When the high-wing, fabric-covered Bleiriot XI, an original aircraft dating back to 1911, had arced skyward, albeit briefly, from Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome’s rolling, green grass field straddled on either side by the red, orange, and yellow October-brushed trees reminiscent of the 1910 and 1920 barnstorming days, it had seemed as if this era of aviation had suddenly been resurrected.

Located on tiny, easily-missed Norton Road on the east side of the Hudson River not far from the historic village of Rhinebeck, New York, equidistant from the Taconic State Parkway and the New York State Thruway, Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome is both the story of, and start of, one person’s dream. Unlike many people’s dreams, however, his actually came true, but not until years of perseverance, dedication, and hard work had transformed them into reality.

That person had been Cole Palen, born James H. Palen, Jr., and that dream had been the recreation of the antique era of aviation through a living history museum where vintage aircraft would routinely fly.

Having grown up next to the old Poughkeepsie Airport in New York, Palen had earned his Airframe and Powerplant license at the Roosevelt Aviation School on Long Island and had subsequently obtained his Private Pilot License, buying a Piper Cub. The seeds of his aerodrome had been planted when he had located six partially- and fully-assembled antique aircraft in 1951 at Roosevelt Field which had to be cleared for a new shopping mall. After bidding his life savings, he had acquired them. The location had thus become famous as both the starting point of Lindbergh’s solo transatlantic flight and Palen’s eventual Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome. Paris, the former’s destination, had been 3,500 miles away, while the Palen farm in Rhinebeck, the latter’s destination, had been only 100 miles away, yet had taken far longer to reach.

After storage in abandoned chicken coops, the six aircraft, comprised of a 1917 SPAD XII, a 1918 Standard J-1, a 1914 Avro 504K, a 1918 Curtiss Jenny, a 1918 Sopwith Snipe 7F1, and a 1918 Aeromarine 39B, had formed his initial fleet and the “aerodrome” had been comprised of a 1,000-foot-long, rocky, swamp-drained clearing called a “runway” and a single crude building serving as a “hangar” on a patch of farmland he had subsequently purchased. Additional aircraft acquisitions-and parts of them-had expanded the mostly biplane lineup, after considerable restoration and reconstruction.

Always motivated by his passion for antique aviation, he had continued to expand the crude aerodrome, but it had taken on new meaning when it had attracted public interest. An initial air show, performed before a crowd of 25 with a handful of World War I aircraft, had occurred in 1960 and had yielded to a scheduled one held on the last Sunday of each of the summer months as of 1967. Aerodrome improvements had resulted in the lengthening of the grass strip to 1,500 and ultimately 2,000 feet, and the aircraft had comprised the largest, privately owned collection in the northeast.

During the 1970s, the air show had been held every Saturday and Sunday, weather permitting, from May to October, and 40 authentic and replica aircraft with original engines had comprised the fleet. Five had been used in the filming of “Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines.”

Three metal, quonset hut-like hangars, constructed between 1963 and 1964 and located at the top of a small hill above the main dirt-and-grass parking lot, house Pioneer, World War I, and Lindbergh era aircraft today, across from a new museum facility and a small gift shop. But the aerodrome itself, on the other side of Norton Road, is accessed by a wooden covered bridge which serves as more than just an entrance to a grass field; instead, it serves as a time portal to the barnstorming era of aviation, an historical dimension somehow arrested and preserved in time.

The hangers, as if ignorant of the calendar, proudly brave the winds, bearing such names as Albatros Werke, Royal Aircraft Factory Farnborough, A.V. Roe and Company, Ltd., and Fokker. But it is the multitude of mono-, bi-, and triplanes which most fiercely wrestles with one’s present-time conception.

The current air show program, which runs from mid-June to mid-October, features the “History of Flight” show on Saturdays, with pioneer aircraft such as the Bleriot XI, the Curtiss D pusher, and the Hanriot, while the “World War I” show on Sundays includes designs such as the Albatros, the Avro 504K, the Caudron G.III, the Curtiss JN-4D Jenny, the Fokker D.VII, the Fokker Dr.I, the Nieuport II, the Sopwith Camel, the SPAD VII, the Davis D1W, the de Havviland Tiger Moth, and the Great Lakes 2T-1R. Biplane rides in four-passenger New Standard D-25s are given before and after the shows, while viewers can admire the fleet either in hangars or on the grass aerodrome while having lunch on outdoor picnic tables at the Aerodrome Canteen.

Audience volunteers, sporting Victorian, Edwardian, and 1920s dress, provide fashion shows after changing in the aerodrome’s single, track-mounted, red caboose, often transported past spectators in vintage vehicles such as a 1909 Renault, a 1916 Studebaker, and a 1914 Model T Speedster. Period music completes the scene.

The air shows themselves, which feature only treetop-high sprints of the pioneer aircraft before immediate relandings on the grass, otherwise offer more dramatic maneuvers of the World War I and Lindbergh era designs, including aerobatics, dogfights, bomb raids, balloon bursts, parachutists, and “Delsey drives.”

Many air show “characters” have evolved over the years and now include “Old Rhinebeck famous” names such as the Black Baron, Trudy Truelove, Sir Percey Goodfellow, Officer O’Malley, the Keystone Cops, Madame Fifi, and the Flying Farmer.

Of the 70 aircraft in the Old Rhinebeck collection, only a small percentage is maintained in flying condition at any given time.

The Bleriot XI, for instance, powered by a single-propeller, 35-hp Anzani engine, was the first heavier-than-air aircraft to aerially cross the English Channel and the first to be mass-produced, and paradoxically became the world’s oldest still-flying design at the beginning of the 21st century. But it is hardly the only historically significant aircraft on the field.

The US-designed Curtiss D, for instance, first flying in 1911 with an 80-hp pusher-propeller Hall Scott engine, survived Lincoln Beachey’s famous Niagara Falls plunge and was instrumental in early ship landings. The US Army and Navy amassed initial experience with the type.

In France, the military was coincidentally practicing reconnaissance and artillery target spotting with its 80-hp Le Rhone engined-Cauldron G-III as early as 1913. Instrumental during WWI, the type enjoyed a 126-strong production run.

Across the Channel, the British were enjoying tremendous success with their A.V. Roe-manufactured 110-hp rotary Le Rhone-engined counterpart of 1914 to 1918 designated the Avro 504K. The two-place biplane, featuring an 82-mph speed and three-hour duration, conducted the first bombing raids and, as a trainer, became the most numerically produced WWI design.

The Nieuport II, another major French design, had originally been intended for the 1914 Gordon Bennett Cup Race, but equipped with a Lewis gun, the rapidly-climbing, highly maneuverable N-II ultimately became the primary equipment of the Lafayette Escadrille, the American volunteer group.

Perhaps the most famous European aircraft manufacturer of the period had been Anthony Fokker whose designs had been synonymous with the First World War. His DR-I, an abbreviation of the German Drei-Decker-Eins-or Triplane One-was manufactured in Schwerin, Germany, in 1917 and offered ultimate contemporaneous performance: a 115-mph speed, a 1,750-fpm climb rate, feisty maneuverability, and a two-hour airborne duration, perhaps explaining Baron Manfred von Richthofen’s overwhelming preference for the type. The replica on display was interestingly built from plans devised after a British capture of a DR-I.

Although the triplane had been Fokker’s most famous WWI design, it had quickly been joined by the 200-hp Mercedes-engined D-VII in 1918 which became the German counterpart of the competing countries’ fighters, particularly the Nieuports, the Sopwiths, and the Spads. The last of the Fokker designs to engage in combat had been the D.VIII. Suffering from structural wing failure as a result of poor workmanship, the 160-hp Gnome rotary engined-aircraft, originally designated the E. V., had been withdrawn from service in August of 1918 and modified. Returning to the skies on October 24, the sleek German fighter quickly earned the title Flying Razor during its brief, but impressionistic combat run until the Armistice had been signed the following month.

In the United States, attention had turned from destruction to peaceful application and the Curtiss JN-4H Jenny, although providing initial training for pilots who flew fighters in Europe, had introduced the nation to aerial flight across the continent during its barnstorming days and subsequently operated the first scheduled US air mail route from Newark to Washington in May of 1918. Alternatively powered by a 90-hp Curtiss OX-5 or 150-hp Hispano-Suiza water-cooled engine, the infamous Jenny saw a production run exceeding 10,000.

The slow-flying, five-aircraft formation suddenly appearing over the aerodrome in the silver-metallic sky during my own visit had strangely beckoned of a former era-seemingly a snapshot of history frozen in time-except that their silhouettes gradually moved off the edge of the frame – perhaps toward infinity and immortality…

Their paced movement seemed to imply that, despite all efforts to freeze history, that time was nevertheless in motion and impossible to arrest. But as I glanced at the Bleriot XI again – the oldest design on the field and the one which had sparked the air show’s beginning-I could not stop but think that it strangely resembled today’s increasingly popular-and therefore almost resurgent-ultralights. Perhaps we could not freeze history, but we certainly seemed to recycle through it, approaching it with new perspective, insight, knowledge, and technological skill and gleaning from it what we missed on the first pass-all in an attempt to elevate it to a higher “plane.”

Cole Palen prematurely died on December 7, 1993. It is from this “higher plane,” I am sure, that he looks down on the magnificent vintage aircraft aerodrome he created through his passion for and dream of a living aviation museum, one which had ultimately transcended his own life and had therefore been left to the world to be enjoyed by those who had followed him. As he had often advocated, “keep the dream alive,” a goal he had unarguably achieved on many levels.

So, there’s a Chinese girl you have in mind that you want to attract, or you want to have a few tricks up your sleeve should the opportunity present itself. That’s great, now firstly you should understand something with Chinese girls, it’s a rarity for them to find a guy who can even say one word of Chinese, let alone two or three! That being the case, once you have established conversation status with her you can try them out. Let’s look at a few simple ones:

1. Wo zhen xi huan nide yifu

I really like your clothes (i.e. you look good in them)

2. Wo jiu de ni shi hao de ren

I feel/think you are a good person.

3. Wo hen gao xin ren shi ni!

I’m so happy to know you.

Now, at this point I should explain something to you as you may think I’m nuts, but, in English those above lines sound terrible, however, in Chinese they sound completely different! Having lived in China for eight years and being able to speak Mandarin, I can tell you they have a completely different effect!

Let’s briefly look at each one in order:

1. This is really a good one I have often used; every woman wants to feel like she looks good. With a Chinese girls this is especially so! This line gets them really smiling.

2. Saying you think she’s a good person (because of her character) suggests to her, you are also a good person, which is why you can recognize the trait in her; you are building trust.

3. ‘Know you’ in Chinese relates to now, and to tomorrow, next year and so on. This tells her that you are planning to be around for a long time. This is good, this shows her, without you coming on too strong, that you have the kind of character she is looking for, and that you are not ‘Mr. Flybynight’.

The Chinese language has really formed the mind of Chinese females to a great degree, understanding the language can be a sure-fire door opener, one that shouldn’t be underestimated. You don’t have to master the language. Simply have a few winning phrases to throw down every now and then.

Just remember, Asian girls are very different from western ones, it’s always good to be at the top of her list instead of at the bottom. Acting like a normal western guy, in most cases, will put you firmly at the bottom!

All the best,

Sam Reeves

What are billiard balls made of? What do the numbers mean on them? Why are some colored a solid color, yet some have a stripe? Why are some bigger than others? How does a cue ball know where to go on a coin operated pool table? Amazing how many questions you can come up with regarding a simple billiard ball?

History

So let’s start off with the history of the billiard ball. The billiard ball dates back into the early 15th Century however it unknown exactly when the billiard table and billiard balls were actually invented. There are reports back as early as mid to late 1400’s of King Louis XI owning the first billiard table. The Duke of Norfolk is also said to have owned a billiard table along with the first documentation of owning billiard balls.

The earliest balls were made of wood. As the years went on different materials were being used to make them. Clay was popular, but a highly sought after material in the 19th Century was ivory. Elephants were being slaughtered at an alarming rate due to the high demand for their ivory. One tusk could yield 8. The billiard industry realized though that the elephants were becoming endangered so they came up with a challenge for inventors to come with a new material for them instead of ivory. John Wesley Hyatt invented a composition material in 1869 called nitrocellulose.(US patent 50359) However, this was not the first artificial substance invented. In 1867 Sorel cement was marketed as “artificial ivory”.

By 1870 Celluloid was branded the first industrial plastic. Unfortunately the nature of the celluloid made it volatile during production. Occasionally it is said that these balls would explode. Rumor has it one saloon owner in Colorado wrote a letter to John Hyatt saying that he didn’t mind the occasional exploding one but the fact that every patron pulled out their guns when they exploded.

Subsequently since the exploding ball seemed to be a slight problem, so the industry came up with different materials. Today they are made primarily of phenolic resin. Clear acrylic is also used.

Sizes

Pool balls come in many different sizes.

• American Style Pool-57.15mm (2 1/4″)
• American Style Pool-(coin operated table) (2 3/8″)
• British Style Pool-56mm (2 3/16″)
• Snooker-52.5mm (2 1/15″)
• Carom-61.5mm (2 7/16″)
• Russian Pool /Kaisa-68mm (2 11/16″)
• Child’s Pool-51mm (2″)

Colors:

They also come in different colors. Some sets they are numbered where others are not. They were originally numbered so “points” games could be played. Games such as 9-ball and 8-ball utilize the numbering system. The numbers on them dates back into the early 1900’s.

American Style Pool uses 15 numbered balls and are colored as listed below:

1. Yellow
2. Blue
3. Red
4. Purple
5. Orange
6. Green
7. Brown or Burgundy
8. Black
9. Yellow stripe
10. Blue stripe
11. Red stripe
12. Purple stripe
13. Orange stripe
14. Green stripe
15. Brown or Burgundy stripe

They are sometimes referred to “highs or lows” depending on their designated number. They are also referred to as either “stripes or solids”.

Snooker uses 22 balls in total. 15 are solid unmarked and colored red, there are also six colored ones and a white cue ball. They are numbered and colored as listed below

1. There is no ball with the #1 designation.
2. Yellow
3. Green
4. Brown
5. Blue
6. Pink
7. Black

Carom:

• Red
• White cue (used for player 1)
• White or yellow cue with a spot (used for player 2)

Novelty

Over the past several years a wide variety of novelty balls have come onto the market. You can now purchase billiard balls with your favorite sports team logo, cartoon characters, movie stars etc on them. There are also glow-in-the-dark balls, marble balls, practical joke balls (never roll straight), weighted balls and even playing card balls!

Magnetic and Oversized Cue Balls

Ever wonder how does a cue ball return to the player on a coin operated table? How come it just doesn’t go with the rest of the balls? Well there are two different reasons; either it’s an oversized cue ball or it is a magnetic cue ball. An oversized ball is just that, oversized slightly. When the ball drops down into the pocket, there are two tracks that the ball can go down, the oversized ball cannot go down the track intended for the smaller balls. A magnetic cue ball works by triggering a magnetic detector.

Your guardian angel is your link to the divine. The word “angel” comes from the Greek and means “a messenger.” The concept of guardian angels goes back thousands of years to the Assyrian and Babylonian civilisations where they were believed to protect palaces and temples. However, this gradually changed. Many people in the Christian tradition believe that every baby gets assigned a guardian angel at birth. Jesus referred to this when he said that the angels who look after children always face God (Matthew 18:10).

About 150 AD, a man named Hermas wrote one of the earliest Christian bestsellers, Shepherd of Hermas. In it, Hermas wrote of his personal angel-shepherd who acted as his guardian angel and helped him on a daily basis. Moving forward almost 1,900 years, Pope Pius XI said that he prayed to his guardian angel every morning and evening. When he had to speak to someone who was opposed to him, he asked his guardian angel to communicate with the other person’s guardian angel first, to eliminate any potential problems.

We all have a guardian angel that watches over us, and tries to help us in subtle ways. Not long ago, I spoke to a woman who had narrowly escaped being run over while crossing a road. She felt a force push her to the side of the road moments before a car raced past. She attributed her lucky escape to her guardian angel.

Small children often believe in guardian angels, but often lose faith as they grow into adulthood. Regardless of your beliefs, your guardian angel continues to communicate with you in thoughts and dreams intended to inspire, help and counsel you. However, your guardian angel will never interfere with your free will. Occasionally, when the situation is urgent, guardian angels act in a more direct way. When Sir Ernest Shackleton, the British explorer, was returning from the South Pole, he knew that “one more” accompanied his party. When Sir Francis Smythe was attempting the final stage of his ascent of Mount Everest on his own, he was aware of an invisible companion. “I could not feel lonely, neither could I come to any harm,” he wrote afterwards.

How do you recognize your guardian angel? Ask your guardian angel to communicate with you in quiet moments. Become aware of your dreams. Heed the quiet voice that warns you when you are tempted to do something wrong. You will gradually realise that your guardian angel is with you all the time, and is willing to help you in everything you do.

Your guardian angel is your own personal guide and teacher. As you accept your guardian angel’s presence your life will gradually improve. Small upsets will no longer bother you, and you’ll find yourself more loving, accepting and compassionate. You’ll also become aware of the spiritual in every area of your life.

Ginseng is known as an adaptogenic herb. An adaptogen is an herb that regulates and helps the body handle stress and maintain vitality. Adaptogens are used for long term revitalization and not for immediate energy like central nervous system stimulants such as caffeine.

Ginseng is grown in many parts of the world. The roots are the part of the plant used for all Ginseng products. Each variety has its own health benefits. Ginseng benefits are cumulative. Taking the herb for several months to a year is far more effective than short-term doses. Ginsengs are used in many Eastern formulas to complement other herbs.

Ginseng in general provides energy to all body systems, is a stimulant for brain and memory centers, helps lower cholesterol and regulates sugar use in the body. Ginseng also promotes regeneration from stress and fatigue. All Ginsengs contain measurable amounts of germanium, a trace mineral also in mushrooms.

Panax Ginseng, (Also known as Asian Ginseng, Korean Ginseng, Chinese Ginseng, Ren Shen, Xi Yang Shen, or Say Yang Sum), grown in Korea is the broadest spectrum of all adaptogenic herbs. It is also considered one of the most prized and expensive herbs. Panax ginseng stimulates both long and short-term energy, so is know as a yang tonic replenishing Qi (energy.)

Panax is rich in phyto-hormones for both men and women’s problems. For men it helps in the formation of testosterone and for women it protects against breast cancer, hence the term adaptogenic (it will adapt to the needs of the body no matter what is needed and no matter what sex.) For this reason, Panax also fits into the aphrodisiac category. Panax Ginseng is used for enhancing the immune system, impotence and premature ejaculation, poor sleep and nervous exhaustion. It is especially useful for older bodies with debilitating conditions.

Contraindications: Panax, meaning panacea, is NOT universally applicable in every illness like its name implies. Yang Ginsengs should not be taken during acute inflammatory disease or for bronchitis. Use the yin American Ginseng for bronchitis. The yang Ginsengs are used in combination with other herbs to temper their powerful nature.

American Ginseng (Also called Panax quinquefolius, Xi Yan Shen) is a yin tonic. Yin tonics are cooling and slowing in nature. American Ginseng is used in China for fevers and for exhaustion due to chronic wasting diseases. It is also used for coughs related to lung weaknesses (such as tuberculosis, bronchial infections or asthma.)

Siberian Ginseng (also called Eleuthero or Eleutherococcus senticosus) comes from China. It is known for its long-term energy effects on the adrenal glands and circulation. In this day and age, most of our American population is overtaxing their adrenal glands with excess stress. There are just too many tasks enticing us to utilize our available time. We are spending less and less time with our families and doing what nourishes us (our Life Purpose or God Path.) Siberian Ginseng is a yang tonic herb, so it stimulates fast, hot, male energy type of function. Siberian Ginseng has been used for rheumatic complaints, low vitality, and weak liver and kidney energy for about 2000 years. It is considered less heating (less yang) than the Panax varieties (therefore safer.)

I use Siberian Ginseng in my “Old Dog Formula” to increase the circulation to the butt muscles and lower spine. I once had a client who came in regularly for Old Dog Formula for their two very aged shelties. I noticed that they came in a bit more regularly than they should for the dosage I had recommended. When I asked them about it, they confessed that they were also using the product with fabulous results. I like it too and use it occasionally for gardening season.

Panax notoginseng (Also known as Pseudoginseng or San Qi) is grown in China and is used as an analgesic and to stop internal and external bleeding. It is also added to treatments for coronary heart disease and angina. Quite interestingly, San Qi was used extensively by the North Vietnamese during the Vietnam War to increase recovery rates from gunshot wounds. Avoid this one during pregnancy. It could harm the fetus.

Wild Ginseng, from Manchuria, is considered the best, but is extremely expensive. For centuries in the East, top-grade Ginseng roots have been valued more than gold.

Ginseng comes in two varieties, red and white. Red Ginseng is cured by steaming which gives it its color and yang attributes.

So, next time you go to the health food store, don’t just ask for Ginseng, be specific.

When was the last time you did something extraordinary? Do you still remember that feeling of thrill, exhilaration, euphoria, or bliss? How about that sense of self-accomplishment?

Well, if the last time you experienced that was already centuries ago, it’s time to relive that moment of jubilation. And what better way to do that? It is to climb the highest peak in the Philippines, Mount Apo.

Before you pack your bags and swing into high gear for this adventure, acquaint yourself first about climbing Mt Apo.

The facts about Mt. Apo.

The Philippine Government classified Mt Apo as a potentially-active stratovolcano. It is located between Davao City and Davao del Sur, Region XI and Cotabato province, Region XII in Mindanao. It also has a land area of 54,974.87 hectares. It is the highest mountain in the Philippines with an altitude of 2,954 meters. Because of such elevation, It is one the most popular destinations for mountain climbing in the country, if not the whole world. Since May 9, 1936, Mt. Apo was declared a national park. Decades later, it became a protected area under the category of natural park. These facts can be found in the website of Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

What and who await you upon climbing and reaching Mt Apo?

Aside from witnessing the picturesque view of Davao and Cotabato provinces, you may also be serenaded by the symphony of the chirping of the birds. This is because Mt Apo is the home of over 272 species of birds, including the world’s largest eagle, the Philippine eagle. Take note these different species of birds can be found in Mt. Apo only.

You can also be delighted by the sight of four major lakes: Lake Agco, Lake Venado, Lake Macadac, and Lake Jordan; 19 major rivers; and 21 creeks.

Aside from the birds and the bodies of water, you may also meet and learn the culture and the customs of the members of the indigenous groups living in the area. The indigenous groups are the Manobos, the Bagobos, the Ubos, the Atas, the K’lagans, and the Tagacaolos.

Just imagine all the wonders waiting for you to explore when you climb this mountain.

So whether you are an adventure fanatic, an adrenaline maniac, or one who just want to marvel and enjoy a breathtaking scenery, book Discover Mt Apo now. See for yourself how astonishing it really is. I’m absolutely sure this experience would be a sure hit and would be one for the books.

Hua Niao – The Concept

Chinese Bird-and-Flower Painting, known as Hua Niao, is a kind of painting named after its themes that cover flowers, birds, insects, and fish. The artists have the leeway to understand flowers as plants, and to include pets in their artworks.

The History

Hua Niao Painting existed since quite early Chinese eras. It graced bronze vessels, potteries, and phoenix work of arts on silk, during the Warring States Period (7th-4th centuries B.C.). The images depicted corroborate that ancient Chinese flowers and birds were the favorite topics of the Hua Niao artists. Simple and plain initially, this Chinese Painting style eventually graduated to a mature and significant art form, with the help of developed schools, techniques, and well-established theoretical background. Hua Niao works became an absolute study of art through the Tang Dynasty (618-907), growing until the end of Five Dynasties Period (907-60).

The Details

In pre-Tang and Tang Dynasty, emotions, moods, feelings, and the temperament of the human figures were the identifying features of the Bird and Flower Painting. The characters rarely looked at each other. The ‘flowers’ they held, the ‘trees’ they sat near to, or the ‘birds’ flying around them, would symbolize the relationship existing between them. This symbolic representation of human feelings was an important turning point in the history of Chinese Art. Soon, Hua Niao became an independent Fine Art form during the mid and late Tang Dynasty.

The Varieties

– Ink and Wash Painting

– Fine Brush Painting

– Fine Brush with Ink and Wash Painting

– Fine Brush with Heavy Color

– Fine Brush with Light Color

– Fine Brush with Freehand Style

– Freehand Style

– Great Freehand Style

– Slight Freehand Style

The Artists

Many famous artists emerged during 618-960, with Huang Quan and Xu Xi being the representative names among them. Quan Huang was a court painter and his paintings focused on rare flowers and birds in the court. His depictions were lively and looked full-fledged luxurious and beautiful. ‘Sketch of Rare Bird Scroll,’ portraying many kinds of birds, was a masterpiece by Huang.

Artist Xu Xi also belonged to the same dynasties and was not involved in any kind of politics. Xu used ink for his artworks. Thick strokes, wild themes, and branches & leaves were a couple of key features of his paintings. Xu would use a small amount of colors to avert any impairment to the ink. ‘Snow Covers Bamboo’ was one of the unique works by Xu Xi.

The Beijing Opera, with its distinctive Chinese opera masks, is one of China’s most recognizable cultural icons. Combining Music, Dance, Theatre, and Martial Arts, it has existed for over 200 years portraying Historical Events and Literature with beauty, style, and dynamic performance. It is most prominent in Beijing, but almost every Province in China has some form of Opera theatre. With its elaborate costuming, complex musical orchestrations and seemingly limitless Make-up and Mask designs, the Beijing Opera is seeing revitalization in popularity with both young and mature audiences.

What is now called the Beijing Opera originally came from a combination of several sources. In about 1790, four great theatre troupes from Anhui came to perform for the Royal Family. They brought arias and melodies called Xi Pi. Around 1828, performers from Hubei came to the same area and staged combined shows adding their local pieces of music called Er Huang. These performances were for the Royals but soon were to become more mainstream during Emperor Qianlong’s reign as well as support from the notorious Empress Dowager Ci Xi. During this time, thousands of pieces of repertoire were developed covering the historical events, classic novels and stories of China as well as revisions of Western stories.

There are four basic categories of characters in the Beijing Opera style.

· SHENG- The main Male actors in a performance. Either civil or military, there are several different aspects of training for the various lead male parts.

i. LAO SHENG- Senior Male roles, middle aged man with beard of black, grey or white. A soft or pleasant voice with dignity.

ii. XIAO SHENG- Junior male role or young man. No beard and a high sometimes shrill voice that may, on occasion, crack denoting immaturity and adolescence.

iii. WU SHENG- Acrobatic male roles or roles that require much activity. Military plays or civil plays that demand high standards of acrobatics. Performs the stylized martial arts fight scenes with sword or spear. Not usually trained as opera singer.

iv. WAWA SHENG- Kids and children roles. DAN- Female roles of several categories.

i. QING YI ( Ch’ing I)- Lady of good character. Quiet gentle disposition. Graceful flowing movements in “water sleeves” costume. Elegant but not vivid. Singing voice is high pitched.

ii. HUA DAN ( Hua Tan)- Flirtatious young girl role. Usually not as high a social standing as Qing

Yi. Coy and quick movements. A very difficult part to play. Attractive eye movements and continually changing facial expression. Vivid costume featuring handkerchief to flutter in her hand. Strong voice but more speaking than singing.

iii. GUI MEN DAN (Kuei Men Tan) – Young unmarried girl. This role may turn into Qing Yi or Hua Dan. Mischievous but not as much as Hua Dan. Immature reactions and movements.

iv. DAO MA DAN (Tao Ma Tan) – Female Warrior role. Trained for acting and singing but

performs highly skillful martial movements often with feathered headdress. Still a very feminine role. The now famous role of Disney’s “MULAN” was based on Hua Mulan who disguised herself as a man to prevent her father from being conscripted into the military. She served for 12 years during the SouthNorth Dynasty and was decorated as a national hero.

v. WU DAN (Wu Tan) – Female Acrobatic roles. Steps in on any role that requires high acrobatic ability. Purely an acrobat but role can demand a talented actress to make for a successful performance.

vi. CAI DAN (Cai Tan) – Female Comedians. Serves to add relief to stressful scenes in serious plays. See also CHOU roles.

· JING- Painted face male roles. These parts are known more for courage and resourcefulness than for scholarly intelligence. Often a high-ranking general or warrior/official. Jing actors are usually extroverts. A robust, sometimes gruff, bass voice. Full of swagger and self-assurance. There are many common color schemes associated with Jing roles but some of the more common are easily recognizable.

v Red- Good character and virtuous person.

v White- Treacherous and guile

v Green-Lack of self-control, rash, stubbornness

v Black- Brusque character

v Blue- Wild perhaps a Robber

v Gold/Silver- Used only for Gods and Spirits

The facial painting patterns also give information about a character. There are hundreds of patterns and designs for many situations and roles.

There are 3 main types of Jing roles:

i. DONG-CHUI- (T’ung Ch’uei) Also know as Hei Tou (Black Face) this role is a good singer and usually a loyal General

ii. JIA ZI- (Chia Tze) – A very good actor for more complicated characters.

iii. WU JING- Fighting and acrobatics. Seldom plays a prominent role.

· CHOU- Comedy Roles. Dim but likable and amusing characters. Sometimes slightly wicked perhaps a rascal or a scholar/Prince who would not command much respect. There are two basic types of Chou roles:

i. WEN CHOU- Civilian roles.( Jailer, servant, merchant, scholar)

ii. WU CHOU- Minor Military roles but skilled in acrobatics

Of special mention should be the popular role of SUN WU KONG -The Monkey King.

This is a famous story of a Monks journey from China to India to collect scriptures to bring back to China… He is usually accompanied by a Pig for comedic effect, a not-so-learned monk to mediate the many quarrels and the Monkey King. This is played by a Wu Sheng actor. Known for the bent knees and an arms forward stance that imitate monkey movements. He has mastered Longevity, the 72 transformations of his physical body and can do somersaults in the clouds. Sun Wu Kong is followed by a troupe of monkeys who behave in the same manner but have individual personalities (greedy, naughty, sleepy, etc.). The Monkey King continues to be one of the most popular story lines in all of Chinese Opera Theatre.

The Opera Theatre form suffered during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) when all traditional pieces were banned. New versions became stories concerning “Class Struggle”. The “Eight Model Plays” were a very popular theme, as were stories concerning Communist Activities, Anti-Japan sentiment, and the Civil War against Nationalists. The traditional stories were allowed to be shown in 1978 but by then they seemed out of date and the productions lacked historical and theatrical knowledge. Audiences lost to more contemporary forms of entertainment were hard to replace with the exception of those who were children when the Beijing Opera was at its peak. Many who lived through the Cultural Revolution preferred the newer versions and still favor those melodies.

Campaigns exist to bring back this lost art from as well as other Theatrical Arts. The Plum Blossom Award, sponsored by the Chinese Opera Journal, gives awards, judged by the Journal, to new artists. The actors and actresses must be under 45 years of age and come from all over China. These and other competitions are seen on the CCTV, China’s main television network and radio stations, particularly during the New Years special concerts. There has even been designated a Beijing Opera Month.

In recent years, performances worldwide of Beijing Opera theatre have brought this marvelous art form to broader audiences. It has served as ambassador to the West providing many new opportunities for people to enjoy a performance style that rivals any of the Grand Operas and Symphonies of Europe and North America.

In researching certain particulars of the Battle of Gettysburg for my new novel, That Deadly Space, I came across a familiar figure who might very well have been the most consequential Union officer on the field during those historic three days in July, 1863. General Winfield Scott Hancock was that familiar figure. A battle-tested veteran of Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville, Hancock’s performance had earlier been described by General George McClellan as “superb.”

On the first day at Gettysburg, Hancock assumed temporary command of the Union I, II, III and XI Corps after General John Reynolds had been killed in action. While in command of the entire left wing of the Army of the Potomac, Hancock provided critically needed leadership while skillfully deploying his troops along the high ground at Cemetery Hill. He set in motion the “fishhook” position that spanned from Culp’s and Cemetery Hills to the Round Tops, and then recommended to the overall commander, General George Meade, that the fight should be made on the excellent defensive ground at Gettysburg.

On the third day, Hancock’s II Corps absorbed the brunt of the massive Confederate assault known as Pickett’s Charge. Hancock’s courageous personal example, even under heavy artillery fire, was inspirational to his soldiers. When told by a subordinate that he was risking his life by calmly riding among his troops, Hancock was said to have replied, “There are times when a corps commander’s life does not count.” Hancock’s leadership did much to gain the Union victory, but not without cost. Hancock was seriously wounded in the thigh and refused to be evacuated from the field until the battle had been decided. He would be bothered by that wound for the duration of the war. In a strange twist of fate, Confederate General Lewis Armistead, a dear friend, was also wounded in the assault and died two days later. The two close friends, on opposite sides of that deadly struggle, were less than one-hundred yards apart when both were struck down.

The statue of the mounted Hancock at Cemetery Hill is impressive, all the more when the thoughts of Hancock’s uplifting presence among the dispirited Union troops on that hard first day are remembered. A marker also shows the location where Hancock was wounded on the third day. His presence can still be felt on the field at Gettysburg, even with the passage of 154 years. Winfield Scott Hancock is unquestionably one of the finest military officers this nation has produced.

He was, and still is, Hancock the Superb.

The history of billiards dates back to 15th-Century Europe. It is said to have evolved from the stick and ball lawn games such a croquet and golf. The word billiard evolves either from one of two words. From the French word billart or billete meaning stick or from the French word bille which means ball, however it is still unknown exactly where the word was derived from.

Early 1400’s- Lawn games such as croquet and golf are popular.

1453-The Iwan Simonis company is founded. This company would go on to produce Iwan Simonis pool table felt. Simonis felt is a faster playing felt and is used on tournament tables and those of players who want a faster playing game.

1470-The first known billiard table is discovered in King Louis XI of France possessions.

Mid 1600’s- The cue stick is developed. The word cue comes from the French word queue which means tail. Originally players played pool with a stick called a mace which was similar to a golf club. Players back then would turn around the mace and use the tail-end of the mace to shove around the balls on the table. Interesting note: Even after the invention of cue sticks, women still were made to use maces for fear they would rip the cloth with the sharper cues.

1623- Shakespeare’s play “Antony and Cleopatra” in Act 2 Scene 5- Cleopatra says “Let it alone; let’s to billiards: come, Charmian”.

1770-English Billiards is invented-Played with three balls and six pockets. originally called the “winning and losing carambole game”.

1823-The leather cue tip is invented in England. This tip allowed players to add a side-spin to the ball hence the name English shot.

1826-The slate bed is introduced in England, however it does not catch on in the States due to the high cost of production.

1829-The two-piece cue is invented.

1834-John Thurston introduces the Imperial Petrosian Billiard table with a slate bed.

1839-Goodyear discovers vulcanization of rubber.

1840-Billiard tables are placed in betting parlors for horse racing or otherwise known as “pool rooms”.

1845-Vulcanized rubber is used to make billiard cushions.

1865-John Thurston introduces natural rubber billiard cushions.

1870-American Billiards is invented.

1878-The first American pool championship tournament is held.

1897-Cue tip chalk is invented.

1900-Eight Ball is invented.

1910-Straight Pool is invented.

1920-Nine-Ball is invented.

1927-The first International Snooker Championship was held.

1961-The movie “The Hustler” is released.

1968-The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association was formed.

1986-The movie “The Color Of Money” is released.

1992-The World Confederation of Billiard Sports was formed.

1998-International Olympic Committee recognized the confederation.

2005-A billiards category encompassing pool, snooker and carom was featured in the 2005 World Games.

Famous enthusiasts of the sport: Mozart, Louis XIV of France, Marie Antoinette, Immanuel Kant, Napoleon, Abraham Lincoln, Mark Twain, George Washington, French president Jules Grévy, Charles Dickens, George Armstrong Custer, Theodore Roosevelt, Lewis Carroll, W.C.Fields, Babe Ruth, Bob Hope, Jackie Gleason, and many more.