Year: 2017

Some very big little airplanes

Markozen.com Aviation

Model aircraft have gotten very big. Big enough that they have to be powered by miniature jet engines.

model7

 F-14 Tomcat

A major development is the use of small jet turbine engines in hobbyist models, both surface and air. Model-scale turbines resemble simplified versions of turbojet engines found on commercial aircraft, but are in fact new designs (not based upon scaled-down commercial jet engines.)

The first hobbyist-developed turbine was developed and flown in the 1980s by Gerald Jackman in England, but only recently has commercial production (from companies such as Evojet in Germany) made turbines readily available for purchase. Turbines require specialized design and precision-manufacturing techniques (some designs for model aircraft have been built from recycled turbocharger units from car engines), and consume a mixture of A1 jet fuel and synthetic turbine engine or motorcycle-engine oil.

These qualities, and the turbine’s high-thrust output, makes owning and operating a turbine-powered aircraft prohibitively expensive for most hobbyists, as well as many nations’ national aeromodeling clubs (as with the USA’s AMA) requiring their users to be certified to know how to safely and properly operate the engines they intend to use for such a model. Jet-powered models attract large crowds at organized events; their authentic sound and high speed make for excellent crowd pleasers.

model SR71

SR-71 Blackbird

model2

U.S. Coast Guard C-130J Hercules, this monster does get airborne.

model3

Airbus A-380

model4

B-52 Stratofortress bomber

model5

C-17 Globemaster

model6

British Vulcan bomber. Fire extinguisher? Oh oh.

model8

Israeli F-16 Fighting Falcon

model9

Boeing 747-400. See vid below.

New York City Skyline

Markozen.com Buildings

sky1

skyscraper

The changing skyline. The Hudson Yards development will add 5 huge new skyscrapers to the skyline. The main tower will be 30 Hudson Yard. It will have one of the most spectacular outdoor observation decks in the world. The building is scheduled for completion in 2019.

sky2

sky1a

sky3

sky4

sky5

Heights don’t scare some people. Is that guy wearing yoga pants?

helicopter

The Lighthouse Hotel

Markozen.com Offbeat

Described by some as the “loneliest hotel in Germany,” the Roter Sand lighthouse, some 30 miles off the coast of Bremerhaven, Lower Saxony, has been welcoming guests for over 10 years. But the lighthouse itself is 125 years old.

The Roter Sand was built in 1885, and was considered a technical marvel at that time as it was the first ever structure built on the sea floor at a depth of 22 metres. For almost 80 years the red, white and black lighthouse was the first thing sailors saw on their way into the port city, and the last thing millions of emigrants saw before their ships reached the North Sea on their journey to the New World. But by 1964 its steel foundations became unstable and the lighthouse was decommissioned.

roter-sand1

In1987, a spectacular rescue action restored the 31-metre tall building’s foundation, and following a restoration of the interior, the German Foundation for Monument Protection (DSD) worked to open the protected lighthouse to the public. Since the first visitors scaled the stairs of the Roter Sand in 1999, the lighthouse has welcomed some 5,500 day trippers and 800 overnight guests.

Earlier the lighthouse keepers were hauled up to the lighthouse in a large basket. Guests are however afforded the luxury of a step-bridge between the structure and a tugboat to enter which is more secure than traveling on a basket.

roter-sand3

A picture from 1929 shows the use of the basket.

With room for up to six overnight guests, the tower comprises one communal bedroom, a combined kitchen and living area, and a bathroom. Guests must supply their own sleeping bags and towels but will arrive to find a fully-stocked kitchen, although they must do their own cooking. There is also no electricity or heating.

There is also a ban on alcohol in the lighthouse due to the 70 well-worn steps between this room and the toilet.

roter-sand5

Day trips to the Roter Sand run around €75. Two days with one overnight stay are a little pricier at €488 per person, and three days with two nights costs €573 per person. But those hoping to visit the Roter Sand will have to be patient. The tugboat “Goliath” can only make the trip to the lighthouse on calm seas, which means that bookings – available only June through September – can be cancelled at the last minute. The guests who stay in the lighthouse can also get stuck if the weather turns bad overnight preventing their pickup the next day.

The Roter Sand celebrated its 125th birthday on November 1, last year. In honor of the lighthouse’s birthday, the German tourism board plans to spend €150,000 on renovations next year.

roter-sand2

A postcard from 1907.

roter-sand10

roter-sand9

roter-sand7

Image credit: Dharion

roter-sand8

Image credit: Lemark

Amusing Planet

Chinese Elevated Bus Will Travel Over Vehicles

Markozen.com Transportation

bus

Engineers in China have designed a novel new transportation method in the form of an enormous elevated bus which may make traffic jams a thing of the past.

The innovative vehicle, dubbed the ‘Transit Elevated Bus,’ would cruise along Chinese highways passing over cars and trucks that are driving below it.

Propelled via rails embedded in the road, the giant bus is designed to seat an incredible 1,200 passengers in its three massive carriages.

The engineer tasked with implementing the project contends that construction of the bus should cost a fraction of what it would take to build a new subway and accrue considerably less maintenance costs as well.

And, despite its futuristic appearance, the jaw dropping vehicle looks to be comparatively easy to construct as Chinese officials expect to begin testing the first ‘mega bus’ later this year.

Provided the trial period goes well, the Transit Elevated Bus could be in widespread use throughout Chinese cities sometime in the next year or two.

Whether the unique vehicle makes it way over to America in the future remains to be seen, but we’re hopeful that it does, because it looks like an incredibly fun way to travel and an awesome way to beat the traffic.

VLT gambling control card could stop a lot of grief 2 comments

Markozen.com Human condition, Offbeat

Many people are inclined to take the leap into the dark and deep abyss that is Video Lottery Terminal addiction.  Once they sit down in front of the electronic bandits they can’t pull away until the mortgage payment or rent money has been swallowed up by the little mechanized devils.  For a small percentage of the population VLT’s have become a major problem.  A drain and burden financially and psychologically.

Since the widespread introduction of the gambling machines back in the early 1990’s in Canada provincial governments have become addicted to the revenue they generate.  In Manitoba some half-hearted attempts have been made to reduce the negative impact the mesmerizing metal buckets inflict on addicts.  Reducing the number of machines in establishments was one effort.  Come to think about it, that was the only effort.  Now hard-core VLT addicts have to drive around to different lounges and bars to find an open machine.  But if that doesn’t work they can drive to one of the provincially run casinos where there are hundreds of the contraptions waiting to suck dry the last hundred dollars from a down and out addict.

But there may be an idea out there that will help control the out of control gamblers.  The good people of Norway came up with the idea after experiencing many social problems caused by VLT addiction.  It is a VLT gambling control card.  VLT’s are configured where they can’t take coins or bills, only government issued cards.  A player can only get credits of $400 to $500 on the card per month.  When the $500 is used up the player has to wait until the 1st of the next month to get back into the action.  $500 is still not pocket change, but some addicts report spending thousands of dollars a month on the hazardous machines.

But before this takes place the Libertarians will be screaming about more government regulations affecting the average Joe’s life.  If the idiot can’t control his gambling urges tough luck.  Stay out of our lives government, the strong and righteous will prevail.  After all what is next?  Spending limit cards on beer consumption.  A person will only be allowed to spend $400 dollars a month on beer.  Where does it end?  Will there be spending limit cards on potato chips and chocolate bars?  The government is trying to control every aspect of our lives. Vive laissez-faire!

But if this control card idea can stop the horrid gambling problems that certain people face let’s go ahead with it.  Governments started this VLT blitz on society, it should be the government’s responsibility to help rectify gambling addiction.

Opulent Beverly Hills Mansion

Markozen.com Buildings

In the United States, and the western world for the most part, if a person is very intelligent, ambitious, is a workaholic and has a burning desire to make tons of money, opulence can be achieved.  A person can make many millions of dollars, or for that matter billions of dollars.  What to do with all that wealth.  The sky is the limit, i.e. private jets. But back on earth one can build or buy outrageously ostentatious mansions.

The mansion below is listed at 41 million dollars. It is 13,200 square feet and has everything a Saudi prince would desire.

  beverly hills

beverly hills1

beverly hills2

beverly hills3

A lap pool that runs around half of the house.

beverly hills4

beverly hills5

beverly hills7

beverly hills6

beverly hills8

beverly hills9

Glass walled garage

beverly hills10

This is nuts!

The ramp leading up to a courtyard and the garage.

beverly hills11

beverly house 13,200 square feet

Beverly Hills, Oh my!

beverly hills12