For the two and a half decades The Jack Benny Show was on radio, Benny and his writers came up with some of the most beloved gags of the era.
And they mined them like gold.
Just a few of the ongoing jokes were:
Benny's vault
Jack the miser
Jack's old Maxwell automobile
Now boarding on Track 9 for Anaheim, Azusa, and Cucamonga
Mel Blanc's famous Si. Sy. So. Sue.
Phil Harris' love affair with the bottle
And of course there were many more.
One of Jack's favorite bits, and I dare say mine, was the ongoing relationship between Jack and his "next door neighbors," Ronald Colman and Benita Hume (the real life Mrs. Colman).
The Colmans first guest starred on the show in 1945. They played Jack's neighbors, a prop that had been mentioned on prior shows but never actually dramatized. The episode was so popular (you can hear it on my blog) that the Colmans were called back several times that season and for the next several seasons after that.
The gag, of course, was that Ronald and Benita Colman were a proper British couple: Very refined and very reserved in their manners and social graces.
Benny was - well, Benny. He constantly borrowed items from his neighbors and Mr. Colman quietly seethed at the audacity of Benny's miserly ways.
Looking out the front window, Colman regularly observed not only the spectacle next door, but also Jack's antics in the neighborhood. He was constantly bewildered by the way Benny was followed around by his group of "dimwitted" friends, especially "that Phil Harris fellow."
Mr. Colman, much too much the proper English gentleman, could never actually be rude and tell Benny what he thought. Instead, he dumped all his frustrations on his his poor, long suffering wife Benita - who constantly got an ear full.
And as the third person in the room, so did we.
Jack, of course, was completely oblivious to Colman's attitude. Benny considered himself equal to, or superior, to the Colman's on every level: as an actor, as a star, in his social life... well, you get the picture.
The results were hilarious.
One of the funniest great old radio shows, hands down, was The Jack Benny Show. And of all the episodes in my collection, the shows featuring Ronald Colman and Benita Hume as Jack's neighbors are my absolute favorites. They are still laugh out loud funny!
Article written by Robert Bro
Monday, August 24, 2009
All About Astaire and Rogers
No list of Hollywood's famous duos would be complete without those dancing stars Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. This couple didn't make a big bang in Hollywood until RKO Studios slipped them into a movie called "Flying Down to Rio", in 1933. In a later film, "The Carioca", they touch foreheads, and the audience - and the country - was mesmerized.
A studio-savvy producer, Pandro Berman, got RKO to design a movie in which Astaire and Rogers could shine. In the first movie that resulted, "The Gay Divorcee", they romanced and danced, and set a formula for what would work for them for years to come: the devil-may-care playboy and the sweet and spunky girl who get involved.
The movie "Top Hat", produced in 1935, shows RKO's Astaire and Rogers at their best, with a brilliant score by Irving Berlin. In addition to memorable dance numbers, the dialogue was witty, and the whole atmosphere of the movie was one of elegant delight.
To describe the happy union that made up one of the most famous duos in Hollywood, one cliché stated that "Fred gave Ginger class, while she gave him sex appeal". Each person actually had both of those qualities, but when you put them together, it was like they doubled it - or better.
Rogers and Astaire had a formula that worked for all the movies they did together - often they would team with vocal stars like Irene Dunne, in the film "Roberta". And they worked with such legendary songwriters as Jerome Kern and George and Ira Gershwin. And the formula worked like a charm in the next five films they did together. Theirs were the first musicals of screen or stage that really used the dance to help develop character and plot.
Even when the formula plots got tired, Rogers and Astaire would begin dancing, and joy would reign on the screen. Although they were never more than colleagues in real life, their dance numbers positively exuded seductive and playful passion. Astaire had been partnered with more accomplished dancers in his career, but the effect he and Rogers generated was unique and heartwarming.
Astaire and Rogers were still one of Hollywood's hottest famous duos when they finished their partnership with RKO with the film "The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle" in 1939. This film threw the "formula" aside and was still a triumph. Though it didn't please the studio much, the public didn't care about the formula - they only wanted to see Fred and Ginger. But the two wanted to move on to separate career paths, and would rarely work together again. Their works together are still considered classics.
Article written by Peter J Lee
A studio-savvy producer, Pandro Berman, got RKO to design a movie in which Astaire and Rogers could shine. In the first movie that resulted, "The Gay Divorcee", they romanced and danced, and set a formula for what would work for them for years to come: the devil-may-care playboy and the sweet and spunky girl who get involved.
The movie "Top Hat", produced in 1935, shows RKO's Astaire and Rogers at their best, with a brilliant score by Irving Berlin. In addition to memorable dance numbers, the dialogue was witty, and the whole atmosphere of the movie was one of elegant delight.
To describe the happy union that made up one of the most famous duos in Hollywood, one cliché stated that "Fred gave Ginger class, while she gave him sex appeal". Each person actually had both of those qualities, but when you put them together, it was like they doubled it - or better.
Rogers and Astaire had a formula that worked for all the movies they did together - often they would team with vocal stars like Irene Dunne, in the film "Roberta". And they worked with such legendary songwriters as Jerome Kern and George and Ira Gershwin. And the formula worked like a charm in the next five films they did together. Theirs were the first musicals of screen or stage that really used the dance to help develop character and plot.
Even when the formula plots got tired, Rogers and Astaire would begin dancing, and joy would reign on the screen. Although they were never more than colleagues in real life, their dance numbers positively exuded seductive and playful passion. Astaire had been partnered with more accomplished dancers in his career, but the effect he and Rogers generated was unique and heartwarming.
Astaire and Rogers were still one of Hollywood's hottest famous duos when they finished their partnership with RKO with the film "The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle" in 1939. This film threw the "formula" aside and was still a triumph. Though it didn't please the studio much, the public didn't care about the formula - they only wanted to see Fred and Ginger. But the two wanted to move on to separate career paths, and would rarely work together again. Their works together are still considered classics.
Article written by Peter J Lee
Great Old Radio Shows - Burns and Allen - The Early Years
The Burns and Allen Show was one of the most popular of all the great old radio shows. However, it was a long way from the streets of New York City to Beverly Hills.
George Burns was born Nathan Birnbaum on Jan 20, 1896. He began his singing career at the age of eight on street corners and ferry boats in a group called the Pee Wee Quartet. A lover of show business, George eventually found his way into small town vaudeville houses. He once said: "After a playing a town I would change my name. The talent booker would never give me another job if he knew who I was."
Gracie was born Gracel Ethel Cecile Rosalie Allen in 1903 in San Francisco. Her show business career began even earlier than her husband's. Gracie's father was a vaudevillian performer and introduced her to performing on stage at the tender age of three.
The future Mr. And Mrs. Burns met in New Jersey in 1923, and it seems George had quite a reputation as a ladies man.
Gracie was engaged to another Vaudevillian by the name of Benny Ryan. Show business being show business, Gracie and Benny were separated for long periods of time as they made the show circuit. Before Ryan moved on to his next town he made Gracie promise she would stay away from that George Burns character.
Meantime, George had just split with his stage partner, Billie Lorraine. Gracie, looking for work, went back stage to meet Lorraine to see if he would consider her as a new partner. Gracie mistook George for his partner and George went along with it. He told her that he was, indeed, Billy Lorraine and invited her to team up with him to become an act.
George carried on the subterfuge for an entire week before sheepishly telling her that he was George Burns - the fellow her boyfriend had warned her against!
It didn't take long for George to realize he was falling in love with Gracie. He often said it was the first time he had ever fallen for a nice girl. It took him a year to tell Gracie how he felt about her. She was still planning to marry Benny Ryan. All of this was difficult for George because they spent so much time on the road. They slept in separate hotel rooms and had separate bunks on the trains - George always took the upper. They became such close friends that Gracie would frequently talk to George about how much she loved Benny Ryan.
In the meantime, they were appearing together on the Vaudeville circuit, and as the years went by they became more and more successful. Burns and Allen eventually made it all the way to the Palace Theater on Broadway. The year was 1928 they played for 17 weeks with Eddie Cantor and George Jessel.
Their first appearance on radio was on the BBC while touring England in the late 1929. Then, in 1931, back on Broadway working with Eddie Cantor at the Palace, Cantor invited Gracie to be on his radio show. Cantor's show was one of the most popular old time radio shows of the 30's. George agreed to let her appear without him as long as he could write her material.
Gracie was a smash!
Burns and Allen were then were offered a spot on Rudy Vallee's show for a whopping single performance fee of $1000. As a result of that appearance, Burns and Allen were made regulars on Guy Lombardo's radio show in February, 1932.
By this time George and Gracie were married, and they inherited Guy Lombardo's CBS Show In 1934 when Lombardo moved from CBS to NBC.
Their show, which eventually moved to California, was on for over two decades. It is one of the most endearing and popular of all the great old radio shows of the era.
I have several great clips, along with a couple of complete episodes of The Burns and Allen Show on my blog that you can listen to.
Bob Bro has a collection of over
Article written by Robert Bro
George Burns was born Nathan Birnbaum on Jan 20, 1896. He began his singing career at the age of eight on street corners and ferry boats in a group called the Pee Wee Quartet. A lover of show business, George eventually found his way into small town vaudeville houses. He once said: "After a playing a town I would change my name. The talent booker would never give me another job if he knew who I was."
Gracie was born Gracel Ethel Cecile Rosalie Allen in 1903 in San Francisco. Her show business career began even earlier than her husband's. Gracie's father was a vaudevillian performer and introduced her to performing on stage at the tender age of three.
The future Mr. And Mrs. Burns met in New Jersey in 1923, and it seems George had quite a reputation as a ladies man.
Gracie was engaged to another Vaudevillian by the name of Benny Ryan. Show business being show business, Gracie and Benny were separated for long periods of time as they made the show circuit. Before Ryan moved on to his next town he made Gracie promise she would stay away from that George Burns character.
Meantime, George had just split with his stage partner, Billie Lorraine. Gracie, looking for work, went back stage to meet Lorraine to see if he would consider her as a new partner. Gracie mistook George for his partner and George went along with it. He told her that he was, indeed, Billy Lorraine and invited her to team up with him to become an act.
George carried on the subterfuge for an entire week before sheepishly telling her that he was George Burns - the fellow her boyfriend had warned her against!
It didn't take long for George to realize he was falling in love with Gracie. He often said it was the first time he had ever fallen for a nice girl. It took him a year to tell Gracie how he felt about her. She was still planning to marry Benny Ryan. All of this was difficult for George because they spent so much time on the road. They slept in separate hotel rooms and had separate bunks on the trains - George always took the upper. They became such close friends that Gracie would frequently talk to George about how much she loved Benny Ryan.
In the meantime, they were appearing together on the Vaudeville circuit, and as the years went by they became more and more successful. Burns and Allen eventually made it all the way to the Palace Theater on Broadway. The year was 1928 they played for 17 weeks with Eddie Cantor and George Jessel.
Their first appearance on radio was on the BBC while touring England in the late 1929. Then, in 1931, back on Broadway working with Eddie Cantor at the Palace, Cantor invited Gracie to be on his radio show. Cantor's show was one of the most popular old time radio shows of the 30's. George agreed to let her appear without him as long as he could write her material.
Gracie was a smash!
Burns and Allen were then were offered a spot on Rudy Vallee's show for a whopping single performance fee of $1000. As a result of that appearance, Burns and Allen were made regulars on Guy Lombardo's radio show in February, 1932.
By this time George and Gracie were married, and they inherited Guy Lombardo's CBS Show In 1934 when Lombardo moved from CBS to NBC.
Their show, which eventually moved to California, was on for over two decades. It is one of the most endearing and popular of all the great old radio shows of the era.
I have several great clips, along with a couple of complete episodes of The Burns and Allen Show on my blog that you can listen to.
Bob Bro has a collection of over
Article written by Robert Bro
The Many Toys of the Dark Knight
In may 1939, the world was introduced to a new comic hero. Drawn by Bob Kane and written by Bill Finger, Batman immediately captured the attention of fanbase clamoring for something different. What differentiated Batman from other contemporary heroes was the fact that he did not possess any superpowers. Batman fought crime relying on a combination of wit, technology, physical prowess and intimidation striking fear into the hearts of the underworld. Batman's popularity easily transferred into a number of films, television series and toys throughout the decades since his debut. It is no surprise that Batman has produced more action figures than almost any other fictional character.
Mego Corporation would be the first to produce toys based on the Caped Crusader. In 1972, Mego secured the rights to produce Batman toys for National Periodical Publications(later DC Comics) and Marvel Comics. Mego would go on to produce a complete line of DC and Marvel action figures under the title "World's Greatest Super Heroes"!". The entire line lasted for a decade between 1972 and 1983 and included a host of popular Batman characters. The line was also expanded to include the popular 1966 Batman tv series with the Batmobile, Batcycle and playsets such as the Batcave.
As Mego went out of business in 1984, the Kenner toy company took up the popular DC comic character line and modelled it after their popular Star Wars line making them 5" in scale. In 1990, the Warner Bros feature film Batman release created a demand for Batman toys and Kenner quickly released a line of movie toys which included several versions of Batman, the Joker and the Batmobile. Kenner would also release future Batman toys in line with the subsequent release of Batman movies.
Eventually, Kenner would be bought out by Hasbro who would release a line of toys based on the animated series, The New Batman Adventures. The new line dubbed "Mission Masters" created a cartoon look for the Dark Knight which was well received. Over the next few years, Hasbro would release a number of successful Batman lines based primarily around the DC Comic. However, in 2003 Hasbro would relinquish control to Batman's rights to Mattel. Mattel's strategy would also be to release a Batman animated line based upon the WB animated series which would feature more articulation than the previous line.
With a new Batman movie released in 2008, the Batman franchise was rebooted and a whole new line of Batman toys were created to mimic the look of the movie characters. However, the film's main villain, The Joker, bore little resemblance to the Heath Ledger character, displaying a simple cartoon like face and not the psychotic look in the movie. A 6 inch line was also produced dubbed The Dark Knight Movie Masters. The first iteration dubbed Wave 1 was of particular popularity and became difficult to find in stores. The Joker figurine became high in demand due to Heath Ledger's death.
Throughout the years, Batman has enjoyed the support of major toy licensees eager to produce the latest version of the Dark Knight. This is not surprising, given the Batman's popularity and crossover appeal. With major motion pictures and video games scheduled to be released in the near future, there is no doubt that Batman toys will continue to have a place amongst old and new collectors alike.
Article written by Jimmy Li
Mego Corporation would be the first to produce toys based on the Caped Crusader. In 1972, Mego secured the rights to produce Batman toys for National Periodical Publications(later DC Comics) and Marvel Comics. Mego would go on to produce a complete line of DC and Marvel action figures under the title "World's Greatest Super Heroes"!". The entire line lasted for a decade between 1972 and 1983 and included a host of popular Batman characters. The line was also expanded to include the popular 1966 Batman tv series with the Batmobile, Batcycle and playsets such as the Batcave.
As Mego went out of business in 1984, the Kenner toy company took up the popular DC comic character line and modelled it after their popular Star Wars line making them 5" in scale. In 1990, the Warner Bros feature film Batman release created a demand for Batman toys and Kenner quickly released a line of movie toys which included several versions of Batman, the Joker and the Batmobile. Kenner would also release future Batman toys in line with the subsequent release of Batman movies.
Eventually, Kenner would be bought out by Hasbro who would release a line of toys based on the animated series, The New Batman Adventures. The new line dubbed "Mission Masters" created a cartoon look for the Dark Knight which was well received. Over the next few years, Hasbro would release a number of successful Batman lines based primarily around the DC Comic. However, in 2003 Hasbro would relinquish control to Batman's rights to Mattel. Mattel's strategy would also be to release a Batman animated line based upon the WB animated series which would feature more articulation than the previous line.
With a new Batman movie released in 2008, the Batman franchise was rebooted and a whole new line of Batman toys were created to mimic the look of the movie characters. However, the film's main villain, The Joker, bore little resemblance to the Heath Ledger character, displaying a simple cartoon like face and not the psychotic look in the movie. A 6 inch line was also produced dubbed The Dark Knight Movie Masters. The first iteration dubbed Wave 1 was of particular popularity and became difficult to find in stores. The Joker figurine became high in demand due to Heath Ledger's death.
Throughout the years, Batman has enjoyed the support of major toy licensees eager to produce the latest version of the Dark Knight. This is not surprising, given the Batman's popularity and crossover appeal. With major motion pictures and video games scheduled to be released in the near future, there is no doubt that Batman toys will continue to have a place amongst old and new collectors alike.
Article written by Jimmy Li
Miss Universe Pageant - Black Beauties!
Did you know...
USA
In 1986, Halle Berry, Ohio's candidate, failed to capture the crown of Miss USA Universe in Miami, Florida. For this reason, she did not participate in the 34th Miss Universe in Panama City. Today Halle is a world-famous actress.
South Africa
Before a predominantly black audience at the Windhoek Country Club in Namibia ( Africa ), Augustine Masilela became South Africa's first black delegate in the Miss Universe pageant ( 1995 ).
The Bahamas
In July 1982 Ava Marilyn Burke, Miss Bahamas, became the third black to conquer the Miss Photogenic Award after Bermuda's Margaret Hill ( 1971 ) and Trinidad Tobago's Janelle Commissiong ( 1977 ). Surprisingly Miss Bahamas defeated Cinzia Fiordeponti ( Italy ) and Odette Scrooby ( South Africa ). USA
Michigan-born Carole Gist became the first black Miss United States ( it should not be confused with "Miss America Pageant" ) in 1990. She was also the first non-Texas to be elected Miss USA Universe since 1984. This girl came close to winning the Miss Universe title in Los Angeles, California -- she had been defeated by Mona Grundt ( Norway ).
The Democratic Republic of the Congo
In the mid-1980s, Miss Zaire, Kayonga "Benita" Mureka Tete, almost won the global title in Miami, Florida. Her exotic and natural beauty impressed international judges, including Victor Bannerjee ( actor ) and Susan George ( actress ). During her stay in Florida, she was one of the most popular entries. In addition to Miss Zaire 1985, the African nation has sent only three delegates to Miss Universe : Ombayi Mukuta ( Miss Congeniality 1972 ), Lokange Lwali ( 1984 ) and Aimee Likobe Dobala ( semifinalist, 1986 ). Since 1997 Zaire changed its name to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Colombia
On November 14, 2001, Vanessa Mendoza was the first black to win the Miss Colombia contest, one of the most popular events in the South American nation since 1935.Like their countrywomen Aura Maria Mojica ( 1977 ), Patricia López ( 1987 ) and Claudia Elena Vasquez ( 1997 ), she was one of the heavy favorites to win the Miss Universe crown, along with Russian Okasana Fyodorova and American Shauntay Renae Hinton.Unfortunately Vanessa, who admires Nelson Mandela, did not make even the semi-finals in San Juan de Puerto Rico in 2002.
Brazil
In 1986, Deisy Nunes de Souza, Miss Brazil, became the first African-Brazilian woman to make the semi-finals in the Miss Universe Pageant in Panama City's Atlapa Convention Center.
Curacao
In 1968, Anne Marie Braafheid, Miss Curacao, made history when she was first runner-up at the Miss Universe.
USA
America's contestant Chelsy Smith, who was Miss Texas , became the second black woman to be named Miss Universe in 1995 in Windhoek, the capital city of the African country of Namibia. She was also the first black semi-finalist since 1993.
Botswana
After a failed try for the 1997 Miss World title in Mahe, Seychelles ( Africa ), Mpule Kwelagobe, Miss Botswana, became Miss Universe in Chaguaramas ( Trinidad & Tobago ) in 1999. An international panel headed by former ambassador Charles Gargano chose Mpule -- which means in Tswana "one who comes with the rain" -- to be the last Miss Universe of the 20th century. Miss Universe 1999 once said, " Today women use their beauty and brains to stand up for what they believe in, and pageants are platforms to spearhead and promote issues of concern". She is one of Botswana's five national idols.
Venezuela
Venezuela's Carolina Indriago, who had been seen as the first black South American with real chance to capture a global title, finished fourth at the Miss Universe in 1999.
Trinidad & Tobago
Miss Trinidad Tobago, Janelle "Penny" Commissiong, lived up to her reputation as one of the most beautiful women of the Caribbean by winning the Miss Universe crown in 1977.She became the second woman to hold the MU and Miss Photogenic titles at the same time. During her reign, Janelle was seen as someone who could improve the status of race relations in the world.
Belize
Sarita Acosta became the first and only Miss Belize to make the semi-finals in the Miss Universe ( 1979 ). In the 70s, only five other black delegates did it : Cherrie Raphaelia Creque ( American Virgin Island, 1971 ), Maureen Ava Veira ( Aruba, 1974 ), Gerthie David ( Haiti, 1975 ), Janelle Commissiong ( Trinidad Tobago, 1977 ) and Gina Swainson ( Bermuda ).
Lesotho
Lesotho's delegate Joan Libuseng Khoali was one of 12 favorites to win the universal title in Acapulco ( Mexico ) in 1978. She came from Lesotho, a tiny kingdom on the African continent.
Haiti
In the early 60s, Evelyn Miot, Miss Haiti, became the first black woman to make the second round in Miss Universe history.
Bermuda
Miss Bermuda, Margaret Hill, became the first black delegate to win the coveted Miss Photogenic trophy in 1970.
Tanzania
Tanzania, an African nation known for its mountains and wildlife, had a strong contestant in Miss Universe 2007.Her name: Flaviana Matata. "I am very glad to represent my country Tanzania and, above all, to make it to the top ten finals. I finished sixth out of the 77 contestants from across the world", she said during an interview in Mexico City. She is the only MU semi-finalist from Tanzania.
Italy
Dominican-born Italian Denny Mendez came to international attention in 1996 when she was the first black girl to capture the Miss Italy, one of the world's oldest beauty contests. She was chosen Miss Italy in a disputed and controversial election. In 1997 she placed fifth in the Miss Universe.
Panama
Gloria Karamanites was the only black candidate who qualified for the second round in the global contest in Seoul ( South Korea ) in 1980. In this decade, only five other black delegates did it: Benita Mureka ( Zaire, 1985 ), Deysi Nunes de Souza ( Brazil, 1986 ), Aimee Likobe Dobola ( Zaire, 1986 ), Carmelita Louise Ariza ( Turks & Caicos, 1987 ) and Sandra Foster ( Jamaica, 1989 ).
Trinidad and Tobago
Wendy Rachelle Fitzwilliam, a native from Trinidad Tobago, won the 46th Miss Universe title in Honolulu, Hawaii. Wendy once said: "My role model is Audrey Hepburn. Her extraordinary beauty and grace was reflected in all facets of her life. Ms. Hepburn was a good mother, always a lady, a pioneer in her support of UNICEF, and, of course, superb actress".
France
African-born French Sonia Rolland, who escaped from the war in Rwanda, was crowned Miss France in 2000. This girl, now an actress, was one of the first black women to win the European contest. Miss France 2000 qualified for the second round in the 48th Miss Universe Pageant in Nicosia ( Cyprus ).
Alejandro Guevara Onofre: He is a freelance writer. Alejandro is of Italian, African and Peruvian ancestry. He has published more than seventy-five research paper in English, and more than twenty in Spanish, concerning the world issues, olympic sports, countries, and tourism. His next essay is called "The Dictator and Alicia Alonso". He is an expert on foreign affairs. Alejandro is the first author who has published a world-book encyclopedia in Latin America.
He admires Frida Kahlo (Mexican painter), José Gamarra (former president of the Bolivian Olympic Committee ,1970- 1982), Hillary Clinton (ex-First Lady of the USA), and Jimmy Carter (former President of the USA). Alejandro said: "The person who I admire the most is José Gamarra . He devoted his professional and personal life to sport. José played an important role in the promotion of Olympism in Bolivia -it is one of the Third World`s poorest countries- and Latin America. His biography is interesting". The sportspeople he most admire is Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman. "This African-American sportswoman is my idol... "
Article written by Alejandro Guevara Onofre
USA
In 1986, Halle Berry, Ohio's candidate, failed to capture the crown of Miss USA Universe in Miami, Florida. For this reason, she did not participate in the 34th Miss Universe in Panama City. Today Halle is a world-famous actress.
South Africa
Before a predominantly black audience at the Windhoek Country Club in Namibia ( Africa ), Augustine Masilela became South Africa's first black delegate in the Miss Universe pageant ( 1995 ).
The Bahamas
In July 1982 Ava Marilyn Burke, Miss Bahamas, became the third black to conquer the Miss Photogenic Award after Bermuda's Margaret Hill ( 1971 ) and Trinidad Tobago's Janelle Commissiong ( 1977 ). Surprisingly Miss Bahamas defeated Cinzia Fiordeponti ( Italy ) and Odette Scrooby ( South Africa ). USA
Michigan-born Carole Gist became the first black Miss United States ( it should not be confused with "Miss America Pageant" ) in 1990. She was also the first non-Texas to be elected Miss USA Universe since 1984. This girl came close to winning the Miss Universe title in Los Angeles, California -- she had been defeated by Mona Grundt ( Norway ).
The Democratic Republic of the Congo
In the mid-1980s, Miss Zaire, Kayonga "Benita" Mureka Tete, almost won the global title in Miami, Florida. Her exotic and natural beauty impressed international judges, including Victor Bannerjee ( actor ) and Susan George ( actress ). During her stay in Florida, she was one of the most popular entries. In addition to Miss Zaire 1985, the African nation has sent only three delegates to Miss Universe : Ombayi Mukuta ( Miss Congeniality 1972 ), Lokange Lwali ( 1984 ) and Aimee Likobe Dobala ( semifinalist, 1986 ). Since 1997 Zaire changed its name to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Colombia
On November 14, 2001, Vanessa Mendoza was the first black to win the Miss Colombia contest, one of the most popular events in the South American nation since 1935.Like their countrywomen Aura Maria Mojica ( 1977 ), Patricia López ( 1987 ) and Claudia Elena Vasquez ( 1997 ), she was one of the heavy favorites to win the Miss Universe crown, along with Russian Okasana Fyodorova and American Shauntay Renae Hinton.Unfortunately Vanessa, who admires Nelson Mandela, did not make even the semi-finals in San Juan de Puerto Rico in 2002.
Brazil
In 1986, Deisy Nunes de Souza, Miss Brazil, became the first African-Brazilian woman to make the semi-finals in the Miss Universe Pageant in Panama City's Atlapa Convention Center.
Curacao
In 1968, Anne Marie Braafheid, Miss Curacao, made history when she was first runner-up at the Miss Universe.
USA
America's contestant Chelsy Smith, who was Miss Texas , became the second black woman to be named Miss Universe in 1995 in Windhoek, the capital city of the African country of Namibia. She was also the first black semi-finalist since 1993.
Botswana
After a failed try for the 1997 Miss World title in Mahe, Seychelles ( Africa ), Mpule Kwelagobe, Miss Botswana, became Miss Universe in Chaguaramas ( Trinidad & Tobago ) in 1999. An international panel headed by former ambassador Charles Gargano chose Mpule -- which means in Tswana "one who comes with the rain" -- to be the last Miss Universe of the 20th century. Miss Universe 1999 once said, " Today women use their beauty and brains to stand up for what they believe in, and pageants are platforms to spearhead and promote issues of concern". She is one of Botswana's five national idols.
Venezuela
Venezuela's Carolina Indriago, who had been seen as the first black South American with real chance to capture a global title, finished fourth at the Miss Universe in 1999.
Trinidad & Tobago
Miss Trinidad Tobago, Janelle "Penny" Commissiong, lived up to her reputation as one of the most beautiful women of the Caribbean by winning the Miss Universe crown in 1977.She became the second woman to hold the MU and Miss Photogenic titles at the same time. During her reign, Janelle was seen as someone who could improve the status of race relations in the world.
Belize
Sarita Acosta became the first and only Miss Belize to make the semi-finals in the Miss Universe ( 1979 ). In the 70s, only five other black delegates did it : Cherrie Raphaelia Creque ( American Virgin Island, 1971 ), Maureen Ava Veira ( Aruba, 1974 ), Gerthie David ( Haiti, 1975 ), Janelle Commissiong ( Trinidad Tobago, 1977 ) and Gina Swainson ( Bermuda ).
Lesotho
Lesotho's delegate Joan Libuseng Khoali was one of 12 favorites to win the universal title in Acapulco ( Mexico ) in 1978. She came from Lesotho, a tiny kingdom on the African continent.
Haiti
In the early 60s, Evelyn Miot, Miss Haiti, became the first black woman to make the second round in Miss Universe history.
Bermuda
Miss Bermuda, Margaret Hill, became the first black delegate to win the coveted Miss Photogenic trophy in 1970.
Tanzania
Tanzania, an African nation known for its mountains and wildlife, had a strong contestant in Miss Universe 2007.Her name: Flaviana Matata. "I am very glad to represent my country Tanzania and, above all, to make it to the top ten finals. I finished sixth out of the 77 contestants from across the world", she said during an interview in Mexico City. She is the only MU semi-finalist from Tanzania.
Italy
Dominican-born Italian Denny Mendez came to international attention in 1996 when she was the first black girl to capture the Miss Italy, one of the world's oldest beauty contests. She was chosen Miss Italy in a disputed and controversial election. In 1997 she placed fifth in the Miss Universe.
Panama
Gloria Karamanites was the only black candidate who qualified for the second round in the global contest in Seoul ( South Korea ) in 1980. In this decade, only five other black delegates did it: Benita Mureka ( Zaire, 1985 ), Deysi Nunes de Souza ( Brazil, 1986 ), Aimee Likobe Dobola ( Zaire, 1986 ), Carmelita Louise Ariza ( Turks & Caicos, 1987 ) and Sandra Foster ( Jamaica, 1989 ).
Trinidad and Tobago
Wendy Rachelle Fitzwilliam, a native from Trinidad Tobago, won the 46th Miss Universe title in Honolulu, Hawaii. Wendy once said: "My role model is Audrey Hepburn. Her extraordinary beauty and grace was reflected in all facets of her life. Ms. Hepburn was a good mother, always a lady, a pioneer in her support of UNICEF, and, of course, superb actress".
France
African-born French Sonia Rolland, who escaped from the war in Rwanda, was crowned Miss France in 2000. This girl, now an actress, was one of the first black women to win the European contest. Miss France 2000 qualified for the second round in the 48th Miss Universe Pageant in Nicosia ( Cyprus ).
Alejandro Guevara Onofre: He is a freelance writer. Alejandro is of Italian, African and Peruvian ancestry. He has published more than seventy-five research paper in English, and more than twenty in Spanish, concerning the world issues, olympic sports, countries, and tourism. His next essay is called "The Dictator and Alicia Alonso". He is an expert on foreign affairs. Alejandro is the first author who has published a world-book encyclopedia in Latin America.
He admires Frida Kahlo (Mexican painter), José Gamarra (former president of the Bolivian Olympic Committee ,1970- 1982), Hillary Clinton (ex-First Lady of the USA), and Jimmy Carter (former President of the USA). Alejandro said: "The person who I admire the most is José Gamarra . He devoted his professional and personal life to sport. José played an important role in the promotion of Olympism in Bolivia -it is one of the Third World`s poorest countries- and Latin America. His biography is interesting". The sportspeople he most admire is Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman. "This African-American sportswoman is my idol... "
Article written by Alejandro Guevara Onofre
Thursday, August 6, 2009
The Mystery of Stone Ship ((in English and Spanish)(from the Satipo Jungles, Peru))
A Legend out of the Jungles of Satipo)
English Version
(Advance) It's a very old rock structure, brown, with a sandy like texture to it, about the size of a 17th Century Ship, it resides in the middle of the Perene Rio, in the Central Jungles of Peru, called Satipo. Deep within the jungle nearby this rock structure, lived a tribe of natives, the 'Ashaninka,' derived from the earlier natives called the 'Arawak' ...I have visited an Ashaninka tribe myself; they are a warm hearted peaceful people, very creative in the arts. And so now for the Legend...:
Throughout the bloody and frightfully sixteen-hundreds, the so called Colonists (Colonos), with their slave ships, sought out the Ashaninka natives, for slaves, sold them to the highest bidder, in the Lima, and Huancayo markets, and in other parts of Peru, along with other cities of South America. The Colonists jammed an absolutely peaceful people into the guts of the ship; it was absolutely body to body. The officers were very cold and dehumanizing. The aftermath of these years took a toll; the Colonists had rapped the land like fire in dry grass-of its masses, putting them into slavery. These natives: insulted, frightened, none of them to return to their tribes. And the Colonists kept their recurrent surge up, keeping the slave-flesh, in the hole of the ship, with stale, deadly breath and putrid surroundings, many died on the journey to the markets, thrown over the stern of the ship for the fish and vultures to eat, once dead.
On a given day, something took place, that would mold into a legend, something, every Colonist would ponder on thereafter, and ship captains would forever take into account, when they'd sailed down the Rio Perene by what would be named-forevermore the 'The Rock of Stone Ship.'
It was an atrociously hot day. The rain had stopped; the captain had anchored his ship in the middle of the river, scouts lowered a small vessel into the waters, turned the boat towards an orchard like opening of the jungle, they were to search for tribal members, and return to the ship with the information, where they were now, how many of them were useful as slaves. In the meantime the Captain and his crew remained waiting onboard.
In those days, the chief of the Ashaninka kept a look out for the ships. They knew what the Colonists were contemplating, and of course the ship was taller than anything in sight and filled a good portion of the center of the river, and it was of course a symbolical threat once seen. And on this hot summer's day, it was seen by the chief, and his bodyguards.
The path the chief and his bodyguards were on came out on to the top of a hill; there they prayed that none of their kind would be kidnapped into slavery this day.
The scouts from the ship looked about spent quite a lot of their time trying to find stragglers, or the tribe itself, but they saw nothing, nothing but massive trees which shaded them from the hot sun, and would condemn them as they rested and fell to sleep, and when they awoke and went back to inform their captain of their fruitless search, they noticed suddenly the ship was gone. Refusing to believe the ship and its crew, and its captain could have left so anonymously, they moved about, but the only thing they found was a rock island mound in the middle of the river, that wasn't there before, it resided where the ship had been anchored.
It was a brown structure, likened to the ship itself in design and some details, as if it was melted down from wood to soft stone, somewhat circular dimensions, the rock island being the same size of the ship, which was now covered with large ants, running about.
The Chief, now looking down from the top of the hill, could see the newly formed mound, and the three scouts standing on it, in disarray, he said nothing, just bowed his head.
Written 7-17-2009, in part, at the hotel in Satipo, while visiting the rivers and falls and natives of this Central, Peruvian Jungle
Article written by Dennis Siluk Ed.D.
English Version
(Advance) It's a very old rock structure, brown, with a sandy like texture to it, about the size of a 17th Century Ship, it resides in the middle of the Perene Rio, in the Central Jungles of Peru, called Satipo. Deep within the jungle nearby this rock structure, lived a tribe of natives, the 'Ashaninka,' derived from the earlier natives called the 'Arawak' ...I have visited an Ashaninka tribe myself; they are a warm hearted peaceful people, very creative in the arts. And so now for the Legend...:
Throughout the bloody and frightfully sixteen-hundreds, the so called Colonists (Colonos), with their slave ships, sought out the Ashaninka natives, for slaves, sold them to the highest bidder, in the Lima, and Huancayo markets, and in other parts of Peru, along with other cities of South America. The Colonists jammed an absolutely peaceful people into the guts of the ship; it was absolutely body to body. The officers were very cold and dehumanizing. The aftermath of these years took a toll; the Colonists had rapped the land like fire in dry grass-of its masses, putting them into slavery. These natives: insulted, frightened, none of them to return to their tribes. And the Colonists kept their recurrent surge up, keeping the slave-flesh, in the hole of the ship, with stale, deadly breath and putrid surroundings, many died on the journey to the markets, thrown over the stern of the ship for the fish and vultures to eat, once dead.
On a given day, something took place, that would mold into a legend, something, every Colonist would ponder on thereafter, and ship captains would forever take into account, when they'd sailed down the Rio Perene by what would be named-forevermore the 'The Rock of Stone Ship.'
It was an atrociously hot day. The rain had stopped; the captain had anchored his ship in the middle of the river, scouts lowered a small vessel into the waters, turned the boat towards an orchard like opening of the jungle, they were to search for tribal members, and return to the ship with the information, where they were now, how many of them were useful as slaves. In the meantime the Captain and his crew remained waiting onboard.
In those days, the chief of the Ashaninka kept a look out for the ships. They knew what the Colonists were contemplating, and of course the ship was taller than anything in sight and filled a good portion of the center of the river, and it was of course a symbolical threat once seen. And on this hot summer's day, it was seen by the chief, and his bodyguards.
The path the chief and his bodyguards were on came out on to the top of a hill; there they prayed that none of their kind would be kidnapped into slavery this day.
The scouts from the ship looked about spent quite a lot of their time trying to find stragglers, or the tribe itself, but they saw nothing, nothing but massive trees which shaded them from the hot sun, and would condemn them as they rested and fell to sleep, and when they awoke and went back to inform their captain of their fruitless search, they noticed suddenly the ship was gone. Refusing to believe the ship and its crew, and its captain could have left so anonymously, they moved about, but the only thing they found was a rock island mound in the middle of the river, that wasn't there before, it resided where the ship had been anchored.
It was a brown structure, likened to the ship itself in design and some details, as if it was melted down from wood to soft stone, somewhat circular dimensions, the rock island being the same size of the ship, which was now covered with large ants, running about.
The Chief, now looking down from the top of the hill, could see the newly formed mound, and the three scouts standing on it, in disarray, he said nothing, just bowed his head.
Written 7-17-2009, in part, at the hotel in Satipo, while visiting the rivers and falls and natives of this Central, Peruvian Jungle
Article written by Dennis Siluk Ed.D.
Why Choose a Vampire? Fiction and Society
Slowly, blood pooled at his feet. Stunned by the sight, he stared at the slippery liquid as it drained down his chest. The sensation felt both eerie and frightening since it reminded him of slithering snakes, and the inescapable approach of his own death. Yet, he also felt a strange elation, almost erotic attraction.
Unable to speak, for seconds he mentally pleaded with his attacker, Please don't kill me. I have a family. Then felt his muscles weaken and fail.
His heart slowed, stuttered, and stopped. Now, he knew he was beyond the hope of the living.
He felt lips graze his neck, pulling the last drops from within him. Then, as if life was nothing more than a single liquid moment, a large orb of thick cool blood coated his lips, his mouth as he opened it and gasped in air.
His heart resumed pumping, but it felt and sounded vastly different. He could not understand what happened, as strong hands easily lifted him to his feet and a voice said, "Drink this. It is life after death. Do as I command, and live forever."
He obeyed, tasted the eternal elixir, desired another swallow, and begged, "Please, I need more."
He felt too weak to reach out, and leaned against his savior without realizing that he who saved him after death had, beforehand, taken his mortal life without remorse.
--
In the 1980s, bookstores had shelves established for the horror genre. Those years were filled with the fear of world war, high inflation, recession, corruption, and more.
The 1980s gave writers like Stephen King and Anne Rice an opportunity, which both accepted and prospered from.
Then came the Clinton years. Somehow, Bill Clinton brought with him a new optimism. However, many old style politicians, including younger ones who resisted change, immediately went after him as if hope for the future was somehow a threat to their desired goals, which seemed to be maintaining the despair and fear of the past.
They appeared more interested in stopping change, than in welcoming the future as a time of renewed vigor. Of course, Bill Clinton was his own worst enemy, but those who wanted to destroy him wanted to destroy what he symbolically represented too.
During the 1990s, publishers announced that Horror fiction was dead. Bookstores removed it as a separate genre and combined it with science fiction. True science fiction rebounded and carried with it the promise of adventure, and technological advancements that would create a world of equality and promise.
Then came 9/11. The idea "look what science did or failed to do" eroded society. Humanity's cruelest crept from beneath the rocks of Afghanistan, and reminded us that the past was not the only time when men like Hitler boot stomped across innocent life with unjustifiable motivation.
Fiction horror was back, but this time tamed by "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer." Somehow, the once nearly invincible vampire emerged as a vulnerable lovesick boy. Occasionally, the vampire seemed to miss mother's touch more than he cared for his gift of immortality. Movies, TV, and books hunted these creatures of the night as if to replace, or appease the need to crush those who killed without validation.
So, I ask why vampires? Why praise them? Why hunt and slay them? Why do we fear them, yet cannot get enough of what they offer?
Perhaps what they offer somehow makes their existence desirable to us. Immortality, no death, no disease, no fear, no war, no corruption. Injuries heal themselves. Every person is attractive to them and longs for their touch, in spite of the knowledge that a vampire's gift of death and rebirth may well mean the end of life.
2008 reminded me of 1992. An election of hope. I wondered if horror would again be diminished and replaced by true science fiction or another hope-filled genre.
Apparently not this time. Perhaps the despair and hopelessness -- driven by like-minded people such as those who derailed change in the 1990s -- that haunted us since 2001 remains fixed, an immovable object that divided us as a people, so that we now refuse to seek common ground for the most basic of human needs.
Article written by Larry Schliessmann
Unable to speak, for seconds he mentally pleaded with his attacker, Please don't kill me. I have a family. Then felt his muscles weaken and fail.
His heart slowed, stuttered, and stopped. Now, he knew he was beyond the hope of the living.
He felt lips graze his neck, pulling the last drops from within him. Then, as if life was nothing more than a single liquid moment, a large orb of thick cool blood coated his lips, his mouth as he opened it and gasped in air.
His heart resumed pumping, but it felt and sounded vastly different. He could not understand what happened, as strong hands easily lifted him to his feet and a voice said, "Drink this. It is life after death. Do as I command, and live forever."
He obeyed, tasted the eternal elixir, desired another swallow, and begged, "Please, I need more."
He felt too weak to reach out, and leaned against his savior without realizing that he who saved him after death had, beforehand, taken his mortal life without remorse.
--
In the 1980s, bookstores had shelves established for the horror genre. Those years were filled with the fear of world war, high inflation, recession, corruption, and more.
The 1980s gave writers like Stephen King and Anne Rice an opportunity, which both accepted and prospered from.
Then came the Clinton years. Somehow, Bill Clinton brought with him a new optimism. However, many old style politicians, including younger ones who resisted change, immediately went after him as if hope for the future was somehow a threat to their desired goals, which seemed to be maintaining the despair and fear of the past.
They appeared more interested in stopping change, than in welcoming the future as a time of renewed vigor. Of course, Bill Clinton was his own worst enemy, but those who wanted to destroy him wanted to destroy what he symbolically represented too.
During the 1990s, publishers announced that Horror fiction was dead. Bookstores removed it as a separate genre and combined it with science fiction. True science fiction rebounded and carried with it the promise of adventure, and technological advancements that would create a world of equality and promise.
Then came 9/11. The idea "look what science did or failed to do" eroded society. Humanity's cruelest crept from beneath the rocks of Afghanistan, and reminded us that the past was not the only time when men like Hitler boot stomped across innocent life with unjustifiable motivation.
Fiction horror was back, but this time tamed by "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer." Somehow, the once nearly invincible vampire emerged as a vulnerable lovesick boy. Occasionally, the vampire seemed to miss mother's touch more than he cared for his gift of immortality. Movies, TV, and books hunted these creatures of the night as if to replace, or appease the need to crush those who killed without validation.
So, I ask why vampires? Why praise them? Why hunt and slay them? Why do we fear them, yet cannot get enough of what they offer?
Perhaps what they offer somehow makes their existence desirable to us. Immortality, no death, no disease, no fear, no war, no corruption. Injuries heal themselves. Every person is attractive to them and longs for their touch, in spite of the knowledge that a vampire's gift of death and rebirth may well mean the end of life.
2008 reminded me of 1992. An election of hope. I wondered if horror would again be diminished and replaced by true science fiction or another hope-filled genre.
Apparently not this time. Perhaps the despair and hopelessness -- driven by like-minded people such as those who derailed change in the 1990s -- that haunted us since 2001 remains fixed, an immovable object that divided us as a people, so that we now refuse to seek common ground for the most basic of human needs.
Article written by Larry Schliessmann
Yugioh Rare Cards - The Dark Magician Knight
Sadly, you may not want to go for this card if you are a serious player or duelist, thought it might be something to chase if you are a serious collector. First appearances would see this card as would be good because it requires a sacrifice, but that may not be true. In reality, you may end up sacrificing a much stronger card just to get the Dark Magician Knight into play.
The Knight starts off with an attack power of 2500 but requires that you sacrifice a card to summon the Knight. Since you must also have a Dark Magician in play, this usually means you have to sacrifice the that itself! In essence this means that you are trading the cards, and very little beyond that.
Myself, I can't see much reason to put this card into your deck because it appears to be little more than a potential wasted card in your hand if you end up drawing it. Then why does a card like this exist? The best players actually question the use of a card with such little playable value.
Ultimately this card appears be just a collector's item because it tends to be rather useless for real duel game play. Though if you want to create a deck full of magician cards as a collector, then you pretty much have to get a hold of this card. So if you are a player, then avoid this card for tournaments and fun duels. But watch for this card if you are trying to complete a magician set of cards.
Stronger and more useful cards can and do include the Dark Magician himself, the Chaos Magicians, and even potentially the Dark Magician Girl. Be careful and think things through when considering placing the Dark Magician Knight into your dueling deck.
Article written by Shandon Lewis
The Knight starts off with an attack power of 2500 but requires that you sacrifice a card to summon the Knight. Since you must also have a Dark Magician in play, this usually means you have to sacrifice the that itself! In essence this means that you are trading the cards, and very little beyond that.
Myself, I can't see much reason to put this card into your deck because it appears to be little more than a potential wasted card in your hand if you end up drawing it. Then why does a card like this exist? The best players actually question the use of a card with such little playable value.
Ultimately this card appears be just a collector's item because it tends to be rather useless for real duel game play. Though if you want to create a deck full of magician cards as a collector, then you pretty much have to get a hold of this card. So if you are a player, then avoid this card for tournaments and fun duels. But watch for this card if you are trying to complete a magician set of cards.
Stronger and more useful cards can and do include the Dark Magician himself, the Chaos Magicians, and even potentially the Dark Magician Girl. Be careful and think things through when considering placing the Dark Magician Knight into your dueling deck.
Article written by Shandon Lewis
Stained Glass Art - Tools For Beginners
Interested in creating stained glass art but think that it is too complicated or expensive? In actuality, the tools are relatively inexpensive and the skills needed to use them are easy to learn. This article will describe all the tools necessary to get started.
The simplest stained glass art style that requires the fewest number of tools is a glass panel using the copper foil technique. There are several tools used with this style; however, not every tool described below is absolutely required. The non-essential tools will make the process easier and quicker.
* Pattern Book -- A good pattern is essential to any stained glass art project. There are many books available and range in price from a few dollars to thirty dollars or more. While a pattern book is not required, beginners will be able to find many good patterns and ideas. There are also many good free patterns available on the internet.
* Glass -- Glass comes in a variety of colors and textures. Generally, sheets of 12 x 12 inch are good for beginners. Also, clear colored glass is easier to transfer the pattern to than opaque glass that cannot be seen through. Pricing depends on the color and texture but usually is only a few dollars a sheet.
* Glass Cutter -- A glass cutter is a required tool used to cut the glass to the correct shape. The cutter has a diamond or carbide tip that does not actually cut the glass but rather scores it. The glass can then be broken along that score line. Glass cutters come in a variety of shapes and styles and range in price from five to thirty dollars.
* Glass Cutting Oil -- Cutting oil is not required but highly recommended to extend the life of the glass cutter tip. A four ounce bottle will run about ten dollars and will last a long time.
* Glass Running Pliers -- These specialized pliers have a curved jaw and are used to break the glass along the score line. While not absolutely required, they make breaking smaller pieces of glass easier and safer. Many times, the glass can be broken by hand but can be dangerous since glass is very sharp. A good pair of running pliers will run less than twenty dollars and are highly recommended.
* Grozer Pliers -- These pliers have a special jaw design that allows small pieces of glass to be nibbled away if the original cut was a little too big or out of shape. While not required, they do allow small adjustments on the work piece rather than having to start over with a new piece. Grozer pliers generally run ten to twenty dollars.
* Copper Foil Tape -- This is a required item. It is a very thin strip of copper that is sticky on one side. The foil is wrapped around the edge of all the glass work pieces and is what the solder adheres to. Depending on the width and backing color, prices range from ten to thirty dollars.
* Foil Burnisher -- A burnisher is simply a plastic stick used to press the copper foil firmly to the glass. While it is required for properly working the copper foil, many items can be used in place of a professional tool such as the edge of a plastic ink pen or a plastic spoon. A burnisher specifically for stained glass will only run a few dollars.
* Soldering Flux -- Flux is an important item for soldering. It not only prepares the copper surface to accept the solder, it also helps keep the solder from sticking to the glass. Flux will generally run from a few dollars up to ten depending on the amount.
* Soldering Iron -- This is going to be the most expensive tool required to create stained glass art. The iron is used to melt the solder and apply it to the foil. A good soldering iron will run anywhere from thirty to fifty dollars.
* Solder -- This is what binds all the glass pieces together. There are many different types and each have unique working properties. For the beginner, a 60/40 tin-lead solder is a good place to start. If the lead content in the solder is an issue, there are non-lead solders available. Solder ranges in price from fifteen to thirty dollars. One spool of solder can do several small (8 x 10 inch) projects.
With the proper tools available, stained glass artwork can be created easily and safely. Most of the tools described above can be used for years before needing replaced. Others, such as the foil, oil, flux, etc, will need to be replaced when they run out. Thankfully, they are generally the least expensive of the tools.
For more information on stained glass tools and more specific information on their proper use, visit http://beststainedglassart.com
Follow along with an example showing all the tools and steps required to easily create a stained glass panel.
Article written by Austin Hansell
The simplest stained glass art style that requires the fewest number of tools is a glass panel using the copper foil technique. There are several tools used with this style; however, not every tool described below is absolutely required. The non-essential tools will make the process easier and quicker.
* Pattern Book -- A good pattern is essential to any stained glass art project. There are many books available and range in price from a few dollars to thirty dollars or more. While a pattern book is not required, beginners will be able to find many good patterns and ideas. There are also many good free patterns available on the internet.
* Glass -- Glass comes in a variety of colors and textures. Generally, sheets of 12 x 12 inch are good for beginners. Also, clear colored glass is easier to transfer the pattern to than opaque glass that cannot be seen through. Pricing depends on the color and texture but usually is only a few dollars a sheet.
* Glass Cutter -- A glass cutter is a required tool used to cut the glass to the correct shape. The cutter has a diamond or carbide tip that does not actually cut the glass but rather scores it. The glass can then be broken along that score line. Glass cutters come in a variety of shapes and styles and range in price from five to thirty dollars.
* Glass Cutting Oil -- Cutting oil is not required but highly recommended to extend the life of the glass cutter tip. A four ounce bottle will run about ten dollars and will last a long time.
* Glass Running Pliers -- These specialized pliers have a curved jaw and are used to break the glass along the score line. While not absolutely required, they make breaking smaller pieces of glass easier and safer. Many times, the glass can be broken by hand but can be dangerous since glass is very sharp. A good pair of running pliers will run less than twenty dollars and are highly recommended.
* Grozer Pliers -- These pliers have a special jaw design that allows small pieces of glass to be nibbled away if the original cut was a little too big or out of shape. While not required, they do allow small adjustments on the work piece rather than having to start over with a new piece. Grozer pliers generally run ten to twenty dollars.
* Copper Foil Tape -- This is a required item. It is a very thin strip of copper that is sticky on one side. The foil is wrapped around the edge of all the glass work pieces and is what the solder adheres to. Depending on the width and backing color, prices range from ten to thirty dollars.
* Foil Burnisher -- A burnisher is simply a plastic stick used to press the copper foil firmly to the glass. While it is required for properly working the copper foil, many items can be used in place of a professional tool such as the edge of a plastic ink pen or a plastic spoon. A burnisher specifically for stained glass will only run a few dollars.
* Soldering Flux -- Flux is an important item for soldering. It not only prepares the copper surface to accept the solder, it also helps keep the solder from sticking to the glass. Flux will generally run from a few dollars up to ten depending on the amount.
* Soldering Iron -- This is going to be the most expensive tool required to create stained glass art. The iron is used to melt the solder and apply it to the foil. A good soldering iron will run anywhere from thirty to fifty dollars.
* Solder -- This is what binds all the glass pieces together. There are many different types and each have unique working properties. For the beginner, a 60/40 tin-lead solder is a good place to start. If the lead content in the solder is an issue, there are non-lead solders available. Solder ranges in price from fifteen to thirty dollars. One spool of solder can do several small (8 x 10 inch) projects.
With the proper tools available, stained glass artwork can be created easily and safely. Most of the tools described above can be used for years before needing replaced. Others, such as the foil, oil, flux, etc, will need to be replaced when they run out. Thankfully, they are generally the least expensive of the tools.
For more information on stained glass tools and more specific information on their proper use, visit http://beststainedglassart.com
Follow along with an example showing all the tools and steps required to easily create a stained glass panel.
Article written by Austin Hansell
White Balancing and Color Temperature For Video Production
Two things a bit on the technical side when it comes to making video are color temperature and white balancing. They are related. This post tells you everything you need to know from a practical level about these terms and how they affect the way you shoot video.
White balancing is an adjustment you make to the camera that tells it what kind of light you are recording in so that the camera records video the correct color.
(Small, automatic cameras always have automatic white balancing so you do not need to worry about it, but larger video cameras have manual white balance control which gives you better quality. )
WHY DO YOU NEED TO WHITE BALANCE?
Different types of light are different colors. The camera needs to adjust itself in order to shoot proper color. This might seem strange, because light generally looks white to us humans, regardless of its source. We do not see sunlight as blue, florescent light as green, or incandescent as orange, but they are.
Cameras see the light as it is truly colored but our brains and eyes sort them all out as white or else we'd feel like we were on a permanent LSD trip. (Wow man, everything is soooo colorful.)
Color temperature is the technical term for measuring the color of light. The Kelvin Temperature scale is used. Standard sunlight is about 5,400 degrees Kelvin. Shadowy sunlight is "colder," about 7,400 degrees. Tungsten halogen TV lights are orange and come in at 3200 degrees kelvin.
You do not really have to know these exact values to adjust your camera. Most cameras white balance by pointing them at a white card that is reflecting the light being shot under. Then a button is pushed and the camera reads the white and adjusts all other colors relative to it.
One advanced tip is to white balance on a card with a slight blue tint and you will get a nice warm orange. Not orange enough to look distorted, just orange enough to look inviting.
You can do the reverse by balancing on a slightly orange card. This gives you a blue tint, which might just be what you need to make that Christmas scene shot in July look cold.
To play it safe and get the truest color, it is best to shoot in one type of light. Mixtures can throw a camera off. For example, if you shoot inside under incandescent light your windows will look overly blue. Sometimes that can actually look nice, but often it looks horrible.
If you go outside to shoot without changing your white balance setting from taping indoors, your video is likely to be very blue.
If your camera has a manual white balance, use it every single time you change light. Also change it as the day lingers, because sunlight in the evening is much bluer than sunlight at noon.
One great feature to look for in more advanced video cameras is the ability to set white balance presets. They can help you change your white balance quickly, without having to go through the typical routine with the white card.
Article written Lorraine Grula
White balancing is an adjustment you make to the camera that tells it what kind of light you are recording in so that the camera records video the correct color.
(Small, automatic cameras always have automatic white balancing so you do not need to worry about it, but larger video cameras have manual white balance control which gives you better quality. )
WHY DO YOU NEED TO WHITE BALANCE?
Different types of light are different colors. The camera needs to adjust itself in order to shoot proper color. This might seem strange, because light generally looks white to us humans, regardless of its source. We do not see sunlight as blue, florescent light as green, or incandescent as orange, but they are.
Cameras see the light as it is truly colored but our brains and eyes sort them all out as white or else we'd feel like we were on a permanent LSD trip. (Wow man, everything is soooo colorful.)
Color temperature is the technical term for measuring the color of light. The Kelvin Temperature scale is used. Standard sunlight is about 5,400 degrees Kelvin. Shadowy sunlight is "colder," about 7,400 degrees. Tungsten halogen TV lights are orange and come in at 3200 degrees kelvin.
You do not really have to know these exact values to adjust your camera. Most cameras white balance by pointing them at a white card that is reflecting the light being shot under. Then a button is pushed and the camera reads the white and adjusts all other colors relative to it.
One advanced tip is to white balance on a card with a slight blue tint and you will get a nice warm orange. Not orange enough to look distorted, just orange enough to look inviting.
You can do the reverse by balancing on a slightly orange card. This gives you a blue tint, which might just be what you need to make that Christmas scene shot in July look cold.
To play it safe and get the truest color, it is best to shoot in one type of light. Mixtures can throw a camera off. For example, if you shoot inside under incandescent light your windows will look overly blue. Sometimes that can actually look nice, but often it looks horrible.
If you go outside to shoot without changing your white balance setting from taping indoors, your video is likely to be very blue.
If your camera has a manual white balance, use it every single time you change light. Also change it as the day lingers, because sunlight in the evening is much bluer than sunlight at noon.
One great feature to look for in more advanced video cameras is the ability to set white balance presets. They can help you change your white balance quickly, without having to go through the typical routine with the white card.
Article written Lorraine Grula
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Zanni Masks - Their Origins & Character
The Zanni family, of Masquerade Masks, originated in Venice in the fifteenth century with the Italian Comedy - The Commedia Dell' Arte. The word originates from the Venetian, Giovanni (John) and is a diminutive of it. Zanni is also sometimes known as Zan, Zane, Zanne, Zany, or Zani, and is where the English term 'zany' comes from. Meaning: a clown, an awkward simpleton, a buffoon or a person who is a, stupid incompetent fool.
The class of the Zanni family of Masquerade Masks depicts the buffoon, always from the lower class, the peasant, a migrant worker, holding positions of servants, valets, slaves, porters, odd-job person, hawkers, rogues etc. Zanni refers to the class of mask, as well as to an individual character. In The Commedia Dell' Arte, Zanni was an important character type, representing a social class.
The name and its class were inspired by the Bergamo peasants who finding that they were facing a famine and unable to sustain a living in the countryside due to heavy cheaper imports from Greece and other countries after the Venetians conquered their province in 1428, where forced off their farms to find work in the towns of northern Italy including Venice. Giovanni was a common name for the men of this area. They migrated into the towns offering themselves as servants, gofers, porters etc, selling what they could bring with them from the country. They were known for their nimbleness, agility, sturdiness, crudeness as well as their course and fantastic speech, which became heavily mimicked by the Zanni of The Commedia Dell' Arte. The family Zanni includes the characters of the Harlequin, Brighelle, Francatrippa, Pedrolino, Arlecchino among its class, as named individual characters; however Zanni are also any unnamed character in a play.
The Zanni Mask was first a full-face mask, which developed into a half mask, covering the nose eyes and forehead. The nose on a Zanni Mask is important, as the nose delineates how stupid or simple the character is. The longer the nose of the Zanni, the more dullard the individual is.
The Zanni, portraying country folk are primarily dressed in sacking, and have a stance of one used to carrying heavy burdens, so they are usually hunched, with knees in a bowed position and feet splayed, in stark contracts to their betters the gentry, who display deportment. The Zanni, are an animated people, constantly moving their arms and hands as they communicate, displaying a coarse rough voice and language. The Zanni's body often times has a mind of its own, with different body parts making odd and animated movements; the less stupid shorter nosed Zanni break out into acrobatics and handstands. Zanni is well known for farting, burping & snoring with gusto. Coming from a famine, Zanni displays a deep unforgotten hunger of the body, constantly hungry, constantly searching for food appearing gluttonous. Zanni are known for their laziness and perchance for sleeping, which they will do at inappropriate times and in any place, including whilst standing. The Zanni are ignorant, rouges, but can be loyal. They can be seen with a slapstick, which they are more than happy to beat someone with, parcels, baggage, food, or other items belonging to another, in their roles as gofers, porters, servants etc.
The Zanni Mask, is a mask of many characters, always from the peasant class, portraying, the ignorant, silly, loutish fellow, who has been built with agility and ease of movement. The Zanni Mask can portray a porter, soldier, baker, farmer, a market hawker, the Harlequin and more. There is diversity to the occupation of the Zanni. When you slip on a Zanni Masquerade Mask, who will you be?
Article written by Melanie Robson
The class of the Zanni family of Masquerade Masks depicts the buffoon, always from the lower class, the peasant, a migrant worker, holding positions of servants, valets, slaves, porters, odd-job person, hawkers, rogues etc. Zanni refers to the class of mask, as well as to an individual character. In The Commedia Dell' Arte, Zanni was an important character type, representing a social class.
The name and its class were inspired by the Bergamo peasants who finding that they were facing a famine and unable to sustain a living in the countryside due to heavy cheaper imports from Greece and other countries after the Venetians conquered their province in 1428, where forced off their farms to find work in the towns of northern Italy including Venice. Giovanni was a common name for the men of this area. They migrated into the towns offering themselves as servants, gofers, porters etc, selling what they could bring with them from the country. They were known for their nimbleness, agility, sturdiness, crudeness as well as their course and fantastic speech, which became heavily mimicked by the Zanni of The Commedia Dell' Arte. The family Zanni includes the characters of the Harlequin, Brighelle, Francatrippa, Pedrolino, Arlecchino among its class, as named individual characters; however Zanni are also any unnamed character in a play.
The Zanni Mask was first a full-face mask, which developed into a half mask, covering the nose eyes and forehead. The nose on a Zanni Mask is important, as the nose delineates how stupid or simple the character is. The longer the nose of the Zanni, the more dullard the individual is.
The Zanni, portraying country folk are primarily dressed in sacking, and have a stance of one used to carrying heavy burdens, so they are usually hunched, with knees in a bowed position and feet splayed, in stark contracts to their betters the gentry, who display deportment. The Zanni, are an animated people, constantly moving their arms and hands as they communicate, displaying a coarse rough voice and language. The Zanni's body often times has a mind of its own, with different body parts making odd and animated movements; the less stupid shorter nosed Zanni break out into acrobatics and handstands. Zanni is well known for farting, burping & snoring with gusto. Coming from a famine, Zanni displays a deep unforgotten hunger of the body, constantly hungry, constantly searching for food appearing gluttonous. Zanni are known for their laziness and perchance for sleeping, which they will do at inappropriate times and in any place, including whilst standing. The Zanni are ignorant, rouges, but can be loyal. They can be seen with a slapstick, which they are more than happy to beat someone with, parcels, baggage, food, or other items belonging to another, in their roles as gofers, porters, servants etc.
The Zanni Mask, is a mask of many characters, always from the peasant class, portraying, the ignorant, silly, loutish fellow, who has been built with agility and ease of movement. The Zanni Mask can portray a porter, soldier, baker, farmer, a market hawker, the Harlequin and more. There is diversity to the occupation of the Zanni. When you slip on a Zanni Masquerade Mask, who will you be?
Article written by Melanie Robson
Why Are Tattoo Designs Becoming So Popular Nowadays?
Tattoo designs are at their height & are a sign of the times, and as many people search for a way to separate themselves away from the ordinary, the popularity of getting "inked" as a way of self representation is just likely to grow. For this reason, the industry has serious guidelines & takes every safety measure so the chance of transmitting HIV or other diseases is close to nonexistent.
I feel, if you're capable of walking, you must be fully qualified to choose whether or not the choice to get a tattoo is a good one.
Folks will get tattoo designs for a multitude of reasons. For instance, you can always find a sizable quantity of service men who have put the names of fallen friends on their body for everyone to witness. Several times individuals will put their skills and abilities or even what it is they do for their careers as a way of showing for all of humanity to notice exactly what they're all about.
When you get a tattoo design it basically consist of marking the flesh, so there may to be a little soreness involved, regardless of how little the design or how big it is on your body. The more tattoo designs you contain, the more ink spots you will have all over your body as time goes by.
Here's a trouble-free list of tips, dos & don'ts and valuable information you ought to keep in mind while deciding if a "tat" is right for you?
A temporary "tattoo" will last from anywhere to a a few of days to a few months and possibly will be a different option for those of you who are not convinced that a permanent tattoo design is right for you. A respectable, well-trained tattoo artist has strict health rules and is able to answer all of your concerns in relation to tattooing procedures and guidelines.
Several folks are getting in on the fad and jumping on the tattoo design bandwagon, so be unique & creative.
The greatest protection in the fight against the fading tattoo is to keep away from the sun & protect the tattoo design with clothing and wear a really good sunscreen.
There are multiple concerns when having a tattoo such as Hepatitis. This is a disease that attacks the liver & demands a much lesser amount of body fluid to pass on, though it ought to be mentioned that , according to the Centers for Disease Control, there has never been a known case of Hepatitis or AIDS caused by a tattoo design.
Try to use some kind of recommended, all natural lotion, as a few scents may inflame the still-tender flesh of your tattoo. Individuals are very diverse. Some will want to only beautify a minor part of their body, while in others it may well be challenging to discover a square inch of un-tattooed flesh.
After having your tattoo design completed here are a number of aftercare tips that cannot be unnoticed, so make certain to understand all instructions set by your tattoo artist.
Fortunately there are different avenues you can select from as a replacement for having a everlasting tattoo design on your body. Tattoos are and will remain to be a extreme road to express your individuality and original sense of style.
Get unlimited access to thousands of tattoo designs plus a members forum, a tattoo picture gallery and much more for a low one time fee.
Article written by Mike Seward
I feel, if you're capable of walking, you must be fully qualified to choose whether or not the choice to get a tattoo is a good one.
Folks will get tattoo designs for a multitude of reasons. For instance, you can always find a sizable quantity of service men who have put the names of fallen friends on their body for everyone to witness. Several times individuals will put their skills and abilities or even what it is they do for their careers as a way of showing for all of humanity to notice exactly what they're all about.
When you get a tattoo design it basically consist of marking the flesh, so there may to be a little soreness involved, regardless of how little the design or how big it is on your body. The more tattoo designs you contain, the more ink spots you will have all over your body as time goes by.
Here's a trouble-free list of tips, dos & don'ts and valuable information you ought to keep in mind while deciding if a "tat" is right for you?
A temporary "tattoo" will last from anywhere to a a few of days to a few months and possibly will be a different option for those of you who are not convinced that a permanent tattoo design is right for you. A respectable, well-trained tattoo artist has strict health rules and is able to answer all of your concerns in relation to tattooing procedures and guidelines.
Several folks are getting in on the fad and jumping on the tattoo design bandwagon, so be unique & creative.
The greatest protection in the fight against the fading tattoo is to keep away from the sun & protect the tattoo design with clothing and wear a really good sunscreen.
There are multiple concerns when having a tattoo such as Hepatitis. This is a disease that attacks the liver & demands a much lesser amount of body fluid to pass on, though it ought to be mentioned that , according to the Centers for Disease Control, there has never been a known case of Hepatitis or AIDS caused by a tattoo design.
Try to use some kind of recommended, all natural lotion, as a few scents may inflame the still-tender flesh of your tattoo. Individuals are very diverse. Some will want to only beautify a minor part of their body, while in others it may well be challenging to discover a square inch of un-tattooed flesh.
After having your tattoo design completed here are a number of aftercare tips that cannot be unnoticed, so make certain to understand all instructions set by your tattoo artist.
Fortunately there are different avenues you can select from as a replacement for having a everlasting tattoo design on your body. Tattoos are and will remain to be a extreme road to express your individuality and original sense of style.
Get unlimited access to thousands of tattoo designs plus a members forum, a tattoo picture gallery and much more for a low one time fee.
Article written by Mike Seward
Which Bar Stools Did Hemingway Sit On?
Have you ever thought about which bar stools Hemingway would have sat on? This probably isn't the type of thing that would enter the average person's mind on a daily basis but for some people, particularly Hemingway fans, it is a reasonable question.
A recent news story from sunny Florida brought this question to light for many people. The famous and upscale Sloppy Joe's Bar are taking the owners of Captain Tony's Saloon to court to settle an issue over who can really claim rights as the owner of the original Sloppy Joe's as well as bragging rights for a piece of the legend of Ernest Hemingway. The lawsuit which was filed on July 7th in the US District Court said that Captain Tony's infringed on the trademark of Sloppy Joe's. Legends say that Hemingway spent a great time drinking and writing at each bar. Fans of the individual bars argue over the facts that Hemingway ever drank or even visited the opposing bar.
Regardless of which bar is the true owner of the story, if either, there's one thing that's brought to mind when we think of this. If Hemingway really spent as many hours as they say (and as some of his stories would suggest) sitting in the bar writing, what kind of bar stools did he sit on. Were they comfortable? Did they have backs to them? Were they metal or wooden? Did these bar stools swivel?
There are so many questions which one might ponder about the chair that the famous Hemingway may have sat in for so many hours a day, writing and drinking. One would think that these bar stools were comfortable if he spent so much time in them but we can't say for certain. A regular, ordinary old wooden bar stool may have been his thing. Writers are known for their intricacies and this could have been one of Hemingway's.
Since there's no proof of which bar, if either, Hemingway really spent so much time at, it's hard to say exactly what kind of bar stools he sat on. One thing we can assume is that the bar stools he sat on were most likely similar to the other styles of the times. You can look at the era in which Hemingway would have been frequenting bars to get an idea for the types of stools that may have been common but there is little proof of exactly what type he would have been sitting on. Since the bars themselves have also changed over the years, it's not likely they still have the same types of bar stools. This is especially true about Sloppy Joe's which has gained international fame as more than just a bar but also a restaurant, museum and tribute to Hemingway. Sloppy Joe's would be considered much more "high class" than bars of Hemingway's day and it's more like the bar stools he sat on were more like those of the quant Captain Tony's.
Article written by Ben Weissman
A recent news story from sunny Florida brought this question to light for many people. The famous and upscale Sloppy Joe's Bar are taking the owners of Captain Tony's Saloon to court to settle an issue over who can really claim rights as the owner of the original Sloppy Joe's as well as bragging rights for a piece of the legend of Ernest Hemingway. The lawsuit which was filed on July 7th in the US District Court said that Captain Tony's infringed on the trademark of Sloppy Joe's. Legends say that Hemingway spent a great time drinking and writing at each bar. Fans of the individual bars argue over the facts that Hemingway ever drank or even visited the opposing bar.
Regardless of which bar is the true owner of the story, if either, there's one thing that's brought to mind when we think of this. If Hemingway really spent as many hours as they say (and as some of his stories would suggest) sitting in the bar writing, what kind of bar stools did he sit on. Were they comfortable? Did they have backs to them? Were they metal or wooden? Did these bar stools swivel?
There are so many questions which one might ponder about the chair that the famous Hemingway may have sat in for so many hours a day, writing and drinking. One would think that these bar stools were comfortable if he spent so much time in them but we can't say for certain. A regular, ordinary old wooden bar stool may have been his thing. Writers are known for their intricacies and this could have been one of Hemingway's.
Since there's no proof of which bar, if either, Hemingway really spent so much time at, it's hard to say exactly what kind of bar stools he sat on. One thing we can assume is that the bar stools he sat on were most likely similar to the other styles of the times. You can look at the era in which Hemingway would have been frequenting bars to get an idea for the types of stools that may have been common but there is little proof of exactly what type he would have been sitting on. Since the bars themselves have also changed over the years, it's not likely they still have the same types of bar stools. This is especially true about Sloppy Joe's which has gained international fame as more than just a bar but also a restaurant, museum and tribute to Hemingway. Sloppy Joe's would be considered much more "high class" than bars of Hemingway's day and it's more like the bar stools he sat on were more like those of the quant Captain Tony's.
Article written by Ben Weissman
Bulat Steel
Bulat steel was lost at the beginning of the 19th century Petrovich Anosov was a student of the Damascus steel. He studied them for over ten years. He was believed to be able to recreate this steel in 1838. Petrovich Ansosv steel Bulat steel was very popular in the making of cannons. But when the Bessemer process was made it kill Petrovich. This process was able to create the same steel for much less money.
Bulat steel was lost at the beginning of the 19th century Petrovich Anosov was a student of the Damascus steel. He studied them for over ten years. He was believed to be able to recreate this steel in 1838. Petrovich Ansosv steel Bulat steel was very popular in the making of cannons. But when the Bessemer process was made it kill Petrovich. This process was able to create the same steel for much less money. Potrovich started at the Saint Petersburg Min Cabet School in 1810. This is where he first saw a Damascus Steel sword in a case. This sword grabbed is attention.
Then seven years later he went to the factories of Zlatoust mining region in the Urals. while there he was promoted to the inspector of the weapon decoration department. Once again he came in contact with another Damascus steel sword. One big different is this sword was a European copy and not even close to the equal of the sword from the Middle East. This sword was just one of pattern welding. At this time Petrovich Ansosv chose to give making Damascus steel a try for himself. He had been working on some Quenching techniques and gave it a shot. Now again no one knows if he truly duplicated Damascus steel but he did eventually make a methodology the very much increased the hardness of his own steel.
What make these steel so good is the structure of the components. so carbon steel has two componets. It has pure iron, and cementite, or iron carbide. Cementite is very very brittle. In fact on the Brinell hardness test it would score a 640 this is brittle. scoring 200 on the test is ferrite. So when you work these two together and then very slowly cool them to allow cementite to precipitate as micro particles between the ferrite crystals and then arrange in a pattern. carbide is dark and the steel is grey. This is what make the pattern on true Damascus steel. Another big part of making Bulat or Damascus steel is Ceramic. This is what is thought to make this steel so sharp. It breaks down in between 600 and 1100 C and goes into the ferrite and carbon.
This steel is very hard to make and really can only be made by a master sword maker. These swords are some the sharpest and beautiful in the world.
Article written by James Huff
Bulat steel was lost at the beginning of the 19th century Petrovich Anosov was a student of the Damascus steel. He studied them for over ten years. He was believed to be able to recreate this steel in 1838. Petrovich Ansosv steel Bulat steel was very popular in the making of cannons. But when the Bessemer process was made it kill Petrovich. This process was able to create the same steel for much less money. Potrovich started at the Saint Petersburg Min Cabet School in 1810. This is where he first saw a Damascus Steel sword in a case. This sword grabbed is attention.
Then seven years later he went to the factories of Zlatoust mining region in the Urals. while there he was promoted to the inspector of the weapon decoration department. Once again he came in contact with another Damascus steel sword. One big different is this sword was a European copy and not even close to the equal of the sword from the Middle East. This sword was just one of pattern welding. At this time Petrovich Ansosv chose to give making Damascus steel a try for himself. He had been working on some Quenching techniques and gave it a shot. Now again no one knows if he truly duplicated Damascus steel but he did eventually make a methodology the very much increased the hardness of his own steel.
What make these steel so good is the structure of the components. so carbon steel has two componets. It has pure iron, and cementite, or iron carbide. Cementite is very very brittle. In fact on the Brinell hardness test it would score a 640 this is brittle. scoring 200 on the test is ferrite. So when you work these two together and then very slowly cool them to allow cementite to precipitate as micro particles between the ferrite crystals and then arrange in a pattern. carbide is dark and the steel is grey. This is what make the pattern on true Damascus steel. Another big part of making Bulat or Damascus steel is Ceramic. This is what is thought to make this steel so sharp. It breaks down in between 600 and 1100 C and goes into the ferrite and carbon.
This steel is very hard to make and really can only be made by a master sword maker. These swords are some the sharpest and beautiful in the world.
Article written by James Huff
The Lore of Silver
Silver Historical Background
Silver has attracted man's fascination for many thousands of years and because it has been found in limited quantity over the ages and while it scarce it is the most plentiful and least expensive of the precious metals. As such it has become associated with value which led to its use as part of the world's monetary system throughout the ages.
In the United States, silver began to play a key role in the monetary system when Congress based the currency on the silver dollar, and its fixed relationship to gold. Silver was quickly used for coinage in the U.S. until its use was discontinued in 1965.
After the end of the 19th century the beginning of the 20th century changed the use of silver from being strictly part of a monetary value to its becoming important in different parts of the economy. Silver quickly became an industrial raw material with it being sought as a valuable and practical industrial commodity, as well as an appealing investment precious metal. Countries including the Unites States, Canada and Mexico issue silver bullion coins and they are also available from private mints.
While silver is scarce, it is the most plentiful and least expensive of the precious metals with the largest silver producing countries being Mexico, Peru, the United States, Australia and Chile. Sources of silver include; silver mined directly, silver mined as a by-product of gold, copper, lead and zinc mining, and silver extracted from recycled materials, primarily used photographic materials. Today, silver bullion stocks make up a significant component of silver supply.
The American Eagle Bullion program was launched in 1986 with the sale of gold and silver bullion coins. Platinum was added to the American Eagle Bullion family in 1997. A bullion coin is a coin that is valued by its weight in a specific precious metal.
Silver more than other precious metals, has significant demand rooted in sectors as diverse as imaging, electronics, jewelry, coinage, superconductivity and water purification. For this reason, silver is no longer known as just a precious metal, a store of value, a work of art or an industrial metal. It is all of these. Today silver is indispensable, working all around us to improve the quality of our
Article written by Ruben Trevino
Silver has attracted man's fascination for many thousands of years and because it has been found in limited quantity over the ages and while it scarce it is the most plentiful and least expensive of the precious metals. As such it has become associated with value which led to its use as part of the world's monetary system throughout the ages.
In the United States, silver began to play a key role in the monetary system when Congress based the currency on the silver dollar, and its fixed relationship to gold. Silver was quickly used for coinage in the U.S. until its use was discontinued in 1965.
After the end of the 19th century the beginning of the 20th century changed the use of silver from being strictly part of a monetary value to its becoming important in different parts of the economy. Silver quickly became an industrial raw material with it being sought as a valuable and practical industrial commodity, as well as an appealing investment precious metal. Countries including the Unites States, Canada and Mexico issue silver bullion coins and they are also available from private mints.
While silver is scarce, it is the most plentiful and least expensive of the precious metals with the largest silver producing countries being Mexico, Peru, the United States, Australia and Chile. Sources of silver include; silver mined directly, silver mined as a by-product of gold, copper, lead and zinc mining, and silver extracted from recycled materials, primarily used photographic materials. Today, silver bullion stocks make up a significant component of silver supply.
The American Eagle Bullion program was launched in 1986 with the sale of gold and silver bullion coins. Platinum was added to the American Eagle Bullion family in 1997. A bullion coin is a coin that is valued by its weight in a specific precious metal.
Silver more than other precious metals, has significant demand rooted in sectors as diverse as imaging, electronics, jewelry, coinage, superconductivity and water purification. For this reason, silver is no longer known as just a precious metal, a store of value, a work of art or an industrial metal. It is all of these. Today silver is indispensable, working all around us to improve the quality of our
Article written by Ruben Trevino
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Robert the Liar in the Second Part of the Prophetess and the Knight
Two young lovers wander through the Poppies and the Rosebay Willowherb that blanketed the Derbershire Meadows. They stopped just at the edge of the Meadow. He grabbed and pulled her to him. He released her after giving her a passionate kiss.
All of this was caught by a soldier positioned at a window in the Northberg Fotress. He envied the man because he has not been with a woman since before the battle of Kent almost a year ago.
The woman lead the man into the nearby forest to the soldier's left.
The gentle summer morning did not help because it tempted him to pull off his chain mail and helmet. The sight of horses with riders stampeding through the meadows from his right brought him back to reality.He wanted out of the fortress' prison where his captain had placed him that morning, but he did want to experience a slow painful death for desertion.
They called to the soldier who peered out of the window, Robert of Meads. Though he came from wealth, he showed no acumen or culture that wealth would posses. Because of his slow wittedness, he could only serve as a soldier and not a knight.
He had been locked in this room under the Captain of the Guards, William. He had Robert confined to this room because has found him drunk while on duty. He wanted him confined there until Sir Richard would return from London, and then, Richard could decide Robert's fate.
The hooves of the horse crushed some of the poppies and ended the pleasantry of the morning.
Before the fortress, eight riders positioned their horses in front of its gate, while the sentries cried out for the Captain of the Guard.
Now Northberg Fortress had no moat for protection just the walls built by the descendants of the villagers of now deserted Roxbury. The villagers had been pressed into the service of the Romans who would later abandon it when the Gothes took Rome.
Northberg Fortress would later be occupied by the Danes who would abandon it because of the lack of protection against King Arthur. It would finally occupied by a group Anglo Saxon soldiers. They had persuaded to move into it by the Bishop of Kent to protect the nearby Monastery of Axleberry.
Robert heard his Captain shout, "On whose business do you come to this fortress."
"We come on behalf of the Lord Alfred of Warren," the leader of the horsemen shouted, "His son Justice deserted our camp in north Humpfred Fields last night."
"Why should a missing son be of concern of us?" the Captain replied.
"The count has offered a huge reward on his son's head."
The Captain turned towards the men standing behind him, "Well, just don't stand there. Open the gates, and let them in." He started to push them to hurry up. The reward motivated the Captain and Robert.
Robert smiled with glee when he comprehended the meaning of reward. He could buy his way out of being a lowly soldier. Maybe with his reward he could be a landowner and get his revenge on his Captain for all the abuse he suffered under his command.
The leader of the horseman, Sir Raymond who served Alfred of Warren, as a friend and confident. Though he accepted the task of finding Alfred's son, he had wished that he had not. For he knew from the beginning that war had not been in the youth's heart. He reasoned to himself that by taking this charge, he perhaps control Justice's fate.
"They have put a reward on his head, you say?" inquired the Captain. "How much of a reward? Shall we say, to make our involvement in this search worth while."
Sir Raymond seeing where this would be heading. "We don't need your help other than just being on the lookout for Justice. Besides Alfred, wants to keep this a family matter." The last thing that Sir Raymond needed would be reward hunters.
"Your involvement is to be on the lookout for this and keep us inform," Raymond replied. "We will continued our search."
"But, we don't even know what this knight looks like, and how do we tell you that we found him."
"At thiis time, a lonely knight should seem odd to you," Raymond said. Raymond tired of this conversation motioned to his men to leave.
"One thing that I must warn that this father may a huge reward for son's return, he will take revenge on those who harm his son," Raymond said. "It won't be a pleasant death."
After Raymond left the room, a soldier noticed the look on the Captain's. "Sir you heard Raymond."
"I'm listening to some old fool," the Captain cut the soldier off. "They put a reward on this cowardly knight, and beside do you know how much this knight is worth to his father, dead or live."
Alfred picked the cup up in his hands, and swirled the wine around. My son has ruined everything. He has shamed me. I will lose everything that I have gained by him being knight. He could not grant his father some pleasure in old age.
The door to Robert's room opens. "Here's your noontime rations," his guard says. "If it was up to me, you would not get this."
The guard throws the plate on the table, and just as he was ab;out to leave, Robert stops him.
"Please don't me here alone."
"I already told how I feel about."
"Who were those men and who is that knight they were talking about.?"
"I could suffer for just talking to about you," the guard replied. "I won't tell you who those men were." He turned and left the room.
"But, wait." Just as the door slammed shut close, leaving Robert alone his room.
He heard sounds of laughter coming form the fields outside. He walked towards the window, and noticed the two young lovers. Desperation for release from his prison filled his heart. The desperation for freedom made him irrational. He really believed that this plan would free him.
"So, Robert you said that you know this Justice and where we could find him," his Captain said. He looked at Robert and then at a soldier who just shrugged his shoulders. He walked over to Robert and grabbed Robert by throat. He clasped his hands around Robert's throat who could barley breath.
"Robert, I don't trust you," the Captain said. "I know this could turn out to be wild goose chase, but I rather have you out of my sight. And though Richard should decide your fate, but to see you die in the hands of Normans or by own men would bring great pleasure. I giving you four men and get out of by sight."
After four days and three nights of searching for Justice, one of the soldiers filled with frustration speaks out.
"I thought you said you knew where he'd be?"
"Now, I know you, " John said. "You are the son of that liar, Harold. He had my sister burnt as a witch. I aught take this knife and fillet you alive."
"You mean Robert the liar," another soldier commented, as he grabbed Robert by his throat. "Four days and three nights in the rain and damp forest for nothing"
They tied Robert to tree, and debated his fate.
"I still think we should fillet the liar alive," John interjected.
"No, that fate though painful would be to quick," another soldier said. "We should leave tied this tree, and let the beast get him or hunger."
They walked over Robert and told him his fate. As they left him tied to the tree, each soldier slapped and kicked him. As they rode back to tower, they could hear his insane screams.
Robert finally realized that free himself from his prison, and now he could enjoy this pleasant Summer morning. He looked at the early morning sun while he felt cool breeze brush up against his face. He accepted his fate and laughed uncontrollably.
While Justice's fellow knights search for him in the south, he took off for the north. He had heard of a Prophetess name Catherine who lived in Scotland. She could heal me.
Article written by John Dmytruk
John Dmytruk
Level: Basic
All of this was caught by a soldier positioned at a window in the Northberg Fotress. He envied the man because he has not been with a woman since before the battle of Kent almost a year ago.
The woman lead the man into the nearby forest to the soldier's left.
The gentle summer morning did not help because it tempted him to pull off his chain mail and helmet. The sight of horses with riders stampeding through the meadows from his right brought him back to reality.He wanted out of the fortress' prison where his captain had placed him that morning, but he did want to experience a slow painful death for desertion.
They called to the soldier who peered out of the window, Robert of Meads. Though he came from wealth, he showed no acumen or culture that wealth would posses. Because of his slow wittedness, he could only serve as a soldier and not a knight.
He had been locked in this room under the Captain of the Guards, William. He had Robert confined to this room because has found him drunk while on duty. He wanted him confined there until Sir Richard would return from London, and then, Richard could decide Robert's fate.
The hooves of the horse crushed some of the poppies and ended the pleasantry of the morning.
Before the fortress, eight riders positioned their horses in front of its gate, while the sentries cried out for the Captain of the Guard.
Now Northberg Fortress had no moat for protection just the walls built by the descendants of the villagers of now deserted Roxbury. The villagers had been pressed into the service of the Romans who would later abandon it when the Gothes took Rome.
Northberg Fortress would later be occupied by the Danes who would abandon it because of the lack of protection against King Arthur. It would finally occupied by a group Anglo Saxon soldiers. They had persuaded to move into it by the Bishop of Kent to protect the nearby Monastery of Axleberry.
Robert heard his Captain shout, "On whose business do you come to this fortress."
"We come on behalf of the Lord Alfred of Warren," the leader of the horsemen shouted, "His son Justice deserted our camp in north Humpfred Fields last night."
"Why should a missing son be of concern of us?" the Captain replied.
"The count has offered a huge reward on his son's head."
The Captain turned towards the men standing behind him, "Well, just don't stand there. Open the gates, and let them in." He started to push them to hurry up. The reward motivated the Captain and Robert.
Robert smiled with glee when he comprehended the meaning of reward. He could buy his way out of being a lowly soldier. Maybe with his reward he could be a landowner and get his revenge on his Captain for all the abuse he suffered under his command.
The leader of the horseman, Sir Raymond who served Alfred of Warren, as a friend and confident. Though he accepted the task of finding Alfred's son, he had wished that he had not. For he knew from the beginning that war had not been in the youth's heart. He reasoned to himself that by taking this charge, he perhaps control Justice's fate.
"They have put a reward on his head, you say?" inquired the Captain. "How much of a reward? Shall we say, to make our involvement in this search worth while."
Sir Raymond seeing where this would be heading. "We don't need your help other than just being on the lookout for Justice. Besides Alfred, wants to keep this a family matter." The last thing that Sir Raymond needed would be reward hunters.
"Your involvement is to be on the lookout for this and keep us inform," Raymond replied. "We will continued our search."
"But, we don't even know what this knight looks like, and how do we tell you that we found him."
"At thiis time, a lonely knight should seem odd to you," Raymond said. Raymond tired of this conversation motioned to his men to leave.
"One thing that I must warn that this father may a huge reward for son's return, he will take revenge on those who harm his son," Raymond said. "It won't be a pleasant death."
After Raymond left the room, a soldier noticed the look on the Captain's. "Sir you heard Raymond."
"I'm listening to some old fool," the Captain cut the soldier off. "They put a reward on this cowardly knight, and beside do you know how much this knight is worth to his father, dead or live."
Alfred picked the cup up in his hands, and swirled the wine around. My son has ruined everything. He has shamed me. I will lose everything that I have gained by him being knight. He could not grant his father some pleasure in old age.
The door to Robert's room opens. "Here's your noontime rations," his guard says. "If it was up to me, you would not get this."
The guard throws the plate on the table, and just as he was ab;out to leave, Robert stops him.
"Please don't me here alone."
"I already told how I feel about."
"Who were those men and who is that knight they were talking about.?"
"I could suffer for just talking to about you," the guard replied. "I won't tell you who those men were." He turned and left the room.
"But, wait." Just as the door slammed shut close, leaving Robert alone his room.
He heard sounds of laughter coming form the fields outside. He walked towards the window, and noticed the two young lovers. Desperation for release from his prison filled his heart. The desperation for freedom made him irrational. He really believed that this plan would free him.
"So, Robert you said that you know this Justice and where we could find him," his Captain said. He looked at Robert and then at a soldier who just shrugged his shoulders. He walked over to Robert and grabbed Robert by throat. He clasped his hands around Robert's throat who could barley breath.
"Robert, I don't trust you," the Captain said. "I know this could turn out to be wild goose chase, but I rather have you out of my sight. And though Richard should decide your fate, but to see you die in the hands of Normans or by own men would bring great pleasure. I giving you four men and get out of by sight."
After four days and three nights of searching for Justice, one of the soldiers filled with frustration speaks out.
"I thought you said you knew where he'd be?"
"Now, I know you, " John said. "You are the son of that liar, Harold. He had my sister burnt as a witch. I aught take this knife and fillet you alive."
"You mean Robert the liar," another soldier commented, as he grabbed Robert by his throat. "Four days and three nights in the rain and damp forest for nothing"
They tied Robert to tree, and debated his fate.
"I still think we should fillet the liar alive," John interjected.
"No, that fate though painful would be to quick," another soldier said. "We should leave tied this tree, and let the beast get him or hunger."
They walked over Robert and told him his fate. As they left him tied to the tree, each soldier slapped and kicked him. As they rode back to tower, they could hear his insane screams.
Robert finally realized that free himself from his prison, and now he could enjoy this pleasant Summer morning. He looked at the early morning sun while he felt cool breeze brush up against his face. He accepted his fate and laughed uncontrollably.
While Justice's fellow knights search for him in the south, he took off for the north. He had heard of a Prophetess name Catherine who lived in Scotland. She could heal me.
Article written by John Dmytruk
John Dmytruk
Level: Basic
Zanni Masks - Their Origins & Character
The Zanni family, of Masquerade Masks, originated in Venice in the fifteenth century with the Italian Comedy - The Commedia Dell' Arte. The word originates from the Venetian, Giovanni (John) and is a diminutive of it. Zanni is also sometimes known as Zan, Zane, Zanne, Zany, or Zani, and is where the English term 'zany' comes from. Meaning: a clown, an awkward simpleton, a buffoon or a person who is a, stupid incompetent fool.
The class of the Zanni family of Masquerade Masks depicts the buffoon, always from the lower class, the peasant, a migrant worker, holding positions of servants, valets, slaves, porters, odd-job person, hawkers, rogues etc. Zanni refers to the class of mask, as well as to an individual character. In The Commedia Dell' Arte, Zanni was an important character type, representing a social class.
The name and its class were inspired by the Bergamo peasants who finding that they were facing a famine and unable to sustain a living in the countryside due to heavy cheaper imports from Greece and other countries after the Venetians conquered their province in 1428, where forced off their farms to find work in the towns of northern Italy including Venice. Giovanni was a common name for the men of this area. They migrated into the towns offering themselves as servants, gofers, porters etc, selling what they could bring with them from the country. They were known for their nimbleness, agility, sturdiness, crudeness as well as their course and fantastic speech, which became heavily mimicked by the Zanni of The Commedia Dell' Arte. The family Zanni includes the characters of the Harlequin, Brighelle, Francatrippa, Pedrolino, Arlecchino among its class, as named individual characters; however Zanni are also any unnamed character in a play.
The Zanni Mask was first a full-face mask, which developed into a half mask, covering the nose eyes and forehead. The nose on a Zanni Mask is important, as the nose delineates how stupid or simple the character is. The longer the nose of the Zanni, the more dullard the individual is.
The Zanni, portraying country folk are primarily dressed in sacking, and have a stance of one used to carrying heavy burdens, so they are usually hunched, with knees in a bowed position and feet splayed, in stark contracts to their betters the gentry, who display deportment. The Zanni, are an animated people, constantly moving their arms and hands as they communicate, displaying a coarse rough voice and language. The Zanni's body often times has a mind of its own, with different body parts making odd and animated movements; the less stupid shorter nosed Zanni break out into acrobatics and handstands. Zanni is well known for farting, burping & snoring with gusto. Coming from a famine, Zanni displays a deep unforgotten hunger of the body, constantly hungry, constantly searching for food appearing gluttonous. Zanni are known for their laziness and perchance for sleeping, which they will do at inappropriate times and in any place, including whilst standing. The Zanni are ignorant, rouges, but can be loyal. They can be seen with a slapstick, which they are more than happy to beat someone with, parcels, baggage, food, or other items belonging to another, in their roles as gofers, porters, servants etc.
The Zanni Mask, is a mask of many characters, always from the peasant class, portraying, the ignorant, silly, loutish fellow, who has been built with agility and ease of movement. The Zanni Mask can portray a porter, soldier, baker, farmer, a market hawker, the Harlequin and more. There is diversity to the occupation of the Zanni. When you slip on a Zanni Masquerade Mask, who will you be?
Article written by Melanie Robson
The class of the Zanni family of Masquerade Masks depicts the buffoon, always from the lower class, the peasant, a migrant worker, holding positions of servants, valets, slaves, porters, odd-job person, hawkers, rogues etc. Zanni refers to the class of mask, as well as to an individual character. In The Commedia Dell' Arte, Zanni was an important character type, representing a social class.
The name and its class were inspired by the Bergamo peasants who finding that they were facing a famine and unable to sustain a living in the countryside due to heavy cheaper imports from Greece and other countries after the Venetians conquered their province in 1428, where forced off their farms to find work in the towns of northern Italy including Venice. Giovanni was a common name for the men of this area. They migrated into the towns offering themselves as servants, gofers, porters etc, selling what they could bring with them from the country. They were known for their nimbleness, agility, sturdiness, crudeness as well as their course and fantastic speech, which became heavily mimicked by the Zanni of The Commedia Dell' Arte. The family Zanni includes the characters of the Harlequin, Brighelle, Francatrippa, Pedrolino, Arlecchino among its class, as named individual characters; however Zanni are also any unnamed character in a play.
The Zanni Mask was first a full-face mask, which developed into a half mask, covering the nose eyes and forehead. The nose on a Zanni Mask is important, as the nose delineates how stupid or simple the character is. The longer the nose of the Zanni, the more dullard the individual is.
The Zanni, portraying country folk are primarily dressed in sacking, and have a stance of one used to carrying heavy burdens, so they are usually hunched, with knees in a bowed position and feet splayed, in stark contracts to their betters the gentry, who display deportment. The Zanni, are an animated people, constantly moving their arms and hands as they communicate, displaying a coarse rough voice and language. The Zanni's body often times has a mind of its own, with different body parts making odd and animated movements; the less stupid shorter nosed Zanni break out into acrobatics and handstands. Zanni is well known for farting, burping & snoring with gusto. Coming from a famine, Zanni displays a deep unforgotten hunger of the body, constantly hungry, constantly searching for food appearing gluttonous. Zanni are known for their laziness and perchance for sleeping, which they will do at inappropriate times and in any place, including whilst standing. The Zanni are ignorant, rouges, but can be loyal. They can be seen with a slapstick, which they are more than happy to beat someone with, parcels, baggage, food, or other items belonging to another, in their roles as gofers, porters, servants etc.
The Zanni Mask, is a mask of many characters, always from the peasant class, portraying, the ignorant, silly, loutish fellow, who has been built with agility and ease of movement. The Zanni Mask can portray a porter, soldier, baker, farmer, a market hawker, the Harlequin and more. There is diversity to the occupation of the Zanni. When you slip on a Zanni Masquerade Mask, who will you be?
Article written by Melanie Robson
Why Are Tattoo Designs Becoming So Popular Nowadays?
Tattoo designs are at their height & are a sign of the times, and as many people search for a way to separate themselves away from the ordinary, the popularity of getting "inked" as a way of self representation is just likely to grow. For this reason, the industry has serious guidelines & takes every safety measure so the chance of transmitting HIV or other diseases is close to nonexistent.
I feel, if you're capable of walking, you must be fully qualified to choose whether or not the choice to get a tattoo is a good one.
Folks will get tattoo designs for a multitude of reasons. For instance, you can always find a sizable quantity of service men who have put the names of fallen friends on their body for everyone to witness. Several times individuals will put their skills and abilities or even what it is they do for their careers as a way of showing for all of humanity to notice exactly what they're all about.
When you get a tattoo design it basically consist of marking the flesh, so there may to be a little soreness involved, regardless of how little the design or how big it is on your body. The more tattoo designs you contain, the more ink spots you will have all over your body as time goes by.
Here's a trouble-free list of tips, dos & don'ts and valuable information you ought to keep in mind while deciding if a "tat" is right for you?
A temporary "tattoo" will last from anywhere to a a few of days to a few months and possibly will be a different option for those of you who are not convinced that a permanent tattoo design is right for you. A respectable, well-trained tattoo artist has strict health rules and is able to answer all of your concerns in relation to tattooing procedures and guidelines.
Several folks are getting in on the fad and jumping on the tattoo design bandwagon, so be unique & creative.
The greatest protection in the fight against the fading tattoo is to keep away from the sun & protect the tattoo design with clothing and wear a really good sunscreen.
There are multiple concerns when having a tattoo such as Hepatitis. This is a disease that attacks the liver & demands a much lesser amount of body fluid to pass on, though it ought to be mentioned that , according to the Centers for Disease Control, there has never been a known case of Hepatitis or AIDS caused by a tattoo design.
Try to use some kind of recommended, all natural lotion, as a few scents may inflame the still-tender flesh of your tattoo. Individuals are very diverse. Some will want to only beautify a minor part of their body, while in others it may well be challenging to discover a square inch of un-tattooed flesh.
After having your tattoo design completed here are a number of aftercare tips that cannot be unnoticed, so make certain to understand all instructions set by your tattoo artist.
Fortunately there are different avenues you can select from as a replacement for having a everlasting tattoo design on your body. Tattoos are and will remain to be a extreme road to express your individuality and original sense of style.
Get unlimited access to thousands of tattoo designs plus a members forum, a tattoo picture gallery and much more for a low one time fee.
Article written by Mike Seward
I feel, if you're capable of walking, you must be fully qualified to choose whether or not the choice to get a tattoo is a good one.
Folks will get tattoo designs for a multitude of reasons. For instance, you can always find a sizable quantity of service men who have put the names of fallen friends on their body for everyone to witness. Several times individuals will put their skills and abilities or even what it is they do for their careers as a way of showing for all of humanity to notice exactly what they're all about.
When you get a tattoo design it basically consist of marking the flesh, so there may to be a little soreness involved, regardless of how little the design or how big it is on your body. The more tattoo designs you contain, the more ink spots you will have all over your body as time goes by.
Here's a trouble-free list of tips, dos & don'ts and valuable information you ought to keep in mind while deciding if a "tat" is right for you?
A temporary "tattoo" will last from anywhere to a a few of days to a few months and possibly will be a different option for those of you who are not convinced that a permanent tattoo design is right for you. A respectable, well-trained tattoo artist has strict health rules and is able to answer all of your concerns in relation to tattooing procedures and guidelines.
Several folks are getting in on the fad and jumping on the tattoo design bandwagon, so be unique & creative.
The greatest protection in the fight against the fading tattoo is to keep away from the sun & protect the tattoo design with clothing and wear a really good sunscreen.
There are multiple concerns when having a tattoo such as Hepatitis. This is a disease that attacks the liver & demands a much lesser amount of body fluid to pass on, though it ought to be mentioned that , according to the Centers for Disease Control, there has never been a known case of Hepatitis or AIDS caused by a tattoo design.
Try to use some kind of recommended, all natural lotion, as a few scents may inflame the still-tender flesh of your tattoo. Individuals are very diverse. Some will want to only beautify a minor part of their body, while in others it may well be challenging to discover a square inch of un-tattooed flesh.
After having your tattoo design completed here are a number of aftercare tips that cannot be unnoticed, so make certain to understand all instructions set by your tattoo artist.
Fortunately there are different avenues you can select from as a replacement for having a everlasting tattoo design on your body. Tattoos are and will remain to be a extreme road to express your individuality and original sense of style.
Get unlimited access to thousands of tattoo designs plus a members forum, a tattoo picture gallery and much more for a low one time fee.
Article written by Mike Seward
Which Bar Stools Did Hemingway Sit On?
Have you ever thought about which bar stools Hemingway would have sat on? This probably isn't the type of thing that would enter the average person's mind on a daily basis but for some people, particularly Hemingway fans, it is a reasonable question.
A recent news story from sunny Florida brought this question to light for many people. The famous and upscale Sloppy Joe's Bar are taking the owners of Captain Tony's Saloon to court to settle an issue over who can really claim rights as the owner of the original Sloppy Joe's as well as bragging rights for a piece of the legend of Ernest Hemingway. The lawsuit which was filed on July 7th in the US District Court said that Captain Tony's infringed on the trademark of Sloppy Joe's. Legends say that Hemingway spent a great time drinking and writing at each bar. Fans of the individual bars argue over the facts that Hemingway ever drank or even visited the opposing bar.
Regardless of which bar is the true owner of the story, if either, there's one thing that's brought to mind when we think of this. If Hemingway really spent as many hours as they say (and as some of his stories would suggest) sitting in the bar writing, what kind of bar stools did he sit on. Were they comfortable? Did they have backs to them? Were they metal or wooden? Did these bar stools swivel?
There are so many questions which one might ponder about the chair that the famous Hemingway may have sat in for so many hours a day, writing and drinking. One would think that these bar stools were comfortable if he spent so much time in them but we can't say for certain. A regular, ordinary old wooden bar stool may have been his thing. Writers are known for their intricacies and this could have been one of Hemingway's.
Since there's no proof of which bar, if either, Hemingway really spent so much time at, it's hard to say exactly what kind of bar stools he sat on. One thing we can assume is that the bar stools he sat on were most likely similar to the other styles of the times. You can look at the era in which Hemingway would have been frequenting bars to get an idea for the types of stools that may have been common but there is little proof of exactly what type he would have been sitting on. Since the bars themselves have also changed over the years, it's not likely they still have the same types of bar stools. This is especially true about Sloppy Joe's which has gained international fame as more than just a bar but also a restaurant, museum and tribute to Hemingway. Sloppy Joe's would be considered much more "high class" than bars of Hemingway's day and it's more like the bar stools he sat on were more like those of the quant Captain Tony's.
Article written by Ben Weissman
A recent news story from sunny Florida brought this question to light for many people. The famous and upscale Sloppy Joe's Bar are taking the owners of Captain Tony's Saloon to court to settle an issue over who can really claim rights as the owner of the original Sloppy Joe's as well as bragging rights for a piece of the legend of Ernest Hemingway. The lawsuit which was filed on July 7th in the US District Court said that Captain Tony's infringed on the trademark of Sloppy Joe's. Legends say that Hemingway spent a great time drinking and writing at each bar. Fans of the individual bars argue over the facts that Hemingway ever drank or even visited the opposing bar.
Regardless of which bar is the true owner of the story, if either, there's one thing that's brought to mind when we think of this. If Hemingway really spent as many hours as they say (and as some of his stories would suggest) sitting in the bar writing, what kind of bar stools did he sit on. Were they comfortable? Did they have backs to them? Were they metal or wooden? Did these bar stools swivel?
There are so many questions which one might ponder about the chair that the famous Hemingway may have sat in for so many hours a day, writing and drinking. One would think that these bar stools were comfortable if he spent so much time in them but we can't say for certain. A regular, ordinary old wooden bar stool may have been his thing. Writers are known for their intricacies and this could have been one of Hemingway's.
Since there's no proof of which bar, if either, Hemingway really spent so much time at, it's hard to say exactly what kind of bar stools he sat on. One thing we can assume is that the bar stools he sat on were most likely similar to the other styles of the times. You can look at the era in which Hemingway would have been frequenting bars to get an idea for the types of stools that may have been common but there is little proof of exactly what type he would have been sitting on. Since the bars themselves have also changed over the years, it's not likely they still have the same types of bar stools. This is especially true about Sloppy Joe's which has gained international fame as more than just a bar but also a restaurant, museum and tribute to Hemingway. Sloppy Joe's would be considered much more "high class" than bars of Hemingway's day and it's more like the bar stools he sat on were more like those of the quant Captain Tony's.
Article written by Ben Weissman
Bulat Steel
Bulat steel was lost at the beginning of the 19th century Petrovich Anosov was a student of the Damascus steel. He studied them for over ten years. He was believed to be able to recreate this steel in 1838. Petrovich Ansosv steel Bulat steel was very popular in the making of cannons. But when the Bessemer process was made it kill Petrovich. This process was able to create the same steel for much less money.
Bulat steel was lost at the beginning of the 19th century Petrovich Anosov was a student of the Damascus steel. He studied them for over ten years. He was believed to be able to recreate this steel in 1838. Petrovich Ansosv steel Bulat steel was very popular in the making of cannons. But when the Bessemer process was made it kill Petrovich. This process was able to create the same steel for much less money. Potrovich started at the Saint Petersburg Min Cabet School in 1810. This is where he first saw a Damascus Steel sword in a case. This sword grabbed is attention.
Then seven years later he went to the factories of Zlatoust mining region in the Urals. while there he was promoted to the inspector of the weapon decoration department. Once again he came in contact with another Damascus steel sword. One big different is this sword was a European copy and not even close to the equal of the sword from the Middle East. This sword was just one of pattern welding. At this time Petrovich Ansosv chose to give making Damascus steel a try for himself. He had been working on some Quenching techniques and gave it a shot. Now again no one knows if he truly duplicated Damascus steel but he did eventually make a methodology the very much increased the hardness of his own steel.
What make these steel so good is the structure of the components. so carbon steel has two componets. It has pure iron, and cementite, or iron carbide. Cementite is very very brittle. In fact on the Brinell hardness test it would score a 640 this is brittle. scoring 200 on the test is ferrite. So when you work these two together and then very slowly cool them to allow cementite to precipitate as micro particles between the ferrite crystals and then arrange in a pattern. carbide is dark and the steel is grey. This is what make the pattern on true Damascus steel. Another big part of making Bulat or Damascus steel is Ceramic. This is what is thought to make this steel so sharp. It breaks down in between 600 and 1100 C and goes into the ferrite and carbon.
Article written by James Huff
Bulat steel was lost at the beginning of the 19th century Petrovich Anosov was a student of the Damascus steel. He studied them for over ten years. He was believed to be able to recreate this steel in 1838. Petrovich Ansosv steel Bulat steel was very popular in the making of cannons. But when the Bessemer process was made it kill Petrovich. This process was able to create the same steel for much less money. Potrovich started at the Saint Petersburg Min Cabet School in 1810. This is where he first saw a Damascus Steel sword in a case. This sword grabbed is attention.
Then seven years later he went to the factories of Zlatoust mining region in the Urals. while there he was promoted to the inspector of the weapon decoration department. Once again he came in contact with another Damascus steel sword. One big different is this sword was a European copy and not even close to the equal of the sword from the Middle East. This sword was just one of pattern welding. At this time Petrovich Ansosv chose to give making Damascus steel a try for himself. He had been working on some Quenching techniques and gave it a shot. Now again no one knows if he truly duplicated Damascus steel but he did eventually make a methodology the very much increased the hardness of his own steel.
What make these steel so good is the structure of the components. so carbon steel has two componets. It has pure iron, and cementite, or iron carbide. Cementite is very very brittle. In fact on the Brinell hardness test it would score a 640 this is brittle. scoring 200 on the test is ferrite. So when you work these two together and then very slowly cool them to allow cementite to precipitate as micro particles between the ferrite crystals and then arrange in a pattern. carbide is dark and the steel is grey. This is what make the pattern on true Damascus steel. Another big part of making Bulat or Damascus steel is Ceramic. This is what is thought to make this steel so sharp. It breaks down in between 600 and 1100 C and goes into the ferrite and carbon.
Article written by James Huff
Monday, August 3, 2009
A Few Toilet Factoids That May Blow Your Mind
1. Astronauts going to the bathroom in space? Have you ever wondered how astronauts relieve themselves in space. According to one astronaut they do not have a functioning bathroom like we all have grown to love. The astronauts clean themselves off with wet wash cloths instead of taking a warm shower. They brush their teeth and spit the excess into a wash cloth. Finally the toilet, at first this was a challenge for astronauts but they overcame this obstacle with a zero gravity toilet. They use air pressure to dictate where the bodily waste goes. Usually the waste is disposed in space.
2. While we are on the topic of space. The most expensive toilet in the universe is located in space. Each toilet cost roughly 19 million dollars. Currently the astronauts are trying to repair one of the space station toilets. The toilet located in the U.S. Destiny laboratory began flooding forcing the astronauts to use the toilet on board the space shuttle Endeavor. The astronauts also have the option of using a similar toilet on the nearby Russian space center.
3. The most expensive toilet on earth is a toilet made from pure gold. The 24 carat solid gold toilet is located in the Hall of Gold, in Hong Kong. The owners, Hang Fung jewelers have used this toilet as a marketing device. They have attracted visitors from all over the world. This toilet may not be around much longer. The head of Hang Fung jewelers has plans to melt down the toilet and use the proceeds to expand their operations into Mainland China.
4. 2009 the year of Twitter. John Mayer musician and former Jennifer Aniston flame, reportedly tweeted from the toilet. John Mayer was out at a nightclub when he decided to update his twitter message from his cell phone. Now that is what I call a multi-dimensional musician.
5. Is the president and the Pentagon carrying out their high positioned duties? The current home of the Obama family also know as the White house has a total of thirty two bathrooms. The following is top secret information straight from the Pentagon. The Pentagon goes through six hundred and sixty rolls of toilet paper a day. I would say that their is definitely activity or shall we say movement going on in Washington DC.
6. Officers was forced to wait for the well hydrated George Wingfield. George was setting records while he was being charged with public urination. This was not the typical drunken public urination. This was a record setting stream that lasted thirty six minutes and twenty four seconds. George was arrested after he finished up. George your mother always new you would be a record setter.
7. Bad News Bear. A little league coach in New York decided that it was a good idea to coach his team while intoxicated. The parents of the little league players contacted the local police and the park's director. Upon the arrival of the authorities the inebriated coach made his way to the first base side of the field where continued to relieve himself using the grass as his own personal toilet.
8. Waste of paper. A branch of the Kimberly Clark toilet paper company created the largest roll of toilet paper in the world. The toilet paper measured six feet in height and weighed close to three thousand pounds. This may clog a toilet or two.
Article written by Billy Chez
2. While we are on the topic of space. The most expensive toilet in the universe is located in space. Each toilet cost roughly 19 million dollars. Currently the astronauts are trying to repair one of the space station toilets. The toilet located in the U.S. Destiny laboratory began flooding forcing the astronauts to use the toilet on board the space shuttle Endeavor. The astronauts also have the option of using a similar toilet on the nearby Russian space center.
3. The most expensive toilet on earth is a toilet made from pure gold. The 24 carat solid gold toilet is located in the Hall of Gold, in Hong Kong. The owners, Hang Fung jewelers have used this toilet as a marketing device. They have attracted visitors from all over the world. This toilet may not be around much longer. The head of Hang Fung jewelers has plans to melt down the toilet and use the proceeds to expand their operations into Mainland China.
4. 2009 the year of Twitter. John Mayer musician and former Jennifer Aniston flame, reportedly tweeted from the toilet. John Mayer was out at a nightclub when he decided to update his twitter message from his cell phone. Now that is what I call a multi-dimensional musician.
5. Is the president and the Pentagon carrying out their high positioned duties? The current home of the Obama family also know as the White house has a total of thirty two bathrooms. The following is top secret information straight from the Pentagon. The Pentagon goes through six hundred and sixty rolls of toilet paper a day. I would say that their is definitely activity or shall we say movement going on in Washington DC.
6. Officers was forced to wait for the well hydrated George Wingfield. George was setting records while he was being charged with public urination. This was not the typical drunken public urination. This was a record setting stream that lasted thirty six minutes and twenty four seconds. George was arrested after he finished up. George your mother always new you would be a record setter.
7. Bad News Bear. A little league coach in New York decided that it was a good idea to coach his team while intoxicated. The parents of the little league players contacted the local police and the park's director. Upon the arrival of the authorities the inebriated coach made his way to the first base side of the field where continued to relieve himself using the grass as his own personal toilet.
8. Waste of paper. A branch of the Kimberly Clark toilet paper company created the largest roll of toilet paper in the world. The toilet paper measured six feet in height and weighed close to three thousand pounds. This may clog a toilet or two.
Article written by Billy Chez
Throats of a Thousand Demons (In English and Spanish)
English Version
Throats of a Thousand Demons
(A Nightmare of the real kind)
Tyr, the Nightmare Demon
I heard the screams and yelling of a thousand demons, sounds of destruction and immediate death-it all came from the helm of a distant old wooden vessel-but one demon passed through the whole atmosphere around and above me-, never in all my days left on earth shall I forget the increasing agony within my heart's valves, and its compressing chambers, and the intense pervading terror, to the point the walls of those chambers were about to bust open-; thus, I felt my blood being squeezed through congealing and hardening veins-my skin cold and Goosebumps covering me from head to toe, standing hard and erect, and the voice of the Demon of Nightmares babbling as his hand grabbed my shadow and held it high by its neck, around its throat, the heavy body under it, pulling downward as to decapitate, the neck thinning- as the neck was stretching, my heart utterly being brought to an alarm state.
"You have to see this!" the demon repeated twice, and I looked and sensed I was going into a tumbling, headlong, insensible-numbness, should I not quickly escape.
"No!" I said exceedingly apposing the voice. I didn't want to watch and then, that was when I called out to my wife Rosa, "Wake me up!" whereupon I found myself reviving and bound once again to the waking world-paler than death.
I had nearly been run-down by a wild and loose demon, hailed by his demonic onlookers. Upon feeling my eyes opening, my explanation to my wife was but a few words-I was by all means, rough-looking from the nightly experience. Somehow he had crept into my dreams and it was impossible to avoid coming in contact with.
My wife asked, "Did you forget your prayers last night?" And I had.
"Thus, it was then obvious," she told me, "the demon rode immediately over you-as if without the least perceptible impediment to his progress."
Article written by Dennis Siluk Ed.D.
Throats of a Thousand Demons
(A Nightmare of the real kind)
Tyr, the Nightmare Demon
I heard the screams and yelling of a thousand demons, sounds of destruction and immediate death-it all came from the helm of a distant old wooden vessel-but one demon passed through the whole atmosphere around and above me-, never in all my days left on earth shall I forget the increasing agony within my heart's valves, and its compressing chambers, and the intense pervading terror, to the point the walls of those chambers were about to bust open-; thus, I felt my blood being squeezed through congealing and hardening veins-my skin cold and Goosebumps covering me from head to toe, standing hard and erect, and the voice of the Demon of Nightmares babbling as his hand grabbed my shadow and held it high by its neck, around its throat, the heavy body under it, pulling downward as to decapitate, the neck thinning- as the neck was stretching, my heart utterly being brought to an alarm state.
"You have to see this!" the demon repeated twice, and I looked and sensed I was going into a tumbling, headlong, insensible-numbness, should I not quickly escape.
"No!" I said exceedingly apposing the voice. I didn't want to watch and then, that was when I called out to my wife Rosa, "Wake me up!" whereupon I found myself reviving and bound once again to the waking world-paler than death.
I had nearly been run-down by a wild and loose demon, hailed by his demonic onlookers. Upon feeling my eyes opening, my explanation to my wife was but a few words-I was by all means, rough-looking from the nightly experience. Somehow he had crept into my dreams and it was impossible to avoid coming in contact with.
My wife asked, "Did you forget your prayers last night?" And I had.
"Thus, it was then obvious," she told me, "the demon rode immediately over you-as if without the least perceptible impediment to his progress."
Article written by Dennis Siluk Ed.D.
Grandpa's Tobacco Jar (1957) In English and Spanish
He sat down in his sofa-chair-behind the tall reading lamp, that extended an inch or so over the back of the chair, taking one of his wooden pipes laying in the standup ashtray next to his chair, and stuck two matches together-Chick (his grandson) sitting on the couch observing him from the corner of his eye, while watching a western on television, he had previously filled the pipe with tobacco from his tobacco jar he kept on his bedroom dresser, and once lit he dropped the matches into the ashtray, for once not missing it, and having it land on the floor: mumbling and cussing all the time under his breath, like who-knows-what, only he knew what he was saying, the Old Russian Bear, as Chick called him, figured he simply did it out of habit, or perhaps talking to his demons.
"Dont ya go-a turin' da channel ven I gone, ya her-me!" he said to Chick as he stood up, walked through the bedroom to the bathroom, never once looking at Chick longer than a half-second, it wasn't a question, although it might have sounded like one, it was a statement, and perhaps in a light form, a statement-question, yet rhetorical, not necessarily meant to be answered verbally, only acknowledged with a look, or nod of the head. Once old grandpa (not quite five-foot tall) disappeared into the shadows of the bathroom door, now open for a spell-soon to be shut, Chick quickly got up and hightailed it to the kitchen knowing the direct route to the icebox, and knowing exactly where the pears and apples and oranges were, and out they come one by one into his side pockets of his robe, and next, he rushed back like a deer to where he was sitting, picking up his old apple, as if to disguise his race against time, then a second later, grandpa appeared, he was mumbling and cussing again, and Chick looked up from his position on the long coach, a flat affect on his ten-year-old face as if he had never left, his heart hardly pounding, grandpa brushing off the ashes from the sofa-seat of his sofa chair, his eye caught Chick eating the apple, unknowingly, the next three apples he had put in his robe pockets, would appear one by one-(in due time), to him as if he was eating the same one-slowly; it was simply, he didn't' want his grandpa to discover the principle of his deception at its most fundamental obscurities, lest he be made fun of for eating him, and his mother and his brother Mike-whom all lived together as if in an extended family, out of house and home, because the Old Russian Bear took a disliking for that chopping and chewing noise and seeing and monitoring (which he didn't have to do, but seemingly by compulsion forced to do) eating, apple after apple, after apple, and you can add that pear and orange in there, it annoyed him, and made him mumble and cuss more. Grandpa took another look, Chick now blinking as if he had something caught in his eye, he had eaten the apple core and all, as he had learned to do-part of the three-year deception, from ten to thirteen, and had a new apple in his hands, this time grandpa looked a second and a half, said, "Humm...mmm..." as if he was trying to figure out the charade, then back to those new formed cuss words, half in English and half in Russian, so no one could ever figure out completely what he was saying, he had his own black book of cuss words, it would have seemed, somewhat coded.
Was Chick a sneak? Yes, oh yes, sneaky he was-likened to a spider to a fly (but sneaky because it was called for, out of demand for the right to eat his fruit and watch television at the same time his grandpa was watching it), and he'd tell you so right to your face, upfront, if you'd had asked him, he'd even had told you himself, "Boy am I sneaky, but I got to be..." and had you been there, you might have even caught him mumbling something to that effect, as his old grandpa sat bolt upright in that sofa chair, watching 'Da Long Ranger,' or 'Hop-along Cassidy,' (or dat cowboy vith da white hair) as he'd referred to the two of the many westerns he'd watch-peacefully watch; yet, and nothing nowhere, and nobody anywhere in the world anymore could anguish or disturb him, and consequently he got a rest from that automatic cussing he did, lest they wanted that black book of cuss words to come out and the echo sounding like drums beating and not knowing exactly what they were saying but knowing they were cuss words of some nature, because he was in his tomb of silence, for the evening, and forevermore loving it, and God forbid, should you disturbed him at this sacred moment
Article written by Dennis Siluk Ed.D.
"Dont ya go-a turin' da channel ven I gone, ya her-me!" he said to Chick as he stood up, walked through the bedroom to the bathroom, never once looking at Chick longer than a half-second, it wasn't a question, although it might have sounded like one, it was a statement, and perhaps in a light form, a statement-question, yet rhetorical, not necessarily meant to be answered verbally, only acknowledged with a look, or nod of the head. Once old grandpa (not quite five-foot tall) disappeared into the shadows of the bathroom door, now open for a spell-soon to be shut, Chick quickly got up and hightailed it to the kitchen knowing the direct route to the icebox, and knowing exactly where the pears and apples and oranges were, and out they come one by one into his side pockets of his robe, and next, he rushed back like a deer to where he was sitting, picking up his old apple, as if to disguise his race against time, then a second later, grandpa appeared, he was mumbling and cussing again, and Chick looked up from his position on the long coach, a flat affect on his ten-year-old face as if he had never left, his heart hardly pounding, grandpa brushing off the ashes from the sofa-seat of his sofa chair, his eye caught Chick eating the apple, unknowingly, the next three apples he had put in his robe pockets, would appear one by one-(in due time), to him as if he was eating the same one-slowly; it was simply, he didn't' want his grandpa to discover the principle of his deception at its most fundamental obscurities, lest he be made fun of for eating him, and his mother and his brother Mike-whom all lived together as if in an extended family, out of house and home, because the Old Russian Bear took a disliking for that chopping and chewing noise and seeing and monitoring (which he didn't have to do, but seemingly by compulsion forced to do) eating, apple after apple, after apple, and you can add that pear and orange in there, it annoyed him, and made him mumble and cuss more. Grandpa took another look, Chick now blinking as if he had something caught in his eye, he had eaten the apple core and all, as he had learned to do-part of the three-year deception, from ten to thirteen, and had a new apple in his hands, this time grandpa looked a second and a half, said, "Humm...mmm..." as if he was trying to figure out the charade, then back to those new formed cuss words, half in English and half in Russian, so no one could ever figure out completely what he was saying, he had his own black book of cuss words, it would have seemed, somewhat coded.
Was Chick a sneak? Yes, oh yes, sneaky he was-likened to a spider to a fly (but sneaky because it was called for, out of demand for the right to eat his fruit and watch television at the same time his grandpa was watching it), and he'd tell you so right to your face, upfront, if you'd had asked him, he'd even had told you himself, "Boy am I sneaky, but I got to be..." and had you been there, you might have even caught him mumbling something to that effect, as his old grandpa sat bolt upright in that sofa chair, watching 'Da Long Ranger,' or 'Hop-along Cassidy,' (or dat cowboy vith da white hair) as he'd referred to the two of the many westerns he'd watch-peacefully watch; yet, and nothing nowhere, and nobody anywhere in the world anymore could anguish or disturb him, and consequently he got a rest from that automatic cussing he did, lest they wanted that black book of cuss words to come out and the echo sounding like drums beating and not knowing exactly what they were saying but knowing they were cuss words of some nature, because he was in his tomb of silence, for the evening, and forevermore loving it, and God forbid, should you disturbed him at this sacred moment
Article written by Dennis Siluk Ed.D.
Coming Home, One Survivor (A Vietnam War Story)
(An account of a soldier coming home from the Vietnam War, 1971)
Chick Evens, still alive coming home from the Vietnam War, 1971, wasn't the first war hero to finally straggle back to St. Paul, Minnesota. He was just the one my father and mother bothered to tell me about, when we met him at the airport. It had been eight months since last he had been back through St. Paul. My father (Chick's uncle) discovering at the last minute that that afternoon his flight was coming in that we'd meet him, the airport being several miles away. I sat alone in the car, as my father went to find him.
He was not the first hero coming home from the war in Vietnam. There were several others I had read about in the paper, not sure if they were citizens of Minnesota to be sure of, but at least Chick was kin to us (and perhaps I was just interested in a member of my family being in the newspapers, I was seven years younger than he, being seventeen at the time).
Actually most of the heroes I read about were unscratched ones, and only the newspapers called them heroes, but my cousin was a real hero, with a Purple Heart, and Bronze Star, at least to me he was.
My other cousins, myself, and a dozen other family members, the ones who organized and put together the dinner for him when he left, all of us who hadn't gone to that war, and still were on hand to welcome him home, not with parades, because there wasn't any for any homecoming Vietnam Veterans, but to meet him at the airport, and call him by phone later on and say, "Welcome home..." You see Minnesota never intended to have a parade; maybe for the next war, or the one after that, but not for this one.
All of us back home, all we had to do was to get married, be female, or go to college by a specific date, and we'd simply end up out of the war, and organizing family hero-dinners. It's the way it was back then.
When I first saw him coming out of the airport depot, I loved seeing his Army patches near his shoulders, and war service strip on his forearm, and the many medal ribbons on his chest.
According to my father, who had been in the Air Force, but not in a war, nonetheless a soldier too (during the Korean War) had told me most boys in the armed services, had no idea where Europe was, or Korea, or Asia. And most likely, no one really knew were Vietnam was, and knew nothing about armies and being a soldier, let alone a real battle, or getting wounded, like cousin Evens. They, like Chick were snatched up by a system overnight and told in so many words: if you go to battle, to survive anyway you could, if you could. And I guess Chick was one of those survivors.
He told me Uncle Wally, a WWII, Veteran came back into what he believed would be a familiar world, the same one he left, but he only endured disruption-finding it wasn't as it used to be. Although Uncle Wally was a POW, and he got a parade, with a brass band to welcome him home, and a dinner to boot, after some years he readjusted to it all quite well.
So, according to me, cousin Chick was a hero walking across the street to our car, I was in the front seat, I got out, stood tall on the sidewalk, my heart beating a mile a minute. I can't remember at what point, or stage, or even moment, or exactly what action he entered this heroic state, but he was there.
In fact (in all of St. Paul, Minnesota anyhow) the ones that came back from the war, many came back with PTS, or limbs shot off, or other kinds of wounds, leg wounds, arm wounds, and so forth, came back worse than when they left, simply as italics (that is, words sloping to the right), which is why for many years he never rose higher than a simple roustabout; grabbing job after job.
After several more years, at thirty years old, perhaps a little older, something happened to him. Or perhaps it happened during the war, or his years in the Army, or those years before the Army, and the Army just helped it along, and we, in the family circle-all of us-started to notice it. Up to now, the hero part had faded, and he remained a bachelor, living here and there, not taking all them many baths, or visiting the barbershops as the Army made him do, getting a lot more drunk than he used to; doing some fighting, although the fighting stemmed from his drinking, out of this common stage, and somehow, after a few more passing years, he sobered up.
He had changed. Even we-his family members-saw this happen. It was like he woke up one day and said, "What the hell's going on here?" He had been like a damn mosquito, flying about a damn swamp for years. That was years ago of course, and I would, and now he is completely back home again, living as he was meant to live. And he has never flinched since.
Article written by Dennis Siluk Ed.D.
Chick Evens, still alive coming home from the Vietnam War, 1971, wasn't the first war hero to finally straggle back to St. Paul, Minnesota. He was just the one my father and mother bothered to tell me about, when we met him at the airport. It had been eight months since last he had been back through St. Paul. My father (Chick's uncle) discovering at the last minute that that afternoon his flight was coming in that we'd meet him, the airport being several miles away. I sat alone in the car, as my father went to find him.
He was not the first hero coming home from the war in Vietnam. There were several others I had read about in the paper, not sure if they were citizens of Minnesota to be sure of, but at least Chick was kin to us (and perhaps I was just interested in a member of my family being in the newspapers, I was seven years younger than he, being seventeen at the time).
Actually most of the heroes I read about were unscratched ones, and only the newspapers called them heroes, but my cousin was a real hero, with a Purple Heart, and Bronze Star, at least to me he was.
My other cousins, myself, and a dozen other family members, the ones who organized and put together the dinner for him when he left, all of us who hadn't gone to that war, and still were on hand to welcome him home, not with parades, because there wasn't any for any homecoming Vietnam Veterans, but to meet him at the airport, and call him by phone later on and say, "Welcome home..." You see Minnesota never intended to have a parade; maybe for the next war, or the one after that, but not for this one.
All of us back home, all we had to do was to get married, be female, or go to college by a specific date, and we'd simply end up out of the war, and organizing family hero-dinners. It's the way it was back then.
When I first saw him coming out of the airport depot, I loved seeing his Army patches near his shoulders, and war service strip on his forearm, and the many medal ribbons on his chest.
According to my father, who had been in the Air Force, but not in a war, nonetheless a soldier too (during the Korean War) had told me most boys in the armed services, had no idea where Europe was, or Korea, or Asia. And most likely, no one really knew were Vietnam was, and knew nothing about armies and being a soldier, let alone a real battle, or getting wounded, like cousin Evens. They, like Chick were snatched up by a system overnight and told in so many words: if you go to battle, to survive anyway you could, if you could. And I guess Chick was one of those survivors.
He told me Uncle Wally, a WWII, Veteran came back into what he believed would be a familiar world, the same one he left, but he only endured disruption-finding it wasn't as it used to be. Although Uncle Wally was a POW, and he got a parade, with a brass band to welcome him home, and a dinner to boot, after some years he readjusted to it all quite well.
So, according to me, cousin Chick was a hero walking across the street to our car, I was in the front seat, I got out, stood tall on the sidewalk, my heart beating a mile a minute. I can't remember at what point, or stage, or even moment, or exactly what action he entered this heroic state, but he was there.
In fact (in all of St. Paul, Minnesota anyhow) the ones that came back from the war, many came back with PTS, or limbs shot off, or other kinds of wounds, leg wounds, arm wounds, and so forth, came back worse than when they left, simply as italics (that is, words sloping to the right), which is why for many years he never rose higher than a simple roustabout; grabbing job after job.
After several more years, at thirty years old, perhaps a little older, something happened to him. Or perhaps it happened during the war, or his years in the Army, or those years before the Army, and the Army just helped it along, and we, in the family circle-all of us-started to notice it. Up to now, the hero part had faded, and he remained a bachelor, living here and there, not taking all them many baths, or visiting the barbershops as the Army made him do, getting a lot more drunk than he used to; doing some fighting, although the fighting stemmed from his drinking, out of this common stage, and somehow, after a few more passing years, he sobered up.
He had changed. Even we-his family members-saw this happen. It was like he woke up one day and said, "What the hell's going on here?" He had been like a damn mosquito, flying about a damn swamp for years. That was years ago of course, and I would, and now he is completely back home again, living as he was meant to live. And he has never flinched since.
Article written by Dennis Siluk Ed.D.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Building a Great Magic - The Gathering Deck
For a true enthusiast, there's nothing like the thrill of opening a new Magic: The Gathering booster pack. The smell of the cards, the slick feel of mint-condition cards, the suspense of seeing what cards you get all can be quite a heady experience. But inevitably you realize that buying booster packs is a poor way to get the killer deck you've been dreaming of--or worse yet, been getting slaughtered by at tournaments.
Your funds are limited. There's got to be a better way.
There is. Let's look at a few.
Plan Your Deck - This seems obvious, but it really helps. It can be easy to get distracted by all the different cards that come out in the various editions and trying to collect them all. Unless you're a serious collector, don't bother. Take time to learn which cards work well together and support your style of play. Sketch out a list of cards you need to complete the deck you'd like to play
Once you know what cards you are looking for, there are many ways to find them.
Trading - One of the easiest ways to build your deck is to find friends who also play the game. This works especially well if you each have deck ideas that don't overlap. You may be able to trade some of your less-needed cards for some of theirs that fit your plan.
Buying Bulk - Some card stores will give discounts when you buy boxes of booster packs or large orders. If you really, really enjoy the "thrill of the hunt" in opening lots and lots of packs and relying on luck, then by all means, go for it. I've done it before, and it can be almost better than Christmas! This can be especially effective if you need a lot of cards from a specific set and are just getting started collecting them. Still, you can buy twice as many packs as there are rare cards in an expansion and still not get a full set. And if it's a specific card you're looking for it can ultimately be a real letdown.
Find it on eBay - Online auctions can be a great way to find individual cards to complete your deck. Just be careful. Bidding wars can be addictive, and before you know it you've overpaid for your card. It's not important to win at all cost. In fact sometimes you can get a bargain by being patient. Do your homework so you know how much the card is worth, and don't bid more than that. Also, take time to check out the seller's feedback before you bid. Some may misrepresent their merchandise or worse. Also, make sure they aren't selling their cards for cheap only to make it up on shipping and handling charges.
Find a Player Community - Some Magic player forums, such as MTG Salvation.com allow trades and sales on their site. Same rules apply as on eBay: do your homework.
Buy From an Online Store - Connecting Magic players with the cards they want has become a big business. There are many online stores that can help you find the cards you want quickly. There are even sites like FindMagicCards.com that can give you pricing histories for certain cards and a list of sellers and their prices.
There are two ways to approach shopping from online stores. The first is to find the lowest price you can, and sites like FindMagicCards.com can help with that. Just be aware that for each purchase you make you can expect to pay shipping and handling costs. Buying individual cards from numerous places may ultimately cost you more than you save by shopping around. Still, if you just need one or two cards, especially rare ones, you can save money this way.
The other way is to find a single, reputable dealer you trust and buy from them. This can drive your shipping and handling costs down significantly, even if your per-card costs are not always lower. It also can save you a lot of time. Stores are often better on customer service than individuals if something is wrong with your order.
Building your deck can be challenging, but it can also be as much fun as playing it if you know how to go about it.
Your funds are limited. There's got to be a better way.
There is. Let's look at a few.
Plan Your Deck - This seems obvious, but it really helps. It can be easy to get distracted by all the different cards that come out in the various editions and trying to collect them all. Unless you're a serious collector, don't bother. Take time to learn which cards work well together and support your style of play. Sketch out a list of cards you need to complete the deck you'd like to play
Once you know what cards you are looking for, there are many ways to find them.
Trading - One of the easiest ways to build your deck is to find friends who also play the game. This works especially well if you each have deck ideas that don't overlap. You may be able to trade some of your less-needed cards for some of theirs that fit your plan.
Buying Bulk - Some card stores will give discounts when you buy boxes of booster packs or large orders. If you really, really enjoy the "thrill of the hunt" in opening lots and lots of packs and relying on luck, then by all means, go for it. I've done it before, and it can be almost better than Christmas! This can be especially effective if you need a lot of cards from a specific set and are just getting started collecting them. Still, you can buy twice as many packs as there are rare cards in an expansion and still not get a full set. And if it's a specific card you're looking for it can ultimately be a real letdown.
Find it on eBay - Online auctions can be a great way to find individual cards to complete your deck. Just be careful. Bidding wars can be addictive, and before you know it you've overpaid for your card. It's not important to win at all cost. In fact sometimes you can get a bargain by being patient. Do your homework so you know how much the card is worth, and don't bid more than that. Also, take time to check out the seller's feedback before you bid. Some may misrepresent their merchandise or worse. Also, make sure they aren't selling their cards for cheap only to make it up on shipping and handling charges.
Find a Player Community - Some Magic player forums, such as MTG Salvation.com allow trades and sales on their site. Same rules apply as on eBay: do your homework.
Buy From an Online Store - Connecting Magic players with the cards they want has become a big business. There are many online stores that can help you find the cards you want quickly. There are even sites like FindMagicCards.com that can give you pricing histories for certain cards and a list of sellers and their prices.
There are two ways to approach shopping from online stores. The first is to find the lowest price you can, and sites like FindMagicCards.com can help with that. Just be aware that for each purchase you make you can expect to pay shipping and handling costs. Buying individual cards from numerous places may ultimately cost you more than you save by shopping around. Still, if you just need one or two cards, especially rare ones, you can save money this way.
The other way is to find a single, reputable dealer you trust and buy from them. This can drive your shipping and handling costs down significantly, even if your per-card costs are not always lower. It also can save you a lot of time. Stores are often better on customer service than individuals if something is wrong with your order.
Building your deck can be challenging, but it can also be as much fun as playing it if you know how to go about it.
Article written by Thom Stratton
How to Avoid the 'Fatal Coincidence' When Writing a Screenplay
There are a large number of pitfalls you can make as a screenwriter, but few are as glaring and as easy to avoid as the: 'Fatal Coincidence'. I'm not talking about the coincidences that often start a story, like Jason Bourne being found afloat by the fishing vessel at the beginning of the Bourne Identity. After all, if Mr. Bourne hadn't been picked up, there would not have been a story to tell. I'm talking about the ones where you find yourself saying - That's too improbable to happen! You've seen them at the movies or on DVD, unfortunately too many times. People showing up just at the right time, overhearing something just at the right time, or finding a miraculous clue, just at the right time. Some screenplays hide their coincidences and blend them into the story narrative so seamlessly you don't even notice. Here's one that does it really well (Spoiler alert):
In Scott Beattie's screenplay, Derailed, Charles meets his lawyer just before they go to the police to report that he is being blackmailed over his infidelity with Lucinda. But, first Charles decides he must tell Lucinda. Nice guy. Charles goes to the only places he knows where he can find her:
· At Lucinda's office, Charles is told by the receptionist that she is not there. Coincidentally, Lucinda is just walking out of the building. The problem for Charles is that, this Lucinda is not his lover. (So, who is she?).
· Charles then goes to what he thinks is Lucinda's apartment. But, a real estate agent there the apartment was rented to Lucinda and her boyfriend. (What's going on?).
· Finally, Charles desperately looks in another place he knows - the train station where Charles and Lucinda got off the train after they first met.
There, Charles finds Lucinda kissing the guy is man blackmailing Charles! This sequence constitutes an ideal end to Act II and provides the so-called 'Second Commitment to Act' or 'Plot Point B' in the Three Act Structure Model, and starts the 'Road Back' point in the Hero's Journey model.
Let's face it, the chance that Charles would arrive just at the right time to see this event is improbable, but the impact of the plot point revelation dampens our skepticism. We're ready to enter Act III and watch Charles get his revenge. This is the quality that screenwriter Beattie also incorporated into the plot of Collateral.
In contrast, here's a screenplay that isn't so seamless. In Patriot Games, Jack Ryan, now retired from the CIA, is on a working-vacation in London with his family. Just as Ryan sees his wife and daughter across the street, the IRA attack Lord William Holmes, the British Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, right in front of him! Later, when an IRA assassin tries to kill Ryan outside the Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, Ryan just happens to get a glimpse of the same woman driving away in a Jeep as drove the getaway car after the attack in London. To cap the coincidences off, Ryan's memory of the woman is jogged when he just happens to accidentally go into the woman's restroom instead of the men's, and notice a woman with similar hair to the woman in the two vehicles.
So, how do you avoid 'Fatal Coincidences'?
· Find where they occur in your screenplay by asking yourself: 'Does this really stand a chance of happening?' If a coincidence makes things too easy for the protagonist, then your audience will likely not accept it.
· Give characters a specific reason for being in the location for the coincidence to occur. Note in Derailedhow Charles had a specific reason and rationale to be at the station (to look for Lucinda at a place he knows she visits) whereas as Ryan was there purely by coincidence.
· Have the character work to be in the situation for the coincidence to occur. The event seems more like preparedness simply meeting opportunity - it had to happen sooner or later. In Derailed, if seems like if Charles looks in enough places, he will eventually run into Lucinda.
· Foreshadow coincidences. Charles had already gone to two already familiar locations and received information that told him something was suspicious about Lucinda's story of who she was. By the third location, we were expecting to see something that answered what Lucinda was up to - and there is was! Make the coincidence seem inevitable.
· Have the coincidence explain something so large that the meaning of the coincidence overshadows the event itself.
Fatal Coincidences really reflect laziness and lack of creativity on behalf of the screenwriter. When you submit your screenplay to an agent or studies, Fatal Coincidences will do exactly that to your script. Avoid them!
Article written by Melvyn Heyes
In Scott Beattie's screenplay, Derailed, Charles meets his lawyer just before they go to the police to report that he is being blackmailed over his infidelity with Lucinda. But, first Charles decides he must tell Lucinda. Nice guy. Charles goes to the only places he knows where he can find her:
· At Lucinda's office, Charles is told by the receptionist that she is not there. Coincidentally, Lucinda is just walking out of the building. The problem for Charles is that, this Lucinda is not his lover. (So, who is she?).
· Charles then goes to what he thinks is Lucinda's apartment. But, a real estate agent there the apartment was rented to Lucinda and her boyfriend. (What's going on?).
· Finally, Charles desperately looks in another place he knows - the train station where Charles and Lucinda got off the train after they first met.
There, Charles finds Lucinda kissing the guy is man blackmailing Charles! This sequence constitutes an ideal end to Act II and provides the so-called 'Second Commitment to Act' or 'Plot Point B' in the Three Act Structure Model, and starts the 'Road Back' point in the Hero's Journey model.
Let's face it, the chance that Charles would arrive just at the right time to see this event is improbable, but the impact of the plot point revelation dampens our skepticism. We're ready to enter Act III and watch Charles get his revenge. This is the quality that screenwriter Beattie also incorporated into the plot of Collateral.
In contrast, here's a screenplay that isn't so seamless. In Patriot Games, Jack Ryan, now retired from the CIA, is on a working-vacation in London with his family. Just as Ryan sees his wife and daughter across the street, the IRA attack Lord William Holmes, the British Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, right in front of him! Later, when an IRA assassin tries to kill Ryan outside the Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, Ryan just happens to get a glimpse of the same woman driving away in a Jeep as drove the getaway car after the attack in London. To cap the coincidences off, Ryan's memory of the woman is jogged when he just happens to accidentally go into the woman's restroom instead of the men's, and notice a woman with similar hair to the woman in the two vehicles.
So, how do you avoid 'Fatal Coincidences'?
· Find where they occur in your screenplay by asking yourself: 'Does this really stand a chance of happening?' If a coincidence makes things too easy for the protagonist, then your audience will likely not accept it.
· Give characters a specific reason for being in the location for the coincidence to occur. Note in Derailedhow Charles had a specific reason and rationale to be at the station (to look for Lucinda at a place he knows she visits) whereas as Ryan was there purely by coincidence.
· Have the character work to be in the situation for the coincidence to occur. The event seems more like preparedness simply meeting opportunity - it had to happen sooner or later. In Derailed, if seems like if Charles looks in enough places, he will eventually run into Lucinda.
· Foreshadow coincidences. Charles had already gone to two already familiar locations and received information that told him something was suspicious about Lucinda's story of who she was. By the third location, we were expecting to see something that answered what Lucinda was up to - and there is was! Make the coincidence seem inevitable.
· Have the coincidence explain something so large that the meaning of the coincidence overshadows the event itself.
Fatal Coincidences really reflect laziness and lack of creativity on behalf of the screenwriter. When you submit your screenplay to an agent or studies, Fatal Coincidences will do exactly that to your script. Avoid them!
Article written by Melvyn Heyes
Famous People
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Gossip Juice it's your daily source for celebrity gossip.
Article written by John Will Smith
There are a broad range of ways make somewhere your home can turn into celebrities, from their profession, appearances in the throng media, beauty or even by complete accident or notoriety. Instant superstar is the name with the aim of is used as someone becomes a superstar in very curt era of phase.
Indoors more or less seats, someone with the aim of one way or another achieves a small amount of transient fame through propaganda or throng media, is stereotyped as a B-grade superstar. Often the stereotype extends to someone with the aim of cascade curt of mainstream or persistent fame but seeks to reach or exploit it.
Indoors the 20th Century, the avid freely available lure instead of celebrities and hunger instead of superstar gossip has seen the arise of the gossip correspondent, tabloid, paparazzi and superstar blogging.
Just as lone possibly will turn into a regional or cultural superstar, lone possibly will additionally turn into a superstar in their niche marketplace and hold partial fame apart from it. Stan Lee (best notorious as co-creator of the classic Marvel superheroes) is mostly notorious to comic volume fans and while in latest years, he has turn into more well notorious, many outside fandom are still unsure of exactly who he is, other than being a voice.
One possibly will argue with the aim of all celebrities are niche marketplace celebrities, more or less niches are simply much better than others and many celebrities win fame apart from their niche marketplace as well. A first-rate model can be seen surrounded by the numerous specialized athletes with the aim of are well notorious even surrounded by make somewhere your home who organize not get the gist sports.
Gossip Juice it's your daily source for celebrity gossip.
Article written by John Will Smith
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