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In the capable hands of driver and Londoner Buses' operating manager Jon Batchelor, former London General RML 887 returns back to its former route 14 stamping ground in this view of the vehicle in Brompton Road outside Harrods in the heart of affluent Knightsbridge prior to RML 887 and RML 2290 both running light from Knightsbridge back to the Londoner Buses base in Wandsworth on the late afternoon of Wednesday 14th June 2023. RML 887 would have been a regular visitor to Brompton Road and Knightsbridge when it ran out of Putney (AF) bus garage on route 14 up until the OPO conversion of route 14 and sister route 22 at the end of July 2005.
The Observatory is equipped with two radio telescopes (RT) – the only research capable RT in New Zealand - with dishes of size 12 m and 30 m in diameter. Both RT are of the Cassegrain system, using the main reflector (dish) and the sub-reflector which can be seeing on photos. Due to the larger structure of the 30 m RT, it is potentially vulnerable to gravity-induced structural deformation which varies as it operates at different elevation angles. Deviation from the ideal shape and misalignments between structural components can potentially result in partial loss of RT sensitivity. To study the surface quality of the main reflector, its alignment with the sub reflector, and the way these characteristics may vary, Recon Ltd was contracted to scan the surface of the telescope (the main and sub reflector) at different elevation angles.
Using a laser scanner for measuring surface quality is relatively new to Radio Astronomy and according to our knowledge has been used on very few occasions. Traditionally, two methods - Radio Frequency Holography and Photogrammetry - are widely used in radio astronomy. Both methods require specialised equipment, they are relatively time consuming, expensive and difficult to perform. The laser scanning method is easy and quick. Importantly, and unlike other methods, it allows scanning the main reflector and sub reflector surfaces jointly, therefore allowing to study the vital part of the RT “optics” as a whole. These advantages make the laser scanning heavily preferred over the other methods.
The FARO laser scanner is easy to carry and setup on the surface of the dish (weight ~5 kg). It has sufficient distance accuracy (± 1mm) and the operating range (from 0.6 m up to 320 m) for this research.
The Indian peafowl (Pavo cristatus), also known as the common peafowl, and blue peafowl, is a peafowl species native to the Indian subcontinent. It has been introduced to many other countries. Male peafowl are referred to as peacocks, and female peafowl are referred to as peahens, although both sexes are often referred to colloquially as a "peacock".
Indian peafowl display a marked form of sexual dimorphism. The peacock is brightly coloured, with a predominantly blue fan-like crest of spatula-tipped wire-like feathers and is best known for the long train made up of elongated upper-tail covert feathers which bear colourful eyespots. These stiff feathers are raised into a fan and quivered in a display during courtship. Despite the length and size of these covert feathers, peacocks are still capable of flight. Peahens lack the train, have a white face and iridescent green lower neck, and dull brown plumage. The Indian peafowl lives mainly on the ground in open forest or on land under cultivation where they forage for berries, grains but also prey on snakes, lizards, and small rodents. Their loud calls make them easy to detect, and in forest areas often indicate the presence of a predator such as a tiger. They forage on the ground in small groups and usually try to escape on foot through undergrowth and avoid flying, though they fly into tall trees to roost.
The function of the peacock's elaborate train has been debated for over a century. In the 19th century, Charles Darwin found it a puzzle, hard to explain through ordinary natural selection. His later explanation, sexual selection, is widely but not universally accepted. In the 20th century, Amotz Zahavi argued that the train was a handicap, and that males were honestly signalling their fitness in proportion to the splendour of their trains. Despite extensive study, opinions remain divided on the mechanisms involved.
The bird is celebrated in Hindu and Greek mythology, and is the national bird of India. The Indian peafowl is listed as of Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Taxonomy and naming
Carl Linnaeus in his work Systema Naturae in 1758 assigned to the Indian peafowl the technical name of Pavo cristatus (means "crested peafowl" in classical Latin).
The earliest usage of the word in written English is from around 1300 and spelling variants include pecok, pekok, pecokk, peacocke, peacock, pyckock, poucock, pocok, pokok, pokokke, and poocok among others. The current spelling was established in the late 17th century. Chaucer (1343–1400) used the word to refer to a proud and ostentatious person in his simile "proud a pekok" in Troilus and Criseyde (Book I, line 210).
The Sanskrit, later Pali, and modern Hindi term for the animal is maur. It is debated that the nomenclature of the Maurya Empire, whose first emperor Chandragupta Maurya was raised and influenced by peacock farmers was named after the terminology.
The Greek word for peacock was taos and was related to the Persian "tavus" (as in Takht-i-Tâvus for the famed Peacock Throne). The Ancient Hebrew word tuki (plural tukkiyim) has been said to have been derived from the Tamil tokei but sometimes traced to the Egyptian tekh. In modern Hebrew the word for peacock is "tavas". In Sanskrit, the peacock is known as Mayura and is associated with the killing of snakes.
Description
Male neck detail
Peacocks are a larger sized bird with a length from bill to tail of 100 to 115 cm (39 to 45 in) and to the end of a fully grown train as much as 195 to 225 cm (77 to 89 in) and weigh 4–6 kg (8.8–13.2 lb). The females, or peahens, are smaller at around 95 cm (37 in) in length and weigh 2.75–4 kg (6.1–8.8 lb). Indian peafowl are among the largest and heaviest representatives of the Phasianidae. So far as is known, only the wild turkey grows notably heavier. The green peafowl is slightly lighter in body mass despite the male having a longer train on average than the male of the Indian species. Their size, colour and shape of crest make them unmistakable within their native distribution range. The male is metallic blue on the crown, the feathers of the head being short and curled. The fan-shaped crest on the head is made of feathers with bare black shafts and tipped with bluish-green webbing. A white stripe above the eye and a crescent shaped white patch below the eye are formed by bare white skin. The sides of the head have iridescent greenish blue feathers. The back has scaly bronze-green feathers with black and copper markings. The scapular and the wings are buff and barred in black, the primaries are chestnut and the secondaries are black. The tail is dark brown and the "train" is made up of elongated upper tail coverts (more than 200 feathers, the actual tail has only 20 feathers) and nearly all of these feathers end with an elaborate eye-spot. A few of the outer feathers lack the spot and end in a crescent shaped black tip. The underside is dark glossy green shading into blackish under the tail. The thighs are buff coloured. The male has a spur on the leg above the hind toe.
The adult peahen has a rufous-brown head with a crest as in the male but the tips are chestnut edged with green. The upper body is brownish with pale mottling. The primaries, secondaries and tail are dark brown. The lower neck is metallic green and the breast feathers are dark brown glossed with green. The remaining underparts are whitish. Downy young are pale buff with a dark brown mark on the nape that connects with the eyes. Young males look like the females but the wings are chestnut coloured.
The most common calls are a loud pia-ow or may-awe. The frequency of calling increases before the Monsoon season and may be delivered in alarm or when disturbed by loud noises. In forests, their calls often indicate the presence of a predators such as the tiger. They also make many other calls such as a rapid series of ka-aan..ka-aan or a rapid kok-kok. They often emit an explosive low-pitched honk! when agitated.
Mutations and hybrids
This leucistic mutation is commonly mistaken for an albino.
There are several colour mutations of Indian peafowl. These very rarely occur in the wild, but selective breeding has made them common in captivity. The black-shouldered or Japanned mutation was initially considered as a subspecies of the Indian peafowl (P. c. nigripennis) (or even a separate species (P. nigripennis)) and was a topic of some interest during Darwin's time. Others had doubts about its taxonomic status, but the English naturalist and biologist Charles Darwin (1809–1882) presented firm evidence for it being a variety under domestication, which treatment is now well established and accepted. It being a colour variation rather than a wild species was important for Darwin to prove, as otherwise it could undermine his theory of slow modification by natural selection in the wild. It is, however, only a case of genetic variation within the population. In this mutation, the adult male is melanistic with black wings. Young birds with the nigripennis mutation are creamy white with fulvous-tipped wings. The gene produces melanism in the male and in the peahen it produces a dilution of colour with creamy white and brown markings. Other forms include the pied and white mutations, all of which are the result of allelic variation at specific loci.
Crosses between a male green peafowl (Pavo muticus) and a female Indian peafowl (P. cristatus) produce a stable hybrid called a "Spalding", named after Mrs. Keith Spalding, a bird fancier in California. There can be problems if birds of unknown pedigree are released into the wild, as the viability of such hybrids and their offspring is often reduced (see Haldane's rule and outbreeding depression).
Distribution and habitat
The Indian peafowl is a resident breeder across the Indian subcontinent and inhabits the drier lowland areas of Sri Lanka. In the Indian subcontinent, it is found mainly below an elevation of 1,800 m (5,900 ft) and in rare cases seen at about 2,000 m (6,600 ft). It is found in moist and dry-deciduous forests, but can adapt to live in cultivated regions and around human habitations and is usually found where water is available. In many parts of northern India, they are protected by religious practices and will forage around villages and towns for scraps. Some have suggested that the peacock was introduced into Europe by Alexander the Great, while others say the bird had reached Athens by 450 BCE and may have been introduced even earlier. It has since been introduced in many other parts of the world and has become feral in some areas.
The Indian peafowl has been introduced to the United States, the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, France, Mexico, Honduras, Costa Rica, Colombia, Guyana, Suriname, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, South Africa, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Italy, Madagascar, Mauritius, Réunion, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand, Croatia and the island of Lokrum.
Genome sequencing
The first whole-genome sequencing of Indian peafowl identified a total of 15,970 protein-coding sequences, along with 213 tRNAs, 236 snoRNAs, and 540 miRNAs. The peacock genome was found to have less repetitive DNA (8.62%) than that of the chicken genome (9.45%). PSMC analysis suggested that the peacock suffered at least two bottlenecks (around four million years ago and again 450,000 years ago), which resulted in a severe reduction in its effective population size.
Behaviour and ecology
Peafowl are best known for the male's extravagant display feathers which, despite actually growing from their back, are thought of as a tail. The "train" is in reality made up of the enormously elongated upper tail coverts. The tail itself is brown and short as in the peahen. The colours result not from any green or blue pigments but from the micro-structure of the feathers and the resulting optical phenomena. The long train feathers (and tarsal spurs) of the male develop only after the second year of life. Fully developed trains are found in birds older than four years. In northern India, these begin to develop each February and are moulted at the end of August. The moult of the flight feathers may be spread out across the year.
Peafowl forage on the ground in small groups, known as musters, that usually have a cock and 3 to 5 hens. After the breeding season, the flocks tend to be made up only of females and young. They are found in the open early in the mornings and tend to stay in cover during the heat of the day. They are fond of dust-bathing and at dusk, groups walk in single file to a favourite waterhole to drink. When disturbed, they usually escape by running and rarely take to flight.
Peafowl produce loud calls especially in the breeding season. They may call at night when alarmed and neighbouring birds may call in a relay like series. Nearly seven different call variants have been identified in the peacocks apart from six alarm calls that are commonly produced by both sexes.
Peafowl roost in groups during the night on tall trees but may sometimes make use of rocks, buildings or pylons. In the Gir forest, they chose tall trees in steep river banks. Birds arrive at dusk and call frequently before taking their position on the roost trees. Due to this habit of congregating at the roost, many population studies are made at these sites. The population structure is not well understood. In a study in northern India (Jodhpur), the number of males was 170–210 for 100 females but a study involving evening counts at the roost site in southern India (Injar) suggested a ratio of 47 males for 100 females.
Sexual selection
The colours of the peacock and the contrast with the much duller peahen were a puzzle to early thinkers. Charles Darwin wrote to Asa Gray that the "sight of a feather in a peacock's tail, whenever I gaze at it, makes me sick!" as he failed to see an adaptive advantage for the extravagant tail which seemed only to be an encumbrance. Darwin developed a second principle of sexual selection to resolve the problem, though in the prevailing intellectual trends of Victorian Britain, the theory failed to gain widespread attention.
The American artist Abbott Handerson Thayer tried to show, from his own imagination, the value of the eyespots as disruptive camouflage in a 1907 painting. He used the painting in his 1909 book Concealing-Coloration in the Animal Kingdom, denying the possibility of sexual selection and arguing that essentially all forms of animal colouration had evolved as camouflage. He was roundly criticised in a lengthy paper by Theodore Roosevelt, who wrote that Thayer had only managed to paint the peacock's plumage as camouflage by sleight of hand, "with the blue sky showing through the leaves in just sufficient quantity here and there to warrant the author-artists explaining that the wonderful blue hues of the peacock's neck are obliterative because they make it fade into the sky."
In the 1970s a possible resolution to the apparent contradiction between natural selection and sexual selection was proposed. Amotz Zahavi argued that peacocks honestly signalled the handicap of having a large and costly train. However, the mechanism may be less straightforward than it seems – the cost could arise from depression of the immune system by the hormones that enhance feather development.
Male courting female
The ornate train is believed to be the result of sexual selection by the females. Males use their ornate trains in a courtship display: they raise the feathers into a fan and quiver them. However, recent studies have failed to find a relation between the number of displayed eyespots and mating success. Marion Petrie tested whether or not these displays signaled a male's genetic quality by studying a feral population of peafowl in Whipsnade Wildlife Park in southern England. She showed that the number of eyespots in the train predicted a male's mating success, and this success could be manipulated by cutting the eyespots off some of the male's ornate feathers.
Although the removal of eyespots makes males less successful in mating, eyespot removal substantially changes the appearance of male peafowls. It is likely that females mistake these males for sub-adults, or perceive that the males are physically damaged. Moreover, in a feral peafowl population, there is little variation in the number of eyespots in adult males. It is rare for adult males to lose a significant number of eyespots. Therefore, females' selection might depend on other sexual traits of males' trains. The quality of train is an honest signal of the condition of males; peahens do select males on the basis of their plumage. A recent study on a natural population of Indian peafowls in the Shivalik area of India has proposed a "high maintenance handicap" theory. It states that only the fittest males can afford the time and energy to maintain a long tail. Therefore, the long train is an indicator of good body condition, which results in greater mating success. While train length seems to correlate positively with MHC diversity in males, females do not appear to use train length to choose males. A study in Japan also suggests that peahens do not choose peacocks based on their ornamental plumage, including train length, number of eyespots and train symmetry. Another study in France brings up two possible explanations for the conflicting results that exist. The first explanation is that there might be a genetic variation of the trait of interest under different geographical areas due to a founder effect and/or a genetic drift. The second explanation suggests that "the cost of trait expression may vary with environmental conditions," so that a trait that is indicative of a particular quality may not work in another environment.
Fisher's runaway model proposes positive feedback between female preference for elaborate trains and the elaborate train itself. This model assumes that the male train is a relatively recent evolutionary adaptation. However, a molecular phylogeny study on peacock-pheasants shows the opposite; the most recently evolved species is actually the least ornamented one. This finding suggests a chase-away sexual selection, in which "females evolve resistance to male ploys". A study in Japan goes on to conclude that the "peacocks' train is an obsolete signal for which female preference has already been lost or weakened".
However, some disagreement has arisen in recent years concerning whether or not female peafowl do indeed select males with more ornamented trains. In contrast to Petrie's findings, a seven-year Japanese study of free-ranging peafowl came to the conclusion that female peafowl do not select mates solely on the basis of their trains. Mariko Takahashi found no evidence that peahens expressed any preference for peacocks with more elaborate trains (such as trains having more ocelli), a more symmetrical arrangement, or a greater length. Takahashi determined that the peacock's train was not the universal target of female mate choice, showed little variance across male populations, and, based on physiological data collected from this group of peafowl, do not correlate to male physical conditions. Adeline Loyau and her colleagues responded to Takahashi's study by voicing concern that alternative explanations for these results had been overlooked, and that these might be essential for the understanding of the complexity of mate choice. They concluded that female choice might indeed vary in different ecological conditions.
A 2013 study that tracked the eye movements of peahens responding to male displays found that they looked in the direction of the upper train of feathers only when at long distances and that they looked only at the lower feathers when males displayed close to them. The rattling of the tail and the shaking of the wings helped in keeping the attention of females.
Breeding
Peacocks are polygamous, and the breeding season is spread out but appears to be dependent on the rains. Peafowls usually reach sexual maturity at the age of 2 to 3 years old. Several males may congregate at a lek site and these males are often closely related. Males at leks appear to maintain small territories next to each other and they allow females to visit them and make no attempt to guard harems. Females do not appear to favour specific males. The males display in courtship by raising the upper-tail coverts into an arched fan. The wings are held half open and drooped and it periodically vibrates the long feathers, producing a ruffling sound. The cock faces the hen initially and struts and prances around and sometimes turns around to display the tail. Males may also freeze over food to invite a female in a form of courtship feeding. Males may display even in the absence of females. When a male is displaying, females do not appear to show any interest and usually continue their foraging.
The peak season in southern India is April to May, January to March in Sri Lanka and June in northern India. The nest is a shallow scrape in the ground lined with leaves, sticks and other debris. Nests are sometimes placed on buildings and, in earlier times, have been recorded using the disused nest platforms of the white-rumped vultures. The clutch consists of 4–8 fawn to buff white eggs which are incubated only by the female. The eggs take about 28 days to hatch. The chicks are nidifugous and follow the mother around after hatching. Downy young may sometimes climb on their mothers' back and the female may carry them in flight to a safe tree branch. An unusual instance of a male incubating a clutch of eggs has been reported.
Feeding
Peafowl are omnivorous and eat seeds, insects (including termites), worms, fruits, small mammals, frogs, and reptiles (such as lizards). They feed on small snakes but keep their distance from larger ones. In the Gir forest of Gujarat, a large percentage of their food is made up of the fallen berries of Zizyphus. They also feed on tree and flower buds, petals, grain, and grass and bamboo shoots. Around cultivated areas, peafowl feed on a wide range of crops such as groundnut, tomato, paddy, chili and even bananas. Around human habitations, they feed on a variety of food scraps and even human excreta. In the countryside, it is particularly partial to crops and garden plants.
Mortality factors
Large animals such as leopards, dholes, golden jackals, and tigers can ambush adult peafowls. However, only leopards regularly prey upon peafowls as adult peafowls are difficult to catch since they can usually escape ground predators by flying into trees. They are also sometimes hunted by large birds of prey such as the changeable hawk-eagle and rock eagle-owl. Chicks are somewhat more prone to predation than adult birds. Adults living near human habitations are sometimes hunted by domestic dogs or by humans in some areas (southern Tamil Nadu) for folk remedies involving the use of "peacock oil".
Foraging in groups provides some safety as there are more eyes to look out for predators. They also roost on high tree tops to avoid terrestrial predators, especially leopards.
In captivity, birds have been known to live for 23 years but it is estimated that they live for only about 15 years in the wild.
Conservation and status
Indian peafowl are widely distributed in the wild across South Asia and protected both culturally in many areas and by law in India. Conservative estimates of the population put them at more than 100,000. Illegal poaching for meat, however, continues and declines have been noted in parts of India. Peafowl breed readily in captivity and as free-ranging ornamental fowl. Zoos, parks, bird-fanciers and dealers across the world maintain breeding populations that do not need to be augmented by the capture of wild birds.
Poaching of peacocks for their meat and feathers and accidental poisoning by feeding on pesticide treated seeds are known threats to wild birds. Methods to identify if feathers have been plucked or have been shed naturally have been developed, as Indian law allows only the collection of feathers that have been shed.
In parts of India, the birds can be a nuisance to agriculture as they damage crops. Its adverse effects on crops, however, seem to be offset by the beneficial role it plays by consuming prodigious quantities of pests such as grasshoppers. They can also be a problem in gardens and homes where they damage plants, attack their reflections (thereby breaking glass and mirrors), perch and scratch cars or leave their droppings. Many cities where they have been introduced and gone feral have peafowl management programmes. These include educating citizens on how to prevent the birds from causing damage while treating the birds humanely.
In culture
Prominent in many cultures, the peacock has been used in numerous iconic representations, including being designated the national bird of India in 1963. The peacock, known as mayura in Sanskrit, has enjoyed a fabled place in India since and is frequently depicted in temple art, mythology, poetry, folk music and traditions. A Sanskrit derivation of mayura is from the root mi for kill and said to mean "killer of snakes". It is also likely that the Sanskrit term is a borrowing from Proto-Dravidian *mayVr (whence the Tamil word for peacock மயில் (mayil)) or a regional Wanderwort. Many Hindu deities are associated with the bird, Krishna is often depicted with a feather in his headband, while worshippers of Shiva associate the bird as the steed of the God of war, Kartikeya (also known as Skanda or Murugan). A story in the Uttara Ramayana describes the head of the Devas, Indra, who unable to defeat Ravana, sheltered under the wing of peacock and later blessed it with a "thousand eyes" and fearlessness from serpents. Another story has Indra who after being cursed with a thousand ulcers was transformed into a peacock with a thousand eyes and this curse was removed by Vishnu.
In Buddhist philosophy, the peacock represents wisdom. Peacock feathers are used in many rituals and ornamentation. Peacock motifs are widespread in Indian temple architecture, old coinage, textiles and continue to be used in many modern items of art and utility. A folk belief found in many parts of India is that the peacock does not copulate with the peahen but that she is impregnated by other means. The stories vary and include the idea that the peacock looks at its ugly feet and cries whereupon the tears are fed on by the peahen causing it to be orally impregnated while other variants incorporate sperm transfer from beak to beak. Similar ideas have also been ascribed to Indian crow species. In Greek mythology the origin of the peacock's plumage is explained in the tale of Hera and Argus. The main figure of the Yazidi religion Yezidism, Melek Taus, is most commonly depicted as a peacock. Peacock motifs are widely used even today such as in the logos of the US NBC and the PTV television networks and the Sri Lankan Airlines.
These birds were often kept in menageries and as ornaments in large gardens and estates. In medieval times, knights in Europe took a "Vow of the Peacock" and decorated their helmets with its plumes. In several Robin Hood stories, the titular archer uses arrows fletched with peacock feathers. Feathers were buried with Viking warriors and the flesh of the bird was said to cure snake venom and many other maladies. Numerous uses in Ayurveda have been documented. Peafowl were said to keep an area free of snakes. In 1526, the legal issue as to whether peacocks were wild or domestic fowl was thought sufficiently important for Cardinal Wolsey to summon all the English judges to give their opinion, which was that they are domestic fowl.
In Anglo-Indian usage of the 1850s, to peacock meant making visits to ladies and gentlemen in the morning. In the 1890s, the term "peacocking" in Australia referred to the practice of buying up the best pieces of land ("picking the eyes") so as to render the surrounding lands valueless. The English word "peacock" has come to be used to describe a man who is very proud or gives a lot of attention to his clothing.
Main article: Di Goldene Pave
A golden peacock (in Yiddish, Di Goldene Pave) is considered by some as a symbol of Ashkenazi Jewish culture, and is the subject of several folktales and songs in Yiddish. Peacocks are frequently used in European heraldry. Heraldic peacocks are most often depicted as facing the viewer and with their tails displayed. In this pose, the peacock is referred to as being "in his pride". Peacock tails, in isolation from the rest of the bird, are rare in British heraldry, but see frequent use in German systems.
The American television network NBC uses a stylized peacock as a legacy of its early introduction of color television, alluding to the brilliant color of a peacock, and continues to promote the bird as a trademark of its broadcasting and streaming services.
Capable of delivering precision strikes with laser-guided bombs and Hellfire missiles, the MQ-9 Reaper is the evolution of its smaller brother, the MQ-1 Predator. The Reaper is powered by a turbo-prop of 950 hp and can fly for hours above the battlefield at speeds of up to 300 miles per hour.
The huge platforms are capable of taking long excursion trains. Remnants of the many sidings that were used to store coaches still exist, but much of the site has been turned over to Asda for a huge store. My Class 156 is ready to depart for Norwich. My plan was to see what heritage remained and you can see semaphore signals and a signal box in the distance. June 10 2014.
Copyright John Evans. No unauthorised copying or downloads.
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2014 Photo Contest Submission - Equestrian
Mile 2340. Just north of Pickhandle Gap. Beautiful horses and ladies gracing a beautiful day.
Photo by: Gary Minetti
Black-backed Kingfisher bathing
This is one of the smallest and fastest king around capable of speed up to 6-8 meters per second. It's a great challenge trying to catch it in action. This guy loves to bathe. He is thrilled with delight every time after he dip into the pool. It plunges into the pool with such high speed that it literally vaporise the water in front of it. The perfectly designed water-proofing plumage prevent it from drowning, it helps to keep the bird stays afloat every time after every dive and never fails. Another interesting thing i noticed was that despite the high intensity dive actions, the pool remained perfectly clear and the sediments was not disturbed at all. From observations he bathe even on rainy weather I'm unsure if this behaviour is confined to this species or otherwise
This yellow bellied version bathe from 1800 - 1815. The pale bellied bath from 1845 - 1900 both emit sharp calls before flying off signalling the end of the bath. Another question is why these birds do not dip themselves in the reservoir but instead choose to bathe in the tiny pools along the forest streams at the edge of the reservoir. One reason it might be the preferred shallow fast flowing cool water.
One complete sequence from ingress to egress from the water surface takes about 2 seconds. In human terms, it's a very compressed timeframe. For the kingfisher, it's a leisurely pace.
All sequence are remotely taken thus totally eliminating any possible stress to the bird
Black-backed Kingfisher starting its dive into the pool below for a bath. This guy is small and extremely fast. Captured by 580EX
see flying colors below
www.flickr.com/photos/lonesomecrow/sets/72157628556202093...
@mcritchie, sg
/ The lamp was designed as an object capable of creating light effects through the use of open / closed pattern that populate a base surface of proliferation.
Once we have defined the geometric relationships of a basic component,
is able to create parametric iterations;
once tested, the component will populate an area of proliferation,Powercopy.
A singular planar pattern having two triangular openings will modulate the light in a scalar way,starting from the base with small openings until the final part at the top with medium-large openings.
So design must perform similarity,at just the right balance between material,geometry and force,Fineness.
For the fabrication we discretized the 3D model in order to have all the components of planar sheets,
ready for the laser cutting machine KNK;
Waiting for a possible production, the material chosen for the two prototypes is: cardboard-color ;
The material we hypothesized for the production is polypropylene 5mm
designed by Thomas Bagnoli & Michela Tonelli
Capable of letting its body temperature fall to 48 F when entering a state of torpor to conserve energy, the normal body temperatrue is 107 F. Seen at Baylands.
also parked up at the depot of Beadles on 3/5/99 is A594GWM a Mercedes chassic with Imperial Windsor bodywork
One out of every 5 couples is not capable to conceive naturally. Infertility affects the both men and women. When a couple is not able to conceive it could be due to a difficulty with either of the partners. Gone are the days when the infertility referred to a problem with the woman. Today male infertility affects almost 30% of the young couples. Infertility is a condition when a couple is not capable to get pregnant after a year of regular unprotected sex. Over the last two decades since 2000, there has been a sudden rise in the infertility. For those who are not directly affected this problem, you are probably wondering how infertility is an issue when we have an overpopulated plant! It is not only a problem affecting the affluent but every class of society is suffering from infertility. If you need to understand more about IVF Treatment in Delhi, Best IVF Centre in Delhi, Best IVF Doctors in Delhi, Best Infertility Treatment in Delhi, Best IVF Doctor in Delhi, Best Infertility Specialist in Delhi, IVF Hospital in Delhi, best tube baby centre in Delhi, Best IVF Centre in Delhi, IVF Clinic in Delhi etc, then you can call us at +9196507 25386, +91 011 22503927 or visit link www.kjivf.com/
In the late 1940s, the newly independent U.S. Air Force faced a plethora of challenges, two of which were paramount: 1. Developing a reliable strategic nuclear bomber and 2. Developing interceptors capable of defending the United States from the Soviet Union’s strategic nuclear bombers. The USAF had a plan in mind—the so-called “1954 Interceptor” that would evolve into the F-102 Delta Dagger and F-106 Delta Dart—but these were still some years away. To bridge this gap, Northrop was developing the F-89 Scorpion, but delays to the Scorpion project meant that the United States was theoretically defenseless until it entered service. The USAF then called for interceptors that could be converted quickly from existing aircraft. This would evolve into two aircraft: the F-94 Starfire and the F-86D Sabre Dog.
The F-86D started life as the F-95A. Unlike the F-94, which was a relatively straightforward conversion of the T-33A Shooting Star trainer into an interceptor, the F-95 was designed to be flown by one man. In previously dedicated interceptors, a two-person crew was deemed optimum, as the second man would operate the complicated radars of the day. A single-seat interceptor was unheard of, but as the 1954 Interceptor was also going to be a single-seat aircraft, the F-95 would provide valuable research into the concept. To achieve this, however, the fire control system would have to have advanced computers assisting the pilot.
Though it was based on the F-86 Sabre day fighter, the F-95 had less than 30% commonality with its parent design: the fuselage was deeper, wider, and longer; the intake had to be redesigned to accommodate the nose radar; the tail was larger; the engine was upgraded with an afterburner for quick takeoffs and climbs; and the canopy was changed to a hinged type rather than the sliding model on the F-86. The latter’s machine gun armament was removed in favor of an under-fuselage tray of 24 Mighty Mouse folding-fin aerial rockets (FFARs).
As the F-95 prototype neared completion, there was some thought that Congress might cancel the aircraft: it was redundant with the F-89 and F-94 also entering service. The F-95 did have the Sabre’s remarkable combat record behind it. In a funding dodge, North American changed the designation from F-95 to F-86D, making it seem like just another Sabre variant rather than the nearly entirely new aircraft that it was. This also earned the aircraft its informal nickname, Sabre Dog, based on the old phonetic alphabet for D.
Some pilots, however, claimed the Dog stood for the way the F-86D flew. While it did not have the same propensity to go into uncontrollable pitchups as the F-86 (which was known as the “Sabre Dance”), it could easily be overcorrected, with much of the same fatal results. It was not as easy to fly as the “standard” F-86, and the fire control computer, as could be expected for an early 1950s aircraft, was not very reliable. An optical sight was provided for the pilot if the computer went down, which was frequently. Moreover, North American, now operating in “emergency” mode, could turn out F-86Ds before Hughes could complete the fire control system. At one point, over 300 F-86Ds sat idle at the North American plant, waiting for computers. Because of the faulty computer and the flying characteristics of the Sabre Dog, it was considered one of the most complicated aircraft to fly in the USAF at the time, requiring a training syllabus matched only by the Boeing B-47 Stratojet.
The United States wasn’t the only nation that needed interceptors, and several NATO nations requested F-86Ds of their own. The fire control system was considered too advanced for export, however, and instead, it was downgraded to a simper version; the rocket tray was removed and replaced with four 20mm cannons, and it was supplied to friendly nations as the F-86K. While still not the easiest aircraft to fly, the pilot had a better chance of scoring a kill with the more accurate cannon, and the F-86K was successful in NATO service. Subsequently, several F-86Ds were returned to North American, undergoing an avionics upgrade, a more straightforward cockpit layout, and extended wingtips. This resulted in the F-86L, which was used by several Air National Guard interceptor units into the mid-1960s. While American Sabre Dogs only carried rockets, foreign aircraft were modified to carry AIM-9 Sidewinders later. Sixteen foreign air forces also flew the Sabre Dogs.
A total of 2,847 F-86Ds and associated variants were built and were the most prolific interceptor aircraft in the West during the late 1950s and early 1960s. Most were replaced by more advanced aircraft beginning in the mid-1960s, but a few Yugoslavian F-86Ks soldiered on into the early 1980s. None of them were ever involved in combat. Today, only a handful of them remain in museums.
This F-86, BuNo 53-0965 was originally built as an F-86D and first entered service with the active duty 47th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at Niagara Falls, New York. In 1957, it was converted to a F-86L, and after a short stint with the 53rd Fighter Group at Sioux City, Iowa, it was transferred to the Air National Guard and the 144th FG (California ANG) at Fresno. It was retired in 1966 and donated to the Pima Air and Space Museum in 1974.
Though looking a bit worn, 53-0965 still looks pretty good; interestingly, it is shown in the colors of the 354th FIS out of McGhee-Tyson Airport, Tennessee, a unit this aircraft had never served with. Given that the 354th now flies the A-10s next door at Davis-Monthan AFB, this could also be the reason.
Konya ordered 12 trams capable of catenary-free operation from Škoda in May 2014. as a follow-on order for 60 ForCity Classic 28T trams. This brings the total order value for 72 trams to KC3•4bn. Following certification in January, a prototype Catfree tram has been on test at Škoda’s Plzeň factory.Roof-mounted nano-lithium-titanium batteries enable catenary-free operation for up to 3 km, and are recharged through the pantograph.
‘The tram managed to accelerate 30 times to 30 km/h for a total of 8 km without recharging’, explained Milan Šrámek, Škoda Transportation’s Electric Product Manager.
The trams for Konya are to be used on a new line which will have a 1•8 km section without overhead wires. The first 28T from the original order entered passenger service in February 2014.
This Lotus is capable of switching from gasoline to bioethanol to methanol (CH3OH), which can be produced synthetically from CO2 and hydrogen. Ultimately, emerging processes to recover atmospheric CO2 will provide the required carbon that can entirely balance the CO2 emissions at the tailpipe that result from the internal combustion of synthetic methanol.
The van can run on gasoline or biomethane gas - derived from food waste.
Lotus Engineering regards sustainable alcohols as the third step in a process towards carbon neutral driving:
1st Generation: there is a handful of current bio-ethanol models on sale around the world. These cars run on E85 bio-ethanol, which is produced from valuable arable crops (food). This is unsustainable in the short and medium term as global demand for fuel will outstrip the supply available from farmland to the detriment of food production.
2nd Generation: the next generation bio-ethanol fuels will be based on biomass waste, for example crop stubble, waste vegetable-based oils and any biodegradable waste matter. This is thought also to be unsustainable in the medium to long term as the required volume of biomass increases beyond that which can be supplied.
3rd Generation: sustainable alcohols such as synthetic methanol that can be produced from entirely sustainable, readily available inputs, with an environmentally neutral overall impact.
4th Generation: Direct Methanol Fuel Cells: over the longer term, sustainable alcohols in internal combustion will facilitate the soft introduction of direct methanol fuel cells as a long term sustainable future fuel.
Capable of 100 mph and built in 2000 in Zaragoza, Spain, to replace Class 308 units on the Wharfedale and Airedale routes, this Class 333 is seen here arriving into Keighley, from Skipton, and is heading for Leeds, on 26/04/2015. © Peter Steel 2015.
SOL Austin: Net-Zero Capable
Beck-Reit and Sons Ltd., an Austin General Contractor, has been working on sustainable construction methods since they day we started building houses. Our desire to build a better house led us to the development of the SOL (Solutions Oriented Living) subdivision in East Austin. We partnered with local architect KRDB to design, develop, and build a net-zero capable sub-division centered around a community of 40 modern homes. Thru passive design, efficient building envelope and solar power these homes can produce more energy than they consume. SOL has received national attention and has been featured in the New York Times, Metro-Homes, DIY Network’s: This New House, Builder Magazine, and Green Builder Magazine.
Photos by DeLea Becker @ Beck-Reit and Sons, Ltd.
Truly impressed with the sharpness of this lens. I have much more dedicated macro lenses for my 7D but I was stunned once zoomed to 100% what detail the Fuji camera was capable of.
These capable hands have held babies, changed nappies, fixed any thing and everything in the house and cars. Tended and cared and worked. They are dexterous and agile and strong, and it feels good when they hold my hand!
Scavchal13 - Delicate or work-hardened, shoot close up to capture the character of a hand or hands
The Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye is an American all-weather, carrier-capable tactical airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft. This twin-turboprop aircraft was designed and developed during the late 1950s and early 1960s by the Grumman Aircraft Company for the United States Navy as a replacement for the earlier, piston-engined E-1 Tracer, which was rapidly becoming obsolete. The aircraft's performance has been upgraded with the E-2B and E-2C versions, where most of the changes were made to the radar and radio communications due to advances in electronic integrated circuits and other electronics. The fourth major version of the Hawkeye is the E-2D, which first flew in 2007. The E-2 was the first aircraft designed specifically for its role, as opposed to a modification of an existing airframe, such as the Boeing E-3 Sentry. Variants of the Hawkeye have been in continuous production since 1960, giving it the longest production run of any carrier-based aircraft.
The E-2 also received the nickname "Super Fudd" because it replaced the WF (later E-1) "Willy Fudd". In recent decades, the E-2 has been commonly referred to as the "Hummer" because of the distinctive sounds of its turboprop engines, quite unlike that of turbojet and turbofan jet engines. In addition to U.S. Navy service, smaller numbers of E-2s have been sold to the armed forces of Egypt, France, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Singapore and Taiwan.
Grumman also used the basic layout of the E-2 to produce the Grumman C-2 Greyhound cargo aircraft.
From Wikipedia:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_Grumman_E-2_Hawkeye
Photo by Eric Friedebach
The Annual British Truck Racing Championship Made its way Back to The Brands Hatch Circuit for its Season Finale Marking the End of Motorsport for the Season.
With a Massive Firework Display on the Sunday and Plenty of on and Off Track Action The Weekend was Shaping up to be One to Remember.
Many Drivers and Support Races were also Present from the small Yet Nimble Legends Cars to the Much Bigger and more Powerful 1000 Break Horse Power Racing Trucks that will be doing Battle on the circuit Saturday was Looking like a Really Good Start to a Weekend of Speed Madness and Awesome Racing.
Speaking of which Lets take a Look and See what Qualifying will Hold for Each Support and Main Race and Find out who Will be Taking Pole for The First Races of The Weekend.
Legends Cars Championship (Qualifying)
First Up is the Famous and Fan Favourite Legends Cars Championship, Thease Little Tiny Machines Run Yamaha Motorbike Engines within them that run up to 1200/1250cc Depending on the Spec of Engine. They also are 120 Break Horse Power and with how Light Weight they are (1,325lbs Including The Driver) Thease Cars are Very Quick and Very Nimble.
Lets Find Out who came where in Qualifying and Who Will be Starting on the Front Row.
In First Place Taking Pole and The Fastest Lap was (Chris Needham) in his Legend Coupe 1250 with a Best Lap Time of 55.691 and a Top Speed of 78.08mph. Amazing Work there Chris Well Deserved and Super Job for Pole Position.
In Second Place was (Will Gibson) in his Legend 34 Ford Coupe 1250 with a Best Lap Time of 55.721 and a Top Speed of 78.04mph. Superb Job there Will Fighting Hard and Very Nearly Taking Pole from Chris.
In Third Place was (John Mickel) in his Legend 34 Ford Coupe 1250 with a Best Lap Time of 55.740 and a Top Speed of 78.01mph. Amazing Work John Pushing that Legend Hard and Securing P3 on the Gird for the Race Super Job.
Three Very Fast and Capable Drivers in Chris Will and John All Fighting it out with their Fellow Competitors for The Victory Come the First Race but who will be Brave enough to Take on the Top 3 Fastest Drivers out there? We will Have to Wait and See.
Junior Saloon Car Championship (Qualifying Part 1)
Next Up we Have The Junior Saloon Car Championship a Racing Series Designed for Much Younger Drivers (Between 14 and 17 Years of Age) who want to try their Hand in Motorsport from a Young Age.
Thease Drivers are Mostly Fearless and always Provide some Very Intense and Incredible Racing Due to their Competitive Nature and Determination to Win and Succeed.
The Cars Used for This Series are Citroen Saxo VTR'S that are 1600cc In Terms of Power Meaning that Every Driver is on a Level Playing Field when the Racing Starts making for some Close Wheel to Wheel Action and Really showing who the Most Skilled and Quickest Drivers out there are.
Speaking of Which Lets Get straight to Qualifying and see who was the Most Fearless and Managed to Clock an Incredible Lap During Qualifying.
In First Place Taking Pole Position and The Fastest Lap was (Charlie Hand) in his Citroen Saxo VTR 1600 with a Best Lap Time of 58.554 and a Top Speed of 74.26mph. In credible Driving there Charlie Very Precise and Controlled Thought the Entire Lap to Secure P1 on the Gird Amazing Job.
In Second Place was (Jamie Petters) in his Citroen Saxo VTR 1600 with a Best Lap Time of 58.661 and a Top Speed of 74.13mph. Great Work there Jamie Pushing Hard and Securing that P2 Spot on the Front Row of the Gird Superb Job.
In Third Place was (Harvey Caton) in his Citroen Saxo VTR 1600 with a Best Lap Time of 58.685 and a Top Speed of 74.10mph. Incredible Drive there Harvey Pushing The Car and Fighting All the While to Defend that P3 on the Gird.
What an Incredibly Talented array of Drivers in Charlie Jamie and Harvey All Battling it out with their Fellow Competitors to try and Win the Championship and get those All Important Points they Need which could make up the Difference. Qualifying Second Fastest is up Next so lets take a look and see Who will come out on Top.
Junior Saloon Car Championship (Qualifying Second Fastest)
Following the Results from The First Qualifying Session the Second Qualifying Session Will see all the Drivers Go out again to Better their Lap Times and Maybe even Allow some New Competitors to Move up the Order into the Podium Places.
Lets Take a Look and See if Charlie Hand has managed to Hold onto His P1 Position on the Grid.
In First Place Taking Pole Position and The Fastest Lap was (Charlie Hand) in his Citroen Saxo VTR 1600 with a Best Lap Time of 58.639 and a Top Speed of 74.15mph. Another Incredible Lap from Charlie Hand Putting Himself Once Again on Pole for The First Race for The Junior Saloon Car Championship. Congratulations Charlie.
In Second Place was (Will Redford) in his Citroen Saxo VTR 1600 with a Best Lap Time of 58.851 and a Top Speed of 73.89mph. Great Drive there from Will Securing P2 and Adding a New Driver to the Top of the Standings. Great Work.
In Third Place was (Jamie Petters) in his Citroen Saxo VTR 1600 with a Best Lap Time of 58.861 and a Top Speed of 73.87mph. Fantastic Work there Jamie Really Pushing the Car Hard and Taking that Third Position Away from Harvey on the Gird. Nice Job.
Another Really Intense Qualifying Session which has seen the Likes of Charlie Will and Jamie all Emerge Victoriously on the Front Row but out of All Three of Thease Very Talented Drivers only one of them Can take The Race Win but who is it going to be?
CTCRC Racing For Marshals (Qualifying)
Next Up was The CTCRC Racing For Marshals Race a Very Special Support Race added to the Weekend at the Last Moments to Congratulate and Commemorate the Important Safety and Work each and Every Marshal of the Circuit does where ever they go and What Ever the Circuit.
The Orange Army as they are Known as take out their Time on Weekends to Volunteer at Race Meets Marshalling the Races to ensure Driver Safety is a Top Priority in the Sport and that Rules are being Adhered to.
From Volunteers who Clean the Track after Each Race to Flag Wavers to Incident Respondents and even Vehicle Recovery The Orange Army is always on Standby For When Anything goes Wrong. They Have a Passion for Motorsport that Cannot be Matched and a Community that is still Going Strong to this Day all over the Country.
The Race itself Features a Wide Variety of Cars from Honda Civic EG2000 to Ford Escort MK1 Mexico's to even Aston Martin V8 Vantages. Each and Every Car has its Strengths and Weaknesses when it comes to Power and Control.
Lets take a Look at Qualifying and see who Managed to Taim their Beast and take that All Important P1 Spot on the Gird for Race 1.
In First Place taking Pole Position and the Fastest Lap was (Samuel Wilson) in his Aston Martin V8 Vantage with a Best Lap Time of 52.087 and a Top Speed of 83.48mph. Phenomenal Drive there Samuel Really Working Hard to Keep the Car on the Track and Utilise all that Important Horse Power.
In Second Place was (Gary Prebble) in his Honda Civic EG2000 with a Best Lap Time of 52.672 and a Top Speed of 82.56mph. Great Work there Gary Pushing Hard and Ensuring that P2 is Secure on the Gird. Great Driving.
In Third Place was (Mike Saunders) in his Ford MK1 Escort Mexico with a Best Lap Time of 52.837 and a Top Speed of 82.30mph. Fantastic Work there Mike Great Job and Well Done for Securing P3 on the Grid.
A Really Fantastic Trio of Drivers in P1 P2 And P3 in the Likes of Samuel Gary and Mike all Pushing Hard and Making their Mark Amongst their Fellow Drivers but will anyone Else be able to challenge them and Potentially take that All Important P1 Spot Right Out from Underneath them? Stay Tuned to Find Out.
Pickup Truck Championship (Qualifying Part 1)
Pickup Trucks made their way out onto the Circuit Next and With some Very Fast and Capable Machinery in each of thease Cars Expect to see Very Fast Lap Times and a Lot of High Speed Action.
The Pickup Trucks themselves are Made out of a Space Frame with the Bodies on all the Trucks Just being either Plastic or Fibreglass which Helps to Reduce Weight and Allows for some Very Quick Lap Times around the Circuit.
Engine Specifications for the Pickup Trucks Includes a 2.0 Litre Engine Capable of 220 Break Horse Power and Much like The Legends Cars they are Still Very Nimble at High Speeds Resulting in Full concentration and Skill to ensure Victory on the Race Track.
Lets Look to Qualifying and see what Happened and who will be On Pole for the First of Two Qualifying Sessions This is Part 1.
In First Place taking Pole and the Fastest Lap was (Matt Wills) in his Pickup Truck 2000 with a Best Lap Time of 52.358 and a Top Speed of 83.05mph. Great Drive there Matt Pushing Hard and Keeping the Truck Pointing in the Right Direction at All Times. Great Work.
In Second Place was (Matt Simpson) in his Pickup Truck 2000 with a Best Lap Time of 52.529 and a Top Speed of 82.78mph. Well Done Matt P2 and a Super Drive from you as well.
In Third Place was (Dean Tompkins) in his Pickup Truck 2000 with a Best Lap Time of 52.593 and a Top Speed of 82.68mph. Well Done Dean A Really Good Drive and Fending off David O' Regan to take that All Important P3 on the Grid.
Another Incredible Display of Car Control and High Speed Action from the Two Matt's and Dean for what I'm Sure will be a Fantastic First Race when the Lights Go Out but for Now its onto Qualifying Part 2 to see if Any of the Fastest Drivers Can Improve or Move their Positions on the Gird to a Better Starting Spot.
Pickup Truck Championship (Qualifying Part 2)
For Part 2 of This Qualifying Session the Top 20 Fastest Drivers Battle it out for Another Chance to either Improve or Defend their Position from the First Qualifying Session.
Lets take a Look and see How Dean and the Two Matt's go on Did they Stay where they Were or Have they Moved About a bit and Allowed a New Driver to take Pole for the Race?
In First Place taking Pole and The Fastest Lap was (Mark Willis) in his Pickup Truck 2000 with a Best Lap Time of 52.358 and a Top Speed of 83.05mph. Congratulations Mark P1 and a Front Row Start on the Gird for Race 1. Incredible Lap.
In Second Place was (Matt Simpson) in his Pickup Truck 2000 with a Best Lap Time of 52.529 and a Top Speed of 82.78mph. Another Fantastic Lap there Matt Hanging onto P2 on the Grid and Matching Your Previous Fastest Time. Great Stuff.
In Third Place was (Dean Thomas) in his Pickup Truck 2000 with a Best Lap Time of 52.593 and a Top Speed of 82.68mph. Fantastic Work there Dean Keep Hold of that P3 on the Grid and Defending Well from P4's David O' Regan.
What a Superb Bit of Driving from Each of the Top Three in Mark Matt and Dean Thease Three Really Know How to Push their Pickup Trucks to the Limit and Race them Right on the Edge of what is Possible Around this Circuit. Looking Forward to the First Race and to see who can make their Mark on the Weekend First.
British Truck Racing Championship (Qualifying)
Finally it was Time for The Heavy Weights to make their way out onto the Circuit and with 1000 Break Horse Power under each of the Drivers Right Foot This will Surely be a Qualifying Session of who is Brave Enough to Push their Truck to the Limit and Take Pole Position for Race 1 of the Weekend.
In First Place taking Pole Position and The Fastest Lap was (Ryan Smith) in his Mercedes Actros 12000 with a Best Lap Time of 1:00.232 and a Top Speed of 72.19mph. Brilliant Driving from Ryan Really Pushing on and Getting the Job Done to Secure the First Pole Position for Truck Racing this Weekend. Fantastic Drive.
In Second Place was (Stuart Oliver) in his Volvo VNL 13000 with a Best Lap Time of 1:00.949 and a Top Speed of 71.34mph. Well Driven there Stuart Keeping the Volvo Out of Trouble and Taking a Well Deserved P2 Spot on the Grid.
In Third Place was (David Jenkins) in his Man TGX 12000 with a Best Lap Time of 1:01.146 and a Top Speed of 71.11mph. Great Drive there David Really Well Done that's P3 on the Grid.
Three Incredible Drivers in Ryan Stuart and David all Pushing themselves Hard and Getting Ready for what Will be a Super First Race for the Trucks. To All the Other Truck Racers and Support Racers taking Part Good Luck and May the Best Man Win.
Legends Cars Championship (Race 1 Results)
After a Very Hectic Qualifying Session which saw Chris Needham Will Gibson and John Mickel in First Second and Third Place it was Time for Race 1 and to see out of the Top 3 Drivers as well as the Rest of the Drivers who could take that All Important Race Victory.
In First Place Taking the Win was (Sean Smith) in his Legend 34 Ford Coupe 1250 with a Best Lap Time of 56.515 and an Average Speed of 50.17mph. Congratulations Sean Really Well Driven and Held together for that Impressive Victory.
In Second Place was (Stephen Whitelegg) in his Legend Coupe 1250 with a Best Lap Time of 56.352 and an Average Speed of 50.17 mph. Superb Driving from Stephen and a Fantastic P2 Finish on the Podium.
In Third Place was (John Mickel) in his Legend 34 Ford Coupe with a Best Lap Time of 56.160 and an Average Speed of 50.16mph. Great Driving There John P3 and The Final Step on the Podium.
What an Amazing First Race that was for The Legends Cars Championship with the Likes of Sean Stephen and John all Taking Superb Victories and Battle Through the Field. Good Luck to all other Drivers and Lets see what Race 2 Brings.
Legends Cars Championship (Race 2 Results)
After a Really Intense Battle at the Top End of the Field it was Time once again for the Legends Cars and their Drivers to Head out onto the Circuit for Race 2.
In First Place Taking the Win was (Will Gibson) in his Legend 34 Ford Coupe with a Best Lap Time of 55.548 and an Average Speed of 77.28mph. Phenomenal Drive there Will Pushing Hard through the Field to take a Very Well Deserved Race Win. Congratulations.
In Second Place was (Miles Rudman) in his Legend 34 Ford Coupe with a Best Lap Time of 55.541 and an Average Speed of 77.25mph. Great Drive there Miles Pushing Yourself and The Car Thought the entire Race and Securing P2.
In Third Place was (Mike Schlup) in his Legend 34 Coupe with a Best Lap Time of 55.638 and an Average Speed of 77.07mph. Great Driving there Mike Nicely Done and P3 on the Podium Super Job.
Another Amazing Race which saw the Likes of Will Miles and Mike all Taking Victories with a Superb Display of Driving from Each of them and some Very Competitive Action thought the Race from other Drivers too. Race 3 is Up Next and who will take the Final Race Victory of the Day for The Legends Championship?
Legends Cars Championship (Race 3 Results)
The Final Legends Race of Saturday and with so Many Different Drivers Winning such as Will Gibson Sean Smith would anybody else be able to take on thease Top Level Drivers and Bring Home Glory to their Team?
Lets Find Out
In First Place taking the Victory was (John Mickel) in his Legend 34 Ford Coupe with a Best Lap Time of 56.016 and an Average Speed of 63.83mph. Amazing Job John Really Pushing the Car to its Limits in this Last Race and Taking Home the Spoils and The Glory. A Really Nice way to End The First Days Racing Congratulations.
In Second Place was (Paul Simmons) in his Legend 34 Ford Coupe with a Best Lap Time of 55.801 and an Average Speed of 63.81mph. Nice Work Paul A Really Solid Race and a Great Finish for a First Days Racing at Brands Hatch.
In Third Place was (Jack Parker) in his Legend 34 Ford Coupe with a Best Lap Time of 55.682 and an Average Speed of 63.54mph. Really Great Drive Jack 3rd Place and Fantastic to see a New Winner on the Podium for Legends Racing Really Well Deserved.
What an Incredible First Day of Racing it has been for the Legends Championship and with another Three Races to come on Sunday the Action will continue to Intensify. A Big Congratulations to all of the Race Winners in John Paul Jack Stephen Mike Miles and Sean who all Drove Insanely Well and Well Done to all of the other Drivers out there. Keep Pushing and Never Give Up.
Junior Saloon Car Championship (Race 1 Results)
The First Race for the Junior Saloon Cars Championship is Up Next and After seeing Charlie Hand Dominate the Field in Qualifying Will any other Driver be able to Stop Him.
Lets Find Out
In First Place taking the Victory was (Charlie Hand) in his Citroen Saxo VTR 1600 with a Best Lap Time of 58.995 and an Average Speed of 61.36mph. Phenomenal Job Once Again Charlie Putting on a Super Display of Driving Skill and Speed to Dominate Your way to Victory from Lights to Flag. Amazing Drive.
In Second Place was (Will Redford) in his Citroen Saxo VTR 1600 with a Best Lap Time of 58.981 and an Average Speed of 61.33mph. Really Well Driven there Will Chasing Down Charlie Right till the End and Still Finishing an Incredible Second Place. Congratulations.
In Third Place was (Jamie Petters) in his Citroen Saxo VTR 1600 with a Best Lap Time of 59.392 and an Average Speed of 60.74mph. Great Drive there Jamie A Lot of Hard work and Dedication to achieve that Third Position Fighting off Ruben Hage in a Thrilling Battling Side by Side. Well Done.
A Fantastic Opening Race for the Junior Saloon Car Championship with the likes of Charlie Hand coming out Victorious Once Again with Will Redford in Second Place and Jamie Petters in Third.
A Quick Mention of that Incredible Battle Between Jamie and Ruben for 3rd Place What a Phenomenal Bit of Driving from thease Two Young Drivers as they went Side by Side Continuously for Three Straight Laps before Jamie took that All Important P3 with a Move at Paddock Hill Bend. Great work to Ruben too a Phenomenal Drive for P4.
Looking Forward to some More Intense Racing Action from thease Two as Well as all the other Drivers in This Series on Sunday Until Then Good Luck and Keep Racing!
CTCRC Racing For Marshals (Race 1 Results)
After a Brilliant Qualifying Session which saw Samuel Wilson in his Aston Martin V8 Vantage take Victory Over Gary Prebble and Mike Saunders it was Time to see what the CRTC Drivers could get up to and who could take their First Victory in Race 1.
In First Place Taking Victory was (Scott Kirwan) in his Reno Clio 2000 with a Best Lap Time of 58.832 and an Average Speed of 72.98mph. Amazing Drive there Scott A Well Deserved Victory to take First Place.
In Second Place was (Keith Evans) in his Alpha Romeo Alpfasud with a Best Lap Time of 1:03.789 and an Average Speed of 67.70mph. Great Work there Keith Really Pushing Hard and Taking a Well Deserved P2 in the Race. Fantastic Work.
In Third Place was (Nathan Berrisford) in his BMW 1800ti with a Best Lap Time of 1:03.752 and an Average Speed of 67.53mph. Great Work from Nathan To Achieve Third Place and take that Final Step on the Podium Congratulations.
A Really Great First Race for the CTCRC Showcasing some Impressive Machinery and some Really Amazing Drivers in Scott Keith and Nathan All Taking Superb Victories on DAY 1. Good Luck to all of the other Drivers out their your Time Will Come, Keep Racing and Pushing your Team and Yourself to Go Further.
Pickup Truck Championship (Race 1 Results)
Next Up The Pickup Trucks Made their way out onto the Circuit and after Seeing what thease Drivers could do in Qualifying it was Mark Willis who took Pole Position in the Second Fastest Qualifying Category with Matt Simpson in Second Place and Dean Thomas in Third. Who Will be Able to Challenge each of the Top Three?
Lets Find Out
In First Place taking the Race Win and the Fastest Lap was (Dean Thompkins) in his Pickup Truck 2000 with a Best Lap Time of 52.051 and an Average Speed of 81.70mph. Congratulations Dean Really Well Done and a Fantastic Drive thought the entire Race.
In Second Place was (Paul Thompkins) in his Pickup Truck 2000 with a Best Lap Time of 52.402 and an Average Speed of 81.68mph. Superb Job there Paul Working Really Hard and Trying to Stay Close to Dean Most of The Time as Well.
In Third Place was (Matt Simpson) in his Pickup Truck 2000 with a Best Lap Time of 52.519 and an Average Speed of 81.65mph. Really Well Done Matt Fantastic Drive with a Few Sideways Moments and Securing P3 on the Podium.
A Really Exciting First Race for the Pickup Trucks as they Battled it out to see who could take that All Important Victory and become a Race Winner. Huge Congratulations to Dean Paul and Matt for putting on One Hell of a Great Race and to All the other Pickup Truck Drivers who showed their Skills and Racing Passion while Competing. Looking Forward to Sunday and More Track Action from This Lot.
British Truck Racing Championship (Race 1 Results)
Lastly for the Saturday was The British Truck Racing Championship and after a Really Aggressive Qualifying Session it was Time for each Driver to put their Skills to the Test and Battle it out for a Victory.
With Ryan Smith in Pole Position Stuart Oliver in Second and David Jenkins in Third This Race is Going to be One Hell of a Good Race to Witness.
In First Place taking the Victory was (Ryan Smith) in his Mercedes Actros 12000 with a Best Lap Time of 58.945 and an Average Speed of 72.21mph. Congratulations Ryan Really Well Deserved and a Fantastic Victory for Race 1.
In Second Place was (David Jenkins) in his Man TGX 12000 with a Best Lap Time of 1:00.159 and an Average Speed of 71.48mph. Amazing Job there David Taking your P3 Position in Qualifying and Turning it into a P2 Finish at the End of the Race Great Drive.
In Third Place was (John Newell) in his Man TGS 12000 with a Best Lap Time of 1:00.718 and an Average Speed of 70.64mph. Nice Work John Pushing the Truck Hard and Fending off Martin Gibson to take a Well Deserved Third Place.
Super Racing From the British Truck Racing Championship with Many Side by Side Battles Taking Place thought the Race and Lots of Sideways Action to Round off the Saturday Here at Brands Hatch.
A Big Congratulations to Ryan Smith David Jenkins and John Newell who all Drove Very Well and Showed what a True Championship Like Drive is in one of thease Monstrous Trucks. Well Done to all of the other Truck Racers who also Took Part Hoping to see some New Faces on the Top Step of the Podium Come Sunday.
For Now See You ALL Then!
SOL Austin: Net-Zero Capable
Beck-Reit and Sons Ltd., an Austin General Contractor, has been working on sustainable construction methods since they day we started building houses. Our desire to build a better house led us to the development of the SOL (Solutions Oriented Living) subdivision in East Austin. We partnered with local architect KRDB to design, develop, and build a net-zero capable sub-division centered around a community of 40 modern homes. Thru passive design, efficient building envelope and solar power these homes can produce more energy than they consume. SOL has received national attention and has been featured in the New York Times, Metro-Homes, DIY Network’s: This New House, Builder Magazine, and Green Builder Magazine.
Photos by DeLea Becker @ Beck-Reit and Sons, Ltd.
This is a family dedicated channel to our beloved big lad Benji
We got Benji in 2007 when he was 4 years old as the owner was suffering from an illness and was no longer capable of looking after him
We got him on the 21st may 2007 so we used that date to celebrate his birthday
When Benji came to live with us he was a very independant lad and was always the boss especially over my two young sons and he stamped his authority quite quickly
He did test us at the beginning but soon knew that living here with us he was going to get nothing more than love and attention and he got that in abundance
He loved his home comforts as he would often take over the settee and would declare that space as his own
I myself have had health issues and Benji would always pop his head up to see if everything was alright with me and i would do the same with him everynight
We nearly lost Benji in 2013/2014 when we discovered a small lump on his groin and the vet at the time told us it was just a fatty lump and just ignore it
We knew something was not right and advised the vet that we wanted it removed and we would pay for the operation
We booked him in 2 weeks after that appointment and when we got him to the PDSA they told us that it was a good job that we ignored her colleagues advice and decided to go for the operation as it saved his life as this so called fatty lump was actually a growth that was cutting off his blood vessel, The operation was a success and it extended our time with Benji
There was times that we questioned some of the vets advice as for when we kept asking about all the lumps that was appearing on his body and again we were told that they were just fatty lumps
Over the past couple of years we were concerned of a few lumps under his chest and a few that would appear around his ribs etc and again we were told to ignore them as they were fatty lumps
Well those lumps turned out to be cancer and cost our baby boy his life as his liver had also became very enlarged and we had to make a decssion if we wanted to die in agony as we were informed or for the vet to give him that terrible injection
We took him home for a day so that he could say his goodbyes to my sons and we stayed awake with him all night
The following morning we gave him his favourite a tin of tuna and he had a good drink of water and at 10:15am on September 1st 2017 Benji was put to sleep
My wife held him in her arms as i cuddled his head and kept him from seeing the needles and he dropped into his deep sleep forever
The vet that dealt with Benji on his final moment was a wonderful and caring vet and we thank her from the bottom of our hearts for all she done
We love you Benji and we will walk together again one day soon
Forever your
Mammy, Daddy and Brothers
SOL Austin: Net-Zero Capable
Photos by DeLea Becker @ Beck-Reit and Sons, Ltd.
Beck-Reit and Sons Ltd., an Austin General Contractor, has been working on sustainable construction methods since they day we started building houses. Our desire to build a better house, led us to develop the SOL (Solutions Oriented Living) subdivision in East Austin. We partnered with local architect, KRDB, to design, develop and build a net-zero capable sub-division centered around a community of 40 modern homes. Thru passive design, efficient building envelope and solar power these homes can produce more energy than they consume. The homes have been rated 4-5 star by the Austin Energy Green Building Program. SOL Austin has received national attention and has been featured in the New York Times, Metro-Homes and DIY Network’s, This New House.
This 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom home has 1538 square feet. The Master Suite features a second story balcony, and the open living, dining, kitchen floor plan is ideal for entertaining.
Gray Ghost One:
The Corsair is widely considered the most capable of all carrier-based fighter aircraft of World War Two. Designed and originally built by Chance Vought, it was also manufactured under license by Goodyear at the height of production during the Second World War. Its distinctive "bent" wings were designed to keep the landing gear short and robust for carrier landings and give clearance for the enormous 13' 4" diameter propeller required to pull her to over 400 MPH - the first American fighter to do so. It was considered the performance equal to many other fighters like the Mustang but its short range kept it either carrier-based or land-based in the South Pacific war close to the action. The Corsair continued to be operated by the USN and the Marines after the war and saw considerable action during the Korean War.
Corsairs were first operated from carriers by the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy. Trained in the US, RNFAA pilots including Canadian Lt. Robert Hampton Gray were deployed on carriers such as HMS Formidable and Victorious and carried out daring fighter escort and attack operations in the North Atlantic. This included the famous raids against the holed-up German battleship Tirpitz. HMS Formidable also fought in the Pacific theatre later in the war where Lt. Gray won the Victoria Cross. The Vintage Wings of Canada Corsair, presently in standard U.S. “shipyard blue” markings, will be painted in markings to honour Hampton Gray.
-Vintage Wings of Canada-
noun
a machine capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically, esp. one programmable by a computer.
• (esp. in science fiction) a machine resembling a human being and able to replicate certain human movements and functions automatically.
• used to refer to a person who behaves in a mechanical or unemotional manner : terminally bored tour guides chattering like robots.
ORIGIN from Czech, from robota ‘forced labor.’ The term was coined in K. Čapek's play R.U.R. ‘Rossum's Universal Robots’ (1920).
Blue and yellow in charge of the mail train today as #4038 brings QNYLA up the hill at Edelstein, Illinois, October 13th 1991.
The BMP-2 (Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty, Russian: Боевая Машина Пехоты, literally "combat machine/vehicle (of the) infantry") is an amphibious infantry fighting vehicle introduced in the 1980s in the Soviet Union, following on from the BMP-1 of the 1960s.
Although the BMP-1 was a revolutionary design, its main armament, the 2A28 Grom and the 9S428 ATGM launcher capable of firing 9M14 Malyutka (NATO: AT-3A Sagger A) and 9M14M Malyutka-M (NATO: AT-3B Sagger B) ATGMs, quickly became obsolete. Therefore, the Soviet Union decided to produce an updated and improved version of the BMP-1. The main emphasis was put on improving the main armament. In 1972, work got under-way to develop an improved version of the BMP-1.
During its combat debut in the Yom Kippur War, Egyptian and Syrian BMPs proved vulnerable to .50 calibre machine-gun fire in the sides and rear, and to 105 mm M40 recoilless rifles. The 2A28 Grom proved inaccurate beyond 500 metres, and the 9M14 Malyutka missile could not be guided effectively from the confines of the turret.
Several Soviet technical teams were sent to Syria in the wake of the war to gather information. These lessons, combined with observations of western AFV developments, resulted in a replacement project for the original BMP in 1974. The result was the BMP-1P upgrade, which was intended as a stopgap to address the most serious problems with the existing design.
Smoke grenade launchers were added to the rear of the turret and the manually guided 9M14 Malyutka missile system was replaced with the semi-automatically guided 9K111 Fagot / 9M113 Konkurs system. The BMP-1P was in production by the late 1970s. Existing BMP-1s were gradually upgraded to the BMP-1P standard during the 1980s.
The BMP-2 is broadly similar to the BMP-1. The most significant changes are:
The commander now sits with the gunner in an enlarged, two-man turret.
Armament changed to the 2A42 30 mm autocannon and the 9P135M ATGM launcher capable of firing SACLOS guided 9M111 "Fagot" (AT-4 Spigot), 9M113 "Konkurs" (AT-5 Spandrel) and 9M113M "Konkurs-M" (AT-5B Spandrel B) anti-tank missiles.
Only seven troops can be carried instead of eight.
Two rear infantry roof hatches instead of four.
Slightly improved armour.
In the centre of the vehicle is the welded steel turret, which seats the commander and gunner, both of whom have hatches. The commander sits to the right and has three day-vision periscopes, a 1PZ-3 day-sight designed for anti-aircraft use with 1.2× and 4× magnification, an OU-3GA2 infra-red searchlight, a TNP-165A designator and a TKN-3B binocular sight with 4.75× day magnification and 4× night-sight magnification.
The gunner sits to the commander's left and has a smaller rectangular hatch with a rearward-facing day periscope. There are three other day periscopes facing forward and left. The gunner has a BPK-1-42 binocular sight with a moon/starlight vision range of 650 metres, or 350 metres using the infra-red searchlight, and a TNPT-1 designator. An FG-126 infra-red searchlight is mounted coaxially to the 30 mm cannon.
The driver sits in the front left of the vehicle, with the engine in a separate compartment to his right. The driver has his own entry hatch above him, with three day-vision periscopes. The centre TNPO-170A periscope can be replaced with either a TNPO-350B extended periscope for amphibious operation or a TVNE-1PA night vision scope. An infantryman sits immediately behind the driver, and has a firing port and vision block. TNPO-170A periscopes are used throughout the vehicle and are electrically heated.
In the BMP-1 and BMP-2, ammunition is stored near or even inside the compartment, which can lead to a catastrophic failure in case of a hull breach.
The BMP-1 and BMP-2 share the same chassis and have almost identical road performance. The BMP-2 is heavier, but also has a more powerful engine to compensate.
The BMP-2 is amphibious with little preparation, using hydrodynamic fairings to convert track momentum into water jets. Peacetime regulations require that any BMPs entering water must have a working radio set, since its bearings are not airtight and it can be carried away by currents in case of loss of engine power (the vehicle lacks an anchor).
The main armament is a turret with a stabilized 30 mm 2A42 autocannon with dual ammunition feeds, which provide a choice of 3UBR6 AP-T and 3UOR6 HE-T / 3UOF8 HE-I ammunition and 9M113 Konkurs ATGM. The gun has a selectable rate of fire, either slow at 200 to 300 rounds per minute or fast at 550 rounds per minute. This gives a continuous fire time of 100–150 seconds (or only 55 seconds, depending on the rate of fire chosen) before running out of ammunition. The original stabilization provides reasonable accuracy up to a speed of about 35 kilometres per hour.
The AP-T ammunition can penetrate 15 millimetres of armour at sixty degrees at 1,500 metres. A new APDS-T tungsten round can penetrate 25 millimetres at the same distance. A typical ammunition load is 160 rounds of AP ammunition and 340 rounds of HE ammunition. The ammunition sits in two trays located on the turret rear floor. The gun can be fired from either the commander's or the gunner's station.
The commander's 1PZ-3 sight is specifically designed for anti-aircraft operation. Combined with the high maximum elevation of 74 degrees, it allows the 30 mm cannon to be used effectively against helicopters and slow flying aircraft. The turret traverse and elevation are powered and it can traverse 360 degrees in 10.28 seconds and elevate through 74 degrees in 12.33 seconds.
Reloading the BMP-2's 30 mm cannon can be somewhat problematic and can take up to two hours, even if the ammunition is prepared. The cannon is normally only used on the slow rate of fire, otherwise, fumes from the weapon would build up in the turret faster than the extractor fan can remove them.[citation needed]
The effective range of the 30 mm cannon is up to 1,500 metres against armour, 4,000 metres against ground targets, and 2,500 metres against air targets.
A coaxial 7.62 mm PKT machine gun is mounted to the left of the 30 mm cannon. 2,000 rounds of ammunition are carried for it. On the roof of the turret is an ATGM launcher. On Russian vehicles this fires 9M113 Konkurs missiles. On export models it normally fires 9K111 Fagot missiles. A ground-mount for the missile is carried, allowing it to be used away from the vehicle. The missiles are a substantial improvement on the 9M14 Malyutka missiles used on the BMP-1, in both range and accuracy.
Behind the turret is the troop compartment that holds six troops. A seventh sits just behind the driver. The troops sit back to back, along the center of the vehicle. Down each side of the compartment are three firing ports with periscopes. Access to the compartment is by the two rear doors, which hold fuel tanks. Both doors have integral periscopes. The left door has a firing port.
In addition to the main weapons, it can carry a man-portable surface-to-air missile launcher and two missiles, and an RPG launcher and five rounds. The vehicle is fitted with a PAZ overpressure NBC system and fire suppression system, and carries a GPK-59 gyrocompass.
The original BMP-1 had a vulnerability in its mine protection scheme, which only became obvious during the war in Afghanistan. The one-man-turret fighting vehicle seated its driver and commander in tandem layout, in the front-left side of the hull alongside the diesel engine. When a BMP-1 hit a tilt-rod anti-tank land mine its steeply sloped lower front glacis armour plate allowed the mine's arming rod to tilt with little resistance until the maximum deflection was reached, at which time the mine was already well under the chassis.
When it subsequently detonated, the blast usually killed both the driver and the vehicle commander. This shortcoming was addressed in the BMP-2 design, where the tank commander shares the well-armoured two-man turret with the gunner. The driver's station has been enlarged and he is provided with an armored driver's seat, in addition to extra belly armor in the lower front.
The IFV lacks the ability to install add-on protection packages like slat armor cages or explosive reactive armor (ERA). The BMP-2's armor is very similar to the original BMP-1, resistant to 23 mm armor-piercing rounds on its frontal arc from 500 meters (and immune to 12.7 mm armor-piercing from the same angle) and to 7.62x39 mm armor-piercing rounds to its sides. Its armor is slightly thinner than the BMP-1's but the higher-quality steel used in its construction grants it the same effective protection.
The basic hull armor on the BMP-2 can be easily penetrated by any shaped-charge missile, from the 66 mm LAW on up. One important modification carried out as the result of operational experience in Afghanistan was the fitting of a second layer of stand-off armor, usually a high resistant ballistic rubber-like material, to act as spaced armour around the top of the hull sides and around the turret.
According to Russian sources, the vehicles repaired as of November 2023 are equipped with attachments to install additional protection kits.
Trailer 🎬 👉 youtu.be/sgtpBrDLSIQ
🔸Capable ( Kaabil 2017 ) India ⭐7.3/10 - 76% Liked.
🔸Director: .................... Sanjay Gupta
🔸Cast: .......................... Hrithik Roshan, Yami Gautam, Ronit Roy
🔸Runtime: ................... 2h 19min
🔸Genre: ....................... Action | Drama | Romance | Thriller
🔸Rated: ........................ NR
🔸Country: .................... India
🔸Language: ................. Hindi
🔸Studio: ....................... Film Kraft
🔸Budget: ..................... $14 million
🔸Synopsis: A blind man goes out for revenge for the murder of his wife by two evil brothers.
As time progressed, smartphones became more and more capable on the photographic side. And actual top models can really surprise delivering better results and capabilities than small sensor compact cameras. The P10 uses the most capable twin camera with Leica optics and two sensors combining data into one image. The pixels are still very small and the focal length sometimes a bit limiting, but the focusing is very fast, dynamic range is surprisingly good, and the level of details impressive especially in DNG. Finally a smartphone, which produces images usable for more than showing on the screen, when the need is there.
The second generation of the midsize Mercedes-Benz SUV gets more than a renaming to GLC from GLK; this versatile new SUV, which goes on sale in December, is an entirely different, larger and more capable vehicle. The 2016 GLC design makes a clear departure from the GLK with a sleek, emotionally inspired form and a more dynamic presence.
SOL Austin: Net-Zero Capable
Photos by DeLea Becker @ Beck-Reit and Sons, Ltd.
Beck-Reit and Sons Ltd., an Austin General Contractor, has been working on sustainable construction methods since they day we started building houses. Our desire to build a better house, led us to develop the SOL (Solutions Oriented Living) subdivision in East Austin. We partnered with local architect, KRDB, to design, develop and build a net-zero capable sub-division centered around a community of 40 modern homes. Thru passive design, efficient building envelope and solar power these homes can produce more energy than they consume. The homes have been rated 4-5 star by the Austin Energy Green Building Program. SOL Austin has received national attention and has been featured in the New York Times, Metro-Homes and DIY Network’s, This New House.
This 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom home has 1538 square feet. The Master Suite features a second story balcony, and the open living, dining, kitchen floor plan is ideal for entertaining.
Hmm..... Well my brain works a little differently to most.. It's childlike!
My knowledge is small..but my imagination is MASSIVE!!
I spend time worrying about this..And about getting left behind!
Sometimes I wonder if I have enough skills. But I guess it all comes down to whether or not I am capable! And YES! I may be a little eccentric to some..But I'm a Mum (a fun one at that or so he always tells me!) I run my own little business and also do a small job on the side.. I look after my little family and furry friends and I try my best to spread sunshine wherever I go!
As for being left behind..Most of the time the world in my head is more fun anyway..
Feel free to come along!
Oh yeah but the picture... Is inspired by my Mum telling me as a child that she needed
to be an octopus to get EVERYTHING done..And my Mum is the most capable lady I know!
She says that the downside to being capable is that you will work HARD..
The more incapable you act the more people will do for you.
But I know full well that if she got to do it all again she wouldn't change a thing!
P.S.. I know it's a squid... My Jacob LOVES squids!
Thanks for stopping by! I hope it kinda makes sense!!??
The Focusun 10T sea water flake ice machine is capable of producing almost 10.000 KG of ice in just 24 hrs. The Chinese company produces high quality plants using only the best quality parts from world renowned companies. Focusun produces all its machines in Mainland China. Also in Focusun's long list of product catalog with different capacities include: Block Ice Machine, Tube Ice Plant, Cold Storage, Artificial Ice/Snow Maker, Cube Ice Machine, Plate Ice Plant, Ice Crushers, Ice Compactors, Water Cooling Systems, Ice Bagging Machines, Air Cooling Systems, Diesel Generators and more...
Also see;
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SOL Austin: Net-Zero Capable
Photos by DeLea Becker @ Beck-Reit and Sons, Ltd.
Beck-Reit and Sons Ltd., an Austin General Contractor, has been working on sustainable construction methods since the day we started building houses. Our desire to build a better house led us to develop SOL (Solutions Oriented Living) subdivision in East Austin. We partnered with local architect, KRDB, to design, develop and build a net-zero capable sub-division centered around a community of 40 modern homes. Thru passive design, efficient building envelope and solar power these homes can produce more energy than they consume. The homes have been rated 4-5 star by the Austin Energy Green Building Program. SOL Austin has received national attention and has been featured in the New York Times, Metro-Homes, DIY Network’s "This New House", Builder Magazine, and Green Builder Magazine.
In 1935, the US Bureau of Commerce launched a competition for a new regional airliner--an aircraft capable of servicing small rural airports, that would pick up passengers and shuttle them to the larger airports. This was something of a precursor to the "hub and spoke" business model of modern airliners, and the Bureau of Commerce hoped it would spark investment in airports and air infrastructure in rural areas--something very important to the Roosevelt New Deal. Lockheed, Beech, and Barkley-Grow all responded with designs, but only Lockheed's Model 12 Electra Junior won the competition in 1936--Lockheed had developed the Model 12 so fast that the Beech Model 18 and the Barkley-Grow T8P were not even at prototype stage yet.
Lockheed had achieved this speed of development by simply downsizing the Lockheed Model 10 Electra: reducing the fuselage size to carrying six passengers instead of ten. Other than the smaller dimensions, everything else was identical to the Electra, which Lockheed hoped would be a selling point: the Model 10 had experienced modest success, and airlines could have some commonality in parts and pilot experience between the Electra and Electra Junior. Since the latter kept exactly the same engines as the Model 10, it was fast, almost as fast as USAAC fighters then in service.
Unfortunately for Lockheed, while the US government liked the Electra Junior, airlines didn't: very few ordered them, especially in the cash-strapped Depression years. Lockheed had marginally better luck with government contracts, selling 36 to the Netherlands for use in the Dutch East Indies (modern Indonesia). British Airways (no relation to the modern version) had two for commuter flights in Europe: in reality, these aircraft were equipped with hidden cameras, used by British intelligence to photograph potential targets in Germany and Italy before the war. As the United States geared up for World War II, more Electra Juniors were ordered as the UC-40; these would be used during the war in the executive transport role.
Once the United States entered the war after Pearl Harbor, Lockheed halted production in favor of the P-38 Lightning fighter. There was some hope that production would restart after the war ended, but this never happened, and only 132 Electra Juniors were built. A number have survived to the present, some flyable.
This aircraft was built as 38-0540, and was delivered to the USAAC in 1939. It would spend the war acting as a general transport and "hack" aircraft for various USAAC/USAAF airfields, mainly in the South. In 1945, it was deemed surplus and sold, and was bought by a private owner. It was kept flyable, and in 1992 was picked up by a warbird collector. Yanks Air Museum of Chino, California bought 38-0540 in 1998 and it underwent a full restoration to its prewar appearance, returning to the air in 2006. It remains flyable.
It's always something to see an aircraft that you can see your reflection in, especially when that aircraft is 83 years old. 38-0540 is maintained the way it would have looked on delivery to Maxwell Field, Alabama, with prewar markings.
EDIT: Sadly, this aircraft crashed with the loss of two people in June 2024. Losing such a vintage aircraft is terrible enough, but in the end, aircraft are just things. Lives are not. A sad day.
a view from slightly above ...
Cusyomized VW Beetle ' Baja ' style -
Dune Buggy .. Off road capable ..
Guildford - Surrey -UK
Better writing and coverage than I am capable of here:
ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2012/03/pet-rocks/holmes-text
When we stopped so I could shoot this a pretty good sized critter went loping across the field. I immediately thought it was a coyote, and had I not been able to zoom in I'd have lived happily with that conclusion. However, I was able to zoom in a good bit and to my surprise I was looking at a monstrous Jackrabbit. Monstrous. I couldn't even believe it. The photo of the rock turned out better.
Capable of 100 mph and built in 2000 in Zaragoza, Spain to replace Class 308 units on the Wharfedale and Airedale routes. Seen departing from Keighley heading for Leeds on 29/10/2017. It's starting station was Skipton. © Peter Steel 2017.
Wild Thang (capable of producing weather changing flames reaching over 20 feet in the air) at Friends of Steve McQueen Car Show to benefit Boys Republic, Chino Hills CA
DSC06284 2014 06 07.1080