Azure Kingfisher

Nature 2 Minutes

Appearance

An Azure kingfisher is a small aquatic kingfisher. It has a long black beak and a whitish rear eye spot. This bird gets its name from its beautiful coloring, being dark glossy blue, its underside an orange-rufous; its legs and feet red. Males and females have very similar appearance and juveniles are less vibrant in color.

Geography

Azure kingfishers live in Tasmania, Northern and Eastern Australia, the lowlands of New Guinea and the neighboring islands, and North Maluku and Romang. These birds are generally sedentary, although they can perform some seasonal migration. Azure kingfishers live near streams and rivers, billabongs (small, stagnant lakes joined to waterways), swamps, mangroves, tidal estuaries, lagoons, and various other bodies of water that have low, overhanging branches.

Habits and Lifestyle

Azure kingfishers hunt in the same way as most other kingfishers, by searching the water for prey from a low-lying branch, then diving swiftly, catching the prey, and returning to the branch. Then the bird flips its prey around until the head is in its mouth, so it can swallow its head first and whole to avoid being cut by the bones or scales. They can eat snakes in the same way. They are experts at diving deep for their prey. Their flight is direct and quick. They will often bob their head and move their wings in anticipation of sighting a fish. To catch a fish they stab it, with either a closed or open bill, depending on the prey’s size, and kill it by beating it on the ground or their perch to break the bones. They are most active in the morning and evening, but if it’s not too hot, they may also hunt in the afternoon. Most kingfisher species are solitary, only pairing up with a mate during the breeding season. Azure kingfishers are usually silent, but make a sharp, squeaky call when breeding. Their voice is a high-pitched, shrill ‘pseet-pseet’, often in flight.

Mating Habits

Azure kingfishers are monogamous birds and form a pair that will defend a breeding territory. A pair builds its nest together, taking three to seven days to construct the tunnel. Kingfishers are fiercely territorial when defending their nests. Mating is from October to March. The female lays 5-7 glossy, white eggs. The eggs are incubated for three weeks by both parents. The chicks grow quickly. They are altricial (naked and helpless) on hatching and require constant feeding and care by their parents, who will bring the food to the nesting chamber. Soon the nestlings travel towards the tunnel entrance, where they meet their parents and wait to be fed. They fledge at around 30 days, from when they will feed themselves and be on their own.

Fun Facts 

Azure kingfishers take it, in turn, to burrow out a tunnel using their feet, then they hollow out a thin chamber at the tunnel’s end where they lay their eggs. These nesting tunnels can be as long as 1 meter.

Transparent membranes on these birds’ eyes protect them when they dive.

Kingfishers dive so quickly that they can cut through the ice to catch fish.

Kookaburras are a kind of kingfisher.

Kingfisher nests will contain piles of droppings and a smelly pile of fish bones.

Kingfishers can look bright blue but are actually a dull brown color. The iridescent coloring we see is due to a difference between structural and pigmented coloration. If we saw light reflected directly from their wings we would see brown, but the light is bouncing around the structure of their wings.

SOURCE: ANIMALIA

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Published by pat frederick

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138 thoughts on “Azure Kingfisher”

  1. Pingback: Azure Kingfisher – India young 🙏

  2. Good morning, Miss Pat!

    Beautiful little birdy! Each continent has its own wonderful variety of creatures great and small!

    Breaking news – Big bridge hit by big boat in Baltimore about 1:30 am. 

    Container ship hit bridge support and destroyed the bridge – assumption is that harbor master usually pilots ships in a harbor.

    Sally’s Dad saw the news and said there has been some conjecture from news broadcasters about terrorists taking over ship and intentionally hitting the bridge.

    Liked by 2 people

      1. Some workers and cars were on the bridge. 

        The container ship caught on fire and sank. 

        Other than terrorism or sabotage like we’ve seen destroy US food plants, could the culprit be DEI – or Boeing syndrome we’ve seen recently?

        Liked by 2 people

            1. RAC
              RAC(@rac)Online
              Reply to kalbokalbs
              March 26, 2024 09:25

              Just read the daily mail report …

              “The video shows lights going off on board just before the crash.”

              If they had an electrical failure when minutes matter it takes time to start the standby generators and get them online. They may have lost the steering pumps, not much they can do after that except block and tackle on the rudder heads and that would take forever.

              Like

    3. Good morning, Pat and GA! Just watching this on Fox – MD Transp Secy said no evidence of terrorism at this point. 2 people rescued, still searching for 7. Water there is 50′ deep. I traveled on that bridge a few times, when both my Mom and Sis lived near/in Baltimore, many years ago.

      Liked by 2 people

      2. Butt-edge is not a credible source – Daily Mail says the Coast Guard are investigating and holding the crew aboard the ship.

        Liked by 1 person

    1. Drive carefully! Temp still at 21 here, with high winds yet, gusts close to 40 MPH. But this will all disappear and be gone by Friday, I’m guessing. Temp tomorrow is expected to be in the 40’s, 50’s on Thursday and up to 60 on Friday. So it’s all good and we can always use the moisture.

      Liked by 1 person

  12. Troublemaker10

    Troublemaker10

    March 26, 2024 2:08 am

    US appeals court finds for Donald Trump Jr. in defamation suit by ex-coal CEO Don Blankenship

    Excerpt:

    RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A federal appeals court rejected a bid Monday from former coal executive Don Blankenship, who argued that Donald Trump Jr. defamed him by calling him a “felon.”

    The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, left in place a lower court’s ruling in West Virginia against Blankenship, the former CEO of Massey Energy.

    https://apnews.com/article/blankenship-trump-jr-defamation-appeal-57eaddef47493ebb0b9e076b4f8cfafb

    Liked by 1 person

  13. Some details on the Sean Combs raid of 2 of his houses:

    EXCERPT: “OFFICIALS RAIDED TWO of Sean Combs‘ homes on Monday, a law enforcement source confirmed to Rolling Stone, as part of a federal sex trafficking investigation. Led by Homeland Security, the raid was carried out just four months after the rap mogul’s ex-girlfriend, singer Cassie, accused Combs of sex trafficking.

    Helicopters and agents were seen swarming Combs’ Los Angeles mansion on Monday afternoon. Footage of the scene appeared to show some men — later identified as Combs’ sons Justin and King — detained and waiting outside the Holmby Hills house. Officials were also present at Combs’ Miami residence. Combs was in Florida at the time of the raid, according to NBC News, and officials reportedly seized his phones before the Bad Boy Records executive was scheduled to leave for a trip to the Caribbean.

    A source tells Rolling Stone four Jane Does and one John Doe already sat for interviews with Southern District of New York investigators for a probe related to alleged sex trafficking, domestic violence and racketeering. More interviews are scheduled, the source said.

    “Earlier today, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York executed law enforcement actions as part of an ongoing investigation, with assistance from HSI Los Angeles, HSI Miami, and our local law enforcement partners. We will provide further information as it becomes available,” a Homeland Security Investigations spokesperson said in a statement. Rolling Stone has contacted Combs for comment.

    Douglas Wigdor, who represents Cassie Ventura and a Jane Doe accuser, says in a statement provided to Rolling Stone, “We will always support law enforcement when it seeks to prosecute those that have violated the law. Hopefully, this is the beginning of a process that will hold Mr. Combs responsible for his depraved conduct.” …..

    https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/sean-combs-homes-raided-sex-trafficking-investigation-1234990642/

    Liked by 1 person

  14. THIS is why I keep saying Citizens United was the bad SCOTUS decision that put this on steroids!!! ALL election funding sources should be revealed!

    The National Pulse: “Dems Capitalizing On Untraceable Political ‘Dark Money’”

    “Democrat-aligned election groups are raking in dark money donations ahead of the 2024 election, according to campaign finance watchdog OpenSecrets. The group says that an unprecedented amount of untraceable funds is expected to flow to political groups. In 2023, an estimated $160 million in dark money was donated to political committees, a record-breaking figure for this point in any election cycle following the Citizens United v. FEC Supreme Court ruling.

    The report showed that Democrat-friendly groups received about $84.5 million from undisclosed sources, while their Republican counterparts pulled in just over $74 million. Undesignated groups, referred to as ‘others,’ accounted for a comparatively small $2.4 million in political expenditure. OpenSecrets highlights a trend of Democrat groups consistently receiving more support from anonymous donors since the 2018 election cycle.

    Federal law demands that SuperPACs disclose their benefactors. However, 501(c)(4) nonprofits, often referred to as social welfare organizations, are not legally bound to reveal their donors. Consequently, these nonprofits can funnel donations to political committees and make independent expenditures of their own, effectively enabling the influx of untraceable funds into politics.

    Regarding specific organizations, Americans for Prosperity Action, backed by the neo-liberal Koch network, was identified as the top recipient of dark money contributions in 2023, having received $25 million. On the political left, Senate Majority PAC — which seeks to expand the Democrat Senate majority accepted over $16.7 million, the highest amongst Democrat-friendly groups. At the same time, its Republican equivalent, the Senate Leadership Fund, reported just $6.2 million in dark money donations.”

    Liked by 1 person

  15. holy crap!
    FTA
    Most of us are aware that a system of perverse incentives is incentivizing foreigners to come to the U.S. without legal authorization.

    But is anyone aware of how much they’re getting? Officials are sneaky about it, flying them in on the sly, sending in unbadged ‘monitors’ telling the public to not take pictures, and often ignoring requests for public records, thumbing their nose at the law.

    So Howie Carr, the writer and radio host, went the investigative reporter route since nobody in the mainstream media was doing it, and assembled the data he could locate.

    What he found was mind-boggling.

    Here’s the list of free benefits the state provides for the thousands of illegal aliens in the “migrant shelters.”

    This all comes from sources, because the state refuses to provide information as mandated under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

    If we’ve missed any additional freebies, and we probably have, let us know.

    …

    GENERAL WELFARE COSTS FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS:

    Free hotel rooms at $150+ a day.

    Three meals a day at $64 per person per diem.

    Free on-site medical & dental services (including condoms).

    Special diet for Ramadan.

    Free same-day dry cleaning w/free pick up & delivery.

    Free housekeeping twice a week.

    Free cell phones, chargers/charging ports.

    Free tablets, IPads.

    Free clothing, new & used.

    Everyone got new free winter coat, gloves and shoes.

    Free toiletries (tooth paste, deodorant, special “ethnic” shampoos, skin cream, aspirin, tooth brushes, feminine products).

    Most of us have heard of at least some of these things, and yes, they are a lot more than most Americans are ever going to get. Three free meals? With no means testing, just being illegally present is enough?

    It’s astonishing. Name one country Americans can go to get three free squares a day, plus housing, room service, free clothing, computers and the like? Nothing like a little replacement theory and padding the congressional seats now, is there.?

    But it gets worse, much worse.

    Illegals get free tax preparation at $350 per family, which is odd stuff with few working, but the name of the game is something different: to get big returns through the “child tax credit” without paying a penny into the system.

    They get free attorneys, free Medicaid, free WIC cash for single moms on the go, welfare checks, free Uber services, holiday parties, movie nights at the hotel, free notary services, free English-as-a-second-language courses, 24/7 security, and the list goes on.

    On moving day when they finally leave the free hotel, if it ever happens, they get $30,000 in rent assistance for two years, free luggage, free U-Haul boxes, free new beds with free delivery, up to ten items of free furniture, a free “move-in package (plates, towels, cutlery, etc.) Up to $900. Delivered free,” as Carr recounts, and then moving on, they get a free case manager to find them a place to stay, free parenting classes, free “early childhood education” and free “life coaches” among a host of other things on Howie’s lists.

    Sound like a good deal? It is for them. No wonder so many are coming. This ain’t no Ellis Island anymore where migrants once checked in, passed inspection and got to work immediately in order to sustain themselves. It’s all taxpayer-paid now, meaning, the U.S. is effectively importing a foreign underclass as if the current one weren’t sufficient for U.S. needs.

    It’s lavish, it’s bound to have the recipients writing to their relatives back home (or more likely, calling on the free cell phone) to ‘come on down’ because the gravy train is flowing and the streets are paved with gold.

    As for the rest of Americans, well, they can shut up and pay taxes, because that’s all the Biden administration and its blue-city allies have to offer them.

    It’s an illegals’ world now, and we just live in it.

    https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2024/03/just_how_much_free_stuff_are_illegals_getting_howie_carr_investigates.html

    Liked by 2 people

  16. He needs to back off and support Kari, IMO.

    EXCERPT: “Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb filed his signatures to qualify for the Arizona Republican primary ballot for a competitive United States Senate seat up for grabs.

    “I’m the only candidate that’s beaten Democrats, and I’m looking forward to actually representing not just Republicans. As a sheriff, I’ve represented Republicans, Democrats, and Independents,” Lamb said outside the Executive Tower in Phoenix on Monday afternoon. According to the sheriff, he obtained over 13,000 signatures, well above the 7,072 minimum required to make the ballot.

    Lamb is running in the same primary as Kari Lake, who ran for governor in 2022 and is widely expected to win the Senate race nomination. A Noble Predictive Insights poll from Feb. 6-13 among 384 registered Republicans showed Lake leading with 54% compared with Lamb’s 21%….”

    https://justthenews.com/nation/states/center-square/sheriff-mark-lamb-files-signatures-arizona-senate-race

    Liked by 1 person

  19. “Middle Tennessee crews rescue pets from apartment fire, cat possibly to blame” — by WZTV, Tue, March 19th 2024 at 10:30 AM

    SPRING HILL, Tenn. (WZTV) — One cat might be in some trouble after the pet possibly started an apartment fire in Spring Hill. The Spring Hill Fire Department responded to a fire Monday morning at Worthington Glen Apartments where they rescued two cats and one dog. No residents were home at the time of the fire, the department reports.

    Pets rescued from fire at Worthington Glen Apartments in Spring Hill, Tennessee (Photo: Spring Hill Fire Department)

    (Pets rescued from fire at Worthington Glen Apartments in Spring Hill, Tennessee (Photo: Spring Hill Fire Department)

    The Fire Marshal says one of the cats possibly turned the stove on and started the fire. Crews took immediate action to ensure the pets’ safety. They managed to find them and safely evacuate the pets from the third-floor apartment.

    The rapid response from the department and the sprinkler system kept the fire contained, minimizing its spread to other apartment units as well as preventing any casualties. The third-floor apartment sustained fire damage and lower apartments experienced water damage because of the sprinkler system’s activation.

    Damage to the building is estimated to be around $150,000. Worthington Glen Apartments is taking proactive measures to help those impacted by the fire. Management is relocating residents to other available units in the complex, keeping their safety in mind, while repairs are underway.

    The fire was dispatched around 11:30 a.m. Monday.”

    Liked by 1 person

      1. Depends on the stove – some have buttons; and I can easily see them playing with the switches that turn. They can figure out things you never dreamed of, trust me!

        Liked by 1 person

          1. I can see it happening even with that kind – same for my stove. If they step on it and happen to turn at the same time – voila! I’m telling ya’ – cats WILL find a way! Sneaky and smart!

            Liked by 1 person

  21. “This is the Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge – it  is officially the longest bridge in the world. It stretches out for no less than 102.4 miles and forms part of one of China‘s most important railway connections: the high-speed train between Beijing and Shanghai.”

    Liked by 1 person

  23. Sis just responded to my e-mail about the bridge in Baltimore – she used to travel on it regularly and it would bounce with traffic on it.

    Liked by 1 person

  24. The power went out on that ship shortly before it hit – you can see all the lights going off – presumably that affected the navigation system as well.

    Liked by 1 person

  27. Old Truck Tuesday

    The Ring Brothers Ford F-100 is a classic creation from the hot rodders The Ring Brothers call their creation the Clem 101, and it is a blend of new and old. The technology and design are certainly modern. The frame of the F-100 is built from scratch. Ring Brothers installed the frame with modern suspension, including a custom sway bar, four-link rear setup, and Ride Tech coil overs. The result is a completely transformed Ford F-100. The original model year was 1954, but the cab was changed for a 1956 version. Under the hood of this modified truck is a 5-Liter Coyote V8, with 415 horsepower. 

    Called “Irony Horse,” Ray Corn, the creator of this modified 1951 Ford F-1 Pickup Truck, said that he started thinking about modifying a pickup when a friend he worked with was hot-rodding a ’52 F-1. At the time, Corn thought this friend was silly to put such “time and effort” into an “ugly” truck.

    Troy Adams created this truck modification on a Dodge Pickup from 1935. He finished the build in fourteenth months. The inside is trimmed in White Cloud Colored Replicate leather, which is far fancier than you may have expected of this shop truck. The truck came from an orchard in Bakersfield.

    he Patriot looks like something you’d see in Mad Max. It comes from Audie Maguire and his friends, Tony and Shawn Petta, who run The Auto Clinic in Texas. It took them nine months to turn this 1937 Ford pickup into something that could fit a bizarre engine. The engine under the hood of this modified Ford is not exactly a V8. It is a twin-turbo diesel engine with Deutz air-cooling. It was used as a generator for a Raytheon missile system called “Patriot” (hence the truck’s name). The chassis was stretched, and an intricate cantilever suspension with a GM 14-bolt axle was put in.

    This truck appeared at the 2019 SEMA Show, which is actually more of a trade event than a car show. Builder Brody Stone has always loved diesel-powered trucks, and he wanted to combine this passion with racing. He modified a 1970 Chevy C10, starting the project after he found a donated LML Duramax engine. Boneyard Builds helped with the creation. The chassis of the Chevy C10 became a Roadster Shop. The wheels are 19” Rotiform and the tires Nitto INVO. The engine got an upgrade from Wehrli Fabrication, and the truck was cleaned and the bodywork completed with a racing theme. 

    Liked by 1 person

          1. Oh, yeah – I’d never want one and it’s not something you’d want to drive on an every day basis, that’s for sure!

            Liked by 1 person

            1. well we couldn’t get it across the stream in any event. but we’ve discussed this…LOL…if we win the lottery, we will buy the old car dealership building in town that’s been for sale since we moved up here. it’s got a lot of space for all the cars we wanna buy…LOL

              Liked by 1 person

  28. Built by Tim Odell, the Trophy T gets its name from the Diamond T 1946 404 Sheetmetal surrounding it. All of the panels on this seventy-three-year-old truck have been modified, though the body itself has been preserved reasonably well. The Trophy T is hand-built. It has four-wheel drive and it merges both new tech and used parts. Though the Trophy T uses a V8, it’s far from a Ford or Chevy. The LQ4 GM V8 is located behind the cab. There are stainless steel headlights, a JEGs camshaft, PAC Racing Springs, and an MSD Atomic Airforce Intake. The engine gets 650HP.

    Premier Street Rods built “Patron,” a chromed-out, heavily modified 1957 Chevy. Though the backstory of Patron is kind of murky, it still somewhat resembles the 3100 Chevy Pickup on which it is based. In addition to Premier Street Rods, Ron Mangus Interiors made the interior, using United Pacific lighting. Patron began as an idea to build a pro-tour truck. Gandrud Chevrolet was responsible for the engine. GSI Machine & Fabrication did the full chassis. Premier Street Rods have carved out a name for itself by remodeling and modifying mid-century GM pickup cabs, as well as other GM sheet metal products.

    The Dodge D200 Lowliner was modified by Mopar for SEMA. Though Ram and Dodge split from one another years ago, the two have so much common history that Mopar tends to modify both models. The Dodge D200 was the predecessor for the D250, and, later the Ram 2500 that we all know. The D200 was set to compete with the Chevy C10 pickup in the late sixties. Flash forward several decades, and the Lowliner is a blast from the past. Mopar boxed it. They custom-designed the wheels to mimic designs from the 1960s. The color of the wheels is “Dairy Cream,” as are both the grille and bumpers.

    Ed Thomas, with help from Fast Company, modified this 1937 Ford Pickup. The wheelbases on this truck are the first thing you notice; they measure 118 inches. The body shop behind the truck modification first cleaned up the truck, replacing the transmission and upholstery. The truck got a custom-engineered chassis from OZE. The Ford pickup then got a Mustang II front suspension. The pickup got twelve-inch power disc brakes from Wilwood, Budnik Gasser rims, and Air Ride Tech suspension that helped mold the profile. Thomas said that he drives the truck, “not just for show,” as it is “never overheats” and “is reliable.”

    JP Freek called this the “hottest Jeep” to hit SEMA. The bright-orange Willys CJ-2A was outlandish and over-the-top, standing out from even the other over-the-top Jeeps at the trade show. Rock Solid Off road modified a 1948 Willys CJ-2A for the 2013 SEMA show. Josh Miles was the first to design the concept. From a mere drawing, the Jeep became a monster. The frame and body were stretched, and Felipe’s Auto Glass created and installed a custom cage. Under the hood is a 4.3L Chevy Vortec. To finish off the look, 35” Nitto Terra Grapler MTs, mounted on Fuel wheels, were added. 

    Liked by 1 person

  29. Shannon McMahan is the owner of this shiny gold truck. McMahan’s father, Donnie Joe, bought the truck originally. McMahan said that his love for the modified Chevy “runs deep,” as it reminds him of his father. McMahan’s father asked him to modify the truck. McMahan didn’t disappoint, boxing it for strength first. He then C-notched the Chevy ten inches out back. He added parts from other vehicles, such as the front IFS clip from a 1991 Crown Vic, headlight buckets from a 1956 Oldsmobile, and bumpers from a 1949 Plymouth. To finish off the vintage look, vintage Cadillac sombrero hubcaps were added.  
    Mike Harrah designed this heavily-modified truck, and the building was done by Paul Abram and Tim Spinks. The 3,424 HP Supercharged 24-Cylinder Peterbilt Semitruck’s twin engines are the first things you see. They are Detroit Diesels, used for industrial purposes, as well as naval vessels. Mike Harrah designed this heavily-modified truck, and the building was done by Paul Abram and Tim Spinks. The 3,424 HP Supercharged 24-Cylinder Peterbilt Semitruck’s twin engines are the first things you see. They are Detroit Diesels, used for industrial purposes, as well as naval vessels. This monster looks like a creation you’d see out of a WarnerBros Mad Max videogame. The truck is 44 feet long and weighs 30,000 pounds. The 1979 Peterbilt cab attaches to a locker-like rear axle. The rear axle has been ground until smooth, filled, and chromed-out. There are twenty-four Autometer gauges in the steering panel. The crew section of the cab comes with a forty-inch flat-screen TV.
    The Ford F-450 is a modified truck and yet another vehicle on this list that looks like it belongs in Mad Max. The F-450 has been the subject of many modifications, as it already has an intimidating frame and a lot of power under the hood. Deberti Design introduced its Mad Max F-450, which one publication called “the most intimidating truck there.” The Ford Super Duty Platinum Crew Cab was fitted with a Kelderman air ride suspension. The F-450 has tons of LED lights, and it also has 22-inch-wheels, made by American Force. The Mad Max F-450 was introduced at SEMA 2019.
    Jason Scudellari modified this 1949 Chevy Truck. He first bought it at age eighteen, and he has been working on it for quite some time. The ’49 Chevy was originally supposed to be a street-rod truck before it came a ‘90s-style truck, and now a custom from the 1950s and 1960s. Scudellari frenched the rear and fright lights, added in tons of 1960s custom styling and bagged the truck with a rear four-bar suspension and Mustang II front clip. The 1949 Chevy got an update in 2018. Scudellari used an Art Morrison chassis. He changed the car from matte-black to pure white with a metal-flake silver roof. 
    Gene Ayers, the creator of this modified 1954 Ford F-100, has been a car buff for twenty years. He decided that he wanted to get into modifying trucks, and it took him seven years to complete this cherry-red 1954 Ford F-100. The entire truck has been changed. The chassis’ rails were boxed-in, and Ayers welded in a Camaro front clip. The Ford F-100 received a lot of Chevy parts, included power brakes, tubular A-arms, and power-steering. Ayers picked a Mustang GT 8.8 for the rear, and he fitted it with 3.31 gears. The air suspension comes from RideTech.  

    Liked by 1 person

  30. I figured out I can copy 5 at a time! Whoopee!!!

    Hot Rod Network listed this as one of its “Top 13 Freaks.” The Riyadh Auto Show in Saudi Arabia was host to a lot of crazy vehicles, but this military vehicle, powered by a Chevy V-8 engine and painted bright yellow, was possibly the most out of the box. The base vehicle, a 1957 Volvo Radio Command Car, was originally a military wagon for the Swedish Armed Forces. This Volvo was then mated to a chassis of a heavy-duty truck. A Chevy engine was added in, though it only gets 90HP. The vehicle, which was made by Eddie’s Rod & Custom, weighs nearly four tons.
    Sold at Barrett-Jackson to an undisclosed buyer, “Quiksilver” was a modified 1957 truck that was customed by Oklahoma’s Hot Rod Garage over a period of five years. The auction house, Barrett-Jackson, called it one of the “finest truck builds of all time.” Quiksilver won the 2014 Barrett-Jackson Cup. The Chevy truck is finished in Tungsten and QuikSilver color from Sherwin Williams. The interior is burgundy. The front bumper, bed, tailgate, roll pan, and dash are all hand-built and reshaped. The engine is a 5.4L 8-Cylinder. The rear axle is a nine-inch Ford, and Bilstein made the front and back coil overs.
    Designed by Dave Dolman, this 1956 C-750 Ford COE (Cab Over Engine) is far from Dolman’s first rodeo. He has built four Ford F-1s, in addition to multiple custom street rods. Dolman wanted to build a huge truck that no one else had, and he bought the 1956 COE Cab for $100 from a salvage yard in Kansas. The Ford COE got a 1986 one-ton chassis as its foundation. Dolman built an airbag suspension and a pickup bed. The bed was built from scratch, and it was taller and wider than what you’d find in stock. The roof came from a 1959 Ford station wagon. The entire mod was finished in eighteen months.
    Ray Evernham is a NASCAR crew chief who has won three Championships with his team. He is also a hot-rod expert. He designed a Compound Turbo International Rat Rod Truck, which he debuted at the AmeriCarna LIVE event. The proceeds went to a charity that benefits kids with Asperger’s or high-functioning autism. The Rat Rod is powered by a Cummins diesel engine. Evernham founded the AmeriCARNA event, and around 600 builds showed up, almost all of which were rat rods. A rat rod, for those who don’t know, is a custom car that has an unfinished appearance (rust, lacking paint, cheap parts, etc.). This Compound Turbo was one of the most eye-catching. 
    Dave Ford and Greg Salzillo, the builders of this Hemi-Fied Dodge, won the 2019 Hot Wheels Legends Tour. The craftsmanship of the Hemi-Fied was described as “stellar.” The engine is a Hemi, a signature engine from Chrysler. The chassis has been stretched and customized beyond recognition. The Hot Wheels Legends winner is going to get its own Hot Wheels car as a result. Ted Wu, the Chief Designer for the brand, chose from over 5,000 custom-crafted, road-legal vehicles to pick Salzillo’s and Ford’s, which will get their Hot Wheel car sometime in 2021. Salzillo said that he wanted to do “the opposite” of the designs that Hot Wheels was used in hopes of catching Wu’s eye.

    Liked by 1 person

  31. chinese communist party chemical factories being built in US…why isn’t this a HUGE RED FLAG for our gov’t?????

    FTA

    Top executives behind a Chinese chemical manufacturer planning to build two U.S. factories belong to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and affiliated influence outfits, a Daily Caller News Foundation investigation has found.

    Capchem Technology USA, the wholly-owned subsidiary of China-based Shenzhen Capchem Technology (Capchem), is slated to build a $120 million factory in Ohio and a $350 million plant in Louisiana. At the same time, Capchem records and social media posts that the DCNF translated show the company employs dozens of CCP members. Executives at Capchem and Capchem USA have also held positions at organizations affiliated with CCP influence operations, a DCNF review of Capchem’s website, Chinese social media account and executives’ social groups found.

    The DCNF’s investigation is based, in part, on information provided by the Heritage Foundation and Heritage Action. The DCNF previously reported that Capchem, which makes chemicals used for batteries in electric vehicles, has received tens of millions of dollars in subsidies from Chinese government agencies, including a blacklisted Chinese government entity that plays an instrumental role in the CCP’s “Military-Civil Fusion” efforts.

    “Communist Chinese companies have no place on American soil,” New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, chair of the House Republican Conference, told the DCNF. “The Communist Chinese-owned company has a concerning history of advancing CCP military technology, presenting a clear and pressing national security threat.”

    https://dailycallernewsfoundation.org/2024/03/26/exclusive-chinese-owned-chemical-giant-expanding-into-us-heartland-led-by-members-of-communist-party-influence-orgs/

    Liked by 1 person

  32. Like

    1. Please stop, people! This is why people call us lunatics!!!

      From my Sis: THIS WAS AN ACCIDENT!!! #1, if this were a terrorist attack, it wouldn’t have happened at 1:30 in the morning – it would have happened at 8 am in rush-hour traffic; #2 she agrees w/my point on the power – once it came back on, the nav system tried to auto-correct before any human could do anything and by then it had already moved at least 5 football fields – there would be no stopping it; #3 it takes 3 football fields to stop a semi at only 65 MPH – this is a container that is hauling at least 5+ semi’s by weight and on water, not cement; #4 the container ships now are at least 4 times as big as they were back when that bridge was built.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. presenting differing viewpoints is not lunacy imo.

        and if the point IS not to kill massive amounts of people but to cripple america’s infrastructure, then this is entirely plausible. 

        and what caused it to lose power initially? 

        this is one explanation and we have to be open to ALL possibilities in order to be prudent and alert about our future.

        Liked by 1 person

            1. Yes it is….and? She wouldn’t think about putting that statement out to the “public” because, as she said, she also doesn’t know – she was speaking from HER personal experience, having travelled that bridge for years.

              Like

    2. Being suspicious – I have wondered if the bridge was taken out on purpose, so Baltimore could get a newer, higher, more modern bridge to accommodate the bigger cruise and container ships…

      Liked by 1 person

  33. Charlie Kirk

    @charliekirk11

    RFK’s VP choice, Nicole Shanahan, is a six-figure donor to… George Gascon, the pro-crime, Soros-backed prosecutor who helped wreck San Francisco and is currently wrecking LA. She also spent big on Measure J, a Los Angeles measure to reroute spending from law enforcement and prisons to “social services” and “mental health treatment” — in other words, not putting criminals and dangerous psychos behind bars. This is a far-left pick by RFK, who is apparently looking to shore up his progressive bona fides. Major red flag for commonsense independents and centrist voters who are also sick of rising crime but intrigued by his campaign.

    Liked by 1 person

        1. He’s also good on the subject of chemicals in our food and the damage from 5G cell towers. But the basis for that is still all about climate change.

          Liked by 1 person

  34. this is weird…same boat was in a collision in the port at Antwerp Belgium in 2016

    FTA

    Cargo ship that hit Baltimore bridge was involved in Antwerp collision in 2016

    The Dali was reportedly detained in Belgium after scraping side of quay and significantly damaging part of hull in good weather.

    The same vessel that hit the Baltimore Francis Scott Key Bridge on Tuesday, destroying it and sending people and vehicles tumbling into the water, was also involved in a collision while leaving the port of Antwerp, Belgium, in 2016.

    According to Vessel Finder and the maritime incident archive Shipwrecklog, the Dali – a 948ft (290-meter) cargo ship with a capacity of 10,000 containers – was leaving the container terminal of Antwerp heading to Bremerhaven.

    The collapsed bridge in Baltimore

    As it did so, its bow reportedly swung around, causing the stern to scrape the side of the quay, significantly damaging several meters of the hull.

    The ship was reportedly detained by authorities afterward and docked in Deurganckdok, Belgium. There were reportedly no injuries or adverse pollution.

    According to Vessel Finder, the weather was fine at the time, and the incident was reportedly blamed on the ship’s master and pilot on board.

    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/mar/26/baltimore-bridge-ship-previous-collision-antwerp-2016

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Technically, Presidential power would allow that – but in actual fact? IDK that he can contravene current law but when has that stopped them???

      Liked by 1 person

  36. as if eating at Micky D’s could get any more fattening!

    FTA

    Popular fast-food chain McDonald’s is going to start selling Krispy Kreme donuts as part of a new partnership.

    Both companies told CNN earlier this week that three different types of donuts will start being sold at McDonald’s starting later this year.

    The donut flavors are chocolate with sprinkles, original glazed and chocolate “kreme” filled. 

    The donut will be able to be purchased either individually or in a pack of six.

    https://justthenews.com/events/mcdonalds-start-selling-krispy-kreme-donuts-new-partnership

    Liked by 1 person

        1. I have always wanted to make a stone path…till i saw that the snakes love the stones in the area we created to put our little park bench and fire pit. in fact they burrowed under the large center stone and hibernate there and have their babies there…sigh

          Liked by 1 person

  42. so trucks, cars, farm equipment, sugar and gypsum…main imports that will be affected.
    hmmmm…so we better ramp up our automotive industry…oh wait…that will be making more work for the chinese in mexico. funny how that seems to be working out. okay…i’ll take off my tinfoil hat now.
    FTA
    Breaking out the trade, $23 billion of the port’s total $55.2 billion of imports in 2023 were autos and light trucks. Around $4.8 billion of the port’s exports were motor vehicles.

    “As Baltimore is less container-centric primarily a roll-on/roll-off port, this disruption should create possible flatbed and auto volumes out of other ports on the East Coast,” said D’Andrae Larry, head of intermodal for Uber Freight.

    Following the collapse, said Larry, the bridge and port will likely be out of service for months forcing shipments to divert first to ports in New York and New Jersey, followed by Norfolk, Virginia. Other ports would be Georgia and South Carolina.

    “Customers will be looking for solutions for their freight that typically goes through Maryland, the mid-Atlantic, the upper Midwest and New England,” he said. ”There are less intermodal options around Baltimore, but shippers can now turn to intermodal for inland moves as an alternative.”
    Diversion of trade traffic

    Retailers like Home Depot
    , Bob’s Furniture, IKEA, and Amazon are just some of the companies that use the port to import goods. Other top imports include sugar and gypsum.

    https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/26/logistics-companies-scramble-after-bridge-collapse-closes-port-of-baltimore.html

    Liked by 1 person

        1. I only watched a few seconds and those puffs at the joints could just be from the connections popping apart, dust of some kind. But from now on, I’m just not going to comment since I’m clearly the odd-man-out on this deal. We’ll see what happens. If I see anything that changes my mind, I’ll let you know.

          Like

  44. “Donald Trump Is Right: The Trump Brand Is Actually Undervalued By Billions Of Dollars — In the same vein in which DaVinci’s paintings would command billions if ever sold on the open market today, Donald Trump’s creative visions equate to exceptional valuations.”

    PAUL INGRASSIA, MAR 26, 2024

    DJT stock price skyrockets as Trump's Truth Social goes public

    EXCERPT: “In recent weeks, the news cycle has been flush with stories about how Donald Trump allegedly “overvalued” his real estate assets to the tune of hundreds of millions more than their actual worth to fraudulently secure loans from major financial institutions, like Deutsche Bank. 

    This, even though Donald Trump and The Trump Organization secured those loans, without controversy, and had a lucrative partnership with the various lenders implicated in the lawsuit – where both parties made a fortune over decades, and where not a single party lost money, or suffered any damages as a result of the relationship.  In short, there was no fraud.  

    The fraud is found in the courtrooms – and it is a fraud on the American public, as well as the rule of law – not just in New York, where the dangerous precedent is being set by radical and illegitimate operatives like Letitia James and Judge Arthur Engoron – but throughout the country writ large, now that New York’s justice system has effectively greenlit political prosecutions with impunity.

    The devastating ramifications of the case go beyond the “mere political” – America’s free enterprise system now hangs in the balance, with the prospect that any borrower or entrepreneur who seeks a loan, but who may have at one point voiced dissident views or held a position deemed nebulously “problematic” by a petulant Attorney General like Letitia James, could now be held liable for fraud – and be on the hook for hundreds of billions of dollars, simply for establishing a productive business. 

    The people who increasingly hold the levers of power, like James and Engoron – and by extension, Joe Biden and Merrick Garland – are those who hold radical views that, brought to their logical conclusions, would make free enterprise impossible, and communism inevitable.  They evidently do not believe in private property rights and are outwardly antagonistic of those who have the creative visions to see beyond the increasingly limited horizons of the American mind, and dare tread new ground – or traverse unexplored territory that the majority of people would never even dream to do – because it is beyond their narrow reach…..”

    https://paulingrassia.substack.com/p/donald-trump-is-right-the-trump-brand

    Liked by 1 person

  47. new partnership forming over Bible

    FTA

    On Tuesday former President Donald J. Trump unveiled a new partnership with celebrated musician Lee Greenwood, famed for his patriotic anthem “God Bless the USA.” The collaboration centers around the promotion of the “God Bless the USA Bible,” aimed at encouraging Americans to engage more deeply with their faith and national identity.

    The “God Bless the USA Bible” is a special edition bible that includes the King James Version of the Holy Scriptures along with foundational documents of the United States, such as the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, and the Pledge of Allegiance. According to Trump, this is designed to protect American liberties and rights, which he said are under constant threat.

    “I’m proud to be partnering with my very good friend Lee Greenwood,” Trump said in his endorsement. “This Bible is very important to me. It’s the King James Version, and it also includes our founding father documents. Yes, the Constitution, which I’m fighting for every single day very hard to keep Americans protected.”

    “You have to have it for your heart, for your soul,” Trump continued. “Religion and Christianity are the biggest things missing from this country, and I truly believe that we need to bring them back, and we have to bring them back fast.”

    https://trendingpoliticsnews.com/just-in-trump-announces-huge-partnership-with-lee-greenwood-mace/

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I will always remain disappointed in Lee Greenwood. He cancelled an appearance at the NRA’s Annual meeting in TX after the Uvalde school shooting so he’s not a believer in the 2nd Amendment. And, IIRC, he was scheduled to sing his trademark song somewhere for Trump but cancelled after J6. He panders.

      Liked by 1 person

  48. from GWP…

    The second busiest strategic roadway in the nation for hazardous material is now down for 4-5 years – which is how long they say it will take to recover. Bridge was built specifically to move hazardous material – fuel, diesel, propane gas, nitrogen, highly flammable materials, chemicals, and oversized cargo that cannot fit in the tunnels – that supply chain now crippled.

    Make no mistake: this was an extraordinary attack in terms of planning, timing & execution.

    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/03/was-it-accident-lara-logan-intel-sources-claim/

    Like

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