The World's Most Magnificent Pipe Organs

"QUANTUM SHOT" #596 Link - article by M. Christian and A. Abrams "Pipe Dreams" with Magnificent Sound: Quite Simply, The Blockbusters of Their Time Some of the most epic and magnificent music masterpieces were created to be played on a large pipe organ - made even better if listened inside soaring gothic cathedrals with pretty much perfect acoustics. The wonder of this music is certainly timeless, and gets even more amazing when you start to investigate the history, science, and simple magnificence that has gone into the creation of some of the world’s most incredible pipe organs. (on the left, the world's largest pipe organ console, in Atlantic City - photo via - and on the right: Tokyo pipe organ, built by Marc Garnier from France in 1991, via) As with a lot of important technological – as well as artistic – achievements, trying to determine who made the first one of these things is a bit fuzzy. Some experts give the ancient Greeks most of the credit – specifically the genius Ctesibius of Alexandria. Those early Greek organs were pretty simplistic, but the basic principle is still the same: force air through a pipe and you get sound. Narrower pipes produce a higher note, wider pipes a lower note. From these simple tubes of metal works of amazing intricacy may be wrought. (on the left, a pre-organ "instrument", described by Pretorius in "Syntagma Musicum", 1615 - on the right: a mobile organ from Maximillian time, 1517) What’s interesting is that portable organs were not only made in certain parts of Europe during the Middle Ages - they were quite common. They were probably about as mechanically simple as Ctesibius' early invention, but it’s still remarkable that the technology was transportable by horse and wagon. The Beer Bottle Organ is an obvious idea, that was realized way back in the 1800s. The right-hand image below is a portable bottle organ from the 1750s: (images via) But when you want to talk about size - you have to talk about the permanently installed ones. Size matters, and does increase with the amount of money invested As with astronomical clocks (see our article here), large organs quickly became the blockbusters of their time. If yours was a town of any note then you pretty much had to have one – and the bigger the better. The fact that they were used by churches, like the aforementioned fancy clocks, couldn’t hurt either, as they had the deep pockets to afford them. Fantastic ornamental hanging tubes of the cathedral organ in Trier, Germany (left image below) and a strange horizontal arrangement of tubes in Madrid, Spain: (images via) (Helsinki Cathedral's elegant pipe organ, built by E.F.Walcker, 1832 - image via) (left: balcony organ in Salzburg, Austria - right: Notre Dame du Finistere, in Brussels, Belgium - image via) (very elegant organ in Hamburg, Germany - image via) Here’s a bunch of interesting facts: The pipe organ created for Halberstadt, Germany was a monster for its time. Its bellows had to be worked ceaselessly by ten men – who were, no doubt, music fans. The technology is impressive today, and was simply astounding when it was created in (ready for this?) 1361. Today it is the instrument and the site for the Slowest Piece of Music Ever Performed (the bellows of Halberstadt, Germany, pipe organ - via) Because the technology of a pipe organ is relatively unsophisticated, making them bigger was a simple matter of scale: bigger pipes, bigger air supplies, etc. While there were a lot of monster organs… stop giggling… there are some that took the the musical instrument from noteworthy to astounding. One of the largest still played today is the Kotzschmar Memorial Organ in Portland, Maine. Built in 1911, it is a beautiful piece of engineering as well as musical artistry. Although much of its technology is hidden from sight, what is visible is simultaneously elegant and powerful, which also perfectly defines the sonorous air of its haunting notes. (left: Kotzschmar Organ, photo via - right: Wanamaker Organ, photo via) Another great pipe organ was created in 1904 for the St Louis World’s Fair, the Wanamaker Grand Court Organ in Philadelphia is a monster among monsters. Everything about the instrument looks like it was designed not just to make sound but a LOT of VERY BIG sounds: it has not one, not two … but, to get to the point, 28,482 pipes set in 461 rows (more info). (a very small portion of Wanamaker's 28,482 pipes: strings section - photo via) (the organ at United States Naval Academy has 522 registers (controls), image via) Its keyboard looks more like something used to launch a space shuttle rather than underscore an aria… but the organ definitely creates music – on a scale commensurate with its standing as the second largest pipe organ in the world. Nature Plays Its Own Melody The Singing Ringing Tree (by Burnleys Panopticon design, architects Tonkin Liu Ltd) is a wind organ sculpture which sings (or moans) with the wind - some say very hauntingly so (watch the video here): (images via) Natural "pipe organ" formations can be found in some karst caves - they are eternally silent however, playing "The Sounds of Silence" to an attentive ear. Here is one in Mramornaya cave in Crimea, Ukraine: (image via) Which leads us to... The Great Stalacpipe Organ - the World's Largest Musical Instrument! Deep in the Luray Caverns in Virginia... there are sounds that might even rouse the Old Ones if played properly (or if Pippin drops a bunch of stuff down the hole). It is played by striking huge stalactites all around the cavern with felt hammers, producing sombre, sonorous tones... (more info): (images via 1, 2) The Loudest Musical Instrument Ever Constructed How would you like to hear something six times the volume of the loudest train whistle? I'd say you should be warned before the sonic assault commences so that you could cover your ears. Next time you’re in Atlantic City, swing on by and check it out in the Boardwalk Hall. Built in 1932, the organ makes that beast in Philadelphia look like a sickly kitten. While the Wannamaker Organ boasts those 28,482 pipes, the Boardwalk Hall organ has – ready for this? – about 33,000 pipes. I say ‘about’ because even the owner/operators of the machine aren’t sure. Indeed, the engineering for the organ looks like something that might have been built to power the Muzak in the Tower of Babylon elevators. (images via) The Boardwalk organ holds a total of three Guinness World Records: largest pipe organ in the world, largest musical instrument, and – it must have been a literal blast to have been there when this was set – the loudest musical instrument ever constructed. When asked how he felt about winning this last award, the keyboardist was heard, barely, to answer “what?” See more images here. Trying to play this beast is a life-time job: there are four manuals, and a full list of "stops" (registers, and also controls that operate this mechanism) is published here. See if you can imagine memorizing this, let alone fluently play it. (images via) From "Spitz Flute Celeste" (register 217) to "Tuba d'Amour" (register 231) this fantastic instrument can indeed wake up the dead with celestial music, it seems. "When all of these stops and pitches are played together, the result has been described as a "wall of sound" that can "move men's souls like no other organ". The stops are controlled by 1,235 stop-keys on the main seven-manual console (which is permanently located to the right of the stage) and by 673 stop-keys on a portable five-manual console" (source) You were ready to hear about the world’s largest organ? (well, hello there, YouTube commenters) Unfortunately – as with a lot of big organ claims -- you’re likely to be disappointed. The Boardwalk organ, alas, is largely silent: having been damaged by weather, water, budget cuts, and poor attempts at repair, it can still be heard but at only a fraction of its true potential and power. And there’s nothing funny about an organ that isn't operating at full capacity. Something that looks like a giant mobile pipe organ, but is definitely NOT These are the acoustic locators in Japan in the 1930s, indented to detect and track incoming bombers before the widespread use of radar. Here's the Japanese emperor Horohito checking out the AA guns intended to be used in conjunction with the sound locators (more info) CONTINUE TO "UNUSUAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS" -> Permanent Link......+StumbleUpon ...+Facebook

Funny Egg Coloring Pages

Not exactly relate salted egg with heart disease and high blood pressure, except if we eat it constantly and in large quantities. Because they contain almost all nutrients and minerals complete, well salted eggs consumed by infants to senior citizens.

Eggs are the result of cattle that have a big hand in dealing with nutritional problems that occur in society.

This is possible because the egg will be full of nutrients necessary for healthy living. Nutrients in eggs are very easily digested and utilized by the body.

That is why eggs are recommended for consumption by children who are growing in the developing, pregnant and lactating mothers, people who are sick or in the healing process, and the elderly (senior citizens). In other words, eggs suitable for all ages.

Eggs are consumed by the people of Indonesia generally comes from farmed poultry. The kind that is most widely consumed chicken eggs, duck (duck), and quail. Turtle eggs, turkeys, geese, pigeons, and other domesticated fowl eggs not optimally utilized due to the production a bit.

The weight and size of duck eggs are larger than chicken eggs. Color light blue eggs are a little duck, especially in Java, such as those found in Karawang, Tegal, Magelang, and Mojosari. Balinese duck skin color, a white albino, and duck Manila (entog) white somewhat reddish.

Because of the sharp putrid smell, the use of duck eggs in a wide variety of food not chicken eggs. In addition to the more fishy smell, duck eggs also have skin pores are larger, so it's nice to be processed into salted eggs.

Thanksgiving Coloring Pages

Thanksgiving Day is near. Teacher from 1 grade elementary classroom provides an exciting task to draw Thanksgiving Coloring Pages. Most of the children in the class were not from the rich area, but they all celebrate the holiday with turkey and objects from Thanksgiving tradition. These objects which according to the teacher's mind would be subject to drawing students. And sure enough, most of them draw those objects.


But Douglas made a different picture he did not draw thanksgiving coloring pages. Douglas is a good kid. He is the favorite pupil of the teacher. While other children played at recess, Douglas would rather be near the teacher. One can only suspect that Douglas had a profound sadness.

Yes, the picture is not about thanksgiving coloring pages but totally different. When asked to draw something that made him glad, Douglas draws a shadow. Nothing else. Just an empty.


The abstract picture is a concern of his friends. Hand is that? One child guessed, it was the hand of a farmer, because farmers who breed turkeys. The others guess the hand of a policeman, because the police protect and care to the community. There is also a guess the hand of God, because God who created Thanksgiving Coloring Pages. The debate was continued until the teacher almost forgot the painter who drew it.


When other kids were gone, the teacher stopped at Douglas' desk, bent down and asked him, "Stair is that?” The little boy looked up to the teacher's face and replied, "That is the hand, teacher.". The teacher recalled times when he held his hand and walked with Douglas. How often he said, "Take my hand Douglas, we walked out." Or, "Look at the teacher yes." Or, "Let's do it together." Douglas is very grateful for his mother a teacher. Wiping tears from her eyes, she hugged teacher Douglas, "Thank you".


Be thankful because there are people around you, who hold your hand when you left. Those who say, 'Let's do it together ". Who always said, "Do not up the past again, you're forgiven." Grateful that among those who leave, there are still those who always support you.


And this is thanksgiving day, so its better to draw thanksgiving coloring pages as your work.

Link Latte 122

#122 - Week of October 26, 2009

Building the Batillus Supertanker, more - [awesome pics]
Amazing Steampunk Carousel, via - [fascinating]
A 1935 US Plan for Invasion of Canada! - [weird history]
How big is Antarctica, really?, and without ice? - [wow pic]
Halloween Vintage Ephemera Set - [collection]
How to make your stand without agreeing to anything - [useful?]
Wish-tree in England... quite unique - [interesting]
Heart-breaking Photo of a Chimp Funeral - [amazing]
Really scary apocalyptic art, more here - [art]
Also don't miss his urban art - [installations]
Things that (sort of) have faces - [pics]
What? An Acid Machine! - [guard your eyes]
An Impressive Skyscraper in London - [architecture]
Tornado Safety, Courtesy the Onion - [funny]
50 Years of Space Exploration - [infographic]
Great Photomicrography Collection - [science pics]
Hoover Bypass Bridge Construction - [wow pics]
He fooled the Monte Carlo casino & got away with it - [neat]
The Last Quest for the Lost Country, info - [great video]
Fantastic, Even Futuristic Tree Houses - [architecture]
Weird, Rare Plants and Flowers - [nature]
Really weird-looking retro gadget - [vintage tech]
Finally a gadget that looks promising - [tech]
Most Wonderful Beaches Around the World - [travel]
10 day cross-country trip in 3 minutes - [cool music video]
A large spider bugs the Pope during his speech! - [fun video]
Neat psychedelic film: "The Resort" - [cool video]
Turtles are fast... Super-fast! - [fun video]
How Camera Lenses Are Made - [wow video]
Backflipping down the sand dune - [wow video]
Make stunning Flash websites for free! - [promotion]
Fun things to do without spending a dime - [green tips]


SEE ALL OTHER LINK LATTE ISSUES HERE

Flowers Collection Coloring Pages

Before you see the collection of flowers coloring pages we have, for a moment let us know about flowers and their parts. It is important to know, because by knowing the part of flower, we can make our coloring works better. Here it is:



Flowers are modified stems and leaves. This modification caused by the production of enzymes stimulated by a number of specific fitohormon. Formation of tight flowers are genetically controlled and in many types of environmental changes induced by some, such as low temperature, long exposure, and the availability of water (see article Formation of flowers).



Flower is the perfect flower if you have the means of male (stamens) and female tool (stigmas) together in a single organ. Flowers are so-called transvestite or hermaphrodite flowers. An interest rate is said complete if it has all the main parts of flowers. Four main sections of interest (from the outside in) are as follows:

1. Flower petals or calyx;


2. The crown of flowers or a corolla is usually thin and can be colored to attract insects that help the process of pollination;


3. Male genitals or androecium (from the Greek Andros oikia: man's house) in the form of the stamens;


4. The female genitals or the gynoecium (from Greek gynaikos oikia: "woman's house") of the pistil.

After you read this article, I hope you know more about flower and its part. So, its time to download flowers coloring pages in our blog. Please enjoy it!

Lovely Cowgirls in Vintage Westerns

"QUANTUM SHOT" #595 Link - by Avi Abrams When Ladies with Guns and Lots of Attitude Scorched the Screen... and Blessed Your Heart! We've featured glamorous vintage shots of beautiful ladies in many thrilling situations, like Ladies in Space and Ladies and Robots. We even spent some time looking at great girls with fabulous cars - see our Cars and Girls series. But there is a time and a place where feminine beauty gets to shine, perhaps, the most - the fantasy movie-land of Wild West! Remember some cool and intense "spaghetti" westerns coming out of Europe in the 1960s? The plot might have seemed rehashed and overly familiar in many of them, the camerawork is shaky, the dialogue is rudimentary... but there were two factors that totally redeemed poor production qualities and acting - and even lifted some Italian western movies to cult status: stunning soundtracks, and stunning starlets: Enraged! (image via) Vintage Westerns Had Great Music, not just by Ennio Morricone! First, European western soundtracks - Italians can come up with great melodies, and the 1960s saw incredible proliferation of top-quality movie soundtracks (it almost seemed like Europeans dreamed and imagined American Wild West with greater clarity and intensity than Americans themselves). Everybody knows about Ennio Morricone, but many other composers delivered no less epic scores and heavenly melodies: Francesco De Masi, Bruno Nicolai, Alessandro Alessandroni, Carlo Savina, Louis Bacalov, Stelvio Cipriani - to name just a few. To get a taste of the fantastic music they wrote, just listen to this sombre song by Francesco De Masi, taken from his superb "Arizona Colt" soundtrack - this track would make any James Bond movie proud - or sample the haunting melody of "Ringo, the Lone Rider", again by De Masi (click here). Among other spectacular western themes by Italian composers (other than well-known Morricone scores): - "Sartana is Coming", by Bruno Nicolai - click here - "Have a Good Funeral", by Bruno Nicolai - click here - "Seven Winchesters for a Massacre" by Francesco De Masi - click here - "El Puro" by Alessandro Alessandroni, "And His Name Was Holy Ghost" by Carlo Savina, themes by Pierro Umiliani (some heard in "Kill Bill" movies), Gianfranco Reverberi, etc. In Germany, Martin Boettcher was writing a widescreen epic music for "Winnetou" and "Old Shatterhand" movies - click here But all this sound lushness often paled in comparison with alluring female stars: A Beauty with a Gun Ladies with guns and lotsa attitude warmed (scorched!) the screen - and it was good... Sample some promotion shots, posters and other photos here: (Debbie Reynolds in a promo shoot) (images via) Jane Fonda (right) and Jean Carmen strike a pose: Want to see really scorching shot of Sophia Loren in a western environment? Click here, but be careful - could be somewhat nsfw. Here is Bridgitte Bardot in "Viva Maria!" (1965): (image via) The same year, Jane Fonda appeared as a fetching Cat Ballou: Camilla Sparv in "MacKenna's Gold" (1969): (images via) Donna Douglas (left) and Elisabeth Taylor as cowgirls: (images via) Raquel Welch in "Bandolero": (image via) And more recently, Salma Hayek and Penelope Cruz star in 2006’s "Bandidas": (image via) Western Dames in Vintage Art and Advertising Pinups were a continued source of western fantasizing: (pinup art by Gillette Elvgren) See more Golden Pinups in this collection. Some great pulp western action covers are in the hands of collectors today: (image via) No wonder, amid all this beauty, movie cowboys appear calm and relaxed: CONTINUE TO "THRILLING MOVIE POSTERS"! -> Permanent Link......+StumbleUpon ...+Facebook