Hollow Wood SUP Project End of Day 6.MP4

Stand Up Paddle Board Project inspired by jevers123 vids...watch all his vid's, they are great work and a lot of effort went into the production. I preferred his approach to the parallel profile method I used on a small board I am building for my son, but just personal preference both are good methods in my opinion. This video is the end of 6 days of active work on project... plan to complete in 5 weeks if possible for an upcoming beach trip. Board is 10' long x 32" wide x 5.5 " thick through most of length with slight thinning on rocker at front of board... has to hold up a bit more weight :) I plan to fish from it in Texas lakes/rivers/streams near my house and wanted stability (thus the width and depth increase) but will also be in the Gulf cruising around in the surf. So, will add some cargo netting fasteners and other mounting points, over time I may add an attachable outrigger mod with small sail and kayak attachments like a seat, tackle, and pole holder. So, will add a couple extra support areas between ribs for future attachment points but this will add 4-5 lbs to weight. Wood used so far is is Cedar from Lowes: 5 cedar2x4's x 8' $6 each 3 1"x6" x8' $8-12 each 1 1"x8"x12' $25 2 bottles Tightbond wood glue $6-7 each Still deciding on top/bottom decking. Great excuse to spend several hundred on new tools and you can never have too many clamps ;0) TIP #1: I pre cut additional stringer suppors with the ribs clamped together on a table saw, that helped quite a bit ...

Crash Test 2000 - Discontinued Saturn L 300 Series (Side Impact) Impact

Saturn L Series 2002-05models SIDE IMPACT TEST WITH STANDARD SIDE AIRBAGS OVERALL EVALUATION: Poor Injury measures Head protection Structure/safety cage Head/neck Torso Pelvis/leg Driver Good Poor Poor Poor Poor Rear passenger Good Good Good Good Important: Side impact crash test ratings can be compared across vehicle type and weight categories. Test details: The Saturn L Series was introduced in the 2000 model year. Side curtain airbags for drivers' and front and rear outboard passengers' heads were made optional on 2001 models and standard beginning with 2002 models. The L Series was discontinued after a limited number of 2005 models were manufactured. Injury measures: Driver — Measures taken from the dummy indicate that rib fractures and/or internal organ injuries plus a fracture of the pelvis would be likely in a crash of this severity. In addition, loading to the shoulder was excessive. Rear passenger — Measures taken from the dummy indicate a low risk of any significant injuries in a crash of this severity. Head protection: Driver — The dummy's head brushed past the side curtain airbag and was hit by the intruding barrier. This impact did not produce high head injury measures, but head hits with intruding objects such as other vehicles, trees, and poles should be prevented. Rear passenger — The dummy's head was protected from impact with any hard structures, including the intruding barrier, by a side curtain airbag that deployed from the roof.

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Crash Test 2010 - 20** Nissan Micra / March (Full Test) EuroNcap

Adult occupant The passenger compartment remained stable in the frontal impact. Dummy readings indicated good protection of the knees and femurs of the front seat occupants. However, structures in the dashboard posed a risk of injury to occupants of different sizes and to those sat in different positions and protection for the knee/femur/pelvis body region was rated as marginal. In the side barrier impact, protection of most body regions was rated as good. Dummy readings for the chest were also good but the car was penalised for loading the dummy in an unrealistic way, and the protection was rated as fair. In the more sever side pole test, dummy readings of rib deflection indicated marginal protection of the chest. Protection of the neck against whiplash injuries in the event of a rear-end collision was rated as marginal. Child occupant Forward movement of the 3 year dummy, sat in a forward facing restraint, was not excessive. In the side impact, both the 3 year and the 18 month dummies were properly contained within the protective shells of their restraints. The passenger airbag can be disabled by means of a switch, allowing a rearward facing restraint to be used in that seating position. However, information provided to the driver regarding the status of the airbag is not sufficiently clear. The dangers of using a child seat in that seat without first disabling the airbag are clearly indicated on labels in the car. Pedestrian The bumper scored maximum points for the ...

2009-2010 Mini Cooper IIHS Side Impact

Front-Rear Head/neck GG Torso GM Pelvis AG Head protection GG Structure/safety cage = A Test details: The Mini Cooper was redesigned for the 2007 model year. Beginning with 2008 models manufactured after July 2008, changes were made to the side torso airbags to improve occupant protection in side impact crashes (note: information about when a specific vehicle was manufactured is on the certification label typically affixed to the car on or near the driver door). Injury measures: Driver — Measures taken from the dummy indicate that a fracture of the pelvis would be possible in a crash of this severity. The risk of significant injuries to other body regions is low. Rear passenger — Measures taken from the dummy indicate that rib fractures and/or internal organ injuries would be possible in a crash of this severity. In addition, loading to the shoulder was excessive. Head protection: Driver — The dummy's head was protected from being hit by any hard structures, including the intruding barrier, by a side curtain airbag that deployed from the roof and a side airbag that deployed from the seat. Rear passenger — The dummy's head was protected from being hit by any hard structures, including the intruding barrier, by a side curtain airbag that deployed from the roof.

COLT PYTHON 357 MAGNUM 4" BLUE

The Colt Python was officially introduced in 1955 as Colt's top-of the-line revolver. It was Originally intended to be a large frame, double action (DA), .38 Special target revolver, but at the last minute the chambering was changed to .357 Magnum. This fortuitous decision resulted in what is arguably the best all-around handgun in the world. Almost immediately the Python gained a reputation as the premium American revolver. It is built on a .41 caliber size frame for extra durability. The action is fitted and hand-honed in the Colt Custom Shop to insure superior fit, smoothness, and a good trigger pull. The Python has many special features. Like all Colt revolvers, the cylinder rotates into the frame for an extremely tight lock-up. The Python barrel has a ventilated rib on top and a full length underlug. Inside, Python barrels are bored with a very slight, full length, taper toward the muzzle for superior accuracy. All Pythons come with excellent adjustable sights. The front sight is pinned to the full-length ramp atop the ventilated rib so that it can be changed (at the factory or by a gunsmith) if desired. The rear sight is an Accro target sight. These sights are durable and very accurate. The full-length lug beneath the barrel was originally hollowed-out. Colt soon began leaving the underlug solid. Even the finish on the Python is superior. Colt's Royal Blue is the ultimate polished blue finish for steel guns. No other blued production revolver can compare to the ...

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Japanese Dragon Tattoos - Tips for Finding the Perfect Japanese Dragon Tattoo

Don't get Japanese Dragon Tattoos until you read this. After reading this short article, you will be more well informed and able to make a better choice when selecting your Design.

Let's begin. The dragon has long been an important symbol in Japanese mythology. The Japanese dragon is a fascinating creature with the head of a camel, eyes of a hare, horns of a deer, scales of a carp, paws of a tiger, and claws of an eagle. Additionally, Japanese dragons also commonly have long whiskers and a jewel under its chin.

Many people are attracted to the allure of these mystical creatures, but few people truly know what they symbolize. Japanese dragons, like their Chinese counterparts, are distinct from Western dragons. Whereas in Western culture they are depicted as evil and malevolent, dragons in Japanese Mythology are viewed as guardians of the imperial families. For this reason, many people chose the Japanese dragon to serve as a guardian and protector. In Japan, a dragon is normally called "Ryu" (You might recall Ryu from Street Fighter). These mythical beasts command a high level of respect since it is believed that the first emperor of Japan was descended from a dragon. In Japan, these creatures are also viewed as gods of lighting and thunder.

Popular locations for Japanese dragon tattoos include full back and upper arm designs. For upper arm designs, the dragon typically wraps around the arm, with the head extending onto the chest or back region. This however should not limit your decision on where to place this tattoo. The style and location of your design should be personal and unique, as these factors will ultimately determine the meaning of your tattoo.

If you're looking for really cool Japanese dragon tattoos, I highly recommend you check out the internet's largest tattoo gallery at www.chopper-tattoos.net

Crash Test 2001 - 2006 Dodge Stratus ( Side Impact ) IIHS

Dodge Stratus 2001-06 models results also apply to: 2001-06 Chrysler SebringSIDE IMPACT TEST WITHOUT OPTIONAL SIDE AIRBAGS OVERALL EVALUATION: Poor Injury measures Head protection Structure/safety cage Head/neck Torso Pelvis/leg Driver Acceptable Poor Poor Poor Poor Rear passenger Good Acceptable Good Marginal Important: Side impact crash test ratings can be compared across vehicle type and weight categories. Test details: The Dodge Stratus and Chrysler Sebring were redesigned for the 2001 model year. When side airbags are optional, as in these vehicles, the Institute conducts the test without this option. If a manufacturer offering optional side airbags requests the Institute to conduct an additional test of a vehicle with this option and agrees to reimburse the cost of the vehicle, a second test is conducted. DaimlerChrysler did not request such a test. Injury measures: Driver — Measures taken from the dummy indicate that rib fractures plus a fracture of the pelvis would be likely in a crash of this severity. Serious neck injuries also would be possible. In addition, loading to the shoulder was excessive. Rear passenger — Measures taken from the dummy indicate that rib fractures would be possible in a crash of this severity. The risk of significant injuries to other body regions is low. Head protection: Driver — The dummy's head was hit by the intruding barrier. This hit did not produce high head injury measures, but head hits with intruding objects such as other ...

Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria #46 - Palace of the Venerated Dragon (5)

Boss time! Boss is against the Dragon Zombie. Setup for this fight would be Flame Baselard, as well as attacks with Holy or Fire Properties. As for Skills: Unholy Purifier and Zweihander or Dragon Slayer, since the Dragon is Giant and Dragon. Plus, this is the 3rd time fighting it. First time, forgot to use Double Check. Second time, battle wasn't going accordingky, so I decided to get a Game Over. This time, I used Double Check, but this time, I didn't get it in 2 turns like last time. First off, the Dragon will be powerful. To weaken it, go for the 3 Orbs (each has 1000 HP) located around the room. You can tell by looking at the floor. 2 are behind a wall (500 HP), while 1 is behind the Dragon. After destroying the Orbs, the Dragon will weaken significantly. Now for attacking the Dragon: you can go for the Core, which has a small amount of HP, and it is a vital part. But...you have to go through the head and neck area. Its body is also a vital area, and is easier to take out. Restore AP by going around it. Dragon Zombeh attacks: Dark Displacement is annoying. Long range, and inflicts Poison. Insanity Eye, which inflicts Confusion, and hurts. Foul Stench inflicts Fraility, and is powerful. Maleficent Harm is its Great Magic. Earth elemental, and hits everyone! I let it slipped in since I couldn't defeat it in 2 turns like last time. It wasn't that dangerous to me. Kicks in when HP is below half, usually around near death or so. Items of interest: Attack the tail for ...

Heroic German Shepherd Helps Two POWs Escape From the North Vietnamese

Just as the North Vietnamese firing squad lined up to execute the POWs, from behind a dried-up banana grove a burst of M16 automatic fire hit the four North Vietnamese soldiers in the squad, cutting them below the waist. With the next short burst the other two soldiers next to them keeled over.

Shirtless, face muddied, with a wide, white-toothed smile, Nino Aquino "the Lurp" --Sabino's best friend-- advanced, a ten-inch gleaming blade in his hand, and Sabino's huge German Shepherd, Vinonegro, right by his side. Without effort, Nino cut the ropes, helping Sabino to his feet. Unable to contain his emotions much longer, Vinonegro stood up placing his front paws on Sabino's chest and licked his face, all the while whimpering, yelping and emitting almost inaudible barks.

"Vinonegro tracked you down, man--he never lost your scent!" said Nino as he helped Major Bates to his feet. But the Major couldn't hold himself up and collapsed to the ground. Both Sabino and Nino kneeled down to examine the Major's severed tendon.

"That looks bad, man," said Nino. "The river isn't far from here, Vinonegro knows the way. But we need to make some headway now--I mean now!"

Only after a splatter of blood hit his face did Sabino realize that the mama-san had snuck up behind them and with incredible speed and viciousness slit Nino's throat.

Shrieking and hooting, the wiry woman lunged off toward the banana grove, but before she even reached the edge, Vinonegro brought her down with one arching leap. In the next second he had locked his jaws around the woman's scrawny neck, and with incredible force he whipped the woman side to side like a rag doll. By the time Sabino reacted and whistled his cease and release code, the woman was already dead.

"Never trust a woman with bad teeth in black pajamas - Mama-san Death," Nino rasped weakly. "Take the blade... I want you to have it." As he grabbed the 10-inch blade, he felt Nino take his last breath and die in his arms. That's what life is --a sigh, a puff or breath-- God's spirit.

After collecting the dog tags from Lieutenant Burch and Nino Aquino, Sabino looked around, grabbed a pistol and a Zippo lighter, immediately heading west in search of the river. It was a painful journey. With Vinonegro, the magnificent hound, walking point, Sabino and Major Bates simply followed him. Once in a while Vinonegro would disappear as he trotted ahead, returning soon, his tail switching as if telling Sabino "this is the right way." As daylight waned, they decided to hide in thick, knee-high elephant grass and wait the night out. It wasn't long before they fell asleep, lulled by the distant shelling, the faint outburst of Russian AK-47 rifle fire and the drone of B52s in the stratosphere. So fatigued were they that even the trumpeting of mosquitoes or the scurrying of rodents, frogs, scorpions and other creatures and crawlers of the night could not stir them from their deep slumber.

At sunup, a soft snarl in his ear alerted Sabino to danger. When he sat up he saw Vinonegro point towards the edge of the grass patch; he then heard the stamping of feet. A squad of Victor Charlies-VCs, or Viet Cong fighters-was on the move in their opposite direction less than twenty yards away from them. A search party looking for us, he thought. As the noise from the footfalls faded in the distance, Sabino scratched Vinonegro ears, caressed his dew-damp coat, and whispered to him, "Good, boy, Vino! You can really sniff Charlie sweating out that nuoc mam." Soon thereafter they got started, but made very little progress because Major Bates could no longer hop, his good leg now cramping and knotting. They halted for a while. Although the Air Force owned the skies --for during the day they heard the continuous drone of B-52s and saw fighter bombers and assault helicopters swoop overhead-- they couldn't signal at all because the fields and woods were teeming with Viet Cong squads. Only once, when a C-123 cargo plane swooped down in a low glide to unload defoliants did Sabino dare signal, but to no avail for a white dust-gathering into puffy clouds of Agent Orange-soon covered the sky.

"You go, Sabino...I can't make it...this is as far as I can go." Sabino saw that the Major's foot had swollen to the size of a football.

"You are a noble man, Major Bates. You took that bullet because of me and I won't leave you; I owe you my life and I will help you to the last gasp. We both go or I'll stay with you and we'll both die. Hang on. I will make a litter and drag you to the river...it is just a short ways, then we'll be safe."

With as much energy as he could muster, Sabino cut some branches and tied them together with strips of cloth he tore from both of their shirts. The rest of the cloth he used to improvise a harness, and when the harness broke, he fashioned stronger strips from his pants. Sabino was a sight to behold: blood was caked on his six-day unshaven face, one eyebrow hung loose over his eye, his legs were bleeding from hundreds of tiny grass-blade cuts, and his hair was thickly matted. And were it not for his boots and the torn skivvies --by now a scant, muddied apron that partially covered his rump and private parts-- he would be totally naked. This, too, shall pass, he'd repeat to himself, and he'd drift into long-ago-lived scenes: His freshman year at Columbia College. He'd see himself walking along Broadway and stopping by the West End Bar to have a beer, or having a cup of coffee at the Chock Full O'Nuts at the corner of 116th Street, or hurrying to class, circling around the Sun Dial on his way to Hamilton Hall. Or he'd conjured up visions of his sophomore and junior years in which he roamed through the Lions' Den, Canon Bar, the Abbey Pub, and other waterholes frequented by Columbia undergrads.

With the will of a possessed Olympian god determined to win against all odds, he dragged the litter one step at a time, all the while hearing his father's voice: God and honor, Sabino; or what's a man for? And at times he'd also hear the melancholy peals of his mother's organ, or Melodium, as she was fond of calling her much beloved instrument, or her sweet voice: You'll grow up to be a man of right, Sabino; a man who loves God and defends his friends and his women.

Wearied beyond human endurance, he trudged on with quaking, weak-ever weaker-steps, while his burden seemed to get heavier with each pull and tug. Yet, glancing over his shoulder, he'd prop up the Major's sagging spirit: "I hear the water, and now I smell it - hang in there, Major!" When Vinonegro trotted ahead and didn't return within his usual scout time, Sabino knew something was up. Major Bates asked Sabino to go see and to take the gun, to which Sabino signaled no: a gunshot would bring a swarm of Victor Charlies in a minute. He whispered, "I'll take Nino's knife." Then he heard Vinonegro' growl-- for the kennel geneticists had hardwired his breed not to bark when out in the field searching for Charlie-- growing more menacing.

In one second, Sabino assessed the situation. Vinonegro had cornered a Monocled cobra against a rocky wall. Hissing, baring its fangs, the huge snake wasn't about to yield an inch of its territory. Vinonegro would retreat only enough to get out of the cobra's striking range, for when the primeval reptile stood on its end, it rose at least seven or eight feet tall. During a pregnant interval, both stared at each other as if locked in a blinking game. At times Vinonegro would also stand on his hind legs, his black-reddish coat fluffed up, the black and copper bristles on his face and neck straight out like knitting needles. The instant the cobra saw Sabino it stood again, challenging him, its tongue darting and flicking, its head frozen as if suspended in the air by an invisible rope, gently swaying and biding its time to strike. After the initial sighting, Sabino backtracked less from fear than from awe of the magnificent beast. Angel and Fiend, he thought as he turned back to the spot where he had left Major Bates. But in a minute he returned to find Vinonegro and the cobra locked in a staring down duel. Time, noise, change, motion, and succession had stopped for both. Stillness reigned. Taking advantage of the frozen moment, Sabino got closer --feeling his heart stop between beats-- and with a swift thrust, he trapped the cobra's coiled end with the V shaped pole from the stretcher. In the next second Sabino heard not a hiss but a cavernous grunt from the depths of the monster-cobra while its ribs fanned outward forming a sinister hood. Slowly the fearless man moved the V end of the pole towards the head while holding its tail with his heavy boot, but just then a grating sound distracted Sabino, causing the snake to break out of the hold.

It took him but a fraction of a second to realize that the accursed brute had distracted him by grating its scales against each other. But just as the fiend attempted to flee, Sabino seized its neck with his two bared hands, both --man and fiend-- wrestling and rolling on the ground away from the rocky wall. Within seconds the giant serpent wrapped its body around Sabino's torso and legs, entwining and crushing the man's flesh and sinews. Meanwhile, Vinonegro, as if guided by human sense rather than canine instinct, kept sinking his teeth into the snake's soft underbelly. Though the animal didn't have the power of a Boa Constrictor to crush his ribs, Sabino knew that he could only keep his grip for so long, and that the snake would outlast him despite Vinonegro relentless attack.

I've been in worse situations, he thought, and always come out alive-this shall pass, too. Slowly he regained his balance and attempted to maneuver himself onto his knees, but the cobra as if guessing his intentions constricted even tighter. He recalled the time in his childhood when a farm worker had caught a rattle snake by its tail and swung its head against a rock. He could still see the man then drawing his machete and slicing the animal in two, and his fascination in seeing that out of the belly of the mother snake four or five diminutive neonates slithered out; the farmhand explaining to him that the mother protected her hatchlings by keeping them warm in her belly, that it was a myth that the rattlers ate their babies. Crush her head against the rocks, he heard himself say. But how if I can't get near the boulder?

Try as hard as he might, he just couldn't maneuver his legs. The muscles in his forearms were now beginning to feel tired, and he could feel his grip begin to slack. In panic and desperation he drove the head into the ground, but the damned animal tensed up, twisted, and resisted. Just when he was about to let go, for he could no longer keep the hold, he heard a familiar voice: "Hold her still," he heard Major Bates yell.

Sabino saw the Major hopping in one leg, Nino's gleaming blade in hand. With one sharp stroke of the well-balanced blade, Major Bates decapitated the huge fiend. The Major patted Sabino on the shoulder, "You're some tough hombre, Sabino." They both looked at each other in silence and in that finite instant in that remote, godforsaken place of the universe they bonded; though little did they know that they had bonded for a lifetime. While the snake's body twitched and uncoiled, Vinonegro --belly down on the ground-- his ears drawn back, watched it, fascinated by the leeches springing out from between the scales. Soon after Sabino eviscerated and skinned the magnificent but lethal creature and raw snake filet was their appetizer and main dish. And for dessert Sabino skewered tidbits of the juiciest and softest meat, which he charred with the Zippo lighter he had wisely carried away.

Without hunger pangs and refreshed, Sabino hitched up the harness again. After a long stretch of super-human effort, they reached a patch of rocky terrain. He stopped talking to Major Bates because the man was --exhausted and wasted by the hobbling and pressure he had put on the tumescent foot-- feverish and delirious, his bad foot glistening like an unripe, oversized, dark-green eggplant.

So tired...The straps were now cutting deep into his chest and shoulders, his hands blistered.

When Vinonegro pointed at the dark squadron of bats flying overhead towards the line of white-dusted poplars and weeping willows, Sabino knew the river was near. And in a short while he saw a forlorn, napalm-burnt Buddhist pagoda and the boulders, both a football-field distant. And just as he collapsed from exhaustion, his mind a blank slate, Vinonegro took off at full speed.

In an eerie subliminal zone of his feverish mind, Sabino dreamt or imagined that the cobra's pining mate had slithered to his side and wrapped herself around him immobilizing his legs and arms, and that her fiery breath was not only scorching his mouth but also muting his voice. Loud as he might scream no one could hear him; his scream was utterly voiceless. Then the fire subsided and a refreshing coolness soothed his smoldering face. Sabino came to his senses when he felt Vinonegro's thoroughly wet snout refreshing his face, and standing next to him three Buddhist monks with shaven heads, looking down at him.

With a feeble gesture Sabino groped for his blade like a punch-drunk boxer looks for his lost mouth protector on the canvas. "Take it easy, brother," he heard a voice resonate and echo in the chambers of his mind: "easy... easy.... brother... brother. Relax, homeboy, boy... boy... boyyyy-you're in good hands now," the voice continued in perfect American English. Sabino's eyelids fluttered and when he focused, his eyes seemed to say, "Who'n the hell are you?" Reading the quizzical look, the senior monk said, "CIA--your hound brought us to you."

The Fable of: Big-chest-Chapter #6 The Ice Sheet

Chapter Six

The Ice Sheet

Moreover, everyone seemed to have their place: some were designated as hunters, others as fisher-people, and still others, such as the women would clean up the campsites, caves they'd live in and so forth and so on; and there was those who carried wood and looked for wood; and still others who made the fire and of course the protector, Big-chest--who along with being the leader and giving orders did an assortment of things, in reality, a little bit of everything. They even had some sacred signs, a starting of a language and spoken words that they all understood; all signs of a civilization in the makings, a culture if you will in the process: a background for a new nation one might add

--in addition, Big-chest often went against the current of the group, but on the other hand, won their respect. In essence what Big-chest was doing, was new to him--that being, dealing with emotions, and thinking along with being a responsible leader, and not knowing the difference before--in any of these categories, and having just learned it recently: the difference between thinking and feeling, or thinking vs. emotions, he now was squeezing refractory-emotions into what one might call--longer and slightly wider, channels: so you see, he was now feeling them, and slightly reacting to them. And so during his leadership--should we say--the learning process, he was equated to being, or having a double-edge to his personality (which in itself was healthier than being only one edged, and having it be all of terror): but what I was about to say is: being double-edged made him a strict leader, as he was a disciplined survivor and hunter of men, by nature: thus, it served the purpose of the group at this vital time. Had he been the way he was in the Valley of the Caves, no one would have survived; in a like manner, had he turned out to be, too soft for this journey, no one would have survived either. And so it was, in all respects, and I repeat myself: his temperament was rooted in the right soil at the right time, for the right people, on such a long, very long journey.

[Eskimos] Little Bird-turtle was 4'11," with dark black hair and dark brown eye, similar to her sister, who was also a bit taller and prettier; and the men were of a short size also, as I previously mentioned; all officially part of the Eskimo group. It also should be noted: it was not uncommon to have most of the tribe's children being: half-brothers and half-sisters--and if a women chose not to be bear children, she was either cursed, or begged to bear them, or considered as Little-bird was: of a sacred mission.

As they drifted slowly across the Atlantic, every so often one could hear the tail, the underwater tail of the ice-sheet rubbing against other objects; the ice-sheet was hitting land--scratching and scraping it sounded like: horrible, frightening, akin to twisting the ice-sheet about at times; where it was thicker it made more noise as if pieces of the extending ice under the water was being broken off--and the ice-sheet was getting thinner. (It would seem the closer they got to the west, to the pole in the Hudson Bay, the warmer it got.) Soon the square mile of the ice-sheet, was half its size, and the seals and walrus's that migrated onto the ice-sheet as it drifted, had now gone, for they could be seen with the blink of an eye--and evidently that was too hazardous for them, especially with Toma and Tundra around with their harpoon like spears. And if they did come upon the ice [the walrus' that is] it was for only a moment and then dived back into the cool waters--escaping the deadly arms of the Eskimos. And so during this time, hunting for food got slim at best.

One of the things during this time was Toma's wildness in the catching of turtles; he must have captured a dozen in a week, and brought them to the three igloos and shared them with all on the floating ice-sheet. This substituted for some of the loss of protean and nourishment they were receiving from previous hunting activities.

Toma cutting up a Turtle

Big-chest and the White Polar Bear

It was going on their 24th month since they left the Valley of the Caves, and now Big-chest's little girl was running around [End of winter], and one could see land way off in the distance; possibly this was the land that kept hitting the ice sheet (a gradation to its surface), so thought many in the Assemblage [now the group being called the Assemblage, a name of their own, one all could pronounce], but whatever it was: for the most part, it seemed to be somewhat of a land bridge to the north of this huge iceberg they were on, and a great white bear found himself on it also. As Single-tooth squeaked his danger sounds, all were alerted, especially, Big-chest.

The group stood by the igloos, the king, King Big-chest stood in front of them, and the bear crawled closer and closer to the igloos.

Said, Tundra:

"No, you can't fight him; I will kill him with my spear..." But Big-chest couldn't, or didn't want to understand the full of it, and even though he looked at Tundra's long and piercing spear, he shook his head, not believing it would do the trick. The bear was too big for him, Tundra thought. When the bear got within a few feet of Big-chest, he stood up, and he must had been all of thirteen-feet high, Bigger than Big-chest, whom was over eight feet, possibly eight and a half, but far from thirteen-feet: and in his old age, he had lost at least a foot off his back arch.

Big-chest started beating his chest, and the bear started growling, both now walking in a circle, as Tundra and Jaguar-eyes both got their weapons ready; Jaguar-eyes had a flanked-stone long knife, Toma a bow and arrow, Tundra a spear, long with a Clovis fluted point; Stern-toes a club, and the women had long tusks from the walrus. Then Tundra told the group to circle the bear, as no one could tell Big-chest what to do, he figured it better he take command on the perimeter, while Big-chest does what he wants to do in the inner circle. Next the bear took a sweep with his hand, his giant paw: at Big-chest--and Big-chest stopped it. All were surprised, even the bear, as the bear stopped a moment to refigure out his plan; thus, he tired it again, but Big-chest again stopped his paw from slapping him yet he got scratched from his long claws: which were in, in itself painful. The bear threw out his paw again, and with Big-chest's large mouth, he bit the bear's paw, it was similar to a knife cutting through ice, you could hear the bones crack--Big-chest's jaws were akin to a bulldogs. After that, the bear became frustrated, stood up to show his height, and fell right on top of Big-chest, but as he was falling Big-chest grabbed him by the sides of his belly, holding him up and off a tinge, and threw him to the side, but the bear was too powerful, he just got back up--a little shaken, but not hurt, and Big-chest was getting tired, he was not the unbeatable young buck he was decades earlier (as he may have thought he was).

Toma shot two arrows into the bear, but it didn't stop him, and Tundra took the spear and shoved it into his spine, and Stern-toes clubbed him over the head several times, then Big-chest beat his chest for everyone to stop, and he jumped on the bear beating him and beating him with his powerful hands: all could hear the ribs of the bear crack, his spine now was disengaged, and his neck broken. Aw yes, likened to a bull, the bear was weakened, and Big-chest did the rest, but it was Big-chest nonetheless who legend would record, stood up single-handedly against the bear.

Tundra the Hunter of the Arctic

As Big-chest got up, he found he had a hard time balancing his body--in addition, he lost all logic of direction for a moment, and even his thoughts were stagnate. He had never been tired like this before and was a bit dizzy, along with being a tinge embarrassed because he needed help. But all in the group jumped up and down with joy, calling him: "Big-chest, the king, and the mighty one," he of course enjoyed the celebration and adulation, but he knew after this day, he knew he was not as mightily as the skilled hunter, and he needed them, as he hoped they remain needing him.

The Dance

That evening the whole group got together and held hands dancing around one of the igloos. It wasn't resembling the dance the People of the Fire used to dance, thought Jaguar-eyes, where his father would try to excite everyone in the tribe, get their blood hot, and then kill a few boys or women for a sacrifice, eat them, and then dance all night until they got exhausted, as they chewed on local-weed which grew nearby.

This was started by Little Bird-turtle, along with some humming which was added to the dance, and holding of hands, which seemed to calm all down, even old Big-chest; for still he was trembling inside, yes again he knew these were signs of old age, that the new people around him, the young ones, it was their time, and he was on his way out. His eyes slightly down a bit, kind of ashamed he needed help, but it was something he'd now have to get adjusted too, to get used too: it was reality. He was in a different world now, and a new time period for the world at large, an epoch had started, and he was part of making this new and different world-epoch, this era what it would be 10,000-years beyond his life time, and he knew: that is, kind of knew, how his leadership was, it would have to be a sample of how it would be for all after he was gone, and he did for some reason want to leave a legacy, or at best, a new group of people with hope for their future, something taken away from him by the Stone-Builders: for spite if anything, the Stone-People for killing off the whole world that did not see eye-to-eye with them--this new mixed group would be a new breed that someday would have to confront possibly, them again. And he was not king for nothing, he told himself, he was king because it was fate, it was meant to be, and he was the best one for it (he did have a rich ego you know).

Along with watching the stars in the sky, and the beautiful colors of the Northern Lights, they, this group learned now how to hum and dance, and laugh, it was breathtaking when one added this to the beautiful night, as if a ray came right out of heaven with its rainbow of mystic colors to sweep over this one and only drifting ice sheet in the Atlantic--this night was a night to remember, a night of celebration. Pekingg-girl stood silently looking at Big-chest daydreaming as the twilight darkened:

Pekingg-girl Daydreaming

Pekingg-girl in her own way loved Big-chest, for deep in her loin's stirred desire--her breath stopped the first time they had made love: she felt sensations in her stomach as well, when he touched her. She lay naked--with her youthful wishes; Big-chest saw this and sniffed the air often, gazing at her, drawing close to her, she'd touch his thigh, not knowing how at first, but somehow learning quickly: instinctive if you will. With her touch and kisses were important, she held him captive and he held nothing back.

Now she turned her mind to the present, his body got exhausted quickly, his life force was spent for the most part, his knees trembled at times, and his arms limp, yes old age was his disarmament--and quickly did it come, she thought. And in the process of all, he was becoming fully human it seemed.

As brave as he was, Big-chest was, he told Pekingg-girl in confidence, "Why should we fear, we are mortal now, like the Stone-People by the Valley of the Caves; and our time is like a flicker of light in the bonfire, then we are gone, dead." Big-chest had now seen a few life times compared to his race--his breed, and many a creature and man died, it was part of the cycle, nothing to fear, only face and go through, and now what he was saying or thinking, was go through and out of perhaps; this never bothered him before, but now it was a reality, not an issue, but a known-observable and thinkable fact (if not most of life being of foolishness and vanity).

Crash Test 2003-08 Ford Crown Victoria / Towncar (Side) IIHS

Ford Crown Victoria 2003-08 models results also apply to: 2003-08 Mercury Grand MarquisSIDE IMPACT TEST WITHOUT OPTIONAL SIDE AIRBAGS OVERALL EVALUATION: Poor Injury measures Head protection Structure/safety cage Head/neck Torso Pelvis/leg Driver Marginal Poor Marginal Marginal Poor Rear passenger Good Good Good Acceptable Important: Side impact crash test ratings can be compared across vehicle type and weight categories. Test details: The Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis were re-engineered for the 2003 model year. Two tests of the Crown Victoria were conducted, one a 2007 model equipped with optional side airbags, and one a 2006 model without side airbags. These vehicles are rated separately, except that the structural ratings and rear passenger injury and head protection ratings for both vehicles are based on both tests. Injury measures: Driver — Measures taken from the dummy indicate that rib fractures and/or internal organ injuries would be likely in a crash of this severity. Serious skull fracture and/or brain injuries plus serious neck injuries would also be possible, as well as fractures of the pelvis and left femur. Rear passenger — Measures taken from the dummy indicate a low risk of any significant injuries in a crash of this severity. Head protection: Driver — The dummy's head was hit by the window sill of the driver door, producing high head injury measures. Rear passenger — The dummy's head was hit by the pillar behind the rear passenger door ...

Crash Test 2004 Suzuki Verona (Side Impact) IIHS

Suzuki Verona 2004 models SIDE IMPACT TEST NO SIDE AIRBAGS AVAILABLEOVERALL EVALUATION: Poor Injury measures Head protection Structure/safety cage Head/neck Torso Pelvis/leg Driver Poor Poor Marginal Poor Marginal Rear passenger Good Marginal Marginal Marginal Important: Side impact crash test ratings can be compared across vehicle type and weight categories. Test details: The Suzuki Verona was introduced in the 2004 model year and discontinued after the 2006 model year. Seat-mounted side airbags designed to protect drivers' and front passengers' heads and torsos were made standard in 2005-06 models. (In 2004 no side airbags were available.) Two tests of the Verona were conducted, one a 2005 model equipped with standard side airbags, and one a 2004 model without side airbags. These vehicles are rated separately, except that the structural ratings and rear passenger head protection ratings for both vehicles are based on both tests. Injury measures: Driver — Measures taken from the dummy indicate that serious skull fracture and/or brain injuries, plus rib fractures and/or internal organ injuries would be likely in a crash of this severity. Neck injuries and a fracture of the pelvis also would be possible. In addition, loading to the shoulder was excessive. The seat belt unlatched late in the crash after the maximum injury measures occurred, but seat belts should never become unbuckled. Rear passenger — Measures taken from the dummy indicate that rib fractures plus a left ...

Evoshield custom formed rib shirt

Evoshield is custom forming athletic protection. This video is a fittng of the rib protection shirt from evoshield

Crash Test 2000 - 06 Mazda MPV (Side) IIHS

Mazda MPV 2000-06models SIDE IMPACT TEST WITHOUT OPTIONAL SIDE AIRBAGS OVERALL EVALUATION: Poor Injury measures Head protection Structure/safety cage Head/neck Torso Pelvis/leg Driver Marginal Poor Good Poor Marginal Rear passenger Good Good Acceptable Marginal Important: Side impact crash test ratings can be compared across vehicle type and weight categories. Test details: The Mazda MPV was redesigned for the 2000 model year. Injury measures: Driver — Measures taken from the dummy indicate that rib fractures and/or internal organ injuries would be likely in a crash of this severity. Serious neck injuries would also be possible. Rear passenger — Measures taken from the dummy indicate that a fracture of the pelvis would be possible in a crash of this severity. The risk of significant injuries to other body regions is low. Head protection: Driver — The dummy's head was hit by the intruding barrier. This hit did not produce high head injury measures, but head hits with intruding objects such as other vehicles, trees, and poles should be prevented. The high neck injury measures were recorded before the barrier hit the head. Rear passenger — The dummy's head was hit by the window sill of the rear passenger door. This impact did not produce high head injury measures, but the head protection is inadequate.

GINGER (Zingiber Officinale)

Ginger, native to S.E. Asia, but now cultivated in China, India, the Caribbean and West Africa, is one of the oldest oriental spices known in the west. It was particularly popular in Medieval and Tudor England where it was valued as a medicinal and a culinary spice.

Indeed, Ginger developed the reputation of being a panacea for everything including the plague. It was used in pomanders and potpourris to counteract unpleasant odors and was even used as an aphrodisiac. The medieval treat of Gingerbread is still popular in England. It is often stamped with a design and a gold leaf. Although a tropical spice, Ginger is quite easy to grow in a pot. It makes an attractive houseplant with long grass-like leaves. Unfortunately, it rarely flowers in cultivation, but if you're lucky, you'll get a bloom of dense, cone-shaped spikes, yellow and green with a purple lip, about three inches long at the end of a foot-long stalk. Plant a rhizome or root from a grocery store or nursery in a roomy pot with a good mix of peat moss, sand and potting soil. The plant likes high temperatures, high humidity and moist soil, but also needs shade, so at the height of summer move the pot outside to a warm, but semi-shaded position. To harvest, pull the roots from the pot eight to 12 months after planting, slice off the leafstalks and fibrous root sections, cut off some root for culinary use and replant the rest. Whether homegrown or store-bought, ginger root can quickly become unpleasantly fibrous and difficult to slice or mince. One tip is to peel and slice the root while fresh, and then freeze it in plastic bags. This way you'll always have some fresh ginger on hand. Although it turns mushy when thawed, it retains its flavor and nutritional qualities. Ginger is a warming herb. It is used as a digestive aid to relieve nausea and to stimulate circulation. It is effective in the early stages of colds and flu to induce sweating and help the body eliminate waste. Ginger tea has long been popular with women for dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation). In China, Ginger is used as an agent for communication with the gods. It is also valued as a protector of the newborn. At the birth of a child, a piece of ginger root is traditionally placed in the entryway of the home to absorb the harmful character traits of any visitors. Ginger has always been popular in Asia as a savory spice added to meat, poultry and fish dishes. It is the perfect seasoning for spicy food, for it is piquant on the tongue, yet soothing to the stomach. In the west it is more frequently used as a dried powder in baking and dessert dishes, although I see no reason why the fresh root cannot be used in this application also. Following are two recipes using Ginger in both fashions.

Ginger Chicken

4 chicken breasts, skin on

1 bottle of beer

6 green onions, chopped

½ cup of soy sauce

¼ cup of fresh-squeezed lemon juice

2 Tbsp. honey

2 Tbsp. fresh Ginger, peeled and chopped

2 Tbsp. garlic, minced

1 Tbsp. Asian chili oil. Combine all the ingredients and marinate the chicken in the mix for at least one hour, but preferably overnight. Arrange the chicken breasts in a shallow pan, skin up, with enough marinade to not quite cover the chicken. Bake at 350ºF for up to one hour (chicken should always be well cooked), basting frequently, adding reserved marinade as required.

Transfer the chicken to a plate and keep warm. Spoon off excess fat from the marinade. Combine with any still reserved marinade and boil over high heat until it is reduced to about one cup. Serve chicken with sauce and rice and vegetable of your choice.

Orange Ginger Loaf

½ cup of milk (or milk substitute such as nut or coconut milk), lukewarm

1 tsp. baking soda

3 cups unbleached white four

1 tsp. cream of tartar

½ cup butter, melted

½ cup molasses

½ cup honey

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 Tbsp. fresh, minced Ginger

Pinch of cayenne

3 eggs, beaten

Grated rind and juice of one orange.

Thoroughly mix the dry and wet ingredients separately and then blend the two together before pouring into a well-greased bread pan. Bake for one hour at 350ºF. Test for doneness with toothpick before removing from oven. Chickpea flour makes a nutritious and tasty alternative to wheat, especially for those with a wheat allergy or intolerance. The following flatbread recipe makes a spicy carbohydrate accompaniment to almost any meal.

Spicy Chickpea Flatbread

1 cup of chickpea flour

1 tsp. ground cumin

¼ tsp. hot red pepper flakes

¾ cup of water

½ cup garlic chives, chopped fine

¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped fine

1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced

½ cup seeded, peeled and diced tomatoes

1 tsp. sea salt

Mix the chickpea flour with the cumin, salt, red pepper and water in a large bowl. Stir in the garlic chives, cilantro, ginger and tomato. If the mix is too thin - it should be slightly thicker than pancake batter - add a little more chickpea flour. Lightly oil a large non-stick pan or griddle and place on a medium-high heat. Spoon about two Tbsp. of batter into the pan for each flatbread. Cook for one to two minutes each side, turning more than once if necessary. When done, the flatbread should show dark spots.