nonexistent photos on Flickr

1:72 North American Model NA-104 P-51E 'Mustang', aircraft ‘B6-G bar “Big Bird II” (44-32773)’, USAAF 363rd FS, 357th FG; Station 373/RAF Leiston (Suffolk, England), early 1945 (What-if/kitbashing) by Dizzyfugu

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+++ DISCLAIMER +++

Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!

Some background:

The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in 1940 by North American Aviation (NAA) in response to a requirement of the British Purchasing Commission. The Purchasing Commission approached North American Aviation to build Curtiss P-40 fighters under license for the Royal Air Force (RAF). Rather than build an old design from another company, North American Aviation proposed the design and production of a more modern fighter. The prototype NA-73X airframe was rolled out on 9 September 1940, 102 days after the contract was signed, and first flew on 26 October.

The Mustang was originally designed to use the Allison V-1710 engine, which, in its earlier variants, had limited high-altitude performance. It was first flown operationally by the RAF as a tactical-reconnaissance aircraft and fighter-bomber (Mustang Mk I). Production of the P-51B/C began at North American's Inglewood California plant in June 1943 and P-51s started to become available to the 8th and 9th Air Forces in the winter of 1943–1944. The addition of the Rolls-Royce Merlin to the P-51B/C model transformed the Mustang's performance at altitudes above 15,000 ft, allowing the aircraft to compete with the Luftwaffe's fighters. Among the almost 4.000 Mustangs of this variant built a quarter was supplied under Lend-Lease to the RAF as the Mustang Mk III. The definitive version, the P-51D, was powered by the Packard V-1650-7, a license-built version of the two-speed, two-stage-supercharged Merlin 66, and was armed with six .50 caliber (12.7 mm) AN/M2 Browning machine guns.

The P-51 offered an excellent performance, but North American kept trying to improve, and developed a number of lightweight versions. The lightweight Mustangs had a new wing design and airfoils designed to give less drag than the previous NAA/NACA 45-100. In addition, the planform was a simple trapezoid, with no leading-edge extension at the root.

In 1943, North American submitted a proposal to redesign the P-51D as model NA-104, from an enquiry by the USAAF as to why British aircraft were lighter than American ones. NAA engineers had examined the various components and equipment fitted to Spitfires, and through thorough inspection of airframes and construction plans NAA found that British load factors were less than American ones, and working to the lower load factors helped the design team reduce structural weight wherever possible. Exploiting the structural potential and lightening or reducing other equipment, the NA-104’s revised design was in total some 1,600 lb (730 kg) lighter than the P-51D. Modifications to save weight and improve performance included a thinner laminar flow wing, streamlining changes to the cowling, a simplified undercarriage with smaller wheels and disc brakes (necessitated by the thinner wings), a different canopy, and an armament of only four 0.5” Brownings, even though the ammunition supply was changed to 400 rounds per gun.

The lightweight NA-104 was powered by the new V-1650-9 engine, a redesigned "slimline" version of the Merlin 100-series. The engine’s design was modified to decrease frontal area to a minimum and was the first Merlin series to use down-draught induction systems. The coolant pump was moved from the bottom of the engine to the starboard side, and the engine featured a two-speed, two-stage supercharger and an S.U. injection carburetor. The V-1650-9 not only delivered an increased constant output of 1,380 hp (1,030 kW), it also featured a water-methanol injection that could temporarily boost the engine’s emergency power to 2,218 hp (1.655 kW). The exhaust arrangement was revised, too, exploiting the engine’s residual thrust to gain even more speed. An “uncuffed” three-blade Aeroproducts propeller unit with deeper blades was fitted, to better cope with the higher power output and the higher blade speeds
.
Unlike later lightweight Mustang versions/prototypes the NA-104‘s ventral radiator fairing remained the same shape and size, just as the main landing gear and its covers, both were, despite improved designs on the prototyoe workbench, retained to promote a quick production introduction. The former V-1650-7’s carburetor chin intake was relocated into the right wing’s root, and the cowling was modified and streamlined. The modified nose section was slightly longer than on previous Mustang versions, and to compensate for a resulting slight center of gravity shift forward the rear fuselage was slightly extended with a plug in the rear fuselage, just front of the tail surfaces, what increased the NA-104’s overall length by ~10 inch. As a side effect the longitudinal stability improved, so that the NA-104 did not require the stabilizing fin fillet that had been introduced on the P-51D and some late production P-51B/Cs, too.

In test flights, the NA-104, with optimized fuel load and a highly polished finish, achieved 491 mph (790 km/h) at 21,000 ft (6,400 m). In September 1944 the NA-104 was accepted by the USAAF as a high-performance interceptor under the designation P-51E. 500 aircraft were ordered, primarily for operations in Europe, specifically for the 8th and 9th Air Force, to protect the Allied airfields in Great Britain and as long-range escort fighters for Allied bomber raids against Germany. An option for 1.000 more was signed, too, to be delivered from August 1945.

The first P-51Es arrived in Great Britain in January 1945. However, large-scale combat between 8th Fighter Command and the Luftwaffe interceptor force had become virtually nonexistent after 28 May 1944 but, in August, contact had been made for the first time with both rocket-propelled and jet-propelled interceptors. While themselves a harbinger of a tactical change by the Luftwaffe, the contacts also indicated that the Germans were husbanding their fighter aircraft for sporadic reaction against Allied bomber attacks.
Operational tasks for the USAAFs P-51Es included the support of bomber attacks against German ground transportation during the Allied counter-offensive in the Ardennes in early 1945, strafing ground targets daily. However, on 14 January, strategic bombing resumed with attacks on oil installations near Berlin, and Mustangs were frequently tasked with protecting B-17s, employing a variation of the escort tactic called the "Zemke Fan", designed to lure in interceptors.
The Luftwaffe’s Jagdverbände, severely depleted, turned to jet interceptions beginning 9 February 1945 in an attempt to stop the onslaught of Allied heavy bombers. The Allies countered by flying combat air patrol missions over German airfields, intercepting Me 262s and Ar 234s as they took off and landed, the moment when these fast aircraft were most vulnerable. The tactic resulted in increasing numbers of jets shot down and controlled the dangerous situation, particularly as the amount of German-controlled territory shrank daily.

Another threat was the V-1 flying bomb attacks that had begun in mid-June 1944. The only aircraft with the low-altitude speed to be effective against it was the Hawker Tempest, but by that time fewer than 30 Tempests were available, assigned to No. 150 Wing RAF. Early attempts to intercept and destroy V-1s often failed, but improved techniques soon emerged. These included using the airflow over an interceptor's wing to raise one wing of the V-1, by sliding the wingtip to within 6 in (15 cm) of the lower surface of the V-1's wing. If properly executed, this maneuver would tip the V-1's wing up, over-riding the gyro and sending the V-1 into an out-of-control dive. At least sixteen V-1s were destroyed this way, the first by a P-51 piloted by Major R. E. Turner of 356th Fighter Squadron on 18 June 1944. Once available, the USAAF’s P-51Es were frequently assigned to V-1 interception duties over the Channel and the southern coast of England, alleviating RAF units.

However, with the end of hostilities in Europe in May 1945 the P-51E contract was cancelled, as well as the option for more aircraft. Altogether only 363 lightweight P-51Es were completed and reached frontline units, exclusively operating with the 8th and 9th Fighter Command.

General characteristics:

Crew: 1

Length: 33 ft 3 in (10,15 m)

Wingspan: 37 ft 0 in (11,28 m)

Height: 13 ft 4½ in (4,08 m)

Wing area: 234 sq ft (21,81 m²)

Airfoil: NACA 66(2)-215

Empty weight: 5,792 lb (2.630 kg)

Loaded weight: 7,268 lb (3.300 kg)

Max. take-off weight: 9,559 lb (4.340 kg)

Maximum fuel capacity: 419 US gal (349 imp gal; 1,590 l)

Powerplant:

1× Packard V-1650-9 liquid-cooled V-12 with 2-stage intercooled supercharger,

delivering 1,380 hp (1,030 kW), 2,218 hp (1,655 kW) WEP with Water methanol injection,

driving a Hamilton Standard constant-speed, variable-pitch three blade propeller with

a 11 ft 2 in (3.40 m) diameter

Performance:

Maximum speed: 472 mph (760 km/h; 410 kn) at 21,200 ft (6,500 m)

Cruise speed: 362 mph (315 kn, 580 km/h)

Stall speed: 100 mph (87 kn, 160 km/h)

Range: 1,650 mi (1,434 nmi, 2,755 km) with external tanks

Service ceiling: 41,900 ft (12,800 m)

Rate of climb: 3,200 ft/min (16.3 m/s)

Wing loading: 39 lb/sqft (192 kg/m²)

Power/mass: 0.18 hp/lb (300 W/kg)

Lift-to-drag ratio: 14.6

Recommended Mach limit 0.8

Armament:

4× 0.50 caliber (12.7mm) AN/M2 Browning machine guns with 400 RPG

A pair of underwing hardpoints for a pair of drop tanks

or bombs of 100 lb (45 kg), 250 lb (113 kg) or 500 lb (226 kg) caliber

The kit and its assembly:

A project that was more complex than obvious at first glance. The plan was to create a “missing link” between the WWII P-51D and its lightweight sibling P-51H, which came too late in WWII to take seriously part in any combat. There actually were some “interim” designs, which paved the way (the F, G and J models), with lightweight hulls or different engines. My plan was to adopt some details of these aircraft to create the fictional P-51E.

For a look that subtly differs from the well-known P-51D I decided light-headedly to bash two Academy models together: a P-51D hull, mixed with the wings and tail from a P-51B/C kit, plus some inter-kit and external donors. What sounds simple turned out to be a major surgery task, though, because both kits are totally different, produced with individual moulds and few interchangeable parts! Even details which you’d expect to me identical (e. g. wing tip and tail shape) differ markedly.

For the P-51E kitbash the fuselage with cockpit, engine and radiator bath was taken from the P-51D, while the tail and the wings were taken from the P-51B/C, because they were slightly bigger, “edgier”, lacked the fin fillet and featured only four machine guns in the wings. Mating these parts called for many adaptations and massive PSR, though. To change the look further I removed the small wing leading edge extensions, for a completely straight edge, and the cowling was changed to look like a mix of the P-51F and J prototypes. The carburetor intake disappeared and a part of the P-51D spinner was used to extend the fuselage a little. A completely new three-blade propeller was scratched, using a Yokosuka D4Y spinner, a piece from an ESCI Ka-34 Hokum main rotor, and clipped blades from a Hasegawa F5U. A styrene tube was added to hold the propeller’s new metal axis. To compensate for the longer nose the rear fuselage a 2mm section of the P-51D hull was retained in front of the transplanted P-51B/C tail (which is a separate hull section, the -D has an integral tail).

The original exhausts were replaced with resin aftermarket pieces for P-400 Airacobra from Quickboost - for which the nose extension paid out, because the V-1710 exhaust arrangement is longer than the Merlin's.

Painting and markings:

I wanted a typical, potentially colorful USAAF livery from early 1945 for this what-if aircraft model. This meant that the aircraft would have a NMF livery, and Invasion Stripes or other ID markings were already removed or not applied to new aircraft anymore. Camouflage had been omitted from 1945, too. As squadron markings I went for the 357th FG red-and-yellow nose markings; these came with Academy’s P-51B/C kit, but I replaced them with decals from a Mistercraft/Intech kit from The Stash™ because their shape was simpler and would (probably) better match the modified lower nose. Searching for later P-51Ds of this group revealed that the aircraft hardly carried any other colorful marking, though – just the tactical code, and maybe some personal markings.

To keep in style I adapted this basis, using a tone called “White Aluminum (RAL 9006)” from a Duplicolor rattle can as an overall basis, but added a thin red edge to the olive drab (Revell 46) anti-glare panel, created with generic decal stripes. The rudder as well as the wing tips were painted in red, an official 363rd FS ID marking, as a counterbalance to the prominent nose, too.

The propeller spinner was painted free-handedly, in an attempt to match the checker decal's colors. Some hull panels were painted in a darker shade of aluminum to make the model look mo0re lively, and some post-shading with Humbrol Matt Aluminum Metallizer was done to improve that effect, too. Cockpit and landing gear wells were painted in a bright green zinc chromate primer tone.

Decals and markings were puzzled together from various sources. Finding a suitable 'B6' code fpr the 363rd FS was tough, but I was eventually able to scratch it from 'P9' codes from two Academy P-47D kits/sheets! BTW, the horizontal bar above the aircraft's individual letter was a real world marking for a second aircraft that bore this tactical code within the unit. The nose art/tag was also donated from an Academy P-47, the yellow font matches the rest of the unit colors well.

The anti glare panel and the propeller blades received a matt varnish coat, while the rest of the hull was covered with a mix of matt and a little semi-gloss varnish - contemporary Mustang photos from 1945 suggest that, despite being bare metal, the aircraft were not polished or shiny at all, yet the aluminum would have some reflections. I think that the final overall finish looks quite good. As a final step I added some light soot stains behind the exhausts and the machine gun orifices, and dry-brushed some silver on edges/areas where paint could have flaked in real life. Not much, but it adds to the overall impression of a used aircraft.

A more demanding project than meets the eye. Bashing the two Mustang kits for a fictional new one might have been a smart idea, but it turned out to be a nightmare because the two 1:72 Mustand Academy kits are totally incompatible. Additionally, the mods I made are VERY subtle, it takes a keen eye to recognize the lengthened hull, the modfied cowling and the cleaner tail. The three-blade prop is the most obvious thing, and with it, from certain angles, the P-51E reminds somewhat of a Yak-9? Probably due to the intake-less cowling and the (for a Mustang) unusual prop? The livery looks plausible and colorful, though. :D

Supermarine Southampton by kitchener.lord

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Ed Coates writes:

The crew of this ancient 'boat appear not to be too troubled by the almost nonexistent slipstream acquired at a stately ninety knots. Although originally built (in 1925) with wooden hulls, the 11 Southampton Is were rebuilt as Mk IIs with metal hulls early in the 1930s. Some 60 were used by the RAF in the 1925-1936 era. Many were based at RAF Seletar, Singapore. In addition to the RAF squadrons, some 20 or so Southamptons were sold abroad, including a civil passenger model for Japan.

Coeur by Eric Veillette

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zirconia28.wordpress.com/

Black Swan by Mike Hankey

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The Black Swan (Cygnus atratus) is a large waterbird, a species of swan, which breeds mainly in the southeast and southwest regions of Australia. Within Australia they are nomadic, with erratic migration patterns dependent upon climatic conditions. Black Swans are large birds with mostly black plumage and red bills. They are monogamous breeders that share incubation duties and cygnet rearing between the sexes.

The black swan theory or theory of black swan events is a metaphor that describes an event that is a surprise (to the observer), has a major effect, and after the fact is often inappropriately rationalized with the benefit of hindsight. The expression derives from the Old World presumption that all swans must be white because all historical records of swans reported that they had white feathers. In that context, a black swan was impossible or at least nonexistent.

Doubtful Sound, Fiordland, New Zealand by Steve Attwood

This series of photos shows our cruise ship's journey along the Fiordland coast between Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound, and then our looping route in one entrance to this enormous fiord and out another. The reaction of my fellow passengers to this magnificent New Zealand scenery was, in itself, wonderful to observe.

•Doubtful Sound is a very large and naturally imposing fiord in Fiordland, in the far south west of New Zealand. Doubtful Sound was named 'Doubtful Harbour' in 1770 by Captain Cook, who did not enter the inlet as he was uncertain whether it was navigable under sail. It was later renamed Doubtful Sound by whalers and sealers. There are three distinct arms to the sound, which is the site of several large waterfalls, notably Helena Falls at Deep Cove, and the Browne Falls which have a fall of over 600 metres. The steep hills are known for their hundreds of waterfalls during the rainy season. Access to the sound is either by sea, or by the Wilmot Pass road from the Manapouri Power Station. Most areas of the sound itself are only accessible by sea however, as the road network in this area of New Zealand is sparse or nonexistent, as is the human population. Doubtful Sound is unusual in that it contains two distinct layers of water that scarcely mix. The top few meters is fresh water, fed from the high inflows from the surrounding mountains, and stained brown with tannins from the forest. Below this is a layer of cold, heavy, saline water from the sea. The dark tannins in the fresh water layer makes it difficult for light to penetrate. Thus, many deep-sea species will grow in the comparatively shallow depths of the Sound.

Ring-necked parakeet feeder (2) by Agilmente

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Naturalised parrots Psittacula krameri bird (Ring-necked parakeet) frequent an apartment neighbourhood in the Hague, the Netherlands.

The feeder is hanging on a tree in front of balcony, due to nonexistent yard. The wire ball (actually a lampshade frame) successfully keeps crows off the feeder...but larger birds regularly clean up the waste falling to the ground.

Individual seeds or nuts are much better than mixed bird foods or ready made suet cakes. Keep in mind that food for human consumption of far better quality, cheaper and not moldy. It is not healthy for birds to eat moldy food.

Vacumed shelled unsalted peanuts is a good choice, however it is advisable to

roast raw peanuts (see: www.avianweb.com/feedingwildbirds.html).

IMG_5695 by Peter Roan

Gothic Armor

Date:

late 15th century; extensively restored and completed ca. 1926

Culture:

German and Italian

From the early nineteenth century through about the mid-twentieth century, it was not unusual to restore incomplete armor by combining elements from different armors, making missing pieces out of modern or reused old metal and decorating or redecorating pieces to match as needed. With objects in the Metropolitan Museum’s collection, founding curator of the Arms and Armor Department Bashford Dean took a conservative approach for his day, having his armorers make, add to, or alter only those pieces he considered absolutely necessary to create an exhibitable display. In addition, the work done on the Museum’s pieces was usually signed and dated. For his private collection, however, Dean sometimes took a more liberal approach, delighting in composing armors out of disparate parts, augmented by whatever newly made or repurposed pieces were required to complete the ensemble he had in mind.

In this instance, Dean’s goal was to create a late German Gothic armor, a type often considered the pinnacle of armor-making. Complete and homogeneous examples were nonexistent on the art market by Dean’s time. Taking a superb late fifteenth-century helmet by the Landshut armorer Matthes Deutsch, and a nucleus of genuine torso, arm, and leg pieces, Dean’s craftsmen made this truly impressive and historically accurate representation of a German Gothic armor. As a result, about fifty percent of it is restoration. The plates are not signed, but we know from letters written at the time that some of the work was done by Leonard Hugel (1877–about 1935) and Harvey Murton (1907–2004) in about 1926. However, because of the extent of the restorations, only the helmet is regularly on permanent display today.

Mendon Ponds Park - Hand Feeding Birds Video by nesnet

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Hand feeding chickadees and woodpeckers in Mendon Ponds Park on Songbird Trail.

Friday afternoon, November 12, 2010 - unseasonably warm at 64° F (temps average 40° F in Western NY in mid-November).

Mendon Ponds Park is owned and very poorly maintained by the County of Monroe, NY.

Unfortunately, this extraordinary property is rapidly deteriorating due to an egregious lack of care. Trails are not cleared of debris... signs are useless. Park maintenance is essentially nonexistent. They do have a marketing department. Seriously, the taxpayers are paying the salaries of a county parks marketing department.

Email Mendon Ponds Park complaints to: countyexecutive@monroecounty.gov

color rectangles und ein bauhaus square by digital_grid

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el cubista wall es mi casa del color

While rustling these shapes into the frame, someone in a passing car yelled out, "There's nothing to see."

"I see colorful, nonexistent rectangles."

This ad made me smile...awkardly to myself in GCT by Chris

So there I was, walking through grand central to catch a train.

My brain was still spinning from a long day at work, and I was doing my

thing where I obsess about whether I'm actually smart enough to do my job.

(I know what you're thinking: "chris, you're the most brilliant person I've

ever met! How could you think you're not smart enough?". You just have to

understand that I work with some DAMN SMART PEOPLE. Some would use the

word "distinctive.". At the risk of overextending this parenthetical

detour, I should tell you that I sometimes tell myself that my

Tuck Scholarhood was due exclusively to 3 things: 1. My admittedly recent

desire to prove to myself that I'm smart, 2. my willingness to work my ass

off to do so, and 3 my obsession with Excel. At other times, I convince

myself that I never see anything through to the end, but I get by because

I'm a brilliant test taker. Bottom line: I'm a self-conscious

pyschological basketcase who's off his meds (because he works too hard to

remember to re-order his Rx))

So that was my state of mind, when my brain suddenly registered the

stimulus it was receiving from this advertisement on the wall. And then I

smiled. I couldn't control the smile. I just suddenly broke out this big

shit-eating grin on my face, and there was nothing I could do about it.

I'm not sure if any of the other busy commuters noticed my sudden lack of

new york detachment. I can only pray that my lapse went unnoticed, or at

least that I never cross paths with the same people again.

So bravo to Kleenex! Bravo to the creative genius who conceived of that

ad!

You made me smile, at a time when I really needed to smile, if only to

remind me that what makes me truly distinctive is not my ability to perform

public mathematical gymnastics (nonexistent), or my smooth communication

style (not so much), but rather my absurdly senstitive soul that

appreciates truth and beauty much more deeply than any of you shallow

robots reading this blog.....yes, even in a toilet paper advertisement.

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my mind hosts a supermassive black hole... by moosa mamdhooh

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...but then its just the "human condition".

Human self-awareness leads us to recognize three core paradoxes or absurd features of the human condition:

(1) The human imagination has no physical boundaries, but bodies do. In the mind, humans can instantly travel to the ends of the universe, the center of the earth, even the center of the sun. People can use a mental microscope to visualize germs, viruses, atoms, quarks. As soon as they detect something with any instrument, they can make images of it in their minds. Humans can travel effortlessly in thought. The boundless production of fiction literature is evidence of the creative powers of the imagination. However, humans exist on one relatively small planet, and due to the speed limit of the universe (speed of light), it appears that we are bound to a small neighborhood around this planet for the foreseeable future. This frustration forms the physical paradox of the human condition.

(2) Human spirits can motivate selfless and noble acts, the most altruistic actions, and the most beneficial generosities. The same minds can also produce atrocities and violence against countless people, possibly destroying themselves. The human will can thus be seen as mercurial, untamed by moral law or conscience. On a grander scale, charismatic leaders can sway large populations to do things — benevolent or malevolent — that individuals may have never contemplated on their own. How can these two extremes coexist in the same individual and yet be nonexistent amongst other animals? Moral conflicts are exclusive to the human condition.

(3) Human actions and lives are motivated by hope, the idea that an individual can effect mass change, and a drive to improve the self and the environment. However, these drives are tempered by the knowledge of the human's own finite existence. Another paradox emerges, as a vision of the future perseveres amid the realization that the human may not live to see it. Thus, by extension, hope exists regarding eternal life beyond the grave — God, heaven, paradise. Even some atheists, although not hoping for literal eternal life, seek to leave an impact on the world that persists after their death. These aspirations for hope, meaning, significance, purpose, identity, peace, happiness, and love, even in the face of certain death, form the spiritual aspect of the human condition.

These paradoxes present universal, inescapable questions about life. Whenever any people lift their thoughts from daily routines, they may ponder these questions. Attempts to explain or resolve these paradoxes are the domain of religion and philosophy. The human condition is the central subject of all literature, drama and art.

-Wikipedia-

Women in Somalia by noomad

Somalia is often described as the world's original failed state – a lawless country that has been engulfed in conflict for more than 20 years. According to women in Somalia saying that one of the greatest risk to women's lives is not war, but birth. One of the most dangerous things a woman in Somalia can do is to become pregnant. When she does, her chances of survival drop considerably due to the nonexistent antenatal care, nonexistent medical supplies, the extraordinarily poor healthcare available and the lack of infrastructure. A woman's lifetime risk of dying from maternal causes here is 1 in 14. This is one of the highest rates in the world, second only to Afghanistan. When a woman is due to give birth, she just waits for delivery, praying she doesn't die in the process.

More about womens world www.flickr.com/photos/noomad/sets/72157629934029865/

Self as Artist by Akansha Prasad

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The center of the piece is a picture to show that photography is my main goal in this class. The photograph has all my plans for the future and the major things in my life right now on it to show who I am today. The outer edge is hand drawn and is like a map. It starts towards the left with Phoenix and is a road map of all the major places I have lived in. Eventually it progresses in to the bubble where Boston and Germany is, which represent my plans for the future. The map ends in the bottom left corner where there is an image I drew that shows the unstructured nature of the future and that no matter how far we plan for the future is a mystery.

My goals in this class are to explore my more creative side and take a break from really rigid STEM classes. I want to improve in photography and develop my nonexistent drawing skills.

This was the absolute first project we did in this class and I loved it. I remember being very conscious of my limited artistic ability and how I was worried I would mess up my portrayal of myself as an artist. The swirls in this project are my signature and go-to doodle, so it ended up really representing me.

nonexistent tunnel by Norbi

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TANZANIA SAFARI - 166 African Bush Elephant (Loxodonta africana), Ngorongoro Crater by David Wong

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Only about 30 elephants are estimated to remain inside Ngorongoro Crater.

Because Ngorongoro is well protected from outside influences, old male Elephants go there to retire and relax for the remaining years of their life. Often, these old beasts have some of the longest tusks in all of Africa since poaching here is nonexistent. I saw one with very impressive long tusks, but I was not able to find its photo. I probably was so mesmerized that I forgot to take one.

Where's the Shopping Diety? by Non Paratus

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More architectural whimsy. This sandstone sculpture and medallion decorate the entrance to the Santa Barbara courthouse. They represent agriculture and industry, which were historically important in Santa Barbara. These days, agcriculture is all but nonexistent in Santa Barbara itself. If it were carved today, she'd probably be holding a bottle of wine, which is the county's biggest agricultural commodity.

I love the fellow depicted as "industry" inside the medallion. Trains chug in front of him, he sports a winged cap, and he holds a ship in one hand and a fistful of electrical bolts in the other. These days, his left hand would hold a yacht, and the other might have a shopping bag or a plate of fancy grub to go with Lady Agriculture's bottle of wine.

A curious bit of history goes along with these carvings. The sculptor, and Italian named Ettore Cadorin, had moved to Santa Barbara just before the infamous 1925 earthquake, which leveled most of the buildings in town. Having been trained in Venice and Paris, Cadorin was an easy favorite for the contract to do the sculpture work for the new courthouse.

Within days of the earthquake, Cadorin launched a campaign to convince the city that it should be "rebuilt in high artistic style.” Moreover, the city should rebuild “even the houses which are not damaged, but are ugly, and would spoil the whole effect.”

Santa Barbara now advertises itself as California's Riviera, although some argue that the city is excessively vain about appearance. Houses are mostly whitewashed with orange-tile roofs, which adds a homogeneous look to the city. Hot pink or electric blue houses are zoned out of existence. Cadorin would have approved.

Sedum lanceolatum by Matt Lavin

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The abundance and diversity of succulent species in the sagebrush steppe (e.g,. Cactaceae, Crassulaceae, Portulaceae, etc.) is indicative of low levels of disturbance. Sedum lanceolatum is distinguished by its lanceolate leaves with papillose surfaces and a lack of evident venation. Axillary shoots are also nonexistent to poorly developed in this species.

day 30 by nicola herbst

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december 30, 2006 -

brown eyed girl.

i obviously stayed up way too late last night. i woke up at 1pm today.

this is post-moisturizer, but pre-concealer.

i had a boyfriend once who SWORE up and down that there were 'golden halos' in my eyes. so damn sappy/sweet, right?

as i've gotten older, i've realized that i can't quite see them anymore. le sigh.

Moto by Chelsea Marie Hicks

Motorbikes run this city and traffic laws are essentially nonexistent.

c212x 3 by TVi Audio TVi Audio

The C-212x is loaded with double 12" LF/MF and a single high energy 3" HF driver. Each enclosure is constructed of high grade birch ply-wood and is custom fitted with steel fly hardware that has been test rated for a 7:1 static load, hanging 12 enclosures in a single array. Our user friendly hardware allows for hanging and ground stacking applications, permitting the user to stack up to six enclosures.

All C-212x enclosures are hand wired using premium 14 gauge wire and Neutrik brand NL8 connectors. All drivers are built with cast fame baskets for strength and longevity. Our compression drivers have replaceable titanium diaphragms for superb sound quality, performance and durability. We use a standard phase plug design to control the isophasic wave form as well as a wave guide system for smooth coverage and coupling. Our components are designed and built to a commercial standard and have a proven track record on tours ranging from stadiums to festivals of up to 30 shows per month with practically a nonexistent failure rate.

All C-212x enclosures are equipped with a removable back panel that can be disconnected and replaced by an internal TVi multi channel "Class D" power amplifier module. Each power amplifier has a built in multi-channel processor that has been chamber tuned for the C-212x to achieve a flat response curve with pre set limiters, DSP and crossover points. One amplified C-212x enclosure will also power one additional non-powered C-212x enclosure in tri amp mode by daisy chaining an NL8 cable.

Meanwhile: The mind gives up its mysteries by Michael Waterston

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Jim Holt The New York Times

FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2005

NEW YORK The human brain is mysterious - and, in a way, that is a good thing. The less that is known about how the brain works, the more secure the zone of privacy that surrounds the self. But that zone seems to be shrinking. A few weeks ago, two scientists revealed that they had found a way to peer directly into your brain and tell what you are looking at, even when you yourself are not yet aware of what you have seen. So much for the comforting notion that each of us has privileged access to his own mind.

Opportunities for observing the human mental circuitry in action have, until recent times, been almost nonexistent, mainly because of a lack of live volunteers willing to sacrifice their brains to science. To get clues on how the brain works, scientists had to wait for people to suffer sometimes gruesome accidents and then see how the ensuing brain damage affected their abilities and behavior.

The results could be puzzling. Damage to the right frontal lobe, for example, sometimes led to a heightened interest in high cuisine, a condition dubbed gourmand syndrome. (One European political journalist, upon recovering from a stroke affecting this part of the brain, profited from the misfortune by becoming a food columnist.)

Today scientists are able to get some idea of what's going on in the mind by using brain scanners. Brain-scanning is cruder than it sounds. A technology called functional magnetic resonance imaging can reveal which part of your brain is most active when you're solving a mathematical puzzle, say, or memorizing a list of words. The scanner doesn't actually pick up the pattern of electrical activity in the brain; it just shows where the blood is flowing. (Active neurons demand more oxygen and hence more blood.)

In the current issue of Nature Neuroscience, however, Frank Tong, a cognitive neuroscientist at Vanderbilt University, in Nashville, Tennessee, and Yukiyasu Kamitani, a researcher in Japan, announced that they had discovered a way of tweaking the brain-scanning technique to get a richer picture of the brain's activity. Now it is possible to infer what tiny groups of neurons are up to, not just larger areas of the brain. The implications are a little astonishing.

Using the scanner, Tong could tell which of two visual patterns his subjects were focusing on - in effect, reading their minds. In an experiment carried out by another research team, the scanner detected visual information in the brains of subjects even though, owing to a trick of the experiment, they themselves were not aware of what they had seen.

How will our image of ourselves change as the wrinkled lump of gray meat in our skull becomes increasingly transparent to such exploratory methods? One recent discovery to confront is that the human brain can readily change its structure. A few years ago, brain scans of London cabbies showed that the detailed mental maps they had built up in the course of navigating their city's complicated streets were apparent in their brains. Not only was the posterior hippocampus - one area of the brain where spatial representations are stored - larger in the drivers; the increase in size was proportional to the number of years they had been on the job.

It may not come as a great surprise that interaction with the environment can alter our mental architecture. But there is also accumulating evidence that the brain can change autonomously, in response to its own internal signals. Last year, Tibetan Buddhist monks, with the encouragement of the Dalai Lama, submitted to functional magnetic resonance imaging as they practiced "compassion meditation," which is aimed at achieving a mental state of pure loving kindness toward all beings.

The brain scans showed only a slight effect in novice meditators. But for monks who had spent more than 10,000 hours in meditation, the differences in brain function were striking. Activity in the left prefrontal cortex, the locus of joy, overwhelmed activity in the right prefrontal cortex, the locus of anxiety.

But there could be revelations in store that will force us to revise our self-understanding in far more radical ways. We have already had a hint of this in the so-called split-brain phenomenon. The human brain has two hemispheres, right and left. Each hemisphere has its own perceptual, memory and control systems. For the most part, the left hemisphere is associated with the right side of the body, and vice versa. The left hemisphere usually controls speech. Connecting the hemispheres is a cable of nerve fibers called the corpus callosum.

Patients with severe epilepsy sometimes used to undergo an operation in which the corpus callosum was severed. (The idea was to keep a seizure from spreading from one side of the brain to the other.) After the operation, the two hemispheres of the brain could no longer directly communicate.

Such patients typically resumed their normal lives without seeming to be any different. But under careful observation, they exhibited some very peculiar behavior. When, for example, the word "hat" was flashed to the left half of the visual field - and hence to the right (speechless) side of the brain - the left hand would pick out a hat from a group of concealed objects, even as the patient insisted that he had seen no word. In another case, a female patient's right hemisphere was flashed a scene of one person throwing another into a fire. "I don't know why, but I feel kind of scared," she told the researcher.

Each side of the brain seemed to have its own awareness, as if there were two selves occupying the same head. Ordinarily, the two selves got along admirably, falling asleep and waking up at the same time and successfully performing activities that required bilateral coordination, like swimming and playing the piano. Nevertheless, as laboratory tests showed, they lived in ever so slightly different sensory worlds. And even though both understood language, one monopolized speech, while the other was mute. That's why the patient seemed normal to family and friends.

Pondering such split-brain cases, some scientists and philosophers have raised a disquieting possibility: Perhaps each of us really consists of two minds running in harness. In an intact brain, of course, the corpus callosum acts as a constant two-way internal-communications channel between the two hemispheres. So our everyday behavior does not betray the existence of two independent streams of consciousness flowing along within our skulls. It may be, the philosopher Thomas Nagel has written, that "the ordinary, simple idea of a single person will come to seem quaint some day, when the complexities of the human control system become clearer and we become less certain that there is anything very important that we are one of."

It is sobering to reflect how ignorant humans have been about the workings of their own brains for most of our history. The more that breakthroughs like the recent one in brain-scanning open up the mind to scientific scrutiny, the more we may be pressed to give up comforting metaphysical ideas like interiority, subjectivity and the soul. Let's enjoy them while we can.

(Jim Holt, a visiting scholar at New York University, is working on a book about Pascal and the birth of probability. This article is excerpted from The New York Times Magazine. )

Nonexistent Movie Scene by Ron Burch

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San Diego, CA

Delavenne Pere et Fils Brut Rose by Hamburger Helper

I picked up this bottle earlier this week at Moore Brothers. Although a lovely bottle of Champagne (gorgeous dark rose color), it was off. There was a mildly off putting funk but it was completely nonexistent in the finish. It wasn't entirely undrinkable but I didn't like the unpleasant moldy nose at the start. We waited for it to disappear but never did. I might go to Moore Bros and let them know.

Big Man and the Owl by W9JIM

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I've wanted to see this rock art panel for some time. It's not a terrible long hike, but the path up is pretty much nonexistent, steep, and rocky.

I'm completely disappointed in my photos. Compositions are bad and the colors are horrible. Might have been a combination of the color of the rock, the shadows, and time of day. They all turned out with some strange purple tint, as if the color balance is way off. Thank goodness I shot in RAW and was able to correct it somewhat.

Chasing Waterfalls by Jeremy Thies

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My patience for gold mining is about nonexistent. I lasted for about 10 minutes in this little creek and decided to take pictures instead. I did find some little gold flakes, but with my luck it was probably just fools gold...

Thanks for looking!

IG: instagram.com/jeremythies/

FB: www.facebook.com/JeremyThiesPhoto

www.jeremythies.com

Megacon 2011 Cosplay Idea: Black Lady by Alexandra Givens

This was the original incarnation of my Black Lady costume, circa 2008. I wore this to Spirit Week '08 and to my friend's birthday party (which was the day after Halloween), after which the wig fell apart completely. Looking at the status of the costume in 2011, the wig is practically nonexistent, the stole is wrinkled and messy, and I've lost all my black moon stickers. So this calls for a complete overhaul: New wig, new blouse, new stole...and new stickers.

Keeping Cool by Chris Johnson

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I remember when the only worries summer had were staying cool and catching the ice cream truck before it rolled past. Now it seems the list grows longer as I grow older. Trying to deal with getting the house where my Dad used to live ready for market, finding nonexistent funds for school, and now I've actually started putting forth the effort to make this passion of mine into a career to add a-whole-nother level of complicity to the mix. These are all really positve mental weights, but weights nonetheless. Remind me once more why I wanted to be all growed up.

I've decided to submit a photo to Pictory's current theme of "Summer Jobless". I've sat idly by for far to long and watched the awesomeness that goes through there. I would very much like to be part of it. Have this quite elaborate idea which involves huge piles of dismantled electronics and electrocution. But I don't know if that could be finagled in the two weeks until the deadline. Then I came across this one taken a couple of months ago and thought hey that might be just right.

Acrocanthosaurus Dentition by BFS Man

The acrocanthosaurus was a T-Rex-like dinosaur that lived during the Mesozoic era, before T-Rex did. Like T-Rex, it had big teeth, a long tail, powerful hind legs, and almost nonexistent forelegs. Given that general configuration, it probably acted a lot like a flightless bird. A very large, carnivorous flightless bird.

Nikon F, Nikkor 85/1.8 pre Ai, Kodak 2238, ISO 6, HC110B by Mike Novak

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A short test roll in my yard. ISO 6, mucho contrasto, grain almost nonexistent.

Beasley's Christmas Party - 12/13 by Valerie Peters

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as nonexistent as Frankie's Christmas Party..

a clever, humorous tale...

The Giant's Causeway by J. Arcenas (aka Pip)

The Giant's Causeway in Ireland. An interesting natural formation, and a UNESCO World Heritage site. This is a shot taken from the causeway itself, looking inwards. The mountains in the back surround the causeway, while behind me was the tempestuous sea. The weather that day was mercurial, with every 15 minutes bringing rain or shine alternately. After 30 minutes at the causeway (not nearly enough time for my shooting) a downpour started, forcing me and my camera to run for nonexistent cover. Fortunately, I had a spare poncho which my camera bag fit under, so my equipment was spared. Needless to say, I was soaking wet on the bus back.

Focus Practice - Canon G1X by David Madrid

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Focus my fault, but excellent color rendition and noise is almost nonexistent. Nice camera.

IMG024 Edit by Dan the Illuminator

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Taken with a Samsung Maxima Zoom 105XL point & shoot in the summer of 2007. I was finishing off the roll of Fuji Superia that had been sitting in it for over five years. Most of the scans from this roll were awful. This shot was okay, but the colors were nonexistent. I cleaned it up in Topaz DeNoise AI, then worked the image over in Photoshop.

July 27 2007, 4:37PM

Unfinished Work (Rohan) by Meadowbrook CGA

My name is Rohan from the 7th grade in the Meadowbrook School of Weston. An interesting fact about me is that I have lived in New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts. I took a photo of a black boy and white boy separated. I focused on racism in my photo. It is half black and white and half color. The color part represents the past where the difference between blacks and whites was very clear. Racism was very common. The black and white part of the image represents the present. In contrast to the past, the difference between the two people is more subdued, yet it is still visible. This reflects the current situation with racism. While it has decreased, racism is still visible in the United States. Current events like the shooting of Michael Brown along with many others reflect this. We need to make racism nonexistent in the world, where no differences can be seen between blacks, whites and other races.

Mendon Ponds Park - Meadow Bird Feeder by nesnet

First shots with Sony DSC-HX200V.

There is another shot as a telephoto closeup.

Mendon Ponds Park is owned and very poorly maintained by the County of Monroe, NY.

Unfortunately, this extraordinary property is rapidly deteriorating due to an egregious lack of care. Trails are not cleared of debris... signs are useless. Park maintenance is essentially nonexistent. They do have a marketing department. Seriously, the taxpayers are paying the salaries of a county parks marketing department.

Email Mendon Ponds Park complaints to: countyexecutive@monroecounty.gov

Fortune Global Forum 2018 by Fortune Global Forum

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Fortune Global Forum 2018

October 16th, 2018

Toronto, Canada

3:30 PM

THE NEW GLOBAL CONSUMER: DOING BUSINESS IN A DIGITAL ECONOMY

The digital economy is no longer part of the economy. It is the economy. How can traditional brick-and-mortar firms reinvent themselves, their supply chains, and their marketplaces to avoid the fate of brands once thought of as everlasting but which are now nonexistent? And how are new platforms – from e-commerce to shared services – rewriting the rules of the game? A conversation on how businesses can manage expectations for digitally empowered customers, and how technology is being used to enhance the customer experience.

Alain Bejjani, Chief Executive Officer, Majid al Futtaim

Andrea Stairs, General Manager, Canada and Latin America, eBay

Ning Tang, Founder and CEO, CreditEase

Moderator: Phil Wahba, Senior Writer, Fortune

Photograph by Stuart Isett/Fortune

Flood tide by austr07

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East Point, Northern Territory. I did not think there would be much of a sunset this night as there was lot of cloud about and some rain. Caused by a tropical low near Timor, a long way to the north, but I went anyway for some long exposures on the rocks.

The tide of 7.1m is still coming in and always looks nice and clean and blue at the top of these big tides. The swell was almost nonexistent maybe rising to a half a metre at the most. I stayed here until after sunset but there was not enough water movement to create that misty effect I was after.

Those birds on the rocks are Pied Oystercatchers and the ship on the horizon is at anchor.

16-35mm F4 G ED VR @ 26mm, 1/5 second, f6.3, ISO 1 EV under 100. Cokin GND

Best viewing large on black. click here - click on photo or press L

IMGP7005.JPG by Scott

I unfortunately didn't get many photos of the Lower 9th Ward and St. Bernard Parish areas of New Orleans. We took a bus tour through these very hard hit areas. The glare on the bus windows made photos rather tough, but I wish I would have tried harder. This was actually across the street from the Nunez Community College that we visited. A SMALL example of the devastation of the area.

3 years after Katrina and Rita and it was really sad to see the level of destruction that still exists. Entire shopping centers and apartment complexes sitting empty. A patchwork of homes partially repaired, fully repaired, or nonexistent except for a cement foundation. Many people are still paying a mortgage on a home or business that no longer exists.

We were fortunate enough to have a college professor on our bus that lives in this neighborhood and gave us the first hand accounts of what happened and the aftermath. Very sad situation. Even more sad that three years later and people have forgotten about New Orleans and the incredible amount of assistance these folks still need. FEMA (a very bad word in N.O.) has pulled out and no longer offers assistance or trailers. Some people were living in trailers that are TINY for 3 years. Ridiculous amount of red tape to get financial assistance which ends up not being nearly enough to actually rebuild or move on with life. Actually made me really sad but also REALLY mad that this could happen in my country and that these people could just be forgotten.

Some of the other observations and comments by our guide that really struck me...

- Professor said they knew the storm was coming. He looked out the window and there was nothing. In 20 minutes the water was 19-20 feet high in the neighborhood.

- There were actually 4 disasters that hit this area in a few weeks time...Katrina, levee breaks, Rita, and oil spill...any one of which would have been devastating let alone all three together.

- There were 67,000 people in St. Bernard Parish area and now there is less than a third of that number living there

- everything was dead according to the professor...no bugs, no birds, no animals, just dead silence

- strange things in homes like perfectly intact crystal heirlooms, a book in the exact place it was left and perfectly dry, and water moccasins in closets. Can you imagine?

- Bodies are still being found in homes and buildings in the area

- The homes in this area were actually nice homes and in some cases REALLY nice homes and GONE

- Only ones really helping still in the area are the independent Christian groups...we saw a big group of teenagers there when we drove through gutting homes and helping with rebuilding.

- There was a brand new hospital in the area that is now gone. No one will rebuild a hospital there so a Christian group has sent up a tent hospital system to try and provide basic care...3 years later!

- The local government had just moved back into their office building the week I was there after working out of tents and trailers for the last 3 years.

Chilkoot Trail by NPS CulturalLandscapes

Finnegan's Point tent pads

A small number of settlements sprang up quickly on the trail to serve Stampeders and packers. Aside from Dyea, each of these were nonexistent or only seasonal before 1897.

Finnegan's Point, a small resting place between Dyea and Canyon City, was the first such encampment. Since it was not commonly used as an overnight stop, it did not evolve into the boomtowns that were found farther along the trail.

Chilkoot Trail Cultural Landscape Report

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, Alaska

IMGP7001.JPG by Scott