also served as Vice President and Director of the Florida Horsemen's Benevolent & Protective Association.
In April, 2012, Javier Castellano, who collected his first Gulfstream title by riding a record 112 winners, scored his 3000th career success aboard Virtuously on Feb. 24 and Todd Pletcher, who claimed an unprecedented ninth consecutive training title at Gulfstream with 72 trips to the winner's circle, recorded his 3,000 career victory when he saddled Spring Hill Farm for a winning performance on Feb. 11.
In 2012, Stronach Group named Tim Ritvo, Chief Operating Officer of its Racing Division.
March 2, 2020 Tim Ritvo stepped down as COO of Stronach Group operated tracks, which include the troubled Santa Anita racetrack in California. He left to “pursue other opportunities.”
Credit for the data above is given to the following websites:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulfstream_Park
www.gulfstreampark.com/shopping
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