View allAll Photos Tagged Fastest,
The Fastest Bird - The Shaheen Falcon, Male
@ Nilgiris Dist,
Tamil Nadu, India
27 Feb 2022
Sony a7riv with Sony SAL 200-600G Lens
The Shaheen Falcon also called The Indian Peregrine Falcon, is one of the fastest birds and can achieve a speed of 240 km/h in level flight but when diving after prey it can exceed speeds of 320 km/h.
As the Word Shaheen in Persian suggests, it's truly a majestic but a small and powerful-looking falcon with blackish upperparts, rufous underparts with fine, dark streaks, and white on the throat. The complete black face mask is sharply demarcated from the white throat. It has distinctive rufous underwing-coverts. Males and females have similar markings and plumage. The females are slightly larger than the males and typically mate for life.
They are found at elevations of up to 1200 m in the hill country, frequenting mountain cliffs and rock outcrops. The sheer cliff faces provide it with nest sites and serve as vantage points from which it can launch aerial strikes against fast-flying birds. They hunt small birds, though medium-sized birds such as pigeons and parrots are also taken. Strong and fast, they dive from great heights to strike prey with their talons. If the impact does not kill the prey, the falcon bites the neck of its victim to ensure death.
#sonya7riv
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X Fastest shot on to flickr ...took this shot about 20 minutes ago. I have been trying to catch this family who nest in a tree in my garden for a few days.....success. It’s a male blackbird and two chicks. I read up on blackbirds and apparently the male bird will feed the young for a long time, even longer than the female. It’s amusing as the chicks are almost as large as their father. The slight green blur on the left is a lily leaf I was hiding behind. I did have to alter the exposure level on the Raw shot using NX shame it would have been nice to have a SOOC shot but not this time
THANKS FOR YOUR VISIT HAVE A GREAT DAY
} Relative to my other stories, this segment takes place earlier in the careers of Clayface and other featured characters. {
Hey, my name’s Wally West. I’m one of the, what, nine or so people that’ve been dubbed “The Fastest Man Alive”? … I’d say I’m at least the second fastest, especially when you factor in that some of those guys can only reach top speed on straightaways, I happen to know two of them are doppelgängers, and really, I’d call Savitar more of a sprinter… I, uh, don’t like to get hung up on technicalities.
I’m an invaluable member of the Justice League, and not just for my powers. I’ve got a winning personality that neither hardened space-cops nor immortal warriors can resist. Even Batman likes me. Or, “trusts me”… Trusts me enough to protect his city, and that’s saying a lot, for him. He contacted me this morning, explaining that he has business on the other side of the world, something about his ex and a pool turning people into zombies… I don’t think I would’ve gotten the gist of it, even if he’d expounded. He says he’ll make it back by tonight, and if it were anyone else but him (or me, I guess), I wouldn’t have believed them.
Being Batman for a few hours doesn’t sound so bad, but the thing is, I’ve got a decent system with the Rogues back in Keystone. They’re good at avoiding collateral damage, usually even-tempered about the “getting arrested” part… Even got Tarpit to take it to an abandoned lot the other week. I’ve heard Gotham has less cordial villains. And more of them. And more than a few citizens that have had their share of false vigilantes running around. Nothing a dashing guy like me can’t work around!
0.082 seconds after I stepped boot inside city limits (I was taking it slow until I saw some action), I was in the GCPD precinct to let the commissioner know about the changing of the guard, maybe catch a whiff of a case that could use solving. Turns out you don’t need the Speed Force to find a crime scene in Gotham. The nice officer at the front desk informed me that a break-in had occurred INSIDE the station at dawn.
*flash*
} GCPD EVIDENCE STORAGE {
I probably should’ve thought about how people from around here aren’t used to a red and yellow lightning bolt zipping through buildings. I might not have made the lasting impression of causing the portly detective before me to hurl his styrofoam coffee cup into the air. I caught it too late to save his shirt.
Detective: What IS this?!
Me (handing the cup back): This is yours. (pointing at his stains) THIS is my dry-cleaning bill, sorry pal. (jerking both thumbs at my chest) And THIS is Gotham’s substitute hero for the day, made with 100% less angst.
Detective (glowing crimson): I’m gonna wring the Bat-freak’s neck! What’s he do, take sick days now??
Another detective walks in around a shelf. Her uniform is tidy, her hair even more so.
Detective #2: Don’t tell me you MISS the Bat now, Bullock.
Bullock: If he’s gonna be a nuisance, I’d prefer he be a predictable one. Now he’s phoning up other leotards to come stick their noses in my cases!
Me: “Leotards”. I get it.
Detective #2 (offering a handshake): Detective Montoya. Batman already got in touch with the commissioner, told us you’d be here before we knew it.
Me: That’s my thing. So… don’t take this the wrong way, but how…
Montoya: … did we let someone sneak into our evidence room and get away? We’re in the middle of breaking up a gang dispute at the docks AND a massive manhunt for a birthday-obsessed serial killer. The station has been practically vacant, and no one’s had time to fully assess our latest acquisitions.
I look over the unsorted items that have halved the room’s capacity, all strewn across tables.
Bullock: Hands off. I don’t care if you ARE wearing’ gloves!
Me: You don’t have to tell me that… although I could touch everything in here, and if you blinked, you would never know.
Bullock’s mouth opens wide enough to ensnare passing birds, but Montoya interjects.
Montoya: Cameras were wiped. I know it looks like a mess, but we’ve had a dozen other of our people take inventory, and nothing’s been nicked. Someone came and went without lifting a single thing…
Me: … Had the sense to take out the cameras…
Bullock (unwrapping a toothpick): … But was sloppy enough to set off the alarm. It’s gotta be some goon screwin’ around with no real plan in mind.
Montoya: On top of all that, if they touched anything in here, we’ll never find it against a hundred other fingerprints.
Amidst the chaos, a computer monitor and what appears to be a heavily modified hard drive catch my eye.
Me: Mhm… What’s the story with this?
Bullock (hurriedly): Some guy we nabbed last week; Etienne Guiborg, “The Dealer”. Thinks he’s a real mastermind, but we dismantled his illegal auctioning ring without any fight at all.
Montoya: He has his OWN inventory on that computer; thousands of heisted weapons, artifacts, and their locations. Once our schedule lightens up, we’re hunting down every last one. Actually…
Me: You need a speed-reader. On it.
Bullock: Wait a minute, I’ve seen you in the papers before. Can’t you do that, whatsit called, time-hole thing? Go back a few hours and catch the perp in the act!
Me: Do you want to run the risk of my actions causing a ripple in reality that changes this timeline to one where everyone is biologically half-chicken, all on the account of stopping an opportunistic thief?
Bullock: …
Me: Time travel’s nuts, man.
*flash*
Me: Hey, anyone else notice this down here?
The detectives lean under the desk to where I went to plug in the machine.
Me: This outlet has dust all over it, but the lower socket, it’s clean. And what do you know… The Dealer’s extension cord has dust between the tines.
Bullock: Sunuva… they DID swipe something!
I think it over for 0.053 seconds (I’m sluggish on weekends), then a light bulb switches on.
Bullock: Well, are you gonna plug it in? They may have wiped the memory!
Me: Don’t touch anything.
Bullock: You can’t tell ME not-
*flash*
*Scotch tape obtained from main office*
*flash*
I begin tearing tape and sticking every inch of the keyboard’s surface.
Montoya: What is he-
*flash*
Me (thrusting fistfuls of tape towards them): LOOK!
Bullock: … Congratulations genius, you managed to get NO fingerprints on even one of ‘em.
Montoya: Wait… no fingerprints? But it hasn’t been dusted, not since we busted The Dealer.
Me: YEAH!
Bullock: Would you care to let us in on whatever harebrained theory you just concocted?
Me: No time, but I’ll have your guy in a jiffy.
Bullock: “NO TIME”, he says!
Me: Uhh, I’m going to need…
*flash*
Me: (arms loaded with twenty-odd tape dispensers): … all of these. I’ll restock, promise.
*flash*
Montoya: Under that mask, I’d put money on him being CSI.
Bullock: I’d put money on him being a fruitcake.
***
Thirty intersections later, and I find myself at what I’m hoping is the bad guy’s lair. A middle school, deserted for the summer. Everything’s fitting together.
*flash*
My entrance, like last time, startles the classroom’s occupant. This time, they drop a neatly-organized box of Crayola. This time, I don’t bother to recover it. Villains don’t deserve neatly-organized boxes of Crayola. I rush forward and slug the surprised criminal in his cylindrical mask. He careens over the desks, and catch him by the collar on the opposite side of the room, before he has an unfriendly run-in with the floor.
Me: Alright, pencil-neck, talk to me.
Eraser: Hands off the suit! Do you know how much money you have to sink into a cyber-yellow pinstripe suit? Did you even know CYBER-YELLOW was a color?!
Me (lowering him): Okay, noted, the suit’s expensive.
Eraser: How did you FIND me??
Me: Familiarity with GCPD’s layout and security, leaving no evidence behind but still tripping an alarm to show off… Fits your m.o. like a glove. I do my supervillain homework before I go barging into other cities. You couldn’t resist wiping off the keyboard, so I had a hunch you also compulsively cleaned other public property before use… like crosswalk buttons. After some trial and error, and no small amount of tape, I tracked y-
Eraser (scoffing): Aaand Batman would have me snitching by now. You’re not so fast.
Me: Trust me, you don’t want me to get too Batman on you, or…
Eraser (dramatically): You wouldn’t be able to come back from the darkness?
Me: I was going to say it might make me physically ill. Speedsters eat way more than the average person every day, and if I vomit, it’ll be one heckuva mess to clean up. One that you probably won’t be able to ignore.
Eraser: … That's the flimsiest, most contrived threat; you can’t actually get physically ill from tha-
Me (crossing arms): I’ll self-induce it.
Eraser: You wouldn’t…
Me: Tell me what you saw on Dealer’s database.
Eraser: Okay look, some guy I’ve never seen before hired me. Says he knew about Dealer’s confiscated computer, and wanted me to get him inside just for five minutes to look around. It’s not like I cared what he was doing, so I have no idea what he got out of it. But I know what I got out of it: Stencils. The good stuff.
Me (gritting teeth): I’m a millisecond away from collecting all the gum under the desks in this place and putting them inside your mask.
Eraser: EDWARD BURKE! I heard him whispering “Edward Burke” over and over! I’ve got nothing else!
Me: That’s oddly useful. Okay, I’m arresting you now.
*flash*
} GCPD HOLDING CELLS {
Me: I’d appreciate it if you confessed to your crimes, whenever they happen to notice you in here. I’m sort of up against the clock.
Eraser: Nothin’. doin’.
Me (locking Eraser in): By the way, you made me waste a bunch of these guys’ tape just to find you. Why can’t you Gotham rogues all hang out at a bar, like they do in Keystone?
*flash*
Eraser: … A supervillain bar… huh.
} BURKE INSTITUTE OF ASTRONOMY (formerly Norbet Institute of Astronomy) {
I pause for a entire 1.4 seconds to confirm the sign outside, before crashing through the main entrance and finding my way to the development facility. Machinery is scattered across the tiles, beakers bubble uncontrollably… and a man that looks like an astronaut suffering from insomnia is slouched on the floor, rewiring the circuitry running through his suit’s chest-plate.
Me: Dr. Edward Burke?
Burke: Oh, have you been here long? I’m very sorry, I’ve been preoccupied with my work for…
He glances at a wrinkled calendar, halfway lodged in a drawer near his head.
Burke: … a solid two weeks now, I suppose. Time management was never my strongest quality.
Me: Don’t get me started. Look, I know all about Etienne Guiborg using your laboratory to store his wares, and I think we can resolve this without any violence…
Burke (perking up): That name! I heard about him in the newspaper not long ago. Oh, no sir, I’m not involved with any smuggling, I must affirm! No, no more business with supervillains. My old boss Irving Norbet, he was a very bad fellow! Tried to use our technology to rob banks!
Me: You’re wearing the suit right now.
Burke (toying with small components and dials on the suit): AM I?!? … Ah, so I am. Well, it really has quite fascinating functions; I’m only looking to improve the design, not use it for anything nefarious, absolutely not! Dr. Norbet only did what he did after overexposure to a strange meteor we were analyzing… messed with his head. This was all confirmed by the police!
I take a quick survey of the room while he’s rambling, spotting a grey mass perched on a workbench, shrouded in a sort of haze, like it’s giving off energy.
Me (scowling): Does this meteor look anything like that one sitting over there, NOT in its container and likely effecting you?
Burke: Dear… dear me. Well, this all must look highly suspicious! If you didn’t believe I was innocent, as I’m sure anyone as keen as you would, you might be very confused by the circumstances.
Me: Actually I’m… still comprehending the idea that two people in this timeline wanted to use the name “Planet Master”.
Then the most embarrassing thing that can happen to a speedster happened; I got ambushed. Enough volts to jumpstart Gotham City shoot through my body, launching me straight through the reinforced wall of Burke’s Institute and into the evening air, leaving me a smoking red heap on freshly-cut grass.
… I’d like to take an intermission from my story to clarify that accelerated perception is a superpower that has to be turned on. OKAY? It takes a lot of adrenaline and carbs to activate. I can’t just see EVERYthing in slow-motion. … Moving on.
I crane my head and spit out a mouthful of sod, while my eyes adjust to see my attacker stepping through the Flash-shaped hole in the building. He’s dressed in black armor, orbs of electricity wavering in his fists, and grinning like a wild dog. Lester Buchinsky.
Electrocutioner: Heh. Friend of mine tipped me off that some hero might come poking around here tonight. Not the one I was hoping for, but murderers can’t be choosers.
Me (feeling Speed Force welling up inside me again): Just keep talking there, friend-o, I’ll be with you in a sec.
Electrocutioner (unfazed): Overheard you talking to that idiot Burke. You really think our kind would trust our gear with him? Be caught DEAD working with him?
Me: Yeah, well, the bar’s set pretty low, Taserface.
Electrocutioner: That’s it.
Before he can lift his arm to incinerate me, I dart at his midsection, only to once again rebound and land in the planters HARD.
Electrocutioner: Like the force-field? I’ve been upgrading. Get this…
I roll out of the way of a bolt lobbed from his fist, leaving it to carve a charred path across the lawn.
Electrocutioner (admiring the gloves): They’re projectile now.
Me: Mama Buchinsky must be proud.
I begin running circles around him, as Electrocutioner jerks around to try and draw a bead on me. The faster I punch him, the more the force-field will resist. If I try running at him at a normal pace, his gauntlets will meet their mark before I can land a blow. So… I guess I’ll have to try letting him hit me again.
I take a detour to the parking lot, rip the tires and hoods off of two vans, and race back to Electrocutioner before he knows I’m gone. I come to a halt and plant the hoods on either side of me, with the tires wrapped around my torso. Now for the only part of this plan that I know will 100% work…
Me: Yo, Shocker!
Electrocutioner lets loose a solid flow of electricity from his hand to me, and I brace myself as it races directly at my chest. My suit is a conductive elastomer: Good for streamlining my own charge, but the Speed Force doesn’t play nicely with outside currents. That’s why this guy is even a slight threat to me. Car tires, on the other hand, are great insulators. Or so I’ve heard. I’m really hoping that’s true.
Electrocutioner’s assault strikes the tires. I still feel it. A lot. But I force myself to stay put. As I hoped, Electrocutioner only pours on more power when he sees I’m still standing. I have no idea how much juice he has left in those gloves, or if I can outlast them. Just as everything starts turning grey and I feel my knees giving out, the pain stops, and he’s standing with outstretched arms and sputtering gloves, and I’M standing with two car hoods locked in potential difference.
Electrocutioner: Wha-?
Me: Capacitor. Seriously, you should know what that is.
*flash*
Electrocutioner collapses with a black eye. I shake out my knuckles and check on Burke, who’s still tinkering away carelessly. Maybe whoever hired Eraser thought to make up Edward Burke a ruse, just to sic Electrocutioner on anyone potentially tracking him. In which case, I was looking at a dead end, unless Electrocutioner wasn’t as dumb as he looked. As I go to interrogate my third supervillain today, I notice something on Electrocutioner’s fingertips and boot soles.
Salt. I hadn’t drained his power supply with my capacitor at all; salt was its own dielectric, and enough had accumulated on his weapon to short-circuit the system when Electrocutioner overdid it. The question of why it would be anywhere near his equipment came to me just as quickly as the answer. Salt. The Dealer’s storage space. I knew where I had to look next.
*flash*
} WAMPUM UNDERGROUND, PENNSYLVANIA (a lively 300+ mile jog from Gotham) {
I zip into the mineshaft-turned-warehouse, slowing once I pass into the restricted sections, and all ambient light winks out. I try to muffle the slap of my boots on the expansive floor, but the echo is unstoppable. Rubbing my palms together at just the right speed, I generate a steady flow of Speed Force sparks, enough to brighten a few feet around me. I’m in the right place; old movie props, autographed portraits, film reels stacked to the ceiling…
A mannequin with a camera for the head…
*flash*
Only this time it wasn’t me. Blinding white like I’ve never seen washes over my field of vision, and I stagger backwards, trying to shake it off.
Voice #1: Feeling a little EXPOSED?
Something damp and heavy envelops why chest and neck, lifting me off the floor. My head is still spinning, and before I think to phase through the restraint, I’m slammed back down. The back of my skull hits a metal shelf, and at once my strength gives out. I lay there stunned, barely picking up on another voice past the ringing in my ears. A choked, slithery sort of voice.
Voice #2 (sighing): “The Flash”, is it? No need to fret, in that event; your concussion will clear right up in a few hours, no doubt. You ARE one of those heroes that can heal. Makes for such dull, tensionless action sequences.
Me: What… are you looking… for, in here… Clayface?
Clayface: Ah, I needn’t introduce myself, how convenient. I see The Batman DOES brief his minions before sending them to their doom.
Me (ignoring him): Let me guess… a potter’s wheel? Been… wanting to lose some weight and… make a nice vase at the same time?
Voice #1: A regular Bob Hope, this guy.
Clayface (ignoring me in turn): You still managed to locate us.
Me: What, after you sent me on a goose-chase after Planet Master? Your hired meathead still had some salt on him from when he was, I guess, helping you break into this place? I already knew you were looking for something The Dealer had hidden away… Salt, secret stash…
I hear Clayface walking closer.
Me: … Salt mines. The moisture is great for preserving all kinds of stuff. I went to the one out in Hutchinson, Kansas for a field trip.
His pace stops inches from my face.
Clayface: I RIGHTFULLY assumed Eraser would betray me. I had not known he overheard my mention of Edward Burke until he queried me later on, and so I concocted a lie for him to pass on to YOU.
Me (the pain in my temple worsening): If you weren’t… looking for Edward Burke after all, then what… did Eraser hear?
Clayface: He heard correctly. I am looking for an Edward Burke… Edward C. Burke…
There’s a sound of metal clunking into metal; Clayface’s accomplice rummaging through the film reels. One last crash, and a whoop of excitement reverberates through the cavern.
Voice #1: Right where the computer said it was, Karlo!
Clayface (clasping his grimy palms): Splendid, Mr. Camera! You see, FLASH… Edward C. Burke is portrayed by the great Lon Chaney, in the lost film “London After Midnight”. That is to say, formerly-lost. The Dealer did indeed possess many antiquities.
Me: You… tampered with evidence in police custody, hired an… assassin, and broke into this place for a MOVIE?
Clayface: I cannot always gratify the wild imaginations of you vigilantes, assuming we supervillains are continuously out for blood, dreaming up blueprints for world domination. A film like this deserves to be in the care of someone who can appreciate it, not lock it away.
Me: And “Mr. Camera”; you suckered a C-Lister into… helping you with this insane hobby?
Mr. Camera: He’s in it to build a legacy. Me, I’m making a scrapbook.
Clayface (amused): You are so deluded, speedster, you think anyone branded a criminal has no allegiances to their own, never without an ulterior motive. Eraser, Electrocutioner, they knew precisely what they were in for. Now look at yourself, bludgeoned like a dumb animal, conveniently in a deep hole to have dirt poured over you… Did The Batman offer you some compensation for this humiliation? Why would he appreciate your reckless heroics when he would gladly sacrifice himself in the same manner, in the “righteous pursuit of evil”, and think nothing of it? … I could smother you right now, but I choose to leave you alive…
His footsteps leave in the direction of the mine’s entrance.
Clayface: … I do not wish to instigate bad relations with the Rogues. Unlike you noble heroes, I value partnerships. I would not dream of robbing them of their favorite quarry. Let us withdraw, Mr. Camera.
Mr. Camera follows him. I feel something light and stiff bounce off my arm. A Polaroid photo.
Mr. Camera (sneering): Here. I think I got your good side.
I muster the energy for one more sentence.
Me: Heroes don’t… need a pat on the back to feel… good about the work they do. You’re right, we hardly ever know what we’re… getting into… aside from our eventual deaths. That’s okay, because… we’re not living for ourselves…
The waves of nausea take their toll, and I pass out. Whether or not Clayface was still near enough to hear me, I can’t shake the feeling my words have fallen on deaf ears.
Leyland Compton Milk Float (Worlds Fastest Milkfloat) (1976) Engine 4200cc V8
Registration Number JFV 36 S (Preston)
This one is rather different to Ernies electric milk cart, rattling down the road. It is powered by a TVR V8 of 4200cc all alloy engine built to produce around 320bhp with a fast road cam and flat pistons. It has Jaguar front and rear axles, disc brakes, 22 inch alloy wheels, power steerind, Edelbrook twin cooling rad and fans. The body is of alloy and fibreglass with a body wrap
And at the time of this picture (probably still is) was Guiness World Record holder as the fastest Milk Float, with its record run timed at Bruntingthorpe, Leicestershire on 25th June 2014 driven by Rob Gill as a promotion for Weetabix On the Go Brakfast Drinks
Morrison-Electricar was a British manufacturer of milk floats and other battery electric road vehicles (BERV). Their first vehicle was built for a bakery in 1933, and the company ceased to exist when it was finally sold to M & M Electric Vehicles in 1983. In 1948 Austin purchased a 50 per cent share of the company to form Austin Crompton Parkinson Electric Vehicles Ltd though the vehicles still carried their Morrison Electricar badges. Austin formed part of BMC in 1952 which became Leyland Motors in 1969 and finally British Leyland The electric vehicle business became Crompton Leyland Electricars Ltd. In 1972, British Leyland sold their share of the business to Hawker Siddeley, better known for aircraft manufacture, and the company became Crompton Electricars Ltd. Ten years later, Hawker Siddeley decided to sell the business, and it was bought by M & M Electric Vehicles, who were based in Atherstone, Warwickshire. This was effectively the end of Morrison-Electricar, although M & M subsequently adopted the Electricars name for the vehicles that they manufactured.
Diolch yn fawr am 66,582,382 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mwynhewch ac arhoswch yn ddiogel
Thank you 66,582,382 amazing views, enjoy and stay safe
Shot 01.07.2018 at the American Car Show, Tatton Park, Manchester Ref 135-184
Fastest AF, most accurate AF, best tracking AF camera Ive EVER used or owned......FUJI XT3, 50-140mm 2.8
Happy International Women's Day! It will be a day filled with activities solely dedicated for women at work today. It’s going to be an exciting Monday!
On a side note, two of the songs I sang were I'm Every Woman and Miss Independent on Saturday Karaoke night ~ dedicated to all the lovely and wonderful women out there, I’m glad it didn’t rain! heeheehee
Have a great week dear friends!
Clicked@Marina Beach
Not at all happy with the results because of heavy traffic make the shot like heavy of tube of light trials........
The Indonesian capital of Jakarta is home to 10 million people and is also one of the fastest-sinking cities in the world. Researchers suggest that parts of the megacity could be entirely submerged by 2050.
By using a large number of radar satellite images over a two-year period, it is possible to accurately calculate ground subsidence. This image shows the mean ground displacement rates based on Sentinel-1 radar data from 2017-2018. Areas in red show major displacement over time with some areas showing local sinking patterns reach around 12 cm per year.
By comparing radar images over time, data from Sentinel-1 can be used to generate detailed displacement maps, essential for tracking subsidence, landslides, volcanic activity and infrastructure stability.
Credits: Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data (2019), processed by ESA, GEP, CNR-IREA & BRGM, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO
My name is Jamie Allen, and I am the fastest human alive. Sort of. My father, Barry Allen, is the Flash, the fastest man alive. From here, it gets a little confusing since I've described two people as being the fastest singular human alive. Now, when I was seven I started developing what my father said was a hereditary mutation caused by exposure to the Speed Force, a pocket dimension that controls the flow of time and gives energy to the "Speedsters", a group of people with enhanced speed. It's been ten years since then, and my powers have grown stronger and more unique, mainly because of extensive training. This is when my real story begins.
It was an average day when I was about to head to school, when all of a sudden I was enveloped in blue lightning and knocked unconscious. When I came to, I was in a room that smelled like oil and dust. I looked around and figured it was some sort of warehouse or abandoned lab. There was a small pedestal with a lamp, and a table that had a red and black suit sitting next to an orb. I picked up the orb and it started to speak.
"Greetings, Jamie Allen of Earth-201.57. You have been brought here because of a great destiny that awaits you. This world is unique from others as it has no metahuman with enhanced speed. A great tragedy is coming, one that only a "speedster" may prevent. You have been chosen to take the role of this world's Flash. The suit left will be your temporary uniform until you design something more inline with what the Flash would wear. Further instructions will come as your current abilities improve and you progress your life as a hero".
I looked down at the suit. It looked like my father's original suit, except it was lined with black and sported a more feminine build. I sighed. It looks like I'll be here for a while. So, why not give being the Flash a try?
///////////
This is my application for the Flash in Elseworld (because it totally doesn't say that in the title). I was thinking of doing Flash with a "50's sci-fi movie" feel, but then I started thinking of a female Flash, one that was younger and less experienced. Thus, Jamie was created. I hope you guys enjoy this story, and wish me luck on the role!
World's fastest ladybug; she moved so fast she came out a tad blurry
裸 Schlampe 懒妇 나체상 फूहड़ 벌거 벗은 desnudo ふしだらな女 nackt nu alaston निर्वस्त्र 裸体 ヌード नग्न nudo ਨੰਗੀ голый khỏa thân جنسي 性感的 malibog कामुक セクシー 婚禮 beauty beautiful travel vacation candid woman girl boy cute wedding people explore Hijab Nijab Burqa telanjang puta latina teen tranny عري hot nude naked sexy برهنه upskirt camel toe teen ass balls dirty naughty fishnet foot tits boobs feet heels fuck sex leather domination lady ladyboy mask milf Asian ebony woman model desi arab euro oral panty play dildo panties orgy pierced crossdress sex shaved toes topless transgender transsexual transvestite underwear rubber vinyl wank white wife
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbaEVA259IE
"Fastest Girl In Town"
You’ve got the bullets
I’ve got the gun.
I’ve got a hankering for getting into something
I hit the bottle, you hit the gas,
I heard your 65 can really haul some ass.
I’m feeling frisky, you're feeling good
I guess the whiskey is doing what it should
I got the cigarettes
You’ve got a lighter
And when the sun goes down we’ll start a little fire
Ain’t no use in trying to slow me down
‘Cause you’re running with the fastest girl in town
Ain’t you baby?
I like ‘em crazy.
My reputation follows me around
Just makes me want to give them more to talk about
Let’s go to town for a little while
I’ll be wearing nothing but a tattoo and a smile
Ain’t no use in trying to slow me down
‘Cause you’re running with the fastest girl in town
Ain’t you baby?
You’re kinda crazy.
Come on!
I see the blue lights, we better run.
Throw out the bottle and I’ll hide the gun
If he pulls us over I’ll turn on the charm
You’ll be in the slammer and I’ll be on his arm.
Ain’t no use in trying to slow me down
‘Cause you’re running with the fastest girl in town
Ain’t you baby?
Well I told you I was crazy.
No I ain’t no body’s baby.
Hey!
He’s got the bullets
He’s got a gun
I got the hankering for getting into something.
Sailfish hunting sardines in the open ocean off the coast of Mexico. Image courtesy of Rodrigo Friscione
Fastest I've ever seen a Trident climb a hill as it tries to make it through the lights before they turn red!
Carousel Buses
103, SNZ1103
Route BB18, Marlow Hill.
A Red Kite (Milvus milvus) grabs a chunk of meat from the water during the daily feeding session at Bwlch Nant Yr Arian, Wales - a female Goosander racing to try and get there first!
Flash (DC)
Griffin Turner (Ninjago)
Quicksilver (Marvel)
These three are the fastest minfigures ever! Now they need to make a Sonic, Jay Garrick (Earth-2), Wally West (New 52 or Young Justice), and an official Prof. Zoom minfigures.
Top three fastest during Friday practice at the Coates Hire Ipswich Supercar meet.
(1/3) #97 Red Bull Holden Racing Team, Shane van Gisbergen, Holden Commodore ZB.
(2/3) #12 Shell V-Power Racing Team, Fabian Coulthard, Ford Falcon FG/X.
(3/3) #55 Supercheap Auto Racing, Chaz MostertFord Falcon FG/X.
Ipswich, Queensland, Australia.
-^- Central City, 2463 -^-
"My name is Eobard Thawne… and I am the fastest man alive."
"No, Eobard!"
"C'mon, you're ruining it."
"What the hell man…"
Eobard lowered his raised fist, staring at the group of kids hanging on the jungle gym. He frowned as the oldest of them, Tomon, hopped down from the top of the structure with his arms crossed.
"What are you doing, Eobard," he asked, narrowing his eyes at the smaller boy.
"I-I… I'm the Flash!" Eobard exclaimed, raising his fist into the air.
"No you aren't, we went over this," Tomon said, jutting a finger into Eobard's shoulder. "Kammi won the draw, so he gets to be Flash today."
"B-but you said if I played how you wanted last time, I could finally be Flash," Eobard pouted, staring up at the taller boy.
"Nope, not what I said," Tomon said, shaking his head. "I said you can be a Flash, not Flash."
"I don't wanna be Kid Flash, i-"
"You won't be," Tomon smirked, "you're the Reverse Flash."
Eobard's face fell, his head lowering. "You always make me Reverse Flash… it's not fun," he mumbled, listening to the other boys laugh. "He doesn't even have a name, can I at least be Godspeed?"
"Nope! That's not a Flash!" Tomon said, shaking his head at Eobard. "Besides, a nobody is perfect for you, Eobard."
Eobard but his lip, attempting to stop his tears from falling. Turning, he began walking away from the jungle gym. His teeth chewed on his bottom lip as he exited the park, hearing the mocking words from the boys he left behind, words he'd heard hundreds of times but never hurt any less.
He wasn't special. He was the opposite, really. He was the first generation of lab made children, the birthmark on his inner forearm showcasing it to the world. It was something frowned upon by society, but his parents had needed the money given to the participants, so they gladly offered their DNA.
They despised him. He was sure they'd have put him up for adoption if any orphanage would take a test tube child like himself. For a while, he thought it may have been the prospect of having a child, but his younger, natural born brother, Robern, proved the thought wrong. It proved he was the problem.
As he walked alone, his tears fell freely. He didn't care about being the Flash. He'd always wanted to, just once when playing with his friends, but it was never truly a deal breaker. He just wanted to play without being reminded of being different, to play without being called a science project gone wrong.
'Stop crying,' he thought to himself, wiping his eyes and nose with his sleeve. 'The Flash doesn't cry, you can't either.'
As he wiped his nose, he noticed the large golden statue he stood under, its freshly polished marble pedestal reflecting the sunlight perfectly. The golden figure shone brightly in the sun's rays, its lightning crest standing out brilliantly. Behind the statue was a large building of the same marble that made up the statue's base.
'Huh… I guess I just came here on instinct…' Eobard thought, staring up at the statue of his hero, The Flash. 'It's not like mom and dad will care if I'm late anyways.'
Eobard walked forward, heading up the cherry red stairs and into the Flash Museum. Any time he'd entered the building, it was just like the first time. White walls were lined with lightning patterns that glowed a golden aura. Statues of heroes and villains alike stood tall throughout the main atrium, paintings of Flash's greatest battles hung from the walls with holo-logs available for the details on each piece. Eobard followed the red tile floor past the various halls, his destination made up in his mind
Jay Garrick; the Golden Age Hero, Wally West; the Ultimate Successor, Bart Allen; the Flash of the Future, Godspeed; the Redemption from Darkness, and the Hall of Team-ups were all exhibits he'd visited countless times. They were the people who surrounded his hero, the people who built him up to be who he was. They made him, him.
Barry Allen; Savior of the Multiverse. The hall that Eobard had visited more than any others. In his mind, the greatest hero to ever live.
Eobard's cheeks, still red from tear stains, widened with his smile. If stepping into the museum was a moment of awe, walking into Barry Allen's hall was like Christmas morning, at least like his brother's.
All of his greatest battles were on full display, each one marking a victory in Barry's journey to becoming the greatest hero. His first villain, the Mirror Master, the first generation of Rogues with Snart, Scudder, and Harkness, and even the first speedster he'd faced, Zoom. It was all here.
Eobard moved through the empty hall, rushing to the display of Barry's suits in the back of the room. Barry's hall was always empty, most patrons flocking to his successor Wally West's, or even the villain turned hero Godspeed. Eobard never cared, a room all to himself and his hero was always the best part of his week. He felt bad that people were missing out, however.
His eyes shone like stars as he approached the red and yellow suit display, the gold lighting behind the mannequin giving the costume an ethereal glow. He quickly tapped on the holo-log next to the suit, scrolling through the article he'd read hundreds of times. It was Barry's third suit, his most iconic suit that was worn through his prime years. It was Eobard's favorite. How could it not be?
"This suit was worn through perilous adventures, the most notable being his battle with Cobalt Blue, his estranged brother taken at birth," Eobard read, his head shifting to the statue of the blond swordsman facing off against the hero. "I wish I could've been his brother… I never would fight him."
Eobard looked back up from the holo-log, staring at the suit once more. "I bet you never cried as a kid. You were probably the bravest person ever," he said, sighing. "I just wish I could be more like you."
A buzz in his pocket caught his attention. Sliding his phone free, he saw three missed calls from his younger brother. "I guess I have to go…" he mumbled, looking back up at the suit and seeing his eyes reflect off the mannequin's mouth. "Maybe one day it'll fit."
Making his way out of the Barry Allen hall he felt a strange chill run down his back. Turning his head, he eyed his least favorite part of the museum, one most usually avoided.
The Hall of Villains.
Eobard's curiosity, against his better judgement, made him enter the wing. The boy shuffled past countless mannequins, all clad in colorful costumes. The rogues were lined together on the right, the three original members front and center with any after lined behind them. To his left was each villain that had super speed, the largest statue being Zoom.
The sound of metal clattering on the ground caused Eobard to jump, his head shooting in the direction of the noise. "Wh-whos there?" he mumbled. Receiving no response, he took slow, cautious steps towards the noise. "What?"
Tucked away in the corner of the room was a yellow and black costume, with red lightning accents along the torso and legs. Eobard gulped, stepping forward towards the mannequin. As his feet placed just before the costume, he noticed it had been knocked forward slightly, allowing his face to reflect off its own.
"Reverse Flash… I hate you," he said, staring into his own eyes. "You don't have a name. You don't have a story. You don't even have an original gimmick."
Looking down, he tapped on the holo-log, staring at the blank spots where any information could be held. "A ghost lost to time," he read, looking back up at the costume. "You hurt Flash more than anyone else… and you don't even have a reason to show. Why do you even exist? What made you… you?"
Eobard stepped back from the costume as his pocket buzzed once again. "I'm glad no one remembers you," he said, spitting on the display. Turning he walked out of the Hall of Villains and left the Flash Museum.
-^-
"Mom? Dad? Robern?"
Eobard stepped into his apartment, his hand lingering on the opened door as he entered. His body froze, arms stiff and jaw hanging, like a camera had taken a snapshot. Indecipherable noises came from the boy's mouth as he shook, staring at his family in front of him.
The room was painted crimson. His mother was split in two, her torso was face down in the living room while her legs sat against the fridge, intestines strung between the two. His father hung from the wall by his pinned hands, a steak knife lodged between the two just above his head. Gashes lined his body, the deepest where his heart would be, causing a constant drip of blood onto the floor.
Eobard dropped to his knees, gaze stuck on the massacre. He wanted to scream, he wanted to cry, he wanted to run away, but he couldn't. Like a weight was pressing him down, he was completely frozen in place.
That's when a flash of red lightning sparked through the room, causing Eobard to blink. When his eyes reopened, two figures stood in front of him. "Re-re-re-reverse… Flash…" he mumbled.
The figure in yellow, black, and red smiled as he held onto Robern, one hand wrapped around the boy's neck while the other rested on his shoulder. In an instant, the resting hand began to vibrate, slipping through Robern's temple. Letting go of his throat, the boy fell forward, plopping lifelessly onto the ground.
"R-robern?" Eobard whispered, his voice trembling.
Reverse Flash stepped forward, grabbing Eobard by the throat and lifting him into the air. Eobard dug his nails into the man's black gloves, but the struggle only caused the villain to tighten his grip.
"P-p-please… p-p-please don't…"
"Kill you?" Reverse Flash asked, smiling as his free hand pulled the yellow cowl from his head. "How can I kill you… if I am you?"
"Wh… what?" Eobard asked, dropping to the floor as Reverse Flash loosened his grip. "What are you…"
"My name is Eobard Thawne… I'm you."
"Y-y-you're lying…" Eobard mumbled, scooting until his back hit the door. "Y-y-you can't be… you're Flash's enemy! You're an adult… I-I-I'm me!"
"You have so much to learn…" Reverse Flash said crouching down to stare Eobard in the eyes. "I am you. You are me. We are the same. We murdered your family, we killed Nora Allen, and we are Barry Allen's greatest enemy."
"I-I… I… I what?"
"Do you know why I made sure Reverse Flash's identity was lost in time?" he asked, leaning in close to Eobard's ear. "So you'd never have guessed you would be the man your hero hates most in the world."
With a gust of air, Reverse Flash was gone, leaving Eobard alone with the bodies of his family. His eyes were wide open, pupils constricting to tiny dots. He didn't know when his tears began to fall, but the sound of the droplets against his floor caused him to look down.
He stared at himself in the tile floor's reflection. The Eobard who looked back was different, however. His eyes weren't normal, instead a blood red, and his flat mouth was a large smile. Eobard grabbed onto his face, digging his nails into the skin and dragging down. It was then he finally felt a scream leave his body.
It was that moment he realized what he'd done.
-^- Central City, 2474 -^-
Eobard strapped the large silver device to his chest, making sure the locking mechanism was in place. His left hand typed away at the laptop sat beside him, while his eyes shifted between the screen and the stormy sky. It was New Year's Eve. Eobard stood atop the Flash Museum, ready to finally embrace his destiny.
"I'll be like you, Barry!" he shouted, pressing enter on the keypad, causing the large device behind him to spur to life; Clyde Mardon's weather machine. "I don't need to become your enemy! I can still be good!"
In an instant, a bolt of lightning came down against the device strapped to his chest. Eobard's eyes lit up white, an excruciating pain roaring through his body. The lights on his chest device glowed red as it pulsed electricity throughout Eobard's body. The man dropped to his knees, crying out as the device stopped, the glow dimming to a dark red.
Eobard's eyelids were heavy as he swayed side to side. He could hear the sizzling of his skin, but the pain didn't last. He could feel his fatigue quickly leave him, as red sparks began to generate around him.
His lips curved up into a smile. He'd done it, he'd finally done it.
-^- Central City, 2007 -^-
Eobard's eyes widened as he watched Barry slam his fist in the gut of Clyde Mardon, the Weather Wizard. He badly wanted to intervene, to help Barry beat his foe, but he knew he was far too inexperienced to be of any use to the speedster.
As Barry loaded the villain into the police transport van, Eobard made his move. Running towards Barry, he grabbed onto him, dragging him to the nearest rooftop. Barry was dazed for a moment, but his eyes widened the moment he saw Eobard.
"Thawne!?" he shouted, grabbing Eobard and slamming him against the roof door.
"Barry, listen to me," Eobard said, raising his hands. "I'm here to talk, to make amends!"
"Make amends?" Barry asked, pushing harder against Eobard's chest. "To talk? Why would I listen to you!?"
"It may sound strange, but I haven't murdered anyone yet! I'm Eobard Thawne after just gaining powers, not the one you know!" he explained, smiling at the man. "You have to believe me, I want to be better than the me you know!"
Barry grit his teeth, grabbing Eobard, and throwing him off the roof. Eobard acted fast, spinning his arms wildly to slow his fall as he landed in a back alley. Barry rushed down the building side, straddling Thawne.
"You think I'd just believe you!?" he shouted, slamming his fist into Eobard's face. "Not Eobard Thawne… never."
A rush of wind caused both to turn, spotting August Heart, the reformed villain Godspeed standing in the alleyway. "What's going on, Joe said you disappeared?" August asked, before looking down at Eobard. "Thawne…"
"Right there!" Eobard said, ignoring the bloody nose Barry had given him and pointing at August. "Godspeed… he was a villain… but you believed in him! He changed for the better! Let me try too!"
"Don't ever compare yourself to him!" Barry shouted, slamming his fist into Eobard's face once more. "You're a monster Thawne… you always will be. You are nothing like Godspeed… and you'll never be anything like me!"
"B-b-barry…"
As a tear rolled down Eobard's face, red lightning burst from his body, knocking both Barry and August away. Eobard stood, his eyes a burning red. "I thought you were a hero… but I was wrong…" he said, pulling the yellow cowl over his head. "You're nothing…"
In that moment, Eobard dashed away, returning to his own time, his tears burning away at the speed of light.
-^- Central City, 2475 -^-
"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow boss."
"Night, Keiton."
Tomon smiled as he waved his line cook goodbye, flipping the closing sign on the restaurant door. The hefty man began lifting the chairs at various tables, placing them atop the tables to mop the floor.
As he cleaned, he felt an odd presence loom over him. Turning, his eyes widened as he spotted a ball of red lighting outside the building. He instantly dropped the mop, rushing to the kitchen, not turning as the glass of the front door shattered. He quickly grabbed the phone on the wall, dialing the authorities with a quickness.
"H-h-hello!? I need the science police, as-"
He stopped speaking as he heard a soft hum come from the phone. The line had been cut. Looking out at the dining floor through the serving window, the creature was gone. Gulping, his body turned, only to topple over as he spotted the intruder in the kitchen. The man wore a yellow suit, black and red complimenting the yellow.
"Reverse Flash!?" he shouted, watching as the man in yellow smiled.
Tomon picked himself up, running through the kitchen while knocking over anything he could to block the villain's path. Each obstacle created had no effect, however, as Reverse Flash simply phased through each appliance. In his panic, Tomon stumbled, falling face first into the ground.
"St-st-stay away!" he cried, shuffling backwards away from Reverse Flash. "You're supposed to be long dead!"
"My death was an… oversimplification of things," the villain mumbled. "Time is a tricky thing."
"What do you want from me!"
"Not much," Reverse Flash said. "I wanted to congratulate you, actually."
"Co-congratulate me?"
"You were always right back then," the man mumbled, pulling his cowl off his head, revealing the smiling face of Eobard Thawne. "I do make a good Reverse Flash."
"E-E-Eobard?" Tomon gasped.
"The one and only."
"I… we… we were friends!" he pleaded, crawling until his back hit the wall. "Sure, we gave you a tough time, but it was all in good fun!"
"Yeah, we were good friends," Eobard said, crouching down in front of the man and placing a hand on his shoulder, "weren't we?"
"Y-yeah… yeah," he said smiling with a slight chuckle. "The best of friends…"
Tomon let out a strained cough, blood flying from his mouth. Looking down, his eyes widened, staring at every knife in the kitchen lodged into his stomach. His eyes moved back up to Eobard, the yellow cowl over his head once more.
"Too bad I don't need friends anymore," he said, patting the man on the head. "Say hi to the others for me." Eobard then sped out of the building, leaving Tomon alone as his final moments passed.
-^- Central City, 1983 -^-
Eobard exited the negative Speed Force, skidding to a halt in the middle of the road. His body was in a constant smokescreen of black and red energy, a side effect of the constant time jumps, he assumed. It was quiet, the only sounds coming from the spring birds and yard sprinklers. Eobard surveyed the suburbs, the houses each looking incredibly different than the ones he had grown up in.
It was then that he spotted, through an open bay window, a woman standing up from her couch and moving to the kitchen. 'Nora…' he thought, a smile spreading across his face.
Dashing to the house, his body began to vibrate, allowing him to slip inside. He took slow, methodical steps as he rounded the couch, ready to strike his target. It was then that he spotted a boy, one that looked similar to Barry, but not identical.
'Malcolm?' he wondered, looking down at the boy. 'He isn't supposed to be here… the timeline is…' At that thought, he smiled, vibrating his hands as he looked at the boy. 'I guess a few changes won't hurt.'
"Oh god Malcolm!" Nora cried, running to the pool of blood left on the couch. The woman dropped to her knees, clutching the stained clothes.
As Eobard reentered the room, he bore a soft smile, staring at the woman.
"Clariss!"
Eobard's smile fell, his head swivelling towards the voice. His eyes locked onto some type of red, ghost-like figure. Yellow lightning sparked around him, which helped create an outline, one that shaped a dome helmet on his head.
'Garrick?' he thought, closing his eyes for a moment. 'He thinks I'm the Rival. It must be the side effects but… how is he… a Speed Force link. Barry must have gotten his powers differently.'
Eobard smiled, emulating the long-dead speedster. "A ghost from the future," he said, shifting his vocal chords to imitate what he'd heard from Clariss' holo-logs. "Too bad I'm not a ghost." Eobard dashed out of the home, reappearing seconds later with a kitchen knife laced with Henry Allen's prints. "I'm the reaper."
Eobard stared at Garrick's projection as he drove the knife forwards, carving into Nora's heart. The woman's screams were loud and long, but died out quickly as her body toppled to the side, her blood mixing with Malcolm's. Eobard dipped his hands into the blood, letting it soak into his gloves.
"Mom! Malcolm!" a young voice called from outside. "School let out early!"
Eobard's eyes narrowed as Barry entered the home. 'It would be so easy…' he thought, looking back down at the knife on the ground. 'Too easy for you…'
"Mom… m-m-mom…" Barry mumbled, freezing in place as he rounded the couch, staring at the dead woman on the floor. "Mom?"
Eobard turned towards Garrick, smirking at the ghost before charging at the blond boy. Barry leapt back, falling to the ground, reminding Eobard of his own reaction. Reaching out his hands, Nora and Malcolm's blood dripped onto the ground in front of Barry. As tears began to fall from the boy's eyes, Eobard left, his mission accomplished.
----------------------------
NEXT TIME: A Future Far Beyond!
Fastest antelope, capable of galloping at speeds of over 90km/h; large reddish brown antelope with narrow face and shoulders higher than hindquarters; both sexes have horns; males weigh up to 160kg standing 1,3m high; lifespan up to 15 years
The four fastest on the Thursday practice at the Bathurst 1000. HOW GOOD to have it roll around.
(1/4) #230 Milwaukee Racing, W.Davison & A.Davison Ford Falcon FG/X
(2/4) # 55 Supercheap Auto Racing, C.Mostert & J.MoffatFord Falcon FG/X
(3/4) #7 Castrol/Plus Fitness Racing, A.Heimgartner & A.Russell Nissan Altima
(4/4) #23 Industrial Athlete Racing, M.Caruso & D.FioreNissan Altima
Mount Panorama, Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia.
This rescue happened so fast I didn't even have time to turn my camera on... as we were heading to another rescue in La Fortuna, Costa Rica, we spotted this sick puppy crossing main roads aimlessly. We asked a local guy what's the story with the dog, and he picked her up and told us she was a stray living on this street.
He handed little Suzy to Lisa, and we continued to our next mission.
The fastest four in Friday practice of the Australian Superbike Championship at Winton Raceway.
(1/4) #47 Wayne MAXWELL (Yamaha Racing Team, Yamaha YZF-R1) 1:20.351
(2/4) #17 Troy HERFOSS (Penrite Honda Racing, CBR1000SP) 1:20.697
(3/4) #25 Daniel FALZON (Yamaha Racing Team, Yamaha YZF-R1) 1:20.718
(4/4) #1 Josh WATERS (Team Suzuki ECSTAR, GSX-R1000R) 1:20.995
Winton, Victoria, Australia.
Also known as "ORLANDO WEST," Lake County, Florida's 2020 population was estimated to be more than 400,142. Lake County has ranked among the top 6 fastest-growing counties in Florida. Lake County is expected to experience significant population growth over the coming decades as the Orlando urban core approaches build-out. Forecasts predict Lake County’s population to grow more than 431,500 by 2030 and more than 780,500 by 2050."
Tavares – from “Anytown USA” to “America’s Seaplane City”
By John Drury, Tavares City Administrator
I am frequently asked, “How did they do it?” How did Tavares transition from “Anytown USA” to “America’s Seaplane City”? The short answer is, that everyone started rowing in the same direction at the same time at the right time. The long answer follows below.
Approximately 19,500 cities in the United States, 400 in Florida, and 14 in Lake County. Most cities have no brand. They are perfectly content being who they are – Anytown USA. There is nothing wrong with that. They are proud and welcoming cities perfectly satisfied as is, with no distinctive brand. Some cities have a brand. Key West, for example, has a brand, as does Boulder, Colorado, and Daytona Beach, Florida. What is a brand? In short, a person’s brand is what people say about you when you are not in the room. Similarly, a City’s brand is what people say about the city when they have left it and reflect on it.
About 15 years ago, under the leadership and guidance of then-Mayor Nancy Clutts and East Central Florida Regional Planning Council’s Executive Director Phil Laurien, the citizens of Tavares assembled for about a year and ½ studying their current state of affairs (a struggling downtown) and developing a road map for the future. The result was the creation of a citizen-led, City Council-approved “Vision Statement” and supporting Downtown Redevelopment Plan. The leadership understood a vision without implementation is a hallucination, so the 169-page redevelopment plan included Chapter 11’s “Implementation Plan” describing what would be built, when, by whom, and how it would be funded.
The citizens, business community, faith community, City Council, and their city staff put their oars in the water simultaneously. They began rowing in the same direction in unison to get the job done and complete the “Implementation Plan” together. By 2010, America’s Seaplane City was formed, a seaplane base and marina constructed, a 3,000-foot FAA-approved virtual runway on Lake Dora was permitted, and three boutique hotel buildings were under construction, along with a wedding events pavilion. What followed was ten years of a renaissance period with both the business community and city government investing in itself. As the saying goes, “When you invest in yourself, others will invest in you,” which is exactly what happened here in Tavares.
First, a seaplane scenic tour operator, then a flight training center, followed by an FAA-approved passenger air charter operation, a seaplane manufacturing facility, many restaurants, and too many new businesses to list here. From practically a ghost town with very few businesses whose tax base was 90% funded by the residents and only 10% by the business community, to a tax base funded 35% by the business community and only 65% by the residential community. This shift in tax contribution for city services like police, fire, libraries, parks, and recreation is important because for every dollar a resident contributes on average in taxes to a city, they consume about $1.20 in services on average, and for every $1 a business contributes, they only consume about 80 cents, as they do not use parks, recreational services or libraries, nor call for police and fire services nearly as much as the residents do. So the business community ends up not only creating good jobs but also subsidizing city services for its residents.
Tavares continues to shift the tax burden from its residents to its productive business community, has lowered its tax rate three years in a row, and is growing its brand as “America’s Seaplane City”!
Tavares Seaplane Base (FA1) is a city-owned, public-use seaplane base on Lake Dora in Tavares. The base is popular and gives rise to the city's nickname, "America's Seaplane City."
History
The City of Tavares was founded in 1880 by Alexander St. Clair-Abrams, a newspaper and railroad man from a Creole family in New Orleans. He gave it the surname of a Portuguese ancestor. In 1883 a post office was established; by the next year, a hotel, three stores, a sawmill, and eight cottages were built. St. Clair-Abrams's dream of Tavares as the state capital was not realized, but in 1887 it was designated the county seat of Lake County. St. Clair-Abrams later chartered a railroad from Tavares to Orlando. In 1919, Tavares was incorporated.
The City of Tavares has served as the County's Seat for Lake County, Florida, since 1888. Downtown Tavares lies on the shores of Lake Dora. The picturesque Wooton Park sits only one block from Main Street and offers families everything from picnic pavilions to boat ramps. Tavares is also home to the Dora Canal, one of the most beautiful waterways in the world. Tavares is located in the center of the State of Florida, 45 minutes northwest of Orlando.
In the 19th century, Major St. Clair Abrams began implementing a vision for Tavares. He not only oversaw the development of the hub of rail lines converging in Tavares, but he also saw the state's future capital waiting to be realized. Had it not been for an inadvertent fire 125 years ago, the major’s vision of Tavares being the state capital may have become a reality. The spark from a train ignited the adjacent lumberyard downtown, destroying three dozen buildings in a matter of minutes. That same year, the Florida legislature removed Tavares from consideration as a potential new center of state government. Although times have changed, one factor remains a constant for Tavares. It is the center of government for Lake County, and it is, therefore, Lake County’s Capital City. A partnership has evolved through the years between Lake County’s Board of County Commissioners and the Tavares City Council. The two elected bodies work together to make downtown Tavares a supportive home for the civic activities of Lake County.
Modern Day Tavares
The Tavares Seaplane Base (FA1) is a public-use seaplane landing area owned by the City of Tavares, Florida. The State of Florida licensed the facility as a public airport in 2010. City officials launched the idea for a seaplane base as part of a plan to reinvigorate business and tourist activity in the downtown area. The Seaplane Base has been a major success, and the City of Tavares is now known as “America’s Seaplane City.”
Tavares, Florida, has experienced a renaissance. Inspired by the strategic approach of its citizens, elected officials, employees, and former City Attorney Robert Q. Williams (who served the city for 37 years, 1984-2021), Tavares has rebranded itself, appropriately, as America’s Seaplane City. It is an appropriate moniker for a city helping boost the downtown as a Central Florida entertainment spot and serving as the natural stopping point for seaplane pilots en route to the Bahamas and other island nations. However, the rebranding of Tavares to better align with its unique offerings is not the only revolution happening in City Hall. Tavares’ leaders are responding to citizens’ new expectations for personal digital experiences with their local government through their rapid and innovative adoption of smart technology.
Credit for the data above is given to the following websites:
www.tavares.org/1208/ABOUT-TAVARES
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tavares,_Florida
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.
paddle steam boat Gallia
fastest lake paddle steam boat on earth!
Baujahr: 1913
900 Personen
Geschwindigkeit: 31.5 Km/h
Gewicht: 325.4 t
Leistung: 798 KW
Länge: 63 Meter
Breite: 14.5 Meter
A shy, humble person with an amazing voice, Roy Orbison (1936-1988) never ran around nor did crazy stuff on stage. Dressed in black and wearing his trademark sunglasses, he just stood there, strummed his guitar and sang. He wrote his own music and his impassioned singing voice said it all. Sadly, he died of a heart attack at 52.
Here are a few favorites:
Oh, Pretty Woman – www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PLq0_7k1jk
Crying – www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jjhWpYs1Rs
In Dreams – www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVRunwyoTMA
Only the Lonely – www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6Aw3ZnqQrY
As to the movie, The Fastest Guitar Alive:
"The South is losing the Civil War and the coffers are nearly empty. A group of Confederate spies steals a shipment of gold in San Francisco and attempts to deliver it to a Confederate general in El Paso. Others know about the gold and seek to steal it from them, but the spies have a secret weapon: a guitar that shoots bullets...." -- IMDb
Roy Orbison wrote and performs seven original songs for the movie, songs which appeared on his 1967 MGM album of the same name.
YouTube [Full-HD] Video: youtu.be/MwN91usHAWU
I’m pleased to present my video # 1299 showcasing one of the amazing battles amongst the newbie hauled LHB trains at cumulative speed of 230 Kmph. Under cloudy weather, fastest locomotive series in form of Vadodara (BRC) WAP-5 # 30089 charging down with honking & towing Ahmedabad bound 12933 Karnavati Express bang at its MPS of 110 Kmph which was perfectly ended with surprising entry of strongest locomotive series in form of HOG enabled Vadodara (BRC) WAP-7i # 30476, zoom passed towing Mumbai bound, 22210 New Delhi - Mumbai Central AC Duronto Express bang at its MPS of 120 Kmph. Enjoy the LHB sound speeding at their best. Somehow my calculation sheet showing me that both these trains were doing above their assigned MPS. Both these trains selected in 2nd phase of HOG operation. Till the time, CLW do not roll out HOG enabled WAP-5, all HOG trains will be hauled by HOG enabled WAP-7. So hoping to see all HOG enabled WR train with either BRC or GZB WAP-7.
The fastest quadruped on the planet, a Cheetah, looking back at some antelopes making movements and strange noises in the neighbouring paddock at Whipsnade Zoo.
Jamaican Usain Bolt breaks the world record with a time of 19.30 seconds to win the gold medal in the Men's 200m Final at the Bird's Nest Stadium during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 20, 2008. Bolt became the first man since Carl Lewis in 1984 to sweep the 100 and 200 gold medals at an Olympics. He ran 9.69 seconds to win 100 m Olympic Gold Medal on August 16, 2008.
Watch videos of amazing world record 100 meters and 200 meters dashes by Usain Bolt right here
Update: During the 2009 Berlin World championships, Bolt smashed his own 100 meter world record with a time of 9.58 seconds. In the 200 meters, Bolt took gold in a phenomenal 19.19 seconds, shaving just a tenth of a second off the mark he set in winning the competition at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing.
Some past 200 m world records:
19.32 seconds by Michael Johnson of United States at 1996 Atlanta Olympics
19.75 seconds by Carl Lewis of United States in 1983
博尔特破世界纪录拿下男子200米奥运会金牌
El jamaicano Usain Bolt estremeció por segunda vez en seis días el estadio Nacional de Pekín con su segundo récord mundial, este en la final de 200 metros
One of the birds of prey that took part in an impressive display at Berkeley Castle on late August Bank Holiday. This is a falcon, the fastest of all birds of prey in flight which can reach speeds of an amazing 200mph.