Some cool photo fun images:
GM World Headquarters Interior Looking up
Image by LadyDragonflyCC - >;< - Spring in Michigan!
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance_Center
www.buildingphotos.com/detroit/rencen.php
room with a view
Image by luiscerezo.org
I lucked out this time and got a nice view from my room.
Some cool image sites images:
Church of Bet Medhane Alem (House of the Redeemer of the World), Lalibela, Ethiopia
Image by A.Davey
The first thing a visitor to Lalibela's famed rock-hewn churches notices is the profusion of scaffolding, in various stages of assembly and disassembly, that surrounds many of the venerable buildings. Oh, and the sheet-metal roofs hovering over the structures on tall metal supports.
I haven't been able to obtain a clear understanding of The Plan for preserving and restoring Lalibela's churches which, being carved out of soft volcanic rock, are as subject to erosion from the elements as, well, soft volcanic rock.
The best information I found was on UNESCO's Web site, which says:
"UNESCO and the European Community have organized an international competition to built temporary shelters to protect the monuments from the rains. As soon as it is technically possible, the sites will be restored."
whc.unesco.org/en/activities/160/
Based on that tidbit, I'd have to say the scaffolding you see is being used to erect the temporary shelters referred to above.
Well, I'd rather have seen the churches at Lalibela with their scaffolding than have missed them altogether. At least something is being done to protect these marvelous ancient edifices.
Who knows - maybe someday I'll have the time and patience to remove the scaffolding from this image with PhotoShop. After all, I deleted a non-Ethiopian visitor from the center of this photo, and you'd never know he'd been there, captured in mid-stride walking toward the camera!
According to the Website "King Lalibela,"
"Bet Medhane Alem is the largest monolithic rock-hewn church in the world, measuring 11.5m [37' 8"] in height and covering an area of almost 800m2 [8,610 square feet]."
"A plain building, held up by 36 pillars on the inside and another 36 around the outside, Bet Medhane Alem has a classical dignity reminiscent of an Ancient Greek temple, a resemblance that has led some experts to imagine it was modeled on the original St Mary Zion Church built by King Ezana at Axum."
"The interior of the church is also plain, and its huge size creates a cathedral-like austerity. Graves have been carved into the rock floor; they are no longer permanently occupied, Bet Medhane Alem has a wide courtyard whose walls are pockmarked with niches that originally served as graves or hermits’ caves."
"Approaching the most eastern church of this group, Bet Medhane Alem, you first catch a sight of the roof, decorated with relief crosses connected by blind arcades, and the upper part of the solemn colonnade surrounding the church: The roof demonstrates traces of the plaster remains of the restoration efforts of the early 1930’s."
"The tuff, from which the church is carved, blazes a typical deep pink color in striking harmony to the brownish-yellow earth and green-leaved trees of the landscape."
"It is a dignified structure, standing on its platform with its pitched roof and surrounding external columns, somewhat reminiscent of ancient Greek temple architecture."
kinglalibela.com/bet-medhane-alem-house-of-the-redeemer-o...
TV Static Screenshot 1
Image by Justin March
shot via video then distorted, finished result is rather beautiful.
If you want to use this image you may do so provided that you credit my site www.justinmarch.com along with the appropriate Flikr page (do not use a nofollow link).
Blow Blow Thou Winter Wind by Millais
Image by Martin Beek
Blow Blow thou winter wind
Thou art not so unkind
As man's ingratitude…
…Though thou the waters warp,
Thy sting is not so sharp
As friend remember'd not.
This painting is from the end of his career, and helps explain Sir John's popularity with the crowds at the Royal Academy. At the centre is the hapless dog, divided in its loyalty to the shivering mother with her child, and the man who is deserting her.
It was not altogether a cheery site that he selected for his work-a bleak and draughty place near the gamekeeper's house on Kinnoull Hill-but the scene in front of it was what he wanted, and that was all he ever thought about when bent on business. Looking northward, you see the road winding away around Corsey Hill to join the old highway from Perth to Dundee, described by Sir Walter Scott as "the entrance to the Highlands" on the righ appear some of the fine old Scotch firs that embelish the craggy side of Kinnoull, and on the left are the windswept fields of the Hatton farm. There then in the midst of the snow, he planted himself and his paraphenalia, and bravely worked on his painting from day to day until he had got all he needed to enable him to finish it in the studio.
It is now over twenty years ago that I made my first visit to the places in Tayside that so often formed the background to some of Millais best known paintings, and in particular were the subject of his later landscape paintings. I had become aquainted with Millais Pre-Raphaelite works whilst a Foundation Student at art college, in the mid to late 1970’s the Victorian painters were once again being looked at and enjoyed, their often sentimental detailed and colourful littereary based works were a perfect foil to the then in vogue minimalism of British post – war art. I find it hard to say why it was Millais landscapes, or at least the ones I’d seen only via reproduction attracted me. It was not all of his later lanscapes either, Chill October, Lingering Autumn and Winter Fuel, were initially the best known and in most respects those which had the most magnetic appeal. As with the early and perhaps Millais most completely successful work Autumn Leaves, the best of the landscapes convey a powerful sense of time and place, a bleak and brooding mood that is somehow very compelling. I was eager to see the entire series of Scottish Landscapes, or at least see reproductions of them, some which are now in private collections. I had only seen reproduction of these, and then only in black and white. Strangely these photographic reproductions on a small scale give some of the landscapes, particularly Murthly Moss and The Old Garden an almost photo-realistic quality, I knew that as with the Pre Raphaelite works the artist had claimed to paint every touch from nature. Indeed all the landscapes were painted during a comparable period in France when impressionism was flourishing in France, they appear a curious cul-de-sac and to some a mere footnote to one of the 1850’s most promising young artists. It would appear that the landscapes unlike the portraiture or even the grand subjects of Millais last three decades were painted in parallell with his other preferred Highland activities of fishing and hunting. Typically these works were inconsistent, Flowing to The Sea and Murthly Water appear quite poor from a compositional point of view. The Moon Is Up and The Deserted Garden are not entirely successful attempts to convincingly paint foggy distance or nightfall. What Millais did best and perhaps like no other was to render detail and natural objects such as trees and open stretches of moorland with an almost uncanny eye and shorthand and colour as to make these un-picturesque works convey a powerful sentiment of the changing season echoing a human sense of loss and wistfulness for a simpler more innocent world.
www.flickr.com/groups/millais/discuss/72157603743700835/
Check out these free photo editor images:
2008 Summer Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Beijing, China 同一个世界 同一个梦想 - U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program - FMWRC
Image by familymwr
www.armymwr.com
Olympic Opening Ceremony celebrates ‘One World, One Dream’
Date Posted: 8/12/2008
Photos and Story by Tim Hipps
FMWRC Public Affairs
(Cleared for public release)
EDITOR'S NOTE: The U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program (WCAP) provides soldier-athletes the opportunity to compete toward qualifying for the United States Olympic team. Qualified soldiers must be nationally ranked in their chosen sport and be certified by the United States Olympic Committee at a world class level. Athletes join the program at least three years before the Olympic Trials. To be eligible for the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program, soldiers must currently be a member of the Active Army, Army Reserve, or Army National Guard. Soldiers must also be eligible to represent the USA in international competitions and demonstrate the potential to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Team or U.S. Paralympic Team.
BEIJING – The elaborate Opening Ceremony of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad featured a display of China’s long and distinguished history and culture intertwined with the “One World, One Dream” theme of the 2008 Summer Olympics.
“Beijing, you are host to the present and the gateway to the future,” International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge proclaimed before a sellout crowd of 91,000 at National Stadium on Aug. 8. “Thank you.”
An audience of 400,000,000 was expected to watch the spectacle on television.
“Friends have come from afar, how happy we are,” is a well-known saying of Confucius (551 BC-479 BC), a famous Chinese educator and thinker whose thoughts deeply influenced later generations.
U.S. President Bush and wife Laura were among more than 80 world dignitaries in attendance, along with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Bush became the first U.S. president to attend an Olympic Games outside of the United States while serving as Commander in Chief. His father, George H.W. Bush, the 41st U.S. president, also made history by occupying the chair of Chef de Mission of the U.S. Olympic Team, marking the first time the U.S. Olympic Committee has had an honorary chief of the mission.
The four-hour extravaganza featured 110 minutes of music, beginning with the fou, the most ancient Chinese percussion instrument made of clay or bronze. Manned by 2,008 performers, the fou-produced sound of rolling spring thunder greeted friends from all over the world.
The music was specially created by 18 composers for a production that displayed 15,153 sets of costumes in 47 styles. Some of the performers rehearsed for 13 months in preparation for one of China’s most magical nights.
Six hundred people were involved in the installation, direction, and safety supervision for a display of 11,456 fireworks set off from from 287 points atop the stadium and 8,428 more from 27 positions in the central area. Another 1,462 glowing and sparkling fireworks illuminated the upper rim of the stadium.
Gunpowder was invented in China during the Song Dynasty (960 AD-1276 AD). People used the ingredients for gunpowder as medicines for illnesses in ancient times; hence the name “gunpowder,” means “burning medicines.” The invention of gunpowder is one of China’s outstanding achievements in the history of human civilization that changed the course of world history.
A painting scroll revealed the origin and development of China’s history and culture. Paper is another of the four great inventions of ancient China. As one child sang “A Hymn to My Country,” 56 children clustered around the National Flag of the People’s Republic of China to represent the country’s 56 ethnic groups. Immediately following, the famous Chinese painting “A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains” was visible on the stadium floor while the ancient stringed instrument, Guqin, provided the “Sounds of Utmost Antiquity.”
Cliff painting, earth pottery and bronze vessels were displayed to reflect artistic developments of the Shang Dynasty (1600 BC-1046 BC) and Zhou Dynasty (1046 BC-221 BC).
The Great Wall was illustrated by smooth lines, both concise and vivid, with peach blossoms, romantic and enjoyable, that illustrated the sweet wishes of peace-loving Chinese people.
The “Silk Road” was an important vehicle for economic and cultural exchange between China and Western countries. More than 2,000 years ago, trade caravans of China set out from Chang’an (now Xi’an in Shaanxi Province) with expensive silk, crossed the Hexi Corridor, and entered the European continent.
More than 600 years ago, Zheng He of Ming Dynasty led seven shipping fleets with 27,000 people aboard a long voyage from Quanzhou that arrived in Western Asia and Eastern Africa, thus creating the well-known “Maritime Silk Road.” On opening night, a performer held an ancient compass, another of the four great inventions of ancient China.
In a later segment, Chinese pianist Lang Lang and 5-year-old Li Muzi welcomed a brand-new age. Lang is the first Chinese pianist to have long-term cooperation with first-class orchestras in Berlin and Vienna. He has played recitals in many of the most famous music halls in the world. During that performance, the kite was introduced as another Chinese invention.
An exhibition of Taiji manifested the integration of traditions and the future by illustrating the unity of man and nature. Taijiquan is the most representative shadow boxing among Chinese martial arts, characterized by the “combination of the dynamic and static and the interdependence of hardness and softness.”
The Eight Diagrams of Taiji symbolize eight natural phenomena – heaven, earth, thunder, wind, water, fire, mountain and swamp – that represent the changes of all things on earth. A total of 2,008 Taiji performers formed a circle that illustrated grandness and consummation in the traditional Chinese concept.
As the program progressed, the smiling faces of children from around the world demonstrated the theme of “One World, One Dream.” A gigantic, 16-ton globe arose from the floor, adorned with 58 actors running on nine rings covered with an Olympic Torch pattern. The runners seemingly were free from gravity and full of magic, fantasy and bravery.
The march of nations featured Olympic athletes from 205 countries, led into the stadium by Greece (in accordance with tradition). The host team from China concluded the march of nations.
As Team USA entered they clearly received the loudest ovation of the evening – until Houston Rockets basketball star Yao Ming led the Chinese contingent into the stadium.
The throng representing 596 U.S. athletes occupied more than 100 meters of the running track. As U.S. Flag Bearer Lopez Lomong was rounding the turn, members of Team USA were still filing into the arena from the opposite end of the stadium.
After eight Chinese Olympians carried the Olympic Flag into the stadium, the banner was raised and The Olympic Anthem was played. Athletes' and officials' oaths were read, symbolic doves were released, and the Olympic Torch Relay concluded a 33-day journey abroad that covered 97,000 kilometers across five continents and 21 countries.
Chinese Olympic gymnast Li Ning ran 500 meters in about three minutes around the wall of the open-air stadium’s inner roof in what was possibly the most fascinating sight of the night. Supported by a cable, Ning at times appeared to be running on air before lighting the cauldron.
“Many would say that the Olympic Games are of great significance and have profound meanings,” said opening ceremony artistic director Zhang Yimou. “But I once heard someone say: ‘They are all our guests. We should make them happy.’”
"This answer, simple as it is, tells us that we are of one big family. The Opening Ceremony demonstrates the same spirit as we find in the theme song of the ceremony: You and me, from one world; we are family.
“I have never led such a huge team, with so many performers, staff and volunteers. You may not be able to see their faces clearly in this grand stadium and their names may not be printed on this beautiful brochure, but I know how hard they worked for tonight. At this very moment, what do they want to say to you, our distinguished guests, and to the audience all over the world? There is only one simple sentence: ‘From the bottom of my heart, I hope you will enjoy yourselves.’”
www.armymwr.com
2008 Summer Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Beijing, China 同一个世界 同一个梦想 - U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program - FMWRC
Image by familymwr
www.armymwr.com
Olympic Opening Ceremony celebrates ‘One World, One Dream’
Date Posted: 8/12/2008
Photos and Story by Tim Hipps
FMWRC Public Affairs
(Cleared for public release)
EDITOR'S NOTE: The U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program (WCAP) provides soldier-athletes the opportunity to compete toward qualifying for the United States Olympic team. Qualified soldiers must be nationally ranked in their chosen sport and be certified by the United States Olympic Committee at a world class level. Athletes join the program at least three years before the Olympic Trials. To be eligible for the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program, soldiers must currently be a member of the Active Army, Army Reserve, or Army National Guard. Soldiers must also be eligible to represent the USA in international competitions and demonstrate the potential to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Team or U.S. Paralympic Team.
BEIJING – The elaborate Opening Ceremony of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad featured a display of China’s long and distinguished history and culture intertwined with the “One World, One Dream” theme of the 2008 Summer Olympics.
“Beijing, you are host to the present and the gateway to the future,” International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge proclaimed before a sellout crowd of 91,000 at National Stadium on Aug. 8. “Thank you.”
An audience of 400,000,000 was expected to watch the spectacle on television.
“Friends have come from afar, how happy we are,” is a well-known saying of Confucius (551 BC-479 BC), a famous Chinese educator and thinker whose thoughts deeply influenced later generations.
U.S. President Bush and wife Laura were among more than 80 world dignitaries in attendance, along with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Bush became the first U.S. president to attend an Olympic Games outside of the United States while serving as Commander in Chief. His father, George H.W. Bush, the 41st U.S. president, also made history by occupying the chair of Chef de Mission of the U.S. Olympic Team, marking the first time the U.S. Olympic Committee has had an honorary chief of the mission.
The four-hour extravaganza featured 110 minutes of music, beginning with the fou, the most ancient Chinese percussion instrument made of clay or bronze. Manned by 2,008 performers, the fou-produced sound of rolling spring thunder greeted friends from all over the world.
The music was specially created by 18 composers for a production that displayed 15,153 sets of costumes in 47 styles. Some of the performers rehearsed for 13 months in preparation for one of China’s most magical nights.
Six hundred people were involved in the installation, direction, and safety supervision for a display of 11,456 fireworks set off from from 287 points atop the stadium and 8,428 more from 27 positions in the central area. Another 1,462 glowing and sparkling fireworks illuminated the upper rim of the stadium.
Gunpowder was invented in China during the Song Dynasty (960 AD-1276 AD). People used the ingredients for gunpowder as medicines for illnesses in ancient times; hence the name “gunpowder,” means “burning medicines.” The invention of gunpowder is one of China’s outstanding achievements in the history of human civilization that changed the course of world history.
A painting scroll revealed the origin and development of China’s history and culture. Paper is another of the four great inventions of ancient China. As one child sang “A Hymn to My Country,” 56 children clustered around the National Flag of the People’s Republic of China to represent the country’s 56 ethnic groups. Immediately following, the famous Chinese painting “A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains” was visible on the stadium floor while the ancient stringed instrument, Guqin, provided the “Sounds of Utmost Antiquity.”
Cliff painting, earth pottery and bronze vessels were displayed to reflect artistic developments of the Shang Dynasty (1600 BC-1046 BC) and Zhou Dynasty (1046 BC-221 BC).
The Great Wall was illustrated by smooth lines, both concise and vivid, with peach blossoms, romantic and enjoyable, that illustrated the sweet wishes of peace-loving Chinese people.
The “Silk Road” was an important vehicle for economic and cultural exchange between China and Western countries. More than 2,000 years ago, trade caravans of China set out from Chang’an (now Xi’an in Shaanxi Province) with expensive silk, crossed the Hexi Corridor, and entered the European continent.
More than 600 years ago, Zheng He of Ming Dynasty led seven shipping fleets with 27,000 people aboard a long voyage from Quanzhou that arrived in Western Asia and Eastern Africa, thus creating the well-known “Maritime Silk Road.” On opening night, a performer held an ancient compass, another of the four great inventions of ancient China.
In a later segment, Chinese pianist Lang Lang and 5-year-old Li Muzi welcomed a brand-new age. Lang is the first Chinese pianist to have long-term cooperation with first-class orchestras in Berlin and Vienna. He has played recitals in many of the most famous music halls in the world. During that performance, the kite was introduced as another Chinese invention.
An exhibition of Taiji manifested the integration of traditions and the future by illustrating the unity of man and nature. Taijiquan is the most representative shadow boxing among Chinese martial arts, characterized by the “combination of the dynamic and static and the interdependence of hardness and softness.”
The Eight Diagrams of Taiji symbolize eight natural phenomena – heaven, earth, thunder, wind, water, fire, mountain and swamp – that represent the changes of all things on earth. A total of 2,008 Taiji performers formed a circle that illustrated grandness and consummation in the traditional Chinese concept.
As the program progressed, the smiling faces of children from around the world demonstrated the theme of “One World, One Dream.” A gigantic, 16-ton globe arose from the floor, adorned with 58 actors running on nine rings covered with an Olympic Torch pattern. The runners seemingly were free from gravity and full of magic, fantasy and bravery.
The march of nations featured Olympic athletes from 205 countries, led into the stadium by Greece (in accordance with tradition). The host team from China concluded the march of nations.
As Team USA entered they clearly received the loudest ovation of the evening – until Houston Rockets basketball star Yao Ming led the Chinese contingent into the stadium.
The throng representing 596 U.S. athletes occupied more than 100 meters of the running track. As U.S. Flag Bearer Lopez Lomong was rounding the turn, members of Team USA were still filing into the arena from the opposite end of the stadium.
After eight Chinese Olympians carried the Olympic Flag into the stadium, the banner was raised and The Olympic Anthem was played. Athletes' and officials' oaths were read, symbolic doves were released, and the Olympic Torch Relay concluded a 33-day journey abroad that covered 97,000 kilometers across five continents and 21 countries.
Chinese Olympic gymnast Li Ning ran 500 meters in about three minutes around the wall of the open-air stadium’s inner roof in what was possibly the most fascinating sight of the night. Supported by a cable, Ning at times appeared to be running on air before lighting the cauldron.
“Many would say that the Olympic Games are of great significance and have profound meanings,” said opening ceremony artistic director Zhang Yimou. “But I once heard someone say: ‘They are all our guests. We should make them happy.’”
"This answer, simple as it is, tells us that we are of one big family. The Opening Ceremony demonstrates the same spirit as we find in the theme song of the ceremony: You and me, from one world; we are family.
“I have never led such a huge team, with so many performers, staff and volunteers. You may not be able to see their faces clearly in this grand stadium and their names may not be printed on this beautiful brochure, but I know how hard they worked for tonight. At this very moment, what do they want to say to you, our distinguished guests, and to the audience all over the world? There is only one simple sentence: ‘From the bottom of my heart, I hope you will enjoy yourselves.’”
www.armymwr.com
2008 Summer Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Beijing, China 同一个世界 同一个梦想 - U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program - FMWRC
Image by familymwr
www.armymwr.com
Olympic Opening Ceremony celebrates ‘One World, One Dream’
Date Posted: 8/12/2008
Photos and Story by Tim Hipps
FMWRC Public Affairs
(Cleared for public release)
EDITOR'S NOTE: The U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program (WCAP) provides soldier-athletes the opportunity to compete toward qualifying for the United States Olympic team. Qualified soldiers must be nationally ranked in their chosen sport and be certified by the United States Olympic Committee at a world class level. Athletes join the program at least three years before the Olympic Trials. To be eligible for the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program, soldiers must currently be a member of the Active Army, Army Reserve, or Army National Guard. Soldiers must also be eligible to represent the USA in international competitions and demonstrate the potential to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Team or U.S. Paralympic Team.
BEIJING – The elaborate Opening Ceremony of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad featured a display of China’s long and distinguished history and culture intertwined with the “One World, One Dream” theme of the 2008 Summer Olympics.
“Beijing, you are host to the present and the gateway to the future,” International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge proclaimed before a sellout crowd of 91,000 at National Stadium on Aug. 8. “Thank you.”
An audience of 400,000,000 was expected to watch the spectacle on television.
“Friends have come from afar, how happy we are,” is a well-known saying of Confucius (551 BC-479 BC), a famous Chinese educator and thinker whose thoughts deeply influenced later generations.
U.S. President Bush and wife Laura were among more than 80 world dignitaries in attendance, along with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Bush became the first U.S. president to attend an Olympic Games outside of the United States while serving as Commander in Chief. His father, George H.W. Bush, the 41st U.S. president, also made history by occupying the chair of Chef de Mission of the U.S. Olympic Team, marking the first time the U.S. Olympic Committee has had an honorary chief of the mission.
The four-hour extravaganza featured 110 minutes of music, beginning with the fou, the most ancient Chinese percussion instrument made of clay or bronze. Manned by 2,008 performers, the fou-produced sound of rolling spring thunder greeted friends from all over the world.
The music was specially created by 18 composers for a production that displayed 15,153 sets of costumes in 47 styles. Some of the performers rehearsed for 13 months in preparation for one of China’s most magical nights.
Six hundred people were involved in the installation, direction, and safety supervision for a display of 11,456 fireworks set off from from 287 points atop the stadium and 8,428 more from 27 positions in the central area. Another 1,462 glowing and sparkling fireworks illuminated the upper rim of the stadium.
Gunpowder was invented in China during the Song Dynasty (960 AD-1276 AD). People used the ingredients for gunpowder as medicines for illnesses in ancient times; hence the name “gunpowder,” means “burning medicines.” The invention of gunpowder is one of China’s outstanding achievements in the history of human civilization that changed the course of world history.
A painting scroll revealed the origin and development of China’s history and culture. Paper is another of the four great inventions of ancient China. As one child sang “A Hymn to My Country,” 56 children clustered around the National Flag of the People’s Republic of China to represent the country’s 56 ethnic groups. Immediately following, the famous Chinese painting “A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains” was visible on the stadium floor while the ancient stringed instrument, Guqin, provided the “Sounds of Utmost Antiquity.”
Cliff painting, earth pottery and bronze vessels were displayed to reflect artistic developments of the Shang Dynasty (1600 BC-1046 BC) and Zhou Dynasty (1046 BC-221 BC).
The Great Wall was illustrated by smooth lines, both concise and vivid, with peach blossoms, romantic and enjoyable, that illustrated the sweet wishes of peace-loving Chinese people.
The “Silk Road” was an important vehicle for economic and cultural exchange between China and Western countries. More than 2,000 years ago, trade caravans of China set out from Chang’an (now Xi’an in Shaanxi Province) with expensive silk, crossed the Hexi Corridor, and entered the European continent.
More than 600 years ago, Zheng He of Ming Dynasty led seven shipping fleets with 27,000 people aboard a long voyage from Quanzhou that arrived in Western Asia and Eastern Africa, thus creating the well-known “Maritime Silk Road.” On opening night, a performer held an ancient compass, another of the four great inventions of ancient China.
In a later segment, Chinese pianist Lang Lang and 5-year-old Li Muzi welcomed a brand-new age. Lang is the first Chinese pianist to have long-term cooperation with first-class orchestras in Berlin and Vienna. He has played recitals in many of the most famous music halls in the world. During that performance, the kite was introduced as another Chinese invention.
An exhibition of Taiji manifested the integration of traditions and the future by illustrating the unity of man and nature. Taijiquan is the most representative shadow boxing among Chinese martial arts, characterized by the “combination of the dynamic and static and the interdependence of hardness and softness.”
The Eight Diagrams of Taiji symbolize eight natural phenomena – heaven, earth, thunder, wind, water, fire, mountain and swamp – that represent the changes of all things on earth. A total of 2,008 Taiji performers formed a circle that illustrated grandness and consummation in the traditional Chinese concept.
As the program progressed, the smiling faces of children from around the world demonstrated the theme of “One World, One Dream.” A gigantic, 16-ton globe arose from the floor, adorned with 58 actors running on nine rings covered with an Olympic Torch pattern. The runners seemingly were free from gravity and full of magic, fantasy and bravery.
The march of nations featured Olympic athletes from 205 countries, led into the stadium by Greece (in accordance with tradition). The host team from China concluded the march of nations.
As Team USA entered they clearly received the loudest ovation of the evening – until Houston Rockets basketball star Yao Ming led the Chinese contingent into the stadium.
The throng representing 596 U.S. athletes occupied more than 100 meters of the running track. As U.S. Flag Bearer Lopez Lomong was rounding the turn, members of Team USA were still filing into the arena from the opposite end of the stadium.
After eight Chinese Olympians carried the Olympic Flag into the stadium, the banner was raised and The Olympic Anthem was played. Athletes' and officials' oaths were read, symbolic doves were released, and the Olympic Torch Relay concluded a 33-day journey abroad that covered 97,000 kilometers across five continents and 21 countries.
Chinese Olympic gymnast Li Ning ran 500 meters in about three minutes around the wall of the open-air stadium’s inner roof in what was possibly the most fascinating sight of the night. Supported by a cable, Ning at times appeared to be running on air before lighting the cauldron.
“Many would say that the Olympic Games are of great significance and have profound meanings,” said opening ceremony artistic director Zhang Yimou. “But I once heard someone say: ‘They are all our guests. We should make them happy.’”
"This answer, simple as it is, tells us that we are of one big family. The Opening Ceremony demonstrates the same spirit as we find in the theme song of the ceremony: You and me, from one world; we are family.
“I have never led such a huge team, with so many performers, staff and volunteers. You may not be able to see their faces clearly in this grand stadium and their names may not be printed on this beautiful brochure, but I know how hard they worked for tonight. At this very moment, what do they want to say to you, our distinguished guests, and to the audience all over the world? There is only one simple sentence: ‘From the bottom of my heart, I hope you will enjoy yourselves.’”
www.armymwr.com
Some cool american photo images:
FED - World War II American Red Cross Jeep
Image by Inventorchris
World War II american red cross jeep
ONLY Emergency Services Departments are allowed to use my photos. All others must ask permission.
A few nice photo websites images I found:
The World of Fushia
Image by Najwa Marafie - Free Photographer
Makeup Artist: BeBe Marafie
Makeup Studio: +965 666 88 99 0
Check our NEW update on our website
N-Studio Official website
YouTube Channel
FaceBook
Mobile: +965 66 383 666
E-Mail: N_Studio@Live.Com
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Gear: NIKON D3X
Lense: Nikon 105 - f/2.8 - Micro
Flash: Home Studio
Rate my photo: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
191/365: The Magic of Islamic Art
Image by Najwa Marafie - Free Photographer
Location: The sultan qaboos grand mosque
City: Muscat
Country: Oman
Check our NEW update on our website
N-Studio Official website
YouTube Channel
FaceBook
Mobile: +965 66 383 666
E-Mail: N_Studio@Live.Com
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Gear: NIKON D3x
Rate my photo: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Check out these photo editor free images:
2008 Summer Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Beijing, China 同一个世界 同一个梦想 - U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program - FMWRC
Image by familymwr
www.armymwr.com
Olympic Opening Ceremony celebrates ‘One World, One Dream’
Date Posted: 8/12/2008
Photos and Story by Tim Hipps
FMWRC Public Affairs
(Cleared for public release)
EDITOR'S NOTE: The U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program (WCAP) provides soldier-athletes the opportunity to compete toward qualifying for the United States Olympic team. Qualified soldiers must be nationally ranked in their chosen sport and be certified by the United States Olympic Committee at a world class level. Athletes join the program at least three years before the Olympic Trials. To be eligible for the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program, soldiers must currently be a member of the Active Army, Army Reserve, or Army National Guard. Soldiers must also be eligible to represent the USA in international competitions and demonstrate the potential to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Team or U.S. Paralympic Team.
BEIJING – The elaborate Opening Ceremony of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad featured a display of China’s long and distinguished history and culture intertwined with the “One World, One Dream” theme of the 2008 Summer Olympics.
“Beijing, you are host to the present and the gateway to the future,” International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge proclaimed before a sellout crowd of 91,000 at National Stadium on Aug. 8. “Thank you.”
An audience of 400,000,000 was expected to watch the spectacle on television.
“Friends have come from afar, how happy we are,” is a well-known saying of Confucius (551 BC-479 BC), a famous Chinese educator and thinker whose thoughts deeply influenced later generations.
U.S. President Bush and wife Laura were among more than 80 world dignitaries in attendance, along with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Bush became the first U.S. president to attend an Olympic Games outside of the United States while serving as Commander in Chief. His father, George H.W. Bush, the 41st U.S. president, also made history by occupying the chair of Chef de Mission of the U.S. Olympic Team, marking the first time the U.S. Olympic Committee has had an honorary chief of the mission.
The four-hour extravaganza featured 110 minutes of music, beginning with the fou, the most ancient Chinese percussion instrument made of clay or bronze. Manned by 2,008 performers, the fou-produced sound of rolling spring thunder greeted friends from all over the world.
The music was specially created by 18 composers for a production that displayed 15,153 sets of costumes in 47 styles. Some of the performers rehearsed for 13 months in preparation for one of China’s most magical nights.
Six hundred people were involved in the installation, direction, and safety supervision for a display of 11,456 fireworks set off from from 287 points atop the stadium and 8,428 more from 27 positions in the central area. Another 1,462 glowing and sparkling fireworks illuminated the upper rim of the stadium.
Gunpowder was invented in China during the Song Dynasty (960 AD-1276 AD). People used the ingredients for gunpowder as medicines for illnesses in ancient times; hence the name “gunpowder,” means “burning medicines.” The invention of gunpowder is one of China’s outstanding achievements in the history of human civilization that changed the course of world history.
A painting scroll revealed the origin and development of China’s history and culture. Paper is another of the four great inventions of ancient China. As one child sang “A Hymn to My Country,” 56 children clustered around the National Flag of the People’s Republic of China to represent the country’s 56 ethnic groups. Immediately following, the famous Chinese painting “A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains” was visible on the stadium floor while the ancient stringed instrument, Guqin, provided the “Sounds of Utmost Antiquity.”
Cliff painting, earth pottery and bronze vessels were displayed to reflect artistic developments of the Shang Dynasty (1600 BC-1046 BC) and Zhou Dynasty (1046 BC-221 BC).
The Great Wall was illustrated by smooth lines, both concise and vivid, with peach blossoms, romantic and enjoyable, that illustrated the sweet wishes of peace-loving Chinese people.
The “Silk Road” was an important vehicle for economic and cultural exchange between China and Western countries. More than 2,000 years ago, trade caravans of China set out from Chang’an (now Xi’an in Shaanxi Province) with expensive silk, crossed the Hexi Corridor, and entered the European continent.
More than 600 years ago, Zheng He of Ming Dynasty led seven shipping fleets with 27,000 people aboard a long voyage from Quanzhou that arrived in Western Asia and Eastern Africa, thus creating the well-known “Maritime Silk Road.” On opening night, a performer held an ancient compass, another of the four great inventions of ancient China.
In a later segment, Chinese pianist Lang Lang and 5-year-old Li Muzi welcomed a brand-new age. Lang is the first Chinese pianist to have long-term cooperation with first-class orchestras in Berlin and Vienna. He has played recitals in many of the most famous music halls in the world. During that performance, the kite was introduced as another Chinese invention.
An exhibition of Taiji manifested the integration of traditions and the future by illustrating the unity of man and nature. Taijiquan is the most representative shadow boxing among Chinese martial arts, characterized by the “combination of the dynamic and static and the interdependence of hardness and softness.”
The Eight Diagrams of Taiji symbolize eight natural phenomena – heaven, earth, thunder, wind, water, fire, mountain and swamp – that represent the changes of all things on earth. A total of 2,008 Taiji performers formed a circle that illustrated grandness and consummation in the traditional Chinese concept.
As the program progressed, the smiling faces of children from around the world demonstrated the theme of “One World, One Dream.” A gigantic, 16-ton globe arose from the floor, adorned with 58 actors running on nine rings covered with an Olympic Torch pattern. The runners seemingly were free from gravity and full of magic, fantasy and bravery.
The march of nations featured Olympic athletes from 205 countries, led into the stadium by Greece (in accordance with tradition). The host team from China concluded the march of nations.
As Team USA entered they clearly received the loudest ovation of the evening – until Houston Rockets basketball star Yao Ming led the Chinese contingent into the stadium.
The throng representing 596 U.S. athletes occupied more than 100 meters of the running track. As U.S. Flag Bearer Lopez Lomong was rounding the turn, members of Team USA were still filing into the arena from the opposite end of the stadium.
After eight Chinese Olympians carried the Olympic Flag into the stadium, the banner was raised and The Olympic Anthem was played. Athletes' and officials' oaths were read, symbolic doves were released, and the Olympic Torch Relay concluded a 33-day journey abroad that covered 97,000 kilometers across five continents and 21 countries.
Chinese Olympic gymnast Li Ning ran 500 meters in about three minutes around the wall of the open-air stadium’s inner roof in what was possibly the most fascinating sight of the night. Supported by a cable, Ning at times appeared to be running on air before lighting the cauldron.
“Many would say that the Olympic Games are of great significance and have profound meanings,” said opening ceremony artistic director Zhang Yimou. “But I once heard someone say: ‘They are all our guests. We should make them happy.’”
"This answer, simple as it is, tells us that we are of one big family. The Opening Ceremony demonstrates the same spirit as we find in the theme song of the ceremony: You and me, from one world; we are family.
“I have never led such a huge team, with so many performers, staff and volunteers. You may not be able to see their faces clearly in this grand stadium and their names may not be printed on this beautiful brochure, but I know how hard they worked for tonight. At this very moment, what do they want to say to you, our distinguished guests, and to the audience all over the world? There is only one simple sentence: ‘From the bottom of my heart, I hope you will enjoy yourselves.’”
www.armymwr.com
2008 Summer Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Beijing, China 同一个世界 同一个梦想 - U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program - FMWRC
Image by familymwr
www.armymwr.com
Olympic Opening Ceremony celebrates ‘One World, One Dream’
Date Posted: 8/12/2008
Photos and Story by Tim Hipps
FMWRC Public Affairs
(Cleared for public release)
EDITOR'S NOTE: The U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program (WCAP) provides soldier-athletes the opportunity to compete toward qualifying for the United States Olympic team. Qualified soldiers must be nationally ranked in their chosen sport and be certified by the United States Olympic Committee at a world class level. Athletes join the program at least three years before the Olympic Trials. To be eligible for the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program, soldiers must currently be a member of the Active Army, Army Reserve, or Army National Guard. Soldiers must also be eligible to represent the USA in international competitions and demonstrate the potential to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Team or U.S. Paralympic Team.
BEIJING – The elaborate Opening Ceremony of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad featured a display of China’s long and distinguished history and culture intertwined with the “One World, One Dream” theme of the 2008 Summer Olympics.
“Beijing, you are host to the present and the gateway to the future,” International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge proclaimed before a sellout crowd of 91,000 at National Stadium on Aug. 8. “Thank you.”
An audience of 400,000,000 was expected to watch the spectacle on television.
“Friends have come from afar, how happy we are,” is a well-known saying of Confucius (551 BC-479 BC), a famous Chinese educator and thinker whose thoughts deeply influenced later generations.
U.S. President Bush and wife Laura were among more than 80 world dignitaries in attendance, along with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Bush became the first U.S. president to attend an Olympic Games outside of the United States while serving as Commander in Chief. His father, George H.W. Bush, the 41st U.S. president, also made history by occupying the chair of Chef de Mission of the U.S. Olympic Team, marking the first time the U.S. Olympic Committee has had an honorary chief of the mission.
The four-hour extravaganza featured 110 minutes of music, beginning with the fou, the most ancient Chinese percussion instrument made of clay or bronze. Manned by 2,008 performers, the fou-produced sound of rolling spring thunder greeted friends from all over the world.
The music was specially created by 18 composers for a production that displayed 15,153 sets of costumes in 47 styles. Some of the performers rehearsed for 13 months in preparation for one of China’s most magical nights.
Six hundred people were involved in the installation, direction, and safety supervision for a display of 11,456 fireworks set off from from 287 points atop the stadium and 8,428 more from 27 positions in the central area. Another 1,462 glowing and sparkling fireworks illuminated the upper rim of the stadium.
Gunpowder was invented in China during the Song Dynasty (960 AD-1276 AD). People used the ingredients for gunpowder as medicines for illnesses in ancient times; hence the name “gunpowder,” means “burning medicines.” The invention of gunpowder is one of China’s outstanding achievements in the history of human civilization that changed the course of world history.
A painting scroll revealed the origin and development of China’s history and culture. Paper is another of the four great inventions of ancient China. As one child sang “A Hymn to My Country,” 56 children clustered around the National Flag of the People’s Republic of China to represent the country’s 56 ethnic groups. Immediately following, the famous Chinese painting “A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains” was visible on the stadium floor while the ancient stringed instrument, Guqin, provided the “Sounds of Utmost Antiquity.”
Cliff painting, earth pottery and bronze vessels were displayed to reflect artistic developments of the Shang Dynasty (1600 BC-1046 BC) and Zhou Dynasty (1046 BC-221 BC).
The Great Wall was illustrated by smooth lines, both concise and vivid, with peach blossoms, romantic and enjoyable, that illustrated the sweet wishes of peace-loving Chinese people.
The “Silk Road” was an important vehicle for economic and cultural exchange between China and Western countries. More than 2,000 years ago, trade caravans of China set out from Chang’an (now Xi’an in Shaanxi Province) with expensive silk, crossed the Hexi Corridor, and entered the European continent.
More than 600 years ago, Zheng He of Ming Dynasty led seven shipping fleets with 27,000 people aboard a long voyage from Quanzhou that arrived in Western Asia and Eastern Africa, thus creating the well-known “Maritime Silk Road.” On opening night, a performer held an ancient compass, another of the four great inventions of ancient China.
In a later segment, Chinese pianist Lang Lang and 5-year-old Li Muzi welcomed a brand-new age. Lang is the first Chinese pianist to have long-term cooperation with first-class orchestras in Berlin and Vienna. He has played recitals in many of the most famous music halls in the world. During that performance, the kite was introduced as another Chinese invention.
An exhibition of Taiji manifested the integration of traditions and the future by illustrating the unity of man and nature. Taijiquan is the most representative shadow boxing among Chinese martial arts, characterized by the “combination of the dynamic and static and the interdependence of hardness and softness.”
The Eight Diagrams of Taiji symbolize eight natural phenomena – heaven, earth, thunder, wind, water, fire, mountain and swamp – that represent the changes of all things on earth. A total of 2,008 Taiji performers formed a circle that illustrated grandness and consummation in the traditional Chinese concept.
As the program progressed, the smiling faces of children from around the world demonstrated the theme of “One World, One Dream.” A gigantic, 16-ton globe arose from the floor, adorned with 58 actors running on nine rings covered with an Olympic Torch pattern. The runners seemingly were free from gravity and full of magic, fantasy and bravery.
The march of nations featured Olympic athletes from 205 countries, led into the stadium by Greece (in accordance with tradition). The host team from China concluded the march of nations.
As Team USA entered they clearly received the loudest ovation of the evening – until Houston Rockets basketball star Yao Ming led the Chinese contingent into the stadium.
The throng representing 596 U.S. athletes occupied more than 100 meters of the running track. As U.S. Flag Bearer Lopez Lomong was rounding the turn, members of Team USA were still filing into the arena from the opposite end of the stadium.
After eight Chinese Olympians carried the Olympic Flag into the stadium, the banner was raised and The Olympic Anthem was played. Athletes' and officials' oaths were read, symbolic doves were released, and the Olympic Torch Relay concluded a 33-day journey abroad that covered 97,000 kilometers across five continents and 21 countries.
Chinese Olympic gymnast Li Ning ran 500 meters in about three minutes around the wall of the open-air stadium’s inner roof in what was possibly the most fascinating sight of the night. Supported by a cable, Ning at times appeared to be running on air before lighting the cauldron.
“Many would say that the Olympic Games are of great significance and have profound meanings,” said opening ceremony artistic director Zhang Yimou. “But I once heard someone say: ‘They are all our guests. We should make them happy.’”
"This answer, simple as it is, tells us that we are of one big family. The Opening Ceremony demonstrates the same spirit as we find in the theme song of the ceremony: You and me, from one world; we are family.
“I have never led such a huge team, with so many performers, staff and volunteers. You may not be able to see their faces clearly in this grand stadium and their names may not be printed on this beautiful brochure, but I know how hard they worked for tonight. At this very moment, what do they want to say to you, our distinguished guests, and to the audience all over the world? There is only one simple sentence: ‘From the bottom of my heart, I hope you will enjoy yourselves.’”
www.armymwr.com
2008 Summer Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Beijing, China 同一个世界 同一个梦想 - U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program - FMWRC
Image by familymwr
www.armymwr.com
Olympic Opening Ceremony celebrates ‘One World, One Dream’
Date Posted: 8/12/2008
Photos and Story by Tim Hipps
FMWRC Public Affairs
(Cleared for public release)
EDITOR'S NOTE: The U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program (WCAP) provides soldier-athletes the opportunity to compete toward qualifying for the United States Olympic team. Qualified soldiers must be nationally ranked in their chosen sport and be certified by the United States Olympic Committee at a world class level. Athletes join the program at least three years before the Olympic Trials. To be eligible for the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program, soldiers must currently be a member of the Active Army, Army Reserve, or Army National Guard. Soldiers must also be eligible to represent the USA in international competitions and demonstrate the potential to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Team or U.S. Paralympic Team.
BEIJING – The elaborate Opening Ceremony of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad featured a display of China’s long and distinguished history and culture intertwined with the “One World, One Dream” theme of the 2008 Summer Olympics.
“Beijing, you are host to the present and the gateway to the future,” International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge proclaimed before a sellout crowd of 91,000 at National Stadium on Aug. 8. “Thank you.”
An audience of 400,000,000 was expected to watch the spectacle on television.
“Friends have come from afar, how happy we are,” is a well-known saying of Confucius (551 BC-479 BC), a famous Chinese educator and thinker whose thoughts deeply influenced later generations.
U.S. President Bush and wife Laura were among more than 80 world dignitaries in attendance, along with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Bush became the first U.S. president to attend an Olympic Games outside of the United States while serving as Commander in Chief. His father, George H.W. Bush, the 41st U.S. president, also made history by occupying the chair of Chef de Mission of the U.S. Olympic Team, marking the first time the U.S. Olympic Committee has had an honorary chief of the mission.
The four-hour extravaganza featured 110 minutes of music, beginning with the fou, the most ancient Chinese percussion instrument made of clay or bronze. Manned by 2,008 performers, the fou-produced sound of rolling spring thunder greeted friends from all over the world.
The music was specially created by 18 composers for a production that displayed 15,153 sets of costumes in 47 styles. Some of the performers rehearsed for 13 months in preparation for one of China’s most magical nights.
Six hundred people were involved in the installation, direction, and safety supervision for a display of 11,456 fireworks set off from from 287 points atop the stadium and 8,428 more from 27 positions in the central area. Another 1,462 glowing and sparkling fireworks illuminated the upper rim of the stadium.
Gunpowder was invented in China during the Song Dynasty (960 AD-1276 AD). People used the ingredients for gunpowder as medicines for illnesses in ancient times; hence the name “gunpowder,” means “burning medicines.” The invention of gunpowder is one of China’s outstanding achievements in the history of human civilization that changed the course of world history.
A painting scroll revealed the origin and development of China’s history and culture. Paper is another of the four great inventions of ancient China. As one child sang “A Hymn to My Country,” 56 children clustered around the National Flag of the People’s Republic of China to represent the country’s 56 ethnic groups. Immediately following, the famous Chinese painting “A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains” was visible on the stadium floor while the ancient stringed instrument, Guqin, provided the “Sounds of Utmost Antiquity.”
Cliff painting, earth pottery and bronze vessels were displayed to reflect artistic developments of the Shang Dynasty (1600 BC-1046 BC) and Zhou Dynasty (1046 BC-221 BC).
The Great Wall was illustrated by smooth lines, both concise and vivid, with peach blossoms, romantic and enjoyable, that illustrated the sweet wishes of peace-loving Chinese people.
The “Silk Road” was an important vehicle for economic and cultural exchange between China and Western countries. More than 2,000 years ago, trade caravans of China set out from Chang’an (now Xi’an in Shaanxi Province) with expensive silk, crossed the Hexi Corridor, and entered the European continent.
More than 600 years ago, Zheng He of Ming Dynasty led seven shipping fleets with 27,000 people aboard a long voyage from Quanzhou that arrived in Western Asia and Eastern Africa, thus creating the well-known “Maritime Silk Road.” On opening night, a performer held an ancient compass, another of the four great inventions of ancient China.
In a later segment, Chinese pianist Lang Lang and 5-year-old Li Muzi welcomed a brand-new age. Lang is the first Chinese pianist to have long-term cooperation with first-class orchestras in Berlin and Vienna. He has played recitals in many of the most famous music halls in the world. During that performance, the kite was introduced as another Chinese invention.
An exhibition of Taiji manifested the integration of traditions and the future by illustrating the unity of man and nature. Taijiquan is the most representative shadow boxing among Chinese martial arts, characterized by the “combination of the dynamic and static and the interdependence of hardness and softness.”
The Eight Diagrams of Taiji symbolize eight natural phenomena – heaven, earth, thunder, wind, water, fire, mountain and swamp – that represent the changes of all things on earth. A total of 2,008 Taiji performers formed a circle that illustrated grandness and consummation in the traditional Chinese concept.
As the program progressed, the smiling faces of children from around the world demonstrated the theme of “One World, One Dream.” A gigantic, 16-ton globe arose from the floor, adorned with 58 actors running on nine rings covered with an Olympic Torch pattern. The runners seemingly were free from gravity and full of magic, fantasy and bravery.
The march of nations featured Olympic athletes from 205 countries, led into the stadium by Greece (in accordance with tradition). The host team from China concluded the march of nations.
As Team USA entered they clearly received the loudest ovation of the evening – until Houston Rockets basketball star Yao Ming led the Chinese contingent into the stadium.
The throng representing 596 U.S. athletes occupied more than 100 meters of the running track. As U.S. Flag Bearer Lopez Lomong was rounding the turn, members of Team USA were still filing into the arena from the opposite end of the stadium.
After eight Chinese Olympians carried the Olympic Flag into the stadium, the banner was raised and The Olympic Anthem was played. Athletes' and officials' oaths were read, symbolic doves were released, and the Olympic Torch Relay concluded a 33-day journey abroad that covered 97,000 kilometers across five continents and 21 countries.
Chinese Olympic gymnast Li Ning ran 500 meters in about three minutes around the wall of the open-air stadium’s inner roof in what was possibly the most fascinating sight of the night. Supported by a cable, Ning at times appeared to be running on air before lighting the cauldron.
“Many would say that the Olympic Games are of great significance and have profound meanings,” said opening ceremony artistic director Zhang Yimou. “But I once heard someone say: ‘They are all our guests. We should make them happy.’”
"This answer, simple as it is, tells us that we are of one big family. The Opening Ceremony demonstrates the same spirit as we find in the theme song of the ceremony: You and me, from one world; we are family.
“I have never led such a huge team, with so many performers, staff and volunteers. You may not be able to see their faces clearly in this grand stadium and their names may not be printed on this beautiful brochure, but I know how hard they worked for tonight. At this very moment, what do they want to say to you, our distinguished guests, and to the audience all over the world? There is only one simple sentence: ‘From the bottom of my heart, I hope you will enjoy yourselves.’”
www.armymwr.com
A few nice photo contests images I found:
International photo contest celebrating world languages and cultures
Image by Tazrian Khan
Join and win an international photo contest with the theme "Language and Culture".
The photo contest is open for all and it is already possible to submit entries. The submission is open till 7 February. Prizes are to be won. First prize is USD 500.
The competition is organized in connection with International Mother Language Day, which is 21 February. You can read more at www.motherlanguageday.org/
3/365 - Photo Contest
Image by saturn ♄
Shot a lot of pics for a photo contest, but nothing hit the nail...
DSC_8813
Image by USFWS/Southeast
Contest judges Dudley Edmondson and Paul Higgins view the judges' table
Check out these image library images:
North Coasters World War I recruiting march - Bellingen River, NSW, January 1916, by JH Howarth
Image by State Library of New South Wales collection
Format: Photograph
Find more detailed information about this photograph: acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemDetailPaged.aspx?itemID=389798
Search for more great images in the State Library's collections: acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/search/SimpleSearch.aspx
From the collection of the State Library of New South Wales www.sl.nsw.gov.au
Collecting donations on "Hospital Saturday" in a ca. 1910 Rover car - Dubbo, NSW, 1912
Image by State Library of New South Wales collection
Format: Photograph
Find more detailed information about this photograph: acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemDetailPaged.aspx?itemID=393134
Search for more great images in the State Library's collections: acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/search/SimpleSearch.aspx
From the collection of the State Library of New South Wales www.sl.nsw.gov.au
Some cool photo editor free images:
2008 Summer Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Beijing, China 同一个世界 同一个梦想 - U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program - FMWRC
Image by familymwr
www.armymwr.com
Olympic Opening Ceremony celebrates ‘One World, One Dream’
Date Posted: 8/12/2008
Photos and Story by Tim Hipps
FMWRC Public Affairs
(Cleared for public release)
EDITOR'S NOTE: The U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program (WCAP) provides soldier-athletes the opportunity to compete toward qualifying for the United States Olympic team. Qualified soldiers must be nationally ranked in their chosen sport and be certified by the United States Olympic Committee at a world class level. Athletes join the program at least three years before the Olympic Trials. To be eligible for the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program, soldiers must currently be a member of the Active Army, Army Reserve, or Army National Guard. Soldiers must also be eligible to represent the USA in international competitions and demonstrate the potential to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Team or U.S. Paralympic Team.
BEIJING – The elaborate Opening Ceremony of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad featured a display of China’s long and distinguished history and culture intertwined with the “One World, One Dream” theme of the 2008 Summer Olympics.
“Beijing, you are host to the present and the gateway to the future,” International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge proclaimed before a sellout crowd of 91,000 at National Stadium on Aug. 8. “Thank you.”
An audience of 400,000,000 was expected to watch the spectacle on television.
“Friends have come from afar, how happy we are,” is a well-known saying of Confucius (551 BC-479 BC), a famous Chinese educator and thinker whose thoughts deeply influenced later generations.
U.S. President Bush and wife Laura were among more than 80 world dignitaries in attendance, along with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Bush became the first U.S. president to attend an Olympic Games outside of the United States while serving as Commander in Chief. His father, George H.W. Bush, the 41st U.S. president, also made history by occupying the chair of Chef de Mission of the U.S. Olympic Team, marking the first time the U.S. Olympic Committee has had an honorary chief of the mission.
The four-hour extravaganza featured 110 minutes of music, beginning with the fou, the most ancient Chinese percussion instrument made of clay or bronze. Manned by 2,008 performers, the fou-produced sound of rolling spring thunder greeted friends from all over the world.
The music was specially created by 18 composers for a production that displayed 15,153 sets of costumes in 47 styles. Some of the performers rehearsed for 13 months in preparation for one of China’s most magical nights.
Six hundred people were involved in the installation, direction, and safety supervision for a display of 11,456 fireworks set off from from 287 points atop the stadium and 8,428 more from 27 positions in the central area. Another 1,462 glowing and sparkling fireworks illuminated the upper rim of the stadium.
Gunpowder was invented in China during the Song Dynasty (960 AD-1276 AD). People used the ingredients for gunpowder as medicines for illnesses in ancient times; hence the name “gunpowder,” means “burning medicines.” The invention of gunpowder is one of China’s outstanding achievements in the history of human civilization that changed the course of world history.
A painting scroll revealed the origin and development of China’s history and culture. Paper is another of the four great inventions of ancient China. As one child sang “A Hymn to My Country,” 56 children clustered around the National Flag of the People’s Republic of China to represent the country’s 56 ethnic groups. Immediately following, the famous Chinese painting “A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains” was visible on the stadium floor while the ancient stringed instrument, Guqin, provided the “Sounds of Utmost Antiquity.”
Cliff painting, earth pottery and bronze vessels were displayed to reflect artistic developments of the Shang Dynasty (1600 BC-1046 BC) and Zhou Dynasty (1046 BC-221 BC).
The Great Wall was illustrated by smooth lines, both concise and vivid, with peach blossoms, romantic and enjoyable, that illustrated the sweet wishes of peace-loving Chinese people.
The “Silk Road” was an important vehicle for economic and cultural exchange between China and Western countries. More than 2,000 years ago, trade caravans of China set out from Chang’an (now Xi’an in Shaanxi Province) with expensive silk, crossed the Hexi Corridor, and entered the European continent.
More than 600 years ago, Zheng He of Ming Dynasty led seven shipping fleets with 27,000 people aboard a long voyage from Quanzhou that arrived in Western Asia and Eastern Africa, thus creating the well-known “Maritime Silk Road.” On opening night, a performer held an ancient compass, another of the four great inventions of ancient China.
In a later segment, Chinese pianist Lang Lang and 5-year-old Li Muzi welcomed a brand-new age. Lang is the first Chinese pianist to have long-term cooperation with first-class orchestras in Berlin and Vienna. He has played recitals in many of the most famous music halls in the world. During that performance, the kite was introduced as another Chinese invention.
An exhibition of Taiji manifested the integration of traditions and the future by illustrating the unity of man and nature. Taijiquan is the most representative shadow boxing among Chinese martial arts, characterized by the “combination of the dynamic and static and the interdependence of hardness and softness.”
The Eight Diagrams of Taiji symbolize eight natural phenomena – heaven, earth, thunder, wind, water, fire, mountain and swamp – that represent the changes of all things on earth. A total of 2,008 Taiji performers formed a circle that illustrated grandness and consummation in the traditional Chinese concept.
As the program progressed, the smiling faces of children from around the world demonstrated the theme of “One World, One Dream.” A gigantic, 16-ton globe arose from the floor, adorned with 58 actors running on nine rings covered with an Olympic Torch pattern. The runners seemingly were free from gravity and full of magic, fantasy and bravery.
The march of nations featured Olympic athletes from 205 countries, led into the stadium by Greece (in accordance with tradition). The host team from China concluded the march of nations.
As Team USA entered they clearly received the loudest ovation of the evening – until Houston Rockets basketball star Yao Ming led the Chinese contingent into the stadium.
The throng representing 596 U.S. athletes occupied more than 100 meters of the running track. As U.S. Flag Bearer Lopez Lomong was rounding the turn, members of Team USA were still filing into the arena from the opposite end of the stadium.
After eight Chinese Olympians carried the Olympic Flag into the stadium, the banner was raised and The Olympic Anthem was played. Athletes' and officials' oaths were read, symbolic doves were released, and the Olympic Torch Relay concluded a 33-day journey abroad that covered 97,000 kilometers across five continents and 21 countries.
Chinese Olympic gymnast Li Ning ran 500 meters in about three minutes around the wall of the open-air stadium’s inner roof in what was possibly the most fascinating sight of the night. Supported by a cable, Ning at times appeared to be running on air before lighting the cauldron.
“Many would say that the Olympic Games are of great significance and have profound meanings,” said opening ceremony artistic director Zhang Yimou. “But I once heard someone say: ‘They are all our guests. We should make them happy.’”
"This answer, simple as it is, tells us that we are of one big family. The Opening Ceremony demonstrates the same spirit as we find in the theme song of the ceremony: You and me, from one world; we are family.
“I have never led such a huge team, with so many performers, staff and volunteers. You may not be able to see their faces clearly in this grand stadium and their names may not be printed on this beautiful brochure, but I know how hard they worked for tonight. At this very moment, what do they want to say to you, our distinguished guests, and to the audience all over the world? There is only one simple sentence: ‘From the bottom of my heart, I hope you will enjoy yourselves.’”
www.armymwr.com
2008 Summer Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Beijing, China 同一个世界 同一个梦想 - U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program - FMWRC
Image by familymwr
www.armymwr.com
Olympic Opening Ceremony celebrates ‘One World, One Dream’
Date Posted: 8/12/2008
Photos and Story by Tim Hipps
FMWRC Public Affairs
(Cleared for public release)
EDITOR'S NOTE: The U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program (WCAP) provides soldier-athletes the opportunity to compete toward qualifying for the United States Olympic team. Qualified soldiers must be nationally ranked in their chosen sport and be certified by the United States Olympic Committee at a world class level. Athletes join the program at least three years before the Olympic Trials. To be eligible for the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program, soldiers must currently be a member of the Active Army, Army Reserve, or Army National Guard. Soldiers must also be eligible to represent the USA in international competitions and demonstrate the potential to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Team or U.S. Paralympic Team.
BEIJING – The elaborate Opening Ceremony of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad featured a display of China’s long and distinguished history and culture intertwined with the “One World, One Dream” theme of the 2008 Summer Olympics.
“Beijing, you are host to the present and the gateway to the future,” International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge proclaimed before a sellout crowd of 91,000 at National Stadium on Aug. 8. “Thank you.”
An audience of 400,000,000 was expected to watch the spectacle on television.
“Friends have come from afar, how happy we are,” is a well-known saying of Confucius (551 BC-479 BC), a famous Chinese educator and thinker whose thoughts deeply influenced later generations.
U.S. President Bush and wife Laura were among more than 80 world dignitaries in attendance, along with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Bush became the first U.S. president to attend an Olympic Games outside of the United States while serving as Commander in Chief. His father, George H.W. Bush, the 41st U.S. president, also made history by occupying the chair of Chef de Mission of the U.S. Olympic Team, marking the first time the U.S. Olympic Committee has had an honorary chief of the mission.
The four-hour extravaganza featured 110 minutes of music, beginning with the fou, the most ancient Chinese percussion instrument made of clay or bronze. Manned by 2,008 performers, the fou-produced sound of rolling spring thunder greeted friends from all over the world.
The music was specially created by 18 composers for a production that displayed 15,153 sets of costumes in 47 styles. Some of the performers rehearsed for 13 months in preparation for one of China’s most magical nights.
Six hundred people were involved in the installation, direction, and safety supervision for a display of 11,456 fireworks set off from from 287 points atop the stadium and 8,428 more from 27 positions in the central area. Another 1,462 glowing and sparkling fireworks illuminated the upper rim of the stadium.
Gunpowder was invented in China during the Song Dynasty (960 AD-1276 AD). People used the ingredients for gunpowder as medicines for illnesses in ancient times; hence the name “gunpowder,” means “burning medicines.” The invention of gunpowder is one of China’s outstanding achievements in the history of human civilization that changed the course of world history.
A painting scroll revealed the origin and development of China’s history and culture. Paper is another of the four great inventions of ancient China. As one child sang “A Hymn to My Country,” 56 children clustered around the National Flag of the People’s Republic of China to represent the country’s 56 ethnic groups. Immediately following, the famous Chinese painting “A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains” was visible on the stadium floor while the ancient stringed instrument, Guqin, provided the “Sounds of Utmost Antiquity.”
Cliff painting, earth pottery and bronze vessels were displayed to reflect artistic developments of the Shang Dynasty (1600 BC-1046 BC) and Zhou Dynasty (1046 BC-221 BC).
The Great Wall was illustrated by smooth lines, both concise and vivid, with peach blossoms, romantic and enjoyable, that illustrated the sweet wishes of peace-loving Chinese people.
The “Silk Road” was an important vehicle for economic and cultural exchange between China and Western countries. More than 2,000 years ago, trade caravans of China set out from Chang’an (now Xi’an in Shaanxi Province) with expensive silk, crossed the Hexi Corridor, and entered the European continent.
More than 600 years ago, Zheng He of Ming Dynasty led seven shipping fleets with 27,000 people aboard a long voyage from Quanzhou that arrived in Western Asia and Eastern Africa, thus creating the well-known “Maritime Silk Road.” On opening night, a performer held an ancient compass, another of the four great inventions of ancient China.
In a later segment, Chinese pianist Lang Lang and 5-year-old Li Muzi welcomed a brand-new age. Lang is the first Chinese pianist to have long-term cooperation with first-class orchestras in Berlin and Vienna. He has played recitals in many of the most famous music halls in the world. During that performance, the kite was introduced as another Chinese invention.
An exhibition of Taiji manifested the integration of traditions and the future by illustrating the unity of man and nature. Taijiquan is the most representative shadow boxing among Chinese martial arts, characterized by the “combination of the dynamic and static and the interdependence of hardness and softness.”
The Eight Diagrams of Taiji symbolize eight natural phenomena – heaven, earth, thunder, wind, water, fire, mountain and swamp – that represent the changes of all things on earth. A total of 2,008 Taiji performers formed a circle that illustrated grandness and consummation in the traditional Chinese concept.
As the program progressed, the smiling faces of children from around the world demonstrated the theme of “One World, One Dream.” A gigantic, 16-ton globe arose from the floor, adorned with 58 actors running on nine rings covered with an Olympic Torch pattern. The runners seemingly were free from gravity and full of magic, fantasy and bravery.
The march of nations featured Olympic athletes from 205 countries, led into the stadium by Greece (in accordance with tradition). The host team from China concluded the march of nations.
As Team USA entered they clearly received the loudest ovation of the evening – until Houston Rockets basketball star Yao Ming led the Chinese contingent into the stadium.
The throng representing 596 U.S. athletes occupied more than 100 meters of the running track. As U.S. Flag Bearer Lopez Lomong was rounding the turn, members of Team USA were still filing into the arena from the opposite end of the stadium.
After eight Chinese Olympians carried the Olympic Flag into the stadium, the banner was raised and The Olympic Anthem was played. Athletes' and officials' oaths were read, symbolic doves were released, and the Olympic Torch Relay concluded a 33-day journey abroad that covered 97,000 kilometers across five continents and 21 countries.
Chinese Olympic gymnast Li Ning ran 500 meters in about three minutes around the wall of the open-air stadium’s inner roof in what was possibly the most fascinating sight of the night. Supported by a cable, Ning at times appeared to be running on air before lighting the cauldron.
“Many would say that the Olympic Games are of great significance and have profound meanings,” said opening ceremony artistic director Zhang Yimou. “But I once heard someone say: ‘They are all our guests. We should make them happy.’”
"This answer, simple as it is, tells us that we are of one big family. The Opening Ceremony demonstrates the same spirit as we find in the theme song of the ceremony: You and me, from one world; we are family.
“I have never led such a huge team, with so many performers, staff and volunteers. You may not be able to see their faces clearly in this grand stadium and their names may not be printed on this beautiful brochure, but I know how hard they worked for tonight. At this very moment, what do they want to say to you, our distinguished guests, and to the audience all over the world? There is only one simple sentence: ‘From the bottom of my heart, I hope you will enjoy yourselves.’”
www.armymwr.com
2008 Summer Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Beijing, China 同一个世界 同一个梦想 - U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program - FMWRC
Image by familymwr
www.armymwr.com
Olympic Opening Ceremony celebrates ‘One World, One Dream’
Date Posted: 8/12/2008
Photos and Story by Tim Hipps
FMWRC Public Affairs
(Cleared for public release)
EDITOR'S NOTE: The U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program (WCAP) provides soldier-athletes the opportunity to compete toward qualifying for the United States Olympic team. Qualified soldiers must be nationally ranked in their chosen sport and be certified by the United States Olympic Committee at a world class level. Athletes join the program at least three years before the Olympic Trials. To be eligible for the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program, soldiers must currently be a member of the Active Army, Army Reserve, or Army National Guard. Soldiers must also be eligible to represent the USA in international competitions and demonstrate the potential to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Team or U.S. Paralympic Team.
BEIJING – The elaborate Opening Ceremony of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad featured a display of China’s long and distinguished history and culture intertwined with the “One World, One Dream” theme of the 2008 Summer Olympics.
“Beijing, you are host to the present and the gateway to the future,” International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge proclaimed before a sellout crowd of 91,000 at National Stadium on Aug. 8. “Thank you.”
An audience of 400,000,000 was expected to watch the spectacle on television.
“Friends have come from afar, how happy we are,” is a well-known saying of Confucius (551 BC-479 BC), a famous Chinese educator and thinker whose thoughts deeply influenced later generations.
U.S. President Bush and wife Laura were among more than 80 world dignitaries in attendance, along with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Bush became the first U.S. president to attend an Olympic Games outside of the United States while serving as Commander in Chief. His father, George H.W. Bush, the 41st U.S. president, also made history by occupying the chair of Chef de Mission of the U.S. Olympic Team, marking the first time the U.S. Olympic Committee has had an honorary chief of the mission.
The four-hour extravaganza featured 110 minutes of music, beginning with the fou, the most ancient Chinese percussion instrument made of clay or bronze. Manned by 2,008 performers, the fou-produced sound of rolling spring thunder greeted friends from all over the world.
The music was specially created by 18 composers for a production that displayed 15,153 sets of costumes in 47 styles. Some of the performers rehearsed for 13 months in preparation for one of China’s most magical nights.
Six hundred people were involved in the installation, direction, and safety supervision for a display of 11,456 fireworks set off from from 287 points atop the stadium and 8,428 more from 27 positions in the central area. Another 1,462 glowing and sparkling fireworks illuminated the upper rim of the stadium.
Gunpowder was invented in China during the Song Dynasty (960 AD-1276 AD). People used the ingredients for gunpowder as medicines for illnesses in ancient times; hence the name “gunpowder,” means “burning medicines.” The invention of gunpowder is one of China’s outstanding achievements in the history of human civilization that changed the course of world history.
A painting scroll revealed the origin and development of China’s history and culture. Paper is another of the four great inventions of ancient China. As one child sang “A Hymn to My Country,” 56 children clustered around the National Flag of the People’s Republic of China to represent the country’s 56 ethnic groups. Immediately following, the famous Chinese painting “A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains” was visible on the stadium floor while the ancient stringed instrument, Guqin, provided the “Sounds of Utmost Antiquity.”
Cliff painting, earth pottery and bronze vessels were displayed to reflect artistic developments of the Shang Dynasty (1600 BC-1046 BC) and Zhou Dynasty (1046 BC-221 BC).
The Great Wall was illustrated by smooth lines, both concise and vivid, with peach blossoms, romantic and enjoyable, that illustrated the sweet wishes of peace-loving Chinese people.
The “Silk Road” was an important vehicle for economic and cultural exchange between China and Western countries. More than 2,000 years ago, trade caravans of China set out from Chang’an (now Xi’an in Shaanxi Province) with expensive silk, crossed the Hexi Corridor, and entered the European continent.
More than 600 years ago, Zheng He of Ming Dynasty led seven shipping fleets with 27,000 people aboard a long voyage from Quanzhou that arrived in Western Asia and Eastern Africa, thus creating the well-known “Maritime Silk Road.” On opening night, a performer held an ancient compass, another of the four great inventions of ancient China.
In a later segment, Chinese pianist Lang Lang and 5-year-old Li Muzi welcomed a brand-new age. Lang is the first Chinese pianist to have long-term cooperation with first-class orchestras in Berlin and Vienna. He has played recitals in many of the most famous music halls in the world. During that performance, the kite was introduced as another Chinese invention.
An exhibition of Taiji manifested the integration of traditions and the future by illustrating the unity of man and nature. Taijiquan is the most representative shadow boxing among Chinese martial arts, characterized by the “combination of the dynamic and static and the interdependence of hardness and softness.”
The Eight Diagrams of Taiji symbolize eight natural phenomena – heaven, earth, thunder, wind, water, fire, mountain and swamp – that represent the changes of all things on earth. A total of 2,008 Taiji performers formed a circle that illustrated grandness and consummation in the traditional Chinese concept.
As the program progressed, the smiling faces of children from around the world demonstrated the theme of “One World, One Dream.” A gigantic, 16-ton globe arose from the floor, adorned with 58 actors running on nine rings covered with an Olympic Torch pattern. The runners seemingly were free from gravity and full of magic, fantasy and bravery.
The march of nations featured Olympic athletes from 205 countries, led into the stadium by Greece (in accordance with tradition). The host team from China concluded the march of nations.
As Team USA entered they clearly received the loudest ovation of the evening – until Houston Rockets basketball star Yao Ming led the Chinese contingent into the stadium.
The throng representing 596 U.S. athletes occupied more than 100 meters of the running track. As U.S. Flag Bearer Lopez Lomong was rounding the turn, members of Team USA were still filing into the arena from the opposite end of the stadium.
After eight Chinese Olympians carried the Olympic Flag into the stadium, the banner was raised and The Olympic Anthem was played. Athletes' and officials' oaths were read, symbolic doves were released, and the Olympic Torch Relay concluded a 33-day journey abroad that covered 97,000 kilometers across five continents and 21 countries.
Chinese Olympic gymnast Li Ning ran 500 meters in about three minutes around the wall of the open-air stadium’s inner roof in what was possibly the most fascinating sight of the night. Supported by a cable, Ning at times appeared to be running on air before lighting the cauldron.
“Many would say that the Olympic Games are of great significance and have profound meanings,” said opening ceremony artistic director Zhang Yimou. “But I once heard someone say: ‘They are all our guests. We should make them happy.’”
"This answer, simple as it is, tells us that we are of one big family. The Opening Ceremony demonstrates the same spirit as we find in the theme song of the ceremony: You and me, from one world; we are family.
“I have never led such a huge team, with so many performers, staff and volunteers. You may not be able to see their faces clearly in this grand stadium and their names may not be printed on this beautiful brochure, but I know how hard they worked for tonight. At this very moment, what do they want to say to you, our distinguished guests, and to the audience all over the world? There is only one simple sentence: ‘From the bottom of my heart, I hope you will enjoy yourselves.’”
www.armymwr.com
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2008 Summer Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Beijing, China 同一个世界 同一个梦想 - U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program - FMWRC
Image by familymwr
www.armymwr.com
Olympic Opening Ceremony celebrates ‘One World, One Dream’
Date Posted: 8/12/2008
Photos and Story by Tim Hipps
FMWRC Public Affairs
(Cleared for public release)
EDITOR'S NOTE: The U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program (WCAP) provides soldier-athletes the opportunity to compete toward qualifying for the United States Olympic team. Qualified soldiers must be nationally ranked in their chosen sport and be certified by the United States Olympic Committee at a world class level. Athletes join the program at least three years before the Olympic Trials. To be eligible for the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program, soldiers must currently be a member of the Active Army, Army Reserve, or Army National Guard. Soldiers must also be eligible to represent the USA in international competitions and demonstrate the potential to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Team or U.S. Paralympic Team.
BEIJING – The elaborate Opening Ceremony of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad featured a display of China’s long and distinguished history and culture intertwined with the “One World, One Dream” theme of the 2008 Summer Olympics.
“Beijing, you are host to the present and the gateway to the future,” International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge proclaimed before a sellout crowd of 91,000 at National Stadium on Aug. 8. “Thank you.”
An audience of 400,000,000 was expected to watch the spectacle on television.
“Friends have come from afar, how happy we are,” is a well-known saying of Confucius (551 BC-479 BC), a famous Chinese educator and thinker whose thoughts deeply influenced later generations.
U.S. President Bush and wife Laura were among more than 80 world dignitaries in attendance, along with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Bush became the first U.S. president to attend an Olympic Games outside of the United States while serving as Commander in Chief. His father, George H.W. Bush, the 41st U.S. president, also made history by occupying the chair of Chef de Mission of the U.S. Olympic Team, marking the first time the U.S. Olympic Committee has had an honorary chief of the mission.
The four-hour extravaganza featured 110 minutes of music, beginning with the fou, the most ancient Chinese percussion instrument made of clay or bronze. Manned by 2,008 performers, the fou-produced sound of rolling spring thunder greeted friends from all over the world.
The music was specially created by 18 composers for a production that displayed 15,153 sets of costumes in 47 styles. Some of the performers rehearsed for 13 months in preparation for one of China’s most magical nights.
Six hundred people were involved in the installation, direction, and safety supervision for a display of 11,456 fireworks set off from from 287 points atop the stadium and 8,428 more from 27 positions in the central area. Another 1,462 glowing and sparkling fireworks illuminated the upper rim of the stadium.
Gunpowder was invented in China during the Song Dynasty (960 AD-1276 AD). People used the ingredients for gunpowder as medicines for illnesses in ancient times; hence the name “gunpowder,” means “burning medicines.” The invention of gunpowder is one of China’s outstanding achievements in the history of human civilization that changed the course of world history.
A painting scroll revealed the origin and development of China’s history and culture. Paper is another of the four great inventions of ancient China. As one child sang “A Hymn to My Country,” 56 children clustered around the National Flag of the People’s Republic of China to represent the country’s 56 ethnic groups. Immediately following, the famous Chinese painting “A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains” was visible on the stadium floor while the ancient stringed instrument, Guqin, provided the “Sounds of Utmost Antiquity.”
Cliff painting, earth pottery and bronze vessels were displayed to reflect artistic developments of the Shang Dynasty (1600 BC-1046 BC) and Zhou Dynasty (1046 BC-221 BC).
The Great Wall was illustrated by smooth lines, both concise and vivid, with peach blossoms, romantic and enjoyable, that illustrated the sweet wishes of peace-loving Chinese people.
The “Silk Road” was an important vehicle for economic and cultural exchange between China and Western countries. More than 2,000 years ago, trade caravans of China set out from Chang’an (now Xi’an in Shaanxi Province) with expensive silk, crossed the Hexi Corridor, and entered the European continent.
More than 600 years ago, Zheng He of Ming Dynasty led seven shipping fleets with 27,000 people aboard a long voyage from Quanzhou that arrived in Western Asia and Eastern Africa, thus creating the well-known “Maritime Silk Road.” On opening night, a performer held an ancient compass, another of the four great inventions of ancient China.
In a later segment, Chinese pianist Lang Lang and 5-year-old Li Muzi welcomed a brand-new age. Lang is the first Chinese pianist to have long-term cooperation with first-class orchestras in Berlin and Vienna. He has played recitals in many of the most famous music halls in the world. During that performance, the kite was introduced as another Chinese invention.
An exhibition of Taiji manifested the integration of traditions and the future by illustrating the unity of man and nature. Taijiquan is the most representative shadow boxing among Chinese martial arts, characterized by the “combination of the dynamic and static and the interdependence of hardness and softness.”
The Eight Diagrams of Taiji symbolize eight natural phenomena – heaven, earth, thunder, wind, water, fire, mountain and swamp – that represent the changes of all things on earth. A total of 2,008 Taiji performers formed a circle that illustrated grandness and consummation in the traditional Chinese concept.
As the program progressed, the smiling faces of children from around the world demonstrated the theme of “One World, One Dream.” A gigantic, 16-ton globe arose from the floor, adorned with 58 actors running on nine rings covered with an Olympic Torch pattern. The runners seemingly were free from gravity and full of magic, fantasy and bravery.
The march of nations featured Olympic athletes from 205 countries, led into the stadium by Greece (in accordance with tradition). The host team from China concluded the march of nations.
As Team USA entered they clearly received the loudest ovation of the evening – until Houston Rockets basketball star Yao Ming led the Chinese contingent into the stadium.
The throng representing 596 U.S. athletes occupied more than 100 meters of the running track. As U.S. Flag Bearer Lopez Lomong was rounding the turn, members of Team USA were still filing into the arena from the opposite end of the stadium.
After eight Chinese Olympians carried the Olympic Flag into the stadium, the banner was raised and The Olympic Anthem was played. Athletes' and officials' oaths were read, symbolic doves were released, and the Olympic Torch Relay concluded a 33-day journey abroad that covered 97,000 kilometers across five continents and 21 countries.
Chinese Olympic gymnast Li Ning ran 500 meters in about three minutes around the wall of the open-air stadium’s inner roof in what was possibly the most fascinating sight of the night. Supported by a cable, Ning at times appeared to be running on air before lighting the cauldron.
“Many would say that the Olympic Games are of great significance and have profound meanings,” said opening ceremony artistic director Zhang Yimou. “But I once heard someone say: ‘They are all our guests. We should make them happy.’”
"This answer, simple as it is, tells us that we are of one big family. The Opening Ceremony demonstrates the same spirit as we find in the theme song of the ceremony: You and me, from one world; we are family.
“I have never led such a huge team, with so many performers, staff and volunteers. You may not be able to see their faces clearly in this grand stadium and their names may not be printed on this beautiful brochure, but I know how hard they worked for tonight. At this very moment, what do they want to say to you, our distinguished guests, and to the audience all over the world? There is only one simple sentence: ‘From the bottom of my heart, I hope you will enjoy yourselves.’”
www.armymwr.com
2008 Summer Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Beijing, China 同一个世界 同一个梦想 - U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program - FMWRC
Image by familymwr
www.armymwr.com
Olympic Opening Ceremony celebrates ‘One World, One Dream’
Date Posted: 8/12/2008
Photos and Story by Tim Hipps
FMWRC Public Affairs
(Cleared for public release)
EDITOR'S NOTE: The U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program (WCAP) provides soldier-athletes the opportunity to compete toward qualifying for the United States Olympic team. Qualified soldiers must be nationally ranked in their chosen sport and be certified by the United States Olympic Committee at a world class level. Athletes join the program at least three years before the Olympic Trials. To be eligible for the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program, soldiers must currently be a member of the Active Army, Army Reserve, or Army National Guard. Soldiers must also be eligible to represent the USA in international competitions and demonstrate the potential to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Team or U.S. Paralympic Team.
BEIJING – The elaborate Opening Ceremony of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad featured a display of China’s long and distinguished history and culture intertwined with the “One World, One Dream” theme of the 2008 Summer Olympics.
“Beijing, you are host to the present and the gateway to the future,” International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge proclaimed before a sellout crowd of 91,000 at National Stadium on Aug. 8. “Thank you.”
An audience of 400,000,000 was expected to watch the spectacle on television.
“Friends have come from afar, how happy we are,” is a well-known saying of Confucius (551 BC-479 BC), a famous Chinese educator and thinker whose thoughts deeply influenced later generations.
U.S. President Bush and wife Laura were among more than 80 world dignitaries in attendance, along with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Bush became the first U.S. president to attend an Olympic Games outside of the United States while serving as Commander in Chief. His father, George H.W. Bush, the 41st U.S. president, also made history by occupying the chair of Chef de Mission of the U.S. Olympic Team, marking the first time the U.S. Olympic Committee has had an honorary chief of the mission.
The four-hour extravaganza featured 110 minutes of music, beginning with the fou, the most ancient Chinese percussion instrument made of clay or bronze. Manned by 2,008 performers, the fou-produced sound of rolling spring thunder greeted friends from all over the world.
The music was specially created by 18 composers for a production that displayed 15,153 sets of costumes in 47 styles. Some of the performers rehearsed for 13 months in preparation for one of China’s most magical nights.
Six hundred people were involved in the installation, direction, and safety supervision for a display of 11,456 fireworks set off from from 287 points atop the stadium and 8,428 more from 27 positions in the central area. Another 1,462 glowing and sparkling fireworks illuminated the upper rim of the stadium.
Gunpowder was invented in China during the Song Dynasty (960 AD-1276 AD). People used the ingredients for gunpowder as medicines for illnesses in ancient times; hence the name “gunpowder,” means “burning medicines.” The invention of gunpowder is one of China’s outstanding achievements in the history of human civilization that changed the course of world history.
A painting scroll revealed the origin and development of China’s history and culture. Paper is another of the four great inventions of ancient China. As one child sang “A Hymn to My Country,” 56 children clustered around the National Flag of the People’s Republic of China to represent the country’s 56 ethnic groups. Immediately following, the famous Chinese painting “A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains” was visible on the stadium floor while the ancient stringed instrument, Guqin, provided the “Sounds of Utmost Antiquity.”
Cliff painting, earth pottery and bronze vessels were displayed to reflect artistic developments of the Shang Dynasty (1600 BC-1046 BC) and Zhou Dynasty (1046 BC-221 BC).
The Great Wall was illustrated by smooth lines, both concise and vivid, with peach blossoms, romantic and enjoyable, that illustrated the sweet wishes of peace-loving Chinese people.
The “Silk Road” was an important vehicle for economic and cultural exchange between China and Western countries. More than 2,000 years ago, trade caravans of China set out from Chang’an (now Xi’an in Shaanxi Province) with expensive silk, crossed the Hexi Corridor, and entered the European continent.
More than 600 years ago, Zheng He of Ming Dynasty led seven shipping fleets with 27,000 people aboard a long voyage from Quanzhou that arrived in Western Asia and Eastern Africa, thus creating the well-known “Maritime Silk Road.” On opening night, a performer held an ancient compass, another of the four great inventions of ancient China.
In a later segment, Chinese pianist Lang Lang and 5-year-old Li Muzi welcomed a brand-new age. Lang is the first Chinese pianist to have long-term cooperation with first-class orchestras in Berlin and Vienna. He has played recitals in many of the most famous music halls in the world. During that performance, the kite was introduced as another Chinese invention.
An exhibition of Taiji manifested the integration of traditions and the future by illustrating the unity of man and nature. Taijiquan is the most representative shadow boxing among Chinese martial arts, characterized by the “combination of the dynamic and static and the interdependence of hardness and softness.”
The Eight Diagrams of Taiji symbolize eight natural phenomena – heaven, earth, thunder, wind, water, fire, mountain and swamp – that represent the changes of all things on earth. A total of 2,008 Taiji performers formed a circle that illustrated grandness and consummation in the traditional Chinese concept.
As the program progressed, the smiling faces of children from around the world demonstrated the theme of “One World, One Dream.” A gigantic, 16-ton globe arose from the floor, adorned with 58 actors running on nine rings covered with an Olympic Torch pattern. The runners seemingly were free from gravity and full of magic, fantasy and bravery.
The march of nations featured Olympic athletes from 205 countries, led into the stadium by Greece (in accordance with tradition). The host team from China concluded the march of nations.
As Team USA entered they clearly received the loudest ovation of the evening – until Houston Rockets basketball star Yao Ming led the Chinese contingent into the stadium.
The throng representing 596 U.S. athletes occupied more than 100 meters of the running track. As U.S. Flag Bearer Lopez Lomong was rounding the turn, members of Team USA were still filing into the arena from the opposite end of the stadium.
After eight Chinese Olympians carried the Olympic Flag into the stadium, the banner was raised and The Olympic Anthem was played. Athletes' and officials' oaths were read, symbolic doves were released, and the Olympic Torch Relay concluded a 33-day journey abroad that covered 97,000 kilometers across five continents and 21 countries.
Chinese Olympic gymnast Li Ning ran 500 meters in about three minutes around the wall of the open-air stadium’s inner roof in what was possibly the most fascinating sight of the night. Supported by a cable, Ning at times appeared to be running on air before lighting the cauldron.
“Many would say that the Olympic Games are of great significance and have profound meanings,” said opening ceremony artistic director Zhang Yimou. “But I once heard someone say: ‘They are all our guests. We should make them happy.’”
"This answer, simple as it is, tells us that we are of one big family. The Opening Ceremony demonstrates the same spirit as we find in the theme song of the ceremony: You and me, from one world; we are family.
“I have never led such a huge team, with so many performers, staff and volunteers. You may not be able to see their faces clearly in this grand stadium and their names may not be printed on this beautiful brochure, but I know how hard they worked for tonight. At this very moment, what do they want to say to you, our distinguished guests, and to the audience all over the world? There is only one simple sentence: ‘From the bottom of my heart, I hope you will enjoy yourselves.’”
www.armymwr.com
2008 Summer Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Beijing, China 同一个世界 同一个梦想 - U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program - FMWRC
Image by familymwr
www.armymwr.com
Olympic Opening Ceremony celebrates ‘One World, One Dream’
Date Posted: 8/12/2008
Photos and Story by Tim Hipps
FMWRC Public Affairs
(Cleared for public release)
EDITOR'S NOTE: The U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program (WCAP) provides soldier-athletes the opportunity to compete toward qualifying for the United States Olympic team. Qualified soldiers must be nationally ranked in their chosen sport and be certified by the United States Olympic Committee at a world class level. Athletes join the program at least three years before the Olympic Trials. To be eligible for the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program, soldiers must currently be a member of the Active Army, Army Reserve, or Army National Guard. Soldiers must also be eligible to represent the USA in international competitions and demonstrate the potential to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Team or U.S. Paralympic Team.
BEIJING – The elaborate Opening Ceremony of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad featured a display of China’s long and distinguished history and culture intertwined with the “One World, One Dream” theme of the 2008 Summer Olympics.
“Beijing, you are host to the present and the gateway to the future,” International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge proclaimed before a sellout crowd of 91,000 at National Stadium on Aug. 8. “Thank you.”
An audience of 400,000,000 was expected to watch the spectacle on television.
“Friends have come from afar, how happy we are,” is a well-known saying of Confucius (551 BC-479 BC), a famous Chinese educator and thinker whose thoughts deeply influenced later generations.
U.S. President Bush and wife Laura were among more than 80 world dignitaries in attendance, along with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Bush became the first U.S. president to attend an Olympic Games outside of the United States while serving as Commander in Chief. His father, George H.W. Bush, the 41st U.S. president, also made history by occupying the chair of Chef de Mission of the U.S. Olympic Team, marking the first time the U.S. Olympic Committee has had an honorary chief of the mission.
The four-hour extravaganza featured 110 minutes of music, beginning with the fou, the most ancient Chinese percussion instrument made of clay or bronze. Manned by 2,008 performers, the fou-produced sound of rolling spring thunder greeted friends from all over the world.
The music was specially created by 18 composers for a production that displayed 15,153 sets of costumes in 47 styles. Some of the performers rehearsed for 13 months in preparation for one of China’s most magical nights.
Six hundred people were involved in the installation, direction, and safety supervision for a display of 11,456 fireworks set off from from 287 points atop the stadium and 8,428 more from 27 positions in the central area. Another 1,462 glowing and sparkling fireworks illuminated the upper rim of the stadium.
Gunpowder was invented in China during the Song Dynasty (960 AD-1276 AD). People used the ingredients for gunpowder as medicines for illnesses in ancient times; hence the name “gunpowder,” means “burning medicines.” The invention of gunpowder is one of China’s outstanding achievements in the history of human civilization that changed the course of world history.
A painting scroll revealed the origin and development of China’s history and culture. Paper is another of the four great inventions of ancient China. As one child sang “A Hymn to My Country,” 56 children clustered around the National Flag of the People’s Republic of China to represent the country’s 56 ethnic groups. Immediately following, the famous Chinese painting “A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains” was visible on the stadium floor while the ancient stringed instrument, Guqin, provided the “Sounds of Utmost Antiquity.”
Cliff painting, earth pottery and bronze vessels were displayed to reflect artistic developments of the Shang Dynasty (1600 BC-1046 BC) and Zhou Dynasty (1046 BC-221 BC).
The Great Wall was illustrated by smooth lines, both concise and vivid, with peach blossoms, romantic and enjoyable, that illustrated the sweet wishes of peace-loving Chinese people.
The “Silk Road” was an important vehicle for economic and cultural exchange between China and Western countries. More than 2,000 years ago, trade caravans of China set out from Chang’an (now Xi’an in Shaanxi Province) with expensive silk, crossed the Hexi Corridor, and entered the European continent.
More than 600 years ago, Zheng He of Ming Dynasty led seven shipping fleets with 27,000 people aboard a long voyage from Quanzhou that arrived in Western Asia and Eastern Africa, thus creating the well-known “Maritime Silk Road.” On opening night, a performer held an ancient compass, another of the four great inventions of ancient China.
In a later segment, Chinese pianist Lang Lang and 5-year-old Li Muzi welcomed a brand-new age. Lang is the first Chinese pianist to have long-term cooperation with first-class orchestras in Berlin and Vienna. He has played recitals in many of the most famous music halls in the world. During that performance, the kite was introduced as another Chinese invention.
An exhibition of Taiji manifested the integration of traditions and the future by illustrating the unity of man and nature. Taijiquan is the most representative shadow boxing among Chinese martial arts, characterized by the “combination of the dynamic and static and the interdependence of hardness and softness.”
The Eight Diagrams of Taiji symbolize eight natural phenomena – heaven, earth, thunder, wind, water, fire, mountain and swamp – that represent the changes of all things on earth. A total of 2,008 Taiji performers formed a circle that illustrated grandness and consummation in the traditional Chinese concept.
As the program progressed, the smiling faces of children from around the world demonstrated the theme of “One World, One Dream.” A gigantic, 16-ton globe arose from the floor, adorned with 58 actors running on nine rings covered with an Olympic Torch pattern. The runners seemingly were free from gravity and full of magic, fantasy and bravery.
The march of nations featured Olympic athletes from 205 countries, led into the stadium by Greece (in accordance with tradition). The host team from China concluded the march of nations.
As Team USA entered they clearly received the loudest ovation of the evening – until Houston Rockets basketball star Yao Ming led the Chinese contingent into the stadium.
The throng representing 596 U.S. athletes occupied more than 100 meters of the running track. As U.S. Flag Bearer Lopez Lomong was rounding the turn, members of Team USA were still filing into the arena from the opposite end of the stadium.
After eight Chinese Olympians carried the Olympic Flag into the stadium, the banner was raised and The Olympic Anthem was played. Athletes' and officials' oaths were read, symbolic doves were released, and the Olympic Torch Relay concluded a 33-day journey abroad that covered 97,000 kilometers across five continents and 21 countries.
Chinese Olympic gymnast Li Ning ran 500 meters in about three minutes around the wall of the open-air stadium’s inner roof in what was possibly the most fascinating sight of the night. Supported by a cable, Ning at times appeared to be running on air before lighting the cauldron.
“Many would say that the Olympic Games are of great significance and have profound meanings,” said opening ceremony artistic director Zhang Yimou. “But I once heard someone say: ‘They are all our guests. We should make them happy.’”
"This answer, simple as it is, tells us that we are of one big family. The Opening Ceremony demonstrates the same spirit as we find in the theme song of the ceremony: You and me, from one world; we are family.
“I have never led such a huge team, with so many performers, staff and volunteers. You may not be able to see their faces clearly in this grand stadium and their names may not be printed on this beautiful brochure, but I know how hard they worked for tonight. At this very moment, what do they want to say to you, our distinguished guests, and to the audience all over the world? There is only one simple sentence: ‘From the bottom of my heart, I hope you will enjoy yourselves.’”
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