Allington Castle

Allington Castle - Photo: Wikipedia

Allington Castle stands beside the River Medway about a mile north of Maidstone.  This beautiful, moated castle seems perfect, but the perfection has been contrived in modern times.  

Henry II destroyed a Norman castle after the revolt of 1173-74.  The low mound immediately southwest of the present castle represents the motte and some herringbone masonry is visible in the curtain facing it.  Other than that, Sir Stephen de Penchester, Constable of Dover Castle and Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports built the existing structure.  He obtained a license to crenellate in 1291 and the original survives.

His castle is characteristic of the Edwardian age but is not uncompromisingly military like the contemporary castles of Wales.  In design, it reflects the quadrangular layout that was becoming popular, but the rear bows outwards in a gentle curve and the distribution of towers is quite irregular.

Five D-shaped towers of different sizes project from the curtain, though one or two others existed originally.  Solomon's Tower, at the south corner, is the largest and may be regarded as an early tower house. There is also a gatehouse flanked by simple, half-round turrets; the machicolations above the gateway are modern. 

Some ruins of barbican survive on the far side of the moat.  The range on the southwest side of the courtyard, known as the Penchester Wing, may incorporate a slightly older manor house.  However, once the castle was built, the main apartments stood opposite, centred on a hall that still exists but is largely a reconstruction.  Only its fifteenth-century porch is authentic.

In 1492, Allington was granted to Sir Henry Wyatt in recognition of his loyalty to Henry VII.  He upgraded the castle by building the narrow range which divides the courtyard into two unequal parts.  Its upper floor forms a long gallery.  The picturesque, half-timbered house within the smaller enclosure also dates from the Wyatt period.

---

---

Baroque Architecture

Baroque Castle - Photo: Max pixel

A very early style of architecture, but a very beautiful style is Baroque architecture, which began in the early 17th century in Italy.

Taking the renaissance architecture and modifying it to a new theatrical, sculptural fashion, Baroque architecture became a very fanciful, extravagant style of structural design.

While the Renaissance style was designed for the well to do of society, the Baroque architecture initially played into the wealth and power of the Roman Catholic Church.

The concerns were for light, shade and color intensity and Baroque found its secular expression in grand palaces first in France, then throughout Europe.

If you were to visit France today, the Chateau de Maisons would be one of the highlights of Baroque architecture.

One of the most famous though of the Baroque architecture pieces is the St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. It is the most prominent building inside Vatican City. Topped with its towering dome, it is a notable feature in the Roman skyline.

Baroque structures are grand in size and ornaments. As baroque moved through Europe, it eventually took on the look of European Colonialism.

Greenwich hospital in London, England is another beautiful example of Baroque architecture. Founded in 1694 as the Royal Naval Hospital for sailors, the Greenwich hospital is famous for its Baroque Painted Hall, which was painted in honor of King William and Queen Mary.

The chapel is an awesome example of not only Baroque architecture but of baroque art with its high gold painted ceilings.

---

---

Winter Sports - Skiing

Skiing - Photo: Pixabay

Skiing is a sport wherein the skiers glide over snow with the help of skis made out of wood planks or fiberglass strapped to the feet. Over the period of years have been many alterations to the original sports like the cross-country variant and downhill variant. The alterations are Alpine Skiing, Telemark Skiing, and Nordic Skiing. Skiing is also used by the military as a means of transportation and training in ski warfare.

Originally skiing was used as a means of transportation in an ice-packed area. Sondre Norheim, from Norway, was the father of modern skiing as he developed slalom form of skiing in the 19th century. His ideas were later worked on and Telemark Skiing was developed in the 1970s. Mathias Zdarsky from Austria invented the Alpine or downhill skiing. He developed the firmer bindings to help skiers to better anchor their feet. Sometime after that, Hannes Schneider of Austria invented the Arlberg technique, according to which the body is rotated to steer the skis. 

Not only there are different versions of skiing, but also there are many competitions, which are held every year for the fans of skiing. Skiing is a big part of the Winter Olympic games, too. The regions, which are ideal for skiing, are some parts of Scandinavia and Alaska. Many of the ski resorts have been constructed in these areas and some of them are specifically meant for Alpine Skiing.

The visitors have to buy warm clothing, ski, ski poles, and ski boots. After getting all dressed up, the skiers can take the gondola lift or the chairlift to reach the summit. From there the skiers ski downwards along a marked path called piste or trail or slope. If the skier is interested in off-piste skiing, he can take the unmarked area and ski in between trees, which is also known as glade skiing. 

Skiing outside the boundaries of the resort is called out of bounds skiing and is not allowed in some resorts. This can be very dangerous as there can be a possibility of falling avalanches, which can be a threat to life. Its advisable to take avalanche training, carry necessary equipment and to hang out with experienced skiers. In case of emergency, insurance is a must otherwise the cost of search and the skier himself should bare rescue service. It is highly recommended that the skiers inform the ski patrol before going out to ski and check out for bad weather.

It takes a long while to master the art of skiing and the help of ski schools can be taken to overcome this. Initially trained instructors ask the leaner to keep the skiing speed low. The terrains and steep slopes are better avoided. Advanced skiers are made to ski on steep terrains and the risks taken are much more dangerous than the beginners.  

Two basic types of downhill skiing are alpine skiing and telemark skiing. Telemark skiing involves flexible ski boots and the heels aren't locked to the skis. Alpine skiing involves harder ski boots.  

Even people with disabilities with the help of outriggers have practiced downhill skiing; sit skis, ski tip retention devices, ski guides, colored guide bibs and audible clues. The dangers that can be faced in these sports are avalanches, collisions, hypothermia, and other illnesses and sometimes even death.  

---

---

Rosa Parks

Rosa Parks - Photo: Wikimedia

In any great movement which effects great change in a nation or a people, there is something called a watershed moment.  A watershed moment is that one signature event that triggered the onslaught of great and historic change.  In American history, that watershed moment might be the Boston Tea Party.  But in the context of black history, particularly when we consider the central role that the civil rights movement has played in black history in this country, there is really just one watershed moment that virtually anybody who understands black history will point to.

That event took place on December 1, 1955, on a simple city bus when a black woman by the name of Rosa Parks got on that bus.  When the bus became crowded, the bus driver ordered Ms. Parks to relinquish her seat to a white man as was the cultural order of things at that time.  But Rosa Parks was not interested in seeing that cultural order of things continue.  She refused to give up that seat.  

The explosion of outrage and social change that was released by that one simple act of civil disobedience is the watershed moment that anyone affected by the civil rights movement points to at the most important event in modern black history.  Rosa Parks was arrested for not giving her seat up that day and the trial for that act of civil disobedience brought to the national spotlight another important leader in the civil rights movement by the name of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  

This one event began to escalate and gather energy in the black community.  It was an exciting and somewhat frightening time as the black community was energized and began to organize around these two courageous leaders and the result was the most powerful civil rights protests in the history of the movement occurred which came to be known as the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

There are many reasons why such a simple event has had such a powerful effect on a people such as it did on the black community of the fifties.  Clearly, the frustration and gathering power of a movement was already building in the black community.  A situation like this can best be described as a tinderbox that is just waiting for a spark for it to explode into fire.  When that simple black woman finally decided that she was no longer going to live in servitude to the white man and she put her foot down and said NO, that was the spark that set the civil rights movement in motion.

Rosa Parks was not a trained instigator or a skilled manipulator of groups.  Because she was just a citizen and a simple woman with simple daily needs, that itself was a powerful statement that this was the time for the community to take action and effect change.  She was not even looking to start a nation changing civil rights movement when she refused to give up her bus seat.  As she said later in an interview about the event…

"I would have to know for once and for all what rights I had as a human being and a citizen of Montgomery, Alabama.”  And then in her autobiography, My Story she elaborated that…  “People always say that I didn't give up my seat because I was tired, but that isn't true.  I was not tired physically, or no more tired than I usually was at the end of a working day.  I was not old, although some people have an image of me as being old then.  I was forty-two.  No, the only tired I was, was tired of giving in.”

Rosa Parks won the right to be treated as a human being for herself and for her people across America and even around the world with her simple act of civil disobedience.  She is an inspiration to us all that we too must demand the right of simple human dignity for all people who are citizens of this great land.  And the story of Rosa Park’s defiance shows that if we demand that, it will be won.

---

---

American Colonial Architecture

Domestic architecture of the American colonies and of the early republic - Photo: Wikimedia

A trip through the U.S. will grant you sights of beautiful architecture, from coast to coast. During the 1780’s through the most popular style of architecture was the American Colonial.

Built mostly by wealthy Anglo Americans, the houses afforded several distinct styles depending on local. Also known as Colonial Georgian, these homes were the earliest style to grace the U.S. colonies.

A prime example of early American Colonial architecture is called a Saltbox. What the Saltbox basically is is a wooden frame house with a high-pitched roof that slopes down to the back.

Its flat front has two stories while the back of the house has only one, making the sides unequal, but distinctly looking just like an old salt box which was a wooden box with a lid which salt was kept.

A simple name for a simple style of home. Generally, the chimney was centrally located, making the house, from a distance, look like a box with a lid and handle to lift it off.

Other defining characteristics of American Colonial architecture are the square, symmetrical shape, the front door placed directly in the middle of the houses front and the even, straight line of windows throughout.

Inside the front door are usually an entryway and a staircase. All rooms branch off these. Typically they were constructed of brick with wood trim, but with homes like the Saltbox, they were also timber frame homes constructed with woodworking joints instead of metal nails, since they were costly. Saltbox homes were also finished with wood siding.

---

---

Physics of Bungee Jumping

Bungee Jumping - Photo: Flickr

While modern bungee jumping has become known and practiced worldwide, what is less understood is the physics behind bungee jumping.  Interestingly enough, the extreme sport originated from spiritual rituals of South Pacific natives, who had no idea of the science behind the sport.  Modern bungee jumping enthusiasts find much comfort in the idea that someone has worked through the math required to perform a safe jump.  So who developed the physics of bungee jumping and how sure are the modern practitioners of the sport that it is relatively safe?  Let's start by taking a look at the origins of the science behind the sport.

Years before the discovery of the land diving natives on Pentecost Island, a British mathematician named Robert Hooke was discovering the physics of bungee jumping.  He began working as an assistant to the famous scientist Robert Boyle in 1653.  However, it wasn't until 1660 that he formulated and wrote down Hooke's Law of Elasticity.  In laymen's terms, Hooke's law basically tells us how much tension a spring can endure, and the maximum length it will reach.  Hooke's law can be used on any material that is considered linear-elastic or stretching lengthwise.  Oddly enough, rubber is usually considered non-linear, because variations of stress and temperature can have a significant impact on the elasticity of the rubber.

Today, modern practitioners of the physics of bungee jumping don't have to be as well-versed as Hooke.  Depending on the bungee cords used and their ratings, the science has been simplified quite a bit.  The commercial proprietor who is offering 'bungee jumping' as an extreme sport still has to be on their toes.  Cords that are manufactured to meet a well established United States military specification (mil-spec) are perhaps the best to use.  This is simply because of the rigorous testing that must go into making sure they meet the mil-spec.  Most of these cords have a specific weight limit and elongation potential.  Using these numbers, along with the length of the jump and the weight of the jumper, the calculations can be made.  The length of rope needed, how many strands are needed for the weight, and how much beyond the normal length of the cord the jumper can expect to go.

The physics of bungee jumping has changed some with advances in the material used in bungee cords.  Some cords are also 'pre-stretched' so there are less elasticity and bounce, and a more forceful shock and return from the bottom of the jump position.  The problems with some jumpers using cords that were too long are the result of not understanding the physics of bungee jumping.  Even though modern bungee cords are weight and elongation rated, some people still fail to take this into account when performing amateur jumps.  This is why it is highly recommended that anyone who wants to learn bungee jumping should consult with a professional.  This is not a sport that you can learn and practice at home.  The physics of bungee jumping have been simplified by 20th-century manufacturing standards, resulting in a much safer sport for everyone participating.

---

---

The Many Types Of Radio Controlled Hobbies

Osaka Motor Show 2013 - Photo: Wikimedia

Radio controlled toys and projects have a huge following among hobbyists all across the globe. The concept is certainly a fun one – a miniature model of some real-life vehicle, fully functional and ready to get around. There are many different types of radio controlled hobbies that can be enjoyed. All it takes is basic knowledge of the radio equipment and the motors, and you can enjoy all of them in some way or another.

he most basic (and arguably the most fun) type of radio controlled hobby is the remote control car. Small model cars can be rigged in a way that will allow you to accelerate, steer, and brake them at will. There are numerous ways that you can accomplish this. The first is to just buy a remote controlled car and some good batteries. However, if you are interested in the technical aspect of it then this may seem uninteresting. Another option is to build a model or a kit from scratch, putting together all of the components of the car and installing the radio control system. Still another option is to take a pre-existing toy and mount all of the radio components inside.

Toy cars aren’t the only radio controlled hobby. Remote controlled boats are also very popular. It is fairly easy to convert a boat toy to be radio controlled. The biggest challenge faced by those trying to make a radio-controlled boat is the issue of having a waterproof area for the engine and electrical equipment. Usually, this is solved by placing the motor in the hull of the boat, and having the propeller emerge underwater through some sort of rubber, watertight seal. It is a good idea to buy this part of the boat pre-made since a do-it-yourself, trial and error approach could lead to quite a few ruined engines before you get it right.

Radio planes are probably the most difficult project to undertake. Since a plane requires very detailed calculations and measurements in order to stay afloat, you will have to be attentive every step of the way. Makers of radio controlled airplanes will usually take one of two routes. The first is to buy kits that include cutout pieces of some sort of light wood that can be assembled using glue. After that is done, the radio and motor equipment are purchased and added in. The second method is to skip the kit and find (or even make your own) plans for a model plane. After you have plans, you buy all of the necessary wood to make the plane from scratch.

Airplanes aren’t the only radio-controlled devices that take to the skies. Remote control helicopters are becoming more and more popular. They require around the same (perhaps a little less) detail as planes and allow for a more interesting flying experience since they can hover in midair, and go backward / forwards on command. The novelty of flying a toy helicopter is what attracts many people to build one, while planes usually attract those who enjoy the technical and mathematical aspects of getting the plane to leave the ground. Both are extremely rewarding, especially after hours and hours of labor.

These are some the many different ways that you can apply the intricacies of radio electronics to regular toys. While these make up the main areas that are focused on in this hobby, they certainly don’t confine you. If you have an idea for a radio-controlled toy that is not a car, a boat, a plane, or a helicopter then, by all means, pursue it. By starting with the more basic toys, you can learn about the radio systems and the motors that power whatever it is that propels the vehicle forward. All it takes is this basic knowledge, and the hobby of radio controlled toys can span a vast number of possibilities.

---

---