View allAll Photos Tagged practicality
Microfibre cloths.
OK, your challenge is to work out what the whoopsie was on this pic, which I only noticed when I looked it full size. The prize is a virtual box of Smarties (that’s a unique and ancient type of candy, in case you were obliged to grow up in the wrong country ;) ). Just let me know if you guessed right in the comments . (Answer below…)
I bought these cloths as a job lot from Amazon a while back. I really didn’t need that many for cleaning my glasses (as in eyewear) but they were cheap and the right size and, hey, the pretty colours might make good photography fodder…
This was my alternative idea for Macro Monday’s theme Cloth this week.
What was unusual is that my original idea actually worked out more or less as intended. Yey!!
Normally once I try and realise an idea, the practicalities of imaging transform the original concept into something very different and the initial exuberant optimism gives way to sullen, if pragmatic, acceptance of the limitations of reality.
But do I like it? Well, no, not really (which is why I put the other into Macro Mondays). And that comes as a suprise (to me, if not to you). I see this as a technical graphic art creation (I use the term art rather cynically here). But, for me, it lacks emotion and interest - it’s just pure colour zing and geometry zap…
I'm curious as to why I really much prefer my first idea (flic.kr/p/2d5i1fX) . That one feels much less contrived - just fold the scarf and point the camera and wish… And yet the result seemed much more interesting, engaging, even emotional.
Well there we go. Sorry to bore you with another step on this tortuous journey that is Me and Photography! (I console myself that you don’t have to read any of this!! :) ). The lesson is that I should try and think less, and just shut my eyes and let it all happen… or not.
And the whoopsie? Well when I folded the cloths for the pic I folded them on different sides - when you look at the blue and orange cloths the weaving is on the front side and for the others it’s the back side. If this were properly done we would have the requisite order and consistency (wouldn’t we?). The marvels of macro discovery!!
This is my first contributuon for the Mittwochs Makro (Macro Wednesday) group. Thanks to Mae (www.flickr.com/photos/soymae) for the suggestion.
Thanks for taking the time to look. I hope you enjoy the image! Happy Macro Wednesday :)
[Handheld. Sidelit by LED lightbox.
Developed for colour and contrast. Sharpened with High Pass filter/Linear Light blend. Fairly strong dark vignette.
This was one of those images that said something different if you flipped it horizontally (always worth a try if you don’t have text in the image!). This is the flipped version :)]
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.
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.
“Azaleas by Charleston’s Middleton Garden. Lace Tea Gown by Fontana of Rome.”
While the 1956 Chevrolet (often called the "Sweet One") shared the same basic body shell as the revolutionary 1955 model, it featured several distinct styling updates that made it look longer, lower, and more upscale.
The most significant change for 1956 was the introduction of the 4-door Sport Sedan (a pillarless hardtop), which is the exact model shown in the “Saturday Evening Post” ad. This body style was brand new for 1956; in 1955, "Sport" hardtops were only available as 2-door models.
The 1955 had a “Ferrari-inspired” egg-crate grille that sat between the headlights. For 1956, Chevrolet moved to a full-width grille that stretched all the way across the front, making the car look wider and more important. The 1956 hid the gas filler neck behind the left taillight, the side chrome was completely redesigned, and the rear wheel openings were reshaped to be more flattened or “squat,” contributing to the longer, lower look.
Beyond the looks, the 1956 was "hotter" under the hood. It saw the debut of the high-performance 225-horsepower V8 (the "Super Turbo-Fire") with dual four-barrel carburetors—essentially a Corvette engine in a family sedan. The new 4-door Sport Sedan was a massive sales success that year, proving that people wanted the "breezy" look of a hardtop with the practicality of four doors.
[Source: Google Gemini]
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.]
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
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
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.
Blackhawk Museum > 1933 Packard Super Eight Model 1004
1933 Packards are wonderfully made and styled automobiles – it was only a shame there were so few who could afford to buy them. 10th series production totaled a meager 4,800 units, a far cry from the 16,613 for the 9th series, and way down from the nearly 55,000 sold in 1929. The 10th series would represent Packard’s smallest output of the Classic era.
Built on the 142-inch wheelbase, the model 1004 was offered with 14 individual body styles. Priced at $3,090 at new, the 7-Passenger Sedan was one of the more expensive body styles available but was still one of the more popular ones for its luxurious practicality. All the same, only 1,327 Super Eight chassis were built, 788 of which were the longer wheel base models.
This specific sedan has been the fortunate recipient of a restoration the likes of which is usually reserved for custom bodied open topped examples. About a quarter of a million dollars was spent turning this Packard into the true jewel it is today. Inside and out, the car is just resplendent. The driver and passengers enjoy soft, fine light tan cloth upholstery and highly polished wood trim throughout. All of the chrome has been carefully prepped and professionally redone. The gauges look as if they have just been installed at the Detroit factory. All of the correct fittings are present and the jump seats in the back look unused.
Outside, the Thistle Green Dark paint is rich and lustrous, the product of meticulous preparation and application that the factory could have only dreamed of in ’33. The chrome is all highly polished as well. A set of Trippe Speedlight graces the front, flanked by a set of auxiliary horns. Above them and astride the fenders are headlights and driving lights from a 1005/6 Packard Twelve. The bumpers front and back are sourced from a ’33 Packard Twelve as well with their recognizable counterweights at the ends. The side mount spares are topped by optional side mirrors too. Opening the hood reveals a cleanly present, highly detailed and correctly finished straight eight motor.
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.
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.
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.
This eye-catching roadside tableau in Ocean Park, Washington, features three beautifully restored Ford Model A automobiles—an iconic presence on American roads from 1928 to 1931, and still beloved by vintage car enthusiasts nearly a century later.
Left: 1928 Ford Model A Coupe
Identifiable by its straight windshield and simple fender design, the coupe body style (with rumble seat) was a popular choice for personal transportation in the late 1920s. With a 40-horsepower, 4-cylinder engine, the Model A was a major step up from the venerable Model T in terms of speed, comfort, and style.
Center & Right: 1929–31 Ford Model A Tudor Sedans
These closed two-door sedans offered practicality for families and middle-class buyers, with slightly more enclosed comfort and a backseat trunk or luggage rack for longer trips. The center car shows stylish two-tone paint and rear luggage, a nod to period touring. The rightmost Model A may be a 1930 or 1931 judging by the wheel design and subtle refinements in fenders and body lines.
🚗 Historical Context:
The Ford Model A, introduced in December 1927 as a successor to the Model T, marked a turning point in American automotive history. It offered a modernized driving experience with innovations like a standard clutch and brake pedal layout, safety glass, and improved suspension. Priced accessibly for the middle class, it sold nearly 5 million units in just four years, making it one of the most successful cars of its era.
This was a period of explosive growth in car ownership. With paved roads expanding and the first national highway systems forming, Americans began to embrace the idea of personal mobility, weekend drives, and auto tourism. Vehicles like these Fords helped weave rural towns and urban centers together, reshaping not just transportation—but American life.
This text is a collaboration with Chat GPT.
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).
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).
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.
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.
I went to kings barrows last week , and managed this near perfect spectacular sunset ( partially obscured by clouds ) using 400mm lens , so as not to let the shot go to the wayside , one shot I have always wanted to get ( one day ) is of the created version above ,
not been able to do as of yet , timing , position of sun , practicality's ( Stonehenge shut , etc )
so this version will do for now , posted low res so excuse quality
PLEASE, NO invitations or self promotions, THEY WILL BE DELETED. My photos are FREE to use, just give me credit and it would be nice if you let me know, thanks.
This streetcar ran around the grounds at the museum to various locations.
Montreal began experimenting with one-man streetcars in 1925. After these tests, the MTC concluded that this type of vehicle could be put into service on certain routes outside peak hours. Consequently and after completing a sketch for a lightweight one-man vehicle, fifty units were ordered from Canadian Car and Foundry in 1925. Painted in light-beige colour with a red band, a scheme that ultimately depicted all MTC vehicles of this type, two additional orders were made from the same company in 1928 and 1929 which brought the series to 105 vehicles. These streetcars were a success because of their practicality due to their low weight (about 17,200 kilograms) and were among the last urban cars to be in service on the streets of Montreal until August 10, 1959.
The MTC 1959 streetcar is part of the second series of one-man cars commissioned from Canadian Car and Foundry in 1928. It was completely restored between 2002 and 2004 by museum volunteers and is used every summer to transport visitors to the museum's outdoor site.
All the information used with the pictures was taken from information at the Canadian Railway Museum Site.
Colorful, fast connection, detachable key rings. Stable, colorful, easy to open the arrived today at my desk. Therefore, the perfect subject for Macro Mondays them on my desk.
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]
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.
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
DSC_3798_08272014_1257
Tomb of the Charuns (Tomba dei Caronti)
First Half of the 3rd Century BC
Discovered in 1960, the Tomb of the Charons stands as a remarkable specimen of a two-level tomb from the Hellenistic era, featuring a vestibule. This archaeological find provides a fascinating glimpse into the elaborate burial practices and symbolic representations of the time.
The first floor of the tomb houses a room equipped with platforms, designated for cult ceremonies. From this space, access is granted to two lower rooms through a narrow and steep staircase, where the actual deposition ceremonies would take place. This intricate architectural layout reflects the meticulous attention to ritualistic details in Hellenistic funerary practices.
In the upper chamber, known as the vestibule, intricately carved fake doors adorn the walls. Flanking these doors are depictions of "Charun". The presence of Charun adds a layer of mythological significance to the tomb, intertwining the cultural and religious beliefs of the time with the practicalities of burial rites.
The discovery of the Tomb of the Charons in 1960 enriches our understanding of the Hellenistic period, shedding light on the complex interplay between architecture, mythology, and the afterlife in ancient Etruscan society.
I haven't posted anything for a few months, and it's not for the usual reasons I've stepped back in the past (busy, bored, family issues).
Truth is, I've been sort of frozen by all the good news in the T-Community (Caitlyn Jenner, same sex marriage, Laverne Cox, massive positive coverage in the media ...).
It's all good as far as I'm concerned - but ... if Bruce Jenner was "living a lie" all these years, what does that make me? I've been a "discreet" "T-girl", living as a guy, and up to now, okay with the practicalities of maintaining my cover.
That status quo has been more or less fine for many decades ... but now I feel a subtle pressure to do more ... or be more.
Anyone else feeling like this? Why is so much good news kinda bumming me out?
The Dao Thanh Phán women’s dress features vibrant embroidered garments with symbolic motifs, red box hats adorned with tassels and silver ornaments, and indigo-dyed fabrics. The intricate designs and bright colors, especially red, are believed to ward off wild animals and evil spirits, providing protection in their mountainous environment. Their attire reflects their cultural identity, spiritual beliefs, and connection to nature, blending practicality with tradition.
I will never forget the mment i first saw these brightly dressed women working in the rice fields of Binh Lieu. These elaborate costumes are their daily wear.
Taken at Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House. The house represents traditional architecture reflecting simplicity, practicality and cultural elegance.
The first of many in this line. I am starting a new company, called XiLE Armament. Our focus at XiLE are the following:
- Detail - the ability to make a weapon functional, with great style and sleek design
- Aesthetics - the style that makes a weapon usable and functional
- Practicality - the ability to make a weapon functional, usable, and realistic.
The "Legacy" ; the first of the XiLE line.
- Firing a solid .45 round, this submachine gun has range and stopping power.
- The double magazines allows for quicker, easier reloading.
- A quick detach, aluminum alloy suppressor
- An XiLE Grenade launching Module - ergonomic no-slip grip, tilted front end. The stick is used to rest the middle finger and trigger finger, for the operator to not always have to have his finger on the trigger. A button on the side activates the spring mechanism, pushing the breach of the GL open automatically.
- An extra magazine mounted in the stock.
- A rail-mounted leaf sight, for the GLM.
- Texturized, no-slip pistol grip.
- Quick-release magazine lever and button.
- Adjustable, texturized cheek rest.
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If you are interested in joining XiLE Armament®, please let me know.
With the launch of the Type 37 Grand Prix model in 1926, Ettore Bugatti created one of the most iconic racing cars in history, and certainly one of the most instantly recognizable silhouettes in Grand Prix car design.
The Type 37 effortlessly combines both purposeful aesthetics with an understated simplicity, relying on finesse and lightweight design for its performance, rather than the over-engineered brute force that were more typical in racing cars of the period. The car’s 1.5-litre, single overhead cam engine was as compact as it was powerful, and the Type 37 was easily capable of 90 mph. Braking was effective too, and the whole package was quickly identified as a race-winning car for any serious driver on the international racing scene.
The Type 37, like its predecessor, the Type 35, is for many collectors the ultimate embodiment of a high-performance and competitive racing car, yet it is also a car that offers enthusiasts an excellent level of practicality for road-based events and rallies. The wide cockpit offers genuine two-seat accommodation for the driver and a companion, making it a wonderful choice for any driver holding the romantic notion that a car should be driven to a circuit, raced competitively, and then driven home in darkness, courtesy of practical accessories such as wings and headlights. The “Brooklands” style windscreens, the delectable dashboard gauges, and the unmistakable Bugatti wood-rimmed steering wheel all complete what is an exceptionally exciting and simply beautiful car to own and admire.
Specifications:
80 hp, 1,498 cc single overhead camshaft inline four-cylinder engine, four-speed manual transmission, live axle suspension with semi-elliptic front and quarter-elliptic rear springs, and four-wheel mechanical drum brakes. Wheelbase: 2,400 mm (94.5 in.)
Source: RM Auctions | Sotheby’s
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Of course there’s a story. You should know by now there’s always a story behind my pictures/artwork. This car, the picture of which was taken at the Milwaukee Concours d’Elegance this past August, has been sitting in my garage for a time due to technical problems, foremost being the tires. Yes, the same old story……… The tires buried in long grass, obscuring a portion of bottom of the tires. Now understand vintage tires of this size and tread design are not easy to come by. In this case, I was forced to contact Coker Tires in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the only source known to carry vintage tires. Not an easy task, my friends. The proper size tires (770 / 90) to fit the rims of a 1926 Bugatti are not exactly found at every street corner. Well, I did find the tires but then ran into a problem getting the tires to seal properly - not the tire manufacturer’s fault, rather due to non-standard rims on this particular Bugatti. The only solution was to line the inside of the rims with “Sure-Seal” before mounting these tires. This did the trick.
The next challenge, as you might imagine, was creating a selection of the entire car, louvers, spokes and the whole shebang . Believe me folks the midnight oil was burning long for many nights, yes, sir re, Bob.
Once this tedious job was done came yet another dilemma (I have lots of “dilemma’s” in my life) to determine what, exactly to use as a background for this artwork. Many ideas came and went - each idea posed a problem in and of itself. Rather than go into a long explanation (you know me, I never go into long explanations). What you see is what you get. For Pete’s sake I sure hope you’all enjoy what you see here folks……………….
* If anyone would be interested in gaining more information about this amazing classic, here is an interesting video, click here. Not a 1926 but very similar - (a 1928).
"I obtained this idol at great expense and risk to my life. Yes sir, the local tribesmen weren't happy to part with it."
"Mr. Hightower, are you aware of the rumors that the idol may be cursed?"
"Ha! A cursed idol? Ridiculous."
Or so it seemed.
I love this Tower of Terror, I love it's originality and practicality, and it's story. For a tower that prides itself for being a scary drop tower without the Twilight Zone theme, it's ironic that the story for this one fits The Twilight Zone standard better than the other ones across the world. An eccentric traveler who steals and derelicts to no end until a vengeful African idol begins tormenting his soul for eternity is an interesting story about greed that I could definitely see Rod Serling writing. He may be remorseful now of his actions, but Shiriki Utundu will never let him go, and he knows it.
This shot is the whole reason I lugged my camera bag around this park all day. In case you don't remember my story from "Erupting Every Hour", I spent almost 5 hours of the day waiting in a line for Journey To The Center Of The Earth to open after maitenance issues, so by the time they finally let people in, I was panicking. The sun was fully down by now, and time was running thin, I had nighttime shoots to get to. I resorted to sprinting around the park to get to all my spots in time.
But like I said, this one was the priority shot, I wanted Shiriki's lightning in the window at night. The fireworks from the nighttime spectacular were going off as I ran to American Waterfront. A consequence immediately presented itself. It only shows up for half a second in the penthouse window, and while I could watch the shafts below for the elevators (it's a scripted sequence, lightning goes to the shaft, makes the elevator rumble before falling, another cool design choice). So I was forced to take a quick shutter shot, adjust my F-stop and ISO accordingly. This brought up all kinds of issues in editing, for a start, grain in a still unvaried sky. I didn't have my 200mm on me tonight so the tower itself wasn't as tall as I wanted. After scaling it up, no matter how much I tried to sharpen the edges and raise the clarity, the tower looked too soft, the reason likely being it needed more pixels then the original shots allowed.
Even with a regular wide angle I had to back up against the streetcar poles towards the central lagoon to get all this in frame. Somehow I have a feeling this is going to get more attention then I want it to cause that's how it normally works on this site. The ones I feel I could've done more to but didn't know how typically get more attention then the ones I'm proud of.
A personal hell could bring even the most deranged of personalities back, so personally I would give Hightower a 2nd chance despite how easy it is to hate the guy on this ride. Shiriki is a well written antagonist when you look further into the story and is one of the creepiest designs I've ever seen Disney do. I love that they didn't shy away from the live action or the more mature tone of this Tower Of Terror, while the one in Florida will always be the best of the 4, this is a VERY close second.
I hate Disney
For my recent January birthday, my wife surprised me with a Yiume Capricorn-motif Hawaiian Shirt, symbolized by the Goat.
"Capricorn, the tenth sign of the zodiac, is often celebrated for its ambition, discipline, and practicality. However, what many may not realize is that Capricorns possess a surprisingly rich and nuanced sense of humor that can add depth and joy to their interactions.
While Capricorns are typically seen as the responsible, goal-oriented achievers of the zodiac, their humor is a blend of dry wit, subtle sarcasm, and clever observations that can catch you off guard in the most delightful ways."
www.astrohelpers.com/the-capricorn-sense-of-humor-dry-wit...
For Flickr Friday
Theme: Birthday
Coupe Utility vehicles—better known as “utes”—merge the practicality of a pickup bed with the comfort of a sedan. Despite the fact that they’re an endangered species even in the land down under, the birthplace of the ute, they remain an integral part of Australian national identity and motoring heritage. Many performance models like this one were built over the years, and they became Australia’s contribution to muscle car culture in the 1970s.
Thank you to The Brothers Brick and the Lego Car Blog for their very kind posts about this build! This project received the "Staff Favorite" award at Brickfair Virginia 2022. More photos available in the build album.
©2022 Chris Elliott, All Rights Reserved.
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1969 Plymouth Roadrunner 440
So what exactly would be the definition of a muscle car? Well let me first say that there may not be an exact definition. There are simply too many variables, personal opinions and just plain subjective love for one’s own “performance car” to define such. Consider the following narrative as a guideline as to what would constitute being designated a muscle car.
* Following is an excerpt from a Thesis presented to the Graduate School of Clemson University by William Blythe McKinney, December 2009 which I copied and pasted into this narrative.
www.tigerprints.clemson.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1"
First, the car must carry a V8 engine. After all, there must be “muscle” behind a muscle car. And while performance can be garnered from turbocharged or supercharged V-6 engines, they do not have the loud, car-shaking visceral appeal of the V8. In the 1960s, the more cubic inches you had under the hood,
the cooler you were.
Next, the car must have only two doors, making it look sleek and sporty. But despite the two doors, the American muscle car has always carried a backseat, therefore separating it from the smaller, more European style “sports car.” This means that while smooth and fast and very desirable, a Corvette [4] would not be considered a muscle car.
Muscle cars had to have some semblance of practicality, and that came with the lower sticker price and inclusion of a rear seat. While there is some debate over what makes the cut as far as modern muscle (for example, should powerful trucks be considered?) the classic definition of the muscle era was 1964 (the first year of the GTO) through 1974 (the last year for the Super Duty Trans Am – although Trans Ams would continue to be popular in a less potent version throughout the 70s and 80s.) The zenith of the movement is generally considered to be 1970, when 100 octane fuel was still available
4. - It should be noted that some people will consider a Corvette a muscle car, while others will not. The Corvette is an American icon all on its own. Its run is much longer than the muscle cars; it has been built since the early Fifties and every year since up to the present-day (2009). Also, it is a two-seater, and expensive. Still, some will argue that it was right there in the performance battles of the late Sixties, racing against Hemi MOPARS and others, and so they include it in the discussion.
and there seemed to be no end of it, and horsepower wars had vaulted factory stock engines into the 400hp-plus range. In the years following 1970, power began to subside as emission concerns took hold, and the auto market moved in a new direction.
Finally, to be a muscle car, a car must have rear wheel drive; important to performance enthusiasts because power is not lost in turns, and there is not the feeling of being pulled to one side under heavy acceleration as in front-wheel drive vehicles (something called “wheel drift”). Also, it was cool to show off a car’s muscle by performing big smoky burnouts. This was best done by the rear wheels instead of the front, which just make it look like your engine was on fire.
People can and will argue about when the muscle car revolution really started, but for the purpose of this article, we’re placing the start in the early to mid-sixties, specifically 1964, but with credit to the earlier cars. 1964 was chosen because that was the year of the first Pontiac GTO, the car that’s most often cited for starting the whole muscle car pheno-menon. It was the first factory intermediate model with an engine from a full-size car... There were performance models long before 1964 , but the basic muscle car premise is a big engine in a smaller car. That’s the basic definition of a hot rod, only now you could buy a brand new hot rod at your local GM, Ford, or Chrysler dealership and finance it. Somehow, it’s not the same.
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By yours truly:
Burn ‘um up………heat ‘um up. Burn out. Smoke billows and swirls around a throbbing, growling, thump’a de thump four wheel beast. A couple of quick stabs on the throttle – an ear splitting vawomp, vawoomp blasts from open headers………. The car shutters and shakes as it inches forward toward the staging line, tripping the red light on the “christmas tee”. The ground shakes as both cars begin their “run-up”, r.p.m.s climb - 5000, 5500, 6000 igniting 500, 600 or more of raw brute horsepower under the hood. The count down, a yellow, another yellow. Engines screaming – the car hunches like a growling, angry Tiger ready to pounce. Green light! Foot slams the throttle, clutch peddle flies up, line lock released, the tach needle spins, higher, higher. An earth shaking roar, smoke and fire - the car bolts forward, whirling slicks dig into hot asphalt, as the front end bolts up. The car enters a different world – images melt into a blur, gears slam; second, third, fourth – a growling scream from Hell fills the air. A quarter of a mile is eaten up in a matter of seconds. The traps appear from the darkness. Time to back down – back down but no. The age is ending. Like our time on earth, the muscle car is dying……… stay in it, stay in it. The traps blur by. It pierces the darkness in an instant. It enters an ethereal world – a world devoid of time and space. It passes the bounds of our world. A raging thing – a screaming machine no longer tied to the bounds of earth. There is no return. A final scream – a final breathe and then, then silence. A blazing light pierces the darkness and it knows there is no return. Its era is passed. It is but a memory now. There is no sorrow, no regrets, no fear. It had its day and like all things, it’s time passes into memories.
This, my friends, is the muscle car ………………
In Valparaíso, Chile, corrugated metal is commonly used to side houses, a practice rooted in practicality and local culture. This material, originally brought as ballast in ships from Europe, became popular due to its affordability, durability, and ease of installation on the city’s steep hills. It allows for quick and adaptable construction, crucial in a city characterized by its rapid urban growth and challenging geography. The vibrant painting of these metal sheets adds aesthetic value, reflecting the city’s artistic spirit and transforming functional necessity into colorful architectural identity
Palazzo Farnese or Farnese Palace is one of the most important High Renaissance palaces in Rome. Owned by the Italian Republic, it was given to the French government in 1936 for a period of 99 years, and currently serves as the French embassy in Italy.
First designed in 1517 for the Farnese family, the building expanded in size and conception when Alessandro Farnese became Pope Paul III in 1534, to designs by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger. Its building history involved some of the most prominent Italian architects of the 16th century, including Michelangelo, Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola and Giacomo della Porta.
At the end of the 16th century, the important fresco cycle of The Loves of the Gods in the Farnese Gallery was carried out by the Bolognese painter Annibale Carracci, marking the beginning of two divergent trends in painting during the 17th century, the Roman High Baroque and Classicism. The famous Farnese sculpture collection, now in the National Archeological Museum of Naples, as well as other Farnese collections, now mostly in Capodimonte Museum in Naples, were accommodated in the palace.
"The most imposing Italian palace of the 16th century", according to Sir Banister Fletcher, this palazzo was designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger, one of Bramante's assistants in the design of St. Peter's and an important Renaissance architect in his own right. Construction began in 1515 after one or two years of preparation, and was commissioned by Alessandro Farnese, who had been appointed as a cardinal in 1493 at age 25 and was living a princely lifestyle. Work was interrupted by the Sack of Rome in 1527.
When, in January 1534 Alessandro became Pope Paul III, the size of the palace was increased significantly and he employed Michelangelo who completed the redesigned third story with its deep cornice and revised the courtyard as well. The post-1534 developments were not only a reflection of Alessandro's change in status but employed architecture to express the power of the Farnese family, much as at their Villa Farnese at Caprarola. The massive palace block and its facade dominate the Piazza Farnese.
Architectural features of the main facade include the alternating triangular and segmental pediments that cap the windows of the piano nobile, the central rusticated portal and Michelangelo's projecting cornice which throws a deep shadow on the top of the facade. Michelangelo revised the central window in 1541, adding an architrave to give a central focus to the facade, above which is the largest papal stemma, or coat-of-arms with papal tiara, Rome had ever seen. When Paul appeared on the balcony, the entire facade became a setting for his person. The courtyard, initially open arcades, is ringed by an academic exercise in ascending orders (Doric, Ionic and Corinthian). The piano nobile entablature was given a frieze with garlands, added by Michelangelo.
On the garden side of the palace, which faced the River Tiber, Michelangelo proposed the innovatory design of a bridge which, if completed, would have linked the palace with the gardens of the Vigna Farnese, Alessandro's holding on the opposite bank, that later became incorporated into the adjacent villa belonging to the Chigi family, which the Farnese purchased in 1584 and renamed the Villa Farnesina. While the practicalities of achieving this bridge remain dubious, the idea was a bold and expansive one.
During the 16th century, two large granite basins from the Baths of Caracalla were adapted as fountains in the Piazza Farnese, the "urban" face of the palace.
The palazzo was further modified for the papal nephew Ranuccio Farnese by Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola. It was completed for the second Cardinal Alessandro Farnese by Giacomo della Porta's porticoed facade towards the Tiber which was finished in 1589.
Following the death of Cardinal Odoardo Farnese in 1626, the palazzo stood virtually uninhabited for twenty years. At the conclusion of the War of Castro with the papacy, Duke Odoardo was able to regain his family properties, which had been sequestered. The resulting inventory is the oldest surviving complete inventory of Palazzo Farnese.
After Odoardo's death, Pope Alexander VII allowed Queen Christina of Sweden to lodge in the palace for several months, but she "proved a tenant from hell". After her departure for Paris, the papal authorities discovered that her unruly servants not only had stolen the silver, tapestries, and paintings, but also had "smashed up doors for firewood" and removed sections of copper roofing.
Back for a mid month check in, and doing so with a photo from last Wednesday when I took the opportunity of working from home to actually make an effort for it. Now I'm actually in the office today (not looking anything like this ) and although the thought of going to work in an outfit like this appeals on a certain level, the practicalities of it do not so we'll have to settle for the at home version instead. I am however "out" at work to those who really need to know, so if I ever felt the desire to appear like this, I wouldn't imagine it would be an issue (we even do genderfluid building passes for those who require them).
This is the latest piece (Trans Am Totem) to be installed for the 2014-2016 Vancouver Biennale. Its on Quebec Street and Milross Avenue near the east end of False Creek. It took two days to put it in place during which neighborhood traffic was gridlock.
The scar in the north shore mountains in the background is Grouse Mountain Ski hill.
“Trans Am Totem”
Marcus Bowcott
Canada
10 meters high, 11,340 kilograms
5 scrap cars and a cedar tree
Marcus Bowcott is a Vancouver based artist working in painting and sculpture. “Trans Am Totem” is composed of five real scrap cars stacked upon an old growth cedar tree. The artwork considers our consumer “out with the old, in with the new” culture in relation to the site, its history and Vancouver’s evolving identity.
In his artworks Marcus Bowcott arranges what remains of our throw-away consumer culture. As a metaphor his work uncovers an unpleasant darkness in our society, revealing the emotional bankruptcy that results from our dependence on cheap consumer goods which are almost always produced by unseen people on other continents. His beautifully twisting sculptures attempt to find something redeeming in the detris remaining from cycles of consumer desire and planned obsolescence.
“I draw inspiration and support from my family and friends. In the last few years I have made a full time commitment to my art, especially with the Vancouver Biennale installation of Trans Am Totem.”
“The automobile holds a unique position in our culture, It’s a manufactured want and symbol of extremes; practicality and luxury, necessity and waste. We can see this in the muscular Trans Am, the comfortable BMW, and the workhorse Civic. Trans Am Totem also questions the cycle of production and consumption”. – Marcus Bowcott.
By stacking smashed automobiles and levitating them high above the roadway, Bowcott’s sculpture serves to remind us of the ultimate responsibilities we bear to our planet and future generations. Trans Am Totem fantasizes a justified end to car culture even as countless automobiles zoom past on asphalt and concrete ribbons and ooze pollutants and spent carbon fuels into the atmosphere. Bowcott’s vision of nature triumphant subversively reminds ultimately of our ongoing contributions to global warming and further environmental degradation.
Before the introduction of heavy industry, this site was a shoreline of tidal flats and massive forest with old growth cedars and Douglas Firs in the vicinity of Musqueam, Squamish and Tseil-Watuth Nations. Later, False Creek became an industrial zone of sawmills, beehive burners and ringed with ever increasing collections of log booms. Just before Expo ’86 the mills where removed and the area transformed. Now the area is a constant flow of transportation and interconnections: residential tower blocks, commercial business and entertainment centers encircled by cyclists, light rail and most dominant of all – cars.
The Experimental Scout Rifle 23 is the product of an idea, weeks (minutes) of refining, years (hours) of production, and a tad (a couple minutes) of perfection. It's supposed to be useful for those who want Practicality and Precision.
Fires CN (Controlled Nuclear) Rounds, capable of 9000+ fps muzzle velocity. Ergonomic shape provides comfort and accuracy.
PLEASE, NO invitations or self promotions, THEY WILL BE DELETED. My photos are FREE to use, just give me credit and it would be nice if you let me know, thanks.
Montreal began experimenting with one-man streetcars in 1925. After these tests, the MTC concluded that this type of vehicle could be put into service on certain routes outside peak hours. Consequently and after completing a sketch for a lightweight one-man vehicle, fifty units were ordered from Canadian Car and Foundry in 1925. Painted in light-beige colour with a red band, a scheme that ultimately depicted all MTC vehicles of this type, two additional orders were made from the same company in 1928 and 1929 which brought the series to 105 vehicles. These streetcars were a success because of their practicality due to their low weight (about 17,200 kilograms) and were among the last urban cars to be in service on the streets of Montreal until August 10, 1959.
The MTC 1959 streetcar is part of the second series of one-man cars commissioned from Canadian Car and Foundry in 1928. It was completely restored between 2002 and 2004 by museum volunteers and is used every summer to transport visitors to the museum's outdoor site.
All the information used with the pictures was taken from information at the Canadian Railway Museum Site.
When I see an attractive woman who dresses well, I often wonder whether her choice of lingerie is as tastefully selected as her outerwear.
I decided to post this shot not in order to be racy, but simply as a matter of practicality. A simple tee needs a simple t-shirt bra.
My inexperience with selfies shows here . . . I was glancing down to be sure I captured the shot . . . but I liked the somewhat candid quality of the photo.
The Columbian Land Corps has a rich history of using elephants in warfare, to the point that when other countries started to toss around such big words as "modernization" and "practicality," Columbia took the shiny new technology and strapped it to the back of an elephant. To be fair, though, elephants are much better suited than any vehicle for the thick jungles of Columbia.