without the red nose! all made from strips of plastic tape.

I had an appointment downtown, and arriving a bit early (I'd allowed time for traffic) I grabbed the chance to relax with a spot of photography. It wasn't as relaxing as I'd hoped, as a security guard came out and told me that I wasn't allowed to take pictures of the building without written permission. When I went into the bulding to inquire how I could get that permission, the officers on duty told that I had every right to take pictures outside. From their expressions when I told them about the security guard, I suspect I'm not the first photographer who's been handed a line.

 

According to the official web site:

 

Osgoode Hall is a heritage building located at 130 Queen Street West, Toronto, Ontario. This historic site is the focus

for legal activity in Ontario and has garnered attention for over 170 years. Osgoode Hall occupies six acres and was acquired by the Law Society of Upper Canada in 1829. The name Osgoode Hall honours William Osgoode the first Chief Justice of the province. Osgoode Hall withstood more than ten major restorations. The front facade maintained its originality and is basically unaltered to reflect the 1860 design.

 

The interior of Osgoode Hall possesses unique architectural achievements. The heritage courtrooms are from the late 1800's. Convocation Hall boasts ten gorgeous stained glass heraldic windows covering 4,000 years of law. The Great Library touted as the most beautiful room in Canada has an intricate ceiling, cork floors and triple cube design. The rotunda is spectacular from the original tiling on the floor to the elegant arched pillars surrounded by elaborate oil paintings of former Chief Justices of the Province.

 

Since 1840 Osgoode Hall has been co-owned by the Ontario Government and the Law Society. The Court of Appeal for Ontario, the Superior Court Of Justice and the Law Society of Upper Canada currently reside at Osgoode Hall.

 

According to Wikipedia:

 

Osgoode Hall is a landmark building in downtown Toronto constructed between 1829 and 1832 in the late Georgian Palladian and Neoclassical styles. It houses the Ontario Court of Appeal, the Divisional Court of the Superior Court of Justice, and the Law Society of Upper Canada. The portico of Osgoode Hall's east wing was built at the head of Toronto's York Street to serve as a terminating vista, though it is now obscured by trees planted on the building's lawn.

 

Osgoode Hall was named in honour of the province's first chief justice, William Osgoode.[1] The building housed Osgoode Hall Law School until 1969 when the faculty was relocated to the campus of York University in the North York community of Toronto. It was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1979.[2][3] It was also designated by the City of Toronto under the Ontario Heritage Act in 1990.

 

The six-acre (24,000 m²) site at the corner of Lot Street (Queen Street West today) and College Avenue (University Avenue today) was acquired by the Law Society in 1828. At the time, the location was on the northwest edge of the city, which has since grown around the building. It was originally bounded on its north side by Osgoode Street, and on its east side by a street that would eventually be known as Chestnut Street. The former no longer exists, and the latter now stops at Armoury Street as Nathan Philips Square now lies to the east. The original 2 1⁄2-storey building was started in 1829 and finished in 1832 from a design by John Ewart and W. W. Baldwin. The structure was named after William Osgoode, the first Chief Justice of Upper Canada (what is now the Canadian province of Ontario).

 

Between 1838 and 1843, the hall was turned into troop barracks.[5] When the Law Society regained possession in 1844, an expansion was designed by Henry Bowyer Lane; the West Wing and Library were built, with two domes (later removed) over the library to connect the two wings.[5] In 1846 the Law Society entered into an agreement with the government to house the province's Superior Court at the hall.[citation needed] Today, the building is jointly owned by the Law Society and the Government of Ontario.

 

From 1855 to 1857 the building was refurbished and enlarged again, according to a design by the firm Cumberland and Storm, to accommodate courts with the original 1829 building becoming the east wing. From 1880 to 1891 the building was again expanded twice in order to accommodate the law school.

 

Despite the expansions, the hall presents a unified design in the late Palladian style. The iron fence surrounding the lawns of Osgoode Hall has become a landmark in itself. Its distinctive iron gates are narrow and restrictive; it is a long-standing myth that they were designed to keep livestock out of the grounds of the hall and in the 1950s, students did attempt to pass a cow through one of the gates (they failed). The gates were likely due to Victorian architectural fashion, rather than wandering cattle.

 

Two libraries are housed within Osgoode Hall: the Great Library of the Law Society of Upper Canada and a smaller library for judges. The Great Library was designed by Cumberland and Storm (1857–1860) and features an ornate plaster ceiling, cork floors, and etched glass windows. A War Memorial by Frances Norma Loring (1887–1968), sculpted in 1928, was added to the Library in honor of Ontario lawyers and law students killed during the First World War. Behind the Great Library (and accessible through it) is the American Room, designed by Burke and Horwood in 1895, a more intimate room with a spiral staircase. The courthouse at 361 University Avenue directly to the north is accessible through a connecting tunnel.

 

This High Dynamic Range 360° panorama was stitched from 54 RAW photographs with PTGUI Pro, tone-mapped with Photomatix, and touched up in Aperture.

 

It's not as sharp as I'd like, as when I went inside to inquire about permission I accidentally changed my aperture, and didn't notice when I went pack out to photograph. The sky is also a bit off — adjusting the white balance so the shadows weren't blue made the sky greenish, and I can't figure out a way to adjuste the colour all the way back.

 

Original size: 13000 × 13000 (169.0 MP; 175 MB).

 

Location: Osgoode Hall, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

The exploitation rights for this text are the property of the Vienna Tourist Board. This text may be reprinted free of charge until further notice, even partially and in edited form. Forward sample copy to: Vienna Tourist Board, Media Management, Invalidenstraße 6, 1030 Vienna; media.rel@wien.info. All information in this text without guarantee.

Author: Andreas Nierhaus, Curator of Architecture/Wien Museum

Last updated January 2014

Architecture in Vienna

Vienna's 2,000-year history is present in a unique density in the cityscape. The layout of the center dates back to the Roman city and medieval road network. Romanesque and Gothic churches characterize the streets and squares as well as palaces and mansions of the baroque city of residence. The ring road is an expression of the modern city of the 19th century, in the 20th century extensive housing developments set accents in the outer districts. Currently, large-scale urban development measures are implemented; distinctive buildings of international star architects complement the silhouette of the city.

Due to its function as residence of the emperor and European power center, Vienna for centuries stood in the focus of international attention, but it was well aware of that too. As a result, developed an outstanding building culture, and still today on a worldwide scale only a few cities can come up with a comparable density of high-quality architecture. For several years now, Vienna has increased its efforts to connect with its historical highlights and is drawing attention to itself with some spectacular new buildings. The fastest growing city in the German-speaking world today most of all in residential construction is setting standards. Constants of the Viennese architecture are respect for existing structures, the palpability of historical layers and the dialogue between old and new.

Culmination of medieval architecture: the Stephansdom

The oldest architectural landmark of the city is St. Stephen's Cathedral. Under the rule of the Habsburgs, defining the face of the city from the late 13th century until 1918 in a decisive way, the cathedral was upgraded into the sacral monument of the political ambitions of the ruling house. The 1433 completed, 137 meters high southern tower, by the Viennese people affectionately named "Steffl", is a masterpiece of late Gothic architecture in Europe. For decades he was the tallest stone structure in Europe, until today he is the undisputed center of the city.

The baroque residence

Vienna's ascension into the ranks of the great European capitals began in Baroque. Among the most important architects are Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach and Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt. Outside the city walls arose a chain of summer palaces, including the garden Palais Schwarzenberg (1697-1704) as well as the Upper and Lower Belvedere of Prince Eugene of Savoy (1714-22). Among the most important city palaces are the Winter Palace of Prince Eugene (1695-1724, now a branch of the Belvedere) and the Palais Daun-Kinsky (auction house in Kinsky 1713-19). The emperor himself the Hofburg had complemented by buildings such as the Imperial Library (1722-26) and the Winter Riding School (1729-34). More important, however, for the Habsburgs was the foundation of churches and monasteries. Thus arose before the city walls Fischer von Erlach's Karlskirche (1714-39), which with its formal and thematic complex show façade belongs to the major works of European Baroque. In colored interior rooms like that of St. Peter's Church (1701-22), the contemporary efforts for the synthesis of architecture, painting and sculpture becomes visible.

Upgrading into metropolis: the ring road time (Ringstraßenzeit)

Since the Baroque, reflections on extension of the hopelessly overcrowed city were made, but only Emperor Franz Joseph ordered in 1857 the demolition of the fortifications and the connection of the inner city with the suburbs. 1865, the Ring Road was opened. It is as the most important boulevard of Europe an architectural and in terms of urban development achievement of the highest rank. The original building structure is almost completely preserved and thus conveys the authentic image of a metropolis of the 19th century. The public representational buildings speak, reflecting accurately the historicism, by their style: The Greek Antique forms of Theophil Hansen's Parliament (1871-83) stood for democracy, the Renaissance of the by Heinrich Ferstel built University (1873-84) for the flourishing of humanism, the Gothic of the Town Hall (1872-83) by Friedrich Schmidt for the medieval civic pride.

Dominating remained the buildings of the imperial family: Eduard van der Nüll's and August Sicardsburg's Opera House (1863-69), Gottfried Semper's and Carl Hasenauer's Burgtheater (1874-88), their Museum of Art History and Museum of Natural History (1871-91) and the Neue (New) Hofburg (1881-1918 ). At the same time the ring road was the preferred residential area of mostly Jewish haute bourgeoisie. With luxurious palaces the families Ephrussi, Epstein or Todesco made it clear that they had taken over the cultural leadership role in Viennese society. In the framework of the World Exhibition of 1873, the new Vienna presented itself an international audience. At the ring road many hotels were opened, among them the Hotel Imperial and today's Palais Hansen Kempinski.

Laboratory of modernity: Vienna around 1900

Otto Wagner's Postal Savings Bank (1903-06) was one of the last buildings in the Ring road area Otto Wagner's Postal Savings Bank (1903-06), which with it façade, liberated of ornament, and only decorated with "functional" aluminum buttons and the glass banking hall now is one of the icons of modern architecture. Like no other stood Otto Wagner for the dawn into the 20th century: His Metropolitan Railway buildings made ​​the public transport of the city a topic of architecture, the church of the Psychiatric hospital at Steinhofgründe (1904-07) is considered the first modern church.

With his consistent focus on the function of a building ("Something impractical can not be beautiful"), Wagner marked a whole generation of architects and made Vienna the laboratory of modernity: in addition to Joseph Maria Olbrich, the builder of the Secession (1897-98) and Josef Hoffmann, the architect of the at the western outskirts located Purkersdorf Sanatorium (1904) and founder of the Vienna Workshop (Wiener Werkstätte, 1903) is mainly to mention Adolf Loos, with the Loos House at the square Michaelerplatz (1909-11) making architectural history. The extravagant marble cladding of the business zone stands in maximal contrast, derived from the building function, to the unadorned facade above, whereby its "nudity" became even more obvious - a provocation, as well as his culture-critical texts ("Ornament and Crime"), with which he had greatest impact on the architecture of the 20th century. Public contracts Loos remained denied. His major works therefore include villas, apartment facilities and premises as the still in original state preserved Tailor salon Knize at Graben (1910-13) and the restored Loos Bar (1908-09) near the Kärntner Straße (passageway Kärntner Durchgang).

Between the Wars: International Modern Age and social housing

After the collapse of the monarchy in 1918, Vienna became capital of the newly formed small country of Austria. In the heart of the city, the architects Theiss & Jaksch built 1931-32 the first skyscraper in Vienna as an exclusive residential address (Herrengasse - alley 6-8). To combat the housing shortage for the general population, the social democratic city government in a globally unique building program within a few years 60,000 apartments in hundreds of apartment buildings throughout the city area had built, including the famous Karl Marx-Hof by Karl Ehn (1925-30). An alternative to the multi-storey buildings with the 1932 opened International Werkbundsiedlung was presented, which was attended by 31 architects from Austria, Germany, France, Holland and the USA and showed models for affordable housing in greenfield areas. With buildings of Adolf Loos, André Lurçat, Richard Neutra, Gerrit Rietveld, the Werkbundsiedlung, which currently is being restored at great expense, is one of the most important documents of modern architecture in Austria.

Modernism was also expressed in significant Villa buildings: The House Beer (1929-31) by Josef Frank exemplifies the refined Wiener living culture of the interwar period, while the house Stonborough-Wittgenstein (1926-28, today Bulgarian Cultural Institute), built by the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein together with the architect Paul Engelmann for his sister Margarete, by its aesthetic radicalism and mathematical rigor represents a special case within contemporary architecture.

Expulsion, war and reconstruction

After the "Anschluss (Annexation)" to the German Reich in 1938, numerous Jewish builders, architects (female and male ones), who had been largely responsible for the high level of Viennese architecture, have been expelled from Austria. During the Nazi era, Vienna remained largely unaffected by structural transformations, apart from the six flak towers built for air defense of Friedrich Tamms (1942-45), made ​​of solid reinforced concrete which today are present as memorials in the cityscape.

The years after the end of World War II were characterized by the reconstruction of the by bombs heavily damaged city. The architecture of those times was marked by aesthetic pragmatism, but also by the attempt to connect with the period before 1938 and pick up on current international trends. Among the most important buildings of the 1950s are Roland Rainer's City Hall (1952-58), the by Oswald Haerdtl erected Wien Museum at Karlsplatz (1954-59) and the 21er Haus of Karl Schwanzer (1958-62).

The youngsters come

Since the 1960s, a young generation was looking for alternatives to the moderate modernism of the reconstruction years. With visionary designs, conceptual, experimental and above all temporary architectures, interventions and installations, Raimund Abraham, Günther Domenig, Eilfried Huth, Hans Hollein, Walter Pichler and the groups Coop Himmelb(l)au, Haus-Rucker-Co and Missing Link rapidly got international attention. Although for the time being it was more designed than built, was the influence on the postmodern and deconstructivist trends of the 1970s and 1980s also outside Austria great. Hollein's futuristic "Retti" candle shop at Charcoal Market/Kohlmarkt (1964-65) and Domenig's biomorphic building of the Central Savings Bank in Favoriten (10th district of Vienna - 1975-79) are among the earliest examples, later Hollein's Haas-Haus (1985-90), the loft conversion Falkestraße (1987/88) by Coop Himmelb(l)au or Domenig's T Center (2002-04) were added. Especially Domenig, Hollein, Coop Himmelb(l)au and the architects Ortner & Ortner (ancient members of Haus-Rucker-Co) ​​by orders from abroad the new Austrian and Viennese architecture made a fixed international concept.

MuseumQuarter and Gasometer

Since the 1980s, the focus of building in Vienna lies on the compaction of the historic urban fabric that now as urban habitat of high quality no longer is put in question. Among the internationally best known projects is the by Ortner & Ortner planned MuseumsQuartier in the former imperial stables (competition 1987, 1998-2001), which with institutions such as the MUMOK - Museum of Modern Art Foundation Ludwig, the Leopold Museum, the Kunsthalle Wien, the Architecture Center Vienna and the Zoom Children's Museum on a wordwide scale is under the largest cultural complexes. After controversies in the planning phase, here an architectural compromise between old and new has been achieved at the end, whose success as an urban stage with four million visitors (2012) is overwhelming.

The dialogue between old and new, which has to stand on the agenda of building culture of a city that is so strongly influenced by history, also features the reconstruction of the Gasometer in Simmering by Coop Himmelb(l)au, Wilhelm Holzbauer, Jean Nouvel and Manfred Wehdorn (1999-2001). Here was not only created new housing, but also a historical industrial monument reinterpreted into a signal in the urban development area.

New Neighborhood

In recent years, the major railway stations and their surroundings moved into the focus of planning. Here not only necessary infrastructural measures were taken, but at the same time opened up spacious inner-city residential areas and business districts. Among the prestigious projects are included the construction of the new Vienna Central Station, started in 2010 with the surrounding office towers of the Quartier Belvedere and the residential and school buildings of the Midsummer quarter (Sonnwendviertel). Europe's largest wooden tower invites here for a spectacular view to the construction site and the entire city. On the site of the former North Station are currently being built 10,000 homes and 20,000 jobs, on that of the Aspangbahn station is being built at Europe's greatest Passive House settlement "Euro Gate", the area of ​​the North Western Railway Station is expected to be developed from 2020 for living and working. The largest currently under construction residential project but can be found in the north-eastern outskirts, where in Seaside Town Aspern till 2028 living and working space for 40,000 people will be created.

In one of the "green lungs" of Vienna, the Prater, 2013, the WU campus was opened for the largest University of Economics of Europe. Around the central square spectacular buildings of an international architect team from Great Britain, Japan, Spain and Austria are gathered that seem to lead a sometimes very loud conversation about the status quo of contemporary architecture (Hitoshi Abe, BUSarchitektur, Peter Cook, Zaha Hadid, NO MAD Arquitectos, Carme Pinós).

Flying high

International is also the number of architects who have inscribed themselves in the last few years with high-rise buildings in the skyline of Vienna and make St. Stephen's a not always unproblematic competition. Visible from afar is Massimiliano Fuksas' 138 and 127 meters high elegant Twin Tower at Wienerberg (1999-2001). The monolithic, 75-meter-high tower of the Hotel Sofitel at the Danube Canal by Jean Nouvel (2007-10), on the other hand, reacts to the particular urban situation and stages in its top floor new perspectives to the historical center on the other side.

Also at the water stands Dominique Perrault's DC Tower (2010-13) in the Danube City - those high-rise city, in which since the start of construction in 1996, the expansion of the city north of the Danube is condensed symbolically. Even in this environment, the slim and at the same time striking vertically folded tower of Perrault is beyond all known dimensions; from its Sky Bar, from spring 2014 on you are able to enjoy the highest view of Vienna. With 250 meters, the tower is the tallest building of Austria and almost twice as high as the St. Stephen's Cathedral. Vienna, thus, has acquired a new architectural landmark which cannot be overlooked - whether it also has the potential to become a landmark of the new Vienna, only time will tell. The architectural history of Vienna, where European history is presence and new buildings enter into an exciting and not always conflict-free dialogue with a great and outstanding architectural heritage, in any case has yet to offer exciting chapters.

Info: The folder "Architecture: From Art Nouveau to the Presence" is available at the Vienna Tourist Board and can be downloaded on www.wien.info/media/files/guide-architecture-in-wien.pdf.

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Photograph by: Ryan Nyenhuis

 

Sunday June 15th 2008, Fathers Day. Ryan and I woke with a plan. The plan being to sneak into the abandon R.L. Hearn Thermal Generation Power Plant which is located in the south east area of downtown Toronto. We wanted to photograph the beauty of decay.

 

We had made a trip over to the power plant a week prior to scout out the area, to see where guards were located and to find easy access inside.

 

Sneaking past the guard house located at the front of the property and making our way along the north west section of property towards the back of the plant where the barbed wire fence was weakest.

 

We then smoked three quarters of a joint together before working up the nerve to hop the fence. Ryan went first, watching him hop the fence and dart out into the yard and hiding behind scrap metal for cover then finally making it to the back of the building. Then it was my turn. What excitement that was, knowing your breaking the law to do something adventurous.

 

After getting onto the property we were standing at the back of the Hearn and looking for our way inside. To do so we had to hop up onto a metal fence post and from there had to reach up and grab a hold of plywood that covered up the tall entrance area. A good 15 foot climb up, over and in.

 

Once inside the first photo that was taken was the one of Ryan and I standing together, titled "final hours".

 

This place was like no other we had ever explored together. The shear size of it all was breathtaking and mind blowing at the same time. The beauty of destruction.

 

After the first photo was taken we started exploring the plant. Taking the necessary precautions we had come prepared with asbestos masks and flashlights.

 

We had made our way around on the ground floor, through locker rooms, showers, storage rooms. Then we started making our way up stairs to the 2nd and 3rd level offices, had the remainder of our joint together.

 

From the office levels we went back onto the factory area and started climbing the metal stairs up further still. Some photos show how high up we were in that building.

 

We then made ourselves up onto the roof. What a view from there looking out over the city core. Looking out over Lake Ontario we saw really dark storm clouds. Ryan pulled out a cigarette and had a smoke.

 

We were up on the roof for about a half hour before Ryan asked me "what do you want to do now man?". "Do you want to go home now or stay a bit longer and explore?". My camera battery had died at this point and being there any longer served no purpose for me. I was hesitant on a response because at the same time I wanted to keep exploring because the plan was to keep coming back weekend after weekend to explore and document the old structure.

 

I then agreed to keep exploring. We came in off the roof, coming down a level, walked through a doorway into a long looking dark room. All across the top level of The Hearn runs conveyor belts that run coal from one end to the other. Walking together along the metal grating flooring. Ryan was 2 feet in front of me.

 

I then ended up tripping over a small extruded piece of metal on the floor, and from that second on I pointed my flashlight directly onto the floor to see where I was walking.

 

Very shortly after this happens, in mid sentence Ryan just falls into blackness. All I see is from his waist up as he plunges into complete blackness and followed by about 4-5 seconds before hearing a sick crash far below.

 

I then look 2 feet in front of me and see there is no more floor. My imediant thought is that he is dead. Then my brain clicks "I have to get my best friend out of here".

 

I then tried my best to back track to get out of the building, taking a route that he and I had not taken to get to this point. All I knew is I had to get out of The Hearn and find someone that could help.

 

I don't even know how I got out of that place. When I did I came out on the back side of the building, ran around to the guard house screaming for help.

 

I screamed to the guard that my best friend just fell in there and is hurt really bad, he asked what we were doing in there and I told him we were just taking photos.

 

The guard then called like every paramedic, fire and police officer in the city. About 10 minutes after the call was made all I could hear were the sirens. Scared and relived at the same time I was.

 

Once they all showed up I told them Ryan was in there, that we were up high in the building and he fell. All the cops were telling me to retrace my steps, they wanted to see where we came in from. I screamed at them "we don't have time for that right now, my best friend is dying in there". I then started leading them to the front of the Hearn because I knew it was the closet way inside. We get to the front and all entrances were boarded up. One cops said to me "Ian there is no way in through this way, you have to show us where you came in from". I then demanded to the fire fighters that they bust this plywood down to get inside.

 

Once inside the cops started fucking with my mind, me being in total shock at the time they started asking me where we had explored, they wanted me to take them on what would have been a few hours of exploration, which we didn't have time for.

 

Then an officer finds his asbestos mask and glasses. My first thought is he was okay, that he somehow managed to crawl out under his own power. I was wrong. His mask and glasses had bounced off of objects on the fall and Ryan was nowhere to be found.

 

The police tried getting a hold of Rogers Communication to see if they could pin point his location with the cell phone he had on him. They ended up using thermal vision to locate him. He was trapped in a coal hopper located high up in the building.

 

I was escorted out at this point in time because I was too "hysterical" for the cops liking.

 

Two and a half hours went by, a fierce thunderstorm was passing through.

 

While they were working on getting Ryan out I was giving my statement to the police. Never gave one of those in my life. I told them everything that I am writing here right now, everything, even the joint smoking. I had Nothing to hide.

 

We went in undetected but I didn't care if the whole world was watching at this point, I was doing what any best friend would do. I was trying to save him. City Pulse News was there and I was trying to hide from them. I was scared that this is how his family would find out and how my family would find out, being Fathers days and all.

 

After two and a half hours of hell they finally got Ryan out. I watched them carry him out on a backboard and I yelled to him that I loved him.

 

Ryan was rushed to St. Micheal's Hospital, the best in all the city for trauma.

 

I followed about an hour after him, being escorted in a police car. On the drive one officer said to me "this is going to cost you and your buddy about a hundred thousand dollars for all that had to be done here today". What a jackass thing to say. I responded by saying "I don't give a fuck about money, take all I have from me I don't care, I'm loosing the most important person in my life right now".

 

We get to the hospital, I enter the trauma wing of St. Micheal's. They told me that I was going to be the one to call the home of the Nyenhuis'. I thought that was insane, and told them I could not make that call, that they would have to.

 

I then went into the waiting room, sat down. I remember the NBA finals were on the televisions in there and I ended up falling asleep somehow.

 

Waking to Stevie and Tammy's faces hours later (Stevie being Ryan's room mate and Tammy being Ryan's girlfriend).

 

Stevie told me that John and Cheryl were on their way and that we could go up stairs to the trauma ward to see Ryan.

 

The trauma centre, located on the 9th floor of St. Micheal's Hospital.

 

Hours passed by, as the night went on the news kept getting worse and worse about his condition.

 

I ended up leaving to come back to my apartment at 6am the following morning, I had to talk to my parents and try and shovel some food into my system. Still being in shock and never got treatment for shock when it happened.

 

I returned to the hospital at 3pm that day. Only to find nothing had changed with his condition.

 

Then came the worst words I ever had to hear, Ryan's father coming in the room and telling me it was time to say goodbye to Ryan.

 

We made our way into where he was being cared for. To see my best friend in the state he was in broke my heart. Blood coming out the back of his head, body black and blue bruised from head to toe, internal damage that could not be repaired, feeling his forehead and it being ice cold. He was laying there in front of us, dead. Machines were the only thing keeping him "alive".

 

I said my goodbyes to him, telling him that he can't leave me here, he can't leave the creation of Studies In Comfort behind, something that is so brilliant, that we were supposed to take over the world together and do all that was planned. I told him to haunt me.

 

I then looked at his eyes and saw tears. He may have been brain dead but I know he heard every word I said. Doctors did not give an explanation to what was coming out of his eyes.

 

If only I had said to Ryan "hey man watch your step" he might still be alive today. I have been told over and over again that I can not blame myself for what happened that day. I sometimes still do.

 

Ryan and I once had a conversation that if something ever happened to one of us that Studies In Comfort would stop, without a core creator there is no sense to continue it. Well I am going against those wishes. I can't lose what he and I created even before it took off the ground.

 

I now know my purpose in life. To carry on Studies In Comfort. I must continue on for him, finish off the 3 studio albums we had in the works and continue on with this art form.

 

Ryan died at the wheel and I have moved his lifeless body to the passengers seat and now a fucking insane madman is driving.

 

Ryan Nyenhuis, whos favourite artist was Nine Inch Nails, who lived on floor number 9, who wore a roman numeral 9 on his right arm, who died on the 9th floor at St. Micheal's Hospital, Toronto.

 

Thank you to 55 Division and all the paramedics and fire fighters who helped get Ryan out of that terrible dark place.

 

Ryan Nyenhuis is survived by his father, John, mother Cheryl, sisters, Jennifer and Leah, their beautiful children, myself and Studies In Comfort.

  

Ryan John Nyenhuis

July 28th 1981 - June 15th 2008

 

We love and miss you.

___________________________

 

All photographs were taken by Ryan Nyenhuis & Ian Levack with a Casio EX-Z1050 camera.

Secretary of State John Kerry And Brazilian Foreign Minister Antonio de Aguiar Patriota - After Their Meeting

   

FOREIGN MINISTER PATRIOTA: (Via interpreter) I was mentioning that he has a good knowledge of Portuguese in function of Mrs. Teresa Kerry. She’s also Portuguese.

   

But I would like to say that we had a meeting, a working meeting, this morning in this, which is the first visit of Secretary of State John Kerry to Brazil, to South America actually. He had a stopover at Bogota, which we consider to be very positive. It is our second meeting. I have kept a meeting with the Secretary of State in D.C. the past 20th of May. And moreover, the – aside from the meeting we had, we will receive him now for lunch in a short while, in which we will have also representatives from the legislative, the presidents of the foreign relation committees, as Senator Kerry has been, himself part of, also journalists, representatives from the civil society, and as all of you know, Secretary of State will be received by President Rousseff later this afternoon at the Planalto Palace.

   

Secretary of State John Kerry requires no presentation. He’s a known character to Brazil, a former candidate to the U.S. presidency, a senator of – from 1985-2013, president of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Senate between 2009-2013. And when he came to be the Secretary of State in the second term of President Obama, he is bringing with himself a commitment but several causes, which are extremely valued throughout Brazil: a commitment to sustainable development, all the agenda related to climate change, also a decisive support to the retaking of peace efforts in the Middle East, and we would like to congratulate the Secretary of State for his own efforts, which shall take us to a process within nine months’ time to be producing results.

   

In the last meeting this morning, we examined items in the bilateral agenda, which present, as all of you know, a robust trade and investment agenda. The U.S. are still the country with the largest stocks of investment in Brazil, the second largest partner of Brazil now with a growing deficit on the Brazilian side. We’ve also talked about that for over 30 bilateral mechanisms involving areas which go from energy to racial equality, gender equality, contact with the private sector, the universities, the civil society. Today, the United States is the largest destination of Brazilians within the Science Without Borders program. It’s 5,800 students. That is increasing every day.

   

Anyways, the potential of the relationship is even greater, especially now in a moment in many observers are referring to the relationship between Brazil and the U.S. as a relationship which is growing more and more. It’s getting more mature. But this maturity includes encompassing more relevant themes, especially in a moment we are about to redefine our contacts with a strategic partnership. President Obama in his letter to invite President Rousseff to visit, which will take place in October this year, referring to a strategic partnership with Brazil, President Rousseff responded with the same terminology.

   

At the same time, I should not forget to mention that we’re now facing a new type of challenge in our bilateral relationship. It is a challenge which has to do with wiretapping, telephone calls. And in case these challenges are not solved in a satisfactory way, we run the risk of casting a shadow of distrust on our work. We have established technical communication means, political channels are open as well. We have clarified everything that was requested. But these are not an end in themselves, so this doesn’t meet – accept the status quo. We need to discontinue practices which are an attempt to sovereignty in the relationship between the states and which can violate the individual freedoms that both of our countries are very much fond of.

   

Let me make it very clear that there is a broad space for us to advance. We have recently received the Secretary of Agriculture. We will receive the Secretary of Energy in a few days’ time. The mechanism with economic and commercial cooperation TECA is going to be meeting in September at the level of vice ministers. In September as well, we will have the third conference for innovation, Brazil and U.S, the working group for the scientific and technological committee. On the same theme and at the same time, we should not minimize the relevance acquired so far regarding espionage.

   

Within a few moments, we’ll keep on talking to Secretary Kerry in an environment which I believe is a symbol to our commitment with democracy, freedom, a good government, freedom of the press, opening with the civil society. And so this will be an occasion for us to hear a bit more of the last developments in this retaking of the peacemaking process between Israelis and Palestinians. Also, we had an opportunity to talk about Syria and other situations on my part.

   

As well, I shall be ready with a dispositioned and even interested of making an updated snapshot of a region, which as I have mentioned to Secretary Kerry today, I think we’re distinguished for being a space of democracy, economic growth, social justice with enough conditions which are unprecedented worldwide.

   

Thank you very much. Mr. Kerry.

   

SECRETARY KERRY: Well, bom dia. I’m happy to be here with everybody. Thank you very much. Thank you, Foreign Minister Patriota for hosting me here today. I’m very happy to be back in Brazil. I have great memories of my first trip here in 1992 to the Earth Summit in Rio, and I’m happy to be back here now and very grateful for the opportunity to continue the good dialogue that Antonio and I have had since the day we first talked on the telephone when I was appointed to this job.

   

Even when I came to Brazil back in 1992 for the Earth Summit, I could sense this incredible energy in Brazil, and I could feel firsthand the amazing commitment of Brazil to try to grab the future and particularly back then to address the issue, which was then even urgent, of climate change. I’m pleased to see that over the years Brazil’s commitment to environmental stewardship has continued right up until this day, and there have been very important efforts on the reduction of deforestation problems, alternative renewable energy problems, biofuels, other kinds of initiatives, but also very important, last year’s hosting of Rio+20.

   

And for those of us who have been involved in the challenge of climate change for all of that time, I think it was a bittersweet moment to measure 20 years, when the hopes of 20 years before we had to acknowledge had not yet been realized. So the challenge is ahead of us, for all of us, and I know that the United States has a great commitment under President Obama to take our own initiatives, not even to wait for congressional action, but to move administratively in order to do our part. I know we can continue to work with Brazil on this issue of climate, and we look forward to doing so.

   

Our mission is very, very clear. We need to inspire meaningful reform and action within the Major Economies Forum. We need to lead the effort to phase down hydrofluorocarbons in the Montreal Protocol. And together, Brazil and the United States need to join with other countries in an effort to negotiate a climate agreement in 2015 that is ambitious and flexible and that works for all of us.

   

Now, obviously we have also had some moments of disagreement, and I’m sure I’ll have an occasion in the questions to be able to address some of that with you. But the United States and Brazil – I want to emphasize, rather than focus on an area of disagreement – the United States and Brazil share a remarkable and dynamic partnership. Every single day we work together to advance economic opportunity, human rights, environment protection, regional peace and security, democracy, as well as major global challenges in the Middle East and elsewhere – Syria for instance and the question of the humanitarian challenge in Syria.

   

The United States respects and appreciates that Brazil is one of the world’s largest free market democracies, and our partnership is only made stronger as all of the world continues to grow. The United States recognizes and welcomes and greatly appreciates the vital leadership role, the increasing leadership role, that Brazil plays on the international stage – excuse me – and that ranges from its participation in global peace initiatives to its stability operations and promotion of human rights and its efforts to try to help either promote the peace or keep the peace in certain parts of the world.

   

Through the Global Peace Operations Initiative, we are working with Brazil and the United Nations to build the capacity of countries to be able to contribute themselves to peacekeeping operations. Brazil has provided more than 1,400 uniformed personnel to the stabilization mission in Haiti. We’re very grateful for that. And we’re also exploring opportunities for closer collaboration on peacekeeping in Africa.

   

It’s fair to say that protecting universal rights is at the very heart of the shared values between Brazil and the United States. And together, we remain committed to advancing those rights and to advancing the cause of equality for all people.

   

The United States also supports a very vibrant and active Organization of American States, and the OAS Charter reminds us of our responsibilities to offer our citizens liberty and to create the conditions in which all people can reach their aspirations, can live their aspirations. We believe that it is important that Brazil engage fully with the OAS and use its strong voice for a hemispheric vision of democracy and fundamental freedoms.

   

Now, our relationship is not only rooted in shared values, it is literally strengthened every single day by our citizens. Each year thousands of people travel between the United States and Brazil, forging new ties between our countries. Student exchanges under President Rousseff’s Scientific Mobility Program, which I had the privilege of visiting this morning and sensing firsthand the amazing energy and excitement and commitment of these young people, that’s something we share in common. And together with President Rousseff’s program and President Obama’s 100,000 Strong in the Americas Initiative, we are encouraging together approaches to address the shared concerns of our young people to include social inclusion and to work towards things like environmental sustainability.

   

Our exchange programs also ensure that today’s generation is going to be ready to respond to the enormous challenges of tomorrow and of the future. The vibrant and the growing connection between the United States and Brazil, between our governments and our citizens, is absolutely one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century. I said to Antonio, and I believe this and I know President Obama believes this and he communicated this when he came here recently, the future belongs to young people. Our job is to lay the groundwork for them, is to provide the opportunity for them to make the most of education and of the technologies and jobs that will define the future.

   

So I look forward, as President Obama does, not only to growing this partnership but to finding ways to work on our common values, our common interests, and our common hopes for our peoples. And we very much look forward to welcoming President Rousseff to Washington, D.C., for her meeting and a state visit with President Obama and our country in October. And with that, I’d be happy to answer any questions.

   

MODERATOR: (Inaudible.)

   

QUESTION: (Via interpreter) Secretary Kerry, we wanted – if you could, we wanted you to speak briefly about this issue of espionage and if by any chance Brazil – the United States will stop spying on the rest, and what guarantees the U.S. Government can give if the answer is no that you’re not going to stop spying, please what will you do? Do you think you can have deteriorated or hampered this relationship with Brazil?

   

SECRETARY KERRY: Well, obviously, first of all, I did not think it would be a surprise if I got a question on that subject, so I wanted to have a chance to be able to share some thoughts with you, and now I’m happy to address that and other things.

   

But very, very important, I ask the people of Brazil – and I will answer the question very directly. But I ask the people of Brazil to stay focused on the important realities of our relationship, the bilateral relations between our countries which continue to grow stronger and stronger. We share democratic values and we share a commitment to diversity and we share a determination to improve opportunities for our people. And the U.S.-Brazil relationship has the opportunity to provide extraordinary positive global impact if we continue to work together on these kinds of issues, on the environment and science and technology and sustainable energy, nonproliferation, on access to education, on disaster management, and our strong trade ties, our strong investment ties, our energy cooperation, our sustainable development cooperation. All of these things need to remain in the forefront of people’s minds as you consider this question of the national security revelations that have upset some people and created questions in others.

   

Let me be crystal clear: I can’t discuss with you operational issues, but I can tell you very definitively the Congress of the United States passed on a law after 9/11 when we were attacked by al-Qaida, and we began a process of trying to understand before they attacked us what these kinds of plots might be. The executive department of our government, after a law was passed by Congress which met our legal standards and passed the muster of law, then implemented the program with the supervision of our judiciary. So all three branches of the American Government have been involved in reviewing this particular program.

   

Now, we have engaged with the Brazilian Government very, very directly, and I want to express my appreciation to the Foreign Minister and to Brazilian officials who have visited with us in Washington, and we are here now and we will continue to have this dialogue. And we will have this dialogue with a view to making certain that your government is in complete understanding and complete agreement with what it is that we think we must do to provide security not just for Americans but for Brazilians and for people in the world.

   

Over the last years, regrettably, a number of countries – a number of groups – not countries – a number of groups in the world have individually targeted not just American interests but free interests in the world. There have been bombings in many places in the world. Innocent people have lost their lives. And what the United States has been trying to do is prevent these things from happening beforehand by knowing what others might be plotting.

   

So I would respectfully say to everybody that the United States, as the President said last Friday, the United States gathers foreign intelligence of the type gathered by all nations in order to protect their citizens, in order to protect our citizens. And our activities are firmly based on law and they are subject to oversight by all of the branches of our government. We are convinced that our intelligence collection has positively helped us to protect our nation from a variety of threats, not only protect our nation but protect other people in the world, including Brazilians.

   

And so we have engaged now with the Brazilian Government, we will stay very closely engaged with the Brazilian Government, and I can promise you that President Obama is determined that the United States will live up to the highest standards both of cooperation, of transparency, and accountability, in keeping with our ability to be able to protect ourselves and to protect others in the world.

   

QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, Mr. Foreign Secretary, you have said that all the South American ministers are united in condemning the alleged spying, and Brazil was asked for a formal explanation from the United States on this. What explanation have you received today? And also, you mentioned that if this situation is not resolved in a satisfactory manner that it risks perhaps more distrust in the relationship. So what are you looking for the United States to do?

   

FOREIGN MINISTER PATRIOTA: (Via interpreter) Well, in a summarized way I believe that you do know of the fact that ever since the first moment when these news came to be, we did get in touch with the U.S. Government by means of Ambassador Thomas Shannon here in Brasilia, and also the Embassy in D.C., and we opened dialogue channels, communication channels, both technical and political, And at the same time, there have been individual protests in Brazil and other countries in the region, as you all said, and on July 12th, a meeting by MERCOSUR adopted a decision which did instruct the countries – Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Venezuela, Colombia, Bolivia, who had subscribed – to start with the UN Secretary General taking this to the Security Council at the UN.

   

These demonstrations took place. They do reflect a considerable concern, and I think it’s legitimate, by the region and the international community in general, what practices which may be an attempt to the sovereignty of the very countries and to the rights of individuals. There have been demonstrations regarding the violation of human rights, especially from the High Commissioner of the UN for Human Rights, Navi Pillay.

   

And as a matter of fact, this clarification process, as I have mentioned, it’s not an end in itself. What we do consider is that the United States will never find a better partner in the fight against international terrorism and several other threats to homeland security as they are taking forth in a transparent way. International partnerships, when they’re done fully transparently, they do strengthen the trust. And when there is a lack of knowledge or lack of information on the country they may weaken this trust, so what we want to avoid from happening.

   

SECRETARY KERRY: Can I just add, if I may, to that? We’re not surprised and we’re not upset that Brazil would ask questions. Absolutely understandable. And Brazil is owed answers with respect to those questions, and they will get them. And we will work together very positively to make certain that this question, these issues, do not get in the way of all the other things that we talked about. And we will guarantee that Brazil and other countries will understand exactly what we’re doing, why and how, and we will work together to make sure that whatever is done in a way that respects our friends and our partners, and that is what we’re going to achieve.

   

QUESTION: (Via interpreter) Flavia (inaudible) Sao Paulo. Let me change the subject here a little. I would like to know if the topic regarding the issue on some visas in – to Brazilians, did you two talk about it? And is there a deadline for the waiver of the visa, or exception from a visa? And if the visit – President Rousseff to D.C. in October can be decided on her trip coming October?

   

FOREIGN MINISTER PATRIOTA: (Via interpreter) Well, briefly I mentioned that there are several initiatives and also meetings that are programmed for the next few months, which are included within those prospective preparation of the state visit to the U.S.

   

In one of the works that we’re going to be developing will be exactly this issue of exempting the visas to Brazilians. As you all know, there is a proposal which is known as the Global Entry – in English – which is being discussed between the two sides, and I understand that the last counterproposal of Brazil of a language to accommodate a few of the issues we have over here is under exam right now. And a declaration can be agreed upon in September, coming September, in which we’ll then have a text during her visit. So we do consider that. In this term, progress has been encouraging, satisfactory, and we will have some results soon to come.

   

Now related to the elimination or the exemption of the visa itself is a more complex issue, which we’ll need more time for discussion.

   

SECRETARY KERRY: Let me just say that we are – is that on? Yes. We’re committed to as vast a visa application processing process as possible. And we’re very proud that we have streamlined our operations over the course of the last year. We very much want to see more Brazilians coming to the United States for business, for tourism, for study, visiting friends, relatives, and so forth. So it’s very much in our interest to facilitate this.

   

Last year, we processed about one million visa requests all across Brazil, and we have managed to make the appointment times – the wait for those visas is down to either five days or under – less than five days. We have spent millions of dollars to upgrade our facilities in order to try to make this happen more effectively, and we’re going to be opening new consulates in Belo Horizonte and Porto Alegre. So we’re moving as much as we can to facilitate this.

   

And finally, we want to continue to consult very closely with Brazil in order to make sure we have legal statutory requirements that have to be met to allow for a reciprocal free visa travel under the visitors program. And we hope to get there. I’m confident we can, but we just need to continue to work together. But I promise you, we welcome as many people to come and visit and be able to move freely back and forth as is possible, and I’m confident we’ll get to the day when we have an open visa program.

   

QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, we understand that earlier today you spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu, including presumably about the settlements, which by some counts have reached 3,100 new or advancing units appeared in recent days. What can you tell us about that conversation and your message to the Prime Minister? Have you had a similar conversation with President Abbas? Are the Palestinians still on board for the peace talks? And finally, what would you say to those who say that the Israelis are doing this – they’re playing along with their initiative – but that they’re really too divided to make the hard decisions for peace? Thank you.

   

SECRETARY KERRY: No. Well, I – thank you. It’s a very appropriate question. It’s timely, obviously. Yes, I did speak with Prime Minister Netanyahu this morning, and I, first of all, conveyed to him my hopes for his speedy recovery. As you know, he’s just had surgery, and he’s dealing with these issues in the middle of that, and I can tell you that’s obviously not easy.

   

We had a very frank and open, direct discussion about the question of settlements. Let me make it clear: The policy of the United States of America with respect to all settlements is that they are illegitimate, and we oppose settlements taking place at any time, not just the time of the peace process.

  

But – here’s the but – that said, Prime Minister Netanyahu was completely upfront with me and with President Abbas that he would be announcing some additional building that would take place in places that will not affect the peace map, that will not have any impact on the capacity to have a peace agreement. That means that it is building within the so-called blocs in areas that many people make a presumption – obviously not some Palestinians or others – will be part of Israel in the future. He has specifically agreed not to disturb what might be the potential for peace going forward.

   

Now, we still believe it would be better not to be doing it, but there are realities within life in Israel that also have to be taken into account here going forward. President Abbas understood that coming into these talks. That’s why these talks are pressed into this time period of nine months. That’s why we all understand there is urgency, as I said yesterday, to getting to the discussion of borders and security. If you resolve the borders of Israel – and you can only do that also resolving the security issues for Israel – you have resolved any questions about settlements, because then you know what is in Israel and what is not. And so the sooner we get to that discussion the better.

   

I will be talking to President Abbas today. We have a call scheduled for later. And he is committed to continue to come to this negotiation, because he believes the negotiation is what will ultimately resolve this issue, not a temporary decision or restraint. So we will continue to work this very, very closely with Israelis and we will continue to work it very closely with Palestinians. And our hope is that we get to the real issues on which we ought to be focusing, which are the final status settlement – the final status issues. And I’m very hopeful we will get there very, very soon.

   

FOREIGN MINISTER PATRIOTA: (Via interpreter) Just briefly, at the same time that we support the efforts of Secretary Kerry and we are bringing up to the table the Israeli and Palestinian negotiation, we do – we do – we are against the Palestinian settlements, which are done against the UN Security Council resolutions, and they do represent a violation of the international law. We do consider that this kind of fact will not contribute for creating a propitious environment for the understandings of the whole international community, and Brazil specifically would love to see coming at the end of this nine month period time upon which negotiators will be working.

   

Let me also mention that I have encouraged Secretary Kerry to give more relief to the participation of the civil society in Israel and the Palestine along this peacemaking process. I was well impressed when I visited the region last year in October and when I saw that in the – among the civil society on both ends there are voices that are quite committed to peace and they do convey messages which are a bit different from the ones we’re used to seeing. These messages are in repudiation of violence and consumed facts and the establishment of settlements, which are not favorable for the understanding for peace.

   

SECRETARY KERRY: That’s it. Okay.

   

FOREIGN MINISTER PATRIOTA: (Via interpreter) Thank you.

 

# # #

August 13, 2013

 

Itamaraty Palace

Brasilia, Brazil

  

Brockdish is one of three parish churches within about a mile that can be seen from the A143, but only the top of the tower is visible when heading north, and only fleetingly. THe only other clue is the truncated Church Lane which cuts across the main road, the name of which indicates the nearby church.

 

I came here at about eleven in the morning, having visited Oulton in Suffolk earlier, and wasn't expecting to find it open to be honest. But I heard the bells being rung, or at least pealing in intermittent intervals, the reason being some people were being given lessons.

 

Three cars were parked in the lane beside the church, which you reach by traveling up a green lane north out of the village before taking the track to the church.

 

The door to the tower, where the bellringers were being taught was ajar, and I could have gone up, but instead I go to the porch to try the door, and finding it open, I go inside lest someone comes and closes it.

 

Soon I am joined inside by the warden who is surprised, but pleased, to find a visitor: she is there to make teas for the ringers, and would I like one?

 

My breath had already been taken away by the tiles in the chancel, which are of exceptional quality. Tiles are something easily overlooked, and indeed many were clearly bought from catalogues, and so many are similar, but when more attention to detail was given, when extra quality was installed, it shines through.

 

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When I first visited this church in 2005, it was with something of a sinking heart to arrive at the third church in a row that was locked without a keyholder notice. Today, nothing could be further from the truth. In the south porch there is a large notice now which reads Come in and enjoy your church! Fabulous stuff.

The trim graveyard includes some substantial memorials to the Kay family, including one massive structure with an angel under a spire which would not look out of place opposite the Royal Albert Hall. No expense was spared by the Victorians here at Brockdish. The rebuilding was paid for by the Rector, George France, who also advised architect Frederick Marable on exactly what form this vision of the medieval should take. The tower above is curiously un-East Anglian, looking rather unusual surrounded by Norfolk fields. All around the building headstops are splendid, and fine details like faux-consecration crosses on the porch show that France was generally a man who knew what a medieval church should look like.

 

It will not surprise you to learn that St Peter and St Paul is similarly grand on the inside, if a touch severe. France actually devised a church much more Anglo-catholic than we find it today; it was toned down by the militantly low church Kay family later in the century. They took down the rood and replaced it with a simple cross, painting out the figures on the rood screen as well. When I first visited, the very helpful churchwarden who'd opened up for me observed that Brockdish is the only church in Norfolk that has stained glass in every window, which isn't strictly true (Harleston, three miles away, has as well) but we can be thankful that, thanks to the Reverend France's fortunes, it is of a very good quality. The glass seems to have been an ongoing project, because some of it dates from the 1920s. In keeping with low church tradition, the glass depicts mainly Biblical scenes and sayings of Christ rather than Saints, apart from the church's two patron Saints in the east window of the chancel. There are also some roundels in the east window of the south aisle, which appear to be of continental glass. They depict the Adoration of the Magi, the deposition of Christ, what appears to be Paharoah's daughter with the infant Moses, and the heads of St Matthias, St John the Evangelist, and Christ with a Crown of Thorns. However, I suspect that at least some of them are the work of the King workshop of Norwich, and that only the Deposition and the Old Testament scene are genuinely old.

 

If this is rather a gloomy church on a dark day, it is because of the glass in the south clerestory, a surprisingly un-medieval detail - the whole point of a clerestory was to let light reach the rood. The glass here is partly heraldic, partly symbolic. The stalls in the chancel are another faux-medieval detail - there was never a college of Priests here - but they looked suspiciously as if they might contain old bench ends within the woodwork. Not all is false, because the chancel also contains an unusual survival from the earlier church, a tombchest which may have been intended as an Easter Sepulchre.

 

Above all, the atmosphere is at once homely and devotional, not least because of the exceptional quality of the tiled sanctuary, an increasingly rare beast because they were so often removed in the 1960s and 1970s, when Victorian interiors were unfashionable. Brockdish's is spectacular, a splendid example that has caught the attention of 19th century tile enthusiasts and experts nationally.

 

Also tiled is the area beneath the tower, which France had reordered as a baptistery. The font has recently been moved back into the body of the church; presumably, whoever supplies the church's liability insurance had doubts about godparents standing with their backs to the steps down into the nave.

I liked Brockdish church a lot; I don't suppose it gets a lot of visitors, but it is a fine example of what the Victorians did right.

 

Simon Knott, June 2005, revisited and updated July 2010

 

www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/brockdish/brockdish.htm

 

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Is the next adjoining town eastward, through which the great road passes to Yarmouth; on the left hand of which, stands the church, on a hill by itself, there being no house near it but the parsonage, which joins to the east side of the churchyard. The advowson always belonged to the Earl's manor here, with which it now continues.

 

In Norwich Domesday we read, that the rector had a house and 30 acres of land, that it was then valued at 15 marks, and paid as it now doth for synodals 1s. 9d. procurations 6s. 8d. and 12d. Peter-pence. It stands in the King's Books thus:

 

10l. Brokedish rectory. 1l. yearly tenths.

 

And consequently pays first-fruits, and is incapable of augmentation. The church stands included in the glebe, which is much the same in quantity as it was when the aforesaid survey was taken. It is in Norfolk archdeaconry, Redenhall deanery, and Duke of Norfolk's liberty, though he hath no lete, warren, paramountship, or superiour jurisdiction at all in this town, the whole being sold by the family along with the manors of the town.

 

In 1603, there were 103 communicants here, and now there are 50 families, and about 300 inhabitants; it was laid to the ancient tenths at 4l. but had a constant deduction of 14s. on account of lands belonging to the religious, so that the certain payment to each tenth, was 3l. 6s.

 

The Prior of St. Faith at Horsham owned lands here, which were taxed at 2s. 6d. in 1428.

 

The Prior of Thetford monks had lands here of the gift of Richard de Cadomo or Caam, (fn. 1) who gave them his land in Brokedis, and a wood sufficient to maintain 20 swine, in the time of King Henry I. when William Bigot, sewer to that King, gave to this priory all the land of Sileham, which from those monks is now called Monks-hall manor, and the water-mill there; all which Herbert Bishop of Norwich conveyed to his father, in exchange for other lands, he being to hold it in as ample a manner as ever Herbert the chaplain did; and in Ric. the Second's time, the monks bought a piece of marsh ground in Brokedis, to make a way to their mill, which being not contained in the grant of Monks-hall manor from Hen. VIII. to the Duke of Norfolk, William Grice, Esq. and Charles Newcomen, who had a grant of such lands as they could find concealed from the Crown, seized on this as such; and upon their so doing, the owner of the mill was obliged to purchase it of them, by the name of Thetford-Mill-Way, and it hath ever since belonged to, and is constantly repaired by the owner thereof.

 

Rectors of Brockidish.

 

12 - - Robert

 

12 - - Sir Ralf de Creping, rector.

 

1313, Sir Stephen Bygod. The King, for this turn.

 

1324, Nic. le Mareschal. Tho. Earl of Norfolk and Marshal.

 

1326, Mathew Paumer, or Palmer. Ditto. He changed for Canefield-Parva in London diocese with

 

Master Robert de Hales. Ditto.

 

1333, John de Melburn. Ditto.

 

1355, Roger de Wombwell. Lady Eleanor and Thomas de Wingfield, attorneys to Sir John Wingfield, Knt.

 

1356, John Knyght of Exeter. Mary Countess-Marshal, widow of Tho. de Brotherton, who recovered the advowson by the King's writ, against Sir J. Wingfield, Knt. and Thomas his brother, William de Lampet and Alice his wife, and Catherine her sister, and so Wombwell was ejected.

 

1357, John de Esterford. Mary Countess-Marshal. He resigned in

 

1367, to John son of Catherine de Frenge, and he in

 

1368, to John Syward. Sir Walter Lord Manney.

 

1382, John de Balsham, who changed for Stowe St. Michael in Exeter diocese, with

 

Bartholomew Porter. Margaret Marshal, Countess of Norfolk.

 

1405, Sir John Dalyngho of Redcnhall. Eliz. Dutchess of Norf. in right of her dower.

 

1417, he exchanged with Thomes Barry, priest, for the vicarage of Berkyng church in London. John Lancaster, Ric. Sterisacre, and Rob. Southwell, attorneys to John Duke of Norfolk, EarlMarshal and Notyngham, who was beyond the seas. Barry resigned in

 

1422, to Sir Thomas Briggs, priest, who died rector. Ditto.

 

1454, Sir Hen. White, priest. John Duke of Norf. Earl-Marshal and Notingham, Marshal of England, Lord Mowbray, Segrave, and Gower. He resigned in

 

1455, to Sir Thomas Holm, priest. Ditto. And he in

 

1478, to John Nun. The King, as guardian to Richard Duke of York and Norfolk, and Lady Ann his wife, daughter and heir of John late Duke of Norfolk.

 

1491, John Mene; he had a union to hold another benefice.

 

1497, John Rogers, A. M. Eliz. Dutchess of Norfolk. He resigned in

 

1498, to Sir John Fisk, priest, chaplain to the Dutchess. Ditto. At whose death in

 

1511, Sir Robert Gyrlyng, chaplain to Thomas Earl of Surrey, had it of that Earl's gift: he was succeeded by

 

Sir William Flatberry, chaplain to Thomas Duke of Norfolk, who presented him; he resigned in

 

1540, to Sir Nic. Stanton, chaplain to his patron, Tho. Duke of Norf. Lord Treasurer and Earl-Marshal, and was succeeded by

 

William Hide, priest. Ditto. He resigned, and the Duke presented it in

 

1561, to Sir John Inman, priest, who was buried here Aug. 1, 1586.

 

1586, Aug. 4, Master Richard Gibson was instituted, who was buried Oct. 1, 1625; he was presented by Robert Nichols of Cambridge, by purchase of the turn from William le Grice, Gent. and Hester le Grice, wife of Charles le Grice, Gent. true patrons.

 

1625, William Owles, who held it united to Billingford. John Knapp of Brockdish, by grant of this turn. He was succeeded in

 

1645, by Brian Witherel, and he by

 

Mr. James Aldrich, who died rector Nov. 10, 1657, from which time somebody held it without institution, till the Restoration, and then receded, for in

 

1663, May 14, Sir Augustine Palgrave, patron of this turn, in right of Catherine his wife, presented George Fish, on the cession of the last incumbent; he was buried here Oct. 29, 1686.

 

1686, Thomas Palgrave, A.M. buried here March 24, 1724. Fran. Laurence, Gent.

 

1724, Abel Hodges, A.B. he held it united to Tharston, and died in 1729. Richard Meen, apothecary, for this turn.

 

1729, Richard Clark, LL. B. was instituted Dec. 3, and died about six weeks after. Mrs. Ellen Laurence of Castleacre, widow.

 

1730, Alan Fisher. Ditto. He resigned in

 

1738, and was succeeded by Robert Laurence, A. B. of Caius college, who lies buried at the south-east corner of the chancel, and was succeeded in

 

1739, by Francis Blomefield, clerk, the present rector, who holds it united to Fresfield rectory, being presented by Mrs. Ellen Laurence aforesaid.

 

The church is dedicated to the honour of the apostles St. Peter and Paul, and hath a square tower about 16 yards high, part of which was rebuilt with brick in 1714; there are five bells; the third, which is said to have been brought from Pulham in exchange, hath this on it;

 

Sancta Maria ora pro nobis.

 

and on the fourth is this,

 

Uirgo Coronata duc nos ad Regna beata.

 

The nave, chancel, and south isle are leaded, the south porch tiled, and the north porch is ruinated. The roof of this chancel is remarkable for its principals, which are whole trees without any joint, from side to side, and bent in such a rising manner, as to be agreeable to the roof. The chancel is 30 feet long and 20 broad, the nave is 54 feet long and 32 broad, and the south isle is of the same length, and 10 feet broad.

 

At the west end of the nave is a black marble thus inscribed,

 

Here lyeth buried the Body of Richard Wythe Gent. who departed this Life the 6 of Sept. 1671, who lived 64 Years and 4 Months and 9 Days.

 

This family have resided here till lately, ever since Edw. the Third's time, and had a considerable estate here, and the adjacent villages. See their arms, vol. iv. p. 135.

 

Another marble near the desk hath this,

 

Near this Place lays Elizabeth Wife of John Moulton Gent. who died Oct. 31, 1716, aged 32 Years. And here lieth Mary the late Wife of John Moulton, who died March 20, 1717, aged 27 Years. And also here lyeth the Body of John Moulton Gent. who died June 12, 1718, aged 38 Years.

 

Moulton's arms and crest as at vol. iv. p. 501.

 

In a north window are the arms of De la Pole quartering Wingfield.

 

In 1465, Jeffry Wurliche of Brockdish was buried here, and in 1469 John Wurliche was interred in the nave, and left a legacy to pave the bottom of the steeple. In 1518, Henry Bokenham of Brockdish was buried in the church, as were many of the Spaldings, (fn. 2) Withes, Howards, Grices, Tendrings, and Laurences; who were all considerable owners and families of distinction in this town.

 

The chapel at the east end of the south isle was made by Sir Ralf Tendring of Brockdish, Knt. whose arms remain in its east window at this day, once with, and once without, a crescent az. on the fess, viz. az. a fess between two chevrons arg.

 

His altar monument stands against the east wall, north and south, and hath a sort of cupola over it, with a holy-water stope by it, and a pedestal for the image of the saint to which it was dedicated, to stand on, so that it served both for a tomb and an altar; the brass plates of arms and circumscription are lost.

 

On the north side, between the chapel and nave, stands another altar tomb, covered with a most curious marble disrobed of many brass plates of arms and its circumscription, as are several other stones in the nave, isle, and chancel. This is the tomb of John Tendring of Brockdish-hall, Esq. who lived there in 1403, and died in 1436, leaving five daughters his heirs, so that he was the last male of this branch of the Tendrings. Cecily his wife is buried by him.

 

On the east chancel wall, on the south side of the altar, is a white marble monument with this,

 

Obdormit hìc in Domino, lætam in Christo expectans Resurrectionem, Robertus, Roberti Laurence, ac Annæ Uxoris ejus, Filius, hujusce Ecclesiæ de Brockdish in Comitatû Norfolciensi Rector, ejusdem Villæ Dominus, ac Ecclesiæ Patronus, jure hereditario (si vixîsset) Futurus; Sed ah! Fato nimium immaturo abreptus; Cœlestia per Salvatoris merita sperans, Terrestria omnia, Juvenis reliquit. Dec. 31°. Anno æræ Christianæ mdccxxxixo. Ætatis xxvo. Maria, unica Soror et Hæres, Roberti Frankling Generosi Uxor, Fraterni Amoris hoc Testimonium animo grato, Memoriæ Sacrum posuit.

 

1. Laurence, arg. a cross raguled gul. on a chief gul. a lion passant guardant or.

 

2. Aslack, sab. a chevron erm. between three catherine-wheels arg.

 

3. Lany, arg. on a bend between two de-lises gul. a mullet of the field for difference.

 

4. Cooke, or, on a chevron ingrailed gul. a crescent of the field for difference, between three cinquefoils az. on a chief of the second, a lion passant guardant of the first.

 

5. Bohun, gul. a crescent erm. in an orle of martlets or.

 

6. Bardolf, az. three cinquefoils or.

 

7. Ramsey, gul. a chevron between three rams heads caboshed arg.

 

8. as 1.

 

Crest, a griffin seiant proper.

 

Motto, Floreat ut Laurus.

 

On a flat stone under this monument, is a brass plate thus inscribed,

 

Sacrum hoc Memoriæ Roberti Laurence Armigeri, qui obijt xxviijo die Julij 1637, Elizabeth Uxor ejus, Filia Aslak Lany Armigeri posuit.

 

Arms on a brass plate are,

 

Lawrence impaling Lany and his quarterings, viz. 1, Lany. 2, Aslack. 3, Cooke. 4, Bohun. 5, nine de-lises, 3, 3, and 3. 6, Bardolf. 7, Charles. 8, on a chevron three de-lises. 9, Ramsey. 10, Tendring. 11, on a fess two coronets. 12, Wachesam, arg. a fess, in chief two crescents gul. 13, a lion rampant. 14, Lany.

 

There is a picture of this Robert drawn in 1629, æt. 36. He built the hall in 1634; it stands near half a mile north-east of the church, and was placed near the old site of Brockdishe's-hall; the seat of the Tendrings, whose arms, taken out of the old hall when this was built, were fixed in the windows. The arms of this man and his wife, and several of their quarterings, are carved on the wainscot in the rooms.

 

On the south side of the churchyard is an altar tomb covered with a black marble, with the crest and arms of

 

Sayer, or Sawyer, gul. a chief erm. and a chevron between three seamews proper.

 

Crest, a hand holding a dragon's head erased proper.

 

To the Memory of Frances late the wife of Richard Tubby Esq. who departed this Life Dec. 22, 1728, in the 60th Year of her Age.

 

And adjoining is another altar tomb,

 

In Memory of Richard Tubby Esq. (fn. 3) who died Dec. 10th. 1741, in the 80th Year of his Age.

 

There are two other altar tombs in the churchyard, one for Mr. Rich. Chatton, and another for Eliz. daughter of Robert and Eliz. Harper, who died in 1719, aged 8 years.

 

The town takes its name from its situation on the Waveney or Wagheneye, which divides this county from that of Suffolk; the channel of which is now deep and broad, though nothing to what it was at that time, as is evident from the names of places upon this river, as the opposite vill, now called Sileham, (oftentimes wrote Sayl-holm, even to Edw. the Third's time) shows; for I make no doubt, but it was then navigable for large boats and barges to sail up hither, and continued so, till the sea by retiring at Yarmouth, and its course being stopt near Lowestoft, had not that influence on the river so far up, as it had before; which occasioned the water to retire, and leave much land dry on either side of the channel; though it is so good a stream, that it might with ease, even now, be made navigable hither; and it would be a good work, and very advantageous to all the adjacent country. That [Brod-dic] signifies no more than the broad-ditch, is very plain, and that the termination of ò, eau, or water, added to it, makes it the broad ditch of water, is as evident.

 

Before the Confessor's time, this town was in two parts; Bishop Stigand owned one, and the Abbot of Bury the other; the former afterwards was called the Earl's Manor, from the Earls of Norfolk; and the other Brockdishe's-hall, from its ancient lords, who were sirnamed from the town.

 

The superiour jurisdiction, lete, and all royalties, belonged to the Earl's manor, which was always held of the hundred of Earsham, except that part of it which belonged to Bury abbey, and that belonged to the lords of Brockdishe's-hall; but when the Earl's manor was sold by the Duke of Norfolk, with all royalties of gaming, fishing, &c. together with the letes, view of frankpledge, &c. free and exempt from his hundred of Earsham, and the two manors became joined as they now are, the whole centered in the lord of the town, who hath now the sole jurisdiction with the lete, belonging to it; and the whole parish being freehold, on every death or alienation, the new tenant pays a relief of a year's freehold rent, added to the current year: The annual free-rent, without such reliefs, amounting to above 3l. per annum. At the Conqueror's survey the town was seven furlongs long, and five furlongs and four perches broad, and paid 6d. to the geld or tax. At the Confessor's survey, there were 28 freemen here, six of which held half a carucate of land of Bishop Stigand, and the others held 143 acres under the Abbot of Bury, and the Abbot held the whole of Stigand, without whose consent the freemen could neither give away, nor sell their land, but were obliged to pay him 40s. a year free-rent; (fn. 4) and if they omitted paying at the year's end, they forfeited their lands, or paid their rent double; but in the Conqueror's time they paid 16l. per annum by tale. There were two socmen with a carucate of land, two villeins and two bordars here, which were given to Bury abbey along with the adjacent manor of Thorp-Abbots, but were after severed from that manor, and infeoffed by the Abbot of Bury in the lord of Brockdishe's-hall manor, with which it passed ever after. (fn. 5)

 

Brockdish-Earl's Manor, or Brockdish Comitis.

 

This manor always attended the manor of Forncet after it was granted from the Crown to the Bygods, along with the half hundred of Earsham, for which reason I shall refer you to my account of that manor at p. 223, 4. It was mostly part of the dower of the ladies of the several noble families that it passed through, and the living was generally given to their domestick chaplains. In 3 Edward I. the Abbot of Bury tried an action with Roger Bigod, then lord and patron, for the patronage; (fn. 6) pleading that a part of the town belonged to his house, and though they had infeoffed their manor here in the family of the Brockdishes, yet the right in the advowson remained in him; but it appearing that the advowson never belonged to the Abbot's manor, before the feofment was made, but that it wholly was appendant ever since the Confessor's time, to the Earl's manor, the Abbot was cast: notwithstanding which in 1335, Sir John Wingfield, Knt. and Thomas his brother, William de Lampet and Alice his wife, and Catherine her sister, owners of Brockdishe's manor, revived the claim to the advowson; and Thomas de Wingfield, and lady Eleanor wife of Sir John Wingfield, presented here, and put up their arms in the church windows, as patrons, which still remain; but Mary Countess Marshal, who then held this manor in dower, brought her quare impedit, and ejected their clerk; since which time, it constantly attended this manor, being always appendant thereto. In 15 Edw. I. Roger Bigot, then lord, had free-warren in all this town, as belonging to this manor, having not only all the royalties of the town, but also the assise of bread and ale, and amerciaments of all the tenants of his own manor, and of the tenants of Reginald de Brockdish, who were all obliged to do suit once a year at the Earl's view of frankpledge and lete in Brockdish; and it continued in the Norfolk family till 1570, and then Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolk, obtained license from Queen Elizabeth to sell it; it being held in capite or in chief of the Crown, as part of the barony and honour of the said Duke, who accordingly sold the manor, advowson, free-fishery, and all the place or manor-house, and demean lands; together with the lete, view of frankpledge, liberty of free warren, and all other royalties whatsoever, free and exempt from any jurisdiction or payment to his half hundred of Earsham, to

 

Charles le Grice, Esq. of Brockdish, and his heirs, who was descended from Sir Rorert le Grys of Langley in Norfolk, Knt. equerry to Ric. I. and Oliva his wife, whose son, Sir Simon le Grys, Knt. of Thurveton, was alive in 1238, and married Agnes daughter and coheir to Augustine son of Richard de Waxtenesham or Waxham, of Waxham in Norfolk, by whom he had Roger le Grys of Thurton, Esq. who lived in the time of Edward I. whose son Thomas le Grice of Thurton, had Roger le Grice of Brockdish, who lived here in 1392; whose son Thomas left John le Grice his eldest son and heir, who married a Bateman, and lies buried in St. John Baptist's church in Norwich; (see vol. iv. p. 127;) but having no male issue, William le Grice of Brockdish, Esq. son of Robert le Grice of Brockdish, his uncle, inherited; he married Sibill, daughter and sole heir of Edmund Singleton of Wingfield in Suffolk, and had

 

Anthony le Grice of Brockdish, Esq. (fn. 7) who married Margaret, daughter of John Wingfield, Esq. of Dunham, who lived in the place, and died there in 1553, and lies buried in the church, by whom his wife also was interred in 1562. His brother Gilbert Grice of Yarmouth, Gent. (fn. 8) first agreed with the Duke for Brockdish, but died before it was completed; so that Anthony, who was bound with him for performance of the covenants, went on with the purchase for his son,

 

Charles le Grice aforesaid, (fn. 9) to whom it was conveyed: he married two wives; the first was Susan, daughter and heir of Andrew Manfield, Gent. and Jane his wife, who was buried here in 1564; the second was Hester, daughter of Sir George Blagge, Knt. who held the manor for life; and from these two wives descended the numerous branches of the Grices of Brockdish, Norwich, Wakefield in Yorkshire, &c. He was buried in this church April 12, 1575, and was found to hold his manor of the hundred of Earsham, in free soccage, without any rent or service, and not in capite; and Brockdishe's-hall manor of the King, as of his barony of Bury St. Edmund in Suffolk, which lately belonged to the abbey there, in free soccage, without any rent or service, and not in capite, and

 

William le Grice, Esq. was his eldest son and heir, who at the death of his mother-in-law, was possessed of the whole estate; for in 1585, William Howard, then lord of Brockdishe's-hall manor, agreed and sold it to this William, and Henry le Grice his brother, and their heirs; but Howard dying the next year, the purchase was not completed till 1598, when Edw. Coppledick, Gent. and other trustees, brought a writ of entry against John son of the said William Howard, Gent. and had it settled absolutely in the Grices, from which time the two manors have continued joined as they are at this day; by Alice, daughter and heiress of Mr. Eyre of Yarmouth; he left

 

Francis le Grice, Esq. his son and heir, who sold the whole estate, manors, and advowson, to

 

Robert Laurence of Brockdish, Esq. (fn. 10) who married Elizabeth, daughter of Richard, son of Edmund Anguish of Great-Melton, by whom he had

 

Robert Laurence, Esq. his son and heir, who married Elizabeth, daughter of Aslack Lany, who survived him, and remarried in 1640, to Richard Smith, Gent. by whom she had one child, Eliz. buried here in 1641: he died July 24, 1637, and lies buried by the altar as aforesaid: he built the present hall, and had divers children, as Aslak Laurence, Robert, born in 1633, buried in 1635, Samuel Laurence, born in 1635, Ellen, born in 1635, Elizabeth, who married William Reynolds of Great-Massingham, Gent. and

 

Francis Laurence of Brockdish, Esq. his eldest son and heir, who married Ellen, daughter of Thomas Patrick of Castle-acre, Gent. widow of Mathew Halcote of Litcham, Gent. who survived him, and held Brockdish in jointure to her death, which happened Jan. 6, 1741, when she was buried in the nave of Litcham church: they had Frances, and Elizabeth, who died infants; Mary, who died single about 1736, and was buried in the vestry belonging to Castleacre church; Jane, married to Mr. Thomas Shin of Great Dunham, by whom a Thomas, a son, &c. she being dead; Ellen, now widow of Thomas Young of Oxboro, Gent. who died Oct. 1743, leaving issue, the Rev. Mr. Thomas-Patrick Young of Caius college in Cambridge, Benjamin and Mary, and

 

Samuel Lawrence, Gent. their second son, is now alive and single; and

 

Robert Lawrence, Esq. their eldest son and heir, is long since dead, but by Anne daughter of John Meriton, late rector of Oxburgh, his wife, he left one son,

 

Robert Laurence, late rector of Brockdish, who died single, and

 

Mrs. Mary Laurence, his only sister, who is now living, and married to Robert Frankling, Gent. of Lynn in Norfolk, is the present lord in her right, but they have no issue.

 

Brockdishe's-Hall Manor,

 

Belonged to Bury abbey as aforesaid, till the time of Henry I. and then the Abbot infeoffed

 

Sir Stephen de Brockdish in it, from whom it took its present name; he was to hold it at the 4th part of a knight's fee of that abbey: it contained a capital messuage or manor-house, called now Brockdishe's-hall; 105 acres of land in demean, 12 acres of wood, 8 of meadow, and 4l. 13s. 10d. rents of assise; he left it to

 

Jeffery de Brockdish his son, and he to

 

William, his son and heir, who in 1267, by the name of William de Hallehe de Brokedis, or Will. of Brockdish-hall, was found to owe suit and service once in a year with all his tenants, to the lete of the Earl of Norfolk, held here. He left this manor, and the greatest part of his estate in Norwich-Carleton (which he had with Alice Curson his wife) to

 

Thomas, his son and heir, and the rest of it to Nigel de Brockdish, his younger son; (see p. 102;) Thomas left it to

 

Reginald, his eldest son and heir, and he to

 

Sir Stephen de Brockdish, Knt. his son and heir, who was capital bailiff of all the Earl of Norfolk's manors in this county; he was lord about 1329, being succeeded by his son,

 

Stephen, who by Mary Wingfield his wife, had

 

Reginald de Brockdish, his son and heir, (fn. 11) to whom he gave Brockdish-hall manor in Burston, (see vol. i. p. 127, vol. ii. p. 506,) but he dying before his father, was never lord here; his two daughters and heiresses inheriting at his father's death, viz.

 

Alice, married to William de Lampet about 1355, and Catherine some time after, to William son of John de Herdeshull, lord of North Kellesey and Saleby in Lincolnshire, who inherited each a moiety, according to the settlement made by their grandfather, who infeoffed Sir John de Wingfield, Knt. and Eleanor his wife, and Thomas his brother, in trust for them; (fn. 12) soon after, one moiety was settled on Robert Mortimer and Catherine his wife, by John Hemenhale, clerk, and John de Lantony, their trustees; and not long after the whole was united, and belonged to

 

Sir William Tendring of Stokeneyland, Knt. and Margaret his wife, daughter and coheir of Sir Will. Kerdeston of Claxton in Norfolk, Knt. who were succeeded by their son and heir

 

Sir John Tendring of Stokeneyland, Knt. who jointly with Agnes his wife, settled it on

 

Sir Ralf Tendring of Brockdish, Knt. one of their younger sons, who built the old hall (which was pulled down by Robert Lawrence, Esq. when he erected the present house) and the south isle chapel, in which he and Alice his wife are interred; his son,

 

John Tendring of Brockdish, Esq. who was lord here and of Westhall in Colney, (see p. 5,) and was buried in the said chapel, with Cecily his wife, died in 1436, and left five daughrers, coheiresses, viz.

 

Cecily, married to Robert Ashfield of Stowlangetot in Suffolk, Esq.

 

Elizabeth, to Simeon Fincham of Fincham in Norfolk, Esq.

 

Alice, to Robert Morton.

 

Joan, to Henry Hall of Helwinton.

 

Anne, to John Braham of Colney.

 

Who joined and levied a fine and sold it to

 

Thomas Fastolff, Esq. and his heirs; and the year following, they conveyed all their lands, &c. in Wigenhall, Tilney, and Islington, to

 

Sir John Howard, Knt. and his heirs; and vested them in his trustees, who, the year following, purchased the manor of Fastolff to himself and heirs; this Sir John left Brockdish to a younger son,

 

Robert Howard, Esq. who settled here, and by Isabel his wife had

 

William Howard of Brockdish, Esq. who was lord in 1469; he had two wives, Alice and Margaret, from whom came a very numerous issue, but

 

Robert, his son and heir, had this manor, who by Joan his wife had

 

William Howard, his eldest son and heir, who died in 1566, seized of many lands in Cratfield, Huntingfield, Ubbeston, and Bradfield in Suffolk; and of many lands and tenements here, and in Sileham, &c. having sold this manor the year before his death, to the Grices as aforesaid; but upon the sale, he reserved, all other his estate in Brockdish, in which he dwelt, called Howard's Place, situate on the south side of the entrance of Brockdish-street; which house and farm went to

 

John Howard, his son and heir, the issue of whose three daughters, Grace, Margaret, and Elizabeth, failing, it reverted to

 

Mathew, son of William Howard, second brother to the said John Howard their father, whose second son,

 

Mathew Howard, afterwards owned it; and in 1711, it was owned by a Mathew Howard, and now by

 

Mr. Bucknall Howard of London, his kinsman (as I am informed.)

 

The site and demeans of the Earl's manor, now called the place, was sold from the manor by the Grices some time since, and after belonged to Sir Isaac Pennington, alderman of London, (see vol. i. p. 159,) and one of those who sat in judgment on the royal martyr, for which his estate was forfeited at the Restoration, and was given by Car. II. to the Duke of Grafton; and his Grace the present Duke of Grafton, now owns it.

 

the benefactions to this parish are,

 

One close called Algorshegge, containing three acres, (fn. 13) and a grove and dove-house formerly built thereon containing about one acre, at the east end thereof; the whole abutting on the King's highway north, and the glebe of Brockdish rectory west: and one tenement abutting on Brockdish-street south, called Seriches, (fn. 14) with a yard on the north side thereof, were given by John Bakon the younger, of Brockdish, son of John Bakon the elder, of Thorp-Abbots; the clear profits to go yearly to pay the tenths and fifteenths for the parish of Brockdish when laid, and when they are not laid, to repair and adorn the parish church there for ever: his will is proved in 1433. There are always to be 12 feoffees, of such as dwell, or are owners in the parish, and when the majority of them are dead, the survivors are to fill up the vacancies.

 

In 1590, 1 Jan. John Howard, Gent. John Wythe, Gent. William Crickmere and Daniel Spalding, yeomen, officers of Brockdish, with a legacy left to their parish in 1572, by John Sherwood, late of Brokdish, deceased, purchased of John Thruston of Hoxne, Gent. John Thruston his nephew, Thomas Barker, and the inhabitants of Hoxne in Suffolk, one annuity or clear yearly rent-charge of 6s. 8d. issuing out of six acres of land and pasture in Hoxne, in a close called Calston's-close, one head abutting on a way leading from Heckfield-Green to Moles-Cross, towards the east; to the only use and behoof of the poor of Brockdish, to be paid on the first of November in Hoxne church-porch, between 12 and 4 in the afternoon of the same day, with power to distrain and enter immediately for non-payment; the said six acres are warranted to be freehold, and clear of all incumbrances, except another rentcharge of 13s. 4d. granted to Hoxne poor, to be paid at the same day and place

 

In 1592, John Howard of Brockdish sold to the inhabitants there, a cottage called Laune's, lying between the glebes on all parts; this hath been dilapidated many years, but the site still belongs to the parish.

 

From the old Town Book.

 

1553, 1st Queen Mary, paid for a book called a manuel 2s. 6d.; for two days making the altar and the holy-water stope, and for a lock for the font. 1554, paid for the rood 9d. 1555, paid for painting the rood-loft 14d. At the visitation of my Lord Legate 16d. To the organs maker 4d. and for the chalice 26s. 1557, paid for carriage of the Bible to Bocnam 12d. for deliverance of the small books at Harlstone 15d.; the English Bibles and all religious Protestant tracts usually at this time left in the churches for the information and instruction of the common people, being now called in by the Papist Queen. Paid for two images making 5s.; for painting them 16d. for irons for them 8d. But in 1558, as soon as Queen Elizabeth ascended the throne, all these Popish, images, &c. were removed out of the church. Paid for sinking the altar 4d.; carrying out the altar 5d.; mending the communion table 3d.; 1561, paid for the X. Commandments 18d.; for pulling down the rood-loft 14d.; paid Roger Colby repairing the crosse in the street 26s. 8d.; for a lock to the crosse-house, &c.; 1565, for digging the ground and levelling the low altar, (viz. in the south chapel,) and mending the pavement. For makyng the communion cup at Harlston 5s. 4d. besides 6s. 2d. worth of silver more than the old chalice weyed. 1569, paid to Belward the Dean for certifying there is no cover to the cup, 8d. 1657, layd out 19s. 4d. for the relief of Attleburgh, visited with the plague. Laid out 17s. for the repair of the Brockdish part of Sileham bridge, leading over the river to Sileham church. This bridge is now down, through the negligence of both the parishes, though it was of equal service to both, and half of it repaired by each of them. In 1618, the church was wholly new paved and repaired; and in 1619, the pulpit and desk new made, new books, pulpit-cloth, altar-cloth, &c. bought.

 

From the Register:

 

1593, Daniel son of Robert Pennington, Gent. bapt. 13 July. 1626, John Brame, Gent. and Anne Shardelowe, widow, married Sept. 2. 1631, John Blomefield and Elizabeth Briges married May 30. 1666, Roger Rosier, Gent. buried. 1735, Henry Blomefield of Fersfield, Gent. single man, and Elizabeth Bateman of Mendham, single woman, married Feb. 27.

 

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La Porsche 911 è un'autovettura sportiva prodotta dalla Porsche a partire dal 1963. È tuttora in produzione, e nel corso degli anni ha avuto molti cambiamenti. Si possono, tuttavia, distinguere due serie fondamentali: le 911 con motore raffreddato ad aria (1963-1997) e le 911 "moderne" (dal 1998 ad oggi). Nella seconda metà degli anni cinquanta la Porsche 356 iniziava a sentire il peso degli anni. Il motore 4 cilindri boxer raffreddato ad aria era nato nel 1948 con cilindrata di 1.131 cm³ e 40 CV di potenza, ed era derivato, come altre componenti dell'auto, dalla Volkswagen Maggiolino. Il vecchio 4 cilindri aveva raggiunto il massimo del suo potenziale di sviluppo con la versione 2.0 Carrera GS da 130 CV. Per la progettazione della nuova vettura Ferry Porsche si occupò della parte tecnica, affidando l'innovazione stilistica al figlio Ferdinand Alexander Porsche soprannominato dai suoi familiari "Butzi". Le linee guida decise a priori comportavano il mantenimento dell'impostazione tecnico-stilistica della "356", con il motore boxer raffreddato ad aria e montato posteriormente, ma con un'abitabilità sufficiente a ospitare 4 persone. La costruzione in serie di una tale vettura, avrebbe consentito alla Porsche di entrare nel mercato delle Gran turismo "due litri", con un prezzo concorrenziale rispetto ai modelli costruiti artigianalmente da molti carrozzieri italiani, su meccaniche Alfa Romeo, Fiat e Lancia. Lo sviluppo tecnico non diede gravi difficoltà e la nuova meccanica, incluso l'inedito 6 cilindri boxer, era pronta già nel 1961. Problemi maggiori derivarono dalla definizione della carrozzeria. La soluzione trovata da Butzi alla fine del 1959, il prototipo "T7" (in seguito anche denominato "754"), non convinceva e le varie modifiche non riuscirono a trovare la giusta soluzione tra l'eleganza dell'aspetto e la necessità di ottenere il richiesto spazio per passeggeri dei sedili posteriori.

Un lungo lavoro di affinamento portò alle soluzioni più disparate e bizzarre, finché Butzi si vide costretto ad abbandonare l'iniziale punto programmatico dei 4 posti e ripiegare sulla configurazione 2+2, che consentiva di mantenere la linea di cintura iniziale, raccordando il padiglione con il cofano motore in una sola curva.

L'aspetto estetico risultò subito molto equilibrato e, ancor più la parentela stilistica con il modello "356". Per la nuova vettura venne scelta la sigla commerciale "901" e il primo esemplare costruito, di colore giallo, fu presentato al Salone dell'Automobile di Francoforte del 1963, ottenendo buoni apprezzamenti dal pubblico e dalla stampa specializzata. La commercializzazione della nuova "901", avviata all'inizio del 1964, fu subito ostacolata dalla diffida della Peugeot ad usare quella sigla, poiché depositaria di tutti i numeri a tre cifre con lo zero al centro da utilizzare per i suoi modelli. La Porsche fu quindi costretta a modificare la sigla in "911" a partire dal 10 novembre 1964. Marchiati "901" furono soltanto i primi 82 esemplari già venduti, quasi tutti allestiti in maniera artigianale, dato che la produzione di serie ebbe inizio il 14 settembre di quell'anno. Pur immediatamente ottenendo un buon successo di vendite, la "911" fu inizialmente investita da forti polemiche e contestazioni, soprattutto rivolte all'eccessivo prezzo di listino e alla problematica tenuta di strada. La questione del prezzo, provocò un vero e putiferio di rimostranze da parte della clientela Porsche, dato che il nuovo modello era proposto all'astronomica cifra di 23.900 DM, con un aumento di oltre 7.000 DM, rispetto alla "356". A seguito delle proteste, l'azienda decise di ridurre il prezzo della "911" a 22.400 DM. Inoltre propose una versione con finiture modeste e motore a 4 cilindri derivato dalla "356", al contenuto prezzo di 17.500 DM, poi divenuta "912" dall'aprile 1965. Di soluzione non altrettanto facile furono le carenze tecniche lamentate dalla clientela che si tramutarono, nel 1966, in un dimezzamento delle vendite, passando alle 1.709 vetture consegnate, contro le 3.389 dell'anno precedente. Venivano lamentate la scarsa ventilazione e l'eccessiva rumorosità nell'abitacolo, il comportamento nervoso della vettura e, soprattutto, l'instabilità direzionale oltre i 130 km/h e il notevole effetto sottosterzante. La 911 era una coupé 2+2 (gli affinamenti avevano ridotto lo spazio posteriore), con motore posteriore a sbalzo, trazione posteriore, sospensioni a 4 ruote indipendenti con barre di torsione, 4 freni a disco e cambio meccanico a 5 rapporti (spesso 4 per gli USA). Il 6 cilindri boxer raffreddato ad aria e alimentato da 2 carburatori Solex triplo corpo che la muoveva aveva una cilindrata di 1991 cm³ e una potenza massima di 130 CV. Nel 1966 venne lanciata anche la 911 S che, grazie ad una serie di modifiche all'albero motore, profilo dei pistoni, valvole maggiorate, raggiungeva una potenza di 160 CV. Su tutti i modelli si passò a carburatori Weber. Esternamente la S si riconosceva per i cerchi in lega Fuchs.

Sempre nel 1966 le coupé (standard e S) vennero affiancate dalle versioni Targa, con tetto rigido asportabile. Era la 911 T, con alimentazione a carburatori e motore meno prestante (110 CV); la 911 L manteneva il motore a carburatori da 130 CV ed aveva finiture di maggior pregio; la 911 S, ancora dotata di carburatori Weber, offriva 160 CV. Tutti i modelli erano disponibili sia in versione coupé che Targa.

Nel 1968, per rendere meno "nervoso" il comportamento stradale, venne allungato il passo di 6 cm (da 221 a 227 cm): il modello base era ancora la 911 T, con alimentazione a carburatori e motore da 110 CV; i modelli 911 E (140 CV) e 911 S (170 CV) erano dotati di iniezione meccanica Bosch. Nel 1969 fu cambiata la griglia posteriore e la cilindrata del motore: da 1991 a 2195 cm³. Le potenze salirono a 125 CV per la serie T (a carburatori), a 155 CV per la serie E (a iniezione) e a 180 CV per la serie S (pure a iniezione). Una serie S come si direbbe oggi "full optional" fu acquistata dalla Solar Film (casa produttrice statunitense che faceva capo a Steve McQueen) e usata nel film Le 24 Ore di Le Mans, con lo stesso Steve McQueen protagonista, che arriva sul circuito al volante proprio della 911 S grigia. Recentemente quest'auto, venduta dall'attore pochi anni dopo il film, e passata varie volte di mano, è stata battuta ad un'asta statunitense di auto d'epoca. Nel 1971 la cilindrata del boxer venne aumentata ulteriormente da 2195 cm³ a 2341 cm³ e le potenze crebbero a 130 CV (T), 165 CV (E) e 190 CV (S). La più potente 911 S ottenne anche uno spoiler anteriore per stabilizzare l'avantreno alle alte velocità. Nel 1972 fu proposta la 911 Carrera RS (RennSport), mossa da una versione di 2687 cm³ (210 CV) a iniezione meccanica del classico 6 cilindri boxer e carrozzeria alleggerita, con cofani e portiere in alluminio e lamiere non strutturali assottigliate. La Carrera RS era disponibile in una versione Touring con interno simile a quello delle 911 S e Sport, con allestimento interno semplificato per contenere ulteriormente il peso. Era riconoscibile per il celebre alettone posteriore "a coda d'anatra" (ducktail), le strip adesive sulla fiancata ed i cerchi (in lega) in tinta con le strip. Era disponibile nella sola versione coupé. Nel 1973 ne vennero creati otto esemplari da competizione denominati Carrera RSR. Utilizzando come base la RS, vennero montati nuovi freni ventilati a disco con quattro pistoncini e nuove sospensioni sportive irrigidite. I passaruota erano stati allargati per permettere il montaggio di pneumatici da competizione, più grandi rispetto a quelli di serie. Nella parte anteriore venne sistemato un nuovo radiatore dell'olio, mentre il propulsore impiegato era una versione 2.8 da 308 cv del motore della RS stradale. La sua gestione era affidata ad un cambio manuale a 5 rapporti. Questi modelli vennero affidati ai team Brumos e Penske per competere in alcune prove del Campionato Mondiale per vetture sport.

La prima prova fu alla 24 Ore di Daytona, dove i piloti Peter Gregg e Hurley Haywood del team Brumos ottennero la vittoria. Altre pregevoli conquiste furono La Targa Florio e la 12 Ore di Sebring. Nel 1974 le nuove norme USA sulla sicurezza e sull'inquinamento costrinsero i tecnici Porsche a rivedere la 911. Furono cambiati i paraurti, resi più grandi e ad assorbimento d'urto (i cosiddetti "impact bumpers"), con due pistoni idraulici al posto delle barre metalliche usate sul mercato europeo. I gruppi ottici posteriori vennero uniti da una fascia trasparente rossa inglobante i catarifrangenti. Dal punto di vista tecnico, invece, la cilindrata venne portata per tutte le versioni a 2687 cm³. Tutte adottarono l'alimentazione a iniezione meccanica, ma l'adozione di dispositivi antinquinamento ridusse la potenza utile. Anche gli interni furono aggiornati per migliorare comfort e sicurezza. La nuova gamma comprendeva la 911 standard (150 CV), la 911 S (177 CV) e la 911 Carrera (210 CV). Quest'ultima aveva la carrozzeria delle altre 911, senza alleggerimenti e variazioni estetiche, ed era disponibile anche in versione Targa (come pure la standard e la S), mentre il motore era lo stesso della Carrera RS della serie precedente: fu venduta solo sul mercato europeo ed in Sudafrica, ma non negli Stati Uniti. Nel 1975 venne introdotta la 911 Turbo, con motore portato a 2994 cm³ e sovralimentato con turbocompressore . La potenza cresceva così a 260 CV.

La 911 Turbo, disponibile solo in versione coupé, era facilmente riconoscibile per la carrozzeria allargata, l'ampio alettone posteriore (che incorporava l'intercooler), i cerchi sportivi con pneumatici maggiorati sui posteriori, lo spoiler anteriore più pronunciato e la verniciatura in nero opaco di tutte le parti cromate. Minime le modifiche all'interno. Lo stesso anno, data l'esigenza di proporla anche sul mercato statunitense, la cilindrata della Carrera crebbe a 2994 cm³, ma a causa dei dispositivi antinquinamento la potenza scese da 210 a 200 CV. Nel 1977 fu lanciata la 911 SC (SuperCarrera), che sostituiva tutte le altre versioni "non turbo" (standard, S e Carrera); aveva una cilindrata di 2994 cm³ e una potenza ridotta a 180 CV. Esteticamente le uniche modifiche riguardavano la verniciatura in nero opaco dei particolari prima cromati.

La SC, disponibile sia in versione coupé che Targa, venne lanciata in un momento in cui il management della Casa tedesca riteneva che la 911 fosse un modello superato, destinato ad essere gradualmente rimpiazzato dalla Porsche 928, lanciata proprio quell'anno e dotata di un nuovo motore V8 raffreddato ad acqua e meccanica transaxle. La 928 ebbe un buon successo di mercato, soprattutto negli USA, ma non riuscì mai a sostituire nel cuore degli appassionati la 911, che rimase sempre il modello Porsche più popolare. Nel 1978 la cilindrata della 911 Turbo crebbe da 2994 a 3299 cm³ e la potenza, grazie anche all'adozione dell'alimentazione a iniezione elettronica (anziché meccanica), raggiunse i 300 CV. Nel 1981 la potenza delle SC venne incrementata a 204 CV. Nel 1983 le versioni coupé e Targa vennero affiancate dalla 3.0 SC Cabriolet. Nel 1984 le 911 SC lasciarono il posto alle 911 Carrera 3.2, pressoché invariate esteticamente (a parte i piccoli fendinebbia rettangolari, ora integrati nello spoiler anteriore e non più solo opzionali, e il richiamo degli indicatori di posizione in posizione laterale), ma con importanti novità tecniche: cilindrata portata a 3164 cm³, alimentazione a iniezione elettronica anziché meccanica e potenza di 231 CV.

Fu realizzata anche in versione cabriolet. Nel 1987 venne proposta la nuova migliorata trasmissione G50 e la frizione idraulica. La fascia posteriore rossa ora comprende anche i retronebbia. Sono state prodotte due versioni commemorative della 3.2, chiamate comunemente, ma erroneamente, entrambe Giubileo.

Una del 1988 in occasione della 250.000ª 911 prodotta aveva un colore specifico (Diamantblau met cod. 697), la firma Ferry Porsche ricamata sugli appoggiatesta ed i cerchi ruota forgiati Fuchs con i "petali" nello stesso colore della carrozzeria anziché neri. Venne prodotta in tutte le varianti di carrozzeria, con motore catalizzato e non. Nell'anno seguente è stata realizzata una nuova versione commemorativa per i 25 anni di inizio di produzione della 911: in realtà erano 3 modelli con equipaggiamento molto completo e piuttosto rari, contraddistinti dai codici M097, M098 e M099. Rappresentavano una serie limitata di fine produzione del modello 3.2: M097 modello Anniversario 1989 25 anni 911 versione Germania, vernice blu profondo metallizzata, interni pelle totale colore grigio perla, tappetini in velluto effetto seta colore grigio perla, consolle centrale speciale, cerchi Fuchs in tinta, cruscotto in radica; prodotta principalmente con carrozzeria coupé, ha avuto anche versioni Targa e Cabrio, molto rare; M098 modello Anniversario 1989 25 anni 911 versione USA vernice argento metallizzata, interni in pelle totale colore grigio effetto seta, tappetini in velluto colore grigio, consolle centrale speciale, cerchi Fuchs in tinta; M099 modello Anniversario 1989 25 anni 911 versione Resto del mondo vernice blu metallizzata, pelle totale colore blu, tappetini in velluto colore argento-blu, consolle centrale speciale, cerchi Fuchs in tinta. Il Model Year 1989 rappresenta l'ultimo anno di produzione della 3.2 con la tipica carrozzeria Bumper e le "sospensioni a lame". Le vetture di quest'anno presentano tutta una serie di piccole evoluzioni tecniche e di dotazioni poi riprese dalla imminente 964. Sempre nel 1989 venne realizzata una piccola serie di 911 Speedster.

Si trattava di una cabriolet alleggerita con parabrezza più piccolo, calotta aerodinamica in plastica al posto dei sedili posteriori, carrozzeria slim o allargata "Turbo Look" e meccanica della normale derivata dalla Carrera 3.2. Nel giugno 1989 venne lanciata la 911 Carrera 4 (serie 964), con tantissime novità tecniche ed estetiche. Da punto di vista tecnico la novità principale era l'adozione della trazione integrale permanente e di un motore a cilindrata maggiorata da 3600 cm³ con doppia accensione e 250 CV. I freni ottennero l'ABS di serie, mentre lo sterzo era servoassistito. Esteticamente venivano adottati nuovi paraurti, diversi cerchi, inedito alettone posteriore retrattile e interni rivisti. Le versioni disponibili erano coupé, Targa e cabriolet.

Nel 1990 anche le versioni a trazione posteriore adottarono motore, freni e allestimento della Carrera 4. Il nome commerciale era 911 Carrera 2. Le versioni disponibili erano coupé, Targa e cabriolet. Anche le 964 Turbo (talvolta impropriamente indicate come 965) vennero aggiornate, prendendo i paraurti e gli interni delle Carrera 2/4. La potenza del motore 3,3 litri saliva a 320 CV. Lo stesso anno debuttò anche la Carrera 2 3.6 RS, alleggerita grazie ad un allestimento semplificato e potenziata a 260 CV. Nel 1987 per la prima volta venne proposta la 911 Turbo Cabriolet, e nel 1993 arrivarono la Carrera 2 Speedster e la Carrera 2 3.8 RS (con motore di 3,8 litri da 300 CV). La cilindrata della Turbo venne accresciuta a 3,6 litri con un conseguente aumento della potenza massima a 360 CV. I fari anteriori più inclinati ed il diverso taglio dei gruppi ottici posteriori costrinsero la Porsche a ridisegnare i parafanghi anteriori e alcune lamiere posteriori. Nuovi anche i paraurti e parte degli interni. Rilevanti anche le novità tecniche: nuova sospensione posteriore, denominata "LSA", acronimo che sta per "leggero, stabile, agile" (con traliccio che ingabbiava il motore) e 6 cilindri boxer con condotti di aspirazione a lunghezza variabile "Variocam" introdotta dal Model Year 1996 con conseguente aumento della potenza a 286 CV. Ulteriore novità tecnica fu l'adozione, per la prima volta su un'auto di serie, del fondo piatto, soluzione che migliorò l'aerodinamica e la stabilità della vettura.

La nuova sospensione garantiva un'eccellente tenuta di strada anche al cospetto dei 272 CV erogati dal 6 cilindri di 3,6 litri. Nuova anche la trazione integrale della Carrera 4. Sia le Carrera (a 2 ruote motrici) che le Carrera 4 erano disponibili in versione coupé o cabriolet. La versione Targa non venne inizialmente prodotta. La 911 Turbo della serie 993 venne potenziata con trazione integrale e sovralimentazione con 2 turbocompressori più intercooler, per un totale di 408 CV. Nel 1995, con il Model Year 1996, venne riproposta una versione denominata Targa: si trattava di una Carrera 2 con tetto apribile panoramico in cristallo azionato elettronicamente. Lo stesso anno vennero lanciate le Carrera S e Carrera 4 S, con carrozzeria "Turbo look". Nel 1996 entrarono in gamma la RS (motore di 3,8 litri da 300 CV, trazione posteriore e carrozzeria alleggerita di 100 kg) e la Turbo GT2 (trazione posteriore e motore biturbo da 450 CV). La serie delle 911 con motore raffreddato ad aria si chiuse nel 1997. Bisognava progettare un modello completamente nuovo, ma che mantenesse l'identità estetica e meccanica (motore 6 cilindri boxer posteriore a sbalzo) della 911, evitando gli errori commessi con le varie Porsche 944 e Porsche 968: evolute tecnicamente, ma fallimenti commerciali. Fu così che alla fine del 1997 nacque la 911 serie 996. Un modello completamente nuovo, sia tecnicamente che esteticamente, ma indubbiamente legato alla tradizione, in pratica una riedizione dei modelli tradizionali. Dal punto di vista tecnico le novità riguardarono soprattutto le sospensioni anteriori (comuni alla Porsche Boxster) a quadrilateri ed il motore, sempre sei cilindri boxer, ma con raffreddamento ad acqua e testata a 4 valvole per cilindro. Posteriormente venne riproposta una riedizione della sofisticata sospensione posteriore "LSA". L'ESP integrava il lavoro delle sospensioni ed erano disponibili due tipi di trazione: posteriore o integrale permanente a gestione elettronica.

Grazie alla distribuzione a 24 valvole con fasatura variabile il boxer, nonostante la cilindrata ridotta a 3387 cm³, era in grado di fornire 296 CV. Anche gli interni erano completamente nuovi. La gamma era composta dalle versioni coupé e cabriolet alle quali s'aggiunse successivamente la versione Targa con tetto in cristallo, come sulla 993. Nel 1999 arrivò la GT3, con motore aspirato di 3,6 litri da 360 CV e carrozzeria alleggerita.

Nel 2000 entrò in produzione la 911 Turbo con motore biturbo (420 CV) e trazione integrale che spinge la vettura da 0 a 100 km/h in soli 4,2 secondi. La carrozzeria, inizialmente solo coupé poi anche in versione cabrio, venne allargata rispetto alle "normali", ma era meno estrema rispetto alle edizioni precedenti. Nel frontale debuttarono fari diversi che anticiparono il restyling su tutta la gamma, e sono state introdotte due grosse prese d'aria laterali e feritoie sul paraurti posteriore più alettone (sdoppiato superati i 120 km/h) che ne aumentarono l'aggressività rispetto alla 911 standard, oltre che le prestazioni aerodinamiche. Nel 2002 è stato inoltre rilasciato il modello potenziato "Turbo S", una versione elaborata della 996 turbo che spinge il motore da 420 cv a 450 cv limando il 0-100 a 4,1 secondi, grazie alla rimappatura della centralina, e all'impiego di turbocompressori di maggiori dimensioni. Il tutto firmato Porsche. La carrozzeria è rimasta invariata, ad eccezione della S posteriore affiancata alla scritta turbo. Per i già possessori del turbo standard, la casa produttrice di Stoccarda ha rilasciato anche il KIT S, per poter rimanere al passo senza che i più esigenti abbiano dovuto rivendere il veicolo appositamente per avere la S. Infine, sempre nel 2002 venne lanciata la versione GT2, derivata dalla Turbo, ma potenziata a 462 CV, alleggerita e convertita in trazione posteriore. Quest'auto, particolarmente nervosa ed impegnativa da guidare, era priva di qualsiasi controllo di trazione e stabilità, proprio in nome della filosofia racing che Porsche adotta per le proprie versioni GT. Nel 2004 la GT2 venne leggermente aggiornata nella versione cosiddetta "Mark2", potenziata a 483 CV e modificata in alcuni particolari. Nel 2005 un restyling di fari anteriori, paraurti e interni ha dato vita alla serie 997. Rispetto alla precedente 996, la nuova versione oltre al ritorno dei fari anteriori circolari (oblunghi sulla serie precedente), riportava alcune novità tecniche, soprattutto riguardanti il motore con cilindrata di 3600 cm³ (325 CV) per le 911 Carrera standard e di 3800 cm³ (355 CV) per le 911 Carrera S.

Venne mantenuta disponibile la trazione integrale accanto a quella posteriore, sia per le versioni standard che S. Tutte sono disponibili con carrozzeria coupé, Targa o cabriolet. Nel 2006 hanno debuttato le versioni Turbo (3,6 litri biturbo, trazione integrale, turbine a geometria variabile e 480 CV), GT3 (3,6 litri aspirata da 415 CV), GT3 RS (con la stessa meccanica della GT3 standard, carrozzeria alleggerita e assetto ancora più esasperato) e Carrera 4 Targa (con tetto panoramico in cristallo ad azionamento elettrico e trazione integrale). Alla fine dell'autunno 2006 viene proposta la 911 997 Targa. Nella primavera del 2009 la Porsche annuncia una versione commemorativa che si chiama Sport Classic e si rifà alle 911 classiche: in primis la 2.7 Carrera RS, di cui riprende l'alettone a coda d'anatra e i cerchi "Fuchs style" da 19". La meccanica è quella della Carrera S potenziata a 408 CV, il tetto ha la doppia gobba; ne verranno prodotti solo 250 esemplari.Nel 2010 viene lanciata la GT2 RS: in pratica un'auto da corsa targata. L'abitacolo presenta un roll-bar, e il motore è biturbo con 620 CV, scaricati solo sull'assale posteriore: la più potente Porsche omologata per circolare per strada. Inoltre è stata creata la versione Speedster della 997: a livello meccanico e stilistico è uguale alla Sport Classic, la differenza è naturalmente il tetto ripiegabile nella calotta aerodinamica in plastica. Ne verranno prodotti solo 365 esemplari.

Spaceflight (or space flight) is ballistic flight into or through outer space. Spaceflight can occur with spacecraft with or without humans on board. Yuri Gagarin of the Soviet Union was the first human to conduct a spaceflight. Examples of human spaceflight include the U.S. Apollo Moon landing and Space Shuttle programs and the Russian Soyuz program, as well as the ongoing International Space Station. Examples of unmanned spaceflight include space probes that leave Earth orbit, as well as satellites in orbit around Earth, such as communications satellites. These operate either by telerobotic control or are fully autonomous.

 

Spaceflight is used in space exploration, and also in commercial activities like space tourism and satellite telecommunications. Additional non-commercial uses of spaceflight include space observatories, reconnaissance satellites and other Earth observation satellites.

 

A spaceflight typically begins with a rocket launch, which provides the initial thrust to overcome the force of gravity and propels the spacecraft from the surface of the Earth. Once in space, the motion of a spacecraft – both when unpropelled and when under propulsion – is covered by the area of study called astrodynamics. Some spacecraft remain in space indefinitely, some disintegrate during atmospheric reentry, and others reach a planetary or lunar surface for landing or impact.

  

History

Main articles: History of spaceflight and Timeline of spaceflight

Tsiolkovsky, early space theorist

 

The first theoretical proposal of space travel using rockets was published by Scottish astronomer and mathematician William Leitch, in an 1861 essay "A Journey Through Space".[1] More well-known (though not widely outside Russia) is Konstantin Tsiolkovsky's work, "Исследование мировых пространств реактивными приборами" (The Exploration of Cosmic Space by Means of Reaction Devices), published in 1903.

 

Spaceflight became an engineering possibility with the work of Robert H. Goddard's publication in 1919 of his paper A Method of Reaching Extreme Altitudes. His application of the de Laval nozzle to liquid fuel rockets improved efficiency enough for interplanetary travel to become possible. He also proved in the laboratory that rockets would work in the vacuum of space;[specify] nonetheless, his work was not taken seriously by the public. His attempt to secure an Army contract for a rocket-propelled weapon in the first World War was defeated by the November 11, 1918 armistice with Germany. Working with private financial support, he was the first to launch a liquid-fueled rocket in 1926. Goddard's paper was highly influential on Hermann Oberth, who in turn influenced Wernher von Braun. Von Braun became the first to produce modern rockets as guided weapons, employed by Adolf Hitler. Von Braun's V-2 was the first rocket to reach space, at an altitude of 189 kilometers (102 nautical miles) on a June 1944 test flight.[2]

 

Tsiolkovsky's rocketry work was not fully appreciated in his lifetime, but he influenced Sergey Korolev, who became the Soviet Union's chief rocket designer under Joseph Stalin, to develop intercontinental ballistic missiles to carry nuclear weapons as a counter measure to United States bomber planes. Derivatives of Korolev's R-7 Semyorka missiles were used to launch the world's first artificial Earth satellite, Sputnik 1, on October 4, 1957, and later the first human to orbit the Earth, Yuri Gagarin in Vostok 1, on April 12, 1961.[3]

 

At the end of World War II, von Braun and most of his rocket team surrendered to the United States, and were expatriated to work on American missiles at what became the Army Ballistic Missile Agency. This work on missiles such as Juno I and Atlas enabled launch of the first US satellite Explorer 1 on February 1, 1958, and the first American in orbit, John Glenn in Friendship 7 on February 20, 1962. As director of the Marshall Space Flight Center, Von Braun oversaw development of a larger class of rocket called Saturn, which allowed the US to send the first two humans, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, to the Moon and back on Apollo 11 in July 1969. Over the same period, the Soviet Union secretly tried but failed to develop the N1 rocket to give them the capability to land one person on the Moon.

Phases

Launch

Main article: Rocket launch

See also: List of space launch system designs

 

Rockets are the only means currently capable of reaching orbit or beyond. Other non-rocket spacelaunch technologies have yet to be built, or remain short of orbital speeds. A rocket launch for a spaceflight usually starts from a spaceport (cosmodrome), which may be equipped with launch complexes and launch pads for vertical rocket launches, and runways for takeoff and landing of carrier airplanes and winged spacecraft. Spaceports are situated well away from human habitation for noise and safety reasons. ICBMs have various special launching facilities.

 

A launch is often restricted to certain launch windows. These windows depend upon the position of celestial bodies and orbits relative to the launch site. The biggest influence is often the rotation of the Earth itself. Once launched, orbits are normally located within relatively constant flat planes at a fixed angle to the axis of the Earth, and the Earth rotates within this orbit.

 

A launch pad is a fixed structure designed to dispatch airborne vehicles. It generally consists of a launch tower and flame trench. It is surrounded by equipment used to erect, fuel, and maintain launch vehicles. Before launch, the rocket can weigh many hundreds of tonnes. The Space Shuttle Columbia, on STS-1, weighed 2,030 tonnes (4,480,000 lb) at take off.

Reaching space

 

The most commonly used definition of outer space is everything beyond the Kármán line, which is 100 kilometers (62 mi) above the Earth's surface. The United States sometimes defines outer space as everything beyond 50 miles (80 km) in altitude.

 

Rockets are the only currently practical means of reaching space. Conventional airplane engines cannot reach space due to the lack of oxygen. Rocket engines expel propellant to provide forward thrust that generates enough delta-v (change in velocity) to reach orbit.

 

For manned launch systems launch escape systems are frequently fitted to allow astronauts to escape in the case of emergency.

Alternatives

Main article: Non-rocket spacelaunch

 

Many ways to reach space other than rockets have been proposed. Ideas such as the space elevator, and momentum exchange tethers like rotovators or skyhooks require new materials much stronger than any currently known. Electromagnetic launchers such as launch loops might be feasible with current technology. Other ideas include rocket assisted aircraft/spaceplanes such as Reaction Engines Skylon (currently in early stage development), scramjet powered spaceplanes, and RBCC powered spaceplanes. Gun launch has been proposed for cargo.

Leaving orbit

 

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Main articles: Escape velocity and Parking orbit

Launched in 1959, Luna 1 was the first known man-made object to achieve escape velocity from the Earth.[4] (replica pictured)

 

Achieving a closed orbit is not essential to lunar and interplanetary voyages. Early Russian space vehicles successfully achieved very high altitudes without going into orbit. NASA considered launching Apollo missions directly into lunar trajectories but adopted the strategy of first entering a temporary parking orbit and then performing a separate burn several orbits later onto a lunar trajectory. This costs additional propellant because the parking orbit perigee must be high enough to prevent reentry while direct injection can have an arbitrarily low perigee because it will never be reached.

 

However, the parking orbit approach greatly simplified Apollo mission planning in several important ways. It substantially widened the allowable launch windows, increasing the chance of a successful launch despite minor technical problems during the countdown. The parking orbit was a stable "mission plateau" that gave the crew and controllers several hours to thoroughly check out the spacecraft after the stresses of launch before committing it to a long lunar flight; the crew could quickly return to Earth, if necessary, or an alternate Earth-orbital mission could be conducted. The parking orbit also enabled translunar trajectories that avoided the densest parts of the Van Allen radiation belts.

 

Apollo missions minimized the performance penalty of the parking orbit by keeping its altitude as low as possible. For example, Apollo 15 used an unusually low parking orbit (even for Apollo) of 92.5 nmi by 91.5 nmi (171 km by 169 km) where there was significant atmospheric drag. But it was partially overcome by continuous venting of hydrogen from the third stage of the Saturn V, and was in any event tolerable for the short stay.

 

Robotic missions do not require an abort capability or radiation minimization, and because modern launchers routinely meet "instantaneous" launch windows, space probes to the Moon and other planets generally use direct injection to maximize performance. Although some might coast briefly during the launch sequence, they do not complete one or more full parking orbits before the burn that injects them onto an Earth escape trajectory.

 

Note that the escape velocity from a celestial body decreases with altitude above that body. However, it is more fuel-efficient for a craft to burn its fuel as close to the ground as possible; see Oberth effect and reference.[5] This is another way to explain the performance penalty associated with establishing the safe perigee of a parking orbit.

 

Plans for future crewed interplanetary spaceflight missions often include final vehicle assembly in Earth orbit, such as NASA's Project Orion and Russia's Kliper/Parom tandem.

Astrodynamics

Main article: Orbital mechanics

 

Astrodynamics is the study of spacecraft trajectories, particularly as they relate to gravitational and propulsion effects. Astrodynamics allows for a spacecraft to arrive at its destination at the correct time without excessive propellant use. An orbital maneuvering system may be needed to maintain or change orbits.

 

Non-rocket orbital propulsion methods include solar sails, magnetic sails, plasma-bubble magnetic systems, and using gravitational slingshot effects.

Ionized gas trail from Shuttle reentry

Recovery of Discoverer 14 return capsule by a C-119 airplane

Transfer energy

 

The term "transfer energy" means the total amount of energy imparted by a rocket stage to its payload. This can be the energy imparted by a first stage of a launch vehicle to an upper stage plus payload, or by an upper stage or spacecraft kick motor to a spacecraft.[6][7]

Reentry

Main article: Atmospheric reentry

 

Vehicles in orbit have large amounts of kinetic energy. This energy must be discarded if the vehicle is to land safely without vaporizing in the atmosphere. Typically this process requires special methods to protect against aerodynamic heating. The theory behind reentry was developed by Harry Julian Allen. Based on this theory, reentry vehicles present blunt shapes to the atmosphere for reentry. Blunt shapes mean that less than 1% of the kinetic energy ends up as heat that reaches the vehicle, and the remainder heats up the atmosphere.

Landing

 

The Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo capsules all splashed down in the sea. These capsules were designed to land at relatively low speeds with the help of a parachute. Russian capsules for Soyuz make use of a big parachute and braking rockets to touch down on land. The Space Shuttle glided to a touchdown like a plane.

Recovery

 

After a successful landing the spacecraft, its occupants and cargo can be recovered. In some cases, recovery has occurred before landing: while a spacecraft is still descending on its parachute, it can be snagged by a specially designed aircraft. This mid-air retrieval technique was used to recover the film canisters from the Corona spy satellites.

Types

Uncrewed

See also: Uncrewed spacecraft and robotic spacecraft

Sojourner takes its Alpha particle X-ray spectrometer measurement of Yogi Rock on Mars

The MESSENGER spacecraft at Mercury (artist's interpretation)

 

Uncrewed spaceflight (or unmanned) is all spaceflight activity without a necessary human presence in space. This includes all space probes, satellites and robotic spacecraft and missions. Uncrewed spaceflight is the opposite of manned spaceflight, which is usually called human spaceflight. Subcategories of uncrewed spaceflight are "robotic spacecraft" (objects) and "robotic space missions" (activities). A robotic spacecraft is an uncrewed spacecraft with no humans on board, that is usually under telerobotic control. A robotic spacecraft designed to make scientific research measurements is often called a space probe.

 

Uncrewed space missions use remote-controlled spacecraft. The first uncrewed space mission was Sputnik I, launched October 4, 1957 to orbit the Earth. Space missions where other animals but no humans are on-board are considered uncrewed missions.

Benefits

 

Many space missions are more suited to telerobotic rather than crewed operation, due to lower cost and lower risk factors. In addition, some planetary destinations such as Venus or the vicinity of Jupiter are too hostile for human survival, given current technology. Outer planets such as Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are too distant to reach with current crewed spaceflight technology, so telerobotic probes are the only way to explore them. Telerobotics also allows exploration of regions that are vulnerable to contamination by Earth micro-organisms since spacecraft can be sterilized. Humans can not be sterilized in the same way as a spaceship, as they coexist with numerous micro-organisms, and these micro-organisms are also hard to contain within a spaceship or spacesuit.

Telepresence

 

Telerobotics becomes telepresence when the time delay is short enough to permit control of the spacecraft in close to real time by humans. Even the two seconds light speed delay for the Moon is too far away for telepresence exploration from Earth. The L1 and L2 positions permit 400-millisecond round trip delays, which is just close enough for telepresence operation. Telepresence has also been suggested as a way to repair satellites in Earth orbit from Earth. The Exploration Telerobotics Symposium in 2012 explored this and other topics.[8]

Human

Main article: Human spaceflight

ISS crew member stores samples

 

The first human spaceflight was Vostok 1 on April 12, 1961, on which cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin of the USSR made one orbit around the Earth. In official Soviet documents, there is no mention of the fact that Gagarin parachuted the final seven miles.[9] Currently, the only spacecraft regularly used for human spaceflight are the Russian Soyuz spacecraft and the Chinese Shenzhou spacecraft. The U.S. Space Shuttle fleet operated from April 1981 until July 2011. SpaceShipOne has conducted two human suborbital spaceflights.

Sub-orbital

Main article: Sub-orbital spaceflight

The International Space Station in Earth orbit after a visit from the crew of STS-119

 

On a sub-orbital spaceflight the spacecraft reaches space and then returns to the atmosphere after following a (primarily) ballistic trajectory. This is usually because of insufficient specific orbital energy, in which case a suborbital flight will last only a few minutes, but it is also possible for an object with enough energy for an orbit to have a trajectory that intersects the Earth's atmosphere, sometimes after many hours. Pioneer 1 was NASA's first space probe intended to reach the Moon. A partial failure caused it to instead follow a suborbital trajectory to an altitude of 113,854 kilometers (70,746 mi) before reentering the Earth's atmosphere 43 hours after launch.

 

The most generally recognized boundary of space is the Kármán line 100 km above sea level. (NASA alternatively defines an astronaut as someone who has flown more than 50 miles (80 km) above sea level.) It is not generally recognized by the public that the increase in potential energy required to pass the Kármán line is only about 3% of the orbital energy (potential plus kinetic energy) required by the lowest possible Earth orbit (a circular orbit just above the Kármán line.) In other words, it is far easier to reach space than to stay there. On May 17, 2004, Civilian Space eXploration Team launched the GoFast Rocket on a suborbital flight, the first amateur spaceflight. On June 21, 2004, SpaceShipOne was used for the first privately funded human spaceflight.

Point-to-point

 

Point-to-point is a category of sub-orbital spaceflight in which a spacecraft provides rapid transport between two terrestrial locations. Consider a conventional airline route between London and Sydney, a flight that normally lasts over twenty hours. With point-to-point suborbital travel the same route could be traversed in less than one hour.[10] While no company offers this type of transportation today, SpaceX has revealed plans to do so as early as the 2020s using its BFR vehicle.[11] Suborbital spaceflight over an intercontinental distance requires a vehicle velocity that is only a little lower than the velocity required to reach low Earth orbit.[12] If rockets are used, the size of the rocket relative to the payload is similar to an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM). Any intercontinental spaceflight has to surmount problems of heating during atmosphere re-entry that are nearly as large as those faced by orbital spaceflight.

Orbital

Main article: Orbital spaceflight

Apollo 6 heads into orbit

 

A minimal orbital spaceflight requires much higher velocities than a minimal sub-orbital flight, and so it is technologically much more challenging to achieve. To achieve orbital spaceflight, the tangential velocity around the Earth is as important as altitude. In order to perform a stable and lasting flight in space, the spacecraft must reach the minimal orbital speed required for a closed orbit.

Interplanetary

Main article: Interplanetary spaceflight

 

Interplanetary travel is travel between planets within a single planetary system. In practice, the use of the term is confined to travel between the planets of our Solar System.

Interstellar

Main article: Interstellar travel

 

Five spacecraft are currently leaving the Solar System on escape trajectories, Voyager 1, Voyager 2, Pioneer 10, Pioneer 11, and New Horizons. The one farthest from the Sun is Voyager 1, which is more than 100 AU distant and is moving at 3.6 AU per year.[13] In comparison, Proxima Centauri, the closest star other than the Sun, is 267,000 AU distant. It will take Voyager 1 over 74,000 years to reach this distance. Vehicle designs using other techniques, such as nuclear pulse propulsion are likely to be able to reach the nearest star significantly faster. Another possibility that could allow for human interstellar spaceflight is to make use of time dilation, as this would make it possible for passengers in a fast-moving vehicle to travel further into the future while aging very little, in that their great speed slows down the rate of passage of on-board time. However, attaining such high speeds would still require the use of some new, advanced method of propulsion.

Intergalactic

Main article: Intergalactic travel

 

Intergalactic travel involves spaceflight between galaxies, and is considered much more technologically demanding than even interstellar travel and, by current engineering terms, is considered science fiction.

Spacecraft

Main article: Spacecraft

An Apollo Lunar Module on the lunar surface

 

Spacecraft are vehicles capable of controlling their trajectory through space.

 

The first 'true spacecraft' is sometimes said to be Apollo Lunar Module,[14] since this was the only manned vehicle to have been designed for, and operated only in space; and is notable for its non aerodynamic shape.

Propulsion

Main article: Spacecraft propulsion

 

Spacecraft today predominantly use rockets for propulsion, but other propulsion techniques such as ion drives are becoming more common, particularly for unmanned vehicles, and this can significantly reduce the vehicle's mass and increase its delta-v.

Launch systems

Main article: Launch vehicle

 

Launch systems are used to carry a payload from Earth's surface into outer space.

Expendable

Main article: Expendable launch system

 

Most current spaceflight uses multi-stage expendable launch systems to reach space.

 

Reusable

Main article: Reusable launch system

Ambox current red.svg

 

This section needs to be updated. Please update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (August 2019)

 

The first reusable spacecraft, the X-15, was air-launched on a suborbital trajectory on July 19, 1963. The first partially reusable orbital spacecraft, the Space Shuttle, was launched by the USA on the 20th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's flight, on April 12, 1981. During the Shuttle era, six orbiters were built, all of which have flown in the atmosphere and five of which have flown in space. The Enterprise was used only for approach and landing tests, launching from the back of a Boeing 747 and gliding to deadstick landings at Edwards AFB, California. The first Space Shuttle to fly into space was the Columbia, followed by the Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavour. The Endeavour was built to replace the Challenger, which was lost in January 1986. The Columbia broke up during reentry in February 2003.

 

The Space Shuttle Columbia seconds after engine ignition on mission STS-1

 

Columbia landing, concluding the STS-1 mission

 

Columbia launches again on STS-2

 

The first automatic partially reusable spacecraft was the Buran (Snowstorm), launched by the USSR on November 15, 1988, although it made only one flight. This spaceplane was designed for a crew and strongly resembled the US Space Shuttle, although its drop-off boosters used liquid propellants and its main engines were located at the base of what would be the external tank in the American Shuttle. Lack of funding, complicated by the dissolution of the USSR, prevented any further flights of Buran.

 

Per the Vision for Space Exploration, the Space Shuttle was retired in 2011 due mainly to its old age and high cost of the program reaching over a billion dollars per flight. The Shuttle's human transport role is to be replaced by the partially reusable Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) no later than 2021. The Shuttle's heavy cargo transport role is to be replaced by expendable rockets such as the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) or a Shuttle Derived Launch Vehicle.

 

Scaled Composites SpaceShipOne was a reusable suborbital spaceplane that carried pilots Mike Melvill and Brian Binnie on consecutive flights in 2004 to win the Ansari X Prize. The Spaceship Company has built its successor SpaceShipTwo. A fleet of SpaceShipTwos operated by Virgin Galactic planned to begin reusable private spaceflight carrying paying passengers (space tourists) in 2008, but this was delayed due to an accident in the propulsion development.[15]

 

Challenges

Main article: Effect of spaceflight on the human body

Space disasters

Main article: Space accidents and incidents

 

All launch vehicles contain a huge amount of energy that is needed for some part of it to reach orbit. There is therefore some risk that this energy can be released prematurely and suddenly, with significant effects. When a Delta II rocket exploded 13 seconds after launch on January 17, 1997, there were reports of store windows 10 miles (16 km) away being broken by the blast.[16]

 

Space is a fairly predictable environment, but there are still risks of accidental depressurization and the potential failure of equipment, some of which may be very newly developed.

 

In 2004 the International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety was established in the Netherlands to further international cooperation and scientific advancement in space systems safety.[17]

Weightlessness

Main article: Weightlessness

Astronauts on the ISS in weightless conditions. Michael Foale can be seen exercising in the foreground.

 

In a microgravity environment such as that provided by a spacecraft in orbit around the Earth, humans experience a sense of "weightlessness." Short-term exposure to microgravity causes space adaptation syndrome, a self-limiting nausea caused by derangement of the vestibular system. Long-term exposure causes multiple health issues. The most significant is bone loss, some of which is permanent, but microgravity also leads to significant deconditioning of muscular and cardiovascular tissues.

Radiation

 

Once above the atmosphere, radiation due to the Van Allen belts, solar radiation and cosmic radiation issues occur and increase. Further away from the Earth, solar flares can give a fatal radiation dose in minutes, and the health threat from cosmic radiation significantly increases the chances of cancer over a decade exposure or more.[18]

Life support

Main article: Life support system

 

In human spaceflight, the life support system is a group of devices that allow a human being to survive in outer space. NASA often uses the phrase Environmental Control and Life Support System or the acronym ECLSS when describing these systems for its human spaceflight missions.[19] The life support system may supply: air, water and food. It must also maintain the correct body temperature, an acceptable pressure on the body and deal with the body's waste products. Shielding against harmful external influences such as radiation and micro-meteorites may also be necessary. Components of the life support system are life-critical, and are designed and constructed using safety engineering techniques.

Space weather

Main article: Space weather

Aurora australis and Discovery, May 1991.

 

Space weather is the concept of changing environmental conditions in outer space. It is distinct from the concept of weather within a planetary atmosphere, and deals with phenomena involving ambient plasma, magnetic fields, radiation and other matter in space (generally close to Earth but also in interplanetary, and occasionally interstellar medium). "Space weather describes the conditions in space that affect Earth and its technological systems. Our space weather is a consequence of the behavior of the Sun, the nature of Earth's magnetic field, and our location in the Solar System."[20]

 

Space weather exerts a profound influence in several areas related to space exploration and development. Changing geomagnetic conditions can induce changes in atmospheric density causing the rapid degradation of spacecraft altitude in Low Earth orbit. Geomagnetic storms due to increased solar activity can potentially blind sensors aboard spacecraft, or interfere with on-board electronics. An understanding of space environmental conditions is also important in designing shielding and life support systems for manned spacecraft.

Environmental considerations

 

Rockets as a class are not inherently grossly polluting. However, some rockets use toxic propellants, and most vehicles use propellants that are not carbon neutral. Many solid rockets have chlorine in the form of perchlorate or other chemicals, and this can cause temporary local holes in the ozone layer. Re-entering spacecraft generate nitrates which also can temporarily impact the ozone layer. Most rockets are made of metals that can have an environmental impact during their construction.

 

In addition to the atmospheric effects there are effects on the near-Earth space environment. There is the possibility that orbit could become inaccessible for generations due to exponentially increasing space debris caused by spalling of satellites and vehicles (Kessler syndrome). Many launched vehicles today are therefore designed to be re-entered after use.

Graffiti (plural; singular graffiti or graffito, the latter rarely used except in archeology) is art that is written, painted or drawn on a wall or other surface, usually without permission and within public view. Graffiti ranges from simple written words to elaborate wall paintings, and has existed since ancient times, with examples dating back to ancient Egypt, ancient Greece, and the Roman Empire (see also mural).

 

Graffiti is a controversial subject. In most countries, marking or painting property without permission is considered by property owners and civic authorities as defacement and vandalism, which is a punishable crime, citing the use of graffiti by street gangs to mark territory or to serve as an indicator of gang-related activities. Graffiti has become visualized as a growing urban "problem" for many cities in industrialized nations, spreading from the New York City subway system and Philadelphia in the early 1970s to the rest of the United States and Europe and other world regions

 

"Graffiti" (usually both singular and plural) and the rare singular form "graffito" are from the Italian word graffiato ("scratched"). The term "graffiti" is used in art history for works of art produced by scratching a design into a surface. A related term is "sgraffito", which involves scratching through one layer of pigment to reveal another beneath it. This technique was primarily used by potters who would glaze their wares and then scratch a design into them. In ancient times graffiti were carved on walls with a sharp object, although sometimes chalk or coal were used. The word originates from Greek γράφειν—graphein—meaning "to write".

 

The term graffiti originally referred to the inscriptions, figure drawings, and such, found on the walls of ancient sepulchres or ruins, as in the Catacombs of Rome or at Pompeii. Historically, these writings were not considered vanadlism, which today is considered part of the definition of graffiti.

 

The only known source of the Safaitic language, an ancient form of Arabic, is from graffiti: inscriptions scratched on to the surface of rocks and boulders in the predominantly basalt desert of southern Syria, eastern Jordan and northern Saudi Arabia. Safaitic dates from the first century BC to the fourth century AD.

 

Some of the oldest cave paintings in the world are 40,000 year old ones found in Australia. The oldest written graffiti was found in ancient Rome around 2500 years ago. Most graffiti from the time was boasts about sexual experiences Graffiti in Ancient Rome was a form of communication, and was not considered vandalism.

 

Ancient tourists visiting the 5th-century citadel at Sigiriya in Sri Lanka write their names and commentary over the "mirror wall", adding up to over 1800 individual graffiti produced there between the 6th and 18th centuries. Most of the graffiti refer to the frescoes of semi-nude females found there. One reads:

 

Wet with cool dew drops

fragrant with perfume from the flowers

came the gentle breeze

jasmine and water lily

dance in the spring sunshine

side-long glances

of the golden-hued ladies

stab into my thoughts

heaven itself cannot take my mind

as it has been captivated by one lass

among the five hundred I have seen here.

 

Among the ancient political graffiti examples were Arab satirist poems. Yazid al-Himyari, an Umayyad Arab and Persian poet, was most known for writing his political poetry on the walls between Sajistan and Basra, manifesting a strong hatred towards the Umayyad regime and its walis, and people used to read and circulate them very widely.

 

Graffiti, known as Tacherons, were frequently scratched on Romanesque Scandinavian church walls. When Renaissance artists such as Pinturicchio, Raphael, Michelangelo, Ghirlandaio, or Filippino Lippi descended into the ruins of Nero's Domus Aurea, they carved or painted their names and returned to initiate the grottesche style of decoration.

 

There are also examples of graffiti occurring in American history, such as Independence Rock, a national landmark along the Oregon Trail.

 

Later, French soldiers carved their names on monuments during the Napoleonic campaign of Egypt in the 1790s. Lord Byron's survives on one of the columns of the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion in Attica, Greece.

 

The oldest known example of graffiti "monikers" found on traincars created by hobos and railworkers since the late 1800s. The Bozo Texino monikers were documented by filmmaker Bill Daniel in his 2005 film, Who is Bozo Texino?.

 

In World War II, an inscription on a wall at the fortress of Verdun was seen as an illustration of the US response twice in a generation to the wrongs of the Old World:

 

During World War II and for decades after, the phrase "Kilroy was here" with an accompanying illustration was widespread throughout the world, due to its use by American troops and ultimately filtering into American popular culture. Shortly after the death of Charlie Parker (nicknamed "Yardbird" or "Bird"), graffiti began appearing around New York with the words "Bird Lives".

 

Modern graffiti art has its origins with young people in 1960s and 70s in New York City and Philadelphia. Tags were the first form of stylised contemporary graffiti. Eventually, throw-ups and pieces evolved with the desire to create larger art. Writers used spray paint and other kind of materials to leave tags or to create images on the sides subway trains. and eventually moved into the city after the NYC metro began to buy new trains and paint over graffiti.

 

While the art had many advocates and appreciators—including the cultural critic Norman Mailer—others, including New York City mayor Ed Koch, considered it to be defacement of public property, and saw it as a form of public blight. The ‘taggers’ called what they did ‘writing’—though an important 1974 essay by Mailer referred to it using the term ‘graffiti.’

 

Contemporary graffiti style has been heavily influenced by hip hop culture and the myriad international styles derived from Philadelphia and New York City Subway graffiti; however, there are many other traditions of notable graffiti in the twentieth century. Graffiti have long appeared on building walls, in latrines, railroad boxcars, subways, and bridges.

 

An early graffito outside of New York or Philadelphia was the inscription in London reading "Clapton is God" in reference to the guitarist Eric Clapton. Creating the cult of the guitar hero, the phrase was spray-painted by an admirer on a wall in an Islington, north London in the autumn of 1967. The graffito was captured in a photograph, in which a dog is urinating on the wall.

 

Films like Style Wars in the 80s depicting famous writers such as Skeme, Dondi, MinOne, and ZEPHYR reinforced graffiti's role within New York's emerging hip-hop culture. Although many officers of the New York City Police Department found this film to be controversial, Style Wars is still recognized as the most prolific film representation of what was going on within the young hip hop culture of the early 1980s. Fab 5 Freddy and Futura 2000 took hip hop graffiti to Paris and London as part of the New York City Rap Tour in 1983

 

Commercialization and entrance into mainstream pop culture

Main article: Commercial graffiti

With the popularity and legitimization of graffiti has come a level of commercialization. In 2001, computer giant IBM launched an advertising campaign in Chicago and San Francisco which involved people spray painting on sidewalks a peace symbol, a heart, and a penguin (Linux mascot), to represent "Peace, Love, and Linux." IBM paid Chicago and San Francisco collectively US$120,000 for punitive damages and clean-up costs.

 

In 2005, a similar ad campaign was launched by Sony and executed by its advertising agency in New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Miami, to market its handheld PSP gaming system. In this campaign, taking notice of the legal problems of the IBM campaign, Sony paid building owners for the rights to paint on their buildings "a collection of dizzy-eyed urban kids playing with the PSP as if it were a skateboard, a paddle, or a rocking horse".

 

Tristan Manco wrote that Brazil "boasts a unique and particularly rich, graffiti scene ... [earning] it an international reputation as the place to go for artistic inspiration". Graffiti "flourishes in every conceivable space in Brazil's cities". Artistic parallels "are often drawn between the energy of São Paulo today and 1970s New York". The "sprawling metropolis", of São Paulo has "become the new shrine to graffiti"; Manco alludes to "poverty and unemployment ... [and] the epic struggles and conditions of the country's marginalised peoples", and to "Brazil's chronic poverty", as the main engines that "have fuelled a vibrant graffiti culture". In world terms, Brazil has "one of the most uneven distributions of income. Laws and taxes change frequently". Such factors, Manco argues, contribute to a very fluid society, riven with those economic divisions and social tensions that underpin and feed the "folkloric vandalism and an urban sport for the disenfranchised", that is South American graffiti art.

 

Prominent Brazilian writers include Os Gêmeos, Boleta, Nunca, Nina, Speto, Tikka, and T.Freak. Their artistic success and involvement in commercial design ventures has highlighted divisions within the Brazilian graffiti community between adherents of the cruder transgressive form of pichação and the more conventionally artistic values of the practitioners of grafite.

 

Graffiti in the Middle East has emerged slowly, with taggers operating in Egypt, Lebanon, the Gulf countries like Bahrain or the United Arab Emirates, Israel, and in Iran. The major Iranian newspaper Hamshahri has published two articles on illegal writers in the city with photographic coverage of Iranian artist A1one's works on Tehran walls. Tokyo-based design magazine, PingMag, has interviewed A1one and featured photographs of his work. The Israeli West Bank barrier has become a site for graffiti, reminiscent in this sense of the Berlin Wall. Many writers in Israel come from other places around the globe, such as JUIF from Los Angeles and DEVIONE from London. The religious reference "נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן" ("Na Nach Nachma Nachman Meuman") is commonly seen in graffiti around Israel.

 

Graffiti has played an important role within the street art scene in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), especially following the events of the Arab Spring of 2011 or the Sudanese Revolution of 2018/19. Graffiti is a tool of expression in the context of conflict in the region, allowing people to raise their voices politically and socially. Famous street artist Banksy has had an important effect in the street art scene in the MENA area, especially in Palestine where some of his works are located in the West Bank barrier and Bethlehem.

 

There are also a large number of graffiti influences in Southeast Asian countries that mostly come from modern Western culture, such as Malaysia, where graffiti have long been a common sight in Malaysia's capital city, Kuala Lumpur. Since 2010, the country has begun hosting a street festival to encourage all generations and people from all walks of life to enjoy and encourage Malaysian street culture.

 

The modern-day graffitists can be found with an arsenal of various materials that allow for a successful production of a piece. This includes such techniques as scribing. However, spray paint in aerosol cans is the number one medium for graffiti. From this commodity comes different styles, technique, and abilities to form master works of graffiti. Spray paint can be found at hardware and art stores and comes in virtually every color.

 

Stencil graffiti is created by cutting out shapes and designs in a stiff material (such as cardboard or subject folders) to form an overall design or image. The stencil is then placed on the "canvas" gently and with quick, easy strokes of the aerosol can, the image begins to appear on the intended surface.

 

Some of the first examples were created in 1981 by artists Blek le Rat in Paris, in 1982 by Jef Aerosol in Tours (France); by 1985 stencils had appeared in other cities including New York City, Sydney, and Melbourne, where they were documented by American photographer Charles Gatewood and Australian photographer Rennie Ellis

 

Tagging is the practice of someone spray-painting "their name, initial or logo onto a public surface" in a handstyle unique to the writer. Tags were the first form of modern graffiti.

 

Modern graffiti art often incorporates additional arts and technologies. For example, Graffiti Research Lab has encouraged the use of projected images and magnetic light-emitting diodes (throwies) as new media for graffitists. yarnbombing is another recent form of graffiti. Yarnbombers occasionally target previous graffiti for modification, which had been avoided among the majority of graffitists.

 

Theories on the use of graffiti by avant-garde artists have a history dating back at least to the Asger Jorn, who in 1962 painting declared in a graffiti-like gesture "the avant-garde won't give up"

 

Many contemporary analysts and even art critics have begun to see artistic value in some graffiti and to recognize it as a form of public art. According to many art researchers, particularly in the Netherlands and in Los Angeles, that type of public art is, in fact an effective tool of social emancipation or, in the achievement of a political goal

 

In times of conflict, such murals have offered a means of communication and self-expression for members of these socially, ethnically, or racially divided communities, and have proven themselves as effective tools in establishing dialog and thus, of addressing cleavages in the long run. The Berlin Wall was also extensively covered by graffiti reflecting social pressures relating to the oppressive Soviet rule over the GDR.

 

Many artists involved with graffiti are also concerned with the similar activity of stenciling. Essentially, this entails stenciling a print of one or more colors using spray-paint. Recognized while exhibiting and publishing several of her coloured stencils and paintings portraying the Sri Lankan Civil War and urban Britain in the early 2000s, graffitists Mathangi Arulpragasam, aka M.I.A., has also become known for integrating her imagery of political violence into her music videos for singles "Galang" and "Bucky Done Gun", and her cover art. Stickers of her artwork also often appear around places such as London in Brick Lane, stuck to lamp posts and street signs, she having become a muse for other graffitists and painters worldwide in cities including Seville.

 

Graffitist believes that art should be on display for everyone in the public eye or in plain sight, not hidden away in a museum or a gallery. Art should color the streets, not the inside of some building. Graffiti is a form of art that cannot be owned or bought. It does not last forever, it is temporary, yet one of a kind. It is a form of self promotion for the artist that can be displayed anywhere form sidewalks, roofs, subways, building wall, etc. Art to them is for everyone and should be showed to everyone for free.

 

Graffiti is a way of communicating and a way of expressing what one feels in the moment. It is both art and a functional thing that can warn people of something or inform people of something. However, graffiti is to some people a form of art, but to some a form of vandalism. And many graffitists choose to protect their identities and remain anonymous or to hinder prosecution.

 

With the commercialization of graffiti (and hip hop in general), in most cases, even with legally painted "graffiti" art, graffitists tend to choose anonymity. This may be attributed to various reasons or a combination of reasons. Graffiti still remains the one of four hip hop elements that is not considered "performance art" despite the image of the "singing and dancing star" that sells hip hop culture to the mainstream. Being a graphic form of art, it might also be said that many graffitists still fall in the category of the introverted archetypal artist.

 

Banksy is one of the world's most notorious and popular street artists who continues to remain faceless in today's society. He is known for his political, anti-war stencil art mainly in Bristol, England, but his work may be seen anywhere from Los Angeles to Palestine. In the UK, Banksy is the most recognizable icon for this cultural artistic movement and keeps his identity a secret to avoid arrest. Much of Banksy's artwork may be seen around the streets of London and surrounding suburbs, although he has painted pictures throughout the world, including the Middle East, where he has painted on Israel's controversial West Bank barrier with satirical images of life on the other side. One depicted a hole in the wall with an idyllic beach, while another shows a mountain landscape on the other side. A number of exhibitions also have taken place since 2000, and recent works of art have fetched vast sums of money. Banksy's art is a prime example of the classic controversy: vandalism vs. art. Art supporters endorse his work distributed in urban areas as pieces of art and some councils, such as Bristol and Islington, have officially protected them, while officials of other areas have deemed his work to be vandalism and have removed it.

 

Pixnit is another artist who chooses to keep her identity from the general public. Her work focuses on beauty and design aspects of graffiti as opposed to Banksy's anti-government shock value. Her paintings are often of flower designs above shops and stores in her local urban area of Cambridge, Massachusetts. Some store owners endorse her work and encourage others to do similar work as well. "One of the pieces was left up above Steve's Kitchen, because it looks pretty awesome"- Erin Scott, the manager of New England Comics in Allston, Massachusetts.

 

Graffiti artists may become offended if photographs of their art are published in a commercial context without their permission. In March 2020, the Finnish graffiti artist Psyke expressed his displeasure at the newspaper Ilta-Sanomat publishing a photograph of a Peugeot 208 in an article about new cars, with his graffiti prominently shown on the background. The artist claims he does not want his art being used in commercial context, not even if he were to receive compensation.

 

Territorial graffiti marks urban neighborhoods with tags and logos to differentiate certain groups from others. These images are meant to show outsiders a stern look at whose turf is whose. The subject matter of gang-related graffiti consists of cryptic symbols and initials strictly fashioned with unique calligraphies. Gang members use graffiti to designate membership throughout the gang, to differentiate rivals and associates and, most commonly, to mark borders which are both territorial and ideological.

 

Graffiti has been used as a means of advertising both legally and illegally. Bronx-based TATS CRU has made a name for themselves doing legal advertising campaigns for companies such as Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Toyota, and MTV. In the UK, Covent Garden's Boxfresh used stencil images of a Zapatista revolutionary in the hopes that cross referencing would promote their store.

 

Smirnoff hired artists to use reverse graffiti (the use of high pressure hoses to clean dirty surfaces to leave a clean image in the surrounding dirt) to increase awareness of their product.

 

Graffiti often has a reputation as part of a subculture that rebels against authority, although the considerations of the practitioners often diverge and can relate to a wide range of attitudes. It can express a political practice and can form just one tool in an array of resistance techniques. One early example includes the anarcho-punk band Crass, who conducted a campaign of stenciling anti-war, anarchist, feminist, and anti-consumerist messages throughout the London Underground system during the late 1970s and early 1980s. In Amsterdam graffiti was a major part of the punk scene. The city was covered with names such as "De Zoot", "Vendex", and "Dr Rat". To document the graffiti a punk magazine was started that was called Gallery Anus. So when hip hop came to Europe in the early 1980s there was already a vibrant graffiti culture.

 

The student protests and general strike of May 1968 saw Paris bedecked in revolutionary, anarchistic, and situationist slogans such as L'ennui est contre-révolutionnaire ("Boredom is counterrevolutionary") and Lisez moins, vivez plus ("Read less, live more"). While not exhaustive, the graffiti gave a sense of the 'millenarian' and rebellious spirit, tempered with a good deal of verbal wit, of the strikers.

 

I think graffiti writing is a way of defining what our generation is like. Excuse the French, we're not a bunch of p---- artists. Traditionally artists have been considered soft and mellow people, a little bit kooky. Maybe we're a little bit more like pirates that way. We defend our territory, whatever space we steal to paint on, we defend it fiercely.

 

The developments of graffiti art which took place in art galleries and colleges as well as "on the street" or "underground", contributed to the resurfacing in the 1990s of a far more overtly politicized art form in the subvertising, culture jamming, or tactical media movements. These movements or styles tend to classify the artists by their relationship to their social and economic contexts, since, in most countries, graffiti art remains illegal in many forms except when using non-permanent paint. Since the 1990s with the rise of Street Art, a growing number of artists are switching to non-permanent paints and non-traditional forms of painting.

 

Contemporary practitioners, accordingly, have varied and often conflicting practices. Some individuals, such as Alexander Brener, have used the medium to politicize other art forms, and have used the prison sentences enforced on them as a means of further protest. The practices of anonymous groups and individuals also vary widely, and practitioners by no means always agree with each other's practices. For example, the anti-capitalist art group the Space Hijackers did a piece in 2004 about the contradiction between the capitalistic elements of Banksy and his use of political imagery.

 

Berlin human rights activist Irmela Mensah-Schramm has received global media attention and numerous awards for her 35-year campaign of effacing neo-Nazi and other right-wing extremist graffiti throughout Germany, often by altering hate speech in humorous ways.

 

In Serbian capital, Belgrade, the graffiti depicting a uniformed former general of Serb army and war criminal, convicted at ICTY for war crimes and crimes against humanity, including genocide and ethnic cleansing in Bosnian War, Ratko Mladić, appeared in a military salute alongside the words "General, thank to your mother". Aleks Eror, Berlin-based journalist, explains how "veneration of historical and wartime figures" through street art is not a new phenomenon in the region of former Yugoslavia, and that "in most cases is firmly focused on the future, rather than retelling the past". Eror is not only analyst pointing to danger of such an expressions for the region's future. In a long expose on the subject of Bosnian genocide denial, at Balkan Diskurs magazine and multimedia platform website, Kristina Gadže and Taylor Whitsell referred to these experiences as a young generations' "cultural heritage", in which young are being exposed to celebration and affirmation of war-criminals as part of their "formal education" and "inheritance".

 

There are numerous examples of genocide denial through celebration and affirmation of war criminals throughout the region of Western Balkans inhabited by Serbs using this form of artistic expression. Several more of these graffiti are found in Serbian capital, and many more across Serbia and Bosnian and Herzegovinian administrative entity, Republika Srpska, which is the ethnic Serbian majority enclave. Critics point that Serbia as a state, is willing to defend the mural of convicted war criminal, and have no intention to react on cases of genocide denial, noting that Interior Minister of Serbia, Aleksandar Vulin decision to ban any gathering with an intent to remove the mural, with the deployment of riot police, sends the message of "tacit endorsement". Consequently, on 9 November 2021, Serbian heavy police in riot gear, with graffiti creators and their supporters, blocked the access to the mural to prevent human rights groups and other activists to paint over it and mark the International Day Against Fascism and Antisemitism in that way, and even arrested two civic activist for throwing eggs at the graffiti.

 

Graffiti may also be used as an offensive expression. This form of graffiti may be difficult to identify, as it is mostly removed by the local authority (as councils which have adopted strategies of criminalization also strive to remove graffiti quickly). Therefore, existing racist graffiti is mostly more subtle and at first sight, not easily recognized as "racist". It can then be understood only if one knows the relevant "local code" (social, historical, political, temporal, and spatial), which is seen as heteroglot and thus a 'unique set of conditions' in a cultural context.

 

A spatial code for example, could be that there is a certain youth group in an area that is engaging heavily in racist activities. So, for residents (knowing the local code), a graffiti containing only the name or abbreviation of this gang already is a racist expression, reminding the offended people of their gang activities. Also a graffiti is in most cases, the herald of more serious criminal activity to come. A person who does not know these gang activities would not be able to recognize the meaning of this graffiti. Also if a tag of this youth group or gang is placed on a building occupied by asylum seekers, for example, its racist character is even stronger.

By making the graffiti less explicit (as adapted to social and legal constraints), these drawings are less likely to be removed, but do not lose their threatening and offensive character.

 

Elsewhere, activists in Russia have used painted caricatures of local officials with their mouths as potholes, to show their anger about the poor state of the roads. In Manchester, England, a graffitists painted obscene images around potholes, which often resulted in them being repaired within 48 hours.

 

In the early 1980s, the first art galleries to show graffitists to the public were Fashion Moda in the Bronx, Now Gallery and Fun Gallery, both in the East Village, Manhattan.

 

A 2006 exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum displayed graffiti as an art form that began in New York's outer boroughs and reached great heights in the early 1980s with the work of Crash, Lee, Daze, Keith Haring, and Jean-Michel Basquiat. It displayed 22 works by New York graffitists, including Crash, Daze, and Lady Pink. In an article about the exhibition in the magazine Time Out, curator Charlotta Kotik said that she hoped the exhibition would cause viewers to rethink their assumptions about graffiti.

 

From the 1970s onwards, Burhan Doğançay photographed urban walls all over the world; these he then archived for use as sources of inspiration for his painterly works. The project today known as "Walls of the World" grew beyond even his own expectations and comprises about 30,000 individual images. It spans a period of 40 years across five continents and 114 countries. In 1982, photographs from this project comprised a one-man exhibition titled "Les murs murmurent, ils crient, ils chantent ..." (The walls whisper, shout and sing ...) at the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris.

 

In Australia, art historians have judged some local graffiti of sufficient creative merit to rank them firmly within the arts. Oxford University Press's art history text Australian Painting 1788–2000 concludes with a long discussion of graffiti's key place within contemporary visual culture, including the work of several Australian practitioners.

 

Between March and April 2009, 150 artists exhibited 300 pieces of graffiti at the Grand Palais in Paris.

 

Spray paint has many negative environmental effects. The paint contains toxic chemicals, and the can uses volatile hydrocarbon gases to spray the paint onto a surface.

 

Volatile organic compound (VOC) leads to ground level ozone formation and most of graffiti related emissions are VOCs. A 2010 paper estimates 4,862 tons of VOCs were released in the United States in activities related to graffiti.

 

In China, Mao Zedong in the 1920s used revolutionary slogans and paintings in public places to galvanize the country's communist movement.

 

Based on different national conditions, many people believe that China's attitude towards Graffiti is fierce, but in fact, according to Lance Crayon in his film Spray Paint Beijing: Graffiti in the Capital of China, Graffiti is generally accepted in Beijing, with artists not seeing much police interference. Political and religiously sensitive graffiti, however, is not allowed.

 

In Hong Kong, Tsang Tsou Choi was known as the King of Kowloon for his calligraphy graffiti over many years, in which he claimed ownership of the area. Now some of his work is preserved officially.

 

In Taiwan, the government has made some concessions to graffitists. Since 2005 they have been allowed to freely display their work along some sections of riverside retaining walls in designated "Graffiti Zones". From 2007, Taipei's department of cultural affairs also began permitting graffiti on fences around major public construction sites. Department head Yong-ping Lee (李永萍) stated, "We will promote graffiti starting with the public sector, and then later in the private sector too. It's our goal to beautify the city with graffiti". The government later helped organize a graffiti contest in Ximending, a popular shopping district. graffitists caught working outside of these designated areas still face fines up to NT$6,000 under a department of environmental protection regulation. However, Taiwanese authorities can be relatively lenient, one veteran police officer stating anonymously, "Unless someone complains about vandalism, we won't get involved. We don't go after it proactively."

 

In 1993, after several expensive cars in Singapore were spray-painted, the police arrested a student from the Singapore American School, Michael P. Fay, questioned him, and subsequently charged him with vandalism. Fay pleaded guilty to vandalizing a car in addition to stealing road signs. Under the 1966 Vandalism Act of Singapore, originally passed to curb the spread of communist graffiti in Singapore, the court sentenced him to four months in jail, a fine of S$3,500 (US$2,233), and a caning. The New York Times ran several editorials and op-eds that condemned the punishment and called on the American public to flood the Singaporean embassy with protests. Although the Singapore government received many calls for clemency, Fay's caning took place in Singapore on 5 May 1994. Fay had originally received a sentence of six strokes of the cane, but the presiding president of Singapore, Ong Teng Cheong, agreed to reduce his caning sentence to four lashes.

 

In South Korea, Park Jung-soo was fined two million South Korean won by the Seoul Central District Court for spray-painting a rat on posters of the G-20 Summit a few days before the event in November 2011. Park alleged that the initial in "G-20" sounds like the Korean word for "rat", but Korean government prosecutors alleged that Park was making a derogatory statement about the president of South Korea, Lee Myung-bak, the host of the summit. This case led to public outcry and debate on the lack of government tolerance and in support of freedom of expression. The court ruled that the painting, "an ominous creature like a rat" amounts to "an organized criminal activity" and upheld the fine while denying the prosecution's request for imprisonment for Park.

 

In Europe, community cleaning squads have responded to graffiti, in some cases with reckless abandon, as when in 1992 in France a local Scout group, attempting to remove modern graffiti, damaged two prehistoric paintings of bison in the Cave of Mayrière supérieure near the French village of Bruniquel in Tarn-et-Garonne, earning them the 1992 Ig Nobel Prize in archeology.

 

In September 2006, the European Parliament directed the European Commission to create urban environment policies to prevent and eliminate dirt, litter, graffiti, animal excrement, and excessive noise from domestic and vehicular music systems in European cities, along with other concerns over urban life.

 

In Budapest, Hungary, both a city-backed movement called I Love Budapest and a special police division tackle the problem, including the provision of approved areas.

 

The Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 became Britain's latest anti-graffiti legislation. In August 2004, the Keep Britain Tidy campaign issued a press release calling for zero tolerance of graffiti and supporting proposals such as issuing "on the spot" fines to graffiti offenders and banning the sale of aerosol paint to anyone under the age of 16. The press release also condemned the use of graffiti images in advertising and in music videos, arguing that real-world experience of graffiti stood far removed from its often-portrayed "cool" or "edgy'" image.

 

To back the campaign, 123 Members of Parliament (MPs) (including then Prime Minister Tony Blair), signed a charter which stated: "Graffiti is not art, it's crime. On behalf of my constituents, I will do all I can to rid our community of this problem."

 

In the UK, city councils have the power to take action against the owner of any property that has been defaced under the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 (as amended by the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005) or, in certain cases, the Highways Act. This is often used against owners of property that are complacent in allowing protective boards to be defaced so long as the property is not damaged.

 

In July 2008, a conspiracy charge was used to convict graffitists for the first time. After a three-month police surveillance operation, nine members of the DPM crew were convicted of conspiracy to commit criminal damage costing at least £1 million. Five of them received prison sentences, ranging from eighteen months to two years. The unprecedented scale of the investigation and the severity of the sentences rekindled public debate over whether graffiti should be considered art or crime.

 

Some councils, like those of Stroud and Loerrach, provide approved areas in the town where graffitists can showcase their talents, including underpasses, car parks, and walls that might otherwise prove a target for the "spray and run".

 

Graffiti Tunnel, University of Sydney at Camperdown (2009)

In an effort to reduce vandalism, many cities in Australia have designated walls or areas exclusively for use by graffitists. One early example is the "Graffiti Tunnel" located at the Camperdown Campus of the University of Sydney, which is available for use by any student at the university to tag, advertise, poster, and paint. Advocates of this idea suggest that this discourages petty vandalism yet encourages artists to take their time and produce great art, without worry of being caught or arrested for vandalism or trespassing.[108][109] Others disagree with this approach, arguing that the presence of legal graffiti walls does not demonstrably reduce illegal graffiti elsewhere. Some local government areas throughout Australia have introduced "anti-graffiti squads", who clean graffiti in the area, and such crews as BCW (Buffers Can't Win) have taken steps to keep one step ahead of local graffiti cleaners.

 

Many state governments have banned the sale or possession of spray paint to those under the age of 18 (age of majority). However, a number of local governments in Victoria have taken steps to recognize the cultural heritage value of some examples of graffiti, such as prominent political graffiti. Tough new graffiti laws have been introduced in Australia with fines of up to A$26,000 and two years in prison.

 

Melbourne is a prominent graffiti city of Australia with many of its lanes being tourist attractions, such as Hosier Lane in particular, a popular destination for photographers, wedding photography, and backdrops for corporate print advertising. The Lonely Planet travel guide cites Melbourne's street as a major attraction. All forms of graffiti, including sticker art, poster, stencil art, and wheatpasting, can be found in many places throughout the city. Prominent street art precincts include; Fitzroy, Collingwood, Northcote, Brunswick, St. Kilda, and the CBD, where stencil and sticker art is prominent. As one moves farther away from the city, mostly along suburban train lines, graffiti tags become more prominent. Many international artists such as Banksy have left their work in Melbourne and in early 2008 a perspex screen was installed to prevent a Banksy stencil art piece from being destroyed, it has survived since 2003 through the respect of local street artists avoiding posting over it, although it has recently had paint tipped over it.

 

In February 2008 Helen Clark, the New Zealand prime minister at that time, announced a government crackdown on tagging and other forms of graffiti vandalism, describing it as a destructive crime representing an invasion of public and private property. New legislation subsequently adopted included a ban on the sale of paint spray cans to persons under 18 and increases in maximum fines for the offence from NZ$200 to NZ$2,000 or extended community service. The issue of tagging become a widely debated one following an incident in Auckland during January 2008 in which a middle-aged property owner stabbed one of two teenage taggers to death and was subsequently convicted of manslaughter.

 

Graffiti databases have increased in the past decade because they allow vandalism incidents to be fully documented against an offender and help the police and prosecution charge and prosecute offenders for multiple counts of vandalism. They also provide law enforcement the ability to rapidly search for an offender's moniker or tag in a simple, effective, and comprehensive way. These systems can also help track costs of damage to a city to help allocate an anti-graffiti budget. The theory is that when an offender is caught putting up graffiti, they are not just charged with one count of vandalism; they can be held accountable for all the other damage for which they are responsible. This has two main benefits for law enforcement. One, it sends a signal to the offenders that their vandalism is being tracked. Two, a city can seek restitution from offenders for all the damage that they have committed, not merely a single incident. These systems give law enforcement personnel real-time, street-level intelligence that allows them not only to focus on the worst graffiti offenders and their damage, but also to monitor potential gang violence that is associated with the graffiti.

 

Many restrictions of civil gang injunctions are designed to help address and protect the physical environment and limit graffiti. Provisions of gang injunctions include things such as restricting the possession of marker pens, spray paint cans, or other sharp objects capable of defacing private or public property; spray painting, or marking with marker pens, scratching, applying stickers, or otherwise applying graffiti on any public or private property, including, but not limited to the street, alley, residences, block walls, and fences, vehicles or any other real or personal property. Some injunctions contain wording that restricts damaging or vandalizing both public and private property, including but not limited to any vehicle, light fixture, door, fence, wall, gate, window, building, street sign, utility box, telephone box, tree, or power pole.

 

To help address many of these issues, many local jurisdictions have set up graffiti abatement hotlines, where citizens can call in and report vandalism and have it removed. San Diego's hotline receives more than 5,000 calls per year, in addition to reporting the graffiti, callers can learn more about prevention. One of the complaints about these hotlines is the response time; there is often a lag time between a property owner calling about the graffiti and its removal. The length of delay should be a consideration for any jurisdiction planning on operating a hotline. Local jurisdictions must convince the callers that their complaint of vandalism will be a priority and cleaned off right away. If the jurisdiction does not have the resources to respond to complaints in a timely manner, the value of the hotline diminishes. Crews must be able to respond to individual service calls made to the graffiti hotline as well as focus on cleanup near schools, parks, and major intersections and transit routes to have the biggest impact. Some cities offer a reward for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of suspects for tagging or graffiti related vandalism. The amount of the reward is based on the information provided, and the action taken.

 

When police obtain search warrants in connection with a vandalism investigation, they are often seeking judicial approval to look for items such as cans of spray paint and nozzles from other kinds of aerosol sprays; etching tools, or other sharp or pointed objects, which could be used to etch or scratch glass and other hard surfaces; permanent marking pens, markers, or paint sticks; evidence of membership or affiliation with any gang or tagging crew; paraphernalia including any reference to "(tagger's name)"; any drawings, writing, objects, or graffiti depicting taggers' names, initials, logos, monikers, slogans, or any mention of tagging crew membership; and any newspaper clippings relating to graffiti crime.

such a BEAUTIFUL SCREENSHOT<3 bahahahah

 

this is just for kicks and giggles and a dose of entertainment :]

   

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Without lens correction

Everybody's looking for a something

One thing that makes it all complete

You'll find it in the strangest places

Places you never knew it could be

 

Some find it in the face of their children

Some find it in their lover's eyes

Who can deny the joy it brings

When you've found that special thing

You're flying without wings

 

_______________

  

Hi there ,,

I just want to mentione some thing's

 

First this photo is Dedicated to all of my friends and familly (L)__(L)

 

I Just love you guys ,,

 

Second thing and the most important thing ; Nofooo 59ee9an 3shan 3eed meladha =P << تو الناس =P

any way 7bebty noof I hope that you injoy your day ,,

 

oO illy nj7o mbrook 3al naja7 w elly manj7o .. T3w'9oonha inshallah =)

  

Enjoy every one =D

  

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+++ DISCLAIMER +++Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based historical facts. BEWARE!

  

Some background:

The Gudkov Gu-1 was a Soviet fighter aircraft produced shortly after World War II in small numbers at the start of the jet age, but work on the Gudkov Gu-1 already started in 1944. Towards the end of World War II the Soviet Union saw the need for a strategic bombing capability similar to that of the United States Army Air Forces. The Soviet VVS air arm had the locally designed Petlyakov Pe-8 four-engined heavy bomber in service at the start of the war, but only 93 had been built by the end of the war and the type had become obsolete. By that time the U.S. regularly conducted bombing raids on Japan from distant Pacific forward bases using B-29 Superfortresses, and the Soviet Air Force lacked this capability.

 

Joseph Stalin ordered the development of a comparable bomber, and the U.S. twice refused to supply the Soviet Union with B-29s under Lend Lease. However, on four occasions during 1944, individual B-29s made emergency landings in Soviet territory and one crashed after the crew bailed out. In accordance with the Soviet–Japanese Neutrality Pact, the Soviets were neutral in the Pacific War and the bombers were therefore interned and kept by the Soviets. Despite Soviet neutrality, America demanded the return of the bombers, but the Soviets refused. Three repairable B-29s were flown to Moscow and delivered to the Tupolev OKB. One B-29 was dismantled, the second was used for flight tests and training, and the third one was left as a standard for cross-reference.

Stalin told Tupolev to clone the Superfortress in as short a time as possible. The reverse-engineering effort involved 900 factories and research institutes, who finished the design work during the first year. 105,000 drawings were made, and the American technology had to be adapted to local material and manufacturing standards – and ended in a thorough re-design of the B-29 “under the hood”. By the end of the second year, the Soviet industry was to produce 20 copies of the aircraft ready for State acceptance trials.

 

While work on what would become the Tupolev Tu-4 was on the way, the need for a long range escort fighter arose, too. Soviet officials were keen on the P-51 Mustang, but, again, the USA denied deliveries, so that an indigenous solution had to be developed. With the rising tension of international relationships, this became eventually the preferred solution, too.

 

While the design bureau Lavochkin had already started with work on the La-9 fighter (which entered service after WWII) and the jet age was about to begin, the task of designing a long range escort fighter for the Tu-4 was relegated to Mikhail I. Gudkov who had been designing early WWII fighters like the LaGG-1 and -3 together with Lavochkin. Internally, the new fighter received the project handle "DIS" (Dalnij Istrebitel' Soprovozhdenya ="long-range escort fighter").

 

In order to offer an appropriate range and performance that could engage enemy interceptors in the bombers’ target area it was soon clear that neither a pure jet nor a pure piston-engine fighter was a viable solution – a dilemma the USAAF was trying to solve towards 1945, too. The jet engine alone did not offer sufficient power, and fuel consumption was high, so that the necessary range could never be achieved with an agile fighter. Late war radials had sufficient power and offered good range, but the Soviet designers were certain that the piston engine fighter had no future – especially when fast jet fighters had to be expected over enemy territory.

 

Another problem arose through the fact that the Soviet Union did not have an indigenous jet engine at hand at all in late 1945. War booty from Germany in the form of Junkers Jumo 004 axial jet engines and blueprints of the more powerful HeS 011 were still under evaluation, and these powerplants alone did neither promise enough range nor power for a long range fighter aircraft. Even for short range fighters their performance was rather limited – even though fighters like the Yak-15 and the MiG-9 were designed around them.

 

After many layout experiments and calculation, Gudkov eventually came up with a mixed powerplant solution for the DIS project. But unlike the contemporary, relatively light I-250 (also known as MiG-13) interceptor, which added a mechanical compressor with a primitive afterburner (called VRDK) to a Klimov VK-107R inline piston engine, the DIS fighter was equipped with a powerful radial engine and carried a jet booster – similar to the US Navy’s Ryan FR-1 “Fireball”. Unlike the FR-1, though, the DIS kept a conservative tail-sitter layout and was a much bigger aircraft.

 

The choice for the main powerplant fell on the Shvetsov ASh-82TKF engine, driving a large four blade propeller. This was a boosted version of the same 18 cylinder twin row radial that powered the Tu-4, the ASh-73. The ASh-82TKF for the escort fighter project had a rating of 2,720 hp (2,030 kW) while the Tu-4's ASh-73TK had "only" a temporary 2,400 hp (1,800 kW) output during take-off. The airframe was designed around this massive and powerful engine, and the aircraft’s sheer size was also a result of the large fuel capacity which was necessary to meet the range target of at least 3.000 km (1.860 mi, 1.612 nmi).

The ASh-82TKF alone offered enough power for a decent performance, but in order to take on enemy jet fighters and lighter, more agile propeller-driven fighters, a single RD-20 axial-flow turbojet with 7.8 kN (1,754 lbf) thrust was added in the rear-fuselage. It was to add power for take-off and in combat situations only. Its fixed air intakes were placed on the fuselage flanks, right behind the cockpit, and the jet pipe was placed under the fin and the stabilizers.

 

Outwardly, Gudkov’s DIS resembled the late American P-47D or the A-1 Skyraider a lot, and the beefy aircraft was comparable in size and weight, too. But the Soviet all-metal aircraft was a completely new construction and featured relatively small and slender laminar flow wings. The wide-track landing gear retracted inwards into the inner wings while the tail wheel retracted fully into a shallow compartment under the jet pipe.

The pilot sat in a spacious cockpit under a frameless bubble canopy with very good all-round visibility and enjoyed amenities for long flights such as increased padding in the seat, armrests, and even a urinal. In addition, a full radio navigation suite was installed for the expected long range duties over long stretches of featureless landscape like the open sea.

 

Armament consisted of four 23 mm Nudelman-Suranov NS-23 cannons with 100 RPG in the wings, outside of the propeller arc. The guns were good for a weight of fire of 6kg (13.2 lb)/sec, a very good value. Five wet hardpoints under the fuselage, the wings outside of the landing gear well and under the wing tips could primarily carry auxiliary drop tanks or an external ordnance of up to 1.500 kg (3.300 lb).

Alternatively, iron bombs of up to 500 kg (1.100 lb) caliber could be carried on the centerline pylon, and a pair of 250 kg (550 lb) bombs under the wings, but a fighter bomber role was never seriously considered for the highly specialized and complex aircraft.

 

The first DIS prototype, still without the jet booster, flew in May 1947. The second prototype, with both engines installed, had its fuel capacity increased by an additional 275 l (73 US gal) in an additional fuel tank behind the cockpit. The aircraft was also fitted with larger tires to accommodate the increased all-up weight, esp. with all five 300 l drop tanks fitted for maximum range and endurance.

 

Flight testing continued until 1948 and the DIS concept proved to be satisfactory, even though the complicated ASh-82TKF hampered the DIS’ reliability - to the point that fitting the ASh-73TK from the Tu-4 was considered for serial production, even if this would have meant a significant reduction in performance. The RD-20 caused lots of trouble, too. Engine reliability was generally poor, and re-starting the engine in flight did not work satisfactorily – a problem that, despite several changes to the starter and ignition system, could never be fully cured. The jet engine’s placement in the tail, together with the small tail wheel, also caused problems because the pilots had to take care that the tail would not aggressively hit the ground upon landings, because the RD-20 and its attachments were easily damaged.

 

Nevertheless, the DIS basically fulfilled the requested performance specifications and was, despite many shortcomings, eventually cleared for production in mid 1948. It received the official designation Gudkov Gu-1, honoring the engineer behind the aircraft, even though the aircraft was produced by Lavochkin.

 

The first machines were delivered to VVS units in early 1949 - just in time for the Tu-4's service introduction after the Russians had toiled endlessly on solving several technical problems. In the meantime, jet fighter development had quickly progressed, even though a purely jet-powered escort fighter for the Tu-4 was still out of question. Since the Gu-1 was capricious, complex and expensive to produce, only a limited number left the factories and emphasis was put on the much simpler and more economical Lavochkin La-11 escort fighter, a lightweight evolution of the proven La-9. Both types were regarded as an interim solution until a pure jet escort fighter would be ready for service.

 

Operationally the Gu-1s remained closely allocated to the VVS’ bomber squadrons and became an integral part of them. Anyway, since the Tu-4 bomber never faced a serious combat situation, so did the Gu-1, which was to guard it on its missions. For instance, both types were not directly involved in the Korean War, and the Gu-1 was primarily concentrated at the NATO borders to Western Europe, since bomber attacks in this theatre would certainly need the heavy fighter’s protection.

 

The advent of the MiG-15 - especially the improved MiG-15bis with additional fuel capacities and drop tanks, quickly sounded the death knell for the Gu-1 and any other post-WWII piston-engine fighter in Soviet Service. As Tu-4 production ended in the Soviet Union in 1952, so did the Gu-1’s production after only about 150 aircraft. The Tu-4s and their escort fighters were withdrawn in the 1960s, being replaced by more advanced aircraft including the Tupolev Tu-16 jet bomber (starting in 1954) and the Tupolev Tu-95 turboprop bomber (starting in 1956).

 

The Gudkov Gu-1, receiving the NATO ASCC code “Flout”, remained a pure fighter. Even though it was not a success, some proposals for updates were made - but never carried out. These included pods with unguided S-5 air-to-air-rockets, to be carried on the wing hardpoints, bigger, non-droppable wing tip tanks for even more range or, alternatively, the addition of two pulsejet boosters on the wing tips.

There even was a highly modified mixed powerplant version on the drawing boards in 1952, the Gu-1M. Its standard radial powerplant for cruise flight was enhanced with a new, non-afterburning Mikulin AM-5 axial flow jet engine with 2.270 kgf/5,000 lbf/23 kN additional thrust in the rear fuselage. With this temporary booster, a top speed of up to 850 km/h was expected. But to no avail - the pure jet fighter promised a far better performance and effectiveness, and the Gu-1 remained the only aircraft to exclusively carry the Gudkov name.

  

General characteristics:

Crew: 1

Length: 12 m (39 ft 4 in)

Wingspan: 14 m (45 ft 11 in)

Height: 4.65 m (15 ft 3 in)

Wing area: 28 m² (301.388 ft²)

Airfoil:

Empty weight: 4,637 kg (10,337 lb)

Loaded weight: 6.450 kg (14.220 lb)

Maximum take-off weight: 7,938 kg (17,500 lb)

 

Powerplant:

1× Shvetsov ASh-82TKF 18-cylinder air-cooled radial engine, rated at 2,720 hp (2,030 kW)

1x RD-20 axial-flow turbojet with 7.8 kN (1,754 lbf) thrust as temporary booster

 

Performance

Maximum speed: 676 km/h (420 mph) at 29,000 ft (8,839 m) with the radial only,

800 km/h (497 mph/432 kn,) with additional jet booster

Cruise speed: 440 km/h (237 kn, 273 mph)

Combat radius: 820 nmi (945 mi, 1,520 km)

Maximum range: 3.000 km (1.860 mi, 1.612 nmi) with drop tanks

Service ceiling: 14,680 m (48,170 ft)

Wing loading: 230.4 kg/m² (47.2 lb/ft²)

Power/mass: 0.28 kW/kg (0.17 hp/lb)

Climb to 5,000 m (16,400 ft): 5 min 9 sec;

Climb to 10,000 m (32,800 ft): 17 min 38 sec;

Climb to 13,000 m (42,640 ft): 21 min 03 sec

 

Armament

4× 23 mm Nudelman-Suranov NS-23 cannons with 100 RPG in the outer wings

Five hardpoints for an external ordnance of 1.500 kg (3.300 lb)

 

The kit and its assembly:

This whif is the incarnation of a very effective kitbashing combo that already spawned my fictional Japanese Ki-104 fighter, and it is another submission to the 2018 “Cold War” group build at whatifmodelers.com. This purely fictional Soviet escort fighter makes use of my experiences from the first build of this kind, yet with some differences.

 

The kit is a bashing of various parts and pieces:

· Fuselage, wing roots, landing gear and propeller from an Academy P-47D

· Wings from an Ark Model Supermarine Attacker (ex Novo)

· Tail fin comes from a Heller F-84G

· The stabilizers were taken from an Airfix Ki-46

· Cowling from a Matchbox F6F, mounted and blended onto the P-47 front

· Jet exhaust is the intake of a Matchbox Me 262 engine pod

 

My choice fell onto the Academy Thunderbolt because it has engraved panel lines, offers the bubble canopy as well as good fit, detail and solid material. The belly duct had simply been sliced off, and the opening later faired over with styrene sheet and putty, so that the P-47’s deep belly would not disappear.

The F6F cowling was chosen because it looks a lot like the ASh-73TK from the Tu-4. But this came at a price: the P-47 cowling is higher, tighter and has a totally different shape. It took serious body sculpting with putty to blend the parts into each other. Inside of the engine, a styrene tube was added for a metal axis that holds the uncuffed OOB P-47 four blade propeller. The P-47’s OOB cockpit tub was retained, too, just the seat received scratched armrests for a more luxurious look.

 

The Attacker wings were chosen because of their "modern" laminar profile. The Novo kit itself is horrible and primitive, but acceptable for donations. OOB, the Attacker wings had too little span for the big P-47, so I decided to mount the Thunderbolt's OOB wings and cut them at a suitable point: maybe 0.5", just outside of the large main wheel wells. The intersection with the Attacker wings is almost perfect in depth and width, relatively little putty work was necessary in order to blend the parts into each other. I just had to cut out new landing gear wells from the lower halves of the Attacker wings, and with new attachment points the P-47’s complete OOB landing gear could be used.

 

With the new wing shape, the tail surfaces had to be changed accordingly. The trapezoid stabilizers come from an Airfix Mitsubishi Ki-46, and their shape is a good match. The P-47 fin had to go, since I wanted something bigger and a different silhouette. The fuselage below was modified with a jet exhaust, too. I actually found a leftover F-84G (Heller) tail, complete with the jet pipe and the benefit that it has plausible attachment points for the stabilizers far above the jet engine in the Gu-1’s tail.

 

However, the F-84 jet pipe’s diameter turned out to be too large, so I went for a smaller but practical alternative, a Junkers Jumo 004 nacelle from a Me 262 (the ancestor of the Soviet RD-20!). Its intake section was cut off, flipped upside down, the fin was glued on top of it and then the new tail was glued to the P-47 fuselage. Some (more serious) body sculpting was necessary to create a more or less harmonious transition between the parts, but it worked.

 

The plausible placement of the air intakes and their shape was a bit of a challenge. I wanted them to be obvious, but still keep an aerodynamic look. An initial idea had been to keep the P-47’s deep belly and widen the central oil cooler intake under the nose, but I found the idea wacky and a bit pointless, since such a long air duct would not make much sense since it would waste internal space and the long duct’s additional weight would not offer any benefit?

 

Another idea were air intakes in the wing roots, but these were also turned down since the landing gear wells would be in the way, and placing the ducts above or below the wings would also make no sense. A single ventral scoop (looking like a P-51 radiator bath) or two smaller, dorsal intakes (XP-81 style) behind the cockpit were other serious candidates – but these were both rejected because I wanted to keep a clean side profile.

I eventually settled for very simple, fixed side intakes, level with the jet exhaust, somewhat inspired by the Lavochkin La-200B heavy fighter prototype. The air scoops are simply parts from an Italeri Saab 39 Gripen centerline drop tank (which has a flat, oval diameter), and their shape is IMHO a perfect match.

  

Painting and markings:

While the model itself is a wild mix of parts with lots of improvisation involved, I wanted to keep the livery rather simple. The most plausible choice would have been an NMF finish, but I rather wanted some paint – so I used Soviet La-9 and -11 as a benchmark and settled for a simple two-tone livery: uniform light grey upper and light blue lower surfaces.

 

I used RAF Medium Sea Grey (Humbrol 165) and Soviet Underside Blue (Humbrol 114) as basic tones, and, after a black ink wash, these were lightened up through dry-brushed post-shading. The yellow spinner and fin tip are based on typical (subtle) squadron markings of the late 40ies era.

 

The cockpit as well the engine and landing gear interior became blue-grey (Revell 57), similar to the typical La-9/11’s colors. The green wheel discs and the deep blue propeller blades are not 100% in the aircraft's time frame, but I added these details in order to enhance the Soviet touch and some color accents.

 

Tactical markings were kept simple, too. The "38" and the Red Stars come form a Mastercraft MiG-15, the Guards badge from a Begemoth MiG-25 sheet and most of the stencils were taken from a Yak-38 sheet, also from Begemoth.

Finally, the kit was sealed with matt acrylic varnish (Italeri) and it received some mild soot stains and chipped paint around the cockpit and on the leading edges. Some oil stains were added around the engine (with Tamiya Smoke), too.

  

A massive aircraft, and this new use of the P-47/Attacker combo results again in a plausible solution. The added jet engine might appear a bit exotic, but the mixed powerplant concept was en vogue after WWII, but only a few aircraft made it beyond the prototype stage.

While painting the model I also wondered if an all dark blue livery and some USN markings could also have made this creation the Grumman JetCat? With the tall fin, the Gu-1 could also be an F8F Bearcat on steroids? Hmmm...

"Serendipity"

 

Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières

 

April 1 through April 27 at BiddingForGood.com/DWB-MSF

on the Noratus graveyard (Armenia)

No Jacket required

Rear shot without accessories. The truck has a long bed, and regular cab. This setup looked quite nice to me.

 

Marty's truck, of course, is a double cab. I could not figure out a good way to build the '85 model exactly, and I loved the looks of the '83 Hilux more anyway.

Nice comments without copied/pasted group icons are welcome. .

 

As Flickr is a sharing site I only add my pictures to public groups, .

 

Photography experience courses available, please email for details.

 

The full portfolio available from Stock photography by Tim Large at Alamy

 

Photographer:- Tim Large

purpleport.com/portfolio/timlarge/?referrer=timlarge

Location:- Cheddar , Somerset, UK

 

©Timothy Large - TACraftPhotography

Features

 

The following features provide the F-22 Raptor with superior combat abilities:

 

Design: designed for reduced observability

 

Construction: a 67% titanium aft fuselage with electron-beam-welded subassemblies to withstand high-g maneuvers and supersonic speeds for extended periods

 

Power plant: two Pratt & Whitney F119-PW-100 engines for superior speed (Mach 2) and extended supersonic cruising without using afterburners

 

Armaments: air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles

 

Aeronautics systems: integrated avionics and improved sensors for superior situational awareness

 

Reliability: requires less manpower to maintain and repair the aircraft

 

Boeing's Role

Boeing, in Seattle, Wash., builds the Raptor's wings and aft-fuselage, and is responsible for avionics integration and test; 70 percent of mission software; the pilot and maintenance training systems; and the life-support and fire-protection systems.

 

Milestones

First flight: Sept. 7, 1997

 

Boeing is teamed with Lockheed Martin, Pratt & Whitney and the U.S. Air Force to develop the F-22 Raptor as a replacement for the F-15. Its stealth, supercruise ability, advanced integrated avionics and other features will make it the most potent fighter in the world. The F-22 will take over the air superiority role with the Air Combat Command in late 2005.

This tunnel in the marina has been painted with an anti graffiti coating which prevents graffiti from adhering to the surface. I can understand the need to retain standards but it does make life a bit clinical. I'd like to see graffiti artists contracted to paint an area with paint that cannot be painted over...... maybe a mural on one wall of this tunnel.

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Disegnata da Pininfarina, debutta in versione definitiva al Salone dell'automobile di Francoforte edizione 2003 per entrare in produzione nello stesso anno. Progettata su di un nuovo telaio a trazione posteriore utilizza una meccanica raffinata con schema transaxle e sospensioni anteriori e posteriori a quadrilateri deformabili. I motori adottati sono i nuovi 4.2 e 4.7 V8 prodotti a Maranello dalla Ferrari con basamento in alluminio e silicio e lubrificazione a carter umido; il cambio per le prime versioni prodotte era un robotizzato DuoSelect ma venne introdotto in seguito una trasmissione automatica sequenziale sviluppata dalla ZF con sei rapporti. La Quattroporte V è stata la versione più apprezzata e venduta della serie, con 24.000 esemplari prodotti in nove anni.

 

La quinta serie di Maserati Quattroporte viene prodotta dal 2003 al 2012 dalla casa automobilistica italiana Maserati; la vettura ha subito nel 2008 un aggiornamento estetico. È stata prodotta in circa 24 mila esemplari complessivi[1] e l'ultimo esemplare è uscito dalle linee di produzione dello stabilimento di Modena il 20 dicembre del 2012. La nuova generazione di Quattroporte viene progettata sotto la stretta osservazione della Ferrari in seguito ad una fusione tra quest'ultima e la Maserati grazie ad una riorganizzazione voluta dai vertici del gruppo Fiat (proprietario dei due marchi). La quarta serie ebbe un discreto successo nelle vendite ma non riuscì a risollevare l'immagine della casa del tridente, offuscata dalla produzione di auto derivate dalla serie Biturbo che non sono state mai elogiate da parte del pubblico per i contenuti tecnici; con la nuova generazione bisognava rendere competitivo il marchio ed incrementare le vendite sui principali mercati quali gli Stati Uniti e il Medio Oriente. Una delle caratteristiche strategiche per l'affermazione del modello erano il ritorno al lusso e all'eleganza di un tempo che hanno reso esclusivo il modello Quattroporte, senza però trascurare le prestazioni e la sportività. Bisognava creare una vera granturismo piacevole da guidare ma comoda per cinque passeggeri. La progettazione del modello è stata più volte discussa dai vertici che furono inizialmente contrari alla reintroduzione del modello, questo a causa degli eccessivi costi di industrializzazione e di produzione, ma erano in ballo le sorti del marchio che vide inizialmente anche uno scarso successo commerciale delle neonate sportive 3200GT e Coupé. Un nuovo prodotto era indispensabile e venne ufficialmente approvato nei primi anni 2000 affidando lo stile dell'autovettura alla Pininfarina, già autrice dei modelli più famosi prodotti dalla casa Ferrari. Il concetto era di reintrodurre lo stile della prima serie di Quattroporte in chiave moderna, un design che all'epoca piacque molto agli appassionati e indirizzò la casa del tridente verso la produzione di auto di lusso. La nuova serie, come la prima, ebbe lo stesso compito: introdurre il nuovo corso stilistico della casa e andare maggiormente incontro alle esigenze del pubblico. I primi bozzetti e alcuni prototipi in scala ridotta vennero esposti il 27 aprile 2002 al Museo d'arte contemporanea di Tokyo durante l'evento Artedinamica.

L'11 settembre del 2002 Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, presidente della Maserati, dichiara ufficialmente che gli sviluppi della nuova Quattroporte sono quasi terminati e che il modello definitivo sarà presentato in anteprima mondiale al Salone dell'automobile di Francoforte nell'autunno del 2003. Esteticamente la carrozzeria lunga oltre 5,0 metri è stata modellata in modo da garantire delle ottime prestazioni, grazie al design molto aerodinamico, muscoloso e sportivo, il frontale viene caratterizzato dalla presenza della nuova calandra in rilievo con i bordi cromati che ingloba il marchio del tridente; le versioni più esclusive vengono caratterizzate dalla presenze della griglia a quindici bande cromate che attraversa tutta la calandra, mentre le Quattroporte più sportive possiedono una griglia di colore scuro per sottolineare la vocazione da granturismo dell'automobile. La fanaleria anteriore di piccole dimensioni è stata integrata ai paraurti inferiori in modo da creare l'effetto di un cofano motore immenso solcato da profonde nervature. La fiancata esprime un concetto di sportività grazie ai passaruota in rilievo e alle classiche tre prese d'aria con bordi cromate applicate sui parafanghi anteriori; nella parte bassa della fiancata troviamo il classico fregio Pininfarina mentre sul montante posteriore, accanto alla sottile vetratura, troviamo il marchio Maserati cromato che dona un tocco di eleganza, insieme alle cornici dei finestrini (anch'esse cromate). La coda dispone di fanaleria che sfrutta la tecnologia a diodi luminosi a LED, i paraurti bombati incorporano i doppi terminali di scarico mentre il cofano del bagagliaio è stata impreziosito da una fascia cromata che si estende per tutta la sua larghezza. Il bagagliaio possiede un volume di 450 litri ed ospita le sacche da golf o il set di valigie appositamente disegnato e realizzato dalla Maserati; la mancanza della ruota di scorta ha portato all'utilizzo di un kit di gonfiaggio con compressore ma tra gli optional è disponibile anche il ruotino di scorta da 17". Gli interni della nuova Maserati Quattroporte seguono il design esterno, ovvero una plancia sinuosa che nella zona centrale presenta il grande schermo a cristalli liquidi del navigatore satellitare posizionato tra le bocchette d'aerazione del climatizzatore e i comandi del climatizzatore automatico bizona. Caratteristico è l'orologio al quarzo di forma circolare posizionato nella zona superiore della plancia. I principali comandi che governano la dinamica dell'autovettura sono stati ravvicinati al guidatore in modo da rendere più facile la gestione mentre sul tunnel centrale sono stati sistemati i pulsanti del freno a mano elettronico che si attiva automaticamente a motore spento. Gran parte della plancia e delle portiere viene realizzata in legni pregiati come lo Starwood, il Vavona ed il Wengè Polished, ma sono disponibili anche i laccati Black Piano e Blu Laque che conferiscono modernità all'abitacolo. Accanto al legno sono disponibili anche gli inserti per la plancia in Poltrona Frau e pelle con rifiniture specifiche su richiesta del cliente, il tutto montato artigianalmente. Con la Quattroporte è stato introdotto anche il Maserati Multimedia System, sviluppato dalla Magneti Marelli, integra il computer di bordo al navigatore satellitare, autoradio CD con Mp3 e hard disk da 30 GB, ingresso USB con bluetooth e comandi vocali. L'impianto audio viene gestito tramite i comandi principali applicati sul volante multifunzione con altoparlanti Bose Surround Sound System. Per i passeggeri posteriori è disponibile anche un pacchetto multimediale comprensivo di schermi LCD integrati nei poggiatesta con lettore DVD e climatizzatore posteriore. Tra i dispositivi di serie troviamo i sedili anteriori regolabili elettricamente in quattordici posizioni, cruise control, sensore crepuscolare e di pioggia, antifurto, bloccaggio automatico delle porte con spegnimento dei fari. Tra gli accessori sono disponibili anche i sedili riscaldati e massaggianti e il vano refrigerato integrato nel bracciolo centrale. La Quattroporte quinta serie viene realizzata su un telaio di base a trazione posteriore completamente inedito sviluppato appositamente per i modelli di casa Maserati; in seguito questa piattaforma sarà utilizzata dalle Maserati GranTurismo e GranCabrio e, in una versione a passo accorciato, anche le sportive Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione e 8C Spider (queste ultime prodotte dalla casa del tridente a Modena). Grazie all'elevata rigidità torsionale di questo telaio è stato possibile offrire alla Quattroporte delle prestazioni elevate abbinate ad una guida sportiva. Le sospensioni anteriori e posteriori utilizzano lo schema a quattro ruote indipendenti con quadrilateri alti deformabili realizzati con bracci in alluminio; queste raffinate sospensioni sono state studiate per migliorare l'handling della vettura e grazie alla geometria Antidrive e Antisquat il telaio non subisce brusche variazioni di altezza nelle fasi di accelerazione e di frenata. Il motore in posizione anteriore è stato arretrato verso l'abitacolo per ottenere una distribuzione dei pesi carica al 49% sull'asse anteriore e 51% sull'asse posteriore.

L’impianto frenante sfrutta sia per l'avantreno che per il retrotreno quattro dischi auto ventilanti dal diametro di 330 mm. Di serie per tutte le versioni il Maserati Stability Programm che integra l'ESP all'ABS ripartito dall'EBD. Inoltre è possibile variare la risposta dell'assetto a seconda del fondo stradale, infatti su percorsi ricchi di curve la Quattroporte si comporta come un'autentica sportiva grazie all'assetto irrigidito in configurazione Sport ma è disponibile anche la configurazione Normal per garantire una maggiore comodità agli occupanti. La sicurezza automobilistica viene garantita dalla presenza di serie degli airbag frontali a doppio stadio, laterali e per la testa oltre agli attacchi isofix per i sedili posteriori e ai vetri laminati. A cinque anni dal debutto la Quattroporte si rinnova sia in termini di estetica che di contenuti; dal 2003 fino al giugno del 2008 oltre 15.000 esemplari sono stati venduti e per rafforzare l'immagine del modello la casa è intervenuta modificando alcuni dettagli del frontale e della coda: sono stati ridisegnati i gruppi ottici che ora adottano la tecnologia a LED, la calandra dispone di nuove alette verticali mentre gli specchi retrovisori sono stati ridisegnati per donare maggiore slancio alla linea dell'auto. Complessivamente la nuova versione è lunga 5,10 metri, circa 5,0 centimetri in più rispetto alla precedente. Internamente invece la casa ha allargato la gamma di personalizzazioni introducendo nuove colorazioni per la selleria e per le rifiniture della plancia. Modificato anche il telaio, infatti la casa ha messo a disposizione un assetto ancor più sportivo e debuttano anche le nuove motorizzazioni da 4,7 litri V8 omologate Euro 5, abbinate ad una trasmissione robotizzata DuoSelect a sei rapporti oppure ad un classico automatico sequenziale, sempre a sei rapporti, realizzato in collaborazione con la ZF. Questa serie di Quattroporte è stata e continua tutt'oggi ad essere uno dei modelli più apprezzati della casa del Tridente, infatti ha riscontrato numerosi consensi soprattutto da parte del pubblico estero: fino al 2009 nella sola Gran Bretagna sono stati consegnati 1.000 esemplari. L'auto venne offerta nei primi anni di produzione in un unico allestimento base privo di denominazione e caratterizzato dalla presenza di serie di numerosi accessori per la sicurezza e per il comfort; la casa mise a disposizione anche numerosi optional proposti a pagamento come l'impianto di televisione integrato al navigatore e il telefono GSM oppure i pacchetti di accessori Comfort, Executive e Sport che arricchivano la dotazione di serie. Per gli interni erano disponibili anche particolari rivestimenti realizzati su richiesta del cliente. Nel settembre 2005 al Salone dell'automobile di Francoforte la gamma si arricchì delle versioni Executive GT e Sport GT: le Executive GT riprendevano gli accessori del precedente pacchetto Executive ed in più aggiungevano gli interni in legno con inserti della plancia in tessuto color crema e tonalità bicolore per tutto l'abitacolo, oltre alla presenza dei vari inserti cromati lungo la carrozzeria e la calandra con cerchi in lega specifici da 19" a nove razze. La Quattroporte Sport GT invece veniva caratterizzata dalle sospensioni irrigidite, il cambio robotizzato con tempi di cambiata ridotti del 35%, rifiniture interne in carbonio e scarichi modificati. Nel novembre 2007 Maserati presenta la Quattroporte Sport GT S versione che si posiziona al top della gamma; invariato il motore 4,2 litri, la Sport GT S presenta il cambio automatico sei rapporti, assetto irrigidito racing ribassato di 10 mm all'anteriore e di 25 mm al posteriore, impianto frenante a disco co-fusi in ghisa e alluminio realizzati dalla Brembo, cerchi imbruniti a sette razze da 20" e calandra sportiva. Internamente presenta i rivestimenti in Poltrona Frau abbinati agli inserti in alcantara. La Sport GT S è stata prodotta fino al restyling del 2008, anno dal quale sono entrate in listino le nuove versioni equipaggiate con motori più performanti. La Quattroporte S, introdotta con il restyling, non è altro che una versione potenziata della classica versione base che dispone del nuovo motore 4.7 V8 da 430 cavalli. Invariate le dotazioni di serie mentre i benefici riguardano le prestazioni. Al salone dell'auto di Detroit 2009 invece è stata presentata la nuova versione della Quattroporte Sport GT S equipaggiata con il nuovo motore 4.7 V8 da 439 cavalli: migliorate le prestazioni rispetto alla versione del 2007, gli interni sono stati orientati verso la sportività introducendo inserti in carbonio, modificato l'impianto di scarico. Il cambio automatico è stato rivisto per ridurre i tempi di cambiata. Non sono mancate versioni speciali prodotte in edizione limitata: verso la fine del 2004 è stata realizzata la Quattroporte Neiman Marcus distribuita nel catalogo dell'omonima azienda e prodotta in soli 60 esemplari per il mercato americano. Curiosamente tutta la produzione è stata esaurita tra le 12.00 e le 12.03 del 14 ottobre 2004. Caratterizzata dal colore bordeaux Pontevecchio e dai cerchi in lega da 19" dal disegno esclusivo, questa Maserati disponeva di numerose cromature esterne e degli interni in pelle con plancia in mogano. La Quattroporte Collezione Cento presentata nel gennaio 2008 è stata prodotta in soli cento esemplari destinati in prevalenza al pubblico americano, l'auto verniciata in color avorio era equipaggiata con dei cerchi in lega da 20" lucidi, la calandra possedeva uno sfondo grigio satinato mentre internamente si è preferito indirizzarla verso il lusso: speciale selleria in Poltrona Frau con impunture a forma di rombo e bottone a vista rifinita a mano, sistema Maserati Multimedia Entertainment con schermi a cristalli liquidi applicati negli schienali posteriori con ingresso USB e per SIM card, lettore CD e DVD con climatizzatore posteriore. Il motore era il classico otto cilindri 4,2 litri.

Nel marzo del 2009 la Maserati presenta per il solo mercato inglese la Centurion Edition, versione speciale realizzata per i soli possessori della carta American Express nera. Questa Quattroporte presenta la verniciatura nera e un raffinato abitacolo rivestito in Poltrona Frau color ghiaccio con il logo Centurion applicato sui poggiatesta e sulla plancia. I motori a disposizione sono i classici 4.2 e 4.7 V8. Al Salone di Ginevra 2010 la Maserati ha presentato la Quattroporte Sport GT S Awards Edition, versione in edizione limitata realizzata per celebrare i 65 riconoscimenti ricevuti dal modello negli oltre sei anni di commercializzazione; ciò ha dimostrato come la nuova Quatroporte sia stata un vero modello di successo per la Maserati sia in termini di immagine che di vendite. La meccanica deriva dalla Sport GT S con medesimo propulsore 4.7 V8 da 439 cavalli e stesso assetto sportivo mentre le novità sono tutte concentrate nell'abitacolo dove debuttano i nuovi rivestimenti per la selleria Awards Edition con tessuti in Poltrona Frau ed Alcantara abbinati alle rifiniture imbrunite e alle modanature satinate in legno Piano Black. Esternamente si notano i grandi cerchi in lega satinati da 20" con pinze dei freni in metallo lucidato a specchio prodotte dalla Brembo.

Inizialmente la Quattroporte venne offerta con il solo motore benzina da 4,2 litri aspirato con otto cilindri a V di 90° realizzato a Maranello dai tecnici Ferrari. Questo V8 con basamento e testa dei cilindri in alluminio e silicio possiede una distribuzione a quattro valvole per cilindro (per un totale di 32 valvole) con due alberi a camme in testa per bancata dotati di variatore di fase continuo e azionati da catena. La lubrificazione è a carter umido. Dotato di iniezione elettronica eroga la potenza massima di 400 cavalli (294 kw) a 7.000 giri/min per una coppia motrice massima di 451 N•m a 4.500 giri al minuto. Le emissioni registrate sono pari a 345 grammi di anidride carbonica emessa per chilometro nel ciclo combinato. Lo scatto da 0 a 100 km/h viene registrato in 5,2 secondi per una velocità di punta pari a 275 km/h. Il consumo medio dichiarato è di 5,2 km/l. Questo 4.2 viene omologato secondo i parametri della normativa Euro 4 ed era abbinato ad un cambio robotizzato DuoSelect a sei rapporti utilizzabili nella modalità sequenziale. Il DuoSelect, sviluppato dalla Ferrari basandosi su una evoluzione del precedente CambioCorsa, era caratterizzato dai tempi di cambiata molto rapidi e per questo venne criticato soprattutto dal pubblico americano i quali hanno richiesto una trasmissione automatica tradizionale; dal 2007 la casa ha messo a disposizione anche il cambio automatico sequenziale a sei rapporti sviluppato in collaborazione con la ZF caratterizzato dai tempi di cambiata addolciti. Con il cambio automatico ZF le prestazioni della Quattroporte vengono peggiorate: lo scatto da 0 a 100 km/h viene registrato in 5,6 secondi mentre la velocità di punta scende a 270 km/h, il tutto a favore dei consumi con l'auto che è in grado di percorrere 6,8 km/l. La coppia massima con l'automatico sale a 460 N•m erogati a 4.250 giri al minuto.

Nel 2008 venne introdotta una seconda motorizzazione benzina: si tratta del nuovo 4,7 litri sempre otto cilindri a V di 90° derivato dall'unità 4.2. Anche questo 4.7 viene prodotto a Maranello, possiede la lubrificazione umida e sfrutta l'iniezione elettronica con la fasatura variabile. Il 4.7 è riconoscibile per i coperchi delle teste di colore rosso, eroga 430 cavalli a 7.000 giri al minuto per una coppia massima di 490 N•m a 4.750 giri al minuto. Grazie alla maggiore potenza è in grado di prestazioni migliori infatti lo scatto da 0 a 100 km/h viene registrato in 5,4 secondi con una velocità massima dichiarata di 280 km/h. Ovviamente i consumi risultano sensibilmente superiori rispetto al 4.2 infatti la Quattroporte 4.7 è capace di percorrere 6,6 chilometri con un litro di carburante, le emissioni di anidride carbonica salgono a 365 grammi emessi al chilometro mentre l'omologazione anti inquinamento rispetta gli standard Euro 5. Il 4.7 è abbinato al cambio automatico sequenziale ZF sei rapporti.

Dal 2009 la Quattroporte è disponibile anche con il 4.7 V8 potenziato a 439 cavalli, incremento ottenuto intervenendo sulla centralina e sullo scarico; si tratta della più potente e veloce berlina prodotta da casa Maserati grazi alla velocità massima di 285 km/h con scatto da 0 a 100 km/h registrato in 5,1 secondi. Questa versione di punta eroga la coppia massima di 490 N•m a 4.750 giri/min ed è in grado di percorrere 6,4 km/l con emissioni di 365 g/km di anidride carboica ed omologazione Euro 5. Il cambio è una versione rivista dell'automatico sequenziale a 6 rapporti con software MC-Auto Shift: in posizione Manual Mode si ottiene una guida più personale e sportiva perché è il guidatore a decidere i passaggi di marchia (sequenziali) che possono avvenire fino ad alto numero di giri mentre in modalità Auto Sport i passaggi di marcia vengono gestiti dal software. Il 4.7 V8 da 439 cavalli è disponibile solo per la versione Quattroporte Sport GT S.

They look so good together that maybe they would be lost without each other...

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Aboutme

January, 2022 - Listening to music at sunset

Don't leave home without them!

Barcelona's old city is, without doubt, one of the nicest and most romantic of Europe. Its small streets, shops, the air you breathe, everything invites you to wander around, getting to know every place of this charming area. Even if we propose you a route, our best tip is to walk haphazardly around, without rushing, guided by what you see.

The RAMBLA is, of course, the best known landmark of Barcelona, and deservedly so. Meandering down from the Pl. de Catalunya to the Columbus statue, filled with newspaper kiosks, flower and animal stalls, and all sorts of artists, it is undoubtedly the place where everyone comes together, both tourists and locals, from the most inconspicuous to the most exaggerated representative of all sorts of urban tribes.

Of interest is the Miró Mosaic, the Liceu (Opera house), the Mercat de la Boqueria or exhibition centres such as the Palau de la Virreina and the Centre d'Art Santa Mònica.

 

When you feel tired, have a drink at one of the many terraces, try your luck at the Café de la Ópera. Strolling down the Rambla, on your right is the Barri del Raval, formerly known as the "barrio chino", the red-light district of the city. This area no longer has a bad reputation. In the Raval you will find many small restaurants and night bars where you can spend a very pleasant evening. In Calle Montalegre you'll find the Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona, which houses various exhibitions and the restored Museu d'Art Contemporani. Further down the Ramblas, in Calle Nou de la Rambla, is the Palau Güell, by Gaudí. You should not miss Pl. Reial, on your left, with its archway and palm trees (some say the tallest of Europe). It used to have a bad reputation, but has now become one of the safest places in the city. From this square go to Calle Ferran, which leads to Pl. Sant Jaume, where the Palau de la Generalitat and the Town Hall can be found. Once in the Barri Gòtic, the best thing to do is to wander round the small streets, exploring them for yourself. But don't miss the Pl. de Sant Josep Oriol, with its afternoon concerts. Pl. de Sant Felip Neri, the most romantic of the city, the Cathedral with its fine cloister, the Calle del Bisbe and the Pl. del Rei. If you're not too tired, it's time to go shopping around Portaferrissa and Portal de l'Àngel. You're not through with Ciutat Vella yet: you still have to visit the Barri de la Ribera, which is down to the right of Via Laietana, and where, among many others, you can find the Museu Picasso and the church of Santa Maria del Mar, the most representative example of the austere Catalan gothic style. This area, and that of the Pg. del Born, are rich in restaurants and bars where you can have a drink late at night.

 

In Wordpress In Blogger photo.net/photos/Reinante/ In Onexposure

In Indian art, a surasundari (literally "celestial beauty") is a young maiden characterizing feminine beauty and graceful sensuality.

 

Buddhist and Jain shrines have featured sensual figures in form of yakshis and other spirits since 2nd century BCE. However, the surasundari motif gained prominence in Indian temple architecture only around the beginning of the 9th century CE. Shilpa-Prakasha, a 9th-century Tantric architectural treatise, declares a monument without a surasundari as inferior and fruitless. The 15th century text Kshirarnava states that the surasundaris should be depicted looking down (adho-drishti), not looking at someone.

 

In temple sculptures, the surasundaris are often depicted as attendants of gods and goddesses. They also manifest as dancing apsaras. A salabhanjika or tree nymph is another variation of a surasundari. Other forms of a surasundari include:

 

Darpani (mirror holder)

Torana (door leaner)

Dalamalika (branch holder)

Padmagandha (smelling like a lotus)

Ketakibharana (with a ketaki flower)

Matrika (mother)

Chamari (fly whisk bearer)

Nartaki (dancer)

Shukasarika (one who plays with a parrot)

Nupurapadika (one who ties anklets)

Mardala (drummer)

Alasyakanya (lazy)

Shubhagamini (thorn remover)

 

The presence of surasundaris in religious shrines is interpreted in several ways. A spiritual interpretation is that they represent shakti (the feminine cosmic energy), and can be considered as both auspicious and empowering. A secular interpretation is that they represent the prosperity of the king who commissioned the temple.

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City Palace, Udaipur, is a palace complex in Udaipur, in the Indian state Rajasthan. It was built over a period of nearly 400 years being contributed by several kings of the dynasty, starting by the Maharana Udai Singh as the capital of the Sisodia Rajput clan in 1559, after he moved from Chittor. It is located on the east bank of the Lake Pichola and has several palaces built within its complex. Udaipur was the historic capital of the former kingdom of Mewar in the Rajputana Agency and its last capital.

 

The City Palace in Udaipur was built in a flamboyant style and is considered the largest of its type in Rajasthan, a fusion of the Rajasthani and Mughal architectural styles, and was built on a hill top that gives a panoramic view of the city and its surrounding, including several historic monuments such as the Lake Palace in Lake Pichola, the Jag Mandir on another island in the lake, the Jagdish Temple close to the palace, the Monsoon Palace on top of an overlooking hillock nearby and the Neemach Mata temple. These structures are linked to the filming of the James Bond movie Octopussy, which features the Lake Palace and the Monsoon Palace. The subsequent publicity has resulted in the epithet of Udaipur as "Venice of the East". In 2009, Udaipur was rated the top city in the World's Best Awards by Travel + Leisure.

 

HISTORY

The city Palace was built concurrently with establishment of the Udaipur city by Maharana Udai Singh, in 1559 and his successor Maharanas over a period of the next 300 years. It is considered the largest royal complex in Rajasthan and is replete with history. Founding of the city and building of the palace complex can not be looked in isolation as the Maharanas lived and administered their kingdom from this palace.

 

Prior to moving their capital from Udaipur to Chittor≤≥, the Mewar kingdom had flourished initially in Nagda (30 kilometres to the north of Udaipur), established in 568 AD by Guhil, the first Mewar Maharana. In the 8th century, the capital was moved to Chittor, a hill top fort from where the Sisodias ruled for 80 years. Maharana Udai Singh II inherited the Mewar kingdom at Chittor in 1537 but by that time there were signs of losing control of the fort in wars with the Mughals. Udai Singh II, therefore, chose the site near Lake Pichola for his new kingdom because the location was well protected on all sides by forests, lakes and the Aravalli hills. He had chosen this site for his new capital, much before the sacking of Chittor by Emperor Akbar, on the advice of a hermit he had met during one of his hunting expeditions.

 

At his capital Udaipur, Maharana Udai Singh soon faced defeat at the hands of Mughal Emperor Akbar. He soon moved to Udaipur to the chosen location to establish his new capital. The earliest royal structure he built here was the Royal courtyard or 'Rai Angan', which was the beginning of the building of the City Palace complex, at the place where the hermit had advised Maharana to build his Capital.

 

After Udai Singh’s death in 1572, his son Maharana Pratap took the reins of power at Udaipur. He was successful in defeating Akbar at the battle of Haldighati in 1576 and thereafter Udaipur was peaceful for quite some years. With this, prosperity of Udaipur ensued, palaces were built on the shore and in the midst of the Pichola lake. Concurrently art, particularly miniature painting, also flourished.

 

But in 1736, the marauding Marathas attacked Udaipur and by the end of the century the Mewar state was in dire straits and in ruins. However, the British came to Mewar’s rescue in the 19th century and soon the State of Mewar got re-established and prospered under British protection, under a treaty signed with the British. However, the British were not allowed to replace them. Once India got independence in 1947, the Mewar Kingdom, along with other princely states of Rajasthan, merged with the Democratic India, in 1949. The Mewar Kings subsequently also lost their special royal privileges and titles. However, the successor Maharanas have enjoyed the trust of their people and also retained their ownership of the palaces in Udaipur. They are now running the palaces by creating a trust, called the Mewar Trust, with the income generated from tourism and the heritage hotels that they have established in some of their palaces. With the fund so generated they are running charitable hospitals, educational institutions and promoting the cause of environmental preservation.

 

LEGEND

Historical legend narrated to the selection of the site for the palace is about a hermit meeting Maharana Udai Singh when he was on a hunting trail in the Udaipur hills. The Maharana met the hermit who was meditating on top of a hill above the Pichola Lake and sought the hermit’s blessings. The hermit advised the Maharana to build his palace at that very spot and that is where the palace complex came to be established at Udaipur.

 

GEOGRAPHY

The city palace located in Udaipur city at 24.576°N 73.68°E, which is set with an average elevation of 598 metres.

 

CLIMATE

The climate of Udaipur reflects the climate at the city palace. It is tropical, with the mercury recording between a maximum of 38.3 °C and a minimum of 28.8 °C during summers. Winter is cold with the maximum temperature rising to 28 °C and the minimum dipping to 11.6 °C. The average annual rainfall is 64 cm.

 

STRUCTURES

The series of palaces packed in the city palace complex, facing east (as customarily appropriate for the Maharana dynasty – the Sun dynasty), behind an exquisite facade of 244 metres length and 30.4 metres height, were built on a ridge on the east of lake Pichola. They were built over a long period, from 1559 onwards, by 76 generations of Sisodia Rajputs or Suryavanshi Rajputs (worshippers of Sun god). Several Maharanas (the title Maharana is distinctly different from Maharajah, as the former connotes a warrior and the latter a ruler or a king) starting with Udai Mirza Singh II, have richly contributed to this edifice, which comprises an agglomeration of structures, including 11 small separate palaces. The unique aspect of this conglomeration is that the architectural design (a rich blend of Rajasthani, Mughal, Medieval, European and Chinese Architecture) is distinctly homogeneous and eye catching. The palace complex has been built entirely in granite and marble. The interiors of the palace complex with its balconies, towers and cupolas exhibit delicate mirror-work, marble-work, murals, wall paintings, silver-work, inlay-work and leftover of colored glass. The complex provides a fine view of the lake and the Udaipur city from its upper terraces.

 

Located with the picturesque backdrop of rugged mountains, beside the Pichola lake on its shore, the city palace complex painted in gleaming white color has been compared to the Greek islands, such as the Mykonos.

 

The famous structures or palaces viewed from the Lake Palace appear like a fort. They are interlinked inside the complex through a number of chowks or quadrangles with zigzag corridors (planned in this fashion to avoid surprise attacks by enemies). Erected in the complex, after entering through the main Tripolia (triple) gate, are the Suraj Gokhda (public address facade), the Mor-chowk (Peacock courtyard), the Dilkhush Mahal (heart’s delight), the Surya Chopar, the Sheesh Mahal (Palace of glass and mirrors), the Moti Mahal (Palace of Pearls), the Krishna Vilas (named after Lord Krishna), Shambu Niwas (royal residence now), the Bhim Vilas, the Amar Vilas (with a raised garden) that faces the Badi Mahal (the big palace), the Fateprakash Palace and the Shiv Niwas Palace (the latest addition to the complex); the last two have been converted into heritage hotels. Details of all these structures are elaborated. The vast collection of structures are termed to form ‘a city within a city’ set with facilities of post office, bank, travel agency, numerous craft shops and also an Indian boutique belonging to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) for Nature. The entire complex is the property of the Mewar royal family and a number of trusts take care of the running and maintenance of the structures. The earliest royal structure built in the complex was the Royal courtyard or Rai Angan.

 

GATEWAYS

Gateways, colloquially called Pols, are set to the east of Udaipur city that was established by Maharana Udai Singh II, concurrently with the City Palace. A number of impressive gateways provide access to the palace complex.

 

The main entry from the city is through the 'Bara Pol' (Great Gate), which leads to the first courtyard. Bara Pol (built in 1600) leads to the ‘Tripolia Pol', a triple arched gate built in 1725, which provides the northern entry. The road between this gate and the palace is lined with shops and kiosks owned by craftsmen, book-binders, miniature painters, textile dealers and antique shops. Between these two gates, eight marble arches or Toranas are erected. It is said that the Maharanas used to be weighed here with gold and silver, which was then distributed among the local people. Following the Tripolia gate is an arena in front of the Toran Pol and the facade palace, where elephant fights were staged in the past to test their prowess before starting on war campaigns.

 

The main block of the city palace at Udaipur is approached through a modest door from the Ganesha Deodhi terrace. The door is flanked by whitewashed walls vibrantly painted with martial animals in the traditional Rajput style.

 

AMAR VILAS

Amar Vilas is the uppermost court inside the complex, which is a raised garden. It provides entry to the Badi Mahal. It is a pleasure pavilion built in Mughal style. It has cussed arcades enclosing a square marble tub. Amar Vilas' is the highest point of the City palace and has wonderful hanging gardens with fountains, towers and terraces.

 

BADI MAHAL

Badi Mahal (Great Palace) also known as Garden Palace and is the exotic central garden palace that is situated on a 27 metres high natural rock formation bis-a-bis the rest of the palace. The rooms on the ground floor appear to be at the level of the fourth floor in view of the height difference to its surrounding buildings. There is a swimming pool here, which was then used for Holi festival (festival of colors) celebration. In an adjoining hall, miniature paintings of 18th and 19th centuries are displayed. In addition, wall paintings of Jag Mandir (as it appeared in the 18th century), Vishnu of Jagdish temple, the very courtyard and an elephant fight scene are depicted.

 

The elephant fight depicted in a painting on the wall was a representation of the real elephant fights, which used to be organized by the Maharanas. It is mentioned that the elephants used to be fed hashish (opium) before arranging the fights. An interesting observation is that the word ‘assassin’ is a derivative of the word ‘hashish’. The last such fight was reported in 1995.

 

BHIM VILAS

Bhim Vilas has a gallery of a remarkable collection of miniature paintings that depict the real life stories of Radha-Krishna.

 

CHINI CHITRASHALA

Chini Chitrashala (Chinese art place) depicts Chinese and Dutch ornamental tiles.

 

CHOTI CHITRASHALI

Choti Chitrashali or 'Residence of Little Pictures', built in early 19th century, has pictures of peacocks.

 

DILKHUSHA MAHAL

Dilkhusha Mahal or ‘Palace of Joy’ was built in 1620.

 

DURBAR HALL

Durbar Hall was built in 1909 within the Fatepraksh Palace (now a heritage hotel) Official functions such as State banquets and meetings were held here. The gallery of the hall was used by the Royal ladies to observe the Durbar proceedings. This hall has luxuriant interior with some unusually large chandeliers. Weapons of the maharanas and also some of their unique portraits are also depicted here. The foundation stone for this hall was laid by Lord Minto, the Viceroy of India, in 1909, during the rule of Maharana Fateh Singh and was then called Minto Hall.

 

FATEPRAKASH PALCE

Fateprakash Palace, which is now run as a luxury hotel, has a crystal gallery that consists of crystal chairs, dressing tables, sofas, tables, chairs and beds, crockery, table fountains which were never used. There is also a unique jewel studded carpet here. Maharaja Sajjan Singh had ordered these rare items in 1877 from F& C Osler & Co of London but he died before they arrived here. It is said that the packages containing these crystals remained unopened for 110 years.

 

JAGDISH MANDIR

Jagdish Mandir, located 150 metres north of the city palace, was built in 1652 in Indo-Aryan architectural style. It is a large and aesthetically elegant temple where an idol of Lord Jagannath, a form of Lord Vishnu made in black stone is deified in the sanctum. The temple walls and the sikhara or tower are decorated with carvings of Vishnu, scenes from Lord Krishna’s life and figurines of nymphs or apsaras. A brass image of Garuda (half-bird, half-man image, which is Lord Vishnu’s vehicle), is placed in a separate shrine in front of the temple. Flanking the steps up the temple decoration of statues of elephants are seen. The street square, where the temple is located, is also known as Jagdish Chowk from where several roads radiate in different directions.

 

KRISHNA VILAS

Krishna Vilas is another chamber, which has rich collection of miniature paintings that portray royal processions, festivals and games of the Maharanas. However, there is tragic story linked to this wing of the City Palace. In the 19th century, a royal princess was unable to choose from two suitors seeking her hand in marriage, one from the royal family of Jaipur and another from Jodhpur, and hence in a state of dilemma, she poisoned herself to death.

 

LAXMI VILAS CHOWK

Laxmi Vilas Chowk is an art gallery with a distinctive collection of Mewar paintings.

 

MANAK MAHAL

The Manek mahal approached from the Manak Chowk is an enclosure for formal audience for the Udaipur rulers. It has a raised alcove inlaid completely in mirror glass. Sun-face emblems, in gleaming brass, religious insignia of the Sisodia dynasty are a recurring display at several locations in the City Palace; one of these prominent emblems is depicted on the façade of the Manak Chowk, which can also be seen from the outermost court below. The largest of such an emblem is also seen on the wall of the Surya Chopar, a reception centre at the lower level. Surya or Sun emblem of the Mewar dynasty depicts a Bhil, the Sun, Chittor Fort and a Rajput with an inscription in Sanskrit of a quotation from the Bhagavad Gita (Hindu holy scripture), which means “God Helps those who do their duty". It was customary for the Maharanas to offer obeisance to the Sun facing east, every morning before taking breakfast.

 

MOR CHOK

Mor Chok or Peacock square is integral to the inner courts of the palace. The elaborate design of this chamber consists of three peacocks (representing the three seasons of summer, winter and monsoon) modeled in high relief and faced with coloured glass mosaic, built into successive niches in the wall area or jharoka, These were built during Maharana Sajjan Singh’s reign, 200 years after the palace was established. The peacocks have been crafted with 5000 pieces of glass, which shine in green, gold and blue colours. The apartments in front of the Chowk are picturesquely depicted with scenes of Hindu god Lord Krishna’s legends. At the upper level, there is a projecting balcony, which is flanked by inserts of coloured glass. In an adjoining chamber, called the Kanch-ki-Burj, mosaic of mirrors adorn the walls. The Badi Charur Chowk within this chowk is a smaller court for private use. Its screen wall has painted and inlaid compositions depicting European men and Indian women. Proceeding further from the Mor-Chowk, in the Zenana Mahal or women’s quarters exquisitely designed alcoves, balconies, colored windows, tiled walls and floors are seen.

 

MUSEUM

n 1974, a part of the city palace and the 'Zenana Mahal' (Ladies Chamber) were converted into a museum. The museum is open for public. There is an interesting exhibit of a freaky monkey holding a lamp and also portraits of maharajas displaying a spectacular array of mustaches. ‘Lakshmi Chowk' is an elegant white pavilion in the same precinct.

 

RANG BHAWAN

Rang Bhawan is the palace that used to contain royal treasure. There are temples of Lord Krishna, Meera Bai and Shiva, located here.

 

SHEESH MAHAL

Sheess Mahal or Palace of Mirrors and glasses was built in 1716.

 

A shrine of Dhuni Mata is also located in the complex. This location is considered as the oldest part of the Palace, where a sage spent his entire life meditating.

 

THE PALACE IN FILM & TELEVISION

The palace was used as a hotel in the 1985 James Bond film Octopussy, where Bond (played by Roger Moore) stayed as he began his quest to apprehend the villainous Kamal Khan (Louis Jordan).

 

A 1991 documentary film directed for television by Werner Herzog is called Jag Mandir and consists of footage of an elaborate theatrical performance for the Maharana Arvind Singh Mewar at the City Palace staged by André Heller.

 

The palace was used for filming part of Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela (English: A Play of Bullets: Ram-Leela) 2013 directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

 

WIKIPEDIA

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To purchase a gelatin silver, selenium toned photograph of this image, including sizes and pricing, contact Rich Killion @ rgkphoto@verizon.net

 

Please-No graphics in your comments. Thank you.

Naked sign without the panel I cleaned-up. Original tubes still inside, I can't remember what bulbs this used but they're not cheap. The original tubes did light up but not very well, so I bought new ones.

 

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JCPenney sign recovered from Northridge Mall, Milwaukee.

 

Abandoned for 18 years after the store closed in 2000, and merely covered-up with cheap spraypaint (likely because it was infested with wasps). The paint covering the white plastic scraped-away easily with a quarter to reveal the letters. From there I cracked it open (to vacuum out 40+ years of dead wasps and found it just needed a regular 120v cord and some bulbs to light up, again.

for Doe show

pasted in Los Angeles as part of the ArtFabric and Street Art Without Borders

Copyright © 2014 Ruggero Poggianella Photostream

www.fotopoggia.it

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Disegnata da Pininfarina, debutta in versione definitiva al Salone dell'automobile di Francoforte edizione 2003 per entrare in produzione nello stesso anno. Progettata su di un nuovo telaio a trazione posteriore utilizza una meccanica raffinata con schema transaxle e sospensioni anteriori e posteriori a quadrilateri deformabili. I motori adottati sono i nuovi 4.2 e 4.7 V8 prodotti a Maranello dalla Ferrari con basamento in alluminio e silicio e lubrificazione a carter umido; il cambio per le prime versioni prodotte era un robotizzato DuoSelect ma venne introdotto in seguito una trasmissione automatica sequenziale sviluppata dalla ZF con sei rapporti. La Quattroporte V è stata la versione più apprezzata e venduta della serie, con 24.000 esemplari prodotti in nove anni.

 

La quinta serie di Maserati Quattroporte viene prodotta dal 2003 al 2012 dalla casa automobilistica italiana Maserati; la vettura ha subito nel 2008 un aggiornamento estetico. È stata prodotta in circa 24 mila esemplari complessivi[1] e l'ultimo esemplare è uscito dalle linee di produzione dello stabilimento di Modena il 20 dicembre del 2012. La nuova generazione di Quattroporte viene progettata sotto la stretta osservazione della Ferrari in seguito ad una fusione tra quest'ultima e la Maserati grazie ad una riorganizzazione voluta dai vertici del gruppo Fiat (proprietario dei due marchi). La quarta serie ebbe un discreto successo nelle vendite ma non riuscì a risollevare l'immagine della casa del tridente, offuscata dalla produzione di auto derivate dalla serie Biturbo che non sono state mai elogiate da parte del pubblico per i contenuti tecnici; con la nuova generazione bisognava rendere competitivo il marchio ed incrementare le vendite sui principali mercati quali gli Stati Uniti e il Medio Oriente. Una delle caratteristiche strategiche per l'affermazione del modello erano il ritorno al lusso e all'eleganza di un tempo che hanno reso esclusivo il modello Quattroporte, senza però trascurare le prestazioni e la sportività. Bisognava creare una vera granturismo piacevole da guidare ma comoda per cinque passeggeri. La progettazione del modello è stata più volte discussa dai vertici che furono inizialmente contrari alla reintroduzione del modello, questo a causa degli eccessivi costi di industrializzazione e di produzione, ma erano in ballo le sorti del marchio che vide inizialmente anche uno scarso successo commerciale delle neonate sportive 3200GT e Coupé. Un nuovo prodotto era indispensabile e venne ufficialmente approvato nei primi anni 2000 affidando lo stile dell'autovettura alla Pininfarina, già autrice dei modelli più famosi prodotti dalla casa Ferrari. Il concetto era di reintrodurre lo stile della prima serie di Quattroporte in chiave moderna, un design che all'epoca piacque molto agli appassionati e indirizzò la casa del tridente verso la produzione di auto di lusso. La nuova serie, come la prima, ebbe lo stesso compito: introdurre il nuovo corso stilistico della casa e andare maggiormente incontro alle esigenze del pubblico. I primi bozzetti e alcuni prototipi in scala ridotta vennero esposti il 27 aprile 2002 al Museo d'arte contemporanea di Tokyo durante l'evento Artedinamica.

L'11 settembre del 2002 Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, presidente della Maserati, dichiara ufficialmente che gli sviluppi della nuova Quattroporte sono quasi terminati e che il modello definitivo sarà presentato in anteprima mondiale al Salone dell'automobile di Francoforte nell'autunno del 2003. Esteticamente la carrozzeria lunga oltre 5,0 metri è stata modellata in modo da garantire delle ottime prestazioni, grazie al design molto aerodinamico, muscoloso e sportivo, il frontale viene caratterizzato dalla presenza della nuova calandra in rilievo con i bordi cromati che ingloba il marchio del tridente; le versioni più esclusive vengono caratterizzate dalla presenze della griglia a quindici bande cromate che attraversa tutta la calandra, mentre le Quattroporte più sportive possiedono una griglia di colore scuro per sottolineare la vocazione da granturismo dell'automobile. La fanaleria anteriore di piccole dimensioni è stata integrata ai paraurti inferiori in modo da creare l'effetto di un cofano motore immenso solcato da profonde nervature. La fiancata esprime un concetto di sportività grazie ai passaruota in rilievo e alle classiche tre prese d'aria con bordi cromate applicate sui parafanghi anteriori; nella parte bassa della fiancata troviamo il classico fregio Pininfarina mentre sul montante posteriore, accanto alla sottile vetratura, troviamo il marchio Maserati cromato che dona un tocco di eleganza, insieme alle cornici dei finestrini (anch'esse cromate). La coda dispone di fanaleria che sfrutta la tecnologia a diodi luminosi a LED, i paraurti bombati incorporano i doppi terminali di scarico mentre il cofano del bagagliaio è stata impreziosito da una fascia cromata che si estende per tutta la sua larghezza. Il bagagliaio possiede un volume di 450 litri ed ospita le sacche da golf o il set di valigie appositamente disegnato e realizzato dalla Maserati; la mancanza della ruota di scorta ha portato all'utilizzo di un kit di gonfiaggio con compressore ma tra gli optional è disponibile anche il ruotino di scorta da 17". Gli interni della nuova Maserati Quattroporte seguono il design esterno, ovvero una plancia sinuosa che nella zona centrale presenta il grande schermo a cristalli liquidi del navigatore satellitare posizionato tra le bocchette d'aerazione del climatizzatore e i comandi del climatizzatore automatico bizona. Caratteristico è l'orologio al quarzo di forma circolare posizionato nella zona superiore della plancia. I principali comandi che governano la dinamica dell'autovettura sono stati ravvicinati al guidatore in modo da rendere più facile la gestione mentre sul tunnel centrale sono stati sistemati i pulsanti del freno a mano elettronico che si attiva automaticamente a motore spento. Gran parte della plancia e delle portiere viene realizzata in legni pregiati come lo Starwood, il Vavona ed il Wengè Polished, ma sono disponibili anche i laccati Black Piano e Blu Laque che conferiscono modernità all'abitacolo. Accanto al legno sono disponibili anche gli inserti per la plancia in Poltrona Frau e pelle con rifiniture specifiche su richiesta del cliente, il tutto montato artigianalmente. Con la Quattroporte è stato introdotto anche il Maserati Multimedia System, sviluppato dalla Magneti Marelli, integra il computer di bordo al navigatore satellitare, autoradio CD con Mp3 e hard disk da 30 GB, ingresso USB con bluetooth e comandi vocali. L'impianto audio viene gestito tramite i comandi principali applicati sul volante multifunzione con altoparlanti Bose Surround Sound System. Per i passeggeri posteriori è disponibile anche un pacchetto multimediale comprensivo di schermi LCD integrati nei poggiatesta con lettore DVD e climatizzatore posteriore. Tra i dispositivi di serie troviamo i sedili anteriori regolabili elettricamente in quattordici posizioni, cruise control, sensore crepuscolare e di pioggia, antifurto, bloccaggio automatico delle porte con spegnimento dei fari. Tra gli accessori sono disponibili anche i sedili riscaldati e massaggianti e il vano refrigerato integrato nel bracciolo centrale. La Quattroporte quinta serie viene realizzata su un telaio di base a trazione posteriore completamente inedito sviluppato appositamente per i modelli di casa Maserati; in seguito questa piattaforma sarà utilizzata dalle Maserati GranTurismo e GranCabrio e, in una versione a passo accorciato, anche le sportive Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione e 8C Spider (queste ultime prodotte dalla casa del tridente a Modena). Grazie all'elevata rigidità torsionale di questo telaio è stato possibile offrire alla Quattroporte delle prestazioni elevate abbinate ad una guida sportiva. Le sospensioni anteriori e posteriori utilizzano lo schema a quattro ruote indipendenti con quadrilateri alti deformabili realizzati con bracci in alluminio; queste raffinate sospensioni sono state studiate per migliorare l'handling della vettura e grazie alla geometria Antidrive e Antisquat il telaio non subisce brusche variazioni di altezza nelle fasi di accelerazione e di frenata. Il motore in posizione anteriore è stato arretrato verso l'abitacolo per ottenere una distribuzione dei pesi carica al 49% sull'asse anteriore e 51% sull'asse posteriore.

L’impianto frenante sfrutta sia per l'avantreno che per il retrotreno quattro dischi auto ventilanti dal diametro di 330 mm. Di serie per tutte le versioni il Maserati Stability Programm che integra l'ESP all'ABS ripartito dall'EBD. Inoltre è possibile variare la risposta dell'assetto a seconda del fondo stradale, infatti su percorsi ricchi di curve la Quattroporte si comporta come un'autentica sportiva grazie all'assetto irrigidito in configurazione Sport ma è disponibile anche la configurazione Normal per garantire una maggiore comodità agli occupanti. La sicurezza automobilistica viene garantita dalla presenza di serie degli airbag frontali a doppio stadio, laterali e per la testa oltre agli attacchi isofix per i sedili posteriori e ai vetri laminati. A cinque anni dal debutto la Quattroporte si rinnova sia in termini di estetica che di contenuti; dal 2003 fino al giugno del 2008 oltre 15.000 esemplari sono stati venduti e per rafforzare l'immagine del modello la casa è intervenuta modificando alcuni dettagli del frontale e della coda: sono stati ridisegnati i gruppi ottici che ora adottano la tecnologia a LED, la calandra dispone di nuove alette verticali mentre gli specchi retrovisori sono stati ridisegnati per donare maggiore slancio alla linea dell'auto. Complessivamente la nuova versione è lunga 5,10 metri, circa 5,0 centimetri in più rispetto alla precedente. Internamente invece la casa ha allargato la gamma di personalizzazioni introducendo nuove colorazioni per la selleria e per le rifiniture della plancia. Modificato anche il telaio, infatti la casa ha messo a disposizione un assetto ancor più sportivo e debuttano anche le nuove motorizzazioni da 4,7 litri V8 omologate Euro 5, abbinate ad una trasmissione robotizzata DuoSelect a sei rapporti oppure ad un classico automatico sequenziale, sempre a sei rapporti, realizzato in collaborazione con la ZF. Questa serie di Quattroporte è stata e continua tutt'oggi ad essere uno dei modelli più apprezzati della casa del Tridente, infatti ha riscontrato numerosi consensi soprattutto da parte del pubblico estero: fino al 2009 nella sola Gran Bretagna sono stati consegnati 1.000 esemplari. L'auto venne offerta nei primi anni di produzione in un unico allestimento base privo di denominazione e caratterizzato dalla presenza di serie di numerosi accessori per la sicurezza e per il comfort; la casa mise a disposizione anche numerosi optional proposti a pagamento come l'impianto di televisione integrato al navigatore e il telefono GSM oppure i pacchetti di accessori Comfort, Executive e Sport che arricchivano la dotazione di serie. Per gli interni erano disponibili anche particolari rivestimenti realizzati su richiesta del cliente. Nel settembre 2005 al Salone dell'automobile di Francoforte la gamma si arricchì delle versioni Executive GT e Sport GT: le Executive GT riprendevano gli accessori del precedente pacchetto Executive ed in più aggiungevano gli interni in legno con inserti della plancia in tessuto color crema e tonalità bicolore per tutto l'abitacolo, oltre alla presenza dei vari inserti cromati lungo la carrozzeria e la calandra con cerchi in lega specifici da 19" a nove razze. La Quattroporte Sport GT invece veniva caratterizzata dalle sospensioni irrigidite, il cambio robotizzato con tempi di cambiata ridotti del 35%, rifiniture interne in carbonio e scarichi modificati. Nel novembre 2007 Maserati presenta la Quattroporte Sport GT S versione che si posiziona al top della gamma; invariato il motore 4,2 litri, la Sport GT S presenta il cambio automatico sei rapporti, assetto irrigidito racing ribassato di 10 mm all'anteriore e di 25 mm al posteriore, impianto frenante a disco co-fusi in ghisa e alluminio realizzati dalla Brembo, cerchi imbruniti a sette razze da 20" e calandra sportiva. Internamente presenta i rivestimenti in Poltrona Frau abbinati agli inserti in alcantara. La Sport GT S è stata prodotta fino al restyling del 2008, anno dal quale sono entrate in listino le nuove versioni equipaggiate con motori più performanti. La Quattroporte S, introdotta con il restyling, non è altro che una versione potenziata della classica versione base che dispone del nuovo motore 4.7 V8 da 430 cavalli. Invariate le dotazioni di serie mentre i benefici riguardano le prestazioni. Al salone dell'auto di Detroit 2009 invece è stata presentata la nuova versione della Quattroporte Sport GT S equipaggiata con il nuovo motore 4.7 V8 da 439 cavalli: migliorate le prestazioni rispetto alla versione del 2007, gli interni sono stati orientati verso la sportività introducendo inserti in carbonio, modificato l'impianto di scarico. Il cambio automatico è stato rivisto per ridurre i tempi di cambiata. Non sono mancate versioni speciali prodotte in edizione limitata: verso la fine del 2004 è stata realizzata la Quattroporte Neiman Marcus distribuita nel catalogo dell'omonima azienda e prodotta in soli 60 esemplari per il mercato americano. Curiosamente tutta la produzione è stata esaurita tra le 12.00 e le 12.03 del 14 ottobre 2004. Caratterizzata dal colore bordeaux Pontevecchio e dai cerchi in lega da 19" dal disegno esclusivo, questa Maserati disponeva di numerose cromature esterne e degli interni in pelle con plancia in mogano. La Quattroporte Collezione Cento presentata nel gennaio 2008 è stata prodotta in soli cento esemplari destinati in prevalenza al pubblico americano, l'auto verniciata in color avorio era equipaggiata con dei cerchi in lega da 20" lucidi, la calandra possedeva uno sfondo grigio satinato mentre internamente si è preferito indirizzarla verso il lusso: speciale selleria in Poltrona Frau con impunture a forma di rombo e bottone a vista rifinita a mano, sistema Maserati Multimedia Entertainment con schermi a cristalli liquidi applicati negli schienali posteriori con ingresso USB e per SIM card, lettore CD e DVD con climatizzatore posteriore. Il motore era il classico otto cilindri 4,2 litri.

Nel marzo del 2009 la Maserati presenta per il solo mercato inglese la Centurion Edition, versione speciale realizzata per i soli possessori della carta American Express nera. Questa Quattroporte presenta la verniciatura nera e un raffinato abitacolo rivestito in Poltrona Frau color ghiaccio con il logo Centurion applicato sui poggiatesta e sulla plancia. I motori a disposizione sono i classici 4.2 e 4.7 V8. Al Salone di Ginevra 2010 la Maserati ha presentato la Quattroporte Sport GT S Awards Edition, versione in edizione limitata realizzata per celebrare i 65 riconoscimenti ricevuti dal modello negli oltre sei anni di commercializzazione; ciò ha dimostrato come la nuova Quatroporte sia stata un vero modello di successo per la Maserati sia in termini di immagine che di vendite. La meccanica deriva dalla Sport GT S con medesimo propulsore 4.7 V8 da 439 cavalli e stesso assetto sportivo mentre le novità sono tutte concentrate nell'abitacolo dove debuttano i nuovi rivestimenti per la selleria Awards Edition con tessuti in Poltrona Frau ed Alcantara abbinati alle rifiniture imbrunite e alle modanature satinate in legno Piano Black. Esternamente si notano i grandi cerchi in lega satinati da 20" con pinze dei freni in metallo lucidato a specchio prodotte dalla Brembo.

Inizialmente la Quattroporte venne offerta con il solo motore benzina da 4,2 litri aspirato con otto cilindri a V di 90° realizzato a Maranello dai tecnici Ferrari. Questo V8 con basamento e testa dei cilindri in alluminio e silicio possiede una distribuzione a quattro valvole per cilindro (per un totale di 32 valvole) con due alberi a camme in testa per bancata dotati di variatore di fase continuo e azionati da catena. La lubrificazione è a carter umido. Dotato di iniezione elettronica eroga la potenza massima di 400 cavalli (294 kw) a 7.000 giri/min per una coppia motrice massima di 451 N•m a 4.500 giri al minuto. Le emissioni registrate sono pari a 345 grammi di anidride carbonica emessa per chilometro nel ciclo combinato. Lo scatto da 0 a 100 km/h viene registrato in 5,2 secondi per una velocità di punta pari a 275 km/h. Il consumo medio dichiarato è di 5,2 km/l. Questo 4.2 viene omologato secondo i parametri della normativa Euro 4 ed era abbinato ad un cambio robotizzato DuoSelect a sei rapporti utilizzabili nella modalità sequenziale. Il DuoSelect, sviluppato dalla Ferrari basandosi su una evoluzione del precedente CambioCorsa, era caratterizzato dai tempi di cambiata molto rapidi e per questo venne criticato soprattutto dal pubblico americano i quali hanno richiesto una trasmissione automatica tradizionale; dal 2007 la casa ha messo a disposizione anche il cambio automatico sequenziale a sei rapporti sviluppato in collaborazione con la ZF caratterizzato dai tempi di cambiata addolciti. Con il cambio automatico ZF le prestazioni della Quattroporte vengono peggiorate: lo scatto da 0 a 100 km/h viene registrato in 5,6 secondi mentre la velocità di punta scende a 270 km/h, il tutto a favore dei consumi con l'auto che è in grado di percorrere 6,8 km/l. La coppia massima con l'automatico sale a 460 N•m erogati a 4.250 giri al minuto.

Nel 2008 venne introdotta una seconda motorizzazione benzina: si tratta del nuovo 4,7 litri sempre otto cilindri a V di 90° derivato dall'unità 4.2. Anche questo 4.7 viene prodotto a Maranello, possiede la lubrificazione umida e sfrutta l'iniezione elettronica con la fasatura variabile. Il 4.7 è riconoscibile per i coperchi delle teste di colore rosso, eroga 430 cavalli a 7.000 giri al minuto per una coppia massima di 490 N•m a 4.750 giri al minuto. Grazie alla maggiore potenza è in grado di prestazioni migliori infatti lo scatto da 0 a 100 km/h viene registrato in 5,4 secondi con una velocità massima dichiarata di 280 km/h. Ovviamente i consumi risultano sensibilmente superiori rispetto al 4.2 infatti la Quattroporte 4.7 è capace di percorrere 6,6 chilometri con un litro di carburante, le emissioni di anidride carbonica salgono a 365 grammi emessi al chilometro mentre l'omologazione anti inquinamento rispetta gli standard Euro 5. Il 4.7 è abbinato al cambio automatico sequenziale ZF sei rapporti.

Dal 2009 la Quattroporte è disponibile anche con il 4.7 V8 potenziato a 439 cavalli, incremento ottenuto intervenendo sulla centralina e sullo scarico; si tratta della più potente e veloce berlina prodotta da casa Maserati grazi alla velocità massima di 285 km/h con scatto da 0 a 100 km/h registrato in 5,1 secondi. Questa versione di punta eroga la coppia massima di 490 N•m a 4.750 giri/min ed è in grado di percorrere 6,4 km/l con emissioni di 365 g/km di anidride carboica ed omologazione Euro 5. Il cambio è una versione rivista dell'automatico sequenziale a 6 rapporti con software MC-Auto Shift: in posizione Manual Mode si ottiene una guida più personale e sportiva perché è il guidatore a decidere i passaggi di marchia (sequenziali) che possono avvenire fino ad alto numero di giri mentre in modalità Auto Sport i passaggi di marcia vengono gestiti dal software. Il 4.7 V8 da 439 cavalli è disponibile solo per la versione Quattroporte Sport GT S.

Without tripod

does it look better witout the tumbleweed?

Copyright © Ruggero Poggianella Photostream.

All rights reserved. Please, do not use my photos/videos without my written permission.

Please note that the fact that "This photo is public" doesn't mean it's public domain or a free stock image. Unauthorized use is strictly prohibited. If you wish to use any of my images for any reason/purpose please contact me for written permission. Tous droits reservés. Défense d'utilisation de cette image sans ma permission. Todos derechos reservados. No usar sin mi consentimiento.

© Copyright: Você não pode usar !

© Copyright: Sie dürfen es nicht kopieren !

© حقوق النشر محفوظة. لا يمكنك استخدام الصورة

 

All’interno del quartiere “Capo”, l’antico Seralcadio dall’arabo sari-al-qadi, rione del Kadì, denominata così la parte superiore nel suo antico ventre, si estende l’omonimo mercato formato da un quadrivio di vie dove il suo asse principale è costituito dalla via Porta Carini, che prende nome dall'omonima Porta riedificata nel settecento riferendosi all’originale quattrocentesca.

Cuore del mercato è la via Porta Carini e a seguire la via Beati Paoli (nome dell’ innominata e misteriosa setta di incappucciati che tra sei e settecento, proprio in questa via, da un'antica storia si riuniva segretamente in una grotta sita nei paraggi per punire chi perpetrava iniquità e soprusi nei confronti dei deboli e degli indifesi) che incrociandosi con la via Cappuccinelle da un lato e la via Sant' Agostino dall’altro, con la vendita di “ruttame” e “vistita” hanno mantenuto la stessa caratteristica di mercato popolare di una volta.

Quartiere popolarissimo, si formò in età musulmana, oltre il corso del Papireto (uno di primi fiumi oggi sotterranei da cui fu fondata l'antica città fenicia), ed era abitato dagli Schiavoni, pirati e commercianti di schiavi.

Per definizione il mercato del popolo di Palermo, ha saputo mantenere con il suo intricato labirinto viario l’aspetto proprio di un suk orientale, dove trasuda opulenza e magnificenza, ma nello stesso momento, scadimento e limitatezza, prologo grandioso di proteine e vitamine, carboidrati e calorie mascherate da ogni sorta di genere commestibile. Uno stretto budello si allarga e si restringe tra le bancarelle che si proiettano dal di fuori in cui esse stesse nascono “i putii”, la gente lo rende impraticabile perché si sofferma ad osservare, pattuire, tastare e comprare. Nella folla si confondono i venditori nomadi che propongono ai passanti cucina di strada: “sfincione e “sfincionello” cauru e “ scarsu uogliu e chiinu di puvulazzu”.

Ci sono i “riffaturi”, con la lotteria privata, le loro “carrozzelle” (solo il telaio) girano con il trofeo, con un biglietto si può sperare di vincere la spesa per una settimana, una cesta di pesce o una parte di carne o dei soldi o altro genere inerente al consumismo.

I loro clienti non sono mai occasionali, gli stessi detentori e gestori di “putia” partecipano a questa strampalata riffa garantendo allo stesso il suo prosieguo. I venditori creano quella musica capace di penetrare con assordante cantilena in dialetto palermitano, dentro i padiglioni auricolari dei passanti, (“abbanniare”) invitando ad acquistare la loro merce o cantano canzoni con il pretesto di schermire il proprietario della bancarella dirimpettaia.

Confusi dall’allegro vivere stazionano interessanti emergenze architettoniche che si confondono alla degradata residenza popolare, recentemente restaurata, restituendo quell’urbana atmosfera spagnolesca che a suo tempo fece da contorno.

Emerge dai banchi di vendita la facciata barocca della chiesa dell’Immacolata Concezione, che a guardarla da fuori, nasconde le magnificenze conservate all’interno, vero trionfo del barocco fiorito palermitano, orgoglio delle sue maestranze locali. All’entrata quello che più colpisce sono le preziose decorazioni a “mischio e tramischio” apparate lungo le pareti dell’unica navata di una cappella di un ex convento di clausura, rimasta miracolosamente integra dopo la distruzione del suo annesso convento, dovuta alla bonifica dell’aria limitrofa in cui successivamente si poté realizzare il massiccio palazzo di giustizia, opera dovuta al regime fascista.

Gli arabeschi marmi policromi intarsiati secondo un’antica tecnica che solo le maestranze bizantine riuscivano a creare quell’effetto pittorico di cui la tradizione a saputo tramandare.

La stessa tecnica d’intarsio la si ritrova nei due altari laterali, dove i paliotti di marmo sembrano dipinti per impreziosire gli stessi con area sublime. Perfezionano il capolavoro ornamentale gli stucchi, colonne, statue e gli affreschi del tetto che con il pavimento a disegno geometrico realizzato con tasselli di marmo, crea un elegante effetto stereotipo.

Fondamentalmente il mercato è sempre stato luogo particolare per la vendita della carne, anticamente nelle vicinanze esisteva il macello civico detto “bocceria nuova” per la macellazione di becchi e altri animali, diverse sono le “carnezzerie” (termine dialettale conseguente alla dominazione spagnola) e non macellerie come vengono comunemente chiamate, presenti e, le beccherie “chianche” che vendono carne di castrato tagliata tradizionalmente nella “chianca” (dal latino "planta"), un grosso ceppo d’albero, da qui la definizione.

Altro particolare, che stupisce, nel vedere i quarti di carne appesi al di fuori della bottega, usanza sopportata, da quella che fu la presenza ebraica in città, per depurare l’animale del suo sangue, caratteristica è l’esposizione di capretti e agnelli in determinati giorni prefestivi, completamente privi di pelle tranne la coda che mantiene il ciuffo che fanno da quinta come sfondo al negozio.

Interiora e frattaglie, fegati e milze, testicoli e trippa, testine d’agnello e piedi di porco li vende il carnezziere, “mussu”, “carcagnuola” e "masciddaru" si possono acquistare nella bancarella “da Rosone” a porta Carini proprio all’imboccatura basilare del mercato, due piloni di pietra d’intaglio, comprate dalle monache del vicino monastero di SanVito nel 1779 per realizzare il loro belvedere, fanno da scenario al pluricolorato palcoscenico merceologico fatto di tende dai multicolori, dove il sole a stento riesce a penetrare e, di grosse lampade accese anche a mezzogiorno e per tutta la mattinata, e qui che la milza diventa “meusa”, fatta ballare nel grasso bollente e stipata nel pane e mangiata per strada, e qui che la melanzana diventa “quaglia” per metamorfosi di parole, volatile vegetale per l’olio che canta nella padella, un’intricata mano entra in un paniere avvolto da canovacci per tirare fuori “a frittula” risultato di una segreta pietanza.

Particolare e ammicante è vedere il pesce-salato (baccalà) in acqua che sgorga da una specie di rubinetto in una tinozza stagnata con grossi pezzi di pesce ammollati per depurare il sale.

Sanno di sale “arrancitusu” i “buatti” di sarde salate e aperte a portafoglio dalle abili mani del “saliaturi” sopra un tozzo di legno e diliscati, stessa operazione ripete per l’aringa.

A tal proposito in seno alla facciata della chiesa dedicata a San Gregorio Magno, uno degli accessi, quello di sinistra, chiuso a magazzino nel periodo bellico, vi si stivava il baccalà per poi essere rivenduto nel mercato, attualmente il sito occupa una fiorente pescheria tramandata alla nuova generazione da un vecchio esercente che vendeva esclusivamente “baccalà ammollato”, pietanza molto richiesta dai palermitani specialmente nel periodo natalizio.

La seicentesca chiesa che si affaccia sul mercato e sempre stata snobbata dai palermitani ed era definita “a chiesa rù baccalà”, ma le sue origini sono molto antiche, addirittura risalgono ad una preesistenza fondata dallo stesso San Gregorio, utilizzando i lasciti della madre, la palermitana Santa Silvia, la sua statua lignea staziona sull’altare maggiore dell’unica navata della contenuta ed aggraziata chiesa.

Successivamente il complesso monastico e la chiesa vennero strutturati dai normanni per poi passare agli Agostiniani scalzi di cui ancora sono i detentori. L’omonima confraternita costituita all’interno del monastero venera il simulacro ottocentesco di Maria Santissima del Paradiso che festeggia l’ultima domenica di agosto.

In un’angolo della strada, quasi schivo, un uomo piccolo, accovacciato come se pregasse, vende il pane che trae fortuitamente dalle ceste di giunco, a pile, a montagne, a cascate, e “u pani i Paisi” che certuni avventori preferiscono al pane bianco e “inciminato” venduto nei forni, il panificio “Morello” quello con l’insegna liberty per intenderci a piazza Sant’Anna cuore pulsante del “Capo” dove stanno a vigilare Pietro Nolasco e la Madonna della Mercede, ambedue immobilizzati nelle statue di legno, i confrati scelti tra i bottegai in determinate occasioni diventano portatori di una fede pagana e scaramantica facendoli rivivere nelle tradizionali processioni.

Il banco nasconde il venditore dietro una pila che sembra una piramide egizia, tra olive verdi e nere, a fiore, con sale e senza, moresche e lucenti capperi, insiste affinché il compratore assaggi la sua merce che porrà con cortesia e soddisfazione. La vita al mercato inizia molto presto, i mercanti giungono così mattutini affinché possano piazzare la merce “a rrubba”, ceste, cassette, cavalletti, ripiani, lastre, banchi sono le prime masserizie ad essere esposte su di esse verrà riposta la mercanzia con ostentate presentazioni:”a cuvuni, a barricata, accritta “ o lasciata depositata all’interno della sua cassetta. La frutta sistemata e “apparata”, secondo la loro colorazione ed effluvio: giallo, rosso, arancione, verde, viola, ecc.

La verdura disposta a parte: zucchine lunghe all’inpiedi, broccoli (cavolfiore) “stipati” uno sopra l’altro, “sparaceddi” (broccoli), “tenerumi” (i calli della pianta di zucchine) “stinnicchiati e ammugliati”, melanzane a “munzieddu”, “cacuocculi”(carciofi) a fasce. Caratteristica palermitana è l’esposizione dei prezzi, vengono attaccati ad una asticella di legno con un cartoncino su quale si indicano le cifre, lo zero è sempre accompagnato con una codina piccola quasi invisibile. Oltre ad indicare i prezzi nei “pizzica”, si usa scrivere il tipo di merce rifilata per catturare la percettibilità dell’avventore: uva italia di Pantelleria, pesce locale, sarde vive, pesce spada di Porticello, ecc.

Nel pomeriggio, da una grossa pentola di rame “quarara” scaturisce del fumo invitante, sono le patate bollite o le “domestiche” che solo a Palermo i nostri fruttivendoli sanno apprestare.

Il variopinto pesce disteso sui banchi di ghiaccio è accostato amorosamente, illuminato da grandi lampade e bagnato in continuazione per esaltarne le qualità organolettiche, ma sono i pesci grandi quelli che contano: tonno e pesce spada, tagliati a tranci alla vista degli avventori che prediligono il pesce gramo che è chiamato a supplire con l’immaginazione i piatti opulenti.

Inoltrandosi nel vivo del mercato tra cortine di modeste edilizie, intervallati da edifici che presentano particolari architettonici come le ringhiere dei balconi, testimonianza di un florido artigianato del ferro battuto che all’interno del mercato avevano le loro officine, rimane qualcosa all’estremo confine della strada dove si esauriscono le bancarelle del mercato, dove passando si scorgono gli angusti varchi d’avviluppate vie e cortili. Il mercato delegato da sempre a remote attività commerciali e artigiane, nasconde una piccola curiosità folcloristica e rituale.

L’opera dei pupi trova nel signor Andrea Gulino un abile costruttore di marionette, nel quartiere trovava un profondo riscontro nei suoi abitanti con la presenza di antichi teatri ormai scomparsi, la costruzione dei pupi con la caratteristica corazza a fatto sì che questa arte venisse trasmessa nella costruzione di armature che le confraternite utilizzano nelle processioni del Venerdì Santo.

Un rituale dove vede impegnati tutti gli esercenti è la devozione a San Giuseppe che si trasforma nelle tradizionali “Vampe” organizzate fra gli incroci e i cortili affinché esorcizzano la negatività, ma la protezione per una migliore vendita è affidata alla Vergine che viene esposta nelle numerose edicole votive sparse per il mercato e sempre adorna di fiori.

Fa da pannello la vetusta chiesa parrocchiale, unica fino a tempo addietro nel quartiere, il resistente prospetto contenente una scultura in marmo dell’Immacolata del 1624, introduce in un’aula tripartita, la chiesa originale del XIII secolo, di essa si conserva soltanto un affresco in una delle navate laterali di quel periodo, in una cappella sono conservate le statue cinquecentesche dei SS. Cosma e Damiano provenienti dall’omonima chiesa sita alla fine della strada.

Luogo abituale di ritrovo sono le taverne dove oltre a bere si fa da mangiare, spesso associato da una serie di giochi tipici attorno al tavolo, il più popolare è “u Tuoccu”, distribuite fra le vie del mercato, oggi alcune di esse si sono trasformate in dinamiche trattorie, è il caso di citare quella in Piazza Porta Carini: Trattoria “supra i mura” adiacente alle vecchie mura che costeggiavano il quartiere ancora esistenti, che propone cucina locale e frequentato dagli abitanti della zona e dai venditori del mercato in quanto è aperto solo a mezzogiorno. La fiaschetteria “ Fiasconaro” a sempre venduto vino imbottigliato e bevande alcoliche, marsala e zibibbo invecchiate nelle botti si smerciano alla “domanda”. La vecchia Focacceria “Butera” si è dovuta adeguare ai tempi, oltre a preparare il tradizionale pane “cà meusa” si approntano panini espressi.

La strada mercato è da considerarsi una delle più antiche esistenti in città, essa dalla contrada “Guilla” tagliava il quartiere con un lungo asse che conduceva all’esterno della città murata, verso settentrione e lo fa ancora oggi lasciando fuori la circolazione veicolare per permettere ai pedoni di assaporare e arruffarsi tra straordinarie fragranze di ogni sorta di alimenti e dalle spezie che qui vengono venduti all’aperto sulle bancarelle: cumino, passolina e pinoli, peperoncino in polvere, finocchio in grani, zafferano in polvere (giallo per alimenti) e aromi vari, anche i sapori non sono cambiati: il pane appena caldo, magari farcito di panelle o “fieddi” (melanzane), crocchè e rascaturi, sfincione o assaggiare i loro biscotti che i panettieri elaborano o degustare i dolci e la rosticceria della longeva gelateria-pasticceria Longo: iris, cartocci, spitini, arancine, ravazzate, torrone, sfoglio, taralli, gelati, tutto “ben di Dìu” che i palermitani “licchi” amano.

E se non bastasse proprio accanto alla dolceria, staziona da sempre quello dello ”scaccio”, calie e simienza, fave “caliate”, noci e castagne, fichi secchi e datteri, il tutto per denti buoni, “u passatiempu ri palermitani”. “Fillata” vendevano gli attempati salumieri con la loro merce esposta che tagliavano a mano o con una più moderna affettatrice, facevano da contorno i caci: caciovallo, pecorino, cannestrato esposti in tutta la loro forma, oggi poco è cambiato.

Durante la contrattazione e facile ad essere chiamati ad assaggiare la frutta o altro, vi faranno costatare di persona sulla qualità della merce e tutto questo con garbo e gentilezza, accogliendovi con un sorriso che scaturisce dal buonumore che nasce dal rapporto umano che questi luoghi ogni giorno sprigionano.

Il mercato a ritrovato le vetuste concorrenze, extracomunitari si sono integrati e si spartiscono la piazza con i locali vendendo riso basmati e altri prodotti, alcune donne tamil comprano l’uva da un fruttivendolo, il pizzicagnolo fa assaggiare “a murtatella” ad una tunisina. Ogni giorno questo mercato che rappresenta il vecchio legame tra esso e la città, nasce e ritrova linfa attraverso il suo ciclo vitale.

Todo eso en lo que crees, en lo que confias, en lo que sientes. Eso que mas alla del mundo encuentras. Eso que te abraza cuando piensas que no puedes mas. Algo que lamentas no ver. Porque el amigo no se ve, no se toca, no se huele. Simplemente lo sientes.

 

I made this for the TOMS one day without shoes.

I went barefoot for pretty much all day.

I was trying to get people to realize that not everyone has shoes. And as I've found out in the last 2 years: It is hard without shoes!

Go to TOMS.com to buy a pair of shoes, its 1 for 1. You buy a pair, you give a pair. For every pair of shoes that you buy TOMS gives a pair of shoes to a kid that doesnt have any. It's a really awesome cause that I believe in. I have bought 2 pairs of TOMS [both the red classics], donated just money [enough for 2 pairs of shoes] and bought an awesome TOMS shirt [which also donates a pair of sheos] so in all I've donated 5 pairs of shoes!

To learn more go to TOMS.com

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We would like to introduce ourselves as one of the Pioneer of ROOF HEAT PROOFING in Pakistan. Our company was established in the year 2000.

 

ROOF HEAT PROOFING Family Business Background.

 

Our Business Background is that we are importer of chemicals. When Pakistan got independence our grandfather Mr.Abdul Khaliq Gandhak wala (Late) was the first one to open a chemical outlet in Jodia Bazar Karachi. Every chemical related industrialist and Business men know him really well.

 

What is ROOF HEAT PROOFING Cool Tech?

 

In chemical field, we started ROOF HEAT PROOFING, a new business which fulfills the need of every house, Factory, Office, Hotel, School, Hospital and any other organization. ROOF HEAT PROOFING is the mixture of different types of chemicals, and Sun block chemicals from Pakistan, Korea, China and Germany.

 

ROOF HEAT PROOFING Vision and Mission.

 

After 35 years all over the world such as USA, GULF, Saudi Arabia and Hot region countries Cool Tech brought ROOF HEAT PROOFING facility in Pakistan in 2000. Approx.: 8000sq ft clean Area can be done within a day without any disturbance and noise. You can use your roof conveniently and you can search that type of coating on internet by any search engine like yahoo Google etc. Just mention ROOF HEAT PROOFING. Your Air Conditioner Bill will be deducted around 20 to 30%. Recommended by Engineers and consultant all over the world.

 

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Cool Tech Saves your money against high Air conditioner Bills. The best reason to use Cool tech (ROOF HEAT PROOFING) is simply put……..You save Money! How much does it cost? Well, considering reduced electric bills, less wear and tear on air conditioner components, extended roof life, increased comfort and the beauty supplied, it’s almost FREE! Cool Tech will help pay for itself before you know it by enabling you to save 20-30% of your electricity cost. Cool Tech (ROOF HEAT PROOFING) is a high built coating made from highly water-resistant polymers and additives that give flexibility and durability.

  

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Roof Heat Proofing provides SOLAR REFLECTANCE, which means it reflects most of the infrared and visible light striking the surface of the coating. Over 80% of the light striking Cool Tech (ROOF HEAT PROOFING) is reflected back into the atmosphere and away from your roof. Then Roof Heat Proofing repels over 80% of the heat striking it. It bounces this heat back into the atmosphere. This synergistic effect means that Cool Tech reflects the majority of radiant energy away from the structure while the micro-porous structure of the coating dissipated and blocks any radiation that is absorbed and reduces the energy transmitted to the substrate.

 

ROOF HEAT PROOFING Protect your roof against thermal shocks

 

Roof Heat Proofing also helps prevent thermal shocks. A hot roof can experience thermal shocks when a passing shower of cold rain hits the hot roof causing a rapid and tremendously violent contraction. These violent contractions can rip seams open, pop fasteners out of the roofs substrate, pull flashing out of the imbedding plies and generally destroys your roof. Keeping your roof cool prevents the radical contraction that leads to “ROOF SHOCK”, premature roof failure and costly replacement costs.

  

SOME OF OUR VALUABLE CLIENTS (COMMERCIAL)

 

• BAY VIEW HIGH SCHOOL CLIFTON 2012

• PAK GREASE MANUFAC KEEMARI KARACHI 2013

• BONANZA GARMENTS 2013

• SOUTH SHORE O-LEVEL SCHOOL DHA 2013

• KARACHI GRAMMAR SCHOOL CLIFTON 2011

• SIEMENS PAKISTAN ENGINEERING CO. LTD. SITE 2010

• (FOTCO) FAUJI OIL TERMINAL & DISTRIBUTION Co. Ltd (PORT QASIM) 2010

• OYSTER TECHNOLOGIC (PVT)LTD KORANGI 2011

• THE RESIDENCY HOTEL (LAHORE) 2011

• ARENA KARSAZ (2010)

• ARY DIGITAL NETWORK STUDIO (SITE) 2009

• MERCK (PVT) LTD QUETTA 2011

• CARE LOGISTIC SHARA-E-FAISAL 2011

• PRECISION POLYMERS (PVT) LIMITED 2011

• S. ABDULLAH & COMPANY (K-SHAMSHEER) (DHA) 2005

• MEDICAIDS PAKISTAN PVT LTD (KORANGI) 2011

• ICON TOWER (SITE OFFICE) ADJACENT ABDULLAH SHAH GHAZI MAZAR 2010

• CENTURY 21 TEXTILE (S.I.T.E) 2004

• HAKEEM ABDUL GHAFFAR AGHA (AGHA HERBAL, TARIQ ROAD) 2009

• (FOTCO) GUEST HOUSE (DHA) 2010

• MR. IQBAL.S.MUHAMMAD PARAMOUNT BOOKS PVT LTD 2009

• EDEN ROBE GARMENTS (SITE) 2007

• RAZAQUE STEEL (SITE) 2008

• STAR CNG N.NAZIMABAD 2011

• ST. PETERS HIGH SCHOOL KASHMIR ROAD 2009

• K.N. ACCADEMY (MALIR CANTT) 2003

• HAMPTON SCHOOL (CLIFTON) 2007

• WOODWARDS (PVT) LTD (AMEER KHUSRO ROAD) 2010

• CHAS. A MENDOZA (RAZI ROAD) 2010

• KIRAN HOSPITAL (SAFFORA GOTH) 2004

• USMAN MEMORIAL HOSPITAL (F.B. AREA) 2003

• CIVIL HOSPITAL 2004

• M.M. TOWERS (DHA) (MAIN KHAYABAN-E-ITEHAD) 2004

• LOYA ASSOCIATE (P.E.C.H.S) 2005

• ALI ASGHAR TEXTILE (KORANGI OFFICE AREA) 2010

• OXYHEALTH LOUNGE & RELAXATION CLUB (CLIFTON) 2008

• SHAN SILK (KORANGI) 2011

   

SOME OF OUR VALUABALE CLIENTS (RESIDENTIAL)

 

• MR. FAROOQ (BONANAZA GARMENTS) 2013

• MR. JUNAID JAMSHED DHA 2013

• MR ASHRAF S/O MR. LIAQUT ALI KHAN 1ST PRIME MINISTER OF PAKISTAN

• MIAN NASEER ARCHITECT 2013

• MR. SIKANDER BAKHT (FORMER PAKISTANI CRICKETER) D.H.A 2011

• MR. MASOOD HASSAN (CLIFTON) 2009 M/S. SIEMENS CO. LTD. SITE 2010

• MR. MURAD ALI SHAH MINISTOR OF IRRIGATION AND POWER (DHA) 2010

• MR. IMRAN S. SATTAR OXFORD SWETTERS DHA 2011

• MR. ASGHAR RANGOON WALA (ROYAL RODALE CLUB) (DHA) 2007

• MR YASIN SIDDIQUI CHAIRMAN “APTMA” DHA 2010 (SINDH & BALOCHISTAN ZONE)

• MR. SAJJAD HUSSAIN SHAH “APNA TV CHANNEL” (C.E) DHA 2010

• MR. SARFARAZ HUSSAIN SHAH “APNA TV CHANNEL” (C.E) DHA 2010

• MR. RAFIQ (ORIENT TEXTILE) DHA 2011.

• MS. FATIMA (D/O LATE MR. KAMAL FILM ACTOR) DHA 2011

• MR. BUKSH JUMANI (KHAIRPUR HOUSE) DHA 2011

• MR DANISH KHWAJA (A.R.Y) 2011 D.H.A / MR. NOFEL HUM T.V. 2011

• MR. YOUSUF DEWAN. (DEWAN GROUP OF INDUSTRIES) (DHA) 2003

• MR. HAMZA FAROOQ / MR. ABDUL BAAQI DEWAN. (DHA) 2008

• DR. RAHEEM-UL-HAQ (DHA) (SOUTH CITY HOSPITAL CLIFTON) 2007

• DR. ZEENAT ESSANI D.H.A 2008 / DR. ZAKIR ALVI D.H.A 2011

• MR. A. KARIM PARACHA (C.I.M. SHIPPING COMPANY) (DHA) 2008

• MR. SHAKEEL MASOOD (C.E. DAWN NEWS). (DHA) 2008

• MR ABBAS / MR SHABBIR (ARENA KARSAZ) 2010

• MR. AHMED ZAFAR EMIRATES GLOBAL BANK (DHA) 2010

• MR. POLAD SUZUKI MOTORS DEALER CLIFTON 2010

• MR. IQBAL.S.MUHAMMAD PARAMOUNT BOOKS PVT LTD 2009

• MR SIKANDAR (CAFÉ FLOW) / MR. NADEEM ISLAM (BAYVIEW SCHOOL)

• MR. ALI ADAMJEE / MR. BILAL DAILY AGHAZ NEWS DHA 2010

• MR. HASSAN AKHTER (DHA) (MATRIX COMPANY CLIFTON) 2004

• MR. BILAL (DHA) DAILY AGHAZ NEWS 2009

• MR. NOSHAER (YAZDANI MOTORS D.H.A) 2008

• MRS. ANWAR PIONEER CABLES (D.H.A) 2011

• MR. ASLAM PAKISTAN CABLES (CLIFTON) 2011

• MR. ABDUL HANNAN (KHAS INDUSTRIES) D.H.A 2010

• MR. NAVEED ILLAHI “ALI ASGHAR TEXTILE” (DHA RESIDENCE) 2010.

   

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Shaggy

Alcatraz - Milano

16 Ottobre 2013

 

ph © Mairo Cinquetti

 

© All rights reserved. Do not use my photos without my written permission. If you would like to buy or use this photo PLEASE message me or email me at mairo.cinquetti@gmail.com

 

With a commanding presence, a distinctive voice that is recognizable throughout the world and titles such as artist, businessman, philanthropist and Grammy Award winner, Shaggy is and has been a forced to be reckoned with. A son of the brambly streets of Kingston, Jamaica, his discipline-which he credits to his military background-has been the foundation of his success.

 

In 1993, Shaggy exploded on the music scene with his debut album “Pure Pleasure.” His remix of the Ska classic Oh Carolina from that album was an instant hit in England and other countries. Shaggy followed up with his sophomore album “Boombastic” in 1995. “Boombastic” went certified platinum, won a Grammy Award in 1996 for Best Reggae Album and topped an impressive chart list that included the Top 40 Rhythmic charts, Hot 100, Billboard 200, among others.

 

Wanting to take a more hands on approach with his career, Shaggy, along with his manager Robert Livingston and legendary producer Sting International formed Big Yard Music Group in 1996. With its state-of-the-art equipment and highly trained staff, Big Yard set out to “create a central space filled with opportunities” and has been instrumental in the careers of artists such as Brian & Tony Gold, Kiprich, Rayvon, Rik Rok and Voicemail. Today, the label is responsible for the careers of Richie Loop, Christopher Martin and D-Major.

 

With the formation of Big Yard Music Group and the success of “Boombastic,” Shaggy forged ahead and recorded his third installment “Midnight Lover” in 1997. Fast forward to 2000, Shaggy released his fourth album “Hotshot” on MCA Records label. “Hotshot” went Diamond worldwide and Platinum 6 times in the United States. Notable singles from that album included It Wasn’t Me and Angel. It Wasn’t Me received a Grammy nomination. Single Luv Me, Luv Me featuring Janet Jackson was released on the Soundtrack for the movie “How Stella Got Her Groove Back.” The album also won best selling album at the 2002 Juno Awards.

 

In 2002 and 2005 Shaggy released “Lucky Day” and “Clothes Drop” respectively. “Lucky Day” went certified Gold while single Strength Of A Woman made the Top 40 mainstream charts. “Clothes Drop” received a Grammy Nomination for Best Reggae Album. Thereafter, Shaggy busied himself in the studio recording his next album entitled “Intoxication.”

 

“Intoxication” was released in 2007 and debuted at number 1 on Billboard’s Top Reggae Albums chart, was nominated for Best Reggae Album at the 51st Grammy Awards in 2008 and was the number 1 download on UK iTunes Reggae chart. The first single, Church Heathen, from the album received rave reviews. The song peaked at number 1 on various music charts and won the Best Music Video at the International Reggae and World Music Awards in 2008. The second single Bonafide Girl also made its way to number 1 on music charts. That same year, Shaggy recorded and released single Feel The Rush which was used as the original anthem for the UEFA Euro Cup. The single was featured on various charts throughout Europe and India.

 

Undaunted by the success of his business ventures and his music, Shaggy has always lived on the premise that “to whom much is giving, much is required.” With this belief, Shaggy took on the role of philanthropist. What began as donations of medical equipment and visits to the Bustamante Hospital For Children to distribute gifts during the holidays, paint rooms, donate beds and creation of a garden, gave birth to the Shaggy Foundation. Developed in 2008, Shaggy recruited business associates, fellow recording artists and sponsors to assist in hosting an annual charity event in which all proceeds are donated to the hospital to help defray the cost of medical equipment. To date, the Shaggy Foundation has been instrumental in raising over $85 million (JMD = $1 million USD) for the hospital.

 

Shaggy sought other avenues to raise funds. For example, he co-wrote a book and CD set entitled “Shaggy Parrot and the Reggae Band.” Sales from the book and CD set benefits the Bustamante Hospital in Jamaica and Tatiana McIntosh Scholarship Fund in Florida. The book was also donated to basic schools in Jamaica to be used as part of their curriculum. Additionally, the artist partnered with Pan Caribbean Financial planners for their 11th annual SIGMA Corporate Run. With a 5k course that attracted 9500 runners, walker and wheelchair participants, the event raised $14 million (JMD)/$165,000 (USD) for the Bustamante Hospital.

 

Now at the peak of his career, Shaggy has been approached with various endorsement deals. This gave him the opportunity to flex his boardroom muscles, adding “businessman” to his repertoire. In 2009, he recorded single Fly High which was used in a television commercial for Ferrero Rocher’s Ice Cream Bar, Maxi King. Not only did he record the single to be used in the commercial, Shaggy also appeared in the 30 second advertisement. Fly High, which is available on iTunes and in rotation on MTV, was used for Ferrero’s trailer campaign on VIVA (a television network in Germany co-owned by Viacom). Shaggy also acted as the international icon for Ultimate Ear products for brand Logitech. In summer 2008, Shaggy contributed a song, which was a remake of the 1974 classic Kung Fu Fighting by Carl Douglas, for Pepsi Cola, He appeared in the television commercial alongside T-Pain and Tami Chynn.

 

An exemplary career that has spanned well over a decade, Shaggy has enjoyed cross-over success. But getting to the top hasn’t been easy, “everything changes when you are a reggae artist that falls under the American gaze. The recognition in Jamaica, while paramount, does not measure to the US’s validation of an artist.” This validation has catapulted Shaggy’s career – he is the only certified Diamond-selling Dancehall Reggae artist. However, Shaggy has remained humble, taking his career in strides. He has defied the odds, succeeded on his own terms and continues to break down barriers for those who dare to follow in his footsteps.

Billikid, from New York City, pasted as part of street art without borders...that same Jim Morrisson was pasted in Seoul, Korea and Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.

So great to see a fox without any signs of mange, I think this is the moment I was rumbled hence the look on the face. I don't think I've seen this fox before, with the changeover of foxy personnel lately they're a real mystery. I was sitting at the bottom of this bank as it was getting dark and unbeknownst to me a fox was walking towards me from behind and above, it must have seen me at the last moment and it actually jumped right over me in panic ! I had no idea it was approaching and just suddenly saw an airborne fox above me, nearly gave us both a heart attack I think.

"3 Poppies"

 

MOSAIC: auction~exhibition to benefit Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières

 

April 1 through April 27 at BiddingForGood.com/DWB-MSF

 

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Cristina D'Avena & Gem Boy

Carroponte - Sesto San Giovanni - Milano

11 Luglio 2013

  

© Mairo Cinquetti

 

© All rights reserved. Do not use my photos without my written permission. If you would like to buy or use this photo PLEASE message me or email me at mairo.cinquetti@gmail.com

 

Cristina D'Avena nasce a Bologna lunedì 6 luglio 1964 da Alfredo, medico, e da Ornella, casalinga. All'età di 3 anni e mezzo esordisce cantando "Il valzer del moscerino" alla decima edizione della rassegna canora per bambini Zecchino d'Oro; il brano si aggiudica il 3º posto. Dopo l'esperienza allo Zecchino d'Oro, rimane all'Antoniano come componente del Piccolo Coro fino al 1976, ma continuerà a frequentarlo per altri 5 anni accompagnando la sorella Clarissa, nata 10 anni dopo di lei e anche lei diventata nel frattempo componente del coro.

 

Nel 1981 Cristina è una diciassettenne studentessa di Liceo Classico che vede il canto solo come un hobby. In quel periodo, Alessandra Valeri Manera, l'allora responsabile della tv dei ragazzi della neonata Canale 5, era alla ricerca di una voce femminile che potesse interpretare la sigla della serie animata giapponese "Pinocchio": per questo motivo interpellò Augusto Martelli, direttore artistico-musicale della rete nonché figlio del maestro Giordano Bruno Martelli. Fu proprio Martelli padre, tramite il figlio, a segnalare a Valeri Manera il nome di Cristina D'Avena, avendo egli avuto modo di frequentarla fino a poco tempo prima presso il Piccolo Coro dell'Antoniano. Dopo essere stata sottoposta ad un provino discografico, Cristina, ancora minorenne, firma un contratto di esclusiva (a cui è legata ancora oggi) con l'etichetta discografica di Canale 5, la Five Record (in seguito ridenominata RTI Music, oggi inglobata in RTI s.p.a.), e diviene così l'interprete della canzone "Bambino Pinocchio" composta da Martelli figlio che di lei all'epoca disse: « Diventerà una grande cantante ». Il successo commerciale del relativo 45 giri diede effettivamente inizio alla carriera di Cristina: da allora non ha mai smesso di incidere e, grazie alla quantità di sigle da lei registrate, è l'unico personaggio dello spettacolo la cui voce è presente sulla tv italiana ininterrottamente dai primi anni '80 almeno una volta al giorno, 7 giorni su 7, 365 giorni l'anno.

 

Sempre da questo periodo inizia a pubblicare numerosi singoli ed album, che complessivamente venderanno un totale di circa 6 milioni di copie: nel 1983, infatti, Five Record dà vita a "Fivelandia", il primo volume di quella che diventerà una longeva collana destinata a contenere le sigle dei cartoni animati in onda sulle reti del biscione; un appuntamento fisso dell'autunno a cadenza annuale, a cui si aggiungerà, a partire dal febbraio 1987, la sua versione primaverile anch'essa a cadenza annuale dal titolo "Cristina D'Avena con i tuoi amici in tv". Tra le canzoni di maggior successo dei primi anni, particolare menzione per "Canzone dei Puffi" del 1982 (grazie alla quale verrà premiata con il suo primo Disco d'Oro per le oltre 500.000 copie vendute) e "Kiss me Licia" del 1985 (Disco di Platino per le oltre 100.000 copie vendute del relativo album): quest'ultima è la sigla a cui la cantante dichiarerà più volte di essere maggiormente legata.

 

A partire dal settembre 1986 raggiunge, tuttavia, una popolarità ulteriore a quella già acquisita in 5 anni con la sola interpretazione delle sigle, nonché una notevole visibilità, quando interpreta il ruolo di Licia nella prima di 4 serie di telefilm per ragazzi intitolata "Love me Licia": la serie è basata sulla protagonista e sui personaggi del cartone animato giapponese "Kiss me Licia" (che aveva fatto il suo debutto 12 mesi prima), del quale questa produzione italiana con attori in carne e ossa prosegue idealmente le vicende. È così che quella che fino a questo momento era quasi soltanto una voce (quel timbro così particolare che milioni di bambini italiani avevano già imparato a riconoscere) diventa di fatto un volto, il volto di una ragazza dall'aspetto più giovane dei suoi 22 anni che l'intero pubblico, anche quello più adulto, ora conosce e apprezza già. A "Love me Licia" seguiranno "Licia dolce Licia" nella primavera 1987, "Teneramente Licia" nell'autunno 1987 e "Balliamo e cantiamo con Licia" nella primavera 1988; le serie vengono trasmesse il lunedì, il mercoledì e il venerdì alle ore 20:00 su Italia Uno in diretta concorrenza coi telegiornali Rai e raggiungono insperati ascolti record.

 

Nel 1987, mentre i brani da lei incisi ammontano già ad un centinaio, Cristina registra un brano in lingua francese: si tratta della versione francofona della sigla italiana "Lovely Sara" (da lei già interpretata pochi mesi prima), destinata ad accompagnare la messa in onda di "Princesse Sarah" che sarà il primo cartone animato ad essere trasmesso su La Cinq, rete televisiva francese di proprietà di Silvio Berlusconi costruita sul modello di Canale 5. Grazie a questa sua incisione la cantante, che per la prima volta vide apparire il proprio nome sulla copertina di un disco pubblicato e distribuito esclusivamente all'estero, è conosciuta e ricordata ancora oggi dai bambini francesi degli anni '80.

 

Conclusasi la saga di Licia nella primavera 1988, dall'autunno Italia Uno decide di mettere in scena proprio Cristina e la sua realtà quotidiana, costantemente impegnata tra gli studi universitari alla Facoltà di Medicina e il lavoro di cantante. Non a caso, durante l'ultima puntata dei telefilm di Licia, Cristina D'Avena compare nel ruolo di se stessa annunciando la sua intenzione di metter su una band musicale. Pochi mesi dopo viene infatti trasmessa su Italia Uno "Arriva Cristina", a cui seguiranno "Cristina" nell'autunno 1989, "Cri Cri" nell'autunno 1990 e "Cristina, l'Europa siamo noi" nell'autunno 1991. "Cri Cri" si compone di due serie da 36 episodi l'una, mentre "Cristina, l'Europa siamo noi" viene trasmessa da Retequattro anziché da Italia Uno e alle ore 19:00 anziché al consueto orario delle 20:00. Come già avvenuto per le 4 serie di Licia, per ognuno di questi telefilm Five Record pubblica un disco contenente la sigla e tutti i brani cantati all'interno degli episodi: i primi tre album diventano Dischi di Platino.

 

Tra i suoi concerti più riusciti quelli realizzati nel novembre 1989 e 1990 al PalaTrussardi di Milano, a cui assistettero un totale di circa 20.000 spettatori, e quello del 1992 al FilaForum di Assago (13.000 persone in sala e 3.000 all'esterno) i cui incassi sono stati interamente devoluti alla Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro.

 

Con alle spalle la stessa autrice-produttrice degli esordi ed una casa discografica che, grazie solamente alle sue canzoni, nel 1991 ottiene un fatturato di oltre 9 miliardi di lire, negli anni '90 la cantante prosegue, regolarmente e senza interruzioni, ad incidere nuove sigle e a pubblicare CD; numeri, i suoi, che tanti artisti blasonati, ancora oggi, le invidiano. Persino la cantante Mina, nel 1994, inciderà ed inserirà in uno dei suoi album una cover di una canzone di Cristina del 1988 dal titolo "Sempre attento al regolamento"; per l'occasione, testo e titolo furono modificati e la canzone divenne "Tu dimmi che città".

 

All'attività musicale e discografica si aggiunge l'attività di conduttrice e co-conduttrice televisiva (nonché radiofonica) iniziata già nel 1989 col varietà del sabato sera di Canale 5 "Sabato al circo", esperienza grazie alla quale Cristina, insieme a tutto il cast del programma, si aggiudicherà il Telegatto nella categoria "Programmi per ragazzi". Il programma andrà avanti per quattro anni, fino al 1992, quando cambia titolo, rete e giorno di programmazione e diventa "Il Grande Circo di Retequattro", in onda per 16 settimane da mercoledì 7 ottobre. Assieme a Gerry Scotti presenta per due anni lo speciale di Capodanno di Canale 5, in onda il 31 dicembre 1989 con il titolo "L'allegria fa 90" e il 31 dicembre 1990 con il titolo "Evviva l'allegria". Dall'8 novembre 1992 conduce su Italia Uno "Cantiamo con Cristina", la versione per bambini del "Karaoke" di Fiorello che va in onda alle ore 20:00 della domenica: in ogni puntata si affrontano due squadre che si sfidano sulle note delle sigle di Cristina. Nella stagione 1993/94 farà parte del cast della sesta edizione di "Buona Domenica", al fianco di Gerry Scotti e Gabriella Carlucci: qui, tra le altre cose, conduce la rubrica "Radio Cristina" dove commenta lettere e fax inviati dai più piccini e si esibisce in alcuni numeri musicali e di danza (in questi spazi avrà anche modo di eseguire le canzoni dell'album "Cristina canta Disney" fresco di pubblicazione). Avrà poi il ruolo di inviata speciale in giro per l'Italia nella quinta edizione di "La sai l'ultima?", in onda su Canale 5 nella stagione televisiva 1995/96 e condotta da Gerry Scotti assieme a Paola Barale. A partire dal 15 settembre 1996, invece, conduce per due anni di seguito, alternandosi settimanalmente col doppiatore ed amico Pietro Ubaldi, il contenitore di cartoni animati e giochi telefonici "Game Boat", in onda tutti i giorni nel preserale di Retequattro; in questo periodo, tra l'altro, viene pubblicato il quattordicesimo capitolo di "Fivelandia", premiato con il Disco di Platino per le oltre 100.000 copie vendute. Nel 1998, nel 1999 e nel 2000 ritorna allo Zecchino d'Oro in qualità di co-conduttrice al fianco di Cino Tortorella e Milly Carlucci. Nell'autunno 1998 è chiamata da Fabio Fazio per condurre con Andrea Pezzi il varietà del venerdì sera di Rai Due "Serenate", ideato dallo stesso Fazio che inizialmente doveva esserne il conduttore. Su Rai Uno, invece, condurrà il tradizionale "Concerto di Primavera", sia ad aprile 1999 che ad aprile 2000, oltre che lo special natalizio "Buon Natale a tutto il mondo" di cui sarà la presentatrice sia nell'edizione del 1999 che in quella del 2000.

 

Nel 1998 debutta anche al cinema, seppur con un cameo: interpreta infatti se stessa in una scena del film "Cucciolo" di Neri Parenti accanto a Massimo Boldi, con il quale aveva già lavorato ai tempi di "Sabato al circo".

 

Nel dicembre 2002 Cristina festeggia ufficialmente 20 anni di carriera (sebbene l'incisione di "Bambino Pinocchio", la sua prima sigla per un cartone animato, risalga al secondo semestre del 1981) con la pubblicazione di un doppio CD dal titolo "Cristina D'Avena: Greatest Hits" (ma il titolo inizialmente previsto è "Cristina D'Avena: Vent'anni"), che raccoglie i più grandi successi della cantante (il CD 1 è relativo agli anni 1981-1990, il CD 2 agli anni 1991-2002) e include una nuova versione, riarrangiata e reinterpretata per l'occasione, della sua prima sigla. Proprio nel giorno d'uscita del disco, il 6 dicembre, dall'auditorium di Cologno Monzese la rete televisiva satellitare Video Italia le dedica, in prima serata e in diretta contemporanea su Radio Italia, una puntata di oltre 2 ore della sua trasmissione "Serata con...", durante la quale la cantante esegue dal vivo gran parte dei brani dell'album, in quella che si rivela essere una vera e propria festa-concerto a cui prendono parte fan storici, amici e collaboratori di vecchia data.

 

Il suo nome per oltre 20 anni è stato professionalmente associato in modo indissolubile a quello di Alessandra Valeri Manera: responsabile dei programmi per ragazzi delle tv del biscione dal 1980 al 2001 e a conti fatti talent scout e creatrice del personaggio "Cristina D'Avena", Valeri Manera è stata anche ideatrice, autrice, direttrice artistica e produttrice di tutti i lavori della cantante alla quale è legata da una sincera amicizia, sebbene dal 2001 la sua attività si sia ridotta ad una composizione saltuaria dei testi di sigle. In coppia con Valeri Manera, nel 2002 Cristina firma per la prima volta come autrice una sua canzone dal titolo "I colori del cuore". Nel 2007 firma da sola il testo di una sua sigla per un cartone animato (il titolo del brano, e della serie, è "Dolce piccola Remì") e da allora, di tanto in tanto, alcune delle sigle da lei interpretate portano il suo nome come unica autrice delle parole.

 

Il 14 aprile 2007, al Roxy Bar di Bologna, Cristina celebra 25 anni di successi con un grande concerto, accompagnata dall'irriverente gruppo dei Gem Boy con il quale inaugura una collaborazione che dura ancora oggi. In questa occasione riceve da Red Ronnie il prestigioso riconoscimento "Gandhi 9.11", un totem luminoso creato dall'artista Marco Lodola e destinato a quei personaggi che si sono maggiormente distinti come portatori di pace. Nello stesso anno, poi, si verifica un vero e proprio record per la cantante: alla cifra di 1.210 euro si chiude l'asta online del CD del 1989 "Cristina D'Avena e... i tuoi amici in TV 3", venduto sul portale eBay il 10 settembre. La vendita viene resa nota e definita dalla divisione italiana del sito come « il primato mai raggiunto online da un CD in Italia »; non a caso, la versione CD dell'album è considerata uno tra i pezzi più rari nella produzione discografica della cantante, non tanto per le 14 sigle in esso contenute (reperibili comunque su altre pubblicazioni successive) ma poiché, nella sua versione digitale, venne stampato in un numero limitatissimo di copie rispetto ai classici formati utilizzati all'epoca (sebbene per ancora pochi anni), vale a dire l'LP e l'MC. Il record è stato addirittura superato il 10 novembre del 2011, quattro anni dopo, quando un'altra copia messa all'asta è stata venduta alla cifra di 3.010,00 euro.

 

In questa fase della sua carriera, nonostante da tempo non abbia più un programma tutto suo, la cantante continua a farsi vedere dal pubblico televisivo accettando l'invito di numerose trasmissioni Rai o Mediaset che la chiamano per intervistarla o per vederla esibirsi; nella puntata del 16 febbraio 2008 del programma di prima serata di Rai Uno "I Migliori Anni" si registrerà un picco di ascolti pari a 7.618.000 telespettatori proprio nel momento della sua partecipazione al programma in cui dal vivo canta la sigla di "Kiss me Licia". Nello stesso anno pubblica due libri per bambini, di cui la cantante è autrice e narratrice, dal titolo "Le fiabe di Fata Cri: Fata Cri e i draghetti pasticcioni" e "Le fiabe di Fata Cri: Fata Cri e il ballo degli scoiattoli": quest'ultimo venderà 37.500 copie.

 

Dopo aver scritto e interpretato la sigla della serie animata "Twin Princess - Principesse Gemelle" che diverrà il suo primo singolo ad essere commercializzato come download digitale, nel 2009 realizza un disco che si distacca dalle sigle tv per le quali è da sempre conosciuta: per la prima volta infatti si rivolge al grande pubblico, non solo a quello dell'infanzia, e lo fa con un album dal titolo "Magia di Natale", in cui reinterpreta 12 brani della tradizione natalizia, classici e moderni, tutti arrangiati dal maestro Valeriano Chiaravalle. Il disco è anche l'occasione, per la cantante, di incidere per la prima volta in lingua inglese. Nell'album figura anche una cover di "Childhood", brano di Michael Jackson con il quale l'artista ha voluto rendere omaggio al Re del Pop.

 

Da giovedì 21 gennaio 2010 torna a lavorare in tv: è nel cast della seconda edizione del programma di prima serata di Italia Uno "Matricole & Meteore". Nello show, composto da 8 puntate e condotto da Nicola Savino e Juliana Moreira, ha il doppio ruolo di ospite fisso e inviata speciale nei panni di una principessa alla ricerca del Principe Azzurro; nelle varie puntate si esibisce anche in alcuni medley di sigle fra le tante incise nel corso della sua carriera. Dal 28 febbraio dello stesso anno è testimonial di Intervita ONLUS, organizzazione umanitaria internazionale impegnata in progetti di sviluppo nel Terzo Mondo attraverso il sostegno a distanza, per la quale registrerà 15 messaggi promozionali trasmessi da Canale 5. A partire dal periodo autunnale, le serie di telefilm che la videro protagonista tra l'86 e il '91 riacquistano visibilità nonché rinnovata fortuna grazie alla loro riproposizione da parte del canale Hiro di Mediaset Premium e, poco tempo dopo, anche per mano di La5 che le trasmette, tutte le sere, allo stesso orario della prima messa in onda, vale a dire alle 20. Visto il grande successo riscosso (la fascia oraria in cui vengono trasmessi risulta essere la più seguita per la rete), la casa discografica della cantante decide di ristampare, per la prima volta su CD e dopo oltre due decadi di assenza dal mercato discografico, le colonne sonore di ciascuna delle 8 serie, raccogliendole in due box multidisco intitolati "Licia e i Bee Hive Story" e "Arriva Cristina Story", che appassionati vecchi e nuovi accoglieranno con straordinario entusiasmo.

 

Anche nel nuovo millennio la cantante ha continuato e continua a tenere concerti in tutta Italia, sia da sola che accompagnata dal gruppo dei Gem Boy; uno dei suoi ultimi concerti più fortunati è sicuramente quello tenuto ad Avellino nel maggio del 2010 dove, tra bambini e adulti, ha raccolto oltre 15.000 spettatori.

 

Nel gennaio 2011 incide una sigla per la prima volta in duetto con una voce femminile: quella di Alessia Volpicelli, piccola paziente del C.R.O. (Centro di Riferimento Oncologico) di Aviano; il brano, di cui la D'Avena è anche autrice, si intitola "Emily della Luna Nuova". Nello stesso periodo firma anche il testo di una canzone per uno dei concorrenti del programma televisivo "Io Canto": si tratta del brano "Tutto quello che ho" incluso nell'album d'esordio di Simone Frulio dal titolo "Tredici".

 

L'anno successivo la cantante torna in tv e approda su Super!: per tutta l'estate è infatti la conduttrice di "Karaoke Super Show!", la prima produzione del canale televisivo per ragazzi edito da De Agostini. In onda nel week-end dalle più belle piazze della riviera romagnola, il programma prevede la partecipazione di due squadre composte da bambini, genitori e nonni che si sfidano interpretando i grandi tormentoni estivi, le canzoni dello Zecchino d'Oro più amate e naturalmente le più famose sigle dei cartoni animati di Cristina. Ma il 2012 è anche l'anno del 30º anniversario del debutto artistico di Cristina D'Avena: per festeggiare questa ricorrenza viene messa in atto una serie di celebrazioni a partire già dal dicembre 2011, quando apre il fanclub ufficiale della cantante che gli ammiratori chiedevano insistentemente da tempo. Ad aprile del 2012 i festeggiamenti proseguono con l'inaugurazione del suo negozio online, all'interno del quale è possibile trovare gran parte della sua sempre più abbondante produzione discografica oltre a tanti prodotti e gadget esclusivi, scelti e ideati direttamente da Cristina in persona. Le celebrazioni di questo importante traguardo si materializzano anche a livello discografico con la nascita di un grande progetto in due parti dal titolo "30 e poi...", che debutta nei negozi di dischi il 27 novembre 2012 con l'uscita del triplo CD "30 e poi... Parte Prima". L'album è composto da 3 CD che racchiudono un totale di ben 70 sigle originali dei cartoni animati più famosi degli anni '80, '90 e 2000; la scaletta è impreziosita dalla presenza di tre sigle inedite (una risalente al '95, una al '99 e un'altra ancora al 2009) qui pubblicate per la prima volta in assoluto e di una ora disponibile per la prima volta su CD, da una reinterpretazione di Cristina del classico natalizio "O Holy Night", da un megamix dei suoi storici successi anni '80 e infine da una cover del brano "L'anno che verrà" di Lucio Dalla, con la quale l'artista vuole rendere omaggio al cantautore suo concittadino. Il progetto "30 e poi..." prosegue quindi nel 2013 con una serie di iniziative a tema e si concluderà nell'autunno dello stesso anno con l'uscita di "30 e poi... Parte Seconda".

These photos were taken 9 months ago, in July 2022.

 

A few months ago I started a page on Instagram where I post a limited number of my footwear photos. Posting them quickly on Instagram makes it possible for you to view them without having to wait months for them to appear here.

 

My username on Instagram is onlymeknow9876 My name there is Stupid Me

 

I will, as I have time, continue to post the full collection, including the photos put up on Instagram.

 

Summer, time to wear my barefoot shoes again. While I also go "fully" barefoot sometimes, I wear these often. I can go into stores, walk around downtown, go to the park, whatever, without attracting the negative attention that being fully barefoot sometimes does ("No Shoes, No Service"). Although, I've gone into a couple of delicatessins, 7-11's, etc. with no shoes and never been told to leave.

 

I have, actually, been asked, when wearing these , why I'm wearing such worn out shoes (which almost never happens with the shoes with holey soles or uppers). I say I like to wear barefoot but this way most people don't find it strange. Usually end of discussion.

No visit to the Illuminations would be complete without seeing this tram. Originally EE Railcoach 208 and Pantograph tramcar 174, they were rebuilt to become a 'feature tram' for the Illuminations season, and were later rebuilt with Heritage Lottery Grant funding. Normally, as seen here, the driver sits right at the front of the 'engine' (tram number 733) inside what would be considered as the boiler - but there are also controls at the end of the far coach (tram number 734) to enable the tram to reverse back into the depot at the end of the night - this is the first year the tram has operated Illuminations duties with its 'new' pantograph fitted instead of using a trolleypole); evantually a bow pantograph will be fitted, as one has been sourced from a Metrolink T68 tram.

Despite ABC Weekend Television being disbanded years ago, this tram still advertises it! It is seen at the Pleasure Beach loop.

 

Originally 1936-built English Electric Railcoach 290, the loco of the ABC Weekend Television Western Train tram looks nothing like it did when brand new! Having had what you might call a heavy refurbishment, 733 was completely rebuilt into an illuminated feature tramcar, the front half of a twin-car designed to look like an American 'wild west' train. The set was withdrawn in 1999 due to serious structural problems, but following a grant from the lottery heritage fund it was overhauled and went back into service - and is now as popular as ever. Part of the works undertaken also saw this tram become the first dedicated heritage tram to have purpose-built facilities to accommodate a passenger in a wheelchair - there is a double door which forms half of the second illuminated 'wheel', and just before the painted-on fake door, which is opened to reveal a wheelchair lift.

 

Originally 1928-built Dick Kerr Pantograph Car 174 (when new called a 'Pullman' car), the trailer of the ABC Weekend Television illuminated western train still retains the classic look of the Pantograph car it once was - though in my opinion it has been enhanced by creating open viewing platforms at either end by removing the original glazing on what once were the driving cabs. It no longer has a trolley tower or trolleypole as these are not required due to it being permanently coupled to 733, but it does retain steering controls at the back - though these have been offset to one side so that extra seating could be fitted; the controls at this back end are only used at the end of the illuminations tours for the night when the tram is being driven empty in reverse formation back to the depot.