Falcon Northwest PC

Falcon Northwest is a personal computer manufacturing company located in Medford, Oregon, USA which was founded in 1992 by its current president, Kelt Reeves. The company began its existence focusing on high-end systems for Flight Simulation. In 1993 Falcon Northwest bought out Bay Engineering, who served CAD application users, and continued to serve those customers for several years.

Falcon Northwest maintains one facility located in Medford, Oregon, and it chooses not to outsource any of its operations. Falcon Northwest's operations are mostly restricted to online and telephone orders, as the company has not signed any distribution deals with any major retailers. Falcon Northwest has traditionally competed with the luxury PC gaming niche companies such as Alienware and MAINGEAR.

Falcon Northwest’s system lineup began with the Mach V series and slowly expanded over time. The Mach V models were built with components that Falcon Northwest believed to offer the highest performance in PC games. In 2000, the company added the Talon line at a lower price than the Mach V line. Later, the company brought out the FragBook line of laptops. Falcon Northwest also offers a small form factor (SFF) PC called the FragBox, a miniature system intended for LAN parties. For customers looking for something a little more personal, Falcon Northwest provides custom professionally-painted cases.

 

 Falcon PCs have standard features that make them quite different than the average PC. Testing, testing and even more testing - an exhaustive 3-day "burn-in" of every system and try to make the system fail here at the factory so it will not fail on you. Falcon will simulate months of the most tortuous use you could imagine. If every part can't pass our tests flawlessly - it doesn't leave the Falcon factory.  

Optimized and accessible BIOS - Falcon will not hide your BIOS or limit buyers access to it. Falcon will tweak every system's BIOS settings individually to the very edge of performance - but not one step beyond (risking instability). That means maximum speed without crashing or graphics problems. And If you want to play with your settings to overclock... Falcon will give you the tools.

 System documentation - Falcon custom systems all ship with a binder with your personal settings for your hardware, all of your system's quality checks, benchmarks, the Falcon Northwest manual and all original manuals from each component you've selected should it have one. 

Perfect cabling - Well routed internal cabling is the mark of a true enthusiast PC maker. You may never even open your case, but the wiring in every Falcon is carefully routed to provide the perfect balance of airflow, accessibility, and aesthetics. 

Truly personal system rescue discs - Falcon will burn a complete backup of your exact system the moment before it leaves the factory.  Should your PC ever have problems or you just like to clean out Windows every once in a while, Falcon rescue discs can easily get your PC back to its "factory fresh" state. 

Falcon takes systems to the very edge of what the component manufacturers will warrant - we call it "street legal". If you want to push it further with your system, it's your right and you can do so at your own risk. But rest assured Falcon's warranty is in addition to the warranties that our component manufacturers provide - not an attempt to make up for them.

Please note that if you want your system overclocked beyond a component manufacturer's warranty, Falcon will do it for you. And Falcon will still stand behind it with our normal warranty. They know overclocking, and know how far it can be taken safely. 

No unnecessary software. No ads - Falcon PCs ship "clean". Falcon  will not ship unnecessary software and utilities you don't need. We clean up your temporary directories and you will not find advertising, online banks, or lame internet offers on a Falcon machine.

No "watered down" hardware - Some big PC manufacturers use "watered down" versions of the name-brand components you want. For instance, a special version of a motherboard or graphics card that cuts a few corners to save them a few bucks. You'll pay for these later in missing features, slower performance and lack of upgradeability.

Falcon will give you a real copy of Microsoft Windows - You get the full version of Windows on every Falcon system, complete with an original disc. No "hard drive only" installs that leave you short-changed on drive space and flexibility to re-install.  You get the full version of the OS and nothing else. 

Walther P88 Compact

The Walther P88 was a semiautomatic pistol developed by the Walther company of Germany in 1988[1], hence the model name P88. Its main feature was a high-capacity double-stacked magazine designed for military and law enforcement use. In 1996, Walther discontinued the pistol in favor of the slightly lighter and smaller P88 Compact, which was also cheaper to manufacture.
The Walther P88 is highly prized among collectors and sport shooters due to its superb accuracy (1.5 to 2 inch groups at 25 yards) and high-quality construction.

P88 Compact was llighter and a bit smaller with only minor differences. The standard P88 was heavily criticized for being bulky, heavy and expensive; the Compact solved none of these issues. There were many complaints about the full-size model's slide stop as well.

It was thought to be hard to reach and manipulate, requiring the user to shift the gun in hand to operate. This was corrected with the P88 Compact at the expense of losing a very popular feature; its unique combination ambidextrous decocker and slide release. It was replaced with a CZ-style combination decocker and conventional slide stop/release. This allowed the pistol to function as a DAO (double action only) or conventional DA/SA.

Both these pistols are fully ambidextrous with the exception of the compact's slide stop/release. Full ambidextrous control was an industry first and the original P88 likely would have sold well were it not for the high cost. Both models remain highly collectible.

Burmese Python

The Burmese Python (Python molurus bivittatus) is the largest subspecies of the and one of the 6 largest in the world, native to a large variation of tropic and subtropic areas of southern and southeast Asia. They are often found near water and are sometimes semi-aquatic, but can also be found in trees. Wild individuals average 3.7 metres (12 ft) long, but may reach up to 5.8 metres (19 ft).

Burmese Pythons are dark-coloured snakes with many brown blotches bordered in black down the back. The perceived attractiveness of their skin pattern contributes to their popularity with both reptile keepers and the leather industry. The pattern is similar in colour, but different in actual pattern to the African Rock Pythion (Python Sebae), sometimes resulting in confusion of the two species outside of their natural habitats.

In the wild, Burmese pythons grow to 3.7 metres (12 ft) on average, while specimens of more than 4 metres (13 ft) are uncommon. Individuals over 5 metres (16 ft) – like a specimen from Cooch Behar with 5.8 metres (19 ft) and 91 kilograms (201 lb)– are very rare. There are reports of snakes more than 6 metres (20 ft) long, but those are often result of confusion between Burmese Pythons andReticulated Pythons, stretched skins, or simple exaggeration. There are also dwarf forms onJava, Bali and Sulawesi. At Bali they reach an average length of 2 metres (6.6 ft) and on Sulawesi they achieve a maximum of 2.5 metres (8.2 ft).

 

Burmese Pythons are mainly nocturnal rinforest dwellers. When younger they are equally at home on the ground and in trees, but as they gain girth they tend to restrict most of their movements to the ground. They are also excellent swimmers, being able to stay submerged for up to half an hour. Burmese Pythons spend the majority of their time hidden in the underbrush. In the northern parts of its range, the Indian python may brumate for some months during the cold season in a hollow tree, a hole in the riverbank or under rocks.

Brumation is biologically distinct from hibernation. While the behaviour has similar benefits, specifically to endure the winter without moving, it also involves preparation of both male and female reproductive organs for the upcoming breeding season. There is controversy over whether the Burmese subspecies is able to brumate, and it is believed by experts to be unable to distinguish between a slight chill and dangerous cold weather.

Burmese Pythons breed in the early spring, with females laying clutches which average 12–36 eggs in March or April. She will remain with the eggs until they hatch, wrapping around them and twitching her muscles in such a way as to raise the ambient temperature around the eggs by several degrees. Once the hatchlings use their egg tooth to cut their way out of their eggs, there is no further maternal care. The newly hatched will often remain inside their egg until they are ready to complete their first shedding of skin, after which they hunt for their first meal.

Like all snakes, Burmese Pythons are carnivores. Their diet consists primarily of appropriately-sized birds and mammals. The snake uses its sharp rearward-pointing teeth to seize its prey, then wraps its body around the prey, at the same time contracting its muscles, killing the prey by constriction. They are often found near human habitation due to the presence of rats, mice and other vermin as a food source. However, their equal affinity for domesticated birds and mammals means that they are often treated as pests. In captivity their diet consists primarily of commercially-available, appropriately-sized rats, and graduates to larger items such asrabbits and poultry as they grow. Exceptionally large pythons may even require larger food items such as pigs or goats, and are known to have attacked and eaten alligators in Florida, where they are an invasive species. They have been known to swallow entire deer as well.

The digestive response of Burmese Pythons to such large prey has made them a model species for digestive physiology. A fasting python will have a reduced stomach volume and acidity, reduced intestinal mass and a 'normal' heart volume. After ingesting prey, the entire digestive system undergoes a massive remodelling, with rapid hypertrophy of the intestines, production of stomach acid, and a 40% increase in mass of the ventricles of the heart in order to fuel the digestive process.

The Burmese python is frequently captive-bred for colour, pattern, and more recently size. Its albino form is especially popular and is the most widely available morph. They are white with patterns in butterscotch yellow and burnt orange. There are also "labyrinth" specimens, which have mazelike patterns; khaki-coloured "green"; and "granite", which have many small angular spots.

Breeders have recently begun working with an island lineage of Burmese pythons. Early reports indicate that these "dwarf" Burmese have slightly different colouring and pattern from their mainland relatives and do not grow much over 2.1 metres (7 ft) long. One of the most sought-after of these variations is the  leucistic Burmese. This particular variety is very rare, and has only recently (2008/2009) been reproduced in captivity as the super-form of the codominant hypomelanistic trait. This snake is entirely bright white with no pattern and black eyes, thus precluding it from being a true albino. The caramel Burmese python has caramel-coloured pattern with "milk-chocolate" eyes.

Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner is a line of watches manufactured by Rolex, designed for diving and known for their resistance to water. The first Submariner was introduced to the public in 1954 at the Swiss Watch Fair. Copied by other watch makers, the Rolex Submariner is widely recognized as a classic among wristwatches manufactured by one of the most widely recognized luxury brands in the world. The Rolex Submariner is part of Rolex's Oyster Perpetual line.

The Submariner model went into production in 1953, and was showcased at the Basel watch fair in 1954. The assigned case reference number of this first Submariner was either 6204 or 6205. It is unclear which model came first and, in any event, the two watches are nearly identical.
Neither has the distinctive "cathedral" or "Mercedes" hands now so strongly associated with the Submariner line. Rather, both of these early submariners have straight "pencil" style hands. Few if any of the 6205 watches bear the name "Submariner" on the dial, a major distinction with modern Submariners. Some 6204 models have the Submariner logo printed below the center pinion, while others have the logo blacked out. It is believed that there were unexpected trademark issues connected with the name "Submariner" at the time the 6204 and 6205 were released which account for the inconsistent use of the Submariner mark on these early Submariners. Trademark irregularities notwithstanding, both the 6204 and 6205 are designated Submariner models in the Rolex product literature of the time.

In 1954, Rolex also produced a small number of ref. 6200 Submariners. This was the first Submariner (although not the first Rolex) to make use of the Mercedes hand set (a feature of all subsequent Submariners). The 6200 also featured an oversized winding crown (compared with the 6204 and 6205 models). Within a few years, Rolex revised its Submariner line, producing the 6536 (small crown) and 6538 (oversized crown) models. These watches had "improved" movements (the cal. 1030), including a chronometer version in some 6536 models (designated 6536/1), the now-familiar Mercedes hands, along with the Submariner logo and depth rating printed on the dial.

By the early 1960s, these models gave way to the 5508 (small crown) and 5510 (large crown) models. All of these early Submariners used either gilt (6200, 6204, 6205) or gilt/silver gilt (6536, 6538) printing on glossy black dials. Radium paint was used for the luminous indices.
The next wave of Submariners, the 5512 (chronometer version) and 5513 (non-chronometer) marked a significant change in the appearance of the popular Rolex design. "Shoulders" were added to the crown side of the case to provide protection for the winding/setting mechanism. In early watches—perhaps until 1964 or so—these shoulders were pyramid-shaped, ending in points. Later watches were manufactured with rounded shoulders. In addition, the 5512 and 5513 were both fitted with the oversized crown, which became a standard feature of the Submariner line thereafter. Sometime in the early 1960s, Rolex discontinued the use of radium paint for the luminous indices, switching to the safer Tritium-infused paint.

In 1965-1966, Rolex discontinued use of gilt/silver gilt dials on the Submariner watches, switching to white printing. A final important change came with the introduction of the 1680 model in the late 1960s. The 1680 was the first Submariner to be equipped with a date complication, marking the completion of the transition of the Submariner line from specialist tool watch to mass market fashion accessory. While many professional and military divers used — and continue to use — Submariners in the most demanding underwater environments, by the late '60s the watch had undeniably become a mass market product as well.

Sergeant Hartman Boot Camp (full metal jacket)

The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle

The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F-15 Eagle is a twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter designed by McDonnell Douglas to gain and maintain air superiority in aerial combat.

It is considered among the most successful modern fighters with over 100 aerial combat victories with no losses in dogfights. Following reviews of proposals, the United States Air Force selected McDonnell Douglas' design in 1967 to meet the service's need for a dedicated air superiority fighter.

The Eagle first flew in July 1972, and entered service in 1976. The F-15 is expected to be in service with the U.S. Air Force until 2025.

Since the 1970s, the Eagle has also been exported to Israel, Japan, and Saudi Arabia. Despite originally being envisioned as a pure air superiority aircraft, the design proved flexible enough that an all-weather strike derivative, the F-15E Strike Eagle, was later developed, and entered service in 1989.