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I had been thinking about this idea for quite a while now. Working on the Venice 6000 puzzle I was able to turn up all pieces and fit on 10 of these 20x30in. boards. I was able to keep them in a stack and shuffle as needed, although that was not always the best process, especially since the pieces were not sorted by color in the beginning, just face up.
Last week I was able to build this shelf, designed to hold 30 of the 20x30 boards, which should be enough for all 18000 pieces! As you can see, this time I am picking out colors and grouping them. Having all pieces laid out face up and being able to pull out and put away boards when needed (without stacking on each other), should make this mixed project manageable and enjoyable. Although, I still have a TON of pieces to go through yet. I will upload another pic when all are in there.
EXPLORED!!! 16 on Monday, November 1, 2010
This is an Infrared capture from my last trip to Paris.
I decided to start experimenting again with infrared.
My camera (5d Mark II) has a pretty strong IRcut filter, so the average exposures are 2-3 minutes at ISO 400 (f/8) in daylight.
This made me face some new 'technical' problems, such as noise reduction on long exposures on medium valued ISO. My best solution (at the moment being) is turning
the Long Exposure Noise Reduction on camera ON. This makes a dark frame subtraction and is really effective on killing a great amount of digital noise (this can't be
performed that effectively in post processing - without taking a black frame to map the noise on the sensor, obviously)
By the way, in the next few days my dear friend Joel Tjintjelaar will put online my article 'an Overview on infrared photography' on his great website, BWVISION. I would appreciate your comment on that!!!
I will put a link to it in this description as soon as I have it is available. I also strongly suggest you to check Joel's great album out, if you haven't done it yet.
Back to the shot; the Père Lachaise cemetery is really a great place for infrareds; great mood, some nice vegetation and beautiful architectures. I could have spent a week there
just capturing its splendid shapes and lines. In the future I might try do complete an extensive project there.
A LITTLE NOTE:
These days I'm receving many new contacts add.
It's great and I like it but, unfortunately, I can't reciprocate all. As I have written in my profile, I am trying to keep my contact number small and manageable. Hope you don't feel sorry for that.
Details
- CANON 5d Mark II, EF 17-40 @ 28mm, f/8, 165 s, ISO 400
- Mirror Lockup, Phottix TR-90 Remote Shutter
- Hoya R72 (720 nm Infrared Filter)
- Tripod
The shot
Shot in the Père Lachaise Cemetery, in Paris
The Processing
Photoshop:
- Converted to black and white using NIK Silver Efex Pro plugin;
- Added 9 Soft light layers to dodge/burn selectively;
- Added a Curve layer to bring some light in the darkest areas;
- Erased a dust spot using the healing brush;
- Resized for the Web (1200px);
- Applied an Unsharp Mask to slightly improve contrast;
- Smart Sharpen + More accurate (On luminosity 'blending mode' with the sky masked off);
- Framing and Signature.
Take a look at it, LARGE on Black :
Père Lachaise - Infrared Poetry, on Black
@ You all
Comments, faves and critiques are always welcomed!
I'm planning a sunrise session for tomorrow; yesterday I chose the location (I was there working - as engineer - but had my trusty compass with me, it's 95 km from where I live),
so I will get up really early. Tones and colors are just amazing, I hope light will be on my side!!! I'll update you on than in my next upload.
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND
Beautiful midtown architecture and a snow-covered empty street at night during winter storm Nemo in Manhattan.
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Camera: Sony a99 | Lens: 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6
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I live for snowstorms in New York City. So you can just imagine how bummed I was last winter season when we barely got any snow. Growing up in New York City, I remember quite a few blizzards and its with fond nostalgia that I always wish for at least one great snowstorm during the winter. New York City is extra beautiful when covered in a blanket of freshly fallen snow.
When I heard that winter storm Nemo (also known as the Blizzard of 2013, February snowstorm and other terms) was going to deliver some gorgeous white flakes from the sky I was more than ready for it. The photos in this set are not edited the way I would normally edit them. I just basically imported them into Lightroom and adjusted some contrast in a few cases from the RAW files. I will most likely go through the photos here plus others that I am not posting and give them the Vivienne treatment at some point. I am just floored at how incredible it was to shoot the snow with the Sony a99. I did go out of my way to protect it despite it being weather-sealed since it isn't technically my camera and since my lenses also needed protection. I must have been quite a sight in my ski-mask, enormous scarf, giant winter boots and a camera covered in plastic. :) It seemed like I had an easier time shooting in this snowstorm than in the two blizzards that I took photos in back in 2010 and 2011. I think it's because the wind was far more manageable and because I was out before the blizzard hit with full force. While the snow was heavy, the winds were easy to deal with in some respects since the gusts were few and far between.
I decided to walk from where I live on the Lower East Side all the way to Times Square since I do this particular walk frequently and know all of the spots I have always wanted to capture in the snow. I had a blast! The wind did get stronger and stronger as I got closer to Times Square and by the time I made my way home it was full-on blizzard conditions so I think I went at the optimal time. I somehow managed to take photos in the East Village, around Union Square, Chelsea (in truth, I had really hoped that the Empire State Building would be visible but it was completely hidden by the snow and lack of visibility), 5th Avenue, Midtown, the New York Public Library on 42nd Street and 5th Avenue, Bryant Park (which was absolutely ethereal in the snow) and finally Times Square.
And so, the photos here are pretty much almost straight out of the camera save for a few tweaks to levels, no fancy tinkering (but I can't wait to do so!).
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View more of my New York City photography at my website NY Through The Lens.
View my photography profile on Google Plus: New York City photography by Vivienne Gucwa
To purchase any of my work view my site gallery for info here.
To use any of my photos commercially, simply click the link which reads "Request to license Vivienne Gucwa's photos via Getty Images". This link can be found on the bottom right corner of the page of the photo you are interested in using.
A proud and tactical Protector of the Stone Region, Piedra led her tribe toward being the most prosperous of its time. She was awarded a double-barrelled Sand Blaster, but as it proved too unwieldy for her liking, she had it compressed down to a more manageable size.
I've got a thing about benches.. I'd like to have a thing about sunrises but they're just so darned early...except at this time of year when they're just about manageable!
This seat is perfectly placed for looking towards Glastonbury Tor - you can almost just about see it in the distance in the photo. I was in a hide a good mile or two further away from the Tor last year when I decided it would be nice to walk there. So I did. Some say I was mad. I say it was great and I'll happily do it again.
It looked to be a good day for a hike in the foothills east of the Rocky Mountains, except for some wind. Snow was patchy on the trail in the lower reaches, but still manageable with just our boots. Once past the junction with Prairie Link Trail, we had to don our spikes to continue. A kilometre from the summit, however, the ridge had been swept free of snow, and we were back with just our boots without spikes. The same winds that kept the snow off the ridge top returned to pester and annoy us, cooling us down. We walked just over 18 km's, gaining just over 800 m's, and taking 5 1/4 hours to so.
A proud and tactical Protector of the Stone Region, Piedra led her tribe toward being the most prosperous of its time. She was awarded a double-barrelled Sand Blaster, but as it proved too unwieldy for her liking, she had it compressed down to a more manageable size.
There are minor differences in the two. The parks rapunzel (left) is more tanner then the Disney store rapunzel(right). Her hair is also softer, longer, and more manageable then the original Disney store rapunzel. Her lips are a pinkish purple, whereas the Disney store doll has a lighter pink lip shade. The parks rapunzel's dress has a slightly fuller skirt compared to the original disney store doll. The dress tags are different too. The parks dolls tag says "Disney parks" while the Disney store dress says "made in china". So incase you find one at the flea market, or goodwill, it will be easy to distinguish which doll it came off of.
The ONLY editing I did to the pictures was reducing them from the size I shoot in SL (4000×3500) down to a 1024 size manageable for the blog and Flickr. There’s been no cropping, no liquifying, no adjusting contrast or color balances or any of the other Photoshop tools I use on a regular basis.
slicesoflifesl.wordpress.com/2014/04/02/sooc-the-void-par...
After a great breakfast at a small cafe we took the Scenic Drive into Capitol Reef National Park. It's mostly a paved road until the very end but still manageable. We spent a few hours exploring the area. When we left Capitol Reef we decided to look for something new. I read about the Notom Road, east of the park, so we decided to check it out. Good decision. We went in about 12 miles before the road got rougher. Great scenery - it is the back side of the Waterpocket Fold - another area we need to check out. We then drove through some really desolate landscape before coming to the Hite Overlook. Great view of the Colorado River in the Glen Canyon Recreation Area. After this we were going to visit some Indian ruins but took a wrong turn somewhere so we just headed to Cortez, CO for the evening. Good day.
I took these photos in April 2018 in south eastern Utah.
- Henry Ward Beecher
The snowfall this winter in Michigan really is something. We've had the bitter cold in Iowa, and we've had a couple of blizzards (true story) but our snowfalls are punctuated by a day or two of warmth that melts it down to manageable. Here in Michigan, though? Yeesh. I haven't seen this kind of snow since I was a little kid. It's beautiful. And as someone who doesn't mind driving in it, I'm loving every second. Last night, while I was driving home from a movie, all I could do was smile at the way the snow reflected like millions of tiny diamonds in the street lights. Simple things that I remember noticing all the time when I was little, but that I often miss as an adult because my mind is too busy on other things.
Thank goodness the snow slows me down just enough to smile at the tiny, every day miracles.
I was helpin' the old man do a little beekeepin' at the ranch.
We're not the kind of guys to wear protective clothes or anything...
and I wanted a little more 'bee action' to photograph for you.
Dude stung me right in the finger!
That's his stinger on my thumb.
I blew into the hive after we'd opened it which usually gets the bees a little more lively and makes for better pictures.
Must have been twenty or thirty thousand bees swarmin' around us and just one got pissed off enough to sting me.
You can watch the little venom sack on the stinger keep pumping away and puttin' venom into your skin even after the bee's seperated from it.
I had to walk away because once one stings you the rest of them somehow sense it and get all excited and I like to keep the stingin' at a manageable limit.
That better be some good honey we get outta this hive in the fall because that hurt!
Chassis n° ZFF76ZHB000203343
Estimated : CHF 2.600.000 - 2.800.000
Sold for CHF 2.185.000 - € 2.000.183
The Bonmont Sale
Collectors' Motor Cars - Bonhams
Golf & Country Club de Bonmont
Chéserex
Switzerland - Suisse - Schweiz
September 2019
"The LaFerrari is very possibly the world's fastest, most exciting hypercar. Which is some statement to make when there are machines such as the McLaren P1 and Porsche 918 Spyder to contend with. The bottom line, however, is that LaFerrari has more power (a whopping 950bhp) and less weight to carry around than its prestigious rivals so figuratively, if nothing else, it quite clearly has the upper hand. Either way, this is the ultimate Ferrari..." – Autocar.
In today's increasingly environmentally conscious times, even supercar manufacturers have felt the need to polish up their 'Green' credentials. Seeking better fuel economy and reduced emissions, they have brought 'hybrid' technology to this previously exclusively fossil-fuels-only sector of the market. This has resulted in a 'win win' situation: these latest hypercars being more environmentally friendly while at the same time considerably more powerful than before.
Ferrari's first offering in this expanding category was the LaFerrari, a limited-edition coupé that entered production in 2013. Ferrari's last model with a mid-mounted 12-cylinder engine, LaFerrari was the distillation of no fewer than nine design studies created during the process of its development. The car was unveiled at the 2013 Geneva Auto Show. Unusually, its styling had no input from Ferrari's long-term collaborator, Carrozzeria Pinifarina.
Clearly, a car evocatively titled 'LaFerrari' would have to have a V12 engine, a type of power unit used in the very first Ferrari of 1947 and for a glorious succession of the Italian factory's most famous models. The LaFerrari V12 displaced 6.3-litres and produced 789bhp, supplemented by an electric motor producing 161bhp for a combined output of 950 horsepower, the highest power output of any Ferrari road car. With the car is in motion, the electric motor's lithium-ion battery pack is charged by a KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) as used in the current generation of Formula 1 cars. Power reaches the rear wheels (there's no four-wheel drive) via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. And if you didn't use those 950 horses all the time, there was also a useful decrease in fuel consumption, not that that would have interested the typical LaFerrari owner.
Designed by Ferrari's F1 technical director, Rory Byrne, the LaFerrari has a carbon fibre monocoque chassis with suspension at the front by double wishbones and at the rear by a multi-link system - pretty much the norm for the current generation of supercars. Any car with a 200mph-plus maximum needs plenty of stopping power, and the LaFerrari was equipped with Brembo's finest carbon-ceramic brakes. Ferrari claimed a top speed exceeding 349km/h (217mph), similar to the Enzo's top speed; however, the LaFerrari could accelerating from 0-100km/h (0-62mph) in under 2.4 seconds and reach 300km/h (186mph) in 15 seconds, comfortably out-performing its predecessor. The factory also claimed that LaFerrari had lapped its Fiorano test track in 1:19.7, faster than any other road-legal Ferrari.
Electronic systems abound in even the humblest of modern hatchbacks, and as one would expect, the LaFerrari boasts just about every bit of automotive electrickery imaginable: electronic stability control; high performance ABS/EBD (anti-lock braking system/electronic brake distribution), EF1-Trac F1 traction control integrated with the hybrid propulsion system; E-Diff 3 electronic differential; and magnetorheological suspension dampers - all controlled by 21 computers. There was also active aerodynamics, the front and rear wings being adjustable on the move to provide either high or low downforce while also controlling cooling of the engine, gearbox, batteries, and brakes. More electronics were deployed in the cockpit in the form of a 12.3" (310mm) TFT digital dashboard display with a choice of three optional layouts capable of relaying data from the telemetry system. The steering wheel featured integrated controls, while the gearchange paddles were fixed directly to steering column.
One of the fortunate few to have driven a LaFerrari, Autocar's Steve Sutcliffe was mightily impressed when let loose in one at Fiorano. "The ride instantly feels spookily smooth and calm, the steering surprisingly light but bursting with a delicious, old school kind of feel. The brake pedal also feels light underfoot but is again rippling with feel. And the throttle response, the first time I go anywhere near the loud pedal is just outrageous; the car explodes down the back straight even on half throttle in fourth gear.
"And that's what you get when you integrate electric power with a thumping great V12. At low revs the electricity provides the torque, and provides it instantly, and from there on up – at about 3000rpm – the V12 takes over. Yet the transformation is so smooth you are never actually aware that it takes place. Instead, it feels like the car is powered by a 10-litre V12 that somehow has massive low rev response at the same time.
"And yet, in their way, the gearchange, the brakes, the steering, the turn in, the handling balance and the ride... they are all every bit as incredible as the engine – sorry the power source – and the acceleration it can produce."
Putting a 950 horsepower car weighing only some 1,255kg dry in the hands of mere mortals, as opposed to professional racing drivers, might be considered somewhat reckless, but in designing LaFerrari, its makers ensured that whatever the car did it did predictably. "You always know where you are with this car," declared Autocar. "And considering just how insanely fast it is, that is arguably its greatest achievement; being manageable."
Despite a price of £1 million each, all 499 examples planned had sold before the first had been delivered. However, merely having pockets of limitless depth was not alone sufficient for you to acquire a LaFerrari, which was only available to loyal customers vetted by Ferrari.
Representing a possibly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own one of these fabulous Ferrari hypercars, the LaFerrari offered here was delivered new to Germany and is currently registered on a temporary Swiss plate. The car has covered only 894km from new and is presented in generally excellent condition, reflecting its sparing use. Finished in yellow with black interior, this spectacular LaFerrari comes complete with charger, tool kit, and Equatorial Guinea registration document and technical inspection.
The elevator shaft.. most every building has them and they all look alike.. dangerous. This shot was about 8 stories up taken in the machine room and looking down the hoist way or shaft.
I have done a variety of mountain climbing over the years and posess a manageable (healthy) fear for heights, however, in buildings, rooftops and such, my fears are heightened and sometimes borderline irrational... strange. I am told that this is due to the steep, unforgiving, right angles of buildings.
I am reminded of a time urbexing a church. I was in the steeple and standing on the rotting floor and I could see him below through one of the holes. He shouted up to me; "Hey check out whats above you by climbing the ladder on the wall.."
What followed was hair raising and he later said; "Dude, I was just kidding, thats crazy!"
When we first landed on Broncus 112B, we were still equipped with conventional underwater guns that used cartridges to fire their darts. We soon found out that they didn't have enough power to be of much use against the creatures that attacked us and the depths we used the guns in further diminished their usefulness.
The UPR A1, the Underwater Protection Rifle, was developed to address those problems.
The first prototype was a full-blown coilgun... and a total disaster. Abbove ground, the weapon was fine, if not very accurate. Underwater, however, we were shown once again that water and electricity don't mix well.
Traditional underwater guns didn't have enough power, CO2-powered guns (or with other gases) also lacked that.
The UPR A1, finally, was a mix of a traditional underwater gun, using electronically fired cartridges, and a coilgun. The advantage is that the electric power source is much smaller, and thus ever so slightly safer, although still very well isolated, but the power and range are much enhanced.
After more trials, we also found that the darts themselves had little deadly effect on the creatures we faced, if they weren't targeted directly at the creature's brain. In emergency situations, this isn't always manageable. However, we learned from nature. Even a prick from a thorn can be deadly fast... if that thorn is dipped in poison. Which is exactly what we did with all the darts. They are dipped in a quickly-acting nerve
toxin that kills the creatures in mere instants... The darts have to be handled with care now though.
Since visibility in the waters of Broncus 112B is so low, traditional sighting solutions, like scopes and red dots, where out of the questions. Even thermal imaging was of little use, since Broncus' oceans teem with life forms which all generate heat. In the end, an old, tried and tested solution was selected. The UPR A1 is targeted via a sonar which sends out and receives sounds, interprets them and shows them on the display of the gun. Since studies have shown that humans do not like having to fight in dark waters, a flashlight can be added to the top if the gun to further help with visibility.
A bayonet - often laced with the same toxin as the darts (although that is frowned upon due to risks for the other divers) - is attached to the UPR's front. This helps with cases where a creature doesn't quite die fast enough.
Technical information:
- The magazine in the rear holds 60 toxin darts.
- A highly isolated power cord leads from the grip to the power source worn by the diver
- The power source supplies the coils in the suppressor-like structure in the front and the sonar sight on top of the gun
- The flashlight for added visibility is powered by batteries
- The open skeletal structure in the front allows the weapon to be much easier handled underwater
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For round two of the Tournament, in which I have to face Punkrock while Vlad is the judge.
Done in PMG 0.6.
Location: Prague - 1106km from home.
The Suzuki Ignis is such a cute little car. Definitely a nice one to drive thorugh the city. It's not the ideal car for a roadtrip from Norway to Prague, however, but I guess it's manageable.
KJ = Drammen
i have some good news & some bad news. The bad news is that I broke my arm a few weeks ago while on a photographic hiking adventure. The good news is that I broke my left arm, so I am still able to take pictures! I have been practicing my one-armed photo skills at home... it is a bit akward, but manageable.
I converted an A4 watercolour moleskine to a square shape. I've been finding the 5.5 x 8.5inc size a bit small and at the same time finding the A4 a bit too big and unwieldy when I'm out an about. So I settled on converting this one to a more manageable square size.
Next time around I might try and do a how to guide, though its fairly easy. I used a ruler to get a nice torn edge rather than cutting them. With the cover, you just need to peel the faux leather back then cut the cardboard then overlap it (bottom left)
Then just reattach the band and inside pocket. You need to reduce the size of the pocket to fit inside the back cover.
Moving to a new city is always an adventure. Just a few months ago, I was wondering what may lie ahead for me in the next step of my journey. Grad school has proven to be tough, yet manageable and highly rewarding. I've met some incredible people and truly feel like I'm taking the right steps towards fulfilling the future I aspire to realize.
There are surprises around every corner. The excitement and nervousness of moving to a new place can be daunting, but until you truly embrace that change, you won't begin to grow and adapt. Sometimes, you may not know where you'll be in 10, 20, or 30 steps, but focusing on the next step is all that you really need to do. Life is better one step at a time.
And here's a nice picture of the lights of Fort Duquesne Bridge. Pittsburgh sure knows how to light up the city and bring on the holiday spirit!
Enjoy!
5D Mark II
17-40L
When I first saw pictures of My Passion Yasmin online, I knew she would be part of my collection. Even though I've since gotten the entire line, Yasmin is still my favorite. I remember the day I found her at Kmart not long after the dolls started hitting store shelves. I squealed in delight when I saw that Kmart had stocked new Bratz. She reminds me so much of Generation Girl Tori, who was one of my childhood favorites. It was for that reason I could not leave her behind. Just as I had been compelled by Boutique Yasmin (ironically who was sold at the same Kmart), I felt an instantaneous bond with My Passion. I recall that there were actually some Monster High dolls on sale that day. Colleen was somewhat shocked that I left behind the Music Festival 2 pack, and instead gunned straight for the full priced Yasmin. In retrospect, if I was more patient I could have gotten Yas for a bargain price. Then I would have also gotten those Monster High. But I can't blame myself for being so enchanted by My Passion Yasmin. Even though she's not one of the best quality dolls made, she's one of the most captivating Bratz in my collection. Ironically, she shares the same facial screening as Boutique Yasmin...perhaps that's why I was so drawn to her.
I think Cloe was my second doll from the set. I got her on eBay for $9 with free shipping--she was still sealed in her box. I also got my Action Heroez Cloe from the same seller for a dollar more. I adore her cute glasses, and I think her outfit is the best quality from the collection. Not to mention, her hair is really soft and manageable. Initially, I wasn't too fond of Cloe's ensemble, but I was prompted to buy her for a steal. Plus, I loved that she was sold with glasses--it's not every day you see a Bratz doll rocking spectacles! Jade would have been my second choice, but I happened to find Cloe on sale first. I remember correctly, I ordered Jade off Wal-Mart's website (on sale) with a gift card I had for doing farm work (this was before I worked there full time). I can't get enough of her short crimped hair. Plus she came with really cool accessories! Her outfit is somewhat unexpected for Jade's personal aesthetic. Normally I'd expect something a tad edgier, and maybe a little boyish. But I love how different this ensemble is, and Jade rocks it well. Sasha was the last one I acquired, and she was a bit of a pain to get a hold of. I think I saw her at Toys 'R' Us once or twice, but I can't be sure. By the time I decided I wanted her, she was nowhere to be found. It took me a year to find her...but thanks to eBay, she's now part of my collection. I think of all the dolls from this set, she has the most unique facial screening. I love her color combinations, and I'm so glad that Sasha was included in this line.
Besides factoring in how awesome each individual doll is, I have to appreciate the concept of this line. I have never seen these characters as "grown ups" before. They've always been marketed as stylish, fashion obsessed teenagers. Of course, we've all seen a variety of Bratz--they've been genies, mermaids, British punks, etc. MGA even made parent/sibling dolls in 2008. But the idea of having the core four aged up with their future careers was one that had not yet been done. I also think it's kind of fitting that it was done on the tall Bratz. Although they realistically wouldn't have grown this much in height (girls usually don't keep growing in height after their mid teens), it still creates a juxtaposition between the "adult" gals and their teenage counterparts. I also appreciate that these ladies were given extra accessories for their careers. My favorite accessory is Cloe's coffee cup. But in terms of originality, I like that Sasha is a fashion designer, complete with a little measuring tape. It would have been extra awesome if MGA produced a playset to go along with these dolls. Some sort of fashion office, with a party pad where Yasmin could dj would have been fitting!
Hello and welcome to my new endeavour into flickr! I'm going to try and upload at least one photo a day in order to replace my old blog - I think this should be more manageable!
Anyway, to kick off, here are two RATP Yellow Buses Streetlites- 862 (HF14BWP) at the front - heading out of Christchurch for Somerford for the 1a.
Railways of Great Britain
This start of another one of my collections, although I have posted a few in the past.
I have taken quite a few images over the years of Old Steam, Diesel and Electric engines and after sorting out probably 3,000 plus, I’ve now got it down to a more manageable number.
I’m starting with English Engines. Some of these images could be 25 years old. Many were transferred from negatives via a scanner so the quality will not be as good I would like. I have put them all through Photoshop to get rid of the most glaring issues
Apologies to those enthusiasts if I don’t get the right engine with the right Railway, they were taken a long time ago, some of them have moved on and my memory is not as good as it was.
Happy viewing.
I wouldn't cross Jojo if I were you as I'm a dab hand with garden tools and could so easily cut your prized rose bushes down to a couple of inches in a few seconds with a few thrusts of my strong arms and big chopper. If you don't believe me just ask the hedge as I stripped it bare so that the ice-cold winds would relentlessly blow through it making it shake and shiver all winter and regret ever having upset me when I was just trying to be kind. What crime might deserve such heartless cruelty you might well ask. Well it dared prick and tear my skin drawing blood as so Iovingly I gave it it's annual prune and those big blackthorn thornes are lethal they go through thick gloves and everything. After I had my cancer and was weak from the chemo I asked a gardener to come and do it but in the end he started taking liberties and ripped me off. Yes the last time he did such a poor job there was nothing else I could do I had to get the parrot-beaks out and ruthlessly cut away all the ivy and brambles so it could fill out and grow properly again. Also as he was just trimming the thing like a poodle with some electric scissors on a pole it was just getting higher and higher so I really needed to lower it so the next time I could still cut it. That was two years ago and I ended up with so much to burn I had to have two big bonfires. It did the trick as I can now cut the whole hedge in about twelve hours when it used to take about eighteen. I try to do it manageable chunks too but I have to confess after three hours really hard work I feel both physically and mentally exhaused. But believe it on not Beautiful Jojo will be seventy-three on Sunday and I'm sure a lot of the fatigue is due to being not used to such had graft. I would make a terrible prime minister wouldn't I lol all those paid trips and long holidays would kill me.
“Things have changed” Thomas began, “and I think it wise that we change with them.”
Thomas had gathered all the key people in his organisation to his tent for a meeting. With his people travelling so frequently now between Loreos and Garheim, and lot of news and information accompanied the goods and money they traded. Of late the news had gradually made Thomas more concerned and he felt assertive action was now a necessity before it was too late.
Thomas continued, “During the last few years, the only threat we have faced to our livelihoods is that we should grow so fat from our profits, that we sink our own ships.” A titter went round the room and Thomas’s father took the opportunity to give his brother’s stomach a poke.
“We should remember that this safety is mainly due to the diligence of our Prince and his dedication to keeping the outlaws down to manageable numbers. But, this may all be about to change. I feel maybe for the last time our Prince requested Garheim and Lenfald share the burden of keeping the outlaw lands subdued and yet again they have chosen to remain in their lands living in the safety us Loreesi die to provide. Our Prince is tired of their laziness and tensions grow.”
“In light of these developments I think it wise for us to take steps to strengthen and protect our own enterprise and also put us in a position were we are able to support our Prince should the need arise. I think these two aims can have largely mutual requirements, so even if the worse should not happen I see their undertaking part of our natural evolution rather than just a precaution.”
There was general agreement throughout the room. Then Gunnar, Thomas's Uncle spoke, “Thomas, over the last few years you have proven to us your sound head for business, and all of us that travel north have seen the change in mood that has occurred. If a threat should now come to us from an unexpected direction, I should like to have my sword drawn to meet it, rather than my head in the sand and my softer parts exposed.”
More agreement rounded the room and for the second time Gunnar felt someone giving him a poke.
“Then this is what I want to do” continued Thomas. “First of all our trade routes are under threat. I want to prolong their operation for as long as I can, while investing what we already have into creating more locally generated income. To do this both ships will now be run by Gunnar and my Father. They will both now fly a generic trade flag rather than the Loreesi colours. With both Captains able to converse in Northern tongues, the assumption of many will be that it’s a Garheim owned business allowing access to our most profitable markets to continue unabated as long as possible. If tensions grow other trade routes will slow, and we will be free to increase prices. But we must make the most of it as all out war could force us to stop,”
“All the remaining men will be redirected to efforts at home. The first of which will be this.” Thomas placed a carved wooden model onto the table. “A gatehouse. We must be able to protect what we have. With our position in northern Loreos there may now be no desert between us and the enemy. We also lie between Lenfald and our nation’s capital city. With the mountain range to the south, any invading army would naturally take a line through our lands. Building a defensive structure like this, as a buffer to invading armies will please our Prince and gain us favour. It will also protect my brother’s farmlands and act as a focus point in the region which will bring us further benefits.”
“We are not the only ones to have heard of the change in attitudes between the factions. In uncertain times people head to safety. As the people are drawn to the protection we offer, we have an opportunity to provide for them. This could kick start local business interests. These interests will need to sustain us if our profitable trade routes should fail. But should it not come to that, we will have added another arm to our venture.”
“I like it” said his father “You’ve provided an idea that will either protect us or allow us to thrive. I trust you will be the one driving new growth here.”
“Yes.” Replied Thomas, “And I shall begin with fish.”
I managed to get out between showers today to Strathpeffer and Dingwall, what's more I managed to time things perfectly to catch the tiny window of sunshine that we managed, as well as a moment that the wind dropped to manageable levels.
This was my favourite view of the day looking up the strath from Fodderty.
Railways of Great Britain
This start of another one of my collections, although I have posted a few in the past.
I have taken quite a few images over the years of Old Steam, Diesel and Electric engines and after sorting out probably 3,000 plus, I’ve now got it down to a more manageable number.
I’m starting with English Engines. Some of these images could be 25 years old. Many were transferred from negatives via a scanner so the quality will not be as good I would like. I have put them all through Photoshop to get rid of the most glaring issues
Apologies to those enthusiasts if I don’t get the right engine with the right Railway, they were taken a long time ago, some of them have moved on and my memory is not as good as it was.
Happy viewing.
Geysir is a very surreal place to walk around, a thick silica crust covers the landscape with boiling waters surrounding you. The smell of sulphur ranges from manageable to sickly if you walk through the wrong cloud, and with Strokkur the geyser exploding every 3 minutes or so a few metres away in spectacular fashion to finish it all off.
Looking down through this fairly isolated geothermal pool, you can clearly see the deep ice-blue entry into the vent, a hue so familiar to Iceland but one I've never seen anywhere else and its breath-taking impression stays with you.
Looks good enough to jump in, but at near boiling point I wouldn't advise it ;-)
Name: Mackenna Bellisario Dominguez
Age: 17
Occupation: Cashier at Forever 21
Style: Very preppy and edgy at the same time, I love combining colors with nudes.
Why do I desserve to be in the competition: I think I have everything I need to wein this since I have aa manageable face and body and of course an amazing attitude.
I like how the bots mangle the name.
But it's a close enough approximation. It feels like it felt, that's enough. I had to draw in the half-moon Logo, but kept the Bot-generated (A.I.) name.
I did follow Rack down the HIV route, some 15 years after she tripped-up potholing. I didn’t follow her down that Hep-c boreen.
Perhaps something had kicked-in, in between times. Perhaps our emails had sobered me up, or maybe the childhood abuse was already healing. Either way, Rack sloughed off that liver lurgy, hip-hip-hooray for science, and now we only have this one ‘manageable’ death sentence to negotiate together, side by side whilst forever apart (oh, the drama). We now get to catfish each other gloriously.
I couldn’t, or wouldn’t, ask for more. Knowing she is out there, continents away, and apparently immortal, is more than enough. We share a certain sardonic humour about it all, recalling her “The year of my so-called death” in 1988, a year I initially got wrong, erroneously placing us in 1987 in ‘The Moondance Diner’.
Rack didn't die, hence that 'immortal' descriptor. I am attempting to tell our story. That 'immortal' is just a narcissist's description of someone who might have the temerity to possibly outlive him/her/them/me, going on present form. More power to both her illustrious elbows.
Anyway, what’s 34, or is it 35, years between friends?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moondance_Diner
"The rotating moon sign, kept safe in storage, was undamaged"
Larry did this hike solo, as Ben had a soar knee from our last cross-country ski outing. In order to get to Mt Loder, you cross Doorjamb Mountain summit en route. The wind was up today, as it often is on this route. Thankfully it was just manageable, and Larry completed this double summit scramble in under 4 hours roundtrip.
BOX DATE: 1996
MANUFACTURER: Mattel
DOLLS IN LINE: Barbie; Teresa
VARIATIONS: Blonde; African American
BODY TYPE: 1993; articulated elbows, knees, and waist; flat feet
HEAD MOLD: 1976 "Superstar"; pierced ears
PERSONAL FUN FACT: When I was about 13-14 years old, my interest in dolls began to shift from playing with them, to collecting them. I was actually unaware of this change at the time, which inevitably lead to the confusion that made me take a hiatus from dolls for nearly five years (from 2006-2011). My days of making dolls talk to each other for hours on end were dwindling, however my interest in them had not. Every weekend, I looked forward to our trips to various flea markets. I was always eager to find new, exciting dolls to add to my hoard (at the time, I didn't even consider my hundreds of dolls a collection). It was during those last few years I purchased dolls growing up, that I found a true passion for boxed dolls. Granted, I had always relished in getting to open something old up, like I had just purchased it at the store. But by the time I was thirteen or fourteen, I had a renewed passion for boxed dollies. I recall that many of my childhood formerly boxed ladies came from one particular indoor flea market (that has since closed down). Hula Hair Barbie, Fruit Fantasy, Little Debbies Series II Barbie, and several others all came from this flea market. As Dad, Colleen, and I walked through the last few aisles of this massive marketplace, I spotted Hula Hair Barbie's colorful box (the lady on the far left). I was drawn to just about every boxed doll from the 90s at the time, so it was hard for me to resist Miss Hula Hair. I loved her colorful hair, and her Hawaiian theme. Her somewhat "manly" body with awkward articulation and huge feet was really the only turn off. My dad kindly offered to buy me Hula Hair Barbie that day, and I think we even got my Fruit Fantasy doll from the same seller (Barbie smells delicious!). I never played with Hula Hair Barbie, but I do remember she spent a lot of time sitting on the white adjustable shelves in my bedroom, which were hung up above my roll top desk. I had several of my favorite Barbie dolls, as well as various ones I had found boxed at the flea market, who I promptly de-boxed, sitting on those shelves (I could never keep a doll in her package, nor did I want to). I liked to consider those dolls, like Hula Hair Barbie, guardians of all of my mom's precious knickknacks and treasures that I had hoarded into my bedroom in the years since she had passed away. I loved the colors that Hula Hair Barbie added to my shelves--she was always attracted a spark of my attention! Even though we never spent "quality" play time together, Barbie still won her way into my heart. When I made the foolish, rash decision to get rid of Barbies (right before I decided to collect them again I might add), the thought of getting rid of Miss Hula Hair left an awful taste in my mouth. She was a symbol of those last few years I enjoyed dolls growing up, and of all those marvelous flea market excursions we went on with Dad...and for that, I could simply never part with her!
My Hula Hair Barbie on the right was actually a "bin" doll, meaning she was part of a random lot of dollies I purchased at the flea market. More specifically, she was from the "Teresa lot" of 2016, which featured over 60 dolls, mostly from the 90s. I'll admit, even though I didn't have a "need" for another Hula Hair Barbie, especially not a blonde one, since my childhood doll was once boxed, I was really excited about getting a third. After adopting my African American doll, and rewriting my "Personal Fun Fact" on this photo, I realized just how much I really loved Hula Hair Barbie. I was able to truly reflect on this doll's beauty, and how much she had come to mean to me. After gaining a whole new appreciation for Hula Hair Barbies, I was ecstatic to find another one "in the wild." In my opinion, this gal is even prettier than my formerly boxed one. There is something special about the way her eyes are set. I think she might be a high color variation too, which makes her extra special looking (it's hard to tell in photos, but see my facial closeup for reference). She also has amazing hair, which is buttery soft, and way more manageable than my childhood doll's. Of course in her defense, I wasn't as good at boil washing when I fixed up my childhood dolly's hair...perhaps if I redid it now, it would be just as nice as my third gal's!
I'm not the most organized guy in the world.
I kinda fly by the seat of my pants in most of the stuff I do.
I grew up that way.
And I'm still like that as an adult.
I do everything at the last minute... and I generally try to pay all of my bills right before they become thirty days past due.
If the people really want their money they'll call right?
And they get so happy when I give it to them and I get to hear that in their voices on the phone.
I get a lot of bills in the mail.
There's like this 'secret code' or something...
the really important ones are red in some way.
I know how far I can push it.
It's fun living dangerously sometimes... watching how low you can get the needle down on the gas tank before you gotta get gas.
That's how I learned about something really smart people call 'parallax.'
Paralax is 'the effect whereby the position or direction of an object appears to differ when viewed from different positions.'
Like if you look at the needle on the fuel guage from the passenger side it looks like you got less gas than you really do.
That's where your girl sits and looks at the gas guage from.
The designers of automobiles took this into consideration when they dealt with fuel guages.
They know your woman's gonna look over and see that needle on 'E' and say something.
It's like a built in safety device.
And she's always like 'we better get some gas.'
And you're always like 'we can go another 70.4 miles after the needle hits 'E' babycakes.
Then you tell her about 'parallax.'
Dumbass.
There you go with your physics shit again.
Note to your idiot self: chicks don't care about physics.
Name one legendary female physicist.
There are none.
I just did a search for 'legendary female physicist' on Google and got the old "Your search - legendary female physicist - did not match any documents."
Not one.
I also did another Google search in my intensive research for this book... research which consists almost entirely of my life experience, lies, bullshit, bullshit lies, made up statistics, things drunk people told me in bars and Google searches.
I Googled 'chicks who like walking after their dumbass guy runs out of gas.'
And guess what came up?
"Your search - chicks who like walking after their dumbass guy runs out of gas - did not match any documents."
Then in that little box it taunts you with every time you misspell something it said 'did you mean to search for 'dumb ass' instead?
Did you ever get the feeling that Google was talking directly to you?
I will admit that I had to do the search twice because the first time I used 'there' inappropriately when I should have used 'their' and I needed to straighten that up to insure the integrity of my research...
because that's the kind of guy I am... and I'm also not afraid to admit that I'm wrong either...
as long as no one's around to hear it.
Not even any naked pictures came up or anything.
That seemed odd.
So just to be sure that Google wasn't broken I did a search for 'hot freaky sex' which produced twenty one million one hundred thousand results.
And lots of fascinating pictures.
That's the Google I've come to know and depend on.
You know I really didn't get much out of the rest of that day.
Or half of the next.
I did have to think fast when my girl got home and said 'Honey... did you use all of my lotion?'
'Yeah Love Gravy Buckets... I was doing research for my new book.'
And then she did the predictable thing... the very thing I did not predict...
she asked me 'why would you need an entire bottle of my lotion to research your book?'
'And what happened to the full roll of paper towels I put out just before I went to work?'
I had to come clean with her so I showed her.
You know what?
I've never been so happy to let the woman peer into my browser's history.
I felt like that moment helped her to 'get me' more just then.
I think she liked some of that stuff and I 'bookmarked' the stuff that she seemed fascinated by.
Or at least just not 'overtly repulsed by' anyway.
Then we had a really good talk... you know... the kind that bring you closer together after helping you to understand each other in a deeper and more intimately meaningful way?
'It's all about the research Sweet Love Kitten' I promised.
'But I hafta admit that some of that stuff looks like it could really spice up our love life you know' I added.
Then just to reassure myself that this kind of research was valid for something other than an excuse to look at all of those pictures that are now seared into my mind right next to all of the other pictures just like that that have been seared into my mind for a very long time...
I did another Google search after typing 'women are impossible to understand.'
It came back with one hundred and seventy one million results.
These statistics which I did not make up for once... not only support everything that I've been telling you... they're alarming.
There's eight times as much 'women are impossible to understand' out there on the internet as there is 'hot freaky sex.'
Try it yourself.
If your woman catches you you can just tell her that you were checking the academic soundness of my work.
And if you're a woman it's a good opportunity to take a look inside of your mans medulla-hot-freaky-oblongata and see what he's really thinkin' about 96% of the time.
And wait until you see how much more 'exciting' it gets to check your 'spambox.'
That's where all the good stuff goes anyway.
Except those messages that are always giving me a complex...
the ones that say 'would you like a bigger penis?'
I'm going to find out which of my vindictive and bitter ex's signed me up for that one and have a little 'talk' with her.
Anyway I think it all goes to show that I'm right... there'd be a whole lot more hot freaky goin' on if men could understand women.
I'd like to see those numbers reversed in my lifetime.
Shit... I'd like to see those numbers reversed in my personal life.
But I don't need to do a Google search to tell you this brainiac:
no chick wants to walk because your dumbass parallax understandin' self made a miscalculation over fuel endurance.
Dude.
THAT is a walk you never wanna take...
walking to the gas station with your woman after you showed her how close you like to get to the edge.
Just like saying stupid shit... burning the gas in the tank down to vapors before you get more gas is a deep intrinsic need of yours.
What is the frickin' use of the 'bottom' of the gas tank anyway if you don't use it right?
Yeah I run out of gas every once in a while...
I have never done it with a woman in the car though.
Run out of gas I mean.
Ever.
Except my daughter.
And that only cost me a little glittery plastic pony to get my ass out of that one.
Women feel that having more than fumes in your gas tank when you take them somewhere is what they call 'considerate.'
The danger you think you are facing in driving that car until the last molecule of the petrochemical dinosaur juice miracle that propels it is combusted just as you pull up to the gas pump is nothing compared to the danger you'll be in if your calculations are flawed when your woman's in the car.
And lets face it.
That's when it's gonna happen too.
Because you won't handicap your mental fuel endurance calculations for her nonstop adjustments of the climate control because you'll be thinkin' about hot freaky.
And since women ALWAYS lie about their weight you've probably underestimated the total load you were carrying.
Plus that duffel bag she calls a purse that she carries gahdknows what in and that keychain she has... the one that's composed of lots of key chains all fastened together until it becomes one megalithic ass keychain... the one that weighs like nine pounds that every once in a while you fear she's gonna beat you with.
Am I right or am I right?
I've tried to explain my propensity to do this to my girl this way...
'baby... I look at it in a lot of ways like I look at our relationship... It's like I just wanna 'know' my car you know... I wanna know it so deeply and intimately... like I wanna know you... all of its needs and stuff... I wanna know when it's 'really' gonna stop... I have a need to know this kind of thing... you know... how far I can push shit... aren't you always saying that I do the same thing with you?'
You know I had to fuck that one all up at the end right?
So I run outta the go juice every once in a while...
and here and there whatever utility I may have pushed it too far with stopped by the ranch and disconnected me.
Living the Amish life for a few days isn't the end of the world.
It gives you the time to sit around and make high quality solid oak furniture with your bare hands because you won't be fucking around on the Internet all day.
In college I'd just hook it back up after they left.
Scored free cable for a lotta years too.
I didn't even hafta climb the pole to do it because my roommate caught my neighbor doing it in the middle of the night one time.
My roommate was not a 'legitimate businessman' and freaked out when he saw a guy climbing the telephone pole in the middle of the night because he thought it was the authorities fixin' to tap the phone lines.
The guy might not have been a 'legitimate businessman' but he was 'legitimately paranoid.'
He ran out there to ask the guy what the hell he was doing... in his bathrobe... with a gun... and I just kinda sat there on the couch so I could get a head start on makin' up my story or something.
Guy walks back in in five minutes all smilin'... puts the gun down and says... 'we got cable now... turn the tv on... the neighbor was jackin' it and I told him to 'turn us on' too... premium channels and everything!'
I live and breath chaos.
I seem to be pretty good at it.
A lot of people just can't live life in such a dynamic and unstructured way.
They're probably better off for it...
because it drives a lot of people crazy.
Especially every one of my ex's apparently.
I just couldn't live any other way.
Unless a preponderance of hot freaky tips the scales towards a more regimented and domesticated lifestyle.
Ultimately everything is negotiable I suppose.
I work hard and I play hard and I do dig myself some nice vacation here and there.
It's something I really look forward to as a self-employed 'legitimate businessman.'
Men and women and vacation are a strange and extremely volatile mix if you ask me.
They're always volatile really.
Vacation is just the 'spark' that can really set them off.
I can remember my parents getting into fights all the time right before getting into the car and heading on the door out for a roadtrip.
That really sucked and it kinda made me think that I just had hot head freaks for parents.
Besides fights about dad coming home shitfaced every once in a while fighting was pretty rare in my childhood home.
What I didn't know then was that ALL couples pretty much get into it either just before vacation of just as they're walking out the door.
Mom wants to make triple sure that everythings cool with the house.
Dad figures 'fuck it... lets go... I got insurance.'
Mom wants the house to be really clean as soon as she steps in the door when we get home from vacation.
Dad says 'fuck it lets go.'
Mom's worried about what she forgot to pack.
Dad says 'fuck it... I got a wallet full of money.'
Mom says 'you never take anything seriously.'
Dad says 'why do you always have to start shit right before we roll off to vacation?'
You can see that I am the descendent of a man with a propensity to say stupid shit too.
In fact I come from a long line of men who were really good at saying stupid shit.
It is my experience that leaving the pad and going mobile does different things to the sexes.
Men just wanna get the hell out of Dodge.
Women wanna make sure that Dodge is in good shape before they come back.
Secretly I think men are thinkin' that they're gonna have such a good time on vacation it might just be the end of them.
That's always my goal on any given vacation... to have so much fun I could die.
So what do men care?
Maybe women can see that 'glint in their eye.'
When I speak this way I can't indict all women for this behavior.
Just the one's I've been with.
And we've already come to understand that I'm not the kinda guy who makes the best choices.
I'm pretty sure that all men share the same guilt though.
Every woman I've ever been in a longterm commited, or unilaterally semi committed relationship long enough to go on a shared vacation with has had that lobe pop just prior to or right at departure time.
I've often wondered why this is.
I have a theory.
Going mobile makes women feel vulnerable I think.
And when your woman feels 'vulnerable' she knows full well that you're to blame.
She 'needs' you to protect her... or at least make her feel 'protected.'
And since she feels vulnerable buddy... You have failed.
I see it start up about a week out as a mild anxiety.
And it builds up with each day closer to 'go time' that we get.
Generally the lobe pops right when you're packin' the car.
I think it's just that guys get all excited about going on vacation.
And we can't pack for shit because we don't know where anything is anyway.
And women, they just get a little nervous about leavin' the nest.
And all their throw pillows.
They've worked so hard to decorate the place and now they're being torn from it like it's a cesarean section going down.
You gotta be sympathetic to them just then.
All they really need is reassurance.
Lots and lots of reassurance.
And not the regular kind of reassurance...
like how she's more beautiful than the day that you met her...
or her ass isn't 'really' getting fat...
and that you want to grow old with her...
she needs 'vacation specific' reassurances.
And you don't get too many oportunities to work on your vacation specific reassurances.
Because for once in your life you're not just thinkin' about hot freaky.
You're thinkin' about 'vacation hot freaky.'
You know all about the pseudo-scientific studies that show that a woman's more likely to get down with some hot freaky in a hotel bed.
Because it's not hers.
That way she doesn't have to think about it again in the perfectly accessorized and color coordinated 'love sanctuary' that she created for the two of you called a bedroom.
The place she likes to think of as a 'budoir' but would never tell you that.
You know why?
Because a 'budoir' is a room that a woman lays around in and thinks about her perfect fantasy guy.
It becomes a 'bedroom' the second you walk in.
Because you spoil the whole effect by leaving your dirty socks on the floor right next to the freaking hamper.
But dad's not thinkin' about any of that.
He wants to get the fuck out of there.
He's excited to go.
Mom's nervous about leaving.
Maybe he's already 'getting to work' on his skills of tuning the kids out.
Maybe he's thinking about the car and any problems it might have.
He's got the route in his head and he's got a timetable that he wants to stick to.
Dad's got plans to be wherever it is that he's going at a certain time.
He has done pages of mental mathematics... running all sorts of navigational calculations against his personal biorhythms, applied 'rush hour' handicapping to whatever city you'll be driving through then, figured out the liklihood of having the kids sleep at the most critical point...
Dad's mind is on the journey.
It's like a 'bombing mission' over hostile territory the way that he looks at it.
Moms worried about whether or not she left the iron on.
Dad doesn't know what that is and why she'd be worried about that anyway.
Vacation creates a great disconnect between men and women.
At least the preparing and the motivating part.
If your relationship were the Titanic... vacation would be the iceberg.
I really don't think that there's anything more perilous a guy can do with his girl than to go on vacation.
This guy I used to work with... we'll call him 'Eddy' because I'm not sure the solution that he came up with for this very situation was either legal or ethical... but damn... it was nothing short of brilliant.
Especially if you knew 'Eddy.'
Me and the guys were sittin' around the warehouse one day talking about this very phenomenon when Eddy jumps off the forklift and chimes in...
'Bitches are always cranky right before they go on vacation... everybody knows that... you know what I do... I see it comin' and I say 'hey baby... you look a little stressed... let me get you a glass of wine.'
Then 'Eddy' said he goes to the kitchen... pours a nice glass of red outta the box in the fridge... and then he crushes up two xanax tablets and stirs 'em in there real good.
He insists you gotta use red because he tried it with a zinfandel once and he said you could see like some 'residue' in the bottom of the glass.
'She feels all happy that I noticed her anxiety and she cools off when I hand her the glass of wine you know' he said.
All of us just stood there in stunned silence with wide eyes and mouths agape.
'When those xanax kick in and the alcohol from the wine I ain't got a problem in the world... I been doin' it for years and it always works'... and he looked at us when he said it like he'd just divulged the very secret of life to us.
Fuckin' 'Eddy'... the smartest gahdamn forklift driver in the world.
None of us could believe his genius at that very moment.
And we all agreed later after he got fired for getting caught on video coming into the warehouse at five am one morning after a three day cocaine bender just to get a box of razor blades and then go home to call in sick that his idea was the most intelligent thing any of us had ever heard him say.
I'm not advocating 'slipping your woman a mickey' but I've sure thought about it since 'Eddy' told us about his secret method.
In my studies on the male mind I've found that most men can't think past the next weekend.
That's because statistically that's when we'll be most likely to successfully impregnate a woman and pass on the propensity to say stupid shit to yet another generation.
It's a part of our biology.
Plus we have to work all week.
While a woman is entirely capable of making restaraunt reservations for dinner four months in advance.
About the same time she begins thinking about what she'll wear to that dinner.
That comes from her biology.
She's got that monthy cycle to break down time for her into manageable chunks.
It's a lot easier to do when you can only get pregnant on one of those weekends anyway.
And if she's on the other end of your weekend 'reproductive success' or failure depending on how you look at it she's got a nine month gestation period to give her enough time to figure out the perfect color scheme for the nursery and whatever the most fashionable baby name might be that year.
That's just the way it is.
It's always been that way.
It will always be.
And those differences should be celebrated you know?
They are what makes a couple who's found and nourished and built a functional relationship capable of so much more than any one person could be on their own.
Neanderthal mom would look back to last fall and remember where she filled her basket up with those delicious nuts... or the succulent berries in the spring.
Neanderthal dad and the guys would be playing around bullshitting with each other when one of them said 'yo... check it out... a wooly mammoth... we should kill it.
And Neanderthal mom would always be accusin' Neanderthal dad of behaving like a 'Cro-magnon.'
The differences in the male and female mind and thought process' are there for a reason.
Not just to cause you to get in all manner of fights with your girl and to get in the way of hot freaky.
The secret I think is to show your girl that even though you are for the most part a beast so different than what she really wants you to be that it is in many ways those very facets of your manliness that she secretly craves and needs in her life as much as baskets, throw pillows and paint sample chips.
And the way to show her that is to become her hero and save her ass.
One of these days I'm gonna rig up a secret 'baby be cool' button in my automobile.
Here's what it will do...
whenever Sweet Honey Cake Biscuits isn't showin' me the love... if she's all bitchin' at me about some crazy shit I did for the fiftieth gahdamn time...
I can press the secret 'baby be cool' button.
It will make the vehicle break down.
Hopefully I will push it in the worst neighborhood I can.
At night.
Then as I glide to a stop on the side of the street she will get all freaked out...
feel really vulnerable and scared...
she'll forget whatever the hell we were just fighting about... as soon as she confirms the car didn't stop because I ran it out of gas...
and I will open that hood like a MAN.
Because I know where the secret lever that opens it is.
The thing on the side by where your legs go with the dumbass lookin' stick figure standing in front of an open hood staring at an engine that he has no idea how the hell it works and scratching his head as he does.
And Honey Pie has no idea where the secret lever is.
We just happen to be in my 'realm' now.
I will demonstrate reassuring confidence that I can fix this problem and save our asses.
Maybe I'll say something like 'I know you're scared baby... but don't you worry Sweet Peaches... just give me a minute and I'll have this fixed.'
Of course I will need some tools that I have in the back near the spare tire next to that comprehensive first aid kit that I've built over the years.
And I will make it a point to ask her where those tools are because I put them there for just this situation.
When she tells me that she 'put them in the garage' I'll be cool with that... I won't blow my stack... I'll say 'don't worry baby... I can fix this... even with my bare hands if I have to.
I'll mess under the hood for a couple minutes like I know what I'm doing as she bites her nails and sinks in her seat to keep from being seen...
I'll touch something dirty and wipe that on my face so she can see it and be reminded of what a freakin hero I am when she tells me to wipe it off and lovingly hands me a baby wipe she keeps in that duffel bag sized purse of hers...
then I'll get back in the car and press the secret 'baby be cool' button again...
Whammo!
I have saved us!
I am the man.
End of argument.
I think that button would end just about any argument.
Because she will instantly have it reinforced that even though I am a creature filled with flaws and who may have only evolved half as much as her... that she needs me.
Sometimes.
When I make the car break down in bad neighborhoods at night.
And even if you're not arguing you could just use the 'baby be cool' button to be her hero every once in a while.
Because nothing gets you hot freaky like being a hero.
Her hero.
If you apply science, logic, psychology, thought and your half mastery of automotive mechanics to your goal... if you recognize all of the traps, dangers, perils and pitfalls of going on vacation with your woman...
and you have that 'baby be cool' button installed on your car like I'm telling you to do... and you use it at precisely the right moment...
you will be telling me how it is that you have personally come to discover that 'vacation hot freaky' is more than just the stuff of myth or legend.
You will be the man.
It's either that or you're gonna be telling me about the train wreck that was your vacation when your miserable ass makes it back to the refuge of the office where you'll be just as unappreciated but you'll be safe among men who've all ridden on the crazy train too.
Chambered in the 9x19mm caliber, this SMG has earned a reputation for having a high rate of fire, yet having very manageable recoil.
Obviously built around the M16 handguard, front sight and barrel.
Thanks to Shockwave and Vääpeli for keeping me company during the build. Also thanks to Cami for tearing himself away from his new game long enough to give me some pointers :-P
Colombo is a huge, sprawling city, which can be visited any time of year due to its tropical climate. The traffic can feel somewhat overwhelming at first but it is organised and much more manageable when compared to other major cities of South and Southeast Asia. On a clear day, it’s difficult to miss the Lotus Tower dominating Colombo’s skyline.
8s exposure
f/2.8
ISO100
- lil' sunshine was having her regular morning karaoke sessions and woke me up :)
- ... browsed 'attractions' on the GPS and selected 'Tasik Biru' (Blue Lake) which was (according to the thingy) ~6km from where i was staying ... cool, let's do the naughty thang, ie sunporn
- road a bit bumpy ... a lot of lorries, dark low lit roads ... but still manageable for the spyder ...
- caught the first light at 6.30am with no other human being in sight ....
- was startled by the sound of loud splashes in the area hahaha having watched 'lake placid' and 'rogue' the previous two nights on Astro, i was ready to run :)
disarmonia mundi ... something to really keep u alert and awake ...
thank you for your kind comments :)
------------------------------------
UPDATE:
A word of caution at Tasik biru (the one nearby Rawang right?), i've been there a few times catching PB's and have sighted a crocodile swimming in the lake in 3 of my outings at tasik biru, the bugger looks big maybe 12-13 footer.
WOOHOO!!! lucky me!
When the English Civil War started in 1642, any notion that soldiers on either side would or should be professional would have been rejected out of hand. However, by the time the war ended, the idea of a well-trained army that nodded towards professionalism and led by able officers had taken root. The historian Martyn Bennett has stated that the soldiers in the New Model Army were the precursors of modern professional soldiers.
When the war started it was accepted that any local force would be commanded by a local member of the gentry. The funding of these forces was entirely local – those who owned land or larger estates but who could not fight were expected to make a sizeable contribution to the upkeep of these forces. However this financing was haphazard at best and frequently fell short of what was required. Soldiers on either side had to pay for their equipment and usually their uniform. Those who commanded these soldiers chose their ‘colours’, which was usually a sash worn around the body – all in one unit would wear the same colour. However, certain colour dyes were cheaper than others and were frequently used by both sides at the same time. For example, red was a reasonably cheap dye and could be worn at the same time in battle by both sides. Only one unit – Lord Brooke’s foot was distinctive as an individual unit as it wore purple. The creation of the New Model Army changed this approach as they all wore Venice red uniforms.
Musketeers
The musket most commonly used during the civil wars was the matchlock or arquebus, a gun first used towards the end of the 15th century, which had a barrel length of around 4½ feet and was fired by touching off the priming charge with a piece of burning slow-match. The match was a length of cord soaked in saltpetre attached to the trigger mechanism. The matchlock had a range of about 300 yards but with no hope of accuracy above 50 yards. Owing to its weight, a "rest" was used in battle, which was a spiked pole with a U-shaped end to support the barrel. Use of the rest steadily declined as muskets became lighter and more manageable.
MusketeerAmmunition was carried in a leather bandolier from which a number of wooden or leather tubes hung, each containing a measured charge of gunpowder. The tubes were known as the "Twelve Apostles" from their usual number. The bandolier also carried an additional powder flask, bag of bullets and length of match.
Although cheap and robust, the matchlock musket was useless if the match became damp. The necessity of keeping match alight also meant that it was impractical in situations where a quick response might be needed. Consequently, the more expensive firelock musket was often issued to sentries and lifeguards of high-ranking officers. They were also used by artillery guards, where a stray spark from slow-match could be disastrous, and by special service units, which were usually referred to as Firelocks. The most popular firelock pattern was the "snaphance", an early form of flintlock musket, in which the priming charge was ignited by a spark struck from a flint. Specialist fowling pieces, usually associated with gamekeepers, were sometimes used by snipers.
In battle, musketeers usually lined up in six ranks. After firing, the front rank stepped to the rear to reload while the second rank moved up to take its place, followed in succession by the other ranks, to maintain a continuous fire for as long as the ammunition lasted. Sometimes a massed volley or salvee would be delivered by three ranks at once, either to precede an assault or to receive one. Like pikemen, musketeers were usually armed with a short sword or "tuck", though the butt end of the musket itself was frequently used as a club in close-quarter combat.
My 2013 Classic Ariel Doll has been completely deboxed. She is standing, supported by a Kaiser doll stand (not included with the doll), and is photographed from various angles.
The 2013 Classic Ariel mermaid doll has many differences from the 2012 model, and is a greatly improved doll. She is both more attractive and more movie accurate. The major changes are to her head and face, her hair, her tail and her legs. There is a minor change to her shell bra. The only features that haven't changed are her torso and arms. I think that overall, she is the best doll in the new class of Classic Princess dolls from the Disney Store. That is fitting, as this is the year of the Diamond Edition release of her movie, The Little Mermaid.
Her head has been redesigned to be rounder than the previous models, thus more accurate by the shape alone. Her forehead is lower, her cheeks are fuller and her cheekbones are more prominent. Her cute button nose, open mouth smile and small angular chin seem to be same as the previous model. So her head is not as long, and her face is not as flat.
Her face is similar to last years, but with many small changes. Her eye molds appears to be the same shape, but the corners of her eyes are more rounded, so overall the eyes are slightly smaller but rounder. Her big round blue green eyes are wide open, and glancing to her right. They are darker, the pupils are significantly larger, and the glance is more severe than the 2012 doll. It makes for a more lively and adorable expression. She has four short thick curving black lashes over each eye, in the same pattern as last year, and black eyeliner under them that is thicker and darker than before. She has silver eyeshadow as before, but the thick eyeliner partially obscures the eyeshadow. Her rust colored eyebrows a little thicker and darker than last year, and are closer to her eyes. The rouge on her cheeks are much darker than last year, when it was barely visible, if it was there at all. Her mouth is the same, but her lips are a dark pink (as opposed to last year's pastel pink), and her upper lip is painted thinner, and her lower lip is painted fuller. Her face is very beautiful, youthful, lively and much more movie accurate than before.
Her waist length red hair is mostly straight and soft, but it ends in large stiff curls. The area around her face is also stiffened with gel to keep it off her face, which works very well to make her face much more open than the 2012 doll. Her volume of hair is much less than before. Her hair is much more manageable, neater, and movie accurate than before. But her part is still on the wrong side of her head, and the large curving front bangs of the movie character are still missing from this doll.
Her tail is a dark blue green color, with green glitter forming a scale pattern that is fetching. However her upper and lower fins are made of light blue green tulle that looks much less realistic and movie accurate than the 2012 model. Her purple shell bra is a little darker and a little more accurate than before. It also seems to fit better.
Her body is fully articulated in the arms, but now has the rubber legs of 2011 and earlier dolls, which has internal knee joints and fixed angled feet. Her hip joints allow her to sit down with her legs together and her back straight up, unlike the 2012 doll with the fully articulated but defective legs. Her angled rubber feet also make her about 1/4 inch shorter than the 2012 doll. I'd say that the rubber legs are definitely a big improvement for Ariel over the fully articulated hard plastic legs of 2012.
The packaging for the dolls is much improved. The box art has been completely redesigned, with beautiful decorations unique to each Princess (actually for each movie), and a cameo of the animated movie character. The boxes are the same height and width, but are 1/2'' flatter, making them smaller and lighter.
The 2013 Disney Princess Classic Doll Collection, released on June 10, 2013. They consist of 11-12'' articulated dolls of the 11 official Disney Princesses, from Snow White to Merida, as well as Princes, Villains and Sidekicks. I now have all 11 Princesses, Queen Elinor, Charlotte and Gaston. I will photograph them boxed, during deboxing and fully deboxed. I will also post reviews and comparative photos.
Classic Disney Princess Ariel Doll - 12''
US Disney Store
Released online June 10, 2013.
Purchased online June 13, 2013.
Received June 24, 2013.
$14.95 (was on sale for $10 at time of purchase).
A high detail photo, shot on the Canon EOS R & 100mm 2.8 L macro.
A series of 17 images stacked in photoshop, then downsized to be a bit more manageable. So this isn't close to being full res.
We were on our way to the hospital yesterday and passed this little dog. Not having Harbie meant we were able to have a little chat with her owner. We've seen her with her dog, Lady (I think she called her) a few times but have never been able to get close because of Harbie's outbursts! We have waved however and I've always thought her dog looked quite a lot like Harbie. On closer inspection, Lady is much smaller than Harbie, she is about 4 years old, loves people (as Harbie does) but is scared of fireworks, thunder and recently, rain (not good considering our climate lately!) She's a little charmer though and sounds much more manageable than our Harbie! Lady came from Bulgaria originally. Her owner said sometimes people confuse her dog with the other two similar dogs (including ours!)
The Kliment Voroshilov (KV) tanks were a series of Soviet heavy tanks, named after the Soviet defense commissar and politician Kliment Voroshilov. The KV series were known for their extremely heavy armour protection during the early war, especially during the first year of the invasion of the Soviet Union in World War II. Almost completely immune to the 3.7 cm KwK 36 and howitzer-like, short barreled 7.5 cm KwK 37 guns mounted respectively on the early Panzer III and Panzer IV tanks, until better guns were developed often the only way to defeat a KV was a point-blank shot to the rear. Prior to the invasion, about 500 of the over 22,000 tanks in Soviet service at the time were of the KV-1 type. When the KV-1 appeared, it outclassed the French Char B1, the only heavy tank used in the world at that time. Yet in the end it turned out that there was little sense in producing the expensive KV tanks, as the T-34 medium tank performed better (or at least equally) in all practical respects. Later in the war, the KV series became a base of development of the Iosif Stalin tanks.
Development
After disappointing results with the multi-turreted T-35 heavy tank, Soviet tank designers started drawing up replacements. The T-35 conformed to the 1920s notion of a 'breakthrough tank' with very heavy firepower and armour protection, but suffered from poor mobility. The Spanish Civil War demonstrated the need for much heavier armor on tanks, and was the main influence on Soviet tank design just prior to World War II.
Several competing designs were offered, and even more were drawn up prior to reaching prototype stage. All had heavy armour, torsion-bar suspension, wide tracks, and were of welded and cast construction. One of the main competing designs was the SMK, which in its final form had two turrets, mounting the same combination of 76.2 mm and 45 mm weapons. The designers of the SMK independently drew up a single-turreted variant and this received approval at the highest level. Two of these, named after the People's Defence Commissioner were ordered alongside a single SMK. The smaller hull and single turret enabled the designer to install heavy frontal and turret armour while keeping the weight within manageable limits.
When the Soviets entered the Winter War, the SMK, KV and a third design, the T-100, were sent to be tested in combat conditions. The KV outperformed the SMK and T-100 designs. The KV's heavy armour proved highly resistant to Finnish anti-tank weapons, making it more difficult to stop. In 1939 production of 50 KV was ordered. During the War, the Soviets found it difficult to deal with the concrete bunkers used by the Finns and a request was made for a tank with a large howitzer. One of the rush projects to meet the request put the howitzer in a new turret on one of the KV tanks.
Initially known as Little Turret and Big turret, the 76-mm-armed tank was designated as the KV-1 Heavy Tank and the 152 mm howitzer one as KV-2 Heavy Artillery Tank.
The KV's strengths included armor that was impenetrable by any tank-mounted weapon then in service except at point-blank range, that it had good firepower, and that it had good traction on soft ground. It also had serious flaws: it was difficult to steer, the transmission (which was a twenty year old Caterpillar design) was unreliable (and was known to have to be shifted with a hammer),[6] and the ergonomics were poor, with limited visibility and no turret basket. Furthermore, at 45 tons, it was simply too heavy. This severely impacted the maneuverability, not so much in terms of maximum speed, as through inability to cross many bridges medium tanks could cross. The KV outweighed most other tanks of the era, being about twice as heavy as the heaviest contemporary German tank. KVs were never equipped with a snorkeling system to ford shallow rivers, so they had to be left to travel to an adequate bridge. As applique armor and other improvements were added without increasing engine power, later models were less capable of keeping up to speed with medium tanks and had more trouble with difficult terrain. In addition, its firepower was no better than the T-34. It took field reports from senior commanders "and certified heroes", who could be honest without risk of punishment, to reveal "what a dog the KV-1.
By 1942, when the Germans were fielding large numbers of long-barrelled 50 mm and 75 mm guns, the KV's armor was no longer invincible. The KV-1's side, top, and turret armor could also be penetrated by the high-velocity MK 101 carried by German ground attack aircraft such as the Henschel Hs 129, requiring the installation of additional field-expedient appliqué armour. The KV-1's 76.2 mm gun also came in for criticism. While adequate against all German tanks, it was the same gun as carried by smaller, faster, and cheaper T-34 medium tanks. In 1943, it was determined that this gun could not penetrate the frontal armour of the new Tiger,the first German heavy tank, fortunately captured near Leningrad. The KV-1 was also much more difficult to manufacture and thus more expensive than the T-34. In short, its advantages no longer outweighed its drawbacks.
Nonetheless, because of its initial superior performance, the KV-1 was chosen as one of the few tanks to continue being built following the Soviet reorganization of tank production. Due to the new standardization, it shared the similar engine (the KV used a 600 hp V-2K modification of the T-34's V-2 diesel engine) and gun (the KV had a ZiS-5 main gun, while the T-34 had a similar F-34 main gun) as the T-34, was built in large quantities, and received frequent upgrades.
When production shifted to the Ural Mountains 'Tankograd' complex, the KV-2 was dropped. While impressive on paper, it had been designed as a slow-moving bunker-buster. It was less useful in highly mobile, fluid warfare that developed in World War II. The turret was so heavy it was difficult to traverse on non-level terrain, and it was expensive to produce. Only about 300 KV-2s were made, all in 1940-41, making it one of the rarer Soviet tanks. Many KV-2s were later converted into KV-1s.
As the war continued, the KV-1 continued to get more armour to compensate for the increasing effectiveness of German weapons. This culminated in the KV-1 model 1942 (German designation KV-1C), which had very heavy armour, but lacked a corresponding improvement to the engine. Tankers complained that although they were well-protected, their mobility was poor and they had no firepower advantage over the T-34 medium tank.[citation needed]
In response to criticisms, the lighter KV-1S (Russian language: КВ-1С) was released, with thinner armour and a smaller, lower turret in order to reclaim some speed. Importantly, the KV-1S also had a commander's cupola with all-around vision blocks, a first for a Soviet heavy tank. However, the thinning-out of the armor called into question why the tank was being produced at all, when the T-34 could seemingly do everything the KV could do and much more cheaply. The Soviet heavy tank program was close to cancellation in mid-1943.
The appearance of the German Panther tank in the summer of 1943 convinced the Red Army to make a serious upgrade of its tank force for the first time since 1941. Soviet tanks needed bigger guns to take on the growing numbers of Panthers and the few Tigers.
A stopgap upgrade to the KV series was the short-lived KV-85 or Objekt 239. This was a KV-1S with a new turret designed for the IS-85, mounting the same 85 mm D-5T gun as the SU-85 and early versions of the T-34-85; demand for the gun slowed production of the KV-85 tremendously and only 148 were built before the KV design was replaced. The KV-85 was produced in the fall and winter of 1943-44; they were sent to the front as of September 1943 and production of the KV-85 was stopped by the spring of 1944 once the IS-2 entered full scale production.
Successor
A new heavy tank design entered production late in 1943 based on the work done on the KV-13. Because Kliment Voroshilov had fallen out of political favour, the new heavy tank series was named the Iosif Stalin tank, after Iosif (Joseph) Stalin. The KV-13 program's IS-85 prototype was accepted for production as the IS-1 (or IS-85, Object 237) heavy tank. After testing with both 100 mm and 122 mm guns, the D-25T 122 mm gun was selected as the main armament of the new tank, primarily because of its ready availability and the effect of its large high-explosive shell when attacking German fortifications. The 122mm D-25T used a separate shell and powder charge, resulting in a lower rate of fire and reduced ammunition capacity. While the 122mm armour piercing shell had a lower muzzle velocity than similar late German 7.5 cm and 8.8 cm guns, proving-ground tests showed that the 122mm AP shell could defeat the frontal armour of the German Panther tank, and the HE shell would easily blow off the drive sprocket and tread of the heaviest German tank or self-propelled gun. The IS-122 replaced the IS-85, and began mass production as the IS-2. The 85 mm gun saw service in the lighter SU-85 and T-34-85.
A destroyed Soviet KV-1 in Olonets, September 1941, during the Continuation War
Some KVs remained in service right up to the end of the war, although in greatly diminishing numbers as they wore out or were knocked out. The 260th Guards Heavy Breakthrough Tank Regiment, based on the Leningrad front, operated a number of 1941-vintage KV-1s at least as late as the summer of 1944 before re-equipping with IS-2s. A regiment of KVs saw service in Manchuria in August 1945, and a few KV-85s were used in the Crimea in the summer of 1944. The Finnish forces had two KVs, nicknamed Klimi, a Model 1940 and Model 1941, both of which received minor upgrades in their service, and both of which survived the war. A single captured KV-2 was used by German forces in 1945 against US forces in the Ruhr.
Specifications (KV-1 Model 1941)
Weight - 45 tonnes
Length - 6.75 m (22 ft 2 in)
Width - 3.32 m (10 ft 11 in)
Height -2.71 m (8 ft 11 in)
Crew - 5
Armour - 90 mm maximum
Main armament -76.2 mm model F-34 gun
Secondary armament - 3× or 4× DT machine guns
Engine - 12-cylinder diesel model V-2 600 hp (450 kW)
Power/weight - 13 hp/tonne
Suspension - Torsion bar
Operational range - 335 km
Speed - 35 km/h (22 mph)
...a timeless boulder marking the trail to the Thompson River High Falls.. I was here just two weeks ago and casually walked across the Thompson River at White Owl Falls, but today things were radically different. I hiked down the river trail and turned right on the High Falls Trail. I was pumped to be on a trail hiked by countless others before me for well over a hundred years to one of the most popular waterfalls in the Gorges for both fishing and aesthetics! I arrived at the trail marked with this boulder after hiking about 1/2 mile and started down the trail, which turned out to be manageable, even though it was sopping wet.
Railways of Great Britain
This start of another one of my collections, although I have posted a few in the past.
I have taken quite a few images over the years of Old Steam, Diesel and Electric engines and after sorting out probably 3,000 plus, I’ve now got it down to a more manageable number.
I’m starting with English Engines. Some of these images could be 25 years old. Many were transferred from negatives via a scanner so the quality will not be as good I would like. I have put them all through Photoshop to get rid of the most glaring issues
Apologies to those enthusiasts if I don’t get the right engine with the right Railway, they were taken a long time ago, some of them have moved on and my memory is not as good as it was.
Happy viewing.
In terms of luxury, there's not much than can top the last of the mighty Maybachs, the stylish and structurally unsound 57 and the even larger 62 being what all car manufacturers aspire to build. Now, while many consider these cars for being failures in their own right of not being able to appeal to a market outside of business executives and company vehicles, I wouldn't consider them pseudonyms for bad cars, if anything they're incredibly well built, and the attention to every single detail is astounding, even giving the well established Rolls Royce and Bentley a run for their money!
The Maybach company was founded in 1909 by Wilhelm Maybach, one of the founding fathers of the original motor car back in the late 1800's. For a period the company created a selection of admirable but often forgotten creations that were meant to rival the luxury and premise of their Anglican rivals, Rolls Royce and Bentley. The first Maybach to be built was in 1921, this being the W3. Not much is known about these early pre-war Maybachs, but for the few that have managed to survive the years in museums or private collections have been noted for their esteemed luxury. However, World War II dealt a bitter blow to the Maybach brand, which although had been able to produce engines for the German Army's Panzer II and Panzer III tanks, the company never restarted production and for the next 20 years lay dormant until it was bought up by Daimler-Benz in 1960, with the engine division being renamed MTU.
However, in the mid to late 1990s a sudden interest in large luxury cars such as contemporary Rolls Royces and Bentleys gave parent company Daimler AG (parent company of Mercedes-Benz) the incentive to create their own superluxury car, only this one was going to be so lavish and chocked full of so many luxury items that it would simply blow the British builders out of the water. The first concept cars for their new luxury brand were unveiled in 1997 at the Tokyo Motor Show, being dubbed the 57 and the 62, a representation of the car's length in decimetres. At the time Rolls Royce and Bentley were still the same company, and competed with the brand new Rolls Royce Silver Seraph/Bentley Arnage, though it wouldn't be before 2002 until the first of the Maybach models were introduced to the public market.
The launch of Maybach was ideal in terms of timing as in 2002, the five year contract between BMW and Volkswagen over the ownership of Rolls Royce/Bentley ceased, and the company was split. Rolls Royce was taken over by BMW and promptly ceased production of the Silver Seraph and Corniche V whilst their new range of BMW models were developed, and Bentley remained with Volkswagen, continuing to build the Arnage, the Continental of the early 1990's and the Azure of 1995. Indeed it looked like Maybach's new investment into the luxury car market was well placed, seeing as their closest competition was in utter dismay!
The Maybach 57 & 62's design is derived from the Mercedes S-Class, and cars are powered by 5.5L and 6.0L V12 engines, providing the cars with 518hp in the 57 and 570hp in the 62. Performance wise it's very impressive, with the 57 accelerating from 0-60 in 5.1 seconds, and the 62 in 4.8 seconds, not bad, considering these cars weight 6,000lbs! The asking prices for such incredible pieces of kit ranged from $366,000 for the Maybach 57 to $492,000 for the 62 S (Special), as well as the jaw-dropping $1,350,000 cost of the rare and ambiguous Landaulet convertible!
Of course when you pay for these things, you are paying for a hell of a lot of car! I remember attending an overview of the Maybach 62 a couple of years back at a car show and was actually very impressed with the number of gadgets and features the owner were lucky enough to have bestowed upon them.
Sitting inside it was like being in the first class cabin of a British Airways Boeing 747, crossed with the promenade deck of a luxury yacht! There are TV screens in the backs of the seat complete with DVD player and a hugely complicated radio/stereo system, there's wood veneer on all the surfaces, the seats you sank into with lovely thick head cushions (in fact I nearly fell asleep they were so comfy!), a Champagne bar with silver glasses and a fridge in the centre console for the bottle of Bubbly, as well as housing a mobile phone! The door panels were a maze of buttons for seat alignments and reclining options, including also heating, cooling, massaging, tumble drying, etc. In fact the seats recline so far back that they almost turn into beds!
And just so you're all tucked up warm at night, there's a blind that comes across the rear window!
These weren't cars, they were Beverley Hills Mansions on wheels! It was like driving around in Blenheim Palace, and performed just as well, seeing as they are very long and will probably mount the curb a few times on sharp city bends! For a short while Maybach had absolutely cornered the market, but in 2003 Rolls Royce got its act back in gear and launched the Phantom, an equally as outrageous car in terms of luxuries provided and raw power, but not as much as the Maybach. Although I'm an avid Rolls Royce man, I will not hesitate to say that the Maybach delivers luxury in spades and contemporary Rollers don't hold a candle to it. But I will defend the Spirit of Ecstasy by saying that these cars are by no means 'Driver's Cars'. In order to truly appreciate the Maybach you have to be a passenger, otherwise it's just like driving any other car, but with the addition of it being very heavy, which makes pulling away from traffic lights a bit stunted and cornering a bit cautious because of how long these things are. A Rolls Royce on the other hand, especially the Ghost, is a more manageable car, something you can drive but at the same time still enjoy the luxuries of.
Because the Rolls Royce is a driver's car, and the Bentley Continental and Continental GT that were launched the same year are much more agile and sporty, the Maybach began to suffer, and that's even before we get down to the name. Probably the biggest advantage Rolls Royce and Bentley had were brand recognition, seeing as both these names have become bywords for wealth, affluence and gratuitous luxury. Maybach on the other hand had been a dormant brand since 1945, so anyone under the age of 80 had probably never heard of them and therefore didn't know what they were getting themselves in for. In the end the Maybach's primary market was the chauffeur driven business executive, luxury hotel transfer or company car market, and if you take a walk around London, you'll probably find a majority of the Maybach's you come across will be in this employment. No one could really own such a massive car for individual purposes. Indeed word-of-mouth about the Maybach's luxury performance, as well as a few features on Top Gear, may have helped it along, but Maybach simply weren't able to shift enough of these cars to justify the costs that went into making them, exacerbated by the 2008 economic recession.
With Maybach making a loss of 330,000 Euros on every car they sold, parent company Daimler AG decided to review the situation. Finding that the idea of buying such overly exuberant and massively expensive cars was no longer viable for the new-money, Daimler announced that they would bring an end to the Maybach brand in 2013. In the end only 2,110 cars were produced in it's 11 year production life, a sad end to such an endearing machine, but unfortunately a misguided one. Replaced by the Mercedes S-Class Pullman, the company has now once again become dormant, with hindsight reviews of the car being mixed.
Some say that the Maybach is probably the greatest luxury car ever made, and was ranked the #1 Luxury Car in 2008 over Rolls Royce and Bentley. Others such as Top Gear, who had lauded the car upon its launch in 2002, went on to rank it as 2nd on their Top 13 worst cars of the past 20 years countdown, pointing out the fact that the car's brand was unrecognisable for the new money, and due to it being such a large car specifically for chauffeur driven executives, it wasn't able to rake in the market for oligarchs and celebrities who desired a 'Driver's Car'. The biggest problem however for the Maybach was indeed its name. Whilst Rolls Royce and Bentley both have distinguished and long lasting histories that can be traced across the last century, and have become bywords for exclusivity and luxury as well as the fact that they're built in their own factories away from their parent companies, the Maybach had little to no recognisable history, had a name that no one outside of Germany or born since 1950 knew about, and was built on the same production lines as other Mercedes products, which made it seem a bit more run-of-the-mill.
But in any case, the Maybach 57 and 62 did show us how far luxury cars of such unbelievable variety, size and outrageous gadgetry can go, pushing the boundaries of what is technically possible for such massive luxury machines. Announcements however have been made in late 2014 to revive the Maybach brand, which means we could have more titanic luxury motors coming our way soon!
Watch this space...
I have been doing a small art drawing every morning for some time now. I don't plan or overthink, I just do. Postcards are my substrate a manageable size for a quick drawing. It's interesting to see how the work evolves.
A shot taken back in July, but seemed apt to post after being in the emergency room last night till late, and then visiting a Orthopedic specialist with Lulu, feeling a bit old this evening LOL,
Lulu Has her Ankle all strapped up and a big boot velcro support thingy on at the moment to support it and the pain is manageable, she needs to rest her foot up for the next few days and use crutches when moving around, and then will have to have physical therapy for a bit as she has sprained and torn it up pretty bad, the Dr said it will take 6 weeks or more before its all healed and she is back up to speed on it
Am taking tomorrow off to help her and keep her off her feet as much as possible so a long weekend for me :)
The Glass Obelisk and Kulturhuset at Sergels Torg - Stockholm, Sweden.
Coming out of my hotel after some shelter from the rain, I decided to walk to Sergels Torg, which was only a few steps away. I brought an umbrella but decided that I did not need it after all, the rain was reduced to a mere drizzle and was manageable enough to take photos.
This is a popular spot in Stockholm, the city's commercial area and a great hangout for local folks. Just the previous day, this area was packed with aspiring singers auditioning for the Swedish Idol. This night, however, was more toned down thanks to the bad weather.
Sergels Torg is a public square in Stockholm named after 18th century sculptor Johan Tobias Sergel, whose workshop was once located north of the square. The square includes a fountain where you can also find the 37-meter tall glass obelisk made by Edvin Öhrström in 1974.
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Copyright 2010 | Yen Baet | All Rights Reserved.
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Description
Designed by Donald L. Grieb Associates, Architect, the Conservatory is composed of three beehive-shaped glass domes that span 140 feet (43 m) in diameter and are 85 feet (26 m) high. They are properly referred to as the world's first conoidal domes. They cover 45,000 square feet (4,200 m2) of display area and were constructed in stages from 1959 to 1967. Locally, they are commonly called the "three-breasted lady".
Connecting the three domes is a central lobby area, which was extensively redesigned in the summer of 2008. A smaller service dome behind the Conservatory holds replacement plants and an orchid collection. This section is not open to the public.
Show Dome
The Show Dome opened in December 1964. It hosts four seasonal shows and one holiday exhibit held annually in December for visitors to enjoy. Each show has a theme chosen based on cultural (such as Japanese, German and French), literary (Charles Dickens "A Christmas Carol"), or historical interest (Colonial Williamsburg and the History of Herb Gardening, for example). In most recent years, the Winter Show has featured an extensive garden railway display put on with the cooperation of many Wisconsin Model Railroad club members. It has become one of the most popular displays during the year and is one of the largest indoor Garden Railroad displays in the Midwest.
Tropical Dome
The Tropical Dome opened in February 1966. The Tropical Dome features nearly 1,000 species of plants, including many economically important fruit bearing plants such as banana, papaya, ackee, guava, avocado, and cacao. One of the cacao trees is over 60 years old and was transplanted from the old Conservatory. It still sets fruit each year. Hardwoods include big-leaf, little-leaf, and African mahoganies, ebony and lignum vitae. A rare curare vine can also be found growing.
The dome is seasonally decorated with a wide variety of blooming plants, including a number of award winning orchids. The center of the Dome is dominated by a large kapok tree. It is one of the tallest trees under glass. At one time, its height was up to 95 feet (29 m) high, but is now kept at a more manageable 60 feet (18 m). In addition to the plants, the Tropical Dome is home to a number of colorful birds.
Arid Dome
The Arid Dome opened in November 1967. It displays a wide variety of plants from the Americas and Africa. The American section contains a large number of plants native to the Sonoran Desert, including shrubs, trees, annuals and bulbs, as well as the familiar cacti. The African section has aloes, crassulas, euphorbias, along with the unusual Welwitschia plant, which has only two continuously growing leaves and may live for over a thousand years.
Another section hosts the succulent flora of Madagascar and includes plants such as Euphorbia, Pachypodium, Adenia, Didierea, Alluaudia, and Operculicarya. Many of them were grown from seed obtained in Madagascar. This area was formally dedicated on September 8, 1984 by Leon Rajaobelina, the Ambassador from Madagascar.
In August 2006, an Encephalartos ferox produced a double red-colored cone. It is only the second time in over 30 years this has happened. The cones are expected to last several months, most likely until spring brings warmer weather.
The Conservatory was closed during the summer of 2008 to facilitate the replacement of 800 cracked glass panels. The lobby was remodeled and a $500,000 donation allowed for a new external and internal lighting system. The Conservatory re-opened to large crowds on October 20, 2008. A series of concerts was held on Thursday nights through November. Several other improvements include a re-configured parking lot, outside landscaping and a new educational center scheduled to open in fall of 2009. Future plans call for a greenhouse complex at the rear of the Conservatory to replace current off site facilities.
Got some not so good news on my mum's health today, fingers crossed it will be something manageable.
Catch up on my 215 in 2015 journey.
As with my previous SOOC (Straight Out Of the Camera) exercises, the ONLY editing I did was to reduce the size from the snapshot in SL (4000×3500) down to a 1024 size manageable for the blog and Flickr. There’s been no cropping, adjustments, or texturizing.
slicesoflifesl.wordpress.com/2014/04/29/sooc-insanity-par...
German postcard by Ross Verlag. Photo: Universal / Super Jewel. Miss DuPont in Foolish Wives (Erich von Stroheim, 1922).
Was Austrian-born Erich von Stroheim (1885-1957) a Hollywood movie star or a European film star? (Who cares!) As the sadistic, monocled Prussian officer in both American and French films, he became ‘The Man You Love to Hate’. But maybe he is best known as one of the greatest and most influential directors of the silent era, known for his extravaganza and the uncompromising accuracy of detail in his monumental films.
Erich von Stroheim's most recent biographers, such as Richard Koszarski, say that he was born in Austria-Hungary (now Austria) in 1885 as Erich Oswald Stroheim. He was the son of Benno Stroheim, a middle-class hat-maker, and Johanna Bondy, both of whom were practising Jews. Stroheim emigrated to America at the end of 1909. On arrival at Ellis Island, he claimed to be Count Erich Oswald Hans Carl Maria von Stroheim und Nordenwall, the son of Austrian nobility like the characters he later played in his films. However, both Billy Wilder and Stroheim's agent Paul Kohner claimed that he spoke with a decidedly lower-class Austrian accent. In 1912 while working at a tavern he met his first wife, Margaret Knox, and moved in with her. Knox acted as a sort of mentor to von Stroheim, teaching him language and literature and encouraging him to write. Under Knox's tutelage, he wrote a novella entitled In the Morning, with themes that anticipated his films: corrupt aristocracy and innocence debased. The couple married in 1913, but money woes drove von Stroheim to deep depression and terrible temper tantrums, and in 1914 Knox filed for divorce. By then he was working in Hollywood. He began his cinema career in bit-parts and as a consultant on German culture and fashion. His first film was The Country Boy (Frederick A. Thomson, 1915) in which he was an uncredited diner in a restaurant. His first credited role came in Old Heidelberg (John Emerson, 1915) starring Wallace Reed and Dorothy Gish. He began working with D. W. Griffith, taking uncredited roles in Intolerance (1916). Additionally, Von Stroheim acted as one of the many assistant directors on Intolerance, a film remembered in part for its huge cast of extras. Later, he played the sneering German with the short Prussian military hairstyle in such films as Sylvia of the Secret Service (George Fitzmaurice, 1917) and The Hun Within (Chester Whitey, 1918) with Dorothy Gish. In the war drama The Heart of Humanity (Allen Holuba, 1918), he tore the buttons from a nurse's uniform with his teeth, and when disturbed by a crying baby, threw it out of a window. Following the end of World War I, Von Stroheim turned to writing.
In 1919, Erich von Stroheim directed his own script for Blind Husbands (1919), and also starred in the film. As a director, Stroheim was known to be dictatorial and demanding, often antagonizing his actors. He is considered one of the greatest directors of the silent era, with both cynical and romantic views of human nature. His next directorial efforts were the lost film The Devil's Pass Key (1919) and Foolish Wives (1922), in which he also starred. Studio publicity for Foolish Wives claimed that it was the first film to cost one million dollars. ‘Von’ translated sexual subjects in a witty and ostentatious manner, and his first films for Universal are among the most acclaimed sophisticated films of the silent era. In 1923, Stroheim began work on Merry-Go-Round. He cast the American actor Norman Kerry in a part written for himself 'Count Franz Maximilian Von Hohenegg' and newcomer Mary Philbin in the lead actress role. However, studio executive Irving Thalberg fired Von Stroheim during filming and replaced him with director Rupert Julian. He left Universal for Goldwyn Films to make Greed (1924). This monumental film is now one of Stroheim's best-remembered works as a director. It is a detailed film of Frank Norris’ novel McTeague, about the power of money to corrupt. The original print ran for an astonishing 10 hours. Knowing this version was far too long, Stroheim cut out almost half the footage, reducing it to a six-hour version to be shown over two nights. It was still deemed too long, so Stroheim and director Rex Ingram edited it into a four-hour version that could be shown in two parts. However, in the midst of filming, Goldwyn was bought by Marcus Loew and merged into Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. After rejecting Stroheim's attempts to cut it to less than three hours, MGM removed Greed from his control and gave it to head scriptwriter June Mathis, with orders to cut it down to a manageable length. Mathis gave the print to a routine cutter, who reduced it to 2.5 hours. In what is considered one of the greatest losses in cinema history, a janitor destroyed the cut footage. The shortened release version was a box-office failure and was angrily disowned by Von Stroheim. He followed with his most commercially successful film The Merry Widow (1925), the more personal The Wedding March (1928) and the now-lost The Honeymoon. Stroheim's unwillingness or inability to modify his artistic principles for the commercial cinema, his extreme attention to detail, his insistence on near-total artistic freedom, and the resulting costs of his films led to fights with the studios. As time went on he received fewer directing opportunities. In 1929, Stroheim was dismissed as the director of the film Queen Kelly after disagreements with star Gloria Swanson and producer and financier Joseph P. Kennedy over the mounting costs of the film and Stroheim's introduction of indecent subject matter into the film's scenario. It was followed by Walking Down Broadway, another project from which Stroheim was dismissed.
After the introduction of sound film, Erich von Stroheim returned to working principally as an actor, in both American and French films. One of his most famous roles is the prison-camp commandant Von Rauffenstein in Jean Renoir's La Grande Illusion/Grand Illusion (1937) with Jean Gabin. It is a classic anti-war film about friendship, comradeship, and human relations. Working in France on the eve of World War II, Stroheim was prepared to direct the film La dame blanche from his own story and screenplay. Jean Renoir wrote the dialogue, Jacques Becker was to be assistant director, and Stroheim himself, Louis Jouvet, and Jean-Louis Barrault were to be the featured actors. The production was prevented by the outbreak of the war on 1 September 1939, and Stroheim returned to the United States. There he appeared in Five Graves to Cairo (Billy Wilder, 1943). He is perhaps best known as an actor for his role as Max von Mayerling in Wilder's Sunset Boulevard (Billy Wilder, 1950), co-starring Gloria Swanson. For this role, Von Stroheim was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. His character states in the film that he used to be one of the three great directors of the silent era, along with D.W. Griffith and Cecil B. DeMille, and he and Swanson watch excerpts from Queen Kelly in the film. Their characters in Sunset Boulevard thus had an autobiographical basis and reflected the humiliations Von Stroheim suffered through his career. Erich von Stroheim was married three times. His second wife was Mae Jones. Their son Erich Jr. became an assistant director. With his third wife, actress Valerie Germonprez, he had another son, Joseph Erich von Stroheim, who eventually became a sound editor. From 1939 until his death, he lived with actress Denise Vernac. She had worked for him as his secretary since 1938 and starred with him in several films. Von Stroheim spent the last part of his life in France where his silent film work was much admired by artists in the French film industry. In France, he acted in films, wrote several novels that were published in French, and worked on various unrealized film projects. Erich von Stroheim was awarded the French Légion d'honneur shortly before his death in 1957 in Maurepas, France at the age of 71.
Sources: Encyclopaedia Britannica, AllMovie, Wikipedia, and IMDb.
And, please check out our blog European Film Star Postcards.