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Polar Yacht Vagabond ..., Brain and Mind ..., Jewish Armbands ...
Inglefieldbukta, 20th May 2005,
Vagabond will sail again in few weeks time, it will be the end of a
great wintering.
After 4 months alone, without sun but bewitched by northern lights and moonshines, France and I saw the first snowmobiles arriving. Then some new experiments started, in addition to the measurements we have been doing since October. From the end of the polar night, mid February, we have been welcoming 6 teams, one after the other, for about one week each time. We were also visited by my family, friends, skiers, dog sledges, cameramen, an artist, a journalist... and many polar bears! Not long ago, one of them completely destroyed an equipment storage tent, coming back several times to finish his job! The intense activity slowed down early May, we are enjoying the midnight sun, and we are waiting for the ice breaking up, probably mid June. Then Vagabond should be free, after having been trapped by the pack ice for about 8 months... Scientists and French Polar Institute (IPEV) are satisfied about logistics from Vagabond, we are in demand to do it again next winter ! Before that, collaboration with IPEV will continue during the summer, and we will be sailing North-East of Greenland, first with birdwatchers, then with geologists.
Some figures about our wintering: 200 candles, 7 litres of paraffin, about 2000 litres of diesel for heaters and generator, 50 kg of biscuits, 75 kg of flour, 15 litres of oil, 20 kg of powder milk, 20 kg of chocolate, 700 soups, 250 kg of dog food (for our 2 polar dogs !), 188 CTD casts, 55 polar bears met; maximum temperature difference between inside and outside: 60°C; lowest temperature: -40°C; strongest wind: 60 knots; min/max air pressure: 961/1039 mb; today's ice thickness around Vagabond: 1m90...
Our logbook and photo album are still being updated, you will know all about the ice breaking up, you may react and send us SMS!
You will find a first 13 minutes film about our wintering, in Voiles et Voiliers DVD magazine Nb 12, for sale after June 18th (July issue).
We wish to warmly thank our partners, as well as everyone who contributed to gather such good conditions for this adventure.
A bientot!
Eric Brossier
Ebrossier@aol.com
Logbook and pictures of the wintering:
http://vagabond.piem.org/Spitsberg2004.php3
To join us (phone, free SMS...), see:
http://vagabond.piem.org/contact.php3
Vagabond, polar yacht, logistics for expeditions http://www.vagabond.fr
While searching the web I came across your article "Brain and Mind." In this article you mention "Awhile ago there was a TV documentary about people born with practically no brain." This is exactly what I was searching for. I saw that documentary but cannot remember who did it or what it was called. Do you?
Thanks,
J.C.
As I remember it, the author of this topic, both on TV and in the Toronto Star, was Jay Ingram. He hosts a TV program called "The Daily Planet" and I think that would be the easiest way to contact him. Good luck, WM
Do you have nay idea of what the origin would be of a black and white striped armband, with a yellow star of David in the center, marked POLIZEI would be? It looks to be machine made.
I suspect that it would have been worn by the Jewish Ghetto prisoners who exercised "Official Functions" for the Germans in policing the other Ghetto residents -- as collaborators or "trustees".
Are you familiar with this item? I should mention that it also have an official German Stamp (maroon eagle) on the inside.
Thanks for any help you can offer.
Tom Wallace
twallace@stny.rr.com
Tom -- I'm sorry not to know details but indeed it could be one of the many armbands used by the "Ordnungsdienst" in the ghettos. The question is in which region of occupied Europe this specific kind of armband was applied because they varied according to the countries and regions. Perhaps somebody among the readers can bring us the answer. Only the official German Stamp makes me doubt its authenticity; the Nazis wouldn't mix their symbols with the Jewish ones. Good luck WM
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William Markiewicz