Archive for April, 2010


Decal Sign - ARMY

posted by pbwethy @ 12:00 PM
April 30, 2010

The United States Army is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven uniformed services. The modern Army has its roots in the Continental Army which was formed on 14 June 1775, before the establishment of the United States, to meet the demands of the American Revolutionary War. Congress created the United States Army on 14 June 1784 after the end of the war to replace the disbanded Continental Army. The Army considers itself to be descended from the Continental Army and thus dates its inception from the origins of that force.

The primary mission of the Army is to “provide necessary forces and capabilities … in support of the National Security and Defense Strategies.” Control and operation is administered by the Department of the Army, one of the three military departments of the Department of Defense. The civilian head is the Secretary of the Army and the highest ranking military officer in the department is the Chief of Staff, unless the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff or Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are Army officers. The Regular Army reported a strength of 539,675 soldiers; the Army National Guard (ARNG) reported 360,351 and the United States Army Reserve (USAR) reported 197,024 putting the combined component strength total 1,097,050 soldiers (2008 Financial Year).

 ”The 7 Army Core Values.” The Army began to teach these values as basic warrior traits. The seven Army Core Values are as follows:

 1. Loyalty – Bear true faith and allegiance to the U.S. Constitution, the Army, your unit, and fellow Soldiers.
 2. Duty – Fulfill your obligations.
 3. Respect – Treat others as they should be treated.
 4. Selfless Service – Put the welfare of the nation, the Army, and your subordinates before your own.
 5. Honor – Live the Army Values.
 6. Integrity – Do what’s right, both legally and morally.
 7. Personal Courage – Face fear, danger, or adversity, both physical and moral.

This U.S. Army Decal is to remember are men and women over seas. It also makes a great gift for any army solider past or present. My brother-in-law has served in the army for over 20 years all over the world.


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Decal Sign - Star Of David

posted by pbwethy @ 12:00 PM
April 29, 2010

The Star of David or Shield of David (Magen David in Hebrew, מָגֵן דָּוִד with nikkud or מגן דוד without, academically transcribed Māḡēn Dāwīḏ by Biblical Hebrew linguists, [maˈɡen daˈvid] in Modern Hebrew and Mogein Dovid [ˈmɔɡeɪn ˈdɔvid] or Mogen Dovid [ˈmɔɡen ˈdɔvid] in Ashkenazi Hebrew and Yiddish) is a generally recognized symbol of Jewish identity and Judaism.

It is named after King David of ancient Israel; and its earliest known communal usage began in the Middle Ages, alongside the more ancient symbol of the menorah. Geometrically it is the two triangles, with one flipped and laid over the other.

The Star of David, like the Pentagram or the Swastika, was originally a magical protective symbol and was only later associated with the Jews. It didn’t become generally associated with the Jews until the 17th century when the Jewish quarter of Vienna was formally distinguished from the rest of the city by a boundary stone having a hexagram on one side and a cross on the other. It didn’t become internationally associated until it was adopted as the symbol of the Zionist movement after the Dreyfus affair in France in the 19th century.

With the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948 the Star of David on the Flag of Israel has also become a symbol of Israel and has become associated with the Zionist movement.

The star of david decal comes in 3 sizes and 12 colors. This decal makes a great gift for all ages.


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Tin Sign-Protected By Smith & Wesson

posted by pbwethy @ 12:00 PM
April 28, 2010

The Smith & Wesson Model 500 is a five-shot, double-action revolver produced by Smith & Wesson, firing the .500 S&W Magnum cartridge.

It is built on S&W’s largest frame, the X-Frame. The manufacturer claims it is the “most powerful production revolver in the world today”.The Pfeifer Zeliska .600 Nitro Express revolver is more powerful but it is not a “production” revolver. The Model 500 can fire a bullet weighing 350 gr ( 22.7 g; 0.8 oz) at 1975 feet per second (602 m/s) generating a muzzle energy of over 3,030 foot-pounds force (4.1 kJ).[citation needed]

Articles, statements, and opinions vary widely on this firearm. Any of the available bullet weights can be relied on to take game at a range in excess of 200 yards (183 m), a feat matched by only a handful of other handguns.[citation needed] The advanced design of the firearm helps in counteracting recoil felt by the shooter. This includes the sheer weight of the firearm, use of rubber grips, the forward balance, and the use of a compensator. On certain S&W Performance Center models the compensator is replaced with a full muzzle brake.

Like most big caliber handguns the Model 500 is suitable for sport and hunting applications. The high energy of these rounds make it possible to hunt extremely large African game successfully.

Like any gun, proper supervision is required for novice shooters; however, due to the extremely high recoil, novice shooters should be especially coached while shooting this gun.

This gun tin sign makes a great gift for any gun enthusiast.


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Tin Sign -International Fire Truck Chasis

posted by pbwethy @ 12:00 PM
April 27, 2010

HME can trace its heritage back to 1913, over 95 years ago, when Magnus Hendrickson founded the Hendrickson Motor Truck Company in Chicago. Quite an innovator in his day, Hendrickson began building custom trucks including those for specialized applications such as heavy delivery, stone cranes, roofer’s hoists and scavenger bodies.

It was Hendrickson that developed and marketed the first tandem axle suspension, quite an innovation in its day, and was one of the first truck manufacturers to install Diesel engines. The company built its first line of fire apparatus in the 1930s, and was the first to develop and market the first tilt cab custom pumper chassis in the 1980s.

Hendrickson Motor Truck Company changed its name over time to Hendrickson Mobile Equipment to better reflect the diversity of products being produced. Over the road trucks, crane carriers, split shaft power take offs, cast spoke wheels, tandem suspensions and specialized prime movers such as a mammoth rig that was built to transport 500,000-lb. transformers to a Canadian hydroelectric plant, proved over and over, the engineering and manufacturing expertise of HME. In 1980, HME was the first to introduce a cab over tilt cab to the fire market in a custom design. Further enhancing maneuverability HME led the industry with the introduction of a standard 45-degree front axle cramp angle.

Today, HME is located in Wyoming, Michigan with over 140 employees working in a modern five-year old, state of the art, 150,000 square foot plant, producing fire apparatus, over-the-road Class 8 truck chassis and special mobile equipment units such as drill rig chassis and heavy-duty prime movers. The vehicles begin with the frame rails entering one side of the plant, and the finished units emerging from the other. This “under one roof” facility brings together the chassis, systems, pump and body engineering to produce rigs that are truly single-source from start to finish.

The company is the world’s largest single-source producer of custom, stainless steel fire apparatus, introduced a number of new products.

Drawing from its heritage of the innovative and legendary Ahrens-Fox line of apparatus, the RAT™, or Rapid Attack Truck, combines a fully rated Class A pumper engineered into the size of a mini pumper without sacrificing water, hose or equipment carrying capacity. The CAT™ or City Attack Truck is a custom engineered solution, perfect for departments with high call volumes that need a unit having heavy duty pumping power, easy service accessibility, replacement of corrosion-prone components such as aluminum tread plate, and user-friendly design elements such as an extremely low rear hose bed. The CAT™ provides an abundance of compartment space for storing EMS and firefighting equipment and is mounted on an HME custom chassis designed to be more maneuverable than the chief’s Crown Victoria.

The new Arsenal™ aerial was designed to outmaneuver a single axle quint, provide 600-gallon water tanks and to carry a full load of ISO required ladders, pike poles and equipment. New products on the mechanical side include Hydra-Technology™ water delivery system that uses stainless steel plumbing with ‘vic’ fittings and the new MAD DOG™, patent pending compressed air foam system that combines a high level of knockdown power with an affordable price.

A world leader in fire service innovation, American owned HME is one of the fastest growing custom builders today, constructing a diverse line of innovative, heavy duty stainless steel fire apparatus that is setting the industry standard for design, performance and long life.

This international fire truck chasis tin sign makes a great gift for anyone.


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Decal Sign - Gymnast Decal

posted by pbwethy @ 12:00 PM
April 26, 2010

Gymnastics is an activity and sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, co-ordination, balance, and grace. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) with each country having its own national governing body affiliated to FIG. Competitive Artistic gymnastics is the best known of the gymnastic sports. It typically involves the women’s events of uneven parallel bars, balance beam, floor exercise, and vault. Men’s events include floor exercise, pommel horse, still rings, vault, parallel bars, and high bar. Gymnastics evolved from exercises used by the ancient Greeks, that included skills for mounting and dismounting a horse, and from circus performance skills.

Other gymnastic sports include rhythmic gymnastics, the various trampolining sports, and aerobic and acrobatic gymnastics.

Participants can include children as young as two years old and sometimes younger doing kindergym and children’s gymnastics, recreational gymnasts of all ages, competitive gymnasts at varying levels of skill, as well as world class athletes.

This gymnast decal sign makes a great gift.


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Parking Tin Sign NFL - Chicago Bears

posted by pbwethy @ 12:00 PM
April 23, 2010

Chicago Bears
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Fight song “Bear Down, Chicago Bears”
Mascot Staley Da Bear
Team nicknames
Da Bears
Championships
League championships (9)
NFL Championships (8)
1921, 1932, 1933, 1940, 1941, 1943, 1946, 1963
Super Bowl Championships (1)
1985 (XX)
 Conference championships (4)
NFL Western: 1956, 1963
NFC: 1985, 2006
 Division championships (17)
NFL Western: 1933, 1934, 1937, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1946
NFC Central: 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 2001
NFC North: 2005, 2006
 
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the NFC North Division of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The team is legally and corporately registered as Chicago Bears Football Club, Incorporated.

The Bears have won nine professional American football league championships (eight NFL Championships and Super Bowl XX). The Bears have the most enshrinees in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, with 26 members. The Bears have also recorded more regular season and overall victories than any other NFL franchise. The franchise recorded its 700th win on December 7, 2008.

The club was founded in Decatur, Illinois, in 1919, and moved to Chicago in 1921. Along with the Arizona Cardinals (originally from Chicago), it is one of only two remaining franchises from the NFL’s founding. The team played home games at Wrigley Field on Chicago’s North Side through the 1970 season. With the exception of the 2002 season, they have played their home games at Chicago’s Soldier Field every year since 1971. The stadium is located next to Lake Michigan, and was recently remodeled in a modernization intended to update stadium amenities while preserving a historic Chicago structure. The team has a fierce, long-standing rivalry with the Green Bay Packers, whom they have played 178 times. The Bears currently hold the edge in head to head match ups with a record of 90–82–5.

The team headquarters, Halas Hall, is in the Chicago suburb of Lake Forest, Illinois. The Bears practice at adjoining facilities there during the season. They hold their annual training camp from late July to mid-August at Ward Field on the campus of Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Illinois.

This NFL parking tin sign makes a great a gift


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Custom License Plate Signs - Football

posted by pbwethy @ 12:00 PM
April 22, 2010

The history of American football, a spectator sport in the United States, can be traced to early versions of rugby football. Both games have their origin in varieties of football played in the United Kingdom in the mid-19th century, in which a football is kicked at a goal and/or run over a line.

American football resulted from several major divergences from rugby, most notably the rule changes instituted by Walter Camp, considered the “Father of American Football”. Among these important changes were the introduction of the line of scrimmage and of down-and-distance rules. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, gameplay developments by college coaches such as Eddie Cochems, Amos Alonzo Stagg, Knute Rockne, and Glenn “Pop” Warner helped take advantage of the newly introduced forward pass. The popularity of collegiate football grew as it became the dominant version of the sport in the United States for the first half of the twentieth century. Bowl games, a college football tradition, attracted a national audience for collegiate teams. Bolstered by fierce rivalries, college football still holds widespread appeal in the US.

The origin of professional football can be traced back to 1892, with William “Pudge” Heffelfinger’s $500 contract to play in a game for the Allegheny Athletic Association against the Pittsburgh Athletic Club. In 1920 the American Professional Football Association was formed. This league changed its name to the National Football League (NFL) two years later, and eventually became the major league of American football. Primarily a sport of Midwestern industrial towns in the United States, professional football eventually became a national phenomenon. Football’s increasing popularity is usually traced to the 1958 NFL Championship Game, a contest that has been dubbed the “Greatest Game Ever Played”. A rival league to the NFL, the American Football League (AFL), began play in 1960; the pressure it put on the senior league led to a merger between the two leagues and the creation of the Super Bowl, which has become the most watched television event in the United States on an annual basis.

This football license plate tag can be made in any team you choose even your kids team.


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Decals - Football Helmet

posted by pbwethy @ 12:00 PM
April 21, 2010

The plastic football helmet came in 1939. It was invented and patented by John T. Riddell and his son John T. Riddell Jr., of the John T. Riddell Company in Chicago, a sporting goods provider. The single molded shell was stronger, lighter, longer lasting, and didn’t rot the way leather does when damp. Colors could also be baked into the plastic so the paint jobs would be longer lasting. In 1940 Riddell also developed the first chin strap to rest on the chin instead of the neck and the first plastic face mask.

There were problems however. The plastic helmets were brittle when hit head on. And the bar hole that was drilled for the face mask tended to pop loose. Because of this Riddell was in trouble and so was the plastic helmet.

The plastic helmet survived because of an intercession by one George Halas of the Chicago Bears on its behalf, and the plastic helmet was made legal in 1949, the beginning of the end for leather helmets. Riddell’s plastic helmet was a little flat on top at first but it changed to its tear-drop shape, which allowed a blow to slide to one side or the other rather than be met head-on. Its web suspension could be raised or lowered to fit the head of a player.

In 1955. G.E. Morgan a consultant to Riddell, and Paul Brown the coach of the Cleveland Browns, invented the BT-5 face mask which is the single bar design. The year after the BT-5 a single wave radio was installed in a players helmet so the coach could give the play to the quarterback over a radio frequency. It only resulted in game time interference but the experiment was ahead of its time.

1971, Morgan, now chairman of the board of Riddell got a patent for “Energy Absorbing and Sizing Means for Helmets.” The result: new HA-91 and HA-92 energy-absorbing, “microfit” helmets. They had valves on their crown to allow air to be pumped into vinyl cushions that were crammed into every space inside the helmet. The player put it on and then had it pumped up to fit firmly around the player’s head. Sometimes fluid was also used. An anti-freeze solvent, was used by some of the Green Bay Packers to beat the cold of Lambeau field.

Sources are unsure as to who first designed air bladders for football helmets but Dr. Richard Schneider of the University of Michigan Hospital is reported to have believed that air was the most effective way to protect against blunt force. With this theory in mind, he invented an inflatable bladder for use inside a football helmet. The Michigan Wolverines Football team used a prototype and Schutt Sports hired Schnieder and started mass producing the AirTm Helmet in the early 1970s.

Many Vet’s still preferred the old web suspended Riddell TK-2 because it was generally lighter and more breathable. Interior helmet pads were then developed that were lighter didn’t need to be filled with air or fluid by both the Schutt and Riddell sports companies. And because of safety they were soon preferred by all positions.

In 1976 because of concern for safety, four point chin straps were required in college ball. These kept the helmet firmly in place.

Space age rigid Polycarbonate alloy plastic helmets and vinyl coated steel alloy face masks are the norm in the 80’s and 90’s.

In 2002 Riddell released a new more spherical design for the helmet called the Revolution and it is currently the most widely used helmet in the National Football League The Schutt counterpart is called the DNA Pro Adult Helmet. A study released by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center shows that the Riddell Revolution, and others like it, reduce the incidences of concussion by 31%.

This football hamelt decal can be put on you car windsheild in 12 different colors and 3 sizes.


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Decal Sign - Football

posted by pbwethy @ 12:00 PM
April 20, 2010

American football, known in the United States simply as football and often as gridiron or tackle football outside the United States, is a competitive team sport known for combining strategy with physical play. The objective of the game is to score points by advancing the ball into the opposing team’s end zone. The ball can be advanced by carrying it (a running play) or by throwing it to a teammate (a passing play). Points can be scored in a variety of ways, including carrying the ball over the opponent’s goal line, catching a pass thrown over that goal line, kicking the ball through the goal posts at the opponent’s end zone, or tackling an opposing ball carrier within his end zone. The winner is the team with the most points when the time expires.

American football is closely related to Canadian football, but with significant differences.

In the United States, the major forms are high school football, college football and professional football, which are essentially similar but feature slightly different rules.

High school football is governed in the U.S. by the National Federation of State High School Associations. College football is governed in the U.S. by two bodies; the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. The major league for professional football is the National Football League. Over the years, there have been other notable professional football leagues, including the All America Football Conference during the 1940s, the American Football League during the 1960s, the United States Football League during the 1980s, and the currently active United Football League.

The sport is also played outside the United States. National professional and collegiate leagues exist in United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, Japan, Mexico, Israel,Spain, Austria, and several Pacific Island nations. The International Federation of American Football acts as an international governing body for the sport on five continents, but the organization has little standing in the United States compared to the other bodies and leagues mentioned above.

This window decal is for all the crazy guys who spend Sunday afternoons and Monday nights watching football.


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Decal Signs - Dolphins

posted by pbwethy @ 12:00 PM
April 19, 2010

Dolphins are well known for their intellect, their gregarious nature, and their acrobatic abilities. But there are many lesser known qualities that make a dolphin a dolphin. Here we’ll explore ten characteristics of dolphins and learn more about these much-loved marine mammals.

1. Dolphins belong to a group of mammals referred to as cetaceans (or Cetacea). The cetaceans are further broken down into two main groups, the toothed whales (or Ondontoceti) and the baleen whales (Mysticeti). Dolphins are classified as toothed whales (Ondontoceti). Other toothed whales include killer whales, pilot whales, beluga, narwhal, sperm whales, and several groups of river dolphins.

2. The term ‘dolphin’ refers to a diverse assortment of marine mammals. The term dolphin is not restricted to a single taxonomic class and therefore is an unspecific term. The groups of toothed whales whose members are often referred to as dolphins include the oceanic dolphins (Delphinidae), river dolphins (Iniidae), and the Indian river dolphins (Platanistidae). Of these groups the oceanic dolphins are by far the most diverse.

3. Oceanic dolphins are also referred to as ‘true dolphins’ and are the most diverse group of cetaceans. The species of dolphins that belong to the Family Delphinidae are referred to as ‘oceanic’ or ‘true’ dolphins. The Delphinidae group includes about 32 species and is the largest of all subgroups of the cetaceans. Species of oceanic dolphins (Delphinidae) inhabit the open ocean, though this is not a strict rule for the group (in some cases, oceanic dolphins inhabit coastal waters or riverine habitats).

4. Some oceanic dolphins have a prominent beak also known as a ‘rostrum’. The snout of some oceanic dolphins is long and slender due to their elongated, prominent jaw bones. Within the dolphins’ elongated jaw bone sits numerous conical teeth (some species have as many as 130 teeth in each jaw). Species that have prominent beaks include, for example, Common Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin, Atlantic Humpbacked Dolphin, Tucuxi, Long-Snouted Spinner Dolphin, and numerous others.

5. A dolphin’s forelimbs are known as ‘pectoral flippers’. The forelimbs of a dolphin are anatomically equivalent to the forelimbs of other mammals (for example, they are analogous to arms in humans). But the bones within the forelimbs of dolphins have been shortened and made more rigid by supporting connective tissue. Pectoral flippers enable dolphins to steer and modulate their speed.

6. Some dolphin species lack a dorsal fin. The dorsal fin of a dolphin (located on the back of the dolphin) acts like a keel when the animal swims, giving the animal directional control and stability within the water. But not all dolphins have a dorsal fin. For example, the Northern Rightwhale Dolphins and the Southern Rightwhale Dolphins lack dorsal fins.

7. Dolphins have a unique sense of hearing. Dolphins do not have prominent external ear openings. Their ear openings are small slits (located behind their eyes) which do not connect to the middle ear. Instead, scientists suggest that sound is conducted to the inner and middle ear by fat-lobes located within the lower jaw and by various bones within the skull.

8. Dolphins have excellent vision in and out of the water. When light passes from air to water, it changes speed. The creates an optical effect referred to as refraction. For dolphins, this means their eyes must correct for these differences if they are to see clearly in both conditions. Fortunately, dolphins have specially adapted lens and cornea that enable them to see clearly in and out of the water.

9. The Baiji is a critically endangered river dolphin that inhabits the murky waters of the Yangtze River in China. The Baiji has suffered dramatic population declines over recent decades due to pollution and heavy industrial use of the Yangtze river. In 2006, a scientific expedition set out to locate any remaining Baiji but failed to find a single individual in the Yangtze. The species was declared functionally extinct.

10. Dolphins probably do not have a very strong olfactory sense. Dolphins, like all toothed whales, lack olfactory lobes and nerves. Because dolphins do not possess these anatomical features, they most likely have a poorly developed sense of smell.

If you love Dolphins this decal makes a great gift.


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