Thursday, December 30, 2010

Photo from archives | Greatest photographs of world war II

Censored for days, this picture was finally published in the Mail. Now, 70 years on, by Max Hastings reveals the dramatic story behind THE iconic image of the Blitz.

Today is the ­anniversary of one of the greatest photographs of World War II being taken — and of a defining ­moment in British history. On the night of December 29, 1940, ­Daily Mail chief photographer ­Herbert Mason was ­firewatching on the roof of the ­newspaper’s offices ­between Fleet Street and the Thames.

The Luftwaffe’s blitz on London was at its height: after a brief pause decreed by Hitler on Christmas Day, Goering’s bombers had resumed their almost nightly pounding of the capital. A brief attack on December 27 inflicted 600 casualties, more than 50 of them in a single public ­shelter in Southwark which received a direct hit.

Greatest photographsSymbol in the smoke: Herbert Mason's iconic photograph of St Paul's dome emerging from the smoke of raging fires in surrounding streets was taken 70 years ago this week

When darkness fell on December 29, the Heinkel and Dornier planes came again to launch their 125th attack since the campaign began — which inflicted unparalleled devastation on the old City of ­London. Barely 30 minutes into the raid, ­Luftwaffe aircrew counted 54 major fires beneath them; in three hours of early evening bombing, 120 tons of explosive and 22,000 incendiaries fell, inflicting appalling damage.

Greatest photographsCapturing history: Daily Mail chief photographer Herbert Mason took the photograph from the roof of the newspaper's office in Carmelite Street

Hundreds of buildings in the heart of the ­financial district were set ablaze; eight Christopher Wren churches were destroyed and the 15th-century Guildhall was set on fire. One bomb landed near the Monument, erected by Wren to commemorate the 1666 Great Fire of London.

A middle-aged spinster named Vere Hodgson, who worked in a charity shop in Notting Hill, kept a wonderful diary of the war years, ­especially of the Blitz. ‘Terrible fires in London,’ she wrote of that night. ‘We went up on the roof to look. At Shepherd’s Bush, flames were leaping, and towards the City they were gigantic. As I walked up the road I could see the smoke.

‘A great red glow filled the sky — I had no need of a torch — I could see every step I took and could have read a book if I had wished.

‘The police said it was Waterloo station, but a taxi man told my friend Miss Mowes that the City was on fire, and they were trying to save St Paul’s. These were her first words to me, and I shall never forget the horror of them.’

On the roof of the Mail’s office at Northcliffe House, Carmelite Street, Herbert Mason gazed on the inferno around the cathedral, less than half a mile from where he stood — and raised his camera.

‘I focused at intervals as the great dome loomed up through the smoke,’ he later said. ‘The glare of many fires and sweeping clouds of smoke kept hiding the shape. Then a wind sprang up. ­Suddenly, the shining cross, dome and towers stood out like a symbol in the inferno. The scene was unbelievable. In that moment or two, I released my shutter.’

Mason knew nothing of the extraordinary drama taking place in St Paul’s, even as he took the ­picture that became the transcendent image of the Blitz.

Photo from archivesDevastation: This was the view from St Paul's on January 3, 1941, showing the destruction to the streets surrounding the Cathedral

Falling rubble had blocked emergency ­services from getting through the streets and an abnormally low tide in the Thames caused hydrants on which firemen’s pumps depended to run dry. When a fire broke out in the cathedral’s library aisle, there was no mains water to fight it — the blaze was eventually suppressed with ­stirrup pumps, buckets and sand.

Daily mail pictureThe War's greatest picture: The Daily Mail of 31 December 1940 sums up Herbert Mason's picture in perfect style.

Then, soon after 6.30pm, an incendiary bomb — one of 29 to fall on and around St Paul’s that night — pierced the lead roof of the dome and lodged in its timbers. ­Molten lead began to drip into the nave below. The aged wood of the choir stalls and organ screen, carved by the great sculptor Grinling Gibbons, was at mortal risk, while smoke from the blazing buildings surrounding the cathedral enveloped it.

American reporter Ed Murrow ­pronounced the great building’s obituary in a live broadcast to the U.S.: ‘The church that means most to London is gone. St Paul’s ­Cathedral is burning to the ground as I talk to you now.’

His valediction was premature: as he spoke, two teams of specialist fire watchers recruited from the Royal Institute of British Architects — and hand-picked because they had heads for heights — were ­crawling along the wooden beams with hand pumps to reach the ­blazing section.

But suddenly the incendiary bomb, having burnt through the wood, fell far, far to the nave below, where it was easily put out. Though almost every building around St Paul’s ­perished, the cathedral survived.

More than 160 people died in that night’s raid, including 16 firemen, and 500 were injured.

Eight of the firemen perished in a single incident when a wall collapsed on them as they fought a blaze near Fleet Street and 250 of their ­comrades suffered injuries during the night.

The next morning, it was bitterly cold. There was a light scattering of snow as office worker Dorothy ­Barton emerged from London Bridge station on her commute.

She gazed in horror at the acres of smoking and still burning ruins —then her heart lifted as she looked up at St Paul’s, towering over the scene. ‘I felt a lump in my throat because, like so many people, I felt that while St Paul’s survived, so would we,’ she said.

Photo from archivesLondon's burning: Ruins of a building in the shadow of St Paul's still smoulder a week after the Blitz on the city in December 1940

But mild, gentle Miss Vere ­Hodgson looked on the devastation and wrote bitterly: ‘I shall never bother with Germans or foreigners again. It makes you want to give other people a taste of what we have had.’

Herbert Mason’s photograph went unpublished for two days while censors considered whether it would serve Britain’s cause; others — for example, one of Bank underground.

Monday, December 27, 2010

Beautiful winter drawings arts (10 pics)

Romantic scene of some beautiful winter drawing arts
winter drawings arts
winter drawings arts
winter drawings arts
winter drawings arts
winter drawings arts
Beautiful winter drawings
Beautiful winter drawings
Beautiful winter drawings
Beautiful winter drawings
Beautiful winter drawings

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Beautiful wedding gowns | Pink wedding dress | Beautiful dress offers

Astonishing New Beautiful Wedding Gowns

Elegant Wedding GownsElegant appearance on this wedding dress, you will seem beauty when you wearing this dress, if you look the great design from wedding dress, you will interested to choose this dress as the best for your . on the front view you can see a beautiful bread that replaced on the breast and belt, yellow color cross in the middle of dress make life this dress when it wearing and the back also. This beautiful dress offers in US$ 305.00 with color option ivory. Go to the boutique now and bring this dress at home.

Strapless pink wedding dressBeautiful Strapless pink wedding dress embellished by sequins at top of corset bodice. this beautiful pink wedding dress expanse at lower part floor length skirt. this Mori Lee Bridal wedding gown suitable for wedding standing party. Pink color for wedding dress become popular among young girl today they will choose a wedding dress in pink than white color,why because white as common color for wedding dress.
beautiful pink wedding dress

Pink color for wedding dress may look like strange sound but today pink for wedding dress become popular cause every one think if white has scare color but that faith blur by age. pink color become popular among young girl who want to get married. two wedding dress in pink color below designed really really very unique and stylish. you able to colorize you hair in pink too for your wedding event. Pink Wedding Dress embellished by corset bodice closure, medium skirt size not as in white wedding dress as common in pink wedding dress for once designed so sophisticated and beautiful
Pink wedding dress designed
Pink wedding dress design

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Christmas gift cards for loved ones | Christmas gift cards 2011

Christmas is approaching fast and you still have not decided anything about the Christmas gifts. Christmas Gifts are one of the major attractions for everyone, as all of us loves to receive gifts. Moreover, these Christmas Gifts symbolize love and unity. In case, you are unable to buy Christmas Gifts for your loved ones, there is no need to bother.

There is another option for make them smile and realize that you are concerned about them. Simply give Christmas gift cards to your loved ones.

Christmas gift cards are getting immensely popular among people. They are trendy as well as easy to use. Christmas gift cards are usually gift certificates and they serve the purpose of cash card. Christmas gift cards are usually made up of plastic and incorporate one magnetic strip. The cashier with the help of machine swipes this magnetic strip. There is one logo on the Christmas Gift Cards. On the front of Christmas Gift Cards, there is an illustration of sponsoring business.

Value of Christmas Gift Cards keep on changing and is quite flexible. These cards are getting immensely popular and are preferred more as compare to the paper gift certificates.

Christmas gift cards 2011
Christmas gift cards 2011
Christmas gift cards 2011
Christmas gift cards 2011
Christmas gift cards 2011
Christmas gift cards 2011
Christmas gift cards for loved ones
Christmas gift cards for loved ones
Christmas gift cards for loved ones
Christmas gift cards for loved ones
Christmas gift cards for loved ones
Christmas gift cards for loved ones
Christmas Gifts cards symbolize love
Christmas Gifts cards symbolize love
Christmas Gifts cards symbolize love
Christmas Gifts cards symbolize love

Bizarre looking animal hair hats

Incredible animal hair styles | Bizarre animal hair hats
These bizarre looking hair set is the creation of Japanese designer, Nagi Noda, which created them in her typical eccentric style. During her short life, she created ads for Nike and Coca-Cola, however, she is probably most famous for her hair hats. Everyone seemed to know who she was after she created a hair hat for Lady Gaga. I put a selection of her other hair hats below for your enjoyment.
Bizarre animal hair hats
She used animals as her inspiration, and as you see, these hats sport a rabbit, poodle, owls and even an elephant which is my favorite.
Bizarre animal hair hats

Bizarre animal hair hats

Bizarre animal hair hats

Incredible animal hair hats

Incredible animal hair hats

Incredible animal hair hats

Incredible animal hair hats

Incredible Animal Hair Styles

Incredible Animal Hair Styles

Incredible Animal Hair Styles

Christmas tree made with 80,000 plastic spoons

A team of young taiwanese students as created an impressive christmas tree out of 80,000 plastic spoons, in taichung city.

christmas tree made with plastic spoons in taiwanIn their quest to deliver a message about the environment, this christmas, a team of six students from taiwan’s trans world university have created a unique christmas tree out of 80,000 plastic spoons. The young environmentalists entered a competition for the best christmas tree made of recyclable materials, and their original idea came up on top.

Christmas tree made out of plastics spoonsThe 80,000 plastic spoons used in the making of the tree were provided by the taiwanese branch of kfc, who was probably looking for a way of improving its overall image. After the holiday season, the spoons will be taken to a recycling facility and used to create something useful. Impressed by the feat of these young students, mayor jason hu felt the need to send an environmental message of his own: “christmas must be celebrated in an Eco-friendly way, and it is the same when we choose clothing or when we take a shower.”

Christmas tree made from recycled plastic spoons
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