Jerking About!
It is amazing how much this unstable sled has proved to be a lasting success from the Lapplanders in northern-Finland to the Eskimos of Alaska and Canada. Simple to build from wood to the present day fibre glass and polyma plastics, from animal power to a small engine?
Some designs were developed as nothing more than a wooden bow, but all continue to be effective in keeping goods dry, transporting young children to older folks and on to slaughtered animals?
The only community not to use them on a small scale is an off shoot of the Evenki in northern Siberia, Russia who are the only ones to have developed a sled house-caravan, which they power with reindeer and live all year around in.
During the summer they visit the shore line and remain staic, but seem to do more moving about in the snow covered month?
A very happy Christmas?
Father Christmas is now preparing his sacks of goodies for all the good children, before setting off next week to do his high speed 24 hour delivery?
The traditional image of Father Christmas is him riding or flying on a sleigh pulled by reindeer and one known to us as Rudolf with his bright glowing red nose!
From this information we gather that this story comes from central Europe, Austria, Germany and Switzerland? These are the nations where there always has been a need for this type of winter transport, but there are many takes on the word that we get from the old Dutch meaning to slide along?
Sleds, sledges and sleigh's could be pulled either by dogs, horses or reindeer and was based on the toboggan being developed into a carriage.
Jingle bells as a song comes from an old Russian folk tale of Father frost delivering presents with the bells of his sled ringing out the joy of the season.
Internet Access.
The history of the Coach and bus has progressed from moving just people from A to B/Z? Over the years comfort has been one consideration from curtains to smoking facilities? Ventilation to on board toilets and adaptions for sleeping and television.
Today both the single and double-deckers have internet facilities and chargers for all our electronic needs or demands? The coffee bar has been bi-passed and what the future holds is perhaps speed, because there is not much more that one can do with a coach or bus that has not been thought of?
Automated driving may be one course for the years ahead since many vehicles can access toll-gates without the need to stop. Both the concept of the trailer and the bendy bus has come and gone, trolley buses of the 1950's were advanced for their time, perhaps a double decker bendy bus might be the next idea?
New Discovery!
A British designer has invented what was considered ten years ago and Electro-Magnetic engine, which defies the laws of gravity explained by Sir Isaac Newton? This was thought to be another crank working in a shed, because his engine would do nothing here on Earth?
But once the machine is in a vacuum, it does something that defies all the known ideas we have on gravity? It works by being bounced off the magnetic field of the Earth and is powered by the radiation, that already exists in Space.
I don't think they are ready yet to build one, in case they might loose control of it?
But now Star Trek is not as science-fiction as it was, and the development is continuing with the hope to fly one in Space soon? They have already worked out at NASA that a smaller object would move much faster than a larger one, but this new propulsion system may give Interstellar travel much sooner than we thought was possible?
Secondhand military Market.
Most of the worlds military forces have to decommission their stock after a number of years and these end up in storage. So begins the journey of a Newer Life for this equipment, refurbished and checked with perhaps a new paint scheme they are sold on to whoever the government permit them to go to.
U.S. machines have ended up in Afghanistan, the Balkans and Iraq, Meanwhile British vehicles are sold world-wide to both other military and also to missionary agencies. France, Germany, Spain and Italy follow suit.
Vehicles from Land rovers, Unimogs, trucks are the versatile types to sell on to both civil and military usage? MBT, armoured cars ARV's go along with artillery to developing countries. The sale of older type helicopters and training aircraft is very popular. The life span of most machines, with re-fits may be endless?
Aircraft are a different subject, after withdrawal they have a limited time because of wing fatigue which is hard to detect and expensive to repair. The training jets such as BAE Hawks and French Alpha jets have done well.
The need to be Fulfilled.
With the capture of much Axis powers hardware this former German design was now updated met a new era of work in the rushed Vietnam war scenario. The aircraft proved to be an invaluable tool against both Soviet Russian and Chinese aircraft and other roles were found for it in search and rescue by both the U.S. Marine corps and USAAF/Navy.
West-Germany, Thailand and several other countries bought into the type from the 1960's to the mid 1980's, but since then this role has been replaced by unmanned drones which are cheaper and safer to use? In fact this has become the fate of the many Nazi-German aircraft, clever and advanced in 1944/45 but they have now seen their days over the last fifty years.
The design of the Car.
The origins of the motorcar began with a steam version of the stagecoach minus horses, but it was not popular at least 60 years before the car was conceived? The public in London were scared of this way ahead concept, because it sometimes ran out of control.
Today the car has not changed in its layout since 1890, various chassis and body shells expanded it from a four seats to seven, anything after that is considered to be a mini-bus. Fast cars have come and gone, engines, materials have changed and improved? While fuels have moved from steam to petrol, diesel to LPG and now we are entering the age of electric, bio and hydrogen?
Cars without drivers in the idea of the Android is being developed, but the design of these new types are still based on the original layout? Perhaps some bright spark might come up with a round car in this new field, so people can relax and rest in the open planned vehicle?
