Category Archives: Views

News, Newspapers, Views

Front Page: The New York Times —- May 26, 2023

Leave a comment

Image

White House and G.O.P. Close In on Deal to Raise Debt Limit and Cut Spending

“It takes a while to make it happen, and we are working hard to make it happen,” Speaker Kevin McCarthy said of a debt-ceiling deal.

The details were not finalized, but negotiators were discussing a compromise that would allow Republicans to point to spending reductions and Democrats to say they had prevented large cuts.

Leaders Let Problems Mount at Brutal SEAL Course, Navy Finds

Navy SEAL candidates at the Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL course in Coronado, Calif., in a photo commissioned by the Defense Department.

Overzealous instructors, unchecked drug use, and inadequate leadership and medical oversight turned a tough selection course into a dangerous ordeal, investigators found.

Oath Keepers Leader Is Sentenced to 18 Years in Jan. 6 Sedition Case

The sentence for Stewart Rhodes was the longest so far in the federal investigation of the Capitol attack and the first issued to a defendant convicted of sedition.

How Erdogan Reoriented Turkish Culture to Maintain His Power

Turkey’s president has made a spectacle of the Ottoman past, using monuments and TV shows to rally his voters. His cultural opponents have faced censorship, or jail.

Travel, Videos, Views

Travel: A Tour Of Trogir In Southwestern Croatia

Video Leave a comment

Massimo Nalli (May 25, 2023) – Trogir is historically known as Traù is a historic town and harbour on the Adriatic coast in Dalmatia and the historic centre has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites for its Venetian architecture.

In 1123 Trogir was conquered and almost completely demolished by the Saracens. However, Trogir recovered in a short period to experience powerful economic prosperity in the 12th and the 13th centuries, with some autonomy under Venetian leadership. In 1420 the period of a long-term Venetian rule began and lasted nearly four centuries, when Traù (as the city was called by the Venetians) was a city with rich economy, as exemplified by numerous Renaissance works of art and architecture. On the fall of Venice in 1797,

Traù became a part of the Habsburg Empire, which ruled over the city until 1918, with the exception of Napoleon Bonaparte’s French rule from 1806 to 1814 (when the city was part of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy and Illyrian Provinces). After World War I, Trogir, together with most parts of Dalmatia, became a part of the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs and subsequently the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Trogir has 2300 years of continuous urban tradition. Its culture was created under the influence of the ancient Greeks, and then the Romans, and Venetians.

Travel, Videos, Views

Italy Views: A Tour Of Villa Catignano In Tuscany

Leave a comment

Wanderizm Films (May 25, 2023) – Nested in the heart the winemaking region of Chianti Classico, Villa Catignano is an historic 17th century building situated within rolling hills, vineyards, and olive groves.

Chianti Classico territory’s capitals are Siena and Florence and it is shared between the provinces of the two municipalities. The zone amounts to 71,800 hectares (177,500 acres) and includes the entire territories of the municipalities of Castellina in Chianti, Gaiole in Chianti, Greve in Chianti and Radda in Chianti and parts of those of Barberino Tavarnelle, Castelnuovo Berardenga, Poggibonsi, San Casciano Val di Pesa.

News, Newspapers, Views

Front Page: The New York Times —- May 25, 2023

Leave a comment

Image

In Shaky Start, Ron DeSantis Joins 2024 Race, Hoping to Topple Trump

Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida will seek to turn the Republican primary race into a two-man contest against former President Donald J. Trump.

The Florida governor, Donald Trump’s strongest challenger since 2016, made an unusual and glitch-marred entrance on Twitter alongside Elon Musk. He now faces a daunting clash with Mr. Trump and his scorched-earth tactics.

Tina Turner, Magnetic Singer of Explosive Power, Is Dead at 83

Tina Turner in concert in Los Angeles in 1984. Her album “Private Dancer,” released that year, returned her to the spotlight after a long absence and lifted her into the pop stratosphere.

Hailed in the 1960s for her dynamic performances with her first husband, Ike, she became a sensation as a recording artist, often echoing her personal struggles in her songs.

Potential Debt Ceiling Deal Would Barely Change Federal Spending Path

Negotiators have focused on a relatively small corner of the budget, shunning new revenues or cuts to the fastest-growing programs

Ukrainians Were Likely Behind Kremlin Drone Attack, U.S. Officials Say

American spy agencies do not know exactly who carried out the attack this month, but suggest it was part of a series of covert operations orchestrated by Ukraine’s security services.

Cities, Tourism, Tours, Travel, Videos, Views

Travel: Is Seville The Most Beautiful City In Spain?

Video Leave a comment

DW Travel (May 24, 2023) – Have you ever been to Seville? This city in the south of Spain is considered the birthplace of flamenco, and offers in addition fascinating historical architecture and every type of delicious tapas bar.

Video timeline: 00:00 Intro 00:17 Old Town and Seville Cathedral 00:46 Setas de Sevilla or: Mushrooms of Seville 01:16 Royal Alcázar of Seville 02:31 Torre del Oro 02:55 Tapas bar El Rinconcillo 03:44 Flamenco show at Los Gallos

We visited the Andalusian capital to see if it really is as beautiful as people say. And while we are there, we’ll show you round everything you should do while you’re here.

Photography, Travel, Videos, Views

Vietnam: Tràng An Karst Landscape Complex Tour

Leave a comment

Edd Lloyd Films (May 24, 2023) – A journey through the Tràng An Karst Landscape Complex. The video features stunning aerial footage of the limestone karsts and caves, as well as close-up shots of the plants and animal life.

Situated near the southern margin of the Red River Delta, the Trang An Landscape Complex is a spectacular landscape of limestone karst peaks permeated with valleys, many of them partly submerged and surrounded by steep, almost vertical cliffs.

Exploration of caves at different altitudes has revealed archaeological traces of human activity over a continuous period of more than 30,000 years. They illustrate the occupation of these mountains by seasonal hunter-gatherers and how they adapted to major climatic and environmental changes, especially the repeated inundation of the landscape by the sea after the last ice age.

The story of human occupation continues through the Neolithic and Bronze Ages to the historical era. Hoa Lu, the ancient capital of Viet Nam, was strategically established here in the 10th and 11th centuries AD. The property also contains temples, pagodas, paddy-fields and small villages. 

Filmed and edited by Edward Lloyd

News, Newspapers, Views

Front Page: The New York Times —- May 24, 2023

Leave a comment

Image

China and Russia, Targets at G7 Summit, Draw Closer to Fend Off West

Beijing’s harsh reaction to the G7 communiqué stems from fears of a U.S.-led coalition in Asia to contain China’s rise, analysts say.

Beijing and Moscow are holding visits this week as alarm grows in China that Western countries backing Ukraine are turning their attention to Asia.

McCarthy, Bracing for Defections, Eyes a Fraught Path to a Debt Limit Deal

Speaker Kevin McCarthy and President Biden will need to make compromises in order to reach a deal on the debt ceiling.

With right-wing Republicans all but certain to oppose any bipartisan compromise, the speaker has a narrow path to push one through the closely divided House.

Surgeon General Warns That Social Media May Harm Children and Adolescents

The report by Dr. Vivek Murthy cited a “profound risk of harm” to adolescent mental health and urged families to set limits and governments to set tougher standards for use.

After Uvalde, a Cemetery Anchors Families of Victims

One year after 19 children and two teachers were killed at a Texas elementary school, the families of the victims have forged a new community, channeling their grief into action.

Photography, Travel, Videos, Views

Travel & Photography: Old Quarries In Wales

Leave a comment

Kyle McDougall Films (May 23, 2023) – “I’m back in North Wales for two days of film photography, exploring the old abandoned slate quarries and making work for my ongoing project. Lots of rain, a broken camera, and an incredible landscape.”

North Wales is a region within Wales, a country in the U.K. Snowdonia National Park is a vast, rugged area with waterfalls and trails, including routes up Mount Snowdon. Medieval Conwy Castle has 8 huge towers, plus battlements with sea views. It’s near the resort town of Llandudno, with North Shore Beach. Other castles include 19th-century Penrhyn Castle, with Gothic stairways, and waterside Caernarfon Castle. 

Cities, Travel, Videos, Views

Travel: ‘Lisbon At Dawn’

Leave a comment

Matteo Bertoli Films (May 23, 2023) – Lisbon is Portugal’s hilly, coastal capital city. From imposing São Jorge Castle, the view encompasses the old city’s pastel-colored buildings, Tagus Estuary and Ponte 25 de Abril suspension bridge. Nearby, the National Azulejo Museum displays 5 centuries of decorative ceramic tiles. Just outside Lisbon is a string of Atlantic beaches, from Cascais to Estoril. 

Home Design, Homes, Tours, Videos, Views

Design: A Tour Of Arthur House In Melbourne

Video Leave a comment

The Local Project (May 21, 2023) -Located in the northern suburbs of Melbourne and a short distance from the Yarra River, Arthur by Oscar Sainsbury Architects (OSA) is an architects own house that extends upon the ideas of family living and connection to nature.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to the Architects Own House 00:31 – Designing for Yourself 00:59 – The Initial Design Ideas 01:13 – Encouraging Usage of the Garden 01:33 – A Focus on the Garden 01:56 – The Original Double Brick House 02:12 – The Central Part of the House 02:58 – Challenges Designing with Heritage Homes 03:39 – The Materials Used 04:35 – Favourite Aspects of the Home

As the owner, architect and builder, OSA dances across the separate realms with ease in order to deliver a home that allows the family to grow in place. Following a desire to open up an architects own house to the outside, OSA uses contemporary methods of design, allowing for the family to easily manoeuvre about.

With the house tour of an architects own house beginning at the double-bricked façade, OSA has additionally maintained three of the original bedrooms, with two facing the street and one opening up to the rear decking. Designed to be the central part of the house, the kitchen is laid out to encourage flow and connection from the private quarters and into the public living spaces. Known to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, the owner and architect has incorporated functionality by allowing it to serve its purpose as well as be easy to live and entertain in.