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Photo of Sherpa Peak, elevation 8,605 feet above sea-level, captured via Minolta MD Tele Rokkor-X 135mm F/2.8 Lens. On the Stuart Trail. Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Stuart Mountain Range. Washington's Central Cascades Range. Wenatchee/Chelan Highlands section within the North Cascades Region. Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Chelan County, Washington. Early October 2019.
Exposure Time: 1/400 sec. * ISO Speed: ISO-100 * Aperture: F/11 * Bracketing: None * Color Temperature: 9100 K * Film Plug-In: Fuji Provia 100F
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Olympic Triton off Great Yarmouth.
Name: Olympic Triton
Vessel type: Multi purpose vessel
Design: Ulstein P101
Home port: Fosnavaag
Flag: Norway
IMO: 9383754
MMSI: 259424000
Call sign: LADM3
Crew: 20
Accommodation: 100
Length overall: 95 m
Beam: 20.5 m
Max draught: 7 m
Gross tonnage: 5,947 ton
Net tonnage: 1,784 ton
Deadweight, with crane: 3,916 ton
Deadweight, without crane: 4,330 ton
Main crane: 1 x 150 ton knuckle boom offshore crane
Cargo deck area: 940 m2
Heli-deck capacity: 12.8 ton
Fuel capacity: 1,423 m3
Propulsion: Diesel-electric
Main generator engines: 4 x 3,500 hp (2,610 kW) at 900 rpm
Electric propulsion motors: 2 x 4,023 hp (3,000 kW) at 1,200 rpm
Main azimuth thrusters: 2 x 4,023 hp (3,000 kW) at 150 rpm
Speed: 15.4 knots
Builder: Ulstein Verft AS, Ulsteinvik, Norway
Yard number: 278
Delivery date: 25th. October 2007
Owner: Olympic Subsea ASA, Fosnavaag, Norway
This general purpose bomb was used extensively during the Vietnam war. More info
My entry for the BFVA Vietnam collaboration. The limitations of the olive green were... an interesting challenge. I think the airbrakes could've been better, but this is the best I could come up with in this color. I do like how the folding mechanism with the custom metallic parts came out though. Some parts are still in chrome, at some pont I will replace those with the metallic ones.
Are you feeling lost in life?
Do your emotions sometimes overwhelm you?
Do you wonder why bad things happen?
Written for readers from diverse backgrounds, this book explores the purpose of our emotional journey through life from a psycho-soul perspective and helps us answer the question "Why am I here?" It is a handbook for surviving the inevitable ups and downs that we all must cope with as we experience the intense emotions of life.
Ladies and gentlemen of the Bijou Planks, welcome to Tuesday Night Fights ring... KINNIKUMAN!
*gasp*
So that's HIM! The original! The archetype!
Suguru began as a lazy and emotional man who always wishes to become famous. He often chased after women, while moving from job to job, until the Chojin Olympics, where he found his purpose as a chojin wrestler. He slowly grew a more serious personality while developing close friendships with the Justice Chojin. Before the end, Kinnikuman is crowned king of Planet Kinniku.
Suguru is a very childish character. He is also very arrogant and believes himself to be more popular than he is in reality. He complains when he does not get his way, pouts when someone gets more attention then him, and is often downright lazy. Early on, he would often refuse to fight certain monsters unless he got something in return. However, underneath this childish behaviour lies a very noble heart, and when times are at their worst, Suguru's courage surpasses that of the greatest of Justice Chojins. He has been known to fight better depending on how shameful or dishonourable his opponent is being. His honour and friendship has warmed the hearts of several an Evil Chojin.
Kinnikuman is a highly muscular man with exaggerated facial features, and a mask with a 'fin' piece that runs down the back of his head. He has naturally dark brown/black hair and blue eyes, with pale skin and very little clothes. If he does wear formal attire, it is usually in the form of unfashionable suits; a white suit to his wedding, a yellow suit with red swirls to dates and sometimes ceremonies.
Suguru is also lecherous and sometimes takes part in matches to impress women. Suguru often flirts with women, and has on numerous times tried to spy on his friends Mari Nikaido and Natsuko Shono. No women find him attractive except for Bibimba. However, when Bibimba first appears, it is a one-sided love on her part and he finds her more annoying than cute. By the time of the Seven Devil Chōjin Arc, he acknowledges her as his betrothed. During the Survivor Match for the Kinniku Throne Arc, he shows great concern for her and admits that he believes they are bound by the 'red string of fate'.
Terryman is the best friend of Kinnikuman. The two meet very early on in their careers, in their early twenties, and are at first antagonistic to one another, but soon they socialise on a regular basis, even with other members of each other's social circles. They form a tag-team that lasts for the entirety of their career, and - even when they temporarily argue or part - always reunite to work together and support each other. They display an unconditional trust and affection, often listening to one another when they would listen to no one else.
Bibimba at first is antagonistic to Kinnikuman, as she attempts to take his life (as per her role as an assassin). It is Kinnikuman's kindness that drives her to see him as a complex individual, and she develops a crush on him, which is - at first - one-sided and not reciprocated. Kinnikuman views her as a nuissance and often devises ways to be rid of Bibimba. At some point during the Universal Tag Tournament, they become engaged and act on a much more intimate level.
By the time of the Surivor Match Arc, Kinnikuman and Bibimba show great affection for one another, and Bibimba is even willing to sacrifice her life in order to save Kinnikuman, who also shows unconditional love towards her (wishing to be with her, even when he thinks she may be deformed). They proceed to later be married, and have a child together: Mantaro Kinniku. The two are shown to be close in the manga, where they celebrate and support their son together at multiple points.
In the beginning, Suguru would fights Kaiju by eating garlic and growing 30 meters tall. Despite his great strength and skill, Suguru is clumsy by nature. This causes most people to fear him more than the monsters he fights (due mostly to the possibility of him crashing into buildings while in his giant form). Even though a chojin's' wounds heal faster than a human's wound, it takes him longer to heal than a human.
Kinnikuman grows up alone on Earth, after being accidentally abandoned by Mayumi Kinniku. He is found by Meat Alexandria, and proceeds to mature over time with Meat as his second, leading him to befriend Terryman. Kinnikuman enters a series of tournaments, increasing his amount of friends and trophies, and finally competes in the Survivor Match for the Kinniku Throne Arc, where he proves his worth as a member of the Kinniku Clan and learns of his long-lost brother: Ataru Kinniku. This leads to him proclaiming his love for Bibimba, before assuming the throne as king of Planet Kinniku.
Prehistory
Suguru was born to Mayumi Kinniku and Sayuri Kinniku, the king and queen of Planet Kinniku on April 1, 1960. Suguru was so unattractive, even as a child, that on several occasions Mayumi would have an urge to strangle him just from looking at him. One day, the royal family went on vacation to Earth. While there, a pig sneaked aboard and got into Suguru's cradle. Mayumi mistook Suguru for the pig and threw Suguru out of the ship. Suguru was left behind on Earth to raise himself.
He built his own house, which only had one room, and tried to go to school, but he was so academically challenged that he flunked out. As he got older, he decided to become a hero like Ultraman. But despite his muscles and strength, he was too clumsy and lacked the intelligence to make it, so he settled for just being the president of the Gyudon Lovers Club.
Kaijuu Extermination Arc
Solo Life
At the age of 20, Kinnikuman had already become known as a worthless chojin, however he wasn't completely dismissed. When the Earth Defence Force learned of an upcoming attack by space kaiju, Kinnikuman was contacted because of the unavailability of the super heroes such as The Ultra Brothers, PP-Man, and Spider-Man. While being shown images of the kaiju coming to attack (such as Okamarasu, Eraginesu, Abdullah, Sheikian, and Acrobat-Seijin), he learned that he needed to create a finishing move. After a brief training session, he was able to find a technique that surpassed his Kinniku Flash, the Kinniku Beam. When the time came for the kaiju to arrive, a member of the EDF reported that, due to the embarrassment of having to fight Kinnikuman, they all turned back.
At some point during this time in his life, Kinnikuman grew an infatuation with pop idol Takahara Nana, having bought many of her records. In order to win Nana's heart, Kinnikuman attempted tried to impress her by showing of his muscles which only ended up angering her more. As a last resort, he called his kaiju henchman, Gorizaemon, to fake a kidnapping attempt on her in which Kinnikuman would save her. The plan backfired as Gorizaemon really did try to kidnap Nana. However, Kinnikuman was able to defeat his henchman and brought Nana to safety. By a simple misunderstanding, Nana thought that her manager, Hitoshi, had saved her and thus ran into his arms, much to Kinnikuman's disappointment.
Save Planet Kinniku
Kinnikuman received a visit from Alexandria Meat, who had been dispatched to find the Kinniku prince and bring him back. 5 Since Suguru's abandonment, the pig (King Tone) had taken over Planet Kinniku, and Kinnikuman was needed to defeat him. Kinnikuman, however, had no intention of going so was forced into a steel cage death match against Gouriki. He was able to win the match, thanks to the comical faces he made while he was being bear hugged, but was eventually bribed into going by Meat with a gyuudon.
When the two returned to Planet Kinniku, both of Kinnikuman's parents gave him a warm welcoming, as well as telling him of his name being Suguru. Kinnikuman's goal was to defeat King Tone in a three-round match of judo, boxing, and wrestling. Unfortunately, despite the confidence he displayed before the start of each match, he lost to Tone 0-3. Shortly after Tone's original owner, a butcher, chased him away from Planet Kinniku never to be seen again. 11 With the title now opened, Mayumi reclaimed his throne. Because of Suguru's disappointing match, Meat was ordered to bring him back to Earth and train him until he was a true hero.
Kaiju Fights
Kinnikuman and Meat began settling in the small house, doing normal activities. 13 After watching a television show, Kinnikuman gets the idea to fight the Loch Ness Monster and get it broadcast to boost his ratings as a chojin. After proving himself by defeating a kaiju, which was actually just a robot built by Meat, Kinnikuman was able to get the right to fight Nessie on air. Unfortunately, when Nessie finally did arrive, it turned out to be many times larger than Kinnikuman's giant form. Nessie simply licked him, which caused him to pass out.
Kinnikuman was introduced to Nikaido Mari, a preschool teacher and friend of Meat. Both he and Meat developed an obvious crush on Mari and would take different trips with her and her class, despite the fact that they would always beat him up. On their first trip to the preschool, the kaijuu Franky began attacking but actually gained the friendship of some of the children. Kinnikuman, who was hated by the children, wasn't able to fight but, Meat was able to come up with a strategy that caused Franky to run away.
After an encounter with the kaijuu Abdullah, Kinnikuman and Meat met The Terryman, an American chojin from Texas. Terryman would charge for his services against kaiju, but he became increasingly popular in Japan, much to Kinnikuman's dismay. After a while, Terryman came to Kinnikuman's house to brag of becoming Japan's sole super hero. An attack made Sheikian, caused a boy run to Terryman, saying he needed him to rescue his father. When Terryman kicked the boy, because he didn't have enough money, Kinnikuman, enraged, hit Terryman, gave the boy back his money, and went to rescue the boy's father. Terryman, after hearing the words of the Yamato Spirit from Kinnikuman, gave up his hero badge and went to help Kinnikuman fight Sheik-Seijin.
Roots Island Arc
Kunta first appears in the male onsen , where she throws herself on Kinnikuman and begs for his help. 19 Natsuko introduces Kunta as the princess of Roots Island, and Kunta explains that her island has been overrun by Kaiju, as well as that many warriors have been killed by Ukon. When Terryman and Kinnikman agree to the job, she gives each of them a kiss on the cheek, before they ride on Miss Karasu to the island in order to defeat the Kaiju.
As they arrive, they are greeted by Elder Yosaku, and introduces them to the last warrior of the island: Tabuchi. Kinnikuman and Terryman travel together to Roots Island to help Kunta and save the islanders. Octopus Dragon stops Kinnikuman from growing to giant size, by placing a tentacle on his head. The two then exchange blows, taking it in turns to swing one another and swapping body slams, until Octopus Dragon becomes intimidated, as he thinks Kinnikuman knows the moves of the Ultraman family. He is ultimately defeated by a Kinniku Flash. After they defeat Harigoras and Octopus King, a piece of meat appears before Kinnikuman and he eats the meat. Custom dictates whomever eats the meat must fight Ukon one-on-one in battle. It is meat thrown by Ukon in a challenge.
Kinnikuman goes to a Colosseum, who has taken Kunta hostage and is attacked by the locals with various objects, as they throw things into the Colosseum. Tabuchi tries to save the princess, but Ukon flicks him away with a giant finger. When Kinnikuman climbs a pole to escape, Ukon shakes it to get him down. Kinnikuman soon loses the fight, causing Ukon to rule over the people and turn them into slaves. Kinnikuman becomes his servant, but - when lighting a cigar for Ukon - he sets Ukon on fire in a blaze.
The skin melts off Ukon, revealing he was a robot all along. When he kidnaps Kunta once more, the locals call upon Mammora to save them. Mammora picks Kinnikuman up on his back and flies towards Ukon, whom they smash into a wall to remove his arm. Kinnikuman uses the Kinniku Flash, but it does not work on Ukon. After several exchanges of blows, Mammora destroys Ukon and it is revealed Kinkotsuman and Iwao were working the robot the entire time, but they soon run away. When Kunta is rescued, she pays Terryman and Kinnikuman with stone money (which they cannot use).
20th Chojin Olympics
Preliminary Rounds
Mayumi went to Earth to tell his son about the upcoming Chojin Olympics. Kinnikuman was convinced he was a shoe-in for the Japanese representative, due to Uldraman humiliating defeat at the hands of England's Robin Mask in the previous tournament. However, Terry informed him that Japan had decided not to compete if they could not be represented by Uldraman. Having lost all hope, Kinnikuman ran off to sulk but was confronted by Robin Mask. Robin put him in a Bow and Arrow Lock and told him to give up, but Suguru refused and persevered for several hours until Robin got tired and let go. Making last year's champion struggle caused Harabote Muscle, the chairman of the Olympics, to allow Suguru to compete.
The 20th Chojin Olympics soon began, with many well known chojin, including Robin Mask, Terryman, Specialman, Canadianman, Kintaman, Skyman, Brockenman, Lupin, and Kani Base, all competing for the title. The tournament had a rocky start for Kinnikuman when Meat, who was the Olympics mascot, accidentally hit Kinnikuman with the Olympics torch, which then caused him to hit Kani Base, and a brawl broke out. After the idiotic fighting was settled, the first preliminary match was announced, Rock-Paper-Scissors. Kinnikuman was able to beat Kani Base in the round with "rock" due to Kani Base's claws being stuck on "scissors".
The second preliminary was a weight lifting round with a catch, the weights are dead kaiju weighing 1 ton. The preliminaries went smoothly as many of the favourites easily lifted the kaiju. Kinnikuman, himself, was able to lift the kaijuu, albeit he sunk to the ground quite a bit. With many chojin passing, a second lift was done in which the weight was changed from 1 ton to 2 tons. While it would still seem favourable for many chojin, Kinkotsuman, Iwao, and the newly joined Kani Base had set up a trap for the chojin.
The three turned invisible thanks to Kinkotsuman's invisibility gun and begin to tickle or attack the chojin who was lifting. This would cause the chojin to lose focus and drop the kaiju, thus eliminating them. This tactic caused many chojin to fail, including Specialman, which caused Terryman to suspect their work. When it came to Kinnikuman's turn, he wasn't able to lift the kaiju up completely, but was able to withstand the tickling of Kinkotsuman. Thanks to a kick in the crotch from Kani Base, Kinnikuman was able to pass the round and expose Kinkotsuman, and the others fo
The third and final preliminary was a race in which the remaining chojin would fly to the moon, get a doll rabbit from one of the tournament reps, and fly back to the stadium. The first eight chojin to land would be the finalists. Kinnikuman, who was in last place, was given a doll rabbit by an unknown male who was actually Kinkotsuman in disguise. Kinkotsuman had set up a bomb in the rabbit that would explode. Fortunately, when the bomb exploded, it actually caused Kinnikuman as well many other chojin to fly straight down to the stadium. While 7 of the 8 finalists had been decided, 10 chojin, including Kinnikuman, Kintaman, Sphinxman, Amazonman, Copper Bellman, had all tied for the last spot. To settle this dispute, a battle royale would decide the eighth finalist.
Kinkotsuman hypnotised the other 9 finalists into eliminating Kinnikuman from the tournament as well as impersonating the referee. While Kinkotsuman's plan seemed to succeed, Terryman was able to realise Kinkotsuman's plan and was able to free the chojin of his control. With all the chojin back to normal, they all stopped their focused on Kinnikuman and just attacked each other. In the end, the other chojin knocked each other out, leaving only Kinnikuman, thus making the eighth finalist.
Quarter Finals
Kinnikuman had made it into the eight finalists of the 20th Chojin Olympics, which included Robin Mask, Terryman, Ramenman, Skyman, Brockenman, Canadianman, and Curry Cook. After a drawing, Kinnikuman was placed in B-Block which consisted of Curry Cook, Brockenman, and Ramenman, all known in the Planet Kinniku Grand Library for brutal fighting styles, hence them being Zangyaku chojin.
Due to the brutality of the chojin, Harabote placed the B-Block matches in the small Korakuen Hall which would only be broadcast on radio, compared to the massive Korakuen Stadium in which the A-Block matches were taking place and would be broadcast on television. The A-Block match against Robin Mask and Canadianman ended quickly with Robin taking down Canadianman in only a few moments. The B-Block match between Ramenman and Brockenman began with Brockenman using fowl and cheap tricks, such as spiked-knuckles and poison gas. Ramenman was able to take the upper-hand by taking Brockenman down with his Chinese Kenpo, finishing him off with his Camel Clutch, ripping Brockenman in half and which terrified Kinnikuman, Meat, and Mayumi.
After seeing the brutal death of Brockenman, Kinnikuman's fears of dying the same way at the hands of Curry Cook caused him to try to run away from the match. The only way Kinnikuman was able to get into the ring was because Meat and Mayumi dragged him back and told him that Curry Cook's face resembled that of a kappa. The match became a steel cage match and Curry Cook began the match by taking a weapon out of his curry sauce and stabbed Kinnikuman's forehead. While wallowing in pain, Kinnikuman was able to break Curry Cook's curry plate which caused Curry Cook to steal some gyuudon from the audience.
The sauce that had been stabbed into Kinnikuman's forehead caused him to act different, in which he bashed Curry Cook against the steel cage and even drank the milk that Curry Cook was originally going to use against him. Kinnikuman's insane tactics caused Curry Cook to give up the match and run away, advancing Kinnikuman to the semi-finals.
In Korakuen Stadium, Terryman's match with Skyman wasn't going well as Skyman's attacks were pushing Terry down. But Terry was able to make a comeback and defeat Skyman with an Oklahoma Stampede.
Semi-Finals
The match with Ramenman takes place on a solid block of ice.
Both competitors must be barefoot. Ramenman struggles to get a hold of Kinnikuman, who runs constantly away using the ropes as a tightrope. Eventually, Ramenman is able to deliver a series of blows and gets Kinnikuman into a Camel Clutch position, but soon lets go when Kinnikuman unleashes a bad smell and soils himself. Ramenman allows him a break to change his tights, while Kinnikuman gets used to the ice and gains an advantage.
Ramenman proceeds to use a pile-driver, but Kinnikuman gets his fin stuck in the melting ice. Ramenman kicks him across the ice and into the ropes, but the momentum allows the ropes to bounce Kinnikuman back and use an Elbow Smash. This knocks Ramenman out, which allows Kinnikuman to win the match. Unknown to Suguru, Kinkotsuman tries to shoot him, but Terryman intervenes and takes a bullet in his leg.
Finals
Before Suguru's fight with Robin Mask, Terry and Ramenman had a grudge match. Ramenman was soon disqualified for dirty fighting but then demanded that Suguru fight his best against Robin Mask, saying he wanted to be proud of his fight with Suguru. He got very emotional and cried tears of blood. Motivated by Ramenman's words, Suguru was a brand new fighter when he faced Robin. However, when he proved to be too much for Robin, Robin removed his armor, which he always wore to weaken his power rather than to protect himself.
Robin Mask became too tough, so Suguru tried to run away, but Ramenman, Kinkotsuman, and Iwao convinced him to return to the ring. Robin eventually put Suguru in his trademark Tower Bridge hold and seemingly broke his back. As Robin lamented over "killing" Suguru, Suguru stood up and defeated him with a Mexican Rolling Clutch Hold. Suguru had won the Olympics and Ramenman makes the first mention of Suguru's Kajiba no Kuso Djikara.
American Tour
After winning the chojin Olympics, Suguru is sent to tour the American Circuit. His first stop is Hawaii, where he challenges the Hawaiian Champion Jesse Maivia to a match. Jesse agrees, but only if Suguru can beat his manservant, Prince Kamehame. Suguru loses within seven seconds, but Kamehame is so impressed with him that he offers to teach him the Killer Techniques. With these techniques Suguru is able to defeat Jesse Maivia, the master of Move Reversion.
His next stop is the main continent, where he meets up with Dorlo Flairs and learns of the rivalry amongst the chojin Wrestling League chairmen. In order to disrupt the alliance between the Superhuman World Council and World Federation, he disguises himself as The Chanelman (a parody of blackface singers Chanels) and attacks the WSC's champions during their fights. Skull Boze and his manager Sheik Seijin figure out his identity and decide to set up a rematch between Suguru and Robin Mask.
Robin reappears in South America. 30 Kinnikuman confronts him when he sees Robin murder an opponent in the ring, when Robin's opponent is torn in two pieces.31 When Kinnikuman is captured by the World Supermen Federation, Robin brings him food so that he will survive and remain strong. 32 After tearing Dynamite Piper in half at the Luck Lumber Joe, Robin was allowed the chance to regain his title from Kinnikuman and faced him in a match.
The match with Kinnikuman takes place over the Grand Canyon, at 1,600 meters high. Before the fight can be finished, Iwao flies an aeroplane into the ring. The match is determined to be in Robin's favour, but - due to his assumed death - the belt then goes to the next in the WSF's line, which is Skull Bozu. Kinnikuman is revealed to be alive, while Robin took the brunt of the aeroplane attack and is willing to let himself be sacrificed as Kinnikuman has not enough strength to remove the plane.
Robin reveals that he read about Kinnikuman's activity in Hawaii and yearned to return to the life of a Justice Chojin. 34 Kinnikuman eventually manages to free Robin, but the WSF explode the ring, and only Kinnikuman can escape. Robin seemingly falls to his death.
After the battle between Kinnikuman and Robin Mask, the Chojin Council are chased by Kinnikuman to a remote location. The World Chojin Federation try to steal the championship belt, which creates a free-for-all battle, and God von Erich appears to command them to stop. 35 God von Erich announces a tag tournament to settle the differences between the three groups, as he says that the winner shall rule the American chojin world.
In this tag tournament, Kinnikuman must engage in a round robin.
He must fight the Chojin Council, Chojin Federation, Chojin Association, and the Kaiju - the winner of the four groups will gain control of America. 36 Kinnikuman finds Terryman in Amarillo, Texas; Terryman initially refuses to participate, due to the work on his ranch, and it is revealed he has lost his left leg. The wound he obtained by Kinkotsuman increasingly got worse, until he was forced to amputate. Kinnikuman eventually convinces him to use a prosthetic leg by winning a special bet.
Over 100,000 people attend to watch the tournament in Houston, Texas. They form The Machineguns, with the theme of "The Magnificent Seven" as they make an entrance. Their first match is against Beauty Rhodes and Jean Steamboard, who form The Emperors. During their match, Terryman is accidentally knocked out by Kinnikuman. Kinnikuman begins to lose, but Terryman wakes up long enough to save Kinnikuman with his own body. The match ultimately ends in a draw. The next few matches take place in Los Angeles.
Terryman and Kinnikuman are set to win by default against Rugged Brothers, as one of their opponents lost in their previous match and is unable to compete. Kinkotsuman reveals that he is the new tag partner, and the group rename themselves Monster Master/Student Combo. Kinnikuman and Terryman get trapped under a lighting rig that Kinkotsuman crashes down on them, but Kinnikuman knocks Terryman out when Terryman panics over the loss of his leg when faced with Kinkotsuman that caused his leg injury. Kinnikuman wins the match in record time against both Kinkotsuman and Iwao.
The next few matches take place at Madison Square Gardens, New York. The final match is against the Blood Illusions. Devil Magician starts by throwing cards at Kinnikuman and Terryman, before diving at them with a dagger, but Ramenman stops him and forces him to play by the rules. Skull Bozu attacks next, using his Hedgehog Move, where his body - except his head - erupts into spikes. Kinnikuman manages to defend, and stabs Skull Bozu's head with his own spikes.
Kinnikuman then uses a Drop Kick on Skull Bozu, while Terryman uses the Brain Buster on Devil Magician. They follow with a series of other wrestler's signature moves. Iwao then steals Terry's leg. Terryman - distracted by the abuse of a child - is showered in a flurry of punches by Skull Bozu. Skull Bozu proceeds to throw him out of the ring, but - on retrieving his leg - Terryman uses a Calf Branding against Skull Bozu, which results in a knock-out and thus secures their victory.
The Machineguns go on to win their final match against the Blood Illusions, while the New World Supermen Association - goes on to control America. Kinnikuman - after winning the tournament - take a break in Guam for the day, where he witnesses a kaiju attack on Japan, while watching television.
The kaiju Burugorasu is attacking children and destroying buildings, but the Earth Defence Force fails to stop him, but - on seeing the children plead for the help of Kinnikuman - Kinnikuman and Meat decide to return to Japan. He is given a wrist that will tell him the time to his next exhibition match, which is due five hours from now, and - as Olympic Champion - he is obliged to attend the match or he will forfeit his championship. Kinnikuman eventually arrives in Japan, with only 30 minutes to spare, and grows to a giant size. He struggles to use his Kinniku Flash, but succeeds after a child tosses him some garlic. He fails to make it back in time for his match, and forfeits his championship.
The Lost Three Days
The chapter begins with a brief recap of American Chojin politics during the 1980's, and the creation of the American Chojin Tag Tournament. 48 Kinnikuman sets his sights upon Terryman as a tag partner, but only has three days until the tournament starts to convince him of participation, and - on reaching Terry's Ranch - Kinnikuman begs him, only for Terry to rebuke him due to a lack of time.
Kinnikuman strikes Terryman, which knocks him off his horse, and this reveals that he has lost his leg, which Terryman states makes him useless as a partner. He thus rides away. A ranch-hand - Buckland - reveals that he has a prosthetic leg that Terryman can use, and gives it to Kinnikuman so that Terryman may fight again. Kinnikuman waits outside the ranch, even forgoing food and rest, in hopes that Terryman will take pity on him and use the leg.
The next day Terryman wakes them with water to the face, after they pass out from heatstroke. Terryman says that he will work with Kinnikuman, only if Kinnikuman can fill up his trough; he gives him two bags, and tells him the river is fifteen miles away. To do this, he lends Kinnikuman a wild horse (knowing that Kinnikuman will never tame the horse and thus make the necessary trips). The horse is named Machinegun.
Kinnikuman still refuses to find another partner, and - after being attacked by the horse - manages to eventually mount Machinegun. At sunset, Kinnikuman makes the first round-trip to empty some water into the trough. While Terryman goes about his daily routine, Kinnikuman continues to fill the trough, and it is noticed that Machinegun once lost his leg in an accident, too, until he was also given a prosthetic. Kinnikuman bonds with the horse and tames him. Kinnikuman makes it back just in time to win the bet made by Terryman, and Terryman thus dons his prosthetic leg and agrees to join his team. The two go on to enter the tournament.
2nd Kaiju Extermination Arc
Bibimba
Yaki Horumon sends Bibimba to take revenge on Kinnikuman. At first, she dives at him with a knife, but he ducks at the last moment and avoids her attack. This causes Bibimba to fall and scrape her knee, and Kinnikuman rips Meat Alexandria's to wrap her wound. Yaki - troubled by this - summons Kinnikuman to attend a duel with Bibimba, after he kidnaps Meat to force attendance.
Bibimba easily strikes a blow on Kinnikuman, and proceeds to take a sword to kill him, but she hesitates after remembering his act of kindness. Kinnikuman is thus able to stop her blow, but - when he counters with a sword-attack - he slices open her leotard and reveals her in a nude state. Kinnikuman shows mercy on her, as he gives her Meat's new cape to cover her naked form. Bibimba then believes herself to be in love with Kinnikuman.
Seeing how she is infatuated with Kinnikuman, Yaki Horumon introduces her to Shishkeba Boo. Yaki promises the hand of Bibimba in marriage, so long as Shishkeba defeats Kinnikuman in battle. Bibimba rushes to the palace to beg Kinnikuman to flee the planet, but - just as Kinnikuman tries to make his escape - Shiskeba arrives to stop him. Kinnikuman mocks his appearance, but agrees to fight him in a series of challenges.
The first challenge is a speed-eating contest, which he wins. The second challenge is to create a tower, but - after Kinnikuman cheats - they both descend into a fist-fight. They are evenly matched, using the same techniques, but Shiskeba is able to knock him unconscious. When it seems that Shishkeba may truly kill Kinnikuman, Bibimba refuses to allow him, saying that she will die, too, and is willing to sacrifice her life. Bibimba then travels back to Earth with Meat and Kinnikuman.
Without anywhere to live, Bibimba stays in Beverly Park with Kinnikuman and Meat. Unable to attend on Kinnikuman as well as Meat, Bibimba flees and it is revealed that Meat and Kinnikuman are actively trying to get her to return to Planet Kinniku. On her way to find Kinnikuman to make amends, she is attacked by a Kaiju: Gonta. When Kinnikuman refuses to help her, and the Earth Defence Force arrive, Bibimba believes she is being tested on whether she can defend herself. This inspires Bibimba to join the Earth Defence Force and become independent, as she starts a life alone.
Planet Rakka
When Planet Rakka became in danger by the Uchuu Nobushi, the chojin Beansman asked Terryman and Ramenman to fight. Kinnikuman, assuming he'd automatically be chosen, went straight to Beansman and joined them without any real test. In Africa, the group found the transforming chojin Puyo-Puyo, whom Kinnikuman teased because of his appearance, only to be punched at by him. In Antarctica, the group found the ice chojin Crystalman, who had been asleep in ice for 100,000 and was bribed into going by getting all the food he could eat. The least chojin was in Berlin, Germany, Brocken Jr., the son of Brockenman. At first, it seemed as though Brocken Jr. was going to begin his revenge on Ramenman but stopped, accepted Beansman's request to join, and said he would deal with it when they returned to Earth. With Brocken Jr. now having joined, the seven chojin had been gathered.
Using Puyo-Puyo as a space coaster, the group was able to reach Planet Rakka. Ingen, the elder and friend of Beansman, told the group that the survivors had built a fort and disguised it with a fog. Ingen said the only reason that the Uchu Nobushi hadn't been around was because they had gone to eat. Only moments later, the Uchu Nobushi returned, ready to take the fort. The seven chojin all gathered and began their assault. However, it seemed useless as the Uchu Nobushi would regenerate into even more members every time they were struck down.
When Crystalman found the weakness against the Uchu Nobushi as an attack to their hearts, the Uchu Nobushi all formed together into one giant creature. In order to stop the creature, Kinnikuman and the rest of the chojin combined their powers and were able to destroy the Uchu Nobushi, freeing Planet Rakka. When the chojin were going home Kinnikuman, who was driving their spaceship, was caught by the space police as an unlicensed speeding driver, much to the other chojins dismay.
21st Chojin Olympics: The Big Fight
Preliminary Rounds
One morning, a black letter came into the mail for Kinnikuman. The letter turned out to be an application for the 21st chojin Olympics, nicknamed "The Big Fight". At first Kinnikuman was ready to fight until he learned that he still had to pass the prelims like everyone else. On the chojin Hour program, Yoshigai and Harabote began speaking of Kinnikuman's loss of the belt and how it was worth 10,000,000 yen. Next, they went over the favourites for the tournament, such as Terryman, Ramenman, Brocken Jr., and Benkiman, a toilet chojin who can literally flush people down his drain. The next chojin representative was also from Japan, a sumo named Wolfman, who antagonised Kinnikuman on television. Wolfman's actions caused Kinnikuman to want to compete in the tournament once more.
Days passed, until the chojin Olympics: The Big Fight finally started. Over 100,000 chojin from all over the world came to compete, including many of Kinnikuman's friends and rivals from the previous chojin Olympics and his American Tour. The first preliminary was the "Terrifying chojin Sieve" in which the chojin were put into a giant sieve, shaken up, and all the chojin who were too fat or too skinny would fall through leaving only the chojin in good physical condition left. Harabote first started off with the German team, taking them directly from the stands, where only one chojin, Brocken Jr. stayed in.
Harabote soon got carried away and took all the other countries chojin at once. Fat and skinny chojin, such as Kani Base (as well as Skull Bozu and Beauty Rhodes), were eliminated quickly. As the shaking continued, Kinnikuman began to fall through, leaving only his head still inside the sieve at the end of the shaking. Since Kinnikuman's head was still inside the sieve, Harabote deemed it legal and he passed the first prelim.
Quarter Finals
At the 21st Chojin Olympics Benkiman fought against Kinnikuman. Kinnikuman eventually was sucked into Benkiman's toilet and flushed down. A person typically does not return once flushed. Kinnikuman, however, returned because he stuffed his shorts into the toilet causing it to back up. The back up resulted in Kinnikuman winning the match. Kinnikuman also saved the other Chojins that were flushed down Benkiman's toilet.
Semi-Finals
The semi-finals match takes place in Kuramae Public Arena, where Meat Alexandria acts as a guest commentator. Four people surround the ring, while Kinnikuman is required to wear a fundashi. The ring is flipped over to reveal a sumo circle, and Kinnikuman starts with a Kinniku-Sumo Kick. He attempts a brain-buster, but Wolfman evades the attack. Wolfman tries to throw Kinnikuman out of the circle, as per sumo rules, but Kinnikuman holds onto him to stop being thrown.
Wolfman delivers a Rubiks Cube Slap to Kinnikuman's face. He manages to toss Kinnikuman out of the circle, but Mayumi Kinniku bursts the swollen blisters of his head and Kinnikuman floats back into the circle. They grab each other's belts, where Kinnikuman is nearly thrown again, and he survives again an underarm throw. Wolfman tries to crush Kinnikuman into submission, but he pushes back. Wolfman distracts him by claiming his penis is visible through his fundashi, before throwing Kinnikuman down against the ring.
Just as he is about to be declared the winner, they realise Wolfman is fully outside of the ring. Kinnikuman has used a suplex to throw him, and he has touched ground outside of the circle first, which disqualifies him from continuing in the tournament.
Finals
Kinnikuman angers Warsman by mocking him, as he pulls back his chair and forces him to fall in public. After Kinnikuman strikes Bibimba, Warsman becomes infuriated at his actions and lunges to attack, at which point Kinnikuman uses his Bear Claw Defence to remove his clawed hand. Warsman counters with the Palo Special, before Terryman saves Kinnikuman by kicking him away into the waters. This makes Kinnikuman's mask fall off, and Barracuda declares the next match will be a Mask Removal Death Match.
Warsman later interferes with an exhibition match between Mayumi Kinniku and Harabote Muscle as a "training exercise". He tosses the ring with them away, until Kinnikuman tosses it back. Warsman is stopped from killing a catatonic Ramenman, only for Robin Mask to reveal his true identity to the crowd and that Warsman is his chance for revenge. Kinnikuman initially gains the upper hand, as Warsman essentially copies Robin's techniques, which Kinnikuman knows very well from their previous matches. 61 Warsman reverts back to his own style, then removes Kinnikuman's mask.
Underneath each of Kinnikuman's masks is another mask, so Warsman struggles to unmask him. Warsman starts to remove Kinnikuman's actual mask, revealing black hair, until Kinnikuman performs the Muscle Curtain. Bibimba begs Warsman to stop, after he leaves Kinnikuman a bloody mess, but Robin Mask threatens to return him to the streets. Kinnikuman has the chance to throw Warsman onto his own Bear Claw, but refuses as he doesn't want to become as brutal as Warsman. 65 Warsman thus changes his mind about his evil ways, but is attacked by Robin, who then proceeds to slap Bibimba. 65 Warsman attacks Robin and continues to fight fairly against Kinnikuman.
Warsman is able to overcome Kinnikuman's Fire of Inner Strength with his Palo Special, proving himself stronger and with greater techniques, but Warsman overheats in battle if he fights past 30 minutes and 35 minutes have gone by in the match. Kinnikuman uses the Kinniku Buster and wins the match; he is required to remove Warsman's mask, but Warsman - talking for the first time - reveals his face. He is revealed to have a cybernetic face. Kinnikuman thus returns his mask.
The Seven Devil Chojin
Prehistory
After taking the chojin Olympics championship twice, Suguru thew a parade honouring himself as the V2 champion. Unfortunately, while being lifted in the air by his fan girls, a more heavy-set girl threw him too high into space. This caused him to hit the detonation button on a roach motel which contained the Seven Devil Chojin, seven evil chojin that were banned from Earth due to their deadly ways of fighting.
In Korakuen Hall, while participating in the "Let's Play with the chojin" Fan Appreciation Day, the Seven Devil Chojin interrupted the celebration. At first, Kinnikuman thought it was just an unscripted sketch but Warsman corrected him and began to attack one of the Devil Chojin. Immediately, the Devil Chojin, Black Hole, punched Warsman, who was then forced down into the mat by Buffaloman, the leader of the Seven Devil Chojin. Buffaloman then stated a challenge to Kinnikuman to defeat all seven of them.
The Devil Chojin began challenging Kinnikuman, eager to battle him. Warsman rose up and continued to fight against Buffaloman, only for him to be attacked by SteCase King's 100,000 headphones which broke his ear drums destroyed his sensory system. While at first he was going to give it away, Kinnikuman decided to keep his belt but refused to fight the Devil Chojin after the battles that had just occurred in the chojin Olympics. In order to force Kinnikuman to fight, Buffaloman took Meat and separated him into seven pieces, each piece being taken by one of the Devil Chojin. Buffaloman set a challenge that, in order to revive Meat, Kinnikuman had to defeat all seven Devil Chojin in 10 days. Crying, Kinnikuman accepted the challenge immediately saying that Meat was like a brother to him.69
Kinnikuman vs. Stecasse King
The Devil Chojin gave Kinnikuman the opportunity to pick his first opponent. Using his own cassettes music, SteCase King was able to force Kinnikuman's body into picking him, much to the anger of the other Devil Chojin. The battle took place at Tokyo Tower, with Meat's torso at stake. The battle began with SteCase King jumping at Kinnikuman with his headphone feet to try to force him to listen to his Music of Hell.
Kinnikuman was able to dodge the attacks and even hit SteCase King, giving the impression that SteCase King was very weak, putting him into a Boston Crab Hold. SteCase King soon opened up his Miracle Backpack which contained five giant cassette tapes of the chojin Encyclopedia. Using the tapes, SteCase King was able to imitate Warsman perfectly, including Warsman's deep breathing and creepy smile, and released himself from the Boston Crab Hold. To show his strength, SteCase King then put Kinnikuman into the Palo Special, a technique that only Warsman knew.
SteCase King soon showed his abilities even more showing the abilities of Ramenman's kicks and Robin Mask's Tower Bridge, all on his tapes. Buffaloman then told Terryman that SteCase King's tapes contained 1,000 entries on chojin, giving the match and 1000 vs. 1 challenge. Kinnikuman's determination was able to release him from the Tower Bridge, however SteCase King soon put Kinnikuman into his own Music Hell technique. Even though Kinnikuman's mask was able to protect him from 100,000 phones, SteCase King set the sound for 1,000,000 phones, loud enough to penetrate even the Kinniku masks.
Thanks to observation by a child, Terryman was able to conclude that SteCase King's music was the same music that came from Tokyo Tower, hence why SteCase King set the match right below it. Thanks to a mistake by SteCase King, the music program had already ended and was switched by a comedy program, which was able to keep Kinnikuman conscious.
Now free, Kinnikuman countered with a back drop and injured SteCase King. As a last resort, SteCase King used the chojin Encyclopedia once more, except he accidentally took an outdated cassette of Kinnikuman, who had indeed become a competent chojin over the years. With SteCase King weakened, Kinnikuman finished him off with the Kinniku Buster. Despite SteCase King being the weakest of the Seven Devil Chojin, he managed to give Kinnikuman many wounds, enough so that the chojin doctor said that Kinnikuman would need 10 days to heal.
Kinnikuman vs. Black Hole
Despite initially having taken his torso, the match against Black Hole is to retrieve Meat's right arm. Black Hole - after lighting a fire - realises Kinnikuman has not arrived and threatens to destroy Meat's arm, but Kinnikuman seemingly arrives in perfect health. He blocks a punch from Black Hole, which Black Hole notes is with his left hand despite being right-handed, and Black Hole also notes that his body is no longer muscular.
Black Hole and his teammates reveal this is an intruder, only to beat him until he is bleeding profusely, and they show that this was Terryman. The real Kinnikuman appears and challenges Black Hole to fight. They fight in a Solar House Death Match at Korakuen Stadium. Kinnikuman initially thought that this was to be nice, as the Solar House made it warmer inside the ring while it was cold outside, but Black Hole's real reason was so that he could use his Shadow Travel technique. Kinnikuman begins the match with a punch, but his arm gets stuck in the hole in Black Hole's face. After a flurry of punches, Kinnikuman finally escapes, and kicks at Black Hole's chest, only to get his body stuck within the chest.
Kinnikuman is soon spat out, only for Black Hole to use Shadow Travel.
He uses a German Suplex upon Kinnikuman, before trapping him in a Cobra Twist. He proceeds to clone his bodies and fill the ring with them, as all of them attack Kinnikuman at once, but Kinnikuman uses a Sun Muscle to dissipate the fake Black Hole clones. Kinnikuman lands a Flying Body Scissors Drop. The inside of the hole on Black Hole's head then becomes a portal into space, which sucks Kinnikuman inside. Kinnikuman manages to escape and breaks through the Solar Dome back into the ring. Kinnikuman smashes down on Black Hole with a Nikudan Elbow Drop, which effectively knocks out Black Hole and allows Kinnikuman to win and retrieve Meat's right arm.
Kinnikuman vs. Atlantis
Later Kinnikuman fights against Atlantis. Atlantis begins with a Water Magnum, but Kinnikuman uses Salmon Swimming Stream to swim up the beam of water, and headbutts Atlantis in his face. Kinnikuman attempts a body-press, but the spirits of his deceased opponents hold him back: The Mountain, Stecasse King, Mr Khamen, and Black Hole. He thus can't move and lands on Atlantis knees. He tries to put Atlantis in a sleeping hold, but Black Hole cuts into his neck. Mongolman reveals that this is due to a Blood Bind, and he takes Terryman and Brocken Jr. into the spirit world to defeat the spirits.
Kinnikuman is thrown into the lake by Atlantis. Due to his friends defeating the spirits, Kinnikuman is able to swim upwards and jump back onto the ring. Atlantis jumps into the water and covers the ring in a thick fog, which enables him to trick Kinnikuman into thinking the corner-post is him and striking his head against it in the confusion. Atlantis uses a water magnum, which destroys some of the ropes, and then hits him with a Water Ball. He follows this with a St Helen's Eruption.
Kinnikuman uses his Fire of Inner Strength to escape the hold, and a Muscle Typhoon to get rid of the mist. In order to avenge Robin Mask, Kinnikuman use a Tower Bridge attack on Atlantis, at which point Atlantis tosses Meat's right leg into the leg. Kinnikuman jumps in to save the leg, as Atlantis follows, but uses a U-Boat technique against him. Buffaloman convince Kinnikuman to finish using his Kinniku Buster, which breaks Atlantis' back, neck, and hip-bones. This defeats Atlantis and allows Kinnikuman to retrieve the leg.
Kinnikuman vs. Buffaloman
From here on, the matches became rougher, as the Devil Chojins, the fierce enemies of the Justice Chojin, weren't just trying to beat them, but kill them in battle. Through the help of his friends, some of who valiantly gave their lives through fighting the evil Devil chojin, and Mongolman, the mystery fighter who Suguru first believed to be a Devil chojin, they were finally able to defeat the leader, Buffaloman. Touched by the bonds of friendship that Suguru and the Justice Chojin had for each other, Buffaloman vowed that one day he would like to join them, if he survived the punishment for his sins.
Golden Mask Arc
Kinnikuman attends a chojin physical with his colleagues.
The Chojin Power of his colleagues is halved, with only his power left intact. It is revealed that the golden mask on Planet Kinniku has been stolen, and the Silver Mask travels through space into Kinnikuman's hands, as a group of six masked men descend on Kinnikuman. Only one of them has the true Golden Mask, and each says they will go to a specific location to wait for Kinnikuman; if he battles them and wins, they will give him their mask, and their tournament will end when he finds the true Golden Mask.
Kinnikuman vs. Sneagator
The first match is against Sneagator in the Budokan Stadium. The ring seems empty, until Sneagator appears to turn all the chairs into alligators and the confetti into lizards. Sneagator bites through the ropes, which turn into snakes and attack Kinnikuman. He then bites down onto Kinnikuman's right shoulder, before using a Hell Space Walk, which is a powerful sneaker kick.
Sneagator then bites into Kinnikuman's torso, before using another sneaker-kick and biting him in three separate places. At this point, Meat realises the animals are illusions caused by a light projector. Sneagator attempts to bite off Kinnikuman's head, but Kinnikuman stops him by holding onto the sides of his jaws, before using a Mouth-Ripping Kinniku-Buster, and covers the light projector with Sneagator's blood.
Sneagtor then sheds his skin and returns in a tortoise form. He uses a Strong Body Press on Kinnikuman, but Kinnikuman uses a Muscle Curtain, and Sneagator sheds his skin again. Kinnikuman gets behind Sneagator and rips the fins from his head, but Sneagator turns again into a chameleon to camouflage into his environment. Kinnikuman allows himself to be injured, so he can use his blood to force Sneagator to become visible. Sneagator then turns into a dinosaur hand, but Kinnikuman gets him in a Bear Hug.
This allows him to see Sneagator's true face, which is on one of his fingers.
He uses a Front Suplex to then defeat Sneagator.
Kinnikuman vs. Planetman
Kinnikuman dies from his injuries against Sneagator.
Once he is revived by Wolfman's life force, Kinnikuman heads for the Toshimaen (豊島園) amusement park to face his next opponent. Upon arrival, he and Meat find a ring and are then confronted by several planets. The planets then fuse together and become Planetman. He knocks Kinnikuman into the ring, which is then elevated several hundred feet into the air.
Planetman starts out in control of the fight, slicing Kinnikuman up with his Planet Ring. 86 Kinnikuman tries to hide in a Ferris Wheel car, but Planetman is able to knock him out of there with his Ring Stone. He then freezes Kinnikuman's body with the Sub Zero Figure 4 Neck Lock and tries to shatter him with a knee drop, but Geronimo channels Wolfman's power and Kinnikuman is able to break free.
Planetman then reveals that his head is actually the legendary planet Vulcan. He also points out that Earth is nowhere on his body. 86 That is because Kinnikuman represents Earth, and with that a map of the world appears on Kinnikuman's body. 87 Planetman then begins striking the countries of specific Justice Chojins, causing their life-support bubbles to burst and their bodies to go through excruciating pain.
When he tries throwing his Apollo Dynamite at Japan, Kinnikuman catches the fireball and throws it back. Planetman then uses his horrible Face Planet technique, causing the faces of Terryman, Robin Mask, Warsman, Brocken Jr., Mayumi Kinniku, Sayuri Kinniku, Bibimba, and Canadianman to appear on the planets on his body. He also dons his Golden Mask so that Kinnikuman won't attack his head. Kinnikuman pays it no mind and tries a Knee Breaker, but realises that he would hurt Bibimba if he did. Kinnikuman finds himself unable to fight back until he realises that a Kinniku Buster wouldn't hurt any of them, just Planetman.
Unfortunately, Planetman transforms their surrounding into space, preventing Kinnikuman from completing the Kinniku Buster. Finally, Warsman insists that Kinnikuman punch through his face, which is directly over Planetman's heart. 88 Kinnikuman reluctantly complies and pierces Planetman's heart, putting Warsman in a coma and freeing everyone from the Face Planet technique. 89 Planetman then tries his Planet Ring one more time, but Kinnikuman gets behind him, causing the ring to decapitate Planetman. Kinnikuman then defeats him with Black Hole Suplex, throwing him through a hole in the middle of the ring.
Unfortunately, Planetman's Golden Mask turns out to be a fake, just like Sneagator's.
Five-Tier Ring
Kinnikuman then enters inside of Warsman.
Inside his body, there is a five-tier ring that begins a new tournament. Terryman, Geronimo, Brocken Jr., and Robin Mask fight on his behalf, so that Kinnikuman can climb the spine and reach the fifth ring, where he plans to jolt Warsman's heart to resuscitate him. Kinnikuman finally reaches the fourth-tier, but the Golden Mask is not the real Golden Mask, and General Devil appears above them on the fifth tier.
Kinnikuman vs. General Devil
General Devil first appears as the Golden Mask.
He shrinks the exit inside Warsman's body, to prevent Kinnikuman and his friends - who are growing to their regular size - from leaving in time so as not to tear Warsman apart. He steals forth the power of the Devil Chojin that worked underneath him during the tournament, and announces himself as their leader. Geronimo attacks General Devil, but General Devil retaliates with a Double-Arm Suplex. 94 He then uses a Spin Double Arm, and finishes with a Hell's Guillotine. This kills Geronimo, and inspires the others to distract General Devil by attacking him at once.
General Devil escapes from Warsman's body, along with Asuraman. Kinnikuman escapes and uses his Fire of Inner Strength, as he attempts to tackle General Devil, but he is struck by a Hell's Guillotine. It is revealed General Devil cannot absorb his Fire of Inner Strength and injures his knee. General Devil and Asuraman go through a door to their next venue, while Kinnikuman lingers behind due to fear, but - despite his hesitation - Buffaloman holds the door open for him and allows him to carry onward.
Buffaloman, on his arrival, shakes hands with General Devil; General Devil resurrected him to act as an adviser for the upcoming match. After Asuraman loses in his match against Kinnikuman, he is shunned by General Devil and decapitated by him. Buffaloman is thus persuaded to join the Justice Chojin, as he rejects such levels of cruelty, and holds General Devil about his waist, so that Kinnikuman may have a chance to use his Kinniku Driver. General Devil attempts a Hell Super Express.
This is reversed by Buffaloman, and the fight between the two allows Kinnikuman time to train with Terryman in an attempt to perfect the Kinniku Driver using logs in a nearby parkland. Buffaloman attempts a Special Hurricane Mixer, but General Devil reveals his body can feel no pain. Kinnikuman perfects his Kinniku Driver. Buffaloman impales General Devil with his long horns, while Terryman warns Kinnikuman about the fatal flaw with the Kinniku Driver, and Kinnikuman manages to correct the one flaw.
Kinnikuman returns and carries Buffaloman to the infirmary, after General Devil defeats Buffaloman. Kinnikuman learns - in the process - that General Devil is actually Goldman. Kinnikuman returns to the ring and throws the silver mask above the ring, along with General Devil and the gold mask, and and it is decided that the winner of the match will take both masks. Kinnikuman begins the match with a German Suplex, and General Devil attacks with a chair, causing a referee to be needed. Mongolman agrees to referee the match.
Kinnikuman tries to attack General Devil several times, but his skin is torn open and every time his Kinniku Driver fails. General Devil attempts a Skull Crush, but Kinnikuman counters by bashing him against the corner-post of the ring. This is followed by Kinnikuman reversing an attempted Hell's Guillotine. General Devil gains the upper-hand with a Hell Windmill, and Kinnikuman - after thrown out the ring - makes it back in time for the count. Kinnikuman is then hit by a Human Bullet Dive Bomb.
Kinnikuman uses a Sideways Kinniku-Buster. This strikes General Devil against a far wall, where the chest-plate of his armour breaks away and reveals he is lacking a physical body. Kinnikuman attempts a Bear-Hug, but General Devil breaks free and the pieces of his body turn back into the Six Devil Knights, and General Devil reverses a Sideways Kinniku-Buster to harm Kinnikuman.
After using his Muscle Curtain, after exchanging a series of blows, Kinnikuman witnesses General Devil harden his body to level seven. General Devil turns his arms into swords, and Robin Mask tosses his armour for Kinnikuman to use, but General Devil goes to Hardness Level 10. He splits open Robin Mask's armour and attacks at Kinnikuman, and Kinnikuman attempts a Muscle Curtain Attack.
Kinnikuman manages to scratch General Devil's body. This is followed by a Burning Megaton Punch, which opens the crack in General Devil's armour, and his body shatters into millions of diamonds, as Kinnikuman retrieves the Golden Mask. The diamond pieces destroy the Golden Mask, and it is revealed the the real Golden Mask was underneath General Devil's fake mask all along. It was a part of his head. This triggers Kinnikuman into donning the Silver Mask, so that the two masks can communicate.
General Devil - now revealed to be Goldman - reveals he felt humiliated by Silverman, while they were still alive, and was given power by Satan, who granted him control over the Six Devil Knights. To gain the upper hand, General Devil places the ring on the bodies of Kinnikuman's Justice Chojin friends, and each attacks upon the canvas thus causes them pain. General Devil uses a Burning Bridge.
The ring is transformed, as General Devil starts to sweat, and his sweat turns the canvas into a diamond. 108 After a series of serious blows, Kinnikuman turns the tides and uses the diamond canvas against General Devil, and forces his Hardness Level back to normal. The Friendship Power exhibited by Kinnikuman, and the Justice Chojin beneath the ring, causes the Gold Mask to reject the armour gifted by Satan. 109 This causes a body to appear. Kinnikuman then uses his Fire of Inner Strength .
General Devil seals all Kinnikuman's vital points and uses a Hell Guillotine.
Kinnikuman stops the move, while the spirits of his friends come to his defence. The Friendship Power weakens him, before he summons the spirits of the Six Devil Knights to rip his limbs away; sacrificing his body means Kinnikuman cannot use any techniques against him. Buffaloman then intervenes to stop him from dismantling and recombining at will. He dons the mask, so that General Devil will have a body, and willingly sacrifices himself to help stop General Devil. Kinnikuman successfully uses the Kinniku Driver.
General Devil - now in his Golden Mask form - asks to be destroyed, but instead the Silver Mask combines with the Golden Mask and become the Perfect Mask. They revive all dead and injured Chojin, and never again will they ever be divided, which means never again can they bring harm on the people. Kinnikuman and his friends celebrate his victory.
Dream Chojin Tag Arc
Prehistory
A second Mount Fuji appears in Japan. On top of this mountain, the Universal Chojin Tag Team trophy appears. Underneath, there appears a series of rings that allow for eight tag-teams to compete. Kinnikuman - along with the other justice chojin - goes to Kourakuen Hall to discuss the situation. Terryman reveals he will not team up with Kinnikuman, but instead seeks to work with Geronimo and bring him back to health (since he is now in a vegetative state).
Quarter-Finals
The first match for them was against Pentagon and Black Hole: 4D Killer Combo. The 4D Killer Combo await in the first ring, and - as the Muscle Brothers enter - drop down upon them as a preemptive attack. Kinnikuman ignores Kinnikuman Great's attempt to tag in, despite bleeding profusely, and this allows Black Hole to swap places with Pentagon. Black Hole throws Kinnikuman to the ropes; Kinnikuman Great reassures Kinnikuman they are equals, but Kinnikuman is determined to prove himself to what he considers his master. He still tags in Kinnikuman Great, despite his reservations, who uses a martial arts kick to attack Black Hole. They exchange several blows, but Kinnikuman Great temporarily incapacitates Black Hole with a Rolling Savate.
The other teams leave their rings, so that they may watch the match. Black Hole catches Kinnikuman Great off-guard and throws him to the ropes, in an attempt to engage in a German Suplex, but Kinnikuman Great counters with a Reverse Kick. Kinnikuman argues with Kinnikuman Great and trust breaks down, and this leads to the 4D Killer Combo gaining an advantage. As the 4D Combo use 4D Warp again, Great throws Kinnikuman out of the ring so that he may strike Pentagon midair. This fatigues both Pentagon and Great.
Each move Kinnikuman uses on Black Hole becomes countered with Pentagon's Chronos Change, and - as Great comes to the defence - Pentagon uses Time Stop to freeze Great and stop with a Pile Driver. They stop Great with a 4D Cross and he is absorbed into Black Hole's body. The 4D Combo tries to use a 4D Cross on Kinnikuman, but he counters with advice from the voice of Great. Great tries to escape through Black Hole, grabbing his mask in the process, but Black Hole closes access to his dimension.
Black Hole and Great fight within the dimension, and Great uses a Kinniku Buster to defeat Black Hole, while Kinnikuman uses the Kinniku Driver to defeat Pentagon. They combine their attacks into a Muscle Docking, which allows them to win the match.
Semi-Finals
After Prince Kamehame's death, Terryman dons the Kinnikuman Great disguise.
In a match-up lottery, the Muscle Brothers Nouveau are matched against the Stray Devil Chojin Combo. The rules of the match determine that a KO'd opponent must be thrown into a cage overhead, and the non-competing semi-finalists surround the ring to stop anyone from leaving the ring before the end of the match. After Terryman is hurt, Kinnikuman attacks his opponents and is knocked out of the ring, where he is struck by Buffaloman's Hurricane Mixer. Kinnikuman tosses Asuraman, but the others do not harm him and allow him back into the ring, proving Kinnikuman's friendship with Buffaloman is not restored.
After Terryman fails to imitate Kinnikuman Great properly, Kinnikuman is forced to use his Fire of Inner Strength to protect him. They attempt to use a Muscle Docking, but they are unable to synchronise, and instead are subject to Hell's Combination Part 1. Kinnikuman is later tagged back into the match, where he gets Asuraman into a Cobra Twist. Terryman and Kinnikuman are soon tossed towards the cage above, but manage to stop themselves from entering the cage.
They both use Body Attacks on the Stray Devil Chojin Combo.
Asuraman uses a Hell's Canvas, causing Kinnikuman to be attacked by the spirits of past opponents. Kinnikuman is then hit by a Sunshine Magnum. This is followed by a Sunshine Rapid Fire. A Hell's Combination Part III knocks Kinnikuman head-first into the box above. The sweat from Kinnikuman's body falls down onto the ring, which banishes the spirits of his past opponents, and - at this point - he is able to free his body and escape the cage. In the ensuing events, Kinnikuman realises Kinnikuman Great is not Prince Kamehame and demands to be told the person's true identity.
Terryman saves Kinnikuman's life and begs him to trust him, but Kinnikuman tries to forcibly remove his mask. 126 After Terryman tries to sacrifice himself, and states his reason to fight for friendship, Kinnikuman believes that he is an ally of the Justice Chojin. Kinnikuman then throws Asuraman into Sunshine's Cursed Roller. Asuraman shifts into pieces of the Devil General's body in an attempt to psychologically dissuade Kinnikuman from continuing to fight. Asuraman and Sunshine succumb to Friendship Power. The Muscle Brothers win against the Stray Devil Chojin Combo with a Muscle Docking.
Finals
The final match is against Hell Missionaries; the ring is surrounded by swords, which will pierce anyone thrown out of the ring or who tries to escape. The match will be a three-round match, with each round lasting ten minutes until the final round, which will have no time-limit attached.
During the match against Neptuneman, some of Terryman's blond hair is exposed. More and more of Terryman's face is exposed, as he panics at the idea Kinnikuman may reject him on learning the truth, and thus leaves himself open to attacks. With only seconds to spare, Terryman is defeated with a Cross-Bomber in the first round and his face is revealed. Terryman has his stars returned to him by Asuraman, who rejects how he gave up earlier, and - thus due to not having technically quit his match - is still eligible to compete in...
Oh? You're all asleep?
...snoring...
💪M💪U💪S💪C💪L💪E💪
A year of the shows and performers of the Bijou Planks Theater.
M.U.S.C.L.E. No. 1, "Kinnikuman"
Painted by Paprika, thus losing all collectible value forever.
3574 passes the Litchurch Lane facility of Alstom/Bombardier, whilst working route 2A from Derby to Chellaston. The 2A operates half hourly and it’s main purpose is to divert via Shelton Lock and then serve a wide area of Chellaston, similar to the 2B.
2 of 3 - Update - a fellow birder friend confirmed this is an immature Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) that has been seen at this location for a few weeks.
Can you please help me ID this large GULL? It's for ebird purpose only - not for quality, obviously. Here's the scoop:
We went to the Glendale Recharge Ponds in Arizona this afternoon (known for a variety of birds, including uncommon & rarities). We spotted several gulls and were able to ID Ring-billed, but there was this very large gull that stood out amongst the rest. The photos are poor quality, but he was light to dark brown/gray and white, dark bill with pinkish legs. Definitely not a Ring-billed... I've poured through my field guides and thought of a 1st winter California, but the bill is mostly black... or a 1st winter Herring. Any help would be greatly appreciated - thank you!
The Origins and Purpose of Street Art and Graffiti — A Historical Essay.
Prehistoric and Ancient Beginnings (40,000 BCE – 500 CE)
Graffiti’s origins stretch back to humanity’s earliest visual culture. Prehistoric cave paintings — including hand stencils created by blowing pigment through tubes — functioned as some of the earliest “tags,” marking presence and identity. These date from 40,000–10,000 years ago.
By the classical era, graffiti was widespread across Ancient Greece and Rome, where people scratched messages, jokes, political commentary, and personal boasts into walls. The oldest known written graffito dates to around 500 BCE.
In Pompeii, graffiti served as advertising, satire, political slogans, and everyday communication, revealing the lives of ordinary people rather than elites.
Purpose in this era:
1. Marking presence (“I was here”)
2. Social commentary
3. Recording daily life
4. Religious or political expression
5. Communication by non‑elites otherwise absent from written history
Medieval to Early Modern Graffiti (500–1800 CE)
Graffiti continued through the medieval period, especially in religious and rural landscapes. In the Middle East, the Safaitic inscriptions — scratched onto rocks across Syria, Jordan, and Arabia — are the only surviving record of an ancient Arabic dialect.
In Europe, travellers, workers, and even antiquarians carved names and messages into castles, churches, and monuments. At Stonehenge, 18th‑century visitors left carved signatures, showing graffiti as a record of presence and identity.
Purpose in this era:
1. Recording travel or pilgrimage
2. Personal memorialisation
3. Folk expression by ordinary people
4. Documentation of labourers and craftsmen
The Birth of Modern Graffiti (1950s–1970s)
Modern graffiti culture emerged in Philadelphia in the 1950s, led by figures like Cornbread, who pioneered tagging as a form of self‑promotion and identity.
By the late 1960s and early 1970s, graffiti exploded in New York City, especially on subway trains. Writers such as TAKI 183 and others transformed tagging into a competitive, stylised art form.
This era marks the shift from simple inscriptions to complex lettering, murals, and large-scale public visibility.
Purpose in this era:
1. Personal identity and fame (“getting up”)
2. Reclaiming public space
3. Youth expression in marginalised communities
4. Resistance to social and economic exclusion
The Rise of Street Art (1980s–2000s)
Street art evolved from graffiti but expanded into stencils, wheat‑paste posters, stickers, installations, and murals. Artists like Keith Haring, Jean‑Michel Basquiat, and later Banksy brought street art into global consciousness.
Street art differed from graffiti by focusing less on lettering and more on imagery, political messages, and public commentary.
According to The Art Story, street art grew from the belief that art should be:
1. Accessible to everyone
2. Outside traditional institutions
3. Democratic and empowering
4. A counter‑attack against advertising and corporate messaging
5. Purpose in this era:
6. Political protest
7. Social commentary
8. Challenging authority and capitalism
9. Beautification and community identity
Artistic experimentation outside galleries
Contemporary Street Art and Graffiti (2000s–Present)
Today, graffiti and street art occupy a complex space between vandalism, public art, activism, and cultural heritage.
Graffiti remains illegal in many contexts, yet it is also recognised as a vital form of urban storytelling, especially for marginalised voices.
Street art, meanwhile, is often commissioned by cities, festivals, and cultural institutions, blurring the line between rebellion and acceptance.
Current purposes:
1. Urban regeneration
2. Tourism and cultural branding
3. Community identity
4. Political resistance
5. Artistic innovation
Street art and graffiti are not modern inventions — they are part of a 40,000‑year human tradition of marking presence, expressing identity, and challenging power. From Roman jokes to New York subway tags to global street murals, they remain one of the most democratic and immediate forms of public expression.
Re-purpose items to art. Visit us at www.millenniumwas…; to learn more about the services we offer!
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only man has the capacity to reflect the meaning of life and discover the light in the mirror of his/her own heart...
A multi-purpose salvage/repair ship. The sections can rotate independently and have different manipulators, drills and cutters. The forward section are the crew compartments; I figure it rotates as well to provide some level of artificial gravity during times when the ship isn't moving under thrust (often for a repair vessel?)
I also added some heat sinks near the engine, apparently the ships in the books have radiators but they left them off for the show to maintain a cleaner shape on screen.
I have a sketch of this idea from a while ago that I will upload.
Various trees of life are recounted in folklore, culture and fiction, often relating to immortality or fertility. They had their origin in religious symbolism.
Ancient Iran
In pre-Islamic Persian mythology, the Gaokerena world tree is a large, sacred Haoma tree which bears all seeds. Ahriman (Ahreman, Angremainyu) created a frog to invade the tree and destroy it, aiming to prevent all trees from growing on the earth. As a reaction, God (Ahura Mazda) created two kar fish staring at the frog to guard the tree. The two fishes are always staring at the frog and stay ready to react to it. Because Ahriman is responsible for all evil including death, while Ahura Mazda is responsible for all good (including life) the concept of world tree in Persian Mythology is very closely related to the concept of Tree of Life.The sacred plant haoma and the drink made from it. The preparation of the drink from the plant by pounding and the drinking of it are central features of Zoroastrian ritual. Haoma is also personified as a divinity. It bestows essential vital qualities—health, fertility, husbands for maidens, even immortality. The source of the earthly haoma plant is a shining white tree that grows on a paradisiacal mountain. Sprigs of this white haoma were brought to earth by divine birds.Haoma is the Avestan form of the Sanskrit soma. The near identity of the two in ritual significance is considered by scholars to point to a salient feature of an Indo-Iranian religion antedating Zoroastrianism.
Another related issue in ancient mythology of Iran is the myth of Mashyа and Mashyane, two trees who were the ancestors of all living beings. This myth can be considered as a prototype for the creation myth where living beings are created by Gods (who have a human form).
Ancient Egypt
Worshipping Osiris, Isis, and Horus
To the Ancient Egyptians, the Tree of Life represented the hierarchical chain of events that brought every thing into existence. The spheres of the Tree of Life demonstrate the order, process, and method of creation.In Egyptian mythology, in the Ennead system of Heliopolis, the first couple, apart from Shu and Tefnut (moisture and dryness) are Geb and Nuit (earth and sky), are Isis and Osiris. They were said to have emerged from the acacia tree of Iusaaset, which the Egyptians considered the tree of life, referring to it as the "tree in which life and death are enclosed." Some acacia trees contain DMT, a psychedelic drug associated with spiritual experiences. The drug is not orally bio-available, however and there is no evidence the Egyptians had techniques for extracting or otherwise harnessing the drug. A much later myth relates how Set and 72 conspirators killed Osiris, putting him in a coffin, and throwing it into the Nile, the coffin becoming embedded in the base of a tamarisk tree.The Egyptians' Holy Sycamore also stood on the threshold of life and death, connecting the two worlds.
Assyria
Assyrian tree of life, from Nimrud panels.The Assyrian Tree of Life was represented by a series of nodes and criss-crossing lines. It was apparently an important religious symbol, often attended to in Assyrian palace reliefs by human or eagle-headed winged genies, or the King, and blessed or fertilized with bucket and cone. Assyriologists have not reached consensus as to the meaning of this symbol. The name "Tree of Life" has been attributed to it by modern scholarship; it is not used in the Assyrian sources. In fact, no textual evidence pertaining to the symbol is known to exist.
Baha'i Faith
The concept of the tree of life appears in the writings of the Baha'i Faith, where it can refer to the Manifestation of God, a great teacher who appears to humanity from age to age. An example of this can be found in the Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh:["Have ye forgotten that true and radiant morn, when in those hallowed and blessed surroundings ye were all gathered in My presence beneath the shade of the tree of life, which is planted in the all-glorious paradise? Awestruck ye listened as I gave utterance to these three most holy words: O friends! Prefer not your will to Mine, never desire that which I have not desired for you, and approach Me not with lifeless hearts, defiled with worldly desires and cravings. Would ye but sanctify your souls, ye would at this present hour recall that place and those surroundings, and the truth of My utterance should be made evident unto all of you."Also, in the Tablet of Ahmad [1], of Bahá'u'lláh:"Verily He is the Tree of Life, that bringeth forth the fruits of God, the Exalted, the Powerful, the Great".Bahá'u'lláh refers to his male descendents as branches (Aghsán) and calls women leaves.
A distinction has been made between the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The latter represents the physical world with its opposites, such as good and evil and light and dark. In a different context from the one above, the tree of life represents the spiritual realm, where this duality does not exist.
Buddhism
The Bo tree, also called Bodhi tree, according to Buddhist tradition, is the pipal (Ficus religiosa) under which the Buddha sat when he attained Enlightenment (Bodhi) at Bodh Gaya (near Gaya, west-central Bihar state, India). A living pipal at Anuradhapura, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), is said to have grown from a cutting from the Bo tree sent to that city by King Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE.According to Tibetan tradition when Buddha went to the holy Lake Manasorovar along with 500 monks, he took with him the energy of Prayaga Raj. Upon his arrival, he installed the energy of Prayaga Raj near Lake Manasorovar, at a place now known as Prayang. Then he planted the seed of this eternal banyan tree next to Mt. Kailash on a mountain known as the "Palace of Medicine Buddha".
China
In Chinese mythology, a carving of a Tree of Life depicts a phoenix and a dragon; the dragon often represents immortality. A Taoist story tells of a tree that produces a peach every three thousand years. The one who eats the fruit receives immortality.An archaeological discovery in the 1990s was of a sacrificial pit at Sanxingdui in Sichuan, China. Dating from about 1200 BCE, it contained three bronze trees, one of them 4 meters high. At the base was a dragon, and fruit hanging from the lower branches. At the top is a strange bird-like (phoenix) creature with claws. Also found in Sichuan, from the late Han dynasty (c 25 – 220 CE), is another tree of life. The ceramic base is guarded by a horned beast with wings. The leaves of the tree are coins and people. At the apex is a bird with coins and the Sun.
Christianity
In Catholic Christianity, the Tree of Life represents the immaculate state of humanity free from corruption and Original Sin before the Fall. Pope Benedict XVI has said that "the Cross is the true tree of life." Saint Bonaventure taught that the medicinal fruit of the Tree of Life is Christ himself. Saint Albert the Great taught that the Eucharist, the Body and Blood of Christ, is the Fruit of the Tree of Life.[18] Augustine of Hippo said that the tree of life is Christ: "All these things stood for something other than what they were, but all the same they were themselves bodily realities. And when the narrator mentioned them he was not employing figurative language, but giving an explicit account of things which had a forward reference that was figurative. So then the tree of life also was Christ... and indeed God did not wish the man to live in Paradise without the mysteries of spiritual things being presented to him in bodily form. So then in the other trees he was provided with nourishment, in this one with a sacrament... He is rightly called whatever came before him in order to signify him."[19]
The tree first appeared in Genesis 2:9 and 3:22-24 as the source of eternal life in the Garden of Eden, from which access is revoked when man is driven from the garden. It then reappears in the last book of the Bible, the Book of Revelation, and most predominantly in the last chapter of that book (Chapter 22) as a part of the new garden of paradise. Access is then no longer forbidden, for those who "wash their robes" (or as the textual variant in the King James Version has it, "they that do his commandments") "have right to the tree of life" (v.14). A similar statement appears in Rev 2:7, where the tree of life is promised as a reward to those who overcome. Revelation 22 begins with a reference to the "pure river of water of life" which proceeds "out of the throne of God". The river seems to feed two trees of life, one "on either side of the river" which "bear twelve manner of fruits" "and the leaves of the tree were for healing of the nations" (v.1-2).[20] Or this may indicate that the tree of life is a vine that grows on both sides of the river, as John 15:1 would hint at.
In Eastern Christianity the tree of life is the love of God.The tree of life appears in the Book of Mormon in a revelation to Lehi (see 1 Nephi 8:10). It is symbolic of the love of God (see 1 Nephi 11:21-23). Its fruit is described as "most precious and most desirable above all other fruits," which "is the greatest of all the gifts of God" (see 1 Nephi 15:36). In another scriptural book, salvation is called "the greatest of all the gifts of God" (see Doctrine and Covenants 6:13). In the same book eternal life is also called the "greatest of all the gifts of God" (see Doctrine and Covenants 14:7). Because of these references, the tree of life and its fruit is sometimes understood to be symbolic of salvation and post-mortal existence in the presence of God and his love.
Europe
11th century Tree of Life sculpture at an ancient Swedish church
In Dictionnaire Mytho-Hermetique (Paris, 1737), Antoine-Joseph Pernety, a famous alchemist, identified the Tree of Life with the Elixir of Life and the Philosopher's Stone.
In Eden in the East (1998), Stephen Oppenheimer suggests that a tree-worshipping culture arose in Indonesia and was diffused by the so-called "Younger Dryas" event of c. 8000 BCE, when the sea level rose. This culture reached China (Szechuan), then India and the Middle East. Finally the Finno-Ugaritic strand of this diffusion spread through Russia to Finland where the Norse myth of Yggdrasil took root.
Georgia
The Borjgali (Georgian: ბორჯღალი) is an ancient Georgian Tree of Life symbol.
Germanic paganism and Norse mythology[
In Germanic paganism, trees played (and, in the form of reconstructive Heathenry and Germanic Neopaganism, continue to play) a prominent role, appearing in various aspects of surviving texts and possibly in the name of gods.
The tree of life appears in Norse religion as Yggdrasil, the world tree, a massive tree (sometimes considered a yew or ash tree) with extensive lore surrounding it. Perhaps related to Yggdrasil, accounts have survived of Germanic Tribes' honouring sacred trees within their societies. Examples include Thor's Oak, sacred groves, the Sacred tree at Uppsala, and the wooden Irminsul pillar. In Norse Mythology, the apples from Iðunn's ash box provide immortality for the gods.
Hinduism
The Eternal Banyan Tree (Akshaya Vata) is located on the bank of the Yamuna inside the courtyard of Allahabad Fort near the confluence of the Yamuna and Ganga Rivers in Allahabad. The eternal and divine nature of this tree has been documented at length in the scriptures.[citation needed]
During the cyclic destruction of creation when the whole earth was enveloped by waters, akshaya vata remained unaffected. It is on the leaves of this tree that Lord Krishna rested in the form of a baby when land was no longer visible. And it is here that the immortal sage, Markandeya, received the cosmic vision of the Lord. It is under this tree that Buddha meditates eternally. Legend also has it that the Bodi tree at Gaya is a manifestation of this tree.
Islam
Carpet Tree of Life
Main article: Quranic tree of life
See also: Sidrat al-Muntaha
The "Tree of Immortality" (Arabic: شجرة الخلود) is the tree of life motif as it appears in the Quran. It is also alluded to in hadiths and tafsir. Unlike the biblical account, the Quran mentions only one tree in Eden, also called the tree of immortality, which Allah specifically forbade to Adam and Eve. Satan, disguised as a serpent, repeatedly told Adam to eat from the tree, and eventually both Adam and Eve did so, thus disobeying Allah.] The hadiths also speak about other trees in heaven.
According to the Ahmadiyya movement, Quranic reference to the tree is symbolic; eating of the forbidden tree signifies that Adam disobeyed God.[
Jewish sources
Main articles: Etz Chaim and Biblical tree of life
Etz Chaim, Hebrew for "tree of life," is a common term used in Judaism. The expression, found in the Book of Proverbs, is figuratively applied to the Torah itself. Etz Chaim is also a common name for yeshivas and synagogues as well as for works of Rabbinic literature. It is also used to describe each of the wooden poles to which the parchment of a Sefer Torah is attached.The tree of life is mentioned in the Book of Genesis; it is distinct from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. After Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they were driven out of the Garden of Eden. Remaining in the garden, however, was the tree of life. To prevent their access to this tree in the future, Cherubim with a flaming sword were placed at the east of the garden. (Genesis 3:22-24)
In the Book of Proverbs, the tree of life is associated with wisdom: "[Wisdom] is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her, and happy [is every one] that retaineth her." (Proverbs 3:13-18) In 15:4 the tree of life is associated with calmness: "A soothing tongue is a tree of life; but perverseness therein is a wound to the spirit."
The Book of Enoch, generally considered non-canonical, states that in the time of the great judgment God will give all those whose names are in the Book of Life fruit to eat from the Tree of Life.
Kathara grid
The esoteric bio-spiritual healing system of kathara which is presented on Earth by the official Speaker of the Guardian Alliance – E’Asha Ashayana,explains in detail the function of the code of the kathara grid] as the natural tree of life. Kathara reveals the anatomy of Creation, core structure, the blueprints & interconnectedness of all matter forms and in the center is the replication of the kathara grid everywhere.The kathara grid consists of 12 kathara centers and the relationships between them represent the true meaning of the phrase "As above, so below" and the correspondence between microcosmos and macrocosmos.
Kabbalah. Judaic Kabbalah Tree of Life 10 Sephirot, through which the Ein Sof unknowable Divine manifests Creation. The configuration relates to manJewish mysticism depicts the Tree of Life in the form of ten interconnected nodes, as the central symbol of the Kabbalah. It comprises the ten Sephirot powers in the Divine realm. The panentheistic and anthropomorphic emphasis of this emanationist theology interpreted the Torah, Jewish observance, and the purpose of Creation as the symbolic esoteric drama of unification in the Sephirot, restoring harmony to Creation. From the time of the Renaissance onwards, Jewish Kabbalah became incorporated as an important tradition in non-Jewish Western culture, first through its adoption by Christian Cabala, and continuing in Western esotericism occult Hermetic Qabalah. These adapted the Judaic Kabbalah Tree of Life syncretically by associating it with other religious traditions, esoteric theologies, and magical practices.
Mesoamerican
The concept of world trees is a prevalent motif in pre-Columbian Mesoamerican cosmologies and iconography. World trees embodied the four cardinal directions, which represented also the fourfold nature of a central world tree, a symbolic axis mundi connecting the planes of the Underworld and the sky with that of the terrestrial world.Depictions of world trees, both in their directional and central aspects, are found in the art and mythological traditions of cultures such as the Maya, Aztec, Izapan, Mixtec, Olmec, and others, dating to at least the Mid/Late Formative periods of Mesoamerican chronology. Among the Maya, the central world tree was conceived as or represented by a ceiba tree, and is known variously as a wacah chan or yax imix che, depending on the Mayan language.[32] The trunk of the tree could also be represented by an upright caiman, whose skin evokes the tree's spiny trunk.Directional world trees are also associated with the four Yearbearers in Mesoamerican calendars, and the directional colors and deities. Mesoamerican codices which have this association outlined include the Dresden, Borgia and Fejérváry-Mayer codices.[31] It is supposed that Mesoamerican sites and ceremonial centers frequently had actual trees planted at each of the four cardinal directions, representing the quadripartite concept.World trees are frequently depicted with birds in their branches, and their roots extending into earth or water (sometimes atop a "water-monster," symbolic of the underworld). The central world tree has also been interpreted as a representation of the band of the Milky Way.
Middle East
The Epic of Gilgamesh is a similar quest for immortality. In Mesopotamian mythology, Etana searches for a 'plant of birth' to provide him with a son. This has a solid provenance of antiquity, being found in cylinder seals from Akkad (2390–2249 BCE).The Book of One Thousand and One Nights has a story, 'The Tale of Buluqiya', in which the hero searches for immortality and finds a paradise with jewel-encrusted trees. Nearby is a Fountain of Youth guarded by Al-Khidr. Unable to defeat the guard, Buluqiya has to return empty-handed.
North American
In a myth passed down among the Iroquois, The World on the Turtle's Back, explains the origin of the land in which a tree of life is described. According to the myth, it is found in the heavens, where the first humans lived, until a pregnant woman fell and landed in an endless sea. Saved by a giant turtle from drowning, she formed the world on its back by planting bark taken from the tree.The tree of life motif is present in the traditional Ojibway cosmology and traditions. It is sometimes described as Grandmother Cedar, or Nookomis Giizhig in Anishinaabemowin.In the book Black Elk Speaks, Black Elk, an Oglala Lakota (Sioux) wičháša wakȟáŋ (medicine man and holy man), describes his vision in which after dancing around a dying tree that has never bloomed he is transported to the other world (spirit world) where he meets wise elders, 12 men and 12 women. The elders tell Black Elk that they will bring him to meet "Our Father, the two-legged chief" and bring him to the center of a hoop where he sees the tree in full leaf and bloom and the "chief" standing against the tree. Coming out of his trance he hopes to see that the earthly tree has bloomed, but it is dead
Serer religion
In Serer religion, the tree of life as a religious concept forms the basis of Serer cosmogony. Trees were the first things created on Earth by the supreme being Roog (or Koox among the Cangin). In the competing versions of the Serer creation myth, the Somb (Prosopis africana) and the Saas tree (acacia albida) are both viewed as trees of life. However, the prevailing view is that, the Somb was the first tree on Earth and the progenitor of plant life. The Somb was also used in the Serer tumuli and burial chambers, many of which had survived for more than a thousand years.Thus, Somb is not only the Tree of Life in Serer society, but the symbol of immortality
Urartian Tree of Life
In ancient Urartu, the Tree of Life was a religious symbol and was drawn on walls of fortresses and carved on the armor of warriors. The branches of the tree were equally divided on the right and left sides of the stem, with each branch having one leaf, and one leaf on the apex of the tree. Servants stood on each side of the tree with one of their hands up as if they are taking care of the tree.
Turkic .The Tree of Life, as seen as in flag of Chuvashia, a Turkic state in the Russian FederationThe Tree of Life design on 0,05 Turkish lira (5 kuruş).
The World Tree or Tree of Life is a central symbol in Turkic mythology.[citation needed] It is a common motif in carpets.
It is also used as the main design of a common Turkish lira sub-unit 5 kuruş since 2009.
the lightning bolt created by a finger on a plasma ball.
A plasma globe or plasma lamp (also called plasma ball, dome, sphere, tube or orb, depending on shape) is (usually) a clear glass sphere filled with a mixture of various noble gases with a high-voltage electrode in the center of the sphere.
Plasma filaments extend from the inner electrode to the outer glass insulator, giving the appearance of multiple constant beams of colored light (see corona discharge and electric glow discharge).
The plasma lamp was invented by Nikola Tesla, during his experimentation with high-frequency currents in an evacuated glass tube for the purpose of studying high voltage phenomena. Tesla called his invention an "inert gas discharge tube". The modern plasma lamp design was subsequently developed by Bill Parker, a student at MIT.
Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service - Mitsubishi L200 - General Purpose Vehicle - Based at Worksop Fire Station - July 2021
no matter how many holes you dig,
or fill in
or make
or take
or break.
some days, you're just left
without a single
purpose
unless you decide
to be
boundless
Guemes Channel.
Built in 2016 by Nichols Brothers Boat Builders of Langley, Washington, for the American Samoa government as a multi-purpose ferry and cargo vessel.
Construction began in the fall of 2015 for the vessel, which will sail between Tutuila and the Manu’a Islands. The vessel will have an enclosed, air-conditioned area that will seat 120 passengers. Construction was funded with $8.6 million in Capital Improvement Project funding from the US Interior Department and $5 million from the American Samoa Economic Development Authority.
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The purpose of this shoot is to promote to youngsters different things they can do instead of staying at home all day in front of the television. I hope they get involved and live a balanced life other than just their education. Sports, spirituality and hobbies are better than playing just with the XBox 24 hours a day.
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5Q90 in the capable hire in hands of 37521 tnt 37688 with 720575 on transfer Derby to Wembley, trundle through Kettering Station with purpose! Lovely sight and sound
Each one is a tool, with a specific purpose in mind. Take the Perspective Control lenses of focal lengths 85mm, 45mm, 35mm, and 28mm. No other lens can do that. Or, the Nikon 16mm with its 180° Viewing Angle. Or, the Nikon AF Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8D lens that has a minimum focusing distance of 1 foot 4.08 inches. While the Nikon 300mm f/2.8D costs about $10,000USD new, I paid about $2,000USD for my Nikon 300mm f/4.0D, that is one of the sharpest lenses I own . . . I paid 1/5th of the cost for the 2.8D, which is only 1EV faster or the difference between setting 400 ISO versus 200 ISO . . . So, there are very practical decisions made for each lens purchase. I usually study the various lenses before I make my purchase. Please bear in mind, these were acquired over many years. I could not afford them, if I had to purchase them all at once. You will note each lens is in mint condition. I store all of my camera equipment in 3 dehumidifying boxes, to reduce the chances for fungus.
This outdoor landscape photo was taken by me with the Fujifilm GFX 100 with aspect ratio:1:1, 5:4, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 and resolution: 11648 x 8736. The photo was taken by me and uploaded to my Flickr website on June 22, 2009 for archival purposes.
Photographer/copyright owner: Matt Walz
Any issues related to copyright disputes please contact via email: mattwalz.copyright@outlook.com
-Photo is copyright of owner: Matt Walz, and is protected by copyright by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)
-Please do not illegally copy and reuse the image without the consent of the owner
© 2009 Matt Walz - All rights reserved.
(With minor changes)
I honestly don't think it looks disproportionate at all, I don't know what you guys are talking about.
Pose shot: www.flickr.com/photos/51182386@N08/5691604268/in/photostr...
Petra, Jordan
HOW TO LIVE BEAUTIFUL LIFE
You can do it easily with these 5 daily questions.
Make a habit to wake up daily and write down the answers to these five questions.
Keep your daily journal with answers – and you’ll be amazed how different your life is.
You are going to see something that has been LOST ON PURPOSE.
1. How would I live this day if I knew it is my last day?
2. What should I be thankful for in my life?
3. What I can do today to make my life more meaningful?
4. What can I do today to add some joy to my life?
5. How can I help somebody today?
Be compassionate!
Serve other people faithfully.
Only when you give something to others you can be truly happy man.
Start this easy practice today, do this daily, and create your new, positive and beautiful life!
Special thanks to Tania, for your great inspiration.
Thanks Isna for your quick comment
Thanks for all your comments and faves, much appreciated.
The IFA F8 was an almost exact copy of the pre-war front wheel drive DKW Typ 8-700 Meisterklasse.
Directly after the war Eastern Germany stayed occupied by the Sovjet troops. All motor car factories in Sachsen were expropriated and declared as businesses owned by the people (Volkseigenen Betrieb / VEB).
These factories in the Eastern territories had suffered relatively little damage during the war. In Summer 1946 they already started up for repairing purposes for the Sovjets. Late 1947 these Eastern German businesses were unified as IFA (Industrieverwaltung Fahrzeugbau).
The first passenger cars were produced in 1948. But it was not until 1949 that regular automobile construction really got going. In the former Audi-Werk in Zwickau ran the IFA F8 of the line. Inspiration was found in the 1939 DKW F8 range, which was actually based on the 1934 DKW F4. The 2-door F8 saloon had a partly wooden frame body covered with imitation leather.
So in the same period the Western German DKW had developed complete new cars with modern streamlined steel bodies the East-German car manufacturers went back 15 years in time. They would never reach the same level of design and technical performance as the Western German branch did.
692 cc 2 cylinder 2 stroke engine.
750 kg.
Production DKW F8 Meisterklasse: Febr. 1939-1942.
Production IFA F8: 1949-1955.
This car was offered for sale since March 31, 2017 in Olomoucký, Czech Republic. Asking price was on request.
Found on rajveteranu.cz (April 11, 2017).
Original photographer, place and date unknown.
Amsterdam, April 11, 2017.
© 2017 Rajveteranu/Sander Toonen Amsterdam/Halfweg | All Rights Reserved
All my photos are copyrighted. Please do not use them for any purpose, including on blogs, without my express permission.
Jean Paul quote.
If you wish to use any of my images for any reason/purpose please contact me (Chaulafanita@photographer.net ) or send me a flickr mail so I'll make them available for sale.
Rumbling steadily over the tram tracks at Beamish Museum is the magnificently turned-out Foster general purpose engine 14410 "Sprig" The engine was built in 1920 and is registered UP 6481.
The engine was at Beamish for the Transport Gala event of September 2022.
Copyright © 2022 Terry Pinnegar Photography. All Rights Reserved. THIS IMAGE IS NOT TO BE USED WITHOUT MY EXPRESS PERMISSION!
I wont be connected much in the next few days as we are taking a short vacation. I am leaving the netbook on purpose for a flickr detox so see you when I get back :)
"We all have something that we are meant to do.
Your genius will shine through, and happiness will fill your life, the instant you discover your higher purpose and then direct all your energies towards it."
(From "The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari" by Robin Sharma)
This man was sitting at Sheetla Ghat along the Ganges in Varanasi (Benaras).
© All photographs are copyrighted and all rights reserved.
Please do not use any photographs without permission (even for private use).
The use of any work without consent of the artist is PROHIBITED and will lead automatically to consequences.
This unique signal and gate set up resides in Canton, Illinois where it was built to guard the CB&Q and TP&W diamond. Unfortunately in recent years the CB&Q, which became the Bnsf Yates City Subdivision was removed. Now the gate and signal sits pointless alongside the TP&W, which is now the Keokuk Junction Railway.
Image © Susan Candelario / SDC Photography, All Rights Reserved. The image is protected by U.S. and International copyright laws, and is not to be downloaded or reproduced in any way without written permission.
If you would like to license this image for any purpose, please visit my site and contact me with any questions you may have. Please visit Susan Candelario artists website to purchase Prints Thank You.
www.thurstaston.wherewideweb.com/index.html
A Brief History
The Wirral Country Park stretches along the Wirral Peninsula's coastline overlooking The River Dee. Thurstaston Visitors Centre itself is a part of the Country Park and is a very popular tourist attraction and family day out in the Wirral.
In 1866 a railway line was opened along this coastal route, running for 12 miles. It started at the top-end in the seaside town of West Kirby, and continued through Caldy, Thurstaston, Gayton,Parkgate, Neston, Wilaston and Hooton. The line was largely used for agricultural purposes, but also servicedlocal day trippers heading out to West Kirby and Parkgate, as well. Unfortunately the line suffered during the first world war becoming uneconomical to run and in 1956, the line was closed to passengers and used solely for freight purposes. Finally by 1963 the line was closed completely. Today the remnants of this railway line is known as The Wirral Way, and it forms a several mile long public foot path. Itself part of a very popular coastal walk in the Wirral.
The coastal area surrounding the Wirral Way is serene and beautiful, with many stunning views over The Dee Estuary and across to Wales. This coastal view is also renowned for its splendid sunsets, and is many a photographers dream. Sunsets aside, the Dee estuary's mudflats reflect the sky's colours and sun's light providing further beautiful scenes, added to by the flocks of wading birds and water eroded channels.
Thanks to the new 1968 Countryside Act, this whole area was put under protection by Cheshire County Council as a conservation area and was called Wirral Country Park. Today the upkeep of the park is both undertaken by Cheshire County Council, who maintain the stretch between Hooton and Gayton, and Wirral County Park, who maintain the stretch between Gayton and West Kirby.
Thurstaston Visitors Centre
Thurstaston Visitors Centre can be regarded as the focal point of the park receiving the main volume of the park's total number of visitors per year. There are numerous leisure activities available at Thurstaston, an open expanse of grass to sit and picnic on, and the Visitors centre itself which houses a refreshment stand, a shop, a nature exhibit and tourism leaflets and information on what itself and the rest of the Wirral Peninsula has to offer. As such it is a popular tourist attraction in The Wirral, Merseyside and the North West of England as a whole.
The wirral rangers, who are responsible for the maintenance and conservation of the Park are themselves based at Thurstaston.
www.thurstaston.wherewideweb.com/recreation.html
Thurstaston makes for a varied day out with different activities available depending on your mood!
You can make the day as relaxing or energetic as you wish. From a family barbeque, to a game of rounders, to a relaxed stroll along the beach, there are many things to choose between...
Thurstaston Visitors Centre
This is the central visitors centre within the Wirral Country Park and is located at Thurstaston. It is a central organising point for tourists. There are various things on offer here. within the building is a shop selling various wildlife related products, for example bird feed, feeding stations to erect in your garden, books on nature and the local area, etc. An information desk is located next to the shop with a wide range of leaflets on the Wirral Country Park itself, local tourist attractions in Merseyside and the wider North West area and local wildlife spots; all freely available.
For further information the desk is also staffed with helpful Visitors Centre volunteers who will endeavor to answer any enquiries you may have, and you can also book ranger-lead activities here as well. There is an indoor 'nature trail' for children and adults to wonder through with local wildlife and information about the area's history on display.
Various amenities are also available; well kept toilet facilities, also offering a baby-changing area, are located within the visitors Centre, and a refreshment kiosk is situated on the front, adjoining the centre, with drinks, snacks and ice-cream to buy.
Thurstaston Visitors Centre Field
There is a large expanse of open grass situated by the Visitors Centre. Visitors are free to do as they please as long as respect is kept for the area's upkeep and wildlife - barbecues must be had within one of the designated areas. The spot is popular with tourists, families and local visitors for picnics, ball games, frisbee, or simply to sit and take in the spectacular view over the Dee Estuary mudflats with, Wales on the distant horizon.
There are numerous self-guided walks within this area, including the Wirral Coastal Walk. Excellent views gained by walking along the Thursaston cliffs which over look the beach below. You can in fact walk along the cliff top all the way back to Heswall, with the Heswall Fields to your left. If you feel like it you can follow the footpaths through the fields leading back up to the Wirral Way walk.
Thurstaston Visitors Centre Barbeque
There are two barbeque sites, the main one being located on the back edge of the open field area, within sight of the Visitors Centre. There is a built in brick barbeque, which you can place a disposable barbeque within. There are also a couple of picnic tables and benches to eat your food at.
This barbeque site must be booked before use, and is very popular, particularly within the spring and summer months. You can contact the Thurstaston Visitors Centre by telephone. However, for when the first barbeque site is fully booked up, there is a second area available, located towards the back of the visitors Centre car park. There are no built barbeque spots or benches set up here, but you can place disposable barbecues on the ground. Ask at the visitors centre to be allowed onto this site, and confirm it is available for use at the time you are visiting.
When you have finished your barbeque you should douse your disposable barbeque with water (available from an outside tap at the Visitors Centre building) and leave the barbeque for the rangers to collect at the end of the day. All other waste should go into the bins situated in the barbeque area, with the lids placed firmly back on to prevent danger to the local wildlife.
Thurstaston Beach
Thurstaston beach is part of the Wirral Coastline and runs between Thurstaston and Heswall along the foot of Thurstaston cliffs. The cliffs themselves provide a fascinating backdrop, being eroded into almost surreal shapes and gravity defying peaks. They are also hazardous in their state of erosion, and should never be walked upon on the edges, or climbed, as parts are susceptible to crumbling away at any moment. This coastal strip is very popular with walkers and forms part of the Wirral Coastal Walk
Along Thurstaston beach you will find washed up bits of knarled drift wood, sea shells, and sand eroded rocks and pebbles. The tide does come in daily, though it is never deep and never covers the beach entirely so there is no danger of being cut off. A word of caution, the mud flats do have areas of 'sinking sand' and so care should always be taken in wondering out onto them. Never go out too far, especially if alone. This applies also to horse riders, and there have been horses that have had to be pulled out with the assistance of the local fire brigade.
There are two points of access to Thurstaston beach. The easier location being at the bottom of station Road (the only road leading all the way down to Thurstaston Visitors Centre from Telegraph Road). The other access point is via another set of steps at the opposite end of the park. Walk along the cliffs path in the direction of heswall, you will wonder through a little gully with a footbridge over a small runoff stream, and this path will bring you eventually to the second set of steps. You should never attempt to climb down the cliffs directly to the beach, due to their high state of erosion and the risk of the ground giving away under your step. They are precariously steep and could cause serious injury.
The Wirral Way
This follows the path of the old railway line which finally closed in 1963. The origins of the Wirral Country Park lies in the history of this railway line. The abandoned railway line was taken under the care of the local council, and under the 1968 Countryside act, was converted into a public footpath with a parallel cycle and bridal path. Numerous tourists and local visitors to the area, walk along the Wirral Way for relaxation, leisure, and excercise. It is used by a variety of people; families out for the day, couples on a romantic stroll, joggers, cyclists, horse riders and more.
At points along the Wirral Way, there will be signposted public paths which will take you various ways through the Heswall fields, either down to the shore line, or up towards Thurstaston village and farm. There is also a footpath signposted to the ominous sounding 'dungeon'. This is a pretty walk through a steep-sided valley with a little stream, and takes you up into farmers fields at the top. gorgous on a sunny summers day. The area is also part of the infamous Wirral Coastal Walk.
www.thurstaston.wherewideweb.com/field.html
Thurstaston Visitors Centre Field
There is a large expanse of open grass situated by the Visitors Centre. Visitors are free to do as they please as long as respect is kept for the area's upkeep and wildlife - barbecues must be had within one of the designated areas. The spot is popular with tourists, families and local visitors for picnics, ball games, frisbee, or simply to sit and take in the spectacular view over the Dee Estuary mudflats with, Wales on the distant horizon.
There are numerous self-guided walks within this area, including the Wirral Coastal Walk. Excellent views gained by walking along the Thursaston cliffs which over look the beach below. You can in fact walk along the cliff top all the way back to Heswall, with the Heswall Fields to your left. If you feel like it you can follow the footpaths through the fields leading back up to the Wirral Way walk
www.thurstaston.wherewideweb.com/barbeque.html
Thurstaston Visitors Centre Barbeque
There are two barbeque sites, the main one being located on the back edge of the open field area, within sight of the Visitors Centre. There is a built in brick barbeque, which you can place a disposable barbeque within. There are also a couple of picnic tables and benches to eat your food at.
This barbeque site must be booked before use, and is very popular, particularly within the spring and summer months. You can contact the Thurstaston Visitors Centre by telephone. However, for when the first barbeque site is fully booked up, there is a second area available, located towards the back of the visitors Centre car park. There are no built barbeque spots or benches set up here, but you can place disposable barbecues on the ground. Ask at the visitors centre to be allowed onto this site, and confirm it is available for use at the time you are visiting.
When you have finished your barbeque you should douse your disposable barbeque with water (available from an outside tap at the Visitors Centre building) and leave the barbeque for the rangers to collect at the end of the day. All other waste should go into the bins situated in the barbeque area, with the lids placed firmly back on to prevent danger to the local wildlife.
www.thurstaston.wherewideweb.com/beach.html
Thurstaston Beach
Thurstaston beach is part of the Wirral Coastline and runs between Thurstaston and Heswall along the foot of Thurstaston cliffs. The cliffs themselves provide a fascinating backdrop, being eroded into almost surreal shapes and gravity defying peaks. They are also hazardous in their state of erosion, and should never be walked upon on the edges, or climbed, as parts are susceptible to crumbling away at any moment. This coastal strip is very popular with walkers and forms part of the Wirral Coastal Walk
Along Thurstaston beach you will find washed up bits of knarled drift wood, sea shells, and sand eroded rocks and pebbles. The tide does come in daily, though it is never deep and never covers the beach entirely so there is no danger of being cut off. A word of caution, the mud flats do have areas of 'sinking sand' and so care should always be taken in wondering out onto them. Never go out too far, especially if alone. This applies also to horse riders, and there have been horses that have had to be pulled out with the assistance of the local fire brigade.
There are two points of access to Thurstaston beach. The easier location being at the bottom of station Road (the only road leading all the way down to Thurstaston Visitors Centre from Telegraph Road). The other access point is via another set of steps at the opposite end of the park. Walk along the cliffs path in the direction of heswall, you will wonder through a little gully with a footbridge over a small runoff stream, and this path will bring you eventually to the second set of steps. You should never attempt to climb down the cliffs directly to the beach, due to their high state of erosion and the risk of the ground giving away under your step. They are precariously steep and could cause serious injury.
www.thurstaston.wherewideweb.com/wirralway.html
The Wirral Way
This follows the path of the old railway line which finally closed in 1963. The origins of the Wirral Country Park lies in the history of this railway line. The abandoned railway line was taken under the care of the local council, and under the 1968 Countryside act, was converted into a public footpath with a parallel cycle and bridal path. Numerous tourists and local visitors to the area, walk along the Wirral Way for relaxation, leisure, and excercise. It is used by a variety of people; families out for the day, couples on a romantic stroll, joggers, cyclists, horse riders and more.
At points along the Wirral Way, there will be signposted public paths which will take you various ways through the Heswall fields, either down to the shore line, or up towards Thurstaston village and farm. There is also a footpath signposted to the ominous sounding 'dungeon'. This is a pretty walk through a steep-sided valley with a little stream, and takes you up into farmers fields at the top. gorgous on a sunny summers day. The area is also part of the infamous Wirral Coastal Walk.
www.thurstaston.wherewideweb.com/wildlife.html
Above all, Thurstaston is renowned for its bird watching opportunities. The land and vegetation within and around the Wirral Country Park is an ideal habitat for many bird species, some unique to the area. The Wirral Way is lined by miles of brambles, hawthorn and blackthorn hedges providing ideal hiding, nesting and food sites for the birds. Added to this are the open mudflats of the River Dee Estuary, (itself an important ecological site of special scientific interest). Thus the Wirral Country Park, and it's surrounding area within Thurstaston and the Wirral, can be regarded as a key bird watching areas within Merseyside and the North West of England, nevermind the UK as a whole.
Thousands of wading birds come to feed and survive within the mud flats, from as far afield as Greenland, Iceland, Scandinavia and the Arctic. Among the many bird species which can be found in the area are; Coots, Curlew, Magpies, Pheasants, Thrushes, Finches, Fieldfares, Redwings, Lapwing, Oystercatchers, Skylarks, Shelduk, Herons, Short-eared Owls, etc.
Wirral bird watching Information
Wirral Country Park Wildlife
Outside the front of Thurstaston Visitors Centre is a large pond which is home to various birds, insects and pond-life, such as frogs, toads, newts and wildfowl. Dragonflies are attracted to the area and will lay eggs in the ponds. In the summer months you till find them darting through the air, along with over 10 different species of butterfly (including, Small Skippers, Speckled Woods and Common Blues). Other insects include Damselflies and Bumblebees.
The local wildlife can contribute to a fun-filled family day out. In the warmer months pond-dipping activities are arranged for children to take part in to learn more about the local environment and Wirral wildlife. You can enquire into and book onto these activities through The Visitors Centre.
The beach offers crabs which scuttle across the sand. As a fun tourist attraction, seashore searches are arranged for children and adults to take part in with the rangers. Contact The Visitors Centre for more information.
Other animals found in the area are badgers, foxes, hedgehogs, bats, mice, fieldvole and squirrels.
Flowers and plant-lifeare another key factor in the local Wirral wilflife and thrive in the spring and summer months. Wild flowers, such as Dog violets, Buttercups and Primroses, grow in the fields and bushes along the Wirral Way. Towards the autumn mushrooms, fairy rings and bracket fungi can be found, and 'Fungal forays' can be participated in with the Rangers. This is also an excellent time to walk the footpaths through the fields between Heswall and Thurstaston, as the Wheat is in season and you can see he coastal winds rippling through the sheafs like waves. Therapeutic and beautiful.
Trees to be found in the Wirral Country Park area include; Sycamore, European Maple, Silver Birch, Downy Birch, Horse chestnut, Sweet Chestnut, Douglas Fir, Rowan, Pine, Willow, Holly, Beech, Ash, Elm and Hazel.
www.thurstaston.wherewideweb.com/contact.html
Wirral Country Park
Address: Wirral Country Park Visitors Centre,
Station Road,
Thurstaston,
Wirral,
CH61 OHN
Photographed in Lake Ndutu, Tanzania on day 3 of our 2018 trip to Africa
=> Please click on the image to see the largest size. <=
We always enjoyed seeing Secretary Birds in various locations during our trip. We would usually see two birds, walking with a purpose through open fields_on the hunt, sometimes speeding up when they saw movement of some creature that might be a meal and then returning to their steady pace.
=====================
From Wikipedia: The secretary bird (Sagittarius serpentarius) is a very large, mostly terrestrial bird of prey. Endemic to Africa, it is usually found in the open grasslands and savannah of the sub-Saharan region. Although a member of the order Accipitriformes, which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, hawks, vultures, and harriers, it is given its own family, Sagittariidae.
It appears on the coats of arms of Sudan and South Africa.
Taxonomy:
In 1769 Vosmaer was the first European to describe the secretarybird in one of the pamphlets later collected as his Regnum Animale, naming it Sagittarius for its gait which was thought to resemble an archer's. He also mentioned that it was known as the Secretarius by farmers at the Cape of Good Hope who had domesticated it to combat pests around homesteads. In 1779 English illustrator John Frederick Miller also described it as secretarybird, and it was soon after assigned to its own genus Sagittarius by French naturalist Johann Hermann in his Tabula Affinitatum Animalium. It was not until 1935 that the species was moved to its own family, distinct from all other birds of prey—a classification confirmed by molecular systematics. Recent cladistic analysis has shown Sagittariidae to be an older branch of the diurnal birds of prey than Accipitridae and Falconidae, but a younger divergence than Cathartidae. Sometimes, the enigmatic bird Eremopezus is classified as an early relative of the secretarybird, though this is uncertain as the bird is only known from a few fragmentary body parts such as the legs. The earliest fossils associated with the family are two species from the genus Pelargopappus. The two species, from the Oligocene and Miocene respectively, were not discovered in Africa but France. The feet in these fossils are more like those of the Accipitridae; it is suggested that these characteristics are primitive features within the family. In spite of their age, it is not thought that the two species are ancestral to the secretary bird.
Though strongly convergent with the modern secretarybird, the extinct raptor Apatosagittarius is thought to be an accipitrid.
Description:
The secretarybird has distinct black feathers protruding from behind its head.
The skull of secretarybird at Museum of Natural History at University of Wrocław
The secretary bird is instantly recognizable as a very large bird with an eagle-like body on crane-like legs which increases the bird’s height to as much as 1.3 m (4.3 ft) tall. This bird has an eagle-like head with a hooked bill, but has rounded wings. Height can range from 90 to 137 cm (35 to 54 in). Total length from 112 to 152 cm (44 to 60 in) and the wingspan is 191–220 cm (75–87 in). Body mass can range from 2.3 to 5 kg (5.1 to 11.0 lb) with 20 birds from southern Africa found to weigh an average of 4.02 kg (8.9 lb). Other attempts to estimate the mean weight range for secretary birds correspondingly lie between 3.5 and 4.2 kg (7.7 and 9.3 lb). The tarsus of the secretary bird averages 31 cm (12 in) and the tail is 57–85 cm (22–33 in), both factor into making them both taller and longer than any other species of raptor since these features are not as long in any other living raptor. The neck is not especially long, and can only be lowered down to the inter-tarsal joint, so birds reaching down to the ground or drinking must stoop to do so.
From a distance or in flight it resembles a crane more than a bird of prey. The tail has two elongated central feathers that extend beyond the feet during flight, as well as long flat plumage creating a posterior crest. Secretary bird flight feathers and thighs are black, while most of the coverts are grey with some being white. Sexes look similar to one another as the species exhibits very little sexual dimorphism, although the male has longer head plumes and tail feathers. Adults have a featherless red face as opposed to the yellow facial skin of the young.
Distribution and habitat:
Secretary birds are endemic to Sub-Saharan Africa and are non-migratory, though they may follow food sources. Their range extends from Mauritania to Somalia and south to the Cape of Good Hope. These birds are also found at a variety of elevations, from the coastal plains to the highlands. Secretary birds prefer open grasslands and savannas rather than forests and dense shrubbery which may impede their cursorial existence. While the birds roost on the local Acacia trees at night, they spend much of the day on the ground, returning to roosting sites just before dark.
Behaviour and ecology:
Diet:
Unlike most birds of prey, the secretary bird is largely terrestrial, hunting its prey on foot. Adults hunt in pairs and sometimes as loose familial flocks, stalking through the habitat with long strides. Prey may consist of insects, mammals ranging in size from mice to hares and mongoose, crabs, lizards, snakes, tortoises, small birds, bird eggs, and sometimes dead animals killed in grass or bush fires. Larger herbivores are not generally hunted, although there are some reports of secretary birds killing young gazelles and cheetah cubs. The importance of snakes in the diet has been exaggerated in the past, although they can be locally important and venomous species such as adders and cobras are regularly among the types of snake preyed upon. Secretary birds are kept as pest controllers by farmers to rid of snakes.
Prey is often flushed out of tall grass by the birds stomping on the surrounding vegetation. It also waits near fires, eating anything it can that is trying to escape. They can either catch prey by chasing it and striking with the bill and swallowing (usually with small prey), or stamping on prey until it is rendered stunned or unconscious enough to swallow. Larger or dangerous prey, such as venomous snakes, are instead stunned or killed by the bird jumping onto their backs, at which point they will try to snap their necks or backs. There are some reports that, when capturing snakes, the secretary birds will take flight with their prey and then drop them to their death, although this has not been verified. Even with larger prey, food is generally swallowed whole through the birds' considerable gape. Occasionally, like other raptors, they will tear apart prey with their feet before consuming it.
Young are fed liquefied and regurgitated insects directly by the male or female parent and are eventually weaned to small mammals and reptile fragments regurgitated onto the nest itself. The above foodstuffs are originally stored in the crop of the adults.
The secretarybird has a relatively short digestive tract in comparison to other large African birds such as the kori bustard. As the foregut is specialized for digesting large amounts of meat in a short amount of time, there is little need for the physical breakdown of food within the digestive tract over extended time spans. The crop of the secretarybird is dilated and the gizzard is nonmuscular in comparison to other birds. The large intestine lacks a cecum as there is little need for fermentative digestion of plant material.
In hunting and feeding on small animals and arthropods on the ground and in tall grass or scrub, secretary birds occupy an ecological niche similar to that occupied by peafowl in South and Southeast Asia, roadrunners in North and Central America and seriemas in South America.
6D6A1373-1_fCAFlkr
The SF-3A Lancer II is a general-purpose space fighter designed for service aboard the space carrier ships of the U.N. Spacy. Armed with two large cannons, long-range missile launchers, nose mounted targeting scanner and a Doppler radar system, the Lancer II is well suited to battling at long distances typical in space.
Height: 5.9 ft (1.8 m) with radar.
Width: 3.6 ft (1.1 m).
Length: 24.9 ft (7.6 m) without cannons, 50.5 ft (15.4 m) with cannons.
Weight: 9.3 metric tons empty.
Reference: www.kemako.com
--
Notes:
This iconic looking fighter intrigued me from the moment I saw it in "Macross: Do You Remember Love". It only had airtime for a couple of seconds and any information on the ship, especially a definitive design, is hard to come by, making this an obscure delight. I based my build on resin model interpretations of the fighter, whilst taking some small liberties with the design. Overall I think it's very recognizable as the Lancer.
I've been playing with the idea of building this one out of lego for quite some time. I never got to it because I discouraged myself, thinking it was simply to difficult to get those gradual slopes right, let alone those very long cannons. But when I saw the white pin connector, I convinced myself that might actually work. Surprisingly, it was not the slope of the cockpit area, but the engines that gave me the most trouble. The fuselage, being so small and slender, gave me very little room to work with on those.
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For Commercial use or others purposes
Contact : tanjilphotographybd@gmail.com
In joy or sadness, flowers are our constant friends. Flowers are the music of the ground. From earth's lips spoken without sound. Every flower is a soul blossoming in nature. Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine to the mind.
A new, purpose-built, covered stadium in Hobart, for $750,000 does not pass the "sniff test". There is no business case for it. In reality, paying for the stadium and an AFL team would cost nearly $1 billion.
Imagine this. These are per person adult and concession ticket prices.
CATEGORY Adult Concession
CATEGORY 1 $435.00 $370.00
CATEGORY 2 $424.00 $360.00
CATEGORY 3 $392.00 $333.00
CATEGORY 4 $361.00 $307.00
Imagine driving nearly 10 hours round trip from Smithton in northern Tasmania to Hobart to watch an AFL game, plus paying $157.52 for fuel, plus food at the game and probably a meal en route. So, two adults and two teenage children for a Category 4 (cheap seats) would set a family back well over $1,500.
So, who does the Tasmanian government expect to fill the stadium with? Cashed up folks from interstate and well off locals who maybe would not have to drive further than an hour. The government expects us taxpayers to fund this nonsense.
IF the business case was so great and AFL CEO Gillan McLachlan's claims about returns were truthful, then why doesn't the AFL fund it? Why doesn't the private sector/investors jump on board to fund it, yesterday? Why? Because it is all complete bullshit!
IF "a meeting of around 300 people at Hobart Town Hall on Wednesday unanimously expressed their opposition to the project", doesn't send a clear message, including Liberal and Independent Senator, then nothing will.
A majority of Tasmanians are doing it financially tough, the cost of living and petrol, diesel and gas keep going up, wages increases are just not keeping up, and you want to tax us for someone else's dream?
There are other priorities. The PHS needs fixing, urgently. The hospitals are a mess. The nurses are over-worked, short-staffed. There not enough GPs. The roads are potholed and some have needed sealing for decades, but the State government wants to waste hard-to-come-by money (nearly a billion of it) on building a stadium and securing an AFL team. Let's put it into perspective, if I sold one of my books for $54.95 every day, it would take me nearly 50,000 years to make $1 billion in sales.
Think of all the other ways Tasmania could be improved, if that money was spent on the PHS, social housing, roads that need to be sealed, like the B11 Marlborough Highway between Miena and Bronte Park . . . Imagine a washboard dirt road called a "highway". It is dangerous. The single lane bridge just our side Miena is dangerous and needs to be widened. We need a telephone tower on Table Mountain, north of Bothwell, so telephone coverage can be extended line-of-sight toward Arthurs Lake, Saint Patrick Plains, and Hollow Tree Road. Each Telstra tower costs $1 million. There is so much that Tasmania and Tasmanians needs that would improve everyone's lives.
How will a stadium improve my life and my fellow Tasmanians, in the immediate future?
A gentle reminder about copyright and intellectual property-
Ⓒ Cassidy Photography (All images in this Flickr portfolio)