Banded knifefish

The banded knifefish ("Gymnotus carapo") is a species of gymniform knifefish native to a wide range of freshwater habitats in South America. It is the most widespread species of "Gymnotus", but it has frequently been confused with several relatives, including some found outside its range like the Central America "G. maculosus". The English name "banded knifefish" is sometimes used for the entire genus "Gymnotus" instead of only the species "G. carapo".
Range and habitat.
This South American fish is found in the Amazon, Orinoco and Río de la Plata basins, as well as rivers in the Guianas, northeastern Brazil (only those exiting along the country's northern coast, such as Parnaíba) and northern Argentina (south to the 36th parallel south), and in Trinidad. This makes it the most widespread species of "Gymnotus".
"G. carapo" occurs in virtually any freshwater habitat in its range, such as rivers and streams (both slow- and fast-flowing), floodplains, estuaries, swamps and lakes. However, it is not known from deep river channels. It can survive in low-oxygen habitats (by breathing air directly from the water surface), areas affected by pollution, and for a period on land if its aquatic habitat dries out.
Appearance.
"G. carapo" reaches up to in total length, but it rarely surpasses and depending on exact population average is . In a study where two breeding males were located one was long and the other . It is brown with an oblique banded pattern. The strength and details of this pattern varies, both individually and depending on region. There are also some morphometric variations depending on location. A review found that these were insufficient for recognizing the populations as separate species, but did recommend recognizing them as subspecies: "G. c. carapo" (French Guiana and Suriname), "G. c. australis" (Río de la Plata basin), "G. c. caatingaensis" (Parnaíba river basin), "G. c. madeirensis" (upper Madeira river basin), "G. c. occidentalis" (Western Amazon, and Rio Negro and Essequibo river basins), "G. c. orientalis" (Eastern Amazon) and "G. c. septentrionalis" (Orinoco river basin and Trinidad).
Behavior.
This species, as with all Gymnotiformes, is an electric fish that has the capability to generate weak electric charges, and then measure the disturbance in the field of electricity created. This system is used for navigation, finding prey and communicating with other "G. carapo". They are highly territorial and will react aggressively if detecting the electric field of another individual of their species. However, they are not able to generate a strong electric field that can be used for incapacitating prey or enemies, like the related electric eel.
"G. carapo" are nocturnal and eat benthos, such a worms, insects, crustaceans, small fish and plant material.
The male takes care of the young by mouth brooding, and making and watching over a "nest", a depression in the bottom where the female lays the eggs.


Ruger Single Seven


Lemp Brewery

The Lemp Brewery was a beer brewing company established in 1840 in St. Louis, Missouri that was acquired by the Griesedieck Beverage Company in 1920, which subsequently became the Falstaff Brewing Corporation. The brewery complex property consists of 27 buildings on a site in the Marine Villa neighborhood. St. Louisian Steve DeBellis has been the owner of the Lemp Brewing Company trademark since 1988.
Company history.
Johann Adam Lemp was born in 1798 in Eschwege, Germany, and two years after his arrival in the United States in 1836, he moved to St. Louis. He sought to make his fortune by becoming a grocer; however he abandoned this dream when he realized his grocery store was more popular for its lager beer than for its groceries. In 1840, Adam Lemp closed his grocery and opened a brewery and saloon, then known as the Western Brewery. During the 1840s, Lemp moved the brewery to a larger complex in south St. Louis and began training his son, William J. Lemp, to take over the operations. The elder Lemp died in 1862, with his estate being valued at $20,000.
William J. Lemp then took over the brewery and purchased the property that would become the Lemp Brewery complex in 1864. This property at 3500 Lemp Avenue, still stands in St. Louis today.
After the implementation of Prohibition in the United States in 1919, the Lemp Brewery was unable to continue its beer brewing operations, and its near beer product (known as Cerva) was not profitable. In 1920, the Lemp Brewery's factory complex and brands were sold to other beer brewing companies.
Brewery complex.
The brewery is built upon a complex of natural caves which were once used for the lagering of beer by early German brewers. Caves are naturally cool, which was especially attractive to brewers before the advent of refrigeration. Several breweries were built atop these natural caves, which were altered to suit their purposes. Stone arches and brick ceilings prevented water seepage and uneven cave floors were paved with brick. In addition to being used for the storage and lagering of beer, such naturally cool places were sometimes employed as beer gardens, places for entertainment.
The Lemp Brewery consists of 27 buildings on a pie-shaped site bounded by Cherokee Street on the north, Lemp Avenue on the west, and South Broadway on the southeast. The first brewhouse was constructed in 1865. When it was constructed by the Lemp Family, the Lemp Mansion, included a tunnel through the natural cave system leading to the Lemp Brewery. The Lemp Family would use this tunnel to go to work.
The Lemp Brewery Complex was purchased by International Shoe Company in 1922 and they occupied the complex until approximately 1980. Although most of the buildings originally constructed by the Lemp Brewing Company remain on the property, International Shoe Company had demolished a few buildings and constructed a new building in the southern corner of the property in approximately 1950.
The Lemp Brewery Complex currently consists of 27 buildings that have been semi-occupied by various tenants for light industrial, commercial, and warehousing uses, office space, and artist studios since approximately 1980. The extensive basements under the buildings were also used for several seasons during the 1990s as a Halloween haunted house and were rented out for rave parties. The main building is now abandoned.
Revivals.
In 1939 the struggling Central Brewing Company of East St. Louis Illinois renamed itself as the Wm. J. Lemp Brewing Company. For 6 years they existed as the Lemp Brewery before changing their name again, to the EMS Brewing Co., in 1945. The brewery would soon close as a branch of Falstaff in 1949.
In 1987 St. Louis beer historian Steven J. DeBellis put Lemp beer back on the market as an American adjunct lager. The Lemp Brewing Co. currently contract brews Lemp beer through the Stevens Point Brewery in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.


4950th Test Wing

The 4950th Test Wing, a wing of the United States Air Force, was established in March 1971.
It was created as the flying unit of the Wright Air Development Center, which was created in June 1951. Wright ADC changed to Division status in December 1959 until it was replaced by the Aeronautical Systems Division (ASD) in April 1961. The 4951st, 4952d and 4953d Test Squadrons were activated in July 1975 and based at the West Ramp (a former Strategic Air Command facility) of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
ASD is responsible for the design, development and acquisition of aeronautical systems including transports, tankers and utility aircraft, rescue helicopters, long- and short-range air-to-surface missiles, aircraft engines and electronic warfare systems. In addition, the wing supported programs conducted by other AFMC departments. The majority of AFMC's large transport aircraft were assigned to the 4950th Test Wing and were loaned to other agencies as required. The 4950th Test Wing operated a variety of testbed C-135s, many of which have featured major modifications. The wing was consolidated with the AFMC Flight Test Center's 412th Test Wing at Edwards AFB, CA and inactivated in 1994.
Subordinate units.
Section updated by Major Tony Sylvain, Maj, USAF (Ret), 4950th OMS, 11 Jun 84 to 21 Jan 92.
Aircraft flown.
Aircraft 61-2775, 776, and 777 were pre-production prototypes. These aircraft had multiple subtle differences evolved during design, most notable was the main crew door, which was hinged on the top and opened outward from the bottom. These aircraft were never fitted with air refueling capability and were never converted to C-141Bs. Aircraft specifics:
Section updated by Sgt Rob Schultz (FMS Engine Shop/4953rd AMU, 1986–1992), 26 April 2011


Nikon S-mount

The Nikon S-mount is a type of interchangeable lens mount used by a series of Nikon 35mm rangefinder cameras (Nikon I, Nikon M, Nikon S, Nikon S2, Nikon SP, Nikon S3, Nikon S4). The lenses were sold under the name Nikkor.
The mount was a copy of the Zeiss Ikon Contax rangefinder mount, however, small differences between the two mean that although Zeiss wide-angle lenses can be used on the Nikon cameras and vice versa, the longer lenses (50 mm and above), if used, will not be able to focus at both close range and infinity.
Nikon made a small number of longer focal length lenses specifically designed to focus properly when mounted on a Contax. These were the 85mm, 105mm, and 135mm lenses. Each was marked with a "C" on the side of the lens barrel. This is not to be confused with a "C" mark used as a suffix to the serial number. Some early Nikkors used this mark to denote that the lenses were coated.
The mount itself has two bayonets, one inside the camera and another outside. Lenses that use the bayonet inside the camera need have no focusing helicoid built into the lens barrel. As a consequence, the 5 cm f/1.4 lens that was normally sold with the body is extremely small (about the size of a golf ball) since the lens contains the optics only. Focusing of such lenses could be done by rotating the toothed wheel on the top front of the camera body or by rotating the lens barrel itself (the distance scale is on the camera body). The external bayonet is used to mount longer and heavier lenses where the built-in helicoid would not be strong enough to rotate the lens barrel. Such lenses are focused using a focusing ring and distance scale on the lens just like typical SLR lenses (the distance scale on the camera body will be covered by the lens flange and thus not visible).
Nikon produced a very large range of Nikkor lenses for these cameras with focal lengths from 21mm to 1000mm. Several other manufacturers including Fuji (now Fujifilm), Komura and Zunow made S-mount lenses at the time of which the Zunow 5 cm f/1.1 lens is a keenly sought after collectors item. In 2002, Cosina Voigtländer manufactured a camera (the Bessa R2S) as well as several lenses for the Nikon S-mount.
Further reading.
Rotoloni, Robert, "Nikon Rangefinder Camera", 1983, Hove, East Sussex, Hove Collectors Books.


ASME Medal

The ASME Medal, created in 1920, is the highest award bestowed by the ASME (founded as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers) Board of Governors for "eminently distinguished engineering achievement". The award has been presented every year since 1996 (first medalist was awarded in 1921), and it consists of a $15,000 honorarium, a certificate, a travel supplement not to exceed $750, and a gold medal inscribed with the words, "What is not yet, may be".
ASME also gives out a number of other awards yearly, including the Edwin F. Church Medal, the Holley medal, and the Soichiro Honda medal.
List of recipients.
Source: ASME


Leader Dynamics Series T2 MK5

The Leader T2 MK5 Series firearms were chambered for the 5.56×45mm NATO cartridge and manufactured by Leader Dynamics of Smithfield, NSW, Australia (1978-1982/1983). The Leader was the brainchild of British weapons designer Charles St. George. It was originally a contender for a 5.56 mm Australian military service rifle to replace the then-issued Lithgow L1A1-F1 SLR and Colt M16A1 rifles. What was unique about this endeavor was that Australia had never designed or manufactured its own commercial gas-operated semi-automatic rifle. The rifle was abandoned when the Steyr AUG was adopted for use by the Australian military.
Of interest to those that study firearms, designs and evolution, the T2 used a triangular bolt-face that was similar to the Winchester Model 100. This was adopted because the original bolt-face was too complex and expensive to manufacture.
In a case of parallel development, Barrett Firearms uses a similar design for the M82A1 and its bolt action guns. St. George worked for Barrett at around this time but was not involved in design or engineering duties.
Origins.
Fred Riddle of Dupont Australia and Charles St. George worked together (with the input of Dupont USA) to select an appropriate engineering plastic for the pistol grip, handguards and butt-stock.
Charles St. George designed the production tooling, and the factory at Smithfield began to initially turn out 200 units per month, which increased to 400 per month some months later. St. George developed a selective-fire version called the T2 (including a carbine version of the T1 Leader) which attracted the interest of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps, as well as foreign arms companies, including Luigi Franchi (a subsidiary of Beretta) in Italy, Fábrica Militar de Braço de Prata in Portugal, and foreign militaries, such as the Sultanate of Oman Armed Forces. ATA Target Systems of Albury NSW hosted the visitors, and Charles St. George together with Terry Dinnen demonstrated the Leader weapons on ATA's Dart System. The Leader demonstration resulted in Oman placing trial weapon orders for 12 Leader select-fire rifles (SAR) and 12 Leader assault carbines (SAC).
European markets.
During this period, Charles St. George departed for Europe and conducted demonstrations in Portugal, Malta and Italy. Luigi Franchi were very impressed with the Leader and wanted to purchase a manufacturing license with customers in Europe and Asia. Unfortunately, Jack Allen and Brian Shaw, the two other partners in Leader, were not able to conclude a satisfactory contract with Luigi Franchi. Franchi eventually developed their own weapon.
United States market.
The Leader was originally imported into the U.S. by Ed Hoffman and Tim Painter of World Public Safety, California. The Leader was exhibited at the New Orleans Shot Show and orders in excess of $3,000,000 were written. The original buyers/distributors were John Giovino NY, Bumble Bee CA and Ellett Brothers. These weapons are quite rare in the US as very few (fewer than 2000 rifles) made it into the country.
Design and manufacturing features.
The cocking lever, like that of the Heckler & Koch G3, ran from the forend to the bolt, was non-reciprocating, and could fold forward out of the way. It was mounted over the left action rod and supported by the barrel extension. The cylindrical flash hider was similar to that on the early model Colt Commando models (and suffered from the same problems). It had a diopter rear sight that could be set to 100, 200 and 300 meters and a hooded post front sight. The selector switch was similar to that of the AR-18 and was set for Safe-Fire in semi-automatic or Safe-Fire-Auto in selective fire.
The weapon is quite simple and tooling cost was kept to a minimum. The receiver was a simple 16 gauge steel square tube readily available and saved thousands of dollars in die costs.
Charles St. George had to convince Australian engineering companies that it was possible to make gun parts and that close tolerances were not imperative, as is the common belief. Barrels from Lithgow were too expensive so St. George designed and built his own button rifling machine using a self-rotating button with a pushing motion. The barrel blanks were imported from Parker Hale in the United Kingdom with H&K providing the chamber machining details and Chartered Industries of Singapore supplied the 20-round M16 magazines.
The Leader actually had a self-cleaning gas system without the need for a gas regulator. The bolt carrier group was derived from that of the AR-18 but was assembled into a modular system such that the bolt, carrier, and guide rods were a self-contained unit, obviating the loss of parts during dis-assembly. Simple spot welds were used throughout the fabrication and full use of early powder-metal parts that were used for the rear sight system and magazine latch.
Faults and defects.
The cylindrical flash hider was rated as either insufficient or ineffective and was usually replaced by an aftermarket Colt AR-15/M16 A2 "birdcage" model by owners. The loose tolerances for the magazine well could allow the magazine to move up inside it when the bolt was pulled to the rear, causing potential feeding jams. The chamber was sometimes too tight on early models, causing a failure to extract. Later models made by AAA were made to tighter tolerances and usually eliminated many of these problems.
Company issues.
In 1982 St. George split from both Brian Shaw and Jack Allan and moved on and established Armtech Pty Ltd. The company folded in 1983 and the patents held sold to Australian Automatic Arms.
Australian Automatic Arms (AAA).
Leader Dynamics was subsequently sold off to a businessman who formed his own company, Australian Automatic Arms, and started to make the Leader rifles in Tasmania. They differed in lacking the carrying handle of the Leader and coming with a 30-round magazine.
The Semi-Auto Rifle (SAR) had a 16.25" [413 mm] barrel and synthetic stock.
The Semi-Auto Carbine (SAC) had a 10.5" [266 mm] barrel and synthetic stock.
The Semi-Auto Pistol (SAP) (dubbed the "Tasmanian Devil") was a pistol-gripped stockless version of the SAC. It came with a sling to brace it during firing. Only 700 were imported into the US before being banned in 1994.
The Sporting Purpose 20 (SP-20) had a 20" [508 mm] barrel and wood furniture and was sold as a sport shooting and hunting weapon. The forend was a wooden version of the polymer forend and the butt had a semi-pistol grip with a rubber recoil pad.
Semi-automatic rifles and shotguns were restricted in Australia in 1996 following the Port Arthur massacre (Australia). The Leader was soon after withdrawn from production.


On-ride camera

An on-ride camera is a camera mounted alongside the track of a roller coaster, log flume or other thrill ride that automatically photographs all of the riders on each passing vehicle. They are often mounted at the most intense or fastest part of the ride, resulting in humorously distorted expressions due to fear or wind resistance. The pictures are then available for viewing and purchase as a souvenir.
Upon exiting the ride, park guests pass a booth or shop where their vehicle's pictures are on display screens. Depending on the size of the vehicle used by the attraction, the entire car or groups of one, two, or four may comprise one photograph. The display images are numbered, and customers wishing to purchase a photo take the appropriate number to a cashier. This photo shop may be located in the same building as the displays or in a separate shop nearby. Many parks offer minimal editing tools (such as red-eye effect removal) before purchase. The photo is usually ready within minutes of purchase. Single prints in varying sizes are available, provided in cardboard folio bearing the name of the park or ride. Often specialty products, such as posters, keychains or t-shirts, are available also.
An unusual camera configuration can be found on the hydraulically launched roller coasters Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point and Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure. Both had two cameras (Kingda Ka's second on-ride camera has since been removed), one during the high-speed launch segment and another at the final brake run, providing riders with a before and after picture of themselves on those harrowing rides. Another unusual configuration is Hydra the Revenge at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom. The ride features two cameras; one takes a rider's picture before a loop and the other takes a picture while the rider is upside-down. Hydra the Revenge is also the only roller coaster to take a picture while the rider is upside down.
Video.
A relatively new trend in the industry is on-ride video cameras. On some rides, on-ride videos are recorded by cameras mounted alongside the track, similar to on-ride photo cameras. This provides a third person montage-style of cuts which show the train entering, passing through and then leaving the frame. One such ride using this system is SheiKra at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit at Universal Studios Florida.
Using the alternate system, videos are recorded by cameras mounted inside the ride vehicles, usually on the back of the seat in front of the subject. This provides a first-person stream of consciousness-style film, showing the riders' emotions close up from start to finish. Some coasters that use this system are Thunderhawk at Michigan's Adventure, Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit at Universal Studios Florida, and Verbolten at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. Volcano, The Blast Coaster at Kings Dominion, FireWhip at Beto Carrero World utilizes this style; a method also previously used by and The Swarm at Thorpe Park which no longer offer the service, with the camera mounted to the seat backs.


The Art of Electronics

The Art of Electronics, by Paul Horowitz and Winfield Hill, is a popular reference textbook dealing with analog and digital electronics. The first edition was published in 1980, and the 1989 second edition has been regularly reprinted.
The third edition was published on April 9th, 2015. The author is accepting reports of errata and publishing them, to be corrected in future revisions.
Overview.
The book covers many areas of circuit design, from basic DC voltage, current, and resistance, to active filters and oscillators, to digital electronics, including microprocessors and digital bus interfacing. It also includes discussions of such often-neglected areas as high-frequency, high-speed design techniques and low-power applications.
The book includes many example circuits. In addition to having examples of good circuits, it also has examples of bad ideas, with discussions of what makes the good designs good and the bad ones bad. It can be described as a cross between a textbook and reference manual, though without the chapter-end questions and exercises which are often found in textbooks.
There is also a complementary text, "Learning the Art of Electronics" (formerly "Student Manual for The Art of Electronics") by Thomas C. Hayes and Paul Horowitz. While referring to the main text extensively, it is designed specifically to teach electronics. It contains laboratory exercises and explanatory text supplements aimed at the student. In contrast, "The Art of Electronics" contains tables, equations, diagrams, and other material practitioners use for reference.
"The Art of Electronics: The X Chapters" follow up book was released in January 2020.


Harrison Wadsworth Jr.

Harrison Morton Wadsworth Jr. (August 20, 1924 – August 3, 2010) was an American engineering professor of statistical methods, author and specialist in quality control science. Born in Duluth, Minnesota, he grew up in Miami Beach, Florida and lived most of his life in Atlanta, Georgia. Wadsworth received his B.I.E. Degree and M.S. Degrees from the Georgia Institute of Technology and his PhD from Case Western Reserve University. He was a professor of statistics in the Industrial and Systems Engineering Department at the Georgia Institute of Technology from 1960 through 1991, and taught in China and Turkey. He operated his own quality auditing consulting business upon retiring in 1991. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving as a supply sergeant in the Philippines in World War II, and in the Korean War.
Career.
He was a U.S. delegate and subcommittee chair to the International Organization for Standardization and the American National Standards Institute. He authored or co-authored several textbooks and served as editor of the "Journal of Quality Technology". He received numerous awards and medals, including the American Society for Quality's highest honor, its Distinguished Service Medal and he was a Fellow of the American Statistical Association.
Books authored.
He was the author and editor of several handbooks on statistical methods including:
Personal life.
Wadsworth was born in Duluth Minnesota, where his father, Harrison Morton Wadsworth Sr., worked as a manager at a steel mill. Harrison Sr. was badly burned in an accident at the mill in 1929, and later died as a result of what was then known as blood poisoning (now known as a staph infection). Harrison Jr. then moved with his mother and sisters, Eleanor and Mary Alice, to Miami Beach, Florida.
During World War II, he was drafted into the United States Army. Having keen mathematical skills, he was made a supply sergeant and was shipped to the Philippines, where he supported American Pacific Theater of Operations. After the war, he remained in the Army Reserves. In 1951, he married Irene Hawkins Wadsworth, a Registered Nurse. The two remained happily married for 59 years until his death of complications from lymphoma in 2010. They lived in Cleveland, Ohio while Harrison completed his doctoral studies. Upon earning his PhD, the family moved to Atlanta, Georgia. Harrison and Irene had two children and seven grandchildren.


Electrostatic analyzer

An electrostatic analyzer or ESA is an instrument used in ion optics that employs an electric field to allow the passage of only those ions or electrons that have a given specific energy. It usually also focuses these particles (concentrates them) into a smaller area. ESA’s are typically used as components of space instrumentation, to limit the scanning (sensing) energy range and, thereby also, the range of particles targeted for detection and scientific measurement. The closest analogue in photon optics is a filter.
Radial cylindrical analyzer.
Electrostatic analyzers are designed in different configurations. A simple version is a radial cylindrical analyzer, which consists of two curved parallel plates at different potentials. Ions or electrons enter the analyzer at one end and either pass through the other end or collide with the walls of the analyzer, depending on their initial energy. In these types of analyzers, only the radial component of the velocity of a charged particle is changed by an ESA since the potential on the plates only varies in the radial direction if one considers the geometry in cylindrical coordinates. Poisson's Equation can be then used to calculate the magnitude of the electric field pointing radially inwards. The resultant inward-pointing force generated by this electric field will cause the particles' trajectories to curve in a uniform circular motion. Depending on initial energy (velocity), only certain particles will therefore have the "correct" motion to exit the analyzer by tracing its physical structure, while others will collide into the walls of the instrument. In addition to the energy, the angle of entry will also affect the particles' time-of-flight through the analyzer as well as exit angle. In practice, the plates are usually oppositely charged and at very high potentials. Also, the inner surface of the analyzer, usually made of aluminum for space missions, is sometimes plated with black chrome or even Ebonol C to absorb stray light, instead of allowing it to bounce its way through.
Face-field cylindrical energy analyzer.
The Face-Field Cylindrical Energy Analyzer is a very new class of electrostatic cylindrical energy analyzers. It uses a cylindrical field, restricted by concentric cylindrical electrodes and two flat electrodes perpendicular to the axis of symmetry. The inner electrode is usually connected with the flat electrodes, and the outer one, which is electrically isolated, has an electric potential that can either be constant or variable. (Potential is negative (-) for an electron beam, and positive (+) for a positive-ion beam.) The focusing field becomes very different from that of the simple-cylinder type (such as in the well-known CMA) near the flat-face boundaries; namely, it can achieve a very high energy resolution for a beam entering through the entrance window in one of the face electrodes. This new class of analyzer can be used in a variety of applications. It do remote sensing such as measuring the flow of charged particles in space; e.g., scanning-electron/Auger-electron spectroscopy for analyzing large objects.
ESAs are usually designed and analyzed using an off-the-shelf ion-optics simulation-software package, such as SimIon, which includes the capability of performing Monte Carlo simulations on known test particles, thus providing the designer a better understanding of the response characteristics of the analyzer itself.
Use in space instrumentation.
Examples of space instruments or missions using Electrostatic Analyzers:


Farid Zizi

Farid Zizi is a French public servant. Since 1 August 2018, he is nominated CEO of France Aviation Civile Services (formerly DSNA Services).
Biography.
A graduate from the École Polytechnique and the ENAC, he starts his career as responsible of operational and technical requirements and maintenance operations of ATM systems for French Airports and ACCs at the Operational Direction of DSNA.
Then, at ENAC, he became head of the ATM department, and then head of Education and Research. During seven years, he was President of the Air Navigation Commission at ICAO.
The 1st of August 2018, he is nominated CEO of DSNA Services, which became France Aviation Civile Services in 2019.


Remington Model 788

The Remington 788 is a bolt-action, centerfire rifle that was made by Remington Arms from 1967 to 1983. It was marketed as an inexpensive yet accurate hunting rifle to compete with other gun companies' less expensive rifles alongside their more expensive Model 700 line. The 788 utilizes a single-column detachable magazine holding 3 rounds. A .22 rimfire model was also produced known as the 580, 581, or 582 depending on its method of feed. A target version of the .22 caliber 58x series, the 540X, was used by the US military as a training rifle and later disposed through the Civilian Marksmanship Program.
Design.
The Remington 788 has two distinguishing design features. The first is the rear-lugged bolt. The bolt has nine lugs in three rows of three lugs each. They lock into the receiver behind the magazine well. Due to this design, the bolt handle lifts only 60 degrees on opening giving more clearance for scopes compared to the 90 degrees required for the Model 700 and other two-lug rifles. The bolt travel is also reduced because of the rear lugs. The bolt pictured is a pre-1975 locking model from a .308 Winchester caliber rifle. The locking bolt requires the safety to be in the "fire" or "off" position in order to rotate the handle and actuate the bolt. Rifles manufactured from 1975 to 1983 have non-locking bolts which can be actuated while the safety is engaged. The second distinguishing feature is the receiver. It has a smaller ejection port than similar bolt-action rifles, and no bolt lug raceways. The single stack magazine design yields a smaller feed opening in the bottom of the receiver compared to rifles using a double stack magazine well. When machining of these smaller ports is complete there is more steel remaining in the receiver between the ejection port and adjacent feed port, and significantly more steel overall where all receivers have the least strength. These characteristics combined to make the Remington 788 receiver more rigid and stronger than most, if not all, competing designs, including the Remington 700 which shares the same outside receiver diameter. A rifle's accuracy tends to increase slightly as the rigidity of the receiver increases, as this slightly reduces barrel deflection during firing. Thus the Remington 788 has the structural foundation to be a very accurate rifle.
Variants.
A left-handed version was produced in .308 and 6mm Remington calibers. The Carbine version with an barrel was produced in .308 Winchester, 7mm-08, and .243. The stock was revised in 1980 being the only significant change throughout the production history. The following table presents a breakdown of this rifle's 15 year production run by caliber, year, and configuration.


Pizza Showtime

Pizza Showtime was a family restaurant and entertainment centre operating in Perth, Western Australia from 1980 to 1984. Similar to the American Chuck E. Cheese chain it was a sit down pizza restaurant complemented by arcade games, and animatronic characters.
The restaurant was located in the now demolished Grand Theatre building located at 148 Murray Street (a site now occupied by Grand Theatre Lane, showcasing a small cafe, and multiple storefronts). It featured 'space invaders' style game consoles built into the customer tables (operated with tokens) and an animatronic stage show featuring a dog named 'Bert Newhound', a piano playing kangaroo known as 'Melton Pom' (next to joey), singing koalas with 'Lottie' being the lead, a wise cracking horse by the name of 'Ned Kelly' a dingo named 'Ringo Dingo', and a fiddle playing American bear who went unnamed. The animatronic robots cost "in excess of $100,000" and are claimed to have had "more movements than any Disney character". Australian actor Jack Thompson provided the voice for the "Ringo Dingo" character.
Pizza Showtime closed down around 1984 and the robot characters were dismantled and sent to Sydney. The restaurant was originally intended as a starter for a chain of 'Pizza Theatres' around Australia, owned and operated by Allied & Leisure Industries, along with Paul Gregory under the supervision of A&L founder Malcolm Steinberg, who is the current owner of the Timezone arcade game franchise. The building was subsequently converted to an Asian foodhall and was demolished in 1990.


Vox Continental

The Vox Continental is a transistorised combo organ that was manufactured between 1962 and 1971 by the British musical equipment manufacturer Vox. It was designed for touring musicians and as an alternative to the heavy Hammond organ. It supports drawbars in a similar manner to the Hammond, and has distinctive reverse-coloured keys. The sound is generated by a series of oscillators, using a frequency divider to span multiple octaves.
The first Continentals were produced at Vox's manufacturing plant in Dartford, England; after arranging a deal with the Thomas Organ Company, later models were produced in the US and Italy. The most popular model was the single-manual Continental, but other models were produced, such as the budget Vox Jaguar, various dual-manual organs, and the experimental Guitar Organ and Voxmobile, based on the Vox Continental's internals.
The Continental became a popular instrument in the 1960s and 1970s, especially with garage and later new wave bands, and was used by the Beatles, the Animals, the Doors, Elvis Costello, and Madness. After being phased out of production in the early 1970s, the instrument remained a sought-after combo organ by enthusiasts. Japanese manufacturer Korg bought the Vox name, producing a new version of the Vox Continental in 2017, and various modern stage keyboards include an emulation of the organ.
Description.
The Continental had two basic designs, each with its own variations. They were the single-manual Continental, and the dual manual model called the Vox Continental II in England and the Vox Super Continental in Italy. Each manual features 49 reverse-colored keys (black naturals and white sharps) similar to a harpsichord. The organ comes with a chrome Z-shaped bolt-on leg stand assembly. The top of the organ is furnished with an orange Rexine cover.
The Vox Continental uses six slider-type, metered volume controls called drawbars instead of the stop-tab rocker switches seen on other combo organs. Two of the drawbars on the right hand side control the voices (flute and reed tones), while the four on the left control the footages (corresponding to ranks of pipes on a pipe organ). The stock Continental has 16', 8' and 4' drawbars, with a fourth one labelled "IV" containing a mixture of higher pitches. There is a single-speed, single intensity vibrato, but the Continental has no other effects. A bass pedalboard was available as an optional extra.
Dual-manual models also have a 5 1/3' drawbar on the upper manual, an octave of bass keys and a string bass feature. Later models also supported a percussion feature similar to that on a Hammond.
The organ's sound comes from twelve oscillators, one for each note in the chromatic scale along the top octave of the instrument. The signal from each of these is fed into a frequency divider circuit that allows the frequency to be halved, in order to produce the sound an octave lower. This is then halved again for the subsequent octave, and so on down the rest of the instrument's range, except for the lowest note, C, which has a dedicated generator. Each key is connected to four contacts connected to ground; when a key is pressed, it makes a connection to the bus bar which sends a signal to the drawbars to produce a sound.
The first Continentals were manufactured with wooden keys covered with plastic key caps. Musicians complained this gave it an unpleasant playing action. Later models switched to using plastic keys connected to metal shafts.
History.
The Vox Continental was first manufactured by the Jennings Musical Instruments factory in Dartford, Kent in 1962. Most of the components for the organ were subcontracted to other companies, with Jennings working on the final assembly. The original cabinets were constructed by Heathpoint Timer in Rayleigh, Essex while some of the electrics were made by Kimber-Allen in Swanley, Kent. Jennings sold part of the company to the Royston Group in 1963. Production later moved to Vox Sound in Erith, Kent. The dual-manual Continental II was introduced in 1965. That same year, the single-manual model sold for $995 ($ as of ).
The Vox Jaguar was introduced as a budget version of the Continental the following year, retailing at $495 ($ as of ), which used rocker tabs instead of drawbars. Only fundamental frequencies could be produced on the Jaguar, as it lacked the circuitry to generate additional harmonics like the Continental. The tabs allowed a choice of "flute", "bright", "brass" and "mellow", a "bass chords" option and the vibrato as found on the Continental. The bottom octave could be switched to a monophonic sub-octave bass generator, which was routed to a separate audio jack. Though the Jaguar superficially resembled the Continental, the sound was significantly different, though it still sold well, particularly in the US. It was also sold in kit form.
The Continental quickly became popular as it was advertised as part of the British Invasion of the mid-1960s, particularly after being endorsed by the Beatles. In order to increase supply, a licensing deal was signed between Jennings and the Thomas Organ Company in the US in 1966. Later that year, production for the US market was moved to EME in Italy for economic reasons; Thomas held a 30% stake in the EME factory, with Jennings and Royston holding 22%. The Italian Continentals used cheaper plastic keys glued to metal shafts, that were easier to break. There were also some minor cosmetic differences compared to older models, including a different vinyl covering, colours on the drawbar tips and construction of the stand. By 1969, the price of the Continental had dropped to $599 ($ as of ).
In 1966, Vox produced the Guitar Organ, which put the internals of a Vox Continental in a Vox Phantom guitar body, and used a series of contacts along the frets so that a note would sound when a string was depressed onto a fret. John Lennon was given a sample instrument in the hope he would promote it, but it was never recorded and the instrument never entered full production.
In 1967, Thomas manufactured the Voxmobile as a promotional instrument, designed by custom car designer George Barris. It combined a dual-manual Vox Continental with two oversized Vox basses, which were mounted onto a 289 cc Ford Cobra engine. The Continental Baroque was introduced in 1968, which combined the usual Continental manual with a multi-timbral one similar to that on other Thomas organs, and included a built-in amplifier. It sold for $1,598 ($ as of ), significantly more than the Super Continental. The additional sounds included banjo, harpsichord and celeste. It was considered unreliable and expensive, and did not sell well.
Jennings struggled to retain control of Vox, and chief designer Dick Denney was fired on 19 September 1967, with employees loyal to him leaving shortly afterwards. Royston filed for bankruptcy two years later. The company was bought by Corinthian Securities who attempted to reintroduce a range of Vox Continentals, with the price of the Super Continental reduced from $999 ($ as of ) to $265 ($ as of ). By then, groups were preferring to use a Hammond organ and Leslie speaker instead of a Vox. Most of the remaining assets were sold at a liquidation sale in 1971.
There are no definitive figures for how many Vox Continentals were manufactured. However, estimates based on serial numbers indicate 9,100 single-manual organs were manufactured. Around 4,100 of these come from the UK, followed by 4,000 from Italy and 1,000 in the US.
The Vox name was later sold to Rose Morris, who in turn sold it to Korg in 1992. Since then new products carrying the trademark Vox have been primarily for the guitar player, and the Korg trademark appears on most keyboards. In September 2017, Korg released a workstation-style keyboard named in honour of the Vox Continental and highlighting the particular Continental organ sound, competing with contemporary keyboards such as the Nord Electro. The original Vox Continental is still used by collectors of vintage instruments.
Maintenance.
The Vox Continental used relatively unstable germanium transistors in its oscillators, which can occasionally drift in pitch and required to be re-tuned. The wooden keys on earlier models are more durable than later plastic ones. The organ is connected to the mains via a round three pin Bulgin connector, which was standard for the time but is no longer in general use because it does not meet modern safety standards. Some technicians have retrofitted the power supply on a Continental to take a standard IEC 60320 C14 "kettle plug" lead. The later US and Italian Continentals have a hinged lid, which allows servicing without having to dismantle the instrument.
Because the Continental was designed to be played in concert and used in touring, there are relatively few of them in good condition unless they have been repaired. In particularly, many are missing the original case that carried the stand and volume pedal.
Clones.
Several modern keyboards feature emulation of the Vox Continental, including the Nord Stage and Nord C Series, and the Hammond SK series. There are also some software emulations of the instrument, including the Arturia Vox Continental V, a Virtual Studio Technology plugin that uses modelling to accurately recreate the electronics of the original.
Notable users.
The instrument was commonly heard in 1960s rock music, and played by the Beatles' John Lennon, the Dave Clark Five's Mike Smith and the Animals' Alan Price. Lennon played the Continental on "Rubber Soul"s "Think for Yourself",<ref name="Fontenot/About"></ref> and regularly used it on "I'm Down" as a live set closer, such as their 1965 concert at Shea Stadium. In 2008, this model was sold at auction for $182,500. Price used it prominently on the Animals' hit arrangement of "The House of the Rising Sun". The Doors' Ray Manzarek played a Vox in combination with a Rhodes Piano Bass early in the group's career, including "Light My Fire". Paul Revere Dick of Paul Revere & the Raiders switched from a Farfisa organ to a Vox, and became endorsed by the company. Other hit singles released in the 1960s and featuring the Vox Continental include the Monkees' "I'm a Believer", Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl", ? and the Mysterians' "96 Tears" and "Iron Butterfly's "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida".
The Grateful Dead's Pigpen switched from the Farfisa to the Continental, before moving on to a Hammond. Tom Constanten also played a Vox Continental during his tenure in the Dead, but did not like playing it and switched to a Hammond as well. Yes' Tony Kaye played a Vox Continental when the group formed in 1968, and disguised it in a Hammond organ style casing on stage, before upgrading to a real one six months later.
The Vox Continental was revived during the punk and new wave movements in the late 1970s. It was used by Steve Nieve, keyboard player for Elvis Costello & The Attractions, particularly in the early years up to "This Year's Model". It was also used by several 2-Tone groups, including the Specials' Jerry Dammers and Madness' Mike Barson. Benmont Tench of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers has also frequently used a Vox Continental, and sometimes prefers its "drier, thinner, more cutting sound". On "Don't Do Me Like That", he played one through a Leslie speaker.
In the 21st century, the organist Rhys Webb, of the UK band the Horrors can be seen using the Continental.
References.
Citations
Sources


French destroyer Catapulte

Catapulte was one of 20 s built for the French Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. She saw service during World War I.
On 11 May 1918, "Caiatpulte" assisted several other ships in rescuing the survivors of the French troopship , which was carrying 2,025 troops when she was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea with the loss of 605 lives by the Imperial German Navy submarine SM "UC-54" 26 nautical miles east of Cape Bon, French Tunisia.
On 18 May 1918, "Catapulte" collided with the British steamer . Both ships sank in the Mediterranean Sea off Bône, French Algeria.


Contax G-mount


Steeplechase roller coaster

A Steeplechase roller coaster is a type of roller coaster that has several side-by-side tracks in a dueling "racing" arrangement. Riders straddle horse-shaped single cars and launch simultaneously, as from a horse-race starting line.
Examples.
The Steeplechase, Pleasure Beach Blackpool is the last remaining example of a steeplechase roller coaster still in operation.
Motorcycle Chase was a modernized steeplechase roller coaster built at Knott's Berry Farm in 1976 featuring single motorbike-themed vehicles racing side by side, each on one of four parallel tracks, launched together. One or two riders straddled each "Indian motorcycle" attraction vehicle. The tubular steel monorail track closely followed dips and bumps in "the road" and tilted to lean riders about the curves. Gasoline Alley, an electric steel-guide rail car ride below, was built together and intimately intertwined, which enhanced ride-to-ride interaction thrill value. Rider safety concerns of the high center of gravity coupled with the method of rider restraints caused it to be re-themed Wacky Soap Box Racers with vehicles now attached in four-car trains, each car seating two riders, strapped in low (nearly straddling the track), surrounded by the close fitting car sides, and the dips and bumps of the track were straightened flat in 1980.
Motorcycle Chase/Wacky Soap Box Racers was removed in 1996 for a dueling loop coaster Windjammer Surf Racers and now a launched coaster named Xcelerator takes its place
The former Steeplechase Park at Coney Island, New York City, was named for its thrilling Steeplechase attraction, and is perhaps the most famous of this type of coaster.
In 2017, S&S - Sansei Technologies announced that they would be reviving the Steeplechase coasters with redesigned trains and restraints.


Swing ride

The swing ride or chair swing ride (sometimes called a swing carousel, wave swinger, yo-yo, waver swinger, Chair-O-Planes, Dodo or swinger) is an amusement ride that is a variation on the carousel in which the seats are suspended from the rotating top of the carousel. On some versions, particularly on the Wave Swingers, the rotating top of the carousel also tilts for additional variations of motion.
History.
Swing rides were present at the earliest amusement parks. At Idora Park in Oakland, California, in 1908, the ride was called the Flying Swing, but appears to be the same principle.
The Chair-O-Planes premiered in Germany in 1972, designed by Zierer and built by Franz Schwarzkopf, brother of Anton Schwarzkopf. In 1974 the first portable unit debuted under the same partnership. Since then Zierer has built about 200 units. Other manufacturers have followed creating their own versions of the Chair-O-Planes including Zamperla, Chance Rides, Grover Watkins, Bertazzon, Preston & Barbieri, Vekoma and Sanoyas Hishino Meisho.
In the late 2000s, Austrian manufacturer Funtime developed the world's first tower swinger known as the Star Flyer. Mondial followed with their WindSeeker resulting in a lawsuit between the two companies. Zamperla also sells a Vertical Swing.
Locations.
Europe.
Austria.
The Prater Turm located in the Wurstelprater in Vienna opened in 2010 at a height of .
Denmark.
The Star Flyer, located in Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen, affords sweeping views of the city's historical centre.
France.
Les Chaises Volantes in is a Zierer model from 1987 which was relocated to the park in 1992.
Netherlands.
Attractiepark Slagharen located the same Chair-O-Plane as Loundoun Castle.
Norway.
Second largest amusement park in the Nordic countries is TusenFryd located outside the capital Oslo in Norway. TusenFryd is the home of a Wellenflieger named ""Sverrehusken" and has been in operation since 1988. Sverrehusken is the first of its kind in the Nordic countries.
In Kongeparken located 10 km outside the fourth largest city in Norway, Stavanger is the home of a Wellenflieger named "Spinnvidle" and has been in operation since 2012. Spinnvidle is the first of its kind in Norway with double seats.
Sweden.
The Swedish name for Swing ride is "Slänggunga" or "Kättingflygare". At Gröna Lund, Stockholm a swing ride with the name "Eclipse"" can be found. With its it shares the "world's second tallest" title with SkyScreamer in Texas, North America.
The biggest amusement park in the Nordic countries is Liseberg in Sweden's second largest city Gothenburg. Liseberg is the home of a Swing ride named "Slänggungan".
United Kingdom.
Loudoun Castle Theme Park in Scotland claimed that its moon-shaped ride, "The Plough", was the largest Chair-O-Plane in the world. The Plough was originally called Apollo 14 and was owned by the Bembom family, operating in their Ponypark Slagharen in the Netherlands during the late seventies. It had gondolas travelling around the outside of the ride. When moved to Dreamland in England (then called "Bembom Brothers"), it was reconstructed into a Chair-O-Plane and named Heatwave. Leaving Dreamland, it opened in Lightwater Valley in 1998 where it operated until 2003 when Henk Bembom moved Heatwave to his new park, Loudoun Castle, where it was renamed "The Plough" and painted green. The park has been closed since 2010.
Until 2016 there was a Chair-O-Plane ride at Alton Towers in Staffordshire. Called Twirling Toadstool it was set in a fantasy themed area of the park called Cloud Cukoo Land, it was themed as a giant mushroom. This was formerly themed as a prehistoric dinosaur-type ride and located in an area called Ug Land.
You can also find a Chair-O-Plane at Carters Steam Fair which is one of the largest vintage travelling funfairs including some steam driven rides. Their ride's past is a little patchy but is thought to have been built in Germany in the 1920s and imported to Britain with a blank canvas. It's generally the case that British roundabouts run clockwise, whereas their Continental and American counterparts run anti-clockwise. The Chair-o-Plane certainly runs the right direction to be a British-built ride, but it may have been adapted by an early owner.
Adventure Island has a Chair-O-Plane called Archelon, which was themed to the extinct species of turtle of the same name.
Chessington World of Adventures is home to a monkey-themed Chair-O-Planes, named the 'Monkey Swinger', that squirts water at riders. This formerly had a theme based on Billy Whizz of The Beano.
Paultons Park is also home to a Chair-O-Planes called 'The Sky Swinger'. This ride opened in 2008 and is a Zierer model.
Butlins is home to three Chair-O-Planes, one at each site located at Butlins Minehead, Butlins Bognor Regis ans Butlins Skegness. Butlins Minehead is home to a Zierer Wave Swinger and the other two resorts manufacturers are unknown.
North America.
Most of the swing carousel rides in North America are found in amusement parks. They are usually made by Zierer (which calls the ride Wave Swinger), although some are made by Bertazzon (which calls the ride Swing Carousel) or Zamperla (which calls the ride Flying Carousel and Lollyswings).
Some of these include:
Asia and Oceania.
Malaysia.
Spinner had dismantled due to the Genting Outdoor Theme Park has been closed since 1 September 2013 to make way for the world's first 20th Century Fox World, due to be completed by 2021.
Popular culture.
In Italy, most of the Chair-O-Planes travel with fairs.
The ride is called "Seggiolini volanti" ("Flying chairs") or "calcinculo" which literally means "kick in the bottom", from the ingenious way used to grab the high-placed "tail" and win a free ride.
Two people sit in contiguous seats, and the one sitting behind kicks the friend higher in the air.
The Metalocalypse episode "Motherklok" features a Wave Slinger.
A German rock band is named Chair-O-Plane.
A Chair-O-Planes is featured on the cover of Dave Matthews Band's 1994 album "Under the Table and Dreaming". The liner note credit lists the site of this photo as Sandusky, Ohio, which is the location of Cedar Point.
In John Updike's short story "You'll Never Know Dear How Much I Love You" he mentions a WhirloGig.


Sarah Al Amiri

Sarah bint Yousef Al Amiri (, born 1987) is the Minister of State for Advanced Technology within the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology in the government of the United Arab Emirates, chair of the UAE Space Agency and the United Arab Emirates Council of Scientists, and Deputy Project Manager of the Emirates Mars Mission.
Early life and education.
Al Amiri was born in the United Arab Emirates in 1987. She studied computer science at the American University of Sharjah, earning bachelor's and master's degrees. She was always interested in aerospace engineering but grew up at a time when United Arab Emirates did not have a space program.
Research and career.
Al Amiri began her career at the Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology, where she worked on DubaiSat-1 and DubaiSat-2. In 2018 she was appointed the chairwoman of the UAE Council for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and in 2016 the head of the Emirates Scientist Council.
Today she is the science lead for the Emirates Mars Mission, Hope. The mission is partnered with University of Colorado Boulder, University of California, Berkeley and Arizona State University. She spoke at TEDxDubai Salon about the Hope Mars Mission. In November 2017 Amiri became the first Emirati to speak at an international TED event when she spoke about the Hope Mars Mission in Louisiana. The mission launched in July 2020 and reached Mars in February 2021 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the United Arab Emirates. In 2015, the World Economic Forum honoured her as one of its 50 Young Scientists for her contributions to science, technology and engineering World Economic Forum.
In October 2017 Amiri was named Minister of State for Advanced Sciences in the United Arab Emirates Cabinet. In an effort to increase global scientific collaboration, Al Amiri toured US scientific institutions in November 2017. She was on the list of the BBC's 100 Women (BBC) announced on 23 November 2020. In February 2021 she was also named in Time’s 2021 List of Next 100 Most Influential People.


Roller coaster elements

Roller coaster elements are the individual parts of roller coaster design and operation, such as a track, hill, loop, or turn. Variations in normal track movement that add thrill or excitement to the ride are often called "thrill elements".
Common elements.
Banked turn.
A banked turn is when the track twists from the horizontal plane into the vertical plane, tipping the train to the side in the direction of the turn. Banking is used to minimize the lateral G-forces on the riders to make the turn more comfortable. When a banked turn continues to create an upward or downward spiral of approximately 360 degrees or more, it becomes a helix.
Brake run.
A brake run on a roller coaster is any section of track meant to slow or stop a roller coaster train. Brake runs may be located anywhere or hidden along the circuit of a coaster and may be designed to bring the train to a complete halt or to simply adjust the train's speed. The vast majority of roller coasters do not have any form of braking on the train but rather forms of braking that exist on track sections. One notable exception is the scenic railway roller coaster, which relies on an operator to manually control the speed of the train.
On most roller coasters, the brakes are controlled by a computer system. Some older coasters have manually operated friction or skid brakes, some with a pneumatic assist. These are either engaged at the control panel or operated by pulling or pushing large levers in the station.
Buzz bars.
Single-position lap bars on wooden roller coasters are sometimes referred to as "buzz bars," a slang term named for the buzzing sound that some bars make as they lock or release. The term can be misleading as the buzzing sound only occurs on Philadelphia Toboggan Company (PTC) trains when the solenoid that releases the bar is out of alignment. There are other train types, such as NAD and even some PTC trains, that feature a single-position lap bar that has a mechanical release and therefore does not produce a buzzing sound. Most parks have switched to individual ratcheting lap bars, similar to the lap bars found on steel coasters. Ironically some of the earlier ratcheting lap bar conversions use a solenoid release and can also produce a buzzing sound. It can be argued that single-position buzz bars give more air time on roller coasters, as ratcheting lap bars tend to lock further during the ride in many installations.
The traditional "pirate ship" style thrill ride often utilizes this type of restraint, as does the Troika.
Drive tire.
A drive tire, or squeeze tire depending on its usage, is essentially a motorized tire used to propel a roller coaster train along a piece of track. Although they are most often used in station areas and brake runs, they can also be used to launch trains at greater speeds. However, they are generally used to propel the train at speeds between 5-8 mph. The Incredible Hulk Coaster at Universal's Islands of Adventure is notable for using drive tires to launch the train up an incline. Some roller coasters, most noticeably Vekoma Roller Skaters (Vekoma's version of a junior coaster) and Zierer Tivoli/Force (also junior coasters) also use drive tires instead of a chain on lift hills.
Drive tires are also used to power other types of amusement rides, such as ferris wheels, Pirate Ships, and other spinning rides. The Olympia Looping traveling roller coaster at Barth, Alpina Bahn and Mindbender at Galaxyland at the West Edmonton Mall also feature a drive tire instead of a chain on their lift hill.
Drive tires are often used in one of two ways on roller coasters. When oriented horizontally, drive tires are often put in pairs so as to "squeeze" a portion of the train as it crosses that section of track. In this case, it is usually the brake fin that is used to propel or slow the train with the tires. When oriented vertically, they contact the underside of the train as it crosses a particular section of track. This underside area is a flat area which often has a grated metal surface to increase friction between the car and the tire. One disadvantage of vertical drive tires is that rainy weather can greatly reduce friction between the tire and the train, possibly causing the train to slightly overshoot its intended position and cause an emergency stop.
Headchopper.
A headchopper is any point on a roller coaster where the support structure of the ride or the track itself comes very close to the passengers' heads, or at least appears to do so. All head choppers are, of course, designed so that even the tallest rider, with both hands up, would be unable to touch the structure; although if a rider exceeding the maximum height "does" board the coaster it could be potentially dangerous. Head choppers are most common on wooden roller coasters but are also found on many steel roller coasters.
The inverted coaster equivalent is a foot chopper. Foot choppers are designed such that riders' legs appear to come close to the ride's support structure, water, or other ride surroundings. For example, Dragon Challenge at Islands of Adventure had many foot choppers, where the riders' feet come within feet of the ride's supports. Vekoma's Suspended Looping Coasters also feature an intense foot chopper during an in-line-twist, in which the train approaches a section of track directly below, making it appear that the riders' feet will impact the track if the train remains on that course, but the train undergoes an in-line-twist right before the obstruction, twisting the riders onto their backs as the above track crosses safely over the track below.
On Wing Coasters designed by Bolliger & Mabillard, keyhole elements are common. These elements feature both headchopper and foot chopper effects. The train seats riders in pairs on both sides of the track and passes through the center of an object, giving the illusion that the train and its passengers have just enough clearance to fit.
Helix.
A helix is a balanced spiral, generally exceeding 360°. Helixes can spiral upward or downward.
Launch track.
A launch track is a section of a launched roller coaster in which the train is accelerated to its full speed in a matter of seconds. A launch track is always straight and is usually banked upward slightly, so that a train would roll backward to the station in the event of a loss of power.
A launch track serves the same basic purpose as a lift hill—providing energy to the train—but accomplishes it in an entirely different manner. A lift hill gives the train potential energy by raising it to the highest point in the track (and not significantly accelerating it). A launch track gives the train kinetic energy by accelerating it to the maximum designed speed (while not significantly raising the height of the track).
A launch track normally includes some form of brakes. Depending on the type of coaster, these brakes may be used in every run of the coaster (this is normally found on a shuttle roller coaster where the launch track also serves as the main brake run) or they may only come into play when a rollback occurs, normally on a complete-circuit coaster such as Stealth, Top Thrill Dragster, Kingda Ka, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith and Xcelerator. In either case, the brakes are retracted to allow trains to launch and are engaged at all other times.
Lift hill.
A lift hill, or chain lift, is often the initial upward section of track on a typical roller coaster that initially transports the roller coaster train to an elevated point. Upon reaching the top, the train is then disengaged from the lift hill and allowed to coast through the rest of the roller coaster's circuit.
Lift hills usually propel the train to the top of the ride via one of a few different types of methods: a chain lift involving a long, continuous chain which trains hook on to and are carried to the top; a drive tire system in which multiple motorized tires push the train upward; a cable lift system as seen on Millennium Force; or a linear synchronous motor system as seen on Maverick.
Launch lift hills are like launch tracks, but instead of having it flat, it is rather at an incline. Sometimes, launch lift hills serve the same purpose as lift hills but faster transport to the top of the lift hill; or they are sometimes used to power the train up into an element, like the Incredible Hulk Coaster at Universal Orlando. Launch lift hills use mostly linear synchronous motors or linear induction motors but sometimes use drive tires.
Linear induction motor.
The linear induction motor is a simple but powerful type of electric motor used to propel the cars. Rather than using a standard enclosed spinning rotor and drive wheels, there is a long flat magnetic pole plate with closely spaced electric coils. This pole plate mounts on the track underneath the car and a matching metal plate attached to the car moves across the magnetic pole faces. By applying a multiphase alternating current to the poles, the pole plate induces eddy currents into the moving plate and can be used to accelerate or brake the car.
Compared to other drive mechanisms, the linear motor is typically maintenance-free. The pole faces on the track and moving plate attached to the car do not need to touch, and the gap between them can be quite wide to accommodate any side-to-side car motion, so there is no friction or wear between them. Further, the magnetic coil assembly on the driving pole plates are either potted or sealed in a weathertight enclosure, so that rain, vibration, and dust do not affect motor performance or cause drive motor slippage.
On-ride camera.
An on-ride camera is a camera mounted alongside the track of a roller coaster that automatically photographs all of the riders on passing trains. They are usually mounted at the most intense part of the ride, to capture the best possible pictures. The pictures are available for viewing and purchase at a booth outside the ride's exit. On some rides, such as at Thorpe Park and Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit at Universal Studios Florida, video, as well as still photographs, can be purchased upon exiting the ride.
Station.
The station is the area where guests waiting in a line queue board a roller coaster. The line often divides into lanes to allow guests to board each row. In addition to boarding, passengers also exit the ride within the station, but this is not always at the same location where boarding passengers are waiting.
Train.
A roller coaster train describes the vehicle(s) which transports passengers around a roller coaster's circuit. More specifically, a roller coaster train is made up of two or more "cars" which are connected by some sort of specialized universal joint. The vehicle is called a "train" due to its similarities with a railroad train. Individual cars vary in design, often carrying multiple passengers each. Some roller coasters, notably Wild Mouse roller coasters, operate with individual cars instead of trains.
Tester hill.
A tester hill, also known as a trick hill or pre-drop, is any small hill following the lift hill that precedes the main drop. After a train is hauled up the lift and begins to descend down the hill in a standard configuration, the force of gravity pulls the train cars that are still hooked to the lift. When a tester hill is used, the tension and stress on the lift mechanism is reduced prior to the train's release. The element is commonly found on B&M roller coasters, as well as older roller coasters from other manufacturers. The alternative name "trick hill" comes from the illusion created from the tester hill, which "tricks" riders into thinking they have already started the main descent, when in fact they haven't.
Tunnels.
Some roller coasters feature tunnels, and they may include special effects such as lighting, fog, and sound. The Iron Rattler at Six Flags Fiesta Texas, for example, features a darkened, above-ground tunnel.
Non-inverting track elements.
Camelback.
A camelback or camelback hill is a hump-shaped hill that travels in a straight line designed to lift riders out of their seats and provide a feeling of weightlessness, commonly known as airtime. It produces negative g-force to achieve the effect. The term has been used to describe a series of smaller hills typically found near the end of a track's layout, which is a common finale on older wooden coasters. A modern coaster's implementation of a camelback can be a much larger, single hill often found earlier in the track's layout.
Double dip.
A double dip element, also known as a double drop or double down, is created when a hill is divided into two separate drops by a flattening out of the drop midway down the hill. A notable ride featuring this element is Jack Rabbit, a 1920 coaster classic from John A. Miller located at Kennywood amusement park. The inverse of this element is known as a double up, where two inclines are separated by a level piece of track. Stampida at Portaventura Park is an example that incorporates both a double dip and a double up element.
Hammerhead turn.
A hammerhead turn is based on a flying maneuver by the same name and is similar to, but not the same as, a 180-degree overbanked turn (). The train enters the element with a steep slope up and a slight curve in the direction opposite that of the overall turn (a so-called "priming" of the turn). The train then banks heavily to the side opposite the initial curve and finishes its climb while it negotiates the overall turn, beginning its descent midway through the turn. The second half of the element is the same as the first half, but in reverse order. While negotiating a hammerhead turn element, the train makes a turn of more than 180 degrees; however, because of the entry and exit curves, the overall effect is that of a 180-degree turn that exits toward the direction from which it entered, roughly parallel to the portion of track preceding the hammerhead turn. Hammerhead turns are found on some B&M hypercoasters. Examples of these coasters are Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure, Behemoth at Canada's Wonderland, Diamondback at Kings Island and Mako at SeaWorld Orlando.
Horseshoe.
A horseshoe is a type of turnaround maneuver found on Maurer Rides GmbH's Spinning Coaster model. The horseshoe is essentially a 180-degree turnaround with high banking so that riders are tilted at a 90-degree angle or more at the top at the element. The horseshoe is named that way because the element is shaped roughly like a horseshoe, with a semicircular shape at the top. It is found on coasters such as Dragon's Fury at Chessington World of Adventures and Laff Trakk at Hersheypark.
Junior Immelmann loop.
A junior Immelmann loop is similar to a normal Immelmann loop, except riders are not inverted and only roll to 90 degrees instead of 180 degrees. The element first appeared on Black Mamba at Phantasialand.
Non-inverting loop.
The non-inverting loop is a variety of loop that, when coming up, twists similar to a heartline roll, leaving riders completely right-side-up when at the top of the loop. Some roller coasters with this element include Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit at Universal Studios Florida, Shock at Rainbow MagicLand, at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, Flying Aces at Ferrari World, Soaring with Dragon at Hefei Wanda Theme Park, DC Rivals Hypercoaster at Warner Bros. Movie World and Tempesto at Busch Gardens Williamsburg.
Overbanked turn.
An overbanked turn is a turn or curve in which the track tilts beyond 90 degrees, usually in the 100-120 degree range. The element is common on large steel roller coasters, particularly those built by Intamin and Rocky Mountain Construction. Two examples of an overbanked turn in the United States are the first turn-around on Superman the Ride at Six Flags New England, and Millennium Force at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, which features four separate and two consecutive overbanked turns.
A Stengel dive combines an overbanked turn with a camelback hill. The train first goes up a regular camelback hill, then quickly tilts beyond 90 degrees at the very top. It is the only roller coaster element named after its designer, in this case Werner Stengel. Examples of roller coasters that feature this element include Goliath at Walibi Holland and Thunderbolt at Luna Park.
Speed hill.
A speed hill, also known as a high-speed float, is an airtime element commonly found in Bolliger & Mabillard steel coasters and Rocky Mountain Construction wooden coasters. The element is a mini-version of camelback entered at a high speed, which results in significant negative G-forces that exceed a typical camelback. Leviathan at Canada's Wonderland and Outlaw Run at Silver Dollar City are two roller coasters that feature this element.
Top hat.
A top hat, also known as top cap, is an element typically found on launched coasters. The element consists of 90-degree ascent up a hill, followed by a 90-degree descent; the train exits in the same direction from which it entered. In a standard configuration, the track twists so that the train does not invert during the ride. Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point and Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure are two roller coasters that feature a top hat element.
In a top hat inversion, also called an inside top hat or inverted top hat, the track makes a 90-degree twist as the train approaches the top. The train is on the inside of the element, and once it reaches the apex, the train is inverted. Mr. Freeze Reverse Blast at Six Flags St. Louis is one example that features this variant.
Wave turn.
A wave turn, commonly found on Rocky Mountain Construction roller coasters, is a 90-degree banked turn that incorporates a small camelback hill. The airtime feature separates wave turns from typical banked turns. When a train banks either right or left into an inclined turn, it traverses an airtime hill while banked at 90 degrees. The element finishes with the train exiting in the opposite direction that it entered.
Inverting elements.
Banana roll.
A banana roll is an inversion element named after its shape that is similar to an elongated cobra roll. It first appeared on Takabisha at Fuji-Q Highland in 2011. The element may invert riders once, as it does on Takabisha and TMNT Shellraiser (Nickelodeon Universe), or it may invert riders twice as it does on Steel Curtain at Kennywood.
Batwing.
A batwing is a heart-shaped roller coaster element that features two inversions. The train goes into a reverse sidewinder, followed by a sidewinder. It is the inverse of a cobra roll.
Like other inversions, this element has different names depending on the roller coaster's manufacturer. It is most commonly known as a batwing, which is the term used by Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M). Afterburn at Carowinds and Montu at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay are two examples that feature this element. It was first marketed as a Kamikaze Kurve by Arrow Dynamics during the construction of Orient Express at Worlds of Fun, which opened in 1980. Arrow would later refer to the element as a boomerang in future projects, such as the defunct The Great American Scream Machine at Six Flags Great Adventure. One variation of the batwing is known as a bowtie, where the entrance and exit of the inversion are in the same direction. Dragon Mountain at Marineland of Canada is the only coaster to feature this element.
Bent Cuban eight.
A bent Cuban eight is a double inversion element that features two "bent and twisted" Immelmann loops that are connected back to back. Designed by Maurer Rides GmbH, the element only appears on two X-Car roller coaster models from the company, including G Force that was at Drayton Manor Theme Park.
Butterfly.
A butterfly is sometimes found on Vekoma roller coasters. A butterfly begins like a vertical loop, but as the track goes up, it twists 45 degrees to one side or the other, and then when it is headed down the track twists back. The maneuver is then repeated but in reverse. It is essentially the same in construction as a batwing or boomerang except for the coaster exiting the construct traveling in the same direction as it began. An example of this is found on Goudurix in Parc Astérix in Plailly, France, or Blue Hawk at Six Flags Over Georgia.
Cobra roll.
The cobra roll is a roller coaster inversion that resembles the shape of a cobra head when flaring its hood. The element consists of two half vertical loops facing the same direction joined together by two half corkscrews that each twist in opposite directions. As the train completes the first half loop, it turns perpendicular into a half corkscrew, completing a first inversion. This is immediately followed by another half corkscrew that twists in the opposite direction into the other half vertical loop, completing a second inversion. The train exits the cobra roll traveling in the opposite direction from which it entered.
Vekoma's Boomerang was the first model to incorporate a cobra roll, and the first Boomerang installation was Sea Serpent at Morey's Piers in 1984.
Corkscrew.
A corkscrew inversion resembles a helix that rotates riders 360° perpendicular to the track. It was named for its resemblance of a corkscrew tool, which is used to remove bottle corks. Unlike vertical loops, riders remain facing forward for the entire duration of the inversion. The corkscrew was the first modern-day inversion element to be featured on a roller coaster. It first appeared in 1975 with the release of Corkscrew, a roller coaster at Knott's Berry Farm designed by Arrow Dynamics. The element was well-received and became a staple of many early roller coasters that inverted riders.
Corkscrews commonly exist in pairs, where the end of one leads straight into the next. Another configuration involves interlocking corkscrews, where two corkscrews are intertwined, with each crossing over the other's track. Both Nemesis Inferno at Thorpe Park and Bizarro at Six Flags Great Adventure feature interlocking corkscrews. Bolliger & Mabillard introduced a variation of the corkscrew that the company calls a flat spin. Flat spins snap riders quickly through the inversion at varying speeds, as opposed to a standard corkscrew that rotates riders at slower, constant speeds.
Cutback.
A cutback is a roller coaster inversion similar to a corkscrew, except the second half of the element is reversed. The train exits the inversion in the opposite direction from which it entered. Arrow Dynamics debuted the feature on Drachen Fire at Busch Gardens Williamsburg in 1992. It can also be found on other coasters such as Twisted Timbers at Kings Dominion, Steel Curtain at Kennywood Park, and Wonder Woman Golden Lasso Coaster at Six Flags Fiesta Texas.
Demonic Knot.
A demonic knot is a roller coaster inversion that features an inclined dive loop followed by an inclined immelmann loop. There is currently only one coaster which features this inversion and that is Flug der Dämonen.
Dive drop.
A dive drop (also known as a Wing Over Drop) is a roller coaster inversion in which a half-inline twist is performed at the top of a lift hill, leading into the initial drop. Examples that feature this element include The Swarm at Thorpe Park, X-Flight at Six Flags Great America, and GateKeeper at Cedar Point.
Dive loop.
A dive loop, also known as a diving loop, is a type of B&M and Gerstlauer roller coaster inversion whose inspiration was taken from a stunt plane maneuver. The track twists upward and to the side and then dives toward the ground in a half-vertical loop. This element is common on many B&M roller coasters. Arrow and Vekoma use a similar version of the element known as a reverse sidewinder, as seen in Arrow's Cyclone at Dreamworld in Australia and Vekoma's Blue Hawk at Six Flags Over Georgia.
Heartline roll.
A heartline roll, also known as a barrel roll, is a roller coaster inversion in which the rider performs a 360-degree roll. The center of the train rotates on one axis. The track changes in elevation to keep the train moving in the same line in which it entered the element. In an in-line twist, a similar element, the track remains straight at the same elevation. The point of rotation is either above or below the rider's point of view, unlike a heartline roll which keeps the point of rotation near the middle. An example of this element is Colossus at Thorpe Park, which features five heartline rolls, or The Smiler, which has its first inversion as a heartline roll.
Immelmann.
An Immelmann is a popular inversion found on many B&M roller coasters. In an Immelmann, riders enter a half-loop followed by a half twist and then exit the element traveling in the opposite direction making a 180-degree turn. The inversion is similar to the sidewinder which exits closer to 90°, or perpendicular to the entrance point. An Immelmann loop becomes a dive loop if the entrance and exit points are reversed. The name "Immelmann" comes from the Immelmann turn, an aircraft maneuver named after the World War I German fighter pilot Max Immelmann.
Immelmanns are commonly found as the first element on B&M Dive Coasters. A notable example is Valravn at Cedar Point, which has an Immelmann loop immediately following the first drop.
Inclined dive loop.
An inclined dive loop is essentially a dive loop that has been tilted. Instead of exiting vertically, an inclined dive loop exits at an angle. The only two examples are on Hydra the Revenge at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom and GateKeeper at Cedar Point.
Inclined loop.
An inclined loop, also known as an oblique loop, is a 360° loop that has been tilted at an angle. It is not entered vertically, like a vertical loop, or horizontally like a helix. Instead, it is usually entered at an angle between 45° and 80°. Inclined loops can be found on B&M stand-up roller coasters, B&M Wing Coasters, and B&M Floorless Coasters. Examples include: Rougarou at Cedar Point; Green Lantern at Six Flags Great Adventure; Riddler's Revenge at Six Flags Magic Mountain; and The Swarm at Thorpe Park.
In-line twist.
An in-line twist is a roller coaster inversion in which the rider performs a 360-degree roll. The in-line twist is often found on flying coasters and wing coasters, such as Galactica at Alton Towers, Batwing at Six Flags America, at Six Flags Over Georgia, Firehawk at Kings Island, Manta at SeaWorld Orlando, Raptor at Gardaland and The Swarm at Thorpe Park. It can be confused with a heartline roll, also known as a barrel roll.
In a heartline roll the center of the train rotates on one axis so the height of the average rider's heart never changes, whereas during an in-line twist the train rotates around the track and there is usually little to no elevation difference in the track. It can also provide hangtime.
Norwegian loop.
A Norwegian loop is an element made out of two elements: a dive loop, then an Immelmann; forming an inversion that looks like two side by side loops. This element is similar to the flying coasters pretzel loop, except that the train goes through a twist when entering and exiting the loop. It may also been seen as a normal loop entered from the top. It was first introduced on Speed Monster in TusenFryd, Norway (hence why it is called a "Norwegian" Loop). Other examples of a Norwegian Loop can be found on Hersheypark's roller coaster Fahrenheit and Helix at Liseberg.
Pretzel knot.
A pretzel knot is an element similar to the batwing, except the entrance and exit of the inversion is formed differently. In a pretzel knot, the twisted formation of the element's entrance and exit resembles a pretzel shape as opposed to a batwing's heart shape. The defunct Moonsault Scramble at Fuji-Q Highland was the first coaster to feature this element. The second was Banshee at Kings Island.
Pretzel loop.
The pretzel loop is a large inversion found on flying coasters from Bolliger & Mabillard. The element debuted on at Six Flags Over Georgia and has been used on many other B&M flying coasters since then. It consists of a downward half loop and upward half loop. The entrance and exit points of the loop overlap at its peak forming a shape resembling a pretzel.
Raven turn.
A raven turn is a half-inversion which looks like half a loop followed by a drop and then levels out near the same height as it began. The raven turn is only usable on either flying roller coasters or 4D roller coasters at the moment and has only been used on three 4D coasters and one flying coaster.
The general term raven turn refers to any inversion that follows the design described above; however, there are two types of raven turns. Assuming the train is going round the half-loop first, an inside raven turn is where the rails are below the train at the start whereas an outside raven turn is one in which the rails are above the train at the start of the element. X² at Six Flags Magic Mountain, Eejanaika at Fuji-Q Highland, and Dinoconda at China Dinosaurs Park are examples of raven turns.
Roll over.
This element, known as a roll over on roller coasters built by Vekoma, is an inversion featuring two half loop halves, connected by two opposite-facing half inline twists. This inversion can be found on the most Vekoma SLCs.
Sea serpent.
The sea serpent is a roller coaster element with two inversions similar to a cobra roll, but the train enters and exit in the same direction. It features two vertical loop halves connected by two half corkscrews that face in opposite directions. The second half loop is on the opposite side in comparison to a cobra roll, which changes the exit's direction. Examples featuring this element include Vekoma's Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith located at Disney's Hollywood Studios and The Smiler at Alton Towers.
Sidewinder.
A sidewinder is an inversion element where riders enter a half-loop followed by a half-corkscrew, and then exit the element perpendicular to the direction in which they entered. The element is commonly found on Arrow and Vekoma roller coasters. It is similar to the Immelmann loop, with the exception that riders exit in a different direction usually 90 degrees from the entrance point.
Twisted horseshoe roll.
A twisted horseshoe roll is an inversion element that begins with a corkscrew that leads into a 180-degree banked turn and ends with another corkscrew that rotates in the opposite direction as the first. Two roller coasters that feature this element are Maverick at Cedar Point (United States) and Blue Fire at Europa-Park (Germany).
Vertical loop.
A vertical loop is one of the most common roller coaster inversions in existence. It is a continuous, upward-sloping section of track that eventually completes a 360-degree turn, inverting riders halfway into the element. They are ellipses in the shape of an oval or teardrop. Early roller coaster designs attempted vertical loops that were more circular, resulting in massive g-force that were dangerous to riders. The first successful implementation in the modern era of roller coasters was on Great American Revolution which opened at Six Flags Magic Mountain in 1976.
Arrow Dynamics designed two roller coasters that featured interlocking loops, which consist of one vertical loop perpendicular to the other. Loch Ness Monster at Busch Gardens Williamsburg opened in 1978 followed by Orient Express at Worlds of Fun in 1980. The Lightnin' Loops installation at Six Flags Great Adventure featured two looping roller coasters with similar interlocking loops.
Zero-g roll.
A zero-g roll or zero-gravity roll is a roller coaster inversion where the track twists 360 degrees as it rises and falls in elevation, usually at the crest of a hill. The element gets its name from the weightless effect of zero g-force that a rider experiences during the inversion.
Zero-g stall.
A zero-g stall or zero-gravity stall, sometimes referred to as a top gun stall, is an inversion similar to a zero-g roll, however after the track has twisted 180 degrees on the ascent, it stays inverted for a short section at the crest and then twists back on the descent, usually in the opposite direction as the initial twist. Similar to a zero-g roll, riders experience a feeling of weightlessness during the short inverted section.
This element is commonly found on Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) installations including Goliath and Wildfire. S&S has also included this element in Kennywood's Steel Curtain.
Visual elements.
Splashdown.
A splashdown is a visual element in which the ride vehicle physically interacts with a body of water, forcefully spraying or jetting water on impact. Splashdowns can be used as a natural braking system, and some coasters feature pathways for non-riding visitors to view or get wet from the splashdown element. There are two types.
Water spout.
A water spout is a visual element encompassing a number of different methods to simulate a roller coaster's interaction with a body of water – the ride vehicle does not make contact with the water. Water spouts are intended to be visually appealing. The following are some examples of roller coasters that utilize this effect.


Floor tom

A floor tom or low tom is a double-headed tom-tom drum which usually stands on the floor on three legs. However, they can also be attached to a cymbal stand with a drum clamp, or supported by a rim mount. It is a cylindrical drum without snare wires, and tend to produce a booming, resonant sound which can vary in pitch.
The floor toms are the lowest tuned drums played with sticks on a regular drum set. Common sizes are
Floor toms can be mounted:
The floor tom was popularized by Gene Krupa in the 1950s, using a 16x16.
The floor tom is also used as a small bass drum by some (mostly jazz) drummers. In that case it is mounted horizontally on a specially designed rack system. More recently, companies such as Pearl have come out with "floor tom to bass drum conversion sets". These commonly consist of strategically shaped rods that one can put in place of the floor tom legs to stand it up horizontally. Under this method, it is fairly common that a drummer get appropriately sized bass drum hoops to complete the conversion process.
Floor toms are also used in music parades, often being carried and then lifted up and hit to add effect. It can also be used as a substitute for surdo in samba and bossa eir.


Hasselblad V-mount


Manchester International Organ Competition

The Manchester International Organ Competition was part of the biennial Manchester Festival. The Organ Competition ran from 1978 until 1986.
1978 - First competition.
The First competition was held between 1 and 9 September 1978. The venues were Manchester Town Hall, Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester Cathedral, Birchfields, St. Ann's Church, St. Phillip's Church and Manchester University.
The artistic director was Geraint Jones.
1980 - Second competition.
The Second competition was held between 9 and 26 July 1980
1982 - Third competition.
The third competition was held 6–11 September 1982.
1986 - Fifth competition.
After 1986 the Manchester International Festival continued biennially, but the organ competition was dropped.


Murder, She Wrote Mystery Theatre


Narke (fish)

Narke is a genus of electric rays in the family Narkidae, found in the western Indo-Pacific and off southern Africa. They have nearly circular pectoral fin discs and short, thick tails with large caudal fins, and can be identified by their single dorsal fin (a trait shared only by "Typhlonarke" within the family). There are three described species, as well as a fourth undescribed dwarf species from Taiwan.