If there's one 'Yes' album I generally play in its entirety (rather than pick out tracks) it's 'Close to the edge'.
OK, the opening of the title track is a bit of a cacophony but Rick Wakeman's keyboards later in the track are absolutely epic, and when the whole band really rocks they are just brilliant.
'And you and I' is a superb melodious track and on 'Siberian Khatru' the band are tighter than a tight thing gripped in a vice

I'm just hoping it works out so somehow Max is about to win the championship but somehow loses it in the last lap due to an illegally ended safety car scenario.

Certainly the Google Gemini is fallible. I tried to add snow to a pic of my Blue Pullman and it removed the driving car and replaced it with an odd BP middle coach!

Quote from: Southerngooner on December 07, 2025, 10:15:38 AMAs a bit of a luddite on AI I thought I'd have a very quick dabble and added snow to four pictures of James Street. I'm impressed at the speed of it but I would say about 50% impressed with the results. One appears to have have very little snow, one has been hit by a blizzard and the other two are really good. Probably down to the quality of the images used?

The results do seem to very variable, I often got different results from the same image and instructions.

I have a suspicion that it doesn't just work using the image supplied but also by looking at other, possibly similar. images that it's seen elsewhere - that's the only reason that I can see for it replacing steam locos with diesels or coaches, both of which I've had it do.

As a bit of a luddite on AI I thought I'd have a very quick dabble and added snow to four pictures of James Street. I'm impressed at the speed of it but I would say about 50% impressed with the results. One appears to have have very little snow, one has been hit by a blizzard and the other two are really good. Probably down to the quality of the images used?

Here's the best two....





Less successful....



And a real blizzard.....I don't think anyone is going to get off that train any time soon!



Dave

Phew, that's a lucky break, I had just left the group to go and listen to a Ben Ando talk!

Tim

Its Lando to win for me but wont be upset if its Oscar as long as its not Max while I admit he is a great driver I just dont like his attitude and his sometimes wreckless driving  as in the Hamilton /Verstappen incident that Newport Nobby mentioned
I just hope that ALL three keep their cool and that there are no incedents between them .
Lets have a good clean race no stupid mistakes and may the best man win .
Good luck Lando .
Bob

Thanks for comment re "West Coast Mainline in N Gauge" Youtube videos, Newportnobby.
Sorry, only just saw your comment, but I have checked out a few.

Well that's put me off me dinner!

We get them here too, but I haven't bothered investigating in such detail.

We used to get Christmas beetles, but haven't seen any around for years.

Hello folks,

I've not heard a single Christmas Carol so far this year, but things are far from quiet. Christmas here in Australia heralds the arrival of the cicadas, or to be more accurate the arrival of their adult mating stage. Near my house, the cicada pupae have emerged from underground in the last week after growing and feeding on the sap in tree roots for the last 7 years or so. This short clip was taken this morning at the end of my street.


https://youtu.be/xjGv0w15VOw

Here is a photo of the pupae shell cases after they have molted into adults.



And, a still shot of an adult.



The pupae climb a tree then molt into their winged, adult form. Thereafter, the males sing their guts out in the trees to attract a mate. When there is a hundred or so of these critters in a tree, they can make quite a racket. Our local Redeye cicada is a big bug being about 5 cm from the nose tip to the wing end. A related species is capable of 120 dbl at a distance of 50 cm and I daresay a Redeye would be up there too in song generating capability.

I'm missing Christmas Carols as they really are important for getting into the spirit of Christmas. Even carols involving snow would be welcome though they really don't fit with our season down here.

Best wishes to all for the season,
Webbo