final push to finish the archeological site in fron of the cathedral in Tortosa. After several delays and setbacks the work is finally progressing. The site is going to show the history of Dertosa-Turtuxa-Tortosa over 2000 years

The Lancia Gamma came into being despite some not inconsiderable setbacks. It was the first Lancia produced under Fiat’s ownership and was developed in conjunction with Citroen and the CX. The car was to comprise the best of what both companies could offer including amongst other things, Citroen’s trademark hydraulic suspension. Two models were designed by Pininfarina, the Berlina (saloon) and the Coupe.

The Coupe was produced at the Pininfarina facility alongside the Ferrari 400, and the Berlina model was built by Lancia. Released to unsuspecting owners in 1976, from the word go the car quickly developed a reputation for mechanical fragility. The decision to run the power steering pump from one of the timing belts proved to be the principal cause of an early death. A cold morning combined with a dose of full lock on startup was enough to cause the timing belt to slip with the results being terminal for the engine. Cam shafts wore prematurely due to lack of lubrication, auto gearboxes failed due to blocked galleries, cylinder liner gaskets were made out of paper which failed easily and allowed to coolant to mix with oil, which main bearings do not like at all apparently! Front wishbones were made out of tin foil and……well you get the idea.

A fit Gamma Coupe is a wonderous machine, the 2.5 litre boxer engine throbs menacingly at idle but delivers a heroically broad spread of torque, starting just above idle and giving the car effortless performance and driveability. At 80mph/4000 rpm it is smooth and vibration free and feels at its happiest. The flat four engine enabled the designers to maximize the benefit of a low center of gravity (in the Coupe at least) and the car has outstanding handling compared to many modern cars – it must have been a revelation at launch. Staying flat through corners, the balance is magical and especially when you consider the suspension is compliant and soaks up bumps with contempt.

When I look at the ashes of Lancia today, a once proud, engineering-led company reduced to re-badged Chryslers, it’s easy to see the roots of their demise in the Gamma. A brilliantly designed car starved of development and constructed from low quality materials.

The Lancia Gamma was a front-wheel drive car with longitudinally-mounted boxer engine and with either a 5-speed manual transmission and later a 4-speed automatic transmission.[1] The Gamma received a midcycle face-lift, receiving Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection as well as a new corporate grille, 15-inch "sunburst" alloy wheels, and a revised interior with new instrumentation, interior lighting, badging, handbrake and gear lever gaiter.

Though Fiat had planned to use one of their V6 engines, Lancia developed unique flat-4 engines for the Gamma. The Lancia Flavia and Flavia Coupe had used 1.8 and 2.0 litre flat four engines. Engine designer De Virgilio also drew up an engine for the Gamma which was a V6 4-cam with either 3- or 4-litre displacement, but this never came to fruition.

The flat engine, though large for a modern 4-cylinder petrol engine, lacked the cachet associated with six and eight cylinder engines but enabled Pininfarina chief stylist Aldo Brovarone to lower the coupé's bonnet line and to steeply rake its windscreen.

Pressure cast in alloy with wet cylinder liners, the engine was light and though it only produced 140 bhp (104 kW), (120 bhp (89 kW) in 2.0-litre form) its torque was available at just 2000 rpm.

Initially available with a displacement of 2.5 L (Gamma 2500), it was later joined by a 2.0 L version (Gamma 2000), which resulted from the Italian tax system (cars with engines larger than 2.0 L are subject to heavier tax burden). The displacement was lowered by decreasing the bore rather than the stroke of the engine. Both displacements were using Weber carburetors, and the 2.5 L also came in a version fitted with fuel injection (Gamma 2500 I.E.)

2.0 L carburetor 8v SOHC flat-4 - 1999 cc, 115 PS (85 kW)

2.5 L carburetor 8v SOHC flat-4 - 2484 cc, 140 PS (103 kW)

2.5 L I.E. 8v SOHC flat-4 - 2484 cc, 140 PS (103 kW)

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

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

Some background:

With Scotland’s independence from Great Britain in late 2017, “Caledonian International Airlines” (or just “Caledonian” or “CI”) quickly emerged as a privately-owned national flag carrier. The airline followed in the footsteps of Caledonian Airways, an independent Scottish charter airline formed in April 1961, which evolved into British Caledonian Airlines (a.k.a. “BCal”). During the 1970s and '80s, British Caledonian became the UK's largest independent, international scheduled airline, with an extensive global route network serving over 40 destinations in around 25 countries on five continents. However, a series of major financial setbacks during the mid-1980s combined with the airline's inability to grow sufficiently to reach a viable size put the airline at serious risk of collapse. BCal began looking for a merger partner to improve its competitive position, and, in December 1987, British Airways (BA) gained control of the airline. In April 1988 BCal was officially dissolved and the brand disappeared.

The airline also ordered two long-haul wide-body Airbus A330-900neos in November 2019 at the Dubai Air Show. The first plane is scheduled to arrive in January 2022 after a delivery flight from Toulouse and will operate on routes to Asia, e. g. Hong Kong and Tokyo, and to intercontinental destinations in North America and Brazil. A further order for six EMBRAER ERJ-190s was placed at the same time – these will replace the leased A320s on regional and domestic routes, and with these additional aircraft Caledonian International Airlines follows a slow but steady expansion strategy.

General characteristics:

Cockpit crew: Two

Length: 31.44 m (103 ft 2 in)

Wingspan:34.10 m (111 ft 11 in)

Wing area: 122.4 m² (1,318 sq ft)

Wing sweepback: 25°

Tail height: 12.56 m (41 ft 2 in)

Cabin width: 3.70 m (12 ft 2 in)

Fuselage width: 3.95 m (13 ft 0 in)

Operating empty weight: 39,500 kg (87,100 lb)

Maximum zero-fuel weight (MZFW): 54,500 kg (120,200 lb)

Maximum landing weight (MLW):57,500 kg (126,800 lb)

Maximum take-off weight (MTOW): 68,000 kg (150,000 lb)

Capacity:

Exit Limit:136

1-class max. seating: 132 at 29–30 in (74–76 cm) pitch

1-class, typical: 117 at 32 in (81 cm) pitch

2-class, typical: 107 (8F @ 38 in, 99Y @ 32 in)

Cargo capacity: 21.2 m³ (750 cu ft)

Fuel capacity: 24,210 L (5,330 imp gal; 6,400 US gal)

Performance:

Cruising speed: Mach 0.78 (829 km/h; 515 mph)

Maximum speed: Mach 0.82 (871 km/h; 541 mph)

Range (typical payload): 5,740 km (3,100 nmi)

ACJ range:4,200 nmi (7,800 km)

Takeoff (MTOW, SL, ISA): 1,780 m (5,840 ft)

Landing (MLW, SL, ISA): 1,230 m (4,040 ft)

Ceiling: 39,100–41,000 ft (11,900–12,500 m)

Engines:

2xCFM56-5B9/P turbofans with 23,300 lbf (100 kN) thrust each

The kit and its assembly:

I have been pondering the idea of an independent Scotland for some time and already built some what-if models with this background. But then arose the question: what could a national carrier airline be or look like?

This turned out to be a more complex question than initially ever thought of and led to more than a dozen potential design layouts, with the plan to avoid the much-too-obvious blue from the Scottish flag and rather incorporate the Scottish coat-of-arms (with a standing red lion on a yellow shield/background) but also based on limited decal resources. The small Airbus 318 was chosen because it would be a rather small airline, and the type’s extended range vs. it bigger brethren (making flight to America possible) made it a good choice for trans-Atlantic flights.

I settled for the Eastern Express A318 kit, which is BTW the only option for this airliner in 1:144. Upon an initial glance the kit looked quite O.K. – very simple and straightforward, and somewhat looking like a clone of the Revell A319/320 model (but it isn't). However, closer inspection confirmed the impression of a rather poor copy quality level. Most surface details (engraved) are there, but they are soft and somewhat blurred, and any fine details like pitots or blade antennae are missing or just hinted at. The material is also dubious, a very waxy and soft styrene. It can be glued together easily, but it is very sensitive to scratches or cuts.

However, things turned really ugly when I tried to build it! NOTHING of the major elements fits together, the worst flaws became apparent when I tried to glue the fuselage halves together, which turned out to be wavy along the seams and heavily dented, esp. along the spine. Massive PSR was necessary to fill the worst gaps, and even then, the result is barely acceptable.

Another disaster area is the wing/fuselage intersection. Unlike the Revell A320, the Eastern Express kit comes with separate, asymmtretical lower wing halves, which carry a part of the lower fuselage. Raised surface details and air scoops justify this construction, but the poor fit of everything involved in this area left me with a ventral 2mm(!!!) gap and further misalignments that called for even more PSR. Horrible.

The final major problem zone was the fin – in consists of a base, which is molded into the fuselage halves, and the extended fin tip as well as the rudder are a separate part. This could work, if the fin’s base halves were not about 1mm too thick when assembled, resulting in a crippled fin that called for more PSR to create even surfaces on both sides (and fill gap’s at the rudder’s base)…

Beyond that, there were some sinkholes on the wings and the (otherwise pretty clear) cockpit glazing did not fit at all, being much too narrow and leaving considerable gaps at its base. Since I had decals for the complete cockpit glazing at hand I short-handedly blended the clear part into the hull with some more PSR. No, this kit is NOT recommended – I guess that cutting an A319/320 from another manufacturer and scratching the longer fin leads to better results than the Eastern Express A318 kit!

Painting and markings:

I wanted to develop a personal livery for Scotland’s potential flag carrier, and this took a while. The process was inspired and also limited by decal options, and I wanted to avoid the obvious color blue. I rather took inspiration from the Scottish coat of arms, which shows a standing red lion on a deep yellow background. For potential layouts I took the burden to create profile drawings, which soon revealed that yellow and red would make the airliner look like a Spanish charter carrier, so more and more black crept into the design, eventually fully replacing the yellow, together with white as basic color for the fuselage and a little red from the lion as contrast. After more than a dozen layouts the one I chose reminds of the late BEA scheme (with the black fin and trim) or Air Canada. However, I wanted to avoid a contemporary livery with a uniform/featureless fuselage, so I incorporated a black window cheatline that visually stretches the fuselage. The design has a certain retro appeal, even though this was not intended.

The fuselage was prepared with grey primer and received a coat with pure white paint from the rattle can. The wings were painted with Humbrol 40 (Gloss Light Gull Grey) and 126 (FS 26270) for the Corroguard areas. Fin and engine nacelles were painted black (Humbrol 21). The small winglets were painted in red (Humbrol 19), as small color highlights. Black ink was used to emphasize the panel lines (esp. of the flaps and rudders) on the wings, the white fuselage remained clean, though, in order to avoid a dirty or worn look.

The cheatlines and the windows come from a TwoSix Decals sheet for a retro British Airways A319 with a BEA red square livery, the decals had to be tailored to the A318’s shorter fuselage. The black nose section was retained, because it reminds of the elegant livery of British Caledonian Airlines. The red “Caledonian” letterings and the smaller sublines come from a TwoSix Decals sheet for a Sixties’ Caledonian Airways DC-6B. I had hoped to use the sheet’s large red lions for the Airbus’ fin, but they were only printed on clear carrier film and lacked opacity, so that I had to improvise. I found a suitable alternative in a MicroScale H0 scale sheet for Cape Brenton & Nova Scotia Diesel locomotives.

The stencils are a mix from the (very nice) Eastern Express and the TwoSix Airbus sheet, and I printed the registration code with the Scottish flag as well as the “independence” tag on the nose myself.

Finally, the model was sealed with an overall coat of glossy acrylic varnish.

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.

The Piber Federal Stud is 555 hectares in size and approximately 250 horses are kept there, including 70 broodmares.

Only stallions from the Spanish Riding School are used as breeding stallions, and all six classic stallion bloodline families are used.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Piber Federal Stud Farm is dedicated to the breeding of Lipizzan horses, located at the village of Piber. It was founded in 1798, began breeding Lipizzan horses in 1920, and today is the primary breeding farm that produces the stallions used by the Spanish Riding School, where the best stallions of each generation are bred and brought for training and later public performance. One of Piber’s major objectives is "to uphold a substantial part of Austria’s cultural heritage and to preserve one of the best and most beautiful horse breeds in its original form."

The Lipizzan breed as a whole, suffered a setback when a viral epidemic hit the Piber Stud in 1983. Forty horses and eight percent of the expected foal crop were lost. Since then, the population at the farm has increased, with 100 mares as of 1994 and a foal crop of 56 born in 1993. In 1994, the pregnancy rate increased from 27% to 82% as the result of a new veterinary center.

via Instagram ift.tt/2ftIfJX

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

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

Some background:

With Scotland’s independence from Great Britain in late 2017, “Caledonian International Airlines” (or just “Caledonian” or “CI”) quickly emerged as a privately-owned national flag carrier. The airline followed in the footsteps of Caledonian Airways, an independent Scottish charter airline formed in April 1961, which evolved into British Caledonian Airlines (a.k.a. “BCal”). During the 1970s and '80s, British Caledonian became the UK's largest independent, international scheduled airline, with an extensive global route network serving over 40 destinations in around 25 countries on five continents. However, a series of major financial setbacks during the mid-1980s combined with the airline's inability to grow sufficiently to reach a viable size put the airline at serious risk of collapse. BCal began looking for a merger partner to improve its competitive position, and, in December 1987, British Airways (BA) gained control of the airline. In April 1988 BCal was officially dissolved and the brand disappeared.

The airline also ordered two long-haul wide-body Airbus A330-900neos in November 2019 at the Dubai Air Show. The first plane is scheduled to arrive in January 2022 after a delivery flight from Toulouse and will operate on routes to Asia, e. g. Hong Kong and Tokyo, and to intercontinental destinations in North America and Brazil. A further order for six EMBRAER ERJ-190s was placed at the same time – these will replace the leased A320s on regional and domestic routes, and with these additional aircraft Caledonian International Airlines follows a slow but steady expansion strategy.

General characteristics:

Cockpit crew: Two

Length: 31.44 m (103 ft 2 in)

Wingspan:34.10 m (111 ft 11 in)

Wing area: 122.4 m² (1,318 sq ft)

Wing sweepback: 25°

Tail height: 12.56 m (41 ft 2 in)

Cabin width: 3.70 m (12 ft 2 in)

Fuselage width: 3.95 m (13 ft 0 in)

Operating empty weight: 39,500 kg (87,100 lb)

Maximum zero-fuel weight (MZFW): 54,500 kg (120,200 lb)

Maximum landing weight (MLW):57,500 kg (126,800 lb)

Maximum take-off weight (MTOW): 68,000 kg (150,000 lb)

Capacity:

Exit Limit:136

1-class max. seating: 132 at 29–30 in (74–76 cm) pitch

1-class, typical: 117 at 32 in (81 cm) pitch

2-class, typical: 107 (8F @ 38 in, 99Y @ 32 in)

Cargo capacity: 21.2 m³ (750 cu ft)

Fuel capacity: 24,210 L (5,330 imp gal; 6,400 US gal)

Performance:

Cruising speed: Mach 0.78 (829 km/h; 515 mph)

Maximum speed: Mach 0.82 (871 km/h; 541 mph)

Range (typical payload): 5,740 km (3,100 nmi)

ACJ range:4,200 nmi (7,800 km)

Takeoff (MTOW, SL, ISA): 1,780 m (5,840 ft)

Landing (MLW, SL, ISA): 1,230 m (4,040 ft)

Ceiling: 39,100–41,000 ft (11,900–12,500 m)

Engines:

2xCFM56-5B9/P turbofans with 23,300 lbf (100 kN) thrust each

The kit and its assembly:

I have been pondering the idea of an independent Scotland for some time and already built some what-if models with this background. But then arose the question: what could a national carrier airline be or look like?

This turned out to be a more complex question than initially ever thought of and led to more than a dozen potential design layouts, with the plan to avoid the much-too-obvious blue from the Scottish flag and rather incorporate the Scottish coat-of-arms (with a standing red lion on a yellow shield/background) but also based on limited decal resources. The small Airbus 318 was chosen because it would be a rather small airline, and the type’s extended range vs. it bigger brethren (making flight to America possible) made it a good choice for trans-Atlantic flights.

I settled for the Eastern Express A318 kit, which is BTW the only option for this airliner in 1:144. Upon an initial glance the kit looked quite O.K. – very simple and straightforward, and somewhat looking like a clone of the Revell A319/320 model (but it isn't). However, closer inspection confirmed the impression of a rather poor copy quality level. Most surface details (engraved) are there, but they are soft and somewhat blurred, and any fine details like pitots or blade antennae are missing or just hinted at. The material is also dubious, a very waxy and soft styrene. It can be glued together easily, but it is very sensitive to scratches or cuts.

However, things turned really ugly when I tried to build it! NOTHING of the major elements fits together, the worst flaws became apparent when I tried to glue the fuselage halves together, which turned out to be wavy along the seams and heavily dented, esp. along the spine. Massive PSR was necessary to fill the worst gaps, and even then, the result is barely acceptable.

Another disaster area is the wing/fuselage intersection. Unlike the Revell A320, the Eastern Express kit comes with separate, asymmtretical lower wing halves, which carry a part of the lower fuselage. Raised surface details and air scoops justify this construction, but the poor fit of everything involved in this area left me with a ventral 2mm(!!!) gap and further misalignments that called for even more PSR. Horrible.

The final major problem zone was the fin – in consists of a base, which is molded into the fuselage halves, and the extended fin tip as well as the rudder are a separate part. This could work, if the fin’s base halves were not about 1mm too thick when assembled, resulting in a crippled fin that called for more PSR to create even surfaces on both sides (and fill gap’s at the rudder’s base)…

Beyond that, there were some sinkholes on the wings and the (otherwise pretty clear) cockpit glazing did not fit at all, being much too narrow and leaving considerable gaps at its base. Since I had decals for the complete cockpit glazing at hand I short-handedly blended the clear part into the hull with some more PSR. No, this kit is NOT recommended – I guess that cutting an A319/320 from another manufacturer and scratching the longer fin leads to better results than the Eastern Express A318 kit!

Painting and markings:

I wanted to develop a personal livery for Scotland’s potential flag carrier, and this took a while. The process was inspired and also limited by decal options, and I wanted to avoid the obvious color blue. I rather took inspiration from the Scottish coat of arms, which shows a standing red lion on a deep yellow background. For potential layouts I took the burden to create profile drawings, which soon revealed that yellow and red would make the airliner look like a Spanish charter carrier, so more and more black crept into the design, eventually fully replacing the yellow, together with white as basic color for the fuselage and a little red from the lion as contrast. After more than a dozen layouts the one I chose reminds of the late BEA scheme (with the black fin and trim) or Air Canada. However, I wanted to avoid a contemporary livery with a uniform/featureless fuselage, so I incorporated a black window cheatline that visually stretches the fuselage. The design has a certain retro appeal, even though this was not intended.

The fuselage was prepared with grey primer and received a coat with pure white paint from the rattle can. The wings were painted with Humbrol 40 (Gloss Light Gull Grey) and 126 (FS 26270) for the Corroguard areas. Fin and engine nacelles were painted black (Humbrol 21). The small winglets were painted in red (Humbrol 19), as small color highlights. Black ink was used to emphasize the panel lines (esp. of the flaps and rudders) on the wings, the white fuselage remained clean, though, in order to avoid a dirty or worn look.

The cheatlines and the windows come from a TwoSix Decals sheet for a retro British Airways A319 with a BEA red square livery, the decals had to be tailored to the A318’s shorter fuselage. The black nose section was retained, because it reminds of the elegant livery of British Caledonian Airlines. The red “Caledonian” letterings and the smaller sublines come from a TwoSix Decals sheet for a Sixties’ Caledonian Airways DC-6B. I had hoped to use the sheet’s large red lions for the Airbus’ fin, but they were only printed on clear carrier film and lacked opacity, so that I had to improvise. I found a suitable alternative in a MicroScale H0 scale sheet for Cape Brenton & Nova Scotia Diesel locomotives.

The stencils are a mix from the (very nice) Eastern Express and the TwoSix Airbus sheet, and I printed the registration code with the Scottish flag as well as the “independence” tag on the nose myself.

Finally, the model was sealed with an overall coat of glossy acrylic varnish.

Members of South Sudan's White Army, a predominantly Nuer militia, which is fighting alongside army defectors against President Salva Kiir, in Lankien, Jonglei State, Jan 22 2014. Militiamen, residents and wounded sodleirs vowed to fight on, despite recent setbacks, insisting they will only have peace when President Kiir steps down.

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Copyright 2013 BOTHAM | DESIGN

www.bothamdesign.com

All Rights Reserved

Prints available upon request

Sony A65V; SAL1118

f/13, 1/125s, ISO 100, 11mm

MARRABEL August 31

The ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the Loyal Marrabel Lodge Hall No 62, IOOF, Manchester Unity, was performed yesterday by the PGM of the Kapunda district, Brother G E Davis jun.

A large and representative gathering assembled. Brother Albert Stief called upon the Secretary (Brother G E Davis) to read the historical report of the lodge. The latter dealt extensively with the progress of it since its formation on September 1, 1864. Of the 13 foundation members, only one survives—Brother James Howlett—who was present at the ceremony.

The late PPGM Brother Joseph Downing, one of the recent directors of the order in South Australia, together with the late Brother Augustus Stief and Brother W Polkinghorne, assisted in forming the first committee, and initiated the 13 foundation members. During the 17 years of the lodge many difficulties and setbacks have occurred, but were surmounted with the aid of good officers, particularly the late secretary (Brother W. Polkinghorne), who filled that position for 39 years continuously, and the late Brother A Stief, who was always a ready and willing worker.

Mr S March presented Brother G E Davis with a trowel on behalf of the members of the Loyal Marrabel Lodge. PGM Brother G E Davis thanked the brethren for the honour conferred upon him and for their presentation. He congratulated the trustees on their management of affairs, which had led up to the erection of such a fine hall, and remarked that Mr W Cairns, of Riverton, was the architect, and Mr S March, of Kapunda, the contractor. He expressed the opinion that the hall would be a credit to them, an ornament to the town, and a monument to the Order of Oddfellows in South Australia. Mr Davis proceeded with the ceremony of laying the stone, and deposited documents, a daily paper, and some coins of the realm thereunder. He declared the stone well and truly laid.

Brothers J J Helleur, J T Matthews, J Windebank, and others congratulated the lodge on its progressive state…invited the assembly to adjourn to the hotel, where the toast, "Success to the hall” was honoured. [Ref: Observer Saturday 9-9-1911]

MARRABEL April 4

The Marrabel Oddfellows’ Hall was opened yesterday. The weather was fine, and residents and visitors from neighbouring towns assembled in strong force to participate in the celebrations.

A long programme was conducted to a successful issue. A procession of more than 100 Oddfellows marched from the old lodgeroom to the new hall. PPGM Brother A E Stief presided, and handed to Grand Master Brother F A Holmes, who performed the opening ceremony, a silver presentation key.

Grand Master Brother F A Holmes congratulated the Marrabel Lodge on its financial position, which enabled it to build such a fine hall.

PGM Brother G E Davis jun (Secretary) in presenting the report, stated that sick pay to the amount of £1,791: death benefits £960: surgeons' fees £2,250: and management expense, £1,518 had been paid out since the inauguration of the lodge. Thus through the agency of the Marrabel branch a total of £6,519 had been distributed.

The hall was erected and furnished at a cost of £1,700 and was opened free of debt.

A banquet was tendered to visiting Oddfellows, and various toasts were honoured

The public were entertained with various musical items in the main hall while the banquet was in progress in the lodgeroom.

In the evening the Olympic Star Picture Company showed to a packed house.

A ball terminated the proceedings. Brother H Traeger made an efficient MC. [Ref: Register Monday 8-4-1912]

*April 29 The Marrabel Quadrille Class

The Marrabel Quadrille Class opened their 1912 season on Saturday night with a very successful dance held in the Oddfellows' Hall. There were 29 couples present. Mr H C Traeger officiated as MC very efficiently, and Mr W Disher supplied the music. [Ref: Daily Herald 1-5-1912]

*Marrabel March 19

The Ceremony of opening the new bridge over the River Light was held this afternoon. The bridge, just completed, overcomes the previous frequent impassabilitv of the river, but the southern embankment is considered to have been limited a little in its construction.

Mr Young said that in the construction of this bridge a most awkward thing had to be considered, and that was the turn of the river just below the bridge. This turn had the effect of sending flood waters out across the road at one end of the bridge embankment. This matter required watching, and if in time it grew to be anything serious, the department would remedy it, probably by building the road a few feet higher for the distance necessary to throw the water back along the course of the river.

He particularly wanted to thank Mr H Wurst for allowing the Department to take earth from his property for the earthworks at the bridge, which fact in itself was a considerable saving to the Department owing to its easy accessibility to the job. He had much pleasure in asking Mrs O'Brien to perform the opening ceremony, and name the bridge, which was done amid cheers from the people assembled.

The assemblage then adjourned to the Oddfellows’ hall, where the function was continued in the form of a banquet. [Ref: Kapunda Herald 27-3-1914]

*The residents of Marrabel and the surrounding districts made a splendid response on Australia Day. The efforts of the general committee met with great success and exceeded all expectations. A thorough canvass of the district was made by a collecting committee, and more than £300 was collected previous to Australia Day. Friday's proceedings began with a combined procession of Marrabel, Hamilton, and Friedrichswalde school children, who marched from the Oddfellows' Hall to the public school, where they saluted the Union Jack.

A programme of sports was then carried out, old and young joining in, the festivities.

A public tea followed in the banqueting room of the hall and was well patronised. A social was held in the main hall in the evening.

A sale of the goods presented to the funds realized a substantial sum. A Commonwealth flag was sold on the Bugler system, and materially added to the funds.

The proceeds totalled £376, which is considered highly satisfactory for a small community. [Ref: Register 5-8-1915]

*A farewell social was tendered to Sgt Lloyd, and Privates C C Rowett and J Wilson in the Marrabel Oddfellows' Hall, on Saturday evening: Mr G E Davis ju., presided over a large gathering. A number of toasts were honoured. A wristlet watch was presented by Mr Kitchen to each of the soldiers. [Ref: Kapunda Herald 28-4-1916]

*On Wednesday evening, the 20th inst a public welcome was given in the Oddfellows' Hall to Pte J W Hildebrandt, who has returned from the front after nearly three years of active service abroad. The returned soldier was met at the Riverton station by his father (Mr August Hildebrandt), and sisters and brothers.

Pte Hildebrandt was one of the first men from this district to offer his services, and is the first to return. He has fought at Gallipoli, Egypt, and has been in the thick of the fighting in France, where he received a bullet wound in the knee, which put him out of action.

Pte Hildebrandt was welcomed home by Messrs F P Kitchen and W A Duncan, and was presented with a purse of money (24 guineas) by Mr A E Stief from the residents of Marrabel and district. [Ref: Kapunda Herald 1-3-1918]

*The first of a series of dances promoted by the Cheer Up Society was held in the Oddfellows' Hall on Wednesday evening of last week. There was a large gathering present. Admission was by gift of not less than 2/6 in value for trench comforts, and resulted in sufficient goods being collected to pack 16 7-lb parcels to the boys at the front, containing cakes, cigarettes, sweets, &c, and two large boxes of cake have been forwarded to the Cheer-Up Hut.

The supper was provided by the ladies. It is the intention of the society to hold dances once a month during the winter. [Ref: Kapunda Herald 10-5-1918]

*January 28

A large gathering assembled at the Oddfellow’ Hall on Monday evening when a farewell social was tendered the Rev Father Maher, who is being transferred to Gawler after a residence here extending over sixteen years.

Mr W A Duncan presided, Dr R McM Glynn, of Riverton, presented Father Maher with a purse of money from the residents of the district, also Miss Glynn (Father Maher’s housekeeper) with a Morris chair, and Mr Jack Little, who is in Father Maher's employ, with an envelope containing money. [Ref: Kapunda Herald 31-1-1919]

* November 1 — A welcome home social was tendered to Sister Amy Dorrington and Cpl Ben and Pte Leonard Girke, in the Oddfellows' Hall on Wednesday evening. There was a large gathering.

A guard of honour was formed by the school children, and the guests were welcomed home in an eloquent address by Mr F P Kitchen. Mr J G Wurst (Chairman of the Hamilton District Council) presented the returned sister and soldiers with a framed certificate from the District Council of Hamilton. The Rev Allen Webb, of Riverton, presented Sister Dorrington with a gold wristlet watch from her Marrabel friends. Sister Dorrington and Cpl and Pte Girke responded. [Ref: Register 4-11-1919]

* November 16

The English brides of Cpl Ben Girke and Pte Cecil Rowett were welcomed in the Oddfellows Hall last Tuesday afternoon by the residents of Marrabel and district.

A guard of honour was formed by the ladies, and the "Wedding march" and the National Anthem were played by Miss Rehder. The brides were greeted by the Rev Allan Webb, on behalf of the residents of the town and district. Afternoon tea was served in the main hall, and the tables were tastefully decorated. Wine and a wedding cake were presented by Mrs. Thomas Marlow. The toasts were proposed by Mr Webb, who was supported by Mr Robert Gill.

The bridegrooms, Cpl Girke and Pte Rowett responded for the brides, and Messrs J D Rowett and E Girke, senrs thanked the gathering for the cordial welcome tendered to their sons and wives. [Ref: Observer 29-11-1919]

*On Saturday last, in the presence of one of the largest crowds ever seen in Marrabel, the Soldiers' Memorial was unveiled by the "Soldiers Chum ", Mr Sammy Lunn, M.B.E.

In 1920 the Hamilton District Council appointed a committee, with Mr J G Wurst as chairman, and the district clerk (Mr A J Stief) as secretary, who raised money to purchase a block of ground adjoining the Marrabel Hall.

The work of erecting the monument was entrusted to Mr R W Tillett and he carried it out with great skill.

The Hon W Hannaford was proud and pleased to be present to honour the memory of the brave lads who fell fighting for King and Empire.

He was also proud of the nurses who had left Australia, and particularly two nurses, who held the highest distinction it was possible to attain. One of these, born and educated at Marrabel, Miss Louise Collis Dorrington, besides being awarded a number of French, Serbian, and American decorations, was lately awarded the diploma and medal of the Legion of Honour. [Ref: Advertiser 9-3-1922]

*April 2 The annual Roman Catholic picnic and sports were held in Mr Campion's paddock in fine weather today. The large attendance from all the surrounding districts was evidence of the popularity of the fixture.

Kapunda, Saddleworth, Riverton, Manoora, Auburn, Eudunda, and Robertstown sent their quotas, the result being a record attendance of approximately 1,090.

A grand ball and supper was given in the Oddfellows' Hall in the evening. [Ref: Observer 14-4-1923]

Center: Socony Mobil Building (Harrison & Abramovitz, 1952-56). Though we think of postwar skyscraper trends in terms of Seagram or Lever - light-gathering slabs avoiding the full footprint of their sites - this kind of thing remained quite common: a classic, block-filling setback skyscraper using every economically viable square foot of the site under the 1916 zoning code. Initial designer John B. Peterkin worked up the massing and elevations in brick and granite; Harrison & Abramovitz were brought in to juice things up, ultimately with a novel skin of tinted glass and stainless steel panels, the latter embossed with a light-catching ornamental pattern. As the Landmarks Preservation Commission report explains, aluminum cladding had been taking off in the preceding years, and the developer's friends in the steel industry offered to match the lower price of aluminum for the sake of getting a showcase building for their produdct. The ornamented panels, which feel surprisingly contemporary in a world of monochromatic skins and wrap-around patterns, were predictably the subject of some resistance at the time:

From the outset, it was understood that the decision to press decorative patterns into the panels might generate controversy. It was, consequently, explained in functional terms: the reliefs stiffen the panels, diminish reflections, and create a surface in which “dirt and grime can be readily washed away by rain.” (28) Lewis Mumford, architecture critic for the New Yorker, viewed it less favorably. He called the design a “disaster” and said that the elevations looked as if they were “coming down with measles.” (29)

Despite the architects' good instincts concerning material and details, and the pleasures of seeing this thing in changing light, I find the buiding a bit uncomfortable to look at. The naked expression of the deep, deep floorplate not only conjures up images of the fluorescent cubicle farms, it also makes the massing appear far too stout and boxy. For comparison, the next building over, built before air conditioning and cheap electricity were assumed to solve everything, boasts a slim, oblong tower that rises to the sky quite dramatically. Speaking of which...

Just right of center: Chanin Building (Sloan and Robertson, with lobby by Jacques Delamarre, 1927-29). A set-back skyscraper of a generation earlier, also famous for a decorative, patterned surface - this one in brick and terra cotta, with bronze as the reflective metal of choice... none of which is visible in this shot as the decorative energy is concentrated at the base, for pedestrian eyes. The tower component is more comfortable than Socony with its tower-ness: structural verticals are accentuated by pilasters rather than suppressed into a paneled skin that equalizes vertical and horizontal. A lesser-known stunner - one of New York's very best.

.surly krampus 29+ .specialized chisel 29" .chris king pink .nextie 35mm carbon .surly knard 3.0 .sram xx1 .absolut black 32t .shimano xt .enve setback .salsa liplock .fizik antares .spclzd stem .answer 20/20 .esi xtra chunky grips .avix x.0 .bikepack.pl | .revelate design

#tuscanytrail

Comacchio, is the most original and fascinating historic town in the Po Delta. Heir to ancient Spina, fought over by Ferrara and Ravenna, Popes and Emperors for centuries, its origins go far back: it rose up on 13 islets at the dawn of the Middle Ages and founded its urban and economic development exclusively on the water. Fishing, fish-breeding in the lagoon and producing salt were the source of its prosperity and also of its setbacks as they brought it into conflict with Venice. Today, Comacchio still boasts unique, intact architectural features; a town of canals, palaces and monumental bridges, inhabited by people with a strong sense of identity who are proud of their origins.

Source: www.ferraraterraeacqua.it/en/comacchio/services-and-fair-...

alas, I turned up empty. Nothing really caught my eye. But if you think this temporary setback will impinge on my shopping trips, you're crazier than I am LOL

Finally the epic saga of the long awaited Greenmax Plasser Tampers is finished, after numerous setbacks and delays in production I finally have mine, I was lucky in that I only had to wait one of the two years that it took to be released.

Getting this model was somewhat a case of serendipity, when I first went to preorder one of these models online pretty much everywhere had closed off their preorders. However there was one shop Loco1Hobby that still had the 4710 Tetsudo Kogyo available for preorder, I really wanted the yellow version 4709 but thought what the hell I will order the 4710 instead. Little did I know luck was on my side, by chance one day I was talking to Edo_San about these models and he told me he had ordered two of the 4709 units. He told me that he would have liked to have got one of the 4709's and one of the 4710's but the preorders had been closed for the 4710's and he placed an order for two 4709's instead, once we received our orders we happily exchanged them.

Frame :*RITCHEY* ascent frame set

Wheels :*HED.* belgium plus C2 rim 650b × *PHILWOOD* 11-speed cx rear hub

Stem :*THOMSON* elite x4 stem

Handlebar :*THOMSON* elite setback seatpost

Brake Lever :*SRAM*

Brake :*SRAM*

Crankset :*SRAM* rival

BB：*PHILWOOD* outboard bottom bracket

FD&RD：*SRAM* rival

Tire：*SCHWALBE* racing ralph

Seatpost ：*THOMSON* elite setback seatpost

Saddle：*SELLE ITALIA* flite 1990 saddle

Grips:*LIZARD SKIN* charger evo grip

Pedal :*TIME* atac XC 4 pedal

Setbacks are easier to navigate your way around, when you have friends to share the journey.

Two women looking at a map at the Royal Melbourne Show, 2010

Our plan, to drive from Mefjordbotn to Mefjord Brygge, suffered a small setback when the road was closed and we instead had to circumnavigate Senja (via Sorli). We were rewarded with some beautiful scenery.

“The pursuit of peace and progress cannot end in a few years in either victory or defeat. The pursuit of peace and progress, with its trials and errors, its successes and setbacks, can never be relaxed and never abandoned.” - Dag Hammarskjold

Roney is pointing at the Hummingbird emblem painted on the entrance wall at the Hummingbird Activity Center. The words "Beija-Flor" mean Hummingbird.

Please visit Tatiana Cardeal’s latest group action against social injustice, in the Flickr community. Hopefully some good will come out of it if we all get our act together and do something.

----------------

Note:

Roney is one among 15.000 lost children still roaming the streets of São Paulo.

It is in deepest regret and sadness that I inform you of Roney's cold-blooded murder on the early morning hours of January 15th. May he find peace wherever his journey has taken him.......

IMPORTANT NOTE:

On June 27th. we also lost our beloved Claudiney.

Proxima Centauri - Planet B

Efforts to reach Proxima Centauri have been ongoing for years, with researchers making significant strides and facing considerable setbacks. Advancements in interplanetary travel, wormholes, and black hole studies have transformed fundamental aspects of life on Planet A. Now, we observe a completely different sky, with previously unseen and unrecognised stars visible to the naked eye. This phenomenon, while breathtaking, has sparked debate over whether it signifies progress or impending catastrophe. Albert Einstein's theories on curved space seem validated, yet there are unforeseen elements, even beyond Einstein's predictions, such as the emergence of temporary rifts in space-time that allow for instantaneous travel across vast distances. These rifts, while facilitating unprecedented exploration, also bring the risk of instability, potentially merging different points in the universe unpredictably. Moreover, the altered celestial visibility has led to the discovery of new planetary bodies with unusual gravitational effects, creating both opportunities for resource extraction and threats of cosmic collisions. These developments, blending wonder with danger, continually challenge our understanding of the universe and our place within it.

Introduction on Exoplanets

Exoplanets, or extrasolar planets, are planets that orbit stars outside our solar system. Since the confirmation of the first exoplanets in the early 1990s, the search for these distant worlds has become a key focus in the field of astronomy. To date, thousands of exoplanets have been discovered, varying immensely in size, composition, and orbit. They range from gas giants many times the size of Jupiter to small, rocky planets that may be akin to Earth.

These discoveries have been made using a variety of methods, including the transit method, where a planet's passage in front of its star causes a slight dimming detectable by telescopes, and the radial velocity method, which measures the star’s wobble due to the gravitational pull of an orbiting planet. These techniques have unveiled a rich tapestry of planetary systems vastly different from our own.

The nearest exoplanets are found in the habitable zone of Proxima Centauri, the closest known star to the Sun, approximately 4.24 light-years away. If humanity could develop a spacecraft capable of reaching 25% of the speed of light, a journey to Proxima Centauri would theoretically take about 17 years. Such a voyage would represent an unprecedented technological challenge, involving extreme durations and distances far beyond our current capabilities. Yet, as we face global environmental crises such as climate change and rising sea levels, the interest in potentially habitable exoplanets as a 'Plan B' continues to grow.

Traveling to the nearest exoplanet, Proxima Centauri, at a speed similar to that of the Space Shuttle (about 28,000 kilometers per hour) would take approximately 163,429 years. This highlights the immense distance to even the nearest stars outside our solar system and illustrates the significant challenges associated with interstellar travel using today's technology.

The nearest known exoplanet is Proxima Centauri b, which orbits the star Proxima Centauri. Proxima Centauri is the closest star to our solar system and is part of the larger star system known as Alpha Centauri, which also includes the brighter stars Alpha Centauri A and Alpha Centauri B.

Proxima Centauri b

Distance from Earth: About 4.24 light years.

Discovery: Proxima Centauri b was discovered in 2016 using the radial velocity method, which measures small changes in the star's speed caused by the gravitational pull of an orbiting planet.

Location in the Sky

Proxima Centauri is part of the constellation Centaurus, which is visible from the Southern Hemisphere. It is not visible from most Northern latitudes. The constellation Centaurus is far from the North Star, which is part of the constellation Ursa Minor, and therefore it is not directly related to or close to known Northern constellations.

To locate Proxima Centauri in the sky from the Southern Hemisphere:

Identify Alpha Centauri: This is one of the brightest stars in the Southern sky and serves as a guide to Proxima Centauri.

Use a telescope: Proxima Centauri is a red dwarf and is very faint, so it is not visible to the naked eye. With a telescope, it can be found near Alpha Centauri.

Poem

In the cosmos' wide embrace,

We spin, a lonely, pale blue face,

Yet out there, in the vast night sky,

Worlds beyond our sun do lie.

Whispered secrets of distant suns,

Of planets where no foot has run,

Across the stellar sea, we yearn,

For exoplanets, our hearts turn.

To Proxima’s gentle glow,

To lands where alien breezes blow,

Our dreams take flight on astral wings,

To where the starlight softly sings.

Haikus

Distant worlds circle,

Stars whispering in deep space,

Secrets held in light.

Exoplanet dreams,

Voyages across the stars,

New homes in the void.

In a classic thriller that came down to the final two events, the Amherst College men’s swimming and diving team suffered a 125-118 loss to archrival Williams College Saturday afternoon in front of an energetic crowd at Pratt Pool. The Lord Jeffs’ first setback of the season drops them to 4-1. Photo by Kate Berry '12.

I have recently had an annoying setback as my D610 suddenly stopped working 2 days before my first ever wedding shoot (as a 2nd shooter). To say I was gutted would be an understatement. Luckily I still had my D3100 and so had to make do with that and a D90 for the wedding shoot.

While being gutted with the ill health of my D610, I decided that it shouldn't stop me with the project. A whole group of us went to Frankfurt this weekend for Museum Fest which is Europe's largest cultural festival. On the final day we went to a "white dinner" at the racehorse ground where every person had to be in white clothes and had a lot of fun. I decided that this would be a cool place to get a stranger especially with the white barriers to use as leading lines.

As soon as I saw Patricia, I knew I had to get a portrait of her; not only is she beautiful with a cracking smile but she also had a really striking tattoo. She was sitting there having fun with her friends while I gathered myself together. As I have absolutely no knowledge of the German language I got my local friend to come with me to approach her, but as luck would have it she spoke really good English and agreed to a portrait.

As I took her to my desired location her friends and mine also came with me, which meant that I had a ready-made help if I needed it. Patricia is half German and half Brazilian and has been living in Germany since she was 3 years old. Her Brazilian home is Recife. When I explained the project to her she asked me where it would go and I stated that it would be in the 100 strangers group on Flickr as well as my Facebook page. She was happy enough with this as long as she wasn't tagged. This was due to the fact that her dad didn't know about the tattoo but her mum on the other hand now wants one herself!

In terms of the portrait itself, I initially took a few shots without a reflector and then decided to get my friend to use it. This time, I decided to use the reflector to get more light onto the tattoo itself. During this time, Patricia's friend Nora was also there and making her laugh. I therefore made sure that she was nearer me so I could maintain eye contact. I also tried a few shots without her smiling but decided that her smile was too captivating to leave out.

The other issue I had was that, in this submission I haven't got the full tattoo but decided to go with this one due to it being my favourite of her expressions. In the comments I have included a portrait orientated with the full tattoo.

Normally in this type of close portrait I live in the land of 1.8 but I wanted to make sure I got the tattoo sharp whilst still creating a shallow depth of field and that's why I chose f4.

Thank you so much Patricia for allowing me to take a portrait of you. It was a pleasure to meet you.

Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the

100 Strangers Flickr Group Page

Connect with me on my facebook page: Shooting the Streets

As always any critique welcome.

MARRABEL August 31

The ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the Loyal Marrabel Lodge Hall No 62, IOOF, Manchester Unity, was performed yesterday by the PGM of the Kapunda district, Brother G E Davis jun.

A large and representative gathering assembled. Brother Albert Stief called upon the Secretary (Brother G E Davis) to read the historical report of the lodge. The latter dealt extensively with the progress of it since its formation on September 1, 1864. Of the 13 foundation members, only one survives—Brother James Howlett—who was present at the ceremony.

The late PPGM Brother Joseph Downing, one of the recent directors of the order in South Australia, together with the late Brother Augustus Stief and Brother W Polkinghorne, assisted in forming the first committee, and initiated the 13 foundation members. During the 17 years of the lodge many difficulties and setbacks have occurred, but were surmounted with the aid of good officers, particularly the late secretary (Brother W. Polkinghorne), who filled that position for 39 years continuously, and the late Brother A Stief, who was always a ready and willing worker.

Mr S March presented Brother G E Davis with a trowel on behalf of the members of the Loyal Marrabel Lodge. PGM Brother G E Davis thanked the brethren for the honour conferred upon him and for their presentation. He congratulated the trustees on their management of affairs, which had led up to the erection of such a fine hall, and remarked that Mr W Cairns, of Riverton, was the architect, and Mr S March, of Kapunda, the contractor. He expressed the opinion that the hall would be a credit to them, an ornament to the town, and a monument to the Order of Oddfellows in South Australia. Mr Davis proceeded with the ceremony of laying the stone, and deposited documents, a daily paper, and some coins of the realm thereunder. He declared the stone well and truly laid.

Brothers J J Helleur, J T Matthews, J Windebank, and others congratulated the lodge on its progressive state…invited the assembly to adjourn to the hotel, where the toast, "Success to the hall” was honoured. [Ref: Observer Saturday 9-9-1911]

MARRABEL April 4

The Marrabel Oddfellows’ Hall was opened yesterday. The weather was fine, and residents and visitors from neighbouring towns assembled in strong force to participate in the celebrations.

A long programme was conducted to a successful issue. A procession of more than 100 Oddfellows marched from the old lodgeroom to the new hall. PPGM Brother A E Stief presided, and handed to Grand Master Brother F A Holmes, who performed the opening ceremony, a silver presentation key.

Grand Master Brother F A Holmes congratulated the Marrabel Lodge on its financial position, which enabled it to build such a fine hall.

PGM Brother G E Davis jun (Secretary) in presenting the report, stated that sick pay to the amount of £1,791: death benefits £960: surgeons' fees £2,250: and management expense, £1,518 had been paid out since the inauguration of the lodge. Thus through the agency of the Marrabel branch a total of £6,519 had been distributed.

The hall was erected and furnished at a cost of £1,700 and was opened free of debt.

A banquet was tendered to visiting Oddfellows, and various toasts were honoured.

The public were entertained with various musical items in the main hall while the banquet was in progress in the lodgeroom.

In the evening the Olympic Star Picture Company showed to a packed house.

A ball terminated the proceedings. Brother H Traeger made an efficient MC. [Ref: Register Monday 8-4-1912]

*April 29 The Marrabel Quadrille Class

The Marrabel Quadrille Class opened their 1912 season on Saturday night with a very successful dance held in the Oddfellows' Hall. There were 29 couples present. Mr H C Traeger officiated as MC very efficiently, and Mr W Disher supplied the music. [Ref: Daily Herald 1-5-1912]

*Marrabel March 19

The Ceremony of opening the new bridge over the River Light was held this afternoon. The bridge, just completed, overcomes the previous frequent impassabilitv of the river, but the southern embankment is considered to have been limited a little in its construction.

Mr Young said that in the construction of this bridge a most awkward thing had to be considered, and that was the turn of the river just below the bridge. This turn had the effect of sending flood waters out across the road at one end of the bridge embankment. This matter required watching, and if in time it grew to be anything serious, the department would remedy it, probably by building the road a few feet higher for the distance necessary to throw the water back along the course of the river.

He particularly wanted to thank Mr H Wurst for allowing the Department to take earth from his property for the earthworks at the bridge, which fact in itself was a considerable saving to the Department owing to its easy accessibility to the job. He had much pleasure in asking Mrs O'Brien to perform the opening ceremony, and name the bridge, which was done amid cheers from the people assembled.

The assemblage then adjourned to the Oddfellows’ hall, where the function was continued in the form of a banquet. [Ref: Kapunda Herald 27-3-1914]

*The residents of Marrabel and the surrounding districts made a splendid response on Australia Day. The efforts of the general committee met with great success and exceeded all expectations. A thorough canvass of the district was made by a collecting committee, and more than £300 was collected previous to Australia Day. Friday's proceedings began with a combined procession of Marrabel, Hamilton, and Friedrichswalde school children, who marched from the Oddfellows' Hall to the public school, where they saluted the Union Jack.

A programme of sports was then carried out, old and young joining in, the festivities.

A public tea followed in the banqueting room of the hall and was well patronised. A social was held in the main hall in the evening.

A sale of the goods presented to the funds realized a substantial sum. A Commonwealth flag was sold on the Bugler system, and materially added to the funds.

The proceeds totalled £376, which is considered highly satisfactory for a small community. [Ref: Register 5-8-1915]

*A farewell social was tendered to Sgt Lloyd, and Privates C C Rowett and J Wilson in the Marrabel Oddfellows' Hall, on Saturday evening: Mr G E Davis ju., presided over a large gathering. A number of toasts were honoured. A wristlet watch was presented by Mr Kitchen to each of the soldiers. [Ref: Kapunda Herald 28-4-1916]

*On Wednesday evening, the 20th inst a public welcome was given in the Oddfellows' Hall to Pte J W Hildebrandt, who has returned from the front after nearly three years of active service abroad. The returned soldier was met at the Riverton station by his father (Mr August Hildebrandt), and sisters and brothers.

Pte Hildebrandt was one of the first men from this district to offer his services, and is the first to return. He has fought at Gallipoli, Egypt, and has been in the thick of the fighting in France, where he received a bullet wound in the knee, which put him out of action.

Pte Hildebrandt was welcomed home by Messrs F P Kitchen and W A Duncan, and was presented with a purse of money (24 guineas) by Mr A E Stief from the residents of Marrabel and district. [Ref: Kapunda Herald 1-3-1918]

*The first of a series of dances promoted by the Cheer Up Society was held in the Oddfellows' Hall on Wednesday evening of last week. There was a large gathering present. Admission was by gift of not less than 2/6 in value for trench comforts, and resulted in sufficient goods being collected to pack 16 7-lb parcels to the boys at the front, containing cakes, cigarettes, sweets, &c, and two large boxes of cake have been forwarded to the Cheer-Up Hut.

The supper was provided by the ladies. It is the intention of the society to hold dances once a month during the winter. [Ref: Kapunda Herald 10-5-1918]

*January 28

A large gathering assembled at the Oddfellow’ Hall on Monday evening when a farewell social was tendered the Rev Father Maher, who is being transferred to Gawler after a residence here extending over sixteen years.

Mr W A Duncan presided, Dr R McM Glynn, of Riverton, presented Father Maher with a purse of money from the residents of the district, also Miss Glynn (Father Maher’s housekeeper) with a Morris chair, and Mr Jack Little, who is in Father Maher's employ, with an envelope containing money. [Ref: Kapunda Herald 31-1-1919]

* November 1 — A welcome home social was tendered to Sister Amy Dorrington and Cpl Ben and Pte Leonard Girke, in the Oddfellows' Hall on Wednesday evening. There was a large gathering.

A guard of honour was formed by the school children, and the guests were welcomed home in an eloquent address by Mr F P Kitchen. Mr J G Wurst (Chairman of the Hamilton District Council) presented the returned sister and soldiers with a framed certificate from the District Council of Hamilton. The Rev Allen Webb, of Riverton, presented Sister Dorrington with a gold wristlet watch from her Marrabel friends. Sister Dorrington and Cpl and Pte Girke responded. [Ref: Register 4-11-1919]

* November 16

The English brides of Cpl Ben Girke and Pte Cecil Rowett were welcomed in the Oddfellows Hall last Tuesday afternoon by the residents of Marrabel and district.

A guard of honour was formed by the ladies, and the "Wedding march" and the National Anthem were played by Miss Rehder. The brides were greeted by the Rev Allan Webb, on behalf of the residents of the town and district. Afternoon tea was served in the main hall, and the tables were tastefully decorated. Wine and a wedding cake were presented by Mrs. Thomas Marlow. The toasts were proposed by Mr Webb, who was supported by Mr Robert Gill.

The bridegrooms, Cpl Girke and Pte Rowett responded for the brides, and Messrs J D Rowett and E Girke, senrs thanked the gathering for the cordial welcome tendered to their sons and wives. [Ref: Observer 29-11-1919]

*On Saturday last, in the presence of one of the largest crowds ever seen in Marrabel, the Soldiers' Memorial was unveiled by the "Soldiers Chum ", Mr Sammy Lunn, M.B.E.

In 1920 the Hamilton District Council appointed a committee, with Mr J G Wurst as chairman, and the district clerk (Mr A J Stief) as secretary, who raised money to purchase a block of ground adjoining the Marrabel Hall.

The work of erecting the monument was entrusted to Mr R W Tillett and he carried it out with great skill.

The Hon W Hannaford was proud and pleased to be present to honour the memory of the brave lads who fell fighting for King and Empire.

He was also proud of the nurses who had left Australia, and particularly two nurses, who held the highest distinction it was possible to attain. One of these, born and educated at Marrabel, Miss Louise Collis Dorrington, besides being awarded a number of French, Serbian, and American decorations, was lately awarded the diploma and medal of the Legion of Honour. [Ref: Advertiser 9-3-1922]

*April 2 The annual Roman Catholic picnic and sports were held in Mr Campion's paddock in fine weather today. The large attendance from all the surrounding districts was evidence of the popularity of the fixture.

Kapunda, Saddleworth, Riverton, Manoora, Auburn, Eudunda, and Robertstown sent their quotas, the result being a record attendance of approximately 1,090.

A grand ball and supper was given in the Oddfellows' Hall in the evening. [Ref: Observer 14-4-1923]

Finally the epic saga of the long awaited Greenmax Plasser Tampers is finished, after numerous setbacks and delays in production I finally have mine, I was lucky in that I only had to wait one of the two years that it took to be released.

Getting this model was somewhat a case of serendipity, when I first went to preorder one of these models online pretty much everywhere had closed off their preorders. However there was one shop Loco1Hobby that still had the 4710 Tetsudo Kogyo available for preorder, I really wanted the yellow version 4709 but thought what the hell I will order the 4710 instead. Little did I know luck was on my side, by chance one day I was talking to Edo_San about these models and he told me he had ordered two of the 4709 units. He told me that he would have liked to have got one of the 4709's and one of the 4710's but the preorders had been closed for the 4710's and he placed an order for two 4709's instead, once we received our orders we happily exchanged them.

"1 Wall Street (also known as the Irving Trust Company Building, the Bank of New York Building, and the BNY Mellon Building) is a skyscraper in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan, New York City, on the eastern side of Broadway between Wall Street and Exchange Place. 1 Wall Street, designed in the Art Deco style, is 654 feet (199 m) tall and consists of two sections. The original 50-story building was designed by Ralph Thomas Walker of the firm Voorhees, Gmelin and Walker and constructed between 1929 and 1931, while a 36-story annex to the south was designed by successor firm Voorhees, Walker Smith Smith & Haines and built from 1963 to 1965.

The facade, made of limestone, contains slight inwardly-curved bays with fluting to resemble curtains. On the lower stories are narrow windows with mullions, as well as ornate entrances. The massing of 1 Wall Street incorporates numerous small setbacks, and the top of the original building consists of a freestanding tower. The corners of the original building consist of chamfers, while the top of the tower has fluted windowless bays. The facade of the annex is designed in a style evocative of the original structure. Inside is an ornate main lobby with colored mosaics.

1 Wall Street had been constructed for Irving Trust, one of the larger banks in New York City in the early 20th century. At the time of its construction, the building occupied what was then considered one of the most valuable plots in the city. The building replaced three previous structures, including the Manhattan Life Insurance Building, once the world's tallest building. After Irving Trust was acquired by The Bank of New York Mellon (BNY Mellon) in 1988, 1 Wall Street subsequently served as BNY Mellon's global headquarters through 2015. After the building was purchased by Harry Macklowe, it has been undergoing a renovation since 2018, which is converting the interior to residential use with some commercial space.

The building is regarded as one of New York City's Art Deco landmarks, despite initially remaining ignored in favor of such buildings as the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building. The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the original portion of the building as a city landmark in 2001. It is also a contributing property to the Wall Street Historic District, a National Register of Historic Places district created in 2007.

The Financial District of Lower Manhattan, also known as FiDi, is a neighborhood located on the southern tip of Manhattan in New York City. It is bounded by the West Side Highway on the west, Chambers Street and City Hall Park on the north, Brooklyn Bridge on the northeast, the East River to the southeast, and South Ferry and the Battery on the south.

The City of New York was created in the Financial District in 1624, and the neighborhood roughly overlaps with the boundaries of the New Amsterdam settlement in the late 17th century. The district comprises the offices and headquarters of many of the city's major financial institutions, including the New York Stock Exchange and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Anchored on Wall Street in the Financial District, New York City has been called both the most financially powerful city and the leading financial center of the world, and the New York Stock Exchange is the world's largest stock exchange by total market capitalization. Several other major exchanges have or had headquarters in the Financial District, including the New York Mercantile Exchange, NASDAQ, the New York Board of Trade, and the former American Stock Exchange.

New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over 300.46 square miles (778.2 km2), New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the United States. The city is within the southern tip of New York State, and constitutes the geographical and demographic center of both the Northeast megalopolis and the New York metropolitan area – the largest metropolitan area in the world by urban landmass. With over 20.1 million people in its metropolitan statistical area and 23.5 million in its combined statistical area as of 2020, New York is one of the world's most populous megacities, and over 58 million people live within 250 mi (400 km) of the city. New York City is a global cultural, financial, and media center with a significant influence on commerce, health care and life sciences, entertainment, research, technology, education, politics, tourism, dining, art, fashion, and sports. New York is the most photographed city in the world. Home to the headquarters of the United Nations, New York is an important center for international diplomacy, an established safe haven for global investors, and is sometimes described as the capital of the world." - info from Wikipedia.

The fall of 2022 I did my 3rd major cycling tour. I began my adventure in Montreal, Canada and finished in Savannah, GA. This tour took me through the oldest parts of Quebec and the 13 original US states. During this adventure I cycled 7,126 km over the course of 2.5 months and took more than 68,000 photos. As with my previous tours, a major focus was to photograph historic architecture.

Now on Instagram.

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Chrysler had Van Alen, the architect, incorporate some decorative designs associated with automobiles on the facades, namely simulated hubcaps near the top of one rung of setbacks and great stainless steel eagle gargoyles, two at each of the shaft's four major corners. Margaret Bourke-White, the photographer, had a studio on the building's 61st floor and posed atop one of the eagle gargoyles in a famous photograph. At a lower setback, stainless steel Chrysler-like hood ornaments serve as ceremonial winged urns.

The hubcaps, eagles and hood ornament decorations, however, are barely noticeable from the street and the building's base is surprisingly spartan. The main entrance is on Lexington Avenue, but there are also entrances on 42nd and 43rd Streets, all of which open onto the building's surprising, triangular lobby. The street entrances are recessed in angled openings that many critics noted were decidedly funereal in tone and almost coffin-shaped.

www.thecityreview.com/chryslerb.html

Frame :*MASH* STEEL

STEM :*EASTON*

Handlebar :*THOMSON* carbon riser bar

Head Set :*PHILWOOD* 1 1/8 headset

Wheels :*VELOCITY* a23 rim × *PHILWOOD* low flange track hub

Tire :*SCHWALBE* g-one

Crankset :*SHIMANO* dura-ace track crank × *AARN* tracklocross chainring

Cog:*PHILWOOD* track cog

Chain :*KMC*k710SL chain

Brake Lever :*TRP* spyke brake lever

Seat Post :*THOMSON* elite setback seatpost

Grip:*ODI* soft X longneck grip

Saddle :*WTB* volt carbon saddle

Pedal:*MKS* urban plattform pedal × *MASH* nylon double toe clips

Frame :*VELO ORANGE* neutrino

Head Set :*CHRIS KING* nothreadset 1 1/8 inch

Wheels :*VELOCITY* cliffhanger rim × *VELO ORANGE* grand cru disc touring hub rear

Tires :*MAXXIS* grifter 20" tire

Stem :*FAIRWEATHER* MT-31 side clamp stem

Handle :*NITTO* B802 HT riser bar

Brake :*AVID* BB7

Brake Lever :*PAUL* canti lever

Chain ring:*AARN* track chainring

Saddle :*GILLES BERTHOUD* aspin leather saddle

Seat Post :*THOMSON* elite setback seatpost

Grip :*LIZARD SKINS* macaskill lock-on grip

Pedal :*MKS* sylvan stream

Quarry sidings.

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

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

Some background:

The Israel Aircraft Industries Nesher (Hebrew: נשר, "Vulture" - often mistranslated as "Eagle") is the Israeli version of the Dassault Mirage 5 multi-role fighter aircraft. Most were later sold to the Argentine Air Force as Daggers, and later upgraded as Fingers.

In 1981, the Kfir had supplanted the Nesher in Heyl Ha'avir, and the Neshers were renovated, for sale overseas. Neshers were sold to the Argentine Air Force in two batches, 26 in 1978 and 13 in 1980, under the name Dagger, comprising 35 Dagger A single-seat fighters and four Dagger B two-seat trainers. The Daggers then saw much action against the British in the Falklands War.

General characteristics:

Crew: one

Length incl. pitot: 15.65m (51 ft 3 in)

Wingspan: 8.22m (26 ft 11 in)

Height: 4.25m (13 ft 11 in)

Wing area: 34.8m² (373 sq. ft)

Empty weight: 6,600kg (14,535 lb)

Max. takeoff weight: 13,500kg (29,735 lb)

Powerplant:

SNECMA Atar 09 engine with 4,280 kg (9,430 lbf)dry thrust

and 6,200 kg (13,660 lbf) with afterburner

Performance:

Maximum speed: mach 2.1 (39,370ft)

Range: 1,300km (810 ml), clean and with internal fuel only

1,186km (736 ml) with 4700 litres of auxiliary fuel in drop tanks

plus 2 Air to Air missiles and 2600 lb of bombs

Service ceiling: 17,680 (55,775ft)

Rate of climb: 16,400ft/min (83.5 m/s)

Armament:

2× 30 mm (1.18 in) DEFA 552 cannons with 125 rounds per gun under the air intakes

Five pylons for a wide range of up to 4.200kg (9,250 lb) of disposable stores

The kit and its assembly:

This short notice build towards the end of the 2016 "Cold War GB" at whatifmodelers.com was inspired by a CG rendition of an IAF F-4 in the unique brown/blue paint scheme, posted by fellow user SPINNERS a couple of days before. Seeing that design variant I wondered how a Kfir in this livery would look like...?

I had a C-2 Kfir in the stash, but also stumbled across a Heller Mirage IIIE/R/5BA kit without a real purpose in the stash and remembered the Kfir's predecessor, the Nesher, which was more or less a bluntly copied Mirage 5. Since the type was earlier and more appropriate for the brown/blue livery, I decided to convert the Heller Mirage into a Nesher, since it comes pretty close.

The Heller kit is old and rather basic by today's standards. You get fine but raised panel lines, only a rough interior, mediocre fit and a brittle plastic that catches scratches and dents when you only look at it.

Anyway, creating a Nesher from the Heller kit is not really complicated. Two major mods have to be made: the fin has to be enlarged or replaced, and the nose needs a special pitot installation.

The Nesher carried the bigger Mirage III/5 fin, and the Heller kit only bears the short version. Since I had a donation PM Model Nesher/Dagger kit in store (horrible kit, it rather resembles a mutated Mirage III but neither the israeli nor the Argentinian aircraft!) I just transplanted the fin. This appeared easier than adding a fin fillet, and having just the right donation part at hand made the decision even easier. :D

The nose is the Mirage 5's, but the tip was slightly modified and the pitot needed a separate fairing/attachment under the nose tip. The latter was created from a piece of round styrene and blended with the lower front fuselage.

After the major body work was done, some antennae/sensors were replaced or added, a Panzer IV’s sprocket wheel as an afterburner interior (just to have something inside the gaping exhaust hole) as well as launch rails under the outer wings for a pair of Shafrir-2s. The sleek drop tanks come OOB from the Heller kit – it only offers a pair of bigger tanks with fins, but no offensive ordnance at all.

In the cockpit I used a Martin Baker ejection seat from an Italeri Kfir, a slightly better option than the OOB part.

Painting and markings:

This is the actual whif aspect about this build, which is just the fictional application of a real world IAF scheme that was in use about 10 years before the Yom Kippur War. In real life the Nesher just came too late to carry the murky brown/blue pattern, because it was phased out in 1967, after the Six Days War. But putting it onto a more modern aircraft creates interesting results!

The scheme is based upon the original grey/green French pattern, just with the colors replaced with RAL 8000 (Grüngrau) or Field Drab (FS 30215) and RAL 5008 (Graublau), the authentic upper surface tones for this strange camouflage.

I’ve already built a (real world) IAF Ouragan in this style, so I had some practice and good references at hand. Model Master 1702 (alternatively: Humbrol 142) is a good option for the brown/tan tone, even though it is a bit too dark for my taste. "Israeli Armor Grey" from ModelMaster is a more approriate tone - it's lighter and actually an equivalent for RAL 8000, which is also used on Israeli tanks!

For the greyish-green dark blue I used Humbrol 77 (Navy Blue) which comes IMHO close. The undersides were painted in a pale grey, I used FS 36440 (Light Gull Grey, Humbrol 129 in this case). Some sources claim it to be RAL 7044 (Seidengrau), but the FS tone is practically identical.

All Neshers (even in later Argentinian service) had their nose painted black. There was no radar oder radome fitted, it was rather a deception in order to make enemies confuse the simple ground attack Neshers with the more potent (and radar-equipped) Mirage IIIs.

The kit received a light black ink wash and some dry-brushing for panel emphasis. The decals come mostly from the PM Model Nesher, including the large, yellow Yom Kippur War ID triangles which create a powerful contrast on the dark underground. Interesting result!

Anyway, while the decals might be the best thing about the PM kit, they have thier drawbacks, too. While they are 100% opaque the carrier film is thick, stiff and brittle, and they do not adhere well to the underground, despite decals softener and other tricks. :(

As a small detail I put the aircraft's tactical code on a silver background, as if the aircraft had originally been bare metal with the camouflage rather hastily applied. Since I had no IAF squadron markings left I added a yellow/black checkerboard pattern to the fin's rudder - the marking of the 113 Tayaset "Ha'Tsira'a (The Wasps), which actually operated the Nesher in the Yom Kippur conflict, just with a different camouflage.

Finally, the kit received some smoke/exhaust marks with graphite and was sealed with a coat of matt acrylic varnish. To make matters worse, the Revell varnish turned white, so I had to repair that damage as good as I could, and the finish now is far from what I had originally hoped for, despite the general troubles with the PM Model kit's decals.

A rather subtle whif, and even the aircraft itself is real (or at least a "realistic" model replica). Anyway, the paint scheme application changes things considerably, and the model ended - with the ID trinagles and the other bright markings - more colorful than expected. But the finish ended up rather poor, so that I am a bit disappointed.

Besides, a highly recommended source for this aircraft is Amos Dor's "IAI Nesher (From Mirage to Kfir, pt. 2 of 3)" book from "The IAI Aircraft Series", AD Graphics/Milano, 2000. All the other publications from this series of books are also generally recommended for any IAF builds.

On the road to becoming my true self, I will (and have) come across bumps in the road along the way.

Whether it's a temporary setback such as travel distance or in the community, I often overcome and find solutions to the problems that I face, day in, day out.

But sometimes, those problems can become a big issue.

As the Beast from the Disney classic, Beauty and the Beast, once said:

"The day, my life, ended."

A while ago, I was in the Beast's shoes, going through and processing a devastating, life alterating event which hit me for six.

A five year, drug filled, neighbourhood war in my part of town (and my unit complex) was all but too much for me in all aspects.

So, I had to ask for help from a local charity for assistance, which, although I was at my lowest point, had an op shop and this sparkly dress just happened to be half price....

The only Jaguar XJ220 in the world that lived up to its name, being fitted with a stunning V12 engine and making it the world's fastest production car. However, costs, setbacks, a recession or two and a myriad of other problems resulted in the dream becoming a nightmare, and the match of styling and power made in heaven being turned quickly into a BDSM session in hell!

The proposal for the Jaguar XJ220 seemed to come right out of nowhere. In 1986 the company was sold to Ford after ownership under British Leyland, and was producing a selection of strange luxury motors including the XJS and the XJ, which, although were very good and highly luxury machines, weren't exactly setting the world on fire.

But racing had been put forward to the company before, and racing team owner Tom Walkinshaw encouraged Jaguar to put one of their XJS's into the 1981 European Touring Car Championship, in which they succeeded in winning the competition in 1984. Jaguar had started to provide factory support to racing team Group 44 Racing, who were using the Jaguar-engined XJR-5 in the IMSA GT Championship, supplying V12 engines from 1983 onwards and supporting a Le Mans entry in 1984. Tom Walkinshaw and Jaguar agreed to entering the FIA Group C World Sportscar Championship and developed the XJR-6, which was powered by the Jaguar V12 engine; the car was launched during the 1985 season.

TWR took over the IMSA GT Championship operation in 1988 and one model – Jaguar XJR-9 – was launched to compete in both series. The XJR-9, which retained the Jaguar V12 engine, went on to win the 1988 24 Hours of Le Mans and World Sportscar Championship in the same year. The poor fuel consumption of the Jaguar V12 combined with new rules restricting refuelling during races forced the replacement of the V12 engine in the XJR-9s successors, the XJR-10 and XJR-11. The normally-aspirated Austin Rover V64V engine, designed for the MG Metro 6R4 had recently been made redundant thanks to the Group B rally ban in 1987, and the design rights were for sale. The compact, lightweight and fuel efficient nature of the small-displacement, turbocharged engine was investigated by TWR, who considered it an ideal basis for a new engine to power the XJR-10 and purchased the design rights from Austin Rover Group.

Jaguar and their Director of Engineering, Jim Randle, felt these racing cars were too far removed from the product available to the general public, especially with the rule changes that mandated the replacement of the Jaguar V12 engine in the forthcoming XJR-10 and XJR-11 racing cars. Therefore a project was initiated to design and build a car capable of winning Le Mans "in house", just as the Jaguar C-Type and D-Type had done. The groundwork for the project was undertaken by Randle over Christmas 1987, when he produced a 1:4 scale cardboard model of a potential Group B racing car.

The cardboard model was taken into the Jaguar styling studio and two mock-ups were produced. One was said to be reminiscent of the Porsche 956, the other took elements of the then current Jaguar XJ41 project and Malcolm Sayer's work on the stillborn Jaguar XJ13 racing car.

The project still had no official support, leaving Randle no option but to put together a team of volunteers to work evenings and weekends in their own time. The team came to be known as "The Saturday Club", and consisted of twelve volunteers. To justify the resources consumed by the project, the XJ220 needed to provide meaningful data to the engineers on handling, aerodynamics, particularly at high speeds, and aluminium structures. These requirements, together with FIA racing regulations and various government regulations governing car design and safety influenced the overall design and engineering direction of the car.

The FIA Group B regulations steered the concept towards a mid-engine, four-wheel drive layout, with a Jaguar V12 engine as the power source. The concept car was designed and built at very little cost to Jaguar, as Randle called in favours from component suppliers and engineering companies he and Jaguar had worked with in the past. In return he offered public recognition for their assistance and dangled the possibility of future contracts from Jaguar.

The name XJ220 was chosen as a continuation of the naming of the Jaguar XK120, which referred to the top speed of the model in miles per hour. The concept car had a targeted top speed of 220 mph so became the XJ220. The XK120, like the XJ220, was an aluminium-bodied sports car, and when launched was the fastest production car in the world.

Jaguar and engine designer Walter Hassan had previously created a 48-valve variant of their V12 engine specifically for motorsport use. It featured a double overhead camshaft layout with four valves per cylinder, compared with the single overhead camshaft and two valves per cylinder of the production engine, which was used in the Jaguar XJ and Jaguar XJS models at the time.

TWR and Cosworth had manufactured a number of these racing V12 engines during the 1980s and they had been raced competitively, with a 7-litre version of this engine featuring in the Le Mans winning Silk Cut Jaguar XJR-9. Five of these engines still existed, all of which were fitted with dry sump lubrication. These engines were chosen and considered to be especially useful as the dry sump would lower the vehicle's centre of gravity. The displacement of the V12 was set at 6.2L for the XJ220.

Jaguar had little experience with four-wheel drive systems at the time, having previously only produced rear-wheel drive cars. Randle approached Tony Rolt's company, FF Developments to design the transmission and four-wheel drive system for the XJ220, with Rolt's son Stuart running the project. Tony Rolt was the Technical Director of Ferguson Research, where he was heavily involved in the design of the four-wheel drive system used in the Jensen FF, the first sports car to be fitted with such a transmission. Tony Rolt also had a long involvement with Jaguar, winning the 1953 24 Hours of Le Mans with the factory works team driving the Jaguar C-Type.

The mid-engine complicated the design of the four-wheel drive system, and an innovative solution was needed to get drive from the rear of the engine to the front wheels. The chosen design took the front-wheel drive from the central differential on the rear transaxle and sent it through the V in the centre of the engine using a quill drive, before joining an inverted differential. The clutch was a twin-plate unit designed by AP Racing.

The design brief for the exterior restricted the use of aerodynamic aids, and aimed for a stylish yet functional body similar to the Jaguar D-Type. Drag and lift were limited at the envisioned ground clearance for road use, but the design allowed for additional downforce when the car was set up for racing; the body produced around 3,000 lb of downforce at 200 mph. The design was also intended to have a variable rear wing that folded into the bodywork at lower speeds. Aerodynamic work was undertaken at the Motor Industry Research Association wind tunnel using a 1:4 scale model, as the project was unable to budget for a full-scale mock-up.

The bodywork for the concept car displayed in 1988 was hand built from aluminium by Park Sheet Metal, a specialist automotive engineering company that manufactures concept cars and low-volume, niche models for various manufacturers, including Bentley. QCR Coatings undertook final painting of the bodyshell in silver. The concept also featured electrically operated scissor doors and a transparent engine cover to show off the V12 engine.

The concept car had a Connolly Leather-trimmed interior produced by Callow & Maddox, and was fitted with front and rear heated windscreens, electric windows, air conditioning, heated electrically adjustable seats with an Alpine Electronics CD player. The dashboard was supplied by Veglia.

The concept car was completed in the early hours of 18 October 1988, the day it was due to be unveiled at the British International Motor Show, being held at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham.

Jaguar's marketing department had allocated space on their stand at the motor show for the XJ220, but had not seen the vehicle until its arrival. Jaguar chairman John Egan and Roger Putnam, who was in charge of Jaguar's racing activities, were shown the vehicle the week before the motor show and signed off on the concept, allowing its unveiling. The car received an overwhelmingly positive reception by public and press, and a number of wealthy Jaguar enthusiasts handed over blank cheques to secure a purchase option should the XJ220 concept go into production. Ferrari displayed their F40 model at the same event; an estimated 90,000 additional visitors came to see the Jaguar and Ferrari cars.

The XJ220 was not initially intended to be a production car, but, following the reception of the concept and financial interest from serious buyers, a feasibility study was carried out by teams from TWR and Jaguar. Its conclusion was that such a car would be technically feasible, and that it would be financially viable. The announcement of a limited production run of 220 to 350 cars came on 20 December 1989. The list price on 1 January 1990 was £290,000 exclusive of value added tax, options and delivery charges, but by 1992 that had increased considerably owing to indexation of contracts. The offer was four times oversubscribed, and deposits of £50,000 exclusive of Value Added Tax (VAT) were taken from around 1400 customers; first deliveries were planned for mid-1992.

What Jaguar didn't reckon on was that the 1990's were going to get off to a very bad start, with a good old fashioned recession to usher in the new decade. This, combined with the various downgrades that would have to follow to make the car road legal, would result in the Jaguar XJ220 giving the company and the customers headaches in more ways than one.

In 1991, the company constructed a new £4 million factory at Wykham Mill, Bloxham, for the single purpose of building the XJ220, the plant being opened by the late Princess Diana. But, in order to comply with a variety of road legislation, engineering requirements resulted in significant changes to the specification of the XJ220, most notably replacement of the Jaguar V12 engine by a turbocharged V6 engine.This downgraded engine made that desirable rocket car more run-of-the-mill, and many pulled back their deposits.

At the same time the economy collapsed and when the first production cars left the factory in 1992, many of the original potential buyers who had put down their hefty deposits found that they couldn't afford it, and wanted their money back. Many of them cited the fact that the four wheel drive, V12 had been downgraded to a two wheel drive, V6, and thus they weren't getting what they paid for. The result was that Jaguar went so far as to take their customers to court, and forced them to buy a car they no longer wanted, the problem being exacerbated by the fact that in 1993, the McLaren F1 took the title of world's fastest production car, was available with the V12 and all things it promised, and was much smaller and more manageable than the bulky XJ220.

A total of just 275 cars were produced by the time production ended, 22 of their LHD models never being sold, each with a retail price of £470,000 in 1992, probably one of the biggest automotive flops in motoring history, right up there with the DeLorean and the Edsel. But this would later be advantageous for many, as this pedigree 'worlds-fastest-car' machine would go in later years for a much lower price. £150,000 mind you, but it's a lot better buying the one's that weren't sold at this reduced price, than at the initial asking price back in 1992. Therefore buyers were able to procure themselves a first-hand XJ220, for half the price, a representative saving of nearly £250,000.

Today the XJ220's are rare beasts indeed, rarely coming out to play due largely to their expensive upkeep, heavy fuel consumption and sheer size. But keep your eyes open in some of the more affluent neighbourhoods, be they Dubai, Beverley Hills, or the South of France, and chances are you'll be able to find one.

Frame:*black mountain cycles* mod zero

Headset:*cane creek* 110

Wheel:*shimano*105 hb-r7070 x *velocity* blunt ss

Tire:*panaracer* fire pro

Handle:*whisky* no.7 6f aluminum drop

Stem:*thomson* elite x4

Bartape:*fizik* terra tacky

Saddle:*selle italia* flite 1990

Seatpost:*thomson* elite setback

It seems like we had a setback in our quest in making great glass negatives. The positive thing is that we think we have a better idea about what’s going wrong. First off we mixed up some info in our first batch of plates, where our initial gelatine sub-layer actually worked. The latest plates had a varnish sub-layer, and they seemed to work well as well. The problem appears to be that we used photoflo in the emulsion. The use of windex after the caustic soda bath might have contributed to the emulsion slipping as well.

Ludford Bridge and The Charlton Arms at Ludlow, Shropshire.

The Battle of Ludford Bridge was a largely bloodless battle fought in the early years of the Wars of the Roses. It took place on 12 October 1459, and resulted in a setback for the Yorkists. Although this seemed to be a triumph for the rival Lancastrians at the time, they had thrown away their advantage within six months.

Richard retreated towards Ludlow, before making a stand at a fortified position near Ludford, Shropshire on 12 October. His troops excavated a defensive ditch in a field on the opposite side of the River Teme from Ludlow, near the bridge which gave the battle its name. They also constructed barricades of carts in which cannon were emplaced. However, morale was low, not least because the royal standard could be seen flying in the Lancastrian army, and it was known that King Henry himself was present, in full armour. For much of his reign, Henry had been regarded as an ineffectual ruler, and he had even lapsed into madness for periods of several months at a time. Richard of York and his supporters had maintained that they were opposed only to Henry's "evil counsellors". Now they realised that their army would probably refuse to fight against Henry himself.[6]

Among the troops brought by Warwick from Calais were 600 men led by Andrew Trollope, an experienced soldier. During the night, Trollope and his men and others from the Yorkist forces defected to the Lancastrians.[7] Giving the impression of returning to Ludlow for the night, York, Salisbury and Warwick abandoned their armies and fled.[8] York, with his second son Edmund, Earl of Rutland, fled into Wales, and from there to Ireland. Salisbury, Warwick and York's eldest son Edward, Earl of March went to the West Country where a supporter, Sir John Dynham, loaned them a boat which took them to Calais, where the garrison still supported Warwick.[9]

At dawn on 13 October, the leaderless Yorkist troops knelt in submission before Henry, and were pardoned. York had abandoned not only his troops but also his wife Cecily Neville, Duchess of York, his two younger sons George and Richard and his youngest daughter Margaret, who were found standing at the Ludlow Market Cross when the Lancastrians arrived. They were placed in the care of the Duchess's sister Anne, wife of Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham, one of Margaret's supporters. The Lancastrian troops proceeded to plunder Ludlow, becoming drunk on looted wine and committing many outrages.[

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Ludford_Bridge

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuttgart

Stuttgart (Swabian: Schduagert) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. Stuttgart is located on the Neckar river in a fertile valley known locally as the "Stuttgart Cauldron." It lies an hour from the Swabian Jura and the Black Forest. Its urban area has a population of 609,219, making it the sixth largest city in Germany. 2.7 million people live in the city's administrative region and another 5.3 million people in its metropolitan area, making it the fourth largest metropolitan area in Germany. The city and metropolitan area are consistently ranked among the top 20 European metropolitan areas by GDP; Mercer listed Stuttgart as 21st on its 2015 list of cities by quality of living, innovation agency 2thinknow ranked the city 24th globally out of 442 cities and the Globalization and World Cities Research Network ranked the city as a Beta-status world city in their 2014 survey.

Since the 6th millennium BC, the Stuttgart area has been an important agricultural area and has been host to a number of cultures seeking to utilize the rich soil of the Neckar valley. The Roman Empire conquered the area in 83 AD and built a massive castrum near Bad Cannstatt, making it the most important regional centre for several centuries. Stuttgart's roots were truly laid in the 10th century with its founding by Liudolf, Duke of Swabia, as a stud farm for his warhorses. Initially overshadowed by nearby Cannstatt, the town grew steadily and was granted a charter in 1320. The fortunes of Stuttgart turned with those of the House of Württemberg, and they made it the capital of their county, duchy, and kingdom from the 15th century to 1918. Stuttgart prospered despite setbacks in the Thirty Years' War and devastating air raids by the Allies on the city and its automobile production during World War II. However, by 1952, the city had bounced back and it became the major economic, industrial, tourism and publishing centre it is today.

Stuttgart is also a transport junction, and possesses the sixth-largest airport in Germany. Several major companies are headquartered in Stuttgart, including Porsche, Bosch, Mercedes-Benz, Daimler AG, and Dinkelacker.

Stuttgart is unusual in the scheme of German cities. It is spread across a variety of hills (some of them covered in vineyards), valleys (especially around the Neckar river and the Stuttgart basin) and parks. This often surprises visitors who associate the city with its reputation as the "cradle of the automobile". The city's tourism slogan is "Stuttgart offers more". Under current plans to improve transport links to the international infrastructure (as part of the Stuttgart 21 project), the city unveiled a new logo and slogan in March 2008 describing itself as "Das neue Herz Europas" ("The new Heart of Europe"). For business, it describes itself as "Where business meets the future". In July 2010, Stuttgart unveiled a new city logo, designed to entice more business people to stay in the city and enjoy breaks in the area.

Stuttgart is a city with a high number of immigrants. According to Dorling Kindersley's Eyewitness Travel Guide to Germany, "In the city of Stuttgart, every third inhabitant is a foreigner." 40% of Stuttgart's residents, and 64% of the population below the age of five, are of immigrant background.

On the road to becoming my true self, I will (and have) come across bumps in the road along the way.

Whether it's a temporary setback such as travel distance or in the community, I often overcome and find solutions to the problems that I face, day in, day out.

But sometimes, those problems can become a big issue.

As the Beast from the Disney classic, Beauty and the Beast, once said:

"The day, my life, ended."

A while ago, I was in the Beast's shoes, going through and processing a devastating, life alterating event which hit me for six.

A five year, drug filled, neighbourhood war in my part of town (and my unit complex) was all but too much for me in all aspects.

So, I had to ask for help from a local charity for assistance, which, although I was at my lowest point, had an op shop and this sparkly dress just happened to be half price....

*RITCHEY* ascent

Frame :*RITCHEY* ascent

Headset :*RITCHEY* wcs

Stem :*PAUL* boxcar stem

Wheels :*VELOCITY* blunt ss × *CHRISKING* R45 disc hub

Tire :*WTB* nano

Brake Lever :*PAUL* love lever compact

RD :*SRAM* force1

Crankset :*SRAM* force1 × *AARN*

Handlebar :*NITTO* b809 ssb

Brake :*AVID* bb7 S

Saddle :*SELLE ITALIA* flite1990

Seat Post :*THOMSON* elite setback

Grip :*RITCHEY*

Rack :*SURLY * 8-pack front rack

On the road to becoming my true self, I will (and have) come across bumps in the road along the way.

Whether it's a temporary setback such as travel distance or in the community, I often overcome and find solutions to the problems that I face, day in, day out.

But sometimes, those problems can become a big issue.

As the Beast from the Disney classic, Beauty and the Beast, once said:

"The day, my life, ended."

A while ago, I was in the Beast's shoes, going through and processing a devastating, life alterating event which hit me for six.

A five year, drug filled, neighbourhood war in my part of town (and my unit complex) was all but too much for me in all aspects.

So, I had to ask for help from a local charity for assistance, which, although I was at my lowest point, had an op shop and this sparkly dress just happened to be half price....

On the road to becoming my true self, I will (and have) come across bumps in the road along the way.

Whether it's a temporary setback such as travel distance or in the community, I often overcome and find solutions to the problems that I face, day in, day out.

But sometimes, those problems can become a big issue.

As the Beast from the Disney classic, Beauty and the Beast, once said:

"The day, my life, ended."

A while ago, I was in the Beast's shoes, going through and processing a devastating, life alterating event which hit me for six.

A five year, drug filled, neighbourhood war in my part of town (and my unit complex) was all but too much for me in all aspects.

So, I had to ask for help from a local charity for assistance, which, although I was at my lowest point, had an op shop and this sparkly dress just happened to be half price....

The Burlington-Galesburg manifest is put together and ready to go, but with one small setback. One of their four units in consist is dead, so they'll have to swap it out for another B40-8W sitting in the yard.

The William and Mary men’s basketball team suffered an 80-66 setback to Drexel on Senior Day at Kaplan Arena. The Dragons used a 17-1 run to end the first half and 11 3-pointers to outdistance the Tribe. Prior to the game, W&M (18-11, 12-6 CAA) honored its four-member senior class of manager Brian Gelston, Tyler Johnson, Tom Schalk and Marcus Thornton. Despite the loss to the Dragons (11-18, 9-9 CAA), the Tribe still claimed a share of the CAA regular season championship.

Thornton led the way for the Tribe in his final game at Kaplan Arena, scoring 19 points and dishing

out six assists. He knocked down a trio of 3-pointers and in the process moved into the fifth on the CAA’s all-time 3-point field goals list. Terry Tarpey added his ninth double-double of the season with 12 points and 11 rebounds, while Daniel Dixon returned to action after missing five games and added 14 points, including a 4-of-7 effort from 3-point range.

After a slow start by both teams, W&M opened up a nine-point advantage thanks to an 11-0 run. Trailing 4-2, Tarpey scored on a fast-break lay-up off a dish from Omar Prewitt to knot things and start the run. Dixon knocked down a triple and Thornton drilled one of his own to give the home side a 13-4 lead with 11:20 remaining in the opening half.

Drexel responded with a 13-2 run to move back in front, highlighted by the play of Freddie Wilson. The Dragon senior drilled a trio of 3-pointers during the stretch as Drexel hit four straight shots. Wilson's third trifecta of the night at the eight-minute mark gave the visitors a 17-15 lead.

W&M pulled even at 20 on a Dixon 3-pointer at the 6:19 mark, but the remainder of the first half belonged to the Dragons. Drexel closed the opening 20 minutes on a 17-1 run to take a 16-point cushion to the locker room. Tavon Allen scored 11 of the Dragon’s final 20 points of the first half. He hit three straight 3-poitners during a stretch and connected on a pair of free throws with less than 30 seconds remaining for the final half-time margin to 37-21. It total, Drexel connected on 7-of-12 (58.3 percent) from 3-point range in the first 20 minutes.

W&M scored eight of the second half’s first 11 points to cut the gap to 40-29 on a Schalk lay-up off a feed from Thornton at the 16:47 mark. Drexel though responded with two straight 3-pointers to extend the margin to 17.

The Dragon’s advantage was 15, 54-39, with 10:23 left following two Tyshawn Myles free throws. A Thornton 3-pointer and two Tarpey free throws narrowed the gap to 10 with 9:34 remaining, but Wilson knocked down a big 3-pointer on the ensuing Drexel possession to stem the Tribe’s momentum.

W&M cut the gap to nine points on three occasions, but each time Drexel had an answer. Thornton’s patented step-back jumper at the 4:27 mark closed the Tribe within 64-55. The Dragons responded with six straight points, including the final four from the free throw line, to extend its lead back to 15, 70-55, and put the game out of reach.

Drexel finished shooting 49 percent (24-of-49) from the field, including an 11-of-21 effort (52.4) from 3-point range. The Dragons also did a number at the free throw line and on the glass. Drexel shot 80.8 percent (21-of-26) from the free throw line, including 17-of-22 (77.3 percent) in the second half.

Wilson and Allen turned in iron-man efforts, playing all 40 minutes and scoring 24 and 22 points, respectively. Wilson was 8-of-12 from the field and 6-of-9 from 3-point range, while Allen hit on 5-of-10 from long range. Rodney Williams just missed a double-double for Drexel with 18 points and nine rebounds.

The Tribe finished the game at 45.1 percent (23-of-51) from the field, including a 55.6-percent (15-of-27) clip in the second half. W&M hit 10 3-pointers for the 13th time this season, shooting 35.7 percent (10-of-28) from distance. The Green and Gold dished out 16 assists on 23 made field goals and only turned it over four times, which is tied for the third lowest total in school history.

Thanks to Elon's victory over UNCW on Saturday, W&M is the regular season champion and will be the No. 1 seed in the CAA Tournament, March 6-9, in Baltimore, for the first time in school history. The Tribe will face the winner of No. 8 Elon and No. 9 Towson at noon on Saturday, March 7.

Red Weasel Media RWM was there to capture the fast pace, back and forth action.

Frame:*black mountain cycles* mod zero

Headset:*cane creek* 110

Wheel:*shimano*105 hb-r7070 x *velocity* blunt ss

Tire:*panaracer* fire pro

Handle:*whisky* no.7 6f aluminum drop

Stem:*thomson* elite x4

Bartape:*fizik* terra tacky

Saddle:*selle italia* flite 1990

Seatpost:*thomson* elite setback

A spectacular view from the Sky Bridge of the Pinnacle@Duxton overlooking the Central Business District, Tanjong pagar and Chinatown. There is one setback for photographers as the outer high fencing will be obstructing your view. For me I just find another way to nail it.

Here's how we did it:

Myself & Reggie arrived there at 9pm. Seeing no soul around, we found an opening from an uncompleted fence. Carefully both of us crossed over to the restricted outer fence. The gap of the fence is just enough to allow my 10-20mm lens to peep through for a shot. My tripod and cam body resting on the fence. Once the fencing is complete, it may not be possible to cross over. So shoot it today my friend... have fun!

About The Pinnacle@Duxton: The Pinnacle@Duxton (previously known as Duxton Plain Public Housing) is a 2.5 hectare residential complex opening soon along Cantonment Road, Singapore. Pinnacle@Duxton is located at 1°16′36″N 103°50′29″ECoordinates: 1°16′36″N 103°50′29″E. Consisting of seven connected towers labelled 1A to 1G, each tower is 50 storeys in height. This will be the tallest public housing project in Singapore when open. Source: Wikipedia

Shot with my accomplice Reggie for company.

Best to view on BLACK

Not a HDR.

In 1926 the Missouri Pacific Railroad, the first and oldest railroad west of the Mississippi River, began construction on what was intended to be a 30-story headquarters building in downtown St. Louis, Missouri. Only 22 of the 30 floors were completed when construction was stopped on the Missouri Pacific Building in 1928. Additional work was performed briefly in 1929 before the Great Depression brought construction to a grinding halt for a second time. The building never made it beyond the 22-story mark.

The site of the building was selected to anchor one end of Memorial Plaza. Funded by a bond issue in 1923 and designed by local architects Mauran, Russell & Crowell, the building faces the eastern edge of a park, which is bordered on the north side by the beautiful St. Louis Central Public library building and on the south by the Soldiers Memorial building. The view of the Missouri Pacific Building seen in this photograph is framed by columns of the Soldiers Memorial building. The Missouri Pacific Building is one of only four tall buildings in the City of St. Louis constructed with setbacks, which is a skyscraper style pioneered in New York as a result of that city’s zoning ordinance of 1916, which was intended to allow light to reach the city streetscape.

Through a series of mergers, the Missouri Pacific Railroad ultimately became the Union Pacific Railroad. The U.P.R.R. continued to operate out of the Missouri Pacific Building until 2005, when its operations were consolidated in Omaha, Nebraska. The Missouri Pacific Building was later purchased by a local development company and converted into luxury apartments in 2011 called ParkPacific Apartments.

The Missouri Pacific Building is registered on the National Register of Historic Places.

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The best way to view my photostream is on Flickriver: Nikon66's photos on Flickriver

Alexander De Croo, Prime Minister of Belgium (2020-2025); Mayor of Brakel, Belgium; Natashya Gutierrez, Foreign Correspondent, ABC News Australia, Australia; speaking in Meet the Leader: Mastering Reinvention session at the Young Global Leaders Annual Summit 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland, 3/9/2025, 16:45 – 17:45, CERN - Auditorium A. One-on-One. Copyright: World Economic Forum/Pascal Bitz