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© All Rights Reserved - No Usage Allowed in Any Form Without the Written Consent of Connie Lemperle/ lemperleconnie or the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
Link to Cincinnati Zoo's Web Site ..............
"Link to the Cincinnati Zoo's Flickr photostream".
White Lioness ....
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Have a fun April Fool's Day everyone!
All kidding aside I want to wish our lioness Gracious a Happy 10th Birthday today.
There are probably ten billion shots of the ceiling of the San Francisco Public Library from this vantage on the fifth floor.
(c) All Rights Reserved, images not to be reproduced in whole or in part in print or web media without advance written permission, contact arciphel[at]gmail.com.
Nikon D700 & Nikkor 18-35mm f3.5-4.5 AF-D lens.
From www.limerickleader.ie/news/Thousands-go-underground-as-Li...
Thousands go underground as Limerick Tunnel open day proves a big success
NRA has no official opening date for €660 million road project
Published Date: 19 June 2010
By Mike Dwane
GLORIOUS sunshine attracted thousands of curious visitors to the Limerick Tunnel on Saturday as the Direct Route consortium hosted a public open day.
No official opening date has been set for the motorists eager to use the €660 million road project but Saturday was the first and last chance for pedestrians, cyclists, prams and even dogs to travel the 700 metres under the Shannon.
"It's been a huge turnout and everybody is delighted with it. The weather has helped obviously. It's great for people to come and see the project on what will be their one and only chance to walk through the tunnel and get a feel for what it is like," said Tom Meagher, the NRA's resident engineer on the project.
"The next time they go through the tunnel, they will be whizzing through it in 30 seconds," he added.
When that might be is not certain, however.
"The contractual date is September 23 and obviously the contractor is hoping to finish prior to that. Everyone is working as hard as they can to try and finish as early as possible.
"Officially, we don't have a date. We have a lot of snagging and small items to finish on the scheme. As soon as they are done and the project is safe to open, it will be opened," Mr Meagher said.
Park and ride bus services were in operation at Limerick Racecourse, the City East business park and the Kilmurray Lodge to ferry visitors to and from the tunnel. Marquees erected on the north bank of the river allowed members of the public ask questions of the project engineers and view a scale model of the Southern Ring Phase Two scheme.
Queues formed at the stall run by The Intolligent Ltd, the company which issues electronic tags which can be mounted on the windscreen and provide a more convenient way of paying the €1.80 tunnel toll over multiple journeys.
"There has been absolutely huge interest so far," said Siobhan Hatworth, The Intolligent, "the majority from private individuals rather than business users so far. A lot of people are excited by how it works and this is going to make their commutes so much easier."
Vendors were also dishing out food and refreshments for the thousands who came along. And in association with Limerick Rotary, Direct Route was selling commemorative tunnel booklets in aid of local chairities like Milford Care Centre, Cystic Fibrosis Association Limerick and Thomond House.
Laura Kelly, Kilfinane, said "it is very impressive from an engineering point of view but from a financial point of view, with the state the country is in, you have to question how viable it might be. I can see people avoiding the toll and using the old road."
But Tony and Carmel Mason from Cratloe were not in agreement.
"I imagine we will use it a lot. We have to cross from one side to the other on a fairly regular basis so it will definitiely be a great asset to us. What you might pay on the toll, you will save on fuel and you don't have the frustration of the traffic," said Mr Mason.
Mr Mason has a boat and has "floated over the tunnel a few times, including when they were building it and laying it on the riverbed but it's good to be finally in it".
Cratloe has been particularly badly disrupted during construction but those days are almost at an end.
"It was an inconvenience during the peak construction time but now that we're almost there, it's great and we'll be relived of all that soon. You have to put up with it. You can't stop progress," he said.
Meanwhile, Donal Cooper from Newcastle West had one or two ideas of his own as he stood directly under the Shannon at the tunnel's lowest point.
"I wonder how much water is above me right now and what weight it is? The thing is will it draw Clare and Limerick closer together or should we have a passport centre at the Clare side like we had years ago? I'm proposing passport control to stop Clare people coming across. We shouldn't let them in and we should start taking over more land on the Clare side," he said.
He also noted that the toll revenue was collected on the north and not on the south side of the river.
"In Limerick, we leave people through free of charge and have done so for years whereas in Clare , what else would you expect," he joked.
* Last Updated: 21 June 2010 8:30 AM
* Source: n/a
* Location: Limerick
©2009 RESilU | Please don't use this image without my explicit permission.
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Ornamente - Zelt-Tent - Küssür - Bead embroidery on a tent in Yakutia. Symbolizes a shaman tree.
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Do you want to know more about Yakutia? Have a look here:
Wikipedia: Sakha/Yakutia
Websites: eyakutia/ || askyakutia/ || yakutiatoday || Twitter || ColdUnited ||
FlickrGroups: ColdUnited || Yakutia
Flickr: Photostream Bolotbootur
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My set: Yakutia || My WebSite: Sacha-Jakutien || My Blog: Sacha-Jakutien ||
After nearly 11 months without a drop of rain, all of Waridaad village’s traditional water sources dried up. Oxfam partners Havyoco have been trucking in clean water every day. The water is pumped into these community tanks, from where each family queues up to fill their jerrycans.
Ibrahim Harir Deria coordinates Havyoco’s water trucking: “We are suffering from consecutive drought. Last year was ok, but before that there was a drought. It is getting more common. The lack of pasture is the father of many things – it causes disease and malnutrition.
"There are four trucking centres in the village, each serving 140 households – so 560 families in total. Each household gets 45 litres of water per day – about 7.5 litres per person."
Some people have toys without boxes... I have several boxes without toys.
Maybe someone wants a box for their toy? This box has the card and the stand.
Then there is also some assorted accessories (though a fuku is hardly an accessory when you are Sailormoon). A couple gloves (not dirty, it's just the angles and lighting), couple wands, a couple tiaras... the discs belong to a long-gone gold locket that I do have a couple of still in package.
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All these (and more) need new homes as I'm going to a different country for an extended stay soon so send me a Flickr Mail message (access through the arrow that appears near my profile photo when mousing over it) if interested.
SoulRider.222 / Eric Rider © 2011
VEHICLE TYPE: mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door roadster
BASE PRICE: $313,350
ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injection
Displacement: 263 cu in, 4308cc
Power: 503 bhp @ 8500 rpm
Torque: 347 lb-ft @ 5250 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 6-speed manual with automated shifting and clutch
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 102.4 in
Length: 177.6 in
Width: 75.7 in Height: 47.9 in
Curb weight (C/D est): 3300 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST):
Zero to 60 mph: 3.4 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 11.5 sec
Top speed (redline limited): 196 mph
FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST):
EPA city/highway: 11/16 mpg
NUMBER MADE:
499
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Ferrari Ownership Requirements 12/7/2020
To own a Ferrari would fulfill the fantasy of many car enthusiasts. The famous Italian automaker excels in delivering luxury sports cars that bear a signature and unique exterior without sacrificing performance. This is only half of what makes the cars special though.
Ferrari's culture separates the company from other automakers in huge ways, affecting both its owners and the workers behind these miraculous machines. Although the company is one of the most valuable, it cares about something more than just earning money: it’s about making special cars that offer a driving experience unlike any other. When examining the company and its owners, it’s clear they’ve achieved this milestone, even after all these years.
Owners have to go to great lengths if they want the latest and greatest cars Ferrari churns out. Employees have to follow rules and regulations if they want to uphold the most important thing to Ferrari—which is not about making cars, but the brand itself. Whether one is a Ferrari owner or an employee that works at their factory plant, everyone has to follow the "Ferrari code."
It’s because of these rules that the brand is exclusive and widely coveted among car gurus today. If someone wants to own a Ferrari, they’re going to have to play by the company’s rules. The same goes for employees if they want to work at, what Autoblog notes, a company that won the award for Best Place to Work in Europe for 2007. We’re going to take a look at known rules both owners and employees have to follow if they want to remain in the good graces of Ferrari.
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20 - Owner Rule: Forced To Sign Contract Agreeing Not To Sell Car
People today become bombarded with agreements written in fine print. Most people don’t have the time or patience to read all that agreements detail though and decide to sign on the line regardless. According to Autoweek, Ferrari in the US makes their customers sign a contract upon purchasing a new vehicle.
In that agreement is a clause that prevents owners from reselling their car in the first year. The automaker makes buyers sign this in an attempt to discourage owners from flipping their cars. This is both a reminder to read the fine print and further demonstrates the automaker’s stringent protocol placed upon new owners.
19 - Employee Rule: Forbidden From Buying New Cars
Last September, Ferrari unveiled a pair of Roadsters long-time employees can appreciate. Even if the employees want the cars though and can afford them—tough luck. The Drive reports that the company makes their vehicles first and foremost available to the public.
One of Ferrari’s executives, Enrico Galliera, had this to say about employees getting second dibs on new cars: “The philosophy is that with such limited production and clients waiting so long to get their car, it's not nice if the car is delivered to employees.” The only exception to this rule are Scuderia Ferrari F1 drivers who can buy one from the company.
18 - Owner Rule: Leave The Logos Alone
Ferrari believes that as soon as their car rolls off the production line, it's perfect as is. There’s no shortage of Ferrari owners who feel differently though; here’s photographic proof of owners who took their Ferrari rides for granted. If Ferrari had it their way, they’d opt for owners to leave their iconic logos untouched.
According to Tech Dirt, the electronic DJ and artist Deadmau5 got in trouble for covering up his Ferrari logos with custom ones. His 458 Italia “Purrari” sports a blue vinyl wrap that has a Nyan cat painted on the side. It’s a move Ferrari supposedly issued a cease and desist order over.
17 - Employee Rule: Communicate On Their Terms
Ferrari has gone to extremes to sell cars before by tampering with some odometers on used cars, so it’s only natural they’d apply radical policies in the workplace as well. It appears that too many employees were reaching for the keyboard on too many occasions instead of opting for old fashioned face-to-face communication.
According to The Guardian, the executives at Ferrari advised their employees to “talk to each other more and write less.” Since it should be pretty easy for supervisors to monitor their employees’ computer activity, it's safe to assume workers adhere to this directive in order to stick around.
16 - Owner Rule: No Pink Ferraris
Ferrari isn’t fond of pink Ferraris. That’s what Executive Lifestyle reports, despite the company tolerating some customer paint jobs. The disapproval of pink came directly from Herbert Appleroth, the President and CEO of Ferrari Australia. “We do reject the exterior color pink,” Appleroth said, as per the same source.
He went on to say that Ferrari would never produce a pink car. Without a doubt, red is the most iconic color they wrap their cars in. At the same time, the company promotes the idea that no two Ferrari rides should be identical, they just wouldn't go so far as to stand out with a pink paint job.
15 - Employee Rule: No Discounts On Cars
Working for certain companies has its perks. For one, it allows employees to buy products made and sold by that company at a discounted rate. This luxury, however, is too generous to bestow upon Ferrari employees.
According to The Drive, should Scuderia Ferrari F1 drivers choose to purchase a personal Ferrari, they're required to pay full price for it. That puts them in an awkward position, considering it’d be hard to spot team members driving in anything else but a Ferrari; in a way, it forces their employees to invest back into the company without a price concession if they want to properly represent the brand.
14 - Owner Rule: Accept Ferrari’s Right To Buy Back Car
In an earlier entry, we noted that Ferrari in the US has made buyers sign a special contract. While that contract discouraged owners from selling their new Ferrari, it also adds another stipulation: the automaker can buy the vehicle back.
According to the site Car Keys, if someone wanted to get rid of their LaFerrari Aperta, it’s pursuant for Ferrari to purchase the vehicle back from the owner. It would appear that on the surface, Ferrari would rather the car go to someone who wants it instead of someone who doesn't. This is all part of that special contract owners may sign at the time of their purchase.
13 - Employee Rule: Sworn To Prevent Security Leaks
Whether someone is an actor in an upcoming Avengers movie or an employee at Apple, the bigwigs in charge want to keep details under lock and key—that includes any plot spoilers and future product releases. Ferrari is a similar company that’s always making new vehicles while wishing to work in secrecy.
To maintain a level of mystery, the whole operation depends on trustworthy employees. According to Kaspersky Lab Daily, something as simple as copying data to a USB drive has to go through an approval process. This in turn discourages employees from going routes that may lead to a security breach and exercises a higher level of caution.
12 - Owner Rule: Must Love The Ferrari Brand
The world is full of sides, clubs and camps. Those who are outside of them get picked on unless they join a team, while those inside a base pledge undying loyalty. Ferrari is no different. It’s more than just an automaker—it’s a special culture with its own philosophy, style and following.
As the site Car Guy points out, the company sifts through applicants and chooses who gets to buy certain models because they want to make sure their cars are properly taken care of. It’s a sure bet they’re going to pick someone who’s not just a Ferrari fan, but also lives and bleeds the brand.
11 - Employee Rule: Prohibited From Sending Certain Group Emails
Expanding further on an earlier point, Ferrari went to great lengths to crack down on employees emailing more instead of talking to each other. As a means to curb digital communication so that employees would talk to each other directly, they added terms to sending emails.
As per The Guardian, a spokesman for Ferrari said, “From now on, each Ferrari employee will only be able to send the same email to three people in-house.” This must have been a wake up call for employees at the time and discouraged them from falling into old habits of CCing everyone in the whole company on a single thread.
10 - Owner Rule: Buy Not One, Not Two, But Multiple Ferraris
Owning a Ferrari isn’t exactly enough to be a part of the club. As the site Car Guypoints out, it’s more suitable to own several Ferrari cars before one feels part of the bunch. That narrows down the list of potential owners to only a handful around the world with how much they cost.
Even older models are going up in value, as the 1964 Ferrari Prototype demonstrates. The same source points out that the most committed owners, at minimum, are the ones who upgrade their old Ferrari to a newer model. It’s not enough to purchase a one-off Ferrari and call it a day if someone wants to be a true fan.
9 - Employee Rule: Required To Wear Red And White Uniforms
An amusement park can make its employees wear costumes that match the park’s theme; a restaurant may have its employees wear a vest and bow tie; an office requires business casual attire. Ferrari is like most jobs, requiring its employees adhere to a dress code.
According to Freep, those on the manufacturing campus must wear red and white uniforms. They have the company’s iconic yellow logo stitched on, which unites all the employees under the same banner and purpose. There are plenty of people around the world who would love to wear these uniforms, but only a select number ever get to suit up in one.
8 - Owner Rule: Be Older Than 40
Despite Ferrari being one of the most famous car brands today, many people aren’t aware of its history or the automaker's philosophy. There are so many facts about the legendary automaker, we dedicated a whole piece to things most people don't know about Ferrari.
It’s not unusual for potential owners to go through a rigorous process that feels commensurate to a background check. According to the site Car Keys, automaker won’t hesitate to request a customer’s history of ownership for review. Even more, the same source suggests that Ferrari dealers are more likely to sell a car to a new owner who’s over the age of 40.
7 - Employee Rule: Formula 1 Team Must Win
When Scuderia Ferrari struggles, it affects the whole company. The site News.com.au reports that despite being the "most iconic team” in Formula 1 racing, Ferrari was unable to secure a Grand Prix win in 2016. The team only has one remedy when this happens: winning.
As F1-Fansite points out, they were able to bounce back in early 2017, with Vettel winning the first race and securing 5 race wins. The Formula 1 team not only represents the automaker but carries the pride of the entire brand. It’s important that they do well in order for the brand to continue thriving.
6 - Owner Rule: Treat Fellow Ferrari Owners Like Family
Buying a car from certain automakers, such as Tesla, Porsche or Ferrari, feels like joining a family. When someone purchases a Ferrari, they enter into a brotherhood and sisterhood alongside fellow owners. As the site the Car Guy notes, entering into the Ferrari fraternity means that owners help each other when the need arises.
This is one of those unspoken rules the automaker hopes and expects its customers will follow. Even outsiders who don’t own one may find it easy to support someone who does as an expression of their admiration towards the brand. Ferrari owners got to stick together.
5 - Employee Rule: Must Adopt The “Formula Uomo” Philosophy
The company not only cares about its customers, but its employees too. They recognize that these are the people that make it all possible. Autoblog reports that Ferrari launched a project called “Formula Uomo” in the 1990s which lays down many of the tenants employees live and breathe by.
The same source notes that this philosophy deals with the working conditions, one’s professional growth and personal benefits. Each individual is important and must embody these principles in order for the whole enterprise to work properly. As a Ferrari employee, “Formula Uomo” lays the groundwork for one’s success while working there.
4 - Owner Rule: Must Have Fame, Fortune And More
To own some of the world’s best supercars, all it takes is a lot of dough. If that wasn’t enough though, Ferrari raises the bar on what they expect from their owners. Part of what makes their cars so exclusive are the limited number they make. Take the LaFerrari for example, which Wired reports only 499 exist.
In order for their cars to get attention, they have to give them to owners who can not only afford them but put them in the spotlight. The same source notes that even high-profile buyers who applied for the vehicle weren't able to land one.
3 - Employee Rule: “Clients First”
Ferrari cares about its customers. The company doesn’t treat its clientele as a dollar sign—although they do get a lot of money for the cars they deliver—but instead seeks to make a bond with its owners. The company is like a father who’s entrusted his child with the keys to the treasured car.
They want to know their cars are in good hands, which is possible through respect. That’s why they make clients a priority. The Drive reports that Enrico Galliera, a Ferrari executive said, “It is clients first.” Behind those words is a whole company of employees who live by this aim.
2 - Owner Rule: Respect Ferrari’s Way Of Doing Things
No one likes obeying rules. If there’s a realm with enough rules as it is, it’s driving on the road. The last thing people want is more rules they have to follow as a car owner. Under the Ferrari umbrella though, there are lots of expectations one has to follow as an owner.
That means going with their unique way of doing things. The site Car Keys reports that the automaker’s politics, including their selection process for who they deem is eligible to purchase limited edition cars, is one such rule owners have to follow. It may not be easy to accept, but it’s part of playing the game.
1 - Employee Rule: Protect The Brand At All Times
Ferrari has managed to be an independent automaker over the years while still making loads of money. Part of what makes them so successful is the brand’s reputation, which is about making flawless cars that perform well.
One of the executives, Stefano Lai, as per Freep said, “My job is to protect the brand as much as possible.” This is a principal that trickles down to employees, affecting their conduct and the image they project in and out of the workplace. Many employees likely have the Ferrari logo on them throughout the day, making them an extension of the company wherever they go. That means they have to watch what they say and do since they represent the company’s image.
Sources: Autoblog , Tech Dirt , Wired , Executive Lifestyle , Car Guy , Car Keys , Autoweek , The Drive , Freep, News.com.au , F1-Fansite.
www.hotcars.com/rules-ferrari-owners-must-follow-and-the-...
Without mysteries life would be very dull indeed.
What would be left to strive for if everything were known?
Charles de Lint
Stop Adani protest in Brisbane on 8 December 2018
“If built, Adani’s Carmichael mine will:
One: Destroy the ancestral lands, waters and cultures of Indigenous people without their consent.
Two: Allow 500 more coal ships to travel through the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area every year for 60 years.
Three: Get access to 270 billion litres of Queensland's precious groundwater for 60 years, for free.
Four: Risk damaging aquifers of the Great Artesian Basin.
Five: Add 4.6 billion tonnes of carbon pollution to our atmosphere.”
www.stopadani.com/why_stop_adani
#StopAdani and move Australia beyond coal
--------- Photo never published until now! On flickr 21 September 2019. Photo by Stephen Hass – Using Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License. Protest began outside the Adani Brisbane office then marched to Queensland Parliament House to protest outside. Stop Adani protests were held in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Cairns on 8 December 2018. ---------
“Critically, if allowed to go ahead, Adani’s Carmichael coal mine will unlock the Galilee Basin - one of the world's largest untouched coal reserves - paving the way for at least eight more coal mines to be built. All at a time when scientists are warning we can't build any more fossil fuel infrastructure if we want to avoid catastrophic global heating.” www.stopadani.com/why_stop_adani
“Diplomatic officials from countries that I speak with see Australia as a denialist government,” he said. “It’s just accepted that’s what it is. It is seen as doing its own promotion of coal and natural gas against the science.” www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/sep/25/australian...
“On top of commitments from Australia's big four banks, another 35 financial institutions have ruled out investing in Adani, including four of the world’s biggest banks.” www.stopadani.com/stop_adani_money
“When the Federal LNP Government announced a billion-dollar taxpayer handout to help Adani build their coal rail line, our movement swung into action.” “we succeeded: our sustained pressure pushed the new Queensland government to veto the $1 billion loan to Adani’s coal rail project in December.” www.stopadani.com/stopped_the_naif_loan
“Greenhouse gas emissions have been rising in Australia since the Coalition repealed Labor’s carbon price despite the country’s commitments to reduce pollution under the Paris agreement. Total national emissions have increased each year since 2014.”
www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/sep/25/morrison-r...
“Scott Morrison is increasingly seen as running a “denialist government” that is not serious about finding a global climate solution and uses “greenwash” to meet its emissions commitments, analysts and former diplomats say.” www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/sep/25/australian...
“Richie Merzian, a former climate diplomat who now works at progressive thinktank the Australian Institute, said Australia was seen by other countries as denying the severity of the problem and in engaging in “greenwashing” by using accounting tricks to meet targets while actual emissions increased.” www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/sep/25/australian...
“A report backed by the world’s major climate science bodies released on the eve of the summit found current plans would lead to a rise in average global temperatures of between 2.9C and 3.4C by 2100, a shift likely to bring catastrophic change across the globe.” www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/sep/25/australian...
Critical News Update 21 July 2021 : Great Barrier Reef could soon be listed as ‘in danger’ by the World Heritage Committee.
www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jul/21/coalition-bel...
Critical News Update 23 July 2021 :
www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jul/23/whether-or-no...
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Jamaa el Fna (Arabic: ساحة جامع الفناء jâmiʻ al-fanâʼ) is a square and market place in Marrakesh's medina quarter (old city). The origin of its name is unclear: Jemaa means "congregational mosque" in Arabic, probably referring to a destroyed Almoravid mosque. "Fanâʼ" or "finâ'" can mean "death" or "a courtyard, space in front of a building." Thus, one meaning could be "The mosque or assembly of death," or "The Mosque at the End of the World". A more likely explanation is that it refers to a mosque with a distinctive courtyard or square in front of it. Marrakesh was founded by the Almoravids 1070-1072. After a destructive struggle, it was falling to the Almohads in 1147. Following this, Jamaa el Fna was renovated along with much of the city. The city walls were also extended by Abou Yacoub Youssef and particularly by Yacoub el Mansour 1147-1158. The surrounding mosque, palace, hospital, parade ground and gardens around the edges of the marketplace were also overhauled, and the Kasbah was fortified. Subsequently, with the fortunes of the city, Jamaa el Fna saw periods of decline and also renewal. The place remains the main square of Marrakesh, used by locals and tourists. During the day it is predominantly occupied by orange juice stalls, youths with chained Barbary apes, water sellers in colourful costumes with traditional leather water-bags and brass cups, and snake charmers who will pose for photographs for tourists. As the day progresses, the entertainment on offer changes: the snake charmers depart, and late in the day the square becomes more crowded, with Chleuh dancing-boys (it would be against custom for girls to provide such entertainment), story-tellers (telling their tales in Berber or Arabic, to an audience of appreciative locals), magicians, and peddlers of traditional medicines. As darkness falls, the square fills with dozens of food-stalls as the number of people on the square peaks. The square is edged along one side by the Marrakesh souk, a traditional North African market catering both for the common daily needs of the locals, and for the tourist trade. On other sides are hotels and gardens and cafe terraces offering an escape from the noise and confusion of the square. Once a bus station, the place was closed to vehicle traffic in the early 2000s. The authorities are well aware of its importance to the tourist trade, and a strong but discreet police presence ensures the safety of visitors. The idea of the UNESCO project Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity came from people concerned about the Jamaa el Fna. The place is known for its active concentration of traditional activities by storytellers, musicians and performers, but it was threatened by economic development pressures. In fighting for the protection of traditions, the residents called for action on an international level, to recognize the need for the protection of such places - termed "cultural spaces" - and other popular and traditional forms of cultural expression. UNESCO encourages communities to identify, document, protect, promote and revitalize such heritage. The UNESCO label aims to raise awareness about the importance of oral and intangible heritage as an essential component of cultural diversity. The spectacle of Jamaa el Fna is repeated daily and each day it is different. Everything changes - voices, sounds, gestures, the public which sees, listens, smells, tastes, touches. The oral tradition is framed by one much vaster - that we can call intangible. The Square, as a physical space, shelters a rich oral and intangible tradition.
Jamaâ El Fna (en arabe : جامع الفناء, littéralement en français: "assemblée des trépassés" est une place située à Marrakech à côté de la mosquée Koutoubia. Ce haut-lieu touristique attire sans cesse plus d'un million de visiteurs venus pour assister aux spectacles animés par les charmeurs de serpents, les dresseurs de singes, les conteurs, les musiciens et d’autres artistes populaires, jeux, dessin au henné, etc... du début de soirée jusqu'à l'appel de la prière de l'aube. L'espace culturel de la place Jemaa el-Fna a été inscrit par l’UNESCO en 2001 en tant que patrimoine culturel immatériel de l'humanité. Elle se distingue aussi par des orateurs qui racontent des histoires ou vantent les mérites de produits magiques. Son nom de "assemblée des trépassés" vient du fait qu'elle servait autrefois à l'exposition, sur ordre du Sultan, des têtes des condamnés à mort qui venaient d'être exécutés. Certains jours, on pouvait ainsi compter jusqu'à quarante-cinq têtes. Elle est le théâtre d'une explosion meurtrière le 28 avril 20113. L’attentat, provoqué par une bombe actionnée à distance dont l'auteur présumé a été arrêté le 5 mai 2011, a fait 17 morts dont 8 français.
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The full portfolio available from Stock photography by Tim Large at Alamy
Photographer:- Tim Large
purpleport.com/portfolio/timlarge/
Location:- Portishead, North Somerset, England.
©Timothy Large - TA Craft Photography
Mariah Carey - Touch My Body
Mariah Carey (born March 27, 1969 or 1970) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. In 1990, she rose to fame with the release of "Vision of Love" from her eponymous debut album. The album produced four chart-topping singles in the US and began what would become a string of commercially successful albums which solidified the singer as Columbia's highest selling act. Carey and Boyz II Men spent a record sixteen weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 in 1995–96 with "One Sweet Day," which remains the longest-running number-one song in US chart history. Following a contentious divorce from Sony Music head Tommy Mottola, Carey adopted a new image and traversed towards hip hop with the release of Butterfly (1997). In 1998, she was honored as the world's best-selling recording artist of the 1990s at the World Music Awards and subsequently named the best-selling female artist of the millennium in 2000.
Carey parted with Columbia in 2000, and signed a record-breaking $100 million recording contract with Virgin Records America. In the weeks prior to the release of her film Glitter and its accompanying soundtrack in 2001, she suffered a physical and emotional breakdown and was hospitalized for severe exhaustion. The project was poorly received and led to a general decline in the singer's career. Carey's recording contract was bought out for $50 million by Virgin and she signed a multi-million dollar deal with Island Records the following year. After a relatively unsuccessful period, she returned to the top of music charts with The Emancipation of Mimi (2005). The album became the best-selling album in the US and the second best-seller worldwide in 2005 and produced "We Belong Together," which became her most successful single of the 2000s, and was later named "Song of the Decade" by Billboard. Carey once again ventured into film with a well-received supporting role in Precious (2009), and was awarded the "Breakthrough Performance Award" at the Palm Springs International Film Festival.
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View at Felix Gonzalez-Torres "Specific Objects without Specific Form" retrospective at Wiels, february 2010.
WIELS premieres a major traveling retrospective of Felix Gonzalez-Torres’ oeuvre, including both rarely seen and more known artworks, while proposing an experimental form for the exhibition that is indebted to the artist’s own radical conception of the artwork.
Gonzalez-Torres (American, b. Cuba 1957-1996), one of the most influential artists of his generation, settled in New York in the early 1980s, where he studied art and began his practice as an artist before his untimely death of AIDS related complications. His work can be seen in critical relationship to Conceptual art and Minimalism, mixing political activism, emotional affect, and deep formal concerns in a wide range of media, including drawings, sculpture, and public billboards*, often using ordinary objects as a starting point—clocks, mirrors, light fixtures. Amongst his most famous artworks are his piles of candy and paper stacks from which viewers are allowed to take away a piece. They are premised, like so much of what he did, on instability and potential for change: artworks without an already preset or specific form. The result is a profoundly human body of work, intimate and vulnerable even as it destabilizes so many seemingly unshakable certainties (the artwork as fixed, the exhibition as a place to look but not touch, the author as the ultimate form-giver).
To present the oeuvre of an artist who put fragility, the passage of time, and the questioning of authority at the center of his artworks, the exhibition will be entirely re-installed at each of its venues halfway through its duration by a different invited artist whose practice has been informed by Felix Gonzalez-Torres’ work. A first version of Felix Gonzalez-Torres. Specific Objects without Specific Form by curator Elena Filipovic will open to the public and on March 5, 2010, the artist Danh Vo will re-install the exhibition, effectively making an entirely new show.
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EHANG GHOST SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES: Transmitter: PCM or 2.4GHz (at least Six Channels), Battery: 5400mah Li-po battery, Flight Precision: ± 0.5meters, Maximum angle of rotation: 360°, Drone Speed: 6 - 15meters/second, Control distance: 1000 meters (With G-Box Bluetooth), G-Box: 433mHz, 80mw, standard Bluetooth communication device, Flight time: Without guard rings and camera: about 26 minutes, With guard rings and without camera: about 14 minutes, Without guard rings and with camera: about 20 minutes, Drone Weight: With guard rings - 790 grams, 5400 mAh Battery: 320 grams, 2700mAh Battery: 180 grams, Gimbal: 225grams, 3-blade propeller: 10 grams per piece, Guard ring: 40 grams per piece, HD Camera: 60 grams, Landing gear: 31 grams per piece, Diagonal Distance: 36.0 cm, Motor: EHang EH9812 and EH9812R (reversible Motor), Drone Height: 10.0 cm, Height with Landing Gears: 19.0 cm, Battery: XT60 connector, 3-cells, 11.1 Volts, 5400 mAh, Li-po, GPS: UBlox 6M parallele compacted compass, Wind Resistance: < 10.7 meters /second, Night mode has LED lights to track drone in the sky, The Pilot can integrate with a third-party recording monitor to preview the photos and videos as the drone is flying, The G-BOX is a wireless interface unit designed specifically for controlling and interfacing with the GHOST Drone. The GHOST App cannot operate the Ghost without a G-BOX, Independently Flight Control System with ultra-fast processing capacity enable quick response at millisecond level. Ehang Ghost 2D Gimbal: extremely stable and high-precision Gimbal made of aircraft aluminum alloy material. Simple overall design makes the gimbal light and stable even the drone is heavily shaking, AUTO-RETURN: Auto return mode will be activated if the connection is lost, DATA SYNC: Flight data os the Drone’s current condition shows in the App, within 1000 meters-communication distance, POINT-TO-POINT FLYING: point the finger on the map and the Drone flies to that spot. No more “blind Flying”, TILT MODE: Tilt mode is an innovation to realize leveraging gestures to control the Drone, ONE-CLICK HOVER COMMAND: One-click hover command plays as a brake tohold Ghost at its current spot in the air for emergency situation, MICRO CONTROL MODE: It can adjust the Drone’s position in any direction over shorter distances, AUTO FOLOW MODE: The Ghost will automatically folow the Pilot when he/she makes turns and change direction, always keeping the camera on the Pilot. Original Ehang Ghost 3-Leaf CW/CCW Propeller, Propeller Guards, Motor and Propeller Assembled, Original Motor: EHang EH9812, Ehang EH9812R, (Reversible Motor). GPS - UBlox 6M compacted compass, Battery Charger (Ehang Ghost), Flight Controll Board (Ehang Ghost) G-Box: 433mHz, 80mw, Standard Bluetooth, 3S Battery, 11.1 volts, 5400 mAh, Li-po, ESC - Electronic Speed Controller (Ehang Ghost), Available Models: 1 - EHang Ghost Basic, 2 - Ghost Aerial with 2D gimbal and 3 - Ghost Aerial Plus with HD camera. Ehang Ghost: Deep and Vivid Colors.
IDEAFLY APOLLO SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES: Cool Appearance and Convenient for Carrying: the portable, streamlined design reflects the aesthetics of its industrial design, while also allowing the Pilot to easily pack it into a backpack for transport. Precise Hovering and Self-leveling with GPS: IdeaFly Apollo has an integrated flight control system including compass and GPS that provide precise position hold, fail safe and semi-autopilot. The aircraft flies stably under the control of iFly, barometer and GPS. Fail-Safe Mode: If the Apollo loses the signal from the controller for any reason or reaches preset 100 meter high or 300 meter distance limits, the return to home feature will initialize. The aircraft will ascend to 18 meters, then make a straight-line course back to the home position specified during GPS calibration. Once home the Quadcopter will safely descend to the ground and power itself off. 2 Axis Stabilization Gimbal: IdeaFly Apollo has an external adjustable gimbal designed for Boscam and GoPro cameras. Other similar light weight camera can also be mounted on the gimbal. Compared to those simple camera mounts that come with the kits made by other manufacturers, the gimbal on Apollo is controlled by the flight controller system and is self-leveling. A pilot can also tilt the camera to look up and down by turning the position on the transmitter. The Pilot conveniently capture flight footage for exciting POV shots. 2.4GHz Transmitter included: IdeaFly Apollo contains a remote controller and receiver, which help the Pilot avoid the inconvenience of purchasing such things. The only thing needed to do is to add TX batteries (8 x AA dry cell or NiMH). Stabilized Manual, Auto Hover, and Return to Home Modes: The IdeaFly Apollo quadcopter has three different flight modes. The stabilized manual mode is semi-autopilot and a pilot has more control than other modes. In auto hover mode the quadcopter will stop as soon as you release the controls, and will stay hovering at a fixed horizontal and vertical position. This setting is the easiest to fly and is generally preferred for shooting video as the Quadcopter won't drift or be as susceptible to wind gusts. If return to home mode is trigged the aircraft will return the takeoff position automatically. To work Return to Home requires proper calibration and connection to more than four GPS satellites. Low Voltage Protection : The IdeaFly Apollo offers two levels of low voltage protection, a function of the iFly autopilot system. It prevents your multi-rotor from crashing or other harmful consequences caused by low battery voltage. In the first level of protection, the LED indicator blinks red to warn the Pilot. In the second level protection the system will trigger the aircraft to land automatically. High-Intensity LED Indicators: LED status light on quadcopter provides with various kinds of feedback and warnings. Colors alternate between red, blue and purple and can either be flashing or solid.
PGB Photographer & Creative - © 2022 Philip Romeyn - Phillostar Gone Ballistic 2021 - Photo may not be edited from its original form. Commercial use is prohibited without contacting me.
Without admitting or denying anything, I'd just like to say that some studies show that rich, dark chocolate may actually be good for you, being a mono unsaturated fatty acid... 8-)
Copyright © 2014 Ruggero Poggianella Photostream
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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.
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Le Giulia Granturismo - da cui GT - (da principio denominate Giulia Sprint GT) erano la versione coupé della berlina Alfa Romeo Giulia. La produzione iniziò nel 1963, fu il primo modello coupé (la berlina, Giulia TI, era già in produzione presso tale stabilimento) costruito nell'appena terminato stabilimento Alfa ad Arese, la produzione terminerà solo nel 1976. La carrozzeria, opera di Giorgetto Giugiaro per conto della Bertone, andava a coprire il pianale, con passo accorciato da 251 a 235cm, della Giulia Berlina. Sostituendo la Giulietta Sprint,da cui derivano i due volumi e mezzo, mantenne invariata anche la classica collocazione motore e cambio anteriore, con trazione posteriore. Il design era di una filante ed elegante coupé sportiva 2+2. Il curioso scalino anteriore che caratterizzava tutte le versioni prodotte fino al 1968 e parte di quelle prodotte fino al 1971 era dovuto ad un ripensamento tra l'approvazione del disegno e la messa in produzione dell'auto. Originariamente, infatti, doveva essere una presa d'aria poi abolita per contenere i costi. Ne ha definito una importante e riconoscibile caratteristica stilistica. Divenne una delle vetture più ambite del periodo. Furono prodotte in tutto diverse versioni nelle varie serie, che si possono classificare in: Sprint GT, GT Junior, GT Veloce e GTC "(Gran Turismo Cabriolet)".
Nel 1963 venne presentata la Giulia Sprint GT (serie 105.02), mossa dal quattro cilindri in alluminio con distribuzione bi-albero di 1570cm³ (serie AR00502) derivato dalla berlina, ma potenziato (grazie all'adozione di due carburatori) a 106cv. La meccanica era la stessa della berlina, ma i freni erano a disco su tutte le ruote (le prime 22000 berline 1600 Ti avevano freni a tamburo di cui gli anteriori a tre ganasce, poi nel 1963 a disco Dunlop come la coupé). Gli interni, invece, erano specifici (plancia, sedili, pannelli porta) e la leva del cambio (a 5 rapporti) era a cloche, solo optional sulla berlina. Nel 1965 la carrozzeria Touring di Milano propose all'Alfa Romeo una (esteticamente riuscita) versione cabriolet a 4 posti, denominata Giulia Sprint GTC. I problemi di tenuta all'acqua, le difficoltà della Touring ed il lancio della spider Duetto limitarono la diffusione della GTC a un migliaio di esemplari. Nel 1966, accanto alle versioni Sprint GT con motore di 1,6 litri, entrò in listino una versione di cilindrata ridotta a 1290 cm³, motore serie 00530, dotato di 89cv, denominata Giulia GT 1300 Junior (serie 105.30). La Junior aveva un allestimento ridotto: pavimento in gomma, assenza di servofreno, plancia in plastica priva di consolle centrale, borchie copri ruota semplificate, sedili meno profilati. Riconosciuta come Prima Serie. Nel 1969 le Junior (che persero il nome Giulia per chiamarsi semplicemente GT 1300 Junior) pur mantenendo lo "scalino" vennero dotate di servofreno e di una nuova plancia (simile a quella della GT 1750 Veloce). Questa versione è conosciuta come Seconda Serie.
Nel 1971 le GT Junior adottarono il frontale re stilizzato e privo di scalino, e i parafanghi posteriori con profilo più alto, uniformandosi nella scocca alla 1750 GT Veloce e alla GT 2000 Veloce. L'uniformazione, tuttavia, non fu totale perché le Junior avevano fari singoli (anziché doppi) e una diversa mascherina.
Col restyling, comunque, la gamma "Junior" guadagnò un motore: accanto al 1300 da 89cv era infatti disponibile il 1600 da 109cv (quello 00536 che fu della 1600 Veloce), ora divenuto solo Junior. Infatti la sigla "Veloce" ha sempre caratterizzato i modelli più potenti dal 1968 fu riservato alla 1750 e successivamente anche alla 2000. Questa versione è riconosciuta come la Terza Serie. Nel 1973 tutte le GT subirono l'unificazione estetica con la versione GT 2000 Veloce introdotta nel 1971. anche le GT 1300 Junior e le GT 1600 Junior adottarono la stessa mascherina cromata a quattro fari, una plancia e interni e sedili pressoché uguali a quelli della GT 2000 Veloce, differenziandosi quasi esclusivamente per i fanali posteriori più piccoli. Questa versione è conosciuta come Quarta serie oppure Unificato.
Copyright © 2012 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.
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Chella (anticamente Sala Colonia in latino, oggi in arabo شالة) è un sito archeologico a nord di Rabat, in Marocco. Il sito è la prova della più antica presenza umana nel delta del fiume Bou Regreg, lungo le cui rive Fenici e Cartaginesi stanziarono diverse basi. A circa 3 km dal centro, il complesso si trova al di fuori delle mura della città e occupa il sito della romana Sala, su una bassa collina coperta di vegetazione, rifugio delle cicogne nella stagione riproduttiva. Gli scavi hanno rivelato la presenza di un importante agglomerato e infatti Chella conserva le vestigia di una città romana, con i resti del Decumano Massimo, di un foro presso il quale si riconoscono le tracce della Curia, di una fontana monumentale e di un arco di trionfo. Il sito rimase poi in stato di abbandono per diversi secoli, fino a che i Merinidi lo scelsero per edificarvi la loro necropoli. Circondata da una cinta di mura fortificate, ad essa si accede attraverso una porta monumentale, riccamente decorata e aperta ad arco acuto, ai cui lati sono poste due massicce torri merlate semi-ottagonali. Nella parte superiore del portale è presente un’iscrizione in caratteri cufici, dalla quale si apprende che la costruzione dello stesso fu intrapresa dal sultano Abu Said (1310-31) e terminata nel 1339 sotto il regno di Abu el-Hassan, il più grande sultano della sua dinastia. All’interno della necropoli si trovano alcune tombe di marabout e, presso una sorgente trasformata in fontana per abluzioni, la necropoli reale con la tomba di Abu el-Hassan, la cui stele, finemente decorata, è sovrastata da una tettoia a muqarnas. Nelle vicinanze sono presenti la moschea di Abu Yussef Yacub con un minareto decorato con maioliche policrome ora in rovina e una zaouia con un oratorio. Nella terrazza ai piedi del complesso si estende un incantevole giardino alimentato dalle acque della vicina sorgente Ayn Mdafa, che serpeggia nell’incavo della valletta.
Le Chellah, ou Chella (en arabe : شالة), est le site d'une nécropole mérinide située sur l'emplacement d'une cité romaine, à Rabat, au Maroc. Depuis 2005, ce site accueille chaque année le festival Jazz au Chellah. Le site du Chellah fut sans doute la plus ancienne agglomération humaine à l'embouchure du Bou Regreg. Les Phéniciens et les Carthaginois, qui ont fondé plusieurs comptoirs au Maroc, ont probablement habité les bords du Bouregreg. Le Chellah conserve, en revanche, les vestiges d'une ville romaine. Les fouilles ont révélé la présence d'une agglomération d'une certaine importance ; celle de la ville citée sous les noms de Sala, par Ptolémée, et de Sala Colonia, dans l'itinéraire d'Antonin. Les restes du Decumanus Maximus, ou voie principale, ont été dégagés ainsi que ceux d'un forum, d'une fontaine monumentale, d'un arc de triomphe, d'une basilique chrétienne, etc. La voie principale de Sala a été suivie par des sondages exécutés en direction du port antique sur le Bouregreg, port aujourd'hui ensablé. Ainsi, la ville romaine dépassait l'enceinte mérinide en direction du fleuve. Les Banou Ifren s'emparèrent de la ville2 au XIe siècle, et elle fut une de leurs métropoles jusqu'à ce que qu'elle passe sous le pouvoir des Almoravides. Le Chellah était abandonné depuis plusieurs siècles quand les Mérinides choisirent son site pour y édifier leur nécropole. Comme l'indique l'inscription en écriture coufique, qui surmonte la porte d'entrée, les travaux ont été achevés en 1339, sous le règne d'Abû al-Hasan `Alî. L'occupation du site a été progressive, et les aménagements successifs ont abouti à la réalisation d'une somptueuse nécropole. Protégée par une enceinte importante à laquelle on accède par une porte monumentale, la nécropole mérinide contient notamment une salle d'ablutions, une zaouïa avec un oratoire, un minaret paré de zellige et plusieurs salles funéraires, telle celle d'Aboul Hassan dont la stèle, finement décorée, repose sous un auvent à mouqanas. Plus tard, Abû `Inân Fâris, son fils, affecta, pour l'entretenir, les revenus d'un bain mérinide de Rabat, le hammâm Ej-Jdîd. La porte de la nécropole est une porte majestueuse et guerrière. Puissante, elle est flanquée de deux bastions semi-octogonaux avec des encorbellements surmontés de merlons pointus. Cette porte de forteresse ouvre sur une petite oasis, un havre de paix d'une dizaine d'hectares où la tranquillité des lieux est interrompue de temps à autre par le claquement de bec des cigognes. Paysage clos et enchanteur, jardin à l'atmosphère magique où le sanctuaire du fondateur est au creux d'un vallon dans lequel serpente la source d'Aïn Mdafa.
Chellah, (Arabic: شالة) or Sala Colonia is a necropolis and complex of ancient Roman Mauretania Tingitana and medieval ruins at the outskirts of Rabat, Morocco. First spot of Salé, this latter was completed towards the north of the river. It is the most ancient human settlement on the mouth of the Bou Regreg River. The Phoenicians and the Carthaginians, who founded several colonies in Morocco, probably inhabited the banks of the Bou Regreg. Chellah is the site of the ruins of the Roman town known as Sala Colonia, referred to as Sala by Ptolemy. Excavations show an important port city with ruined Roman architectural elements including a decumanus maximus or principal Roman way, a forum and a triumphal arch. One of the two main Roman roads in Morocco reached the Atlantic through Iulia Constantia Zilil (Asilah), Lixus (Larache) and Sala Colonia. Another may have been built toward south, from Sala Colonia to modern Casablanca, then called Anfa. The Romans had two main naval ouposts on the Atlantic: Sala near modern Rabat and Mogador in north of Agadir. Roman expeditions sailed from there to find the Canary islands. The site was abandoned in 1154 in favour of nearby Salé. The Almohad dynasty used the ghost town as a necropolis. In the mid-14th century, a Merinid sultan, Abu l-Hasan, built monuments and the main gate, dated to 1339. These later Merinid additions included a mosque, a zawiya, and royal tombs, including that of Abu l-Hasan. Many structures in Chellah/Sala Colonia were damaged by the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. The site has been converted to a garden and tourist venue.
No visit to Cambodia is complete without attending at least one traditional Khmer dance performance, often referred to as 'Apsara Dance' after one of the most popular Classical dance pieces. Traditional Khmer dance is better described as 'dance-drama' in that the dances are not merely dance but are also meant to convey a story or message. There are four main modern genres of traditional Khmer dance: 1) Classical Dance, also known as Court or Palatine Dance (lakhon preah reach troap or lakhon luong); 2) Shadow theater (sbeik thom and sbeik toot); 3) Lakhon Khol (all-male masked dance-drama.); 4) Folk Dance (Ceremonial and Theatrical).
As evidenced in part by the innumerable apsaras (celestial dancers) that adorn the walls of Angkorian and pre-Angkorian temples, dance has been part of Khmer culture for well more than a millennium, though there have been ruptures in the tradition over the centuries, making it impossible to precisely trace the source of the tradition. Much of traditional dance (especially Classical) is inspired by Angkorian-era art and themes, but the tradition has not been passed unbroken from the age of Angkor. Most traditional dances seen today were developed in the 18th through 20th centuries, beginning in earnest with a mid-19th century revival championed by King Ang Duong (reigned 1841-1869). Subsequent Kings and other Khmer Royals also strongly supported the arts and dance, most particularly Queen Sisowath Kossamak Nearireach (retired King Norodom Sihanouk's mother) in the mid-20th century, who not only fostered a resurgence in the study and development of Khmer traditional dance, but also helped move it out of the Palace and popularize it. Queen Sisowath Kossamak trained her grand daughter Princess Bopha Devi in the art of traditional dance from early childhood, who went on to become the face of Khmer traditional dance in the 1950s and 60s both in Cambodia and around the world. Many traditional dances that are seen in performances today were developed and refined between the 1940s and 1960s under the guidance and patronage of Queen Sisowath Kossamak at the Conservatory of Performing Arts and the Royal University of Fine Arts in Phnom Penh. Almost all of the Theatrical Folk dances that are presented in modern performances were developed during this period. Like so much of Cambodian art and culture, traditional dance was almost lost under the brutal repression of the Khmer Rouge regime of the late 1970s, only to be revived and reconstructed in the 1980s and 90s due, in large part, to the extraordinary efforts of Princess Bopha Devi.
Classical dance, including the famous 'Apsara dance,' has a grounded, subtle, even restrained, yet feather-light, ethereal appearance. Distinct in its ornate costuming, taut posture, arched back and feet, fingers flexed backwards, codified facial expressions, slow, close, deliberate but flowing movements, Classical dance is uniquely Khmer. It presents themes and stories inspired primarily by the Reamker (the Cambodian version of the Indian classic, the Ramayana) and the Age of Angkor.
Folk Dance come in two forms: ceremonial and theatrical. As a general rule, only Theatrical Folk Dance is presented in public performances, with Ceremonial Folk Dances reserved for particular rituals, celebrations and holidays. Theatrical Folk Dances such as the popular Good Harvest Dance and the romantic Fishing Dance are usually adaptations of dances found in the countryside or inspired by rural life and practices. Most of the Theatrical Folk Dances that are seen in performances today were developed at the Royal University of Fine Arts in Phnom Penh in the 1960s as part of an effort to preserve and perpetuate Khmer culture and arts.
Shadow theatre comes in two forms: Sbeik Thom (big puppets that are actually panels depicting certain characters from the story) and Sbeik Toot (small articulated puppets). The black leather puppets are held in front of a light source, either in front or behind a screen, creating a shadow or silhouette effect. Sbeik Thom is the more uniquely Cambodian, more formal of the two types, restricting itself to stories from the Reamker. The performance is accompanied by a pin peat orchestra and narration, and the puppeteers are silent, moving the panels with dance-like movements. Sbeik Toot has a far lighter feel, presenting popular stories of heroes, adventures, love and battles, with or without orchestra and with the puppeteers often doing the narration.
Lakhon Khol is all male masked theatre presenting exclusively stories from the Reamker.
Most dance performances in Siem Reap offer a mixture of Classical and Theatrical Folk dances. A few venues offer Shadow Theater. Many of the dance performances in Siem Reap consist of 4-6 individual dances, often opening with an Apsara Dance, followed by two other Classical dances and two or three Theatrical Folk dances. The Apsara Dance is a Classical dance inspired by the apsara carvings and sculptures of Angkor and developed in the late 1940s by Queen Sisowath Kossamak. Her grand daughter and protégé, Princess Bopha Devi, was the first star of the Apsara Dance. The central character of the dance, the apsara Mera, leads her coterie of apsaras through a flower garden where they partake of the beauty of the garden. The movements of the dance are distinctly Classical yet, as the dance was developed for theatrical presentation, it is shorter and a bit more relaxed and flowing than most Classical dances, making it both an excellent example of the movements, manner and spirit of Classical dance and at the same time particularly accessible to a modern audience unaccustomed to the style and stories of Khmer dance-drama.
Another extremely popular dance included in most traditional dance performances in Siem Reap is the Theatrical Folk Dance known as the 'Fishing Dance.' The Fishing Dance is a playful, energetic folk dance with a strong, easy-to-follow story line. It was developed in the 1960s at the Royal University of Fine Arts in Phnom Penh and was inspired by the developer's interpretation of certain rather idealized and stereotyped aspects aspects of rural life and young love. Clad in rural attire, a group of young men and women fish with rattan baskets and scoops, dividing their attention between work and flirtatious glances. Women are portrayed as hardworking, shy, demurring and coy, whereas the young men are strong, unrestrained, roguish and assertive. As the dance continues a couple is separated from the group allowing the flirtations between them to intensify, only to be spoiled by the male character playing a bit too rough, leading to her coy rejection. He pokes and plays trying to win her back, bringing only further rejection. Eventually he gently apologizes on bended knee and after some effort, draws a smile and her attention once again. Just as they move together, the group returns, startling the couple and evoking embarrassment as they both rush to their 'proper' roles once again. The men and women exit at opposite sides of the stage, leaving the couple almost alone, but under pressure of the groups, they separate, leaving in opposite directions, yet with index finger placed to mouth, hint of a secret promise to meet again. (In an interesting side note, placing one's index finger to the lips to denote quiet or secrecy is not, generally speaking, a gesture found in Cambodia, but is common in the West. Its employment in the dance probably indicates a certain amount of 'foreign influence' amongst the Cambodian choreographers when the dance was developed in the 1960s.)
Source: Canby Publications Co., Ltd.
Kamera: Nikon FM
Linse: Nikkor-S Auto 55mm f1.2 (1970)
Film: Rollei P&R 640 @ box speed
Kjemi: Rodinal (1:25 / 13:30 min. @ 20°C)
-Friday 23 February 2024: Even more countries speaking on the legality of Israel’s occupation of Palestine in the International Court of Justice in Den Haag today. Namibia, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Indonesia, Qatar, United Kingdom, Slovenia, Sudan, Switzerland, Syria and Tunisia.
I have to say, the UK’s presentation was just abhorrent.
Instead of focusing on that, today I would like to highlight and remark on the supreme eloquence of Pakistan and also the strong and morally impressive presentation by Namibia.
I also want to share a personal note. If you did not see yesterday’s presentations in Den Haag, then you should see - and feel - the most emotional address to the court by Ali Ahmad Ebraheem S. Al-Dafiri of Kuwait.
Yesterday, I too held a lecture but for international students; touching on the german occupation of Norway. As I was lecturing, even I could feel it when I was mentioning that during the 5 years of nazi occupion that we had to endure, Norway suffered ’only’ 12.000 war-related deaths - 600 of whom were jews. Compare that to the 57 years Palestine has endured Israeli occupation and the 30.000 Palestinians that Israel has killed in Gaza in the last 4 months alone.
I was really struggling to keep my composure at this point.
International Court of Justice: Day 5 hearing on the legal consequences of Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories (publ. 23 February 2024) [Video]
International Court of Justice: Legal Consequences arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem [Transcripts and Documents]
Mr AL-DAFIRI: [KUWAIT] (22 February 2024)
I. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
1. Mr President, honourable Members of the Court, it is a great honour to appear before you as the Agent of the State of Kuwait in these proceedings. Kuwait deeply appreciates the extraordinary efforts taken by the Court to allow this hearing to proceed smoothly, in light of the great number of participants. The current advisory proceedings are of extreme importance to the Palestinian people, Kuwait, the international legal order and the international community as a whole.
2. Kuwait has always advocated that peace fosters the observance of law and vice versa. Adherence to the UnitedNations Charter is an indispensable prerequisite for the definitive establishment of international peace. Indeed, peaceful relations are founded on accepted rules and as such, peaceful relations among States are based on the provisions of the United Nations Charter. These include, notably, the principle of non-use of force and the peaceful settlement of disputes. These rules apply to all States. Respect for these fundamental rules contributes to the consolidation of international peace.
3. Regrettably, the above-mentioned foundational rules have not been upheld in the case of Palestine. The conflict between Palestine and Israel, hereafter referred to as the “occupying Power”, is an illegal occupation conflict, involving on one side an occupying Power equipped with all military means, and on the other side an occupied nation without defensive capabilities, facing daily expulsion, human rights violations and all sufferings associated with any occupation situation.
4. Over the past decades, the situation between the Palestinians and the occupying Power has been extremely tense, resulting in serious human rights law and humanitarian law violations committed by the latter. Various intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations have documented these violations by publishing comprehensive reports. This climate of violence compromises any possibility of reasonably discussing the issues at stake. This is further exacerbated by the recent developments in Gaza. The occupying Power has waged an illegitimate war on the Palestinians in Gaza characterized by numerous international law violations. The ongoing flagrant violations have been highlighted in a series of statements issued, amongst others, by the United Nations Secretary-General, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Special Procedures of the United Nations Human Rights Council.
5. The unprecedented violence in Gaza is a result of 57 years of illegal occupation of the Palestinian territories and it must stop.
The late Emir of the State of Kuwait, His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (1929-2020) summarized this situation in 2018 by stating:
“We ask the whole world, why the Palestinian people plight continues? Why do we ignore and do not implement Security Council resolutions? Why is the international community incapable of resolving this cause? Why does the victim continue to be portrayed as the killer according to Israel’s norms? Why does Israel always escape punishment? Why have all these souls been lost amid absence of the world conscience?”
6. Mr President, distinguished Members of the Court, it is in this context that Kuwait appears for the first time before the Court, following the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly of resolution 77/247, requesting the Court to deliver an advisory opinion on two legal questions. The first question asks the Court to evaluate the legality of the occupying Power’s specific policies and actions within its occupation of the Palestinian territories, while seeking the Court’s determination of the corresponding legal ramifications. The second question addresses a core issue: has the occupation become illegal? Kuwait will demonstrate the illegality of this occupation, underscoring the necessity of its cessation.
7. Mr President, honourable Members of the Court, my distinguished colleagues will now address these issues in greater depth.
[…]
The PRESIDENT: I shall now give the floor to the representative of Namibia, Honourable Ms Yvonne Dausab. You have the floor, Madam.
Ms DAUSAB: [NAMIBIA] (23 February 2024)
1. Mr President, Madam Vice-President, Members of the Court, it is a special honour to appear before you today on behalf of the Republic of Namibia.
2. With your kind indulgence, I wish to first pay tribute to our late president Dr Hage Geingob (1941-2024), who passed away on 4 February 2024 and will be laid to rest this weekend. President Geingob was a key figure in our struggle for independence. He was a committed anti-apartheid and anti-colonial freedom fighter, who stood up against injustice and oppression wherever it occurred. It is therefore fitting that, in one of his last public statements, he said that “[n]o peace-loving human being can ignore the carnage . . . waged against Palestinians in Gaza”.
3. President Geingob was the representative of the South West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO) and its petitioner to the United Nations from 1964 to 1971. It was during this period that the General Assembly condemned and declared “the policies of apartheid and racial discrimination” as a “crime against humanity”. Consequently, the General Assembly also appropriately terminated the Mandate in South West Africa.
4. Mr President, Members of the Court, I stand before you as a representative of a country where Germany brutally carried out the first genocide of the twentieth century against the Herero and the Nama peoples. A country that has known only too well the pain and suffering of occupation, colonialism, systematic discrimination, apartheid, and their entrenched consequences. It is because of this history that Namibia considers it a moral duty and sacred responsibility to appear before this Court on the question of the indefensible occupation of Palestine by Israel.
5. The parallels between Namibia and Palestine are striking and painful. Both were integral parts of the mandate system established after World War I. And in both cases, the so-called “sacred trust of civilisation”, which aimed to guide these nations towards self-determination and independence, was utterly betrayed. Instead of achieving self-government, both Namibians and Palestinians suffered the loss of human dignity, life, liberty and the outright theft of their land and natural resources. Hundreds of thousands of their people were violently expelled from their homes or forced into exile, joining the ranks of the world’s refugees.
6. Upon the dissolution of the League of Nations in 1946, the white minority South African régime refused to place Namibia (then South West Africa) under the United Nations Trusteeship and sought to illegally annex our territory as a fifth province, implementing racist homeland policies and apartheid laws targeting Black Africans.
7. Today, Palestinians have had to endure the seizure of their land and property, illegal settlements, unlawful killings, forced displacement, drastic movement restrictions, the denial of refugees’ right to return and of equal nationality and citizenship. The lived reality of the people of Palestine evokes painful memories for many Namibians of my generation. Namibians still experience the entrenched and structural impact of inequality, as a direct consequence of colonialism and the prolonged unlawful occupation.
8. Mr President, Members of the Court, this Court’s four Advisory Opinions on South West Africa played a vital role in our liberation struggle. In its 1971 Opinion, the Court confirmed the right of self-determination as a legal imperative with decisive consequences for States, paving the way for our independence 19 years later in 1990.
9. It is because of Namibia’s experience with apartheid and its long fight for self-determination that we cannot look the other way in the face of the brutal atrocities committed against the Palestinian people.
10. Mr President, Members of the Court, we ask you not to look away, either. Rather, we appeal to you: once again, end a historic and ongoing injustice by upholding the fundamental rights of a dispossessed people who have endured 57 years of a suffocating occupation. Today, Palestinians are enduring collective punishment in the besieged Gaza Strip, with civilians being killed in continuous and indiscriminate bombardments at a scale that is unprecedented in recent history. This state of affairs — this “hell on earth” — represents a stain on the collective conscience of the world.
11. Civilized nations cannot, and must not, accept images of children covered in blood with gaping wounds; of men and women crying in despair because of the helplessness they feel.
12. However, in the midst of the ongoing tragedy, I wish to say the following to the people of Palestine: this advisory opinion is an important moment in your long fight for independence. And I leave you with the words of our Founding President and Father of the Namibian Nation, Dr Sam Nujoma (b. 1929): “a people united, striving to achieve a common good for all members of society will always emerge victorious.”
13. Mr President, Members of the Court, I thank you, and I now respectfully ask that Professor Phoebe Okowa be called to address the legal questions before the Court.
The PRESIDENT: I thank Ms Dausab. I now give the floor to Professor Phoebe Okowa. You have the floor, Professor.
Ms OKOWA: [NAMIBIA] (23 February 2024)
I. INTRODUCTION
1. Mr President, Madam Vice-President, Members of the Court, it is a great honour for me to appear before you in these proceedings, and a special privilege to do so on behalf of the Republic of Namibia. Our presentation is in three parts.
2. First, I will make two general observations on why the Court should answer the request in its entirety, and why Israel’s occupation is illegal.
3. Then, I will focus on Israel’s policies and practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territory that grossly violate its obligations under international law, specifically the prohibition of apartheid and racial discrimination, and the principle of self-determination.
4. Finally, I will address the legal consequences that arise for Israel, for third States and for the United Nations on account of these violations.
A. The Court can and should answer the request in its entirety
5. As a threshold matter, Namibia reiterates, as do the overwhelming majority of States in these proceedings, that the Court has jurisdiction to render the requested advisory opinion, and that there are no compelling reasons for the Court to decline the request.
B. Israel’s occupation is illegal under international law
6. Namibia notes that there is also wide consensus among the participants on “the legal status of the occupation”. Namibia makes only four brief observations.
7. First, in so far as the law of occupation envisages any belligerent occupation as a temporary measure, immediately following military operations, Israel’s prolonged— or permanent— occupation breaches the law of occupation. It is a de facto annexation in all but name.
8. Second, Israel’s occupation, in and of itself, is unlawful under general international law. This is because it violates the Charter of the United Nations and peremptory norms; specifically, the prohibition on territorial acquisitions through illegal use of force, the principle of self-determination, and the prohibition of apartheid.
10. Finally, the continuation of the illegal occupation does not absolve Israel of its obligations and responsibilities under international law. This is consistent with your own conclusions in the Namibia Advisory Opinion that “[p]hysical control of a territory, and not sovereignty or legitimacy of title, is the basis of State liability for acts affecting other States”.
II. ISRAEL’S POLICIES AND PRACTICES IN THE OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY VIOLATE THE PROHIBITION OF APARTHEID AND THE PRINCIPLE OF SELF-DETERMINATION
A. Israel is bound by the prohibition of apartheid under international law
11. In both its written and oral submissions, Namibia focuses on the prohibition of apartheid and of racial discrimination. This is, in part, on account of Namibia’s history, as one of the few countries that were subjected to this egregious form of systematic and institutionalized racial discrimination.
12. We also do so on account of the fundamental importance of the Court’s 1971 Namibia Opinion, where this Court declared that the policies of apartheid “constitute a denial of fundamental human rights” and are “a flagrant violation of the purposes and principles of the [United Nations] Charter”.
13. But above all, we do this because, notwithstanding the egregious nature of apartheid — as a State delict, as a violation of a peremptory norm and as a crime — it has received virtually no clarification beyond the specific circumstances of southern Africa. An advisory opinion on threshold questions of apartheid will therefore assist the General Assembly in respect of its own action, in identifying the key elements of the illegality and in formulating appropriate responses to Israel’s discriminatory practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
14. Specifically, we invite the Court to clarify three aspects of the obligation.
15. First, we respectfully ask the Court to make it clear that the prohibition of apartheid is not limited to southern Africa in the last century. It extends to Israel’s policies in the Occupied Palestinian Territory today. Article 3 of CERD places all States parties, including Israel, under an obligation to prevent, prohibit and eradicate apartheid “in territories under their jurisdiction”. This is also the conclusion of the CERD Committee. The 1998 Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, negotiated after the end of apartheid in South Africa, also recognized apartheid as a crime against humanity without temporal or geographical restriction16.
16. Second, the Court should also confirm that the prohibition of apartheid binds all States as a peremptory norm. In your decision in the case under CERD brought by Qatar against United Arab Emirates, you acknowledged the “universal character [of CERD] is confirmed by the fact that 182 States are parties to it”. The International Law Commission and its Special Rapporteur on jus cogens (as Judge Tladi then was) have also expressly recognized the peremptory character of the prohibition of apartheid.
17. Finally, Namibia invites the Court to clarify the definition of apartheid. Namibia aligns itself with other participants that the definition in Article 2 of the Apartheid Convention incorporates the three key elements of the delict under international law.
18. First, the State must engage in one or more “inhuman acts”. Crucially, these take the form of violations of fundamental human rights within an institutionalized framework of systematic oppression and domination.
19. Second, these inhuman acts must be directed against a “racial group” or its members.
20. Finally, the State must commit these inhuman acts “for the purpose of establishing and maintaining domination” by one racial group over the other and “systematically oppressing them”.
B. Israel’s policies and practices constitute apartheid
21. Other participants have already made extensive statements on the discriminatory and inhuman acts carried out against the Palestinians as a racial group. These policies and practices are too many to enumerate in the time available. They include laws that discriminate in matters of citizenship, ownership and transfer of property, and freedom of movement. The systematic and excessive use of force against Palestinian civilians, the arbitrary killings and mass incarceration of Palestinians, including children; the illegal settlements; the discriminatory residency regulations; and, crucially, the denial of a Palestinian identity by refusing to recognize them as a people with a right to determine their own political destiny and to pursue social, economic and cultural development.
22. Namibia’s submission will focus on the final requirement: the purpose of establishing, maintaining domination and systematic oppression.
First, the term “domination” signifies a pervasive, all-encompassing, serious form of control over a group.
Second, “oppression” implies prolonged cruelty, reflecting a sustained violation of human rights.
Third, “systematic” implies the organized nature of violent acts and the improbability of their random occurrence.
23. Namibia shares the view of other participants that Israel’s policies and practices meet the evidentiary standard for establishing the State delict of apartheid. The Israeli Government’s openly articulated aim is to ensure Jewish Israeli control of all facets of Palestinian life, as evidenced by legislation affirming Israel as the nation State of the Jewish people, with unique self-determination rights reserved for Jewish individuals only.
24. It is clear from all the available evidence that these discriminatory practices are not accidental or fortuitous but are designed for the specific purpose of privileging Jewish Israelis over Palestinians. The fact that the practices in question may have other collateral objectives, such as maintaining security, is irrelevant. It will suffice if the primary motive is discriminatory, even if it also serves ancillary purposes.
C. Israel’s apartheid practices violate the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination
25. It follows in Namibia’s submission that Israel’s policies and practices are inconsistent with the prohibition of apartheid as a State delict under international law. Furthermore, these discriminatory practices, in the context of prolonged occupation of the Palestinian territories, violate the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.
26. As other Participants have highlighted, these discriminatory policies and practices are directed at fragmenting the Palestinian people. These elaborate systems of administrative controls undermine group cohesiveness by dividing the Palestinian people into a number of administrative “domains” or groups, with varying degrees of rights. This strategic fragmentation of the Occupied Palestinian Territory into Bantustans makes Palestinian life burdensome and in many cases unbearable, forcing them to leave their homes.
27. Perhaps the epitome of discriminatory laws negating the Palestinian right of self-determination is the 2018 Basic Law, passed with constitutional status, which boldly declares that Israel is the nation of the Jewish people and that Jewish settlement is a national value.
III. LEGAL CONSEQUENCES OF ISRAEL’S VIOLATIONS OF ITS OBLIGATIONS UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW
28. I will now turn to the final part of my submission. I will first examine the legal consequences of Israel’s violations, irrespective of the status of the occupation. Second, I will examine the legal consequences arising out of the illegal status of the occupation.
A. Legal consequences of Israel’s violations of its obligations under international law
29. First, Israel must bear consequences for its violations. This is the most elementary requirement of the law on State responsibility. As others in these proceedings have highlighted, this includes the obligations of cessation and the duty to make reparation for more than five decades of harms inflicted on the Palestinian people.
30. The Government of Israel has a legal duty to dismantle all the vestiges of systematic racial discrimination and oppression that permeates all aspects of Palestinian life in the occupied territories.
31. As the State of Palestine itself said on Monday, Israel must bring to an end the annexation of Palestinian land, dismantle existing settlements and recognize the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination in a viable State of their own.
32. Second, States are under an obligation not to recognize Israel’s breaches of peremptory norms of general international law vis-à-vis the Palestinian people. At the same time, the obligation of non-recognition is matched by a parallel and positive duty of recognition — of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination realized through a viable and independent State of Palestine.
33. Here we ask the Court to pay particular attention to the historical context of these proceedings. Admission to the United Nations, unlike the League of Nations, was not automatic. It was conditioned on the State accepting to uphold the values and principles contained in the Charter, including self-determination. The admission of Israel was no exception.
34. In the Wall Opinion, you observed that when Israel proclaimed its independence, it did so “on the strength of” the partition plan resolution of the General Assembly. As is well known, that plan envisaged two States, one Arab and one Jewish. The Israeli Declaration of Independence makes this plain, by recognizing “the natural right of the Jewish people to be masters of their own fate, like all other nations, in their own sovereign State”. If that logic applied to the self-determination and statehood of the Jewish people, it must by the same token also apply to the self-determination and statehood of the Palestinian people.
35. We further ask the Court to consider whether there may be circumstances where political discretion in matters of recognition gives way to a positive duty of recognition, especially when it is necessary to safeguard a peremptory norm. And here, Namibia aligns itself with Jordan’s Written Submission that all States are also under an obligation to recognize the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, including by exercising that right within a viable and independent State of Palestine.
B. Legal consequences of Israel’s illegal occupation
36. Since Israel’s policies and practices violate peremptory norms of international law, the occupation itself is unlawful. This entails consequences for Israel, for third States and, for the United Nations.
37. In the Namibia Opinion, you already set out the legal consequences of unlawful occupation. There, you said that, once the Court is faced with an illegal situation, “it would be failing in the discharge of its judicial functions if it did not declare that there is an obligation, especially upon Members of the United Nations, to bring that situation to an end.”
38. In that Opinion, you recognized the clear obligation on South Africa to put an end to the illegal occupation and withdraw its administration from the territory. The same consequences must of necessity attach to the illegal occupation by Israel of the Palestinian territories.
39. Cessation cannot be contingent on external factors such as the successful outcome of negotiations, as pointed out by some participants in these proceedings. A withdrawal contingent on the outcome of political negotiations effectively gives Israel a veto over the future of the Palestinian people.
40. Namibia invites the Court to set a strict time-limit within which Israel must be asked by the General Assembly to bring the occupation to an end, without conditions. Failure to set a strict time-limit has the perverse effect of being treated as acquiescence in the present occupation, and permission for it to continue indefinitely.
41. Of course, Israel has defied this Court and ultimatums issued by the United Nations organs many times. But it is precisely for this kind of egregious violations of peremptory norms that a régime of countermeasures was contemplated in the now widely accepted International Law Commission’s draft Articles on State Responsibility. Equality before the law is a cardinal principle of the Charter of the United Nations. No State — not Israel — should be exempt from the comprehensive régime of sanctions.
42. Moreover, Namibia reaffirms the position held by the majority of participants that all States are under an obligation not to recognize, assist, support, or contribute to the continuation of the unlawful occupation. This is also in line with your own settled jurisprudence.
43. In the Wall Opinion, you confirmed that the obligations of third States include the “obligation not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the [illegal] situation”. That all States must refrain from all forms of assistance, including transfer of arms, and political support that de facto perpetuates the occupation.
44. In Namibia’s view, this means, in particular, that all States are under an obligation to ensure that companies under their jurisdiction or control do not trade in Israeli goods or with Israeli companies originating from or linked to Israel’s illegal occupation.
45. Mr President, Members of the Court, I thank you for your kind attention. This concludes Namibia’s oral submissions. Thank you.
[…]
The Court adjourned from 11.20 a.m. to 11.40 a.m.
The PRESIDENT: Please be seated. The sitting is resumed. I now call upon the delegation of Pakistan to address the Court and invite His Excellency Mr Ahmed Irfan Aslam to take the floor.
Mr ASLAM: [PAKISTAN] (23 February 2024)
PART I
1. INTRODUCTION
1. Mr President, Members of the Court, it is an honour to appear before you on behalf of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in these most important of proceedings. These proceedings take place as a whole people struggle to survive through relentless bombardment, the very people who have endured daily persecution for over half a century. And yet, these proceedings inspire hope. They inspire hope because they present an opportunity. They afford this Court an opportunity to develop jurisprudence to advance essential principles of international law that preserves and advances the very basic human right of liberty and dignity.
2. Pakistan has always been a defender of the Palestinian people and their right to self-determination. It was Pakistan that proposed the General Assembly’s first resolution, on the first day of the Six-Day War, relating to Israel’s invasion of Jerusalem and the measures taken by Israel to change the status of the city. Since then, Pakistan has continued to engage on these important questions of international justice and it remains committed to contribute and play its part.
3. Against this background, I will deal initially with five points and then make some technical legal arguments that Pakistan considers to be of particular importance in these proceedings. First, the question of self-determination. Second, the question of occupation and annexation. Third, systematic racial discrimination and apartheid. Fourth, the question of the City of Jerusalem and its holy places, and finally, the two-State solution.
2. SELF-DETERMINATION
4. Mr President, Members of the Court, I come to my first point. The Palestinian people have, as the Court itself has recognized, the right to self-determination. This right, which is codified in the two United Nations Human Rights Conventions, is “one of the essential principles of contemporary international law”. All States have a legal interest in protecting that right, which has the status of jus cogens. Israeli measures that severely impede the exercise by the Palestinian people of the right to self-determination are in breach of Israel’s obligations to respect that right. Pakistan strongly believes in the inherent right of people to live freely and in the justice of struggle for freedom from alien subjugation under the right of self-determination.
3. OCCUPATION AND ANNEXATION
5. I turn to my second point: the question of Israel’s occupation and annexation. It has always been the position of the United Nations that it “cannot condone a change in the status juris resulting from military action contrary to the provisions of the Charter. The Organization must, therefore, maintain that the status juris existing prior to such military action be re-established by a withdrawal of troops, and by the relinquishment or nullification of rights asserted in territories covered by the military action”.
6. Thus, after the Six-Day War, the Security Council determined in resolution 242 (1967) that Israel must withdraw its armed forces from territories occupied in the recent conflict. In resolution 476 (1980), the Security Council reaffirmed “the overriding necessity for ending the prolonged occupation of Arab territories occupied by Israel since 1967”.
7. Israel’s occupation is no longer, if it ever was, a military occupation; it is annexation. In East Jerusalem, the annexation is de jure; in the rest of the territory, it is de facto. But the formal characterization matters little. To use the words of the Court in the Wall case, the occupation is today, “notwithstanding the formal characterization . . . tantamount to de facto annexation”. This now applies to the entire territory. This may have been the intention all along. Prime Minister Ben-Gurion affirmed in 1950 that “the Israeli Empire must comprise all the territories between the Nile and the Euphrates”, and this was to be achieved as much by invasion as by diplomacy. More recently, Prime Minister Netanyahu has declared that his Government will be “applying Israeli sovereignty over all the communities formed through the transfer of Israeli settlers and not one residential community will be uprooted”.
8. Through its settlement policy, Israel has sought to create “irreversible facts on the ground”. It has aimed to create physical facts which in practical terms make it as difficult as possible to bring an end to its prolonged occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Notwithstanding, the Security Council has reaffirmed that the settlements constitute “a flagrant violation under international law”.
9. As this Court said in the Namibia case: “A binding determination made by a competent organ of the United Nations to the effect that a situation is illegal cannot remain without consequence.” As in that case, in answering the legal questions now referred to it, the Court is not concerned with the question of what practical steps would be required to cease the occupation.
10. It is worth recalling, however, that even greater practical issues have been overcome in other contexts, such as when the French Government withdrew a million settlers from Algeria in 1962. The French settlers were more numerous than the Israeli settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem taken together. France’s settlements in Algeria were not only more numerous: they were also “far older and better established than Israel’s West Bank colonies”.
4. SYSTEMATIC RACIAL DISCRIMINATION AND APARTHEID
11. I come to my third point, regarding systematic racial discrimination. Israel’s policies and practices amount to systematic racial discrimination and apartheid. Israel has imposed a system of racial discrimination against the Palestinian people since 1967. It is a system that distinguishes - deliberately and systematically — along ethnic and religious lines between the Palestinian population and Jewish Israeli settlers illegally transferred into the territory. The purpose of domination and oppression may be inferred from Israel’s pattern of conduct against the Palestinians.
5. THE HOLY CITY OF JERUSALEM AND ITS HOLY PLACES
12. I turn to my fourth point: Jerusalem and its holy places. The Holy City of Jerusalem is unique in that it is sacred to all three Abrahamic religions. Under the historic status quo, it is the right of Christian, Jewish and Muslim communities freely to access and worship at their holy places in the city. Ottoman decrees set out these rights in the nineteenth century. The régime was later confirmed in multilateral and bilateral instruments. The historic status quo has today developed into a so-called “objective régime”, which captures the point that it is characterized by a permanence which the instruments that established it do not themselves necessarily enjoy. Every State interested therefore has the right to insist upon compliance with this régime.
13. Under Israel’s prolonged occupation, Christians have not been free to access or worship in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and Muslims have not been free to access or worship at Haram al-Sharif and in the Al Aqsa Mosque, to name only some prominent sites. The rights under the historic status quo must immediately be restored. This issue is of great importance to Pakistan, which is home to the second largest Muslim population in the world.
6. THE TWO-STATE SOLUTION
14. And now I come to my final point of the first part of my statement. Pakistan believes that the two-State solution must be the basis for peace. In the Wall case, this Court observed that the two-State solution was to be encouraged
“with a view to achieving as soon as possible, on the basis of international law, a negotiated solution to the outstanding problems and the establishment of a Palestinian State, existing side by side with Israel and its other neighbours, with peace and security for all in the region”.
Pakistan supports this call.
15. On 26 October 2023, Pakistan was pleased to vote in favour of the General Assembly resolution which reaffirmed that: “a just and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can only be achieved . . . in accordance with international law, and on the basis of the two-State solution”. Two months later, on 22 December 2023, the Security Council reiterated its unwavering commitment to the vision of the two States, consistent with international law and relevant United Nations resolutions.
16. And these— and numerous other— resolutions by the political organs of the United Nations make clear, a two-State solution, and negotiations leading to it, must be consistent with international law. “Negotiations”, Judge Al-Khasawneh of this Court observed in the Wall case, “are a means to an end and cannot in themselves replace that end”. He continued to say that the discharge of fundamental international obligations cannot be made conditional upon negotiations.
17. In this regard, the Court’s advisory opinion in these proceedings will be most important. Far from impeding negotiations and the achievement of a just and lasting two States, the Court’s advisory opinion will further assist such efforts, by making it possible for the parties to make progress on the sound basis of international law and international legitimacy.
PART II
ISRAEL CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO BENEFIT FROM ITS OWN WRONGS
18. Mr President, Members of the Court, I now turn to more technical legal arguments of my submissions.
19. The Court has heard various competing submissions this week with respect to question (b) of the request, but there can be little doubt as to the central importance of three matters:
(a) First, the role of the rules on the use of force in governing the unlawfulness of a given occupation itself.
(b) Second, the series of General Assembly and Security Council resolutions that have consistently and expressly called for Israel’s withdrawal and referred to “the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by war”, which is a corollary of those rules.
(c) Third, the Court’s Advisory Opinion on Namibia is a helpful reference point for the Court.
20. Pakistan hopes to assist the Court by suggesting a slightly different way of looking at things, which leads to the conclusion that Israel’s occupation is unlawful and unlawfulness must have consequences.
A. The principle that no State can profit from its own wrong
21. In this respect, Pakistan considers that a useful touchstone for the Court is the general principle that no State can benefit from its own wrong.
22. As Sir Gerald Fitzmaurice (1901-1982) explained:
“The general principle is that States cannot profit from their own wrong . . . and similarly that rights and benefits cannot be derived from wrong-doing. This admits of no doubt. It is a wide general principle having many diverse applications under international law . . . of course these principles apply not merely as regards treaty obligations but to general international law obligations also.”
23. Notably, in the Wall case, Israel accepted that this principle is “as relevant in advisory opinions as it is in contentious cases”. The principle is particularly important where, as here, the wrongs at issue are of the most serious kind.
B. The principle in the context of the applicable law
24. Second, the principle in the context of applicable law. This principle is one of the underpinnings of the prohibition on the acquisition of territory either by force or through the denial of self-determination. The wrongs are obvious and no benefit in terms of lawful possession or a legal entitlement to administer the territory could be derived.
25. As to this case, if the Court agrees with Pakistan and with many other States that Israel is in continued breach of these fundamental primary obligations, it cannot allow Israel to benefit from its own ongoing wrongs by somehow avoiding the natural consequences that must follow under this law of State responsibility. These include the obligations of cessation and non-repetition which require immediate and unconditional withdrawal, as well as the obligations of non-recognition and non-assistance for all other States.
26. As to the applicable primary rules, it is customary international law and the Charter that govern the illegality of a given occupation at any point in time. As a separate matter, international humanitarian law governs the conduct of an occupying Power with respect to the occupied population.
27. But if the occupation itself is unlawful, that carries legal consequences for Israel and for all States under the secondary rules of State responsibility. Those legal consequences are in no way displaced by separate consideration of the lawfulness under international humanitarian law of particular conduct in the course of the occupation, much less by hope for a negotiated solution. Any other approach would effectively permit Israel to benefit from its own wrongdoing.
28. For the same reason, there is no scope for an argument that other States, in their dealings with respect to Israel or the Occupied Palestinian Territory, could somehow put to one side the question of the unlawfulness of the occupation itself. They could not, for example, elect instead to focus exclusively on the different questions of whether specific Israeli measures were absolutely necessary to meet legitimate security requirements such that those measures are not unlawful under international humanitarian law.
C. The principle in the context of the Namibia Advisory Opinion
29. Mr President, Members of the Court, any conclusion could not be reconciled with the Court’s Opinion on Namibia. There are certain clear parallels with the present case. The General Assembly had condemned South Africa’s occupation of Namibia, characterizing this as an “occupation” that engaged the Geneva Conventions, and the Security Council had expressly called for South Africa’s withdrawal.
30. In a later resolution, after condemning South Africa’s non-compliance with the earlier resolutions, the Security Council had also declared that “the continued presence of the South African authorities in Namibia is illegal”. This is to be understood as a reference to illegality under the rules on the use of force. Notably, the United States voted in favour of this resolution. With respect to Palestine, however, it now appears to wish to limit those rules to governing the lawfulness of “the initial resort to force” “leading to an occupation” only. Of course, that could not be correct, including because it would allow an aggressor to benefit from an ongoing attempt to acquire territory through annexation.
31. Indeed, in its 1971 Advisory Opinion, the Court itself concluded that, “the continued presence of South Africa in Namibia [is] illegal”. The Court held that South Africa was under an obligation to withdraw immediately and that all States were under an obligation to recognize the illegality of the occupation.
32. In reaching this conclusion, the Court found that South Africa’s application of the apartheid régime to occupied territories amounted to disowning the Mandate. In this connection, the Court relied on a context specific expression of the general principle that no State can benefit from its own wrong, stating “[o]ne of the fundamental principles governing the international relationship thus established is that a party which disowns or does not fulfil its own obligations cannot be recognized as retaining the rights which it claims to derive from the relationship”.
33. South Africa had claimed it had an independent right to administer the territory by reason of its “long occupation”. Evidently, the Court disagreed. Three points follow from this.
34. First, the Court in Namibia case implicitly recognized that neither the fact of an occupation nor the law of occupation confer upon the occupying Power any legal entitlement to administer the territory. Any contrary view would allow an occupying Power to benefit from its unlawful use of force.
35. Second, the Court made a positive finding that South Africa’s occupation was unlawful. In Namibia, there was a binding Security Council decision to that effect. The Security Council has made no such Security Council decision with respect to Palestine. But this in no way displaces or impedes the Court’s judicial function in determining this legal question for itself.
36. Third, the Court plainly did not consider that South Africa’s continued status as an occupying Power made any difference.
37. As Judge Greenwood has explained, the basic position under the law of occupation is that an occupying Power has the “liberty to govern within certain limits without being guilty of a violation of the ius in bello”. The occupying Power is required to administer the territory as a temporary conservator or trustee for the benefit of the occupied population. Acting in that capacity, the occupying Power has certain liberties to take measures in good faith in the best interests of the occupied population or, where absolutely necessary, to meet its own legitimate security interests. This, of course, is a separate question to the unlawfulness of the occupation itself.
38. As to the position under the law of occupation, again, it is helpful to recall the Namibia case. The Court’s context specific expression of the principle was that “a party which disowns or does not fulfil its own obligations cannot be recognized as retaining the rights which it claims to derive from the relationship”. Pakistan considers that this has relevance when considering whether an occupying Power should be recognized as retaining liberties to administer the occupied territory. In this case, if one were to zoom in exclusively on Israel’s conduct as an occupying Power, the only conclusion could be that Israel has disowned its basic duties. Its policies and practices of occupation deny the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and amount to systematic racial discrimination and serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights. Plainly, they cannot be said to be absolutely necessary to meet Israel’s own security interests. They serve Israel’s other interests, including its goal of acquiring the territory.
D. Conclusion
40. Mr President, Members of the Court. I conclude. With the general principle that no State can be benefit from its own wrong firmly in mind, it cannot be right that, as some States have suggested, the Court should refrain from finding that the occupation itself is unlawful or that there is no obligation to withdraw. This would be to allow Israel to profit from its own continued grave wrongs. And, to adopt the Court’s words in Namibia, the Court “would be failing in the discharge of its judicial functions”. Such abdication of responsibility would not encourage or facilitate the achievement of a negotiated solution on the basis of international law. More generally, the Court would be sending out a clear signal to other States that they too might be allowed to benefit through the prolonged unlawful occupation of the territory of another State.
41. Mr President, Members of the Court, these proceedings are a great moment in law, they are a great moment in history. We all have a collective opportunity to develop jurisprudence in a way that advances the cause of humanity. I wish you good luck in your deliberations. Thank you.
The PRESIDENT: I thank the delegation of Pakistan for its presentation.
it doesn't matter what they say or do
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Portuguese
Um relógio de sol mede a passagem do tempo pela observação da posição do Sol. Os tipos mais comuns, como os conhecidos "relógios de sol de jardim", são formados por uma superfície plana que serve como mostrador, onde estão marcadas linhas que indicam as horas, e por um pino ou placa, cuja sombra projetada sobre o mostrador funciona como um ponteiro de horas em um relógio comum. A medida que a posição do sol varia, a sombra desloca-se pela superfície do mostrador, passando sucessivamente pelas linhas que indicam as horas. Também existem relógios de sol mais complexos, com mostradores inclinados e/ou curvos. Os relógios de sol normalmente mostram a hora solar aparente, mas, com pequenas alterações, também podem indicar a hora padrão, que é a hora no fuso horário em que o relógio está geograficamente localizado.
O relógio de sol
Desde remotos tempos os homens egípcios e babilônicos, ao observar o Sol, perceberam que este provocava a sombra dos objetos. Ao fazer estas observações notaram que ao longo do dia o tamanho destas sombras variavam. O homem primitivo, primeiramente, usou sua própria sombra para estimar as horas (sombras moventes). Logo depois viu que podia, através de uma vareta fincada no chão na posição vertical, fazer estas mesmas estimativas. Estava criado o pai de todos os relógios de Sol, o famoso Gnômon. Ao amanhecer a sombra estará bem longa, ao meio dia estará no seu tamanho mínimo e ao entardecer volta a alongar-se novamente.
Utilidade nos dias atuais
Relógio solar na Oficina Brennand (Recife, Pernambuco)
Motivos para construir um relógio de sol nos dias atuais:
Como objeto de decoração e curiosidade, em jardins, parques e praças, por exemplo.
Com finalidade educacional, gerando interesse por astronomia entre jovens e adultos, em escolas, museus e outros locais públicos.
Para efetivamente consultar as horas, em locais externos onde normalmente as pessoas não estão utilizando relógios de pulso, como na praia, em canchas de esporte e em piscinas, por exemplo.
English
A sundial is a device that tells the time of day by the position of the Sun. In common designs such as the horizontal sundial, the sun casts a shadow from its style onto a surface marked with lines indicating the hours of the day. The style is the time-telling edge of the gnomon, often a thin rod or a sharp, straight edge. As the sun moves across the sky, the shadow-edge aligns with different hour-lines. All sundials must be aligned with the axis of the Earth's rotation to tell the correct time. In most designs, the style must point towards true celestial north (not the north magnetic pole or south magnetic pole). That is, the style's horizontal angle must equal the sundial's geographical latitude.
It is common for inexpensive decorative sundials to have incorrect hour angles, and these cannot be adjusted to tell correct time.
Wikipedia
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Le Giulia Granturismo - da cui GT - (da principio denominate Giulia Sprint GT) erano la versione coupé della berlina Alfa Romeo Giulia. La produzione iniziò nel 1963, fu il primo modello coupé (la berlina, Giulia TI, era già in produzione presso tale stabilimento) costruito nell'appena terminato stabilimento Alfa ad Arese, la produzione terminerà solo nel 1976. La carrozzeria, opera di Giorgetto Giugiaro per conto della Bertone, andava a coprire il pianale, con passo accorciato da 251 a 235cm, della Giulia Berlina. Sostituendo la Giulietta Sprint,da cui derivano i due volumi e mezzo, mantenne invariata anche la classica collocazione motore e cambio anteriore, con trazione posteriore. Il design era di una filante ed elegante coupé sportiva 2+2. Il curioso scalino anteriore che caratterizzava tutte le versioni prodotte fino al 1968 e parte di quelle prodotte fino al 1971 era dovuto ad un ripensamento tra l'approvazione del disegno e la messa in produzione dell'auto. Originariamente, infatti, doveva essere una presa d'aria poi abolita per contenere i costi. Ne ha definito una importante e riconoscibile caratteristica stilistica. Divenne una delle vetture più ambite del periodo. Furono prodotte in tutto diverse versioni nelle varie serie, che si possono classificare in: Sprint GT, GT Junior, GT Veloce e GTC "(Gran Turismo Cabriolet)".
Nel 1963 venne presentata la Giulia Sprint GT (serie 105.02), mossa dal quattro cilindri in alluminio con distribuzione bi-albero di 1570cm³ (serie AR00502) derivato dalla berlina, ma potenziato (grazie all'adozione di due carburatori) a 106cv. La meccanica era la stessa della berlina, ma i freni erano a disco su tutte le ruote (le prime 22000 berline 1600 Ti avevano freni a tamburo di cui gli anteriori a tre ganasce, poi nel 1963 a disco Dunlop come la coupé). Gli interni, invece, erano specifici (plancia, sedili, pannelli porta) e la leva del cambio (a 5 rapporti) era a cloche, solo optional sulla berlina. Nel 1965 la carrozzeria Touring di Milano propose all'Alfa Romeo una (esteticamente riuscita) versione cabriolet a 4 posti, denominata Giulia Sprint GTC. I problemi di tenuta all'acqua, le difficoltà della Touring ed il lancio della spider Duetto limitarono la diffusione della GTC a un migliaio di esemplari. Nel 1966, accanto alle versioni Sprint GT con motore di 1,6 litri, entrò in listino una versione di cilindrata ridotta a 1290 cm³, motore serie 00530, dotato di 89cv, denominata Giulia GT 1300 Junior (serie 105.30). La Junior aveva un allestimento ridotto: pavimento in gomma, assenza di servofreno, plancia in plastica priva di consolle centrale, borchie copri ruota semplificate, sedili meno profilati. Riconosciuta come Prima Serie. Nel 1969 le Junior (che persero il nome Giulia per chiamarsi semplicemente GT 1300 Junior) pur mantenendo lo "scalino" vennero dotate di servofreno e di una nuova plancia (simile a quella della GT 1750 Veloce). Questa versione è conosciuta come Seconda Serie.
Nel 1971 le GT Junior adottarono il frontale re stilizzato e privo di scalino, e i parafanghi posteriori con profilo più alto, uniformandosi nella scocca alla 1750 GT Veloce e alla GT 2000 Veloce. L'uniformazione, tuttavia, non fu totale perché le Junior avevano fari singoli (anziché doppi) e una diversa mascherina.
Col restyling, comunque, la gamma "Junior" guadagnò un motore: accanto al 1300 da 89cv era infatti disponibile il 1600 da 109cv (quello 00536 che fu della 1600 Veloce), ora divenuto solo Junior. Infatti la sigla "Veloce" ha sempre caratterizzato i modelli più potenti dal 1968 fu riservato alla 1750 e successivamente anche alla 2000. Questa versione è riconosciuta come la Terza Serie. Nel 1973 tutte le GT subirono l'unificazione estetica con la versione GT 2000 Veloce introdotta nel 1971. anche le GT 1300 Junior e le GT 1600 Junior adottarono la stessa mascherina cromata a quattro fari, una plancia e interni e sedili pressoché uguali a quelli della GT 2000 Veloce, differenziandosi quasi esclusivamente per i fanali posteriori più piccoli. Questa versione è conosciuta come Quarta serie oppure Unificato.
Women without their bikini tops protest against a ban on topless at Ipanema beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on January 20, 2015. AFP PHOTO / YASUYOSHI CHIBA
The Finale to the BARC Club Car Championships Weekender at Brands Hatch and after a Very Thrilling set of both Qualifying Sessions and Races which took place on the Saturday it was Time once again for each Driver to strap in and get ready for some high speed Racing Action thought the Sunday.
In Tribute to the Marshall who was Tragically Killed on the Saturday Some Car and Driver Pairings were Racing with Orange Hearts on their Cars as a Tribute to all of Motorsports Family of Marshalls for who without Racing would not be possible. Thank You!
So Lets get started and see what the days events Haver to Offer and who can Push their Machinery to the Limits and beyond for a Victory.
Britcar Endurance Championship - Trophy Category (Race 1 Results FINAL)
The Britcar Endurance Trophy was the First up and it was time to see who could claim that elusive Pole Position and to see if anyone else could challenge the Top Three Drivers Lets see how things turned out.
In First Place was the Pairing Of (Datum Motorsport's Axel Van Nederveen and Adriano Medeiros) in their Ginetta G55A with a Best Lap Time of 52:193 and an Average Speed of 64.75mph. Congratulations Axel and Adriano a Really Fantastic Drive and A Super Victory.
In Second Place was (SVG's Mark Lee) in his Ginetta G56A with a Best Lap Time of 52.086 and an Average Speed of 64.70mph. Amazing Drive Mark Keeping that Ginetta on the Track and Taking Second Place while Nearly Matching the Speed of Axel and Adriano. Well Done.
In Third Place was (Terry Stephens) in his Peugeot 308 with a Best Lap Time of 53.421 and an Average Speed of 64.50mph. Well Fought Terry a Fantastic Finish in Third Place and Staying Ahead by just over 11 seconds to the Pair of Jasver and Bryan in 4th. Amazing Job.
A Really Enjoyable and Exciting First Race of the Sunday with High Speed Action and Incredible Victories on Track. Congratulations Axel Adriano Mark and Terry. Lets see what Race 2 Brings in terms of the Action.
Britcar Endurance Championship - Trophy Category (Race 2 Results FINAL)
Race 2 For Britcar Next and after a Very Fast and Action Packed First Race Will we see a New Face on the Top Step of the Podium? Lets find out.
In First Place was the Pairing of (Woodrow Motorsport's Simon Baker and Kevin Clarke) in their BMW 1 Series with a Best Lap Time of 51.837 and an Average Speed of 78.22mph. Amazing work Simon and Kevin who have Beaten the Pairing Of (Datum Motorsport's Axel Van Nederveen and Adriano Medeiros) to Victory. An Incredible Drive by Both of them Well Done.
In Second Place was (SVG Mark Lee) in his Ginetta G56A with a Best Lap Time of 52.281 and an Average Speed of 76.89mph. Again a Huge Congratulations to Mark Lee for hanging onto that Second Place Despite Fierce Competition during The Race. Amazing Drive.
In Third Place was (Simon Green Motorsport's Pairing of Jasver Sapra and Brian Branson) in their BMW M3 E46 with a Best Lap Time of 52.718 and an Average Speed of 76.88mph. Congratulations Jasver and Brain Brilliant Drive and well Defended to keep that Third Place in Tact.
Two Incredible Races with Two Very Different Outcomes of Race Winners and Runners Up The Britcar Endurance Trophy is Proving to be Very Competitive this Year.
A Huge Congratulations to Simon Kevin Mark Jasver and Brain for some Amazing Racing and Victories and Good Luck to All Other Drivers. Keep working Hard and Pushing for that All Important Victory.
CTCRC Edmundson Electrical Classic / Historic Thunder Saloons (Race 1 Result FINAL)
Next Up was the CTCRC Electrical and Historic Thunder Saloons and After a Thrilling Qualifying Session Yesterday Lets see what Each Driver has got and who can Push to the Limits for that All Important Victory.
In First Place was (Jason West) in his BMW E46 M3 3200 with a Best Lap Time of 51.907 and an Average Speed of 59.84mph. Congratulations Jason for Another Incredible Drive for First Place and a well Deserved Victory Amongst some Stiff Competition.
In Second Place was (Andrew Wilson) in his Holden Monaro 7000 with a Best Lap Time of 52.418 and an Average Speed of 59.96mph. Well Done Andrew Fantastic Driving and a Super Defensive Drive for Second Place.
In Third Place was (Samuel Wilson) in his Aston Martin V8 Vantage with a Best Lap Time of 52.699 and an Average Speed of 59.50mph. Amazing Work Samuel and a Beautiful Example of the Aston Martin V8 Vantage on Display Showing its Raw Power and Racing Pedigree to Finish in Third Place.
A Fantastic Finish to The Historic and Electrical Thunder Saloons Racing at The Weekend. A Huge Congratulations to Our Top Three Finishers Jason Andrew and Samuel. Fantastic Racing from all Three of you and Good Luck to all other Drivers Keep Tuning and Working Hard and I'm sure Victory Will not be too Far Away from you.
CTCRC JEC Saloon & GT Championship & Burton Power BOSS (Race 2 Results FINAL)
Next Up CTCRC Saloon and GT Championships and with some Fierce Competition on Display during not only Qualifying but also Their First Race on the Saturday Which saw Malcom Harding Storm to an Insane Victory who Will be able to Take him on and Potentially Steal his Crown during the Next Race Today? Lets See.
In First Place was (Malcom Harding) in his Ford Escort MK2 Zakspeed 2500 with a Best Lap Time of 53.888 and an Average Speed of 78.49mph. Another Incredible Victory for Malcom that Highly Modified Zakspeed Escort Really Shows off the Power and Performance of a True Champion and a Fantastic Driver. Congratulations Malcom.
In Second Place was (Steven Goldsmith) in his Ford Anglia 105e 260 with a Best Lap Time of 54.335 and an Average Speed of 78.21mph. Another Storming Drive to Achieve Second Place for Steven. Fantastic Driving and Amazing Car Control through Every Corner. Congratulations Steven.
In Third Place was (Tom Robinson) in his Jaguar XJ6 4000 with a Best Lap Time of 55.481 and an Average Speed of 55.481mph. Congratulations Tom Superb Display of Driving Ability behind the Jag and a Well Deserved Third Place for Him.
Another Incredible Weekend of Racing for the CTCRC Saloon and GT Championships with Some New and Some Old Drivers Stepping onto the Podium. Massive Congratulations to Malcolm Steven and Tom for their First Second And Third Place Finishes. Keep Up the Good Work and Never Stop Trying.
CTCRC Laser Tools Pre 93 & Simply Serviced Pre 03 Touring Cars (Race 1 Results FINAL)
Now Its Time for The Laser Tools Pre 93 and Simply Serviced Pre 03 Touring Cars to make their way back onto The Track for what Looked to be a Spectacular Race. A Whole Range of Different Cars to Race Against and Stiff Competition after Qualifying Proves that This Race will be One not to be Missed. Lets See what Unfolded.
In First Place was (Gary Prebble) in his Honda Civic EG 2000 with a Best Lap Time of 54.100mph and an Average Speed of 78.60mph. Well Done Gary a Really Well Deserved First Place Victory and an Amazing Drive to the Flag.
In Second Place was (David Griffith) in his BMW E36 M3 3058 with a Best Lap Time of 54.558 and an Average of 78.42mph. Incredible Drive their David Pushing that BMW For Everything that it Has got to Achieve Second Place.
In Third Place was (Kam Tunio) in his Honda Civic EK9 1595 with a Best Lap Time of 55.347 and an Average Speed of 77.05mph. Well Driven Kam Super Driving on Display and a Well Deserved Third Place Finish.
Another Amazing Race for The Pre 93 and Pre 03 Touring Cars and a Huge Congratulations to Gary David and Kam for their First Second and Third Place Victories. Keep up the Hard Work and Good Luck to everyone Else wherever your Next Races take you.
CTCRC Poultec Classic Race Engines Pre 66 Touring Cars (Race 1 Results)
Now it was Time for the Fan Favourite to Enter onto the Brands Hatch Circuit with the Pre 66 Touring Cars Championship. With Mini's Lotus Cortina's and Ford Falcons. This was One Race that No One Wanted to Miss. After a Very Fast Paced Qualifying Session on the Saturday Which saw (Alan Greenhalgh) take Pole Position who Will be able to Challenge Him During the Race and Snatch Victory Away from Him.
In First Place was (Alan Greenhalgh) in his Ford Falcon with A Best Lap Time of 58.707 and an Average Speed of 72.63mph. Congratulations Alan A Beautiful Example of the Ford Falcon and Certainly a Very Fast One too. Congratulations on Your Victory.
In Second Place was (Robyn Slater) in his Ford Anglia 1550 with a Best Lap Time of 58.992 and an Average Speed of 72.06mph. Very Good Drive their From Robyn to Secure Second Place in The First Race of the Day for the Pre 66 Touring Cars.
In Third Place was (Barry Sime) in his Morris Mini Cooper S 1293 with a Best Lap Time of 59.116 and an Average Speed of 71.95mph. Fantastic Work their Barry Keeping that Little Rocket on The Track looked to be Very Challenging but A Very Well Deserved Third Place.
What A First Race for The Historic Pre 66 Touring Cars showing The Power and Pride Each Driver takes in Both Racing and Preservation on Their Beloved Racing Machines. Congratulations to Alan Robyn and Barry on their First Second and Third Place Finishes. Lets See what New Challenges Await Them in Race 2 The Final Race of The Day for Them.
CTCRC Poultec Classic Race Engines Pre 66 Touring Cars (Race 2 Results FINAL)
The Epic FINALE To The Pre 66 Touring Cars Race was A Race in Wet Conditions Making it even more Challenging for The Top Three Drivers. Who would Win and be able to Retain if not Take on thease Three Giants of Touring Car Racing in thease Conditions. Lets See How Things Concluded.
In First Place was (Barry Sime) in his Morris Mini Cooper S 1293 with a Best Lap Time of 1:11.482 and an Average Speed of 58.62mph. Amazing Work Barry to take Home a Superb Victory and a Brilliant Bit of Wet Weather Driving in The Mini Well Done.
In Second Place was (John Davies) in his Austin Mini Cooper S 1293 with a Best Lap Time of 1:11.416 and an Average Speed of 58.38mph. Amazing Work John Racing A Mini in thease Conditions is Very Tricky and Yet both You and Barry made it look Easy.
In Third Place was (James Ibbotson) in his Hillman Imp Super 998 with a Best Lap Time of 1:11.518 and an Average Speed of 58.12mph. Well Done James Sliding that Imp around in the Wet for a Magnificent Third Place was Well Deserved.
What A Race to End the Day for the Pre 66 Touring Cars and with So many Old and New Winners Lets Hope we Get to see More Races like This One Thought the Rest of the 2021 Season. A Big Congratulations to Barry John and James on their Respective Victories and Keep Trying Everyone Else The Hard Work will Pay off.
CTCRC Shell Oils Pre 83 Touring Cars (Race 1 FINAL)
Up Next The Pre 83 Touring Cars took to the Track for Their Only Race of The Day and from what We Have Seen Already This Race also looks like its going to be a Very Strong Battle for First Second and Third Place. Lets See who Came First and Took that All Important Victory.
In First Place was (Mark Lucock) in his Ford Escort MK1 RS2000 2040 with a Best Lap Time of 57.687 and an Average Speed of 74.53mph. Amazing work there Mark Pushing All the Power the RS2000 Engine Has and Keeping it on Track to Score an Amazing Victory.
In Second Place was (Stephen Primett) in his Ford Escort MK1 2037 with a Best Lap Time of 57.503 and an Average Speed of 74.52mph. Another Brilliant Drive from the Likes of Stephen Keep the Pace with Mark and Making for some Fierce Competition Thought the Race.
In Third Place was (Mike Luck in his BMW E21 320 1998 with a Best Lap Time of 57.236 and an Average Speed of 74.46mph. Super Driving there Mike to take Third Place and a Very Classic Looking BMW Indeed.
What A Race from the Pre 83 Touring Cars showcasing Speed Power and What a Touring Car was Made to do around a Race Track. A Big Congratulations to Mark Stephen and Mike on their First Second and Third Place Finishes. Keep Racing and Keep Having Fun Out There.
Junior Saloon Car Championship (Race 1 Result FINAL)
The Junior Saloon Car Championship was Up Next and Even Though the Age Range of thease Next Drivers Taking to the Circuit Might Shock you at The Fact that Many of them are as Young as 15 Years of age don't be Fooled Because thease Guys Know how to Race Having been brought up from Carting since the age of 4. They are always a Fan Favourite and After Qualifying on the Saturday its Anyone's Game as to Who Wins and Who Losses in Thease Races.
In First Place was (Ruben Hage) in his Citroen Saxo VTR 1600 with a Best Lap Time of 59.967 and an Average Speed of 65.65mph. Congratulations Ruben What A Drive and an Incredible Run for First Place Fending off the Other On Coming Drivers. Truly a Championship Winning Drive.
In Second Place was (Harvey Caton) in his Citroen Saxo VTR 1600 with a Best Lap Time of 59.629 and an Average Speed of 65.64mph. Very Well Driven there Harvey Staying very Close to Ruben in First Place and Keeping Him on His Toes Thought the Entire Race.
In Third Place was (Charlie Hand) in his Citroen Saxo VTR 1600 with a Lap Time of 1:00.006 and an Average Speed of 65.57mph. Solid Third Place there Charlie Keep Up the Momentum and Never Give Up Chasing Your Dreams.
What a Fantastic Race from the Junior Saloon Car Championship with New Winners on the Podium and Some Close Wheel to Wheel Action Thought the Race Thease Guys will be Fantastic To see in Future Racing Series All Over The World. Congratulations to Ruben Harvey and Charlie for First Second and Third Place and Good Luck to All Other Aspiring Young Drivers Following in the Footsteps of Your Greatest Racing Heroes.
Kumho BMW Championship (Race 1 Results)
Finally it was Time for the Last Two Races of the Day the Kumo BMW Championship. Featuring The Makes and Models of Many BMW'S taking to the Circuit for Race 1. After a Busy Day Qualifying on Saturday Lets See what Each Driver Cando in The Frist of Two Races for their Championship.
In First Place was (Niall Bradley) in his BMW E46 M3 with a Best Lap Time of 50.920 and an Average Speed of 83.60mph. Brilliant Driving There Niall Pushing the Power of the BMW Engine to Max and Putting the Pedal to the Metal the Whole Race. A Superb Victory.
In Second Place was (Michael Vitulli) in his BMW E36 M3 3200 with a Best Lap Time of 51.158 and an Average Speed of 83.45mph. Another Incredible Driver Pushing Hard and Taking Second Place. Well Done Michael.
In Third Place was (James Card) in his BMW E46 M3 3200 with a Best Lap Time of 51.154 and an Average Speed of 83.42mph. Very Well Done their James Keep Pushing.
Three Fantastic Drivers in Niall Michael and James all Fighting for that Victory and Showing The Racer Inside each and Everyone of them. Lets see what Their Final Race of the Day Brings Them.
Kumho BMW Championship (Race 2 Results FINAL)
In First Place was (Niall Bradley) in his BMW E46 M3 with a Best Lap Time of 53.581 and an Average Speed of 77.79mph. Another Well Deserved First Place Finish to Round of The Days Racing. Congratulations Niall Go and Celebrate with The Team In Style.
In Second Place was (Darren Morgan Owen) in his BMW E46 M3 3200 with a Best Lap Time of 53.200 and an Average Speed of 77.43mph. Super Drive There Darren for Second Place and a New Winner onto The Podium.
In Third Place was (Brad Sheean) in his BMW E46 M3 3200 with a Best Lap Time of 53.227 and an Average Speed of 77.13mph. Fantastic Drive there Brad and Some Incredible Car Control thought the Entire Race to Finish Third.
And That Concludes Racing for the Kumho BMW Championship with 4 Different Winners Across two Races and A lot of Really Fast Action you could not Have Asked for a better Finish to The End of The Days Racing. Massive Congratulations to Niall Darren and Brad and Good Luck to all Other Competing Drivers who are still Looking for that almighty Victory.
That Concludes Racing for The BARC Club Car Championships Weekend A Big Congratulations to All of the Drivers of Every Team and a Huge Thank You to Marshalls Far and Wide as Without Your Support Events like This and Champion Drivers May Never Get to Achieve Their Dreams.
See You All At The Next One!
Cave Without A Name, Kendall County, Texas - One of Texas' hidden treasures, in February 2009 the Cave Without A Name was designated an official Natural Landmark!
Despite the innumerable caves and caverns that dot the Texas landscape, there are only a handful of caves that are open to touring by the public. Running along the interstate, it's easy to spot the billboards for Natural Bridge Caverns, Inner Space Caverns, Cascade Caverns - but very few people have ever heard of the Cave Without A Name. In fact, despite living less than an hour away for over ten years, I had no knowledge of it until recently. Yet this little cave is just as interesting as any of the larger, more travelled tourist stops.
Located about ten miles northeast of Boerne at the end of twisty-turny Hill Country roads near the Guadalupe River, the Cave Without A Name led an unremarkable existence until the 1920's. Much like Longhorn Caverns, the cave was used by bootleggers during Prohibition. The cave was opened in 1939 as a tourist attraction, the name chosen by a local boy who decided the caves were too beautiful for a name.
For decades, the Cave Without A Name remained an obscure, out-of-the-way spot, known mostly by locals and advertised by small hand-made signs on the highway. Tragedy struck when the manager of the cave (and the owner's son) passed away while exploring a nearby complex known tragically as Dead Man's Cave for drainage channels. Despite this loss, the cave remains open.
Then in February 2009, the Cave Without A Name was designated an official National Landmark by the National Park Service, along with five other historic sites around the country. Fewer than 600 locations have been designated as National Landmarks since the inception of the program, and only six within the past decade.
At the end of Kreutzberg Road, there is a small visitor's center and gift shop. Stairs lead down to the caverns below, well-lit with several impressive speleological formations - stalagmites, stalactites, soda straws, flowstone, ribbons, rimstone. It's a short tour, but easy and level without difficulty, the tour group size is usually small and it is easy to get up close to the formations (but don't touch - it's still a live cave). Longer 'adventure tours' are available (the website says they have been suspended due to high water, but that was written in 2007 before the area's record drought). Definitely worth the visit for anyone interested in caves or spelunking. Pictures taken April 6, 2008.
For more information on the Cave Without A Name:
- Texas Speleological Survey Entry.
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Vom Oldtimer Grand Prix Schwanenstadt gibt es tausende weitere Aufnahmen. Nikon FX-Format - Qualität & optimale Eignung für Mega-Poster. Hier sehen Sie ein Bild in stark reduzierter Auflösung.
Hasselblad 500C/M, Carl Zeiss 80mm f2.8, Fujiflim PRO 400H. Colo's Classic Car Show 2013, Columbus Zoo
She just arrived and... WOW!
Love her face so much, I think she is one of the prettiest dolls I own.
I don't like the low part of her dress very much but I adore the jewelry and heels.
Welcome home dear Erin.
f&b world magazine, a food and beverage industry magazine based in manila, downloaded one of my flickr photos and published it without permission, and without credit, despite its creative commons license. shame on you, f&b world! at least you could have picked a better photo.
update 21 march 06: mattered settled! quite amicably, really. thank you for all your support!
Slayer
Alcatraz - Milano
19 Giugno 2013
Tom Araya
Kerry King
Jeff Hanneman
Dave Lombardo
© Mairo Cinquetti
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From the opening squeals of the guitars of Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman and the punishing breakaway attack of Dave Lombardo's drums on "Flesh Storm" it's clear from the first thirty seconds the thrash metal titans have returned to pummel listeners with a raging onslaught of new music guaranteed to lay waste to MP3 players, car stereo speakers and whatever else gets in their way.
Christ Illusion marks the long-awaited return of the legendary Slayer. Its first record in five years and its first record in fifteen years with the original band line-up, Christ Illusion is a cacophony of brutality. A soundtrack for the post-Apocalypse. Steeped in scorching riffs and a litany of menacing tracks/tirades on religion and violence, Slayer forges ahead on its devastating path of aural destruction with ten new songs, each charged with the electric hostility for which Slayer is renowned.
Of the record Kerry King is ecstatic: "I love it. I really like God Hates Us All and I think that's the best record we've done in my opinion since Seasons In The Abyss, and I like this better than that one. I think it's a more complete record, I think sonically it better: all the performances are awesome. I think this one is more intense not because we're trying to do 'Reign In Blood: The Sequel,' it's just that's where our writing is taking us now."
Songs like the "Flesh Storm," "Eyes of the Insane," "Skeleton Christ," "Jihad" and the first single, "Cult" showcase the band at its most blazing intensity. The sonic excitement of speed, propelled by King, Hanneman and Lombardo and lead by the immutable roar of Tom Araya provoke the listener with Slayer's trademark fascination with terror, violence and religion.
For as long as Slayer has been making records it has been surrounded by controversy.
Since the band recorded its first album, "Show No Mercy," Slayer has been plagued with accusations of Satanism, fascism, racism and so on. Christ Illusion gives no quarter to critics who would mindlessly attack the band for, what the Germans call, "der Reiz des Unbekannten" (meaning "the attraction of the unknown"). A lyric fascination with violence and terror which guitarist King enthusiastically describes this way: "When I was I kid I would see a horror movie over a love story. Being shocked, being in an environment that's not reality might be frightening but is cool nonetheless. With a lot of our songs we put people in that place. It doesn't bother me because I enjoy it. It could easily be programming from all the fucking news channels."
Slayer is often assailed for its subject matter, though the band is unrepentant. " According to Araya, "Violence, darkness... So much of my inspiration comes from news articles or pictures and just start describing the images. Television- A&E, the History Channel, Court TV, Documentaries."
The singer continues, "With this record, as far as a theme: there is none. That's just our favorite subject matter. The common thread is death. I think that's just a common thread in general: we all share death, and we all share it at different times in different ways, but it's the one thing that we all have in common. We all die. It's how we live that makes us different."
Beyond being controversial Slayer is an exceptional force in music, highly praised for its trailblazing style of fast, heavy and aggressive music yet bristling with melody. The much-heralded return of Dave Lombardo to the drummer's throne will leave fans gasping for breath as he clobbers the listener on song after song.
Commenting on Lombardo's return to the fold, King notes, "Not to say the shine's worn off, but it's old news to us. I think the thing the kids are going to get into, besides just being the first Slayer album in five years, is that Dave's on it. When he came back he wasn't a member, he just came back to do a couple of tours and people started asking back then 'Is he gonna hang around?' And I would tell them that was up to Dave. But I could tell that Dave was having a killer time." King confided. "So it was just a matter of time before he said, 'Yeah, let's do it!' But it's great. And now that he's got a new Slayer album that he's played on, I think he's going to get some more enjoyment out of playing. He takes pride in everything he does and it's awesome to have him back with us."
Having the original members record their first album together in fifteen years is certainly newsworthy but the lasting might of the band and its continued popularity is an achievement few can boast. For each of the members, the band is resolute. There is no other band like Slayer.
"The staying power behind Slayer is that we've stuck to our guns," Says Araya. "Integrity... that would be number one. A lot of it has to do with the fact that we've stuck to what we do best. And the fact that we've been together as a band for so long. Ten years with Dave; another ten without Dave; and now Dave's back. It has a lot to do with compromise, that's just the way it has to be. You have to be able to compromise and give and take and that has a lot to do with why we're still together and a force to be reckoned with. I've learned that without each other, Slayer wouldn't exist, and that the whole is greater than its parts."
Kerry King is far more succinct. "Slayer to me is the coolest band on the planet. There is a timeless quality to Slayer. It's cool, but I can't explain it. It's our life."
Slayer has created one mesmerizing record after the next, has influenced many of today's most successful bands, including Slipknot, Sepultura, Killswitch Engage, and continues to earn new generations of fans, while staying true to its ceaselessly devoted followers. Slayer's legacy is cemented in music forever and the band remains undaunted in its directive to make punishing, aggressive and exciting music. With Christ Illusion the band marks its territory. Slayer has exceeded itself far beyond thrash metal to become an unstoppable juggernaut without equal.
Tom Araya sums it up: "I think the best thing is the band's longevity and the fact that we haven't bowed to anyone. That we were able to make a record like Reign In Blood, which, to us, was just another record, but to others, was something very special, it's had such an impact. People will remember it for a long time, and it's all because we did things our way, we didn't bow down to anyone. We didn't compromise. We stuck to being who we are."
Ribu Mollo is without any doubt the smartest of the Mollo brothers. He left the huge forest in the north together with the other Mollos - but is still a bit lonely as he didn't find his child so far...
Get him: de.dawanda.com/product/2844702-Freche-RevoluzZza-Monster-...