111 years ago

NEW YORK – April 20, 2011 – The name Porsche has been associated with pioneering automotive engineering innovations since the beginning of the last century. In 1900 Prof. Ferdinand Porsche unveiled his Lohner Porsche, an electric car with wheel-hub motors driving the front wheels. Soon after, this car featured all-wheel drive and four-wheel brakes, another world first. A highlight of his early years as an automotive designer was the Lohner-Porsche Semper Vivus that went down in history 111 years ago as the first functional hybrid car.

http://press.porsche.com/news/release.php?id=642

Roller Coaster at the Arcadia Hotel

SAN MARINO (CNS) – The Huntington Library has purchased the extensive photographic collection of Ernest Marquez, a descendant of Mexican land grantees who owned what became known as Santa Monica and Rustic canyons and parts of Pacific Palisades, it was reported today.

Amassed over 50 years, the 4,600-image compilation includes rare photos of 1870s Santa Monica and Los Angeles.

“The group of photographs is the best and most comprehensive collection of its kind in private hands,” Jennifer A. Watts, curator of photographs at the Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, told the Los Angeles Times.

She declined to reveal the price but said this was the Huntington’s costliest purchase of photographs since the days of Henry E. Huntington.

Above, E.G. Morrison (ca. 1827–1888), Roller Coaster at the Arcadia Hotel, Santa Monica, late 1880s. Albumen print, Ernest Marquez Collection. The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens. © The Huntington.

https://www.google.com/search?q=roller+coaster+photos+1880&newwindow=1&client=firefox-a&hs=B6t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=ftvyUsqHKNPYoASXxoLoBA&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1120&bih=736#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=3PxxHCBeTNnAZM%253A%3B-r97dUQiXTmZ0M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fcbsfwbam.files.wordpress.com%252F2014%252F02%252Froller-coaster-1880s.jpg%25253Fw%25253D625%252526h%25253D352%252526crop%25253D1%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fkfwbam.com%252F%3B625%3B352

“Sleepwalker”

WELLESLEY, Mass. (AP) — A remarkably lifelike sculpture of a man sleepwalking in nothing but his underpants has made some Wellesley College students a bit uncomfortable, but the president of the prestigious women’s school says that’s all part of the intellectual process.

The sculpture entitled “Sleepwalker” of a man in an eyes-closed, zombie-like trance is part of an exhibit by sculptor Tony Matelli at the college’s Davis Museum. It was placed at a busy area of campus on Monday, a few days before the official opening of the exhibit, and prompted an online student petition to have it removed.

http://kfwbam.com/2014/02/05/man-in-undies-sculpture-causes-stir-at-college/

Satan Arrives

Satan might be sitting at the Oklahoma Statehouse if a purported satanic group gets its way. The Satanic Temple submitted plans for a "Satan Statue" to be erected in the wake of new state laws that paved the way for a 10 Commandments monument.

http://www.kpopstarz.com/articles/73447/20140112/satan-statue-group-real-satanists-church-head-thinks-ugly-pedophilic.htm

" a 21-mile underground journey to Rome"

ROME — In a verdant valley east of Rome, Fabrizio Baldi admires a forgotten stretch of a two-tier Roman aqueduct, a stunning example of the emperor Hadrian's 2nd century drive to divert water from rural springs to his ever-thirstier capital.

But Baldi, 36, is less interested in the graceful arches than in where the aqueduct's span ends, hidden in a wooded slope across a stream, halfway up the side of the valley. Scrambling through thick brambles, he comes across a large hole in the ground that appears to be the start of a tunnel.  "This is where the water poured off the aqueduct and started a 21-mile underground journey to Rome."

Baldi is one of about 80 amateur speleologists who spend their weekends crawling down underground channels with laser scanners and GPS in an effort to conclusively map the city's network of 11 ancient aqueducts for the first time in modern history. In doing so, they have turned up underground stretches that nobody remembered.

http://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-roman-aqueducts-20140101,0,2669673.story

" Paris to New York in four hours and fourteen minutes"

Supersonic passenger travel was stopped when Air France and British Airways cancelled their transatlantic Concorde service, however the Aerion Supersonic Business Jet aims to change this, with the impressive ability to carry up to 12 passengers and able to travel at speeds of up to mach 1.5 for more than 4,000 miles. The jet is currently undergoing extensive testing to reach this perfection before its grand unveiling.

Making it possible to travel from Paris to New York in four hours and fourteen minutes, this supersonic jet is causing great excitement amongst travellers and jet lovers across the globe.

http://www.gcprive.com/the-aerion-supersonic-business-jet-luxury-air-travel-at-high-speed/

So much to see in this world of ours . . .

The Sunsphere - 1982, Knoxville, United States - 1982 World's Fair result.

" as fleet as the wind and as graceful as swans"

They are the stars of the sea. Star Clipper and Star Flyer are as fleet as the wind and as graceful as swans.

Inspired by the tall ship Preussen, the Royal Clipper has the proud distinction of being the largest and only five-masted full-rigged sailing ship built since her predecessor was launched at the beginning of the last century. With her complement of 42 sails, Royal Clipper is a splendid sight to behold.

You might think she was an apparition from the grand age of sail, but Royal Clipper is as new as tomorrow, boasting state-of-the-art navigation systems and every comfort and luxury one could wish for. For connoisseurs of sail cruising, the 439 foot Royal Clipper offers the ultimate sea-going experience, balancing the grandeur, adventure and tradition of sailing with the superb service, amenities and accommodations of the finest modern yacht. Royal Clipper carries just 227 guests in luxurious style. A full 19,000 square feet of open deck and three swimming

pools create a wonderfully spacious and expansive outdoor environment.

 

http://www.starclipperholidays.co.uk/SHIPS/STAR-FLYER/Overview.aspx

Western Scrub Jay

Myanmar (Burma)

 

Looks like a new Las Vegas casino but with class.

The Huracán

The Lamborghini Gallardo has soldiered valiantly for the last several years of its decade-long run, with special edition upon special edition making the very most out of its now aged platform. But the Gallardo's time has come. A new Lamborghini has arrived. The Huracán.

To be precise, it's the Huracán LP 610-4. As you suspect, the 610 references the car's horsepower, though as usual, it's metric, so the American horsepower figure is closer to 600. Nevertheless, the 5.2-liter V-10 that produces the power, which arrives at a screaming 8,250 rpm, now benefits from direct fuel injection and also generates 480 pound-feet of torque.

In the Huracán's 3,140-pound chassis, that 600-horsepower V-10 is, as predicted, matched to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and capable of accelerating you to 62 mph in just 3.2 seconds--a figure that's likely to brush against the 3.0-second mark in the real world when the measure is 60 mph. Keeping your foot to the floor, 124 mph arrives in 9.9 seconds, and, if you have the nerves--and the nearly limitless closed course--for it, the Huracán will carry on to a top speed of more than 202 mph.

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2013/12/20/lamborghini-huracan-lp-610-4-storms-in/

"an underwater observatory"

Eilat is a city in the most southern part of Israel. 65,000 people live in Eilat (as of 2007).
Eilat is at the southern end of the Negev Desert and the northern end of the Gulf of Aqaba on the Red Sea. It is an important port for Israel. Ships bring many products to Israel from the Far East and other places here.

Many tourists from Israel and other countries visit Eilat to enjoy the desert views, beaches and all-year warm weather. The temperature can easily reach more than 40 °C (104 °F) in summer and 21 °C (70 °F) in winter. The sea water is between 20 and 26 °C (68 and 79 °F). Coral reefs grow in the sea near Eilat and people can see them by scuba diving or from an underwater observatory.

http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eilat

2013 BMW i8 Concept

The BMW i8 specifications sheet reveals an equally impressive and innovative technology.  Acceleration of 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) comes in under five seconds while offering a fuel in the European cycle of under three liters per 100 kilometers (approx. 94 mpg imp). These figures are currently beyond the capability of any vehicle powered by a combustion engine. Thanks to its large lithium-ion battery which can be charged from a domestic power supply, the BMW i8 Concept can travel up to 35 kilometers (approx. 20 miles) on electric power alone. Passengers� high comfort levels remain a priority for BMW and the 2+2-seater offers enough space for four people, giving it a high level of everyday practicality.

BMW i8, with its innovative plug-in hybrid concept, combines the modified electric drive system from the BMW i3 Concept � fitted over its front axle � with a high-performance three-cylinder combustion engine producing 164 kW/220 hp and 300 Nm (221 lb-ft) at the rear. Working in tandem, they allow the two drive systems to display their respective talents to the fullest, delivering the performance of a sports car, but with the fuel consumption of a small car. 

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=bmw+18+concept&newwindow=1&client=firefox-a&hs=aVH&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=i1GZUtDdIZLvoATpmYKwDw&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1120&bih=702#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=J5t7vLJqr9lAlM%3A%3B5ZDDt5w39ClPOM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252F4.bp.blogspot.com%252F-qGI31w-8QqI%252FTjM5nq-k1WI%252FAAAAAAAACr0%252FPCv-Is6ZwGs%252Fs1600%252F2013-BMW-i8-Concept%252B%252525284%25252529.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fautoforcar2013.blogspot.com%252F2011%252F07%252F2013-bmw-i8-concept.html%3B1600%3B1077

Honda FCEV Concept teases 2015

Inside the HONDA FCEV there’s space for five, thanks to a more power-dense fuel-cell stack that, despite being a third smaller than before, now has a 60-percent higher power density. The whole powertrain can now fit under the hood, rather than being spread out through the car.
Honda is keen to point out that the FCEV Concept is, just as its name suggests, a concept and not exactly what the eventual production car in 2015 will necessarily look like. Still, that road-going version will take cues from the concept.

https://www.google.com/search?q=honda+fcev&newwindow=1&client=firefox-a&hs=nvb&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=402ZUq6pAYPioATM_oGwDQ&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1120&bih=702#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=OOGySUFWhMtONM%3A%3BLZ5pb9WGhOcUkM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fcdn.slashgear.com%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252F2013%252F11%252FHonda_FCEV_Concept_04.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.slashgear.com%252Fhonda-fcev-concept-teases-2015-fuel-cell-car-21306488%252F%3B1280%3B839

Not Just Your Typical Fairs And Festivals in Mexico

Fairs and festivals celebrating everything from saint's days, to animals, to death are a daily fact of life in Mexico. US travelers are familiar with many of them, from Cinco de Mayo to Day of the Dead to seemingly endless Christmas celebrations. But many of Mexico's events are either not well known or are simply unlike anything you'll find in the rest of the world.

http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=11976254#editor/target=post;postID=7824271451530373568

History Abounds . . .

The photo above shows the Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. William the Conqueror built the original White tower in 1078. The tower began as a royal residence and was converted to a prison around 1100. The tower was expanded numerous times throughout the 12th and 13th century to become what we see today, a massive fortress looming over the river Thames. The Tower of London is haunted by some of the most famous names in England’s history including Thomas Becket, Henry VI, the Two Princes and Queen Anne Boleyn.

http://www.medievalarchives.com/2010/10/31/medieval-archives-podcast-episode-10-the-tower-of-london/

Could you ask for more ???

Steven Harris Architects designed the Surfside Residence on Montauk Point peninsula in New York. The home has private access to a beach, heated swimming pool, spa and best of all an amazing view looking out over the ocean. Talk about a dream home.

"the fairy tale castle“

Neuschwanstein castle is perched above Hohenschwangau, near Füssen in Southern Bavaria. Its construction started in 1869 on orders of king Ludwig II of Bavaria, who idealized a Middle-Ages chivalry castle.

To this day, it is one of Germany's most renowned monuments, attracting over a million tourists every year. Often described as "the fairy tale castle“, Neuschwanstein opened for visitors just 7 weeks after the king's death. It still amazes today by what were technological exploits of the times: it featured a central hot air heating system, hot running water, a meal elevator, as well as the telephone.

http://www.baviere-quebec.org/archives/wsd/00275/index.php.en

Style Counts

Takashi Kobayashi built this tree-house tea house worthy of Dwell magazine at the Niki Club in Nasu, Japan. 

http://www.latimes.com/features/home/la-lh-the-tree-houses-of-takashi-kobayashi-20130221,0,642630.photogallery

2014 Mercedes-Benz S550

The last word in luxury limos hasn't been spoken until Mercedes-Benz has had the floor. Herr Dr. Benz’s firm was making the preferred shipping containers for the mostly unelected elite when Audi was merely a business plan, when BMW was in the bubble-car business, and when the word “lexus” was just badly butchered Latin. No company in this market has more experience catering to finicky buyers.

Thus does Mercedes now deliver its latest take on the executive-level sedan after just about everybody else, from Hyundai to Hongqi, has taken a shot. Over the years, Benz and its closest competitors have reduced power, handling, and comfort to commodities. Supplying them in overabundance is the table ante now, so the strategy with the new S, code-named W222 and initially available in the U.S. as the S550 and S550 4MATIC, has been to think of what else the rich desire even before the rich think of it themselves. 

For example, absolutely nobody knows he needs two reverse gear ratios or stereo-speaker mood lights in seven driver-selectable colors. At least, not yet. Or seat coolers that suck (air) for four minutes before they blow, which does indeed chill your sweaty backside more quickly. The “hot-stone massage” feature, also optional, feels as if somebody were poking you with warm snooker balls. And the softer pillows on the headrests of the two optional, electrically reclining “executive” rear chairs are like dunking your head into clotted cream. Americans even get special maxi air conditioning that can channel a nor’easter at your chest, something Europeans hate, apparently. 

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2014-mercedes-benz-s-class-s550-first-drive-review