November 22, 2011 - Posted by zegistrudyabely - Comments Off
Watercolor paper comes in many different forms. There are blocks of paper, full sheets (measuring 22″X30″), half sheets, sketchbooks and pads. It may also be purchased in a long roll, 42″ wide, which may then be cut to any length you desire. The papers have many different surfaces and weights, and are most commonly “cold pressed” or “hot pressed”. A gelatin sizing is added to the paper, either during or after its production, to make it less absorbent. Without the sizing it would be overly absorbent and become “soggy” when watercolor was applied.
“Cold pressed” watercolor paper has a medium texture to its surface. It’s neither smooth nor rough, and is my personal favorite. Once the paper has been made, it is pressed through cold cylinders to flatten it; hence its name.
“Hot pressed” watercolor paper is pressed through heated cylinders at the end of their production, yielding a smooth, slick surface. The paint seems to move around a bit on it before settling in.
Many sheets of watercolor paper have lovely deckled edges. These irregular borders are a result of the paper making process and give it character. Whenever I need to make a smaller piece, from a full sheet, I carefully tear along the line I have made, rather than cut it. Although this edge won’t be nearly as nice as the deckled ones, it is somewhat rough and much preferred to a cut edge.
When choosing a watercolor paper, you will notice a weight in its description. The higher the number, the heavier the paper. This number is derived from stacking 500 completed sheets, and then weighing the stack. For example, there is 140 lb paper and 300 lb paper. The three hundred pound paper won’t buckle when wet, making it easier to work with, but of course is more expensive.
I always use 140 lb paper and get around the buckling issue in two ways. The first is to lightly wet the back of the paper before painting on the front. This helps to keep the paper from curling while I am painting. The second thing I do is when I have finished painting for the day, I evenly dampen the back of my work, then place it between two sheets of masonite board flat on the floor. I then place five one gallon jugs, filled with cement, on top of the masonite. Any heavy objects would do, such as stacks of books. In the morning I have a perfectly flat painting.
November 22, 2011 - Posted by zegistrudyabely - Comments Off
Albert Morton refused to look up while walking through the courtyard; he was determined not to look at the moon through prison wire. The moon, so bright lit his way through the prison courtyard; his steps quickened as he cleared the last of the security points, finally leaving Fraser Lake. It seemed quite appropriate, standing in unobstructed freedom to look up taking in the majesty of the harvest moon; this evening layered in a continuum of oxidized plates of sweet citrus tangerines. Now with strength and conviction, as he had done each September, he began a new semester which he accepted as a gift. Accompanied by Gordon, a night guard who had befriended Albert during his stay, they walked towards the parking lot, both pulling trolley’s loaded with Albert’s library of journals.
“Gordon, I will miss you.”
“Albert, you drop me a line when you are settled, I don’t want to lose touch my friend.”
“Who is meeting you?”
“Harry said he would be here.”
Gordon had met Harry on a few of his visits with Albert; a man who he held in great regard. He had seen pictures and heard many loving stories of Alyssa and witnessed Harry comforting his friend when he received the news that she had passed away.
As they entered the parking lot a jeep pulled up to the curb and out came Harry.
No words were spoken, Albert and Harry simply embraced.
Gordon shook Harry’s hand.
“Good to see you again. I hope you have enough room for Albert’s library. “
“Oh I believe we do; Albert has spent many years compiling this dossier, I for one can’t wait to start in to it.”
The boxes were loaded in the back of the Jeep and Harry returned to the driver’s seat. Albert returned to the sidewalk and extended his hand to Gordon for one final hand shake, but Gordon pulled Albert close and would only accept a massive bear hug.
“Albert, you take care of yourself, I’ll miss you.”
Albert turning looking at Harry and Gordon and spoke…
“You both, at a point in my life when society had already locked the gates and thrown away the key, supported me and reminded me that I had done nothing wrong; I was immobile with fear and unable to raise my head to judgment; yet you two lent me your strengths, until I could again rise and walk with confidence, with understanding and conviction. I will forever be in your debt.”
“You are a good man Albert; I hope you get the answers you have been searching for.”
As they drove away Albert continued to look up at the moon, now understanding its freedom.
Harry had made all the arrangements for the hotel accommodations so they went from the parking lot directly to the elevator. He saw that Albert needed a bit of time to adjust, still not able to look all the passersby’s in the eyes; he kept his head lowered. For the rest of the evening Albert was quiet; taking long deep breaths, as though the air had been restricted as well. He walked back and forth across the room, enjoying the freedom of opening and closing the door to the balcony. It was not for a few hours that he accepted the freedom of crossing over the threshold onto the balcony, where he moved slowly into a reclining chair and smiled.
“Albert, first thing in the morning, let’s go over to an apparel store and pick up some cloths for you. I noticed that there are a couple of stores just up the road from here, we could walk over.”
“I would like that Harry; if you are tired please go to bed, you don’t have to babysit me. After being told all these years when I had to go to bed, I feel like a teenager right now with no curfew.”
As Harry looked over at Albert he saw a much older man, but still with such character and commitment towards his future; it was so good to see him smile.
____________________________
Travelling throughout west coast of Australia proved more congested and imposing than Bar Cove Island; it became common practice for the captain to travel at night and keep the ship docked during the day; there seemed to be a great deal of interest on the travel route for the American Yacht, with shore harbor operators asking for clarification as to the occupants on the boat. Chanarong and Kim agreed it was time to move on north to Thailand; Chanarong owned a home, unknown to all, on a secluded island along the northern coast of the Phang Bga Bay. His official residence remained in the City of Angles, Krung Thep, or for the tourists, Bangkok.
As the boat entered into the Bay, Chanarong took a deep breath enjoying every moment of this spectacular site; the imposing limestone cliffs rising vertically from the emerald waters appeared unified displaying unquestionable resolve, depicting strong imposing guards from the King’s dynasty. The sun rising in the horizon throwing red reflections off the shadows of the emerald and sun soaked tides; carried the dancing Garudas over the waters welcoming their arrival. Chanarong never in all his travels could duplicate the energy that welcomed him home, each time passing through the Bay. He had chosen this harbor for security and privacy, the Bay protected from surrounding monsoons allowed him to enjoy his home year round.
They left the Yacht and settled under the canopy of a sport boat that wasted no time taking them to Chanarong’s home, isolated and sheltered past Kalim Beach. Kim, Shai and Veronica went directly inside the house while Chanarong rested on the beach watching the speed boat pass; the young man driving the boat was hired to patrol the waters surrounding the Island. Chanargon, before leaving the coastal waters of Australia filed travel plans, for the curious, recording the ship to dock along the Sunshine Coast and from there carry on to Fiji on a private cruise ship. He knew returning to his home may offer some risk, but he needed to have Kim and Shai in an environment that he could control and they could trust and feel protected. They had talked briefly about the money and artifacts that they had taken from the State; which combined came to nowhere close to the bounty being sought.
The captain and crew had sent a message from the Yacht that they had arrived at Jakarta with their destination being Cape Town where they would remain until further notice from Chanarong. He had also heard from the guards in Krung Thep, stationed around his home, reporting an interesting blend of traffic on the street and the open gardens along the vista, all spending a noticeable amount of time monitoring the residence.
Chanarong’s office had now received the data confirming the transits and deposits that Kim had made as well as the contents in the security lock boxes. He knew the off shore deposits could not remain stagnate for too long with the number of people looking for the cash. He did not want to start layering the cash for safekeeping; but needed a window of time until they could declare its whereabouts’. He decided that a trip was necessary. Veronica, Kim and Shai would remain on the Island, under the supervision of an army of private security contracted by Chanarong. Veronica knew if their security was compromised that arrangements had been made for their travel to Italy.
As they sped along the water Chanarong saw the long tailed boat waiting in the Bay. He quickly boarded and settled in for the trip to Krung Thep. Travelling through the Bay on a long tailed boat drew no one suspicions; all visitors to the area travelled by a long tail. A car was arranged to take him to the Suvarnabhumi Airport where a private charter would fly him to Santa Maria, Brazil. Two air force bases were located in Santa Maria offering beneficial confidentiality in arrival and departure logs. To explain his presence, if required at a later date, lecturing to the international students at the Santa Maria University for four weeks.
The pilot completed all the flight logs at the Brazilian air force base charting a travel plan to Naples, Italy. The flight logs all in the name of HARA Congress only verified the flight would carry 5 passengers; it did not differentiate from passenger and crew. Chanarong’s charter landed on schedule fourteen hours since leaving Thailand. Looking past the military hangers he was comforted to see the HARA jet waiting on the tarmac.
As he settled in for the next twelve hour leg of his destination, he smiled at the conspiracy he had mapping out for anyone perusing him. At this time he was travelling in Fiji, or at home in Krung Thep, or on the Yacht now docked in Cape Town, South Africa.
The crew brought back word that everything was quiet on the Island, with a personal note from Veronica saying she was already missing him and to hurry back.
_______________________________
After a few days of rest, Harry and Albert travelled to South Carolina. Harry knew that Albert would feel comfortable in those surroundings; as well Robert was there on a sabbatical from the University program in Brazil.
Albert was pleasantly surprised entering the terminal and seeing Robert standing there. He could not mask his happiness; taking hold of Robert and just holding on.
“You do look well Albert.”
“Well, thanks to Harry I have some decent cloths that fit; looking back at my last junket, certainly gave benefit to a leaner me. I have eaten more in the last four days than I can remember. How are things at Duke?”
“Well, I must say I do enjoy working at the facility in Brazil. Our Department is extremely busy working on amendments to the Labour Justice Laws. Brazilian law supports a Labour Court of twenty-seven Justices, chosen between the ages of thirty-five and sixty-five years of age; appointed by the President. Albert, I believe you would enjoy researching some of their rulings towards Labour.”
“Well, I hope you will have the time to introduce me to a few of your cases.”
Once settled in at Harry’s home, Albert enjoyed his routine, but relished in rare acts of spontaneity choosing to break form and take a walk around the community.
His journals all stored in the garage were waiting…he knew that in the near future he would again open up the past.
At the end of the week Harry announced that he had business overseas with the International Monetary Economic Conference where he was scheduled to address the meeting. He was pleased that Albert and Robert declined his invitation to attend; they were quite comfortable at the house and were already in lengthy debates over labour laws.
His office had made all the arrangements and messaged him his travel itinerary. He was aware that his private plane was unavailable on short notice so a private charter was arranged for the direct flight to Naples, Italy.
______________________________
November 22, 2011 - Posted by zegistrudyabely - Comments Off
There are many different types of photography. You can take pictures of anything and there is someone out there somewhere who would like to see the pictures that you take. So, photography is a great field to get into.
- What is landscape photography?
Landscape photography is a great field of photography, especially if you love nature and if you love to travel. You can travel the world taking pictures of beautiful scenes across many countries. Of course, this is landscape photography on a big scale. Not many people are lucky enough to start off traveling the world.
But you can find beautiful landscapes right where you live. That’s the great thing about nature, it’s everywhere, and landscapes are everywhere. And that same sunset behind the mountain that you’ve seen everyday since you were a kid may look pretty amazing to someone who has never been to the mountains. Seeing the sun rise up out of the oceanfront may be absolutely astonishing to someone who has never been to the beach. It’s all relative.
What you may see every day is someone else’s treasure. If you can open your eyes to the beauty and see it, then other people can see it in your photography. It can be simple and everyday or it can be vast and amazing. It’s all about the great pictures you take. You may see a night city skyline, a series of lightening bolts or an interesting cloud; it’s how you take the picture that makes it beautiful to someone else.
- How to Learn Landscape Photography
If you are serious about landscape photography, you should take a course. You may have already had a course in photography but you will want to take one specifically for landscape photography so you can learn how to get the best pictures possible. You will want to learn what film to use and how to work with the sunlight or other natural light. You will also learn about achieving a sense of balance and scale, how to photograph running water and similar issues that a landscape photographer might face.
If you can’t find any appropriate classes in your area, you can find them on the internet. You can also find many groups and message boards designed for landscape photographers to meet, share photos and tips and ideas. You can get tips and advice for your questions if you join these groups. You can also view the work of others, some that may be much more experienced than you. You can learn from them and their photos.
- How to Make Money with Landscape Photography
If you are considering landscape photography as a career (even part time), the first thing you are going to want to do is learn as much about it as possible; read books, take classes, visit websites. Then you are going to want to practice, and build a portfolio. Your portfolio should be updated often and only include your absolute best work. You may want to send some of your best photos to photo contests or magazines. These are good ways of breaking into the world of professional photography when you have no experience.
November 22, 2011 - Posted by zegistrudyabely - Comments Off
The whole of the typical spiritual life may be boiled down to a continuum between faith and wisdom, and another competing continuum – fear and folly. The higher continuum is embellished of the Spirit; the lower, of the flesh. These two spiritual continuums of living are, of course, highly interactive with each other, and they’re also highly dynamic as they ebb and flow through life.
Imagine these two continua as lines spanning both good and evil as they’re experienced or felt by us spiritually. One we desire, the other we flee from.
Before we get into a study of these two continua, we need to understand a spiritual paradox.
A SPIRITUAL PARADOX
The goal of faith is to grow in strength to rely on God – a thing contingent upon weakness – and to realise, also, steady growth in wisdom.
Yet the experience and outcomes of faith and wisdom – as seen by the Faith-Wisdom Continua – seem diametrically opposed. One we draw on to get us through trials. The other we want to sustain – the place of Wisdom is the panacea of all volitional humanity.
The paradox becomes telling as we consider the vast disparity between difficulty at one end and comfort at the other. But both are spiritually disposed.
Likewise, fear is the activator of faith or anxiety; we choose for one or the other. Folly is a different ‘animal’ altogether; it has been tripped up – as a consequence – of poor decisions, usually based in a flawed morality.
Faith and fear are less to do with our will as they attend, at times vicariously, through circumstances; yet, what we do with them is due our will entirely. Wisdom and folly, conversely, are highly contingent in our will – we decide; we’re consequently found wise or foolish by these choices.
THE FAITH-WISDOM CONTINUUM
This Faith-Wisdom Continuum is where we always want to be as believing persons.
We experience peace and joy here, whether via a vindicated faith in our leaning on God in difficulty, or through our enjoyment of blessed consequences for wise living. Wisdom is its own reward.
Faith is required at one end, in weakness. Wisdom is the product at the other end of, usually by virtue of long held faith.
The faithful eventually ‘arrive’ (however fleetingly it seems) at wisdom. Faith is the spiritual recipe for cooking the meal called Wisdom; one is the cause, the other, an effect.
But, in another paradox, wisdom is not an ultimate destination in itself – not in this life. We never truly ‘arrive’ – hell’s trick is the pride to believe we have or we can.
But these are also polar opposites – by virtue of our seasonal positions in life. We can neither afford to take times of relative comfort for granted, nor blame God for difficult moments.
Sometimes we’re blessed with growth spurts resplendent in the requirement for faith; other times we’re blessed with a relative ‘dry time’ with no major upsets; smooth sailing emotionally. Blessing, here, is characterised as wisdom.
THE FEAR-FOLLY CONTINUUM
As fear juxtaposes faith, so does folly, wisdom.
We straddle this continuum at our avoidance. None of us wants to be fearful, and folly we know to result in embarrassment and shame; of itself presenting good reason to fear.
Fear presents that we might express faith to overcome the fear.
Similarly, folly is the opportunity to grow in wisdom – the later expression of it, through learning. It’s only when we continue to straddle this continuum – not climbing to a higher tightrope – that major issues persist and fester further, and plunge down the sinkhole do we.
WALKING THE HIGH TIGHTROPE
Could the overall goal of the spiritual life be to simply run – in a balanced fashion – along the high tightrope – on the Faith-Wisdom Continuum, repelling or countering the lower one – yes, by faith and wisdom?
Given an affirmative answer to this question, we need then accept that difficulties will inevitably intersperse times of comfort. But we have tools for coping with both fear and folly: faith and wisdom.
© 2011 S. J. Wickham.
November 22, 2011 - Posted by zegistrudyabely - Comments Off
If you are pondering getting a piercing, there is lot to consider that could ultimately affect your decision. Not only should you be aware of all the complications and infections that can occur, but you should also consider the implications in other areas of your life. Before you move forward, be sure to find out whether or not your employer or school has a policy against it. It will often depend on whether or not you are in a position that deals with clients. You could also consider getting a piercing that is easily hidden from sight. Belly button rings are an example of this and should enable you to move forward without anyone having to know about it.
If you do decide to wear belly button rings to work, make sure that your shirt is not too tight. Sometimes just being able to see the outline of the jewelry under your shirt is enough to upset your employer or their customers. There are also options such as clear retainers that allow you to wear your piecing to work without it being seen. This type of thing probably works best for a tongue piercing, though you should still be careful that your speech remains unaffected while in the workplace.
As with belly button rings or any other piercing, you must be extremely careful to take excellent care of it. A fresh piercing needs plenty of attention, including regular cleanings. Try to clean out the area and jewelry at least twice a day with rubbing alcohol. This should help you avoid a painful infection. Signs of an infection include redness, swelling and drainage. If you find yourself with a worsening infection, be sure to get it checked out with a doctor. They should be able to help you heal the area within a few days to a week.
November 22, 2011 - Posted by zegistrudyabely - Comments Off
You remember John Wayne right? It’s okay we won’t tell anyone you’re old enough to remember. He is fondly remembered for his terrific cowboy pictures and his many wild west movies.
Did you know that some of his movies were based on fact? Although most of his movies were fiction there were some that were not. John Wayne‘s role as an actor has been wide and varied. He has played a wide scope of characters ranging from cowboys to solders.
Born on May 26 1907 in Winterset Iowa as Marion Robert Morrison his nickname was Duke. In fact he actually produced some movies under his nickname.
Duke was a handsome feller, with his six feet four inches tall frame, brown hair and blue eyes. Many a gal couldn’t resist! Duke played football at University of Southern California and eventually he joined the Sigma Chi fraternity.
There is much discussion between movie buffs about which movie should be credited as John Wayne’s first. At the end of the day, most agree Words and Music shot in 1929 should be classified as his first movie, even though he acted under the name Duke Morrison.
He stared in many wild west cowboy movies. His screen career was longer than most, and even today his movies are still very popular.
Some of his classic cowboy movies were Lawless Range where he aids settlers who are harassed by desperadoes. Wayne is captured and must plan his escape before it is too late. This great oldy but goldy was directed by Robert Bradbury in 1935 and was shown in black and white.
Another of John Wayne‘s classics was The Range Feud directed by Ross Lederman and produced in 1931. This is a westernized Romeo And Juliet gem. Two Arizona families feud over land while he threatens to distinguish the flame between himself and co-actress Susan Fleming
The Lucky Texan starring John Wayne with George Gabby Hayes was produced in 1934 and directed by Robert Bradbury. This unlikely pairing of Wayne and Gabby produced a miner hard luck story. The pair strikes gold in their mine, but their luck turns for the worst when some low down claim jumpers frame Gabby for murder in order to get the claim
In Two Fisted Law, he stars as a rancher on the brink of losing his ranch. To make matters worse he is on the brink of also losing his girlfriend and his freedom when he becomes the prime suspect of the Wells Fargo Express Office robbery.
His role as Ringo Kid in the 1939 movie Stagecoach directed by John Ford, was the movie that made him a star. This was Duke’s ticket to stardom. The 1976 movie Shootest was the last movie Duke made.
Whether cowboy or movie buff, anyone who has watched John Wayne, also called the Duke, you have to admit that John Wayne in his wild west cowboy movies is one of the greatest cowboys ever to hit the screen!
November 22, 2011 - Posted by zegistrudyabely - Comments Off
Maybe It’s Time To Take Away The Government’s Fat Kids
I am as proud of the president now as I’ve ever been, or ever will be. Just the other day, he proclaimed that we need to “eat our peas.” And I think we should give peas a chance.
In a completely unrelated story, around the same time the other day, a recommendation came to us from some intellectual elite social engineers (who have many fancy degrees and titles) saying that, when kids become obese, the guv’mint should take them away from their parents.
Now, the president may have been talking about something else when he made the “peas” comment, but I think he’s on to something. Let’s take your kids away from you, since you are too stupid to raise them without blowing them up like balloons, and let’s feed ‘em peas. Lots of peas. Peas in the mornin,’ peas in the evenin,’ peas at supper time.
This may not help the childhood obesity problem, but think of the economic stimulus it will provide to pea farmers in America! We’re gonna need some peas for this plan… LOTS of peas.
You know, come to think of it, there’s no way we can trust the free market to produce enough peas to feed all these obese kids. We need the guv’mint to intervene. But that will just create more jobs! Jobs for federal pea farmers, jobs for bureaucracies to oversee those pea farms, and jobs for politicians, lobbyists, and more bureaucracies to oversee those bureaucracies.
Where, I wonder, will we get the money to make the appropriately-ginormous “investments” we’ll have to make in peas? I guess we should start by soaking the rich. I saw on the TV contraption, though, that a family which earns $50,000 per year has a share of the federal debt which is over $70,000 per year. I’m no math professor (anymore), but I’m not sure we’re going to be able to get all the pea money we need from taxes. We’re gonna have to borrow some more money from the Chinese.
And THAT’S what the president was talking about when he said we need to eat our peas. He was being metaphorical.. Our “peas” in this case refers to the “hard choices” we have to make to start borrowing and spending like crazy again. It’s all part of the peas process.
You can see the brilliance here. It all fits together like Barnum and Bailey, like Cloward and Piven, like… well, like peas and carrots!
And I can’t wait to hear more creative pea-brained ideas from the president.
by Michael D. Hume, M.S.
November 22, 2011 - Posted by zegistrudyabely - Comments Off
They were fierce hill tribes in what is now Scotland, and we called them Picts. The name seems to mean “The Painted People” for they were known to love bright body art and multi-coloured clothing. They were artists, prolific carvers of stone and from the carved standing stones still found in the region around Loch Ness, we can see that the Picts were fascinated by animals, carefully etching their likeness into the surface of the stone. And they left us a mystery.
For all the animals depicted on the Pictish stones are lifelike and easily recognisable, except for one. This exception is a strange beast with a long elongated beak or muzzle, a head spout, and with flippers instead of feet, somewhat like a swimming elephant. This Pictish beast is the earliest known reference to the belief that took hold in the Scottish Highlands at least 1,500 years ago, that Loch Ness is home to a mysterious underwater animal. The Loch Ness Monster.
Columba stood for no nonsense, even from a monster. He had ordered one of his monks to swim across the loch to fetch a boat when, halfway across, the beast appeared and rushed at the swimmer, roaring in a most frightening way. The Saint himself jumped in the loch crying out at the monster “Go no further, nor touch the man! Go back!”. Thus commanded, the monster fled. The great Columba converted most of Scotland to Christianity and apparently converted Nessie too, for it is said that until he went out on the waters and soothed the beast, she had been a murderess.
In Scottish folklore, large animals are associated with many bodies of water from small streams to the largest lakes, often labeled Loch-na-Beistie on old maps. These water-horses, or kelpies, are cousins of the Irish Pooka and have similar magical powers but often malevolent intentions. They are dragons under water, lurking with ravenous intent, waiting for the onset of darkness in the long Northern nights before they come forth and devour the Innocent.
The monster, sea serpent, kraken and other mythological creatures have formed a part of folklore since the beginning of time. Around the world there are reputed to be sea serpents or monsters in many bodies of fresh water. Nessie in Loch Ness, Morag in Loch Morar, Shielagh in Loch Shiel, Lizzy in Loch Lochy, Champ in Lake Champlain, Ogopogo in Lake Okanagan and, quaintly, Wally in Lake Wallowa.
While research has been conducted at many of these lakes, Loch Ness is the icon for monsters and Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster is, without doubt, the grandmother of them all. It is to Loch Ness where myriad researchers have flocked with their cameras and sonars, webcams and mini submarines, their hopes, fears and dreams of solving the mystery of Nessie.
She is reported to have an elongated neck that quite often protrudes from the water with a small head, diamond shaped flippers and three distinct humps on her back followed by a tail. Sone say that she lives under or around Urquhart Castle and many photographs (mostly fake) have been taken of her in the vicinity.
The sedimentary rocks which cradle Loch Ness are some of the oldest in the world. The sandstones were originally laid down in warm seas when Scotland was located in the latitude where Australasia is today. As the continents drifted northwards the land became squeezed into the dry centre of the super-continent Pangaea.
400 million years ago, the Great Glen side slip fault was created. This Great Glen, almost cutting Scotland in two, is home to the black waters of Lochs Ness, Oich, Lochy and Linnhe
As the continents began to break up and cluster around the north pole, great Scottish mountains, which would have been Himalayan in size were gradually worn down to the stumps which you see today. Scotland was still in the grip of the ice twelve thousand years ago, but the main advances were over and the land was beginning to rebound from being depressed into the mantle. The surface of Loch Ness would have been at a similar elevation to sea level.
Anything living in the Loch today must have arrived from the freezing North Sea up the River Ness after the final retreat of ice.
Many scientists and zoologists will admit to half- believing that a large aquatic animal does in fact exist in Loch Ness. There are numerous theories as to her identity, including a snake-like primitive whale known as a zeuglodon, a type of long-necked aquatic seal, giant eels, walruses, floating mats of plants, giant molluscs, otters, a “paraphysical” entity, mirages, diving birds and most popularly, a plesiosaur. Nessie was even given a scientific name “Nessiteras rhombopteryx” named by Sir Peter Scott so that Nessie could be added to the British Register of officially protected wildlife.
The name, translated from Greek means “The wonder of Ness with the diamond shaped fin”. Over the years many have noted that if you rearranged the letters of Nessiteras rhombopteryx, it can be made to read “Monster hoax by Sir Peter S”.
This may mean something – or it may mean nothing at all.
Nessie is either there, or she’s not. I like to think she has outwitted our efforts to trap her, pin her down, categorise her, tame her and turn her into tea towels. And one day you may get to see her yourself. Long may she live in the loch !
November 22, 2011 - Posted by zegistrudyabely - Comments Off
When purchasing a used car, there is always a possibility that the vehicle was not well maintained by the previous owner or that it has serious damage caused by a collision or flooding. As a general tip, always have a trusted third-party mechanic check the used car before purchasing it. However, it’s always smart to know how to inspect the vehicle yourself. In this article, we provide a walkthrough of how to go about inspecting a used car.
Check the Exterior Bodywork
One of the most important things to look for in the bodywork is rust. Surface blisters are usually harmless and can be easily treated, but rust from inside panels poses a serious problem. A small spot of rust on the paintwork may be a sign of advanced corrosion underneath. To check, press the area with your thumb or tap it. If it cracks or is brittle, this is a sure sign that this car has advanced rusting.
Also keep an eye out for rust that may be hiding below the front and rear bumpers, along the sides and at the bottom of the doors. If you see rust on the inner wings, bulkhead and chassis, do not buy this used car. Also be sure to check for rust underneath the vehicle. Having the car repaired because of rust can be very expensive and in the end may cost even more than the price of the car!
Check the Odometer
Remember that a healthy average annual mileage is approximately 10,000km. When checking the odometer, see if the numbers are out of line. If this is the case, the odometer might have been tampered with. Dishonest sellers may manipulate odometers to show a different mileage. Check the general condition of the car and if it agrees with the mileage shown on the odometer. Signs of high mileage include worn-out brake pedals and carpet and a slumped driver’s seat.
Also be wary if the odometer shows very low mileage. Low mileage is not always a good thing as it may mean the car has been rarely used or may have been only driven on short trips. This style of driving without any long distance may cause engine troubles in the future.
Check the Engine
Check out the general condition of the engine. If the engine is dirty, it suggests that the car hasn’t been well maintained. If the colour of the oil is dark black it may mean that the car has not had a regular oil change. Also check that the end of the dipstick does not have a beige-coloured, think liquid at the end. This liquid may signal head gasket leakage.
Listen to the engine when you start it. If you hear rattling and knocking noises, immediately reject this vehicle!
Check the Transmission
For manual transmission, check that the clutch and all gears are operating smoothly. The clutch should not be too stiff when stepped on and the gear should transition easily from low to high, high to low. For automatic transition, see the transition dipstick for correct fluid level. Also try to smell the dipstick. If it smells burnt, do not purchase the car.
Check the Suspension
When taking the car for a test drive, listen for rattling noises when passing through rough roads. A noisy and bouncy ride suggests worn-out shock absorbers. You may also check the shock absorbers by pushing down on the vehicle enough to let it bounce back. It should rebound just once. More than once means the shock absorbers need replacing, which can be costly.
Check the Steering and Brakes
Check that the steering is not heavy and that the car does not steer towards one side. If the vehicle is heavily steering towards the left or right, wheel alignment or replacement of worn-out tyres is needed.
When applying the brakes, the car should not swerve or shake and there should be no screeching sounds. Also check that the brake gives good resistance and does not sink all the way to the floor when stepped on.
November 22, 2011 - Posted by zegistrudyabely - Comments Off
The Suzuki AN 125 is often confused with the Suzuki Burgman series of super-scooters. However, the AN 125 is actually an older model, first manufactured in 1995. Production continued until 1999, with no major variants or special models. Currently, there is a similar Burgman model in production called the Suzuki UH125, which is also given the AN 125 designation.
The 90s production Suzuki AN 125 was powered by an air-cooled 124cc four-stroke engine. A simple, straightforward single cylinder design, it gave this scooter a pretty good 10 hp at 8000 rpm. This gave rise to some interesting numbers, such as a reported 0-60 mph time of under 16 seconds! With a kerb weight of 100 kgs, the AN 125 felt like a much bigger ride than similar 100cc mopeds and scooters. However, the 10 inch wheels kept bikers firmly grounded in reality. Braking was quite positive and a move up from earlier Suzuki scooters.
In real driving conditions, the Suzuki engine proved to be a winner, consistently drinking a lot less petrol than its competitors. The automatic transmission simplified control of the vehicle with just one throttle and two brakes required. This allowed younger riders or later learners a great chance to pick up basic rising skills. However, in the design department the AN 125 was definitely part of the pack. It looked like most of the scooter designs from that time; with European styling and bare frills. Storage was limited to a small dashboard in front and a helmet-sized storage area under the seat.
Riders of the Suzuki AN 125 did get a decent instrument panel, with all the key displays and warning LEDs clearly visible. The speedometer was graded up to 110 kmph, though most owners never experienced speeds over 80 mph. Even today, you may never see an AN 125 cruising down the motorway, but you’re sure to spot one around town or at the market.
Suzuki AN 125 (1995 – 99) scooters are still available in the second-hand bike markets in the UK. A reasonably zippy scooter, the AN 125 still has plenty of performance for basic run-around duties. You can pick one up for a fraction of the price of a 2011 125cc scooter with similar power. If a part restoration is required, a trusted parts dealer can find genuine Suzuki spares. With a few extra pounds, you get a fun, easy to ride and very economical ride!
