/* ============================================================= */
    /* 1. BASE NAVBAR */
    /* ============================================================= */
    .navbar {
      position: fixed;
      top: 0; left: 0; right: 0;
      z-index: 1030;
      transition: all 0.3s ease;
      padding: 1.8rem 1rem;
      background-color: rgb(56, 72, 88, 1) !important;
      box-shadow: 0 2px 5px rgba(0,0,0,0.1);
      border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(12, 17, 26);
    }
    .navbar-brand {
      font-family: "Oswald", sans-serif;
      font-size: 1.5rem;
      color: rgb(177, 214, 252) !important;
      opacity: 1 !important;
      font-weight: 500;
    }

    /* ----- Tagline (h2) ----- */
    .navbar h2.tagline {
      font-family: 'Roboto Condensed', sans-serif !important;
      font-size: 1.785rem;
      font-weight: 300;
      color: rgb(255, 255, 255);
      white-space: nowrap;
      margin-left: 15px;
      /* hidden on page load */
      /* opacity: 0; */
      display: none;
      transform: translateX(-15px);
      transition: opacity 0.35s ease, transform 0.35s ease;
    }

    .navbar .container-fluid { align-items: center; }

    body { padding-top: 50px; }

    @media (max-width: 992px) { body { padding-top: 110px; } }

    /* ============================================================= */
    /* 2a. SCROLLED STATE */
    /* ============================================================= */
    .navbar.scrolled {
      padding: 0.5rem 1rem;
      background-color: rgba(62, 81, 97, 0.75) !important;
      backdrop-filter: blur(5px);
    }

    /* Show tagline only when scrolled */
    .navbar.scrolled h2.tagline {
      display:inline-block;
      opacity: 1;
      transform: translateX(0);
    }

    /* Shrink the brand/logo a little */
    .navbar .navbar-logo {
      height: 70px;
      transition: height 0.5s ease;
    }
    .navbar.scrolled .navbar-logo { height: 40px; }

    /* ============================================================= */
    /* 2b. SCROLLED STATE X-perimental   11-09-2025 EACJ  */
    /* ============================================================= */
    /* .navbar-brand.scrolled {
      font-weight: bold;
      font-size: 1rem;
      color: rgb(255, 255, 255) !important;
      opacity: 1 !important;
      padding: 10px 17px;
      background-color: rgb(20, 34, 49);
      box-shadow: #142231a8 0px 0px 5px;
      transition: all 0.45s ease;
    } */
    .custom-nav-link {
      font-size: 0.5rem;
    }

    /* ============================================================= */
    /* 3. ANIMATED HAMBURGER */
    /* ============================================================= */
    .custom-toggler {
      border: none;
      padding: .5rem .75rem;
      background: transparent;
      margin-left: auto;
      transition: all .2s ease;
      outline: none !important;
      box-shadow: none !important;
    }
    .custom-toggler:focus-visible {
      outline: 2px solid #0d6efd;
      outline-offset: 2px;
    }
    .custom-toggler .bar {
      display: block;
      width: 35px;
      height: 2px;
      margin: 7px auto;
      background: #ffffff;
      border-radius: 2px;
      transition: all .35s cubic-bezier(.4,0,.2,1);
    }
    /* X when open */
    .custom-toggler[aria-expanded="true"] .bar:nth-child(1) { transform: rotate(45deg) translate(8px, 5px); }
    .custom-toggler[aria-expanded="true"] .bar:nth-child(2) { opacity: 0; }
    .custom-toggler[aria-expanded="true"] .bar:nth-child(3) { transform: rotate(-45deg) translate(8px, -5px); }

    /* ============================================================= */
    /* 4. MENU LINKS – independent class */
    /* ============================================================= */
    .custom-nav-link {
      font-family: 'Roboto Condensed', sans-serif;
      font-size: 1.3rem;
      line-height: 3.175rem;
      color: #ffffff !important;
      font-weight: 300;
      padding: 0.875rem 0.758rem !important;
      margin: 0rem 0.275rem;
      border-radius: 6px;
      transition: all 0.25s ease;
      position: relative;
      text-decoration: none;
      text-transform: uppercase;
    }
    
    .custom-nav-link:hover,
    .custom-nav-link:focus {
      color: #ffffff !important;
      background-color: rgb(28, 38, 53);
      text-decoration: none;
      border-radius: 50px;
      padding: 0.875rem 0.758rem !important;
      /* padding: 0.2rem 0.758rem !important; */
    }
    .custom-nav-link.active,
    .navbar-nav .nav-item.active .custom-nav-link {
      font-weight: 300;
      /* background-color: rgba(13, 110, 253, 0.1); */
    }

    /* ============================================================= */
    /* 5. MOBILE MENU */
    /* ============================================================= */
    @media (max-width: 991.98px) {
      .navbar-nav {
        padding: 1rem 0;
        margin-top: 2.75rem;
        border-radius: 8px;
      }
      .custom-nav-link {
        font-size: 1.2rem;
        margin: 0.25rem 0;
        padding: 0.875rem 0.758rem !important;
        border-radius: 6px;
      }
      .custom-nav-link:hover {
        background-color: rgb(28, 38, 53);
        padding: 0.875rem 0.758rem !important;
      }
    }

    /* ============================================================= */
    /* 6. SCROLLED MENU LINKS (smaller) */
    /* ============================================================= */
    .navbar.scrolled .custom-nav-link {
      font-family: 'Roboto Condensed', sans-serif;
      padding: 0.875rem 0.758rem !important;
      margin: 0 0.25rem;
      font-size: 1.15rem;
    }