The original ASCII Art Six Line Challenge is back.
New submissions are being accepted and will be posted to the top of the ASCII Art Hall of Fame.
Submission Rules:
Please enjoy this fine collection of early-style computer art.
The medium Eva Carrière with a light manifestation between her hands and a materialization on her head. Carrière also performed under the names Eva C. and Marthe Béraud. Photograph taken in 1912 by German photographer.
Most literature on paranormal phenomena is produced by "true believers" and is aimed at a somewhat credulous audience. Opinion regarding the occurrence of paranormal phenomena tends to be polarized into uncritical acceptance or total rejection.
Prepared in response to requests by the Director, Defense Advanced Research Projects agency (DARPA,) this briefing on paranormal phenomena is based on a net assessment study of the field that took into account Soviet and U.S. literature, institutions, personnel and technology, and it includes a comparative analysis of both U.S. and USSR efforts.
Chapters include:
Paranormal Phenomena -- Briefing on a Net Assessment Study (1.24 Mb PDF)
The Wounded Angel, Hugo Simberg (1873 - 1917)
An interruption of the skin's integrity characterizes wounds. These wounds could be open wounds, skin diseases, frostbite, trench foot, and burns.
Open Wounds
Open wounds are serious in a survival situation, not only because of tissue damage and blood loss, but also because they may become infected. Bacteria on the object that made the wound, on the individual's skin and clothing, or on other foreign material or dirt that touches the wound may cause infection. By taking proper care of the wound you can reduce further contamination and promote healing. Clean the wound as soon as possible after it occurs by--
The "open treatment" method is the safest way to manage wounds in survival situations. Do not try to close any wound by suturing or similar procedures. Leave the wound open to allow the drainage of any pus resulting from infection. As long as the wound can drain, it generally will not become life-threatening, regardless of how unpleasant it looks or smells.
Cover the wound with a clean dressing. Place a bandage on the dressing to hold it in place. Change the dressing daily to check for infection.
If a wound is gaping, you can bring the edges together with adhesive tape cut in the form of a "butterfly" or "dumbbell" (Figure 4-7).
In a survival situation, some degree of wound infection is almost inevitable. Pain, swelling, and redness around the wound, increased temperature, and pus in the wound or on the dressing indicate infection is present.
To treat an infected wound--
Continue this treatment daily until all signs of infection have disappeared.
If you do not have antibiotics and the wound has become severely infected, does not heal, and ordinary debridement is impossible, consider maggot therapy, despite its hazards:
Jesus Healing the Leper, Jean-Marie Melchior Doze, 1864
Skin Diseases and Ailments
Although boils, fungal infections, and rashes rarely develop into a serious health problem, they cause discomfort and you should treat them.
Boils
Apply warm compresses to bring the boil to a head. Then open the boil using a sterile knife, wire, needle, or similar item. Thoroughly clean out the pus using soap and water. Cover the boil site, checking it periodically to ensure no further infection develops.
Fungal Infections
Keep the skin clean and dry, and expose the infected area to as much sunlight as possible. Do not scratch the affected area. During the Southeast Asian conflict, soldiers used antifungal powders, lye soap, chlorine bleach, alcohol, vinegar, concentrated salt water, and iodine to treat fungal infections with varying degrees of success.
As with any "unorthodox" method of treatment, use it with caution.
Rashes
To treat a skin rash effectively, first determine what is causing it. This determination may be difficult even in the best of situations. Observe the following rules to treat rashes:
Use a compress of vinegar or tannic acid derived from tea or from boiling acorns or the bark of a hardwood tree to dry weeping rashes. Keep dry rashes moist by rubbing a small amount of rendered animal fat or grease on the affected area.
Remember, treat rashes as open wounds and clean and dress them daily. There are many substances available to survivors in the wild or in captivity for use as antiseptics to treat wounds:
Sphagnum moss. Found in boggy areas worldwide, it is a natural source of iodine. Use as a dressing.
Again, use noncommercially prepared materials with caution.
1st Century A.D. fresco from Pompeii, showing Iapyx removing an arrowhead from the leg of Aenas, with Aenas's son Iulus Ascanius crying beside his father. At left, Aeneas' mother, goddess Venus.
Frostbite
This injury results from frozen tissues. Light frostbite involves only the skin that takes on a dull, whitish pallor. Deep frostbite extends to a depth below the skin. The tissues become solid and immovable. Your feet, hands, and exposed facial areas are particularly vulnerable to frostbite.
When with others, prevent frostbite by using the buddy system. Check your buddy's face often and make sure that he checks yours. If you are alone, periodically cover your nose and lower part of your face with your mittens.
Do not try to thaw the affected areas by placing them close to an open flame. Gently rub them in lukewarm water. Dry the part and place it next to your skin to warm it at body temperature.
Trench Foot
This condition results from many hours or days of exposure to wet or damp conditions at a temperature just above freezing. The nerves and muscles sustain the main damage, but gangrene can occur. In extreme cases the flesh dies and it may become necessary to have the foot or leg amputated. The best prevention is to keep your feet dry. Carry extra socks with you in a waterproof packet. Dry wet socks against your body. Wash your feet daily and put on dry socks.
Burns
The following field treatment for burns relieves the pain somewhat, seems to help speed healing, and offers some protection against infection:
Excerpt from the U.S. Army Survival Manual
Sniper Training
Pele Kick
Impressing the Ladies
Blending In
Working for Chump Change
Flip That House
Writing found on hoax pipe bomb.
The FBI, in conjunction with the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and other law enforcement agencies, is seeking information regarding the placement of four hoax pipe bomb devices at United States Military Recruiting Centers in Oregon since March of 2007.
Most of the devices had the phrase "Die Weisse Rose" printed on them, which is German for "The White Rose." Historically, "Die Weisse Rose" was the name of a small group of anti-Hitler activists who protested against hate during World War II.
The FBI is offering a reward of $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual(s) responsible for these crimes.
Click to enlarge.
Hollywood is the mother of all invention when it comes to producing today's big ticket action movies.
Two literally shining examples are the custom 1911 pistols created for the box office hit, Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005,) starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.
Angie has the original TJ Stealth-1, built over 15 years ago by TJs Custom Gun Works and one of the smallest functioning 1911 made. The middle of the gun was removed, then welded, then finger rings added. Also note the aluminum grip panels held by four machine screws.
Brad also has a vintage custom 1911, it incorporated S&W sights and a mini-comp, unfortunately the negative was reversed in the photo.
If you are interested in learning more about the 1911 pistol, when it was designed, how it works, who makes it, what accessories are available, how it can be improved or customized etc., visit The M1911 Pistols Organization, an Internet reference, with all you ever wanted to know about the 1911.
Wondering what the covertress carries? A 1911, of course. A Covert II by Kimber.
A couple kisses on the Bridge of Lovers on Valentine's Day, in Kiev, Ukraine. Photo by Konstantin Chernichkin / Reuters.
Snow boots? $250. Parka? $400. Getting stuck to your sweetheart on Valentine's Day? Priceless.
Insects and related pests are hazards in a survival situation. They not only cause irritations, but they are often carriers of diseases that cause severe allergic reactions in some individuals. In many parts of the world you will be exposed to serious, even fatal, diseases not encountered in the United States.
Ticks can carry and transmit diseases, such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever common in many parts ofthe United States. Ticks also transmit the Lyme disease.
Mosquitoes may carry malaria, dengue, and many other diseases.
Flies can spread disease from contact with infectious sources. They are causes of sleeping sickness, typhoid, cholera, and dysentery.
Fleas can transmit plague.
Lice can transmit typhus and relapsing fever.
The best way to avoid the complications of insect bites and stings is to keep immunizations (including booster shots) up-to-date, avoid insect-infested areas, use netting and insect repellent, and wear all clothing properly.
If you get bitten or stung, do not scratch the bite or sting, it might become infected.
Inspect your body at least once a day to ensure there are no insects attached to you.
If you find ticks attached to your body, cover them with a substance, such as Vaseline, heavy oil, or tree sap, that will cut off their air supply. Without air, the tick releases its hold, and you can remove it. Take care to remove the whole tick. Use tweezers if you have them. Grasp the tick where the mouth parts are attached to the skin. Do not squeeze the tick's body. Wash your hands after touching the tick. Clean the tick wound daily until healed.
Treatment
It is impossible to list the treatment of all the different types of bites and stings. Treat bites and stings as follows:
Bee and Wasp Stings
If stung by a bee, immediately remove the stinger and venom sac, if attached, by scraping with a fingernail or a knife blade. Do not squeeze or grasp the stinger or venom sac, as squeezing will force more venom into the wound. Wash the sting site thoroughly with soap and water to lessen the chance of a secondary infection.
If you know or suspect that you are allergic to insect stings, always carry an insect sting kit with you.
Relieve the itching and discomfort caused by insect bites by applying:
Spider Bites and Scorpion Stings
The black widow spider is identified by a red hourglass on its abdomen. Only the female bites, and it has a neurotoxic venom. The initial pain is not severe, but severe local pain rapidly develops. The pain gradually spreads over the entire body and settles in the abdomen and legs. Abdominal cramps and progressive nausea, vomiting, and a rash may occur. Weakness, tremors, sweating, and salivation may occur. Anaphylactic reactions can occur. Symptoms begin to regress after several hours and are usually gone in a few days. Threat for shock. Be ready to perform CPR. Clean and dress the bite area to reduce the risk of infection. An antivenin is available.
The funnelweb spider is a large brown or gray spider found in Australia. The symptoms and the treatment for its bite are as for the black widow spider.
The brown house spider or brown recluse spider is a small, light brown spider identified by a dark brown violin on its back. There is no pain, or so little pain, that usually a victim is not aware of the bite. Within a few hours a painful red area with a mottled cyanotic center appears. Necrosis does not occur in all bites, but usually in 3 to 4 days, a star-shaped, firm area of deep purple discoloration appears at the bite site. The area turns dark and mummified in a week or two. The margins separate and the scab falls off, leaving an open ulcer. Secondary infection and regional swollen lymph glands usually become visible at this stage. The outstanding characteristic of the brown recluse bite is an ulcer that does not heal but persists for weeks or months. In addition to the ulcer, there is often a systemic reaction that is serious and may lead to death. Reactions (fever, chills, joint pain, vomiting, and a generalized rash) occur chiefly in children or debilitated persons.
Tarantulas are large, hairy spiders found mainly in the tropics. Most do not inject venom, but some South American species do. They have large fangs. If bitten, pain and bleeding are certain, and infection is likely. Treat a tarantula bite as for any open wound, and try to prevent infection. If symptoms of poisoning appear, treat as for the bite of the black widow spider.
Scorpions are all poisonous to a greater or lesser degree. There are two different reactions, depending on the species:
Treat scorpion stings as you would a black widow bite.
Snakebites
The chance of a snakebite in a survival situation is rather small, if you are familiar with the various types of snakes and their habitats. However, it could happen and you should know how to treat a snakebite.
Deaths from snakebites are rare. More than one-half of the snakebite victims have little or no poisoning, and only about one-quarter develop serious systemic poisoning. However, the chance of a snakebite in a survival situation can affect morale, and failure to take preventive measures or failure to treat a snakebite properly can result in needless tragedy.
The primary concern in the treatment of snakebite is to limit the amount of eventual tissue destruction around the bite area.
A bite wound, regardless of the type of animal that inflicted it, can become infected from bacteria in the animal's mouth. With nonpoisonous as well as poisonous snakebites, this local infection is responsible for a large part of the residual damage that results.
Snake venoms not only contain poisons that attack the victim's central nervous system (neurotoxins) and blood circulation (hemotoxins), but also digestive enzymes (cytotoxins) to aid in digesting their prey. These poisons can cause a very large area of tissue death, leaving a large open wound. This condition could lead to the need for eventual amputation if not treated.
Head of Medusa by Rubens (c. 1618)
Shock and panic in a person bitten by a snake can also affect the person's recovery. Excitement, hysteria, and panic can speed up the circulation, causing the body to absorb the toxin quickly. Signs of shock occur within the first 30 minutes after the bite.
Before you start treating a snakebite, determine whether the snake was poisonous or nonpoisonous. Bites from a nonpoisonous snake will show rows of teeth. Bites from a poisonous snake may have rows of teeth showing, but will have one or more distinctive puncture marks caused by fang penetration.
Symptoms of a poisonous bite may be spontaneous bleeding from the nose and anus, blood in the urine, pain at the site of the bite, and swelling at the site of the bite within a few minutes or up to 2 hours later.
Breathing difficulty, paralysis, weakness, twitching, and numbness are also signs of neurotoxic venoms. These signs usually appear 1.5 to 2 hours after the bite.
If you determine that a poisonous snake bit an individual, take the following steps:
Do not--
Note: If medical treatment is over one hour away, make an incision (no longer than 6 millimeters and no deeper than 3 millimeter) over each puncture, cutting just deep enough to enlarge the fang opening, but only through the first or second layer of skin. Place a suction cup over the bite so that you have a good vacuum seal. Suction the bite site 3 to 4 times. Use mouth suction only as a last resort and only if you do not have open sores in your mouth. Spit the envenomed blood out and rinse your mouth with water. This method will draw out 25 to 30 percent of the venom.
Do not (continued)--
After caring for the victim as described above, take the following actions to minimize local effects:
Excerpt from the U.S. Army Survival Manual
“Action without thought is like shooting without aim.” - proverb
Hunting Targets - Links Collection by Lynden Huggins
Targets for Airgun Practice - Links Collection by Uncreative Separatists
... and for you pros ...
Paper Targets for Competition, Practice, and Training - Created by Sniper's Paradise 
Who says the government doesn't have any fun?
Entertain your kids with this collection of coloring books from Uncle Sam.
Agriculture, U.S. Department (USDA)
A to Z: A California Alphabet & Coloring Book -- Farm Service Agency
Beagle Brigade: Protecting American Agriculture -- Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Celebrating Wildflowers Coloring Book -- U.S. Forest Service
Farm Service Agency for Kids
Farmers Market Coloring Books -- Agriculture Marketing Service
Food Safety Mobile Coloring Book, USDA
FSA Coloring Pages -- Farm Service Agency
George Washington Carver Coloring and Activity Book
Having Fun at Your Local Farmers Market -- Agriculture Marketing Service
Libro para Colorear y de Actividades -- Farm Service Agency
NASS Kids: On-line Coloring Book -- National Agricultural Statistics Service
Nature Watch Coloring Books -- U.S. Forest Service
NRCS Coloring Book -- Natural Resources Conservation Service
Smokey Kids: Color It! -- SmokeyBear.com
Smokey's Coloring Book -- U.S. Forest Service
Web of Life Activity Booklet, The -- U.S. Forest Service
Won't You Join Us Under Our Great Family Tree? -- U.S. Forest Service
Woodsy Owl's Coloring Book -- U.S. Forest Service
Commerce, U.S. Department
Billy and Maria: Weather Coloring Books for Children -- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Kid's Coloring Page -- National Marine Fisheries Service
Pacific Coral Reef Coloring Book (English, Samoan, Hawaiian) -- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Sea Turtle Activity Book and Coloring Book -- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Sea Turtles/No No Honu Kai: A Coloring Book in English and Hawaiian (International Year of the Ocean) -- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Shrimply Fun!: The Shrimp Fishery in the Gulf of Mexico Activity and Coloring Book -- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Tommy Tsunami and Ernie Earthquake Coloring Book -- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
A World Fit for Chipmunks and Other Living Things
Endangered Species Picture Book: Save Our Species
Happy Earth Day Activities Book
Planet Protectors on-line coloring book .pdf version
Thirstin's Wacky Water Adventures
Superfund for Kids Coloring Book
Health and Human Services, Department of (HHS)
Clinical Center Pediatric Coloring Book, The -- National Institutes of Health Clinical Center
Coloring Books!: Color Our World Bright and Beautiful -- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Girl Power! Coloring Book
Milk Matters
ABC's of Good Health
El Abecedario de la Buena Salud
Interior, Department of the (DOI)
A Salmon Tale: A Coloring Book About the Natural Adventure of the Atlantic Salmon -- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
NIEHS Kids' Pages Interactive and Printable Online Coloring Books
Mining and Reclamation Coloring Book -- Office of Surface Mining
Yellowstone Coloring Book -- National Park Service
Saving Energy with Zippie, Splash, and Sam N. Coloring Book
Local/State Governments
Hawaiian Endangered Animals Coloring Book!
Kids Colr Connecticut: Coloring Book Images Featuring Places in Connecticut -- Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development
The Air We Breathe: A Coloring & Activity Book
El Aire Que Respiramos: Un Libro de Actividades
Louisiana Coloring Book
North Carolina Coloring Book
Ohio State Symbol Coloring Book
Maine Symbols Coloring Book
Wildlife of Pennsylvania Coloring Book
Marine Resources
Coastal North Carolina: Activity book
Chesapeake Bay Activity Book
Salish Sea Activity Book
Mobile Bay Activity Book
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
The Space Place: Coloring Books
Mission to Planet Earth Coloring Book
NASA Observatorium
The Federal Aviation Administration Kid Korner
Washington State
Activity Book from the Washington State Office of the Secretary of State
The Noxious Weed Coloring Book - Noxious Weeds are Everybody's Problem!
Washington State Coloring Book -- Washington State Legislature
Jive Man #2: Mnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn, hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
Stewardess: Can I get you something?
Jive Man #2: S'mo fo butter layin' to the bone. Jackin' me up. Tightly.
Stewardess: I'm sorry I don't understand.
Jive Man #1: Cutty say he cant hang.
Jive Talkin' Grandma: Oh stewardess! I speak jive.
Stewardess: Ohhhh, good.
Jive Talkin' Grandma: He said that he's in great pain and he wants to know if you can help him.
Stewardess: Would you tell him to just relax and I'll be back as soon as I can with some medicine.
Jive Talkin' Grandma: Jus' hang loose blooood. She goonna catch up on the`rebound a de medcide.
Jive Man #2: What it is big mamma, my mamma didn't raise no dummy, I dug her rap.
Jive Talkin' Grandma: Cut me som' slac' jak! Chump don wan no help, chump don git no help. Jive ass dude don got no brains anyhow. Hmph!
Ah! That infamous jive scene from the 1980 movie Airplane!
Back then, those who felt out of it probably rushed off to learn jive talkin'.
Today, if you don't know hacker, be prepared to feel behind the times. It's no jive, baby.
You've probably already seen it while surfing the Internet. It's not a spoken language, but a written one. If you ask a teenager, they'll tell you they've known how to write it since birth (but, they'd be lying.)
Here's a crash course -- The paragraph above looks like this in hacker:
y0u'v3 pr08481y 41r34dy 533n !7 wh!13 5urf!n9 7h3 !n73rn37. !7'5 n07 4 5p0k3n 14n9u493, 8u7 4 wr!773n 0n3. !f y0u 45k 4 733n493r, 7h3y'11 7311 y0u 7h3y'v3 kn0wn h0w 70 wr!73 !7 5!n(3 8!r7h (8u7, 7h3y'd 83 1y!n9.)
Do you see where 4 is the new a, ( is the new c, and 3 is the new e?
These are just a few of the letter substitutions that make hacker fun for simply confusing the uninformed.
Need a little help writing in hacker? Name Funk is one of the many websites that will translate ASCII (English) into hacker.
Try it out on an unsuspecting friend. You just might discover they're a h4(k3r!
Three female spies -- a brunette, a red-head, and a blonde -- had been captured and were awaiting execution.
The enemy dictator was nostalgic and had ordered an old-fashioned execution: death by firing squad.
Needless to say, the three spies wanted to survive... but they needed a plan. The red-head spoke up. "I have an idea," she said. "Follow my lead." As it happened, the red-head was first up against the wall.
"Do you have any last words?" the dictator asked.
"No," she replied.
"Very well," said the dictator as he turned to his soldiers.
"Ready.... Aim...."
"TORNADO!" yelled the red-head, pointing behind the troops.
The gunmen all turned around, and she escaped!
The brunette and blonde saw this and got the idea. Next it was the brunette's turn. The dictator marched her up to the wall in front of his soldiers.
"Do you have any last words?" he asked.
"No," she replied.
"Very well," said the dictator as he turned to his soldiers.
"Ready.... Aim...."
"TIDAL WAVE!" the brunette yelled out, pointing.
The gunmen all turned around, and she escaped, too!
The dictator was becoming frustrated, but now it was the blonde's turn. He marched her to the wall in front of his troops.
"Do you have any last words?" he asked, suspiciously.
"No," she replied.
"Very well," said the dictator as he turned to his soldiers.
"Ready.... Aim...."
"FIRE!" said the Blonde.
Cartoon by Bob Lang.
USA PATRIOT Act Summary:
The law is split into ten titles. Provided by THOMAS. Take a look at the full-text of the law.
Title I: Enhancing Domestic Security Against Terrorism
Title II: Enhanced Surveillance Procedures
Title III: International Money Laundering Abatement and Anti-Terrorist Financing Act of 2001
Title IV: Protecting the Border - Subtitle A: Protecting the Northern Border
Title V: Removing Obstacles to Investigating Terrorism
Title VI: Providing for Victims of Terrorism, Public Safety Officers, and Their Families
Title VII: Increased Information Sharing for Critical Infrastructure Protection
Title VIII: Strengthening the Criminal Laws Against Terrorism
Title IX: Improved Intelligence
Title X: Miscellaneous
11:30 a.m. - Guam Fire Department Spokesman Angel Llagas said a 911 call at about 10:45 a.m. reported a explosion on Andersen Air Force Base, which Llagas said was later reported as a possible downed military aircraft.
1:45 p.m. - The U.S. Air Force has confirmed that a B-2 bomber crashed on Andersen air Force Base at about 10:45 a.m. today.
Two pilots from the 509th Bomb Wing were on board and ejected, according to a press release from Pacific Air Command public affairs at Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii.
The Air Force, without identifying the pilots, said one was medically evaluated and released, and the other was in stable condition at Guam Naval Hospital.
A board of officers will investigate why the plane crashed since, according to the Government Accountability Office, each B-2 Spirit Bomber costs $1.2 billion to build.
All 21 stealth bombers are based at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, but the Air Force has been rotating several of them through Guam since 2004, along with B-1 and B-52 bombers in support of the USAF Pacific Command. The rotations are designed to boost the U.S. security presence in the Asia-Pacific region while other U.S. forces diverted to fight in the Middle East.
The accident occurred 11 days after a Navy plane crashed into the ocean about 20 miles northeast of Guam's Ritidian Point. Four aircrew members ejected from the EA-6B Prowler electronic warfare aircraft and were rescued by helicopter.
Northrop Grumman is the prime contractor for the US Air Force B-2 Spirit stealth bomber. The B-2 is a low-observable, strategic, long-range, heavy bomber capable of penetrating sophisticated and dense air-defence shields. It is capable of all-altitude attack missions up to 50,000ft, with a range of more than 6,000nm unrefuelled and over 10,000nm with one refuelling, giving it the ability to fly to any point in the world within hours.
Its distinctive profile comes from the unique 'flying wing' construction. The leading edges of the wings are angled at 33° and the trailing edge has a double-W shape. It is manufactured at the Northrop Grumman facilities in Pico Rivera and Palmdale in California.
21 B-2s have been delivered to Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, the first in December 1993. In the first three years of service, the operational B-2s achieved a sortie reliability rate of 90%. An assessment published by the USAF showed that two B-2s armed with precision weaponry can do the job of 75 conventional aircraft.
A new transportable hangar system has been developed which allows the B-2 to be deployed to forward locations overseas. The hangars are 126ft long, 250ft wide and 55ft high. The first of these hangars has been erected on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.
Prior to this development, B-2s had to return to Whiteman AFB after missions, for maintenance of the aircraft's stealth features. The B-2 was thus deployed for the first time during Operation Iraqi Freedom in March / April 2003.
Watch the B-2 in action: U.S. Air Force video of B-2
Bone and joint injuries include fractures, dislocations, and sprains.
Fractures
There are basically two types of fractures: open and closed. With an open (or compound) fracture, the bone protrudes through the skin and complicates the actual fracture with an open wound. After setting the fracture, treat the wound as any other open wound. The closed fracture has no open wounds. Follow the guidelines for immobilization, and set and splint the fracture.
The signs and symptoms of a fracture are pain, tenderness, discoloration, swelling deformity, loss of function, and grating (a sound or feeling that occurs when broken bone ends rub together).
The dangers with a fracture are the severing or the compression of a nerve or blood vessel at the site of fracture. For this reason minimum manipulation should be done, and only very cautiously. If you notice the area below the break becoming numb, swollen, cool to the touch, or turning pale, and the victim shows signs of shock, a major vessel may have been severed. You must control this internal bleeding. Rest the victim for shock, and replace lost fluids.
Often you must maintain traction during the splinting and healing process. You can effectively pull smaller bones such as the arm or lower leg by hand. You can create traction by wedging a hand or foot in the V-notch of a tree and pushing against the tree with the other extremity. You can then splint the break.
Very strong muscles hold a broken thighbone (femur) in place making it difficult to maintain traction during healing. You can make an improvised traction splint using natural material (Figure 4-6) as follows:
Using available material (vines, cloth, rawhide), tie the splint around the upper portion of the body and down the length of the broken leg. Follow the splinting guidelines.
Note: Over time you may lose traction because the material weakened. Check the traction periodically. If you must change or repair the splint, maintain the traction manually for a short time.
Dislocations
Dislocations are the separations of bone joints causing the bones to go out of proper alignment. These misalignments can be extremely painful and can cause an impairment of nerve or circulatory function below the area affected. You must place these joints back into alignment as quickly as possible.
Signs and symptoms of dislocations are joint pain, tenderness, swelling, discoloration, limited range of motion, and deformity of the joint.
You treat dislocations by reduction, immobilization, and rehabilitation. Reduction or "setting" is placing the bones back into their proper alignment. You can use several methods, but manual traction or the use of weights to pull the bones are the safest and easiest.
Once performed, reduction decreases the victim's pain and allows for normal function and circulation. Without an X ray, you can judge proper alignment by the look and feel of the joint and by comparing it to the joint on the opposite side.
Immobilization is nothing more than splinting the dislocation after reduction. You can use any fieldexpedient material for a splint or you can splint an extremity to the body. The basic guidelines for splinting are--
To rehabilitate the dislocation, remove the splints after 7 to 14 days. Gradually use the injured joint until fully healed.
Sprains
The accidental overstretching of a tendon or ligament causes sprains. The signs and symptoms are pain, swelling, tenderness, and discoloration (black and blue).
When treating sprains, think RICE--
Excerpt from the U.S. Army Survival Manual
Nowadays counterintelligence is no longer a government problem. It’s a problem for any firm that has valuable secrets to keep, regardless of whether those secrets may be classified. And it’s a problem for any business that uses electronic communications devices – which means every business, all the time.
We now live in a world in which the United States can no longer assume it has a qualitative technological advantage over friends and adversaries. The world has gotten flatter – a lot flatter. Moreover, the dirty world of stolen information has become increasingly economically rational. Thieves who were incapable of exploiting information they knew how to steal have now figured out how to sell it. There’s a robust market for your secrets, and the sellers in that market include amateur hackers, criminal syndicates, and foreign intelligence services.
Entities from a record number of countries—108—were involved in collection efforts against sensitive and protected US technologies in FY 2005, according to evidence amassed by the Counterintelligence (CI) Community. A relatively small number of countries, though—including China and Russia —were the most aggressive and accounted for much of the targeting, just as they have since the CI Community first began systematically tracking foreign technology collection efforts in 1997.
Examples of Foreign Technology Acquisition Efforts—Listed By Suspected End-User Country Selected technology acquisition efforts in FY 2005:
• In October 2004, a naturalized US citizen and a Chinese citizen were sentenced to three years probation for false statements in connection with illegally exporting to China 25 low-noise amplifier chips that have applications in the US Hellfire missile. According to the indictment, the defendants falsely labeled the amplifier chips in export documents as “transistors” worth some $20. One of the individuals was a former employee of a major US defense contractor, and the other worked at a US research institute that designed software for military and warfare simulations.
• In November 2004, a New Jersey company was charged with attempted violation of the Iranian embargo in connection with an effort to export oil-burner nozzles to Germany, knowing that the devices would subsequently be illegally diverted to Iran.
• In November 2004, a federal judged fined a US aircraft parts supplier for illegally exporting components for the HAWK missile, the F-4 Phantom fighter jet, and the F-5 Phantom/Tiger fighter jet to China. The conviction was the 11th to result from a 5-year undercover US Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigation that targeted aircraft parts suppliers that sold defense articles over the Internet to foreign buyers without obtaining the required US export licenses or complying with the arms embargoes.
• In December 2004, a US citizen pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Arms Export Control Act after purchasing from US vendors sensitive US military items, including components for HAWK missiles, military radars, and F-4 Phantom fighter jet aircraft for export to Israel. The individual knowingly failed to obtain the required export license. The individual has previously exported items via Israel to Iran. Israeli authorities that cooperated in the investigation do not believe the final destination of the shipments was Israel.
• In early 2005, a Singapore company on multiple occasions shipped US export-controlled items, including GPS components and radiofrequency power meters, to Iran Electronics Industries, according to press.
• In early 2005, the FBI arrested two employees of a US auto parts manufacturer on charges that they leaked trade secrets to a Chinese firm, according to press reporting. The Chinese company, Chongqing Huafa Industry Co., used the information to manufacture metal connecting rods and undercut the US manufacturer’s prices.
• In January 2005, a Japanese national pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to violate the Arms Export Control Act after attempting to purchase and illegally export military laser sights for M-16 and M-5 rifles.
• In February 2005, a UK citizen was indicted for violating the US embargo on Iran after allegedly attempting to illegally export an experimental, single-engine aircraft from the United States to Iran via the United Kingdom. The aircraft was intercepted in the United Kingdom. The individual, who also allegedly exported electrical components from the United States to Iran via Austria on four occasions between 2000 and 2004, was arrested in Warsaw, Poland, by Polish authorities acting on a US arrest warrant.
• In February 2005, a US citizen pleaded guilty to illegally exporting sensitive night-vision lenses to Iran.
• In February 2005, managers of two United Arab Emirates (UAE)–based companies were charged with conspiring to illegally export goods to Iran via the UAE. The indictment alleges that the defendants shipped computer goods from a Texas company to an entity in Iran affiliated with that nation’s ballistic missile program. It also alleges that they illegally exported a satellite communication system and other goods to Iran.
• In March 2005, a federal grand jury indicted the sales director of a US company with attempting to illegally export sensitive US technology to Iran in violation of the US embargo. According to the indictment, the individual attempted to export a machine that measures the tensile strength of steel and related software technologies.
• In March 2005, a US company pleaded guilty to exporting digital oscilloscopes to Israel without a license. The items were capable of being utilized in development of weapons of mass destruction and in missile delivery fields.
• In October 2005, an engineer working for a cleared defense contractor attempted to transfer US Navy Quiet Electric Drive (QED) technology to China, according to press reports. The engineer transferred QED information to a compact disk with the assistance of his wife and then delivered the disk to his brother. The brother encrypted the QED information and was arrested at the airport as he prepared to leave the United States for China with the data.
Sources: NCIX speech — Counterintelligence in the 21st Century: Not Just a Government Problem and Annual Report to Congress on Foreign Economic Collection and Industrial Espionage--2005 (PDF Download 6 Mb)
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O.K., it's not our beloved man-eating shark back in Jaws V -- but this "C-5" is still really cool.
Airmen load a semi truck onto a C-5 Galaxy with the help of Army contractors.
The semi is transporting an Army helicopter training simulator, the Aviation Combined Arms Tactical Trainer. Airmen from the 436th Aerial Port Squadron built a ramp specially designed to load the trainer on the transport. Before the ramp's creation, the only way to move the trainer was by ship, which took six to eight weeks to get to soldiers in the field.
Photo: U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. James Wilkinson
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A year ago, it was a tomato-sorting shed on the north side of this sprawling base. Today, Marines are using its 30,000 square feet to learn how to survive in Iraq.
The trainer puts squads and fire teams through as realistic a scenario as is possible without live rounds. The purpose is to inoculate Marines with the sights, sounds, smells and chaos of close combat, said Tom Buscemi, the director of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force’s Battle Simulation Center.
“These young men have got to make the right choices in combat, but how do you practice that?” Buscemi said. “How do you rehearse making split-second moral and ethical decisions?”
The trainer is one answer, and it is a multimedia experience. Squads meet both holograms and actors playing Iraqis. As they enter the building, they hear the sounds of the Muslim call to prayer from the local mosque. As the squad enters a market, the sounds change and they need to look for warning signs. They go past the local sheikh’s house and down narrow alleys. The Marines have even managed to duplicate the open sewage smell of a bad neighborhood in Baghdad.
In one scenario, a rocket-propelled grenade wounds an Iraqi woman and kills a Marine. The squad members attempt to deal with the wounded Iraqi woman, who is covered in blood and screaming. At the same time, other members attempt to assess the Marine’s condition and evacuate him to medical care. As all this is going on, insurgents begin firing on the squad’s leaders. A Marine ducks into a room – there are women and children there. Then a hologram pops up of an insurgent with an AK-47. Fire or not? The scenarios present many choices, all intensified by the chaos.
“We want to ensure that Marines are exposed to this chaos here, that they have seen it before, and maybe this will prevent another Haditha,” said Marine Col. Robert Coates, assistant chief of staff for the training and experimentation group. U.S. Marines were accused of over-reacting to a roadside bomb attack in the Anbar province city and killing a number of noncombatants. 
Marine Sgt. William Jones, noncommissioned officer in charge of the trainer, has served a tour in Afghanistan and three tours in Iraq. He said the trainer comes very close to duplicating the chaos of combat, and presents a learning experience for the Marines. In one recent case, he played one of the insurgents. He shot at a Marine and was shot himself. He fell, and the Marine came in and shot him in the chest. “I stopped the exercise immediately,” Jones said. Had that been a real situation, he explained, the Marine would have committed murder.
The trainer has cameras around everywhere, so Jones was able to dissect the performance and hammer home the lesson to the squad. “And tapes don’t lie,” Jones said.
The Marines are talking with Hollywood studios to get more realistic effects for the trainer. Ultimately, they would like to build a far bigger facility that would allow vehicles, taller buildings and better holograms. They also want a technology that allows them to dispense with the paint-ball masks the Marines wear for protection.
“Reading facial expressions is key,” Buscemi said. “And you can’t do that with these masks.”
The facility is the only one of its kind in the Marine Corps, and the people at Camp Pendleton put it together on a shoestring budget, using Office of Naval Research technology, the tomato shed and $2.4 million they diverted from other projects. The Pendleton team also worked with Marine Training and Education Command, the Marine Warfighting Lab and the deployed forces.
The Marines here believe far more can be done in infantry simulation. Coates said that “only one-tenth of 1 percent of simulation funding is spent on infantry simulation. The technology works and is improving all the time.” The Marines want this training to become an integral part of the pre-deployment training program prior to the Mojave Viper battalion-level training exercise at Twentynine Palms, Calif.
“For all the services there is a great deal to be learned by simulation,” Mullen said. “This is important, breakthrough stuff, and we need cross-talk (among the services) to come out with best practices.”
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
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"If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe." -- Carl Sagan
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