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We report the first VLBA images of the nuclei in eight objects from the 3CR complete sample of 25 lobe-dominated quasars (LDQs): 3C 207, 3C 208, 3C 212, 3C 245, 3C 249.1, 3C 263, 3C 270.1, and 3C 275.1. These images reveal core-jet structures of considerable extent and complexity. In combination with earlier VLBI work on the 3CR LDQ sample, the partial distribution of apparent parsec-scale jet speeds for ten objects is relatively flat up to ~ 5h^(−1) c, or perhaps even ~ 10h^(−1) c. While this is not inconsistent with simple beaming models and quasar-FR II radio galaxy unification, it is crucial to obtain the complete speed distribution for truly definitive tests. Work is in progress on multi-frequency, dual-polarization, and phase-referencing VLBA observations on selected objects in the sample.

We present results on the promising new gravitational lens system 1608+656.

The Caltech-Jodrell Bank VLBI surveys of bright extragalactic radio sources north of declination 35° were carried out between 1990 and 1995 using the Mark-II system, achieving images with a resolution of about 1 mas at 5 GHz. The CJl survey (together with the older “PR” survey) includes 200 objects with 5 GHz flux density greater than 0.7 Jy; the CJ2 survey includes 193 flat-spectrum sources with 5 GHz flux density greater than 0.35 Jy; and we have defined a complete flux-density limited sample, CJF, of 293 flat-spectrum sources stronger than 0.35 Jy. We summarize the definition of the samples and the VLBI, VLA, MERLIN, and optical observations, and present some highlights of the astrophysical results. These include: (1) superluminal motion and cosmology; (2) morphology and evolution of the “compact symmetric objects” (CSOs); (3) two-sided motion in some CSOs; (4) the angular-size-redshift diagram; (5) misalignment of parsec-scale and kiloparsec-scale jets.