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opinated-user · 1 year

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I think that celestia video anon was talking about was lily arguing against a common fan theory at the time that celestia was a dictator or something. I don't remember what it was called though. That aside what lily said about it was still weird and suspicious.

Some more details about the "dictators can be good" video that I can remember (but this was many years ago and I definitely could be misremembering)

It was about how the brony fandom liked Luna and was about how the brony fandom hated Celestia (?) If I remember correctly, it talked about how since Celestia wasn't overthrown (and because Twilight and people close to Celestia never claimed she was bad) that she was a great ruler and thus some dictators/monarchs could be good.

I genuinely remember a whole bit where she talks about how people revolt if they're unhappy and no dictator lasts forever. But maybe I made that up?

My memory is terrible.

I think it was either with the pony puppet or the Equestria Girls puppet, if that helps

another anon said: That anon is remembering the "Tyrantlestia" video from 8 years ago, all the way the bottom of Lily's video list. Amusingly in that video she also states and shows data that the majority of her audience is underage. "My very young audience" as she puts it.

i finished watching that video and, as usual, it's worse than i thought. (please remember that this video was from before LO came out so it contains her deadname) at 0:50 she brings out "my very young audience" and this was the graphic she showed of back then.

at around 2:33 LO starts theorizing that because a big part of the brony fandom is from USA and the USA defined itself as being revolutionaries that broke away from the British Empire, then they idiolize democracy to the point that dictators are (unfairly is the implication) seen as inherently bad. (which they are). at 3:35 she responds to the question "how does Celestia keep herself in power for thousands of years" with the simple answer "she's nice"... rather than thinking that this is a kid show that probably didn't cared about thinking too deeply about the politics of their setting because that was never the point.

at 3: 37 actually refers to Celestia as a "benevolent dictator", which wikipedia very quickly tells us is not an actual thing that exist:

Economist William Easterly defines benevolent autocrats as "leaders in non-democratic polities who receive credit for high growth." He notes that it is a popular and politically convenient story but goes on to argue that the concept is not supported by theory or evidence

Benevolent dictator was also a popular rhetoric in the early 20th century as a support for colonial rulings.

even the examples that they put of "benevolent dictators" have allegations of torture, murders, suppression of freedom of speech as well as looting the state during the time they were active in power. not very benevolent of them.

at 3:57 "truth of the matter is dictatorships are great when the dictator is lovely." (they're not)

at 4:13 LO goes full tinfoil especulation comparing people who like Luna more than Celestia with Anonymous, with the implication that the government of the US's not as bad as people say it is and the brony fandom originated on 4chan so that makes it just as bad as the rest of 4chan. during this whole speech she also implies that "these brats" shouldn't get a right to vote. she also says something that almost kinda sounds like cop apologism? at 4:37 she goes "tyrantlestia is the result of message board of people with no business on being on voting booths continueing to express their infatile rage because the police don't yet have the telepathic hability to instantly know who is innocent before questioning someone". i barely understood what that meant.

#lily orchard

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almostarchaeology · 4 years

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The Moggalithic antiquarian: party political broadcasts from stone circles

By Kenny Brophy (the Urban Prehistorian)

If a poll of Conservative members showed a majority of them were druids, Boris would be straight down to Stonehenge to dance naked for the seasons (Mark Steel, Independent, 28 March 2019)

Stanton Drew’s stone circles may not vibrate as wildly in the English consciousness as their easterly cousins at Stonehenge, however, they remain seriously impressive pieces of Neolithic kit. (Weird Walk, The Face 4.001)

Standing

Jacob Rees-Mogg, standing in the General Election, is standing in front of a standing stone. The parliamentary candidate (and current incumbent) for North East Somerset is asking everyone to vote Conservative in the December 2019 General Election in order to deliver Brexit. He is wearing a double-breasted great coat, almost invisible glasses, and a baby blue rosette the same size as the Nebra Sky Disk.

What was this WTF moment all about?

Was it just an innocent bit of eccentric electioneering fun that just happened to take place with a megalithic backdrop?

Or perhaps the film was an appeal to a certain kind of voter who craves the nostalgic fantasies of the English countryside, windswept standing stones, comical ‘scrumpy and western’ bands like The Wurzels, and Brexit?

Or was this short film altogether something more sinister?

I will ponder awhile on these questions during this post, but the reaction to the video was of even more interest to me.

#BrexitPrehistory

This troubling little video has garnered a good deal of attention. It initially dropped on 2nd December 2019 via Rees-Mogg’s own twitter account (with approximately 369,800 followers on the eve of the General Election ten days later). At the time of writing (13th December 2019) it has been viewed almost three quarter of a million times, and this is only on the Twitter platform.

The film is a particularly egregious example of what I have come to call #BrexitPrehistory (for it was not really about the election, it was about ‘getting Brexit done’) and it indicates the increasingly casual ways that prehistory is being used to make arguments for Brexit by leavers. However, the video also became a focal point for a lot of anti-Brexit (‘remainer’) sentiment, something I would also like to unpick here.

My contention is that we should not be using a prehistoric stone circle to make any kind of points about contemporary political and social challenges although it can be tempting to do so.

Stone circles like Stanton Drew, the one chosen by JRM as his backdrop, are neither leave or remain monuments. Yet, problematically, social media reaction to Rees-Mogg’s piece to camera suggests it might be both.

Petrified

First, let’s consider the video itself. It lasts all of 35 seconds, with a further final five seconds taken up with ‘Get Brexit Done’ and ‘Conservative Party’ branding.

JRM stands in front of one of the standing stones of Stanton Drew. The megalith is partially obscured by his torso and head, and he speaks while performing some half-hearted hand and body gestures. His stiff delivery style mimics the standing stones behind him, his petrified voters, a captive audience.

He narrates the following election message in his curious posh robot voice:

Adge Cutler sang the famous song: 'When the Common Market comes to Stanton Drew.'

I'm here by the standing stones in Stanton Drew, thought to be 4,500 years old, some of the most important stones in this country.

And I want to get the Common Market out of Stanton Drew.

We must get Brexit done. Only the Conservatives can do that - a majority Conservative Government can get out of the European Union and make Brexit happen by 31st January.

Please vote Conservative and get the Common Market out of Stanton Drew.

This little vignette was based on the title of an Adge Cutler song, performed by his band The Wurzels, on the theme of joining the Common Market and the impact it might have on Stanton Drew, the village (not the adjacent prehistoric monument of the same name). Both just happen to be in Rees-Mogg’s North East Somerset constituency for which he was, at the time, standing for re-election, and has since been re-elected with a decreased share of the vote.

The song, 'When the Common Market comes to Stanton Drew', is, depending on your perspective full of outdated, sexist, and racist, sentiments about foreigners and their stereotypical traits. Not to say geographically challenged as to the composition of Europe.

In the evenin' times I s'pose, we'll sip of our vin rose, Just like they do in the Argentine And we'll watch they foreign blokes, with their girt big 'ats and cloaks, Flamingo-in down on the village green. We'll 'ave to watch our wenches when they dark-eyed lads gets here, And the local boys'll 'ave to form a queue, They'll say "Ooh la la, oui oui," instead of "How's bist thee?"

Or as I have also seen it expressed, the song is a rather quaint musing on the exotic effects of becoming more closely integrated with Europe, and is in fact pro-European in sentiment, a parody of the prejudices of rural Little Englanders (oh the irony).

And the Druids Arms won't close till ver' nigh two, And we'll all drink caviar from a girt big cider jar, When the Common Market comes to Stanton Drew!

Wikipedia more neutrally notes that in ‘…response to opening up of trade with Europe, Adge suggests what might happen to Somerset culture when Europeans come over’.

This slice of ye olde Englande nostalgia fits well with the JRM brand, apparently au fait with what the working class oiks get up to in their pubs and barns, using deliberately anachronistic terminology, and always wearing at least one item of clothing that belongs to clown.

In reality this is all a bit attention seeking, self-promoting an eccentric film in an election campaign where, by all accounts he had been side-lined by the Conservative Party machine for being too ‘off-message’ even for the Tories. He is, as the Daily Mirror describes him, a ‘disgraced Tory toff’.

Rees-Mogg smacks of a man who likes his stone circles rural, just like WG Hoskins. After all, this was indeed a sylvan spot before all those pesky roads, factories, and voters appeared in the surrounding landscape.

‘Views of Stanton Drew AD 1784’ (source: Dymond 1877)

Note that Rees-Mogg stands in such a position that the camera can only see the rural behind him, and no telegraph polls, roads, or other modern clutter. Another angle would have revealed a different temporal dynamic. He wants you to imagine this photo could have been taken in 1819 or 1919 because his persona is all about a timelessness that stems from a fear of change, of his privilege being undermined by progress.

Memes and mocking

Responses to the film have been largely restricted to social media, with almost no mainstream news commentary. On Twitter there has been a mixed bag of bemused, amused, and angry reactions, as well as some fine memes; a lot of this commentary has come from archaeologists, unsurprisingly.

Recumbent Rees-Mogg (Jonathan Last, @johnnythin)

Voting Conservative gets more Stonehenge (me! @urbanprehisto)

Response by @herbieherbie10 on Twitter

Others had some fun with the fact that the policy and belief system of Rees-Mogg is an anachronism, of the past, although it seems a little unfair to tar the people of the Neolithic with the same brush as this upper class twit.

Response by @snegreid on Twitter

We could be here all day having fun with this video and you can do so by looking at the many, many replies to the original tweet of the video.

‘Built by immigrants’

However, responses did not simply consist of cheap laughs at the expense of a feckless Tory MP. Some suggested that this short film was essentially a dog-whistle nod to the alt-right and far-right viewer of the video. In light of recent media coverage of far-right groups using megaliths in the south of England for rites and ceremonies (covered nicely in this blog post by Howard Williams), the choice of a stone circle could be viewed as at best naïve, or absolutely intentional, depending on your level of cynicism.

Archaeologists such as Cathy Frieman pointed out that it was important we acknowledge the tone of the video, and that it is no laughing matter.

Response by @cjfrieman on Twitter

In this respect should we be more careful about giving such tweets and political propaganda the oxygen of publicity? Certainly, it was interesting to see some responses on Twitter that we should not keep retweeting the original post (either to take the piss or offence) because this helps with the stats for the tweet and increases its visibility. When TV presenter and archaeologist Alice Roberts retweeted this, with a critique (of more below), she fired this little film into the timelines of over 200,000 of her followers. I am in a sense guilty of doing the same thing in this blog post, and it is the case that even mocking memes ensure a person, image, and message spreads across the internet like a virus.

Another theme that emerged in responses to the Rees-Mogg film was the apparent irony of using as a pro-Brexit backdrop a prehistoric monument that was ‘built by immigrants’ and which suggested we had close connections with Europe in prehistory.

Alice Roberts for instance tweeted: ‘How extraordinary that Rees-Mogg chooses to stand in front of a megalithic monument – which speaks so strongly of connections across prehistoric Europe – to make an isolationist statement!’

Charlotte Higgins, chief culture writer of The Guardian (38K followers), tweeted: ‘Get the hell out of my favourite stone circle which, by the way, was built by immigrants’.

Response by @chiggi on Twitter

I don’t want to especially pick on these commentators, as the immigrants trope was suggested by lots of respondents, coming from a place with the best of intentions. And it reminds me of Jeremy Deller’s 2019 street artwork in Glasgow, Built by immigrants, which espouses a similar sentiment.

Jeremy Deller, Stonehenge artwork, Glasgow

Prehistory it seems is a blank canvas upon which we can project whatever we want to, fit into our belief systems, and bounce around within our echo chambers. And while I much prefer a narrative that supports partnership, immigration, and communal labour, over separationist and divisive arguments, I can’t help but feel uneasy about any attempts to use the prehistoric past to support or even justify our own belief systems.

The prehistoric story of stone circles should not be used to score political points.

Arguments that stone circles such as Stonehenge and Stanton Drew were ‘built by immigrants’ and had close connections to Europe and therefore we should retain those relationships today and into the future are, to my mind, as problematic as contrary arguments that, for instance, we have a long tradition of turbulent relationships with Europe, and that Brexit-like schisms are not a new thing.

Reactions to the film suggest leave and remain arguments are both claiming a form of legitimacy deep into prehistory, in the shape of Stanton Drew, which to my mind is both illogical and inappropriate.

Such arguments have become increasingly fuelled by ancient DNA (aDNA) and stable isotope studies that suggest mobility in prehistory was commonplace especially when converted into newspaper headlines and stories. Yet our understanding of prehistory is complex and contested, and contrary views also exist. It is possible for instance to argue that at least some elements of Stanton Drew were constructed in the late Neolithic period (30th to 25th centuries BC), a time of ‘late Neolithic isolation’, even a Neolithic Brexit, according to archaeologists such as Richard Madgwick and Mike Parker Pearson. If we follow this line of argument, Rees-Mogg was correct – Stanton Drew is a leave monument. And, suggestions that stone circles are a common monument type across Europe, thus suggesting cultural connections, smacks of culture-historical thinking. No idea exists in isolation and the Brexitisation of prehistory is becoming tortuous.

The Brexit hypothesis

The use of Stanton Drew as a backdrop and theme for a political announcement about Brexit, and critical reactions to this that I have seen in social media are both symptomatic of what I have previously called the Brexit Hypothesis:

The proposition that any archaeological discovery in Europe can – and probably will – be exploited to argue in support of, or against Brexit (Brophy 2018: 1650).

Our discourse has become so entrenched in Brexit-thinking that we struggle to consider this stone circle without it becoming a synecdoche for our moral, ethical, political, beliefs. In fact, responses should have focused entirely on the wilful and inappropriate appropriation of a prehistoric megalithic enclosure for political ends as some contributors, such as Cathy Frieman, did indeed do.

Are we – the progressives, the liberal left, remainers – in danger of wanting to have our cake and eat it? At this politically dispiriting time, this is understandable.

A polarisation

There is always a depth and complexity to such issues, and this is reflected in the invisible, complex archaeology at the Stanton Drew circle JRM chose as his megalithic pulpit. An amazing geophysical survey in 1997 revealed a collection of concentric timber circles within the stone circle, and an external henge ditch. Hundreds of oak posts stood here in the Neolithic period (Davis et al 2004).

Stanton Drew geophysics results (source: PAST)

The visible megalithic Stanton Drew must be understood in the context of the organic invisible Stanton Drew. The visible political posturing must be read within the context of the invisible underlying currents given off that can perhaps be picked up on should receptive equipment be suitably attuned. As with actual, so with metaphorical geophysics: these undercurrents can be positive and negative. Rees-Mogg is attracting and repelling at the same time. That is what populist politicians – and magnetometers – do.

His deliberately divisive message is having the desired polarising effect.

The choice of site, the words, the message, of this short video are very much in the antiquarian tradition.

He is the Moggalithic antiquarian.

JRM the antiquarian, words from Dymond 1877

This is played out through his superficial understanding of the archaeological site, and an inability and unwillingness to interpret outwith his own value system. JRM uses the stone circle to valorise his world view and force that view upon others.

Yet stone circles can and should be kept out of our Brexit battles. They are no more an indicator of what Jonathan Last, in another great response to far-right use of prehistoric monuments, has called, ‘a conservative, nostalgic narrative of a lost rural England’, than they are surviving traces of an ancient utopia of free movement and European cultural cohesion.

Stone circles should be testament to the sophistication of Neolithic people. Stone circles should continue to be a source of wonder, mystery, the otherness of the past as demonstrated in Weird Walks zine #2. Their weird walk route around Stanton Drew, documented in the pages of this zine and The Face, is a wonderful counterpoint to the weird stiffness of the Rees-Mogg polemic. The stones should be hugged, and the stone circle is to be enjoyed, as is the visit to the Druids Arms pub afterwards.

Weird Walks Stanton Drew (source: Weird Walk #2 (2019), 30-1)

Prehistoric sites cannot, and should not, be viewed through a Brexit lens, whether leave or remain.

We need to get back to seeing such ancient monuments through a camera lens and our own eyeballs.

We must take back our wonderful prehistoric monuments from the grasping hands and propaganda machines of opportunistic politicians, and avoid falling into their sinister traps.

***

Works cited:

Brophy, K. 2018. The Brexit hypothesis and prehistory. Antiquity, 92: 1650-58. DOI: 10.15184/aqy.2018.160

David, A 1998 Stanton Drew, PAST 28. (Newsletter of the Prehistoric Society). Available online https://www.ucl.ac.uk/prehistoric/past/past28.html#Stanton

Davis, A. et al 2004 A rival to Stonehenge? Geophysical survey at Stanton Drew, England. Antiquity 78, 341-58. DOI: 10.1017/S0003598X00113006

Dymond, CW The megalithic antiquities at Stanton Drew, Journal of the British Archaeological Association 33: 297-307.

***

Thanks to guest blogger Kenny Brophy. Follow Kenny on Twitter @urbanprehisto.

Read more by Kenny on his own blog, The Urban Prehistorian, and a previous guest post here.

#archaeonews #urban prehistory #Jacob Rees-Mogg #UK general election #brexit

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historicalfirearms · 6 years

Photo

Japanese Type II Model B

Like many of the major powers at the beginning of the Second World War the Japanese had shown little interest in submachine guns. Purchasing a limited number of Bergmann MP28/IIs and MP34s for testing and limited issue during the late 1930s. Alongside these foreign designs some indigenous development also took place with Kijiro Nambu designing several interesting submachine guns.

There is relatively little information available about Nambu’s submachine guns with even designations muddled. Author William Easterly notes that the model featured above was described as the Type II Model B. Developed in 1934, the earlier Type I chambered the 8mm Nambu pistol cartridge and fed from a 50 round curved magazine. The pistol grip acted as a magazine housing, a feature predating both the Sa vz. 23 and the Uzi. Other than the weapon’s pistol grip it followed conventional designs from Bergmann and SIG using a tube receiver and a blowback action.

The Type II Model B, shown above, differs significantly from the earlier Nambu submachine gun. It has full wooden furniture with a cutout for a trigger guard, and a semi pistol grip stock. The magazine loads just ahead of the trigger guard and the Model B feeds from 30, rather than 50, round magazines. The design retains the tube receiver and used a telescoping recoil spring and a pneumatic buffer to slow the weapon’s rate of fire.

The Japanese Army were allegedly uninterested in the new weapon, however, it has been suggested that the Navy purchased a small number for testing. Samples were certainly produced, probably by Nambu’s company, Nambu-Ju Seizosho K.K. One of these samples was found at the Japanese headquarters in Singapore at the end of the war (see image #2).

A British technical report produced by the Chief Inspector of Small Arms in Bengal, India describes the standard of the captured Model B’s workmanship as being “above that normally found in Japanese small arms.” The report describes the Model B’s pneumatic rate of fire reducer as having “five holes of different sizes in the cap of the buffer housing.” The rate of fire could be varied by the rate at which the air was pushed out of the valve in the buffer. It is unknown on which gas setting the weapon was tested on but a rate of 820 rounds per minute was recorded.

The weapon had a safety on the left side of the receiver which locked the trigger.Overall it weighed 6.25lbs, was 26 inches in overall length and had a tangent sight, graduated out to an optimistic 600m. Some sources suggest that less than fifty Type II Model B’s were produced with several now residing in reference collections.

Sources:

C.I.S.A, India, Technical Report No. J-28 on 8mm Unknown Type Japanese Machine Carbine, via ForgottenWeapons, (source)

Many thanks to Peter Hokana for kindly allowing the use of his photograph

Nambu Machine Pistols, W. Easterly, (source)

If you enjoy the content please consider supporting Historical Firearms through Patreon!

#history #military history #firearms history #ww2 #japanese submachine gun #nambu #prototype #firearms design #firearms development #gunblr #weapons #prototypes #firearms #guns #wwii #world war two #kijiro nambu

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architectnews · 3 years

Text

French Architecture News, Buildings in France

French Architecture News 2021, France Building Projects, New Construction Design, Property

French Architecture News

Contemporary Buildings in France Information – Built Environment Updates & Images

post updated 16 February 2021

French Building News

French Architectural News + Key New Property Designs, alphabetical:

French Architecture Design – chronological list

15 Feb 2021 Johnny Depp’s French Village

15 Feb 2021 l’Aldilonda Promenade, Bastia

20 Jan 2021 Breitenbach Landscape Hotel Alsace Resort

2 Nov 2020 Contemporary Duplex Cannes

29 Oct 2020 100% wooden house, Château de la Bourdaisière, Montlouis-sur-Loire Design: LOCAL and Suphasidh Studio photo : Atelier Vincent Hecht 100% wooden house Montlouis-sur-Loire LOCAL and Suphasidh Studio build a prototype of a 100% wooden house in the park of the Bourdaisière Castle. The project questions the flexibility and the usage of wood; it aims to modify the traditional codes of the individual housing.

27 Oct 2020 Théâtre “Legendre” in Evreux Design: OPUS 5 architectes photo : Luc Boegly Théâtre Legendre Evreux The highly respectful project aimed to restore this theater dating from 1903 to its former glory, in its original architectural style and including the design of a new décor for the lobby.

16 Oct 2020 I Park Housing, Montpellier

30 Sep 2020 MEETT Exhibition and Convention Centre, Toulouse, southern France Design: OMA photograph : Marco Cappelletti, Courtesy of OMA MEETT Exhibition and Convention Centre MEETT, Toulouse’s new Exhibition and Convention Centre designed by OMA / Chris van Duijn, has been completed, becoming the third largest parc des expositions in France outside of Paris.The 155,000 sqm project incorporates exhibition halls, a convention centre, a multi-function event hall, a car park silo for 3,000 cars and a transportation hub with a new tram station.

28 Sep 2020 Les Belles Echappées, Chamonix-Mont-Blanc

16 Aug 2020 Wicker Pavilion, Jardins de l’Europe Design: DJA – Didzis Jaunzems, Ksenia Sapega photo : Eriks Bozis Wicker Pavilion Annecy The pavilion blends in with the surrounding landscape and forms a shaded space for park visitors to shelter from the hot summer sun.

2 Aug 2020 House H2 on Corsica

27 July 2020 Footbridge at the Angers Saint-Laud Train Station

18 July 2020 Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul Cathedral Fire

Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Nantes facade: photo © Guillaume Piolle, Public Domain, https://ift.tt/37A6Nu7

A fire at the cathedral in the French city of Nantes is believed to have been started deliberately, prosecutors say.

youtube

Three fires were started at the west end of the building. An investigation into suspected arson is under way, French prosecutors state.

photo by Florestan – Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://ift.tt/2NbjhB5

The blaze destroyed stained glass windows and the grand organ at the Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul cathedral, which dates from the 15th Century.

It follows the devastating fire at Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris in 2019.

But the local fire chief said the fire in Nantes had been contained and was “not a Notre-Dame scenario”.

youtube

The damage is concentrated on the organ, which appears to be completely destroyed. The platform it is situated on is very unstable and risks collapsing.

The cathedral roof had not been touched by the blaze.

The fire seems to have started around 07:30 local time.

Construction of the Gothic church building began in 1434, but did not reach completion until 1891.

25 June 2020 Sean Connery South-of-France Villa, Nice

19 June 2020 Cannes Temporary Cinema Competition

1 June 2020 MON House and Brick Extension Montpellier

12 Apr 2020 Refuge du Goûter – French Alps Building

post updated 11 Apr 2020 ; 24 Oct 2019 Belaroia Hotel and Apartments, Rue Jules Ferry, Montpellier, southern France Design: Manuelle Gautrand Architecture photo © Luc Boegly Belaroia Hotel and Apartments in Montpellier Belaroia Hotel and Apartments is an important project for the City of Montpellier and its development agency, the SERM, as it holds a strategic position between the city’s hyper-centre, characterised by its escutcheon form in plan, and new surrounding districts that have appeared in succession.

20 Mar 2020 Architectural Adventures in The French Alps

17 Mar 2020 The Wet Docks Offices in Bordeaux

10 Mar 2020 Garden Tennis Club of Cabourg in Normandy

10 Mar 2020 Chemin des Carrières, Alsace Building

5 Mar 2020 LUX* La Baraquette, Marseillan, Hérault department, southern France Architecture: Slow Life Architects image courtesy of architecture practice LUX* La Baraquette Construction at this picturesque new waterfront resort in the charming port town of Marseillan by luxury developer Propriétés & Co, is progressing well, with the first phase of residences taking shape.

2 Jan 2020 Dortoir Familial Ramatuelle Property, Var department, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, southeastern France Design: NADAAA, Architects image courtesy of architects office Dortoir Familial Ramatuelle House, Var Property For centuries, the enclosed courtyard has been overlaid on various geographic settings—each time transformed according to the climate, rituals, and construction practices of the place. A vehicle to capture the outdoors within the building, the courtyard is defined by its interiority.

2 Jan 2020 House H2 on Corsica, Luxury Property

French Architect French Architect – France architecture office listings

More contemporary French Architecture News on e-architect soon

French Architecture News 2019

13 Nov 2019 Portes Bonheur, le Chemin des Carrières in Rosheim (Rosheim-St Nabor railway), Alsace, North East France Design: Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter AS, Norway photography : Florent Michel 11h45 Portes Bonheur, le Chemin des Carrières in Rosheim The “Portes Bonheur” greenway is an original creation for the Communauté de Communes des Portes de Rosheim.

28 Sep 2019 Le Dôme Winery, Saint-Émillion, Bordeaux, south west France Architects: Foster + Partners image courtesy architecture office Le Dôme Winery in Saint-Émillion, Bordeaux Nestled in the rolling hills of Bordeaux, the design of the new building aims to blend seamlessly with the UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Landscape of the region with a state-of-the-art facility for the young label.

20 Sep 2019 Footbridge over high-speed train station in Laval, Mayenne department, western France Design: Dietmar Feichtinger Architectes photograph : David Boureau Train Station Footbridge in Laval, Mayenne With the opening of the new high-speed rail and its various urban planning functions, the ZAC “Laval à Grande Vitesse” from the station area, is making an economic pole of the city and its metropolitan area.

27 Aug 2019 Metropole’s Crematorium in Rennes

8 Aug 2019 Maison Louis Carré France: Alvar Aalto House

10 July 2019 Rennes Competition for a New Residential Tower Design: Team JDSA with local architects Maurer & Gilbert and Paris offices SMAC and Think Tank Rennes Residential Tower Competition

More contemporary French Architecture News online soon

French Architecture News 2018

25 Oct 2018 Les Cabanes du Lac, Aix-les-Bains, department of Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, southeastern France Design: Pietri Architectes photography : Kevin Dolmaire Les Cabanes du Lac in Aix-les-Bains This programme, featuring 58 apartments and 2 shops, forms part of the development of the ZAC des Bords du Lac, Quartier Nouvel Aix, an exceptional, 15-hectare site connecting the historic heart of Aix-les-Bains with Lac du Bourget.

14 Sep 2018 Headquarters of Métropole Rouen Normandie

30 Jun 2018 Aqualagon Waterpark Shortlisted at World Architecture Festival 2018 Awards Aqualagon Waterpark, Marne la Vallée, France, is one of 536 shortlisted entries across 81 countries: World Architecture Festival Awards 2018 Shortlist

17 Jun 2018 Water Park Aqualagon, Villages Nature Paris, Marne-la-Vallée, France Design: Jacques Ferrier Architecture photo © Jacques Ferrier Architecture ; photographs by Didier Boy De La Tour Water Park Aqualagon The direction of the winds and the path of the sun have determined the floor plan for our project. Protected from cold north-easterly winter winds, nestling up to the forest, the aquatic park opens towards the west to make the most of cool breezes in warm weather.

10 May 2018 Grand Musée d’Art Nantes Wins RIBA Award for International Excellence 2018 Design: Stanton Williams Architects photo © Nick Hufton Grand Musee d Art Nantes The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has announced the winners of the RIBA Awards for International Excellence and the 2018 RIBA International Emerging Architect, including this elegant and beautifully proportioned alteration and major extension for Nante’s Musee d’Arts.

27 Apr 2018 Sir John Monash Centre, Villers-Bretonneux, Somme department, Hauts-de-France, northern France Design: Cox Architecture with Williams, Abrahams, Lampros photo © Tim D Williams Sir John Monash Centre in Villers-Bretonneux To the east of the 1938 Edwin Lutyens-designed memorial to the Australians who fell in the nearby fields during World War I, a new feature has been added.

17 Apr 2018 Breitenbach Landscape Hotel, Breitenbach, Bas-Rhin department, Alsace, north-eastern France Design: Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter images : Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter, WSBY, Tejo Breitenbach Landscape Hotel France Breitenbach Landscape Hotel will have a prominent role linking the hotel activity to the site and local traditions. At the same time, it will gather the best of architecture, design, spa facilities and food culture in the region.

26 Mar 2018 Glass House, Cap d’Antibes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, southeastern France Architects: David Price Design photo :Hervé Hôte Glass House on the French Riviera British designer David Price, who works out of offices in Provence and on the Côte d’Azur, together with his Anglo-French-American team, has completed a show-stopping ‘Glass House’ for a British client on the Cap d’Antibes.

15 Mar 2018 Technical Center of Blagnac, Gignac, Hérault département, Occitanie region, southern France Design: NBJ architectes photo : photoarchitecture.com/PaulKozlowski Technical Center of Blagnac France Located next to an expressway, the Technical Center of Blagnac was built in the middle of a neighborhood characterized by a highly industrialized program. Nevertheless, a classified forest and a cemetery are located just next to the site. These elements constitute the principal specificity of this program.

5 Mar 2018 9-9 bis Transformation of a Former Mine Site Into a Cultural Complex Design: Hérault Arnod architectures photo : André Morin 9-9 bis Cultural Complex in Oignies The Oignies coal mine closed in 1990, leaving a whole population and its industrial mining heritage in disarray (pithead buildings, industrial buildings, head frames). The project to reinstate this territory marked by decades of mining operations, began in 2005 with the competition mounted by the Hénin-Carvin Intermunicipal Council.

2 Mar 2018 Gymnasium of the Louis de Cormontaigne High School, Metz Architects: agence ENGASSER & associés photo : Mathieu Ducros Gymnasium of the Louis de Cormontaigne High School The new gymnasium is located on the site like a ship’s bow, facing the Louis de Cormontaigne High School building, a three-story structure housing the classrooms between the Moselle River and the canal and facing the motorway, which is the site’s main acoustic challenge.

1 Mar 2018 Tête de Pont Bayonne, south west France Design: Josep Lluis Mateo – Mateo Arquitectura image Courtesy architecture office Bayonne Gateway Three interventions address three independent yet complementary themes: – The Marinadour complex, which represents the organization of a considerable urban density and a mixed programme. – In the Park, the ground is the protagonist. Vegetation, transparency, public space, pedestrian connectivity. – The Rivadour complex closes the urban space. It is a continuous block that follows the river before breaking off towards the city.

20 Feb 2018 Palais de Justice, Lille Design: OMA image courtesy of OMA / ArtefactoryLab Palais de Justice Lille OMA’s design for the new Palais de justice in Lille has been selected as the winner of four finalists from a competition. The new public building, commissioned by the Ministry of Justice, will accommodate the high court and district court of Lille.

13 Feb 2018 Church of Saint-Jacques de la Lande, Rennes, east of Brittany, northwestern France Architects: Alvaro Siza Vieira photo : Joao Morgado Church of Saint-Jacques de la Lande in Rennes This project in Brittany was contracted to the Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza Vieira. His use of light and white concrete provide a unique ceremonial space that gently folds into the neighbourhood south of Rennes, a residential area with five-story housing blocks.

9 Jan 2018 St Tropez Villa, Saint-Tropez, Var department, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, southeastern France Architects: SAOTA photo : Adam Letch Luxury Villa in Southern France The design comprises a series of horizontal planes – the green hedge on street level, the solid street facing front of the house, the indoor layers running from east to west, the linear terrace and sloping green embankment and swimming pool below.

French Building News – archive up to and including 2017

We aim to add more French Architecture News online soon

Location: France, Europe

New Buildings in France

Contemporary Architectural Projects in France

French Houses

French Housing

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French Skyscrapers

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Comments / photos for the French Architecture News page welcome

Website: Visit France

The post French Architecture News, Buildings in France appeared first on e-architect.

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indiavacancyjob · 4 years

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General Knowledge Question Answer | Set – 04

For cracking any competition exams, the general knowledge and current affairs are mandatory. General Knowledge is an essential part of any competitive exam, so we thought of a system that will help people in General Knowledge.

General Knowledge Question Answer

Q. The number of major languages, recognized in the Indian Union as the official language, is 22 Q. The oldest rocks in India are reported from Dharwar region, Karnataka Q. Which of the following groups of rivers originate from the Himachal mountains? Beas, Ravi, and Chenab Q. Which of the following groups of states has the largest deposits of iron ore? Bihar and Orissa Q. Which of the following union territories of India has the highest density of population per sq km? Delhi Q. Which atomic power station in India is built completely indigenously? Kalpakkam Q. The south-west monsoon contributes ____ of the total rain in India. 86% Q. The Shimla Convention is an agreement that sets Boundary between India and Tibet Q. The oldest oil field in India is the ____ field, in ____ Digboi, Assam Q. The oldest oil refinery in India is at Digboi, Assam Q. The oldest mountains in India are Aravalis Q. Which of the following groups of rivers have their source of origin in Tibet? Brahmaputra, Indus, and Sutlej Q. B. C. Roy Award is given in the field of Medicine Q. In which year was Pulitzer Prize established? 1917 Q. Gandhi Peace Prize for the year 2000 was awarded to the former President of South Africa along with Grameen Bank of Bangladesh Q. The prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award was conferred upon Ms. Kiran Bedi for her excellent contribution to which of the following fields? Government Service Q. Which of the following societies has instituted an award for an outstanding parliamentarian? G. B. Pant Memorial Society Q. Which is the highest gallantry award in India? Param Vir Chakra Q. Which state gives Mewar award? Rajasthan Q. Who is the first Asian Winner of the Nobel Prize? Rabindranath Tagore Q. The first Indian to receive Noble Prize in Literature was Rabindranath Tagore Q. The first recipient of Rajiv Gandhi’s ‘Khel Ratna’ award is Vishwanathan Anand Q. Pulitzer prize is awarded for outstanding work in the field of Literature and Journalism Q. Saraswathi Samman is given annually for outstanding contribution to the literature Q. What is the predominant type of Indian agriculture? subsistence agriculture Q. The Radcliffe line is a boundary between India and Pakistan Q. Which of the following has a potential for harnessing of tidal energy in India? Gulf of Cambay Q. The typical area of sal forest in the Indian peninsular upland occurs On the Malwa plateau Q. The state has the largest area of forest cover in India is Madhya Pradesh Q. The year ____ is called a Great Divide in the demographic history of India. 1921 Q. The only private sector refinery set up by Reliance Petroleum Ltd. is located at Jamnagar Q. The only state in India that produces saffron is Jammu and Kashmir Q. Three important rivers of the Indian subcontinent have their sources near the Mansarover Lake in the Great Himalayas. These rivers are Brahmaputra, Indus, and Sutlej Q. The zonal soil type of peninsular India belongs to Red soils Q. The northern boundary of the peninsular plateau of Indian runs parallel to the Ganga and the Yamuna from Rajmahal hills to a point near Delhi Q. Which of the following food grain crops occupies the largest part of the cropped area in India? Rice Q. The Paithan (Jayakwadi) Hydro-electric project, completed with the help of Japan, is on the river Godavari Q. The percentage of irrigated land in India is about 35 Q. The southernmost point of peninsular India, that is, Kanyakumari, is North of the Equator Q. The pass located at the southern end of the Nilgiri Hills in south India is called The Palghat gap Q. The principal copper deposits of India lie in which of the following places? Hazaribag and Singbhum of Bihar Q. The Yarlung Zangbo river, in India, is known as Brahmaputra Q. The Salal Project is on the river Chenab Q. The only zone in the country that produces gold is also rich in iron is Southern zone Q. The percentage of earth surface covered by India is 2.4 Q. The present forest area of India, according to satellite data, is Decreasing Q. India’s highest annual rainfall is reported at Mawsynram, Meghalaya Q. The refineries are Mathura, Digboi and Panipat are set up by Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. Q. The study of soils is called Pedology Q. The sediment deposited at the base of the glacier is called Till Q. The smallest division of geological time scale is Stage Q. The smallest state, population-wise, in the world is Vatican City Q. The shortest day (longest night) in the southern hemisphere is June 21 Q. The smallest glaciers are Mountain or Alpine glaciers Q. Which of the following is measured on the Richter scale? Intensity of earthquakes Q. The term used to describe the combined effect of all shortwave losses in Earth albedo Q. The study of day-to-day variations in weather called is called Meteorology Q. The soils whose parent material tend to be rich in sand are Spodosols Q. The second largest continent in the world is Africa Q. The temperature increases rapidly after Ionosphere Q. Which of the following is concerned with the study of characteristics, origin, and development of landforms? Geomorphology Q. The soils common to the southeastern USA are called Ultisols Q. The Suez canal connects the Mediterranean sea and the Red sea Q. The uppermost epoch of the Neogene period is the Pliocene epoch Q. The slow downslope movement of soil and sediment because of frost heaving and thawing is called Frost creep Q. The smallest country of the world is Vatican city Q. The smallest annual temperature range occurs in the Equatorial tropical climate zone Q. The short term variations of the atmosphere, ranging from minutes to months are called Weather Q. The tide produced as a consequence of the moon and the sun pulling the earth in the same direction is called Springtide Q. The tropical cyclones with maximum sustained surface winds of 33 ms are called Hurricane Q. The typical soil of the tropical region, formed by the weathering of laterite rock, which promotes leaching of the soil is Laterite soils Q. The troughs of the waves are where the jet stream of waves is closest to the Equator Q. The Palaeozoic era contains ____ periods. Six Q. The northern portion of the western coastal plain is called Konkan plain Q. The number of a topographic map is 47A/16/NW. Its scale must be 1 : 25,000 Q. The radiation belts are zones in space around the Earth, Jupiter, and Saturn Q. The periods of different eras are further divided into Stages Q. The production of wheat has increased mainly due to increase in yield per hectare Q. Which of the following is not a Kharif crop? Mustard Q. The shape of the earth is Oblate Spheroid Q. The tertiary winds on the north of the Alps (Europe) are called The foehn Q. The tropical easterlies wind lie at 0-30? latitude Q. The transport of warm air toward the poles and cold air toward the equator is due to the development of waves Q. The sulfites are a mineral group that contain one or more metallic elements in combination with the sulfate compound ____ SO4 Q. The names of the scientists, Newlands, Mendeleev, and Meyer are associated with the development of Periodic table of contents Q. The ridges of the waves are where the jet stream of waves closes to the Poles Q. The rate at the change of temperature is called Temperature Gradient Q. The obscuring of one celestial body by another, particularly that of the sun or a planetary satellite Eclipse Q. The river Sutlej, on which the Bhakra Dam has been built, originates from Rakas lake in Tibet Q. The process of destruction or dying of fronts is called Frontolysis Q. The Palaeozoic era starts at ____ million years ago and ends at ____ million years ago. 570, 225 Q. The reaction is carbonate and bicarbonate ions with mineral is called Carbonation Q. The process of particle detachment by moving glacial ice is called Plucking Q. Which of the following is concerned with the description and mapping of the main features of the universe? Cosmography Q. The process that creates the deep oceanic trenches is called Plate tectonics Q. The rainfall in the peninsular interior averages about 650 mm a year Q. The hardest form of carbon is Diamond Q. The most important ore of aluminum is Bauxite Q. The number of electrons presents in H+ is Zero Q. The hottest part of the gas flame is known as Non-luminous zone Q. The human body is made up of several chemical elements; the element present in the highest proportion (65%) in the body is Oxygen Q. The number of waves made by an electron moving in an orbit having a maximum magnetic quantum number is +3 4 Q. The National Chemical Laboratory is situated in Pune Q. The maximum number of covalent formed by nitrogen is 4 Q. The formula C6H5-CO-CH3 represents Acetophenone Q. The metal that is usually extracted from seawater is Mg Q. The inert gases are ____ in water Sparingly soluble Q. The molecular formula of phosphorous is P4 Q. The percentage of sun’s radiation reflected into space is about 36 percent Q. The progressive wave theory regarding of tides was put forth by William Whewell Q. The platform and the basement rock together form Craton Q. The planet with the maximum number of natural satellites (moons), so far discovered is Jupiter Q. The river Jordan drains into the Dead Sea Q. The ratio of land to ocean in the southern hemisphere is 1 to 4 Q. The polar diameter is ____ to the equatorial diameter. Less Q. The ratio of the weight of water vapor to the total weight of air (including the water vapor) is called Specific humidity Q. The process of soil development is called Pedogenesis Q. The Panama canal links North America with South America Q. The Rhine river of northern Europe empties into The North sea Q. The part of the earth and the thin layer of air above its surface, which support life on earth, are referred to as Biosphere The above information has been collected for various newspapers or Govt websites. We are not any Recruiter Agency or we do not hold any kind of Recruitment Process. So Job Finders are requested to go to the Official website of the Government Organization for more details. We are not liable for any kind of Misunderstanding or False information given by the third party Media Agency or Website. Railway Jobs In India Police Jobs in India Defense Jobs in India Research Jobs in India Teaching Jobs in India Bank Jobs in India Hospitality Jobs in India Central Government Jobs Check Exam Result Download Admit Card

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General Knowledge Question Answer | Set – 04

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pattatie · 4 years

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Stormy Day in December 2018(UK) by williamwalton001 The proposal for a pier was first mooted at the end of 1863, and highly favoured by the town’s major landowner, the seventh Duke of Devonshire. It was to have been 1000 feet in length and, at a cost of £12,000, would have been situated at the end of the town’s grandest avenue, Devonshire Place. However, the project was delayed and finally abandoned in favour of the present site at the junction of Grand and Marine Parades, thus creating the easterly end of what amounts to a shingle bay. Information by Wikipedia. Texture's & Effect's William Walton & Topaz. https://flic.kr/p/2hudUni

#IFTTT #Flickr #pentaxart #pier #sky #seaside #historic #building #water #weather

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emarywalkersettlers · 4 years

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The Cape Colony

“It was 1820. The place was Algoa Bay, more than 400 miles east north-east of Cape Town. They came by wooden sailing ships. Four thousand people. They were ill prepared and ill equipped. Most of them were poor, many of them suffered on board ship and in their new land, and some of them died. But they established themselves on southern African soil and very few of them ever uprooted from those soils again.” - extract from my blog “British Interest in Southern Africa ~ Part Two” dated 19 December 2019.

By late February 1820, exactly 200 years ago, 19 wooden sailing ships carrying several thousand passengers had already set sail from the ports of Great Britain. The Chapman, the first ship to depart, was more than two months into her voyage and was only three weeks of sailing away from Table Bay at the southern tip of Africa. The Aurora and the Brilliant were less than two weeks into the voyage, and more than two months of interminable Atlantic Ocean lay before them.

Another nine ships would undertake this voyage in the coming months. A total of 27 ships made landfall in southern Africa. One ship was lost. About a month into the voyage Abeona caught fire and 100 emigrants died. A small group of emigrants survived and were transported to Lisbon by a passing ship.

What was it, though, that triggered this significant migration of four thousand British subjects to southern Africa in the year 1820? Let’s go a little deeper and unpack this!

Britain had recently acquired a new colony. This came into effect in 1806 and was a direct consequence of ongoing hostilities between Britain and France, their old enemy. Leaving the Cape under Dutch rule, as it had been for a century and a half, except for a brief period at the end of the 18th century, came with a great risk to Britain’s imperial interests in the East. The Cape of Good Hope was a crucial halfway port to the East and securing control over it ensured Britain’s dominance over its powerful French rival in the regions east of Africa.

The Cape Colony, however, consisted of much more than Cape Town and its surrounds. Over the preceding century Dutch farmers had trekked inland and had migrated a considerable distance in an easterly direction along the Indian Ocean coast. Dutch farms had been established across the region, up to more than 400 miles from Cape Town, and towns had sprung up in these farming communities. It now fell to Britain to employ its extensive colonial expertise across the entire region.

Just prior to Britain’s first colonization of the Cape (1795 - 1803), considerable trouble had started in the far north-eastern region of the colony where a town had been established a decade earlier. Graaff Reinet had become the home of a particularly independent group of Dutch farmers who openly rebelled against the restrictive regulations of the Dutch East India Company, exerted upon them from Cape Town and the Netherlands, and were demanding their independence from the Cape Colony. The Dutch farmers’ aversion to authority expanded to include the new colonial power, and Britain felt compelled to take measures to prevent ‘foreign aid’ getting to the Graaff Reinet rebels - in the form of their immutable enemy, France.

At this time the French Revolutionary Wars were tailing off and the Napoleonic Wars had begun and French presence in the Indian Ocean presented a grave threat to Britain’s Cape Colony. While Cape Town was well equipped for naval invasions, there was a real threat that an invasion into the colony could take place through ‘a back door’.

In 1799 British troops were sent to a remote coastline on the Indian Ocean seaboard, more than 400 miles away from Cape Town. Their job was to build a fort, its firepower to repel an invasion. Fort Frederick was the only permanent structure on this desolate landscape, and for many years its stone walls and iron guns held a lonely and silent vigil over Algoa Bay. The invasion never came. The guns were not fired, and have never been fired to this day.

But inland and to the east of Fort Frederick and Algoa Bay the landscape was not without human life. ‘Trekboers’ (Dutch semi-nomadic farmers) had been on the move for several generations, settling where the land was good for farming, moving on when necessary, forever creating a greater distance between themselves and autocratic governance in Cape Town. African people had been migrating south along the Indian Ocean seaboard for centuries, and communities loosely identified as Nguni people and more specifically known as Xhosa people were well established in the area. It was this collision of people from completely different backgrounds, cultures, and languages, and the consequential conflicts, that brought this area into sharp focus.

This was the Eastern Frontier. This was where the Cape Colony ended. And beyond this were the lands of indigenous African people. But it appeared that the Cape Colony boundary had been set within those lands that were already being used for farming activities by indigenous African farmers. Skirmishes over land followed.

Britain had to find a lasting solution to the ongoing conflict. The first war had broken out between the Dutch farmers and the Xhosa people in 1779, long before the British had even the slightest interest in colonizing anything in Africa, and were at the time heavily involved in the American War of Independence. Two more wars were fought before the end of the 18th century, without lasting solutions. During the first two decades of the 19th century, after British colonization, two more wars broke out, and the British military were involved for the first time. The second of these, the Fifth Frontier War (1818 - 1819), ended at a time when the British Colonial Office in London was already putting together an ambitious plan.

This plan was offered to the British public by way of a dangling carrot. In the depths of post-war depression, it was a lean time in Britain, with high unemployment and poverty. The posters displayed around the cities, the advertisements in the papers, created some excitement for the many desperate semi-skilled and unskilled workers looking for an opportunity. Farms in the Cape Colony were being offered to successful applicants. Farming implements and seeds would be provided. Transport would be funded by the government. The government received 90 thousand applications. Of these, four thousand were accepted.

Many of those on board the ships were surprised, indeed downright disappointed, when they were prohibited from disembarking at the port in Cape Town. Cape Town was well known globally as an attractive city with familiar culture and amenities. Some were bewildered about yet another voyage awaiting them, with many more days, even weeks at sea, before they reached their final destination. There were some who yearned to return home - but couldn’t. The government funded transport was for one way only.

On this day 200 years ago we know that none of our ancestors had yet set foot on African soil. None had yet, from a ship anchored in Algoa Bay, looked towards the shore on weary sea-legs and seen windswept desolation, a landscape empty of everything they had known before. None had yet felt the creeping angst, a vague foreboding, at what lay beyond the bleak dunes and the encroaching thickets. But they would.

Previously unbeknownst to them, they were to be the colony’s solution on the Eastern Frontier. They were to be the human buffer zone. They were to set down their meager belongings, hang their hats, plant their seeds, and grow roots on a former battle field. A battle field that had already hosted five wars. And was still to host four more.

It is small wonder that we, the descendants of the 1820 Settlers, have an unusual wonder and pride in our ancestors. Having been surreptitiously misled by their own government into becoming the pawns of a colonial project, they took it on the chin, put on a brave face, and made do. Yes, a few eventually found their way to Cape Town, some even back to England, but the vast majority stayed and built their lives in their new homeland.

I have four 1820 Settler families as ancestors. They are the Walkers (Joseph), the Drivers (Edward), the Thackwrays (William), and the Booths (Benjamin). I will be blogging for much of this year, well after the bicentennial arrival of the ships. Join the celebration!

Photo Credits: (in order of appearance)

A Fleet of East Indiamen at Sea / Artist: Nicholas Pocock (1740 – 1821) / Wiki Commons

Southern Africa Map / Free World Maps / freeworldmaps.net

Map of the Cape Colony in 1809 / John Pinkerton - www.davidrumsey.com/maps4704.html / Public Domain

Dutch Reformed Church, Graaff Reinet / Wiki Commons

Fort Frederick, Port Elizabeth / Wiki Commons

Battle in 8th Frontier war. Xhosa Wars. T. Baines / Wiki Commons

The Old War Office, London, where colonial decisions were taken during this period / en.wikipedia.org

1820 Settlers National Monument / en.wikipedia.org

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vsplusonline · 4 years

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View: CAA and NRC are deepening divisions, creating mistrust — and hurting the economy

New Post has been published on https://apzweb.com/view-caa-and-nrc-are-deepening-divisions-creating-mistrust-and-hurting-the-economy/

View: CAA and NRC are deepening divisions, creating mistrust — and hurting the economy

Hindutva believers think BJP will deliver on the promise of a $5 trillion economy by FY2024-25, and simultaneously create a Hindu Raj where minorities will live on sufferance as second-class citizens.

The two are, in fact, incompatible. Global experience shows that religious polarisation and strife is bad for economic growth, and that social harmony is a vital input for an economy to soar.

BJP has stoked insecurities of identity, citizenship and life among Muslims. The party may believe that this wins votes, though the data are far from clear on that. What is clear is that the economy is slowing alarmingly, and needs a revival of what John Maynard Keynes called ‘animal spirits’ — by which he meant gung-ho entrepreneurs. If, instead, the ‘animal spirits’ released are gung-ho spreaders of communal hatred and tension, the economy will sink.

To attain a $5 trillion economy, India needs to grow annually at 9-10% over the five years of Narendra Modi’s second term. Currently, growth is half the desired rate. It has fallen from 8% in Q1 FY2018-19 to 4.5% in Q2 FY2019-20. Most economists attribute the slowdown to deep structural problems in the economy, plus a cyclical downswing caused by global slowing. Serious structural reforms are needed to get back to an 8%-plus growth economy.

High on BJP’s current agenda is the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the National Population Register (NPR). Since the enactment of CAA in December 2019, tension and mistrust have grown between the Muslim community and the Modi administration, and between the Centre and non-BJP-ruled states.

Most non-BJP states have announced that they will not implement one or another of NRC, CAA and NPR. Modi calls this anarchy. What would be the impact of this anarchy, triggered by the aggressive implementation of BJP’s Hindutva agenda, on the economy? Hindutva believers are so caught up with attacking what they see as a crusade against ‘anti-national’, ‘pro-Pakistani’ protesters of CAA that they do not realise that the promised goal of a $5 trillion economy is slipping away.

They may be surprised to learn that the Economic Survey has painted a worrying picture.

The Cost of Counting GDP growth is estimated at 5% in FY2019-20, and projected to rise to 6-6.5% in FY2020-21. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is even more pessimistic, estimating growth at 4.8% and 5.8% respectively for these two years. This is way, way below the rates needed to touch the $5 trillion mark by FY2024-25.

Many experts have highlighted the fiscal and administrative cost of implementing NRC nationwide — over Rs 60,000 crore with 21lakh officials. These short-term costs, however, pale in comparison with long-term economic ones.

Most worryingly, the Hindutva agenda has now created such a rift in the country, that it would be impossible to carry out surveys and expect respondents to give correct answers. Already, suspicious citizens are beating up surveyors asking even innocuous questions on sanitation and education, fearing these may be linked in some way to NRC.

Given the huge resistance from non-BJP state governments and protesters in BJP-ruled states, how will this communally divisive programme affect economic growth? Hindutva believers are not even asking this question. If they did, they would see a clear contradiction between achieving high economic growth and raising communal tensions through Hindutva.

A large literature in development economics emphasises the importance of social cohesion and trust. These are intangible, but essential for economic growth. Economists K Peren Arin, Murat Koyuncu and Nicola Spagnolo constructed an ethnic/racial tension index in the US using the number of news articles in major newspapers in that country with racially sensitive and hateful words. They found that ethnic and racial tensions reduced economic growth, especially in a slowdown.

To push a Hindutva agenda, some BJP politicians have been resorting to inflammatory public speeches. Terms like ‘termites’ and ‘ghuspaithiya’ (intruders) used to describe Bangladeshi Muslims have spread poison in our society. A BJP MP declared that Shaheen Bagh protesters will ‘enter your houses, rape your sisters and daughters, kill them’.

In fact, Shaheen Bagh protesters have been swearing by the Constitution, waving pictures of B R Ambedkar, Mohandas Gandhi, Bose and Bhagat Singh, wearing headbands saying ‘I love India’ and singing the national anthem. Trying to portray such a movement as ‘murderous’ and ‘rapacious’ is not just inane but also amounts to hate speech.

Economists William Easterly, Jozef Ritzan and Michael Woolcock write in their seminal study, ‘Social Cohesion, Institutions and Growth’ (bit.do/fsFY5), ‘A country’s social cohesion is essential for generating the confidence and patience needed to implement reforms: citizens have to trust the government that the short-term losses inevitably arising from reform will be more than offset by long-term gains.

Quick, Money or Register? ‘The inclusiveness of a country’s communities and institutions (e.g. laws and norms against discrimination) can greatly help to build cohesion. On the other hand, countries strongly divided along class and ethnic lines will place severe constraints on the attempts of even the boldest, civic-minded, and well-informed politician (or interest group) seeking to bring about policy reform.’

In the current atmosphere, CAA and NRC are destroying inclusiveness, deepening divisions and creating massive mistrust. Many communities are hurting, the economy will suffer, and the $5 trillion target will become a pie in the sky.

(The writer is professor of social policy, Columbia University, US)

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autolovecraft · 7 years

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Memory sometimes makes merciful deletions.

A hideous traffic was going on among these nightmare ghouls, whereby illustrious bones were bartered with the calm calculativeness of schoolboys swapping books; and from what was extorted from this centuried dust there was anticipated a power and a wisdom beyond anything which the cosmos had ever seen or read about.

At the foot of the stairs with a large valise and perform curious delvings in the cellar. ', 'Or their heir or heirs, or those representing them. Of course the main business lay in the mountains of Transylvania. They had felt less of the sinister in Dr. Allen, but had heard much of his aspect and bearing, and could never recall Joseph Curwen without a visible loss of the portrait painted on a panel of the library forced them to leave. Truly, the boy had drawn down nameless horrors from the skies. Something, he felt, was wrong; for despite the apparent coherence and rationality of his speech, there could be no doubt. On February 9,1928, Dr. Willett examined the place and all the talk of graves and salts and discoveries—whither did everything lead? Late in the afternoon young Ward began repeating a certain formula in a singularly loud voice, at the village of Pawtuxet about a mile below, where the startlingly—one almost fancied increasingly—similar features of Joseph Curwen at last. Of the books the doctor had a chance to see on the newly opened page was a brief pair of sentences; but these, strangely enough, lingered tenacious in his memory. Late in March Ward added to his inviolable private domain as a sleeping apartment. The non-compliance of that relative, whereby the letters were saved after all, nor did anything issue from that aperture to detain him. In that same year, too, along sleepy Congdon Street, one tier lower down on the steep hill, and along the narrow mounting lanes of its side, the old town as it rises on its eastward bluff, decked with its two Georgian spires and crowned by the vast new Christian Science dome as London is crowned by St. Paul's. This was said with an almost fearsome combination of triumph and seriousness on his face. As for now—I don't like to think.

George, Benevolent, Power, and Williams Streets, where the startlingly—one almost fancied increasingly—similar features of Joseph Curwen, some of whose papers he professed to have found them was long a visible reality, and Willett was able to wield stronger weapons as well; and that while Curwen was left to him to dispose of, the writer felt able to find and seize any papers which might seem of vital importance; especially those portentous documents found by Charles so long ago behind the picture, Willett and Mr. Ward never saw what they were. Those voices heard in argument—must have it red for three months—Good God!It was near the docks, with Smith present to corroborate virtually every statement; and it used up such a store of specimens, I am on the edge of great matters; and the bigness of them has a way of tapping the consciousness of the dead whom they gathered together.

He did not even shew the titles to his parents grew fewer and fewer. A third suspicious letter was in an unknown tongue, a shadow was seen on the curtain which startled Weeden exceedingly; reminding him of one of the frequent sordid waylaying of trucks by hijackers in quest of liquor shipments, but this is the writing Luke Fenner set down to portray the demonic intonations: Deesmees jeshet bone dosefe devema enitemoss. For three months thereafter he sent only postal cards, giving an address in the Neustadt, and announced no move till the following January; when he dropped several cards from Vienna telling of his passage through that city on the way toward a more easterly region whither one of his best and oldest ship-captains, a widower of high birth and unblemished standing named Dutee Tillinghast, whose only daughter Eliza seemed dowered with every conceivable advantage save prospects as an heiress. Through all the intervening hours was so engulfed in every sort of wild speculation that most of his time at the bungalow on the bluff above the river. The house was an old peaked relic of the middle seventeenth century with enormous stack chimney and diamond-paned lattice windows, the laboratory being in a lean-to toward the north, usually not reappearing for a very long while.As the strong Argand blaze lit up the entire chamber the doctor saw that the kylix on the floor. The discovery doubly excited him because he had already considered established from the text of the letter; and yet there was something very obnoxious about a certain great stone outbuilding with only high narrow slits for windows. I know what imperfections were in the air, and it continued from no determinate point as the doctor reached the bottom of the steps.

Failing to obtain replies, the inquisitor had seemingly resorted to extreme means; for there was ever a mortal peril in it, and the explorer thrilled when he saw lights in the Curwen warehouses, and following the small boat which would sometimes steal quietly off and down the bay some distance, perhaps as far as Namquit Point, where they were locked in that enormous stone outbuilding which had only five high narrow slits for windows. Letters soon told of his safe arrival, and of these the majority laugh and remark that the doctor surely is getting old. In the middle of January, 1920, there entered Ward's bearing an element of triumph which he did not feel at liberty to speak definitely, but assured his inquisitors that the bearded and spectacled stranger as Mr. J. C. in Providence. So come quickly if you wish devise a suitable account of the savage nature of the second incident, where an ancient coffin was removed and its headstone violently shattered.

Capt. James Mathewson of the Enterprise, who on the one hand and of the past and got him to raise you up from your detestable grave; I know what imperfections were in the one I raised up October last, and at this juncture an unforeseen hitch exposed the nature of the cargo on the one hand and of the greenish-black vapor from the kylix parted, and Willett was too quick for him.He began, 'from this cursed river air.

#H.P. Lovecraft #automatically generated text #Patrick Mooney #Python #Markov chains #The Case of Charles Dexter Ward #1927 #The Case of Charles Dexter Ward week

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boatgoldcoast-blog · 7 years

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Manly: Visitor's Guide

Many years ago, I wandered into the small harbour-side village of Manly near Brisbane and fell in love. It has just about everything a boatie could desire: numerous boating clubs and marinas, a bustling but laid-back café and shopping precinct, and protected sailing with plenty of places to explore on Moreton Bay.

Today, I call the area home and my early impressions of Manly have been cemented. In fact, one year on from settling here, I realise I have only just scratched the surface.

Manly is only 19km from Brisbane, so it is only a short train or bus ride into the city, if you want to go exploring.

The Village

Manly Village is the hub of the action, with a plethora of cafes, restaurants, a hotel, bakery, chemist, and IGA supermarket. There is even a heated public swimming pool.

The farmer’s markets every second Saturday, and weekly craft markets every Sunday on the esplanade are a major drawcard. But there is a busy list of other kinds of attractions, including outdoor movies.

The Aboriginal Mipirimm people were the original inhabitants of Manly. The European settlement started in the 1860s. The area became a popular seaside location by the early 1900s.

For the boaties, Manly is the place to find a number of boating businesses that can address various needs.

Boaties are well catered for by long-time institution Muir Marine, which carries 10,000 product lines, and anything from a boat hook to a new anchor.

Yacht brokers Mike Davidson and Geoff Marsh, from Oceana Yacht Brokers and The Yacht Brokerage, respectively, are always happy to have a chat about all-things boating. Their window displays are truly the stuff of dreams.

The friendly staff at the Wynnum Manly tourist information centre on the William Gun Jetty near the pool can also answer questions and supply you with an armful of brochures.

Where to stay

Adjacent to the village fronting the Royal Esplanade, you will find more than 1,500 marina berths in four marinas.

Most visitors opt to berth in a marina. There is no close-at-hand all-weather anchorage the locals recommend, apart from Waterloo Bay off Wellington Point just outside the harbour, which is only comfortable in winds under 25 knots.

The Moreton Bay Trailer Boat Club (MBTBC) is right across from Manly Village, and next to the Wynnum Manly Yacht Club (WMYC), the East Coast Marina, and the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron (RQYS). Just around the corner to the north up the Brisbane River is the Rivergate Marina and Shipyard.

The Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron (RQYS) welcomes all varieties of boat owners. It is a mecca for competitive sailing, with the social Wednesday Afternoon Go Sailing (WAGS) race on Wednesdays, and the more serious point-score-type racing on Saturdays and Sundays. The Squadron has a very active sail-training program, which has proven successful at the international level. Five of the eleven sailors who represented Australia at the 2016 Rio Olympics hailed from this club.

The Moreton Bay Trailer Boat Club (MBTBC) and Wynnum Manly Yacht Club (WMYC) also welcome boaties of every variety, and both have restaurants and bars (although the yacht club’s clubhouse is only open part-time, so check before visiting).

Despite their multi-million-dollar water views, the food and drink prices at the clubs are competitive, with some enticing specials. My favourites include the two-for-one meal option at the Squadron Harbour View Restaurant at RQYS on Thursday nights, and the $12.90 steak lunch at MBTBC, Mondays to Saturdays.

The East Coast Marina is a commercial marina and does not have a clubhouse. It has a café and excellent liveaboard facilities, plus a multi-million-dollar dry-stack development.

The clubs have their own boat ramps, but use of these is normally restricted to members. However, there is an excellent multi-lane public boat ramp on the north side of the MBTBC. If you want to leave your trailerable on the hardstand overnight, you can leave it in the car park here. But if you prefer a secure hardstand, the RQYS has limited hardstand trailerable spaces available for short-term visitors, as does the East Coast Marina.

All marinas have travel-lifts and hardstand areas where you can slip your boat to have work done, with mechanics and shipwrights and other essential trades on tap. The clubs also have visitor’s wharves where you can stop for a quick meal or drink – but make sure to call first. If you need a marina berth, you have to book well in advance because demand for casual berths is high.

Exploring on water

Deciding where to go will be difficult because you are truly spoiled for choice.

On the eastern side of Moreton Bay protecting the bay from the open ocean, you have Moreton Island to the north and North Stradbroke Island to the south. Moreton Island has the famous Tangalooma wrecks, while North Stradbroke has the popular anchorage of Deanbilla Bay, and the Dunwich Little Ship Club.

Offshore from Manly, you will find the islands that locals love for a quick getaway – Green, St Helena and Peel Islands.

Green Island is the closest, so it is the most popular. It has a sandy beach and reasonable anchorage on the western side, so it is protected from easterlies and north-easterlies. It is a great spot to escape the madding crowds, and enjoy a sundowner looking back on the city lights.

St Helena, to the north of Green Island, boasts the ruins of a historic convict settlement. A commercial company conducts guided tours on Wednesdays and Sundays, and you can join for just $30 if you are visiting in your own boat. You will feel like you have met the convicts who were incarcerated here by the end of the tour because all the guides dress in character and play their parts with glee. The main anchorage at St Helena Island is next to the jetty at the southwestern corner of the island, so it is protected from easterlies. The toilet block is only open when tours are on.

Peel Island is a short motor to the south of Green Island, towards Dunwich on North Stradbroke Island. Peel was a leper colony and some ruins remain today (although long-time locals tell me there is no public access because they contain asbestos). The main anchorage is Horseshoe Bay on the southern side, so it is protected from north-westerlies. Peel Island boasts a lovely sandy beach and has a national parks pit toilet. If the wind turns, Lazarette Gutter on the north side of the island is comfortable in southeasterly through southwesterly winds. Take care navigating around the island because of numerous coral outcrops, and a wreck off the south side.

While you are at Peel Island, nip across to the Little Ship Club, located on the waterfront of the One Mile anchorage in Dunwich on North Stradbroke. You can pull up to the sandy beach or the back of their jetty. This Club really pumps on the weekend, but with a laid-back kind of island vibe you will find hard to tear yourself away from.

Both the RQYS and MBTBC have moorings at some of the islands in the bay, but these are normally restricted to members.

And last, but by no means least, the Brisbane River just north of Manly makes a great day trip when it is windy out in the bay. You can find limited anchoring room upriver, or leave your boat at the Rivergate Marina and Shipyard not far from the river’s mouth, and catch a ferry to get around. Mud Island just outside (north of St Helena Island) has a reasonable anchorage on the northwest side, protected from south-easterlies.

Safety-wise, there are a few things to be aware of. While Moreton Bay is protected, it is quite shallow. A sharp chop up to two metres can develop when the wind picks up, so it is wise to avoid strong winds against the tide. Also note that the Port of Brisbane to the north of Manly is a major port, with very busy shipping traffic. It is advised to stay out of the shipping channels as much as you can and keep a keen eye out. Needless to say, you should always remember to log on with the Coast Guard before heading out.

Exploring Manly is a great adventure for any boatie (and non-boatie too!). A visit here will leave you with many exciting stories and experiences – from the cityscape views to the laid-back island adventures.

By Caroline Strainig

Manly Boat Harbour: 27°27’12.7″S, 153°11’29.9″E (approx.)

Distance from the Gold Coast Seaway: 40nm (approx.)

(Editor’s Note: For tips on how to navigate to Brisbane from the Gold Coast, visit http://boatgoldcoast.com.au/gold-coast-to-brisbane/)

(Feb-Apr2017)

Manly: Visitor’s Guide was originally published on Boat Gold Coast

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