Highball through Starnes-1974

I'm not sure what specific day this was, but the slide was processed in June 1974. I failed to note the actual date. I do remember being aware Clinchfield No. 1 was leading a southbound excursion that started at Elkhorn City, Ky on that day. I might have called someone with the railroad to get a general idea when the train might pass Starnes, Va.

I arrived in time and waited....and waited...and waited. Did I miss it? Eventually I could hear the distant and distinctive sound of a steam whistle. I had an inexpensive 200mm tele lens on my Yashica camera, which was mounted on a flimsy tripod (so flimsy, in fact, it wasn't much better than a hand-held shot).

A headlight appeared in the distance at the north end of the siding at Starnes, and I rechecked my settings and fiddled with the focus--waiting until the train filled the frame at the desired spot. I then turned around and got the going-away shot.

There's a lot to soak up in these images. For beginners, there's the audacity of a small Ten-Wheeler built in 1882 "pulling" a train of a dozen heavyweight passenger cars (plus two F7B units) at 45 MPH. In reality, No. 1 did well to handle just two cars! I doubt the "One Spot" could have even started this train had it been stopped--on level track.

It was fairly warm that day, so there's just a hint of steam as engineer Ed Hatcher blows No. 1's whistle for the only grade crossing in "downtown" Starnes. Brother George was keeping the steam pressure up basically to blow the whistle and keep enough in the boiler so Ed could work a light throttle to keep lubrication going to the cylinders. No. 1's ancient boiler was only rated for 125 psi, and anything over that would raise the first safety valve.

In the second shot, take a look at all the arms, heads, and other body parts sticking out from the open car windows. These people are having more fun than the proverbial barrel of monkeys---more like a trainload of dogs sticking their heads out to catch the sights and scents of the passing countryside.

The observation deck of the former Wabash parlor car on the rear holds no less than a dozen people, most with cameras poised to photograph anything---other trains, cows, each other, or just the scenery of Scott County, Va. If anyone was interested in getting a shot of me, you can't tell it. The lettering on the drumhead isn't sharp enough to read clearly, but it says "Spring Steam Special" in the middle, while the outside says something like "American Association" of something. Maybe it was Funeral Directors, Proctologists, Butchers, Tattoo Artists, or Animal Control Specialists. Not sure...

I was able to get ahead of the train for a second shot as it roared across the big bridge at Copper Creek. That was it, though, as it then burrowed beneath Clinch Mountain, and was gone. About a week later I had a few Ektachrome slides to account for my day along the Clinchfield. It was worth my time.

Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province, has ten shopping centers, some of them designed around a specific theme like this one.

To see the Gypsies statues enlarged :

flic.kr/p/2b8qGSw

That is a typical Chinese modern way of Life !

On the left a temporary exhibition for the French cosmetic brand Moderna.

* * *

Wuhan, la capitale de la province du Hubei, compte dix centres commerciaux, dont certains à thèmes comme celui-ci.

A gauche, une exposition temporaire de la marque française de cosmétiques Moderna.

Victoria asked for this specific style of block and provided the grey fabric. She said that there were no limits on what fabrics we could use. It's a wonderful way to use up small but precious pieces of fabric. She gave us the option of adding something to the center if we wanted and I noticed a definite pink/birdy theme in my fabrics. The appliqued bird is from here. (It's the fifth time I've used this bird in a bee block...I'm kind of in love!)

Each one is a tool, with a specific purpose in mind. Take the Perspective Control lenses of focal lengths 85mm, 45mm, 35mm, and 28mm. No other lens can do that. Or, the Nikon 16mm with its 180° Viewing Angle. Or, the Nikon AF Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8D lens that has a minimum focusing distance of 1 foot 4.08 inches. While the Nikon 300mm f/2.8D costs about $10,000USD new, I paid about $2,000USD for my Nikon 300mm f/4.0D, that is one of the sharpest lenses I own . . . I paid 1/5th of the cost for the 2.8D, which is only 1EV faster or the difference between setting 400 ISO versus 200 ISO . . . So, there are very practical decisions made for each lens purchase. I usually study the various lenses before I make my purchase. Please bear in mind, these were acquired over many years. I could not afford them, if I had to purchase them all at once. You will note each lens is in mint condition. I store all of my camera equipment in 3 dehumidifying boxes, to reduce the chances for fungus.

This is the by-product of another attempt to find an image taken a number of years ago (back in 2015, to be specific) but never processed or posted. While stopping into a small Hamilton, Ontario Chinese food restaurant for some late lunch, I was packing up camera gear as we waited for our order to be completed. I looked across the room and noticed the wild combination of colours provided by the restaurant decorating scheme. Given how long ago I took this shot, and given the volatility of the restaurant business, particularly given the past three years, I wondered if it was still there. A dive into Google and the answer was, yes. If you are wondering, it is Mr Dumpling Express over on Dundurn St S. - JW

Date Taken: 2015-03-28

(c) Copyright 2023 JW Vraets

Tech Details:

Taken using a hand-held Nikon D7100 fitted with an AF-S DX Nikkor 18-105mm 1:3.5-5.6 VR lense set to 45mm, ISO1600 (Auto ISO), Aperture priority mode, f/5.0, 1/80 sec. PP in free Open Source RAWTherapee from a RAW/NEF source file: set final image size to be 9000 px wide, crop a little off the left (preserving the original aspect ration) to get a better symmetry, apply both Tone Mapping and Dynamic Range Compression at default levels, us the Graduated Neutral Density/GND tool rotated to cover the area below the black bench top and then darken slightly, boost both Contrast and Chromaticity in L-A-B mode, slightly boost black level, slight Vibrance increase, apply noise reduction, save, sharpen (edges only). PP in free Open Source GIMP: slightly brighten the upper end of the tone curve by using the Curves tool, slightly boost overall saturation, slightly boost overall contrast, sharpen, save, scale to 6000 px wide, sharpen, save, add fine black and white frame, add bar and text on left, save, scale to 3000 wide for posting, sharpen, save.

“La nostra esperienza sulla terra è spesso definita da un dualismo tra forze contrapposte, una situazione in cui l'esistenza o l'identità di una cosa dipende dalla coesistenza di almeno due condizioni tra loro opposte, ma dipendenti l'una dall'altra e che si presuppongono a vicenda. È forse proprio nel superamento di queste categorie che possiamo trovare crescita ed evoluzione sia come individui che come collettività, mi riferisco ad un campo di tensione tra queste polarità che sia in grado di comprenderle e superarle in una logica di crescita e nuova visione del mondo”. Partendo da questa riflessione, l’artista Patrick Tuttofuoco ha immaginato una forma che fosse in grado di unire in un unico campo espressivo istanze apparentemente opposte - oriente/occidente, femminile/maschile, Kali/Dioniso – che diventano la materia base per riflettere sul superamento dei confini legati al genere e all'abbattimento di stereotipi, etichette e categorie, nel tentativo di dirottare attenzione e luce sull'identità dell'individuo, sulla sua essenza, e non sulla sua apparenza.

L'intervento luminoso site-specific, che raffigura due volti che richiamano alla cultura ellenistica e a quella asiatica, occupa parte della facciata del MAO di Torino, e più precisamente l'angolo le cui facce si rivolgono rispettivamente verso est e ovest, generando anche spazialmente l'unione tra queste due polarità.

L’opera è realizzata in collaborazione e con il supporto di Wonderglass. La sezione Costellazione comprende le Luci d’Artista realizzate dalle principali istituzioni torinesi. Si tratta di una sezione da sempre centrale nella vita di Luci d’Artista e avrà un ruolo cruciale per gli sviluppi della manifestazione sia all’interno della città di Torino, sia, in futuro, in chiave nazionale e internazionale.

Geranium macrorrhizum is an aromatic perennial with attractive soft leaves and pink or purplish flowers. The specific epithet macrorrhizum refers to its large rhizome.

Native to Europe (from France to Greece and Romania), where it is found in the southern Alps, Apennines, Balkan Peninsula and Carpathians.

www.kew.org/science-conservation/plants-fungi/geranium-ma...

Used on specific slag ladle duties on tracks with tight radius curves at Anshan steelworks in Liaoning Province, and not easy to catch in action, just sitting around not doing a lot at the blast furnaces for much of the time, 'PL2' Class 2-6-2 'Prairie' No.244 positioning empty slag ladles on 19th March 1997. The 'PL2' Class was closely related to the 'YJ' Class 2-6-2 and shared all the characteristics of Japanese design, and may well have been rebuilds of examples originally built in Japan around 1935, although information is sketchy. This one carried a 1958 builder's plate. It is believed that No.244 continued to work until around February 2000, when its duties were displaced by diesel, and was the last member of the class to remain in service at Anshan. The last active specimen in China was No.232, seen working at Baotou steelworks in 2002.

© Gordon Edgar - All rights reserved. Please do not use my images without my explicit permission

Thunbergia mysorensis, also called Mysore trumpetvine[2] or Indian clock vine, is a species of flowering plant in the family Acanthaceae. A woody-stemmed evergreen, this vine is cultivated in Spain (south) and native to southern tropical India.[3] The specific epithet mysorensis is derived from the city of Mysore.[3] Other vernacular names include brick & butter vine, lady's slipper vine, and dolls' shoes[4] due to the flower shape and large size. Courtesy Wikipedia

An insect hotel is a manmade structure created from natural materials, they can come in a variety of shapes and sizes depending on the specific purpose or specific insect it is catered to. Most consist of several different sections that provide insects with nesting facilities – particularly during winter, offering shelter or refuge for many types of insects.

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The sign says Church and maybe it is, but I have my doubts.

oh no. Pictures with lots of things in them, but in a specific way is always on my mind. you cannot have your group back.

Site-specific installation art by Giancarlo Neri - Paris Square, Rio de Janeiro

You're looking at a model of the HMS Victory at the Chatham Historic Dockyard. This specific model was built for the 1941 film "That Hamilton Woman," starring Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier. The real HMS Victory was Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, where the British defeated the French and Spanish fleets. The Victory was built between 1759 and 1765 at the Chatham Dockyard. Today, the actual HMS Victory is preserved as a museum ship at the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.

The Victory, First Rate Ship of the Line was launched 7 May 1765. The Victory is Chatham's most famous ship and the ultimate example of a Chatham built ship of the line. The Victory embodies the work of the twenty six trades and the many hundreds of men who built, repaired and refitted her at Chatham during 65 years distinguished service at sea. Her survival at Portsmouth to this day is a testament to the men who built her, those who served on board and her role as a symbol of 18th century national power.

In December 1758, the Admiralty placed an order for five new ships, including '1 of 100 guns at Chatham' - later to be named Victory. Thomas Slade, the Master Shipwright at the Dockyard, started Victory's construction the following summer with the keel being laid on the 23 July 1759. By August 1760 the timber frame was complete and left to season in frame. Victory wouldn't be launched for a further five years, as the requirement for a new First Rate lessened with Britain's victory in the Seven Years War.

Launched on the 7 May 1765 the Victory was placed in ordinary (reserve) and moored on the River Medway, where she remained for thirteen years. During this time she was brought in to dry dock on two occasions to repair her hull. In 1778, when the risk of France and Spain joining the American War of Independence against Britain became a real threat, Victory was fitted for sea and made ready for active service.

Between 1778 and 1797 Victory took part in fleet actions in the English Channel and the Mediterranean. Her presence at key battles underlined Britain's naval strength, projecting power to her enemies. A defining moment in Victory's career was as flagship to Admiral Sir John Jervis at his victory at the Battle of Cape St. Vincent in 1797. Although outnumbered, Victory led a British fleet that was better prepared and trained compared to the Spanish.

The Battle of Trafalgar ended Napoleonic France’s ambitions to invade Britain and her Navy’s ability to threaten Britain’s worldwide Command of the Oceans. The end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 ushered in a century of ‘Pax Britannica’ Britain’s undisputed naval power and position as global superpower – and laid the foundations for much of the modern world we know today.

thedockyard.co.uk/the-collections/dockyard-history/buildi...

立體的五官

Project Room

Barry McGee (TWIST)

Site-Specific Loft Installation

"Running concurrently with the group exhibition Do Not Stack, McGee takes over the project space, transforming the room’s physical relationship with the visitor into an interactive viewing. A distinctive cluster of McGee’s various paintings, works on paper and urban objects can be accessed by ascending through the floor of the utilitarian structure to the lofted space above."

Barry McGee "Site-Specific Loft Installation" at the Roberts and Tilton Gallery in L.A.

I spoke with the director of the gallery. He said that the gallery offered this 10' x 10' room to Barry McGee to do something with it. He said they got to talking and then Barry asked, "Can I build a loft?" And they did. A real interesting space. Well worth a visit in my opinion.

FLICKR Explore'd

This artwork represents a depiction “based on” an accumulation of known facts but is not factual in its entirety. However, references to; a specific U-boat, the U-boat commander, times and dates and events (unless where noted by [ see below ] ) are based on actual facts and events provided by reliable sources. Assuming these sources are true and accurate, most of the information provided here can be concluded as historically factual.

This artwork represents a depiction of the World War II German U-boat, U-995 Type VIIC/41 departing the sub pens at [ 1 ] Saint Nazaire on what will be its final patrol. The date is 13 March 1945. In command is Oberleutnant zur See der Reserve, Hans Georg Hess. Although just shy of his 22 birthday, Hess has considerable experience serving in the Kreigsmarine. He joined the Kriegsmarine in April of 1940 at the young age of 16. He spent two years serving on various mine- sweepers before transferring to the U-boat force. Hess made five patrols on U-466, mostly in the North Atlantic. In September 1944 Hess took over command of U-995 and made five patrols in the Arctic Ocean. This artwork is based loosely on the fifth and final patrol of U-995.

At 09.10 hours on 20 March 1945, about 25 miles east of North Kilden Light U-995 fired torpedoes at convoy JW-65 and reported one ship sunk and two others damaged. In fact, only the Horace Bushnell was seriously damaged. The ship was hit by one torpedo on the port side in the engine room. The blast created a hole 33 feet by 26 feet, cracked the main deck, completely destroyed the engines and killed the second engineer and three men on watch below. The explosion also blew the engine room skylight over the side, cut off the power, destroyed one lifeboat and filled another with oil. The vessel settled with a slight list by the stern until water reached 34 feet and then steadied. The survivors among the eight officers, 34 crewmen and 27 armed guards on board prepared themselves to abandon ship. * (The Merchant Steamer, Horace Bushnell was armed with one 5in, one 3in and eight 20mm guns)

Although considered a total loss and a credit of 7,176 GRT tons for the U-995 and Commander Hans Georg Hess, the merchant ship did not sink completely. In 1947 most its cargo was salvaged. Six crew members were killed in the incident.

At war’s end in Europe the U-995 was back in port at Trondheim, Norway and on 9 May 1945 Commander Hans Georg Hess surrendered his boat and crew to the British who, in turn turned the boat over to the Norwegians. Hess was imprisoned by the Norwegians, eventually spending a year in captivity.

The U-995 was then transferred to Norwegian ownership in October 1948. In December 1952 U-995 became the Norwegian submarine Kaura (Norwegian K class) and in 1965 she was stricken from service by the Royal Norwegian Navy. She was then offered to the West German government for the ceremonial price of one Deutsche Mark. The offer was refused; however, the boat was saved by the German Navy League, DMB. U-995 became a museum ship at Laboe Naval Memorial in October 1971.

After his release Hans Georg Hess returned to Germany, eventually becoming a lawyer in Hannover. He died on 20 March 2008 in Wunstorf-Idensen at the age of 84, and is buried at the village cemetery.

[ 1 ] Actually Narvik, Norway

Credits

1 - Picture of U-Boat used as model for artwork - commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:U_995_Laboe.JPG

2 - Picture of Saint Nazaire sub pens - worldwar2revisited.com/

3 - Pictures of images from “Das Boot” hulu TV Series - www.hulu.com/series/das-boot-ceda3546-5a3b-4e8d-b6a4-50d0...

Bibliography

•  Walk through German submarine U-995

• German submarine U-995 (Wikipedia)

•  www.uboat.net/

•  World War 2 Revisited

•  MuseumShipes

•  German U-Boat / The Laconia Incident

•  Wikipedia/Laconia incident

•  Military.com

•  NOVA Online-Hitler’s Lost Sub

•  NOAA Ocean Exploration / U-576: Life and Death On a World  War II German U-boat

Suggested reading:

The Laconia incident

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laconia_incident

The Last World War II U-Boat Commander Has Died at 105

www.military.com/daily-news/2018/06/24/last-world-war-ii-...

Went out with my backpack after lunch today with no specific vision of what to capture. Wanted to test my new filter holder with a polaroid filter and also test how comfortable I'd be trekking with my my analog/digital backpack consisting of a 503 CXi and an HV house and a selection of Zeiss glass. Still kind of heavy, so need to be more selective on what glass to bring. Having trekked for a mile I stopped at this small water filled hollow to work with the fabulous reflections.

Site specific interactive artwork in a public plaza. The artwork was designed and intended to allow people to climb up and down. Unfortunately four people jumped––to their death. It is now closed.

Becoming Marni is a site-specific installation conceived as the concluding act of the whole Marni Prisma program. It consists of one hundred wooden sculptures created by Brazilian self-taught artist Véio, distributed around the cloister and inside the rooms of the Abbey, drawing an ideal landscape of organic forms. The sculptures are installed in different groups, indoors and outdoors, their presence marked by a tactile path, the color of Venice’s water, drawn on the floor: an irregular surface with translucent spots, creating continuity between the outside and the inside. A small cabinet in the cloister housed Véio’s workshop, enabling him to create artworks on site. Furthermore, as the San Gregorio Abbey is usually closed to the public, this exhibition presented an opportunity to enjoy a unique space.

Consuelo and Carolina Castiglioni discovered Véio at a collective exhibition in Paris. Through Galeria Estação, which exclusively represents him, they entered in contact with him and Carolina tracked him down to Nossa Senhora da Gloria, the small village in the north East of Brazil where he lives and works. Here Véio creates his enigmatic sculptures by giving new life to pieces of wood, clogs and branches he finds along the river. He immediately identifies a being in each piece – an animal, a resting human, a fantastic bird. By a process of artistic transformation – clipping, shaving, adding a final layer of color – he makes the same beings visible to the public, removing them from the raw material and thereby restoring to the wood a meaning that exceeds pure physicality.

This is the complete album of the photos of my visit. --- --- --- www.flickr.com/photos/136891509@N07/albums/72157661202999340

All the parts in this image were not officially released to the public. I have obtained them through other collectors and resellers. From left to right:

• prototype SNOT plates

• a test print

• a Q-Element

• a Grangemouth test brick

• a Satin-Light blue minifigure

These items have been collected because of a genuine hobbyist interest in, and enthusiasm for, LEGO history, production, engineering and quality control. Finding and understanding these items, is like an ongoing treasure hunt that is shared with a community of like-minded LEGO fans.

The items

Prototype parts

Prototype parts, like the prototype SNOT plates in the photo, are "early models" of part designs. The parts never made it into production in this form. They are generally used to evaluate the part design (for example to evaluate the concept, visual appearance, user-experience testing, ...). The parts are usually discarded afterwards.

The parts that I own have been sold in LEGO's internal shop for employees or have been given away in lots that LEGO donated, for example for promotional purposes.

Test bricks

LEGO required that the chemical companies and manufacturers followed a strict quality control programme using test bricks. They often manufactured other plastic products also. The quality control process that was in place for their work for LEGO, was frequently also applied to their other plastic products. As a result, test bricks can be found in a wide range of materials and colours that were never used by LEGO itself.

Initially, old production moulds were used. These bricks have the LEGO logo on all studs. Later specific test brick moulds were made. Initially, those also had the LEGO logo on all studs. After that, bricks with the letters ABCD with varying stud size were used. Later those were replaced by bricks with the letter C on the studs. These days, several other letters are seen.

Nightshift Grangemouth test bricks

In the late 1970s some employees at Borg-Warner wanted to experiment with some of the excess plastic from the regular LEGO production and used the mould to produce bricks with a "granite effect", like the multicoloured brick in the photo. The bricks they produced were given to children. They did not see this as a problem, because the marbled "granite" bricks could be clearly distinguished from real LEGO products. This might have been done with permission within the factory, or they might have been produced during night shifts, but LEGO was not pleased about it. As the story was told on BrickLink, the bricks were eventually spotted by a LEGO representative and the mould was taken away.

It looks like soon after, the test moulds with LEGO logos were replaced with test moulds without LEGO markings. From now on, if any unofficial products that might not meet all quality standards made their way to the general public, it would be clear that these were not official LEGO products.

Test prints

A lot can go wrong while printing on LEGO parts. That is why LEGO has a quality control process for printing. We find both print alignment calibration parts and parts that are printed on the "wrong" base colour, like the minifigure head in the photo.

We assume that these wrong-coloured parts are usually test prints, made on whatever colour was available in the machine at the time but not on the intended colour. This way, the final print design can be evaluated while any test parts can easily be separated from the later actual production parts. That way, there can be no confusion and only the correct parts can be included into sets. Even with all that care, things can still go wrong. Technology can fail, printers can run out of ink, etc. As a result, incomplete prints or misaligned prints are also found.

These parts used to be very rare, but in recent year many have found their way to resellers. They have been included in charity gifts that LEGO made, and some German resellers that seem to have access to LEGO's leftovers get them.

Q-elements

Q-Elements are parts that are made by LEGO for use in model shops. The model shops can request certain parts in unusual colours when they need them. That is how the transparent dark blue brick in this photo was made. They are intended to be used by these model shops only, and as a result they probably do not have to meet all the strict quality requirements that the parts that are released in sets have to meet. That would explain why transparent parts are available to model shops but not in sets. Leftovers from these model shops are sometimes sold or given away.

Mould test runs

Moulds require maintenance. After a mould has been disassembled, maintained and reassembled, a test is needed to ensure that everything works properly. Traditionally, red and transparent material has been used for these tests because some flaws are more visible using these colours.

Few of these parts have shown up, although the number seems to be increasing. These parts used to be rare, but are not hard to find now (finding a random part is easy, finding a specific part is still nearly impossible).

The parts are still often sold as "rare prototypes" by resellers who wish to increase the price.

"Nightshift minifigures"

Before 2020, only very few transparent minifigures were known to exist. They were probably really part of initial mould testing (looking for hidden flaws in the first parts made in a new mould). These were extremely rare. Also, a red Darth Vader helmet was known. That part was probably also made during a first mould test. It sold for such a high value, that later clone brands made "replica prototype helmets" and sold those on Ebay.

In 2020, several transparent minifigures found their way to online sales platforms. The figures were made with genuine LEGO parts, made in unreleased colours. As far as we could tell, the parts originated in the Mexico factory. They were received with enthusiasm by several collectors who were willing to pay serious amounts of money for them. Soon, more minifigures became available. In order to increase collectability and related value, soon accessories like helmets/headgear and weapons were added to the minifigures. Minifigures related to themes like Star Wars and Batman became available in a wide range of colours. When these figures were first made, I expected LEGO to stop them soon. For some reason, LEGO has not done that or has not been able to. By 2022, the range of colours has increased to include 9 or 10 colours with glitter and 11 colours with satin have been made or announced (including the figure in this photo). Many of those colours were never released with those additions in officially released LEGO products.

Because the quality standards that normally apply to LEGO parts did not fully apply to these figures, deviations could occur. Several transparent parts are already known to crack. There is a good reason why LEGO does not release full-transparent minifigures. The available combination of material and design is not suitable for this application. This is an important quality consideration for LEGO products, but it does not appear to be for these unofficial released parts.

I would guess that these parts are made in small quantities during mould testing after maintenance. That would keep them out of the regular LEGO production lines, and possibly out of strict supervision.

Replicas and clones

Finally, there are replica's and clones, which are parts that were "inspired" by actual LEGO bricks. Made with "Is no fake, is copy"-ethics. For example, we have seen

• Replica stickers or replica prints on genuine (unprinted) LEGO parts, especially for expensive collectible sets

• Replica Plant Leaves 6 x 5 (part 2417) that were made "only in colours that LEGO did not make", until LEGO made some of those colours later...

• Replica train wheel rubber, to replace old parts that have deteriorated over time.

• Custom chromed parts, making it difficult to find the parts that were actually chromed by LEGO

• And finally last year there was a story that Chinese clone bricks were found that used the LEGO logo. As far as I know, this is the first time that suspected clone bricks might actually have used the LEGO logo. Usually, people just think that parts made in another mould version must be fake.

These fake parts often violate the intellectual property rights of LEGO (and franchises like Star Wars when those stickers/prints are copied). For collectors, they can make things very difficult. How to separate genuine or even rare valuable items from cheap knock-offs?

I don't have any of these in my collection, but I would probably be interested in a few of those rumoured Chinese Fake-LEGO-2x4-bricks with LEGO logo...

Reasons to collect

Treasure hunt and the community - It's a fun hobby

People still frequently find items that have never been seen by our community before. Finding them, sharing them online, and engaging the community bring both joy and social interaction with fellow collectors. The new items provide an opportunity to everyone to learn something new and to gain new insights or better understanding.

There is also fun in the chase. Figuring out what is out there and where to find it. Gotta catch 'em all!

And, finally.... Ohhh, Look how beautiful this new brick is!

Understanding history and product design

Through collecting these items, we can learn about LEGO's history. By comparing them, or thinking about why things are the way they are, we can learn about the evolution of technology and ideas. Every brick tells a story, about when and how it was made, about the challenges that had to be overcome or about the people that made and used them.

Conservation of knowledge and unique items

By finding, collecting and conserving items that are otherwise unobtainable and that might otherwise be scrapped and destroyed, we preserve tangible items that tell us the stories behind them in a visible way. When we find these items, we are often also finding the stories relating to these items.

Telling a story

Finally, when the items and their information become available, we can use those to tell a story. We can share what we have found in exhibitions or online, like on this Flickr page. Through these items and their stories, we can help people understand their rich history.

Ethical considerations

Collecting unreleased items?

While collecting, a collector should consider the implications of his or her actions.

We could consider several aspects:

1) Why the parts were made;

2) How the parts became available;

3) Who benefits from them;

4) Confidentiality and conflicts of interest.

Most of these parts were made as part of LEGO's design or quality control processes. They were made by LEGO or by their suppliers because they were needed.

Although the parts were not made to be released to the general public, most parts that do find their way out of the factories seem to do so by legitimate routes. They are, for example, included in sales or donations of leftover parts. There are stories where chemical companies have given test parts to their employees.

In most cases the person who made the parts did not personally benefit from them. The parts were often seen as unusable leftovers that could be donated or as interesting gifts to contacts or people who were involved in their development, or simply as toys for children of employees. Only later, often decades later when these children were grown up or when the employees died, did these parts make it to the secondary market. Resellers make some money by finding and selling these items.

As far as I know, confidentiality and conflicts of interest have not caused any issues yet. Considering confidentiality, we might happen to find information that could (still) be confidential. The basic principle should be that we, as fans of LEGO, do not wish to do any harm to LEGO. As a result, intellectual property and proprietary information should remain confidential. We can, however, share all publicly available information (including when it takes some effort of specialist knowledge to get it) about the items we find and our thoughts about them. Collectors might have personal friendships with people in the professional communities. We can ask for information, but we should respect their professional limits in what they can or cannot share and respect confidentiality when they ask us to remain silent about something.

Stimulation of illegitimate behaviour

In the case of the minifigure, a new situation seems to have occurred. It looks like someone, or probably a small group of people, is actively benefiting from an illegitimate activity. They have discovered the LEGO AFOL collectors market, and have found that serious money can be made by selling "unreleased prototypes", especially of minifigures related to collectable themes like Star Wars or Batman.

We cannot be certain as long as no official statements are made by LEGO, but it seems like these parts are made using LEGO moulds and LEGO materials without proper authorisation and without financial benefits for LEGO. This might be a form of theft, by the employee(s) who used the facilities and materials for personal gain. When buying these items, we might support and stimulate this kind of behaviour.

I consider the "nightshift minifigures" an interesting example of how LEGO employees and LEGO collectors deal with these items. Because of that, I do think that some of these parts have a place in my collection. I do however do not wish to stimulate the production of these figures much. That is why I choose to limit myself to a few parts. I will not buy any for resale or trade. That is just my approach though, every collector will have to make his or her own choices here.

I snuck into Connecticut on Friday with a very specific goal thanks to a tip from Jack Robert. There aren't too many shots left on my 'New England Bucket List' after the last nearly four years of hunting. But this was another pretty big one I finally got, having never seen this back in the old days.

Anyway the Connecticut River is the largest waterway in New England, bifurcating the region and running 406 miles from the Canadian border to Long Island Sound and draining some 11,260 square miles. It is been bridged by railroads at 21 points along that length and amazingly 16 of those crossings still remain in service, including all four in Connecticut.

This is one of those bridges, and one I'd longed wanted to photograph. Build in 1872 by the perfectly named New Haven, Middletown and Willimantic Railroad it had been staunchly opposed by maritime interests who feared competition and the risks it would pose to maritime navigation. Those fears were not without cause as this story tells: connecticuthistory.org/a-night-to-remember-when-the-steam...

The original bridge was replaced by the present steel one in 1910 that was built by the American Bridge Company at a total length of 1220 ft with a 300 ft main swing main span. Here is another article on it if you're interested: www.courant.com/hc-xpm-2010-11-03-hc-marteka-railroad-swi...

As for the railroad it was never particularly successful and was reorganized as the Boston and New York Air-Line Railroad in 1875 and was purchased by the growing New Haven system in 1882. Early in its life it had some importance and even saw the passage of one of the most famous trains of all time, the New England Limited was inaugurated in 1884 and operated between New York and Boston jointly by the New Haven who then handed it off to the New York and New England at Willimantic. It became the thing of legend in 1891, when the Pullman Palace Car Company refitted the train with luxurious new cars decorated in white and gold, inspiring the advertising department to call it the White Train and folks along the line to call it the Ghost Train as it sped through their towns after dark. While it only ran for five years it became so famous in that time to even be memorialized by Rudyard Kipling in a verse. To read a bit more check out this.

www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-xpm-1998-02-11-980210...

However in 1889 the last major gap in the Shore Line was completed when the Thames River was bridged between Groton New London. Despite this coastal route being 25 miles longer it had far less severe grades and quickly eclipsed the direct 'Air Line' overland route as the preeminent New York to Boston line, a distinction it continues to hold to this day as Amtrak's Northeast Corridor.

Meanwhile the old Air Line's connection at Willimantic, the NYNE merged with the New Haven in 1898 and by 1925 through Boston to New York passenger trains were gone. The route hung on for local freight service until 1965 until the 27 or so miles east of Portland to Willimantic were abandoned. The former NYNE route, later New Haven's Midland Division, was severed at Putman by a flood in 1955 and the line was gradually abandoned and today nearly all of it from Blackstone, MA to Portland, CT is a fabulous trail. in fact the stretch around Pomfret on the old NYNE is personally very special as it is one of my Dad's favorite bike rides and annual fall tradition for us to ride the ghost rails of the old ghost train!

Anyway, NH successors Penn Central and Conrail continued to serve Portland via this bridge until 1987 when the state purchased the trackage from CR which had filed for abandonment. The new Connecticut Central shortline took over and operated it until 1998 when the Providence and Worcester purchased the shortline.

The PW, now under the corporate umbrella of Genesee and Wyoming, still operates it to this day as seen here. Lacal freight CT-1 took a string of empty gondolas over the river to Red Technologies in Portland and returned with loads. B39-8E is seen nearing the railroad south end of what they call their Portland Running Track as they approach the east end of the bridge and the diamond crossing with the Valley Line.

Middletown, Connecticut

Friday February 11, 2022

The specific time and sun position gets the rainbow formed.

Dry Falls, also known as Upper Cullasaja Falls, is a 65-foot (20 m) waterfall in the Nantahala National Forest, northwest of Highlands on the Cullasaja River. It is part of a series of waterfalls on an 8.7-mile (14.0 km) stretch of the river that eventually ends with Cullasaja Falls. Dry Falls flows over an overhanging bluff that allows visitors to walk up under the falls and remain relatively dry when the waterflow is low, hence its name. Visitors will get wet if the waterflow is high. The falls has been called Dry Falls for a long time, but has also gone by a few other names, including High Falls, Pitcher Falls, and Cullasaja Falls.[22] Dry Falls is located on the side of U.S. Highway 64 3.1 miles (5.0 km) north of Highlands (Macon County, NC). There is a parking area on the side of the road, where visitors can park before walking the short path with stairs to the falls. During 2008-2009 the Forest Service made improvements to the parking area, which included renovation and expansion and the addition of bathroom facilities. A new walkway and overlook were also constructed adjacent to the parking area (reference:-Wiki).

Credits to Maelven for the plane design!

Specific stone cone roofs in the city of Alberobello

Be Specific ship Union Pacific

Built in 1936. Stitched Panorama from 10 original photos.

Located at the Orange Empire Railroad Museum.

Perris, CA

Big Sur is a sparsely populated region of the central California coast where the Santa Lucia Mountains rise abruptly from the Pacific Ocean. This geology produces stunning views and has become a magnet for global tourism. Big Sur's Cone Peak is the highest coastal mountain in the lower 48 states, ascending nearly a mile (5,155 feet/1.6km) above sea level, only 3 miles (4.8 km) from the ocean. Although Big Sur has no specific boundaries, many definitions of the area include the 90 miles (145km) of coastline between the Carmel River and San Carpoforo Creek, and extend about 20 miles (32km) inland to the eastern foothills of the Santa Lucias, while other sources limit the eastern border to the coastal flanks of these mountains, only three to 12 miles (4.8-19km) inland. The northern end of Big Sur is about 120 miles (193km) south of San Francisco, and the southern end is approximately 245 miles (394km) north of Los Angeles.

Big Sur Today

Big Sur remains sparsely populated, with fewer than 1500 inhabitants, according to the 2000 US Census. The people of Big Sur today are a diverse mix: descendants of the original settler and rancher families, artists and other creative types, along with wealthy home-owners from the worlds of entertainment and commerce. Real estate costs are as impressive as the views, with most homes priced above $2 million. There are no urban areas, although three small clusters of gas stations, restaurants, and motels are often marked on maps as "towns": Big Sur, in the Big Sur River valley, Lucia, near Limekiln State park, and Gorda, on the southern coast. The economy is almost completely based on tourism. Much of the land along the coast is privately owned or has been donated to the state park system, while the vast Los Padres National Forest and Fort Hunter Liggett Military Reservation encompass most of the inland areas. The mountainous terrain, environmentally conscious residents, and lack of property available for development have kept Big Sur almost unspoiled, and it retains an isolated, frontier mystique.

Climate

It is impossible to generalize about the weather in Big Sur, because the jagged topography causes many separate microclimates. This is one of the few places on Earth where redwoods grow within sight of cacti. Still, Big Sur typically enjoys a mild climate year-round, with a sunny, dry summer and fall, and a cool, wet winter. Coastal temperatures vary little during the year, ranging from the 50s at night to the 70s by day (Fahrenheit) from June through October, and in the 40s to 60s from November through May. Farther inland, away from the ocean's moderating influence, temperatures are much more variable. Annual precipitation in the Big Sur Valley is about 40 inches (100cm), diminishing further to the south to about 25 inches. More than 70% of the rain falls from December through March, while the summer brings drought conditions. Snow is uncommon during the winter months on the coast, although the mountaintops can receive heavy snowfalls. The abundant winter rains cause rock and mudslides that can cut off portions of Highway 1 for days or weeks, but the road is usually quickly repaired.

Along with much of the central and northern California coast, Big Sur often has dense fog in summer. The summer fog and summer drought have the same underlying cause: a massive, stable seasonal high pressure system that forms over the north Pacific Ocean. The high pressure cell inhibits rainfall and generates northwesterly airflows. These prevailing summer winds from the northwest push the warm ocean surface water to the southeast, away from the coast, and frigid deep ocean water rises in its place. The water vapor in the air contacting this cold water condenses into fog. The fog usually moves out to sea during the day and closes in at night, but sometimes heavy fog blankets the coast all day. Fog is an essential summer water source for many Big Sur coastal plants. Most plants cannot take water directly out of the air, but the condensation on leaf surfaces slowly precipitates into the ground like rain.

Flora

The many climates of Big Sur result in an astonishing biodiversity, including many rare and endangered species such as the wild orchid Piperia yadonii. Arid, dusty chaparral-covered hills exist within easy walking distance of lush riparian woodland. The mountains trap most of the moisture out of the clouds; fog in summer, rain and snow in winter. This creates a favorable environment for coniferous forests, including the southernmost habitat of the coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), which grows only on lower coastal slopes that are routinely fogged in at night. The redwoods are aggressive regenerators, and have grown back extensively since logging ceased in the early twentieth century. The rare Santa Lucia fir (Abies bracteata), as its name suggests, is found only in the Santa Lucia mountains. A common "foreign" species is the Monterey pine (Pinus radiata), which was uncommon in Big Sur until the late 19th century, when many homeowners began to plant it as a windbreak. Monterey pine fossil remains have been found at Little Sur.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Causes of gradual vision loss

1.Painless loss

Refractive error - this is characterised by an improvement of the visual acuity with the use of a pinhole (if you don't have a specific occluder with pinholes, a biro point-sized hole in a stiff piece of cardboard will do). Refer to the optician.

Cataracts - the patient often complains of glare in dark conditions (and so difficulty in driving at night) and may complain that colours appear more dull than they used to. There may be an abnormal red reflex and, in advanced cases, the cataract may be visible to the naked eye (this is increasingly rare these days). Other aspects of the examination should be normal unless there is concurrent pathology. Refer routinely.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) - suspect AMD if the patient is aged >50 years and is presenting with either of the following symptoms, usually affecting one eye at a time:

Distortion of vision, where straight lines appear crooked or wavy.

Painless loss or blurring of central or near-central vision. The person may describe a black or grey patch affecting their central field of vision (scotoma).

Various other visual symptoms can occur, or AMD may be an incidental finding by an optometrist. Visual acuity on a Snellen chart may be normal or reduced. When viewing an Amsler chart (or graph paper), patients may see breaks, waviness, or missing portions of the lines. Refer urgently if AMD is suspected.

Chronic (primary) open-angle glaucoma - is most commonly picked up through screening. If it is so advanced that the patient is the first to notice it, very little can be done. It is characterised by a progressive peripheral visual field loss and 'cupping' of the optic discs (the central area of the optic disc enlarges and the peripheral rim thins out). The degree of urgency depends on how advanced the damage is.

Diabetic retinopathy - the problem may be due to the diabetic microvascular problems (ie exudates and haemorrhages), to associated pathology (eg, diabetic cataract) or unrelated pathology (eg, glaucoma). Refer promptly (within a week), as prompt treatment may prevent deterioration.

Compression of optic nerve or optic pathway - rare, but should be considered if there is a history of headaches and if you find any neurological or endocrinological abnormalities (eg, acromegaly) on examination. Look for a relative afferent pupillary defect (not usually present in the above conditions), a pale or swollen optic disc (the margins are not clear) and visual field defects.

Drugs, toxins or nutritional deficiency - eg:

Amiodarone - various effects on the eye

Antituberculous drugs - ethambutol and isoniazid (optic neuritis).

Hydroxychloroquine (maculopathy).

Systemic steroids (cataracts and glaucoma)

Phosphodiesterase inhibitors (eg, sildenafil).

Others drugs - tetracyclines (benign intracranial hypertension), isotretinoin, tamoxifen (various possible effects on vision).

Alcohol, smoking and nutritional deficiency - eg:

Tobacco-alcohol amblyopia.

Methanol poisoning.

Vitamin A deficiency (classically causes night blindness).

Hereditary retinal dystrophies are rare and, depending on the exact problem, present anywhere from early childhood to middle age. Some are rapidly progressing; others are very slow. Typical features particularly include poor night vision and intolerance to light. Poor appreciation of movement in the peripheral visual field may also be a feature. Ask about similar problems in family members (who may not have been diagnosed). Children should be referred more promptly than adults for whom a routine referral is fine. These patients will need genetic counselling as well as support where the prognosis is poor.

Cerebrovascular disease (stroke and TIA) - although these are likely to present acutely. TIA causing visual loss is termed amaurosis fugax.

Papilloedema - eg, from intracranial hypertension.

-----------------------

2. Painful loss

This is much rarer and tends to suggest a more sinister pathology such as:

A progressive neoplastic (eg, choroidal melanoma) or inflammatory process (eg, chorioretinitis).

A systemic problem (eg, sarcoidosis or collagen vascular disease).

Lesions on the optic nerve (eg, optic neuritis, granuloma or neuroma).

Intracranial pathology or masses (may present with headache, or with endocrine symptoms if a pituitary tumour).

Intracranial hypertension (may have headache).

All these patients should be referred. Referral is more urgent than with painless conditions and patients should really be seen within a few days.

If there is a problem, don't wait seek medical help.

---------------

Candid street shot Bergen, Norway.

A specific, creative struggle is going on at the moment.

It's true. I admit. It is a panging question.

What's next?

How does artistic progression occur without redundancy?

Does this happen to you?

Creating images is so very important to me. It feeds both my wants and needs of expression and communication. I believe that when you are shy or introverted, in particular, photography offers a voice; a presence with proof that all, sometimes socially awkward, inconveniently timid, and the often meek can be not only heard but expressive. Photography gifts this not only to myself but to many others.

Without the use of words, an image can resonate with another human like nothing spoken. Images gift the viewer an opportunity to interpret a soulful message specific to their needs. A communicative conduit through which the viewer receives precisely the emotion that at he/she needs or wants. Be it sadness, peacefulness, happiness, positivity, negativity, love, etc ... Isn't that amazing?

Think about it.

I do.

It's huge.

As 2019 begins, I wish to transform my photography fetish and move forward into sharing a more stimulating and creative forum. I am not a goal-oriented human, but perhaps it is time to structure a few things. I am struggling to make headway in the creative direction that my heart wishes to travel. It is frustrating.

I want to try something new; such as, write a novel and or a book of poetry, teach a class, offer online workshops, hold a photography retreat, open a studio, and more.

I even start a 365 on January 1st, eyes rolling, knowing I have much more important, challenging photography things to accomplish. I have done a 365 previously, four years ago. Why revisit it? Do I find ways to procrastinate creating obstacles to reaching my true wants? Hmmm.

What is the "thing" you are struggling to uncover or explore? As we move into another year of our lives, in which we so very much want to be productive not only for ourselves but for others, what is yours?

For me, the first step is going to be clearing away the fog, the obstacles that are requiring my time which is inhibiting my ability to do the things of creative choice. Prioritize I suppose, would be most specific. Seems like a great place in which to begin.

xo

_________

Panging by Angie Lambert

There is a want

and a need

to be inspirational.

Stealthy,

a blur reveals.

Teasing with clarity

and snippets of precision,

it feeds.

What is next?

I do hear you.

Mind and body hungry,

needing less of the blur

rather than more,

the pang continues.

Trichocentrum longicalcaratum in situ, sans taches dans les pétales et les sépales. L'imagination de la nature n'a pas de limite pour s'adapter á des centaines d'habitats particuliers avec des microclimats spécífiques, créant des especes d'orchidées les plus surprenantes les unes que les autres de par leurs formes, couleurs et parfums. Colombie.

Trichocentrum longicalcaratum in situ, without dots on the petals and sepals. Imagination of nature has no limit to adapt to hundreds of particular habitats with specific microclimate, creating more astounding orchid species one than the other by their shapes, colors and fragrances. Colombia.

Trichocentrum longicalcaratum in situ, sin manchas en los pétalos y sépalos. La imaginación de la naturaleza no tiene límite para adaptarse a cientos de hábitats particulares con microclimas específicos, creando especies de orquídeas más asombrosas una que la otra por sus formas, colores y fragancias. Colombia.

Trichocentrum longicalcaratum in situ, avec taches dans les pétales et les sépales. L'imagination de la nature n'a pas de limite pour s'adapter á des centaines d'habitats particuliers avec des microclimats spécífiques, créant des especes d'orchidées les plus surprenantes les unes que les autres de par leurs formes, couleurs et parfums. Colombie.

Trichocentrum longicalcaratum in situ, with dots on the petals and sepals. Imagination of nature has no limit to adapt to hundreds of particular habitats with specific microclimate, creating more astounding orchid species one than the other by their shapes, colors and fragrances. Colombia.

Trichocentrum longicalcaratum in situ, con manchas en los pétalos y sépalos. La imaginación de la naturaleza no tiene límite para adaptarse a cientos de hábitats particulares con microclimas específicos, creando especies de orquídeas más asombrosas una que la otra por sus formas, colores y fragancias. Colombia.

This is how you tell that some units are finished as the immigrant women who do the cleaning want their own toilet!

Bryophyllum fedtschenkoi is a species native to Madagascar widely sold as a house or garden plant[2] that has established itself in the wild in some southern parts of the United States of America. The specific epithet fedtschenkoi honors botanist Boris Fedtschenko (1873-1947).

Commonly called ‘Lavender Scallops’ from the shape and colour of its leaves. It has few pests but may be susceptible to mealy bug or occasionally scale insects. Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryophyllum_fedtschenkoi

Almere - Villa van Vijven.= - Next Architects

The Overgooi project concerns a villa-like residential building with five specific accommodations commissioned by the Villa van Vijven (Villa For Five) Association that consists of five private clients. The opportunity arose to develop five residential units on a 5000 m2 lot – with the restriction that they had to look like a single villa. Based on this fact and on various qualities of the environment we implemented a series of transformations on the building volume. On the basis of a number of workshops with the residents this resulted in five specific accommodations, each with its very own character. Each storey has been rotated a quarter turn in relation to the others, giving the residences exceptional orientation, incidence of sunlight and spaciousness. Subsequently, the entire building was raised to give each residence a second floor view – over the dike – of the Gooi lake.

Site-specific перформанс Ірини Плотнікової "IceDora" на фестивалі сучасного мистецтва Гогольфест 2016, Київ, Україна © repor.to/popenko

Site-specific перформанс Ірини Плотнікової "IceDora" на фестивалі сучасного мистецтва Гогольфест 2016, Київ, Україна © repor.to/

Hug Point State Park. Cannon Beach, Oregon USA

The British Library is a site-specific installation by Yinka Shonibare. It highlights the impact of immigration on British culture and offers a digital platform for visitors to join in the discussion.

An Air Force Lockheed Martin F-22 "Raptor" assigned to the 3rd Wing flies over Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Feb. 27, 2018. The Lockheed Martin F-22 "Raptor" is the U.S. Air Force’s premium fifth-generation fighter asset.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Lockheed Martin F-22 "Raptor" is a fifth-generation, single-seat, twin-engine, all-weather stealth tactical fighter aircraft developed for the United States Air Force (USAF). The result of the USAF's Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program, the aircraft was designed primarily as an air superiority fighter, but also has ground attack, electronic warfare, and signal intelligence capabilities. The prime contractor, Lockheed Martin, built most of the F-22's airframe and weapons systems and conducted final assembly, while Boeing provided the wings, aft fuselage, avionics integration, and training systems.

The aircraft was variously designated F-22 and F/A-22 before it formally entered service in December 2005 as the F-22A. Despite its protracted development and various operational issues, USAF officials consider the F-22 a critical component of the service's tactical air power. Its combination of stealth, aerodynamic performance, and situational awareness enable unprecedented air combat capabilities.

Service officials had originally planned to buy a total of 750 ATFs. In 2009, the program was cut to 187 operational production aircraft due to high costs, a lack of clear air-to-air missions due to delays in Russian and Chinese fighter programs, a ban on exports, and development of the more versatile F-35. The last F-22 was delivered in 2012.

Development

Origins

In 1981, the U.S. Air Force identified a requirement for an Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) to replace the F-15 "Eagle" and F-16 "Fighting Falcon". Code named "Senior Sky", this air-superiority fighter program was influenced by emerging worldwide threats, including new developments in Soviet air defense systems and the proliferation of the Su-27 "Flanker"- and MiG-29 "Fulcrum"-class of fighter aircraft. It would take advantage of the new technologies in fighter design on the horizon, including composite materials, lightweight alloys, advanced flight control systems, more powerful propulsion systems, and most importantly, stealth technology. In 1983, the ATF concept development team became the System Program Office (SPO) and managed the program at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The demonstration and validation (Dem/Val) request for proposals (RFP) was issued in September 1985, with requirements placing strong emphasis on stealth and supercruise. Of the seven bidding companies, Lockheed and Northrop were selected on 31 October 1986. Lockheed teamed with Boeing and General Dynamics while Northrop teamed with McDonnell Douglas, and the two contractor teams undertook a 50-month Dem/Val phase, culminating in the flight test of two technology demonstrator prototypes, the YF-22 and the YF-23, respectively.

Dem/Val was focused on risk reduction and technology development plans over specific aircraft designs. Contractors made extensive use of analytical and empirical methods, including computational fluid dynamics, wind-tunnel testing, and radar cross-section calculations and pole testing; the Lockheed team would conduct nearly 18,000 hours of wind-tunnel testing. Avionics development was marked by extensive testing and prototyping and supported by ground and flying laboratories. During Dem/Val, the SPO used the results of performance and cost trade studies conducted by contractor teams to adjust ATF requirements and delete ones that were significant weight and cost drivers while having marginal value. The short takeoff and landing (STOL) requirement was relaxed in order to delete thrust-reversers, saving substantial weight. As avionics was a major cost driver, side-looking radars were deleted, and the dedicated infra-red search and track (IRST) system was downgraded from multi-color to single color and then deleted as well. However, space and cooling provisions were retained to allow for future addition of these components. The ejection seat requirement was downgraded from a fresh design to the existing McDonnell Douglas ACES II. Despite efforts by the contractor teams to rein in weight, the takeoff gross weight estimate was increased from 50,000 lb (22,700 kg) to 60,000 lb (27,200 kg), resulting in engine thrust requirement increasing from 30,000 lbf (133 kN) to 35,000 lbf (156 kN) class.

Each team produced two prototype air vehicles for Dem/Val, one for each of the two engine options. The YF-22 had its maiden flight on 29 September 1990 and in flight tests achieved up to Mach 1.58 in supercruise. After the Dem/Val flight test of the prototypes, on 23 April 1991, Secretary of the USAF Donald Rice announced the Lockheed team as the winner of the ATF competition. The YF-23 design was considered stealthier and faster, while the YF-22, with its thrust vectoring nozzles, was more maneuverable as well as less expensive and risky. The aviation press speculated that the Lockheed team's design was also more adaptable to the U.S. Navy's Navalized Advanced Tactical Fighter (NATF), but by 1992, the Navy had abandoned NATF.

Production and procurement

As the program moved to full-scale development, or the Engineering & Manufacturing Development (EMD) stage, the production version had notable differences from the YF-22, despite having a broadly similar shape. The swept-back angle of the leading edge was decreased from 48° to 42°, while the vertical stabilizers were shifted rearward and decreased in area by 20%. To improve pilot visibility, the canopy was moved forward 7 inches (18 cm), and the engine intakes moved rearward 14 inches (36 cm). The shapes of the wing and stabilator trailing edges were refined to improve aerodynamics, strength, and stealth characteristics. Increasing weight during development caused slight reductions in range and maneuver performance.

Prime contractor Lockheed Martin Aeronautics manufactured the majority of the airframe and performed final assembly at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta, Georgia; program partner Boeing Defense, Space & Security provided additional airframe components as well as avionics integration and training systems. The first F-22, an EMD aircraft with tail number 4001, was unveiled at Marietta, Georgia, on 9 April 1997, and first flew on 7 September 1997. Production, with the first lot awarded in September 2000, supported over 1,000 subcontractors and suppliers from 46 states and up to 95,000 jobs, and spanned 15 years at a peak rate of roughly two airplanes per month. In 2006, the F-22 development team won the Collier Trophy, American aviation's most prestigious award. Due to the aircraft's advanced nature, contractors have been targeted by cyberattacks and technology theft.

The USAF originally envisioned ordering 750 ATFs at a total program cost of $44.3 billion and procurement cost of $26.2 billion in fiscal year (FY) 1985 dollars, with production beginning in 1994. The 1990 Major Aircraft Review led by Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney reduced this to 648 aircraft beginning in 1996. By 1997, funding instability had further cut the total to 339, which was again reduced to 277 by 2003. In 2004, the Department of Defense (DoD) further reduced this to 183 operational aircraft, despite the USAF's preference for 381. A multi-year procurement plan was implemented in 2006 to save $15 billion, with total program cost projected to be $62 billion for 183 F-22s distributed to seven combat squadrons. In 2008, Congress passed a defense spending bill that raised the total orders for production aircraft to 187.

The first two F-22s built were EMD aircraft in the Block 1.0 configuration for initial flight testing, while the third was a Block 2.0 aircraft built to represent the internal structure of production airframes and enabled it to test full flight loads. Six more EMD aircraft were built in the Block 10 configuration for development and upgrade testing, with the last two considered essentially production quality jets. Production for operational squadrons consisted of 37 Block 20 training aircraft and 149 Block 30/35 combat aircraft; one of the Block 35 aircraft is dedicated to flight sciences at Edwards Air Force Base.

The numerous new technologies in the F-22 resulted in substantial cost overruns and delays. Many capabilities were deferred to post-service upgrades, reducing the initial cost but increasing total program cost. As production wound down in 2011, the total program cost is estimated to be about $67.3 billion, with $32.4 billion spent on Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) and $34.9 billion on procurement and military construction (MILCON) in then year dollars. The incremental cost for an additional F-22 was estimated at about $138 million in 2009.

Ban on exports

The F-22 cannot be exported under US federal law to protect its stealth technology and other high-tech features. Customers for U.S. fighters are acquiring earlier designs such as the F-15 "Eagle" and F-16 "Fighting Falcon" or the newer F-35 "Lightning II", which contains technology from the F-22 but was designed to be cheaper, more flexible, and available for export. In September 2006, Congress upheld the ban on foreign F-22 sales. Despite the ban, the 2010 defense authorization bill included provisions requiring the DoD to prepare a report on the costs and feasibility for an F-22 export variant, and another report on the effect of F-22 export sales on U.S. aerospace industry.

Some Australian politicians and defense commentators proposed that Australia should attempt to purchase F-22s instead of the planned F-35s, citing the F-22's known capabilities and F-35's delays and developmental uncertainties. However, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) determined that the F-22 was unable to perform the F-35's strike and close air support roles. The Japanese government also showed interest in the F-22 for its Replacement-Fighter program. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) would reportedly require fewer fighters for its mission if it obtained the F-22, thus reducing engineering and staffing costs. However, in 2009 it was reported that acquiring the F-22 would require increases to the Japanese government's defense budget beyond the historical 1 percent of its GDP. With the end of F-22 production, Japan chose the F-35 in December 2011. Israel also expressed interest, but eventually chose the F-35 because of the F-22's price and unavailability.

Production termination

Throughout the 2000s, the need for F-22s was debated, due to rising costs and the lack of relevant adversaries. In 2006, Comptroller General of the United States David Walker found that "the DoD has not demonstrated the need" for more investment in the F-22, and further opposition to the program was expressed by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon R. England, Senator John McCain, and Chairman of U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services Senator John Warner. The F-22 program lost influential supporters in 2008 after the forced resignations of Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force General T. Michael Moseley.

In November 2008, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates stated that the F-22 was not relevant in post-Cold War conflicts such as irregular warfare operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and in April 2009, under the new Obama Administration, he called for ending production in FY2011, leaving the USAF with 187 production aircraft. In July, General James Cartwright, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated to the Senate Committee on Armed Services his reasons for supporting termination of F-22 production. They included shifting resources to the multirole F-35 to allow proliferation of fifth-generation fighters for three service branches and preserving the F/A-18 production line to maintain the military's electronic warfare (EW) capabilities in the Boeing EA-18G "Growler". Issues with the F-22's reliability and availability also raised concerns. After President Obama threatened to veto further production, the Senate voted in July 2009 in favor of ending production and the House subsequently agreed to abide by the 187 production aircraft cap. Gates stated that the decision was taken in light of the F-35's capabilities, and in 2010, he set the F-22 requirement to 187 aircraft by lowering the number of major regional conflict preparations from two to one.

In 2010, USAF initiated a study to determine the costs of retaining F-22 tooling for a future Service Life Extension Program (SLEP). A RAND Corporation paper from this study estimated that restarting production and building an additional 75 F-22s would cost $17 billion, resulting in $227 million per aircraft, or $54 million higher than the flyaway cost. Lockheed Martin stated that restarting the production line itself would cost about $200 million. Production tooling and associated documentation were subsequently stored at the Sierra Army Depot, allowing the retained tooling to support the fleet life cycle. There were reports that attempts to retrieve this tooling found empty containers, but a subsequent audit found that the tooling was stored as expected.

Russian and Chinese fighter developments have fueled concern, and in 2009, General John Corley, head of Air Combat Command, stated that a fleet of 187 F-22s would be inadequate, but Secretary Gates dismissed General Corley's concern. In 2011, Gates explained that Chinese fifth-generation fighter developments had been accounted for when the number of F-22s was set, and that the U.S. would have a considerable advantage in stealth aircraft in 2025, even with F-35 delays. In December 2011, the 195th and final F-22 was completed out of 8 test EMD and 187 operational aircraft produced; the aircraft was delivered to the USAF on 2 May 2012.

In April 2016, the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee proposed legislation that would direct the Air Force to conduct a cost study and assessment associated with resuming production of the F-22. Since the production halt directed in 2009 by then Defense Secretary Gates, lawmakers and the Pentagon noted that air warfare systems of Russia and China were catching up to those of the U.S. Lockheed Martin has proposed upgrading the Block 20 training aircraft into combat-coded Block 30/35 versions as a way to increase numbers available for deployment. On 9 June 2017, the Air Force submitted their report to Congress stating they had no plans to restart the F-22 production line due to economic and operational issues; it estimated it would cost approximately $50 billion to procure 194 additional F-22s at a cost of $206–$216 million per aircraft, including approximately $9.9 billion for non-recurring start-up costs and $40.4 billion for aircraft procurement costs.

Upgrades

The first aircraft with combat-capable Block 3.0 software flew in 2001. Increment 2, the first upgrade program, was implemented in 2005 for Block 20 aircraft onward and enabled the employment of Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM). Certification of the improved AN/APG-77(V)1 radar was completed in March 2007, and airframes from production Lot 5 onward are fitted with this radar, which incorporates air-to-ground modes. Increment 3.1 for Block 30 aircraft onward provided improved ground-attack capability through synthetic aperture radar mapping and radio emitter direction finding, electronic attack and Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) integration; testing began in 2009 and the first upgraded aircraft was delivered in 2011. To address oxygen deprivation issues, F-22s were fitted with an automatic backup oxygen system (ABOS) and modified life support system starting in 2012.

Increment 3.2 for Block 35 aircraft is a two-part upgrade process; 3.2A focuses on electronic warfare, communications and identification, while 3.2B includes geolocation improvements and a new stores management system to show the correct symbols for the AIM-9X and AIM-120D. To enable two-way communication with other platforms, the F-22 can use the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) as a gateway. The planned Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL) integration was cut due to development delays and lack of proliferation among USAF platforms. The F-22 fleet is planned to start receiving Increment 3.2B as well as a software upgrade for cryptography capabilities and avionics stability in May 2019. A Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Joint (MIDS-J) radio that replaces the current Link-16 receive-only box is expected to be operational by 2020. Subsequent upgrades are also focusing on having an open architecture to enable faster future enhancements.

In 2024, funding is projected to begin for the F-22 mid-life upgrade (MLU), which is expected to include new sensors and antennas, hardware refresh, cockpit improvements, and a helmet mounted display and cuing system. Other enhancements being developed include IRST functionality for the AN/AAR-56 Missile Launch Detector (MLD) and more durable stealth coating based on the F-35's.

The F-22 was designed for a service life of 8,000 flight hours, with a $350 million "structures retrofit program". Investigations are being made for upgrades to extend their useful lives further. In the long term, the F-22 is expected to be superseded by a sixth-generation jet fighter to be fielded in the 2030s.

Design

Overview

The F-22 "Raptor" is a fifth-generation fighter that is considered fourth generation in stealth aircraft technology by the USAF. It is the first operational aircraft to combine supercruise, supermaneuverability, stealth, and sensor fusion in a single weapons platform. The F-22 has four empennage surfaces, retractable tricycle landing gear, and clipped delta wings with reverse trailing edge sweep and leading edge extensions running to the upper outboard corner of the inlets. Flight control surfaces include leading-edge flaps, flaperons, ailerons, rudders on the canted vertical stabilizers, and all-moving horizontal tails (stabilators); for speed brake function, the ailerons deflect up, flaperons down, and rudders outwards to increase drag.

The aircraft's dual Pratt & Whitney F119-PW-100 augmented turbofan engines are closely spaced and incorporate pitch-axis thrust vectoring nozzles with a range of ±20 degrees; each engine has maximum thrust in the 35,000 lbf (156 kN) class. The F-22's thrust-to-weight ratio at typical combat weight is nearly at unity in maximum military power and 1.25 in full afterburner. Maximum speed without external stores is approximately Mach 1.8 at military power and greater than Mach 2 with afterburners.

The F-22's high cruise speed and operating altitude over prior fighters improve the effectiveness of its sensors and weapon systems, and increase survivability against ground defenses such as surface-to-air missiles. The aircraft is among only a few that can supercruise, or sustain supersonic flight without using fuel-inefficient afterburners; it can intercept targets which subsonic aircraft would lack the speed to pursue and an afterburner-dependent aircraft would lack the fuel to reach. The F-22's thrust and aerodynamics enable regular combat speeds of Mach 1.5 at 50,000 feet (15,000 m). The use of internal weapons bays permits the aircraft to maintain comparatively higher performance over most other combat-configured fighters due to a lack of aerodynamic drag from external stores. The aircraft's structure contains a significant amount of high-strength materials to withstand stress and heat of sustained supersonic flight. Respectively, titanium alloys and composites comprise 39% and 24% of the structural weight.

The F-22's aerodynamics, relaxed stability, and powerful thrust-vectoring engines give it excellent maneuverability and energy potential across its flight envelope. The airplane has excellent high alpha (angle of attack) characteristics, capable of flying at trimmed alpha of over 60° while maintaining roll control and performing maneuvers such as the Herbst maneuver (J-turn) and Pugachev's Cobra. The flight control system and full-authority digital engine control (FADEC) make the aircraft highly departure resistant and controllable, thus giving the pilot carefree handling.

Stealth

The F-22 was designed to be highly difficult to detect and track by radar. Measures to reduce radar cross-section (RCS) include airframe shaping such as alignment of edges, fixed-geometry serpentine inlets and curved vanes that prevent line-of-sight of the engine faces and turbines from any exterior view, use of radar-absorbent material (RAM), and attention to detail such as hinges and pilot helmets that could provide a radar return. The F-22 was also designed to have decreased radio emissions, infrared signature and acoustic signature as well as reduced visibility to the naked eye. The aircraft's flat thrust-vectoring nozzles reduce infrared emissions of the exhaust plume to mitigate the threat of infrared homing ("heat seeking") surface-to-air or air-to-air missiles. Additional measures to reduce the infrared signature include special topcoat and active cooling of leading edges to manage the heat buildup from supersonic flight.

Compared to previous stealth designs like the F-117, the F-22 is less reliant on RAM, which are maintenance-intensive and susceptible to adverse weather conditions. Unlike the B-2, which requires climate-controlled hangars, the F-22 can undergo repairs on the flight line or in a normal hangar. The F-22 has a Signature Assessment System which delivers warnings when the radar signature is degraded and necessitates repair. While the F-22's exact RCS is classified, in 2009 Lockheed Martin released information indicating that from certain angles the aircraft has an RCS of 0.0001 m² or −40 dBsm – equivalent to the radar reflection of a "steel marble". Effectively maintaining the stealth features can decrease the F-22's mission capable rate to 62–70%.

The effectiveness of the stealth characteristics is difficult to gauge. The RCS value is a restrictive measurement of the aircraft's frontal or side area from the perspective of a static radar. When an aircraft maneuvers it exposes a completely different set of angles and surface area, potentially increasing radar observability. Furthermore, the F-22's stealth contouring and radar absorbent materials are chiefly effective against high-frequency radars, usually found on other aircraft. The effects of Rayleigh scattering and resonance mean that low-frequency radars such as weather radars and early-warning radars are more likely to detect the F-22 due to its physical size. However, such radars are also conspicuous, susceptible to clutter, and have low precision. Additionally, while faint or fleeting radar contacts make defenders aware that a stealth aircraft is present, reliably vectoring interception to attack the aircraft is much more challenging. According to the USAF an F-22 surprised an Iranian F-4 "Phantom II" that was attempting to intercept an American UAV, despite Iran's assertion of having military VHF radar coverage over the Persian Gulf.

In specific, Holy Week is the week just before Easter that extends from Palm Sunday until Holy Saturday and marks the last week of Lent. It has earned the name 'Holy', according to the Orthodox Church, due to the significant events that take place for Christianity in regard to the sufferings of Jesus Christ.

Saturday evening is filled with the anticipation of celebrating Easter Sunday. In some areas, people begin to gather in the churches and squares in cities, towns and villages by 11pm for the Easter liturgies. A few minutes before midnight, all the lights are turned off and the priest exits the altar holding candles lit by the Holy Light, which is distributed to everyone inside and outside the church. At midnight, the priest exits the church and announces the resurrection of Jesus. Many people carry large white candles called lambada, and the church bells toll as the priests announce “Christ is Risen!” at midnight. Each person in the crowd replies with a similarly joyous response.

The capital of the Republic of Cyprus is also its cultural heartbeat.

Nicosia is the capital and largest city on the island of Cyprus, as well as its main business centre.

There is one thing the photograph must contain, the humanity of the moment.

We are making photographs to understand what our lives mean to us.

The best thing about a picture is that it never changes, even when the people in it do.

The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera.

I really believe there are things nobody would see if I didn’t photograph them.

"Convolvulus arvensis, the field bindweed, is a species of bindweed that is rhizomatous and is in the morning glory family (Convolvulaceae), native to Europe and Asia. It is a climbing or creeping herbaceous perennial plant with stems growing to 0.5–2 meters (1.6–6.6 ft) in length, usually found at ground level, with small, white and pink flowers.

"Other common names, mostly obsolete, include lesser bindweed, European bindweed, withy wind (in basket willow crops), perennial morning glory, small-flowered morning glory, creeping jenny, and possession vine.

"Outside its native range, field bindweed does not appear to be a significant threat to natural habitats. It primarily requires disturbed ground (agricultural land) and is easily shaded out by taller shrubs and trees. It may dominate the ground flora in some low quality, open grassland areas, however. In North America it can become the or a co-dominant plant in specific habitats: the low vegetation found around vernal pools in Sacramento County, and around large pools in Tehama County, California; riparian corridors in Wyoming and Colorado; aspen stands and mountain-mahogany (Cercocarpus spp.) shrubland/grassland in Colorado; and disturbed riverbank areas in the Montreal area of Canada. In some nature parks, it is commonly found in areas of disturbed soil, such as campgrounds or around horse corrals in California. Similarly, the report of its invasive character from Colorado is from former agricultural land being restored to a more natural state by The Nature Conservancy. Employees for the same organization also reported that it was a significant weed on an irrigated plot of farmland in northern Idaho where native bunchgrass and forbs were cultivated, insofar that it caused "decreasing biodiversity" on the land.

"It is thought to have little effect on native fauna, although it may sometime be eaten by farm livestock. It may cause photosensitization in susceptible animals. There is a report of its roots (rhizomes) being possibly poisonous to pigs and the alkaloids it contains may be poisonous to horses in sufficient amounts. There are also reports of it being eaten by sheep and pigs to control it without reported problems.

Although it produces attractive flowers, it is often unwelcome in gardens as a nuisance weed due to its rapid growth and choking of cultivated plants. It was most likely introduced into North America as a contaminant in crop seed as early as 1739 and became an invasive species. Its dense mats invade agricultural fields and reduce crop yields; it is estimated that crop losses due to this plant in the United States exceeded US$377 million in the year 1998 alone. It is one of the most serious weeds of agricultural fields in many temperate regions of the US." (Wikipedia)

Please press L (or simply click the image) to view on black.

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I was delighted and captivated by this ingenious installation, funded by the Canadian Government, as we crossed the border from Canada into the USA.

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Billboard Design Thinks Outside the Box

[...] A site specific artwork referencing a full-scale highway billboard installed to accompany an expanded US border inspection & customs station along interstate 5 in Blaine, Washington. Borrowing the effectiveness of billboards to redirect attention away from the landscape at-large, this permanently open aperture between nations works to frame nothing more than a clear view of the changing atmospheric conditions beyond – refocusing attention away from the man made environment and altering the presumed functions of signage in general.

“non-sign II’ is an installation by seattle based art collective lead pencil studio located at the [C]anada-US border

near vancouver. the sculpture is made from small stainless steel rods that are assembled together to create the

negative space of a billboard. while most billboards draw attention away from the landscape ‘non-sign II’

frames the landscape, focusing attention back on it. “

This work was created in just under one year and fabricated in six major pieces at the Central District (Seattle) shop of Lead Pencil Studio. Working alongside Lead Pencil Studio were Ian Gill and Greg Lewis who were instrumental as fabrication leads during production and installation.

www.creativeguerrillamarketing.com/guerrilla-marketing/bi...

Here is an interesting youtube video on this anti-space installation: www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFRRv3GNgIc

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I'll be back home on the weekend but will pop in when I can. So, here's wishing you a fine summer's day and thanks, as always, for visiting

Inspired by Jeff's (BelgiumWW2Builder) Opel Blitz radio truck, I decided to venture into the intricate world of british trucks. There are simply so many manufacturers, theatre-specific and role-specific models that one just goes crazy trying to find the one you're looking for. After a bit of reading, i found out that the ubiquitous "gin palace" body was also fitted to the C15 and used as a mobile wireless center. Having found the specific model, I dove into my bricks and here's the final result!

It features full interior, opening rear door and cab hatch.

The interior: www.flickr.com/photos/75513482@N08/14713748253/in/photost...

Hope you like!

C&C is more than welcome!

Location: Incheon, South Korea

Specific Location: Elementary School

Sometimes I just want to shove all those paper out the windows.

Site-specific перформанс Ірини Плотнікової "IceDora" на фестивалі сучасного мистецтва Гогольфест 2016, Київ, Україна © repor.to/

I visited an old talc mine in northern Nevada for the specific purpose of attempting to photograph one of the bats that sleep there during the day. It is quite challenging to get a photo of them as they rest face down along the walls in a passage that I can barely stand in, about chest-high off the floor. Plus, while some light does get in the relatively shallow dig, it is pretty dark for getting a camera to focus and I certainly wouldn’t want to disturb the little critters while they rest up for a night of hunting insects. I took a couple light stands and some little LED panel lights I generally use for nightscape shooting. These lights can be dimmed WAY down so as not to disturb the bats. I also borrowed my wife’s 100mm f2.8 macro lens to for the task. This lens is absolutely tack sharp and purpose built for close-up work and that big aperture lets in lots of light. The downside is that depth of field is almost nil at that focal length and aperture when you’re shooting something from a foot away. Therefore, a single frame may only have the face of a mouse-sized creature in focus and nothing else. By placing the camera on a tripod very low and pretty much leaning the camera to the wall of the passage, I was able to shoot some longish exposures to gather enough light to expose this bat. I also used my mirrorless (Canon R7)camera’s automatic focus stacking feature to shoot 32 separate frames to ensure I’d have sharp sections of the bat from front to back to later merge in Photoshop (the camera also composites them automatically but only in JPEG and I wasn’t super happy with that one). Avid macro shooters actually use a "slider" that physically moves the camera a tiny bit with each shot which produces better results as it eliminates the "breathing" that can occur by changing the focus point each time as it is done here. My result isn’t perfect but, given the challenges and not wanting to spend too much time and disturb the animals, I’m fairly pleased.

As to the animals themselves, I believe they are myotis lucifugus or the not-so-imaginatively named Little Brown Bat, a species of “mouse eared” bats that is, interestingly enough, not related to eptesicus fuscus, the BIG brown bat. They are fascinating little animals that I enjoy watching flit around and chase bugs above my patio on summer evenings. They can eat more than half their body weight in insects in a single night (lactating females can actually consume MORE than their body weight in a night at peak lactation). As I read up on them a bit I also found it quite interesting that females only birth one baby per year. That’s definitely not what I’d expect from such a tiny and delicate creature. They can form colonies number in the tens of thousands but this little spot probably only had a dozen or so roosting in it that I saw.

Emmet and Lucy Wyldstyle pour over a pile of Legos to see what is all there, and then determine to create something. Stay tuned to see what they create later!

“8-8 Is a Date to Create”

This almost has a rhyme to it, doesn’t it? If you’ve been waiting for a specific date to create something, your wait is over. On August 8th, we celebrate “The Date to Create,” an effort to put an end to procrastination and get your ball rolling on creating that one thing you’ve been meaning to take on. It could be just about anything you could dream up. All it takes is some imagination, a little know-how, and the resolve to do it. Can’t think of anything you can do just in a single day? No worries — August 8th can be the date you got started on that massive project you’ve been meaning to take on.

Some Stuff You Can Create

Stumped for ideas? That thing you can create doesn’t have to be a massive project. Just something you know you can do. Just think of the feeling of satisfaction you’ll get knowing you created something.

A new recipe. A lot of my favorite recipes started out as improvised ideas for using up holiday leftovers. With a little experimentation, you can get it exactly right and then share it with friends.

A quilt. If you’re into crafting, you probably have a lot of waste fabric laying around. You can turn that fabric into a quilt just by cutting it into evenly sized squares and making up your own pattern. Don’t need a new quilt? No problem. I’ve seen the quilts that the ladies in my church made out of leftover fabric for charity. Ask around to see who might be needing one.

A backyard science experiment. Got some kids who are curious about how something in the science world works? A homemade science experiment can be a good way to demonstrate basic scientific principles. Be sure to read up on how to do it safely and have some fun with it.

A garden. Okay, August 8th might be a little late to start an outdoor garden, but you can create an indoor vegetable garden with a few potted plants and a little cleverness. Grow root vegetables and herbs you can enjoy any time of the year. And you can start planning your outdoor garden for next year.

An Android app. If you’re good with code, you can create your own Android app. Sound daring? The genius behind “Angry Birds” created the original game just using his computer and the books he found in his college’s library. Who knows, you might create the next big app!

And don’t forget Legos! Imagine what you could create with a pile, or small pile or even a big pile, of the world’s favorite building bricks.

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The whiskered tern (Chlidonias hybrida) is a tern in the family Laridae. The genus name is from Ancient Greek khelidonios, "swallow-like", from khelidon, "swallow". The specific hybridus is Latin for hybrid; Pallas thought it might be a hybrid of white-winged black tern and common tern, writing "Sterna fissipes [Chlidonias leucopterus] et Hirundine [Sterna hirundo] natam”.

This bird has a number of geographical races, differing mainly in size and minor plumage details.

C. h. hybrida breeds in warmer parts of Europe and the Palearctic (northwestern Africa and central and southern Europe to southeastern Siberia, eastern China and south to Pakistan and northern India). The smaller-billed and darker C. h. delalandii is found in east and south Africa, and the paler C. h. javanicus from Java to Australia.

The tropical forms are resident, but European and Asian birds winter south to Africa and the Indian Subcontinent. A tagged whiskered tern was spotted at Manakudi Bird Sanctuary, Kanniyakumari District of Tamil Nadu, India in the month of April 2021.

This species breeds in colonies on inland marshes, sometimes amongst black-headed gulls, which provide some protection. The scientific name arises from the fact that this, the largest marsh tern, show similarities in appearance to both the white Sterna terns and to black tern.

The size, black cap, strong bill (29–34 mm in males, 25–27 mm and stubbier in females, with a pronounced gonys) and more positive flight recall common or Arctic tern, but the short, forked-looking tail and dark grey breeding plumage above and below are typically marsh tern characteristics. The summer adult has white cheeks and red legs and bill. The crown is flecked with white in the juvenile, and the hindcrown is more uniformly blackish, though in the winter adult this too is flecked with white. The black ear-coverts are joined to the black of the hindcrown, and the space above is mottled with white, causing the black to appear as a C-shaped band. The sides of the neck are white; this sometimes continues across the nape. The collar is less sharply defined. All through the year the rump is pale grey. In the juvenile, the mantle (279 mm) has a variegated pattern. The feathers of the back and scapulars are dark brown, with prominent broad buff edgings and often subterminal buff bars or centers. There is usually an admixture of new gray feathers, especially on the mantle, quite early in the fall. The mantle is silvery-gray in the adult. The call is a characteristic krekk.

In winter, the forehead becomes white and the body plumage a much paler grey. Juvenile whiskered terns have a ginger scaly back, and otherwise look much like winter adults. The first winter plumage is intermediate between juvenile and adult winter, with patchy ginger on the back.

The whiskered tern eats small fish, amphibians, insects and crustaceans.

For more information, please visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whiskered_tern