#Parts For North American Outdoors

[grillpartshub-blog]

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[ask-nyc-boroughs]

Early Appalachian frontiersman Alfred in buckskin circa 1790- 1810s. I’m trying to figure out how to paint like NC Wyeth digitally (so lol the background is Wyeth’s).

Gonna ramble a bit about my nor’easter au and Alfred below the cut

Following the American Revolution, Alfred is immediately sent out to squash any rebellions (like whiskey rebellion) and to partake in wars against Indigenous nations like the Cherokee. I’ll save a discussion about the Cherokee wars for another time because that’ll take a long time to explain + I’m still working on my Cherokee oc and I need to understand Cherokee history and perspective more before I go forward with talking about this topic.

Now the many of the east coast states are older than Alfred, and they mostly supported him during the revolution because they thought he’d be easy to control given at the time of the revolution he wasn’t tied down as any colony or city. However, he was a New Englander and very obviously so

He was once Plymouth colony and he grew up alongside his cousin Henry/Massachusetts, but by the time the revolution occurred, his status was unclear and he was simply living with his cousin (who’s his earliest and most fierce supporter) .

These states operated like countries and part of why the had the revolution was to continue to self-govern and maintain their regional cultures. It’s also part of why the federal government initially was rather weak. Given Alfred’s closeness to his cousin, and his very staunch New England identity, I think the states would be hesitant over a strong New England national control. And so I think they especially Jennie/NY & Rich/Virginia encouraged Alfred to leave his cousin for a while, and partake in military campaigns (+ he was good at battle).

Also Alfred was like 14, and I don’t think he’s ever been the type to sit down and do paperwork. Honestly he was always a bad student, who was far more interested in the outdoors, horses, sailing and hunting. While he won the war, and he was fine with being head of state, he still didn’t 1) have confidence in himself to make non-military related decisions 2) he just wasn’t mentally ready to take on the responsibilities and was fine deferring it to his states like Jennie, Rich, or Henry to figure out matters that weren’t military related. He was irresponsible and it would come back to bite him in the ass during the Civil War.

Alfred on a personal level it was probably good for him to get away from his overly critical cousin who can be overbearing, but also so he would get more experience to deeply get to know his states.

Also Alfred, growing up in New England, he was a little ball of rage as a kid and he has a difficult time managing his emotions. He wasn’t exactly the personable seemingly fun loving Alfred of the present. Not that he couldn’t crack a joke, but ok I’m not from New England, but in the northeast I find we’re rather cynical, un-filtered and sarcastic and tbh kind of asssholes in the way we have fun and in our humor. That’s how he was, which is like fine unless you’re trying to appeal to the rest of the nation lol which he would have to

I think his time spent in Appalachia and the south did help him learn more about his other states especially Maisie/ North Carolina. But also helped him learn more how to let go some of this intense New England rage, and how to better control his emotions. But also let loose in a way that isn’t so dark and cynical. Also I think this helped him slowly learn how to speak with less of a New England specific accent

He was also able to observe states like Rich and Carl/ South Carolina and gain an understanding of how being able to control your emotions, can help control your image and how others perceive you. So these are the origins of how he slowly began to shape and become at least in public this overly friendly happy go lucky Alfred.

I’ll save a discussion about his interactions with the Appalachian states more explicitly another time I’m just tired😴 fr rn

[is-the-snake-video-cute]

Two questions really!

Is there a venom difference that leads to different treatment styles in comparison between Australian and North American snakes?

I’m Australian and here the drill is basically ‘snake bandage’. Snake bandage is first stage for All Venomous Snakes here and it’s drilled into us the importance of it.

When I worked in America for a bit, everyone was (by my experience) just So Chill about picking up logs/sticking their hands places they couldn’t see. Truly just gave me constant anxiety.

They also just, didn’t have any knowledge of snake bandages. We had none on site (at an outdoor summer camp!!!) and it totally freaked me out. Is there any reason you would not snake bandage a North American snake bite- because containing the venom would be a worse outcome than letting it continue in the bloodstream/lymph system?

Also because you sometimes work with Australian snake folks, we may have a connection in common! I took classes with Dr Brian Fry (UQ venom lab) at uni!!

Here's the thing about differences in care for Australian snake bites: all venomous Australian snakes are elapids, and everywhere else in the world there are also vipers hanging around. Unless you know, without a single doubt, that you were bitten by an elapid, you should never, ever use compression bandages on a snake bite. Ever. If you use one of those on a viper bite, you're going to trap the venom in the area, and because viper venom destroys cells, it'll cause massive tissue damage. In Australia, you should do it! Anywhere else, if you do it, you're running a very real risk of losing whatever body part you were bitten on. Anywhere other than Australia, using a compression bandage can be the difference between an unpleasant few days in hospital and losing your arm.

I do agree with you that a lot of Americans can be amazingly unconcerned about sticking body parts into crevices and under rocks/logs/etc., but that's also because I was born in Appalachia and if you go around sticking your body parts in holes here, you're going to get stuck in a sinkhole. A lot of people here really don't learn a lot about snake safety the way you all do in Australia - part of that is because US snakes are almost all vipers, and viper bites are typically a lot less urgent.

Also wow, small world! One of my best friends works at the Queensland lab. I don't do any work with venomous spiders at my lab and he showed me how they extract their venom there, it was really cool but looked so nerve-wracking because the spiders are so little!

[reedeemable]

DBH Children Headcanons

Just like to preface this by saying that I love making fan-children for my favourite ships so I don’t care about “oh they wouldn’t have kids” or “this doesn’t make sense”. This is for my own amusement so just letting you know before you go on.

Also, I can't draw for shit but if people like my dbh children and want to see more, I will make them on the Sims or online (dress up games) and post them here. Let me know if that's something that would be of interest. I'll also answer asks about them and whatever if anyone is interested

Taglist for those who said that they were interested in my headcanons: @sundownridge @kristopher-1105 @dbhstruggleposting @glass-noodle @fearlessjones @heiko-goes-detroit

Connor + Hank

Name: Nicole (named after Cole)

Birthday: May 21st (gemini)

Appearance: She has Hank’s eyes and Connor’s hair. Her hair is fluffy/curly (like Bryan’s hair) and its shoulder length, tied into a ponytail (she also has a fluffy/curly fringe similar to Connor’s)

Other features: She has Connor’s freckles (not exact but similar) and wears glasses (inspired by the popular headcanon that human Connor wears them)

Info/Background: So, my headcanon for their child is that Connor is the one who asks Hank if they can have a child. Connor has been seeing other androids having their own families and he wants one as well. He would never pressure Hank into this but Hank agrees of his own volition and even though he’s older now, a part of him wants to try again. They have a baby via science (it’s the future, doesn’t need to make sense, haha) Because it is through science, they’re able to give her Connor’s hair and freckles but her facial features (skin, shape of eyes, nose etc) come from Hank’s dna.

Personality: - Ok so, for their daughter, I headcanon her to be someone who is adventurous and loves to have fun. She loves being outdoors, being active and anything athletic, like sports and dancing - She loves the heat and hates the cold (this is a nod to how cole died) - Even though her name is Nicole, she prefers the name Nicky (Hank called her that in the beginning because he couldn't bear to say "cole" yet and it just stuck) - She knows different forms of self-defence, mainly due to Connor's influence and she loves it. She can pull of moves that even has Connor going "damn" - She smiles a lot, like a lot a lot. Very rarely will you ever see her not smiling and laughing

Favourites: - Colour: Pink/blues - Symbol: Heart

Jericrew

Name: Riley (named after Markus’ removed romantic interest, Riley)

Birthday: November 9th (scorpio)

Appearance: Similar to her game counterpart, except her braid goes down her back instead of to the side (to distinguish her from north but in my head, she wears her hair like north's because she admires her so much) and she has grey eyes (this is a nod to her eyes being blurred out in her images)

Info/Background: Riley is left at New Jericho’s doorstep. Jericrew know that they should hand her over to humans but despite the positive aftermath of the revolution, they are still distrustful of humans. By time they decide what to do, they have already fallen for her. After caring for her for a while, Markus is inspired to fight for androids rights to adopt human children. Of course, humans are not pleased about this and there is a huge argument and debate around it but eventually it is legalised and she becomes part of their family.

Personality: So, even though her personality isn't touched upon at all, I've come up with some traits from the information and pics shown in Riley's wiki - Becomes an artist (inspired by Markus) - Good listener and advisor - Self-confident and assured - Into the boho style - Loves plants and flowers - Well-educated (this part comes from Josh, who would have taught her a lot)

Favourites: - Colour: Jade - Symbol: Chevron

Markus + Simon

Name: Milo

Birthday: July 8th (cancer)

Appearance: He is African American with short brown Afro-textured hair, shaved at the sides and light brown eyes

Info/Background: Milo is adopted by Markus and Simon after Riley grows up a bit. I imagine that because Simon is a domestic droid, he loves kids and once Riley becomes older, he aches for having a little one around the house again.

Personality: - Him being into fashion and dressing cool (since people love how Markus and Simon dress) is always something that I've liked - Combination of Markus and Simon's traits (determined, loyal, soft etc etc)

Favourites: - Colour: Dark pink

Leo + KL900

Name: Scarlett (named after Carl)

Birthday: August 15th (leo)

Appearance: So, because she was created through science, she looks like Leo and a KL900 combined. (edit: changed her hair colour and style). She has brown hair like Leo's which is short and curly (similar to Lucy's concept design) and Leo's eyes

Info/Personality: So, a little backstory on this crack-ship. Because KL900’s are created for social care, I headcanon that they have them in rehab centers. While at rehab, Leo meets a KL900 (which I have dubbed Kelly) and they fall for each other. Their daughter is born after Carl dies (of age) and Leo names her after him.

Personality: - Wants to become an actress - Has Leo's jealousy issues - Is confident in her abilities which makes her come off as a bit vain

Favourites: - Colour: Cyan - Symbol: Teardrop

Chris Miller

Name: Damian

Birthday: August 9th (leo)

Appearance: Ok this is just me but I headcanon that he dyes his hair part blonde during his teen years. I’m probably the only person whose given any thought about Damian’s appearance but ever since it entered by head, it won’t leave

Personality: - Ok, so because Chris' concept name was Chad, I headcanon Damian to be the definition of the slang meaning of a "chad" (but without all the assholishness that comes with it)

Favourites: - Colour: Beige

Name: Talia (name changed)

Birthday: June 30th (cancer)

Appearance: Chris’ hair/eye colour and Afro-textured hair that falls down to her shoulders

Info/Background: Not much to say except that I headcanon that he would have another child somewhere down the line

Personality: - She has a very "airy" personality. Like air, she's light, bouncy, free and just chill to get along with. She's gentle, caring, respectful and kind - Cries easily

Favourites: - Colour: Violet - Symbol: Butterfly

Gavin + Nines

Name: Curtis (named after Gavin’s concept name. Also Curtis means “polite/courteous and given Gavin’s personality, I think that is hilarious 😂)

Birthday: September 18th (virgo) (birthday changed cause I realised I had the wrong date/star sign)

Appearance: He has Gavin’s eyes and Nines’ hair colour. His hair is a combination of Bryan’s curly hair and Gavin’s hair from the reed900 movies (I haven’t watched them but I’ve seen a lot of fan-art with Gavin’s hair drawn like his and it seems appropriate to give his son that hairstyle) Because it is through science, they’re able to give him Nines’ hair and freckles but his facial features (skin, shape of eyes, nose etc) come from Gavin’s dna.

Other features: He has Nines’ freckles (not exact but similar)

Info/Background: I headcanon that after Nicole is born, Nines and Gavin both get baby fever and want a child as well. Science baby, of course.

Personality: - So, I know that this isn't original but I like the idea of Gavin's kid being the opposite of him. Curtis is polite, courteous, well-behaved, never swears, humble, friendly, sociable, charming, funny, everyone who meets him just thinks he's so nice etc etc - But in saying that, there a few traits he gets from Gavin. He is ambitious and an over-achiever. He's not bookish per-say but wants to do his best at anything he tries - I know I said he never swears but that's more in general. He will swear if he's mad or if he hurts himself by accident (stubbing his toe etc) - Also, his first word was "phck" much to shock of both Nines and Gavin, the latter swearing black and blue that he never said it in front of him (he did)

Favourites: - Colour: Green

Tina + ST300

Name: Katie

Birthday: October 19th (libra)

Appearance: She has Tina’s eyes and Staci’s (my name for the st300) hair that is shoulder length and tied into two low pigtails

Other features: She has freckles like Staci

Info/Background: A couple years after Gavin and Nines have their child, Tina and Staci decide to have one through science as well. Because it is through science, they’re able to give her Staci’s hair and freckles but her facial features (skin, shape of eyes, nose etc) come from Tina’s dna.

Personality: - I headcanon that she has fanon Tina's personality. If you've ever read most reed900 fics, you'll know that Tina has been given the traits of "party-animal, doesn't take shit, loves to tease, always the optimism to Gavin's cynicism, always has her friend's backs etc" - Since we don't know much about canon Tina, I gave her fanon traits to Katie

Favourites: - Colour: Olive green - Symbol: Flower

Elijah + Chloe

Name: Adam (a nod to the first man on earth because Adam is the first human born from an android)

Birthday: February 3rd (aquarius)

Appearance: He has Eli’s hair colour (his original brown, not his dyed hair) and eye colour. His hair is half-shaven and swept to one side

Info/Background: I headcanon that Eli has been experimenting and he alters Chloe so that she is able to give birth to children. Eli tells no one until Chloe is pregnant. The world is informed and watches to see if it works. It does and even though only one was predicted to be born, they have twins. Because this is the first baby born through an android, only Kamski's dna is able to be used so he has his eyes, hair, facial features etc Personality: - Genius (like his father) - Relaxed and nonchalant. Not a serious person - Enjoys the spotlight and fame of not only being a Kamski but also being the first human born from an android - Frivolous with money - Social butterfly, loves being around people and going to parties - Loves being in public - Always in the media for somethingFavourites: - Colour: Blue

Name: Ava (a nod to Eve but the e’s are changed to a’s to be alliterate with Adam’s name)

Birthday: February 3rd (aquarius)

Appearance: She has Eli’s hair colour (his original brown, not his dyed hair) and eye colour. Her hair is long and styled into a high ponytail

Info/Background: Same as Adam’s

Personality: - Genius (like her father) - Business savvy and ambitious (I haven't picked a career for her yet but she becomes highly successful like Eli) - Workaholic - Stubborn - Studious - Unlike her twin, she is smart with money - Is wary of befriending people because of her fame and status - Prefers to keep her personal business private - Not a big fan of the media

Favourites: - Colour: Red - Symbol: Diamond

Name: Noah

Birthday: March 8th (pisces)

Appearance: He has Chloe’s hair and Eli’s eyes. He has long hair that falls to his shoulders

Info/Background: Ok, so originally he wasn’t supposed to exist but after coming up with his personality and why he exists, I couldn’t resist. So, the reason why he was born is because Chloe wanted a child that looked like her. Because she was the first android to have a child, only Eli’s dna was used so Adam and Ava only have Kamski dna. Noah is more mixed.

Other features: Wears glasses

Personality: - Genius (he is the smartest of the three children) - So personally, I don't believe that Eli is evil but I know that it's a popular interpretation in the fandom so I went with it for his son - He is sociopathic and sadistic. He is reclusive, hates humanity and only respects his mother and other androids - He hates his father (because eli didn't want another child but only did it because chloe wanted it so while noah and chloe are extremely close, he isn't close with his father at all) - Because he is the third Kamski child, he isn't paid as much attention to as the other two by the public because he doesn't go out or isn't venturing into the business scene so this has left him bitter and jealous of his siblings - Wants to lead another android revolution and believes that androids should be ruling the world, not humans - Is loyal, obedient and very nurturing towards Chloe - To me, if I was a fic writer, Noah is someone who would be the big bad so his fate is that he would either end up dying or going to jail

Favourites: - Colour: Purple

Other

So, I made this next character purely for the purpose of shipping her with another one of my character's, Nicole but I lover her so much now that even if I changed my mind, she's staying

Name: Samantha Stern

Birthday: October 28th (scorpio)

Appearance: She has human Amanda's facial features, hair and eye colour. Her hair is straight and long

Other features: She wears glasses

Info/Background: Samantha Stern is a relative of Amanda Stern (the human amanda). She lived in England until she moves to Detroit. She meets Nicole in her young adult years and she ends up being a kindergarten teacher. I'm 50/50 on this but I like her having a british accent

Personality: - She is the opposite of AI Amanda in every way - She is an open book, has a warm attitude towards everyone, open to change, can be absent minded at times, encouraging, understanding, forgiving, compassionate and gentle - She's also independent and prefers to make her own way in life - When it comes to clothing, she hates big/dangly, shiny jewelery, long sleeved clothing and loves wearing dresses, skirts and shorts

Favourites: - Colour: Yellow - Symbol: Star

[louisupdates]

The Habit He Can’t Break, 1/4

IQ 123 | Gordon Masson | 9.11.2023

Usually, when an act completes a world tour, they come off the road for an extended period to rest, record new material, and then typically two or three years later, the wheels are set in motion for an album, released, promo, and tour dates.

Louis Tomlinson did not get that memo.

His first solo tour ran late due to the pandemic restrictions, meaning that by the time it concluded in September 2022, his second album, Faith in the Future, was scheduled to drop and tickets for the associated tour were ready to go on sale.

“This tour went on sale late October or November - basically a year in advance,” explains agent, Holly Rowland, who represents Tomlinson alongside Alex Hardee, internationally, while Wasserman Music colleagues, Marty Diamond and Ash Mowry-Lewis do likewise for North America. 

Despite that quick turnaround between tours, Rowland reports that ticket sales for the current tour are going very well indeed. “The first leg went through Scandinavia before doing the Baltics and Eastern Europe – Romania, Bulgaria, and Greece – places that most people, especially arena-level acts, don’t really go. And the second leg, which is more mainland Europe, started 2 October.”

The tour is big. Very big for just a second outing in his own name. 

Between May and July this year, Tomlinson played 39 dates in the US and Canada across a mix of amphitheaters, arenas, pavilions, and stadiums. In August, he returned to Europe, where he currently is in the midst of another 39 dates in arenas across the continent and the UK, which will take him to 18 November. Then, in early 2024, the Faith in the Future tour goes to Australia for two outdoor dates in Melbourne and Brisbane, before he takes the show to the country’s biggest indoor venue, the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney.

And, as IQ went to press, Louis Tomlinson released dates for a return to Latin America in May 2024 for a mix of indoor and outdoor shows, including stadia, across Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, and Uruguay.

“We’re going to Australia and part of Asia early next year,” states artist manager Matt Vines of London-based Seven 7 Management. We then go into Latin America in May and June. And then we’ll handpick a selection of festivals next summer, before we draw the line on the campaign at the end of the summer.”

Rowland comments, “The tour before obviously was a Covid tour where the dates had to be chopped and changed. The positive aspect of that was that we were able to upgrade venues where that made sense. But it was really nice to start from scratch on this tour to make sure the routing was all going in the right direction.”

Back to You

Playing a major role in shifting that ticketing inventory is a network of promoters also enjoying Tomlinsons rising star.

“On this tour, it’s mainly Live Nation – we use a lot of the One Direction promoter,” explains Rowland. “But for Greece, we used Honeycomb Live, Charmenko did Romania, 8 Days A Week promoted the three shows in the Baltics, All Things Live did Finland, Fource are doing Orague, it’s Gadget in Switzerland, Atelier in Luxembourg, and when we get to the UK, it’s SJM, and MCD in Ireland.”

With a total of 39 European dates, Rowland split the outing into separate legs, scheduling a break after Scandinavia, the Balkans, Baltics, and Athens, Greece, and another after mainland Europe, ending in Zürich, Switzerland. 

“It’s a perfect ratio, if I do say so myself,” she laughs. “It was right to split it up – 39 dates is a long, long tour, especially with the American tour throughout the summer being 11 weeks! We made sure to schedule days off, for everyone to recharge their batteries.”

In Spain, Nacho Córdoba at Live Nation promoted Tomlinson’s shows in Bilbao, Madrid, and Barcelona, and reports sell-outs at each of the arenas involved. 

“When Louis was last here, it was three days before the pandemic shut everything down in Spain. In fact, I think he played the final show before the market closed because of Covid.,” says Córdoba.

“Last year, Louis organized his Away From Home Festival in Fuengirola, and that also sold out, so we know he has a big following in Spain, and we also know that Spanish fans are super loyal. So, on this tour we sold out 7,000 tickets at Bilbao Arena Miribilla, 13,600 tickets at Wizink in Madrid, and 11,200 at Palau St Jordi in Barcelona.”

Already looking forward to Tomlinson “and his fantastic team” returning on the next tour, Córdoba believes it will be important to see what happens with the next album – and Tomlinson’s expectations – before making any plans. 

“The most important thing is to keep the fans happy and keep the momentum building with Louis,” he states. “I am a big fan of the arenas, because the atmosphere at his shows was incredible. So, rather than look at going bigger, it might be a case of looking at other arenas in other markets. Whatever he does, we cannot wait to have Louis back in Spain.”

Stefan Wyss at Gadget abc Entertainment in Switzerland promoted Tomlinson when he visited Zurich’s Hallenstadion on 23 October and explains that he previously played the city’s Halle 622 venue on the first tour.

Recalling the debut solo outing, Wyss tells IQ, “At first, we announced a mid-size theatre club show, 1,800-capacity, but it sold out instantly. Then we moved it to Halle 62, which is 3-500-cap and that also sold out immediately, so it was a really big success. 

“They’ve invested a lot in the production of this current tour, and it’s doing really strong numbers, so that’s why we decided to go to the arena this time around, where we set a mid-size capacity of 7,000, which is good for a small market like Switzerland, especially because he’s coming back just one year later and playing a much bigger show.”

Wyss adds, “He’s kept the ticket prices reasonable – and he never wants to do any gold circle or VIP tickets. I think that’s why he’s so close to his fans, because it’s not about maximising profits. Another reason for his success is that in addition to attracting a mainstream audience, he’s also getting the music lovers because he’s just a very good songwriter and has brilliant songs.”

Wyss also notes that with many young fans typically arriving the day before the concert, the responsibility to look after them is extended. “We set up toilets, we have security overnight, we give water away. It’s part of the organization that we will take care of the fans.”

Fresh from announcing 12 dates across Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Peru, Paraguay, Panama, Puerto Rico, and Uruguay, promoter Fabiano Lima De Queiroz at Move Concerts reports that Tomlinson will visit a mix of arenas, as well as stadiums in Santiago, São Paulo, and Buenos Aires, during his May tour.

“Our first tour with Louis was supposed to be in 2020 and we’d booked half arenas everywhere – 5,000–6,000 capacities,” he informs IQ. “Louis was one of those acts who connected very well with the fans during the pandemic, so when we shifted the dates, first to 2021, and then to 2022, we ended up selling out and having to upgrade in certain metropolitan markets.”

2/4, 3/4, 4/4

[dailytomlinson]

Faith In The Future Tour (Behind The Scenes) for IQ

Full interview with Matt Vines, tour promoters, agents and more people involved in the making of the tour under the cut:

Usually, when an act completes a world tour they come off the road for an extended period to rest, record new material, and then typically two or three years later the wheels are set in motion for an album release, promo, and tour dates. Louis Tomlinson did not get that memo. His first solo tour ran late due to the pandemic restrictions, meaning that by the time it concluded in September 2022, his second album, Faith In The Future, was scheduled to drop and tickets for the associated tour were ready to go on sale. 

“This tour went on sale last October or November ‒ basically a year in advance,” explains agent Holly Rowland, who represents Tomlinson, alongside Alex Hardee, internationally, while Wasserman Music colleagues Marty Diamond and Ash Mowry-Lewis do likewise for North America.

Despite that quick turnaround between tours, Rowland reports that ticket sales for the current tour are going very well indeed. “The first leg went through Scandinavia before doing the Baltics and Eastern Europe ‒ Romania, Bulgaria, and Greece ‒ places that most people, especially arena-level acts, don’t really go. And the second leg, which is more mainland Europe, started on 2 October.”

The tour is big. Very big for just a second outing in his own name.

Between May and July this year, Tomlinson played 39 dates in the US and Canada across a mix of amphitheaters, arenas, pavilions, and stadiums. In August, he returned to Europe, where he is currently in the midst of another 39 dates in arenas across the continent and the UK, which will take him to 18 November. Then, in early 2024, the Faith In The Future tour goes to Australia for two outdoor dates in Melbourne and Brisbane, before he takes the show to the country’s biggest indoor venue, the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney. 

And, as IQ went to press, Tomlinson released dates for a return to Latin America in May 2024 for a mix of indoor and outdoor shows, including stadia, across Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, and Uruguay. 

“We’re going to Australia and part of Asia early next year,” states artist manager Matt Vines of London-based Seven 7 Management. “We then go into Latin America in May and June. And then we’ll handpick a selection of festivals next summer, before we draw the line on the campaign at the end of the summer.”

Rowland comments, “The tour before obviously was Covid tour where the date had to be chopped and changed. The positive aspect of that was that we were able to upgrade venues where that made sense. But it was really nice to start from scratch on this tour to make sure the routing was all going in the right direction.” She reports, “We’ve done nearly 16,000 tickets in Amsterdam, and 14,000 in Paris, which I think just underlines his credibility as an artist and his growing reputation among fans.”

Playing a major role in shifting that ticketing inventory is a network of promoters also enjoying Tomlinson’s rising star.

“On this tour, it’s mainly Live Nation ‒ we use a lot of the One Direction promoter,” explains Rowland. “But for Greece, we used Honeycomb Live, Charmenko did Romania, 8 Days A Week promoted the three shows in the Baltics, All Things Live did Finland, Fource are doing Prague, it’s Gadget in Switzerland, Atelier in Luxembourg, and when we get to the UK, it’s SJM, and MCD in Ireland.”

With a total of 39 European dates, Rowland split the outing into separate legs, scheduling a  break after Scandinavia, the Balkans, Baltics and Athens, Greece and another after mainland Europe ending in Zurich, Switzerland. 

“It's a perfect ratio, if I do say so myself,” she laughs. “It was right to split it up ‒ 39 dates in a long, long tour, especially with the American tour throughout the summer being 11 weeks! We made sure to schedule days off, for everyone to recharge their batteries.”

In Spain, Nacho Córdoba at Live Nation promoted Tomlinson’s shows in Bilbao, Madrid, and Barcelona and reports sell-outs at each of the arenas involved. 

“When Louis was last here, it was three days before the pandemic shut everything down in Spain. In fact, I think he played the final show before the market closed because of Covid,” says Córdoba. 

“Last year, Louis organised his Away From Home festival in Fuengirola, and that also sold out, so we know he has a big following in Spain, and we also know that Spanish fans are super loyal. So, on this tour we sold out 7,000 tickets at Bilbao Arena Miribilla, 13,600 tickets at WiZink in Madrid, and 11,200 at Palau St Jordi in Barcelona.”

Already looking forward to Tomlinson “and his fantastic team” returning on the next tour, Córdoba believes it will be important to see what happens with the next album ‒ and Tomlinson’s expectations ‒ before making any plans.

“The most important thing is to keep the fans happy and keep the momentum building with Louis,” he states. “I am a big fan of the arenas, because the atmosphere at his shows was incredible. So, rather than look at going bigger, it might be a case of looking at other arenas in other markets. Whatever he does, we cannot wait to have Louis back in Spain.”

Stefan Wyss at Gadget abc Entertainment in Switzerland promoted Tomlinson when he visited Zurich’s Hallenstadion on 23 October and explains that he previously played the city’s Halle 622 venue on the first tour.

Recalling that debut solo outing, Wyss tells IQ, “At first, we announced a mid-size theatre club show, 1,800-capacity, but it sold out instantly. Then we moved it to Halle 622, which it 3,500-cap, and that also sold out immediately, so it was a really big success.

“They’ve invested a lot in the production of this current tour, and it’s doing really strong numbers, so that’s why we decided to go to the arena this time around, where we set a mid-size capacity of 7,000, which is good for a small market like Switzerland, especially because he’s coming back just one year later and playing a much bigger show.”

Wyss adds, “He’s kept the ticket prices reasonable ‒ and he never wants to do any gold circle or VIP tickets. I think that’s why he’s so close to his fans, because it’s not about maximising profits. Another reason for his success is that in addition to attracting a mainstream audience, he’s also getting music lovers because he’s just a very good songwriter and has brilliant songs.”

Wyss also notes that with many young fans typically arriving the day before the concert, the responsibility to look after them is extended. “We set up toilets, we have security overnight, we give water away. It’s part of the organization that we will take care of the fans.”

Fresh from announcing 12 dates across Argentina, Brazil (x 3), Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Pery, Paraguay, Panama, Puerto Rico, and Uruguay, promoter Fabiano Lime de Queiroz at Move Concerts reports that Tomlinson will visit a mix of arenas, as well as stadiums in Santiago, São Paulo, and Buenos Aires during his May tour.

“Our first tour with Louis was supposed to be in 2020 and we’d booked half arenas everywhere ‒ 5,000-6,000 capacities,” he informs IQ. “Louis was one of those acts who connected very well with the fans during the pandemic, so when we shifted dates, first to 2021, and then to 2022, we ended up selling out and having to upgrade in certain metropolitan markets.”

“In Santiago, for instance, we’d sold out two full arenas of 13,000 cap, but then the government declared that for mass gatherings the numbers needed to be limited to 10,000 people.”

Rather than let fans down, Move added a third date, which again ended up selling out. “I remember being on a night plane from Miami, while Matt Vines was flying in from Dallas, and we were both using the aircraft wi-fi to negotiate via text for that third show,” says Queiroz. “It was an interesting way to confirm putting the third date on sale, just three days before the actual show!” 

He adds, “We’re taking a big bet on this tour when it comes to the number of cities and the capacities of the venues, but we’re hoping for the best and we’ve gone out strong. We feel that the artist is in a good moment and that the latest album has just created more interest, so we’re looking forward to when he arrives in May.”

Further north, Ocesa will prompte three dates in Mexico, including a stadium show at the F1 circuit, Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, deepening Tomlinson’s footprint in that crucial North America market. 

Meanwhile, in Tomlinson’s homeland, Jack Downling at SJM is promoting seven UK dates in November at arenas in Sheffield, Manchester, Glasgow, Brighton, Cardiff, London, and Birmingham, which will round out the European leg of the tour.

“SJM has done every show Louis has been involved with, including all the One Direction arena and stadium shows,” notes Dowling, adding that on the first tour, the London show was originally pencilled in as a Roundhouse, then two Roundhouse shows, before finally being upgraded to Wembley Arena.

“This time, The O2 arena show in London will be sold out, while all the others have passed the expectations of where we wanted to be on this tour. In fact, when the UK dates were announced, it ranked as the fourth most engaged tour on social media in SJM’s history ‒ his fans are just nuts.”

But Downling also reports that the fanbase for Tomlinson is expanding. “The demographics are pulling not just from pop but also from indie rock now.”

Downling adds, “Louis really looks after his fans. On the last tour they did a deal with Greggs {bakery chain} to give free food to the people waiting in line, as some of them camped out for days in advance.”

Ensuring his fans are looked after properly is the number-one priority in Tomlinson’s live career. 

Noting that Tomlinson’s audience comprises mainly young women and girls, Rowland reveals that, at the artists’s insistence, a safety team has been added to the tour to ensure everyone that attends his shows is looked after. “Thry manage all the safety within the shows for the fans,” she explains. “They came in for the Wembley show last year and have been with us ever since ‒ they’ve been beneficial to the running of the tour.”

“When he played in South America, some of his fans were camping outside for a month. So we have a responsibility to look after them. Coming to a show should be a safe space, it’s where they find joy, and we have a responsibility to protect that.”

Manager Vines comments, “One issue we came up against almost all last year was crushing and fans passing out. We adopted a system where we could communicate with fans, who could hold up a mobile phone with a flashing red-and-white sign if they were in trouble but then we’d see them all popping up.”

“I don’t know whether some of that was a hangover of the pandemic where fans just weren’t used to being in venues. But we experienced a number of situations where hydration and temperatures in venues became an issue. I know Billie Eilish went through similar issues.”

With Tomlinson determined to meet a duty of care towards his fans, Vines says that the team now sends a “considerable advance package” to promoters ahead of their tour dates. “Our safety team goes into venues in the morning and basically ensures that a number of different things are in place ‒ making sure that water is given to the fans, where the water comes from, and at what points in the show it happens.”

And on the crushing phenomena, he reports, “We’ve worked out how many fans it’s safe to have without a secondary barrier. So we instruct promoters to have certain barriers in place to relieve that pressure and avoid crushing.”

He adds, “I get detailed incident reports after each show, which lets myself and my management team know exactly what happened, and so far on this tour, we haven’t had any issues with crushing or hydration, which is fantastic.”

Production manager Craig Sherwood is impressed by the way the tour has pivoted to protect the ‘Louies’. “The welfare officers are vital for the young girls who are aged from, I guess, 14 upwards. They can get dehydrated and malnourished pretty quickly if they are camping out for days, so it’s important that we look out for their wellbeing,” says Sherwood.

Citing the extremes that the Louies will put themselves through in an effort to secure themselves prime positions at the front of the stage, Sherwood recalls, “The first show on our US tour was in February, and it was freezing, but we found out that girls had been camping out on the pavement for five days. It’s crazy, as we know these young girls are coming from all over the world to see Louis.”

However, Tomlinson’s connection with those fans is evident in the level of merchandise sales at each show. “It’s a huge part of our business,” says Vines. “In America, we averaged about $36 a head, and it’s not much shy of that in Europe ‒ we’ve set a few national records in terms of spend per head. But we spend a lot of time on merch plans, and we do venue-specific drops and give it a lot of care and attention, as it’s a really important element of Louis’ business.”

Making sure that the Faith In The Future tour delivers Tomlinson to his growing legion of fans, PM Sherwoord’s long association with artist manager Vines made him the obvious choice when the artist first began his solo career.

“I remember doing a lot of promo dates around the UK and US before we started touring properly,” says Sherwood of his work with Tomlinson. “In fact, one of the first shows I remember doing with Louis was in Madrid when he played in a stadium, and I could see it was a taste of things to come.”

The partnership between Sherwood and Vines is crucial.

“In terms of the show growing, our biggest challenge is keeping costs down, because we’re extremely cautious on ticket pricing,” says Vines. “We don’t do dynamic pricing, we don’t do platinium ticketing, we don’t do paid VIPs, we don’t increase ticket prices on aisle seats ‒ all those tricks that everyone does that most fans don’t know about: we don’t do any of those.”

“So, when it comes to the production side of things, we need to be incredibly careful. But I’ve been working with Craig for a decade, and he knows the importance of trying to keep costs as low as possible. For instance, we’ll run the show virtually a number of times so Louis can watch it with the show designer, Tom Taylor, make comments and tweak things. Then we’ll go into pre-production. But we try to do as much in virtual reality as possible before we take it into the physical world.”

Sherwood states, “Basically, we started out with two or three trucks, but now we’re up to nine, and things seem to be getting bigger day by day.”

Thankfully, Sherwood has amassed a vastly experienced crew over the years, allowing them to handle even the most unexpected scenarios. “I’ve been touring since the dawn of time, but the core crew I work with now have been together since about 2010, and I trust them implicitly, so I leave it up to them who they hire, as long as they think I’m going to like them, and they’ll get along with everyone. So far, it has worked well,” Sherwood reports.

And that veteran crew has dealt with some terrifying weather extremes on the current tour, including a show at Red Rocks in Colorado where the audience were subjected to a freak storm with golf ball-sized hailstones injuring dozens of people.

Elsewhere, the crew has had to act quickly when the threat of high winds in Nashville caused problems on that outdoor run. “We didn’t want the video screens blowing about above the heads of the band, so it must have been amusing for the audience to see us taking them down,” Sherwood reports.

Indoors in Europe, the environment has been more controllable. The production itself involves an A-stage set 180 degrees across the barricades, although Sherwood says that on occasion a catwalk is also used by the performers.

“It’s a great lighting show and fantastic for audio, as we have a phenomenal front-of-house sound engineer ‒ John Delf from Edge Studios ‒ who makes life very easy for the rest of us,” says Sherwood. He also namechecks Barrie Pitt (monitor engineer), Oli Crump (audio system designer), Tom Taylor (lighting designer), Sam Kenyon (lighting technical director), and Torin Arnold (stage manager), while he praises Solo-Tech for supplying the sound, and Colour Sound Experiment (CSE) for taking charge of lighting video, and rigging equipment.

Indeed, CSE has ten personnel out with the Faith In The Future tour. “We have eight screens on the road ‒ six on stage plus two IMAGS that we use wherever appropriate,” the company’s Haydn Cruickshank tells IQ.

“We need to tweak the rigging on a daily basis, as we move to different venues, but other than that it’s a fairly smooth process thanks to Craig Sherwood. He is old-school and planned and worked on the production very far in advance, which is a great scenario for all involved. Craig is definitely one of our favourite production managers to work with.”

Garry Lewis at bussing contractors Beat The Street is also a fan of PM Sherwood.

“Craig split the European tour into different runs. So, from Hamburg to Zurich, we had two super high-decker 12-berth buses for the tour party and two 16-berth double-deckers for the crew,” says Lewis. “After the show in Athens, we still have the two super high-deckers, as Louis loves them ‒ he prefers to spend time on the bus, rather than in hotels ‒ but we also have two 12-berth super high-deckers for the crew, as well as another crew 16-berth double-decker.”

Lewis continues, “We’ve worked with Craig for a good few years, and we have a great relationship with him. He plans everything way in advance, so it means it’s all very straightforward for us with no issues. So, we use single drivers for each bus, except on the longer runs or when our drivers are scheduled for prolonged breaks, and then we’ll fly in extra drivers as needed.”

With the production travelling to Australia in early 2024, before shifting to Latin America, Andy Lovell at Freight Minds is gearing up to become involved with Tomlinson once again.

“We did the Central and South America dates on the tour last year, and onto Mexico,” says Lovell. “It was very challenging back then as we were still coming back from Covid, and various systems and infrastructure were in pieces. But it all went well in the end, as we kept an eye on things and worked on it every day to make sure we had solutions to everything that was thrown our way.” 

Lovell continues, “Things on this tour kick in early next year for us. Historically, Australian services were quite reliable, as we could use any number of airlines. But post-pandemic, the number of long-haul flights still aren’t as frequent as they were. As a result, the production is being reverse engineered with the budget being worked out before we can see what we can afford to take as freight, and then we try to plan accordingly.”

“Similarly, in Central and South America there are still just a fraction of the flights operating, compared to pre-Covid, so that makes it very challenging. If there aren’t the flights to handle the gear, then you have to start looking at chartering aircraft, or alter your schedule, and that can become very expensive, very fast.”

With everyone working on the artist’s behalf to make sure the tour remains on track, being able to call on such experienced production experts is paying off on a daily basis.

Sherwood notes, “There are a few back-to-back shows over long distances that occasionally mean we don’t arrive at the next venue until 11am, rather than 6am. But we’ve never failed anywhere to open the doors on time, so we know we’re capable of getting things done, even if we have a late start at mid-day.”

Such dilemmas are not lost on agent Rowland. “It’s not so much the routing, it’s more like the timings, because Louis does have two support acts, so the show starts at 7 o’clock, and then when we’re done, we need to load out to get to the next show in good time for loading in the next morning and soundchecks, etc.”

Nonetheless, Sherwood admits that he loves the trickier venues and schedules. “Because I’m a dinosaur, I relish anything that makes things difficult or awkward for us on the production side of things,” he says. “I think everyone on the crew looks forward to challenges and finding the solutions to problems.”

Having amassed millions of fans through his association with One Direction, Tomlinson very much has a ‘pay it forward’ attitude to music and is building a reputation as a champion for emerging talent, wherever he performs. 

“He’s a great advocate for alternative music,” says manager Vines. “Louis realises that he’s in an incredibly privileged position in terms of what he can create in terms of awareness. He loves alternative music and indie music, and he understands how hard it is for that music to be heard. But we have this amazing platform where we can put these bands in front of these audiences as a showcase that allows them to build these authentic new audiences. It’s a hude part of his love of music, wanting to help younger bands.”

Rowland agrees. “He took an act called Andrew Cushin ‒ a very new artist ‒ on the road in America with him as his support, and he’s doing the same for Europe. Louis is a fan and is championing his career.”

Indeed, Tomlinson’s A&R skills have knock-on effects for his agent, too. “He asked me to confirm the Australian band Pacific Avenue as support for his Australian tour last year. The music was great and they didn’t have an agent, so now I’m representing them!” says Rowland.

As the European tour speeds toward its conclusion, agent Rowland is enjoying every minute of it.

“It’s incredible ‒ they’ve really stepped things up,” she says, fresh from seeing the show in Athens and Paris. “They’ve got 6 hanging LED screens on the stage, and the whole production just looks polished and professional.”

And Rowland is especially excited about next year’s Latin America dates, which will deliver her first stadium shows as an agent.

“The return to Latin America is going to be huge ‒ Louis is playing arenas and stadiums in South America and Mexico: 15 shows in 11 countries,” she says.

Vines is similarly enthused. Harking back to the Covid situation, when a show would go on sale, sell out, be postponed, and then rescheduled in a bigger venue, Vines says, “For example, in Chile, originally the show was scheduled at a 5,000-cap, half-capacity arena in Santiago. And what we ended up doing was three nights at 10,000-cap in that same venue.”

Vines contends that Tomlinson’s work ethic is outstanding. “He loves his fans, and he loves performing for them, it’s as simple as that,” he says. “He just loves being on the road and seeing how the songs connect live. In fact, the second album was very much written with the tour and live shows in mind ‒ ‘This song could work live,’ ‘This one will open the set,’ ‘This is the one we can do for the encore.’”

Another element to Tomlinson’s psyche has been his decision to visit places off the usual tour circuit. 

“Louis has a real desire to perform to fans in markets that are often overlooked,” says Rowland. 

Manager Vines explains that while the Covid-delayed first tour allowed them to upgrade venues pretty much everywhere, “On this tour, we’re a bit more competent on venue sizes, but we still speculate a little bit in different territories. In Europe, for example, we’ve gone into the Baltics and a number of different places to test the markets there, while in America, we are looking at A and B markets but also tertiary markets as well ‒ we go to places where people just don’t tour in America, just to see what the reaction is. That was something that very much interested Louis ‒ to play in front of people who don’t normally have gigs in their town. So there’s been a lot of experimentation on this tour in terms of where we go and what room to play.”

That concept is something that Vines has employed before. “I manage a band called Hurts who were pretty much overlooked by the British radio system and we have spent 15 years building a business outside of the UK. And that was built on going to play at those places where people didn’t normally go. They built to multiple arena level in Russia, for instance.”

“If you can build fanbases in lots of different places, you have festivals that you can play every summer, as well as youring those places. It allows you to have more consistency over a number of years, by having more opportunities.”

Such a strategy found a convert in Tomlinson. Vines tells IQ, “Louis also is extremely fan-focused in everything that he does. He comes at it from a perspective of ‘I want to take the show to them,’ meaning he’s always more willing to take the risky option to try something out.”

And the results? “It’s a combination,” concludes Vines. “There have been a couple of places where we now understand why tours don’t go there. But there are more places where it’s worked incredibly well. For example, we enjoyed incredibly good sales in Budapest. And overall, it’s allowing us to get a clearer idea, globally, of where the demand it, which will help us when we go into the next tour cycle.”

[st-just]

hi I like your blog. I have a question that may be too personal so no hard feelings if you don't answer but could you talk a little bit about more about what you like/don't like about Halifax? im considering Dalhousie for grad school but have never been! and would like to have as much information about where I might spend the next 2 years of my life. thank you!

Oh sure! Though like, it depends on where you're coming from? Everything here is very relative. And also I'm absolutely certain I will forget numemrous vital things, do ask followup questions.

Most important thing is that the housing market is horrifying - the city's population started booming during COVID and the zoning and construction is only really starting to catch up now. Especially within walking distance of Dal getting a place to live at anything approaching affordable is going to be vicious. (This has unsurprisingly coincided with a large uptick in homelessness. Unremarkable to walk by a tent in a corner of some public park now).

Relatedly, the bus system is like - okay I'm not sure it's notably bad for a mid-sized-ish north american city, but it's damn sure not any better. You can get by bussing around on the peninsula, anywhere beyond 20 minute drives turn into 40-60 minute rides.

You will not have a family doctor, figure out the nearest walk-in clinic you can use for anything non-emergency.

The city's economy runs on some combination of students, tourists, sailors and soldiers. There are as many bars as you might expect (had the most per capita in the country for a while, don't know if we still do). Some of them are actually very good!

Relatedly, weed and liquor are both only legally sold by the crown corporation monopoly and a few weird specialty places.

None of them are massive, but there is a very nice amount of parkland and green space scattered throughout the city. The public (botanical) gardens are really beautiful in the spring-summer, and most are well-maintained (they just renovated and expanded the outdoor pool on the city Commons last year, even).

The waterfront has been thoroughly gentrified for the cruise ships over the course of my lifetime, but it's all still open to the public and grabbing one of the armchairs or hammocks to read in during the summer is lovely.

Provincially the government is the most thoroughly domesticated/red tory party in the country (they fairly literally ran to the left of the liberals). Full of corrupt backslapping, constantly getting into pissing matches with the municipal government, will probably govern for the next decade.

For reasons that I assume are downstream of all the students and having the closest thing to a regional theater scene east of Quebec, the whole city is IME very queer-friendly. For reasons I absolutely not understand, pride is in August here.

The public library system is basically the only part of the municipal government I think anyone involved should be unequivocally proud of, but it is great.

I don't really know the crime stats offhand but like, I left my apartment door unlocked probably 7 times in 10 through all of undergrad and it never bit me in the ass?

[girlactionfigure]

🟣Sunday night - events from Israel  

ISRAEL REALTIME - Connecting to Israel in Realtime

( VIDEO - IDF video, F-15 jets taking off to attack Yemen. )

⭕WEIRD ALERT - HAIFA.. Sirens sounded in Haifa and many many other nearby towns were triggered by a single missile launched from Lebanon. The missile was successfully intercepted.  The large spread of sirens was due to the interception attempts and fears of falling shrapnel.

There has been a number of these recently, and they identify a ballistic style large missile, fired at a high launch angle such that when intercepted the shrapnel and/or missile parts will spread over a large area.  

It likely indicates the missile was fired not from southern Lebanon, but possibly from northern Lebanon.

⚠️HOME FRONT COMMAND CHANGES.. school permitted throughout the north if there is a protected space available.  Event restrictions raised to 30 outdoors, 300 indoors.  This is a reduction in restrictions.

♦️SYRIA.. IDF attacked Syrian president Assad’s brothers house.  Maher al-Assad is now listed as missing.  He is (was?) the head of the Syrian army Pro-Iran 4th Division.

♦️BEIRUT.. Reports in Lebanon:  The IDF is now attacking Beirut.

🔹IDF on the Yemen attack: The IDF assesses: the attack in Yemen no longer allows the Houthis to bring in fuel by sea - this is a significant damage to their ability to sustain the terrorist system.

🔹HEZBOLLAH ON THE MOVE?  Syrian sources: Hezbollah moving personnel from eastern Syria towards southern Syria and Israel.

🔹The American concern: a ground maneuver in Lebanon could lead to an all-out war. The administration demands to be involved in decisions after they were not informed in advance about the elimination of Nasrallah.

🔹US PRESIDENT.. US President Biden announced: "I will talk to Netanyahu soon, an all-out war in the Middle East must be avoided.”

▪️FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER.. lands in Beirut with a plane full of medical aid.

▪️AID.. Saudi Arabia is providing monthly financial support to “Palestine” to address the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

▪️CRIME.. another car bomb explosion in Ramla.

▪️CHIEF RABBI ELECTION.. Rabbi David Yosef was elected chief sephardic rabbi.  For the ashkenazi chief rabbi, there was a tie and will be a round 2.

▪️POLICE TICKETING UPGRADE.. police are upgrading to mobile speed cameras in their cars (marked and unmarked) that will check the speed with laser, take a picture, and automatically upload the ticket to be sent to the offender - NO NEED TO BE STOPPED AND HANDED A TICKET.  At the same time the country is implementing a “digital administrative traffic court” where fines up to NIS 1,500 can be tried via video call.  

How many people will be affected with speeding offenses in which the speed limit does not exceed 30 km/h over? No one knows - the Israel Police has been refusing to disclose the information for years.

[visit-new-york]

Meadow near 91st and Central Park West

Meadow near 91st and Central Park West

Central Park West, often abbreviated as CPW, is a prominent and prestigious avenue located along the western edge of Central Park in Manhattan, New York City. It is one of the city's most iconic and sought-after residential addresses, known for its historical significance, architectural grandeur, and cultural importance. Here are some key details about Central Park West:

Location: Central Park West runs parallel to Central Park, starting at 59th Street in the south and extending to 110th Street (also known as Cathedral Parkway) in the north. It forms the western boundary of Central Park and offers stunning views of the park's landscape.

Historical Significance: Central Park West is lined with a diverse array of architectural styles and historic buildings, many of which date back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is often considered a showcase of New York City's architectural history.

Architectural Diversity: Along Central Park West, you'll find a mix of architectural styles, including Beaux-Arts, Renaissance Revival, Art Deco, and more. Notable buildings include The Dakota, The San Remo, The Eldorado, and The Beresford, all of which are famous for their architectural splendor and the notable residents who have called them home.

Cultural Institutions: Central Park West is home to several renowned cultural institutions, including the American Museum of Natural History, one of the largest and most prestigious natural history museums in the world. The Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) and the New-York Historical Society are also located along this avenue.

Residential Prestige: Central Park West has long been associated with luxury living. The buildings along this avenue often feature spacious apartments with park views, elegant pre-war details, and a high level of service. Many notable individuals, including celebrities and business moguls, have chosen to reside in this area.

Transportation: Central Park West is well-connected to the rest of Manhattan via public transportation. It is served by several subway lines, including the A, B, C, D, and 1 trains, making it relatively easy to access other parts of the city.

Scenic Beauty: Residents and visitors of Central Park West enjoy breathtaking views of Central Park, with its lush greenery, serene lakes, and iconic landmarks. The proximity to the park provides a sense of tranquility and natural beauty amidst the bustling city.

Cultural and Entertainment Events: Due to its proximity to Central Park and its cultural institutions, Central Park West is often a focal point for cultural and entertainment events, including parades, concerts, and film screenings.

Real Estate: Real estate along Central Park West is highly sought after and can command some of the highest prices in the city. The area is known for its co-op and condominium buildings, each with its own unique character and charm.

Historic Preservation: Many of the buildings along Central Park West are designated as New York City landmarks or are part of historic districts, ensuring their preservation and protection. This commitment to preserving the architectural heritage of the avenue contributes to its enduring charm.

Cultural Impact: Central Park West has been featured prominently in literature, film, and television, further cementing its status as an iconic New York City location. The Dakota, in particular, gained worldwide fame as the residence of John Lennon and Yoko Ono and was the site of Lennon's tragic shooting in 1980.

Parks and Recreation: In addition to Central Park itself, the avenue offers access to several smaller parks and green spaces, making it a desirable place for residents who value outdoor activities and leisure.

Educational Institutions: Central Park West is also home to some educational institutions, including the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, renowned for its performing arts programs.

Shopping and Dining: The avenue features a mix of upscale shops, restaurants, and cafes, offering residents and visitors a range of dining and shopping options within walking distance.

Central Park West Parades: Central Park West is a popular route for parades and processions in New York City. One of the most famous parades is the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, which passes through this avenue on its way to Herald Square.

Transportation Hub: Central Park West provides convenient access to various transportation options, making it easy for residents to explore other parts of Manhattan and beyond. It's also a popular location for taxi and rideshare pick-ups.

Community and Neighborhood: The avenue is surrounded by vibrant neighborhoods, including the Upper West Side and Morningside Heights. These neighborhoods offer a mix of cultural attractions, dining, and shopping options that enhance the quality of life for those living on or near Central Park West.

In summary, Central Park West is a quintessential New York City avenue known for its historical significance, architectural beauty, cultural institutions, and luxurious residential offerings. It provides residents and visitors with a unique blend of urban living and access to the natural beauty and cultural richness of Central Park.

Central Park West remains a symbol of New York City's cultural and architectural richness, offering a blend of history, luxury, and natural beauty. Whether you're strolling along the avenue, enjoying the views of Central Park, or exploring the cultural institutions and dining options, Central Park West provides a unique and enriching experience in the heart of Manhattan.

[covid-safer-hotties]

Mask bans disenfranchise millions of Americans with disabilities - Published Aug 20, 2024

Last week, a mask ban in Nassau County, New York was signed into law. If I lived just 60 miles east of my New Jersey town, I would be under threat of a fine or jail time every time I left the house.

I’ve been masking consistently in public since 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic began, because I have a kidney transplant and will take immunosuppressant medication for the rest of my life. Unfortunately, my lifesaving medication also makes me more susceptible to infectious diseases like measles, the flu, and Covid-19. Even when people like me are vaccinated against the virus, we are at higher risk of being infected and are more likely to experience adverse health outcomes, including hospitalization and death.

The legislation in Nassau County and elsewhere primarily targets people who wear masks to hide their identity while committing crimes or during public protests, specifically against the ongoing genocide in Palestine. Masks are defined as any facial covering that disguises the face, and facial coverings worn for religious or health reasons are exempt. But people like me, who wear masks for health reasons, are disproportionally affected by these bans even when they include medical exemptions.

That’s because although the Nassau mask ban contains provisions for people who mask for medical reasons, it is up to the police to determine whether someone has a medical reason for masking if they are out in public. This means that enforcing the ban is subjective and will disproportionally impact Black people and people of color, who are more likely to be stopped by police and are also more likely to wear masks to prevent Covid. This is in part because Black and Latinx Americans are more cautious in their approach to the pandemic, reflecting the higher hospitalization and death rates in these communities. The Nassau mask ban as it is written is reminiscent of a “Stop and Frisk” law, which allows police to temporarily detain, question, and search people without a warrant.

This isn’t just localized to Nassau County; mask bans have been proposed or passed in multiple states, including North Carolina, Ohio, and California. For example, in North Carolina, where I lived for six years while completing my doctorate, a state-wide ban was recently passed. Although the final bill also includes a health exemption, it originally prohibited masking even for medical reasons. This medical exemption was only added after strong pushback from disability advocates.

There is also a statewide mask ban under consideration in New York state, where many people in my immediate family live. The bill as it is currently written bans masks not just during protests but also for people engaging in lawful assembly, or a peaceful gathering of more than two people for a lawful purpose, in the state. I’m not an expert on the New York state legislature, so I don’t know how likely it is to pass. But if it does, it means that my parents and I would be violating the law if we did something as banal as go on a walk together outdoors while wearing masks, because the bill allows people to wear masks for medical reasons only during a declared public health emergency. (The federal Covid public health emergency was declared over in 2023.) Again, enforcement of these bans is up to the police, who are not medical experts and who will apply the law unevenly. The right of peaceful assembly is part of the First Amendment, and mask bans are an infringement on everyone’s rights.

That is doubly true for disabled people participating in peaceful protest. Without protests, we would not have the Americans with Disabilities Act. A series of demonstrations beginning at San Francisco in 1977 and concluding in 1990 at the Capitol building’s “Capitol Crawl” helped codify disability rights into law in the United States. At the Capitol Crawl demonstration, 60 people with disabilities, many of them wheelchair users, crawled up the Capitol steps to illustrate structural barriers and to show that disability rights are a civil rights issue. Disabled people have relied on protesting to get our basic needs met. Mask bans don’t just take away our right to protest; they take away our right to peacefully exist in public. They are an infringement on everyone’s rights and are a threat to American democracy.

There is another reason for banning masks: the strong push for people to “return to normal” during the “post-pandemic” era. Masking is a reminder that the pandemic is still ongoing. In the same week that Nassau County passed its mask ban, weekly test positivity in the United States was the highest it has been since February 2022 and continues to climb. The CDC and other public health agencies encourage people to wear masks when respiratory viruses are causing high numbers of infection and illness in the community, especially in congregate or crowded settings. It’s a good idea for everyone to be wearing a mask right now when they are out in public.

People who are immunocompromised are told to wear masks in addition to getting vaccinated, improving air ventilation, and making sure our close contacts also receive the vaccine. But current coverage with the Covid-19 vaccines is low; only 22.3% of adults have received a vaccine dose in the past year. This means that I can’t return to your unmasked “normal.” The new normal includes exposure to a virulent, airborne illness that circulates year-round, with seasonal spikes that correspond to times of high travel and congregate indoor activities.

If masks are banned where I live, I will have to make the choice between endangering my transplant and my health every time I leave the house, or to remain on permanent lockdown in my home. As disability oracle and activist Alice Wong reminds us, mask bans are an extension of “ugly laws,” historical laws and ordinances that prevented disabled people from being in public. We deserve to be seen and to be included in public life. Mask bans are a threat not just to disabled people, but to all of us. It’s never too late to start masking again—to protect not just your health and the health of people around you, but also to protect our fundamental human rights.

[pudding-parade]

More Planet Zoo! :D (Sorry not sorry. LOL)

This is a WIP entry gate/area that I built for the sandbox-mode zoo that I'm starting that will be dedicated (mostly) to endangered and critically-endangered animals from around the world, including the modded animals I've downloaded that can't be used in franchise mode.

More babble and a couple more pictures behind the cut...

I want this zoo to be primarily a breeding-program zoo for releasing animals to the wild. I want to really focus on the genetics aspect of the game to breed the best animals possible to release to the wild, starting with the sort of lousy animals you get from the sandbox-mode "market."

I also want the habitats to have barriers that are as natural-looking (or actually natural; i.e., water barriers) as possible. And I want to have as many cohabitating animals as I can manage, to make habitats that are more realistic. But of course it will have to have visitors, too, so it will have stuff for them. (Gotta make the monies somehow! :D ) That's the plan. We'll see how well I can execute it. LOL

The zoo itself is going to be located in a grassland biome located either in North America or Australia. I haven't decided yet. I'm sort of leaning toward Australia mostly because it's warmer than the North American grassland location would be, and that just makes things easier for most of the animals I want to use...except that I want a herd of bison and also some animals that live in the Himalayas (like snow leopards), so it might end up in North America, anyway, and I'll just have to make accommodations for the warmer-climate animals. But, I built this in a temperate European biome because that's what I thought I was going to do at first. LOL (It's OK, though; I can just save it as a blueprint and then plop it in any zoo I want.)

This will eventually have guest spawners (in the form of buses in a parking lot, I think), so I'll delete the standard entry building that every zoo comes with by default and use this instead.

Initially, I was going to make the glass-enclosed part larger and a habitat, (for lemurs), but then I realized that the guests would stand inside the entry where there's a big window like so...

...to gawp at whatever animal I put in it and thus clog up the entry. So I scrapped that I idea. I might get rid of that interior window and rework things a bit, though. Maybe keep it small and put tamarins (modded animals) in it instead, since they're small, and then add an outdoor area with maybe overhead tunneling they can climb around in and that are integrated with arbors over the paths, and...Well, we'll see. LOL

Anyway, I also built "covers" with path lights and planters to go over the plain small gravel paths I'm going to use, so that they'll look more interesting. They look like this:

I made them in 4m, 6m, and 8m widths -- the path widths that I always use -- with and without planters, and saved each kind as blueprints. I'm going to keep all the main outdoor paths in this zoo squared-off with right-angle intersections, no winding paths, so I can just plop these on top of the paths as I build the actual zoo. I think they look pretty nice, if I do say so myself. LOL

[grillpartshub-blog]

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[bestghanatours]

Embark on a Journey to Discover Ghana: A Guide for the Diaspora

Ghana, known as the "Gateway to Africa," is a country rich in culture, history, and natural beauty. For many in the diaspora, visiting Ghana is more than just a vacation—it's a pilgrimage to reconnect with their roots and heritage. Whether you're exploring the bustling streets of Accra, delving into the poignant history of the Cape Coast, or immersing yourself in the vibrant festivals, Ghana offers an unparalleled experience. This guide aims to provide comprehensive insights and tips for those in the diaspora planning to embark on a journey to discover Ghana.

(A) Why Ghana?

1. Historical Significance

Ghana is steeped in history, particularly the history of the transatlantic slave trade. The Cape Coast and Elmina Castles are somber reminders of this dark past, serving as significant historical sites where many African Americans find a deep connection to their ancestry.

2. Cultural Heritage

Ghana's diverse ethnic groups, including the Ashanti, Ewe, Ga, and Fante, each have unique traditions, languages, and cultural practices. Festivals like Homowo, Aboakyir, and Hogbetsotso offer a window into these rich cultural traditions.

3. Welcoming Atmosphere

Ghana is known for its hospitality. The country's slogan, "Akwaaba," meaning "welcome," is not just a word but a way of life. The warmth and friendliness of the Ghanaian people make visitors feel at home instantly.

(B) Planning Your Trip

1. When to Visit

Though you can travel to Ghana all year round, but the best time to visit is during the dry seasons, from November to March and July to August. These periods offer the most favorable weather for travel and outdoor activities and depends on the part of the country you want to explore.

2. Travel Requirements

Ensure your passport is valid for at least six months beyond your intended stay. Most travelers will need a visa to enter Ghana, which can be obtained from Ghanaian embassies or consulates. Additionally, a yellow fever vaccination is required for entry.

3. Budgeting

Ghana is relatively affordable, but costs can vary. Plan your budget around accommodation, food, transportation, and activities. For a mid-range traveler, a daily budget of $50-$150 is reasonable.

(C) Must-Visit Destinations

1. Accra

Accra, the capital city, is the perfect starting point for your Ghanaian adventure. Visit landmarks like Independence Square, Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum, and the bustling Makola Market. The city's vibrant nightlife, with hotspots like Osu and Labadi Beach, offers a mix of modernity and tradition.

2. Cape Coast and Elmina

These coastal towns are home to the infamous Cape Coast Castle and Elmina Castle, key sites in the history of the transatlantic slave trade. Guided tours provide in-depth historical insights and are deeply moving experiences for many in the diaspora.

3. Kumasi

Kumasi, the heart of the Ashanti region, is known for its rich culture and history. Visit the Manhyia Palace, the seat of the Ashanti Kingdom, and the bustling Kejetia Market. The Ashanti people’s traditional crafts, like Kente cloth weaving and wood carving, are also must-see attractions.

4. Volta Region

The Volta Region boasts lush landscapes and scenic beauty. Explore Wli Waterfalls, the highest in West Africa, and Mount Afadja, Ghana's highest peak. The region is also known for its vibrant Ewe culture and traditions.

5. Northern Ghana

The north offers a different cultural experience. Visit Mole National Park, Ghana's largest wildlife reserve, and the ancient mud-and-stick mosque in Larabanga. The cultural festivals and traditional dances in Tamale and Bolgatanga are also highlights.

(D) Cultural Etiquette

Understanding and respecting local customs and etiquette is crucial. Here are some tips:

- Greetings: Greet people with a smile and a handshake. Elders should be greeted first.

- Dress Code: Dress modestly, especially in rural areas and during visits to religious sites.

- Photography: Always ask for permission before taking photos of people.

- Language: While English is the official language, learning a few words in local languages like Dagbani, Gonja, Twi, Ewe, or Ga can go a long way in building rapport.

(E) Immersive Experiences

1. Participate in Festivals

Ghanaian festivals are vibrant, colorful, and full of life. Participating in these festivals offers an immersive cultural experience. Key festivals include:

- Homowo: Celebrated by the Ga people, it marks the end of the hunger period with feasting and dancing.

- Aboakyir: A deer-hunting festival by the Effutu people in Winneba.

- Hogbetsotso: Celebrated by the Anlo Ewe in the Volta Region, it commemorates their migration from Notsie in Togo.

(F) Learn Traditional Crafts

Engage in workshops to learn traditional crafts like Kente weaving, bead making, and pottery. These activities provide hands-on experiences and deeper appreciation for Ghanaian culture.

(G) Explore Local Cuisine

Ghanaian cuisine is diverse and flavorful. Must-try dishes include:

- Jollof Rice: A popular West African dish made with rice, tomatoes, and spices.

-Banku and Tilapia: Fermented corn and cassava dough served with grilled tilapia.

- Fufu and Light Soup: A staple dish made from pounded cassava or yams, served with a variety of soups.

(H) Connecting with the Community

1. Volunteering Opportunities

Many organizations in Ghana offer volunteering opportunities, ranging from education and healthcare to community development. Volunteering not only gives back to the community but also provides a unique way to connect with locals.

2. Ancestry and Heritage Tours

Several organizations offer specialized tours that focus on ancestry and heritage. These tours often include visits to historical sites, cultural exchanges, and opportunities to trace family roots.

(I) Practical Tips

1. Health and Safety

- Vaccinations: Ensure you're up-to-date on necessary vaccinations, including yellow fever, hepatitis A and B, typhoid, and malaria prophylaxis.

- Water: Drink bottled or filtered water to avoid waterborne diseases.

- Safety: While Ghana is generally safe, stay vigilant in crowded places and avoid traveling alone at night.

(J) Currency and Payments

The local currency is the Ghanaian Cedi (GHS). Credit and debit cards are accepted in major cities, but it's advisable to carry cash, especially in rural areas.

(K) Transportation

Transportation options in Ghana include taxis, tro-tros (shared minibuses), and buses. For long-distance travel, domestic flights are available. Ride-hailing apps like Uber and Bolt operate in Accra and other major cities.

Embarking on a journey to discover Ghana is a profound experience for many in the diaspora. From its rich history and vibrant culture to its welcoming people and breathtaking landscapes, Ghana offers a unique and transformative travel experience. By planning ahead, respecting local customs, and immersing yourself in the culture, you can create lasting memories and deepen your connection to this beautiful country. Whether it's your first visit or a return trip, Ghana's doors are always open, ready to welcome you with open arms. Akwaaba!

[usafphantom2]

Macchi Fighters Survivors

Luigino Caliaro

Translated into English from an original research by Luigino Caliaro

Precious few Macchi fighters have survived intact and are on display today. In total, just seven of these proud Italian fighters are preserved in museums- two C.200 Saetta, two C.202 Folgore, and three C205 Veltro. Of these, two aircraft were captured by American troops and are preserved in the United States while the other five are preserved in their home country. Macchi Fighters Survivors is part of a larger editorial work by Luigino Caliaro titled Macchi Fighters: C.200 Saetta, C.202 Folgore, C.205 Veltro. This stand-alone monograph covers the development, production, technical details, and operations of these variants.

C.200 Saetta MM 8146, National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, Dayton, Ohio

C.200 USAF Museum Photo Luigino Caliaro

This fighter belonged to the 19th series produced by Breda in 90 aircraft in 1942, it was delivered to the Regia Aeronautica Italiana (Royal Italian Air Force- RAI) in June 1942 and assigned to the 372nd Squadron of the 153rd Autonomous Group at the Turin-Mirafiori Airport and subsequently transferred to North Africa where it was assigned to various other squadrons and ultimately at K3 airfield in Benghazi, Libya in November 1942. Captured by the Americans, it was shipped to the United States and displayed at numerous events and exhibitions, towards the end of the 1940s the Saetta was donated to the city of Worcester, Massachusetts.

Photo Luigino Caliaro

The wreck was purchased by a private individual who exhibited it outdoors until 1964 when he sold it to the Bradley Air Museum (New England Air Museum today) in Windsor Locks, Connecticut. At the end of the eighties, for financial reasons, the museum sold it to Jeet Mahal, a collector of artifacts for US museums who in 1989 contacted AerMacchi (Now Alenia AerMacchi) for the restoration. Thanks to the support of the Italian association A.R.E.A, the Italian company began the restoration work on the fighter at the beginning of 1990, which proved to be particularly complex considering the condition of the aircraft. However, thanks to the availability of the technical documentation and with the enthusiastic support of other volunteers and associations the aircraft was officially presented to the public on December 12, 1991, at the Venegono airport, home base of AerMacchi. Nearly a year later, the Saetta was put on display at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio. Although slightly different from the original paint scheme, the aircraft was restored with the original codes of aircraft 372-5 MM (Matricolo Militare, Italian for Serial Number) 8146 aircraft, the same codes applied when it was recovered on the Benghazi field by the allies.

AerMacchi C.202 MM91981, National Air and Space Museum Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC

C.202 Folgore Smithsonian Photo Luigino Caliaro

Subject to a recent article by Adam Estes (click here), this Macchi C.202, which is on display at the National Air and Space Museum Smithsonian in Washington, DC, appears to be the world’s only completely intact and original C.202 Folgore.

Captured in Sicily by American troops, it was transferred to the US and subjected to a series of flight evaluations in September 1945 by the pilots of the Army’s Air Technical Service Command at Wright and Freeman fields. Thanks to recent research by Italian historian Giovanni Massimello, the true identity of this fighter has been documented.

The fighter is AerMacchi MM91981 which was assigned to the 356th Squadron of the 21st Fighter Group (FG) with the individual code 356-8 and was captured by the Americans in good condition at Sciacca airport. After being used and repainted with the upper surfaces in a sand color, the American badges and baptized as Wacky Macchi, by some pilots of the American 31st FG. Upon being shipped to Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio the C.202, coded FE300, was used with approximate Italian colors and insignia until April 1946 with the code FE300 (later FE498) before being placed in storage.

In 1974, the then curator Robert C. Mikesh contacted AerMacchi and the SMA to obtain documentation for its restoration for public display. At the end of the works, in 1975, the fighter was exhibited with the colors of the C.202 “90-4”, a fighter belonging to the 90th Squadron of the 10th Group, 4th Wing when it was operational in Libya in the summer of 1942. Bizarrely it was applied the MM9476 (belonging to a fighter of the IX Series assigned to the 54th Wing, while originally the C.202 90-4 had the MM7795 belonging to the II Production Series). Again, to read the story of this fighter, read Adam Estes’ “The Smithsonian’s Italian Thunderbolt.”

Breda AerMacchi C.200 “Saetta” MM 5311, MUSAM- Museo Storico dell’Aeronautica Militare – Vigna di Valle (Roma)

Macchi C.200 Museo Aeronautica Militare Photo Luigino Caliaro

Preserved at the Museo Storico dell’Aeronautica Militare (Italian Air Force Museum- MUSAM) in Vigna di Valle, this C.200 was assigned to the 93rd Squadron of the 8th Group and after the Armistice, the non-airworthy fighter was assigned to a technical school as an instructional airframe. A peculiarity of the aircraft is that it is equipped with wings with a sharp leading edge, typical of the first examples of construction. In 1961, the aircraft was recovered by the Air Force to be exhibited at various demonstrations and events organized by the Historical Museum. In September 1975 it was temporarily painted as 92-01 to commemorate the activity of the 8th Group on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the 2nd Wing.

C.200 Museo Aeronautica Militare Photo Luigino Caliaro

Subjected to a further restoration in Lecce at the III Aircraft Technical Department in 1976, it emerged with the livery of a C.200 used by the 359th Squadron of the 22nd Autonomous Group which operated in Russia. The paint scheme was only partially correct, but it was corrected it in 1995, thanks to the work of the personnel of the 51st Stormo that restored the aircraft by applying a faithful livery belonging to a wartime Saetta of the 369th Squadron of the 22nd Gruppo Autonomo.

Breda AerMacchi C.202 MM 9667 – MUSAM- Museo Storico dell’Aeronautica Militare – Vigna di Valle (Roma)

Macchi C.202 Folgore Museo Aeronautica Militare Photo Luigino Caliaro

Also displayed at MUSAM, this second C.202 was delivered in March 1943 to the 86th Squadron of the 7th Group/54th Stormo and the 208th Squadron of the 101st Group 5th Wing of the Co-Belligerent Regia Aeronautica in spring 1944. In December 1946 this Folgore was assigned to the 3rd Group of the Flight School of Lecce, with the individual code “63”, until it was stricken in 1948. Subsequently, the aircraft was assigned, first to the Naval Academy of Livorno and then to the Department of Aerospace Engineering of the University of Pisa. In the 1970s the aircraft was recovered by the Collection and Restoration Center of the MUSAM which sent it to Lecce to be restored by the III R.T.A. Today the Folgore is painted to represent the personal aircraft of Lt. Giulio Reiner, commander of 73rd Squadron of the 9th Group of the 4th Wing, based at Fuka Airport in July 1942.

Unfortunately, the various restoration tasks were not carried out with the utmost fidelity, and today the aircraft presents some substantial differences compared to the original fighter. One of the most visible defects is given by the propeller spinner which was poorly reproduced, thus altering the original sleek line of the fighter. Another problem is located in the wings, which were missing when the aircraft was recovered. To proceed with their reconstruction, a left-half wing of a C.200 was recovered at the AerMacchi factory which was used as a pattern for the reconstruction of the right wing. The rounded leading edge was correctly fitted but the ailerons were not modified and remained the ones of the C.200. Furthermore when reproducing the missing wing, it was not taken into account that originally the Macchi wings had different lengths to counteract the torque effect generated by the rotation of the propeller and therefore the current wingspan of the Folgore is about twenty centimeters shorter than to what it should have been.

C.205 Macchi C.200 Museo Aeronautica Militare Photo Luigino Caliaro

Breda AerMacchi C.202/205V “Veltro” MM 9546, MUSAM- Museo Storico dell’Aeronautica Militare – Vigna di Valle (Roma)

Macchi C.205 Veltro Museo Aeronautica Militare Photo Luigino Caliaro

The MUSAM is also home to one of the 100 C.202s that was subsequently converted to the C.205 standard. Originally in service with the 81st Squadron of the 6th Group, 1st Wing, this Veltro was taken over by the 155th Group of the 51st Wing following the Armistice. After various further assignments to squadrons of the Cobelligerent Air Force, it was damaged in Albania on September 15, 1944, with Sergeant Major Moressi of the 93rd Squadron of the 8th Group, 5th Stormo. Once repaired, it remained in service until May 1948 it was assigned to the 3rd Group of the Lecce Flight School, where it remained until December 1949, when it was sent to Macchi for conversion to a C.205 Veltro due to a possible acquisition by Egypt. When that order failed to materialize it was returned to Lecce where it remained until its retirement on July 1, 1952.

Exhibited at the Turin Flight Museum without livery and with only the tricolor roundels, it was subsequently transferred to Vigna di Valle, restored for the first time by the 3rd RTA of Lecce and in February 1994 by the specialists of the 4th RMV of Grosseto, who painted it with the livery of a Veltro of the 97th Squadriglia of the 9th Group of the 4th Stormo, with the codes 97-2 and with the original MM. 9546.

Breda AerMacchi C.202/205V “Veltro” MM 91818, Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnologia – Milano

C.202 205 Musep della Scienza e della Tecnica Photo Luigino Caliaro

The C.205 exhibited at the Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnologia (National Museum of Science and Technology) in Milan also appears to be the conversion of a C.202, MM91818 to be specific. Following an initial posting to the 386th Squadron of the 21st Group of the 51st Stormo, it was assigned to various squadrons of the 4th Wing and then to the 209th Squadron of the 102nd Group of the 5th Wing. In 1946, it was assigned to the 3rd Group at the Lecce Flight School, where it operated until July 1, 1948. Like the previous C.205, this fighter was also part of the failed Egyptian order and was returned to the Lecce Flight School. After its retirement from active duty in the early 50s, the aircraft was assigned to the to the “Malignani” Technical Institute where the engine was reportedly run by students on a regular basis. In 1980, the aircraft was recovered by Macchi and turned over to a group of elderly specialists and technicians with the task of returning it to airworthy status. It was a particularly complex project where many components had to be built from scratch, but thanks to the support of other aeronautical companies such as FIAT Avio, which overhauled the engine, Oleodinamica Magnaghi, Itala and Secondo Mona, the dream of many enthusiasts finally came true when the Veltro took to the skies again on September 26, 1980.

C.202 205 Musep della Scienza e della Tecnica Photo Luigino Caliaro 3

The civil registration l-MCVE was applied to the aircraft and the camouflage chosen for the aircraft was similar to that of the C.205 of the 4th Wing which, piloted by Maj. Carlo Maurizio Ruspoli. In the following months the C.205 was proudly exhibited at numerous air shows in Italy and abroad by Macchi test pilots Cecconello and Durione, but unfortunately the fighter was seriously damaged in a take-off accident on July 23, 1986. The C.205 has been repainted as MM9327 (81-5) belonging to the 81st Squadron of the 6th Group 1st Wing in May 1943. However, the livery is not exactly correct, since that serial number corresponds to a Veltro of the 1st Series without the wing cannons.

AerMacchi C.205V “Veltro” MM 92166 – LEONARDO – Aermacchi -Venegono Superiore (VA)

C.205 Veltro Aermacchi Leonardo Photo Luigino Caliaro

This aircraft is the only original C.205 and it’s currently displayed at the entrance of the Aermacchi office building in Venegono (VA) now Leonardo. However, its true origin is in doubt since the fuselage denotes some characteristics typical of the C.202 Folgore, such as a fixed tail wheel and radio access panel of the same shape as those of a late C.202. Nonetheless, taking the serial number 92166 as valid, this Veltro was delivered to the Regia Aeronautica on July 15, 1943, and assigned to 360th Squadron and 378th Squadron of the 155th Group of the 51st Wing with the individual code 378-2. Historical research indicates that this C.205 shot down an American P-40 fighter on July 22, 1943, and on August 2, 1943, Lieutenant Dini intercepted a claimed B-26 Marauder off Capo Carbonara in Sardinia.

C.205 Veltro airworthy

After the Armistice, it was assigned to the 51st Wing until its transfer to the Lecce Flying School in the spring of 1945. Retired in 1959, MM92166 was exhibited at various airshows in a metallic finish without insignias. In 1973, the aircraft was sold to the National Museum of Science and Technology in Milan. It was preserved in the new Air and Sea Transport pavilion sporting the bare aluminum fuselage and still with the pods under the wings. In 1988, an agreement was signed between Macchi and the Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnologia of in Milan, for the exchange of the museums’ respective Macchi C.205, with Macchi obtaining this only Veltro built at its factory. Following the exchange, the fighter was subjected to a thorough overhaul and restored to airworthy status, but it’s never again seen air under its wings.

AerMacchi C.200 “Saetta” MM not identified, Museo Aeronautico “Gianni Caproni” – Trento

C.200 Fusealage Caproni Museo Foto Luigino Caliaro

The Gianni Caproni Aeronautical Museum in Trento has a pair of fuselage sections, recovered from an aviation enthusiast in Bologna in the early 70s, having purchased them from the University’s Faculty of Aeronautical Engineering. After being offered to AerMacchi, the wrecks were purchased by the Caproni Museum.

Although the identity of the aircraft remains unknown, it is hypothesized that it could be one of the two C.200s of the 8th Group which were to be handed over to the Allies after the Armistice. It is presumed that during the transfer flight, one of the pilots made an emergency landing not far from his home in the Marche region. The dismantled fighter was hidden disassembled by the pilot and returned after the war to the Air Force which probably gave it to the local College’s Engineering Faculty. In 1992, in anticipation of its exhibition at the new headquarters of the Caproni Museum in Trento, an attempt was made to reconstruct the fuselage, but this was not possible due to the complexity of the work. The restoration work on the fuselage revealed the original codes of the aircraft, 91-4 relating to the 92nd Squadron of the 8th Autonomous Group in 1943. Further analysis revealed the individual number 86 which confirmed that the fighter was used by the 86th Squadron of the 7th Group of the 54th Wing. An important detail was the discovery of part of the 54th Wing’s badge, represented by a tiger’s head. After painstaking restoration work which started at the end of 2010 what remains of the aircraft was exhibited in the main hall of the Caproni Museum at the Trento Mattarello airport.

Museo dellaeronautica Militare Italian Air FOrce Museum Vigna Di Valle Phot my Museum Staff22

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[seedlessmuffins]

hiii k!! congrats on the win tonight 🥳 i have an unrelated hockey question 🙋🎤

this might be silly and have no real answer lol but is there a reason why there can be such a gap between teams and their games played? like some have 37 and others have up to 43 played so far. is there not a motivation to keep them more consistent to see accurate standings throughout the season, or is that just not a priority since there’s so many games? could that even work with scheduling?

hola han!! congrats on your win as well, very sexo goals!!

it has an answer but it isn't a good one lol. the nhl schedule caters mostly to the us audience, because the us has a bigger population and more teams, and often the us stadiums are used for more things than just hockey, whereas for the most part in canada, hockey has priority.

the reason the schedule is like that is because the schedule works around the nfl for the first bit of the season, as well as us holidays (thanksgiving, mlk day, etc) and special games (heritage classic, winter classic, outdoor classic, global series where they play games in other countries) first. then, the rest of the dates are filled in, they plan their days with more games and less games, based on arena availability and travel. for example, if there is a concert scheduled at pnc arena, the canes can't play that day, so they have to work around it. or if the canes are playing the canucks in vancouver, that usually means that they will also be playing some combination of calgary, edmonton, seattle, san jose, anaheim, la and vegas around that game, because it makes more sense to do a big road trip when you are travelling so far rather than to go all the way across the continent for one or two games.

the reason why some teams have played more than others is just because of this scheduling. so in the same stretch of 4 days, some teams might have played 3 games and other teams might have played 0 or 1. there isn't really motivation to even it out, with the long season and the nhl's refusal not to cater the schedule around other north american sports. there is talk about strength of schedule, where some teams have really hard stretches (like the canucks in the fall, they had 27 games in 49 nights or something ridiculous like that) and sometimes easier stretches. makes it more unpredictable, more like anything could happen!

if you want a more accurate way to look at the standings with the extreme discrepancy in games, i usually look at the points %. the abbreviation is P%, and it is just the number of points a team has divided by the max number of points they could have (if they won every game they played). while the number of games played is so inconsistent, this is the most accurate way to gage the standings and to predict how teams with games in hand will perform if they stay on form (of course, because its hockey, good teams can drop 6 game losing streaks and bad teams can go on multi-game heaters to move up. thats hockey!)

sorry this is so long and doesn't really answer the question but i hope this helped! my inbox & dms are always open ofc (especially to you 🫶) if you need more clarification!

[angrybell]

You really have to admire the Democratic Mayor’s commitment to diversity. She made sure to only allow elected people of color, making sure that none of those white people were allowed to come.

I mean, who wants to have a party where everyone shows up? Because that’s what she could have done when she realized her staffer made a mistake. But no, her staff, presumably with her mayoral approval, disinvited the white council members.

Because after all, isn’t that what the whole DEI plan is about? Instituting segregation and making sure that groups you don’t like get excluded. If it were done by white people, it would be rightly called segregation and heads would roll. But in these enlightened times, if it’s done by someone with a DEI sounding title it’s “woke” and just and if you complain about it you’re a racist.

Had Mayor Menino done this, he would have been crucified and forced to resign. Mayor Wu should, but she absolutely zero shame.

She’s been comfortable with being discriminatory on the basis of race. Her policies favored other groups and seemingly targeted Italian American restaurant owners. Her administration set the fee for outdoor dining in most of Boston at a max of $399. For those in the North End, $7,500. When they complained, she ended outdoor dining in North End.

Interestingly, since the mayor is attending, she is clearly making a bid to have Asian Americans reclassified as people of color instead of the “white adjacent” that lead, in part, to Harvard discriminating against them.

Boston, home to a bigoted mayor, next to a cesspool of antisemitism and bigotry at Harvard. They deserve each other.