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[theautomatedparkingcompany]

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[carlakennedy]

Expansive Garage in Austin Idea for a large, attached, three-car garage in the country

[beansprean]

Lil comic from chapter 1 of Alethophobia by @jay-auris! Character designs by the incredible @pejntboks!

(ID in alt and under cut)

ID: 1a. Distant shot from behind a white van parked on a patch of gravel and dirt with its rear doors wide open, pine trees in the distance against a darkening sky. Human Nandor is rummaging around in the equipment in the back of the van, muttering angrily to himself. He is wearing a green flannel with rolled sleeves over a white tee shirt tucked into cut off blue jean shorts, white knee socks, and hiking boots. The side of Guillermo's face appears in closeup in the foreground, looking at him. 1b. Shot from inside the van as Guillermo comes up behind Nandor, both now facing the viewer. Nandor has his graying hair down and hanging messily in his face as he scowls, sweat beading on his forehead. He wears a silver medallion around his neck, orange tasbih prayer beads around his right wrist, has two orbital piercings with silver hoops and a silver conch stud in his left ear, and silver vertical studs on his right eyebrow. He continues glaring at the equipment and shuffling it around with his left hand as he thrusts a camera bag out behind him with his right, snapping, "Leave Laszlo to pack everything like an overgrown child. Here, pull out the extra batteries so I can put them in the actual fucking battery cases we own." Guillermo looks down at the bag in surprise as it is thrust towards him, hands coming up automatically to take it. He is wearing a black tee shirt with a gray symbol on the chest under a sleeveless unzipped dark blue hoodie with red trim, black leggings, red sneakers, a black fidget ring on his right middle finger, and a silver cross around his neck, tucked into the shirt. 1c. Close up of Guillermo as takes the bag and removes the batteries, aiming a concerned look at Nandor as he does so. He asks, "Are you okay?" 1d. Waist up of Nandor from Guillermo's POV as he straightens up and wrestles his hair back into a messy bun with quick, angry motions. Still glaring down at the equipment, he snarls, "I dislike long car rides; I dislike being out of the city;" 1e. Reverse shot, close up of the back of Nandor's head with its painful looking bun in the foreground as he continues, "I dislike laszlo's laissez-faire attitude towards the security of our expensive equipment..." In the background, Guillermo frowns as he observes Nandor's hair.

2a. Repeat. Guillermo interrupts Nandor's venting by pointing toward his hair and asking, "Can I fix that?" Nandor's head in the foreground turns toward him, asking, "Huh?" 2b. Wide shot facing the rear of the van as Guillermo says, "Your hair, just- c'mere." Guillermo takes Nandor by the shoulders, turns him around, and pushes him down to sit on the bumper with a small, unassuming smile. Nandor looks shocked and not a little flustered, shoulders tense under Guillermo's hands. 2c. Close up on Nandor as Guillermo pulls the rubber band from his hair and lets it loose around his shoulders, covering his eyes. Guillermo combs his fingers through the strands and Nandor stills, expression hidden but cheeks going red. 2d. Close up of Nandor's face from the nose down in profile as Guillermo's hands gather his hair behind his shoulders. 2e. Close up of the back of Nandor's head from Guillermo's POV as he pulls all of Nandor's hair together neatly at his crown.

3a. Close up on Nandor's side, elbow to hip, as Guillermo's right hand leaves his head to tap two fingers on Nandor's jeans pocket. Nandor pulls his elbow away in surprise. 3b. Repeat. Nandor's other hand obliges, pulling a second rubber band from his pocket and offering it to Guillermo, who hooks it onto his finger. 3c. Waist up of Guillermo as he steps back with a hesitant grin, hands clasped together at his sternum. He says, "There. Better?" 3d. Close up of Nandor's right hand as it lifts his phone and unlocks it with a thumb. His phone case is a Lisa-Frank-esque close up of a white horse with purple, blue, and pink spots on a backdrop of a blue sky with clouds and a rainbow.

4a. Bust of Nandor as he raises his phone up to take a look at himself in the camera, expression now softened from his earlier frustration. His hair is now twisted up into a neat, round bun at the crown of his head, one stubborn strand loose at his temple. He raises his eyebrows, liking what he sees, and says "Huh. That's very good. How did you do that?" 4b. Zoom out to knees up, Nandor still perched on the bumper of the van. Guillermo stuffs his hands in the pockets of his hoodie and leans back against one of the van doors, flushed and grinning as he aims his gaze elsewhere. With a humble shrug, he replies, "Sister taught me. She said that if I wanted to impress a girl one day, I should learn how to do basic styles." Nandor lowers his phone and drapes that arm over his raised knee, left hand palming the other to balance himself as he turns his torso towards Guillermo with a grin. He says, "Well, color this girl impressed." /end ID

[matchadobo]

KIDD; biker kidd au

summary: fluffy stuff abt this hot headcanon of mine that he'll look so biteable as a biker WHAHDUAHDHS LMAO warning/s: borderline nsfw since some nsfw stuff are mentioned but not there is no occurrence of the actual thing, all fluff!!, super hot kidd ahead nGgghhhhHHh

just imagine, this fucking fridge of a man in a bike with a helmet

you'd always be delighted when he picks you up after work with the bike

he'd look so hot leaning on the bike while waiting for you

you'd have your own helmet and he loves putting it on for you, giving you a kiss before locking the helmet

he'd let you sit behind or in front of him, but he likes it when you're infront. he feels your ass more 😫. pros for behind is that he gets cuddles, would always have a hand on your leg

for the first time when you were shy enough to join him in his bike but is painfully required to hold onto him. you'd insist in holding the other edge of the bike even when he insists on you holding onto him, he'd fucking convince you so much to do so mf engineered for you to be in that position!! so when you would be too shy to comply, he'd start up the engine and move instantaneously a little so you can fucking fall behind him and subconsicously hold onto him. he'd be smirking and tightening your grip saying "hang tight, princess. don't want you falling further than you already have."

the feeling of the breeze on your skin while his arms are caging you and you have the free view of the road

he'd always do the thing where the bike goes vertically (IDK WHAT IT'S CALLED), you'll be scared at first but as he does it more often it's an adrenaline rush for both of you

his favorite position on the bike is when it's parked and you're sitting infront of him and facing him. he'll stare you down, lift your helmet, and give you a kiss that'd last a little too long

he'll love pretend-fucking you in the bike, where whenever it stops he'll just playfully thrust into you with a hand on your hip. always relishes on your flustered reaction, not knowing what to do with yourself. gives you a pat on your helmet after

you'd love to play on his bike, pretend like you'll drive it and leave him. mans will be pouting with that usual scowl

he likes taking you on mountains and parking it there on his previously mentioned favorite position, watching the view or doing something more than kissing 🤪

i just think this fits him so well than having a car, he metal like that

just imagine HIS ARMS while maneuvering that shit 😩

whenever you're in front of him, his titties are such a good cushion on the ride, it's so soft!! even when you're behind, you'll be clutching on them and squeezing

if you're down, he'll teach you how to ride the bike. just expect a very non-patient teacher 😞 so expect to get yelled at (affectionately). he'll even take you out to canvas on finding your own bike, secretly thrilled he'll have you as a biking partner

he loves customizing his bike, he fixes and replaces parts on his own. he'd love saying, "hey baby, look at my new fucking tires.", "look at my cool rims and headlights, love" with a proud, nerdy grin. always cooped up on his garage, tattered with grime and motor oil or some shit, always shirtless in the process. it'd be a hot spectacle tbfh!! you'd have to physically drag him out and ask him to take a bath.

he'd participate in races from time to time, bringing you as his little cheerleader. would use the cash prices for dates afterwards and use the remaining for bike work

would get your name somewhere in the design of his bike

during long trips, whenever there's a chance to stop due to traffic or stop lights, he'd let out a heavy breath and remove his hands from the clutches, you'd massage his shoulders and arms. he'd moan silently ij reliefwhile rubbing your thighs as a thank you, leaning his head down a bit on yours

he also loves (begrudgingly) when you ask him to bring you to places you need to go to. especially when you go out to your friends, he loves to show your friends that you bagged a fucking stud like him but more so show off his bike

omg i have been so absent AKASJDHAHD there was just a lot happening with my life plus this was the only hc i can properly execute, i don't want to post anything half-baked!! i hope this one somehow makes up for my absence ><

[sorencd]

TWO OF US

pairing: neil perry x f!reader

summary: it's both your first time baking cupcakes, how hard could it be?

word count: 1.7k

a/n: i had fun with this one ehrhhr I JUST LOVR NEILD SO MUCHWRHRHRHDH

masterlist

the sounds of pages flipping in the room could be heard. you were lazily draped on top of neil, your stomach resting on his legs as you laid down horizontally and he was sat up right vertically. putting you two in a cross-like position. it was a rather boring day, the only thing keeping you occupied was your latest issue of 'little archie' while neil was busying himself with a book he took from your shelf. 

you placed your comic book down to your right as rested your cheek on the bed, taking a good look at neil. he could sense your eyes on him while he was reading so he took his attention off the book to check if you indeed were staring at him. neil smiled as you made eye contact.

"is there something on your mind?" he probed, reaching over to you on poke your side. effectively making you shriek and flinch away. 

you whined at him and rolled over, now facing the ceiling. "neil, i'm bored." you complained as you racked your brain for things to do with your boyfriend. you already went to the park, the library, the beach, his dorm, the children's playground, the theatres, the record shop, restaurants, everywhere. you two have already gone to every place under the sun for a date. 

"what do you want to do?" he asked, gently placing his hand on your stomach to draw light circles on it.

you turned your head to the left to stare at your bookcase this time, inspecting the titles of each book that was on display. as you were about to reach the last bottom shelf, you noticed a title that caught your eye. 'baking for beginners', it was the cookbook that your mom gave you a few years ago. she was trying to get you into baking but you refused─ saying that it was boring and you were pretty sure you'd just burn anything you put into the oven. but now that you're with neil, maybe things would be different.

you lifted yourself up onto the bed and focused your attention on him once more, who was staring at you the whole time with a grin on his face and watched you do your thing as you went deep into thought.

"what's on your mind, sweetheart?" 

"let's bake cupcakes." you stated with a bounce in your tone and a smile on your face. "some sweet delicious, scrumptious, tasty vanilla cupcakes!"

neil raised his eyebrows as he looked at you with a questioning expression, "you know how to bake?"

"no… but i do have a cook book right here! it can't be that hard to follow instructions." you confidently exclaimed as you got out of bed to grab the cook book.

neil scooted onto the foot of the bed to get closer to you as he watched you kneel down to grab the book, he propped his chin on his hand that was being supported by his knee. "that sounds pretty similar to what you said when we went hiking."

"yeah, and we turned out fine!"

"we got lost." he smirked and crossed his arms. "it took us two hours to get through the forrest." in your defense, the map looked the same even when you turned it upside down and you couldn't tell the difference. it wasn't until neil noticed that the compass which was written on the corner of the map didn't look right, and only then were you two able to find the right path.

"that's not important! we do not speak of such irrelevant matters!besides, we got to the end of the trail at the end of the day!" you tutted and reasoned, ignoring the fact that you two could've gone lost forever. at least you had each other though.

he laughed heartily and set the book he had in his hands onto your bedside table to stand up from your bed, "alright, let's bake some cupcakes."

on your way to the kitchen, you passed the living room where your dad was watching television while your mom ironed his work clothes for the next day, eyeing the two of you.

"mr. and mrs. (y/l/n)." neil politely greeted as he tried bowing while you were hurriedly pulling on his arm. 

"where are you two off to?" your father asked sternly, but still had a loving tone to his voice. you were used to his way of talking to you. he might sound harsh, but he really just deeply cares for you.

"we're going to bake cupcakes!" you shouted back, quickly disappearing into their line of sight. you heard your mom chuckle and respond, "please take care of her, neil!" which you rolled your eyes to.

after you both entered the kitchen, you pulled out two aprons from the cabinets and handed one to neil. while helping you put yours on, you were looking at the ingredients needed for the cupcakes. you had all of them, of course. since your mother was big on cooking and cutlery.

"so it says here to.. preheat the oven to 375°f. how do you heat up an oven?" you diverted your attention from your cook book to stare at your boyfriend with a sheepish look. maybe this wasn't easy as you thought.

he chuckled at your question, walking to where the oven was and maneuvered the knob that was on the control panel. "you turn it on like this to heat it up." he demonstrated.

"i knew that."

"of course. just wanted to make sure that you still do." he gently smiled, giving into your delusions. you snickered and you both got to work with him greasing the muffin cups and you sifting the cake flour and baking powder together. when he finished greasing, he went to your side to help you out.

neil started cracking the eggs into the bowl so he could add the butter, milk, and vanilla together as instructed in the recipe but not without telling a horrendous egg pun when he tilted his head to where you stood. you had a focused expression on your face which he thought was cute, but, he noticed that it also had an excessive amount of cake flour. he furrowed his eyebrows in confusion─ how could you sift flour that messily? he watched as you roughly shook the sifter side to side, resulting in the cake flour going almost everywhere.

you raised your head as you heard neil's laughing, who was standing next to you.

"what's wrong?" you paused, setting down the sifter.

your boyfriend continued laughing, the air continued to be filled by intimacy and amour. "there's a bit of something on you." he exclaimed as he reached over to wipe it off, "the flour is supposed to go into the bowl, love." 

while neil was dusting your cheeks though, you felt a slimy texture spread across your jaw.

"is your hand wet?" you quipped, moving your face away to gently grab his wrist. it had traces of egg white on it, and most of it was on you.

you hurriedly grabbed a paper towel to remove the egg whites with a laugh, "EW EW EW!" you shoutted, trying to get the substance off of your cheeks. and instead of helping you, he laughed even louder.

"are you trying to make cake on my face instead?!"

"i didn't know i had eggs on my hands!"

"you did that on purpose! under the guise that you were doing something sweet for me... i trusted you, the love of my life..." you over dramatically exclaimed and turned your head to the side, putting on the facade that you were hurt.

he waved his hands defensively, desperately trying to clear his name and that he truly only wanted to clean your face up. maybe. "no! i would never do something as vile and cruel as smearing egg whites onto your beautiful face! believe me, my fair one!" he said while suppressing down the smile that was so close to getting out, trying to maintin his serious act while raising his still-egg-white tainted hand in the air.

you two shared a laugh, neil quickly washing his hands to help you clean your face since you were still trying to wipe away the gooey substance. and to your surprise while he was washing you up, he put your face into his hands and cupped each of your cheeks, giving them a gentle squeeze. before you could ask him what he was doing, he leaned in to kiss you. in return, when he pulled away, you took a hold of his face as well. with your hands still dusted of cake flour and kissed him again, you had a cheeky look on your face after what you accomplished. 

“now you’re messy as well.”

"that's alright, i could be messy for an entire decade and i wouldn't mind. as long as i get to be messy with you."

you lightly shoved him, scrunching your nose as you laughed at his remark. you felt like there were butterflies in your stomach, you wanted to kick your feet in the air and gush about all this to your friends. neil was the only one who could make you feel that way. "you're so lame, like really lame. that was so lame of you. i like it though."

"i love you too." his lips curled into a broad grin and continued to help you clear each other off. as soon as he was done, neil put the bowl with the dry and wet ingredients side by side and faced you. 

“so what’s next master chef?”

“it says here to mix these two together then put them in the muffin cups.”

“okay, should be easy enough.”

he lifted the bowl with the wet ingredients and slowly poured it into the other bowl, you saw that the wet ingredients weren’t going down quicker as you expected. 

“is it supposed to be… that super thick?” you worryingly asked, fearing that you two did something wrong. how could you mess up baking cupcakes?

“no.. i don’t think so. maybe you should add more milk.” he proposed, setting down the bowl and handing you the carton of milk. he grabbed the wooden spoon as you added the milk into bowl and stirred, also adding the dry ingredients in.

“i think i added too much milk.” you admitted, the mixture was now too runny. it was supposed to be just the right amount of thick.

“try adding more flour.”

you followed neil’s suggested and lifted the cake flour box, it was lighter than you expected. there wasn’t much flour left, since almost half of its contents went to your face. but it’ll have to do. 

“now its too thick again.” you deadpanned as you shook your head, “i’ll just add a bit more milk..”

when neil finished stirring, you poured the finished batter onto the muffin cups and he placed the tray of soon-to-be cupcakes into the oven before setting the timer. you both sighed in relief and felt fulfilled, since you two saved the cupcake batter you almost screwed up.

 neil decided to play around with your small dog that entered the kitchen a few minutes earlier when he heard the commotion, and you made a little snack out of the excess batter. obviously, you took pictures as he did. the two most adorable boys you loved in the world together, a sight to behold.

when you heard the timer ring, you took a pair of mittens from the drawer and gave them to neil, letting him take the cupcakes out. the sweet fresh aroma the cupcakes gave off filled the kitchen air, the scent of vanilla making you salivate just from its fragrance.

“these look delicious!” neil cheered with a puppy grin on his lips, happily setting down the tray onto the counter top to let it cool.

“ah shoot! we forgot to make the frosting!”

“it’s alright my love, we can just enjoy it as it is.” 

the two of you munched down on the cupcakes as soon as they cooled, even offering some to your parents. it wasn’t too bad for your first time, they weren’t perfect either. but it’s something you and neil made together, and that alone makes you happy.

“we should do this again.” he suggested, finishing off the last crumb of his cupcake that he was eating. 

“definitely. let's bake a cake.”

© sorencd . 2023 ─ do not copy, repost, translate or claim any of my works as your own.

[four-white-trees]

Sunday Six - Back on my bullshit edition

So the election happened in the US and it was. bad. so to cope I made a police detective OC I'm hoping to smash into Akutsu 💀 idk if I'll ever post this if i ever even finish it but Akuma has gotten me through this week

Shoutout to @humbletaxidriver for letting me yap and contributing some ideas and also tagging everyone else @overdevelopedglasses @jichanxo @passthroughtime @skysquid22 @mike----wazowski @ikainkspills

Akutsu was usually found around Shichifuku street in the early evenings, and that night was no exception. The late summer sun had fallen behind Tokyo's skyscrapers, casting Kamurocho in a beautiful polluted glow. Akuma saw him and a group of about nine men, none of whom reached his shoulders, loitering in the big parking lot next to Kanrai.

Judging by how sweaty and flushed everyone was, they'd just finished a round of basketball. The ball rested forgotten in a dirty corner of the parking lot. Akutsu was leaning heavily on one of the few cars left in the lot, his tank top pulled up to wipe at the sweat on his brow. Akuma couldn't help but get an eyefull of his thick waist. The line of tribal tattoos seen on his arm and left connected here, long, sharp shapes inked to the skin along his side and curved over the pad of fat on his belly.

Akutsu let his shirt drop, falling back over his waist, and his eyes met Akuma's across the lot. Akuma attempted his boyish smile, hoping to disarm any potential hostility from the man Akuma was meant to be investigating, but before he could so much as lift his lips, Akutsu had crossed the ten or so meters between them in a few long strides and threw his fist right at Akuma's head.

Akuma's own instincts were the only thing that saved him from getting his face caved in, as he dropped low and dove out of Akutsu's reach. Akuma didn't have time to wonder why he'd been attacked so suddenly - but he didn't need to.

Akuma had been upwind of Akutsu when he approached, so he hadn't been able to smell him. But now, with the big man upon him, he caught it: that wild, feral scent, deeply musky and decidedly inhuman. In a split second Akuma noticed his long, sharp nails, the way his pupils had shrink to long vertical slits in his bloodshot eyes, the sharpness of his teeth that he bared at Akuma.

Akutsu wasn't just a former yakuza, not just a shady businessman trying to take the reins of Kamurocho’s drug trade. He was something more.

Just like Akuma himself.

[tacoma-narrows]

Have you ever heard of the impulse? I rode it at Knoebels

I have, and I love it! Knoebels is sort of one of my home parks (I live abt 2 hours from it) and I like to think of it as the park I grew up/found my love of roller coasters at! So needless to say, when I heard they were getting a modern, inverting steel coaster for their 2015 season, I was very excited! And I love how they did it! Having it right at the front of the park as one of the first things you see coming in, with its vibrant colors scheme was a great choice (though I will say I do miss the bumper boats it replaced lol)

But I think Impulse is great for what it is! Love the airtime you get from the vertical lift to the vertical drop, and all the forces it has! Great negatives on the aforementioned drop, along with fantastic hangtime on the vertical loop and heartline roll, then nice positive Gs on the helix at the end! My one critique would be for it to have better restraints that don't tighten on your thighs throughout the ride, but since the ride as a whole is fairly short, it's not a huge problem for me ^^

Overall, Impulse ranks at number 52 out of 170 on my rankings! Between Raging Bull at Six Flags Great America and Hydra at Dorney Park!

I almost rode Impulse when I was at Knoebels about two weeks ago with my friend (see this post hehe) but I didn't have time. Would love to give it another spin next time I'm out there!

Thanks for the ask! :D

Here are some of my own photos of Impulse too :3

[twilightdomain]

ID: two panels of a sketched comic. the first shows the silhouette of park chul-moo in the arched doorway of a room that is much darker than outside. dialogue from him reads, "I was wondering if you'd turn up." the second panel looks over his shoulder from behind, showing a hooded figure seated cross-legged on the floor in front of him, lit by the doorway but with their head bowed and hands bound in front of them. dialogue from chul-moo reads, "Again." end ID

this got. so long. it's under the cut. an ode to my favorite plot-relevant renown heart.

ID: a sketched, dialogue-heavy comic of guild wars 2 characters in two long vertical pages. the first two panels are the same as those above the cut.

The next shows the lower half of the hooded person's face, which is pale with faint scratches and bruises, and grinning nastily under a thin mustache. A loose bandana is pulled down below the chin so it hangs around his neck and he wears the shoulder guards of medium jade tech armor. Dialogue from him reads, "Like a bad penny."

The panels begin to overlap with each other. The next shows Chul-moo's face and shoulders from the front, looking unamused with slightly gritted teeth. Two merging dialogue bubbles from him read, "And what do the Kestrels think they stand to gain by wasting my time? We're the only reason Tetra hasn't already blown this whole forest to smithereens."

In the next panel, the hooded man (it is Ratthew the Vile) tilts his head up, revealing a truly scummy smile framed by strands of loose hair and topped off by several worse scratches and bruises. His dialogue is in two bubbles connected to him both here and in the next panel. It reads, "Oh, don't worry. There's another outsider doing the same in the Speakers' camp right now. And I guarantee they're not being as friendly about it as me." He says the last part in a large panel with a solid dark background that extends vertically behind the two above it. Both figures are shown from the side, facing each other and starkly lit by the doorway. Chul-moo's arms are crossed, and Rat looks up at him, still smiling, with his bound wrists held in front of his chest.

The second page starts with two panels side by side, simpler than the previous one. Chul-moo is doodled with raised eyebrows and wide eyes, gesturing loosely and saying "Great!!" Then with lowered eyebrows and holding his hands emphatically, saying "Why don't you go help with that then."

The next panel shows him again, drawn with the original level of detail, slightly backlit by the doorway. He has lifted one hand from crossed arms to wave it in the air, eyes closed with an irritated smirk, saying "I can even give you some pointers," and in smaller text outside of a bubble, "Please get our bread oven guy out of there."

The next panel shows most of Rat's seated form from the front and the edge of Chul-Moo's crossed arms from behind. Rat's smile has become more unassuming and friendly, his one blackened eye shut and head tilted slightly. His hands are still tied so he gestures slightly with his thumbs, saying "Well... The company here is so much nicer..."

The next three panels are the same size and shape, stacked vertically to the right of the previous one. The first two are close ups of Chul-Moo's eyes, first glaring down with one raised eyebrow, with no dialogue, then looking to the right with an unreadable expression, saying, "Is that right?" The third is a blank dark box with white text that says "Maybe we've been too forgiving then."

The next two panels are close-ups of hands; The first is Chul-Moo's armored fingers over the opposite elbow of his crossed arms, the pinky finger tapping slightly. The second is Ratthew the Vile's bound hands, seen from the side, with all the fingers comfortably folded besides the pinkies which are sticking out slightly. Dialogue extending across both panels says "Or if you mean it... Why not join us for real?"

A jagged tail leads from the last dialogue bubble to an even more loosely-drawn final panel with no frame or shading. It is being emitted by a boxy radio on a large table, surrounded by Kestrel Ayumi, Detective Rama, and Gorrik, who are all wearing varying concerned or weirded-out expressions. Ayumi is saying, "The little Krytan got caught again. I thought you said he'd be good at this?" Gorrik replies, "He should be! The Marshal said he did this stuff all the time! Maybe he's sick?" Another bubble from the radio says "—What a generous offer—." Rama says "I'm gonna be sick if I have to keep listening to this." end ID

something something first conversations. phew! this was a pain in the ass. thanks for making it this far.

[usafphantom2]

XB-70 Valkyrie

XB-70 Valkyrie in Cruise Configuration

The No. 1 XB-70A (62-0001) is viewed from above in cruise configuration with the wing tips drooped for improved controllability.

The XB-70 Valkyrie, with a planned cruise speed of Mach 3 and operating altitude of 70,000 feet, was to be the ultimate high-altitude, high-speed manned strategic bomber. Events, however, would cause it to play a far different role in the history of aviation.

To achieve Mach 3 performance, the XB-70 was designed to “ride” its own shock wave, much as a surfer rides an ocean wave. The resulting shape used a delta wing on a slab-sided fuselage that contained the six jet engines that powered the aircraft. The outer wing panels were hinged. During take off, landing, and subsonic flight, they remained in the horizontal position. This feature increased the amount of lift produced, improving the lift-to-drag ratio. Once the aircraft was supersonic, the wing panels would be hinged downward. Changing the position of the wing panels reduced the drag caused by the wingtips interacted with the inlet shock wave. The repositioned wingtips also reduced the area behind the airplane’s center of gravity, which reduced trim drag. The downturned outer panels also provided more vertical surface to improve directional stability at high Mach numbers. Attached to the delta was a long, thin forward fuselage. Behind the cockpit were two large canards, which acted as control surfaces.

XB-70: World's Largest Experimental Aircraft in the 1960s.

The figure standing on the ramp provides a size comparison with the XB-70A aircraft.

As impressive a technological feat as the XB-70 represented, the aircraft was under development at a time when the future of the manned bomber was uncertain. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, many believed that manned aircraft were obsolete, and the future belonged to missiles. As a result, the Kennedy Administration ended plans to deploy the B-70. Two experimental XB-70A prototypes were under construction at North American Aviation when the program was canceled.

At the same time there was growing interest in an American supersonic transport (SST). Jet airliners had cut flight times by more than half in comparison to propeller-powered aircraft. A Mach 2 or 3 SST would make a similar improvement over the new subsonic jet airliners. The Flight Research Center (FRC-now the Armstrong Flight Research Center, Edwards, CA.) had several SST studies underway during the early 1960s. NASA’s Douglas F5D-1 was used for landing studies, a North American F-100C was modified to simulate SST handling qualities, a North American A-5A was used to simulate an SST for tests of the air traffic control system, and a Lockheed JetStar was modified as an in-flight SST simulator.

On the Ramp: XB-70

The XB-70A is shown parked on a ramp at Edwards, California, in 1967.

The XB-70 Valkyrie seemed to be a perfect testbed for SST research. It was the same size as the projected SST designs, and used similar structural materials, such as brazed stainless steel honeycomb and titanium. Thus, the XB-70A’s role changed from a manned bomber prototype to one of the most remarkable research aircraft ever flown.

The XB-70A number 1 (62-001) made its first flight from Palmdale to Edwards Air Force Base, CA, on Sept. 21, 1964. Tests of the XB-70’s airworthiness occurred throughout 1964 and 1965 by North American and Air Force test pilots. The Flight Research Center prepared its instrument package. Although intended to cruise at Mach 3, the first XB-70 was found to have poor directional stability above Mach 2.5, and only made a single flight above Mach 3. Despite the problems, the early flights provided data on a number of issues facing SST designers. These included aircraft noise, operational problems, control system design, comparison of wind tunnel predictions with actual flight data, and high-altitude, clear-air turbulence.

NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, wind-tunnel studies led engineers at North American Aviation in Downey, CA, to build the second XB-70A (62-207) with an added 5 degrees of dihedral on the wings. This aircraft made its first flight on July 17, 1965. The changes resulted in much better handling, and the second XB-70 achieved Mach 3 for the first time on Jan. 3, 1966. The aircraft made a total of nine Mach 3 flights by June.

At the same time, a joint agreement was signed between NASA and the Air Force to use the second XB-70A prototype for high-speed research flights in support of the SST program, selected due to its better aerodynamics, inlet controls, and a much superior instrument package, compared to the first aircraft. The NASA research flights were to begin in mid-June, once the North American Aviation Phase I tests of the vehicle’s airworthiness were completed. NASA research pilot Joe Walker was selected as the project pilot. The flights were to evaluate the aircraft on typical SST flight profiles, and to study the problems of sonic booms on overland flights.

These plans went awry on June 8, 1966, when the second XB-70 crashed following a midair collision with NASA’s F-104N chase plane. Joe Walker, F-104N pilot, died in the accident. North American test pilot Al White ejected from the XB-70 in his escape capsule, but received serious injuries in the process. Co-pilot Maj. Carl Cross, who was making his first flight in the XB-70, was unable to eject and died in the crash.

The deaths of Walker and Cross, and the destruction of the second XB-70 had major consequences for the research program. The second XB-70 had been selected for the Phase II tests, which were to be conducted jointly by NASA and the Air Force. With this aircraft now destroyed, only the first aircraft was available. Given the aircraft’s shortcomings, the Air Force began to doubt that it would be able to meet the Phase II test goals.

The first XB-70 was undergoing maintenance and modifications at the time of the accident to its sister ship. It did not fly again until Nov. 3, 1966. Col. Joe Cotton piloted it, while NASA research pilot Fitzhugh Fulton served as co-pilot. The flight reached a top speed of Mach 2.1. Between November 1966 and the end of January 1967, a total of 11 joint Air Force/NASA research flights occurred. Cotton, Fulton, and Van H. Shepard of North American Aviation were crewmen on these flights. A top speed of Mach 2.57 was the highest attained during the remainder of the XB-70 program.

These flights were made as part of the National Sonic Boom Program. The XB-70 flew at differing altitudes, Mach numbers, and weights over an instrumented test range at Edwards. The “boom carpet” area was determined and the overpressure measured on two specially constructed housing units. The tests showed that a large aircraft, such as the XB-70 or the projected SST, could generate overpressures high enough to cause damage. Moreover, when the XB-70 made a turn, its shock waves converged, and often doubled the overpressure on the ground.

Following these tests, the XB-70 was grounded for maintenance that lasted 2 1/2 months. The Air Force had concluded by that point that the XB-70 program should be turned over to NASA as soon as possible. FRC director Paul Bikle and Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC) commander Maj. Gen. Hugh Manson created a joint FRC/AFFTC XB-70 operating committee on March 15, 1967. This was patterned on similar committees established for the X-15 and lifting bodies. The NASA XB-70 program continued to receive Air Force assistance, in terms of aircraft support and Air Force test pilots.

The first NASA XB-70 flight occurred on April 25, 1967, by Fulton and Cotton. By the end of March 1968, another 12 research flights had been completed. The pilots included Fulton, Cotton, and Shepard, as well as Lt. Col. Emil Sturmthal and NASA research pilot Don Mallick. The flights acquired data to correlate with an Ames ground-based SST simulator and the JetStar in-flight SST simulator at FRC. Other XB-70 research goals were to measure its structural response to turbulence; determine the aircraft’s handling qualities during landings; and investigate boundary layer noise, inlet performance, and structural dynamics, including fuselage bending and canard flight loads.

The XB-70 underwent modifications after a final flight on March 21, 1968. During research flights, the XB-70 pilots had frequently experienced trim changes and buffeting during high-speed, high-altitude flights. These resulted from clear-air turbulence and rapidly changing atmospheric temperatures. For a specialized research aircraft, these characteristics were little more than annoying; on a commercial SST, however, they would be uncomfortable for the passengers, increase the pilots’ workload, and shorten the structural fatigue life of the SST.

XB-70A Rolls Out After Landing

The XB-70A No. 1 is shown rolling out after landing, employing drag chutes to slow down.

The XB-70 was fitted with two small vanes for the Identically Located Acceleration and Force (ILAF) experiment. The vanes rotated 12 degrees at a rate of up to 8 cycles per second. This induced a structural vibration in the XB-70 at a known frequency and amplitude. The XB-70’s accelerometers detected the disturbances, then signaled the aircraft’s stability augmentation system to damp out the motion. When XB-70 research flights resumed on June 11, 1968, the ILAF proved its ability to reduce the effects of turbulence and atmospheric temperature changes.

Despite the accomplishments of the XB-70, time was running out for the research program. NASA had reached an agreement with the Air Force to fly research missions with a pair of YF-12As and a “YF-12C,” which was actually an SR-71. These represented a far more advanced technology than that of the XB-70. In all, the two XB-70s had logged 1 hour and 48 minutes of Mach 3 flight time. A YF-12 could log this much Mach 3 time in a single flight.

The final XB-70 research flight occurred on Feb. 4, 1969. Fulton and Sturmthal made a subsonic structural dynamics test and ferry flight. The XB-70 took off from Edwards and flew to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH, where the aircraft was put on display at the Air Force Museum. The first XB-70 made 83 flights totaling 160 hours and 16 minutes, while the second XB-70 logged 46 flights in its brief life, totaling 92 hours and 22 minutes.

@kadonkey via X

[catnipster69]

A Little Pampering

Heavy clouds obscured the sunrise, promising a rainy day, which was fine because Dean intended to fall straight into bed anyway. They rolled into the motel parking lot after an all-night hunt, dirty and bruised—even the Impala was coated in dried mud—and Sam woke from his nap when Dean shut off the engine.

Dean dragged his feet as he approached the motel door. After attempting the key a couple of times with his eyes closed, Sam grabbed his hand and worked the key free. Eyes still closed, Dean stumbled into the room and started to tip towards his bed.

Sam grabbed the back of Dean’s collar and insisted, “Dude, don’t even think about skipping a shower.”

“Shuddup.” Dean was a good five degrees from vertical and starting to get strangled by his collar, so Sam grabbed Dean under the arms like he was a giant baby and manhandled him into the bathroom. “OK, OK!” Dean batted ineffectually at Sam.

“You’re acting like a giant baby,” Sam tutted. Then he started unbuttoning Dean’s shirt and stripping him. When Dean was down to his underwear, and his jeans were puddled around his boots, Sam turned on the bath. “Babies take baths.”

Dean lifted one eyelid to look at his brother askance, then he sat on the toilet lid and held out his booted feet. In for a penny, in for a pound. Sam unlaced Dean’s boots and pulled them off, followed by his jeans.

Sam checked the water. “Not too hot for baby. Come on.” He hefted Dean up from a sitting position and bent down to pull off Dean's boxers.

Dean’s boner sprang free.

Sam sighed. “You’re so predictable.”

Dean grinned. He got a thorough washing and went to bed clean and happy.

[skyloftian-nutcase]

Hi Lofty,

Today the boys are having an adventure ( but not in the way we thought 😉)

Adventure Park

“So we’re going to the park again?” Shadow asked from the backseat of Mel’s car as they drove down the small road through the woods.

“Yes, but it’s a different kind of park. You’ll see it when we get there.” Nancy answered from the front.

Shadow looked at Orik sitting next to him with a slightly green tint to his face. “Do you know if they packed a picnic? I really liked that!” The other boy shook his head weakly, the look on his face made clear that he didn’t want to think about food right now.

Mel pulled into the parking lot and Nancy pointed her to an empty spot. The Links got out of the car and Powers' complexion slowly returned to normal.

“Come on!” the girls were quick to take them to a line that was already quite long, hoping in the back of it and getting their bags in front of them, making sure to pull out little slips of paper, a pass of some sort perhaps?

By the time they were finally greeted by the dull monotone of the teen checking all the slips of paper Orik had recovered enough to become curious as to why they were being forced through an inspection in order to get into this ‘park’

They were allowed through the strange spinning prongs blocking free entry forward and were greeted with a brick laid plaza a huge sign in bright almost eye searing colors taking a place of pride in the center.

“- oooh i forgot they have the coaster with a loop! we have to take them on that one!” Mel exclaimed

“Maybe we should go on other rides on our way there? since that’s the other side of the park?” Nancy suggested.

“No! We have to get in line now before it gets bad!” Mel argued

“Stuff like that always has long lines,” Nancy conceded

Thus the confused heroes were marched through a world of color, smell and far too many people at once for either of their tastes, finding the journey to be disorienting, both quickly losing track of which they were going or where they’d come from.

Eventually the boys stood in front of the roller coaster and looked upwards to see the tracks. the numbers on the sign said the wait was 15 minutes, and the girls had seemed excited? so Shadow supposed that was a good time based on their talk of long lines and hot sun. a strange cart rolled overhead, with people screaming and the unsettling groaning of the tracks under the weight making the heroes look up with apprehension.

“Are you sure … that’s safe?” asked Power in a hesitant voice, clearly still unsure what he was looking at.

“Has to be. they can’t keep running it otherwise!” Nancy was squirting sunscreen onto her arms and applying a generous layer, before turning and lifting her bottle in a silent offer for the boys.

Shadow took the bottle and shivered a little at the cool sunscreen on his skin, trying to apply it in an even layer, but leaving some stray white streaks on his arms in the process. He felt a pit growing in his stomach, this was nothing like the other park the girls had shown them! and he wasn’t sure he liked the look of the strange carts ahead, with the bar that trapped people inside the vehicle and the flaming skulls painted on the sides.

Finally, they were up front and an empty cart was in front of them. Nancy and Mel directed the boys to the front seat, and filed into the one behind them, making sure to put their bags in the provided mesh to keep them from getting lost.

The boys startled as a voice boomed around them, giving instructions and introducing the Terror Twister in a dramatic voice.

“Is it too late to leave?” Power asked in a small voice, upon which the cart jolted, beginning to move forward along the track and up the incline.

They were facing the sky as the cart went near vertical in the final portion of the artificial hill. “Here it comes! came Nancy’s delighted cry, hands already raised in preparation.

“here what co-” Shadow had the words stolen out of his mouth as they crested the hill, dropping at great speed at the ride began in earnest. The boys got over their surprise quickly, then looked at each other in bewilderment at the screams behind them. This was far less exciting than riding a dragon or fighting in a war.

When the ride was over the boys turned to see Nancy sporting a blush from excitement while Mel looked a little green.

“ooooh the loops always get me,” Mel muttered looking for the nearest bench to catch her breath on.

The boys exchanged a look and Shadow asked “Why were you shouting?” Nancy looked at him with a confused frown. “It was exciting! Did you not like it?” The boys looked at each other and then shook their heads. “Riding a Dragon was exciting. You said that this is safe, so this is not that exciting. It wasn’t even dangerous.” Answered Shadow.

Nancy bit her lip, deep in thought. “I think I know something that you’d like more.”

Several minutes later the boys sat in a brightly colored cart and were driving through a colorful world with singing fish and mermaids. When they arrived at the exit and met with the girls, both boys were smiling. “Who would have guessed that they would like a children’s ride more than a roller coaster?”Mel muttered and the girls dissolved into giggles.

@nancyheart11 Aowjsbsofhfbewoebr LOL FOREVER that Shadow’s fine in the car but Power’s car sick HAHA even on vacation he still gets the short end of the stick 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

The boys getting nervous about the roller coaster and then being like 🤨🤨 after actually being on it is great, and them loving the kid ride just made me say “awwww” out loud and giggle AHHHH THIS CONTINUES TO BE ADORABLE THANK YOU ❤️❤️❤️

[kxantares]

What the heck's the deal with tower 6 on the Big Red Express (1997–2022) at Whistler-Blackcomb?

So, on Whistler Mountain, there was this one chairlift, the Big Red Express (due to be replaced in time for the 2022–2023 ski season with a new lift by the same name), which was notable for, mostly, being remarkably miserable to ride on snowy, windy days; being ten minutes long; and:

This is a rare design feature on ropeways, which only really happens when there's a serious elevation differential across the several metres separating each side of the ropeway. Usually, they'll just build a tower tall enough to support both sides of the cable, unless it's way cheaper to not do that. Which, well, it is here.

But there's another thing that's weird about that tower. Like, here, let me show you a basically identical lift built by the same company, Doppelmayr, around the same year:

Check the tower heads on both — the ones on the second picture are normal for that manufacturer in that era. So where did the Big Red get its weird towers from?

The Redline Express, installed in 1992. I'll get into why it only lasted five ski seasons in a bit, but basically, they ended up having to put that little side tower in because that lift was itself replacing the original Red Chair (1965–1992). Which was built, well, very differently from the big, beefy high-speed lifts that started to become the main workhorses of large ski resorts in the '80s, and which also had chairs that didn't require quite the same vertical clearance or other such space:

So, reusing the same alignment, which was the most direct route from "the top of whatever lift comes up from the base at Creekside" to "up a hill from the main lodge on the mountain, so that people can ski down to the ski racks", but with chairs that need way more vertical clearance and can support larger gaps between towers, meant sticking in a little side tower to make sure people's skis wouldn't brush against the snow (or worse!). Speaking of "worse", though, let's get into why the Redline was replaced maybe a sixth of the way into its theoretical service life:

Think about how it works in practice. For clarity, this is a device intended to secure hundreds of kilograms of metal and passengers to a rope, usually in temperatures below freezing, under conditions where forces on the cable, such as those that occur in the event of an emergency stop, can result in reduced or absent gravitational force acting on the chair.

And for more clarity, look at the upper part of the "jaws" on the cable, and where the hinges are relative to the "jaws". Just one more thing: those tension-providing devices aren't lazily drawn metal springs; they're rubber "marshmallow" springs.

Can you see where the problem might be with this setup? Because this guy didn't:

Meet Janek Kunczynski, the founder of Lift Engineering & Manufacturing Co., AKA Yan, who might as well be the Elon Musk of ropeways. Before I get deeper into just how disastrous his detachable grip design was, let me show you another Incredible™ (derogatory) example of his engineering sensibilities:

Allow me to remind you that this is usually operating in sub-zero temperatures, and that this specific lift was often subject to considerable wind and snow. As in, when mechanics were working on this chairlift, they'd have to do that with no protection from the elements. (It's also at least rumoured within the ropeway and ski resort industries that his lifts were routinely welded together in ski resort parking lots.) His whole thing was, basically, making lifts look cool and implementing them cheaply, to undercut his European competitors, which led not just to impractical designs that were hostile to the people maintaining them or prone to breaking down, but to his company's lifts killing at least five people and injuring at least seventy.

Which brings us back to Whistler:

Whistler, at the time in an arms race to outcompete Blackcomb, its neighbour, but lacking the sort of venture capital backing Blackcomb had, wanted to put in some high-speed lifts to be able to match the skiing experience at Blackcomb, which had already bought several such lifts from Doppelmayr (after buying several low-speed lifts from Yan). So they figured they'd take the cheap route, and get three high-speed lifts, of a fairly unproven design, installed. These were to replace three ancient lifts that were, at that point, constraining the resort's capacity.

While the Redline and Green both served through their five years of operation without any serious issues, the same can't be said for the Quicksilver Express, which was the only chairlift Yan ever built with "bubbles" on it — which required a slightly enhanced grip, to handle the additional weight.

It wasn't enhanced enough, though. On December 23rd, 1995…

The Quicksilver, specifically, was an unmitigated dumpster fire, even before any accidents happened. It was designed such that, in wind, grips could smack against towers, taking on damage in the process. It had a faulty brake system that would apply maximum braking force via the emergency brake when a normal stop is what the operator pressed the button for. At least a few empty chairs had straight up fallen off the cable before the accident. And then there were the grips.

These grips received multiple retrofits and rebuilds throughout the few years the lift was operating, which never seemed to help — they slipped so often that operators on the lift just stuffed paper into the grip force alarm to muffle it. The clearance between grips and towers was known to be below code, and Whistler stated that they simply couldn't fix it. Upon testing the grips after the accident, of 29 tested, every single one failed to perform adequately.

Furthermore, there was the whole thing with the rubber and the claws. Rubber springs lose performance at much less extreme temperatures than metal springs, and the way the grips were designed, a lot of their grip force relied on the chair applying force via gravity. Take away gravity, and the grip can slip. Take away gravity on a particularly steep section of the lift line, and you've got a cascade of chairs knocking each other off of the cable until they ram into a tower and fall to the ground.

So it was 1997, and Whistler, on the edge of going bankrupt from lawsuits and lost business, had to get rid of the other Yan high speed lifts, which were likely safer, but not safe enough. Some resorts retrofitted theirs to use a better grip design, but Whistler just got rid of them…

…other than the towers.

[nyamadermont]

Setting the Stage

#FFF184 Set the Stage

@flashfictionfridayofficial

Avatar: The Legend of Korra

901 words

[Image ID: A rectangle with vertical red stripes like a stage curtain, with the text “#FFF184 Set the Stage” centered in white.]

Today’s the day.

Kya’s mind was already racing before her eyes opened. She took stock of the sunlight and shadows outside, and gave herself about six hours.

The hospital was aware that calling her in had best be for a very short list of very serious reasons, at least three of which were not physically possible (to her knowledge). She knew Opal and Jinora were serious about their boyfriends, but none of them were becoming parents any time soon. Lin was out of town, so should not be in any danger whatsoever of winding up on a surgical table. And her mother was safely at the South Pole, under Senna’s watchful eye.

She wriggled under the sheets, greedily stretching out in all directions. She contracted her stomach to sit upright and stretch with a playful groan.

The cool breeze from the window thrilled her skin, and spread a smile across her face.

Time to get busy!

With unaccustomed speed, she cleaned up, got dressed, and ate a decent breakfast.

The whole time, she was nearly dancing with excitement.

Her list was ready. Her money was ready. Her (ok, Lin’s) sato was ready. Now, for everything else.

The pickup at the dress shop? Too much fun to rush. Done.

Swinging in at the tailor’s? Can’t turn down the offer of tea. That would be rude. But soon enough, done.

A stop by the florist? Done in minutes.

A last pass through the grocery store? Took about ten minutes too long, but done.

Everything collected, Kya struck out for the park.

She pulled into the lot and parked. The cart she brought wasn’t quite big enough for everything, so suddenly, she had a bit of a problem. One hand on her hip, she glared at her car, thinking hard.

“Hey, Kya!”

The voice carried from far across the parking area. She turned to see Korra and Asami, hand in hand, walking over in her direction. She watched them, clearly happy to see her, but still quite focused on each other. She felt about four different smiles cross her face before the pair made it close enough for hugs.

Asami took a step back, and gave her predicament a professional appraisal. “Could you use a couple of hands carrying a few things?” Kya could see the narrowed eyes, the tightly restrained smirk.

I think she’s on to me.

“Hands? Who needs hands? You have the Avatar at your service!”

With that, Korra swirled her hands, and lifted the cart on a tightly spun wheel of air. Kya and Asami laughed, but pulled out the final few items. They wandered through the park until they came up to a small pavilion with a low stone table.

In just a moment, the girls had set up a small tent, hanging the two garment bags inside. Korra’s airbending came in handy as she strung lights and a few red curtains in strategic locations around the pavilion's eaves.

Asami took charge of the food and flowers, laying out a luscious display on the table and setting the cushions just as Kya would have. When she stepped back, she noticed Korra was settling back to the ground. Kya’s back was turned and Asami waved to attract Korra’s attention. With some vigorous eyebrow wiggles and wide-eyed encouragement, she finally got through Korra’s obliviousness.

Korra gasped.

Kya snapped up straight. “Korra? What’s wrong?”

Korra’s face lit up. “You’re just setting the stage, aren’t you?” She clasped her hands close to her chest. “Can we watch from over,” she whirled around and saw a far too-small bush just below the foot of the bridge. “There! That’s the same bush I hid in my first day in Republic City!”

She turned her eager face back to Kya, whose bemused grin gave Asami all the clue she needed to get the Avatar as far away as possible.

“Korra, dear, you promised Meelo.”

Korra looked confused. “Promised him what?”

Asami rolled her eyes dramatically before giving Kya a sideways glance. “Someone has to look out for them, right?”

Kya just laughed and hugged them both. “Thank you. I have a lot more time because of your help. I think we’ll see you later tonight.”

Asami was still laughing when Kya couldn’t see them anymore.

She picked up the basket of peonies and walked back to the car. Retracing her steps one more time, she laid them in an obvious path to the pavilion, leading right up to the tent. She ducked inside, and a few minutes later, emerged from the other side.

She settled onto her cushion to wait.

Lin said the two words she was asked to, then nothing again for several minutes.

Kya stood in her fitted blue suit, the setting sun lighting her from behind.

Lin emerged from the tent in the long-sleeved, deep-cut, high-slit emerald dress, her feet bare on the grass.

Kya stepped forward with a cup of tea.

Lin stared at her as Kya placed the cup in her hands and gently pushed her to drink. Lin held her gaze and drank.

She blinked and lowered the cup. She blinked rapidly several times before waving her hand above it.

A small gold ring floated up into her hand. She looked at Kya.

“You want me?”

Kya just nodded, her eyes bright.

Lin clenched the ring in her hand and leaned forward for a kiss.

“Yes,” they said in unison.

[go-top-business]

Which Types of Security Gates are Right for You?

It cannot be overstated that in today's world, where security is a crucial consideration, experiencing the correct security gate installation is vital. No matter, if you want to protect your home, business, or any other property, without a doubt, making the right decision in terms of security gate selection, is the critical factor in providing maximum safety and security at your site. There are so many models in pursuit of optimal solutions that you may need clarification on which type of security gate is the most appropriate for you. Security gates can take different forms, from the simplest chain-link fences to automated barrier accessing, which is possible only with an access code. The kind of security gate that is applicable to a particular entity is determined mostly by the level of security required, the budget, and the size of the area to be secured.

Choosing a security gate depends on many factors, including the features of a particular facility and the perception of the value of the objects that are to be protected. Another factor is financial expenditure (for security gate repair, installation, maintenance, and updates). Knowing the different kinds of gates and their features beforehand is very important for having the most reliable safety system for your business. This guide will detail the various types of security gates available, equipping you with all the information you need to make the perfect choice for your needs.

The best type of security gate:

The perfect type of security gate depends on your company's specific requirements and specifications. Automated barrier systems are usually the safest choice for business buildings; chain-link fences or wrought iron gates work well for residential structures. If you need to manage both automobile and pedestrian traffic simultaneously, you might want to consider combining a variety of gate types. Finally, it's critical to carefully assess your demands before deciding on a security gate so that you can pick the finest solution for your specific circumstance.

Swing Gates Swing gates—also referred to as hinged gates—are among the most popular varieties of security gates in residential and commercial settings. These gates are hinged and swing open and closed on solid supports. They come in a range of materials, such as steel, aluminum, and wrought iron, and they have a traditional aesthetic appeal. Properties with plenty of space for the gates to swing open freely are perfect for swing gates.

Sliding Gates Sliding gates are a great option for homes with narrow driveways or restricted space, where swing gates might not be feasible. These gates work simply by sliding horizontally down a ground-installed track. They may be made to match a variety of architectural types and are quite secure. Their easy-to-use design and space-saving nature make them popular choices for both business and domestic settings.

Barrier Arm Gates Parking lots, toll booths, and other sites with controlled access frequently utilize barrier arm gates, usually referred to as boom gates. A horizontal arm that lifts and lowers to let or prohibit entry makes up these gates. Barrier arm gates come in both manual and automatic variants, making them perfect for effectively controlling vehicle traffic. They let authorized cars enter quickly and conveniently while providing a visual deterrent to unlawful entry.

Vertical Pivot Gates Vertical pivot gates, often called pivot lift gates, are a flexible choice appropriate for many different settings, such as warehouses, high-security installations, and industrial buildings. These gates open and close with the least amount of space needed since they pivot vertically around a central axis. For improved security management, vertical pivot gates may be combined with access control systems to provide robust security features.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Security Gate

Security Requirements Assessing security requirements is the first factor to consider when deciding on the type of gate you go for. Other factors to consider include the type of security called for, the frequency of use, and any security threats your property or assets might be facing.

Space Constraints Consider the width and placement space of the security gate as well. Specify the kind of gate that would best respond to the functionality and suitability of your property layout and size. This can be either a hinged or a sliding gate.

Aesthetic Preferences Pick up the building style of the realty and decide on the security gate to match this design. Whether you like a more or less sleek/modern look or the right balance between the old and new/traditional and ornate appearance, the factory gates that you prefer can be found among plenty of companies that provide these security services.

Budgetary Considerations As budgeting will reduce the options presented and identify only a security gate that satisfies the financial limitations, then you will need to settle for. Besides the outright buying cost, you should also consider any other service and operating expenses throughout the life of the product.

Commercial vs. Residential Security Gates

Different facilities have different security needs, so the most suitable security gates would vary according to the type of facility. Commercial security gates are commonly used in front of office buildings and shopping centers; it's worth mentioning that an automated vehicle barrier system is the most appropriate option for such a situation. Commercial security gates generally come with a code lock or key fob to unlock them and may incorporate additional features such as CCTV cameras and intruder alarms. For residential facilities, a chain-link fence and an iron gate should be used as they will act as barriers. Automated entry gates can provide a secondary layer of security and can be incorporated if required. Yet, homeowners prefer sliding gates, which enable one to monitor and permit entry to the property without interfering with the gates.

Summary

choosing the appropriate security gate is a choice that has to be carefully considered. You may select a security gate installation for your property that offers the ideal blend of durability, usefulness, and style by taking into account variables, including financial limits, space limitations, aesthetic preferences, and security needs. Investing in a high-quality security gate is an investment in the safety and protection of your property, regardless of the type of gate you choose—swing, sliding, barrier arm, or vertical pivot.

[mitchika]

New Coaster Creds [PT2]

I was going to put them on the same post but that would have gotten long, since Thorpe has significantly more coasters than Chessington.

Thorpe Park: - Swarm, favourite coaster at Thorpe - i love the new audio that blends the whole song into the area music, its a smooth ride too. Shame theres only one way in and one way out of the island though... - Walking Dead, yawn... Boring IP, boring queue line, boring ride story, coaster was a fun little ride in the dark but everything else about this ride is so boring. if it needs live actors to become 'fun' then you've messed up a fundamental part of designing an attraction. - Colossas, the 2nd longest queue we waited in but at least this was a ride... its the ride that made me nauseous for the rest of the day and that wasnt because of the 10 inversions - it's just so rough and janky... aztec theming is alright, maybe it'll get some love when Exodus is built. - Inferno, doesnt deserve to be called Nemesis - whats the connection? theres no lore here, just a volcano. I didnt think much of the layout, it does a loop and two twists before its done. i did like the meandering bit through the fog though. - SAW, was ROUGH - probably not a suprise to most people. very tight layout with some indoor secrets but i've already been on The Smiler so i came prepared. The eurofighter staple of doing over 90* after the lift didnt really add much after riding everything else that day. - Stealth, didnt ride... dont like launch coasters and its only party trick is going vertical really quick. Amity is nicely themed though. - Fishing Fish, "It's dead Jim".

[isthehorsevideocute]

must be a new record or something because now we have two riders in one year stripped of their place on their national team for the Olympics. Eric Lamaze of Canada for faking cancer to try to get out of a horse sale scam conviction and now Andreas Helgstrand of Denmark for serial horse abuse. Honestly it was about time Andreas got investigated, he has the track record between his and his riders' multiple disqualifications from competition for blood in the mouths of their horses, and his competing of a horse that had only just been colicking the day before. I mean all you have to do is look at his riding style to see something ain't right

On top of all of that he's allegedly scammed clients the same way Lamaze did (save for the cancer faking). Big surprise that one of the wealthiest professionals in the equestrian world has make billions scamming people, mistreating staff, and abusing horses by running a factory that values quantity over quality. It reflects not only everything wrong with the equine world, but with the whole world as we know it.

Story here is that an investigative journalist for Denmark's tv2 station went undercover as a groom for Helgstrand's training center.

The documentary first part has been released in Denmark, and there is due to be a part two. Information we know thus far and is well documented in testimony, video, and photo evidence is as follows (graphic depictions of animal abuse under the cut:

-Riding of horses in draw reins (long reins that run through the bridle and attach to the cinch, holding the saddle in place, which creates a pull effect that when tightened draws the horse's nose in and down toward the chest), behind the vertical (the line at which the horse's head is perfectly vertical with the ground to which behind would draw the nose in toward the chest) and see-sawing (when the rider pulls the reins in a "flossing" manner putting harsh alternating pressure on the face)

-Horses being kicked hard with spurs

-Horses showing big reactions indicating extreme fear and discomfort

-Open wounds from excessive spurring

-Admissions of horses often having bloody mouths from their bridles (documented by research as often being caused by overly tight nosebands causing a loss of circulation and sensation to use muzzle and mouth causing numbness leading to the horse biting their tongue.

This is one of his rides disqualified for blood in the mouth

-Whip marks (extreme bruising)

And that's just the horses. That doesn't even delve into the treatment of staff or the scams.

And this issue is not isolated to Denmark, the guy owns numerous international brands including show venues (including American ones like the Wellington international Horse Park in Wellington FL), tack brands and outfitters, feed companies, news outlets, and jewelry sellers. He's also a major sponsor of other equestrians even outside his discipline such as German show jumper Ludger Beerbaum (who was found out in a similar undercover operaton to be poling his horses. Poling is when a person on the ground lifts the top rail on a jump so the horse hits their leg on the rail while jumping). For a full list on where his influence lies so you can boycott, milestone equestrian made this handy list