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Travel blogger makes 600k in a YEAR by posting sponsored pics on Instagram all while travelling the world f – The Sun

Posted on December 30, 2019 by Danzig

THIS 25-year-old made 600,000 in a year by posting sponsored pics on Instagram - all while travelling the world for free.

Travel blogger Tara Whiteman, aka Tara Milk Tea, has 1.3 million followers and cashed in AUS$1.1 million in 2019.

The influencer came 17th in Instagram's rich list, released yesterday, putting her just one spot below model Bella Hadid.

Tara, from Sydney, was paid for 73 sponsored pics this year, and is thought to earn an average of 8,000 per post.

She was the only Aussie to make the top 20 - and her recent envy-inducing trips include the Maldives, New Zealand and Abu Dhabi.

Tara fell in love with travel as a teenager, while exploring her Asian heritage - on her mum's side of the family.

She previously told the Mail: "I travel with my partner and we've both always enjoyed photography.

"I take photos of him, and he takes them of me. Strangers offer to take photos of us together, which is really nice."

Tara insists there isn't any 'secret' to the perfect Insta shot, but says she always makes sure her pics are bursting with colour.

And you need to be an early riser - as Tara takes most of her shots before 8am, when there are less tourists around.

Instagram's top 2019 earners

Speaking to Harper's Bazaar, she added: "Three key components to capturing the perfect moment while travelling would be shooting in the right light, which leads to getting up early (for light and to avoid crowds), and also planning your outfits.

"I love trying to match/blend or perfectly contrast with a city, so Ill do a little research before going somewhere to see what outfits would work best for the photos."

And she insists she isn't glued to her phone, with Tara doing tech-free days on many of her trips.

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She said: "I love leaving our hotel without our phones, and then wander off into the unknown... We always try to make sure we get a little lost in places that offer so much more than just picturesque Instagram photos."

Speaking about her dreamy life, Tara told the Mail: "Travel is really fulfilling. I love seeing different cultures and ways of life. Sometimes I do miss my family, but we talk almost every day so it's never too bad."

We previously spoke to an influencer who was told she was too fat to model by school bullies - now they're begging to be her mate on Instagram.

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Travel blogger makes 600k in a YEAR by posting sponsored pics on Instagram all while travelling the world f - The Sun

The Kiwi attractions in Lonely Planet’s Wonders of the World – Stuff.co.nz

Posted on December 30, 2019 by Danzig

Lonely Planet's new book reveals 101 of the world's most spectacular sights and how to see them on any budget including two in New Zealand

STEWART ISLAND

New Zealand's third island feels a million miles from the North and South Island. Named Stewart Island by colonial settlers, and Rakiura ('glowing skies') by the original Moriinhabitants of the area, this sparsely populated island has just one town, few roads and just a few hundred inhabitants, which explains why it offers your best chance of spotting a kiwi in the wild.

Most of the island is protected by a 1400-square-kilometrenational park, where you can get far from the nearest human being and imagine New Zealand as it might have been before homo sapiens first tramped on to the scene. While you explore its silent beaches, muddy swamps, ribbon-like inlets and fern-filled forests, look out for chance encounters with kiwis, which wander at will in this predator-free sprawl of hills.

READ MORE:* Ambitious changes planned for Milford Sound* From mountaintops to the deep sea in Milford Sound* A well-beaten but sublime Milford Sound road trip* A quick guide to New Zealand's Great Walks

At points along the shoreline, you can gaze out over empty waters that stretch, uninterrupted, all the way to Antarctica, beneath a curtain of lights from the aurora australis, and feel just a hint of the lonely freedom of the fishermen who have moored here across the centuries. Afterwards, reset your sense of perspective with a pint at the South Sea Hotel, the southernmost pub in New Zealand.

@ slyellow / Shutterstock

Pier on Rakiura Track

Travel International

It's often said that visitors to Stewart Island have a choice between 10 minutes of terror or an hour of torture. Wind-tossed flights connect the island's only town, Oban, to Invercargill on the South Island, or you can brave the ocean for an hour-long ferry crossing from Bluff over the notoriously choppy Foveaux Strait. Flights connect Invercargill to Dunedin International Airport, but the only international flight from here is to Brisbane, so you many need to connect through Auckland or Christchurch.

Regional

Stewart Island has only one town, which is where almost everyone arrives, and most of the island's 20km of roads link Oban to surrounding bays outside the national park area. To penetrate deeperinto the interior, you have to walk, but water taxis can drop you off at remote bays around the national park so you can start your tramp in pristine nature. Sea kayaks are another popular way to explore, but most paddlers stay close to Oban in Paterson Inlet.

Stay Shoestring

Bunkers Backpackers: A handy central location in Oban and a sunny garden add to the appeal at this small, cosy backpacker hostel in an old wooden villa. (Dorms from NZ$34, rooms from NZ$80; http://www.bunkersbackpackers.co.nz)

Nicols Cuervo / 500px

Boat beside a waterfall in Milford Sound.

Flush

Observation Rock Lodge: Perfectly positioned for views of sea, sunset and aurora, this small, graceful lodge has a bush setting and luxurious rooms with private decks. (Rooms from NZ$395; http://www.observationrocklodge.co.nz)

Eat

Shoestring

South Sea Hotel: This iconic pub the southernmost in New Zealand is an essential Oban stop for cold beer by the quart, fish and chip suppers and great bar banter. (Mains from NZ$18; http://www.southseahotel.co.nz)

Flush

Church Hill Restaurant & Oyster Bar: Local oysters, salmon and crayfish dominate the menu at this hilltop heritage villa, serving Oban's best sit-down dinners. (Mains from NZ$38; http://www.churchhill.co.nz)

Timing

* Stewart Island edges into the roaring forties so rain falls regularly year-round and its muddy trails are often waterlogged.

* The cool winter from June to August is best avoided for camping, but there's more competition for space in overnight huts from December to February.

* Ferry crossings from Bluff to Oban are reduced from May to September, but this is the best time to catch the aurora australis.

1. The Stewart Island kiwi (or tokoeka) is one of New Zealand's largest varieties and forages throughout the island at night (and sometimes by day).

2. Shale formations in New Zealand's newly designated national park, Rakiura National Park on Stewart Island.

3. Pause at a pier on the Rakiura Track, one of New Zealand's 'Great Walks'.

Best value itineraries

4 days

Four days is really the minimum if you want to get into the interior of Stewart Island. The glorious Rakiura Track takes three days to loop around the isthmus inland from Oban, offering prime kiwi- spotting opportunities en route, with accommodation in trekkers' huts or campsites along the trail.

On the way you'll walk lonely beaches with hardly a footprint on the sand and forest trails dripping with fern fronds, taking in stunning views across the island and ocean. At the end there's a day for exploring tiny, friendly Oban and the surrounding bays or kayaking on Paterson Inlet.

710 days

With up to 10 days, you can really leave the masses behind and get far from humanity on the north or western coasts of the island. The easier Southern Circuit offers a six-day transect across the centre of Stewart Island from Halfmoon Bay or the Freshwater boat landing, following forested valleys to Mason Bay with hut accommodation for each overnight stop. You'll need nine days or more for the tougher North West Circuit, linking a string of trekkers' huts around the north end of the island, passing dune-backed beaches, rocky headlands and ferny forests.

@ i viewfinder / Shutterstock

Bungy jumper over a river at the Kawarau Bridge Bungy site.

MILFORD SOUND

New Zealand has a full hand of epic landscapes, from mountain glaciers to fern-filled forests, but even in this company, Milford Sound Piopiotahi to the indigenous people of South Island stands out.

Dominated by the soaring buttress of 1692m Mitre Peak, this dramatic inlet was carved by glaciers during the last ice age. When the ice sheets retreated some 10,000 years ago, they left behind an almost supernatural landscape of sculpted mountains rising sheer from the mirrored surface of the fjord.

Viewed from the cruise ships that navigate the calm waters of the sound, the peaks rise like breaching humpback whales, isolating the inlet from the outside world.

When it rains, which it does often in this corner of the South Island, foamy cascades surge downhill into the sound, slowing to a trickle when the skies clear again. Stirling and Lady Bowen falls are the most reliable performers, kicking up rainbows of spray when the sun emerges after rain.

To fully appreciate the scale of the landscape, you need to get down to water level. Trade the cruise ships for a guided kayak tour or don scuba gear and explore the remarkable terrain below the water a playground for octopus, seals, penguins and dolphins.

Travel International

Tourist flights drop into tiny Milford Sound Airport from Queenstown, Wanaka and Te Anau, but Queenstown has the only airport with international connections. A handful of airlines serve Sydney and the east coast of Australia, but for connections to Asia and further afield, you'll need to fly first to Dunedin or Christchurch.

Buses run to the sound from Queenstown and Te Anau, but many visitors prefer to come here on self-drive campervan trips.

Regional

Most people visit Milford Sound from Queenstown or Te Anau as this natural wonder has limited infrastructure and places to stay, apart from the Milford Sound Lodge and berths on visiting cruise ships. Buses and tourist flights run daily from both cities, making day trips a popular option. Self-drivers should fill up before leaving Queenstown or Te Anau as prices are elevated at the lone pump in the sound.

Stay

Shoestring

Te Anau Lakefront Backpackers: The lakefront location ensures lovely views from this popular hostel in Te Anau, which offers a choice of simple bunkrooms or smarter private rooms. (Dorms from NZ$20, rooms from NZ$88; http://www.teanaubackpackers.co.nz)

Flush

Milford Sound Lodge: Rustic chic is the watchword at this rural lodge providing everything from wow-factor chalets to pocket-friendly dorms, as well as jaw-dropping views. (Dorms from NZ$40, chalets from NZ$415; http://www.milfordlodge.com)

Eat

Shoestring

Sandfly Caf: Locals and outsiders come together at this lively Te Anau hangout, great for morning coffee, hearty breakfasts and light lunches. (Mains from NZ$7)

Flush

Public Kitchen &Bar: This lakeside Queenstown eatery makes full use of meat and produce from local farms; come for a slap-up dinner after a day trip to the sound. (Mains from NZ$12; http://www.publickitchen.co.nz)

Timing

* Milford Sound is famously green and pleasant credit for this goes to the abundant rains, which swell the waterfalls year round, most spectacularly in December and January. The weather is drier from June to August, but temperatures dip and the waterfalls thunder a little less dramatically. The shoulder seasons from March to May and September to November strike a happy compromise, with fewer visitors, but plenty of waterworks.

1. Milford Sound receives a mean annual rainfall of 6000mm, meaning that it's one of the wettest places in the world and has lots of waterfalls.

2. The Darran Mountains reflected in Lake Marian, one of many lakes in Fiordland National Park.

3. Take the plunge from Kawarua Bridge near Queenstown.

Best value itineraries

34 days

Due to the limited accommodation available on the sound, most visitors come on day trips from Queenstown or Te Anau, so consider an itinerary linking all three places, leaving room for some adventure activities on the side. Start with a couple of days in Queenstown, reserving one day for rafting, tramping, paragliding, bungee-jumping, canyoning or climbing in the fabulous countryside outside town.

On day three, head off early for the sound and immerse yourself in the stunning scenery both on arrival and along the route before overnighting at Milford Sound Lodge.

Continue on day four to Te Anau, which serves up its own set of stunning lakeside landscapes.

710 days

With a week to spare, it would be a shame to enjoy the wonders of the sound for just a day. The legendary Milford Track runs from Glade Wharf on Lake Te Anau to Milford Sound in four scenery-filled days, passing towering waterfalls, lofty mountain passes, plunging glacial valleys and pockets of rainforest. Boats zip trekkers from Te Anau to Glade Wharf, but visitor numbers are strictly controlled and the route is booked out within days of opening to tourists each year.

Head onward to Queenstown to enjoy the food and party mood, then continue the fun at Wanaka for a more low-key vision of lakeside living.

Reproduced with permission from Lonely Planet's Wonders of the World 2019, http://www.lonelyplanet.com

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The Kiwi attractions in Lonely Planet's Wonders of the World - Stuff.co.nz

7 most ‘Instagrammed’ attractions around the world – Travel Daily

Posted on December 30, 2019 by Danzig

As we move into a new decade, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts has uncovered the Most Instagrammed Sights Of 2019, as part of their InterContinental ICons campaign.

Marking 10 years since the start of Instagram in 2010, InterContinental takes a look at how Instagram has transformed the travel landscape and informed the way in which we travel. Further insights from the global study reveal that people are looking to use Instagram more in 2020 and beyond.

The most Instagrammed Sights Of 2019 are the following:

53% of all #Paris photos analysed and nearly 10% of all photos analysed worldwide.

44% of all #Shanghai photos analysed

36% of all #Dubai photos analysed

35% of all #Sydney photos analysed

25% of all #MexicoCity photos analysed

21% of all #London photos analysed

20% of all #NYC photos analysed

In 2020, 39% of global luxury travellers will put more focus on social media when travelling in the coming year. 55% of global luxury travellers believe capturing social media content while travelling increases their ability to have a meaningful experience.

7 most 'Instagrammed' attractions around the world - Travel Daily

Tripadvisor reveals 10 best attractions in the world 2019 – Better Homes and Gardens

Posted on December 30, 2019 by Danzig

After analysing the Tripadvisor websites 250,000 bookable tours and activites, Tripadvisor crunched the numbers and identified the top 10 most booked tourist attractions of 2019.

Unfortunately, not one Australian tourist attraction or destination made the list, while Europe laid claim to seven of the top 10, and the Colosseum in Rome took out first place. Check out the full list below.

The winner of 2019: Colosseum, Rome, Italy

Getty

10. Piazza San Marco, Venice, Italy

9. Skydeck Chicago, Chicago, US

8. Anne Frank House, Amsterdam, Netherlands

7. French Quarter, New Orleans, US

6. Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain

5. Eiffel Tower, Paris, France

4. Statue of Liberty, New York City, US

3. Vatican Museums, Vatican City

2. Louvre Museum, Paris, France

1. Colosseum, Rome, Italy

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Tripadvisor reveals 10 best attractions in the world 2019 - Better Homes and Gardens

The year of the conscious connoisseur – Times of India

Posted on December 30, 2019 by Danzig

The passion for running took fitness-cum-travel enthusiasts to Vietnam, Oman, Sweden, Denmark, England, Germany, South Africa, Thailand and many other countries. A growing breed of running freaks now travel the world to take part in global marathons. Rather than looking up long weekends or festive breaks, they check the global marathon calendar to plan their travel. What makes this running vacation or runcation more exciting than a regular trip is the ability to view a new place from an entirely different perspective. Running frees you from tourist traps, allows you to explore the secret nooks and crannies of a city or discover an outdoor wonder. Some seasoned tourists even take to running up mountains across the world.

No such thing as a good seasonThere was a time when people would prefer travelling during festive breaks and summer holidays. 2019, however, saw a rise in off-peak travel, with more travellers venturing to places

during off-season months, or to places that usually don't see people because of their extremely cold climates. Travellers are now picking their travel dates as per flight deals which drop after the peak season. This way, not only do they avoid large crowds but also save a lot of money by getting fabulous deals on flights and stays.

Lesson learnt

OvertourismWhile travel emerged as the most emancipating takeaway in 2019, it also emerged as a global problem. An over-travelling world caused mayhem at some locations across the world to an extent that governments had to put a ban on tourists. With massive crowds causing environmental degradation, cities around the world were seen asking one question: Is there anything to be done about being too popular? Social media and apps such as Instagram lead tourists to pitch over cliffs and clog vital roadways in search of the perfect pic, while travel booking sites are making restaurants, museums, and beaches discoverable, and thus ruinable. Can we save cities from tourist onslaught. Systematically? The debate will continue in the New Year.

Embracing minimalist travel How to pack minimally and travel around with a carry-on was one of the top travel searches this year! There is definitely a shift in the way travellers pack. People as well as brands are ditching oversized suitcases for chic carry-ons and sleek backpacks built to maximise space. Lets thank Marie Kondo for that!

Non-starterBleisure

Bleisure also known as business and leisure trips was a buzzword in 2019. Millennials contributed to a 20 per cent rise in the trend this year and many young professionals managed to make the most of their work trips by exploring culture, food, and local attractions of a destination by adding a few days to their itinerary. On the flipside, a lot of them experienced guilt for taking time off for a personal holiday, a fact corroborated by a recent study that reveals Indians do not take leave even on a vacation! This can only result in stress and decreased productivity. One must remember that vacation is a perk and one isnt necessarily neglecting work every time one unplugs.

Lessons learnt

Dont spin, just cookAnything and everything that gives a modern spin to a traditional Indian dish did not cut ice with diners. Also, the notion that trends like fancy fusion, cooking techniques or merely jazzing up plating methods will sell was dispelled this year. Diners became discerning in their choice of meals and chefs also realised that fancy culinary terms or tasteless tweakings to a traditional dish will not sell. Simple straightforward dishes, good cooking techniques and emphasis on quality ingredients became the order of the day as the year went by.

Zero waste and eco-friendlyFrom using leftover meat for preparing stocks to using every part of the ingredient in cooking, chefs and restaurants aggressively promoted zero-waste dining. From opting for paper straws, glass bottles and doing away with poly packaging, there was a visible effort to promote responsible eating out. Expect more places to jump on the bandwagon next year.

Non-startersBizarre combosActivated charcoal powder, chicken in sushi or nitrogen fumes in cocktails this was the year when diners stayed away from too much drama. Molecular gastronomy turned out to be a big flop as did bizarre pairing of ingredients or plating of dishes just to look cool.

Here to stayIndia on the Plate

From khichdi in various forms, pastas and pizzas made from locally sourced flour, local artisanal cheese and chocolates; junking exotic salmon and basa for Indian alternatives like bhetki this was the year of Indian produce. Chefs boasted of their culinary tours in unexplored Indian destinations, sought inspiration from cuisines from the Northeast and put mountain food on the plate. This has been a year when young chefs did more than lip service to regional Indian food and made an endeavour to promote local cuisines and ingredients. The trend of choosing fresh local produce over frozen imported goods has become the norm and is only expected to grow stronger next year.

Non-alcoholic CocktailsThe notion that people who cannot drink need not party was being aggressively challenged by the fast growing trend of non-alcoholic cocktails. And these were not sugar syrup loaded mocktails. Globally, bars popped up that served an extensive drinks menu sans alcohol. The most popular cocktails and beverages were

Concocted with no use of any spirit. These bars, that serve non-alcoholic distilled gins or beers and drinks based on them, became a huge hit. Expect this trend to finally gather steam in the coming year as many outlets are eager to get these non-alcoholic spirit brands to India and make it a part of their menu.

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The year of the conscious connoisseur - Times of India

Most popular travel destinations of 2019 that created records – Times of India

Posted on December 30, 2019 by Danzig

The list shows how Asian destinations are the ones dominating the list, by clinching more than 40 entries. Hong Kong is likely to hold on to its popular status of being the worlds most popular city, despite handling political unrest for months, which led to a sharp decline in tourist arrivals. However, the good news is, Delhi enters the ranks for the first time. And here is the list of top 10 most visited tourist destinations in 2019.

Hong KongWith estimated international arrivals of 26.7 million, Hong Kong holds the numero uno position, despite dealing with political unrest for months. This destination is as cosmopolitan as you can imagine, and is always bustling with activity. Its rapidly developing economy can give almost all the emerging cities a run for their money. And no matter what you want to grace your travel itinerary with, Hong Kong has something for everyone.

BangkokWith estimated international arrivals of 25.8 million, Bangkok secures the second spot in the list. Here, you get to witness the amazing blend of old-world charm and modernity. Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, may come across as a bit chaotic, but its infectious energy will welcome you with open arms the moment you land here. Also, the interesting ambience that this destination creates with its high-rise apartments, high-end dining spots, five-star luxurious hotels, delicious street foods, buzzing nightclubs, Buddhist meditation centres, and much more, will give you an experience of a lifetime.MacauWith estimated international arrivals of 20.6 million, Macau finds itself in the third position. From famous casinos to many hidden treasures, this peninsula has in store more surprises than you can think. Macau may seem small, and that you might think your itinerary will be light, but dont just fall for this. This little wonder will welcome you with serene temples, black-sand beaches, hedonistic malls, adventure options, and if you like these things, Macau is a place for you.SingaporeWith estimated international arrivals of 19.8 million, Singapore is in the fourth position. Having attained a glamourous status in the tourist circuit, this place has all the features to attract adventure lovers, shopaholics, photographers, backpackers, and artists. Lovingly referred to as Garden City, Singapore is that place you need to visit and its stamp should definitely grace your passport.

Paris

With estimated international arrivals 19.1 million, Paris is in the sixth position. This place with all its beauty will be a feast for your senses, and the sights will please you wherever you go. Immersed in history, Paris will leave a remarkable impression on you and is often considered as one of the most glamorous cities in the world. And a tour of Paris, with glamour and culture juxtaposed, there will never be a dull day in Paris.

Dubai

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New Year festival at The Kelpies to kickstart Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters 2020 – Travel Daily

Posted on December 30, 2019 by Danzig

The Helix, home of The Kelpies, is preparing to welcome thousands of people to its new year festival Fire & Light: 2020 Visions on 1-2 January. Produced by Jaggy Events with support from Falkirk Community Trust and Event Scotlands Winter Festivals fund, 2020s Fire & Light will bring a fusion of past, present and future to Falkirk as part of Visit Scotlands Year of Coasts & Waters.

The fifth event of its kind, the 2020 Visions show will feature some of Scotlands best theatre, fire and LED performers, including the world-famous Mugenkyo Taiko Drummers who will perform a heart-thumping performance in front of The Kelpies and PyroCeltica, Scotlands trailblazing fire act.

The event encourages visitors to embrace the adventure of a new year with a walk through The Helix park towards the magical Kelpies, interacting with an amazing array of performances and installations along the way.

Once visitors reach The Kelpies, they can stop and enjoy the fire jets that will be choreographed to the powerful Taiko Drummers performance of Rhythm of Light. When the drumming stops, an LED clad musician will perform on a spectacular laser harp, celebrating the iconic waterways of Falkirk. The event will also be one of the first set to welcome in Scotlands celebratory Year of Coasts and Waters 2020.

Maureen Campbell, chief executive of Falkirk Community Trust, organiser of Fire & Light: 2020 Visions said: This event is returning as one of Event Scotlands Winter Festivals and this continues to support Falkirk as an all year round must visit destination.

Paul Bush OBE, director of events at VisitScotland said: We are supporting Fire & Light in its fifth year through Scotlands Winter Festivals programme. As one of the first events to celebrate Scotlands Year of Coasts and Waters 2020, the innovative programme of activity planned for Fire & Light 2020 Vision further reinforces Scotland as the perfect stage for events.

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New Year festival at The Kelpies to kickstart Scotland's Year of Coasts and Waters 2020 - Travel Daily

Russian missile weapon can travel 27 times the speed of sound – NEWS.com.au

Posted on December 30, 2019 by Danzig

A new intercontinental weapon that can fly 27 times the speed of sound became operational on Friday, Russias defence minister reported to President Vladimir Putin, bolstering the countrys nuclear strike capability.

Mr Putin has described the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle as a technological breakthrough comparable to the 1957 Soviet launch of the first satellite.

The new Russian weapon and a similar system being developed by China have troubled the United States, which has pondered defence strategies.

The Avangard is launched atop an intercontinental ballistic missile, but unlike a regular missile warhead that follows a predictable path after separation it can make sharp manoeuvres in the atmosphere en route to target, making it much harder to intercept.

Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu informed Mr Putin the first missile unit equipped with the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle entered combat duty.

I congratulate you on this landmark event for the military and the entire nation, Mr Shoigu said later during a conference call with top military leaders.

The Strategic Missile Forces chief, General Sergei Karakayev, said during the call the Avangard was put on duty with a unit in the Orenburg region in the southern Ural Mountains.

Mr Putin unveiled the Avangard among other prospective weapons systems in his state-of-the-nation address in March 2018, noting its ability to make sharp manoeuvres on its way to a target would render missile defence useless.

It heads to target like a meteorite, like a fireball, he said at the time.

The Russian leader noted Avangard was designed using new composite materials to withstand temperatures of up to 2000C resulting from a flight through the atmosphere at hypersonic speeds.

The military said the Avangard was capable of flying 27 times faster than the speed of sound.

It carries a nuclear weapon of up to two megatons. Mr Putin has said Russia had to develop the Avangard and other prospective weapons systems because of US efforts to develop a missile defence system he claimed could erode Russias nuclear deterrent.

Moscow has scoffed at US claims its missile shield wasnt intended to counter Russias massive missile arsenals.

Earlier this week, Mr Putin emphasised Russia was the only country armed with hypersonic weapons.

He noted Russia was leading the world in developing an entire new class of weapons, unlike in the past when it was catching up with the US.

In December 2018, the Avangard was launched from the Dombarovskiy missile base in the southern Urals and successfully hit a practice target on the Kura shooting range on Kamchatka, 6000km away.

Russian media reports indicated the Avangard would first be mounted on Soviet-built RS-18B intercontinental ballistic missiles, codenamed SS-19 by NATO.

It was expected to be fitted to the prospective Sarmat heavy intercontinental ballistic missile after it became operational.

The Defence Ministry said last month it demonstrated the Avangard to a team of US inspectors as part of transparency measures under the New Start nuclear arms treaty with the US.

The Russian military previously had commissioned another hypersonic weapon of a smaller range.

The Kinzhal (Dagger), which is carried by MiG-31 fighter jets, entered service with the Russian air force last year.

Mr Putin has said the missile flies 10 times faster than the speed of sound, has a range of more than 2000km and can carry a nuclear or a conventional warhead.

The military said it was capable of hitting both land targets and navy ships.

China has tested its own hypersonic glide vehicle, believed to be capable of travelling at least five times the speed of sound.

It displayed the weapon called Dong Feng 17, or DF-17, at a military parade marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese state.

US officials have talked about putting a layer of sensors in space to detect enemy missiles faster, particularly hypersonic weapons.

The administration also plans to study the idea of basing interceptors in space, so the US can strike incoming enemy missiles during the first minutes of flight when the booster engines are still burning.

The Pentagon also has been working on the development of hypersonic weapons in recent years, and Defence Secretary Mark Esper said in August he believed it was probably a matter of a couple of years before the US had one.

He has called it a priority as the military works to develop new long-range fire capabilities.

Russian missile weapon can travel 27 times the speed of sound - NEWS.com.au

Elon Musk aims for 2020 completion of underground Las Vegas project – Las Vegas Review-Journal

Posted on December 30, 2019 by Danzig

Elon Musk tweeted Friday night that The Boring Companys underground tunnel project in Las Vegas will be hopefully fully operational within the next year.

According to Musks tweets, the $52.5 million people-mover system being built beneath the Las Vegas Convention Center will be operational in 2020. Boring Co. and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority have said that the 1-mile system will be ready by the January 2021 CES trade show.

CNN Business on Saturday reported that a spokesperson for the convention authority said the 2020 deadline is in line with the goal of being ready for the January 2021 show.

The convention authority did not immediately respond to request for comment Saturday night.

Authority President and CEO Steve Hill told board members on Dec. 10 that the project is off to an expected slow start.

Hill explained that the drill being used to create the tunnel is at its best when the entire 300-foot length of the machine is extended underground.

Its like crawling, he told the Review-Journal in December. The machine pushes against the tunnel and moves itself forward. So they have to go pretty slow when it starts, and then it picks up.

The drill was officially powered up in November to create the system beneath and around the conventional center. The first-of-its-kind system from Musks company will include about a mile of twin tunnels around 40 feet underground, connected to three stations on the convention centers 200-acre campus.

In addition to burrowing beneath portions of Swenson Street, Paradise Road and Convention Center Drive, the machine will tunnel below the convention centers Central Exhibition Hall.

Once operational, the system is designed to transport people in autonomously operated vehicles, supplied by Tesla, another of Musks companies. The cars will be able to transport up to 16 people at a time.

The company also has proposals to build similar systems in Los Angeles, Chicago and between Washington, D.C., and Baltimore.

Musk also tweeted Friday night that the company will work on other projects after it completes the Las Vegas commercial tunnel.

Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240. Follow @k_newberg on Twitter.

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Elon Musk aims for 2020 completion of underground Las Vegas project - Las Vegas Review-Journal

Be wary of Elon Musk despoiling the vault of heaven – The Guardian

Posted on December 30, 2019 by Danzig

Changing economics and advancing miniaturisation now enable flotillas of small satellites to be launched into space up to a hundred on a single rocket. These microsatellites are already being deployed, by companies such as Planet Lab in California, to survey every point on the Earth every day, with sharp enough images to study building sites, road traffic, land use and so forth.

But a bigger leap is now in the offing. Elon Musks company SpaceX envisages the Starlink project. This entails launching up to 40,000 spacecraft into orbit in order to create a network that will enhance global broadband communication. Other companies, such as Amazon, say they have similar plans.

In principle, these are exciting and welcome developments, especially if they bring broadband internet to the whole of Africa and other parts of the developing world. But there is a downside. Starlink would involve launching more objects into space, in this single constellation, than all the satellites launched in the 60 years since the birth of the space age. There would be roughly one in every square degree over the sky (the area on the sky covered by a small coin held at arms length).

Skywatchers could find that their familiar starry sky was augmented by huge numbers of bright spots moving across it, especially soon after sunset and just before sunrise (the periods in the day when the sun is below our horizon but shining on to satellites hundreds of kilometres above us.) For professional astronomers looking steadily at a single celestial body, these rogue lights would only be a minor irritant. However, they would cause more confusion to projects that monitor or search large areas of sky to seek transient objects exploding stars or even more exotic cosmic explosions. Especially confusing will be the cases when part of the satellite acts like a mirror, creating a specially bright and brief flash when its oriented so that it reflects the sun.

One particularly important project that could be impeded by these swarms of satellites is the search for asteroids. There are 2m asteroids, which are more than 50 metres across, whose orbits cross that of the Earth. Any of these could potentially hit Earth and would be big enough for its impact to destroy a large city. Even though most of the giant (dinosaur-killing) asteroids more than 1km across have been discovered, only 2% of these still dangerous smaller ones are known and theres a strong motive to search for all the others, so that those with trajectories that could bring them dangerously close to our world can be deflected well in advance. In such searches, the foreground of unpredictably moving satellites would be a complication.

There are also concerns among astronomers making measurements in the microwave bands trying to discover and understand young stars, protoplanets and such like, as well as their constituent gases and molecules. Such observations will be impeded if Starlink satellites uplinks or downlinks pollute observationally interesting wavebands.

Radio telescopes are constructed in radio quiet places to minimise artificial background, but there would be no hiding from the beams sent from these satellites.

In mitigation, this particular enterprise is motivated by a goal that we should acclaim: spreading the genuine benefit of broadband worldwide, especially to the developing world. And its a plus that the mega companies involved are genuinely aware of the downsides and will be doing all they can to minimise it by blackening the surfaces and choosing wavelengths carefully. These ventures are not as irresponsible as earlier (and fortunately quashed) proposals to build large advertising hoardings in space.

But we shouldnt forget that its not just astronomers a minority who care about this issue. The night sky, the vault of heaven, is the one feature of our environment that has been shared, and wondered at, by all humanity through the ages. We should deplore anything that needlessly degrades its beauty and serenity, just as, more parochially, we dont want tinsel or phone masts in our national parks.

Martin Rees is the astronomer royal. His latest book is On the Future: Prospects for Humanity

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Be wary of Elon Musk despoiling the vault of heaven - The Guardian

Elon Musk Dismisses Induced Demand, A Phenomenon First Witnessed In 1866 – Forbes

Posted on December 30, 2019 by Danzig

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, poses on the red carpet as he arrives for the 43rd "Goldenes ... [+] Lenkrad" (Golden Steering Wheel) awards on November 12, 2019 in Berlin. (Photo by Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP) (Photo by TOBIAS SCHWARZ/AFP via Getty Images)

Elon Musk has once again used Twitter to air a controversial opinion. This time the SpaceX and Tesla billionaire has upset urbanists with his dismissal of a phenomenon that was first described in 1866.

On December 29, Musk tweeted that: Induced demand is one of the most irrational theories Ive ever heard.

This was in response to critics who had pointed out that his earlier tweetBuild super safe, Earthquake-proof tunnels under cities to solve trafficwas merely describing a subway tunnel.

Musk added: If the transport system exceeds public travel needs, there will be very little traffic.

There is very little empirical evidence for this claim, and copious evidence to the contrary, especially in Southern California, where Musk lives, and where the laying down of generous amounts of asphalt has always stimulated motor-vehicle use. (Electric cars get snarled in traffic just as easily as non-electric cars.)

Urbanists have a pithy phrase to describe induced demand:

Building more roads to prevent congestion is like a fat man loosening his belt to prevent obesity.

This phrase is based on a 1955 article by Lewis Mumford. Writing in The New Yorker, the great urban planning specialist suggested that [experts believe congestion] can be solved by increasing the capacity of the existing traffic routes ... Like the tailors remedy for obesityletting out the seams of the trousers and loosening the beltthis does nothing to curb the greedy appetite that [has] caused the fat to accumulate.

Mumford was describing the as-yet-unnamed concept of induced demand in transport. This theory was described in detail in 1969 by J.J. Leeming, a British road-traffic engineer and county surveyor. He observed that the more roads are built, the more traffic there is to fill these roads.

Leemings description idea was conceived shortly after German mathematician Dietrich Braess released the Braesss paradox which demonstrated that selfish motorists can not be relied upon to consider the optimal travel times for all rather than just themselves, leading to delays for all.

These ideas were further expanded in the LewisMogridge Position of 1990 and the DownsThomson paradox of 1992.

The idea that building more roads leads to more congestion was used by anti-roads campaigners from the 1970s on to combat the futility of road building, and, in the U.K., it briefly became an orthodox position following advice to government from the Standing Advisory Committee on Trunk Road Assessment study of 1994. Prime Minister Margaret Thatchers road building program the biggest since the Romanswas halted. (Prime Minister Boris Johnson is widely expected to resurrect this program.)

Motorists in a traffic jam in central Moscow. Sergei Fadeichev/TASS (Photo by Sergei FadeichevTASS ... [+] via Getty Images)

While Leemings study has become an accepted theory among most transport academics, induced demand was known about long before 1969. Writing in 1866, surveyor and engineer William J. Haywood, one of the builders of Londons Holborn Viaduct, said the new thoroughfare would attract more travellers: the facility of locomotion stimulates traffic of itself, he wrote.

His solution? Build more roads. This was also the conclusion of Sir Charles Bresseys Highway Development Survey for London, published in 1937. In his report, Bressey wrote:

As a typical instance may be quoted the new Great West Road which parallels and relieves the old Brentford High Street route. According to the Ministrys traffic census extracts the new route as soon as it was opened carried four and a half times more vehicles than the old route was carrying. No diminution, however, occurred in the flow of traffic along the old route and from that day to this the number of vehicles on both routes has steadily increasedThese figures serve to exemplify the remarkable manner in which new roads create new traffic.

Musk is therefore continuing a long tradition of motoring-besotted experts blithely ignoring the evidence of their eyes.

Houstons Katy Freeway has 26 lanes at its widest point, expanded between 2008 and 2011 at a cost of $2.8 billion to alleviate severe traffic congestion. The expansion did not alleviate traffic congestion, it made it worse. Travel times increased by 30% during the morning commute and 55% during the evening commute between 2011 and 2014.

Musks windshield-view of the worldone of never-ending empty roadsis a pipe-dream, but his vision is a mainstream one, with local and national politicians around the world answering the problem of traffic congestion with the magic solution that has never worked: more roads, sometimes in tunnels.

Writing in 1932, the British town planner Thomas Sharp accurately described how some motorists would not be satisfied until every inch of land was capped with asphalt.

A motorist is apt to complain of the overcrowded condition of the road if he finds he has not continually got a whole mile-long stretch of it to himself, wrote Sharp.

He will declare there is no pleasure in motoring under such conditions. He will search his map for some alternative route by quiet lanes where he can speed along with the road to himself. And when others find that alternative route and all further alternatives are exhausted, he proceeds to demand a new road system so that his motoring may again become a pleasure.

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Elon Musk Dismisses Induced Demand, A Phenomenon First Witnessed In 1866 - Forbes

How Elon Musk Evolved from Nothing to the Most Successful – Interesting Engineering

Posted on December 30, 2019 by Danzig

People made fun of Elon Musk, his ideas and his enterprises at first, but he has been proving them all wrong.

There'll be a lot of people in your life that will tell you that you can never be successful, or who'll try to discourage you. But you shouldn't let those people put you down because if you believe in yourself and if you work hard for your goals, you'll get them sooner or later.

That was, and even still is, what Elon Musk has been saying throughout his career. There have been a lot of people who said that he wouldn't succeed, that Tesla doesn't even have a factory, and other famous car brands would overcome Tesla. But in the end, Elon Musk is now one of the most famous and successful people in the world with a successful car brand, and other successful projects at the same time.

He never let anyone stand in his way and he never lost hope on himself. All he did was work and work some more to prove the people who made fun of him wrong.

If you're going through times where you're questioning yourself at the moment, just watch this video to see how Elon Musk has evolved from nothing to the most successful and let it inspire you.

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How Elon Musk Evolved from Nothing to the Most Successful - Interesting Engineering

Can you guess what Elon Musk’s favorite movie and Netflix series were in 2019? – USA TODAY

Posted on December 30, 2019 by Danzig

Elon Musk's Twitter account is a hotbed of controversy.

The CEO habitually updates the world aboutthe state of Tesla and Space X.He uses the social networking website to pullpranks, share memes and make baffling declarations that have landed him into trouble in the past.

More recently, however, he shared news that his followers seemed to support.

Just over a week before the end of 2019,one of his followers asked the billionaire about his favorite movie and Netflix series of the past 12 months. Depending on how closely you've been following the tech tycoon, the answers may be surprising.

Musk said that the comedic thriller "Parasite" was his favorite film.

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The gut-twisting movie,written and directed by Bong Joon-Ho, centers around a poorSouth Korean family and their fixation ona wealthier, more glamorous family. The New Yorker compared it to Jordan Peele's "Us" and thefilm has received critical acclaim, winning the top prize at this year's Cannes Film Festival.

"Parasite was fantastic," one person replied to the Tesla CEO. Another called the movie "Really good."

Musk, a notorious video game and sci-fifanatic, said hisfavorite Netflix series was "Black Mirror." The show's fifth season premiered this year with an interactive gaming episode and one installment starred Miley Cyrus in the form of ahome robot.

Oddly enough, people on the internet compared Tesla's polarizing Cybertruck to something straight out of the dystopian Netflix show which explores society's fixation on technology. The suspenseful British series "explores a twisted, high-tech near-future where humanity's greatest innovations and darkest instincts collide," according to Netflix.

One follower said he is waiting for a collaboration between Tesla and "'Black Mirror'to show potential future downsides to car autonomy/AI if we arent careful."

Musk has had a rocky relationship with Twitter this year.

Over the summer, he claimed he was deleting his account after posting about Teslalanded him in legal trouble.He proceeded to keep it open. He also conflated preorders with "orders" when gloating about the Cybertruck's sales.

The Tesla CEO has more than 30 million followers.

Follow Dalvin Brown on Twitter: @Dalvin_Brown.

Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2019/12/27/tesla-ceo-elon-musk-reveals-his-netflix-series-movie-2019/2755285001/

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Can you guess what Elon Musk's favorite movie and Netflix series were in 2019? - USA TODAY

Jason Castriota is taking on the 300 mph record — and Elon Musk – Los Angeles Times

Posted on December 30, 2019 by Danzig

We all love a good David vs. Goliath story Ford vs. Ferrari (in 1966, or the 2019 movie version), Steve Jobs vs. Microsoft, Harry Potter vs. Voldemort. Not many, however, feature David going up against two Goliaths.

Meet Jason Castriota, the global brand director for Fords battery electric vehicles.

He and the Ford team just launched the companys first ground-up, all-new electric crossover, the Mustang Mach-E. Its a clever, tech-loaded and reasonably priced new entrant (from $36,400 after the $7,500 federal electric vehicle tax credit) to the bustling EV scene. Ford chose to unveil it last month here in Southern California the largest EV market in the country in the same space that Elon Musk unveiled his Cybertruck a few nights later.

So his Goliath No 1: Winning against myriad competitors to bring to market an EV that appeals and steals sales from the Teslas and Audis of the world, among others. Then theres the job of persuading buyers to give up their gas-powered cars for a plug-in existence.

Supercar designer Jason Castriota is also global brand director for Fords battery electric vehicles.

(Clayton Hauck)

For a car company, let alone an executive, that is a high bar. Then theres Castriotas Goliath No. 2: hypercars with four-digit horsepower figures and seven-digit price tags.

Before joining Ford in 2016, Castriota spent the better part of his career dreaming up some of the most innovative concept and hypercars on the planet for example, the 2006 Ferrari P4/5, which he did in conjunction with Pininfarina, the legendary Italian design house that has crafted countless Ferraris over the decades, among other nearly priceless cars. The P4/5 was built as a one-off for film producer, financier and car collector James Glickenhaus.

Working with Jason was very enjoyable, says Glickenhaus. He was able to interpret what I wanted to do an homage to my Ferrari P3/4, which won 24 Hours of Daytona [in 1967] yet still keep it from being a replica. It helped launch all the special projects that Ferrari has since done.

Another Castriota masterpiece: the 2005 Maserati Birdcage 75th concept, a futuristic reimagining of the Italian marques iconic Tipo 61, produced between 1959 and 1961. And on the production-car side, he oversaw the still-in-showrooms Maserati GranTurismo. And the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, and so on. Getting the picture?

From the rear with the doors open, the SSC Tuataras dramatic sculptural shape is accentuated.

(Jason Castriota )

Castriotas latest hypercar project, finished before he joined Ford, is the SSC Tuatara. The two-seater has aerospace-inspired engineering, a fighter-jet-like teardrop canopy and a custom-built twin-turbo, 1,750-horsepower V8 engine. (The name comes from a New Zealand reptile that a study has shown to have the fastest-evolving DNA of any living organism.)

Wait: EVs carrying the Mustang name sound reasonably able to compete on a global stage. But million-dollar bullets why?

There has never been a time when so many seven-figure sports cars have been on the market from McLaren, Aston Martin, Ferrari and Mercedes-AMG to boutique makers such as Koenigsegg, Pagani and Rimac. SoCal, with its wealth and weather, is a key market.

The SSC Tuatara wants to stand apart by breaking the near-mythical 300-mph mark, which no production road car had ever done until last August, when Bugatti hit 304.77 mph in a heavily modified version of its $2.9 million Chiron. The SSC team will begin top-speed testing in early 2020 at an undisclosed U.S. location, with the hope of besting Bugatti.

If SSC succeeds, it would be the second time the Richland, Wash. based start-up will have beaten Bugatti at the top-speed game. In 2007, the companys first sports car, the Ultimate Aero, achieved 256.14 mph, breaking the 253.81-mph record Bugatti had set in its previous supercar, the Veyron. (In so doing, SSC also created, in partnership with Guinness World Records, a new testing standard of averaging two high-speed runs within a set time window on the same road.)

Achieving three-digit speedswith 300 mph being merely the latest barrier broken but certainly not the lastis not for the faint of heart, as any hyper car maker will tell you. First, the cost of the additional horsepower needed to go that fast only gets more expensive the higher you go. Then theres the incredible balancing act between a cars weight, its relative slipperiness through the air, heat management, durability and drivability. Each of those factors presents its own unique challenges and solutions, explains Castriota. The right fix for one may cause an issue for anotherand you still need to deliver it all in a form that is also visually desirable and comfortable to use.

The $1.625 million (base) Tuatara, whose bespoke engine is made here in SoCal, is the passion project of Jerod Shelby, an engineer and medical-device company cofounder who has been working on putting his vision for a high-performance sports car into reality for two decades. Bringing Jason onto the Tuatara project was one of the best decisions Ive ever made, says Shelby. He accomplished a remarkable feat by penning a striking design with an unmatched aerodynamics package.

Castriota states it more succinctly. From an aerodynamic standpoint, we are far superior to all other hypercars, he says. Some parts of a car such as the Tuatara are subjective, like design. Aero is most definitely not.

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