Category Archives: WOW
THE OCTOPUS
100 YEAR OLD ROLLS ROYC
It was originally bought for $1,000 in 1912 (almost 93,000 in today’s money) but has now gone under the hammer for $4,705,500, making it the most expensive Rolls- Royce ever sold at auction.
Unique: This 100-year-old Silver Ghost Rolls Royce has sold for a world-record price of 5 million after a furious bidding war at Bonhams.
Through the roof: The lengthy auction saw two enthusiasts dueling for the pristine car as the bidding went up in increments of 100,000, smashing past the 2 million estimate.
What it lacks in gadgetry, the British-made classic more than compensates for with an extraordinary level of luxury that leaves its modern-day counterparts looking a little unsophisticated.
Its gleaming interior fittings are made of silver and ivory, while the door panels are embroidered silk, with brocade tassels attached to silk window shades for privacy.
THE PASSENGER FOOT REST HIDES A FULL PICNIC SET FOR FOUR, A CHINA TEA SERVICE, COMPLETE WITH AN ALCOHOL-FUELED BURNER AND KETTLE TO HEAT THE WATER, AND A SET OF SIX DECANTERS – THREE IN STERLING SILVER AND THREE IN LEATHER-WRAPPED GLASS.
The sale took place at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex on Friday. Auctioneers had expected it to sell for around 2 million and were astonished when the bidding between two rival collectors topped 4 million. James Knight, from Bonhams auctioneers, said: ˜There were three bidders, then one of them dropped out at 2.3 million and we thought it would end there.
Travelling in style: The design chosen by its original owner echoed the luxurious ‘ Pullman ‘ Railway carriages pioneered by American George Pullman.
Luxurious: The elegant passenger compartment (left) complete with 29 beveled glass windows and (right) the stylish steering wheel.
˜But then another bidder entered and the bidders were duelling. It went up in increments of 50,000, and then 100,000, and then back down to 50,000.
˜It went on and on and on and was the longest car sale I have ever witnessed. It was pure theatre. Everyone was very respectful but when the price reached a milestone, like 3 million, there was an intake of breath.
˜The bidders were duelling and when the hammer came down there was spontaneous applause. ˜It was fitting because the car is celebrating her centenary.
The car was commissioned by Rolls Royce connoisseur John M. Stephens, who also bought the first Silver Ghost the luxury car-maker produced in 1906. The body was built by former royal carriage-maker Barker’s of Mayfair , which had previously built coaches for King George III and Queen Victoria.
Standing the test of time: The 7.3-litre, six-cylinder engine is still purring smoothly and is capable of doing around 15 miles to the gallon.
Mark of history: A plaque bearing the vehicle’s chassis number of 1907.
Touch of class: The original owner employed the services of the best coach-making company, Barker and Co. Ltd, to do the bodywork.
Classic designs: One of the car’s brake lights. The Rolls- Royce still had its headlights, carriage lights, rear lights and inflatable tyres when it went up for sale.
The car even had an early speedometer – an important addition given that a 20 mph speed limit was introduced in 1912.Unlike most car enthusiasts of his time, Mr. Stephens, from Croydon, South London, asked the makers not to include a glass division window between the driver and the passengers as he wanted to drive it himself rather than rely on a chauffeur.
The car’s distinctive cream and green design echoed the luxury ˜Pullman Railway carriages of the time, and it was known as a Double Pullman Limousine.
But it was nicknamed ˜the Corgi Silver Ghost in the 1960s after the toy-maker based its Silver Ghost toy car on this model.
Mr. Stephens’s car is believed to be the only one of its kind to survive with its full interior and bodywork, as many Rolls Royces from the era were converted into ambulances during the First World War.
THE MOST POWERFUL BIRD
This fascinating documentary is by courtesy of National Geographic
UNMANNED FLIGHTS
X-47B UCAS Aviation History Under Way
Northrop Grumman’s X-47B unmanned combat air system demonstrates how to successfully takeoff and land from the deck of a moving aircraft carrier.
STORKS
A stork has flown to the same rooftop in Croatia each year for 14 years to be reunited with his crippled partner who cannot migrate after she was shot by a hunter.
The faithful bird, called Klepetan, returns to the village of Slavonski Brod, in east Croatia, after a migration of 8,000 km.
He spends his winters alone in South Africa because his disabled partner, Malena, cannot fly properly.
Klepetan keeps a very strict timetable, usually arriving back at the same time on the same day in March each year.
Malena had been found lying by the side the road by schoolteacher, Stjepan Vokic, who fixed her wing and kept her in his home for years before helping her to build a nest on his roof.
After placing her there, she was spotted by Klepetan. And now, every year, they are reunited in the Spring.
Each summer, they raise a pair of chicks, with Klepetan giving the flying lessons in preparation for the trip south in Summer.
After leading the adult chicks south, Klepetan spends his winters alone in South Africa. But this year he did not return at the usual time, causing panic among local media and fans of the stork couple.
Finally, there was huge excitement when stork-watchers saw what they thought was Klepetan circling over the nest and then come in to land.
But the new arrival turned out to be a different stork that was attempting to woo Malena.
She quickly attacked him and drove him off and continued to wait for Klepetan.
Heart-warming …. Klepetan finally returned, once again, six days late. This year, Malena made a rare flight and the couple were reportedly inseparable for hours. She does have the ability to make very short flights but her wing has not healed well enough for her to make the trip to Africa, or even to properly feed herself.
The oldest recorded living stork is 39.
Locals are hopeful the couple’s long relationship will continue for years to come.
SCHOOL ANSWERING MACHINE MESSAGE
AUTOBAHN RACE
A race between:
AUDI R8 V10 – Tuned with ECU, TCU, Exhaust and Filter – 600 HP
SUZUKI GSXR1000 (SRAD) 2009 – 185 HP
KAWASAKI NINJA ZX 10R 2008 – 188 HP
Hold on to your hat!!!!!!!!
EXTRAORDINARY MUSICAL INSTRUMENT
This incredible machine was built as a collaborative effort between the Robert M. Trammell Music Conservatory and the Sharon Wick School of Engineering at the University of Iowa. Amazingly, 97% of the machine’s components came from John Deere Industries and Irrigation Equipment of Bancroft, Iowa…Yes, farm equipment.
It took the team a combined 13,029 hours of set-up, alignment, calibration, and tuning before filming this video. As you can see, it was WELL worth the effort. It’s now on display in the Matthew Gerhard Alumni Hall at the University and it’s already slated to be donated to the Smithsonian.