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FIRECRAFT (FTF Bushcraft School Lesson 1)
2 Attachment(s)
What you'll need for the activities in this chapter:
•A knife (duh!)
•Wood. Even an old broomstick will do for practice.
•Some sort of cordage. Paracord is great, but cheap jute twine can be used as both cordage and tinder.
•A tin. A tobacco tin or an Altoids tin. Something small, flat and with a lid.
•A piece of cotton cloth. You can use other natural fibres.
Learning to control and make fire was one of the most important technological advances in the history of mankind. It's the tool that allowed us to expand to every corner of the Earth. If you look at the history of human evolution, you'll notice that the first big migrations started about the same time as the mastery of fire is attained.
Although there is some evidence of fire use by hominids as early as 1.7 million years ago, a lot of scientists consider it rather sketchy and anecdotal. Most agree that the first real proof of controlled use of fire dates back some 400,000 years (starting 125,000 years ago there's incontrovertible evidence of this type of use).
Fire brought a lot of advantages to Homo Erectus. It made it possible to see and do things at night, it kept predators at bay, it provided warmth in cold weather, etc. It also brought a host of new dietary options to H. Erectus' table. Thanks to fire, better sources of complex carbohydrates became available (like tubers that weren't edible raw, amongst other things) and proteins from animal meat became easier to digest (cooked meat requires less energy than raw meat to digest). Fire also made food safer.
Hundreds of thousands of years later, there's still nothing like fire for those who live or play outdoors. It makes water safe, helps us harden wood tools, cooks our food and signals for help (and it still keeps predators away). In a survival situation, some studies have shown that fire has a very positive morale effect. A place with a nice fire going just feels like home, it's engrained into our brains.
Sadly, modern conveniences such as lighters and matches have contributed to make us forget how to make fire with simpler tools. Not too long ago, flint and steel fire kits were quite common and people were used to using them to light their cigarettes.
There's a reason why matches and lighters became so popular: starting a fire without them is damn hard. Our ancestors knew this and that's why they always tried to keep a fire going and even came up with ways to transport it. I love rubbing sticks together, but I carry a waterproof Pelican box with lighters, matches, waterproof tinder, magnesium block and firesteel as part of my emergency gear. If I were to find myself in an emergency where wasting calories would be a mistake and hypothermia a very real threat, I'd reach for that Pelican box. Most primitive methods require a certain degree of dexterity and fine motor skills go out the window when you're hurt, tired, cold or just scared.
So, why bother learning this at all? Why not just carry a few extra Bic lighters and be done with it? Well, there are two answers for this. The first is a bit philosophical. I believe that it is our duty to pass down as much knowledge to future generations as possible. Especially the knowledge of those skills on which the very foundations of civilization rest. The only way to keep these skills from being lost is to practice them. It's also about the pride of self reliance, choosing to use matches instead of needing to use matches.
The second reason is purely practical: the more knowledge you've got, the more options you've got. I've never heard anybody complain about having too much knowledge at his disposal to deal with a given issue.
Like I've said before, statistically survival situations in the US last 72hs. That doesn't mean that all of them are over within that time frame. You might get rescued in three hours, or it might take three weeks. In those long term situations bushcraft and primitive skills can help you overcome supply shortages. They are also a great psychological boost: people who know how to make nature's resources work to their advantage don't feel that the world has turned against them when things go wrong.
There are a few different primitive firecraft methods. We'll only go into detail about a few, so that you have time to get some hands on experience with them. First of all, let's go over two basic rules that apply to every method:
•Think about where you're going to start your fire. Be safe and take the wind into account. Always think everything over twice, it saves energy and keeps you from getting harmed (or starting a blazing bush fire and creating some very bad press for FTF).
•Gather all your materials before you set to work. Collect your tinder, kindling and fire wood before you start working your behind off on your bow drill. All the work put into getting that little ember will be wasted if you don't have the proper kind of fuel at hand. Plan ahead (again, thinking saves energy).
The two main primitive fire making methods are:
•Friction. Includes bow and hand drill, fire plough, pump drill, fire saw, etc.
•Percussion. A hard stone (like flint) is used to strike another stone with iron in it (like pyrite). A carbon steel knife works, too.
Friction fire methods require very simple materials (a few pieces of wood, perhaps a bit of cordage) and the devices are easy to build. However, it takes a ton of energy to produce an ember (especially when working with less than optimal materials). The best known of these methods are the bow drill and the hand drill, and those are the ones we'll be focusing on.
Percussion takes a lot less physical labour, but it does require good tinder and materials that aren't as easy to find as those used for friction fire starters. If you've got a carbon steel knife, you only need to worry about finding a suitable stone and tinder. We'll learn how to make good tinder through the magic of pyrolysis.
Percussion fire starting (flint & steel)
Starting a fire with flint and steel will be our first order of business at the FTF Bushcraft School. This method was used until rather recently, and reached its peak during the late 19th century. Most modern cigarette lighters still rely on this system to produce a spark.
We'll need three things to successfully start a fire with flint and steel:
•Flint. Any hard rock, it might take a bit of searching but so far wherever there are rocks I've been able to find a suitable one. Using very basic knapping techniques (id est, bashing it against another rock) we can flake pieces off to expose sharp edges against which we'll strike our steel.
•Steel. Relatively hard carbon steel works well. Guess what has 4" of hard carbon steel and is hanging on our belt? That's right, our beloved Clipper. Knives with laminated blades don't work very well, because the spine is too soft to get good sparks (and has low carbon content). With those knives you'd have to strike the edge against the flint, causing some damage. The same can happen to knives with differential heat treatment. Stainless steel isn't good for this either. Axes and machetes sometimes work, but you need to strike close to the edge, where the material is hard enough. The natural option is iron pyrite, which can be used as both the striker and the flint (you can in fact use two pieces of pyrite to get a spark).
•Tinder. Basically, anything that will begin to burn from a spark. This is the tricky part about percussion fire, as long as you've got good tinder it's a piece of cake. There are two types of tinder: natural and manmade. Tinder is such a valuable resource that it's worth preparing in advance if at all possible.
Finding a rock and a striker should be simple enough (just get your knife and start hitting the spine with rocks until you get a spark), but tinder deserves a little more attention.
Natural tinder is found in the form of different fungi. One of them, known to bushcraft aficionados as true tinder fungus (fomes fomentarius), grows on living birch trees. It looks charred and is very useful. After removing it from the tree, cut it open and take the corky light brown interior material. Crumble it into a tin or a piece of bark to use as tinder. The harder parts can be used to brew tea. Many Russian folk medicines include powdered or boiled tinder fungus. Burning pieces where applied to the joints to help alleviate arthritic pain. Some people like to put little pieces in their pipes to help tobacco burn better. [Disclaimer: I'm not telling you guys to run out and start rubbing against mushrooms or smoking anything.]
False tinder fungus (phellinus igniarius) is found on dead birch and occasionally aspen. The harder outer layer needs to be removed to get to the cotton like material on the inside. That material can be worked into tinder and also burned as a mosquito repellent. The cottony substance inside the fungus has to be boiled in slurry made from thin ashes from a wood fire before it can properly catch a spark (that's the difference with the true tinder fungus, which you can use right off the tree).
Both the true and false tinder fungus can be used to transport a smouldering ember for very long periods of time. A technique used by many aboriginal peoples to save themselves the trouble of starting a new fire.
Using a process called pyrolysis we can easily make excellent, very reliable tinder out of commonly available materials. Cotton cloth works best. Pyrolysis is a thermo chemical decomposition at high temperatures with no oxygen present. An organic material is heated, it gives out gases and liquids and we're left with a solid residue that's much richer in carbon.
What does all these mumbo-jumbo mean for our practical caveman uses? It means that after we work like hell to get that first fire going, we can use it to turn almost any natural fibre into almost perfect tinder that will catch sparks easily and turn them into beautiful glowing embers.
If you have a small tin with you, cut your cloth into small pieces (2X2 inches or so) and put it in the tin. Don't pack it too tight. Punch or drill a small hole on the lid (don't make it too big). Close the tin and put it on the fire. Take it easy, it doesn't take a volcano to make this work. Just some embers. If you're using your kitchen stove, use a low flame. Be patient. Eventually smoke will start to come out from the hole. With some tins (if too much oxygen is getting in) you might even have a little flame, but it will die out. Wait a bit and take it off the fire. Don't open it right away! If the cloth is still too hot when exposed to oxygen it might burst into flames. You might scream like a little girl and your hunting buddy might just be videotaping you...
After the tin cools down, open it and check the contents. If the cloth is brownish, it needs more cooking. If it's black but it crumbles when you touch it, you overdid it. Start over. If it's black but you can handle it without it falling apart, you've got it. Go ahead, try it out. Burn a couple of pieces with matches or throw a few sparks on it with your lighter.
If there's no tin available, an alternate method can be used. It's not as easy and it might take more tries. Cut the cloth in strips and wrap it around a stick. Place it over a flame, take it out and cover it between two pieces of bark. It works, but it takes more practice and results aren't always as neat as with the tin, in a same piece of cloth you might get parts that are just right, some are burnt and some need more heat.
I've got the best results with 100% cotton cloth. But charring works with most natural fibres, jute twine, paper, etc. A friend of mine even tried it on thin steel wool with decent success. What I like about cotton cloth is that the resulting charcloth is somewhat resistant to handling and carrying (compared to what you get with paper, for example). Old t-shirts, jeans, etc.
Alright, we've got our knife (striker), a fresh batch of charcloth and a nice stone with sharp edges. Now what? In a nutshell, you need to strike the back of your blade against the stone and manage to land a spark on your tinder. There are a couple of different ways to do this.
You can place your tinder on a piece of bark (or in your tin), hold the knife still and hit the back with flint in brisk downward motions. This is safe, because you can hold the knife by its handle, but don't expect a shower of sparks. Or to be able to easily hit your intended target.
I prefer to grab the knife by the blade, with the edge pointing towards my palm. I then place a piece of charcloth between my thumb and the blade. Holding the flint steady in my left hand I strike the back of the blade against it with fast, brisk movements. This approach is quick, but you need to remember that there's a sharp edge pointing towards your palm. For a bit of extra safety, you can place the edge on a piece of wood and pound on the spine of the knife to drive it into the wood and cover the edge for safer handling.
Once a spark lands on the tinder and produces an ember, softly blow on it and take it to your bird's nest (a little bowl of dry tinder). Keep blowing until you get a flame. We'll cover tinder bundles (a.k.a. bird's nest), feather sticks and other similar things after the basic fire starting techniques. For now, if you manage to get an ember that's good enough.
If fungi and charcloth are giving you a hard time you can use cotton balls covered in petroleum jelly (Vaseline). Cover cotton balls in petroleum jelly, press hard and store them in a small canister. When you need to use them, open a ball up to reveal the dry interior. This will catch a spark and burst into flames, not an ember, it will actually catch on fire. It's great, cheap, waterproof emergency tinder. You can carry them in one of these nifty "spy capsules" Spy Capsule, Large (with every order from this place, you get an extra capsule free).
This will be the first assignment for our little course. Don't worry, we'll keep it simple. Here's what I want you to do.
•Make some charcloth. It doesn't need to be charred cotton cloth, play around and use whatever tickles your fancy. As long as it can be used to catch a spark and glow into an ember without disintegrating in your hands, it's good. If you've got the time and prefer to do it, go hunting for some natural tinder. Try to find true tinder fungus or something similar that grows near you.
•Find a rock hard enough to get sparks from your knife.
•Successfully strike a spark onto your charcloth and gently blow it into a small ember.
•Pictures of any part of the process would be greatly appreciated.
As you can see, this is something you guys can do in your kitchen. Just remember that the knife is sharp! Although the process is simple, it's not that easy. Don't be discouraged if you can't get good sparks right away. Or if they always seem to land anywhere but on your tinder. An instructor once told me: "If you aren't failing at primitive fire starting, you're doing it wrong.".
Next week we'll start Lesson 2: Friction methods.
The first picture below is true tinder fungus, the second one is the false one.
Edited to add: JD has offered to copy the most important info from the previous thread to this one. To make it easier for everybody to find it. Thanks, mate!
Most Excellent, I am going out to gather materials right now. Will post the gathered material later.
Apendix: Emergency Tinder
Here's how the vaseline saturated cotton balls work. They are cheap, reliable and very easy to use. Their advantage over more traditional tinder is that they burst into flames when hit by sparks instead of just starting an ember.
In this pics I used a cheap firesteel that doesn't produce very good sparks (I recommend the Swedish "Light my fire" brand, Kershaw's firesteels are made by them too).
I'm sure at least a few of you have seen this term pop up in books, websites and magazines. Lately it has become a somewhat fashionable term in the knife industry, which has lead to abusive use in advertising (very much like "tactical"). Nobody is really sure what it means anymore.
This is my personal definition of the term, based purely on my training and reading. I consider it an educated opinion, but an opinion none the less.
Bushcraft is a combination of traditional and primitive skills applied to outdoors living. The whole idea behind it is to rescue the kind of practical knowledge that helped human beings rise to the top of the food chain from falling into oblivion. It has very strong links to anthropology and to what some people call practical archaeology. Bushcraft enthusiasts look to aboriginal peoples to learn age old skills that have helped them live off the land.
The knowledge and skills associated with bushcraft are endless, ranging from making cordage out of natural fibres to building an igloo. What remains the same is the attitude behind it: work with what the land has to offer and your own ingenuity to improve your situation. Although there are all sorts of great toys and pieces of kit to help you out, bushcraft tends to take a minimalistic approach. A good woodworking knife is pretty much all you need.
Some people get bushcraft and primitive skills mixed up with survival techniques. There's a big, big difference. While bushcraft knowledge can certainly save your bacon in a tight spot, most of it is meant for longer term scenarios and sometimes requires too much work. I always use the same example. I enjoy friction fire starting, but compared to a Bic lighter and some waterproof tinder it's a waste of precious time and energy. In an emergency, you're playing the calorie game and need to get things done as fast and easily as possible.
However, should you lose or damage your equipment you'll be happy to carry the knowledge with you to get things done in an alternate way. If anything, just knowing that there's a "Plan B" will help you keep morale up. Statistically, in the US, most survival scenarios are over within 72hs. That's why survival experts put emphasis on equipment and techniques that are going to be crucial during those three days (things like food usually take a back seat to the holy trinity of water, fire, shelter). If for whatever reason your emergency goes beyond those 72hs, you'll be very glad to have invested the time to learn how to make the most of your surroundings.
There are aspects of bushcraft, like trapping and shelter building that are pretty much the same as what's taught at survival schools. Perhaps with more natural materials used for cordage and insulation (no paracord or space blankets).
Besides its practical side bushcraft is just plain fun. It can be frustrating at first, since we've forgotten how to do most of these things. But as you learn and practice it's just amazing. In a world where people have forgotten how to peal a potato without a specialized appliance making tea on a fire you started with a piece of stone and your knife, and stirring it with a spoon you carved is empowering. Getting back in touch with those basic but fundamental skills on which civilization was built is the ultimate lesson in self reliance.
Get ready to go primitive! It's loads of fun and literally so easy a caveman could do it!
Choosing a bushcraft knife
Very much like guns, there isn't a perfect knife that will suit everybody in every possible part of the planet. Different people have different needs, largely dictated by their environment. So the best bushcraft knife for you is the knife that you can use best for the most tasks. However, there are some common features that are desirable for most users in the majority of the world. We'll discuss those briefly here.
First of all, forget about folding knives. I love them, they have a lot going for them but they just aren't suited to be used as a main bushcraft knife. Compared to even a basic fixed blade, they are harder to clean, weaker and have more parts that can break.
While a bushcraft knife is a jack-of-all-trades of sorts, its main use will be carving and whittling wood. What makes a knife such an essential piece of kit is that it's a tool capable of making other tools. It also needs to be able to withstand relatively hard use, like batoning. This means that the knife we're looking for needs to have a full tang, running the whole length of the handle. Whether it's a full flat tang or a hidden tang is a personal choice. Both styles are plenty strong for our needs and they both have advantages and disadvantages.
Full flat tang knives are the strongest, but they are heavier than hidden tang knives and if the tang isn't properly drilled to save weight it may affect the balance. A handle heavy knife isn't very comfortable to use for long periods of time. In cold weather, the exposed metal in the handle can be a problem as well. Hidden tang (or "stick tang") knives have a bad reputation in some circles, but they are strong knives as well. Almost every single broken hidden tang knife I've seen has been due to bad heat treatment or stress risers where the tang meets the ricasso (there should be no 90° angles there!). The design is sound and works well.
As long as the tang goes through the whole handle, I'm fine with either type. In medium or small knives it doesn't matter that much.
That brings us to the handle. Look for a simple handle shape, designed for comfort and a variety of different grips. You'll need to hold your knife in a few different ways to get bushcraft tasks accomplished, things like finger grooves tend to get in the way (unless they are really shallow). Big double quillon guards are uncomfortable as well. If you feel the need for a guard at all go for something small and unobtrusive.
As far as handle materials go, choose whatever tickles your fancy. For sheer practicality, nothing beats synthetic materials like G-10, micarta, zytel, etc. Wood and other natural materials are nice, but make sure that they are stabilized, sealed or somehow protected from moisture. If you choose a wood handle, avoid those that look super nice but are too slick for a safe grip (some makers polish wood handles for looks and forget about function).
Blade size, shape and steel are the most controversial points when it comes to outdoors knives of any sort. There are a lot of guys out there who still repeat old knife myths as if they were gospel (stuff like "stainless steel doesn't take an edge like carbon steel"), and there are also a lot of gear junkies who want the greatest and latest without thinking about realistic field conditions. I won't get into very technical details but I'll take a minute to discuss each of these things.
Like I said above, wood carving will be the main use for our knife. It will also need to be able to dress game on occasion. For most people, medium sized knives work best for these tasks. While they aren't great for felling trees, through the fundamental skill of batoning we can get them to cut pretty sizeable pieces of wood. Big knives are nice, but for the same weight one can usually pack a lighter medium sized fixed blade and a specialized chopping tool such as a machete or axe (and having two tools is always better than having just one!). I feel comfortable with anything from 3.5 to 5 inches in blade length, with 4 inches being my "Goldie Locks" length (not too big, not too small; just right).
The blade shapes that work best are those with the point more or less in line with the centre of the handle and not too much belly (something like a Schrade Sharpfinger wouldn't work very well). This sort of point is useful for drilling and doing detail work. Some clip points, spear points and drop points work best. The blade doesn't need to be super thick. I've seen some ridiculous sharpened pry bars with 7mm thick blades and obtuse edge angles, they won't break... but they won't cut either. Try to look for a knife with sharp angles on the spine, they are great for scrapping and fire making.
Many people worry about everything on their knife, except about the type of grind. This is an important aspect of knife selection since it will affect performance and maintenance. The three main grinds you'll find are hollow (like a Buck 110); flat (like a Victorinox SAK) and convex (like Marble's knives or axes). For serious outdoors use I think the flat and convex grinds are superior. A hollow grind will tend to bind in certain materials when doing deep cuts and the edge isn't very well supported so it has to be kept a bit thick for strength. A convex grind will be strong and easy to maintain, you can also get away with a slightly thicker blade without sacrificing too much cutting power. Flat grinds also work very well and some people find them easier to care for than convex blades.
When it comes to bushcraft, there's one grind that reigns supreme: the Scandi grind. A lot of bushcraft enthusiasts and experts choose this type of grind because it's just great for detailed cutting and wood carving, as well as really easy to field maintain. A Scandi grind is nothing more than a sabre grind (a flat grind that doesn't go all the way up to the spine) without a secondary edge bevel like you'll see on most knives. This means that the grind itself is a single wide edge bevel that comes to a very keen edge. To sharpen it, you just lay the whole bevel flat on your stone. No angles to worry about.
To sum up, when it comes to grinds I'll take anything but a hollow ground knife. All the others work well if the edge isn't too thick (many factory knives have a thick "shoulder" right behind the edge that needs to be ground down for better performance).
Knife geeks can write pages and pages about steels and which is better for an outdoors knife. While it's largely a personal choice there are a few things to keep in mind. Cheap stainless steels aren't great performers; they might be OK for a city pocket knife but fall short for a bushcraft knife. Premium stainless steels are great, but beware of those with too much wear resistance because they will be very hard to sharpen in the field. Avoid mystery stainless steels that the manufacturer calls "surgical steel" or "high carbon stainless steel", when a brand uses good steel they make sure to publicize the name. Look for steels like VG-10, 154CM, S30V, 440C (it's been around for a while but it's still great) and D2 (not a true stainless, it's got a little less Chromium, but it's almost there).
On the other hand, there are some very good carbon steels that are quite affordable and, as a general rule, have more shock resistance than most stainless steels. They are also capable of creating sparks when hit with a piece of flint. The main disadvantage of carbon steels is that they rust if not cared for (well teach you a trick to help with these later on).
Always remember that steel, geometry and heat treatment need to work together to create a great knife blade. Dont let the hype surrounding some of the newest super steels fool you, sometimes is better to go with an older steel from a company that nails heat treatment and edge geometry.
My personal choice, unless Im going to be in a super humid area or close to salt water, is a simple carbon steel like good old 1095. Like I said, I dont want to go into any technical detail here, but Ill answer any questions you folks might have. Just post them in my Q&A thread.
Last, but not least, remember to get a good sheath. Sadly lots of really good knives come with rather crappy sheaths. Its good to learn some basic sheath making if you dont want to buy aftermarket ones. Leather, kydex (concealex, etc.), plastic, nylon (with some sort of insert) are all fine as long as they are comfortable to carry and hold the knife securely. I like simple pouch style sheaths that rely on friction to hold the knife, so I dont have to worry about retention straps that just get in the way. Leather is my first choice (wet moulded and protected with bees wax or sno seal), followed by kydex.
You guys know what knife we've chosen as the official FTF bushcraft blade, here are the reasons why.
Why the 840-MG Clipper?
This is a short article to share some of the reasons behind the choice of the 840-MG Clipper as the first FTF knife. I wont go into much detail, as well be addressing some of these points in depth as the project moves on.
Light weight.
I dont know about you guys, but I carry a lot of crap and like to shave ounces whenever possible. The Clipper is really light, around 3.5oz including the sheath. Thats lighter than many pocket knives.
Comfortable handle.
These knives are designed for hours of constant use, the handles are simple and pleasant to work with over extended periods. We feel that the Clipper offers one of the best handles in the whole Mora of Sweden line up, combining safety and comfort. The larger guards in some of the other models get in the way in certain grips and the slick wooden handles of some traditional knives like the #1 can get slippery with just a bit of sweat.
Excellent edge holding and ease of sharpening.
There are three key elements in the equation to create a good knife blade: steel, geometry and heat treatment. Fail at one of those steps and the finished result wont be as good as it could. The blade of the 840 is made out of 1095 carbon steel, a truly excellent steel thats used by companies like ESEE/RAT and TOPS. Its a simple steel that has been used by the cutlery industry for ages, heat treating it isnt complicated and the fellows at Mora have certainly mastered it.
Theres a stainless steel Clipper but the sad truth is that there arent any good affordable stainless steels. Good stainless steels like S30V, 154CM, VG-10 and such are expensive. And its not only the cost of the material itself, the manufacturing process is more complicated and money consuming.
The steel used in the 860 (stainless) Clippers is 12C27 at 57 RC, its not horrible but it doesnt hold an edge as well as 1095 at 59 RC. Oh, and you cant start a fire with a flint and a 12C27 stainless steel knife! You can do it with a 1095 blade.
Edge geometry is a big part of what makes Scandinavian knives special. They use a very simple but tremendously efficient flat sabre grind with no secondary bevel, what knife geeks call Scandi grind. This grind is ridiculously easy to sharpen, you just lay the whole bevel flat on a stone (or a piece of sandpaper) and pull the knife back. Te lack of a secondary bevel helps make the knife a great carving tool, it bites deep into wood and makes clean cuts.
In order to get the most out of the Scandi grind, the blade needs to be relatively thin. If its too thick, since the grind doesnt go all the way up to the spine, it wont slice well when used for food prep.
This was an important consideration. We wanted a knife that as many FTF members as possible could afford. We also wanted a tool that would get used, that people wouldnt fear modifying to better suit them. We werent after a safe queen.
Eriksson and Frosts, the companies that recently merged and formed Mora of Sweden, have been offering excellent quality at affordable prices for decades. Exactly what we were looking for.
Now that Ive covered the clippers good qualities, let me address some of the more common complaints I hear about them.
Blade thickness
Were used to very thick knives, marketed as indestructible. Many guys I know wouldnt touch anything thinner than 6mm. Well, a lot of that is hype. Look at the blades used by indigenous people who still live off the land, check out the old mountain men knives or those used by people like Kephart or Nessmuk. They were usually thin.
Im not against thick blades if they are properly executed and dont compromise too much cutting power. But just give a nimble knife like the 840 a chance and it might surprise you. Its all about knife philosophy if you will, I see my bushcraft knife as a tool making tool. I dont need it to be able to dig, I need it to help me fashion a digging tool. Clippers are plenty strong for any woodworking task, including batoning.
Ive been using them for years and have yet to break one. The worst Ive managed was to bend a Frosts #277 (quite a bit slimmer than the clipper) after batoning it with a rock through a knotty piece of wood that was way too thick to split with that knife. It didnt break, it bent a bit and I fixed it easily with another rock. I was young and stupid...
Edge weakness
A Scandi grind will produce a very thin edge. Its great for woodworking, food prep and detail cutting but will tend to roll if it hits anything hard. The truth is, you just cant have everything. A scalpel edge wont chop through bone without taking some damage and a thick axe edge wont handle intricate carving very well.
There are solutions for this issue, very simple ones. For starters, 1095 isnt brittle at all, it might roll a bit if the edge is super thing but a couple of passes on a strop or stone will fix it. For Moras that have a chance of striking something hard like animal bone (for instance, if youre using yours to dress deer), you can easily add a secondary edge bevel or just convex the edge. Thatll put a bit more steel behind the edge and make it stronger.
Please, dont think that a Scandi grind will just crumble to pieces if it so much as touches a knot in a piece of wood. Its more of a theoretical weakness than a practical one, I havent experienced any problems with any of my Scandinavian knives.
Sheath quality
In an effort to keep prices down, Mora knives are usually shipped with less than ideal sheaths. This is true mostly of the traditional wood handled ones. The Clipper is securely held by its sheath, the only possible issue being its belt clip which wont fit very thick belts.
A little work can fix it. A rather lazy friend of mine just drills a hole through the clip and puts a carabiner through it. This allows him to clip the knife onto his belt. For just a few bucks you can get a Bladetech Tek-Lock or a Spyderco G-clip, both of which will fit a variety of belts (and dont need to be permanently attached to the Clippers sheath). Well discuss other options and different carry methods later on (even how to make your own sheaths).
Knifecraft (part 1)
The 840 Clippers will start arriving shortly, so it's time to address some knife basics.
A knife is bushcraft's number one tool, and your best friend in the woods. Such a critical piece of kit requires safe handling and proper maintenance. I can't stress safety enough, even a small cut is a serious infection risk outdoors. "Think twice, cut once" is the golden rule of wilderness knife use, think about what you're cutting, whether your knife could be damaged or slip and hurt you.
We've covered knife selection, this tips will apply to a wide variety of knives but are mostly focused on the type of medium sized knife I recommend.
The first decision you've got to make once you've settled on a bush knife, is how you're going to carry it. It seems like a very stupid thing to ponder on for more than five minutes, but there's more to it than meets the eye. The main carry methods are:
• Neck
• Baldric style
• Belt
• Backpack
Each has good and bad points, and sometimes it's necessary to switch from one method to another because of clothing, weather, or other reasons. Some knives and sheaths are better suited to a specific way of carry, but most of them can be adapted without too much hassle.
Let's start with neck carry. Not many people do this correctly, there's more to it than just hanging a knife around your neck. First you need to make sure the sheath is very secure. Traditional bushcraft neck carry is done with the handle pointing up, modern kydex sheaths allow for safe upside down carry.
Some knives marketed as "neck knives" are supplied with a beaded chain, we won't be using it. Paracord is much better. You can braid it to have a larger surface area that will distribute the weight better and it's always good to have some extra cordage around. Use good paracord, cheap imitations aren't as strong and don't have those wonderful seven inner strands of cord that you can get out of good paracord.
Having something dangling from your neck where it can get caught in a branch or something like that is not a good idea, so unless you're using it keep the knife under your shirt. If you leave it out it will catch on something and you might lose it or get injured.
Mors Kochanski, one of modern bushcraft's pioneers, carries his Mora knife like this. And I've seen him accidentally drop his knife after getting the sheath caught in a bow he was making. So remember to keep it under a garment when not in use. Here's good old Mors showing improper knife carry...
Neck carry is most useful in winter or when wearing a heavy pack with a thick waist strap. In very cold climates your belt is going to be buried under a few layers of clothes, probably covered by a heavy coat. Reaching for your knife can be quite hard. The same happens with a lot of backpack, the waist strap covers the belt and having anything on it becomes uncomfortable and difficult to reach for. Inuits carry their knives around their neck, under their heavy fur coats.
Besides the risk of getting your neck cord entangled on something (which is greatly reduced if used properly), the main disadvantage of this carry method is that it only works well with very light knives. Unless you're used to having something hanging around your neck for hours, anything heftier than a regular Mora will bother you after a while. Braiding several pieces of paracord to create a broader surface helps, so does putting the cord around your shirt or sweater collar (like a tie) instead of directly on your skin. In warm weather, a knife carried like this will also be exposed to a lot of sweat (not that big a deal with a plastic sheath).
Using a baldric is a great way to carry a bush knife. It is somewhat similar to neck carry, only slung over a shoulder. You can use all sorts of different materials for the baldric, my favourite is braided paracord. I like to keep as much of that stuff on me as possible, making natural cordage is fun but in an emergency a few feet of paracord are an invaluable asset.
The secret to a comfortable baldric rig is not to make it too long, you don't want your knife flapping about while you walk. I make them so that the knife hangs a bit above my belly button. That's a comfortable place for me, it doesn't get in the way of my backpack straps and is still easy to draw and re-sheath. In fact, my backpack straps actually help keep the baldric more stable.
Since the weight is better distributed, baldrics allow for heavier knives. When using this method I usually attach some extras to my knife's sheath using ranger bands (slices of bicycle tyre inner tube). Things like a firesteel, a bit of sandpaper for edge honing, homemade tinder (we'll talk about this later) and... more cordage!
Belt carry needs little introduction, I'm sure this is how most of you guys carry your knives. It's my preferred method during the warm months and when not carrying a heavy pack. It's convenient, comfortable and 99% of knife sheaths are designed to be carried like this.
However, when wearing a bulky coat or using a pack with a waist strap, it becomes a bit impractical. There are a couple of very simple solutions to this, both of which I learnt from a Finnish friend. The first one, which works for big long coats, is to just wear a belt on top of the coat. The nomadic reindeer herders of northern Finland (the Sami) wear a belt over their coats on which they hang a pukko (small or medium size knife) a leuku (larger knife) and sometimes a pouch and a lasso. It looks a bit goofy to some people, but it works.
The other way to get around this little issue is with "dangler" sheaths. Basically these are sheaths that have longer belt loops that keep the knife dangling lower than usual. They are quite common in northern Scandinavian knives and it's very easy to modify a regular sheath to be carried this way. Just add a bit of braided paracord (yes, more cordage!) or put a big carabiner through the belt loop and attach it to your belt or your pant's belt loops. Properly made dangler sheaths make the knife hang lower but they are stiff enough to keep it from moving about, paracord rigs and carabiners sometimes allow a bit too much movement for my taste. So I either stick the point of the sheath in a pocket or tie it to my leg.
Dangler sheaths are bushcraft's tactical thigh rigs, and Sami style utility belts are like US GI webbing belts but a million times cooler (these guys are reindeer cowboys! Awesome doesn't begin to describe them.).
There isn't much to say about pocket carry, just stick your knife in a pocket and off you go. Some sheaths lend themselves better to this type of carry, and there are a number of aftermarket pocket sheaths for small fixed blades as well. It's very discreet, its main limitation being knife size.
Even when the pocket has a zipper or Velcro closure, I like to have some extra insurance to void losing my knife. So I usually tie a length of paracord from my belt to the sheath in case it falls out (and yes, "paracord" will pop up once every three sentences or so).
Keeping your main knife in your backpack is, in my experience, a great way to find yourself without your blade when you need it most. It's fine to keep backup knives or extra tools in there, but I feel that your main knife has to be on your person all the time. The only time when I keep my knife in my pack, or attached to it, is when I'm carrying a very small backpack that I'll have on me constantly. I've also modified a Clipper sheath to work with a Tek-Lok (dead simple, we'll cover it in a bit), I clip it onto my backpack's waist strap while hiking and as soon as I take the pack off I clip it to my belt.
Experiment with different carry options, see which fit you, your knife and your environment best.
I want to apologize for the lack of pictures. I've managed to kill two cameras and burn my old laptop that had most of my photos. I'll sort this out ASAP so you can all marvel at my flawless leather work.
Thank you Francisco, this brings back such great memories.
I have stayed in touch with several of my Scouts and when I told one of my Eagles about this course his response was, "You're not teaching?"
I told him this time I was just going to enjoy the exercise, savor the memory and try to learn something new!
Look what I've created. I have made FIRE.
I have six packages ready to go out, hopefully, tomorrow with knives for folks that have sent in requests.
I think in talking with Francisco that this first evolution will probably be a little longer than the initially planned week because not everyone has their gear yet.
Good luck to everyone and please don't hurt yourselves. :p
4 Attachment(s)
I told my son about what we were going to be doing, big mistake. He wouldn't stop asking me to start the fire. We started out looking for some stuff to use to start.
We went into the woods and this is what we gathered.
Attachment 18287
He proceeded to tell me that this is what Man vs. Wild used and brought it to me.
Attachment 18288
After gathering stuff together, we took a break to do some family things. The pestering to start the fire continued and continued, so I finally said let's do this. We got some ember going.
Attachment 18289
Then he added some small sticks to get a fire, he wanted marshmallows.
Attachment 18290
This was a great thing to share with my son and he is really enjoying it. He has cotton balls with vaseline in a little bottle and wants to use them tomorrow.:eek:
He has even made himself a little box to keep is wares in. By the time this is over he will be the one to stay a week in the woods and Challenge Benning.:D
Thanks for sharing all the great knowledge.
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text:
Flags lowered to mark end of Afghanistan mission
Events held at local schools and St. Albert Place
Friday, Mar 14, 2014 04:30 pm
Flags were lowered at schools and institutions across the region this week to mark the end of Canadian involvement in Afghanistan. A ceremony at Edmonton Garrison�s Guthrie School was held on Wednesday in conjunction with one during which Canadian troops removed the maple leaf at NATO headquarters in Kabul.
Dr. Audrey Burrows, counsellor at the school, said that it was a great relief to the family members of military personnel, as deployment of troops is very stressful for everyone. She called the flag lowering a sombre celebration that the war had ended but with a heavy cost.
�The remaining troops get to come home but it�s bittersweet because some of the families in attendance did lose loved ones over there. It brings back lots of emotions,� she said.
It has been reported that the remaining Canadian personnel were scheduled to leave by the end of the week. There were 158 soldiers, one diplomat, one journalist and two civilian contractors who lost their lives over the course of this country�s involvement in Afghanistan.
The war began with this country�s participation in the search for Osama bin Laden and other members of Al Qaeda. This transitioned into a combat mission based in Kandahar. Over the entire period, as many as 40,000 Canadian troops were sent to participate.
Shawna Walter, Guthrie�s acting vice-principal, elaborated on the impact of the occasion.
�It was a very emotional day, and it was absolutely fantastic. For me, it was a fantastic eye-opening experience just to listen to parents and kids talking about� the impact that it had on families, being separated.�
Other ceremonies
David Keohane said that the Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools held a district-wide event that started with a flag lowering to half-mast right at 8 a.m. on Wednesday. Attendees then held a prayer for the 162 Canadians who were killed during the mission.
That was followed by other events at each of the schools. He elaborated that Bertha Kennedy Elementary, for instance, had an educational component that included presentations and a ceremony that saw various students carrying flags to signify the lives lost.
�It was important to me and to the school board because this event has touched so closely to the lives of people that as best as possible the local community could really be a part of this. We have heroes among us who have contributed. People have lost loved ones through this.�
There were other ceremonies held in the St. Albert Public School district as well.
The 533 Royal Canadian Air Cadet squadron also held a similar ceremony at St. Albert Place on Thursday evening. Capt. Andrew Lejeune said that the timing was different for them because they wanted to hold it on their regular parade night.
The squadron of approximately 80 cadets was in full dress uniform for the occasion. It was important to show respect. The full weight of the moment hit home for many of them.
�We do have a number of regular force volunteers that the cadets work with quite closely. They fully understand what�s going on having grown up in military families and working in a military environment with the cadet program.�

subset: commoncrawl


text:
VLOOKUP is one of the most popular, useful functions in Excel, but it's hard to remember the formula if you don't use it that often.
If all you want is the syntax for VLOOKUP, here it is:
To view a two-page reference card that explains what the arguments mean and how to use them, click the link below. The VLOOKUP reference card opens as a PDF file in Adobe Reader. Feel free to print a copy of the card, or save it somewhere on your computer to refer to later.


text:
I understand that black ops ships can create a bridge for other ships to pass through. Can any ship use the bridge? Specifically can I jump an industrial?
Eelis Kiy [ Editor ]
I believe that only ships which can fit the "Covert Ops Cloaking Device" can jump through a Black ops covert cyno/bridge - which is ships like Stealth bombers/recons and the covert transport ships.
NN comments
zcar300 -
I was afraid of that. Thanks.
Rashmika Clavain -
Absolutely correct – any ship that can legally fit a Covert Ops cloak may use a Black Ops bridge.


text:
Welcome to WebmasterWorld Guest from 188.8.131.52
I'm trying to tidy up some text, specifically involving users pasting multiple paragraphs of text from Word. I need to check for and remove any \t's used for indenting in Word at the start of paragraphs.
Since I want to focus on the stuff between paragraphs, my regex includes a word boundary at the end. But, what should my replacement be? Here's my code:
$abstract_db = preg_replace('/\n\t+\w+/','\n\n',$abstract_db);
Basically, it looks for a newline followed by a tab that's also followed by a word. It's supposed to replace the newline-tab with newline-newline and hopefully preserve the word (somehow).
The script is now cutting off the first word of the second paragraph, and I know why: the replacement is the problem. But, what should I specify in the replacement part to "retain" the first word? Would \w+ in the replacement know to use the same text as what it found by \w+ in the search?
Is this where $1 and $2 come in?
seems you may be able to use "str_replace() or ereg_replace() to search the string(s) for tabs and replace them with 3 or 4 no-break-spaces. "


text: Maintree Mannie Schuijt (?-) Retrieved from "http://familypedia.wikia.com/wiki/Mannie_Schuijt_(%3F-)/tree?oldid=839617" Ad blocker interference detected! Wikia is a free-to-use site that makes money from advertising. We have a modified experience for viewers using ad blockers Wikia is not accessible if you've made further modifications. Remove the custom ad blocker rule(s) and the page will load as expected. Hidden category: Tree pages


text: Our quantitative rating is based on a variety of historical fundamental and pricing data and represents our opinion of a stock's risk-adjusted performance relative to other stocks. However, the rating does not incorporate all of the factors that can alter a stock's performance. For example, it doesn't always factor in recent corporate or industry events that could affect the stock price, nor does it include recent technology developments and competitive dynamics that may affect the company. For those reasons, we believe that a rating alone cannot tell the whole story and that it should be part of an investor's overall research.


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The Fifth Third business center occupies a landmark office tower in an admired commercial location close to the river that enjoys grand views from its 31 stories. The Class A building is connected by covered walkway to downtown Nashville's only elite business club. The building includes a classic stone and marble wood-accented corporate lobby that guarantees a good first impression. Tenants include a mix of legal, financial, healthcare and hotel companies that have made the building their corporate headquarters or back-office location. The business-friendly Nashville government is keen to draw in new companies to the area, which is noted for the quality of its workforce and continued economic development. The trophy building, which is highly accessible from Interstates 65, 40 and 24 and Nashville International Airport, is close to all amenities and many notable landmarks.
Everything you need to make meetings run smoothly.
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Flipchart, whiteboard, markers and projector if needed
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Make arrangements for tea, coffee and catering if needed
To find out more about Fifth Third Center speak to our team on 1-855-400-3575
There are three simple steps.
Register on our site or via our app to create your free Pay-as-you-go Regus account
Find an ideal place to meet – add everything you need from lunch to videoconferencing and send instant invitations
Input your credit card details, book your space with just a few clicks, and show up!
Whatever your business, whatever your budget we'll help find the right workspace.
Whatever your business, whatever your budget we'll help find the right workspace.


text:
The still which comes out via a magazine features Pattinson in a dull clothes and the female lead in a beautiful dress staring at each other in tender care.
A new photo from "Water for Elephants" starring Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon has come out via German Bravo magazine. Now a scan of the still has hit the web, giving a look at the on-screen couple's romantic sequence as they are in a loving embrace. The young actor is seen wearing a dull shirt while the leading lady looks elegant in a black dress.
Pattinson is playing an orphaned veterinary student called Jacob who is put in charge of caring for the animals in a traveling circus. He later falls in love with Witherspoon's Marlena, a beautiful equestrian rider, but she is married to the troupe's charismatic but dangerous animal trainer August. Christoph Waltz is in duty to portray Marlena's husband.
"Water for Elephants" is based on Sara Gruen Depression-era circus novel. Francis Lawrence directs the drama film with the script written by Richard LaGravenese. The movie will hit theaters across the nation on April 15, 2011.


text:
Neighbourhood watch
The Brooklyn neighbourhood of Williamsburg rocks and nobody laughs at Queens anymore, but New York's hottest new neighbourhood is the Lower East Side which has managed to assimilate trendy new bars, restaurants and shops without turfing out its immigrant and arty core. Recent additions to the bar scene include the Stanton Social Club on Stanton St, and the Back Room, a hidden bar at 102 Norfolk St (its current facade is a Twenties-era toy shop). Check out the streets around Rivington, Ludlow, Orchard and Clinton for cool shops and impromptu galleries. The Blue Moon Hotel (www.bluemoon-nyc.com) has just opened, offering retro-style rooms in the neighbourhood.
Here today ...
The viewing platform on the 70th floor of the Rockefeller Centre (www.topoftherocknyc.com) has reopened, offering a great view of the Empire State Building. The Metropolitan Museum of Art (www.metmuseum.org) is hosting a retrospective of American collageist Robert Rauschenberg until 2 April. The Edvard Munch retrospective is at the Museum of Modern Art (www.moma.org) from 19 February until 8 May. Oprah Winfrey has added theatre impresario to her impressive CV by producing a musical version of The Color Purple at the Broadway Theatre (212 239 6200). In March, Disney's latest stage spectacular Tarzan opens, with music from Phil Collins. Then, in April, Elton John's musical adaptation of Anne Rice's vampire tale Lestat will make its Broadway debut.
The place to stay
The opening of a sister hotel to SoHo's super-sexy 60 Thompson in the Upper West Side this summer is bound to cause a stir. Six Columbus (www.thompsonhotels.com) will have a rooftop greenhouse lounge and rooms from $199 a night. André Balazs, owner of the eternally hip Mercer in SoHo, has scored another hit with the budget Hotel QT (125 W 45th St; www.hotelqt.com). Just off Times Square, the lobby doubles as a shop from where you stock your own mini-bar and a collection of takeaway menus substitute for room service, but breakfast is free (as is wireless internet access). There's a steam room, sauna and swimming pool (rather small, but still ...) by the bar where a DJ plays nightly. The rooms tend to be small but the pared-down style is highly urbane. You will need to book well ahead for the cheapest rooms, but the triples and quads where bunk beds are paired with Egyptian cotton sheets, plasma TVs and rainfall showers - possibly for the first time ever - are great fun. Doubles from $150. The Dream Hotel (210 W 55th St, www.dreamny.com), with its Zen-ish bedrooms, roof terrace with staggering views down Broadway and friendly, helpful staff recently opened a new-agey Deepak Chopra spa and gym - a peaceful antidote to the hotel's migraine-inducing lobby, where outsized Eastern sculptures meet a two-storey fish tank and exuberant wallpaper. Doubles from $325. A sister hotel, Night, will open next month. For the ultimate in slick urban style, The Hotel on Rivington (107 Rivington St; www.hotelonrivington.com) is hard to beat with its black loos, granite sinks and curtains that open when your alarm clock goes off (the glass is one-way). Since the opening of Thor, the hotel's Austrian-accented restaurant, last autumn, rates have started to go up. Doubles from $265.
Everyone's talking about ...
... Audrey Saunders. Manhattan's most talented bar tender (barchef if you must) - formerly at the Carlyle Hotel - has opened her own bar in SoHo. The Pegu Club (77 W Houston St, 212 473 7348) specialises in classic cocktails of the Twenties and Thirties.
... rising crime levels. After five years of complaining that the 'zero tolerance' policy had made Manhattan dull, local people changed their minds when someone got stabbed outside 'teany', Moby's Lower East Side teahouse. Could that be why teany shut down last week?
The big night out
Another hidden bar (look for the actress with tarot cards in the window and a sign saying 'psychic') Employees Only (510 Hudson St) is worth the search. You might want to skip the food (including pickled cauliflower), which seems to nod slightly too far towards Tito's Yugoslavia, but the bar is outstanding, thanks to the moustachioed bartenders and their cocktails. Drinks come in at $12, main courses $23. There are some sweet touches - if you're still there at closing time (around 3.30am), you'll be given a cup of chicken soup to see you into the night.
The hot table
Don't believe the rumour that nightclub queen Amy Sacco's new Chelsea restaurant Bette (461 W 23rd St; 212 366 0404) is booked solid until 2007. Sacco, right, knows that hype must be served hot and with a hibiscus-leaf garnish in this town. The downhome food isn't bad, but Bette is all about the scene and who you are sitting next to. LaEsquina (corner of Lafayette and Kenmare St) is another restaurant that's determined to keep the riff-raff at bay. Not only is it ex-directory (but here's the number: 212 646 613 8880) but it looks like a taco stand from outside. Talk your way past the doorwoman, go through a metal door marked 'Employees Only' to reach a vaulted brick-lined restaurant serving good Mexican food and 50 different kinds of tequila.
It's, like, so over
Still milking its moment in the Sex and the City sun, the only people who queue for cupcakes at the Magnolia Bakery now are tourists.
Getting there:
Virgin Holidays (0871 222 0306; www.virgin.co.uk/holidays) has three nights at the two-star Days Hotel, Broadway, from £599 including flights.
For information on what's on:
Go to www.dailycandy.com for the latest on shopping and bars, www.gawker.com for gossip. Buy Time Out New York for listings.


text:
A fanatical birder blogging about Screech owls in owl box, backyard birding and wildlife in the Northeast USA.
Ivory billed sceptics
5 comments:
- Island Rambles Blog said...
It would be wonderful if it was out there...I think it is..as we cannot possibly know what goes on in wilderness areas.
- January 27, 2008 at 9:20 PM
- Jochen said...
Well, that's the problem with the Ivory-billed Woodpecker:
It still - incredibly - is a matter of belief.
The bird's continued existence simply hasn't been proven yet, all the "evidence" collected on the Pearl, in Florida or Arkansas might be suggestive (possibly even highly so), but it definitely falls short of scientific proof (and that's a matter of fact, not of belief).
So people might believe what they feel like (and if I was based in North America, I'd be searching, simply because it seems like great fun regardless of the woodpecker's status), but we - the birding community - can't KNOW for sure.
- January 28, 2008 at 7:03 AM
- Owlman said...
Thanks for chiming in on the discussion. I agree with you Jochen must of the evidence is still circumstantial although it does give some hope that the woodpecker is still out there. I'm also included to think that it is out there based on the size of the area that is being studies. The one thing that makes me skeptical is that the bird was described as being pretty tame and was regularly seen prior to its 'extinction'. Birds do not change their behavior which leads me to believe that people would have seen it - which a few people have claimed to do.
What I find amusing is that we have modern video evidence and even this is inconclusive. I guess only time will tell...
- January 28, 2008 at 11:06 PM
- Clive's World said...
My thoughts exactly, Owlman, about the bird being tame. Why would it suddenly be so elusive. I sure hope they aren't extinct -- such a cool bird.
- February 1, 2008 at 10:33 PM
- Owlman said...
Clive supposedly there has been reports from locals that they have seen them, but no one has been able to take a credible/verifiable picture of the bird. I actually saw a documentary on the search for big foot that was shot in many of the same locations as the IBW habitat and we are talking majorly inhospitable terrain here-maybe this accounts for the lack of sightings......
- February 4, 2008 at 5:30 PM


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Hot Tickets: Boston
January 26, 2012 9:00 AM
Here are this week's Hot Tickets in the Boston area. Check back every Thursday at noon, EST for stellar events that fit the interests of locals and tourists alike.
Friday, January 27
Jonny McGovern "Gayest of All Time"
Jonny McGovern, GLBT comedian from Logo's Big Gay Sketch Show and viral video fame will perform at Machine Nightclub this Friday. McGovern will be performing his nationally-acclaimed standup comedy and his viral video hits. Known nationwide as part of the cast of LOGO's "Big Gay Sketch Show" and for his viral comedy music videos which feature his naughty yet gay empowering character The Gay Pimp (originally created as an answer to homophobic rap lyrics). He is one the of the hottest, most popular GLBT standup comedians and entertainers across the country, performing at clubs, colleges and Prides. Jonny has been making hit gay videos from before the invention of YouTube starting with the worldwide satirical viral video hit "Soccer Practice." the video debuted in the top five of the National Video Club chart was downloaded over three million times from GayPimp.com and inspired countless young gay men to be as out and proud as "The Gay Pimp" in that ground breaking video. His hilarious two new video singles, from his upcoming CD, "The Gayest Of All Time garnered a half million views in one week. "Dickmatized", "Sexy Nerd" and all of his videos can be viewed on his
YouTube Channel
. He has earned five #1 rankings on MTV/LOGO each with multiple weeks at the top position and has been nominated for a GLAAD media award.
Friday, January 27
Negros Vivos
Get ready for an all-night party featuring Puerto Rico's signature Ska band
. THis Boston premiere will showcase NEGROS VIVOS' unique Ska, exquisitly blended with Rock, Funk, Reggae and Calypso influences. DJs and VJs will create the ambiance, a surprise opening act will set the mood and NEGROS VIVOS will sway you with their infectious beats.
Saturday, January 28
OTIS GROVE with special guest AKASHIC RECORD
Otis Grove began as a collective experiment in crossing the traditional organ jazz sound with funk, hip-hop, and rock tones. It was the beginning of a sonic realization based in groove and free in improvisation, yet rooted in songwriting and melodic structure. Since then the music has evolved into a unique blend of aggressive rock n' roll and high-intensity organ funk (some fans have dubbed their genre 'Runk'- a mixture of rock and funk). It pays tribute to the masters while consistently pushing itself in new directions. It's as if jazz organ legend Jimmy Smith had been the fifth member of Led Zeppelin, or if the Meters had joined forces with Black Sabbath.
Performer Magazine
writer Sam Merrick described it best as "a monstrous funk groove that probably would have sent Godzilla running had he been in the neighborhood." Akashic Record is Boston's premier funk machine. The concept and sound is inspired by the Hammond organ driven grooves of the soul jazz and funk outfits of the 60's and 70's. Playing consistently in the Northeast over the last 7 years, their floor shakin' live show continues to thrill capacity crowds night after night.
Sunday, January 29
Organic Bee School
During this two-day Bee School, Jean-Claude Bourrut will go over the basic techniques of organic beekeeping, including materials and equipment, hive structure, the life cycle of bees, hive development, common pests and diseases, season management, harvesting honey and processing hive products. For those who are thinking about getting bees or are new to beekeeping, this is a great way to learn the Hows, Whys, and Whens of organic bee management. Jean-Claude Bourrut has been keeping honeybees for 20 years in urban and suburban settings. He currently manages a dozen hives in three apiaries.
Know of any other events happening in the Boston area this week? Post them in the comments section.
Sunday, January 29
Vinegar Tom
"If I could live I'd be a witch now after what they've done." Life was hard in the 17th century. In a time of social upheaval, class change and hardship among the poor, those living on the fringes of society scraped by through the mercy and forbearance of their neighbors. This balance is disturbed when a renowned witch-finder visits a rural farming village and the community finds a focus for its frustrations. When witchcraft exists in the minds of persecutor and persecuted, petty and everyday transgressions become hanging crimes. Punctuated by music hall variety acts and live musical performances, Churchill's 1976 play uses mordant wit and biting political commentary to explore the prejudices and fears that we actively use to shape our lives. In Caryl Churchill's own words: "I wanted to write a play about witches with no witches in it; a play not about evil, hysteria and possession by the devil but about poverty, humiliation and prejudice...". In this staged reading with music, Whistler in the Dark will feature new arrangements of Churchill's songs by some of Boston's best young musicians.
Know of any other events happening in the Boston area this week? Post them in the comments section.
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brainstrust Brain Tumour Support Resources
We need the right resources and support with us on our brain tumour journey; a little bit of planning goes a long way.
These are the resources that we have found indispensable – created by brainstrust with our community of brain tumour patients, their carers and clinicians, to help you. And if you have an idea which we have missed but which you have found invaluable then send it our way – we'll add it to this list.
If you'd like a hardcopy directory of all of the resources that we offer, then you can download our Support Catalogue. Or just email email@example.com and we'll send some in the post for you.
Use the links below to find out more about the resources that you can use.
brainstrust 24/7 brain tumour support line
"I do not know the date I found brainstrust, I only know it was in the middle of the night, about 3am, and I was in a state. I found the number, rang, left a message and got a call straight back. I was amazed that someone could care. I think she said "but you needed me now" and since then that is the only thing I have ever felt from this charity- love, support, friendship and care."
Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, the brainstrust support line offers brain tumour patients and carers support, information and pragmatic advice over the phone and by email.
- experience based brain tumour support - talk to patients and carers
- qualified coaches on hand
- expert clinical advisors on hand
Need help now? To use this resource, email firstname.lastname@example.com or call 01983 292 405
The Brain Tumour Patient Guide - know what care to expect on your journey
What care should you expect as a brain tumour patient? Good question. For some answers check out the new brain tumour patient guide.
brainstrust has published the first comprehensive, easy to understand guide to the adult brain tumour care pathway, to help you know what to expect and to feel more in control on your journey.
Written alongside esteemed clinicians and expert patients and carers, and in accordance with NHS England's Information Standard, this guide will prove invaluable to people on the bewildering journey that comes with having a brain tumour.
The guide is based on the NHS and National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) 2006 Improving Outcomes Guidance (or IOG) to help patients and carers understand:
- What happens at each point in the brain tumour pathway (i.e. diagnosis, treatment, follow up care).
- What the optimum standard of care is (according to the NHS and the IOG) at each point of the pathway.
- What else brainstrust thinks you can expect – to help you make the most of the resources around you.
- Suggested questions you can ask clinicians (but only if you want to).
- What brainstrust can do to help.
The Brain Tumour Patient Guide is written in eight easy to understand sections, to be used individually or as a complete set. It will be particularly useful to patients and carers before they embark on each stage of their journey.
Getting hold of the brain tumour patient guide
Click the images below to download sections of the guide relevant to you:
To find out more or to request a printed copy of the Brain Tumour Patient Guide (limited numbers), email email@example.com or call us on 01983 292405
Counselling support for brain tumour patients and carers
Counselling creates the space for you to talk through your feelings in a safe and confidential place. It will help you to develop strategies for managing your future. It comes into play when support is needed to understand psychological distress associated with, what is sometimes referred to as, "problems with living".
For example, it may be helpful for someone who is struggling to cope or feeling very anxious or depressed. Counselling tends to have a broader focus and greater depth than coaching. It helps people to explore and understand the feelings which are causing them grief and to identify and explore steps for moving beyond these feelings to make positive changes in their lives. Counselling can be very challenging as it can often unearth very painful feelings, make people confront unresolved personal issues and challenge them to change the way they go about their lives today and in the future. Counsellors help people by building a supportive relationship which is based on the essential qualities of acceptance/warmth, genuineness and empathy. Like coaching, they do not offer solutions or advice, but instead help the client to identify their own issues and ways of moving forward.
You can download more information about counselling for people affected by brain tumour here.
If you would like to use this service then please complete the referral and the agreement forms (downloadable here) and pop them in the post to:
brainstrust - counselling
4 Yvery Court
Castle Road
or scan and email them to firstname.lastname@example.com
What can be helped with Hypnotherapy?
- Anxiety and stress
- Diet and Lifestyle
- Resilience, Self Esteem and Confidence
- Pre and Post Operative care
- Pain Management
- Reduction of side effects from treatment such as nausea, fatigue
- Well being
We're delighted to have Louise Baker working with brainstrust. Louise is an experienced trainer of Hypnotherapy, NLP Master Practitioner, coach and Time Line therapist. She holds diplomas in Clinical Hypnotherapy, Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy and has a Specialist Certificate in Past-Life Regression. http://www.louisebakerhypnotherapy.co.uk/
Louise Baker has many years experience as a Clinical Hypnotherapist, having helped hundreds of clients deal with a wide range of issues. She is passionate about hypnotherapy and is really pleased be able to support people affected by a brain tumour.
'I love helping people change and achieve a sense of well being. By working with me, you can clearly identify what you want and take the steps needed to get there.'
Louise has worked closely with brainstrust to establish a network of qualified hypnotherapists across the UK. We have met all of them, checked their credentials and shared with them the challenges of what it is like to live with a brain tumour.
Interested in hypnotherapy or need more information?
Just call brainstrust to discuss your situation in complete confidence 01983 292405 or email email@example.com.
Brain box
"It provided a real beacon to them in an otherwise very bleak time. In all, it provided a huge impetus to us all to take control"
The brainstrust brain box - the 'must have' support toolkit for people with a new brain tumour diagnosis and their carers.
We appreciate how difficult things can be once you are diagnosed with a brain tumour; the '4.00am moments', the travelling to and from appointments, the stream of questions that pop into your head, trying to remember the jobs of all the people that you'll meet on your journey, and knowing who to turn to and when. A juggling act that you don't need when you just want to focus your energy on feeling better.
So to assist brain tumour patients, we've launched this unique invaluable aid to keeping on top of things.
The brainstrust tool-box shaped 'brain box' contains a number of essential things to support and provide information for brain tumour patients and their carers:
- My Brain Book (click here for more info).
- The Little White Book (click for more on the Little White Book).
- Who's Who in your clinical team? Booklet (more here)
- A copy of Professor Black's 'Living with a Brain Tumour', also available through our online store.
- IBTA (International Brain Tumour Alliance) Charter of Rights for brain tumour patients. This is also available online, here: www.theibta.org/RightsCharter.htm
- brainstrust stress brain - to release stress by squeezing , or throwing at things!
- Sunny highlighter - to help with learning
- Pack of brainstrust Christmas cards
- Tea bags – absorb all the contents of your brain box with a well deserved cuppa
- And if the box is for a child, then it will also contain a copy of 'The Snaggle Tooth Splat' (More info here), written to help parent carers or patients broach a brain tumour diagnosis with their children. It is a beautifully illustrated book and was featured in the BMA newsletter and Oncology News magazine. And our mascot, Ellie - a crocheted red elephant . You can also buy Ellie the elephant from our shop - click here.
The above is the standard, but contents may sometimes change. Other literature and useful bits and pieces are often included as well. Please note that everything in the brain box can also be obtained separately if you like. Just let us know.
If you are a brain tumour patient, or if you are looking after someone who has a brain tumour, the box won't cost you a penny. We just need to know a little bit more information about you before we send you your box. Please complete to the short form below to request your brain box:
Become one of the amazing people that sponsor a brain box...
"Received the brain box yesterday- I cried with happiness. It's just what we needed – the booklets, information, tea and even hand cream. You have restored our faith in human nature. Thank you"
Do you like the idea of a brain box? Would you like to help someone affected by brain cancer directly, and know that your thoughts and donation have gone straight to the person that needs them most? Then why not sponsor a brain box.
Every brain box costs brainstrust about £50, but provides priceless information to people across the UK who are living with a brain tumour.
A donation of any size to help us cover these costs, and your words of support or advice will make a real difference to someone, somewhere who has just received a life-changing brain cancer diagnosis.
To sponsor a brain box, and share some words of support with someone who's just been diagnosed with a brain tumour, simply click a button below and make a donation. Make sure to leave a message and we'll make sure your message is then hand written on the special card that's included in the brain box that we send out on your behalf.
The Brain Tumour Hub
Created for brain tumour patients and carers, the brain tumour hub is an authoritative, easy to navigate database of brain tumour support resources and UK based brain tumour clinical trials.
It is intuitive, easy to use, developed with clinicians, patients and carers, and constantly evolving with regular updates.
Click here to visit the braintrust brain tumour hub at www.braintumourhub.org.uk
'My Brain Book' - a place for you to keep a record of your journey
As the patient journey unfolds, you will need to record lots of things. This is a place for you to do just that.
In this patient folder, you can record information about yourself, about the team that are looking after you, you can record appointments and outcomes, and there's also plenty of space for you to jot down those questions that pop into your head in the early hours. Patients can also keep a disc of their brain scans in here, and there's also a pocket in the back of your brain book where you can file letters, or receipts for travel expense claims.
Call us now on 01983 292405 to get your hands on a free copy of the brainstrust Brain Book.
The Little White Book
A comprehensive, easy to navigate compendium of UK brain tumour support resources. You can access an online copy through our online catalogue with www.issuu.com/brainstrust.
We also produce regional editions of 'The Little White Book', signposting all of the best support available to you, wherever you might live. Click below to download your relevant guide.
- Sheffield Little White Book
- Merseyside Little White Book
- Greater London Little White Book
- South East Scotland Little White Book
- Glasgow Little White Book
- Greater Manchester Little White Book
- Tees Valley and surrounding areas Little White Book
- North West Children's Little White Book
- Aberdeen, the Highlands and Surrounding areas Little White Book
Just send us an email - firstname.lastname@example.com and we'll pop a copy of this indespensible guide in the post for you. For free.
"Who's Who in your clinical team?" Booklet to help you work out who to turn to, and for what.
brainstrust provides this booklet to neuro-oncology specialists and Macmillan Centres nationwide.
Many patients find that they are left to manage their care pathway for themselves. brainstrust has developed this resource with the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, to help you navigate your journey.
Click here to open and download printable pdf
Tell us what you think...
We'd appreciate it if you could take 2 mins to tell us what you think of this booklet.
Click to complete our 2 min online survey
The Snaggle Tooth Splat
Written for brainstrust to help parent carers or patients broach a brain tumour diagnosis with their children. It is a beautifully illustrated book and has featured in the BMA newsletter and Oncology news. The forward has been written by the lovely actress and brainstrust supporter, Julie Walters.
If you are a parent who has been diagnosed with a brain tumour, or are looking after a poorly little patient, then you can have a copy of this book, for free. Simply give us a call on 01983 292405.
Every brain box that we sent out to a family will also feature a copy of The Snaggle Tooth Splat.
How to hold a difficult conversation
We know how hard it is, explaining brain cancer, and having to hold those difficult conversations.
This guide helps families with approaching these moments. It features tips that will help you can get your thoughts together and clarify how you feel about what it is you're facing, so that you can hold better conversations and feel more in control.
Click here to read our difficult conversations guide.
My radiotherapy book: information to help you understand the treatment
We know how confusing a brain tumour diagnosis is and the follow treatments can be. This resource will help you understand, and take control.
My radiotherapy book outlines and explains the range of radiotherapy treatments that are currently available, so that you know what would be the best treatment for the type of brain tumour you are living with, whether you are a carer or a patient.
Click here to download the booklet.
Was it C. S. Lewis who said 'we read to know that we are not alone'? Since our voyage began I have read copious books related to neurosurgery – not all non-fiction. If reading helps you, then here a few recommendations.
"After just a quick dip into Peter Black's book ... I feel much better and more determined to get back in control of the direction my treatment is heading." Sarah August 2010, Scotland
And if you purchase a book through our store Amazon will donate 10% of what you spend to brainstrust.
Click here to visit the brainstrust bookshelf
Money matters
As if you haven't got enough to worry about. Having a brain tumour will, at some point, impact on you financially as well as physically and emotionally. The same guiding principle applies – look this tiger in the eye. The more prepared you are, the better you will be prepared if you need additional financial support.
View money matters
Meet Ups
At a brainstrust Meet Up, members of the brain tumour community get together to have fun. No matter where you are on your journey or what role you have (such as carer, patient, health care professional) you can share experiences, and seek information from people who know what you're going through. But only if you want to. Feel free to just come along and enjoy. Past Meet Ups have involved pizza and wine, pub grub, and cream teas. And what's more, it's all on us!
To come to one of our Meet Ups and to see what's going on, or even to set one up in your local area, click here to register on brainstrust's Meet Up page.
Flair sequence? Positron? Glial Cells? Feel like you are back at school? Faced with a new, complex language really can make you feel all at sea. Use our glossary to help you navigate the doctors' lingo.
View the glossary
Useful contacts
For a comprehensive and unique list of all UK support groups for brain tumour patients, and details of centres running clinical trials, simply click here and take a look at the brain tumour hub.
We've also compiled a useful list of neurocentres around the country, useful if you're thinking of sourcing an expert further opinion. Click here to view the interactive map of helpful contacts.
Useful links
Navigating your way through the Internet can be daunting.
Some sites are more trust worthy than others. You can always look out for the Information Standard logo (we are proud to say we were the first brain tumour charity to receive this accreditation). Where this appears, you can be assured that the information you are reading has been developed using a process approved by the English Department of Health. We have also listed here the sites that we know people have found useful, so although you won't be able to shop online here, you will be able to find out 'stuff'.
View our links


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People often ask us what happens if they sell their home or move.
Our response is usually, "That's great! We hope you enjoy wherever you'removing to.
" And then they ask, "But what about my solar system?" and we say, "Oh that? Not to worry.
We've got you covered.
" If youmove, the solar system and the Sunrunagreement are both fully transferable to the new homeowner, who will love saving money with solar as much asyou do.
When you tell us you're ready to sell your home, you'll get your very own ServiceTransfer Specialist to help you through every stage of the process.
The Specialist knows all the ins andouts of your specific solar agreement, and basically can deal with everything onyour behalf.
They can talk to all parties involved, from potential buyers andrealtors to escrow officers, title agents, and anyoneelse wanting to know more about the value of home solar.
We've done thousands of these servicetransfers.
Moving is hard.
Transferring your solar? That's a piece of cake.
Ready to start saving with solar? Give us a call or visit Sunrun.
Comfor free solar solar quote.
Source: Youtube


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Anna Nicole Smith says reports that she married her attorney/lover in the Bahamas are false.
Whispers of wedding talk have been swirling, yet Anna Nicole Smith says she's not married. The busty blonde, on the other hand, insisted those wedding reports, claiming she's married to her attorney-lover Howard K. Stern in the Bahamas, as "false".
Smith said she and Stern simply participated in an officiated "commitment ceremony" aboard a luxury yacht in the Bahamas. The event reportedly took place while the body of Smith's 20-year-old son, Daniel Smith, lies in a funeral home, awaiting burial nearly three weeks after he died.
In other Smith news, it is reported that her ex-boyfriend Larry Birkhead, filed suit Monday October 2nd against the former Playboy Playmate, demanding that she return to California with newborn daughter Dannie Lynn Hope in tow so that the baby can undergo a paternity test.


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Thx to the voters of #IL15 for their support & allowing me to continue to serve them in Congress johnshimkus.com/congressman-jo…
John Shimkus has served in the Army, as a high school teacher, a county treasurer, and is now proud to serve as your Representative for the 15th District of Illinois.
John's conservative record has earned awards and endorsements from the National Right to Life Committee, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Illinois Farm Bureau, ABATE, the National Federation of Independent Businesses, and the National Association of Manufacturers among others.
"Thank you to the people of the 15th Congressional District for their support and for allowing me the opportunity to continue to serve them in… read more
Collinsville, IL – Congressman John Shimkus today announced that he has been endorsed by the National Right to LifeCommittee in the primary election. "I am… read more
Too many Americans are out of work. Its time to get government out of the way, remove the bureaucratic red tape so employers have less burdensome rules and regulations so we can put people back to work. John believes that government does not create jobs and in order to have employees, you must have employers.…Read More
John thinks it is unacceptable that the tax code is so complex that businesses and individuals must pay for services just to complete their taxes. It's time for a simpler, fairer, and flatter tax code, one that is easy to understand and will not cost businesses and individuals time and resources to complete. He has…Read More
Government spending is out of control. In Washington, both Republicans and Democrats continue to present overblown budgets. Enough is enough, its time for Washington to live within its means and not spend more than it take in. American families have played by these rules, balancing a family budget and not spending more than they take…Read More
Obamacare has failed to live up to its many of its basic promises. Policies have been cancelled. Premiums continue to increase. It's time we walk away from this failed experiment. Obamacare is a disaster and that is why John has voted over 60 times to either repeal, replace or defund Obamacare. Our efforts should be…Read More
Agriculture is a key economic engine throughout the 33 counties that make up the 15th Congressional District. It is important that the agriculture sector is strong and profitable and we are protecting our farmers' ability to manage their farm without burdensome government regulations. Recognizing the importance of agriculture, John's first bill passed and signed into…Read More
John supports a diversified, all-of-the-above energy strategy. By focusing on energy we can develop at home, we can create jobs, keep costs low for businesses and families, and reduce our reliance on unstable energy producing regions. As a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, John is focused on promoting Illinois' resources of oil,…Read More
As a member of the armed serves, John has a great appreciation for the men and women who volunteer today to join our nation's military. Unfortunately, the Obama Administration has forgotten those that have served and protected our home front. Veterans deserve the best quality of care as well as timely care and that is…Read More
National Security threats are real both at home and abroad. As a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and a U.S. Army Veteran, John understands the need for a strong, well-funded military. President Obama has decimated our armed forces. This is unacceptable and it is essential that our military has the…Read More
Thx to the voters of #IL15 for their support & allowing me to continue to serve them in Congress johnshimkus.com/congressman-jo…
Collinsville volunteers are making calls and knocking doors. Remember, polls are open until 7 PM! https://t.co/ho1xaaNWBf
Volunteers are hard at work getting out the vote. Remember, polls open at 6 am tomorrow! https://t.co/hD3TatwgYZ


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Disco Ball Succulent Planter
Antler Flower Display (I need to add some flowers to my antlers!)
Watercolor Tins
I am in love with these Ombre gradient pots
How about some flowers for cupcake toppers!?
I am a sucker for flowers in a paper bag- the simplicity is so beautiful.
Last year's Spring Crush on Flower Vases- still great ideas- because flowers do not go out of style!
A Bubbly Life is on BlogLovin, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest & Instagram- I would love for you to join me there!


text: Hi I am new to the site but my stepdad is dealing with cc that has come back with a vengeance back i the liver, stomach, chest wall cavity, and multiple lymph nodes. I truly hope the best for you all and if it is confined that they can stop it. I did want to ask if you are famiiar with a Dr. Canady in PA? I had read about him and sent him an e-mail on Friday afternoon and he called me on Saturday. I saw his info on the research section. I already lost my dad to colon cancer and I am not ready to lose my step dad to this terrible disease. I just wanted to ask if you had heard of this Dr?


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Home →
→ Health Advice & Tips
| Health Advice & Tips
Diagnosing allergies
Clearly identifying agents that your child is allergic to is critical to avoiding or reducing her exposure to those allergens, thereby reducing her symptoms. If allergies are undiagnosed, left untreated, or mistreated, there is the possibility that they may cause the child to develop asthma.
In the past, diagnosing allergies to foods or indoor or outdoor airborne allergens meant taking your child to a specialist for painful and time-consuming skin testing. Today there is an alternative — pediatricians and family practitioners have access to the ImmunoCAP® Specific IgE blood test that uses a blood sample to diagnose children's allergies. The test can be performed on children of any age, regardless of their skin condition, with no need to stop any of their medications.
Results are available in a few days. If they confirm allergies, the report will specify tree pollen, molds, animal dander, food, and/or other types of allergens. The child's physician can then discuss with the family non-pharmacological approaches to controlling the allergies, or if necessary, prescribe medication to help the child lead a normal life and not sound as if he were constantly studying for a French test.
Distinguishing allergy symptoms from colds
Children with allergies often have a combination of runny nose, itchy eyes, throat clearing, sneezing, and cough. Allergies can also cause or contribute to eczema, infant colic, and recurrent ear infections. Allergies are caused by a combination of genetic factors as well as exposure. If one parent has allergies, his or her child has a 25 percent chance of developing allergies; if both parents have allergies, the risk increases to 50 percent.
The common cold, or viral rhinosinusitis, is an infection of the nasal passages, sinuses, and throat caused by any of a number of viruses. While a cold may slow your child down for the first few days, she should bounce back quickly even before the coughing and sneezing completely resolve. The symptoms of sneezing, cough, fever, and nasal congestion usually last seven to 10 days. Most children get six colds per winter, and if they live with a smoker, the number increases to nine per winter. This averages out to at least 60 days of goopy noses and sniffles every winter.
If you suspect your child might have allergies, discuss your concerns with your pediatrician or family physician and ask if allergy testing might be appropriate. And trust your instincts, because nobody knows your child better than you do.
One website where further information is available is the Quest Diagnostics Patient Health Library at www.questdiagnostics.com.
Dr. Scott Schroeder is associate professor of pediatrics, SUNY-Stony Brook College of Medicine, and chief of the division of pulmonary medicine, Winthrop-University Hospital Department of Pediatrics.
Lyme Disease FAQ: Preventing, Symptoms, and Treatment
Head Lice FAQ
The Health Benefits of Me Time
Study: Handheld Screen Time Linked With Speech Delays
Party Planning
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Camp Guide
Sports for Kids
Child Care Options
Education Resources
Family Health Guide
Special Needs Guide
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Helpful pointers for parents to help children flourish through freedom when they are home.
During early childhood years, children develop at a faster pace than adults, and it is during this period of time that music education can impact a child's learning ability and development as the executive director of The Diller-Quaile School of Music in Manhattan shares.
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PZL-Mielec has flown the second Sikorsky S-70i "international" helicopter. It is the first to fly in Poland, where two more units are in final assembly. The Polish company previously shipped major subassemblies for the first S-70i to the U.S., where initial flight tests were completed at Sikorsky's West Palm Beach, Fla. facility last month. The helicopter features various new systems, including a fully integrated digital cockpit; an active vibration-control system; digital transponder and dual radios; emergency locator transmitter and embedded dual GPS/INS navigation with digital map. Some of the systems replace items on the H-60 series that are not exportable from the U.S. Sikorsky has not identified the first customer for the S-70i, but says that deliveries are scheduled to begin by the middle of next year. Sikorsky acquired PZL Mielec in 2007, and has since upgraded the factory. It has been producing H-60 cabin subassemblies for Sikorsky's U.S. production line.
Sikorsky Makes Progress with International S-70i
- November 19, 2010, 8:25 AM


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WASHINGTON (Dec. 20)
The State Department today issued a statement defending Edwin M. Wright from criticism by Jewish groups, and supporting his expressions on Judaism and Israel.
Mr. Wright, an official of the State Department's Foreign Service Institute; which trains young diplomats, had been charged with anti-Jewis and anti-Zionist public utterances.
The Department said that Mr. Wright has been asked, however, to review his future presentations "carefully and to eliminate any extraneous or interpolated comments which especially if taken out of context, might be interpreted as critical of any religion."
In an official statement, the Department of State made known its communication to Rabbi David Panitz, of Washington. This communication served as a reply to the many protests from Jewish sources against recent expressions by Wright. The State Department said it had looked carefully into the Wright matter and arrived at the following conclusions:
"The recent reports of Wright's statements on Judaism are incomplete and present an unbalanced and distorted view of what Mr. Wright said, or of the views that he states he holds. These reports had they been correct, would have justified the letters of protest which the Department received.
"The Department is convinced that Mr. Wright, in commenting on certain religious tenets, intended to indicate the varied facets of the problem and still to present a balanced viewpoint. Mr. Wright has been asked, however, to review his future presentations carefully and to eliminate any extraneous or interpolated comments which especially if taken out of context, might be interpreted as critical of any religion.
"Mr. Wright's three-hour lecture before the Foreign Service Institute should be viewed in the context of a full week of lectures dealing with various world philosophies and Ziologies, and with the objective of presenting all sides of these controversial issues to our young foreign service officers. In the light of the foregoing, the Department believes Mr. Wright has not offended against the properties or the standards of the Department.
It was learned that the Wright issue was referred in the Department for a decision to Loy Henderson, Deputy Under-Secretary of State for Administration. Mr. Henderson whose own record as a diplomat once directly concerned with the Palestine issue is viewed controversially cleared Mr. Wright. Mr. Henderson reportedly told Mr. Wright he himself had once come under similar "attacks" from Jewish and Zionist organizations.