View allAll Photos Tagged practicality
I met Graham while walking around the local market. Graham rides a heavily modified Mobility Scooter. It had been decked out to resemble an 'Easy Rider' style motorcycle yet has been done in a manner which exudes both practicality and quality. Graham told me hadn't got any thing else to spend his money on so he spent it on his Mobility Scooter. Well done Graham.This picture is no39 in my 100 strangers project. Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page Richard
The Fremont Street Experience (FSE) is a pedestrian mall and attraction in Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada. The FSE occupies the westernmost five blocks of Fremont Street, including the area known for years as "Glitter Gulch," and portions of some other adjacent streets. The central attraction is a barrel vault canopy, 90 ft (27 m) high at the peak and four blocks, or approximately 1,500 ft (460 m), in length. While Las Vegas is known for never turning the outside casino lights off, each show begins by turning off the lights on all of the buildings, including the casinos, under the canopy. Before each show, one bidirectional street that crosses the Experience is blocked off for safety reasons. Concerts, usually free, are also held on three stages. The venue has become a major tourist attraction for downtown Las Vegas, and is also the location of the SlotZilla zip line attraction and the city's annual New Year's Eve party, complete with fireworks on the display screen. Fremont Street had Las Vegas' first hotel (the Hotel Nevada in 1906, present day Golden Gate), first telephone (1907), first paved street (1925), first Nevada gaming license — issued to the Northern Club at 15 E. Fremont St, first traffic light, first elevator (the Apache Hotel in 1932), and the first high-rise (the Fremont Hotel in 1956). The Horseshoe was the first casino to install carpeting, while the Golden Nugget was the first structure designed from the ground up to be a casino. For many years, the western end of Fremont Street was the area most commonly portrayed whenever producers wanted to display the lights of Las Vegas. The large number of neon signs earned the area the nickname "Glitter Gulch." By 1992, 80 percent of the Las Vegas casino market was on the Strip. Downtown Las Vegas hotels and casinos sought to build an attraction that would lure more visitors to their businesses. After Paramount Pictures head Stanley Jaffe refused to approve a proposal to build a life-sized Starship Enterprise, the Fremont Street Experience was chosen as the project. FSE, LLC is a cooperative venture, owned and operated by a group of downtown hotel/casino companies (comprising eight hotel/casinos) as a separate corporation, responsible for financing, developing, and managing the Fremont Street Experience. It was the second Las Vegas project of architect Jon Jerde, whose firm was paid approximately $900,000 by the City of Las Vegas to create a show concept for the downtown area. Jerde's design included a floating sky parade which was to be suspended from the canopy. The concept was accepted by the Fremont Street Experience as well as the City of Las Vegas. Ultimately Jon Jerde's sky parade concept was scrapped, but the architectural design for the canopy was carried through. The local architect of record, Mary Kozlowski Architect Inc., cited the following as problems with Jon Jerde's sky parade concept:
1.) Perspective: The view of the parade from below made the concept unworkable — to properly view the project would require that visitors stand at a raised elevation such as a third or fourth floor vantage point.
2.) Wind: The addition of the canopy over Fremont Street would create a wind tunnel causing a dangerous condition for people on the floats who would be trapped. Also the potential for harmonic motion as the floats swung back and forth in the wind potentially resulting in massive structural failure of the canopy and fatalities.
3.) Sand: The combination of desert sand and the mechanical systems of the sky parade would make the attraction difficult to maintain.
A new concept for the show was necessary quickly as funds were already available and the overall schedule was set. The concept for the show as it now exists was conceived by architect Mary Kozlowski who had grown up in Las Vegas and knew and loved Fremont Street. It was a light show on the underside of the canopy — the world's largest and most spectacular. Peter Smith, executive vice-president of Atlandia Design, recognized the beauty and practicality of the concept. Jon Jerde, FSE and the City of Las Vegas embraced the show concept. Kozlowski's concept was to use a combination of four colored light bulbs per "light" which allowed a full spectrum of colors. The Young Electric Sign Company assisted in creating the test panels and in the final installation. After the Fremont Street Experience opened, the light bulbs were checked nightly to ensure that all were functioning properly. To accomplish this massive undertaking, the length of the canopy was divided into panels. Each panel was checked by separately turning on each of the four colored light bulbs. A maintenance worker on a lift would then replace any bulbs that were out. The most expensive bulb cost nearly $15 to replace. On September 7, 1994, a five-block section of Fremont Street was closed to automobile traffic for good, and groundbreaking was held on September 16. After that, the digging up of the street and the installation of the support poles continued into December. On February 15, 1995, the space frames were brought in and the roof began to take shape. The last piece was installed in July 1995. The official public preview was held in conjunction with the Nevada Symphony. The light show was opened on December 14, 1995. The first New Year's party was held on December 31, 1995. The Neon Museum at the Fremont Street Experience opened in November 1996 with the Hacienda Horse & Rider sign being lit at the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and Fremont Street. The museum features signs from old casinos and other businesses displayed outdoors. For many years, the Young Electric Sign Company stored many of these signs in their bone yard. The signs were slowly being destroyed by exposure to the elements. The museum is slowly restoring the signs and placing them around the FSE. Permanent stages were added in the early 2000s, eliminating the need to bring in temporary stages for every event. The sound system was upgraded in June 2001. On June 14, 2004, a $17 million upgrade was unveiled that would feature a 12.5-million LED display and more color combinations than the original display, which was composed of incandescent lighting. The initial $70 million investment and the continued improvements have resulted in successful and ongoing downtown redevelopment. The City of Las Vegas and the downtown casinos have benefited as more than 60% of visitors to Downtown are lured by the Fremont Street Experience overhead light show and stage shows and stay to enjoy the attractions of some of the most famous casinos in the world.
The Prophet is a concept ship designed more as a showpiece rather than for practicality. The ship is powered by a rotary anti-gravity engine with the ships-rims functioning as stylized radiators for the ships components, with heat pipes connecting it to the main frame.
The ship can carry 2 passengers and 2 pilots with a large viewing angle from the cockpit.
The ship also features a set of landing gear and an easy access lower-able ramp directly into the cockpit.
The SHIP is 138 studs (1.1m) metres long.
Taken at Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House. The house represents traditional architecture reflecting simplicity, practicality and cultural elegance.
One of the many incredible aspects I really enjoy is the sense of liberation that each of the characters go though in Fury Road. Those freedoms and ideologies really shine particularly through in the supporting characters, like Imortan's Wives or Nux for example. I could go on for hours on end about the emotional beats and the ingenious writing and how well that damn George Miller can film a movie, but I'll keep this final upload to a minimum.
There's a great podcast that goes extremely indepth into the themes, ideologies, and practicality's of Fury Road. It's called “You Are Awaited” and if you enjoyed even a fraction of the film, you'll find that it's worth a listen... plus I'm sure anything I type over here has already been said over there anyway so I'll just stop here :P
On a different note, I feel like I'd be pulling a fast one on you guys if I had only built The Interceptor, so here's a few of the Fury Road side characters I've been tinkering with for a while. I contemplated hiding this for just my Patron's, but what the hell, they get plenty of exclusive stuff anyway! Perhaps I'll even try tackling some other characters in the future... ;)
L-R: Max Rockatansky, The Dag, Cheedo The Fragile, The Splendid Angharad, Toast The Knowing, Capable, Nux, and of course The Imperator Furiosa!
On a side note, a friend reminded me that Citizen Brick had recently released some Mad Max figs! Support me on Patreon and perhaps I can pick up one of those packs and photograph them!
Wow! What a cool and supportive idea and not a ploy at all! ;)
Aaaaannd in case you forgot which you probably didn't because I'm constantly reminding you.... Patreon's got all those other crazy BTS photos with the work in progress lighting, the interceptor build in clear/clean lighting, and another exclusive car photographed only for Patrons! :)
...Okay okay okay I promise this is the last Mad Max photo for real this time! We'll get back to Superheroes next week, I promise!
I just really love these ridiculous beautiful movies okay?!
Geez leave me alone! Gosh!
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By the gates of Valhalla may you never be addicted to aquacola! Witness early photography, behind the scenes images, and WIPs of upcoming projects, and take haste in your journey to die immortal upon the fury road!
My light is a dangerous one
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The Look:
Description Section:
This cozy-chic ensemble is all about warmth, comfort, and effortless style! I'm wearing the Sapphire Set by Brior, a head-to-toe look featuring a sleek bodysuit, matching boots, and a snug beanie. Its tonal, neutral shades create the perfect balance between minimalism and sophistication, ideal for stepping out in style on a chilly day.
Accessorizing the outfit is the ultra-stylish Teflar Puffer Bag by The Reload, which combines practicality with high fashion. Its texture and iconic design make it a statement piece that complements the earthy tones of the ensemble.
Adding a touch of flair are the edgy Jody Sunglasses by Black Lotus, with their cat-eye design that screams bold and modern. Together, these pieces create a look that’s cozy yet undeniably glamorous, perfect for coffee runs or casual outings!
Part of a series of images proposing a new look at architecture beyond the paradigms of profit and cold practicality. The engineering and financial considerations etc, of course, have to be maintained but the question is asked "what if we were to go beyond the current "bottom line" and move the constructions we live and work in more in the direction of providing an enobling and uplifting effect? What if we were to actually, as a culture, embrace the practicality and deep human importance of beauty?"
This series looks at ceilings, windows, atriums and a offers more imaginative take on structure itself. I take straight shots and do a 'mash up' and then process them. I'm inspired by maverick architects like Frank Lloyd Wright, Antonio Gaudi and Frank Gehry.
View Large on Black.
The 1976 Jensen GT was a sleek 2+2 sports estate car powered by a 2.0-liter Lotus twin-cam engine, offering a unique blend of performance and practicality. With its limited production run and elegant design, it has become a rare and collectible example of British automotive craftsmanship from the 1970s.
Quando vejo fotos como essa sinto-me orgulhosa de amar a natureza .Sou minimalista gosto das coisas boas , porém, gosto de viver do que realmente preciso ,as pessoas não entendem. Sou prática amo a praticidade! When I see pictures like this I feel proud to love nature, I'm minimalist, I like good things, but I like to live in what I really need, people don't understand what we need from nature, air, fruits, we want a car home .. ok I have one, I have one, ok I'm happy because what I really need is health, I have it, but I'm practical, I love practicality!
"My fellow Americans. Those of you who have been following the ongoing discussions around space defences will have undoubtedly heard the phrase 'Rods from God'. The feasibility and practicality of this idea has been debated for many years now. I am here to tell you that not only is it a possibility, but as of 0500 this morning, it is a reality. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of both our citizens and our allies, we have successfully launched our first 'Rods from God' prototype into the atmosphere. NATO is working hard to keep us safe, and today, we are that much safer. God bless you, God bless America, and God bless our enemies with tungsten rods."
Short Shot.
The Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA has it all; beautiful lines, fine details in all the right places and the brawn to match. It is so well balanced in a clean and uncluttered package that it might just be the very spirit of the ultimate classic sports car. The track spec editions embody a mash up attitude of carefree practicality and track-dedicated aggressiveness and have always been timeless to my eyes. Here you’ll find a favorite Alfa livery example run through the filter of my 5w Toon style.
I hope you enjoy!
Cross' latest in its wildly successful line of robotic solutions for civilian and Military/LE challenges.
The High Mobility Platform provides the user with an extremely versatile and capable frame suitable for a number of different roles. What the HMP may lack in armor it makes up for in speed and agility, and with a degree of rugged practicality that sets it apart from other platforms in its class.
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Near the end of January my buddy Craig challenged me to build a mech that was practical in a realistic setting. I feel this is a decent attempt at that, but its up for debate.
The 2001 Porsche 911 Turbo was a high-performance sports car featuring a 3.6-litre twin-turbocharged flat-six engine producing 415 bhp, paired with all-wheel drive for superb handling. With its sleek design, everyday practicality and blistering speed, it became a favourite among enthusiasts and a standout of the 996 generation.
Warning: This description contains controversial opinions and topics. And that's pretty much the only reason this photo came out today. I wanted a moment to rant about this and how personal it is, and this is the only Disneysea shot I could modify to mirror that sentiment. I've added "I hate Disney" to the end of all my descriptions relating to the company up to this point and my hatred runs deep. I'll discuss the shot itself shortly at the end if you're not interested in reading this.
So here goes. I actually was born and raised a Disney adult before that started becoming more widespread. Used to live a couple blocks away from Disneyland for easy access. Used to love it so much, how different and magical it felt to step into a world that doesn't play by the real world's rules.
14 years later, 2017, I fled California and oddly enough that's the year I think it began falling apart. The beginning domino was Tower of Terror's refurbishment which was even lower quality and no ride system issues were fixed, less practicality and an unnecessary IP refurbishment. I eventually brushed it off cause I was so sure this would not become a regular occurrence (oh how wrong I was, come to think of it, the last time Disney did anything original at ALL was Shanghai's Roaring Rapids 9 years ago).
During shutdown is when things got even worse. Every single attraction on American soil was either a cheap rehash of something overseas, something unoriginally movie related and/or something that lacked practicality. And in one particular instance, Splash Mountain's refurbishment, signaling Disney bends the knee to a group I greatly despise and am against (cancel culture, not other races). And that consistency has not even remotely slowed down since. Showing radical politicization in places where none of that should've been.
Iger is such a scumbag as well, knowing fully well that by continuing these patterns, lowering quality at parks and raising prices was pissing many people, including me, off. Promising to change more than once, only to double down later. About a year later, giving in to my conservative and growing populist instincts, I finally reached the point of exasperation and swore off Disney parks, movies, and other products. Despite it being a defining part of my childhood.
And to this day, I have gone full vendetta mode. I HATE this company with all my soul and at this point am wishing for their complete collapse, thinking it's beyond saving. Tokyo Disney got the pass in 2025 after I found out that Disney doesn't own the resort and one of their parks (Sea) doesn't go by the playbook of everything I hate about modern Disney (at least not a lot). So there you have it, went from a loyal fan before it became more popular, to desperately waiting for the day to hear their flops cost them, and karma and justice are finally served, and they are run into the ground for good.
About the photo:
I pressed my camera against the glass of the waterfront trolley as it was going. I realized I can make this image look bleak. I drained the saturation, realigned the image and got rid of the people. I made the sky darker to make it look like a gathering storm instead of haze. Again I primarily edited this photo so I could rant, but I do hope you enjoy the more grounded look.
I hate Disney
Power plant Peenemünde
Now Peenemünde Historical Technical Museum, Usedom Island
"From 1936 to 1945, the research stations in Peenemünde formed the largest armaments centre in Europe. Over an area of 25 km², up to 12,000 people worked simultaneously on guided weapons, most famously the world’s first cruise missiles and the first ever functioning large-scale rockets. Both were designed as a weapon of terror against the civil population, made mostly by forced labourers and from 1944 they began to be used in the Second World War as “Vergeltungswaffen” (V-weapons)."
"At the end of 1939, the planning and construction of the power plant at the Peenemünde harbour was started by Siemens-Schuckert AG, with it being gradually put into service up until 1943. [...]
With its construction and design – with cubic shapes and the dark bricks on the façade – the power plant emulates the large power plant constructions of the 1920s, somewhat following the style of Werner Issel. This practicality coupled with monumentality, ultimately associated with the “new construction”, shaped the overall appearance of the military and industrial buildings in Peenemünde. [...]
Architecturally, the former power plant is still in good, restored condition and illustrates the characteristics of Nazi architecture, despite an extension from the GDR era. As well as its modernity in shape and function, and the key importance attached to the facility for the energy supply of the Peenemünde sites, its special role is highlighted by the fact that the power plant, its conveyor system and the Bunkerwarte control room, as well as the harbour facility, have been practically completely preserved as a whole complex. [...]"
This is one the earliest surviving Renault 16 TS's in the UK. It belongs to a good friend of mine from Lincolnshire - the legendary Eddie Ratley. This model is a pre-facelift 1968 model, and as you can see, is well used. We took it out during the cold spell last year and it drove equally as smoothly as his Vel Satis but without the surround heating! Renault had really got everything right in this car, and was one of the first cars to seriously consider passenger comfort and ergonomics. In terms of a practicality package it remained unchallenged until the Maxi arrived in 1969, but it took a few years before BL got their car up to a standard to compete against the superior 16.
The TS models signifies that it used a new 1565cc engine, and featured high spec equipment. Typically for a French car it had a long life, the first designs were released in 1965 (and won Car of the year), and the last cars still selling strongly in 1980 - it successor - the 1976 Renault 20/30 range was less successful and was actually discontinued only 4 years after the 16 ceased production.
The 16 was never really replaced, as Renault design ideaology started to lose the innovation and character - its only in the last few years have Renault come back with some interesting cars.
As it happens, I have a bottle of real blackberry wine in my refrigerator, the gift of a West Virginian named Squirrel whose homespun practicalities are probably more amazing than Jackapple Joe's (and who wields a mean butcher knife.) His 1998 blackberry "Bang" is a true potion, thick with the flavors not just of berries so ripe they're almost turned but also burnt caramel, damson, dark honey, and the oddest aromatic searing of cork and rosemary. While you're not likely to partake of Squirrel's special, you can easily get, for only $18 or $20, a real magic carpet ride: Lindeman's 1997 Padthaway Shiraz, which opens with a burst of rich blackberry and black cherry flavors, broadens into plum, deepens into wild mushroom and chocolate and tobacco, and tops off with a soft, lightly peppery finish and a hint of walnut. (And don't worry if your store has already moved into the 1998; it may even be better.)
rewiew taken from "Bookpage"...Inspired by Rougerouge and Joanne Harris - author of this delicious novel :) If you havn't had it in your hands yet - go ahead!
PS> ok ok so i know those are beer bottles :P SO WHAT? lol
On our way back from the cloud forest to Quito, we stopped in Tulipe, a small village nestled in the lush green hills of the Andean foothills. Our first visit was to the Museo de Sitio de Tulipe, a small but well-curated museum that provides insights into the Yumbo people—a pre-Inca civilization known for their ceremonial water structures and strategic trade routes through the cloud forest.
Afterward, we took a brief walk through the village itself. Tulipe consists of just a few quiet streets but is full of character. There's a local shop that also serves as someone's home—motorbikes parked outside, laundry hanging from the balcony, and a dog napping by the front gate. It's a lively scene where practicality combines with daily routine.
Just around the corner, a bright mini-market greets passersby with hand-painted signs advertising cold beers and lively music. Inside, shelves are stocked with everyday essentials that keep a household running smoothly.
Tulipe isn't about postcard views or famous landmarks. Its charm lies in the small details—the texture of a wall, the curve of a staircase, the rhythm of everyday life. Unpolished, genuine, and unmistakably local.
The Fremont Street Experience (FSE) is a pedestrian mall and attraction in Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada. The FSE occupies the westernmost five blocks of Fremont Street, including the area known for years as "Glitter Gulch," and portions of some other adjacent streets. The central attraction is a barrel vault canopy, 90 ft (27 m) high at the peak and four blocks, or approximately 1,500 ft (460 m), in length. While Las Vegas is known for never turning the outside casino lights off, each show begins by turning off the lights on all of the buildings, including the casinos, under the canopy. Before each show, one bidirectional street that crosses the Experience is blocked off for safety reasons. Concerts, usually free, are also held on three stages. The venue has become a major tourist attraction for downtown Las Vegas, and is also the location of the SlotZilla zip line attraction and the city's annual New Year's Eve party, complete with fireworks on the display screen. Fremont Street had Las Vegas' first hotel (the Hotel Nevada in 1906, present day Golden Gate), first telephone (1907), first paved street (1925), first Nevada gaming license — issued to the Northern Club at 15 E. Fremont St, first traffic light, first elevator (the Apache Hotel in 1932), and the first high-rise (the Fremont Hotel in 1956). The Horseshoe was the first casino to install carpeting, while the Golden Nugget was the first structure designed from the ground up to be a casino. For many years, the western end of Fremont Street was the area most commonly portrayed whenever producers wanted to display the lights of Las Vegas. The large number of neon signs earned the area the nickname "Glitter Gulch." By 1992, 80 percent of the Las Vegas casino market was on the Strip. Downtown Las Vegas hotels and casinos sought to build an attraction that would lure more visitors to their businesses. After Paramount Pictures head Stanley Jaffe refused to approve a proposal to build a life-sized Starship Enterprise, the Fremont Street Experience was chosen as the project. FSE, LLC is a cooperative venture, owned and operated by a group of downtown hotel/casino companies (comprising eight hotel/casinos) as a separate corporation, responsible for financing, developing, and managing the Fremont Street Experience. It was the second Las Vegas project of architect Jon Jerde, whose firm was paid approximately $900,000 by the City of Las Vegas to create a show concept for the downtown area. Jerde's design included a floating sky parade which was to be suspended from the canopy. The concept was accepted by the Fremont Street Experience as well as the City of Las Vegas. Ultimately Jon Jerde's sky parade concept was scrapped, but the architectural design for the canopy was carried through. The local architect of record, Mary Kozlowski Architect Inc., cited the following as problems with Jon Jerde's sky parade concept:
1.) Perspective: The view of the parade from below made the concept unworkable — to properly view the project would require that visitors stand at a raised elevation such as a third or fourth floor vantage point.
2.) Wind: The addition of the canopy over Fremont Street would create a wind tunnel causing a dangerous condition for people on the floats who would be trapped. Also the potential for harmonic motion as the floats swung back and forth in the wind potentially resulting in massive structural failure of the canopy and fatalities.
3.) Sand: The combination of desert sand and the mechanical systems of the sky parade would make the attraction difficult to maintain.
A new concept for the show was necessary quickly as funds were already available and the overall schedule was set. The concept for the show as it now exists was conceived by architect Mary Kozlowski who had grown up in Las Vegas and knew and loved Fremont Street. It was a light show on the underside of the canopy — the world's largest and most spectacular. Peter Smith, executive vice-president of Atlandia Design, recognized the beauty and practicality of the concept. Jon Jerde, FSE and the City of Las Vegas embraced the show concept. Kozlowski's concept was to use a combination of four colored light bulbs per "light" which allowed a full spectrum of colors. The Young Electric Sign Company assisted in creating the test panels and in the final installation. After the Fremont Street Experience opened, the light bulbs were checked nightly to ensure that all were functioning properly. To accomplish this massive undertaking, the length of the canopy was divided into panels. Each panel was checked by separately turning on each of the four colored light bulbs. A maintenance worker on a lift would then replace any bulbs that were out. The most expensive bulb cost nearly $15 to replace. On September 7, 1994, a five-block section of Fremont Street was closed to automobile traffic for good, and groundbreaking was held on September 16. After that, the digging up of the street and the installation of the support poles continued into December. On February 15, 1995, the space frames were brought in and the roof began to take shape. The last piece was installed in July 1995. The official public preview was held in conjunction with the Nevada Symphony. The light show was opened on December 14, 1995. The first New Year's party was held on December 31, 1995. The Neon Museum at the Fremont Street Experience opened in November 1996 with the Hacienda Horse & Rider sign being lit at the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and Fremont Street. The museum features signs from old casinos and other businesses displayed outdoors. For many years, the Young Electric Sign Company stored many of these signs in their bone yard. The signs were slowly being destroyed by exposure to the elements. The museum is slowly restoring the signs and placing them around the FSE. Permanent stages were added in the early 2000s, eliminating the need to bring in temporary stages for every event. The sound system was upgraded in June 2001. On June 14, 2004, a $17 million upgrade was unveiled that would feature a 12.5-million LED display and more color combinations than the original display, which was composed of incandescent lighting. The initial $70 million investment and the continued improvements have resulted in successful and ongoing downtown redevelopment. The City of Las Vegas and the downtown casinos have benefited as more than 60% of visitors to Downtown are lured by the Fremont Street Experience overhead light show and stage shows and stay to enjoy the attractions of some of the most famous casinos in the world.
A house in the newly founded Eslandolan settlement of Ceniza Bajo on Luther Islands. The volcanic nature of the islands is reflected in the materials used to pave the streets and build the houses. The architecture displays a mixture of colonial style, wealth, but also solidity and practicality - because life in a trading town is not about displaying luxury, but about getting the work done, and living a good life. The city is new, less than a year of age, and the houses show little to no signs of erosion yet.
Ceniza Bajo is built on the ruins of an ancient native civilization, that once used to live where the Eslandolans have now settled. The remainders of the natives have been recycled and integrated into the town - that's why quite a few gardens are home to a totem or some other random weird sculpture.
Saturday night cruising in Paprihaven, at the King of Cars dealership.* Jingling Julie Prescott is happy to finally see a possible catch for the 2011 Mini Cooper Countryman. It's been on the lot for three years but TR won't drop the price.**
Amazingly, it is the Maidriemz sisters, who are notorious for always looking and never buying. This time, though, Julie is sensing that she may hook them.
Julie: "Giula, Goila, thanks for coming in today! You said you're looking for something that's fun to drive, practical, and stands out from the crowd? I think I have just the perfect car for you: this 2011 MINI Cooper Countryman."
Goila: "I thought the MINIs were two doors. This is so cute."
Julie: "So right, when people think of MINI, they often think of the classic two-door, but this Countryman offers something special. It gives you that iconic MINI go-kart handling and spirited performance that everyone loves, but in a package that's surprisingly versatile.
First off, let's talk about the MINI experience. You get that direct, engaging steering and a turbocharged engine that makes every drive feel exciting, whether you're navigating city streets or cruising on the highway. It's a car that puts a smile on your face every time you get behind the wheel."
Giula: "I can't help smiling, just imagining it."
Julie: "I know how you feel! And here's where the Countryman truly shines: it adds a whole new level of practicality. Unlike the standard Cooper, this is a four-door vehicle with genuine space for four adults.
No more squeezing into the back; your friends and family will appreciate the comfortable rear seating. And the rear cargo area is surprisingly generous, perfect for groceries, luggage for a weekend trip, or even your gear for outdoor adventures. It truly bridges the gap between a nimble compact and a small SUV."
Goila: "Giula, we could bring Myrtle and Pearl with us!"
Giula: *giggling* "Oh, Goila, can you just imagine the look on their faces if we pulled up in this green gem?"
Julie: "You've both nailed it. That captivating aesthetic. This isn't just another boring car. The Countryman has that unmistakable MINI charm – it's quirky, stylish, and full of personality. You'll turn heads wherever you go. It’s perfect for someone who wants to express themselves and not just blend in with traffic."
Giula: "We've been talking and talking about getting a new car for years, Goila. Years. This lovely MINI seems... right."
Goila: "But, Giula, it has racing stripes.
Julie: "Just the touch to let everyone know you're fully engaged in all the excitement of life! And for a 2011 model, you're getting a lot of value. MINIs are known for their quality interiors and robust build. This one has been well-maintained and still delivers that premium feel. You're getting a lot of style and substance without the new car price tag."
Giula: *sighs* "We'll need to think about it."
Julie: "I wouldn't wait a hot minute while this MINI is still available. Let's review: A car that's genuinely fun to drive every day. The practicality of four doors and usable cargo space. A distinctive style that reflects your personality. And excellent value in the used car market..."
Goila: "But that price... oh, my."
Julie: "You're right it's shockingly low. Don't regret this fantastic auto being the one that got away. You know if you walk away, you're going to have an absolutely sleepless night wondering if someone else got it. Save yourselves that drama, and dive in right now. I want to help you ladies dream bigger!"
The sisters look at each other and, once they both smile, Juile knows she's done it. She finally sold the Countryman at TR's price! She'll rub this in Falconetti's face.
🚌🚦🚗⛽🚐🚍🚎🚔🚑🚨🚒🚓🚔🚕🚧🚖🚜🚘🚲
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A year of the shows and performers of the Bijou Planks Theater.
Matchbox
2011 MINI Cooper Countryman
2018, Thailand
* First seen in BP 2022 Day 169!
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/52155324187/
** Again, same pic as above, and there it sits.
This Montego was a much welcomed sight in South West London a couple of weeks ago! It is pretty impressive that Rover kept the Montego in production for so long (11 years), as by the end of production in 1995, they were rather outdated, but remained popular throughout their production, due to their affordability and practicality. This example looked in fair condition, with some aftermarket 'Rover' badges placed around the car! It has been off the road several times over the years, only to pleasingly return again!
Mileage in between MOTs - 2,031 Miles
Mileage at last MOT - 95,542 Miles
Last Ownership Change - 1st September 2007
L619 PAK
✓ Taxed
Tax due: 01 December 2018
✗ No MOT
Expired: 13 December 2017
Because of certain circumstances I was on a level of panic that I don't think I've ever been at before, here at Tokyo Disneysea. Here's a retelling of what happened: After a long day, I finally decided to head over to Journey To The Center Of The Earth, which was supposedly THE disneysea experience. The ride was temporarily closed so I reserved my spot in line waiting for the ride to open.
I was sitting there, outside the ride, for ALMOST 4 HOURS. I watched the sun go down as the sky faded to night through a hole in the façade ceiling. At around 7-8PM, they finally opened it and I got on it. The originality and practicality behind it all was enough for me to forgive it once on the ride though. Worth all the anguish, just glad I got to ride it, 10/10.
But back to this photo, I had a list of nighttime photo priorities I wanted to carry out, and the fact that it was already long dark by the time I got off, I was so stressed when I finally got off and looked at the time. I ended up trying to sprint all over the park and back again to get all the shots. This one was outside Fortress Explorations. A place I didn't get to see yet in general, and it happened to be the closest attraction, so I was running fast, I stopped to get this shot before I continued. From this angle, a Mediterranean fort on the foot of a volcano, the composition seemed to make sense.
The only things I changed in editing were the light on the window and grain in the sky. Of course I do wish I had the chance to stop and take it all in. But I am still glad that this, along with the other night photos yet to come, came out well
I hate Disney
Why? Because practicality is too mainstream. Plus you'll look like a badass, grizzly operator compared to all the Chris Costa wannabees with there Noveske and JP Enterprise 5.56 sissy guns.
(Not to be taken seriously)
Credit to...
Epicsunrise for his charging handle.
Shockwave for his magpul, handstop/rail cover combo/sling mount, brake, cheek rest, and angled rail
Timathy Hearsecack for his 45degree MBUS
Benjoo for his LaRue grip.
El Mattia for his Trijicon optic.
and Braydenmaine for his Barrett logo.
The Fremont Street Experience (FSE) is a pedestrian mall and attraction in Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada. The FSE occupies the westernmost five blocks of Fremont Street, including the area known for years as "Glitter Gulch," and portions of some other adjacent streets. The central attraction is a barrel vault canopy, 90 ft (27 m) high at the peak and four blocks, or approximately 1,500 ft (460 m), in length. While Las Vegas is known for never turning the outside casino lights off, each show begins by turning off the lights on all of the buildings, including the casinos, under the canopy. Before each show, one bidirectional street that crosses the Experience is blocked off for safety reasons. Concerts, usually free, are also held on three stages. The venue has become a major tourist attraction for downtown Las Vegas, and is also the location of the SlotZilla zip line attraction and the city's annual New Year's Eve party, complete with fireworks on the display screen. Fremont Street had Las Vegas' first hotel (the Hotel Nevada in 1906, present day Golden Gate), first telephone (1907), first paved street (1925), first Nevada gaming license — issued to the Northern Club at 15 E. Fremont St, first traffic light, first elevator (the Apache Hotel in 1932), and the first high-rise (the Fremont Hotel in 1956). The Horseshoe was the first casino to install carpeting, while the Golden Nugget was the first structure designed from the ground up to be a casino. For many years, the western end of Fremont Street was the area most commonly portrayed whenever producers wanted to display the lights of Las Vegas. The large number of neon signs earned the area the nickname "Glitter Gulch." By 1992, 80 percent of the Las Vegas casino market was on the Strip. Downtown Las Vegas hotels and casinos sought to build an attraction that would lure more visitors to their businesses. After Paramount Pictures head Stanley Jaffe refused to approve a proposal to build a life-sized Starship Enterprise, the Fremont Street Experience was chosen as the project. FSE, LLC is a cooperative venture, owned and operated by a group of downtown hotel/casino companies (comprising eight hotel/casinos) as a separate corporation, responsible for financing, developing, and managing the Fremont Street Experience. It was the second Las Vegas project of architect Jon Jerde, whose firm was paid approximately $900,000 by the City of Las Vegas to create a show concept for the downtown area. Jerde's design included a floating sky parade which was to be suspended from the canopy. The concept was accepted by the Fremont Street Experience as well as the City of Las Vegas. Ultimately Jon Jerde's sky parade concept was scrapped, but the architectural design for the canopy was carried through. The local architect of record, Mary Kozlowski Architect Inc., cited the following as problems with Jon Jerde's sky parade concept:
1.) Perspective: The view of the parade from below made the concept unworkable — to properly view the project would require that visitors stand at a raised elevation such as a third or fourth floor vantage point.
2.) Wind: The addition of the canopy over Fremont Street would create a wind tunnel causing a dangerous condition for people on the floats who would be trapped. Also the potential for harmonic motion as the floats swung back and forth in the wind potentially resulting in massive structural failure of the canopy and fatalities.
3.) Sand: The combination of desert sand and the mechanical systems of the sky parade would make the attraction difficult to maintain.
A new concept for the show was necessary quickly as funds were already available and the overall schedule was set. The concept for the show as it now exists was conceived by architect Mary Kozlowski who had grown up in Las Vegas and knew and loved Fremont Street. It was a light show on the underside of the canopy — the world's largest and most spectacular. Peter Smith, executive vice-president of Atlandia Design, recognized the beauty and practicality of the concept. Jon Jerde, FSE and the City of Las Vegas embraced the show concept. Kozlowski's concept was to use a combination of four colored light bulbs per "light" which allowed a full spectrum of colors. The Young Electric Sign Company assisted in creating the test panels and in the final installation. After the Fremont Street Experience opened, the light bulbs were checked nightly to ensure that all were functioning properly. To accomplish this massive undertaking, the length of the canopy was divided into panels. Each panel was checked by separately turning on each of the four colored light bulbs. A maintenance worker on a lift would then replace any bulbs that were out. The most expensive bulb cost nearly $15 to replace. On September 7, 1994, a five-block section of Fremont Street was closed to automobile traffic for good, and groundbreaking was held on September 16. After that, the digging up of the street and the installation of the support poles continued into December. On February 15, 1995, the space frames were brought in and the roof began to take shape. The last piece was installed in July 1995. The official public preview was held in conjunction with the Nevada Symphony. The light show was opened on December 14, 1995. The first New Year's party was held on December 31, 1995. The Neon Museum at the Fremont Street Experience opened in November 1996 with the Hacienda Horse & Rider sign being lit at the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and Fremont Street. The museum features signs from old casinos and other businesses displayed outdoors. For many years, the Young Electric Sign Company stored many of these signs in their bone yard. The signs were slowly being destroyed by exposure to the elements. The museum is slowly restoring the signs and placing them around the FSE. Permanent stages were added in the early 2000s, eliminating the need to bring in temporary stages for every event. The sound system was upgraded in June 2001. On June 14, 2004, a $17 million upgrade was unveiled that would feature a 12.5-million LED display and more color combinations than the original display, which was composed of incandescent lighting. The initial $70 million investment and the continued improvements have resulted in successful and ongoing downtown redevelopment. The City of Las Vegas and the downtown casinos have benefited as more than 60% of visitors to Downtown are lured by the Fremont Street Experience overhead light show and stage shows and stay to enjoy the attractions of some of the most famous casinos in the world.
One of two 1919 headframes of the Cliffs Shaft Iron Mine, Euclid Street between Lakeshore Drive and Spruce Street, Ishpeming, Michigan. The Cliffs Shaft Mine is a former iron mine, now a museum, located on Euclid Street between Lakeshore Drive and Spruce Street in Ishpeming, Michigan. The museum, operated by "Marquette Range Iron Mining Heritage Theme Park Inc.", celebrates the history of the Marquette Iron Range. The site was designated a state of Michigan historic site in 1973 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992
In 1919, Cliffs Shaft engineers determined that the two wooden headframes atop their A and B shafts were deteriorating and would soon be unsafe. When Cliffs Shaft engineers presented company president William G. Mather with proposals to update the headframes, Mather suggested that, because of the prominence of their location, the headframes combine practicality with architectural beauty. The company retained George Washington Maher, a Prairie School architect from Chicago's Condron Company, to design the new headframes. Maher came up with a distinctive obelisk-shaped, Egyptian Revival design for the headframes. The company immediately began building the new headframes around the old wooden ones. The new headframes were of reinforced concrete, with an interior measurement of 33 feet square at the base, eventually tapering to 21 feet square at the top. A pyramidal roof brought the full height to 96 feet 9 inches. The structures are substantially similar, but mirror images of each other. The positions of interior beams were largely determined by available openings in the wooden headframes being built around. Work continued from July into December 1919.
(Digital Art)
Dercohe, BC Canada
The Austin A40 10 CWT Pick-Up holds an interesting place in automotive history. Introduced in 1947, this pick-up truck was part of Austin's broader A40 series, which featured a range of body styles like sedans, vans, and pickups. Its practical design and reliability made it a favorite among small business owners and farmers who needed a versatile vehicle for light commercial use.
The A40 10 CWT Pick-Up was powered by a modest yet efficient 1.2-liter engine, delivering around 40 horsepower. Its payload capacity of 10 hundredweight (about 500 kilograms) gave it the name "10 CWT." This vehicle was known for being durable and economical, making it ideal for post-war recovery in the United Kingdom and beyond.
During its production run from 1947 to 1953, the model gained a reputation for being a workhorse, capable of handling tough tasks in both rural and urban settings. The pick-up embodied the spirit of practicality and simplicity that defined many vehicles of its era.
Thank you for your visit and any faves or comments are always greatly appreciated!
~Sonja
Used by peeps in space. From private enforcement groups to rich individuals seeking thrills. The Saga chain-of-planets/state has a mix ancestry of Eurasian cultures that somehow reflects in the Hokkien's design. Some well known factories specialize in sleek pods, frames and comfort, others in practicality and strength. Kavalerovo and Kusong managed to mix both with little gradient inbetween. .. whatever sells I guess.
Automobile - At one time this was my dream car, although I wanted a Midnight Blue Corvette. Practicality took over and I ended up with a Jeep Grand Cherokee. This small Vette is on the tire of my Jeep. HMM
Super excited about the simplicity of this new picture. It always feels good to get back to basics.
Some thoughts on creating a series, and a new video in the link:
I think that for most artists, of any variety, there comes a time when practicality and reality meets the dream world that we so often live in. We create because we love it, and in doing so, produce works that are meaningful and special to us. I fully believe that the vision of an artist should never be compromised; yet that doesn’t mean that artists must be oblivious to business.
I create because I love to create. Whether it is writing, photography, or filmmaking, I am constantly searching for a new project – something to excite my creative juices. When I started out in photography it didn’t occur to me to make it a career. I did it because I loved it. But at a certain point I realized that I could either continue going to a job that I hated while doing what I loved on the side, or I could change all of that.
I had a specific idea of how my business would be run. I told myself I wouldn’t turn photography into just another job, doing something that I didn’t like for the sake of money. I would have rather gotten a job outside of the photo world to maintain purity of the craft, and that is just what I did for some time while I was trying to grow my business.
My first encounter in the professional world of photography came when I had my first meeting with a gallery. That gallery told me that if I could create a cohesive series around one of the images in my portfolio, I could have a show with them. And so I went on to create a series, or in other words, a set of images that all link together in one form or another. The gallery explained that if they exhibit a series, they are more likely to sell multiple prints during the show.
Creating a series also helps to identify a style within an artist’s work, which can be paramount for creating a recognizable name in the industry. Creating a series creates trust between artist and client, no matter who that client is. It could be that you are creating a commissioned portrait or selling a print; but no matter what the medium of the exchange, you have proved that you can create consistently by creating a series.
www.promotingpassion.com/promoting-passion-week-34-creati...
Produced from 1933 to 1938, the Twelve was named for the V-12, 473 cubic inch engine. One of only 556 Twelves produced in 1938, each was given a 250 mile road test before delivery. Of course, it sports the iconic "cormorant" hood ornament, to my mind the most beautiful and impractical hood ornament ever put on an American-made automobile. But, if you were concerned about practicality, you didn't buy this car. Packard was swimming against the tide, and the superluxury Twelves were discontinued soon thereafter. At the AACA Museum in Hershey, PA.
This image comes from a new feature project on my website: gavinconwill.co.uk/index.php/portfolio/architecture/
Taking influence from the industrial backdrop of my home city Sheffield, I've been developing a new photography series. Contrasting sharp angles with an often bold colour palette, I've been exploring my passion for Brutalist & 21st Century Architecture.
Each image showcases elements of the overall construction, creating new perspectives from modern practicalities.
'Purple' is available as a framed photographic print at my Etsy store: www.etsy.com/uk/listing/583826737/purple-minimalist-purpl...
Radmoor Centre, Loughborough, UK.
Taken August 2017
Ca' Foscari, the palace of the Foscari family, is a Gothic building on the waterfront of the Grand Canal in the Dorsoduro sestiere of Venice, Italy.
It was built for the doge Francesco Foscari in 1453, and designed by the architect Bartolomeo Bon. It is now the main seat of Ca' Foscari University of Venice.
The palace is located on the widest bend of the Grand Canal. Here, during the annual Regata Storica (Historical Regatta), held on the first Sunday in September, a floating wooden structure known as La Machina is placed (from this structure the Venetian authorities watch the race); this is also the site of the finishing line, and the venue for prize-giving.
Previously a Byzantine palace, known as the "House with the Two Towers", stood on the site. This was bought by the Republic of Venice in 1429 from Bernardo Giustinian, to be the residence of the vice-captain of the Republic, Gianfrancesco Gonzaga. The palace consisted of two towers flanking a lower, central block and was used for entertaining illustrious guests of the Republic, including kings and diplomats. In 1439, the palace was given to another captain, Francesco Sforza. However, In 1447, Francesco Sforza betrayed the Republic and was deprived of the residence.
In 1453 the Republic of Venice regained possession of the palace and sold it by auction to the Doge of the time, Francesco Foscari; he had the palace demolished and rebuilt in late Venetian gothic style; the building was chosen by the doge for its position on the Grand Canal. Foscari immediately set about rebuilding the palace in a manner befitting his status: he moved the site of the new palace forward on to the bank of the Grand Canal. Buying and rebuilding the palace for himself meant for the doge affirming his political and military role: he actually represented the continuity of the military successes of that period, lasted 30 years, and was the promoter of the Venetian expansion in the mainland (terraferma). The huge new palace could hardly have been finished when Foscari was disgraced in 1457 and retired to his new home until his death.
In 1574 king Henry III of France was housed in the second floor of the building.
The most recent restoration of Ca' Foscari and the adjacent Palazzo Giustinian was commissioned in 2004, aiming to fulfill the new requirements of safety and practicality. Work lasted from January 2004 until the summer of 2006.
Presently the palace is the headquarters of the Ca' Foscari University, which has made accessible to the public some of the most beautiful halls, such as the "Aula Baratto" and the "Aula Berengo".
In 2013, thanks to a series of important technical measures for energy efficiency and thanks to the adoption of stringent environmental management practices put in place by the Ca' Foscari University, the building obtained the LEED certificate for sustainability, thus becoming the oldest building in the world to acquire this prestigious certification.
Ca' Foscari is a typical example of the residence of the Venetian nobles and merchants. The structure is one of the most imposing buildings of the city and its external courtyard is the biggest courtyard of a private house after that of the Doge's Palace. In common with other palaces, Ca' Foscari's principal and most decorated facade and entrance faced the Grand Canal - the city's main thoroughfare. This façade is characterized by a rhythmic sequence of arches and windows; this style, known as Floral Gothic, is emulated throughout the city and can be identified through the use of pointed arches and carved window heads. At Ca' Foscari, the tops of each column are decorated with carved quatrefoil patterns; the Gothic capitals are adorned with foliage, animals and masks. Above the Gothic window is a marble frieze with a helmet surmounted by a lion couchant representing the role of the doge as the captain of the republic; at each side of the central helmet we can find two putti holding a shield symbolising the Foscari's coat of arms with the winged lion of Saint Mark, symbol of Venice.
The practical function of Venetian palaces differed from those in other Italian cities. The nobility did not derive their income from landed estates as elsewhere, but from seafaring and trade. As a result, their "fondaco" houses had to serve not only as residences but also as the headquarters for their trading ventures. The main features of these early palaces were two-storey arcades or loggias along the waterfront; on the ground floor was a portal for loading and unloading merchandise. The portal often led into an entrance hall or "portico" used for business negotiations, with storerooms and offices on either side and a kitchen at the back. The living quarters were upstairs, with the rooms leading off great T-shaped central room; a well and an open staircase were placed in the courtyard. There were low towers at each end of the façade. The House of the two Towers too used to have this structure, before Francesco Foscari decided to destroy it and rebuild it in Gothic style.
The ground floor was used as storerooms; the first and second floors ("piani nobili") were used for formal entertaining and private residential use respectively. The central loggia of these two principal floors are designed in a similar Venetian floral Gothic style to the better known arcade of the Doge's Palace. The loggias, tied one above the other, are now glazed and light the large halls behind. The loggias are flanked by wings each of two bays containing smaller rooms.
The cruel decline from dementia spares neither the sufferer nor those around them.
My father was the headmaster of Robert Gordon's College in Aberdeen for 18 years, conceiving and overseeing the transformation of the school infrastructure and making it the largest co-educational private school in north-east Scotland. Michael Gove was also one of his pupils.
With a double first in classics from Edinburgh University, he played rugby to a senior level including as part of Daniel Stewart's 1959 Murrayfield, Hawick and Jedforest Sevens winning side and a trial as hooker for Scotland before injury stopped his career prematurely shortly after. Fluent in German, Ancient Greek and Latin, he could also fly an aircraft, as well play a variety of sports. My mother and my father met in 1957 and married in 1962 and have been devoted to each other since. My mother trained as a nurse at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and rose, even part-time, to be a clinical teaching nurse in Aberdeen.
Following the traditional roles of the times, she provided my father with the support behind the scenes that allowed him to concentrate on his work for the school. My mother lacks my father's formal qualifications but her innate intelligence and practicality mean she has identified medical problems with unerring accuracy, months before modern medicine has managed, as well as be a near perfect mother.
My father was diagnosed with dementia almost exactly 6 years ago in 2016.The driving licence went in 2017, followed by his ability to communicate properly in 2018 and his ability to live independently in 2019. In 2020, as covid struck, the burden on my mother of his sole care became too much even for her and he went into a residential home as an emergency. His decline was probably exacerbated by the imposed isolation of the pandemic restrictions; not one minute of my mother's company in 6 months, let alone the ten Boris got for his birthday cake.
With restrictions lifted, and my mother recovered in part from her heavy burden, my mother has resumed her love, devotion and care for my father even though he no longer understands concepts such as a marriage or a wife as his great mind is obscured by a permanent blinding fog. Like Greyfriar's Bobby, my mother selflessly devotes herself to him still despite the personal cost to her.
I despise dementia and what it has done to my father and by extension my mother. I do not wish to remember my father as this human husk and to record his decline. Taking his picture when he has no understanding of a camera and what I am doing seems uncomfortably intrusive. Equally, sharing this picture on Flickr has been a difficult dilemma. However, their Endless Love deserves to be celebrated despite the cruel bitter blight of a disease that strips all its victims of all dignity.
My father will be 86 on Thursday but it will mean nothing to him.
[My father passed away finally, almost 8 years after his diagnosis, on 12 October 2023. A merciful release for him and his own "Greyfriars Bobby", my mother, who dedicated herself to him until the very end.]
[This photograph made it into In Explore in 2022 but Flickr zeroed all my pictures by reclassifying them as Restricted having identified that I inadvertently had not made 30 photographs of the London Naked Bike Ride marked as Moderate/Restricted by me out of 3900 photographs. This removed them from all Groups instantly without any prior warning or threat and despite my remedying the issue immediately I became aware of it. As a consequence all my Groups have been removed and, despite Flickr reclassifying them all as Safe; Flickr cannot apparently restore them to their Groups meaning I have to go through literally thousands of pictures to add Groups.
Truly Draconian : You have been warned.]
Comparing the window glass sizes between the Oldsmobile Alero (sold 1999-2004) in the foreground to the more recent Mazda model (6?) behind it, the proportional difference of glass to body becomes very evident.
Generally speaking, I prefer large windows to small ones in any place I live, work or stay. Tiny windows look chintzy. Wouldn’t the same preference naturally extend to vehicles? Yes, I acknowledge that custom cars with ‘chopped’ roofs are often looked upon with admiration, but those are limited use vehicles not meant for practicality.
He is a bit centrist for me, but I like his practicality and his depth. Such an intellect. And so different from our current President.
When we arrived in Puerto Rico with our 10 suitcases full of shorts, flip flops, and the Instant Pots, this apartment on the Isla Verde beach was our temporary housing while we hunted for a condo to buy. We were here for about seven weeks. It was magical to go to sleep at night listening to the waves crashing on the rocks and the beach. The windows were all rusted shut, or we would have had them open all the time. The salt air rusts everything that’s metal. Suddenly we appreciate the practicality of plastic stuff, but the humidity seems to turn some plastics to mush here too.
This Montego was a much welcomed sight in South West London a couple of weeks ago! It is pretty impressive that Rover kept the Montego in production for so long (11 years), as by the end of production in 1995, they were rather outdated, but remained popular throughout their production, due to their affordability and practicality. This example looked in fair condition, with some aftermarket 'Rover' badges placed around the car! It has been off the road several times over the years, only to pleasingly return again!
Mileage in between MOTs - 2,031 Miles
Mileage at last MOT - 95,542 Miles
Last Ownership Change - 1st September 2007
L619 PAK
✓ Taxed
Tax due: 01 December 2018
✗ No MOT
Expired: 13 December 2017
Como en tantas otras estaciones de nuestra geografía, en los años 70 el precioso edificio de 2 plantas y 3 cuerpos original de la línea; fue demolido y sustituido por el actual rectangulo "insulso" de hormigón y ladrillo. Tiempos en que no se buscaba el diseño sino la practicidad.
Al menos, la preciosa fábrica de "burbujitas" de detrás de la estación compensa la vista...
FF.CC de Tarragona a Martorell y Barcelona (1865).
🚋 As in so many other stations in our geography, in the 70s the beautiful original 2-story, 3-section building of the line; It was demolished and replaced by the current "bland" rectangle of concrete and brick. Times when design was not sought but practicality.
At least the beautiful "bubble" factory behind the station makes up for the view...
Railway from Tarragona to Martorell and Barcelona (1865).
This is the first scented shrub rose on the market.
It's the dawn of a new day for roses: At Last® combines all the romance of a fragrant, fully-petaled tea rose with the no-nonsense practicality of a disease-resistant landscape rose. No spraying is required to enjoy a non-stop display of large, sweetly perfumed sunset-orange blossoms from late spring through frost - proven winners
Taken on 28 July 2015 and uploaded 22 November 2024.
I seem to have been taking photographs of things without knowing what they were: I still don't. I think it may be a cooking ring ?
On a side issue, I don't like movies, much: I haven't seen the movie "Gladiator" but I've seen stills from it, with Russell Crowe (?) doing manly Charlton Heston-type grimacing. That was all Charlton Heston could do and I'd seen as much of that as I needed to by about 1972. So, I know that Gladiator II is a thing and wanted to point out it's been done before, not necessarily as glamorously, or with as much manly gurning, but more practicality, and that's what counts.
"Someone, somewhere, has to know".
[DSC_3984e]
I think simple physics and practicality have shaped human architecture in strange ways. I like Antonio Gaudí's approach because it follows patterns in nature which we instinctively find comforting.
Historically significant building....Tour Perret (English: Perret Tower) is a 29-storey, 110 m (360 ft) residential skyscraper in Amiens, France. It has been described as France's first skyscraper, and was registered as a historic monument in 1975.
Its building was part of a large scale reconstruction project helmed by architect Auguste Perret in the Place Alphone-Fiquet neighborhood, which also involved a rebuild of the nearby railway station.The design phase started as early as 1942, following extensive damages suffered by downtown Amiens during World War II.[8] Perret intended it as an office building before authorities overruled him.
Originally measuring 104 metre,[8] Tour Perret was the highest, and the first 100-plus metre skyscraper built in France, although it was not the highest in Western Europe, as it has sometimes been written.The building actually fell slightly short of its intended height as its topmost part, a belfry adorned with a monumental clock, was never built due to delays and cost overruns.
In 2005, the tower was finally completed with a so-called Sablier de lumière (English: Hourglass of Light) designed by architect Thierry Van de Wyngaert. It is a cube made of 192 active glass pannels whose transparency can be electrically adjusted, illuminated by twelve circular neon lamps which project different colors depending on the time of day. In 2017, the lighting system was redesigned and simplified for cost and practicality The cube's addition brought the height of the building up to 110 metre.
Well, I promised two people a series on ... wood, more specifically, tree trunks, knots, roots, and with lichen. I have quite a few images over the years, so I'm going to mete them out over the next 20 years. I want to keep your interest long term.
I think most of us take trees for granted. Yet, where would be be without them? I'm talking practicality, not their function as nature's air filter. Where would we hang a swing? Where would birds perch and make homes? Where would lichen ad moss and fungi grow together? Sure, on a rock, but they... well, no they don't. Anyway, from the first time I saw lichen on a tree trunk (tomorrow if you behave), to the first time I stood IN a Sequoia tree ... I have found them fascinating in so many ways. (Thank heaven that Sequoias make terrible building material. There would be none left so that Hollywood types could live in oversized homes made from them.)
Let's start with the fallen tree in the Hoh Rainforest in Olympic NP in Washington State. We had hiked a distance, and I needed a place to sit. I came upon what used to be an upright giant. As I looked at it, I saw all kinds of insects, fungi, moss, on it, and birds, ferns, and schrooms under. This trunk goes all the way down the hill at the center of the frame. I think it was 190 feet and, when it fell, it fell as one big hunk. It's bent where it finally gave way after having rested horizontally for a century. (One day, I will become more diligent about taking pictures of signs that explain stuff.)
The roots are behind me and, large though they are, they don't compare to Sequoias and Redwoods. I don't remember what species of tree it was, but I think it was a Western Hemlock.
Three more photos from the Lake District, back in the autumn. The trip was notable for it's combination of sunshine and showers, which creates some great situations for photography, along with some very difficult practicalities.
So I've heard of Bali underwear but never tried them until now, and now I understand why people love them. Their briefs fit and hold so well (I know it's not the sexiest, but it's about practicality, LOL).
www.embsayboltonabbeyrailway.org.uk/
The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (L&YR) Class 27 is a class of 0-6-0 steam locomotive designed for freight work.
They were designed by John Aspinall and 484 were built between 1889 - 1918 at Horwich works. The Class 27 was the standard goods engine of the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway. Aspinall opted for the two cylinder format with a non superheated round top boiler. David Joy's configuration of valve gear was employed. By the time of Aspinall's departure from the L&YR in 1899 over 400 of these simple but powerful engines had been built. More were built under his successor Henry Hoy and George Hughes, albeit with some modifications. By 1918 the class totalled 484.
It was under Hughes that the class became the subject of early experiments in superheating. This was the process of increasing the temperature of the steam produced in the boiler so the minimum of energy was lost. After many months of trails a further 20 superheated engines were authorised to be built and the first of these superheated class 27's emerged from Horwich Works in 1909. The superheated 27's retained the boiler pressure of the originals (180 psi). This first batch had round topped boilers but in 1912 a second batch of 20 was constructed with Belpaire fireboxes.
Although the class was augmented by a further 60 engines between 1900 and 1909 with another ten added in 1917-18. The final five built reverted entirely to the original 1889 specification. It is a tribute to the soundness usefulness and simple practicality of Aspinall's design that some 300 of the class passed into the hands of the LMS and around 50 were still in British Railways service as late as the summer of 1960.
Do not use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission..
Keep your hands off!!
© All rights reserved.
2052 4/11/17-2639 1/01/18
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