Grip (tennis)

In tennis, a grip is a way of holding the racquet in order to hit shots during a match. The three most commonly used conventional grips are: the Continental (or "Chopper"), the Eastern and the Western. Most players change grips during a match depending on what shot they are hitting.

The octagonal handle

In order to understand the grips, it is important to know that the handle of a racquet always consists of 8 sides or, in other words, has an octagonal shape. A square shape would hurt the hand, while a round shape would not give enough friction to gain a firm grip. The eight sides of the handle are called bevels. We can number the bevels from 1 to 8 as follows: if the blade of the racquet is perpendicular to the ground, the bevel facing up is bevel #1. Rotating the racquet counter-clockwise (for a right handed player, clockwise for a left handed player), the next bevel facing up is bevel #2, if you are right-handed, and clockwise if you are left-handed, and so on to identify all 8 bevels.

Grip (gymnastics)

Grips are devices that are worn on the hands of artistic gymnasts when performing on various gymnastics apparatus. They are worn by female gymnasts on the uneven bars, and by male gymnasts on the high bar, and still rings; is rarely seen that a male gymnast uses grips for parallel bars. They are used to enhance the gymnast's grip on the apparatus, and also to reduce (but not eliminate) the friction that can cause painful blisters and rips, in which outer layers of skin separate and tear away from the hand.

Grips are optional and are not used by all gymnasts. Some athletes substitute sports tape or gauze for grips, while others use bare hands. Gymnasts typically apply powdered chalk (typically magnesium carbonate) to their grips, or to their hands if not using grips.

Construction

A grip consists of a wide strip of leather joined to a wrist strap. The leather strip, which covers and protects the palm of the hand, is approximately five centimeters wide and has finger holes at one end. On properly fitted grips, the finger holes will be positioned at the first knuckles of the inserted fingers.

Grip (badminton)

In badminton, a grip is a way of holding the racquet in order to hit shots during a match. The most commonly used grip is the orthodox forehand grip. Most players change grips during a rally depending on whether it is a forehand or backhand shot. A grip is also the wrapping around the handle of the racquet. There are many types and varieties of grips; the texture, thickness, color, material and surface (flat or waved) are all factors that make grips unique.

Forehand Grip

In order to understand the grips, it is important to know that the handle of a racquet always consists of 8 sides, or in other words, has an octagonal shape. A square shape would hurt the hand, while a round shape would not give enough friction to gain a firm grip. The eight sides of the handle are called bevels. The bevels can be numbered from 1 to 8; with the racquet surface perpendicular to the ground, the bevels are numbered from the top anti-clockwise. So bevel 1 would be the narrow bevel at the 'North' position, bevel 2 would be the diagonal bevel at the 'Northwest' position, etc.

USA (disambiguation)

USA or U.S.A. usually refers to the United States of America, a country in North America.

USA or U.S.A. may also refer to:

Places

Business

Universities

Other uses

USA-135

USA-135, also known as GPS IIA-19, GPS II-28 and GPS SVN-38, is an American navigation satellite which forms part of the Global Positioning System. It was the last of nineteen Block IIA GPS satellites to be launched.

USA-135 was launched at 00:30:00 UTC on 6 November 1997, atop a Delta II carrier rocket, flight number D249, flying in the 7925-9.5 configuration. The launch took place from Launch Complex 17A at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and placed USA-135 into a transfer orbit. The satellite raised itself into medium Earth orbit using a Star-37XFP apogee motor.

On 13 December 1997, USA-135 was in an orbit with a perigee of 19,912 kilometres (12,373 mi), an apogee of 20,449 kilometres (12,706 mi), a period of 717.9 minutes, and 54.9 degrees of inclination to the equator. It broadcasts the PRN 08 signal, and operates in slot 3 of plane A of the GPS constellation. The satellite has a mass of 1,816 kilograms (4,004 lb). It had a design life of 7.5 years, but it actually remained in service until October 30, 2014.

USA-200

USA-200, also known as NRO Launch 28 or NROL-28, is an American signals intelligence satellite, operated by the National Reconnaissance Office. Launched in 2008, it has been identified as the second satellite in a series known as Improved Trumpet, Advanced Trumpet, or Trumpet follow-on; a replacement for the earlier Trumpet series of satellites.

USA-200 was launched by an Atlas V carrier rocket, flying in the 411 configuration, operated by United Launch Alliance. The rocket was the first Atlas V to launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base, flying from Space Launch Complex 3E. Liftoff occurred at 10:02 UTC (03:02 PDT) on 13 March 2008. It was identified as NRO Launch 28, and was the thirteenth flight of an Atlas V. The rocket had the tail number AV-006.

The satellite's orbit and mission are officially classified, however like most classified spacecraft it has been located and tracked by amateur observers. It is in a Molniya orbit with a perigee of 1,111 kilometres (690 mi), an apogee of 37,580 kilometres (23,350 mi), and 63.5 degrees of inclination. In addition to its SIGINT payload, USA-200 also carries two secondary instruments; the SBIRS-HEO-2 missile detection payload as part of the Space-Based Infrared System programme, and NASA's TWINS-2 or TWINS-B magnetospheric science instrument as part of the TWINS programme.

SS Deutschland (1866)

Deutschland was an iron passenger steamship of the Norddeutscher Lloyd line, built by Caird & Company of Greenock, Scotland in 1866.

History

Deutschland was built as an emigrant passenger ship. She entered service on 7 October 1866 and arrived at New York on her maiden voyage on 28 October.

Loss

The Deutschland sailed from Bremerhaven on 4 December 1875, commanded by Captain Eduard Brickenstein, with 123 emigrants bound for New York via Southampton. Weather conditions were very bad with heavy snowstorms, and the ship had no clear idea of her position until, at 05:00 on 6 December, she ran aground in a blizzard on the Kentish Knock, a shoal 23 mi (37 km) off Harwich and 22 mi (35 km) from Margate, 3 mi (4.8 km) from the Kentish Knock lightvessel, and out of sight from shore. At the time she was 30 mi (48 km) from where Captain Brickenstein estimated she was.

Shortly before grounding, an attempt was made to go astern was made but failed when the stress fractured her propeller. Driven onto the sandbank, the vessel began to take on water and as the tide rose she failed to lift off the shoal as had been expected. When the sea began to break over her, and the wind rose to gale force, the order was given to abandon ship, causing some panick. One boat was launched, but was swamped, while a second boat, with the quartermaster, a sailor and a passenger aboard, went adrift and eventually reached shore on the Isle of Sheppey the next day with only the quartermaster left alive. The remaining boats were later washed away or destroyed by the stormy seas.