U.S.A.Wildfires

 source :  http://www.boston.com

Wildfires in Southern California

Angeles National Forest, in the hills outside of Los Angeles currently has several wildfires tearing through it, the largest of which - named the Station Fire - has so far burned over 140,000 acres, destroyed nearly 100 structures, and claimed the lives of two firefighters whose vehicle fell from a road into a steep canyon. Evacuation orders are in place for thousands in communities around the city, and residents of Los Angeles itself are contending with thick smoke and ash hanging in the air, causing air quality to drop to unhealthful levels in many parts. Currently, the Station Fire is estimated to be 22% contained, and favorable weather appears to be aiding the efforts of the firefighters. (41 photos total)

Smoke from the Station Fire rises over downtown Los Angeles Monday, Aug. 31, 2009. (AP Photo/Jon Vidar)

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Smoke billows from the Station Fire in Los Angeles in this image taken from NASA's Terra satellite August 30, 2009. (REUTERS/NASA/GSFC/LaRC/JPL, MISR Team) #

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A Los Angeles County fire fighter monitors hot spots as he fights the Station Fire August 30, 2009 in Acton, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) #

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A backfire burns near homes during the Station Fire in La Crescenta, California, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2009. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) #

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A vehicle travels past a wall of flames at the Station Fire in the Acton, California area north of Los Angeles, August 30, 2009. (REUTERS/Gene Blevins) #

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Los Angeles County Sheriff deputies and residents help evacuate horses as the Station fire burns in the hills above Acton, California on Sunday, Aug. 30, 2009. (AP Photo/Dan Steinberg) #

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A modified Martin Mars seaplane tanker aircraft drops water trying to contain a fire threat to a historic observatory on Mount Wilson northeast of Los Angeles on Tuesday, Sept. 01, 2009. Mount Wilson is home not only to the observatory but numerous television, radio and cell phone antennas serving the metropolitan area. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) #

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A U.S. Forest Service hotshot wipes his face while taking a break from fighting the the Station Fire August 31, 2009 in Tujunga, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) #

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A large cloud of smoke from the Station Fire is seen above Angeles National Forest as the blaze marches westward towards the communities of Sunland and Tujanga on August 31, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) #

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Smoke, ashes and embers fly into the air from a canyon just off Highway 2 in the Angeles National Forest Friday, Aug. 28, 2009 near La Canada Flintridge, California. (AP Photo/Nick Ut) #

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The Los Angeles skyline is obscured by smoke from the Station Fire north of the city August 31, 2009. (REUTERS/Freds Prouser) #

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Firefighters look for hotspots on a burnt landscape in the Acton area in California on August 31, 2009. (REUTERS/Gene Blevins) #

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Firefighters take a break during the Station Fire in La Crescenta, California, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2009. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) #

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Charred trees are silhouetted by the glow of the Station Fire August 30, 2009 in Acton, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) #

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A firefighter photographs caged tigers awaiting transport in a trailer as workers and volunteers evacuate animals from the Wildlife Waystation in Little Tujunga Canyon as the Station Fire draws nearer on September 1, 2009 near Tujunga, California. The wildlife sanctuary houses a large number of tigers, lions, bears, chimpanzees, mountain lions and numerous other animals in the brush-covered mountains outside of the city. (David McNew/Getty Images) #

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Smoke rises and ashes glow on hills that burned during the Station fire in the Acton area of Los Angeles, California August 30, 2009. (REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni) #

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Julie Garcia, 59, and her daughter Jessi Garcia, 19, hug each other on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2009 after seeing their home destroyed by the Station Fire that swept through their neighborhood on La Paloma Canyon Road at Vogel Flat in Tujunga, California (AP Photo/Los Angeles Times, Irfan Khan) #

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A helicopter is just visible before large clouds of smoke from the Station Fire above Angeles National Forest on August 31, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) #

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A motorcycle burns during the Station Fire in the Big Tujunga area of Los Angeles, California August 29, 2009. (REUTERS/Gene Blevins) #

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A helicopter carrying water passes in front of the sun as it flies over a residential area during the Station Fire in La Crescenta, California, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2009. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) #

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A firefighter looks out from the fire break that kept a fire in the Deukmejian Wilderness Park, background, from jumping into a neighborhood in the La Crescenta section of Glendale, California on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2009. (AP Photo/LM Otero) #

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Sitting on a roof, two residents watch a wildfire burn during the Station Fire in La Crescenta, California, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2009. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) #

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Ted Hamm uses a firehose to mop up hot spots after the Station Fire swept through his property August 30, 2009 in Acton, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) #

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Mushrooming clouds rise to sky as the Station Fire gradually marches west towards the communities of Acton Agua, Dulce, and Sunland Tujanga on August 31, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) #

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Firefighters work a threatened house in the La Crescenta section of Glendale, California, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2009. (AP Photo/LM Otero) #

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Melted metal from a vehicle that burned during the Station Fire is seen in the Tujunga area of Los Angeles, California September 1, 2009. (REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni) #

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A smoke cloud raises from the wildfires near Mount Wilson in Los Angeles, on Monday, Aug. 31, 2009. (AP Photo/Hector Mata) #

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Fire fighters walk through thick smoke from the Station Fire August 30, 2009 in Acton, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) #

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The sun sets in a red sky as smoke from a wildfire enshrouds Los Angeles, California on September 1, 2009. (GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images) #

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A deer walks through charred forest on Mount Gleason in the Angeles National Forest August 31, 2009 near Acton, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) #

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Firefighters start a controlled burn during the Station Fire in the Angeles National Forest beside the suburb of Glendale on the outskirts of Los Angeles city on September 1, 2009. `(MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images) #

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Spot fires glow after the Station Fire burned through August 30, 2009 in Acton, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) #

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A small unknown structure burns during the Station Fire in the Big Tujunga canyon area of Los Angeles, California August 29, 2009. (REUTERS/Gene Blevins) #

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Parts of the front of this vehicle melted during the Station Fire in the Tujunga area of Los Angeles, California September 1, 2009. (REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni) #

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The ruins of a home or vacaton cabin, destroyed in the Station fire in an area known as Stonyvale in Big Tujunga Canyon in the Angeles National Forest northwest of the city of Los Angeles, seen Tuesday morning, Sept. 1, 2009. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon) #

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Firefighters climb up a hill during the Station Fire in La Crescenta, California, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2009. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) #

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U.S. Forest Service firefighters monitor a backfire on August 31, 2009 in La Crescenta, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) #

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From a lakeside dock in Yucaipa Regional Park, the McHenry family cheers as a Sikorsky S64 Sky Crane firefighting helicopter goes "in the dip" for another load of water in Yucaipa, California on Tuesday, Sept 1, 2009. The parents and their son spent the night camping in the park after receiving a mandatory evacuation order from their nearby home. (AP Photo/Los Angeles Times, Don Bartletti) #

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A DC-10 converted to an air tanker drops fire retardant as the Station fire burns in the hills above Acton, California on Monday, Aug. 31, 2009. (AP Photo/Dan Steinberg) #

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The Station Fire moves through brush September 1, 2009 in Sylmar, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) #

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Firefighters monitor a fire as it burns near the suburb of Glendale on the outskirts of Los Angeles city on September 1, 2009. (MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images) #

Congo - hell

Congo - hell when life did not fulfill the norm - chopped off hand

30.07.2014 Author (s): Elena Category: History, Fiction

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Although Congo is located in the heart of Africa, it is the colonizers from Europe managed to get here first. Thus by the end of the 19th century, the Congo was a Belgian colony, and then for local residents there began a real hellon the ground. Read on.

To make it easier to plunder the country, Leopold flooded Congo punitive gangs that operated under the command of European officers and for the slightest offense destroyed entire villages of people. This is a private military organization called "social forces» (Force Publique).
Majority of the local population had to work in the plantations of rubber trees.

The Belgian authorities have found an extremely effective way to increase productivity - thanks to his production of rubber in the Congo for ten years has increased by 40 times.
Method was simple - anyone who did not follow the norm to collect rubber, cut off his hand. And the kids as well. More precisely, for non-compliance of norms relied shot. The Belgian government considered each cartridge, so demanded that punishers of Force Publique provided severed arm executed in confirmation that the cartridge has been used for its intended purpose, and it was sold to local hunters. In addition, the punishers obtained for each flogging reward.

Thugs were trickier - they just started to chop off people hands. In the end, it ended up that the severed hands were used in the Congo as a currency. They were collected from the punishers Force Publique, they collected a peaceful village ... If one village rules to collect rubber is too high, it attacked another village to pay the Belgian king terrible ransom. The peak of the rubber in the Congo occurred in 1901-1903 years. It was then that my hands began to measure the baskets. Failed to comply with the norm for the collection of rubber? With you - two baskets of hands.
Has dropped fertility began to spread hunger and disease. For the first 40 years of Belgian rule the Congolese population has decreased by 15% (from 11.5 to 10 million people).

Leopold II sold the Congo to the Belgian Government just before his death, in 1908. He did not feel a drop of regret for the millions of injured and dead people.<a href="http://ribalych.ru/2014/07/30/kongo-ad-pri-zhizni-ne-vypolnil-normu-otrubili-ruku/" style="display:none">Конго — ад при жизни: не выполнил норму — отрубили руку</a>

Tough Driving in Hard Snow

While the embers flared to the desired condition began to make a trampoline.  Take time off was not, if you stand idle for ten minutes, began to freeze his feet, hands, and then it became uncomfortable.  The day temperature was perfectly acceptable, but the wind blew open space quietly blowing heat from under jackets.

Trolltunga

Landscapes Scandinavia always make breathlessly infinitely admire their magnificent beauty. And unusual reliefs and rock formations of the Scandinavian mountains, enchant and entice.

One of these creatures of the Nordic nature - it Trolltunga, better known under the name - "Language Troll." In Norse mythology, a lot of attention is paid to troll. These mythical creatures occupy an important place in the culture and history of this country.

Trolltunga - stone ledge in its form is very reminiscent of a sharp tongue. Once upon a time it deviated from the creation of a stone base of the cliff, and, having broken away, still stood at a height of 800 meters above the lake.

"Language Troll" is located on Mount Skeggedal, near a small town called Oddo. With "Language Troll" offers a breathtaking view of the lakes and valleys of Norway. Although Trolltunga considered one of the most dangerous sites in Norway, it annually attracts thousands of tourists who risked their lives to try to come as close as possible to the edge of a cliff, to capture the best shots.




Undoubtedly, the view from the "Troll's Tongue" incredibly beautiful and majestic! Mighty mountains, like giant sentinels - giants stand guard Scandinavian lands and Ringedalsvanneta, lakes, and over which hung a "Language Troll." It extends to the bottom of a deep valley and attracts tourists views.

But not so - then just climb the "Language Troll"! Although many tourists have gone through this interesting and picturesque way, paving the way for new pioneers, the road to Trolltunga a sort of a small test. To begin with, you have to overcome obstacles in the form of fast, mountain rivers, waterfalls deal with the walls, cross series cleanest lakes, forests and mighty band arrays harsh mountain snows. But it's worth it!





On the way to the "language of the Troll" There is a staircase and a length of 950 meters, which helps the passage way. There is also a cable car, but unfortunately, it does not always function. The route is not so difficult, the more the place is very scenic and travel time fly by.

Having been on a rock 'Language Troll ", you can visit this unusual place more than once. It is only here, standing high above the sea level, felt the sensation of flight and freedom. There is a desire to be a bird to be able to hover over these unruly expanse of mountains and feel the coolness of the cleanest lakes in ...




Some daredevils climb Language Troll and even go to the end, without fear that it will collapse. It is a challenge to fate, or maybe just the luck of the next person who comes to the rock, that it does not come down right now! But when a crash!





From the place where you can put the car (parking fee: daily parking 100 NOK, daily - 200 NOK) to get to the language on foot will have about 5 hours, most of which will go to the mountain. Prior to 2008, the first part of the route (one of the most difficult) you could drive by cable car (: en: Mågelibanen). Currently funicular closed and the repair is not enough money.

Beginning of the route up the mountain







May already be repaired? Anyone know?























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Where do trolls come from?
When the climate warmed and the glacier crept to the north, people came from the south. They settled here and named the country Norway, which means "The Road to the north."
They called themselves "nurmenn" - northern men. They saw how beautiful the country was, and thought that they were its first inhabitants, but soon people found out that the whole country is already inhabited by a variety of amazing creatures, who living in the most unlikely places.
In the mountains - and there were many - trolls.
The most powerful among them was Dovregyubben.
Some of them were giants - the trees and mosses growing on their heads and noses. Others were small.
They can only be seen at night or at dusk, as these creatures are not transferred daylight. Trolls were similar to humans, but all had long noses (old women often use their noses for stirring porridge in boilers). All trolls had hooked tail.
They were scary-looking but simple-minded and gullible. And it often happened that they dupe peasant boys.
Among the many supernatural abilities trolls was the fact that they could turn into anything.
Troll could, for example, to turn into an incredibly beautiful girl. Such called Holdre - witch. They lured hunters and blue-eyed guys in the mountains. So you always had to look at them from behind - they could not hide his tail.
Even today, walking in the woods or near the lakes and waterfalls remember trolls. They usually are not evil but even so be careful. With the onset of twilight you're not alone. It's no wonder on Christmas Eve krestyanin exhibited over the threshold of a full bowl of porridge which always is eaten.





Troll - in the old German and Baltic myths strong and ugly giants, living and keeping their treasures in the mountains. According to legend, trolls belonged to the people and to their potential enemies Ёtunam sometimes extremely hostile, however, makes people just what many claim: trolls extremely stupid.