Thursday, September 6, 2007
The Museum was established by Major Percy Horace Gordon Powell-Cotton, who spent forty years exploring Africa and Asia and collecting in the UK. Once he'd run out of room in the house, he built a 'Pavilion' alongside. This was opened to family and friends around 1895, and today it is just one gallery in a museum that displays around 400 animal specimens. The overall collection is huge and the curator, Malcolm Harman, admits that the artefacts never been totalled up. He estimates that the ethnography section alone contains around 18,000 items.
Arguably the most famous galleries are those housing the taxidermy. Modern attitudes have, perhaps, distorted the scientific nature of the collection and although some sections may not be to everyone's taste, Powell-Cotton was a genuine conservationist. Many of the animals are displayed in such a convincing manner that you almost forget you're not on the African Savannah. As well as the stunning dioramas there are mounted heads and carefully preserved skins. The glass case housing a lion in mid-attack on a buffalo is one of my personal favourites. Irrespective of your moral stance on Percy Powell-Cotton's hunting exploits, nothing brings home the reality of the natural world better than this stunning example of the taxidermist's art.
The collection contains almost every African mammal (there are over 5,000 additional species behind the scenes), including some species that casual visitors would be forgiven for never hearing of, such as Mrs Gray's Lechwe and Hunter's Hartebeest. No animal in the collection is extinct. On the contrary, many species that were endangered in Powell-Cotton's time are now thriving as a result of his educational legacy. The museum is also proud of its primate collection. Many of these were traded from local people who routinely hunted the animals for food.
Other galleries display a wide range of African cultural artefacts, including jewellery, costumes, weapons and domestic utensils. The exhibition helps to put many of these into context, with background information and photographs of many of the ethnic groups that Powell-Cotton met during his travels. The collection bug was also passed on to two of the Major's daughters, who added several thousand objects, photographs and films from their own travels in Angola.
In one of the most exciting and diverse collections in private ownership, there are also displays of local archaeology, firearms and cutting weapons from around the world, Asian artefacts, Japanese Netsuke and porcelain. Many of these items were obtained by the Major from sale rooms and auctions. Much of the porcelain came from the collection of Mr Pope, a former Catholic missionary. Having purchased some of the items at auction, Major Powell-Cotton arranged to buy the rest privately. They consist of European and Chinese export pieces and some of the most prized items are those that were made exclusively for use by the Imperial Emperor in the Forbidden City. Most of this dates from the Quing and Minq Dynasties and includes examples of the highly prized and exclusive 'yellow' porcelain reserved for the Emperor's immediate family.
The Fundamentals of Basketball (part 2 of 3)
Starts, Steps, turns and stops
Starting, stepping, turning or pivoting, and stopping are the fundamental motions used to move effectively and efficiently in and out of quick stance. This are called offensive and defensive "moves". To be a grat player you need to execute the skill correctly first, then do it quickly, and finally, do it at the right time,
every time. Go slow and get a feel for executing the skill properly. Then progressively speed up until a mistake is made. This is called developing game-speed execution.
Overall speed is important, but not as critical as quickness (hand-footspeed). Think quick and being quick should be your constant focus to become a better player.
1) Quick Starts
Starting is the first skill a player must learn that uses quick stance. To start quickly, you should shift your weight in the desired direction of movement.
For example, to move to the left, body weight is shifted over the left foot by leaning to the left.
In order to be quick at the right time, remember taking short, choppy steps when ever a change of motion o quick start is needed.
You need to shift weight in the direction of movement and start by taking the first step with the nearest foot. For example, to move to the right, the first step is taken with the right foot; to move forward, the firts is the fron foot.
2) Quick Steps
Quick steps are the basic motion changes that allow players to use their speed and quickness to complete plays and execute ofensive and defensive strategies.
They consist of changes of speed or pace and changes of direction ) 90° and 180°). Quick steps are usually made as "slow to quick" moves.
3) Quick Turns and Pivost
Turning, or pivoting, is motion that rotates the body in a circular fashion around the ball of one foot while the player maintains basic position. 60% of the weight should be on the pivot foot. this is one of the most important movement a player need to learn for quickness and balance, it is also one of the least
used and poorly learned skills in basketball.
4) Quick Stops
Being quick with balance and control means that players must be able to use quick stance, start properly, move quickly and finally stop quickly in a balanced position.
The prefered stop for most situations is the quick stop. Sometimes called the jump stop, both feet hit the floor at the same time in one count. Baqsketball rules allow players with the ball to use either foot for pivoting after a quick stop.
The quick stop is important for getting into a quick stance for shooting, passing, or dribbling ( the triple threat).
The stride stop is a two-count stop executed by landing on the rear foot with the front foot hitting inmediately afterward.
In the tird part we will see jumps.
If you are serius about Basketball performance you need to check this
athletic enhancement program
The Vertical Project
What is behind this Harry Potter flood of craze?
I often wonder myself what is behind this Harry Potter flood of craze? Why has it, in about twelve months, become the most popular and the hottest-selling book in human history?
Actually, it's about a young boy, his group of friends, and the struggle between good and evil. The magical stuff is just a part of the setting and makes for good plot devices. Oh, and it bears absolutely no relation to real magic.
The fact is it's a bloody great book. J.K. Rowling is more than an author, more than just a storyteller; she's a wordsmith, and masterfully captivates readers with an intriguing storyline and writing style that is equally appealing to adults and children alike. She's written a true classic of the modern day, and will no doubt be remembered alongside such titles as "Alice Through the Looking Glass", "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz", and "Winnie the Pooh".
Good books make people want to read, it's simple enough.
Eva Lampard is a freelance writer. Sometimes she writes about items such as Harry Potter rumours
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