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Edited Spitzer Space Telescope image of IRAS 19312+1950 which is at the center of the image and is either a very old star or a very young star.

 

Original caption: For years, astronomers have puzzled over a massive star lodged deep in the Milky Way that shows conflicting signs of being extremely old and extremely young.

 

Researchers initially classified the star as elderly, perhaps a red supergiant. But a new study by a NASA-led team of researchers suggests that the object, labeled IRAS 19312+1950, might be something quite different -- a protostar, a star still in the making.

 

"Astronomers recognized this object as noteworthy around the year 2000 and have been trying ever since to decide how far along its development is," said Martin Cordiner, an astrochemist working at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. He is the lead author of a paper in the Astrophysical Journal describing the team's findings, from observations made using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope and ESA's Herschel Space Observatory.

 

Located more than 12,000 light-years from Earth, the object first stood out as peculiar when it was observed at particular radio frequencies. Several teams of astronomers studied it using ground-based telescopes and concluded that it is an oxygen-rich star about 10 times as massive as the sun. The question was: What kind of star?

 

Some researchers favor the idea that the star is evolved -- past the peak of its life cycle and on the decline. For most of their lives, stars obtain their energy by fusing hydrogen in their cores, as the sun does now. But older stars have used up most of their hydrogen and must rely on heavier fuels that don't last as long, leading to rapid deterioration.

 

Two early clues -- intense radio sources called masers -- suggested the star was old. In astronomy, masers occur when the molecules in certain kinds of gases get revved up and emit a lot of radiation over a very limited range of frequencies. The result is a powerful radio beacon -- the microwave equivalent of a laser.

 

One maser observed with IRAS 19312+1950 is almost exclusively associated with late-stage stars. This is the silicon oxide maser, produced by molecules made of one silicon atom and one oxygen atom. Researchers don't know why this maser is nearly always restricted to elderly stars, but of thousands of known silicon oxide masers, only a few exceptions to this rule have been noted.

 

Also spotted with the star was a hydroxyl maser, produced by molecules comprised of one oxygen atom and one hydrogen atom. Hydroxyl masers can occur in various kinds of astronomical objects, but when one occurs with an elderly star, the radio signal has a distinctive pattern -- it's especially strong at a frequency of 1612 megahertz. That's the pattern researchers found in this case.

 

Even so, the object didn't entirely fit with evolved stars. Especially puzzling was the smorgasbord of chemicals found in the large cloud of material surrounding the star. A chemical-rich cloud like this is typical of the regions where new stars are born, but no such stellar nursery had been identified near this star.

 

Scientists initially proposed that the object was an old star surrounded by a surprising cloud typical of the kind that usually accompanies young stars. Another idea was that the observations might somehow be capturing two objects: a very old star and an embryonic cloud of star-making material in the same field.

 

Cordiner and his colleagues began to reconsider the object, conducting observations using ESA's Herschel Space Observatory and analyzing data gathered earlier with NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. Both telescopes operate at infrared wavelengths, which gave the team new insight into the gases, dust and ices in the cloud surrounding the star.

 

The additional information leads Cordiner and colleagues to think the star is in a very early stage of formation. The object is much brighter than it first appeared, they say, emitting about 20,000 times the energy of our sun. The team found large quantities of ices made from water and carbon dioxide in the cloud around the object. These ices are located on dust grains relatively close to the star, and all this dust and ice blocks out starlight making the star seem dimmer than it really is.

 

In addition, the dense cloud around the object appears to be collapsing, which happens when a growing star pulls in material. In contrast, the material around an evolved star is expanding and is in the process of escaping to the interstellar medium. The entire envelope of material has an estimated mass of 500 to 700 suns, which is much more than could have been produced by an elderly or dying star.

 

"We think the star is probably in an embryonic stage, getting near the end of its accretion stage -- the period when it pulls in new material to fuel its growth," said Cordiner.

 

Also supporting the idea of a young star are the very fast wind speeds measured in two jets of gas streaming away from opposite poles of the star. Such jets of material, known as a bipolar outflow, can be seen emanating from young or old stars. However, fast, narrowly focused jets are rarely observed in evolved stars. In this case, the team measured winds at the breakneck speed of at least 200,000 miles per hour (90 kilometers per second) -- a common characteristic of a protostar.

 

Still, the researchers acknowledge that the object is not a typical protostar. For reasons they can't explain yet, the star has spectacular features of both a very young and a very old star.

 

"No matter how one looks at this object, it's fascinating, and it has something new to tell us about the life cycles of stars," said Steven Charnley, a Goddard astrochemist and co-author of the paper.

 

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, manages the Spitzer Space Telescope mission, whose science operations are conducted at the Spitzer Science Center. Spacecraft operations are based at Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, Littleton, Colorado.

 

Herschel is an ESA space observatory with science instruments provided by European-led principal investigator consortia and with important participation from NASA.

Classified Summit Drive Thru, Monday, March 22, 2021 from 11:30 am - 2 pm

My naked body is currently at the very top of the Top 8 Paid Classifieds. I consider this an achievement. ;D And yes, EVERYTHING I’m wearing is from Adam n Eve, except my shape. They do a little bit of everything!

 

Description:

Employer – Sachi Vixen (Adam n Eve)

Backdrop – My beach.

Photographer – Scar Ayres

Models (Left to Right) – Scar Ayres

Skin – Adam n Eve – Venus T4 Tone (Red Rocket)

Shape – A.D. Studios – Beach Babe Shape (AE Fitted)

Eyes – Adam n Eve – Vivid Eyes

Hair – Adam n Eve – Rumpled (Black Dark)

Bikini – Adam n Eve – Adam n Eve Costume (Summer)

Manicure/Pedicure – Adam n Eve – Finger/Toe Nails (Crimson)

 

From the August/September 1988 Edition of School Bus Fleet. I am not claiming ownership for this picture and am only uploading for archival purposes.

A guided walking tour of Vieux Lyon. The tour would take around an hour.

 

The Vieux Lyon (English: Old Lyon) is the largest Renaissance district of Lyon in the 5th arrondissement of Lyon.

 

This zone is served by the metro line D

 

In 1954, Vieux-Lyon, the city's oldest district, became the first site in France to be protected under the Malraux law to protect France's cultural sites. Covering an area of 424 hectares at the foot of the Fourvière hill, it is one of Europe’s most extensive Renaissance neighborhoods. There are three distinct sections: Saint Jean, Saint Paul and Saint Georges.

 

The Saint Jean quarter: in the Middle Ages, this was the focus of political and religious power. The Cathedral of St Jean, seat of the Primate of Gaul, a title still conferred upon the archbishop of Lyon, is a good example of Gothic architecture. The Manecanterie adjoining the cathedral is one of Lyon's few extant Romanesque buildings. Formerly a choir school, it now houses the museum of the cathedral’s treasures. Saint Jean is also home to the Museum of Miniatures and Film Sets, located in a building that was the Golden Cross Inn in the 15th century.

 

The Saint-Paul section: in the 15th and 16th centuries predominately Italian banker-merchants moved into sumptuous urban residences here called hôtels particuliers. The Hôtel Bullioud and the Hôtel de Gadagne are two magnificent examples and the latter now houses the Lyon Historical Museum and the International Puppet Museum. The Loge du Change stands as testimony to the period when trade fairs made the city wealthy. The Saint Paul church with its Romanesque lantern tower and its spectacular spire mark the section’s northern extremity.

 

The Saint Georges section: silk weavers settled here beginning in the 16th century before moving to the Croix Rousse hill in the 19th century. In 1844, the architect Pierre Bossan rebuilt the St George's Church on the banks of the Saônein a neo-Gothic style. In the Middle Ages, when there were only a few parallel streets between the hill and the Saône, the first traboules were built. Derived from the Latin trans-ambulare, meaning to pass through, traboules are corridors through buildings and their courtyards, connecting one street directly with another. Visitors can discover an architectural heritage of galleries and spiral staircases in these secret passageways, as unexpected as they are unique.

  

The walking tour ended in Place Saint-Jean near Lyon Cathedral.

 

The Place Saint-Jean is an old pedestrian square in the 5th arrondissement of Lyon (a.k.a. the "vieux Lyon", which means the oldest borough of Lyon). It is located in front of the Roman Catholic cathedral of Saint-Jean.

 

The square belongs to the zone classified as World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

 

The Place Saint-Jean is located near the metro station: Vieux-Lyon – Cathédrale Saint-Jean. It is served by line D.

  

Place Saint-Jean (Lyon)

 

It is the oldest place in Lyon.

 

On January 10, 1794 , the square was renamed Place du Temple de la Raison (or Place de la Reason).

 

In 1844 a fountain designed by the Lyon architect René Dardel is built in the center of the square. It reproduces a small ancient temple in a neo-renaissance style housing a sculpture of Saint John the Baptist baptizing Christ , realized by Jean-Marie Bonnassieux .

 

In the 1850s , the street connecting the square to Tramassac Street was enlarged (in yellow on the map). Later, this street had to be further enlarged and aligned in order to completely open the square whose eastern facades were to be aligned. The Rue des Antonins was also to be enlarged. This part of the project (orange part on the plan) has never been realized. In 1852 a wholesale market was inaugurated on this square. A project carried out in the 1930s even began to transplant this function of wholesale trade to the whole of the district of Vieux Lyon by making a tabula rasa of the preexisting buildings; This project is adjourned and then definitively buried by the Second World War.

  

Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste.

 

Lyon Cathedral

 

Lyon Cathedral (French: Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Lyon) is a Roman Catholic church located on Place Saint-Jean in Lyon, France. The cathedral is dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, and is the seat of the Archbishop of Lyon.

 

The cathedral was founded by Saint Pothinus and Saint Irenaeus, the first two bishops of Lyon. The cathedral is also known as a "Primatiale" because in 1079 the Pope granted to the archbishop of Lyon the title of Primate of All the Gauls with the legal supremacy over the principal archbishops of the kingdom. It is located in the heart of the old town (Vieux Lyon), less than five minutes away from the banks of the Saône river, with a large plaza in front of it and a metro stop nearby providing easy access to and from the city centre.

 

Begun in the twelfth century on the ruins of a 6th-century church, it was completed in 1476. The building is 80 meters long (internally), 20 meters wide at the choir, and 32.5 meters high in the nave. The cathedral organ was built by Daublaine and Callinet and was installed in 1841 at the end of the apse and had 15 stops. It was rebuilt in 1875 by Merklin-Schütze and given 30 stops, three keyboards of 54 notes and pedals for 27.

 

Noteworthy are the two crosses to right and left of the altar, preserved since the council of 1274 as a symbol of the union of the churches, and the Bourbon chapel, built by the Cardinal de Bourbon and his brother Pierre de Bourbon, son-in-law of Louis XI, a masterpiece of 15th century sculpture.

 

The cathedral also has the Lyon Astronomical Clock from the 14th century.

 

Until the construction of the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière, it was the pre-eminent church in Lyon.

  

defaced statues

Classified Harp White Chain Link Thong Sandal. Looking for something comfortable but suitable for a warm weathered formal event? Turn to this bedazzled sandal! It features a two tone gold insole and lining as well as rhinestones embedded in the decorative chain link upper. Heel is one quarter inch high. Tan flex sole. Available in whole and half sizes. Fit is true to size to just a bit large. All man made materials. Imported.

$21 @ Lulus.com

Classified by DOC as a weed, Old Man's Beard can grow up to 10m in a year and smother native plants. This beast is now in the bin but it's pretty hardy stuff. On the plus-side, the seed heads do look pretty cool and makes for fun macro photography opportunities.

 

Dispose of carefully!

  

When I was visiting my mother in Pretoria, South Africa in October 2013, I dug a box of my stuff that out of storage. I had put it in the cellar back in 1989 when I moved to Europe. The stuff inside was interesting, as was the packing material I had used, namely the Classified section of The Saturday Star (Johannesburg). It's fascinating to see what was happening in the Transvaal a quarter of a century ago, what was selling and at what prices. This scan is an extract of page 3 of the Classifieds in The Saturday Star of March 3, 1989.

From the August/September 1988 Edition of School Bus Fleet. I am not claiming ownership for this picture and am only uploading for archival purposes.

What I assume to be a water tank. The bathrooms are in the small building to the right.

Classified Rhiana Black Flat Strappy Sandal is the classic shoe back for another season. Thong style upper in black faux leather on a tan foot bed with white stitching. Elasticized back strap. 1/2" heel on a non skid flex sole. Available in whole and half sizes. Fit is true to size. All man made materials. Imported.

$15 @ Lulus.com

I had to do this since I had a Clearance. I was sent in to gather any classified documents so I could take them home and put them in my bathroom, nobody would know. We had plans about N. Korea in there, I took it all very seriously.

Lions are top-order predators, but conservation experts have recently classified the species as being 'Vulnerable' in the wild. They estimate that only 16,000 to 30,000 are surviving in sub-Saharan Africa and in a small, isolated population in the Gir Forest in India.

 

Melbourne Zoo has 3 male lions - Kashka, Kito and Kubwa, all born in 2015.

 

The Royal Melbourne Zoological Gardens, commonly known as the Melbourne Zoo, contains more than 320 animal species from Australia and around the world.

Melbourne Zoo is Australia's oldest zoo and was modeled on London Zoo. The zoo was opened on 6 October 1862 at the Royal Park site of 55-acre (22 ha) on land donated by the City of Melbourne.

Classified Powder White Patent Gold Chain Sandal will be your favorite new shoe. Simple thong cross band upper is not mundane with the addition of gold hardware on a shiny black patent. Cushioned tan footbed. Flat heel on a nonskid flex sole. Available in whole and half sizes. Fit is true to size. All man made materials. Imported.

$16 @ Lulus.com

Classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Buses Excetera RX61 HTJ leaves Guildford bus station for Cranleigh on the 24.

 

Its front LEDs weren't working, so I wasn't going to bother taking a photo. Then I realised I didn't have a rear shot of one of the green 'Shrek' StreetLites, so took a shot anyway.

 

Woodbridge Road, Guildford, Surrey.

[Relative nomadism, day 31]

[Coimbra, Portugal]

 

The University of Coimbra, the uptown (“Alta”) and Sofia were classified by UNESCO as World Heritage sites. According to the Rector of the prestigious University of Coimbra, “the decision of UNESCO underlines the universal value of the Portuguese culture and language, as well as the major role played by Portugal in the formation of the world as we know it”. Coimbra becomes the 15th UNESCO World Heritage site in Portugal.

 

Situated on a hill overlooking the city, the University of Coimbra with its colleges grew and evolved over more than seven centuries within the old town. Notable university buildings include the 12th century Cathedral of Santa Cruz and a number of 16th century colleges, the Royal Palace of Alcáçova, which has housed the University since 1537, the Joanine Library with its rich baroque decor, the 18th century Botanical Garden and University Press, as well as the large “University City” created during the 1940s.

 

The University’s edifices became a reference in the development of other institutions of higher education in the Portuguese-speaking world where it also exerted a major influence on learning and literature. Coimbra offers an outstanding example of an integrated university city with a specific urban typology as well as its own ceremonial and cultural traditions that have been kept alive through the ages.

I love my flipside 200, but for everyday use, it's an eyesore, and it's difficult to get into and out of. Great for hiking, bad for blending in with other humans. Sepia was also the right color choice. A black bag would have looked too utilitarian.

Michael Dring was 23 years old when he broke his neck in a road traffic accident, resulting in paralysis from the upper chest down – medically he is classified as having a complete Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) resulting in Tetraplegia (level C6). Between April 2009 and April 2010, friends and family of Michael are attempting to raise money to put towards the purchase of an adapted car which will enable him to drive independently.

 

Location & Dates

Paintworks Event Space| Bath Road | Bristol | BS4 3EH

October 14th 11am - 9pm viewing

October 15th 12 noon - 6pm viewing 7pm Auction

 

There will be music & live painting in the courtyard from 4pm on the 15th from some of the UK's biggest talents.

  

More info can be read on the below link as well as regular updates here and on the GetDringMobile blog

getdringmobile.wordpress.com/

 

banksyforum.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&act...

    

Artist confirmed as donating/creating work for the show so far are

 

Xenz

Mr Jago

SPQR

China Mike

Rourke Vandal

Will Barras

Levi C

James Baker

Angel 41

Dan Kitchener

Ripper 1331

Hero

Grafter

Dell

Ill Joseph

Carrie Reichardt aka The Baroness

Whatson

Nick Walker

Damon Ginandes

K Guy

Eelus

Ben Allen

Mudwig

Dora

Brian Jones

Tom Hine

Eco

Pinky

Guy Mckinley

Andy Council

Ria Hill

Richt

Misteraitch

Milk

Pam Glew

Guy Denning

Replete

Mau Mau

Inkie

Doc

Romanywg

Jody

Dicy

Simon Riley

Tesura

Agent Provocateur

Kay7four

Idiom

CZK

Neverwork

Meexed

Iamcxxx

L.E.T

FAKE

Oliver Winconek

Jef Aersol

Crazy Jake

Ian Francis

Leftery

Rene Gagnon

Dan Baldwin

Cheba

 

Classified - Coke Stage

Photo Credit: Bill Marsh / Calgary Stampede

40D with a 70-200 f/2.8L IS mounted, and a 50mm f/1.4. A 16-35 f/2.8L II will soon be sitting on top of the 50. Fits nicely.

A view of the entire piece (see details in my previous post.)

 

The work is available for purchase on my website unicoherent.com in the "Original Art" section.

One of the 80's properties being revamped in 2020 is none other than G.I. Joe, this time under the "Classified Series" moniker. Manufactured and released by Hasbro, these figures are of the 6 inch scale rather than the 3.75 inch scale figures back in day, so more in line with the last line I actually paid attention to, Sigma 6.. and by pay attention to, I mean I actually knew existed.

 

You see, I'm actually not a G.I. Joe guy... or really any other 80s property outside of Transformers and some TMNT.

 

Well, for whatever reason, these figures have been RIDICULOUSLY hard to find, probably due to a combination of COVID and actual rabid fans hoarding them all. I only was able to get a hold of Scarlett her thanks to some assistance from a collector in London, ON helping me out (@Daniel Koper) where apparently they were much easier to come by.

 

So why Scarlett? She's the only female release in the First Wave, that's why.

 

Real name Shana M. O'Hara, she's one of the G.I. Joe specialists in Counter Intelligence, is skilled in Martial Arts and Acrobatics, and her weapon of choice is the XK-1 Power Crossbow along with knives. There's a whole extensive fictional biography for her (Scarlett is almost 40 years old, you know) that I'm sure some fans could probably recite for me.

 

These figures retail for $29.99 CAD, which is the price point for pretty all of the Hasbro figures based on the Marvel Legends 6 in. body. While I'm not a huge Legends fan, each new product line using it does show some improvements, and I was curious about this.

 

Upon opening the box, you'll get Scarlett complete with Bandolier, her crossbow and three knives. No BAF components with this first Wave, and I'm thinking this is going to stay that way for the purposes of maintaining this price.

 

Much like with a Figma or a Figuarts, if you look at Scarlett you'll immediately recognize some standard Marvel Legends and Hasbro traits. The overall body shape is there. Thigh swivels are still a thing, as are being given hands that clearly are only meant for holding one things (and not having optional parts to swap them out). Another standard feature, namely the lack of paint wherever possible (in this case, the weapons) makes another appearance.

 

Having said that, the amount of paint on Scarlett herself isn't too bad.

 

I remember some people hating on the line (Scarlett in particular) because they were "too colourful" and "anime like". Looking at her Classified Series design and the classic 80s look, she's actually pretty faithful to the original look, while adding some new features. She's now got some gold to break up the yellow of her gloves, gauntlets, boots, and so on, and she now only has chest armour rather than a full torso piece.

 

Her boots are more interesting too, with red soles, and boosters behind her calf. Gauntlets have moulded and painted throwing stars. Of course, there's also that Bandolier I mentioned earlier. There's textures and other similar fabric features moulded into her suit. Overall, her outfit has been given that 2000s sensibility, and I'm digging it.

 

The quality of the paint apps, however, range from pretty sharp to, well, Marvel Legends. Still, that means on the whole, the paint application quality on Scarlett is above the expectations I have of a Marvel Legends product.

 

The head is a bit harder to judge. By itself it's decent. Fairly clean paint work (even the eyes) with freckles. Hair detailing isn't bad and again, features some decent paint work. The only real concern would be the Death Glare, but it's a Hasbro figure, and at least it's a clean looking Death Glare.

 

Of course, then I take a look at reference materials on the box itself.

 

Sure, she's got the right coloured hair, but her hair and facial features are off in comparison to her profile pic on the front and side of the box, and by the art on the back of the box, they missed highlights in her hair and the shape of her eyes and eyebrows are completely off.

 

What are you gonna do?

 

Articulation resulted in some pleasant surprises. Scarlett is without a doubt probably the poseable 6 inch Hasbro figure I've played with in a long time (Transformers are a partnership with Takara Tomy). You get ankle rockers and pivots, double jointed knees, thigh swivel, hips that pull down for more range of motion, an actual waist joint as well as mid torso ball joint, shoulders with chest compress, forearm rotation, single jointed elbows, wrist pivot, neck rotation, and ball jointed head with pivot.

 

I'm not saying Scarlett's a Figuart, but it seems like the G.I. Joe line has built on the improvements of the Lightning Series Power Ranger stuff. The pull down hips and waist add a great amount of posing versatility.

 

The shoulders are interesting with that additional joint that allows the arms to come together/spread further apart. The Power Ranger suits, had a cut in the tunic that allows for maximum range of motion. The potential for increased shoulder motion is there, but the chest section of the figures will need to be slightly reworked.

 

Overall, I'd say the lower body has some great articulation, and the upper body has potential to be great, especially with a shoulder fix and double jointed elbows.

 

Finally there's build quality. Again, all things considered, not too bad. The materials are somewhat soft, but feel stiffer than the stuff that the Lightning Series are made from. I imagine that stiffness is what allows for the various fabric details to show up. Similarly, I found an improvement in the quality of the parts finishes and the build as compared to the Lighting Series figures.

 

The G.I. Joe line up should do well with fans due to nostalgia and general fun in articulation. It's not a line I'm going to get heavily involved in, but I hope those that are into it get an enjoyable ride from the line while it lasts.

 

I'm just happy it seems that Hasbro seems to be getting their head in the game and actually looking at articulation as something that matters. Maybe by the next line, they'll have updated the actual bodies to offer more than one muscle build?

 

Here's hoping!

Classified - Coke Stage

Photo Credit: Bill Marsh / Calgary Stampede

Nancy Rubins’s 5,000 lbs. of Sonny’s Airplane Parts, Linda’s Place, and 550 lbs. of Tire-Wire. Ruby City Art Museum, San Antonio, Texas.

This Hubble Space Telescope image shows a group of interacting galaxies known as LEDA 60847.

 

LEDA 60847 is classified as an active galactic nuclei, or AGN. An AGN has a supermassive black hole in the galaxy's central region that is accreting material. The AGN emits radiation across the entire electromagnetic spectrum and shines extremely brightly. By studying powerful AGNs that are relatively nearby, astronomers can better understand how supermassive black holes grow and affect galaxies.

 

Galaxy mergers are relatively common occurrences. Most larger galaxies are the result of smaller galaxies merging. The Milky Way itself contains traces of other galaxies, indicating it is the product of past mergers. Astronomers believe somewhere between 5% and 25% of all galaxies are currently merging.

 

Credit: NASA/ESA/A. Barth (University of California - Irvine)/M. Koss (Eureka Scientific Inc.)/A. Robinson (Rochester Institute of Technology)/Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America)

 

For more information, visit: science.nasa.gov/missions/hubble/hubble-glimpses-a-bright...

 

Find out more about Hubble's Cosmic Collisions at science.nasa.gov/mission/hubble/hubble-news/hubbles-cosmi...

 

Find us on X, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube

 

One of the 80's properties being revamped in 2020 is none other than G.I. Joe, this time under the "Classified Series" moniker. Manufactured and released by Hasbro, these figures are of the 6 inch scale rather than the 3.75 inch scale figures back in day, so more in line with the last line I actually paid attention to, Sigma 6.. and by pay attention to, I mean I actually knew existed.

 

You see, I'm actually not a G.I. Joe guy... or really any other 80s property outside of Transformers and some TMNT.

 

Well, for whatever reason, these figures have been RIDICULOUSLY hard to find, probably due to a combination of COVID and actual rabid fans hoarding them all. I only was able to get a hold of Scarlett her thanks to some assistance from a collector in London, ON helping me out (@Daniel Koper) where apparently they were much easier to come by.

 

So why Scarlett? She's the only female release in the First Wave, that's why.

 

Real name Shana M. O'Hara, she's one of the G.I. Joe specialists in Counter Intelligence, is skilled in Martial Arts and Acrobatics, and her weapon of choice is the XK-1 Power Crossbow along with knives. There's a whole extensive fictional biography for her (Scarlett is almost 40 years old, you know) that I'm sure some fans could probably recite for me.

 

These figures retail for $29.99 CAD, which is the price point for pretty all of the Hasbro figures based on the Marvel Legends 6 in. body. While I'm not a huge Legends fan, each new product line using it does show some improvements, and I was curious about this.

 

Upon opening the box, you'll get Scarlett complete with Bandolier, her crossbow and three knives. No BAF components with this first Wave, and I'm thinking this is going to stay that way for the purposes of maintaining this price.

 

Much like with a Figma or a Figuarts, if you look at Scarlett you'll immediately recognize some standard Marvel Legends and Hasbro traits. The overall body shape is there. Thigh swivels are still a thing, as are being given hands that clearly are only meant for holding one things (and not having optional parts to swap them out). Another standard feature, namely the lack of paint wherever possible (in this case, the weapons) makes another appearance.

 

Having said that, the amount of paint on Scarlett herself isn't too bad.

 

I remember some people hating on the line (Scarlett in particular) because they were "too colourful" and "anime like". Looking at her Classified Series design and the classic 80s look, she's actually pretty faithful to the original look, while adding some new features. She's now got some gold to break up the yellow of her gloves, gauntlets, boots, and so on, and she now only has chest armour rather than a full torso piece.

 

Her boots are more interesting too, with red soles, and boosters behind her calf. Gauntlets have moulded and painted throwing stars. Of course, there's also that Bandolier I mentioned earlier. There's textures and other similar fabric features moulded into her suit. Overall, her outfit has been given that 2000s sensibility, and I'm digging it.

 

The quality of the paint apps, however, range from pretty sharp to, well, Marvel Legends. Still, that means on the whole, the paint application quality on Scarlett is above the expectations I have of a Marvel Legends product.

 

The head is a bit harder to judge. By itself it's decent. Fairly clean paint work (even the eyes) with freckles. Hair detailing isn't bad and again, features some decent paint work. The only real concern would be the Death Glare, but it's a Hasbro figure, and at least it's a clean looking Death Glare.

 

Of course, then I take a look at reference materials on the box itself.

 

Sure, she's got the right coloured hair, but her hair and facial features are off in comparison to her profile pic on the front and side of the box, and by the art on the back of the box, they missed highlights in her hair and the shape of her eyes and eyebrows are completely off.

 

What are you gonna do?

 

Articulation resulted in some pleasant surprises. Scarlett is without a doubt probably the poseable 6 inch Hasbro figure I've played with in a long time (Transformers are a partnership with Takara Tomy). You get ankle rockers and pivots, double jointed knees, thigh swivel, hips that pull down for more range of motion, an actual waist joint as well as mid torso ball joint, shoulders with chest compress, forearm rotation, single jointed elbows, wrist pivot, neck rotation, and ball jointed head with pivot.

 

I'm not saying Scarlett's a Figuart, but it seems like the G.I. Joe line has built on the improvements of the Lightning Series Power Ranger stuff. The pull down hips and waist add a great amount of posing versatility.

 

The shoulders are interesting with that additional joint that allows the arms to come together/spread further apart. The Power Ranger suits, had a cut in the tunic that allows for maximum range of motion. The potential for increased shoulder motion is there, but the chest section of the figures will need to be slightly reworked.

 

Overall, I'd say the lower body has some great articulation, and the upper body has potential to be great, especially with a shoulder fix and double jointed elbows.

 

Finally there's build quality. Again, all things considered, not too bad. The materials are somewhat soft, but feel stiffer than the stuff that the Lightning Series are made from. I imagine that stiffness is what allows for the various fabric details to show up. Similarly, I found an improvement in the quality of the parts finishes and the build as compared to the Lighting Series figures.

 

The G.I. Joe line up should do well with fans due to nostalgia and general fun in articulation. It's not a line I'm going to get heavily involved in, but I hope those that are into it get an enjoyable ride from the line while it lasts.

 

I'm just happy it seems that Hasbro seems to be getting their head in the game and actually looking at articulation as something that matters. Maybe by the next line, they'll have updated the actual bodies to offer more than one muscle build?

 

Here's hoping!

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