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Asperula purpurea (L.) Ehrend, syn.: Galium purpureum L.
Purple Woodruff, DE: Purpur Meier, Purpur Meister
Slo.: škrlatna perla, škrlatna lakota
Dat.: July 30. 2016
Lat.: 46.35803Long.: 13.70286
Code: Bot_993/2016_DSC4167
Habitat: an opening in mixed Fagus sylvatica and Picea abies wood; clear cut under (local) power lines, almost flat terrain; calcareous, skeletal, colluvial ground; full sun, warm and dry place; elevation 545 m (1.790 feet); average precipitations ~ 3.000 mm/year, average temperature 7-9 deg C, alpine phytogeographical region.
Substratum: soil.
Place: Lower Trenta valley, between villages Soča and Trenta, right bank of river Soča; near Matevž farmhouse, above regional road Bovec Vršič, East Julian Alps, Posočje, Slovenia EC
Comment: Few plants known to me are more difficult to be photographed in the field as Asperula purpurea. It is small, very tender and its flowers have not much more than 1 mm in diameter. Its leaves can be less than 1 cm long and only a fraction of mm wide. Apparently, when it grows on sunny places it is specially small and tender. So, it shakes restlessly even if there is no observable wind. At the same time only macro photography can show its details. Since it is widely branched in all directions one would need considerable depth of field for sharp pictures. This is of cause nonexistent with macro work. Also focus stacking technique cannot be used, because the plant is in motion all the time.
This South European plant growing also on Balkan Peninsula, Carpathians and Apennines originally belonged to Galium genus, but was later repositioned to Asperula genus. All Asperula species growing in Slovenia are beautiful; however this beauty requires to be admired with a hand lens.
Ref.:
(1) D. Aeschimann, K. Lauber, D.M. Moser, J.P. Theurillat, Flora Alpina, Vol. 2., Haupt (2004), p 348.
(2) K. Lauber and G. Wagner, Flora Helvetica, 5. Auflage, Haupt (2012), p 762.
(3) M.A. Fischer, W. Adler, K. Oswald, Exkursionsflora für Österreich, Liechtenstein und Südtirol, LO Landesmuseen, Linz, Austria (2005), p 702.
(4) A. Martinči et all., Mala Flora Slovenije (Flora of Slovenia - Key) (in Slovenian), Tehnična Založba Slovenije (2007), p 521.
Here she is as she has stood for many decades. Her finish was crappy, the veneer was cracked and missing in some places, etc. So although it is an antique and many may question the decision to paint it, it was not an "expensive, high quality antique" so giving her a facelift didn't diminish her value at all (which was nonexistent to start with :) )
Manufacturer: Yamato Motor Corporation
Nationality: Japan
First assembled: December 8th, 2044
Birthplace: Tochigi, Japan
Engine: 2.4 L Turbocharged Three-Rotor/ Dual AC Synchronous E-Motors
HP: 820
0-60: 2.4 seconds
Top speed: 225.00 MPH
Despite accounting for such a large piece of the global automotive industry, genuine supercars out of Japan are a rarity. Not nonexistent by any means, but for a part of the world that is so instrumental to car culture across the globe you'd expect more. Of course alot of the greatest sportscars ever created hail from the Land of the Rising Sun, but very few fit the traditional definition of a supercar despite some reaching supercar-levels of performance. For the few bona-fide Japanese supercars out there however, they're considered some of the greatest cars to not only come out of the eastern hemisphere, but some of the greatest the world has ever seen. Yamato Motor Corporation, probably the biggest name in the Japanese automotive industry, predictably gave the world one of these few Japanese supercars. What they gave is one of the most revered driver's cars ever conceived and something that influenced their performance and motorsports programs decades after it first appeared.
The story of Yamato's supercar begins in the mid-1980s within the depths of Yamato's R&D division. Engineers were experimenting with different engine and chassis layouts to test their viability for future products, and one project was a hacked-up economy car with its engine placed behind the driver and powering the rear wheels. Data from this project would go on to influence some rallycar projects, but engineers had so much fun working with this frankenstein platform that higher-ups in the company were convinced to develop a pure sportscar. A couple concept cars and some consultation from race car drivers working under Yamato at the time, and the XSP (eXperimental Sportscar Prototype) project began in earnest. With a robust and highly-decorated motorsports team alongside some of the greatest engineers in the business backed by one of the largest R&D departments in the industry, Yamato had about the best development resources available to them and used them liberally. The fruits of their labors would hit the public eye in the 1989 Tokyo Motor Show, creating quite the splash with the automotive press. The Yamato Raijin had made its grand debut, and it stole the show wherever it went. Yamato went with the name "Raijin" after the Shinto god of lightning, not just to hint at the car's lightning-quick performance, but to compliment the "lower-tier" Fujin sportscar Yamato was producing at the time. In Shinto faith, Raijin and Fujin are depicted as brothers, so it only made sense for Yamato to reflect this with their two dedicated performance cars. And what a performer the Raijin was. Yamato outright targeted Italian supercar maker Scaletti when developing the Raijin, intending to provide on-par or greater performance figures while offering something more usable, reliable, and affordable. When the Raijin reached production a year later in 1990, reception was near-universal where it was more or less agreed that it crushed the goals Yamato was aiming for. Special mention was given to the Raijin's frame, which was meticulously fine-tuned to be as lightweight as possible while providing laser-precise handling. The punchy, high-revving flat-6 engine was also unlike anything else on the road with plenty of innovative firsts at the time such as titanium connecting rods and forged pistons. Despite this motorsports-born performance credentials, the Raijin was also a practical and reliable daily driver, notably with a fighter jet-inspired canopy that offered great visibility for a supercar in that era. As it was developed by Yamato's motorsports division, predictably it would end up going racing where it would gain even more race victories for the company. Overall the Raijin would turn out to be a fantastic success for Yamato that would greatly influence their future performance cars and even other marques across the globe. While the first-gen Raijin would cease production in the early-2000s, the nameplate's popularity would never really fall, and Yamato certainly wasn't foolish enough to forget it.
The Raijin would return in the late 2010s as a more tech-focused hybrid-powered supercar, offering a glimpse of 7-figure technology for a 6-figure price. It was a great car by all regards, but with the bar the original Raijin set there was no way this new generation was going to have the same universal acclaim. After a few years the second-gen Raijin would cease production, and it would be decades before Yamato would try their hand at a supercar again. Their motorsports and R&D division wouldn't slow down, however, and would expand their knowledge and resources all the way up until the 2040s. International automotive press would be set off when something was spotted at Twin Ring Montegi in Togichi, Yamato's test track of choice for their racing projects. An obviously mid-engined supercar in heavy prototype camo was frequently spotted doing test laps around the circuit. The spotters noted a distinctly high-pitched engine note that was unlike the boxer-style engines Yamato commonly used for their high-performance models. They also noted that sometimes while it was driving, it made no sound at all outside of tire noise. The prototype camo was very effective at hiding the car's design, but even then many enthusiasts noted from the spy shots that it seemed to carry some design cues from older Raijin generations. This in turn would spark common speculation that this strange new car was Yamato resurrecting the legendary nameplate for a 3rd time. Speculation was all anybody had until the 2044 Tokyo Motor Show came up. To nobody's surprise but to everyone's excitement, the speculation was true. Flanked on both sides of the stage by prior Raijin generations, Yamato revealed the 3rd-generation Raijin supercar to the world. While this new generation visually respected its past, it was clearly looking towards the future. Yamato stated that while the Raijin name was a historically-significant one to not just themselves but the Japanese auto industry as a whole, this latest-and-greatest Raijin was the result of them throwing all their most advanced research and technology into one platform, taking it from a supercar to nearly reaching into hypercar territory.
The amount of advanced tech that went into developing the latest Raijin is outright daunting to get into, so its best to cover the highlights. The greatest is the new powertrain by far. Like the previous generation the new Raijin is a hybrid, utilizing internal combustion and electrification together. The electric component is a pair of motors powering both the front and rear wheels, making the Raijin AWD. The Raijin is of course capable of electric-only mode, that thanks to a high-capacity solid-state battery pack located directly behind the cabin, gives it a range of 400 miles per charge. What makes the powertrain of the new Raijin so noteworthy is the internal combustion component. Previous generations used some iteration of Yamato's long-running flat-6 platform. The latest Raijin has broken this norm by dumping pistons entirely in place of utilizing a new rotary engine, specifically a 2.4 liter 3-rotor inspired by some of Yamato's historic LM Prototypes. Yamato went with a rotary engine for a few reasons. The compact size and light weight was optimal for the packaging of the Raijin while also helping mitigate the weight gain of the hybrid platform. Rotaries are also high-revving and produce the most power per displacement, which doesn't need much explaining why that's good to have in a supercar. To give it even more power Yamato grafted a single turbo to this new powertrain, which they even prominently display in the back, exposed just behind the rear wing with the car's muffler attached to its other end. The most unique thing about the Raijin's rotary engine has to be its construction. Each one of these engines is assembled by hand by master craftsmen called a "Takumi". The assembly doesn't take place in a typical manufacturing line, but in a special "clean room" that is temperature controlled down to the thousandth of a degree, and so sanitized even a brain surgeon would find it a bit overkill. Sanitation is taken so seriously that there's an outright "airlock" engineers have to go through to enter the room. All this is to minimize parts expanding or retracting during assembly, and to avoid molecular imperfections. After roughly 20 hours of assembly, including about 2 towards post-assembly inspection and testing, what you get is an engine making 700 HP on the nose. Combined with the electric component's 120 HP, the latest Raijin is good for a formidable 820 HP. What's really impressive is the Raijin's advance computers governing this power, and how it determines how much power should be going to each wheel under hard driving, with millions of subtle alterations being made in a second to provide optimal performance. Very much supercar stuff, but power isn't solely where Yamato's technological might went when making the new Raijin.
The new Raijin's frame is built from nanocomposites on aluminum subframes, with the body also being made entirely from nanocomposites. Nanocomposites aren't new for high-performance vehicles, but its how these composites are constructed that makes the difference. Said nanocomposites consist of carbon and titanium that offer excellent strength and weight advantages. Yamato utilizes a 3D loom to weave these materials together, which helps further increase the strength of the assembled parts while significantly cutting down on the volume of materials needed to make the parts in the first place. 3D looms are also not new tech, but the one Yamato utilizes is working with nanocomposites. Threads of carbon and titanium so thin one can hardly see with the naked eye, yet Yamato's loom is able to weave them with surgical precision to create lightweight high-performance parts. This weight shedding is needed as outside of the hybrid powertrain adding some weight, other components like the suspension system also give the Raijin a bit of heft. Yamato has taken a heavily-modified variant of the "Sleipnir" electromagnetic suspension from the ultra-luxury Millennium sedan and gave it to the Raijin. While in the Millennium this system was meant to make the ride as sublime as possible, in the Raijin it makes real-time split-second adjustments during hard driving to determine the optimal setup. This is helped by the same computers that control where the Raijin's power goes. Each individual shock will never have the exact same stiffness or softness in a turn while the system is set in sport mode or above. Of course since this system first saw use in a luxury cruiser, a highway setting is available to give the Raijin Grand Tourer-levels of road comfort. Another thing that helps with both performance and ride comfort is the wheels. Each rim on a Raijin is forged from a single piece of Magnesium. Yamato chose Magnesium instead of a lighter nanocomposite for a few reasons. Magnesium is simply more affordable by every regard, able to be more easily repaired or refurbished. Magnesium also has better vibration dampening, providing better ride quality and handling. And finally, magnesium is great for heat transfer, able to take heat from the brakes during hard driving and move it to the tires to keep them warm and grippy. Various active aero elements throughout the Raijin also help to direct airflow to precise areas to either give the Raijin optimal performance in either straight-line speed or under more track-focused conditions. The body and aero of the Raijin was primarily designed by Yamato's in-house design A.I in wind tunnel testing to both offer the best aerodynamics while offering a design with the great cabin visibility the Raijin was famous for. Again, this aero is controlled by the Raijin's advanced computers, which speaking of, is a quantum-based CPU developed in-house by Yamato's electronics division. Considering all the ultra-precise tasks it has to manage, Yamato going big on the CPU was outright necessary. Especially to give the driver a proper readout of the Raijin's speed. With how high the rotary engine revs and how quickly it can get to said revs, a regular rev counter wouldn't cut it. And with the electric components to the powertrain giving the Raijin incredible acceleration, a normal speedometer wasn't going to cut it. 0-60 in the latest Raijin is in the lower 2 seconds, and 0-120 in just over 6. Overall it'll hit its electronically-limited top speed of 225 MPH in little over 20 seconds. With numbers like that, its safe to say the latest Raijin more than deserves to share a name with a god of lightning.
When the latest Raijin was released, it was met with mixed reception. Obviously the overall performance was lauded, with many reviewers making note of its unorthodox powertrain, impressive acceleration and refined handling characteristics. Many also appreciated the advanced technology that went into its design and production. Others weren't so receptive to Raijin's reliance on tech, saying that all the driver aids and electrification to the powertrain diluted the driving feel. The Raijin was also scrutinized for its pricetag, which at $350,000 per unit was considerably more than previous generations and even comparable sportscars on the market. Many fans of the Raijin nameplate went as far as to say the new model didn't deserve to carry the name. However, some looked at the price and pointed out that the latest Raijin was offering 7-figure tech at a 6-figure price bracket not unlike the generation it succeeded, which was hard to argue with considering everything it provided. With its hybrid setup and well-designed interior, many also noted how comfortable of a daily driver it was. Again, much like prior generations of the Raijin. Whatever anyone thought of the latest Raijin, it was still a success in Yamato's eyes. It was an exciting demonstration of their technological ability, making it the perfect "halo model", and it sold well enough, too. Yamato would make 500 Raijins annually, with large quantities of them selling quickly.
Me, helpfully pointing out a nonexistent "object," visible only on a small screen mounted on my own nose. Something auto-satirical about this.
024
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
This rare shower appears to be an adaptation of an 1849 patent by Ephraim Larrabee of Baltimore. It was discovered on a battlefield following the Fredericksburg Campaign. Likely used by high ranking officers from the Federal Army this shower demonstrates there were ranks in hygiene. It was compatible with hot or cold water, adjustable in heigh, and still retains some of its original canvas. In a time when indoor plumbing was nonexistent in most American homes showers were a luxury in both military and domestic environments.
The Luray Valley Museum, located in the the Stonyman Museum Building at the Shenandoah Heritage Village, features an impressive collection of Shenandoah Valley artifacts in chronological order from the early 1700s through the 1920s. The museum is housed in a building constructed with the original logs from the dilapidated Varner Barn, a nearby circa 1800 bank barn.
Shenandoah Heritage Village, located on the Luray Caverns complex, is a seven-acre re-creation of a small 19th century farming community made up of restored historic buildings, cottage style gardens, and a small vineyard with a scenic mountain backdrop.
Full Tour:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrH4AOjN23Y&t=28s
PDF Instructions: www.luxurybrickstore.com/
This is the ultimate home on wheels for your minifigure family. Not only are there two levels on this motorhome, but four separate slide outs that allow for maximum floor space possible. There’s even room for atvs, motorcycles, bicycles, and the family car in the enclosed stacker trailer to bring along as well. The original inspiration for this build was a prototype design I randomly came across on the internet. Double decker motorhomes with slide outs are pretty much nonexistent, but I figured why not put one together with Lego.
024
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
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.
House of the Golden Well, sometimes called At the Red Chair, the house no. 175 in the Old Town of Prague on the corner of Seminary (no. 2) and Charles (no. 3), near Clementinum.
On the site today of Baroque building with Classicist elements became Romanesque building, whose walls are preserved vaulted cellar at the Seminary Street following the house čp.177 / I. The first written record of this house but it is up to the year 1354 when it cutler Vaclav Muldorfer bought from Nicholas Znojmo. The house was at the time and edited Gothic square around it was called cutlery commons (Latin Plateau cultellatorum). Also in the 15th century there were several cutlers and two Mecir. The house had already been a corner and stood against the church garden. Clement, which was about to southwest facade still nonexistent Klementinum. Its central location expressing house sign midst of the wheel.
In the early 17th century, the house was probably likely to radically rebuilt in the late Renaissance style (as evidenced by a few preserved Gothic elements). In the early 18th century, the house was connected (still recognizably) with the neighboring small Gothic house (in the 17th century, rebuilt in Baroque style) in the Seminary Street and after 1769, was rebuilt on the 3rd floor. In the 80s of the 20th century, the house was significantly modified from the original structure remained only part of the perimeter walls and interiors to the level of the first floor. In basements, ground floor and first floor are barrel vaults.
The facade is decorated with stucco reliefs Johann Ulrich Mayer from 1713. They are located in three levels. Amid under the associated window on the second floor, is in gilded medallion Palladium of Czech, ie. semifigures Stará Boleslav Virgin Mary with Jesus on the octagonal star-founded Circle. Above the star pair of angels bears the crown, under the star is on the sides of a pair of crowned Czech lion. Left stands St. Wenceslas, right there nesvatořečený John of Nepomuk. Around the windows on the first floor is dvojicemorových patrons (left St. Sebastian, right St. Roch) and the third floor of the Jesuit patrons (left about St. Ignatius and right St. Francis Xavier and Francis Borgia). Above the window on the third floor is a relief lying plague patron Saint Rosalia.
Today the building houses a hotel Aurus (www.aurushotel.cz).
cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C5%AFm_U_Zlat%C3%A9_studn%C4%9B_(Karlova)
House of the Golden Well, sometimes called At the Red Chair, the house no. 175 in the Old Town of Prague on the corner of Seminary (no. 2) and Charles (no. 3), near Clementinum.
On the site today of Baroque building with Classicist elements became Romanesque building, whose walls are preserved vaulted cellar at the Seminary Street following the house čp.177 / I. The first written record of this house but it is up to the year 1354 when it cutler Vaclav Muldorfer bought from Nicholas Znojmo. The house was at the time and edited Gothic square around it was called cutlery commons (Latin Plateau cultellatorum). Also in the 15th century there were several cutlers and two Mecir. The house had already been a corner and stood against the church garden. Clement, which was about to southwest facade still nonexistent Klementinum. Its central location expressing house sign midst of the wheel.
In the early 17th century, the house was probably likely to radically rebuilt in the late Renaissance style (as evidenced by a few preserved Gothic elements). In the early 18th century, the house was connected (still recognizably) with the neighboring small Gothic house (in the 17th century, rebuilt in Baroque style) in the Seminary Street and after 1769, was rebuilt on the 3rd floor. In the 80s of the 20th century, the house was significantly modified from the original structure remained only part of the perimeter walls and interiors to the level of the first floor. In basements, ground floor and first floor are barrel vaults.
The facade is decorated with stucco reliefs Johann Ulrich Mayer from 1713. They are located in three levels. Amid under the associated window on the second floor, is in gilded medallion Palladium of Czech, ie. semifigures Stará Boleslav Virgin Mary with Jesus on the octagonal star-founded Circle. Above the star pair of angels bears the crown, under the star is on the sides of a pair of crowned Czech lion. Left stands St. Wenceslas, right there nesvatořečený John of Nepomuk. Around the windows on the first floor is dvojicemorových patrons (left St. Sebastian, right St. Roch) and the third floor of the Jesuit patrons (left about St. Ignatius and right St. Francis Xavier and Francis Borgia). Above the window on the third floor is a relief lying plague patron Saint Rosalia.
Today the building houses a hotel Aurus (www.aurushotel.cz).
cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C5%AFm_U_Zlat%C3%A9_studn%C4%9B_(Karlova)
Varanus albigularis
The White-throated Monitor has a large and muscular body, an elongated head with a dome-shaped snout, short sturdy limbs, and a strong, thick tail. The length of the tail slightly exceeds the sum of the animals head and body lengths. Furthermore, the tail functions as a prehensile organ, a rudder, and as a weapon. The front legs are surmounted with long, sharp claws that enable this lizard to dig and climb. White-throated Monitors are adept climbers. As common to all Varanidae, they have long, forked tongues. The tongue is not only used for drinking but also in a sensory capacity. It is a common myth told to tourists that the White-throated Monitor lizards suck milk from cattle udders. The adult White-throated Monitor can attain lengths up to 120 to 150 cm (4 6 ft.) from the tip of its snout to the end of its tail. The average weight of the adult male is 8 kg (17.5 lbs). The adult female has an average mass of 6.5kg (14 lbs.) In captivity, both sexes tend to become obese, weighing up to 20 kg (44 lbs). An ivory-colored throat is the distinguishing characteristic of this monitor. Its body is covered with 110 to 140 small, beadlike scales that form reticulated and banded patterns of gray, brown, and black, intermingled with conspicuous yellow and/or white patterning.
DISTRIBUTION and HABITAT:
The White-throated Monitor is found throughout Central and Southern Africa. The White-throated Monitor is both terrestrial and arboreal. It inhabits the savanna, steppe, open bush, and woodland regions. However, it is not generally found near water sources. This monitor has a large home range relative to its body size. The home ranges of males average 18.3 square kilometers (approx. 7 sq. miles), whereas the home ranges of females average 6.1 square kilometers (approx. 2.5 sq. miles). Researchers have shown that the home ranges of both sexes do indeed overlap.
BEHAVIOR:
The White-throated Monitors are essentially solitary individuals. They generally ignore each other until the mating season. These monitors are diurnal. Reproductive males and females will fully utilize their home range foraging during the wet season. Only the males roam their home ranges during mating season, whereas the females remain in one particular location of their home range. Throughout the remainder of the year when prey populations are low to nonexistent, both sexes limit their daily movements and remain basically sedentary so as to conserve energy. It should be noted that the White-throated Monitor will not attack humans unless provoked. When threatened, the White-throated Monitor will assume an intimidating posture by arching its neck, puffing out its throat, and hissing loudly. It will then lash out with its tail and bite violently at anything within its reach. This monitor is a formidable opponent. As a last effort, it will allow itself to be attacked. When its foe leaves it for dead, this monitor is able to survive because it is able to rapidly recuperate. White-throated Monitors have been noted to fight to the death. The main competitor of the White-throated Monitor is the black-backed jackal, as both have similar diets. Predators of this monitor are ratels, birds of prey, and most large carnivores.
DIET:
The White-throated Monitor is a voracious feeder between the months of January to February, also known as the wet season. It will travel long distances in search of prey. During the dry season from July to December, it fasts losing approximately 4% of its body weight per month. Research has shown that this monitor has an adaptive relationship between its feeding habits and digestive responses similar to sit-and-wait foraging snakes. This adaptation serves to conserve energy during the long interval between meals. Its diet in the wild ranges from invertebrates, small reptiles, birds and eggs to occasionally small mammals and carrion. Land snails are the favorite prey. Studies have shown that it uses visual and chemical cues in distinguishing its prey. This monitor is a selective feeder. It seeks to obtain the highest caloric intake at the least energy expense of handling time despite the availability of other prey choices. The White-throated Monitor does not chew its food, but instead swallows small prey or large pieces of prey whole by increasing the size of its mouth. This is accomplished by spreading the hyoid apparatus and dropping the lower jaw.
REPRODUCTION and GROWTH:
White-throated Monitors are oviparous. In the wild, females will produce one clutch of up to 50 eggs. However in captivity, females will lay multiple clutches per year. During the cool, dry season from May to August, the male will go on a tour of his home range six weeks prior to mating. He will visit the locations of reproductive females. The male exhibits the same behavior patterns as when foraging. During this period, the females remain relatively stationary, preferring to remain upon elevated sites, such as trees and rocks. During this period of touring, it appears that feeding or mating does not occur. The male seems to remember the locations of the fertile females and will return to mate with them at their optimum time. During the courtship, the male will wipe his mouth on elevated objects immediately adjacent to the female and display vent dragging. He will make exaggerated, spasmodic movements as he approaches the female. The response of the female is to flatten her body and press her head down to the ground. Before actual contact, the males will flick his tongue around the females mouth, hind legs, and the base of her tail. The female remains passive during courtship and mating; therefore, there is no aggression between the sexes. White-throated Monitors prefer to copulate in trees. Intruding males will be chased away by the resident male. Researchers did not observe any ritualistic combat between males. Both sexes will mate with multiple partners. The female lays her eggs in a nest in an abandoned ground squirrel burrow. The eggs are covered and left to hatch. Egg laying usually occurs two months prior to a significant rainfall. The eggs are turgid and possess a high water content. The hatchlings emerge throughout the rainy season and feed primarily upon invertebrates. During the next three months, they will triple their mass and double in body length. In the wild, less than half of the hatchlings will survive. White-throated Monitors are reproductive at 3 - 5 years of age. Their life expectancy is about 15 years.
Reptile House
Bronx Zoo NY
Asia. Cambodia. Kep.
Fishernam and boat.
In Cambodia new information and communication technologies (ITCs) are almost nonexistent outside the major cities. The country's national ICT policy framework is in its formative stage, receptive to policy research and strategy development for digital inclusion of poor rural areas. This project will support collaboration between key players in government, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), academia and business in the design of a new approach to implementing and mainstreaming universal access to ICTs. Two e-community pilot projects will be tested in the Kep fishing community and the Kamchay Mear farming community, respectively. The pilot projects will feature innovative wireless technologies, participatory ICT service development, alternative energy use and local institutional development.
Project:
Community Driven Universal Access Solutions in Cambodia : Pilots to Policy Research
Project Number 103013Start Date 2006/05/01
The age old 'Walkabout' mode, of hitting the bricks until their aren't any more-- via the North American method that says; 'Go West' until drawn into the Nevada Great Basin for a years rebooting and stocking of my brainpan/nuclear core/soul and whole body into a highly reflective feed back loop on the Unified Theory writ large and small 24/7/200 something days plus a lifetime hacking away at the rocks before me, to make sense of the beaches, and the seas; while (not exactly) idling on the American Outback- btw, the overland migration super-highway from Eurasia to the Americas over the repeated Ages which I know comprehend at every level of organization; historical, evolutionary, climate, anthropological,, geological-- to the present day political; and lay of the resource land; via the magic of Particle Physics and e=mc2 and the application of the core of evolutionary theory shaved to the critical mass of the top of the bell curve of every known interaction of Economics, Man, and Nature, for maxim effect and efficiency of the market of the nature of the beast/hairball shaved clean of noise from the signal w/ Occams razor technology, to wit: "Entities are not to be multiplied without necessity', or 'It is vain to do with more what can be done with fewer'. That is to say, if everything in some science can be interpreted without assuming a complicated hypothesis, there is no ground for assuming the complicated version."
Mine was a classic case and half of ;
LIVING IN THE BIG EMPTY SEG 1 : www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk2gh_pWfWU
-- w/o drinking or blinking -- living to see the program and the hills in the long form, than most (full version) ; watch.knpb.org/video/1436643442/
Abstract as Post Script to this work in progress so as to be semi coherent pardon the 'form factor' while the prose is random dynamically re-stacked as rhetorical revisions to this photo essay that attempts to form then finesse the logical thread through the Eye of the Needle of Reality in so many ways shapes and factors so as to craft a lucid, cogent, and coherent logical and scientifically consistent airtight case that makes air for the consideration of en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_matter as 100% presently accounted for in the form of Bacteria. Primarily the family of Bacteria know as en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanobacteria which powers the combustion chain by means of its role the natural manufacture and fixation of Nitorgen in the form of N2O that can be seen powering this photo as the Dark Matter and Energy of contained in the atomic stack of examples of reality in search of a theory that drives the expansion of the Universe and a burger chain, whereby it is possible 'Billions' are successfully 'Served' so much Bacterial Dark Matter that proves fuel as Energy as expressed as so many 'Big Macs' and or 'Happy Meals' or plates of pasta + the decision process over which to choose as dinner which results in a chain reaction of Hiesenburgian proportions rippling though the micro economics of the BTU (British and or Bacterial Thermal Units) of calories and bacteria as slow and fast food to power a world served by the billion by the 'Golden Arches' and iron skillet as examples of how my reasoning flows from the following data set and where it points after being clued into the role of bacteria and its large role in the combustion chain of N20 mfg. (c/o reading reporting in the Science News over the years and drawing conclusions from that, confirmed by) what wikipedia has condensed as the entire 'nutshell' of the case (which makes possible nutshells): "Nitrous oxide is emitted by bacteria in soils and oceans, and thus has been a part of Earth's atmosphere for millennia. ... Nitrous oxide reacts with ozone in the stratosphere. Nitrous oxide is the main naturally occurring regulator of stratospheric ozone. Nitrous oxide is a major greenhouse gas. Considered over a 100-year period, it has 298 times more impact per unit weight than carbon dioxide. Thus, despite its low concentration, nitrous oxide is the fourth largest contributor to these greenhouse gases. It ranks behind water vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane. Control of nitrous oxide is part of efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions. " - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrous_oxide . In addition there is the world of undersea Bacteria which seems to be massive as source of gasses, energy and life as explored in; moreintelligentlife.com/content/ideas/some-it-very-hot?pa...
Thus, in the quest to complete the Dark Energy and Matter puzzle the need to grab the 'keys to the car' of conceptually understooding of the 'bits of information' scooped up on the million miles of the road 'less traveled' at high and low speed on the highway of life in a peddle to the metal race to complete the General Unified Theory I am thinking presently of the 'the need for speed' in completing a thought started terms of Talladaga Nights Logic and following the theoretical chain of combustion command and control like a hawk from the suns moving the matter of their food like the balls in the early en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pachinko machines so noting their spin and path right through the conceptual food chain with zen like concentration to plumb the answer to the riddle so as to stoke and keep the self sustaining bacterial fire in my belly burning with the bizzaro thought;
"If you ain't first, you're last!"
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talladega_Nights:_The_Ballad_of_Ric...
Note; phys.org/news/2012-12-dark.html "The excitement now is that we are closing in on an answer, and only once in the history of humans will someone discover it. There will be some student or postdoc or experimentalist someplace who is going to look in the next 10 years at their data, and of the seven or so billion people in the world that person will discover what galaxies are mostly made of. It's only going to happen once."
One more time with meaning; It is hypothesised here that the en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Phylogenetic_tree.svg whose branches are gaseous and or part of the combustion/food chain as discovered/understood ('t
“Imagine walking out in the countryside and not being able to tell a snake from a cow from a mouse from a blade of grass,” he said. “That’s been the level of our ignorance.” on the subject as understood best ' by the late great Carl Woese ( www.nytimes.com/2013/01/01/science/carl-woese-dies-discov... ) who was able to "prove that all life on earth was related.” It is suggested here (again) that light and thus life is made possible by single celled life running the combustion chain by means nitrous oxide manufacture without which combustion is not possible is the singular candidate for being Dark Matter begets Dark Energy due to its immutable nature of the nuclear core of the nucleus of Bacteria.
Accordingly every angle of a drop of salsa in the micro should bend light by the same 'dark material/energy' means of 'economic activity of biological growth drawn from the Sun and the field by the roots reaching for energy and drawing them to a plant to form sugar that creates the shade being cast by Phylogenetic tree as so much gas/power as a by product in the process that moves at near the speed of light as observed and made a example of the micro case of en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refractometry that corresponds to the macro of 'cosmic microwaves' (which act as break and limit on the speed of light [in another evolving story line located at] -->);
flic.kr/p/8zt3aQ
This is set of data points in process for for the best possible explanation of cosmic expansion in terms of Dark Matter and Energy being made possible by the interplay of the nuclear material of the Phylogenetic tree burning to bring the light while explaining how the grow the Universe at the variable speed of -1 which is not constant see graphic and apply this logic to the fluctuations inherent in the construct presented in conjunction with the notion of a cyclical super vast redundant Universe we are at some random point in the 'Grande Scheme of Things' as well illustrated, and described, with the Dark Matter piece well described, but alas the missing variable that my Theory here now and for all time offers up as the nuclear head of cyanobacteria on a pike as the little prick that is responsible for all N20 in nature, hence combustion. Therefore, working in conjunction with that nuclear illumination running the logic and providing a set of clues to run down the road to find every last stone that could possibly be Dark Matter and Energy in the Math of the Solar System, and find every thing we need to know according to the he words of Andrew Liddle puts it, "the cosmological principle [means that] the universe looks the same whoever and wherever you are." in Darkness on the Edge of the Universe
By BRIAN GREENE Published: January 15, 2011) www.nytimes.com/2011/01/16/opinion/16greene.html?scp=6&am....
Some disagree and say Dark Matter is nonexistent and or immaterial. I respectful disagree, and hopefully have provided additional information in order to assist with understanding how my view came to be on this subject, such that some some new common ground can be broken by bacteria being the dark energetic means and motor along with algae as the agents of the fixation and productions of the nitrogen that is the gas of the Universe.
As more data is generated in understanding how perspective can never stay the same as per the logic contained in a draconian application of the en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorentz_transformation to a unwillingness to see the shadow as being cast by the flip side of a reflection, as light is consumed by and transformed by the power of life the is the foam of space which are quarks of bacterial nuclei in repair.
Details in the photo captions herein.
That the same transformation that powers the light switch where I might find enough between my ears to communicate the understanding that the bugs have been digesting themselves into energy per this chart; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:080998_Universe_Content_240.jpg
If in the words of Bronkowski: "All science is the search for unity in hidden likeness." as being understood to be what makes the world go round in the compost heap, vineyard, farm that power a food chain, that provides a Inn and spa with the bill of fare or by the same token a Star on the other side of the Universe the power by means of 'paired quark technology' to recompose itself atomically for some more light -- to further expand our understanding by means of the power of light and dark matter to producing 'grey matter' which is consciousness. That the grass is not 'greener' or made of substantively some wonder material of a Dark Nature in another galaxy, therefore Dark Matter, and Energy 'is what it is' the immutable atomic information of 'microorganisms' cycling at relative light speed as so many 'cups of tea', or conceptual coffee, 'primordial soup' to perhaps nuts -- or maybe, just maybe, the 'hidden likeness' is before us in the form of Microorganisms nuclear core that make up the macro.
Look no farther, this is that 7 billionth needle in the haystack of discovery making the attempted case (long improbable form expanded in the photo gallery in great detail) that the seeds of nuclear material that keep and make us all connected as singular and a planet grade life/being/form and function -- is the Dark Energy and Matter which is the basic building blocks of life which are ID'ed here and now for all time by me - 'like I have been sayin' as the three families of Bacterial life which produce combustion gasses, as best understood by the late great Carl Woese; www.nytimes.com/2013/01/01/science/carl-woese-dies-discov... which contains the seeds/strings if you will* of a expanding en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supersymmetry
with the nuclei of bacteria standing in for Dark Matter in a Universe at the speed of the en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmological_constant with enough force to power back the sun in resolution of the Faint Young Star Paradox, and bending light with enough economic activity to explain the en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorentz_transformation by dint of glare of the photons on the matter that it transforms bringing them to life as measured by growth of waters expansion in the 'foam of space' when heated by the addition of light, or measured from any given distance -- one notices a relative difference this is due to the presence of the nuclei of bacterial matter or their radiological remains as rendered as the unpaired quarks/photon gas/ of the foam of space in mid re-mix of its perpetual quantum dynamic seeking a natural release and propulsion which explains the roads to and fro, the tides, as well as both the past and presents process of quantum tunneling whereby “we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” with a eye toward the west and what that brings thus therein lays the answer to the riddle of the ages. Energy is yin and yang forward and backward moving of quarks in motion over time and space under power of the Sun that set the chain of events and matter in motion will that Sun never set as a series of consequences beating ceaselessly into the past against the current to bring the light found shining at approximately my end of the conceptual nitrogen majority atmosphere, to comprehend the fullness of the the big picture Dark Energy as the Universal glue that also acts as the agent of expansion at the local light speed limit.
If this hypothesis that comports with my reality jibes with that of the Universe that is my aim, and would 'rock' just fine, w/ the exception of everybody but my critic who shall remain nameless, and also perhaps act like Dark Matter is a huge mystery; which suites me perfectly. I'll be all over this limb, with more detailed answers as they become gapingly obvious. For all to see, in what better factor than buried in flickr. While I get the totality of this picture dialed, so as to relearn the ways of writing a science paper, and get the movie and record recorded. So the whole thing does not stand as a photo essay w/ captions.
The spoken work version with full musical accompany will also serve to work this hypothesis from the inner cores of the the earth sun stars via Black Hole radiation with total rhetorical + scientific precision deep grooved into bottomless beats.
Girlfriends father has been grooming me to drive Noddy when he goes on a club run and wants to take 2 cars.
Noddy is a 1954 Austin A30. A four on the floor where the gears are so far apart they need separated post codes.
No Aircon, No Safety belts, NO ROOM, Breaks that are almost nonexistent....... BUT in saying that I would rather drive this then my 97 Corolla. It is so much fun. I love being in a real car again
024
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
I finally got around to finding the local Salvation Army thrift store. Found some Danish modern! It seems like it got wet (Dad is convinced someone was using it for deck furniture). The wood is good but the finish is worn/nonexistent on the top and legs. I vote for stripping the whole thing and refinishing it with Tung oil.
And now I have to stop buying furniture. The garage is getting really full...
I'm gobsmacked by several things here. First, the light was nonexistent. Yet the Sony A7RII performed extremely well at incredibly high ISO. Second, using knowledge developed around a digital Zone System, I knew precisely where I wanted the tonal values and was able to place them accordingly. Third, I am happy to confirm the dynamic range of the sensor extends usefully to below Zone 0 (Zone -2!), even at such high ISO settings. Fourth, 1950s German optics can do the trick. These images were made using a triplet wide angle. Who would design such a thing and make it work? Micro-contrast is something to be seen, otherwise you wouldn't believe it.
Presenting the Mistral – A Gas Freighter of the Belt
In the weightless void of space, industrial freighters like the Mistral are built for efficiency, not aesthetics. With its reinforced truss structure, independent thruster arrays, and massive cargo tanks, it is a workhorse of the Belt, ferrying precious volatile gases across the solar system.
At the forefront of the vessel, what might appear to be a command module is actually a massive impact shield, designed to protect the ship from micro-meteoroids and debris traveling at deadly speeds. In the unforgiving reality of spaceflight, even a stray pebble can spell disaster, and the Mistral ensures its cargo reaches its destination intact.
Unlike bulk freighters that rely solely on inertia, the Mistral boasts a full set of maneuvering thrusters, three primary engines, and precise vector control, allowing it to make delicate adjustments during docking, refueling, or evasive maneuvers in high-risk zones. Positioned atop the central structure, a large access hatch provides direct entry to the ship’s systems and cargo bays, facilitating rapid maintenance and cargo transfer.
Recreating such an open and lightweight space structure in LEGO is a challenge in itself. The Mistral’s support framework has been carefully engineered to withstand the immense weight of its tanks, preventing structural collapse under gravity—an issue nonexistent in microgravity but crucial for terrestrial display.
A testament to function-first design, the Mistral captures the industrial beauty of spaceflight: a vessel built not for comfort, but for the harsh realities of deep-space logistics.
The ships is nearly 13 000 parts, 185 stud long (1.48 Meters) and weights nearly 11 Kg
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.
artefacts from the Spanish presence in the Philippines (the Spanish East Indies) and engagement in trade with China.
Spanish interest in the (Spanish East Indies) region was primarily focused on its use as a base for trade with East Asia, and large parts of the territory were under loose or nonexistent Spanish control.
Museo Naval, Madrid
29 November 2012
camera Panasonic DMC ZS8
P1140797
(presumedly, my Japanese translation skills are nearly nonexistent)
NRT, Narita, Japan, 2019, on the way back to the US after spending several days on Guam visiting family
I went out with Matty to shoot some photos for an interview. We wanted to do something different, so we tried to incorporate Matty's love of the outdoors and his creativity into skating nonexistent "spots". We found this pile of concrete rubble and rigged up a super sketchy landing.
Pick your favorite angle. This is the one I ran in SLUG.
024
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
House of the Golden Well, sometimes called At the Red Chair, the house no. 175 in the Old Town of Prague on the corner of Seminary (no. 2) and Charles (no. 3), near Clementinum.
On the site today of Baroque building with Classicist elements became Romanesque building, whose walls are preserved vaulted cellar at the Seminary Street following the house čp.177 / I. The first written record of this house but it is up to the year 1354 when it cutler Vaclav Muldorfer bought from Nicholas Znojmo. The house was at the time and edited Gothic square around it was called cutlery commons (Latin Plateau cultellatorum). Also in the 15th century there were several cutlers and two Mecir. The house had already been a corner and stood against the church garden. Clement, which was about to southwest facade still nonexistent Klementinum. Its central location expressing house sign midst of the wheel.
In the early 17th century, the house was probably likely to radically rebuilt in the late Renaissance style (as evidenced by a few preserved Gothic elements). In the early 18th century, the house was connected (still recognizably) with the neighboring small Gothic house (in the 17th century, rebuilt in Baroque style) in the Seminary Street and after 1769, was rebuilt on the 3rd floor. In the 80s of the 20th century, the house was significantly modified from the original structure remained only part of the perimeter walls and interiors to the level of the first floor. In basements, ground floor and first floor are barrel vaults.
The facade is decorated with stucco reliefs Johann Ulrich Mayer from 1713. They are located in three levels. Amid under the associated window on the second floor, is in gilded medallion Palladium of Czech, ie. semifigures Stará Boleslav Virgin Mary with Jesus on the octagonal star-founded Circle. Above the star pair of angels bears the crown, under the star is on the sides of a pair of crowned Czech lion. Left stands St. Wenceslas, right there nesvatořečený John of Nepomuk. Around the windows on the first floor is dvojicemorových patrons (left St. Sebastian, right St. Roch) and the third floor of the Jesuit patrons (left about St. Ignatius and right St. Francis Xavier and Francis Borgia). Above the window on the third floor is a relief lying plague patron Saint Rosalia.
Today the building houses a hotel Aurus (www.aurushotel.cz).
cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C5%AFm_U_Zlat%C3%A9_studn%C4%9B_(Karlova)
I didn't last very long. Maybe <1minute before I started having a full-blown panic attack about the (nonexistent) whales and I tried to crawl back onboard before they put the ladder down for me. My phobias run deep, people.
I love the opportunity to be backstage at my granddaughter's dance competitions, in spite of the almost nonexistent lighting and cramped (often just plain ugly) dressing rooms. This is from one of favorite routines done by her group choreographed to "All the Best People are Crazy (Mad Hatter)".
024
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
An adult male Ambergris Cay Dwarf Boa from the Turks and Caicos Islands. The ground color of these snakes varies from a deep rich brown, through various shades of gray, to a very light sandy coloration. A broken, double row of spots, varying from dark green to almost black, runs down the dorsum. Irregular side blotches can be quite numerous or almost nonexistent.
Paraguay began the war with over 60,000 trained men—38,000 of whom were already under arms—400 cannons, a naval squadron of 23 steamboats (vapores), and five river-navigating ships (among them the Tacuarí gunboat). Still, there were many, many problems. Most infantry armaments consisted of inaccurate smooth-bore muskets and carbines, slow to reload, and short-ranged. The artillery was similarly poor. Military officers had no training or experience, and there was no command system, as all decisions were made personally by López. Food, ammunition, and armaments were scarce, with logistics and hospital care deficient or nonexistent.
Presenting the Mistral – A Gas Freighter of the Belt
In the weightless void of space, industrial freighters like the Mistral are built for efficiency, not aesthetics. With its reinforced truss structure, independent thruster arrays, and massive cargo tanks, it is a workhorse of the Belt, ferrying precious volatile gases across the solar system.
At the forefront of the vessel, what might appear to be a command module is actually a massive impact shield, designed to protect the ship from micro-meteoroids and debris traveling at deadly speeds. In the unforgiving reality of spaceflight, even a stray pebble can spell disaster, and the Mistral ensures its cargo reaches its destination intact.
Unlike bulk freighters that rely solely on inertia, the Mistral boasts a full set of maneuvering thrusters, three primary engines, and precise vector control, allowing it to make delicate adjustments during docking, refueling, or evasive maneuvers in high-risk zones. Positioned atop the central structure, a large access hatch provides direct entry to the ship’s systems and cargo bays, facilitating rapid maintenance and cargo transfer.
Recreating such an open and lightweight space structure in LEGO is a challenge in itself. The Mistral’s support framework has been carefully engineered to withstand the immense weight of its tanks, preventing structural collapse under gravity—an issue nonexistent in microgravity but crucial for terrestrial display.
A testament to function-first design, the Mistral captures the industrial beauty of spaceflight: a vessel built not for comfort, but for the harsh realities of deep-space logistics.
The ships is nearly 13 000 parts, 185 stud long (1.48 Meters) and weights nearly 11 Kg
10-Point Whitetail Buck, Shenandoah National Park, Virginia.
I used to see this guy a lot for 2 years in a row, in any season, then last year (2009) he was nonexistent.
I am not sure if he died of natural causes or was illegally killed. Illegal hunting in and around SNP has always been a problem, and the latest incident with a conviction occurred in November 2009.
For more whitetail buck photos and video clips, visit the Whitetails section of my Web site.
On October 9, the 2006-2007 will open for King's Arm Academy. Formal education has been nearly nonexistent for the last 14 years due to the civil war. But now, the school is nearly ready, the desks are being built, and the students are excited to learn in a real school.
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.
This is a straight point-of-view shot. The grass is six feet high and taller now. Looks fantastic, especially in evening and morning light, but the unfortunate fact is that the mosquitoes now like hanging out in the prairie (they were fairly nonexistent there when the grasses were low).
Presenting the Mistral – A Gas Freighter of the Belt
In the weightless void of space, industrial freighters like the Mistral are built for efficiency, not aesthetics. With its reinforced truss structure, independent thruster arrays, and massive cargo tanks, it is a workhorse of the Belt, ferrying precious volatile gases across the solar system.
At the forefront of the vessel, what might appear to be a command module is actually a massive impact shield, designed to protect the ship from micro-meteoroids and debris traveling at deadly speeds. In the unforgiving reality of spaceflight, even a stray pebble can spell disaster, and the Mistral ensures its cargo reaches its destination intact.
Unlike bulk freighters that rely solely on inertia, the Mistral boasts a full set of maneuvering thrusters, three primary engines, and precise vector control, allowing it to make delicate adjustments during docking, refueling, or evasive maneuvers in high-risk zones. Positioned atop the central structure, a large access hatch provides direct entry to the ship’s systems and cargo bays, facilitating rapid maintenance and cargo transfer.
Recreating such an open and lightweight space structure in LEGO is a challenge in itself. The Mistral’s support framework has been carefully engineered to withstand the immense weight of its tanks, preventing structural collapse under gravity—an issue nonexistent in microgravity but crucial for terrestrial display.
A testament to function-first design, the Mistral captures the industrial beauty of spaceflight: a vessel built not for comfort, but for the harsh realities of deep-space logistics.
The ships is nearly 13 000 parts, 185 stud long (1.48 Meters) and weights nearly 11 Kg
Presenting the Mistral – A Gas Freighter of the Belt
In the weightless void of space, industrial freighters like the Mistral are built for efficiency, not aesthetics. With its reinforced truss structure, independent thruster arrays, and massive cargo tanks, it is a workhorse of the Belt, ferrying precious volatile gases across the solar system.
At the forefront of the vessel, what might appear to be a command module is actually a massive impact shield, designed to protect the ship from micro-meteoroids and debris traveling at deadly speeds. In the unforgiving reality of spaceflight, even a stray pebble can spell disaster, and the Mistral ensures its cargo reaches its destination intact.
Unlike bulk freighters that rely solely on inertia, the Mistral boasts a full set of maneuvering thrusters, three primary engines, and precise vector control, allowing it to make delicate adjustments during docking, refueling, or evasive maneuvers in high-risk zones. Positioned atop the central structure, a large access hatch provides direct entry to the ship’s systems and cargo bays, facilitating rapid maintenance and cargo transfer.
Recreating such an open and lightweight space structure in LEGO is a challenge in itself. The Mistral’s support framework has been carefully engineered to withstand the immense weight of its tanks, preventing structural collapse under gravity—an issue nonexistent in microgravity but crucial for terrestrial display.
A testament to function-first design, the Mistral captures the industrial beauty of spaceflight: a vessel built not for comfort, but for the harsh realities of deep-space logistics.
The ships is nearly 13 000 parts, 185 stud long (1.48 Meters) and weights nearly 11 Kg
BOX DATE: 2013
MANUFACTURER: Mattel
DOLLS IN LINE: Frankie; Toralei; Abbey
BODY TYPE: 2008; molded dot panties; articulated elbows, wrists, & knees
HEAD MOLD: 2010 "Abbey"
PERSONAL FUN FACT: Every so often there is a rather ordinary, unremarkable doll who randomly captures my attention. For some reason, this Abbey doll always stood out to me. I fell in love with her the very first time I saw her at a Big Lots. The Coffin Bean line wasn't widely available in my area, so I was surprised the first time I encountered it. Sometime later, my sister and I discovered an amazing 50% off sale, when we went to pick up a book my sister wanted. All the Monster High dolls at Barnes and Noble were part of the offer, during the summer of 2014. We ended up returning there the next day, because my sister had messed up the release date of the aforementioned book. I believe we made a total of three trips to that particular store around that time frame. We dubbed this shopping excursion the "Barnes and Noble Bonanza." I think I got Abbey on the last trip...my sister did not know why I wanted her. But, after taking Abbey home, Colleen realized just how special she is! I can't quite pinpoint it, but something about this doll is fantastic. She may be a basic/slim box lady, but she is SO enchanting. She's one of our favorite Abbey dolls in my collection, even after ten years together. I love her almost nonexistent makeup and her wavy hair. She looks adorable in all sorts of different outfits. I have such a weakness and strong attachment for this doll, and I'm so glad I was able to get her, especially since she was on sale!!!
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.
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I'm trying to decide if I am more appalled, more ashamed, or just plain ole p.o.'ed over stuff like this. First, to label any sitting president (regardless of how one feels about his policies) as "traitorous" is so far out of bounds that it isn't worth the wood it's painted on. Secondly, the birth certificate issue is so ridiculous that only those who have abandoned their logic and thinking ability to political hack, misinformation spewing blathering heads like Limbaugh, Beck, Coulter, Dobbs and others could possibly believe the birth certificate is fake or nonexistent.
I would certainly hope that the people who espouse this type of idea are heavily involved in a positive way to bring about change (serving the community, reading widely and considering information thoughtfully, contacting elected representatives, and so on). Realistically and tragically for our society, I doubt any of the former.
Sorry for the rant. . .
What encourages the fish to decide to enter the river? - Clues on how to forecast or possibly predict your best fishing in the lower end.
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Mother Natures Signature Clues:
Wind direction - Very Strong Wind out of the West - This can push the water in and make it a lil deeper, causing the fish to feel more comfortable and enter the River.
Lake turning over
Low light, morning and evening's and stormy weather (cloudy, rainy, a very very small or nonexistent moon over night and early morning)
Higher water levels - natural rain and snow run-off. If natural run off causes the river to just rise 50-100 cfs, that might be all that it would take.
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Man made Incentives to Enter and Run:
Those "Dam People" (yukyuk) releasing more water. Dam water releases normally coinciding with Mother Nature or following her.
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Fish's Biological Clock - tick tick
As the days grow short'r, it helps!
Bottom Line - They will run when they are darn good and ready
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Example - (FYI - sometimes none of the above-below happens and just like this August, we had some fish enter the river and run it)
waterdata.usgs.gov/ny/nwis/uv/?site_no=04250200
410 cfs at "live" Pineville before the rain to 470 cfs "live" Pineville after the rain. Thats a 60 cfs rise in the water level at Pineville caused by run-off.
Then, figure more water entering the river further down thru run-off and Trout Brook, which would bring the water level up even more. Probably over 100 cfs.
Then figure this into the equation - West wind around 20 mph.
Soooo, combine the wind direction and higher water flow and suzzam!!! major run or good run entering the lower end.
Now, stick with me...... lets also add into the above the fishes biological clock that is ticking daily, suggesting that they make there run into and up the river.
Next step is "low light". there are 2 low light periods everyday. Now add in an overcast, drizzly, rainy day and sometimes they will run all day.
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If you get a combination of a couple, few or all of the above, usually (not always) it will mean a nice fresh run entering the lower end. Sometimes you roll the dice in the lower end and its just like a "Box of Chocolates".
I sincerely hope this helps you a lil more in understanding what encourages them to "first" enter the river and help you to catch a BUNCH of fish!!.
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There's no Nookie like Chinookie
artefacts from the Spanish presence in the Philippines (the Spanish East Indies) and engagement in trade with China.
Spanish interest in the (Spanish East Indies) region was primarily focused on its use as a base for trade with East Asia, and large parts of the territory were under loose or nonexistent Spanish control.
Museo Naval, Madrid
29 November 2012
camera Panasonic DMC ZS8
P1140790
As the combatant nations of World War II began crash programs to develop jet fighters, the USAAF issued a requirement for a high-altitude escort fighter in 1944 to supplement the P-80 Shooting Star. North American, which was already working on a similar aircraft for the US Navy, the FJ-1 Fury, submitted a stripped-down Fury (deleting everything necessary for carrier operations and using lighter aluminum) as the XP-86. While North American initially though the XP-86 would be able to reach nearly 600 mph—almost the speed of sound—the straight wing limited performance, and indeed the XP-86 was no faster or manueverable than the P-80 or Republic’s offer to the USAAF, the XP-84 Thunderjet.
With the project under threat of cancellation, North American looked for a solution and found one: the prewar German research into swept wings. By sweeping the wings back, this lessened drag and increased performance. Using the Messerschmitt 262 as a basis, the XP-86 was modified with a 35-degree wing sweep, leading edge slats, and a movable tailplane. When it first flew on 1 October 1947, it nearly reached the speed of sound. The newly-independent USAF quickly put the XP-86—now designated F-86A Sabre—into production as its primary day fighter, entering service in 1949. Pilots favorably compared the F-86 to an earlier North American product, the P-51 Mustang: like the Mustang, the Sabre was long-ranged, very manueverable, easy to fly, and had superb visibility from its bubble canopy.
The USAF would not have long to wait to see the Sabre’s prowess in combat. As the Korean War entered its sixth month with UN forces closing on the Chinese border at the Yalu River, UN air units began coming under attack from Chinese, North Korean, and—secretly—Soviet MiG-15s. The USAF’s propeller-driven F-51s and F-82s, and the straight wing F-80s and F-84s were outclassed by the swept wing MiG, so the F-86 was rushed to Korea and entered combat in December 1950. While the MiG-15 was more manueverable and could outclimb the F-86A, the Sabre was superior in the dive and at altitudes below 25,000 feet. North American quickly began production on new Sabre models designed to take on the MiG-15, namely the F-86E, with an “all-moving” tailplane and boosted controls, and the F-86F, which had a larger wing and improved slats for better low-speed manueverability.
While still unable to climb with the MiG-15, the F-86E/F allowed the Sabre pilots to better dogfight them, though the F-86’s armament of six .50 caliber machine guns was found to be inadequate against the cannon-armed MiG-15. Nonetheless, the higher skill of American F-86 pilots, improved Sabre variants, and a radar-ranging gunsight allowed Sabres to contest air superiority over “MiG Alley,” the valley of the Yalu River. USAF sources state a kill ratio of 12 to 1 over the MiG, while more recent research lowers that ratio as low as 2 to 1, at least against Soviet MiG pilots. (Russian pilots claimed to have shot down 600 F-86s over Korea, which is a very questionable figure, as the USAF never had more than 200 Sabres in Korea at any one time, and at one point in early 1951 only had 44 total.) Whatever the actual figures, 41 Americans became aces in the F-86; this was helped by the fact that nearly half the F-86 pilots in Korea had seen service in World War II, including Glenn Eagleston, Vermont Garrison, and Francis Gabreski.
Korea was not the last combat outing for the F-86. Sabres would see continual service well into the 1970s, seeing combat with the air forces of Pakistan, Portugal, and Taiwan. The latter introduced Sidewinder-armed F-86s, which caught Chinese MiG-15s by surprise in 1958; Pakistani F-86s were superior or equal to anything in India’s inventory in the 1965 Indo-Pakistani War until the introduction of the Folland Gnat. One Pakistani pilot, Muhammad Alam, scored 11 kills in the Sabre, five of them in thirty seconds. The F-86’s flying qualities made it extremely popular, and the aircraft was exported to no less than 25 nations, both in the F-86 day fighter version and the F-86D Sabre Dog radar-equipped and rocket-armed interceptor. The USAF did not retire the F-86 until 1970, while Bolivia kept its F-86Fs in service until 1994.
Besides North American production, the Sabre was also license-built in Australia, Japan, Italy, and Canada; Canadair Sabres, equipped with a more powerful Orenda engine and the aerodynamic improvements of the F-86F, were considered the most manueverable of the Sabre variants. 9860 F-86s were produced, including the license-built aircraft; today nearly a hundred survive in museums with a few airworthy examples.
53-1328 is a F-86H model, the final American variant of the Sabre, designed for tactical nuclear delivery; it had a slightly wider and deeper fuselage than the F-86E/F, due to a higher operating weight and the necessary larger engine. In later production batches, the six .50 caliber machine guns were replaced by four 20mm cannon, as Korea had proven that the heavier hitting power of cannon was preferable.
53-1328 was delivered to the USAF around 1954, and flew with the 413th Fighter (Day) Wing at George AFB, California. It would serve with two more active-duty units--the 312th Fighter-Bomber Wing at Clovis AFB, New Mexico and the 83rd Fighter (Day) Group at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. In 1962, 53-1328 was transferred to the 156th Tactical Fighter Group (Puerto Rico ANG) at San Juan, until retired in 1974. It was converted to a QF-86H drone, but was never expended, and in 1978 was placed into storage. 53-1328 then went on display as a gate guard at Hanscom AFB, Massachusetts, but around 1989, the aircraft was donated to the Pacific Coast Air Museum in Santa Rosa, California, where it remains today.
Obviously 53-1328 is in need of restoration, with no paint, almost nonexistent markings, and just "Calif. Air Guard" painted on the sides. The 163rd Fighter-Interceptor Group of the California ANG did fly F-86Hs from 1959 to 1965, so that is likely what this Sabre will eventually get restored as. We saw it in June 2025.
I found on Pinterest a picture of a woman wearing wild stage makeup that concealed her features, which turned out to be from the woman's Instagram page. I ran the photo through AI and got this result, but when I cross-checked it against another picture of the same woman without stage makeup on her Instagram page, this image looked nothing like her.
So, realizing that I had a picture of a nonexistent woman upon my hands, I decided to keep it. It's unique.
Fort Greene Park, Fort Greene Historic District , Brooklyn
The Prison Ship Martyrs Monument that stands today in the center of Fort Greene Park is a 1908 memorial to the 11,000 men and boys who died in horrid conditions on the British Prison Ships during the Revolutionary War. The Monument, which is sometimes referred to as the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, stands in the center of what was once called Fort Putnam, an actual Revolutionary War fort, named after Gernal Putnam. The Monument you see today is actually the third incarnation of this sacred shrine. The story of the horrid Prison Ships – and the ghastly conditions suffered by the men and boys imprisoned on them during the Revolutionary War – is one of the most disturbing chapters in American history.
During the American Revolutionary War, which began in 1775, the British arrested scores of soldiers, sailors, and private citizens on both land and sea. Many were apprehended simply because they would not swear allegiance to the Crown of England. Besides American civilians and resistance fighters, the British captured the crews of foreign ships on the high seas, especially Spanish vessels. The soldiers, sailors and civilians they arrested were deemed by the British to be prisoners of war and were incarcerated. When the British ran out of jail space to house their POWs they began using decommissioned or damaged war ships that were anchored in Wallabout Bay as floating prisons.
Life was unbearable on the prison ships, the most notorious of them being the Old Jersey – which was called "Hell" by the inhabitants. Disease was rampant, food and water were scarce or nonexistent, and the living conditions were horrendously overcrowded and wretched. If one had money they could purchase food from the many entrepreneurs who rowed up to the boat to sell their wares. Otherwise, the meager rations would consist of sawdust laden bread or watery soup.
A great number of the captives died from disease and malnutrition. Their emaciated bodies were either thrown overboard or buried in shallow graves in the sandy marshes of Wallabout Bay. Even thought the British surrendered at Yorktown. Virginia in 1782, the surviving prisoners were not freed until 1783, when the British abandoned New York City. (A footnote: after the war, the British Commander in charge of the Prison Ships was brought up on war crimes charges and was subsequently hanged.)
The "Old Jersey"
In the years following the war the bones of the patriots would regularly wash up along the shores of Brooklyn and Long Island. These remains were collected by Brooklynites with the hopes of creating a permanent resting place for the remains of the brave Prison Ship Martyrs. In the early 1880's the first Martyrs Monument monument was erected by the Tammany Society of New York. It was located on a triangular plot of land near the Brooklyn Navy Yard waterfront in what is now called Vinegar Hill.
By the 1840s, the original monument was in a state of disrepair and neglect. By 1873 a large stone crypt was constructed in the heart of what is now Fort Greene Park (then called Washington Park), and the bones were re-interred in the crypt. A small monument was erected on the hill above the crypt.
By the close of the 19th century, funds were finally raised for a grander more fitting monument for the Prison Ship Martyrs. The prestigious architectural firm of McKim. Meade and White was commissioned to design the large 148 ft. tower which stands today in the park. It was unveiled in 1908 with a grand ribbon-cutting ceremony presided over by President-Elect Taft.
Sadly, over the ensuing decades the monument was severely neglected. Due to shortage of public funds, urban blight and lack of community interest both the park and the memorial fell into disrepair. The monument originally housed a staircase and elevator to the top observation deck, which featured a lighted urn with a beacon of light which could be seen for miles. The elevator was operational until the 1930s but was unfortunately removed by the city in the early 1970s.
Since it founding in 1998, the Fort Greene Park Conservancy has been a catalyst for the restoration and revival of both the monument and the park. In November 2008 a grand weekend event is planned to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the dedication of the 1908 Prison Ships Martyrs Memorial.