View allAll Photos Tagged Compatibility
This is my very first 'Moc'. The idea was to create a building inspired in the Haussmann style present in most of central Paris, without any piece count limit that would keep the modular compatibility and the minifig scale. So this is not a direct replica of any particular one. The street name is also fictional, there is no 'Boulevard des Lumières' in Paris, but its spirit is highly Parisian.
Hi Culties & Spookies, Time to kick off your weekend shopping just right!
★ Item ★ The Bad Bones heels are unique and would have you barking for more! The Tylor sneakers are decked out and ready for trouble!
★ BadBones Rigged For ★ Reborn ★ Legacy Female ★ Maitreya-X ★ Lara ★ Kupra ★
★ Tylor Rigged For ★ Reborn ★ Legacy Female & Male ★ Maitreya-X ★ Lara ★ Kupra ★ GenX ★ Gianni ★ Jake ★ Kario Flex ★
★ Remember to always try the DEMOS!★Check for Body Type & Body MOD Compatibility★
★ Comes with a Color Control HUD for changeable color options
★ Cult LM ★ maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Cult%20Coven/129/75/33
★ Cult's Social Media Links ★
KISS SHORTS FIT
⊡ 75L Weekend sale
☰ Items Included:
⋮ Color Hud for *Shirt Only*
⋮ 15 Colors
☰ Compatibility with:
☑ Maitreya ☑ Belleza ☑ Slink ☑ Ebody Curvy
This is my very first 'Moc'. The idea was to create a building inspired in the Haussmann style present in most of central Paris, without any piece count limit that would keep the modular compatibility and the minifig scale. So this is not a direct replica of any particular one. The street name is also fictional, there is no 'Boulevard des Lumières' in Paris, but its spirit is highly Parisian.
Hi Culties & Spookies, Time to kick off your weekend shopping just right!
★ Item ★ The Janece heels are simple yet elegant and will go wih any outfit! The Miranda sneakers would be great for any wardrobe!
★ Janece Rigged For ★ Reborn ★ Legacy Female ★ Kupra ★ Lara ★ MaitreyaX ★
★ Miranda Rigged For ★ Reborn ★ Legacy Female ★ Kupra ★ Lara ★ MaitreyaX ★ GenX Curvy
★ Remember to always try the DEMOS!★Check for Body Type & Body MOD Compatibility★
★ Comes with a Color Control HUD for changeable color options
★ Cult LM ★ maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Cult%20Coven/129/75/33
★ Cult's Social Media Links ★
Loki - Everlee Loose Sweater FATPACK
♥ 14 Colors + Sweater Includes 3 Textures; Solid/White Stripes/& Black Stripes.
♥ Each Color Pack Includes HUD for Texture Type; Bow & Panties.
♥ Bow & Panties are Optional.
♡ Body Compatibility:
✿ Maitreya
✿ Legacy + Perky
✿ Ebody Reborn + Waifu Boobs
Taxi ---> E u p h o r i a Event
Hi Culties & Spookies, time for even more sales for your Sunday Leisure!!
★ For 35L Sunday Sale ★ Boss ★ Jenna ★
★ Rigged For ★ Legacy F ★ Reborn ★ Kupra ★ Lara ★
★ Remember to always try the DEMOS!★Check for Body Type & Body MOD Compatibility★
★ Comes with a Color Control HUD for changeable color options
★ Cult LM ★ maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Cult%20Coven/129/75/33
★ Cult's Social Media Links ★
I enjoy producing composite images, which combine elements from two or more individual images, and there are plenty of examples in my Flickr collection. A good result is as much about observational skills as it is about techniques. The first consideration is always perspective; which, amongst other things, is determined by viewing point, proximity to the subject and the focal length of the lens used. Distant objects will always look flatter and less three-dimensional, particularly when photographed with a long lens. It is rarely satisfactory to combine images taken with different focal lengths (for example, wide angle and telephoto). Even the pose adopted by the photographer (crouching as opposed to standing) can affect the compatibility of individual images, as can differences in road camber or gradient. The second considerations is light direction and strength. Critically, all the shadows should be on the same side and each element of the composition should be equally well illuminated. A further consideration is that the level of sharpness should be consistent - a pin sharp object will not sit comfortably alongside another that is blurred or poorly defined. Similar considerations apply to the selected background but there may be more scope for manipulation. For example, it may be possible to distort the background to match the perspective of the objects to be placed on it; or to flip it to better match the light direction. Quite often it is a case of trial-and-error and a lot of time can be spent finding or adapting potential backgrounds (15-Apr-16).
All rights reserved. Follow the link below for terms and conditions, additional information about my work; and to request work from me:
www.flickr.com/photos/northernblue109/6046035749/in/set-7...
This is my very first 'Moc'. The idea was to create a building inspired in the Haussmann style present in most of central Paris, without any piece count limit that would keep the modular compatibility and the minifig scale. So this is not a direct replica of any particular one. The street name is also fictional, there is no 'Boulevard des Lumières' in Paris, but its spirit is highly Parisian.
Hi Culties & Spookies, time for even more sales for your Sunday Leisure!!
★ Item ★ The Tirza heels are hot n smexy and would be great for any collection!
★ ttps://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/CULT-Tirza-Fatpack/25711601
★ Rigged For ★ Maitreya-X ★ Legacy F ★ Reborn ★ Kupra ★ Gen-X ★ Lara ★
★ Remember to always try the DEMOS!★Check for Body Type & Body MOD Compatibility★
★ Comes with a Color Control HUD for changeable color options
★ Cult LM ★ maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Champ/189/200/17
★ Cult's Social Media Links ★
Hi Culties & Spookies, Time to kick off your weekend shopping just right!
★ Item ★ The Denisse boots are sexy and badass! The Delsie heels are studded up and ready to go!
★ Denisse Rigged For ★ Reborn ★ Legacy Female ★ Maitreya-X ★ Lara ★ Kupra ★ GenX Curvy
★ Delsie Rigged For ★ Reborn ★ Legacy Female ★ Maitreya-X ★ Lara ★ Kupra ★ GenX Curvy
★ Remember to always try the DEMOS!★Check for Body Type & Body MOD Compatibility★
★ Comes with a Color Control HUD for changeable color options
★ Cult LM ★ maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Cult%20Coven/129/75/33
★ Cult's Social Media Links ★
Bonsoir Everyone!
-
we are so proud and excited to debut our Suri Collection now available at 2MUCH for our DESPAIRE Skin divisions!
Our Suri Skin is the coveted to be announced in this collection! With over 4 skin tones to choose from for the Genus Classic. Babyface, and Strange heads, we wanted our debut release to apply for everyone.
We are so excited to be teaming up with Studio Exposure for the compatibility of their body appliers so please be sure to stop by their mainstore after purchasing the skin in the desired skin ton!
To test the magic, please be sure to try the Demo in our booth upon purchasing any displayed items!
We are stoked for DESPAIRE and what it will offer to this community and we hope you are buckled in for this spectacular ride!!
Until Next Time,
DESPAIRE ♥
This is my very first 'Moc'. The idea was to create a building inspired in the Haussmann style present in most of central Paris, without any piece count limit that would keep the modular compatibility and the minifig scale. So this is not a direct replica of any particular one. The street name is also fictional, there is no 'Boulevard des Lumières' in Paris, but its spirit is highly Parisian.
PACIFIC OCEAN (Apr. 18, 2021) – Sailors direct an MV-22B Osprey assigned to Air Test and Evaluation (HX) Squadron 21 of Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River, Md., onto Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy’s (T-AH 19) flight deck Apr. 18. Mercy is underway off the coast of Southern California completing Dynamic Interface Testing, where the ship’s aviation facilities will be evaluated for compatibility with the V-22 Osprey and MH-60 Seahawk, and establish launch and recovery windows in adverse weather conditions. Mercy recently returned to its homeport in San Diego from a regular overhaul in Portland, Ore., where improvements were made to its flight deck to support multiple aircraft platforms. Mercy must be in a five-day-activation status in order to support missions over the horizon, and be ready, reliable and resilient to support mission commanders. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jake Greenberg)
Hi Culties & Spookies, Time to kick off your weekend shopping just right!
★ Item ★ The Rylee sandals are a unique gladiator sandal with stud detailing that would look amazing with any outfit!
★ Rigged For ★ Reborn ★ Legacy Female ★ Maitreya-X ★ GEN-X ★ Lara ★
★ Remember to always try the DEMOS!★Check for Body Type & Body MOD Compatibility★
★ Comes with a Color Control HUD for changeable color options
★ Cult LM ★ maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Cult%20Coven/129/75/33
★ Cult's Social Media Links ★
Viking Princess is a liquefied natural gas (LNG)-driven multipurpose offshore vessel owned by Eidesvik Supply and operated by Eidesvik. She was delivered in September 2012 and is the sister ship to Viking Prince, which started sailing in March 2012.
Norwegian shipbuilder Kleven Maritime won a $77.28m (NOK440m) contract by Eidesvik back in July 2010 to build the two sister ships. The keel of the second vessel, Viking Princess, was laid in October 2011 in Kleven Maritime’s yard at Ulsteinvik, Ulstein, Norway. The vessel’s hull was launched in April 2012.
Viking Princess was officially christened by Mette-Marit, the Crown Princess of Norway, on 14 September 2012 in Bergen, Hordaland, Norway.
The vessel is of VS 489 Gas PSV design developed by Wärtsilä Ship Design and is built to DNV class 1A1 ICE-C Supply Vessel, Standby Vessel(S), Oil Rec, Gas Fuelled, and other notations.
Prominent features of the vessel include fuel economy, low emissions, large cargo capacity, oil recovery equipment and capacity for standby. Winterisation and de-icing solutions make her suitable for operations in ice and cold environments.
The vessel’s dual fuel engines allow her to operate on gas as well as heavy fuel oil (HFO) and marine diesel oil (MDO). It is only during LNG bunkering that the vessel uses diesel. The use of LNG will reduce NOx and CO2 emissions by 85% and 25% respectively.
Viking Princess has a gross tonnage of 5,014t and a dead weight of 5,800t. Her overall length, moulded breadth and summer draught are 89.6m, 21m and 7.6m respectively. Length between perpendiculars is 79.2m, while depth to main deck is 9.6m. Cargo deck area of the vessel is 1,050m2 and the height of the cargo rail is 4m.
Accommodation and facilities onboard the Viking Princess
The PSV can provide permanent accommodation for a total of 28 persons. It has four cabin states, 12 one-man cabins and six two-man cabins. All of them are provided with toilet and shower facilities.
Facilities on-board include a no-smokers room, smokers room, laundry and gymnasium. The vessel also has an office and a hospital.
Tank storage capacity and discharge rates
Storage capacities of tanks onboard the Viking Princess are 823m3 of fuel oil, 1,036m3 of fresh water, 1,781m3 of drill water/ballast, 1,392m3 of liquid mud, 210m3 of methanol, 300m3 of dry bulk, 1,667m3 of brine and 243m3 of base oil. The LNG tank can store 233m3.
The discharge rate of fuel oil, fresh water, drill water/ballast and base oil is 150m3/hr per pump. Liquid mud and base oil can be discharged at the rate of 100m3/hr per pump, while methanol and special products can be discharged at the rate of 75m3/hr per pump.
Tank washing is done with hot and cold water. Tanks containing mud, brine and base oil are washed with chemical blended water. All types of liquid cargo on-board the vessel are handled by separate pumps and piping system.
Viking Princess deck equipment
Viking Princess is fitted with two Adria tugger winches and two Adria mooring winches. An Adria anchor / mooring winch is installed forward. There are also two harbour mobile cranes (HMCs), each of which can lift 5t at a 15m outreach.
Viking Princess manoeuvring, navigation and communication systems
The PSV is provided with an integrated manoeuvring, dynamic positioning (DP) and vessel management system. Kongsberg has supplied its K-POS DP-22 DP system and K-Master manoeuvring system for the vessel. Wärtsilä Automation supplied the vessel management system comprising cargo handling and alarm.
The PSV can provide permanent accommodation for a total of 28 persons.
Navigation solution includes three gyrocompasses and an autopilot from Anschutz, two marine radars (3cm and 10cm) with automatic radar plotting aid (ARPA) capability, an FA-150 automatic identification system (AIS), an electronic chart display and information system (ECDIS) and a FE-700 echo sounder. It also includes a DS-80 Doppler log and NX – 700B Navigational Telex (Navtex) from Furuno, a Taiyo VHF direction finder and Gill Ultrasonic wind sensor.
For communication, the vessel is supplied with Furuno, Motorola and Thon-made UHF/VHF stationary and portable radio telephones. These include MF/HF. FS-1570 radio plants, two FM-8800S VHF all-in-one marine VHF radio telephones, three FM-2721 VHF radio telephones, three GM-360 mobile radios, a Thon TR 20 portable radio phone, a GP340 VHF portable radio, and a GM380 stationary radio.
Other notable communication instruments include two Sea Tel 6009 VSAT antennae, two Furuno Felcom 15 InMarSat-Cs with GMDSS compatibility, a Tron 40 S and a Tron 45 SX emergency position indicating radio beacons (EPIRBs), and two Tron SART radar transponders.
Viking Princess machinery and propulsion
Viking Princess is equipped with Wärtsilä’s gas electric propulsion system featuring the low loss voncept (LLC). Instead of four main engines, the vessel is outfitted with two large and two small dual-fuel engines. The larger ones are six-cylinder in-line 34DF engines, each rated at 2,610kW. The smaller ones are six-cylinder 20DF engines, each rated at 1,056kW. Each of them is driven by Alconza main generators (2 x 2,510kW and 2 x1,014kW).
Emergency generator sets include a Volvo Penta D12 engine of 339kW capacity and a Stamford generator of 375kVA.
Propulsion is provided by two Steerprop Sp 35 CRP azimuth propellers, each of 2,450kW. A set of two Brunvoll bow thrusters, each of 1,000kW, and an azimuth thruster of 880kW allow the vessel to manoeuvre smoothly.
ISSA SWIMSUIT
⊡ 75L Weekend sale
☰ Items Included:Color Hud
⋮ 12 Colors
☰ Compatibility with:
☑ Maitreya ☑ Belleza (All) ☑ Slink (Hourglass) Tonic (All) ☑ Legacy ☑ Signature ☑ Ebody Curvy ☑ Altamura ☑ Star Body
Usual shooting frenzy at the beginning of Pont de l'Alma. Eiffel Tower is on the right.
Sony A7
Adapter La-ea4 + Tamron SP AF 70-200mm F2.8 Di LD (IF)
Compatibility issue. AF doesn't work with this model.
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
Following Hungary's membership of NATO in 1999, there were several proposals to achieve a NATO-compatible fighter force. Considerable attention went into studying second-hand aircraft options as well as modifying the nation's existing MiG-29 fleet. In 2001, Hungary received several offers of new and used aircraft from various nations, including Sweden, Belgium, Israel, Turkey, and the US. Although the Hungarian government initially intended to procure the F-16, in November 2001 it was in the process of negotiating a 10-year lease contract for 12 Gripen aircraft from Sweden, with an option to purchase the aircraft at the end of the lease period.
As part of the procurement arrangements, Saab had offered an offset deal valued at 110 per cent of the cost of the 14 fighters. Initially, Hungary had planned to lease several Batch II Saab 39s; however, the inability to conduct aerial refueling and weapons compatibility limitations had generated Hungarian misgivings. The contract was then renegotiated and eventually signed on 2 February 2003 for a total of 14 Gripens, which had originally been A/B standard and had undergone an extensive upgrade process to the NATO-compatible C/D 'Export Gripen' standard. At the same time, the need for an advanced jet trainer as a replacement for the Hungarian Air Force’s last eight MiG-21UM aircraft became more and more imminent. The Gripen two-seaters alone could not cope with this task and were operationally too expensive to be used as trainers, so that Hungary requested an additional offer for a small number of Sk 90 trainers from Swedish surplus stock.
Developed under the designation FSK900, the Saab Sk 90 was a replacement for the Saab 105 (also known as Saab Sk 60) transitional trainer, light attack and reconnaissance aircraft. The FSK900 was a conservative design, with a configurational resemblance to the Dassault-Dornier Alpha Jet, even though the FSK900 was overall bigger and heavier, and the two machines could be easily told apart at a glance.
The Swedish Air Force accepted Saab’s design, leading to a contract for two nonflying static-test airframes and four flying prototypes. Detail design was complete by the end of 1993 and prototype construction began in the spring of 1994, leading to the initial prototype’s first flight on 29 July 1994. The first production Sk 90 A, how the basic trainer type was officially dubbed, was delivered to the Swedish Air Force in 1996.
A total of 108 production Sk 90s were built until 1999 for Sweden in several versions. The initial Sk 90 A trainer was the most common variant and the basis for the Sk 90 B version, which carried a weather radar as well as more sophisticated avionics that enabled the deployment of a wider range of weapons and other ordnance. However, this version was not adopted by the Swedish air force but exported to Austria as the Sk 90 Ö. Another variant was the S 90 C (for “Spaning” = reconnaissance); a small number was produced with a set of cameras in the nose for the Swedish Air Force, where it replaced the ground attack/reconnaissance Sk 60 Cs.
In service, the Sk 90 was regarded as strong, agile, and pleasant to fly, while being cheap to operate. But despite its qualities and potential, the Sk 90 did not attain much foreign interest, primarily suffering from bad timing and from the focus on domestic demands. The aircraft came effectively 10 years too late to become a serious export success, and in the end the Sk 90 was very similar to the Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet (even though it was cheaper to operate), at a time when the German Luftwaffe started to prematurely phase out its attack-capable variant and flooded the global market with cheap secondhand aircraft in excellent condition. Furthermore, the Saab Sk 90 had on the global market with the BAe Hawk another proven competitor with a long and positive operational track record all over the world.
Beyond Hungary, potential Sk 90 buyers were Malaysia as well as Singapore, Myanmar, Finland, and Poland. Austria eventually procured 36 Sk 90 Ö in 2002, replacing its Saab 105 fleet and keeping up its close connection with Saab since the Seventies. A late operator became the independent Republic of Scotland in 2017, with a dozen leased secondhand Saab Sk 90 A trainers which were later purchased.
The Swedish Sk 90 offer for Hungary was a 10-year lease contract similar to the Gripen package, and comprised five refurbished Sk 90 A trainers from the first production batch, which had been stored in Sweden for spares. The Hungarian Sk 90 deal also included an option to purchase the aircraft at the end of their lease period. In parallel, to save maintenance costs for the relatively small fleet of a completely new/different aircraft type, an agreement with neighboring neutral Austria could be arranged to outsource major overhauls to the Austrian Air Force and its newly established Sk 90 Ö service base at Linz – a deal from which both sides benefited. However, to improve flight safety over Austria’s mountainous terrain during these transfer flights, the Hungarian Sk 90 As had a simple navigational radar retrofitted with a small radome in their noses. Otherwise, the machines were basically identical with the original Swedish aircraft.
The aircraft were flown under civil registration from Sweden to Hungary between April and September 2005. To keep the distance to their Austrian service station short, the machines were not allocated to the 59th Air Regiment at Kecskemét Air Base, where the Hungarian Gripen fleet was based, but rather to the 47th Air Regiment at Pápa Air Base in Northwestern Hungary, where the last Hungarian MiG-21UM trainers had been operated. These were fully retired in 2008.
Beyond their primary role as advanced/jet conversion trainers, the Hungarian Sk 90 As were also intended to be used for tactical reconnaissance duties with Orpheus pods with daylight cameras and an infrared line scanner, inherited from the Italian Air Force, as light attack aircraft and ─ armed with gun pods and air-to-air missiles ─ as (anti-tank) helicopter hunters. Reflecting these low-level tasks, the machines received a tactical camouflage in green and tan, similar to the former MiG-21s, instead of the Gripens’ all-grey air superiority scheme.
While the Hungarian Air Force operated its total of 14 Gripen and 5 Sk 90 aircraft under lease, in 2011, the country reportedly intended to purchase these aircraft outright. However, in January 2012, the Hungarian and Swedish governments agreed to extend the lease period for a further ten years. According to Hungarian Defence Minister Csaba Hende, this agreement represented considerable cost savings, so that the running business model was retained. The service agreement with Austria could be extended, too.
One Sk 90 A was lost in a landing accident in May 2016, and two Gripens had to be written off through accidents in the meantime, too. To fill these gaps, Hungary signed a replacement contract in 2018 to come back to its full fleet of 14 Gripen, and the Sk 90 A fleet was expanded to seven aircraft. These new machines were delivered in 2019.
General characteristics:
Crew: two pilots in tandem
Length incl. pitot: 13.0 m (42 ft 8 in)
Wingspan: 9.94 m (32 ft 7 in)
Height: 4.6 m (15 ft 1 in)
Empty weight: 3,790 kg (8,360 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 7,500 kg (16,530 lb)
Powerplant:
2× Williams International FJ44-4M turbofans without reheat, rated at 16.89 kN (3,790 lbst) each
Performance:
Maximum speed: 1,038 km/h (645 mph)
Stall speed: 167 km/h (104 mph, 90 kn)
Range: 1,670 km (900 nm; 1,036 m) with two 450 L (99 imp gal; 120 US gal) drop tanks
Service ceiling: 15,240 m (50,000 ft)
Rate of climb: 51 m/s (10,000 ft/min)
Armament:
No internal gun; five hardpoints for 2,500 kg (5,500 lb) of payload and a variety of ordnance,
including AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles and a conformal, ventral gun pod (not used by the Hungarian
Air Force, instead, UPK-23-250 pods with a fixed twin-barrel GSh-23L cannon and 200-250 rounds
were carried under the fuselage and/or the inner wing hardpoints)
The kit and its assembly:
This additional member of my fictional Sk 90 family came spontaneously when I studied information concerning the MiG-21. I came across the Hungarian trainers and wondered with what they could have been replaced after 2000 – and “my” fictional Sk 90 came to my mind. I also had a suitable decal set in store, so I dug out a(nother) Hasegawa T-4 and created this whiffy Hungarian variant.
The kit is the old/first T-4 mold; Hasegawa did the T-4 twice, and both kits differ considerably from each other in their construction. The first one has a fuselage consisting of two simple halves with separate wings attached to it; the later mold features a separate cockpit section and a single dorsal wing section, so that the wings’ anhedral is ensured upon assembly.
The air intakes are also different: the old mold features ducts which are open at their ends, while the new mold comes with additional inserts for the intakes which end in a concave wall, making them hard to paint. The fin of the old kit consists of two full halves, while the new one has the rudder molded into just one half of the fin for a thinner trailing edge. The same goes for the wings’ upper halves: on the new mold, they comprise the full flaps and ailerons, while the old kit has them split up, resulting in a marginally thicker training edge. However, you can hardly recognize this and it’s IMHO not a flaw.
Personally, I prefer the old kit, because it is much more straightforward and pleasant to build – even though some details like the main landing gear struts are better on the new mold.
The (old) kit itself is relatively simple and fit is quite good, even though some PSR was necessary on almost every seam. The only mods I made are additional emergency handles on the seats (made from thin wire), and I added an Orpheus recce pod under the fuselage with an integral pylon, left over from an Italeri F-104G kit. The OOB underwing pylons were used, together with the original drop tanks.
Painting and markings:
The prime reason for a Hungarian Sk 90 was the paint scheme, and the fact that I have a sweet spot for Hungary in genarl. The livery was adapted from the late Hungarian MiG-21bis, a more or less symmetrical pattern consisting of a yellowish light tan and a bluish dark green, with light blue undersides. It’s actually a very simple paint scheme, and my adaptation is a free interpretation, since the T-4’s layout with shoulder-mounted wings is quite different from the sleek Fishbed with mid-mounted delta wings.
Finding good color matches was not easy, because pictures of reference Hungarian MiG-21s show a wide variety of green and brown shades, even though I assume that this is just weathering. I found some good pictures of a late MiG-21UM trainer with an apparently fresh paint job, and these suggested a hard contrast between the upper tones. With this benchmark I settled for Humbrol 63 (Sand), and Modelmaster 2091 (RLM 82, Dunkelgrün). The undersides were painted with Humbrol 47 (Sea Blue Gloss), since they appeared rather bright and pale in reference pictures.
The cockpit interior was painted in medium grey (Revell 47), the landing gear and the air intakes in white (Revell 301), very conservative. The Orpheus pod was painted in light grey (FS 36375, Humbrol 127) to set it apart from the light blue undersurfaces. The drop tanks were painted in green and blue.
National markings, the large orange “47” decoration and the small emblems on nose and fin came from a Mistercraft MiG-21UM decal sheet. The tactical code in red, etched with white, was created with single digits from a Hungarian Aero Decals (HAD) sheet for Mi-24s, reflecting the aircraft’s (fictional) serial numbers’ final three digits.
Finally, after some light weathering and post-shading (for a slightly sun-bleached look, esp. on the upper surfaces), the kit was sealed with matt acrylic varnish (Italeri).
Number four in my growing Sk 90 family, and certainly not the last one. A quick and simple project since the model itself was built almost OOB, and the “old” Hasegawa T-4 is really a simple build. However, I am amazed (once more) how much potential a T-4 travesty bears: even in Hungarian colors and markings this whif looks disturbingly convincing. The green/brown/blue paint scheme suits the aircraft well, too, even though it looks a lot like an Alpha Jet now, and there’s even a Su-25ish look to it?!
Loki - Emily Ruffle Set FATPACK
♥ 14 Colors
♥ Top & Skirt CANNOT be worn separately.
♥ Skirt includes 2 texture types; Solid & Plaid.
♥ Each Set has Prints in 15 colors + Off option.
♥ Each color pack includes a HUD for Skirt ( 3 Colors ). Bow, Rose, Print, & Panties.
♥ FATPACK has more customization options.
♡ Body Compatibility:
✿ Maitreya X
✿ Legacy + Perky
✿ Ebody Reborn + Waifus + Juicy Boobs.
★ Taxi ---> Loki Mainstore
Hi Culties & Spookies, More Weekly Sales for your shopping pleasure!
★ For K9 Weekend Sale ★ Pepper ★ Tarminiana ★
★ Pepper Rigged For ★ Legacy F ★ MaitreyaX ★ Reborn ★ Kupra ★ MaitreyaOG ★
★ Tarminiana Rigged For ★ Legacy F ★ MaitreyaX ★ Reborn ★ Kupra ★ MaitreyaOG ★
★ Remember to always try the DEMOS!★Check for Body Type & Body MOD Compatibility★
★ Comes with a Color Control HUD for changeable color options
★ Cult LM ★ maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Cult%20Coven/129/75/33
★ Cult's Social Media Links ★
A good thing continues
Some six months ago, I posted almost 100 images and a few thoughts I felt were missing from the many existing RX1 reviews. The outpouring of support and interest in that article was very gratifying. When I published, I had used the camera for six full months, enough time to come to a view of its strengths and weaknesses and to produce a small portfolio of good images, but not enough time to see the full picture (pun intended). In the following six months, I have used the camera at least as frequently as in the first six and have produced another small set of good images. It should be noted that my usage of the RX1 in the last six (and especially in the last 3) months has involved less travel and more time with the family and around the house; I will share relatively few of these images but will spend some time sharing my impressions of its functionality for family snapshots as I am sure there is some interest. And let it be said here: one of the primary motivations to purchase the camera was to take more photos with the family, and after one full year I can confidently say: money well spent.
The A7/r game-changer?
In the past six months, Sony have announced and released two full-frame, interchangeable lens cameras that clearly take design cues from the RX1: the A7 and the A7r. These cameras are innovative and highly capable and, as such, are in the midst of taking the photography world by storm. I think they are compelling enough cameras that I wonder whether Sony is wasting its energy continuing to develop further A-mount cameras. Sony deserve credit for a bold strategy—many companies would have been content to allow the success of the the RX1 (and RX1R) generate further sales before pushing further into the white space left unexplored by camera makers with less ambition.This is not the place to detail the relative advantages and disadvantages of the RX1 versus the A7/r except to make the following point. I currently use a Nikon D800 and an RX1: were I to sell both and purchase the A7r + 35mm f/2.8 I would in many ways lose nothing by way of imaging capability or lens compatibility but would pocket the surplus $1250-1750. Indeed this loyal Nikon owner thought long and hard about doing so, which speaks to the strategic importance of these cameras for a company trying to make inroads into a highly concentrated market.Ultimately, I opted to hang onto the two cameras I have (although this decision is one that I revisit time and time again) and continue to use them as I have for the past year. Let me give you a quick flavor of why.
The RX1 is smaller and more discrete
This is a small a point, but my gut reaction to the A7/r was: much smaller than the D800, not as small as the RX1. The EVF atop the A7/r and the larger profile of interchangeable mount lenses means that I would not be able to slip the A7/r into a pocket the way I can the RX1. Further, by virtue of using the EVF and its loud mechanical shutter, the A7/r just isn’t as stealthy as the RX1. Finally, f/2 beats the pants off of f/2.8 at the same or smaller size.At this point, some of you may be saying, “Future Sony releases will allow you to get a body without an EVF and get an f/2 lens that has a slimmer profile, etc, etc.” And that’s just the point: to oversimplify things, the reason I am keeping my RX1 is that Sony currently offers something close to an A7 body without a built-in EVF and with a slimmer profile 35mm f/2.
The D800 has important functional advantages
On the other side of the spectrum, the AF speed of the A7/r just isn’t going to match the D800, especially when the former is equipped with a Nikon lens and F-mount adapter. EVFs cannot yet match the experience of looking through the prism and the lens (I expect they will match soon, but aren’t there yet). What’s more, I have made such an investment in Nikon glass that I can’t yet justify purchasing an adapter for a Sony mount or selling them all for Sony’s offerings (many of which aren’t to market yet).Now, all of these are minor points and I think all of them disappear with an A8r, but they add up to something major: I have two cameras very well suited to two different types of shooting, and I ask myself if I gain or lose by getting something in between—something that wasn’t quite a pocket shooter and something that was quite a DSLR? You can imagine, however, that if I were coming to the market without a D800 and an RX1, that my decision would be far different: dollar for dollar, the A7/r would be a no-brainer.During the moments when I consider selling to grab an A7r, I keep coming back to a thought I had a month or so before the RX1 was announced. At that time I was considering something like the NEX cameras with a ZM 21mm f/2.8 and I said in my head, “I wish someone would make a carry-around camera with a full frame sensor and a fixed 35mm f/2.8 or f/2.” Now you understand how attractive the RX1 is to me and what a ridiculously high bar exists for another camera system to reach.
Okay, so what is different from the last review?
For one, I had an issue with the camera’s AF motor failing to engage and giving me an E61:00 error. I had to send it out to Sony for repairs (via extended warranty and service plan). I detailed my experience with Sony Service here [insert link] and I write to you as a very satisfied customer. That is to say, I have 3 years left on a 4 year + accidental damage warranty and I feel confident enough in that coverage to say that I will have this beauty in working order for at least another 3 years.For two, I’ve spent significantly less time thinking of this camera as a DSLR replacement and have instead started to develop a very different way of shooting with it. The activation barrier to taking a shot with my D800 is quite high. Beyond having to bring a large camera wherever you go and have it in hand, a proper camera takes two hands and full attention to produce an image. I shoot slowly and methodically and often from a tripod with the D800. In contrast, I can pull the RX1 out, pop off the lens cap, line up and take a shot with one hand (often with a toddler in the other). This fosters a totally different type of photography.
My “be-there” camera
The have-everywhere camera that gives DSLR type controls to one-handed shooting lets me pursue images that happen very quickly or images that might not normally meet the standards of “drag-the-DSLR-out-of-the-bag.” Many of those images you’ll see on this post. A full year of shooting and I can say this with great confidence: the RX1 is a terrific mash-up of point-and-shoot and DSLR not just in image quality and features, but primarily in the product it helps me create. To take this thinking a bit further: I find myself even processing images from the RX1 differently than I would from my DSLR. So much so that I have strongly considered starting a tumblr and posting JPEGs directly from the RX1 via my phone or an iPad rather than running the bulk of them through Lightroom, onto Flickr and then on the blog (really this is just a matter of time, stay tuned, and those readers who have experience with tumblr, cloud image storage and editing, etc, etc, please contact me, I want to pick your brain).Put simply, I capture more spontaneous and beautiful “moments” than I might have otherwise. Photography is very much an exercise in “f/8 and be there,” and the RX1 is my go-to “be there” camera.
The family camera
I mentioned earlier that I justified the purchase of the RX1 partly as a camera to be used to document the family moments into which a DSLR doesn’t neatly fit. Over the past year I’ve collected thousands and thousands of family images with the RX1. The cold hard truth is that many of those photos could be better if I’d taken a full DSLR kit with me to the park or the beach or the grocery store each time. The RX1 is a difficult camera to use on a toddler (or any moving subject for that matter); autofocus isn’t as fast as a professional DSLR, it’s difficult to perfectly compose via an LCD (especially in bright sunlight), but despite these shortcomings, it’s been an incredibly useful family camera. There are simply so many beautiful moments where I had the RX1 over my shoulder, ready to go that whatever difficulties exist relative to a DSLR, those pale in comparison to the power of it’s convenience. The best camera is the one in your hand.
Where to go from here.
So what is the value of these RX1 going forward, especially in a world of the A7/r and it’s yet-to-be-born siblings without an EVF and a pancake lens? Frankly, at its current price (which is quite fair when you consider the value of the the body and the lens) I see precious little room for an independent offering versus a mirrorless, interchangeable lens system with the same image quality in a package just as small. That doesn’t mean Sony won’t make an RX2 or an RX1 Mark II (have a look at it’s other product lines to see how many SKUs are maintained despite low demand). Instead, I see the RX1 as a bridge that needed to exist for engineers, managers, and the market to make it to the A7/r and it’s descendants.A Facebook friend recently paid me a great compliment; he said something like, “Justin, via your blog, you’ve sold a ton of RX1 cameras.” Indeed, despite my efforts not to be a salesman, I think he’s right: I have and would continue to recommend this camera.The true value of the RX1 going forward is for those of us who have the thing on our shoulders; and yes, if you have an investment in and a love for a DSLR system, there’s still tremendous value in getting one, slinging it over your shoulder, and heading out into the wide, bright world; A7/r or no, this is just an unbelievably capable camera.
Credit:
HER Couture
Outfit:
KITTY MESH DRESS
☰ Items Included:Color Hud
⋮ 10 Colors
☰ Compatibility with:
☑ Maitreya ☑ Belleza (Freya/Isis) ☑ Slink (Hourglass) ☑ Ebody Curvy ☑ Tonic (All) ☑ Legacy ☑ Signature
LM: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Secret%20Sands/211/211/3025
This is my very first 'Moc'. The idea was to create a building inspired in the Haussmann style present in most of central Paris, without any piece count limit that would keep the modular compatibility and the minifig scale. So this is not a direct replica of any particular one. The street name is also fictional, there is no 'Boulevard des Lumières' in Paris, but its spirit is highly Parisian.
TOMMY BLAZE SHORTS FIT
75L Weekend sale
☰ Items Included:
⋮ Color Hud
⋮ 12 colors
☰ Compatibility with:
☑ Maitreya ☑ Belleza ☑ Slink
maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Northern%20Lights/32/195/2...
Hi Spookies & Culties, Here is your "must have these Cult Items" Weekend Shopping List!!
★ Item ★ The Yuna foot anklets are cute and dainty and would be great with any outfit!
★ Rigged For ★ Reborn ★ Maitreya-X ★ Kupra ★ GEN-X ★ Legacy ★ Lara ★
★ Featuring Color Hud w/ 10 light colors & 10 dark colors & 3 metal colors!
★ Remember to always try the DEMOS!★ Check for Body Type & Body MOD Compatibility ★
★ Cult LM ★ maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Champ/189/200/17
★ Cult's Social Media Links ★
Former US Air Force Boeing KC-97L Stratofreighter 53-0298 preserved at Warner Robins Air Force Museum, Georgia
Developed from the B-29 bomber, the C-97 was the military version of Boeing's B377 Airliner
'Strats' were used in many forms including Transport, Casevac and Weather Recce along with the tanker versions as here with those two underslung GE J47 Turbo-Jets giving extra speed to allow these ageing Piston-powered machines to service their 'Jet Chicks' - usually performing an extended 'dive' to allow the speed ranges to have some compatibility
In the 1950's the USAF ordered 811 of the KC-97 to provide tanker facilities to their B-47 and B-52 bomber fleets - along with the need to service their ever thirsty fighter 'trade'.
The Strats had two completely different fuel systems - one for their own AvGas and then the Jet fuel to offload.
Replaced by the all-jet KC-135, Strats continued on with Air National Guard units until finally being retired. Spain and Israel also used them in the tanker role
IMG_9548
VOGUEL - [ west end ]
Crèditos - Credits:
melindabaynsl.blogspot.com/2023/11/voguel-west-end.html
Voguel - Scott Skin FATPACK (EVOX) by Anne Voguel (athenna20)
(compatibility with Akeruka as AK EvoX)
I am wearing TAN tone
@DUBAI Event
[ west end ] Bento Poses - Damon - Male Pose Collection by Beloved Ruby
Loki - Kate Pointelle Dress FATPACK
♥ 14 Color Options for Dress, String & Bow.
♥ Each Dress includes HUDS for String, Bow, & Panties.
♥ Panties are Optional.
♥ FATPACK has more customization options.
♡ Body Compatibility:
✿ Maitreya X
✿ Legacy + Perky
✿ Ebody Reborn + Waifu Boobs + Juicy Boobs.
Taxi ---> E q u a l 1 0
A couple appears to be showing different levels of engagement at a tarot parlor at Insadong’s Ssamziegil complex, Seoul, South Korea. Some people take Saju, the general reading of one’s future, seriously. The couple here might be getting a gunhap, a love-life reading during which the fortune teller figures out the couple’s compatibility...
Hi Spookies & Culties, Here is your "must have these Cult Item's" Weekend Shopping List!!
★ Item ★ The Blair Heels will amazing with your fave smexy outfit!
★ Rigged For ★ Reborn ★ Legacy F ★ Maitreya ★ Kupra ★ GEN-X ★
★ Remember to always try the DEMOS!★Check for Body Type & Body MOD Compatibility★
★ Comes with a Color Control HUD for changeable color options
★ Cult LM ★ maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Champ/189/200/17
★ Cult's Social Media Links ★
Full body bento getures (Face, Body & Fingers).
Design based on Catwa & Lelutka female bento heads, tested compatibility with GA.EG female bento heads.
feel free to try DEMO inworld;
Mainstore:-
Hi Culties & Spookies, Time to kick off your weekend shopping just right!
★ Item ★ The Winter Heels have cute lights and charms that will set off any winter outfit.
★ Rigged For ★ Reborn ★ Legacy Female ★ Maitreya ★ Kupra ★
★ Remember to always try the DEMOS!★Check for Body Type & Body MOD Compatibility★
★ Comes with a Color Control HUD for changeable color options
★ Cult LM ★ maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Champ/189/200/17
★ Cult's Social Media Links ★
Finnish Army Soldiers taking part in Exercise Arctic Sheild: The aim of the exercise was to develop the performance of the ground in arctic conditions, to test the skills of a trained group and to increase compatibility with Swedish soldiers December 2018
Photo: Maavoimat - Armén - The Finnish Army
Hi Culties & Spookies, Time to kick off your weekend shopping just right!
★ Item ★ The Mythical Shoes
★ Rigged For ★ Jake ★ Legacy M/F ★ Gianni ★ Kario Flex ★ Reborn ★ GenX ★ MaitreyaX ★ Lara ★
★ Remember to always try the DEMOS!★Check for Body Type & Body MOD Compatibility★
★ Comes with a Color Control HUD for changeable color options
★ Cult LM ★ maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Cult%20Coven/129/75/33
★ Cult's Social Media Links ★
Loki - Angeline Winged Top
♥ 14 Colors
♥ Each Color Pack has HUD for Wings & Metal Part.
♥ Sheer & Solid Options for Wings.
♥ Upper Bows & Wings are Hideable,
♥ FATPACK Has more Customization options
♡ Body Compatibility:
✿ Maitreya
✿ Legacy + Perky
✿ Reborn + Juicy Boobs + Waifu Boobs
Taxi ---> L o k i Mainstore
This is my very first 'Moc'. The idea was to create a building inspired in the Haussmann style present in most of central Paris, without any piece count limit that would keep the modular compatibility and the minifig scale. So this is not a direct replica of any particular one. The street name is also fictional, there is no 'Boulevard des Lumières' in Paris, but its spirit is highly Parisian.
#SecondLifeChallenge June 2009/January 2019
I don't have any of my old system clothing saved, but the shape, hair and skin made up my look ten years ago. I miss my old skin because of it's subtle wrinkles and continue to be on the lookout for one that is comparable to use with my Catwa head. I've tried wrinkle appliers and have not been satisfied with the look and/or the (lack of) compatibility with my hairbase. Until then, Shayla will appear to have aged backwards in the last ten years. *shrugs*
Thanks to Luke Templar for inspiring me on this post. :)
This is my very first 'Moc'. The idea was to create a building inspired in the Haussmann style present in most of central Paris, without any piece count limit that would keep the modular compatibility and the minifig scale. So this is not a direct replica of any particular one. The street name is also fictional, there is no 'Boulevard des Lumières' in Paris, but its spirit is highly Parisian.
This is my very first 'Moc'. The idea was to create a building inspired in the Haussmann style present in most of central Paris, without any piece count limit that would keep the modular compatibility and the minifig scale. So this is not a direct replica of any particular one. The street name is also fictional, there is no 'Boulevard des Lumières' in Paris, but its spirit is highly Parisian.
★ Hot New Release for Reborn Event opens June 22nd, 2024 ★ The Hania heels are sexy with chain details and other unique details that would be great for any collection!
★ Rigged For ★ Legacy F ★ Reborn ★ Maitreya-X ★ Gen-X ★ Kupra ★ Lara ★
★ Comes with a Color Control HUD for changeable color options ★
★ Remember to always try the DEMOS! ★ Check for Body Type & Body MOD Compatibility★
★ Reborn LM: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/eBody/64/251/22
★ Cult's Social Media Links ★
At the beginning of the SPAA system design, the turret was required to have good compatibility to fit in any mainstream tank. As you can see this turret can be placed on a variety of different chassis.
SHADOWMEND Introduces Danzai no Hana: Eyeshadows for Enchanting Shimmering Artistry
Transform your Second Life gaze with Danzai no Hana, a captivating eyeshadow palette designed to unleash your inner artist.
🎨 Features:
12 Vibrant Shimmering Shades: Dive into a kaleidoscope of 12 colors, each infused with mesmerizing shimmer, perfect for creating stunning eye looks.
Versatile Compatibility: Enhance your look with HD EVOX and BoM compatibility.
Endless Possibilities: Explore limitless creativity, from soft, romantic hues to bold, dramatic statements.
🔥 Find Danzai no Hana at The BUMBUM Event! Visit the SHADOWMEND booth to experience the magic firsthand.
✨ maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Sweet%20Daydream/178/216/27
PACIFIC OCEAN (Apr. 19, 2021) – Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Fuels) 1st Class Benny Liman, a Sailor assigned to the embarked Medical Treatment Facility’s Air Department aboard Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19), marshals an MV-22B Osprey assigned to Air Test and Evaluation (HX) Squadron 21 of Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River, Md., to launch from the ship’s flight deck Apr. 19. Mercy is underway off the coast of Southern California completing Dynamic Interface Testing, where the ship’s aviation facilities will be evaluated for compatibility with the V-22 Osprey and MH-60 Seahawk, and establish launch and recovery windows in adverse weather conditions. Mercy recently returned to its homeport in San Diego from a regular overhaul in Portland, Ore., where improvements were made to its flight deck to support multiple aircraft platforms. Mercy must be in a five-day-activation status in order to support missions over the horizon, and be ready, reliable and resilient to support mission commanders. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jake Greenberg)
Hi Culties & Spookies, More Weekly Sales for your shopping pleasure!
★ Item ★ The Kailani heels have beautiful details and would be lovely with any outfits!
★ Rigged For ★ Reborn ★ Legacy Female ★ Kupra ★ Lara ★ Gen-X Curvy ★ MaitreyaX ★
★ Remember to always try the DEMOS!★Check for Body Type & Body MOD Compatibility★
★ Comes with a Color Control HUD for changeable color options
★ Cult LM ★ maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Cult%20Coven/129/75/33
★ Cult's Social Media Links ★
This is my very first 'Moc'. The idea was to create a building inspired in the Haussmann style present in most of central Paris, without any piece count limit that would keep the modular compatibility and the minifig scale. So this is not a direct replica of any particular one. The street name is also fictional, there is no 'Boulevard des Lumières' in Paris, but its spirit is highly Parisian.
The Divine Spirit is infinite, yet it dwells in forms and inspires likeness, and thus truth enters into forms and signs.” But while landscapes portrayed the vastness and grandeur of Nature, the garden revealed her intimate aspect. All forms of art are the outward and visible expression of Ch’i, the Cosmic Breath or Energy, with which all creation must be in accord, whether it be painting, poetry, music, or the creation of a garden. Indeed, all these arts developed side by side, for the Chinese scholar was expected to be capable of interpreting the same inspiration in all three arts together and the place of both their inspiration and expression was most usually the garden, this term being applied also to the rural retreat of a sage or hermit where in some remote and beautiful scenery a hut had been built and round it trees planted. In a well-designed garden it should be difficult to distinguish between the work of man and Nature. One should “borrow scenery from Nature” and the ideal place was “among trees in the mountains.” Wherever it was, the garden was a place of quiet, meditation, and communion with Nature, whether in wild scenery beside a waterfall, or a trickling stream, or in a bamboo grove, or the courtyard of a city dwelling. The garden is “the natural home of man” and house and garden were situated according to feng-shui (wind and water) influences in harmony with the currents of Ch’i; these were held in balance in both the house and garden, as in Nature, by the yin-yang forces. The yin lunar and yang solar powers were represented by the yin valleys and waters and the yang mountains and sky with all their endless yang and yin qualities such as sunshine and shadow, height and depth, heat and cold. However small the space utilized, the garden was never laid out as a flat expanse from which all could be viewed at once. This removal of any definite boundary made for succession, expansion, rhythm, and a sense of unlimited time and space. The garden, like Nature, is ever-changing, a place of light and shade with a life-breath (Ch’i yün) which is in harmony with the rhythms of the seasons and their contrasts in weather. Irregularity of line also suggests movement and life. “Everything that is ruled and symmetrical is alien to free nature.”[3] Or, as it has been said: “The awareness of change, the interaction symbolized by the yin-yang theory, has caused Chinese gardeners to seek irregular and unexpected features which appeal more to the imagination than to the reasoning faculty of the beholder. There were certain rules and principles for gardening, but these did not lead to any conformity. The basic elements were the same for landscape painting, shan shui or ‘mountain and water’”[4] which might be imposing scenery or simply a pond and rocks. The smallest space could be converted into an effect of depth, infinite extension, and mysterious distance; groves, rockeries, bushes, winding paths, all helped to lure on beyond the immediate scene. As Rowley says of Western and Chinese art: “We restrict space to a single vista as though seen through an open door; they suggest the unlimited space of nature as though they had stepped through that open door.” The entire garden must be considered in association and relationship with all things in Nature. Chang Ch’ao says: “Planting flowers serves to invite butterflies, piling up rocks serves to invite the clouds, planting pine trees serves to invite the wind,… planting banana trees serves to invite the rain, and planting willow trees serves to invite the cicada.” These are all traditional symbolic associations. In the past in China, though man was the mediator between Heaven and Earth, he was not the measure of the universe; his place was simply to maintain the balance and harmony between the yin and the yang. It was Nature which was the Whole, and controlling cosmic power. The garden helped man in his work of maintaining harmony; it also had an ethical significance and influence. According to Ch’ien Lung it had “a refreshing effect upon the mind and regulated the feelings” preventing man from becoming “engrossed in sensual pleasures and losing strength of will.” Its pleasures were simple, natural, and spiritual. A Suchou poet wrote of the garden: “One should enter it in a peaceful and receptive mood; one should use one’s observation to note the plan and pattern of the garden, for the different parts have not been arbitrarily assembled, but carefully weighed against each other like the pairs of inscribed tablets placed in the pavilions,[6] and when one has thoroughly comprehended the tangible forms of objects one should endeavor to attain an inner communication with the soul of the garden and try to understand the mysterious forces governing the landscape and making it cohere.” The garden was for all seasons with their changing moods and colors, flowers and trees, so the pavilion and open gallery were necessary for enjoyment in the heat of summer or the cold of winter and became an integral part of the scenery. Even in winter one sat out in the pavilion to admire the beauties of the snow and to watch the budding of the almond and plum blossom. A portable brazier of glowing charcoal kept one warm and a large brazier was used to melt the snow to make tea. The garden was particularly evocative by moonlight and the new and full moons, times of spiritual power, had their own festivals, especially the festival of the mid-autumn moon. Other festivals were also celebrated in the pavilion or garden; the vernal equinox, observed on the twelfth day of the second month of the Chinese year, was known as the Birthday of the Flowers. Pavilions and galleries obviously had to blend with their surroundings. The Yüan Yeh says: “Buildings should be placed so as to harmonize with the natural formation of the ground.” When pavilions were connected by galleries these followed the rise and fall and curves of the land or winding of the waters which were often crossed by bridges, bringing in all the symbolism of the crossing of the waters, of transition, of communication between one realm or plane and another, as well as of man as mediator, occupying the central position between the great powers. Added beauty and symbolism was introduced in the “moon bridge,” a lovely half-circle which when reflected in the clear water below formed the perfect circle of the full moon. Roofs were curved and painted and the lattice work of the balustrades was lacquered and painted in harmonizing and symbolic colors. Harmony and proportion had to be maintained but symmetry was alien to Nature, thus the garden contained no such thing as clipped lawns or hedges or stiff geometrically designed flower beds, or flowers marshaled in rows or patterns. And “landscaping” had to absorb buildings and, like planted trees, make them look as if they had grown there. “One erects a pavilion where the view opens and plants flowers that smile in the face of the spring breeze.”[7] It was a place for both relaxation and active enjoyment, for solitary meditation and study, or for convivial gatherings for friends to meet and drink tea or wine or take al fresco meals. There they composed poetry and music, painted, practiced calligraphy or discussed philosophy. One amusement was to compose a poem in the time that it took a floating wine cup and saucer to drift from one end to the other on a meandering water-course set in the floor of the pavilion. A poet failing to complete his poem in the time had to catch and empty the cup. These water-courses could also be constructed in symbolic forms such as the swastika, or the cross-form of the Chinese character for the number ten, or in the shape of a lotus or open flower. Sometimes the water tumbled over small waterfalls or rocks. Pavilions were given names such as the Pavilion of the Hanging Rainbow, the Fragrance of the Lotus, the Secret Clouds, the Eight Harmonious Tones, Invitation, or Contemplation, of the Moon, Welcoming Spring, Pleasant Coolness, and so on. In some gardens there were Halls of the Moon; these were constructed in the shape of a hemisphere, the vaulted ceiling painted to represent the nocturnal sky with innumerable small windows of colored glass depicting the moon and stars. The total effect was one of the subdued light of a summer’s night. Sometimes the floor was planted with flowers, but more usually it contained running water, the moon and water being closely allied: “The moon washes its soul in the clear waters,” but although moon and waters are both yin water is symbolically related to the sun since the waters catch and reflect back the sun’s light, the yang. These halls could be large enough for holding banquets or of a smallness suitable for intimate sitting about in conversation or listening to music and poetry. Here, in the garden, where heaven and earth meet, music and poetry become the natural form of the expression of harmony. While the pavilion was built in and for the garden and was open to it, this breaking down of the distinction between in and out of doors applied also to the dwelling house which was not only sited for feng-shui but for fitting as naturally as possible into the scenery and giving access so immediately to the garden that there seemed no dividing line. Doors either did not exist or were left open. (Socially, closed doors were not considered courteous since they implied exclusion, while the open door symbolized the welcome extended by the essentially outgoing Chinese temperament with its spontaneous and natural relationships developed over the ages in the highly socialized life of a large family). Doors were often only a means of enhancing a view into the garden or to the scenery beyond, such as the moon door, a beautifully placed circle framing some special outlook. Not only was every aspect used to its full natural advantage but “if one can take advantage of a neighbor’s view one should not cut off the communication, for such a ‘borrowed prospect’ is very acceptable.” The house opened on to the garden and the garden came into the house; rooms opened on to the courtyards where flowering trees grew and ferns and flowers fringed a central pool, usually with golden carp swimming in it, for the garden was a place for animal and bird life also. Indeed, animals and plants were not considered the only ‘living’ things; everything shares in the cosmic power and mountains and rivers also ‘live.’ Nor was it at all unusual for the house to go out into the garden, for the lover of nature would move a bed out of doors, beside some special tree, shrub, or flower which was coming into bloom, so that no stage of its development and beauty would be lost; or one would sit up all night to enjoy the effect of the moonlight. “The moonlight lies like glittering water over the countryside. The wind sighs in the trees and gently touches the lute and the book that lie on the couch. The dark rippled mirror of the water swallows the half-moon. When day dawns one is awakened by the fresh breeze; it reaches the bed and all the dust of the world is blown out of one’s mind.” The garden was not, however, merely aesthetic but creative and a reminder of, and contact with, the creative forces and the great cycle of the seasons, birth, maturity, decay, death and rebirth. The merging of the native Taoism with imported Buddhism in Ch’an, or Zen, carried on the tradition of the intimate relationship between man and Nature. Ch’an Buddhism and gardens were two facets of Chinese inspiration which were adopted and carried on by the Japanese, but in later decadent times the original symbolism of the garden as a reflection of Paradise was lost and gardens became mere pleasure grounds, except where attached to monasteries in which much of the symbolism was taken over and where the association with meditation remained. In those gardens of effete times artificial extravagances crept in; windows were made in shapes which bore no relationship to symbols, such as teapots, animals, vases, and fans, even if some of these forms had, in fact, a symbolic content. But these aberrations were stigmatized by the Yüan Yeh as “stupid and vulgar” and “intelligent people should be careful in such matters.” (Shades of plastic cranes and gnomes!) The garden was a reflection of the macrocosm and embodied all the yin-yang dualisms projected in manifestation. Mountains, valleys, rivers, lakes, were all represented. As Cheng Pan ch’iao said: “The enjoyment of life should come from a view regarding the universe as a garden… so that all beings live according to their nature and great indeed is such happiness.” The importance of water in the Chinese garden was not only due to yin-yang symbolism but to the wide significance of water itself as, next to the Dragon, the greatest Taoist symbol. It is strength in weakness, fluidity, adaptability, coolness of judgment, gentle persuasion, and passionlessness. While mountains and rocks are the bones of the body and the earth its flesh, rivers and streams are the arteries and blood, life-giver and fertilizer. Flowing water and still water symbolized movement and repose and the complementary opposites, and water-worn stones represented the interaction of the soft and the hard. Still water also takes on all the symbolism of the mirror. Water could be made by forming lakes and rivers in the earth excavated for making mountains, though mountains were most frequently represented by rocks, hollow and weather-worn, fretted out by the restless sea or the elements or formed from the strange shapes of petrified trees. These rocks were carefully selected for their color, texture, grain, and shape; some were upright and towering, others, larger at the top than at the base, gave the effect of disappearing into the clouds, others, lying down, took fantastic animal shapes, some gave out a note when struck, others were mute. Sometimes the rocks formed grottoes, but whatever the shape they always appeared as natural to the setting and were as near to the form of wild mountain crags as possible, giving the impression of Nature, untamed and capricious. (In this “naturalness” it must be remarked that the mountains of China in the Yangtze gorges, the far West, and the Southern provinces have been worked by nature herself into fantastic and sometimes grotesque shapes.) “Try to make your mountains resemble real mountains. Follow Nature’s plan” but “do not forget they have to be built by human hands.” Symbolically, the mountain is of course the world axis, but in the Chinese garden it also represented the yang power in Nature with the waters as the yin; the “mountain” is traditionally placed in the middle of a lake or pond, the rock being the stable and eternal, the water the flowing and temporal. This mountain-and-water (shan shui) symbolism also obtains in landscape painting. The rock and the shadow it casts are also yang and yin. Rocks are “silent, unmovable, and detached from life, like refined scholars.” Their ruggedness also suggests the challenging and dangerous element in the mountains and in life. In larger gardens the mountains were sufficiently high for the formation of small valleys and dales, with winging streams opening out into lakes on which boat journeys could be taken and where the water could be spanned by bridges. Sometimes a series of islands or rocks were so connected. Tunnels in the rocks gave the same effect and carried the same symbolism as bridges in passing from one world to another. But “even a little mountain may give rise to many effects… a small stone may evoke many feelings.”[11] Shen Fu says: “In the designing of a rockery or the training of flower trees one should try to show the small in the large and the large in the small and provide for the real in the unreal and the unreal in the real. One reveals and conceals alternately, making it sometimes apparent and sometimes hidden.” Both the yang mountain and the yin tree are axial and so represent stability and balance between the two great powers; they also offer a line of communication for man between the celestial yang forces coming down to earth and the earthly yin forces reaching up to heaven, with man again as central and responsible for the maintenance of balance and harmony in responding equally to the yin and yang powers. Trees were an essential feature of both the domestic and hermitage garden, particularly the latter where they were often the only addition made by man to the natural scenery and their variety was almost as important as the trees themselves. While all trees are beautiful and symbolize the feminine power, some were especially noted for their yin-yang qualities. Though yin as a tree, the pine and cedar express yang masculine dignity and rigidity in contrast to the feminine gracefulness, pliability, and charm of the willow, both these trees were considered necessary to maintain the yin-yang harmony. Flowering trees such as the almond, cherry, plum, and peach were esteemed—one should say loved—for their beauty and their symbolism. The almond, as the first flower of the year, is in many traditions the Awakener, watchfulness. As flowering in winter it is also courage in adversity. The cherry depicts delicacy of feeling and purity of feeling on the yin side and nobility on the yang. The plum, a symbol of winter and beauty signified strength and longevity and the hermit. It is one of the favorite subjects for artists and the plum, pine, and bamboo were called “the three friends of winter.” The almond and plum are both symbolic of new life coming in spring, but the plum should have a gnarled trunk and branches, called sleeping dragons, as the yang to offset the delicate blossoms of the yin; they also represent the old and new together. Just as lovers of the garden would move their beds out under trees, so we read of artists who wandered all night in the moonlight to catch every phase of the beauty of “the dry limbs clad in jade-white blooms.”
The peach holds a special position as the tree of the Taoist genii or Immortals; it is the Tree of Life at the center of Paradise. It is also the Tree of Immortality and one bite of the fruit growing on the tree in Paradise confers immediate immortality. Peach stones were apotropaic and were beautifully and symbolically carved and kept, or worn, as amulets and talismans. The tree is a symbol of spring, youth, marriage, wealth, and longevity.
Preeminent among flowers were the lotus, peony, and chrysanthemum. The peony is the only purely yang flower. Flowers, with their cup shape, naturally depict the yin receptive aspect in nature, but the peony is a royal flower, flaunting the red, fiery, masculine color; it is also nobility, glory, riches. The chrysanthemum, on the other hand, is a flower of quiet retirement, the beloved flower of the cultured scholar, the retired official, who was of course also a scholar, the philosopher, and poet. It was so much cultivated in retirement that it became a symbol of that life and of leisure. It signifies longevity as being that which survives the cold and as autumnal it is harvest and wealth, but it is primarily ease, leisure, joviality, and enjoyment. Yüan Chung-lang said that the retired and the scholar were fortunate in having “the enjoyment of the hills and water, flowers and bamboo” largely to themselves since “luckily they lie outside the scope of the strugglers for fame and power who are so busy with their engrossing pursuits that they have no time for such enjoyment.”
But the lotus, a universal symbol in the East (its symbolism is taken on by the lily and sometimes the rose in the West) is “the flower that was in the Beginning, the glorious lily of the Great Waters… that wherein existence comes to be and passes away.” It is both yin and yang and contains within itself the balance of the two powers; it is solar as blooming in the sun and lunar as rising from the dark of the waters of pre-cosmic chaos. As the combination of air and water it symbolizes spirit and matter; its roots bedded in the darkness of the mud depict indissolubility; its stem, the umbilical cord of life, attaches man to his origins and is also a world axis; rising through the opaque waters of the manifest world, the leaves and flowers reach and unfold in the air and sunlight, typifying potentiality in the bud and spiritual expansion and realization in the flower; its seeds, moving on the waters are creation. The lotus is associated with the wheel both as the solar matrix and the sun-wheel of cycles of existence. Iamblichus calls it perfection, since its leaves, flowers, and fruit form the circle. As lunar-solar, yin-yang, the lotus is also the androgyne, the self-existent. It has an inexhaustible symbolism in Hinduism, Taoism, and Buddhism alike. Again it appears as both solar and lunar associated with sun gods such as Surya and lunar goddesses such as Lakshmi; solar with Amitabha and lunar with Kwan-yin and androgynous in Kwannon. The lotus is the Golden Flower of Taoism, the crystallization and experience of light, the Tao. While on the spiritual level it represents the whole of birth, growth, development, and potentiality, on the mundane level it depicts the scholar-gentleman who comes in contact with mud and dirty water but is uncontaminated by it. Apart from its almost endless symbolism, the lotus is a flower of great beauty and highly evocative; as Osvald Sirén says, a sheet of lotus blossom “emanates a peculiar magic, an atmosphere that intoxicates like fragrant incense and lulls like the rhythms of a rising and falling mantra.” Ancient China understood many things which are only now reaching the West and being hailed as new discoveries. She anticipated by centuries the “discovery” that flowers and plants have feelings. Yüan Chung-lang knew that they have their likes and dislikes and compatibilities among other vegetation and that they respond to care and appreciation in more than a material way. The flowers in a Chinese garden were genuinely loved, but not in any “precious” aestheticism, rather in an intimate relationship between living individuals. He said that “flowers have their moods of happiness and sorrow and their time of sleep.… When they seem drunk, or quiet and tired, and when the day is misty, that is the sorrowful mood of flowers.… When they bask in the sunlight and their delicate bodies are protected from the wind, that is the happy mood of flowers.… When the ancient people knew a flower was about to bud they would move their beds and pillows and sleep under it watching how the flower passed from infancy to maturity and finally dropped off and died.… As for all forms of noisy behavior and common vulgar prattle, they are an insult to the spirits of flowers. One should rather sit dumb like a fool than offend them.”[13] Among things which flowers dislike are: too many guests; ugly women putting flowers in their hair; dogs fighting; writing poems by consulting a rhyming dictionary; books kept in bad condition; spurious paintings; and common monks talking Zen! On the other hand they do like a visiting monk who understands tea! Picked flowers and vases of flowers should never be regarded as normal, only as a temporary expedient employed by those living in cities and unnatural places deprived of the hills and lakes or any garden. For the town-dweller or for one kept indoors of necessity the miniature garden was created; though it was also seen in pavilions it was most usually on the tables of scholars. It, too, symbolized Paradise, the Isles of the Blessed, or the Abode of the Immortals reflected in miniature perfection with the whole range of the yin-yang symbolism. Exceptionally beautiful stones or shells were used and there were miniature grottoes, trees, bamboos, and grasses growing among the mountains, valleys, and waters. The making of these gardens was an art in itself; just as Wang Wei maintained that the artist can bring all Nature into the space of a small painting, so the creator of a garden, large, small, or miniature can concentrate the cosmos within its bounds. Enclosing the whole garden in the city, or where the extent of the garden was limited, was the wall which was used not only as a boundary but as a setting for trees, shrubs, and flowers; it could also provide an aperture which opened up some special view. In the city, where space was restricted, walls were often a garden in themselves, sometimes built with considerable width with a roof-garden effect or with trees and shrubs planted on top and flowers and ferns in the crevices below. Enclosing walls also helped to make the city garden a place where one could find “stillness in turmoil.” Apart from the symbolism of the enclosed garden the walls brought in the yin-yang significance of the interplay of light and shade. Today China joins the industrial nations of the world in “exploiting” Nature. Hideous concrete blocks of flats, offices, and factories insulate man from any contact with the yellow earth and, sadly, Seyyed Hossein Nasr’s words can be applied: “There is nearly total disequilibrium between modern man and nature as attested by nearly every expression of modern civilization which seeks to offer a challenge to nature rather than to cooperate with it.… The harmony between man and nature has been destroyed.”