capable photos on Flickr

181204-A-VY746-030 by 108th Training Command

Soldiers, Sailors and Marines from across Active Duty and Reserve Components on Fort Benning and in the surrounding community converged December 4-7 to compete for the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge. One of a handful of authorized foreign awards, the badge is highly coveted for wear on the US military dress uniform. Qualifying for the badge requires proficiency in physical training, swimming, marksmanship and completion of a 12 mile ruck march. Soldiers and Drill Sergeants from the 98th Training Division (IET) not only competed for the GAFPB, but also lent their administrative, operational and instructional skills to the execution and planning of the event in coordination with the 1-46th Infantry Regiment. Congratulations to those who made the competition a success, and to those who have now earned the right to wear the badge!

Handmade margarita machine by susanstars

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A very capable Maker built this from a cooler and a garbage disposal--it makes really, really good blended margaritas. In a happy coincidence, we were sitting right next to it!

westcoastcrafty.wordpress.com/2007/05/17/panels-paella-an...

34th Civil Support Team evaluated as fully mission capable by Virginia Guard Public Affairs

Soldiers and Airmen of the Virginia National Guard’s Fort Pickett-based 34th Civil Support Team conduct a Training Proficiency Evaluation May 15 at the Dinwiddie County Airport. The team was was evaluated as fully mission capable by U. S. Army North’s Civil Support Readiness Group-East after demonstrating proficiency in 12 different collective tasks. The CST conducts an external evaluation every 18 months to validate they are able to effectively conduct their mission of providing support to first responders in potential biological, chemical, nuclear, radiological and explosive incidents. (Photo by Mr. Cotton Puryear, Virginia National Guard Public Affairs)

More info: vaguard.dodlive.mil/2012/05/17/1177/

Portsmouth by MKDarlo (Richard)

HMS Queen Elizabeth is the lead ship of the Queen Elizabeth class of aircraft carriers and the Fleet Flagship of the Royal Navy. Capable of carrying 60 aircraft including fixed wing, rotary wing and autonomous vehicles, she is named in honour of the first HMS Queen Elizabeth, a World War I era super-dreadnought, which in turn was named after Queen Elizabeth I. The carrier Queen Elizabeth carries her namesake ship's honours, as well as her Tudor rose-adorned crest and motto.

She began sea trials in June 2017, was commissioned on 7 December 2017 and entered service in 2020.

The ship is designed to operate V/STOL aircraft. The air wing will typically consist of F-35B Lightning II multirole fighters and Merlin helicopters for airborne early warning and anti-submarine warfare. The design emphasises flexibility, with accommodation for 250 Royal Marines and the ability to support them with attack helicopters and large troop transports such as Chinooks. She is the second Royal Navy vessel to bear the name Queen Elizabeth, and is based at HMNB Portsmouth.

Queen Elizabeth will deploy as the central part of a UK Carrier Strike Group with escorts and support ships in order to deliver carrier-enabled power projection

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Queen_Elizabeth_(R08)

ADULT SEA OTTERS: MONTEREY BAY by John C. Bruckman

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The southern, or California, sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis) has been listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act since 1977. It belongs to the order Carnivora and the family Mustelidae. Two other otter subspecies are also recognized – E. lutris kenyoni, which is found from Oregon to Alaska, and E. lutris lutris, which inhabits parts of Russia and northern Japan. Sea otters are highly specialized marine mammals capable of living their entire lives without ever having to leave the ocean, have the densest fur of any mammal and are one of the few marine species to use tools. Sea otters are an apex predator of the near shore ecosystem. The species is considered a keystone species because of their critical importance to the health and stability of the near shore marine ecosystem. They are also considered a sentinel species because their health reflects that of California’s coastal oceans. The southern sea otter population has exhibited high levels of mortality in recent years. Scientists attribute up to 40 percent of southern sea otter mortality to infectious diseases alone, many of which are known to have anthropogenic causes and land-sea linkages. The single greatest threat to the sea otter is an oil spill. One large oil spill in central California could be catastrophic, with the potential of driving the entire southern sea otter population into extinction.

Description

The sea otter is one of the smallest marine mammals, but one of the largest members of the family Mustelidae, a group that includes skunks and weasels among others. Adult males reach an average length of 4.5 feet (1.4 m) with a typical weight between 50 and 100 lbs. (23 to 45 kg), while adult females reach an average length of 4 feet (1.2 m) and typically weigh 45 lbs. (20 kg). It has a highly buoyant, elongated body, blunt snout and small, wide head. Sea otters have an acute sense of smell and taste and have good vision both above and below the water surface. They also rely heavily on their sense of touch.

Sea otters exhibit numerous adaptations, which help them survive in their challenging marine environment. Long whiskers help them to detect vibrations in murky waters and sensitive forepaws, with retractable claws, help them to groom, locate and capture prey underwater, and use tools. When underwater, they can close their nostrils and small ears. The sea otter’s hind feet are webbed and flipper-like, and are used in conjunction with its lower body to propel the animal through the water. It has a long, flattened tail, which they use as a rudder and for added propulsion. Hearing is one sense that is not yet fully understood, although studies suggest they are particularly sensitive to high-frequency sounds. Their teeth are unique for a mammal in that they are blunt and designed for crushing, rather than being sharp for tearing like most marine mammals are equipped with.

With the exception of its nose and pads of its paws, the sea otter’s body is covered in dense fur. The fur consists of two layers. The short, brown under fur can be as dense as 1 million hairs per square inch, making its fur the densest of any mammal. By comparison, we only have about 100,000 hairs in total on our heads. A top layer of long, waterproof guard hairs helps to keep the under fur layer dry by keeping cold water away from the skin. The pelage is typically deep brown in color with silver-gray highlights, with the coloration of the head and neck being lighter than the body. Unlike other marine mammals, such as seals and sea lions, sea otters do not have any blubber, so they depend on this exceptionally thick, water-resistant fur to stay warm in the cold, coastal Pacific.

Range & Habitat

Historically, southern sea otters were present in coastal marine habitats from northern California to Baja California in Mexico. This range decreased significantly during the fur trade during the 18th and 19th centuries, with excessive hunting nearly driving the species into extinction by the early 1900s. The current range extends along the California coast from Half Moon Bay in the north to Santa Barbara in the south, though individuals are occasionally seen outside these limits. A small population of sea otters lives at San Nicolas Island as a result of translocation efforts initiated in 1987.

Sea otters are found in a variety of coastal marine habitats, including rocky shores and sea-bottoms, sandy sea-bottoms, as well as coastal wetlands. Sea otters naturally inhabit offshore areas with an abundance of food and kelp canopy. They tend to live in ocean depths shallower than 130 feet (40 m) with water temperatures ranging between 35°F and 60°F.

Behavior

Most of a sea otter’s life is spent at sea, though they do occasionally haul out on land, where they appear clumsy and walk with a rather awkward gait. They eat, sleep, mate and give birth in the water. Sea otters spend most of their time floating on their backs at the surface grooming, eating, resting, and diving for food on the seafloor. Sea otters are relatively slow swimmers, generally traveling at 3-5 mph (5-8 km/h). They typically swim belly-up on their backs, propelling themselves through the water using their webbed hind feet. If a faster speed is required, for instance when a male is patrolling it’s territory for competing males or when in hot pursuit of a sexually receptive female, it turns over onto its stomach and in addition to using its webbed hind feet, it undulates its entire body for greater propulsion and acceleration.

Sea otters groom themselves almost continuously while at the surface, a practice critical for maintaining the insulating and water repellant properties of their fur. Its pliable skeleton and loosely fitted skin allow the animal the flexibility to reach any part of its body. During a grooming bout, which generally occurs directly after a foraging bout (a period of time in which diving and eating takes place) or resting bout, the animal can be seen somersaulting, twisting and turning, and meticulously rubbing its fur at the water surface. This behavior not only cleans the fur, but also traps air bubbles against the skin within the millions of hairs of its pelage. This layer of entrapped air creates an insulating barrier (similar to that of a double-paned window), which prevents water from reaching the skin. Constant grooming is absolutely critical for their survival. If cold ocean water reaches their skin, it will immediately begin to draw heat out of the animal, which disrupts the animal’s ability to thermo regulate and will ultimately lead to hypothermia and death.

Sea otters often rest together in single-sex groups called rafts. They are known to wrap themselves up in kelp to keep from drifting out to sea. While resting at the surface, a sea otter will often times hold its forepaws above the water surface and fold its hind feet up onto to its torso to help conserve heat.

With the exception of territorial males, who have the privilege of living among females, males and females tend to live in separate groups. The center of the sea otter range is predominately occupied by females (of all ages) and territorial males, as well as some dependent pups and recently weaned juvenile males. The northern and southern edges of the range are largely male dominated areas; consisting of juvenile, sub adult and adult males. Numbers in these male areas tend to increase in winter and spring because there are fewer mating opportunities with sexually receptive females during this time of the year.

Females generally have small home territories while many adult males hold larger aquatic territories consisting of several adult females. Bachelor males (animals who are either to young or too old to defend their own territories) reside in the large male-only groups at either end of the range. Males travel much greater distances throughout the range than females, typically making seasonal treks of up to 200 miles between the months of June and November when the highest proportion of females are in estrous. On any given day though, males tend to remain in the same general location, moving only a mile or two along the coastline. Females, on the other hand, are sedentary by nature, generally staying within 10 – 20 miles of their home ranges. Their home ranges are smaller because they have higher metabolic costs while pregnant and raising their pup.

Sea otters are equally active both night and day. A foraging bout occurs for several hours in the morning, typically starting just before sunrise. A second foraging bout begins in the afternoon, usually lasting for several hours until sunset. A grooming bout occurs before and after each foraging bout and resting bout follows at midday, followed again by another grooming and resting bout. A third foraging bout may also occur around midnight.

Although difficult to hear from shore, sea otters exhibit a variety of vocal behaviors. Pups are the most vocal. A pup can be heard squealing when its mother leaves it to dive for food and often times when a male approaches. Their cry is similar to that of a gull. Other vocalizations include: coos and grunts, which occur when an animal is eating or when content, as in the case of a pair-bonded couple during courtship; whines occur when an animal is frustrated, as in the case of an older pup wanting to suckle or an adult male attempting to mate with an uninterested female; growls, snarls, whistles and hisses can be heard when an animal is frightened or distressed, as in the case of a captured otter.

Food & Foraging

An otter must consume approximately 25% of its bodyweight in prey each day just to stay alive! A 75-pound otter can eat up to 1,500 sea urchins a day, or about 25 pounds of seafood (for a 75 pound kid, that would amount to eating 75 quarter pound hamburgers every day!). To meet its high energetic and thermoregulation demands, a sea otter’s metabolic rate is 2 to 3 times that of comparatively sized mammals. Sea otters consume a wide variety of benthic invertebrates. Prey items include sea urchins, abalone, crabs, mussels, clams, marine snails, marine worms, sea stars, and squid. In total, otters eat at least 50 species of benthic (bottom-dwelling) invertebrates, although individuals tend to specialize on only a few main prey types. Prey specialization and feeding preferences are passed on from mother to pup.

The strong forelegs paws are used to locate and capture prey. Pockets of loose skin under each foreleg are used to store prey it has gathered on the seafloor for the ascent to the surface. Rocks are often used as tools to dislodge prey on the sea floor and to break open the hard outer shells of some prey items upon returning to the surface. Floating belly-up in the water, they place rocks on their chests and repeatedly pound hard-shelled prey against them to gain access the meat inside. While eating, an otter will roll repeatedly in the water to wash away food scraps from its chest. Unlike most other marine mammals, sea otters commonly drink seawater. Although most of the animal’s water needs are met through the consumption of prey, its large kidneys allow it to extract fresh water from seawater.

Sea otters generally forage close to shore in depths shallower than 60 feet (18 m) but are capable of diving to depths of 300 feet (90 m) or more. With a relatively large lung capacity for it’s size, an otter can hold its breath for 5 minutes, but most dives are two minutes or less in duration. Source: www.seaotters.com

Sony A58 Amazon Review by Stephen B

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Almost ALL the sample photos of this camera do not capture what it is capable of. I took these photos on program mode. Sharpness for the majority of the images is bumped up one notch, but with a sensor this size, it does a nice job of in camera sharpening. This was with the kit lens. Saturation and contrast were both left at default. There may be one or two where I bumped up contrast on the humming bird feeder, but the rest are regular photos strait from program mode. I am convinced that the majority of photos of this camera posted to flickr have HDR set to ON which is the camera default. So it is set to OFF on all the photos which may account for why there is more observed contrast.

This camera is fast. Ive owned the the Epm2, the canon t1i, the GF6 and this is by far my favorite camera. My camera search has after all these years officially ended. This is it.

I will say that when I first looked at the pictures, I looked at them on a dell laptop with a poor Intel graphics card. Even with a nice monitor viewed in windows viewer I was not all moved by the photos. Then I hooked that same external monitor (a dell s2340mc set on movie mode default) on a laptop with a good graphics card.... It looks fantastic. And Im positive its not just the monitor making the pictures look nice. Ive compared the pictures against other cameras. The sensor on this camera is outstanding. Ive compared the Nikon 3200, and several other DSLRs and still prefer this. it keeps good contrast and the black/contrast ratio in my opinion is one of the larger factors in bringing photos to life.

And THANK YOU Sony for NOT programming auto focus to fix on the nearest subject like canon does. I once used a Canon T1i, and that thing focused on everything CLOSE to the subject. It also overexposed everything. In fact that was one of the reasons I looked at this camera. The whole rebel series...even the upper rebels over all these years tend to overexpose everything on almost every mode with the ones Ive used. This one has a very very good metering system. Just overall very impressed. Fast speed. fast autofocus, good contrast ratio (OFF HDR MODE unlike the majority of uploads of this camera to flickr), defiantly a great camera. AND as an added bonus, there are hundreds of INEXPENSIVE lenses, including all the non-MD Minoltas

Brands Hatch Formula Ford Festival 50th Anniversary DAY 2 31/10/21 by Ross Denyer

DAY 2 of the Formula Ford 50th Anniversary Race Weekend and after a Really Fast Action Packed array of Cars in both Mazda and Formula Ford Racing and Qualifying on Saturday it was time for Sunday and to find out who would be Crowned the Formula Ford Champion of 2021.

AMOC GT / GT4 & Intermarque (Qualifying)

First up on the Sunday for Qualifying was The AMOC GT/GT4 Championship and with a Grid of Just 5 Cars for this One its going to be Very Interesting to see out of the 5 Drivers who Can set the Quickest Pace During Qualifying. Lets Find Out who took Pole and the Fastest Lap.

In First Place taking Pole Position and the Fastest Lap was the Duo Pair of Rikki Cann and Samuel Wilson) in their Aston Martin V8 Vantage with a Best Lap Time of 1:00.791 and a Top Speed of 71.53mph. Fantastic Work both Ricky and Rob Really Pushing the Aston Martin Hard and Gunning fort that All Important Victory come the First Race.

In Second Place was (Jamie Sturges) in his VW Golf TCR with a Best Lap Time of 1:03.245 and a Top Speed of 68.75mph. Amazing Work there Jamie Pushing that Golf and Racing it Like a Pro.

In Third Place was the Duo of (Whit and Fenn) in their Lotus Elise Motorsport with a Best Lap Time of 1:04.089 and a Top Speed of 67.85mph. Great Work there Whit and Fenn Fantastic Driving and Great Team Work.

Three Very Quick and Capable Cars in the Hands of Some Very Competitive Drivers will make for a Really Fantastic Race. With all three Cars Having Different Power Outputs it will be Interesting to see what Techniques Each of them will use to their Advantage Come the First Race.

AMOC GT / GT4 & Intermarque (Race 1)

After a Very Quick and Heated Qualifying Session which saw the Duo of Rikki Cann and Samuel Wilson Take Pole Position will Jamie and the Duo of Whit and Fenn be able to Beat them off the Line and Who Will Take Home their First Victory of the Weekend?

In First Place Taking the Victory was (Rikki Cann) in his Aston Martin V8 Vantage with a Best Lap Time of 58.194 and an Average Speed of 73.41mph. Amazing Job there Ricky Really Working Hard Behind the Wheel to Keep that Aston in the Lead Thought the Entire Race with some Beautifully Controlled Driving as well.

In Second Place was (Andy Thompson) in his Seat Toledo with a Best Lap Time of 57.893 and an Average Speed of 73.35mph. Incredible Drive there Andy Really Well Done and Making sure to hold onto that All Important Second Place.

In Third Place was (Paul Whight) in his Lotus Elise Motorsport with a Best Lap Time of 57.284 and an Average Speed of 72.75mph. Superb Drive from Paul Really Looked like he was Enjoying that Drive and Kept Pushing Hard the Whole Way around the Race Track. His Smooth Driving Through Clearways was Amazing to see.

What an Amazing First Race for the AMOC GT Championship with Many Different Cars from Many different Manufacturers Taking Part it always a Joy to see both the Cars and their Drivers Happy Doing what they Love to do. With One Last Race to go will the Likes of Rikki Cann's Teammate Samuel Wilson be able to Hold on and Get One More Victory for the Team? Lets Find Out.

AMOC GT / GT4 & Intermarque (Race 2 FINAL)

In First Place taking the Final Win of the Day for AMOC GT was (Rob Fenn) in his Lotus Elise Motorsport) with a Best Lap Time of 50.083 and an Average Speed of 83.82mph. Congratulations Rob what a Drive and What a Car Fantastic Work.

In Second Place was (Samuel Wilson) in his Aston Martin V8 Vantage with a Best Lap Time of 51.459 and an Average Speed of 80.50mph. Amazing Driving there Samuel Keeping Close to Rob on Many Occasions around the Circuit and a Cracking Overtake on Rob through Clearways.

In Third Place was (Julian Reddyhough) in his Aston Martin Vantage with a Best Lap Time of 59.552 and an Average Speed of 71.18mph. Super Driving From Julian Smooth through the Corners and Making sure to Hang onto that Third Place During the Entirety of the Race.

A Really Fantastic Two Races for the AMOC GT Championship here this Weekend while the Grid might not have been up to Full Capacity We saw the Likes of Rob Fenn Samuel Wilson Rikki Cann and Julian Reddyhough take some Incredible Victories thought the Two Races. Congratulations to All of you and Good Luck to all other Drivers who were Taking Part. Keep Pushing Hard and Victory Will Come to You.

BRSCC Mazda MX5 Championship (Race 1)

Next Up was the BRSCC Mazda MX5 Championship and with Saturdays Qualifying showing a Huge Grid of 35 Cars this was Definitely going to be a Fantastic Race to Witness. Lets get right to it and Find Out who Took Victory and by How Much.

In First Place taking the Victory was (Brian Trott) in his Mazda MX5 MK1 with a Best Lap Time of 58.179 and an Average Speed of 73.82mph. Super Work there Brain Racing Against another 34 Competitors in Identical Cars and Winning takes Incredible Driver Skill and Talent and you Really Showed that During the Race. Congratulations.

In Second Place was (Oliver Allwood) in his Mazda MX5 MK1 with a Best Lap Time of 57.532 and an Average Speed of 73.81mph. Well Done Oliver Fantastic Driving and a Really Great Defence of Second Place thought the entire Race.

In Third Place was (Zak Oates) in his Mazda MX5 MK1 with a Best Lap Time of 58.020 and an Average Speed of 73.79mph. Really Nice Work there Zak Amazing Drive and Keeping Very Close to Oliver and Brain at the Front of the Gird thought. Brilliant Driving.

What a Race with Three Incredible Drivers in the likes of Brian Oliver and Zak All Pushing their Cars to the Limit and Achieving Superb Results for Race 1. Good Luck to all other Drivers Lets See if Race 2 of the Day Might Turn things Around.

BRSCC Mazda MX5 Championship (Race 2)

After a Thrilling and Nail Biting Race 1 which saw Brian Trott take the Victory with Oliver Allwood in Second and Zak Oates in Third Place will anyone Else be able to Challenge thease Three Very Fast and Talented Drivers? Lets Find Out.

In First Place taking the Overall Victory was (Steve Foden) in his Mazda MX5 MK1 with a Best Lap Time of 1:07.517 and an Average Speed of 63.32mph. Congratulations Steve a Well Deserved Victory and Another Brilliant Trophy to add to the Cabinet at Home. Congratulations.

In Second Place was (Oliver Allwood) in his Mazda MX5 MK1 with a Best Lap Time of 1:07.789 and an Average Speed of 63.17mph. Brilliant Work Once Again Oliver taking Second Place and Racing with Everything you could Possibly Get out of that Car. A Future Mazda Champion in the Making no Doubt. Brilliant Drive.

In Third Place was (Luke Pullen) in his Mazda MX5 MK1 with a Best Lap Time of 1:07.835 and an Average Speed of 63.14mph. Well Done Luke Really Fantastic Driving in Very Damp and Bright Conditions.

Another Amazing Race for the Mazda MX5 Championship with the Likes of Steve Foden Oliver Allwood and Luke Pullen all taking Incredible Victories thought Race 2 and Standing on the Podium. Keep Up the Amazing Work you Three and to Everyone Else Keep Working Towards Those Goals of Victory and Success.

With One Final Race Coming Up will Steve Foden be able to Hang on and Take Another Victory for 1st Place or will the Likes of Luke and Oliver try to Steal it away from Him? Lets Find Out.

BRSCC Mazda MX5 Championship (Race 3 FINAL)

In First Place taking the Last Victory of the Day for the BRSCC Mazda MX5 Championship was (Michael Knibbs) in his Mazda MX5 MK1 with a Best Lap Time of 58.656 and an Average Speed of 72.84mph. Congratulations Michael A Very Strong Drive with a Lot of Ambition Behind the Wheel. What a Fantastic Way to End off the Weekend.

In Second Place was (Jack Brewer in his Mazda MX5 MK1 with a Best Lap Time of 57.970 and an Average Speed of 72.82mph. Great Drive Jack Pushing Hard and Making Sure to Keep Up with Michael at the Front of the Grid. A Very Committed and Determined Drive.

In Third Place was (Brian Trott) in his Mazda MX5 MK1 with a Best Lap Time of 58.293 and an Average Speed of 72.75mph. Well Done Brian Great Driving and it looked like you were Having a lot of Fun out there and always Remember that its the Love and the Passion that Counts not Just The Race Victory.

What a Weekend it has been for the BRSCC Mazda MX5 Championship. We Have Witnessed Many Talented Drivers from the Likes of Brain Trott and Jack Brewer to Steve Foden and Oliver Allwood as well as Zak Oates. All thease Incredible People Come Here every Year to Share their Passions for what they Love not Just with the Teams and Crew but also the Spectators. Here's to Hoping that a New Generation can be Inspired to follow in their Footsteps and Keep the Legacy of this Great Racing Series Going Now and Well into the Future.

BRSCC Mazda MX5 SuperCup Championship (Race 2)

The Mazda MX5 Super Cup Championship was next Up and after A Whole Day of Qualifying and Qualifying Second Fastest on Saturday it was time to see what Each of the Drivers could do and How they would use their Style and Race Craft to Gain a Victory. With Another Large Grid of 30 Cars Anything Can Happen and Racing always has its Moments of Unpredictability.

In First Place taking the Victory was (Declan Lee) in his Mazda MX5 MK3 with a Best Lap Time of 1:07.272 and an Average Speed of 45.71mph. What a Drive from Declan in Very Wet and Near Impossible Visibility Conditions He Kept his Foot Down and Head up to Take an Incredible Victory. Congratulations Declan.

In Second Place was (Richard Amos) in his Mazda MX5 MK3 with a Best Lap Time of 1:06.697 and an Average Speed of 45.70mph. Brilliant Driving there Richard Keep Pace with Declan Really Well and Navigating in Almost Blind Conditions shows Just How Incredible of a Driver you are.

In Third Place was (John Langridge) in his Mazda MX5 MK3 with a Best Lap Time of 1:07.831 and an Average Speed of 45.68mph. Brilliant Work out there John a True Rain Master of Brands Hatch Keeping the Car on Track and some Truly Incredible Pace from you.

What an Insane Race with Wet and Rainy Weather Conditions Really Mixing the Grid Up and Showing who the Very Talented Drivers are that can Push their Machinery Beyond its Limits in the Wet and Still take Victory. Some Incredible Drivers in the likes of Declan Richard and John Braving it out there to Deliver some Truly Fantastic Wet Weather Performances. Well Done to all the other Drivers as Well thease Conditions are Always Unpredictable and Yet you All put on a Brave Face and Drive like true Gentlemen Thought.

With Race 3 The Final Race Coming up who will be able to take the Last Podium for Mazda SuperCup? Lets Find Out.

BRSCC Mazda MX5 SuperCup Championship (Race 3 FINAL)

The FINAL Race for Mazda SuperCup and with Some Incredible Racing Witnessed in the Rain in the Previous Race would this Last Race Shake things up further? Lets See.

In First Place Taking the Victory was (Jack Harding) in his Mazda MX5 MK3 with a Best Lap Time of 56.785 and an Average Speed of 61.14mph. Super Work there Jack Taking the Victory and the Fastest Lap. Well Done.

In Second Place was (Patrick Fletcher) in his Mazda MX5 MK3 with a Best Lap Time of 56.820 and an Average Speed of 61.05mph. Great Work there Patrick Really Great Effort and a Super Drive for Second Place.

In Third Place was (James Cossins) in his Mazda MX5 MK3 with a Best Lap Time of 56.839 and an Average Speed of 61.04mph. Amazing Driving there James Racing Hard and Holding on Tightly to that All Important Third Place Finish.

Another Incredible Set of Races from the Mazda's to Round of a Brilliant Days Racing for All Drivers Competing in the Mazda Classes. Another set of Incredible Victories for the likes of Jack Patrick and James who all showed their Talent Skill and Determination for Victory.

However We are Not Done Yet as the Grand Finale of Races for this Weekends Formula Ford Championship is Coming Up Next and After a Hectic and Very Competitive Day of both Qualifying and Racing on Saturday With Multiple Races to be Decided Who would be Crowed the Formula Ford Festival Champion?

BRSCC Formula Ford Festival (Semi Final Race 1 Result)

Here we are Now at The Semi Finals after a Very Action Packed Last Chance Race and Now with a Gird of 26 Drivers and Cars This Race as Well as Two More Will Decide the 2021 Formula Ford Champion. Lets See First Who Took Victory in Race 1 for the Semi Finals.

In First Place was (Niall Murray) in his Van Diemen BD21 with a Best Lap Time of 1:01.661 and an Average Speed of 56.48mph. Brilliant Work Niall Congratulations on P1 after a Heroic Drive.

In Second Place was (Neil McLennan) in his Spectrum KMR with a Best Lap Time of 1:01.640 and an Average Speed of 56.41mph. Superb Work there from Neil to take P2 He Really Enjoys this Track and Loves to Race as Quickly as he Can alongside his Fellow Friends and Competitors.

In Third Place was (Jamie Sharp) in his Medina Sport JL17 with a Best Lap Time of 1:01.157 and an Average Speed of 56.37mph. Congratulations Jamie a Really Fantastic Drive and Keeping Very Close to Neil During the Whole Race. Here's Hoping for an Epic Duel in the FINALE Between you two.

With the First of Two Semi Final Races Over Niall Murray is the Winner with Neil McLennan in Second Place and Jamie Sharp in Third Place. Currently Jamie Can Still Win the Championship but will both the likes of Neil and Nial try Something in Race 2 of the Semi Finals to Gain Back their Chances of Becoming Champion? Lets Find Out.

BRSCC Formula Ford Festival (Semi Final Race 2 Result)

In First Place was (Joey Foster) in his Firman 2021 with a Best Lap Time of 1:01.302 and an Average Speed of 69.96mph. Fantastic Driving Joey Really Well Done and a Super Victory for you Indeed.

In Second Place was (Oliver White) in his Medina Sport JL17 with a Best Lap Time of 1:01.124 and an Average Speed of 69.67mph. Congratulations Oliver P2 and Super Car Control During the Race and a Stunning Formula Ford.

In Third Place was (Thomas Mills) in his Spectrum KMR with a Best Lap Time of 1:01.154 and an Average Speed of 69.66mph. Fantastic Work Thomas Well Driven with Amazing Car Control and Tight through the Corners at Clearways.

Another Brilliant Final for Formula Ford with the Likes of Joey Oliver and Thomas all Taking Victories. A Huge Congratulations to Everyone Else who was also Competing in both of Thease Finals. Keep Working on the Car and Training as Much as you can To Improve Lap Times and Strike when the Moment is right on Track for Victory.

BRSCC Formula Ford Festival (GRAND FINAL) (GRAND FINAL CHAMPIONSHIP RACE RESULTS ONLY NOT OVERALL FORMULA FORD 2021 GRAND FINAL CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS)

This is it the Grand Final of the Formula Ford Festival Race Weekend and With Jamie Sharp Being Potentially One Race away From Taking the Title it has come down to the wire and this Last Race will Determined who The New Formula Ford Grand Final Champion of 2021 is.

In First Place Taking the Grand Final Championship Crown is (Jamie Sharp) in his Medina Sport JL17 with a Best Lap Time of 50.918 and an Average Speed of 66.77mph. Congratulations Jamie a Truly Champion Like Drive to Secure The Title of 2021 Formula Ford Grand Final Champion and Some Brilliant Drives all Season for a Well Deserved Victory in Formula Ford.

In Second Place was (Maxwell Esterson) in his Ray GR18 with a Best Lap Time of 51.116 and an Average Speed of 66.76mph. A Truly Competitive Drive there Maxwell Second in The Championship Standings and Something to be Very Proud of Phenomenal Driving.

In Third Place was (Andre Castro) in his Ray GR15 with a Best Lap Time of 51.137 and an Average Speed of 66.73mph. Superb Driving there Andre with P3 in the Standings and a Well Deserved Place in Formula Ford History.

Jamie Sharp is The New 2021 Formula Ford Grand Final Champion After a Heroic Battle Thought the Season He has Emerged Victorious. Congratulations Jamie you Really Deserve This Championship and all the Hard Work you Have done has Really Paid off. Both Maxwell and Andre also Did a Phenomenal Job and together All Three of you will Make History and Inspire Future Generations to come and Have a Go at Formula Ford.

Now Lets take a Look at the Overall GRAND FINAL Championship Standings for Formula Ford 2021

In First Position was (Jamie Sharp) in his Medina Sport JL17

In Second Position was (Neil McClennan) in his Spectrum KMR

In Third Position was (Maxwell Esterson) in his Ray GR 18

The Overall Formula Ford National Championship Pro 2021 was Won by (Chris Middlehurst) in his Van Diemen LA10 with 433 Points A Really Incredible Achievement Chris and a Strong Drive Thought The Whole Season

In Second Place on 431 Points was (Alex Walker) in his Spectrum 011 Superb Job there Alex Well Deserved

In Third Place on 414 Points was (Max Esterson) in his Ray GR18 Fantastic Work Max Phenomenal Driving Thought The Season

And This Concludes The Weekend at Brands Hatch's Formula Ford 50th Anniversary Weekend. This Weekend will be Remembered for a Long Time Coming and to All The Drivers who Took the Crowns in their Respective Championships. Congratulations. To All other Drivers Keep Working at it your Time Will Come.

See You All Again Next Year for Another Competitive and no Doubt Incredible Season of Formula Ford Racing at Brands Hatch.

The Prince of Darkness Peter Mandelson on what George W. Bush calls him #PoliticsOnTheEdge 🇺🇸🇬🇧 by Dunk 🐝

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Peter Mandelson is adamant: “I’ve always been capable of being diplomatic.” Indeed, the Labour peer widely known as the Prince of Darkness, aka the Dark Lord, reveals that his sinuous skills have won the recognition of none other than President George W Bush. “Do you know what he calls me?” Mandelson asks. “Silvertongue.”

He's back: the Prince of Darkness returns: All political careers may end in failure, but the UK's new ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson, isn't done yet. on.ft.com/4hkheUe

Peter Mandelson called Donald Trump a “danger to the world” and “little short of a white nationalist and racist” in 2019.

www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/national/24913325.mandelson...

Spin doctor? Prince of Darkness? Champagne socialist? Communist? Ambassador? Blairite? Silvertongue? Peter Mandelson (born 1953), is a British Labour Party politician. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Mandelson

CC licensed portrait of Mandelson by the World Economic Forum via Wikimedia Commons w.wiki/CxuB

Nile crocodile_4462 by strizich

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The Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) is an African crocodile and may be considered the second largest extant reptile in the world, after the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus).[2] The Nile crocodile is quite widespread throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, occurring mostly in the central, eastern, and southern regions of the continent and lives in different types of aquatic environments such as lakes, rivers and marshlands.[3] Although capable of living in saline environments, this species is rarely found in saltwater, but occasionally inhabits deltas and brackish lakes. The range of this species once stretched northward throughout the Nile, as far north as the Nile delta. On average, the adult male Nile crocodile is between 3.5 and 5 m (11 ft 6 in and 16 ft 5 in) in length and weighs 225 to 750 kg (496 to 1,653 lb).[4][5][6][7][8] However, specimens exceeding 6.1 m (20 ft 0 in) in length and weighing up to 1,090 kg (2,400 lb) have been recorded.[2][4][9][10][11] Sexual dimorphism is prevalent, and females are usually about 30% smaller than males.[4] They have thick scaly skin that is heavily armored.

The Nile crocodile is an opportunistic apex predator and a very aggressive species of crocodile that is capable of taking almost any animal within its range. They are generalists, taking a variety of prey.[6][11] Their diet consists mostly of different species of fish, reptiles, birds and mammals. The Nile crocodile is an ambush predator that can wait for hours, days and even weeks for the suitable moment to attack. They are quite agile predators and wait for the opportunity for a prey item to come well within attack range. Even swift prey are not immune to attack. Like other crocodiles, Nile crocodiles have an extremely powerful bite that is unique amongst all animals and sharp conical teeth that sink into flesh allowing for a grip that is almost impossible to loosen. They can apply high levels of force for extended periods of time, a great advantage for holding down large prey underwater to drown.[11][12]

Nile crocodiles are relatively social crocodiles.[13] They share basking spots and large food sources, such as schools of fish and big carcasses. There is a strict hierarchy, which is determined by size. Large, old males are at the top of this hierarchy and have primary access to food and the best basking spots. Crocodiles know their place in the hierarchical order and rarely act against it, and if they do, the results are often very bloody and sometimes even fatal.[14] Like most other reptiles, Nile crocodiles lay eggs; these are guarded by the female. The hatchlings are also protected for a period of time, but hunt by themselves and are not fed by the parents.[6][15] The Nile crocodile is one of the most dangerous species of crocodile and is responsible for hundreds of human deaths every year.[16] It is a rather common species of crocodile and is not endangered despite some regional declines or extinctions.

Chobe National Park, in northern Botswana, has one of the largest concentrations of game in Africa. By size, it is the third largest park in the country, after the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and the Gemsbok National Park, and is the most biologically diverse. It is also Botswana's first national park.

The park can be divided up to 4 areas, each corresponding to one distinct ecosystem:

The Serondela area (or Chobe riverfront), situated in the extreme Northeast of the park, has as its main geographical features lush floodplains and dense woodland of mahogany, teak and other hardwoods now largely reduced by heavy elephant pressure. The Chobe River, which flows along the Northeast border of the park, is a major watering spot, especially in the dry season (May through October) for large breeding herds of elephants, as well as families of giraffe, sable and cape buffalo. The flood plains are the only place in Botswana where the puku antelope can be seen. Birding is also excellent here. Large numbers of carmine bee eaters are spotted in season. When in flood spoonbills, ibis, various species of stork, duck and other waterfowl flock to the area. This is likely Chobe's most visited section, in large part because of its proximity to the Victoria Falls. The town of Kasane, situated just downstream, is the most important town of the region and serves as the northern entrance to the park.

The Savuti Marsh area, 10,878 km2 large, constitutes the western stretch of the park (50 km north of Mababe Gate). The Savuti Marsh is the relic of a large inland lake whose water supply was cut a long time ago by tectonic movements. Nowadays the marsh is fed by the erratic Savuti Channel, which dries up for long periods then curiously flows again, a consequence of tectonic activity in the area. It is currently flowing again and in January 2010 reached Savuti Marsh for the first time since 1982. As a result of this variable flow, there are hundred of dead trees along the channel's bank. The region is also covered with extensive savannahs and rolling grasslands, which makes wildlife particularly dynamic in this section of the park. At dry seasons, tourists going on safari often view the warthog, kudu, impala, zebra, wildebeest and a herd of elephants bullying each other. At rain seasons, the rich birdlife of the park (450 species in the whole park) is well represented. Packs of lions, hyenas, zebras or more rarely cheetahs are visible as well. This region is indeed reputed for its annual migration of zebras and predators.

The Linyanti Marsh, located at the Northwest corner of the park and to the North of Savuti, is adjacent to Linyanti River. To the west of this area lies Selinda Reserve and on the northern bank of Kwando River is Namibia's Nkasa Rupara National Park. Around these 2 rivers are riverine woodlands, open woodlands as well as lagoons, and the rest of the region mainly consists of flood plains. There are here large concentrations of lion, leopard, African wild dog, roan antelope, sable antelope, a hippopotamus pod and enormous herds of elephants. The rarer red lechwe, sitatunga and a bask of crocodiles also occur in the area. Bird life is very rich here.

Between Linyanti and Savuti Marshes lies a hot and dry hinterland, mainly occupied by the Nogatsaa grass woodland. This section is little known and is a great place for spotting elands.

The original inhabitants of this area were the San bushmen (also known as the Basarwa people in Botswana). They were nomadic hunter-gatherers who were constantly moving from place to place to find food sources, namely fruits, water and wild animals. Nowadays one can find San paintings inside rocky hills of the park.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the region that would become Botswana was divided into different land tenure systems. At that time, a major part of the park's area was classified as crown land. The idea of a national park to protect the varied wildlife found here as well as promote tourism first appeared in 1931. The following year, 24,000 km2 around Chobe district were officially declared non-hunting area; this area was expanded to 31,600 km2 two years later.

In 1943, heavy tsetse infestations occurred throughout the region, delaying the creation of the national park. By 1953, the project received governmental attention again: 21,000 km2 were suggested to become a game reserve. The Chobe Game Reserve was officially created in 1960, though smaller than initially desired. In 1967, the reserve was declared a national park.

At that time there were several industrial settlements in the region, especially at Serondela, where the timber industry proliferated. These settlements were gradually moved out of the park, and it was not until 1975 that the whole protected area was exempt from human activity. Nowadays traces of the prior timber industry are still visible at Serondela.

Minor expansions of the park took place in 1980 and 1987.

The park is widely known for its spectacular elephant population: It contains an estimated 50,000 elephants, perhaps the highest elephant concentration of Africa, and part of the largest continuous surviving elephant population.[citation needed] The elephant population seems to have solidly built up since 1990, from a few thousand.

Elephants living here are Kalahari elephants, the largest in size of all known elephant populations. They are characterized by rather brittle ivory and short tusks, perhaps due to calcium deficiency in the soils.

Damage caused by the high numbers of elephants is rife in some areas. In fact,[1] concentration is so high throughout Chobe that culls have been considered, but are too controversial and have thus far been rejected.

At dry season, these elephants sojourn in Chobe River and the Linyanti River areas. At rain season, they make a 200-km migration to the southeast stretch of the park. Their distribution zone however outreaches the park and spreads to northwestern Zimbabwe.

Macross +++ 1:100 Stonewell/Bellcom VF-1A Valkyrie, aircraft "085/3" of the Canadian 'Snowbirds' demonstration team, 2018 (ARII kit, unofficial fan art version) by Dizzyfugu

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Some background:

The VF-1 was developed by Stonewell/Bellcom/Shinnakasu for the U.N. Spacy by using alien Overtechnology obtained from the SDF-1 Macross alien spaceship. It was preceded into production by an aerodynamic proving version of its airframe, the VF-X. Unlike all later VF vehicles, the VF-X was strictly a jet aircraft, built to demonstrate that a jet fighter with the features necessary to convert to Battroid mode was aerodynamically feasible.

After the VF-X's testing was finished, an advanced concept atmospheric-only prototype, the VF-0 Phoenix, was flight-tested from 2005 to 2007 and briefly served as an active-duty fighter from 2007 to the VF-1's rollout in late 2008, while the bugs were being worked out of the full-up VF-1 prototype (VF-X-1).

The space-capable VF-1's combat debut was on February 7, 2009, during the Battle of South Ataria Island - the first battle of Space War I, and was the mainstay fighter of the U.N. Spacy for the entire conflict. Introduced in 2008, the VF-1 would be out of frontline service just five years later.

The VF-1 proved to be an extremely capable craft, successfully combating a variety of Zentradi mecha even in most sorties which saw UN Spacy forces significantly outnumbered. The versatility of the Valkyrie design enabled the variable fighter to act as both large-scale infantry and as air/space superiority fighter. The signature skills of U.N. Spacy ace pilot Maximilian Jenius exemplified the effectiveness of the variable systems as he near-constantly transformed the Valkyrie in battle to seize advantages of each mode as combat conditions changed from moment to moment. The basic VF-1 was deployed in four minor variants (designated A, D, J, and S) and its success was increased by continued development of various enhancements including the GBP-1S "Armored" Valkyrie and FAST Pack "Super" Valkyrie weapon systems.
After the end of Space War I, the VF-1A continued to be manufactured both in the Sol system (notably on the Lunar facility Apollo Base) and throughout the UNG space colonies. Although the VF-1 would eventually be replaced as the primary VF of the UN Spacy by the more capable, but also much bigger, VF-4 Lightning III in 2020, a long service record and continued production after the war proved the lasting worth of the design.

The VF-1 was without doubt the most recognizable variable fighter of Space War I and was seen as a vibrant symbol of the U.N. Spacy even into the first year of the New Era 0001 in 2013. At the end of 2015 the final rollout of the VF-1 was celebrated at a special ceremony, commemorating this most famous of variable fighters.
The VF-1 Valkryie was built from 2006 to 2013 with a total production of 5,459 VF-1 variable fighters with several variants (VF-1A = 5,093, VF-1D = 85, VF-1J = 49, VF-1S = 30, VF-1G = 12, VE-1 = 122, VT-1 = 68)

However, the fighter remained active in many second line units and continued to show its worthiness years later, e. g. through Milia Jenius who would use her old VF-1 fighter in defense of the colonization fleet - 35 years after the type's service introduction!

Equipment Type: all-environment variable fighter and tactical combat battroid

Government: U.N. Spacy, U.N. Navy, U.N. Space Air Force

Accommodation: pilot only in Marty & Beck Mk-7 zero/zero ejection seat

Dimensions:

Fighter Mode:

Length 14.23 meters

Wingspan 14.78 meters (fully extended)

Height 3.84 meters

Battroid Mode:

Height 12.68 meters

Width 7.3 meters

Length 4.0 meters

Empty weight: 13.25 metric tons;

Standard T-O mass: 18.5 metric tons;

MTOW: 37.0 metric tons

Power Plant:

2x Shinnakasu Heavy Industry/P&W/Roice FF-2001 thermonuclear reaction turbine engines, output 650 MW each, rated at 11,500 kg in standard or in overboost (225.63 kN x 2)

4 x Shinnakasu Heavy Industry NBS-1 high-thrust vernier thrusters (1 x counter reverse vernier thruster nozzle mounted on the side of each leg nacelle/air intake, 1 x wing thruster roll control system on each wingtip);

18 x P&W LHP04 low-thrust vernier thrusters beneath multipurpose hook/handles

Performance:

Battroid Mode: maximum walking speed 160 km/h

Fighter Mode: at 10,000 m Mach 2.71; at 30,000+ m Mach 3.87

g limit: in space +7

Thrust-to-weight ratio: empty 3.47; standard T-O 2.49; maximum T-O 1.24

Design Features: 3-mode variable transformation; variable geometry wing; vertical take-off and landing; control-configurable vehicle; single-axis thrust vectoring; three "magic hand" manipulators for maintenance use; retractable canopy shield for Battroid mode and atmospheric reentry; option of GBP-1S system, atmospheric-escape booster, or FAST Pack system

Transformation:

Standard time from Fighter to Battroid (automated): under 5 sec.

Min time from Fighter to Battroid (manual): 0.9 sec.

Armament:

1 x internal Mauler RÖV-20 anti-aircraft laser cannon, firing 6,000 pulses per minute

1 x Howard GU-11 55 mm three-barrel Gatling gun pod with 200 rds fired at 1,200 rds/min

4 x underwing hard points for a wide variety of ordnance, including

12x AMM-1 hybrid guided multipurpose missiles (3/point), or

12x MK-82 LDGB conventional bombs (3/point), or

6x RMS-1 large anti-ship reaction missiles (2/outboard point, 1/inboard point), or

4x UUM-7 micro-missile pods (1/point) each carrying 15 x Bifors HMM-01 micro-missiles, or a combination of above load-outs

Optional Armament:

Shinnakasu Heavy Industry GBP-1S ground-combat protector weapon system, or

Shinnakasu Heavy Industry FAST Pack augmentative space weapon system

The kit and its assembly:

This is one more 1:100 Bandai VF-1, IMHO a design masterpiece created by Shoji Kawamori and one of my favorite mecha designs ever, because it was created as an late 70ies style jet fighter that could transform into a robot in a secondary role, a simple, purposeful military vehicle.

I’ve built more than a dozen of these kits over the last 25 years, so I know it pretty well, especially its weaknesses. But the small Valkyries, originally manufactured by IMAI and now still on sale through Bandai (they pop up every 5 years when another Macross anniversary occurs…) are simple and easy to modify, and to me a kind of clean canvas for weird and colorful ideas. The VF-1 carries a huge creative potential.

This VF-1A was built almost OOB. I just made some minor mods, partly based on the design benchmark (see below). These include a pilot figure for the cockpit – actually a modified, HO (1:87) scale sitting soldier from Roco Minitanks; 1:100 pilot figures are hard to find, but I found that these squatted figures fill the cockpit and the relatively flat seat pretty well. A few characteristic blade antennae (four under the lower front fuselage and two behind the cockpit) were added.

Since this VF-1A was to be displayed in flight, the landing gear could be omitted and the covers mounted in closed position. The underwing ordnance was omitted and the pylons’ attachment points faired over. The handgun, hanging under the fuselage in flight mode, was replaced by a smoke generator and an associate tank - actually a drop tank from an Airfix 1:72 Saab Viggen. It also holds an adapter for a scratch-built display, which is taller and less obvious than the OOB offering.

Painting and markings:

This is where the actual work took place – and this Canadian VF-1 is a personal interpretation of a fictional custom Valkyrie profiles by CrazyCanuck, posted at macross.net in the fan art section (check

www.macross2.net/m3/forfansonly/crazycanuck/layouts-snowb... for reference).

There’s hardly a livery that does not suit the elegant VF-1, and I found the Snowbirds scheme very pleasing. I also liked the idea that the VF-1 would be used all over the world, with national adaptations like a Royal Navy(!) variant backed by official publications and source books. So, why not a Canadian Valkyrie?

For easy painting the kit was built in separate section (cockpit, fuselage with wings and butterfly tail, legs, head and the smoke generator), and the use of white AND red –together with yellow IMHO the most challenging tone to work with on models – scared me.

Due to the kit’s tininess I painted everything by brush with enamels. The basic tones are Humbrol 130 and 19, the latter turned out to be a very good representation of the Snowbirds’ deep scarlet red tone.

The cheatline all long the VF-1, literally from nose to feet, was created with decals. Most come from an 1:72 Snowbirds CL-141 Tutor sheet from Victoria productions in Canada (excellent stuff!), part of the trim had to be improvised and extended with generic blue and white decal sheet.

In contrast to the CrazyCanuck illustration, I decided to add Macross insignia instead of Canadian roundels – keeping in line with similar “nationalized” VF-1s in official source books. Some Canadian symbols like the flags on the fins, the roundels in the round depressions at the ankles and the huge Canadian flag on the starboard wing (a personal addition, the maple leaf is a decal while the rest was done with paint) were adopted, though, and they suit the Valkyrie well.

After basis painting was done I followed the engraved panel lines with a fine, very soft pencil. An experiment, because I just wanted a subtle emphasis esp. on the white surfaces, not the 2D/comic-style full black panel lines of former builds.

No other weathering was done, since this VF-1 was to look clean and bright. Finally, everything was sealed with a coat of gloss acrylic varnish, and the characteristic clear parts (visor on the head, position lights on the legs, laser muzzles, position lights) were laid out with acrylic silver and filled out with various shades of clear paint. Just small things, but they enhance the overall impression of the simple model kit a lot.

After a long time it’s a good feeling to build an VF-1 again, and creating a rather bright one was fun, even though the paint job was challenging. But patience and clever improvisation paid out: that Snowbird really stands out, the Snowbirds livery suits the VF-1 well! :-D

SOL Austin: Vertical Z House by Beck-Reit and Sons, Ltd.

SOL Austin: Net-Zero Capable

www.solaustin.com

Photos by Allison Cartwright @ Twist Tours

Beck-Reit and Sons Ltd., an Austin General Contractor, has been working on sustainable construction methods since they day we started building houses. Our desire to build a better house, led us to the development of the SOL (Solutions Oriented Living) subdivision in East Austin. We partnered with local architect, KRDB to design, develop and build a net-zero capable sub-division centered around a community of 40 modern homes. Thru passive design, efficient building envelope and solar power these homes can produce more energy than they consume. The homes have been rated 4-5 star by the Austin Energy Green Building Program. SOL Austin has received national attention and has been featured in the New York Times, Metro-Homes and DIY Network’s, This New House.

www.beckreit.com

my.austinenergy.com/wps/portal/aegb