... a collection of recent web articles concerning important issues and challenges we face in our world today... along with some personal 'life' thoughts and observations mixed in.
... versions of history are-have-always-been highly politicized ... my generation being-taught 'Vikings' were marauders-invaders ... while other European nations were portrayed to be 'Colonizers' ... as they invaded-taking-over huge portions of the known & New-Worlds
... colonial, colonist, frontiersman, homesteader, pioneer, settler ... whatever ... it turned into becoming genocide on a massive scale ... far greater than when Hitler slaughtered millions during his reign of terror
... when the New-World was 'discovered' it was far from being an-unoccupied-land ... estimates range from upwards of 30-50 million people were then already here
... in North America millions-of-indigenous-peoples 'fending-for-themselves' ... going-back-thousands-of-years ... hundreds of tribes coast-to-coast ... then-they-got-invaded 'colon-ized'.. (look-how-well that's-been-workin-out)
... as far as we know it was first instance of massive-plague[s] in North America ... one's Europeans brought with them decimating a completely-vulnerable-population ... for sure 'Indian-Wars' took lives of hundreds-of-thousands probably-millions
... yet the real deadly toll came by way of numerous-infectious-deadly-diseases ... smallpox, malaria, viral influenza, yellow fever, measles, typhus, bubonic plague, typhoid fever, cholera, & pertussis (whooping cough) ... tens of millions of indigenous populations perished
... at same time we were invading foreign lands capturing-kidnapping several-hundred-thousand of other-nations'-peoples ... to be used as beasts-of-burden slave-labor on-'our-soil'
... then came the numerous prejudices against: limeys.. micks.. frogs.. kikes.. cochise.. dagos.. gooks.. nips.. jungle-bunnies.. chinks.. spics.. pinkos.. wetbacks.. etal
... we live today with-these-outcomes legacies-from-our-past into-our-present ... true-history of who-we-are ... the-darker-side of our 'melting-pot'-heritage
Wildfires and plumes of smoke from the Amazon rainforest can been seen from space in satellite images captured by US space agency NASA. The disturbing photos show smoke and fire across several Brazilian states as the crisis reaches record-breaking levels. More than 75,000 fires have erupted since the start of the year [2020] — an 83% increase on last year & the highest since records began in 2013.
The latest fires have been burning for weeks now, prompting anti-government protests & international furor. NASA’s images show the increase in smoke & fire activity as flames break out in Rondonia, Mato Grosso & Amazonas.
More than half of the fires are in the massive Amazon Basin, where more than 20 million people live. Some 1,663 new fires were ignited, according to Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research. Environmental organizations & researchers say the blazes were most likely set by humans who wanted to clear & use land for business purposes.
Amazon Watch, a non-profit organization working to protect the rainforest, said farmers had been setting the forest ablaze to create pastures, emboldened by Brazil’s conservative pro-business government.
“The unprecedented fires ravaging the Amazon are an international tragedy and a dangerous contribution to climate chaos.”
Fires are “directly related” to Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro, a climate skeptic who in the past has been criticized for claiming environmental protections hinder the South American country’s economic growth. “This devastation is directly related to President Bolsonaro’s anti-environmental rhetoric, which erroneously frames forest protections & human rights as impediments to Brazil’s economic growth.”
Bolsonaro’s message allowed farmers & ranchers “to commit arson with wanton impunity.” “The vast majority of these fires are human-lit.” Farmers & ranches had long used fire to clear land, which was the most likely cause of the unusually large number of fires burning in the rainforest.
Bolsonaro, who has previously described rainforest protections as an obstacle to Brazil’s economic development, sparred with critics who warn the Amazon absorbs vast amounts of greenhouse gases & is crucial for efforts to contain climate change. The Amazon fires have become a global issue, escalating tensions between Brazil & European countries who believe Bolsonaro has neglected commitments to protect biodiversity.
The Amazon is often referred to as the planet’s lungs, producing 20% of oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere. As the largest rainforest on the planet, it's considered a vital instrument in slowing global warming.
According to the National Institute for Space Research.. more than one-and-a-half soccer fields’ worth of Amazon rainforest are being destroyed-every-minute.
1. Balmoral Castle Set in Scotland, Prince Albert bought this property for Queen Victoria
in 1852. It's a place where the Royals still escape to each summer on
holiday. Boasting baronial-style features such as turrets and dormer
windows, it really is like something out of a fairy tale book.
2. Buckingham Palace Perhaps the most famous of all, Buckingham Palace
is the London residence & official administrative seat of the monarch
of the United Kingdom. It's also where the Queen gave birth to Prince
Charles & Prince Andrew.
3. Craigowan Lodge Just a stone's throw from Balmoral Castle, this seven-bedroom stone house was once a firm favourite of Prince Charles & Princess Diana. Today, however, it is mainly used to host visiting VIPs.
4. Hillsborough Castle In the heart of Northern Ireland [Queen's residence], this country house was built back in the 1770s. As well as four giant Ionic columns added by local architect Thomas Duff in the 1820s, it has incredibly breathtaking gardens.
5. The Palace of Holyroodhouse Over in Scotland, Holyroodhouse was home to Mary Queen of Scots
and now serves as the official residence of the monarchy in Scotland.
If you pay a visit, you can still see the many ruins today.
6. Sandringham House The Queen inherited private ownership of Sandringham from her father, King George VI, back in 1952.
7. Windsor Castle Windsor Castle
is the largest & longest-occupied castle in Europe, which was founded
by William the Conquerer in the 11th century. The 1,000-room castle is a
timeless blend of both Victorian & Georgian style.
8. Birkhall Home to the Prince of Wales & Duchess of Cornwall, Birkhall is a beautiful private residence in Scotland. Hidden in the gardens, you'll find the famous Wendy house which was built for Princess Elizabeth before she took the throne.
9. Clarence House Today, Clarence House is the official London residence of Charles & Camilla, who have apartments on the second floor.
10. Highgrove House Prince Charles first bought
Highgrove House in 1980 and it now serves as his family home. The
property is also close to the prince's Duchy Home Farm[organic farm operated by the Duchy of
Cornwall]. The farm is part of the gardens of Highgrove House.
11. Llwynywermod This property is Charles & Camilla's Welsh home, which they bought & refurbished in 2007.
Previously, the home was owned by relatives of Anne Boleyn, the second
wife of Henry VIII.
12. Tamarisk House This
home on the Isle of Scilly also belongs to the Duke & Duchess of
Cornwall, where they often visit for a holiday. Most recently, they have
opened it up for holidaymakers to rent.
13. Kensington Palace The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
live in this 20-bedroom property with their three young children. Back
in 1689, King William III and Queen Mary bought the mansion for £20,000
and commissioned Sir Christopher Wren to expand it.
14. Amner Hall Anmer Hall was a wedding gift to William and Kate
from the Queen, which now serves as the Cambridges’ country home. It is
part of the Queen's Sandringham Estate, and is where the Cambridges
spend much of their time together.
15. Frogmore Cottage The Duke and Duchess of Sussex
renovated this quaint cottage before moving in after the
birth of their son Archie. The couple commissioned Soho House designer
Vicky Charles to add a 1920's style to the interior. [now they live in California]
16. Gatcombe Park This Grade II listed property was
purchased by the Queen as a wedding present for Princess Anne in 1976.
Anne now lives there with her daughter, Zara Tindall.
17. St James' Palace This is the official residence of Princess Anne
and also contains the London residences of Princess Beatrice of York
and Princess Alexandra. The interiors are remarkably striking, with a
red brick exterior and four courtyards.
18. The Royal Lodge Prince Andrew moved into this 30-room property back in 2004.
19. Bagshot Park Home to Queen's youngest-son Prince Edward - Earl & Countess Sophie of
Wessex, this 120-room Tudor mansion was previously used as a hunting
lodge. Before they moved in, Queen Victoria arranged the construction of
the property for her son, Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, in the
1870s.
Are we much better.. we had Trump spending $150,000,000 playing golf ... in addition to all the hundreds of millions his-royal-family cost American taxpayers... still are.
... supplying this-family with-subsidies... like propping-up fossil-fuels or-war
... money needs-to-have much-higher-purpose
Property descriptions by Lisa Walden, Digital Writer, House Beautiful & Country Living
