The Weird Fish Congotoliuns choose us because we offer something different from the norm. A sense of fun, an eye for practicality and plenty of style and quality.

Don’t be surprised if you bump into them on a hike across Penmaenmawr, out walking the dog, flinging a penguin with a Finn on the beach, or just having a chat down the local. They do things the Weird Fish way!

I understand the practicality of activewear and pants/shorts for women running casual errands. The comfort and convenience are hard to beat.

Sure, I own some jeans and leggings, but I almost always prefer a dress when in public: day or night.

Here I am at a shopping mall - all dolled up.

Part of me knows I'll act the part more authentically if a greater effort is put into presentation. My costume is a confidence booster that reminds me to act ladylike.

Also - I've plenty of other opportunities to wear sport/casual clothes when not Nora.

People may think my look is old school. I prefer to think I'm starting a revival trend.

Fashion is cyclic, so it's only a matter of time before dresses and skirts make a comeback.

Right?

Hope so....

Taken at Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House. The house represents traditional architecture reflecting simplicity, practicality and cultural elegance.

It's another little field in female life where the girls have lost another skill due to practicality. They do like practical underwear. Suppose I can understand that but still the art of undress needn't be lot to them.

1981 Mercedes 380SLC auto.

Anglia Car Auctions, King's Lynn -

"Chassis number: 10702522000496. The C107 SLC is a rarer machine than the R107 convertible on which it was based, and came with the added practicality of being a genuine four-seater, even if the roof was fixed. The vendor tells us that this is a genuine low mileage car which has just been recommissioned (during 2021), including four new tyres and a new radiator. The 3818cc V8 model is fitted with an electric sunroof. Registered in January 1981, there is an MoT valid until February 2023, with the odometer indicating 86,160 miles. The car comes with its current and past V5Cs, June 2021 bill for £755 for the recent recommissioning work, and some previous bills back to the mid-1990s. There are also some old tax discs, the original book pack, with two owner's manuals and a service book stamped up to 23,244 miles in July 1994. The MoT certificates date from 1989 to 1994, 1996 to 1997 to 2002, and 2004 to 2007. A spare set of keys is also included."

Sold for £7560 including premium (estimate: £7000 to £9000).

Yes i do have a long nail fetish and sometimes it is incredibly sexy to really push the boat out and enjoy super spiked stiletto nails...the practicalities of doing anything seem to go out of the window but i am sure you could think of a thing or do i could do with them ? Shall i drop to my knees and get in position in front of you? :-) xx

The Venice carnival is thought to have started in 1162, when Venetians spontaneously gathered to celebrate a military victory in Saint Mark's Square. During the Renaissance it became an official festival, the masks allowing revellers to forget everyday worries and the city's rigidly hierarchical class system, and indulge for the carnival period.

Abandoned for decades after it was outlawed under Austrian rule, it was resurrected in 1980 as part of a government effort to promote the region's culture and history.

It is now one of the most famous carnival celebrations in the world, with around 3 million visitors flocking the canal-covered city each spring to watch or join in the festivities.

The ornately decorated masks have become synonymous with the city, though originally the masks were simply made, worn simply for practicality. In centuries gone by, maskmakers were esteemed members of society, with their own guild and governed by separate laws, while laws also regulated the periods of the year in which people were allowed to wear masks.

I've never seen a dually wheel car from this time period before. Also interesting is this is a RHD automobile. A custom build Rally Car?

The Hanomag 2/10 PS is an economy car manufactured by Hanomag from 1924 until 1928. It was one of the first cars with envelope styling. It was affectionately referred to as the Kommissbrot ("Army Bread") due to its identical shape with the usual loaf of bread used by the German army at the time.

With a fuel consumption of 4.0 litres per 100 kilometres (71 mpg‑imp; 59 mpg‑US) it was the world's most fuel efficient mass-production car between the two World Wars due to the low-friction one-cylinder engine and its very light weight.

The history of rally cars begins with the 1894 Paris-Rouen race, organized by the Parisian newspaper Le Petit Journal, which is considered the first major automotive competition and attracted significant public interest.

This event, known as the Paris-Rouen Horseless Carriage Competition, was primarily a test of reliability and practicality rather than outright speed, as vehicles averaged only 10 mph and were often steam-powered or early internal combustion models.

The term "rally" as a motorsport discipline originated with the first Monte Carlo Rally in January 1911, which introduced the concept of staged competition over public roads connecting different points.

In the early 20th century, rallies were largely based on standard or near-standard production cars, with manufacturers using them to demonstrate the reliability and performance of their vehicles.

The 1936 Monte Carlo Rally featured notable exceptions like the Ford V8 specials, but most pre-World War II rallies still used production-based cars.

After the war, most competing vehicles remained production saloons or sports cars with only minor modifications for improved handling and performance.

Good photographic material for historians.

I get the idea behind a cross-over car: combining the practicality of a minivan with off-road ability and the fuel economy and comfort of a regular car sound like a great idea, but the end result often seems to offer none of the above and ends up being hideous.

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

Street food thrives in Vietnam due to its affordability, convenience, and cultural significance. Many urban homes have small kitchens, making cooking less practical, while food stalls offer fresh, affordable meals without the hassle. Vendors specialize in perfected recipes, providing diverse, authentic flavors. Street dining is also a social hub, fostering community and connection. This mix of practicality, tradition, and vibrant culture makes street food a beloved part of daily life.

This was taken from the 360 restaurant at the top of the CN Tower, Toronto, Canada.

Defining the Toronto skyline at 553.33m (1,815ft5in), the CN Tower is Canada’s most recognizable and celebrated icon. The CN Tower is an internationally renowned architectural triumph, an engineering Wonder of the Modern World, world-class entertainment and dining destination and a must see for anyone visiting Toronto. Each year, over 1.5 million people visit Canada’s National Tower to take in the breathtaking views and enjoy all the CN Tower has to offer.

After 40 months of construction, the CN Tower was opened to the public on June 26, 1976 and it was well on its way to becoming the country’s most celebrated landmark. It is the centre of telecommunications for Toronto serving over 16 Canadian television and FM radio stations, the workplace of over 500 people throughout the year, and an internationally renowned tourism destination.

Although the CN Tower inspires a sense of pride and inspiration for Canadians and a sense of awe for foreign tourists, its origins are rooted in practicality. The 1960s ushered in an unprecedented construction boom in Toronto transforming a skyline characterized by relatively low buildings into one dotted with skyscrapers. These buildings caused serious communications problems for existing transmission towers, which were simply not high enough to broadcast over the new buildings. Signals bounced off the buildings creating poor television and radio reception for residents. With its microwave receptors at 338 m (1,109 ft.) and at the 553.33m (1,815 ft., 5 inches) antenna, the CN Tower swiftly solved the communications problems with room to spare and as a result, people living in the Toronto area now enjoy some of the clearest reception in North America.

The CN Tower was built in 1976 by Canadian National who wanted to demonstrate the strength of Canadian industry by building a tower taller than any other in the world. Building the CN Tower was a vast and ambitious project that involved 1,537 workers who worked 24 hours a day, five days a week for 40 months to completion.

Tower construction crews moved in on February 6, 1973, and started to remove over 56 metric tonnes of earth and shale for the foundation. Once the foundation was ready, work began on the CN Tower’s 335 m (1,100ft.) concrete shaft, a hexagonal core with three curved support arms. This involved pouring concrete into a massive mold or “slipform”. As the concrete hardened, the slipform, supported by a ring of climbing jacks powered by hydraulic pressure, moved upwards, gradually decreasing in size to produce the CN Tower’s gracefully tapered contour.

Eight months later, the CN Tower’s concrete shaft was the tallest structure in Toronto and by February 1974, it was the tallest in Canada. In August 1974, work began on the seven-story tower sphere that would eventually house the observation decks and revolving restaurant. The CN Tower approached completion in March 1975, when Olga, the giant Sikorsky helicopter flew into the city to lift the 44 pieces of the antenna into place. The CN Tower was finished on April 2, 1975, and opened to the public June 26, 1976.

When the 44th and final piece of the CN Tower’s antenna was bolted into place April 2, 1975, the CN Tower joined the ranks of 17 other great structures that had previously held the title of World’s Tallest Free-Standing Structure, a record the Tower would hold for an incredible 34+ years. Ross McWhirter, editor of the Guinness Book of World Records, was on hand to record the milestone for history and since then, the CN Tower has received numerous mentions in the famous book including most recently the World’s Highest Wine Cellar.

In 1995, the CN Tower was classified as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers. The CN Tower shares this designation with the Itaipu Dam on the Brazil/Paraguay border, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the Panama Canal, the Chunnel under the English Channel, the North Sea Protection Works off the European coast, and the Empire State Building.

Since the Tower opened, Canadians and tourists from around the world have made the trip to Toronto to celebrate this marvel of civil engineering. Besides serving as telecommunications hub, the Tower also has a revolving restaurant called 360 and you can also walk around the outside of the Tower, attached by a harness to it, undertaking, what they call, the Edgewalk.

I have retained at least some of the body profile to show the lineage between the original and rebuilt versions, but this particular iteration was built solely for practicality rather than aesthetics and so looks a little less visually exciting as a consequence.

The Kroxigor form one of the core species of the Lizardmen race, created by the Old Ones as strong and obedient construction workers, labourers and in times of war, powerful warriors. In all practicality, Kroxigors are essentially a larger and far more powerful relative of the Saurus. They are hulking creatures, their bodies consisting of slabs of rock-hard muscle and their massive jaws bristling with razor-sharp teeth. They move in silence, save for the heavy thumping tread of their feet. When enraged, they unleash their only form of speech - a blood-curdling roar that reverberates across the jungle.

Under the guidance of Skink overseers, Kroxigors accomplish many great tasks that would require a great amount of strength to muster, such as hauling and placing the massive stone blocks instrumental in the composition of the ziggurat temples. Perhaps due to the tedium of their labours, the Kroxigor were never intended to be mentally agile. They are extremely simple-minded creatures that require and often desire direction and would instinctively obey all instructions from their smaller kin with an almost alien level of obedience.

Source: Wikipedia

Isle of Skye

Those boots allowed me to safely climb all over the rocks and hills without worry of slipping. It's all about practicality in that kind of terrain.

An old pickup truck loaded with firewood moves down the road as the first raindrops hit the windshield. The worn-out vehicle tells a story of years of service, carrying supplies for winter each time. Every piece of wood it carries is a promise of warmth, while the rainy surroundings add to the charm of the moment. A simple, yet familiar snapshot of the Greek countryside, where practicality and tradition go hand in hand.

This Compact Firearm is made for Devastating attacks! The Practicality of this weapon comes from the versatility of it. It can be loaded with almost anything that is showed down in it's Barrel, making it a favourable weapon for those who can't provide a constant supply of a given ammunition.

Have Unequal - IVY outfit

A fresh and bold look: a patterned shirt with rolled-up sleeves meets a modern and sensual denim corset. Oversized cargo pants, embellished with matching inserts and contrasting details, add character and practicality. An outfit that blends femininity and street style, perfect for those who love to stand out with style and grit.

Ivy outfit by Have Unequal is composed by pants and shirt with corset. Fatpack comes with a rich color hud with solid or patterned colors. It is available for LaraX, Legacy, Lively, Nhuma, Perky, PetiteX, Reborn and Waifus.

Now at UBER event:

maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Uber/195/194/19

Inworld Store:

maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Bellavista/67/10/24

More outfit details on my BLOG:

www.suggestions-by-tilly-opaline.com/blog/2708183_have-un...

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.

Passengers gather on the platform as a Northern Central passenger train arrives at Hanover Junction, Pennsylvania on its way south to Baltimore. On the point today is York 17, a 4-4-0 American Standard Locomotive, the likes of which were ubiquitous from the 1850s through the end of the century.

Of course, York 17 is not an original piece. She is a replica, built by David Kloke of Elgin, IL, in 2013 for the newly formed Northern Central Railway, then doing business as "Steam into History." The York was built from plans and patterns developed by O'Connor Engineering in the 1970s, for the construction of the Jupiter and 119 replicas for the Golden Spike National Historical Park. The York is essentially a heavily modified version of the 119, which was a product of the Rogers Locomotive Works in Patterson, NJ. The York differs from the 119 in that she was built with a Yankee-style balloon stack and represents a wood-burner, whereas the 119 burned coal. Additionally, other modifications were made to make this engine more suitable for tourist operations, such as the addition of knuckle-style couplers, an incandescent headlamp and injectors on both sides of the cab. The York also sports a rear-facing box headlamp on the back of the tender, for reverse operations. And for safety and practicality, this engine burns waste motor oil instead of wood. Oil is far easier to load and poses a much lower risk of lineside fires.

I’m glad you folks are setting down, because this is going tp be a long one. Apparently many here in Yosemite don’t know there’s a pandemic going or what is meant by social distancing. But, you see, they didn’t acknowledge the Norovirus outbreak over the Christmas/New Year, this pass season. Or, the Hantavirus outbreak in 2017. Or, the extreme overcrowding on the buses last year; guest were making human chains to stop them.

Yosemite National Park didn’t actually close until 3;00 pm, March 12, 2020, for the Pandemic. Until then, we had guest visiting from all over the world and many from Asia. I’ve been here a little over 11 years and interact with guest daily, as do many that I work with. I often ask guest where there are from. During the winter months we get a lot of guest from Asian countries.

During the Hantavirus outbreak; people died because of poor sanitation. Those in charge at the time; continued to rent out the infected tent/cabins. They knew they had a Hantavirus problem, but continued to rent out the cabins without informing the guest, of possible contamination (all for profits). Even when guest repeatedly complained of mice and feces. People died and no one was held accountable. There are links throughout my photostream and it’s easily researched. Just a minute; I’ve got to close my window. Those involved in Yosemite’s Mobbing Community are smoking outside, upwind of it again. This is what they do during a respiratory pandemic and mandatory social distancing, among many other appalling acts.

The Shuttle mess was caused from the lack of maintenance. The shuttle drivers were so fed up, they stormed to the Superintendent's office and demanded they be repaired. Many quit, one a retired Law Enforcement Officer. . I spent a day off, back then, on the shuttles to see how bad it really was. To start; I had to wait for a second bus, because the first one was too full. On the second bus, I was able to squeeze to the back. At the next stop; there was a big line of people waiting to get on an already full shuttle. As a few people were trying to get off the back; a group stormed them trying to get in; causing a woman stepping off the bus to trip in the curb, smash her face on the concrete at full force. It looks like she broke a couple teeth, her nose and lip. She sat up, while blood gushing from her face. People quickly helped her until paramedics arrived. I was so packed in the back of the bus, I couldn’t get off.

The Norovirus outbreak, was over this last Christmas and New Year holidays. Norovirus is spread through contaminated feces (poop). There were a couple confirmed cases and up to 200 unconfirmed. During this outbreak; we had a women’s bathroom that didn’t have working faucets at the sinks. When I went into work on 12-26-19, there was a sign on the mirror; saying out of order. This indoor public bathroom facilitated two dinning facilities. The sinks were not repaired until 1-5-20. Women eating at these facilities were washing their hands at the water filling stations. This was in our dinning facilities; women changing babies, using the bathroom and unable to wash with soap and water. Apparently we didn’t have the parts. Rather than make a 2 hour drive to Merced or 2 hr 20 to Fresno, someone decided to order the faucets. The sinks were not repaired until 1-5-20. I was off on the 24th and 25th of December. They were out for 12-13 days, during holiday weekends and a Norovirus outbreak. No one here will admit it, no one is held accountable, Department of Health covered it up.

It’s kind of like the water station; that could have electrocuted guest and children, all summer long. I addressed it repeatedly, unplugged it daily, to have it plugged back in. I even witnessed a young boy using his finger to trigger sensor, for the water flow. While his little sister stood there holding his arm with one hand and a pinched, out of code electrical cord, with the other. It’s wasn’t repaired, until I sent picture after picture to the NPS Regional Office. The retaliation I received over that was epic.

Now here we are during a respiratory Pandemic and I have coworkers, managers right in my face. I’m talking a foot or two. This is done, along with coughing, fake coughing and all kinds of skits pertaining to Covid19 symptoms; performed by managers and associates. These skits are just triggers, trying to get me to quit or act out. On 3-22-20, I was leaving work. I left from the back of our building and walked to and across the front of the building. As I came around the corner; an NPS Law Enforcement Officer walk out the front door; being held open for him by a supervisor. I was walking clear to the right, to keep my distance. This officer stepped out of the building, started walking towards me, he pretended to look at something in the palm of his hand. He kept walking further to his left, to a point, I was almost walking into a row of outside tables, to avoid him. That wasn’t enough, I had to almost stop, as he brushed pass me. Again, this was just an act (trigger), to get me to act out, or instill fear.

In my department; I have the most seniority. I was cut back to 16 hours a week. Employees that were hired within a year, were given way more hours than me. When I questioned it; I was sharply told “You’re lucky to even have a job” I stood my ground and was then told “I’ll just take hours from someone else”, trying use guilt. I took this job here as a janitor, because I wanted something with minimal stress. I raised my daughter as a single parent, served almost 10 years in the Army, sold a successful business I owned and became a District Manager for a company, before this. I love the outdoors and nature, but here I am; in the most stressful job I’ve ever had. That's even before the Pandemic.

There are many here in Yosemite that are a credit to this great park, but they are stifled by the incompetence, waste, fraud and cover-up that truly goes on here. Let anyone expose the truth and they will be mobbed, harassed, bullied and retaliated against, beyond belief. Truly, very few believe what’s going on here. Even when you have the evidence to prove it. I’ve given it to; two Superintends, an acting Super, now we have another acting Superintend. I’ve driven to San Franasicso, NPS Regional Office, presented evidence to two Special Investigators (what a waste), I’ve sent pictures, evidence, letters, complaints to two NPS Regional Directors and two acting Directors, drove five hours each way to Congressman McClintock’s office (another waste). After driving to McClintock’s office; the clerk almost wouldn’t let me in. I told him I drove five hours; he let me in after a practicality begged. I explained I what was going on in Yosemite, he said there was no one ther for me to talk with. He said I would have to call to make an appointment and tried to make me feel privileged for even being let through the front door (they keep it locked). After several calls, I spoke with his assistant; she too, tried to make me feel I should have felt privileged for being let in the door, after driving five hours. I didn’t get an appointment, or a returned phone call. I’ve sent certified, return receipt letters to Pelosi, Feinstein, Secretary of the Interior and our Over-site Committee. Not one resounded. And, look what they are doing now; selling off their stock and commodities, playing the blame game.

If I go public with the detailed evidence I have, I lose my job, my union pension and I’m 7 months from retirement, at 62. Even with the hate, harassment and retaliation; I put pride in my work, my appearance, the facility I clean and this wonderful park.

I stepped out for some exercise and pictures today. I was stalked and mobbed by housing staff, the woman across the hall in room 3, room 7, room 9. I came across 7 people in isolated, closed areas; stalking me. A couple exposing me to second hand smoke on the back trail to Mirror Lake and the halfwits waiting for me when I got home. Again, there are great people here and many in LAW Enforcement that are professional and dedicated, but they are overshadowed, by the human trash that actually runs the park. Things here in Yosemite don’t change, unless someone forces a change by exposure. It’s one of the Good-ol-Boy Parks. This is where the incompetent, unethical and amoral, hire and promote like minded individuals. This isn’t about me; it’s about you knowing the truth. Even when the park does open; I’m telling you, there are very few that truly care about your safety. They do want your money.

As I think about the brave men and women in the medical field, tears swell in my eyes; knowing they will someday be forgotten, just like our veterans. Please, please don’t let this happen. Please stay in, wear a mask, keep you distance if you do go out and wash, wash , wash. On that note: if you are in need of gloves for medical use; Sysco has plenty and our shelves are fully stocked. Why hasn't Sysco and the company I work for stepped up. My company is to busy sending out PR about how they are improving customer and employee relations, while bragging about how they can weather events like this because they don't have to pay their employees, when they're not working.

Thank you for visiting my phototream and not the park. My name is Rick Pineiro, if you want the truth about Yosemite, or our government; just ask me.

The World Solar Challenge (WSC), or the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge since 2013, tied to the sponsorship of Bridgestone Corporation is the world's most well-known solar-powered car race event. A biennial road race covering 3,022 km (1,878 mi) through the Australian Outback, from Darwin, Northern Territory, to Adelaide, South Australia, created to foster the development of experimental, solar-powered vehicles.

The race attracts teams from around the world, most of which are fielded by universities or corporations, although some are fielded by high schools. The race has a 32-year history spanning fourteen races, with the inaugural event taking place in 1987. Initially held once every three years, the event became biennial from the turn of the century.

Since 2001 the World Solar Challenge was won seven times out of nine efforts by the Nuna team and cars of the Delft University of Technology from the Netherlands, with only the Tokai Challenger, built by the Tokai University of Japan able to take the crown in 2009 and 2011.

Starting in 2007, the WSC has been raced in multiple classes. After the German team of Bochum University of Applied Sciences competed with a four-wheeled, multi-seat car, the BoCruiser (in 2009), in 2013 a radically new "Cruiser Class" was introduced, racing and stimulating the technological development of practically usable, and ideally road-legal, multi-seater solar vehicles. Since its inception, Solar Team Eindhoven's four- and five-seat Stella solar cars from Eindhoven University of Technology (Netherlands) won the Cruiser Class in all three races so far.

Remarkable technological progress has been achieved since the GM led, highly experimental, single-seat Sunraycer prototype first won the WSC with an average speed of 66.9 km/h (41.6 mph). Once competing cars became steadily more capable to match or exceed legal maximum speeds on the Australian highway, the race rules were consistently made more demanding and challenging — for instance after Honda's Dream car first won the race with an average speed exceeding 55 mph (88.5 km/h) in 1996. In 2005 the Dutch Nuna team were the first to beat an average speed of 100 km/h (62 mph).

The 2017 Cruiser class winner, the five-seat Stella Vie vehicle, was able to carry an average of 3.4 occupants at an average speed of 69 km/h (43 mph). Like its two predecessors, the 2017 Stella Vie vehicle was successfully road registered by the Dutch team, further emphasizing the great progress in real world compliance and practicality that has been achieved.

The World Solar Challenge held its 30th anniversary event on October 8–15, 2017.

The 2019 World Solar Challenge will take place from 13 to 20 October. 53 teams from 24 countries have entered the competition. The same 3 classes, Challenger (30 teams), Cruiser (23 teams) and Adventure will be featured.

Bus Eireann (Broadstone) Bombardier KE class inter city coach 'KE27' on an evening commuter service from Dublin to Tullamore.

The location is just past Celbridge, Co Kildare. Of note perhaps is the vehicle following. It is a vintage E class Leyland Leopard L2 operated by Bus Eireann in 1991. Part nostalgia and part practicality.

The E, or to use full CIE terminology, the E car, had acted as a relief to the KE class.

The E class shadowed the KE for a little bit more until sufficient passengers had disembarked from both buses to allow the services to be combined, and continue on using just one bus. As the relief the E class then returned from there to Dublin.

Scan from a slide.

The second generation Continental GTC seen in Worcester, UK. A very good looking car, it combines luxury with high performances and practicality, it can be used as a daily car too, a more fancy daily car!

Part fastback coupe, part two-door sedan, the 1949 Buick Super Sedanet, Model 56-S, offered style and practicality in one package. Buick promised, "Here the long sweeping lines of a Coupe hide the surprising roominess that highlights Buick for '49. Swing those doors wide open—step in and stretch out in comfort that most sedans can't match."

The sedanet body style wasn't new—Buick had created one since before World War II, but GM's oldest division offered an all-new design on the revised GM C-body platform. Sharing its lines with the larger Roadmaster Sedanet, Model 76-S, the Super rode on a 121-inch wheelbase, 5 inches shorter than the Roadmaster's. Overall length measured 209.5 inches, again 5 inches shorter than the Roadmaster. Still, accommodated by wide doors, six adults could occupy the roomy interior, which was as big as a sedan inside.

The design updates vaulted Buick into the fray of the all-new styles that consumers clamored for following the war. Ned Nickles, Buick's head of design from 1947 until 1959, led the team that gave Buick new life in 1949. Doing away with curvy fenders that swept down from the front and low along the doors until the lines reached the rear quarter panels, Buick's stylists gave the division a look that started with a fender nearly as high as the hood, and it followed a horizontal line back, just below the greenhouse.

Nickles was also responsible for perhaps the most lasting part of the 1949 redesign. He modified his own 1948 Buick by punching four small portholes on either fender, each fitted with a small light bulb connected to a spark plug wire. The lights fired off individually with each cylinder. Buick president Harlow Curtice liked the look (sans lights) and ordered portholes punched into the fenders of the Super and Roadmaster models for 1949, which were already well along the design phase.

The chrome-ringed "Venti-Ports" (later just VentiPorts) became a signature design feature that continues to this day on certain models and has been copied by many other manufacturers, domestic and foreign. Buick also used the Venti- Ports to distinguish between models. While the Special had none in 1949, the redesigned Super had three on each side, and the Roadmaster four on each side, giving the top-level Buick range the most.

Venti-Ports were technically functional in 1950, allowing hot air to pass between the warm engine bay. By 1951, the portholes were closed, rendering the design flourish 100-percent decorative. Curiously, in 1949, Buick designers put the Venti- Ports on the fenders, but in 1950 they were on the sides of the hood, and back to the fenders again in 1951.

While other car companies were releasing OHV V-8 engines, Buick soldiered on with its Fireball straight-eight, aka "Dynaflash." Buick's claim to fame from its founding had been its "valve-in-head" (OHV) engines, during an era when almost every competitor had an L-head (side-valve) engine. For 1949, Buick made the Fireball in two displacements: 248 cubic inches in the Special and Super models, and 320-cu.in. in the Roadmaster.

The Super's 248-cu.in. straight-eight featured a 6.6:1 compression ratio, which was slightly higher than the version in the Special. In Super guise, the engine received a 115-horsepower rating, 5 more than in the Special. Buick replaced the 248 during 1950 with a 263-cu.in. straight-eight that would last until 1953, when the first "Nailhead" V-8 debuted in the Roadmaster. By 1954, the Dynaflash Eight was out of production.

Buick instituted a host of minor refinements for 1949 with the goal of making its cars quieter and smoother, as well as easier to drive. The company introduced synthetic engine rubber mounts for isolating engine vibrations, marketing these as "Hi- Poised Engine Mountings." It also offered a foot-operated parking brake and a streamlined fuse panel behind the dashboard.

In the 1949 Super, a three-speed manual transmission was standard, but buyers could also opt for the Dynaflow automatic, which was standard in the Roadmaster. Perhaps the biggest and most influential development out of Buick in the immediate postwar years, the Dynaflow changed the way we drive. As the first mass-produced, commercially available automatic transmission with a torque converter, the Dynaflow allowed for more care-free driving and opened the experience of getting behind the wheel to a whole new group of people who may never have learned how to properly shift a car.

The Dynaflow was markedly different from the four-speed Hydra-Matic used by Oldsmobile and Cadillac. Perhaps one commonality between the two transmissions came in the form of both being "battle tested," as both the Hydra-Matic and a torque-converter- based Torqmatic were used in World War II tanks.

The two-speeds in the Dynaflow should not be confused as automatically shifted. In regular use, the Dynaflow started out in the high gear, with power from the engine "converted" to the transmission's output by a five-element torque converter that included two turbines and two stators. The Dynaflow's torque converter, fed by an engine-powered external oil pump, functioned by feeding oil in the spinning converter across a series of turbines, the shape and size of the blades directly related to the converter's function. At low speeds, the converter could increase output by a factor of 2.25:1, while at higher engine speeds it acted as a 1:1 ratio. Low gear, which was a more traditional planetary gear, was engaged only manually by the driver, with no clutch required.

Though Dynaflow negatively affected fuel efficiency and driveline responsiveness, its design greatly appealed to customers, so much so, that by 1950, some 85 percent of Buick buyers opted for this shiftless transmission. And Buick sales in 1949 reached new heights when approximately 400,000 customers drove home in new Supers, Specials, and Roadmasters, on the strength of Dynaflow as much as the new designs.

by Terry Shea

10/23/2018

Source: Hemmings

BUICK CLUB OF AMERICA

P.O. Box 360775

Columbus, Ohio 43236-0775

www.buickclub.org

  ___________________________________________

Andy’s story

Some might remember Andy from the Shell station in Hickory Corners. That would have been right around the summer of 1940. Although war was raging in Europe, many Americans turned a blind eye to events some four thousand miles away. On December 7, 1941 everything changed for Americans. Our lives were suddenly thrown into a boiling cauldron when, Imperial Japan mercilessly attacked American military bases on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Andy felt it was his duty to volunteer. After completing 8 week basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky Andy was assigned to Ft. Lewis, Washington for AIT (Advanced Infantry Training). He along with thousands of other young men were on the road to fulfilling the increasing demand for combat soldiers. After completing 16 weeks training at Ft. Lewis, Andy was considered ready for deployment to a combat unit in the Pacific theater, men desperately needed to fill the depleting ranks. He soon found himself in a here to fore unknown place called, Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. A chaotic place rife with danger and death.

It was on the eleventh day in the jungles of Guadalcanal that Andy received a serious but not fatal wound to his right thigh, miraculously missing his femoral artery but resulting in a fracture to his right femur bone. Much to his joy Andy saw a friend with whom he’d had a conversation the night before. He wore a triumphant look of satisfaction, shook hands with Andy and grinned as stretcher bearers carried Andy away with a bloody bandage around his thigh. God or chance—depending on one’s faith— had spared his life and lifted his burden of further fear and terror in combat by awarding him a “million-dollar wound”. Andy had done his duty. The war was over for him. He was in pain, but he was lucky. Many others hadn’t been as lucky the last couple of days.

Thankfully, the medics were able to get Andy to an aid station in fairly rapid time, however, Andy would endure many painful treatments and a long arduous healing process over the next many months and even into the coming years. After being honorably discharged from the Army, Andy came home but by this time his parents had moved from Michigan to a small town in Illinois. Not being one to sit around despite continuing pain in his leg, his first priority was to find a job. A friend mentioned to him that Herb Brewster might be selling his gas station in Odell, just outside of town on Route 66. Well Andy had money saved up, he was a good mechanic and he had certainly enjoyed his days working at the Shell station in Michigan so the possibility of owning and running his own station was right up his alley. He wasn’t sure if he could still handle the type of work he was doing before the war with his “bum leg” but he sure as heck wanted to give it a shot. Long and short, Andy met with old Herb, made an offer and it became a done deal.

So now we see Andy with the usual smile on his face, greeting customers and doing well despite having to walk with a slight limp. For the heavy work, he hired a young kid in town who turned out to be a cracker jack mechanic and a good all ‘around worker. And by the way, Andy also met a sweet, pretty brown eyed gal and there’s talk around town that the two of them are fixin’ to get hitched.

Well folks this pretty well sums up Andy’s life today and what the future holds is, God willing, a long and happy one.

…………..and hope ya’all enjoy and have a long happy life.

(Sure as Hell beats the news on TV & the Internet these days………… )

TP right to our booth! Click here. Come try a full demo and test the HUD in person if you like! Bonus MOD/COPY pushpin poster inside. There's also a never-before-seen gift free at the event booth!

AUDREY. Meet Audrey, a teenager unlike any other! She's a junior at Blackwood Pointe, but she's not your typical high school student. Audrey has the gift of second sight - she sees visions that give her insight into the future. But that's not the only thing that sets her apart. Audrey loves to express herself through her fashion choices, and she has a particular fondness for 60s mod style. She's not afraid to mix and match patterns and colors, and she always manages to look chic and trendy. But don't let her love of fashion fool you - Audrey is also a skilled mechanic. She loves nothing more than getting her hands dirty fixing cars, and she's just as comfortable in a pair of overalls as she is in a dress. With her unique blend of femininity and practicality, Audrey is a force to be reckoned with!

"The Secret Door" is a collectible fashion doll series for Second Life, made exclusively by BEENICORN's Dollmania. Over 30 dolls are planned for the line, starting with the originals: Homecoming Edition.

Each doll has a customizable skintone, collectable packaging and a special rose emblem stand in their own special color. When displayed together, the stands present a spectrum of beautiful colors! The doll comes in both decor and hold versions.

SECRET: if you press the button on the back of your doll (by left-click), you can make them say a series of special phrases. This button also activates our Magic Phrase technology for future playsets (like the Blackwood Pointe Academy playset, coming 2023).

The first four dolls in the line are Audrey, Charlie, Raen and Aine. If you want to learn more about the series and vote on the next doll in the Secret Door line, click here to visit the Dollmania website.

luluo3o.neocities.org/dollmania

Here's a ground-level view of the Northern Central Railway's pretty 4-4-0 American Standard "York 17" and her train as they charge south through the Pennsylvania countryside just over a quarter mile south of the former Glatfelter Station, in the town of Seven Valleys, Pennsylvania.

In this view, you can see how finely detailed this Kloke replica really is. The vast majority of folks who see it are likely convinced it is a relic of the Civil War. To those with a little railroad knowledge however, there are some obvious features on this locomotive and her train that are clearly not correct for the 1860 period, and of course, these are concessions that had to be made to produce a modernized locomotive and rolling stock that are capable of safe, daily operation under current Federal Railroad Administration rules. First and foremost, she is equipped with knuckle-type couplers. A true period locomotive would have a link-and-pin couplers and a large draw-bar lying on the pilot. You can also see an air hose below the front coupler and if you look carefully, there is an air pump on the fireman's side running board. This train has air brakes, which were not even invented until a few years after the Civil War. And although she appears to have cross-head water pumps, a close inspection would show that these are fakes and that York has steam-powered injectors to put water in the boiler. The lack of a wood-pile on the tender is a clue that York isn't burning wood like most engines of that era. She is, in fact, an oil-burner, which is a basic concession to safety and practicality. Last but not least, the arched-roof coaches, which do have the basic look of 1860s passenger cars, are also clearly built on flat-car frames with freight trucks underneath.

Still, to the average John Q. Public, this is a very handsome train with a historic look to it and one that is quite unique among tourist railroads in the US.

A UNESCO site.

From the Inn’s website:

The Inn’s foundation is the creative genius of architect Robert C. Reamer, combined with the business savvy of hotelier Harry W. Child. Constructed between June 1903 and June 1904, the builders used raw materials harvested from the local area. Adapting sixteenth-century technology they produced a modern wilderness log cabin with electricity, steam heat, and indoor plumbing.

There was risk – borrowing money from a railroad, inviting wealthy railroad travelers to engage in a multi-day stagecoach tour to marvel at the wonders of Yellowstone, and offering a rustic hostelry at the end of the day. The design drew inspiration from nature, but departed from the norms of the time. From its five-hundred ton massive rhyolite chimney to the whimsical tree house at its 76½ foot peak, the Inn both charms and welcomes.

A few years after it opened railroads and early automobilists embraced the idea to “See America First” – a campaign that successfully turned the tourist tide from Europe to our nation’s scenic wonders. The Inn’s first addition, known as the East Wing (1913-1914), grew out of this increasing interest. Its plain exterior and more generic plaster-walled interior, also the work of R. C. Reamer, reflect the practicality and speed in which rooms were added.

Soon the gasoline-burners replaced the horse-drawn stages. The independence-loving automobilists embraced the privacy of cabins, and the park’s lodges grew in popularity. But five railroads still served Yellowstone. So the park’s transportation company, also under H. W. Child, motorized. Child again engaged Reamer to adapt the Inn with a new auto-centered front entrance and more additional guest rooms (West Wing, 1927).

Adapting to increased visitation was not the only thing the Inn has endured in its 116 years. The ups and downs of tourist numbers during both World Wars and the Great Depression meant temporary closures. Physical threats from the 1959 Hebgen Lake Earthquake, the 1988 fire season, and dozens of harsh winters and heavy snow-loading have all been met. In the 1950s, and again in the 1970s, human decisions threatened the Inn’s future.

Since 1979, within the existing partnership between government ownership/oversight and concessioner financial commitments, the Inn has undergone three major periods of restoration/renovation – 1979-1988, 1992-1995, and 2004-2012. These included fire safety upgrades, two complete kitchen remodels, addition of bathrooms to guestrooms (except the original Old House), exterior re-shingling and re-roofing, and seismic stabilization. These necessary upgrades insure that we will enjoy this National Historic Landmark for decades to come.

The World Solar Challenge (WSC), or the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge since 2013, tied to the sponsorship of Bridgestone Corporation is the world's most well-known solar-powered car race event. A biennial road race covering 3,022 km (1,878 mi) through the Australian Outback, from Darwin, Northern Territory, to Adelaide, South Australia, created to foster the development of experimental, solar-powered vehicles.

The race attracts teams from around the world, most of which are fielded by universities or corporations, although some are fielded by high schools. The race has a 32-year history spanning fourteen races, with the inaugural event taking place in 1987. Initially held once every three years, the event became biennial from the turn of the century.

Since 2001 the World Solar Challenge was won seven times out of nine efforts by the Nuna team and cars of the Delft University of Technology from the Netherlands, with only the Tokai Challenger, built by the Tokai University of Japan able to take the crown in 2009 and 2011.

Starting in 2007, the WSC has been raced in multiple classes. After the German team of Bochum University of Applied Sciences competed with a four-wheeled, multi-seat car, the BoCruiser (in 2009), in 2013 a radically new "Cruiser Class" was introduced, racing and stimulating the technological development of practically usable, and ideally road-legal, multi-seater solar vehicles. Since its inception, Solar Team Eindhoven's four- and five-seat Stella solar cars from Eindhoven University of Technology (Netherlands) won the Cruiser Class in all three races so far.

Remarkable technological progress has been achieved since the GM led, highly experimental, single-seat Sunraycer prototype first won the WSC with an average speed of 66.9 km/h (41.6 mph). Once competing cars became steadily more capable to match or exceed legal maximum speeds on the Australian highway, the race rules were consistently made more demanding and challenging — for instance after Honda's Dream car first won the race with an average speed exceeding 55 mph (88.5 km/h) in 1996. In 2005 the Dutch Nuna team were the first to beat an average speed of 100 km/h (62 mph).

The 2017 Cruiser class winner, the five-seat Stella Vie vehicle, was able to carry an average of 3.4 occupants at an average speed of 69 km/h (43 mph). Like its two predecessors, the 2017 Stella Vie vehicle was successfully road registered by the Dutch team, further emphasizing the great progress in real world compliance and practicality that has been achieved.

The World Solar Challenge held its 30th anniversary event on October 8–15, 2017.

The 2019 World Solar Challenge will take place from 13 to 20 October. 53 teams from 24 countries have entered the competition. The same 3 classes, Challenger (30 teams), Cruiser (23 teams) and Adventure will be featured.

Now at the main store and marketplace.

@

Thalia Heckroth

@

Marketplace

Crafted in glossy rubber with polished metal accents, the Elidi Sandals balance practicality and quiet elegance. Their gladiator-inspired silhouette offers lightweight comfort and a refined finish to any off-duty look.

Compatible with LaraX, Legacy, Reborn and Momma mesh bodies.

Both Standard and PBR textures are built into the same product. Viewer-aware display. No manual switching required.

DAY 7

It is just one after the other of interesting looking men, huh, Pikemen that is!

I spot the reflections in the shiny steel.

Pikemen wear steel half-armour of back and breast plates with tassets and a morion (steel helmet).

The weight is about 18 lbs (8.16 KG). They are armed with swords and pikes.

The latter would originally have been 18 feet long but for reasons of practicality 12-foot pikes are used today.

I wish you a day full of beauty and thank you for your visit, Magda, (*_*)

For more of my other work or if you want to PURCHASE (ONLY PLACE TO BUY OUR IMAGES!), VIEW THE NEW PORTFOLIOS AND LATEST NEWS HERE on our website: www.indigo2photography.com

IT IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN (BY LAW!!!) TO USE ANY OF MY image or TEXT on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved

Burg, Pikemen,portrait, moustache, armour,reflection, uniform, soldier, plumes,Brugge, Belgium, Flanders, horizontal,colour, Nikon D7200, magda indigo

The complex retractable hardtop on a 1959 Ford Skyliner. Ford introduced the Fairlane 500 Skyliner in the United States in 1957. A total of 48,394 were built from 1957 to 1959. The retractable top was noted for its complexity and usually decent reliability in the pre-transistor era. Its mechanism contained 10 power relays, 10 limit switches, four lock motors, three drive motors, eight circuit breakers, as well as 610 feet (190 m) of electrical wire which could raise or lower the top in about 40 seconds. The Skyliner was a halo car with little luggage space (i.e., practicality), and cost twice that of a baseline Ford sedan. This Skyliner was on display at the annual Langford BC Show and Shine.

For someone like me, who has set himself the task to visit and document photographically as many as possible of those wonderful Romanesque churches and monasteries, a trip to Normandy is both cause for despair and for enchanted amazement. Despair, because the Norman architect, at the time of the Romanesque which coincided with the conquest of Britain by Duke William in 1066 and the tremendous influx of power and riches that ensued, that architect is above all focused on efficiency in the projection of power and majesty. For that architect, the absolute must, the beginning and the end of church building, is the wall. Sculpture doesn’t matter. When it exists at all, it is often relegated to simple modillions under the cornice that supports the roof. The bare wall, perfectly aligned and appareled, reigns as the undisputed king of Norman Romanesque. He who likes to smile and wonder at the ingenuity and inventiveness of Mediæval sculptors, is most of the time sorely disappointed by the utter lack of adornment of those great and tall Norman churches, next to which the barest Cistercian sanctuaries look positively alive and overflowing under the comparatively unbridled abundance of rinceaux, human figures and assorted creatures.

No sculpture to speak of, then, is the norm in Normandy. But on the other hand, the masterfulness of the architects and masons turns the job of putting one stone on top of another into a veritable art: it is here, in Normandy, that was first experimented the very innovation that would bring about the end of the Romanesque: the voûte d’ogives, the rib vaulting from which the whole world of Gothic derives. It is in Normandy that it was first imagined and implemented, even as the 11th century hadn’t yet come to a close. We will see where, and how.

My photographic tour of Lower Normandy had to begin, of course, by the Abbaye aux Hommes and the Abbaye aux Dames in Caen. Now that we have covered those, I would like to show you a few other Romanesque churches, much less well-known, yet fully worthy of our interest.

The first documentary source I consulted when I was preparing this trip was, as usual, the Normandie romane book published by Zodiaque —both volumes, as Romanesque Normandy is so rich that two books were needed to properly cover it. Unfortunately, and owing to some of those unforeseen circumstances that so often intrude upon our lives, I do not have those books with me at the moment. Therefore, I am not able to use the valuable material they hold to compose my captions; still, I will do my best in their absence... with my apologies. I hope the books will be sent back to me by whoever I made the mistake to leave them with, so that I won’t have to buy new copies.

Contrary to abbey and priory churches, which were often built in quiet and peaceful (not to say lonely) locales, away from the hustle and bustle of villages and towns (even if such cores of human activity often ended up growing from scratch around them!), parochial churches were usually erected in a village or very close by.

Dedicated to Saint Peter and listed as a Historic Landmark on the very first list drawn up in 1840 by Minister Prosper Mérimée (which says a lot about its architectural and artistic value, even by 19th century standards), the church of Thaon was built in a lonely vale because the parish, at the time, did not include a village per se, but was rather a collection of scattered hamlets: the church was built more or less in the middle. Tradition has been upheld up to present day: the church is still alone, with only one mill built nearby to benefit from the driving force of the current of River Mue —although, if truth be told, I have to admit that, with the concept of practicality emerging in the 19th century, a new church was consecrated in 1840 smack in the center of what had in the meantime become the most important of those hamlets of old: Thaon. Saint Peter was henceforth known as “the Old Church”.

Archæological digs carried out between 1998 and 2011 have shown that the locale was used during the Antiquity as a fanum, probably in connection with a nearby ford that allowed for crossing the river. A small necropolis developed during the 300s and 400s, then a first paleo-Christian edifice was built during the 600s, replaced by a new one in the next century. A first Romanesque church was erected around 1050–80, of which only the bell tower remains today. It is the oldest part of the second Romanesque church, the one we can still admire today, which was built in 1130–50 as an extension of the older church in all directions: the nave was extended by two rows to the West, a wider and much deeper choir was built with a flat apse and aisles were added. It is surrounded by more than 400 tombs from the 7th to the 18th century, which have been excavated and studied by archæologists.

During the Romanesque Age, the land was owned by the powerful barons of Creully, who possessed large tracts of land in Lower Normandy; this probably accounts for the architectural quality of the old church, which was placed under the direct patronage of the chapter of canons of the Bayeux Cathedral. This monument has come to us practically intact, except for the aforementioned aisles that were razed around 1720, probably because the terrain had become marshier and threatened the stability of the entire building. Around the same time, the floor level was raised to help fight dampness, of which the inside still exhibits many traces.

This is the whole extent of the southern elevation. This photo faithfully shows exactly how the old church looks like, including the parts that are leaning, slanting or bulging. As you can see, none of it is very straight nowadays, owing to old age, but primarily, as it seems, to the instability of the terrain.

The World Solar Challenge (WSC), or the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge since 2013, tied to the sponsorship of Bridgestone Corporation is the world's most well-known solar-powered car race event. A biennial road race covering 3,022 km (1,878 mi) through the Australian Outback, from Darwin, Northern Territory, to Adelaide, South Australia, created to foster the development of experimental, solar-powered vehicles.

The race attracts teams from around the world, most of which are fielded by universities or corporations, although some are fielded by high schools. The race has a 32-year history spanning fourteen races, with the inaugural event taking place in 1987. Initially held once every three years, the event became biennial from the turn of the century.

Since 2001 the World Solar Challenge was won seven times out of nine efforts by the Nuna team and cars of the Delft University of Technology from the Netherlands, with only the Tokai Challenger, built by the Tokai University of Japan able to take the crown in 2009 and 2011.

Starting in 2007, the WSC has been raced in multiple classes. After the German team of Bochum University of Applied Sciences competed with a four-wheeled, multi-seat car, the BoCruiser (in 2009), in 2013 a radically new "Cruiser Class" was introduced, racing and stimulating the technological development of practically usable, and ideally road-legal, multi-seater solar vehicles. Since its inception, Solar Team Eindhoven's four- and five-seat Stella solar cars from Eindhoven University of Technology (Netherlands) won the Cruiser Class in all three races so far.

Remarkable technological progress has been achieved since the GM led, highly experimental, single-seat Sunraycer prototype first won the WSC with an average speed of 66.9 km/h (41.6 mph). Once competing cars became steadily more capable to match or exceed legal maximum speeds on the Australian highway, the race rules were consistently made more demanding and challenging — for instance after Honda's Dream car first won the race with an average speed exceeding 55 mph (88.5 km/h) in 1996. In 2005 the Dutch Nuna team were the first to beat an average speed of 100 km/h (62 mph).

The 2017 Cruiser class winner, the five-seat Stella Vie vehicle, was able to carry an average of 3.4 occupants at an average speed of 69 km/h (43 mph). Like its two predecessors, the 2017 Stella Vie vehicle was successfully road registered by the Dutch team, further emphasizing the great progress in real world compliance and practicality that has been achieved.

The World Solar Challenge held its 30th anniversary event on October 8–15, 2017.

The 2019 World Solar Challenge will take place from 13 to 20 October. 53 teams from 24 countries have entered the competition. The same 3 classes, Challenger (30 teams), Cruiser (23 teams) and Adventure will be featured.

"The new Koenigsegg Agera RS has its focus set firmly on the track but is still perfect for regular use on the road. It uses advanced technology developed during our exclusive Koenigsegg One:1 program, while maintaining all the functionality of previous S and R models. Such practicalities include a usable luggage compartment and a detachable hardtop that can be stowed internally for top-down motoring at any time..."

Source: Koenigsegg

Photographed at Brands Hatch Circuit during Supercar Siege - a car show like no other.

Organizers: "We pride ourselves in running a family friendly event where guests get to experience cars that are truly special, be they classic, sports cars or hyper-cars."

____________________________________________________

Marcin Wojciechowski Photography

Marcinek_55 Instagram

Kind of a vintage vibe here.

I saw someone at work years ago wearing something like this Tommy Hilfiger dress. I liked it immediately, perhaps given its simplicity and practicality. Not even a belt seems necessary here. Pairing it with nude pumps seemed to make better sense than patent black pumps, which was a consideration.

A note on what we now call office administrators, among many other well-earned titles. These folks are the glue of the work space and often bear great burden given the range of people one must contend with, from Type-A, often inhuman personalities that tend to shoot up the management tree to the inexperienced and trouble-making new guys. I'm thankful to them for helping me navigate the executive suite, reimbursements, time cards, expense reports, and other nit-noid things that otherwise can derail my day.

Also, I'd like to thank you all for your kind words and inspiring comments. It is very much appreciated :)

Dress: Tommy Hilfiger

Shoes: Bandolino

Hosiery: Cecilia de Rafael

The streets of Kaesong, like everywhere else I visited in North Korea are filled primarily with people and bicycles. You might notice dead center of the intersection, there's one traffic control officer to manage the onslaught of traffic, aka, that bus in the distance. Even with public transport, the practicality of getting around is largely walking or biking.

Read the rest of this entry at the Aisle Seat Please blog.

For someone like me, who has set himself the task to visit and document photographically as many as possible of those wonderful Romanesque churches and monasteries, a trip to Normandy is both cause for despair and for enchanted amazement. Despair, because the Norman architect, at the time of the Romanesque which coincided with the conquest of Britain by Duke William in 1066 and the tremendous influx of power and riches that ensued, that architect is above all focused on efficiency in the projection of power and majesty. For that architect, the absolute must, the beginning and the end of church building, is the wall. Sculpture doesn’t matter. When it exists at all, it is often relegated to simple modillions under the cornice that supports the roof. The bare wall, perfectly aligned and appareled, reigns as the undisputed king of Norman Romanesque. He who likes to smile and wonder at the ingenuity and inventiveness of Mediæval sculptors, is most of the time sorely disappointed by the utter lack of adornment of those great and tall Norman churches, next to which the barest Cistercian sanctuaries look positively alive and overflowing under the comparatively unbridled abundance of rinceaux, human figures and assorted creatures.

No sculpture to speak of, then, is the norm in Normandy. But on the other hand, the masterfulness of the architects and masons turns the job of putting one stone on top of another into a veritable art: it is here, in Normandy, that was first experimented the very innovation that would bring about the end of the Romanesque: the voûte d’ogives, the rib vaulting from which the whole world of Gothic derives. It is in Normandy that it was first imagined and implemented, even as the 11th century hadn’t yet come to a close. We will see where, and how.

My photographic tour of Lower Normandy had to begin, of course, by the Abbaye aux Hommes and the Abbaye aux Dames in Caen. Now that we have covered those, I would like to show you a few other Romanesque churches, much less well-known, yet fully worthy of our interest.

The first documentary source I consulted when I was preparing this trip was, as usual, the Normandie romane book published by Zodiaque —both volumes, as Romanesque Normandy is so rich that two books were needed to properly cover it. Unfortunately, and owing to some of those unforeseen circumstances that so often intrude upon our lives, I do not have those books with me at the moment. Therefore, I am not able to use the valuable material they hold to compose my captions; still, I will do my best in their absence... with my apologies. I hope the books will be sent back to me by whoever I made the mistake to leave them with, so that I won’t have to buy new copies.

•• Contrary to abbey and priory churches, which were often built in quiet and peaceful (not to say lonely) locales, away from the hustle and bustle of villages and towns (even if such cores of human activity often ended up growing from scratch around them!), parochial churches were usually erected in a village or very close by.

Dedicated to Saint Peter and listed as a Historic Landmark on the very first list drawn up in 1840 by Minister Prosper Mérimée (which says a lot about its architectural and artistic value, even by 19th century standards), the church of Thaon was built in a lonely vale because the parish, at the time, did not include a village per se, but was rather a collection of scattered hamlets: the church was built more or less in the middle. Tradition has been upheld up to present day: the church is still alone, with only one mill built nearby to benefit from the driving force of the current of River Mue —although, if truth be told, I have to admit that, with the concept of practicality emerging in the 19th century, a new church was consecrated in 1840 smack in the center of what had in the meantime become the most important of those hamlets of old: Thaon. Saint Peter was henceforth known as “the Old Church”.

Archæological digs carried out between 1998 and 2011 have shown that the locale was used during the Antiquity as a fanum, probably in connection with a nearby ford that allowed for crossing the river. A small necropolis developed during the 300s and 400s, then a first paleo-Christian edifice was built during the 600s, replaced by a new one in the next century. A first Romanesque church was erected around 1050–80, of which only the bell tower remains today. It is the oldest part of the second Romanesque church, the one we can still admire today, which was built in 1130–50 as an extension of the older church in all directions: the nave was extended by two rows to the West, a wider and much deeper choir was built with a flat apse and aisles were added. It is surrounded by more than 400 tombs from the 7th to the 18th century, which have been excavated and studied by archæologists.

During the Romanesque Age, the land was owned by the powerful barons of Creully, who possessed large tracts of land in Lower Normandy; this probably accounts for the architectural quality of the old church, which was placed under the direct patronage of the chapter of canons of the Bayeux Cathedral. This monument has come to us practically intact, except for the aforementioned aisles that were razed around 1720, probably because the terrain had become marshier and threatened the stability of the entire building. Around the same time, the floor level was raised to help fight dampness, of which the inside still exhibits many traces.

One last photo of this charming masterpiece of the Romanesque, standing silently in its quiet and bucolic setting. The local village has acquired all the land, pastures and woods around the church, so that quality setting can be preserved.

I am a Gemini - twins, one person, two identities:

Both your creative and aesthetic senses are high right now, so it should be no surprise that artistic pursuits very much appeal to you right now.

Gemini

- Boredom is your worst enemy (dress up)

- Observation is your second nature (noticing what well dressed women wear)

- You are known to be chatty (can we talk about femininity, please)

- Practicality isn’t your strong suit (aha, most men’s clothing is practical)

- You enjoy creativity (what shoes go with that blouse and that sweater?)

- You tend to be indecisive (boy day or girl day?)

- You possess a great deal of enthusiasm (I believe I will be accepted for both sides of who I am)

- Independence comes naturally to you (I will dress, especially with on my own)

- Anxiety is an old friend of yours (how will I get through a day without dressing?)

- You’ve had a couple of identity crises! (Duh, I am a man who prefers dressing and feeling like a woman! ’Nuff said!)

All My Links

This is my second collection series here on Flickr. Centred around my love for coffee and chilling out in Cafés and coffee shops.

I used to hate these sugar dispensers, being so old fashioned and simplistic I always wanted my sugar bowl and spoon, don't get me started on paper sugar sachets; but after a time I grew to love their shape, reflective nature and practicality.

Have a great weekend everyone and thank you again for all the comments, follows and support :)

My Light Wedge 2 had lasted 11 seasons in Colorado and Utah, but now it was failing. A delaminating fly and failing zippers made me balance practicality with sentimental loyalty--I decided that this would be the last camp site for this one.

The tent is to the right, nestled in the box elder trees, on the bank of the Green River in Rainbow Park. I had been awakened repeatedly by elk bugling in the night, and dawn was heralded by geese flying up and down the river. A beaver was heard gnawing wood at night, and the stars were fantastic.

Two tents will replace it--the Big Agnes Frying Pan 2 and the Half Dome 2+.

Yet another phone camera shot for practicality, sorry. This time it's one of fellow flickrite 'national bus is best's fleet of, erm, well, Leyland Nationals which also lives at the same barn as the Barton Reliance in the previous posting. WDL 880R, whilst in no way local to North Staffordshire will make a welcome addition to our circle of friends preserved fleet when restoration is completed.

Delivered in July 2021 and never used. The ultimate "White Elephant" 50 tonne Zephir Road-Rail shunter "Carlisle No.1" (wks no. 2927/2021) registered as on-track plant with the number 70 997 9 114-4 sits in Carlisle Kingmoor Yard's C&W Compound. It has been moved from out of the weeds onto the concrete hard standing in readiness to be collected by a heavy plant road transporter for removal to Knottingley Depot.

DB Cargo bought six of these top of the range Lok30.520 models for use at locations with a Network Rail LDC (Local Distribution Centre), the idea being to release six class 66's back to mainline use as work has picked up post pandemic. Although very capable for wagon placement in workshops and terminals they were never going to be ideal for making up trains in a railway shunting yard. There was no thought given to basic practicalities like the fact the cab only faces one way, no AAR auto-coupler, the use of UIC buffers which have no compression, let alone the requirement to be placed over a pit once a fortnight as part of warranty maintenance. In the end it was the drivers union "ASLE&F" that decided they were so non compliant as a shunting engine they were in effect blacked by the union. They could have been re-deployed to more suitable locations where one or two staff at terminals could have been trained to operate them as after all they aren't registered as locomotives. They would be ideal for use where a block train is placed for unloading and thus release the mainline loco but instead all six have simply languished out of use for 20 months now.

At last someone within DB UK has bit the bullet and accepted the inevitable and sort to find work for these expensive machines. The Carlisle Zephir is one of two out of the six delivered fitted with an OHL safety cage. It is going to Knottingley for use placing stock in the C&W shed for maintenance while the one currently at Oxford Hinksey LDC is destined for Stoke Wagon Works. That leaves four to find gainful employment, they are currently located at Toton, Hoo, Doncaster and Westbury.

This picture is #41 in the 100 Strangers Project - Round 3

Meet Abel and Honor.

Met this amazing young couple Abel and Honor this weekend just as I was heading home after a futile day walking around my favorite hangout spot in Bethesda hoping to find the next cool stranger.

As soon as I saw them walking in my direction in the distance my eyes lit up as I knew these would be great candidates as long as they accepted. My only hesitation was if they were old enough - turns out they were. Luckily they were open to the portraits and while Abel went to bring in his motorcycle, we started doing some pictures of Honor, before Abel joined us.

Needless to say, both are very good-looking dynamic young people and of course, look terrific together as well. Honor is a student of structural engineering while Abel is finishing his studies as a mechanical engineer. They share a common love for riding motorcycles, which was part of their appeal and cool personalities. Abel also loves photography while Honor enjoyed horse riding. The young man also works in a machine shop taking on a variety of projects, creating parts and assemblies for all sorts of research - biology, fluid mechanics, anthropology, etc.

Honor's favorite quality of herself was her kind-hearted emphatic nature which came across in our interactions as well. Abel on the other hand takes pride in his practicality, as well as finding hands-on solutions and fixing things that are broken (including rebuilding motorcycles).

I was truly impressed with how well they came across in only those few minutes, respectful, courteous, and with good heads on their young shoulders. Undoubtedly they were a pleasure to photograph, exuding great energy, confidence, and a happy vibe.

Thank you Abel and Honor for your time and trust and wishing you all the very best for the future.

Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page

For my other pictures on this project: 100 Strangers - Round 2.

For pictures from my prior attempt at 100 Strangers: 100 Strangers - Round 1.

The World Solar Challenge (WSC), or the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge since 2013, tied to the sponsorship of Bridgestone Corporation is the world's most well-known solar-powered car race event. A biennial road race covering 3,022 km (1,878 mi) through the Australian Outback, from Darwin, Northern Territory, to Adelaide, South Australia, created to foster the development of experimental, solar-powered vehicles.

The race attracts teams from around the world, most of which are fielded by universities or corporations, although some are fielded by high schools. The race has a 32-year history spanning fourteen races, with the inaugural event taking place in 1987. Initially held once every three years, the event became biennial from the turn of the century.

Since 2001 the World Solar Challenge was won seven times out of nine efforts by the Nuna team and cars of the Delft University of Technology from the Netherlands, with only the Tokai Challenger, built by the Tokai University of Japan able to take the crown in 2009 and 2011.

Starting in 2007, the WSC has been raced in multiple classes. After the German team of Bochum University of Applied Sciences competed with a four-wheeled, multi-seat car, the BoCruiser (in 2009), in 2013 a radically new "Cruiser Class" was introduced, racing and stimulating the technological development of practically usable, and ideally road-legal, multi-seater solar vehicles. Since its inception, Solar Team Eindhoven's four- and five-seat Stella solar cars from Eindhoven University of Technology (Netherlands) won the Cruiser Class in all three races so far.

Remarkable technological progress has been achieved since the GM led, highly experimental, single-seat Sunraycer prototype first won the WSC with an average speed of 66.9 km/h (41.6 mph). Once competing cars became steadily more capable to match or exceed legal maximum speeds on the Australian highway, the race rules were consistently made more demanding and challenging — for instance after Honda's Dream car first won the race with an average speed exceeding 55 mph (88.5 km/h) in 1996. In 2005 the Dutch Nuna team were the first to beat an average speed of 100 km/h (62 mph).

The 2017 Cruiser class winner, the five-seat Stella Vie vehicle, was able to carry an average of 3.4 occupants at an average speed of 69 km/h (43 mph). Like its two predecessors, the 2017 Stella Vie vehicle was successfully road registered by the Dutch team, further emphasizing the great progress in real world compliance and practicality that has been achieved.

The World Solar Challenge held its 30th anniversary event on October 8–15, 2017.

The 2019 World Solar Challenge will take place from 13 to 20 October. 53 teams from 24 countries have entered the competition. The same 3 classes, Challenger (30 teams), Cruiser (23 teams) and Adventure will be featured.

On a pretty late summer morning, the Greenfield Village's Detroit & Lima Northern Locomotive #7 takes the shuttle train through the Firestone Farm District, en route to a stop at the village entrance, just a few hundred yards ahead.

Rail enthusiasts who visit Greenfield Village sometimes ask why open, tourist cars are used to haul passengers, instead of period-correct coaches. While the railroaders would clearly like to have a more authentic train, the answer to the question is really a matter of practicality. There are not a lot of historic, wooden coaches available that would be a good match for the locomotives here and the cost to restore (or build new) and maintain such coaches would be considerable. The harsh winters of Southern Michigan would pretty much dictate that such equipment be stored indoors and facilities to do that don't currently exist. In addition, Greenfield Village operates primarily during the summer months, when the temperatures at mid-day are often 90 degrees or more, which would be uncomfortable for visitors in standard coaches. These cars are built much like the old, J. G. Brill "Breezer" trolleys, providing a nice, cool ride on hot days. Lastly, standard coaches have a center aisle and don't accommodate nearly as many guests as tourist cars with bench seats. These open-air cars can board and de-train passengers from every row simultaneously, making for shorter stops and allowing large groups to sit together.

It should also noted that these tourist cars are not rebuilt freight cars, but rather, were purpose-built for Greenfield Village by a well-known, in-region railroad contractor. They are steel cars with air-brakes and are fully capable of spending the winters outdoors without significant problem.

Located at Independence, Texas near Brenham, Texas is the Antique Rose Emporium, with its eight acres of romantic rose gardens, embodies rustic country elegance. We make one-of-a-kind, dream weddings possible. Our lovely country chapel was built in a style that incorporates many elements of various local community churches. Approximately 1500 square feet in size, it will comfortably seat about 150 people. Its large open interior space with vaulted ceiling and clear Gothic windows is without permanent seating so that the space can be utilized in a variety of ways. A tall front door with stained glass transom is from England and is over 100 years old. There's also a picturesque allee with a gazebo, a covered pavilion, and the historic Champneys' Green Victorian residence. Champneys' Green is a restored 1904 Victorian home, surrounded by period gardens and a nearby gazebo and pavilion. The Gazebo with its rose covered arches, garden borders and rose draped edges has been the site of many beautiful outdoor weddings. It's just west of Champney’s Green with a brick allee leading to it from the landing at Champney’s—a romantic entrance for the bride and her bridesmaids. Our brides enjoy the luxury of a beautiful outdoor setting, along side the practicality of a charming—and weather proof--chapel. This is just part of this amazing place as their main thing is selling antique rose plants and other garden items. It is a lovely country venue that beckons to be visited and explored!! See: www.antiqueroseemporium.com/our-story

Pray all had a blessed Sunday... feeling under the weather with a upper respiratory infection. Trying to rest and drink fluids as I don't want it to go into my usual bronchitis or pneumonia!!!