Versatile and fast, it excels at driving circles around its enemies. However, their commanders are often ordered to just charge the enemy and they are effective in swarms.

Arriva Buses Wales 998 (CX11 EVG) is one of the divison's two Optare Versas powered by Mercedes-Benz, and is seen here at Mold Bus Station having terminated on service X44, for which it is branded.

This versatile vehicle is an epitome of recycling of scrapped materials. The front wheel, frame, handlebar, lights, dynamo, self starter, battery & luggage box are from motorcycles. The seat & rear wheels from a scooter. The pedals from a car. The gear shift from a lathe machine. The rear shock absorbers are partly from a car & partly a hammer press. All the blue frames are welded from window grilles. The wooden bed out of packing crates. The engine is a combo out of drive mechanisms from different shallow water pumps widely used in villages.

 

This versatile vehicle is used for transporting anything under the sun. Commonly seen loads comprise stacks of hay, earthen pots, goats, a bunch of villagers, gunny bags of vegetables, fruit baskets, milk cans ... you name it. Near No. 2 Bazaar, Kalyani, Nadia, WB, 13.3.11

This poncho is created from one rectangle of reverse appliqued fabric that has been twisted and seamed with a short end on a long edge so that the resulting shape may be worn in several styles according to need or preference.

cherylrazmus.blogspot.com/

CC rainbow: Yellow

CC June Bonus: Birds, Bees, and Butterflies

CC Most Versatile: yellow

Well almost done. We are still a little vulnerable on the stream side of the campsite mainly because the border is an old crumbling stone wall overgrown with trees and shrubs. Not enough to keep the cows out but enough to make life hard for amateur fencers like us. We resorted to weaving a way through with old wooden pallets. They'll look OK once they've been painted.

 

By ATEL. Australia mid 1970s

Used for breaking up soil. also first photo edited with Itensify Pro (recommended by Carl Berger)

THE VERSATILITY OF THIS ESCAPE ARTIST, MAGICIAN, ILLUSIONIST, FORMER U.S.M.C. DRILL INSTRUCTOR 2X, RECRUITER FOR U.S.M.C., UNICYCLIST, JUGGLER, GYMNAST, MARATHON RUNNER, COMBAT INSTRUCTOR FOR NAVY SEALS, MARTIAL ARTS EXPERT IN A NUMBER OF ARTS, SURFER, DAREDEVIL, HANDGLIDER, FATHER OF FIVE CHILDREN, 6X WORLD RECORD HOLDER IN ESCAPOLOGY AND 46 MPH HANDSTAND ON SKATEBOARD TIED TO A MOTORCYCLE, TEACHER IN GYMNASTICS, MARTIAL ARTS, CIRCUS PERFORMER HIGH WIRE, PARACHUTIST, SPECIAL FORCES IN MARINES, FASTEST JAIL BREAK IN 22 SECONDS, FASTEST STRAITJACKET ESCAPE LESS THAN 7 SECONDS...IS UNMEASURABLE TO ANY OTHER ESCAPE ARTIST IN THE WORLD AND PERHAPS IN HISTORY. I HAVE SUPPLIED BUT A FEW PHOTOS THAT ARE LEFT FROM HOUDENNY'S EX-WIFE TAKING THEM AND PREVIOUS REPORTERS MISPLACING THEM DURING INTERVIEWS, WHICH IS A SHAME HAVING SO MANY YEARS LOST OF THIS MAN' TALENT.

  

www.ibmring362.org/WEAR2007.html

www.motiono.com/HOUDENNY/albums/177/

 

www.motiono.com/HOUDENNY/albums/

www.flickr.com/photos/12421016@N03/?saved=1

URL: myspace.com/houdenny

 

www.youtube.com/results?search_query=houdenny

 

model: dina dayupay

mua: jade lyons

BMW Group Design set the standard for designing new cars that move today’s consumers and their demand for enhanced utility and more versatility. An innovative concept introduced by BMW Group Design prepares the ground for this new approach: the GINA (Geometry and Functions In “N” Adaptations) principle grants more freedom for car design. It allows the creation of products with a design and functional range that express individuality and meet the wide variety of requirements of those who are using them. GINA produces dramatically different solutions that affect the design and functionality of future cars.

 

An essential principle of the GINA philosophy is to deliberately integrate the potential of new materials and pioneering, innovative constructions into the creative design process, and the idea of challenging existing manufacturing methods and material concepts. Designworks collaborated with BMW Group Design to create an optical expression of individuality, functionality, and innovation that is GINA.

 

Putting its visions of tomorrow’s car into practice, Designworks developed a two-seater roadster concept with the unique dynamic proportions that are typical of the BMW brand.

   

The GINA Light Visionary Model takes the sculptural design that has already been established by a number of production cars to a new, unparalleled conclusion. Designworks incorporated an almost seamless outer skin for the visionary model, which was created out of a flexible textile cover that stretches across a moveable substructure. With this unique attribute, individual functions are only revealed if and when they are needed uniquely resembling the ability of a human to adapt to its environment. In the interior, variability, form and function are united in an inseparable connection. Again, the car’s variability is adapted to suit the driver’s needs. This creates a close interaction between driver and car in various different situations.

 

With this model, BMW Group Design initiates a fundamental discourse about the characteristics that will affect the development of cars in the future. It is therefore fundamentally different from concept cars, which reflect what is expected of them by implementing as many elements as possible in a future production model. In contrast, the GINA Light Visionary Model is a vision of future cars and serves as an object of research.

 

Expo :

BMW Group : #100 Meisterstücke

 

BMW Museum

Am Olympiapark 2

Munchen

Deutschland - Germany

September 2016

"Van the man's" new album features on the poster as Tyne and Wear Metro car 4014 calls at Pelaw on January the 13th 2018.

Last month, an officemate asked me what her daughter should wear in their United Nations celebration program- she was tasked to represent Madagascar. Well, I've never been to Madagascar although I've been meaning to go in the past 4 years but never found the time; so I couldn't describe what the Malagasy wear. I searched high and low in the internet but I never found a picture or image of their national costume. Now that I've been there, I still don't know. What is normal for Malagasy women is to wear a dress but always have an overwrap that they bind around everywhere, be it at their waist, around their chest or over their head. The sarong-type cloth is of course colorful and is a perfect foil for the sun and a subject for me.

 

the Ramena beach, Diego Suarez (Antsiranana), Madagascar

 

more pics and journeys in colloidfarl.blogspot.com/

  

When your boat is too big for a Jeep. At Port Lincoln

Developed by Whampoa Colour Centre

www.iveco.com

Versatile .22 hunting/plinking spring rifle in a "bullpup" configuration. Muzzle velocity is 11.5ftlbs. Commonly used by hunters and poachers.

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based historical facts. BEWARE!

  

Some background:

The OA-1E was a response to the 1963 "tri-service" specification for the Light Armed Reconnaissance Aircraft (LARA) for U.S. Navy, Air Force and Army. The LARA requirement was based on a perceived need for a new type of "jungle fighting" versatile light attack and observation aircraft. Existing military aircraft in the observation role, such as the Cessna O-1 Bird Dog and Cessna O-2 Skymaster, were perceived as obsolescent, with too slow a speed and too small a load capacity for this flexible role.

 

A total of eleven proposals were submitted, among them were the Grumman Model 134R (a tandem-seat version of the already fielded U.S. Army's OV-1 Mohawk), the Convair Model 48 Charger, the Helio 1320, the Lockheed CL-760, a Martin design, and the North American/Rockwell NA-300. The LARA competition raged on until mid-1964, and it eventually spawned the successful OV-10 Bronco, which made its maiden flight in 1965 and eventually entered frontline service in Vietnam in 1968.

 

Douglas had proposed the D-885 design to the LARA competition, but had already been working on a concept for an armed military observation and attack aircraft, designed for battlefield surveillance and strike capabilities, in all weather conditions, day and night. This had been a private venture proposal, and USN and USMC approved it under the condition that it would be a cheap solution, being ready for front line tests in mid-1965 – much quicker than the OV-10, which also lacked the all-weather capability at that time.

 

Since time was pressing, the aircraft was based on the AD/A-1 Skyraider airframe and the program christened "Low Altitude Gunship and Obeservation System" (LAGOS). The resulting YOA-1E was based on the "Flying Dumptruck", the A-1E (AD-5) airframe with side-by-side seating and a spacious cockpit which had become necessary for the crew of three: a pilot, a co-pilot/navigator and an observer/gunman, combined with state-of-the-art sensor and weapon equipment plus the technical infrastructure for both.

 

The YOA-1E's special equipment included a relatively compact, turreted forward looking infrared (FLIR) sensor ball under the fuselage, combined with a laser target designator, a highly innovative feature at the time. The respective ‘Paveway’ series of laser-guided bombs had just been developed by Texas Instruments, starting in 1964, and the LAGOS YOA-1E had been one of the first operational aircraft that could illuminate and deploy laser-guided smart weapons. Other sensors included low-light cameras and an array of IR sensors that were installed in a bulged faring on port side. Several passive radar and IR warning sensors completed the package.

 

Tactically, the idea was to identify a ground target, lock onto it with the sensors and either mark the target with the laser for other aircraft that would deploy laser-guided ordnance, or circle around the target at maximum cannon range (which was outside of typical small arms fire) at an altitude of 6.000-8.000 feet and suppress or destroy the target with gun fire.

 

The OA-1E would not carry laser-guided bombs, though, since it lacked proper speed to deploy them effectively, and laser-guided missiles were still far beyond the horizon (the light AGM-114 Hellfire's development started in 1974, and the laser-guided AGM-65C Maverick would enter testing in 1978!).

 

But the agile and stable aircraft had other benefits: One special feature of the YOA-1E was a turreted, three-barreled 20 mm (.79 in) XM197 gun under the rear fuselage. This gatling gun, also a new development, originally for the AH-1 attack helicopter, was slaved to the FLIR aimpoint and could cover almost the complete lower hemisphere. Using a gun turret instead of fixed armament was expected to improve versatility, esp. against small, mobile targets and at very low altitude. The gun could also fire directly backwards, so that a limited rear defense was provided, too.

 

The XM197 was supplied from a massive magazine of 1.500 linked rounds that occupied much of the cabin’s rear, with a total capacity including feeder system of 1.600 rounds. This early XM 197 had a cyclic rate of fire of 650 RPM, at a muzzle velocity of 1.030 m/sec. This resulted in a potential constant fire of almost 3 min., even though standard practice was to fire the cannon in 30 to 50 round bursts, in order to save ammunition and to prevent overheating problems.

 

As a weight compensation measure, two of the A-1E’s original wing-mounted cannons were deleted, as well as the central underfuselage pylon which made way for the sensor/gun installation. The rest of the underwings hardpoints were retained, though, even though offensive ordnance was rarely carried.

 

In the course of the LAGOS program a total of four A-1E aircraft were modified, and three of them outfited for field testing of equipment and tactics. All of these machines were ready for service in late 1966. The operational trio was immediately transferred to East Asia in order to support the USMC troops, which had been sent to the Vietnam war theatre since March.

 

The three operational YOA-1Es were attached to the US Navy’s VA-33, 'Ironhides'. This was a short-lived Attack Squadron, originally based at Naval Station Sangley Point, Philippines, but deployed to Cam Ranh Air Base. There, the Skyraider squadron flew missions next to VAH-21 'Roadrunners', another special unit that operated four highly modfied AP-2H night surveillance and attack versions of the Lockheed P-2 Neptune aircraft. VAH-21 also had a field test task, because the squadron carried out night interdiction and electronic surveillance missions, as part of the USN’s Project TRIM (Trails Roads Interdiction Multi-Sensor).

 

Flying covert operations, the YOA-1E trio helped a lot in technical development, and the front line test revealed several flaws and problems of the overall concept. Primarily, the early FLIR and laser designator were not reliable under the humid climate of Vietnam.

 

The XM 197 cannon was troublesome, too. The gun itself worked well, but the ammunition feeding system was prone to jamming – a flaw that kept haunting later, helicopter-mounted variants, too. Anyway, the massive firepower earned the YOA-1E the nickname “The Ewer” and the gun turret turned out to be highly effective.

 

The OA-1Es even scored a single, documented air victory: an unsuspecting Vietnamese MiG-17PF night fighter was shot down with the XM197 in early 1970, when VA-33's OA-1E ‘01’, 'Pluto', dodged a surprise attack from behind and the gunner instinctively opened defensive fire - not an aimed counterattack, but neverthless successful!

 

The three OA-1Es were frequently deployed in a wide range of tasks and missions. These started in 1967 with reconnaissance missions at night, but with more and more experience withz the machines, their capabilities and their maintenance, a multitude of assignments were tried and accomplished.

 

One very successful role was the OA-1E’s use as mini gunships during “Sandy” (pilot recovery) missions, in which they escorted CH-53 rescue helicopters, suppressed enemy fire or supported other escorting A-1s, guiding them to hidden targets.

The LAGOS Skyraiders were also tested in pathfinder missions for faster aircraft, which would deploy their laser-guided Paveway bombs in a more effective fashion from a safe distance and from higher altitudes.

 

Another field in which the OA-1Es helped to gather tactical information for the later OV-10 was FAC duty. The Skyraider’s high loitering time proved to be very valuable, as well as its rigidity and its sophisticated sensor array.

 

Furthermore, the three Ewers accomplished aerial radiological reconnaissance, tactical air observation, artillery and naval gunfire spotting, airborne control of tactical air support operations as well as front line, low-level aerial photography. One of the machines (‘03’, 'Journey's End') was even provisionally modified to lay smoke screens, and it was extremely successful.

 

The aircraft was kept in service by its evaluators for several months and only reluctantly released. The smoke screen system did not catch on, though, due to a perceived lack of missions.

 

Racked armament in the Vietnam War was usually light. Beyond drop tanks to extend loitering time, typical loads were seven- and nineteen-shot 2.75 in (70 mm) LAU rocket pods with white phosphorus marker rounds or high-explosive rockets or 5” (127 mm) four-shot Zuni rocket pods. Bombs, ADSIDS air-delivered seismic sensors, Mk-6 battlefield illumination flares, and other stores were carried as well.

But the heavy equipment load and the XM197’s ammunition (the rounds themselves weighed more than 3.500 lb (1.600 kg)!) naturally limited the external ordnance stores’ volume and made the aircraft rather sluggish.

 

The LAGOS OA-1E proved to be too heavy and limited for a COIN aircraft, even though it was popular among the crews and basically performed well. The Skyraider airframe could take a lot of punishment and still make it home, and the low speed/low altitude handling was very good, despite the ponderous special equipment. But the aircraft could only be safely deployed in total air superiority conditions, and in the end the modern technology could not make up the old airframe’s weaknesses.

 

Consequently, the field tests were stopped in late 1970, the three machines taken back to the US and Douglas and further development of the LAGOS concept was halted, even though the insights were transferred to other developments like the OV-10D NOGS for the USMC and the AC-130 gunships for the USAF.

  

General characteristics:

Crew: Three

Length: 38 ft 10 in (11.84 m)

Wingspan: 50 ft 0¼ in (15.25 m)

Height: 15 ft 8¼ in (4.78 m)

Wing area: 400.3 ft² (37.19 m²)

Empty weight: 11,968 lb (5,429 kg)

Loaded weight: 18,106 lb (8,213 kg)

Max. take-off weight: 25,000 lb (11,340 kg)

 

Powerplant:

1× Wright R-3350-26WA radial engine, 2,700 hp (2,000 kW)

 

Performance:

Maximum speed: 322 mph (280 kn, 518 km/h) at 18,000 ft (5,500 m)

Cruise speed: 198 mph (172 kn, 319 km/h)

Range: 1,316 mi (1,144 nmi, 2,115 km)

Service ceiling: 28,500 ft (8,685 m)

Rate of climb: 2,850 ft/min (14.5 m/s)

Wing loading: 45 lb/ft² (220 kg/m²)

Power/mass: 0.15 hp/lb (250 W/kg)

 

Armament:

2× M2 20mm (0.79 in) cannon in the wings

1× XM 197 20mm (0.79 in) cannon in a ventral turret

15 hardpoints for theoretically up to 8,000 lb (3,600 kg) of external ordnance, but rarely used due to the massive ammunition magazine of the XM 197

  

The kit and its assembly:

This has been on my whif agenda for long, and was initially inspired by the OV-10D NOGS project – a Bronco with night vision sensors and a turreted cannon under its belly. I wondered if this concept could not have been tested a few years earlier, during the Vietnam conflict? The technology underwent initial field tests at that time, e. g. in form of the AP-2H or the B-57G “Tropic Moon”. Gunships like the AC-47 or AC-119 were also a proven concept – so why not meld everything into a compact aircraft?

 

The A-1E seemed a good basis, with its spacious fuselage, and the basis for this modification is the Monogram kit from the late 60ies, in this case a Revell re-boxing.

 

The kit is rather simple and has some weak points, e.g. the crude landing gear and engine, or massive ejector pin markings under the stabilizer. I only changed what I deemed necessary, as this was to become a prototype on the basis of a stock A-1E. Hence, I only changed the interior layout with a massive box (the ammunition depot, actually a Revell Me 262 cockpit tub turned upseide down…) and a work station for the observer/gunner behind the pilots’ cabin with a seat and a screen.

 

The sensor and turret balls were scratched – these are actually shoulder joints from a Dorvack PA mecha kit, fitted in matching holes in the fuselage. As a side effect, the things can be moved and the shoulder fulcrum was used to mount the cannon, so that this became moveable, too. The space between the turrets was faired as good as possible.

 

On the hull, several antennae and bumps were added, and different main wheels (IIRC from an Italeri MiG-29!) were used. The flaps were lowered, too, for a more lively look. As ordnance, two drop tanks (smaller than those that come with the kit, from an Italeri BAe Hawk), a single pair of LAU rocket launchers on the outer wing stations (from an Italeri A-4M, IIRC) and two first generation ECM pods (an ALQ-81 and ALQ-101, from a Hasegawa aircraft weapon set) were added.

  

Painting and markings:

The wrap-around paint scheme was another important factor to build this whif kit - it looks pretty cool and popped up several times in the late 60ies and the 70ies, e. g. on the USMC’s OV-10D prototypes, and on the US Navy’s AP-2Hs from VAH-21 in Vietnam.

 

The scheme was, AFAIK, made from three grey tones: FS 36118 (Gunship Grey), FS 36231 (Dark Gull Grey) and FS 36440 (Light Gull Grey), and these colors were prone to weathering and bleaching under the tropical East Asia climate, so that the Light Gull Grey appears almost like white. This was simulated with some black ink wash and dry-brushing all over the hull.

 

The interior was painted in Neutral Grey (FS 36173), while the landing gear was kept all-white.

 

The decals were puzzled together, but mostly from the Revell kit's decal sheet that offers a USAF machine and two USN machines, a blue and a grey one.

  

IMHO, the result was worth the effort - the paint scheme looks very good on the bulky Skyraider, and the changes with the weapon/sensor gondola is rather subtle, it's only obvious at second glance and it IMHO even looks plausible in this position and arrangement?

This pattern is so extremely versatile! I just had to make another blouse with it! This one has a beautiful delicate black print on a darker beige cotton ground. Awesome fabric : )!

I'm very happy that it fits so many different body sizes, too. Luna, my curvy Barbie, was very happy she could wear it as well.

It looks great with black pants but I think I just LOVE it together with the "Mighty Jungle" skirt!!!

 

----------------------------

 

My dearest flickr friends,

 

The summer finally is ending, so I thought “Why not celebrate the end of summer and the start of autumn with a lovely fashion collection” ; )?

This is “Goodbye Summer”, a cute little fun collection of new boho style pieces and some basics. As always, I try to create fashions that are highly versatile and easy to combine.

The new line is picture intense, so I’d recommend to go to my “Goodbye Summer” album and there you’ll find all new designs. My etsy shop has been updated already!

 

May your days be sunny and bright and the new season bring us all lots of beautiful memorable moments…

 

Dearest greetings,

Nina*

 

See how to style: hairstyleology.com/versatile-blonde-blunt-bob-with-side-s...

With a self portrait soap bubble reflection, LOL!

The bamboos (Bambusoideae) are a subfamily of flowering perennial evergreen plants in the grass family Poaceae.

 

Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family. In bamboos, the internodal regions of the stem are hollow and the vascular bundles in the cross section are scattered throughout the stem instead of in a cylindrical arrangement. The dicotyledonous woody xylem is also absent. The absence of secondary growth wood causes the stems of monocots, including the palms and large bamboos, to be columnar rather than tapering.

 

Bamboos are some of the fastest-growing plants in the world, due to a unique rhizome-dependent system. Certain species of bamboo can grow 88.9 Centimeters within a 24-hour period, at a rate of 3 cm/h (a growth of approximately 1 millimeter every 2 minutes). Bamboos are of notable economic and cultural significance in South Asia, Southeast Asia and East Asia, being used for building materials, as a food source, and as a versatile raw product. Bamboo has a higher compressive strength than wood, brick or concrete and a tensile strength that rivals steel.

 

The word bamboo comes from the Kannada term bambu, which was introduced to English through Malay.

 

SYSTEMATICS AND TAXONOMY

The bamboos have long been considered the most primitive grasses, mostly because of the presence of bracteate, indeterminate inflorescences, "pseudospikelets", and flowers with three lodicules, six stamens, and three stigmas. Following more recent molecular phylogenetic research, many tribes and genera of grasses formerly included in Bambusoideae are now classified in other subfamilies, e.g. the Anomochlooideae, the Puelioideae, and the Ehrhartoideae. The subfamily in its current sense belongs to the BOP clade of grasses, where it is sister to the Pooideae (bluegrasses and relatives).

 

The bamboos contains three clades classified as tribes, and these strongly correspond with geographic divisions, representing the New World herbaceous species (Olyreae), tropical woody bamboos (Bambuseae) and temperate woody bamboos (Arundinarieae). The woody bamboos do not form a monophyletic group; instead, the tropical woody and herbaceous bamboos are sister to the temperate woody bamboos. Altogether, there are more than 1,400 species in 115 genera.

 

Tribe Olyreae (herbaceous bamboos)

Tribe Bambuseae (tropical woody bamboos)

Tribe Arundinarieae (temperate woody bamboos)

 

DISTRIBUTION

Bamboo species are found in diverse climates, from cold mountains to hot tropical regions. They occur across East Asia, from 50°N latitude in Sakhalin through to Northern Australia, and west to India and the Himalayas. They also occur in sub-Saharan Africa, and in the Americas from the mid-Atlantic states south to Argentina and Chile, reaching their southernmost point at 47°S latitude. Continental Europe is not known to have any native species of bamboo.

 

Recently, some attempts have been made to grow bamboo on a commercial basis in the Great Lakes region of east-central Africa, especially in Rwanda. In the United States, several companies are growing, harvesting, and distributing species such as Phyllostachys nigra (Henon) and Phyllostachys edulis (Moso).

 

ECOLOGY

Bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants on Earth, with reported growth rates of 250 cm in 24 hours. However, the growth rate is dependent on local soil and climatic conditions, as well as species, and a more typical growth rate for many commonly cultivated bamboos in temperate climates is in the range of 3–10 centimetre per day during the growing period. Primarily growing in regions of warmer climates during the late Cretaceous period, vast fields existed in what is now Asia. Some of the largest timber bamboo can grow over 30 m tall, and be as large as 15–20 cm in diameter. However, the size range for mature bamboo is species dependent, with the smallest bamboos reaching only several inches high at maturity. A typical height range that would cover many of the common bamboos grown in the United States is 4.6–12 metres, depending on species. Anji County of China, known as the "Town of Bamboo", provides the optimal climate and soil conditions to grow, harvest, and process some of the most valued bamboo poles available worldwide.

 

Unlike all trees, individual bamboo stems, or culms, emerge from the ground at their full diameter and grow to their full height in a single growing season of three to four months. During these several months, each new shoot grows vertically into a culm with no branching out until the majority of the mature height is reached. Then, the branches extend from the nodes and leafing out occurs. In the next year, the pulpy wall of each culm slowly hardens. During the third year, the culm hardens further. The shoot is now considered a fully mature culm. Over the next 2–5 years (depending on species), fungus begins to form on the outside of the culm, which eventually penetrates and overcomes the culm. Around 5–8 years later (species and climate dependent), the fungal growths cause the culm to collapse and decay. This brief life means culms are ready for harvest and suitable for use in construction within about three to seven years. Individual bamboo culms do not get any taller or larger in diameter in subsequent years than they do in their first year, and they do not replace any growth lost from pruning or natural breakage. Bamboos have a wide range of hardiness depending on species and locale. Small or young specimens of an individual species will produce small culms initially. As the clump and its rhizome system mature, taller and larger culms will be produced each year until the plant approaches its particular species limits of height and diameter.

 

Many tropical bamboo species will die at or near freezing temperatures, while some of the hardier or so-called temperate bamboos can survive temperatures as low as −29 °C. Some of the hardiest bamboo species can be grown in places as cold as USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 5–6, although they typically will defoliate and may even lose all above-ground growth, yet the rhizomes will survive and send up shoots again the next spring. In milder climates, such as USDA Zone 8 and above, some hardy bamboo may remain fully leafed out year-round.

 

MASS FLOWERING

Most bamboo species flower infrequently. In fact, many bamboos only flower at intervals as long as 65 or 120 years. These taxa exhibit mass flowering (or gregarious flowering), with all plants in a particular cohort flowering over a several-year period. Any plant derived through clonal propagation from this cohort will also flower regardless of whether it has been planted in a different location. The longest mass flowering interval known is 130 years, and it is for the species Phyllostachys bambusoides (Sieb. & Zucc.). In this species, all plants of the same stock flower at the same time, regardless of differences in geographic locations or climatic conditions, and then the bamboo dies. The lack of environmental impact on the time of flowering indicates the presence of some sort of "alarm clock" in each cell of the plant which signals the diversion of all energy to flower production and the cessation of vegetative growth. This mechanism, as well as the evolutionary cause behind it, is still largely a mystery.

 

One hypothesis to explain the evolution of this semelparous mass flowering is the predator satiation hypothesis which argues that by fruiting at the same time, a population increases the survival rate of their seeds by flooding the area with fruit, so, even if predators eat their fill, seeds will still be left over. By having a flowering cycle longer than the lifespan of the rodent predators, bamboos can regulate animal populations by causing starvation during the period between flowering events. Thus the death of the adult clone is due to resource exhaustion, as it would be more effective for parent plants to devote all resources to creating a large seed crop than to hold back energy for their own regeneration.

 

Another, the fire cycle hypothesis, argues that periodic flowering followed by death of the adult plants has evolved as a mechanism to create disturbance in the habitat, thus providing the seedlings with a gap in which to grow. This argues that the dead culms create a large fuel load, and also a large target for lightning strikes, increasing the likelihood of wildfire. Because bamboos can be aggressive as early successional plants, the seedlings would be able to outstrip other plants and take over the space left by their parents.

 

However, both have been disputed for different reasons. The predator satiation hypothesis does not explain why the flowering cycle is 10 times longer than the lifespan of the local rodents, something not predicted. The bamboo fire cycle hypothesis is considered by a few scientists to be unreasonable; they argue[20] that fires only result from humans and there is no natural fire in India. This notion is considered wrong based on distribution of lightning strike data during the dry season throughout India. However, another argument against this is the lack of precedent for any living organism to harness something as unpredictable as lightning strikes to increase its chance of survival as part of natural evolutionary progress.

 

More recently, a mathematical explanation for the extreme length of the flowering cycles has been offered, involving both the stabilizing selection implied by the predator satiation hypothesis and others, and the fact that plants that flower at longer intervals tend to release more seeds. The hypothesis claims that bamboo flowering intervals grew by integer multiplication. A mutant bamboo plant flowering at a non-integer multiple of its population's flowering interval would release its seeds alone, and would not enjoy the benefits of collective flowering (such as protection from predators). On the other hand, a mutant bamboo plant flowering at an integer multiple of its population's flowering interval would release its seeds only during collective flowering events, and would release more seeds than the average plant in the population. It could therefore take over the population, establishing a flowering interval that is an integer multiple of the previous flowering interval. The hypothesis predicts that observed bamboo flowering intervals should factorize into small prime numbers.

 

The mass fruiting also has direct economic and ecological consequences, however. The huge increase in available fruit in the forests often causes a boom in rodent populations, leading to increases in disease and famine in nearby human populations. For example, devastating consequences occur when the Melocanna bambusoides population flowers and fruits once every 30–35 years around the Bay of Bengal. The death of the bamboo plants following their fruiting means the local people lose their building material, and the large increase in bamboo fruit leads to a rapid increase in rodent populations. As the number of rodents increases, they consume all available food, including grain fields and stored food, sometimes leading to famine. These rats can also carry dangerous diseases, such as typhus, typhoid, and bubonic plague, which can reach epidemic proportions as the rodents increase in number. The relationship between rat populations and bamboo flowering was examined in a 2009 Nova documentary "Rat Attack".

 

In any case, flowering produces masses of seeds, typically suspended from the ends of the branches. These seeds will give rise to a new generation of plants that may be identical in appearance to those that preceded the flowering, or they may produce new cultivars with different characteristics, such as the presence or absence of striping or other changes in coloration of the culms.

 

Several bamboo species are never known to set seed even when sporadically flowering has been reported. Bambusa vulgaris, Bambusa balcooa and Dendrocalamus stocksii are common examples of such bamboo.

 

AS ANIMAL DIET

Soft bamboo shoots, stems, and leaves are the major food source of the giant panda of China, the red panda of Nepal and the bamboo lemurs of Madagascar. Rats will eat the fruits as described above. Mountain gorillas of Africa also feed on bamboo, and have been documented consuming bamboo sap which was fermented and alcoholic; chimpanzees and elephants of the region also eat the stalks.

 

The larvae of the bamboo borer (the moth Omphisa fuscidentalis) of Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Yunnan Province, China, feeds off the pulp of live bamboo. In turn, these caterpillars are considered a local delicacy.

 

CULTIVATION

COMMERCIAL TIMBER

Timber is harvested from both cultivated and wild stands, and some of the larger bamboos, particularly species in the genus Phyllostachys, are known as "timber bamboos".

 

HARVESTING

Bamboo used for construction purposes must be harvested when the culms reach their greatest strength and when sugar levels in the sap are at their lowest, as high sugar content increases the ease and rate of pest infestation.

 

Harvesting of bamboo is typically undertaken according to the following cycles:

 

1) Life cycle of the culm: As each individual culm goes through a 5– to 7-year life cycle, culms are ideally allowed to reach this level of maturity prior to full capacity harvesting. The clearing out or thinning of culms, particularly older decaying culms, helps to ensure adequate light and resources for new growth. Well-maintained clumps may have a productivity three to four times that of an unharvested wild clump. Consistent with the life cycle described above, bamboo is harvested from two to three years through to five to seven years, depending on the species.

 

2) Annual cycle: As all growth of new bamboo occurs during the wet season, disturbing the clump during this phase will potentially damage the upcoming crop. Also during this high rainfall period, sap levels are at their highest, and then diminish towards the dry season. Picking immediately prior to the wet/growth season may also damage new shoots. Hence, harvesting is best a few months prior to the start of the wet season.

 

3) Daily cycle: During the height of the day, photosynthesis is at its peak, producing the highest levels of sugar in sap, making this the least ideal time of day to harvest. Many traditional practitioners believe the best time to harvest is at dawn or dusk on a waning moon.

 

LEACHING

Leaching is the removal of sap after harvest. In many areas of the world, the sap levels in harvested bamboo are reduced either through leaching or postharvest photosynthesis.

 

EXEMPLES OF THIS PRACTICE INCLUDE:

Cut bamboo is raised clear of the ground and leaned against the rest of the clump for one to two weeks until leaves turn yellow to allow full consumption of sugars by the plant.

A similar method is undertaken, but with the base of the culm standing in fresh water, either in a large drum or stream to leach out sap.

Cut culms are immersed in a running stream and weighted down for three to four weeks.

Water is pumped through the freshly cut culms, forcing out the sap (this method is often used in conjunction with the injection of some form of treatment).

 

In the process of water leaching, the bamboo is dried slowly and evenly in the shade to avoid cracking in the outer skin of the bamboo, thereby reducing opportunities for pest infestation.

 

Durability of bamboo in construction is directly related to how well it is handled from the moment of planting through harvesting, transportation, storage, design, construction and maintenance. Bamboo harvested at the correct time of year and then exposed to ground contact or rain, will break down just as quickly as incorrectly harvested material.

 

ORNAMENTAL BAMBOOS

The two general patterns for the growth of bamboo are "clumping" (sympodial) and "running" (monopodial). Clumping bamboo species tend to spread slowly, as the growth pattern of the rhizomes is to simply expand the root mass gradually, similar to ornamental grasses. "Running" bamboos, on the other hand, need to be controlled during cultivation because of their potential for aggressive behavior. They spread mainly through their roots and/or rhizomes, which can spread widely underground and send up new culms to break through the surface. Running bamboo species are highly variable in their tendency to spread; this is related to both the species and the soil and climate conditions. Some can send out runners of several metres a year, while others can stay in the same general area for long periods. If neglected, over time they can cause problems by moving into adjacent areas.

 

Bamboos seldom and unpredictably flower, and the frequency of flowering varies greatly from species to species. Once flowering takes place, a plant will decline and often die entirely. Although there are always a few species of bamboo in flower at any given time, collectors desiring to grow specific bamboo typically obtain their plants as divisions of already-growing plants, rather than waiting for seeds to be produced.

 

Regular observations will indicate major growth directions and locations. Once the rhizomes are cut, they are typically removed; however, rhizomes take a number of months to mature, and an immature, severed rhizome will usually cease growing if left in-ground. If any bamboo shoots come up outside of the bamboo area afterwards, their presence indicates the precise location of the removed rhizome. The fibrous roots that radiate from the rhizomes do not produce more bamboo.

 

Bamboo growth is also controlled by surrounding the plant or grove with a physical barrier. Typically, concrete and specially rolled HDPE plastic are the materials used to create the barrier, which is placed in a 60– to 90-cm-deep ditch around the planting, and angled out at the top to direct the rhizomes to the surface. (This is only possible if the barrier is installed in a straight line.) If the containment area is small, this method can be detrimental to ornamental bamboo, as the bamboo within can become rootbound and start to display the signs of any unhealthy containerized plant. In addition, rhizomes can escape over the top, or beneath the barrier if it is not deep enough. Strong rhizomes and tools can penetrate plastic barriers, so care must be taken. In small areas, regular maintenance may be the best method for controlling the running bamboos. Barriers and edging are unnecessary for clump-forming bamboos, although these may eventually need to have portions removed if they become too large.

 

The ornamental plant sold in containers and marketed as "lucky bamboo" is actually an entirely unrelated plant, Dracaena sanderiana. It is a resilient member of the lily family that grows in the dark, tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia and Africa. Lucky bamboo has long been associated with the Eastern practice of feng shui and images of the plant widely available on the Web are often used to depict bamboo. On a similar note, Japanese knotweed is also sometimes mistaken for a bamboo, but it grows wild and is considered an invasive species. Phyllostachys species of bamboo are also considered invasive and illegal to sell or propagate in some areas of the US.

 

USES

CULINARY

Although the shoots (new culms that come out of the ground) of bamboo contain a toxin taxiphyllin (a cyanogenic glycoside) that produces cyanide in the gut, proper processing renders them edible. They are used in numerous Asian dishes and broths, and are available in supermarkets in various sliced forms, in both fresh and canned versions. The golden bamboo lemur ingests many times the quantity of the taxiphyllin-containing bamboo that would kill a human.

 

The bamboo shoot in its fermented state forms an important ingredient in cuisines across the Himalayas. In Assam, India, for example, it is called khorisa. In Nepal, a delicacy popular across ethnic boundaries consists of bamboo shoots fermented with turmeric and oil, and cooked with potatoes into a dish that usually accompanies rice (alu tama (आलु तामा) in Nepali).

 

In Indonesia, they are sliced thin and then boiled with santan (thick coconut milk) and spices to make a dish called gulai rebung. Other recipes using bamboo shoots are sayur lodeh (mixed vegetables in coconut milk) and lun pia (sometimes written lumpia: fried wrapped bamboo shoots with vegetables). The shoots of some species contain toxins that need to be leached or boiled out before they can be eaten safely.

 

Pickled bamboo, used as a condiment, may also be made from the pith of the young shoots.

 

The sap of young stalks tapped during the rainy season may be fermented to make ulanzi (a sweet wine) or simply made into a soft drink. Bamboo leaves are also used as wrappers for steamed dumplings which usually contains glutinous rice and other ingredients.

 

Pickled bamboo shoots (Nepali:तामा tama) are cooked with black-eyed beans as a delicacy food in Nepal. Many Nepalese restaurant around the world serve this dish as aloo bodi tama. Fresh bamboo shoots are sliced and pickled with mustard seeds and turmeric and kept in glass jar in direct sunlight for the best taste. It is used alongside many dried beans in cooking during winter months. Baby shoots (Nepali: tusa) of a very different variety of bamboo (Nepali: निगालो Nigalo) native to Nepal is cooked as a curry in Hilly regions.

 

In Sambalpur, India, the tender shoots are grated into juliennes and fermented to prepare kardi. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word for bamboo shoot, karira. This fermented bamboo shoot is used in various culinary preparations, notably amil, a sour vegetable soup. It is also made into pancakes using rice flour as a binding agent. The shoots that have turned a little fibrous are fermented, dried, and ground to sand-sized particles to prepare a garnish known as hendua. It is also cooked with tender pumpkin leaves to make sag green leaves.

 

In Konkani cuisine, the tender shoots (kirlu) are grated and cooked with crushed jackfruit seeds to prepare 'kirla sukke'.

 

The empty hollow in the stalks of larger bamboo is often used to cook food in many Asian cultures. Soups are boiled and rice is cooked in the hollows of fresh stalks of bamboo directly over a flame. Similarly, steamed tea is sometimes rammed into bamboo hollows to produce compressed forms of Pu-erh tea. Cooking food in bamboo is said to give the food a subtle but distinctive taste.

 

In addition, bamboo is frequently used for cooking utensils within many cultures, and is used in the manufacture of chopsticks. In modern times, some see bamboo tools as an ecofriendly alternative to other manufactured utensils.

 

MEDICINE

Bamboo is used in Chinese medicine for treating infections and healing. In northern Indian state of Assam, the fermented bamboo paste known as khorisa is known locally as a folk remedy for the treatment of impotence, infertility, and menstrual pains.

 

CONSTRUCTION

Bamboo, like true wood, is a natural composite material with a high strength-to-weight ratio useful for structures.

 

In its natural form, bamboo as a construction material is traditionally associated with the cultures of South Asia, East Asia and the South Pacific, to some extent in Central and South America, and by extension in the aesthetic of Tiki culture. In China and India, bamboo was used to hold up simple suspension bridges, either by making cables of split bamboo or twisting whole culms of sufficiently pliable bamboo together. One such bridge in the area of Qian-Xian is referenced in writings dating back to 960 AD and may have stood since as far back as the third century BC, due largely to continuous maintenance.

 

Bamboo has also long been used as scaffolding; the practice has been banned in China for buildings over six stories, but is still in continuous use for skyscrapers in Hong Kong. In the Philippines, the nipa hut is a fairly typical example of the most basic sort of housing where bamboo is used; the walls are split and woven bamboo, and bamboo slats and poles may be used as its support. In Japanese architecture, bamboo is used primarily as a supplemental and/or decorative element in buildings such as fencing, fountains, grates and gutters, largely due to the ready abundance of quality timber.

 

Various structural shapes may be made by training the bamboo to assume them as it grows. Squared sections of bamboo are created by compressing the growing stalk within a square form. Arches may similarly be created by forcing the bamboo's growth into the desired form, costing much less than it would to obtain the same shape with regular wood timber. More traditional forming methods, such as the application of heat and pressure, may also be used to curve or flatten the cut stalks.

 

Bamboo can be cut and laminated into sheets and planks. This process involves cutting stalks into thin strips, planing them flat, and boiling and drying the strips; they are then glued, pressed and finished. Long used in China and Japan, entrepreneurs started developing and selling laminated bamboo flooring in the West during the mid-1990s; products made from bamboo laminate, including flooring, cabinetry, furniture and even decorations, are currently surging in popularity, transitioning from the boutique market to mainstream providers such as Home Depot. The bamboo goods industry (which also includes small goods, fabric, etc.) is expected to be worth $25 billion by 2012. The quality of bamboo laminate varies among manufacturers and varies according to the maturity of the plant from which it was harvested (six years being considered the optimum); the sturdiest products fulfill their claims of being up to three times harder than oak hardwood while others may be softer than standard hardwood.

 

Bamboo intended for use in construction should be treated to resist insects and rot. The most common solution for this purpose is a mixture of borax and boric acid. Another process involves boiling cut bamboo to remove the starches that attract insects.

 

Bamboo has been used as reinforcement for concrete in those areas where it is plentiful, though dispute exists over its effectiveness in the various studies done on the subject. Bamboo does have the necessary strength to fulfil this function, but untreated bamboo will swell with water absorbed from the concrete, causing it to crack. Several procedures must be followed to overcome this shortcoming.

 

Several institutes, businesses, and universities are researching the use of bamboo as an ecological construction material. In the United States and France, it is possible to get houses made entirely of bamboo,[citation needed] which are earthquake- and cyclone-resistant and internationally certified. In Bali, Indonesia, an international K-12 school, the Green School, is constructed entirely of bamboo, for its beauty and advantages as a sustainable resource. There are three ISO standards for bamboo as a construction material.

 

In parts of India, bamboo is used for drying clothes indoors, both as a rod high up near the ceiling to hang clothes on, and as a stick wielded with acquired expert skill to hoist, spread, and to take down the clothes when dry. It is also commonly used to make ladders, which apart from their normal function, are also used for carrying bodies in funerals. In Maharashtra, the bamboo groves and forests are called Veluvana, the name velu for bamboo is most likely from Sanskrit, while vana means forest.

 

Furthermore, bamboo is also used to create flagpoles for saffron-coloured, Hindu religious flags, which can be seen fluttering across India, especially in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, as well as in Guyana and Suriname in South America.

 

Bamboo was used for the structural members of the India pavilion at Expo 2010 in Shanghai. The pavilion is the world’s largest bamboo dome, about 34 m in diameter, with bamboo beams/members overlaid with a ferro-concrete slab, waterproofing, copper plate, solar PV panels, a small windmill, and live plants. A total of 30 km of bamboo was used. The dome is supported on 18-m-long steel piles and a series of steel ring beams. The bamboo was treated with borax and boric acid as a fire retardant and insecticide and bent in the required shape. The bamboo sections were joined with reinforcement bars and concrete mortar to achieve the necessary lengths.

 

TEXTILES

Since the fibers of bamboo are very short (less than 3 mm), they are not usually transformed into yarn by a natural process. The usual process by which textiles labeled as being made of bamboo are produced uses only rayon made from the fibers with heavy employment of chemicals. To accomplish this, the fibers are broken down with chemicals and extruded through mechanical spinnerets; the chemicals include lye, carbon disulfide and strong acids. Retailers have sold both end products as "bamboo fabric" to cash in on bamboo's current ecofriendly cachet; however, the Canadian Competition Bureau and the US Federal Trade Commission, as of mid-2009, are cracking down on the practice of labeling bamboo rayon as natural bamboo fabric. Under the guidelines of both agencies, these products must be labeled as rayon with the optional qualifier "from bamboo".

 

AS A WRITING SURFACE

Bamboo was in widespread use in early China as a medium for written documents. The earliest surviving examples of such documents, written in ink on string-bound bundles of bamboo strips (or "slips"), date from the fifth century BC during the Warring States period. However, references in earlier texts surviving on other media make it clear that some precursor of these Warring States period bamboo slips was in use as early as the late Shang period (from about 1250 BC).

 

Bamboo or wooden strips were the standard writing material during the Han dynasty, and excavated examples have been found in abundance. Subsequently, paper began to displace bamboo and wooden strips from mainstream uses, and by the fourth century AD, bamboo slips had been largely abandoned as a medium for writing in China. Several paper industries are surviving on bamboo forests. Ballarpur (Chandrapur, Maharstra) paper mills use bamboo for paper production.

 

Bamboo fiber has been used to make paper in China since early times. A high-quality, handmade paper is still produced in small quantities. Coarse bamboo paper is still used to make spirit money in many Chinese communities.

 

Bamboo pulps are mainly produced in China, Myanmar, Thailand and India, and are used in printing and writing papers. The most common bamboo species used for paper are Dendrocalamus asper and Bamboo bluemanea. It is also possible to make dissolving pulp from bamboo. The average fiber length is similar to hardwoods, but the properties of bamboo pulp are closer to softwood pulps due to it having a very broad fiber length distribution. With the help of molecular tools, it is now possible to distinguish the superior fiber-yielding species/varieties even at juvenile stages of their growth, which can help in unadulterated merchandise production.[

 

WEAPONS

Bamboo has often been used to construct weapons and is still incorporated in several Asian martial arts.

 

A bamboo staff, sometimes with one end sharpened, is used in the Tamil martial art of silambam, a word derived from a term meaning "hill bamboo".

Staves used in the Indian martial art of gatka are commonly made from bamboo, a material favoured for its light weight.

A bamboo sword called a shinai is used in the Japanese martial art of kendo.

Bamboo is used for crafting the bows, called yumi, and arrows used in the Japanese martial art kyudo.

Bamboo is sometimes used to craft the limbs of the longbow and recurve bow used in traditional archery, and to make superior weapons for bowhunting and target archery.

The first gunpowder-based weapons, such as the fire lance, were made of bamboo.

Bamboo was apparently used in East and South Asia as a means of torture.

 

OTHER USES

Bamboo has traditionally been used to make a wide range of everyday utensils, particularly in Japan, where archaeological excavations have uncovered bamboo baskets dating to the Late Jomon period (2000–1000 BC).

 

Bamboo has a long history of use in Asian furniture. Chinese bamboo furniture is a distinct style based on a millennia-long tradition.

 

Several manufacturers offer bamboo bicycles, surfboards, snowboards, and skateboards.

 

Due to its flexibility, bamboo is also used to make fishing rods. The split cane rod is especially prized for fly fishing. Bamboo has been traditionally used in Malaysia as a firecracker called a meriam buluh or bamboo cannon. Four-foot-long sections of bamboo are cut, and a mixture of water and calcium carbide are introduced. The resulting acetylene gas is ignited with a stick, producing a loud bang. Bamboo can be used in water desalination. A bamboo filter is used to remove the salt from seawater.

 

Food is cooked in East Timor in bamboo in fire. This is called Tukir.

 

Many minority groups in remote areas that have water access in Asia use bamboo that is 3–5 years old to make rafts. They use 8 to 12 poles, 6–7 metres long, laid together side by side to a width of about 1 metre. Once the poles are lined up together, they cut a hole crosswise through the poles at each end and use a small bamboo pole pushed through that hole like a screw to hold all the long bamboo poles together. Floating houses use whole bamboo stalks tied together in a big bunch to support the house floating in the water. Bamboo is also used to make eating utensils such as chop sticks, trays, and tea scoops.

 

The Song Dynasty (960–1279 AD) Chinese scientist and polymath Shen Kuo (1031–1095) used the evidence of underground petrified bamboo found in the dry northern climate of Yan'an, Shanbei region, Shaanxi province to support his geological theory of gradual climate change.

 

SYMBOLISM AND CULTURE

Bamboo's long life makes it a Chinese symbol of uprightness, while in India it is a symbol of friendship. The rarity of its blossoming has led to the flowers' being regarded as a sign of impending famine. This may be due to rats feeding upon the profusion of flowers, then multiplying and destroying a large part of the local food supply. The most recent flowering began in May 2006 (see Mautam). Bamboo is said to bloom in this manner only about every 50 years (see 28–60 year examples in FAO: 'gregarious' species table).

 

In Chinese culture, the bamboo, plum blossom, orchid, and chrysanthemum (often known as méi lán zhú jú 梅兰竹菊) are collectively referred to as the Four Gentlemen. These four plants also represent the four seasons and, in Confucian ideology, four aspects of the junzi ("prince" or "noble one"). The pine (sōng 松), the bamboo (zhú 竹), and the plum blossom (méi 梅) are also admired for their perseverance under harsh conditions, and are together known as the "Three Friends of Winter" (岁寒三友 suìhán sānyǒu) in Chinese culture. The "Three Friends of Winter" is traditionally used as a system of ranking in Japan, for example in sushi sets or accommodations at a traditional ryokan. Pine (matsu 松) is of the first rank, bamboo (také 竹) is of second rank, and plum (ume 梅) is of the third.

 

The Bozo ethnic group of West Africa take their name from the Bambara phrase bo-so, which means "bamboo house". Bamboo is also the national plant of St. Lucia.

 

BAMBOO, NOBLE AND USEFUL

Bamboo, one of the "Four Gentlemen" (bamboo, orchid, plum blossom and chrysanthemum), plays such an important role in traditional Chinese culture that it is even regarded as a behavior model of the gentleman. As bamboo has features such as uprightness, tenacity, and hollow heart, people endow bamboo with integrity, elegance, and plainness, though it is not physically strong. Countless poems praising bamboo written by ancient Chinese poets are actually metaphorically about people who exhibited these characteristics. According to laws, an ancient poet, Bai Juyi (772–846), thought that to be a gentleman, a man does not need to be physically strong, but he must be mentally strong, upright, and perseverant. Just as a bamboo is hollow-hearted, he should open his heart to accept anything of benefit and never have arrogance or prejudice. Bamboo is not only a symbol of a gentleman, but also plays an important role in Buddhism, which was introduced into China in the first century. As canons of Buddhism forbids cruelty to animals, flesh and egg were not allowed in the diet. The tender bamboo shoot (sǔn筍 in Chinese) thus became a nutritious alternative. Preparation methods developed over thousands of years have come to incorporated into Asian cuisines, especially for monks. A Buddhist monk, Zan Ning, wrote a manual of the bamboo shoot called "Sǔn Pǔ筍譜" offering descriptions and recipes for many kinds of bamboo shoots. Bamboo shoot has always been a traditional dish on the Chinese dinner table, especially in southern China. In ancient times, those who could afford a big house with a yard would plant bamboo in their garden.

 

In Japan, a bamboo forest sometimes surrounds a Shinto shrine as part of a sacred barrier against evil. Many Buddhist temples also have bamboo groves.

 

Bamboo plays an important part of the culture of Vietnam. Bamboo symbolizes the spirit of Vovinam (a Vietnamese martial arts): cương nhu phối triển (coordination between hard and soft (martial arts)). Bamboo also symbolizes the Vietnamese hometown and Vietnamese soul: the gentlemanlike, straightforwardness, hard working, optimism, unity, and adaptability. A Vietnamese proverb says, "When the bamboo is old, the bamboo sprouts appear", the meaning being Vietnam will never be annihilated; if the previous generation dies, the children take their place. Therefore, the Vietnam nation and Vietnamese value will be maintained and developed eternally. Traditional Vietnamese villages are surrounded by thick bamboo hedges (lũy tre).

 

IN MYTHOLOGY

Several Asian cultures, including that of the Andaman Islands, believe humanity emerged from a bamboo stem.

 

In Philippine mythology, one of the more famous creation accounts tells of the first man, Malakás ("Strong"), and the first woman, Maganda ("Beautiful"), each emerged from one half of a split bamboo stem on an island formed after the battle between Sky and Ocean. In Malaysia, a similar story includes a man who dreams of a beautiful woman while sleeping under a bamboo plant; he wakes up and breaks the bamboo stem, discovering the woman inside. The Japanese folktale "Tale of the Bamboo Cutter" (Taketori Monogatari) tells of a princess from the Moon emerging from a shining bamboo section. Hawaiian bamboo ('ohe) is a kinolau or body form of the Polynesian creator god Kāne.

 

A bamboo cane is also the weapon of Vietnamese legendary hero, Saint Giong, who had grown up immediately and magically since the age of three because of his wish to liberate his land from Ân invaders. An ancient Vietnamese legend (The Hundred-knot Bamboo Tree) tells of a poor, young farmer who fell in love with his landlord's beautiful daughter. The farmer asked the landlord for his daughter's hand in marriage, but the proud landlord would not allow her to be bound in marriage to a poor farmer. The landlord decided to foil the marriage with an impossible deal; the farmer must bring him a "bamboo tree of 100 nodes". But Gautama Buddha (Bụt) appeared to the farmer and told him that such a tree could be made from 100 nodes from several different trees. Bụt gave to him four magic words to attach the many nodes of bamboo: Khắc nhập, khắc xuất, which means "joined together immediately, fell apart immediately". The triumphant farmer returned to the landlord and demanded his daughter. Curious to see such a long bamboo, the landlord was magically joined to the bamboo when he touched it, as the young farmer said the first two magic words. The story ends with the happy marriage of the farmer and the landlord's daughter after the landlord agreed to the marriage and asked to be separated from the bamboo.

 

In a Chinese legend, the Emperor Yao gave two of his daughters to the future Emperor Shun as a test for his potential to rule. Shun passed the test of being able to run his household with the two emperor's daughters as wives, and thus Yao made Shun his successor, bypassing his unworthy son. Later, Shun drowned in the Xiang River. The tears his two bereaved wives let fall upon the bamboos growing there explains the origin of spotted bamboo. The two women later became goddesses.

 

WIKIPEDIA

700c 33.3mm

650B 58mm

CC Week 13 Wide Open

CC March Most Versatile - The Number 17

Sala Versatile

Versatile tool helps people with hand or finger disabilities to eat, write, groom and perform other daily activities. Particularly beneficial for anyone who has arthritis, missing fingers or an arm in a cast. Provides a comfortable grip on a pen, pencil, razor, toothbrush or other utensil. Can...

 

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SEA-CARGO EXPRESS

 

Befitting the diverse cargo mix entailed in trading on the Norwegian coast and in the country’s shortsea industrial traffic, a truly multipurpose character is displayed by the 5,000dwt Sea-Cargo Express, the first newbuild investment in regular liner service by a Norwegian owner for some years.

 

The fact that the vessel looks Norwegian through and through, not least in its combination of sideport cargo handling system, stern ramp, and heavy-duty deck crane, all within a modest scale, belies its Indian construction. Bharati Shipyard’s success in attracting the order in 2005 had been indicative of Indian shipbuilding’s concerted drive on the export market.

 

However, owner Sea-Cargo has had to endure a series of delays, such that it was seven years before its versatile new ship made its debut on the route linking Aberdeen with Tananger (Stavanger) and west coast ports up to Trondheim in the north. Although compatriot Nor Lines cancelled an order that had been placed at the same time with Bharati for identical tonnage, Sea-Cargo has kept faith with the Indian yard in a follow-on project entailing two 5,900dwt LNG-fuelled ro-ros, expected to be ready in 2013.

 

Thus, as well as being the latest embodiment and refinement of a trading vessel concept well proven in the Norwegian and North Sea traffic, the particular significance of Sea-Cargo Express is as a new international reference for Indian shipbuilding and as the template for two further Sea-Cargo vessels that will be distinguished by the adoption of a gas-engined, mechanical-drive solution.

 

The forward location of the superstructure optimises the usage of the hull envelope and cargo working configuration. In keeping with the particular needs of west Norwegian trade, the vessel is equipped with the means of handling palletised goods, ro-ro, lo-lo, and heavy-lift freight, and incorporates four cargo deck levels.

 

The TTS-supplied starboard side door and associated two cargo lifts serve the ro-ro garage and lower decks. The pallet elevator platforms are each of 10t capacity and can be used over a wide range of quay heights and in all vessel draught conditions. The load rating in the lower hold, at 10t, corresponds to that of the cargo elevators.

 

Ro-ro access to the main deck is via a TTS stern door/ramp, imposing in its 15m width relative to the vessel’s breadth of just under 18m. The ramp is 12m in length, with 2m flaps, and its scantlings provide for a maximum load of 100t, in keeping with the heavy load rating of the main deck at 6t/m2, allowing the handling of industrial and offshore equipment as well as dense cargoes such as forestry products. The main deck offers a 4.8m clearance, and the overall trailer or cargo stowage area of 1,320m2 provides a total 500 ro-ro lane-metres. Deck area in the lower spaces is 1,050m2 on the tweendeck and 800m2 on the tank top.

 

The weatherdeck is suited to project cargo and containers, whereby a maximum 118teu can be stacked in two tiers using the portside-mounted, hydraulic knuckle crane offering a 50t lift capacity on the 22m-outreach main beam. At full 35m outreach, with the arm extended, the crane can lift 25t and serve the whole of the uppermost deck. The lo-lo mode can also be applied to the underdeck spaces, since a flush, liftaway hatch is fitted just forward of the crane in the weather deck on the portside. Hatches are also fitted immediately below at main deck and tweendeck levels.

 

Sea-Cargo Express is powered by a single Wärtsilä 9R32 medium-speed engine of 4,500kW, enabling it to make 15kt on service schedules. The gearbox and controllable pitch propeller are from the Scana Volda range, and contributory to the efficiency of the whole is the adoption of a 1,275kVA shaft generator.

We have jazzed up some of the crates we have, which are pieces from old furniture in China, with vintage knobs or decoupaged paper...each one is unique, so you can enjoy putting together the perfect selection for your home--whatever you choose to put inside!

My wedding dress has proved to be a good investment. I don’t remember exactly how much I paid . . . maybe $120? (It was on the clearance rack.) Granted, this isn’t a traditional dress; it’s more of a cocktail frock. But I’ve gotten a ton of remixes from it: dressy, business creative, and casual.

 

Today, I wore it to birdwatch at the Eureka boardwalk and then shed the boots, rolled up the leggings, and played tag with the surf.

 

Jacket, H&M (thrifted). Sweater, thrifted. Dress, Parker. Leggings, We Love Colors. Boots, Style & Co (thrifted). Sunglasses, Target. Scarf, Claire’s. Bag, Allstate Leather.

Woody being used to shoot cloud time lapse videos. The bandage is holding on the Lego 9v motor which I have adapted to operate the zoom switch - only built last night so no time to devise a permanent mount. The motor plugs into port C in place of the shutter relays.

Using the 'direct command' app in the Bricx Command Center, I can move the camera about and change the zoom from the laptop I use to record the video.

Not really needed for the cloud videos but I want to try and film the birds at the various feeders in the garden.

This table for a Haas VM-3 Mold Making VMC is fresh off one of the large 10-pallet HMCs in the Haas machine shop. The top and bottom of the table are machined in a single setup to ensure parallelism between the table’s top and the mounting points for the guide trucks on the bottom. The VM table features T-slots in both the X and Y directions, plus precision dowel pin bores and a tapped hole pattern for fixturing versatility.

It's uniquely designed with versatile styles of various colors, so you can choose randomly any one you like.

www.ibuzone.com/versatile-false-nails-uv-and-acrylic-gel-...

Fishing boat Versatile Portsmouth P598

Earth Designs Garden Design and Build were asked to created a landscape and propose garden design in Acton, London*. Here are the details of the project

 

Brief: The plot for this design was a mid-size family garden, which had recently benefited from the addition of a large sunroom on the back of the property. It was a fairly blank canvas, with nothing of note to be retained in the re-design. The garden had side access and worn boundary fences which required replacing. There was no clear brief other than that the design include a seating area and some lawn, and that the transition from sunroom to garden be fairly seamless.

 

Solution: The focus of this design was to create an exterior space that serves as an extension to the interior, featuring several distinct and versatile areas that can be adapted to a variety of uses.

 

The garden's boundaries were replaced with new fencing to provide a uniform and attractive backdrop to the transformation within, while the long sideway down the right of the house was renovated with the addition of attractive 'bamboo' slate tile flooring in a random lay pattern.

 

The first section of the space comprises a large area of Western Red Cedar decking adjoining the house, and offers ample room for entertaining, with a long L-shaped fixed-bench seat stretching width-ways across the space from the left-hand side to the centre. This was backed with a rendered block raised bed, planted with fragrant lavender and capped with 'bamboo' slate tile, to provide a sense of enclosure and separation from the rest of the garden.

 

A decked walkway running down the right hand side of the space provides access to a 'spa' area, featuring a large square hot tub housed upon a reinforced paved hard-standing and nestled between existing and additional trees, shrubs and foliage to provide a secluded and intimate area for bathing throughout the seasons. Hidden behind mature and new planting in the bottom left corner, a large shed provides ample storage for the client's garden accessories. The middle of the space has been given over to a large lawn edges with slate.

 

A purple and yellow planting scheme of soft, cottage-style evergreen shrubs and flowering perennials will help to bring year round lightness and subtle colouring to the space.

 

After-dark hot tub bathing is enhanced by several strings of pea-lights woven through the existing shrubbery. Deck lights demark the main area of decking and guide one's journey along the decked walkway. Finally, spot lights in the beds highlight certain area while providing a gentle wash throughout the space.

 

Testimonial: "After months of planning and a full year of having builders everywhere, we had finally got the house into good shape but the garden was a nightmare. It had been somewhat overgrown before the builders moved in, but after a year of being used as a builders yard, it needed shock treatment.

 

We needed help fast so we searched the web. We were looking for garden designers with creative ideas for smaller London gardens. We didn't want anything too traditional but at the same time, nothing too extreme.

 

Earth Designs fitted the bill and after a design session with Katrina, we engaged them for the project. They had offered us a design service only, but as we only had a 4 week window in which to complete the job, we gave them the whole project.

 

We had built a new extension with wide glass doors that opened out into the garden, so the brief to Earth Designs was to "bring the outside, inside" and create a strong link between the new room and the garden beyond. The actual garden space was not large so we wanted to use the space as an extension of the living space - to be an "outside room".

 

Monday 18th April and three very charming men arrived on our doorstep at 8.0am sharp. Arlo was the project manager, ably aided and abetted by Paul and Phillip. They worked brilliantly as a team and always hit all the deadlines. In particular they did a great job in working with our neighbours to ensure the whole project ran smoothly.

 

The first week involved clearing the site - no mean feat with 30-year-old ivy stems that looked more like tree trunks.

 

The second week involved levelling the garden, putting up new fencing, building the corner seating base and planters, plus marking out the garden shape. It was good to be able to make minor changes to the design on the ground at this stage. The hot tub arrived too and was winched into place for connection later.

 

Week 3 saw the decking and seating built.

 

Then in week four the turf arrived, the lawn went down and on the last day, Katrina arrived with a truckload of wonderful specimens (and Matt) and we had a wonderful time planting. Ground Force Mk II - a complete garden from start to finish in just 4 weeks!

 

There were a few things that needed to be sorted out after the main work was complete. Earth Designs were great about coming back until all was complete and finished.

 

Our thanks to Katrina, Matt, Arlo, Paul and Phillip for a great job, completed on time and on budget with a great looking result."

 

If you dig this and would like to find out more about this or any of other of our designs, please stop by our web-site and have a look at our work.

 

Earth Designs is a bespoke London Garden Design and build company specialising in classic, funky and urban contemporary garden design.

 

Our Landscape and Garden build teams cover London, Essex and parts of South East England, while garden designs are available nationwide.

Please visit www.earthdesigns.co.uk to see our full portfolio. If you would like a garden designer in London or have an idea of what you want and are looking for a landscaper London to come and visit your garden, please get in touch.

 

Follow our Bespoke Garden Design and Build and Blog to see what we get up to week by week, our free design clinic as well as tips and products we recommend for your garden projects www.earthdesigns.co.uk/blog/.

 

Earth Designs is located in East London, but has built gardens in Essex , gardens in Hertfordshire Hertfordshire and all over the South East. Earth Designs was formed by Katrina Wells in Spring 2003 and has since gone from strength to strength to develop a considerable portfolio of garden projects. Katrina, who is our Senior Garden Designer, has travelled all over the UK designing gardens. However we can design worldwide either through our postal garden design service or by consultation with our senior garden designer. Recent worldwide projects have included garden designs in Romania. Katrina’s husband. Matt, heads up the build side of the company, creating a unique service for all our clients.

 

If you a not a UK resident, but would like an Earth Designs garden, Earth Designs has a worldwide design service through our Garden Design Postal Design Vouchers. If you are looking for an unique birthday present or original anniversary present and would like to buy one of our Garden Design Gift Vouchers for yourself or as a present please our sister site www.gardenpresents.co.uk. We do also design outside of the UK, please contact us for details.

 

Dolls from Lord of the Rings

 

Noel Cruz is one of the most versatile & distinguished repaint artists in the doll community. He is most recognized for his character & celebrity based dolls due to their uncanny resemblance to the people they portray. His dolls are derived from several models like Gene, Tyler, Sydney, etc, by various doll-makers such as Robert Tonner & Franklin Mint. His repaints as well as his portraits are done with intricate detail to the point of being naturally lifelike in essence. Highly regarded among collectors and artists alike, Noel attempts to raise the bar and bring a fresh take to the common mass produced doll with every face he paints. Noel's specialty is with one of a kind repaints. The beauty of repaints is that almost no two are exactly alike just as no two artists are alike.

 

Visit my web site at www.ncruz.com

10X Zoom. Full HD Movie. High Resolution Display.

 

Product Number: 26219

 

Key Features

Superior Image Quality

12.1 -megapixel CMOS sensor for high speed operation and exceptional low-light performance.

10x Wide-Angle Optical Zoom-NIKKOR ED Glass Lens. Versatile 30-300mm lens ranges wide to capture

landscapes, zooms in to get close to the action. In the NIKKOR tradition of precision optics, the high-quality

ED glass lens delivers superb color and razor-sharp results.

4-way VR Image Stabilization System

Optical VR Image Stabilization by lens shift minimizes the effects of camera shake.

Motion Detection automatically detects moving subjects and adjusts shutter speed and ISO to

compensate for camera shake and subject movement.

High ISO up to 3200 for optimum results when shooting in low light or photographing fast-moving

subjects.

Nikon’s Best Shot Selector (BSS) automatically takes up to ten shots while the shutter is pressed,

then selects and saves the sharpest image.

 

EXPEED C2 continues to expand the possibilities of photography with improved levels of image quality, fine

detail and processing speed. Custom-optimized for each COOLPIX model, Nikon’s renowned digital image

processing engine ensures outstanding images.

 

Advanced Functions

3-inch Ultra-High Resolution (921,000-dot) Clear Color Display for still images and movies that

come alive with rich detail and improved contrast. The large LCD's wide viewing angle and anti-glare

coating make it easy to compose, view and share pictures.

Advanced low light shooting capability.

Shoot still images even while recording HD Movie.

Convenient Features

Smart Portrait System

Smile Timer automatically releases the shutter when your subject smiles.

In-Camera Red-Eye Fix™ automatically corrects most instances of red-eye as you shoot. You

may never see red-eye again.

Face-Priority AF. Nikon’s face-finding technology automatically detects up to 12 faces.

Skin Softening smoothes skin tones at three different levels for optimal portraits; can be applied

while shooting or during playback.

Blink Warning alerts you if a subject has blinked.

 

17 Scene modes including Scene Auto Selector

Scene Auto Selector automatically recognizes the scene you're shooting and selects the most

appropriate scene mode; offers six scene modes plus auto.

Macro shooting as close as 0.4 inches.

220 still shots (approx.) with supplied EN-EL12 Li-ion rechargeable battery.

Creative Control

Mode Dial for quick setting of key functions.

ISO can be set as high as 3200.

In-camera editing functions include Quick Retouch, and D-Lighting.

Creative Slider allows adjustment of brightness, saturation and color.

 

HD Movie Recording

Full HD (1080p) Movie with Stereo and HDMI Output, optical Zoom control and stereo sound

recording. HDMI output allows easy in-camera playback or convenient playback on HD-TV or computer.

In-camera movie editing function also available. One-Touch record button for instant Movie recording.

 

High Speed Performance

Ultra-fast start-up, autofocus and shooting.

High Speed Shooting capture 5 shots in approximately one second at full resolution.

Sport Continuous Shooting to capture fast action (reduced image size)

Shoot Slow Motion Movies up to 240 fps by selecting HS Movie mode (reduced image size)

Subject Tracking automatically tracks a moving subject to ensure sharp focus.

 

Tech Specs

 

Type

Compact Digital Camera

Effective Pixels

12.1 million

Image Sensor

CMOS

Sensor Size

1/2.3 in.

Total Pixels

12.75 million (approx.)

 

Lens

10× optical zoom, NIKKOR ED glass lens

Lens Focal Length

5.4-54.0mm (angle of view equivalent to that of 30-300mm lens in 35mm[135] format)

Lens f/-number

f/3.5-5.6

Lens Construction

10 elements in 8 groups

Lens Zoom

10x

Digital Zoom

Up to 4× (angle of view equivalent to that of approx. 1200mm lens in 35mm[135] format)

 

Vibration Reduction

Combination of lens-shift and electronic VR (still pictures)

Lens-shift (movies)

Autofocus (AF)

Contrast-detect AF

Autofocus (AF) Focus-area selection

Face priority

Auto (9-area automatic selection)

Center

Manual with 99 focus areas

Subject tracking

 

Focus Range

[W]: Approx. 1 ft. 8 in. (50 cm.) to infinity

[T]: Approx. 3 ft. 4 in. (1 m.) to infinity

Macro close-up mode: Approx. 0.4 in. (1 cm.) to infinity

 

Monitor Size

3 in. diagonal

Monitor Type

Wide viewing angle TFT LCD with anti-reflection coating

5-level brightness adjustment

Monitor Resolution

921,000-dots

Monitor Frame coverage (shooting mode)

97% horizontal (Approx.)

97% vertical (Approx.)

Monitor Frame coverage (playback mode)

100% horizontal (Approx.)

100% vertical (Approx.)

 

Storage Media

SD memory card

SDHC memory card

SDXC memory card

102MB internal memory (approx.)

Storage File System

DCF

EXIF 2.2

DPOF compliant

 

Storage File formats

 

Still pictures: JPEG

Sound files (Voice Memo): WAV

Movies: MOV (Video:MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, Audio: AAC stereo)

 

Movie

Movie file format: MPEG-4 AVC H.264

Audio file format: AAC stereo

Full HD: 1920 x 1080p / 30fps

Standard TV: 640 x 480 / 30fps

Small Size: 320 x 240 / 30fps

Image Size (pixels)

4000 x 3000 (12M)

3264 x 2448 (8M)

2592 x 1944 (5M)

2048 x 1536 (3M)

1024 x 768 (PC)

640 x 480 (VGA)

3968 x 2232 (16:9)

 

ISO Sensitivity

160

200

400

800

1600

3200

Auto (auto gain ISO 160-800)

Fixed range auto (ISO 160-400)

Sport continuous (ISO 160-3200)

 

Exposure Metering

256-segment matrix

Center-weighted

Spot (digital zoom 2X or more)

 

Exposure Control

Programmed auto exposure with motion detection

Exposure compensation (-2.0 to +2.0 EV in steps of 1/3 EV)

Exposure Range (auto mode)

[W]: 0.7 to 15.9 EV

[T]:2 to 17.3 EV

(exposure values achieved with automatic ISO sensitivity adjustment converted to ISO 100 values)

Shutter

Mechanical and CMOS electronic shutter

Shutter Speed

1/4000-1/120s (sport continuous mode)

1/2000-2sec.

4 sec. (when scene mode is set to Fireworks show)

 

Aperture

Electronically-controlled ND filter (-2 AV) selection

Aperture Range

2 steps (f/3.5 and f/7 [W])

Self-timer

Can be selected from 10 and 2 seconds duration

Smile Timer

Built-in flash Range (approx.) (ISO sensitivity: Auto)

[W]: 0.5 to 4.0m (1 ft. 8 in. to 13ft.)

[T]: 0.5 to 2.5m (1ft. 8in. to 8ft. 2in.)

Built-in Flash Control

TTL auto flash with monitor preflashes

 

Interface

Hi-speed USB

Interface Data transfer protocol

MTP

PTP

 

Video Output

NTSC

PAL

HDMI Output

Can be selected from:

Auto

480p

720p

1080i

I/O terminal

Audio/video (A/V) output

Digital I/O (USB)

HDMI mini connector (Type C) (HDMI output)

 

Supported Languages

Arabic

Czech

Chinese (Simplified and Traditional)

Danish

Dutch

English

Finnish

French

German

Greek

Hungarian

Indonesian

Italian

Japanese

Korean

Norwegian

Polish

Portugese

Russian

Spanish

Swedish

Thai

Turkish

 

Power Sources

One Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL12 (supplied)

AC Adapter EH-62F (available separately)

Charging Time

3 hours and 50 minutes (when using Charging AC Adapter EH-68P and when no charge remains)(Approx.)

Battery / Batteries

Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL12

Battery Life (shots per charge)

Still pictures*: Approx. 210 shots

Movies: Approx. 1 h 20 min (HD 1080p)

*Based on Camera and Imaging Products Association (CIPA) standards for measuring the life of camera

batteries. Measured at 23(±2)°C (73(±4)°F); zoom adjusted with each shot, flash fired with every other shot,

image mode set to 4000 × 3000.

*Battery life may vary depending on shooting interval and length of time menus and images are displayed.

Tripod Socket

¼ (ISO 1222)

 

Approx. Dimensions

Height: 2.4 in. (59.2mm)

Width: 4.1 in. (104.0mm)

Depth: 1.2 in. (29.9mm)

(excluding projections)

Approx. Weight

7.4 oz. (209.0g)

(including battery and SD memory card)

Operating environment

Temperature: 0 to 40°C (32 to 104°F)

Humidity: Less than 85% (no condensation)

 

Supplied Accessories

AN-CP19 Strap

EN-EL12 Rechargeable Li-ion Battery

EH-68P Charging AC Adapter

UC-E6 USB Cable

EG-CP16 Audio Video Cable

COOLPIX Software Suite CD

Mercedes-Benz released official pictures and information of the all-new Mercedes GLK-Class sport utility vehicle. The versatile SUV will debut at Auto China in Beijing on Sunday, April 20, and make its U.S. dealer showroom debut in January 2009 as a 2010 model.

 

Powered by a 268-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 engine the 2010MY GLK 350 will form the basis of the U.S. lineup, and will be offered in both 4MATIC and two-wheel-drive versions, riding on standard 19-inch 10-spoke wheels with 235/50 tires. The GLK features a 108.5-inch wheelbase and boasts unique design language which sets it apart from the rest of the highly successful Mercedes-Benz family of SUVs that includes the M-Class (which spurred the trend toward more car-like SUVs), the larger GL-Class, the crossover R-Class and the iconic G-Class.

 

Showcasing bold exterior design, generous cargo capacity and available 4MATIC all-wheel-drive, the GLK 350 combines the perfect balance of styling, versatility and performance. The 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class will be produced exclusively at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Bremen, Germany.

 

Aggressive Styling and a Unique Personality

 

With its poised, confident presence, the GLK-Class leaves no doubt about its intent to conquer the compact premium SUV segment. In sharp contrast to the relatively soft forms of other similar-sized vehicles, the striking, angular profile of the GLK sets it apart from the competition. From its steeply-raked windshield to the integrated rear spoiler on its tightly styled roof section, the bullish shape of the new Mercedes GLK suggests power and agility, and echoes the G-Class -- the iconic pioneer of the Mercedes-Benz SUV family.

 

Mercedes-Benz Design Chief Prof. Peter Pfeiffer adds: "With the G-Class we created a style icon that has been a benchmark in SUV design for the past 30 years. Combining this bold concept with the latest Mercedes-Benz design idiom makes the GLK a vehicle of genuine character."

 

Beautiful proportions (length 178.3 inches, width 72.4 inches, height 66.9 inches) and styling combine classic angular shapes together with the distinctive design features found in contemporary Mercedes-Benz passenger cars. Taut lines and large, expansive surfaces mix with the traditional characteristics of a proper off-road vehicle, such as short overhangs, an upright front end, slim roof pillars, and a steeply raked windshield. Generous angles of approach and departure combined with impressive ground clearance allow the GLK to handle light off-roading with ease. On-road, the clear layout of the exterior and good all-around visibility, combined with a commanding seating position, enhance everyday practicality and relaxed driving, even in dense city traffic.

 

A Luxurious, Feature-Rich Interior

 

The GLK boasts a long list of standard equipment, including details not typically found in this vehicle class. Inside, a two-zone automatic climate control system, adjustable steering column, front seats with electrically adjustable height and backrest angle (including seat inclination adjustment) and manual lumbar support with two-way adjustment for the driver's seat are all standard on the GLK. Standard integrated Bluetooth interface for mobile phones, a microphone for the hands-free system and a central 5-inch color display round out the list of interior appointments.

 

The 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK features all the impressive design and safety technology found in other Mercedes-Benz models, including standard front and side air bags as well as window air bags. Among its many comfort and convenience features is an available rear-seat entertainment system featuring two eight-inch screens, wireless headphones and an integrated dual-source DVD player.

 

The distinctive looks of the GLK exterior are seamlessly continued inside, with luxurious materials and precise detailing. The taught, sculpted lines of the dashboard dominate the interior, visually extending into the door panels to lend additional width to the generously dimensioned cockpit. Luxurious Sienna Pine wood with chrome trim highlights the dashboard and door panels at the front and rear, while the upper section of the encompasses the instrument cluster and the standard 5-inch color display. The driver's armrest features integrated cupholders and the standard controller for the audio functions and the optional COMAND multimedia system are located in ergonomically ideal positions between the front seats. Control of the individual menus is intuitive, following the familiar and well-proven layout used in the current C-Class and S-Class models. Additional shortcut buttons provide direct access to the most important main functions. Front and rear headroom figures are 39.8 inches and 39.7 inches respectively, while the cargo area boasts 23.3 cubic feet of storage. Cargo capacity balloons to 54.7 cubic feet when the 1/3:2/3-split rear seats are folded forwards.

 

A Wealth of Optional Equipment for the GLK buyer

 

Contributing to the versatility of the new SUV, five option packages as well as nine stand-alone options are planned for the 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK 350. The popular Premium 1 package offers GLK buyers a spacious Panorama Sunroof, SIRIUS satellite radio and a power liftgate. Customers seeking even more luxury can opt for the Premium 2 package, which adds Bi-Xenon headlamps with adaptive lighting and headlamp washing system, rain sensing windshield wipers, memory settings for the driver's seat, and much more. The Multimedia Package (which debuted on the new C-Class) adds COMAND with hard-drive Navigation as well as a rear-view back-up camera. Exterior options include an Appearance Package offering larger 20-inch 7-spoke wheels and Aluminum roof rails and, for the interior, an Upholstery Package adds interior lighting, a full leather interior and burl walnut trim.

 

Available 4MATIC All-Wheel-Drive System

 

The optional all-wheel-drive powertrain at the heart of the GLK 350 4MATIC is one of the most capable systems on the market. The dynamic ESP®, ASR and 4ETS driving systems work in concert to ensure top-notch longitudinal and lateral control and superb handling stability both on and off-road. Thanks to a compact, longitudinally designed engine, transmission and transfer case arrangement, the system offers various advantages over its counterparts equipped with a transversely installed drive unit. Estimated 23 mpg highway fuel consumption is on a par with comparable rear-wheel vehicles, while vibration and noise levels rival those of luxury models.

 

The 45:55 torque distribution between the front and rear axle - along with the ESP®, ASR and 4ETS dynamic handling control systems - guarantees effortless and exceptional performance. Loss of traction on snow or ice is compensated for by the newly developed multi-disc clutch in the center differential, which provides a basic partial locking torque between the front and rear axle. This arrangement produces a significant increase in traction while maintaining directional stability.

 

Agility Control Suspension

 

The sophisticated Agility Control suspension on the new Mercedes GLK-Class helps resolve a common paradox facing the SUV segment - how to create a vehicle that combines agile on-road comfort with off-road capability. For sporty, responsive handling, the suspension and, above all, the shock absorbers need to provide a certain firmness however, this may compromise comfort and limits off-road performance. If the vehicle is setup with softer dampers, dynamic handling naturally suffers. Thanks to "amplitude-dependent damping" the suspension can adjust to perform in either driving conditions. During normal driving on moderately contoured roads or slow off-road manoeuvres, the system responds softly, enhancing both the occupants' comfort and the vehicle's off-road capability. During more spirited driving or when performing abrupt evasive maneuvers, the dampers adjust to a harder setting ensuring optimum handling stability. Additionally, speed-sensitive power steering supports the driver with a precise balance of high-speed road feel and low speed maneuverability. Maximum power assistance is available during parking and off-road driving, while at higher speeds, the assistance is reduced in favor of greater handling stability.

 

In addition to a tire pressure warning system, the tried-and-tested Electronic Stability Program (ESP®) for the GLK incorporates a vehicle/trailer stabilization function, which helps maintain control while towing a trailer by applying the individual wheel brakes as required. The GLK offers a maximum tow rating of 3,500 lbs.

 

Complete Safety Package for Maximum Occupant Protection

 

In combination with the front and rear deformation zones, the GLK's high-strength passenger cell provides a highly efficient foundation for the occupant protection systems, which include:

 

Adaptive, two-stage airbags for the driver and front passenger

Front side-impact airbags

Windowbags across both seat rows from the A-pillar to the C-pillar

Active head restraints for the driver and front passenger

Crash-optimized pedal system

3-point seat belts for all five seats

Belt tensioner and adaptive belt-force limiter for the driver and front passenger, belt tensioner and single-stage belt-force limiter for the outer rear seats

ISOFIX child seat attachments

Belt height adjuster for the driver and front passenger

Belt status indicator for the rear passengers in the instrument cluster

Mercedes remains true to the philosophy that the best accidents are the ones that are avoided entirely. With this in mind, standard equipment for all GLK models includes Brake Assist (BAS), which shortens the braking distance significantly -- especially during panic braking -- to help prevent accidents or at the very least mitigate their consequences. The front section incorporates precisely defined crumple space between the body and the major assemblies beneath, allowing the hood to yield considerably if hit by a pedestrian, cyclist or motorcyclist. Together with the specially designed front bumpers and the softer foam of the integrated bumper impact absorbers, these measures afford pedestrians a high degree of protection.

 

Proven V6 Powerplant

 

The new sport utility is destined to be one of the most fuel-efficient Mercedes-Benz vehicles ever. Smaller and lighter than its well-known SUV siblings, the GLK features a fuel-sipping 3.5-liter V6 engine, a sophisticated seven-speed automatic transmission and available 4MATIC full-time four-wheel-drive. All of these components combine to give the GLK 350 an impressive 0-60 time of just 6.5 seconds (estimated) while achieving an 23 mpg (estimated) on the highway.

 

Both the GLK 350 and GLK 350 4MATIC are matched with a seven-speed automatic transmission as standard. Low overall weight (estimated 4,036 lb. curb weight) and the exceptional aerodynamics for a vehicle of this design (cd figure 0.35) further contribute to the exceptional performance and low fuel consumption.

 

Much as the latest C-Class sedan has brought a new level of sporty driving and ride comfort to the sedan world, the new Mercedes GLK brings a new combination of agility and comfort to the SUV market. The GLK also broadens and extends the Mercedes-Benz sport utility line with cutting-edge engine and four-wheel-drive technology packaged in a stylish vehicle that's the perfect size for today's busy family.

 

The Widest Range of SUVs

 

Mercedes-Benz offers the widest range of SUVs in the premium segment, the GLK being the brand's fifth model in the series. In response to customers' wishes, the company's Family of SUV's has grown to include the R-Class, M-Class, GL-Class and G‑Class. The new Mercedes GLK is the latest addition to this successful line-up.

 

Ophrydium versatile is a colonial protozoa that forms gelatinous balls that float just below the surface of the water. They are found in slightly acidic healthy ponds and lakes. I found my first ones in 2013 in the New Marsh Ponds and again yesterday at the same location (not found in 2014). This one is about the size of a closed fist. New Marsh Pond, Patuxent Research Refuge, Anne Arundel County, Maryland.

We did this shoot at a local business campus on a March day that felt like July - absolutely perfect shooting conditions, with three of my favorite models and some excellent photographers - life doesn't get better than this!!

 

I love shooting with Valerie but she is so busy and our schedules never match. She told me her goal is to get more shoots in and my cameras like the thought of that. We go way back and she is like family to us. It's been fun watching her mature and succeed over the years, but I really hope to get more shoots with her in soon!

THE VERSATILITY OF THIS ESCAPE ARTIST, MAGICIAN, ILLUSIONIST, FORMER U.S.M.C. DRILL INSTRUCTOR 2X, RECRUITER FOR U.S.M.C., UNICYCLIST, JUGGLER, GYMNAST, MARATHON RUNNER, COMBAT INSTRUCTOR FOR NAVY SEALS, MARTIAL ARTS EXPERT IN A NUMBER OF ARTS, SURFER, DAREDEVIL, HANDGLIDER, FATHER OF FIVE CHILDREN, 6X WORLD RECORD HOLDER IN ESCAPOLOGY AND 46 MPH HANDSTAND ON SKATEBOARD TIED TO A MOTORCYCLE, TEACHER IN GYMNASTICS, MARTIAL ARTS, CIRCUS PERFORMER HIGH WIRE, PARACHUTIST, SPECIAL FORCES IN MARINES, FASTEST JAIL BREAK IN 22 SECONDS, FASTEST STRAITJACKET ESCAPE LESS THAN 7 SECONDS...IS UNMEASURABLE TO ANY OTHER ESCAPE ARTIST IN THE WORLD AND PERHAPS IN HISTORY. I HAVE SUPPLIED BUT A FEW PHOTOS THAT ARE LEFT FROM HOUDENNY'S EX-WIFE TAKING THEM AND PREVIOUS REPORTERS MISPLACING THEM DURING INTERVIEWS, WHICH IS A SHAME HAVING SO MANY YEARS LOST OF THIS MAN' TALENT.

  

www.ibmring362.org/WEAR2007.html

www.motiono.com/HOUDENNY/albums/177/

 

www.motiono.com/HOUDENNY/albums/

www.flickr.com/photos/12421016@N03/?saved=1

URL: myspace.com/houdenny

 

www.youtube.com/results?search_query=houdenny

 

The KD dance Classic V Neck is the most versatile top you will ever wear. It can be worn over the shoulder or pulled down for an off shoulder look. It can cover your belly or be worn effortlessly showing it off. Comfortable and confident jumping from office casual to an after work engagement in a flash. KD dance clothes are constructed to last and snap back to new after each wash even after heavy workout. Which is why KD dance is known as the finest maker of knit dancewear in the world. Worn by professional dancers in New York, San Francisco, Tokyo, Moscow, Paris, London, Rome and Los Angeles, performers from Cher, Jennifer Lopez and Britney Spears have worn KD dance on stage. Celebrities that have shopped at the KD dance store in SoHo New York include: Christy Turlington, Mikhail Baryshnikov and Rodney Yee. But what really matters is that dancing or dinning, in KD dance the beauty is you.

 

If you are discovering KD dance for the first time we have matching Tights, Tanks, Wraps, Leg Warmers, Shrugs also available here on Amazon. KD dance was created in 1980, same year the original movie Fame was released by young dancers knitting clothing for fellow dancers on tour with the Oakland Ballet. In 1980 Michael Jackson had a #1 Hit with Rock With You and the first computer modem was released.

 

2010 marks the 30th Anniversary of our timeless knits featured in Vogue, W, Allure, Harpers Bazaar, Glamour, Shape, Fitness & even Psychology Today. Our Gauze like knit makes our clothing completely versatile and customizable to create looks all your own. Which is why Dancing or Dinning in KD dance the beauty is you.

 

Nous voyons ici Silvy Pelletier, danseuse et choregraphe, qui enseigne a Scream Dance Academy, a Montreal. Elle confection aussi des bijoux. Creatrice et designer pour la marque VY creations. marque VY creations.

 

Photography by Garvey Rich

 

You can find us at KDdance.com or KDdance2.com

Mr. Tempelman of the large Dutch recumbent shop Ligfiets Shop Tempelman rode this Versatile velomobile in the uphill race at the 2005 International Velomobile Meeting in Giessen, Germany

Willow is a Soulkid Fafner hybrid on a Mnf Body. She was my first doll and I did her faceup myself. I love her to bits...

versatile rail motor car АМ140 was used as the base for the АМ-140-01 ПК (АМ140ПК), new rail motor car of higher comfort www.flickr.com/photos/cetus13/54475933087/in/dateposted/

Both rail motor cars of АМ140 family are produced by Sinara-Transport Machines Holding (part of the Sinara Group) on the Sverdlovsk Track Repair and Mechanical Plant (ОАО "Свердловский путевой ремонтно-механический завод "Ремпутьмаш", код 1598).

Speed, 140 km/h

Twin diesel generator 540kW,

electric transmission

Number of drive/brake axles 4/4