Plan for Progress  

Children live what they learn!   This is so obvious considering the type of world we live in nowadays.  We are so technologically advanced to the point where people call or email each other from different sections of a house.   Kids no longer spend time playing family games or fooling around the house.  As a substitute, they are stuck in their allocated rooms surfing the internet, playing video games or watching movies.  Movies are crowded with action that most times is gun related and as a result kids have developed a fascination for guns.  Boys specifically have a craze for toy guns.  Due to the rise in popularity of this hazardous weapon, new designs have been created to meet the needs of the eager little boys.  One such model is the paper gun.  Paper guns can also be enjoyable for children to create so it comes with added fun in creating it then playing with it.

Paper gun making can be a good connection technique for parents and children especially father-to-son connection.  For kids who are interested in guns and movies depicting the use of guns extensively, creating a paper gun is far better and inexpensive than to buy one.  They are harmless, fun and easy to make.  There are also different procedures to create paper guns.  Follow the guidelines provided on how to make a paper gun and sooner or later you will become skilled at the craft.

Materials Needed:

2 sheets of letter size copy paper (you can also use origami paper if you choose).

Directions:

1.Fold one sheet of paper in two lengthways.
2.Fold the paper in two another time lengthways.
3.The half-size paper that you now have, fold it in half again lengthwise.  You should have a long paper like a ruler.
4.Take the other sheet of letter size paper.  Fold it in half lengthways, and then fold in half lengthwise again.  Fold it another time to get the same results like you did with the first piece of paper.  Therefore you should have two long pieces of paper.
5.Take one of the papers that you folded and fold it the opposite way, specifically, across the width ensuring that the left edge joins the right edge.   Crease the paper well.  This will form the barrel of the gun.
6.Take the next sheet of paper and fold over each end at a 90-degree angle.  Leave approximately 4 inches space in the middle.  The two ends must be even and equally aligned.
7.Take the paper in hand and fold the two 90-degree folds exactly in two in the middle space.  Both ends of the paper must be equally aligned and even.
8.Take the piece of paper to be used as the gun barrel and place it over the 90-degree angles so that it fits into the pockets formed by the 90-degree angles when folded together.
9.Pull it back and slide forward to create an L-shaped gun.  Your gun is now complete and ready for battle!

Tips:

You can let children to colour the paper in the colour they desire their guns to be to make it more fun. You can even use markers to outline the gun to make it look more interesting.
You can try other kinds of paper such as notebook paper or origami paper.  There are metallic kinds of origami paper that will effectively make the gun look more realistic.
You may experiment with various sizes and shapes to come up with different kinds of gun once you learn the primary gun making technique.
If you want your gun to be more stable, you can use glue or staples to fasten the folded areas in place.
Search online for how to make a paper gun and find various techniques in making the craft.

Romantic Comedy Movies

There seem to be two types of romantic comedy movies: chick flicks and teen sex comedies. The latter might not fit into the category, though most of them involve romance interspersed with comedic scenes. For the sake of our discussion here, let’s focus on chick movies.

Romantic Comedies

When Harry Met Sally (1989) – Take Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan, set it in New York City, and add a great soundtrack of romantic tunes, and you get a classic of the genre.

Sleepless in Seattle (1993) – This found Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan at the height of their powers of likableness. When a man’s wife dies, his grieving carries on for too long, and his 10-year old son calls in to a national radio show to get relationship advice. The caller ‘Sleepless in Seattle’ becomes a national sensation, getting the attention of a columnist for a Baltimore publication, who is engaged (but infatuated by this mysterious ‘Sleepless’).

You’ve Got Mail (1998) – The last hurrah for Meg Ryan as everyone’s favorite love interest. Co-starring Tom Hanks in a modern remake of 1940′s Shop Around The Corner, starring James Stewart and Margaret Sullavan.

Annie Hall (1977) – Just about any Woody Allen film fits into this category, but this was the best and freshest of the bunch. You either love or hate Woody Allen movies, so keep that in mind when taking my advice to rent it.

Sabrina (1954) and Sabrina (1995) – Both of these are worthy films. The first stars Humphrey Bogart, the underrated William Holden, and Audrey Hepburn. The remake stars Harrison Ford, the underrated Greg Kineer, and Julia Ormond. Both give you everything you want in a romantic comedy.

Roman Holiday (1953) – Back when Audrey Hepburn was the queen of romantic movies. Gregory Peck is the no-nonsense American reporter in Italy. Audrey Hepburn plays a crown princess (from who-knows-where) who runs into the city of Rome to see the sights, and gets the tour from Gregory Peck. Also features Eddie Albert in a charming role as the roguish sidekick to Mr. Peck.

There are so many other romance films to choose from, but those are a good start.

Sometimes, the world just can be so unfair to the left handed people. Arm chairs are made to support right handed people. And yes, while a lot of left handed people love music so much, it is just so unfair that almost every guitar on the planet is for right handed people. And, to make things worse, every guitar chart there is basically serve as a guide to right handed people only as well.

The Spotlight on: The Left Guitar

Fortunately now, the left handed have some sort of justice. There are now arm chairs for the left handed. And yes, there are now guitars for the left handed. These guitars are basically called left guitars. Left guitars are basically those guitars that are made for the neck and the strings to be governed by the left hand, and not by the right hand as most guitars are made. And the best part of it all? Left handed guitarists could also now get to follow guitar charts that were made for right handed guitars, with ease. That’s because they now follow the same frets and the same movements, only, the hand used for plucking and strumming the strings would be different.

Left Guitar Models in the Market

Yamaha currently has lefty guitars on its stead. There are also guitars for the left handed available where Fender, Taylor, Martin, and Gibson guitars are for sale.

Anyone who has had their gaze drawn down the soft, sinuous curves of an acoustic guitar is sure to have felt an irresistible urge to handle the magnificent instrument. It can be a challenging but worthwhile pursuit for an enthusiast to combine the knowledge of woodworking and a love of music and learn how to build a guitar.

Plans for building guitars are available from a wide variety of sources. The type of wood you select for the body of the instrument plays an important role in the sound that is generated. The wood used should be 0.25 inches thick and be durable yet lightweight. Types of wood that are commonly used include cedar and spruce.

The front and back parts, or pieces, of the guitar can be cut out with a jig saw after precise measurements are made. The two pieces have to be exactly the same shape to ensure a perfect fit. The sound hole is an integral part of the instrument that produces a sound with more bass if it’s smaller, and more treble if it’s larger. This has to be cut out near the center of the front piece.

Both the back and front pieces have to be braced for support and strength and to lower the risk of the wood cracking in drier conditions. Braces are made from similar wood and attached with wood glue. The glue must be allowed to dry before proceeding further.

Forming the sides of the instrument is a time-consuming process that requires much patience. Two strips of wood, approximately 5 inches wide and long enough to wrap halfway around the body pieces are needed. The strips have to be soaked in hot water and individually shaped to fit the contours of the pieces. A Styrofoam mold can be used to ensure the strips keep their shape. The strips are glued to end and neck blocks before the front and back pieces are glued to the sides thus forming the body.

A mortise, or groove, is cut in the top of the body where the neck is attached after the body is sanded and smoothened. The construction of the neck, bridge and fret board are laborious and it is recommended that a commercial, pre-fabricated unit is used. Attach these securely with glue and leave to dry before stringing the instrument.

Getting Lite

Getting Lite also called getting dark, lite feet or getting heavy, is a type of street dance movement presently increasing in popularity in urban and street groups, that started in Harlem, NY. It usually occurrs when a group of people gather and clap a variation of a clap a four count beat over and over. Dancers can then enter the circle and perform moves that are similar to Jerkin, the chicken noodle soup, and the Harlem shake.

Steps to learning Getting Lite:

It s simple and about anyone can do it

Non-dancers will be glad to know that while the movements of getting litre mimic those of already existing dances, they are not the actual dances. Therefore it is a whole lot simpler to cover a mistake or to

simply enjoy getting lite when in fact you might have no clue what it is you’re doing. Individuals who are considered to be champions at getting lite are original, so while youtube and other video blog video posts are a good place to get the baisc idea, they should not be replicated exactly. To put it simply, if you have seen it, at least half of the people who you would end up getting lite with would have watched it too.

Incorporate other dance moves :

There are varying adaptations of the moves when it comes to facial expressions. Some dancers prefer to look silly; sticking out their tongues or looking surprised whenever they perform a move. Others will seem like they are doing the most complex thing with a perfectly stern look on their faces.

Remember your feet:

A style that presents itslef in all the dancers ways is fast foot movements (hence the name lite feet), integrating hopping, jumping and crisscrossing. If you are stumped following the professional videos online where dancers will appear to looks so much better than you think you do, and you need step by step instruction figuring out getting lite, there are tutorials which can provide a walk through. You can replay them as many times as you need until you are comfortable doing the moves. Simply keep in mind, that in reality, originality is still key and there are no rules or limits to what you can do. It’s all about self expression and having fun.

Use your props

Props are also prominent in getting lite. Dancers will use hats, shirts, shoes, backpacks and jacket’s to emphasize their movements, throwing into the group of persons gathered or jumping over them

Touch the ground:

At some point, an item or the dancer getting lite will touch the ground or pick an item up off the ground. This may be difficult to do in time to the beat, but if you manage it, you’re well on your way to get lite.

Practice and have fun with it:

Get lite is about having fun, even if you watch the videos on youtube, you will see the dancers falter, and there’s nothing wrong with it. You can always step out of the circle if you’re in a group of persons or fix areas when you feel you may be awkward at home where no one can see. Anyone can learn how to do the Get Lite dance.

Kite flying can be a really relaxing past time and though ready-made kites are low-priced and easy to obtain, it can be very rewarding to build one from scratch with your own two hands. The process is really quick and easy so if you are up for it, here are a few things to get you started on a diamond-shaped kite.

How To Build A Kite

Required Tools

Markers, paint or crayons

Knife/saw

Scissors

Required Materials

String

Scotch tape or glue

1 sheet of strong paper/plastic (102cm x 102cm)

2 sticks of bamboo or wooden doweling 90cm and 100cm

Strong cord

Instructions

The first phase is to make the frame of your kite. Put the 100 cm stick on a even surface and place the 90 cm stick across it. The 90 cm stick should be about 2/3 up the 100 cm stick and should be the same on both sides (basically you must have the shape of a cross). Remember that you are making a diamond shape therefore the 90 cm stick should be above the middle of the 100 cm stick.

Once the sticks are lined up use the string to wrap around them and secure them in place. Use a knife/saw to cut little indentations into the 4 ends of the frame big enough for string to fit in without jumping out. Now tie the end of the string to one of the sticks and run the string right around the frame. Run the string into a notch, wrap it right around the stick so it remains in position and move on. Do this on all the sticks, then tie the string and sever it with a knife or scissors.

Now take the paper/plastic and lay it down and then place the frame on top of it. Use your scissors to cut the paper/plastic to fit the frame, allowing about 2 cm extra right around. If you intend to paint or color the kite, this is most likely the best time to do so since it will be easier to make patterns while the paper/plastic is lying flat instead of waiting until it is wrapped around the frame.

After you are done with your painting/coloring and the paper/plastic has dried, fold the extra paper/plastic over the strings and tape or glue them in place so that they enfold the string frame, ensuring that the paper/plastic is properly stretched and tight.

Tie a section of string around the top and bottom of the 90 cm stick, however, leave a little of additional string hanging in the middle (for example since the stick is 90 cm long, make the string about 100 cm long). Tie another section of string around the top of the 100 cm stick and around the bottom too as with the 90 cm stick but leave additional string at the bottom for the tail (about 25 cm longer). Locate where both strings cross each other in the center. This is where you will tie the string which you will be holding onto while the kite is flying.

Lastly use ribbons to decorate the kite tail; besides looking pretty the ribbons will add weight to the kite and stop it from spinning out of control when in the air. When this step is complete tie the cord you will be holding around the 2 strings mentioned earlier and your kite is ready to go.

Tips and Warnings

When running the string to create the kite’s frame, make sure you do not draw the string so tautly that you warp the frame of the kite.

If the kite keeps dipping or spinning out of control the tail can be too light or too heavy as such experiment with it until the kite flies steadily.

Here you can find more information on how to build a kite.

A ballista is a very old kind of crossbow which was utilized in times of combat by mainly the Greeks & Romans. The ballista functions by firing heavy darts or stones to damage the enemy. Persons conduct projects on ancient societies which may require them to produce certain artifacts from the Greeks and Romans, in such cases the ballista may be needed for a staging. These items may also be employed in screenplays and videos that display ancient times while for some persons this feet might just be to open up a creative enlightenment by attempting to make objects that symbolize antiquity. You can construct a ballista by purchase a ballista-making kit but it is much more gratifying to build one by yourself from scratch with all the materials and tools. This will allow you to exercise on your creativity and also relive an instance of the early days of warfare.

How To Build A Ballista

Required Tools:

Hammer

Measuring tape

Required Materials:

Thin rope

Piece of strong nylon

Nails

2 washers

2 hoop hooks

Wooden block 12” high and 12” wide, 24” long; the base

Block of wood 3”x3”x12”

Block of wood 2” x 2” x 24”

2 blocks of wood 2” x ¼’’ x 12”

2 – 2” cubes of wood

1 length of wood about the same size as a standard pencil

2 wooden cylinders approximately 2” diameter and 2” long

2 – 2” long poles made of metal

Instructions are as follows:

1. First you have to construct the base section of the ballista. Place it onto the work table and line up the 3 inch piece of wood to the 12 inch border of the base and connect both pieces of wood together using the nail and hammer.

2. Then arrange the block so that it is resting with the 3 inch block on the base then use the nail to connect the 2’x24” section of wood to the top center of the base.

3. Use the hammer and nail to connect the first 2”x12” piece of wood to the 24 inch piece so that both pieces form a T.

4. Place your 2 cubes of wood between the horizontal wood of the T-shaped design. Both pieces should be nailed around three inches from where both pieces connect.

5. Place the remaining 2”x12” section of wood atop of these cubes. Drive a single nail into this wood, then into the blocks, then through the first 2”x12” piece.

6. Place the two wooden cylinders on whichever side of the horizontal ends of the T shape.

7. Place a washer on each end of the horizontal bar of the T, around 3 inches apart from each end. Nail them in place.

8. Attach a hoop hook between your wooden cube and the wooden cylinder on the inside section of the horizontal piece of the T. then place in the rope into each hook, and start to wind the rope. When you have twisted it halfway up the length of the rope, wind the pencil-like piece of wood into the rope, then constrict it firmly around the wood.

9. Place the rope through the wood and through the washer. Put your metal pole on top of the opening in the washer so that it settles in a horizontal plane. Tie the ropes and lock them to the poles and slash off the other ends of the rope. Connect each of the ends of the nylon or rubber to the pencil-like piece of wood.

Tips and Warnings

* If you are planning to use the ballista only do it in a well cleared area, and by no means inside. Make sure that there are no persons or creatures near by.

* Experiment with various projectiles to see which travels the farthest or produces the hardest impact.

Read here for more information on how to build a ballista

All good roller coasters start with a model; a model shows potential customers what the ride will look like, how steady it will be, and assists their choice on whether to buy it or not. So here are a few steps in making a roller coaster model that can afterwards become a real roller coaster ride.

How To Build A Roller Coaster

Required Tools

Super glue

Normal marker

Permanent marker

Wire cutter

Required Materials

Paint

Your choice of material for the model (e.g., clay, tin)

1 yard of wire

Scenery pieces such as artificial trees, miniature people, plants etc.

Plexiglass

Small pieces of plastic

Instructions

Settle on the sort of roller coaster you want to make and choose the material you prefer to use to build a roller coaster. You can use clay, some sort of metal, or some individuals even use popsicle sticks and toothpicks, so decide which you wish to work with and get started.

Use the normal marker to draw the shape of the track on the plexiglass, – the lift hill, inversions (loops), secondary hills, etc, and once you have decided on the shape, use the permanent marker to brighten it to prevent it from getting rubbed out. The structure, tracks and support are all very important segments of the model and ought to be sketched clearly here. Now you can start building.

Using the clay or other material of your preference start putting the model together. Take your time to install each segment and put support pieces where necessary to guarantee the model is strong and secure and does not fall down.

Every roller coaster starts with a really big hill dubbed the lift hill, this is because roller coasters typically are driven by gravity and the lift hill is the one spot on the track that an electric motor is used to get the coaster to the top and then gravity takes over. So it is critical to perfect the height and shape of the lift hill.

To build the lift for your model, use a wire cutter to cut 3-4 pieces of the wire and lay them next to each other in the middle of the lift hill. Then choose 2 sections at the top and bottom of the lift hill that the lift will go through to join underneath the tracks. Next to the side of the lift hill, thread the wire below the supports to create a sort of chain until both ends meet. Glue the ends together and permit them to dry.

Using the glue put 2-3 more pieces of wood on the top area of the lift hill to function as the launch section of the track, and also on the inversion and turn sections of the track. Finally take the small pieces of plastic and glue them one by one along the inner portion of the chosen track to signify the magnetic mechanisms used to launch roller coasters. Paint and decorate your roller coaster, design a small train for aesthetics and your model is finished.

Now it is time to get out there and find a buyer to turn your model into a actual ride!

Tips and Warnings

Because gravity is what keeps the coaster going, the length and height of the lift hill will be what gives the momentum to keep the coaster moving. Therefore bear this in mind when designing the height and slope of the lift hill.

Make your model on a surface which is the color of the ground, either brownish for dirt or green for grass.

While you make the model, contrast it to the plexiglass outline to make certain that all the track areas and supports are where they should be and none are missing.