Amateur radio or ham is largely a hobby activity. The majority of the hobby time is spent on making contact and having conversations with people in distant regions and from different cultures. Two-way communications, identifying their location and station, zone, region and place is the usual custom. This is always followed by other casual communications. If the contact is made for a contest to make two-way communication with as many stations or ham radio operators as possible, this all the information that is shared.
DX-ing and DX-peditions:
An amateur radio operator’s main hobby is to make contact with as many stations as possible from as many parts of the world as possible. DX stands for Distant Stations. The DX-ing usually is followed with the QSO. (a Q code., see below) which means “a conversation”.
DX-peditions are different in the sense that they are expeditions organized/planned solely for the purpose of making contacts with some special or rare stations and regions. Some people travel a long distance just to make contact with some unrepresented region or place.
Radio Frequency scanners available nowadays form the tool of great use in these attempts. The radio scanner scans for signals until a strong signal is found and so on.
QSL cards:
The Q code is a standardized collection of three-letter message encodings, all starting with the letter "Q", initially developed for commercial radiotelegraph communication, and later adopted by other radio services, especially amateur radio. In today’s audio signal transmission age, the Q codes are not essential. but still in use and are viewed as a sort of tradition.
As a part of DX-ing and DX-peditions, the QSL card or the proof of contact card is shared. QSL is one such Q-code that means “I acknowledge receipt”. The common practice was that the ones who made contact at a particular frequency exchange a QSL card in the mail to confirm their contact and conversations. These QSL cards can be used as a proof of their making contact and amateur operators who make contact with a certain number of other amateur radio operators in a specified time is awarded. Moreover, they are distinguished and honored since they are deemed to be efficient amateur radio operators.
Remote region contacting:
Some countries have less amateur radio operators, and making contact with these are considered special. So, when a radio amateur from these regions makes contact, other ham operators flock to make communication with this / these hams. Making contact with these less represented places has its awards and special considerations in the award programs.
Hamfests:
Social events for ham families and friends. It’s something akin to the family-oriented social fests where there are sales, exchanges, meetings and fun. Similarly, the fest is filled with selling and exchanging hams, meeting real-life ham friends and fun events for a day or sometimes over a few days.
Discussion groups and Nets:
Ham operators form a discussion group based on common interests other than ham or it can also be a ham related discussion group and they can form nets or networks.
If a radio hobbyist gets involved with all of these different activities, he or she is sure to never be bored. Look into some of them, and see if you would like to get involved.
In the world of bodybuilding, the dietary loss supplement weight controversy is huge. If you are serious about bodybuilding, this is an issue that you cannot avoid - especially if you have body fat. So, what is the deal with the dietary loss supplement weight controversy?
In recent years, many weight loss dietary supplements have been pulled off of store shelves by the FDA. It seems that they have horrendous side effects, such as heart attacks, strokes, and liver damage. But weight loss is still important in the bodybuilding world, so what should you do?
You should use the most miraculous bodybuilding supplement known to man - creatine. Creatine has an incredible number of benefits, it is safe, and it is highly recommended by doctors, scientists, and bodybuilding experts - and even weight loss experts these days.
It is amazing that there are still so many different dietary loss supplement weight products out there being used by bodybuilders - most of which do not work, and others of which are absolutely dangerous - when we have creatine which is highly approved of, incredibly effective, easily affordable, and simply proven to work.
Creatine occurs naturally in the body, and it consists of three amino acids, which include Methionine, Arginine, and Glycine. Once in the liver, these three amino acids are combined, and they produce creatine.
What scientists have found is that when you have plenty of creatine in your system, your muscles use more adenosine triphosphate during exercise. This is important because this is what gives the muscles energy to perform the exercises that you are doing. The more creatine you have in your system, the more ATP you have, and the more exercises you can do.
Creatine is so effective in the process of building muscles that it has been deemed the legal steroid - even though it isn't actually a steroid. Creatine is perfectly safe, and it does not change your estrogen or testosterone levels in any way.
In terms of weight loss, creatine is effective in that it has been proven to burn off excess fat while building lean muscle mass. This happens very easily. The idea is to absolutely drench your muscles with creatine, by taking a creatine supplement. This, in turn, will attract water to those muscles. When this happens, the muscles must expand, which makes them bigger.
Bigger muscles require more energy than smaller muscles. When they cannot find that excess energy anywhere else, the muscles will start using stored body fat for energy. Note that exercise is still required; however this is incredibly beneficial for bodybuilders, and in recent years has settled the great dietary loss supplement weight controversy.
The works of William Shakespeare bears no comparison in the history of arts. He was a versatile English poet, play writer and actor. He has written nearly 38 plays, 154 sonnets and countless poems between the years 1582–1612, which are remembered even to this day. They had a great impact on English literature and western theater. All his works have been translated into all known languages and they have been performed around over the world over a million times.
Although most of his works were written for English audience the appeal was universal. His writing style was greatly influenced by Christopher Marlowe. In 1594, Shakespeare became part-owner of Lord Chamberlain’s Men, a drama company. By then he had even started acting, along with writing plays. Under his presence, the company became so famous which made King James I buy the company and then it was named as King’s men.
His plays revolved around tragedy, comedy, romance and history. He started his career reworking on other writers work which was common at that time. Since then he helped the playwrights to finish their work fast. Like Hamlet was the new adaptation of a lost play named Ur-Hamlet and King Lear was the new version of King Leir. His plays on history were inspired by the Greek, Roman and English history. Plays like Plutarch’s Parallel Lives and Raphael Holinshed’s The Chronicle of England inspired plays like Macbeth and King Lear. Tempest was his original work.
Shakespeare’s early works of the 1590s were based on romantic comedies and historic nostalgia which were the storyline of works like A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Henry IV, Part I. After the plague, he began including rhymed couplets and dramatic dialogues in his work. His middle period works revolved around betrayal, murder, egoism, power, ambition, lust, tragedy and comedy. Plays like Othello, Hamlet, Macbeth, King Lear, Troilus and Cressida were based on them. His later works were mostly romantic and fantasies such as The Winter’s Tale and The Tempest. His works were also published in the press as a series of quartos. Two actors named John Heminges and Henry Condell started First Folio to honor and publish Shakespeare’s work exclusively in 1623. Categories such as comedies, tragedies and histories were made in First Folio. Modern critics have added categories like problem-play and tragic-comedies.
The exact order of plays is unknown and has always been the subject of an argument as at his time, plays weren’t authoritatively printed. Many of his plays had many different blueprints due to the textual corruption like printer’s error and compositor’s misreading, so the recognition of his original work is a problem. Many words and spellings were invented by Shakespeare.
He had a habit of writing his plays number of time using those different words and spellings. After his death, speculations have risen about the authenticity of Shakespeare’s work. There has been a very little record about the events that happened in his life and nor does his will gives an account on any of his plays, poems, sonnets and ownership of the Globe theater. It has been rumored that they might be works of Francis Bacon or Christopher Marlowe.
The works that have been lost are Love’s Labour’ Won, Cardenio and Quixote. Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, King Lear, As You Like It, Hamlet, The Taming of the Shrew, Othello, Julius Caesar, The Tempest, The Merchant of Venice, Twelfth Night, Macbeth and Richard III are some the critically acclaimed works of William Shakespeare.
The time between when it first dawns on you that you could start learning to brew your own beer at home and when you actually take a stab at it is often a long one. For one thing, it takes a pretty significant learning curve to even begin to visualize that it possible to make beer at home. Oh, you may have heard about home breweries but to think of doing it in your own home setting is a leap of understanding that takes some time to get through.
The internet is often a source of information that we go to start learning more about a new area of life like home brewing. Perhaps that is how you found this article and that’s good. That means you are off on the right foot and using free information from people who have already learned a few things about brewing at home to get your orientation to what it would take for you to learn to brew your own beer at home.
As often happens with any new area of interest, if your fascination with how to brew beer at home starts to get some momentum, it’s a good way to go to log on to the major homebrewing websites and begin to get oriented to the methods, the equipment and the process of brewing beer at home. Do be aware that some of these sites get very technical and it's easy to get intimidated.
But if you can just get an understanding about the equipment and the ingredients and some basic ideas of how the process would go if you were the one doing the brewing, that is a good start. Because online articles and websites mix expert knowledge with newcomers orientation, if you do stumble into a section of those sites that you don’t understand, just surf on to pages that are intended to help you where you are and understand that when you get to that level that that technical sophistication, you can always come back to these pages. Just build a good bookmark library because it will serve you well.
But to pick up speed on learning the real details of what brewing is all about, you don’t have to depend just on reading or books. Because brewing beer in your own home is more than just book knowledge, it is handling of equipment and ingredients, the more direct exposure you can get to the brewing process, the better. But it is also very likely that you developed your interest in home brewing while enjoying a good brew at your local brewpub. Most towns have brewpubs where homemade beers are sold in just about every flavor, colorant texture. Many times these brewpubs grew up out of a home brewing hobby that just got bigger and bigger until it became an enterprise and a money-making business
That is why most brewpub owners are more than happy to give tours and lessons in home brewing. This is probably some of the most value exposure you can get to how the process of home brewing works. By walking through a brewery where the beer you make is made, you can step through the process to get a feel for how you will proceed. You can see the boiling pots, how the strainers are used and the filters and fertilizers and everything that is needed to take beer from raw materials to the finished state of a fine brewed beer. In fact, with a little charm and by working for free, you may be able to apprentice in the brewpub making beer. This time will be tremendously valuable to you to help you learn the ropes of making your own beer.
You combine this hands-on knowledge with what you are learning online and from other training sources along with what you can learn by networking with other experienced home brewers and you have a powerful source of knowledge that will pay you well when you start making your home beer yourself. And that knowledge will result in some great tasting beers from your kitchen so you will be glad you took the time to learn all you can before taking the plunge.
Census is one of the many resources you can utilize in having your family history search. For those who are not thoroughly familiar with a census, basically, it is a list containing all the population members of a certain area or locality. Apart from the actual account of the number of inhabitants census also indicates vital records which include names, citizenship status, and age.
It should be made clear that census offers one of the crystal clear looks of family background. But it is not a perfect mechanism as errors may sweep in the midst of counting and documenting. Here are some tips on how to ward off certain errors in family history search involving census.
In order to combat errors, you must first know why such things take place. When it comes to the census there are two aspects revolving around errors. One of which has something to do with the takers of the census themselves who are labeled as enumerators. The other one can be attributed to transcribers’ errors. Name spellings can be done through the use of phonetics, initials, and abbreviations. In this manner, errors occurred due to the fact that they get misheard. Present transcribers are trained to be well-versed in terms of past handwriting styles but mistakes do still occur.
There are a lot of means of getting passed through the roadblocks that errors build in front of your search. You can start by doing your searches in variations. How can this be done? Well, use abbreviations, phonetic spellings, foreign translations, or even nicknames that were fondly used during the past. You can also have initials to trigger off your searches. This is how enumerators commonly record. Play with the names by interchanging the first and last names. Different enumerators have different ways of writing the complete name.
Other ways of waving off errors during your search include narrowing your search by specific parameters such as the location and the birth or death date of the person. You can also try your luck by doing the search involving other family members. You just have to be savvy in your search and learn all sorts of mechanisms involved in the recording of a census in the past.
There are also times when transcribers get mixed up on how certain letters were written by their past counterparts. You should be wary of such letters which include s and l; t, f, j, and i; p, k, and r; o and q; and u and w. Another search technique that is commonly utilized is by using a wildcard search. This involves the characters asterisk and question mark. The asterisk can be used to represent up to six characters while the question mark is for only one. One method that can be time-consuming but offers accuracy and reliability is by looking at the page of locality and town accounts page by page.
Whatever the error may be you just have to know how to ward it off and manipulate it to your advantage. Enumerators and transcribers are only human. No matter how good they are in their work mistakes can really take place. In order to make the lives of other researchers that may follow you, make sure that you submit a correction of the mistranscribed name to the proper agencies concerned.
Accuracy is very important in a family history search. It takes wit and diligence in order to wave off errors that can deal your search to a temporary halt.
In the annals of American history, there may be no other country name that evokes such emotion as the country of Vietnam. The history of this conflict is more than just a military struggle. The impact that the Vietnam conflict had on American culture and foreign policy for many decades to come make it a truly watershed war in the life of a relatively young country.
Vietnam was not, on the surface as clearly a moral battleground as World War II or the Civil War had been. That in itself made it more difficult for Americans to understand and become patriotic about as they had been in prior wars. Yes, as in past conflicts, we found ourselves defending our allies, the South Vietnamese against the attacks of a communist neighbor to the north. And in that way, it became a struggle to assist an ally, a military objective that America had long embraced.
But the war was not just with the North Vietnamese. To a very large extent, the war was against the Chinese and the Russians who were using the theater in Vietnam to wear down the American fighting force. It was a war that had been going on for many decades before the Americans got involved as a regional battle.
Many foreign powers had gotten involved and left defeated so when America entered this conflict, it was a very different kind of war than we had been used to. The armies mixed with the population. There were no uniforms and formations and battle theaters as battle could occur anywhere at any time. Combine that with a hostile jungle setting and the complete absence of any battle protocol and you had a formula for failure if not a very difficult road to success.
Vietnam also is a watchword for the tremendous resistance movement that rose up on American soil to try to stop the conflict. This resistance movement became deeply entangled with a huge change to the social fabric in the rise of the youth movement, the hippies and the fast-moving surge of the civil rights and the woman’s rights movements. This made the era of the late 1950s through the early 1970s tremendously difficult to navigate as a nation.
Vietnam did follow somewhat of a predictable path of invasions, major battles, setbacks and regrouping of our forces. But the military faced a huge challenge in facing the many new war scenarios this difficult combat setting presented. As the casualty count grew, without a clear cut definition of victory and with very few clear victories to demonstrate to the American people our superiority, the ability of civilian leadership to sustain the support for the war effort became jeopardized.
Vietnam very much represents a transition in how America viewed the conflict. We came out of the huge successes we had seen our military bring in battle. The defeat of Hitler and the axis powers in World War II gave America a sense of confidence, of divine calling, to prevail militarily and the concept that we are the good guys and we will always win. But we did not win in Vietnam and that was and is a hard lesson to learn.
America demonstrated its devout dedication to the concept of supporting an ally in a warring situation when it committed troops to the Vietnam conflict. But there were many lessons to be learned about preparation and going into a conflict with a strategy that had a high probability of success. In wars to come in later years such as Grenada, the Balkans and the Liberation of Kuwait, we demonstrated that America had learned those lessons going in with a massive force and achieving victory before we got bogged down in a long civil conflict.
So we can applaud the bravery of our troops and the willingness of our leadership to learn from a tough war like Vietnam. The lessons to be learned from Vietnam are still being worked out. But in the end, we will be a better nation and a stronger nation because we put ourselves on the line for a friend, even if the outcome was not the desired outcome.
All beginner airbrush artists should understand the parts of their airbrushes and what these parts do. After all, how can you create great airbrush art if you do not truly understand your airbrush equipment? Take the time to gain knowledge of all the parts of your airbrush will help you to learn how to properly work your airbrush and also how to take care of it.
If your airbrush is an internal mix then it will have a needle. The purpose of the needle is to control the paint flow. Any damage to your needle can cause very bad paint spray patterns. It is important to keep your needle from getting bend and either straightening the needle or replacing the needle.
The air cap and head assembly are on the front of your airbrush and they cover the tip of the needle. The purpose of these parts is to control the atomization of the paint spray. Should these parts become dented or damaged in any way you should replace them immediately. Damage to the air cap and head assembly will affect the performance of your airbrush. Thus like the needle, you will be unable to create desirable airbrush art. Both the needle, air cap and head assembly can be purchased at almost any craft or hobby shop that sells airbrushes and airbrush parts.
The airbrush trigger is what allows you to actually operate the airbrush. In a single action airbrush, the trigger controls the air flow. In a dual action airbrush, the trigger controls both the air flow and the paint flow. Beginners should really take the time to practice how the trigger works so that they can perfect their ability to airbrush. Your airbrush will have a back lever as well that acts to shut off the air flow and paint flow when the trigger is released. If this should become damaged then you could have serious problems with your airbrush. Don't worry though it is not hard to replace these parts should there be any damage.
Your airbrush will have a handle on which you can hold onto the airbrush with. Airbrush models come with either a solid handle or a handle with an opening. The purpose of this opening is so that you can adjust the needle without removing the handle in a single action airbrush. Most experienced airbrush artists will actually take their handle off so that they can deal with clogging issues without delay. So the choice is yours as to whether or not you want the handle on or off of your airbrush while you are creating airbrush art.
Pay special attention to the threads on your airbrush. The threads are located on the head assembly and where the air hose connects to your airbrush. If these threads should ever become cross-threaded then you could end up with an air leak. An air leak will affect the function of your airbrush so make sure to take care not to cause any cross-threading in these areas.
Across the nation, there are thousands of people who are extremely passionate about building and racing remote-controlled cars. If you ask one of them how much money they could spend on building a remote controlled car, you will be surprised at the answer. It is possible to spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars on top-notch equipment to create an insanely fast and good looking car. If you want to get into the hobby of building radio controlled projects, then you will definitely have to spend some money along the way. You will be faced with very expensive components. However, you don’t need to buy expensive parts for your first car. Read on to find out some of the ways that you can save money.
You should never buy cheap supplies just because they are cheap. If this is your first radio controlled car, you want to get an accurate feel for the hobby without spending too much. This is why you want to buy top quality parts that will make for a great car. At the same time, you may find that the hobby is not for you at all. You may burn out on it after just a few hours of putting together your model. If this is the case, that is another even better incentive to avoid buying expensive parts for your first car. Usually, hobbyists will start to invest more money and more time in their 2nd or 3rd car, after they know that they have the expertise to do it right.
The best way to build your first radio controlled car is to buy a kit that includes just the radio components and the motors. The radio control kits only cost 20 or 30 dollars at your local craft store. Buy it before you start to put the car together so that you can know what dimensions you need to allow for. You can build the car itself from cheap wood and glue (And time. Lots of time.) Go to your local hobby store or lumber store and look for some sort of light wood that you can use to make the car. You will use some sort of epoxy or superglue to hold it all together.
If you would like to take an even less do-it-yourself approach, you could buy a remote control car kit that includes the model for the car. Unless you are a master craftsman, this finished product will probably look better than anything that you could have made from scratch. These kits are very cheap as well. You won’t get much control over how the car looks, which is a huge advantage of building it on your own from scratch. If you want to make it look a certain way, all you have to do is cut the wood a little bigger or a little smaller. Ultimately it is up to you – both will give you good experience in building remote control cars, so it just depends on how much time you want to spend.
If you tried to race against some of the more advanced cars with your kit assembled car, you would be left in the dust almost instantaneously. Your car definitely won’t have much power and it probably won’t have much in the looks department. However, neither of these is important compared to the valuable thing that the new car has given you: experience. By sticking with the easy car when you first start getting into the hobby, you will be ahead of the game when you go to build a nice custom car. In addition to this, it will have allowed you to decide whether it is a hobby that you would like to stick with. So even if you are the type that likes to jump headfirst into things, just hold yourself back and stick with the inexpensive car kits.
There is plenty of territories out there that you can explore on a snowmobile. In the winter time the open areas become covered in snow, but with this type of equipment, you can get where you want to go in no time. Many people enjoy riding on a snowmobile just to have a good time. Others use them as a way of life due to the location where they live and the severity of the weather.
It is a favorite past time though to engage in snowmobile races because they can go quite fast along the snow. The bottom of the machine is equipped with special skis that allow it to glide over the top of the snow instead of getting bogged down in it. They also use a very small amount of fuel so you can go quite a distance on them.
Most snowmobiles are very easy to handle and you can ride with either one or two people on them. Even young children are able to operate snowmobiles with parental supervision. In addition to racing snowmobiles, they are often used for exploring and for climbing mountains. It is not uncommon for people to load up their cross-country skis and then drive to the top of the mountains on their snowmobiles. This is often done in pairs so that they can ride one snowmobile to the top, ski down, and have another to take them back to the top again.
The newer models of snowmobiles are able to operate at a rate of 100 miles per hour or more. This means they can be involved in very exciting races that take place along a straight away or over a particular course that is being used for the event. You do have to be very careful with a snowmobile though as you don’t want to be involved in an accident. Having the right equipment will help you avoid injuries if you can’t avoid the accident altogether.
Some snowmobile races are in place among those that live in the area and want to entertain themselves. Others are sponsored by big-name companies that manufacture snowmobiles. They offer cross country races as well as those that take place on oval tracks and the competitors have to complete a set number of laps. You can win trophies, cash, and prizes if you win the various snowmobile events that are offered.
The big names in snowmobiles are Polaris and Arctic Cat. Both of them continue to come up with advanced models of snowmobiles in order to get the consumers to buy from them. In very cold areas including Alaska and Canada, there are tourist locations where you can rent snowmobiles for the day to explore. This is a great option if you are thinking about purchasing one but you haven’t made up your mind yet.
It is important to wear the proper clothing and safety equipment while operating or riding on a snowmobile. Too many people suffer from either frostbite or hypothermia because they aren’t dressed for the cold weather when they ride a snowmobile. You need to dress in layers to maintain your body heat. The outer layer should be a waterproof snowsuit. Make sure you have on a hat and gloves to prevent heat from leaving your body from your head and from your fingers getting frostbite.
Make sure you wear waterproof boots that will offer you good traction for when you get off the snowmobile to walk around or to add more fuel to the tank. You should always wear a helmet when you ride a snowmobile because you never know when something will be in the way. Sometimes there are things under the snow that you can’t see so an accident is unavoidable. Serious injuries and death can occur if you hit your head, and it can be a long time before help can arrive if you are exploring the wilderness on a snowmobile.
The American Revolution was a civil war between Loyalists to the British crown (aka Tories, about one-fifth of the population), supported by British expeditionary forces, and Patriots (or Whigs) in the 13 colonies that constituted British North America.
About 20-25% of the populace in the colonies - c. 600,000 - were blacks. About one-third of the white denizens were non-British. Local patriotism ran high. All adult, white, property-owning, men (about two thirds of the male numbers) were eligible to vote in elections to the lower house of the legislative assembly of the colony they resided in. Each colony also had its governor.
Some colonies (e.g., Rhode Island and Connecticut) were, in effect, incorporated under royal charter as semi-commercial ventures. Others belonged to the descendants of their founders (proprietary colonies such as Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware). Georgia, North and South Carolina, Virginia, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire were royal provinces, under direct British rule.
Some of the colonists - for instance, the New Englanders - were among the wealthiest and best educated people in the world, better off than the British themselves. But, per capita, they paid only 3% of the taxes levied on a typical Briton. The colonies supplied the West Indies with most of their foodstuffs and consumed British finished products - but they were not economically crucial to the British Empire.
In the years leading to the War of Independence (1765-1776), the British actually repealed all the taxes on products imported into the colonies - with the single exception of tea (and even this tax was drastically reduced). The colonists' slogan "no taxation without representation" was, therefore, more about local representation than about foreign taxation. And even this bit ringed hollow. The Encyclopedia Britannica: "The assemblies had the right to tax; to appropriate money for public works and public officials, and to regulate internal trade, religion, and social behavior". The role of the British government was confined to foreign affairs and trade.
But both parties to the conflict breached this modus vivendi. During the Seven Years (French and Indian) War (1754-1763), the colonies refused to relinquish control over their militias to the British command and smuggled French goods into British North America (France being Britain's enemy). The British, on the other hand, began interfering in the colonies' internal affairs, notably (but not only) by imposing taxes and customs duties in order to ameliorate Britain's growing national debt and by rendering tax officials financially independent of the local colonial assemblies.
Add to this a severe recession in the colonies brought on by unbridled spending financed with unsustainable personal indebtedness and, not surprisingly, acts of resistance to British taxation - such as the Boston Tea Party - were organized mainly by smugglers, artisans, and shopkeepers. Secret groupings, such as the Sons of Liberty resorted to violence and intimidation to achieve their (mostly economic but disguised as "patriotic") goals. Even women got involved in a "buy American" campaign of boycotting British goods.
Many British merchants, bankers, politicians, intellectuals, and journalists supported the colonies against the crown - each group for its own reasons. The merchants and bankers, for instance, were terrified of a mooted unilateral debt moratorium to be declared by the colonies if and when militarily attacked. Others found it distasteful to kill and maim white British subjects (as the insurgents were). Yet others resisted imperialism, the monarchy, taxes, or all three. Even within the British Army, there was strong dissent and the campaign against the rebellious colonies was carried out half-heartedly and lackadaisically. On the other hand, British die-hards, such as Samuel Johnson, demanded blood ("I am willing to love all Mankind, except an American").
In April 1775, General Gage, governor and military commander of Massachusetts, suffered a humiliating defeat in a skirmish in Concord and Lexington. The Patriots were alerted to his movements by Paul Revere who rode all night to inform them that the "regulars (not the British, as the legend has it) are coming." He was one of many such scouts.
The Loyalists fielded 50-55,000 armed men and the Patriots countered by organizing "militias" - irregular units of ill-trained and undisciplined volunteers. The Continental Army was established only in June 1775, under the command of George Washington, a veteran of the French and Indian War. At their peak, the rebels mastered less than 100,000 men in arms - only 25-30,000 of which were on active duty at any given time.
The Continental Army was, in the words of General Philip Schuyler of New York “weak in numbers, dispirited, naked, destitute of provisions, without camp equipage, with little ammunition, and not a single piece of cannon.” Late pay caused frequent mutinies and desertions. In 1783, Washington had to personally intervene to prevent a military coup. Only repeated promises of cash bonuses and land grants kept this mob of youngsters, foreigners, and indentured servants intermittently cohesive.
Still, they outnumbered the British and the "Hessians" - the 30,000 German mercenaries who participated in the 8 years of fighting. In all of North America, the British had 60,000 soldiers as late as 1779. They had to face a growing presence of hostile French, Spanish, and Dutch armies, supplies, and navies. The Native-Americans (Indians) supported mostly the British, especially west of the Appalachians. This provoked numerous massacres by the Patriots.
The War spread to other parts of the world: the Gulf Coast, the Caribbean, India, the Netherlands, the Mediterranean. The US Navy even invaded the British port of Whitehaven in 1778.
The conflict affected the civilian population as well with both sides committing war crimes and atrocities aplenty. With many men gone, women took over traditionally male roles and vocations, such as farming. Hyperinflation - brought on by $500 million in newly minted and printed money - led to mob scenes as storekeepers were attacked and warehouses looted.
The blacks largely sided with the British - but many joined the Patriots and, thus, won their freedom after the war. Virginia planters alone manumitted 10,000 slaves. By 1800, slavery was abolished in all the states north of Delaware.
All told, less than 7000 Patriots died in battle (and 8500 wounded). About 1200 Germans perished, too. No one knows how many British troops, Indians, and other combatants paid with their lives in this protracted conflict. About 100,000 Loyalists emigrated to Canada and thousands o others (mainly of African ancestry) went to Sierra Leone and the Bahamas. They were all fully compensated for the property they left behind in what came to be known as the United States of America (USA).
There are two forms of doing airbrush art. One way is that you can use stencils or masks to airbrush your artwork on to your project. The other way is that you can freehand the design onto your project without the use of stencils or masks. Most stencils and masks that you purchase are reusable. The stencils are made from different material depending on what the stencil will be used for. But no matter what material your stencils are made from they all have to things in common. One the stencils can start to get expensive purchasing. Secondly, you are limited to only creating designs based on the stencils that you can get your hands on. While these stencils can greatly aid you in your airbrush art, they also can hinder your creativity. So the best way to deal with having you use stencils and reduce costs as well as leaving your creativity open is to create your own stencils.
If you can trace you can create your own stencils cheaply. All you need to do is find a design that you like and then trace it out onto paper. Make several copies of the design since you will be cutting on them. Also, the airbrush paint will get them wet and they can start to tear. You will need to keep the original design so that you can refer back to it. After you have made copies of your traced design start cutting out the areas that you need to cut out. Then place the homemade stencil onto your project and begin to airbrush your project.
If you want to use a more durable material to create your stencils you can use the plastic pocket folders. These can be picked up rather cheaply from the store in the office supply section or hit the back to school supplies. You will need an X-Acto knife to cut your design out. Depending on the size of your stencil you can probably create more than one stencil from this plastic folder. If you purchase the see-through folders then you can use these for stencils even if you are limited to tracing your design onto the plastic folder prior to cutting it into a stencil for your airbrush art.
No matter what material you go with make sure that you remember to cut out your areas slowly. By taking your time you can make sure that everything matches up the way it should. If you are doing a stencil for say a dog then you would want to take your time and make sure that the eyes were the same size, the nostrils were cut out shaped the way they should be and so on. If you rush you could end up messing your stencil all up. The stencil is to aid you in creating your airbrush art and is a big part of the art process. If you have to then practice on a scrap piece of material till you get used to how the knife works and how to properly cut out the areas. This will help to ensure that you create a working stencil for your airbrush art.
Though Karate is often associated with Japanese martial arts, its true origin dwells in Okinawan combat techniques and Southern Chinese martial arts. It is basically a fusion of both arts and was introduced to Japan only in 1921. During this period, Karate was simply known as "Te", or hand, as called by the Okinawans. Chinese influence is evident in the original symbol for Karate - the "Tang Hand" or “Chinese Hand”.
There were no specified or concrete Karate styles in the early days and simply generalized as Shuri-te, Naha-te and Tomari-te, named after the three cities in which they were formed. Each city had its own methods, principles, system and traditions of Karate.
The introduction, popularization and modernization of Karate to Japan are mainly credited to Funakoshi, an Okinawan master, venerably regarded by many practitioners as “The Father of Modern Karate”. Other prominent Karate experts in his time include Kenwa Mabuni, Miyagi Chojun, Choshin Chibana, and Motobu Choki.
Japan began introducing Karate as a subject in schools before the Second World War and soldiers in the army were often trained in the discipline. Competitions and different styles also started emerging as several universities started karate club programs during this period.
The popularization of Karate in the West has its roots in the American military occupation of Japan and Okinawa after the Second World War and Japanese immigration to the United States.
Fundamentals of Karate:
Karate mainly stresses on volatile combat techniques such as punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open hand methods. Grappling, joint manipulations, locks, restraints, throwing, and vital point striking are also parts of this discipline.
Karate training is divided into three main sections –
• Kihon refers to the study of basic techniques, movements and components
• Kata or 'form', a fixed sequence of moves, is a series of movements and techniques linked together by the combative principles that the kata expresses.
• Kumite or 'sparring' evolves from well-defined kata to open attack and defense.
The Uniform – Color of the Belt and Ranks:
The Karate uniform is white and comprised of the Kimono (shirt), Dogi or Keikogi (pants) and a belt (white or colored), a combination introduced by Jigoro Kano, the founder of Judo. The color of the belt is dependant on the rank and expertise of a practitioner. In accordance with commonly held standards, white belts are for beginners, and black for the highest rank. This, however, may differ from one organization to another. Each rank may also have subdivisions of its own even if the color of the belt is similar.
Styles and Variations:
Karate styles can be broadly classified into Traditional and Full Body Karate. Traditional styles are those that developed in the early period of the 20th century and include variants such as Shotokan, Goju-Ryu, Wado-Ryu, Shito-Ryu, Kushin-Ryu, and Shindo Jinen Ryu. Full contact karate includes styles such as Kyokushin-kaikan and Kansuiryu. Many of the styles have offshoots that developed into styles of their own. Although the concepts remain universal, each representation differs from one another.
The Porsche 356 is the first Porsche production automobile and it was sold from 1948 through 1965. Although many consider Porsche 64 as being the first automobile produced by the German company, the 64 was never mass-produced and it was only a drivable test-mule. The 364 was created by Ferdinand Porsche and his son, Ferry Porsche, designed by Erwin Komenda and its engine features derived from the Volkswagen Beetle, designed by Mr. Porsche Senior.
The models available were initially coupe, cabriolet (luxury convertible) and then roadster (a stripped down convertible). Before being withdrawn in 1965, it went through several changes. The most desirable versions were 356 “Carrera” (often sold for well over $150,000), “Super 90” and “Speedster”. In the late '50s, the original selling price for a Porsche was $4,000.
In 1954, Max Hoffman, the only importer of Porsches into the United States needed a lower cost, racier version for the American marker. Therefore, the company created 356 “Speedster” that became an instant hit thanks to the low, raked windshield (easily removable for weekend racing), bucket seats, and minimal folding top. These days, this car is still very appreciated as it is sold for over $100,000 and it has been used in several films, including 48 Hours, its sequel – Another 48 Hours and Top Gun. In 1957, the production of Speedster peaked at 1,171 cars. In 1959 it was replaced by the Convertible D model, which featured a taller, more practical windshield, glass side windows, and more comfortable seats.
Year after year, the basic shape of Porsche 356 remained the same and was easily recognized and remarked, even though changes were made, especially in the mechanical area. Coupe and cabriolet models were produced every year up to 1965, with the last 356B Roadster built in early 1963. The final model build was 356 C that featured disc brakes and the most powerful pushrod engine Porsche so far: the 95HP “SC”.
In the year that Porsche launched 911, 1964, Porsche 356 production peaked at 14,151 cars. Still, the company continued to sell the 356C in North America through the end of 1965 as a lower-cost vehicle. When the customers complained the price for 911 was too high (almost twice the price of the 356), Porsche started producing the 912, using the 356 engine. The 912model was sold between 1965 and 1969.
56 years after the beginning of the production (2004), Sports Car International named 356C number ten on the list of Top Sports cars of the '60s. Today, the 356 is a respected car among the collectors, as it stood the test of time. Worldwide, thousands of 356 owners maintain the tradition, preserving their cars and driving them regularly.
People who collect toy trains have a genuine passion for them. Some people prefer to only display them one time of year around the family Christmas tree, while others dedicate entire rooms or sections of their houses to showing off their collection. However, a toy train is not just a toy train. They are not all the same and some are more valuable than others. Anyone who collects toy trains as a hobby is familiar with Marklin toy trains. These trains have been around since 1891 and are a truly unique addition to any toy train collection.
Marklin introduced a revolution in the toy train industry by introducing the very first inclusive set of trains in 1891. Marklin provided a fresh appeal to the typical toy train by introducing a series of standard track gauges and a variety of models with matching accessories. What came from this revolution was the ability to build on your initial train set by expanding your miniature railroad. It is thought that Marklin is at the forefront of developing the expanding toy train set.
Getting a hold of one of the timeless pieces from Marklin is no easy task and can cost thousands of dollars. In fact, some of the pieces are so rare that they easily run in the six digits. For example, an international auction of toy trains and accessories recently held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania sold a complete Marklin station for $110,000. The station included an exceptionally rare Marklin #2609 locomotive that was built precisely to scale and marvelously painted by hand.
The unique toy train set was just as astonishing inside as it was outside. (As most Marklin train sets are, no surprise there!) The station included five interior rooms that were cleverly adorned with tables, chairs and other furniture you would expect to find aboard passenger cars from back in the day. It was originally thought that this rare Marklin station would sell for around $30,000; that is until it became the ultimate "bidding brawl" between American and Europe. Two toy train collectors from opposite ends of the world both went to great lengths to snag the priceless item, but in the end, America prevailed in taking home the 29-inch long, 19-inch high beauty.
That wasn't the only Marklin item that brought in much more money than originally estimated. A Marklin #2609 locomotive was sold for $82,500. The gauge III set boasted a live steam engine and precise hand-painted detail. The original sale estimate was set at $25,000 - obviously, this goal was blown away when avid collectors from around the world united in hopes of bringing home a classic Marklin station. Several other Marklin items were sold at the auction, but surprisingly not a single Marklin piece sold for less than $25,000.
Now that you can see just how valuable these timeless classics are, chances are you won't find them for cheap. Ebay does occasionally place Marklin pieces up for bidding, but the results won't differ much from a live auction. You can purchase certain Marklin sets and accessories through marklin.com, but again, you will pay a pretty penny.
If you are interested in taking up a new hobby, and you enjoy thrilling, fast-paced action, why not consider snowboarding? Increasing in popularity year on year, snowboarding has always been highly fashionable and is no more accessible than ever, so you really have no excuse for not giving it a go if you are interested. In this article, we will look at the equipment you will need, where to get started, and the things to watch out for when snowboarding.
First thing’s first - get yourself online. Look around, and find out exactly what snowboarding involves. It is a dangerous game, and highly physically taxing. Additionally, it can be quite expensive, so you need to try to ensure it’s right for you. Next, you need to look for a board to get you started, and some clothing for wearing on the slopes. First off, forget about buying a top quality board. You need to start off with something cheap and cheerful, designed for beginners. You can find these easily online, and you may also be able to come across some models in your local extreme sports shop. Alternatively, you could try to pick one up second hand from a friend, or from another snowboarder. You also want to make sure you look cool whilst you're out there! Check out some of the highly fashionable snowboarding wear, and kit yourself out from hats to sunglasses to thick socks - make sure you’re prepared for the elements before you set off.
It is worth looking around to find lessons in your local area. Lessons range in availability, quality, and price, although you will often find recommendations or local adverts particularly helpful. Again you could look online for some tips to get you on your way. If you do take lessons, it is important to take on board what the instructor says from both a performance and safety perspective. Additionally, get out there and practice between lessons if you ever want to improve. If you stick at it and work hard, you will eventually see an improvement, and find the sport significantly more enjoyable also.
It is also good to note that snowboarding is a highly dangerous activity and people do get hurt. Before you even think about snowboarding, take some lessons in safety, and make sure you are fully equipped both mentally and physically for avoiding injury to yourself and others. Snowboarding is responsible for many accidents every year, and it is an extreme sport after all - if you’re of a weak disposition, it is perhaps not the best sport for you. Having said that, snowboarding can easily be performed safely with a bit of common sense, and a bit of research, so make sure you’re prepared before you get out there.
Warnings aside, snowboarding is great fun, if you like this sort of thing. Many people adopt the mantra that you should try everything at least once, and as far as snowboarding is concerned, this is definitely true. Try snowboarding once, and join the legions of followers who enjoy snowboarding at every opportunity. Chances are there are clubs and associations in your local town, so get yourself along and join in with like-minded people. Your level of experience doesn’t matter, as long as you go along and participate, you will gain a lot from it, and you will definitely have a good time in the process.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. being arrested in Montgomery, Alabama, for "loitering" in 1958.
Photo: Wikimedia
When you sit back and take in the phenomenal achievements of black history, it is natural to be moved to admiration by some of the great figures of black history including Booker T. Washington, George Washington Carver and many more. But one name stands head and shoulders above the rest and that is the name Martin Luther King, Jr.
Dr. King’s legacy of change and his call for the end of racism and segregation in American society is without question the voice that has moved America as no other has done. For while many have shown tremendous leadership, Dr. King clearly demonstrated a vision for the future of America in which black and white worked, lived, played and worshipped together as one society, not two.
The honor and reverence all American’s have for Martin Luther King, Jr. are evident in how honored his name has become since his tragic death at the assassin's hand in 1968. All around this nation, virtually every U.S. city has named a major road after the great civil rights leader. He singularly has a U.S. holiday named after him, an honor usually reserved for presidents. He has been honored on the U.S. stamp and no school child gets through his or her elementary education without knowing the key phrases from Dr. King’s famous “I have a dream” speech.
Dr. King’s career in civil rights is inseparable from the early struggles of the civil rights movement from the late fifties going forward. Our images of him walking side by side with his people unifying them behind his leadership and facing tremendous hatred and racial bigotry to take a stand in America to say without compromise that racism would not stand in this country anymore.
Those images of Dr. King working and marching with others who shared his courage to step out and make a change for the better are indelible on the American consciousness. For Dr. King was not a leader who sent his messages from the safety and comfort of a far away office. No, he was there, in the midst of his people, marching on Washington's arm in arm with the everyday men and women of this country who banded together to fight the evils of racism. It took tremendous courage for Dr. King to take to the streets with his people like he did and it was a risk that eventually cost him his life. But his courage inspired thousands to be courageous too and be one people, one brotherhood who would no longer allow racism to be the rule of law in America.
Dr. King’s famous speech from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on a hot August 28, 1963, has become so central to our American heritage that it is quoted with reverence by scholars, students and all people seeking their own inspiration from this great man. This speech ranks with Kennedy’s inaugural speech and the Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address as words that have inspired this nation like none other have been able to do. It is impossible not to get goosebumps reading these key phrases from that historic speech.
*I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.'"
*"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."
*"Let freedom ring. And when this happens, and when we allow freedom ring—when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children—black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics—will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"
When reading Dr. King’s prophetic words to us all, his ideas become our ideas and we all become challenged to make his dream come to life. And that is what is truly the definition of a great leader.
