Inside the museum there was this nice little chapel, they had to remove the alarm system to shoot and it, it was nerve wrecking because these items are 100% irreplaceable

Another noisy denizen of the wetlands, the Moorhen is like the alarm system for the wetlands. Anything moves too close to their territory and they start squawking.

Excerpt from www.cityofwoodstock.ca/en/live-and-play/museum-dup-fire-h...:

Perry Street Fire Hall

The Perry Street Fire Hall was approved in 1899 when W. A. Karn was the chairman of the Fire and Light Committee, and built in the same year when Fred Richards headed the Fire and Light Committee. The red brick building was erected by architect J. E. Tisdale of Woodstock. The cost of the structure was $10,000, including the electric alarm system and equipment. The structure was intended to house the equipment and horses that had been crowding out the second fire house at the back of the City Hall building, now the Woodstock Museum.

The Fire Hall’s second floor had a reading room, four bedrooms, a lavatory, the chief’s office and a battery for the alarm system. The electrical alarm system was on the ground floor and could be sounded from any number of boxes around town. A fire pole went from the bedroom area on the second floor to the basement. The bell was housed above that in the tower and was inscribed with the names of the town council of 1890. On the ground floor there was a stable for four horses. Three firemen were stationed at the fire hall overnight, until 1901 when that number was increased to five, with at least three on duty at all times. The men who worked there were on duty 24 hours a day, six days a week. The Perry Street station was in use until 1975 when a second station was constructed in the southeast section of the city on Parkinson Road.

A great find near Durham, NC. We thought we had found a gold mine at first; it's rare around here to find such an old abandoned house as this available (for photographers as us who respect them) to enjoy getting pictures of the inside and out. But after we pulled up and got a closer look we found not only Private Property signs but an alarm system also.... So much for our gold mine....... It's really discouraging for us, who have great respect for these old houses and just want to photograph them, to have them off limits, specifically for the reasons of what the vandalizers do to them... They are literally RUINING it for us these days.

At least we were able to get some pictures...

PicMonkey textures.

DIPLOMAT BUILDING FEATURES

Elegant two-story lobby

Upscale arrival piazza for convenient resident drop-off

Lushly landscaped exterior plaza at the amenity level

Twenty-four-hour access control security desk

Closed circuit Television surveillance system and keyless

entry

Elevated pool deck overlooking the ocean

Professionally equipped fitness center

Covered controlled access parking

State-of-the-art surround sound theater/media room

Resident clubroom with a full-service kitchen

Business center & conference room

Billiard Lounge & Card Room

Poolside Cabanas

Bicycle storage

DIPLOMAT RESIDENCE FEATURES & AMENITIES

Private elevator lobbies

Elegant double-door entry

Magnificent views from expansive windows and terraces

Exceptional quality materials and finishes

Designer lighting package

Large his and her’s walk-in wardrobe closets

Large capacity front-loading washer and dryer

Two-panel interior doors with brushed chrome hardware

Impact-resistant windows and doors

Pre-wired for high-speed internet access

Spacious balconies and terraces

Fully sprinkled fire and alarm systems

Recessed lighting in halls, kitchens, and baths

Granite countertops & backsplash in Kitchen

Premium Kitchen appliance packages including:

42" Subzero refrigerator with ice maker

Electric Range (Gas Optional)

Built-in wall oven with microwave

Multi-cycle "quiet-power" dishwasher with pot scrubber

Undermount Sink with European-style faucet

9' Ceilings

Solar tinted and laminated glass on all windows & sliding

glass panels

Energy efficient heating, ventilation & cooling systems

Air-conditioned storage

Credit for the data above is given to the following website:

www.diplomathollywoodcondos.com/Building/Index/building/9...

© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.

The Story Proper Begins

A Wicked Turn

Acte 6

Senses on high alert, the male wearing a cat burglars uniform of black, covered head to toe, inches his way along the upstairs hallway, eyeing the open master suite at the end of the corridor…

His Hazel eyes darted about, taking in every detail, more from concern than actual worry…

Something just had not felt right as he had gained an entrance through the second-floor balcony window of the isolated manor.

The house had been built some 200 years prior, standing alone, smack in the middle of a seemingly perpetually fog-laden moor.

The perfect background for a bit of tomfoolery!

The house alarm system had never been turned on…Why? Neglectful?

Why was the Master bedroom door the only one open along the hallway?

Why indeed?

Was it an oversight, or something more?

A trap perhaps?

Set up to invite someone inside, like luring a timid mouse to a waiting cat, or an innocent damselfly fly to a hungry spider web….

Or perhaps it would be a lured Cat catching his prey inside, uninterrupted and unhindered?

He apathetically licked his lips and proceeded on his course.

^^^^^^^^^

Art Deco Gem in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The Tulsa Fire Alarm Building was built in 1931 to be the reporting station for the Tulsa Fire Department. Signals from alarm boxes throughout Tulsa were routed to this building and the firemen would alert the nearest fire station to the fire. At the time of its construction, this system was the best available alarm system.

The building was designed by architect Frederick V. Kershner. I like the little terra cotta fountain dedicated to firemen in Mexico.

Back in November, Mark, Ale and I met up in Mammoth Lakes to spend the weekend shooting the Eastern Sierra. Wed had a great time shooting Mono Lake on the first night as well as Convict Lake on the second day.

Unfortunately, Mark and Ale had to head home earlier than expected, so I ended up shooting this beautiful tufa formation all by my lonesome. When I first hiked out along the shore and arrived at the spot, there was another photographer grabbing pre-sunset shots, but he was soon on his way. So it was just me, the tufa and the birds for the next 2 hours.

The hike back to the car was interesting since I realized too late that I didn't have my flashlight OR headlamp. Let's just say that I'm happy my car has an alarm system that chirps when I push the button on my key. And let's also say I'm happy that it works from about 1/4 mile away :)

More info on Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve here.

It's been raining a bit here. It's been a great day to be indoors. I got a lot done and all my stuff is ready to be packed in my bag. Liftoff is Tues, but I head to LA tomorrow to spend a few days with my girlfriend and have an early Valentine's Day dinner with her.

I hope all's well in your world!

-Lorenzo

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for stopping by. In case you got here as a result of a search for HDR and/or Nikon D800 photos:

> All my HDR photos can be found here.

> All my D800 photos are right here.

facebook | google+ | twitter | instagram | tumblr | 500px | pinterest | www.elmofoto.com

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Royal Jewelry Museum has undergone a long restoration and renovation period for a long period of time it was reopened in the year 2010. Many services and facilities were added to the museum like central air conditioning, a library, a café, a seminar hall, and a restoration laboratory. Moreover, the security alarm system of the museum to protect the museum against thrifts, fire, and surveillance cameras.

The Ministry of Cultural Affairs in Egypt has announced that the restoration and renovation of the Museum of Royal Jewelry Museum has cost more than nine million dollars and it is set to become one of the most fabulous museums in Egypt. In April, 2010 after a long period of being closed the museum was officially reopened for public visits.

Secured by alarm system.

These are the newer additions to the Square Kilometer Array(SKA).

These form part of the SKA-mid array if I am correctly informed, using an offset Gregorian design having a height of 15 metres and a width of 12 metres.

The orange light fill was from the vehicles alarm system activating and the white fill from a fellow photographers headlamp.

Nikon D800, Nikkor 14-24 at 15mm, f/2.8 aperture with an 30 second exposure at ISO 3200.

Happy Slider Sunday!!

HSS!

Lucky that we have slider Sunday..;) Because there was nothing I could do to this image to make it interesting. I originally wanted to use it for bench Monday..:) I suppose I could recycle it on Monday..;) So, here's more information than you may want on the Fire Station.

Austin Fire Department Chronological History

1850

John Bremond, Sr. moved to Austin from Philadelphia in the 1840´s to start a mercantile and wholesale goods business. While living in New York and Pennsylvania, Bremond was a member of the local volunteer fire departments, and was about the only person in Austin who knew anything about the formation, equipment, and drilling of a fire company.

By the late 1850´s, Austin was in desperate need of organized fire protection. Bremond led the formation of Austin´s first fire company, called Hook and Ladder Fire Company #1, which was chartered on September 25, 1857 and by 1861 had more fully organized and enjoyed an extensive membership.

The first ladder truck was a locally made, hand drawn apparatus equipped with hooks, pike poles, ladders, and leather fire buckets. The first uniforms consisted of blue eight-cone firefighter hats, red shirts with “H. & L. No. 1″ across the breast and black patent leather belts with white gloves. The company´s motto was, “Always Ready!”

Alarms were given by cries of “fire!”, pistol shots and ringing of church bells. The first man to get the key would open the truck house and act as commander; the truck then would be pulled out, and the members would fall in and grab hold of the ropes.

1860

The first fire of significance following the organization of Hook and Ladder #1 was the burning of the Glasscock and Millican Mill ($20,000 loss). By July of that year, there had been more than 25 fires, many believed to have been arson.

1861

Over 100 of Austin´s volunteer firefighters enlisted in the Confederate Army to fight in the Civil War. The Tom Green Rifles, Austin´s contingent to the Confederacy, were comprised of many of these firemen and suffered 80% casualties in the War Between the States. Lt. John Lambert, one of the founding members of Hook and Ladder #1 , was killed in action in Virginia.

1866

The City Council appointed C.F. Millett as the first person to hold the position of Fire Chief. Also that year, cisterns were installed at eight locations to supply water for fire protection.

1868

The Civil War delayed the organization of more fire companies for ten years until Washington Fire Company #1 was established. In 1885, Washington #1 built their permanent fire station at 605 Brazos Street where it still stands today. Their first fire engine consisted of a hand-drawn, hand-pumped apparatus which was later replaced by a horse-drawn steam fire engine. Washington #1´s motto was “Where Duty Calls, There you will find us!”

1870

Austin had a population of 5,000.

1871

A third company, Colorado Fire Company #2, was organized. Permanently housed with Hook and Ladder #1, these two companies became Austin´s first Task Force which has remained intact for almost 150 years.

1874

A fire in the State Capitol on Feb. 14, 1874, burned completely through the floor between the second and third floors. According to fire department records, “It was owing only to the timely arrival of several members of the Hook and Ladder Company that the building was saved.” The City Council approved the hiring of an engineer to operate a new $6,000 engine. He was on duty at all times and was paid a monthly salary of $100. This was the beginning of Austin as a combination of paid and volunteer firefighters.

The City Water Company installed the first hydrant system on Austin´s two main streets: Congress Avenue and Pecan Street.

On March 23, a new city ordinance provided for an Assistant Chief, Recorder, and Fire and Police Commissioner, in addition to the Fire Chief.

1875

Central Engine Fire Company #3 was established with a chemical engine at 4th Street and East Avenue. The chemical engine proved to be unsatisfactory and the company disbanded in 1877.

The Hope Hook and Ladder Fire Company #2, also established in 1875, lived a short but glorious existence. Hope´s main claim to fame was a State Championship race won in 1878. It was disbanded in 1882.

1877

A fire on November 9th at the Blind Asylum injured several firefighters leading to Austin´s first line of duty death. E.T. Deats, foreman of Colorado Fire Company #2, died as a result of his injuries on January 20, 1878.

Essex Carrington, one of at least three African American firefighters integrated in the volunteer fire departments, is first mentioned in the Washington #1 roll of membership.

1878

Protection Hook and Ladder Fire Company #3 was organized and later became Protection Hose Company #3. Protection #3 built Austin´s first permanent fire station at 1614 Lavaca Street. The following year, while battling a fire at a residence (their second fire of the day), an arsonist burned down Protection´s firehouse. Another fire station was finally built on the same location in 1890. Their motto was “Protection to all!”

1881

On November 9, 1881, catastrophe struck the Texas State Capitol Building. A state employee installed a new wood-burning stove but did not properly check to see if the flue was operational. A small fire was started when the stove was first fired and the Austin Fire Department quickly responded to the incipient blaze. Unfortunately, the Texas Legislature failed to heed the warning of the fire department to pay for the installation of fire hydrants on the Capitol grounds. Washington #1 caught the nearest plug, which was at 11th and Congress, but had to lay 700 feet of 2.5 inch hose uphill. The result was a trickle of water hardly enough to put out a cigarette. If it wasn´t for the “penny wise, pound foolish policy” of the Texas Legislature the Capitol could have been saved along with priceless artifacts lost, such as portraits of George Washington, Sam Houston, Stephen F. Austin, and Tom Green.

1882

On July 6, the City Council budgeted $346 per month for salaries of engineers, rent of rooms for engines, hose carriages, hook and ladder trucks, and other expenses.

1885

The first Central Fire Station No. 1 was built at 114 W. 8th Street next to the old city hall building. This is where Hook and Ladder #1 and Colorado #2 were housed. Central´s was closed and rebuilt in its current location at 401 E. 5th St. in 1938.

Washington #1 also built their fire station this year at 605 Brazos St. where it stands today as a remodeled office building.

1886

East Austin Fire Company #4 was established. Their fire hall was located between 10th and 11th streets, on Lydia Street in East Austin. Their motto was “Ever brave and true!”

The fire alarm system at this time included an approximately 4,000-pound, spring-clapper, general alarm bell at city hall and bell towers at two other fire houses. All companies were connected by a special phone system. When a report of fire came in, the alarm was sent to central; central then pressed a button and all companies were notified of the fire and its location (six rings for sixth ward, for instance). The officer on-duty at city hall was notified by central over the phone and rang the alarm bell, indicating location by number of taps. Each company had a prescribed district for first alarms. All companies turned out for second alarms.

1895

South Austin Fire Company #5 located at 1315 South Congress was established. Their motto was “To the Rescue!” This location served as the only fire station in South Austin until Fire Station 11 was added in 1949.

1896

North Austin Fire Company #6 was established. Originally located at 30th and Rio Grande streets, a permanent hall was built at 3002 Guadalupe St. The fire hall filled both the occupational and social functions of the community. The ground level was the maintenance shop and the second story consisted of one large main room with a stage. The volunteer firefighters´ band would play as community members danced and socialized. The volunteers ran the house until 1916 when they turned it over to the city government, which hired professional firefighters. The structure was used for many years as a maintenance shop for the Austin Fire Department. It has since been restored and preserved for future generations.

1899

The building that was utilized as the temporary State Capitol (following the 1881 fire) and later used as Austin High School, burned on September 30th. It was located on the southwest corner of Congress Avenue and 11th Street. Many firefighters were injured in this blaze and it is a miracle that nobody was killed.

1905

West Austin Fire Company #7 was organized on February 16th at 1000 Blanco Street. This fire station is the only fire station dating back to the volunteer and horse drawn era which is still utilized as a working firehouse today. It is now called Fire Station 4.

1908

Tenth Ward Fire Company #8 was organized on May 26th and located their fire hall at 1111 East 1st Street (Cesar Chavez).

1911

Adolf Schutze was elected Chief of the Austin Volunteer Fire Department. He barely had pinned on his Chief´s badge when his first alarm sounded. He hitched a ride on a ladder truck instead of going to the fire in the wagon provided by the City.

1912

The first motor-driven vehicle was purchased at a cost of $4,200 from Webb Motor Fire Apparatus Company and was placed with North Austin Fire Company #6.

1913

The last of the volunteer companies to be organized was Rescue Hose Company #9 on May 21. Their fire hall was located on East Avenue, south of 21st Street.

1915

During the flash floods and storms of April 1915, Firefighter Thomas Edward Quinn was killed in the line of duty on April 22 while attempting a rescue in the flood waters on Shoal Creek under West 6th Street. He was a member of North Austin #6.

1916

Voters approved to establish a fully paid fire department in May, which began operations in June 1916 with 27 men. Clarence Woodward was appointed Fire Chief. The volunteer fire companies disbanded and the fire department renumbered its fire stations and renamed its apparatus as such:

Austin Hook and Ladder #1 became Truck Co. 1 at Central Fire Station 1

The Kenilworth Lodge is a historic hotel built by George E. Sebring in the town of Sebring, Florida, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 15, 2000. The Sebring family, owners, and operators of many pottery businesses moved to Ohio in the late-1800s and with the dream of building their own pottery town that would stand as a memorial to their work and ideas, founded the small town of Sebring, Ohio. Work began at the site in April 1898 with the construction of factories, stores, and homes with George being the first of the Sebring family to construct a house in the town. He operated the Oliver China Company and also founded the town’s first insurance agency and real estate agency. In 1908, he began the planning of a new town on the shores of Lake Jackson in Highlands County, Florida.

The lots of the newly founded town of Sebring, Florida were laid out in a circle, forming the framework of subsequent development of the town. Most residential plots were located within the southern half of the circle with the finer homes located to the west on the shores of Lake Jackson. The Kenilworth Lodge was built in 1916 and like many hotels of the era, it served as an image of progress as well as a place for prospective settlers to stay, featuring an eighteen-hole championship golf course, an orange grove, and a terraced lawn leading to a lakefront beach. It had a beauty parlor, barbershop, a gift shop, and a restaurant. The building itself consisted of a three-story central block with two short wings. Although the architect the unknown, construction was carried out by a local contractor, B.A. Cope. The two wings were extended to their current lengths in 1922.

Sebring sold the hotel in 1923 to a New York syndicate headed by an acquaintance and experienced hotelier, John Connelly. Connelly operated the hotel during the Florida Land Boom and the era’s most defining event which occurred in November 1924, when the town of Sebring and Geroge E. Sebring played host at the Kenilworth Lodge to an annual convention of governors from all over the country. About twenty governors, accompanied by the governor of Florida, Carl A. Hardee, stayed for two days and brought with them national publicity. In 1925, the Kenilworth was sold once again to Vincente Hall and George Kline for $1,000,000 who also purchased the Nan-Ces-O-Wee Hotel from George Sebring in an attempt to monopolize on the burgeoning tourism industry. They would go on to construct the massive Harder Hall on the shores of Little Lake Jackson before the Great Depression put an end to their plans. In June 1927, their corporation went bankrupt and their properties were put up for auction. A local Businessman by the name of David Tuttle purchased the Kenilworth Lodge at auction and operated it throughout the depression. Immediately after World War II, a cabaret was added onto the building, directly on the backside of the central block.

In 1972, Thomas Wohl, a Hollywood, Florida businessman, purchased the Kenilworth Lodge and began selling off parts of the property including the golf course and portions of the block the hotel was situated on. Around this time, a restaurant was built along the south wing and was joined to the hotel by a walkway. The restaurant was sold off in 1995 and the connections to the hotel were sealed at that time. The Kenilworth Lodge was later sold in 1996 to Mark and Madge Stewart and was again sold in later to Robert Mueller, who would operate the hotel until its closure. On May 11, 2016, a small electrical fire activated the hotel’s suppression system, prompting a routine fire inspection of the property. The inspection found multiple fire violations including obstructed exit doors, no fire alarm system, taped over sprinkler heads, non-working emergency lighting, open electrical wires, and more. Due to the violations, the Kenilworth Lodge was condemned and remains closed. Although the building has been boarded up, vandals have found their way inside, causing further damages to the hotel’s interior. At this rate, there’s no telling if or when the Kenilworth Lodge will reopen.

Credit for the data above is given to the following websites:

www.abandonedfl.com/kenilworth-lodge/

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenilworth_Lodge

www.abandonedfl.com/help-information/

www.abandonedfl.com/david-bulit/contact-me/

© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.

Masked Lapwing

Vanellus miles novaehollandiae

September 17th, 2017

Mount Martha, Victoria, Australia

Canon EOS 1D X

Canon EF 600mm f4L IS II USM lens

Canon EF 1.4x III Extender

These noisy little buggers act as an alarm system for all other bird species!

From the concert where The Commanded Heart and the other LGBT Purge commemorative songs were premiered. The event started with a heart-stopper - the fire alarm system started to go, a persistent loud beep and strobe lights. Everyone prayed we wouldn't have to evacuate and those prayers were answered! Whew... I was a bit of the odd man out in the wardrobe department, but that stems from my sense that we commemorate and honour the sacrifices of those before us by living life joyously and with exuberance. I'm reluctant to post too much of The Commanded Heart itself, as Geoff and I won't own the rights for a while, but will post the lyrics as sung which where printed in the program, and a link from somebody who did record the song.

I love the rich Browns and hint of dark Greens on these birds, and I love the suggestion that the web site "New Zealand Birds On Line" make when they write that these birds "...have the silhouette of a bath-toy duck!" (Grace has a very similar-looking "bird" sitting on the edge of our bathtub - but it's yellow, not dark brown!).

A bird that frequently dives, the Scaup can travel under water for quite some distance, and so is not always an easy bird to photograph; the water droplets on this bird's feathers suggest that it has not long been on the surface!

In this instance, this bird paddled quickly over to me, obviously expecting a handout, but upon finding I had nothing to offer, it quickly turned 180 degrees and very shortly afterwards, dived - never to be seen again (by me at least!).

If you have the time or the interest, "New Zealand Birds On Line" can be found at

nzbirdsonline.org.nz/species/new-zealand-scaup

ON A DIFFERENT MATTER: Some of you will be pleased (and relieved) to know that we have finally had our Internet and Phone connections changed from Cable to Fibre. That's the good news.

The bad news is that our internal Home Alarm system is no longer monitored but we knew some time ago that that would require upgrading. What we didn't expect was for our E-Mail connection to "crash" as soon as we were connected to "Fibre"!!! Thankfully our son is an I.T. guru and within 5 minutes flat, he had the connection restored again...!

So hopefully that very frustrating change-over to Fibre is now behind us, and the system will continue to operate as it should...!

Thanks so much for visiting my Site Folks, and thanks especially for taking the time and trouble to leave a Comment; it's always nice to hear from you...!

(Left (or Right!) click the Mouse to view Large; click again to return to normal).

The Kenilworth Lodge is a historic hotel built by George E. Sebring in the town of Sebring, Florida, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 15, 2000. The Sebring family, owners, and operators of many pottery businesses moved to Ohio in the late-1800s and with the dream of building their own pottery town that would stand as a memorial to their work and ideas, founded the small town of Sebring, Ohio. Work began at the site in April 1898 with the construction of factories, stores, and homes with George being the first of the Sebring family to construct a house in the town. He operated the Oliver China Company and also founded the town’s first insurance agency and real estate agency. In 1908, he began the planning of a new town on the shores of Lake Jackson in Highlands County, Florida.

The lots of the newly founded town of Sebring, Florida were laid out in a circle, forming the framework of subsequent development of the town. Most residential plots were located within the southern half of the circle with the finer homes located to the west on the shores of Lake Jackson. The Kenilworth Lodge was built in 1916 and like many hotels of the era, it served as an image of progress as well as a place for prospective settlers to stay, featuring an eighteen-hole championship golf course, an orange grove, and a terraced lawn leading to a lakefront beach. It had a beauty parlor, barbershop, a gift shop, and a restaurant. The building itself consisted of a three-story central block with two short wings. Although the architect the unknown, construction was carried out by a local contractor, B.A. Cope. The two wings were extended to their current lengths in 1922.

Sebring sold the hotel in 1923 to a New York syndicate headed by an acquaintance and experienced hotelier, John Connelly. Connelly operated the hotel during the Florida Land Boom and the era’s most defining event which occurred in November 1924, when the town of Sebring and Geroge E. Sebring played host at the Kenilworth Lodge to an annual convention of governors from all over the country. About twenty governors, accompanied by the governor of Florida, Carl A. Hardee, stayed for two days and brought with them national publicity. In 1925, the Kenilworth was sold once again to Vincente Hall and George Kline for $1,000,000 who also purchased the Nan-Ces-O-Wee Hotel from George Sebring in an attempt to monopolize on the burgeoning tourism industry. They would go on to construct the massive Harder Hall on the shores of Little Lake Jackson before the Great Depression put an end to their plans. In June 1927, their corporation went bankrupt and their properties were put up for auction. A local Businessman by the name of David Tuttle purchased the Kenilworth Lodge at auction and operated it throughout the depression. Immediately after World War II, a cabaret was added onto the building, directly on the backside of the central block.

In 1972, Thomas Wohl, a Hollywood, Florida businessman, purchased the Kenilworth Lodge and began selling off parts of the property including the golf course and portions of the block the hotel was situated on. Around this time, a restaurant was built along the south wing and was joined to the hotel by a walkway. The restaurant was sold off in 1995 and the connections to the hotel were sealed at that time. The Kenilworth Lodge was later sold in 1996 to Mark and Madge Stewart and was again sold in later to Robert Mueller, who would operate the hotel until its closure. On May 11, 2016, a small electrical fire activated the hotel’s suppression system, prompting a routine fire inspection of the property. The inspection found multiple fire violations including obstructed exit doors, no fire alarm system, taped over sprinkler heads, non-working emergency lighting, open electrical wires, and more. Due to the violations, the Kenilworth Lodge was condemned and remains closed. Although the building has been boarded up, vandals have found their way inside, causing further damages to the hotel’s interior. At this rate, there’s no telling if or when the Kenilworth Lodge will reopen.

Credit for the data above is given to the following websites:

www.abandonedfl.com/kenilworth-lodge/

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenilworth_Lodge

www.abandonedfl.com/help-information/

www.abandonedfl.com/david-bulit/contact-me/

© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.

This past Sunday afternoon provided me with more excitement than you can shake a stick at.

I was about 9 hours into a photo trip and was just getting ready to revisit an area of old deserted houses, when things became more that a little interesting.

There are a number of abandoned structures in this immediate area and they all seemed to have "No Trespassing" signs mounted on wooden plaques that go into explicit details explaining how there is absolutely zero reason to enter these locations, and everyone who does so will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. This one was an exception.

Now at this point, my voice of reason tells me that a sign should be at this place too, but it had fallen into the tall grass, the wind blew it away, coyotes were using it as a ping pong paddle or aliens abducted it to do a knothole probe and never returned it. The point is: logic would dictate there should be a sign marking this property as well.

So as I'm sure any of you would do—*cough, cough*— I tuned out my voice of reason like a bad AM radio station. I go ahead and enter the property to give it a look-see and shoot some photos; stirring up two deer and a miffed barn owl in the process. I circled the buildings through the tall ground cover and took shots from various angles until I was satisfied.

At this point, I'd been on property for 15 to 20 minutes and I decided to go look inside to see if anything was worth photographing. The main front door was ajar and sporting a fairly fresh lock hasp that had been forced free of the door frame; a shiny and secured lock dangling uselessly from it.

The lower entry door was open roughly a foot and I headed in this direction. Just as a precursory, I poked my head through the gap of the door, and had just enough time to notice a brick mantle knocked over, a short flight of steps rising to the kitchen in the upper part of the house and everything decked out in dirty pea-green shag carpeting— yeah baby!

Almost immediately, I heard a strange sound, coming from inside near the steps leading up to the kitchen, that lasted maybe 2 seconds. It sounded like an old windup alarm clock with cotton stuffed inside its bells, clacking it's muted alarm weakly, as its spring was slowly winding down to a stop. My eyes darted to the wall by the steps and saw a funky little metal box sitting in a cubby hole in the wall with a coaxial cable trailing out of it, and on the side facing me, what appeared to be a flickering LED that immediately extinguished when the sound clipped off to silence.

My first thought was a homemade alarm setup. My second thought was the sound was just a nearby cabinet door creaking in the breeze, and the flickering light had been my imagination. My third thought was that this was some type of homemade hillbilly alarm system. I glanced around the door frame for a motion sensor, but quickly decided to head back to the truck and get on down the road.

Walking out to the gate, I could see the electric meter was pulled from the pole out front, but the house wiring was still intact and jumbled in such a fashion it was hard to determine at a glance, if it could be powering a jerry-rigged alarm inside.

Disappointed with the situation, I hopped into the truck, backed out and headed up over the rise in the road about a half mile further along and stopped to take some "perfectly legal" photos of the landscape.

It wasn't more than three minutes after I left the house that a red ATV materialized out of the heat haze about another half mile down the road from me, spewing an angry cloud of dust as it came. It closed to within a quarter mile and suddenly stopped in the road, staring me down like a bull contemplating whether to charge. We stayed like that, facing one another at a distance, for a good minute, before I finally put the truck in gear and headed right for them. The ATV reluctantly advanced in my direction. www.flickr.com/gp/73760601@N02/u58119

As the vehicle closed the distance, I saw it was a butch woman driving— probably about 65, but had the prematurely aged face of a heavy smoker and someone who has spent most of her life out in the elements. There was a fire in her eyes and she narrowed those burning oculars until they were little more than gleaming, wrinkled slits. She furrowed her brow at me as we passed one another, and in return, I smiled casually at her and waved, as if to say, "Sorry to spoil your fun, but you won't be catching me on your property today."

She begrudgingly waved back, but might as well have been shaking a disappointed fist at me.

Now I know some of you guys have been to photograph this particular house and I was wondering if you had gone inside without any issues. I have to say, this is a first for me. I always anticipate someone confronting me, but nothing resembling an alarm system. Maybe it was my imagination and sheer coincidence working together.

I wish I could say this was the end of my excitement for Sunday, but a few hours later I was in a whole different pickle. More later...

Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, Michigan - U.S.A.

Type: Model 65K Thunderbird Hardtop

Production time: September 1972 - September 1973

Production outlet: 87,269

Engine: 7033cc Ford 385-series V-8 429 N-code OHV

Power: 211 bhp / 4.400 rpm

Torque: 443 Nm/ 2.600 rpm

Drivetrain: rear wheels

Speed: 194 km/h

Curb weight: 2300 kg

Wheelbase: 120.4 inch

Chassis: box frame with S-shape front frame rails provide energy absorption on inpact and crossbars with separate all-steel body

Steering: integral power ball circulation control

Gearbox: Ford C6 Select-Shift Cruise-O- Matic three-speed automatic / steering column shift

Clutch: not applicable

Carburettor: Motorcraft 4-barrel downdraft

Fuel tank: 85 liter

Electric system: 12 Volts 77 Ah Motorcraft Sta-Ful

Ignition system: distributor and coil

Brakes front: 11.72 inch hydraulic servo-assisted discs self-adjusting type

Brakes rear: 11 inch hydraulic drums self-adjusting type

Suspension front: independent drag-struts ball joint type, Cross-link with elastically mounted tension strut, upper trapezoid triangle cross-bars, lower single cross-bars, sway bar, coil springs +

Suspension rear: beam axle, Posi-Ride four-link rubber-cushion system, lower longitudinal links, upper angle braces, sway bar, helical coils +

Rear axle: live semi-floating type

Differential: hypoid 2,75:1

Wheels: 6 x 15 inch steel discs

Tires: 230 x 15 Michelin steel-belted radial ply

Options: 7536cc Ford 385-series V-8 460 A-code OHV engine, Traction-Lok differential axle, heavy duty suspension, heavy duty trailer towing package, Sure-Track brake control system, Opera Windows, fingertip speed device control, Select-Aire Conditioning, power windows, 6-way power seats, powe antenna, remote controlled right side view mirror, AM/FM Stereo Radio/Stereo Tape Player sound system, dual rear speakers, vinyl roof, Exterior Decor Group (Includes Textured Grain Vinyl Roof and Wide Vinyl, Bodyside Moldings with Matching Texture Inserts), front cornering lamps, Deluxe bumper group, DeLuxe wheel covers, leather and vinyl trim, reclining passenger seat, Deluxe Color-Keyed seat belts, electric defroster, high back bucket seats with console, Rim-Blow Deluxe three-spoke steering wheel, tilt steering wheel, power door locks, electric trunk lid, rocker panel mouldings, door edge guards, license plate frame, spare tire cover, Color-keyed floor mats with carpet inserts, power-operated sunroof (vinyl roof required), tinted glass, Anti-Theft alarm system, interval windshield wipers, high-intensity map lights, warning lights for headlamps on, low fuel, door ajar, "headlamps on", warning buzzer, and engine compartment light

Special:

- Ford was launched in a converted factory in 1903 with $28,000 in cash from twelve investors, most notably John Francis Dodge and Horace Elgin Dodge who would later found the Dodge Brothers Motor Vehicle Company.

- Henry Ford was 40 years old when he founded the Ford Motor Company, which would go on to become one of the largest and most profitable companies in the world, the largest family-controlled company in the world, as well as being one of the few to survive the Great Depression.

- Semon "Bunkie" Knudsen, the former GM man now President of Ford, is said to be responsible for the redesigned style.

- This sixth generation Thunderbird (1972-1976: 299,146 units built), the “Big Birds” Series, is the largest Thunderbird ever produced by Ford, based on the Lincoln Continental Mark IV and with Opera windows (optional, but hardly sold without them), inspired by the 1971 Cadillac Eldorado (Cadillac called them coach windows).

- The Thunderbird was marketed as a luxury car that didn't cost as much as a Mark IV. Ford prepared literature for its dealers comparing the two cars, showing dollar for dollar the Thunderbird was the better buy. Of course, the cars were basically the same except for some additional trim and other features on the Mark IV that weren't shared with the Thunderbird.

- There are even reports of Thunderbirds leaving the Wixom, Michigan Assembly Plant with Continental Mark IV instrument panel inserts, and vice versa. So apparently there was some confusion on the assembly line.

- Ford’s 1973 marketing slogan: “Thunderbird '73. Still unique in all the world”.

OK, I was in the US Navy

Bells have a centuries-long tradition of varied use in the navies and merchant fleets of the world. Signaling, keeping time, and sounding alarms are important in a ship’s routine and readiness. Their functional and ceremonial uses have made them a symbol of considerable significance to navies of the world. There has been a centuries-long tradition of varied use for bells in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, Royal Australian Navy, and in the Royal New Zealand Navy. They have been and still are used for several purposes, e.g. signalling, keeping time, and providing a way of an alarm. The ship’s bell is a special symbol and highly used in ceremonies, one tradition of baby Christenings. Although much of its purpose is obsolete it still plays a significant ceremonial role in today’s Royal Navy.One of the earliest recorded mentions of the shipboard bell was on the British ship Grace Dieu about 1485. Some ten years later an inventory of the English ship Regent reveals that this ship carried two “wache bells”. The bell’s position on the ship may vary. When a ship visits in port it is often seen on a ship bell stand at the quartermaster’s position.

Timekeeping

Before the advent of the chronometer time at sea was measured by the trickle of sand through a half – hour glass. One of the ship’s boys had the duty of watching the glass and turning it when the sand had run out. When he turned the glass, he struck the bell as a signal that he had performed this vital function. From this ringing of the bell as the glass was turned evolved the tradition of striking the bell once at the end of the first half hour of a four hour watch, twice after the first hour, etc., until eight bells marked the end of the four hour watch. The process was repeated for the succeeding watches. This age-old practice of sounding the bell on the hour and half hour has its place in the nuclear and missile oriented United States Navy at the dawn of the Twenty-First Century, regulating daily routine, just as it did on our historic vessels under sail in the late Eighteenth Century and watch system is still used in the Royal Navy and Royal New Zealand Navy today. The whole ships’ functioning is centred around watch systems. The Watch and bells system hasn’t changed much at all over hundreds of years in the Royal Navy. The watch system is maintained, however, the bells system is rarely used. The ship maintains the traditional bell with the ships name and used for ceremonies but hardly used during the daily functioning of the ship.

Bells as a way of timekeeping[1]

Before the introduction of a reliable clock to naval vessels, the passage of time was marked by striking a bell with paired clapper blows very time a half-hour sandglass was turned. The sea-day was divided into watches of four hour duration. Except for the dog watches of which there were two 1600-1800 & 1800-2000.

Hence, starting at0800 – 8 bells

0800 Eight bells

0830 one bell

0900 two bells – in the forenoon up to 12pm

0930 three bells

1000 four bells

1030 five bells

1100 six bells

1130 seven bells

1200 eight bells

The time would then resume to one bell at 1230 and so on. For example, 1530 would be seven bells in the afternoon. The striking of eight bells signalled the changing of the watch. A naval tradition has it that the youngest member of the ship’s company on New Year’s Eve strikes the bell sixteen times; hence “ring out the old, ring in the new”

Safety and Communication

The sounding of a ship’s bell found a natural application as a warning signal to other vessels in poor visibility and fog. In 1676 one Henry Teonage serving as a chaplain in the British Mediterranean Fleet recorded , “so great a fog that we were fain to ring our bells, beat drums, and fire muskets often to keep us from falling foul one upon another”. Ringing a ship’s bell in fog became customary. In 1858, British Naval Regulations made it mandatory in that function. Today, maritime law requires all ships to carry an efficient bell.

American ships of the Revolutionary War period and our early national years adopted many of the practices and traditions of the British Royal Navy, including the use of bells. In 1798, Paul Revere cast a bell weighing 242 pounds for the frigate USS Constitution, also known today by its nickname “Old Ironsides”. It is of interest to note that the use of a ship’s bell contributed to the richest single prize captured by the American Navy during the War of Independence. While a Continental Squadron under Commodore Whipple lay-to, wrapped in Newfoundland fog in a July morning in 1779, the sound of ships’ bells and an occasional signal gun could be heard a short distance off. When the fog lifted the Americans discovered that they had fallen in with the richly-laden enemy Jamaica Fleet. Ten ships were captured as prizes, which – together with their cargo – were valued at more than a million dollars.

Alarms

The bell is an essential link in a ship’s emergency alarm system. In the event of a fire, the bell is rung rapidly for at least five seconds, followed by one, two or three rings to indicate the location of a fire – Forward, amidships, or aft respectively.

Navy Ceremonies and Events

The bell is used to signal the presence of important persons. When the ship’s captain, a flag officer, or other important person arrives or departs, watch standers make an announcement to the ship and ring the bell. This tradition extends to major naval command transitions, often held aboard vessels associated with the command.

Bells in religious ceremonies

The bell’s connection to religious origins continues. Originating in the British Royal Navy, it is a custom to baptize a child under the ship’s bell; sometimes the bell is used as a christening bowl, filled with water for the ceremony. Once the baptism is completed, the child’s name may be inscribed inside the bell. The bell remains with the ship while in service and with the Department of the Navy after decommissioning. In this way, an invisible tie is created between the country, the ship and its citizens. Bells have been loaned or provided to churches as memorials to those vessels; this practice has been discontinued in favor of displaying bells with namesake states or municipalities, with museums, and with naval commands and newer namesake vessels.

Maintenance and Upkeep

Traditionally, the bell is maintained by the ship’s cook, while the ship’s whistle is maintained by the ship’s bugler. In actual practice, the bell is maintained by a person of the ship’s division charged with the upkeep of that part of the ship where the bell is located. In such a case a deck seaman or quartermaster striker or signalman striker may have the bell-shining duty.

Disposition and continuing Navy use

In addition to its shipboard roles, the bell serves a ceremonial and memorial function after the ship has served its Navy career. U.S. Navy bells are part of the many artifacts removed from decommissioned vessels preserved by the Naval Historical Center. They may be provided on loan to new namesake ships; naval commands with an historical mission or functional connection; and to museums and other institutions that are interpreting specific historical themes and displays of naval history. Bells remain the permanent property of the US Government and the Department of the Navy. These serve to inspire and to remind our naval forces and personnel of their honor, courage, and commitment to the defense of our nation.

Bells remain a powerful and tangible reminder of the history, heritage, and accomplishments of the naval service.

For more than a century, the ship’s bell of HMS Lutine has hung in the Maritime Lloyds of London building and the Lutine bell has been synonymous with Lloyd’s.

Rung traditionally to herald important announcements to underwriters and brokers in the Room – one stroke for bad news and two for good – it is recognised throughout the world as the symbol of an organisation whose fortunes are linked inextricably with natural and man-made catastrophes. The bell was carried originally on board the French frigate La Lutine which surrendered to the British in 1793. Six years later, as HMS Lutine, carrying a cargo of gold and silver bullion, she sank off the Dutch coast. The cargo, valued then at around one million pounds, was insured by Lloyd’s underwriters who paid the claim in full.

Ship’s Bells

There has been a centuries-long tradition of varied use for bells in the Royal Navy. They have been and still are used for several purposes, e.g. signalling, keeping time, and providing a way of an alarm. The ship’s bell is a special symbol and highly used in ceremonies, one tradition of baby Christenings. Although much of its purpose is obsolete it still plays a significant ceremonial role in today’s Royal Navy. The bell’s position on the ship may vary. When a ship visits in port it is often seen on a ship bell stand at the quartermaster’s position.

Origins

Although bronze cast bells have been used throughout the ages one of the earliest recorded mentions of the shipboard bell was on the period warship Grace Dieu about 1485. Some ten years later an inventory of the period warship “Regent” reveals that this ship carried two “wache bells”.

Warning Bells

Henry Teonage, 1676, a serving Chaplain in the British Mediterranean Fleet recorded:

SO GREAT A FOG THAT WE WERE FAIN TO RING OUR BELLS, BEAT DRUMS, AND FIRE MUSKETS OFTEN TO KEEP US FROM FALLING FOUL ONE UPON ANOTHER

Ringing a ship’s bell in fog became customary. In 1858, Royal Naval Regulations made it mandatory to ring the ships bell during fog. Today, maritime law requires all ships to carry an efficient bell.

Timekeeping practice of the bell

The measurement of time at sea before the advent of the chronometer time was measured by the Half-hour glass. The ship’s boys had the duty of watching the glass and turning it when the sand had run out. Each time this occurred the ships bell was struck providing time for the crew. From midnight, for the first half hour the bell was struck once, when another half hour past the bell was struck twice, for the third turning, three strikes of the bell, until eight bells was struck and the cycle was repeated. Each eight cycles became a ‘Watch” The watch end was at eight bells and the new watch starts.

The watch system is still used in the Royal Navy today. The whole ships’ functioning is centred around watch systems. The Watch and bells system hasn’t changed much at all over hundreds of years in the Royal Navy. The watch system is maintained, however, the bells system is rarely used. The ship maintains the traditional bell with the ships name and used for ceremonies but hardly used during the daily functioning of the ship.

Ship Routine 1790’s

The following ships routine is based on the writings of ‘Jack Nastyface’. He was a sailor of the time and later in his life published a book titled, “Nautical Economy of Forecastle Recollections of Events during the last war” in 1836. It was never reprinted and now a very rare book. It is believed he served onboard HMS Revenge in which he certainly provides a very accurate, descriptive event during the Battle of Trafalgar. A crew were divided into two watches, starboard and larboard. When one was on deck the other was down below. As an example:

24 Hour Clock In practice one dong increment is made every half hour. E.g. the first one bell is made at the end of the first half hour of the watch. Two bells at the end of the first hour. Three bells at the end of one and one half hour of the watch so forth.)

navymuseum.co.nz/explore/by-themes/customs-and-traditions...

First of all this is the Original I have placed a cropped version of this photo in my profile I have recieved alot of questions about this picture, there was no lightning trigger device. I am very humbled by all the very nice comments. Honestly there was a severe thunder and lightning storm just decided to grab the camera and try to get a good shot. Needless to say there was alot of luck involved. As many know Florida is the lightning capital of the World and this picture showed why. The building sustained severe electrical damage the whole phone and alarm system was fried.

All a business owner has to do is install bars on windows and doors and add the name 'Lawless' to the name of the business. The Sheriff would be sure to check the joint every 30 minutes.

3950 Old Julian Rd, Julian, NC

**United States Post Office and Courthouse** - National Register of Historic Places Ref # 99001648, date listed 1/21/2000

500 E. Ford St.

Augusta, GA (Richmond County)

The United States Courthouse in Augusta, Georgia was completed in 1916. It was designed and built under the auspices of the U.S. Treasury Department, Oscar Wenderoth, Supervising Architect. The building was extended to the east (rear) in 1936 to enlarge the postal work area. In 1960, the building was modernized with a new passenger elevator, central air and aluminum front doors. In 1971, a fire escape and manual fire alarm system were installed; and acoustical ceilings and contemporary lighting were installed in the second and third floor corridors. Between 1992 and 1996, the building was vacated for a rehabilitation project which included restoration of the original courtroom ceiling, as well as the second and third floor corridors; new security screen in the lobby; new roof; asbestos removal; and the addition of new heating and air conditioning system and electrical wiring.

The United States Courthouse in Augusta, Georgia is a significant building because it is an excellent representation of the Italian Renaissance Revival style, a popular style of the early 1900s; and because it is a continuing symbol of the Federal presence in Augusta.

The Italian Renaissance Revival style became popular in the late 19th Century due to a revival of interest in classical architecture which came about as a result of the 1893 Columbian Exposition. It was a style that catered to the growing taste for richness in public buildings. Indeed, in the early 1900s, the Federal government promoted the concept that government buildings should be monumental and beautiful. Characteristics of this style which are evident in the U.S. Courthouse include: symmetrical elevations with bold cornices; arched windows; different window designs at each floor; use of brackets, either as functional or decorative elements; use of arches; a veranda extending along an entire facade; use of sculptural ornamentation. (1)

References (1) NRHP Nomination Form s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg...

All Weather Motion & Sound Sensing Perimeter Alarm With Two Zone Defense And Full Backup - IMRAN™

I love how Kennedy sits on the edge of the outer front stairs to the house, and K2 then sits as his wingman to his right rear. They seem to have had German Shepherd Air Force training as they keep a watchful eye on the blue skies and sunlit boulevard ending at my cul-de-sac.

I call this my all-weather motion & sound sensing perimeter alarm system and two zone defense, with full redundant backup power.

© 2021 IMRAN™

#ApolloBeach, #blue #sky, #dogs, #Florida, #GermanShepherdDogs, #GSD, #HomeSweetHome, #humor, #IMRAN, #ImranAnwar, #iPhone, #Lifestyle, #palmtrees, #roadside, #security, #streetscene

Better than any paid-for home security alarm system... Dont mess with a 150lb rottweiler -- JK!

Note: Thank you for your comments. Appreciate them, though I would appreciate more any constructive critisisms/comments/recommendations on how to make (or how I could have made) the shot/photo better (perspective, color, angle, depth, etc) since that is the best way to learn.

Borneo Anglehead Lizard (Gonocephalus bornensis) - Danum Valley, Malaysia

I miss the fauna of Asia and Borneo in particular, unfortunately I won't be seeing them again for a while with all my upcoming trips restricted to the new world tropics. Here is a older shot of one of the most commonly encountered lizards of Borneo, the Bornean Angle headed Lizard , a beautiful endemic of the lowland tropical forests of Borneo. This lizards are excellently camouflaged and active during the day, at night they will find a branch or bit of vegetation to sleep on. This branch/vegetation serves as a early alarm system if a predator tries to reach them the branch moves under the predators weight and alerts the lizard.

Natures little Alarm System.

Eastern Chipmunk ready to sound the Alarm. Out back by our Brush pile.Our backyard, Southeastern, Connecticut

Suite à une panne électrique la banque s'est retrouvée sans aucun système d'alarme.

2 jeunes femmes avec lesquelles il ne faut pas plaisanter gardent l'une des entrées.

Due to a power failure, the bank was left without any alarm system.

Two young women who are not to be trifled with are guarding one of the entrances.

03/03/19 Joe Davies Heritage Park

1957 Constructed as an U-2A by Lockheed at Oildale, California.

1957

Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Air Force with s/n 56-6721.

Transferred to Detachment G. CIA, Edwards AFB, CA.

October 1957

To 4080th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, Laughlin AFB, Del Rio, TX.

3 August 1959

Damaged.

During a training flight by a Taiwanese pilot Major Mike Hua the engine flamed out at 70,000 feet. After gliding over 200 miles the pilot managed to belly-land at Cortez, CO. The failed engine could not supply enough power for hydraulic system to lock the gear down.

1959

Converted to an U-2D.

While undergoing repairs, was modified to accommodate a second crewman as well as a suite of equipment to measure infrared emissions from aircraft and missiles.

December 1959

Transferred to Special Project Branch, 6512th Test Group, Edwards AFB, CA.

From 1960 to 1961

Used in the project Low Card later renamed Smokey Joe in support of Missile Detection and Alarm System (MIDAS) satellite development. It monitored rocket launches out of Cape Canaveral, examining their exhaust plumes with optical spectrometer sensors. These sensors would eventually be installed on satellites which would monitor and report any potential Soviet intercontinental ballistic missile launches.

From 1960 to 1961

Flown from Hickam AFB to track KH-2 Corona reconnaissance satellites film capsules after re-entry.

1961

Used IR sensor to monitor X-15 experimental aircraft launch.

May 1968

Received new instruments for a series of 31 test sorties in support of Program 949.

From Circa May 1968 to October 1968

Participated in Program 949, the development of a space-borne missile warning system. These tests, involved flights from Hanscome Air Force Base, MA, and Patrick Air Force Base, FL. In June 1969 Program 949 was renamed Program 647 known as DSP (Defense Support Program). The DSP satellites detect missile or spacecraft launches and nuclear explosions using infrared sensors.

Used for thunderstorm research and camera evaluations for NASAs TIROS and Nimbus weather satellites.

From Circa 1971 to Circa 1977

Served as a chase plane for Compass Cope reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles program.

1978

Struck off Strength/Charge from the United States Air Force.

Retired.

To National Museum of the United States Air Force Loan Program, Wright Field, Dayton, OH.

From 1980 to 1996

Loaned to March Field Air Museum, March AFB (former), Riverside, CA.

Circa 2001

Restored.

The work was carried out at Lockheed Martins facility at Air Force Plant 42.

Loaned to 95 ABW/MU, Edwards AFB, CA.

November 2001

Placed on display with Blackbird Airpark, Palmdale, CA.

Masked Lapwing

Vanellus miles novaehollandiae

April 30th, 2017

Rhyll, Phillip Island, Victoria, Australia

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Canon EF 500mm f4L IS II USM lens

Canon EF 1.4x III Extender

One of the more frustrating birds to encounter when photographing waders are these Masked Lapwings - for no other reason than they act as early warning alarm systems for all other birds in the vicinity!

On this occasion however, as I lay low & still in the sand, I was obscured from view by a fallen branch, & this bird landed right in front of me. I was really pleased to get a couple of shots with their spurs showing as well.

Seeing some neat mammatus clouds above. This was near Fresno, CA at the time. I was trying to stay ahead of a severe thunderstorm at the time! This was during my epic storm chase around the vast Central Valley this day, chasing severe thunderstorms that have developed in and around the vicinity… Conditions were perfect for storm development in the valley. Temps were in the mid 60’s and was a bit humid. It’s been a while since I’ve done a storm chase in the Central Valley. Places traveled included areas from Los Banos all the way down to Fresno, CA. Heavy rain, hail (the most intense I’ve seen in person), Midwest-like skies, and plentiful lightning were all observed this day. It was nice to finally be out in California’s version of the Great Plains once again! ‘Til next time, safe travels out there! (Outing taken place Sunday, March 12, 2023)

*Weather scenario: Multiple weather advisories were issued this day due to extreme weather. The ground zero for the strongest storms were to be in the counties of Merced and Madera, with the combination of a stronger upper-level jet, upslope lifting, or, orographic lift west of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, and acceptable low-level shear. Supercells were expected to form as a result, even some with tops over 25-30kft. Tornado warnings and severe thunderstorms have pounded the Central Valley along with hail and lightning. Emergency alerts were sent out on cellphones and broadcasted on TV early Sunday afternoon as a powerful storm made its way through the Central Valley… A tornado warning was issued for the 2nd time this weekend shortly after 3 o'clock for Merced and Madera County near Los Banos... Residents in Dos Palos got their attention with a tornado warning on their home alarm system. Hail the size of dimes and nickels was what residents across the valley were reporting. Weather chasers (myself included) were out in full force in capturing this weekend’s rare Midwest-like active weather pattern… Fun stuff!

PLEASE, NO invitations or self promotions, THEY WILL BE DELETED. My photos are FREE to use, just give me credit and it would be nice if you let me know, thanks.

Each cable car lines once had its own powerhouse, sometimes several, to drive the cable used on the line. The first power sources were steam engines powered by enormous amounts of coal each day, thus each powerhouse was equipped with boilers to heat the water needed to produce steam. The powerhouse is now equipped with new motors, gearboxes, and strand-alarm systems.

When it suddenly feels like the Midwest! This was around the farmlands of Dos Palos, CA. This was during my epic storm chase around the vast Central Valley this day, chasing severe thunderstorms that have developed in and around the vicinity… Conditions were perfect for storm development in the valley. Temps were in the mid 60’s and was a bit humid. It’s been a while since I’ve done a storm chase in the Central Valley. Places traveled included areas from Los Banos all the way down to Fresno, CA. Heavy rain, hail (the most intense I’ve seen in person), Midwest-like skies, and plentiful lightning were all observed this day. It was nice to finally be out in California’s version of the Great Plains once again! ‘Til next time, safe travels out there! (Outing taken place Sunday, March 12, 2023)

*Weather scenario: Multiple weather advisories were issued this day due to extreme weather. The ground zero for the strongest storms were to be in the counties of Merced and Madera, with the combination of a stronger upper-level jet, upslope lifting, or, orographic lift west of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, and acceptable low-level shear. Supercells were expected to form as a result, even some with tops over 25-30kft. Tornado warnings and severe thunderstorms have pounded the Central Valley along with hail and lightning. Emergency alerts were sent out on cellphones and broadcasted on TV early Sunday afternoon as a powerful storm made its way through the Central Valley… A tornado warning was issued for the 2nd time this weekend shortly after 3 o'clock for Merced and Madera County near Los Banos... Residents in Dos Palos got their attention with a tornado warning on their home alarm system. Hail the size of dimes and nickels was what residents across the valley were reporting. Weather chasers (myself included) were out in full force in capturing this weekend’s rare Midwest-like active weather pattern… Fun stuff!

*Wearing*

Haus Of Ito Chesapeake Dress*100% Fitted Mesh*Sizes includes:Slink Maitreya Belleza) Comes W/Hud

Haus Of Ito Suffolk Heels*100% Fitted Mesh*Sizes includes:Slink Maitreya Belleza) Comes W/Hud

Get Yours At: DESIGNER CIRCLE *starts 4-16-2017

*Showing*

*Indulge Automotive

62 Silver Shadow

features:

Power Windows

Power locks

Custom Audio ( touch screen to activate)

Alarm System ( activate from menu)

Material Lighting (activate advance lighting to see)

Custom Paint

Custom Wheels & Tires

additional details @ sltransbarbie.blogspot.com/2017/04/saddity-lifestyle.html

Seen on Nicholson Street is Lothian Buses Wright Eclipse Gemini 3 bodied Volvo B5TL 425 - BN64CSZ which is now in an advert for AICO which relates to the deadline for linked fire alarm systems in the home.

The skyline of Ghent, as seen from the Belfry, beautifully showcases the architectural diversity of the city encompassing both the old and the new. Constructed during a time when medieval European cities aimed to establish their autonomy and self-governance, the Belfry of Ghent served as a representation of the city's growing influence and independence from feudal lords and monarchs. One of its key roles was that of a watchtower and alarm system. Equipped with bells, it functioned as a lookout point for guards and watchmen to monitor potential threats like fires, enemy attacks, and emergencies, alerting the population if danger arose.

Furthermore, the Belfry played a practical role in storing important city documents, records, charters, and valuable items such as city funds and legal texts. It served as a repository of civic treasures, contributing to the city's administration and historical preservation. Built over several centuries, with its oldest sections dating back to the 14th century, the Belfry stands as a tangible link to Ghent's medieval history and significance. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it remains a prominent landmark and a popular tourist attraction, offering us a chance to witness the city's evolution and heritage from a panoramic perspective – Belfry, Ghent, Belgium.

Rooms:

- Living- and Dining Room with Sofa Set (Bed Sofa)

- Bedroom with small Bed

- Bathroom with Bath Tub

- Guest Room with Study Area

Floor coverings:

- wooden Flooring, incl. shoeless feeling

Furnishing:

- Beautiful, light-coloured Furniture (Fornature)

Items:

- Washing Machine in the Basement

- Flatscreen TV in the near by Market

- Bed linen and Towels included

Specials:

- Sunny Apartment in Basement

- Alarm System (by security service)

*just kidding* :D

PLEASE, NO invitations or self promotions, THEY WILL BE DELETED. My photos are FREE to use, just give me credit and it would be nice if you let me know, thanks.

Each cable car lines once had its own powerhouse, sometimes several, to drive the cable used on the line. The first power sources were steam engines powered by enormous amounts of coal each day, thus each powerhouse was equipped with boilers to heat the water needed to produce steam. The powerhouse is now equipped with new motors, gearboxes, and strand-alarm systems.

The Empire State Building is a 102-story[c] Art Deco skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States. It was designed by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon and built from 1930 to 1931. Its name is derived from "Empire State", the nickname of the state of New York. The building has a roof height of 1,250 feet (380 m) and stands a total of 1,454 feet (443.2 m) tall, including its antenna. The Empire State Building stood as the world's tallest building until the construction of the World Trade Center in 1970; following the latter's collapse in 2001, the Empire State Building was again the city's tallest skyscraper until 2012. As of 2020, the building is the seventh-tallest building in New York City, the ninth-tallest completed skyscraper in the United States, the 49th-tallest in the world, and the sixth-tallest freestanding structure in the Americas.

The site of the Empire State Building, in Midtown South on the west side of Fifth Avenue between West 33rd and 34th Streets, was developed in 1893 as the Waldorf–Astoria Hotel. In 1929, Empire State Inc. acquired the site and devised plans for a skyscraper there. The design for the Empire State Building was changed fifteen times until it was ensured to be the world's tallest building. Construction started on March 17, 1930, and the building opened thirteen and a half months afterward on May 1, 1931. Despite favorable publicity related to the building's construction, because of the Great Depression and World War II, its owners did not make a profit until the early 1950s.

The building's Art Deco architecture, height, and observation decks have made it a popular attraction. Around four million tourists from around the world annually visit the building's 86th- and 102nd-floor observatories; an additional indoor observatory on the 80th floor opened in 2019. The Empire State Building is an American cultural icon: it has been featured in more than 250 TV shows and movies since the film King Kong was released in 1933. The building's size has become the global standard of reference to describe the height and length of other structures. A symbol of New York City, the building has been named as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers. It was ranked first on the American Institute of Architects' List of America's Favorite Architecture in 2007. Additionally, the Empire State Building and its ground-floor interior were designated city landmarks by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission in 1980, and were added to the National Register of Historic Places as a National Historic Landmark in 1986.

The Empire State Building is located on the west side of Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, between 33rd Street to the south and 34th Street to the north. Tenants enter the building through the Art Deco lobby located at 350 Fifth Avenue. Visitors to the observatories use an entrance at 20 West 34th Street; prior to August 2018, visitors entered through the Fifth Avenue lobby. Although physically located in South Midtown, a mixed residential and commercial area, the building is so large that it was assigned its own ZIP Code, 10118; as of 2012, it is one of 43 buildings in New York City that have their own ZIP codes.

The areas surrounding the Empire State Building are home to other major points of interest, including Macy's at Herald Square on Sixth Avenue and 34th Street, Koreatown on 32nd Street between Madison and Sixth Avenues, Penn Station and Madison Square Garden on Seventh Avenue between 32nd and 34th Streets, and the Flower District on 28th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues. The nearest New York City Subway stations are 34th Street–Penn Station at Seventh Avenue, two blocks west; 34th Street–Herald Square, one block west; and 33rd Street at Park Avenue, two blocks east. There is also a PATH station at 33rd Street and Sixth Avenue.

To the east of the Empire State Building is Murray Hill, a neighborhood with a mix of residential, commercial, and entertainment activity. The block directly to the northeast contains the B. Altman and Company Building, which houses the City University of New York's Graduate Center, while the Demarest Building is directly across Fifth Avenue to the east.

The site was previously owned by John Jacob Astor of the prominent Astor family, who had owned the site since the mid-1820s. In 1893, John Jacob Astor Sr.'s grandson William Waldorf Astor opened the Waldorf Hotel on the site; four years later, his cousin, John Jacob Astor IV, opened the 16-story Astoria Hotel on an adjacent site. The two portions of the Waldorf–Astoria hotel had 1,300 bedrooms, making it the largest hotel in the world at the time. After the death of its founding proprietor, George Boldt, in early 1918, the hotel lease was purchased by Thomas Coleman du Pont. By the 1920s, the old Waldorf–Astoria was becoming dated and the elegant social life of New York had moved much farther north than 34th Street. The Astor family decided to build a replacement hotel further uptown, and sold the hotel to Bethlehem Engineering Corporation in 1928 for $14–16 million. The hotel closed shortly thereafter, on May 3, 1929.

The Empire State Building officially opened on May 1, 1931, forty-five days ahead of its projected opening date, and eighteen months from the start of construction. The opening was marked with an event featuring United States President Herbert Hoover, who turned on the building's lights with the ceremonial button push from Washington, D.C. Over 350 guests attended the opening ceremony, and following luncheon, at the 86th floor including Jimmy Walker, Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Al Smith. An account from that day stated that the view from the luncheon was obscured by a fog, with other landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty being "lost in the mist" enveloping New York City. The Empire State Building officially opened the next day. Advertisements for the building's observatories were placed in local newspapers, while nearby hotels also capitalized on the events by releasing advertisements that lauded their proximity to the newly opened building.

According to The New York Times, builders and real estate speculators predicted that the 1,250-foot-tall (380 m) Empire State Building would be the world's tallest building "for many years", thus ending the great New York City skyscraper rivalry. At the time, most engineers agreed that it would be difficult to build a building taller than 1,200 feet (370 m), even with the hardy Manhattan bedrock as a foundation. Technically, it was believed possible to build a tower of up to 2,000 feet (610 m), but it was deemed uneconomical to do so, especially during the Great Depression. As the tallest building in the world, at that time, and the first one to exceed 100 floors, the Empire State Building became an icon of the city and, ultimately, of the nation.

In 1932, the Fifth Avenue Association gave the building its 1931 "gold medal" for architectural excellence, signifying that the Empire State had been the best-designed building on Fifth Avenue to open in 1931. A year later, on March 2, 1933, the movie King Kong was released. The movie, which depicted a large stop motion ape named Kong climbing the Empire State Building, made the still-new building into a cinematic icon.[

The Empire State Building's opening coincided with the Great Depression in the United States, and as a result much of its office space was vacant from its opening. In the first year, only 23% of the available space was rented, as compared to the early 1920s, where the average building would have occupancy of 52% upon opening and 90% rented within five years. The lack of renters led New Yorkers to deride the building as the "Empty State Building.

The earliest tenants in the Empire State Building were large companies, banks, and garment industries. Jack Brod, one of the building's longest resident tenants, co-established the Empire Diamond Corporation with his father in the building in mid-1931 and rented space in the building until he died in 2008. Brod recalled that there were only about 20 tenants at the time of opening, including him, and that Al Smith was the only real tenant in the space above his seventh-floor offices. Generally, during the early 1930s, it was rare for more than a single office space to be rented in the building, despite Smith's and Raskob's aggressive marketing efforts in the newspapers and to anyone they knew. The building's lights were continuously left on, even in the unrented spaces, to give the impression of occupancy. This was exacerbated by competition from Rockefeller Center as well as from buildings on 42nd Street, which, when combined with the Empire State Building, resulted in surplus of office space in a slow market during the 1930s.

Aggressive marketing efforts served to reinforce the Empire State Building's status as the world's tallest.[149] The observatory was advertised in local newspapers as well as on railroad tickets. The building became a popular tourist attraction, with one million people each paying one dollar to ride elevators to the observation decks in 1931. In its first year of operation, the observation deck made approximately $2 million in revenue, as much as its owners made in rent that year. By 1936, the observation deck was crowded on a daily basis, with food and drink available for purchase at the top, and by 1944 the building had received its five-millionth visitor. In 1931, NBC took up tenancy, leasing space on the 85th floor for radio broadcasts. From the outset the building was in debt, losing $1 million per year by 1935. Real estate developer Seymour Durst recalled that the building was so underused in 1936 that there was no elevator service above the 45th floor, as the building above the 41st floor was empty except for the NBC offices and the Raskob/Du Pont offices on the 81st floor.

Per the original plans, the Empire State Building's spire was intended to be an airship docking station. Raskob and Smith had proposed dirigible ticketing offices and passenger waiting rooms on the 86th floor, while the airships themselves would be tied to the spire at the equivalent of the building's 106th floor. An elevator would ferry passengers from the 86th to the 101st floor[g] after they had checked in on the 86th floor, after which passengers would have climbed steep ladders to board the airship. The idea, however, was impractical and dangerous due to powerful updrafts caused by the building itself, the wind currents across Manhattan, and the spires of nearby skyscrapers. Furthermore, even if the airship were to successfully navigate all these obstacles, its crew would have to jettison some ballast by releasing water onto the streets below in order to maintain stability, and then tie the craft's nose to the spire with no mooring lines securing the tail end of the craft. On September 15, 1931, a small commercial United States Navy airship circled 25 times in 45-mile-per-hour (72 km/h) winds. The airship then attempted to dock at the mast, but its ballast spilled and the craft was rocked by unpredictable eddies. The near-disaster scuttled plans to turn the building's spire into an airship terminal, although one blimp did manage to make a single newspaper delivery afterward.

On July 28, 1945, a B-25 Mitchell bomber crashed into the north side of the Empire State Building, between the 79th and 80th floors One engine completely penetrated the building and landed in a neighboring block, while the other engine and part of the landing gear plummeted down an elevator shaft. Fourteen people were killed in the incident, but the building escaped severe damage and was reopened two days later.

The Empire State Building only started becoming profitable in the 1950s, when it was finally able to break even for the first time. At the time, mass transit options in the building's vicinity were limited compared to the present day. Despite this challenge, the Empire State Building began to attract renters due to its reputation. A 222-foot (68 m) radio antenna was erected on top of the towers starting in 1950, allowing the area's television stations to be broadcast from the building.

However, despite the turnaround in the building's fortunes, Raskob listed it for sale in 1951, with a minimum asking price of $50 million. The property was purchased by business partners Roger L. Stevens, Henry Crown, Alfred R. Glancy and Ben Tobin. The sale was brokered by the Charles F. Noyes Company, a prominent real estate firm in upper Manhattan, for $51 million, the highest price paid for a single structure at the time. By this time, the Empire State had been fully leased for several years with a waiting list of parties looking to lease space in the building, according to the Cortland Standard. That same year, six news companies formed a partnership to pay a combined annual fee of $600,000 to use the building's antenna, which was completed in 1953. Crown bought out his partners' ownership stakes in 1954, becoming the sole owner. The following year, the American Society of Civil Engineers named the building one of the "Seven Modern Civil Engineering Wonders".

In 1961, Lawrence A. Wien signed a contract to purchase the Empire State Building for $65 million, with Harry B. Helmsley acting as partners in the building's operating lease. This became the new highest price for a single structure. Over 3,000 people paid $10,000 for one share each in a company called Empire State Building Associates. The company in turn subleased the building to another company headed by Helmsley and Wien, raising $33 million of the funds needed to pay the purchase price In a separate transaction, the land underneath the building was sold to Prudential Insurance for $29 million. Helmsley, Wien, and Peter Malkin quickly started a program of minor improvement projects, including the first-ever full-building facade refurbishment and window-washing in 1962, the installation of new flood lights on the 72nd floor in 1964, and replacement of the manually operated elevators with automatic units in 1966. The little-used western end of the second floor was used as a storage space until 1964, at which point it received escalators to the first floor as part of its conversion into a highly sought retail area.

In 1961, the same year that Helmsley, Wien, and Malkin had purchased the Empire State Building, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey formally backed plans for a new World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan. The plan originally included 66-story twin towers with column-free open spaces. The Empire State's owners and real estate speculators were worried that the twin towers' 7.6 million square feet (710,000 m2) of office space would create a glut of rentable space in Manhattan as well as take away the Empire State Building's profits from lessees. A revision in the World Trade Center's plan brought the twin towers to 1,370 feet (420 m) each or 110 stories, taller than the Empire State. Opponents of the new project included prominent real-estate developer Robert Tishman, as well as Wien's Committee for a Reasonable World Trade Center. In response to Wien's opposition, Port Authority executive director Austin J. Tobin said that Wien was only opposing the project because it would overshadow his Empire State Building as the world's tallest building.

The World Trade Center's twin towers started construction in 1966. The following year, the Ostankino Tower succeeded the Empire State Building as the tallest freestanding structure in the world. In 1970, the Empire State surrendered its position as the world's tallest building, when the World Trade Center's still-under-construction North Tower surpassed it, on October 19; the North Tower was topped out on December 23, 1970.

In December 1975, the observation deck was opened on the 110th floor of the Twin Towers, significantly higher than the 86th floor observatory on the Empire State Building. The latter was also losing revenue during this period, particularly as a number of broadcast stations had moved to the World Trade Center in 1971; although the Port Authority continued to pay the broadcasting leases for the Empire State until 1984. The Empire State Building was still seen as prestigious, having seen its forty-millionth visitor in March 1971.

By 1980, there were nearly two million annual visitors, although a building official had previously estimated between 1.5 million and 1.75 million annual visitors. The building received its own ZIP code in May 1980 in a roll out of 63 new postal codes in Manhattan. At the time, its tenants collectively received 35,000 pieces of mail daily. The Empire State Building celebrated its 50th anniversary on May 1, 1981, with a much-publicized, but poorly received, laser light show, as well as an "Empire State Building Week" that ran through to May 8.

The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to make the lobby a city landmark on May 19, 1981, citing the historic nature of the first and second floors, as well as "the fixtures and interior components" of the upper floors. The building became a National Historic Landmark in 1986 in close alignment to the New York City Landmarks report. The Empire State Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places the following year due to its architectural significance.

Capital improvements were made to the Empire State Building during the early to mid-1990s at a cost of $55 million. These improvements entailed replacing alarm systems, elevators, windows, and air conditioning; making the observation deck compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA); and refurbishing the limestone facade. The observatory renovation was added after disability rights groups and the United States Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the building in 1992, in what was the first lawsuit filed by an organization under the new law. A settlement was reached in 1994, in which the Empire State Building Associates agreed to add ADA-compliant elements, such as new elevators, ramps, and automatic doors, during its ongoing renovation.

Prudential sold the land under the building in 1991 for $42 million to a buyer representing hotelier Hideki Yokoi, who was imprisoned at the time in connection with the deadly Hotel New Japan Fire at the Hotel New Japan in Tokyo. In 1994, Donald Trump entered into a joint-venture agreement with Yokoi, with a shared goal of breaking the Empire State Building's lease on the land in an effort to gain total ownership of the building so that, if successful, the two could reap the potential profits of merging the ownership of the building with the land beneath Having secured a half-ownership of the land, Trump devised plans to take ownership of the building itself so he could renovate it, even though Helmsley and Malkin had already started their refurbishment project. He sued Empire State Building Associates in February 1995, claiming that the latter had caused the building to become a "high-rise slum" and a "second-rate, rodent-infested" office tower. Trump had intended to have Empire State Building Associates evicted for violating the terms of their lease, but was denied. This led to Helmsley's companies countersuing Trump in May.This sparked a series of lawsuits and countersuits that lasted several years, partly arising from Trump's desire to obtain the building's master lease by taking it from Empire State Building Associates. Upon Harry Helmsley's death in 1997, the Malkins sued Helmsley's widow, Leona Helmsley, for control of the building.

Following the destruction of the World Trade Center during the September 11 attacks in 2001, the Empire State Building again became the tallest building in New York City, but was only the second-tallest building in the Americas after the Sears (later Willis) Tower in Chicago. As a result of the attacks, transmissions from nearly all of the city's commercial television and FM radio stations were again broadcast from the Empire State Building. The attacks also led to an increase in security due to persistent terror threats against prominent sites in New York City.

In 2002, Trump and Yokoi sold their land claim to the Empire State Building Associates, now headed by Malkin, in a $57.5 million sale. This action merged the building's title and lease for the first time in half a century. Despite the lingering threat posed by the 9/11 attacks, the Empire State Building remained popular with 3.5 million visitors to the observatories in 2004, compared to about 2.8 million in 2003.

Even though she maintained her ownership stake in the building until the post-consolidation IPO in October 2013, Leona Helmsley handed over day-to-day operations of the building in 2006 to Peter Malkin's company. In 2008, the building was temporarily "stolen" by the New York Daily News to show how easy it was to transfer the deed on a property, since city clerks were not required to validate the submitted information, as well as to help demonstrate how fraudulent deeds could be used to obtain large mortgages and then have individuals disappear with the money. The paperwork submitted to the city included the names of Fay Wray, the famous star of King Kong, and Willie Sutton, a notorious New York bank robber. The newspaper then transferred the deed back over to the legitimate owners, who at that time were Empire State Land Associates.

Starting in 2009, the building's public areas received a $550 million renovation, with improvements to the air conditioning and waterproofing, renovations to the observation deck and main lobby, and relocation of the gift shop to the 80th floor. About $120 million was spent on improving the energy efficiency of the building, with the goal of reducing energy emissions by 38% within five years. For example, all of the windows were refurbished onsite into film-coated "superwindows" which block heat but pass light. Air conditioning operating costs on hot days were reduced, saving $17 million of the project's capital cost immediately and partially funding some of the other retrofits. The Empire State Building won the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold for Existing Buildings rating in September 2011, as well as the World Federation of Great Towers' Excellence in Environment Award for 2010. For the LEED Gold certification, the building's energy reduction was considered, as was a large purchase of carbon offsets. Other factors included low-flow bathroom fixtures, green cleaning supplies, and use of recycled paper products.

On April 30, 2012, One World Trade Center topped out, taking the Empire State Building's record of tallest in the city. By 2014, the building was owned by the Empire State Realty Trust (ESRT), with Anthony Malkin as chairman, CEO, and president. The ESRT was a public company, having begun trading publicly on the New York Stock Exchange the previous year. In August 2016, the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) was issued new fully diluted shares equivalent to 9.9% of the trust; this investment gave them partial ownership of the entirety of the ESRT's portfolio, and as a result, partial ownership of the Empire State Building. The trust's president John Kessler called it an "endorsement of the company's irreplaceable assets". The investment has been described by the real-estate magazine The Real Deal as "an unusual move for a sovereign wealth fund", as these funds typically buy direct stakes in buildings rather than real estate companies. Other foreign entities that have a stake in the ESRT include investors from Norway, Japan, and Australia.

A renovation of the Empire State Building was commenced in the 2010s to further improve energy efficiency, public areas, and amenities. In August 2018, to improve the flow of visitor traffic, the main visitor's entrance was shifted to 20 West 34th Street as part of a major renovation of the observatory lobby. The new lobby includes several technological features, including large LED panels, digital ticket kiosks in nine languages, and a two-story architectural model of the building surrounded by two metal staircases. The first phase of the renovation, completed in 2019, features an updated exterior lighting system and digital hosts. The new lobby also features free Wi-Fi provided for those waiting. A 10,000-square-foot (930 m2) exhibit with nine galleries, opened in July 2019. The 102nd floor observatory, the third phase of the redesign, re-opened to the public on October 12, 2019. That portion of the project included outfitting the space with floor-to-ceiling glass windows and a brand-new glass elevator The final portion of the renovations to be completed was a new observatory on the 80th floor, which opened on December 2, 2019. In total, the renovation had cost $165 million and taken four years to finish.

The fire alarm woke us up at 4 AM , that we have to leave the hotel. Thankfully my emergency preparedness worked out well this time, as often is the case nothing happens .

Just before I went to bed and fade into my sleep, I'm always reminded to prepare regarding the " what if's " emergency etc. that we have to leave quickly. So most valuable things are in one place easy to find, shoes, coat , my Bible, my cameras, SD cards full of shots, purse, make-up kit of course :). In every journey away from home I always do this. This time was my first time ever experience in real life emergency evacuation in the early hours of the wintry morning. We grabbed just one emergency bag and left on the exit .

Luckily the fire wasn't big , only on a small electrical cupboard on the top floor. We were able to get back to the building over a couple of hours later. Although it left me feeling a bit tired that day as it's harder to get back to sleep having the adrenaline rush , but hat off with the Travelodge fire alarm system working well in compliance. Imagine if it's not working , I probably will be jumping off the window landing on TESCO roof below. Added to it , this happened in the UK where the level of safety standards is reliable.

When on trips abroad , I often have in mind the host country's safety records and not just thinking of pure Lala land . It's a bliss to think ahead. When inhotels it's good to know where the exits are and see if they're not locked. Exit doors do exist but sometimes the same exit door is locked up, it's good to check them out.

I don't like staying in a room with metal grilled windows or rooms without windows. There are hotels with like this conditions existing . Any room without a window makes me feel extremely claustrophobic and uneasy, regardless of the air conditioning system in it .The window should not be too small either bigger than a peep hole . A room without a window makes me feel like contained inside a solid box , or in a likely real life horror should there be fire. Added to that, I always look around for something with in the room itself which I could potentially make into weapon in case an intruder comes in. Fire extinguishers itself can be a weapon or any hard solid objects, scissors, even simple ground pepper, chilli , but that's another story. I just hope it would not happen to me and I would not have to fight back. But thoughts of preparedness come to mind especially on when on unfamiliar environs .

Most of all the hedge of protection should be sought from the Lord who can be trusted . But fighting back in defense is allowed as my faith is concerned. We don't have to put the other cheek for another slap / punch , neither shrunk in fear when an intruder comes with a knife with intent to harm and to kill.

Bonay arriving at Great Yarmouth after a 14 hours, 44 minutes from Ridderkerk, Holland.

Name: Bonay

Vessel type: Cargo vessel

Home port: Liepaja

Flag: Latvia

IMO: 9033878

MMSI: 275359000

Call sign: YLBV

Crew: 6

Length overall: 64.75 m

Beam: 11.4 m

Max draught: 4.39 m

Gross tonnage: 1,189 tons

Net tonnage: 712 tons

Deadweight: 1,891 tons

Max displacement: 2,491 tons

Number of holds: 1

Fuel capacity: 106 m³

Engine: 1 x Caterpillar 3512TA - 12 cylinder

Engine output:1,297 hp (954 kW) at 1,600 rpm

Speed: 10 knots

Builder: N.V. Scheepswerf en Reparatiebedrijf, Harlingen, Netherlands

Yard number: 96

Launch date: 9th. October 1991

Date of completion: 27th. November 1991

Manager: SIA AA Bon-Port, Liepaja, Latvia

Owner, Courland Shipping SIA, Liepaja, Latvia

Previous names:

Nord until 09/11/2011Wulp until 27/07/2011

Nord until 05/03/2010Nordfjord until 01/10/2004Willy II until 01/05/2001

Arrested for severe safety deficiencies.

The Bonay which had sailed from Vierow, Germany to Rostock, Germany on 27th. January 2015, was detained by the water police in Rostock on 28th. January due to a number of significant safety deficiencies. The Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) was not working, alarm systems for water ingress and fire were also faulty and disabled by the crew who also reported repeated water ingress in the rudder gear. The ship was arrested by the responsible authorities for transport and traffic on 29th.January.

The zebra and oxpecker share a mutualistic relationship, with the bird obtaining a mobile food source of ticks and parasites, and the zebra getting a grooming and alarm system. At the approach of predators, an oxpecker can sound a screach and fly away, notifying the zebra of the threat. This image was shot on the Serengeti Plains.

Well, since I'm awake thanks to someone breaking into our house at 4am this morning.....figured I'd do some editing and post a shot.

Camera gear...safe. The dogs...safe. All property in the house...safe. But man did he pick the wrong house to break into.

Since the guy ignored our alarm sign, those obviously don't work. But our dogs did a great job tonight. So did the husband who easily chased down the offender, and restrained him until the police arrived.

The best alarm system? A Dog. I think I can now use this to convince my husband to let me finally get a Bull Mastiff ;)

Wishing all my contacts a fantastic weekend :)

signaling

Fiddy looks anxiously towards the fire alarm. Earlier the alarm systems were tested.

My head is still ringing too.